and the house of the Burbons that so the title thereof might remaine to posteritie Which being done Robert the sonne of Ludorick the ninth who was canonized for a Saint did propagate and enlarge the name of the Borbons For his sonnes were Ludorick surnamed the greate who succeeded his Father Iohn Clarâ—mâ—nt Lord of the Towne of the Fane of Iustine in Campania Peter Archdeacon of Paris and two daughters This Ludorick Philip Valesius the sixt created the first Duke of Burbon in the yeare 1339. or thereabout who had by his wife Mary the daughter of Iohn Earle of Hannonia Peter the first who succeeded him and Iames the Father of the Earles of March and Vendosme Philip Lord of Belloâ—â—â— Mary and Beatrix This Peter was created the second Duke of Burbon and Lord of Molin Hee was slaine in a Battell fought betweene the Picts and the English Hee had by Isabell the daughter of Charles Earle of Valence Ludorick the 2. who succeeded his Father Iames the Lord of March and seven daughters Ludorick surnamed the good married Anna. the daughter of Peralâ—us the Dolphine of Avercia who was called Duke Sâ—mus and of Ione Forresâ—aria who brought him Iohn who succeeded his Father Ludovick and Iames Lord of Pransium Iohn the first of that name marrying Mary the daughter of Iohn Duke of the Biturigians was Duke of Burbon and Avernia Earle of Claromont Mâ—mpensper Forrest and Lord of Bellyocum and the Castle of Chinon From him issued Charles who succeeded his Father Iudorick Earle of Montpenser from whom the Dukes came of Montpenser and Iames. Charles tooke the part of King Charles the 7. and Philip the good Duke of Burgundie with whome at last by the meditation and perswasion of his wife Agnes a Burgundian sister to Philip hee made a peace with him Agnes brought him Iohn who succeeded after him Ludovick Peter who was afterward a Duke Charles a Cardinall and Archbishop of Lions Ludâ—â—ick Bishop of Leâ—dium Iames and five daughters Iohn the second was Duke of Borbon and Avernia Earle of Claromont of Forrest the Iland and March Lord of Belliocum and of the Castell of Chinon a â—eere and Constable of the Kingdome of France Hee marryed thrice but dyed without issue Peter the 2. succeeded his brother John who was high Chamberlaine of the Kingdome of France and hee had by Anne daughter of King Ludorick the 11. one onely daughter called Susan who succeeded her Father Shee marrying Charles Burbon Earle of Montpenser the sonne of Gilbert Burbon Nephew to Iohn Ludorick the first aforesaid Duke of Burbon Earle of Montpenser and Dolphine of Avernia by her marriage made her Husband Duke of Burbon This was that Charles who being Constable of France revolting from his Prince Francis King of France tooke part and sided with the Emperour Charles the fifth and besieged Rome where being shot with a bullet in the yeare 1527. the day before the Nones of May he dyed having obtained no victorie nor left no children After the death of his wife Susan the King getting Burbon to himselfe the Dukes of Vendâ—sme kept onely their armes and their bare title by the right of affinitie The Earles of Flanders did first lineally descend from the familie of the Burbons and many great Kings and Princes have sought to bee linkt in affinitie with this royall and Princely house Moreover the French Geogrophars doe make two parts of the Dukedome of Burbon the lower and the higher The lower containeth divers Cities and two Countries Concerning the Cities The Metropolis of the whole Dukedome is Molirum or Malins a Towne by the River which Caesar calls Elaver now Alâ—ieâ— it was the ancient Seate of Dukes afterward it was a house of pleasure and a pleasant retyring place for the Kings of France Some thinke that that which Caesar calls Gergobina was a Towne among the Celta whom Caesar in the Helvetian Warre placed there The Marshall of Burbon hath his Presidiall Seate here which was erected by King Francis the first of that name Molins hath a very faire Castle and a curious Garden adjoyning to it in which there are great store of Oranges and Citernes In the Castle Xystum you may see the lively Pictures of the Dukes of Burbon and their Genealogies Here is also a faire Fountaine THE DVKEDOME OF BVRBON BORBONIUM Ducatus The other Cities and Townes are Burbon famous for antiquity and which heretofore did name the whole Province Caesar in his 7. Booke calleth it Boia This City is situated betweene the Rivers Elaveres and Caris commonly called Cher well knowne and famous in the time of Charles the great It hath a strong Castle and Baths also L'Archimont Montmerant And Cosne surnamed en Burbonnois neere the River Lotre having a Castle and in regard that the Territory is fitt for Pasturage it exceedeth other parts also Montlusson and S. Porcin whose Fields doe bring forth excellent Wines yet some doe ascribe it to â—vernia also Cusset Chancelle Charroux Vernueil famous for Wines also Varennes a famous Towne by the River Elaveres Gannat confining upon Avernia also Le Mont aux Moines Souvigni le Comte ou aux Mâ—ines la Palisse having a stately Castle also Erisson Sancoings the Fane of S. Peter commonly called S. Pierre le Monstier which is not very ancient It hath a President under whom are the Baylies of the same Towne and the Townes which are commonly called Douziois Xaincoâ—â—usset and others one part whereof are seated in Avernia and anothâ—◠〈◊〉 Nervernesium there is also Ainayla Chasteau so named from the Caâ— S. Amand and others So much concerning the Cities and Townes The Counties are two which are commonly called Beaujolois and Fâ—â—est The former Bello Iolesius containeth all that lyeth betweene the River Ligeris and Araris being situated towards the East betweene the Forestians and Burgundians being the Patrimony of the ancient Burbons The chiefe City is called in French Beau-jea The other is named not from the Woods and Forrests as the word doth seeme to intimate but from the Forensians for so I name those people on the North lyeth Burbon on the West Avernia on the South the Lugdunians confine upon it on the East the Bello-Jolesians Heretofore it had Earles from whose Stock did arise the noble of Bello-Iolesius A certaine Earle of Forrest and Bello-Iolesius is celebrated by French Historians who had three Sonnes Arthauldus Earle of Lugdunum Stephen Earle of Forrest and Emfrid Earle of Bello-Iolesius When thus the Counties of Forrest and Bello-Iolesius had beene for a long time distracted they were united againe by the death of Guicaâ—d Earle of Bello-Iolesius who was Master of the horse in the time of Philip the 2. King of France for his Sister Isabel Countesse of Bello-Iolesius was married to Reginaldus Earle of Fortest who was discended of the stocke of Arthauld aforesaid as shee from the ofspring of Stephan who was brother to Arthauld as is mentioned before From this marriage there proceeded Guido who was
der Gotthuss bunt in regard of the Bishopricke and Colledge of Curiense it hath 21. conventions or partnerships in it which are sometimes contracted into eleaven greater The Citty Curia is the head of this confaederacie and hath a speciall Commonwealth not unlike unto Tigurinum After them the chiefe partnerships are Ingadinus and Bregalianus in whose Territories are the heads of the Rivers Athesis and Oenus The third confaederacie hath 10 Iurisdictions the first whereof is Davosian so called from the Towne Davosium in which is the Court for this confaederacie and the Assises for all the jurisdictions are held The second is the Belfortian jurisdiction the third the Barponensian the fourth the Praelonganian the fifth of S. Peter the sixth the Coenobrensian in the Rhetian Valley the seaventh the Castellanean the eighth the Aceriensian the ninth the Malantiensian the 10 the Maievillâ—nsian But these 3 confaederacies have 50 jurisdictions of which one Common-wealth is framed For albeit the most of them have meetings of their owne and also Magistrates Lawes or rather customes and power to judge of civill and criminall matters yet the Senate of the three confaederacies hath the greatest power and authoritie And sometimes they haue entred into other confaederacies notwithstanding this perpetuall confaederacie In the yeare 1419. the Bishop and the Curiensian Colledge made a league with the Tigurinians for 51. yeares having formerly entred into societie with the Glaronians The Rhaetians also of the higher confaederacie did a long time joyne themselves with the Vrians and the confaederates of the house of God did joyne themselves in perpetuall league with the 7 Cantons as they call them of the Helvetians He that desireth to know more concerning these matters let him have recourse to Sprecherus his Rhaetia and Egidius Scudius his Rhaetia and Simlers Helvetia I will onely adde that the length of Rhaetia at this day if it be taken from the South unto the North is about 15 Rhaetian or Germaine miles accounting 8000 paces to every mile the breadth of it from the East to the West is thirteene miles or there abouts THE RHETIANS Novv called the GRISONES RHAETIA Karte vand ' Grisons ende veltolina A DESCRIPTION of the Low COVNTRIES BEing now to describe that part of France which belongeth to the King of Spaine I will follow that order which I have observed in the description of France The Index of the Tables of the Low Countries 1. The Low Countries in generall 2. Flanders 3. The Easterne part 4. Brabant 5. Holland 6. Zeland 7. Gelderland 8. Zutphania 9. Vltrajcitum 10. Mechlinia 11. Groâ—niâ—ga 12. Transisulania 13. Artesia 14. Hannoma 15. Namurcum 16. Lutzenburg 17. Limburgh THE DESCRIPTION OF THE LOVV COVNTERIES INFERIOR GERMANIA It hath also great plenty of Ew trees which is a poysonous tree but excellent Bowes are made of them Of the juyce thereof a poyson is made with which Caesar reporteth that Cattivalcus king of the Eburonians did make away himselfe There is also another kind of tree which is not found any where else which is like a white Poplar the inhabitants doe call it in the plurall number Abeelen There is great store of them in Brabant which serve for divers uses especially at Bruxels The Low Countriemen may prayse the goodnesse of their soyle for bringing up of Cattell For Oxen horses sheepe and great heards of cattell are bred there And especially great strong horses fit for service in the warres There are also the best Oxen especially in Holland and Friesland where an Oxe often waigheth a thousand and two hundred pound waight Ludovicke Guicciardine an Italian unto whom our Country is much beholding for making an accurate and true description thereof saith that the Earle of Mechlin had an Oxe given him which weighed two thousand five hundred and eight and twentie pound which he caused afterward to be painted in his Pallace The Kine have loose great Vdders and full of milke For in some parts of Holland in Summer time they will give foure and forty Pints of milke I passe by many other things least I should bee tedious For hunting they have abundance of Does Harts Goates Boares Badgers Hares and Conies and other games besides And for Hawking they have Hernes Kites Vultures Partridges Phesants Turtle Doves Starlings Thrushes Storkes Duckes Geese Woodcockes or Snipes which Nemesianus describeth thus Praeda est facilis amaena Scolopax Corpore non Paphijs avibus majore videbis Illa sub aggeribus primis qua proluit humor Pascitur exiguos sectans obsonia vermes At non illa oculis quibus est obtusior et si Sint nimium grandes sed acutus naribus instat Impresso in terram rostri mucrone sequaces Vermiculos trahit atque gulae dat praemia vili The Woodcocke is easie to ensnare Their bodies no bigger than Doves are And by some watry ditches side Feeding on wormes he doth abide Not by his eyes though they be great But by his bill he finds his meate Thrusting his bill into the ground Where when he a worme hath found He drawes him forth and so doth live By that foode which the earth doth give They have also Affricke Hens and great plenty of other Hens But enough of these things let us now proceede to other matters It is worth your knowledge to know how the Provinces of the low Countries were united and grew to be one body and how it fell to Charles the fifth and his sonne Philip. Ludovicke Malanus Earle and Lord of Flanders Nivernia Rastella Salina Antuerp and Mechlin and after his Mothers death Earle of Burgundie and Artesia marryed Margaret daughter to Iohn Duke of Brabant by which marriage he came to be Duke of Brabant Limburg and Lotaringia By his wife he had one onely daughter who was the inheritrix to her fathers Lands who in the yeare 1369. at Gandave married Philip Valesius Duke of Burgundie who for his singular Valour was surnamed the Bold He lived 70 yeares and dyed at Halla neere to Bruxells in the yeere of Christ 1404. He left these children behind him Iohn Antony and Philip Valesius Catharine Mary and Margaret All of them did encrease their Patrimonie by marriage Catharine married Lupoldus Duke of Austria Mary married Amedees Duke of Sabaudia Margaret married the Earle of Holland and Hannonia Antonius Vaselius was made by his father Duke of Brabant Lotaringia and Limburg he married Elizabeth Dutchesse of Lutzenburg by whom he had these sonnes Iohn who married Iacoba Countesse of Holland and Philip both Dukes of Brabant Antonius and his younger brother Philip Valesius were slaine in the French warres neere Teroana in the yeare 1415. Antonius his sonnes dying afterward without issue left their Vncle Iohn Valesius their heyre and Iohn Valesius who was called the Vndanted being the elder brother succeeded his father in the yeare 1404 and obtayning by his brothers and Nephewes death many large possessions was miserably and unjustly put to death in the yeare 1419 by Charles
and substitutes under him with the Bishop of Maeth and Deren Ardach or Apde Kilmore Clogher Doune Coner Klancknos Raboo or Ropo and Dromoore For the keeping of the Inhabitants of this Country and Province in order it was fortified with six and fiftie Castles there are also nine Market Townes in it And it is divided into the Hithermost and Furthermost The Hithermost hath three Counties Louth Downe and Antrimme The Farthermost hath seven Monahon Tiroen Armack Colrane Donergall Fermanagh and Cavon Connacia is the second part of Ireland some call it Connachtia the English call it Connagh and the Irish Connaghti it is bounded on the East with part of Lagenia on the North with part of Vltonia on the West it is beaten with the Westerne Ocean and on the South it is environed with part of Momonia or Munster which is inclosed with the River Sineo or Shennin and lyeth over against the Kingdome of Spaine The Figure of it is long and at either end both Northward and Southward it is very narrow but towards the middle it growes longer on either side It is an hundred and sixe and twentie miles long from the River Shennin in the South to Engi Kelling in the North the greatest breadth is about foure-score miles from Tromer the Easterne bound to Barrag-Bay the Westerne limit The whole circuit and compasse of it is about foure hundred miles The Aire in this Region is not so pure and cleare as in the other Provinces of Ireland by reason of some wet places bearing grasse which are called in regard of their softnesse Bogges being dangerous and sending out many thicke vapours The chiefe Citie of this Province being the third Citie of note in Ireland is Galway in Irish Gallive Built in the forme of a Towre having a Bishops See in it and being famous for the frequent resort of merchants thither and also profitable to the Inhabitants by the conveniencie of the Haven which is beneath it and by the easie exportation of Merchandise not far from hence on the Westerne sidely the Islands which are called Arran of which many things are fabled as if they were the Isles of the living in which no man could either die or be subject to death The Province of Connaught at this time is fortified with foureteen Castles it hath nine Market Towns it is divided into sixe Counties or Shires in this manner the Countie of Clare of Galway of Mago of Slego of Letrimme and of Roscomen Media is the third part of Ireland which in their Countrie speech they call Mijh the English Methe Giraldus Midia and Media perhaps because it is in the very middle of the Island For the Castle Killaire in these parts which Ptolemie seemes to call Laberus is in the middle of Ireland as the name Killair doth denote The Countrie reacheth from the Irish Sea even to the River Shennin which river parts it from Connacia It hath a wholsome and delightfull aire It is fruitfull in corne pasturage and flocks abounding with Flesh-meate Butter Cheese Milke and the like and in regard of the multitude of people the strength of faire Castles and Townes and the peace arising from thence it is commonly called the Chamber of Ireland Here is the Towne Pontana which is commonly called Drogheda a faire Town and having a convenient Haven for Ships to ride in But there are some who thinke that the middle part of this Towne on the other side the River is in Vltonia There are also these Townes in Media Molingar Four Delvyn Trimme Kelleâ— Navan Aboy Dulek and Scrin THE THIRD TABLE OF IRELAND IN WHICH ARE MOMONJA AND THE REMAINDER OF LAGENIA AND CONNACH CONNACIA is the second part of Ireland some call it Connachtia the English Connach and the Irish Connachty It lyeth toward the West and is bounded with the River Sen the River Banna and the Ocean This the Auteri and Nagnatae in the time of Ptolomie did inhabite But there is so neare an affinitie betweene these two wordes Nagnatae and Connaghty that they seeme one to bee derived from the other unlesse we suppose that the word Connaghty did arise from the Haven Nagnatae which Ptolomy mentions and from thence the Country got this name For a Haven is called in their native speech Cuon to which if you adde Nagnata it will not bee much different in sound from Connaghty The Country as it is in some places fruitfull and pleasant so in some wet places covered o're with grasse and by reason of their softnesse called Bogs it is very dangerous as other parts of the Island are and full of darke and thicke woods But the Coasts having many Bayes and navigable in-lets doth as it were invite and stirre up the inhabitants to imploy themselves in navigation yet sloath is so sweet unto them that they had rather begge from doore to doore then seeke to keepe themselves from Poverty by honest labour It is reported in the Irish Histories that Turlogus O-mor O-conor was sole Governour of this Country and that hee divided it betweene his two sonnes Cabelus and Brienus But when the English came into Ireland Rodericke did governe it and called himselfe King of Ireland but he being afraid of the English warres not trying the chance or fortune of the field put himselfe under obedience to Henry the Second King of England Who after revolting from his faith given Miles Cogane was the first English-man who did attempt but in vaine to get Connachtia Afterward William the sonne of Adelme whose posterity were called in Irish Bourki Gilbert de Clare Earle of Glocester and William de Bermingham chiefe men in England did subject this Country and brought it to civilitie But Bourke or de Burgo and his Posterity were a long time stiled and called Lords of Connach governing this Province together with Vltonia in great peace and tranquillitie and did receive great revenewes out of it untill the onely daughter of Richard de Burgo being sole inheretrix of Connachtia and Vltonia was married to Lionell Duke of Clarence the sonne of King Edward the third But he living for the most part in England and his successors the Mortimers did neglect their Patrimonie the Bourks being their kinsemen to whom they had committed the overseeing of those Lands making use of the absence of the Lords and the troublesome times in England contemned the authority of the Lawes entring into league with the Irish and making marriages with them and got all Connachtia to themselves and by degrees degenerating having left off the English habit they followed the Irish manners It is at this day divided into sixe Counties Clare Letrimme Galwey Resecomin Maio and Sligo There are in it the Baron of Atterith the Baron of Clare and others Here is also Galloway a Towne much frequented by forrain Merchants It is reported that an Outlandish Merchant who did traffique with the Townesmen did once aske an
Irishman in what part of Galloway Ireland stood valuing this Towne as the whole Country and the whole Country as this Towne There are reckoned to Galloway Anner Clare Sligo Arctlo and Alon Townes of note The Auteri whom I mentioned before did heretofore possesse the more Southerne part of this Connacia where is now Twomondia or Claria the Country of Clan-Richard and the Baronie of Atterith which plainely intimateth whence came the name of the Auteri Twomond called by Giraldus Theutmonia which though it lie beyond the River Senus or Shinnin may be added to Momonia is stretched forth into the Sea with a great Promontorie famous for the Seat of an Archbishop which they call Toam and for the Earles thereof namely the O-Brennis who descending from the ancient Earles of Connack were honoured by Henry the Seaventh with the Title of Earles of Twomond This Country or the most part of it the English call Clare-shire from Thomas Clare the youngest sonne of Gilbert the first Earle of Glocester to whom King Edward the first gave this Country Clan-Richard that is the Land of the sonnes of Richard is next unto this it tooke its name according to the Irish custome from one Richard an Englishman called de Burgo or Burgensis who afterward in this Country became a man of great note and power and out of this Family Henry the eighth created Richard de Burgo Earle of Clan-Richard Atterith commonly Athenri doth glory in that warlike Baron Iohn de Bermingham an Englishman out of which Family the Earles of Louth are descended but these Berminghams of Atterith degenerating into the Irish Wildenesse and incivilitie will scarce acknowledge that they were once English In this Atterith Geographers doe place the mouth of the River Ausoba which is now called the Bay of Galway for Galway in Irish called Gallive is seated on it being a faire Towne which through the benefit of the River is filled with many commodities brought thither both by Sea and Land Geographers doe also place the River anciently called Ravius but now Trowis in Connack it is also knowne by the name of Bannus for the inhabitants do call it Banny This River comming out of the Lake Ernus is the bounds of Connack and Vlster THE THIRD TABLE OF IRELAND ULTONIA CONATIA et MEDIA MEDIA MEDIA is the third part of Ireland which in the Country speech is called Mijh the English call it Methe Giraldus Midia and Media because perhaps it lyeth in the very middle of the Island For the Castle of Killaire in those parts which Ptolomie calls Laberus is held to be in the middle of Ireland and so much the name it selfe doth expresse for Lair in the Irish speech signifies the middle Richard Stanthurst writeth thus concerning the Etymon or signification of the word Media In the yeare of the World 2535. five brethren possessing the Islands they resolved to divide it equally into foure Provinces that so they might governe in them severally But least their younger brother whose name was Slanius might bee without some honour they consented together to bestow on him a share taken out of all foure partes Which was received by him chearefully and hence some suppose that it was called Media It stretcheth and extendeth it selfe from the Irish Sea even to the River Shennin which River doth part it from Connack It hath a wholesome pleasant Aire and deligthfull Prospect It aboundeth with corne pasturage and cattle having store of Flesh Butter Cheese Milke and the like and in regard of the strength of the Townes and Castles and the peace arising thence it is called the Chamber of Ireland The Irishmen doe write that this Country heretofore had Kings and that Slanius afterward became sole Monarch of all Ireland But when the English had set foote in Ireland Hugh Lacey did conquer the most part of it and King Henry the Second King of England granted it unto him to hold in fee and stiled him Lord of Media He having his head on a suddaine cut off by an Irishman while he was building the Castle of Derworth left behinde him Hugh Earle of Vltonia and Walter Lord of Trim the Father of Gilbert who dyed before him But by the daughters of Gilbert Margaret and Matilda the one part fell by the Ienvills of the House of Lorraine and the Mortimers unto the King for Peter of Ienvill being borne of that Matilda had issue Ioane who was married to Roger Mortimer Earle of March the other came by the Verdons to many Families in England In our forefathers time by an Act of Parliament it was divided into two parts namely into East and West Media The River Boand or Boyne which Ptolomie calleth Buvinda runneth through the East side and afterward when it hath washed Droghda a faire and populous Town called so from the bridge it divideth that part from Vltonia The Westerne Media hath nothing worthy of memory or note beside Laberus which Camden seemes to call Kaillair and the Towne of Delvin which heretofore did honour Peter Meset and now the renowned English Familie of the Nogents with the title of Barons For Gilbert Nogent as Richard Stanihurst hath it who writ eloquently of Irish matters having a gentlemans estate was rewarded by Hugh Lacy for his service performed in the Irish warres with the Colonies of Delvin and Four from him are the Barons of Delvin descended Those Irish Countries of O-Malaghlem Mac-Coglan O-Madden and Mogoghian whose names have a barbarous sound we leave unto others Among the Townes of Media Pontana is reckoned which is commonly called Droghda being a faire Towne and having an Haven fit for the receipt of Shippes But there are some who place the middle part of this Towne in Vltonia beyond the River There are also in Media these Townes Molingar Four Delvin Trimme Kelles Navain Aboy Dulek and Scrin There are also in this Province neare Fonera three Lakes not farre one from another whereof every one containeth his severall sorts of fish which never come one to another although the way be passable by the River flowing betweene them and beside if the fish be carried from one Lake to another they either die or returne to it againe Here is the River Boand aforesaid called so from the swiftnesse of it for Boan both in Irish and Welch doth signifie swift and Nechamus hath sung of it THE FOVRTH TABLE OF IRELAND WHICH CONTAINETH THE EASTERNE PART AND DOTH present these following Territories to view Glandeboy Tirone Arde Lecale Enaugh Arthule Newry Morne Fuse Vriel and many others also the Cities Armack and Downe LAGENIA THE FOVRTH TABLE OF IRELAND ULTONIA ORIENTAL Et quantum longis carpunt armenta diebus Exiguâ tantum gelidus ros nocte reponit How much the flocks doe eate in the long day The cold dew in the short night doth repay But for the company of Gyants which Giraldus placeth in this Country I leave it to those who admire fabulous
with Scipio but that he addeth that this Iland being populous and abounding with all things necessary was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is abounding with people and well stored with food Plutarch in the life of Ainnbal doth deliver the like but more plainely and calleth it Liâ—ns whose words according to the Translation of Acciarolus He remov'd his Tents and marching by the banke of Rhodanus up against the streame in few dayes he came to that place which the French men call the Iland which the Rivers Rhodanus and Aâ—ar flowing out of diver Mountaines doe encircle where there is the City of Lions the most famous City of all France which long time afterward was built by Plancus Muâ—â—atius Some call it the City of Sequanians and Maxima Sequanorum which appeareth by an ancient Inscription on S. Peters Church which is this JOVI OPT. MAX. Q. ADGINNIUS URBICI FIL. MARTINUS SEQ. SACERDOS ROMAE ET AUG AD ARAM AD CONFLUENTES ARARIS ET RHODANI FLAMEN II. VIR IN CIVITATE SEQUANORUM And Seneca doth celebrate the praise of this place in his Verses concerning the death of Claudian I sawe a Hill that hangeth or'e two streames Which Phaebus rising glideth wiâ—h his beames Where the great River Rhodanus doth flowe And Arar doubtfull whether he should goe Thorow quiet Foords his course along doth guide Washing the Bankes as he along doth glide THE PROVINCE AND CITIE OF LIONS LYONNOIS Forest et Beaujolois LANGVEDOC A PART OF AQVITAINE THE Occitane Country of France commonly called Languedec is a part of Aquitane and is so named as some conceive from the Gothes the Possessions thereof as if you should say Land-Got That is the Gothes Province Some derive it from the word Lingua a tongue and the word Oâ— I suppose that these conjectures are more vaine than Sicilian toyes and are but meere vulgar trifles The ancients tooke it for the Province of Narbon neere the Pyrenaean Mountaines Strabo calleth it Tectosages the Metropolis whereof Tolouse is accounted one of the chiefe Cities of France having an Archprelate a Senate and a University Some derive the name thereof from those which fled from Tâ—oy Caesa mentioneth it in his first Booke of Commentaries where he speaketh thus It was told Caesar that the Helvetians purposed to travell thorow the Sequans and Aeduans Country unto the borders of the Santones which are not farre from Tolouse which is a City in Province and also Lib. 3. concerning P. Crassus Moreover valiant men being levied out of Tolouse Carcasson and Narbon which are Cities of France neere to Province c. Ammianus Marcellinus giveth it the prerogative above all the neighbour Cities Neither can we omit that worthy Elogie of the ancient magnificence and power thereof written by Ausâ—nius a most famous Poet and a Consull of Rome in praise of his Nurse and Foster-mother in these Verses Non unquam altricem nostri reticebo TOLOSAM Coctilibus muris quam circuit ambitus ingens Perque latus pulâ—ro perlabitur amne Garumna Innumeris cultam populis cenfinia propter Nirgida Pyrenes Pinea Gabennarum Inter AQUITANAS gentes nomen Iberum Quae modo quadruplices ex se cum effuderit urbes Non ulla exhaustae sentit dispendia plebis Quos genuit cunctos gremio complexa colonas My Nurse Tolasaes praises I will sound Which with a Brick wall is encompas'd round And faire Garumna runneth by her side And many people doe in her reside Cause the Pyrenean Ningide confines Upon it and the Pinean Gabinines Betweene the Country of faire AQUITAINE And Iberus which now is called SPAINE· LANGVEDOC A â—T OF AQVITAINE LA PARTIE Septentrionale du LANGUEDOC And having yeelded people unto four Large Cities out of her abundant score Yet in her no want of people doth appeare Which done within her bosome nourisht were Whence the Viâ—i-Gâ—thâ— having droveâ— out the Romaneâ— from thence did make this City the royall Seate of the Kingdome untill they were quite expulsed by the French in the raigne of 〈◊〉 the first Christian King at what time all that Province was subjected to France Concerning the State Ecclesiastick the Tolousians were instructed in the Christian faith by Maâ—tiall who was their first Prelate after whom succeeded Saturninus Honoratus Silvius Hilarius Exâ—perâ—uâ— and many others even to Ludâ—vâ—â— Stâ—ulus the Sonne of Charles 〈◊〉 King of Sicily in whose time this Bishoprick was translated 〈◊〉 to an Archbishoprick under whom are these Suffragan Bishopâ—â— the bishop of Mâ—nta ban 〈…〉 of S. 〈…〉 created by Pope 〈◊〉 the â—2 An has this City is largâ— and populâ—uâ— to it hath many 〈◊〉 built Churches and also Colledâ—â—s 〈◊〉 Moâ—â—â—â—â—ries The chiefe Church belonging to the Bishop 〈…〉 crâ—ted to S. 〈◊〉 It hath also an University famous for 〈…〉 and for the great number of Students which study there Here â—omerly Playeâ— iâ— hoâ—our of 〈◊〉 the Goddesse oâ— Flowers were â—â—brated of which there doe yet remaine some toâ—â—â—s But the Famiâ—â— of the Eâ—â—â—â—ingling with the Royall Stock this Couâ—try waâ—â—â—ted to the Kingdome of 〈◊〉 It will be hâ—â—â— convenient to nominate some of them aâ— namely 〈…〉 others â—â—metus reckonâ—tâ— the Earles of 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 France who enjoyed that dignity uâ—to 〈…〉 Theâ—â—â—ly who after the decease of his Brother â—â—phonsus did unite 〈◊〉 County unto his Kingdome There are also among others these Townes in Languedoc Narbon Mons â—essusanus Carcassona Nemansus Vzes THE DELPHINATE OF FRANCE ON the South Province is neere to the Delphinate and on the North it hath the Bressians who are parted from it by the River Rhodanus flowing betweene them on the West is the County of Venusinum and lastly on the East the Pedemontian and Sabaudians doe encompasse it Caesar by one common name calleth those of the Delphinate and the Sabaudians Allobrogians who were then confederate with the Romanes The Country is now devided into the higher part the chiefe City whereof is Ebrodunum and the lower part in which the prime Cities are Gratianâ—polis and Vienna Those of the Delphinate who dwelt beyond Rhodanus were hertofore a part of the Kingdome of Burgundy and then of Orleans and afterward of Burgundy the head City whereof was then Arelate which afterward from that City was called the Kingdome of Arelatum but when that Kingdome came to the Emperour Conradus the 2. after the decease of Rodolfus the first the last King thereof there arose one Guigno a man of base birth who was called afterward the fat Earle Grinmand hee through his owne industry and the confusion of the times obtained most of the chiefest Cities of this Country so that at last he possessed Gratianopolis and made himselfe Lord of the whole Province which to honour his Sonne who had married Delphina the Daughter of the Earle of Albon and Vienna he called it the Delphinate After this the Province of the Delphinate became subject to Provinces who ruled it untill the time of Philip Valerius King of France who annexed it to
other Birdes which they call Marinetae lesse than a Blackbird being short like a Starling yet differing from him by the whitenesse of the belly and the blacknesse of the back It is a wonderfull thing which was reported concerning these Birdes for if when they are dead they be kept in a dry place they will not putrifie or corrupt and being placed among garments and other things it will preserve them from moathes That which is more worthy of admiration is that if being dead they be hanged up in some drie place they will every yeare renew and change their feathers as if they were alive Ireland contayneth all kindes of wilde beasts It hath Harts that are so fat that they can hardly runne and by how much they are lesser in body by so much the larger are their hornes There are great store of Bores many Hares c. but the bodies of all the wilde beasts and birds are lesser here than in other places It hath many Badgers and Weesils It hath few or no Goates fallow Deere Hedghogs Moles but infinite store of Mice It hath also Wolves and Foxes But enough of these things I returne to other matters Heretofore Ireland was ruled by many Earles now it is subject to England and is governed by the Kings Substitute who is called the Lord Deputie It came to be under the dominion IRELAND IRLANDIA of the Kings of England about the yeare 1175 at which time Roderick King of Connaught stiled himselfe King of all Ireland and striving to subject the whole Kingdome to himselfe waged continuall warre with the other Earles by whose sedition it came to passe that the other Earles of their owne accord and without any effusion of blood did put themselves under the obedience of Henry the second King of England from whom all the Kings of England were called Lords of Ireland untill the time of Henry the eigth who by the Nobles of Ireland was declared King of Ireland because the name of Lord grew hatefull to some seditious people There are foure speciall Cities in this Island First Dublin the Metropolis or Mother-Citie of Ireland being the royall Archiepiscopall Seat giving name to a County The next in dignity is Waterford the third Limbrick the fourth Corke There are many other very great Townes of which wee will speake more largely in the particular Descriptions of Ireland This Country hath many Lakes and standing waters among which there is a Lake in Vlster twenty miles distant from the Lake Erne of which wee will speake more largely hereafter There is a little Lake beyond the Citie Armack in which if you stick a Speare up some moneths that part which stuck in the mudde will bee iron that which is in the water stony and that which is out of the water will remaine wood There is also the Lake Erne which is thirty miles long and fifteene miles broad being compassed about with thick woods and so full of Fish that the Fisher-men often breake their nets by taking too many at one time This Island is divided and watered with many faire Rivers whose names are these Avenliffe running through Dublin Boandus through Methe Banna through Vltonia Linuâ— through Connack and Moadus through Kenel cunillia Slicheia and Samaira Besides Modarnus and Furnus through Keneleonia and many other But of all the Rivers of Ireland the River Synnenus is the chiefe both for the breadth and length of its course and for the plenty of Fish which is in it But in generall the Rivers and Lakes are full of fish bred in them This Countrie is unequall and mountainous soft and waterish you shall finde Lakes and standing waters on the top of the Mountaines The Mountaines abound with Cattell the woods with wilde beasts Solinus writeth thus concerning the Sea which floweth between Ireland and England The Sea betweene Ireland and England is rough and unquiet all the yeare and is scarce navigable but in some part of the Summer But hee erres for it is quiet enough unlesse it bee stirred up with windes And not onely in Summer but also in Winter passengers doe sayle to and fro All the Sea shores doe abound sufficiently with Fish Ireland hath in all three and thirty Counties and foure Archbishops The Bishop of Armach Primate of all Ireland the Bishop of Dublin the Bishops of Cassil and Toam and these foure have nine and twenty Suffragans or Vicegorents Ireland from the manners of the Inhabitants is divided into two parts For those who refuse to obey the Lawes and live more uncivilly are called Irishrie and commonly Wild Irish But those who are willing to obey the Lawes and appeare before the Judges are called the English-Irish and their Country the English Pale they speake English naturally and uncorruptly yet they understand Irish in regard of their daily commerce with the Irish-men The Irish-men have some certaine Lords under whose command the most of them are but they live under the jurisdiction of the English but counterfeitly and as long as the English Souldiers doe waste their Territories yet they appoint Sessions to be kept at certaine times and places to restraine and punish robberies and theft committed by night There those that are accused if they be convicted have certaine Arbitratours to judge of the cause whom they call Brehoni these are all of one familie and although they have no knowledge in the Law yet for their wisdome honestie of life they are accounted divine Their warre is partly on horsback and partly on foote The Gentrie have horses well managed so that without any advantage they will mount them in their armour and taking a Javelin or dart of great weight by the middle they will throw or brandish it against their enemie with much ease Among the footmen some are Souldiers in Cassocks very strong whom they call Galeglacii having Cuttle-axes as sharpe as razors and they are the chiefe strength of the Irish warres The next are Footmen wearing a light armour with swords in their hands and these are called Karnes and they thinke a man is not dead untill they have cut off his head In the third place are footmen whom they call Daltines who going unarmed attend upon the horsmen The footmen as well as horsmen as oft as they come to fight with their enemies doe crie with a great voyce Pharro Pharro and they use a Bagpipe in stead of a Trumpet The Irish doe fare sumptuously and magnificently for though they have no delicate dishes nor great service in their banquets yet their Tables according to the season of the yeare are well furnished with Beefe and Porke and other meate In their Feasts they lye upon Beds the first place at the Table belongs to the Mother of the Family who weares a long Gowne or Mantell reaching to her ancles often dyed and also sleeved THE SECOND TABLE OF IRELAND IN WHICH ARE VLTONIA CONNACIA MEDIA AND PART OF
pallace which they call King Arthurs Chaire on the West there is a steepe Rock and on the Rock a great Towre which the Scots doe commonly call the maiden Towre which is the same which Ptolemie cals the Winged Castell There are also other Cities and famous Townes in this Kingdome which we will describe particularly in their places In the Valeys there are many Lakes Marshes Fountaines and Rivers full of Fish the greatest part whereof arise out of the Mountaine Grampius of which wee will make mention in our next Description The Scottish Sea is full of Oysters Herrings Corall and shell-fish of divers kindes Scotland hath many Havens Bayes amongst which Letha is a most convenient Haven The Country it selfe is very rugged and mountainous and on the very Mountaines hath plaine levell ground which doth afford pasturage for Cattell Grampius is the greatest Mountaine and doth runne through the middle of Scotland it is commonly called Grasebaim or Grantzbaine that is to say the crooked mountaine for it bending it selfe from the shore of the German Sea to the mouth of the River Dee and passing through the middle of this Countrey toward the Irish Sea endeth at the Lake Lomund it was heretofore the bounds of the Kingdome of the Picts and Scots At Aberdon there are woody mountaines It is thought that here was the Forrest of Caledonia which Lucius Florus cals saltus Caledonius very spacious and by reason of great trees impassable and it is divided by the Mountaine Grampius Moreover not onely ancient writings and manuscripts but also Temples Friaries Monasteries Hospitals and other places devoted to Religion doe testifie that the Scots were not the last among the Europaeans who embraced the Christian Religion and did observe and reverence it above others The royall Pallace of Edenburgh of which I spake before is very stately and magnificent and in the midst of the Citie is their Capitoll or Parliament-house The Dukes Earles Barons and Nobles of the Kingdome have their Pallaces in the Citie when they are summoned to Parliament The Citie it selfe is not built of bricke but of free squared stone so that the severall houses may bee compared to great Pallaces But enough of this let us passe to other things The people of Scotland are divided into three Rankes or Orders the Nobility the Clergie and the Laiety The Ecclesiasticall Order hath two Archbishops one of S. Andrewes Primate of all Scotland the other of Glasco There are eight Bishopricks under the Archbishop of Saint Andrewes of Dunkeld of Aberdon of Murray of Dunblan of Brecchin of Rosse of Cathanes and of Orkney Under the Bishop of Glasgo there are three to wit the Bishop of Candida casa the Bishop of Argadia and the Bishop of the Isles namely Sura Mura Yla c. This is the manner and order of the Nobilitie the Kings and the Kings Sonnes lawfully begotten have the first place of which if there bee many the eldest Sonne is called Prince of Scotland the rest are onely called Princes but when the King is publickly crowned hee promiseth to all the people that he will keepe and observe the Lawes Rites and Customes of his Ancestours and use them in the same manner as they did The Dukes have the second place the Earles the third and those Nobles the fourth place who are not known by that Title in forraine Countries but the Scots doe call them My Lords This name is so much esteem'd amongst them that for honours sake they attribute it to their Bishops Earles and chiefest Magistrates In the fifth place are the Knights and Barons who are usually called Lords They are in the sixth and last place who having attained to no title of honour but yet descended from a noble Familie are therefore commonly called Gentlemen as the Brothers and Sonnes of Earles and Lords the youngest Sonnes of Knights who have no part in the Inheritance because by the Lawes of Scotland that commeth unto the eldest Sonne for the preservation of the Familie but the common people call all those Gentlemen who are either rich or well spoken of for their hospitality The whole weight of warre doth depend on the Nobility of the lowest degree The Plebeians or Citizens are partly chiefe men who beare office in their Cities partly Merchants and partly Tradesmen or Handy-craftes-men all which because they are free from Tribute and other burdens doe easily grow rich And least any thing should be too heavily enacted against any Citie the King permits that in publick assemblies or Parliaments three or foure Citizens being called out of every Citie should freely interpose their opinion concerning matters propounded Heretofore the Clergie was governed by the authoritie of Decrees Councels but now as the rest they are ruled by the Lawes which the Kings have devised or confirmed by their royall assent The Booke which containeth the municipall Lawes written in Latine is entituled Regia Majestas the Kings Majestie because the Booke begins with those words In the other Bookes of the Lawes the Acts of their Councels which are called Parliaments are written in Scotch There are many and divers Magistrates in Scotland as in other Nations Among these the chiefe and next to the King is the Protectour of the Kingdome whom they call the Governour Hee hath the charge of governing the Kingdome if the Common-wealth at any time be deprived of her King or the King by reason of his tender age cannot manage the affaires of the Kingdome There is also a continuall Senate at Edenburrough so framed of the Clergie and Nobilitie that the Clergie doth in number equall the Laiety The Clergie have a President over them who hath the first place in delivering his opinion unlesse the Chancellour of the Kingdome bee present for hee hath the chiefe place in all affaires of the Kingdome Hee that sits on matters of life and death they call The great Justice hee that lookes to Sea-matters the Admirall he that lookes to the Campe the Marshall and he that punishes offences committed in the Court is called the Constable There are also in severall Provinces which they call Viecounties those which are Governours of them whom by an ancient name they call Vicounts Their authority in deciding those matters which belong to civill causes doth depend on a certaine hereditary right by which they claime also unto themselves those Vicountships So that these Vicounts may be said not to be created by the King but borne unto it by right from their Parents The Cities also and Townes have their Governours their Bailiffes and other Magistrates of that kinde who keepe the Citizens in obedience and doe maintaine and defend the Priviledges of the Cities whereby it comes to passe that the Common-wealth of Scotland by the apt disposition and ranking of Degrees by the holy Majestie of Lawes and the authority of Magistrates doth flourish and deserveth great praise These are the names of the Dukedomes Earledomes
inheritance of this Countrie and gave it to Gaspar his Unkle and Earle of Bedford but hee dying without issue the King tooke it againe into his owne hands Caermardenshire is bounded on the East with Glamorganshire and Brecknock-shire on the West with Penbrockshire on the North with the River Tay separating it from Cardiganshire on the South with the Ocean It is sufficiently fruitfull abounding with flocks of cattle and in some places with pit-coales The chiefe towne of the Shire is Caermarden which Ptolemie calls Maridunum Antoninus Muridunum having pleasant Meadows and woods about it it is very ancient and as Giraldus saith it was encompassed with a stone wall part whereof yet standeth There is also the auncient towne of Kidwilly which now is almost ruinated for the Inhabitants passing over the River Vendraeth Vehan did build a new Kidwilly being drawne thither with the conveniencie of the Haven which yet is of no note The Rivers are Vendraeth Vehan Towy or Tobius and Taff. Penbrokshire is on every side encompassed with the Sea except on the East where part of Caermardenshire and on the North where part of Flintshire lyeth against it The countrie beeing neare Ireland hath a temperate and wholesome aire and is plentifull in all kinde of graine The chiefe towne hereof is Penbro now called Penbroke and seated on a craggie long rocke The other Townes of note in this Countrie are Tenby Hulphord now called HarfordWest and Menevia or Tuy Dewi which the English at this day do call S. Davids I finde but two Rivers in this Shire but here is a Port called Milford-Haven which is the fairest and safest in all Europe Gilbert Strongbow was the first Earle of this Countie on whom King Stephen did first conferre the title of Earle of Penbroke and hee left it to his sonne Richard Strongbow who subdued Ireland from whom with his daughter Isabel William Lord of Hempsted and Marshall of England a man flourishing both in times of peace and warre received it as her dowry Concerning the other Earles read Camden Brecnockshire is called so from the Prince Brechanius as the Welchmen suppose This is bounded on the East with Hereford on the South with Monmouthshire and Glamorganshire on the West with Caermardenshire on the North with Radnorshire The countrie is very full of Mountaines yet it hath every where fruitfull vallies The chiefe towne in it is Brecnock stiled in the Brittish tongue Aber-hodney and placed in the midst thereof There are also the townes of Blueth or Bealt Hay or Trekethle The River Vaga called by the Brittaines Gowy and by the English Wye watereth the Northerne part of the countrie and Vsk runneth through the middle thereof Herefordshire called in the Brittish tongue Ereinuc is as it were of a circular forme it is environed on the East with Glocester-shire on the South with Monmouthshire on the West with Radnor and Brecnock shire and on the North with Shropshire It is a pleasant countrie full of fruit and cattle Hereford or Hareford is the chiefe citie of this countrie having round about it faire medowes and fruitfull fields it is encompassed with Rivers almost round about on the North West with a namelesse river on the South with Vaga which hasteneth its course hither out of Wales There are also the townes of Lemster called anciently Leonis monasterium and by the Brittaines Lhanlieni Webley Ledburie and Rosse and there are in it 157 Parishes The chiefe Rivers here are Vaga Lug Munow and Dor. THE FIFTH TABLE OF ENGLAND Containing these Shires Yorkeshire Lincolnshire Darbyshire Staffordshire Nottinghamshire Leicestershire Rutlandshire and Northfolke THE fifth Table of England comes to be unfolded in the which the first that wee meete withall is Yorkeshire the greatest Shire in all England and called by the Saxons Ebona-yâ—yne On the East it is bounded with the German Ocean on the West with Lancashire and Westmoreland on the North with the Bishoprick of Durham and on the South with Cheshire Darbyshire Nottinghamshire and Lincolneshire It is held to be temperate and fruitfull If in one place it bee sandie stony and barren in an other place it hath fruitfull fields if heere it be voide of woods there it is shadowed with thick trees Nature being so provident that the Countrie is more pleasant by this variety Here is Eboracum called by Nennius Caer Ebrauc and by the Brittaines Caer Effroc but commonly stiled Yorke It is the second Citie of all England and the fairest in all this Country which is a great strength and ornament to all the North parts It is pleasant large strong beautified both with private and publick Buildings and full of wealthy Citizens The River Ouse doth as it were part it and divide it into two Cities which are joyned together by a great stone Bridge There are also the Townes of Kingston upon Hull Dancaster called by the Scots Doncastle and by Antoninus Danum Halifax anciently Horton Pontfreit Shirborne Wetherby Kingston Patrington called anciently Praetorium and many others for there are in this Shire 39 great Townes and 459 Parishes besides many private Chappels of ease which great Parishes are faine to provide in regard of the multitude of the Inhabitants The chiefest Rivers are Don or Dune Calder Arc Wherfe Nid and Ouse which arising out of the Mountaines doe runne through the fruitfullest parts of the Country There are also other Rivers as Cokar Fosse Derwent Foulnesse Hull Teyse Dow Rhie Recal and Wisck Lincolneshire is a great Country being almost three score miles long and in some places more than thirty miles broad On the East it is beaten with the German Ocean on the North it toucheth the Aestuarie of Abus or Humber in the West it looketh toward Nottinghamshire and on the South it is parted from Northamptonshire with the River Welland It is a Country that produceth much fruit and breadeth up abundance of cattell The chiefe Citie of this Shire is Lincolne which Ptolemie and Antoninus call Lindum The Citie it selfe is large and faire being seated on the side of a Hill where the River Witham bendeth toward the East There are also the Townes of Stanford Grantham Ancaster anciently called Crococalana Crowland Spalding Boston rightly called Botolps towne and others And there are in this Shire about 630 Parishes This Countrie is watered with many Rivers as Witham which is full of Pikes Lud Trent Welland Idle Pan c. The next Countrie that followeth is Darbyshire which on the South is enclosed with Leicestershire on the West with Staffordshire on the North with Yorkeshire on the East with Nottinghamshire It is of a triangular forme but not equilaterall or having equall sides It is divided into two parts by the River Derwent The Easterne and Southerne parts are tillable and fruitfull the Westerne part is all rockie and full of craggie barren Mountaines
exceede all other honours belonging to Catalonia the Countie of Gerunda of Vrgella of Ceretania of Bisuldinum of Rossellion of Emporia of Ausonia of Minorisa of Prata of Palmosium of Petraelata of S. Columba à Queralto of S. Columba à Scintilliis of Savallanium of Vallisfogona of Guimeranum and and Mont acuto It would bee too tedious to the Reader to reckon heere the number of the Vicounties and Baronies It hath sixe Universities famous for all Arts and Sciences It subsisteth for the most part by wool-dressing and handy-craft-trades by which the Inhabitants doe live pay their debts sustaine their Families get that estate which they have and keepe that which they have gotten But let so much suffice concerning Catalonia let us passe to other Countries THE DESCRIPTION OF FRANCE To the studious and curteous READER SEeing wee are not borne for our selves alone but as much as every one can doe for the common good so much the benificent Framer and Maker of mankinde doth require of him I thought it meete to accommodate and fit this Geographicall Worke part whereof wee heere present as much as I could to the utility benefit of the Common-wealth The use and utility of Geographie in reading Histories and retaining them is greater than that I neede to make any admonition or description of but there is an other greater dignitie belonging unto it if it be directed to its proper end and rightly used and that is it doth much availe to the knowledge of Politick Government when the situation of a place is not onely described but also the nature and condition thereof which is sometimes the office of a Geographer to doe And as that Painter doth not satisfie himselfe in his profession which delineates a man according to the proportion of his limbes but doth not with colours and physiognomicall shadowes expresse his nature and affections so hee shall but figure out an unpleasing and as it were a dead Geographicall body or carcasse who having set downe places according to their symmetrie and proportion shall not shew their Politicall respect which they beare one to an other Wherefore I esteem'd it as a thing chiefly to be respected that in every severall Countrie the nature and order of Government appendant thereunto should be prefixed before the Tables themselves whereby I might somewhat benefit those who are studious of politicall and publick affaires If our writing be in many places imperfect defective or erronious the Reader needes not wonder for the formes of things throughout all Nations are not extant neither have I found all that are purposely described by any Author yet even as I could gather them out of Histories I have collected them whereby thou maist partly understand the order and manner of every government and so maist supply and correct that which is wanting in thy owne Countrie which if every one would doe how profitable would Geographie be to Students There are three heads especially to be considered in the administration of Kingdomes Principalities and Provinces namely the Ecclesiasticall State the Politicall State and the Administration of Iustice first therefore according to the title of the Countrie described in the Table I will reckon up how many members or parts there are of the Politicall State thereof according to the order of dignitie as they are observed there Secondly in distinguishing Noble-mens places sith the whole government is in the hands of the Nobilitie I will in the first place reckon those who are Feudals to the Prince and afterward those that are free descending still in order from the highest degree of Nobilitie as Dukes Earles Barons and Lords Thirdly I will shew into what Prefectures the Countrie is divided and I suppose that by these three things the Politicall State will be sufficiently declared In the administration of Iustice the juridicall Diocesses shall be noted and the higher Senates to which appeale may be made Lastly in the Ecclesiasticall State the Archbishops if there be any shall bee placed first and then the suffragan Bishops which are under them as also those which are suffragans to others To reckon up all these things requires much studâ—e but seeing for want of matter it may be briefly delivered I will performe what I may that so I may stirre up lovers of their countrie to emulate a greater perfection in their writings The severall places shall be noted with numbers that they may be straight-way found out in the following Table the first number shall containe the degrees and minutes of Longitude which shall be sought out in the Northerne or Southerne side of the Table the later shall have the numbers of Latitude which are to be sought on the Westerne or Easterne side From these bounds heere by the direction of the Meridian and there of the Parallel of Latitude you shall come at last to their intersection and so finde out the place propounded The situation of those places which are in the description of the generall Tables ought to be sought from thence But if so be that some names are not found in the table following it was the fault of the Chorographer who delineated it for the right designing and placing of principalities and dominions is not to be omitted The rule and government of Countries is in the power of the Nobilitie and therefore it is both profitable and delightfull to know and distinguish their severall degrees and the proper conditions of them The highest degree is that of Emperour or King whom in order doe follow the degrees of Duke Earle Baron the militarie Tribune whom the Low-country-men call Banderheer quasi Bendae that is Lord of the Troupes which he leadeth under his Banner After him is the Knight or hee that hath attained to be of the Horsemans Order whom the French-men doe call Chevalier and the Low-country-men Ridder In the last place is vn Escuyer who beareth Armes but hath attained to no publick dignitie There are three degrees of Earles the first whereof the French-men call Viconte who excelleth the rest in dignity priviledges Ludovic Guic. would have him now called a Burgrave And though this Order of Earles in time hath remitted something of its honour yet in the beginning it was of more excellent dignitie as the description thereof shall by and by declare In the second degree is the Earle Provinciall who is called in Dutch Landgrave In the third degree is the Marquesse or Marckgrave These are the speciall degrees and orders of Nobilitie among which the government of every Countrie is divided There are also some differences in these degrees which might occasion a subdivision but such as are distinguisht rather by priviledges than by forme of government Yet moreover I will deliver the lawfull differences and conditions of every order which I have mentioned as I have found them in a certaine French Booke entituled La division du monde deducing their creation from the lowest degree of Nobility whence their proprieties and order of government
a Parliament The parts of Sabaudia are the Counties following I will adde something concerning the Lordships Fossigni is neere the Lake Leman In it they say is Ripalia allusively Ripam Alos or the Sea-banke for some of the Inhabitants doe call the Leman Lake the Sea and truely it rages oftentimes like the Sea it is commonly called Ripaille It is a pleasant place and famous because Amedes the 8. the first Duke of Sabaudia did there live a Monke having formerly resigned up his Principalities and was chosen and consecrated Pope by the Fathers of the Counsell of Basill after Eugenius the fourth the 9. before the Kalends of September in the yeere 1440. and was called Faelix the 5. he lived a while and built some smal Aedifices which I saw in the yeere 1585. He dyed there in the yeere 1452. in the moneth of January having three yeeres before for quiet sake passed over the Papall dignity to Nicolas he being content to be a Cardinall onely Elenor Daughter to the Lord of Fossignij married Peter the sixt Earle of Sabaudia And also Mary the Daughter of Amedes the fourth the 8. Earle of Sabaudia of the Brabantine family was married to the Duke of this Country Amedes the third got the Principality of Chablasius which is neere to Fossigni Eastward commonly call'd Chablois and joyned them to his Dominions seeing there were no lawfull Heires Male to inherit it Some doe reckon the Townes of Tononium Evianum Guingaunum and others which I am afraid to write as having no warrant for it Concerning the Lordship commonly call'd Val d'Osta we will speake in a more convenient place in the Description of Italy where we will entreat of Piemont The chiefe Mountaines are the Alpes which now as it were a wall doe separate Italy from France and Germany Festus thinketh that the Alpes were so called from their whitenesse and the most doe affirme that the Alpes are the highest Mountaines in Europe And many names of the Alpes are found in ancient Monuments which doe shew that there were many parts of the Alpes but we will by the way touch onely those parts which for the most part doe lye in and about Sabaudia as the Sabbatian Alpes from whence it is thought that Sabaudia is denominated which begin neere to Samona neere a place called Vay which the ancients call Vada Sablatia from whence they bend like a Bow towards Monegne which was heretofore called Portus Herculis Monaeci and from thence they doe stretch out toward the River Var or Varo which parteth France from Italy There are also the Sea Alpes but these we passe over as we goe towards Province as also the Penine Alpes The Cotrian Alpes follow which begin at a place called Saulteron where there are two wayes both which doe encline towards the Marquiship of Salutium In these Alpes there is the Mountaine Agno and the Mountaine Viso which the ancients did call the Mountaine Vesulus through which there is a hollow passage from France into Italy after this passage there are two wayes the one whereof leadeth toward Verguel the other toward Rauel which are Fortresses to the Marquiship of Salutium And betweene this Mountaine and the hollow-way three Fountaines doe spring up and flow-into one Channell doe make the famous River of Po. In this Country is the Hill of the Crosse and the Mountaine Genebre or Genevre ther Mountaines end neere Luze where the River Doria separateth them from the Graecian Alpes The Graecian Alpes doe follow the name whereof is derived from Hercules the Sonne of Amphytrio a Graecian who travaild over these Mountaines out of Italy into France In that part of these Mountaines which is toward France the Ceentronians were seated who are now called Tarantasy by whom the way to Chamberry lyeth There are also betweene these Mountaines the Veragra who containe the lower Valesians and the Countries Gauot and Focigny and the way of these Mountaines is called the Mountaine of S. Bernard There are many others besides which for brevity sake we omit The nature and quality of these Mountaines is miraculous for he that passeth over them meeteth still with new variety of wayes because now the way is wide and by and by it growes strait now the Mountaines seeme to touch the ayre and by and by doe descend againe there is a Plaine and here a Vale enclosed with high Hills neverthelesse the Valleyes in many places doe bring forth good Corne on the Mountaines also there is much Grasse for Pasturing of Cattell and in some places there is Wine There are also divers Mines and some kindes of living Creatures which are not found any where else and many other rarities which for brevity sake we omit Besides Rhodanus these Rivers doe water Sabaudia Araru Isura Doria Arva Danius and others There are also the Lakes Leman de Nicy de Bourget c. HELVETIA VVITH THE NEIGHBOVRING CONFEDERATE COVNTRIES NEXT to Lions Mercator placeth that Country which the Romanes called Helvetia Now it is called or the greatest part of it Suicia or Suitia from the Vitians a people of Saxonie who being throwne out of their habitations for their often violating of the faith Charles the great seated them on the Alps as in like manner hee convay'd some thousands of the Nordalbingians into Flanders and Brabont Or else it was so called from the Suecians who in the raigne of King Sigebert did remove out of Suecia into Helvetia being compel'd to leave their former Habitations either by the inundations of waters or by populousnesse of the Inhabitants or lastly it is so called from the Towne Suitium it iâ— commonly Switscherland It is called the Land of Confederates and in their owne speech Eydignoschaft from the League and confederacie which is betweene the Helvetians These Eutropius did sometime call Quadians Moreover Helvetia is situate betweene the Mountaine Iura the Lake Leman Italy and the Rhene and it hath on the East the Country of â—irolum on the South the Cottian Alpes Lombardie the Dukedome of Mediolanum and Piemont on the lowest Sabaudia and Buâ—guâ—gie on the North the River Rhene Helvetia is 240. Miles long as Caesar saith Lib. 1. de bello Gallico and 80. Miles broad which Caesar maketh somewhat larger The Countrie hath a wholesome ayre and though it have many high rugged Mountaines yet it is so well husbanded by the Inhabitants that it is no where barren but that it produceth nor onely things necessary to sustaine life but also many delicacies It bringeth forth abundance of Corne although in many places unlesse the gleabe land be burnt it is in vaine to sowe it but the labour and industrie of the Husbandman doth helpe this inconvenience It produceth in many places exellent wine which doth fâ—rre exceed Rhenish wine both in state and quantitie Besides there are fat Meddowes in which many flockes and heards doe graze to the great commoditie of the Inhabitants This Countrey also doâ—â— breed great store of
bought their liberty of the House of Austria So that it is now under the Jurisdiction of Helvetia And on the wall of Friburg there is such an Epitaph found Dum bis sexceâ—tis ter senis jungitur annus In Friburg moritur Berchtoldus Dux Alemannus Unto sixe hundred and eighteene If thou doe adde a yeere Then Berchtold Duke of Almaine In Friburg dyed here The Towne it selfe is wonderfully well seated for part of it standeth on a Mountaine and part of it in a Vale and the River â—anâ— doth flow about the Mountaine at the bottome of the Citie The Iudgement Hall is situated on a high Rock where there was formerly a Castle from whâ—ch in processe of time the Citie grew large both above aâ—d beneath Two opposite Mountaines doe beare the Walls although on the Easterne Mountaine there are almost no houses but Munition and fortifications Wheresoever you goe in the Citie you must either ascend or descend The Country round about it bringeth forâ—h all things necessary except Wine of which they have none but that which is imported and brought in And so much concerning the Cities of this tract now we will adde something concerning the Civill government of these Cities The manner of the Common wealth in these Cities is the same with that which is in the Cities of Helvetia which are not divided into certaine Tribes out of which the Magistrates are equally chosen But in these Cities they cal the chiefe Magistrate and Head of the publike Counsell Ein Schuldthessen This Germane word is used in the Lawes of the Longobardians and it is written Schuldahis but the Etymologie of the word seemeth to be derived from Debito a debt for so Schuld signifies and from commanding because the Schuldahis doth command the Debtors to satisfie his Creditors This Schuldahis hath great authority and power in these Cities Here are also two publike Counsels the greater and the lesse The greater Counsell of Berne and â—igurum is called the Counsell of two hundred men although there are more than two hundred in it But the lesser Counsell of Berne consisteth of sixe and twenty men The manner of chusing the Senate at Berne is thus The foure Standard-bearer of the City doe chuse out of the Citizens sixteene honest sufficient men to joyne with themselves and those twenty men together with the Consull doe chuse the greater Senate and afterward also the lesse But the Consuls who have the chiefe dignity are chosen out of either Counsell by common Suffrages and voices In like manner the greater Counsell at Friburg consisteth of two hundred men and the lesse of foure and twenty The lesser Senate doth looke to the affaires of the City and doth heare the Subjects appeales except it bee those Sabaudian Countries which were last taken in warre but those matters which appertaine to the whole Common-wealth and are of greatest moment are referred to the two hundred men or the greater Counsell The Consul who is President in both Counsels is chosen by the people The Earles in this part are Nuenberg Niâ—dow Arberg and the Barony of Balm THE CHOROGRAPHICALL DEscription of the Lake Lemann and the adjacent places By James Goulart IN this Table you may at the first view behold the Lake Lemann in the confines of the Dukedome of Sabaudia the County of Burgundie the Baronnie or Lordship of Helvetia and the Bishopricke of Valesia About the Lake there are many Regions Praefectureships Baronnies Iurisdictions High-wayes Rivers Mountaines Citties Townes Castells and Fortresses The People on this side the Alpes which inhabite Sabaudia doe speake French who heretofore as Iulius Caesar witnesseth in the beginning of his Commentaries were called Allobrogians from Allobroges a King of France who flourished about the yere 2433. And afterward as the most famous Prelate Fauchetis witnesseth they were called Bagaudae and at length Sabaudians in French Savoysiens in the Sabaudian speech Savoyarde Earles have hitherto governed this Country from the yere of our Lord 1126. and from the yere 420 to this time it hath bin under the government of Dukes It is reported that this Country was at first a long time inhabited by a company of theeves But now intimes of peace the wayes there are safe and secure The inhabitants doe complaine of the temper of the ayre sometimes for cold and sometimes for heate And yet the Lake and the River Rhodanus are almost never frozen over Moreover the heate is not so violent as in the Delphinate nor the cold so sharpe as in the low Countries where Rivers are usually frozen over The soile is fit for tillage and fruitfull for it hath abundance of Grapes Wheate Pease Rapes Cauly-flowres French-beanes Melons Leekes Onions Lentills Also Barley Hay Oates and other graines These fruites are common heere Nuttes Apples Peares of divers sorts sweete and sowre cherries blacke and white Mulberries Chesnuts Almonds but Figs are more rare There is also great variety of Fowle Fish Beasts The Vvandalian Helvetians who inhabite Lausanna and other places nere unto are under the governement of the most illustrious Lords of Berne Vnder whom certaine praefects for five yeares space doe hold the Helme of the Commonwealth According to ancient Chronicles Arpentinus Hercules Centenarius layd the foundation of Lausanna in the yeare of the world 2790 from whom Carprentres the auncient name thereof was derived which was changed when the Cittie was translated unto the Mountaine in the time of Martin Bishop of Lausanna in the yeare of our Lord 593. The Citie of Nevidunum heretofore commonly called Benevis being desolate and ruinate before the comming of Iulius Caesar was restored and reëdified in the time of the Emperour Flavius Vespasian by a Centurion of his dwelling in it called Nyon Cassonex was built in the yeare of our Lord 442. And Abona was built in the yeare 456 and some yeares afterward Geneva a free Imperiall Cittie in which white and blacke money is coyned was at first called Geneura as some suppose because it is seated on a hill amongst Iuniper trees which seate Lemannus gave it the Father of the Almaines or Germaines the Nephew of Priam the sonne of Paris in the yeare of the world 2994. Afterward it was called Aurelia by Aurelianus the Emperour because he was the repairer of this Cittie which in the time of Heliogabalus was burnt downe to the ground Iulius Caesar and the Latines call it Geneva and the Poets for their verse sake call it Gebenna and also by the Registers The Germaines call it Genf the Frenchmen Geneve to which Vengee is a fit Anagram for it hath beene oftentimes miraculously preserved from enemies and Traitors and especially on the 12 or 22 of December in the yeere 1602. The Castell Morgiarum was built by the Emperor Clottarius in the yeare of our Lord 1135. Aquianum commonly called Evâ—â—n was built by Peter brother and Deputy to Amades Earle of Sabaudia in the yeare 1237. But this Lake of Geneva on that side which lyeth toward Helvetia
Paefects did not live as they listed neither did create magistrates out of their owne number but they received them from the Senate or the Emperour But the Canton of Vnderwaldia is divided by the wood Kernwald into two parts namely the higher and the lower yet all the Country neverthelesse is comprehended under the name of Vnderwaldia There remaines Glarona commonly called Glaris a Country of the Helvetian confederacy neere the River Limagus not very large being three Germane miles long and taketh its name from the speciall Towne in this Countrie being three parts of it encompassed with the high Alpes on the South and North it joyneth to the Rhetians on the West to the Vrians and Suitians on the North to a Country called Castra Rhetica or the Rhetian Tents where the River Limagus entereth into the Vale. The jurisdiction of this Countrey and the revennewes thereof was given in the time of S. Fridoline by a certaine Earle to the Monasterie of Seekingense namely in the time of Clodovius the first Christian King of France in the yeare of our Lord 500 who was the first King of France that raigned and governed Rhetia Almania and Helvetia This Land afterward obtained her liberty and her owne jurisdiction and did joyne it selfe in confederacy with the Helvetians in the yeare of our Lord 1252. The Inhabitants doe now live upon milke Cheese butter and flesh Among the straites of the Mountaines there is little ground sowed and few Vines are planted They have Orchards full of fruit and flourishing Meddowes Wine and corne are brought in from other parts The Lakes afford fish and the wooddy Mountaines doe furnish them with fowle and flesh of wild beasts Henry Glareanus and Aegidius Yscudus two learned men were borne in this Countrie To these is joyned the Countie of Hamburg and the Baronie of Humbert and Ringenbereg But Glarona is distributed into 15. parts which they call Tagwan Werdenbergen doth command the Country which they bought Anno 1517. They and the Suâ—tians doe by turnes send praefects to Vzenacum or Vâ—snâ—â— and into the Rhetian Tents at Wesome But so much hitherto let us now adde something in generall concerning this part of Helvetia and here the Lakes are first to be considered among which is the miraculous Lake called Pilates Lake which is situated on the broken Mountaine as they call it not farre from Lucerna almost on the top of the Mountaine it standeth solitarily being encompassed on every side with Woods so that none can stirre or provoke it For they report that if any thing be purposely cast into it it will stirre up a great tempest and make it over-flow as many have found by experience but those things that fall in by accident doe occasion no danger at all It is a place fearefull to behold and the water standeth still in the channell of it neither hath it any vent neither doth it receive any River into it neither is it encreased by snow or raine water It is scarsely mooved with the winde but the waters thereof are alwayes blacke and strangers are not permitted to come unto it least they should rashly cast any thing thereinto whereby the neighbouring Country may be endangered Among the other Rivers which doe water this Country there is one called Lamagus which riseth in Glarina and in the middle of the Country it receiveth Sermphius another River which runneth out of another Valley Afterward beneath Vrna which is the name of two Townes above the Laterician bridge for so they call it having borrowed some water out of the Lake Vesenius it parteth and divideth Marcha which was heretofore the boundes betweene the Helvetians and the Rhetians for so the Helvetians call a bound and the Tents of the Rhetians Afterward entring into the Lake Tigurinum at the mouth thereof it divides Tigurum a large Cittie of the Helvetians and from thence it slideth to those waters which the Graecians call Bathes which are so famous for their hot waters And not farre from thence it mingleth it selfe with the two Rivers Vrsa and Arola The River Vrsa which by transposition of the two former letters they commonly call Rusa ariseth on the top of the Alpes which are now called Saint Gotharas Alpes and so runneth straite North-ward when on the other side Tâ—einus arising out of the same Mountaine runneth by the Lepontians Southward first through Vrsula or Vrsella a Rhetian Valley and afterward it commeth to Vria of the Tauriscians the remainder of the French Nation where it mingleth it selfe with the Lake where it watereth the Vrians the Suizians the Silvanians and Lucerinians foure Citties of the Wood for so they call them now Afterward having received the Rivers of Tuginum it glideth by Bremgarte and Mâ—llâ—ge which are Townes of Helvetia and so beneath Bruges mingleth it selfe with Arola And at their consluence or meeting together three Rivers of Helvetia Limagus Vrsa and Arola doe discharge themselves into the Rhene But let so much suffice concerning Helvetia and the parts thereof we passe to the Low Countries or lower Germany THE RHETIANS novv called the GRISONES THe Rhetians are accounted an auncient people by the consent of all men For some ages before Christs birth the Tuscians being beaten by the French out of their owne habitations under the conduct of their Captaine Rhetus seated themselves in an Alpine Country which was called from their Captaine Rhetia and they themselves Rhetians But whereas this Countrie was heretofore very large and that the name of the Rhetians for warlike matters grew famous amongst their neighbours so that they were a terrour unto many which Ovid declareth in this verse Rhaetica nunc praebent Thracia ij arma metum The Thracian armes now every where And the Rhaetian doe put us in feare At length being conquered by the Romanes they made two Provinces of it namely the first and the second Rhetia which did not onely containe the Alpine Countries but a great part of Suevia and Bavaria Now by this name we understand those people whom they call Grisones for their grisely habit which was made of their owne Countrie cloth but the Germains at this day doe call them Grauwbuntner who doe inhabite the ancient Alpine Rhaetia neere to the Spring-heads of the River Rhene and Oenus who are perpetually joyned together by a threesold tye of amitie and confaederacie The first confaederacie which is called the higher hath eighteene assemblies in it among which the chiefe heretofore were Disentinus the Abbot the Barons of Rhetia and the Earles of Misâ—uicium but those families are long since worne out and extinguished Although they that now possesse the Castle of Rhaetia doe challenge that title from the Plantinian familie The severall conventions or assemblies have one chiefe annual Magistrate whom they cal Ammanus he together with the Iudges chosen by the same assembly judgeth of controversies doth lay mulcts and fines upon offenders The second confaederacy is called the house of God or
matter wherefore it is better to be silent than to speake too sparingly The politick state of these Countries both in generall and speciall is threefold the first is the Ecclesiastick state in which the Abbots are the chiefe the second is of the Nobility as the Duks Earles Marcgraves Princes Barrons and great Lords The third is of the Citties which the chiefe Citties of every Country doe represent These states the Prince calleth together when they are to consult concerning matters appertaining to the Prince or to the Principality or to the preservation or utility of the Countrie The Ecclesiasticke state is thus there are foure Bishops in the Low Countries the Camaracensian the Tornaycensian and the Atrebatensian these three are under the Arch-bishop of Rhemes and the Vltrajectine who is under the Arch-bishop of Colen I proceed to the Vniversities which are 4 the Vniversitie of Lovaine and Doway of Leyden and Flankford Lovaine is famous for the many Colledges Students and learned men the chiefe Colledges are Lilium Castrense the Colledge of Porus and Falcon in which Philosophie is read The Buslidian Colledge hath three languages taught in it namely Greeke Latine and Hebrew This Vniversitie at the request of the Nobles of Brabant was first instituted and adorned with Priviledges by Iohn the 4 Duke of Brabant in the yeare 1426. Martinus the fifth being Pope The other were erected in our memory Out of which as it were out of the Troian horse innumerable learned men have proceeded and doe dayly come from thence For in the Low Countries there are learned men skilfull in all faculties and sciences and as heretofore so now it produceth famous Schollers whom it would be too tedious to reckon up Here are divers Libraries in sundry places which are replenished with excellent rare Bookes Among which that at Leyden is the chiefe The inhabitants are faire quiet not cholericke nor ambitious nor proud not much given to venerie civill plaine curteous affable ingenious and ready witty and sometimes talkative laborious industrious faithfull gratefull towards those that have done them a curtesie capable of all Arts and Sciences stout in defending their liberties and Priviledges even to death And this may truely be spoken in the generall prayse of them that the Low Country men are frugall house keepers and thrifty husbands who following the example of the Ant do lay up before winter that which cannot then be gotten and doe buy fish and flesh which they either pickle up or doe dry it in the smoake For every house according to the number of their familie doth kill in Autumne an whole Oxe or provideth halfe an one beside a Hogge which they salt up and then it will serve them to spend a good part of the yeare untill the Spring returne againe Yet many of them are very covetous and desirous of wealth The Women are beautifull well behav'd and curteous For according to their Country fashion they are used from their childhood to converse familiarly with every one and therefore they are very ready both in action or speech or any matter neither doth this freedome or liberty make them lesse honest Neither doe they onely walke alone through the Cittie but they will goe for fellowship to the next Townes without any the least suspition of dishonestie They are very continent and apt and ready in their affaires And they are not onely carefull of houshold matters of which their husbands take no care but they also use Merchandise and dispatch and conferre of businesses belonging unto men and that with so great dexterity and diligence that in many of the Provinces as in Holland and Zeland the men do commit all their affaires unto them And by this manner of living joyned with the innate desire which women have to rule they become for the most part too Imperious and proud It is the fashion both among Princes and men of inferior ranke as also among other Nations on this side the Alpes to give the first born their Parents names althogh they be yet living And the Noble of what quality and condition soever they are doe more esteeme of their eldest daughter than the rest of the younger although they have all an equall dowry so that they marry the rest to those unto whom they denyed her in marriage reserving her for a better husband And they are to be praysed because they easily contract marriages with forrainers if occasion so require and are not bound to match them in their owne Country which is a matter very profitable and commodious for these alliances by marriage are very advantagious to themselves and the Commonwealth Moreover it is accounted undecent and absur'd for young men to marry old women or on the contrary for old men to marry young maydes as also for a noble personage to marry an ignoble person or a master to marry his Maide and a Mistresse her servant But the Low Country men are chiefely given to Mechanicke Arts but not of the base and servile sort but the more nobler as weaving clothing and making of hangings tapestry which serve not only for the use of their owne country but are also transported into France Spaine Germany and other parts of Europe and also into Asia and Affricke For Pictures there is no Nation that doth excell it nor none doth excell in Musicke or for variety of Languages Iohn Eickius a Lowcountryman did first shew the way how to mingle colours with oyle And every one in Flanders Brabant or Zeland can speake not onely their owne Country speech which is Low-Dutch but also French The Sea men Merchants and Schollers can speake also Italian Spanish and Greeke for the most part and some can understand Hebrew the Chaldean and Arabicke language The Lowcountrie men are also skilfull Seamen I come to their food the Lowcountrymen doe use Wheate Rye Oates and Barly they esteeme of no pulse but Beanes and Pease they have few Vetches and no Millet at all For the great strong windes doe lay it and spoyle it The Common people maintaine their families soberly and frugally Their drinke is for the most part Beere which is made of Malt into which they afterward put some ground Barly and Hops And this is a very good and wholesome drinke for those that are used to it they doe also drinke much milke The rich have wine They eate commonly Rye bread They are wont also upon Festivall dayes especially those which beare their owne name to make great feasts and to invite their Parents Kinsemen and friends unto them and to banquet sumptuously with them and to shew themselves generous and magnificent They keepe their houses very neate and cleane being furnished with all kinds of necessary houshold stuffe And truly it is a faire sight to see what store of housholdstuffe they have and how well ordered it is and how cleane it is kept in which without doubt it doth excell all the Nations of the World But the Low Countriemen are too much
yeeldeth a faire prospect for from it you may behold not onely all the Cittie and the pleasant fields and gardens lying round about it but also you may cleerely discerne some Citties that are afarre off as Mechlin Bruxells Lovaine Gandavum and moreover THE DVKDOME OF BRABANT BRABANTIA you may see to the end of the River and discover the Sea and the Zeland Islands In this Tower there are threescore and eight Bells some greater some lesser some of which like musicall Instruments will yeeld an harmonious sound of foure or five parts The greatest of them which is of a wonderfull great weight was named by the Emperour Charles the fifth which is not rung but upon some extraordinary occasion There are foure and twenty Cannons be-belonging to that Church over whom there is a Deane and a Bishop who was first instituted in the yeare 1567. This Church is kept very bravely the revenues belonging to it are great and the Priviledges immunities belonging to the Priests Buscoducum or Silva Ducis which is called in Dutch's Hertogenbosch and in French Bolduc is so called from the Woods it is a faire pleasant Cittie strongly fortified being seated by the River Disa being a mile from Mosa and twelve from Antwerpe And these are the foure chiefe Citties the first three whereof together with Nivella doe make the Marquiship of the sacred Empire Some reckon Mechlin to be in Brabant yet indeede it is parted from it being a faire and neate Cittie having an Archbishopricke and a faire Councell unto which the last appeale in Belgia may be made Moreover there are these Citties in Brabant Traâ—ectum neere Mosa commonly called Maestricht Lira Vilvordâ— Gemblacum or Gemblours Ioudoigne Hannut Landen Halen Leâ—â—wen Schienen Herentals Eindoven Helmont Grave There are also many free Townes unwalled as Oostenrije Oorschot Turnhout Duffel Waelem Merchtem Asche Vveren Duisburch Hulpen Waure Breine Genape Ghecle Arendone Dormal and Isca There are also 700 Villages There are refered to Brabant the Lordship of Ravestein the Dukedome of Limburg with the Lordship of Dale and Vacklenburg The Lakes and Rivers are very commodious and profitable to Brabant The chiefe Rivers are Mosa and Scaldis and there are also other lesser Rivers This Country hath many Woods the chiefe whereof are five Somensis Saventerloo Grootenhout Grootenheist and Meerdal Heere are many publicke workes both sacred and prophane The chiefe whereof is the Church at Lovaine consecrated to Saint Peter being very faire and sumptuous The Churches at Bruxells are very sumptuous being beautified with faire and rich ornaments Also Antwerpe hath many Churches of which S. Maries Church is the fairest and largest I passe by other Churches which are innumerable in other places There are also many prophane workes as Pallaces noblemens houses Castells Towers and the like Moreover the Politicke state of Brabant hath three members the Clergie which are the Abbots Afflighemensis Grimbergensis Tongerloo Grunendalensis of S. Gertrud at Lovaine of Saint Bernard of Vileer of Dielegem Parckensis neere Lovanium Vlierlikensis neere Lovanium The great Prior of the order of S. Augustine in Leeuwee the Prior of Gemblours The Nobles which are the Abbot of Gemblacum an Earle the Duke Arscotensis the Marquesse of Bergen neere the little River Some The Barons Diestensis of Braeda Boxtelensis Gaesbeeckensis of Wesemacl Petersem Perweys Hoochstratensis now an Earle of Renes the Lords Aschensis Merchtensis Vuerne Gheel Lummen Thurnout Oosterwiâ—e S. Oedenroy Walem Duffel The foure principall Citties are Lovaine Bruxells Antwerpe Buscoducum Concerning the state Ecclesiasticke it is partly under the Leodiensian Bishop and partly under the Camaracensian Bishop the Leodiensian keepeth his Ecclesiasticall Court at Lovaine The Camaracensian at Bruxells Lovaine hath a famous Academie or Vniuersitie of which wee will speake more largely in the generall description of the Low Countries The Babanters are merry jesting and full of comicall conceits as Lemnius witnesseth Besides Brabant there are conteined in this Table the Dukedome of Iuliacum and Cliveland The Politicke state whereof we will describe out of Mercator The politicke state of Iuliacum doth consist likewise of three members which are the Clergie as namely the Abbots the Colledges and Monasteries the Nobilitie the Cittizens There are 24 Lordships in this Countrie Caster Brugge Born Boisseler Euskirchen Munstereyfell Moniou Eschwiler Grevenbroich Wassinberg Geilenkirchen Hensbergh Durem Thonberg Berchem Heimbach Wilhemstein Gladbach Millen Rangenrayd Norvenich the Counties of Nuenar Iuliacum and Nideken In like manner Cliveland doth conteine three orders the Clergie the Nobility and the Citties But the governour of the Province of Cleveland hath these eight Cittties under him Cliva the Metropolis Calcaria Sonsbeke where he hath his residence also Santen Buric Vdem Griet Griethusen Here are 14 Lordships Cranenburg Duffel Gennep Goch Orsoy Huessen neere Arnhem Lymers Emmeric Hetter Aspel Ringenburg Bisselic Dinslaken in which are five Citties Dinslaken Wesel Duysburg Schermbeke Holte The Lordship of Ravesteyn is joyned and annexed to the Court of Cliveland THE COVNTIE OF HOLLAND SOme derive the name of Holland from the many Woods and Forrests therein for we cal a Wood Holt or Hout and Hollant signifies a woody Countrie for they report that heretofore all Holland was full of woods and bushes Some suppose it was so called from the hollownesse thereof as if it were Holâ—landt For the whole Countrie is Moorish and loose under foote Some suppose it was called from the Hay made there in Hollandia as it were Hoylandia But learned Iunius is of another opinion that Holland and Zeland are Colonies of the Gothish and Danish Nations and that the Danes and Normanes forsaking the Island of Oland and Zeland did transmigrate into these places and named them after their owne Country Holland and Zeland as Virgill reporteth of Hellenus the sonne of Priame who built a little Towne in Epire called Troy with a Castle and made the resemblance of the gate Scaea and called the River Zanthus by a Troyan name as the Europaeans did erect and make a new Spaine and new France in the Indies The Brittish Sea doth encompasse it on the West on the North the Cimbrian Sea beateth on the shoares thereof on the East side it openeth a large Bay toward Friesland on the North-East lyeth Trans-Isalana and Velavia on the South is Trajectum The compasse of it is nine miles it is very narrow so that a man may travell over it from one side to another in foure houres space and in some places it is not above a mile over This Countrie hath fruitefull fields which doe yeeld excellent good Corne but in regard the Countrie is very small and populous therefore it cannot maintaine so great a multitude of inhabitants But there are very fertile meddowes in which infinite heards of Oxen doe graze and very faire milch Kine It is certaine that in some parts of Holland the Kine in Summer time doe yeeld unto the Paile foure and forty quartes of milke Also
Iohn Beningus a counseller of the Court of Holland as Guicciardine reporteth doth finde by certaine observation and computation that Assendelph only and foure neighbouring Townes have as much milke from their Kine as there is Rhenish wine sent out of high Germany to Dordretch Out of this great plenty of milke they make butter which is an excellent daintie dish not onely for barbarous Nations as Pliny would have it but also for Kings and Princes They make Cheeses also which are not inferiour unto those of Parma and Placentia The chiefe are the Tessalican and Gravesandican Cheeses the next to them are the Edammensian which are best when they are old It breedeth THE COVNTIE OF HOLLAND HOLLANDIA also excellent horses On the sandie hills there are an infinite number of Conies Also great store of Harts Does Hares and in the Hagiensian wood there are heards of Goates and great store of fowle especially Duckes Also Geese and in harvest time Woodcockes which we call Snipes There are excellent turfes which being digged out of the earth and drawne out of the water and so dryed in the wind and sunne doe make very good fuell There were heretofore Kings of Holland of which Suetonius maketh mention in Caligula cap. 44 But in the yeare of Christ 868 Charles the bald King of France reduced it into a Countie and Theodore being descended of the royall stocke was governour thereof After Theodore the father there succeeded Theodore the sonne and after him Arnold and after Arnold Theodoricke and others after him of whom you may have a Catalogue in Munster and others They were heretofore very famous for matters of warre so that the Batavians were joyned in fraternitie and amitie with the Romaine Empire And heereby they got the goodwill of other Princes Now wee are to describe the Citties which are Dordretch Harlem Delpth Leyden Amsterdam Gouda â—aâ—rdâ—â—um Muda Wâ—sopum Edamam Monachodamum Purmerenda â—lmâ—â—â—a Euâ—huysa Horna c. Dordretch is the chiefe Cittie of Holland The figure of it is long like a Gallie it is very rich and plentifulâ— and a Granarie or Storehouse for corne and all other provision It hath outlandish commodities brought up the River unto it and there layd in warehouses untill they be solde and are carryed from thence againe in Hoyes This Priviledge of storing of goods they call a staple Harlem is a noble Towne both for the largenesse of the Cittie the fairenesse of the houses and the pleasantnesse of the situation It hath the fairest Church in all Holland being built on strong Pillars by the marketh place The River Sparnus glideth by the Cittie It is thought it was built by the Prisians about the yeare 506. In this Cittie the Art of Printing was invented Another honour of this Cittie was the taking of Pelusium by a new device which they call Damiata and in remembrance thereof they have two â—acring bells of brasse which they call aerae Damiatae Next followes Delpth which is famous not for Apolloâ—s Tripos or Trevet but for plenty of wine and corne For the best beere is brew'd in this Cittie except it be English beere It is so called from a Ditch which the Batavians call Delph which is brought from Mosa even to the Cittie In the yeere a thousand five hundred 36 on the Nones of May the beauty of it was much blemished by fire and the better part of the Cittie was burnt down but afterward it was built up againe more faire than before Leyden which Ptolomie calls Lugdunum Batavorum is a Cittie situate at the middle of the mouth of the River Rhene It sustain'd and held out in the yere 1574 a grievous seige but at last it was freed and the enemies were enforced by the overflowing of the waters to raise their seige Amsterdam is the noblest Mart Towne in all the world it is so named from the River Amstela as the learned Poet Nicolas Cannius hath noted being a Cittizen of Amsterdam in these verses Haec illa est Batavae non ultima gloria gentis Amnis cui nomen cui cataracta dedit Dicta prius Damum rarisque habitata colonis Cum contenta casis rustica vita fuit Hinc Amsterdamum jam facta celebrior atque Fortunae crevit tempore nomen item Vrbs benè not a propè atque procul distantibus oris Dotibus innumeris suspicienda bonis Dives agri dives pretiosae vestis auri Vt pleno cornu copia larga beet Quod Tagus atque Hermus vehit Pactolus in unum Verè huc congestum dixeris esse locum This Cittie Hollands glory whose name From the River and the falling waters came It was called Damum first and inhabited With Rurall Cottages which here were spred But growing famous t' was call'd Amsterdam And so increas'd in fortune and in name It is a Cittie knowne both farre and neere And is admir'd for many gifts are here T is rich in soyle in garments and in gold Plenty doth blesse her with guifts manifold What Pagus Hermus Pactolus doth beare You may truely say that it is stoard up heere It consisted at the first of a few fishermens houses and was under the jurisdiction of the Lords of Amstelium After Gilbert Amstelius about two hundred fourescore yeares since fortified this Cittie with Bulwarkes gates and Towers which being burnt by the envious neighbours it was walled about in the yeare 2482. And afterward it was still enlarged and belonged unto Holland But now it is a place of refuge not onely for Holland but all the neighbour countries even to the Sarmatians and Gothes and Cimbrians For there are in this Cittie not onely Italians Spaniards Portugalls Brittaines Scots French Sarmatians Cimbrians Suevians Norwegians Livonians and Germains but also East-Indians Americans Moores and others out of all parts of the world Gouda is so named from the Cimbricke word â—â—w which signifies a Ditch and a Trench against it it is situate neere Isela being a plentifull Cittie and abounding with all things There are also some free Townes the chiefe whereof is the Hage in which the Councell of the States and Princes doe sit and there is Court for deciding of suites and controversies Concerning the Politicke state of this Countrie it doth consist of three orders the first are the Knights called Ridderheren the chiefe whereof are the Earles Egmond and Ligne under whom are these Dominions Wassenar Valkenborch and the Viccountship of the Cittie of Leyden I finde also these Counties in Holland Maeslant Texel Goylandt Kennemerlant Steenberge The Lords and Barons are Brederode under whom is the Lordship of Vianen and the Barony of Lijfelt I finde also in the Chronicle of Holland that these Lordships are reckoned among the Baronies Leâ—ke Sevenbergen Voorn Isselstein Stryen Teylingen Puttem Harlem Leerdam Asperen Arckel Altena Bottersloâ—â— The second order is the Lords the chiefe whereof that are wont to appeare at Hage are these the Lords of Poelgeest of Polanen of Lochorst of Assendelfi Warmont Sparwoude
Gelderland Edvard after many battailes tooke his brother Reinald and kept him ten yeares in prison William succeeded after him and after him his brother Reinald and after Reinald William Arculanus he dyed without issue at Gorichem His Sister married Iohn Egmundan after many changes the matter came to that passe that in the yeare 1412. Charles the son of Adolphus being called by the States of Gelderland out of Holland did make William the sonne of Iohn Duke of Cleveland his heire who against the will of the Emperour Charles the fifth was for a time governour of Gelderland untill GELDERLAND GELDRIA et Transisularia in the yeare 1543. being put out of a great part of Iuliacum hee came as a suppliant and yeelded himselfe to the Emperour being then in his tent at Venloâ— on this condition that hee should resigne up the possession of all Gelderland and release his subjects of their oath yet notwithstanding Caesar did give him backe all the Territorie of Iuliacum excepting onely two Townes Hensberg and Sittartum And thus the Gelderlanders who were free at the first lived afterward under Princes yet keeping their owne lawes and ordinances But now they are governed by the States and doe valiantly for their liberty against the Spaniards This Dukedome doth containe two and twenty Citties the chiefe whereof are Noviomagum Ruremunda Zutphania and Arenacum which they call now Arnheimum Noviomagum or Nymegen is an auncient Cittie situated on the left hand banke of the River Vahalis which is very deepe in that place it seemeth that it was heretofore the Countrie of Batto having the Castell of Battenburg neere it and within the Cittie the Mountaine Hessies which some suppose was so called from Hessus the sonne of Batto The Cittie is fortified by Art and Nature bing very rich and abounding with all things on that side which looketh toward Cleveland it is seated on a hills side with an old Castell which some suppose was built by Iulian on which side the Countrie openeth and layeth forth her beautie being full of woods and springing Fountaines the lower part of the Cittie lyeth toward the Marishes and the other part of the soyle is on continued hill Ruremunda is seated by the mouth of the River Rura where it dischargeth it selfe into Mosa it is a pleasant rich and potent Cittie in the old Countrie of the Menapians Zutphania on the right hand banke of Isala hath a Countie belonging to it of which we will speake hereafter That which Tacitus calls Arenacum Posterity did call Arnheimum or the Eagles house it is the chiefe Cittie of Gelderland where the Counsell is kept being neare plentifull and well fortified and situated neere the right hand mouth or outlet of the River Rhene There are also these lesser Citties Hattem Elburg Harderuâ—e Wageninga which Tacitus calleth Vada Tiela Bomelium Bronchorstum Doesburg Doâ—tecomium and many others Gelderland is watered with three famoâ—s Rivers namely Rhene Mosa and Vahalis And besides these there are some lesser Rivers that glide through it as Worm Roer Suaâ—m old Isala Berckel Niers Regge Aa and Vidrus On the North it looketh toward a Bay of the Sea which they call now Zuâ—derzeâ— As we call that the Southerne Bay which looketh Southward where Holland layeth forth her selfe as having sufficient store to trade with all the world The ground is plaine and low and there are few Mountaines and those are full of Woods and Forrests Concerning the politicke state of this Dukedome it hath 3 members the Baronies of Veluwe of Beture of Bomielweert and Trielweert Also the Countie of Zutphania under which are the Counties of Bronchorst and Herebergensis Also the higher Gelderland in which are Ruremunda and Gelder The Nobles are the Earles of Bronchorst and Herenburg The Lords are of Batenborch of Groesbeeck Mountfort Wel Watchtendonck Grol Anholt Keppel Bredefort Buren is a Countie by it selfe within Gelderland There are also foure chiefe Citties as Neomagum which is a free Cittie and the Metropolis of the whole Dukedome of Gelderland which hath under it Batavium or de Beteuwe the Lower and the higher also Bomnerweert Tielweert and Maâ—swael being a Territorie betweene Vahalis and Mosa Also Ruremunda which is the chiefe Cittie of higher Gelderland which hath under it Venlo Gelder Vagedie Strale Wachtendonck Erckelens Moutfort Echt Nieustat Kessel Midler Grieckenbecke Also Zutphania under which are Donsburg c. Arnheime under which are Wagheninge Hattem Harderwijck Elborch and all Velavia At Arnheime there is a Councell kept and the Praesident of all Gelderland resideth there before whom all tryalls are brought of the foure aforesayd Citties without any further appeale to be made and to them the tryalls are brought from other townes and places which are subject unto them The Ecclesiastick state in this manner Geldria was subject to foure Bishops Neomagum with the Territory belonging thereunto was subject to the Bishop of Colen Ruremunda to the Bishop of Leodium Zutphania and the Territories thereof to the Bishop of Munster and Arnheimum to the Bishop of Trajectum The inhabitants were warlike and wonderfully given to martiall affaires but now they are more addicted to studdies The most part doe busie themselves in Merchandising and trading the rest doe partly give themselves to Maechanick Arts and trades and partly to husbandry and in regard of the fruitfulnesse of the soyle they doe reape much profit thereby This Dukedome doth containe besides many other Counties and Barronies the Countie of Zutphania It was so named if we many credit Goropius Becanus from the condition of the soyle namely from the Marishes which they commonly call Venen The inhabitants of these Countries as likewise their neighbours doe still retaine their auncestors manners and disposition for they are valiant and very ready in warre Moreover many are of opinion that the S. Cambrians did heretofore possesse Gelderland and the chiefest part of the Countie of Zutphania who were more fierce and desirous of warre than any other of the Germaines whence it came to passe that they vexed France with continuall incursions For which cause when there was peace throughout all the world yet Octauian Augustus could not for a long time shut up the gates of Ianus his Temple which they used to doe in times of peace because he understood that the Sicambrians did still molest the Frenchmen But Otho Nassovius Duke of Gelderland beside his sonne Gerard who succeded him in the Dukedome of Gelderland had by Sophia Daughter to the Earle of Zutphania a sonne called Gerlacum who succeeded him in the Countie of Zutphania Who dying without issue the Countie of Zutphania was annexed to Gelderland and never afterward disjoyned from it It hath a Cittie of the same name which Iunius supposeth to be the Cittie Visepetum being populous plentifull well fortified with water and seated on the right hand banke of the River Isala Also the River Berckel floweth by it and there mingles it selfe with Isala Moreover these Citties and
there refresh themselves and make merry and at evening come home This is a great Cittie pleasant and powerfull having many stately publicke and private aedifices it hath a faire strong Castell built by the Emperour Charles the fifth and called in their speech Vredenburch The Churches thereof are very magnificent and especially these five which belonged heretofore to so many auncient Colledges of Cannons Namely our Saviours Church S. Martines Church S. Peters S. Iohns and S. Maries But the sumptuous and faire Church of Saint Martine doth exceede all the rest which is a Bishops seate The Bishop Adelboldus caused this Church to be pulled downe and afterward to be built up againe more fairely it was reëdified in the yeare 1023 and twelve Bishops did consecrate it in the presence of the Emperour Henry the first as these verses doe declare Tempore Francorum Dagoberti Regis in isto Praesenti fundo conditur ecce decens Primitus Ecclesia Sancti Thomae prope Castrum Trajectum quam gens Frisica fregit atrox Sed prior Antistes Dominus Clemens ob honorem Sancti Martini post renovavit eam Desidis Henrici sub tempore Regis at illam Praesul Adelboldus fregit ab inde novam Ecclesiam fundans Henrici tempore primi Caesaris electi quem duodena cohors Pontificum pariter benedixit denique Praesul Henricus caepit hanc renovare suam Ecclesiam Regis Gulielmi tempore qvi tum Hollandensis erat inlytus ecce Comes When Dagobert was King of France they did sound Saint Thomas Church upon this present ground Even by the Castell of Trajectum placed But by the Friesland Nation it was raced Then the reverend Praelate Clemens call'd by name In honour of S. Martine built it up againe Even in the time of Henries slothfull raigne But Adelbolde puld it downe unto the ground And afterward a new Church he did found In the first Henries time which with great state Twelve Bishops solemnely did consecrate Lastly the Bishop Henery began For to reëdifie this Church againe Even when King William this same land did guide Who was then Earle of Holland too beside This Saint Maries Church is very faire and beautifull and was built by the Emperour Fredericke as a mulct and charge imposed on him by the Pope of Rome for wasting the famous Cittie of Mediolanum and destroying the Churches therein It was strange that at the laying of the foundation of this Church there was a quicksand found on which they could not build but that it would still sincke at length they cast Oxe hides into it which made the ground sollid and firme so that they built this Church on it in remembrance whereof these verses are extant in Vltrajectum Accipe Posteritas quod post tua secula narres Taurinis Cutibus fundo solidata columna est THE CITTIE AND PROVINCE OF MACHLIN MAchlin is situated almost in the middle of Brabant and is as it were enclosed within it neere the River Dilia which cutteth through the middle of it being equally distant from Antwerp Bruxells and Lovanium in a Champion Countrie and fertile soyle having a light and sandie ground the Cittie is very faire conspicuous both in regard of the pleasantnesse of the situation the cleanenesse and breadth of the streetes the largenesse and curiousnesse of the houses some reckon it as a part of Brabant but yet truely it is a distinct country from it There are divers uncertaine conjectures concerning the originall thereof but this is manifest that in one of the letters Pattents of Pepin King of France dated in the yeare 753 there is mention made of it and that it is there called Mâ—slinas as it were the line of the Sea because the Sea doth flow and ebbe before it which Etymologie pleaseth some better than to call it Machel from one Michael who possessed these parts as Orteâ—â—us doth deliver in his Itinerarie of the Low Countries Others doe deduce the name from other derivations But as we sayd Machlin after the yeare 753 had Adon to be Earle thereof which he held by fealty and service But who were his Praedecessors or successors is not yet knowne Long time afterward there follow'd the Bertoldi who denyed fealty and homage to Godfrey Barbatus Duke of Brabant which occasioned warres betweene them After the Berltoldi Machlin had various fortunes and divers Lords at length it recovered libertie and was not subject unto any in the yeare 1336. And afterward it came to the Burgundian family in the yeare 138â— And lastly unto the Austrian family in the yeare 1477. And it is now one of the 17 Provinces of the Low countries where the chiefe Counsell doth sit whither the last appeale in the Low Countries is made instituted by Charles of Burgundie Prince of the Low Countries and at length in our time it was made an Archbishopricke the chiefe Metropolitan seate whereof is Saint Rumolds Church Besides there is an Armorie in it which in the yeare of Christ 1546. in the moneth of August the Gunpowder being set on fire by lightning was burnt downe and the Cittie much defaced thereby Here Nicasius of Woerden a most learned Lawyer although hee THE CITTIE AND Province of MACHLIN MECHLINIA DOMINIVM were blinde was borne also Christopher Longolius Rombert Dodonaus the Emperours Phisitian and professor of Phisicke at Leyden and also Philibert of Bruxells an excellent Lawyer It doth also produce many excellent artificers and workemen especiall stone-cutters and carvers of Images He that desireth to know more concerning this Cittie and the antiquitie of this Province let him have recourse to Iohn Bapt. Gremajus his large description of Machlin and he shall finde very good satisfaction therein THE LORDSHIP OF GRONINGA GROENINGA DominÌ„i GRoninga is the head Cittie of the Province of Groninga and the fairest Cittie in Friesland Some thinke it to bee that which Ptolemie calls Phileum They derive the name from Grano a certaine Trojan or Friesland Prince but Vbbo Emmius rejecting other opinions which are grounded on fabulous reports supposeth that it was so called from the greene Meddowes and tufts of trees therein It is distinguished from the other parts of Friesland in the middle whereof this Province is seated by the River Amasus and the Lavician Bay and now since the yeare 1536 it is counted one of the seventeene Provinces at what time the Groningians did put themselves into the protection of Charles the fifth Heretofore this Lordship did doe homage and fealtie to the Bishop of Vltrajectum being given him by the Emperour Henry the third and afterward by the Emperour Maximilian the first in the yeare 1494. And also he gave the Government of Groninga and all Friesland to Albert Duke of Saxonie the Groningians refusing the governement of the Saxons who having made many treaties of peace but in vaine they committed themselves in the yeare 1506 into the Protection of Edzard Earle of East Friesland and afterward dismissing Edzard because he was not able to resist
7 Munster 7 Osonbrug 7 â—â—ssaw 2 Frisingen 2 Kempse Gurâ—k or Goritâ— 3 Seckaw 3 Havandt 5 Basel 5 Sitten or Wallis 5 Regensburg 2 Maissen 8 Naumburg 8 Minden 7 Lubeck 8.9 Vtricht 7 Camin 8 Swerin 9 Geneve 5 Camerick 7 Verdun 5 Losan 5 Metz 5 Toul 5 Luyck 5 Trent 7 Brixen 3 Mâ—rspurg 3 Labach 8 Vienna 3 Brandenburg 8 Ratzenburg 9 Schlâ—swick 9 Havelburg 8 The secular Princes and Nobles are The Duke of Bavaria 2 The Arch Duke of Austria 3 The Duke of Saxonie 8 The Duke of Burgundie 10 The Palatine of Bavaria 2 The Duke of Cleveland 7 The Marquesse of Brandenburg 8.1 The Duke of Lunenburg 9 The Duke of Pomeren 9 The Duke of Mekelenburg 9 D. Lawenburg 9 D. Holsten 9 D. Lotringen 5 The Landgrave of Hessen 5 D. Wirtenberg 5 D. Zweibrug 4 D. Spanheym 5 The Marquesse of Baden 4.5.7 The Landgrave of Lutchtenburg 2 The Prince of Anhalt 8 The Earle of Hennenberg 1 The Burgrave of Meissen The French Princes are Duke Meiss or Massa D. Savoy D. Chalon The Clergie are The Prior and Abbot of Fuld 5 Pr. Ab. Hiersfeldt 5 Pr. Ab. Kemten 4 Ab. Retchenaw 4 Pr. Praepos Wissenburg 5 Pr. Ab. S. Galli 4 Pr. Ab. Salfeldt 8 Pr. Praepos Elwangen Teutsch ordens Maister 3 Iohans ordens Maister 5 Ab. Waingarten 4 Ab. Salmanswercher 4 Ab. Krutzlingen 4 P. Ab. Murpach 5 Ab. Walkenriedt 8 Ab. Schuttem 4 Ab. Weissenow or Minderaw 4 Ab. S. Blasi 4 Ab. Maulprun 4 Pr. Ab. Corbey 7 Ab Schussenriedt 4 Ab. Rittershausen 8 Ab. Steinam Reyn 4 Pr. Ab. Scarfhauson 4 Ab. Kempeseck 2 Ab. Waldsachsen 2 Ab. Finsidoln 4 Ab Rokenburg 4 Ab. Ochsenhausen 4 Praepos Seltz 6 Ab. S. Gilgen 1 Ab. Nuenburch Ab. S. Maximinus neere Triers 6 Ab. Heneldshansen Ab. S. Iohans zu Curtel Ab. Gengenbach 4 Ab. Koningsbrun 4 Ab. Rodt otherwise Roden 2 Ab. Markthal 4 Ab. Rockerhausen Ab. S. Peter in Schworztwald 4 Praepos Odenheim 5 Pr. Ab. Stablo 7 Ab. Disidiense 4 Ab. Berkenhausen Ab. Elchingen 4 Ab. Hentzlingen Ab. Vrssevis Ab. Planckenburg Ab. Yssin Ab. Pfessers 4 Ab. S. Iohn in Thurtal 4 Ab. Peterhausen 4 Ab. Pruim 5 Praepos Camberg 1 Ab. Reishaim 2 Ab. S. Heimeram at Ratisbon 2 Praepos Berchtolsgadon 2 Ab. S. Gegory at Munster 5 A. Muncherode 4 Ab. S. Cornelis at Munster 7 Ab. Werden 7 Ab. Aursperg 4 Ab. Yrse 4 Ab. Brun. 4 Ab. Echtermaken 7 Ab. Hervorden 7 The Abbatesses Of Quedelnburch 8 Essen 7 Alt Munster to Regensburg 2 Pr. Ober Munster to Regensburg 2 Kauffingen 5 Lindaw 4 Pr. Gernrode 8 Buchaw 4 Rotenmunster 4 Hâ—ppach 4 Gutenzel 4 Beundt 4 Baley Coblentz 6 Baley Elsas 4 Baley Osterich 3 Baley In der Etsch 3 The Earles Barons and Lords The Earle of Helfenstein 4 Earle Kirchberg 4 H. Tussen 4 Eaâ— Wisenstaig 4 E. Lauffen 4 E. Montfort 4 E. Furstenberg 4 â— Zâ—mmeren 4 B. Gundâ—â—singen 4 H. Stutgart 4 H. Iustingen 4 H. Sâ—heâ—stingen Mâ—â—â—â—ke Eberstein 4 B. Geroit Zeck 4 B. Ober Hewen 4 F. Otingen 4 B. Rapoltstain 5 H. Râ—poltzkirâ—ken 5 B. Starssen 2.4 H. Hohen Rechperg 5 H. Berletzicke H. Hohen Konigsperg H. Hohenfeldt and Tipoltzkirch E. Sultz 4 F. Hogen Zollem 4 H. Braides B. Sonnenberg 4 E. Castel 1 E. Vertheim 1 E. Rheineck 1 E. Hohenloe 1 H. Reichelsperg 1 H. Limburg 1 E. Erpach 1 E. Leiningen 5 E. Falckstein 5 E. Hanaw 5 E. Luchtenberg 5 E. Nassaw Breda and Dillenborg 10.7 E. Wisbaden and Iltzstain 5 E. Sarbrucken 5 E. Waldtpurg 4 E. Nassaw in Weilpurg 5 E. Belstein 6 E. Koningstein and Epstein 5 E. Eisenberg the higher 5 E. Eisenberg the lower 6 E. Mersen E. Budinghen E. Wirnenburg 7 E. Solms 5 B. Vinnenburg or Vanenberg 7 E. Arnsberg 7 E. Of Rhene 5 H. Falckenstein 4 H. Kunseck 4 H. Kunseckerberg 4 Count Horne 10 Count Seyn 7 Co. Vintzlingen Co. Reyen Co. Bitsch 5 Co. Salm 5 Co. Veldentz 5 Co. Dengen 4 Co. Rappin 4 Co. Hardech 3 Co. Hohenstein 8 Co. Wolkenstein 3 Co. Schaumburg and Giengen 7.3 Co. Dierenberg and Someraw 7 Co. Mansfeilt 8 Co. Stolberg 8 Co. Buchlingen 8 Co. Barbey and Mullingen 8 Co. Gleichen 1.8 Co. Schwartzenburg Co. Suenberg or schonberg Co. Iude H. im Ruech H. Geraw Co. Ples 5 Co. Plawen 8 Co. Weda and Ringelberg 7 H. Reichenstein Co. Olnbrug Co. Lebenstain 4 Co. Regenstain Co. West frieslandt Co. Ostfrieslandt 7 Co Van der Lippe 7 Co. Oldenburg 7 Co. Delmenhorst 9 Co. Hoya 7 Co. Westenburg 5 H. Muntzenburg 5 Co. Lemgow Co. Waldeck 5 H. Lostenstein Co. Diepholt 7 Co. Steinfort 7 Co. Benthem 7 Co. Brunchorst 7 Co. Witgenstein Co. Spigelberg Co. Biversdorff H. Ridberg 7 Co. Teckelnborg 7 H. Linge Co. Dortmund 7 Co. Winsdorff Co. Ortenberg 2 Co. Rippershodeâ— Co. Hagen 2 Co. Hoonfels 2 Co. Lecseneck 8 Bo. Bergen 10 C. Degenburg 2 B. Obersultzberg H. Somiriss Co. Manderscheid 7 Co. Reiferscheidi 6 Co. Egmont and Isselstein 10 H. Bergen and Waelhelm 10 H. Haber alias Havere 5 H. Wildenfelfs or Widerfels 8 B. Tautenberg 8 Co. Tubingen 4 Co. Blanckenberg or Blammont 5 Co. Kirchingen Krehanges 5 H. Senster 3 H. Roggendorff 3 H. Alendorff H. Kunigfuckerbeg H. Morspurg and Befo rt 5 H. Brandenstein and Ransâ— H. Wolfsteine H. Permont H. Fronsbek H. Flackenstein H. Witten Ritt Fridberg Ritt Gleichausen In this second member some doe want numbers because they are not mentioned afterward in the Circles Pr. signifies Princes Ghe Fursten a Praelate D. Dukes Co. Countes H. Heerschafften Lords B. Barons The third member of the Empire is of the free Citties Rheinische Banck Coln 6.8 Aken 7 Worms 5 Spier 5 Turckheim 5 Hagâ—â—aw 5 Weissenberg 5 Straesburg 5 Ober Ebenhaim 5 Roshaim 5 Schletstat 5 Colmar 5 Altach 5 Basel 5 Kaisersberg 5 Mulhausen in Suntgow 5 S. Gregoris Munster 5 Metz 5 Toul 5 Verdun 5 Landaw 5 Kaufmans Sarbruck 5 Besancon 5 Camerick 7 Franckfort 5 Fridberg in Wederaw 5 Gelnhausen 6 Wetzlar 5 Aleu 4 Lubeck 9 Hamborg 9 Dortmund 7 Mulhusen in Duringon 9 Northansen 9 Gosler 9 Gottingen 9 Brakel 7 Wartburg 7 Lemgow 7 Duysburg 7 Dantzick 8 Elbinghen Schwabishche Banck Regensburg 2 Nurenberg 1 Rottenburg an der Tauber 1 Weissenburg an Nortgaw 2 Donawerd 4 Washaim 1 Schweinfurt 1 Wimpsen 4 Hailbrun 4 Hal in Schwaben 4 Norlingen 4 Dinkelspuel 4 Vlm 4 Ausptrg 4 Gengen 4 Bopfingen 4 Gemunt in Schwaben 4 Eslingen 4 Reutlingen 4 Weyl 4 Pfullendorff 4 Kauffbeurum 4 Northausen Vberlingen 4 Wangen 4 Ysui 4 Lewkirch 4 Memmingen 4 Kempten 4 Buchorn 4 Ravenrsburg 4 Bibrach 4 Lindaw 4 Costintz 4 Rotweil 4 Offenburgk 4 Gengenbach 4 Zel in Hamesbach 4 Schaffhausen 4 S. Gal 4 Buchaw am Federsee 4 Besides these severall members for the avoyding of schismes in the Empire and for the mutuall defence and common preservation of peace among the Princes of Germanie the Provinces of the Empire are divided into certaine Countries which they call Circuits and in them there are particular Counsells
they dwelt beyond Visurgis which may be also collected out of Tacitus But this first Table or Chart of Westphalia doth containe the Counties of Oldenburg Hoya Diepholt and the neighbouring Lordships The Politicke state of Westphalia does consist of three orders 1. The Clergie 2. the Nobles 3. the free Citties In the first order are the Bishops of Paderborne Leodium Vltrajectum Munster Cameracum Osnaburg Ferdensis and Mindensis The Abbots Werdensis Strablonensis S. Cornelius Munster Echternaokensis Corbei and Hervordensis and the Abbatesle Essensis In the second order are the Princes Earles and Barons as the Duke of Cleueland and the Countie of March the Duke of Iulia and Bergen The Marquesse of Baden the Earle of East Friesland or Embda the Earle of Sein the Earle of Dillenburg the Earle of Vernenberg THE FIRST TABLE OF VVESTPHALIA Wesphalia cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Earle of Manderscheid the Earle of Weida and Ringelberg the Earle Mâ—ursensis the Lord of Brunchorst the Earles of Steinford Benthem Dortmund Oldenburg the Lord of Ridburg the Earles of Hoya and Diepholt and Scaumburg the Lords of Spiegelberg and Vanenberg the Earles of Arenberg of Lip and the Lord of Somerauss In the third order which is of the free Citties there are Colen Aquisgranum under Wesel Durun Cameracum Dortmund Susatum Duysburg Hervord Brukel Wartburg Lemgow and Werden But so much of this now our order requires that we should unfold the Cities and townes of Westphalia But seeing we are to speake of the Dioecese of Bremes we will leave off for a while the description of Westphalia and returne to it againe in the following Tables and so will passe to the Bishopricke of Bremes THE BISHOPRICK OF BREMES THe Bishopricke of Rhemes commonly called Stifi Bremen so called from the Cittie hath the shape and figure of a triangled Isosceles whose almost equall sides are the Rivers Visurgis and Albis which doe meete at the highest corner nere the Peninsula which is named after a Tower built there for the defence of ships that passe that way The Base of it is a line drawne from the river Esta through the borders of the Country of Luneburg and Verdensis a little beneath the mouth of the River Allera which doth there discharge it selfe into Visurges For the River Esta is the limmit of the Countrie of Bremes and Hamburg which the River Sevena which is small at first but afterward emptyeth it selfe into Albis with three Channells doth divide from the Dukedome of Luneburg This Countrie is not every where of one soyle For the two farthest parts of the Dioecese of Bremes neere the bankes of the River Albis and Visurgis are very fat and fruitfull But the middle tract betweene Stada and Bremes over which the Merchants doe usually travell is full of barren sands Marshes and Bryars So that the Dioecese of Bremes is commonly compared to a Cloak or Mantle the two former parts whereof begin from the confluence and meeting of the River Albis and Visurgis and so falling downe to the banckes of both those Rivers are embrodered as it were with fruitfull fields and Meddowes but the other part is woven of a courser threed Heere the auncient Chaucians were formerly seated who held all that tract of ground from Visurgis even to Albis and Hamburg The Metropolis is Brema which Ptolomie Plinnie Appianus Pencerus and Ireniâ—us doe call Phabiranum it is commonly called Bremen It is a Hanse Cittie neere the River Visugis well fortified both by Art and naturall situation having faire streetes and being full of Cittizens and rich by merchandising and traffique It hath a faire Market place where there are markets kept weekely for all kinde of provision On one side of the Market place the Cathedrall Church standeth and on the other side the Senate house which hath a publike Wine Cellar under it in which the Senate doth keepe their wine and sell it for a reasonable price Which is a common custome in many Citties of Wandalia and Westphalia that the Senate maketh that which is got by wine charges defray publicke charges Brema was at first a poore Towne but as the Christian religion did encrease so it did increase also for which it is beholding to the Bishops thereof who made it a Metropolitan Cittie and graced it with the title of the mother Church of al the North and walled it about See the Catalogue of Bishops in M. Adams his ecclesiasticall history There is the Citty Stada or Stadum which is in the Archbishoprick of Breams being situate nere Zuinga on the Southerne banck of the River Albis it is the greatest Cittie in Saxonie There is also the Towne Buxtchuda This Country is watered with these Rivers Visurge Albi Esta which are full of fish as Ecles Lampryes and Salmons which those of Breames doe salt up and dry in the smoake so that the Cittizens doe sell them for rarities and make a greate gaine of them The Bremensians are by nature warlike industrious and somewhat inclined to sedition They love learning and liberall Artes especially when they have gotten them abroad by studying in forraine Countries but otherwise they are more addicted to merchandising than learning for they get their wealth by traffique and trading and by making long voyages So that almost all the Cittizens are either skilfull Merchants or Tradesmen or Shipwrights THE SECOND TABLE OF WESTPHALIA IN our description of Westphalia the Citties are among which the first is Munster the Metropolis or Mother Cittie of all Westphalia Ptolemie calls it Mediolanum as Pyrchaimerus thinketh it is commonly called Munster It is a very faire strong Cittie in which both learning and the Romaine Language did flourish 60 yeare since The Cittie of Munster nameth the whole Bishopricke which was so called of a famous monastery built there See Munster Lib. 3. of his Cosmographie Heere began the faction of the Anabaptists in the yeere of our Lord 1533 so that all of that sect did repaire hither where they chose one Iohn Buckholdus a Cobler to bee the head and ringleader of this sedition a Vulgar fellow fit for any attempt and farre excelling all the rest both for wit boldnesse eloquence and cunning Hee did not feare to stile himselfe King of Munster Whereupon the Bishoppe thought it meete to suppresse this sect and so being ayded and helped by the Archbishop of Colen and also the Duke of Cleveland after foureteene moneths seige hee obtained his Cittie And then hee commanded that the King should have some of his flesh pull'd off with hot Pincers and then he should be hung out of the Tower in Iron chaines Susatum or Soest is the richest and fairest Cittie next to Munster having tenne great Parishes They report themselves that it whas but a Castell at the first but afterward by degrees it became a very great Cittie And from thence it was there called Susatum because in regard of the convenient situation houses were built by the Castell so that from the dayly increase
their provision every yeare and doe keepe nothing for the future time so that in times of warre or when unseasonable weather does kill the fruites of the earth they live very penuriously Yet the poore are releeved out of publicke granaries This Countrie hath not many natiue inhabitants for the greatest part consists of strangers as Swethlanders Bavarians Burgundians Sabaudians and Lotharingians who having once entred into a Country doe not soone remove from thence The Swethlanders doe chiefely reside in it Moreover the fifth circle of the Empire is that of the Rhene It consists of three orders first the Clergie secondly the Princes and thirdly the free Citties In the first there are the Bishop of Wormes of Spier Straesburg Basel and Besancon in the Countie of Burgundie in the Province of Wallis whose Metropolis is Selton there are the Bishops of Geneve Losanna Metz Toul and Verdun The Abbots of Hiersfeâ—d Morbach S. Gregoris Munster In the second order are Princes Earles and secular Lords as the Dukes of Lotharingia and Saveye the Count of Spanhein the Marquesse of Baden the Duke of Sweibrucke the Count of Veldentz the Landgrave of Hessen the Prince of Calim the Count of Nassaw in Sarbrucke the Earles of Rhene the Lords of Rapoitzkirchen neere Rapoltstain the Earles of Bitsch Salm Hanaw Lichtenberg Lemingen and Falkenstain the Lords of Morspurg and Befo rt of Rapolslain of Hoen Rechpurg Blakenberg and Blammont in Lotharingia the Earles of Weâ—baden and Iâ—stain and Cuningstaine the Lord Van Eppenstam the Earles of Isenburg in higher Alsatia of Solms of Nassaw in Weilburg of Sienvigen of Havare the Lord of Muntzinburg the Earles of Westenburg of Witgenstam of Waldeck of Flesse The third order is of the free Citties which are Mulhusen in Sundtgow of higher Alfatia also Basel Colmar Kaisersperg Turckbam Saint Gregoris Munster Ober Ebenhaim Straesburg Rosenhaim Schletstat Hagenaw Weissenburg Landow Spier Wermes Francfort Fridberg in Wederaw Wetzlar Metz Toul Vedtn Kausmans Sarbruck the Castle Besano Fridberg and the Castle Gleichhausen THE LANTGRAVIATE of the higher ALSATIA vvith SVNTGOVIA and GRISGOIA THE HIGHER ALSATIA ALSATIA SUPERIOR Brisgoâ—a remaines which is to bee unfolded and described in this Table Brisgovja or Brisgoja is commonly called Brisgow which signifies in the Germaine Language a faire Towne And truly this Country doth deserve that title in regard of the fertility and fruitfulnesse thereof in which it is not inferiour to Alsatia which we have even now described But if we have recourse to auncient writers we shall finde that this Country was so named from the Metropolis Brisacum of which we shall speake by and by Brisgoja is ten miles long and eleven broade for it beginneth at Nortnaw and runneth out almost to Basil It is a fruitefull Country both for tillage and Vines And here is great store and plenty of Corne and Wine and of all things necessary for the sustenance of mans life The Archdukes of Austria and the Marquesses of Baden doe joyntly governe this Country The Metropolis of Brisgoja was heretofore Brisacum whence the Country is denominated and Antonius mentioneth it in his Itinerarie of the Mountaine Brisacum when as he maketh mention of no other Citties beyond the Rhene but those Provinciall Citties which are seated by the Rhene Luitprandus Ticinensis who lived in the time of Otto the first doth make the Mountaine Brisacum to be in Alsatia and sheweth that it was an Island of Rhene This Cittie is situated on a round Mountaine like a Castle and it hath the Rhene on the West It is a neate Towne well fortified and populous but in processe of time it exceeded Friburg it selfe for magnificence and riches This Cittie increased presently and grew famous in regard of the Minerall Mines which are neere unto it In Brisacum there is an auncient Castle which hath long beene ruinate yet now at length it hath beene reedified It hath a strong well fortified Tower which Bertholdus Ziringensis the third built as appeareth by these following verses graven on the stone walls Hanc Dux Bertholdus portam struxisse notatur A quo pro fraude Burgundia gens posulatur The Duke Bertholdus builded up this gate Which the Burgundians did ruinate This Cittie hath but one fountaine over which there is a Conduit built in which there is a wheele in which they goe and draw up water a great depth and the Cittizens do yerely pay for the drawing up of the water For it hath on every side a great steepe descent to the Rhene and the plaine from whence it is very hard to draw up water into the Mountaine Halfe a mile beneath Friburg there is a ruinate Castle situated on a high Mountaine which is called Zaringhen from which the Dukes of Zaringa had their title Friburg is a famous Towne in Brisgoja and now the Metropolis thereof it was built by Duke Ferthold the fourth the sonne of Câ—nradus the first in the reigne of the Emperour Henry the fifth being formerly but a Village It is a Cittie pleasantly seated among the Mountaines being adorned with many magnificent houses Churches and Monasteries There was an Vniversity erected there in the yeere 1459 wherein Vdalrick Zasius a famour Lawyer did teach and reade publickly It had heretofore a rich Veine of silver a mile distant from the Cittie There also is in Brisgoja Zering heeretofore a Dukedome the County of Friburg the Marquiship of Heâ—â—berg and the Lordships of Badenwille Staussen and Burcken THE LOWER SAXONIE SAxonie was so called from the Saxons Their originall as also of other Nations not only the Monkes ignorant in Antiquities but moderne judicious writers have wrapped up in fabulous inventions some suppose that they were so called from Saxo the sonne of Negno and the brother of Vandalus others à Saxca natura from their stony nature others from the remainder of the Macedonian Army some from their skeines or short swords as appeareth by these verses in Engelhusins Quippe brevis gladius apud illos Saxa vocatur Vnde sibi Saxo nomen traxisse putatur A cuttell or a short-sword they Saxon call Whence the name of Saxon takes originall THE LOWER SAXONIE SAXONIA INFERIO et Mekleburg The Dukedome of Meckelburg was heretofore a part of a Province belonging to the King of Vandalia lying neere unto the Baltick Sea but now it is one of the chiefe Dukedomes of Germanie and a member of the Empire it hath on the East Pomerania on the West the River commonly called de Elve on the South it hath the auncient Marca on the North the Balticke Sea It is a very fruitfull Country abounding with Wheate Apples Wood and Fish There are also divers sorts of living creatures and great store of Oxen and Cattell and wilde beasts Moreover Aritbert being descended of the royall stocke and having lived some while in Charles the Greats Court marryed the Emperours sister by whom he had Billingus a man powerfull yet milde and mercifull whom the Sarmatians and Vandalls even from
is now at this day in which the Emperour builded a royall and magnificent Pallace The Towne Helmstad is in the middle way betweene Brunswicke and Magdeburg which William Duke of Brunswicke redeemed from the Abbot of Werden with a certaine summe of money payd unto the said Abbot and so reduc'd it into his owne power Halberstad is an Episcopall Cittie by which glideth the River Oltemia In the middle of this Cittie there is a hill which is two furlongs in length and on the top of it there is a large plaine at the two farthest Corners whereof there are two Churches In the middle there is a Market place which is encompassed round with Religious houses but that part which is situate on the Mountaine is called the Cittie and that part which lyeth at the foote of the hill is called the Suburbs The soyle round about this Cittie is very good having standing Corne which is higher than a man on horsebacke Quedelimberg is an auncient Cittie and not farre distant from Magdeburg which was built by the Emperour Henry Auceps There is also the Towne Hannovera by the bancke of the River Leine over against an ancient Castell belonging to the Earles of Lauwenrod but now in the time of Henry Leen about the yeare of Christ 1056 it was subject to this Castell which because it stood on the other side of the River the Courtiers called it Hannover It is now a flourishing Cittie in Saxonie For it is well fortified with ditches and very populous Hildesheimum or Hildesium which Ptolomie and Irenicus call Ascalingium is an auncient Cittie being at first divided into two parts but afterward it was united It hath a very faire Church and the steeple is gilded It is a pleasant Cittie and Ludolphus of Colen an excellent Mathematician was borne heere being a Bishops seate Irenicus doth reckon up the bishops thereof which Crantzius also doth in his Metropolis and Antonius Monchâ—acinus more accurately Lib. 2. of the first beginning of Christian religion But the Bishopricke of Hildesheim was first founded and instituted in Saxonie by Charles the Great King of France and Empeperour of Germanie Northausen is an Emperiall Cittie There are also contained in this Table the Dukedome of Grubenhagen which is a member of the Empire and also the Principalitie of Anhalt also Mansfielde and auncient Countie of auncient Saxonie by the river Sala so that Hegenus who lived in the time of King Arthur of Brittaine was Earle of Mansfeld in the yeare 542 it was so called from Mannus the sonne of Thuiscon The chiefe Citties are Mansfeld neere the River Wiperus also Eislebia and Wypra Eâ—slebia is the Metropolis betweene the Rivers Sala and Wiperus which was so called from Isis who as Tacitus reporteth did wander after her husbands death through the coasts of Suevia Neere unto it there are mettall Mines in the Mountaines Melliboci It is supposed that the Tubantians did inhabit these parts This Countie hath under it these foure Counties Wippra Arnslein Wâ—tin and Quernfurt Also the Counties of Barby Stolberg Hohenstein Regenstein and Plesse There are also these Ecclesiasticall principalities Meydburg the Archbishoprick of Germanie and primate of Germanie the Bishoprick of Hildesheim and Halberstat Also the Bishopricke of Quedelborg and Gernroade and Stifien which are in the eight circle of the Empire There remaineth in this Table the Bishopricke of Magdeburg The Bishopricke of Magdeburg commonly called Meydburg is so called from the cheefe Cittie Charles the Great having reformed all Saxonie did institute twelve Bishoprickes in it the chiefe whereof was the Bishopricke of Magdeburg whose seate was at the first in Styde afterward it was translated to Valersleve and thirdly to Vrese And afterward in the yeere 1130 Otto did translate it to Magdeburg who made it the primate of Germanie as it appeareth by a great booke of Chronicles which hath no Authors name set to it Albeit the Archbishop of Saltzburg and other Archbishops that are Electors doe not yeeld priority or supremacy to the Bishop of Magdeburg as Crantzius delivers iâ— his Metropolis But Otto the first did make the Burggrave of Magdeburg that he might sit in publike judgement in the Emperours steede both in this Country and Bishopricke and in the adjacent Countries Gero Marquesse of Lusatia was the first that bore this office by the ordination and appointment of Otto whose memory is preserved by a Monument which is in the Friary of Geroden After him they reckon some others who followed successively in this order Hermann Duke of Saxonie Lotharius Earle of Waldeck Fredericke the sonne of Lotharius Conradus his Nephew Manfred halfe brother by the mother side to Conradus He being slaine in the warres Dittericus Earle of Plocensium had his honors whose Daughter Vdo Marquesse of Brandenburg having married and thereby got the Burgaviate he left his sonne Henry his successor After whose decease Lotharius did leave the same office to Burchard of the house of the Lords of Quetfort from whom the Earles of Manifeld are originally descended After whom there were the Lords of Schrapela after whom the Emperour did translate it to the Dukes of Saxonie Electors for the Empire The chiefe Cittie is Magdeburg heeretofore called Parthenopolis from Venus Parthenia who was worshipped there situated by the River Albis Iohn Capniâ— calleth it Domadum Pyrgum Aeneas Silvius calleth it Magdeburg and writeth that Virginopolis was a famous Metropolitan Cittie in Saxonie memorable both for wealth and strength Ligurinus calleth it the Virgin Cittie and the habitation of Virgins and Ptolomie calls it Mesovion Otto builded this Cittie as Lupoldus writeth Otto Frisingensis did enlarge it and was buried there This is a famous Emperiall Cittie it is divided into three parts and fortified with walls and Bulwarkes having strong Towers and Rampiers also faire houses large beautifull streetes and magnificent Churches especially the great Church of Saint Maurice being built by the Ottoes of square free stone The Magistrate doth keepe the civill law of the Romanes written in the Saxon language which was confirmed and established by Charles the Great so that the neighbour Nations doe thereby decide controversies and this law is much reverenced and esteemed And let so much suffice concerning the Bishopricke of Magdeburg And now to conclude this description let us set downe the Rivers which are in the Countries contained in this Table which are Albis Onacra Oltemia Sala Wiperus Inderst Struma Roide Ruma Vker Fues and others It hath also the Mountaines der Ramelberg Meliborus and others and also divers woods as Auff dem Hartz-waldt Solingerwaldt and others which you may behold in the Table or Chart. HASSIA or the Landgraviate of HESSEN Hassia hath great store of Nobilitie and Noble places which it would be convenient to know but I could discover nothing hitherto of them nor of the state of the government I have onely found out that there are two Counties Solms 30.15.50.35 and Witgenstein 30.17.50.50 The Meridians are distant according to the proportion of
the 510 Parallel to the great circle HASSIA or the Landgraviate of HESSEN HASSIA Landgraviatus Qualis Hyperborcum prospectans Thrasa Booten Gradivi domus ad Rhodopen Hemum que nivalem Circumfusa jacet gelidis assucta pruinis Gâ—gnit in arma viros duratos frigore quique Aut Hebrum Nestum que bibunt aut Strymonis undas Talis ipsa situ talis regione locorum â—t fluvus Silvisque frequens montibus altis Hassia Natura similes creat alma locorum â—eu natos in bella viros quibus omnis in armis Vita placet nonulla juvat sine Marte nec ullam Esse putant vitam quae non assueverit armis Quod si tranquillae vertantur ad ocia pacis Ocia nulla terunt sine magno vana labore Aut duro patrios exercent vomere colles Aequatosque solo campos rimantur aratris Namque planities segetum faecunda patentes Explicat innumeras plena messe colonos Ditat ipsa sibi satis est aut ardua Sylvae Lustra petunt Canibusque feras sectantur odoris Venatu genus assuctum Genus acre virorum Aut leges aut Iura ferunt aut opida condunt Fortia c. As warlike Thrace looking upon the North By Rhodope and Hemus stretcheth forth It selfe and is mur'd to snow and cold Breeding such men as hardy are and bold Who of Hebrus or of Neslus water drinks Or of the River Strimon yet ne're shrinke Such for Situation and Mountaines hie For many woods and Rivers gliding by Is Hassia for the men by nature are Like those and even borne unto the warre Who in the warres alone doe take delight And all their life time are enur'd to fight And if sometime they live in quiet peace From toilesome labour they doe never cease For either they the levell fields doe till Or with the Plough they teare up the hard Hill For this same land hath many fruitfull Plaines Which plenteous harvests doe bring in much gaines Vnto the husbandman or else repaire To the woods to hunt such wilde beasts as there are With Hounds for these same people don't contemne Hunting but are a violent kinde of men For either they make lawes or Townes doe build Which doe not onely strong defence them yeeld In times of Warre but in the times of peace They yeeld delight when as the warres doe cease What should I here the Sacred springs commend The Greenes and valleys which doe even contend With the Aemonian vales which doe excell For fruitfulnesse or what should I declare Those sweete and shady places which even are Fit to be the Muses seates and may right well Become the Goddesses therein to dwell O yee Fountaines of my Countrie cleare and cold And O ye Rivers that were knowne of old O the vales and pleasant Caves which still did use To be most acceptable to my Muse THE COVNTIE OF NASSAW or NASSAVIA NAssavia is called as it were Nass-gavia which word signifies a moist and slimie Country for the Towne which nameth the Country is encompassed on every side with moist and moorish grounds and in the Germaine speech Aw and Gaw doe signifie a Country so Thurgaw signifies a dry Country Rhyn-gaw a Country by the Rhene Otten-gaw a Country abounding with corne and so also Oster-gaw Wester-gaw and Brisgaw But this Countie hath others annexed to it as Weilburg Idesteâ—nen Wâ—esbaden Dietzen Cattimelibocen Beilstein It is boundered on the South with the Countie of Wiesbaden and Idesteinen on the East with Isenburg Solms and Hassia on the North it is bounded with Westphalia and the Countie of Witgenstein on the West with the Dukedome of Bergen and the Counties Weidan and Seynen It hath many Praefectureships As Frudebergen Sigenen Nephens Hegerana Ebersbacen Dillenburg Hilligenbacke Dringensteinen Lonbergen Herbornen Dridorf Beilsteinen Marenbergen Honstetten Ellerana Cambergen Altenberg Kidorff Nassavia and many others It is one of the freest Counties of the Empire the Lords whereof are subject to none but the Emperour and doe enjoy all the royall priviledges and praerogatives of the Empire as well as other Noble men They have power also to coyne gold or silver or brasse money as appeareth by some peeces of gold which are yeâ— currant The Landgrave of Hassia and the Earle of Nassavia are coe-Coe-Lords and by a joynt Title doe receive the revennewes of the Countie of Cattimeliboc by a covenant made in the yeere 1557 betweene Phillip Prince of Hassia and the Earle of Nassavia The Countrie in some places is plaine ground and in other places it riseth and swelleth into hills here it hath flourishing Vines as in the Countie of Dietzen and by the bancke of the River Lanus and otherwhere it hath pleasant meddowes and pastures or else fruitefull cornefields It hath also mettall Mines For in the Territorie of Sigen a certaine kind of Iron Mettall is melted out of stone out of which they cast Fornaces Iron Potts Kettles Stithies or Anvills Bulletts and doe make all kind of Iron worke At Frendeberg there is excellent steele made There are also the like Mines in the Countrie of Dillenburg Hegeran and Burback out of which Lead and Copresse are digged as in Ebersback where there is also a Glasse-house The chiefe wood is Westerwalt which is a peece of Hercyniâ— the lesser woods which are also part of Hercinia are Kalt-Eych Heygerstruth THE COVNTIE OF NASSAW or NASSAVIA NASSOVIA Comitatus Schelderwaldâ— diâ— Horre der Calemberg in which there is great store of wilde beasts for hunting The chiefe Rivers are â—aâ—â—â—â— Siega and Dille neere Siega is Sigena neere â—illa is Heâ—gera Dâ—llenburg and Herborn neere Lana are Dietz Nassovium Lâ—â—â—steâ—â—â—um where â—ane mingleth the river Rhene The Baths at Emsana do belong both to the Earles of Nassavia and the Landgrave of Hassia unto which they come farre and neere in regard of the soveraigne vertue of the water which they finde to bee very wholesome for many diseases There are also Fountaines at Codinga and Câ—mberga the water whereof being drunke will expell the winde Cholicke Mâ—â—â—â—a and Bertius among others have drawne the Pedegree of the Earles of Nassavia THVRINGIA or the Landgraviate of DVRINGEN The Nobilitie and state of this Countrie are yet unknowne unto me I have onely found out the Countie of Gleiâ—hen 32 50 50 58 c. and I thinke Kranichfelt 34 17 15 26 Also the Bishoprick of Mersburg 34 17 51 26. The Meridians are mutually distant one from another according to the Proportion of the Parallel 510 to the Aequinoctiall THuringia followes after Hassia commonly called Duringen being situated between the two Rivers Sala Werra the latter on the West-side the first on the East-side on the North it hath the wood Hercynia which they call Hartz and on the South the Forrest called Duringer waldt The length is equall to the bredth being 12 miles over This Countrie hath aboundance of all kindes of fruites and pulse and hath more store of Corne than any other part of
Prince of Franconia was Genebaldus who was governour thereof thirtie yeares After him there succeeded Marcomirus Dagobert Ludovicke the first Marcomirus the second Waramund alias Pharamund who being made King of France left his Dukedome to his brother Marcomer also Prunmesser Genebald the second Suno Luitemarus Hugbalaus Helmericus Gotefrid Genebald the third Ludovick the third after whom there followed Erebarâ— Ludovicke the fourth Gospert the second and Hetacus the last Duke who dying without an heyre he left the Dukedome to Wituninus King of France who was also called Pepin which afterward his sonne Charles the Great gave to Burchard the first Bishop of Viceburg and to his successors after him and so bestowed it on the Church in the yeare 752. It is now a Dukedome which tittle the Bishop of Herbipolis assumeth to himselfe Yet all Francâ—nia is not subject unto him For Kitzinga and Bristadium are subject to the Marquesse of Brandenburg and Gralingiacum to the Bishop of Babenberg Also Chronacum Forchimium Staphelsteinium â—ochstadium are under the bishop of Herbipolis Koningspergum Oxenfordia Carolastadium Hasfordia and Bischofsheim Alderburg Middleburg and some other townes are subject to the Bishop of Moguntinum Colburg belongeth to the Duke of Saxonie Wirceburg which Conradus Corta calleth Erebipolis Ligurinus Herbipolis Spanhemius Marcopolis Ptolemaeus Artaunum and the inhabitants Wirtzburg from a sweete kinde of wort or drinke which the Countrie of Herbipolis doth yeeld is the Metropolis and Mother Cittie of East France in which Boniface Archbishop of Moguntinum in the yeare of Christ 751 erected a Bishopricke It is situated on a plaine being encompassed on every side with faire hills pleasant gardens and fruitefull Meddowes and also well fortified with ditches rampires walls Towers and Bulwarkes It is full of Cittizens and hath many faire buildings On the West Moenus runneth by it which is a navigable River and it hath a stone bridge standing over it which is built on strong piles Neere the River Moenus there is a Castell seated on the Mountaine which hath held out many seiges and therefore seemes to be imprâ—gnable At the foote of the Mountaine there is a Monasterie which was built by Burchard at the cost and charges of Cumbert King of France in honour of the great confessor But it would not bee much from our present purpose to know the forme and order of the inauguration and consecration of the Bishops and Dukes of Wirceburg After the decease of the former Bishop the Bishop that is designed entreth into the Cittie with a great troupe of horse Being come into the Cittie he alighteth from his horse and having put off his richest roabe foure Earles doe bring him into our Saviours Church or house bare headed and barefooted in a poore weede or habit girt about with a little cord The officiall Earles are the Lords of Hennenbergh Castel Werthein and Reineck Then the Deane together with the Clergie goeth forth to meete him and asketh him what he seekes or what hee desireth And then he answereth very submissively That though unworthy he is now ready to take upon him that office unto which he was chosen and to discharge it faithfully Then the Deane saith In the name of the Chapter I doe here commit unto thy charge the house of the Saviour of the world and the Dukedome annexed to it in the Name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost Afterward he followeth the Clergie into our Saviours house and having put on the Pontificall roabe he first heares Masse and afterward hath a banket but first the body of the Bishop deceased is emboweld and set downe in the Chappell of the Castle and his heart being tooke out is put in a glasse vessell The next day he is brought out of the Castle into Saint Iames his Monasterie holding in his right hand a Crozier and in his left a sword the third day they goe againe to our Saviours house where after Dirges and prayer he is at last buried with a Crozier and a sword The other Citties are that which Ptolemie calls Bamberg Peter Appianus calleth it Granionarium and Granionarion in a Greeke booke it was at first called Balemberg that is the Mountaine of Baba from Baba the daughter of Otto Duke of Saxome and wife to Albert Earle of Babemberg others doe call this Cittie Psawenberg it is a very pleasant Cittie situated by the River Regnuz It hath many Mountaines Hills and Gardens and a very fruitfull soyle where great store of Musmillians and Liquerize doe grow It is an Episcopall Seate and as it hath bread many happy wits so it glorieth chiefely in Ioachim Camerarius a man famous for all kind of learning as appeareth by his workes set out by him which are read with much admiration There is also Francosort or Francoford by the River Moene which is commonly called Franck Furtam Mayn to distinguish it from the other Franckofort which is situated by Odera Munster writeth that it was heretofore called Helenopolis but he doth not shew when or from whence it was so called Henry Stephanus calleth it in his Emconion of this Cittie the Academie of the Muses the Athens of Franckford the Muses Mercuriall Faires and the Compendium or Epitome of all the Marts of the world This Cittie is divided into two parts by the River Moenus and joyned together againe with a stone Bridge It is now an Emperiall Cittie and famous through the whole world for two Marts or Faires Heere the Electors doe chuse the Romaine Emperours and if there be competitors that stand for the Empire they doe here sight for it and try it by battell There is also Moguntia commonly called Mentz some call it Moguntiacum Ptolomie Lib. 2. cap. 8. tab 3. calls it Neomagum Moguntia is so called from the River Maenus which some doe call Moganus and others Mogus It is an Episcopall and Metropolitan Cittie It hath a fruitefull soyle on either side of the River Rhene which yeeldeth great store of wine It is large and well fortified and very populous on that side which is toward Rheâ—â— but on the other side it hath few inhabitants it is very long but narrow There are faire houses built after the Romane fashion and magnificent Collegiate Churches with the Bishops Castle Here was an Vniversity erected by Bishop Theodoricke and it is thought that the Art of Printing was invented here It is subject to the Archbishop who is elector and Chanceller of the Empire There is also Mons Regius commonly called Conigsperg where Iohn de Monte Regio a great Mathematician was borne whose Commentaries upon Ptolomies Almagest are yet extant Schweinfordia is situated by the River Moene in the middle almost of Franconia There are also Kitzinga and Fridberg an Imperiall Cittie and others Moreover the first Circle of the Empire is in Franconia in which these are called to Councell first the Clergie as the Bishops of Bamberg of Hâ—rbipolis of Wirtzburg Duke of Franconia of Eichstett der Teutsch Ordens Master the Provost
from the Cittie Misna to which opinion Rithamerus in his description of the world doth agree But it seemeth that this Country was lately so named seeing we may gather out of Tacitus that the Hermundurians were formerly seated here for he mentioneth that the River Albis did rise among the Hermundurians It is bounded on the North with the Marquiship of Brandenburg and the higher Saxonie on the East with Lusatia and Silesia on the South it looketh toward the Kingdome of Bohemia and the Sudetian Mountaines on the West it hath Turingia They say the ayre was heretofore very bad and insufferable in regard of moyst exhalations arising from the Mountaines and the Woods but now the Woods being cut downe the foggy clouds are vanished so that the ayre is now more wholesome This Country aboundeth with all kinde of fruites so that it furnishes other Countries It hath every where great store of Corne and also great plentie of wine honey and cattell except in the Valley of Ioachim where the soyle is harder and lesse fruitfull But the rich Mines of Silver doth recompence the barrennesse of the superficies or surface of the earth The Mountaines also have divers kinds of mettalls as Silver Brasse Steele Iron Lead and in some places Gold In the time of Otto the Great this Countrie together with that higher Saxonie was called the Marquiship of Saxonie before the higher Saxonie was made a Dukedome Afterward in processe of time these Countries were divided into more Lordships and afterward they were reduc'd into one Dominion and had one denomination or name which happened in the yeare 1241 when the Landgrave of Turingia dying without issue his Territories came to the Lords of Misnia who from that time got both titles and were called Marquesses THE DVKEDOME of the higher SAXONIE SAXONIAE Superioris Lusafiae Misniaeque des of Misnia and Landgraves of Thuringia And in the yeare of our Lord 1423 the Prince Elector of Saxonie having no issue male the Emperour Sigismund did give the Dukedome of Saxonie to the Princes of Misnia which they doe still possesse and after that as Munster writeth they usurped a triple or threefold title There are many Citties in Misnia the chiefe Cittie is Misena on the left hand bancke of the River Albis which was built by Otto the first The next is Dresdena very pleasantly seated and well fortified Heere the Duke of Saxonie hath an armorie and a magnificent Pallace and a curious stone bridge Lipsia is a famous Mart Towne situated by the River Pleissena which excelleth all the other Citties of Misnia for wealth and beautie heere is a Noble Schoole for learning and wisedome which in those troublesome times at Prague was translated thither in the yeare 1408. In the same tract there are Itenburg Antiquae cellae Lautenberg and other Townes This Countrie is watered with these Rivers Albis Sala Mulda and others and it hath many woods as Gabreta and others which are parts of Hercynia The inhabitants are strong valiant and well proportioned in body they are also merry and pleasant friendly modest and peaceable and are not like the auncient Germanes for rudenesse of behaviour Lusatia LVsatia also as Rithamerus doth witnesse is a great part of Saxonie which lyeth betweene the Rivers Albis and Odera and the Mountaines of Bohemia But the name of Lusatia is derived from the Elysians or Lygians who as Ioachim Carens saith were seated here This Country hath good store of Corne and is very fruitfull It was sometime joyned with Misnia at length the Bohemians who strived to enlarge their Kingdome tooke it to themselves Lusatia is twofold the Lower and the Higher In the latter there are these Citties Sprenberg Prybus and Cotbus in the former Gorlits and Zitaw Gorlitum commonly called Gorlitz is the chiefest and Noblest Cittie in the higher Lusatia having many faire houses and being well fortified with walls and ditches and by the mountainous situation thereof and also by the Vicinitie of the River which is very profitable and commodious to Millers Brewers Dyers and other Cittizens There is a stone Bridge to passe over it which is covered over head But of all the publicke and private costly aedifices S. Peters Church and the Pallace are the chiefe This Cittie was first founded and built in the yeare 1030 as the Annalls thereof doe witnesse But in the yeare 1301 it was burnt downe to the ground so that there was not one house left standing But like a Phoenix that riseth out of her owne ashes so eight yeares afterward out of these ruines it was built fairer and more curiously than before It is subject to the Kingdome of Bohemia as also Lusatia And Iohn Dubravius Lib. 21. concerning the affaires of Bohemia doth shew how it came to the Crowne of Bohemia The River Nissa doth water Lusatia and doth much enrich it But so much concerning Lusatia Now let us returne to Saxonie and speake briefely of it These Noble Rivers doe water Saxonie Albis Sala Visurgis also Lusimicius Multaâ—ia Misa Sala Fulda Leyna Allenius Odera Ola Nisa and others It hath also many woods as Lunenbergerheid Spondawerheid Rottenawerheid Galberheid Pomerischeid which are parts of Hercynia The Saxones were heretofore distinguished into foure ranckes or orders the Nobles Gentry Freemen and Servants And there was a Law made that every one should marry in their owne rancke or tribe So that a Noble man should marry a Noble woman a Gentleman should marry a Gentlewoman a Freeman should marry a Freewoman and a Servant should marry a Servant and it was death to breake or infriuge this statute They had also excellent lawes for punishing malefactors Moreover Ober Saxon which is the eight Circle of the Empire doth consist of three orders the first are the bishops of Misnia of Merspurg of Naumburg of Brandenburg of Havelburg of Lubecke of Caminum The Abbots of Salveldt of Rottershausen and Falckenreiten Also the Abbetesses of Quedelnburg and of Genrode the second are the Princes and saecular Lords as the Duke Elector of Saxonie the Marquesse of Brandenburg Elector the Dukes of Pomerania the Princes of Anhalt the Earles of Schwartzenburg Count Mansfelt Count Stolberg Counte Hohenstein Count Buchlingen Count Rappin Count Mullingen Count Gleiche Count Leisneck Count Widersfelt the Lords of Bernaw B. de Tautenberg Count Regenslein Russe de Plaw D. de Gratz D de Schonberg The third are the free Citties as Daâ—â—iscum and Elbingen THE MARQVISHIP and Electorship of BRANDENBVRG THe Marquiship of Brandenburg which is represented in this Table was heretofore inhabited by the Vardals who spread themselves from the River Albis Eastward through the Countries of Mechelburg Brandenburg Pomerania Bohemia and Polonia It was so called from the Metropolis which at first was called Brenneburg as George Sabine saith Italiam quando digressus ab urbe petebam A Duce quae Brenno condita nomen habet Going to Italie that Cittie I did leave Which from Duke Brennus doth her name receive
abounding with all things necessary it is also paved and well fortified with Ditches Trenches and Bulwarkes it hath magnificent and sumptuous Aedifices both sacred prophane publike and private There are 23. Friaries and 49. Nunneries There is a Palace which was built by the Emperour Henry which is now a Court of Iustice and the chiefest of note in all Italy which is not supported with any Pillars but covered with Lead Moreover there is the Court of publike counsell with a Porch it is supported with Marble Pillars built of stone and covered with Lead there are 5. great Market-places 38. Bridges arched with stone over the River Bronta There are large Porches spacious Courts three Hospitalls for the sicke and as many for strangers There is also an Hopitall for Orphanes It doth containe 4000. houses The Inhabitants are very witty apt and prone to warfare vertue and studies Titus Livius Cn. Valerius Flaccus L. Aruntius Stella and many others have graced Padua with their birth It hath the famous University of Padua which was founded and instituted by the Emperour Charles the great or as some thinke by Frederick the second which was much enlarged by Pope Vrbane the fourth and perfected and established by the most illustrious Common-wealth of Venice There are also many Libraries well furnished with Greeke and Latine Bookes one at S. Iohns in the Garden another at S. Iustines the third at S. Antonies This Country is so watered with Rivers that to the great commodities and profit of the Inhabitants there is no Country Towne which is above 5. miles distant from a River FRIVLI and ISTRIA KARSTIA CARNIOLA AND the Marquiship of the VVindorians and the County of CILIA THere followeth in Mercator Forum Iulij and Istria with other Countries This Country was at first so called from Forum Iulij the chiefe Citty or as some would have it from Iulius Caesar who brought hither some Legions against the Germanes The Italians call it new Friuli the Germanes Friaul the Venetians and others doe call it Patria It appeareth also in Histories that it was called Aquilejensis The bounds of this Country on the East are Istria on the North the Stony Mountaines on the West the Vindelician and Norician Alpes on the South the Hadriatick Bay This Country hath a temperate climate a wholesome ayre faire fields well watered and yeelding abundance of all kindes of fruits the Medowes and Pastures flourishing and full of Cattell it hath also Vines which yeeld excellent rich Wines Woods it hath which affoord good Timber and excellent Hunting and also Mountaines full of Mettals Marble and other Pretious Stones The Euganians did first inhabit this Country afterward in processe of time the Venetians afterward the Frenchmen afterward it was under the Romane Empire which declining it was subject to the Langbards After them succeeded the Emperours and after them the Berengarians who being destroyed and excirpated it returned to the obedience of the Romane Empire The Emperour Othâ— gave a good part of it to the Church of Aquilejum and Conradus gave the other part with Istria The Venetians at length possessed it about the yeere 1420. who still doe governe it although the most part of it bee subject to peculiar Earles and Lords The Meâ—ropolis of this Country is Vtinum commonly call'd Vdenâ— the Germanes call it Weiden Leander supposeth that it is an ancient Towne and that Pliny maketh mention of it Niger beleeveth that it is that which Ptolemy and others doe call Forum Iulium Howsoever it is a large Citty magnificent and abounding with plenty of all things The compasse of it is 5. miles The Venetians doe now governe the Common-wealth by Presidents sent thither which they call Locumtenentes or Substitutes There are in it 16000. Citizens There are also other Citties Aquileia commonly called Aquilegia the Germanes call it Agler It is situate by the River Natison The Citty was heretofore large and spacious and fortified with walls and also beautified with Churches a magnificent Theater and other publike and private Buildings It is now unfrequented which was heretofore very faire and populous It remained faithfull and constant to the Romane Empire untill the time of Attila King of the Huns by whom being besieged and much distressed for FRIVLI· FORVM IVLIVM KARSTIA CARNIOLA HISTRIA ET WINORVM MARCHIA want of Corne at length it was taken and sackt and 30000. men who lived in it were put to the Sword the â—est fled to the Iland Afterward it was re-edified by Narsetes and for a time it was under the power of the Langbards untill the comming of harles the great into Italy after which time it was subject to the Kings of Italy and afterward to the Romane Emperours Afterward it began to bee under the government of Patriarkes from them it came to the Venetians under whom it now continueth in peace and tranquility But these Bishops are subject to the Patriarch of Aquilegium the Bishop of â—encordia Pola Parentium Triestinensis or Tergestinâ—nsis Coma lensis or Petenensis Iustinopolitanus Madrientis of the New Citty or Emonians Seeke the rest in the second Table of Lombardy Under the Bishop of Gradensis are the Bishops of Castellanium or Venice also Terceâ—â—nensis Equilensis or Eusulanus Caprulensis Clodiensis of the New Citty oâ— Gâ—ritia according to Leander which Ptolemy and Antoninus call â—uâ—â—um Carnicum Amasaeus Lib. of the bounds of Venice placeth Gâ—riâ—ia where Noâ—eja was heretofore Candidus calleth it Noritia Gâ—rilia hath his Princes which are subject to the Dukes of Austria It is a Towne famous for wealth and nobility There is also Portus Cruâ—â—ius which Pliny calleth Portus Romaâ—inus or Spilimâ—ergum which is well fortified both by nature and Art also Maranum which is very populous and rich The Mount Falcon is a noble rich Towne There is also the Citty Palma and a round Castle built by the Venetians in the yeere 15â—3 under the foundation whereof there was money laid with this Inscription on one side Pasalo Ciconta Duce Venetorum Anâ—â—â—m 1â—93 On the other side Fori Idlij Italiae Christianae sideâ— prâ—pugna â—â—â—m That is the Fortresse of Forum Iulium of Italy and the Christian faith lomit the other lesser Townes These Rivers doe appertaine to this Country Romantinum Tilaventum Sontius Frigidus Natisâ— Aâ—aâ—â—urus and others The Inhabitants are very prone and apt to humane Arts Merchandise and other honest studies ISTRIA· AFter Forum Iulium followeth Istria well knowne to Latine and Greeke writers which still retaineth that name the Germanes call it Hister-reich as it were the Kingdome of stria Plinâ—â— sheweth that it was heretofore called Iapydia It resembleth a Peninsula and lyeth for the most part betweene the two Bayes â—ergestinum and Carnaâ—ium it is encompassed with the Hadriatick Sea on the North it is bounderd with the Carnician and Norician Alpes on the West before it runneth forth into the Sea it hath the River Formio and the River Arsia on the East The breadth of it is eleven Miles the
HEERETOFORE CALLED PELOPONNESVS SO much concerning the chief Countries of Greece which are in the Continent Morea and Candia are next to be unfolded The former Ptolemy Strabo and Steph. doe call Peloponnesus it is a Peninsula but now it is happily called Morea from the incursions of the Moores Heretofore as Apolloderus and Pliny doe witnesse it was called Apia and Pelasgia Strabo delivers that it was Argos and afterward Argos Achaicum and Orosius Lib. 1. cap. 11. saith that it was called Achaja And also Apulejus in his 6. Booke of the golden Asse Eustathius did also call it Pelopia and Stephanus Inachia And in Eusebius Chronicle it is called Aegialia It was called Peloponâ—esus from Pelops a barbarous man who comming out of Asia raigned here For Pelopis signifies an Iland whereas it is not an Iland but a Peninsula and as Mela writeth it is most like to a Plantine leafe being as broad as long The Perimeter or compasse of it is 4000. Furlongs unto which Artemedorus addeth 400. It is joyned to the continent by an Isthmus or necke of Land the breadth whereof is 40. Furlongs Many have vainely attempted to cut thorow this narrow tongue of ground as Demetrius C. Caesar Caligula Nero and others but being frustrated of their purpose they made a wall there which they called Hexamilium Amurath the Turke threw it downe and the Venetians re-edified it in the yeere 1453. in 15. dayes space but the Turkes afterward did raze it downe to the ground In this Isthmus there was heretofore the Temple of Neptune where the Isthmian sports and Playes were celebrated Pel ponnesus hath on the East the Cretian Sea on the West the Jonian or Hadriatick Sea on the North it hath the Corinthian and Saronick Bay betweene which is the Isthmus on the South it hath the Mediterranean Sea This Peninsula is the Castle and chiefe part of all Greece and Pliny saith that it is not inferiour to any Country For it hath plenty and abundance of all things which serve rather for pleasure or necessity It hath fruitful Plaines and Hills and it is full of Bayes and Havens which doe make many Promontories The Elians the Messenians the Achivi the Sicyonians the Corinthians the Laconians the Argives and the Arcadians did heretofore inhabite Pelâ—ponnesus And this part of Greece was famous heretofore thorow the whole world for the Common-wealths of the Myceneans Argives Lacedemonians Siâ—vonians Eliensians Arcadians Pylions and Messenions out of which there came many famous Princes as Agamemnon Menelaus Ajax and others For this Country in regard of the situation and Maiesty thereof did governe all the other parts of Greeâ—e But now all Pelâ—ponnesus is under MOREA· MOREA the Turkes Dominion as also the rest of Greece although it were valiantly defended by some Earles of Greece whom they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lords and also by the Venetians But now a Sangiack doth governe 〈◊〉 â—rea under the Turke who is more potent than all the rest who â—â—â—deth at Modonum and at the Beglerbeys of all Greeces command hee iâ— to bring a thousand Horse into the Field at his owne cost and charges This Sangiack is called by the Barbarians Morabegi whose yeerely revenewes in this Province 700000. Aspers that is 14. thousand Crownes But it appeareth in Ptolemy and other Authors that all this Country was devided into 8. Provinces which are Corinth Argia Laconâ—a Messenia Elis Achaja Sicyonis and Arcadia Corinth is seated in the Isthmus it was so denominate from the chiefe Citty which was first called Ephyre Cicero doth worthily call it the light of Greece It hath a Haven on either side the one whereof looketh toward Asia the other toward Italy so that the convenient situation made it soone grow famous and the Isthmian Playes which were celebrated here Acrocorinthe was seated on a Mountaine 3. Furlongs and a halfe high and under it was Corinth 40. Furlongs in compasse On the top of the Mountaine there was a temple dedicated to Venus neere which was the Fountaine Pyrene which did first spring up as the Poets report from a stroke of Pegasus his hoofe who was the winged Horse of the Muses This Citty was raz'd by L. Mummius because they had discourteously entertained the Romane Embassadours after it had beene builded 952. yeeres by Aletes the Sonne of Hippotes as you may finde it in Paterâ—uâ—us Argia followeth which Ortelius calleth Romania The Citties of this Country are Mycenae where Agamemnon had his Palace whence Ovid calleth it Agamemnons Mycenae it was famous for the ancient temple of Iuno whence Iuno was called Argiva They report that the Cyclops did wall it about Not farre from hence was the Lake Lerna where Hercules kild the Lernaean Hydra or rather did scatter and kill the Theeves that did rob in those parts The Citty Argoâ— was built as some report by Argus Nauplia now called Neapolis is a strong Citty of Romania Epidaurus is in the innermost part of the Saronian Bay a Citty famous for Esculapius temple Next to Argia is Laconia The Metropolis or Mother Citty whereof is Sparta which was also called Lacedaemon and now Misithra it was heretofore a great potent Citty being not fortified with walls but by the valour of the Cittizens neither doth Pomponius praise it for magnificent Buildings but for Licurgus his Lawes and Discipline in which it contended with Athens as Thucidides noteth in his 8. Booke Leuctra may be knowne out of Plutarch by that sad and tragicall History of Scedasus Daughters There is also Epidaurus which is now called Malvasia Messenia reacheth from the Mountaine Taygetus and the River Panijsus even to Alpheus The chiefe Citty of it is Messene situate by the Sea it is now called Mattegia Aristomenis was the Country where renowned Messenius was borne who as Pausanias reporteth being ripped open after he was dead had a hairy Heart There is also Methone now called Modon where the Turkish Sangiack did sometimes keepe his residence Corone is now called Coron Pilus was the Country where Homers eloquent Nestor who lived three ages was borne And Ciparissi is now called Arcadia Elis is situate betweene Messenia Achaja and Arcadia The Citties are Elis thorow the middle whereof Peneus and Alpheus did runne famous for Iupiters temple Olympia was famous for the solemne Graecian Playes which were called Olympian games and for the sumptuous Temple of Iupiter Olympius which by the offrings and gifts of potent Princes and other men grew so great and beautifull that there was no Church in all Greece that could compare with it for magnificence and riches for Iupiter was religiously reverenced here Cipselus the Tyrant of Corinth did consecrate and sett up a golden Iupiter at Olympia of massie gold Afterward Phidius the Athenian did sett up a great Image of Iupiter of Gold and Ivory being 60. foote high which worke was reprehended by other Artificers because the Image was not proportionable to the Temple For whereas this Iupiter sate in an Ivory
received from his Father and made great use of the present opportunity the Christians being at that time in dissention amongst themselves whereby it came to passe that hee conquerd Mysia Lyâ—aâ—ia â—hrâ—gâ—â— and â—aria and also he besieged and tooke Nicaea and enlarged his Kingdome even to the Hellespont At that time the Palaeologieâ—s contended with Caeâ—aâ—uzens But hee knowing before hand that if hee should savour him hee should bee called into Eurâ—pe he past it over and shâ—â—â—d posterity a way how to vexe Europe In his latter time hee was kill'd in a battaile against the Tartarians after he had raigned 21. yeeres After him succeeded his Sonne Amurath who was cunning in simulation and disimulation couragious hardy and not inferiour to hiâ— Ancestorâ— for Military affaires He cunningly nourished those aforesaid dissentions betweene the Graecians who being wearied and tyred with continuall warre having hired Ships of the Genoaâ—s behold the trâ—â— herousnesse and covetousnesse of men did passe over our of Asia into Thrace in the yeere 1363. he tooke Callipolis which is seated in the Cheâ—sonesus after which a great part of Thrace yeelded it selfe Afterward he overcame Mysia the Bessians and Triballians Afterward having taken Adrianopolis and thinking to get â—ervia and Bulgaria he was stabbed with a dagger by Servius Servant to Lazarus the Lord of Servia whom he had tooke prisoner in the Warres Hee left two Sons Soliman and Bajazet Bajazet after his Brother was slaine obtaining the government purposed to conquer subdue all Thrace He was a man of a sharp wit and an aspiring mind bold in attempting diligent in contriving stout in suffering acute and wise in foreseeing oportunities and occasions and resolute in executing Insomuch that having subdued all Thrace he purposed to attempt Constantinople but first he thought it good to possesse himself of Thessaly Macedon â—hâ—cides and Attica and afterward the Prince of Bulgaria being slaine hee subdued the Mysians who are now called Servians the â—â—â—rians who are called Bosnensians the Triballians now Bulgarians And now having besieged Constantinople eight yeere fearing the comming of the Hungarian and French Army which the Emperor brought with him he raiseth his Siege and meetes with them at Nicopolis where joyning battel with them he got the victory the most part of the French Captaines being either slaine or tooke Prisoners Bajazet growing proud with this good successe marcheth againe to Constantinople and besieged it two yeeres together so that the besieged were ready to yeeld but that Tamerlaine the great Cham of the Tartars had purposed and resolved to waste all Asia with fire and sword to race the Citties and take all the pillage hee could get and so being terrified with his approach he left the Citty and so carryed his Army to the borders of Galatia and Bithynia where they met and fought untill it was deepe in the night But Bajazet being too weake was overcome and being taken Prisoner he was bound with Golden Fetters and so carryed in a Cage thorow Asia And long afterward he dyed in Asia after he had raigned 13. yeeres 6. moneths He left these Sonnes Calapinus Moyses Mahumet and Mustapha Calapinus dyed suddenly whose Sonne Orchanes was murthered by his Uncle Moyses and Moyses by his Brother Mahumet This Mahumet overcame all Valachia and Macedon and carried the Turkish Colours even to the Jonian Sea hee built himselfe a Palace at Adrianopolis and after he had raigned 17. yeeres he departed this life in the yeere of our Lord 1422. After him Amurath the second got the Empire He being brought into Thrace by the ayde of the Genoas in a Battell overcame his Uncle Mustephus whom the Graecians did favour more Hee raced and demolisht the ancient Citty of Thessalonica which was then a faire Citty pleasant rich and well seated which the Venetians then held And when he understood that the friendship of George Lord of Servia would bee much availeable unto him both to sett and establish his owne affaires and to weaken the Christians he sought by all meanes to win him to his side and moreover he married his Daughter And now being confident in his owne strength hee besiegeth Belgrade There were slaine at this Siege 7000. Turkes After him there succeeded Mahumet the second Hee having established his government by the murther of his Brother tooke Constantinople in the yeere 1458. on the last day save one of May. Two yeeres afterward he marched to Belgrade but there having lost many of his men he departed from thence wounded Afterward he possessed himselfe of Bulgaria Dalmatia and Croatia with all Rassia He tooke also Trapezuntes and Mytilenes with some other Ilands of Aegean Sea Hee tooke also Eubaea and Theodosia now called Caphas Hee governed the Empire 32. yeeres Bajazet the second waged warre with the Venetians and tooke from them Naupailum Methona and Dyrrachium And having depopulated and wasted all Dalmatia he dyed by poison His Sonne Selymmus invaded the Empire Who having tooke Alcair the strongest Citty of Aegypt and the Sultane being slaine he added all Alexandria and Aegypt to his Empire and tooke Damascus Solyman the onely Sonne of Selimus succeeded his Father and tooke Belgrade the strongest Fortresse and Bulwarke not onely of Hungary but of all the Christian World He tooke Rhodes Strigonium and â—uda and other Citties and he besieged Vienna in Anstria and at length dyed at Zygethus in the yeere of his raigne 47. Selimus the second succeeded after him who made a Truce with the Emperour Maximilian for 8. yeeres and tooke Cyprus from the Venetians He possest himselfe of Tunetum and Goleta and dyed in the yeere 1575. After whom succeeded Amurath and after him Mahumet the third who began his raigne with the murther of his 18. Brethren He hath 4. rich Citties in these Territories Constantinople Alcairum Aleppo Taurisum Constantinople was heretofore called Bizantium of which we have spoke in Thrace For it excelleth all other Citties The Turkes have a great care to build spacious Meschites or Temples and Carbarsara or Hospitals also Baths Conduits Bridges High-waies and other publike workes which the Turkes doe build very faire The Church of Sophia in Constantinople is the fairest of all the rest which remaineth still as Bellonius witnesseth and doth farre exceed the Romane Pantheon where all the gods were worshipped I omit the Turkes royall Palace and many ancient Monuments for brevity sake The Ottoman government is Lordly For the Turkish Emperour is so absolute a Lord within his owne Dominions that the Inhabitants are his Slaves and Subjects neither is any one Master of himselfe much lesse Lord of the House which he dwelleth in or of the Land which he tilleth except some Families in the Citty of Constantinople to whom Mahomet the second in reward of some service did grant that Priviledge THE HOLY LAND· THis famous Province of Syria was heretofore called the Land of Chanaan the Sonne of Cham who possessed it It was called also the Land of
heyre to the County of Forrest and Lugovick who was Lord of Bello-Iolesius After whome there is no certainety delivered Henry the third King of France before hee came to the Monarchie of France possessed the Dukedomes of Burbon and Avernia the County of Forrest together with the Dukedome of Andigavia It containeth fortie walled Townes and about as many faire Villages The chiefe Towne of the Forrensians Roana or Roanne neere the River Ligeris which hath a Bridge over it which standeth in the way to Lions and also a Castle The second Towne of note is Forum Segusian rum for so it was heretofore called which is now commonly calld Feurs Ptolomy calls it Phoros of the Segusians and the Itinerary Tables corruptly call it Forum Segustivarum And from this Forum the Country corruptly is commonly called Le Layis de Forest when it should bee rather called de Fores. This is now a Towne of commerce and traffique for the whole Province The other Townes are Mombrisonium or Montbrison being a Bayliwicke and subject to the Lugdunians also the Fane of S. Stephan and S. Estierne de Furan where armor and Iron barres are made which are transported from thence into all parts of France The artificers Arte is much furthered by nature of the water which doth give an excellent temper to Iron and also the coales which are digged there there is also the Fane of S. Galmarus or S. Galmier or Guermier in the Suburbs whereof there is an Alome Fountaine which is commonly called Font-Foule also the Fane of S. Germane or S. Germain Laval which hath abundance of wine growing about it also the Fane of D. Bovet or S. Bovet le Castell in which the best tongs are made also the Fane of D. Rembertus or S. Rembert having the first Bridge that is over Ligeris The Country of Burbon is watered with two great Rivers namely Ligeris and Elavera being a River of Arvernia Ligeris commonly called Loire riseth up in Avernia in a place which in French is called La Fort de Loire Elaver commonly called Allieâ— riseth foure Miles above the Towne Clarumont beneath Brionda neere Gergovia and floweth not farre from a place which in French is called Vsco where there is a famous mine of gold and of the stone Lazulus It is as bigge as the River Liguris and by so much more full of fish Concerning the Manners of the Burbons those which border on Avernia are of the same disposition with them namely wittie and craftie very laborious carefull to get and for the most part they are litigious and violent men and ill to be dealt withall Those that dwell farther off are courteous and affable subtile and well experienced frugall and carefull housekeepers greedy of gaine and yet very bountifull and kind toward strangers The Forensians also are subtile acute and witty wisely provident and carefull in their owne affaires loving gaine and to that end they travell into remote and farre distant Countries to Merchandise and traffique with them But they are mercifull and kinde to their owne Countrymen if they come to necessity and want in forraine Countries Much warinesse and wisedome is to be vs'd in despatching any businesse with a Forensian Forrest doth send her workes in Iron and Brasse thorow the whole world especially the Fane of S. Stephen where there are very many Artificers and as good as any in France And there are many Merchants of this Country very rich having great estates in other parts out of France THE DESCRIPTION OF THE ARCHBISHOPRICK AND COVNTY OF BVRDEGALIA BURDIGALIA having an Archbishoprick and County belonging to it and the head and Metropolis of Gutenna is an ancient and famous City which Strabo and Pliny have mentioned and Strabo Lib. 4. Geogr. writeth thus Garumna being enlarged with the receit of three Rivers doth flow by the Biturigians whom they call the Viviscians and Santones being both Countries of France It hath Burdigalia a Towne of Traffique seated by a certaine great Lake which is made by the eruptions and breaking out of the River Concerning the name there are divers opinions For some say it was called Aquita from the abundance of waters whence also others doe derive the name of the Province of Aquitane from Bourda and Iala two Rivulets the one whereof is neere to Burdigala the other 4000. miles off others bring other dertvations But I beleeve that the name was derived from Burgo and Isidorus Originum lib. 15. cap. 1. seemeth to be of the same opinion when he saith That Burdigala was so called because it contained a Colony of the French Burgians others read it the French Biturigians And Syncerus is of the same minde in his Burdigala And these people as it is aforesaid were called Viviscians to distinguish them from the Cubian Biturigians neere the River Ligeris which Ausonius a Poet of Burdeaux testifies in his Verses wherein he sings thus Haec ego Vivisca ducens ab origine gentem These things I who by my Country am Descended from the old Viviscian And this ancient Inscription doth confirme it AVGUSTO SACRUM ET GENIO CIVITATIS BIT. VIV THE ARCHBISHOPRICK AND COVNTY OF BVRDIGALA BOVRDELOIS PAIS DE MEDOC ET LA PREVOSTE DE BORN The Walls are square having Towres thereon so high That the tops thereof doe reach unto the skie After those times it suffered many calamities being first washed by the Gothe and then burnt by the Sarazens and Normans But afterward it was re-edified and enlarged so that now it containeth 450. Acres of ground so that it is as bigge as a third part of Paris For the Romane Empire declining the Gothes obtained it in the 400. yeere from the building of the City who being expelled and Alariâ—us being slaine in Picaady and those which remained cut off in the Arrian Fields which were so named from that slaughter neere to Burdigâ—â—â—a it returned againe to the Frenchmen But when the Frenchmen grew slothfull and carelesse the Aquitanians about the yeere 727. shaking off their subjection to the French did create Eudâ— Duke thereof The Sonne of this Eudo was Carfrus who being forsaken by his owne men was slaine in the yeere 767. and was buried without the City in a Moorish place neere the Castle Farus where now the Capuchines have built themselves a Religious house Afterward Hunold whom the Aquitanians had made Duke being vanquished and droven out by Charles the Great this Province was restored to the French and to keepe it the better in obedience there were Earles placed in divers parts of Aquitaine and especially at Bourdeaus there was left Sigumus the Father of Huon of Bourdeaus and after these other Earles and Dukes did governe the people under the King of France D. Martiallâ— was the first that converted those of Bourdeaus to the Christian faith who as it is reported built a Temple there and dedicated it to S. Andrew the Apostle afterward it became the Seate of an Archbishop on which these Bishopricks doe depend Santonensis