yeelded vnto him with all the artillery and munition the souldiers being about 1100. and some 400. out of Creuecaeur remained in the Princes seruice who afterwards at the battaile of Nieuport shewed themselues both valiant and faithfull And so this Fort of Saint Andrew hath vnto this day remained vnder the obedience of the vnited Estates Culembourg ALthough this towne be a fee of Gueldres yet there is a question made whether it bee of that territory It is scituaed vpon the left banke of the riuer of Lecke a league from Buren two leagues from Vianen on the same side of the riuer It hath a goodly castle whereas the Lord doth ordinarily reside and a large iurisdiction wherevpon King Philippe the second erected it to an Earldome whereof Florent of Palant was the first Earle besides many other great possessions which hee enioyed whereof his sonne is now Lord and Earle Battenbourg ALthough this towne at this present ruined and the castle bee within the limmits of the Duchy of Geldres seated vpon the banke of the riuer of Meuse whereby the Barron of that place makes a great reuenew of the toule and custome which is paied by all the ships that passe that way yet the said signeury is merely held of the Empire as William of Bronchurst did take it vppe of Maximilliam the Emperour His Sonne succeeded him and dying without heires Maximillian of Bronckhurst his cousin Germaine did inherit and is now Lord of it This place is of very great antiquity The Chronicles of Holland affirme that it was the first Castle which Prince Battus of whome Batauia or Holland tooke his name did build vppon the Meuze in the Countie of Sicambrians which now is Gelders Buren THis Towne is neither a fee nor of the territory of Gelders but a little country of it selfe which holdes of the Empire carrying the title of an Earle with great Iurisdiction a large territory and many Villages and yet shut vp in the lymits of the Duchy of Gelders This place is seated neere vnto the riuer of Lingen vppon a little Brooke which in old time was called the ditch for muscles a league from Tyl it is not very bigge but hath a very strong Castle ioyning vnto it where there is an ordinary garrison for the vnited Estates That valiant and famous Prince Maximilian of Egmont was Earle of this place who for his great seruices done vnto the Emperor Charles the fift whereof diuers histories make mention left his memory immortail to posterity Dying at Brussels in the yeare one thousand four hundred nine to whom succeeded his only daughter the sole heire by her mother of the house of Lannoy Who was the first wife of William of Nassau Prince of Orange by whom she left a son and a daughter that is Philip William of Nassau now Prince of Orange Earle of Buren Seignior of Lannoy c. And the Lady Mary of Nassau widdow to Cont Philip of Hohenlo This may suffice for the description of the Townes and cheefe Forts comprehended in the Estate of the Dutchy of Gelders The people of this Prouince are valiant and warlike from whence they were wont to draw a good part of them at Armes and Archers of the bandes of Ordinance of the Low-countries These were the last among the Belgick Gaules that submitted them-selues to the yoake of the Romane Empire the first when this Monarchy began to decline that freed them-selues from their subiection Afterwards they were made subiect to the French yet imbracing the occasion when it it was offered they did shake of this yoak and began to be gouerned by priuat Lords of the country it selfe the which hapned in the time of the Emperour Chalres the bald King of France Which Lords were simply called Tutors ot Aduocats of the country The which according o their vertues and merits were chosen created by the people the first of which was Wrinchard as we haue shewed before to whome succeeded his sonne Gerlach in the yeare 910. so as there were seauen Lords or Feofes successiuely issued from this familie the last whereof was also called Winchard who left but one daughter called Aleyd or Alix maryed to Otto Earle of Nassau who was the first which carryed the title of the Earle of Gelders giuen him by the Emperor Henry the third in the yeare 1079. But the sayd Aleyd beeing dead hee marryed with the daughter of Gerlach Earle of Zutphen who was slaine in a battaile giuen betwixt Conrard Bishop of Vtrecht and Thiery the sixt Earle of Holland Where-vppon as wee haue sayd the Earldome of Zutphen was also vnited vnto the Duchy of Gelders Otto left these Earles after him Gerrard Henry Gerrard Otto the second surnamed the stump-foot It was he which did purchase the Seigneury of Nymeghen as wee haue sayd before which hee did wall in with diuers others which were but Burroughs as Ruremond Arnhem Harderwicke Bommel and Wageninghen all in the Prouince of Gelders and aboue it Goch in the country of Cleues to the which he gaue goodly priuiledges as to great Citties To this Otto succeeded his sonne Renald and to him a sonne of his owne name who obtained in the yeare 1329. the dignity and title of Duke of the Emperour Lewis of Bauaria in an imperiall Dyet held at Francfort As in like manner the Countie of Iuilliers was by him erected into a Dutchy After this Reginold the second Geldres was gouerned by Arnold Edward his two sons but not without great contentions Both of them dying Arnold left two daughters of diuers beddes Ioane and Isabell who continued the diuision which had beene betwixt their Father and Vncle but Isabell dying without children Ioane remained sole and peaceable Dutchesse to whom succeeded William her sonne who was the fourth duke of Geldres but dying without heires Reynold his brother the fourth Duke of Iuilliers succeeded him and was the fift Duke of Geldres who dying without issue male the succession went to his only daughter married to Arnold of Egmond issued from a daughter of the first Duke of Geldres by which meanes the sayd Arnold came vnto the principality whose Sonne called Adolphe who is numbred for the seauenth Duke repyning that his Father liued so long by the perswasion of his own Mother caused him to bee seazed on in a night and to bee put in prison in the castle of Buren where hee detained him many yeares Pope Paul the second and the Emperour Frederick the third not able to suffer so great an impiety gaue authority to Charles the Warlicke Duke of Bourgongne to free this miserable Father by force of armes out of the hands and tyranie of his sonne The which Adolph vnderstanding and seeing that the Pope and Emperor did imbrace the cause and that he was not able to resist Duke Charles his forces he drew his father out of prison and hauing obtayned a pasport from the Duke he came vnto him with his father to Dourlans in Picardy
by two brothers borne in this towne whose equals in this art of painting haue not to this houre bin found The 12. of Ianuary 1552. the steeple of this Church was burnt by thunder and lightning of the date whereof D. Adrians Iuuius in his Batauia hath made this distique LVX bIssena fVIt IanI hora vespere nona CVM sacra IohannIS VVLCano CorpVII aedes The tWeLfth of IanVarâ—e SaInt Iohns SpIre At nIne a cLoCk was MVCH Impaird with fire The which mischieuous fire burnt nothing but the said steeple and a part of the church notwithstanding that it was enuiron'd with houses But about an hundreth yeares before in the yeare of our Lord 1438. the 18. of August vpon Saint Lewis his day the towne was wholy burnt except three houses vpon the Hauen the old ruines of them being yet to bee seene At this time the old charters and priuiledges of this towne were burnt wherevpon this distique was made FLetIbVs Id dIaICI qVIa GoVda Cre Mat LVdoWICI Sorrow allowde with sighes proclaimes That Lodowicks Goude is all on flames It is not long since that about halfe a league from the said towne were found diuers peeces of siluer with this circumscription on the one side HLVDOVICVS IMP. and on the other CXRISTIANA RELIGIO which seeme to haue beene coyned in the time of the Emperor Lewis the Debonaire the sonne of the Emperor Charlemaine and the Father of the Emperour Charlâ—s the bauld who after he had setled Christian religion in those parts gaue the Earldome of Holland to Thierry of Aquitaine the first of that name There is mention made in the ancient charters and priuiledges of this towne how Florentius the fift of that name Earle of Holland told a Knight called Nicholas van Cats that this towne had beginning in the yeare 1272. Others and among the rest Doctor Adrianus Iunius 1262. notwithstanding that the said towne hath beene knowne to haue beene long time before whereof many Gentlemen haue taken their names and chiefly among the rest Thiery Vander Goude one of the priuie councell to Earle William King of the Romaines and the priuiledges granted to them of Vtrecht in the yeare 1252. shew the like A quarter of a league out of the towne is yet to be seene the place where the Church stood and is commonly called the old Church-yard where during the Romish superstition they vsed to goe on procession in Rogation weeke and likewise a way called the old Goude But for that this place was too farre from the riuer of Issell the Inhabitants for their more commodity remooued from their former dwellings to the place where the Towne now stands The freedome and iurisdiction of this Towne at the beginning was no more then the compasse of it within the portes and walls with very little land without but was afterward in the yeare of our Lord 1484. much amplified by the Emperour Maximillian the first and the Arch-duke Philip his sonne with at least a league of land in compasse on both sides the riuer of Yssell The gouernment of this towne appertained heretofore to the Earles of Blois Lords of the same and was seated in the center or middest of the sayd Countie Iohn of Beaumont Earle of Blois by his wife was made Lord of it and Schoonhouen with their dependances by his brother William the Good Earle of Holland to augment his reuenews in the yeare 1306 who by the consent of his brother instituted the first payments and rights of customes with the houses and sluces where hee receiued his right hee inlarged and much beautified the Castle of the sayd towne the which long time after was chosen by the Estates of Holland as a place very strong for the keeping of the charters priuiledges and lawes of their Countie which Castle except the Tower where their charters were kept was in the yeare 1577. demolished at which time there were many others throwne downe in the Low-countries Iohn of Beaumont Lord of Blois died in the yeare 1456. leauing one onely sonne likewise named Iohn who being a Knight of the Teutonique or Dutch order went into Prussia against the Infidels and there died leauing two sonnes Iohn and Guy Earles of Bloys and of Soyson Iohn of Chastillon Lord of Goude riche and strong issued by his father from the Earles of Holland and by his mother from the Kings of France married Madam Mathilda Dutchesse of Gelders and Countesse of Zutphen at that time when the houses of Bronchorst and Heeckers assaied to shutte out the sayd Lady from her patrimoniall inheritance To remedie the which the Earle of Blois came into Geldres accompanied by many Lords and Knights and a good troope of souldiers besieging Wagheningen and Groensvoerdt which he tooke and afterwards in the right of the Lady his wife was receiued into Arnhem and acknowledged for Lord and Prince This Lord and Lady as Dukes of Gelders gaue priuiledge to the Citizens of Goude to saile with their Marchandize through-out the Dutchie of Geldres and Earledome of Zutphen freely without eyther taxe or toll This priuiledge was giuen in the towne of Arnham in the yeare of on Lord 1372. Iohn of Chastillion dyed in the yeare 1381. without children leauing all his goods to his brother Guy of Blois who married Mary the daughter of the Earle of Namur by whom hee had one sonne called Lewis Earle of Dunois who dyed young at Beaumont the two and twenty of December 1397. After whose death the right line of Iohn of Blois was extinct so that the Signeuries of Goude and Schoonhouen with their dependances which were called the Baliage of the countie of Blois returned to the country of Holland in the time of Albert of Bauaria notwithstanding Guy of Blois left a bastard called Iohn of Blois Lord of Treslon and Henault who as the historâ— of the Netherlands makes mention had by his wife six sons It is apparent that the townes of Goude Dordrecht Harlem Delft and Leyden with the Knights and nobles of the country represented the Estates of Holland and Westfreezeland long before the towne of Amsterdam was receiued for a member as it appeareth by diuers records and letters of state past vnder the seales of the said fiue townes together with the iniuries that they of Amsterdam haue done to them of Goude vpon the same The said towne of Goude for the good order which they haue alwaies held in discipline and Scholasticall instruction hath brought forth many great learned personages to their eternall fame as Henry and Iohn of Goude whom Trithemius Abbot of Spanheim puts in ranke of the rarest writers William Herman of Goude whom Erasmus Roterodamus in his Epistles calls his delight a most excellent Poet and Historiographer Hermanus Goudanus a great Diuine Iacobus Goudanus a famous Poet Thâ—odorus Gerardi Reinerius Suoy a Phiâ—â—ion and historiographer who haue all written learned workes worthy to be consecrated to posterity But Cornelius Aurelius likewise borne in this towne surpast them all in
wrath retyred into Freezeland and there without his priuity he marryed the Potestats daughter of the country by whome hee had two sonnes Thierry and Simon Being afterwards reconciled to his Father he had certaine land alotted him for his portion which was measured by the great rod the which in the country language is Brederode fâ—om whence they tooke their name His father gaue him also the Castle and Territory of Theylingen the which Zyphard at his death disposed to his two sons to Thierry he gaue Brederode and to Simon Teylingen from whence are issued the two families of Brederode and Teylinge the which ended by the death of two bretheren who were slaine with their Prince VVilliam King of Romans in the warre against the Frisons As for that of Brederode we haue seene foure bretheren of the right lyne dye also in the warres against the French in few yeares so as it fell by a collaterall line vnto VValrauen Lord of the said Brederode Vianen Ameyden c. who hauing not any children and not likely to haue any by reason of his age and his wiues all must returne to Floris of Brederode his Brothers sonne who may raise vp the house being now halfe extinct The beginning of the house of Egmont is doubtfull for the Lordes thereof cannot truly shewe a continuance of their descent for three hundred yeares yet they say they are issued from Radbod I know not which King of the Frisons but I thinke it would bee a tedious thing to finde out this pedigree Such as contradict it say that they are descended from a Receiuer of the Abbay of Egmond which Office had beene called Aduoe and vnder this title hauing inriched them-selues with the goods of this Abbaie by little and little they attained to great wealth and thereby to great allyances which haue augmented their house as well in possessions as degrees of honour so as in the end they marryed a daughter of the famous house of Arckel the which was heire to the Dutchie of Geldres Whereas Arnold of Egmond the first Duke of that house had one sonne called Adolph who did much trouble his father yea hee detained him in prison vntill that Charles Duke of Burgongne sette him free Adolph retyring into France marryed a Lady of the house of Bourbon who hauing one son named Charles hee was afterterwards slaine being Generall of the Ganthois before Tournay After whose death the Emperour Charles the fift vnder coullor of some transport which hee pretended that Duke Arnold had made vnto duke Charles of Burgongne beeing in dislike with his son hee seazed vppon the whole Duchy but Charles of Egmond sonne to Prince Adolph for he was neuer Duke with the helpe of the Princes of the house of Bourbon who stirred vp the French King returning into his Countrie hee was receiued and acknowledged for Duke in many townes the Emperors men chased away Afterwards being of a turbulent spirit hee had great warres so as in the end hee dyed about the yeare 1536. without any children and in him failed the distrect lyne of this house of Egmond The Seignieury of Egmond falling to the yonger house who was father to Iohn the first Earle of Egmond which Iohn had one brother MaximliaÌ„ of Egmond Earle of Buren Lord of Iselsteine whose daughter being issued of a Lady of the house of Launoy and the onely heire marryed with William of Nassau Prince of Orange so as the possessions of these two houses of Buren and Launoy are discended to Prince Philip eldest son to the deceased Prince of Orange as wel by his grandfather as by his father Some do account next among the most ancient and Noble families that of Vander Merwue as descended from Merouee King of France in honour of whome some beleeue that in that place the riuer of Wahall was changed into Meruwe but this Original is farre fetcht There is yet some remainder of a Tower in the midst of Meruve which in old time was the place where they payed toll the which is now receiued in Dordrect whereas the Baron of Meruve who is also Lord of Aspren hath one day in the yeare all right of superiority and power to pardon murthers and al other offences The house of Arckel did for a long time command insolently in the Earldome of Teysterbandt betwixt the Wahal and the Leck the which the riuer of Linge doth crosse and passing through Gorichom it fals into the Meruve In this County there are many other Townes then Gorichom with the Castle as Leerdam Henkelom Haerstricht Aspren Euersteyn Hagesteyn and Gasprien wherof the three last and Haarstrecht haue beene burnt and ruined It seemes that all the neighbour Princes haue conspired against this house for their great pride For Frederick Bishop of Vtrecht hauing taken Gaspren Hagestein and Euersteyn he ruined them quite The Lord of Vianen wrested Rhynstein from him Arnold Duke of Geldres tooke Leerdam and Steenvoerd Albert Duke Bauaria Earle of Holland took Haestrecht from him and ruined it Afterwards the said Duke bought of Iohn the last Lord of so many townes and Seigieuries that of Gorichom with consent of his sonne and vnder his hand writing who notwithstanding soone after disavowed the contract the which hee brake after his fathers death and found meanes to surprize the said towne The Countesse Iaqueline went thether with an armie besieged it and took it by assault whereas the said young Lord receiued the reward of his disloyalty for he was slain there These Lords of Arckel were so mighty as besides the County of Teysterband in the which are the townes aboue mentioned they had liuing in Brabant Lembourg Bar Vtrecht Geldre Holland and Zeland which possessions made them proud arrogant hatefull vnto their neighbours ouer whom they did insult vntill they came to the end which we haue spoken of The house of Batenbourg is without al question one of the most ancient taking their name from Prince Batto from whome Battauia is come whereof there were of great fame for their vertue some fiue hundred yeares since Albert Rodolphus and Thierry Lordes of Battenbourg as of late Thierry Gâ—sbercht and VVilliam who beeing Lieutenant to the Prince of Orange leading an army to victuall Harlem beseeged by the Duke of Alua was defeated by the Spaniards This Towne of Battenbourg was afterwards burnt and the Castell held long by the Spaniardes The sayd Ghisbrecht had besides William three other sons wherof one was traiterously slayne at Collogne Ghisbrecht and Thierry beeing taken prisoners in the Warre by the Earle of Arembergh hee deliuered them to the Duke of Alua who caused their heades to bee cutte off at Brusselles with other Gentlemen of their religion But it was not long before this Earle receiued his due punishment for before a yeare past hee was slayne in Battaile in the same Countrie where hee falsified his faith to these two young Barons The race of the Lordes of Harlem is also very ancient and noble who they say
know not by what title Cont William King of Romaines gaue the Lordshippe of Hoochmade to this house as also an other William Earle of Holland and Henaut gaue them the village of Coudekerke vppon the Rhine a League from Leyden where there was a mightie castle the which was razed by the factions in the yeare 1489. It was before called Horne whereof the proprietaries were called Lords of Horne whose memory lies buried with their persons Gerard of Poelgest a Knight did afterwards cause this ruined castle to be repaired with the consent of the Emperor Charles the fift as faire as euer who died to soone for his children The castle of Alcmada from the which they of the house take their name is situated in the iurisdiction of Warmond whereof the ruines are yet to bee seene for that which is now called Alcmada standing vpon the current of Marne was wont to bee called Poelgeest as appeeres by the letters of Thierry Vicont of Leyden saying that hee had giuen the inheritance thereof to Isbrandt of Poelgeest We finde that Henrie of Poelgeest and Floris of Alcmada bretheren by the mother liued in the yeare 1320. Those of Culembourg are descended from that Noble and famous Lord Ralfe of Bosicom of the race of the Earles of Teysterbandt The towne of Culembourg is reasonable good standing vpon the riuer of Lâ—ck two leagues from Viane and one from Buren it is now erected to an Earldome belonging to the Lord of Palant Abcoude was wont to bee a famous and mightie family the which had great possessions in the diocese of Vtrecht the towne and castle of Wyckter Duersâ—ede did also belong vnto them the Lord whereof did build the castle of Abcoude in the Moores midde-way betwixt Vtrecht and Amsterdam One Ghisbert of Abcoude did purchase the Lordship of Gaesbecke who gaue it to his yongest sonne Asueres who married a daughter of the Earle of Lygnes by whom hee had one sonne called Iames verie rich and mighty in possessions for beeing Lord of Gaesbeck hee was Siegnior of Abcoude Putten and Streuen all which are goodly Signeuries hauing iurisdictions It was he which fouÌ„ded the Chartreux nere vnto Vtrecht who since after the death of his sonne only heire being taken prisoner in battaile by the Bishop of Vtrecht was to redeeme his liberty forced to yeeld him the Lordship towne and castle of Wyck where since the bishoppes haue kept their ordynarie residence and the castle of Abcoude which since hath beene the aboad of one of the Marshalls of the Diocese of Vtrecht and of his gard which is there in garrison The house of Persin is also an honorable family from the which are issued manie Knights gentlemen of Waterlandt and the I le of Marke right against Monikendam It is at this time wholy extinct The castle of Persin is yet standing without the wood at the Hage The house of Raphorst is noble and very ancient whereof it appeeres that two bretheren had been slaine with their Prince Cont Floris in the warre against the Frisons That of Matenesse hath in like manner with many others taken their beginning from the Lord of Wassenare Vicont of Leyden The house of Vlyet was in old time banished not as guilty of the murther of Cont Floris but in hatred of his brother the Siegnior of Woerden one of the cheefe conspirators so as Gerard van Vlyet going into exile was dispossest of his lands degraded of his armes But afterwards by the intercession of the Lords of Duyuenvoorde and Liâ—htenberg for his valour shewed in battaile for the Earle of Holland where the bishop of Vtrecht was slaine he was receiued into grace and restored to the possession of all his goods The honors which the houses of Woerden Wesson were accustomed to haue were lost in the persons of Herman van Woerden for the murther of Cont Floris whereof Gerard being the first author executioner was cruelly executed beeing rowled vp down in a pipe ful of nailes in the town of Leyden where hee died miserably Herman his father in law being brother to the Lord of Amstel escaped and died poore in exile The house of Amstel was also blemished with this murther namely Ghysbrecht of Amstel Lord of Amsterdam Amsterweel and Iselsteyn who died in exile poore and miserable beeing dispossest of halfe his goods and the rest remayning to his wife sonne Arnold who were besieged a whole yeare in the towne of Amsterdam and were in the end forced to yeeld it vpon condition that for all their goods they should content themselues with the towne castle of Iselsteyn which since came vnto the house of Egmond whereof the Emperor Maximilian the first created Frederic of Egmond first Earle of Iselsteyn of Leerdam Iohn of Henaut Earle of HollaÌ„d had giuen the signeuries of Amstell Woerden to his brother Guy then Prouost afterwards bishop of Vtrecht during his life the which hee caused to bee built but after his death they were anexed againe to the reuenues of the Earle of Holland which then was Cont William surnamed the good The signiors of Schagen are descended from a bastard of Duke Albert of Bauaria Earle of Holland and Henaut who gaue this goodly Siegneury with that of Burchorne to William the first Lord of Schagen and from him successiuely to him that is now vnder the Estates of Holland So the Signiory of Hoocht-wood came from Duke William of Bauariae called the mad Earle for that after two battailes which hee had against the Empresse Marguerite his mother whereof hee lost one with eight thousand men nere â—o Vlaerdingen and the other he wonne hee was distracted of his wittes fifteene yeares and as a madde man was kept close vnto his death to whom Duke Albert his brother succeeded This William gaue vnto his base Sonne the possession of Hocht-Woude and Aertswoude which are two goodlie villages But this line fayling these two places haue past from one to an other Hochtwoude belonging at this day to Cornellis Mirop Receiuer generall of Holland and Westfrisland signior of Caelslagen Sweiten c. The house of Haemstede did begin at Witte who was the first Lord and bastard to Cont Floris That of Horst is of great antiquity the which seemes to haue had many branches as that of Bronckhorst in Gelders that of Lochorst in the countrie of Vtrecht and that of Raphorst whereof the old castle is yet standing betwixt the Hage and Leyden then Bockhorst twise or thrise ruined being a league from Nortwyck but not in that estate it hath beene The family of Dune is also very ancient the only daughter and heire whereof married some thirty yeares since to Thierry the second sonne of the Lord of Brederode who left the title thereof to his children yet carrying the armes of Brederode and not their mothers It continues still in that race who doe also enioy the Siegniorie of Sprangen which came by marriage from them of Wyelsteyn The house of Zyle
hauen which goes directly vnto the sea the which is faire large and commodious notwithstanding since that Middelbourg grew so famous it cannot recouer the accustomed trafficke touching nauigation yet is it good faire and strong retayning their ancient trade for salt and graine to die withall with the fishing for herring In this towne the Receiuer of Beoosterschelt doth commonly remaine who is as I haue sayd chiefe Iustice for the countie of Zeeland to whom as to him of the Beversterschelt at Middelbourg all commissions are directed comming from the superiors to put them in execution euery one in his iurisdiction In this towne was borne that famous Amandus Ziricxeus a relligious man of the order of Saint Francis who hath written many goodly Poems as may be seene in the Library of Cornelius Gesnerus From thence also came Leuinus Lemnius Doctor of Phisick a man of great knowledge as his workes do witnesse whose sonne called William of the same profession was called to be Phisition to the King of Sueden Peâ—rus Peâ—kius was also borne in this towne a man of rare learning who hath written many printed bookes BROWERSHAVEN IN this Island of Schoueâ— two small leagues from Ziâ—icxee is that great Bourg of Browershauen more inhabited by fishermen then any other and yet there was borne one Petrus carrying the surname of his towne a learned man who writ many bookes in diuinity This towne did some-times belong to Maximilian of Bourgogne Lord of Beueren Admirall of the sea thus hauing fallen vnto him with many other goodly Siegneuries by the Ladie Anne his Grand-mother issued from the Noble house of Borssele which familie hath fayled long since for want of lawfull heires which Maximiliam died also without children in the yeare 1558. whose succession fell to the children of the Earle of Bossu who had married one of the Sisters of the Lord of Beueren and to the children of the Siegnior of Cruminghen who had married the other Sister from whome is issued the Siegnior of Cruminghen who keepes commonly at the Hage in Holland In this Island of Shouven there are many castles and villages belonging to certaine Gentlemen and other priuate persons amongst the which is the village of Bomene seated at one end of it verie famous for the great losse of Spaniards which the great Commander of Castille had entring into the sayd Island the which in the end hee tooke by force and slue all that were in the fort except one man who escaped dangerously but let vs passe to the other Islands ZVYT-BEVELAND THis Island is so called for that before it was rampared with Dykes it trembled for Beuen signifies to tremble and Beuelandt a trembling country as if it had no firme seat and foundation This Island is the greatest of all those of Zeeland and at one time it had twenty leagues circuit but by reason of the tempests and inundations of the sea and the contynuall flowing and ebbing of the riuer of Escault which runnes with a violent streame betwixt Romerswael and Berghen vp Zoom it is halfe consumed In this Island of Zuytâ—euelandt there was in old time three townes of Marke the chiefe whereof was Romerswal then Borssele which stood towards the South but in the yeare of our Lord 1432. the Dykes were broken by the high tides and great tempests and it drowned with the countrie depending thereon which they called the Siegneury of Borssel ROMERSWAL HEld in that time the first ranke among the townes of the sayd Island looking towardes Berghen vp Zoom vpon the East from the which it is not aboue a league distant but the same tempests and inundations wherewith Borssele was swalloed vp diuided this towne from Zuytbeuelandt leauing it a part in a small Island beeing forced to defend it selfe continually with great toyle cost and amazement for feare of the sea and the riuer of Escaut against the which they must fight continually as a cittizen of that towne a man of great knowledge doth wittely shewe by these verses following which hee planted at his doore in the yeare of our Lord 1549 when as Prince Phillippe afterwards the second of that name King of Spaine came thether to receiue the othes of the countie of Zeeland and to take possession thereof as followeth Vidimus assueto priuatum lumine Solem pallida turbato vidimus astra die Vidimus vndantes horrendos aequoris aestus nos miseros Belgas cum obruit Oceanus Vidimus ast postquam te gloria nostra Philipe Caesareaproles semi-deumque decus Cuncta refutamus transacti tristia saecli quod praesens nostrum testificatur opus Sit licet exiguum sit pro ratione voluntas nil facit ad vastum parua catena fretum We haue beheld faire Sol depriu'd of sight pale starres at noone and nooneday like the night We haue beheld the furious waues make way through all the strengths of wretched Belgia But when we but beheld that face of thine great Phillip glorious bud of Caesars line It clear'd our hearts froÌ„ woes our eies froÌ„ showres witnesse this present monument of ours Which be it small our loues must be our pleas small chaines cannot ore-reach the broadest seas GOES WHich is otherwise called Tergoes is the onely places which is left standing on the North-side vpoÌ„ an arme of the Escault called Schenge It is now a good towne beeing since these last troubles much inlarged and fortefied with large rampars and goodly bulwarkes there is reasonable good-trade especially of graine for diars wherewith the countrie abounds There growes also the best wheat of all Zeeland more then they need for their owne vses transporting the surplusage into the other Islands Their hauen is long and straight at the mouth whereof there are two forts one of either side so as nothing can passe without descouery Not farre from this towne is the village of Cloetinghen belonging to the sonne of the deceased Floris of 〈…〉 heire apparent to all that house a little farther off is the village of Barlandt where that learned man Adrianus Barlandus who hath carefully written the chronicles of Brabant and a sommarie of the Earles of Holland Then Cruyningen Zeaetskerke Hynckesandt Capelle Catten-dyke which are all villages and many others In this Island of Zuytbeuelandt there are yet some pleasant groues and busshes fit for hunting for there are many hares found in the Island and great store of wild foule TOLEN IS one of the East Islands of Zeelande belonging to the countrie it is now wholie enuironed with good trenches and some forts betwixt fearing the irruptions of the Spaniards who haue twise or thrise attempted to get footing for there is but one chanell to passe vpon Brabant side It is verie neere the Dyke of Saint Martin for there is but one little chanell which diuides them and therfore some affirme as it is likely that in former times they were two Islands although in effect it be but one in the which are two good little townes both well fortefied with
the largenesse of the gulfe where as the Meuse and the Rhine ioyned together fall into the Ocean or Brittish seas in which place they say that Claudius Ciuilis issued from the bloud royall of the Battauians did fight with the Romaine fleete but with-out any great gaine to eyther parte This word of Briele doth well agree with that of Hiele in Plinie which for the largenesse of the gulph may bee called Bre-heile which is a large heele and by corruption of the tongue Briele This towne with that of Gheervlyet a small towne in the same Island of Vorne are reasonablie good the Inhabitants for the most part are sea-faring men which gette their liuing by fishing and that which belongs therevnto The ayre of this towne is grosse and heauie lying so neere vnto the sea so as it is euery yeare visited with some disease or other The countrie about it is very fertill and yeelds aboundance of good wheate and all other victuals are plentifull and good cheape there SCHOONHOVEN THis towne takes his name of the goodly and pleasant gardens which are both within and about it abounding in diuerse sorts of fruites For this worde Schoonhoven signifies goodly gardens It is situated vpon the left banke of the riuer of Leck they hold that it was built of the ruines of the towne of Nieuport the which at this day is but a Bourg on the other side of the sayd riuer opposite to Schoonhouen In all this passage euen vnto the village of Leckerke there is great fishing for Salmons which they sell in the said towne and the villages there-abouts Christopher Longolius that excellent Orator was borne in this Towne although that some would haue him a French-man or a Wallon The which Peter Longolius his Vncle a very learned man did witnesse whose testimonie is sufficient to confute all other opinions There passeth a channell through this towne which comes out of the riuer of Yssell very commodious to passe from one riuer vnto the other ISELSTEYN IT is a small towne but very strong beeing so fortified by reason of their great warres It is so called of a little channell which passeth comming out of the riuer of Yssell There had beene a long controuersie betwixt the Hollanders and them of Vtrecht for the iurisdiction of this towne either partie pretending an interest Some foure and thirtie yeares since the Church steeple was burnt by lightning from heauen but did no other harme vnto the towne It is of the patrimonie of the house of Egmont whereof the last Lord was Maximilian of Egmont Earle of Buren and Iseisteyn who left one daughter sole heyre to the Lord of Launoy whom William Prince of Orange did marry being his first wife so as all the inheritance of these houses of Buren and Launoy came to Phillip William and to the Lady Mary of Nassau Countesse of Hohenloo his sister WOERDEN IS a reasonable good towne and well built with a market place whereas all prouisions are to bee solde once a weeke it stands in a moore hauing a strong castle whereas they keepe prisoners of importance as of late dayes the Admirall of Arragon the Earle of Busquoy and others The Lord of Hierges hauing taken Oudewater as wee haue said for the Duke of Alua the towne of Schoonhoven he went to besiege Woerden where hauing begun to make his approches and to plant boates for his batterie they of the towne let goe all their Sluses the which in one night drowned the countrie about so as hee was forced to rise and leaue two peeces of ordinance This towne was built by Godfrey Bishop of Vtrecht a man giuen to armes to suppresse the courses of the Hollanders And therefore the superioritie thereof was for a long time questionable betwixt the Earles of Holland and the Bishops of Vtrecht It hath for long time had a particular Lord among others a brother to the Lord of Amstel who being one of the conspirators of the death of Cont Flo is the fift fled and continued a vagabond since bâ— the law of Armes the Hollanders haue enioyed it VIANE IT is a little square towne seated vppon the left banke of the riuer of Leck a free Baronie belonging to the house of Brederode which would neither be subiect to the King of Spaine nor to the Earles of Holland whereof there hath bin some question yet it is held of the dependances of Holland but it is not yet decided It hath a faire Castle which is the ordinarie aboade of Walrard Lord of Brederode Baron of Viane Ameide c. hauing a large iurisdiction It hath endured much after the retreate of Henry Lord of Brederode in the yeare 1567. SAINT GERTRVYDENBERGHE THis word signifieth the mount of Saint Geertruyde it may be for that the place had beene dedicated to that Saint It is a strong towne both by nature and art situated vpon the left bankâ— of the riuer of Meruve more famous for the taking of great Salmons then any part of all the Netherlands and such aboundance of Aloses or troutes as on a market day you may see aboue 18000. great and small and many great stuâ—gions which in a conuenient season are transported to Antwerp Brusselles Gand Bruges and other places besides that which is distributed into Holland Zeeland and the rest of the vnited Prouinces The like is found in the riuer of Yssel nere vnto the towne of Campen in the country of Oueryssel In former times there hath beene great controuersie for the proprietie of the sayd towne the Brabansons pretending a title therevnto for that it stand on their side and the Hollanders making claime also vnto it by reason of their ancient possession Which question proceeded so farre there beeing no meanes to reconcile it as the Estates of Holland when they did receiue their Earles bound them by a sollemne oâ—h to keepe it vnder the sayd Earldome and they of Brabant on the other side did binde their Dukes to recouer it Yet it appeeres plainely by the Chronicle of Holland that when as their Earle who was also Earle of Henault intended to goe to Mons Valenciennes or any other place of the sayd Earldome the Nobility of Holland came to accompanie him to this towne whether they of Henault came to attend him and did conduct him whether he would goe as also in his returne they brought him thether where as they of Holland did incounter him to conuoie him into Holland This towne is of the inheritance of the house of Nassau in whose name it was cunningly surprized in the yeare 1573. and so continued vnder the vnion of the vnited Estates vntill that some leud persons vnder collour of an ill grounded mutynie sold it in the yeare 1588. to the Duke of Parma for readie money But since in the yeare 1593. it was recouered by siege in viewe of the old Earle of Manffeldt who was generall of the King of Spaines armie and gouernor by prouision after the death of the Duke of Parma
to bee much admyred Being well prouided of money he bought a fayre house in the towne and a Castle called Benningen halfe a league out of the towne dwelling sometimes in the one and sometime in the other To augment his loue and reputation with the Cittizens hee matcht some of his children with the principall of the towne endowing them very ritchly still aduancing and teaching in priuate his most damnable heresie confirming those that were absent by letters and bookes which hee caused to bee printed in his Castle of Beningen Hee dyed in the sayd towne of Basil in the yeare of our Lord 1556. for meere greefe that one of his followers was reuolted fearing that by his meanes hee might be discouered and so punished Before his death his disciples that thought him to bee God seeing him draw towards death hee resolutely sayd vnto them bee not amazed I goe to beginne to shew my power Christ my predecessor to shew his power rose again the third day and I to shew my greater glory will rise againe at three yeares O horrible blasphemy The Magistrate beeing throughly informed of his life and doctrine caused his processe to be drawn after his death by a sentence his body was taken out of the ground and iustice done as if he had bin aliue his goods being confiscated his books burnt some of his followers acknowledged abiured their errors and imbracing again the reformed religion were with al courtesie and gentlenesse pardoned and the whole history of it set forth in print both in lattin and dutch to the view of the world In opposition to this wicked monster the town of Delf hath brought forth many excellent person ages among the rest Ioos Salsbout an excellent Poet and Chancellor of Gelderlād Arnoult his son who succeeded his father in the same office of Chancellor and since President of the priuy Counsell at Brussels and from that to be President for the affaires of the Netherlands in Spaine Cornelius Musa Prouost of S. Agatha a man of rare vertue and knowledge a great Diuine an excellent Poet. who was vniustly put to death by the Earle of March about thirty-fiue yeares since Leyden THere hath bin much dispute and great diuersity of opinions about the deriuation of this name of Leyden but I will content my selfe that Ptolemy called it Lugdunum Battauorum Antoninus in his Itinerary or guide for waies to Rome cals it Lugdunum Caput Germanorum the head citty of the Germaines or the first Citty of the Romaine Empire from it beginning his Iourney to Rome concerning the lattin and dutch woord of Leyden I will content my selfe with the antient vse for that many learned lattin Authors haue also called it Leyda bee it as it may yet this is most certayne that it hath beene here-to-fore a towne of great importance for the Romain Praetor that gouerned that quarter kept alwaies his residence and garrison in that towne and the historyes of Holland recount that from the first Earles and long after it was called the chamber of Holland It is seated in a low and euen country full of ditches and chanels beutified with farmes gardens and other delights round about It incloses in it selfe thirty one Isles passing from the one to the other in boates besides nineteene more that haue bridges to passe ouer To conclude there are in this towne 145 bridges an hundreth and foure built of free stone and the rest of wood It is one of the six chiefe townes of Holland and the fourth in preheminence and suffrage It is the cheefe for that quarter of Rind-Land hauing vnder it 49. townes and villages the most part of which bring their commodities thether as butter milke cheese lard foule fruites and other necessaryes to bee sold in the Market abounding in all thinges else that the earth may bring forth and sufficiently stored with fish the Sea being not aboue a league from it and compassed with many fresh waters It is likewise so stored with sundry kinds of fowle that it is incredible but to them that know it This town is fairly seated in a delicate prospectiue euen in the heart of Holland neatly built and fit for the muses to dwel in for which cause the Sates of Holland in the yeare of our Lord 1575 after they were released of their long and dangerous siege erected an vniuersity there furnishing it with professions in all languages giuing them good and sufficient stipends drawing to them the sufficients men in all professions that can be found in Christendome as at this day the Seignior of L'escale Clusius Baudius and others professing Phylosophy Physicke and the lawes They want not also most excellent and learned Diuines hauing within this tenne yeares lost three as rare ones as any were in Christendome to wit the Lord of Saint Aldegond D. Francis Iunius and Trelcatius◠professors in the greeke and lattin tongues and in Diuinity In the middest of this towne there is an old Castle seated vppon a higher mote in the which there is a great large and deepe Well all of stone but now dry there is not a house in this Castle to dwell in but compassed about the more and aboue with some trees and although it bee of no vse yet it is reserued for the antiquity of it Ianus Douza a learned Gentleman and Poet of Leyden hath written of it in these verses Putatur Engistus Brittanno orbe Redux posuisse victor T is held victorious Hengist builded me At his returne from conquered Britanie SInce called Bourg of which came the name of Burgraue which is as much as to say an Earle of a Towne which wee call Viscounts the title remained long in the Noble family of the Lordes of Wassenare who held the Viconty of Leyden and the Iurisdiction of Rhyn-landt with the Dependances both of it and Ter-goud vntill the yeare of our LORD 1251. after the death of Vicont Iames his daughter Christienne beeing vnder the protection of the Earle of Holland who vtterly spoyled it yet the possession thereof was deliuered againe by the Countesse Iaqueline vnto the sayd family of the Wassenares but Philip Duke of Burgondy succeeding in the said County tooke it away againe where-vppon Viscount Iames the sonne of Henry in a full assembly of the Estates contested against the Duke demaunding againe his antient patrimony but his meanes beeing too weake against so puissant a Prince hee was constrayned to cease his title and to content him-selfe with what it pleased the Duke to giue him which was but the bare title of Viscount There are in this Towne three parish Churches in Saint Pancratius there is a company of Chanoins and in Saint Peeters there is a lofe of bread turned to a stone safely kept in a place yrond about for a perpetuall remembrance of the strangenesse of the accident and this it was In the yeare of our Lord 1316. a great famine happening in the towne a poore woman went to her owne sister that
arriue was made in the time of the Count William when there was not water inough without the Sluce of Horne but that the great shippes of Denmarke and Hambourge were forced to stay at the sea ditch and therefore they caused a little long ditch to bee made which they called the New Dam beginning at the great ditch a good distance from the mouth of the sea from whence they brought their horses and oxen to the towne All this is now within the towne fairely built and called the New Damme In the yeare of our Lord 1350. Duke William of Bauaria the sonne of the Emperour Lodowick and Marguerite Countesse of Holland gaue to the Burgeses of Horne as large and ample priuiledges as they had giuen to them of Medenblick which to this day they enioy There is a streete in the said towne called Heer Gerits Landt so called of Gerard of Hemskerke who caused a faire house to bee built in a large garden now full of houses the which Gerard died in the sayd towne in the yeare of our Lord 1398. after hee had serued Duke Albert in his wars against the Frisons In the time of the Lady Iaqueline Countesse of Holland c. certaine townes of West-Freesland rebelled against her and called in Philippe Duke of Burgundie the Sonne of her Aunt vnwilling to bee gouerned any longer by a woman wherevpon grew great warres the Kennemers taking part with their Princesse and making warres against the Waterlanders and East Frisons the Hornois by reason of their ritches and great traffick that they had from North to South being growne proud It happened at this time that a young man of the said towne the sonne of one of the cheefest marchants called Ian Lambrechts Cruyf being in the towne of Goude where the Countesse Iaqueline kept her residence seeing the said Countesse passe by said without thinking any hurt It is great pitty and shame to vse so noble a Dame in this sort as if she were a common woman These words were worse taken then they were meant Where-vpon â—hee was committed to prison Lambert Cruyff hearing of his sonnes restraint posted thether with a good summe of money to redeeme him Hauing treated with the Iudges and presented this money they gaue him good words telling him that his sonne should not dye but should be onely lead to the place of execution Whereas the executioner drawing out his sword the Countesse should crye out which should cause the heads-man to staye and so his sonne should bee freed The father was somewhat comforted with this answer and seeing there was no other meanes hee recommended the cause vnto God The sonne being vpon the Scaffold and the eâ— ecutioner hauing drawne his sword the Countesse made no shew of crying out so as this poore young man was vniustly executed wherewith the father being much moued he sayed vnto himselfe being vnderstood by some other Thou shalt not remaine Contesse of Holland neither shalt thou hereafter enioâ—e that Country in peace And therevpon he returned with his money to his owne house Beeing come to Horne hee acquainted the Magistrates and the Bourgers with the wrong which the Contesse had done vnto his sonne in the towne of Goude wherevpon a councell was held of all the chiefe of the towne who concluded ioyntly neuer more to acknowledge her for their Princesse and to fortefie themselues against her The father of this young man that was executed full of discontent and desire of reuenge did giue or lend a great sum of money to beginne the fortification of the towne And this beeing in the yeare 1427. they began to compasse in this towne with goodly walls and deepe and large ditches Doctor Adrianus Iunius a curious sercher out of Antiquities as appeeres by his history of Battauia was borne in that town sonne to Peter de Iouge a Bourguemaster This towne abounds with all sorts of victualls halfe of it all along the sea is defended with good palissadoes and banks made of a small grasse which they call Vlyer in Latin Alga wherewith most of the bankes in that quarter of Westfrisland are armed for that it settles close together and doth not rot in a long time and being rotten it becomes firme earth They gather shippes ladings of this grasse in a certaine season of the yeare in the sea about the Island of Wyeringhe from the which it is named and they keepe great heaps thereof in store to repaire their bankes at neede when as they are any way decaied It is strange that is reported of this herbe that wild swannes at a lowe water pull it out of the botome of the sea the which floting vpon the water staies in a certaine place whereas they goe to gather it This Island of Wyeringhe is not farre from that of Texel nor consequently from Enchuysen Medenbilck nor Horne the which besides all other delights which it yeelds brings forth aboundance of great Skirrit rootes as delicate a meate as can bee presented before a King wherein Plinie reports that the Emperor Tiberius did so delight as hee caused them to bee brought out of Germanie to Rome ALCMAR THis towne is three leagues distant from Horne where ends the iurisdiction of the Canenefates or Kennemers in the countrie language It is in a manner enuironed round about with diuers great Lakes the which are made by the brookes which fall from the sandie Downes so as in my opinion this name was giuen it by reason of the multitude of these Lakes the which in the Cymbrians tongue they call Meerâ—n as if they would say Almeer and some in Latin call it Almeria There are tenne of these Lakes the which by Sluses and Mills to draine out the water vpon hope of greater profit haue beene laide drie partly at the charge of the Lords of Brederode and Egmont as also by Thierry Teyling a Receyuor and other good Bourgers of Alcmar the names of which Lakes thus recouered were Bergen conteyning 1200. Acres of ground Daele Veronne Suyn Bouckler Heyuluen Grobber Temple Argillar and the Lake behind There are yet fiue remayning that of Diepee Voere Scherme Byems and that of Waerd the which they haue no meaning to lay dry by reason of their depth and the benifit they reape by the fresh water-fish which they yeelde They say that this towne was first founded by Adgill King of Frisland a Godly man nothing resembling his impious father Radbod who mocking at the Saints in Paradise hauing demanded what was become of his predecessors which had dyed Infydells and answere being made him that they were in hell going to the Font to bee baptized by the Bishoppe of Soissons hee retired backe saying that after his death hee would goe where his Parents were Of whome these rough verses were made O' Iocus ò dirum et tibi formidabile semper Elogium Radbode tuum post tristia fata O ieast and dismall memory withall Radbode for thee and thy dire funerall This Adgill raygned in Frisland in
olde time named Yedam of a current of water which is called Ye vry Yde the which running about the Câ—urch fell by a Sluse which they call Damme into the great chanell of the towne which goes vnto the sea that is to say the Sluse of Yde There is a certaine village in the midest of this water called Middelye The towne is at this present well walled in and ditcht it is famous for the good cheese which is maâ—e there it hath a long hauen to the which there belongs many great and goodly shippes which are built there euery yeare beeing as stately and of as great charge as any in Holland or Zeeland bee it either for warre or Marchandise In the yeare of our Lord 1404. some women of this towne going in barkes to feed their cattell in the neere pastures of Purmermeer they did often see at the ebbing of the water a sea woman playing in the water whereat in the beginning they were afraied but beeing accustomed to see it often they incourraged one an other and with their barkes entred into this water into the which shee was come at a full sea and could not finde the waie out againe these women hauing descouered her made with their boates towardes her and the water beeing not deepe ynough for her to diue vnto the bottome they tooke her by force drewe her into a boate and carried her to Edam where in time shee grew familiar accustoming her selfe to feede of ordynarie meates They of Harlem desired much to haue her to whom shee was sent and liued some fifteene yeares shee neuer spake seeking often to gette againe into the water you may reade this discourse at large in the History of the Netherlands This towne is two leagues equally distant as well by sea as by land from Horne MONICKENDAM THis towne on the South-side lookes towards the I le of Mark which is opposite vnto it the sea therein reasonably still for that it lies vnder the Lee of the sayd Island It is not verie spatious and towardes the Land it is walled and ditcht It takes the name of a Lake neere vnto it called Monicker-meere the which beeing at this daie defended with bankes is made a sea whereas great shippes lie safely beeing couered with that Land The armes of this towne are a Monke clad in blacke holding a mase in his hand whereby wee may conclude that both the Lake and the towne tooke their names from a Monke but why or what hee was it is not knowne This towne was built in the yeare of our Lord and Sauiour 1297. When as the Frisons came thether with a fleete of shippes to goe and succor the Bishoppe of Vtrecht it is but a league from Edam PVRMERENDE THis towne stands in the midest of Moores lying at the end of the Purmer sea where is a Sluce by the which they of the towne sayle towardes Edam Monickendam and other places that border vpon the sayd sea on the other side there is nothing but Lakes which coast the townes of Ryp Graft Wormer euen vnto Alcmar In these three Bouroughes they are ritch men which imploy themselues most at sea as well in fishing for herring as in trade of marchandise At Wormer they make aboundance of good by scuit which they carry to sell in all the townes of Holland Zeeland and Frisland for the prouision of their shippes This towne is verie small it hath beene fortefied during these last warres against the towne of Amsterdam the which in the beginning of the troubles held the Duke of Aluas party but this was allied to the townes of Alcmar Horne Enchuysen Medenblick Edam Monickendam with other places of West-Frisland against whom the Spaniards could not preuaile but lost many men in this watrish countrie the which is rightly called Waterland in the which are the sayd townes of Purmerende the three Boroughes aboue mentioned and many other villages This towne was first built by a priuate person but verie ritch the which came afterwardes with the castle to the Earles of Egmont and ioynes vnto his hauen vpon Alcmar side It is verie cheape lyuing there by reason of the aboundance of flesh and fish MVDEN THe towne of Mâ—den is seated at the mouth of the riuer of Vecte some fortie yeares since it was but a poore paltrie village feeling then the miseries which it had endured by the burning and spoiles of the Duke of Guelders but within two yeares it was repaired Since the last troubles yea within these twelue yeares it hath beene wholy finished and beautified with ramparts goodly bridges and faire houses It hath a strong castle vpon the gulphe whereas the Vecte runnes into the Zuyderzee This castle is famous by the taking of Floris the fift Earle of Holland who hauing forced the wife of a Knight called Gerard van Velsen was by the conspiracâ—e of many noble men of Holland taken being a Hawking and carried into this castle thinking to transport him from thence into England there to end his dayes and to call home Earle Iohn who had married the Kings daughter but they found no opportunitie to effect it besides the commons of the Waterlanders did rise of all sides to succour him the which the conspirators finding meaning to carry him by land into some other countrie they ledde him from thence but as they were egerly poursued Van Velsen being loth to abandon his prisoner whom hee had mounted vpon a paltrie Iade comming to leape oâ—er a ditch as all the country is full of trenches the horse falling ouerthrew the Earle into the ditch Van Velsen seeing that he could no longer keepe him with a furious desire of reuenge gaue him eighteene wounds with his sword whereof hee died vpon the mount of Naerden whether the pesants carried him Van Velsen and the other conspirators saued themselues in the castle of Croenenburg where they were taken and grieuously punished The Lords of Amstel Woerden and some others escaped and wandred long vp and downe The Siegnior of Nyuclt is captaine of this castle of Muyden with a good garrison well prouided of all things NAERDEN ALthough that this towne hath suffered much being first ruined by that warlike Prelate the Bishop of Vtrecht of the house of Arckel who changed the place of situation and did cause them to build it where it now stands being a faire and a strong towne the which we may iustly say is but a shopp of Weauers whereas they make great aboundance of very fine cloath The houses of this towne are very faire being newly built within foure and thirtie yeares For the Duke of Alua meaning to bee reuenged of the Hollanders who were for the most part reuolted by reason of his tyrannie he sent Don Frederick his sonne thether with an armie who approching neere vnto the towne of Naerden the Bourguemaister councell of the towne went forth to meete him and to present him the Keyes of the towne when being entred with his troops the Bourgers
tooke their beginning from the Kinges of Freezeland which had built the Castell of Harlem according to their name in the yeare a thousand sixe hundred The ruines of this Castell are yet to bee seene not farre from Hemskerke It appeares by the Annales of Holland that one Isbrandt of the house of Harlem did accompany the Ladie Sophia Princesse of Holland and Prince Otto her yongest sonne in a Pilgrimage which they made through deuotion vnto Ierusalem Some Knights of this house vnfortunate in the warre against the Frisons haue lost their liues there Of this house was Simon of Harlem knight who conuerted a faire house which he had within the wals of the towne into a Cloyster of Carmelites in the yeare 1249. Of which house by changing of the name they of the house of Assendelfe haue obtained the inheritance and the Armes vnto this daie Nicholas Lord of Assendelfe was wont to say that his father hauing built the Castell of Assenburch had repented him a hundred times that hee had not set it vppon the ruines of the Castell of Harlem to preserue the honour of antiquitie This house of Assendelfe takes his name from the Village which is richer the which in ancient time as at appeares by old Charters was called Asâ—maundelfe Cralinghen or rather Carolinghen is said to haue had their beginning from the Emperour Charl maigne for the French had for a long time caused a part of Germanie and Gaule to be gouerned by them of Meruwe and Craelingen which are two noble families and very famous in Holland We read that the house of Heusden where there is a towne and Castle is issued some eight hundred yeares since from the Earles of Cleues hauing carryed the armes as well of Edmond King of England whose daughter Baldwin Lord of Heusden stole away and marryed her who hauing many children by her would haue his nephewes to carry a wheele of Geules in a field Or. The reason was that when as the King of Englands seruants sent to seeke his daughter came to the Lord of Heusdins they fouÌ„d her spinning at the wheele with some pretty children about her which brought her into fauour againe Since the yeare 1290. the Earle of Cleues resigned all the interest he had to the Lordships of Heusden and Altena to Floris the sixt Earle of Holland to hold them of him in fee but this resignation did not hold long for the Duke of Brabant came and fell vppon Heusden and became maister of it but he held it as little for Count VVilliam of Bauaria being a mediator betwixt the duke of BrabaÌ„t the Earle of Flanders dealt first for himselfe in such sort as hee should haue HeusdeÌ„ the which hath bin annexed to this day to the conty of HollaÌ„d Those of Duyvenuoorde are issued from the house of VVassenare This word hauing taking his beginning for that two Bretheren of the house of VVassenare being a fishing the elder to cause the boate to aduance said to his younger Brother Dole Voort that is to say aduance which word as a good presage remained to the younger house whereof are come by corruption of the word the Siegnior of Duyuenvoort This name was first giuen to Philippe the second sonne of Aldewyn Vicont of Leyden Lord of Wassenare and of Rhinlandt who also gaue him libertie to carrie his armes which were three Croisants Or in a field Sables Philippe Curat of Wassenare doth report it somewhat otherwise hee sayth this Philippe had fiue sonnes whereof the eldest being heire of the name and armes was called Thierry the second Philippe Signior of Duyuen-Voorde the third Iohn Lord of Polanen who carried in a field Argent three Croissants Sables the fourth called Sandthorst who remained vnknowne and the fifth Arnold of Groenevelt who carried Sinople and the Croisants siluer of which house the Signior Arnold of Groenevelt is yet lyuing beeing Collonel and Gouernor of Nymegen for the vnited Estates In the yere 1353. William of Duyuenvoorde Signior of Osterhout was so ritch as hee knew no end of his welth who hauing no children he would not make his kinsfolks partakers thereof but did build two Monasteries or Cloisters neere vnto Gheertruydenberghe the one of Chartreux Monks the other of Saint Clare And not content with this prodigality of his welth he caused a castle to be built at Osterhout made the towne of Viane to be walled in and dicht as appeeres by his Epitaphe at Brusselles The house of Polanen as wee haue euen now sayd is issued from that of Duyuenvoorde but it was of small continuance for Iohn Lord of Polanen hauing left one onely sonne called also Iohn hee dyed without any heires male leauing one daughter the sole heire of Polanen of Lecce and of Breda the which shee brought in marriage to Engelbert Earle of Nassau who was the first Gouernor of the Netherlands for the Ladie Mary Dutchesse of Bourgogne so as the sayd Siegneuries doe at this day belong vnto the children of William of Nassau Prince of Orange That of Naeldwyck was not of much longer contynuance whereof wee finde that one Baldwin a Knight Gouernor of the castle of Windenesse in Westfrisland a league from Horne carried himselfe valiantlie vntill that for want of victualls and all other necessarie prouision hee was forced to yeelde vppe the place Those of that house conuerted their goodly castle of Wateringhe into a Monasterie which was ruined in these last warres I will make but one house of those of Woude and of Warmont for that the Siegnor of Woude tooke more delight at Warmont which stands in a good ayre and in a goodly country then in the castle of Woude which stands in a Moore so as the castle of Woude being neglected it fell to decay and that of Warmont florished This house of Warmont was wont to beare in a field Or three Lozenges Geules vntill that Thierry of Wassenare Vicont of Leyden giuing the possession of certaine Lands in the yeare of our Lord 1359. to Iames the foureteenth Lord of Warmont hee suffred him to carrie his owne Armes which is a band Or vpon a field Azure betwixt three Croisants Argent which that house carries vnto this daie But those of that house beeing partakers of the furie of Gerard van Velsen the murtherer of Count Floris the fifth they were for the safe-gard of their liues forced to abandon the countrie But some fiue yeares after the death of Cont Iohn the sonne of Floris Iohn of Henaut beeing Earle of Holland to whom Iames Lord of Warmont did great seruice at the defeate of the Bishoppe of Vtrecht all iniuries beeing troden vnder foote this house was reconciled to their Prince and so haue continued in good Estate vnto this daie Those of Poelgeest are also of a famous race the which in olde time had a castle of the same name in the quarter of Oestgeest the village whereof was called Kerkwerve the which by changing of the name is now called Alcmada I
retaine vnto this day the trade of many great shippes which arriue there daily laiden with diuers sorts of marchandise and from thence is transported into the other Prouinces of the Netherlands except salt comming from Spaine France and other places the which remaines there to bee refined for the which there are many salt-pannes ' built along and vpon the toppe of the Dyke where it is boyled and made white and then they lade it and transport it to other places And although that new Arnemuyden was not walled in vntill the yeare 1572. yet hath it beene held of all forraine nations for a towne of good esteeme by reason of the nauigation and trafficke for which respect the Earles of Holland and Zeeland did in old time establish their towles and customes due vnto the county of Zeeland This towne hath alwaies enioyed the like priuiledges with the towne of Middlebourg as Bourgeses and subiects thereof vntill the yeare 1572. that they followed the Prince of Oranges partie Soone after the Spaniards surprized it spoiled it slue some and the rest fled wandring vp and downe vntill that in the yeare 1574. the towne of Middelbourg being forced to yeeld vnto the Prince of Orange Arnemuyden was also comprehended in the Accord so as the I le of Walchren beeing then freed euery man returned to his house so as by little and little the towne was fortefied as you see it at this day For the reedefying whereof the Prince gaue it goodly priuiledges and freedomes beeing exempt from the subiection of Vasselage being subiect to Middelbourg by vertue of their contract and causing it to bee walled and ditcht hee gaue them the rights and prerogatiues that belong to a good towne gouerned by their owne Magistrats Baylife Bourguemasters Aldermen and other Officers which they of Middelbourg were accustomed to chose but now they dispose of all matters concerning Iustice and gouernment themselues The towne of Arnemuyden had for many yeares a particular Lord carrying the title of Siegnior of Arnemuyden the last was called Gyles of Arnemuyden who in the yeare 1418. was made Knight and married the daughter of Wolphart van Borsselle by whom hee had two daughters the one Mary the other Marguerite of Arnemuyden Mary married with Nichâ—las of Borssele Siegnior of Brigdame Coudekerke Soeteland and Saint Laurence from whom is issued the house of La Vere Marguerite married William of Vriese Siegnior of Oosteinde from whence is descended the house of Trasigny And as the sayd Giles was the last Lord which carried that name his house fell to the distaffe Those of this towne for the loue of him carry his armes in their seales and armories which they vse to beare and they are at this day two Eagles Or in a field Geules armed and encompassed with Azure and in the midst a sand-hill rising out of the waues of the sea DOMBOVRG ALthough this bee but an open place which is dayly more and more couered with sand notwithstanding all remedies by reason that the winde driues the sand of the sea and downes which couers their gardins and pastures yet beeing esteemed the most ancient towne of the Isle of Walchren whereof there are yet to be seene some old ruines of walles it retaines still the ancient priuiledges municipall rights as the best town of the sayd Island WEST CAPPELLE THis place Bourg or village howsoeuer you will call it doth enioy the like priuiledges of other townes for that the ancient West Cappelle which stood in the same place was wont to bee a good towne and had the best port in al the Island of Walchren which about 150. yeares since was carried away by the inundations of the sea so as there remaines nothing but what wee see of the old buildings hauing notwithstanding bin inlarged with new houses within these thirty yeares the which makes it more commendable SOETELAND IS yet at this day a good place so termed as a sweete country and so it is the sweetest soyle and the best seat in all the Island which makes the Marchants of Middelbourg and Flissinghe to walke thether whereas after they haue recreated themselues they returne at night to their houses There are also in this Island many goodly villages as Oost and West Suybourg a quarter of a league one from the other betwixt Flissinghe and Middelbourg At West Suybourg there is a good castle the which with the village doth now belong vnto the heires of Phillippe de Marnix Siegnior of Saint Aldegonde the light of learned men of our age in which castle the Emperour Charles the fift remained vntill the winde prooned faire to imbarke to make his last returne into Spaine but wee may not forget the important castle of RAMMEKEN OTherwise called Zeebourg which about 60. years since the Lady Mary Queene of Hungary sister to the Emperor Charles the 5. gouernesse of the NetherlaÌ„ds caused to be built vpon the Dyke betwixt Middelbourg Flissing seruing as a bulwark for all shippes that are forced for want of a good winde to come and anchor in the Roade This castle is alwaies well manned with a good garrison and with all things necessary for a place of so great importance being as necessary to be entertained and well kept as any other in all the vnited Prouinces By reason whereof the Queene of England desired to haue it with the townes of Flissinghe and Bryele for caution of the money which shee did lend vnto the vnited Estates some twenty yeares since SCHOWEN IN Latin called Schaldia a Flvuio Schaldi of the riuer of Escault in old time a great Island but the tempests and breaches of the sea haue wonderfully dyminished it It hath yet at this day aboue eight leagues in circuit and it was in those daies so nere vnto the Island of North-beuelandt as the Inhabitants did talke together from one banke vnto the other whereas since there hath beene a great distance But within these twelue years that the sayd Island of North-beuelandt hath beene recouered they are neeâ—er This Island is as fertill and plentifull of all things as any other in Zeeland and therefore it holds the second ranke at the Estates of the sayd Prouince in the which the soueraigne Iudges of the East of Zeeland do commonly reside whom they call the Receiuer of Beâ—osterghelt who hath all power of cryminall causes in that quarter the cheefe towne whereof is ZIRICZEE THis towne is held for the first and most ancient of the countie of Zeeland and as some say it is found in the Annales of the Netherlands that it was built in the yeare of our Lord 849. by one called Zyringus whose name it carries in ancient time very famous for the trade of Marchandise wherevnto it was verie commodious by reason of their goodly port which the marchants did vsually frequent But the sands hauing in tract of time stopt vp the hauen it is now lesse frequented within these twelue or fourteene yeares the townesmen haue made a newe