by two brothers borne in this towne whose equals in this art of painting haue not to this houre bin found The 12. of Ianuary 1552. the steeple of this Church was burnt by thunder and lightning of the date whereof D. Adrians Iuuius in his Batauia hath made this distique LVX bIssena fVIt IanI hora vespere nona CVM sacra IohannIS VVLCano CorpVII aedes The tWeLfth of IanVarâ—e SaInt Iohns SpIre At nIne a cLoCk was MVCH Impaird with fire The which mischieuous fire burnt nothing but the said steeple and a part of the church notwithstanding that it was enuiron'd with houses But about an hundreth yeares before in the yeare of our Lord 1438. the 18. of August vpon Saint Lewis his day the towne was wholy burnt except three houses vpon the Hauen the old ruines of them being yet to bee seene At this time the old charters and priuiledges of this towne were burnt wherevpon this distique was made FLetIbVs Id dIaICI qVIa GoVda Cre Mat LVdoWICI Sorrow allowde with sighes proclaimes That Lodowicks Goude is all on flames It is not long since that about halfe a league from the said towne were found diuers peeces of siluer with this circumscription on the one side HLVDOVICVS IMP. and on the other CXRISTIANA RELIGIO which seeme to haue beene coyned in the time of the Emperor Lewis the Debonaire the sonne of the Emperor Charlemaine and the Father of the Emperour Charlâ—s the bauld who after he had setled Christian religion in those parts gaue the Earldome of Holland to Thierry of Aquitaine the first of that name There is mention made in the ancient charters and priuiledges of this towne how Florentius the fift of that name Earle of Holland told a Knight called Nicholas van Cats that this towne had beginning in the yeare 1272. Others and among the rest Doctor Adrianus Iunius 1262. notwithstanding that the said towne hath beene knowne to haue beene long time before whereof many Gentlemen haue taken their names and chiefly among the rest Thiery Vander Goude one of the priuie councell to Earle William King of the Romaines and the priuiledges granted to them of Vtrecht in the yeare 1252. shew the like A quarter of a league out of the towne is yet to be seene the place where the Church stood and is commonly called the old Church-yard where during the Romish superstition they vsed to goe on procession in Rogation weeke and likewise a way called the old Goude But for that this place was too farre from the riuer of Issell the Inhabitants for their more commodity remooued from their former dwellings to the place where the Towne now stands The freedome and iurisdiction of this Towne at the beginning was no more then the compasse of it within the portes and walls with very little land without but was afterward in the yeare of our Lord 1484. much amplified by the Emperour Maximillian the first and the Arch-duke Philip his sonne with at least a league of land in compasse on both sides the riuer of Yssell The gouernment of this towne appertained heretofore to the Earles of Blois Lords of the same and was seated in the center or middest of the sayd Countie Iohn of Beaumont Earle of Blois by his wife was made Lord of it and Schoonhouen with their dependances by his brother William the Good Earle of Holland to augment his reuenews in the yeare 1306 who by the consent of his brother instituted the first payments and rights of customes with the houses and sluces where hee receiued his right hee inlarged and much beautified the Castle of the sayd towne the which long time after was chosen by the Estates of Holland as a place very strong for the keeping of the charters priuiledges and lawes of their Countie which Castle except the Tower where their charters were kept was in the yeare 1577. demolished at which time there were many others throwne downe in the Low-countries Iohn of Beaumont Lord of Blois died in the yeare 1456. leauing one onely sonne likewise named Iohn who being a Knight of the Teutonique or Dutch order went into Prussia against the Infidels and there died leauing two sonnes Iohn and Guy Earles of Bloys and of Soyson Iohn of Chastillon Lord of Goude riche and strong issued by his father from the Earles of Holland and by his mother from the Kings of France married Madam Mathilda Dutchesse of Gelders and Countesse of Zutphen at that time when the houses of Bronchorst and Heeckers assaied to shutte out the sayd Lady from her patrimoniall inheritance To remedie the which the Earle of Blois came into Geldres accompanied by many Lords and Knights and a good troope of souldiers besieging Wagheningen and Groensvoerdt which he tooke and afterwards in the right of the Lady his wife was receiued into Arnhem and acknowledged for Lord and Prince This Lord and Lady as Dukes of Gelders gaue priuiledge to the Citizens of Goude to saile with their Marchandize through-out the Dutchie of Geldres and Earledome of Zutphen freely without eyther taxe or toll This priuiledge was giuen in the towne of Arnham in the yeare of on Lord 1372. Iohn of Chastillion dyed in the yeare 1381. without children leauing all his goods to his brother Guy of Blois who married Mary the daughter of the Earle of Namur by whom hee had one sonne called Lewis Earle of Dunois who dyed young at Beaumont the two and twenty of December 1397. After whose death the right line of Iohn of Blois was extinct so that the Signeuries of Goude and Schoonhouen with their dependances which were called the Baliage of the countie of Blois returned to the country of Holland in the time of Albert of Bauaria notwithstanding Guy of Blois left a bastard called Iohn of Blois Lord of Treslon and Henault who as the historâ— of the Netherlands makes mention had by his wife six sons It is apparent that the townes of Goude Dordrecht Harlem Delft and Leyden with the Knights and nobles of the country represented the Estates of Holland and Westfreezeland long before the towne of Amsterdam was receiued for a member as it appeareth by diuers records and letters of state past vnder the seales of the said fiue townes together with the iniuries that they of Amsterdam haue done to them of Goude vpon the same The said towne of Goude for the good order which they haue alwaies held in discipline and Scholasticall instruction hath brought forth many great learned personages to their eternall fame as Henry and Iohn of Goude whom Trithemius Abbot of Spanheim puts in ranke of the rarest writers William Herman of Goude whom Erasmus Roterodamus in his Epistles calls his delight a most excellent Poet and Historiographer Hermanus Goudanus a great Diuine Iacobus Goudanus a famous Poet Thâ—odorus Gerardi Reinerius Suoy a Phiâ—â—ion and historiographer who haue all written learned workes worthy to be consecrated to posterity But Cornelius Aurelius likewise borne in this towne surpast them all in
wrath retyred into Freezeland and there without his priuity he marryed the Potestats daughter of the country by whome hee had two sonnes Thierry and Simon Being afterwards reconciled to his Father he had certaine land alotted him for his portion which was measured by the great rod the which in the country language is Brederode fâ—om whence they tooke their name His father gaue him also the Castle and Territory of Theylingen the which Zyphard at his death disposed to his two sons to Thierry he gaue Brederode and to Simon Teylingen from whence are issued the two families of Brederode and Teylinge the which ended by the death of two bretheren who were slaine with their Prince VVilliam King of Romans in the warre against the Frisons As for that of Brederode we haue seene foure bretheren of the right lyne dye also in the warres against the French in few yeares so as it fell by a collaterall line vnto VValrauen Lord of the said Brederode Vianen Ameyden c. who hauing not any children and not likely to haue any by reason of his age and his wiues all must returne to Floris of Brederode his Brothers sonne who may raise vp the house being now halfe extinct The beginning of the house of Egmont is doubtfull for the Lordes thereof cannot truly shewe a continuance of their descent for three hundred yeares yet they say they are issued from Radbod I know not which King of the Frisons but I thinke it would bee a tedious thing to finde out this pedigree Such as contradict it say that they are descended from a Receiuer of the Abbay of Egmond which Office had beene called Aduoe and vnder this title hauing inriched them-selues with the goods of this Abbaie by little and little they attained to great wealth and thereby to great allyances which haue augmented their house as well in possessions as degrees of honour so as in the end they marryed a daughter of the famous house of Arckel the which was heire to the Dutchie of Geldres Whereas Arnold of Egmond the first Duke of that house had one sonne called Adolph who did much trouble his father yea hee detained him in prison vntill that Charles Duke of Burgongne sette him free Adolph retyring into France marryed a Lady of the house of Bourbon who hauing one son named Charles hee was afterterwards slaine being Generall of the Ganthois before Tournay After whose death the Emperour Charles the fift vnder coullor of some transport which hee pretended that Duke Arnold had made vnto duke Charles of Burgongne beeing in dislike with his son hee seazed vppon the whole Duchy but Charles of Egmond sonne to Prince Adolph for he was neuer Duke with the helpe of the Princes of the house of Bourbon who stirred vp the French King returning into his Countrie hee was receiued and acknowledged for Duke in many townes the Emperors men chased away Afterwards being of a turbulent spirit hee had great warres so as in the end hee dyed about the yeare 1536. without any children and in him failed the distrect lyne of this house of Egmond The Seignieury of Egmond falling to the yonger house who was father to Iohn the first Earle of Egmond which Iohn had one brother MaximliaÌ„ of Egmond Earle of Buren Lord of Iselsteine whose daughter being issued of a Lady of the house of Launoy and the onely heire marryed with William of Nassau Prince of Orange so as the possessions of these two houses of Buren and Launoy are discended to Prince Philip eldest son to the deceased Prince of Orange as wel by his grandfather as by his father Some do account next among the most ancient and Noble families that of Vander Merwue as descended from Merouee King of France in honour of whome some beleeue that in that place the riuer of Wahall was changed into Meruwe but this Original is farre fetcht There is yet some remainder of a Tower in the midst of Meruve which in old time was the place where they payed toll the which is now receiued in Dordrect whereas the Baron of Meruve who is also Lord of Aspren hath one day in the yeare all right of superiority and power to pardon murthers and al other offences The house of Arckel did for a long time command insolently in the Earldome of Teysterbandt betwixt the Wahal and the Leck the which the riuer of Linge doth crosse and passing through Gorichom it fals into the Meruve In this County there are many other Townes then Gorichom with the Castle as Leerdam Henkelom Haerstricht Aspren Euersteyn Hagesteyn and Gasprien wherof the three last and Haarstrecht haue beene burnt and ruined It seemes that all the neighbour Princes haue conspired against this house for their great pride For Frederick Bishop of Vtrecht hauing taken Gaspren Hagestein and Euersteyn he ruined them quite The Lord of Vianen wrested Rhynstein from him Arnold Duke of Geldres tooke Leerdam and Steenvoerd Albert Duke Bauaria Earle of Holland took Haestrecht from him and ruined it Afterwards the said Duke bought of Iohn the last Lord of so many townes and Seigieuries that of Gorichom with consent of his sonne and vnder his hand writing who notwithstanding soone after disavowed the contract the which hee brake after his fathers death and found meanes to surprize the said towne The Countesse Iaqueline went thether with an armie besieged it and took it by assault whereas the said young Lord receiued the reward of his disloyalty for he was slain there These Lords of Arckel were so mighty as besides the County of Teysterband in the which are the townes aboue mentioned they had liuing in Brabant Lembourg Bar Vtrecht Geldre Holland and Zeland which possessions made them proud arrogant hatefull vnto their neighbours ouer whom they did insult vntill they came to the end which we haue spoken of The house of Batenbourg is without al question one of the most ancient taking their name from Prince Batto from whome Battauia is come whereof there were of great fame for their vertue some fiue hundred yeares since Albert Rodolphus and Thierry Lordes of Battenbourg as of late Thierry Gâ—sbercht and VVilliam who beeing Lieutenant to the Prince of Orange leading an army to victuall Harlem beseeged by the Duke of Alua was defeated by the Spaniards This Towne of Battenbourg was afterwards burnt and the Castell held long by the Spaniardes The sayd Ghisbrecht had besides William three other sons wherof one was traiterously slayne at Collogne Ghisbrecht and Thierry beeing taken prisoners in the Warre by the Earle of Arembergh hee deliuered them to the Duke of Alua who caused their heades to bee cutte off at Brusselles with other Gentlemen of their religion But it was not long before this Earle receiued his due punishment for before a yeare past hee was slayne in Battaile in the same Countrie where hee falsified his faith to these two young Barons The race of the Lordes of Harlem is also very ancient and noble who they say
tooke their beginning from the Kinges of Freezeland which had built the Castell of Harlem according to their name in the yeare a thousand sixe hundred The ruines of this Castell are yet to bee seene not farre from Hemskerke It appeares by the Annales of Holland that one Isbrandt of the house of Harlem did accompany the Ladie Sophia Princesse of Holland and Prince Otto her yongest sonne in a Pilgrimage which they made through deuotion vnto Ierusalem Some Knights of this house vnfortunate in the warre against the Frisons haue lost their liues there Of this house was Simon of Harlem knight who conuerted a faire house which he had within the wals of the towne into a Cloyster of Carmelites in the yeare 1249. Of which house by changing of the name they of the house of Assendelfe haue obtained the inheritance and the Armes vnto this daie Nicholas Lord of Assendelfe was wont to say that his father hauing built the Castell of Assenburch had repented him a hundred times that hee had not set it vppon the ruines of the Castell of Harlem to preserue the honour of antiquitie This house of Assendelfe takes his name from the Village which is richer the which in ancient time as at appeares by old Charters was called Asâ—maundelfe Cralinghen or rather Carolinghen is said to haue had their beginning from the Emperour Charl maigne for the French had for a long time caused a part of Germanie and Gaule to be gouerned by them of Meruwe and Craelingen which are two noble families and very famous in Holland We read that the house of Heusden where there is a towne and Castle is issued some eight hundred yeares since from the Earles of Cleues hauing carryed the armes as well of Edmond King of England whose daughter Baldwin Lord of Heusden stole away and marryed her who hauing many children by her would haue his nephewes to carry a wheele of Geules in a field Or. The reason was that when as the King of Englands seruants sent to seeke his daughter came to the Lord of Heusdins they fouÌ„d her spinning at the wheele with some pretty children about her which brought her into fauour againe Since the yeare 1290. the Earle of Cleues resigned all the interest he had to the Lordships of Heusden and Altena to Floris the sixt Earle of Holland to hold them of him in fee but this resignation did not hold long for the Duke of Brabant came and fell vppon Heusden and became maister of it but he held it as little for Count VVilliam of Bauaria being a mediator betwixt the duke of BrabaÌ„t the Earle of Flanders dealt first for himselfe in such sort as hee should haue HeusdeÌ„ the which hath bin annexed to this day to the conty of HollaÌ„d Those of Duyvenuoorde are issued from the house of VVassenare This word hauing taking his beginning for that two Bretheren of the house of VVassenare being a fishing the elder to cause the boate to aduance said to his younger Brother Dole Voort that is to say aduance which word as a good presage remained to the younger house whereof are come by corruption of the word the Siegnior of Duyuenvoort This name was first giuen to Philippe the second sonne of Aldewyn Vicont of Leyden Lord of Wassenare and of Rhinlandt who also gaue him libertie to carrie his armes which were three Croisants Or in a field Sables Philippe Curat of Wassenare doth report it somewhat otherwise hee sayth this Philippe had fiue sonnes whereof the eldest being heire of the name and armes was called Thierry the second Philippe Signior of Duyuen-Voorde the third Iohn Lord of Polanen who carried in a field Argent three Croissants Sables the fourth called Sandthorst who remained vnknowne and the fifth Arnold of Groenevelt who carried Sinople and the Croisants siluer of which house the Signior Arnold of Groenevelt is yet lyuing beeing Collonel and Gouernor of Nymegen for the vnited Estates In the yere 1353. William of Duyuenvoorde Signior of Osterhout was so ritch as hee knew no end of his welth who hauing no children he would not make his kinsfolks partakers thereof but did build two Monasteries or Cloisters neere vnto Gheertruydenberghe the one of Chartreux Monks the other of Saint Clare And not content with this prodigality of his welth he caused a castle to be built at Osterhout made the towne of Viane to be walled in and dicht as appeeres by his Epitaphe at Brusselles The house of Polanen as wee haue euen now sayd is issued from that of Duyuenvoorde but it was of small continuance for Iohn Lord of Polanen hauing left one onely sonne called also Iohn hee dyed without any heires male leauing one daughter the sole heire of Polanen of Lecce and of Breda the which shee brought in marriage to Engelbert Earle of Nassau who was the first Gouernor of the Netherlands for the Ladie Mary Dutchesse of Bourgogne so as the sayd Siegneuries doe at this day belong vnto the children of William of Nassau Prince of Orange That of Naeldwyck was not of much longer contynuance whereof wee finde that one Baldwin a Knight Gouernor of the castle of Windenesse in Westfrisland a league from Horne carried himselfe valiantlie vntill that for want of victualls and all other necessarie prouision hee was forced to yeelde vppe the place Those of that house conuerted their goodly castle of Wateringhe into a Monasterie which was ruined in these last warres I will make but one house of those of Woude and of Warmont for that the Siegnor of Woude tooke more delight at Warmont which stands in a good ayre and in a goodly country then in the castle of Woude which stands in a Moore so as the castle of Woude being neglected it fell to decay and that of Warmont florished This house of Warmont was wont to beare in a field Or three Lozenges Geules vntill that Thierry of Wassenare Vicont of Leyden giuing the possession of certaine Lands in the yeare of our Lord 1359. to Iames the foureteenth Lord of Warmont hee suffred him to carrie his owne Armes which is a band Or vpon a field Azure betwixt three Croisants Argent which that house carries vnto this daie But those of that house beeing partakers of the furie of Gerard van Velsen the murtherer of Count Floris the fifth they were for the safe-gard of their liues forced to abandon the countrie But some fiue yeares after the death of Cont Iohn the sonne of Floris Iohn of Henaut beeing Earle of Holland to whom Iames Lord of Warmont did great seruice at the defeate of the Bishoppe of Vtrecht all iniuries beeing troden vnder foote this house was reconciled to their Prince and so haue continued in good Estate vnto this daie Those of Poelgeest are also of a famous race the which in olde time had a castle of the same name in the quarter of Oestgeest the village whereof was called Kerkwerve the which by changing of the name is now called Alcmada I
yeelded vnto him with all the artillery and munition the souldiers being about 1100. and some 400. out of Creuecaeur remained in the Princes seruice who afterwards at the battaile of Nieuport shewed themselues both valiant and faithfull And so this Fort of Saint Andrew hath vnto this day remained vnder the obedience of the vnited Estates Culembourg ALthough this towne be a fee of Gueldres yet there is a question made whether it bee of that territory It is scituaed vpon the left banke of the riuer of Lecke a league from Buren two leagues from Vianen on the same side of the riuer It hath a goodly castle whereas the Lord doth ordinarily reside and a large iurisdiction wherevpon King Philippe the second erected it to an Earldome whereof Florent of Palant was the first Earle besides many other great possessions which hee enioyed whereof his sonne is now Lord and Earle Battenbourg ALthough this towne at this present ruined and the castle bee within the limmits of the Duchy of Geldres seated vpon the banke of the riuer of Meuse whereby the Barron of that place makes a great reuenew of the toule and custome which is paied by all the ships that passe that way yet the said signeury is merely held of the Empire as William of Bronchurst did take it vppe of Maximilliam the Emperour His Sonne succeeded him and dying without heires Maximillian of Bronckhurst his cousin Germaine did inherit and is now Lord of it This place is of very great antiquity The Chronicles of Holland affirme that it was the first Castle which Prince Battus of whome Batauia or Holland tooke his name did build vppon the Meuze in the Countie of Sicambrians which now is Gelders Buren THis Towne is neither a fee nor of the territory of Gelders but a little country of it selfe which holdes of the Empire carrying the title of an Earle with great Iurisdiction a large territory and many Villages and yet shut vp in the lymits of the Duchy of Gelders This place is seated neere vnto the riuer of Lingen vppon a little Brooke which in old time was called the ditch for muscles a league from Tyl it is not very bigge but hath a very strong Castle ioyning vnto it where there is an ordinary garrison for the vnited Estates That valiant and famous Prince Maximilian of Egmont was Earle of this place who for his great seruices done vnto the Emperor Charles the fift whereof diuers histories make mention left his memory immortail to posterity Dying at Brussels in the yeare one thousand four hundred nine to whom succeeded his only daughter the sole heire by her mother of the house of Lannoy Who was the first wife of William of Nassau Prince of Orange by whom she left a son and a daughter that is Philip William of Nassau now Prince of Orange Earle of Buren Seignior of Lannoy c. And the Lady Mary of Nassau widdow to Cont Philip of Hohenlo This may suffice for the description of the Townes and cheefe Forts comprehended in the Estate of the Dutchy of Gelders The people of this Prouince are valiant and warlike from whence they were wont to draw a good part of them at Armes and Archers of the bandes of Ordinance of the Low-countries These were the last among the Belgick Gaules that submitted them-selues to the yoake of the Romane Empire the first when this Monarchy began to decline that freed them-selues from their subiection Afterwards they were made subiect to the French yet imbracing the occasion when it it was offered they did shake of this yoak and began to be gouerned by priuat Lords of the country it selfe the which hapned in the time of the Emperour Chalres the bald King of France Which Lords were simply called Tutors ot Aduocats of the country The which according o their vertues and merits were chosen created by the people the first of which was Wrinchard as we haue shewed before to whome succeeded his sonne Gerlach in the yeare 910. so as there were seauen Lords or Feofes successiuely issued from this familie the last whereof was also called Winchard who left but one daughter called Aleyd or Alix maryed to Otto Earle of Nassau who was the first which carryed the title of the Earle of Gelders giuen him by the Emperor Henry the third in the yeare 1079. But the sayd Aleyd beeing dead hee marryed with the daughter of Gerlach Earle of Zutphen who was slaine in a battaile giuen betwixt Conrard Bishop of Vtrecht and Thiery the sixt Earle of Holland Where-vppon as wee haue sayd the Earldome of Zutphen was also vnited vnto the Duchy of Gelders Otto left these Earles after him Gerrard Henry Gerrard Otto the second surnamed the stump-foot It was he which did purchase the Seigneury of Nymeghen as wee haue sayd before which hee did wall in with diuers others which were but Burroughs as Ruremond Arnhem Harderwicke Bommel and Wageninghen all in the Prouince of Gelders and aboue it Goch in the country of Cleues to the which he gaue goodly priuiledges as to great Citties To this Otto succeeded his sonne Renald and to him a sonne of his owne name who obtained in the yeare 1329. the dignity and title of Duke of the Emperour Lewis of Bauaria in an imperiall Dyet held at Francfort As in like manner the Countie of Iuilliers was by him erected into a Dutchy After this Reginold the second Geldres was gouerned by Arnold Edward his two sons but not without great contentions Both of them dying Arnold left two daughters of diuers beddes Ioane and Isabell who continued the diuision which had beene betwixt their Father and Vncle but Isabell dying without children Ioane remained sole and peaceable Dutchesse to whom succeeded William her sonne who was the fourth duke of Geldres but dying without heires Reynold his brother the fourth Duke of Iuilliers succeeded him and was the fift Duke of Geldres who dying without issue male the succession went to his only daughter married to Arnold of Egmond issued from a daughter of the first Duke of Geldres by which meanes the sayd Arnold came vnto the principality whose Sonne called Adolphe who is numbred for the seauenth Duke repyning that his Father liued so long by the perswasion of his own Mother caused him to bee seazed on in a night and to bee put in prison in the castle of Buren where hee detained him many yeares Pope Paul the second and the Emperour Frederick the third not able to suffer so great an impiety gaue authority to Charles the Warlicke Duke of Bourgongne to free this miserable Father by force of armes out of the hands and tyranie of his sonne The which Adolph vnderstanding and seeing that the Pope and Emperor did imbrace the cause and that he was not able to resist Duke Charles his forces he drew his father out of prison and hauing obtayned a pasport from the Duke he came vnto him with his father to Dourlans in Picardy
the largenesse of the gulfe where as the Meuse and the Rhine ioyned together fall into the Ocean or Brittish seas in which place they say that Claudius Ciuilis issued from the bloud royall of the Battauians did fight with the Romaine fleete but with-out any great gaine to eyther parte This word of Briele doth well agree with that of Hiele in Plinie which for the largenesse of the gulph may bee called Bre-heile which is a large heele and by corruption of the tongue Briele This towne with that of Gheervlyet a small towne in the same Island of Vorne are reasonablie good the Inhabitants for the most part are sea-faring men which gette their liuing by fishing and that which belongs therevnto The ayre of this towne is grosse and heauie lying so neere vnto the sea so as it is euery yeare visited with some disease or other The countrie about it is very fertill and yeelds aboundance of good wheate and all other victuals are plentifull and good cheape there SCHOONHOVEN THis towne takes his name of the goodly and pleasant gardens which are both within and about it abounding in diuerse sorts of fruites For this worde Schoonhoven signifies goodly gardens It is situated vpon the left banke of the riuer of Leck they hold that it was built of the ruines of the towne of Nieuport the which at this day is but a Bourg on the other side of the sayd riuer opposite to Schoonhouen In all this passage euen vnto the village of Leckerke there is great fishing for Salmons which they sell in the said towne and the villages there-abouts Christopher Longolius that excellent Orator was borne in this Towne although that some would haue him a French-man or a Wallon The which Peter Longolius his Vncle a very learned man did witnesse whose testimonie is sufficient to confute all other opinions There passeth a channell through this towne which comes out of the riuer of Yssell very commodious to passe from one riuer vnto the other ISELSTEYN IT is a small towne but very strong beeing so fortified by reason of their great warres It is so called of a little channell which passeth comming out of the riuer of Yssell There had beene a long controuersie betwixt the Hollanders and them of Vtrecht for the iurisdiction of this towne either partie pretending an interest Some foure and thirtie yeares since the Church steeple was burnt by lightning from heauen but did no other harme vnto the towne It is of the patrimonie of the house of Egmont whereof the last Lord was Maximilian of Egmont Earle of Buren and Iseisteyn who left one daughter sole heyre to the Lord of Launoy whom William Prince of Orange did marry being his first wife so as all the inheritance of these houses of Buren and Launoy came to Phillip William and to the Lady Mary of Nassau Countesse of Hohenloo his sister WOERDEN IS a reasonable good towne and well built with a market place whereas all prouisions are to bee solde once a weeke it stands in a moore hauing a strong castle whereas they keepe prisoners of importance as of late dayes the Admirall of Arragon the Earle of Busquoy and others The Lord of Hierges hauing taken Oudewater as wee haue said for the Duke of Alua the towne of Schoonhoven he went to besiege Woerden where hauing begun to make his approches and to plant boates for his batterie they of the towne let goe all their Sluses the which in one night drowned the countrie about so as hee was forced to rise and leaue two peeces of ordinance This towne was built by Godfrey Bishop of Vtrecht a man giuen to armes to suppresse the courses of the Hollanders And therefore the superioritie thereof was for a long time questionable betwixt the Earles of Holland and the Bishops of Vtrecht It hath for long time had a particular Lord among others a brother to the Lord of Amstel who being one of the conspirators of the death of Cont Flo is the fift fled and continued a vagabond since bâ— the law of Armes the Hollanders haue enioyed it VIANE IT is a little square towne seated vppon the left banke of the riuer of Leck a free Baronie belonging to the house of Brederode which would neither be subiect to the King of Spaine nor to the Earles of Holland whereof there hath bin some question yet it is held of the dependances of Holland but it is not yet decided It hath a faire Castle which is the ordinarie aboade of Walrard Lord of Brederode Baron of Viane Ameide c. hauing a large iurisdiction It hath endured much after the retreate of Henry Lord of Brederode in the yeare 1567. SAINT GERTRVYDENBERGHE THis word signifieth the mount of Saint Geertruyde it may be for that the place had beene dedicated to that Saint It is a strong towne both by nature and art situated vpon the left bankâ— of the riuer of Meruve more famous for the taking of great Salmons then any part of all the Netherlands and such aboundance of Aloses or troutes as on a market day you may see aboue 18000. great and small and many great stuâ—gions which in a conuenient season are transported to Antwerp Brusselles Gand Bruges and other places besides that which is distributed into Holland Zeeland and the rest of the vnited Prouinces The like is found in the riuer of Yssel nere vnto the towne of Campen in the country of Oueryssel In former times there hath beene great controuersie for the proprietie of the sayd towne the Brabansons pretending a title therevnto for that it stand on their side and the Hollanders making claime also vnto it by reason of their ancient possession Which question proceeded so farre there beeing no meanes to reconcile it as the Estates of Holland when they did receiue their Earles bound them by a sollemne oâ—h to keepe it vnder the sayd Earldome and they of Brabant on the other side did binde their Dukes to recouer it Yet it appeeres plainely by the Chronicle of Holland that when as their Earle who was also Earle of Henault intended to goe to Mons Valenciennes or any other place of the sayd Earldome the Nobility of Holland came to accompanie him to this towne whether they of Henault came to attend him and did conduct him whether he would goe as also in his returne they brought him thether where as they of Holland did incounter him to conuoie him into Holland This towne is of the inheritance of the house of Nassau in whose name it was cunningly surprized in the yeare 1573. and so continued vnder the vnion of the vnited Estates vntill that some leud persons vnder collour of an ill grounded mutynie sold it in the yeare 1588. to the Duke of Parma for readie money But since in the yeare 1593. it was recouered by siege in viewe of the old Earle of Manffeldt who was generall of the King of Spaines armie and gouernor by prouision after the death of the Duke of Parma
know not by what title Cont William King of Romaines gaue the Lordshippe of Hoochmade to this house as also an other William Earle of Holland and Henaut gaue them the village of Coudekerke vppon the Rhine a League from Leyden where there was a mightie castle the which was razed by the factions in the yeare 1489. It was before called Horne whereof the proprietaries were called Lords of Horne whose memory lies buried with their persons Gerard of Poelgest a Knight did afterwards cause this ruined castle to be repaired with the consent of the Emperor Charles the fift as faire as euer who died to soone for his children The castle of Alcmada from the which they of the house take their name is situated in the iurisdiction of Warmond whereof the ruines are yet to bee seene for that which is now called Alcmada standing vpon the current of Marne was wont to bee called Poelgeest as appeeres by the letters of Thierry Vicont of Leyden saying that hee had giuen the inheritance thereof to Isbrandt of Poelgeest We finde that Henrie of Poelgeest and Floris of Alcmada bretheren by the mother liued in the yeare 1320. Those of Culembourg are descended from that Noble and famous Lord Ralfe of Bosicom of the race of the Earles of Teysterbandt The towne of Culembourg is reasonable good standing vpon the riuer of Lâ—ck two leagues from Viane and one from Buren it is now erected to an Earldome belonging to the Lord of Palant Abcoude was wont to bee a famous and mightie family the which had great possessions in the diocese of Vtrecht the towne and castle of Wyckter Duersâ—ede did also belong vnto them the Lord whereof did build the castle of Abcoude in the Moores midde-way betwixt Vtrecht and Amsterdam One Ghisbert of Abcoude did purchase the Lordship of Gaesbecke who gaue it to his yongest sonne Asueres who married a daughter of the Earle of Lygnes by whom hee had one sonne called Iames verie rich and mighty in possessions for beeing Lord of Gaesbeck hee was Siegnior of Abcoude Putten and Streuen all which are goodly Signeuries hauing iurisdictions It was he which fouÌ„ded the Chartreux nere vnto Vtrecht who since after the death of his sonne only heire being taken prisoner in battaile by the Bishop of Vtrecht was to redeeme his liberty forced to yeeld him the Lordship towne and castle of Wyck where since the bishoppes haue kept their ordynarie residence and the castle of Abcoude which since hath beene the aboad of one of the Marshalls of the Diocese of Vtrecht and of his gard which is there in garrison The house of Persin is also an honorable family from the which are issued manie Knights gentlemen of Waterlandt and the I le of Marke right against Monikendam It is at this time wholy extinct The castle of Persin is yet standing without the wood at the Hage The house of Raphorst is noble and very ancient whereof it appeeres that two bretheren had been slaine with their Prince Cont Floris in the warre against the Frisons That of Matenesse hath in like manner with many others taken their beginning from the Lord of Wassenare Vicont of Leyden The house of Vlyet was in old time banished not as guilty of the murther of Cont Floris but in hatred of his brother the Siegnior of Woerden one of the cheefe conspirators so as Gerard van Vlyet going into exile was dispossest of his lands degraded of his armes But afterwards by the intercession of the Lords of Duyuenvoorde and Liâ—htenberg for his valour shewed in battaile for the Earle of Holland where the bishop of Vtrecht was slaine he was receiued into grace and restored to the possession of all his goods The honors which the houses of Woerden Wesson were accustomed to haue were lost in the persons of Herman van Woerden for the murther of Cont Floris whereof Gerard being the first author executioner was cruelly executed beeing rowled vp down in a pipe ful of nailes in the town of Leyden where hee died miserably Herman his father in law being brother to the Lord of Amstel escaped and died poore in exile The house of Amstel was also blemished with this murther namely Ghysbrecht of Amstel Lord of Amsterdam Amsterweel and Iselsteyn who died in exile poore and miserable beeing dispossest of halfe his goods and the rest remayning to his wife sonne Arnold who were besieged a whole yeare in the towne of Amsterdam and were in the end forced to yeeld it vpon condition that for all their goods they should content themselues with the towne castle of Iselsteyn which since came vnto the house of Egmond whereof the Emperor Maximilian the first created Frederic of Egmond first Earle of Iselsteyn of Leerdam Iohn of Henaut Earle of HollaÌ„d had giuen the signeuries of Amstell Woerden to his brother Guy then Prouost afterwards bishop of Vtrecht during his life the which hee caused to bee built but after his death they were anexed againe to the reuenues of the Earle of Holland which then was Cont William surnamed the good The signiors of Schagen are descended from a bastard of Duke Albert of Bauaria Earle of Holland and Henaut who gaue this goodly Siegneury with that of Burchorne to William the first Lord of Schagen and from him successiuely to him that is now vnder the Estates of Holland So the Signiory of Hoocht-wood came from Duke William of Bauariae called the mad Earle for that after two battailes which hee had against the Empresse Marguerite his mother whereof hee lost one with eight thousand men nere â—o Vlaerdingen and the other he wonne hee was distracted of his wittes fifteene yeares and as a madde man was kept close vnto his death to whom Duke Albert his brother succeeded This William gaue vnto his base Sonne the possession of Hocht-Woude and Aertswoude which are two goodlie villages But this line fayling these two places haue past from one to an other Hochtwoude belonging at this day to Cornellis Mirop Receiuer generall of Holland and Westfrisland signior of Caelslagen Sweiten c. The house of Haemstede did begin at Witte who was the first Lord and bastard to Cont Floris That of Horst is of great antiquity the which seemes to haue had many branches as that of Bronckhorst in Gelders that of Lochorst in the countrie of Vtrecht and that of Raphorst whereof the old castle is yet standing betwixt the Hage and Leyden then Bockhorst twise or thrise ruined being a league from Nortwyck but not in that estate it hath beene The family of Dune is also very ancient the only daughter and heire whereof married some thirty yeares since to Thierry the second sonne of the Lord of Brederode who left the title thereof to his children yet carrying the armes of Brederode and not their mothers It continues still in that race who doe also enioy the Siegniorie of Sprangen which came by marriage from them of Wyelsteyn The house of Zyle
hauen which goes directly vnto the sea the which is faire large and commodious notwithstanding since that Middelbourg grew so famous it cannot recouer the accustomed trafficke touching nauigation yet is it good faire and strong retayning their ancient trade for salt and graine to die withall with the fishing for herring In this towne the Receiuer of Beoosterschelt doth commonly remaine who is as I haue sayd chiefe Iustice for the countie of Zeeland to whom as to him of the Beversterschelt at Middelbourg all commissions are directed comming from the superiors to put them in execution euery one in his iurisdiction In this towne was borne that famous Amandus Ziricxeus a relligious man of the order of Saint Francis who hath written many goodly Poems as may be seene in the Library of Cornelius Gesnerus From thence also came Leuinus Lemnius Doctor of Phisick a man of great knowledge as his workes do witnesse whose sonne called William of the same profession was called to be Phisition to the King of Sueden Peâ—rus Peâ—kius was also borne in this towne a man of rare learning who hath written many printed bookes BROWERSHAVEN IN this Island of Schoueâ— two small leagues from Ziâ—icxee is that great Bourg of Browershauen more inhabited by fishermen then any other and yet there was borne one Petrus carrying the surname of his towne a learned man who writ many bookes in diuinity This towne did some-times belong to Maximilian of Bourgogne Lord of Beueren Admirall of the sea thus hauing fallen vnto him with many other goodly Siegneuries by the Ladie Anne his Grand-mother issued from the Noble house of Borssele which familie hath fayled long since for want of lawfull heires which Maximiliam died also without children in the yeare 1558. whose succession fell to the children of the Earle of Bossu who had married one of the Sisters of the Lord of Beueren and to the children of the Siegnior of Cruminghen who had married the other Sister from whome is issued the Siegnior of Cruminghen who keepes commonly at the Hage in Holland In this Island of Shouven there are many castles and villages belonging to certaine Gentlemen and other priuate persons amongst the which is the village of Bomene seated at one end of it verie famous for the great losse of Spaniards which the great Commander of Castille had entring into the sayd Island the which in the end hee tooke by force and slue all that were in the fort except one man who escaped dangerously but let vs passe to the other Islands ZVYT-BEVELAND THis Island is so called for that before it was rampared with Dykes it trembled for Beuen signifies to tremble and Beuelandt a trembling country as if it had no firme seat and foundation This Island is the greatest of all those of Zeeland and at one time it had twenty leagues circuit but by reason of the tempests and inundations of the sea and the contynuall flowing and ebbing of the riuer of Escault which runnes with a violent streame betwixt Romerswael and Berghen vp Zoom it is halfe consumed In this Island of Zuytâ—euelandt there was in old time three townes of Marke the chiefe whereof was Romerswal then Borssele which stood towards the South but in the yeare of our Lord 1432. the Dykes were broken by the high tides and great tempests and it drowned with the countrie depending thereon which they called the Siegneury of Borssel ROMERSWAL HEld in that time the first ranke among the townes of the sayd Island looking towardes Berghen vp Zoom vpon the East from the which it is not aboue a league distant but the same tempests and inundations wherewith Borssele was swalloed vp diuided this towne from Zuytbeuelandt leauing it a part in a small Island beeing forced to defend it selfe continually with great toyle cost and amazement for feare of the sea and the riuer of Escaut against the which they must fight continually as a cittizen of that towne a man of great knowledge doth wittely shewe by these verses following which hee planted at his doore in the yeare of our Lord 1549 when as Prince Phillippe afterwards the second of that name King of Spaine came thether to receiue the othes of the countie of Zeeland and to take possession thereof as followeth Vidimus assueto priuatum lumine Solem pallida turbato vidimus astra die Vidimus vndantes horrendos aequoris aestus nos miseros Belgas cum obruit Oceanus Vidimus ast postquam te gloria nostra Philipe Caesareaproles semi-deumque decus Cuncta refutamus transacti tristia saecli quod praesens nostrum testificatur opus Sit licet exiguum sit pro ratione voluntas nil facit ad vastum parua catena fretum We haue beheld faire Sol depriu'd of sight pale starres at noone and nooneday like the night We haue beheld the furious waues make way through all the strengths of wretched Belgia But when we but beheld that face of thine great Phillip glorious bud of Caesars line It clear'd our hearts froÌ„ woes our eies froÌ„ showres witnesse this present monument of ours Which be it small our loues must be our pleas small chaines cannot ore-reach the broadest seas GOES WHich is otherwise called Tergoes is the onely places which is left standing on the North-side vpoÌ„ an arme of the Escault called Schenge It is now a good towne beeing since these last troubles much inlarged and fortefied with large rampars and goodly bulwarkes there is reasonable good-trade especially of graine for diars wherewith the countrie abounds There growes also the best wheat of all Zeeland more then they need for their owne vses transporting the surplusage into the other Islands Their hauen is long and straight at the mouth whereof there are two forts one of either side so as nothing can passe without descouery Not farre from this towne is the village of Cloetinghen belonging to the sonne of the deceased Floris of 〈…〉 heire apparent to all that house a little farther off is the village of Barlandt where that learned man Adrianus Barlandus who hath carefully written the chronicles of Brabant and a sommarie of the Earles of Holland Then Cruyningen Zeaetskerke Hynckesandt Capelle Catten-dyke which are all villages and many others In this Island of Zuytbeuelandt there are yet some pleasant groues and busshes fit for hunting for there are many hares found in the Island and great store of wild foule TOLEN IS one of the East Islands of Zeelande belonging to the countrie it is now wholie enuironed with good trenches and some forts betwixt fearing the irruptions of the Spaniards who haue twise or thrise attempted to get footing for there is but one chanell to passe vpon Brabant side It is verie neere the Dyke of Saint Martin for there is but one little chanell which diuides them and therfore some affirme as it is likely that in former times they were two Islands although in effect it be but one in the which are two good little townes both well fortefied with
to bee much admyred Being well prouided of money he bought a fayre house in the towne and a Castle called Benningen halfe a league out of the towne dwelling sometimes in the one and sometime in the other To augment his loue and reputation with the Cittizens hee matcht some of his children with the principall of the towne endowing them very ritchly still aduancing and teaching in priuate his most damnable heresie confirming those that were absent by letters and bookes which hee caused to bee printed in his Castle of Beningen Hee dyed in the sayd towne of Basil in the yeare of our Lord 1556. for meere greefe that one of his followers was reuolted fearing that by his meanes hee might be discouered and so punished Before his death his disciples that thought him to bee God seeing him draw towards death hee resolutely sayd vnto them bee not amazed I goe to beginne to shew my power Christ my predecessor to shew his power rose again the third day and I to shew my greater glory will rise againe at three yeares O horrible blasphemy The Magistrate beeing throughly informed of his life and doctrine caused his processe to be drawn after his death by a sentence his body was taken out of the ground and iustice done as if he had bin aliue his goods being confiscated his books burnt some of his followers acknowledged abiured their errors and imbracing again the reformed religion were with al courtesie and gentlenesse pardoned and the whole history of it set forth in print both in lattin and dutch to the view of the world In opposition to this wicked monster the town of Delf hath brought forth many excellent person ages among the rest Ioos Salsbout an excellent Poet and Chancellor of Gelderlād Arnoult his son who succeeded his father in the same office of Chancellor and since President of the priuy Counsell at Brussels and from that to be President for the affaires of the Netherlands in Spaine Cornelius Musa Prouost of S. Agatha a man of rare vertue and knowledge a great Diuine an excellent Poet. who was vniustly put to death by the Earle of March about thirty-fiue yeares since Leyden THere hath bin much dispute and great diuersity of opinions about the deriuation of this name of Leyden but I will content my selfe that Ptolemy called it Lugdunum Battauorum Antoninus in his Itinerary or guide for waies to Rome cals it Lugdunum Caput Germanorum the head citty of the Germaines or the first Citty of the Romaine Empire from it beginning his Iourney to Rome concerning the lattin and dutch woord of Leyden I will content my selfe with the antient vse for that many learned lattin Authors haue also called it Leyda bee it as it may yet this is most certayne that it hath beene here-to-fore a towne of great importance for the Romain Praetor that gouerned that quarter kept alwaies his residence and garrison in that towne and the historyes of Holland recount that from the first Earles and long after it was called the chamber of Holland It is seated in a low and euen country full of ditches and chanels beutified with farmes gardens and other delights round about It incloses in it selfe thirty one Isles passing from the one to the other in boates besides nineteene more that haue bridges to passe ouer To conclude there are in this towne 145 bridges an hundreth and foure built of free stone and the rest of wood It is one of the six chiefe townes of Holland and the fourth in preheminence and suffrage It is the cheefe for that quarter of Rind-Land hauing vnder it 49. townes and villages the most part of which bring their commodities thether as butter milke cheese lard foule fruites and other necessaryes to bee sold in the Market abounding in all thinges else that the earth may bring forth and sufficiently stored with fish the Sea being not aboue a league from it and compassed with many fresh waters It is likewise so stored with sundry kinds of fowle that it is incredible but to them that know it This town is fairly seated in a delicate prospectiue euen in the heart of Holland neatly built and fit for the muses to dwel in for which cause the Sates of Holland in the yeare of our Lord 1575 after they were released of their long and dangerous siege erected an vniuersity there furnishing it with professions in all languages giuing them good and sufficient stipends drawing to them the sufficients men in all professions that can be found in Christendome as at this day the Seignior of L'escale Clusius Baudius and others professing Phylosophy Physicke and the lawes They want not also most excellent and learned Diuines hauing within this tenne yeares lost three as rare ones as any were in Christendome to wit the Lord of Saint Aldegond D. Francis Iunius and Trelcatius◠professors in the greeke and lattin tongues and in Diuinity In the middest of this towne there is an old Castle seated vppon a higher mote in the which there is a great large and deepe Well all of stone but now dry there is not a house in this Castle to dwell in but compassed about the more and aboue with some trees and although it bee of no vse yet it is reserued for the antiquity of it Ianus Douza a learned Gentleman and Poet of Leyden hath written of it in these verses Putatur Engistus Brittanno orbe Redux posuisse victor T is held victorious Hengist builded me At his returne from conquered Britanie SInce called Bourg of which came the name of Burgraue which is as much as to say an Earle of a Towne which wee call Viscounts the title remained long in the Noble family of the Lordes of Wassenare who held the Viconty of Leyden and the Iurisdiction of Rhyn-landt with the Dependances both of it and Ter-goud vntill the yeare of our LORD 1251. after the death of Vicont Iames his daughter Christienne beeing vnder the protection of the Earle of Holland who vtterly spoyled it yet the possession thereof was deliuered againe by the Countesse Iaqueline vnto the sayd family of the Wassenares but Philip Duke of Burgondy succeeding in the said County tooke it away againe where-vppon Viscount Iames the sonne of Henry in a full assembly of the Estates contested against the Duke demaunding againe his antient patrimony but his meanes beeing too weake against so puissant a Prince hee was constrayned to cease his title and to content him-selfe with what it pleased the Duke to giue him which was but the bare title of Viscount There are in this Towne three parish Churches in Saint Pancratius there is a company of Chanoins and in Saint Peeters there is a lofe of bread turned to a stone safely kept in a place yrond about for a perpetuall remembrance of the strangenesse of the accident and this it was In the yeare of our Lord 1316. a great famine happening in the towne a poore woman went to her owne sister that
haue taken their name from a castle standing vpon the banke of the current Zyle which falls into a Lake thereby so as there is yet in the towne of Leyden the Court of Zyle the port and bridge of Zyle Gerard van Zyle a Knight Siegnior of Purmerende and of Purmerlaâ—dt hath made this house verie famous by his vertues That of Hattinghen is one of the most ancient races in Holland whereof histories make mention aboue seauen hundred yeares past Among others they make mention of one Hasting a Duke or Captaine Generall of the Normans who in the yeare eight hundred sixty eight should haue entred into the mouth of the Riuer of Loire and ouer-run a part of Brittaine Aniou Turene and Poittou who hauing defeated Robert and Ranulphe French Captains that pursued him and were slaine in battaile he brought his army being laden with spoyles brauely back vnto his ships There haue bene in Holland many Abbaies and Monasteries both of men and women founded by the Nobilitie of the country besides Couents of begging Fryars or Bribers which wee will omit and treat succinctly of those which were appointed for Noble persons First Thierry of Acquitane the first Earle of Holland founded one all of wood for women the which his son caused to be built of stone for Monkes and bee made an Abbaie neere vnto the Village of Egmond whereof the Abbot did afterwards weare a Miter inricht with great reuenues which made both the Abbot and his Monkes too idle And seeing wee are discoursing of this Abbaie I must by the way deliuer a tricke which this Abbot plaid in the yeare 1565. with the Earle of Egmond The Prince of Orange the Earle of Horne and the Baron of Brederode went with the Earle of Egmont to dine in this Abbaie where they were very honourablie entertained when as they shoulde wash my Lord Abbot who was but a Monke tooke these three Noble men by the handes to wash The Earle of Egmond comming to present him-selfe the Abbot sayd vnto him No for you are my Vassall it becomes you not to wash with your better yea he offred to put the towell vppon his shoulder to giue it vnto the other Noblemen when they had washt whereat the Earle of Egmond was much discontented and went away cursing the Monke One of the Abbots seruantes who was then present reported it vnto mee for a very truth VVithout doubt it was a great affront vnto this Earle who was proude and high minded valuing him-selfe more then the Prince of Orange who was issued from the race of the Emperours by the Emperor Adolph of Nassau There were foure Abbaies for women into the which not any one might be receiued that was not Nobly borne or at the least that had not their Armes quartered These were Rhinsburg Conninxsfieldt Leuenhorst and Losdunen this last in the end had little respect of Nobilitie receiuing as well the children of Marchants as of Gentlemen for that it was none of the richest Rhinsburg tooke the name of a Castell which was situated vppon the Rhyne neere vnto the Gulph It was pleasantly seated a very commodious building There is this thing memorable that the Ladie Elburg the Abbesse caused a quarter of a lodging to be built for strangers that shoulde come to see it Vppon the Front whereof there were two Latin verses made by Doctor Adrianus Iunius shewing the date of the time NoBILItas prob ItasqVe IsthVC sIbI IVre LegVnto HospItIV M ElbVrgIs dVLCES qVod feCIt ad VsVs NObILItIe Worth MaDe ChoICe to rest In ELburg as a place for pLeasure best THis Abbay was founded by the Ladie Petronel Sister to the Emperor Lothaire wife to Floris the second Earle of Holland the which was quite ruined by the soldiars in the first troubles Leuenhorst was but a League from Rhynsbourg and fifteene hundred paces from Noortwick in a very pleasant seate whereof Arnold of Sassenheim was founder who spent largely as well in the foundation of this Cloyster as in an other religious house in Harlem which was about the yeare 1262. Coninx-Feldt signifies a royall field founded by the Lady Richlanâ—t Sister to William King of Romaines in the suburbs of Delph But in the beginning of these warres for that it was too neere the Towne fearing some surprize it was purposely sette on fire which did consume it vnto the foundation Losdunen is two myles from the Hage whereas there are yet to bee seene the two Basins in the which the three hundred sixtie foure children of the Lady Marguerits Contesse of Henesberg were baptized with her Tombe and Epitaph This Abbaie hath felt the fruites of warre with the rest whreof we haue made mention in the description of the Hage Behold what wee could say briefly of these Abbaies omitting so many other Cloysters Monasteries and relligious houses who haue all tryed the like fortune And so wee will make an end of the description of Holland in the which is also comprehended West-Freezeland which they call Nort-holland to come vnto Zealand But first I may not forget that remarkeable Antiquitie which is neere vnto Catwicke the Arcenall of the Romaines which some say had beene built by the Emperour Caligula whereas hee prepared to passe into great Brittaine with his armie But hauing aduanced nothing but onely put forth to sea hee returned sodainely and went to land commaunding all his Soldiers by thesound of Trumpets and Drummes to fill all their head-peeces with cockleshelles which they gathered vppon the sandes and to carry them vnto the Capitoll in signe of tryumphe and as a trophee that hee had beaten the Sea VVhich Arcenall whether that he built it or not was afterwards called the Brittish fort or Castell from whence there was a short cut into England And this it was A Description of the Brittish Fort called T'huis te Britten THis fort in the beginning did serue as a Beacon to set a Fyar in the night for the direction of Marriners that should saile vppon the coast as we see at this day the Tower D'ordre or old man neere vnto Bologne in Picardie very old also the which the Emperour Charlemaigne caused to bee repaired so did the Emperor L. Septimius Seuerus this Arcenal or Britten fort whreof the memory remaines yet grauen in a stone brought to the house of the Lord of Wassenare at the Hage vppon whose Territory before the Inondation this fort was built beeing now swallowed a good league into the sea which is sometimes seen when as the wind driues back the sea at their lowest ebbs as it hapned in the yeare 1520. when as this stone was found with this Inscription Imp. Caes L. Septimius Seuerus Aug. Et M Aurelius Antoninus Caes Coh XV. Vol. Armamentarium Vetustate collapsum restituerunt sub Val. Pudente Lec Au. Pr. curante Caecil Batone Prae. This Arcenall was built of a square forme euery corner of equall distance that is foure hundred feete each corner had two Towers ioyning together and in
wars and troubles since the yeare one thousand fiue hundred seauenty two they haue with all their meanes both of bodies and goodes with them of Flissinghe more then any other of their neighbours repulst the tyrannie of the Inquisition of Spaine in diuers exploits and enterprizes of warre both by Land and Sea And especially with their braue Captaines at Sea in the beginning of the yeare 1578. they did before Bergen vp Zoom aid to defeate that mightie Spanish Fleete in view of the great Commander of Castille which went to victuall Middelbourg beeing straightly beseeged by the Prince of Orange so as this victualling fayling them they were forced to yeelde vnto the Prince Afterwardes their Captaines did in the like manner helpe to confound that feareful and inuincible sea-armie as they did write it which the King of Spaine sent in the yeare one thousand fiue hundred eighty eight to inuade England Flisinghee OR Vlissinghen is the third town of the Iland of Walchren right against Flanders and a league from Middelbourg It is also a Marquisate belonging to Prince Maurice of Nassau as La Vere not that they are two Marquisats but one onely euery one apart carrying diuers armes Flissinghe was in old time but a country village and did serue onely for a passage into Flanders But within these hundred yeares Adolph of Bourgongne Lord of La Vere and Flissinghe caused it to be walled in and then it began to take the forme of a good towne So as in the yeare one thousand fiue hundred seauenty one the Duke of Alua pretending to build a Castell on the ditch side towards Ramekins which should also command the hauen After that the Prince of Orange Gouernor of Holland and Zealand had by the Earle of Marche Lord of Lumay his Lieutenant surprized the Iland and towne of Bryel when as the Seignior of Wakenes the Vice admirall pretended to put a Spanish garrison into the towne beeing fauored by the Magistrate the people discouering it fell to armes forced the Arcenall and chased away the Burguemaisters and Aldermen and being maister of the Ordinance and of the towne gates they shotte at fiue or sixe shippes full of Spaniards which thought to enter into the Towne who by reason of the contrary tide sent a man swimming to land to intreat them that they would not sinke them promising them to retire vpon the first â—â—oud as they did going towards Berghen vp Zoom whereas they could not be entertained This town being thus freed from the Spanish yoake it was in a short time fortified and in a short time with the helpe of the Prince of Orange who presently sent them a garrison of Wallons they made sharpe wars with them of La Vere against Middelbourg and Arnemuyden which were held by the Spaniards going to Sea with their ships of warre they brought in good prizes and many good prisoners among others the Duke of Aluas Cousin who notwithstanding any ransom that he offered could not redeem him-selfe from the gallowes so hatefull the Spaniards were vnto the Flessingers in the first warres as al that they took they either cast them ouer-boord or hung them at land wherein the women and children tooke great delight They had an Admirall called Captaine Worst who did continually annoy them of Antwerp and Scluse and did set vppon all ships going vp to Antwerp one day he incountred a Spanish Fleetâ— in the which was the Duke of Medina Celi who came to gouerne the Netherlands in the Duke of Aluas place The combat was very furious neere vnto Sâ—luse but in the end the Duke was forced to leap into a boat and to saue him-selfe in Sluse It is infinit to tell what the captaines both by sea and land that were at time in Flissinghe did against the Spaniards They besieged the strong castle of Ramekin called Zeebourg both by sea and land standing vpon the Dyke betwixt Flissinghe and the head of Middelbourg the which they tooke in lesse then ten daies At the battaile of Berghen and in all other incounters the Flissinghers were alwaies the formost Snce they haue much inlarged their towne especially on that side where as the Duke of Alua had begun to build the castle where there are three goodly Bulwarkes two towardes the land and one to the sea which defends the hauen on that side flanking it at the port In this inlargement they haue drawne in a new hauen and a Sluse capable for many great shippes where they haue also built a new temple for the English nation within these twelue yeares they haue built a faire towne-house vpon the market place not in greatnesse but in building much like to that of Antwerp To conclude the towne as wel in fortifications as in buildings is now so changed as hee that hath not seene it these thirty yeares would not now know it It is second to Middelbourg in marchandise but it exceedes it in herrings where they are barreled vp and marked and from thence are transported throughout all Christendome This important towne to speake trâ—elie nay rightly be termed the Key of the Netherlands for the sea for at all times it cuts off the nauigation from Antwerp so as nothing can come vnto them by sea wherefore the Duke of Alua should haue beene more carefull to keepe it in time and not to haue esteemed it so little as hee did when the newes of their reuolt came vnto him answering onely Pitcilingo so he called it es nada And in truth the Emperor Charles the fift knowing better the importance of that place then the Duke of Alua going last out of the Netherlands to returne into Spaine where hee died vpon his departure hee did secretly and seriously recommend this towne vnto the King his sonne But as they say He that contemnes the fathers admonitions will be deceiued as it prooued in this towne ARNEMVYDEN OLd Arnemuyden which was wont to be situated in an other place not far from that where it now stands was a goodly village with a good castle well peopled with ritch Bourgers Marchants hauing a good commodious hauen wheras many great shippes might lie safely where at that time there was greater traffick then at Middelbourg it selfe This old Arnemuyden is by Inundations quite eaten vp by the sea so as there are no reliks to be seene neither can they coniecture that it stood in any other place but betwixt the hauen of Middelbourg and new Arnemuyden vpon the plaine which is betwixt S. Ioes Lands and the right chanel of Arnemuyden as it is at this day The greatest breach which happened to old Arnemuyden was in the yeare 1438 in the time of Gyles of Arnemuyden the Lord of that place who caused all the Bourgers and the Inhabitants to go with their families vnto the Dyke out of the danger of the sea whereas now the town of Arnemuyden stands The which as well for the coÌ„modity of Roads and Deeps as for the situation vpon the sea hath and doth
retaine vnto this day the trade of many great shippes which arriue there daily laiden with diuers sorts of marchandise and from thence is transported into the other Prouinces of the Netherlands except salt comming from Spaine France and other places the which remaines there to bee refined for the which there are many salt-pannes ' built along and vpon the toppe of the Dyke where it is boyled and made white and then they lade it and transport it to other places And although that new Arnemuyden was not walled in vntill the yeare 1572. yet hath it beene held of all forraine nations for a towne of good esteeme by reason of the nauigation and trafficke for which respect the Earles of Holland and Zeeland did in old time establish their towles and customes due vnto the county of Zeeland This towne hath alwaies enioyed the like priuiledges with the towne of Middlebourg as Bourgeses and subiects thereof vntill the yeare 1572. that they followed the Prince of Oranges partie Soone after the Spaniards surprized it spoiled it slue some and the rest fled wandring vp and downe vntill that in the yeare 1574. the towne of Middelbourg being forced to yeeld vnto the Prince of Orange Arnemuyden was also comprehended in the Accord so as the I le of Walchren beeing then freed euery man returned to his house so as by little and little the towne was fortefied as you see it at this day For the reedefying whereof the Prince gaue it goodly priuiledges and freedomes beeing exempt from the subiection of Vasselage being subiect to Middelbourg by vertue of their contract and causing it to bee walled and ditcht hee gaue them the rights and prerogatiues that belong to a good towne gouerned by their owne Magistrats Baylife Bourguemasters Aldermen and other Officers which they of Middelbourg were accustomed to chose but now they dispose of all matters concerning Iustice and gouernment themselues The towne of Arnemuyden had for many yeares a particular Lord carrying the title of Siegnior of Arnemuyden the last was called Gyles of Arnemuyden who in the yeare 1418. was made Knight and married the daughter of Wolphart van Borsselle by whom hee had two daughters the one Mary the other Marguerite of Arnemuyden Mary married with Nichâ—las of Borssele Siegnior of Brigdame Coudekerke Soeteland and Saint Laurence from whom is issued the house of La Vere Marguerite married William of Vriese Siegnior of Oosteinde from whence is descended the house of Trasigny And as the sayd Giles was the last Lord which carried that name his house fell to the distaffe Those of this towne for the loue of him carry his armes in their seales and armories which they vse to beare and they are at this day two Eagles Or in a field Geules armed and encompassed with Azure and in the midst a sand-hill rising out of the waues of the sea DOMBOVRG ALthough this bee but an open place which is dayly more and more couered with sand notwithstanding all remedies by reason that the winde driues the sand of the sea and downes which couers their gardins and pastures yet beeing esteemed the most ancient towne of the Isle of Walchren whereof there are yet to be seene some old ruines of walles it retaines still the ancient priuiledges municipall rights as the best town of the sayd Island WEST CAPPELLE THis place Bourg or village howsoeuer you will call it doth enioy the like priuiledges of other townes for that the ancient West Cappelle which stood in the same place was wont to bee a good towne and had the best port in al the Island of Walchren which about 150. yeares since was carried away by the inundations of the sea so as there remaines nothing but what wee see of the old buildings hauing notwithstanding bin inlarged with new houses within these thirty yeares the which makes it more commendable SOETELAND IS yet at this day a good place so termed as a sweete country and so it is the sweetest soyle and the best seat in all the Island which makes the Marchants of Middelbourg and Flissinghe to walke thether whereas after they haue recreated themselues they returne at night to their houses There are also in this Island many goodly villages as Oost and West Suybourg a quarter of a league one from the other betwixt Flissinghe and Middelbourg At West Suybourg there is a good castle the which with the village doth now belong vnto the heires of Phillippe de Marnix Siegnior of Saint Aldegonde the light of learned men of our age in which castle the Emperour Charles the fift remained vntill the winde prooned faire to imbarke to make his last returne into Spaine but wee may not forget the important castle of RAMMEKEN OTherwise called Zeebourg which about 60. years since the Lady Mary Queene of Hungary sister to the Emperor Charles the 5. gouernesse of the NetherlaÌ„ds caused to be built vpon the Dyke betwixt Middelbourg Flissing seruing as a bulwark for all shippes that are forced for want of a good winde to come and anchor in the Roade This castle is alwaies well manned with a good garrison and with all things necessary for a place of so great importance being as necessary to be entertained and well kept as any other in all the vnited Prouinces By reason whereof the Queene of England desired to haue it with the townes of Flissinghe and Bryele for caution of the money which shee did lend vnto the vnited Estates some twenty yeares since SCHOWEN IN Latin called Schaldia a Flvuio Schaldi of the riuer of Escault in old time a great Island but the tempests and breaches of the sea haue wonderfully dyminished it It hath yet at this day aboue eight leagues in circuit and it was in those daies so nere vnto the Island of North-beuelandt as the Inhabitants did talke together from one banke vnto the other whereas since there hath beene a great distance But within these twelue years that the sayd Island of North-beuelandt hath beene recouered they are neeâ—er This Island is as fertill and plentifull of all things as any other in Zeeland and therefore it holds the second ranke at the Estates of the sayd Prouince in the which the soueraigne Iudges of the East of Zeeland do commonly reside whom they call the Receiuer of Beâ—osterghelt who hath all power of cryminall causes in that quarter the cheefe towne whereof is ZIRICZEE THis towne is held for the first and most ancient of the countie of Zeeland and as some say it is found in the Annales of the Netherlands that it was built in the yeare of our Lord 849. by one called Zyringus whose name it carries in ancient time very famous for the trade of Marchandise wherevnto it was verie commodious by reason of their goodly port which the marchants did vsually frequent But the sands hauing in tract of time stopt vp the hauen it is now lesse frequented within these twelue or fourteene yeares the townesmen haue made a newe
bulwarkes rampars and counterscarps whereof the first is called by the name of the Island TOLEN THis towne shewes the effect by the name beeing the towle or custome of marchandises due vnto the Prince and now vnto the Estates of the countrie who choose the Officers of Iustice as Bayliffs Sheriffs and others Saint Martins Dyke IS a pretty town some times belonging to Adolph of Bourgogne Siegnior of Beuren the which came afterwards to the house of Buren and now belongs to Philip of Nassau Prince of Orange Earle of Buren by his mother In this territory is the village of Saint Annelandt which is as much to say as a good Bourg belonging also to the sayd Prince Ioyning vnto it is a little Island called Philips Landt these are the foure principall Islands with theâ—r townes Noort-Beuelandt THis Island was drowned as wee haue sayd in the yeare of our Lord 1532. in which inundation there perished the townes of Coortgeen and of Cats the villages of Campen We le Emelisse Haemste and others beeing also the patrimonie of the Prince of Orange which Cont Philippe of Hohenloo his Brother in lawe within these tenne yeares by an agreement made betwixt them hath recouered from the sea and fortefied it rounde about with good bankes so as at this daie it is a good countrie both for tillage and pasture likelie to bee soone built againe with goodly villages as it was wont to bee WOLFERS-DYCK SO called by the name of the Lord Wolphart as much to say as the Dyck of Wolphart it is the least of all these Islands aboue mentioned in the which there are but three villages Wolfers Dyck Sabbinghe and Hogersdyck but there is good pasture for cattel the Inhabitants being most giuen to fishing There are moreouer in Zeeland some other small Islands which are daily recouered from the sea riseing first like bankes of sand so as seeing them thus rise by little and little and to beare grasse they send their sheepe ouer to feede there whereas the shepards haue little lodges and for their cattell they make great barnes or stables where they lie drie in foule weather and there the owners prouide them haye before winter It seemes also that these Islands of Zeeland haue beene recouered from the sea long before Charles Martel Duke of Brabant father to King Pepinne of France wherein the Danes laboured much who in those daies had continual war against the French and great Brittanie for they did choose these sand-hills as a safe retreat for their Incursions vpon the neighbour countries which they made their Rendezvous making it the magasin of their spoiles First they seazed vpon the Isle of Walchren the which they did fortefie as well as they could against the violence of the sea before which enterprise they made many high mounts of earth as are yet to be seene heere and there which remaine vnprofitable some neere vnto townes applied to the vse of Gardens vnto which mountes being any extraordinary tide they did driue their cattel and retyred thether them-selues vntill the waters haue falne and then they returned to their lodgings These Danes or Noortmans hauing thus recouered the country began to Tille it especially after the descent of their great Captaine Duke Rollo who was head of the Norman Nation in France But in the end the Danes being expelled out of great Brittaine they were chased also out of these Ilandes the which in succession of time were peopled and made ciuill And so after many Accidents reuolutions quarrels in these watery parts in the end they were by force made subiect to the Earles of Holland being giuen vnto them long before made a County by the Emperour Lewis the gentle as the Emperor Charles the bald his father had made Holland a County and giuen it to Thierry the first Lord of these two Earldomes But after that the Emperor Henry the third of that name had giuen vnto Baldwin Earle of Flanders this Iland of VValchren and other smal neigbour Ilands there fell great warres betwixt the Flemings and the Hollanders especially that furious battaile in the yeare one thousand two hundred fifty three wheras Floris brother to Cont VVilliam King of Romaines and the Prince of Cleues defeated the Ladie Maguerit Contesse of F landers neere vnto VValchren before the King came in which defeat as histories report there were fifty thousand Flemings slaine as many drowned and almost as many prisoners whom the victors intreated ignominiously stripping theÌ„ naked among the prisoners were the two Commaunders Iohn and Guy of Dompierre sonnes to the Contesse Marguerite with Thybault Earle of Guise Geffrie Earle of Bar and aboue 230. Noble men Knights and men of accoumpt King William being puft vppe with this victory hauing such prisoners would not giue eare to any conditions of peace but such as he propounded to the Contesse which shee would not yeeld vnto But the King beeing slaine two yeares after in Freezeland a peace was made betwixt the Contesse and Floris Brother to the deceased King Vncle and Gardien to his sonne who was Earle of Holland and Zealand named Florens the fift By the which peace it was said that all prisoners should be set at libertie paying great ransomes And that the young Cont Florens shoulde marry Beatrix Neece to the Contesse Marguerite Daughter to Cont Guy her eldest sonne By which Accord and marriage the Flemings did transport and giue in marriage to the said Beatrix all such rights and pretensions as they might haue in the Conties of Zealand and in the Conty of Alost But this was but a counterfet peace and of smal continuance for that Guy of Dompierre being Earle of FlaÌ„ders could not indure that the Earles of Holland should inioy this Iland of Walchren but began to make warre to his great dishonor and preiudice the which could neuer haue any end vntill that all thâ— Seigneuries of Henault Holland Zeland and Frisland fel to the house of Burgonne at one instant in a mâ—nner with the Dutchy of Brabant vnder the good Duke Philip. The Estates of the conty of Zealand which wee haue described consists of the Nobilitie and of the townes of the Ilands of Walchren Schouuen Zuit-Beuelandt Tolen Noort beuelandt newly recouered from the Sea Duyuelandt VVolfersdick and Philâ—ipslandt wherof Prince Maurice is Gouernor Admiral general which Estates hold their general AsseÌ„blie in the town of Middelbourg wheras commonly the colledge of their Deputies do reside who AsseÌ„ble euery day to treat and determine of all occurrents touching the Estate or otherwise in stead of the Court of Zeland in the said town the which was wont to be the Abbay of S. Martin At which Colledge doth first appeare by his Deputy the sayd Prince Maurice in quality of Marquis of La vere the first Gentleman of Zealand speaking for the whole Nobility of Zealand then the Treasoror generall of the country then the Deputies of the townes of Middelbourg Zirczee La-Vere Flissinghe Tergoes Tolen
he held of the temporaltie to the end hee might succor him to preserue that which belonged vnto the spiritualtie in this towne and state And for that the Emperour was then in Spaine hee did impart it to the Lady Marguerite his Aunte who was Douager of Sauoy and Regent of the Netherlands so as in the end it was concluded that on the 15 of Nouember 1â—27 he should come in person to Schoonhouen whether the Emperor should send some men of account on his behalfe amongst which were the Earles of Buren Hochstraten the chancellor of Brabant and the President of the Prouincial councel of Holland where being arriued at the day appointed after many consultations they concluded that the Bishop should yeeld vp resigne transport all the rights interest and pretensions which hee had to the temporall iurisdiction in the diocese of Vtrecht and the country of Oueryssel to the benifit profit of the sayd Emperor of which rights he did put his Imperial Maiesty in possession as Duke of Brabant Earle of Holland not in quality of Emperor as well for himselfe as for his successors descended of his bloud whervpon the Earls of Buren and Hochstraten the chancellor and other deputies did promise vnto the bishop in the Emperors name their maister and did bind themselues to make war against his enemies and to settle him in his Episcopal seat and make him duly to enioy his spirituall dignity The Duke of Geldres beeing aduertised of this treatie and accorde hee made sharper warres then before and so incensed the cittizens of Vtrecht against their Bishoppe Henry as they sought by all meanes to depriue him of his Episcopall dignitie choosing in his place by the Dukes instigation and councell the Earle of Bilg a chanonine of Cologne TheÌ„ did there grow a furious warre betwixt the Emperor and Bishop Henry against the Duke of Geldres and the comunalty of Vtrecht holding the Dukes partie and their new Bishops So as after much bloud spilt and many spoiles done in the country there were some citizens of Vtrecht well affected to Bishop Henry who brought the Emperors men into the towne the 1. of Iuly 1528. who entred early in a morning by surprize where there was some little opposition the Earle of Maeurs lieutenant to the Duke was taken prisoner with many of the chiefe of the towne and some chanoins Three daies after the bishop entred and caused some of the mutines to bee executed by the sword yea he made two chanoins to bee put into a sack and cast into the riuer and he would haue taken a sharper reuenge without the intercession of the Earle of Hochstraten eight daies after he asseÌ„bled the three Estates in the publick place by the which he was acknowledged to bee their bishop Prince all sollemnly swearing fidelity obedience vnto him Afterwards the bishop hauing conferred againe with the said Estates hee propounded vnto them how that being in the town of Schonhouen he had let them vnderstand his resolution to submit the temporalty of his Siegneury to the Emperour shewing them how necessary it was for their quiet and publike preseruation to the end that this Estate being vnder the gard and protection of so mighty a Monarke it should bee defended and preserued from all enemies which did enuiron it intreating them to like well of that which he had resolued and to yeeld vnto it The matter being diuersly debated after many allegations on either side in the end for that they could not auoide it the Emperors men being already in possession of the town seeing they had coÌ„mitted an error and that their oppposition would auaile them nothing but incense the Emperor their Prelat they yeelded vnto it That is that the citty of Vtrecht with the iurisdiction and limmits of al the townes villages borroughes forts territory champian country mountaines woods forests riuers pooles lakes mills rents and reuenues to conclude all that was of the temporall demeins of the sayd Estate and countrie of Vtrecht together with all the right title and interest which hee had to the high diocese that is to say to the country of Oueryssel and ouer the town of Groning the iurisdiction of the Groningers and the Omelands with all their rights should be vnited and incorporated to the demeins of the Dukes of Brabant and Earles of Holland The which hauing beene agreed vpon and concluded the Traiectins were absolued of their othe of fealtie which they had taken vnto the sayd bishoppe who freely discharged them vpon condition that they should take the like othe and doe homage to the Emperour and to his lawfull heires issued of his bloud Dukes of Brabant and Earles of Holland The Bishop reseruing nothing for himselfe and his successors but the spirituall iurisdiction and reuenues and that sumptuos Palace in the towne ioyning to the cathedrall church built by Charles Martel Duke of Brabant father to Pepin King of France who gaue it to Gregorie the third Bishop of Vtrecht All things being thus concluded betwixt the Bishoppe Henry of Bauaria and the Emperor Charles Duke of Geldres finding his forces to weake to incounter so great a Monarke hee purchased a peace with his Maiesty the which was concluded the first of October following And the 21. of Nouember the Earle of Hochstraten as gouernor of Holland for the Emperor was sent by the Ladie Marguerite Regent into the sayd towne of Vtrecht who tooke a sollemne possession in his Maiesties name as Duke of Brabant and Earle of Holland and receiued their othes and homages the like hee did at Amersfoort Wyck-ter-Duyrsted Renen and Montfort as for the soueraigntie this last towne hauing a particular Lord and Vicont of that place returning back to Vtrecht the chiefe towne of the country he disposed of the Estate gouernment And as al things were well setled vnder the Emperors authority bishop Henry had a desire for some reasons to retire into Germanie to his other Bishoppricke of Wormes chosing for Bishop substituting in his place William of Enckwoort borne at Boisleduc Cardinall and Bishop of Tortone as Pope Adrian the sixt had beene before hee was Pope who resigned the said Bishopprike vnto him before hee came to the Popedome This Enckwoort was a Courtier at Rome and came not to his Bishoprike of Vtrecht making Iames Vteâ—engen his Vicar vntill he died in the yeare 1533. In the meane time Pope Clement the seauenth hauing seene the Contracts and Instruments of the cession and transport made by the Bishop Henry of Bauaria to the Emperour of the temporaltie of Vtrecht and the appourtenances hauing had therein the aduice and consent of the Colledge of Cardinals they did approue and ratifie all decreeing that this cession and transport should be of force and take full effect But for that this Estate and Seignieury is a fee of the Empire and doth hold of the Imperiall Chamber the Emperour was forced to demand the Inuestiture of the said Chamber in his
of the Estates it was much better fortified then before It hath agoodly bridge vpon the riuer at the end whereof they did then build a good fort to defend it by which bridge they may goe both on horse-backe Wagon and foote to all the townes of Ouerysel Friseland and Groning or else if they will by the chanells which rune through the country Hauing past this bridge going towards Vollenhouen Geelmuyden you enter into a goodly great and spatious pasture full of diches which they cal Maester brouk which yeelds as good butter and cheese as any part in Holland besides that in a short time it fats a great number of goodly Oxen. This pasture hath at the least foure leagues in circuit from the bridge of Campen vnto Geelmuyden along the riuer of Vidre passing before the towne of Hasselt then passing on to Swolle it returnes from thence to Campen which circuit is a halfe dayes iorny It is good cheape lyuing in this towne there is aboundance of fresh water fish and good cheape as Salmon Sturgion Carpes Barbels and Pikes I did once buy three Carpes there either being a foote and a halfe long for sixe Patars a peece the which tide to the barke and swimming in the Zuyderzee I brought a liue to Amsterdam All sorts of victuall are good cheape there especially foules and Ducke and Mallard This towne is full of Gentlemen and learned men the houses are faire and high built and streets very cleane It is much inlarged and beautified within these twelue or thirteene yeares The Magistrates are affable and the people ciuill and courteous whereas those that are fled thether for relligion are kindly entertayned yea they are drawne thether to set vp their trades being very fit for it for that the Marchants and workemen may goe in one night with a good wind to Amsterdam and going from thence at night after the dispach of their busines they may bee the next day againe at their owne houses which is a great commodity This towne hath priuiledge to coyne mony and they carefully entertaine a free schole SWOLLE IS a land towne of a round forme situated vpon a little Brooke running into the riuer of Vidre and from thence by the blacke water into the Zuyderzee It is held to bee strong hauing euer had double walles and double diches since these troubles it hath beene fortified with new rampars and Bulwarks In former times it was wont in time of daunger to bee the retreat of the Gouernor and of the Councell of that country who made his residence at Vollenhouen It is good cheape liuing there but the streets are not so cleane kept as at Campen by reason of the Cattell which they keepe within the towne and the great multitude of Wagons which come thether from all parts for it is of greater trafficke then Campen It hath not bene any way anoyed by siege during these troubles like to Deuenter and Campen being fallen into the Estates power by the preuention of the well affected Burgers who chased away them of the Spanish faction whereby they are become rich It hath two chanels which passe through it vpon the greatest of them stands the Market place which is faire and spatious and ioyning vnto it the great Temple of Saint Michel then a little lower is our Ladies Church In honor of this Town these foure latin verses were made Swolla diu celebris meruit virtutibus arma Quae populum fortem nobilitare solent Inde salutifera vetere pâ—etate fid que In Tripolim recipi faedere digna fuit Swolls vertue whilom got these armes that grace the vndanted troop that won them and their race And for hir faith and Martial brood 't was shee was only held fit guard for Tripoli For that it is the third imperial Hans Town of this Prouince of Oueryssell hauing priuiledge to coine both gold and siluer as the two others wee haue described these three chiefe Townes let vs now come vnto the lesser but strong and wel fortified STEENWYCK IS situated vpon a brooke called Blockerzyel comming out of the country not far from the towne and falls nere vnto Vollenhouen into the Zuyderzee In lesse then twenty years it felt two sieges the one by Charles Earle of Mansfeldt for the Prince of Parma who was forced to retire the towne beeing victualed by Count William Lewis of Nassau Philippe Earle of Hohenloo and Generall Norris Being afterwards surprised by the Spaniards Prince Maurice went to besiege it in the yeare of our Lord 1592. the which hee did so importune both by batterie and myne as notwithstanding the great losse of his men he himselfe being also shot in the cheeke hee forced them to yeeld by composition It is not ten yeares since the Spaniards made an other enterprise but it succeeded not It was much defaced by these two sieges but it now begins to recouer it selfe HASSEL THis town is called Hassel vpon the Vidre to distinguish it from Hassel nere vnto Tongre in the country of Liege it is two leagues from Volenhouen in ancient time a good and ritch towne by reason of the commoditie of the riuer of Vidre which runnes into the Zuyderzee at Gheelmuyden beeing mingled with the two little riuers of Regge and Veecht It is at this day reasonably well fortefied but it hath no such trafficke as it it was accustomed yet it is a prettie towne and well gouerned OLDENZEEL IS the towne which they call in Latin Veteres Salij from whence some will maintaine but without any great ground that the lawe Salike comes It hath also felt the fruits of their last warres hauing beene besieged in the yeare of our Lord 1605. and yeelded to the Marquis Spinola for the Arch-dukes Albertus and Isabella of Austria Dukes of Brabant Earles of Flanders c. It is a reasonable great towne and of good trade where they make great store of fine lynen cloth which they sell in the Netherlands and is sent into Spaine OTMARSVM IS called in Latin Veteres Marsii which are the old Marsians whom Pliny and Titus Liuius doe often mention being seated in the country of the Tubantins which at this present is Tuent a quarter in the Prouice of Oueryssel It is a little towne and of small importance yet hath it thrise tasted the fruites of warre as well by siege as otherwise Beeing vnable to endure a long siege by reason of the weaknesse thereof lying in an open country whereas either partie being Maister of the field might easily cut off their victualls In the yeare 1592. Prince Maurice tooke it in lesse then foure and twenty houres where as the Siegnior of Famas Generall of the artillery for the Estates was slaine a gentleman much lamented by the Prince and of all men of warre of his partie within these three yeares the Marquis Spinola recouered it with as much ease To conclude this towne and Oldenzeel are so weake as they must yeelde to the first enemie that comes with
Monasteries are situated betwixt the riuers of Ems and Lanwers and make a Siegneury or Prouince which is numbred among the 17. of the Netherlands and the eight in ranke of the vnited Prouinces which are represented and gouerned by the common consent of the Estates of the sayd Prouince Before that we treat of this Estate in general we wil first speake of the town of Groningue which giues the name vnto the whole Prouince which name some hold was giuen it by Grunnius issued from the bloud of the Kings of Frisland who was the founder and not that Troian of whom Sebastian Munster speakes This towne is seated in a pleasant soyle enuironed with goodly pastures some thinking that it hath taken the name from the greenes thereof this worde of Groen signifying greene Ingen being as an adiectiue which makes vppe the word wherof there are many both in this and other Prouinces of the Netherlands as Husinghe Finelinghe others in the country of Groeningue Harlinghe in Frisland Vlaerdinghe in Holland Flissinghe in Zeeland Poperinghe in Flanders and others els where This towne with the dependances was heretofore giuen to the Bishops of Vtrecht in the yeare 1057. by the Emperor Henry the third and others going before him and by their successors since that the Normans destroied the towne of Vtrecht whereof they gaue letters of Estate to the sayd Bishops of the which they haue alwaies made vse vntill the end of the last age The which notwithstanding was often taken from them as well by the Groningers themselues as by the Princes which haue seazed vpon that Siegneury amongst others Albert and George Dukes of Saxony who had the gift from the Emperors Frederic and Maximilian and Edsard Earle of Embden whom they accepted for their Lord all which did not acknowledge the Bishops of Vtrecht This towne is inricht with two small riuers Huneso and Aha comming out of the countrie of Drenthe through the Ommelands the which compassing about the towne meete in the suburbes which is called Schaytendyep from whence passing by the towne of Dam with other small brookes which ioyne there they fall by the Sluses of Delfzyele into the Dullart which is of the riuer of Ems by the which all ships both great and small take their course to ioyne with the greater which anchor vpon the Dullart and so to goe from thence to sea whether they please There were wont to be twelue churches in this towne whereof three were parish churches the first was Saint Martins the second Saint Walburge which Temple hath the forme of a Mosquee which they say was built by Pagans the Parish beeing now annexed to that of Saint Martin and the third is that of our Lady ioyning to one of the Market places Other fiue are Monasteries and the foure which remaine Hospitalls among the cloisters that of Franciscains being in the midest of the town is conuerted to a colledge for schollers for the study of humanity wherof at my being there doctor Vbbo Ems was Rector the other cloisters monasteries are applied to better vses then to feed idle bellies The foure hospitalls are entertained whereof the first which is great like a parish is called of the Holie Ghost the second Saint Gheertruyde the third Saint Iames and the fourth Saint Anthony There are in this town two goodly market places the one for the greatnesse was called Dat-brede marckt very great and spacious the like whereof is not be seene in any other towne beginning from Saint Martins church-yard going toward the west at the end whereof is the towne-house nere vnto it is the other market-place not much lesse which goes to our Ladies church which they call Ter Aha or fish market At which two market places which is a goodly thing to see there meet 17. of the greatest streets of the towne whereof six go to seueral gates being eight in al that is to Poel port Ooster port Heren port Ter Aa port Botteringe port Ebbing port which gates are called by the name of the said streetes The Spaniards in the Duke of Aluas time did builde a Cittadell at Heren port which the Burgers did ruine when as Gaspar of Robles Lord of Billy a Spaniard Gouernor of the town was deteined prisoner by his owne soldiars and the towne reduced vnder the vnion of the Estates but afterwards it was trecherously yeelded vnto the King of Spaine by George of Lalain Earle of Rheneberg with the murther of the Burgue-master and some Burgers vntill the yeare 1594. that Prince Maurice of Nassau did force it by a siege and furious battery to submit it selfe vnder the obedience of the sayd generall Estates as it continues vnto this day with the Ommelandes This towne hath betweene Poel port and Steeneille port a goodly suburbes with a chanell where the shippes arriue which come from Dam Delfziell and other places of the country with turfes and al sorts of prouision necessary for the towne which suburbes are so fortefied as the Inhabitants thinke themselues as safe there as within the towne it is called Schuytendiep Within these ten yeares the generall Estates for some ielousie which they had of the sayd towne as well for feare of intelligences of some Burgers with the Spaniards as also to take away all occasion for Enno Earle of East frisland to attempt against the sayd towne caused a cittadell to bee built in the which they entertained an ordinary garrison the which kept the mutins in awe There is yet an other suburbe rampared like vnto a fort at the Port Ter Aa an other at the Port of Botteringe and an other beyond the Cittadell all which suburbes haue much endured during the siege and in the last warres as many goodly houses of pleasure as well of gentlemen cittizens as ritch farmers most part ruined doe yet smart for it Finally the situation of this towne is such that as they may carrie and transport whatsoeuer they please by water so may they also doe by land at all seasons of the yeare by the Drenth and other neighbour places to the fronters of Germany which brings great proffit to the towne As for the Ommelandes that is to say the champian country thereabouts which consists of many good Bourges and villages although they bee not subiect to the towne yet by a mutual accord there is such vnity among them as in many things they haue yeelded vnto the towne as the right of the market the staple of marchandise sold by great or by retaile to sell no strange beere nor ale throughout all the country but only such as they doe brew within the towne the which is set downe at large in the letters of the statute in the yeare of our Lord 1455. renewed and augmented in the yeare 1482. And the chiefe point wherein the Ommelands haue yeelded vnto the towne the which they haue enioyed for these many yeares is touching matters of Iustice by the which the wise men of the country are gouerned Inferior
Iudges kept in awe the iurisdiction maintained the pride of the ritch and mighty restrained and the Edicts belonging to the common-weale concerning their authoritie published For the which the Magistrate or Senate of the towne chuse fiue honorable persons fit for those charges to bee renewed euery yeare if for their sufficiencie and merittes they bee not continued two or three yeares these are called Hoft-mannem they are seldome chosen if they haue beene Bourgue-maisters Senators or of the councell These fiue Hoft-mannem tooke knowledge of all things were it by themselues alone or ioyntly with the Senate Their Court was called their iudiciall chamber their authoritie was great ouer all the champian country which by little and little did extend beyond the riuer of Lanâ—vers and then into Ostergoe and Westergoe two chiefe Cantons of Frisland wheerby there grewe great quarrells betwixt the Groningers and Frisons yea among the Frisons themselues diuided into those two cursed factions of the Schyeringers and Wetcoopers To pacefie the which the Emperor Frederick the 3. sent Otto van Langhen a Chanoine of Ments and his councellor into Frisland but hee returned without any effect by reason of the wilfulnesse of the Schieringers The Emperor Frederick dying soone after Maximilian the first his son succeeded in the Empire who sent the same Otto van Langhen again into Frisland with an ample commission giuing them authority as they had before time to choose a Potestate which is as much to say as a Prouinciall Gouernor and to settle the Frisons in their ancient liberties whereby the Groeningers had beene excluded from the confederation which they had with them of Ostergoe and Westergoe But although the Frisons were well inclined to this Election of a Potestate wherein they proceeded so farre as there was one chosen of the chiefe of their Nobilitie and well qualified yet one of the factions held him for suspect either partie desyring to haue one of his league where-vpon their hatred did so increase as Otto preuayled no more then at the first which made the Emperour Maximilian to giue the gouernment Hereditarie of Frisland and Groningue to Duke Albertus of Saxonie as wee shewed in the description of Frisland Duke Albertus hauing afterwards broken this confederation betwixt them of Groening and Frisland ouer whom hee held himselfe halfe Maister seeking to dispose of all things at his pleasure as well within the towne of Groening as in the Ommelands where hee pretended an absolute superioritie which they beeing vnwilling to yeeld vnto hee went to besiege the towne of Groening the which after a long siege hauing endured many Indignities from Duke Albertus and fearing in the end a badde issue of this warre they did call in and receiue for their Protector Hereditarie Edsard Earle of Embden or rather of East-Frisland Lieutenant at that siege to the Duke but discontented with Collonel Vyt vppon certaine conditions amongst others to build a fort or block-house the which was done The Duke seeing himselfe deceiued by the Earle and disapointed of so goodly a prey ment for the recouery thereof to imploy all his meanes holding the Frisons to bee halfe vanquished The Groeningers seeing the Emperour to imbrace the Dukes quarrell and that there was a proscription sent out by the Empire against Cont Edsard who could hardly free himselfe much lesse protect them rather then to fal vnder the proud gouernment of the Saxons they called in Charles Duke of Geldre a Prince that was stirring high minded to vndertake their protection vpon the same conditions that they had receiued Cont Edsard onely the fort which he had built should be razed the which the Geldrois to augment his Signeuries would not neglect sending the Seignior of Oyen to take possession and thus the towne and state of Groning fell into the hands of the Geldrois which was the cause of great warres betwixt the two Dukes of Saxony and Geldres The Geldrois being put in possession of the towne in the yeare 1518. and of the Ommelandes 1521. as such an actiue spirit cannot containe him-selfe within his bounds hee began soone after to attempt as well vp on the rights of the towne as the preuiledges of the Ommelandes The Groningers hauing discouered his practises with Captaine Meinard van Ham for the King of Denmarke vpon the towne of Dam which is of their iurisdiction the which hee pretended to fortefie to keepe Groening in subiection and then to doe all things at his pleasure They seeing them-selues thus circumuented and knowing the dukes intention grew cold in their affection which they did first beare him turning it to the house of Bourgongne where-vpon hauing resolued with the consent of the Ommelands they did write vnto George Schencke Baron of Tautenburg knight of the order of the Golden-fleece gouernor of Friseland for the Emperor Charles the fift according to the resignation which the Duke of Saxony had made vnto him to which effect the sayd Seignor Schencke hauing receiued commission from the Lady Mary Queene of Hungary sister to the Emperor marched with all the forces hee could thether where he entred in Iune in the yeare 1536. and there receiued their oth of fidelity in the Emperors name as Duke of Brabant Earle of Flanders Holland Zeeland c. Lord of Friseland and Ouerissel but vpon certaine conditions that the members and state of the Seigneury of Groning should hold their priuiledges right and statutes as they had receaued them from their ancestors that the towne should hold their ancient Preture and the foraine that they should build a pallace in the towne for the Emperor fit for a Prince but without any fortification the forts in the country should be razed noe new built if necessity did not require it for the defence of the country and of the towne out of whose reuenues there should be yearely payed vnto the Emperor to his successors 12000. crownes vpoÌ„ which conditioÌ„ Phillip K of Spaine was receiuedin Ianuary 1550. Among all the priuiledges of the said towne they haue one very notable which came from their ancestors with an inviolable contynuation which is That noe King Prince Estate nor common-weale can call any Bourger or Cittizen of that towne into iustice nor cause him to bee cited or adiorned before any court but onely before the Senat or his ordinary iudge more-ouer that noe man might appeale from any sentence that were giuen either in ciuill or cryminall causes neither from the court of Hoffmans or iudiciall chamber in that which concernes their iurisdiction from the which no man of what quality so euer may decline moreouer the towne is Lady and mistrisse of her owne lawes and statutes the which by a soueraigne power they may make and vndoe create and abrogate without the authority of any person The Estates of the Ommelands haue also the like authority in their regard The towne hath had a priuiledge to coyne siluer and copper for these foure hundred years and gold since
Cromer in his Chronicle of Poland writes that in Cracouia in the yeare 1269. the wife of the Earle Buboslas was deliuered of sixe and thirty children all liuing the which is against all the rules of Phisick and naturall Philosophy yea against the course of nature it selfe yet there is no rule but hath some exception whereas the grace or diuine vengeance interposeth it selfe the which ouer-rules Nature and the force of the Elements VLAERDINGHE ALthough this bee but a Borroughe at this day yet it is put in the first ranke of all the walled townes of Holland the riuer of Meuse vpon whose bankes it stands hauing in a manner eaten it vp with the castle and by great tempests driuen it into the sea Thierry of Wasenare doth maintaine that it ought be called Verdinge by reason of the tolle which doth yet belong vnto the Lords of Wassenare where they did bargaine as well as they could it is two leagues distant as well from Delfe as Rotterdam SEVENBERGHE THis towne is seated vpon the riuer of Mâ—ruve three leagues beneath Gheertruydenberghe and as much from Breda The towne lies open it is small but reasonable good where there was a mighty fort during all the time of the last troubles the which was held by a garrison for the vnited Estates It belongs now to the Earle of Aremberghe who hath liberty from the Estates that paying contribution it shall remaineneuter as it hath done All the aboue named townes although they bee not so great as those of Brabant and Flanders yet they are not much inferior beeing for the most part greater by the halfe stronger and better peopled then they were thirty yeares since so as they which haue not beene there since especially in Amsterdam will not know it Of all these townes there are fiue which should bee held for Bourroughs whereof wee will presently speake some thing that is to say the Hage which deserues well the name of a towne Vlaerdinghe Seuenbergh Muyden and Voorn yet there is an other towne not walled in called GOEREE WHich I finde to bee the last of the townes of Holland it is situated in a little Iland inhabited for the most part by fishermen and makers of nets which is their greatest labour and trafficke it hath as good and as deepe a roade as any is in Holland where as great shippes which go long voiages cast anchor attending their last prouision and a good winde This place hath of late yeares beene spoiled by the garrisons of Woude and Hulst as also Hellevooet-sluys opposite vnto it which is the Sluse of the Iland of Voorn on that side towards the sea whereas Bryle lies on the other side vpon the gulphe of the riuer which they call the old Meuse BEVERWYCK THis word is as much to say as a retreate for Baâ—arians for it seemeth that the Kings of France hauing subdued Holland did diuide the inheritances of the countrie amongst their olde souldiars whether they should retire themselues and inhabit the which they did distribute by nations This Bourg is two leagues from Harlem vpon the riuer of Tye not aboue two thousand paces distant from the sea it is well built and hath goodly farmes about it The Noblest of all Borroughes and Villages ending in Wyck is Calwyck whereof there are two the one vppon the sea and the other farther vppe into the countrie which haue beene built by the Cattes fathers to the Battauians or Hollanders who following their Prince Batto went and seated themselues neere vnto the gulphe whereas the Rhine dischargeth it selfe into the sea which place by reason of the commodity of the situation hath beene heretofore ample spatious and verie fit to receiue shippes and marchandise but diuers times destroyed and ruined by the incursions of Barbarians and Pirats Besides there is Suydwyck neere to Wassenare where there is a Mil vpoÌ„ the South side the which by a breuiation they call Suyck then there is Noortwyck on the North side to the which it seemes that the Normans which came out of Denmarke and Suedland gaue the name whereof that worthy man Ianus Douza was Lord and left it to his children Then haue you Osterwyck which some hold was inhabited by the Vandales or Esterlings vnlesse that â—oppo Lord of Arckel gaue it the name of Esterwyck Then is there Naeldwycke wherof the Lords of the direct line are dead and now it belongs vnto the Earle of Arembergh where there is a Chanonry Martin van Dorp a great diuine and a Poet was borne there After it is Riswyck nere vnto the Hage Stolwyck famous for the good cheese which is made there nere vnto Goude Bleyswyck belonging vnto the Siegnior of Bronckhurst Brerdwyck beeing so called of the Bardes Gaules or of the Lombards a people of Germanie Brandwyck Schalcwyck and Hontwyck whereof it were hard to write the etimologies beginnings NIEVPORT IS on the other bancke of the riuer of Leck right against Schoonhoven It hath beene in former times a good towne but as the condition of humaine things is frayle and transitorie it seemes that the spoyles of Barbarous nations the intestine warres which they haue had in Holland hath brought it to decay yet it is still a good Borrough SCAGE IT is a good Bourg well built like vnto a towne the market place is made of a triangle forme and goes into three streetes where there are little passages from the one to the other It hath the best most frutfull soyle of all Holland both for tillage and pasture the Bourgers are verie rich There is a goodly castle all which belongs vnto the Siegnior of Scagen and Barchom who descends from Duke Albertus of Bauaria Earle of Holland It were an infinite thing to describe the other Bourgs and Villages of the sayd county the which we will omit and speake something of the castles as well of those which haue beene ruined during the factions of the Hoocs Cabillaux as of the rest which are yet standing Among those which are ruined are the castles of Brederode halfe a league from Harlem and of Egmont being 5000. paces from Alcmar It was first ruined long since and afterwards in the last troubles in reuenge that the Earle of Egmont the father left the Noblemen of the Netherlands who had entred into league against the Duke of Alua the which cost him his head and for that the sonnes in steede of reuenging the ignominious death of their father followed the Spaniards party Then is the castle of Teylingen where as the Countesse Iaqueline tooke great delight betwixt Leyden and Harlem ruined also nere vnto the walls but it might be easily repaired On the other side of the town of Schoonhouen is the great and mighty castle of Lysfeldt nere vnto the bankes of the riuer of Leck belonging vnto the Duke of Brunswyck if of late yeares hee had not exchanged it together with the towne of Woerden with Philippe Earle of Hohenlo At Vianen there is also a faire
castle belonging to the Lord of Brederode as wee haue sayd with that of Ameden which is betwixt Viane and Nieuport on the same side Wee haue heretofore made mention of the castles of Woerden Goude Gorchom Medenblyke and Muyden There is neere vnto the towne of Alcmar the castle of Assenburg which is the place of the Lord of Assendelf who hath an other castle nere vnto Rotterdam called Hemingen The castle of Abcoude is one of the Noblest and most antient betwixt Leyden and Vtrecht there is a remainder of a little castle neere vnto Hemskerke seated vpon a hill with foure towers the which for the hight doth some times serue as a sea-marke vnto Mariners Those of the house of Adrichom had a castle neere vnto Beuerwyke which the Frisons did raze and ruine with the ruines whereof the Siegnior Antony Vander Bâ—rcht heire of that place by his mother hath caused a house and a farme to bee built there all walled about The old castle of Riuiere nere vnto Schiedam as wee haue sayd doth belong vnto the Siegniors of Matenesse After it is Kenebourg belonging vnto Iames of Egmont van Merensteyn or to his heires Then Mereburg to the Siegnior of Lochorst and the castle of Duyuen nere vnto Seuenhuysen to the Siegnior of Sprangen There was nere vnto the Hage not farre from Voorburg a castle called Elin at this present wholie ruined The ruines of the castle and temple of Hildegarde within a league of Rotterdam are yet to bee seene vpon a high eminent place whereas in old time there kept one Hildegarde a kinde of Sibille or diuine whose Oracles did represent the times which wee haue now seene in Holland There yet remaines a tower all tattered the ground of which castle is the inheritance of the house of Matenesse Within the compasse of the walles of Rotterdam there is to be seene the ruines of Bulgestein and of the castle of Veen which they call Thoff that is to say the Court so as the gate which is set in that place is called the Hoff-port You may see vpon the riuer of Schye the remainders of the castle of Sterrâ—burg the which belongs vnto the Siegnorie of Duyvenvorde there was also in former times an old castle in the village of Capelle whereof the ruines are yet to bee seene it comes from the house of Naeldwycke and doth now belong to the Earles of Aremberghe The castle of Hodenpyle in the iurisdiction of Vlaerdinghe is quite downe The like hath happened to the castle of Polanen the which did belong vnto one of the noblest families of Holland All these ruines happened during their cursed factions of Hoecks Cabillaux wherof these Noblemen were the chiefe supporters taking a diuilish delight to ruine one an others houses yea in townes the strongest factions of the Bourgers chasing awaie the others which factions continued not much lesse then two hundred yeares The castle of Velsen for that Gerarde van Velsen Knight had murthered Floris the fift Earle of Holland was in like manner ruined nothing remayning but certaine old peeces of walles the ground whereof belongs vnto the heires of Ianus Douza Siegnior of Nortwyck nerevnto which ruines Adrian Groeneveen a rich Bourger of Harlem hath built a faire house with large ditches almost like vnto a castle Sandenburg which was a castle of the Earles of Holland after that the Court had beene transported from Grauesandt to the Hage by Count William King of Romaines was also ruined and so remaines The like happened to the castle of Zyle in old time called Thoff van Zyle The castle Ter Does had beene also ruined but within these foureteene or fifteene yeares it hath beene repaired Altena that is to say to nere so called for that it was feared by them of Delfe by reason of the fort beeing neighbour vnto them belongs to them of Almonde Croeswyck on the other side of the riuer of Rotter and Croelinghen halfe a quarter of a league from Rotterdam are also ruined but if the Signior of Croelinghen had a good purse it should bee soone repaired Louestin right against Worcom and Henselaers-Dyck neere vnto Naeld-Wyck are yet in being Of the Nobility of Holland I Will content my selfe with that which diuers Authors haue written touching Nobilitie how it is pourchased and maintained what the dutie is and wherein true Nobilitie consists who desiers to be instructed let him read Adrianus Iunius in his Battauia in the chapter De Nobilitate Batauica But I will here relate succinctly what the ancient Nobilitie of Holland was how it came to decline and what hath remained The ancient Nobilitie of Battauia or Holland tooke their greatest exercises in Armes by the which they sought the degrees of honour for as Tacitus saith Vt Gallos pro libertate Germanos pro praeda ita Batauos pro gloria ad capessendam pugnam olim fuisse instigatos As the Gaules for libertie the Germaines for prey so the Battauians were in old time prouoked to enter battaile for the desire of glorie They were most commonly the best mounted and had the fairest and most resolute troupes of horse that serued vnder the Romaine Emperors After that Holland had a particular Prince beginning with Thierry of Aquitane their first Earle the Nobility of Holland began to shew them selues so they grew to haue many great and worthy families a great number of gentlemen who had pourchased their nobility either from their Ancestors or by their own vertues and prowesse But I cannot but lament that so many great noble riche and mightie families are now extinct as well by their intestine warres against the Frisons as against strangers for which consideration the heyres males fayling the successions fell to the women and so came to other families besides the furie of Gerard van Velsen had many companions all which were put to death and their neerest kinsmen pursued to the death euen vnto the ninth degree a most cruell reuenge and such as could escape were forced to become vagabonds in forraine countries such as had hidden themselues vntill this furious reuenge was past were afterwards forced to take borrowed names of other families and to leaue their owne To come then to that which remaines and to those which are past We will say that the house of Wassenare as wee haue said else-where was the most ancient of Holland as it appeares by this common prouerbe Vassenare the most ancient Brederode the most noble for that they descend from the first Earles and Egmond the most rich Wee haue scene in this last age Iohn of Wasenare the subduer of the Frisons a braue and valiant Knight who was slaine in those warres leauing one onely daughter and heire married to the Earle of Lingue whereby this familie and surname is extinct The memorie of the house of Brederode may easily be found in the Annales of Holland being come from Ziphard the second sonne of Arnulph the third Earle of Holland and Zealand who to auoyd his fathers