at vvhat time he defended Rhodes from the Turks An. 1409. Their Collar is of fifteen links to shew the fifteen mysteries of the Virgin at the end is the portraiture of our Lady with the history of the Annunciation Instead of a Motto these letters F. E. R. T. id est Fortitudo Ejus Rhodum Tenuit are engraven in every plate or link of the Collar each link being inter-woven one within the other in form of a True-lovers knot The number of the Knights is fourteen besides the Duke who is the Soveraign of the Order the solemnitie is held annually on our Lady-day in the Castle of Saint Peter in Turin So from this victory for every repulse of the besieger is a victory to the besieged there arose a double effect first the institution of this order secondly the assumption of the present Arms of this Dutchy which are G. a Cross A. This being the cross of Saint John of Hierusalem whose Knights at that time vvere owners of the Rhodes Whereas before the Arms vvere Or an Eagle displayed with two heads Sable armed Gules supporting in fesse an escotchion of Saxony that is Barrewise six pieces Sable and Or a Bend flowred Vert. A coat belonging to the Emperors of the house of Saxony from whom the first Earles of Savoy did derive themselves 3. THE SIGNEURIE OF GENEVA GENEVA is a City in the Dukedom of Savoy formerly subject to its own Bishops acknowledging the Dukes of Savoy for the Lord in chief now reckoned as a Free-Estate bordering close upon the Switzers and with them confederate and so more properly within the course and compass of these Alpine Provinces It is situate on the South-side of the Lake Lemane opposite to the City of Lozanne in the Canton of Bern from which it is distant six Dutch miles the River Rhosne having passed thorow the Lake with so clear a colour that it seemeth not at all to mingle with the waters of it running thorow the lower part thereof over which there is a passage by two fair bridges This lower part is seated on a flat or levell the rest on the ascent of an hill the buildings fair and of free-stone well fortified on both sides both by Art and Nature in regard of the pretensions of the Duke of Savoy whom they suffer not to arm any Gallies upon the Lake and other jealousies of State The compass of the whole City is about two miles in which there are supposed to be about sixteen or seventeen thousand soules One of their bridges is more antient and better fortified than the other belonging antiently to the Switzers or Helvetians the old inhabitants of that tract but broken down by Julius Caesar to hinder them from passing that way into France The people of the town are generally of good wits in the managery of publick business but not very courteous towards strangers of whom they exact as much as may be modest and thrifty in apparell and speak for the most part the Savoyard or worst kind of French So that the great resort of young Gentlemen thither is not so much to learn that Language which is no where worse taught as out of an opinion which their parents have that the Reformed Religion is no where so purely practised and professed as there By means whereof the frie or seminarie of our Gentry being seasoned in their youth with Genevan principles have many times proved disaffected to the forms of Government as well Monarchicall as Episcopall which they found established here at home to the great imbroilment of the state in matters of most near concernment The women are sayd to be more chast or at least more reserved than in any other place in the World which possibly may be ascribed to that severity with which they punish all offendors in that kind Dancing by no means tolerated in publick or private Adulterie expiated by no less than death Fornication for the first offence with nine dayes fasting upon bread and water in prison for the second with whipping for the third with banishment But notwithstanding this severity they make love in secret and are as amorous in their daliances as in other places The Territories of it are very small extending not above two Leagues and an half from any part of the Town but the soyl if well manured bringeth Grain of all sorts and great store of Wine There is likewise plenty of pasture and feeding grounds which furnish the City with flesh-meats butter and cheese at very reasonable rates the nearness of the Lake affording them both Fish and Wild-fowl in good measure and amongst others as some say the best Carps in Europe But the main improvement of this State is by the industry of the people and the convenient situation of the City it self the City being situated very well for the trade of Merchandise in regard it is the ordinary passage for transporting Commodities out of Germany to the Marts at Lions and from thence back again to Germany Switzerland and some parts of Italy And for the industry of the people it is discernable in that great store of Armor and Apparell and other necessaries brought from hence yearly by those of Bern and their Mannfactures in Satten Velvet Taffata and some quantities of Cloth fine but not durable transported hence yearly into other places The Soveraignty of this City was antiently in the Earls hereof at first Imperiall Officers only but at last the hereditary Princes of it Betwixt these and the Bishops Suffragans to the Metropolitan of Vienna in Daulphine grew many quarrels for the absolute command hereof In fine the Bishops did obtain of the Emperor Frederick the first that they and their successors should be the sole Princes of Geneva free from all Taxes and not accomptable to any but the Emperor Which notwithstanding the Earls continuing still to molest the Bishops they were fain to call unto their ayd the Earl of Savoy who took upon him first as Protector onely but after by degrees as the Lord in chief For when the rights of the Earls of Geneva by the Mariage of Thomas Earl of Savoy with Beatrix a daughter of these Earls fell into that house then Ame or Amadee the sixt of that name obtained of the Emperor Charles the fourth to be Vicar-generall of the Empire in his own Country and in that right superior to the Bishop in all Temporall matters and Ame or Amadee the first Duke got from Pope Martin to the great prejudice of the Bishops a grant of all the Temporal jurisdiction of it After vvhich time the Bishops were constrained to do homage to the Dukes of Savoy and acknowledge them for their Soveraign Lords the Autority of the Dukes being grown so great notwithstanding that the people were immediately subject to their Bishop onely that the Money in Geneva vvas stamped with the Dukes name and figure Capitall offenders were pardoned by him no sentence of Law executed till his Officers were first made acquainted nor
the same sense and for the same pleasant situation called loyâ—ux Guard in the time of Lancelot du Lake whos 's that Castle was Which appears further by a Tower built at Constantinople by 〈◊〉 the third of that name Lord hereof being then 〈◊〉 to the Emperour from King Philip â—ugustus with this inscription Turris 〈◊〉 which there continued to be seen a long time after 2 Belle-ville where is an Abbie founded by Humâ—ert the second Anno 1158. 3 Ville Franche environed with Walls by Humbert the fourth whose Sonne Guâ—scheâ—d the third above mentioned founded here a Convent of Franciscans called to this day Minâ—rette 4 Noironde 5 St. Maâ—rice 6 Vâ—fie 7 Obâ—hes concerning which there have been long and many Wars betwixt the Earls of Forrest and these Lords of Beau-jeu This Countrie as that other of Fourest was once part of the Earldom of Lions in the partaâ—e of which â—state it fell to Omphroy one of the Brothers of Earl Aâ—tand Anno 989. whose Successor had no other title than Lords of Beau-jeu They were most of them men of great piety founders of many Collegiate and conventuall Churches some of them of action also Humbert the second and the fifth Adventurers in the Wars of the Holy Land Vichard the second in those against the English Guischard the fourth made Constable of France by King Lewis the ninth But the house failing in this Guischâ—rd it was united unto that of the Earls of Forrest as before is said in the person of Regâ—and Earl thereof whose Sonne and Successour called Lewis was also Constable of France as Edward the Grand-child of this Lewis a Marshall of it But at the last it fell into the hands of a lewd and wicked Prince Edward the second who being imprisoned at 〈◊〉 for his great offences and overlaid with Wars by the Dukes of Savoy made a donation or free gift of all his â—â—gneuries to Lewis Duke of Bourbon surnamed the good and direct Heir of Guy Earl of Forrest the eldest Sonne of Regnand Earl of Forrest and Lord of Beau-jeu above mentioned and consequently of next kin to him Anno 1400. 4 AUVERGNE hath on the East Forrest and Lyonis on the West Limosin Perigort and Quâ—reu on the South part of 〈◊〉 and on the North Berry and Bourbonnois It is divided into the Higher and Lower The Lower being called Limaigne is fruitfull in a very eminent degree the Higher mountainous and baren In this last the Towns of chief note are 1 St. Flour a Bishops See of an impregnable situation 2 Ovillac on the River Iourdain defended with a strong Castle on the top of a Rock 3 Beouregard on the River Gardon 4 Carlat 5 Murat 6 Pillon of which little observable in antient stories In the Lower called Limaigne from a River of that name which falls into the Ailier there is 1 Clermont a Bishops See fair and pleasing for the situation and Fountains descending from the hills of the higher Auverâ—n the chief Citie of the whole Province Most memorable in these later Ages for the Councill here called by Pope Vrban the second Anno 1067. in which by the artifice of the Pope the Christian Princes of the West ingaged themselves in the Wars of the Holy Land giving thereby the better opportunity to the Popes to enlarge both their Territories and their power It was first raised out of the ruines of Gergovia the head Citie of the Auverni in the time of Saesar and the seat Royall of Vercingetorex King of that Nation who so long put him to his trumps with an Army of 138000 men now a small Village Called Gergeau 2 Rion in which resides the Seneschall or chief Governour of the Lower Auvergn 3 Montpensier of great note for the Princes of the house of Bourbon once Dukes hereof beginning in Lewis the first Earl Sonne of John Duke of Bourbon Anno 1415 and ending in Henry the last Duke whose Daughter and Heir was maried to the Duke of Orleans Brother of Lewis the thirteenth 4 Montferant 5 Yssoire 6 Bâ—ionde 7 Aigueperse 8 Turenne the antient Seat and Patrimony of the De Lâ— Tours now Soveraigns of Sedan and Dukes of Bouillon to whom it hath for some ages since given the title of Viscount A family descended from the Heirs generall of Eustace Earl of Bouâ—oâ—ne in Picardy Father to Gâ—dfrey of Bouillon Duke of Lorreine The Country first inhabited in the times of the Romans by the potent Nation of the Auverni whose King 〈◊〉 was taken prisoner and led in triumph unto Rome in the War against the Salii the Atlobroges and others of their Confederates Not fully conquered till Caesar had subdued their King Vâ—rcingetorix They were afterwards part of the Province of Aquitania prima retaining in the often changes of the Empire its old name of Auvergn heretofore part of the great Dutchie of Aquitaine remaining subject to those Dukes till William the eighth Duke and the fourth of that name gave it in Portion with one of his Daughters in whose line it continued under the title of the Dâ—uchins of Auvergn till Berault the last Earl or Dauphin of it Who having maried the Heir of Guy Earl of Forrest the Sonne of Regnaud above mentioned had by her a Daughter named Anne Heir of both Estates maried to Lewis the good the third Duke of Bourbâ—n to whom Edward the last Lord of Beau-jeu made a Donation or surrendry of that Signeurie also uniting in his person the distinct Estates of Bourbon Beau-jea Forrest and Auvergne And as for Barbonnois it self in the distractions of the French Empire by the posterity of Charles the Great who most improvidently cantoned it into many great Estates and petit Signeuries it sell unto the share of the potent Family of the Damâ—ierre descended from the antient house of Bourgogne who held it till the year 1308. At what time Lewis the ninth for the advancement of Robert Earl of Clermont in Beauvâ—isin his fift Son maried him to Beatrix Daughter and Heir of Archenbald Dampierre the last of that house Lewis the Sonne of this Robert was the first Duke of this Line whose successours and their atchievements follow in this Catalogue of The Lords and Dukes of Bourbon 1308. 1 Robert Sonne of King Lewis the 9th Earl of Clermont the first Lord of Bourbon of the house of France 1317. 2 Lewis the first Duke of Bourbon Peer and Chamberlain of France 1341. 3 Peter Peer and Chamberlain slain in the Battle of Poictiers Anno 1356. 1356. 4 Lewis II. called the Good in whose person all these Estates were first united Peer and Chamberlain of France and Governour of King Charles the sixth 1410. 5 John Peer and Chamberlain taken Prisoner at the Battle of Agincourt and died in 〈◊〉 the root of the Familie of Montpensier 1434. 6 Charles Peer and Chamberlain Generall of the Army against the English in the life of France 1456. 7 Iohn II Peer Chamberlain and Constable of France 1487. 8 Peter II. Brother of Iohn
with Catharine Daughter and sole Heir of Gaston Sonne of Gaston Earl of Foix and of Leanora Princess of Navarre added to his Estate the Signeuries of Bearn Foix and Begorre And Henry of Albret his Sonne by marying the Lady Margaret Sister of King Francis the first united to it those of Armaignac and Comminges By Iean the Daughter of this Henry the whole Estate was brought to Antonie of Bourbon Duke of Vendosme and Father to King Henry the 4th becoming so united to the Crown of Frauce from which it was at first dismembred The Arms of these Earles were Quarterly 1 France 2 Gules a Border ingrailed Arg The 3d c. 7 As for the Countrie of AGENOIS the last part of Gascoigne it never had other Lords after it left off to be French than the Dukes of Aquitaine The principall Cities of it 1 Agen a rich populous and well-traded Town seated on the Garonne in a fruitfull Countrie A Bishops See a Seneschalsie and held to be the fairest in Gascoigne 2 Condon a Bishops See also from which the parts adjoyning are called Condonnois 3 Villeneufne 4 Claerac 5 Marmand 6 Foy c. Thus having took a brief view of those severall members which made up the great bodie of the Dukedom of Aquitaine let us next look on the Estate of the whole thus brought together which in the declination of the Roman Empire was given unto the Gothes before possessed of all Gallia Narbonensis by Valentinian the 3d as a reward for their service in driving the Alani out of Spain Long the Gothes had not held it when they were outed of it by Clovis the fifth King of the French continuing under his Successors till Ludovicus Pius made it a Kingdom and gave it unto Pepin his youngest Sonne But Charles and Pepin the Sonnes of this Pepin being dispossessed by Charles the Bald it was by him conferred on Arnulph of the house of Burgundie for his many good services against the Normans Anno 844. Whose Successors take here in this order following The Dukes of Aquitaine 844. 1 Ranulph of Burgundy first Duke of Aquitaine 875 2 William Earl of Auvergne Nephew of Ranulph 902. 3 Ebles Earl of Poictou succeeded in Aquitaine and Auvergne by the Will and Testament of Duke William 911. 4 Ebles II. Sonne of Ebles the first 935. 5 Wâ—lliam II. the Sonne of Ebles the second 970. 6 William III. Sonne of William the second 1019. 7 Guy the Sonne of William the third 1021. 8 William IV. Sonne of Guy 1086. 9 William V. Sonne of William the fourth 1156. 10 Lewis the seventh of France in right of Eleanor his Wife sole Heir of William the fifth 1152 11 Henry Duke of Normandie and Earl of Anjou c. in right of Eleaâ—or his Wife divorced from Lewis on pretence of some consanguinity after King of England 1169. 12 Richard King of England the Sonne of Henry 1199. 13 Iohn King of England the Brother of Richard who forfeiting his estates in France on a judiciall sentence pronounced against him for the supposed murther of his Nephew Arthur Duke of Bretagne Aquitaine and the rest of the English Provinces were seized on by the French Anno 1202. But notwithstanding this Arrest the English still continued their pretensions to it till at the last it was agreed betwixt King Lewis the 9th of France and Henry the 3d of England Anno 1259. That the English should rest satisfied with Guienne the bounds whereof were to be the Pyrenees on the South and the River of Charente on the North comprehending therein also the Countrie of Limosin and that on his investiture into this estate he should relinquish all his rights in Normandy Aujou Tourein Maâ—â—e In consideration whereof he should have 150000 Crowns in readie money On this accord the Kings of England became Homagers to the Crown of Fraâ—ce which sometimes they omitted sometimes did it by Proxie but never in person till Philip de â—aloâ—s required it of K. Edw. the third and because such duties are not personally done by Soveraign Princes Du Serres shall describe the formality of it The place designed for this exploit was the Church of Amiens to which Edward came saith he with such a Train as was entended rather to the honour of himself than the French King Royally attired he was with a long Robe of Crimson Velvâ—t powdred with Leopards of Gold his Crown upon his head his Sword by his side and Golden spurres upon his heels Philip attended by the chief Officers of the Realm sat upon his Throne apparelled in a long robe of purple Velvet powdred with Flower de Lyces of Gold his Crown upon his head and the Scepter in his hand Vicount Melun the great Chamberlain of France commanded Edward to take off his Crown sword and spurres and to kneel down which he did accordingly Then taking both his hands and joyning them together he said unto him You become a Liege man to the King my Master who is here present as Duke of Guienne aud Peer of France and promise to be faithfull and loyall to him say yea and Edward said yea and arose But the Historian notes withall that Philip paid dearly for this Pageant the young King never forgetting the indignity which was put upon him till he had made France a field of blood And here it is to be observed that though the Kings of England by this new investiture were entituled Dukes of Gâ—ienne onely yet they had all the power and privileges of Dukes of Aquitaine excepting the homage of the great Lords and Earls of Gascoigne which formerly belonged unto them Insomuch as Richaâ—d the second though Duke of Guienne onely in stile and title invested his Vncle John of Gaunt in that brave estate under the stile and title of Duke of Aquitaine summoned to Parliament by that name by the said King Richard From this Accord betwixt the Kings the English had posession of the Dukedom of Guienne according to the order of their Successions from the 40th of King Henry the third Anno 1259 to the 29th of King Henry the sixth Anno 1452 the intercalation of John of Gaunt excepted onely when outed of all their old rights in France rather by the good fortnne than by the valour of Charles the seventh the English then divided in Domestick Factions and not at leisure to look after the affairs of France Nor doe I find that Guienne beeing thus recovered was ever dismembred from that Crown but when King Lewis the 11th assigned it over to his Brother the Duke of Berry to take him off from joyning with the Dukes of Bretagne and Burgundie in a new â—onfederacy who held it but two years and died the last Duke of Guienne The Arms of this Dukedom were Gules a Leopard or Lyon Or which joyned to the two Lyons of Normandy make the Arms of England 13 LANGUEDOC LANGUEDOC is bounded with the Pyrenaean hils the Land of Roâ—sillon and the Mediterranean on the South on the North
made the first Earl of Provence by Boson the first King of Burgundiâ— He was after King of Burgundiâ— and Italie also 2 William d' Arles the Sonne of Hugh 3 Gâ—llert â—arl of Provence the Father oâ— the Lady Doulce 1082. 4 Raymond Aâ—nold Earl of Barcelone the Husband of the Ladie Daâ—lce of Provence 1131. 5 Berengâ—r Raymond the 2d Sonne of Raymond Arnold and the Ladie Doulce 6 Raymond II. Sonne of Berengar Raymond 1173. 7 Alfonso King of Aragon and E. of Barcilone the Sonne and Heir of Raymond Earl of Barcelone eldest Sonne unto Raymond Arnold and the Ladie Doulce 1196. 8 Alforso II. second sonne of Alfonso the first succeeded in the Earldom of Provence his elder Brother Pedâ—o inheriting the Realm of Aragon and the Earldom of Barcelone 9 Raymond III. Sonne of Alâ—onso the last Earl of Provence of this Line 1261. 10 Charles of Valois Earl of Anjou and in right of Beatrix his Wife one of the Daughters of Raymond the 3d Earl of Provence He was also King of Naples Sicil c. 1282. 11 Charles II. King of Naples and Earl of Provence 1310. 12 Robert King of Naples and Earl of Provence 1342. 13 Ioan Queen of Naples and Countess of Provence 1371. 14 Lewis Duke of Anjou the adopted Sonne of Queen Ioan Earl of Provence and titularie King of Naples c. Of whose descent from Charles de Valois Earl of Anjou and Provence wee have spoke elsewhere 1385. 15 Lewis II. Duke of Anjou Earl of Provence c. 1416. 16 Lewis III. Duke of Anjou Earl of Provence c. 1430. 17 Renè Brother of Lewis Duke of Anjou c. 1480. 18 Charles Earl of Maine Sonne of Charles Earl of Maine the Brother of Renè succeded in all the estates and titles of his Vncle and at his death gave Provence to King Lewis the 11th his Cousin German as being the Sonne of Charles the 7th and Mary Daughter of Lewis the 2d Duke of Anjou Sister of Lewis the 3d and Renè the preceding Dukes and of Charles Father of this Charles the last Earl of Provence Immediately on whose decease Decemb. 19th Anno 1481. the King sent a Commission to Palamede de Forban Lord of Sollieâ— Câ—amberlain of Earl Charles to take possession of the Countrey in his name and command there in as Leiutenant Generall Since which time Provence never was dismembred from the Crown of France so much as in the way of Apennage or any honourarie title amongst the Kings Children What the Revenues of it were to the former Earls I am not able to say having no good autoritie to proceed upon Onely I find that besides the Lands belonging to the Earls hereof and oâ—her cuâ—omâ—ry and casuall Taxes there was a Tax called the 〈…〉 being sixteen Florens levied upon every fire which reckoning 3500 fires for such the estimate oâ— them was amounted yearly unto 50000 Fioreâ—s Now it is subject to the rigour and uncertainty of the Kings Taxations as well as all the rest of France And so much of those Provinces which properly made up the Kingdoms of the French and Gothes let us next look on those which at the same time were subdued by the Burgundians whose History Kingdom and Estate are to be considered before we come to the description of their severall Provinces The Kingdom of BURGUNDY THe Kingdom of the BURGUNDâ—ANS at their first settlement in Gaul contained all those Provinces of the Roman Empire then called the 〈…〉 and Poenâ—nae Maxima Sequarorum Lugannensis Primâ— and Viennensis now passing under the new names of the Dâ—bâ—dom and County of Burgundy Switzerland the Grisons 〈◊〉 Saâ—oy La Bâ—esse Daulâ—hne Laonois and some part of the Dukedom of Bourben A â—air and large quantity of ground able at once to tempt and satisfie an ambitious Nation But the Burgundiâ—ns came not into Gâ—ulâ— of their own accord though of their own accord they drew somewhat neer it In their Originall they were a people bordering neer the Vandals if not a Tribe or Sept of them and dwelling in those parts in which are now the Dukedoms of Meckâ—nhurg and Pomerania At the time that Dâ—usuâ— and Tiberius warred in Germany they were utterly barbarous living in Tents only here and there clapped up Which being in their own language called â—urgâ— gave them the name of Burgundians amongst the Romans in the same sense as the wild Arabs had â—he name of Scenitae amongst the Greâ—ks from the like kinde of living In the yeer 416. at the instigation of the Vandals they left their own seats and planted themselves in the Towns and Villages belonging now to the Marquesses of â—aden and Electors of the Rhene About which time they received the Christian Faith being then miserably oppressed by the Hunnes breaking upon them out of Pannenia Not finding any other way to free themselves of that Enemie they betook themselves to the God of the Christiâ—â—s and were universally baptized After which falling on the Hunnes they slew no less than 30000 of them in one battell from that time forwards never troubled with that barbarous Nation Christians then they were and Orthodox in their profession before their coming into Gaule and for that reason called in by Stilico to oppose the French then threatning an invasion of the Roman Provinces Upon this invitation they passed over the River with an Armie of 80000 fighting men possessing themselves of all which lay from the farthest shore of the Rhosue to the Alpes of Italy and from the mountain Vauge to the Mediterranean Provence onely excepted about the same time planted by the Gothes Their Government was under Kings Many according to their tribes when they lived in Germany Monarchicall when setled in the Realm of France where they had these five Kings of the Burgundians A. Ch. 408. 1 Tibica who first brought the Burgundians into Gaule 2 Gundioch 3 Gundebault Vncle to Clotilda Wife to Clovis the fift King of the French by her perswasion made inclinable to the Christian Faith 4 Sigismund 5 Gundomar the Sonne of Sigismund first set upon by Clodemire the Sonne of Clovis King of Orleans whom he slew in battel neer Austun but afterward outed of his Kingdom by Childebert and Clotair Kings of Paris and Soissons in revenge of the death of their Brother Clodomire And so the Kingdom of the Burgundians fell unto the French after it had continued about 120 yeers Guntram the Sonne of Clotaire and Clovis one of the Sonnes of Dagobert the first being in their times honoured with the titles of Kings of Burgundy But the first time that the Kingdom of Burgundy â—etled amongst the French in the way of succession was in the partage of that vast Empire of Charlemaigne amongst the Children and posterity of Ludovicus Pâ—us In constituting of which Kingdom Provence was added to the reckoning to make this answerable to the other parts of that broken monarchie The first of these Fâ—â—â—ch Kings was Charles the youngest Sonne of Lotharius
And so it proved in the Event 18 Charles VI. a weak and distracted Prince in whose reign Henry the fifth of England called in by the faction of Burgundy against that of Orleans maried the Lady Catharine Daughter of this King and was thereupon made Regent of France during the Kings life and Heir apparent of the Kingdom But he had first won the great battel of Agincourt in which the English having an Army but of 15000 vanquished an Army of the French consisting of 52000 men of which were slain 5 Dukes 8 Earls 25 Lords 8000 Knights and Gentlemen of note and 25000 of the Commons the English losing but one Duke one Earl and 600 Souldiers This unfortunate Prince lost what his predecessor Philip the ad had taken from King Iohn of England and had not been restored by King Lewis the ninth 1423. 19 Charles VII Sonne of Charles the sixt after a long and bloodie War recovered from the English then divided by domestick dissentions all their Lands and Signiories in France except Calice only 1461. 20 Lewis XI Sonne of Charls the seventh added unto his Crown the Dukedom of Burgundie the Earldom of Provence and therewithall a Title unto Naples and Sicil and a great part of Picardy A Prince of so great wants or such sordid parsimony that there is found a Reckoning in the Chamber of Accompts in Paris of two shillings for new sleeves to his old doublet and three half pence for liquor to grease his Boots 21 Charles VIII Sonne of Lewis the 11th who quickly won and as soon lost the Kingdom of Naples which he laid claim to in the right of the house of Anjou By the mariage of Anne the Heir of Bretagne he added that Dukedom to his Crown 1498. 22 Lewis XII Sonne of Charles and Grand-sonne of Lewis Dukes of Oriâ—â—ans which Lewis was a younger Sonne of Charles the fifth succeeded as the neâ—t Heir-male of the house of Valois He dispossessed Ludowick Sforzâ— of the Dutchie of Millaine and divided the Realm of Naples with Ferdinand the Catholick but held neither long By his mariage with Anne of Bretagne the Widow of his Predecessour he confirmed that Dukedom to his House and united it unto the Realm by an Act of State After his death the English to prevent the growing greatness of Spaine began to close in with the French and grew into great correspondencies with them insomuch that all the following Kings untill Lewis the 13th except Francis the 2d a King of one yeer and no more were all Knights of the Garter 1515. 23 Francis Duke of Angolesme Grand-sonne of Iohn of Angolesme one of the younger Sonnes of the said Lewis Duke of Orleans succeeded on the death of Lewis the 12th without iâ—â—ue male Took Prisoner at the battel of Pavie by Charles the fifth with whom he held perpetual wars he being as unwilling to indure a superiour as the Emperour was to admit an equall 32. 1547. 24 Henry II. Sonne of Francis recovered Caliâ—e from the English and drove Charles out of Germanie and took from him Mets â—oui and Verdun three Imperial Cities ever since Members of this Kingdom 12. 1559. 25 Francis II. Sonne of Henry the 2d King of the Scots also in the right of Mary his Wife 1560. 26 Charles IX Brother of Francis the 2d the Author of the Massacre at Paris 14. 1574. 27 Henry III. elected King of Poland in the life of his Brother whom he succeeded at his death The last King of the House of Valois stripped of his Life and Kingdom by the Guisian Faction called the Holy League 15. 1589. 28 Henry IV. King of Navarre and Duke of Vendosme succeeded as the next Heir-male to Henry the 3d in the right of the House of Bourbon descended from Robert Earl of Clermont a youunger Sonne of Lewis the 9th He ruined the Holy League cleered France of the Spaniards into which they had been called by that potenâ— and rebellious Faction and laid La Bresse unto the Crown together with the Estates of Bearn and Base Navarre and after a ten years time of peace was villainously murdered by Ravillac in the streets of Paris 21. 1610. 29 Lewis XIII Sonne of Henry the 4th the most absolute King of France since the death of Charles the Great For the reduction of the scattered and dismembred Provinces the work of his many Predecessors he added the reduction of all the Ports and Garrisons held by the Hugonots in that Kingdom seized on the Dukedom of Bar and surprized that of Lorreine both which he held untill his death 32. 1642. 30 Lewis XIV Sonne of Lewis the 13th and of the Lady Anne eldest Daughter of Philip the third of Spaine succeeded at the age of four years under the Government of his Mother the 30th King of the Line of Capet the 43 from Charles the Great and the 64 King of France or rather of the French now living As for the Government of these Kings it is meerly Regal or to give it the true name Despoticall such as that of a Master over his Servants the Kings will going for a Law and his Edicts as valid as a Sentence of the Court of Parliament Quod Principi placuerit Legis habet vigorem was a Prerogative belonging to the Roman Emperours as Justinian tells us in his Institutes and the French Kings descending from Charles the Great claim it as their own The Kings Edicts alwayes ending with these binding words Car tel est nostre Plaisir for such is our pleasure And though he sometimes send his Edicts to be verified or approved in the Parliament of Paris and his Grants and Patents to be ratified in the Chamber of Accompts there holden yet this is nothing but a meer formalitie and point of circumstance those Courts not daring to refuse what the King proposeth It is Car tel est nostre plaisir which there goeth for Law And by this intimation of his Royall pleasure doth he require such Taxes as the necessity of his Affairs the greediness of his Officers or the importunity of Suters doe suggest unto him The Patrimonie of the Crown being so exhausted by the riot and improvidence of former Princes that the King hath no other way to maintain his State defray his Garrisons reward such as deserve well of him and support those that depend upon him but only by laying what he pleaseth on the backs of his Subjects against which there is no dispute by the common People though many times the Great Princes have demurred upon it And therefore to make them also instrumentall to the publick 〈◊〉 the Kings are willing to admit them to some part of the spoyl to give them some exâ—mptions from those common burdens and to connive at their oppressing of their Teâ—ants against all good conscience that being so privileged themselves they may not interrupt the King in his Regal â—ourses The power of the French King over his Subjects being so transcendent it cannot be but that
by the learned Camden This as it is the largest Province of all this Kingdom so was it with most difficulty subjected to the Crown of England and reduced to good order and civility First conquered by Iohn Curâ—â— a valiant 〈…〉 in the reign of King Henry the 2d by whom created Earl of Vlster But being maligned for his eminent vertues and after proscribed by King Iohn this Title and Estate were both conâ—erred upon Hugh Licie the Lord and Conquerour of Meth whom before we spake of By an Heir Generall of the Lacies it came unto the Burghs then Lords of Connaught and by the mariage of Elâ—zabeth Daughter and Heir of Richard de Burgh the last Earl of that â—amily it came to Leonel Duke of Clarence the second Sonne then living of King Edward the 3d as by his Daughter Philip to the Earls of March from them by the like mariage to the house of York and in the person of King Edward the 4th to the Crown again But being neglected by the English in the whole courâ—e of their Government especially in the Wars betwixt York and Lancaster it was cantonned into many estates and Principalities by the great Lords of the naturall Irish who had born too great sway here in the former times and so estranged from the civilitâ—es of England and their Allegiance to that Crown as if it had never been in subjection to it In which estate it did continue the Kings of England having here no more power or profit than the great ones of the Countrey were pleased to give them till the Rebellion 〈◊〉 and afterwards the Vanquishment of Hugh Oneal the then Earl of 〈◊〉 Oen brought it in full subjection to the English-Government of which more hereafter 4 CONNAVGHT in Latine called Connacia by the Irish Connaght is bounded on the North with Vlster on the West with the Main Ocean on the South with Mâ—unster from which parted by the River Shanon and on the East with Meth and some part of Lâ—inster So called from the Nagnatae an old Irish Nation or from Nagnata a Port-Town both placed by Ptolomie in this tract The Soil of the same tâ—mper with that of 〈◊〉 as woodie and as full of bogs till these later times in which indifferently well cleered of both inconveniences It hath been also called by our English Writers the Countie of Clare from Thomas de Clare one of the younger Sonnes of Gilbert de Clare Earl of Glocester on whom it was conferred by King Edward the first and is divided at the present into these five Shires that is to say 1 Letriâ— 2 â—oscommon 3 Maio 4 Slego and 5 Galloway and Twomond In which are comprehended but six Towns of any consequence for commerce and traffick an Argument of the imperfect plantation of it by the English Conquerors and about 24 Castles for defence of the Countrie of old erection besides such Fortresses as have been raised occasionally in these later troubles Places of most note and observation 1 Toam an Archbishops See 2 Athenry an antient Town but decaied and ruinous of most renown for being the Baronie of John de Bermingham a noble Englishman who had great possessions in this tract 3 Letrim the chief Town of the Counâ—ie so named neighboured by the Curlew-Mountains unfortunately memorable for the great defeat there given the English in Tir-Oens rebellion and by the Spring or Fountain of the River henin or Shanon whose course we have before described 4 Slego and 5 Roscommon the chief Towns of their severall Counties 6 Athlone a Peece of great strength and the Key of 〈◊〉 7 Twomond not otherwise much observable but for giving the title of an â—arl to the noble Family of O-Brian descended from the Kings of Connaught advanced unto that honour by King Henry the 8th 8 Galloway the principall of this Province a Bishops See and the 〈◊〉 Citie of the Kingdom for beautie and bigness Situate neer the fall of the great Lake or River 〈◊〉 orbes in the Western Ocean A noted Emporie and lately of so great fame with forein Merchants that an out-landish Merchant meeting with an Irishman demanded in what part of Galloway Ireland stood as if Galloway had been the name of the Iland and Ireland onely the name of some Town This once a Kingdom of it self as the rest of those Provinces the last King whereof was Rodorick surnamed the Great who having a great hand over the rest of the Roytelets entituled himself sole Monarch or King of Ireland But being forced to submit himself to king Henry the 2d his Countrey at the last was brought into subjection to the Crown of England by the valour and good fortune of Wâ—lliam de Burgh Gilbert de Clare Earl of Glocester Williâ—m de Bermingham and other noble Adventurers of the English Nation And though all of them did pâ—rtake of the fruit of their labours yet the greatest part of the spoil together with the title of Lords of Coâ—naught fell to the Family of the Burghs from them to Lionel D. of Clarence and by degrees unto the Crown as before was shewn Cantonned again amongst the Irish and degenerate Engliâ—â— as Vlster was by the supine neglect of the Kings of England till the Rebellion of Tiâ—-Oâ—n involving all the Chiefs of the Irish Nation in the same cause with him involved them also consequently in the same destruction 5 MOVNSTER by the Latines called Momonia is bounded on the North with Connaught on the East with Leinster on the West with the Atlantâ—â—k or Western Ocean and on the South with the Vergivian By the naturall Irish it is called Mown whence the English had the name of Mounster A Province which for rich Towns commodious Havens fair Rivers and the fertilitie of the Soil yeelds not to any in the Kingdom It is divided into six Counties viz. 1 Limerick 2 Waterford 3 Cork 4 Desmond 5 Kâ—rry and 6 Tipperarie which two last antiently enjoyed all the rights of a Countie Palatine And in these Shires are comprehended besides many safe Stations and Rodes for Shipping 24 owns of note and trading and 66 Castles of old erection Places of most observation 1 Cassiles in the Countie of Limerick an Archbishops See â—dvanced unto that honour by Pope Eugenius the third about the year 1150. 2 〈◊〉 the principall of that Countie and the fourth in estimation of all the Kingdom Situate in an Iland compassed round about with the River Shanon by which means well fortified a well-frequâ—nted Emporie and a Bishops See Distant from the main Ocean about 60 miles but â—o accomoâ—â—ed by the River that ships of burden come up close to the very wals The Castle and the Bridge peeces of great both strength and beautie were of the foundation oâ— King â—ohn exceedingly delighted with the situation 3 Clonmel in the Countie of Tipperarie of great strength and consequence 4 Holy Cross in the same County also once flourishing by reason of the great resort of Pilgrims to see
Adolphus 1475 13 William V. of Berg and VI. of Gulick son of Gerrard 1511 14 Marie daughter and heir of William Dutchesse of Gulick and Berg conveyed the whole Estate in marriage to John the 3. Duke of Cleve and Earl of March continuing in that Familie till the expiration of it in the person of John Williliam the last Prince hereof anno 1610. 4 The Earldom of MARCH or MARK hath on the East and North Westphalia on the West the Dukedom of Cleve on the South that of Berg or Mont. So called as being seated in the Marches of Westphalen out of which it was taken The Countrie for the most part like the rest of Westphalen more fit for pasturage then corn woodie and yeelding store of pawnage to those heards of swine with which it plentifully abounds Chief places in it are 1 Werden upon the River Ruer on the edge of Westphalia the people whereof get great wealth by grazing of Cattle 2 Soest in Latine Susatum for wealth and greatnesse not inferiour to any in Westphalen except Munster only consisting of ten parishes and lording it over many rich and pleasant Villages Anciently it belonged to the Bishops of Colen but in the year 1444. did voluntarily yeild it self to the Duke of Cleve being then Earl of March also and by Duke John the 4. courageously defended against those Prelates 3 Arusberg a fine and pleasant site used for a retiring place by the Electours of Colen unto whom it belongs 4 Dortmond in Latine Tremonia a Countie anciently of it self and held immediately of the Empire possessed by the Troâ—manni a tribe of the Suevians from whence first called Tretmania and at last Tremonia 5 blancostein built commodiously by Adolphus the fift of that name and first Earl of March as was also 6 Hâ—m or Hammone 7 Vnna of which nothing memorable 8 Altena the first title of the Earls of this house before they assumed that of the Earls of March assumed first by Adolphus the 4. on the Conquest of some Lands in the Marches of Westphalen continuing in that Familie till united with Cleve As for the Earldom or Dukedom of CLEVE out of which it was taken and to which the rest of those estates did in time accrew it was one of the most ancient Estates or Principalities in these parts of the world continuing in a direct line for the space of 900 years held by them of the Kings of France and afterwards of the Kings of Lorrain till the incorporating of that Kingdom with the German Empire Begun first by Elias Grullius companion to Charls Martel in his wars against the Frisons Saxons and Bavarians whose son Theodorick added hereto by marriage the Countie of Teisterbant containing the Towns and Seigneuries of Aliena in Wesiphalen as also of Bomel Heusden Buren Culemberg in the Belgick Provinces By Baldwin the sixt Earl was added the territory of Twentzen in Latine Regio Tuentana given him by Ludovicus Pius by Theodorick the fift the town and Seigneurie of Duislake setled upon him on his marriage with Mathilda the heir thereof by Theodorick the 9. the County of Hulkenrade near Nuys in the land of Colen together with the towns of Duysburg and Culembourg bought of Rodolphus Habspurgensis by John his son the town and territory of Keisarswerd bought of Charles the 4. By Adolph the 29. Earl the Earldome of March formerly taken out of it was again united by Adolph his successour made the first Duke hereof by the Emperour Sigismund anno 1417. the Lordships of Gennep Duiffels and Reixwald bought of the said Emperour together with the County of Ravenstein the Towns of Leoburg Limers and Hatteren for the ransome of William Duke of Berg and other noble persons taken prisoners by him anno 1397. by John the first Duke of that name the Town and territory of Soest and finally by John the 3. the Dukedomes of Berg and Gulick as heir thereof by his mother Mary sole daughter and heir of William the fift and sixt the last Duke thereof To which great height this ancient and noble family had not long attained and thereby made themselves and their sons and daughters fit matches for the greatest Princes but it pleased God to bring it to its fatall end and by that means to dissipateâ— his brave estate in the hands of strangers as shall be shewed in the Conclusion of this Catalogue of The EARLES and DUKES of CLEVE A. Ch. 717 1 Elias Grallius companion in the wars of Charles Martell 732 2 Theodorick Earl of Cleve and Lord of Teisterbant 755 3 Rainold son of Theodorick Earl of Cleve and Teisterbant 767 4 Conon of great fame in Armes under Charles the great 778 5 John son of Conon marryed the daughter of Michael Curopalates Emperour of Constantinople 790 6 Robert the eldest son of John 798 7 Baldwin the brother of Earl Robert After whose death anno 830. the Earldone of Teisterbant was taken out of it and made the portion of Robert a younger son from whom descended the two houses of March and Berg. 830 8 Ludowick son of Baldwin 834 9 Eberard brother of Ludovick who gave Teisterbant to his brother Robert 843 10 Luithardus Earl of Cleve 878 11 Baldwin II. 928 12 Arnold 968 13 Wignan son of Arnold 1004 14 Conrade made an Earl of the Empire in the life of his father 1045 15 Theodorick II. 1088 16 Theodorick III. companion of Godfrey of Bovillon in the holy Land 1114 17 Arnold II. brother of Theodorick the 3. 1161 18 Theodorick IV. 19 Arnold III. 1205 20 Arnold IV. 1218 21 Theodorick V. 1229 22 Theodorick VI. 1247 23 Theodorick VII 1255 24 Theodorick VIII 1271 25 Theodorick IX 26 Otho son of Theodorick 1309 27 Theodorick X. brother of Otho II. 2325 28 John brother of Theodorick and Canon of Colen the last of the masculine issue of Elias Grallius 29 Adolphus the VII of March son of Adolph the 6. of March and Mary of Cleve first Archbishop of Colen as six of this house of March had been almost successively before him succeeded on the death of his Uncle John to the Earldome of Cleve inaugurated thereunto by Charles the 4. 1389 30 Adolph II. of Cleve and VIII of March created the first Duke of Cleve by the Emperour Sigismund at the Councell of Constance anno 1417. 1443 31 John III. son of Adolph Duke of Cleve Earl of March and Lord of Ravenstein 1481 32 John II. of the rank of Dukes and the IV of the Earls 1521 33 John III. Duke of Cleve and Earl of March c. by descent from his Father and Duke of Gulick and Berg in right of his wife daughter and heir of William the last Duke thereof 1539 34 William son of John the 3. and Mary his wife daughter and sole heir of William the last Duke of Gulick and Berg father of the Lady Anne of Cleve one of the wives of Henry the 8. of England He contended very strongly against Charles the fift for
League contracted by the people of any validity vvithout his privity and allowance and finally the Keyes of the Town presented to him as often as he pleased to lodge there as once for instance to Duke Charles the third comming thither with Beatrix his Wife a daughter of Portugall And in this state it stood till the year 1528 the Bishop being all this vvhile their immediate Lord and having jus gladii alias civilis jurisdictionis partes as Calvin himself confesseth in an Epistle to Cardinal Sadolet But in that year Religion being then altered in the Canton of Bern near adjoyning to them Viret and Farellus did endeavour it in Geneva also But finding that the Bishop and his Clergy did not like their doings they screwed themselves into the people and by their ayd in a popular tumult compelled the Bishop and his Clergy to abandon the Town And though the Bishop made them many fair overtures out of an hope to be restored to his Estate yet would they never hearken to him nor admit of him any more being once thrust out Nor did they only in that tumult alter the Doctrin and Orders of the Church before established but changed the Government of the State also disclaming all allegiance both to Duke and Bishop and standing on their own Liberty as a Free-Commonwealth And though all this was done by Viret and Farellus before Calvins comming to that City which was not till the year 1536 yet being come suffragio meo comprobavi as he saith himself no man was forwarder than he to approve the Action But Calvin being come amongst them made their Divinity Reader and one of the ordinary Preachers he first negotiated with them to abjure the Papacie and never more admit their Bishop to which he found a cheerful and unanimous consent in all the people Then finding that no Ecclesiasticall discipline was in use amongst them he dealt with them to admit of one of his own composing which at last he obtained also but with very great difficulty and got it ratified by the Senate July the 20th 1537. The next year after the people weary of this new yoke and he and his Colleagues Farellut and Coraldus as resolute to hold them to it they were all three banished the Town in a popular humor and with like levitie sued to to return again to which he would by no means yeeld except they would oblige themselves by a solemn Oath to admit of such a form of Discipline as he with the advice of the other Ministers should prescribe unto them This being condescended to by that fickle multitude he returns in triumph to Geneva September the thirteenth 1541 and got his new Discipline established on the twentieth of November following The sum of the device was this All Ministers to be equall amongst themselves two Lay-men to be super-added unto every Minister the Minister to continue for term of life the Lay-Elders to be annually chosen these being met together to be called the Presbyterie and to have power of Ordination Censures Absolution and whatsoever else was acted by the Bishop formerly Hitherto it related to Geneva only which being but one City and a small one too was not capable of more than one Presbyterie The names and notions of Classicall Provinciall and Nationall Assemblies came not in till afterwards as it got ground in Kingdoms and larger Provinces This Platform though of purpose framed to content the people yet since the Lay-officers were to be but annuall and after subject to the lash like other Mortals it gave but sorry satisfaction unto wiser men And being built withall on a false foundation was for a long time hardly able to stand alone and fain at twelve years end to borrow a support from Zurich and others of the Protestant Cantons whom Calvin earnestly sollicited to allow his project against which one Perinus and some principall Citizens had begun to spurn And so we have the true beginning of the Genevian Discipline begotten in Rebellion born in Sedition and nursed up by Faction Being born into the World by the means aforesayd some other helps it had to make it acceptable and approved of in other Churches As first the great content it gave to the common people to see themselves intrusted with the weightiest matters of Religion and thereby an equalitie with if not by reason of their number being two for one a superiority above their Ministers Next the great reputation which Calvin for his diligence in Writing and Preaching had attained unto made all his Dictates as authentick amongst some Divines as ever the Popes Ipse dixit in the Church of Rome Whereby it came to pass in a little time that only those Churches which embraced the Doctrines and Discipline authorised by Calvin were called the Reformed Churches those in high Germany and elswhere which adhered to Luther being generally called by no other name than the Lutherans or the Lutheran Churches as not reformed enough from the dregs of Rome Then comes in his endeavours to promote that Platform in all other Churches which he had calculated for the Meridian of Geneva only commending it to Gasper Olevianus Minister of the Church of Triers as appearby his Letters dated April the twelf 1560 congratulating the reception of it in the Churches of Poland as appeareth by others of his Letters And for the last help comes in Beza who not content to recommend it as convenient for the use of the Church beyond which Calvin did not go imposed it as a matter necessary upon all the Churches so necessary ut ab ea recedere non magis liceat quam ab ipsius Religionis placit is that it was utterly as unlawfull to recede from this as from the most materiall points of the Christian Faith So he Epist 83. By means whereof their followers in most of the Reformed Churches drove on so furiously that rather than their Discipline should not be admitted and the Episcopall Government destroied in all the Churches of CHRIST they were resolved to depose Kings ruin Kingdoms and to subvert the fundamentall constitutions of all civill States And hereunto their own Ambition gave them spur enough affecting the supremacy in their severall Parishes that they themselves might Lord it over Gods inheritance under pretence of setting CHRIST upon his Throne Upon which love to the preheminence they did not only prate against the Bishops with malitious words as Diotrephes for the same reason did against the Apostles but not therewith content neither would they themselves receive them nor permit them that would casting them out of the Church with reproach and infamy Which proud ambition in the ordinary Parochiall Minister was cunningly fomented by some great persons and many Lay-Patrons in all places who underhand aimed at a further end the one to raise themselves great fortunes out of Bishops Lands the other to keep those Tythes themselves to which by the Law they only were to nominate some deserving Person Such were the helps
this Island being the seat Royall of the French in Gallâ—a gave name to all the residue of it as they made it theirs A Countrey generally so fruitfull and delectable except in Gastinois that the very hills thereof are equall to the vallies in most places of Europe but the Vale of Monâ—morâ—ncie wherein Paris standeth scarce to be fellowed in the Word An Argument whereof may be that when the Dukes of Berry Burgundie and their Confederates besieged that City with an Armie of 100000 men neither the Assailants without nor the Citizens within found any scarcitie of victuals and yet the Citizens besides Souldiers were reckoned at â—â—0000 It was formerly part of the Province of Belgica secunda and Lugdunensis quarta the chief Inhabitants thereof being the 〈◊〉 the Bellovaci and the Silvanectes and is now divided into four parts that is to say the Dukedom of Valois 2 Gastinois 3 Heurepoix and that which is properly called the Isâ—e of France by some the Prevoste or County of Paris 1 The Dukedom or Countie of VALOIS lieth towards Picardie the principall Cities of it called Senlis in Latin Silvanectum a Bishops See 2 Compeigne Compendium seated on the River Oise a retâ—ing plâ—ce of the French Kings for hunting and other Countrey pleasures 3 Beauvois the chief City of the Bâ—llâ—vaci by ` Ptolomic called Caesaromagus a fair large well-traded Town and a See Episcopall the Bishop whereof is one of the twelve Peers of France Philip one of the Bishops here in times foregoing a militarie man and one that had much damnified the English Borders was fortunately taken by King Richard the first The Pope being made acquainted with his Imprisonment but not the cause of it wrote in his behalf unto the King as for an Ecclesiasticall person and one of his beloved Sonnes The King returned unto the Pope the Armour which the Bishop was taken in and these words engraven on the same Vide an haec sit tunica filii tui vel non being the words which Jacobs children spake unto him when they presented him with the Coat of their brother Joseph Which the Pope viewing swore That it was rather the Coat of a Sonne of Mars than a Sonne of the Church and so left him wholly to the Kings pleasure 4 Clermont a Town of good note in the Countie Beauvoisia memorable for giving the title of Earl of Clermont to Râ—bert the fifth Sonne of the King St. Lewis before his mariage with the Daughter and Heir of Bourbon and afterwards to the Eldest Sonnes of that Princely Familie 5 Luzarch a Town belonging to the Count of Soissons 6 Brenonville 7. St. Loup on the Confines of Pirardie so called from a Monastery dedicated to S. Luviu Bishop of Troys in Champagne sent into Britain with Germanus to suppress the Pelagian Heresies which then were beginning But of this part of France nothing more observable than that it gave denomination to the Royall Familie of the French Kings 13 in number from hence entituled de Valois beginning in Philip de Valois Anno 1328. and ending in Henry the third Anno 1589. As for the Earls hereof from whom that Adjunct or denomination had it's first Original the first who had the title of Earl of Valois was Charles the second Sonne of Philip the third in right of his Wife Earl of Anjou also After whose death it descended upon Philip de Valois his Eldest Sonne who carried the Crown of France from our Edward the third On whose assuming of the Crown it fell to Lewis his second Brother and he deceasing without issue Anno 1391. to Lewis Duke of Orleans Sonne of Charles the fifth amongst the titles of which house it lay dormant till the expiring of that Line in King Lewis the twelfth and lately given unto a Sonne of the now Duke of Orleans Vncle to King Lewis the fourteenth at this present reigning I onely adde that Charles the first Earl of this Family as he was the Sonne of Philip the third Brother of Philip the fourth surnamed the Fair and Father of Philip de Valois So was he Vncle to Lewis Hutin Philip the Long and Charles the Fair all in their order Kings of France In which regard it was said of him that he was Sonne Brother Father and Vncle of Kings yet no King himself 2 The second part of this Province is called HEVREPOIX beginning at the little bridge of Paris on the River of Sein and going up along the River as far as the River of Verine which divides it from Gastinois The chief Towns of it are 1. Charenton three miles from Paris where the French Protestants of that City have their Church for Religious exercises it being not permitted them to hold their Assemblies in any walled Cities or Garrison Towns for fear of any sudden surprize which so great a multitude might easily make Which Church or Temple as they call it being burnt down by the hot-headed Parisians on the news of the Duke of Mayennes death slain at the siege of Montalban Anno 1622. was presently reedified by the Command of the Duke of Mom-bazon then Governour of the Isle of France at the charge of the State to let those of the Reformed party understand that it was their disobedience and not their Religion which caused the King to arm against them 2 Corbeil seated on the Confluence of Sein and Essons 3. Moret which gives the Title of an Earl to one of the naturall Sonnes of Henry the fourth begotten on the Daughter and Heir of the former Earl 4. Melun by Caesar called Melodunum the principal of this Heurepoix and the seat of the Baylif for this Tract Here is also in this part the Royall Palace of Fountain-bel-eau so called from the many fair Springs and Fountains amongst which it standeth but otherwise seated in a solitary and woodie Country fit for hunting only and for that cause much visited by the French Kings in their times of leisure and beautified with so much cost by King Henry the fourth that it is absolutely the stateliest and most magnificent pile of building in all France 3 GASTINOYS the most drie and baren part of this Province but rich enough if compared with other places lieth between Paris and the Countrie of Orleanoys The chief places of it are 1. Estampes in the middle way betwixt Paris and Orleans on the very edge of it towards La Beausse a fair large Town having in it five Churches and one of them a College of Chanoins with the ruines of an antient Castle which together with the Walls and demolished Fortifications of it shew it to have been of great importance in the former times Given with the title of an Earl by Charles Duke of Orleans then Lord hereof to Richard the third Sonne of Iohn of Montfort Duke of Bretagne in mariage with his Sister the Lady Margusrite from which mariage issued Francis Earl of Estampes the last Duke of Bretagne 2. Montleherry Famous for the battle
and King Lewis the 11th the first of which never digested the restoring of it to that King being pawned unto his Father together with Corbie Amiens and Abbeville for no less than 400000 Crowns the later never would forgive the Earl of S. Paul for detaining it from him though under colour of his service A Town of greater note in succeeding times for the famous battle of St. Quintins Anno 1557. wherein King Philip the second of Spain with the help of the English under command of the Earl of Pembroke overthrew the whole Forces of the French made themselves Masters of the Town and thereby grew so formidable to the French King that the Duke of Guise was in Post hast sent for out of Italic where his affairs began to prosper to look unto the safety of France it self III. More towards Hainalt and Lorrein lieth the Countrie of RETHELOIS so called of Rethel the chief Town well fortified as the rest of the Frontire places but of most note amongst the French in that the eldest sonnes of the Dukes of Nevers have usually been entituled Earls and Dukes of Rethel united to that Familie by the mariage of Lewis of Flanders Earl of Nevers with the Daughter and Heir of James Earl of Rethel Anno 1312 or thereabouts 2 St. Monhaud a Town of consequence and strength 3 Sygni a strong peece belonging to the Marquess of Vieu-Ville 4 Chasteau-Portian of more beautie but of like importance IV. Finally in the Dutchie of TIERASCHE the last part of the higher Picardie we have the Town of Guise of some note for the Castle but of more for the Lords thereof of the Ducall Familie of Lorrein from hence entituled Dukes of Guise A Familie which within a little compass of time produced two Cardinals the one entituled of Guise the other of Lorrein six Dukes that is to say the Duke of Guise Mayenne Aumal Elbeuf Aguillon and Cheureuse the Earl of Samarive and besides many Daughters maried into the best houses in France one maried to lamâ—s the 5th King of the Scots The first and he that gave the rise unto all the rest of this potent Family was Claud â—onne to Rene the second Duke of Lorrein and husband to Antomette Daughter to the Duke of Vendosme in respect of which alliance he was honoured with this title The second was Francis who endangered the Realm of Naples resisted the siedge of the Emperor Charles at Mets drove him out of Provence took Calice from Q. Mary and was at last treacherously slain at the siedge of Orleans Anno 1563. The third was Henry that great enemy of the Protestants who contrived the great Massacre at Paris and almost dispossessed Henry the third of all France He began the holy league and was finally slain at Bloys by the command of King Henry the 3d. But we must know that this Town did antiently belong to the Dukes of Lorrein and had given the title of Guise to Frederick the second sonne of Iohn and Charles the third sonne of Râ—ne both the first of those names before Claud of Lorrein was advanced to the title of Duke Of most note next to Guise it self is 2 Ripemont on the South of Guise 3 Chastelet upon the border towards Luxembourg a strong Town and one of the best outworks of France 4 Mazâ—ers upon the Maes or Mâ—use a place of great strength and like importance As for the state of this whole Province I doe not finde that it was ever passed over by the French Kings unto any one hand as almost all the rest of France had been at some time or other but distracted into divers Lordships Some of which fell to the Crown of France by confiscations and others by conquest Some held of England some of the Earls of Artois and others of Flanders and lastly of the Dukes of Burgundie as Lords of those Provinces those which depended upon England being seized on by Charles the 7th on the loss of Normandie by the English as those which held of Burgundie were by Lewis his sonne immediately on the death of Duke Charles at the battel of Nancie Anno 1476. NORMANDIE NORMANDIE is bounded on the East with the River Some which parteth it from Picardie on the West with Bretagne and some part of the Ocean on the North with the English Channel by which divided from England and on the South with France specially so called and the County of Maine It made up the whole Province of Lugdunensis Secunda in the time of the Romans the Metropolis whereof was Roven and in the greatness of the French Empire had the name of Neustria corruptly so called for Westria the name of Westria or Westonrich being given by some to this part of the Realm of West-France as that of Austria or Ostenrich to a part of East-France Afterwards being bestowed upon the Normans by Charles the Simple it was called Normandie In this Countrie is the little Signeurie of IVIDOT heretofore said to be a free and absolute Kingdom advanced to that high dignitie by Clotaire the seventh King of the French who having abused the wife of one Gautier de Ividot so called because of his dwelling here and afterward to prevent revenge killed the man himself to make some satisfaction to his Familie for so great an injury erected the Lordship of Ividot to the estate of a Kingdom and gave unto the heirs of this Gâ—utier or Walter all the prerogative of a free and absolute Monarch as to make Laws coyn money and the like From hence the French call a man that hath but small demaines to maintain a great title a Roy d' Ividot At last but at what time I know not it fell again to a Lordship and belongeth now to the house of Bellay in Bretagne But to proceed from the poor Kingdom of Ividot to the rich Dukedom of Normandie for largeness of Extent multitudes of People number and stateliness of Cities fertilitie of Soyl and the commodiousness of the Seas it may worthily be accompted the chief Province of France Well watered with the River Seine which runneth quite thorough it as do also 2 the Orne and 3 the Avâ—n not to say any thing of 4 Robee 5 Ante and 6 Reinelle and many others of less note In length it reacheth 170 miles and about 60 in bredth where it is narrowest containing in that round the largest and fairest Corn-fields that are to be seen in all France Of all other naturall commodities it is extreme plentifull excepting Wines which the Northern coldness of the Climate admits not of or sparingly at the best and of no perfection The people of it formerly renowned for feats of Arms the Conquerours of England Naples Sicil and the Kingdom of Aâ—tioch in the East at this time thought to be of a more sharp and subtill wit than the rest of the French Scavans au possible en proceces plaideries saith Ortelius of them especially in the quillets and quirks of Law It is
divided into the Higher and the Lower the Lower containing the Sea coasts and the Higher the more Inland parts Principall Cities of the whole 1 Constance a Bishops See the Spire or Steeple of whose Cathedrall is easily discernable afar off both by Sea and Land and serveth Saylers for a Landmark From hence the Country hereabouts hath the name of Constantin 2 Auranches situate on a rock with a fair prospect over the English Channell but more neer to Bretagn than the other the chief Citie of the Abrincantes called Ingena by Ptolomie now a Bishops See 3 Caen Cadomum in Latine an Episcopall See as the other Strong populous and well built seated upon the River Orne second in Reputation of the whole Province but more especially famous for the Sepulchre of William the Conquerour the Vniversitie founded here by King Henry the 5th and for the long resistance which it made against him in his Conquest of Normanite 4. Baieux the â—ivitas Baiocassium of Antoninus from whence the Countrie round about hath the name of Bâ—ssin Memorable of a long time for a See Episcopal One of the Bishops whereof called Odo Brother unto William the Conquerour by the Mothers side was by him created Earl of Kent and afterwards on some just displeasure committed Prisoner For which when quarreled by the Pope the Clergie being then exempted from the Secular Powers â—he returned this answer that he had committed the Earl of Kent not the Bishop of Bayeux By which distinction he avoided the Popes displeasure 5. Roven of old Râ—thomarâ—m pleasantly seated on the Seine and watered with the two little Riverets of Robeâ— and Râ—inâ—lie which keep it very sweet and clean The Citie for the most part well built of large circuit and great trading the second for bigness wealth and beauty in all France antiently the Metropolis of this Province and an Arch-Bishops See and honoured of late times with a Court of Parliament erected here by Lewis the twelfth Anno 1501. In the Cathedrall Church hereof a Reverend but no beautifull fabrick is to be seen the Sepulchre of Jâ—hâ— Duke of Bedford and Regent of France for King Henry the sixt which when an envious Courtier perswaded Charles the eighth to deface God forbid saith he that I should wrong him being dead whom living all the power of France was not able to withstand adding withall that he deserved a better Monument than the English had bestowed upon him And to say truth the Tomb is but mean and poor short of the merits of the man and carrying no proportion to so great a vertue 6 Falaise upon the River Ante once of strength and note the dwelling place of Arlette a Skinners Daughter and the Mother of William the Conquerour whom Duke Robert passing through the Town took such notice of as he beheld her in a dance amongst other Damosells that he sent for her to accompany him that night in bed and begot on her William the Bastard Duke of Normandy and King of England Her immodesty that night said to be so great that either in regard thereof or in spite to her Sonne the English called all Strumpets by the name of Harlots the word continuing to this day 7 Vernaville Vernolâ—um in Latine in former times accompted one of the Bulwarks of Normandie against the French Of which it is reported that when news was brought to Richard the first that Philip surnamed Augustuâ— the French King had laid siedge unto it he should say these words I will never turn my back till I have confronted those cowardly French men For performance of which Princely word he caused a passage to be broken thorough the Palace of Westminster and came so unexpected upon his Enemies that they raised their siedge and hastned homewards 8 Alanson of most note for giving the title of Earl and Duke to many Princes of the Royal Familie of Valois beginning in Charles de Valois the Father of Philip de Valois French King and continuing for eight successions till the death of Charles the fourth Duke of this line conferred occasionally after that on many of the younger Princes of the Royal Familie 9. Lysieux on the North-East of Alanson a Bishops See the chief Town of the Lexobii as 10 Caux of the Caletes both placed by Caesar in these parts 11. Eureux an Episcopal See also by Ptolomie called Mediolanium the chief Citie antiently of the Eburones and still a rich and flourishing Town the third in estimation of all this Province 12. Gisors a strong frontire Town towards France whilst Normandie was in the hands of the English or under its own Dukes and Princes notable for the many repulses given unto the French And 13. Pontoyse another frontier upon France so called of the Bridge on the River of Oyse which divides France from Normandie on which the Town is situate and by which well fortified on that side but taken at the second coming of Charles the 7th after an ignominious flight hence upon the noyse only of the coming of the Duke of York commander at that time of the Province and the English Forces 14. Albemarl contractedly Aumerl most memorable for giving the title of Earl to the Noble Familie De Fortibus Lords of Holderness in England and of Duke to Edward Earl of Rutland after Duke of York More towards the Sea 15. S. Valenies seated on a small but secure Bay betwixt Dieppe and New Haven 16. Dieppe at the mouth of a little River so named opening into a large and capacious Bay a Town of Trade especially for the Newfound-Land remarkable for its fidelity to Henry the 4th in the midst of his troubles When the Confederates of the Guisian faction called the Holy League had outed him of almost all the rest of his Cities compelled him to betake himself hither from whence he might more easily hoise Sail for England and called him in derision the King of Dieppe 17. New-Haven the Port Town to Roven and Paris situate at the mouth of the River Seine from hence by great Ships navigable as far as Roven by lesser unto Pont de l' Arch 70 miles from Paris the Bridge of Roven formerly broken down by the English to secure the Town lying unrepaired to this day by means of the Parisians for the better trading of their City By the French it is called Havre de Grace and Franciscopolis by the Latines repaired and fortified the better to confront the English by King Francis the first and from thence so named Delivered by the Prince of Conde and his faction into the hands of Q. Elizabeth of England as a Town of caution for the landing of such forces as she was to send to their relief in the first civil War of France about Religion and by the help of the same faction taken from her again as soon as their differences were compounded By means whereof the Hugonots were not only weakned for the present but made uncapable of any succours out of England for the
in the North-west towards Xantoigne the seat of the Eugolismenses in the time of the Romans now a Bishops See seated upon the River of Charente with which it is almost encompassed the other side being defended by a steep and rocky mountain A Town of great importance when possessed by the English being one of their best out-works for defence of Bourdeaux one of the Gates hereof being to this day called Chande seems to have been the work of Sir Iohn Chandoâ—s Banneret one of the first Founders of the most noble Order of the Garter then Governour hereof for King Edward the third Being recovered from the English by Charles the fifth it was bestowed on Iohn the third Sonne of Lewis Duke of Orleans Grandfather of King Francis the first with the title of an Earldom onely Anno 1408. Afterwards made a Dukedom in the person of the said King Francis before his comming to the Crown And for the greater honour of it as much of the adjoyning Countrie was laid unto it as maketh up a Territorie of about 24 French Leagues in length and 15 in bredth Within which circuit are the Towns of Chasteau-netâ—f and Coignac on the River of Charente 3 Roche Faulcon 4 Chabannes 5 Meriville 6 Villebois c. Since that united to the Crown it hath of late times given the title of Duke to Charles Earl of Auvergne Anno 1618. The Base Sonne of Charles the ninth consequently extracted from the house of Angolesme 3 QUERCU is encompassed about with Limosin Perigort Languedoc and Auvergne A populous Countrie for the bigness being one of the least in all France and very fruitfull withall though somewhat mountainous The principall places in it 1 Cahors the chief Citie of the Cadurcâ— in the times of the Romans still a great strong and well traded Town and the See of a Bishop who is also the Temâ—orall Lord of it seated upon the River Loch From hence descended and took name the noble Family of Chaworth De Cadurcis in Latine out of which by a Daughter of Patrick de Cadurcis Lord of Ogmore and Kidwelly in the Marches of Wales maried to Henry the third Earl of Lancaster come the Kings of England and most of the Royall houses in Europe 2 Montalban a Bishops See also built on the top of an high mountain and so well fortified by all advantages of Art that it is thought to be the most defensible of any in France of which it gave sufficient proof in that notable resistance which it made to King Lewis the thirteenth in his Wars against those of the Religion Anno 1622. 3 Soulac upon the River Dordonne 4 Nigrepellisse another of the Towns possessed by the Protestant party reduced to the obedience of King Lewis the thirteenth Anno 1621. but in Novemb. following they murdered the Kings Garrison and the next yeer denied admission to the King Taken at last Anno 1622. by the King in person the punishment did exceed the Crime For the men were not only killed and hanged as they had deserved but many of the women also some of them having their secret parts rammed with Gun-powder and so torn in peeces by the unpattern'd Barbarism of the merciless and revengefull Souldiers 5 Chasteau-Sarasin a strong Town on the Garond 6 Nazaret 7 Burette c. The antient Inhabitants of these 3 Provinces were the Lemovices the Petrocorii and the Cadurci before-mentioned of which the Lemovices and Cadurci were cast into the Province of Aquitania Prima the Petrocorii and Engolismenses into Aquitania Secunda In the declining of that Empire seized on by the Gothes but from them speedily extorted by the conquering French Afterwards when King Henry the third of England released his right in the Provinces of Normandy Poictou Anjou Tourein and Maine Lewis the ninth to whom this release was made gave him in satisfaction of all former interesses 300000 l. of Anjovin money the Dukedom of Guienne the Countie of Xaintoigne as far as to the River of Charent with the Province of Limosin And on the Capitulations made betwixt Edward the third of England and John of France then Prisoner to him Perigort and Quenou amongst other conditions were consigned over to the English discharged of all Resort and Homage to the Crown of France After which times respectively they remained all three in the possession of the English untill their finall expulsion by King Charles the seventh never since that dismembred from the Crown thereof 14 AQUITAIN THe Dukedom of AQUITAIN the greatest and goodliest of all France contained the Provinces of Xaintogne 2 Guienne 3 Gascoigne with the Isles of Oleron and Rees and other Islands in the Aquitainick or Western Ocean 1 XAINTOIGNE is bounded on the East with Limosin and Perigort on the West with the Aquitaâ—ick Ocean on the North with Poictou and on the South with Guienne So called from Sainctes one of the Principall Cities of it as that from the Santones a Nation here inhabiting in the time of the Romans whose chief Citie it was The River of Charente running thorow the middle of it and so on the North border of it emptieth it self into the Ocean just opposite to the Isle of Oleron having first taken in the Seugne and the Boutonne two lesser Rivers The chief Towns of it are 1 Sainctes by Ptolomie called Mediolanum by Antonine Civitas Santonum seated upon the Charente a Bishops See and the Seneschalsie for the Countrie 2 S. John d' Angelie situate on the Boutonne a Town impregnably fortified whereof it hath given sufficient testimonie in the Civill Wars of France about Religion 3 Marans a little port but in a marishy and inconvenient situation 4 Bourg sur la mer upon the Dordonne which for the wideness of it is here called a Sea 5 Retraicte seated near the confluence of the two great Rivers the Garond and the Dordonne 6 Blaye the most Southern Town of all this Countrie defended with a strong Castle and a good Garrison for securing the passage unto Bourdeaux this Town being seated on the very mouth of the River which goeth up to it 7 Rochell Rupella in the present Latine but antiently called Santonum Portus as the chief Haven of the Santones a well noted Port in the most northern part of Xaintoigne from whence the Countrie hereabouts is called ROâ—HELOIS The Town seated in the inner part of a fair and capacious Bay the entrance of which is well assured by two very strong Forts betwixt which there is no more space than for the passage of a good ship every night closed up with a massie Chain and the whole Town either environed with deep marishes or fortified with such Bulwarks trenches and other works of modern Fortification that it was held to be as indeed it was the safest retreat for those of the Reformed Religion in the time of their troubles as may be seen by the storie of it which in brief is thus At the end of the second Civill Wars Anno 1568. Many
Raymund and Petronill 34. 1196. 8 Pedro II. Sonne of Alfonso 1213. 9 Iames Sonne of Pedro the 2d 43. 127â— 10 Pedro III. Sonne of Iames. 9. 1285. 11 Alfonsâ— III. Sonne of Pedro the the 3d. 6. 1291. 12 Iames II. Brother of Alfonsâ— the 3d. 36. 1328. 13 Alfonsâ— IV. Son of Iames the 2d 8. 1336. 14 Pedro IV. Sonne of Alfoâ—so the 4th 51. 1387. 15 Iohn Sonne of Pedro the 4th 8. 1395. 16 Martin the Brother of 〈◊〉 17. 1412. 17 Ferdinand of Castile the Nephew of Pedro the â—th 4. 1416. 18 〈◊〉 V. 42. 1458. 19 Iohn II. Sonne of Ferdinand and Brother of Alfonso King of Navarre also in right of Blanch his Wise 20. 1478. 20 Ferdinand II. of that name of Aragon Sonne of Iohn the 2d King of Aragon and Navarre by a second Wife and the V. of that name of Castile and Leon which kingdoms he obtained by the mariage of Isabel or Elizabeth Sister and Heir of Henry the 4th uniting thereby the great Estates of Castile and Aragon and all Appendixes of either In which regard he may well challenge the first place in the Catalogue of the Monaâ—chs of Spain to be presented in due season In the mean time to draw to a conclusion of the Affairs and Estate of Aragon we are to understand that of all the kingdoms which belong to the Spaniard it is the most privileged and free from the absolute command of the Kings of Spain having in it such a temper or mixture of Government as makes the Kings hereof to be well-nigh titular of little more autority than a Duke of Venice For at the first erecting of this Estate the better to incourage the people to defend themselves against the Moores they had many Privileges indulged them and amongst others the creating of a Iustitiar of popular Magistrate which like the Ephori of Sparta had in some cases superioritie over their Kings reversing their judgements cancelling their Grants and sometimes censuring their Proceedings And though King Philip the 2d in the busines of Antonio de Perez had made a Conquest of that kingdom and annulled their Privileges yet after of his own meer goodness he restored them in part again as they continue at this day Chief Orders of Knight-â—ood in this kingdom are 1 Of S. Saviour instituted by Alfonso the first Anno â—118 to animate the Members of it against the Moores Of the habit and customs of this Order I have met with nothing 2 Of Montesa instituted by Iames the first King of Aragon Anno 1270 or thereabouts endowed with all the Lands of the Templars before dissolved lying in Valentia together with the Town and Castle of Montesa made the Seat of their Order whence it took the name Subject at first unto the Master of the Order of Calatrava out of which extracted and under the same Rule of Cisteaux But after by the leave of Pope Benedict the 13th they quitted themselves of that subjection and in sign thereof changed the Habit of Calatrava which before they used to a Red Cross upon their Brests now the badge of the Order The Arms of Aragon since possessed by the Earls of Barcelone are Or four Pallets Gules before which they were Azure a Cross Argent THE MONARCHIE OF SPAIN THus having spoke of Spain and the Estate thereof when broken and divided into many kingdoms let us next look upon it as united into one main body effected for the most part by Ferdinand the last King of Aragon before mentioned Before which time Spain being parcelled into many kingdoms was little famous and less feared the Kings thereof as the Author of the Politick Dispute c hath well observed being only Kings of Figs and Orenges Their whole puissance was then turned against one another and small Achievements had they out of that Continent except those of the House of Aragon upon Sicilie Saraiâ—â—a and the Baleares â—huanus a diligent Writer of the Historie of his own times if in some things he savour not more of the Partie than the Historian telleth us that before this Kings Reign the name and glory of the Spaniards was like their Countrey hemmed in by the Seas on some sides and the 〈◊〉 on the other Potius patuisse exteris invadentibus quâ—m quicquam memâ—rab le extra suos sines 〈◊〉 T is true that 〈◊〉 the Great King of Navarre assumed unto himself the 〈◊〉 King of Spain and that Alfonso the first of Castile and the sixt of Leon caused himself to be crowned Emperour of Spain in the Cathedral Church of Leon Titles ambitiously affected upon no good ground and such as ended with their Persons But this Prince worthily named the Great seized on the Kingdom of Navarre conquered Granada from the Moores subdued the Kingdom of Naples united Aragon to Castile banished 124000 Families of the Jewes began by the Conduct of Columbus the discoverie of the Western Indies and finally by marying his Daughter Ioan to Philip Sonne of the Emperour Maximilian Duke of Burgundy and Lord of the greatest part of the Netherlands laid the Foundation of the present Austrian greatness Continued since by so many intermariages betwixt the Spanish and Imperiall Branches of that potent Family that Philip the second might have called the Archduke Albertus Brother Cousin Nephew and Sonne A strange Medley of Relations Thus by the puissance of this Prince the Spaniards became first considerable in the eye of the World and grew to be a terror to the neighbouring Nations Nomen Hispanicum obscurum antea et Vicinis pene incognitum saith the same Thuanus tum primùm emersit tractuque temporis in tantam magnitudinem excrevit ut formidolosum ex eo terribile toti terrarium Orbi esse coeperit And he saith true with reference to the French and Italian Nations to whom the Spaniards have administred no small matter of fear and terrour though unto others they appear no such dreadfull Bugg-Bears But sure it is and we may warrantably speak it without any such impressions of fear and terror that this Kingdom since that time is wonderfully both enlarged and strengthned strongly compacted in it self with all the Ligaments both of Power and State and infinitely extended over all the parts of the World his Dominions beholding as it were both the rising and setting of the Sun which before the Spaniard no Monarch could ever say A greater change than any man can possibly imagine to have been effected in so short a time as was between the first yeer of Ferdinand the Catholick to the last yeer of Charles the fift Concerning the title of the most Catholick King re-attributed to this Ferdinand I find that Alfonso the first of Oviâ—do was so named for his sanctity with whom it died and was revived in Alfonso the Great the twelfth King of Leon and Oviedo by the grant of Pope Iohn the 8th After it lay dead till the dayes of this Prince who re-obtained this title from Pope Alexander the sixt either
because he compelled the Moores to be baptized banished the Iewes and in part converted the Americans unto Christianity or because having united Castile to his Dominions surprized the Kingdom of Navarre and subdued that of Granada he was in a manner the Catholique or genenerall King of all Spain The last reason seemeth to sway most in the restauration of this attribute in that when it was granted or confirmed on Ferdinand by Pope Alexander the sixt the King of Portugal exceedingly stomached at it quando Ferdinandus imperio universam Hispaniam saith Mariana non obtineret ejus tum non exigua parte penes Reges alios It seems Emanuel could not think himself a King of Portugal if the title of the Catholick King did belong to Ferdinand Wherein he was of the same mind as was Gregory the Great who when Iohn of Constantinople had assumed to himself the title of the Occumenicall or Catholique Bishop advised all Bishops of the World to oppose that arrogancie and that upon the self-same reason Nam si ille est Catholicus vos non estiâ— Episcopi for it Iohn were the Catholick Bishop they were none at all But upon what consideration soever it was first re-granted it hath been ever since assumed by his Posterity to whose Crown as hereditarie and in common use as the most Christian King to France the Defender of the Faith to England And yet there was some further reason why the Spaniard might affect the title of Catholick King his Empire being Catholick in regard of extent though not of Orthodoxie of doctrines as reaching not over all Spain onely but over a very great part of the World besides For in right of the Crown of Castile he possesseth the Towns of Mellila and Oran the Haven of Masalquivir the Rock of Velez and the Canarie Ilands in Africk the Continent and Ilands of all America except Brasil and some plantations in the North of the English Hollanders and a few poor French In the rights of the Kingdom of Aragon he enjoyeth the Realms of Naples Sicil and Sardinia with many Ilands interspersed in the Mediterranean and in right of the house of Burgundie the Counties of Burgundie and Charolois the greatest part of Belgium with a title unto all the rest besides the great Dukedom of Millain the Havens of Telamon and Plombino and many other peeces of importance in Italie held by investiture from the Empire To which if those Estates be added which accrewed to Philip the second by the Crown of Portugal we have the Towns of Ceuta Targier and Maragon in Barbarie the Fortresses of Arguen and S. George in Guinea the Ilands of Azores Madera Cape Verd S. Thomas Del Principle on this side of the Cape and of Mosambique on the other in Asia all the Sea-coast almost from the Gulf of Persia unto China and many strong holds in the Moluccoes Bantan Zeilan and other Ilands and finally in America the large Country of Brasil extending in length 1500 miles An Empire of extent enough to appropriate to these Monarchs the stile of Catholick The Monarchs of Spain A. Ch. 1478. 1 Ferdinand K. of Aragon Sicily Sardinia Majorca Valentia Earl of Catalogue surprised Navarre and conquered the Realm of Naples Isabel Q. of Castile Leon Gallicia Toledo Murcia Lady of Biscay conquered Granada and discovered America 1504. 2 Joane Princess of Castile Granada Leon c. and of Aragon Navarre Sicily c. Philip Archduke of Austria Lord of Belgium 1516. 3 Charles King of Castile Aragon Naples c. Archduke of Austria Duke of Millain Burgundy Brabant c. Earl of Catalogue Flanders Holland c Lord of Biscay Friâ—zland Iltreict c. and Emperour of the Germans He added the Realms of Mexico and Peru the Dukedoms of Geldeâ—land and Millain the Earldom of â—utphen and the Signeuries of Utrecht Over-Yssell and Growing unto his Estates A Prince of that magnanimity and puissance that had not Francis the first in time opposed him he had even swallowed all Europe He was also for a time of great strength and reputation in â—unis and other parts of Africa disposing Kingdomes at his pleasure but the Turk broke his power there and being hunted also out of â—â—ermany he resigned all his kingdoms and died private 42. 1558. 4 Philip II. of more ambition but less prosperity than his Father fortunate onely in his attempt on the kingdom of Portugal but that sufficiently balanced by his ill successes in the Netherlands and against the English For the Hollanders and their Consederates drove him out of eight of his Belgic Provinces the English overthrew his Invincible Armada intercepted his Plate-Fleets and by awing the Ocean had almost impoverished him And though he held for a time an hard hand upon France in hope to have gotten that Crown by the help of the Leaguers yet upon casting up his Accompts he found that himself was the greatest Loser by that undertaking So zealous in the cause of the Romiâ—h Church that it was thought that his eldest Sonne Charles was put to death with his consent in the Inquisition-house for seeming savourably inclined to the Low-Country 〈◊〉 as the 〈◊〉 called them These four great Kings were all of the Order of the â—arrer but neither of the two that followed 1598. 5 Philip III. Finding his Estate almost destroyed by his Fathers long and chargeable Warres first made peace with England and then concluded a Truce for twelve years with the States of the Netherlands which done he totally banished all the Moores out of Spain and was a great stickler in the Warres of Germany 1621. 6 Philip IV. Sonne of Philip the 3d got into his power all the Lower â—aluinate but lost the whole Realm of Portugal and the Province of Catalonia with many of his best Towns in Flanders Artots and Brabant and some Ports in Italy not yet recovered to that Crown from the power of the French This Empire consisting of so many severall Kingdoms united into one Body may seem to be invincible Yet had Queen Elizabeth followed the counsell of her men of Warre she might have broken it in pieces With 4000 men she might have taken away his 〈◊〉 from him without whose gold the Low-Country Army which is his very best could not be paid and by consequence must needs have been dissolved Nay Sir Walter Ralegh in the Epilogue of his most excellent History of the World plainly affirmeth that with the charge of 200000 l continued but for two years or three at the most the Sâ—aniardâ— might not only have been perswaded to live in peace but that all their swelling and overflowing streams might be brought back to their naturall channels and old banks Their own proverb saith the Lion is not so fierce as he is painted yet the Americans tremble at his name it 's true and it is well observed by that great Politiâ—ian 〈◊〉 that things wcich seem 〈◊〉 and are not are more feared farâ—e off than 〈◊〉 at hand Nor is this judgement
Ch. 877. 1 Amarawd 36. 913. 2 Idwallo 3 Merick 4 Iames or Iago 1067. 5 Conan Sonne of Iames. 1099. 6 Gryssith ap Conan 1120. 7 Owen Guinedth 1178. 8 David ap Owen 1194. 9 LLewellen ap Iarweth 1240. 10 David ap Llewellen 1246. 11 LLewellen II. Sonne of Gryffith the Brother of David ap LLwellen the last Prince of Wales of the British Race Of whom it is said that once consulting with a Wâ—tch he was told by her that it was his destiny to be caried in triumph thorow London with a Crown on his head Hereupon making some excursions on the Englâ—â—h Borders he drew upon himself the whole power of King Edward the first which not being able to withstand and the King as willing on the other side not to sight with Mountains Commissioners were appointed to conclude the differences Robert Lord Tiptoff and some others for the King of England and for the Welch Prince Grono ap Heylyn a great man of that Countrey descended from Brockwell Skythrac one of the Princes of Powys-land from whom if Camdâ—aâ—â—rentiâ—ux be of any credit the Author of these Papers doth derive his Pedegree under whom that Family had the Office of Hereditarie Cup-Bearer and from thence their name Heylyn Promus 〈◊〉 à poculis quae vox â—a proprium â—omen abiit saith the Welch Dictionarie By those Commissioners it was concluded and agreed on that LLewellen should enjoy a part of the Countrey with the Title of Prince during his life the rest in present and the whole after his decease to be surrendred over to the King of England But David the Brother of LLewellen finding himself excluded by this Agreement from the hope of succession incensed his Brother and the Welch to a new Revolt the issue whereof was the taking of David executed by the hand of justice and the death of LLewellen slain in Battail neer the Buelth in Brecknocksâ—ire Whose head being pitched upon a stake and adorned with a Paper-Crown was by a Horseman caried triumphantly thorow London Anno 1282. And so the Prophecie was fulfilled In him ended the Line of the Princes of North-Wales after they had for the space of 405 yeers resisted not only the private undertakers and Adventurers of England but the Forces of many puissant Monarchs whose attempts they alwayes made frustrate by retiring into the heart of their Countrey and leaving nothing for the English to encounter with but their Woods and Mountains But now the fatall period of the â—ritish Liberty being come they were constrained to yeeld to the stronger What followed after this we shall see anon The Arms of these Princes was quarterly Gules and Or four Lions Passant gardant counterchanged 2 POWISLAND contained the whole Counties of Montgomery and Radnor all Shropshire beyond the Severn with the Town of Shrewsbury and the rest of Denbigh and Flinâ—shires comprehending by the estimate of those times 15 Cantreds or hundreds of Villages the word Cant signifying an hundred and Tret a Village The principall Cities or Towns of it were S. Asaph Shrewsbury Matravall spoken of before A Countrey more partaking of the nature and fertility of England than the parts belonging unto Guinedth or North-Wales but alwayes lying in harms way by reason of the Neighbourhood of the more potent English and therefore given by Roderick to Merâ—yn his youngest Sonne partly because he was the youngest but chiefly because he was a man of approved valour and so more fit to have his portion upon the Borders In his Line it continued a long time together but much afflicted and dismembred by the â—arks of Chester and Shrewsbury who took from them a good part of Flint and Denbigh and 〈◊〉 and by the Princes of North-Wales who cast many a greedy eye upon it Of the Successors of Prince Mervyn I find no good Caâ—taâ— more than of Brockwell Skythrac before remembred The last that held it all entire was Meredyth ap Blethyn who following the ill example of Roderick Mawr divided it betwixt Madoc and Gryffith his two Sonnes Of which Maâ—eâ— died at Wiâ—chestâ—r Anno 1160 in the time of King Henry the 2d his part hereof depending after his decease on the Fortunes of Guinedâ—h and Gryffith was by Henry the first made Lord of 〈◊〉 the stile of Prince left off as too high and lofty In his Race it continued till the time of King Edward the first to whom at a Parliament holden in Shâ—ewsbury Owen ap Gâ—yffiâ—â—h the fifth from Gryâ—â—ith ap Meredith before mentioned surrendred his place and Title and received them of the King again to be holden in Capite and free Baronage according to the Custom of England Avis or Hawis Daughter and Heir of this Owen ap Gryffith was maried unto Iohn Charlâ—ton Valect or Gentleman of the Privie Chamber to King Edward the 2d by whom in right of his Wife he was made Lord Powis Edward the fift also of this Line of the Charleâ—ons was the last of that House his Daughter Jâ—ne conveying the Estate and Title to the House of the Greyes and of them also five enjoyed it the last Lord Powis of the Line or Race of Mervyn being Edward Grey who died in the dayes of our Grand Fathers And so the title lay extinct untill revived again in the person of Sir William Herbert of Red-castle descend from the Herberts Earls of Pembroke created Lord Powys by K. Charles the first Anno 1629. The Arms of the Princes of Powysland were Or a Lyon Rampant Gules 2 SOUTH-WALES or Deheubarâ—h conteined the Counties of Monmouth Glamorgan Caermarden Cardigan and Brecknock the greatest and most fruitfull part of all Wales but more exposed to the invasion of forrain Nations English Danes Flemmings and Norwegians by whom the Sea-Coasts were from time to time most grievously plagued Insomuch that the Kings and Princes hereof were inforced to remove their seat from Caermarthen where it was fixt at first unto Dynevour Castle as a place of greater strength and safety where it continued till the Princes of it were quite extinct called from hence Kings of Dynevour as before is said The chief Towns of it Caermarthen Monmouth Landaffe S. Davids spoken of alreadie The Kings and Princes as farre I can find upon any certainty are these that follow The Princes of South-Wales A. Ch. 877. 1 Cadel 2 Howel 907. 3 Howel Dha 948. 4 Owen 5 Aeneas 6 Theodore the great 1077. 7 Rhese ap Theodore 1093. 8 Gryffith ap Rhese 9 Rhese II. ap Gryffith 10 Gryffith ap Rhese the last Prince of South-Wales of the Line of Cadel after they had with great strugling maintained their liberty for the space of 300 years and upwards but so that though they still preserved the title of Princes they lost a great part of their Countrie to the Norman-English For in the reign of William Rusus Bernard de Newmark a noble Norman seized upon those parts which now make the Countie of Brecknock being then a fair and goodly Lordship and
1213. 22 Alexander II. Sonne of William 1250. 23 Alexander III Sonne of Alexander the 2d after whose death dying without any issue An. 1285. began that tedious and bloody Quarrell about the succession of this Kingdom occasioned by sundry Titles and Pretendants to it the principall whereof were Brucâ— and Baliol descended from the Daughters of David Earl of Huntingdon younger Sonne of William and Great Vncle of Alexander the 3d the last of the Male issue of Kenneth the 3d those of neerer Kindred being quite extinct And when the Scots could not compose the difference among themselves it was taken into consideration by King Edward the first of England as the Lord Paramount of that Kingdom who selecting 12 English and as many of the Scots to advise about it with the consent of all adjudged it to Iohn Baliol Lord of Galloway Sonne of Iohn Baliol and Dervorguilla his Wife Daughter of Alan Lord of Galloway and of the Lady Margaret the Eldest Daughter of the said David who having done his homage to the said King Edward was admitted King 1300. 24 Iohn Baliol an English-man but forgetfull both of English birth and English Favours invaded the Realm of England in Hostile manner and was taken Prisoner by King Edward Who following his blow made himself Master of all Scotland which he held during the rest of his life and had here his Chancery and other Courts 6. 1306. 25 Robert Bruce Sonne of Robert Bruce Lord of Annandale Competitor with Baliol for the Crown of Scotland in Right of Isabel his Mother the second Daughter of David Earl of Hunâ—ingdâ—n and consequently a degree neerer to the King deceased than Baliol was though descended from the Elder Sister was crowned King in the life-time of King Edward the first but not fully possessed thereof untill after his death confirmed therein by the great defeat given to Edward the 2d at the fight of Banocksbourn not far from Sterling spoken of before But he being dead Anno 1332. Edward the 3d confirmed the Kingdom onâ— 1332. 26 Edward Baliol Sonne of Iohn Baliol rejected by the Scots for adhering so firmly to the English who thereupon harried Scotland with fire and Sword 10. 27 David Bruce the Sonne of Robert restored unto his Fathers throne by the power of the Scots and a great enemy to the English Invading England when King Edward was at the siege of Calice he was taken Prisoner by Qu. Philip the Wife of that King and brought to Windsor where he was Prisoner for a while with King Iohn of France Released at last on such conditions as best pleased the Conquerour 29. 1371. 28 Robert II. surnamed Stewart King of the Scots by descent from the eldest Sister of David Bâ—uce was extracted also from the antient Princes of Wales as was said before restoring thereby the British blood to the throne of Scotland 1390. 29 Râ—bert III Sonne of Robert the 2d called Iohn before he came to the Crown in which much over-awed by his own brother the Duke of Albanie who had an aim at it for himself 16. 1406. 30 Iames Sonne of Râ—bert the 3d taken prisoner by King Henry the 4th of England as he was crossing the Seas for France to avoid the practices of his Vncle. Restored unto his Country by King â—enry the 5th after 18 years absence he was at last most miserably murdered by the Earl of Athol claiming a right unto that Crown 42. 1448. 31 Iames II. slain by the English at the Siege of Rexborough Castle 24. 1462. 32 Iames III. slain by his own rebellious Subjects 29. 1491. 33 Iames IV. maried Margaret the eldest Daughter of King Henry the 7th but at the soliciting of the French against the Peace between the Nations he invaded England in the absence of King Henry the 8th with 100000 men but was met with by the Earl of Suâ—rey having 26000 men in his Army nigh unto Flodden where he was slain together with two Bishops twelve Earles fourteen Lords and his whole Army routed 23. 1514. 34 James V. Sonne of Iames the 4th and the Lady Margaret kept for a time so good correspondencie with the English that in the year 1536. he was created Knight of the Order of the Garter But afterwards inheriting his Fathers hatred against them he invaded their Borders in the year 1542 and was met by the Lord Wharton then Warden of the West Marches The battells being ready to joyn one S. Oliver Sincleer the Kings favorite though otherwise of no great parentage was by the Kings directions proclamed Generall which the Scotish Nobil ty took with such indignation that they threw down their weapons and suffered themselves to be taken prisoners there being not one man slain one either side The principall prisoners were the Earls of Glencarn and Cassiles the Barons Maxwell Oli hant Somerwell Flemming with divers others besides many of the principall Gentry 28. 1542. 35 Mary the Daughter and onely Lawfully-begotten Child of James the fift succeeded in her Cradle unto the Throne promised in mariage to King Edward the sixt of England but by the power of the Hamiltons carried into France where maried to Francis then Dolphin afterwards King of the French of that name the 2d After whose death she maried Henry Lord Darnly eldest Sonne of Matthâ—w Earl of Lennox Outed of her Dominions by a potent Faction she was compelled to flie into England where after a tedious imprisonment she was put to death in Fothâ—ringhay Castle in Northamâ—tonshire and interred at Peterburg Anno 1586. 1567. 36 JAMES VI. the Sonne of Mary Queen of Scots and of Henry Lord Darnly was crowned King in his Cradle also He maried 〈◊〉 the Daughter of Câ—ristian the 3d King of Deâ—mark was chose of the Order of the Garter Anno 1590. and succeeded Queen Elizabeth in the Realm of England March 24 Anno 1602. And here I cannot omit the prudent foresight of King Henry the 7th who having two Daughters bestowed the Eldest contrary to the mind of his Counsell on the King of Scots and the Younger on the King of the French that so if his own Issue mâ—le should fail and that a Prince of another Nation must inherit England then Scotland as the lesser Kingdom would depend upon England and not England wait on France as upon the greater In which succession of the Scots to the Crown of England the Prophecie of the fatall 〈◊〉 spoken oâ— before did receive accomplishment And so perhaps might that ascribed in the 〈…〉 to an holy Anchoret living in King Egelreds time which is this Englishmen foâ— that they 〈◊〉 them to drunkenness to treason and to rechlessness of Gods house fiâ—st by Danes and theâ— by Normans and the third time by Scots whom they holden least worth of all they shall be overcomâ— Then the World shall be unstable and so diverse and variable that the unstableness of thoughts shall be betokned by many manner diversitie of Clothing For on this union of the kingdoms this
reason be assigned for Zutphen in regard it is a State more ancient then that of Guelderland it self and not depending anciently on the fortunes of it united to it by the marriage of Othe of Nassaw the first Earl of Guelderland with Sophia daughter and heir of Wickman the last Earl of Nutphen So as this Earldome ended when that first began After this it continued subject to the Earls and Dukes of Gueldres till the revolt of Holland and the other Provinces from the King of Spain at what time it was besieged for the States by the Earl of Leicester at the siege whereof fell that gallant Gentleman Sir Philip Sidney of whom our British Epigrammatist thus verfifieth Digna legi scribis facis dignissima scribi Scripta probant doctum te tua facta probum Thou writ'st things worthy reading and didst doe Things worthy writing too Thy Acts thy valour show And by thy works we do thy learning know And though upon the losse of that gallant man nephew and heir unto that Earl the siege was raised at the present yet was it re-enforced again anno 1190. and the Town then taken continuing ever since in the confederacy of the States united GROINING-LAND hath on the east East-Friseland on the west West-Friseland on the North the main Ocean on the South Over-yssell so wedged in as it were betwixt both Friselands that some hold it to be but a part of the West It containeth under it the Country called the Ommelâ—nds corruptly for the Emmelands as I conjecture because lying along the River Ems and therein 145 Burroughs and Villages the chief whereof are 1. Dam near the Ems bordering on East-Friseland 2 Keykirk 3. Old-Haven standing on the Sea As for the town of Groyning it self it is rich great and very well built situate-amongst divers small streames which run through it and having also divers Channels for conveyance of waters which addes much to the safety and strength thereof A town of great jurisdiction both within and without judging absolutely without appeals in causes both Civill and Criminall in Spirituall subject heretofore to the Bishop of Munster till made one of the new Bishopricks by King Philip the second anno 1559. And though the Prince in Civill causes had his officer or Lieutenant there yet in Criminall the town was Soveraign and granted pardons as Soveraign of the whole estate paying to the Prince for all duties yeerly but 6000 Crowns Both Town and Country anciently belonged to the Bishops of Vtrecht by whose negligence in defending them they submitted their estate to the Dukes of Guelderland But the Dukes of Saxonie laying some claim to it disturbed this agreement for a time during which Ezardus the Earl of East-Friseland possessed himself of it but not able to make good his unjust possession sold his estate therein to Gueldres anno 1514. to whom of right it did belong Afterwards in the yeer 1536. they put themselves under the command of Charles the fift but with the reservation of all their priviledges and ancient Liberties for preservation of the which in danger to be over-born by the power of the Spaniard they consederated with the rest of the united States anno 1594. and so still continue The antient inhabitants of these Countries were the Menapii and Sicambri very valiant people possessing Guelderland and the Majores Frisii which were planted in Groyning and the rest of Friseland Of these the Sicambri were accompted the most valiant people uniting with other nations in the name of French and by that name possessing with the rest of those Nations the mighty Empire of the West In the division whereof by the posterity of Charles the Great these Countries were first part of the Kingdome of Austrasia or East-France afterwards of the Germane Empire governed at the first by Guardians or Protectours created by the people in the reign of Charles the Bald the two first being Wickard and Lupold or Leopold two Brethren who fixing their chief Seat in the Castle of Gueldres occasioned the whole Country to be called Guelderland But they and their successours by what name or title soever called were in effect but Provinciall Officers accomptable to the Emperours for their administration the first free Prince hereof being Otho of Nassaw who having to his first wife the Lady Aleide daughter of Wickard the last Guardian was by the Emperour Henry the third made first Earl of Guelderland adding thereto the State of Zutphen by a second marriage as is said before In Reinold the ninth Earl it was made a Dukedome by the Emperour Lewis of Bavaria anno 1339. sold by Duke Arnold justly incensed at his ungracious son Adolp to Charles Duke of Burgundy for 92000 Florens of ready money and an Annuall pension anno 1472. But notwithstanding this Agreement Adolph upon the death of Charles possessed himself of it and left it unto Charles his son who finally surrendred it unto Charles the fift anno 1547. EARLS and DUKES of GVELDERLAND 1079 1 Otho of Nassaw the first Earl 2 Gerard the son of Oth by his first wife Aleide 1131 3 Henry the son of Gerard. 1162 4 Gerard II. son of Henry 1180 5 Otho II. brother of Gerard. 1202 6 Gerard III. son of Otho the second 1229 7 Otho III. son of Gerard who walled the towes of Ruermond Aruhem Bomel Goch Wageniâ—gen and Harderwick 1271 8 Reinold son of Otho the third taken and imprisoned till his death by 1326 9 Rainold II. his own son created the first Duke of Gueldres by the Emperour Lewis of Bavavaria at Francfort Anno 1339. liberall to the poof and a great Patron of the Muses 1343 10 Rainold III. son of Rainold the 2 d molested with continuall wars with his brother Edward by whom taken and imprisoned till his dying day 1371 11 Edward the son of Rainold the second by Eleanor the daughter of Edward the third of England his second wife dyed the same yeer with his brother the last of the male issue of Otho of Nassaw 1371 12 Mary by some called Joan Sister of Edward by the same venter and wife of William Earl of Gulick 13 William son of William Duke of Gulick and Mary of Gueldres admitted Knight of the Garter by King Richard the second 14 Rainold IV. the brother of William 15 Arnold of Egmond son of John Lord of Egmond and Mary his wife daughter of Joan the sister of Rainold and William the two last Dukes succeeded in the estate of Gueldres taken impriâ—oned and most barbarously handled by his own son Adolph and delivered by Charles the Warlike Duke of Bargâ—ndie he sold to him his estates of Gueldres and Zutphen to be injoyed by him after his decease anno 1472. 1473 16 Adolpâ— the wicked son of Arnold dispossessed of his estate by the said agreement which Duke Charles enjoyed for his life after the death of the said Charles was restored to liberty by the Gauntois anno 1467. and made the Generall of their
forces against Lewis the eleventh 1477 17 Charles son of Arnold after long wars with the Princes of the houses of Burgundy and Austria pâ—â—tending the sale and legacy of Duke Arnold to Charles the Warlike surrendred his estates unto Charles 〈…〉 to be enjoyed by him after his decease if he left no issue According to which 〈◊〉 the Emperor Charles succeeded him in Gueldres and Zutphen anno 1538. being the year of his 〈◊〉 after that time accompted in the number of the Belgick Provinces The Armes hereof were Quarterly 1. Azure a Lyon Or crowned Gules for the Dukedome of Guelderland 2. Azure a Lyon Gules for the Earldome of Zutphen Thus have we seen a Country which at the first erecting of these Estates was nothing in a manner but bogs and marishes and at the best but a continuall Wildernesse of woods and forrests by the great providence of the Princes and extreme industry of the People made the most populous best planted and the wealthiest Estate for the bignesse of it in the whole habitable world And we have seen those severall Estates and Principalities by Marriages and other Contracts reduced into the hands of the house of Burgundy under the Princes of which great and illustrious Family inferiour to no Kings of Christendome for Power and Riches especially Duke Philip the Good the subjects hereof did so abound in wealth and plenty that Philip de Comines who then lived affirmeth that this Country seemed like the land of Promise Some thought there was a purpose in this Duke Philip of erecting these estates into a Kingdome diverted from it by the difference and variety of Lawes and Priviledges which those people severally lived under not to be brought without great difficulty and distaste to one forme of Government yet might have done it if he would as himself openly affirmed to the Embassadours of King Lewis the 11. But Charles his son being more bent on the designe negotiated to that end with the Emperour Frederick whom he met at Triers anno 1473 and doubtlesse had obtained his purpose upon the marriage of his daughter with Maximilian Fredericks son which was then propounded had not his rash ingagement against the Swissers and his untimely death therein broke the course of his projects which projects had they took effect as in all probability they had but for that engagement he had extended his dominions all along the Rhene and on both sides of it from the Alpes unto the German Ocean and been the most considerable Prince at that time in Christendome all Elsats in high Germany being sold or mortgaged to him by the Duke of Austria the Dukedome of Lorrain at his mercy besides the hopes he had of the Earldome of Provence intended to him by King Reny which would have opened him a way to the Mediterranean he being dead the Government continued as before it was each Province having its distinct Lawes and living according to their ancient Priviledges till the attempt of Philip the second King of Spain most resolutely but unfortunately bent to bring them under the command of that Crown to cancell all their priviledges and new mould the Estate according to his own will and pleasure occasioning thereby the Revolt of a great part of the Country and the setting up of a new Estate opposite unto him and destructive of his interesse in it But before we come unto this change we will first look upon the Princes Power Revenue and other things considerable touching this Estate whilest it stood entire under the Princes of the house of Burgundie and LORDS of BELGIVM 1369 1 Philip the Hardie Duke and Earl of Burgundie Earl of Flanders and Artois the first great raiser of this House 1404 2 John the Proud Duke of Burgundie c. 1419 3 Philip the Good added to his estate the Dukedomes of Brabant and Limbourg the Marquisaâ— and Machlin by the death of his cousin Philip the Earldomes of Hainalt Holland Zeland and the Lordship of West-Friseland by the resignation and death of the Countesse Jaquiline whose next Heir he was the Dukedome of Luxemburg and the Earldome of Namur which he bought for money 1467 4 Charles the Warlike who bought the Estates of Gueldres and Zutphen and held them peaceably all his life 1476 5 Mary the daughter and Heir of Charles married to Maximillan son of the Emperour Frederick from whom King Lewis the eleventh of France took the Dukedome of Burgundie and the greatest parts of the Counties of Burgundie and Artois unfortunately killed with a fall from her horse and an unseasonable modesty in not suffering the Chirurgions to dresse her wound the hurt which she had taken being in her thigh 1482 6 Philip III. sonne of Mary and Maximilian to whom Charles the eight of France restored all the places in Artois and the County of Burgundie taken by his Father marryed Joane daughter of Ferdinand and Isabel Kings of Spain 1506 7 Charles II. Arch-Duke of Austria King of Spain and Emperour of that name the fift added to his Estate in these Countries the Dukedome of Guelderland the Earldome of Zutphen the Lordships of Vtrecht Over-yssell and Groyning 1558 8 Philip IV. of Belgium and the II of Spain invading these Countries against their priviledges was by a great part of them rejected from being their Prince anno 1581. which made him after a long and a bloody war to surrender all his interesse in them to 1599 9 Isabella Clara Eugenia his daughter and Albert Archduke of Austria whom he married to her during whose Government a truce for 12 years was made and in the preface to that Truce the Confederate Estates declared to be treated with as a Free Estate to whom the Kings of Spain could pretend no title 16 10 Philip V. of Belgium and the IV. of Spaine on the decease of the Arch-Duchesse Isabella his Aunt succeeded in the possession of some and the title unto all the Belgick Provinces The ordinary Revenue of these Countries to the Dukes of Burgundie and after to the Kings of Spain before the breach were estimated at three millions of Crowns yeerly which was more then any King in Christendome at those times received the French onely excepted the very measuring of corn in the City of Antwerp being farmed yearly for 100000 Crowns in ready mony But the extraordinary was far greater the Estates of these Countries in the year 1550 granting to Charles the fift an Aide which they call the Noventale amounting to 150000 crowns a moneth and yet the Provinces of Luxenbourg Limbourg Gueldres and Groyning were not rated to it And it is said that Philip the second at his first coming to the Estate was presented with a grant of 40 millions of Florens to be paid in few years So that these Countries were the true Correlative of both his Indies the losse of which before the making of the truce anno 1609. cost him above 100 millions of Crownes and the losse of 400000 men The Forces of these Princes
Castle and Territory of Hapspurg it self with many fair Estates amongst the Switzers by Albert the Short the Country of Sungow and by his sonnes the Advocateship of Friberg or the Country of Brisgow So that these Princes are undoubtedly the greatest for power and patrimony of any in Germany and would be of a great revenue if the ill neighbour-hood of the Turkes did not put them to continuall charges and make the borders of the Country to be thinly planted and not very thorowly manured Howsoever it is thought that they may yeild yeerly two millions of Crowns and upwards to the Arch-dukes Coffers The Armes of these Princes are Gules a Fesse Argent assumed by Marquesse Leopold at the siege of Acon or Ptolemais in the Holy land because his holy Armour being covered with blood his Belt onely remained white The Armes thereof in former times having been six larkes Or in a field Azure supposed to have been taken by the first Marquesses because they possessed those six Provinces for defence of which the tenth Legion called Alauda had been fixed at Vienna And now we are to take our leave of the Roman Empire which we shall meet withall no more till we come to Hungary the Countries on the north side of Danubius and the East side of the Rhene being almost assoone abandoned as conquered by them So that in our survey of these northern Countries we are not like to finde such matter of Antiquity as we had before but must content our selves both with Towns and Villages of a later date and a lesse continuance In which we shall begin with those Countries which lie on the other side of Rhene bordering on the Estates of Cleveland and the Bishop-electors and â—o proceed on Eastward till we come to the furthest parts of Germany and the confines of Hungary afterwards turning to the North till we meet with Denmark which is the next of all to be considered 9 VETERAVIA VETERAVIA or WETERAW is bounded on the West with the Bishoprick of Colen on the East with Frankenland on the North with Hassia and Westphalen and on the South with the Lower Palatinate It containeth a combination of many small Estates which being joyned in a common league for defence of each other for the preservation of their Lawes Liberties and Religion are called the Confederation of Weteraw The Principall of the States which are thus confederated are the Earls of 1 Nassaw 2 Hanaw and 3 Stolms 4 the Lord of Lichtâ—berg and the Imperiali Cities of 5 Friberg and 6 Wetzelaer The County of Nassaw lyeth at the foot of the Mountains which divide Hassia from Engern and Westphalen anciently called Melibocus a branch of the long ridge of Mountains which were called Abnobi Chief Townes hereof are 1 Nassaw situate on the south side of the River Lou not farre from the fall of it into the Rhene the first seat and honourary Title of this famous family and still in the possession of the Princes of Orange the first branch hereof 2 Dillingbourg the usuall seat of the Earls of Nassaw before their setling in the Low Countries hence named the Earls of Nassaw of the house of Dillingberg to difference them from others of the same Family 2 Catrezelbogen in Latine Catti Meliboci which shewes the name to be compounded of the Catti anciently possessed of these parts of Germany and the mountainous parts of Melibocus then inhabited by them The possession of this town much controverted between the Earls of Nassaw and the Lantgraves of Hessen But finally surrendred by Count William of Nassaw father of Wiliâ—â—â— Prince of Orange unto Philip the Lantgrave in the time of Charles the fift for the summe 600000 Crowns the house of Nassaw notwithstanding retaining it amongst their Titles 3. Herborn a small University or Schola Illustris founded of late by the Earls of Nassaw in which Piscator was Divinity Reader and Alstedius both famous in their times professour for the Arts and Sciences 4 Idstein lying south to Catzenelbogen and 5. Wisbad directly south of Idstein betwixt that and the Meine these have the title and possessions of the second branch of this Family 6. Weilborough on the Lou not far from Wetzelver which gives Title to the third branch of this house called the Earls of Nassaw in Sarbruck and Weilborough As for the Princes of the house of Nassaw they are very ancient Otho of Nassaw being made Earl of Guelderland in the yeer 1079. Another Otho of this house but proceeding from a different branch of it dying anno 1190. the founder of the present Family of the Princes of Orange and of the house of Wisbad and Idstein out of which descended Adolphus Earl of Nassaw chosen Emperour in the yeer 1292. By the marriage of Engelbert the sixt Earl of this house of Dillingberg with Mary daughter of Philip Lord of Breda in Brabant they came first to be possessed of Estates in the Netherlands and by the marriage of Henry great Grand-child of this Engelbert with Claude of Chalons they got the Principality of Orange in France A family as much honoured for the personall merit of the Princes of it as any other in Europe of whom we have already given a Catalogue in the description and story of Provence Bordering on Franconia or Frankenland lyeth the County of HANAW so called from the Chief town of it in which the places of most note are 1 Hanaw it self in Latine called Hanovia honoured with a Schola illustris also and much inriched by the trade of Printing with which they use to furnish annually the Marts of Frankefort distant from hence about ten Dutch miles 2. Pfaffenhofen of no note formerly but like to be remembred in the stories of succeeding times for the great defeat there given to the Duke of Lorrain July 31. 1633. who lost his whole Forces all his Ordinance Ammunition and baggage and which was worst of all his Country taken in part from him by the Conquering Swedes who followed him close into his home but wholly by the French King upon that advantage 3 Lichteberg which gives title to a second branch of the house of Hanaw called the Lord of Lichteberg A family of good esteeme since the time that Otho of Hanaw was ennobled with the title of Earl thereof which was about the yeer 1392. before that Princes of the Empire and after that advanced unto greater fortunes by the addition of the Barony of Minzeberg in the person of Philip the first Earl of the County of Rheineck in the person of another Philip the third of that name great Grand-child of the former Philip and finally of the Lordship and estate of Lichteberg accrewing to this house by the marriage of a third Philip the youngest sonne of Reynard the third Earl hereof with Anne the daughter and heir of Ludovick Lord of Lichteberg the title and possession of the second branch of the house of Hanaw called Lords of Lichteberg and Hocsenstein and Earls of Bitsch this
in their own language doe call themselves Zechians After his death the State relapsed again into a confused Anarchie till the yeer 670. at what time not respecting the Progeny of Zechius the founder of their Common-wealth and first estate they fastned upon Crocus a man of good esteem amongst them and elected him to be their Duke Crocus vir justus magnae apud Bohemos opinionis Princeps electus est as Bertholdus telleth us Crocus being dead the Bohemians elected Libussa his youngest daughter and of her government soon wearied they made choice of Primislaus for their Prince and made him husband to Libussa A man taken from the Plough as their stories tell us to espouse the Princesse it being ordered and agreâ—â— on by her many Suiters that he whosoever he was before whom an horse purposely let loose did first make a stand should be the Husband of the Lady and have the government of the State The Horse first makes a stand before Primislaus being then at plough having perhaps some Mare in his Teeme and he accordingly is received and admitted their Prince These with the other Dukes from the time of Crocus the first Legislator of the Bohemians take in order thus The DUKES of BOHEMIA 1 Crocus the Law-giver or Lycurgus of Bohemia 2 Libussa youngest daughter to Crocus with Primislaus her husband a second Quinctius Founder of Prague 3 Neramislaus sonne of Primislaus and Libussa 4 Mnoatha one of the sonnes of Neramislaus Cotemporary with Charls the Great 5 Voricius sonne of Mnatha 6 Wenceslaus 7 Bela. 8 Nastricius sonne of Bela. 9 Bozzivoius the first Christian Prince of the Bohemians Contemporarie with the Emperour Arnulph 10 Sbitignaeus sonne to Bozzivoius 11 Vladislaus brother to Sbitignaeus 12 Wenceslaus II. surnamed the Saint slaine by his brother Boleslaus 13 Boleslaus a wicked and ungodly Prince 14 Boleslaus II. sonne of the former a great advancer of Christianty amongst hiâ— people 15 Boleslaus III. one of the sonnes of Boleslaus the second 16 Jaromir sonne to Boleslaus the third 17 Vdalricus brother of Boleslaus the third and Uncle of Jaromir 18 Predislaus sonne to Vdalricus 19 Sbitignaeus II. sonne to Predislaus 1061 20 Vratislaus brother of Sbitignaeus whom for his manifold deferts the Emperour Henry the 4. created the first King of Bohemia anno 1608. whose Successors take thus out of Bertholdus and Dubravius The KINGS and DUKES of BOHEMIA A. Ch. 1086 1 Vratislaus the brother of Spitignaeus Duke of Bohemia was by Henry the 4. at Metz created King 2 Conrade brother to Vratislaus notwithstanding that his brother had 3 sons was elected Duke of Bohemia 3 Brecislaus son to Vratislaus the two sons of Conrade being rejected is by the Bohemians chosen Duke 1100 4 Borivorius the 4. son of Brecislaus is chosen by the Bohemians his eldest brothers then all living 1109 5 Sutopulcus Cousin german to Borivorius by the consent and favour of the people deposed Borivorius and caused himself to be elected in his place 6 Vladislaus II. brother to Borivorius preferred by the people to the throne before Otho the brother and Henry the son of Sutopulcus the last Prince 7 Sobeslaus brother to Vladislaus promoted to the State before the sonne of Vladislaus 1159 8 Vladislaus III. son of Vladislaus the 2. the four sons of Sobeslaus omitted is chosen and crowned the second King of Bohemia by Frederick the Emperour but deposed by the States because he was not by them formerly elected according to their priviledges and customs 9 Vldericus the third son of Sobeslaus his elder brethren yet living was by the people elected in the room of Vladislaus and his son Frederick whom the Emperour Frederick had by force established in the throne 10 Sobeslaus II. second son to Sobeslaus was by Frederick above named expelled and he also by the Bohemians 11 Conrade Grandchild to Otho the brother of Sutopulcus elected by the Bohemiam in place of Frederick between which two Princes there was continuall war 12 Wenceslaus Uncle unto Conrade and son of Otho aforesaid was preferred before many nearer the succession Him Primislaus expelled but fearing his return quitted Prague 13 Henry Bishop of Prague a stranger to the bloud was by a generall consent elected Duke 14 Vladislaus IV. brother to Primislaus the son of Wenceslaus being put by succeeded Henry and soon after resigned 1199 15 Primislaus elected by the Bohemians and by the Emperour Philip crowned the 3. King of Bohemia at Mentz was brother to Vladiâ—laus the 4. 1248 16 Ottocarus notwithstanding that Winceslaus his elder brother had been crowned in his Fathers life time was acknowledged King He was slain in battle by Rodolphus the Emperour 1278 17 Wencesâ—aus II. son to Ottocarus 1284 18 Wenceslaus III. sonne to Wenceslaus the last of the Bohemian Princes of the masculine race 1304 19 Rodolphus son to the Emperour Albertus is by the potencie of his Father and the election of the States seated on the Throne being otherwise a stranger to the bloud-royall of Bohemia 1305 20 Henry Duke of Carinthia husband to Anne the second daughter of Wenceslaus the 2. is chosen by the Bohemians but being weary of his Government they elect John Earl of Luxenbourg Finally Henry was murdered by one of his Nephews 1311 21 John Earl of Luxenbourg sonne to Henry the 7. Emperour and husband to Elizabeth youngest daughter to Wenceslaus the 2. is elected the Lady Anne yet living 1346 22 Charls sonne to John and Emperour of that name the 4. the Author of the Golden Bull. 1362 23 Wenceslaus IV. Emperour also in whose time the troubles of the Hussites and the valour of Zisca was famous 1418 24 Sigismund brother to Wenceslaus maketh himself King by force and at his death commendeth Albertus Duke of Austria the huband of his daughter Elizabeth unto the States of the Kingdom 1437 25 Albertus Duke of Austria elected upon the commendation of Sigismund by the Bohemian Lords 1440 26 Ladislaus son to Albert who being the brother of two sisters commended yet one George Pogibrachius unto the States as fittest to succeed him 1458 27 George Pogibrachius neither by affinity or consanguinity of the bloud succeeded And he though he had three sons yet for the benefit of his Country he advised the Nobles after his death to elect their King from Poland 1471 28 Ladislaus II. son to Casimire King of Polvnd and to Elizabeth the younger daughter of Albert Duke of Austria the issue of Anne the elder sister still living elected King of Bohemia 1516 29 Ludovicus son to Ladislaus elected and crowned by the means of his Father then living King of Hungary also 1526 30 Ferdinand Archduke of Austria brother to Charls the 5. and husband to Anne sister to Ludovicus by his letters reversall acknowledged that he was chosen King of Bohemia not of any right but of meer free-will according to the liberties of that Kingdome 1565 31 Maximilian eldest son of Ferdinand was in his Fathers life time and at his
Leck Other places of note in this Bishoprick are 2 Wormsted beautified with a fair Castle not far from Magdeburg the ordinary seat or retiring place of the Bishop 3. Grabatz upon the River Struma 4 Mockern on the same River 5 Barleben beneath Meydberg on the Elb. 6 Lunburg betwixt the Elb and the Struma not much observable The Archiepiscopall See being translated hither from Valersleve and Vrese places too obscure for so great a dignity by Otho the first and by him endowed with great Revenues and a goodly territory round about it the Arch-bishop hereof was also by his procurement made the Primate of Germany acknowledged so by all but the Bishop of Saltzburg and the three Spirituall Electors For the Administration of Justice in matters Criminall and Civill the said Otho did ordain an Officer whom they called the Burgrave conferring that office first on Gero Marquesse of Lusatia Through many hands it came at last to Burchard Lord of Quernfort and the Earls of Mansfield many of which enjoyed this honour setled at last by the Emperour Rodolphus of Habspurg on the Dukes of Saxony who by this means came to have great command and influence on the whole Estate The Archbishops notwithstanding continued Lords of it and the whole territory or district adjoyning to it till the Reformation of Religion when the Revenues separated from the jurisdiction were given to Lay Princes for the most part of the house of Brandenbourg with the title of Administrator Finally by the Pacification made at Munster this fair estate is to be setled for ever on the Electors of that house to be possessed by them and their Heires and Successours by the title of the Dukes of Magdeburg the better to content them for the concession which they made to the Crown of Sweden of a great part of their right and title to the Dukedome of Pomeren SAXONIE most specially so called the fourth and last part of this Division stretcheth it self along the Elb betwixt Magdeburg and Meisson of the same nature in regard both of soil and air as is said before Places of most importance in it are 1 Torge or Torgow by some placed in Misnia but by Mercator in this Province Built on the west side of the Elb in form Orbicular and falling every way from the sides of a mountain beautified with a stately and pleasant Castle belonging to the Elector of Saxony who is Lord hereof built by John-Frederick the Elector anno 1535. Near to the City is a Lake of a mile in compasse for which the Citizens pay yeerly to the Duke 500 Guldens 2 Warlitz upon the Elb once a Commandery of the Templars 3 Weisenberck lying towards Brunswick 4 Kemberg on the west side of the Elb. 5 Bitterfelt betwixt the Elb and the Mulda and 6 Wittenberg on the Elb in an open plain but strongly fenced with walls ramparts and deep ditches The chief beauty of it lyeth in one fair street extending the whole length of the City in the midst whereof is the Cathedrall Church a large Market-place and the common Councell-house In former times the seats of the Dukes Electors till the Electorall dignity was conferred on the house of Meissen who liking better their own Country kept their Courts at Dresden But so that Wittenberg is still acknowledged for the head City of the Electorate and was made an University for Divines by Duke Frederick anno 1508. It was called Wittenberg as some conjecture from Wittikindus once Lord of Saxony when the extent thereof was greatest famous for the sepulchres of Luther and Melanchthon but chiefly for that here were the walls of Popery broken down and the reformation of the Church begun by the zeal and diligence of Martin Luther the story of which reformation so by him begun I shall here sub-joyn This Luther as before is said was born at Isleben in the Country of Mansfield and student first at Magdeburg but at the establishing of the University of Wittenberg chosen to be one of the Professours of Divinity there It happened in the yeer 1516 that Pope Leo having need of money sent about his Jubilees and Pardons against the abuses of which Luther inveighed both privately and publickly by word and writing This spark grew at last to so great a coal that it fired the Papall Monarchy Of the success of his endevours we have spoke already We shall look here upon the difficulties which the Cause passed through before it could be blessed with a publick settlement Concerning which we are to know that the Princes of Germany and many of the Free Cities had embraced his doctrine and in the Imperiall Chamber at Spires solemnly professed they would defend it to the death hence were they first called Protestants Nor stayed they there but made a solemn League and Combination at Smalcald spoken of before for defence thereof and of each other in the exercise and profession of it Yet was not this Reformation so easily established Christ had foretold that Fathers should be against their Sonnes and Brothers against Brothers for the truths sake neither doe we ever finde in any story that the true Religion was introduced or Religion corrupted about to be amended without warre and bloud-shed Charles the Emperour whetted on by the Popes of Rome had long born a grudge against the Reformation but especially against the confederacy of Smalcald After long heart burning on either side they broke out into open warâ—e which at first succeeded luckily with the Princes But there being an equality of command between John Frederick the Elector of Saxony and Philip the Lantgrave of Hassia one sometimes not approving other whiles thwarting the others projects the end proved not answerable Besides the politick Emperour alwayes eschewed all occasions of battell and by this delay wearied out this Army of the Princes which without performing any notable exploit disbanded it self every man hastning home to defend his own The Duke of Saxony had most cause to hasten homeward For in his absence his cousin Maurice forgetting the education he had under him and how formerly the Duke had conquered for him and estated him in the Province of Misnia combined himself with the Emperour and invaded his unckles County But the Duke Electour not onely recovered his own but subdued all the Estates in which he had formerly placed his ungratefull and ambitious kinsman The Emperour all this while was not idle but waited advantage to encounter the Duke which at last he found nigh unto Mulberg where the Duke was hearing a Sermon The Emperour giveth the Alarum the Duke startling from his religious exercise seeketh to order his men but in vain For they supposing the Emperour to be nearer with all his forces then indeed he was adde the wings of fear to the feet of cowardise and flie away yet did the Duke with a few resolute Gentlemen as well as they could make head against the enemy till most of them were slain and the Duke himself taken Prisoner The
about 56 years when Otho surnamed Visconti quasi bis Comes because he was Lord of Millain and Angerona assumed the title to himself and setled it upon that Family after his decease but so that for the most part they were under the command of the German Emperors and to them accomptable Galeaz the first so called as some write because the Cocks crowed more than ordinarily at the time of his birth added to the Estate hereof the Cities of Crema and Cremona In the person of John Galeazo it was advanced unto a Dukedom by the Emperor Wenceslaus for 100000 Crowns in ready money which John increased so mightily in wealth and power that he had 29 Cities under his command and dyed as he was going to Florence to be crowned King of Tuscany To him succeeded John Maria and after him his brother Philip who in his life had maried his only daughter but illegitimate to Francisco Sforza the best Commander of his times and at his death appointed Alfonso of Aragon King of Naples for his heir and successor Before Alfonso could take any benefit of this designation Sforza was quietly possessed both of the City and the loves of the people This Francis Sforze I must needs crave leave to tell this story was the sonne of James Altenduto a plain Country man who going to his labour with his Ax in his hand whilst a great Army was passing by him compared the misery and unpleasingness of his present condition with those fair possibilities which a martiall life did present uuto him And being in a great dispute with in himself what were best to do he presently fell upon a resolution of putting the question to the determination of the Heavenly Providence by casting his Ax unto the top of the tree next to him conditioning with himself that if the Ax came down again he would contentedly apply himself to his wonted labour but if it hung upon the boughs he would betake himself unto higher hopes and follow the Army then in passage He did so the Ax hung upon the boughs he went after the Army and thrived so well in that imployment that he became one of the best Captains of his time surnamed de Cotoniogla from the place of his dwelling and Sforza from the greatness of his noble courage By Antonia the daughter of Francis di Casalis the Lord of Cortona he was the father of this Francis Sforze whom now we speak of who was so fortunate a Commander in the wars of Italy that to oblige him to his party Philip the Duke of Millain bestowed his daughter upon him and thereby a fair title to this great Estate which he successively obtained against all pretenders In his line it continued till the coming of Lewis the 12 of France the sonne of Charles and nephew of Lewis Dukes of Orleans by Valentine the sole daughter of John Galeaze the first Duke who getting Duke Lodowick Sforze betrayed by the Switzers into his hands carryed him prisoner into France and possessed himself of the estate Outed not long after by the confederate Princes of Italy who were jealous of so great a neighbor he left the cause and quarrel unto Francis the first his next successor in that Kingdom in pursuance whereof it is sayd by Bellay a French Writer that the use of Muskets was first known But Francis being in conclusion taken at the battell of Pavie and carryed prisoner into Spain for his release was forced to release all claim unto this estate A release long before endeavouced by some French Politicians because the pretensions hereunto had brought such damage to that Crown and no less eagerly opposed by Chancellor Prat on the same reason that Scipio Nasica did oppose the destruction of Carthage that is to say because it did not only keep the French Nation in continual discipline of War but served for a purgation of idle and superfluous people yet notwithstanding this release Francis renewed the War again and laid siege to Millain then under the command of Antonio di Leva and a Spanish Garrison during vvhich vvar the vvretched Millanese endured the vvorst of miseries For first the Governour under colour of providing pay for his souldiers got all the victuals of the town into the Castle to be sold again at his ovvn price vvhich many of the poorer sort not able to pay perished of famin in the streets And on the other side his souldiers which were quartered in most parts of the City used when they wanted mony to chain up their Hosts and then to put them to a ransom Such as upon this barbarous usuage fled out of the City had their Goods confiscate on which there followed such a disconsolate desolation that the chief streets were over-grown with netles and brambles In this miserable estate it continued till Charles the Emperor having totally driven out the French restored it to Francis Sforze brother to the last Duke Maximilian and sonne of that Ludowick who to advance himself unto this Estate had most improvidently taught the French the way into Italy But this Francis dying without issue and the house of the Sforze failing in him the Emperor entred on the Dukedom as right Lord thereof and left the same to his successors in the Realm of Spain This said we will sum up the whole story of this Estate in the ensuing Catalogue of The Lords and Dukes of Millain 1277 1 Otho Arch-bishop of Millain 1295 2 Matthew Brothers sonne to Otho confirmed in his command of Millain by Albertus the Emperor 1322 3 Galeaze Visconti sonne of Matthew disseized of his command by Lewis of Bavaria Emperor 1329 4 Actio Visconti sonne of Galeazo confirmed in his Fathers power by the same Lewis the Emperor 1339 5 Luchino Visconti brother to Galeaze 1349 6 John Visconti the brother of Luchino 1354 7 Galeaze II. sonne of Stephen the brother of John 1378 8 John Galeaze sonne of the first Galeaze created by the Emperor Wenceslaus the first Duke of Millain An. 1395. 1402 9 John Maria sonne of John Galeaze slain by the people for his horrible tyrannies 1412 10 Philip Maria the last of the Visconti which commanded in Millain a Prince of great power in swaying the affairs of Italie He died An o 1446 the Millanese for some years resuming their former liberty 1446 11 Francis Sforze in right of his wife Blanch the base daughter of Philip seconded by the power of the sword admitted Duke by the generall consent of the people of Millain one of the Knights of the noble Order of the Garter 1461 12 Galeaze Sforze a valiant but libidinous Prince cruelly murdered by his own Subjects 1477 13 John Galeaze Sforze privately made away as it was supposed by his Uncle Lodowick 1494 14 Lodowick Sforze who to secure himself of his ill-got Dukedom drew the French into Italic 1501 15 Lewis the 12 of France sonne unto Lewis Duke of Orleans and Valentina daughter to the first Duke of Millaine vanquished Ludowick
they yeeld unto the Prince in the way of Revenue and what Forces he is able to raise out of his Estates I cannot positively determine But by the Tribute formerly payd unto the Popes for the City of Mutina and the rich territory of both Towns and the great Revenues of the Dukes of Ferrara I conceive they cannot yeeld less than 100000 Crowns of yearly in-come The Armes of this Duke the same with those of Ferrara before blazoned The Dukedom of PARMA THe Dukedom of PARMA hath on the North the Dukedoms of Millain and Mantua from which it is parted by the Po on the South the Apennine which divideth it from Liguria on the East the Country of Modena on the West Montferrat situate as Modena is in Lombardia Cispadana and much of the same nature both for soyl and air and other the commodities of those parts of Italie The principall Cities of it are 1 Parma an antient City and made a Colony of the Romans at the end of the second Punick War as Mutina and Aquileia at the same time were It is seated on a small River of the same name which runneth almost thorough the middest of it beautified with very handsome buildings and peopled by a race of ingenious men whether they do be take themselves unto Arts or Arms. The grounds about this City are of excellent pasturage and yeeld great plenty of the Cheese which is called Parmesan 2 Placentia seated on the Po one of the first Colonies which the Romans planted amongst the Cisalpine Galls and famous for the resistance which it made both to Annibal and Asdrubal who severally in vain besieged it made afterwards the Metropolis of the Province of Aemilia yet nothing the less beautifull for so great an age The fields adjoyning have the same commendation with those of Parma for most excellent Cheese but go beyond for Salt-pits and Mines of Iron which the other wanteth 3 Mirandula a proper Town built in the time of Constans the sonne of Constantine the Great the Patrimony of the noble Family of the Pici of which was Picus de Mirandula that renowned Scholar but held by them as Feudataries to the Dukes of Parma 4 Briscello called antiently Brixellum not far from the chief City Parma of no great note at the present time but memorable in the Roman story for the death of the Emperor Otho who here killed himself For hearing here that his Forces were overthrown by Valens and Cecina Commanders of the Forces of Vitellius then his Competitor for the Empire he rather chose to fall by his own sword than that the Romans should be forced for his sake to renew the war And this he did with so much honour to himself that many of his souldiers slew themselves at his Funerall Pile not out of consciousness of crime on for fear of punishment but to testifie their affections to him and to follow such a brave example as was layd before them So as we may truly say of him as he is sayd by Tacitus to have sayd of himself viz. Alii diutius imperium tenuerunt nemo tam fortiter resiquit 5 Monticella in the middle way almost between Parma and Plancentia and opponte unto Cremona a chief Town of the Dutchy of Millain from which parted by the River Po. These Towns as others in these parts have been partakers of the diversities of fortune as being after the declining of the Western Empire some times under the Venetians most times under the Millanoys and at last couquered by the Popes in the confusions and distractions of the Dukedom of Millain under the two last Princes of the house of Sforza By Paul the 3 d being of the house of the Farnesis the Cities of Parma and Placentia with their Appendixes were given unto his son Petro Aluigi or Petrus Aloysius as the Latins call him with the title of Duke An o 1549. The Signeurie of Camerine which he had lately taken from the Dukes of Urbin being given in recompence to the Church This Petro being a man of most vicious life had amongst other villanies committed an unspeakable violence on the person of Cosâ—â—us Chirius the Bishop of Janum and soon after poysoned him For which most detestable fact he received no other chastisement of his Father than this Haec vitia me non coÌ„monstratore didicit that he was sure he had not learnt those vices by his example But going on in these wicked courses he was slain at last by Count John Aguzzola and Placentia after a short siege yeelded to Ferdinand Gonzaga Vice-Roy in Millain for the Emperor Charles the fifth conceived to be privy to the murder Octavian the sonne of Petro Luigi hearing what had hapned fortified himself in Parma as well as he could but being hated by the new Pope and distrustfull not without good cause of the Emperors purposes he had quite lost it if Henry the second of France had not taken him into his protection For the Emperor Charles fully determined notwithstanding that Octavian had maried his base daughter to have made himself Lord of the Town and the French King was loth to see so great a strength added to the Emperors possessions in Italie When the war had now lasted four years Philip the second which succeeded Charles considering how necessary it was for his affairs in Italie to have this Octavian his friend restored unto him again this Plaisance or Placentia and so withdrew him from the French faction An. 1557. Yet because he would be sure to keep his house in a perpetuall dependance on Spain he restored it not absolutely at the present but held the Citadell thereof with a Spanish Garrison till the year 1583 when in regard of the good services which Alexander Prince of Parma had done him in his Wars against the Hollanders and others of the revolted Provinces he caused it to be surrendred into the hands of his Father Octavian By which and by his setling upon this house the Town and Territory of Novara in the Dukedom of Millam and other personall favours which they have conferred on the Princes of it the Kings of Spain seem to have given some satisfaction to this house for stepping betwixt them and the Kingdom of Portugal to which they might have made such a probable title as would have troubled his Estate had they stood upon it The Dukes of Parma 1549 1 Petro Luigi Farnesis sonne to Paul the third made by the Pope his Father the first Duke of Parma 1550 2 Octavian Farnesis sonne to Petro Lewis maryed Margaret base daughter to Charles the fift afterwards Governess of the Netherlands 3 Alexander sonne of Octavian and Margaret of Austria one of the most renowned Souldiers of his time Governour of the Netherlands for King Philip the 2d. 1592 4 Rainutio Farnesis sonne of Alexander and Mary of Portugal eldest daughter of Edward sonne to King Emanuel one of the competitors for that Crown 5 Edoardo Farnesis sonne of Rannutio Of the Revennes and
Blais and Champagne and by him given together with the Earldom of Blais to Theobald or Thibâ—uld his Eldest Sonne his second Sonne named Stephen succeeding in Champagne who in the year 1043 was vanquished and slain by Charles Martell Earl of Anjou and this Province seized on by the Victor who afterwards made Tours his ordinarie Seat and Residence Part of which Earldom it continued till the seizure of Anjou and all the rest of the English Provinces in France on the sentence passed upon King Iohn After which time dismembred from it it was conferred on Iohn the fourth Sonne of King Charles the sixth with the stile and title of Duke of Tourein and he deceasing without Issue it was bestowed with the same title on Charles the eldest Sonne of Lewis Duke of Orleans in the life of his Father the same who afterwards suceeding in the Dukedom of Orleans was taken Prisoner by the English at the Battle of Agincourt kept Prisoner 25 years in England and finally was the Father of King Lewis the 12th 3 On the North side of Anjou betwixt it and Normandie lieth the Province of MAINE The chief Towns whereof are 1 Mans Cenomanensium Civitas in Antoninus by Ptolomie called Vindinum seated on the meeting of Huine and Sartre the principall of the Province and a Bishops See most memorable in the elder times for giving the title of an Earl to that famous Rowland the Sisters Sonne of Charlemaâ—gne one of the Twelve Peers of France the Subject of many notable Poems under the name of Orlando Inamorato Orlando Furioso besides many of the old Romances who was Earl of Mans. 2 Mayenne on the banks of a river of the same name Meduana in Latine the title of the second branch of the House of Guise 1 famous for Charles Duke of Mayenne who held out for the Lâ—ague against Henry the 4th A Prince not to be equalled in the Art of War onely unfortunate in employing it in so ill a cause 3 Vitrun upon the edge of Breagne of which little memorable 4 La Val not far from the head of the River Mayenne of note for giving both name and title to the Earls of Laval an antient Familie allied unto the houses of Vendosme Bretagne Anjou and others of the best of France Few else of any note in this Countie which once subsisting of its self under its own naturall Lords and Princes was at last united to the Earldom of Anjou by the mariage of the Lady Guiburge Daughter and Heir of Helie the last Earl hereof to Eoulk Earl of Anjou Anno 1083. or thereabouts the Fortunes of which great Estate it hath alwayes followed But as for Anjou it self the principall part of this goodly Patrimonie it was by Charles the Bald conferred on Robert a Satâ—n Prince for his valour shewn against the Normans Anno 870. Which Robert was Father of Eudes King of France Richard Duke of Burgundie and Robert who succeeded in the Earldom of Anjou Competitor with Charles the Simple for the Crown it self as the next Heir to his Brother Eudes who died King thereof Slain in the pursute of this great quarrell he left this Earldom with the title of Earl of Paris and his pretensions to the Crown unto Hugh his Sonne surnamed the Great who to make good his claim to the Crown against Lewis the 4th Sonne of Charles the Simple conferred the Earldom of Anjou and the Countrie of Gastinois on Geofrie surnamed Ghrysogonelle a renowned Warriour and a great stickler in his cause in whose race it continued neer 300 years How the two Counties of Main and Tourein were joyned to it hath been shewn before Geofrie the Sonne of Foulk the 3d maried Maude Daughter to Henry the first of England and Widow of Henry the 4th Emperour from whom proceeded Henry the second King of England and Earl of Anjou But Iohn his Sonne forfeiting his Estates in France as the French pretended Anjou returned unto the Crown and afterwards was conferred by King Lewis the 9th on his Brother Charles who in right of Beatrix his Wife was Earl of Provence and by Pope Urban the 4th was made King of Naples and Sicilie Afterwards it was made a Dukedom by King Charles the fifth in the person of Lewis of France his second Brother to whom this fair Estate was given as second Sonne of King Iohn of France the Sonne of Phâ—lip de Valois and consequently the next Heir to Charles de Valois the last Earl hereof the King his Brother yeelding up all his right unto him Finally it returned again unto the Crown in the time of Lewis the 11th The Earls and Dukes hereof having been vested with the Diadems of severall Countries follow in this Order The Earls of Anjou of the Line of Saxonie 870. 1 Robert of Saxonie the first Earl of Anjou 875. 2 Robert II. Competitour for the Crown of France with Charles the Simple as Brother of Eudes the last King 922. 3 Hugh the great Lord of Gastiâ—ois Earl of Paris Constable of France and Father of Hugh Capet 926. 4 Geofrie â—hrysogonelle by the Donation of Hugh the great whose partie he had followed in the War of France with great fidelitie and courage 938. 5 Foulk Earl of Anjou the Sonne of Geofrie 987. 6 Geofrie II. surnamed Martell for his great valour 1047. 7 Geofrie III. Nephew of Geofrie 2. by one of his Sisters 1075. 8 Foulk II. Brother of Geofrie 3. gave Gastinois which was his proper inheritance to King Philip the first that by his help he might recover the Earldom of Anjou from his part wherein he was excluded by his Brother Geofrie 1080. 9 Geofrie IV. Sonne of Foulk 2. 1083. 10 Foulk III. Brother of Geofrie King of Hierusalem in the right of Melisend his Wife 1143. 11 Geofrieâ— V. surnamed Plantagenet 1150. 12 Henry the II. King of England Sonne of Earl Geofrie and Maud his Wife Daughter of King Henry the first 1162 13 Geofrie VI. third Son of King Henry the 2d made Earl of Anjou on his mariage with Constance the Heir of Bretagne 1186. 14 Arthur Sonne of Geofrie and Constance 1202. 15 Iohn King of England succeeded on the death of Arthur dispossed of his Estates in France by Philip Augustus immediately on the death of Arthur Earls and Dukes of Anjou of the Line of France 1262. 1 Charles Brother of King Lewis the 9th Earl of Anjou and Provence King of Naples and Sicilia c. 1315. 2 Charles of Valois Sonne of Philip the 3d Earl of Anjou in right of his Wife Neece of the former Charles by his Sonne and Heir of the same name the Father of Philip de Valois French King 1318. 3 Lewis of Valois the second Sonne of Charles died without Issue Anno 1325. 1376. 4 Lewis of France the 2d Sonne of King Iohn the Sonne of Philip de Valois created the first Duke of Anjou by King Charles his Brother and adopted by Queen Ioan of Naples King of Naples Sicil and
second Sonne of Alan Stewart Earl of Lennox in Scotland for his many Signal Services against the English and is still the hnourarie title and possession of the second Branch of that noble and illustrious Familie But as for Berry it self and the fortunes of it we may please to know that in the time of Hugh Capet one Godfrey was Governour of this Province whose Posteritie enjoyed that Office under the Kings of France till the daies of King Henry the first of whom the Inheritance and Estate was bought by Harpiâ— one of the Descendants of that Godfrey But long he had not held it as Proprietarie in his own right when desirous to make one in the Holy Wars he sold it back again to King Philip the first the better to furnish himself for that expedition Anno 1096. to be united to the Crown after his decease Since which time the Soveraigntie of it hath been alwayes in the Crown of France but the possession and Revenue sometimes given with the title of Duke for a portion to some of the Kings younger Sonnes to be holden of them in Appennage under the Soveraigntie and command of the Donor and his Successors the last which so enjoyed it being Charles the Brother of Lewis the 11th after whose death it was united to the Crown never since separated from it save that it gave the title of Duchesse to the Ladie Margaret sister of Francis the first maried after to the Duke of Savoy 9 The Dukedom of BOVRBON THE Dukedom of BOVRBON in the full power and extent thereof comprehended 〈◊〉 Fâ—rrest Beauâ—jolois and auvergâ—e all now reverted to the Crown 1 BOVRBONOIS hath on the East the Dukedom of Burgunay on the West 〈◊〉 on the North La Beausse and a corner of Gastinâ—is on the South Auvergne The Countrie very well wooded and of excellent pasturage which makes the people more intent to grazing and seeding Cattel than they are to tillage and is watered with the Rivers of Loire Yonne and 〈◊〉 which are counted navigable besides Aron Acolin Lixentes Lanbois and some lesser streames The antient Inhabitants were the Hedâ—i who being wasted in their Wars against the Romans a great part of their Countrie was by Julius Caesar conferred on the Bou a German Nation who coming with the Helvetians into Gaule and unwilling upon their defeat to go home again were by him planted in this tract It is divided into the Higher and the Lower In the Higher which is more mountainous and hilly there is no other Town of note than that of Montaigne situate in the Countie of Combraille the Signencie as I take it of that Michâ—el de Montaigne the Authour of the Book of Essaies But in the Lower Bourbonoâ—s are 1 Molins esteemed the Center of all France situate on the Allâ—er Bailliage and the chief Town of this Countrie the River yielding great plenty of Fish but of Salmons specially the Town adorned with a fair Castle and that beautified with one of the finest Gardens in France in which are many Trees of Limmons and Oranges 2 Bourbon Archenband and 3 Bourbon Ancie the former of the two seated upon the Loâ—re and giving name to the whole Province of great resort by reason of its medicinal waters 4 S. Porcin and 5 Varennes Ganat upon the frontiers of Auvergn 6 Chancelle 7 Charroux 8 â—alisse 9 Souvigni 10 St. Amand c. In the North part of Bourbonois but not accounted any part or member of it lieth the Town of Nevers in Latine Nivernium from whence the Countrie round about is called NIVERNOIS A Town of good esteem but not very great the reputation which it hath proceeding partly from some mines of Iron interspersed with silver which are found therein and partly for the Earls and Dukes from hence denominated The first whereof was Landri of the house of Bourgogne Anno 1001. Passing through many Families it came at last again to the house of Bourgogne and from that unto the Earles of Flanders by the mariage of Yoland of Bourgogne to Robert of Bethune Earl of Flanders Anno 1312 whose Sonne named Lewis maried the Heir of Rethel Together with the rest of the rights of Flanders it came again by mariage to the Dukes of Burgundie conveied by Elizabeth Daughter and Heir of Iohn of Bourgogne Earl of Nevers second Sonne of Philip the good Duke of Burgundie to Adâ—lph Duke of Cleves her Husband Anno 1484 and by Henrietta Sister and Heir of Francis de Cleves the second Duke of Never and the last of that Familie to her Husband Lewis de Gonzaga third Sonne of Frederick Duke of Mantua Anno 1563. whose Sonne Charles succeeded his Father and Mother in the Dukedom of Nevers and Vincent of Genzaga his Cousen german in the Dukedom of Mantua The Armes of these Dukes Azure within a Border Compone Gules and Argent 3 Flower de Lyces Or. 2 FORREST is bounded on the East with Beau-jolois on the West with Auvergne on the North with Bourbonois and on the South with a part of Languedock The Countrie populous and large but not very fruitful hillie and mountainous much of the nature of the Wood-Lands The Air a little of the coldest to afford good Wines but that sufficiently recompensed by abundance of pitcoal by which they have good fires at a very cheap rate The people are conceived to be none of the wisest but withall very greedy and covetous of gain The chief Towns in it are 1 Mont-Brison seated on the Loyre 2 Feurs seated on the same River called antiently Forum Segusianorum the chief Citie of the Segusiani or Scrusiani whom Caesar and others mention in this part of Gaule 3 St. Stephen or Estienne in Feurian neer the head of that River 4 St. Germans 5 St. Rombert 6 St. Bâ—nnet le Chastean 7 St. Guermier c. of which little memorable This Countrie of Forrest was anciently a part of the Earldome of Lyons dismembred from it at or about the same time with Beau-jolois and was held by a long succession of Earls Proprietaries of it as a state distinct till Regâ—aud Lord of Forrest the Sonne of Earl Guy by the mariage of Isabel Daughter and heir of Humbert Earl of Beau-jeu joyned them both together which was about the year 1265 parted again after his decease Anno 1â—80 Guy being his eldest Sonne succeeding in Forrest and Lewis his second in Beau-jeu How they became united in the house of Burbon we shall see anon 3 BEAV-JOLOIS so called from Beau-jeu the chief Town hereof taketh up the tract of ground betwixt the Loire and the Soasne and betwixt Lionois and Forrest A Countrie of no great extent but verie remarkeable for the Lords and Princes of it who have been men of great eminence in their severall times The chief Town of it is Beau-jeu beautified with a goodly Caâ—tle pleasantly seated on the brow of a rising Mountain from whence perhaps it took the name as the great Keep in Farnham Castle was in
Countrie the worst peece of France onely remarkable for the Lords or owners of it formerly of the house of Foix one of which was that Iohn de Foix created Earl of Kendall and Knight of the Garter by King Henry the sixth but better known in English stories by the name of Capitall or Capdau de Buche the Lords hereof having no higher title than that of Captain III. GASCOIGNE the third and largest part of the Dukedom of Aquitain hath on the East Languedoc from which parted by the River Garond on the West the Pyrenean mountains which divide it from Spain on the North Perigort Quercu and some part of Guienne and on the South a main tract of the Pyrenees running on to Languedoc The Countrie generally fruitfull but of Wines especially brought hence to Bourdeaux as the Staple for that commodity and thence transported into England in great abundance The antient Inhabitants hereof were the Auscii Lastoraces Convenares Conserani c. making up a great part of the Province of Novempopulonia united in this name of Gascoigne on the conquest of it by the Vâ—scones a Spaniâ— Nation who fell in here during the reign of Dagobert the 11th King of the French And though subdued by Clovis the second Sonne of Dagobert yet they left their name unto the Countrie divided afterwards according to the chief Signeuries and Estates thereof into 1 the Principalitie of Bearn 2 the Earldoms of Foix 3 Comminges 4 Bigorre 5 Armaignac 6 Albret and 7 the Countrie of Agenois 1 The Principalitie of BEARN is situate at the foot of the Pyrenees where they joyn to Langnedoc so called from Benearnum a principall Citie of this tract mentioned by Antoninus and others of the antient Writers The Countrie of good pasturage though amongst the mountains affording plenty of Cattell butter and cheese and in some places wines also little inferiour in taste and colour to the best of France and many medicinall springs issuing from the hills adjoyning The Religion here as generally in all Gascoigne is that of the Reformed Churches introduced about the year 1560 or rather then confirmed by publick autority of the King and Queen of Navarre at what time the Mass Tithes Church-lands and the Prelates Votes in Parliament according to the Genevian way of Reformation were condemned together And so it stood untill the yeer 1620 when by the power and autority of Lewis the 13th King of France and Navarre the Prelates were restored to their Votes and Lands the Clergie to their Tithes and Mass caused also to be said in some of their Churches yet so that those of the Reformed were left unto the free exercise of their own Religion as in former times The principall Towns hereof are 1 Orthes the same which antiently was called Benearnum 2 Lescar a Bishops See the antient seat and habitation of the Princes of Bearn 3 Oleron a Bishops See also mounted upon a high hill in the more mountainous parts of the Countrie 4 Saineterrae well garrisoned since the reduction of this Countrie to the Kings obedience 5 Pau the principall of all the Province honoured with a Parliament or Court of Iudicature for all the Countrie and a fair Palace of the Prince built by Henry of Albret King of Navarre and Lord of Bearn and the Seat of him and his Successors till the comming of King Henry the 4th to the Crown of France 6 Grenade upon the Frontire towards Begorre This Countrie for a long time followed the fortune of Aquitain and in the generall dismembring of the French Empire had its own Proprietaries who were the absolute Lords of it acknowledging no Superiour for ought I can find Increased with the Earldom of Begorre by the mariage of Gaston Prince of Bearn with the Heir of that House united to the Earldom of Foix by the mariage of Roger Bernard Earl of Foix with Margaret Daughter of that Gaston and Heir of Bearn Anno 1263 afterwards added to the Crown of Navarre by the mariage of Gaston Earl of Foix and Sovereign of Bearn with Eleanor the Heir of that Kingdom Anno 1481. descending with that Crown upon Henry of Bonrbon King of Navarre and afterwards of France by the name of Henry the fourth but governed by him alwayes as a State distinct without relation or resort to the Crown of France But Lewis the 13 his Sonne finding some inconvenience in that distinction incorporated it for ever to the rest of his Dominions An. 1620 though not without some opposition from the Subjects of Bearn which he was fain to over-bear by his personall presence and the advantage of such Forces as he carried with him Since reckoned as a part of that Kingdom awed as the rest of France by Forts and Garrisons and governed in Civil matters by the Parliament established at Pau the Judges and Counsellors thereof at the Kings appointing 2 The Earldom of FOIX is situate on the West of Languedoc Commingeois interposing betwixt it and Bearn Chief Towns hereof are 1 Maseros on the Garond a Bishops See 2 Pamieres a Bishops See also seated on the River Lagiere 3 Foix on the same River called in Latine Fuxium and the Earls hereof Comites Fuxiensos the chief seat of the Flussates in the times of the Râ—mans now giving name to all the Countrie 4 Mirande in the Countie of Esterac and the chief thereof but otherwise of no great Accompt 5 Savardun and 6 Monthault two strong peeces 7 Mirepoix aâ—piduus Mirapensâ— a Bishops See also but of no note otherwise The olf Inhabitants of this tract besides the Flussates abovementioned were called Vaccaei perhaps of the abundance of Kine bred in the pastures hereof upon which ground the Earls of Foix have for their Arms. 3 Cowes passant Gules horned and hoofed Azure in a Feild Or. The first of these Earls was Bernard of Carcassone advanced to this honour by Raimond Earl of Thâ—louse who had then the Soveraigntie hereof Anno 1062. Roger Bernard the ninth Earl united Bearn to his Estate as before is said whose Grand-child Isabeâ— the male issue failing conveyed the whole Estate to Archembald Lord or Captain of Buche in the Province of Guienne Gaston the Nephew of this Archembald by his Eldest Sonne Iohn was for his many good services to Charles the 7th made a Peer of France and by his mariage with Eleanor or Leanora Daughter and Heir of John King of 〈◊〉 united that Kingdom to his house though he enjoyed it not in his own person By means or which Alâ—iances and other improvements of Estate this Familie grew to so great power an reputation that there were four Queens at one time descended from it viz. Catharine Queen of 〈…〉 Queen of Castilâ— Anne Queen of France and Anne Queen of Hungarie and 〈◊〉 Before which time I mean the addition of Navarre to their other Estates the Earles of 〈◊〉 were in so high esteem in the Court of France that in all publick Ceremonies they took place of the
with Forrest Querâ—n and Auvergn on the East with Provence and Daulphine on the West with Gascoigne Whereas the other Frenchmen in an affirmation say Ouy these of this Country say Oâ— and therefore Ortelius conjectures it was called Languedâ—oc But the truth is it took denomination from the Gothes who reigning long in this Country left behind them a smack of their Language and therefore it was called Languegotia and now Euphoniae gratiâ termed Languedotia or Langnedoc that is the Goths Language The Countrie on those parts which lie next to Auvergn is like the higher parts thereof mountainous and not very fruitfull in all the rest as rich and pleasant as the best Provinces in France and having the advantages of Olives Raisins Figs Orenges and other fruits not ordinary but here and in the neighbouring Provence In that participating the commodities both of France and Spain The people have somewhat in them of the antient Gothes and draw neerer to the temper of the Spaniards than any other of the French as being accounted very devout great vaunters of themselves affecting bravery above their condition and estates not caring how they pinch it on the working days or at home in private so they may flaunt it in the street and be fine on holy-days The humour also of the Women and in them more pardonable Principall Rivers of this Province are 1 Aurance 2 Lieran and 3 Orbe emptying themselves into the Rhosne and Alby which disburdeneth it self into the Ocean Chief Towns hereof are 1 Nismes in Latin Nemausus antiently a Colonie of the Romans now a Bishops See where there remain some marks of the Roman greatness especially the ruines of a spacious Palace built by the Emperour Adrian 2 Mont-pelier in Latin Mons Pessulanus situate on an high mountain as the name imports some twelve miles distant from the Sea an Vniversitie for the study of Physick for that very happily seated the Countrie round about affording great variety of medicinall herbs A Viscountie in former times conveied by Marie Daughter of William the last Lord Viscount hereof to King Peter of Aragon her husband next made a Member of the Kingdom of Majorca and by James King of Majorca sold to King Philip of Valois Of late one of the strongest holds which those of the Reformed Religion had in this Countrie and memorable for the notable resistance which it made against the whole forces of Lewis the 13th in the last Civill Wars about Religion 3 Aleth and 4 Carcassonne both Bishops Sees both seated on the River Ande the people of both speaking a corrupt French with an intermixture of some Spanish 5 Alby on the River so called the Civitas Albigentium of Antoninus the chief of this part of Languedoc called from hence La Paix Albigeois remarkeable in Church-historie for those great opposites to the corruptions and errours of the Church of Rome called the Albigenses 6 Beziers upon the River Orbe a Roman Colonie of old now a Bishops See 7 Agae called Agatha by antient writers remarkeable for a Councill held there in the year 450 and foâ— a well-frequented Port at the mouth of the River Egbaud 8 Narbon seated on the mouth of the River Aude the Seat of the Phâ—censes and the first Roman Colonie next after Carthage out of Italy In Italy it self to observe so much by the way were no less than 150 Colonies 57 in Africk 29 in Spain 26 in France in England 4 only in Syria 20 and in other Countries some but very few in respect of the largness of the Territories These Colonies were instituted partly to repress Rebellions in the Conquered Countries partly to resist a forrain enemy partly to reward the antient Souldiers partly to relieve the poorer sort and partly to purge and empty the Citie of the superfluity and redundance of her people Now if the question be asked whether a Colony or a Fortress be more behoovefull I answer with Boterus in his Raggiod stato that a Fortress is more fit for suddain use and a Colony for Continuance the former are quickly erected and perhaps as soon lost the other require some time of setling and are after of a good sufficiency to defend themselves As we see in our times the Spanish Colonies of Centâ— and Tanger in Africk and our own of Calais which was the last Town we lost on the firm Land This Narbon was in the infancie of the Roman Empire the most populous and greatest Town of all France insomuch as from it all this part of France was called Gallia Narbonensis A Province of which Pliny delivered us this censure Narbonensis Gallia agrorum cultu morum virorumque dignatione opum amplitudine nulli provinciarum postponenda breviterque Italia potiùs quà m provincia It was also called Gallia Braccata from the garments that the Inhabitants did wear which were much like to the Trouzes which are worn by the Irish footmen and are called in Latine Braâ—cae 9 La Puy the See of a Bishop who in Latin is called Podiensis the chief of that part of Languedoc which is named Velay the antient seat of the Velauni 10 Vivieâ—s on the River Rhosne by Plinie named Alba Helviorum from whence the Country adjoyning hath the name of Vivaretz 11 Rhodes or Rutena the principall Citie of the Ruâ—eni now a Bishops See from whence the Countrie round about hath the name of Rouvergn though some account this Rouvergn a distinct Province and no part of Languedoc 12 â—holousâ— seated on the Garonne antiently the principall Citie of the Tectosages and the Tolosates placed by old Writers in this tract now the chief of Languedoc and one of the greatest in all France The seat of an Arch-Bishop and an Vniversity So antient that some report it to be built when Deborah judged Israel Here was a Parliamentary Court erected for the administration of Iustice in these parts 1302. As for the Story of Tholouse it was observed that certain Souldiers having stole sacrilegiously some Gold out of the Temples of Tholouse when it was sackt by Cepio a Roman Consull came all to miserable and unfortunate ends hence grew that Adage Aurum habet Tholosanum applyed to unhappy men But that which deserves most note in the History of it are the large and spacious Fields about it called by the Writers of these times by the name of Campi Catalaunici extending in length 100. in breadth 70 French Leagues In which fields was fought that terrible Battle between Attila King of the Hunnes and Aetius the Roman Lieutenant in France Aetius was strengthned by the Gothes Franks Burgundians and Germans Attila's Army consisted of Hunnes Eruli Scytheâ— Sarmatians and Suevians to the number of 500000 of which 180000 that day lost their lives Attilâ— himself being driven to that desperate plunge that making a funerall pile of Hoâ—se Sadâ—les he would have burned himself But his enemies weary of wel-doing or Aetius politickly fearing that if Attila were quite destroyed the Gothes Franks and others
of Dutchess of it 3 Grenoble in Laâ—â—re Gratianoplis the chief Seat heretofore of the Accusiani the most populous and best built of all this Province and much resorted to by the Lords and Nobless by reason of the Court of Parliament here erected Anno 1453 About this lyeth the Countrie called Grâ—sinaudan 4 Ternay 5 Rossillon 6 Li Roche 7 Mantelimaâ— all along the Rhosne 8 Romons upon the confluence of the Rhosne and the River Ifere 9 Cremien 10 St. Marceliâ—e 11 St. Andre 12 Beaurepaire more within the Countrie The Higher Daulphine together with those parts of Provence which lie next to Italy made up the Province of the Alpes Mariâ—mae the Metropolis whereof was 1 Ebrodunum now called Ambrun an Archbishops See and Seige Praesidiall seated on an high rock in the middest of a pleasant vallie surrounded with mountains under which runnes the River Durance The hilly Countrie hereabouts is the highest of France 2 Brianson neer the head of the River Durance called Brigaâ—tio by Antoninus 3 Gappe now a Bishops See formerly the chief Citie of the Apencenses the tract of whom is still found in the name of the adjoyning Territorie called Le Pais Gapençois Memorable for a Synod or Assembly of the French Protestants here holden Anno in which it was determined as and for an Article of the Faith that the Pope was Antichrist 4 Tricassin so called of the Tricassini the old Inhabitants of these parts 5 Die the Dia Vocontiorum of Antoninus a Bishops See situate on the River Drosne from whence come those small but good stomack-wines which we call Vin Die 6 Chorges 7 Mombrun 8 Essiles of which little memorable The chief Inhabitants hereof in the time of the Romans besides the Tricassini Apencenses Vaconâ—â—i and Accusianâ— before mentioned and the Allobroges spoken of in the â—lpine Provinces were the Segalaun about Valence the Decenses about Die and the Cavari about Crenoble First conquered by the Roman then by the Burgundians and at last by the French under whom made a part of the new Kingdom of Burgundy till the surrender of the same to the German Emperours Vnder them it continued till the yeer 1100. when Guigne surnamed the Fat Earl of Grisinaudan seeing the Emperour Henry the 4th over-born by the Popes and not able to assert their own rights seized upon this Province under the title of Earl of Viennoys to which Gurgne the 2d his Sonne and Successor gave the name of Daulphine either from his Wife so called as some or from the Dolphin which he took for his Arms as others say In this Family it continued till the yeer 1349. when Humbert the last Dolphin of Viennois for so they were called being surcharged with warres by Ame or Awade Earl of Savoy entred into the Order of Dominican Friers at Lyons selling his Countrie at a small rate to Philipde Vaious French King upon condition that the eldest Sonne of France should be entituled alwayes Dolphin of Viennois and quarter the Arms of Dauiphine with those of France The conditions willingly accepted and Charles the Sonne of K. Iohn the Sonne of Philip de Valois admitâ—ed by his Grandfather both to the title and estate in the very yeer of the surrendrie Since this time the eldest Sonne of France is called generally the Danlphin of France sometimes the Daulohin or Count-Daulphin of Auvergne and perhaps some others A Title so annexed unto them that it is usually laid by on the accession of a greater or superior dignitie insomuch as Francis the eldest Sonne of Henry the 2d whom he succeeded in the Crown being King of Scots in the right of Mary his wife was by the French called commonly Le Roy Daulphine or the King Dâ—ulphin Nor have they the bare title of this Countrie only but the command profits and possession of it sending their own Governours thereunto who by an antient indulgence have the greatest privileges conferring all Offices within the Province of any Governours in France The Arms hereof are Azure a Dolphin hauriant Or. 16 LA BRESSE LA BRESSE is bounded on the East with Savoy on the West with Lionois on the North with Charolois in the Dutchie or Burgundie and some part of the Franche Countie and on the South with Daulphine the reason of the name I finde not The Countrie is very fruitfull and pleasant embraced betwixt the Rivers of Soasne and Rhosne with which very well watred Chief Towns herein are 1 Bellay a Bishops See 2 Bourg for distinctions sake called Bourgâ—en Bresse a Town so well fenced and fortified with so strong a Citadel for command of the Countrie that it was thought little inferiour to the two impregnable Fortresses of St. Katherines and Montmelian in Savoy The Government of which Town aud Citadel was earnestly laboured for by the Duke of Biron then Governour of Burgundie after a repulse on the like sute for that of St. Kaâ—berine but being suspected to hold intelligence with the Duke of Savoy at that time on ill terms with King Henry the 4th it was also denied him which drew him into discontent and thereby to his fatall ruine Afterwards during the minority of Lewis the 13th demolished by especiall Order of the Counsell of France for fear of being surprized by the Duke of Savoy during those confusions It was of old time called Forum Secusianorum from the Secusiani the antient Inhabitants of this tract 3 Castillon 4 Mont-Reall 5 Bugey 6 Veromen of which nothing observable This little Province being antiently a part of the Kingdom of Ardes and Burgundie had it's own Earls Proprietarie Lords hereof who held it till the yeer 1285 at what time Sibill the Daughter and Heir of Ulric Earl of Bresse and Baugie or Basgee as some Writers call it conveyed the Estate in mariage to Ame or Amadee the 4th of that name Earl of Savoy In which House it continued till the yeer 1600 and then surrendred by Duke Charles Emanuel to King Henry the 4th to silence the pretences which that King had made unto the Marquisate of Saluzzes and put an end unto the war then begun about it the politick Duke choosing rather to part with an Estate on this side of the Mountains than to give that active King occasion to look into Italie to which Savoy must have been a Thorow-fare Piemont an ordinary Pass and where no end could be expected but the loss of all Surrendred then it was on good reason of State and upon that surrender united and incorporated with the Crown of France and put under the Government of the Parliament of Digion as it still continueth The Arms hereof are Azure a Lyon Ermines armed and Langued Or 17 LIONOIS THe Countrie of LIONOIS is bounded on the East with Bresse on the West with Beaujolois Forrest and Auvergn on the North with Burgundie Dutchie and on the South with Daulphine and a part of Languedoc So called from Lyons the chief Citie and under that title made an
furlongs By the Moores at their conquest of Spain it was utterly ruined but since repaired and well fortified and made the Magazin for the Ammunition of the Spanish Navyes Taken notwithstanding in one day by the English under the conduct of Charles Lord Effingham Robert Earl of Essex and Sir Walter Ralegh in which they burned the Indian Fleet consisting of 40 ships whose lading was worth 8 Millions of Crowns overcame the Spanish Navy consisting of 57 Men of War took the St. Michael and the St. Andrew two great Galleons with their luggage spoyled and carried away more martiall furniture than could be supplyed in many yeers and forced the Town in which they slew and took Prisoners 4000 Foot and 600 horse and brought thence a very great bootie in the sackage of it Anno 1596. The fortunacie fo which enterprise gave occasion to one of the Wits then living to frame this excellent Anagram on the name of the Earl of Essex who was looked on as the greatest Adventurer in it viz. Devereux Verè dux Which he afterwards cast into this Distich Verè dux Devereux et verior Hercule GADES Nam semel hic vidit vicit at ille simul Alcides yeelds to Devereux he did see Thy Beauties Cales but Devereux conquer'd thee Neer to this Isle is that so celebrated Streight called by some Fretum Gaditanum from the neeâ—ness of it to this Iland by others Fretum Herculeuâ— not because Hercules did there break out a passage to let the Ocean into the Mediterranean as the Poets Fabled but because of the two Pillars which he caused to be erected on each side of it with the Inscription of Nil Ultra this being supposed to be the furthest Countrie Westward But when that supposition was proved untrue by the discovery of America Charles the fift being in those parts caused two new Pillars to be placed where the old ones stood or rather where he thought they stood and Plus 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 written on them As for those Pillars so much memorized in the antient Writers some place them in the Temple of Hercules within this Iland others on the Promontorie of Caâ—â—e in Sâ—ain and that of Abila in Africk and some again in two little Ilands neer those Promontories This therâ—fore being a matter doubtfull and not worth the looking after let us return unto the Streigh◠〈◊〉 now the Streight of Gibraltar from the Town and Castle of Gibraltar situate on the brink hereof the Streight being in length fifteen miles and in breadth where it is narrowest seven EXTREMADVRA hath on the East and North Castile on the West Portugal and on the South Andalâ—zia It was first called Baeturia from the River Baetis which runneth thorow it and for distinction sake Baeturia Celtica from the Celtici then the Inhabitants of this Tract to difference it from Baeturia Turdulorum containing those parts of Granada and Andaluzia which lye neerest unto Tarraconensis And when first it had the name of Extremadura it was of larger extent than now it is reaching unto the banks of the River Duero the bounds at that time of the Kingdom of the Moriscos so called by the Christians as lying on the extremities or furthest side of that River Principall places in it are 1 Alcantara on the banks of the River Tagus situate neer the ruins of Norba Caesarea destroyed by Petronius and Afraâ—ius two of Pompey's Captains for adhering faithfully to Caesar now of most note for an Order of Knights here seated and from hence denominated whereof more hereafter 2 Guadalcanal famous for its Mines of Silver and Gold 3 Merida situate also on the Tagus first called Augusta Emerita founded and made a Colonie by Augustus Caesar who placed herein his old Souldiers whom the Romans called Emeriti hence it had the name The chief Citie after that of Lusitania and by Ansonius preferred before any in Spain now ruinous meanly built and but ill inhabited Famous for nothing but the Bridge upon the River Tagus a Monument of the Roman greatness Nigh to this Town was fought that memorable battel betwixt Wallia the first King of the Gothes in Spain and Atace King of the Alani and Silinges this last a people of the Vandals the victory whereof falling to the Gothes caused the whole Nation of the Vandals to draw forth out of Spain 4 Medelino neer which the River Guadiana hideth it self under the ground for the space of 10 Leagues but more famous for the birth of Ferdinand Cortez the fortunate Discoverer and Conquerour of the Realm of Mexico 5 Badaios a Bishops See on the borders of Portugal 6 Guadalupe on a River of the same name renowned amongst those of the Church of Rome for the miracles and Image of our Lady of Guadalupe as much resorted to in Spain as our Lady of Loretto is in Italy 7 Placenza a Bishops See neer the Hils of Castile not far from which in a retired and solitarie place standeth the Monasterie of S. Iustus remarkable for a greater Miracle than any the Lady of Guadalupe is able to boast of which is that Charles the fifth that most puissant Monarch having resigned his Empire to his Brother Ferdinand and all the resi of his Dominions to his Son Philip the 2d did here bid farewell unto the World spending the residue of his time in prayers of devout Meditations The greatest Monument and example of Self-deniall which these later Ages have afforded far beyond any abnegation of the World by our cloystered Monks or any quitting of their Crowns by some Kings and Emperours in the darker Ages of the Church who living in the time of Ignorance and Superstition saw not so cleerly what they did or did it out of weakness and want of spirit as this Masculine and Heroick Emperour The old Inhabitants of these Countries were the Turduli the Bastuli and the Yurditani of Andalusia and Granada the Celtici and some part of the Lusitani in Extremadura all vanquished by the Romans during the second Punick war under the fortunate command of Scipio African From them extorted by the Vandals who passing over into Africk left it to the Suevians lost by them to Theodorik the 4th King of the Gothes who hereby added all Batica to his other Dominions Vnder the Gothes it remained â—ubject till their fatall over-throw by the Moores who having made almost an entire Conquest of all the Continent of Spain were at first subject to the Great Caliphs Lords of the Saracenical Empire governing here by their Lieutenants from Vlidor Vbit under whom they first made this Conquest Anno 714 to Abdalla of the House of Alaveci Anno 757. At what time Abderamen of the Line of Mahomet the Impostor and first Caliph of the Saracens flying the fury of Abdalla by whom the old Line of the Caliphs of the Race of Humeia of which Race this Abderamen was had been dispossessed of that Empire came into Spain and was with great joy entertained by the Spanish Moores cordially
last upon a large and pleasant Valley where they spyed a company of naked Savage people hemmed in amongst many craggie Rocks The Salvages gazing a while upon them ran into their Caves made in the hollows of the Rocks the best houses they had Which being observed by the Falconers they returned again unto their Lord telling him that instead of a Falcon they had brought him news of a New World in the midst of Spain and of a race of People which came in with Tubal Strongly affirming what they said they obtained belief And the Duke shortly after went with a Company of Musketeers and subdued them easily they having no offensive Weapons but only Slings They worshipped the Sun and Moon fed upon nothing that had Life but had good store of excellent fruits roots and springs of water wherewith Nature was very well contented And though their language was not altogether understood by any yet many of their words were found to be purely Bâ—squish Reduced on this discovery unto Christianity but easily discernible from all other 〈◊〉 by their tawnie complexions occasioned by the reverberation of the Sun-beames from those rockie Mountains wherewith on all sides they are encompassed The truth hereof besides the Credit of Iames Howell in his Instructions for Forrein Travell I have upon enquirie found to be attested by men of gravity and great place in this Realm of England employed there in affaires of publick interess Satisfied therefore in the truth of the Relation I am partly satisfied in the men Whom I conceive to be some râ—mnant of the antient Spaniards who hâ—d themselves amongst these Mountains for fear of the Romans Their language and Idolatry speak them to be such For had they either fled from the Gothes or Moores there had been found some Cross or other Monument of Christianitie as in other places or some such mixture in their speech as would have favored somewhat of the Gothes or Romans But it is time I should proceed NEW CASTILE is situate on the South of the old The chief Cities there 1 Signeâ—ca a Citie heretofore of the Celtâ—bâ—ri now a Bishops See beautified with a fair Cathedrall supposed to be the Condabora of Ptolomie 2 Madrid upon the Guâ—darama now the seat of the Kings whose residence there though the Countrie be neither rich nor pleasant hath made it of a Village the most populous City in all Spain It is a custom in this Town that all the upper Rooms in their houses do belong to the King except some Composition be made with him for them And of this Town the Spaniards do use to brag to Strangers that they have a Citie walled with Fire and then make good the boast by saying That it is situate in the middest of Quarries of Flint 3 Alcala de Henares of old called Complutum renowned for an University of Divines â—ounded here in the time of Ferdinand the Catholick by Francisco de Ximines Cardinall and Archbishop of â—oledo 4 Alcaraz amongst the mountainous tracts of Orâ—speda called Sierra de Alcaraz memorable for a great discomfiture given unto the Moores Anno 1094. 5 Molina in the same mountainous tract hence called Monte de Molina remarkable for giving the title of Lord to the Kings of Castile who in the Regall stile are called Lords of Molina the Signeurie hereof accrewing to that Crown by the mariage of Sancho the 3d with Mary the Daughter of Alfonso the last Lord Proprietarie The Territorie large and the Town of strengthâ— well fortified in the times fore-going both by art and nature 6 Cuenca seated at the spring head of the River Xucar and not far from that of the Tagus also amongst the Mountains of Orospeda built by the Moores on the top of those craggie hils whom it served for an impregnable Fortress against the Christians till taken by Sancho the 2d of Castile Anno 1177. Here also is the Escuriall or Monastery of S. Laurence built by King Philip the 2d A place saith Quade who spendeth 13 pages in its description of that magnificence that no building in times past or this present is comparable to it The front toward the West is adorned with three stately gates the middlemost whereof leadeth into a most magnificent Temple a Monastery in which are 150 Monkes of the order of S. Ierome and a College that on the right hand openeth into divers offices belonging to the Monastery that on the leâ—t unto Schooles and out-houses belonging to the College At the four corners there are four turrets of excellent workmanship and for height majesticall Towards the North is the Kings Palace on the South part divers beautifull and sumptuous Galleries and on the East side sundry gardens and walks very pleasing and delectable It containeth in all 11 severall quadrangles every one incloystred and is indeed so brave a structure that a voyage into Spain were well imployed were it only to see it and return Here is also in this Tract the old Town of Castulo the Castaâ—n of Strabo then the chief Citie of the Carpentani and the birth-place of Himilcâ— the Wife of Annibal from whence this whole Tract had the name of Saltus Castulâ—nensis and so called by Caesar now a poor Village known by the name of Castona la Veia in which is somewhat to be found of the antient ruines But of this more already when we were in the kingdom of Toledo to which it more properly belonged The old â—nhabitants of these Castiles were the Vaccai Ventones Arevacae Oretani Carpentani Dittani c. From none of which the name of Castile can be deduced so that we must fetch it either from the Castellani once a People of Catalogne or from some strong fortified Castles erected in the frontires against the Moores This last conjecture may seem probable because the Arms of this Kingdom are Gules a Castle triple-towred Or. Neither is it any way strange for Provinces especially smaller ones such as at first this was though now much extended both in bounds and power to take their names from a Castle For to go no farther even with us Richmondshire was so called from the Castle of Richmond there built by Alan Earl of Bâ—etâ—gne and Flintshire took denomination from a Castle built of Flint-stones by Henry the 2d We may see hereby how much Celius Secundâ—â—â—urio was deceived who writeth that Alphonso the third having overthrown Mahomet Enasir King of Morocco and put 60000 of his men to the sword assumed these Arms that thus named this Kingdom which was before called the kingdom of the Bastitanes because that victory like a strong Castle had confirmed his estates unto him Whereas in case there were no other Error in his supposition the Bastitanes were no Inhabitants of Castile but of Valentia and Murcia Provinces far enough off from the Old Castile at the first taking of that name And for the former Etymologie it appeareth most evidently in that the people are by the Latines called Castellani the Countrey Castella the
the relation of his travels that being becalmed about these Ilands there came a Woman swiming from one of them with a Basket of fruit to sell But that which made them 〈◊〉 talked oâ— in former times was the harm done them by their Conies which here and in the neighbouring Continent increased so wonderfully that Varro telleth us of a Town in Spain undermined by them and Strabo that they did not only destroy their Plants but rooted up many of their trees Insomuch that the Inhabitants did request the Romans to give them some new seats toinhabit in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being ejected by those creatures out of their possessions whose multitudes they were not able to resist And when that could not be obtained they moved Augustus Caesar as Plinie telleth us for some aid against them who insteed of Souldiers sent them Ferrets by which their numbers were diminished in a little time These Islands were first planted by the Tyrians or Phoeniciâ—ns the founders of many of their Cities one of which in the Isle of Ebusus had the name of Phoenissa From them also they derived the Art of Slinging Made subject to the Carthaginians under the Conduct of Hanno and Himâ—ico Anno M. 5500. or thereabouts at what time the Decemvirâ— Governed Rome Under that State they remained subject till the end of the second Punick war when Carthage was no longer able to protect them made a State of themselves till conquered by Metellus the Brother of him who subdued Creet The people were much given to Piracy and seeing the Roman Navy sayling by their Coasts supposed them to be Merchant Men assaulted them and at first prevailed But the Romans getting betwixt them and the shore discovered from whence they came and forced them to an unwilling submission for which Metellus was rewarded with the honour of a Triumph Being once made a Province of Spain they alwaies after that followed the fortunes thereof In the distraction of the Empire of the Moores in Spain they were united into one Kingdom by the name of the Kingdom of Majorca won from the Moores by Raymond Earl of â—arâ—elone with the help of the Genoese 1102. By the Genoese delivered to the Moores again and from them reconquered by Iames King of Aragon descended from that Raymond Anno 〈◊〉 Of these Estates consisted the Kingdom of Majorca erected by King Iames the first immediatly on his recovery of these Ilands from the hands of the Moores and by him given unto 〈◊〉 his second Sonne who fearing the displeasure of his Brother King Peter the 3d submitted his new Kingdom to the Vâ—ssalage of the Crown of Aragon yet could not this so satisfie the ambition or jealousies of those mightier Kings as to preserve his Successors in possession of it By 〈◊〉 the 4th extorted from King Iames the fourth and last King thereof under colour of denying his accustomed â—â—mage So ended The Kings of Majorea of the House of Aragon 1. Iames the first sonne to â—ames the first King of Aragen 2. Iames I. Sonne of Iames the first 3. Ferdinand Brother of James the 2d 4. Iames III. Sonne of Ferdinand over-come and slain in battel by Pedro the 4th King of 〈…〉 and other Members of this little Kingdom remaining ever since united unto that Crown except Montpelier sold by this Iames unto the Freuch 13 ARAGON ARAGON hath on the East the Land of Rousillon and the Pyrenees on the West the two Castiles on the North Navarre on the South and South-East 〈◊〉 and some part of Valentia so called from the River Aragon by which it is divided from the Realm oâ— Navarre where the first Princes of this house having won certain Towns from the hands of the Infidels commanded as Lords Marchers under the Kings of that Realm and called themselves for that reason the Earls of Aragon spreading the name as they enlarged their bounds by ensuing conquests The Countrie lieth on both sides of the River Iberus and hath also severall Riverets as Gallâ—go Senga Xalon and Cagedo running like so many veines thorough the bodie of it yet it is generally so destitute of waters and so ill-inhabited especially towards the Mountains of the Pyrenees that one may travell many dayes and find neither Town nor house nor people But where the Rivers have their course the Case is different the Valleys yeelding plenty both of Corn and Fruits especially about Calataiub where the air is good and the soyl fruitfull The antient Inhabitants were the Celtiberi who took up a great part of Tarraconensis divided into lesser Tribes not here considerable These sprung originally from the Celâ—ae as before is said the greatest and most potent Nation of all Gallia who being too populous for their Countrey or willing to employ themselves upon new Adventures passed the Pyrenees and mingled themselves with the Iberâ— From thence the name of Celâ—iberi and Celtiberia according unto this of Lucan profugique à gente vetusta Gallorum Celtae miscentes nomen Iberi Who being chas'd from Gaule their home did frame Of Celtae and Iberi mixt one name Others of less consideration were the Jaccetani and Lacetani with parts of the Edetani and Illergetes Places of most importance in it are 1 Jacca the chief Citie heretofore of the Iaccetani seated amongst the Pyrenees and for that cause chosen for the chief seat and residence of the first Kings of Aragon continued there till the taking of Saragâ—ssa by Alfonso the first 2 Calataâ—â—b seated on Xalon in the best Countrey of Aragon so called from Aiub a Moorish Prince the first Founder of it Not far from which upon an hill stood the old Town Bilbilis a Muaicipium of the Romans and the birth-place of Martiall 3 Venasque amongst the Pyrenees 4 Balbastro on the Sâ—nga formerly called Burtina now a Bishops See 5 Lâ—rida on the River Segre as some say but others place it on the Songa which rising in the Pyrenees divideth Catâ—lonia from Aragon and so passeth into Iberus Now an Universitie called formerly Ilerda and famous for the Incounter hapning nigh unto it betwixt Herculâ—ius Treasurer or Questor to Sertorius and Mâ—â—ilius Proconsul of Gallia wherein Manilius was so discomfited and his Army consisting of 3 Legions of Foot and 1500 Horse so routed that he almost alone was scarce able to recover this Citie few of his souldiers surviving the overthow 6 Moson famous for entertaining the King of Spain every third year At which time the people of Aragon Valence and Catalogne present the King 600000 crowns viz. 300000 for Catalogne 200000 for Aragon and 100000 for Valâ—ntia And well may they thus doe for at other times they sit Rent-Free as it were only they acknowledge the King of Spain to be the head of their Common-wealth This revenue is proportionably 200000 Crowns a year all which if not more the King again expends in maintaining his Vice-Royes in their severall Provinces 7 Huesca called of old Osca somewhat South of Iaca an Universitie a place
be allowed of because the Scots in the Law of England did not goe for Aliens And when one indicted for a Rape in the 13th of Queen Elizabeths reign desired a Medietatem lingue because he was a Scotâ—shman and so an Alien it was denied him by the Court because the Scots were not reputed here as Aliens but as Subjects rather So also when Robert Umfâ—amville Lord of Kyme was summoned to the Parliament of England in the reign of King Edward the 3d by the name of Robert Earl of Aâ—gus which is a dignity in Scotland and after in a Writ against him was called onely by his own name of Umframville without the addition of that honour the Writ was judged to abate which I conceive the learned Iudges had not done if Scotland had not been reputed to be undâ—r the Vassallage of the Kings of England 6ly and lastly By a Charter of Lands and Arms which I have in my custodie granted by King Edward the first in the last yeer of his reign to 〈…〉 â—â—worth in the County of Chester one of the Ancestors of my Mother in which it is expressed that the said Lands Arms were conferred upon him by that King for his eminent services 〈…〉 grand Enemy et Rebel Baliol Roya ' Escosse et Vassald Angleterre that is to say against his great Enemy and Rebel Baliol K of Scotland and Vassal of England A thing so cleer that if King â—ames had not been extremely tender of the honour of his native Countrey he needed not to have put his Lawyers to the trouble of a New Invention in hammering the Case of the Post 〈◊〉 for hâ—m to make the Scots inheritable unto Lands in England The acknowledgement and Reviver of their old Subjection would have served his turn But of this Argument enough and perhaps too much I onely adde that upon conference which I once had with an honourable person of that Kingdom of â—cotland employed unto the Court in a business of no mean consequence to the peace and quiet oâ— his Countrie I found him so sensible of the inconveniences of their present Government by reason of the Kings absence and the frequent divisions and partialities of his Counsell there that he confessed that Nation could be never rich or happie till they were made a Province of the English Empâ—re and governed by a Vice-Roy as Ireland was The principall Order of Knighthood in this Kingdom was that of S. Andrew instituted by Hungus King oâ— the Picts to incourage his Subjects in the warre against King Athelstane of England The Knights did wear about their neckâ— a Collar interlaced with Thistles with the Picture of S. Andrew appendant to it The Motto Nemo me impunè lacessit It took this name because after the battel Hungus and his Souldiers went all bare-foot to S. Andrews and there vowed that they and their Posterity would thenceforth use his Cross as their Ensign which is a Saltire Argent in a 〈◊〉 Azure whensoever they took in hand any warlike enterprize 2 But this Order being expired many Ages since there is now no Order of Knighthood in it except Knâ—ghts Bachelers but that of Nâ—va Scotia ordained by King Iamâ— Anno 1622. for the planting of that Countrie by Scotish Colonies in imitation of the order of Baronets in England or the â—lantation of Ulster Hereditary as that also is but the Knights hereof distinguished by a Râ—bband of Orange-Tawnie The Arms are â—ol a Lion Rampant Mars within a double Tressure counter-flowred Which Tressure counter-stowred was added to the Lion by Achaius King of the Scots at what time he contracted the League with France signifying saith Hector Boetius one of their Historians Francorum â—â—ibus Leonem exâ—nde muniendum that the Scotch Lion should be guarded by the riches of France Reckoned in Scotland with the Isles of it Arch-Bishops 2. Bishops 12. Vniversities two S. Andrews Aberdeen IRELAND IRELAND is invironed on all sides with the Ocean parted from Britain by a violent and unruly Sea called S. Georges Chanell Situate on the West of Britain next unto which it is the biggest Iland of Europe containing in length 300 and in bredth 120 miles and is seated under the 8th and 10th Climates the longest day being 16 hours and an half in the Southern and 1â— hours 3 quarters in the Northern parts It was once called Scotia from the Scots who did there inhabit and Scotia Minor to difference it from â—cotland in the Isle of Britain But the generall name hereof is Ireland by the Latines called Hiberniâ— by the Greeks Iernia And though some frame a wrested Etymologie from Iberâ—â— a Spaâ—â—sh Captain and some from Irnaulph once a supposed Duke hereof as others ab Hyberno 〈◊〉 the Winter like and inclement Air yet probably the name proceeded from Erinland which signifyeth in their own language a Western land And yet I must not pretermit the Etymon given us by Bâ—chartus more neer the name than most of his other Fancies who will have it called Hibâ—râ—a from 〈◊〉 a Phoeâ—ician word signifying the furthest Habitation there being no Countrie known amongst the Antients which lay West of Ireland Their own Chronicles or Fâ—bles rather tell us how Caesarea Noahs Neece inhabited here before the Flood and how 300 years after the Flood it was subdued by Bartholanus a Scythian who overcame here I know not what Gyants Afterward Nemethus another Scythian Prince and â—word a 〈◊〉 came hither and last of all Gaothel with his Wife Scota one of Pharaobs daughters who must needs name this Iland Scotia But not to honour such fopperies with a confutation 〈…〉 the first inhabitants of this Iland came our of Britain For Britain is the nighest Countrey unto it and so had a more speedy waftage hither Secondly the antient Writers call this Iland a 〈…〉 Iland and Thirdly Tacitus giveth us of this Countrey this verdict Solum 〈…〉 ingenia hominum hand multum à Britannia differunt the habits and disposition of the people were not much unlike the Britans For further evidence whereof it was observed at the reduction of Wales to the Crown of England by King Edward the first that many of their Lawes and Customs were like those of the Iriâ—h which shews that they did both descend from the same originall But then we must observe withall that they were counted far more barbarous and savage by most antient Writers than those of Britain are deciphered at the first discovery said by Strabo to be man-eaters accustomed as Solinus telleth us to drink the blood of those whom they slew in fight Nor were the Women though the softer and more tender Sex free from such wilde and savage customs it being a constant course amongst them when they were delivered of a man-childe to put some meat into the mouth of it on the point of a sword wishing therewith it might not die but in the middest of Arms and the heat of battell Both Sexes uâ—ed to trim themselves with
or Wexford the Menapia of Ptolemie situate on the mouth of the River Slane supposed to be the Modona of the same Author the first of all the Towns in Ireland which received a Colonie of English 3 Kilkenny on the River Newre the chief Seat of the Bishop of Osserie and the fairest Town of all the In-lands so called quasi Cella Canicâ— the Cell or Monastery of Canicus a man of great renown for pietie in these parts of the Countrie 4 Kildare an In-land Town also and a Bishops See but of more note for giving the Title of an Earl to the antient Family of the Fitz-Geralds of long time honoured with this title One of which being much complained of to King Henry the 8th as a man of so unquiet and turbulent a nature that his Adversaries closed their charge against him with this expression Finally all Ireland cannot rule this Earl the King replyed that then this Earl should rule all Ireland and so for his lests sake made him Lord Deputy of the Kingdom 5 Rosse once populous well-traded and of large Circumference now a ruine onely nothing remaining but the Walls which were built by Isabell the Daughter of Richard Strongbow Earl of Pembroke the fortunate Conquerour of this Iland for King Henry the 2d 6 Philips Town the principall of the County of Ophalie or Kings Countie so called in honour of King Philip as 7 Marieburg the chief of Lease or the Queens County was in honour of Queen Mary 8 Leighlin a place of great importance well walled and fortified against the incursion of the Irish by the Lord Deputy Bellingham 9 Caterlâ—gh commonly but corruptly Carlough a Town of great strength and the chief of that County 10 Rheban not otherwise of note but that it is conceived to be the Rheba of Ptolomie 2 METH by the Latines called Media by Giraldus Midia because situate in the middest of the land hath on the South Leinster on the West Connaught on the North Vlster on the East the Irish Sea or S. Georges Channel A small but rich and pleasant Province well stocked with people and stored with all things necessary for their sustentation and for a sweet and wholesom Air not inferiour to any Divided into three Counties onely that is to say 1 〈◊〉 Meth 2 West-Metâ— and 3 Long ford containing 13 Towns of note and â—4 Castles of good esteem By reason of which strength it is called by some writers the Chamber of Ireland Townes of most consequence herein 1 Trim the chief Town of the County of East-Meth the antient Baronie of the Lacies possessed in former times of a fair Revenue in this County and Lords of the greatest parts of Vlster 2 Tredah more properly Droghedah situate on the River Bâ—ine on the edge of Ulster to which Province belongs so much of the Town as heth on the North side of that River a very fair and populous City as well by art as Nature very strongly fortified and furnished with a large and commodious Haven It took the name of Drogheda from the Bridge there built upon the River for the Conveniency of passage as the word signifieth in that Language and therefore called Pontana by some Latine writers 3 Mulinga the chief Town of West-Meth 4 Delvin in the same County also the Baronie of the Nagents an antient Familie in this tract 5 Longford of most note in the Countty so named but not else observable As for the fortunes of this Province for Lâ—inster sinâ—e the first Conquest of it hath been inseparably aâ—nexed to the Crown of England it was first granted in Fee Farm by King Henry the 2d to Hugh Lacy a Man of great merit and imployment in the Conquest of Ireland who left it unto Waâ—ter his younger Sonne By Margaret and Matildâ— the Neeces of this Walâ—er by his Sorne Gilbert one moyety hereof came to the Morâ—imers Earls of March and in their right unto the Crown in King Edward the fourth and the other moyety to the Verduns by whom dispersed and scatered into divers Families Accompted for one County only till the time of King Henry the 8th in whose reign it was divided into East-Meth and West-Meth to which the County of Longford was after added as it continueth to this day 3 VLSTER by the Latines called Vltonia is the largest Province of all Ireland bounded on the South with Meth and Connaught on the West with the vast Irish Ocean on the North with that part of the Northern Ocean to which Ptolomie gives the name of Hiperborean and on the East with S. Georges Channel A Country fruitfull of it self but in most places formerly over-grown with Woods and drowned in Marishes and great bogs by the naturall slothfulness of the people made more responsall to the husbandman both for corn and pasturage since the late Plantation of the British than in times foregoing It is divided into the Counties of 1 Louth 2 Cavan 3 Fermanath 4 Down 5 Monaghan 6 Armagh 7 Colrane 8 Tirconnel 9 Tiâ—-Oâ—n and 10 Antrim In which are comprehended 14 Towns of note for Commerce and Traffick and 30 Castles for defence of the Countrie and keeping under the wild Irish wilder and more untractable in these Northern parts than the rest of Ireland The whole well watered with a large and spacious Sea on three sides thereof many great Lakes in the body of it besides the Rivers of 1 Boyne called in Latine Bâ—anda which divides it from Meth 2 the Bann 3 Moandus and 4 the Eyn belonging to this Province wholly Places of most importance in it 1 Armagh on or neer the River Kalin the chief Town of the County so called and the See of an Arch-Bishop who is the Primate of all Ireland An antient City but so miserably defaced by fire in Tir-Oens Rebellion that it can scarce preserve the reputation of a Market Town 2 Carlingford and 3 Dundalk both situate on the Sea side and both within the County of Louth 4 Knock-Fergus the chief of Antrim more properly Rock-Fâ—rgus and in that sense called Carig-Fergus by the Irish so called from Fergus one of the Kings of the Irish Scots who there suffered Shipwrack Seated upon a large and capacious Bay the Vinderâ—us of Ptolomie which giveth it both a safe and commodious Port as well by naturall situation as the works of Art very strongly fortified by reason of the neighbourhood of the Scots in Cantire from which little distant 5 London-Derry a Colonie of the Londoners best built of any Town in the North of Ireland 6 Dungannon the principall seat and residence in former times of the great Oneales 7 Dungall the principall of Tir-Connell 8 Robogh a small Village at present but antiently a Bishops See fit to be mentioned in this place in regard it still preserveth some footsteps of the old Râ—bogdii an Irish Tribe and placed by Ptolomie in this tract where they gave name unto the promontory by him called Robogdâ—um now the Faire-Fore-land as is probably conceived
over against the Southern part of Cumberland and from which it is distant 25 miles and was judged to belong to Britain rather than to Ireland because it fostered venemous Serpents brought hither out of Britain By Ptolomie it is called Monoeda or the further Mona to difference it from that which we now call Anglesey by Plinie Monabia Menavia by Orosius and Beda Eubonia by Gildas an old British Writer The Welch at this day call it Menaw the Inhabitants Maning and the English Man It is in length 30 miles in bredth 15 and 8 in some places The people hate theft and begging and use a Language mixt of the Norwegian and Irish tongues The soyl is abundant in Flax Hemp Oates Barley and Wheat with which they use to supply the defects of Scotland if not the Continent it self yet questionless the Western Iles which are a Member of it For thus writeth the Reverend Father in God Iohn Moricke late Bishop of this Iland in a letter to Mr. Camden at such time as he was composing his most excellent Britannia Our Iland saith he for cattell for fish and for corn hath not only sufficient for it self but sendeth also good store into other Countries now what Countries should need this supply England and Ireland being aforehand with such provision except Scotland or some members thereof I see not Venerable Bede numbred in it 300 Families and now it is furnished with 17 Parish Churches The chief Towns are 1 Balâ—curi and 2 Russin or Castle-Town the seat of a Bishop who though he be under the Archbishop of York yet never had any voice in the English Parliament In this Iland is the hill Sceafull where on a clear day one may see England Scotland and Ireland here also are bred the Soland Geese of rotten wood falling into the water This Iland was taken from the Britans by the Scots and from them regained by Edwin King of Northumberland Afterwards the Norwegians seized on it and made it a Kingdom the Kings hereof ruling over the Hebrides and some part of Ireland From them taken by Alexander the 3d of Scotland by a mixt title of Arms and purchase after which time it was sometimes English sometimes Scotish as their fortunes varied till in the end and about the year 1340. William Montacute Earl of Salisbury descended from the Norwegian Kings of Man won it from the Scots and sold it to the Lord Scrope who being condemned of Treason Henry the fourth gave it to Henry Piercy Earl of Northumberland but he also proving false to his Soveraign it was given to the Stanleys now Earls of Darby The Kings of Man of the Danish or Norwegian Race 1065. 1 Godred the Sonne of Syrric 1066. 2 Fingall Sonne of Godred 1066. 3 Godred II. Sonne of Harald 1082. 4 Lagnan Eldest Sonne of Godred the 2d 1089. 5 Donnald Sonne of Tado 1098. 6 Magnus King of Norwey 1102. 7 Olave the 3d Sonne of Godred 1144. 8 Godred III. Sonne of Olave 1187. 9 Reginald base Sonne of Godred the 3d. 1226. 10 Olâ—ve the lawfull Sonne of Godred the 3d. 1237. 11 Harald Sonne of Olave 1243. 12 Reginald II. Brother of Harald 1252. 13 Magnus II. Brother of Reginald 1266. 14 Magnus III. King of Norway the last King of Man of the Danish or Norwegian Race The Kings and Lords of Man of the English Blood 1340. 1 William Montacute Earl of Salisbury King of Man 1395. 2 William Lord Scrope King of Man 1399. 3 Henry Earl of Northumberland King of Man 1403. 4 William Lord Stanley Lord of the Isle of Man 5 Iohn Lord Stanley 6 Thomas Lord Stanley 7 Thomas Lord Stanley Earl of Darby 1503. 8 Thomas Lord Stanley Early of Darby 1521. 9 Edward Lord Stanley Earl of Darby 1572. 10 Henry Lord Stanley Earl of Darby 1593. 11 Ferdmando Lord Stanley Earl of Darby 12 William Lord Stanley Early of Darby 13 Iames Lord Stanley Earl of Darby Lord of the Isle of Man now living Anno 1648. King in effect though but Lord in title as having here all kind of Civill power and jurisdiction over the Inhabitants under the Feife and Sovereignty of the Crown of England together with the nomination of the Bâ—shop whom he presents unto the King for his Royall assent then to the Arch-Bishop of York for his consecration And this I take to be the reason why the Bishop of Man was no Lord of Parliament none being admitted to that honour but such as held immediately of the King himself nor was it reason that they should V. ANGLESEY is an Iland situate in the Irish Sea over against Carnarvonshire in North-Wales from which it is divided by a narrow streight which they call the Menai By the Britans themselves as by the Welch at this day it was called Mon from whence the Romans had their Mona but being Conquered by the English it obtained the name of Anglesey as one would say the Iland of the English Men eye in the Saxon language signifying an Iland A place of such a fair Revenue to the Princes of it that LLewellen the last Prince of Wales being stripped of almost all the rest of his Estates by King Edward the first paid to that King a tribute of 1000 per An. for this Iland only And to say truth the Iland is exceeding fruitfull both in Corn and Cattle from whence the Welch are liberally stored with both and therefore it is said proverbially Mon Mam Cymri that Anglâ—sey is the Mother of Wales In length from East to West about 20 miles and 17 in bredth Containing in that Compasse 74 Parishes divided into six hundreds and hath in it only two Market Towns that is to say 1 Beanmaris seated on a flat or marish ground neer the Menai built by King Edward the first to secure his Conquest by whom well walled and fortified as the times then were 2 Newburg a Town of no great antiquity as the name doth intimate by the Welch called Rossur in former times it had an Haven of some good receipt but now choaked with sand The other places of most note are 3 Aberfraw a small village now but heretofore the Royall seat of the Kings of Wales and 4ly Holy-head seated on an head-land or Promontory thrusting into the Sea made holy or thought so at least by the religious retirement of Saint Kuby or Kibius one of the Disciples of St. Hilarie of Poictiers from whence by the Welchmen called Caer-Cuby of most note for the ordinary passage betwixt Wules and Ireland Antiently this Iland was the seat of the Druides and brought with no small difficulty under the power of the Romans by Suctonius Paulinus the People fighting in other parts of Britain for their liberty only but here pro Arts focis too for their Religion Liberty and their Gods to boot Being deserted by the Romans with the rest of Britain it remained in the possession of its own natural Princes till the fatal period of that State when added
more flat and levell and therefore fortified with the two Castles of the Cowes and Sandham There is also the Castle of Yarmouth in the West parts of the Iland and that of Garesbrook in the middest but more towards the North in which last there is said to be Armour for 5000 men and in each Village of which here are 33 besides many Market Towns a peece of Ordnance Yet do not all these Arms and Castles adde so much to the strength of it as the naturall courage of the People warlike and stout and trained unto the postures of Warre from their very Childhood The Soil hereof abundantly answereth the pains of the Husbandman so plentifull of Corn and all the fruits of a good pasturage that they have not only enough for themselves but furnish the markets of Southampton and Portsmouth but the last especially with the greatest part of the Wheat Flesh Cheese and Butter which is spent amongst them Insomuch as the Soldiers of Portsmouth presuming on the strength of the Town have been used to say That if they had the Isle of WIGHT to their friend and the Seat open they cared not for all the World besides Their Sheep here of so fine a fleece that the Wooll hereof hath the second place of esteem next to that of Lemster in the Countie of Hereford and precedencie of that of Cotswald Their chief Towns 1 Yarmouth on the North-west of the Iland seated on a convenient Haven which is said to have some resemblance to that of Rochell and that Haven defended with a Castle 2 Brading another Market-Town 3 Newton an antient Burrough and privileged with sending Burgesses to the English Parliament 4 Gaersbrook a large Town and neighboured with an Antient Castle 5 Newport now the chief of all the Isle called in times past Medena afterwards Novus Burgus de Medena at last Newport Seated upon an Arm of the Sea capable of Ships of lesser burden to the very key and by that means populous well traded and inhabited by a civill and wealthy People The Iland first subdued to the Romans by the valour of Vespasian afterwards Emperour of Rome in the time of Claudius Extorted from the Britans by Cerdick King of the West-Saxons and by him given to Stuffa and Whitgar two of that Nation who had almost rooted out the old Inhabitants It was the last Countrey of the Saxons which received the Gospell and then upon compulsion too forced to it by the power as well as the perswasion of Cedwalla the West-Saxon King Took from the English in the time of the Norman Conquerour by William Fitz-Osborn Earl of Hereford who thereupon was made the first Lord thereof From whose Family by the gift of Henry the second it passed to that of Redvars or Rivers de Ripariis then Earles of Devonshire and on the failing of that House returned to the Crown in the reign of Edward the first Never so much ennobled as by Henry the sixth who bearing a great affection to Henry Beauchamp Earl of Warwick in the 23 of his reign crowned him King of Wight Anno 1445. Which title ended with his life about two yeers after IX THANET is a little Iland in the North-East of Kent not far from Sandwich environed on three parts with the Sea into which it shooteth with a large Promontâ—rie called the North-Fore-land the Cantium of the antient Writers towards the West severed from the Main-land of Kent by the River Stoure which is here called Yeâ—â—â—de Called by Solinus Athanatos in some Copies Thanatos from whence the Saxons had their Thanet Famous as in other things so in these particulars that it was the place which the Saxons landed at when they first came into Britain the first Lâ—verie and Seizâ—n which they had of the whole Kingdom conferred upon them by the improvident bounâ—ie of Voâ—tger to whose aid called in and the landing place of Augustine the Monk when he brought the Gospell to the Saxons The whole about 8 miles in length and four in bredth was reckoned to contein in those times 600 Families now very populous for the bigness and plentifull of all commodities necessary but of corn especially The People gnerally are a kind of 〈◊〉 able to get their livings both by Sea and Land well skilled as well in steering of a ship at Sea as in holding the Plough upon Land and in both industrious Of most note in it 1 Stonar a Port-Town the usuall landing place of the Saxons more memorable for the Sepulchre of Vorâ—â—mer King of the Britans who having vanquished the Sâ—xons in many battels and finally driven them out of the Iland desired to be here interred on a concert that his dead Corps would fright them from Landing any more upon these Coasts And this perhaps he did in imitation of Scipio African who having had a fortunate hand against those of Carthage gave order to have his Tomb placed towards Africk to fright the Carthagiâ—â—ans from the Coasts of Italiâ— M. SUNDERLAND is an Iland onely at an high-water when environed on all sides with the Sea at other times joyned unto the Land or of an easie passage from the one to the other pulled by some tempest or by the working of the Sea from the rest of the Land whence the name of Sunderland Situate in the North-East part of the Bishoprick of Durcham over against the influx of the River Were Rich in its inexhaustible mines of Coal and for that cause seldom without the company of forein Merchants yet not to have been here remembred but that it hath been thought worthy by our Soveraign Lord King Charles the second Monarch of Great Britain to conferre the title of Earl to the two Noble Families of the Scropes and Spencers the first in the 3d yeer of his reign Anno 1627 the second in the 18th Anno 1642. XI THE HOLY ILAND lieth upon the Coast of Northumberland not far from Barwick stretched out in length from East to West with a narrow point unto the Land from thence growing broader like a wedge fortified with a strong Castle and of great safety but more famous for what it hath been than for what it is In the dawning of Christianity amongst the Northumbers made a Bishops See by S. Aidanius one of the first Apostles of that potent Nation Selected for this dignitie by that Godly man for the Solitude and privacie of it which made it thought more fit and proper for Devotion The name then Linâ—isfarâ— but the Religious lives of so many pious Bishops Monks and others of the Clergy as did there inhabit gained it the name of Holy Iland The See continued there 353 years that is to say from the yeer 637 to 990 under 22 Bishops hence called Bishops of Lindisfarn then removed to Durham the insolencies of the Danes who then raged terribly on those coasts compelling them to abandon that religious solitude Thus have we taken a survey of the British Ilands and shewn by what meanes
Ireland and all the lessâ—r Ilands became united either to the Crowns of England or Scotland and those two Kingdoms to each other joyned in the person of the same King and the participation of his favours though different still in Lawes and some forms of Government as most of the Estates of Spain at the present time Vnited also in one name the different Appellations of England and Scotland being swallowed up or incorporated rather in that of GREAT BRITAIN which of pleased King James to own for his Stile Imperiall And for a memorie thereof to cause a peece of Gold to be coyned of 20 s. since raised to 22 s. which he called the Vâ—itâ—â— stamped on the one side with his picture and this Inscription JAâ—OBVS D. GR. MAGâ—AE BRITANNIAE FR. ET HIBERNIAE REX and on the other side with his Arms crowned with this Motto FACIAM EOS IN GENIEM VNAM All we have now to doe is to lay down the names of those puissant Princes whom God hath raâ—sed to be The Monarchs of Britain 1602. 1 James the sixth of that name King of the Scots Sonne of Mary Qu. of Scots Daughter of James the 5th the Sonne of James the 4th and of the Lady Margaret eldest Daughter of Henry the 7th of England which Margaret being after maried to Archembald Douglass Earl of Aâ—gus had a Daughter named Margaret also the only Child of her Parents maried to Matthew Stewart Earl of Lennox by whom she was made the mother of Henry Lord Darnley the Father of King â—ames the sixth by the said Mary Queen of Scots So that King Iames descending from the eldest Daughter of Henry the 7th both by Father and Mother on the expiring of the Line of Henry the 8th in the person of Q. Elizabeth of famous memorie was the next heir to the Crown of England and was accordingly with all joyfull acclamations proclamed and acknowledged King in the Citie of London March 24. Anno 1602. according to the Accompt of the Church of England A learned and Religious Prince a true Defender of the Faith a Nursing Father of the Church and a lover of learning He died at Theobalds March 27. 1625. having reigned 23 yeers and four dayes over 1625. 2 Charles second Sonne of King Iames and Anne of Denmark his elder Brother Henry dying long before the 63d King in descent from Cerdick King of the West-Saxons the 45th King of England in descent from Egbâ—rs the 24th from the Norman Conqueror the 64th Monarch of the English and the second Monarch of Britain In the beginning of his reign he maried the Princess Henrietta Maria Daughter to Henry the 4th and Sister to Lewis the 13th French Kings by whom blest with a Royall Issue of Sonnes and Daughters As for the Forces and Revenues of these British Monarchs we cannot put the estimate of them in a better way than by laying together that which hath been delivered of each severall part out of which Items the summa totalis of the whole both in power and treasure will be easily gathered For though these Monarchs never had any occasion to muster and unite the Forces of their severall Kingdoms upon any one Action yet by considering what they have been able to doe divided we may conclude of what they may doe if need be being now united And so we are to do in marshalling the Arms of the British Monarchie which are 1 Quarterly France and England 2 Scotland 3 Ireland the fourth as the first I shut up this discourse of the British Empire with those words of Scripture the Motto of another of King Iames his Coins QVAE DEVS CONJVNXIT NEMO SEPARET And so much for Britain A TABLE Of the Longitude and Latitude of the chief Cities mentioned in this first Book A.  Lon. Lat. Aberdene 22. 20. 57. 20. Alcala de Henares 23. 0. 40. 30. Alicante 28. 40. 39. 0. Almodine 34. 0. 33. 40. Ancona 43. 10. 43. 50. S. Andrewes 22. 10. 56. 20. Angolesme 27. 0. 46. 0. Angiâ—rs 18. 10. 47. 25. Aquilegia 42. 50. 46. 40. Armagh 14. 50. 54. 9. Avero 17. 30. 41. 10. Avignon 23. 40. 43. 50. Aux 22. 40. 43. 40. St. Anderes 22. 20. 43. Aix 22. 20. 42. 10. Arles 22. 45. 43. 20. Amboise 20. 35. 47. 35. B. Badaies 19. 40. 38. 30. Baione 24. 20. 42. 10. Basil 28. 10. 48. 30. Besanson 26. 30. 47. 30. Bilbao 23. 30. 43. 10. Baden in Switzerl 31.  48. 44. Blavet 21. 15. 47. 50. Bononia 35. 50. 43. 33. Brest 20.  48. 50. Bath 20. 56. 51. 20. Bragance 6.  45.  Barwick 22. 43. 55. 48. Barcelone 17. 15. 41. 36. Burdeaux 18.  45. 10. Burges 24. 10. 48. 20. C. Cambridge 23. 25. 52. 11. Calice 26. 2. 52.  Canterburie 24. 50. 51. 16. Cartagena 28. 20. 38. 20. Cane 21.  50.  Carlile 21. 31. 5â— 57. Chester 20. 23. 53. 11. Chichester 26. 10. 51.  Clermont 30. 15. 45. 50. Chur 32.  42.  Corck 15. 40. 41. 40. Corduba 9. 4. 37. 50. Conimbre 5. 45. 40. 19. Compostella 17. 15. 44. 18. Coventrie 25. 52. 52. 23. D. Dieppe 28. 40. 49. 30. Digioâ— 25. 45. 47. Dole 28. 3. 49. 5. Dâ—ver 26. 10. 51.  Dublin 16. 40. 54. 27. Dun-Britton 19. 24. 57. 10. Durham 22.  54. 55. E. Edenburgh 22.  55. 50. Embrun 28.  44.  Elie 25. 20. 52. 40. Exeter 22. 10. 51.  F. Florence 41 10. 43. 40. Ferrara 44.  36.  Fayall   48. 40. G. Geneva 33. 40. 46. 20. Gelway 13. 17. 54. 6. Glocester 19.  53.  Gades 15. 10. 37.  Granada 11.  37. 50. Groine 16. 50. 43. 20. Genoa 37. 50. 45. 0. Grenoble 27.  45. 30. H. S. Hilarie in Guernzey 22. 20. 49. 40. Hull 25. 20. 53. 40. L. Leon 21. 10. 42. 15. Lisbon 9. 10. 38. 38. Lions 23. 15. 45. 10. Lincoln 22. 52. 53. 12. London 23. 25. 5. 34. Luca 42. 10. 40.  Ligorn 40. 20. 43 30. M. Majorca 39. 50. 33.  Malaga 23. 50. 37. 22. Merseilles 24. 30. 43. 10. S. Malo 19.  49.  Medina Caeli 23. 30. 41. 10. Millaine 38. 30. 46. 10. Modena 41. 50. 35. 40. Montpelier 25. 30. 44. 10. Montalban 23.  45.  Messana 45. 50. 37. 50. Minorca 34. 30. 40. 0. N. Naples 46.  39. 30. Nantes 24. 10. 47. 10. Narbon 30. 20. 43. 20. Nevers 25.  47.  Newcastle 22. 30. 54. 57. Nismes 26.  44. 2. Norwich 24. 55. 52. 40. O. Oleron 24. 30. 45. 30. Orleans 28. 30. â—8 0. Orange 26. 20. 43. 20. Oxford 22.  51. 50. Otranto 49. 30. 40. 20. P. Pampelun 24. 30. 43. 3. Paris 23. 30. 48. 40. Pavie 44. 1. 33. 5. Padua 44. 45. 36. 20. Parma 39. 20. 45. 10. Pescara 43. 0. 30. 10. Palerme     Peragia 42. 20. 43. 10. Peter-port in Iarsey 23. 0. 49. 20. Pisa 40. 30. 43.
for English Fugitives 3. Orchies a pleasant town and well traded for the making of Serges which with the other two make up the three Estates of this part of Flanders 4. Armentiers an unwalled town but of very great trading here being yearly 25000. pieces of Cloth sent hence to Italie and thence to Constantinople 5. Tournay or Dornick as the Dutch call it a great rich mighty and strong town seated on the Scheld well built and full of stately and magnificent Churches and religious Houses and anciently honoured with a See Episcopall A town of great importance and much contended for betwixt the Flemmings and the French but finally fell unto the French as the more puissant Prince taken from them by Henry the eighth of England Anno 1513. to whom the Citizens paid 100000 Duckets for their present ransome restored by him unto the French Anno 1518. for the sum of 600000. Crowns and finally from them recovered by Charles the fift who restored it to the body of Flanders from which it had been long dismembred but so that it is governed as a State apart and is called the Signeury of Tournesis having a goodly jurisdiction over the Countrey round about it 6. S. Amand in the Countrey of Tournesis pleasantly seated on the Scharpe in which is one of the richest Abbies in all Flanders the Abbat thereof having the temporall and spirituall jurisdiction over it and the parts about it And so much for the Chorographie of the Earldome of Flanders inhabited by the Nervi and Morini in the time of Caesar 11. ARTOIS is bounded on the East with Flanders Gallâ—â—ant and the Countrey of Cambray on the South and West with Picardie on the North with Flanders Flammegant and the River Lis. The aire exceeding temperate and the soyle so fruitfull that it serveth as a Granarie to a great part both of Flanders and Brabant On the West part hereof towards France lyeth the Earldome of S. Paul so called from the chief town thereof a goodly Signeurie and of great jurisdiction and revenue containing besides many Villages the good town of Berne a walled town and of great importance The Earls hereof were of the noble family of the Earls of Luxembourg the last of which was Lewis of Luxembourg made Constable of France by K. Lewis the 11. With whom as also with Edward the 4. of England and Charles Duke of Burgundie he plaid so many crosse tricks that having long deluded them all and kept them in a continuall jealousie of one another he was at last by Duke Charles taken and beheaded After whose death this goodly Signeurie fell to the house of Vendosme in France by the marriage of Francis Earl of Vendosme with Mary the daughter of this Lewis to whom it was adjudged by the power and favour of the French-Kings the Heirs Males being made uncapable of succession in it by the Attaindure and Confiscation of the said last Earl By means whereof the house of Vendosme were entituled to many fair Estates in Artois and Flanders and much good lands in France which they were possessed of The Armes of these Earls were Argent a Lyon Gules armed and Crowned Or his tail forked of the second As for the residue of Artois the towns of most importance in it are Arras in Latine Attrebatum Civitas the chief City of the Attrebates the old inhabitants hereof in the time of Caesar and still the chief City of this Province a large populous and well fortified City anciently honoured with a See Episcopall and stocked with an industrious people the first makers of the Cloth of Arras which took name from hence Divided into two distinct towns both of them walled and called by two severall names the lesser called La Cite subject to the Bishop beautified with a fair and stately Cathedrall Church and a Library containing many excellent Manuscripts the lesser called La Ville subject to the Prince having large streets and a rich Monastery of the yearly revenue of 20000. crowns By Ptolemy it is called Regiacum seated within a bow-shoot of the River Scharp and heretofore the Metropolitan town of Flanders till Artois was dismembred from it since which time the chief City of this Province as before is said 2. S. Omer a fair town and well peopled seated upon the River Aa some 8. Dutch miles from the Ocean so called from S. Omer or Audomarus Bishop of the Morini who built a Monastery in this place from which grew the town the second of esteem and rank in all the countrey Near to it is a goodly lake of fresh water in which are many little Ilands affording good pasturage for Cattell of which Lewis Guicciardine reporteth that by fastning a cord unto the bushes which grow in them a man may draw them which way he will and that under them there are found great numbers of fishes who bed themselves there for shelter against the Weather 3. Betune a strong town and seated amongst excellent pastures of which the people make great plenty of the best Cheese which with the territory hereof fell to Guy of Dampierre Earl of Flanders in right of Maud his wife daughter and heir of Daniel the Lord of this town 4. Aire on the Lys a strong town with a Castle of great antiquitie 5. Bapaulme a little but well fortified town and yet more strong because it cannot be besieged for want of fresh water which is not to be had within three leagues of it 6. Renty an unwalled town but fenced with a very strong Castle besieged by the French Anno 1554. but being overcome in a set-field by Charles the fift they were fain to raise the siege and go home again 7. Hedinfert on the confluence of two little Riverets Blangis and Canche a frontier town on the edge of France one of the strongest and most defensible places of all the Netherlands built by Charles the fift out of the ruines of old Hesdin which having taken from the French he commanded it to be razed as no longer serviceable and raised this town instead thereof somewhat near France 8. Terâ—in or Theroven the Tervanna of Ptolemy and Civitas Morinum of Antoninus a frontire town held for a long time by the French by whom thought impregnable till taken by King Henry the 8. Anno 1513. they changed their opinion A siege not only memorable for the issue of it but for two other matters of great moment the one that the Emp. Maximilian came and served in person under the colours of S. George with the English crosse upon his breast the other that the French intending to victuall the town had so great an overthrow that had the English followed their fortune they had opened a fair way to have made themselves masters of all France the French King being so astonished on the newes hereof that he prepared to flie into Britain But the English more minded the spoyles and riches of Terwyn then the sequell of an absolute victory Et fruâ—
Baldwin the second 15 Baldwin IV. son of Baldwin the third 16 Baldwin V. son of Baldwin the fourth 17 Baldwin VI. of Hainalt and VIII of Flanders in right of Margaret his wife sister and heâ—r of Philip of Elsas Earl of Flanders 1199 18 Baldwin VIII of Hainalt and IX of Flanders Emperour of Constantinople 1295 19 Joan Countesse of Hainalt and Flanders first married to Ferdinand of Portugal and then to Thomas Earl of Savoy 1244 20 Margaret the younger sister of Joan married to William of Bourbon Lord of Dampierre by whom she had William and Guy both Earls of Flanders 21 John de Avesnes base son of Margaret begot before her marriage by Buschart her Guardian the Porter of S. Peters in L'Isle by force and fraud extorted Hainalt from his Brethren born in lawfull wedlock and married Aleide daughter and heir of Florence the 4. Earl of Holland whose successours in both Estates we shall meet with there and amongst them with William the 2. father of Queen Philippa wife of Edward the 3. one of the most considerable of all the number The Arms hereof are quarterly Flanders and Holland 4. The Bishoprick of CAMBRAY Southward with Hainalt lieth the Bishoprick of CAMBRAY containing a goodly Town and territory reckoned of anciently as a part of Hainalt now a state distinct rather confederate with the Princes of the Netherlands then subject to them The Principall City hereof is Cambray called in Latine Cameracum seated on both sides of the River Scheld a fair goodly and mighty City full of people many of which are rich Merchants but all of them industrious especially in making that fine linnen Cloth from hence called Camerac or Cambrick The private buildings very fair but the publick much fairer especially the Monasteries and other Churches of which the most remarkable is that of our Ladie an ancient and sumptuous fabrick and the See Episcopall From whence the countrey and territory hereunto adjoyning is called Cambresis in which are divers Villages and places of importance the chief of which is Chasteau Cambresis six leagues from the City remarkable for the treaty held there betwixt France and Spain anno 1559. in which a peace was happily setled amongst all the chief Princes of Christendome 2. Avesnes le sec so called to distinguish it from Avesnes in Hainalt near which are digged excellent white stones for building little inferiour unto Marble This Bishoprick was founded in the person of S. Diogenes a Grecian born Anno 390. or thereabouts Whose Successours in tract of time became so potent that at the last the Bishop hereof became both the Lord spirituall and temporall of the Town and territory honoured with the title of a Duke and Prince of the Empire and in the end made an Arch-bishop by Pope Paul the 4. anno 1562. The City of Cambray made Imperiall by the Germane Emperours was first by Henry the fift given in protection to Robert of Hierusalem Earl of Flanders afterwards setled and confirmed on all his Successours by the Emperour Frederick anno 1164. Which notwithstanding the French finding it convenient for them divers times possessed it but governing with too great insolence they were driven out by the people in the time of Lewis the 11. and the town yeelded voluntarily unto Maximilian governour of these countries for his son Philip. Charles the 5. in the year 1543. built a strong Citadell in it pretending that he did it for defence of the Town against the French but indeed to keep it for himself After this it was taken by the Duke of Alenson brother of Henry the 3. of France then Governour of the Netherlands anno 1582. but regained not long after by the Spaniards the Inhabitants giving up the Town for want of victuals Since that continually possessed by the Spaniards but so that the people still enjoy their ancient priviledges and are governed by their own lawes and Bishops 5. NAMVR The Earldome of NAMVR hath on the East Hainalt on the West the Bishoprick of Leige on the North Brabantâ— and on the South Luxenbourg The countrey very small containing only 182. Villages and four walled Towns but plentifull of all commodities and replenished with a loyall and industrious people Particularly the aire hereof is very wholesome the countrey watered with many rivers and pleasant brooks amongst which the Sambre and the Maes which besides the benefit of portage yeeld great plenty of fish The hils whereof it hath not many clothed with woods abounding with all kinde of fowle and venison the vallies eminently fruitfull of all sorts of grain rich mines of Lead quarries of Marble of all colours as also of Porphyrie or Jasper and great plenty of Coal but in mines of Iron so abounding and that continually hammered by a painfull people that Vulcans forge may seem to be restored to the world again and seated here which as it makes the people wealthy so it keeps them from idlenesse And as for the Nobility they are generally valiant given to all military exercises fit for their degrees and very affectionate to their Prince the greatest vertue of a subject Walled Towns it hath but four as before was said that is to say 1. Namur the chief of all the Province where resideth the Councell for the countrey from which lyeth no appeal but to Machlyn only Seated between two hils on both sides of the Sambre which doth there fall into the Meuse The City rich inhabited for the most part by the Nobility defended with a strong Castle and beautified with a fair Cathedrall founded here in the Church of S. Albin anno 1559. Not farre off in the Villages of Ardenne and Monstier are two Nunneries of Ladies like those of Montz and Maubuige spoken of in Hainalt 2. Bovines upon the Meuse sacked by the French anno 1554. since repaired and fortified 3. Charlemont a small Town but of most exact fortifications built by Charles the 5. anno 1555. to oppose the French who had then possessed themselves of Mariemburg a Town of Halnalt 4. Valencourt a little Town but standing in a goodly and fruitfull countrey Of the Villages the chief is Doue seated on the Meuse or Maes fortified with a strong Castle and honoured with the title of a Viscountie 2. Floren 3. Vascie and 4. Sausin of much beauty and greatnesse The ancient Inhabitants of this countrey were a part of the Nervii first made an Earldone by some of the descendents of the sons of Clodius the second King of the French who being dispossessed of their Fathers kingdome by Meroveus the Master of his horse to whom he had committed the guardianship or tuition of them were forced to betake themselves to the most defensible parts of the great forrest of Ardenne and the parts adjoyning where they founded the great Earldome of Ardenne divided in succeeding times into many parcels of which this was one By what and by how many Earls possessed I am yet to learn but sold it was by John
of Vtrecht all which immediately after dyed and with them the mother The Armes of Holland of it self as a State distinct are Or a Lyon Gules ZELAND so called as some think quasi Sea and Land consisteth of seven Islands the remainder of 18 which the Sea hath swallowed and in them 300 inhabited Townes Severed from Flanders with the left branch or arm of the Schelde which they called Honte and on the East from Brabant with the right branch of the said River which still keeps his name on the North from Holland with the Gulph called the Flack and on the West with the main Ocean from the Kingdom of England The Countrey generally more fruitfull then the neighbouring Brabant producing great quantity of excellent corn plenty of Coriander and aboundance of Mader used in dying the soil also very rich in pasture but low and marishy which makes the air to bee very unhealthy and the whole destitute both of fresh water and wood the want of which last is supplyed with coal out of England and Scotland or by Turf digged amongst themselves but very sparingly for fear of weakning the Sea banks The whole containeth 8 Towns and 100 Villages The Islands which remain being divided into the Western and the Eastern are 1. Walcheren Valachria in Latine lying to the Southwest of Slags in Flanders the richest and most populous of all this Province in compasse 10 Dutch or 40 Italian miles The principall towns of which are 1. Middleburg seated upon a Creek of the Sea well walled and fortified the streets spacious the houses and Churches well built inhabited by wealthy Merchants and industrious tradesmen and of late times since the removing of the English trade from Antwerp a most flourishing Emporie So called because built in the midst of the Island or because built as saith Ortelius by Prince Zelandus of whom this Province was thus named in honour of his Grandfather Metellus and by him called Metelli Burgum 2. Flushing of great note for its good Port and invincible strength One of the first Townes which the Low-Countreymen took from the Spaniards by the diligence of Voorst a Seaman and Monsieur de Berland then the Bayliffe thereof and not long after put into the hands of the English as a Town of Caution the first Governour of it being the renowned Philip Sidney A poore Town then it was God wot now the Key of the Netherlands without whose licence no ship can passe either to or from the City of Antwerp insomuch that if the Duke of Alva in the beginning of his Government had bestowed that paines in fortifying this and others of the Maritime Townes as he did in the strengthening Antwerp and some mid-land Cities he had in all probability hindred the remedilesse revolt of these flourishing Countries Not far off standeth the Fort called the Rammikins once cautionary to the English also together with the Brill the chief Town in the Isle of Voorn an Isle of Holland all three being taken from the Spaniard An. 1572. made Cautionary to Queene Elizabeth An. 1585. and finally surrendered by King James to the States united An. 1616. Robert Lord Lisle afterwards created Earl of Leicester the brother of Sir Philip Sidney being then Governour of Flushing 3. Ramne or Armyden an unwalled Town but beautified with one of the goodliest and most frequented Havens in all the World out of which one may sometimes see 500 sail of ships of great burden set forwards on their voiages to severall parts 4. Vere or Camfere seated in the North part of the Island which once gave title to a Marquesse and from the which the noble Families of the Veres now and of long time Earls of Oxford took demomination So as it is no marvell that so many of that family have ventured their Estates and lives in the wars of this Countrey being their Grandmother in a manner or their Primitive Parent from whence transplanted into England 2. SOVTH-BEVERLAD situate betwixt Walcheren and Brrbant the greatest of the Isles of Zeland heretofore 20 Dutch miles in compasse but now much diminished by the rage and fury of the Sea by which the Town and Signeury of Borsule with all the Countries round about it was swallowed up An. 1532. That which remains hath in it many goodly Woods and pleasant Thickets full of Fowl and wilde Beasts for hawking and hunting Chief Towns here are 1. Romerswall seated on the East towards Bergen ap Some severed at the same time from the rest of the Island and made an Island of it self defended with continuall charge from following the sad fate of the Town of Borsule 2. Goes or Tergoes on the Northern Coast a strong Town well priviledged and the only walled Town in all the Island 3. NORTH-BEVERLAND lying betwixt South-Beverland and the Isle of Showen in former times esteemed the Paradise of Zeland and having in it a proper Town called Chort-Cheen but so destroyed by the great Sea-breach spoken of before that there is nothing now remaining but a few poor Villages 4. WALFERSDIKE lying between the two Beverlands the smallest of the Western Islands as having in it no more then two Villages but replenished with good store of Pasture And these are all which fall in the division of the Western Islands so called because they lie Westward of the River Scheld as those which they call the Eastern Islands on the East thereof Of which last there are three in number 1. SCHOWEN lying on the Northwest of Holland so neer unto North-Beverland in former times that the Inhabitans could talk together from one shore to the other but now the Sea hath set them at a greater distance It containeth in compasse six Dutch miles chief Towns wherein are 1. Siriczed the antientest Town of all Zeland once beautified with a fair and commodious Haven now choaked up with beach yet still reputed for the second Town of all the Province the whole trade thereof consisting in Salt and Mader of which it yeelds good plenty most famous for the birth of Levinus Lemnius that renowned Philosopher and Physitian 2. Brewers-Haven inhabited onely by Fishermen not else remarkable 2. DVVELAND so named from the multitudes of Doves or Pigeons situate between Schouwen and Tolen in compasse about 4 Dutch miles hath no good Town in it but onely Countrey Villages and Gentlemens Farms Surrounded by the Sea An. 1530. but by the industry and diligence of Adolph of Bugundy and Lord of Soferes in Flanders recovered again and at the excessive charge of the people hitherto preserved 3. TOLEN so called from the chief Town of the Island where the Earles toll was wont to be paid whence it had the name is situate over against the Northwest of Brabant from which disjoined by a narrow Creeke or Arm of the Sea the second Town of note being called S. Martins Dike walled but not otherwise considerable Agreeable to the quality of this Countrey of Zeland are the Arms thereof being Or a Lyon Gules
rising out of a Sea wavie Argent Azure WEST-FRISELAND hath on the East Groyning-land and a part of Westphalen in High-Germany on the South Over-yssell and the Zuider-See on the North and West the main Ocean The Countrey generally moorish and full of fennes unapt for corn but yeelding great store of pasturage which moorishnesse of the ground makes the air very foggie and unhealthy nor have they any fewell wherewith to rectifie it except in that part of it which they call Seven-wolden but turf and Cow-dung which addes but little to the sweetnesse of an unsound air Nor are they better stored with Rivers here being none proper to this Countrey but that of Leuwars the want of which is supplyed by great channels in most places which doe not onely drain the Marishes but supply them with water Which notwithstanding their pastures doe afford them a good breed of horses fit for service plenty of Beeves both great and sweet the best in Europe next these of England and those in such a large increase that their Kine commonly bring two Calves and their Ewes three lambs at a time The Countrey divided into three parts In the first part called WESTERGOE lying towards Holland the principall towns are 1. Harlingen an Haven town upon the Ocean defended with a very strong Castle 2. Hindeloppen on the same Coast also 3. Staveren an Hanse Town opposite to Enchuisen in Holland the town decayed but fortified with a strong Castle which secures the Haven 4. Francker a new University or Schola illustris as they call it 5. Sneck in a low and inconvenient situation but both for largenesse and beauty the best in this part of the Province and the second in esteem of all the countrey In Oâ—ffergoâ— or the East parts lying towards Groiningland the townes of most note are 6. Leuwarden situate on the hinder Leuwars the prime town of West-Friâ—eland and honoured with the supreme Court and Chancery hereof from which there lyeth no appeal a rich town well built and strongly fortified 7. Doccum bordering upon Groyning the birth place of Gemma Frisiiâ— In SEVEN-VVOLDEN or the Countrey of the Seven Forrests so called from so many small Forrests joining neer together is no town of note being long time a Woodland Countrey and not well inhabited till of late The number of the walled Townes is 11 in all oâ— the Villages 〈◊〉 Burroughs 345. To this Province belongeth the Isle of Schelinke the shores whereof are plentifully stored with Dog-fish took by the Inhabitants in this manner The men of the Iland attire themselves with beasts skins and then fall to dancing with which sport the fish being much delighted make out of the waters towards them nets being pitched presently betwixt them and the water Which done the men put off their disguises and the frighted fish hastning towards the sea are caught in the toyles Touching the Frisons heretofore possessed of this countrey we shall speak more at large when we come to East-Friseland possessed also by them and still continuing in the quality of a free Estate governed by its own Lawes and Princes here only taking notice that the Armes of this Friseland are Azure semy of Billets Argent two Lyons Or. The ancient Inhabitants of these three Provinces were the Batavi and Caninefates inhabiting the Island of the Rhene situate betwixt the middle branch thereof and the Waeâ— which now containeth South-Holland Vtrecht and some part of Gueldres the Frisii dwelling in West-Friseland and the North of Holland and the Mattiaci inhabiting in the Isles of Zeland By Charles the Bald these countries being almost unpeopled by the Norman Piracies were given to Thierrie son of Sigebert a Prince of Aquitain with the title of Earl his Successours acknowledging the Soveraignty of the Crown of France till the time of Arnulph the 4. Earl who atturned Homager to the Empire In John the 2. they became united to the house of Hainalt and in William the 3. to that of Bavaria added to the estates of the Dukes of Burgundie in the person of Duke Philip the Good as appeareth by this succession of The EARLS of HOLLAND ZELAND and LORDS of WEST-FRISELAND 863 1 Thierrie or Theodorick of Aquitain the first Earl c. 903 2 Thierrie II. son of Thierrie the 1. 3 Thierrie the III. the son of Theodorick the 2. 988 4 Arnulph who first made this Estate to be held of the Empire shin in a war against the Frisons 993 5 Thierrie IV. son of Arnulph 1039 6 Thierrie V. son of Theodorick the 4. 1048 7 Florence brother of Thierrie the 5. 1062 8 Thierrie VI. son of Florence in whose minority the Estate of Holland was usurped by Godfrey le Bossu Duke of Lorrein by some accompted of as an Earl hereof 1092 9 Florence II. surnamed the Fat son of Thierrie the 6. 1123 10 Thierrie VII who tamed the stomachs of the Frisons 1163 11 Florence III. a companion of Frederick Barbarossa in the wars of the Holy-Land 1190 12 Thierrie VIII son to Florence the 3. 1203 13 William the brother of Thierrie and Earl of East-Friseland which countrey he had before subdued supplanted his Neece Ada his Brothers daughter but after her decease dying without issue succeeded in his owne right unto the Estate 1223 14 Florence IV. son of William 1235 15 William II. son of Florence the 4. elected and crowned King of the Romans slain in a war against the Frisons 1255 16 Florence the V. the first as some write who called himself Earl of Zeland the title to those Ilands formerly questioned by the Flemmings being relinquished to him on his marriage with Beatrix the daughter of Guy of Dampierre Earl of Flanders 1296 17 John the son of Florence the 5. subdued the rebellious Frisons the last of the male-issue of Thierrie of Aquitaine EARLS of HAINALT HOLLAND c. 1300 18 John of Avesnes Earl of Hainalt son of John of Avesnes Earl of Hainalt and of the Ladie Aleide sister of William the 2. and daughter of Florence the 4. succeeded as next heir in the Earldome of Holland c. 1305 19 William III. surnamed the Good Father of the Lady Philippa wife of one Edward the 3. 1337 20 William IV. of Holland and the II. of Hainalt slain in a war against the Frisons 1346 21 Margaret sister and heir of William the 4. and eldest daughter of William the 3. married to Lewis of Bavaria Emperour of the Germans forced to relinquish Holland unto William her second son and to content her self with Hainalt 1351 22 William V. second son of Lewis and Margaret his elder Brother Steven succeeding in Baâ—aria in right of Maud his wife daughter and coheir of Henry Duke of Lancaster succeeded in the Earldome of Leicester 1377 23 Albert the younger Brother of William the fift fortunate in his warres against the Frisons 1404 24 William VI. Earl of Osternant and by that name admitted Knight of the Garter by King Richard the 2. eldest
those times They were built and strengthened by Augustus the better to keep under the Germans quippe illis bybernis obsideri premique Germanias Augustus crediderat as Tacitus At this day this Towne and Triers are reputed famous for holy reliques here being said to be among others the bearing cloth wherein our Saviour was wrapt when he was in his swadling clouts which the Emperour solemnly worshippeth at his inauguration Concerning the ambition which the Papists have to bee thought possessours of these reilques See I beseech you how pitifully they have mangled the head of S. John Baptist They of Amiens brag that they have his face and so do they of S. John D' Angeliâ— The rest of his head is at Malta yet is the hinder part of his scull at Namur and his brain at Novum Rostoviense Another part of it is at Maurienna another piece at Paris his jaw at Wesel his ear at S. Flowres his fore-head and hair at S. Salvadores in Venice another piece of his head is at Noyon and another at Luca yet is his whole head intire and unmaimed in S. Sylvesters Church at Rome and so no doubt is this bearing-cloth at more places then one But to return again to Gulick first made an Earldom in the person of Eustace brother of Godfrey of Bovillon Duke of Lorrain who seised upon it as his part of the Estate on the death of Godfrey his elder brother being absent in the Holy-Land In the person of William the 4. of that name it was made a Marquisate advanced unto that honour by the Emperour Lewis of Bavaria anno 1329. created not long after Duke of Gulick by Charls the 4. anno 1356. His two sons William and Raynold both Dukes successively dying without issue the Estate fell to Adolphus Duke of Berg or Mont as the next heir male anno 1423. and finally together with that of Berg was added to the Dukedome of Cleve by the marriage of Mary heir hereof with John the 3. Duke of Cleve with which conjoined till the expiration of that noble familie whereof more anon As for the Estates of Berg and March they had one originall begun by two Brothers the sons of Theodorick Lord of Teisterbant of the house of Cleve out of which house as they descended so into that they finally were again resolved as their first materials Of these two brothers Adolphus being the Elder was by the Emperour Henry surnamed the Fowler made Earl of Altena anno 930. or thereabouts and Eberard the younger by the same Emperour made Earl of Berg. But Eberard entring a Monasterie of his own Foundation left his estate and Earldome of Berg to the elder brother United thus into one estate they became again divided betwixt the sons of Adolph the 3. of that name and fourth Earl of Altena and Berg. Engelbert the younger son enjoying the estate of Berg and Eberard the elder succeeding his father in that of Altena How they became united to the house of Cleve wee shall see hereafter having first looked over the Chorographie or Description of them 3. The Dukedom of BERG bounded on the East with Westphalen and the Countrie of March on the West with the Rhene from Wesel up as high as Colen by which parted from the Dukedome of Cleve on the North with the River Lippe which separates it from the rest of Cleve and on the South with the Land of Colen So called from the hillinesse of the Countrie Berg in Dutch signifying an hill as Bourg doth a Town or Burrough from whence the Earls and Dukes hereof are called Montenses in Latine and Les Contes and Dues de Mont in French The Countrie for the most part in the Vales especially yeelds a great store of the best wheat and consequently of the purest bread and in the hill Countries rich mines of Coale wherewith they doe supply their neighbours Chief places in it are 1 Dusseldorp so called of the River Dussel upon which it is situate the River not far off falling into the Rhene 2 Adenbourg built by Eberard the first Earl of Berg the seat of him and his successours till removed to Dusseldorp 3 Keiserswerd situate on the Rhene belonging anciently to the Empire but bought for a great sum of mony of Charls the 4. by John Earl of Cleve 4 Mulheim on the Rhene also just against Colen on the other side of the water fortified in the year 1614. and made the Receptacle of the Protestants of that Bishoprick prohibited the free exercise of Religion in their own dwellings but razed not long after by Marquis Spinola on complaint made by those of Colen to the Emperour Matthias 5. Stelt or Steltium on the Roer amongst the Coale mines 6. Angermond on the mouth of the River Angra as the name imports 7. Essen or Essendia on the borders of the Countie of March once an Imperiall but under the protection of the Earls of Berg. Of most note for a Monasterie here built by Alfride the 4. Bishop of Hildesheim for 52 Nuns and 20 Canons liberally endowed and having great command on the Dorps adjoining How Berg at first was made an Earldom how joined unto Altena and disjoined again hath been shewed before No sooner made a State distinct but it was added to the patrimonie of the Earls of Gulick by the marriage of Earl William with the daughter and heir of Berg. Parted again betwixt William and Adolphus sons of Gerrard the 2. anno 1247. the first succeeding in the Earldom of Gulick and the last in Berg. During this partage made a Dukedom in the person of William the first of that name by Wencâ—slaus the Emperour anno 1389. whose son Adolphus as next heir succeeded in the Dukedom of Gulick anno 1423. How both were added unto Cleve hath been said alreadie The DUKES and EARLS of BERG A. Ch. 1 Engelbert the first Earl of Berg distinct from March 2 Adolphus son of Engelbert 3 N. the sister of Adolphus GULICK A. Ch. 1129 1 Eustace the first Earl of Gulick distinct from Lorrain 2 son of Eustacâ— 3 William Earl of Gulick 4 Gerrard Earl of Gulick and Berg. 5 William II. son of Gerrard 6 Gerrard Iâ— son of William the 2. 1247 7 Adolphus II. younger son of Gerrard the 2. 1296 8 William III. son of Adolphus 1337 9 Gerrard III. 10 William IV. created the first Duke of Berg anno 1389. outed of the greatest part of his Estate by his son Adolphus 1247 7 William III. eldest son of Gerrard the 2. 8 Gerrard III. son of William 9 Gerrard IV. son of Gerrard the 2. 1325 10 William IV. created first Marquesse after Duke of Gulick 11 William V. Duke of Gulick and Gueldres 12 Rainold Duke of Gulick and Gueldres A. Ch. 11 Adolphus III. the son of William the first Duke of Berg succeeded also unto Rainold the last Duke of Gulick dying without issue 1423. 1434 12 Gerrard IV of Berg and V. of Gulick son of William and brother of
the Dukedomâ— of Gueldres but being too weak for so great an Adversary made his submission to him at Venlo and so saved his estates 1584 35 John William son of the former William during the life of Charles Frederick his elder brother was Bishop of Munster on whose death anno 1575. he resigned that dignity and in the end succeeded his Father in his whole estates which he managed with great piety and prudence till the year 1610. and then died issuelesse The last of that ancient and noble family of the Dukes of Cleve After whose death much quarrell and contention grew about the succession betwixt the severall competitors and pretenders to it of which the principall were 1. Leopold Archduke of Austria pretending an investiture from the Emperour Rodolphus to whom for want of heirs males the estate was said to be escheated 2. John George Duke of Saxonie descended from Sibyll daughter of Duke John the third at whose marriage with John Frederick the Electour of Saxonie an 1535 it was said to have been solemnly agreed upon that on the failing of the heirs males of Cleve the issue of that marriage should succeed therein 3. John Sigismund the Electour of Brandenburg in behalf of his son George William Duke of Prussia by the Lady Anne his wife eldest daughter of Albert of Brandenburg Duke of Prussia and of Maria Leonora the eldest sister and next heir of the Duke deceased 4. Wolfgangus Gulielmus Palatine of Newburg son of Magdalen the younger sister of that Mary who claimed the estate as nearest kinsman one degree to the said last Duke And though the right seemed most apparently on the side of Brandenbourg the Estate in tayle pretended by the Duke of Saxonie being formerly cut off by Imperiall authority and that pretended to by the Duke of Newburg not of force in Germanie yet being that Leopold was in Armes and had already forced a possession of most part of the Countrey the two Princes of Brandenbourg and Newburg soon agreed the controversie and by the help of the Protestant Princes their Confederates recovered the greatest part of it from the hands of Leopold But the Palatine of Newburg not content with his partage first married with a daughter of the Duke of Bavaria then reconciled himself to the Church of Rome called in the Spanish Armes under the command of Marquisse Spinola to abet his quarrell which made George William son of the Elector of Brandenbourg and the Lady Anne to call in the Forces of the States under the command of Maurice Earl of Nassaw after Prince of Orange The issue of which war was this that Spinola possessed himself of Wesel Aken Mullheim Pusseldorp and most other places of importance in Berg and Gulick and the States got into their power the Towns of Gulick with Rees and Emmerick in the Dukedome of Cleve and almost the whole County of Mark. And though they both pretend to keep them for the use of those Princes in whose cause they stand yet when such strong parties keep the Stakes it is most easie to determine who will win the game such alterations as have hapned in the chance of war by the reciprocall winning and losing of some Towns on both sides not much conducing to the benefit of the rightfull Princes EARLES of ALTENA and MARCH A. Ch. 834 1 Robert son of Baldwin to whom the County of Teisterbant was given by Eberard 2 Theodorick son of Robert the first Lord of Altena 3 Adolphus I. Earl of Altena 4 Adolphus II. Earl of Altena and Berg. 5 Conrade Earl of Altena and Berg. 4 Adolph III. Earl of Altena and Berg. 5 Eberhard Earl of Altena his younger brother Engelbert succeeding in Berg. 6 Frederick Earl of Altena 7 Adolphus IV. created the first Earl of March 1249 7 Engelbert Earl of March and Altena 8 Adolphus V. son of Engelbert 9 Engelbert II. from whom by a second wife the daughter and heir of Aremberg descended that branch of the house of March which till of late were Soveraigns of Sedan and Dukes of Bovillon 10 Adolph VI. husband of Mary or Margaret daughter and heir of Theodorick the 9. Earl of Cleve 2. The Estates of the three ELECTOR-BISHOPS Adjoyning to the Estates of Cleve are those of the Spirituall Electors of the Empire of Germanie Colen Ments and Triers not so contiguous and conterminous as those of Cleveland and therefore to be laid out severally by their metes and boundaries And first for 1. COLEN-LAND or the Estate of the Archbishop and Elector of Colen is bounded on the East with the Dukedome of Berg from which divided by the Rhene on the West with Gulick on the North with Cleve it self and the County of Muers and on the South extending to the land of Triers The ancient Inhabitants hereof were the Vbii in former times possessed of the Countreys of Berg and March but being warred on by the Germans bordering next upon them they were by the Clemency of Agrippa then Lievtenant of Gaul received into protection and by him placed along the French side of the Rhene as well for defence of the borders of the Roman Empire as for their own security against that Enemy Won from the Romans by the French in the reign and under the conduct of Childerick anno 412. or thereabouts and from the French by the Emperour Otho the first anno 949. Since that time the City of Colen hath remained Imperiall and of late times incorporated amongst the Hanse-towns but the territory near unto it and a great part of Westphalen subject immediately to the Bishop much of the lands which formerly belonged to the Kingdome of Lorrain being conferred upon this See by the Emperour Otho the second at such time as the Dukedome of Lorrain was erected by him The Bishops See first founded here by S. Maternus one of the Disciples of S. Peter as hath been constantly affirmed by old tradition but howsoever an Episcopall See without all question in the time of Constantine Maternus Bishop hereof subscribing amongst others to the Councell of Arles anno 326. And being Colen was in those times the Metropolis of the Province of Germania Secunda the Bishop had the power of a Metropolitan according to the rule and observation so often mentioned Afterwards when the Empire was made Elective these Bishops with their brethren of Mentz and Triers were made three of the seven which were to nominate and elect the succeeding Emperour after which time it is no wonder that they grew both in power and Patrimony Places of most importance within this Electorate are 1. Bonn situate on the banks of the Rhene in the most pleasant and fruitfull place of all the Countrey the ordinary refidence of the Archbishop whose house or Palace here is said to be one of the fairest in all Germanie By Tacitus called Benna and sometimes Castra Bonnensia the wintering Camp in his times of the sixt Legion 2. Nuys by the same writer called Novesium Nivesia by Antoninus
the name of Austrasia whence the modern Austria The air is generally very healthie and the earth as fruitfull yeilding a plentifull increase without help of compost or other soiling and of so easie a tillage to the husbandman that on the North side of the Danow it is ploughed and managed by one horse only Exceeding plentifull of grain and abundant in wine with which last it supplyeth the defects of Bavaria great store of Saffron some provision of salt and at the foot of the Mountains not far from Haimbourg some Ginger also Nor wants it Mines of silver in a large proportion Divided by the River Danow into the Lower and the Higher that lying on the North side of the River towards Bohemia and Moravia this on the South side towards Stiermark Places of most importance in the HIGHER AVSTRIA are 1 Gmund seated on a Lake called Gemunder See bordering on Bavaria at the efflux of the river Draun which ariseth out of it 2 Lints seated on the confluence of the said Draun with the famous Danow the Aredate of Ptolemie A town before the late wars almost wholly Protestant but then being put into the hands of the Duke of Bavaria began to warp a little to the other side 3 Walkenstein on the Ens or Anisus near the borders of Stiermark 4 Ens on the fall of that river into the Danow raised out of the ruines of Laureacum sometimes the Metropolis of the Noricum Ripense the Station at that time of the second Legion afterwards an Archbishops See made such in the first planting of Christianity amongst this people by S. Severine anno 464. On the reviver whereof suppressed by the Hunnes Bojarians and others of the barbarous Nations by the diligence and preaching of S. Rupertus the Metropolitan dignitie was fixt at Saltzburg 5 Waidhoven near the head of the river Ips. 6 Ips seated at the influx of that river and from thence denominated the Gesodunum of Ptolemie and other ancients 7 Newfull on a great Lake so named 8 Wels on the main stream of the Danubius 9 Haimburg on the confluence thereof and the river Marckh Near to which at the foot of the Mountains now called Haimburgerberg from the town adjoining but anciently named Mons Cognamus is some store of Ginger a wonderfull great raritie for these colder Countries 10 Newstat first called so from the newnesse of it being built of late 11 Vienna by the Dutch Wien the principall of all these parts by Ptolemie called Juliobona Vindebona by Antonine the station in their times of the tenth Roman Legion of whose being setled here there are many Monuments both within the City and without Seated it is on the bankes of Danubius well built both in regard of private and publike edifices each private house having such store of cellarage for all occasions that as much of the Citie seems to be under the ground as is above it The streets for the most part spacious and all paved with stone which makes them very clean and sweet in the midst of winter fenced with a mighty wall deep and precipitious ditches on all parts of it and many Bulwarkes Towers and Ramparts in all needfull places the wals hereof first raised with some part of the money paid unto Leopold Duke of Austria for the ransome of King Richard the first of England taken prisoner by him as he passed homewards through this Countrey from the Holy Land Esteemed at this day the strongest hold of Christendom against the Turkes and proved experimentally so to be in that most notable and famous repulse here given them an 1526. At what time 200000 of them under the conduct of Solyman the Magnificent besieged this City but by the valour of Frederick the second Electour Palatine of the Rhene and other German Princes gallantly resisted and compelled to retire with the losse of 80000 souldiers Nor doth the strength hereof so diminish the beauties of it but that it is one of the goodliest townes in all the Empire the residence for these last ages of the Emperours made an Vniversity by the Emperour Frederick the second revived and much advanced by Albert Duke of Austria anno 1356. Adorned with an Episcopall See many magnificent Temples and stately Monasteries but above all with a most sumptuâ—us and Princely Palace wherein the Archdukes and Emperours use to keep their Courts built by Ottacar King of Bohemia during the little time he was Duke of Austria In the middle ages as appeares by Otho Frisingensis it was called Fabiana but being ruined by the Hunnes and again reedified was first called Biana the first syllable omitted by mistake or negligence from whence the Dutch Wien and the Latine Vienna We should now take a view of the townes and Cities in the LOWER AVSTRIA if there were any in it which were worth the looking after The Countrey having never beene in the hands of the Romans hath no town of any great antiquity nor many new ones built or beautified by the Austrian Princes since it came into their possession the onely one of note being Crems or Cremia on the left hand shoar of Danubius going downe the water 2. Rets on the River â—ega bordering on Moravia and 3. Freistat at the foot of the Mountaines on the skirts of Bohemia The old Inhabitants of this tract are supposed to be the Quadi in that part which lyeth next to Bohemia the Marcomanni in those parts which are next Moravia who intermingled with the Boâ—i and united with them into the name of Bojarians wonne from the Romans the whole Province of the Second Rhaetia and so much of Noricum as lyeth betwixt the Inn and the Ens leaving the rest to the Avares who possessed that and the two Pannonia's extorted also from the Romans in the fall of that great and mighty Empire But these Bojarians being conquered by Clovis the Great and the Avares driven out of Pannonia by Char le magne both Provinces became members of the French Empire till the subduing of Pannonia by the Hungarians To oppose whom and keep in peace and safety these remoter parts some Guardians or Lords Marchers were appointed by the Kings and Emperours of Germany with the title of Marquesses of Ostreich At first Officiary onely but at last hereditarie made so by the Emperour Henry the first who gave this Province to one Leopold surnamed the Illustrious the sonne of Henry Earle of Bamberg of the house of Schwaben and there withall the title of Marquesse anno 980. This Marquisate was by Frederick Barbarossa raised to a Dukedome 1158. Henry being the first Duke whose brother Leopold took Richard the first of England prisoner in his returne from Palestine for whose ransome hee had so much money that with it he bought Stiermark together with the Counties of Nâ—obourgh and Liutz and walled Vienna His sonne Fredericus Leopoldus was made King of Austria by the Emperour Frederick the second anno 1225. Eleven yeares he coâ—tinued in this dignity at the end
his neighbours His chief Townes 1 Onaldsbach or Ansbach the usuall residence of these Marquesses and the birth-place of most of their children 2 Hailbrun on the edge of Wirtenberg walled in about in the yeare 1085. and honoured with some publick Schools there founded by Marquesse George Frederick anno 1582. 3 Pleinfelt not far from Nuremberg Such places as they hold in Voiteland we shall meet with them there These Marquesses are of the puissant family of Brandenbourg by whom this fair estate was wrested from the Female heirs of Wolframius the last Lord hereof the first who did enjoy this Estate and Title being Marquesse George Frederick the sonne of Albert Marquesse and Elector of Brandenbourg called the Achilles of Germany the Father of Albert the first Duke of Prussia and of George the first Marquesse of Jagendorf and Grandfather of that Marquesse Albert who in the dayes of Charles the Fift so harassed this Countrey But his male-issue by Casimir his eldest sonne failing in that Albert anno 1557. it returned to the Electorall house and by Sigismund a late Electour was given to Joachim Ernestus one of his younger brethren who by the Princes of the Vnion for defence of the Palatinate was made chief Commander of their Forces anno 1620. A charge in which it was supposed that he carryed himself neither so faithfully nor so valiantly as he should have done being much condemned for suffering Spinola with his Army to passe by unfought with when hee had all advantages that could be wished for to impede his march the greatest part of the Palatinate being lost immediately upon that neglect and by degrees the rest of the Vnited Provinces either taken off from their engagement or ruined for adhering to it with too great a constancie To him succeeded his son Christian now possessed hereof As for the other secular Princes which have any considerable estates in this Countrey they are the Earls of Henneberg Hohenloe Rheineck Castell Wortheim Horpach and Swartzenbourg together with the Lords of Lemburg and Rheichisberg all of them named so from the chiefe town of their Estates and all those townes enriched with some suitable territorie Of these the Earles of Henneberg Rheineck Castell and Wortheim are Homagers to the Bishop of Wurtzburg and are to doe him service at his Inthronization the Earldome of Rheineck being now united to that of Hanow as was shewn before and that of Henneberg most famous in that one of the Earles hereof was Father of that incredible increase of children as many as there be dayes in the yeares produced at one birth by the Lady Margaret his wife sister of William Earle of Holland and King of the Romans A Family of as great Antiquity as most in Germany fetching their Pedegree as high as to Charles the Great without help of the Heralds But they of greatest power and parentage amongst them are the Earls of SCHWARTZENBVRG deriving themselves from one Witikindus of the house of Saxony who fighting for his Countrey against the French anno 779. was taken prisoner carried into France and there baptized at the perswasion of Lewis the Godly sonne of Charles the Great Witikindus his sonne and successour being baptized at the same time also by the name of Charles was the first Earl of Swartzenburg a Castle of his owne building on the edge of Turingia anno 796. whose posterity doe still hold the same but much improved in their Estates by marriages and other accrewments A race of Princes which have yeelded many of great influence in the affairs of Germany amongst them Gunther Earl of Schwartzenburg elected Emperour of the Romans against Charles the fourth by Rodolph Electour Palatine Ericus Duke of Saxony Ludovick Marquesse of Brandenburg and Henry Archbishop of Mentz By which last solemnly inaugurated at Aken or Aquisgrane anno 1349. But being unworthily poysoned by his Competitour though he dyed not of it yet he was made so weak and unfit for action that he was forced to surrender his pretentions to his mortall enemy receiving in compensation for his charges 22000 marks in silver and some towns in Turingia Of the Imperiall Cities which share amongst them the remainders of Frankenlandt the principall are 1 Frankford on the Meine so called from its situation on the River Meine to difference it from Frankford in the Countrey of Brandenburg Divided by the River into two parts joined together by a bridge of stone the lesser part situate on the right hand shore of the River being called Saxen-hausen the greater part properly called Frank-ford seated on the other both under one Magistrate and both together making up a fair rich populous and well traded town of great both riches and repute by reason of the famous Marts here held in the midst of Lent and September yearly and the Election of the Emperour or King of the Romans as occasion is The City of a round form compassed with a double wall beautified with some walkes without the town on the bankes of the River amongst Vineyards meadowes and sweet groves called thus as some say from Francus the sonne of Marcomie supposed to be the founder of it or a Francorum vado as the Ford of the Francks before the building of the bridge 2 Schweinfort on the Meine also in a fruitfull soil 3 Rotenburg on the River Tuber 4 Winsheim Here is also the town of 5 Koburg which belongeth to the house of Saxony and gives title unto some of the younger Princes of it called from hence Dukes of Saxen-koburg And hereto may be added 6 the fair City of Nurenburg conceived by most to be within the Vpper Palatinate but by the Emperor Maximilian made a member of the Circle of Franconie in regard most of the Estates and possessions of it lie within this Countrey Of which indeed they have so plentifull a share that when Maurice Electour of Saxony and his confederates had driven Charles the fift out of Germany Marquesse Albert before mentioned whose sword was his best Revenue picking a quarrell with this City burnt no lesse then an hundred Villages belonging to it 70 Manours and Farmhouses appertaining to the wealthier Citizens 3000 Acres of their Woods and after all this havock made of their estate compelled them to compound with him for 200000 Crownes in Money and six peeces of Ordinance But being the City it selfe seems rather to belong to the other Palatinate wee shall there meet with it Amongst these Prelates Princes and Imperiall Cities is the great Dukedome of Franconia at this time divided the title still remaining in the Bishop of Wurtzburg and some part of the Countrey but both the Countrey and the title of Duke of Francony not long since otherwise disposed of For the Swedes having taken Wurtzburg anno 1631. as before is said together with the City of Bamberg and all the Towns and Territories appertaining to them conferred them upon Bernard Duke of Saxon-Weymer with the style and title of Duke of Franconia Inaugurated therein in
is of different natures the parts adjoyning to the Weser being desert and barren those towards the Earldomes of Mark and Bergen mountainous and full of woods the Bishoprick of Bremen except towards the Elb full of dry sands heaths and unfruitfull thickets like the wilde parts of Windsor Forrest betwixt Stanes and Fernham In other parts exceeding plentifull of corn and of excellent pasturage stored with great plenty of wilde fruits and by reason of the many woods abundance of Akorns with infinite herds of swine which they breed up with those naturall helps of so good a relish that a Gammon of Wesiphalian Bacon is reckoned for a principall dish at a great mans Table The old inhabitants hereof were the Chauci Majores about Bremen the Chanani Angrivarii and Bructeri inhabiting about Munster Osuaburg and so towards the land of Colen and part of the Cherusci before spoken of taking up those parts which lie nearest unto Brunswick and Lunenbourg All of them vanquished by Drusus the son-in-law of Augusius but soon restored to their former liberty by the great overthrow given by the Cherusci and their associates to Quintilius Varus Afterwards uniting into one name with the French they expulsed the Romans out of Gaul leaving their forsaken and ill-inhabited seats to be taken up by the Saxons with whom the remainders of them did incorporate themselves both in name and nation Of that great body it continued a considerable Member both when a Kingdome and a Dukedome till the proscription and deprivation of Duke Henry the Lyon at what time the parts beyond the Weser were usurped by Barnard Bishop of Paderborn those betwixt the Weser and the Rhene by Philip Archbishop of Colen whose successours still hold the title of Dukes of Westphalen the Bishopricks of Breme Munster Paderborn and Mindaw having been formerly endowed with goodly territories had some accrewments also out of this Estate every one catching hold of that which lay nearest to him But not to make too many subdivisions of it we will divide it onely into these two parts VVestphalen specially so called and 2 the Bishoprick of Bremen In VVESTPHALEN specially so called which is that part hereof which lyeth next to Cleveland the places of most observation are 1 Geseke a town of good repute 2 Brala a village of great beauty 3 Arusberg and 4 Fredeborch honoured with the title of Prefectures 5 VVadenborch 6 Homberg lording it over fair and spacious territories All which with two Lordships and eight Prefectures more dispersed in the Dukedome of Engern and County of Surland belong unto the Bishop of Colen the titulary Duke of VVestphalen and Angrivaria Engern as he stiles himself 7 Mountabour perhaps Mont-Tabor seated in that part hereof which is called VVesterwald a town of consequence belonging to the Elector of Triers 8 Rhenen 9 Schamlat and 10 Beekem reasonable good towns all of the Bishoprick of Munster 11 Munster it self famous for the Treaty and conclusions made upon that treaty for the peace of Germany seated upon the River Ems and so called from a Monastery here founded by Charles the great which gave beginning to the Town supposed to be that Mediolanium which Ptolemy placeth in this tract a beautifull and well fortified City and the See of a Bishop who is also the Temporall Lord of it Famous for the wofull Tragedies here acted by a lawlesse crew of Anabaptists who chose themselves a King that famous Taylor John of Leiden whom they called King of Sion as they named the City New Jerusalem proclaimed a community both of goods and women cut off the heads of all that opposed their doings and after many fanatick and desperate actions by the care and industry of the Bishop and his confederates brought to condigne punishment The Story is to be seen at large in Sleidan and some modern pamphlets wherein as in a Mirrour we may plainly see the face of the present times 12 Osnaburg first built as some say by Julius Caesar as others by the Earls of Engern but neither so ancient as the one nor of so late a standing as the others make it here being an Episcopall See founded by Charles the Great who gave it all the priviledges of an Vniversity Liberally endowed at the first erection of the same and since so well improved both in Power and Patrimony that an alternate succession in it by the Dukes of Brunswick hath been concluded on in the Treaty of Munster as a fit compensation for the Bishoprick of Halberstad otherwise disposed of by that Treaty of late enjoyed wholly by that Family 13 Quakenberg on the River Hase 14 VVarendorp and 15 VVildshusen towns of that Bishoprick 16 Paderborn an Episcopall See also founded by Charles the Great at the first conversion of the Saxons more ancient then strong yet more strong then beautifull 17 Ringelenstein and 18 Ossendorf belonging to the Bishop of Paderborn 19 Minden upon the VVeser another of the Episcopall Sees founded by Charles the Great and by him liberally endowed with a goodly Patrimony converted to lay-uses since the Reformation under colour of Administration of the goods of the Bishoprick and now by the conclusions at Munster setled for ever on the Electors of Brandenbourg with the title of Prince of Minden 20 Rintelin a strong town conveniently seated on the Weser not far from Minden to the Bishop whereof it doth belong Hitherto one would think that Westphalen had formerly been a part of Saint Peters Patrimony belonging wholly to the Clergy but there are some Free Cities and secular Princes which have shares therein as 1 VVarburg a neat town but seated on an uneven piece of ground neer the River Dimula a town which tradeth much in good Ale brewed here and sold in all parts of the Country heretofore a County of it self under the Earls hereof now governed in the nature of a Free Estate and reckoned an Imperiall City 2 Brakel accompted of as Imperiall also 3 Hervâ—rden a town of good strength and note governed by its own Lawes and Magistrates under the protection of Colen 4 Lemgow belonging heretofore to the Earls of Lippe but by them so well priviledged and enfranchised that now it governeth it self as a Free Estate Here is also 5 The town and County of Ravensburg belonging anciently to the Dukes of Cleve and now in the rights of that house to the Elector of Brandenbourg As also 6 the Town and County of Lippe lying on the west side of the VVeser the Pedegree of the Earls whereof some fetch from that Sp. Manlius who defended the Roman Capitol against the Gauâ—s they might as well derive it from the Geese which preserved that Capitol others with greater modestie look no higher for it then to the times of Charls the Great one of the noble Families of the antient Saxons Some other Lords and Earls here are but these most considerable all of them Homagers of the Empire but their acknowledgments hereof little more then titular though not
of the pleasure of Hunting afforded very liberally in the Forrests and Woods adjoining drawing hither the Nobilitie and Gentrie in great abundance 3 Esen on the Sea shore which gives the title of an Earl to the Lord thereof as doth also 4 Jevere situate on the West of the River Jada but both Earls subject to the Earl of East-Friseland 5 Vredeburg that is to say the Free Village so called from some Immunities granted by the Earls possessed a while by those of Brunswick who fenced and garrisoned it for themselves but in the end recovered by Ezard the 2. Earl 6 Broick the seat and proper Government of the Ancestors of these Earls from whence the parts adjoining are called Broickmerland 7 Norden another Praefecture or Captain-ship of the said Ancestors 8 Dunort a strong Castle and retiring place of the Earls 9 Linghen upon the Ems a strong town well fortified and as well garrisoned belonging to the King of Spain as Vicar to the Empire over all Friseland even to Ditmersh and the confines of Danemark A dignitie procured by Maximilian Grandfather to Charls the 5. of the Emperour Frederick the 3. in right whereof the King of Spain as heir of the House of Burgundie hath some preheminence over Emden of little use to him since the falling off of the Belgick Provinces More towns of note I find not in it but of Castles stately dwelling houses and well built Villages an incredible number standing so thick that in many places they join together some of them being withall so large so well peopled and of streets so spacious that they may compare with many Cities in Germanie of the which the most City-like is named Leere The ancient Inhabitants hereof were the Chauci Minores described by Plinie to be so barbarous a people and so destitute of all necessarie provision for the life of man that they had no drinke but rain water preserved in great troughs before the doors of their Cottages These outed or subdued by the Frisons a neighbouring people possessing North-Holland the District of Vtrecht with the Countries of Groyning and West-Friseland who having once passed over the Ems extended their Dominions as far as Danemark Governed by Kings but intermingled with and overpowered by the Saxons till the time of Charls the Great by whom the last King Roboald overcome in fight was perswaded to receive the Sacrament of holy Baptisme But being told that his friends and kinsfolks were in hell because no Christians Neither will I said he be of that profession for I love to be amongst my kindred After this Friseland was a Member of the French kingdom till the erecting of the Earldom of Holland by Charls the Bald anno 893. at which time all Friseland on the West side of the Ems was conferred upon him possessed but not with out much war and bloudshed by his Successours the Frisons ever and anon rebelling against them and killing divers of them in the open field Those parts of it on the other side of the Ems remained unto the German Empire governed by Deputies Lieutenants and Provinciall Earls accomptable to the Emperours for their Administration till the year 1453 in which Vlrick Governor hereof for the Emperor Frederick having got the Town of Emden out of the hands of the Hamburgers was made Earl of East-Friseland transmitting the Estate and title unto his posterity EARLS of EAST-FRISELAND 1453 1 Vlrieus son of Enno the son of Ezardus Captains or Governours for the Empire in Broick and Norden made the first Earl of East-Friseland by the Emperour Frederick 1466 2 Ezard the son of Vlrick who got Vreburg from the Citizens of Brunswick 1528 3 Enno the son of Ezard who regained Greetzil formerly usurped by the Dukes of Guelders 1540 4 Ezard II. sonne of Enno who married Katharine daughter to Gustavus the first of Sweden 5 Enno II. son of Ezard the 2. and the Lady Katharine 1586 6 Rudolphus Christianus son of Enno the 2. who being well affected to the Lutheran formes first introduced in the time of Enno the 1. was by a Calvinian partie grown up in Emden dispossessed of that Citie anno 1592. 1608 7 Enno Ludovicus son of Rudolphus Christianus succeeded in this Earldom on the death of his Father and is still living for ought I can hear unto the contrary The Arms of the Earls of East-Friseland are Azure Semi of Billets Argent 2 Lyons Or. 2. The Earldom of OLDENBOVRG containeth that part of this Country which lyeth on the West side of the Weser betwixt the Bishoprick of Munster and East-Friseland specially so called and so extending Northwards to the German Ocean So called from Oldenbourg the chief Citie of it and the head of this Earldom The soil hereof exceeding rich but in pastures specially which breed them in time Herds of Cattel and furnish not this Country only but some of their German neighbours and many of the more Northern Nations with Horses Beeves Sheep Swine Butter Cheese Here is also good store of Pulse Barley and Oats plenty of fruits and trees of all sorts Large woods and those well stored with Venison which yeeld unto the Gentry the delights of hunting But the air cold and foggie in some extremitie especially in Winter and near the Sea Chief towns hereof are 1 Oldenborch on the River Honta repaired if not built by Otho the Great who founded the Church of S. John Baptist A town of no great state or beautie the houses generally of clay but the Castle the dwelling place of the Earls of well hewn stones of an Orbicular form with deep ditches of water the Town and Castle both being strongly fortified 2 Delmenhorst on the river Dehm a strong place and of great importance built in the year 1247. by Otho brother of Earl Christian the 2. and having been 65 years in possession of the Bishops of Munster was suddenly surprised on Palm Sunday morning by Anthony Earl of Oldenburg anno 1547. continuing ever since part of this estate 3 Beck-husen on a River which falleth not far off into the great Bay or Arm of the Sea which is called Die Jade 4 Eâ—uarten 5 Ovelgard both seated in a long Languet or Demy-Iland betwixt the said Die Jade and the River Weser called Butiada both taken and the last well fortified by John Earl of Oldenborch anno 1520. belonging formerly to the Prefecture of East Friseland but never brought under the command of the Earls thereof 6 Westerberg the chief town of a spaâ—ious territorie 7 Vrieiade a strong piece on the river Jade built by Earl Christiern one of the younger branches of the house of Oldenburg about the year 1400. 8 Mellum 9 Jadele places of principall importance the one on the river Jade the other near the Ocean Here is also within this Earldom the Province of Amerlander supposed by some to have been the seat of the Ambrones who accompanyed the Cimbri and Teutones in their expedition towards the Roman Provinces and were slain by
as formerly was said here are very few and of those few the principall are called Lycus and Lapithus the first running towards the South the last towards the North both not seldome so dried up that they leave their empty Channels without any water Both also have their Source from the hill O'ympus the highest Mountain of the Iland garnished with Trees and fruits of all sorts in compass about eighteen Leagues which make four and fifty Italian miles and at the end of every League a Monastery of Greek Monks or Caloires and a fountain of fresh water for the use of the house Here are also two other little Rivers the one called 3. Bodeus the other 4. Tolius but of the same nature as the former By Ptolomy or in his time divided into four parts or Provinces but since it fell into the hands of the Lusignan family distributed into twelve Counties or Cantrades most of them called by the names of their Principal Towns viz. 1. Nicosia 2. Famagusta 3. Paphia 4. Audima 5. Limissa 6. Masorum 7. Salines 8. Messoria 9. Crusocus 10. Pentalia 11. Carpassus 12. Cerines The whole containing besides these Cities and great Towns 805 Villages or thereabouts which they called Casales whereof the one half antiently belonged unto the Crown the other half divided betwixt the Lay-Nobility and the Ecclesiasticks the Patrimony of these last being computed at 80000 Crowns of annual rents besides casualties and the vails of the Altar But because the tracing out of these Cantrades will be very difficult as a way which none have gone before me I will adhere to the division made hereof in the time of Ptolomy into the Provinces of 1. Paphia 2. Amathusia 3. Lapethia and 4. Salamine 1. PAPHIA so called of Paphos the chief town thereof taketh up the West part of the Iland in which the Townes of most importance and observation are 1. Paâ—hos on the Sea-side by Pliny called Pala-paphos or old Paphus built as some say by Cyniras the Father of Myrrha and so named in memory of Paphus his father but as others say by Paphos the Sonne of Pygmalion Kings of Phoenicia and Cyprus to which last Ovid doth agree who speaking of Pygmalions statue turned into a woman by the power of Venus or rather of his beautiful wife fabled for the surpassing whiteness of her skin to be made of Ivorie he addes this of her Illa Paphum genuit de quo tenet insula nomen She Paphus bare from whom the name Of Paphia to the Iland came Here Venus had her so much celebrated Temple hence the name of Paphia and here her Votaries of both sexes in their natural nakedness did perform her sacrifices Both Town and Temple ruined by a fearfull Earthquake or as the Legends have it by the prayers of Saint Barnabas the ruins of it still remaining 2. Paphos Nova or New Paphos Now called Basso five miles from the old built by Agapenor one of the Nephews of Lycurgus the Spartan Law-giver after the sack of Troy forced hither by a violent tempest consecrate to the same impure Godess and much frequented but without injury to the other those which here offered not thinking they had done her sufficient service unlesse they went in a solemn manner of procession and paid their vowes also at the other 3. Arsinoe situate betwixt both built by or called so in honour of Arsinoe daughter of Ptolomy the first King Egypt and Lord of Cyprus of that house 4. Drepanun now called Trepano under the Promontory so named a well-traded Port but miserably defaced by the Turks when they took this Iland 5. Connelia one of the richest of the Iland by reason of the plenty of Sugar and Cotton and Wooll growing thereabouts Built in the place of 6. Cithera dedicated to Venus also but differing from the Iland of that name in the Aegean Sea rather in pronunciation than the purity of her oblations the last syllable save one in the name of that Iland being short in verse but this of Cyprus sounding long as in this of Virgil. Est Amathus est celsa mihi Paphos atque Cithera Cithera Amathus divine And lofty Paphos are all mine 2. On the South-East of Paphia lieth the Province or District of AMATHVSIA taking up the South parts of the Island which look towards Egypt Chief Towns hereof 1. Amathus giving name unto this division then of most note and much frequented for the annuall sacrifices made unto Adonis the darling of Venus who had here another of her Temples the ruins of both hardly now discerned Built as some say by Amasis King of Egypt when he conquered this Iland but as others say by some of the Anathites descended from Anath one of the Sons of Canaan 2. Cetium or Citium for I find it called by both names the birth-place of Zeno the Stoick hence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Citiensis and memorable for the death of Cimon the Athenian Generall a Town wherein the memory of Cittim the Son of Javan is most apparently preserved 3. Episcopio one of the chief of all the Island built on the place or out of the decay of 4. Curias not far from the Promontory of the same name founded by the Argives where Apollo had both a Grove and a Temple by the name of Apollo Hylates his Altars in those times held so sacred that whosoever presumed to touch them was thrown into the Sea from the Promontory or rocks adjoining 5. Salines or Salinae so called from the rich Saltpits one of the chief Towns of this part and giving name to one of these twelve Cantrades into which the whole is now divided 3. LAPETHIA the third part of the Iland lyeth on the North thereof opposite to Cilicia in Asia Minor Places of most importance in it 1. Nicosia the Regall City of the Kings and the See of the Arch-Bishop and the chief of the Iland antiently called Ledronsis and Lenteinis but those mames long ago laid by Situate in the midest of the Isle and in a plain and champain Countrey obundantly fertile and delightfull Environed with a fair wall so exactly round as if it had been drawn with a pair of compasses in circuite about five miles and both for situation numbers of people and magnificent buildings of all sorts both publick and private compared by some to the most beautiful City of Florence Fortified by the Venetians when in their possession with new walls deep ditches and eleven strong Bullwarks with three great Out-works all of them built according to the Art of modern fortification But notwithstanding all these works and the help of 250 peece of Cannon planted on the walls and about the City it was by the Turks taken at the second or third assault Septemb. 9. Anno 1570. So evident a truth it is that Fortifications are more strengthened by the gallantry and courage of the Defendants than the Defendants are by their Fortifications 2. Cerines situate neer the Sea strong by art and
fift on what day soever for on that he came into the world in that he took K. Francis Prisoner at the battel of Pavâ—e and on the same received the Imperial Crown But to return unto the Temple we find that on the Sabbath or Saturday it was taken by Pampey on the same by Herod and on that also by Titus But goe we forwards to Hierusalem as now it standeth it lay in rubbish and unbuilt after the destruction of it by Titus till repaired by Adrian and then the Temple not so much as thought of till out of an ungodly policy in the Reign of Julian that Politick Enemy of the Church who to diminish the infinite number of Christians by the increase of the Jews began again to build this Temple But no sooner were the foundations laid but a terrible Earth-quake cast them up again and fire from Heaven consumed the Tools of the Workmen together with the Stones Timber and other materials As for the City it self after the desolation in it which was made by Titus it was re-edified by the Emperour Aelius Adrianus who named it Aelia drave thence the Jews and gave it to the Christians But this new City was not built in the place of the old For within this Mount Calvary is comprehended which was not in the Old before As on the other side a great part of Mount Sion part of the City of Herod and the Soyl where the New City stood are left out of this the ruines of the other still remaining visible to shew the antient greatness and magnificence of it To look upon it then as it stands at present it is now onely famous for the Temple of the Sepulchre built by Helena whom most report to have been daughter to Corlus a British King Mother to Constantine the great Much a doe had the good Lady to find the place where the LORDS body had been laid for the Jews and Heathens had raised great hillocks on the place and built there a Temple of Venus This Temple being plucked down and the earth dâ—gged away she found the three Crosses whereon our blessed Saviour and the two Theeves had suffered To know which of these was the right Cross they were all carried to a woman who had been long visited with sickness and now lay at the point of death The Crosses of the two Theeves did the weak woman no good but as soon as they laid on her the Cross on which the Lord died she leaped up and was restored to her former health This Temple of the Sepuâ—chre even at the first building was highly reverenced and esteemed by the Christians of these parts and even untill our daies it is much resorted to both by Pilgrims from all the parts of the Romish Church who fondly and superstitiously hope to merit by their journey and also by divers Gentlemen of the reformed Churches who travell hitherward partly for curiosity partly for love to the antiquity of the place and partly because their generous spirits imitate the heaven and delight in motion Whosoever is admitted to the sight of this Sepulchre payeth nine crowns to the Turkish Officers so that this â—ribute onely is worth to the Grand Signeur eighty thousand Duckats yearly The other building generally very mean and poor if not contemptible Built of flint stones Low and but one rock high flat on the tops for men to walk on and fenced with battlements of a yard in hight to preserve them from falling the under-rooms no better than vaults where they repose themselves in the heat of the day Some houses neer the Temple of Solomon and the Palace of Herod adorned with Arches toward the Street where the passenger may walk dry in a showr of rain but not many such nor any thing but the ruins left of the antient buildings The whole circuit of it reduced to two or three miles and yet to those which take a survey thereof from some hills adjoining where the ruines are not well discerned from the standing edifices it affordeth to the eye no unpleasing prospect And as the place is such is the people inhabited for the most part by Artizans of the meanest quality gathered together of the scumme of divers Nations the greatest part consisting of Moores and Arabians a few poor Christians of all the Orientall Sects which dwell there for devotion and some Turks who for the profit which they make of Christians are content to stay in it Insomuch that when Robert Duke of Normandy being then not cured of his wounds and was carried into this City on the backs of some of this rascal people he called to a Gentleman of his who was going for England and bad him say that he saw Duke Robert carried into Heaven on the backs of devils Come we now to the Tribe of LEVI though indeed not reckoned for a Tribe because not planted close together as the other were nor had whole Provinces to themselves but mingled and dispersed amongst the rest of the people having forty eight Cities assigned them for their habitation proportionably taken out of the other Tribes So was it ordered by the Lord partly that they being set apart for his Service might be at hand in every place to instruct the People and partly to fulfill the Prophecy which he had spoken by Jacob who had fore-signified to Levi at the time of his death that he should be divided in Jacob and scattered in Israel The like fortune he had prophesied of Simeon also of the accomplishment whereof so far as it refered to him and the dispersion of his Tribe we have spoken before Now to make up the number of the twelve Tribes Joseph was divided into Ephraim and Manasses and the Levites were reckoned to belong unto that Tribe within whose territorie that City which they dwelt in stood Their maintenance was from the tenths or tithes the first fruits offerings and Sacrifices of the People and as it is in the eighteenth of Joshua v. the seventeenth The Priesthood of the Lord was their inheritance There were of them four kinds 1. Punies or Tirones which from their childhood till the five and twentieth year of their age learned the duty of their offices 2. Graduates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which having spent four years in the study of the Law were able to answer and oppose in it 3. Licenciates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which did actually exercise the Priestly function And 4. Doctors Rabbins they use to call them who were the highest in degree For maintenance of whom they had as before is said the Tithes first fruits and offerings of all the rest of the People besides the 48 Cities assigned for their habitation which last with the severall territories appertaining to them extending every way for the space of two thousand Cubits seems to have been a greater proportion of it self than any of the other Tribes with reference to the small number of the Levites had in their possessions Then for the Tithes
for the fire and timber for building the body of the Tree being strait and high and towards the top diversified into many branches A Country far too good for so bad a people For they as Travellers report and most Writers testifie are treacherous inhospitable ignorant both of â— rayers and Festivals destitute of the distinction of time into years and moneths not knowing any proper names for the dayes of the week nor able to reckon above ten naked except their privities which they cover with Cotton Idolaters in the midland parts Mahometans upon the shores Commendable only for their hate to Polygamie and restraining themselves to one wife the defiling of the marriage bed severely punished but otherwise so eager upon copulation that their Boyes at the age of twelve years and the Girls at ten think they stay too long if they keep their Virginities any longer some of them like Quartilla in Pâ—tronius Arbiter begin so early ut nunquam meminerint se Virgines fuisse that they remember not the time when they lost their Maidenheads Of colour they are black and of strong composition their breasts and faces cut and pinkt to appear more beautiful Much given unto the wars well armed according to their Country manner and exceeding good Archers Amongst them there are some white people said to come from China It hath in it many fair Rivers but their names I find not and at the mouths of those Rivers some convenient Havens into which they admit the sorrein Merchants but suffer none to come on land which the Merchant hath no cause to be sorry for finding himself not safe on shipboard from their treacherous practises So that we can give but small Account of their Towns and Cities except it be the bare recital of their names as viz. 1. S. Augustines on a fair Bay in the South-west point as 2 Gangomar in the North-east of it 3 Antabosta 4 Point-Antogil 5 Santo-Jacobo 6 Matatana 7 Angoda 8 Herendo 9 Andro-arco and 10 Roma or New-Rome so entituled by some zealous Romanist in hope to have it thought that the Popes of Rome have got some footing in this Iland This Iland known but very imperfectly in the time of Marcus Paulus Venetus who telleth us many strange things of it but none more strange then that of the Bird called Ruck of such incredible strength bigness that it could snatch up an Elephant as easily as a Kite doth a Chicken Discovered by the Portugals in the year 1506. as before was said and since frequented by the English and Holland Merchants by whom we are informed no further touching the Estate and Affairs thereof but that it is divided into four parts under so many Kings each of them in continual wars against one another but well enough agreed to defend themselves against the coming in of Strangers yet as some say they would be well enough content with an English Plantation either in love to our Nation whom they acknowledge to be more courteous then the Portugals and not so covetous as the Dutch or else by the strength of our Shipping and the reputation of our interesse in it to keep off all others 4. MOHELIA 5. MAVRITIVS Iland ADjoyning to Madagascar and as it were attending on it I find divers Ilands some on the North-west some directly East On the North-west we have 1 Meottey 2 Chamroe 3 Mohelia and 4 Joanna Iland on the East 5 the Iland of Mauritius and 6 Englands Forest Of these Mauritius is the greatest but Mohelia the best inhabited 4. MOHELIA situate on the North-west of Madagascar is about 20 miles in length and 16 in breadth abounding in Goats Hens Coconuts Limons Orenges Pom-Citrons Pulse Sugar-Canes store of Fish taken on the shores and other necessaries The People of complexion black of composition large and strong couragious affable lesse treacherous then their neighbours of Madagascar Of the same Language and Religion with those of Arabia from whence they seem to have descended but by reason of their commerce and intercourse with the Portugals they speak that tongue also The Women of the like complexion to amend which and seem more lovely they pink their arms and faces in several shapes Both sexes no otherwise apparalled then their natural garments with some Plantane Leaves about their middle to hide their shame Their Religion that of Mahomet as before is said their Priests in great esteem amongst them so their Temples also which they keep clean and neatly matted not suffering any man to enter with his shooes on his feet Their chief Town Merianguea at the West end of the Isle strong and well-garrison'd Heretofore under the command of one King alone of late divided into two Principalities one of the last Kings leaving two daughters the one married to a Native the other to an Arabian Lord. 5. Larger then this on the East of Madagascar is the Isle of MAVRITIVS so called by the Hollanders in honour of Maurice Prince of Orange in whose time they first set footing in it but by the Portugals called De Cerne and by some Cygnaea In compass about 100 miles well stored with Beeves Hogs Goats most sorts of Fish and liberally endowed with all the blessings of Nature sweet Waters most delicious Fruits Woods fit for any use both of food and building plenty of Ebonie of all colours but the best coal-black Yet altogether destitute of humane Inhabitants insomuch as we may say of this as the Poet of the World before Man was made Sanctius his Animal mentisque capacius altae Deerat adhuc quod dominari in caetera posset Which may be Englished in these words But yet the Chief with Supreme power possest Was wanting he that should command the rest 6. S. HELENS 7. The Isles of ASCENTION 6. AS destitute of Inhabitants as the Isle of Mauritius is that of S. HELEN on the West side of the Cape of Good Hope in the 16 Degree of Southernly Latitude no other Iland interposing betwixt Madagascar and it except those of Don Alvarez and of Tristram de Acugna neer the Cape it self but of so little note as not worth the naming The Iland very high and hilly and mounting from the Sea with so steep an ascent that the Mariners have amongst them a merry saying that A man may choose whether he will break his heart going up or his neck coming down It was thus called because discovered by the Portugals on S. Helens day not then inhabited nor since the King of Spain suffering none to dwell there because it had been made an unlawful receptacle for uncustomed Goods whereby he lost exceedingly both in power and profit Stored by the Portugals at the first Discovery with Goats Hogs Hens and other Creatures as also with Figs Limons Orenges and the like Fruits which there thrive exceedingly and grow all the year long Intended by them for a Stage in their going and coming to and from the Indies in which they might refresh themselves and
either in the smoak or Sun as they do their Fish They have also store of Conies Fowle and Fish great plenty one Fish more memorable then the rest which they call Adothnel whose body and head is like that of a Grey-hound But their greatest Jewels are their Chains of Esurgnie a shell-fish of the whitest colour excellent for the stanching of blood which they fashion into Beads and Bracelets and so wear or sell them Not very plentifull of fruits or fit for tillage yet it becedeth some Corn and of pulse good plenty The Aire more cold then in other Countries of like height partly by reason of the greatness of the River which being wholly of fresh water and so large withall chilleth the Aire on both sides of it partly because of the abundance of Ice and those hills of snow which the north-winde passeth over in the way to this Country The People when the French first discovered them very rude and barbarous few of them furnished with houses but removing from one place to another as their food decayed and carrying all their goods with them a thing easily done upon those removes Such as lived towards the Sea or the greater Rivers somewhat better housed For in the day time they fish in their Boats which they draw unto the Land at night and turning them upside down sleep under them As ill apparelled as housed for they went all naked except a little piece of skin before their Privities Some of them had their heads quite shaven excepting one Bush of hair on the top of the Crown which they suffered to grow to the length of an horses Tail tied up with Leather-strings in a knot Each man allowed his two or three wives apiece and they so constant to their Husband that they never marry after his death but keep themselves continually in a mourning habit a vizard as it were made of grease and Coal-dust which they spread over all their bodies The women labour more then the men both in fishing and husbandry digging the ground instead of Ploughing with certain pieces of wood where they sow their Maiz a Plant of which they make their Bread in most parts of America Idolaters in general before the coming of the French as they are most of them at this day the French and others which have planted in these Northern parts having added little more unto Christianity then by the Colonies they brought with them Yet in the midst of this darkness they saw so much light as to believe that when they died they went immediatly to the Stars from thence conveyed to certain green and pleasant fields full of flowers and fruits Plain Evidence that they believed the immortality of the soul and that there was some place appointed for reception of it The chief Towns of it at that time 1. Hochelaga round in figure compassed about with three Course of timber Ramparts one within the other sharp at the top about two Rods high with one gate only to give entrance and that well fortified in their kind with Piles and Bars It had in it 50 great houses in the midst of every one a Court and in the middle of that Court a place which they made their fire on Situate far within the Land about six or seven Leagues from the banks of the River Canada in the most pleasant part of the Country and therefore made the seat of their King whom they highly reverenced and carried him on their shoulders sitting on a Carpet of skins 2 Stadac or Stadacone and 3. Quebecque which the French call S. Croix on the course of the same River also this last a Colonie of the French 4 Tadonsac a safe but small Haven not capable of above 20 ships at the mouth of Saguenay 5 Franco-Roy a Castle built by Monseiur Roberval when he came first into this Country 7 S. Lewis designed for a French Colonie by Monseiur de Champlain An. 1611. but never came to great effect yet so much Champlain got by the undertaking that he left it his name to a great Lake of this Country full of little Ilands in the Lands of the Uroqueis inhabiting on the South of the river Canada into which it emptieth it self at the last 2. NOVA SCOTIA containeth that part of the Countries of Canada or Nova Francia which the French call Accadie or Cadie being a Peninsula or Demy-Iland with so much of the main-land as lieth between the River Canada and the large Bay called Bay-Francoise from the River of S. Croix upon the West to the Isle of Assumption on the East So called by King James in the Grant of these Countries to Sir William Alexander after Lord Secretary of Scotland and by King Charles for his approved fidelity most deservedly created Earl of Sterling The Letters Patents of which Donation bear Date Anno 1621. What time the French having been outed of their holds here by Sir Sam. Argal Governour of Virginia had abandoned the South parts of Canada and betook themselves more into the North and the higher parts of the Course of that River And in pursuance of this Grant the said Sir William Alexander in the year 1622. sent a Colonie hither and having procured a new Map to be made of the Country caused the Peninsula lying on this side of the Bay Francoise to be called Nova Caledonia that on the North thereof to be called Nova Alexandria giving new names also unto most of the Ports and Promontories For the better accomplishment of which business he obtained also a Patent for advancing a certain number of Persons to the hereditary dignity of Baronets or Knights of Nova Scotia as we call them commonly distinguished from others by a Ribbin of Orange tauney the money raised upon which Patent was to be wholly imployed towards this Plantation But being unable with those helps as certainly Plantations are of too great burden for a private person or willing to imploy his money to more profit he sold Port-Royal to the French and after discontinued his endeavours in it Places of most importance in it 1. Port Royal in Accadie or Nova Caledonia on the Bay-Francoise once made a Colonie of the French by Monsieur de Monts An. 1604. continued with much difficulty till the year 1613. when destroyed by Sir Samuel Argal then Governour of the English Plantations in Virginia by reason that the Jesuites whose neighbourhood he liked not of had begun to nest there Sold since again unto the French as before is said by whom still possessed 2 S. Lukes Bay by the French called Port au Monton 3 Gaspe a noted Port in New-Alexandria opposite to the Isle of Assumption 4 Gachepe on a fair Bay in the same Coast also 3. NORVMBEGA hath on the North-east Nova Scotia on the South west Virginia The air is of a good temper the soil fruitful and the people in differently civil all of them as well men as women painting their faces The men are much affected to hunting and