Siege took occasion curiously to pry inâ—â— the Mouth of all the Cannons and whâ—â— the Duke asked him what he did I looâ— sais he for the Key of Beauvais but I cannot find it For this Warlike Resistance the Inhabitants got several priviledges as tâ— be free from the Duty of Arrear-ban witâ— the liberty of enjoying Noble Mannon without paying any Money to the Crown But the Women as they shewed a Courage much above their Sex so they were honoured above the rest For they were allowed to adorn themselves at their Wedding-Day as sumptuously as they would a Liberty very unusual in those Days Likewise to precede the Men at a Procession to be made every Year at the Festival of S. Agadresme and to bring their Offerings to the Altar before them Beauvais is a very fine City both for its Buildings as the Episcopal Palace the Cathedral Church of St. Peter which has Eight Dignitaries and Forty Canons Six Collegiate Churches and Three Abbyes and likewise for its Territory which is pleasantly interrupted with Plains Vallyes and Hills that are Fertil in Wine Corn Hay and all sorts of Fruits nay the Meadows are so good that Muttons are here bigger and fatter than in other parts of France This Town besides is well fortified the Walls being thick and strengthned with Bulwarks and Rampiers the Ditches deep and broad with Sluces to let the Water in or out S. Lucian is thought to have been the first Bishop of Beauvais in the Primitive Ages of Christianity but either of him or his Successors is little certainty till the VIII or IX Century Odet of Coligni Cardinal of Chastillâ—â— was Bishop of this Town in the last Age and being perswaded of the Truth of the Reformation refused to say Mass in the Cathedral on Easter-day 1561 and madâ— bold to Celebrate the Lords Supper in hâ—â— Private Chappel The French Kings and the Counts of Blois and Champaign have endowed this Bishoprick with great Revenueâ— and Priviledges so that its Prelate is Spiritual and Temporal Lord of this Town and County and the first among the Ecclesâ—astical Counts and Peers of France Hâ— Power howsoever is not so great as it wâ—â— before the Year 1539 that there was 〈◊〉 Royal Officer but a Judge of Priviledgâ—â— Men Since that time a Bailiwick Presidâ—â—â— Election and Mayoralship have been founded there In 1609 that Duchesne wrote hâ— Antiquities all the Judges depended yeâ— upon the Bishop He has Nine Arch-Deacons and Three Hundred and Seventy Parishes under him The Chief Trade of Beauvais consists in Serges Cloaths and the like Stuffs is Earthen Vessels which are made of an excellent Potters-Clay that abounds in this Countrey in lines which are transported into Holland and Flanders There are a great many Villages round about the Town and several Noble Families whence are issued Four great Masters of St. Johns Order John and Philip de Villiers L' Isle-Adam Claudius de la Sengle and Vignacourt But the most Illustrious of all is John of Bechencourt the first King and Discoverer of the Canaries in 1402. Among the Titles of the Bishop of Beauvais is that of Vidame or Vicedominus of Gerberoy because he is Lord Temporal of that Borough scituated on the Frontiers of Picardy upon a Mountain which has the Terrain at its foot Five Leagues North-West of Beauvais It is famous for a Battle between the English and the French fought in 1435 where the Count of Arundel lost his Life Bulles a Borough Four Leagues East of Beauvais is renown'd for its Lines and known since the Year 1075 Clermont Eleven Miles South-East of Beauvais and Six of Bulles is a pretty good Town seated upon a small Hill It has the Title of a County and has given its Name to a Noble Family known since the Eleventh Century It was extinguished within Two Ages and King Lewis the IX gave it to Robert of France his Son about the Year 1291 but in 1327 Charles the fair exchanged it with Lewis Roberts Son for some other Lands and erected the Barony of Bourbon into a Dutchy and Peerdom which made this House change their Sirname and rake that of Bourbon It 's from this Robert that the present Kings of France are descended Clermont was restored to these Lorâ— by Philip of Valois who would not keep tâ—â— Match of his Predecessor but confiscated bâ— Francis I. upon Charles of Bourbon Higâ— Constable of France because he had revoltâ— from him to the Emperour Charles V. Tâ—â— other Towns or considerable Burroughs oâ— Beauvaisis are Merlou Bury Ansac Angâ— Mony Monchy Tillart c. Valois Going over the Oyse you enter into thâ— Country of Valois call'd Pagus Vadensis in thâ— Statute-Books of the Emperour Charles the Bald. Mention is made of it since Philip I Afterwards this County was often given 〈◊〉 the Children of the French King for theâ— Portion whence it came that the Frencâ— King Philip VI. Son to Charles Count oâ— Valois Alencon c. and Grandson to Philip the Bold was surnamed de Valois and communicated this Appellation to Thirteen Kings descended from him until Henry IV. in whom began the branch of Bourbon Charles VI. Erected this County into 〈◊〉 Dutchy and Peerdom in 1402 and it makes yet part of the Portion of Philip of France Lewis XIV his Brother Creil upon the Oyse with a Fine Bridge â—nd a Provostship resorting to the Bailiwick of Senlis is the first Town you meet with coming out of Beauvaisis Charles V. built there a strong Castle which fell in the hands of the English under Charles VI. and was retaken by Charles VII in 1442. Creil is Two Leagues North of Senlis and Eleven of Paris Chantilly upon the Nonnette Three Miles South of Creil is a Royal House with fine Gardens and Water-Spouts belonging now to the Prince of Conde Verneuil upon the Oyse a League East of Creil has been Erected first into a Marquizate and lately into a Dutchy and Peerdom by Lewis XIV Anno 1652. Sonlis Augustomagus Silvanectum is scituated on a Hill betwixt Two small Rivers which mix their Waters near it and bear the Name of Nonnette with the Forest Halatre on the North and that off Senlis on the South Nine or Ten Leagues of Paris It 's the most considerable Town of this Dutchy having a Bishoprick Bayliwick and Presidial Seven Parochial and Two Collegiate Churches St. Proculus was his first Bishop The whole Diocess is interwoven with woods which has given it its Latin Name In 873 Charles the Bald assembled there the Bishops of Sens and Rheims to try his Son Carloman who was a Deacon and had revolted against him The Young Prince waâ— condemn'd and his Eyes pull'd out and waâ— put close Prisoner in the Abby of Corby 〈◊〉 Thence he made his escape to Lewis thâ— Germanick his Unkle who gave him thâ— Abby of Epternack where he died sometiâ—â— after In 1589 the Leaguers besieged thâ—â— Town but were forced to raize the Siegâ— by the Duke of Longueville
Limosins In Caesar's time the Limosins brought in 10000 Men for the Confederacy of the Gauls against the Romans This People is now adays ingenious prudent laborious and saving they have given 5 or 6 Popes to the Church Limosin is divided into Upper and Lower the chief City of the first is Limoges of the second Tulle The Principal Rivers are the Dordonne the Vienne the Vezere and the Upper Vezere c. The City of Limoges Ratiastum and Le Movicae is seated partly on the top of a little Hill and partly in a Valley upon the River Vienne surrounded with good strong Walls and deep ditches a Gaulish Prince as 't is pretended built it and gave it his name it has much suffer'd in divers times by the Goths French and English Under King Charles V. the Lord High Constable du Guesclin took it from the English in 1371 and the Prince of Wales retook it a little while after by storm where 4000 People fell a Sacrifice to his wrath but the French King got it again soon after The Cathedral is under the name of St. Stephen whose first Bishop St. Martial is accounted to be tho with little proofs There are three considerable Abbeys of St. Austin S. Martial and S. Martin and several other Monasteries with a Presidial and a Generality This Town has had its Hereditary Viscounts who were Sovereigns of the whole Province Many Councils have been held there Limoges lies near the borders of la Marche 34 Leagues North of Cahors and 19 North-East of Perigueux TVLLE Tutela Castrum is watered by two Rivers Courreze and Soulane 15 Leagues South-East Limeges the Abbey of St. Martin was erected here to a Bishoprick by Pope John XXII in 1318. of which Arnold of St. Astier was the last Abbot and the first Bishop Its Prelates are Viscounts and Lords of the Town There is a Presidial and an Election this is the Country of the ancient Family of Gardia There are also to be noted the Viscounty of Turenne Brive la Gaillarde Vserche a strong Town the Dukedom of Ventadour Roche-Abeille famous for a Fight in the year 1569. St. Hivier S. Junian Chalus considerable for its Markets of Horses Aix renowned in that Country for the excellent Bread that is bak'd there Preige-buffiere the first Barony of Limosin Of Perigord PERIGORD Pagus Petrocoricus Borders to the East on part of Quercy and Limosin to the North Angoumois to the West on part of Xaintonge and Guienne properly so called to the South on Agenois and part of Quercy it lies betwixt 44 Deg. 38 Min. and 45 Deg. 30 Min. of Latitude and betwixt 20 Deg. 30 Min. and 22 Deg. of Longitude which makes 24 Leagues North and South from the Source of the Droune to the Barony of Biron near the Source of the Drâ—t and 26 East and West from Sarlat to Roche-Chalais 'T is a rough stony and mountainous Country but for all that pretty fruitful There are many Medicinal Springs and some Mines of Iron and Steel it is divided into Upper and Lower Perigord the first called Blanc or White because of its Mountains 't is North-West betwixt the two Venzeres and the other that was South-East along the Rivers l'Iles and Dordonne is called Noii or Black because of its Woods There are abundance of Wall-nuts Chest-nuts several sorts of Simples and Wine in some places this Province since the declining of the Monarchy had particular Counts till Lewis XII who gave them other Lands in exchange and which the French King Henry IV. annexed to the Crown The City of Perigueux call'd at first Vesunnae Petrocoriorum and afterwards Petrocorii or Petrocori by the name of its ancient Inhabitants is the chief of the Upper Perigord and of the whole Province lies upon the River l'Isle with a Bishoprick Suffragan of Bourdeaux of which it's distant 28. Leagues to the North-East It is a very ancient City yet not so ancient as to have been founded by one of Noah's Sons as some would have it it has often been ruined by the incursions of Barbarians In 768. Pepin le Bref or the Short got near that Town a famous Victory over Gaifer Duke of Aquitain St. Front was its first Bishop its Cathedral under the Name of St. Stephen was much defaced during the Civil Wars The most considerable places are besides Perigueux and Sarlat Beaumont Bergerac Roche-chalais Brantosme Ville-Franche de Perigord Montignac on the Vezere in whose Castle the ancient Counts of Perigord used to reside Montpont the Head of a small Country call'd the Conquest betwixt the Rivers L'Isle and Double and the Village of Mucidan Castillon on the Dordonne 9 Miles East of Libourne and 25 North-East of Bourdeaux where our English General Talbot who had maintained the Wars many years with a handful of Men against all the Power of Charles VII was at length routed in 1451. At Miremont is to be seen a subterraneous Cavern or Den that reaches very far under the Ground At la Douzé a Burrough and Marquizate betwixt Montignae and Miremont is made the best Paper in the Country Hautefort Bourdeilles and Exidueil have also the Titles of Marquizates Riberac that of a County Mareuil Bainac and Biron are ancient Baronies and La Force which gives the name of Dukes to an illustrious Protestant family is the finest House in Perigord Of Saintonge SAINTONGE and corruptively Xaintonge Pagus Santonicus c. Sarlat Sarlatum and Sarlatium Capital of Lower Perigord and more especially of a small Country thereabouts call'd Pagus Sarlaticus Le Sariadois lies on the source of the Nea 2 Leagues North of the Dordonne and but one from the Borders of Quercy There was an ancient Abbey of Benedictins chang'd by Pope John XXII in 1317 into a Cathedral Church of which Raimond of Roquecor was the first Bishop This Town has a Seneschal's Court and is strong by its situation for it maintained two Sieges during the Civil Wars of the Princes in 1652. Santonicus Borders upon Angoumois and Perigord to the East on Poictou and the Country of Aunis to the North on the Ocean to the West and on proper Guienne to the South it lies between 19 Deg. 5 Min. and 20 Deg. 53 Min. of Longitude and between 45 Deg. 5 Min. and 46 Deg. 20 Min. of Latitude which makes about 34 Leagues East and West from Roche Beaucourt and les Fontaines to the Bay call'd Pertuis of Maumusson and 32 North and South from the Sevre Niortoise to very near the Save in proper Guienne This Country is very plentiful in Corn Wine Pastures Saffron good Fish and above all in Wormwood and Rosemary that have particular Virtues A great quantity of good Salt is made upon the Coast and it is a common saying that were France an Egg Xaintonge would be the Yolk of it its principal Rivers are the Garonne the Charante the Seudre c. which are very convenient for the Carriage and Transportation of Commodities The City of SAINTES or Xaintes Mediolanum Santonum
and Prince of Donzere and Chateauâ—â—f Annonay Annonaeum a Marquisate upon the â—all River Deume lies 3 Leagues West of the Rome and almost 19 North of Viviers in a very fruitful Soyl. It 's the Capital of Upper VIVARAIS and the Seat of a Bayliwick Some pretend that it was formerly a Store-house of â—he Roman Armies Most of the Inhabitants â—mbraced the Reformation in the last Age so â—hat it remain'd under the Protestants during â—he Civil Wars notwithstanding the attempts â—he Leaguers made against it in 1562 and 1563. Tournon Turno Castrum because it was formerly but a Castle seated on a neighbouring Hill lies upon the Rhone over against Thain iâ— Dauphine has the Title of a County and has given name to an Illustrious Family that has produc'd several Cardinals and many Prelates It 's one of the ancientest Baronies in that Country but is grown more famous and flourishing of late by a College of Jesuits that draws thiâ—her great numbers of Scholars It was Founded by Francis Cardinal of Tournon Archbishop of Lyons under Charles IX This Town has besides a Collegiate Church and several Monasteries and the County extends its Jurisdiction over 72 Parishes Aubenas Albenacum is an indifferent gooâ— Town upon the steep of a Mountain wash'd bâ— the River Ardesche almost 8 Leagues North West of Viviers Most of the Inhabitants werâ— Reform'd Villeneuve de Berg lies near thâ— source of the Rivulet Hibie 11 Miles West oâ— Viviers But though it be the Capital of thâ— little Country of Les Botieres yet 't is only coâ—siderable for its being the Seat of an inferioâ— Judge or Baily The other places of some note are Serriereâ— Andance Chasteaubourg Cornaz Crussol a Couâ—ty Soyons a principality belonging to the Bishoâ— of Valence in Dauphiné Charmes Beau-Chasteâ— La Voulte Poussin Bays sur Bays Meisse Roche Maurette Le Teil Le Bourg St. Andiol all seaâ—ed along the Rhone from North to South I the middle of the Country or near the Mountains you find upon the River Beaune Joyeusâ— a Dutchy and Peerdom erected by Henry IIâ— in 1581 I. ' Argentiere near the small Country oâ— Borne Vauguel Mirabel S. Laurent Boulogâ—â— l'Estrange Meyras Montpezat Rioutort neaâ— the Borders of Velay 3 Leagues down the sourcâ— of the Loire where that River is yet so narrow that a Lady having leap'd it over by putting foot on a Silver Plate she laid in the middle oâ— the Channel made the Italians believe she haâ— past over the Loire on a Silver-bridge The you meet with Pierre-ville Chalençon Le Cheâ—lars S. Agreve c. Of the Diocese of Uzès THis Diocese is included betwixt the Rivers Ardesche Rhone and Garden and the â—ountains Cevennes having the County Venaisâ— the Principality of Orange and the Tricaâ—â—is to the East Vivarais to the North and â—â—vaudan with the Diocese of Nismes to the West and South-West It s length and breadth â—e almost equal being about 12 or 14 Leagues â—t drawing a diagonal North-West and South-â—ast from Villefort near the Source of the Arâ—â—he on the Borders of Gevaudan to Monfrain 〈◊〉 the Gardon near its fall into the Rhone the â—reguoiâ— reaches above 18 Leagues VZES Vindomagus Volcarum Arecomicorum â—d in latter Ages Vcetia or Castrum Vâ—eciense 〈◊〉 near the Spring of the small River Aysene â—uch after a course of 5 or 6 Miles diâ—charges â— self into the Gardon Magus is an old Gauâ— word that signifies Habitation and because is oft chang'd into r and V into G as Caâ—â—elus for Carantonus la Charante so Vindo â—â—y have been said for Virdo or Vardo the Garâ— In the ancient Notices of the Gauls this â—â—thedral Church is put in the last place or 〈◊〉 one before the last but since the erection 〈◊〉 the new Bishopricks S. Pons de Tomiere's and Alet it is the 7th in order VZES had â— first the Title of a Barony then it was erecteâ— into a Dutchy and at last into a Dutchy aâ—â— Peerdom in 1572 for Antony of Crussol Bâ—sides this the Bishop is Count of the Town anâ— the King is also Conseigneur or Lord Partner anâ— has his Seat of Justice and his Viguier or Bayly so that the King the Bishop and the Duke havâ— each their Castle and their Jurisdiction whicâ— oft causes many disputes VZES is pretty biâ— rich and trading because of the Manufactory Cloaths the Serges of VZES being renown throughout all the Kingdom Most of the Iâ—habitants had embrac'd the Reformation foâ—lowing the example of their Bishop John of Gelais who turn'd Protestant with all his Chaâ—ter and â—ent for Ministers to Geneva in the laâ—â— age and there has been still a considerable Râ—form'd Church even till these latter times Thâ— City lies 4 Leagues of Languedoc or eleven Eâ—glish Miles South of Nismes and almost 8 coâ—mon Leagues of France North-West of Avâ—non Five Miles South-East of VZES upon tâ—â— River Gardon is to be seen the most sumptuoâ—â— remainder of Roman Antiquities that is extaâ—â— perhaps in all the World It 's called Pont Guard pons Vardonis and consists of three Briâ—ges built upon one another The undermâ—â— has 6 Arches and is the common road of Mâ— and Beasts the middlemost has eleven Aâ—ches and the uppermost 30 the whole reacâ—ing to the height of 82 Foot Under these Briâ—ges is a Canal 6 Foot deep and 3 broad câ—ver'd with large Stones through which tâ— Water of the Gardon was made to pass and to â—cend to the highest of those Bridges whence â— through an Aqueduct it was brought into â—â—smes to serve for their Arens Mills and other 〈◊〉 For Nismes being not seated on the bank 〈◊〉 a River and having but a small Fountain as â—s been observ'd in its proper place wants Water the most part of the Summer These â—ridges tho not so entire as to be of use are â—ll however a glorious Monument of the Roman â—â—â—andure On the North-East above 9 Leagues from â—ZES lies Pâ—nt S. Esprit a pretty strong â—own and an important passage upon the Rhone Wherefore it has a Cittadel and a parâ—â—cular Governor The Town has its name â—rom a Bridge that is a curious piece of Workâ—anship being under-propt by 22 Arches 1206 â—rench Toises or 7236 Foot long and 90 Foot â—ord The other places of note in this Diocese are â—â—amon Ville-neuve-lez-Avignon S. André Rocâ—â—emaure Condoules all upon the Rhone from South to North. Villefort and Chamhonas upon â—he Chassezat Salavas and Ayguese upon the â—â—desche S. Ambroise Monclus Cornillon Bagnols â—pon the Ceze Les Vens Bane Bezas Bargeac â—agnas La Bastide de Virac betwixt those two Rivers Genouillas and Chambourigaud near the â—â—vennes Couvillargues and Lodun upon the â—â—ve Lussan betwixt the Ceze and Tave Blanâ—u near the Gardon St. Laurens des Aubres near the Rhone c. Of GEVAUDAN THis Mountainous Country is separated from Velay and Vivarais by the Allier to thâ— East to the North it has Upper Auvergne tâ— the West Rouergue and to the South the Diocese of
into Foreign Countries The French Monarchy strove many Ages before it came to that high Point of Grandeur to which it has attained of late The Weakness of Charlemaign's Successors and the Incursions of the Normans had reduced it to so narrow Limits that the French King was hardly Sovereign in Paris The Governors of the several Counties and Provinces taking hold of the occasion made their Charges Hereditary and soon after render'd themselves Lords of the Countries they Govern'd So that France at that time was rather an Aristocracy or a Confederacy of several Petty-Princes under the French King their Head as Germany now is under the Emperor then a Monarchy properly so call'd But the Victories which Charles VII got over the English in the Fifteenth Age during the Wars of the Houses of York and Lancaster gave him means to Unite to his Crown the large Provinces of Guyenne and Normandy together with Poictou le Maine and Tourain Lewis XI his Son and Successor after the Death of Charles the Râ—sh last Duke of Burgundy in 1477 usurp'd upon his Sole Heiress Mary Spouse of Maximilian of Austria the Dutchy of Burgundy and some part of Picardy Charles VIII and Lewis XII by their Marriage with Ann Daughter to Francis II. late Duke of Britany United that Dutchy to their Crown Anno 1514 Then it was that France began to look as a mighty Kingdom So that Francis I. King of France was a sit Match even for Charles V. Emperor and King of Spain Naples and Sicily Duke of Milan and Lord of all the Low Countries The extent of the French Kings Jurisdiction was yet increas'd by the Accession of Bearn or Lower Navarre of which Henry IV. was in Possession when he came to that Crown And by his Acquisition of the Province of Bresse with the Lands of Bugey Valromey and the Bailwick of Gex which he Exchanged with Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy for some Pretensions on the Marquisate of Salusses in 1601. Lewis XIII his Son Divested the Duke of Lorrain of his Dutchy the Emperor and the King of Spain of a good part of Elzas and the Netherlands and this present King has not only Conquer'd the County of Burgundy and the rest of Elzas but push'd so far his Conquests in the Low Countries that what now remains in the Hands of the King of Spain is not able to withstand him any long time The Authority of the French Monarchs grew stronger and more absolute within their Kingdom as the Bounds of it were extended without at least in this latter Age. For in former times even that mighty Emperor Charlemaign would do nothing without the Advice of his Barons no not so much as establish and endow a Bishoprick and by their means it was that his Son Lewis the Pious was re-inthron'd The Power of the French Lords lasted not only under the Second Race but three or four Ages too under the Third And as these petty Princes were extinguished their Authority was transferr'd to the States of the several Provinces under whose hands it remained till the Civil Wars under the pretence of Religion gave a mighty check to it and the shrewd Policy of the Cardinals Richelieu and Mazarine made it altogether arbitrary Now the French Kings pretend that they are Emperors in France as Bodin and du Tillet have endeavoured to prove That their Authority is Absolute and Sovereign and that as to the Temporal they have no other Superior than God alone upon whom their Crown immediately depends it not being in the Power of the Prelates of their Kingdom either to excommunicate them or to publish them to be such By reason of their Consecration they are look'd upon to be of the Body of several Cathedral Churches in France where they hold the Prebends The nominating to Bishopricks Abbeys c. belongs to them even by the Pope's Consent and the Concordat made betwixt Francis I. and Leo X. They alone can make Laws in their Kingdom grant Favors and Pardons naturalize Strangers and legitimate Bastards They build Colleges Universities Courts and Companies of Justice create Offices and provide for the same The Males only by Salique Law which the French call the Fundamental of the State have Right to Succession and the Crown always is devolved to the next Heir that is to the eldest Son of the King and to the Issues of the eldest Infinitely This First-born during his Father's Life is commonly called the Dauphin by the Donative of Humbert last Dauphin of Viennois of his Lands of Dauphiné to Philip of Valois King of France upon condition that his eldest Son should be call'd Dauphin and bear quarterly the Arms of France with those of Viennois It was in the year 1343. Philip at the intreaty of John his Son who reigned after him gave the Land to his Grandson who reigned under the Name of Charles called the Wise and was the first Son of France who bore the Title of Dauphin The Arms of France are Three Flowers de Luce Or in a Field Azure King Charles VI. reduced them to Three his Predecessors having had them without number contrary to the Custom even of the first Kings The Consecration of the Kings is solemnly performed at Rheims where they are anointed with Oyl of the Holy Ampoule kept religiously in the Abbey-Church of St. Remigius whence it is carried under a Canopy by four Knights of the Holy Ampoule created by Clovis IV. The Royal Ornaments are kept at St. Denis from King St. Lewis's time The twelve Peers of France assist at the Consecration six whereof are Ecclesiastical to wit the Archbishop and Duke of Rheims who consecrates the King the Bishop and Duke of Laon the Bishop and Duke of Langres the Bishop and Earl of Bonâ—vais the Bishop and Earl of Chaalons the Bishop and Earl of Noyon The Six Lay Peers were formerly the Duke of Burgundy the Duke of Normandy the Duke of Guyonne the Earl of Tolouse the Earl of Flanders and the Earl of Champagne but these Peers subsisting no more they are represented by as many French Princes or Lords The King's Guards are composed of two strange Nations viz. Scots and Switzers and of his French Subjects The Scotch Guard is the first Company of the King's Guard du Corps However it ought to be observed that this Name is but a remainder of the ancient Alliance between the Scotch and the French for since the Reformation and the Union of England and Scotland there has hardly been a Scotch Man among these preâ—ended Scotch Guards However as this Company is the ancientest so it enjoys the greatest Privileges for their Captain precedes the three others and begins always to serâ—e the first Quarter of the Year and when the Guard du Corps are quartered they chuse the first Lodging This Company was at first composed of 100 Gentlemen or chosen Soldiers 24 of whom have yet a good Stipend are Privileged and have at their Head the first Man at Arms of France
left but one Sister call'd Helie that sold this Countrey to the French King Philip August Lewis IX gave it to Peter his fourth Son and since it has often been the Portion of the Children of the French Kings In 1572. the Lord of Matignon hinder'd there the bloody effects of St. Bartholomew's Murder however as he kept the Protestants low the Leaguers took it 3 years after Four leagues North of Seez is the Burrough of Hiesmes which gives its Name to the Countrey thereabouts the Hiesmois Pagus Oximiensis or Oxmensis that was formerly much larger comprehending the Alenconois and Seois Hiesmes Oximus or Oximi seems also to have been a considerable Town and sometimes the Seat of the Bishops of Seez who are call'd Oximensis Ecclesiae Episcopi Argentan called by the Latin Geographers Argentomum or Argentomagus lyes upon the River Orne 3 leagues West of Hiesmes and 5 South-west of Seez Falaise upon the River Ante eleven miles North-west of Argentan is an Ancient Town built in a Valley between two Hills in the form of a Boat of which a strong Castle digged upon a Rock seems to be the Stern It is a high big and round Tower that was the Palace of the Ancient Dukes of Normandy in time of Peace and their place of Arms in time of War It has gotten its Name from the Rocks upon which it is built or wherewith it s encompass'd which in the Franco-German Language are call'd Fales or Fels and the Normans give still the Name of Falaise to great heaps of Snow Thô this place was so very strong yet it was surrendred upon the first Summons to Philip August in 1203 but having been retaken by the English it was kept by them one of the longest of all and defended by the Warlike Talbot till the Year 1450. There is yet a Fort environ'd with Ditches and said to be built as well as the Castle by Julius Caesar to be a Bulwoâ—k against the Galli if they chanced to rebell during his Voyage into Great Brittain Next to this Town is the Burrough of La Guibray anciently Wibray renown'd for its free Fair in the Month of August said to be instituted by our William the Conqueror A league West of this Town is the Mountain of Airiennes where Hawks Faulcons and other Birds of Game are caught About the Year 1570. some Peasants digging near this Mountain found several Medals and pieces of Brass money with the stamp of Julius Caesar In the Territory of this Town is the Village of Arnes scituated in a Plain destituted of Brooks and Rivers and the Sea however which is ten leagues distant from it sometimes conveys thither by subterraneal Channels such abundance of Waters that they form a Lake or Pond furnished with several sorts of Fishes and when the water retires the place drys up again The Bishoprick of Bayeux THE Inhabitants Name their own Countrey Pays Bessin Ausone calls them Biocasses and Gregory of Tours Baiocassini they are esteem'd by Adrian de Valois the Viducasses of Pliny and the Biducasses of Ptolomy The chief Town Bayeux is seated upon the River Aure which loses it self into a kind of Abyss or great Ditch a small league Southwards This Town has the title of Viscounty Bailiwick Prefidial and Bishoprick Its first Prelate is accounted to be St. Exupere whom the Vulgar calls St. Spire In this Diocess are reckon'd above 200 Parishes under 4 Archdeaconships and 16 Deanships The Cathedral Church has 50 Canons of whom 17 are Dignitaries Its Towers Clock Gates Columns and the whole Building is sumptuous and it â—ear the Name of our Lady It s Bishop is the â—â—st Suffragan to Rouen has Jurisdiction over â—â—en Fâ—laise Vire and above 200 Parishes â—nder 4 Archdeaconships and 16 Deanships It â—as likewise a Bailiwick resorting to the Presiâ—ial of Caen. During the Civil Wars of Religion a Protestant Captain call'd Francis of Bricqueville Lord of Colombiers took it from the Roman Catholicks whose Worship was abolished there for a short while William Bonnet call'd there a Synod about the Year â—200 he is the same who founded a Colledge â—n the University of Paris in 1308 that has the Name of the Colledge of Bayeux Caen upon the River Orne six leagues South-â—ast of Bayeux and four leagues North of Estreâ—an on the mouth of that River is accounted the Capital of Lower Normandy and has a Bailiwick Presidial Generality Election and Offices for receipt of the King's Money Some will have it to be a very Ancient Town and â—hat it be called Cadomus for Caji Domus But â—he Learned Bochart one of the greaâ—est Ornaments of France but especially of this Town wherein he was Minister of the Protestants thinks not Caen to be of so great Antiquity and derives its Name from a Saxon word made Laâ—in Kadomum which signifies a pleasant and Godly Habitation King William the Conqueâ—â—n and Maud of Flanders his Wife are Interâ—ed in two Abbies of S. Bennets Orders unâ—er the Name of St. Stephen and the Holy â—â—â—nity which they founded in this Town the â—irst of Monks the other of Nuns It is a very Trading place because great Boats can gâ— from the Sea to the Bridge of St. James's 〈◊〉 the help of the Title and of its three days after Easter instituted by our K. William 〈◊〉 Town-house is built upon another Bridge oâ— St. Peter This House is a remarkable 〈◊〉 with four Towers and a Clock which 〈◊〉 only shows the Hours but also the Iâ—aâ—â— and Decrease of the Moon Here the Gâ—â—â— â—ceives the Oudon after it has pass'd thro seâ—â— Mills At the upper end of the Town 〈◊〉 strong Castle built upon the Rock foâ—â— with a Platform having in the middle a 〈◊〉 square Tower flank'd at the four Corners 〈◊〉 four other Towers and encompass'd with a Ditches Besides the Courts already nâ—on'd there is a Vice-Admiralty an Ecclesiâ—cal Court depending upon the Bishop of â—eux an Overseer of Waters and For resâ—â— Salt Granary a Mint and a University â—â—ed in the Year 1431. It has three Colleâ— and is governed by a Rector a Chanceâ—â— the Bishop of Bayeux and two Conser vnâ—â— its Priviledges the Bishops of Lizieux and â—â—ance There is besides an Academy or 8â—â— of Learned Men erected some 30 years 〈◊〉 'T is said that this Town became consideâ—â— by the Residence of the English during 〈◊〉 Wars in France and by the many Privileâ— they allow'd it In 1562. the Protestants 〈◊〉 came Masters of the Town but the French 〈◊〉 Charles IX having gotten it from their 〈◊〉 by a sham Declaration of Liberty of Câ—ence the Garrison of the Castle ploâ—â— Quarrel with the Inhabitants who were 〈◊〉 stâ—ts for the most part the last besieged the â—t and expell'd them out of that Nest with 〈◊〉 help of the Admiral of Coligny The small Countrey of Auge Algia towards â—e South-east and the borders of the Bishopâ—â—â—k of Seez is depending on this Bailiwick 〈◊〉 the Temporal and for the Spiritual
them with abundance of Butter and Milk and their Sea-ports make them the best Fishers and Mariners in France The Inhabitants appear Clownish but are really shrewd and cunning Tho' Pliny asserts l. 4. c. 17 19. That the Galli call'd in their own Language Aremorica the Countrey included between the Garumne the Sea and the Pyrenean Mountains which the Romans nam'd afterwards Aquitain yet it appears that Caesar and other Ancient Geographers understood by Armorica and Armorici the Nations and Cities bordering upon the Ocean from the mouth of the Seyne to that of the Loire so that the Ancient Armorique comprehended all Brittany and a good part of Normandy that is all the third Lyonnoise and about one half of the second but this Name deriv'd from an old Gaulish word Armor Ad mare or near the Sea became in process of time proper to Britanny Beda relates l. 1. c. 1. That in old times some Armoricans came over into our Island and master'd the Southern parts of it however 't is not from them that our Ancestors got the Name of Brittains since these Gauls were only known by that of Armorici whereas it cannot be doubted but that our Brittains gave their Name to Brittanny Annal. Egin ad An. 786. For Eginhard testifies that about the Year 441. at the beginning of Valentinian's Empire the English and Saxons having invaded our Island a great part of the Inhabitants put to Sea and Landing on the borders of Vannes and Cornouaille made themselves Masters of the Countrey Accordingly we find one Mansuetus Bishop of these Brittains subscribing to the Council of Tours in 461. Our Refugees made not long since a great Figure in the World for about the end of the fifth Age their King â—â—othimas having made a League with the Emperor Anthemius against the Goths was defeated by them on the borders of Berry before he could joyn with his Confederates and lost in that Battle the best part of 12000 men So great a loss however was not able to run them altogether down for we find that even in the following Century they were a Terror to the French so that Clovis the Great 's Grand-Children Theodebert and Thierry were forc'd to keep Counts and Marquesses on the Frontiers to oppose the Incursions of the Brittains into the Territory of Nants They being so Warlike and their Castles and Forts being surrounded with Woods and Marshes the Captains of Charlemaign were not like to have subdued them as they did about the end of the eighth Century had they not divided themselves into several petty principalities notwithstanding they recover'd their liberty under Charles the Bald by the Valour of Nomenoius and Herispoius his Son to whom Charles yielded the Territories of Rennes Nantes and Retz when he saw that he could not recover them Others relate the Settlement and Adventures of our Brittains somewhat differently They say that about the Year 393. a Brittish Captain called Conan Meriadoc Lieutenant to Maximus who had been saluted Emperor in England in 382. obtained leave of his Master to erect a Kingdom in Little Brittain which his Successors enjoyed independently from any other till about the Year 570. that Chilpric I. King of France made them Tributary After the Death of Judicael about the Year 700 This Kingdom was rent into several petty Principalities so that Charlemaign had no great trouble to subdue them as he did in 787. Neomenes or Nomenoius descended from the Ancient Kings of Brittany was made Lieutenant to the Emperor Lewis the Meek but he revolted against him took the Title of King and dyed in 852. Heruspeus or Herispoius his Successor maintain'd the War against the French King till 866. that he was kill'd by his Cousin Solomon This last reigned 12 years and was murdered in 878. After his Death this Province was rent again by several Lords who made themselves Soveraigns in their respective Countries This lasted to the Year 930 or 935. that Alain I. subdued the whole Province and enjoyed it under the Title of County He was succeeded by twelve or thirteen more who possesesed it under the same Title but in all Soveraignty till a French Prince called Peter of Dreux Grandson to the French King Lewis the Burly having married Alix Heiress of this County in 1213. consented to acknowledge the French King Lewis IX for his Liege Lord who in recompense gave him the Title of a Duke And for having thus betray'd the Liberties of the Brittains he was surnamed by them the Duke Mauclerc that is The Ignorant or unskilful Duke Philip the fair King of France made John II. Grand-child to Peter Mauclerc Duke and Peer of France After the Death of John III. surnamed the Good in 1341. there hapned a long and bloody War between two pretenders to this Dutchy John IV. surnamed of Monfort and Charles of Blois John was Son to Arthur II. by a second Wife Charles had Spoused Jane Countess of Ponthievre Grand Daughter to the said Arthur The French King Philip of Valois maintained Charles and Edward III. King of England took the part of John This Quarrel lasted about 14 or 15 Years till John V. Son to the said John of Montfort totally routed and killed his Competitor Charles at the Battel of Aury in 1364. This Great Duke surnamed the Warlike and the Conqueror was succeeded by six others the last of whom Francis H. left but one Daughter Ann Dutchess and Heiress of Brittain Married to the French King Charles VIII and then to Lewis XII She had a Daughter by the last called Claudia Married to the French King Francis I. whose Son Henry II. was the first King of France that was Duke of Brittain by Succession and United that Dutchy inseparably to his Crown The chief Rivers of Bretagne besides the Loire of which we have spoken in the General Description are the Vilaine Vicenonia which comes from a Place in the Maine called la Croisille washes Vitrey receives the Pinelle mixes with the Lille at Rennes then encreased with the waters of Seiche Bonau and Sevonne St. Aubin Ouste Adon falls into the Sea near the Isle of Mai t six leagues South-west of Vennes and four North of the mouth of the Loire The Blavet comes from the Bishoprick of Quimpercorentin runs thrô the Bishoprick of Vennes washes Pontivy and Hennebont and having received the Elle at his mouth discharges it self into the Sea at the bay of Blavet The Laita separates the Bishopricks of Vennes and Quim percorentin and having received the Isotte at the Abby of St. Croix runs into the Sea at the Abby of St. Maurice three or four leagues West of the Bay of Blavet The Rivers of Oder and Benaudet meet at Quimpercorentin and run into the Ocean at a Village called Benaudeâ— The River Ausen or Auen washes the greatest part of this Bishoprick and falls into the Bay of Brest on the South-side which on the North-side receives the River Eloen The River of Morlaix washes the Town
hundred most of whom they had the Barbarity to kill Next to Jargeau is the Castle and Garden of Jenaille with an artificial Rock made up of Shells and little glistering Stones of different colours whence spring Water-spouts that represent various figures Sully Solliacum four Leagues South-East of Jargeau on the same side of the River Loire is an antient Castle and Town with the Title of a Barony that has produced two famous Bishops of Paris in the Twelfth Century Maurice and Odon of Sully It was erected into a Dutchy and Peerdom by Henry IV. in 1606 to gratifie the Marquis of Rosny who had done him so many services This Lord was a Protestant and continu'd so all his life notwithstanding the Apostacy of his Master He has left Memoirs of what happen'd most considerable during his life that are much esteem'd The Lords of Sully have there a fine Castle Park and Garden Clery upon the Doure seven Miles South-East of Orleans is a Village noted for a Church under the name of our Lady The English plunder'd it after the taking of Meun in 1428. but the French King Lewis XI repair'd it and richly endow'd a Colledg of Canons which he fouâ—ded there chusing it for his Grave The other places in the Election of Orleans are Chateau-Neuf Ascheres Bazoches Artenay La Ferte-Seneterre a Barony with a fine Castle St. Aubin Ouzouer on the Loire and St. Benoit Baugency or Bois-jenci Balgentiacum a Town on the River Loire almost six Leagues South-West of Orleans with an Election and an Arch-Deaconship It 's seated in a most pleasant Soil fertil in Corn Wine and Fruits and abounding with Game It 's here that Lewis VII assembled the Prelates and Barons of his Kingdom to be divorc'd from Q. Eleanor his Wife says Du Chesne to which Mezeray adds That the King pursu'd the Separation vigorously I cannot but admire the blind zeal of the French Historians who to save the honour of this Prince turn him into the greatest Blockhead that ever sate upon a Throne when they make him divorce upon pretence of Consanguinity the rich Heiress of Guyenn and to restore her Dowry which did so mightily weaken him tho' he could not ignore she would deliver it into the hands of a pâ—tent Neigbour The truth is this was a trick of the C urt of Rome to put a stop to the growth of the French Monarchy lest those Kings should keep the Popes within the due limits of a Spiritual Jurisdiction as the first Emperors of France and Germany had done To compass their End those crafty Priests made use of the love of Queen Eleanor for young Henry Plantagenet Duke of Normandy Count of Anjou Maine c. and future King of England For it was the Queen who propos'd and pursu'd the Divorce at Rome as Tho. Wikes an English Historian tells us Agitata says he diutius lite inter Alienoram Reginam Francorum virum suum Regem ipsa Regina acriter petente Divortium ratione consanguinitatis quam proposuit inter se virum suum Auctoritate Apostolica celebratum est Divortium inter eos Instantius autem laborabat ad Divortium eo quod ad Nuptias Henrici Ducis Normaniae futuri Regis Angliae ferventius aspirabat Erat ipsa filia Vnica Haeres Ducis Aquitaniae quam nos Vasconiam nuncupamus Soluto quoque Matrimonio inter ipsam Regem ad Nuptias Ducis quas concupierat illico convolavit Haec secundum Historiae veritatem huic opusculo dignum inserenda judicavi Histor Angl. script Tom. II. p. 29. Here then it was that the sentence of that Divorce so fatal to France was pronounc'd on Tuesday before Palm Sunday 1152. Forty eight years before another National Synod had been held at Baugenci on occasion of King Philip I. Marrying Bertrade of Montfort against the advice of the Barons of his Realm In 1428. Baugenci was taken by the Count of Salisbury but retaken by the French after they had master'd Meun This Town has had its own Lords since the middle of the Thirteenth Century till 1544. that it was reunited to the Fr. Crown Meun or Mehun was an antient Castle built on a Hillock near the confluence of the Mauâ—e and Loire on the North-side to oppose the irruptions of the Vandals Meun Magdunum Maidunum or Maudunum is now an indifferent good Town four Leagues South-West of Orleans and two North-East of Baugenci One St. Lifard accompanied with Vrbicius laid here the Foundation of a Monastery since turn'd into a Collegiate Church After the taking of Yanville Meun surrender'd to the Count of Salisbury who put a strong Garrison in it notwithstanding which it was soon after retaken by the French This Town was one of the Country-Houses most frequented by Charles V. and the Inhabitants have a Proverb to signifie that he dy'd there in 1381 tho' Historians relate that it was in another Country-House call'd Beauty upon the Marne Whatever be of that Meun gave its name to a famous Poet a Dominican Frier call'd John Clopinel or John of Meun who flourished about the end of the XIII Century and the beginning of the XIV and finish'd the renown'd Roman of La Rose begun by William of Lorris There are two other notable Burroughs in the Election of Baugenci viz. Chaumont and Ouzouer le Marche Pluviers or rather Pithiviers is the Head oâ— another Election and Archdeaconship The Latin Authors call it diversly Petiveris Piverum c. It 's a Town and a Castle seated with a Bridge on the small River Pituere nine Leagues North-East of Orleans near to a Village call'd Pithiviers le Vieil It has an antient Priory depending on the Abby of Cluny and founded in the Seventh Century besides a Kings Court of Regal Justice resorting to the Presidial of Orleans Yanville six Leagues West of Pithiviers is another Regal Court of the Bailiwick of Orleans The Fr. King Henry IV. took it after Estampes on a Sunday November 11. 1589. and Garrison'd the Castle Yeure le Chastel a League East of Pithiviers and Neufville four Leagues South-West are two other Regal Seats of Justice The other Towns or Burroughs in this Election are Thoury Autruy Sermaizes Soizi-Males-herbes Briares and Puizeaux This last is call'd so from the abundance of Wells that are otherwise very rare in this Election and the Country of Gastinois Of Gastinois GASTINOIS Wastinensis or Vastinensis Pagus has the Isle of France on the North and North-East Bourgogne on the East Nivernois and Berry on the South and Proper Orleanois on the West reaching thirty Leagues North and South from Mont le hery in the Isle of France to Pouilly in Nivernois and about sixteen Leagues East and West where 't is broadest as from Chastenay in the Country of Chartres to Moret in the Isle of France But 't is to be observ'd that that which now bears the name of Gastinois is made up of two Countries viz. Pagus or Comitatus Milidunensis the
County of Melun that has been united to the Government of the Isle of France and Pagus Wastinensis or Gastinois properly so call'd that still depends on the Government of Orleanois Gastinois is a Franco-German name deriv'd from the Teutonish WASTE that is yet in use in English for we call Commons Heaths wild and desart Places Wastes and the French having no W do ordinarily change it into G as Guerre for War Thence it comes that they call so other Wildernesses as le Pais de la Gastiâ—e in Berry St. Laurent en Gastine a Village in Vendomois c. The Election of Dourdan is accounted by some in Hurepoix and by others in Gastinois It lies on the borders of the Isle of France in which some place it but it resorts to the Generality of Orleans confining the Election of that City on the South that of Pithiviers on the South-East the Isle of France on the North and North-East and the Country of Chartres on the West Dourdan Dordingum was the Patrimony of Hugh Capet belonging to his Grand-Father Hugh the great Duke of France Count of Paris c. who died here in 956. And therefore it was not separated from the Crown till the time of the French King Henry II. who pawn'd it to the Duke of Guise In 1596. it was sold to a Switzer Gentleman Imbert of Dutsbach a Native of Berne Then it was acquir'd by the House of Rosny and redeemed by Lewis XIII in 1610. Dourdan lies upon the River Orge fifteen Leagues North North-East of Orleans It was formerly a pretty good Town but has been almost ruin'd during the Civil Waâ—s under pretence of Religion in 1562 and 1567. Estampes Stampae seated on the River Juine Junna near its mixing with the Loe which takes afterwaâ—ds the name of Essonne from a Village it goes by and discharges it self into the Seine was formerly a considerable Town for it had a Royal Palace under the Reign of Robert King of France The Protestants took this Town by Scalado in 1567 and the Castle by composition This Castle founded by the said King Robert was since ruin'd in 1652 during the civil War of the Princes tho' their Army had the worst in a Battel fought near it Estampes has an Election resorting to the Generality of Paris yet is reck'ned in Beauce and part of the Government Orleanois It lies three Leagues South-East of Dourdan and thirteen North East of Orleans It was antiently a Viscounty and of the Demesne of the French Crown Charles IV. erected it into a County and Peerdom in 1327 for Charles of Evreux his Cousin Then having been re-united to the Crown Charles VII gave it to Richard Duke of Britany and Lewis XII to John of Foix in 1478. Francis I. rais'd it to a Dutchy in 1536 on behalf of Ann of Pisseleu one of his Mistresses whom he Marry'd to John of la Brosse and Henry IV. to his Natural Son Caesar Duke of Vendome There are other places of some note in the Election of Dâ—urdan as Rochefort on the borders of the Isle of France towards the North which has given name to Gui and William of Rochefort Chancellors of France under Lewis XI and Charles VIII St. Arnoul Monnerville c. Montargis Mons Argisus seems to have been built by Angegisus Archbishop of Sens and Vicar of the Roman See throughout Germany and France in 876. for Argisus may be derived from Angegisus by a Syncop and the change of N into R very familiar to the French as they have made Pampre from Pampinus Diacre from Diaconus c. In 1418. the Count of Warwick block'd up this Town seated upon the Loing fifteen Leagues North-East of Orleans but the Count of Dunois coming to its Relief forc'd the Trenches of the Besiegers and kill'd fifteen hundred of them In 1528. Montargis was burnt and since rebuilt and given by Francis I. to the Lady Renee Lewis XII's Daughter in part of her Portion together with the Dutchy of Chartres Montargis has an Election resorting to the Generality of Orleans For the Spiritual it depends on the Archbishop of Sens and for the Temporal on the Presidial of Orleans if we believe Du Chesne for Morery places a Bailywick and Provostship in it The Canal of Briare that joins the Seine and the Loire by means of the Loing was begun here by Henry IV. and is of twelve Leagues extent There has been since digg'd another from Montargis to Orleans of eighteen Leagues in length making together with the Loire an irregular Polygone Chastillon sur-Loing Castellio ad Lupam is a place of some consideration and antiquity It lies upon the River Loing and the Canal of Briare nine Miles South of Montargis and five South-West of Chateau-renard upon the Ouane In 1569 both these places were taken from the Admiral of Coligny to whom they belong'd Lorris Lauriacum and Lorriacum is the head of a small Country near the Forest of Orleans call'd Pagus Lauriacensis le pais de Lorris It 's known how the Goths Franks Vandals and other Noâ—thern Nations brought into the West and Southern Parts of Europe the custom of deciding their Quarrels by Duels or single Fights and that the Magistrates not being able to oveâ—rule entirely this inclination were foâ—c'd to turn it into a Law ordering that none should fight but before the Provost or an appointed Judge and in these publick and lawful Duels the vanquish'd lost his Suit as well as the Day and was forc'd to make reparation to the Victorious either in Mony or otherwise But there was a custom in the Country of Lorris which obtain'd throughout all Gastinois That if two Men came rashly to challenge one another and then to agree with the consent of the Provost they were fin'd 2 s. 6 d. but if they fought the Bayl 's of the Vanquish'd were fined 112 Shillings And therefore 't is still said in common Proverb of a man too severely dealt with by the Judges Qu'il est des gens de Lorris ou le battu paye l'amende That He is a Lorris man beaten and fin'd Lorris is ten Leagues distant from Orleans to the West and six from Montargis to the South-East In the XIII Century under the Reign of Lewis IX it gave name to a famous Poet and Lawyer William of Lorris who began the Romance of la Roze highly esteem'd in those days The other Towns or consideâ—able Burroughs depending on the Election of Montargis are Ferrieres Beaune Boiscommun Choisi-Bellegarde and Noyan Gien Giemum or Gemiacum thirteen Leagues South-East of Orleans and fourteen West of Auxerre on whose Bishop it depends for the Spiritual It 's a pretty good Town seated on the River Loire with an Election and the Title of a County for it has had time out of mind it 's own Lords till Mathilda or Maud Countess of Nevers and Tonnerre yielded it to the French King Philip August Since it 's fall'n again into the hands of particular Lords and
by this great General In the Division of Augustus Berry was made a part of Aquitain and continu'd so under the French During the weakness of Charlemaigne's Successors the Governors of this Province made themselves Sovereigns and had the Title of Counts of Bourges till Harpin undertaking a Journey into the Holy Land sold his Estate to the French King Philip I. for sixty thousand golden Pence This Lord turning a Monk at his return this County was united to the Crown till the year 1360 that the French King John erected it into a Dutchy and Peerdom for his youngest Son John who dying without Male Issue Berry return'd to the Crown King Charles VI. gave it in portion to his fifth Son Charles since the VII of that name King of France and because during the Wars with the English this Province stood firm to his Int'rest his Enemies call'd him contemptuously King of Bourges Since that time Berry has often been the portion of youngest Sons Daughters and Queen Dowagers of France This Province is about 28 Leagues North and South and as many East and West being divided into two Parts almost equal by the Cher and water'd by a vast number of other Rivers which make this Country very pleasant and fertile in all the necessary Conveniencies of Life It especially abounds in Corn and the Pasture-Ground is so excellent that the Wooll and Cloth of Berry out-do all the others in France The Name of Berry is derived from a Latin word us'd in the decay of that Tongue Biturium More antient Authors call the Berruyers Bituriges Cubi to distinguish them from the Inhabitants of Bourdeaux Bituriges Vivisci who seem to be a Colony of the former Bourges Avaricum Biturigum and in latter Ages Biturigae Bituricae Betoricae lies 19 Leagues South South-East of Orleans upon the River Eure or Yeure Avara or Avera whence the Latin Name of this City Avaricum seems to come It 's seated in a Soil fertile in Fruits and Wine that is not so delicate but more healthful than that of Orleans The River Eure divides it self into three Branches one of which serves to cleanse the Town and withal to Dyers Tanners and the like the other refreshes the Ditches that surround the Walls and the third runs along the Suburb of St. Peter These three Branches being joined and the Eure encreased with the Waters of the Oron Vtrio the Aurette Avara Minor and the Moulon Molo near the Monastery of St. Sulpice this River begins to be Navigable The Situation of Bourges is not only convenient but also very strong for besides these Rivers and Ditches it is defended by broad and deep Marshes surrounded with good Walls fortified with eighty Towers so that three Camps would needs be required to besiege it on all sides as one at Bourbon's Gate the other at Oron's Gate and the other at the Gate of St. Privatus Cesaer observes that he could not shut it up with Trenches and laid siege to it only on that side that was between the River and the Marsh Nevertheless he took it partly by Storm and partly by Stratagem having raised two high Towers whence his Soldiers leaped on the Wall which so frighted the Garison and Inhabitants that they retir'd to the great Market and thence endeavoured to make their escape thorough the Gates but the Romans having master'd them spar'd neither Sex nor Age they were so incens'd at the Murther of their Fellow Soldiers in Gien This was the Cause that of 40000 People that were in this City 800 hardly could save their Lives by retiring into the Army of Vercingentorix General of the Gauls In the V. Century Bourges was taken from the Romans by the Visigots and from them by Clovis and made part of the Kingdom of Orleans under Clodomir and of that of Burgundy under Gontran his Nephews Desiderius or Didier General of Chilperic the first King of Paris or France took it from the last in 583 and burnt it almost intirely Charlemaign repair'd it and Phillip August fortified and adorn'd it with a Castle call'd the Great Tower which was almost quite ruined in 1651. It was cut Diamond wise on the outside and rais'd so high that from the top the Country might be viewed four Leagues round about There has been seen a long time a Wood or Iron-Cage where the jealous King Charles the VIII kept Lewis of Orleans Prisoner who nevertheless succeeded him In 1412 the Duke of Burgundy brought the French King Charles the VI. before Bourges whither the Duke of Orleans and his Confederates had retir'd and laid siege to it with an Army of 100000 Men but in vain for at last both Parties were glad to accept of the Mediation of the Duke of Guyenn then Dauphin of France In 1562 The Count of Montgommery Commander of the Protestants under the Prince of Conde seiz'd on this Town May 27 but left Governour therein one Yvoy a Man of no great Courage and Trust who surrendered it the same Year to the Duke of Guise and therefore it remained in the Power of the Leaguers till 1594 that it was reduced by the French King Henry the IV. Notwithstanding these various Changes Bourges is still a considerable City being of an Oval Figure with seven Gates and as many Suburbs Its Walls seem to be a Roman Work being still almost intire and so strongly built that it requires a great deal of Labour to pluck some few Stones out of them It has seventeen Parochial and seven Collegiate Churches three Abbies a College of Jesuites and a vast number of Monasteries besides the Cathedral of St. Stephen said to be buiâ—t in 254 and the St. Chappel founded by John Duke of Berry Brother to the French King Charles the V. and therefore depending immediately on the See of Rome That Duke was buried there in 1417 and there is still his Crown with several Vessels of Gold and Silver curiously wrought There are likewise shewn the pretended Bones of a certain Giant call'd Briat said to have been 15 Cubits high The Romans had here a Pallace which K. Pepin repair'd and called there an Assembly of his Barons in 767 but I know not whether it be the same which the Dukes of Berry made afterward use of and is now the Seat of the Presidial Besides the Bailiwick Bourges has a Generality to which the Elections of Chateau-Roux and la Chastre in Berry and St. Amand in Bourbonnois are resorting as also a Chamber of Acompts for all the lands depending on this Dutchy erected by the said Duke in 1379. It s University is famous for the Civil and Canon Law the best Lawyers in France having taught here in the last Age and the beginning of this such as Alciat Baroâ— Duarenus Baldwin Conti Hortomun Cujus c. It was founded by the French King Lewis the IX re-establisht by Charles Duke of Berry Brother to Lewis the XI and endow'd with many Priviledges by Pope Paul II. in 1464. But now I am
Nismes reaching 22 Leagues North and South from beyond Sialgues to Val Francesqueâ— and 18 East and West from Lambrusche to Sâ— Laurens de Revidol It 's the habitation of thâ— ancient Gabales or Gabali who were subjecâ— to the Auvergnats Though this Country lies betwixt 43 Degâ— 40 M. of Latitude yet the Mountains are cover'd with Snow all the Winter but the Plains named Lower GEVAUDAN are indifferent fruitful The Inhabitants of the Mountains call'd Vpper GEVAUDAN or GIVAUDAN as welâ— as their Neighbours of Vpper Vivarais Vpper Velay and Vpper Limosin use to go into Spain every year before the beginning of the Winter where they suffer themselves to be employ'd in the vilest Services to get their livelyhood Wherefore the Spaniards use to call Gavaches from Gavali poor dirty low-spirited Fellows Pepin Head of the second race of the French Kings Conquer'd this Country from Gaifer Duke of Aquitain In the IX Century the Governors of GEVAUDAN usurp'd the Soveraignty of it â—rder the name of Counts It fell afterwards to the share of the House of Rouergue then to the Counts of Toulouse and with their other Estates was re-united to the French Crown in 1271. It was for the most part in the power of the Protestants during the Civil Wars Mende Memmas Memmate or Mimmate is â—â—ted at the foot of a Mountain hard by the River Lot Olita 26 Leagues East of Viviers and almost 20 East of Rodez Mende is an indiffeâ—ent good Town but is of no long standing for â—â—s Original is related thus (a) Gregor Turon L. 1. c. 32. In the third Cenâ—â—ry under the Empire of Valerian and Gallien â—he Alamanni a German Nation made an irruâ—tion into the Gauls and overflow'd like a Torâ—â—â—t most of the Southern Provinces of France â—â—der their King Crocus They took plunder'd â—nd ruin'd the City of the Gabales or Gevauâ—an which is now but a poor Village call'd â—â—avaux or Javoux a word nearer to the Laâ—ia Gabali than the very name of GEVAUDAN Those that could make their escape reâ—â—d into the Fortress of Gredo now Greze â—â—ted amongst Mountains 3 Leagues South 〈◊〉 Javaux and almost four West of Mende 〈◊〉 the Bishop S. Privat fled into the Caverns 〈◊〉 Memmate or Mende whether the Germans â—â—â—low'd and kill'd him with blows The Holy â—â—elate was interr'd in the neighbouring Vilâ—â—ge that bore the name of the Cavern and 〈◊〉 veneration People had for his memory increas'd it by degrees to a considerable place However it does not appear that the Episcopal Seat was transferr'd thither immediately after for until the middle of the 10th Century the Bishops of GEVAUDAN are call'd by no other name but Gabalitani Episcopi or Episcopi Civitatis Gabalum or Gabalorum neither was Javaux ever rebuilt so that I am apt to believe that two neighbouring Towns Marenge or Marveiois two Leagues South and Mende eleven Miles South-West of Javaux increas'd by itâ— ruins though the City of the Gabales still obtain'd the seventh rank among the 8 Episcopaâ— Sees of the first Aquitain but that the Prelates of GEVAUDAN fix'd at last their Seat at Mende great numbers of People resorting thitheâ— by reason of the Sepulchre of S. Privat The Bishop of Mende has a fine Palace there he intitules himself Count of the Country by virtue of an Agreement made with the French King Philip the Fair in 1306. He also pretendâ— to be Lord Partner of the Town with the King and to have right of coyning Money The other places of some consideration in thiâ— Country are Sialgues S. Lazier de Malzion Serverette Chanac La Canourgue S. Chely dâ— Tarn S. Eremie Quessas where during the Civiâ— Wars the Protestants made a Booty of Relickâ— valued to 280 Marks Espagnac Bagnols Barres des Cevennes known by its fairs and Montwert Chateau neuf de Randon is only a Village but famous by the death of that brave Warrior Bertrand du Guesclin Lord High Constable oâ— France There are besides 8 Lordships thaâ— give the Title of Barons to those Lords that assist by turns at the General States of Languedoc and â—eside at the particular of GEVAUDAN viz. â—â—rceaur Canillac Apcher Peyre Senaret Tourâ—â— Randon and Florac Of VELAY VELAY Vellavus Pagus is included betwixt Vivarais on the East and South East Gevaudan on the West and South West Auvergne on the North West and Foretz on the North reaching 18 Leagues North and South from Aurech in Foretz to Jonchieres on the Borders of Gevaudan and above 16 East and West from Claâ—as to Prades in its greatest length and breadth The Mountains of Meziâ—es Pertuis and Meigal which are cover'd with Woods and run across the Country from North West to South East divide it into Velay on this side and Velay on that side the Woods The Inhabitants are call'd by ancient Authors Vellavi Vallavi and Velauni and in Caesar's time were Tributaries to the Auvergnats wherefore their Capital is named indifferently Podium Avernorum and Podium Vellavorum le Fay en Auvergne and le Puy en Velay Le Puy so call'd from the Mountain on which it 's seated Puy in old Gaulish signifying a Hill lies 16 Leagues South West of Annonay and almost 14 North East of Mende It seems not to have been always the Capital of Velay for Ptolomy names it Rovesio and the Maps of the Emperor Theodosius publish'd by the Brothers Peutingers Revessio which is taken by some modern Authors for S. Paulian a small Town two Leagues off Languedoc North North West of Le Puy whence say they S. Evodius or as the vulgar call him S. Vosy translated the Episcopal See to Mont-Anis Montem Anicium whereupon Le Puy has been since built And accordingly Gregory of Yours (a) L. x. c. 25. speaks of the City of the Velauni and of Anicium as of two different places However the time of this Translation is uncertain and seems not to have preceded the sixth or seventh Century for 't is only since that time that the Volains are call'd indifferently Velauni and Puates or Buates Le Puy is now the biggest City in Languedoc after Toulouse to whose Parliament its Bayliwick and Presidial-seat resort The Bishop intitles himself Count of Velay pretends to the Right of Fallium to be free from the Jurisdiction of his Metropolitan the Archbishop of Bourges and to be immediately Suffragan to the Pope He boasts to have in his Cathedral dedicated to our Lady the Praeputium (b) Du Chesne of our Saviour or that Flesh that was cut off when he was circumcis'd together with the mitre of Aaron the first High-priest of the Jews and such fine Relicks cannot fail of producing strange wonders and drawing great numbers of People in order to present them with Oblations which is the principal aim The Chapter is made up of a Dean a Provost a Singer a Treasurer a Sexton the Abbot of S. Peter the Abbot of S. Evodius and 24 Prebendaries The other places worth taking notice of are Montfaucon
Abby of Benedictins under the name of S. Valerin founded and endowed by the Emperor Charles the Bald. It depends on the Bishoprick of Chalon Clugni Cluniacum chief of the Order of that Name It was founded according to the rule of S. Benoit by William I. Duke of Aquitain Count of Auvergne on behalf of Berno Abbot of Gigniac in 910. The Monks of this Abby having murthered William III. or IV. Count of Mascon whilst he was a hunting made the vulgar believe that he had been carried away by the Devil The other 3 Towns are S. Gengoux that has been once the Seat of the Baily Marsilly les-Nonains and le-Bois-S Marie Of BRESSE LA-BRESSE Brexia Brissia or Saltus Brixius hath the Dain on the East which separates it from Bugey on the South it hath the Rhone which divides it from Dauphiné On the West the River Saone parts it from Lyonnois and the Dutchy of Burgundy and Chalonnois lies on the North. It has about six Leagues extent from South to North and nine Leagues from E. to W. This little Province aboundeth with Corn Hemp Pastures and Fishes It 's unwholesome in some parts because of several Ponds which send up noisom Vapours and thereby corrupts the Mass of Air. As BRESSE depends for the most part on the Prelate of Lyons whose Diocese was inhabited by the Segusiani and that the rest of this Province is under the Bishops of Chalon and Mascon so it seems to have been subject to the Autunois It was conquered from the Romans by the Burgundians and from them by the French In latter Ages it made part of the second Kingdom of Burgundy then came to the Lords of Beauge who possest the greatest part of it during near 400 Years The Lords of Coligny Villars and Monluel had there also considerable Estates but they melted all successively into the House of Savoy from 1272 till 1402. At last Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy was forc'd to exchange not only this Province but also the Countries of Bugey Valromey and the Bayliwick of Gex for the Marquisate of Salusses that is a rich and plentiful Country for a barren and mountainous The Capital Town of this Country Bourg is situated on the little River Reissousse 7 Leagues East of Mascon having the Title of a Bayliwick Presidial and Election It is seated in a Marshy but fertil Soil looking to the East on the Mountain S. Claude and little Hills covered with Vineyards and Westward it hath a great Plain which extendeth it self even to the Saâ—ne The City Government is in the hands of â— Syndics or Sheriffs Philibert Emanuel Duke of Savoy built there a Cittadel in 1569 but it was demolished ann 1611. There are Halls spacious and well built next to which is the Church of St. Brou where several Dukes of â—â—voy lie interr'd Pope Leo X. gave out a Bull to establish here a Bishoprick in 1515 and 1521 but Pope Paul III. suppressed it in 1534. The Presidial was instituted by the French K. Henry IV. in 1601. The Horses of this Country are esteemed Montluel is a little Village but an ancient Lordship belonging to Monsieur le Prince five Leagues North East of Lyons The other places are Romenay S. Trivier Pont de Vaux a Dutchy Bauger Montrevel a County S. Paul de Varas Perouges a Barony the Native Country of the Famous Mr. de Vaugeias Varambon Pont-de-Vesle Chastillon Goligni Bouligneux Villarâ— c. Of BUGEY BVGEY is situated between the Rhone which separates it from Dauphiné and Savoâ— the Dain which distinguisheth it from Bresse and has the County of Burgundy to the North. Its extent from Pont-Dain or the Bridge of Dain to Seissel is almost 10 Leagues and from Dortans to the Port of Loyeâ—te almost 20 Leagues Although this Country be full of Hills and Mountains yet it 's abundantly fertil for there are many Lakes and Rivers well stor'd with Fish and Forests with Game both great and small as Bears Wild-Swines Harts Hinds Hares gray and red Patridges Pheasants Wood-hens c.. This Country has ordinarily follow'd the Condition of Bresse and been subject to the same Lords as it was in the last Age to the Dukes of Savoy and is now to the French King Belley Belica a League from the Rhone and almost 17 East of Lyons has a Bayliwick an Election and a Bishoprick Suffragan of Besancon it 's generally esteem'd very ancient and was one of the Cities of the Sequani It 's not known who was the Apostle of BVGEY for the first Bishop of Belley mentioned in History is one Vincent who subscribed to the 2d Council of Paris under Childebert Clovis the Great 's Son and to the 2d Council of Lyons under Gontran in 567. This Town was burnt to Ashes ann 1385 but Amadaeus VIII Duke of Savoy rebuilt it and surrounded it with Walls and Towers S. John Baptist is the name of the Cathedral Church whose Chapter is composed of 19 Canons four Dignities the Dean the Archpriest the Primicier and the Sinâ—er They were at first regular following the Rule of S. Austin but they were made Secular in 1579. The other Towns of BVGEY are S. Rambert with an Abby of Benedictins Nantua that keeps still the name of the ancient Nanâ—uates mentioned by Caesar Seissel an important passage on the River Rhone Chateau-neuf Capital of Valromey Chatillon of Michaille Arban near the borders of Franche-County Arlon upon the Rhone Montreal Ambournay Lagnieu c. Of the Bayliwick of GEX I Am apt to believe that this Bayliwick and and part of Bugey were the Habitation of the ancient Nantuates since the Veragri were seated in the Câ—untry of Vaux and the Seduni in the Diocese of Sion However it be this Bayliwick is but a little Country having the County of Burgundy on the North the Country of Vaux in the Canton of Bern on the East on the South it is separated from Savoy by part of the Lake of Geneva and the River Rhone and on the West it has again part of the County of Burgundy and Bugey The chief Town is GEX which is the Seat of the Baily Of the Principality of Dombes THe Principality of DOMBES Dombensis-Pagus lies between Bresse and the Saone that separates it from Maconnois Beaujolois and Lyonnois It 's a Country very agreeable to live in This Country contains 11 Chastelnies whereof the chief is Trevoux that is also the Capital of the Country It has a Collegiate Church a Bayliwick and a Mint where Mony was coyn'd with the Stamp of late Ann Mary Louise of Orleans Soveraign Princess of Dombes Daughter to John Baptist of Orleans youngest Son of the French K. Henry IV. Lewis XIV has inherited this present year 1693 the Estate of that Lady whom he would never suffer to marry This Principaliâ—y has a little Parliament residing at Lyons and made up of 3 Presidents 3 Masters of the Requests a Knight of Honour that sits with the Sword on his side 12 Councellors or Judges an Attorney General
who makes the 25th and these are the Archers of the Guard du Corps who wear Hoquetons or white Cassocks covered with gilt Silver-Shells whence they are commonly called Hoquetons The three French Companies have been instituted by three several Kings and wear upon their Arms and Cassocks the Livery Colours and Devices of the Reigning Kings Those that are called Exempts of the Guards precede the other Archers they wear neither Hoquetons nor Cassocks and command the Guards in the absence of their Officers They carry a Stick as a Mark of their Power and Employment The hundred Switzers wear the King's Livery with a Halbert and are cloathed after their own Country fashion These four Companies have their Captains who are all qualified Lords And besides these the King has a Regiment of Switzers and another Regiment of French Guards with all their Officers These make as 't were a small compleat Army kept ordinarily with a Company of Musqueteers or Horse-Guards whom King Lewis XIII had instituted and whose Head he was During the Minority of the Kings which ends so soon as they are 14 years old a Regent or Protector was provided by the General States of the Kingdom or by the Court of Parliament of Paris He was commonly the King 's nearest Kinsman or the Queen his Mother as Queen Catherine of Medicis was to King Charles IX Queen Mary of Medicis to King Lewis XIII But since the Monarchy is become Absolute the Will of the deceased King has only been regarded And Ann of Austria Mother to K. Lewis XIV now Reigning carried the Regency against the Princes of the Blood who disputed it with her though they had the Parliament of Paris on their side whence ensued a bloody War in which the Queen and Cardinal Mazarine got the better of the Princes Patents Edicts and Arrests are expedited under the Name of the King with this Title By the King and Queen-Regent The Queens of France have often been Crowned whereof History gives several Examples They were anointed with another Chrism than that of the Holy Ampoule Queen Mary of Medicis was Consecrated and Crowned at St. Denis in the year 1610. on the 13th of May by Cardinal de Joyeuse In their Widowhood they have been formerly called White Queens but that has not been used for some Ages There is no sharing in the Royal House and Succession since the Third Stock of the Kings of France so that second Brothers must be contented with a Patrimony in Land bearing the Title of Dutchy Peerdom and County They may have in their House such Officers as the King himself has viz. Chancellor Secretary and others with the Title of Grandees and they are stiled Your Highness as if they were Sovereign Princes The youngest Sons of the French King subscribe only with the proper Name as well as the King himself but their Posterity take their Title of the principal Country that makes up their Portions as being henceforward accounted a separate Branch of the Princes of the Blood The Daughters of the French Kings have not any other Portions than Sums of Money instead of Lands which they have had heretofore It is They alone who properly are called Dames or Ladies in France The Princes of the Blood who become Church-Men keep the Rank belonging to their Birth and not to the Ecclesiastical Order The King 's Natural Sons have no share in the Succession either of the Crown or of the Royal Patrimony but have an Entertainment at the King's Pleasure They do not bear the Surname of France but that of the Land given them or of the Branch which they come from as now the Duke of Longueville is called of Orleance He or his Predecessors being descended from Lewis Duke of Orleance Brother to King Charles VI. The Duke of Engoulême was called de Valois as being born of Charles IX of the Branch of Valois The Duke of Vendosme and his Issue bear the Name of Vendosme because of that Land which King Henry IV. gave to their Fore-father CHAP. V. Of the Chief Officers of the Crown and Kingdom THE greatest Office of the King's House is that of Grand Master of his House before whom all the Officers that serve therein take the Oaths and whom they are to obey There is a Chief Steward of the Household and a Steward of the Household in Ordinary and others that serve quarterly having a Stick in their Hands set in Silver gilt at both Ends. They precede the Serving Gentlemen when the Kings Meat goes by There is a Grand Provost of France or Provost of the Houshold which is a very ancient and authorized Office Justice is exercised under his Name by two Lieutenants the one in a long and the other in a short Gown by Serjeants and by fifty Archers cloathed in Hoquetons or Cassocks of Livery that follow him attend the Court and prosecute the Guilty six Leagues thereabouts He also makes the Procedures of criminal Causes betwixt the Officers of the King's Houshold and others that follow the Court and when the King is on his March he sets a Price upon Bread Wine Flesh Hay Oates and other Provisions The Place of great Chamberlain is also very ancient honourable and priviledged He is Superintendant of the King's Chamber of his Cloathings and Moveables He lyes at the King's Feet when he holds his Bed of Justice or at the General States of the Kingdom when the Kings used to call them There are four Chief Gentlemen of the King's Chamber that serve quarterly a Master of the Wardrobe a Master of the Ceremonies a Leader of Ambassadors who all take the Oaths in the King's Hands There was formerly a Grand Queux or a Great Master of the King's Kitchin but this Charge is now abolished there having been none since Lewis of Prie Lord of Buzancoâ—â— who died under Charles VIII An. 1490. There are yet four Masters Queux or Cooks who serve quarterly in the King's Kitchin The Great Master of the Pantry and the Grand Butler or Cup-bearer of France do discharge their Duty but in great Solemnities as at the King's Coronation and the like but there are Gentlemen of the King's Table and Cup-bearers in ordinary who make the Assay of the Meat and Drink that is presented to the King There is a great and little Stable of the King the Gentlemen of the Little pass upon the King when he is on Horseback The Great Master of the Horse is constituted upon them all and bears the Sword in a Velvet Scabbard marked with Flower-de-Luces on great Solemnities before his Prince The Marshals of France judge of all Military Causes and have their Lieutenants and Provosts to inform against and seize upon Vagabonds and Deserters They ordinarily wear a Stick as a Badge of their Dignity and when they receive it from the King they take the Oath of Allegiance to him in the High Court of Parliament at Paris The Seat of their Jurisdiction is at the Marble-Table in the Palace of
that Court where their Power is very considerable since the Suppression of the Charge of Lord Constable upon whom they were formerly depending However this Power is somewhat counterballanced by their great Increase in Number of late years The Lord Chancellor is the Head of all the Courts of Justice and presides in all the King's Councils in his Absence Besides he cannot be destituted but by Death or Trespass And therefore the Kings to keep this great Minister in awe have a Lord Keeper of the Seals whom they cause to discharge the Chancellor's Functions by giving him the Seals in which Occasion the Chancellor retains no more but the bare Name of his Office He has under him the Masters of the Requests who serve quarterly judge the Differences between the Officers of the Crown and prepare such Matters as are to come before the King 's Great Council This Council is now a Soveraign Court of Justice whose Sentences are executed throughout the whole Kingdom it 's composed of the Chancellor and eight Masters of Requests From this Court issue all the Placates Ordinances and Proclamations There are also a Council of State a Council of the Exchequer a Privy-Council to determine Appeals and Contests about the Jurisdiction of Judges and the Cabinet Council who manages all the Affairs and is as the Soul of the Realm Besides the twelve ancient Peers of France there are near a hundred more created since two or three Centuries but though they have the Priviledge to sit in the Parliament at Paris and not to be judged by any other Court yet they fall short of the Lustre and Power of the first Peers The Knights of the Order of St. Michael instituted by Lewis XI in 1469 are in no extraordinary Repute and this Order is now only considered as a step to that of the Holy Ghost instituted by Henry III. in 1570 whose Knights are fewer in number and more respected it being given as a token of special Favour and to such as are already of St. Michael's Order and considered by their Birth or Merits I supersede to speak of the Lord Admiral the Vice-Admirals and Rear-Admirals Of the Generals Lieutenant Generals Masters de Camp Collonels c. Of the Masters of the Ordnance of the Lord Treasurers Counsellors and Secretaries of State of the Ambassadors Lord Almoner Under Almoners Chaplains in Ordinary and other Officers either Civil Military or Ecclesiastical who are little or nothing different from the like in England But I must not forget to speak a word of the King's Confessor who though he has originally no more Power than the Clerk of the Closet here yet through the superstitious Condescension of the late Kings and the shrewd Management of those cunning Politicians Cotton Annat and La Chaize are become so powerful as to get into their Hands the Direction of the most important Affairs of the Kingdom under pretence of Conscience When the Jesuits were recalled into France King Henry IV. was advised to take one of these Fathers for his Confessor who should be as an Hostage for the Fidelity of the whole Club. But this very Caution proved his Ruine for Father Cotton whom he pitched upon having first seduced his Queen laid his Plot so well with Spain and his Fellow-Jesuits that the King was murthered by Ravaillac And that Henry's Ghostly Father and Queen had a Hand in this horrid Business can hardly be doubted after the Insinuations the sincere Mezeray gives of it There are two Charges in France the like I don't know that we have in England or at least they are not here in such a Consideration as in that Kingdom The Officers who discharge them are always Counts or Dukes or Princes of the Blood and are called the Great Huntsman and the Great Falconer of France They have large Appointments Gifts and Profits and several Officers under them whose Places are at their Disposal The Captain General of the Hunting-Nets and the Great Wolf-Hunter keep likewise an honourable Rank and all four are sworn by the King himself I shall finish this Chapter with mentioning the Way of administring Justice in France Suits are for the most part commenced before the ordinary Judges of the Place which are called Royal or Seigneurial according as the Town or Village depends â—mmediately upon the King or a private Lord except in some particular Cases or when one of the Parties concerned is exempted from their Jurisdiction Thence â—hey are brought before the Baylives or Seâ—eschals who are Chief Justices of a certain Precinct called Baylwick Vriguory Provostship or Seneshalship These Baylives are Noble Men who bear a Sword instead of a Gown and seldom discharge their Office themselves but have two Lieutenants under them one for Civil and the other for Criminal Causes The last and Supream Jurisdiction is â—he High Court of Parliament each of which is composed of ten twelve or fifteen Presidents and well near eighty or an hundred Counsellors The Power of this Court â—s yet very great because of the many Noble and Priviledged Men whose Causes immediately resort to it But it was much greater in times past especially that of the Parliament of Paris which was in some manner a standing Assembly of the General States For no Edict or Proclamation of the King had the Force of a Law before â—t was â—enteriné or ratify'd by them and they might reject such as were not in their Judgments fit for the Publick Good A Boldness of which History furnisheth us with several Examples even under the most powerful and respected Princes as Lewis XI Francis I. and Henry IV. But the late Ministers Richelieu Mazarin Colbert and Louvois have so far undermined the Authority of these Courts that they not only dare not reject any of the King's Edicts but dare not so much as make use of the Word Enteriné their Style being now Lû verifié en Parlement That is Read and acknowledged for a true Writing or Order of the King The Intendants are the Men whom the Promoters of Arbitrary Power have made a special use of to bring down the Power of Parliaments They are a kind of Overseers whom the French Kings began to send into the several Provinces of their Dominions fifty or sixty years ago and who under pretence of setling the King's Revenues reconciling Differences about it or seeing Justice well done have considerably encroached upon the Jurisdiction of Parliaments without that the Complaints of the last were ever regarded at Court The preposterous Zeal of these Magistrates against the Reformed was none of the least Causes of their Decay for as often as any Suit wherein both Churches seemed to be concerned came before them we were sure to get an Arrêt de Partage or that the Protestant President and Counsellors would give their Voice in favour of the Defenders whereas the Roman Catholicks would decide for the Plaintiffs how ill grounded soever their Actions might be This of course brought the Decision of the
it Duricortorum and Duricortora Remorum and the Modern Remi and Remensis Civitas Besides the Cathedral that bears the Name of our Lady and the Abby of St. Remy there are three other Abbies and several Parochial Churches and Monasteries a Presidial and Baylwiâ— and an University founded by Charles Lorrain one of its Archbishops In 1677 was discovered at Rheims a â—mous Monument of Antiquity a triuâ—phal Arch which formerly was the Noâ—thern Gate of the City called the Port Mars This Arch is composed of three ther Arches 1. The Arch of the Seasons the middle represents the four Seasons four Children and a Woman who denoâ— Abundance sitting amongst them rouâ— about are drawn the Twelve Months in many Pictures with several Ornaments thâ— time has partly defaced 2. The Arch Romulus on the right side has a Square eâ—riched with Trophies including the Picturâ— of Remus and Romulus sucking a She-Wolf near which are two Figures having each Stick in their Hand but one is covereâ— with a Helm and the other with a Lawreâ— Crown It 's thought they were the Image of the Shepherd Faustulus and Acca Laurentia his Wife 3. The Arch of Leda on the left side represents Leda Castor and Pollux's Mother together with a Swan and Cupiâ— holding a Link in his Hand The Inhabitants are courteous and witty but they and the Briois are accused of being obstinate and headstrong in their Sentiments Going out of Rheims towards the South-west one finds a fruitful Soil good Meadows pleasant Gardens and plenty of Vines The City is Capital of a small Country called â—he Rhemois which contains Fismes Cormicy Pont-Favergue and Machauld 2. Precinct of Chalons and Troyes ON the South-East and South of Rhemois are the Precinct of Chalons and Troyes which make up Champaign properly so called There you will find the Towns or Boroughs of Chastillon Damery Dormans Condé Espernay Montmaur Ay Avesnay S. Menehoud Chalons Then you will meet with Vertus Fere-Champenosie Plancy Arcy Pont-sur-seine Mery Romeru Pongy Piney Vandeure Troyes and Villemaur Chalons THIS Town called Catalaunum by the Latins is one of the Chiefest of Champaign in Beauty Bigness Wealth and Priviledges It s Situation is very pleasant because the River Marn runs by its Walls and parts it from one of the Suburbs besides the Conveniency it gives them of transporting their Wares and Commodities to Paris Its Buildings are very neat the Streets wide and the Walks pleasant by reason of Trees planted on each side It has the Tiâ— of a County and its Bishop one the Twelve ancient Dukes and Peers France is Suffragan to the Archbishop Rheims The Cathedral of St. Stephen both great and well built as are likewiâ— its twelve Parochial Churches and thrâ— Abbies All this with the Fertility of 〈◊〉 Plains the Cheapness of Provisions and â—vility of the Inhabitants makes the Towâ— much frequented They that delight 〈◊〉 Whiteness shall find here besides the Hoâ—ses several Towers in form of Pyramiâ— and the very Walls all of that Coloâ— This Town is divided into three Parts caâ—ed the City the Isle and the Borougâ— and has a Generality of Treasurers and Presidial It was near this City that Mâ—roüee and Aëtius General of the Roman overcame Attila King of the Huns in 45â— and gave a total Overthrow to his Army whereof 90000 were killed on the Spoâ— Others affirm that this happened in Caâ—pis Secalaunicis at Solougne near Orlean However Chalons is a very ancient Towâ— since in the time of Julian the Apostate 〈◊〉 was already considerable Troyes SOme Authors affirm that this Town which is a Bishoprick under the Metroâ—olitan of Sens and Capital of all Chamâ—aign was built upon the Seine after the Deâ—ruction of the ancient Troy but without â—aving recourse to Fables sure it is that Troyes 〈◊〉 of great Antiquity and known to the ancient Historians and Geographers under the Names of Treca Tricassis Tricassium Augusta Tricassinorum and Augustobona It s advanâ—agious Situation with the Strength of its Walls and Courage of the Inhabitants veâ—y well train'd up to Arms renders it capable of maintaining a long Siege It has a very fine Palace pretty good Buildings â—wo Collegial and six Parochial Churches besides the Abby of S. Loup and of the Nuns of S. Bernard called our Lady of the Meadows Nôtre-dame des Prez and the Cathedral of St. Stephen which has forty Canons Here they make a shew of many fine Rarities as some of our Saviour's Hair a Piece of the true Cross a Dish used in his last Supper one of St. John's Fingers one of St. Peter's Teeth the Body of St. Helena c. not forgetting the Tomb of one of the Counts of Champaign It s Baylwick and Presidial have a large Jurisdiction and the last consists of eight Counsellors and a Register Money is coyn'd in this Town It 's thoughâ— St. Amateur was the first that Preached thâ— Gospel to its Inhabitants Troyes was ruineâ— by the Normans in the ninth Century bâ—â— since repaired by Count Robert The placâ— is pleasant enough and Provisions cheap 3. Senonois ON the South-West of Troyes is the Country of Sens whose Archbishop is onâ— of the Pretenders to the Primacy of Gaul anâ— Germany This City which the Latins call'â— Senones and Agendicum Senonum is very ancient and if not ancienter than Rome aâ— some pretend at least 't is sure that its Inhabitants were famous long before the coming of our Saviour for they sent Colonies intâ— Greece and Italy where they took Rome anâ— built Sienne and Senigaglia that retain yeâ— somewhat of their Founders Name Undeâ— the Second Race of the French Kings somâ— Lords erected Sens into a Sovereign County till King Robert made himself Master of it in 1005. The Town is large well built and washed with two Rivers Venne and Yonne that mix their Waters here The Cathedral of St. Stephen is a sumptuous Building adorned with two great Towers Aâ— the foot of the principal Altar is a Goldeâ— Table enrich'd with precious Stones upoâ— it are engrav'd in basso relievo the four Evangelists with a St. Stephen on his knees in the â—dle of ' em The Chapter has nine Digâ—ries a Dean five Archdeacons a Praetor a Treasurer and a Purveyor and in 〈◊〉 whole Diocese are reckoned above 900 â—ishes besides 25 Abbeys The Bishops of â—is Chartres Meaux and Orleans dependâ— upon this Prelate before the first was â—de a Metropolitan but now it has no â—re than Troyes Auxerre and Noyon for Sufâ—gans Sens has a Presidial and a Baylwick â—ich is one of the four Ancient of the â—gdom and the Country depending upon is 16 or 17 Leagues in length and 8 in â—adth There are several walled Towns and â—roughs as Pont sur Yonne Joigny that has the â—tle of County St. Floreâ—tin Tonnerre Chaâ—s a County between which and Fontenay â—s given a famous Battle among the Sons Lewis the Meek besides several places of â—ser Note as Ville-Neuve-l'Archevèque Villeâ—uve le Roy S. Julien du
Town where the Provost of Merchants and Sheriffs are allowed Noblemen and Knighted after two years Employment As for the Justice of Paris there is the Provost a Man of the short Gown three Lieutenants viz. the Civil Criminal and Particular and several Counsellors who compose the Presidial and keep Court in â—he Great Chastelet The Judge and Consuls of Merchants drawn out of that Body â—o the number of five being sworn before the Parliament sit in St. Mederic's Cloister As to the Parliament of Paris called also â—he Court of Peers because the Dukes and Peers of France and the Officers of the Crown take their Oaths there and cannot be judged elsewhere especially for any Crime at least according to Law for Cardinal Richelieu passed by this formally when he gave Commission to try the Marshall of Marillac and afterwards the Duke of Montmorency purposely perhaps to derogate the Parliaments Authority and make the Monarchy more absolute However Paris has yet the first and noblest Parliament in the Kingdom having been founded by Pepin Head of the Second Stock of the French Kings in 755 or 756 and made sedentary by Philip the Fair in 1302. The whole Governments of the Isle of France Picardy Champaign Orleannois and Lionnois and the Diocess of Macon depend upon it and this Court only knows of the King's Regalia Peerdoms and Portions given to the Royal Children It 's composed of eighteen Presidents and an hundred sixty nine Counsellors aâ— divided into eight Chambers The grâ—â— Chamber has seven Presidents besides 〈◊〉 first and twenty nine Counsellors Duâ—â— and Peers and Counsellors of Honour mâ—â— sit and vote there as well as the Arcâ—bishop of Paris since his Church was ereâ—â—ed into a Dutchy and Peerdom in 167â— and the Abbot of St. Denis in quality 〈◊〉 Counsellor of Honour The King's Mâ—sters of Requests have the same Priviledgâ— but four only of them may sit there at oâ— time The five following Chambers aâ— called Chambres des Enquêtes or Inquiriâ—â— and have each two Presidents and twentâ— eight Counsellors The two last Chambeâ— bear the Name of Tournelle because theâ— have no proper Magistrates but are filleâ— up by turns with those of the other Chambers Thus the Criminal Tournelle has fouâ— Presidents and eighteen Counsellors of thâ— Great Chamber and ten of the Inquiries and the Civil Tournelle has four Presidents and six Counsellors of the Great Chamber and twenty of the others In 1587 King Henry IV. had established a Chamber of thâ— Edict in that Parliament on behalf of hiâ— Protestant Subjects and bestowed the Dignity of Counsellor on six of their Men but this commendable and impartial Institution was suppressed by the present King in 1669 During the great Vacations beginning on the 7th of September and ending at the â—2th of November there is a Chamber eâ—tablished to make an end of Suits that canâ—ot be deferred Besides these there are several other Courts as the Court of Accounts fixed at â—aris at the same time as the Parliament The Court of Aides erected by Charles VI. â—nd increased with two other Chambers by Henry II. and Lewis XIII The Court of â—he Mint The Chamber of the Treasure where the General Treasurers of France â—eep their Court That of the Marshals of â—rance of the Admiral of the Great Maâ—ters of Waters and Woods is kept at the Marble-Table The Baily of the Palace â—as his Chamber in the Great Hall and â—he Great Council have theirs without the â—alace in the Cloister of St. Germain â—'Auxerrois c. The Bishoprick of Paris was erected into an Archbishoprick in 1622. â—nd has for Suffragans Meaux Chartres â—nd Orleans The Place Royal is one of the finest of â—he whole Town both for the Symmetry â—nd Magnificence of the Buildings and for â—he Piazza's and Arches that environ it with the cast Copper Statue of Lewis XIII â—n the middle on a Foot-stall of white Marble with Inscriptions Here stood formerly an Hôtle or Palace called des Tourâ—elles but because Henry II. died there of the Wound he received in his Eye at Turnament Catharine of Medicis got thâ— stately Building pulled down Carrousâ— were kept in this Market in 1612 upâ—â— the Subject of the King 's and his Sisteâ— Marriage with the Infanta and Prince 〈◊〉 Spain The Louvre that was the ordinary Reâ—â—dence of the Kings of France from Leâ—â—â— XII till Lewis XIV was built by Philâ—â— August in 1214 to keep his Papers anâ— Noble Men Prisoners It has been increaâ—ed and beautified since Francis I. by most 〈◊〉 his Successors At present it comprehenâ— the Louvre properly so called and the Pâ—lace of the Tuilleries joyned together by oâ—â— of the finest Galleries in Europe the Building and Ornaments are considerable thâ— Depth of the Foundations being taken froâ— the Heighth and Thickness of the Work with Conveniency of Apartments and Offices It s Form is rather long than square and 't is said this present King ordered 〈◊〉 Piece of Tapistry to be made that should reach from one end to the other representing the chief Towns he has taken anâ— the Battels fought and gained by his Armies There is another Monument of this Princes Vanity and Pride but I don't know whether it 's finished viz. His Brazen Statue oâ— Horse-back upon a Rock looking as unaccessible as though nothing had been able to withstand him His Enemies are representâ—d under his Feet and amongst the rest â—he pretended Hereticks Rebels and Duelâ—ists At the foot of the Rock are the four â—rincipal Rivers which he is gone over as â—he Rhine the Scheld the Meuse and the Moselle The Royal Printing-House is in the Galâ—ery of the Louvre and the French Academy have Lodgings in this Palace There is â—lso a Place prepared for the King's Library and Closet of Rarities The Palace of Orleance is a magnificent and regular Building enriched with seveâ—al fine Statues and adorned with excellent Paintings which with its fine Gardens Fountains Grotto's and Water-works makes â—it a very pleasant Place The others are that which Mary of Medicis built in the Suburb of St. Germain and still has the Name of Luxemburg those of Bourbon Navarre Soissons Angoulême Longueville Espernon Maine Montmorency Bouillon but especially that of the Cardinal of Richelieu whereof the Riches and Ornaments are surprising Those of Vendôme Guise Chevreuse Nevers Sulli and Schomberg are sit to lodge any Prince in As for publick Places these that follow are the chief the Place Royal which has been already mentioned St. John's Church-Yard the Grêve the Vally of Misery the Place Dauphine the Parvis of Nôtre Dame the New Market and Place Maubeâ—â— A Market called La Place des Victoires â—â—tuated in that part of the Town whiâ—â— bears the Name of Richelieu is become fâ—mous since the mad and blasphemous Flattâ—ry of the Duke of La Feuillade In 168â— this Lord erected to the present King 〈◊〉 brazen Statue washed over with Gold upon a Marble Foot-stall underpropt by fouâ— Slaves and
and being despised by Princes and Lords fell to the share of the Knight of the Watch and his Comrades From the top of this Mountain one may have a full sight of Paris Vincennes commonly called Le bois de Vincennes is a strong Castle in a Wood not quite a League off Paris towards the East it 's surrounded with a good Ditch and eight great square Towers for its Defence Philip August raised up a Wall about the Wood in 1185. Philip of Valois begun the Tower or Castle in 1337 which K. John and Charles V. ended Q Mary of Medicis begun the Gallery that is on the side of Paris in 1614 and Lewis XIV added new Buildings to it It s Court is spacious and fair a side of it is the Holy and Royal Chappel dedicated to the Blessed Trinity by King Charles V. in 1379. Here are also the Chains of the Streets of Paris sent thither by Charles VI. to punish that City's Rebellion This Place is so very pleasant by its fine Walks in the Woods about it that several Kings have chosen it to end their Lives in as Philip the Fair Lewis Hutin or the Proud and Charles the Handsome Farther into the Woods is a Convent of Minims surnamed Les bons Hommes which is one of the pleasantest Monasteries that can be seen As for the Castle the Inside is every whit as magnificent as what appears without The Princes of the Blood who were taken in the beginning of the last Troubles of France were confined here as had been several others before them Cardinal Mazarin dy'd at Vincennes in 1661. There is still seen an Oak under which King Lewis IX was wont to render Justice for though he went to Vincennes as to a retir'd Place however that the least Absence should not prove hurtful to the poorest of his Subjects at certain hours of the day he sate at a Table covered with a Carpet and ordered his Ushers and Heraulds tâ— cry out whether there was any that wanteâ— Justice Thence apparently comes the Frencâ— Proverb Mettre une chose sur le Tapis To put 〈◊〉 thing upon the Carpet for to propound a Business St. Maur is a Castle built upon 〈◊〉 Height joyning a pleasant Forest near thâ— Marn about three Miles off Paris but in imperfect because Francis I. that beguâ— that Building had not time to finish it yeâ— its considerable for several Rarities as Francis the First 's Head very well worked iâ— Copper his Devise a Salamander environed with Lillies and these Words Non deflorebimus isto Praeside istis ducibus Henry IV. gave this House to the Prince of Condé Returning to Paris along the Marne you find a League from that City the Village of Charenton which by some old Ruines seems to have been formerly a strong and considerable Town Between this and the Palace of Conflans was an admirable Echo which repeated Words to ten times with such a Noise and quickness as tho' they had been as many Canon-Shots It 's great pity that the Cloyster which the Carmelites have built there upon the Ruines of a Church have deprived the World of so great a Wonder Some years ago Charenton was yet more famous for the Temple the Protestants of Paris had there to which have at one time or other belonged so many great and learned Men as Aubertin Du Moulin Mestrezat Daille le Faucheur Dreâ—ncourt Gache Claude I supersede to name â—wo late Ministers one of which was acâ—ounted one of the learnedest Men in France â—nd the other one of the Eloquentest beâ—ause they are both living and in England The Palace of Conflans where Jane Queen â—f Navarre dy'd in 1349 belongs now to â—he House of Villeroy The most consideraâ—le part of it is a vaulted Gallery enriched â—ith a great many Pictures drawn to the â—ife as two Sibylles three Roman Empeâ—ors four Popes several Sultans and great Commanders especially the famous Scanderâ—eg or Castriot Several Learned Men as â—eneca Scot Thomas Aquinas Platina Guicâ—iardini c. The Kings of England of Navarre The Dukes of Savoy and of Lorâ—ain the Families of Valois Bourbon and Nassau all set in gilt Frames and brought â—rom Italy and 21 among the rest out of â—he House of Medicis Three or four Leagues East of Paris â—s the Village of Chelles with a Church founded by Queen Clotilde Wise to Clovis the Great and since repaired and erected into an Abby of Nuns by Queen Baudour Wife to Clovis II. Their Son Clotaire King of France was interred in that Abby in 666 and King Robert had a Palace in the Village Higher up to the North four Leaguâ— from Paris is the Borough of Gonnesse râ—nowned for its Bread and Francis the First Answer to Charles the Fifth's Letter stuffeâ— with ample Titles for he writ nothing elâ— but Francis King of France of France anâ— so to the end of the Page where he pâ— these Words Lord of Vanves and Gonnesâ— A Joke not much unlike to that of Henâ— IV. who answering a Letter of the Spanâ—ards filled up with Bravado's of the samâ— Nature called himself King of Gentilly St. DENIS a pretty Town two League from Paris situated on a Brook called 〈◊〉 Crou in the middle of a fruitful Plain anâ— full of Game At the beginning it was bâ— a Country House of the Lady Catulla whâ— buried there the Bodies of St. Denis Bishoâ— of Paris and of Eleuthere and Rustic his twâ— Priests beheaded in the Persecution of Decius after the Year 250. For the Fable 〈◊〉 St. Denis the Areopagite coming over inâ— Gaul to preach the Gospel has been so solidly confuted by Launoy and other learneâ— Roman Catholicks and French Men too that I need not to disprove it I shall only observe that it has been invented by Hilduâ— Abbot of St. Denis in the Ninth Century and that though in this and subsequent Ages shrewd and Deceitful Monks gull'd 〈◊〉 much as ever the Ignorant and Credulous Vulgar however this ridiculous Opinion did not want Opposers among the rest â—â—e Learned John Scot Erigene who undeâ—eived the Emperour Charles the Bald. The Church was built by Dagobert I. and â—e Abby founded by the same King who â—ave to the Abbot an absolute Authority oâ—er all the Inhabitants of St. Denis and such â—hat it extended upon their Lives and Forâ—unes and that they were in a manner his â—laves Moreover he instituted a yearly â—air of four Weeks length to be kept in a â—ield near the Church during which he â—orbad the Merchants of Paris to sell any â—ares or Commodities Charlemaign orâ—ered that all the Kings and Bishops of â—rance should obey this Abbot that the â—ings should neither be crowned nor the â—ishops ordained without his Leave that all â—is Subjects should pay him a Tax for each â—f their Houses that Slaves who should â—illingly pay it should be put at Liberty â—nd called the Free-men of S. Denis In 834 â—ewis the Meek who had been deposed by â—is Sons had his
Lasiniacum has an Abby very ancient as its Walls testifie Brie Comte Robert six Leagues South-East of Paris is esteemed by some Capital of the French Brie other give that Honour to Rosoy which has an Election and is situated five or six Leagues farther on the same side Ville-Neuve-S George is a new Town well built situated in a pleasant Place where the River Yerre discharges into the Seine three or four Leagues Southwards of Paris Hurepoix GOing up the Seine towards the South to enter into the Hurepoix the first considerable Town you meet with is Corbeil situated thirteen Miles off Paris upon the same River where the Essonne discharges it self into it This Town had its particular Counts in the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries one of whom called Aimon built the Collegiate Church of St. Spire and appointed yearly Incomes for its Canons Lewis the Burly got this small Soveraignty from Hugh du Puiset since which time it râ—mained united to the Crown of France aâ—â— was the Head of a Provostship and Chasteâ— It 's said that Caesar who calls this Towâ— Metiosedum built the great Tower nameâ— in Latin Castrum Corvolium which servâ—â— still as a Citadel to Corbeil and whence tâ—â— French Name seems to be derived Queeâ— Isemburg having been divorced from Phiâ—â—â— August built there a Pleasure-house 〈◊〉 which some remains are still to be seen neâ—â— the Essonne in a place called old Corbeâ—â— where she lies interred In 1418 the Duâ—â— of Burgundy besieged this Town but wâ—â— perswaded to raise the Siege by the Iâ—treagues of Elizabeth of Bavaria Charles thâ— Sixth's Queen MELVN upon the Seine four Leagueâ— South-East of Corbeil and ten of Pariâ— Robbe puts it in Hurepoix but Du Chasâ—â— makes it the Head of Justice in Gastinois for it has a Presidial Baylwick and Election upon which the greatest part of Gastinois and Hurepoix and some part of Briâ— are depending Melun is divided into three Parts as Paris viz. the City the new Town and the Isle This last was already on fooâ— in Caesar's time who calls it Melodunum and has now a Castle and two Churches The Normans destroyed Melun in 845 but since it was repaired and given by Hugh Capet to Bouchard his Favourite From about that time it began to have its Viscounts whose Family is yet subsisting in the Princes of Espinoy Eudes Count of Champaign took this Town by Money but King Robert retook and restored it to its Viscount in 999. It seems that Melun became every day stronger for in 1410 the English could not take it but by Famine nor the French retake it in 1435 but by Intelligence Melun is yet strong big and well Peopled the Seine runs through it but the Communication is kept by fine Bridges It has a Collegiate Church four Parishes and several Monasteries Fifteen Miles North-west of Melun and â—welve South of Paris is the Town of Montâ—lehery built by one Thibaud File-estoupe in 1015. There was formerly a strong Castle but it was all razed besides the Tower that is yet on foot by Lewis VI. sirnamed the Burly because of the Rebellion of Hugh de Crecy Count of that Place Guy his Father was Great Seneschal of France and married his Daughter Luciane to the Son of Philip I. afterwards King Lewis VI. But the young Prince not liking the Match repudiated Luciane in 1107 upon which Hugh raised a Civil War and so caused the Destruction of his Lordship and Family However this Town became famous in 1465 for the Battel which was fought near it on a Tuesday the 6th of July between Lewis XI and Charles Duke of Berry his Brother who had entred a League called the Publick Good with the Duke of Bretaign the Count of Charolois and several other French Lords against that Monarch The King had some Advantage though the Confederates remained Masters of the Field but what was pretty singular was that a Gentleman fled out of the King's Army aâ— far as Luzignan in Poictou that is near 150 Miles and another out of the Allies to Quesnoy in Hainaut about 120 both giving out that they had lost the Day Montlehery is built upon a Hill near the River Orge and has the Title of a County Provostship and Chastelny King Lewis XIII united it to the Dutchy of Chartres and gave it in part of his Portion to Gaston-John-Baptiste his Brother Duke of Orleans Upon the same River two Leagues South of Montlehery is the Town of Chartres neaâ— whose Walls are the Gardens of Chantelon which in King Henry the Fourth's time had not the like in the whole Kingdom and were especially admired for their Box and Myrtle-Trees Harbours and Hedges clipt into Figures of the ancient Gods Heroes Roman Gladiators c. But this fine Place being fallen into the Hands of some covetous or lazy Nuns of St. Bennet's Order is extreamly decayed Rochefort on the River Remande is an Earldom four Leagues West of Châtres and almost five North of Dourdan a pretty good Town and a County too on the River Orge â—ear its Spring and the Frontiers of Beausse It was the Patrimonial Estate of Hugh Capet before he ascended the Throne of France and has since been alienated and reunited to that Crown several times La Forté-Alais lies twenty Miles South of Paris and thirteen West of Melun Between these two Places thirteen Leagues South South-East of Paris in the Forest of Biesvre is the Borough of Fontaine-Bleau so called for the great Number of its fine Fountains It 's said the Royal House was built by Francis I. at the Solicitation of his Daughter Claudia who one day seeing a Hound or Spaniel discover a Spring desired her Father to build an House there This Design was since continued by most of the succeeding Kings and perfected by Henry the Fourth and is now one of the finest in France by reason of the great Number of its Springs the vast Scope of its Forests the Beauty of its Gardens the Length of its Canals the Richness of its Apartments Paintings Statues and other Curiosities It would be too tedious to describe all these in particular there being about 900 Chambers Cabinets Halls and Galleries that belong to this great Place therefore I will only hint at the most principal The First thing to be observed in going in is the great Court of the White Horse round whicâ— are the Apartments of the Officers hencâ— are fine Steps to the Queens Apartmenâ— in which there is a Garden with a Fountaiâ— that represents Diana holding a Deer bâ— the Horn and followed by four Dogs anâ— as many Bucks at the bottom There is also a curious Copper Statue in this Gardeâ— that represents a young Man naked anâ— pulling a Thorn out of his Foot The Figure of Laocoon with two of his Childreâ— and Serpents stinging them to Death The Tennis-Court and Bird-house anâ— sideways as also the Queens Gallery after that is the Deer-gallery which is very long and beautified with fine Paintings and above
46 Bucks-heads Hence you may go into the Council-Chamber where is the Picture of the Count of Ombe Queen Mary of Medicis's Uncle Thence into that of the Baths which has a St. John the Baptist at the Door and an Adonis and Venus upon the Chimny This leads you into the new Chamber where is represented the Dutchess Gabrielle under the Form of Diana holding a Hunting-Horn in her Hand Next comes the great Gallery built by Charles IX in which are these Emblems that follow The First Hunc Ventus sed me spes fouet 2. Puro aâ—det uno 3. Nunquam labitur icta fides with a Man that helps others out of a Shipwrack 4. Perrumpe obstacula lentè There is one who removes Brambles and the like Impediments out of the way 5. Tutum secreta silere with an Harpocrates 6. Pretiosior ipse Lapillis a Cupid that picks up small Stones 7. Rex floret ab armis 8. Vigilantia regna tuetur 9. Amat Victoria curam 10. Plebis amor regis custodia Under the Figure of a Swarm of Bees 11. Cor Regis in manu Dei Under the Figure of a Hand that comes out of the Clouds 12. Arcani custodia fida 13. Mens Ardua tendit in altum 14. Eloquium tot lumina Claudit 15. Nulla altius ardet 16. Non frangunt obstacula vires 17. Animos alligat aequos Representing Justice and Religion 18. Manet victoria constans 19. Hoc foedere lilia Florent Representing France in good Union 20. Ortus occasibus aequat 21. Obsequium nil impedit umbra 22. Casus haerebit in omnes 23. In splendore tuo labor quies 24. Agitatus cresco A Fire a blowing 25. Comitantur furta Dolores A Boy breaking a Bee's Swarm 26. Mox toto radiabit in orbe 27. Mea clauditur hic spes 28. Innocuo non uritur igni Then comes the Chamber and Cabinet of Madam Gabrielle that have each of them an Adonis and Venus The Gallery of Francis I. otherwise the little Gallery has at the going in Bacchus Venus and Cupid This Place is remarkable for a Conference upon Matters of Religion between the Papists and Reformed or rather betwixt Du Plessâ— Mornay and Cardinal Perron There is another hard by that is full of Marble Statues The King's Chamber comes next wherein Marshal Biron was disarmed by King Henry the Fourth's Order and the Queen's Anti-chamber where Lewis XIII was born The Guards Hall is enriched with Paintings and a Tapestry that represents Charles the Seventh's Victories over the English Theâ— the Feasting-hall where on the Chimny is Henry IV. a Horse-back the whole of pure Marble and extraordinary well worked having at his Side Clemency and Peace and trampling upon his Enemies Then the Hall for Balls which is very big and has an Arch or half Round with these Words Dâ— nec totum impleat orbem Next these you must see the Gardens especially the King 's where there is a Cleopatra of Brass very well worked by Angelâ— Politian and brought out of Italy into France by Catharine of Medicis A Neptune also of Brass with a She Wolf at his Feet that gives Suck to Romulus and Remus There are also three Canals covered with Swans and well stocked with good and great Fish among which that of the Fountain has all the Beauty that Art could give it French Gastinois FIve Miles East of Fontainbleau is the Borough of Moret upon the Loing near the Mouth of the River into the Seine It has the Title of a County and gave its Name to one of King Henry the Fourth's natural Sons Antony of Bourbon Count of Moret killed in the Battel of Castelnaudary in 1632. Nemours upon the Loing is five Leagues higher to the South and eighteen off Paris It 's a good and pleasant Town which has the Priory of St. John the Church of St. Peter and the Abby of Our Lady of Joy belonging to the Nuns of Cisteaux Charles VI. erected Nemours into a Dutchy and Peerdom An. 1404 and exchanged it with Charles the Noble King of Navarre for some other Lands But in 1425 this Dutchy returned to the Crown of France till the Year 1461 that King Lewis XI gave it to James of Armagnac This Line was soon ended and Nemours reunited to the French Domesne in 1507 and given by Lewis XII to Gaston of Foix his Nephew who died in the Battel at Ravenna An. 1512. Three years after the same King invested with this Dutchy Julian of Medicis who had espoused Philiberta of Savoy this Monarch's Aunt By this Julian was continued the Line of the Dukes of Nemours of the House of Savoy during 144 years Henry II. Duke of Nemours dying without Issue in 1659. Eight Leagues South-East of Nemours near the River Clary is the small Town of Courtenay with the Title of Principality famouâ— for having given its Name to the Royal House of Courtenay that refers its Original to Peter of France seventh Son to Lewis the Burly and has given Emperors to Constantinople Marquesses to Namur and Counts to Nevers Auxerre and Tonnerre In process of time this Family was divided into several Branches of which that of the Lords of Chevillon is yet subsisting In King Henry the Fourth's time they much insisted upon being acknowledged for Princes of the French Blood as descending directly by Males from that Peter of France But how eager soever they were they could never be heard because they are too low in the World Between Courtenay and Nemours seven Leagues North-West of the first and about five Miles South of Nemours is Chateau-Landon on the River Fuzin and the Road of Paris to Lyons It 's a very ancient Town if we admit the Conjectures of Vigenaire who takes it for the Vellaudunum of Caesar Three Leagues lower to the North is a Village called St. Mathurin de l'Archamp situated in a Sandy and fruitless Plain whether superstitious Papists bring Naturals and Fools to be cured Pursuing your way to Paris you find the Town of Milly which Vigenaire takes for the Agendicum of Caesar It 's situated upon the River Escolle between Melun and Nemours about five Leagues from each and has a Royal Seat of Justice Mantoan MANTE which gives its Name to that Tract of Land that is between the Seine and the Vegre lies twelve Leagues North-West of Paris fourteen North of Chartres on whose Bishop it depends and three miles from the Forest of Rosny on the North-East It 's sirnamed the Pretty and had formerly the Title of a County with a strong Citadel that was demolished by Henry IV. at the Request of the Parisians And therefore it had hardly been taken from the English by Charles VII in 1449 were it not that the Inhabitants sided with him and by their overgone got a Confirmation of all their Priviledges Offices Freeholds and Estates Philip August died there in 1223 as well as a Daughter of France called Jane who built its Collegiate Church and is interred
and the Lord oâ— la None King Henry IV's Generals leaving Fifteen Hundred Men upon the spot Crespy Eleven Miles East of Senlis anâ— Thirteen Leagues North-East of Paris wâ— formerly a considerable City and the Capital of Valois It had the Title of a County or was the Seat of the Counts of Valâ—â— who are indifferently call'd by these Two Names This Title has likewise been borne by some Children of the French Kings In Castle which is now almost ruined is said to have been built by K. Dagobert and keeps still some remains of its Antiquity and of the greatness of the Town that haâ— not at present above Five Hundred Houses However it is yet the head of a Provostship and Castelny Francis I. concluded a Peace in this Town with the Emperour Charles V. on the Eighteenth of September 1544. La-Ferte-Milon upon the little River Oâ—â—e 4 Leagues South-East off Crespy and almost 6 North-East of Meaux is another Provostship and Castelity It is called in Latin Firmita Milonis that is the Castle or Fortress of Milon having been built by a Count of â—hat Name under the Reign of Lewis the Burly For as the Authors of the middle Age of the Latin Tongue said firmare for munire and firmitas for munimentum So the French who formed their Language upon this corrupted Speech call'd Ferte such places as were strong by Art and Nature and distinguished 'em from one another either by the Name of their Founder or by some particular circumstance of their scituation As to this it 's a pretty good Town with a Castle and Suburbs Villers-Costé-Res on the West-side on the Forest of Res Five Miles North of La Ferté Milon was formerly a Royal House where the French Kings often dwelt to take the pleasure of Hunting Pont St. Maixence is a considerable Burrough upon the Oyse Three Leagues North-East of Senlis Bethisy upon the River Ottenete a Mile Southwest of the Forest of Compiegne is a good Burrough which had formerly a strong Castle that is now almost ruined John of Bethisy Physician to King Philip the Bold was Famous under his Reign This Burrough is still the Head of a Provostship and Castelny as well as Pierrefons a Mile East of the same Forest Compiegne Compendium at the meeting 〈◊〉 the Rivers Aisne and Oyse above Eigâ— Leagues North-East of Senlis was built 〈◊〉 the Romans or at least before the Frenâ— master'd the Gauls It 's still a considerabâ—â— Town and hath often been the Residence oâ— the French Kings for Clotaire I. died aâ—â— was buried there in 564 and the Emperoâ— Charles the Bald repaired and increased iâ— and called it after his Name Carlopâ—â— Charles VI. took it from the Duke of Bâ—â—gundy in 1415 and Fifteen years after thâ— same Duke besieging this Town assisted by the English the Virgin of Orleans was takeâ— in a Sally Besides King Cloatire Lewis II and V. and Henry III. have been interâ—â—â— in this Town in which are made severâ—â— Manufactures and whence a great quantity of Wood is carried down to Paris Soissonnois The Diocess of Soissons above the River Aifne has the Dutchy of Valois on the West Laonnois and Champaigne on the West Brie on the South and Picardy on the North Soissons its Capital City is a very Antient City for in Caesars time it was already the Head of the Suessiones whose Jurisdiction was pretty large William the Britain a Latin Poet of France who lived in the Thirteenth Age says that it was built by some banished Sueves who imposed that Name upon it Whatever it may be sure it is that when Coesar subdued the Gauls Soissons had Twelve other Towns under it and could put Fifteen Thousand Men in Arms which were Smeden in their Capital During the Roman Emperors the Praetors of Belgick Gaule made their ordinary Residence in this City and under the French Kings of the first Race it has been some time the Capital of a Kingdom of that Name It is yet somewhat big and as a Bayliwick Presidial and generality and an Academy of Humane Learning which was the first that was associated to that of Paris It 's Bishop is the first Suffragan to the Arch-Bishop of Rheims he has the right of anointing the French Kings in the absence of his Metropolitan and has sometimes performed that Office This Diocess has Seventeen Parochial Churches besides the Cathedral Six Abbyes in the Town and Eighteen in the Country thereabouts and several Monasteries It 's Territory is fruitful in Corn with which Paris is chiefly provided Laonnois Laon was but at the beginning a Castle seated on the top of a Hill and called by the Inhabitants Laudunum and Lugdimum Clavatum in the Territory of Rheims Cloviâ— the great increased it into a City and St. Remy Arch-Bishop of Rheims erected it into a Bishoprick making his Friend Genebaut Partner of the Gifts and Possessions he had received from that Prince Hugh Capet made this Bishop the Second of the Six Ecclesiastical Dukes and Peers of France because thâ—â— Prelate had betrayed into his hands Charles of Lorrain his Competitor This is related by Du Chesne but if it be true 't is a wonder how this Bishop is not mentioned among the Suffragans of Rheims in a Notice or Catalogue of Bishops ending at the year 1220 and that in others of latter Date all quoted by Valesius he is put in the last rank Whatever it may be this Prelate assumes still the Title of Duke of Laon Peer of France and Count of Anisy and it appears that he had already some Temporal Jurisdiction in 1112 since Waldric Bishop of Laon was then kill'd endeavouring to keep his Citizens from entring into an association they had sworn against the Kings Consent Another nam'd Roger far'd better in an undertaking of the same Nature for at the head of some Troops he routed his Diocesans who had sworn an Association with the French King Lewis the Burly's leave This Town was besieged Twice by Lewis IV. who was taken Prisoner there This Diocess has Two places renowned for many pretended Miracles The first is Nostre-Dame-de-Liesse or our Lady of Joy the second is called St. Marcoul whether the French Kings must needs undertake a Pilgrimage immediately after their coming to the Crown if they will get the power of curing the Kings-Evil Noyonnois Noyon is seated betwixt Three small Brooks called La Versette La Golle and La Marguerite near the River Oyse Nine Leagues East of Laon and almost Eight of Scissons It 's an Antient City called by the Latins Noviomagus The Bishoprick of St. Quentin was transferred thither in 524 after the Town had been ruined by the Vandals This Prelates Jurisdiction was formerly very great since all Flanders depended on him before Tournay was erected into a Bishoprick in 1146. However the Bishop of Noyon is still one of the Antient Counts and Peers of France This City has had several misfortunes for it was plunder'd by the Normans in 859 and
East of La Fere is the Town and Castle of Crecy upon Serre Creciacum ad Saram Seven Miles North-East of Crecy the Town of Marle Marna Castrum which had formerly a strong Castle and its particular Lords Mayor and Sworn Officers Seven Miles to the North of Marle lies the Town of Vervins famous for a Treaty of Peace concluded there between the French King Henry IV and Philip III. King of Spain in 1598. Seven Miles Eastward is the Town of Aubenton upon a River of that Name and at the same distance over against Marle the Town of Moncornet Mons Cornutus or the Horn-Mountain because it is seated upon the Two Tops of a Mountain that have the shape of a pair of Horns La Cappelle is a strong Town on the Frontiers of Haynaut Seven Miles North of Vervins built in the last Age to stop the Incursions of the Netherlanders It has bâ—â— often taken and re-taken by the Spaniaâ—â— and the French There are some other placâ— less considerable as Hierson Iritio aboâ—â— Five Leagues from the Source of the Oyâ—â— it was ruin'd under the last Reign by 〈◊〉 Spaniards Estree-au-pont Strata ad Ponâ—â— on the same River Two Leagues South of Lâ— Cappelle Rosoy Rosetum 2 Leagues North-Eâ—â— of Moncornet S. Michael and Foifny Two Aâ—byes the first of St. Bennets the second 〈◊〉 Cisteaux Fleo Major le grand Floyon 〈◊〉 Native Countrey of S. Vrsmar Abbot 〈◊〉 Lob Le Petit-Floyon Autrepe Altaripa Aâ— this Countrey depends for the Spiritual 〈◊〉 the Bishop of Laon except Ruminiacum 〈◊〉 the Borders of Champaign Three Mileâ— South-East of Aubenton which is under thâ— Arch-Bishop of Rheims Vermandois This Countrey which retains still the Name of its Antient Inhabitants called by Caesar Veromandui was much larger than 〈◊〉 is now since it comprehended the Dioceâ—â— of Noyon Soissons and Laon but now it haâ— not above Six Leagues East and West and Nine or Ten North and South I shall not determine whether St. Quentin upon the Somme is the Augusta Veromanduâ—um of thâ— Antients or whether it be Vermand upon the â—ronignon that is now but an Abby The â—urious may consult Cluvier and Sanson who â—aintain the last Opinion and de Valois â—ho defends the first Sure it is that St. Quentin has got its Name from one Quinâ—inus who was Bishop of that Town and â—s said to have been beheaded there under â—he Empire of Dioclesian Before the Bishoprick was transferred to Noyon the Colleâ—late Church of St. Quintin was a Cathedral This Town was formerly a County belonging to the Counts of Vermandois but 〈◊〉 was re-united to the Crown of France â—ome time after the year 1156. In 1557 the Spaniards knowing that St. Quintin was â—nprovided with Men and ill fortified laid siege before it The Admiral of Coligny had got into the place with a few Troops and his Name and Valour were for some time the best â—ampier of that Town which saith Morery as partial as he is against the Protestants was not able without him to withstand such an Army Four and Twenty Hours The High Constable of Montmorency attempting the relieving of this place was defeated and taken Prisoner with the Dukes of Monâ—pensier and Longueville the Marshal of St. Andre Ten Knights Three Hundred Gentlemen and Five Thousand Soldiers The Number of the Dead was not less and because this Baâ—â—le was fought the 10th day of August it was called the Battle of 〈◊〉 Lawrence in memory of which Philip I King of Spain dedicated to that Saint tâ—â— Palace called the Escurial near Madrid Thâ— Victory made the Spaniards Masters of aâ— Vermandois and the Diocess of Noyon Hoâ—ever St. Quentin was restored to the Frenâ— by the Peace of Chateau-Cambresis in 155â— though this Treaty was not much otherwiâ— to the Honour of France Three Leagues South of St. Quentin 〈◊〉 the Durchy of St. Simon and Three Milâ— farther the Town of Ham both upon thâ— Somme This last is strong and well fortifiâ—â— being built in a Plain and having the Râ—ver on one side and a Marsh on the otherâ— a Citadel with Four Bastions and a Squaâ—â— Tower It was fitst a Burrough built bâ— the Antient French since Ham in the German Tongue signifies a Burrough Durinâ— the Wars of the League the Lord of Mâ—â— Gomeron Governour of the place dying 〈◊〉 1595 his Three Sons went to Bruxels 〈◊〉 demand their Arrears and were detaineâ— Prisoners by the Spaniards till they should deliver the Castle into their hands Bâ—â— Dorvilliers their Brother by the Mothâ—â— side whom they had intrusted with 〈◊〉 Government of the Town in their absenâ— would not consent to it and having call'â— the Nobility of Picardy to his help Hâ—â— was taken by Storm and the Spanish Garrâ—son cut into pieces The Castelet is a strong Fortress on the Fronâ—â— of Cambresis which was restored to the â—â—ch by the Peace of Pyrenees in 1659. Santerre â—Oing Westwards from the Castelet you enter into the Countrey of Santerre which â—e call Seme-terre because of its fertility â—is above twenty two Leagues Northwest Southeast and but seven or eight East and â—st where it is broadest Peronne its â—pital five leagues South-West of Castelet alâ—â—st seven West of St. Quintin and eleven East 〈◊〉 Amiens is a very strong Town both by â—son of its scituation upon the River and aâ—ng Marshes and of its Fortification It was 〈◊〉 a Village wherein Erchinoald Mayor of the â—ace built a Monastery 1070 on behalf of 〈◊〉 Irish Monk call'd Furseus whence it got 〈◊〉 name of the Abby of the Scots King Charles 〈◊〉 VII had yielded Peronne to Philip the good â—ke of Burgundy in 1435 however that â—ewd Politician King Lewis the XI was so â—sident as to come to Peronne in order to â—ferr with Charles the Rash the then Duke of â—rgundy at the same time that he had raised 〈◊〉 Liegemen against him This Prince tho 〈◊〉 otherwise very cunning made use of so faâ—â—rable an occasion kept the King a Prisoner â—ced him to yield Champaign and Brie to his â—other and brought him before Liege to be â—ectator of his Victory as really he was for that City was taken by Storm ransack'd burnt the 30th of October 1468. Eleven miles West of Peronne is the Tâ— of Ancre upon a River of that Name it 〈◊〉 the Title of Marquizate and is known at 〈◊〉 sent under the name of Albert. In 1600 a Florentin call'd Concino Câ—â— came out of Italy under the Quality of Geâ—man Usher to Mary of Medicis Henry the IV. Queen and by his shrewdness or good pâ— came to be Marquess of Ancre Lord Marshâ—â— France Governour of Normandy and the â—tadel of Amiens and to have the chief maâ—ment of Affairs under the minority of K. Lâ— XIII But at last either by Envy misusiâ—â— his Favour or the weakness of that Monaâ— who as Bassompiere expresly observes conâ—â—ed to his Death he was murther'd by a Conâ—racy of the Great upon the Drawbridge of â—vre the 24th of
Vineâ—cus the Land of Vimeux is included between â—nienois and Normandy from which it is seâ—â—rated by the River Bresle call'd likewise Auâ—â— and betwixt the Sea and the River Somme â—at divides it from the County of Ponthieu â—s extended above 14 leagues East and West â—om Molien le Vidame in Amienois to Cayeu on â—e Sea-cost and 5 North and South from S. â—â—lery to Bauchen upon the Bresle S. Valery â—â—e Capital is seated on a Hill near a Bay made â—y the mouth of the Somme and call'd S. Valery â—r mer to distinguish it from another Sea-town 〈◊〉 Normandy call'd S. Valery en Caux or S. Vaâ—ry les Plains It 's Port is not extreamly good â—ecause of the great quantity of Downs that â—re about it neither are Cayeu Cadocum Augst 〈◊〉 Augusta better tho they seem to have formerly â—een of some Consideration Notwithstanding â—he Countrey is fill'd with a vast number of Villages and good Burroughs whereof the chief â—re Bauchen Gamaches a Marquizate Anssennes â—nd Sennerpont all upon the Bresle Arguel Riencour Oysemont Bailleul whence John de Bailleul that became King of Scotland wâ—â—ther Lord or Ordinary or of another â—leul in the Countrey of Dieppe Ponthieu THis County included between the Riâ—â— Somme and Canche on the South and Noâ—â— the Ocean on the West Amienois and Artoiâ—â— the East is about nine leagues East and Wâ—â— and nine or ten North and South It is waâ—â—ed with many fine Rivers as the Somme 〈◊〉 Maye Authie c. It was in former Aâ—â— but thinly inhabited because of the mâ—â— Woods that almost took up the whole Coâ—trey but it s now very thick peopled tâ— there be still several Forrests This County 〈◊〉 been often given in Portion to the Câ—â—dren of the French Kings and has had befâ—â— its particular Counts since the tenth Centuâ—â— In 1279 Eleanor of Castile Heiress of Ponthâ—â— was Married to Edward I. King of England 〈◊〉 brought this County to these Monarchs whâ— was the occasion of many bloody Wars Abbeville upon the Somme is the Capâ—â— of this County eight or nine leagues Nortâ—west of Amiens It is one of the biggest aâ— strongest in this Province and some will 〈◊〉 it was never taken for which reason they 〈◊〉 it the Faithful or the Virgin City of that Coâ—â—trey It has a Bailiwick Presidial five Gaâ—â— twelve or thirteen great Parishes and seveâ— Monasteries The River Somme and the small â—ver Cardon which discharges it self into it â—ake it a great Trading Town and give it the â—nveniency of exchanging its Linnen Cloth â—ooll and Corn for other Commodities that â—e brought in Boats from the Sea into the very â—own 'T is uncertain in what time this City â—as built for I find no mention made of it beâ—â—re the tenth Century That Hugh Capet gave 〈◊〉 in Portion to his Daughter Giselle Howâ—er it seems by the Original of the Name of â—bbeville Abbattis villa that it was built by â—me Abbot of St. Riquier for there is yet a â—own of that Name two leagues North-east â—on the River Cardon which Opinion Adrian 〈◊〉 Valois seems to confirm Abbeville has lately produced the best Geoâ—aphers of France as Nicolas Sanson who dyâ—â— 1667 William Sanson his Son and Peter du â—l who are yet alive for ought I know and the â—esuit Philip Briet who died in 1669. It is said â—at in 1636. some Women disguised in Mens â—oaths fought the Spaniards near S. Riquier â—d brought away two of their Colours Nine miles North-west of Abbeville on the â—orthside of the mouth of the Somme is the Seaâ—ort Town Le Crotoy Two leagues South east 〈◊〉 Abbeville is an important passage in an â—land formed by the same River called Pontâ—-Remi near to which are to be seen the reâ—ains of one of Caesar's Camps Rue upon the â—aye five leagues North-west of Abbeville is a â—rong Town by reason of its scituation being â—viron'd with Marshes and having a Pond or â—ake on the East-side Near the source of the same River is 〈◊〉 Burrough of Crecy which gives its name 〈◊〉 Forrest hard by but is much more famous 〈◊〉 a Battel fought there between the English 〈◊〉 the French in 1346 King Edward III. coâ— into Ponthieu of which he was Lord encâ—â—ed at the Village of Crecy King Philip of Vâ— came to encounter him on the 26th of Aâ—gâ— But the last was totally routed and left 30â—â— Foot upon the spot and 1200 Horse beâ—â— that he lost fourscore Colours and the Fâ—â—â—er of his Nobility as John of Luxenburg 〈◊〉 of Bohem. Charles Count of Alencon the Kiâ—â— Brother Raoul Duke of Lorrain the Count 〈◊〉 Flanders Harcourt and Sanserre the Dauphâ—â— Viennois c But the greatest mischief for 〈◊〉 French was that a Fog having kept them sâ—â— the sight of the Enemy till nine or ten a Clâ— in the morning the English in the mean wâ— planted the Colours they had taken fâ—â— them upon a height which the deceiâ—â— French taking for their own resorted to thâ— and received a greater overthrow than the 〈◊〉 day Their dead Bodies were Interred by Kâ— Edward's order at Monstreuil and the burâ—â— lasted 3 days Crecy had formerly a Royal House whâ— Ebroin Mayor of the Palace besieg'd when 〈◊〉 Warr'd against K. Thierry and his Mayor Lâ—â—â—sius and took both the King and the Town Fredegarius relates The Town of Monstreâ—â— scituated upon the Canche nine leagues 〈◊〉 of Abbeville five North-west of Crecy and tâ—â— East of the Sea It was but at first a Villaâ— which encreased into a Town by the builâ—◠〈◊〉 a Castle and of a Monastery by S. Salvius â—â—shop of Amiens where he would be Intterr'd â—d whence it has gotten the name of Monasteâ—â—lum Monstreuil or Monstrelet Besides there â—e still two Ancient Abbyes of St. Bennets Orâ—r one of Monks and the other of Nuns â—ng Philip I. having divorced from him his â—ife Berthe sent her away to this Town upâ—â— which he assigned her Dowry and where â—e dyed in 1093. Monstreuil is divided into â—pper and lower Town and has a strong Citâ—del and Baillwick Great Bâ—ats can go up â—he River by the help of the Tide to this â—own Boulenois THis County is but 13 or 14 leagues long North and South and about 7 broad East and West It was Anciently inhabited by the Morini as well as Teronane if it be true that Boulogne is the Gesoriacum of Pliny and Ptolomy It is still the most mountainous paâ—t of Picardy especially along the Coast which render them almost unaccessible However it does not want either Woods or Rivers and affords such a good race of Horses that the Inhabitants can furnish 3000 Troopers It was erected into a County together with St. Paul Guines and Artois by Charles the Bald Emperor and King of France when he marryed his Daughter Judith to Baldwin Ironside Count of Flanders in 863. The County of Boulogne was successiâ— enjoyed by several illustrious Houses whâ—â— allied themselves at one time or other with
Dragon he is said to have â—â—vercome This History is too remarkable 〈◊〉 to be mention'd and tho it be perhaps relâ—â— in a fabulous manner however there must 〈◊〉 be something of truth because of a Câ—â—â— that is still kept to this day In the Forreâ—â— Rouvray near the Suburbs of Rouen was a Sâ—â— which much annoyed Men and Beasts 〈◊〉 Pious Prelate resolved to rid his Citizen 〈◊〉 this Monster and as no body was willing to company him he got two condemned Crâ—â—nals a Thief and a Murtherer to go aâ— with him as soon as the Serpent perceâ—â— them it ran to devour them whereupon 〈◊〉 Thief took the flight but the Saint not afrighted threw his stole at the Monsters 〈◊〉 which so well twisted it self about it that fettered Monster was forced to follow the â—â—derer who brought him as a tyed Dog 〈◊〉 the great market of the Town where it 〈◊〉 burn'd and its Ashes thrown into the â—â—ver It would be uncivil to ask whether the â—â—â—minal was pardoned But St. Ouen did 〈◊〉 for being Lord Chancellor to King Dagâ—â—â— and Successor to St. Romain he obtained 〈◊〉 his Master that a Fortnight before Ascâ—â—◠〈◊〉 four Canons with their four Chaplains â—â—ould have leave to visit the King's Prisons 〈◊〉 supersede all extraordinary proceedings aâ—â—inst them to hear their Confessions and 〈◊〉 to deliver whomsoever they pleased â—hich is performed every year on the said Asâ—â—sion day with a great deal of Ceremony â—â—e released Prisoner is oblig'd to nothing â—â—e but to appear the seven years next folâ—â—wing to accompany the new delivered and 〈◊〉 Romains Coffin in a solemn Procession On the great Gate of this Church is a Triâ—â—mphal Arch representing the French King â—â—nry IV. driving Lyons and Wolves out of â—â—s Flock On the other side are the League â—â—nd up in Chains and gnawing its Fetters â—â—d the King of Spain standing near a Bell with â—â—â—mournful and Heart-sick Countenance Besides the Cathedral Rouen with its Suburbs 〈◊〉 35 Parochial Churches and 24 Monasteâ—s the whole Diocess extending it self thrô â—â—e third part of Normandy and comprehendâ—â—g both Vexins all Caux Bray and Roumois 〈◊〉 Rural Deanships 1388 Parishes and 26 131 Abbies under 6 Archdeacons The â—ench King Philip the fair founded there a â—ourt of Exchequer in 1286. which Lewis â—â—I made Sedentary in 1499 and Francis I. â—â—dow'd it with the name and priviledge of a â—â—rliament There are other Courts of Juâ—â—ce besides that as a Bailiwick and Presidial 〈◊〉 Chamber of Accounts a Chamber of the â—â—nt which coyns Money with the Letter B. â—â—ere is a Bridge built upon Boats which is â—â—k'd upon as a Master-piece of Art because it rises and goes down with the Tide tâ— be paved and 270 steps long And thereâ— Rouen lyes very conveniently for the 〈◊〉 brings into its Key Vessels of 200 Tâ—â— and makes it one of the Richest and most â—â—ding Cities in France Rouen is not only stâ—â—â— by its situation but also well fortified 〈◊〉 Castles Bulwarks Bastions Rampiers Terrâ—â— â—lined with Freestone large Ditches into wâ—â— fall the small Rivers of Robec Aubette and â—â—â—nelle after they have passed thro' several â—â—ter-mills It 's uncertain whether the Latin name 〈◊〉 Rouen Rotomagus comes from the Idol Râ—â— or Rothon Worshipp'd there or from the sâ—â— River Rodobeccus Robec so that it should 〈◊〉 compounded name signifying the Town o◠〈◊〉 God Roth or of the Red Brook The timâ— its foundation and the name of its Fouâ—â— are still more uncertain but sure it is 〈◊〉 Rouen was already in Caesar's time the heaâ—â— the Veloicasses that is mention'd by Pâ—â— Ammian Marcellin and the Tables of Theâ—â— the Great under the name of Rotomagus 〈◊〉 had formerly an Amphitheatre and thrâ—â—â—â—tifi'd places viz. the Palace the Castle 〈◊〉 call'd Mount S. Catherine or Fort S. Catâ—â— and the Bridge This City has produc'd â—â—veral Men of Parts as that great and incoâ—â—â—rable Protestant Divine Samuel Bochart 〈◊〉 Learned Emery Bigot who has publish'd â—â—ral Writings of the Fathers amongst othâ—â— the Epistle of S. Chrysostom to Caesarius 〈◊〉 Family of Basnage renown'd for Lawyers â—â—â—ter Corneille the Prince of the Tragick Pâ—â—â— among the French Thomas Corneille his Brother â—â—â—d Pradon two other Drammatick Poets of â—â—ote Mr. De Fontenelles one of the Wittiest â—â—riters in France Mrs. Bernard who has â—â—ly carried the Prize of Poetry in the â—â—â—ench Academy I may well also give a place â—â—â—ong these Ingenious to Mr. Le Motteux Auâ—â—or of the Gentlemans Journal Caux THis Bailiwick North and North-east of Rouâ—â— en is esteemed to be the Land of the Anâ—â—ent Caletes and is included between the Riâ—â—rs Seyne and Bresle Caesar who makes the â—â—â—re the limits of the Celtae ranks the Velocassi â—â—d the Caleti among the Belgae but by the diâ—â—sion of August they were included in the â—â—cond Lyonnoise with their Capital Rotomaâ—â—s Adrian de Valois reckons nine Rivers in â—â—is Countrey viz. the Vitefleur Guitefleda â—â—e Dun Dunus the Seane or Saane Sedana the â—â—une Belnaium the Sie or Seye Seda the â—â—rennes Guarenna the River of Dieppe or Arâ—â—es Deppa or Arcae the Eaune Heldona or â—â—na and Alna the Iere Eara which Samson â—â—lls the Sart and the Ou or Bresle Aucus Through the whole Countrey of Caux the â—ldest Sons both of the Gentry and Common â—eople are Heirs of all and there is but a â—â—all Portion allow'd for the Sustenance of the Youngest Sons and Daughters which Câ—â—â— seems to be deriv'd from the Ancient Nâ—â— mans who used it to maintain the lustre 〈◊〉 their Families and to make their Youngâ—â— Sons look to themselves and seek their Fâ—â—tune with the dint of their Sword And 〈◊〉 perhaps was the Cause they conquer'd Nâ—stria Caudebec Calidum Beccum that is warm â—â—â—vulet because it s built upon a small Brook 〈◊〉 mile from the Seyne and three leagues East 〈◊〉 its mouth is a Town renow'd for several Mâ—nufactures especially Hats Three leagues West 〈◊〉 Caudebec upon another Brook near the Seyâ—â— is the small Town of Lillebonne which is taâ—â— by Sigebert and Ordericus Vitalis for Julâ—â—â— Caletorum Capital of the Country of Caux 〈◊〉 De Valois denies it Howsoever it gives 〈◊〉 its name to a branch of the House of Lorrâ—â—â— William the Conqueror call'd thither a Coâ—â—cil of the Prelates of Normandy in 1080. 〈◊〉 mile South of Lillebonne lyes the Lordship 〈◊〉 Tancarville upon the Seyne Tancardi or raâ—â— Tancredi Villa for it seems to have gotten 〈◊〉 name from that famous Tancrede Lord of Hâ—â—reville who liv'd in the time of Rollon or â—â—â—bert I. Duke of Normandy This Nobleman â—â—ving a numerous Family sent into Italy his tâ—â— Eldest Sons Dreux and Fierabras who joynâ—â— with Robert Guischard and some other Nâ—â— man Lords Warr'd against the Saracens 〈◊〉 expell'd them out of Sicily their Postenâ— setled themselves in that Island conquer'd Câ—â—labria and Appulia from the Greeks and Tâ—â—poli from the Barbarians and made themselvâ—â— famous during
Peerdom erected by the French King Henry II. in 1547. in behalf of Claudius of Lorrain Youngest Son to the Duke of Guise Aumale had its particular Counts in the twelfth Century afterwards it fell to the share of the House of Ponthieu and then of the House of Lorrain This Town is Noted for its Woollen Cloth and an Ancient Abby of St. Bennets Order Eleven miles South-west of Aumale near the source of the Epte is the Village of Forges renown'd for its Medicinal Waters Longueville Longa villa or Longus vicus a Burrough upon the River Sie eight leagues North of Rouen and four South of Dieppe was formerly a County and has been enjoyed under that Title by the famous Bertrand du Guesclin High Constable of France In 1443. Charles VII gave it to another great Warrior John Count of Dunois Bastard of the House of Orleans whence are descended the Dukes of Orleans Longueville who enjoy still that Lordship erected into a Dutchy and Peerdom in 1505 bâ— Lewis XII Five leagues West of Longueâ—â—â— and ten North-west of Rouen lyes the Bâ—â—rough of Estouteville Stota villa with the Title of a Dutchy erected by Francis I. in 153â— It has given its Name to an Illustrious Familâ— ever since the 11th Century However Na Sanson the Father has forgotten it in his Map Eight leagues Northwest of Rouen and 5 mile North of Caudebec lyes the small Village of Yvetot with the Title of a Principality and formerly with that of a Kingdom as many French Authors pretend It was erected by the Frencâ— King Clotaire I. to make amends for the Death of Walter Lord of Yvetot whom he had murdered in a Church at Soissons In consequence of the Law of the mannors that frees the Tenant of any subjection to his Liege Lord if the said Lord breaks any of his Bones or cuts any of his Members In an Ancient Record of the Court of Exchequer in Normandy and Patentees of the French Kings in the Years 1392 1401 1450 1464 the Lords of Yvetot are entituled Kings and their Soveraignty and Independency is asserted At the Coronation of Mary of Medicis Henry IV. Queen This Prince observing that the Master of the Ceremonies had assigned no place to Martin du Bellay Lord of Yvetot I will saith he that an Honourable Place be given to my little King of Yvetot Four leagues North-east of Rouen is another Village call'd Cailly which seems to be some remains of an Ancient Town ruined by the Romans that bore the Name of Casletum if we believe Duchesne Bray BRAY is an ancient Gaulish word that marks a Marshy and Dirty place and 't is the beginning or end of several Towns in France As to this Countrey it is included between the Bailiwicks of Gisors Rouen and Caux and so very small that several Geographers forget to mention it The most considerable places are La Ferté Fleury and Gournay of which I find nothing in my Authors unless that near Gournay was given a Battle between the English and the French in 1112 where the last were routed Roumois BEtwixt the Seyne and the Bishopricks of Lizieux and Evreux is included the small Countrey of Roumois Rotmensis pagus which by the Original of its Name seems to have made part of the Territory of Rouen It has not above eight leagues in length and as many in breadth from Brienne upon the Rille to Quevilly two leagues off of Rouen where the French Protestants of that City had their Temple The other Burroughs are Quillebeus upon the Seyne which might be extraordinarily fortified Montfort Mauny c. These four Countries last describ'd make up the Archbishopprick of Rouen The Bishoprick of Evreux THis Diocess is included between the Rivers Seyne and Carenton the Countrey of Roumois and the Bishopricks of Seez and Chartres It is above 17 or 18 leagues North and South and 15 or 16 East and West It was the habitation of the Aulerci Eburovices The Capital Evreux Mediolanum Aluercorum is seated upon the River Iton in a fruitful Plain and has several good Buildings Churches Abbies and Monasteries a Bishoprick Bailiwick and Presidial 'T is said that it was converted to Christianity by St. Taurin who was the first Bishop of it The most renowned of his Successors was Cardinal Du Perron that subtle Controversist who was a Protestant Apostate In Caesar's time the Senonois the Parisians and their Neighbours had a General of Evreux call'd Camalogenus Aulercus whom they oppos'd to Liabienus Evreux has had its Particular Counts issued from the Dukes of Normandy It was erected into a County and Peerdom by Lewis X in 1316 thence it came into the hands of the Kings of Navarr from whom it was redeemed by the French King Charles VI. in 1404. erected into a Dutchy in 1569 by Charles IX and given to his Brother the Duke of Alencon after whose Death it was reunited to the Crown of France in 1584 and exchang'd with the Duke of Bouillion for the Principality of Sedan in 1652. Five leagues West of Evreux near a place where the Rille hides it self under the Ground lyes Beaumont le Roger Bellus mons Rogerii with the Title of a County It was built by a Count call'd Roger whose Name it bears and strongly fortified Raoul of Meulant sold it to the French King Lewis IX in 1255 and Charles III. King of Navarr to whom it did belong â—s being Count of Evreux exchanged both Counties with the French King Charles VI. for the Dutchy and Peerdom of Nemours in 1404. Two leagues North of Beaumont le Roger lyes the Castle of Harcourt Harecortis formerly a good Burrough which has given its Name and the title of Counts to a Noble Family that has been renowned since the beginning of the twelfth Century to the end of the last Age that it fell to the share of the House of Lorrain by the Marriage of Renatus of Lorrain Marquess of Elbeuf with Louise of Rieux Heiress of Harcourt in 1574. Vernon upon the Seyne lyes 7 leagues East of Evreux and ten South-east of Rouen Some think that it had formerly a Royal Palace or Castle call'd Verno or Vernum where two Councils were kept in 755 and 844. but De Valois proves that Verno was the Name of this place and that the Royal House of Vernum was either Ver near Crespi en Valois between Paris and Compiegne or Verneuil upon the Oyse Seven leagues South of Evreux upon the River Aure lyes the Burrough of Nonancourt which has given its Name to Cardinal Nicholas of Nonancourt who was famous about the end of the thirteenth Age and descended from an Ancient House Five miles higher to the West upon the same River is the Town of Tilleres or Tuillieres Tegulariae so call'd from the Stichel-stones that were prepared there It was built by Richard Duke of Normandy but is now almost ruined Remounting the said River one meets with the Town of Vernueil Vernolium erected into a Dutchy and Peerdom by Lewis
of Liâ—ux It has gotten its Name from a Forrest â—rd by and is remarkable for the fertility of 〈◊〉 Meadows chiefly at a place called Bieux-ville â—d Sainte Barbe where Grass grows so quick â—pecially in the Spring that if it be browz'd 〈◊〉 the Evening and one lays there a Stick he â—ll find it in the Morning half covered with â—â—ass for which reason a great quantity of black â—ttel are sent thither to be fatten'd Nine leagues higher to the South lyes Pont 〈◊〉 Olly an important passage upon the Orne â—here it receives the Nereau Three leagues Westâ—â—rds is the Town of Conde Condate where â—e small River Drance falls into the Nereau 5. leagues farther to the West is the Town 〈◊〉 Vire upon a River of that Name not far â—om its source It has a Castle an Election 〈◊〉 a Bailiwick resorting to the Presidial of â—en It has the Title of a Viscounty and has â—en formerly so considerable that its Inhabiâ—â—ts having stuck to the English till the Year â—50 they got Letters of Pardon from the French â—nâ— Charles VII Six leagues lower to the North lyes the Town â—origny Tauriniacum formerly very consiâ—rable as appears by the ruines of its Walls 〈◊〉 Gates It has still the Title of a County and a Bailiwick depending on the Presidiâ—â— Caen. I must not forget what is observed by chesne that the meeting of the Rivers Aure Dromine a small league North of Bayeux 〈◊〉 the Village of Maisons form a fine Haven oâ— Port Bessin The Bishoprick of Constance or Coutance THis Countrey call'd Constantin and contively Coutantin is shut up between Sea and the Bishopricks of Bayeux and Avraâ— and is thought to be the habitation of Unelli of Caesar or the Venelli of Pliny It â—bove 20 leagues North and South but hatâ— 12 East and West where it is broadest 〈◊〉 is an Ancient County which Robert Duke Normandy pawn'd to his Brother William red King of England and soon after his whâ— Dutchy for the summ of 10000 Marks of Silâ— that he might undertake a Voyage into the â—ly Land Constance or Contance Capital of 〈◊〉 Countrey is situated upon the small River â—ro 3 leagues East of the Sea and almost West of Torigny Some take it for the Asta Ramanduorum of the Ancient Geograpâ—â— Amian Mercellin calls it Castra Constantia 〈◊〉 he seems mistaken as to it's situation The 〈◊〉 â—ent Notices of the Gauls call it Constantia Ciâ—as Gregory of Tours and other Ancient Auâ—ors of the French History Constantina or â—onstantiensis Urbs. It's likely that Constantius â—lorus encamp'd thereabouts when he went â—ver into Great Brittain and that fâ—â—m a Miliâ—â—ry Station it became a Town by degrees or â—ther that the Emperor Constantius beautify'd with Triumphant Arches of which he erectâ—â—d a great number in the Gauls and in Pannoâ— For 't is not probable that these Emperors â—ould have built a Town which some Years â—â—ter was a City of Note and an Episcopal See 〈◊〉 that it seems that they only repair'd or enâ—â—rg'd Constance which thereupon lost its old â—ame of Crociatonum Venetorum mentioned by â—tolomy St. Ereptiole is taken by Duchesne â—r the first Bishop of Constance in the fourth â—entury but the first Prelate of it mention'd in â—uthentick Histories is one Leoncian who asâ—sted to the first Council of Orleance in 511. â—he situation of Constance is pleasant among â—eadows and Brooks and not far from a Forrest â—he Town is big and well Peopled but withâ—ut Walls and Ditches the French King Lewis â—I having demolished them because the Inhaâ—itants had too openly sided with the Prince â—harles his Brother In 1562. the Lord of Colomâ—iers besieged it took it and sent Philip of Cossé â—â—o Governor Prisoner to St. Lo. The Cathedral â—hurch of our Lady is a fine Building and beautiâ—â—ed with Towers upon one of which the whole Neighbouring Countrey may be discovered This Town has a Bailiwick and Presidial Visâ—ounty Election and Ecclesiastical Court Seven or eight leagues South-east of â—stance on the borders of Avranches is the Bâ—rough of Ville-Dieu with a Commandership 〈◊〉 the Knight of St. John's Order institute◠〈◊〉 Richard III. Duke of Normandy and the 〈◊〉 King of England of that Name Near to it is a Parish call'd La Land Herâ—â— or Airou which was formerly a good Bâ—rough of half a league extent as may be suppâ—sed by some Ruines There was a Castle 〈◊〉 of which nothing is remaining but the bâ— Name in a Neighbouring Field call'd the Câ—stles Meadow Duchesne relates out of Sigeâ—â— that in the year 1158. there hapned a Whâ—â—â—wind which raised up all that it met whâ— and rising in the Air there appeared at 〈◊〉 blew red Columns against which were 〈◊〉 Arrows and Darts from several places 〈◊〉 a great number of Birds of several Kinds toâ— about it He adds farther that this Proâ— was followed by a violent Plague which deppulated whole Towns Four leagues North-west of Ville-Dieu is 〈◊〉 Burrough of Gouray with the Ruines of an â—â—cient Castle upon a small Hill near the Riâ— Souille Five leagues Southwest of Gouray and 〈◊〉 of Constance is the Sea-port of Granville 〈◊〉 Town is partly seated upon a Rock and paâ—â— in a Plain where it has its Haven Nine 〈◊〉 ten leagues Eastwards are the Burrough of Mâ—on the Barony of Fessy and the Castle of 〈◊〉 Motte l'Euesque belonging to the Bishop 〈◊〉 Constance Seventeen miles East of Constance lyes 〈◊〉 strong Town of St. Lo upon the River Vire 〈◊〉 Named from the fifth Bishop of Constance â—uâ—o and in Latin Briovera or Vire's Bridge aâ—â—o and his Successors have for a long time â—orn the Title of Bishops of St. Lo because this â—own belonged to them and that they kept â—nto their ordinary Residence It is now enâ—ved by the Lords of Matignon and has a Baiâ—wick Election and Viscounty an Abby of St. â—nnets Order and a Church under the Name 〈◊〉 our Lady founded as 't is said by the Emâ—eror Charlemaign under the Title of the Holy â—his Seventeen miles North-west you meet with â—â—e Barony of Hommet divided into two Caâ—â—les the Lords of which entitle themselves â—ign Constables Hereditary of the ancient Dukes 〈◊〉 Normandy Five leagues North-west of St. Lo. upon the â—â—ting of the Rivers On and Carenton lyes the 〈◊〉 of Carentar or Querentan Carentonus or â—â—â—onium which is a well trading Place beâ—â—use it lyes but three leagues from the Sea and â—â—at the Tiâ—e brings up greaâ— Boats to it beâ—â—des the strength of â—s situation it has a Gaâ—e Walls and Ditches fill'd up with Water â—he Vulgar believe that Câ—rus one of Câ—â—stâ—s â—ontains was the Founder of it Whatever it â—ay be Carentan is pretty considerable having â—wo Suburbs a Bailiwick Election and the â—itle of a Viscounty In 1574. the Count of Montgomery took it for the Protestants but â—he Lord of Matignor retook it some time after â—nd De Lorges Montgomery's Son was made Prisoâ—er of War Five leagues Northwards lyes upon
nevertheless to â—ew that he is far above the Laws and even â—bove his own Promises and Oaths has made â—old to Repeal it in the Month of October 1685. Iâ—dre or l'Isle d' Aindre Antrum It was â—â—mous for a Monastery founded by one Herâ—â—â—land of Nimeghen who from Cup-bearer â—o K. Thierry became Monk of the Abby of â—ontanelles in the Diocess of Rouen and then Abbot in this Convent which was ruined by â—he Normans in 843. Ancenis is esteemed to be the Ancenisium or Angenisium of the Latins Capital of the Amâ—â—ites a People that liv'd about the mouth of â—he Loire There was formerly a strong Caâ—tle built by Aremberg Wife to Gueree a Britâ—ish Count but 't is now ruin'd as well as the greatest part of the Town which lyes 7 leagues â—ast of Nants upon the same River near anoâ—her place 3 miles South-west call'd Oudon which makes De Valois take 'em for the Uldo and Andenisium of Rigord Chasteau-briant Castrum Brientii or Briani 13 Miles North of Nants has taken its Name from its Founder In 1551. the French King Henry II. renewed there all the Ancient Eâ—â—â— against the Hereticks and gave even power the Judges of Presidials to determine Causes 〈◊〉 Heresie without Appeal ordering farther 〈◊〉 none should be admitted into any Royal Oâ—â—â—â— or the publick Profession of any Science wiâ—â—out a right Certificate that he was a Roâ—â—â— Catholick and withall that certain Assâ—â—blies call'd Mercurials should be kept 〈◊〉 Wednesday in all the Soveraign Courts of Jâ—stice to examine the Sentiments and Conducâ— the Judges about Matters of Religion Clisson Clichio upon the River Sevre Sepâ—â—â— six leagues South-east of Nants is a Town 〈◊〉 a Castle which gives its Name to a small Trâ—â— of Land call'd le Clissonnois but is much 〈◊〉 famous for having been the Title of Oliver 〈◊〉 Clisson High Constable of France under tâ—â— French King Charles VI. it is the same wâ—â—â— routed the Flemmings in 1382. and kill'd 400â—â— of their Men upon the spot Between this Town and Montesgu on the bâ—â—ders of Poictou is the Forrest of Gralla wherâ— that famous High-way Robber Guillery 〈◊〉 built a strong-hold wherein with his two Brothers and Companions they stood out a Siege â—gainst 17 Provosts and 5000 Men but were taken at last and broken upon the Wheel in 160â— Machecou Capital of the small Dutchy and Peerdom of Raits Ratiatensis or Ratiensis Pagus erected by the French King Henry III. 〈◊〉 1581. This Town lyes near a Forrest 11 leagues South-west of Nants The Bishops of Poâ—tius have sometimes subscribed Episcopi Ratiatenses or de Civitate Ratiatica as did Adelphius in the Synod of Orleance because they kept in this Countrey their ordinary Residence It was there â—lso that the Emperor Charles the Bald invested Herispoius Neomenes's Son with the Kingdom of Brittany adding the Counties of Nants Rennes and Raiz to his Dominions in 851. Guerande is situated near the mouth of the Loire between Lakes and large sandy grounds 18 leagues West of Nants there are some good Salt-pits Two leagues North-east is the small Town of Asserac with the Title of a Marquisate The Abby's are Meleray of Cisteaux Blanche-Couronne of St. Bennet Pornie and Geneston of St. Augustin all of Fryars CHAP. IX Of Lower Brittany The Bishoprick of Vennes IT 's undoubted but this Diocess is the Countrey of the Ancient Veneti whose Capital was so powerful in Caesar's time and whose Inhabitants were the most skilful of the Gauls in Sea Affairs so that some have pretended that the Venetians were descended from this Veneti as the Ancient Geographer Strabo relates What were the bounds of their Dominions is uncertain but now this Diocess is included between the Sea the Bishoprick of Nants St. Malo St. Brieux and Cornoaille and reaches 25 leagues East and West and about 13 or 14 North and South This Countrey was Conquer'd from the Romans by our fled Brittains but Clovis the Great took it from them and the French kept it 90 Years till Waroc a Brittish King reconquer'd it His Successors maintain'd themselves against their mighty Neighbours to the time of Pepin and Charlemaign In remembrance of this Conqueror this Diocess was call'd Broguerec that is the Land of Gueâ—ec or Waroc The Capital Vennes call'd Venetia by Caeâ—ar and in some Notices of the Gauls Civitas Cintium or Cinesium is thought to be the Daâ—iorigum of Ptolomy by De Valois it is situated two leagues from the Sea which Ebbs and Flows there along the Channel of Morbihan and has a Haven of the same Name This Town has kept its Ancient lustre long enough for the Duke John of Montfort built there a Castle named Ermine where his Successors have often kept their Court Vennes is by no means so considerable as formerly however it has yet some Parochial Churches besides the Cathedral under the Name of our Lady and the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul St. Patern whom the Vulgar calls St. Poix is thought to have been its first Bishop Auray four leagues West of Vennes is seated upon the same Channel of Morbihan and famous for the Victory which John V. got over his Competitor Charles of Blois the 29th of September 1364. This Battel left the former in possession of the whole Dutchy which was confirmed to him by the Treaty of Guerande on the 12th of April 1365. Blavet now better known under the Name of Port-Louis is one of the best and strongest Sea ports of France situated on the mouth of the River Blavet so call'd for the blew Colour of its Water The Leaguers gave it to the Spaniards who restored it to the French King Henry IV. by the Peace of Vervins in 1598. The Lord Soubize took this Town for the Protestants in 1625. but was forced 〈◊〉 leave it because he could not master the Câ—tadel Some time after the French Prinâ—â— Confederated against Lewis XIII seized upâ—â— this Town and Castle and when the Peace 〈◊〉 made the French King caused the Fortificâ—â—â—ons of Blavet to be demolished but after â—â—cond Thoughts he raised them up again 〈◊〉 made them stronger than before Hennebont Cosedia according to Adrian de Vâ—lois p. 291. is a small Town 7 leagues Noâ—â— of the Sea upon the River Blavet with a â—â—mous Abby of Nuns of the Order of Cisteâ—â— Pontivy lyes upon the same River betwixt 〈◊〉 Forrests 11 leagues North-east of Hennebont Rohan upon the River Ouste 3 leagues South-east of Pontivy has the Title of a Dutchy aâ—â— Peerdom erected by the French King Henâ—â— IV. in 1603. and since renew'd by Lewis XIV In 1645. but much more famous for having gâ—ven its Name to a Family issued from the Ancient Princes of Brittany Several Dukes oâ— Rohan are Renowned in History but the moâ—â— Illustrious of all is Henry II. Duke of Rohâ—â— who dyed in 1638. of the Wounds he had received at the Battel of Rhinfeld or rather of the Poysonous Apparel that a Physician corrupted by the Jesuits applied upon them
Linnen and Leather and of its excellent Knives call'd also by the Name of the Country Coutaux Pergois The Inhabitants having rebell'd against the English the Count of Salisbury took it and caus'd many of them to be hang'd but the French King Charles VII retook it in 1449. It lyes 30 leagues South-west of Paris and almost 22 North-west of Orleance Mortagne Moritolium or Moritonium near the source of the Huisne 8 leagues North-west of Nogent le Rotrou is a goodly Town well peopled and adorned with several Churches It has a Castle and had formerly the Title of a County Perriere is now of little consideration having been ruin'd by the Wars â—eâ—me Bellismum or Bellissimum sup Castruâ— is seated on a Brook that encreases the Huifâ—â— la Ferte-Bernard and has near it a Mines Fountain as much esteem'd as those of Pougâ— and Forges The States of the Province use 〈◊〉 be kept in this Town which has the first Voâ—â— and is distant 6 leagues from Nogent le Rotrou 〈◊〉 the South-west The Barony of Pontgouin belongs to the Bâ—shop of Chartres and has several Lordships depending on it Conde sur Huisne Condate ad Egâ—â—nam is of some Consideration and lyes 2 leaguâ— North of Nogent le Rotrou 2. Perche-Gouet hath 5 Ancient Barronies tâ— wit Auton Monmirail Alluye Basoche and Brou 3. La Terre-Françoise consists in the Bailiwick of La Tour-Grise upon the River Aure over against Verneuil in Normandy 4. Les Terres â—membrées have the small Countrey of Timeraâ—â— the Town of Château-neuf and the Principality and Town of Senonches This little Province is about 18 leagues in length and almost as much in breadth It 's very fertile in Corn and well furnisht with Meadows and Pasture-ground which together with their Forrests and the Manufactures formerly mention'd make the Inhabitants subsist Remy Belleau a Lyrick Poet famous in the last Age was Originary of this Province Perche hath a dependance upon the Generallty's of Orleans and Alençon as to the Court of Exchequer on the Parliament of Paris for secular Justice and for the Spiritual it resorts to the Bishops of Chartres and Seez It had its â—articular Counts the most Ancient of whom â—s named Agombert or Albert in the time of Louis le Debonnaire in the IX Century But â—hey were call'd Counts of Bellesme Alençon or Mortagne and the first who took the Title of Count du Perche was Rotrou II. in 1149 that Country having been before of too little Consideration to give Title to a great Lord. Of Beauce DU Val and several other Geographers comprehend under the Name of Beauce Belsa or Belsia several small Countries as the Territory of Chartres le pais Chartrain that part of Gastinois which is annexed to the Government Orleanois besides Vendosmois Dunois Puisaye proper Orleanois Sologne and the Southern part of Blaisois which make up an extent of 35 leagues North and South from Dreux to Remorentin and above 50 leagues East and West from the borders of Champaign and Burgundy to the Frontiers of Maine being included with Berri and Nivernois on the South Perche on the North Maine and Touraine on the West and Champaign and Burgundy on the East These Countries taken together consist in large and fruitful Plains so very abundant in Corn that they are call'd the Granary of France The Learned Adrian de Valois following Ancient Authors gives to this Province an extent of 15 leagues and divides it into three parts Belsa Carnutensis le pais Chartrain Belsa Dunensis or Dunois Belsa Pitiverensis the Election of Pithiviers To avoid confusion I shall speak first of the County of Chartres or Pays Chartrain which is call'd by some Proper Beauce THis Country is situated between the Isle of France Perche Blaisois and Orleanois The City of Chartres call'd in Latin Autricum Carnutum from the River Autura Eure on which it lyes has a Presidial Seat and Bishoprick formerly suffragan of Sens and now of Paris since the Year 1622. This City is so Ancient that some Authors believed that the Issue of Gomer having pass'd into the Gauls some time after Noah did lay the Foundation of it Others maintain that the Druides and Sarrhonides the Ancient Priests of the Gauls did build it and foretold that a Virgin should one day grow big with Child without the Company of a Man It was this which obliged Prisâ—ns Governour for the Romans to erect a Temple to that Blessed Virgin with this Inscription Virgini Pariturae or to the Virgin who is to bring forth Thus it was that they ador'd at Athens an unknown God But whatever be of it the People of this Countrey made a long and bold Resistance to the Romans kill'd one Tasgetus tho' he was of the Royal Blood of their own King's because Caesar had set him over them and after that great Conqueror had subdued them he was glad that they would accept of the Alliance of the Romans and keep their Peace The Bishops of this City are thought to be of very Ancient Institution for Solemnis who informed K. Clovis in the Christian Religion is reckon'd its 14 Prelate by Duchesne At least 't is probable that under the French Kings of the first and second Race they were Lords Temporal as well as Spiritual of it if what the same Author relates be true that one Elias the 40th Bishop gave the Revenues of the Abby of S. Pere en Vallée to the Nobility of Chartres and that Hardwin the 50th Prelate was the first who Dismember'd the County from the Bishoprick to enrich a Nephew of his call'd Odo or Eudes I know not whether his Posterity forfeited their Estates but Hugh the Great Father to Hugh Capet the first French King of the 3d. Race being then very powerful in that Kingdom gave this Country together with those of Blois and Tours to a Kinsman of his call'd Theobald the Old or the Tricker His issue in process of time viz. in 1037. acquired the County of Champaign and had been the greatest Lords in France had they not weak'ned themselves by the Portions they gave to Youngest Sons In 1286. Lewis IX bought the County of Chartres from Jane of Chatillon the Heiress of it It has been since united to the French Crown and separated from it several times and now it makes part of the Portion of Monsieur Lewis XIV.'s Brother his Eldest Son bearing the Title of Duke of Chartres This City and Country have under gone several Revolutions for at the end of the sixth Age Thierry K. of Burgundy took it by Storm from his Brother Clotaire In 743. Hunold Duke of Aquitain took Chartres and burn'd it Francis I. erected it into a Dutchy in Favour of Madam Reneâ— of France Dutchess of Ferrara Anno 911. Rollon chief of the Normans besieged it and Anno 1019. it was almost quite burnt down Anno 1568. the Protestants laid Seige to it under the Reign of Charles IX and would certainly have taken it the Admiral
which the Gauls themselves put to Ashes to starve Cesar's Army What authority he has for this I know not but 't is more certain that Issoudun was already a strong Place under the French King Philip August and of such consideration that Hugh of Die the Pope's Legate call'd a Synod thither in 1081. It 's now a pretty large Town the Second in this Province surrounded with Walls Ditches and Suburbs defended with a Castle and a great Tower having several Parochial and Collegiate Churches and Monasteries a Seat of Regal Justice or an inferior Bailiwick resorting to the Presidial of Bourges together with many Chastelnies and Baronies its dependances Besides that the Wines of its Territory are said to be of good keeping and its Trade of Wooll is considerable Dun le Roy Regio-Dunum or Dunum Regis is accounted the third Town of Berry because of its Seat of Regal Justice It lies 6 Leagues South South-East of Bourges on the River Orron or Auron Vtrio It has had particular Lords of the Family of Astier but was re-united to the French Crown in 1430. under Charles the VII and 1465. under Lewis the XI Chasteau Neuf upon the Cher 6 Leagues South of Bourges is a good Borrough and Castle Chasteau Melan Castrum Meliand is six Leagues more to the South near the River Indre It was formerly a wall'd Town but is now only a simple Borough though the Castle is yet Wall'd and has had a Tower said to be built by the Romans La Chastre Castra is two Leagues Westwards on the River Indre a little Town but well fortified with Walls and Ditches and defended with a good Castle It s Church of St. Germain is together Parochial and Collegiate being serv'd with Canons founded by the Lords of Chavigny Chateau-Roux lies on the same River ten Leagues West South-west of Bourges The beginning of this Town was a Castle built in 952 by one Radulphus Largus Raoul the large or the Liberal second Lord of Deolz who presented with it the Monks of the Abby of St. Gildas The Latin Authors call it Castrum Radulfi and therefore it had ought to be nam'd in French Chasteau-Raoul or Chasteau-Roul and not Chasteau Roux which signifies Castrum Rufum This Town is pretty large having 4 Parishes a Collegiate Church a fine Castle and a Park belonging to the Prince of Conde who is Lord of it for it was erected into a Dutchy and Peerdom in 1616 by Lewis XIII Here was born Odo or Eudes of Chasteau-Roux who became Cardinal and made a great figure under the Reign of Lewis the IX Bourg-de-Deolz or Bourg-Dieux Dolensis Vicus is also seated on the Indre over against Chasteau-Roux It s Territory is extraordinary fruitful in Wine and Wooll because of the goodness of its Pasture-Ground besides that it reaches twenty Leagues in Circuit and has above 1200 Fees or Rear-fees depending on it for which Reason Charles the IX erected it into a County for the Baron of Aumont Knight of his Order Moreover Deolz is remarkable for an Abby of Benedictins founded by Ebo or Abo a mighty Prince or Lord in Berry Father to the forementioned Raoul and for a Victory which the Goths got from Riothimus King of the Armorican Britains Vierzon seven Leagues North-West of Bourges on the confluence of the River Eure and Cher. It 's call'd in Latin Virsio and seated in a very fruitful Soil amongst Rivers Vines green Fields and Meadows as it is expressed in this Monkish distich Virsio Villa virens aliunde pauca requirens Vitibus ornata pratis campis decorata It was taken and burnt by the English in 1197. Wirtzburg a City of Franceny is call'd in Latin Herbipolis or the Green Town from its Situation Some derive the Name of Vierzon from the same Original and take it for a Franco-German Colony Selles or rather Celles Cellasti Eusicii lies 14 Leagues West North-West of Bourges and 15 South-West of Orleans It 's grown to an indifferent good Town from an Anchoret's Seat For Eusicius was an Hermit who lived at the beginning of the 6th Century under the French King Childebert the I. and had sometimes the boldness to wait upon and advise this Prince St. Aignan upon the same River 3 Leagues West of Celles has the Title of a Dutchy and bears the Name of St. Aignan Bishop of Orleans who is worshipped there and for whom it has lost its antient Name of Chasteau Hagar Meun Sur Yeure Mediolanum or Magdunum midway betwixt Bourges and Vierzon has an inferior Bailiwick and a Collegiate Church under the Title of our Lady It belong'd formerly to Count Robert of Artois and the Ruins of an old Castle testify that it was taken and demolished by the English Aubigny Albiniacum lies upon the River Nerre nine Leagues North of Bourges It belong'd once to the Canons of St. Gratian's of Tours from whom John Duke of Berry redeemed it Lewis XI placed here a Royal Seat of Justice but Charles the VIII transfer'd it to Concressaut Concurcallum or Concorcellum and not Concordiae Saltus as Du Chesne feigns having given Aubigny to Berault Steward Capt. of his Guards whose Issue took their Sirname from thence As to Concressant it lies on the River Saudre four Leagues East of Aubigny and is only a Burrough but fortified and adorn'd with a very fine Castle Henrichemont and Bois-Belle Boscabellum are two adjacent Places situated betwixt two Forrests near the Source of the Saudre six Leagues North-East of Bourges The last has a very fine Castle and the Title of a Principality belonging to the House of Bethune-Sulli It s Name compos'd of Henri-Richmont seems to intimate an English Foundation Neuvi on the River Baranion is but an inconsiderable Village However it seems to be the Noviodunum mention'd by Cesar Lib. 7. rather than Neuvy upon the Loire since the former is in the right way from Avaricum Bourges to Genabum Orleans Argenton Argentomagus is a Town and Chastelny upon the River Creuse 16 Leagues South-East of Bourges It has a Castle fortified with ten Towers upon one of which called the Tower of Heraclius are Ingraven these two words Veni vici with such uncounterfeit Vestiges of Antiquity and Ruins of old Buildings that it cannot be doubted but that it 's a Roman Work Besides that one Heraclius was Governour there under the Empire of Decius and is said to have put to Death the 2 Martyrs St. Marcel and St. Anastase in the inclos'd Yard that bears yet the Name of the latter Saint The other Places of Note in this Province are Monasteriolum ad Carem Menetou Sur Cher Crazzacum Gracay renown'd for its Manufactory of Cloaths Levroux Leprosium so call'd from the Leprousness to which this place was once obnoxious Wherefore it was commended to the Patronage of St. Silvain Blanc-en Berri Oblincum an indifferent good Town on the Borders of Touraine and Poictou Buzancais Bosentiacae or Busentiacum Ruffiniacum Castellum Ruffec le Chateau Castelio ad Angerim
Abbot was the first Bishop of it but the Seat has been transfer'd to Rochel in 1648. Lusson Lucio was another Ancient Monastery of St. Bennet's order whose Abbot Peter de la Voirie Pope John XXII rais'd likewise to the Dignity of a Bishop in 1317. Lusson is situated in a Maishy Place 8 Leagues West of Maillezais and two North of the Sea whence it draws many conveniencies so that it belongs to Lower Poictou Fontenay-le-Comte Fontenaium or rather Rontanetum Comitis is seated upon the Venace that begins there to be Navigable and discharges it self into the Sevre Niortoise at Port-Marans Fontenay-le-Comte is an indifferent good Town and well-Built It has a Seat of Royal Justice and is accounted the Capital of Lower Poictou Pluviaut a Protestant Captain took it in 1568. but having quitted it the next year the Famous Francis de la Noue lay Siege to it in 1570 and had there his left Arm broken They fitted to him an Arm of Iron at Rochel But as this accident did not abate his Courage and he still made a shift to keep the Bridle of his Horse with his artificial Arm he got from thence the sirname of Bras de Fer or Iron Arm. In the mean while the Siege of Fontenay went on and Soubize who succeeded rhe Wounded la Noue had the honour of taking the Place This Town is 6 or 7 Leagues distant from the Sea 6 Leagues East North-East of Lusson and four North-West of Maillezais La Roche-sur-Yon Rupes ad Yonnem is a Burough with the Tittle of Principality seated near the source of the small River Yon twelve Leagues from Fontenay and 8 from Lusson Elizabeth of Beauveau Lady of Champigny and la Roche-sur-Yon brought these two Lordships into the House of Bourbon by her Marriage with John II. Count of Vendome in 1454. Since that time this Principality has oft been the Portion of Youngest Sons of that Family as it was in 1684. the title of the second Son to the Prince of Conde whose eldest Brother dying in 1685. he took the name of Prince de Conti. Tiffauges Taifalia lies on the South side of the Sevre Nantoise near the borders of Britain 13 Leagues North North-West of Fontenay-le-Coute This place is a Colony of the Teitali a Scythian People who apparently came into the Gauls with Adolph King of the Goths under the Empi e of Honorius or with Goar King of the Alains under the Emperor Valentinian Honorius's successor and settled themselves in Poictou and Anjou along the River Loâ—re But as they were Heathens and addicted to a vice against Nature they incurr'd the hatred of the Natives as well as the Romans and the French who ioyned together it seems to exterminate ' em So that there is no remainder of them besides the name of this place and the Country about it Gregory of Tours in the life of the Abbot Senochus says that he was a Teifalian by Race whence it may be inferr'd that in process of time the remaining Teifalians imbrac'd Christianity and were confounded with the Natives Talmond or Talemond Turris Talemundi lies on the Sea-coast of Poictou 12 Leagues West of Fontenay-le-Comte The Franco-german name of Talemond like to that of Pharamond Theudemond Sigismond c. shews that it had some of the Ancient French Lords for its founder Under Lewis VII it was still of the French King's Domeshes Then it was seiz'd upon by the Lords of Mauleon and at last fell to the share of the House of La Trimouille which enjoys it as yet under the Title of Principality Olonne Olona lies upon the same Coast two Miles West of Talmond It has the title of a County with an indifferent good Haven but there are dangerous Sands too hard by call'd les Sables d'Olonne It s territory bears abundance of Wine and has likewise some Salt-Pits The other places of some note in Poictou are la Garnache Gasnapia Aspremont Aspermons Bellus Visus Beauvoir sur Mer Tremosia Trimouille Castanetum Chastaigneraye Luciacum Castrum Lussac-le-Chasteau Fontenay-le-Battu Marsillae a Principality Roche-Chouart Rupes Cauardi which gives name to an Illustrious Family c. Of Aunis I Would have gone on in the same method as I have describ'd the other Governments especially the Isle of France Picardy Normandy Britanny and the several Provinces of Orleanois hitherto and have divided this Description into two Volumes But the Book-Seller who only design'd to have a Book of a lesser bulk has so strongly oppos'd it that I have been forc'd to comply with him what ever reasons I could alledge or resistance I could make during several Months So that I am compell'd to cut short with the remaining Provinces and Governments and leaving out the remotest and most curious Antiquities and Histories to content my self with a Geographical Description of the Principal Cities and Towns and some hints here or there of History By this unwelcome accident all the observations I had made or collected in the space of many years are altogether useless either to me or to the Publick than which nothing can be more intolerable to an Author However I shall enlarge somewhat more upon Languedoc and Dauphine then upon other Provinces Aunis is a small Country of 9 or 10 Leagues extent North and South and 4 5 6 7 or 9 East and West having the Figure of a Triangle whereof the Sevre Niortoise and the Sea make the right Angle and the Charante with a line drawn from Tonnay-Charante in Saintonge to Fontenay-le-battu in Poictou make the basis or subtending Vulgar Latin Authors call it Alnetum and Alnetensis Pagus as tho one should say a Grove of Alders or the Land of Alder-trees But 't is more probable and agreeing with Antiquity to derive this appellations from Aunay a place in Poictou that is now inconsiderable but was formerly the Capital of the County of Aunis and is mention'd in the Tables of the Emperor Theodosius publish'd by the Brothers Peutingers under the name of Avedonacum and by Aethicus under that of Aunedonacum Thence comes Pagus Avedonacensis or Aunedonacensis le Pays d'Aunis which in time past made part of Saintonge then of Poictou and is now one of the Provinces of the Governement Orleanois Rochel or la Rochelle Rupella for Repecula so call'd from the Rocks that are near its Haven is now the head of the Country of Aunis It formerly depended on the Counts of Poictiers for the Temporal and the Prelate of Saintes for the Spiritual but has now a Bishop of its own Suffragan to the Archbishop of Bourdeaux It has been a very considerable and well traded City especially since its Inhabitants did put themselves in a condition to resist the Normans It was subjected to the English by the treaty of Bretigny against the will of the Inhabitants Afterwards it returned to the Dominion of France In the XVI Age the Inhabitants of Rochelle embrac'd the Reformation and Anno 1567 they put the City in the hands of those of
1212. Raimond Count of Toulouse made it side with the Albigenses Simon Count of Montfort storm'd and plunder'd it the English did utterly destroy it and it suffered much during the Wars against the Protestants so that this Town is very different from what it has formerly been though it has yet a very famous Abbey of St. Bennets Order where as 't is said have been near 1000. Monks at once The Abbot is joynt-Joynt-Lord of it with the King which was regulated by a Sentence in 1229. c. Of Rouergue ROVERGVE Rutenicus Ager Borders to the East upon the Cevennes to the North upon Auvergne to the West upon Quercy and to the South upon Languedoc It lies between 43 Deg. 30 Min. and 44 Deg. 46 Min. of Lat. and betwixt 22 Deg. 22 Min. and 24 Deg. 15 Min. of Long. So that it takes up 37 Leagues East and West from S. Jean de Breuil to S. Antonin in its greatest length and 28 North and South from Mur de Barrez to Brusquez This Province is divided into three Parts viz. the County the Upper and Lower Marche the chiefest City of the first is Rodez of the second Milhau of the third Villefranche The Country is very plentiful in some places but barren in others There are Mines of Iron Antimony Copper Brimstone Alum Silver and as Strabon says of Gold too The greatest revenue of Rouergue consists in Cattel Wools Fruits Cheeses Hemps and Lines the only Trade of Mules that are bought there for Spain brings in every Year above 200000 Crowns It s Principal Rivers are the Tarn the Lot and the Aveirou It depends on the Parliament of Toulouse and boasts of 25 Towns and 50 great Burroughs 2 Bishopricks and a Elections under the Generality of Montauban There are ordinarily commended Rodez for his People Conques for its Gate Milhau for plenty of Almonds Nerac for Vitriol St. Antonin for Plunis Roquefort for Cheeses Monsalvi for its delicate blew and green Peases Vouse and Espaliou for excellent good Bread the Abbey of Aubrac for its Hospital and Alms Severac for its Castle Marcillac a Principalty for the Cave or den call'd Bouche-Roland that is near it and reaches four Leagues under ground The Inhabitants are both Couragious and Honest The Nobility there is very Generous and much respected by the Common People The City of Rhodez Segodunum or Ruteni is seated on the Aveirou 24 Leagues South East of Cahors and has the title of a County a Seneschalship and Bishoprick Suffragan of Albi. It is very Ancient but it has lost its former Ancient greatness having been often ruin'd by the Goths Saracens French c. The Cathedral is under the name of our Lady there are many others Churches and Monasteries and a fine Colledge of Jesuits Its first Bistop was as 't is believ'd St. Amand. The Counts of this City were of the House of Carlat and possessed that part which is called the Borrough and the Bishops were Master of the other that bears the name of the City The County belonged to the Counts of Toulouse Alfonsius the I. having resolv'd to take the Cross and to make a Journy into the Holy Land sold it in 1147. to Richard Son of Raimond Viscount of Carlat Richard left it to his Son Hughes I. Count of Rodez c. It was afterwards annexed to the County of Armagnac by a Marriage and a Judgment in the year 1312. John I. Count of Armagnac had a Grant of the French King Charles V. in 1375. that the four Juridictions of Rouergue should be Annexed to the County of Rodez which are St. Geniez la Roque-Valsergue Castagnes Begonimez and la Guiole After that all the Estates of the House of Armagnac came into that of Albret and the French King Henry the IV. carried to the Crown the County of Rodez as being the Patrimony of the House of Armagnac There is near that City the Mountain of Cansac which burns in the rain There are Mines of Copper Arsenick Azur and Silver Two Leagues from that Place is an Abyss called Tindoul 60 Paces broad and 200 deep On the side of that Abyss is to be seen a hole without Bottom The City of VABRES Castrum Vabrense is a Bishoprick and County Suffragan of Alby It was formerly a Famous Abby of St. Benets Order which Pope John XXII in 1317. Erected to a Cathedral Church The Abbot Peter Orlageo was its first Bishop It is 12 Leagues South of Rodez MILHAV Amilianum or Aemilianum is the Chief Town of the Upper Marche being upon the Tarn toward the Frontiers of Gevaudan 14. Leagues South-East of Rodez There are a great many Almond-Trees This Town has been famous during the Wars of Religion it being a strong hol'd but is Fortifications were razed in 1629. The Country depending on it is call'd Aemilianus-Pagus VILLEFRANCHE is the Chief Town of the Lower March with a Seneschalship and Presidial 12 Leagues West of Rodez The People is there very Civil and serviceable and provisions plentiful and cheap Saint Antonin lies upon the Confluence of the Aveirou and Bonnete 18 Leagues West South-West of Rodez with high Walls round it In the year 1226. Guy of Montfort yielded to the French King the Right he had on that Town Raimond Count of Toulouse protested against that Gift but in 1229. he approved by an Act of the Arbitrators Sentence pronounced by the Popes Legate and the Count of Champagne upon the Matter So that St. Antonin was adjuged to the Crown in 1245 Besnard Hugonis Son to Frocard Viscount of St. Antonin having sold to the French King Lewis IX what ever Right he had upon it The Protestants had Fortified themselves there but Lewis XIII turned them out of it in 1622. This Town is famous for its Plums There are besides others considerables Places as St. Just Estain Entraigues St. Come St. Geniez the Town and County of Espaliou Severac le Castel la Guiole the Abby of Anbrac c. Of Limosin LIMOSIN Lemovicinus Pagus Borders upon Auvergne to the East upon la Marche to the North part of Poictou Angoumois and Perigord to the West and Quercy to the South It lies between 44 Deg. 52 Min. and 45 Deg. 45 Min. of Latitude and between 21 Deg. 40 Min. and 23 Deg. 20 Min. of Longitude which make from South-East to North-West about 38 Leagues from Port-Dieu on the Frontiers of Auvergne to la Roche-chouart in Angoumois in its greatest length and 24 North and South from S. Priech on the Confluence of the Vienne and Taurion and the Borders of la Marche to Beaulieu on the Dordonne near the Province of Quercy This Country is generally cold and barren there is scarce any good Wine Save in the Lower Limosin and little Wheat but plenty of Rye Barley and Chestnuts of which the poorer sort make bread and because when they first go out of that Country and meet with good bread they eat it most greedily thence bread-gluttons have gotten in French the Sirname of
the Kingdom of the Visigoths It seems it is they who gave to the first Narbonnoise the name of Septimania and so jealous they were of that Title that having lost by the Battel of Vouillé where their King Alaric was killed by Clovis in 507. the Towns of Toulouse and Vzès they supplied that number by the addition of Narbonne and Careassonne The Visigoths enjoyed Septimania above 250 years which is the cause that it is sometimes call'd by the Latin Authors of the middle Age Gothia Thence some derive the modern name of Languedoc as tho it were said for Langue de Goth or Langue-Goth but this Etymology does neither agree with the spelling of Languedoc nor with the appellation of Occitania and Lingua Occitana which the said Authors give it And therefore I more approve of those who observe that the French have been distinguished time out of mind into Langue D'Ouy and Langue D' Oc that is in such as say Ouy and such as say Oc for Yes the first living on this side and the second on that side of the Loire In process of time the Sirname of Langue D'Oc was appropriated to Septimania wherein it is more general to say Oc for Yes than any where else The French having expell'd the Goths beyond the Pyrenees Charlemaign established Governors in Languedoc with the Title of Counts of Toulouse of whom the first was one Corson in 778. The second was St. William du Court-Nez or Aux Cornets whence the Princes of Orange derive their pedigree as may be infered from the hunting horn they bear in their Arms. This William who lived about the year 790 founded the Abbey of St. William the Desart in the Dioceses of Lodeve wherein he took the Habit of Monk After his death or retirement the State of Languedoc was very much troubled by the quarrels of the several pretenders who making use of the weakness of the French Kings endeavour'd to erect their Governments into Sovereign Principalities Raimond-Pons Count of Toulouse in 907. made himself Proprietary of the Dutchy of Septimania or Marquisate of Gothia but not being able to subdue some particular Governours as the Counts of Carcassonne Melgueil and Foix the Viscounts of Narbonne Besiers Agde Nismes Lodeve Vzès c. who formerly depended on the Dukes of Septimania and would now become Sovereigns as well as themselves the Counts of Toulouse allow'd them to enjoy their Usurpations In the mean while they acquired by Marriage Inheritance or War the Counties of Querei Perigord Albi the Agenois the Milhaud the Gevaudan the County Venaissin Melgueil Asterac nay they were sometime Marquesses of Provence * Godefrid Annal. as in 1235 and in that quality made homage to the Emperor These Lords being so powerful the French Kings were glad to make them the first Counts and Peers of their Kingdom that by this Title of honour they should be drawn to stick the closer to the French Interest However this House remain'd not long in its lustre for Raimond the 6th sirnamed the Old maintaining the persecuted Albigeois as his Subjects the fourth Council of Lateran excommunicated him and gave his Estate to Simon Count of Montfort in 1215. Amauri Son to Simon dead in 1218 not being able to keep the unlawful Conquests of his Father yielded them to the French K. Lewis the VIIIth in 1224. Raimond the 6th was dead two years before in 1222 and his Son Raimond the 7th or the Young perceiving that he could not withstand the whole power of Popery thought best to reconcile himself to the Church of Rome as he did in 1228. At the same time he made a Treaty with K. Lewis the VIIIth by which he betrothed Jane his only Daughter to Alfonse of Poictiers the King's Brother upon condition that if they happened to dye without Issue the States of the Counts of Toulouse should fall to the Crown of France they both died without Children in the Month of August 1271 upon which King Philip the Bold took possession of their Dominions and in 1361. King John reunited this Country to the Crown of France by his Patent Letters which were confirmed in in an Assembly of the General States of that Province These States the only ones that have yet any shadow of power are made up of the 3 Orders of a Kingdom namely the Clergy the Nobility and the People the Clergy is represented by the 22 Prelates of that Province whereof 3 are Archbishops and 19 Bishops the Nobility Votes there by the Mouth of 22 Barons of the following Families 1. Rieux 2. Mirepoix 3. Florensac 4. Vauvert 5. Castelnau d' Estrete Fons 6. Capendu 7. Haute-rive 8. Confoulens 9. St. Felix 10. Ville Neuve 11. la ' Gardiole 12. Lanta 13. Alais 14. Polignac 15. Clermont 16. Arques 17. Cauvisson 18. Ganges 19. Castries 20. Castelnau de Bonnefons 21. Ambres 22. Ferrals The People speaks in the Persons of 22 Consuls or Sheriffs deputed out of the 22 Bishopricks The Archbishop of Narbonne is President born of that Assembly which is seldom called for any thing else but to give the King money by laying besides the ordinary Taxes an extraordinary and heavy imposition under the name of Don-gratuit or free Gift Languedoc lies between 21 Deg. 16 Min. and 26 Deg. 10 Min. of Longitude 41 Deg. 45 Min. and 45 Deg. of Latitude It reaches 23 Leagues East and West from Beaucaire upon the Rhone to Rieux upon the Garonne or 79 from Crussol upon the Rhone over against Valence in Dauphine to Castel-Sarasin on the Garonne in the Diocese of Montauban It 's extent North and South is still more unequal from Moissac in Quercy to Lavet Coronat in the County of Foix it is of 40 Leagues of 53 from La Garde Biaur on the Borders of Rouergue to beyond Prat de Mollo in Roussillon and 50 from Serrieres in Vivarais to beyond Fort de Peccais near Aigues-mortes in the Diocese of Nismes It is one of the most fruitful and healthful Provinces of France divided into Upper and Lower Languedoc and the Cevennes The first comprehends the Toulousan the Albigeois the Lauragais and the County of Foix The second is distinguish'd into 3 Precincts or Quartiers that of Narbonne of Beziers and of Nimes the Cevennes are subdivided into 3 Countries Gevaudan Vivarais and Velay Both parts of Languedoc produce great quantity of Corn that they use to carry into Spain and Italy their Wines are delicious and their Fruits most esteem'd especially pickled Olives and Raisins Their Salt-pits and Dyers-wood make up a considerable Trade besides Azure Saffron Verdigrease Vermilion or artificial Cinoper Sope Glasses Box-trees and several Simples and Plants that are transported thence The Air is so wholsome that it is thought a specifick remedy against consumptions chiefly about Montpellier which temperature of the Heavens contributes not a little to make Women comely and Men ingenious as appears by the great number of Poets either in French Latin or the Country-Language and
for the Helvii of Caesar who are rather those of Vivarais and Sanson for the Fleutheres or Heleutheres subject to the Auvergnats as well as those of Quercy Gevaudan and Velay adding withal that the Cambolectri whom Pliny places in Aquitania inhabited the Diocese of Alby and the Cambolectri Atlantici the Diocese of Castres But as he grounds his conjectures upon no certain foundation so they are rejected by De Valois We have already seen that the Tectosages fill'd up all the Western part of Languedoc to the very Cevennes and the Mediterranean Sea and consequently that the Albigeois might well be the ancient Tolistobogii or Trocmi Neighbours Allies or Subjects to the Tectosages I have observ'd in the first part of this Book how the Disciples of Vigilantius spread in Guyenne and Languedoc were for a long time as a Bank that stopp'd the overflowing superstition But when this Torrent grew so strong that this Barrier prov'd too weak God rais'd new Defensors to his Church At the beginning of the XII Century Peter of Bruys a Native of Dauphiné Preached and writ successfully against the prevailing Errors and was happily seconded by Henry a Monk of Toulouse The Papists had recourse to their usual Arms Fire and Sword by which means they both got the Crown of Martyrdom But their Blood prov'd as well as that of the first Christians the Seed of the true Church so that after the Dispersion of Valdo's Disciples about 1160 some ofâ—â—em retiring in those parts they were kindly receiv'd The vulgar had so good an Opinion of them that they commonly call'd them les Bons Hommes the Good Men and even Raymâ—â—d the old Count of Toulouse Peter King of Arragon the Counts of Foix Comminges and the Viscounts of Bearn spoused their Cause And as Error and Vice are always timorous so the Popes began to fear that their fatal day was come and publish'd a Croisade against those pretended Hereticks as though they had been Heathens or Mahometans The Albigeois under the Wings of their Lords and Protectors defended themselves almost an Age but at last they were over-pow'red by the number the French King 's catching hold of that opportunity to deprive those petty Soveraigns of their Principalities Then it was that such as had escap'd the Sword in the Field of Battel fell in the bloody hands of the Inquisitors who at long run made an end of them however not so as wholly to root the seeds of the truth out of their heart which sprouted out again when our first Reformers appear'd in the last Age for then the Provinces of Languedoc and Guienne the ancient Seat of the Albigeois produced more Converts than all the others of France taken together We have hardly any Account of the Albigeois then by such as were their sworn Enemies Accusers or rather Executioners so that upon the plain confession of Popish Authors that the Albigeois held almost all the same Doctrines with the Protestants and that they rejected the same Superstitions for which the last are still divided from the Church of Rome we might look as Calumnies some Manichean Tenets ascrib'd to them as to deny the Divinity of the Old Testament to admit a good and a bad Principle c. But to clear these Christian Hero's for ever we have but to observe that the Manicheans having been banish'd the East by the Greek Emperours they first spread themselves into Germany thence they passed into Italy and France where meeting with a People averse from Persecution they readily crept and skulk'd amongst them and the malicious Inquisitors catching some of these Hereticks took hold of this occasion to defame the true Albigeois The R. D. Allix has given such incontestable proofs of these Matters of Fact that I cannot imagine that a Roman Catholick of any sincerity will ever renew such notorious Calumnies ALBY Albia or Albiga Capital of this Country lies upon the River Taâ—n 17 Leagues North-East of Toulouse and 14 South-East of Montauban It s Foundation and Antiquity are unknown for no antient Geographer remembers it and the first mention of it that De Valois could find is in an old Notice of the Gaules which puts Civitus Albiensum in the fourth place among the 8 Cities of the first Aquitain though some of latter date name it but the seventh in Order Gregory of Tours testifies that one Salvius was Bishop of Alby under the Children of Clovis and another call'd Sabinus subscrib'd to the Council of Agde in 506. but whether S. Clair a Martyr planted there Christianity and was the first Bishop of that Town is uncertain Charlemaign having erected Aquiâ—â—â—â— into a Kingdom on behalf of Lewis the Meek his Son establish'd Counts in the Principal Cities who together with the Bishops were to be the young Prince's Counsellours and Aimoin was nam'd the first Count of Alby All these Counts having made themselves Soveraigns during the decay of the French Monarchy the Estate of the Counts of Alby pass'd by marriage into the House of Toulouse and then both returned to the French Kings by the 〈◊〉 I have hinted speaking of Languedoc Alby has been a long time a Suffragan to Bourâ—â—â— and one of the richest Bishopricks in France being about 50000 Crowns worth but 〈◊〉 it was made a Metropolitan by Pope â—â—cent XI in behalf of Hyacinthe Serroni a Roman Gentleman and the Dioceses of Rodez Castrer Cahors Vabres and Mende detached from Bourges to whose Prelate has been given a recompence of some additional Revenues The Archbishop of Alby is still Lord temporal of that City and the King has but there a Viguier for his Chief Justice The Cathedral under the name of S. Cecile has one of the finest Quires in that Kingdom The other Towns or considerable Burroughs of this Diocese are Pennes upon the Aveyrou Cordes Monestier and Caramous upon the Ceron Pampelone upon the Biaur Gaulene and Valence near the source of the Ceron Tais Maillat Ville-neuve Cajousac Castelnau de Montmirail and Peucelsy upon the Vere Rabasteins l'Isle Gaillac la Bastide de Lenis Lescure and Trebas upon the Tarn on the North side Grioussens Cadelens Denat Albain on the South of that River Lombers on the Assou Realmont on the Dadou c. Gaillac is famous for its white Wines whose Drunkenness is not felt but an hour after the Debauch At Rabasteins was fought a memorable Battel between the Duke of Berri and the Count of Foix in 1381. Castres the second Bishoprick contain'd in Albigeois is seated on the Agout nine Leagues South of Alby and 16 East of Toulouse Both the Town and the Bishoprick are new for we find no mention of the Town in ancient Geographers only the Historians of the Albigenses as Peter the Monk mention it as an illustrious Castle under the name of Castra and as the head of the Country of Albigeois As to the Bishoprick it was erected by Pope John XXII in 1317 instead of the Abby of S. Vincent whose body was secretly convey'd from
of Foix presented the Abbots of S. Antonin with the Town and Castle of Pamiers and that in 1296 Pope Boniface VIII erected this Abby into a Bishoprick in behalf of Bernard Saisseti the Abbot The French King Philip the Fair did not like this election and gave the Bishoprick to one Lewis of Provence who dy'd in 1298 After his death he consented to the reinstallation of Saisseti but was so incens'd at a Speech this Prelate made to him that he caus'd him to be arrested in 1301 and put under the guard of its Metropolitan the Archbishop of Narbonne who was then at Court Pope Boniface took fire at it sent John of Normandy Archdeacon of Narbonne to get Saisseti at Liberty but he was deny'd it and the Holy Father's Thunderbolts despis'd so that after Boniface's death the imprison'd Prelate was fain to beg the King's pardon upon which he was releas'd Some years ago a late Bishop of Pamiers has been a great Confessor of Jansenism and of free Elections maintaining the Rights of his Church under the Protection of Pope Innocent XI against Lewis XIV and the Jesuits This Town was submitted to the new Archbishop of Toulouse by Pope John XXII and in the last Age fell under the Power of the Protestants It is divided into 6 Wards each of which has his Consul or Sheriff You have besides in this Diocese the Towns of Mazeres upon the Lers Maceriae so call'd from the slight Buildings they were made of at first as well as Maizieres in Rhetelois Maziers or Mazerocles in Ponthieu and Mezieres en Brenne It has a ruin'd Castle which has been sometime the Residence of the Counts of Foix. Montaut lies 3 Miles South of Mazeres and 5 North of Pamiers Sabaudun or Saverdun is made up of 4 little Towns most of them ruined its situation is pleasant and the Earls of Foix have oft dwelt in it Barilles Vatillae S. Paul Tarascon Castrum Tarasco different from Tarascon upon the Rhone and Acqs from Dax or Acqs upon the Adour are seated upon the Arriegue On the South-side of that River you meet with Chateau-verdun vic de Soz whence the best Iron in France is extracted Saurac Castelnau le Mas d' Azil Azilium or Mansum Azili with an ancient Abby of Benedictins which Du Val puts in the Diocese of Rieux Then you find Serberat les Bordes Carlac and S. Ibar Mirepoix Castrum Mirapicis or de Mirapice one of the new Bishopricks lies upon the Lers 11 Miles South-East of Pamiers 12 North-East of Foix and almost 15 South-West of Castel-naudary In 1210 Simon Count of Montfort took this Town from the Albigeois and bestow'd it upon Guy Lord of Levi with the Title of Marshal of the Faith whose posterity has ever since enjoy'd Mirepoix and its Territory erected first into a Barony and then into a Marquisate In 1390. Roger Bernard of Levis yielded to the King of France one half of the Jurisdiction he had upon the Castle of this Town and some of its dependencies for which he got some other Lands These Gentlemen pretend to be a kin to the Blessed Virgin as issued from the Tribe of Levi but I do not know how they prove it On this Diocese are farther depending Belpuech that is Fair Hill for Puy Puech and Pit signifie as much as Mountain or Hill Laurac Le Carlat Fagnaux Fanum Jovis Rieucros Libertat Leyran Chalabre le Peyrat Mirabel Bellestat near the source of the Lers has a Fountain which ebbs and flows Rieux Rivi has taken its name from its Situation on the fall of the Rize into the Garonne It is one of the Bishopricks of Pope John XXII's Foundation of which Pilefort of Rabastens Cardinal was the first Prelate in 1318. This Diocese has besides the Town of Fueillans upon the River Touche with an Abby Chief of the Order of Cisteaux Calers another Abby of Cisternian Monks Lezat of Benedictins Salangues of Cisternian Nuns Carbonne Montesquiou de Volvestre S. Sulpice c. CHAP. XIV Of LOWER LANGUEDOC Of the Precinct of Narbonne NARBONNOIS as comprehending the Dioceses of Alet Narbonne Carcassonne and S. Pons de Tomieres has Albigeois on the North the Precinct of Beziers on the East the Mediterranean Sea on the South the County of Foix and Lauragais on the West Alet Electa or Alecta upon the Aude is both a new Town and a new Bishoprick as are most of the others erected to that Dignity by Pope John XXII This Pope establish d the See of the Prelate to Limoux in 1317. but it was transferr'd hither two years after Petrarcha seem'd not to like these foundations when speaking of this Pontise he says that France still complains of his dividing many Dioceses and lodging the new Prelates in unfit places whereas before none but great and wealthy Cities enjoy'd the Privilege of being Bishopricks Rerum memorand Lib. II. Alet lies above 9 Leagues South-East of Mirepoix and 15 South-West of Narbonne Limoux two Leagues North-West of Alet upon the same River is renown'd for its White Wines It is call'd Limosum Castrum because seated in a muddy Soyl and is often mention'd in the Wars of the Albigeois As this Diocese Borders on the Pyrenees and the County of Foix so it is most mountainous De Valois reckons in it Tonnens Mazerolles Ville-Longue and Montferrand famous for its Bathes but I find none of 'em in Sanson's Maps and I doubt whether those this Learned Man perus'd were of the best sort Sanson only mentions Coustaussa Quilla and Bugarach with two Villages Cauvissan and Arques As to Sault Pagus Saltus which the said De Valois places in this Diocese it is a separate Country lying on the South-West according to Sanson NARBONNE Narbo Martius Decumanorum or Atacinorum so call'd because the Romans sent thither a Colony out of the tenth Legion that bore the Sirname of Martial and that this City is built near the Mouth of the River Aude Atax The first Plantation was made by Licinius Câ—assus that famous Orator under the Consulate of Q. Martius and M. Porcius Cato in 636 of Rome wherefore some Antiquaries derive from the first Consul the Sirname of Martius given to Narbonne though Ausonius calls it Martie in the Vocative Case and not Marci as he ought to have done if it came from a Man's name Julius Caesar sent thither another Colony under the conduct of Tiberius Claudius Nero Father to the Emperour Tibere whence this City got the names of Colonia Julia Paterna Narbo Martius exprest by these five Letters C. I. P. N. M. in an ancient Monument The Roman Proconsuls Senate and Emperors took a particular delight in beautifying Narbonne and endowing it with fine Privileges They built there an Amphitheatre and a Capitole all of Marble which subsisted yet in Ausonius and Sidonius Apollinaris's time that is in the IV and V Centuries nay we find yet mention of it in the XIIIth Age though not so precise that we can just tell in what
State it then was Now it is but a heap of ruines near the King's Gate call'd by the Inhabitants Capdueil One may judge of the former magnificence of this City by the following Verses of Sidonius Apollinaris Salve Narbo potens salubritate Qui urbe rure simul bonus videris Muris Civibus ambitu tabernis Portis porticibus foro Theatro Delubris Capitoliis Monetis Thermis Arcubus Horreis Macellis Pratis fontibus insulis salinis Stagnis flumine merce ponte ponto Vnus qui jure venerere Divos Lenaeum Cererem Palem Minervam Spicis palmite pascuis tapetis Well met mighty healthful Narbonne thou that art renown'd both for thy Town and Territory for thy Walls Citizens Circuit Taverns Gates Galleries Palace Amphitheatre Temples Capitole Mint Bathes Arches Granaries Shambles Meadows Fountains Islands Salt-pits Ponds River Merchandizes Bridges and Sea Thou art the only City that may by right present those Gods with offrands Bacchus Ceres Pales Minerve with Vine-branches Ears of Corn Hay Tapestries c. Du Chesne adds that the Romans had built there Aqueducts besides and erected publick Schools much like to our Universities We are apt to imagine that the only design of these Conquerors of the World was to shew their Magnificence and withal the Greatness and Power of their Empire But if I am not mistaken these shrewd Politicians had a farther insight Cicero says that they had planted that Colony as a Watch-Town and a Rampier or a Fence of the Roman People against the Natives Specula Populi Romani ac propugnaculum istis ipsis Nationibus oppositum objectum And lest the new Inhabitants should contract too great a familiarity with the ancient care was taken to raise those of Roman Original so far above the Gauls that they should endeavour to keep up their grandure by a constant Union with the head of the Empire Since they had began to follow this method we read but of few Rebellions in their new and yearly conquests and of a fewer in their Foreign Plantations Contrariwise they erected on their side publick Monuments of their gratitude to their Benefactors such was the Altar our Narbonenses built to Cesar August after his Death and Apotheosis and the sacrifices they instituted in his honour whose Laws were ingraven in Capital Letters on a Marble-table that is yet subsisting The chief of them were that on the 23. of September the day that August was proclaim'd Emperor as also on the first of January and the 7 of June three Roman Plebeian Knights and three Freemen * Libertini Sons to Slaves made free should each of them offer Sacrifices and furnish the Plantation and other Inhabitants with Wine and Frankincense of their own Some fabulous Authors pretend that Narbonne was built by a Gaulish King call'd Narbon but it appears that this name is not much older than the Romans time since this Country was anciently inhabited by the Bebryces a Nation confining on the Iberians or Spaniards as Stephanus has it whose testimony is confirmed by that of Marcianus †In Periplo Galliae who speaks of the Maritime Bebryces Neighbours to the Ligurians and the Grecian Cities of Gaul that is to the Coasts of Marseille and Genoa Rufus Festus Avienus describing the Southern Coast of Languedoc says that it was all possest by the Bebryces and that Narbonne was then the head of a powerful Kingdom which reach'd according to Ausonius ‖ Descr Ill. Civit. from Franche-Comté to the Pyrenées North and South and from the Cevennes to Aquitain East and West Tzetses in his Commentaries on Lycophron relates out of Dion that those who are now call'd Narbonnesians had formerly the name of Bebryces and that the Pyrenean Mountains which separate Spain from Gaul belong'd to them whereupon the Poet Silius Italicus has grounded this Fable that Pyrene Daughter to King Bebryx whom Hercules got with Child going to Spain through Gaul gave her name to these Mountains It seems that the Bebryces who inhabited part of Bithynia were issued from this Gaulish People whom this Plantation weakned so much that the Tectosages master'd their Country or made it Tributary whence it came that in process of time they lost their ancient Name as well as their Empire for in Pliny's Age they were only known as a part of the Tectosages Narbonne remained faithful to the Romans till the utmost decay of the Western Empire in 435 that it was besieg'd by the Goths under their King Theodoric It then made a considerable resistance but in 462. Count Agrippin its Governour envying the prosperous successes of Aegidius or Gillon Chief Commander of the Roman Militia in the Gauls delivered this City into the Enemies hands The Goths were content with the demolishing of its Walls and preserv'd its other Monuments of Antiquity but the barbarous Huns who took it some time after destroy'd them all Notwithstanding it recover'd still part of its former lustre and when the Saracens took and plunder'd it in 732 it was become again the finest the most famous and the Capital of that Country if we may believe Aimoin but Charles Martel who retook it not long after made a greater havock in all Lower Languedoc than the Enemies themselves However of all the mischiefs Narbonne has been expos'd to the most sensible seems to be the unworthy treatment it receiv'd from Simon of Montfort who by the help of numerous Croisades having at last got the better of Raimond Count of Toulouse and his Vassals and Confederates ordered the Inhabitants of Narbâ—nne to throw down their own Walls which they were forc'd to do for fear of the worst As to the Civil Government we have hinted how this City was at first the head of a Kingdom under the Bebryces then subject to the Tectosages and afterwards to the Romans who made it the Capital of and gave its name to the fourth part of Gaule call'd from hence Gallia Narbonnensis and since subdivided into 5. Provinces the 1 and 2 Narbonnoise the Viennoise the Greek Alps and the Maritini Alps that is all Savoy Dauphiné Provence Lower Languedoc Roussillon the Toulousan and the County of Foix. During the decay of the French Monarchy under the second race of their Kings the Dukes of Septimania took upon them the Title of Dukes of Narbonne as did likewise the Counts of Toulouse their Successors but the following Lords of this Town and adjacent Territories contented themselves with the Name of Viscounts which they bore from 1134 to 1507. that Gaston of Foix last Viscount of Narbonne exchang'd it for other Lands with the French King Lewis XII his Uncle If we believe the Tradition of the most credulous of Roman Catholick Authors the Proconsul Sergius Paulus converted by the Apostle of that name was the first Preacher of Christianity at Narbonne and consequently its first Bishop But though this Tradition be uncertain this Church is however of a great antiquity and there are plausible proofs that it has been
said to yield to none of that Country in well breeding and comeliness but to those of Montpellier The late Governours of Languedoc as the Duke of Montmorency and the Prince of Conti have kept here their ordinary Residence and the States of the Province have been consequently held here which has much contributed to the enriching and beautifying of this Town The other places of this Diocese are Marseillan Florensac Castelnau Montagnac Le Pouget Gignac Ville-Magne Loupian and Meâ—e the Mesua of Pomponius Mela tho the Island he speaks of seems rather to be Lates Lodeve seated between Mountains near the meeting of the Rivers Solondre and Lergue not far from the Cevennes and the Borders of Roâ—â—rgue and Gevaudan lies almost 9 Leagues North of Pesenas and 13 of Agde It s antient name in Latin is Forum-Neronis and then Leuâ—eva both known to Pliny and its Bishop kept already the 4th or 5th rank among the Suffragans of Narbonne at the beginning of the 5th Century Lodeve is not now very big for it has suffer'd several devastations during the Wars of the Goths then of the Albigeois and lastly during the Civil Wars between the Prâ—testants â—â—d Roman Catholicks and the Duke of Montmorency took it in 1585. This Town had formerly the Title of a Viscounty which one of its Prelates Raimond Guilhen Brother to the Lord of Montpellier bought off from Viscount Geldin whence it comes that the Bishops of Lodeve are Lords of it appoint the Magistrates and take the Title of Counts of Montbrun a Castle near it And 't is asserted that 800 Noblemen depended on and made homage of their Lands to this Prelate who on this account was Sirnam'd the Noble Bernard Gui and John Plantavit de la Pause Bishops of Lodeve have published Chronicles of their Church Denis Briconnet and Francis Bosquet are likewise in the number of Authors The Diocese of Lodeve comprehends besides the Towns or Burroughs of Las Ribbes S. Michel Ganges Brisac S. Jean de Buege S. Guillem ley Desert with a famous Abby of Benedictins founded by one of the Ancestors of the Princes of Orange Mont-Peyroux S. Jean de Foz S. André Clermont de Lodeve and Canet Of the Precinct of Nismes THis Precinct is not near so great as the ancient Territories of the Volcae Arecomici who extended themselves through the Dioceses of Montpellier Nismes Vzès and Lodeve enjoyed the Town of Pezenas and even some Lands beyond the Rhone Now it is restrained within the Episcopal Jurisdiction of Montpellier and Nismes and has the district of Beziers on the West Gevaudan and Vivarais on the North and North-East the Rhone on the East and the Sea on the South It s greatest length from Frontignan on the Pond of Maguelonne to the source of the Eraut is 17 Leagues North and South and its greatest breadth from Beaucaire on the Rhone to Anagne on the Eraut 22 Leagues East and West but in some places it is so very tarrow that it has hardly 4 or 5 Leagues Montpellier 3 Leagues South of the Sea 13 East of Pesenas and 14 North-East of Agde is call'd in Latin Mons-pessulus Mons-pessulanus Mons-peslerius and Mons-puellaris but every one may see that these are not old Latin names and likewise this Town is hardly known in History since 600 years though it be now the biggest and richest in Languedoc after Toulouse It is seated upon a Hill whose foot is wash'd by the small River Lez which receives there another Rivulet called Merdanson after it has serv'd to the uses of the Town The original of Montpellier is related thus There was formerly a strong and considerable City call'd Maguelonne Magalo in a Gulph nam'd by Pliny Laterna and by the French l'Etang du Tau de Lates or de Perraut The foundation of Maguelonne is uncertain for tho the Coast of Lower Languedoc has been sometime in the power of the Marseillois and Stephanus mentions Alonis as an Island belonging to them whose Inhabitants were call'd Alonites yet having no other testimony a small and far fetched resemblance of names can scarce prove them to be one and the same However it be sure it is that Maguelonne was an Episcopal City in the 5th and 6th Centuries and a famous Sea-port too which was the cause of its ruin For after the Saracens had conquered Spain they spread themselves in Lower Languedoc in 730 and threatned the whole Kingdom of France with a Barbarian Invasion when they were utterly routed by Charles Martel near Tours As this great Captain had observ'd that they commonly landed at Maguelonne when it had retaken this Town in 736 he raz'd it to the very ground and transferred the Episcopal See to Soustancion Sextatio almost a Mile East of Montpellier Soustancion is mention'd in the Geographical Tables of the Emperor Theodose and in the Travels of Aethicus but the Inhabitants finding the Situation of the place where now Montpellier lies more convenient and the Air sweeter began to build there Thus the new Village increas'd by degrees during 300 Years that the B. of Maguelonne kept their Seat at Soustancion But in 1060 Arnauld Julian one of these Prelates rais'd up the Walls of Maguelâ—nne fortify'd them with Towers and the Haven where the Saracens us'd to land being stop'd built another in a more convenient place Before this the Governour of Maguelonne had retir'd to a place call'd now Mauguio where he built a Castle under the name of Melgueil and having usurp'd the Sovereignty of his Government during the troubles of the French Monarchy he took upon him the Title of Count of Melgueil and Soustancion and coyn'd a kind of small Money call'd the Melgoris pence The Estates of these Counts pass'd in 1172 into the House of Toulouse by the Marriage of Ermessende their Heiress with Raymond VI. Sirnamed the Old and was confiscated upon his Son by Pope Innocent III. and the Council of Latran in 1215. In the mean while Montpellier increas'd apace for it appears by a passage of S. Bernard Abbot of Clairvaux that there was already a School or Seminary of Physicians in 1155 and in 1156 we find mention of its Baths which were farm'd by the Lords of that Town as being of a considerable Revenue However the first Institution of its University is commonly ascrib'd to the Disciples of Averroes aâ—d Avicenne in 1196 and its perfect establishment is said to have been made but in 1220. About this time the Lords of Montpellier were in great esteem This Lordship was first detached from the Patrimony of the Counts of Melgueil to be the Portion of Eustorgia a Daughter of that House She had a Son call'd Fulcran who became Bishop of Lodeve and two Daughters who bequeathed their Estates to the Church of Maguelonne in 975. These Prelates sold Montpellier to a Gentleman nam'd Gui on condition that he should keep it as a Fee of the Church and defend it against the Saracens The French Kings and the succeeding Bishops of Maguelonne
confirm'd this gift or sale so that Montpellier remain'd to his Posterity who because of the increase of their Town and the consideration it came to be in allied themselves with very illustrious Houses as the Kings of Jerusalem and of Aragon the Dukes of Burgundy and the Counts of Foix and became at last Kings of Majorca But this small Kingdom was the ruine of their Patrimonial Estate for James III. King of Majorca and Lord of Montpellier having been depriv'd of his Realm by Peter of Arragon his Brother in Law was compell'd by want and misery to sell his Lordship to the French King Philip of Valois in 1349. Physick has the precedency in the University of Montpellier yet both parts of the Law are taught in one of its Colleges by four Royal Professors with power of making Licentiates and Doctors There are besides a generality of the King's Treasurers a Court of Aides a Chamber of Accounts a Mint and a Presidial-seat Montpellier was one of the Towns of security which Henry IV. had granted to the Protâ—stants but Lewis XIII designing the ruin of this part of his Subjects forc'd them by Arms to surrender this pledge of his protection and took this City after a long Siege and a vigorous defence in the Month of October 1622. Then it was that the Roman Catholicks got again into their hands the Cathedral of S. Peter for the Bishoprick of Maguelonne had been transferred thither in 1536 with the consent of Pope Paul III. Soustancion being now but a ruin'd Village However they were still fewer in number and have been so till this last Persecution Montpellier is govern'd by six Consuls or Sheriffs who are also Viguiers or Baylies of the Town and have a great attendance The Merchants have likewise their Consuls under the came of Consuls of the Sea to distinguish 'em from the Sheriffs call'd Consuls Majours There is a particular Court for Debts whose Judge sirnamed of the little Seal has jurisdiction over them who submit to him by contract Besides the University the Churches and the Palace of the Justice there are other Buildings worthy to be taken notice of as the Royal College for Humane Learning the Cittadel rais'd since the taking of Montpellier from the Protestants and flank'd with four Bastions two within and two without the Town Near to its Wall is the Royal Garden of Simpâ—es extraordinary well kept and furnished The Ceremonies us'd in taking the degree of Doctor in Physick is worth seeing were it only for their putting seven times on and off the Back of the new Doctor the old Gown of Rabelais The Confection of Alkermès is likewise made in a solemn manner before the Magistrate and one of the Professors of Physick Their Triacle is in as great esteem as that of Venice and their Powders of Cypre Queen of Hungary's Waters Essences and Scent-waters are vended through alâ— Europe The Inhabitants of Montpellier are also famous for making Verdegreese whitening Wax working upon Silk with Mills and severaâ— other Manufactures Add to this that theiâ— Soyl is one of the best and the Air one of the wholsomest in France Lates mention'd by Pomponius Mela undeâ— the name of Castellum Latara and by more modern Authors under those of Castrum de Latis and Castrum de Palude is seated in an Island made by the Mouth of the Lez Ledum which discharges it self into a great Pond call'd by Pliny Laterna and by Mela Stagnum Volcarum This Island lies but a Mile South of Montpellier and is reck'ned its Haven A League more Westwards on the Mouth of the Caulazon lies the Town of Ville-neuve over against Magueloune and 4 Leagues South-West upon the same Lake or Pond of Lates the Town of Frontignan so famous for its Muscadine Wines De Valois takes it for the Forum Domitii of the Antients so called from Cn. Domitius Aenobarly who having vanquished the Allobroges and Auvergnats was carry'd in triumph upon an Elephant through the whole Province Three Miles North-West you meet with the small Town of Balaruc renown'd for its Bathes Lunel Lunate 5 Leagues East of Montpellier gives its Name to a Bridge upon the Vidourle over against the Town It has a Monastery under the Name of S. Peter but is more renown'd for being the Birth-place of a Learned Jew Rabbi Salomon who took from thence the Sirname of Jarchi The other places of this Diocese are Montferrand Murvieil Pignan Fabregues Sanson mentions a great many other but he marks them all for Villages NISMES Nemausus Volcarum Arecomicorum lies seven Leagues North-East of Arles and ten and a half North-West of Montpellier in a fertil Plain overshadowed with Fruit-trees and at the foot of Hills cover'd with Vineyards It 's a very ancient City though the time of its foundation be uncertain Stephanus and Suidas after him ascribe it to one Nemausus of Hercules's posterity whence Du Chesne infers that it is a Greek Colony of the Marseillois but as there have been many Hero's of that name and that the Descendants of the Greek Hercules have been long in repute this does not precisely determine the time of its first Building De Valois derives it from a Fountain springing hereabouts which Ausonius calls Nemausus but it will still be doubtful whether the City has given its name to the Fountain or the Fountain to the City and whence both have got this appellation It will be more useful and diverting to consider the rise and various fortunes of Nismes and withal the precious remains of its Antiquities It owes its first increase to a Colony of Roman Soldiers who return'd with August from the Conquest of Egypt as appears by an ancient Inscription which this City has taken for its Arms COL NEM Colonia Nemausensis the Colony of Nismes Before that Julius Caesar had put a Garrison in this Town to defend it against the incursions of those of Reuergue and Querci The Volcae Arecomici were already one of the most powerful Nations of the Gauls in the time of Hannibal according to Livy and under the Empire of August and Tibere Strabo * L. 21. L. 4. testifies that Nismes was the Metropolis of the Volcae Arecomici and that tho it was not to be compar'd to Narbonne as to the number of Strangers and Merchants yet it exceeded this Capital of the Province as to the State of its Government for it had 24 Villages or Commonalties 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under it inhabited by considerable Persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who enjoy'd the privileges of the Latins so that one might find at Nismes Rom. Citizens who had discharged the Offices of Edile or City Surveyor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of Quaestor or Treasurer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therefore this Plantation did not answer before the Tribunal of the Governors that were sent thither from Rome But though they were so favoured by the Senate and Emperors a particular hatred they had against Tiberius †Suetonius made 'em throw
Italian Poets ascribe to their Troubados or Trouveres the invention of Rythm'd Poetry and they make still indifferent good Rythms in their Country Language The Protestants have not been veâ—y many in PROVENCE since the barbarous Murther committed on the Vaudois of Merindol and Cabrieres When I liv'd there that is 15 years ago they had but 7 or 8 Churches which are since destroy'd with all the others of France In those days they already complain'd of their exorbitant Taxes with a very expressive Proverb Lou Languedoc is ruinad La Prouvence es accoumencade The ruin of Languedoc is finished and that of PROVENCE is begun but now I believe they have but little reproach one another PROVENCE is divided into Upper and Lower The Upper lies on the North side of the River Durance Verdon and Esteron nearer to Dauphiné and the Lower on the South side along the Sea-coast but lest I should forget some part of it I shall treat of each Diocese after one another and begin with Aix the Capital Of the Diocese of AIX THis Diocese is included betwixt those of Marseille Arles Apt Riez Frejuls and Toulon and is the biggest of all reaching 26 Leagues East and West from beyond Cotignac near the Diocese of Frejus to the Plains of la Crau and about 10 North and South This Country was anciently inhabited by the Salians Salyes Salyi or Saluvii and 't is in this Territory that C. Marius gave a total overthrow to the Cimbres killing 150000 of them The City of AIX Aquae Sextiae or Aquensis Civitas is within a Musket-shot of the little River Arc 5 Leagues of Provence North a Marseilles It is very Ancient Caius Sextus a Proconsul carried thither a Roman Colony in 632 of Rome and made the warm Bathes from which it draws its name though the Bathes be not longer in being It is graced with an Archbishoprick a Parliament a Court of Accounts a Court of Aydes the first Seat of the Seneschal of Provence a Generality a Chamber of Mint a Lieutenant General of the great Seneschal of the Province an Ordinary Judge for the Town and another for the King called Viguier besides an University for the Law and Physick it has been plunder'd by the Longobardi and Saracens in the 4th and 7th Centuries The Counts of Provence who lived there did inlarge it but 't is much altered for the better upon all accounts since that time and is one of the pleasantest and best built Cities in France S. Saviour is the Metropolis where is a high Hexagon Tower to be seen the Font is of an admirable Structure and all of white Marble supported by fufile Columns round about like a Dome The Chappel of our Lady of Grace is very rich and that of S. Maximin very Ancient and Holy The Chapter consists of a Provost an Archdeacon a Capiscol a Sexton a Penitentiary and 15 Canons there are also some Incumbents or Prebendaries and a most delicate Musick two other Parishes viz. S. Magdalen and the Holy Ghost divers Monasteries and a College of Jesuits S. Maximin above 9 Leagues East of AIX is the Seat of a Baily but much more famous for a pretended S. Ampulla and the Body of S. Mary Magdalen said to be kept here in a Collegiate Church serv'd by Dominican Fryers Many amongst us would rather chuse the Case than the Relick for the Case is all of pure Gold being the figure of a Woman held up by two Angels and Crown'd with a golden Crown enriched with Diamonds whereas the Relick may be for ought I know the Skeleton of some old Bawd Nine Miles South West of S. Maximin lies in the midst of a thick wood the Cavern of la S. Baume where the Legendaries say that S. Mary Magdalen passed 33 years in a retir'd and penitent life after she was arriv'd thither from Palestina in a rotten Ship without any Pilot in company of Lazarus S. Martha and Cesidonius pretended to be that young Man Born blind whom our Saviour cur'd This Cavern is spacious being near 500 Foot high and the Rock wherein 't is digg'd is all of white Marble The place belongs to the Diocese of Marseille Brignole Brinonia so famous for its Pluims is likewise the head of a Bayliwick as also Barjols or Barjoux The other places of note are Esparonde de Pallieres Rians Tonques S. Paol Sambuc Peyroles Lambese Pelissane Alencon Aguiles Fuveaux Peinies Trets Porrteres Torrevez La Val Carces a County Cotignac and Foz Of the Diocese of Riez THis mountainous and small Country borders upon the Dioceses of Aix Apt Sisteron Senez and Frejus and is water'd by the Verdon It was the habitation of the ancient Albici Reii Segoregii or rather Segoreii who from the Worship of Apollo were sirnam'd Apollinares Their Capital Alebece Reiorum Apollinarium is ancienter than Aix which as it has been observ'd was a Roman Colony whereas this City seems to have been built by the Natives who before that time did often wage War with the Salians and Massilienses It is a little Town well built seated on the Source of the Auvestre almost 16 Leagues North East of Aix The Bishop is Lord Temporal of it and the second Suffragan of Aix The Cathedral is dedicated to our Lady The famous Semipelagian Faustus Rejensis was Bishop of it There have been found many ancient Inscriptions The most considerable places are La-Palu where is the famous Hermitage of S. Maurin Monstiers a Bayliwick Pymoisson Valencole Allemagne Montpezat Of the Diocese of SENEZ THis Country is also very mountainous and small and water'd by the Verdon It 's included betwixt the Dioceses of Riez Sisteron Digne Glanderez Vence Grace and Frejus This Diocese made part of the Province call'd Maritim Alps and was anciently inhabited by a People nam'd Vesdiantii by Ptolomy and Vendiantii Cemenelii by Pliny so that there was another Bishoprick Cemenelium which is perhaps Castellane The City of SENEZ Sanitium Vesdiantiorum Civitas Sanitiensium or Sanitio is very small and little inhabited its Bishop is Suffragan of Ambrun it is seated betwixt Mountains on the source of the Asse It s Prelate resides now at Castellane upon the Verdon The Chapter that was of the Order of S. Austin was made Secular by Innocent X. in 1647. it is composed of a Provost an Archdeacon a Sexton and 5 Canons of which one is Chamberlain The Cathedral is consecrated under the name of the Assumption of the B. Virgin The places of some note are Castellane a Bailywick Colmars Mevoiles Clumeng Lembrusche and Barremes Of the Diocese of DIGNE THis Diocese is one of the smallest and of the least revenue in France bringing hardâ—y 3 or 400 l. to its Prelate and having not â—bove 27 Baptismal Churches It lies betwixt â—hose of Senez Sisteron and Ambrun It is veâ—y mountainous and water'd by two small Riâ—ers the Issolet and the Bleone It was formerly inâ—abited by the Bodiontii and Sentii who had DIGNE Dinia or Dina for their
the Viguier for this Diocese It lies at the foot of a Mountain on the North side of the Var Colmars upon the Verdon Annot upon the Vaine these three are accounted Towns the others are but Burroughs or good Villages viz. Toramenes Le Poget La Pene c. Of the Diocese of SISTERON THis Diocese seems to have had no particular Inhabitants but to have made part of the Country of the Cavares however it be it borders on the Bishoprick of Digne to the East on Gapencois and the Baronnies to the North on the County Venaissin to the West and on the Dioceses of Apt and Riez to the South The City of Sisteron Secustero or perhaps Acusio Colonia lies extended in length upon the confluence of the Buech and Durance with a Bishoprick Suffragan of Aix in the Upper Province it has a Bayliwick a small Cittadel and a Castle The most considerable places are Forcalquier Forum Calcarium or Fons Calcarius This Town was the Portion of the youngest Sons of the Counts of Provence It has a good Cittadel a Viguier and several Privileges The French King is call'd in the publick Acts issued from the Parliament of Aix Count of Provence and Forcalquier Manosque is another pretty Town lying on the Durance 11 Leagues South of Sisteron and belonging to the Knights of Maltha The other are but Burroughs or Villages as Rosset Castelet Puy-michel Orezon La Brelhane Luiz les Meez Peyruis Montfort was formerly a Barony belonging to the Counts of Provence and had then a very strong Castle but it has been demolished and the place is now an inconsiderable Village However its Territory is still very large and it has a Forest of 6 Leagues in circuit depending on it and call'd La Combe de S. Donat. In the Viguery of Forcalquier are S. Michel Manne Simiane c. Of the Diocese of APT IT was anciently inhabited by the Vulgientes and is now included betwixt the Viguery of Forcalquier the County Venaissin and the Archbishoprick of Aix The City of APT Apta Julia Vulgientium is a little Town on the River of Calevon with a Bishoprick Suffragan of Aix and a Bayliwick It is very ancient for it was one of the biggest and most famous Towns of the Celtes and the chief of the Vulgientians under the Romans Julius Caesar or rather some of his Successors liked it so well that he encreas d it made it a Roman Colony and gave it the name of the Conqueror of the Gauls The Bishop of APT is the first Suffragan of Aix and its first Prelate is S. Auspicius a Martyr The Bishops of this City call themselves Princes of APT and had heretofore the privilege of coyning Money There is to be seen a vast Treasure of Relicks especially of S. Auspicius and S. Mark the Abbot in the Cathedral of S. Anne And of Count Eleazar of S. Delphine his Wife both Virgins and of S. Margaret their Maid-servant in the Church of the Franciscans Saut is an ancient County near the source of the River Sorgues belonging to the Dukes of Lesdiguieres The other places are Lambez S. Savornin Gordes Reilhane Beaumont Mirabeau Tour d'Aygues a strong hold with one of the finest Houses in the Province Lourmarin Merindol Menerbe Aupede and Cabrieres were good Burroughs whilst inhabited by the Vaudois but since their barbarous Murther they are but inconsiderable places I shall give here a more faithful account of it than that partial Scribler Morery who says enough however to make appear the unheard Cruelties of the Roman Church It must b◠observed before all that time out of mind the Lords of France were not properly Subjects but only Vassals to the King and Sovereigns under him and that their Fees Castles Mannors could not be ransack'd or pull'd down nor their Subjects abused or kill'd unless it were for Crime of High Treason Now the places of Merindol Cabrireres La Coste c. whether the Vaudois resorted belong'd to a Lord who protected them and all the Crimes they were found guilty of was to profess the same Religion that was persecuted in other Parts of France and to give retreat to such as escaped the bloody Hands of their Murderers The French King Francis the I. prevailed upon by the Monks gave out a severe Edict against all the Protestants in 1535 and the Parliament of Aix condemned to be burned 19 Inhabitants of Merindol and the neighbouring places most of whom were Ministers but the first President Chassanée a learned Lawyer superseded the Execution of it He was suceeded by a most cruel Man John Meynier Baron of Oppede or Auppede who making use of the absence of the King's Lieutenant the Count of Grignan put himself at the head of the Troops that were in that Province accompanied by a Capt. called the Baron of La Garde the second President two Counsellors and William Guerin Advocate General of that Parliament Thus they went on to Merindol and were reinforced in their way by the Troops of the Pope's Legate from Avignon The poor Vaudois retired into Woods and Mountains so that the Persecutor's Army found nothing in their Villages and Buroughs but old and sick Men Women and Children however they had the Barbarity of Murdering every one of them and burning and razing all their Habitations nay even of hanging 30 of them who had surrendred themselves upon Terms Maimburg confesses that there were 3000 murdered 600 sent to the Gallies 24 Villages and 900 Houses burnt but others make it amount to a far greater number This hapned in 1546 when Francis the first had Notice of it he was sensible of the injustice they had done saying that they had made use of his Name to destroy the most honest Men in his Kingdom and therefore ordered at his Death which happened some Months after to his Son and Successor Henry the Second that he should not leave those Barbarities unpunished Accordingly this Prince immediately after his coming to the Crown named Commissaries to judge of this Affair but the Mony and power of the Clergy stopped their Mouths so that the King was forced to remove the Suit before the Parliament of Paris by his Patents of 1551. Then the Persecutors not being able to avoid Justice any longer threw the hatred of all this horrid and unlawful Executions upon some Soldiers who were dead or whom they had caused to make their escape and upon the Advocate General Guerin who was beheaded in the place of Greve As to the Baron of Oppede tho his Credit sav'd him from the hands of Humane Justice yet it could not deliver him from the hands of God who called him before his Tribunal in 1558 by the most painful Death that ever was as you may see in Thuanus Dupleix and other Roman Catholick Historians Of the County Venaissin THE County Venaissin that is now a dependency of the Papal See borders on Provence to the East on Dauphiné to the North on the Durance to the South
East and West is but 5 Leagues and not quite 4 North and South That it belongs by right to His Majesty William III. as part of his Patrimonial Estate is undeniable though to put an affront if it were possible upon that great Prince the Parliament of Paris have adjudg'd it to Charles Paris of Orleans last Duke of Longueville kill'd in the Dutch War of 1672 and tho Lewis XIV pretending to be his Heir lords now over it as though it were his own But to determine whether the French Kings as Counts and Marquesses of Provence are Lords Paramount of this Principality would require too long a discussion I shall only observe 1st That in 793 William au Cornet or au Court-nez High Constable of France having conquered Orange from a Sarracen King called Theobard took the Title of Count by the Grace of Goâ— which was then proper to Sovereigns 2dly That since the Right Prince of Orange is now King of England he may in compensation justly lay his claim to those vast and rich Dutchies and Counties of Normandy Guienne Poictou Maine Touraine Anjou that were the undisputable inheritance of his Predecessors besides his right to the whole Kingdom of France The City of ORANGE Aurasio Cavarum or Secundanorum Colonia lies a League West of the Rhone and 6 North of Avignon with the Title of Principality and a Bishoprick Suffâ—agan of Arles This was formerly a Roman Colony of the second Legion there are still to be seen the remains of a Cinque and a Triumphal Arch almost whole There was a kind â—f little Parliament whose Members were one half Roman Catholicks and the other Protestants but it was cashier'd by the French King in 1687 and changed into a Viguiers Jurisdiction under the Parliament of Aix It has still a Mint and an University It s strong Cittadel and other Fortifications were razed in 1660. against the Agreement made some Months before with Count Dhona Governour of the Town The Protestant Religion was forbidden there though there are 12 or 15 Jewish Families offered in the City and above as many in the dependencies of it The other places of note are Caderousse Courtezon Jonquieres Vaqueyras and Gigondas but formerly this Principality extended much farther within Tricastinois Diois Valentinois Gapencois Sisteronnois the County of Nice the County Venaissin and even beyond the Rhone into the Dioceses of Montpellier Nismes and Lodeve in Languedoc Of the Islands of Provence THE Isles of Martegues Maritimae Avaticorum which are called by some Venice of France are made of a Triple Town with the Title of Principality belonging to the Duke of Vendome For they are divided into 3 Parts Ferriere l'Isle and Jonquieres and seated on the Pond of Berre from whence they have digg'd great Ditches for a Communication with the Sea distant about an English Mile so that the greatest Boats come up to the Town from the Sea and go through the Pond for the conveniency of Trade and they may easily go from one Town to the other upon Bridges There are all sorts of good Fish caught in certain high Sea-rushes called Bourdigaux the Inhabitants are great Lovers of Dancing and Mirth whence comes the common Proverb to dance the Martingale This Town has had several Masters for it belong'd once to the Viscounts of Marseille then to the Counts of Provence Francis of Lorrain Dutchess of Mercoeur Estampes Ponthievre Princess of Martegues brought all her Estate into the House of Vendome by her Marriage with Caesar Duke of Vendome a Legitimated Son to Henry IV. These Islands lye 8 Leagues West of Marseille 10 South East of Arles and 12 South West of Aix The Islands Stacades call'd also the Golden â—â—ands or Hyeres Olbia and Areae because â—ey lie over against the Town of that name â—e 3 in number call'd by the Latins Sturium â—henice Phila and in French Island of Leâ—ant or of Tilan Porte-Cross which has a Garâ—ison and Porquerolles all three in the Diocese â—f Toulon In Cassian's time these Islands were â—nhabited by Monks some of whom under â—ope Innocent the III. were Cisternians They â—re so fertile that after the loss of Rhodes the â—nights of S. John designed to settle there with â—he French King's leave The Islands of Lerins Lero Planasia or Leâ—iâ—us are but two in number oveâ— against the Town of Cannes towards Antibes which are call'd Islands of S. Margaret or Lero and of S. Hâ—norat Planasiae or Lerinus The first draws â—ts name from a Chappel dedicated to that Saint â—t is three quarters of a League long and one quarter broad there are five Ports and a Cittadel newly fortified to defend it The other draws it from S. Honorat who founded there a Monastery in 375. driving away as 't is said the Serpents that made it desart and cauâ—ing a Fountain of fresh-water to spring there which is still in being He was afterwards Biâ—hop of Arles This Solitude has been for â—any Ages together the Nursery of the Preâ—ates of Provence and of the neighbouring Churches For thence are issued 12 Archbiâ—hops as many Bishops 10 Abbots 4 Monks numbred among the Holy Confessors and 105 Martyrs The Air is very temperate the Soâ— fertile The Spaniards surpriz'd these Islanâ— in the beginning of this Age laid waste thâ—â— holy place pull'd down those fine Forests oâ— Pine-trees which formed many covered Walks adorned by a vast number of Oratories but iâ— 1637. they were turned out of them Therâ— are in the Island of S. Honorat 3 Walls and â— Chappels they Fish there a great deal of Corral As for Chateau-d'if it is a little Island twâ— Leagues South of Marseille with a good stronâ— hold where the biggest Ships stop becausâ— they cannot get in the Port of that City foâ— want of Water There are some Islands oâ— the Mouth of the Rhone but cover'd only witâ— Grass and Mountains CHAP. XVII Of Dauphiné THis Province the nearest to Italy confines on the North to that of Bresse and the Dukedom of Savoy is separâ—ted from Piedmont by the Alps on the East from the County of Nice Provence the County Venaissin and the Principality of Orange by the samâ— Mountains tho' interrupted in some places towards the South and from Languedoe on the West by the Rhone It reaches above fifty common Leagues of France or 38 of DAVPHINE East and West from Pignerol to the Rhone and above forty North and South from Fort de Baraux on the Borders of Savoy to Cisteron in Provence The Country is Mountainous all over except in the North-West of Low Dauphine however it produces excellent Wine and abundance of Corn of all sorts as Wheat Rye Barly Oats Spelt Lentil Beans Pease and other kind of Pulse There are also many Woods and some of them are pretty large and full of Bucks Deers Shamoys and other Beasts of Game but the greatest part of their Woods are Warrens that abound with Hares Conies Pheasants red and gray Pratridges c. Neither does it want
speak to no body unless it be at cettain Hours and that in very few words which is a fair pretence to conceal the gross Ignorance wherein they are kept They will shew you all the Curiosities thereabouts without enquiring what Religion you are of at least it was so some time before the last Persecution Remounting the Ifere nine Leagues North of Grenoble 11 Miles from the Grand Chartreuse and five South of Montmelian lies Fort de Baraux situated on a Mountain near that River It is not quite so strong as Montmelian was of late however 't is the Key of France on that side In 1528 March 13. the Duke of Lesdiguieres took it by Storm from the Leaguers in two hours time On the South of the Isere two Leagues East of Grenoble lies the Village of Giere which I mention here for a natural Curiosity the like I never met with else where namely a Cascade or VVater-Fall that precipitates it self down from a steep Rock almost as high as the Steeple of Bow-Church and as thick as two Men and after it has run some steps into a small Rivulet is brought thorough Lead Pipes into a Garden where it spouts with an incredible Violence as high as any Tree so that if this Place were not neglected but Art were joined to Nature it would make the finest VVater-fall and Spout in the VVorld The Gardens and Park of Vizille three Leagues South-west of Grenoble are much better kept because they belong'd to the Dukes of Lesdiguieres which during three Generations and almost an Age have enjoy'd the Government of Dauphiné The Park is encompassed with Walls of almost three Leagues in circuit There are small Hills and Vallies and abundance of all Beasts of Game There is likewise a Mesnagerie where they keep Foreign Birds But the most considerable piece is what they call tho somewhat improperly the Cascade for 't is rather the Bed of a small Brook of a Mile or two in length pav'd with Free large Stone and divided into Squares of 5 or 6 Fathoms so that the Water falls by degrees from the Duke's Pallace to the end of the Park The Vally of Trieves is considerable for the abundance of its Gentry and the three Towns of La mure Mens and Corps The resemblance of the Names makes Holstenius take the second for the habitation of the ancient Mimenii and the third for that of the Tricorii This Vally is yet famous for a place call'd the Burning-Fountain which was indeed so in Caesar's time and even about 50 Years ago but whether that the Sulphureal Steams were then spent or by some other accident unknown to me the small Rivulet that ran over the Burning-place lies now some steps farther However 't is still admirable enough to see a low place vomit Smoak and Flames without any appearance of Hollowness or combustible Matter and that the Minerals that are the source of those Steams should have lasted Time out of Mind without any sensible dimunition And therefore this place is still accounted one of the seven Wonders of Dauphine At night especially in cold Weather or when it rains but slowly the Flames are very sensible but in the heat of the Day or after a violent Rain there appears but a Smoak which being put on Fire by kindled Straw draws out other Vapours so that the Flame lasteth a considerable time The small Country of Royanez the most Westerly of GRESIVAVDAN along the Isere has two Marquisates La Baume and Pont de Royan which last is a large Burough where the Protestants had a Church and a Minister that made himself known of late several ways Of the County of DIOIS THis Country anciently inhabited by the Vocontii seems to have been much larger than it is now since Vasio or Vaison a City of Provence near the County Venaissin was its Capital Now 't is extended about 18 Leagues North and South from St. Julien to S. Ferriol and about 16 East and West from La Croix Haute to Crest where it is broadest Besides Vasio the Vocontii had 21 Towns more among which Lucus Augusti and Dea Vocontiorum were the most considerable the first is now but a Village call'd Luc near a Lake of that Name almost six Leagues South-East of Die All the ancient Historians agree that Hannibal went thorough the Land of the Vocontii towards Pignerol in order to pass the Alps and descend into Italy But this Country is much more considerable for having produced one of the best Historians Rome ever saw and whose loss is most deplorable viz. Trogus Pompeius This County is Mountainous all over tho' fruitful in Wine and Corn and aboundant with Pasture-ground The most remarkable is Mont-Aiguille or the unaccessible Mountain five Leagues North-East of Die near a Village called Chessiliane One can go up to the height of a quarter of a Mile but then it rises so steep for almost a Mile that no sort of Animal was ever able to go to the top of it which appears by the Grass and Weeds that are overgrown there Near this Mountain is the Vally of Vercors which keeps yet something of the Name of the Vocontii or rather of a small Tract of Land belonging to them and called Vertacomicoros Die upon the Drome lies 16 Leagues South of Grenoble and 11 South-west of Valence is the Dea Vocontiorum and a Colony of the Romans built or repair'd in honour of Livia Augustus's Wife and therefore sometimes called Dea Augusta It has a Bayliwick and a Bishoprick which was united to that of Valence in 1275 but was again separated from it in 1687. This Town was full of Protestants before the the last Persecution because they had there a Colledge and University proper to them for Philosophy and Divinity The Lombards became Masters of Die in 1514 and after the last dismembring of the Kingdom of Arles or Burgundy the Sovereignty of it was usurped by the Bishops or some Lords under them They bore the Title of Counts and were issued from the House of Forcalquier who possessed it during the 11 and 12th Century at the end of which it passed to the House of Poictiers who already enjoyed the County of Valentimois but Lewis of Poictiers sold them both to the French King Charles the VI. in 1404 and so they were united to the rest of the Province The Protestants took this Town twice during the civil Wars in 1577 and 1585 and the last time raz'd the Cittadel The most ancient Bishop of Die remembred in History is one Martius for St. Nicaise who was the sole Prelate of the Gauls that assisted to the first Council of Nice was but the 5th in Order Three Miles North-west of Die is the Village of Quint on the meeting of the Rivers Sure and Drome It gives name to a Mountain whence it rises three Leagues North-west of the Village of Saillans which Ortelius and Holstein suppose to be some remains of the ancient Segalauni but Adrian de Valois proves
Lyonnois and Beaujolois together it hath Burgundy and Bourbonnois on the North Velay and Vivarais â—n the South the Mountains of Auvergne â—n the West Lyonnois and Beaujolois on the â—ast This Country is very fertil and faâ—â—ous for its great number of Noblemens â—ouses It 's proverbially said that one may â—s soon number the Stars in the Firmament as â—o count all the Rivulets and Brooks which â—rom all quarters of this Country fall into the Loire It hath many excellent Medicinal Waters It is divided into Upper and Lower The Upper is near the Cevennes and the Lower all beyond the Loire on the West-side All this Country is full of Woods and Forests especially the Upper part whence some derive the name of it and write it Forets but other deny that Original and spell it Forez and the Latin favours their Opinion besides that the Inhabitants are call'd Foresiens and not Forestiens They are famous through all the Kingdom for their Trade of Iron-Wares and for making all sorts of Iron-Works This Country has still the Title of a County It has had its particular Counts who were also Counts of Lyons since the year 1070. Some of them have been famous in History as Charles II. of Bourbon Lord High Constable of France under Francis I. Soon after this County was re-united to the French Crown by the same King It s Principal Towns are Montbrison S. Etienne Roanne and Feurs Montbrison Mons Brusonis Capital os Upper Forez is situated on the little River Vecize 14 Leagues from Lyons towards the West it hath a Bailywick an Election and a Provosâ—ship formerly it was nothing else than a Castle called Brison afterwards inclâ—sed with Walls Anno 428. Here are a Collegiate Church dedicated to our Lady and divers Religious Houses with the best Clock-spell of the whole Province St. Etienne de Furens Fanum Sancti Stephani is a Town 2 Leagues E. of the P. ver Loire and to South-west of Lyons it 's situated at the foot of a Mountain on the Rivâ—let of Furens whâ—se Waters are very proper for the tempering of Iron which occasioneth a vast quantity of Iron-Works to be made in that Country from whence â—any places of Europe are furnished In a Mountain hard by is a Mine of Stone-Coals â—hat burns since several Years Roanne Rodumna is the Capital City of a little Country called Roannois in Forez fifteen Leagues North-west of Lyons having the Title of Dutchy â—ituated on the River Loire which thereabouts â—egins to carry considerable Boats wherein â—â—ose that design to go to Orleans by water use â—â— imbark In it is a Colledge of Jesuits as â—lso divers religious Houses It had anciently its Counts issued from the House of FOREZ Feurs Forum Segusianorum is situated on the â—iver Loire where it receiveth the little River â—ignon so famous in the Romance of Astrea â—etween Lyon Roanne and S. Etienne It lies â—â—ne or ten Leagues West of Lyons St. Galmier upon the Loire half-way betwixt â—eurs and S. Etienne de Furens is renowned for â— Fountain whose Water tastes like Wine â—â—d 'tis said that if one mixes a fourth part of â—ine with it that mixture cannot be distinâ—â—ished from pure Wine St. Ferreol a League East of the Loire and â— South-west of S. Etienne de Furens has a Bayâ—ick as well as Bourg-Argental on the borders â— â—elay 3 Leagues West of the Rhone On the West-side of the Loire you meet â—â—th Leignieu Montarchior S. Rambert Bouen â— Germain-la-Val Vrsé a Marquisate the small â—â—untry of Chevalez with the Capital S. Just â—â—â—zet Chateau-Moran c. Of BEAUJOLOIS BEAVJOLOIS Bellâ—-Jocensis Pagus having the Title of Barony is situated between the Saone and the Loire it hath Lionnois on the South the Principality of Dombes and part of Maconnois on the East Charolois on the North and Forez on the West This Country is very fertil in Wine Corn Hemp and depends partly on the Bishop oâ— Macon viz. the most Northern Parts but alâ— the rest lies under the Archbishop of Lyons Itâ— chief places are Beaujeu Ville-Franche and Belle-Ville Beaujeu Bellus-Jocus is now only a Village situated on the Ardiere having a Castle which gave its name to BEAVJOLOIS and the Lord of the House of Beaujeu which is so famous anâ— ancient and seems to be a Branch of the Housâ— of Savoy It 's about 11 Leagues North North West of Lyons and is famous for some Sculptures or fine Engraven Works after the Antiquâ— Fashion Ville-Franche Francopolis or Villa Franca is seven Leagues from Lyons towards thâ— North being distant about half a League froâ— the Saone now it 's esteemed the Capital oâ— BEAVJOLOIS It has a Collegiate Church aâ— Election a Bayliwick an Academy and â— Granary of Salt There is the first Monastery of Franciscans that was ever built in France Belle-Ville is distant from Lyons about 10 Leagues and is very nigh the Saone The other places as Pereux Tâ—izy-Reignie are but inconsiderable Buroughs or Villages Of BOURBONNOIS BOVRBONNOIS Burbonensis Pagus hath Forez and Bourgogne on the East Berry on the VVest from which it is separated by the Cher Auvergne and Forez on the South and on the North it hath Nivernois with part of Berry from East to VVest it extends it self about 30 Leagues and about 18 or 20 from South to North. This Country abounds with Fruits Rye and Pulse Pastures VVallnuts Oil and Mines of Iron BOVRBONNOIS is divided into upper and lower according to its proximity to the Mountains of Auvergne Montagar is accounted the Capital of the Upper and Moulins in the Lower of the whole Câ—untry The ancient Bâ—ii a Celtick Nation having exhausted themselves by sending Colonies into Italy and Germany were afterwards extinguished in the Gaules but some of the German Plantation re-entring their original Country in company of the Switzers the latter were defeated by the Romans and the former settled themselves in some part of the Territories â—f the Autunois with the leave of thâ— Inhabitants and of the Romans The place iâ— thought to be Moulin's because it depends on the Bishop of Autun whereas the rest oâ— BOVRBONNOIS resorts either to the Bishop oâ— Nevers to the Archbishop of Bourges or to thâ— Bishop of Clermont The Loire the Allier with other little Rivers and many Ponds in this Country afford great variety of Fish to the Indabitants It s Mineraâ— VVaters occasion a great confluence of Strangers The learned Gui Coquille says that BOVRBONNOIS consisted at first only of Bourbon Larchambaud and some adjacent Lordships buâ— that its Counts encroaching upon their Neighbours made it such a large Country as 't is now â— An Image of what the French Kings of thaâ— Family should do Robert II. Son to Lewis IX was the first Prince of the Royal Blood oâ— France who bare the name of Bourbon having spoused the Heiress of it Moulins Molinae situated on the Allier in a Plain very large fertil and pleasant It haâ— that name from the
like Pitch and have such a petrifying Vertue that all running they form a Bridge which the Inhabitants are oblig'd to cut lest he should grow too great Riom Ricomagus lies three Leagues North-East of Clermont upon a little Hill which reâ—ders both its Situation and Prospect agreeable It is very well built the Streets are straight and wide the Houses fine the Churches magnificent the Monasteries sumptuous the Fountains pleasant and the Gardens delicate they live there both cheap and with delicacy so that 't is call'd the Flower-Garden of AVVERGNE And its Latin Name made up of two â—aulish words Rico-magus signifies rich Habitation Riom honours for its Patron one S. Amable of whom Gregory of Tours says that he had the Vertue of putting Serpents to flight It 's the Native Country of James Sirmond and Amable Burze two very learned Men. This Town is the chief of the Dukedom of Auvergne of which all the Fiefs and Mesne-fiefs of the Province are Vassals and was erected into a Dukedom on behalf of John Duke of Berry Son to the French King in 1360. It is above 900 Years since the Judge of this Town was call'd the universal Judge of all the Province because he judged by Appeal all the Law-Suits It has a Seneschal's Jurisdiction and a Presidial which is one of the most considerable of the Realm as well as a Generality of Finances an Election and both a Marshal and Consular Jurisdiction The Lieutenant General is also a Provost of the Court of Mint and â—udge of all the differences that may arise in the Convocation of the Ban and Rear-ban of the Province which is made at Riom Justice is administred there in a Castle or Palace which John of Berry caused to be built Aygue-Perse Aqua Sparsa is the Capital of a little Country called the Dauphinè of Auvergne that is now united to the Dutchy of Montpensier which lies but a League North of it and both Towns three or four Leagues North of Riom Brioude Brivas lies upon the Allier thirteen Leagues South of Clermont It 's famous for the Grave of S. Julian a Martyr and for a Collegiate Church of Canons who are Counts of the Town and depend immediately upon the Pope The Bridge of the Burrough called Old Brioude has only an Arch but extraordinary long and high Issoire Iciodurum upon the Allier almost midway betwixt Clermont and Brioude is renown'd for its good Race of Horses and for a bottomless Lake whence rises a Vapour which resolves it self into Rain if you throw a stone into it Pont-gibaut 3 Leagues North-west of Clermont has a Silver Mine in its Neighbourhood Three Leagues more Northwards lies S. Gervais where has been as 't is said a Race of Conjurers call'd les Marques the last of whom cast himself headlong into a Pond Maringues is much frequented for its Haven upon the Allier which begins here to be navigable It lies almost seven Leagues North-East of Clermont La Queulle is a Castle near the borders of Limosin six Leagues South-west of Clermont which has in its Neighbourhood a Fountain that tastes of Wine and has say they as much strength mixt with the sixth part of that Liquor Hard by is a Mountain called Le Mont d'or The golden Mountain because of some Chaffs like Gold that are seen glittering in its Ponds and of a sort of shining yellow or golden Sand that is used by Gentlemen to dry their Writings Here is the source of the River Dordonne and of several Springs very healthful to those that hath themselves therein The other places of note in Lower Auvergne on the West-side of the Allier are S. Pourcain near that River and the Frontiers of Bourbonnois from whence to Langeac a Marquisate near the Cevennes the Allier is continually border'd with Vineyards Gannat Esbreule Menat Manatense Monastertum Effiat a Marquisate Randan a Dutchy Artonne Enezat Montserrand over against Clermont Pont au mur Hermene Orcival Cournon le Crest Pont du Chasteau Besse S. Perdoux La Tour S. Germain-Lambrun Mercaeur Ardes Blesle c. On the East of the Allier to which part of Lower Auvergne Du val appropriates the name of Limagne tho other Geographers extend it father to the West are Vic le Comte upon the Allier 11 Miles South-East of Clermont It 's the Capital of a tract of Land called the County of Auvergne has a fine Palace and a S. Chappel pretended to be built by the Dukes of Albany Billom Biliomagus is environed with pleasant Vineyards Thiers or Tiern Tigernum Castrum is renowned for the good Knives and Cizers that are made there Lezoux for the goodness of its Air and its excellent Melons Arlenc is the Capital of a small Country nam'd Livradois because it was rid or delivered of the overflowing Waters by digging a Channel a thousand foot in length through a Mountain The other places are Alegre a Marquisate S. Paullian Paulliaguet la Voute Chillac la Cheze-Dieu Casa Dei Auzon Alsona S. Germain-Lerm Ambâ—rt Saucilanges Celsinaniae S. Amand-de-Roche-Savine Corpiere Curva Petra Oliergues Puy-Guillaume Manlieu Magnus us with an Abby of Benedictins Of La MARCHE MARK in the Teutonic Tongue signifies Confines or Limits whence comes Mark-graaf-Marquis that is Governour of the Frontiers This Province having been made up of the Borders of Poictou Limosin and Auvergne has gotten from thence the name of Marka or Marchia La MARCHE It has Berry to the North Poictou to the West Limosin to the North and Auvergne that is the little Territories of Combrailles and Franc-Aleu which are of its dependencies to the East It s extent from West to East is about 30 Leagues and from South to North fifteen and in some places twenty It 's divided into Upper whose chief Town is Gueret and into Lower which has le Dorat The Lords of Lusignan or Lezignen were counts of La MARCHE afterwards of Angoulesme and those 2. Counties were united to the French Crown under King Philip the Fair. It has often been the Appannage of younger Brothers in France especially of the House of Bourbon and was at last re-annex'd to that Crown in 1331 after many Revolutions This Country is but indifferent fruitful and produces only some Pastures Oats and Rye There are good Horses and they trade also in Oxen Sheep Hogs and coarse Cloaths Several considerable Rivers have their Source here as the Vienne the Cher the Creuse and the Gartempe This Province resorts for the Temporal to the Parliament of Paris and for the Spiritual to the Bishop of Limoges Gueret Waractum Capital of Upper Marche has a Seneschalship a Presidial a Mareshal's Jurisdiction and an Ecclesiastical Court of the Diocese of Limoges from which 't is 12 Leagues distant to the North-East It s name seems to come from the Latin Vervactum which signifies an unmanur'd Ground whence has been made Waractum Garactum and Gueret This Town has an Election resorting to the Generality of Moulins The other places of some
Note in Upper Marche are Bellegarde Capital of the little Country of Franc-aleu with an Election under the Generality of Moulins Aubusson that gives name to a noble Family whence is issued a famous great Master of Maltha Bonlieu Cheneraille Jarnage S. Julien Chastelus Dunaise all on the East of the Creuse On the West of that River are Celle Glenic Sevignac Granmond an Abby chief of the Order of that Name Murat Ahun Bourganeuf Dougnon Pont-aurion S. Leonard Chastain Feletin c. Le Dorat Dauratum for Deauratum Capital of Lower Marche lies not far from the Gartempe and Seve 12 Leagues North-west of Gueret with an Election resorting to the Generality of Limoges Belac two Leagues Southwards is another pretty Town with an Election under the same Generality Crouzan now an inconsiderable Village near the borders of Berry has been the Residence of the ancient Counts of La Marche The other places are Brosse a Viscounty Lussac-les-Eglises les-Plats Pont-S Martin Mombas a Viscounty Availle Confoulens Brigueuil a Viscounty all near the Borders of Poictou S. Junien Embazais Lesegaux Oradour Mortemar a Dutchy not far from Limosin Touron Rencon Maignac la Sousterraine c. East of le Dorat CHAP. XIX Of the Government of Burgundy AT the beginning of the 5th Century under the Empire of Honorius the Burgundians Burgundiones a German Nation entred into the Gaules and having conquered several Countries from the Romans their King Gaudisele laid there the Foundation of a Realm in 408 which under his Successor Gaudicare in 413 took the name of its Conquerors and was called the Kingdom of Burgundy whereof Vienne in Dauphiné was the Capital It was made up of some Provinces of the Narbonnoise and Celtick Gaule comprehending Switzerland Savoy Dauphiné the Northern part of Provence Burgundy Dutchy and County As they were War-like and of a Stature that frighted the Galli and Romans for Sidonius Apollinary describes them as being 7 Foot high they would have extended their Dominions farther but thaâ— the French on the North and the Wisigoths on the South and West that were as barbarous and as great Warriors as they opposed their Progresses By the Conquest of Clovis the French having brought the Wisigoths very low his Sons after his Death attack'd the Burgundians and Childebert and Clotaire having kill'd or routed Godomar the IX and last King of that Nation in 527 their Empire finished 119 after its beginning The Burgundians are esteemed part of the Vandals and were settled on the South-side of the Danube in Bavaria and Austria before their coming into the Gaules After this defeat nothing remained of the ancient Kingdom of Burgundy but the Name for it was subject to the French during 340 years until the Divisions of Charlemaign or Lewis the Meek's Successors gave occasion to one Beuves or Beuvon to usurp the Soveraignty of it under Charles the Bald. Boson Son to Beuves plotted so well with the Prelates that he got himself Crown'd King of Burgundy by the Metropolitans of Lyons Vienne Tarantaise Aix Arles and Besancon and 17 Bishops in 879 his Son Lewis sirnam'd the Blind succeeded him in 888 but his Grandson Charles Constantin was only Prince of Vienne and never Crown'd King one Hugh Son to Theobald Count of Arles having made himself Master of Arles and Italy in 926. This yielded all the Countries belonging to the Kingdom of Burgundy to Rodolph Son of another Rodolph who in 888 had erected another Realm within the Alps beyond Mont Jura under the Name of the Transjuran Burgundy In the mean while the Dutchy of Burgundy fell again to the share of French Lords from whom Robert Son to Hugh Capet King of France took it in 1001 and left it in 1031 to his second Son Robert who was the head of the first Race of the Dukes of Burgundy Philip I. the last of this Stock dying without Issue in 1361 this Dutchy with its dependencies was inherited by the French King John who in 1363 gave it to his second Son Philip II. sirnam'd the Bold he was succeeded by John without fear Philip III. or the Good and Charles the Rash who leaving but a Daughter call'd Margueret in 1477 the French King Lewis XI seized upon the Dutchy of Burgundy as a Male Feet the Princess Margaret who had spoused Maximilian of Austria keeping Franche-County and the Netherlands as acquisitions of her Predecessors The chief Rivers of the Dutchy and County of Burgundy for I think fit to describe them together to avoid confusion besides the Lâ—ire the Rhone and the Yonne already described are the Serain that rises near Mont S. Jean in Auxois washes Noyers Poilly Chablys Ligny-le-Chateau and falls into the Yonne betwixt Seignelay and Epoigny The Armancon Springs likewise in Auxois near Chateauneuf on the Borders of Dijonnois washes Semeur receives the Brenne increas'd with the Ozerain and Loze goes by Aney-le-Franc Tonnerre S. Florentin where it receives the Armance and mixes with the Yonne below Brignon l'Archeveque in Champaign The Seyne that has its Source in this Province near Chanceaux on the Frontiers of Dijonnois and runs through the Country of La Montagne until you come to Bar-Sur-Seyne receives there a vast number of Rivulets among which the Leigne the Ource and the Arce are the most considerable The Saone has its Source in the Mountains of Vauge Bonville Attigny Chastillon goes through Jussy and Pont-Sur-Saone receives the Coney the Angrogne and the Laterne from the Mountains of Vauge the Mance and the Ayron from Champaign runs through Chemilly Rey Gray and Pontraille receives in its way the Fonvens the River des Planches the Salon the Biez de Citez the Vigenne increas'd with the Torelle and the Lougnon This is a pretty long River that comes from the Mountains of Vauge and is increas'd with the Linotte and several Brooks As to the Saone it pursues its way through the Dutchy of Burgundy waters Aussone S. Jean de Laune Verdun Chalon Tenare Mascon Thoissey Ville-Franche in Beaujolois Trevoun in the Principality of Dombes Vimy in Lyonnois and Mines with the Rhone at Lyons The Rivers that fall afterwards on the West-side of the Saone are the Dou. This is a River of a strange course and as long as that of the Saone It springs from Mount S. Claude near a place call'd la Motte in the Bayliwick d' Aval in Franche-County Then runs North-East along Mount Jura till it comes to S. Vrsace near the Borders of Elzas Here it makes an Angle whereof S. Hippolite is the point Near Mont-Beliard it begins to run South-west waters Besancon and Dole receives the Louve and the Orion with the Glanstine One meets afterwards with no considerable Rivers for the Bruyne the Selle the Solvan the Panette the Dorlande the Solinan the Chevron Sane-la-vive and Sane-la-Morte are but Rivulets that unite together before their fall into the Saone the Resouzes goes through Bourg en Bresse and Pont de vaux the Vesle receives the Yrance and the Renon
Leagues North of Chatillon Bar in old Gaulish signifies a Haven or the Port of a River This Town is very pleasant being well built and seated in a fertil Soil Alsey-le-Duc 3 Leagues South of Chatillon is nigh the River Seine The other places are Mussy l'Eveque Espaiily Val des-Choux an Abby Aigney le-Duc Duesme Baigneux les-Juiss Villaine-en-Dermois and Verdonnet Of AUXOIS THis Country was inhabited by the Mandubii Allies or Subjects to the Autunois Their Capital City Alesia rather than Alexia was great and powerful and built by Hercules at his return from Spain if we believe Diodore of Sicily Caesar laid Siege to it and took it by Storm altho 't was defended by 100000 Men and that 300000 more were in their March to relieve iâ— and then raz'd it to the Ground so that Alesia Alize is now but an inconsiderable Village betwixt the Rivers Loze and Ozerain 14 Leagues North East of Semeur Whatever might have been the Confines of the Mandubii at this present Auxois is situated upon the Frontiers of Nivernois Autunois Dijonnois la Montagne Champaign and Auxerrois Semeur the Capital is a little Town lying on the Armancon 14 Leagues North of Autun The Latin Authors call it Sine murum because at first it was not wall'd up At this time it is divided into three Parts whereof the Burough is the biggest The second Part call'd Donjon is seated on a Rock wash'd by the Armaneon defended with thick and high Walls and flank'd with great Towers The third is a round Castle fortified with Towers at 15 Paces from each other This Town is governed by a Mayor and 6 Sheriffs or Eschevins It was taken by Charles of Amboise one of Lewis XI's Generals after the Death of Charles the Rash last Duke of Burgundy Auxois depends for the Spiritual on the Bishop of Autun The other places of note in this Country are Avalon Aballo on the Cousin which had a Castle so strong that the French King Robert could hardly take it within three Months in 1006. It 's still a Seat of Regal Justice 8 Leagues West of Semeur Arnay-le-Duc on the Source of the Arroux near the Borders of Autunois is another Royal Seat of Justice Flavigny Flaviniacum is esteemed to be founded by some Emperour of the Flavian Family Moutier S. Jean has a very fine Castle Noyers Montreal l'Isle-Sous-Montreal Saulieu Mont-S Jean Viteaux Saumaize are of some consideration Of AUXERROIS AVxerreis is situated betwixt Auxois Chpampaign and Nivernois a Country of very little extent but that formerly reached as far as does now the Diocese of Auxerre and comprehended the Country of Puisaye with part of Gastinois and Orleannois Auxerre Autessiodorum is situated on the River Yonne towards the confines of Burgundy 28 Leagues North West of Dijon It has a Bayliwick Presidial Election and a Bishoprick Suffragan of Sens. This City is pretty ancient It 's said that Julian the Apostate did stay here for some time to refresh his Army ann 356. The Age following it was taken and almost ruined by Attila an 451. The French K. Robert took it from Landri Count of Nevers in 1005 but in 1015 he restor'd it to Renald Landri's Son giving him his Daughter Hadwide in Marriage Their posterity enjoy'd it till 1371 that John the IV. Count of Auxerre sold his Estate to the French King Charles the V. Charles the VII was forc'd to yield this County to Philip III. Duke of Burgundy but after the Death of Charles the Rash Lewis XI united it again to the French Crown The Cathedral under the the name of St. Stephen has a very fine Quire and a Tower extraordinary high The Chapter is made up of 56 Canons whereof the Dean is elected by the Chapter all the others being nam'd by the Bishop without excepting the Dignicaries as the Singer the great Archdeacon of Auxerre the Archdeacon of Puisaie the Treasurer the Penitenciary and four Archpriests A Martyr call'd S. Peregrin is accounted the first Bishop of Auxerre but S. Germain who liv'd in the 5th Century is the most famous of all The other Towns of Auxerrois are Crevant upon the Yonne known by the Rout of the Lord High Constable Steward defeated by the English and Burgundians in 1423. Coulaenge-la-Vineuse and Coulange-Sur-Yonne Ouayne Courson Nitry Segnelay a Marquisate Of CHAROLOIS THe County of Charolois lies towards the South of Burgundy between Bourbonnois Briennois Beaujolois Masconois Autunois and Nivernois The Latin Historians of the French name is Cadrellâ—nsis Pagus It had been bought by Charles last Duke of Burgundy from the Counts of Armagnac and was therefore enjoyed by Margaret his Daughter Maximilian of Austria her Husband and the Kings of Spain their Successors till the Peace of Nimeguen in 1678. CHAROLOIS Cadrellae or rather Quadrellae is situated on the River Reconse six Leagues North East of the Loire and eight West of Cgni and 12 South of Autun It has a strong Castle a Collegiate Church and several Monasteries Digoin Digonia with the title of a Barony on the confluence of the Arroux and Loire is the only place mentioned by Latin Authors The others are Paroy-le-Monial Toulon Mont S. Vincent la-Guiche Chaumont and Oye Of BRIENNOIS BRIENNOIS lies between Charolois and Macconnois towards the Frontiers of Beaujâ—lois It is a very small Country whose chief Towns Semeur and Anzi-le-Duc are not considerable Of MASCONNOIS MASCONNOIS lies towards the South-East of the Dutchy of Burgundy betwixt Beaujolois Bresse Chalonnois and Charolois The City of Mascon Matisco Aeduorum is situated on the Saone above 15 Leagues North of Lyons with an Election a Bayliwick and a Bishoprick Suffragan of Lyons It 's a very ancient Town for in Caesar's Time 't was there that the Arrows of the Country were forg'd It hath been often ruined by Barbarians but above all by Attila the Burgundians and Franks but since repair'd by several French Kings It 's now built upon the declining side of a Hill wash'd by the River that is pass'd by a fine Stone-Bridge which joins the Town with the Suburb of S. Lawrence where are 2 stately Towers and pleasant Lanes leading into the Meadows The Cathedral of S. Vincent was formerly dedicated to S. Gervasius and Protasius Besides this Church there is the Chapter or Collegiate Church of S. Peter whose Canons are bound to prove their Nobility in order to their admission There are also the Church of S. Stephen a College of Jesuits and several other Parishes and Monasteries The Presidial of Mascon resorts to that of Lyons and in last instance to the Parliament of Paris Masconnois Matisconensis-Pagus is a fruitful Country especially in excellent Wines It has had particular Counts from Alberie I. in the 10th Century till it was sold to the French K. Lewis IX by Countess Alix in 1238. It keeps its own States separately from those of Burgundy however at the same time There are five Towns wall'd in besides the Cathedral viz. Tornus upon the Saone famous for an ancient
the Wars of the Holy Land by â—â—e Conquest of Antioch which they possess'd 〈◊〉 long time under the Title of Principality I find a small Town in this Province call'd â—â—auteville near the Sea-cost five miles Southâ—â—st of Coutance and eleven Northwest of â—â—â—vranches but cannot tell whether it was the â—itle of the Lord Tancrede Nine leagues West of Caudebec upon anoâ—â—er small Brook near the mouth of the Seyne â—â—es Harfleur Hareflotum so call'd because 't is â—â—â—ed on a Bay where the Sea ebbs and flows 〈◊〉 was formerly a considerable Town before 〈◊〉 de Grace was renown'd The English â—â—ok it by Storm some time before the Battle 〈◊〉 Azincourt Havre de Grace Franciscopolis two leagues â—ell of Harfleur is now one of the strongest 〈◊〉 a Port Towns in France The French Kings â—ancis I. and Henry II. fortified it in 1562. â—â—nder Charles IX the Vidame of Chartres and â—â—eauvoir la Nocle seized upon this Town for the â—rotestants and having treated with Queen â—â—lizabeth deliver'd it into her hands The â—â—ench King to recover this place flattered â—â—â—e Protestants so well that they themselves â—elp'd to besiege and retake it The Count of â—arwick very couragiously defended the place â—â—r some time but the want of fresh Water â—â—nd the Plague destroy'd 3000 of his Men forâ—ed him to Capitulate on the 28th of July in â—he same Year Lewis XIII did since encrease â—he Fortifications of that place and built there 〈◊〉 Cittadel flank'd with four Royal Bastions However as the Town is not strong on the Land-side it could still be taken that way 〈◊〉 the Cittadel block'd up Havre de Grace is 〈◊〉 pleasant and well Trading Town with 〈◊〉 Buildings and Markets Seventeen miles North-east of Havre de Grâ—â— is the Ancient Burrough of Fescamp famâ—â— for an Abby of Nuns founded by one Wâ—â—gen a French Lord under Clotaire III. Richâ—â—â— II. Duke of Normandy repaired it and woâ—â—â— be buried there in a Stone Coffin which sâ—â—â— that time he caused to be filled up every Fâ—â— day with Corn and to be distributed to 〈◊〉 Poor together with twenty pence This Aâ—â—â— by is now possess'd by Benedictine Moâ—â— Fescamp would be very fit for a Landing 〈◊〉 great Vessels can run aground very near tâ—â— Shoar and then go off with the Tide Eight leagues almost East of Fescamp is anotâ—â— Town called St. Valery by the name of an Aâ—cient Abbot It 's more considerable than 〈◊〉 camp but not so fit for a Descent because 〈◊〉 the banks that reach above a league into the Sâ— Seven leagues East of S. Valery is the famoâ—â— Sea-port of Dieppe the Juliobona Caletorum 〈◊〉 Ptolomy and Peutinger's Tables as appears by 〈◊〉 distance from other Towns noted in the Itiâ—â—â—rary or Journey of Aethicus It is seated 〈◊〉 the foot of Mountains whence flows the â—â—ver Arques that separates the Town from thâ—â— Suburbs and forms a long and strait Havâ—â—â— that can harbour a great number of Vessels and those of 500 Tuns too but is of hard access The Town is pretty big and well buâ—â—â— has a great Kay a Fort called Pollet and a Castle The Inhabitants Trade into the East and Weâ—â— Indies England and the Low-Countries and â—re esteem'd good Mariners and Handicraftâ—en also especially in working Ivory-horn â—nd Tortle-shell and making Bussols and other â—nstruments of Astrology Dieppe has been ofâ—en taken and re-taken during the Wars beâ—ween the English and French since the Year â—195 The Protestants have often been Maâ—â—ters of it in the last Century and it served â—or a place of Refuge to King Henry IV. whence â—â—t came that the Countrey thereabouts was filâ—ed with Protestants The Citizens in imitatiâ—n of Rouen have instituted Floral Games where â—hey give Rewards to such Poets and Orators â—â—s get the Victory over their Competitors Rigord and William the Breton testifie that this Town was anciently burnt by the French and we â—nd among the Subscriptions of the Council of â—â—halon in Burgundy that of Betto Bishop of Juâ—â—â—hona but as there was never a Bishop of Diâ—â—pâ— nor any other Prelate in the whole Diocess â—f Rouen besides that of Rouen so De Valois believes â—hat it must either be Anger 's or Troyes Two leagues South of Dieppe and the Sea â—â—ies the Town of Arques upon a River of that â—ame In Latin Arcae or rather Arcus It was â—ormerly call'd Hasdans and had a good Road â—ut is now more famous for a Victory that â—he French King Henry IV. obtained over the Duke of Mayenn and the Leaguers the 21st â—f September 1589. This great Prince had not â—bove 500 Horse 1200 Footmen and 2000 â—witzers but he posted himself so well beâ—ween two Hills and the River Bethune that with this small Army he routed 30000 men Dieppe and Arques together with some Vilages as Pierre-Pont Val-le-Roy Tilly St. Supli aâ—â— Criel upon the mouth of the Iere between thâ—â— River and Seye constituted the Countrey 〈◊〉 Tellau or Taloui Tallogus Pagus which hâ—â— excellent Salt-pits but both the Salt-pits aâ—â— the name of the Countrey are perished Seven leagues East of Dieppe lyes the Toâ—â— of Eu Aucum or Auga near the mouth of tâ—â— Bresle or Ou a small league from the Sâ—â— and a Village called Tresport Ulterior Portas thâ—â— lyes upon it and has an Abby of St. Beaâ—â—â— Order The scituation of Eu is pleasant because of the Meadows that encompass it Râ—lon first Duke of Normandy had planted there 〈◊〉 Colony but the French took the Town by Stoâ—â—â— and kill'd all the Males It has the Title of 〈◊〉 County and Peerdom erected by Charles VII 〈◊〉 1458. and has been possessed by several Ilâ—â—strious Houses as those of Lusignan Briâ—â—â— and Guise since the twelfth Century till 〈◊〉 Year 1664. that it was given to a Daughter 〈◊〉 the Royal Blood the Lady of Orleance Raâ—â—l 〈◊〉 Brienne second of that Name was High Coâ—stable of France after Raoul the first his Brother was taken at the Battle of Cressy in 134â— and brought Prisoner into England But at 〈◊〉 return being convicted of High Treason 〈◊〉 favouring the English he had his Head cut oâ— on the 18th of November 1581. The Counts 〈◊〉 Eu have given another High Constable to Franâ—â— under the Name of Philip who in the time 〈◊〉 the French King Charles VI. brought a considerable Succour to Sigismond King of Hâ—â—â—ry against Bajazet II. Emperour of the 〈◊〉 John Count of Nevers and since Duke of Burâ—undy was with him followed by 2000 French Gentlemen The Battle was given near Nicoâ—olis a Town of Bulgary on the Danube in â—396 but the Christians totally routed and 600 French Gentlemen that had been taken Prisoners cut into pieces before the Eyes of the two Counts whom he kept alive with fourteen â—other Lords to get a Ransom of 200000 Duckats Nine leagues South of Eu near the source of the Bresle is the Town of Aumale Alba-marna or Alga-marla that is white Earth with the Title of Dutchy and
XIV in 1652. The Duke of Alencon took it in 1424. but the English retook it and gave a great overthrow to the French in the same Year The French King Charles VII got it again from the English by the Treachery of a Miller who on a Sunday the 19th of July 1449. while the Inhabitants were at Mass introduced the French Soldiers into the Town by the means of a Ladder laid to the Walls The English retired into the Castle which was fortified with Walls and Ditches but being immediately besieg'd and without hope of Relief were forced to surrender Several Towns in France bear the Name of Verneuil and De Valois observes that they are all built near Forrests whence he conjectures that Verne or Verneuil had some such signification in the Gaulish Language Six leagues Westwards is a fine Forrest and near it the Town of Laigle Aquila upon the Rille with the title of a Barony It got this Name from an Eagles Nest that was found upon an Oak at the time of its foundation Rugles Rugulae Lyre Lyra are lower down to the North upon the same River Lyre has a famous Abby of St. Bennets Order Yvri Ibreium Castrum is situated upon the Aure between Passi or rather Paci Paciacum and Paceium and Nonancourt six leagues South-east of Evreux and is renown'd for the Victory which the French King Henry IV. got there over the Leaguers Breteuil which seems to preserve the Name of the Brittons its Founder lyes two leagues North of Verneuil upon the River Iton near a Pond Our Henry II. gave it to one Robert of Montfort whose Sister Amicia sold it to the French King Philip August Damville is seven miles Eastwards upon the same River It was erected into a Dutchy and Peerdom by Lewis XIII in 1610. but this title is now extinguish'd thô the Lordship belongs still to the house of Ventadour Duchesne mentions a place call'd Hermein ville where he says that Robert Count of Normandy routed Thibaud Count of Chartres but I could not find it either in Sanson or Du Val's Maps Conches Capital of a small Country call'd Ouche Pagus Ebroicus is seated near the source of a small River four leagues West of Evreux and has a renowned Abby of Benedictin Monks under the Name of St. Peter and St. Paul Louviers upon the Eure four leagues North of Evreux and six South of Rouen is but a small Town however famous for the noise that some Nuns who pretended to be possessed by the Devil made in the beginning of this Age. CHAP. VII Of Lower Normandy The Bishoprick of Lizieux THis Countrey called by the Inhabitants Lieuvin and by Caesar Lexovii or Lexobii is above seventeen leagues North and South and sixteen East and West It is included between the Sea and the Bishopricks of Evreux Seez and Bayeux and is one of the most fruitful parts of Normandy because of the many Rivers that water it Lizieux Noviomagus Lexoviorum the Capital is scituated upon the River Lezon Tolca six leagues South of the Sea Its Cathedral is dedicated to St. Peter and the first Bishop of it recorded in History is one Lithare who assisted to the first Council of Orleance under Clovis the Great in 511 This Town is renowned for its Fountains and Earthen Wares The other Towns or considerable Burroughs are Pont l'Evêque four leagues North of Lizieux It is renowned for its Cheese Honfleur Haneflotum a Sea-port Town four leagues Northeast upon the mouth of the Seyne over against Harfleur Pont Audemer Pons Audmari or as the Vulgar write Ponteau de Mar built by a French Nobleman of that Name is situated upon the Rille eleven leagues West of Rouen and renown'd for its Saucizes which are brought down to Paris The Inhabitants had formerly their Mayor Sheriffs and Charters André of Villars since Admiral of France took it for the League in 1592. But while he was fortifying it Bosse-rosé one of his Captains got into Fescamp and delivered it to King Henry IV. In 1279. a Council was kept there for the Reformation of Manners Brionne Brionia formerly a strong Town with the title of a County is seated upon the same River six leagues higher to the South Bernay Bernacum upon the Carentone is four leagues South-east of Brionne there is an Abby of Benedictin Monks founded by Judith Richard's of Normandy Dutchess Montreuil Largille upon the River Ternant lyes five leagues South-east of Bernay Mongommery upon a small River nine miles South-west of Lizieux has the title of a County it belonged first to the House of Ponthieu thence to that of Harcourt and has been enjoyed by the Dukes of Longueville since the Year 1485. Cormeilles Cormeliae upon the River Callone four leagues North-east of Lizieux has an Abby of S. Bennets Order and Orbec upon a River of that Name lyes four leagues South of the same Town there is also Tiberville Tibertivilla The Bishoprick of Seez THis Diocess included between the Government of Orleanois the Bishoprick of Evreux Lizieux and Bayeux reaches above 25 leagues North-west and South-east and has not above 10 or 11 leagues extent where it is broadest The Capital Seez is an Ancient Bishoprick since in the Year 540 it had already had ten or twelve Bishops of whom Sigebold is accounted the first by Duchesne This Town is not mention'd by the Ancient Geographers for ought we know for the Sessavii of Caesar were a Maritime People whereas the Saji or Sagii as the French Historian call the Inhabitants of Seez are separated from the Sea by the Lexovii The Town is situated near the source of the River Orne 13 leagues South of Lizieux and the Civil Jurisdiction is partly Royal depending upon Falaise and partly Dukal resorting to Alencon There has been of late Years a Contestation between a Jansenist Clergyman and the Bishop of this Town this Clergyman is the same who has written the Court's Bishop and several other Treatises in which he most cruelly exposes the Prelates contrary to his Party His Name is Le Noir as I take it to be and he was Theologal of Seez Alencon Alentio six leagues South-west of Seez is a good and fine Town with a Bailiwick and the title of a Dutchy and Peerdom erected by the French King Charles VI. in 1413 It lyes in a fruitful Soil between the Forrests of Escouis and Perseigne and is seated upon the Sarte where that River receives the Briante which forms a small Island within the Town In the Parish of our Lady are to be seen the Tombs of the Dukes of Alencon There was formerly a Court of Exchequer but it was suppress'd in 1584. after the Death of Francis last Duke of Alencon It is the same that would have Married Queen Elizabeth and who was Crown'd Duke of Brabant in 1582. This Town and adjacent Territories the Alenconois have been first possessed by the Posterity of these Normand Lords who conquer'd the whole Province from the French Robert the last of them
a soâ—â— Hill the Burrough of Monte-Bourg Montis Baâ—â—gus with an Abby of St. Bennets Orâ—â—â— built by our King Henry I. There is 〈◊〉 kept every Saturday one of the greatest Markeâ—â— in the Countrey Three miles South-west near the sourse of tâ—â— Ouve and a large Forrest lyes the Town â—â— Valogne Walonia built by one Walo whicâ— word in the Old Language of the French bâ—yond the Seyne signify'd a Good man but is noâ— surnamed La Hogne a word not quite so oâ—â— intended to express the litigious and quarrâ—â—some Humour of its Inhabitants This Towâ— has a Castle the title of Viscounty and Elecâ—â—on a Bailiwick and a seat of Justice for Waâ—â—â— and Forrests Five leagues North-east upon the Sea-coâ—â—â— lyes the Burrough of La Hogue Ogae and 〈◊〉 leagues North-west upon the same Coast 〈◊〉 Town of Barfleur Barhaflot These two plaâ—â—â— were renown'd formerly because our Kâ—â— used to Land there when they went over inâ—â— France The first is yet in some Esteem for 〈◊〉 Fishing and the second for being seated in â— Valley most fruitful in Corn and therefore call'd in Latin Vallis Cereris But both wâ—â—â— be more known to Posterity for the late Selâ— fight between the English and French in 169â— where the latter had 20 of their best Shiâ—â— burnt or sunk without the loss of one man oâ— War on our side Seven leagues West of Barfleur is the strong Town of Cherbourg in Latin call'd Caro burgâ—â— and by more Ancient Authors Caesaris Burgâ—â— â—ome pretend for that reason that Julius Caesar was the Founder of it but in nine years which â—â—e bestow'd on the Conquest of the Gauls he â—ould hardly spare so much time as to employ it â—n building so that such Towns as bear his Name seem rather to be the Work of August who took the Name of Caesar after his Adoption or of the Roman Forces quartered in the Countrey Besides the strength of its situation â—n a sandy place overflow'd by the Sea twice a â—ay the French have fortified it lately It is â—he last Town which remained in the hands of â—he English under the French King Charles VII â—o whom they were forced to yield it in 1453. Four leagues West of Cherbourg lyes the Town of Beaumont a league from the Coast Six leagues Southward is the Sea-port Town of Barneville Four leagues to the East upon the River Baupteys over against Barneville is the Castle and Burrough of St. Sauveur le Viscounte an Ancient Viscounty erected into a Bailiwick about the Year 1560. Seven leagues Southward is another Burough called St. Sauueur Landelin erected into a County by the French King Charles VI. and given for part of his Portion to Lewis of Orleance It has a Bailiwick and Viscounty upon which the Burrough of Periers is depending Three leagues Westwards upon the Sea cost lyes the strong Castle of Pirou renowned for a vast quantity of wild Swans and Geese The Bishoprick of Avranches THis Countrey called by the Inhabitants Aâ—ranchin or Avranchinois has little Brittâ—â— and the Mayne on the Sputh and South-east 〈◊〉 Bishopricks of Bayeux and Coutance on the North-east and North and the Sea on the West 〈◊〉 reaches about 14 leagues East and West 〈◊〉 8 North and South some take its Inhabitantâ— for the Ambiliates of Caesar but 't is more probable that they are the Abrincatui of Pliny aâ—â— Ptolomy The chief Town Avranches Ingeâ—â— Abrincatuorum is seated upon the Rivers See aâ—â— Selune Seva and Senuna upon a Hill a gooâ— mile from the Bay of St. Michael It s not a vâ—ry big City but strengthned with good Waâ—â— and Ditches It was erected into a Bishopricâ— by Clovis the Great and Nepus its first or sâ—cond Prelate appeared in that Quality in thâ— first Council of Orleance in 511. The Episcopiâ— Palace is said to be one of the finest and strongest in Normandy Besides the Cathedral undeâ— the Name of St. Andrew there are several Parochial Churches and Monasteries a Bailiwick Viscounty and Election Seven miles West of Avranches lyes in the Sea a Rock formerly the dwelling place of Anacherets In 708. a Bishop of Avranches called Aâ—bert by Duchesne and Patern by De Valois consecrated a Church upon the top of it to St. Miâ—hael the Archangel and placed there 12 Caâ—â—ons The Dukes of Normandy having since endowed this Church with good Revenues and Richard I. repair'd or beautify'd it in the middle of the tenth Century People began to build there Houses and it became in process of time a good Burrough bearing likewise the Name of St. Michael A wholsome Fountain which cures several Diseases and the Conveniency of making Salt by throwing Sea-water upon a Sand that is to be found in this Mountain did not a little contribute to the encrease of this place which is rugged and unaccessible all round about except on a side that is Wall'd The Soil is a Gravelly Ground that is overflowed by the Tide which makes the Latin Authors call it Mons S. Michaelis in periculo Maris Over against it is another Rock called Tombelaine which had likewise a strong Castle that has been demolished Both Rocks are Nam'd in Latin Tumbae but because that of the Abby of St. Michael is the greatest of the two the other got the Name of Tumbella whence the French have made Tombelaine Three miles Southwards near the mouth of the Couesnon lyes the Town of Pontorson Pons Urstonis that bears the Name of its Founder Mortain Moretonium is a small Town seven leagues South-east of Avranches with the Title of a County erected in 1041. There is a Bailiwick Election and Viscounty upon which the Castelny of Tinchebray is depending Mortain was formerly a place almost impregnable by reason of its situation and Out-works Two or 3 leagues Eastwards lyes a famous Wood caâ—led la Forêt des landes pourries About the same dâ—stance towards the North you meet with a Hâ—â— Named Brombalium la Bute de Brimbal whenâ— spring four Rivers that take each a differeâ—â—course viz. the See Seva the Vire Viria the Egraine Egrannia and the Nereau Nigra Aqua CHAP. VIII Of Brittanny LIttle Brittain is a kind of Peninsula being included the Sea on the North West and South and having part of Poictou Anjou le Maine and Normandy on the South-east It is one of the biggest Provinces of France comprehending the greatest part of the third Lyonnoile and being extended above 70 leagues East and West and above 45 North and South from the Sea near Normandy to the Borders of Poictou but it s none of the fertilest having but little Corn and that black too little or no Wine but a great many Meadows a vast number of Marshes and Forrests some Iron Lead and Silver Mines and the best Sea-ports in the whole Kingdom They reap a great quantity of Hemp of which they make Linnen their Woods and Meadows give them the conveniency of breeding good Race-Horses and a vast number of black Cattel and Sheep that furnish