before whome the father casting his gloue defied the sonne But the Duke who loued this Adolph labored to perswade the father to resigne the Duchy vnto his Sonne and that being now very old he should retire to Graue and content him-selfe with that peece and three thousand florins rent wherevpon Adolph like an vnnaturall and barbarous sonne hearing this proposition made by Duke Charles of Bourgongne answered that he had rather cast his father head-long into a wel and him selfe after then accept of that composition That it was reason seeing his father had gouerned forty foure yeares that he should also come in his rancke to the Principality and enioy it as his father had don Adding that he was well content his father should haue 3000 florins yerely for his entertainment but he must depart out of the country and siegneury of Gelders and neuer enter more into it Duke Charles hearing these speeches and noting the cruelty of a sonne towards his father seemed so much incensed thereat as Adolph fearing his fury fled in a disguised habit thinking to saue him-selfe in Gelders but beeing knowne neere vnto Namur hee was taken and put in prison at Villevord from thence carried to Courtray where hee remayned till after the death of Duke Charles In the mean time the father to be reuēged of his son sought to dis-inherit him resigning his Duthcy of Gelders County of Zutphē vnto Duke Charles vppon certaine conditions By which resignation the Princes of the house of Austria haue so much pretended vnto the sayd Dutchy as in the end after the death of the last Duke Charles of Egmont they haue inioyed it although by right it should descend to VVilliam Duke of Cleues whome the Emperor forced to yeeld it vnto him And to return to Adolph he was freed from his prison at Courtray by the Ganthois who made him their Generall against the Frēch king Lewis the 11. where this vngrateful son was slaine before Tournay receiuing the fruits of his desert hauing bin so cruel to his father Duke Arnould dying afterwards at Graue he instituted vpō caution the said duke of Bourgongne to be his heyre dis-inheriting his son Adolph of the succession as contumax ingrat rebellious But the Geldrois refusing to accept of Duke Arnolds disposition testament the duke of Bourgongne went with a mighty army and by force took possession of the country receiuing their othes of fealty homage whervnto he forced the townes the Nobility of Gelders And the better to assure this new Estate he purchased from Gerard Duke of Iuilliers and his children all the interest they had or might hereafter pretend vnto the Duchie of Gelders This done hee sent Charles and Philip the sons of Adolph whome he had by a Princesse of the house of Bourbon to be bred vp in Flanders and by that meanes the Duke of Bourgongne remained in quiet possession of the Estate of Gelders and dying left the succession to his onely daughter and heyre who was married to the Emperor Maximillian but the Geldrois refusing to obey him he raised a mighty Army and came to Boisleduc where-with the Estates of Gelders being terrified they acknowledged him for their Prince in the right of his wife and did sweare obedience vnto him And so Maximillian gotte the quiet possession without any effusion of blood the which he inioyed vntil that Charles the sonne of Adolph who had bene taken prisoner with the Earle of Nassau in an incounter neere vnto Bethune by the French and afterwards by reason of his Allyance by the mothers side set at liberty with the helpe of the French King and his Kinsmen and friendes returned into Gelders with a small Army where without any resistance or difficulty hee was receiued by the people as their lawful Prince and numbred for the eight Duke of Gelders This Duke Charles of Egmont was in his time a valiant and warlike Prince making war against all his neighbors especially against Albert duke of Saxony feudatary of Freezland of Groning Gouernor of a part of the Netherlands for the Emperour Maximillian and the Arch-Duke Philip his sonne who marryed the Lady Ioane of Castile and was afterwards Queen of Spaine after the death of the King Don Ferdinand of Arragon and of Queene Issabelle of Castile her father and mother whereby the Realmes of Spaine came vnto the house of Austria and haue continued vnto this day The said Duke had also great warre against the Lieutenant of the Emperor Charles the fift sonne and successor to the said Arch-Duke Philip so as in the end there was a peace made betwixt them at Gorcum in the yeare 1528. and afterwards in the yeare 1536. there was an other generall peace made in the Towne of Graue The conditions whereof were in substance that Duke Charles of Egmont should hold the Dutchy of Gelders and the County of Zutphen in fee of the Emperor or Duke of Brabant and Earle of Holland for him and his lawful heirs But if hee dyed without issue his Estates and Seigneuries should accrue vnto the Emperor and his heirs This duke died without children in the yeare 1538. And so according to the said Accord and transaction and the rights which his great grandfather the Duke of Burgongne had gotten these countries should descend vnto the said Emperor But Iohn Duke of Iuilliers pretending an interest by reason of their ancient rights renounced and sold as we haue sayd by his Ancestors was not receiued by the Estates so that after the death of Duke Charles of Egmont the Cleuois had laboured to draw some by loue and others by force vnder the subiection of the King and to make them his vassals where-vppon they tooke armes against him And worshipping the sunne rising more then the sunne seting neglecting the old Duke they did chose and receiue his sonne William who was made sure to the daughter of the Duke of Albret and heire to the Crowne of Nauarre which election was confirmed and better established in the yeare of our Lord 1539. by the death of the said Duke Iohn at which time neither the Emperors title nor authority could preuaile any thing to make him to be acknowledged Lord of this Prouince But this was not all for the Emperor being in Spaine his countries were sodainly inuaded by the French King and this Duke William Where-vppon the Emperour beeing returned from his last vnfortunate voyage of Affricke hee went into the Netherlands with a mighty army and sodainly subdued in a a manner all the townes of the Dutchy of Cleues and Iuilliers and among others those of Duren Sittant Where-with Duke William being amazed and fearing this mighty enemy by the perswasion of the Princes of Germany his Allies he went and humbled him-selfe vnto the Emperor in the towne of Venlo to whom he was reconciled yeelding absolutely vnto him the said Dutchy of Gelders and Earldome of Zutphen renouncing also the league which hee had with the French King and
owne priuate name as well for him-selfe as for his successors lawfully descended from him The which he did easily obtaine And by this meanes the Citties Townes Territorie and Iurisdiction of the Estate and Seigneiury of Vtrecht which had bene gouerned by their proper Princes and Bishops aboue nine hundred yeare came vnder the obedience of the Emperor Charles the fift and after him to his sonne Philip the second King of Spaine Duke of Brabant Earle of Holland c. Of which Estate of Vtrecht being two Diocesses the Emperor made two Estates reducing them into two Prouinces which make the number of seauenteene in the Netherlands that is into the prouince of Vtrecht that of Oueryssel That of Vtrecht making the fourth in ranke of the confederate Belgick Prouinces vnder the generall Estates and that of Oueryssel the fift hauing their voyces and suffrages in that order in their Cessions The Estates of which Prouince of Vtrecht consist at this day as in former times of three members the Clergie of fiue Colledges that haue Chanoins the Nobility and the townes Of which Colledges the Deputies are indifferently chosen to assist daily in their Assemblies with them of the Nobility and townes who haue their Secretaries and other Officers This Seigneury of Vtrecht hath as we haue said a Prouincial Councel from which at this present there is no appellation as had bin heretofore to the Imperial Chamber at Spier at such time as it was meerly a member of the Empire but since that the Emperor Charles the 5. did vnite it to his demaines excluding the said Imperiall Chamber hee made it subiect to the great Councel at Macklyn vntil that the Estates of the said country and of Oueryssel hauing within these thirty yeares recouered their libertie it hath bene discontinued Notwithstanding in case of remission they may haue their recourse vnto the Estates of the Prouince where as the reuision is made by the same Acts In which Prouincial Councel there is a president six Councellors an Attourney general and a Register The Chamber of accoumpt is kept by the colledge of the Estates wheras the Tresorers as well generall as particular are bound to come and yeeld vp their Accoumpt The said Seigneury hath also a particular Mynt as it hath alwaies had the which is also subiect to the general of the Mynte for the vnited Estates The gouernment and Religion is generally maintained as in other Prouinces their confederats There are foure Marshals for the whole Seigneury euery one of which hauing charge in the quarters that are assigned them where they are to command their Archers to apprehend all vagabonds and other offenders which they shall meet in the country The deceased Prince of Orange of famous memory was Gouernor of this Prouince as of Holland and Zealand placed there by King Philip before his last returne towards Spaine after the violent death of the said Prince the vnited Estates did subrogat Prince Maurice of Nassau his sonne Marquis of La Vere and Flissingue making him more ouer their Captain General and Admirall of all the vnited Prouinces as he is at this present FRISLAND NO man can denie but this Frison Nation is very ancient as it appeares by the ancient greeke and latin writers as Strabo Ptolomey Plinie Tacitus and others for it retaines at this day the same seat and the same name which they gaue them and had before them Seeing that in a manner al other Nations of Germany haue either quit their old abodes or else haue receiued new names the which needes no farre fetcht proofes seeing their neerest neighbours do verifie it For the names of Holland Vtrecht Ouerissel Westphalia and others were neuer knowne by any of the aboue named Authors neither was the name of Geldre euer in vse the Inhabitants whereof and of Cleues Iuilliers Monts Berghe were then called Sicambres but eight hundred seauenty eight yeares after the Natiuitie of our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST That which they now call the country of Saxony was not the abode of the ancient Saxons wherof Ptolomey makes mention So as it is hard for moderne writers to iudge by reason of the alteratiō of names if those which be at this present neighbours vnto Frisland bee the same Nations which in ancient time were wont to be or whether they bee now more remote But as for the Frisons there is no dispute nor doubt wherof to giue more firme and solide reasons both of the name and of the Antiquity the Reader shal vnderstand that the succession of their Princes the families the foundation of townes castles and villages may in their regard bee drawne if not farther yet with more certainty then any other Nation of Germany The Danes although they bee very ancient and equal touching their beginning with the Frisons cannot make a true extraction nor giue a reason of the time but since their King Frotho the third during whose raigne our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST was borne The Franconians likewise although they bee very old whatsoeuer they pretend that their freedome was purchased in the seruice of the Romaine Emperours yet are they in doubt of their first beginning issue and denomination so as they cannot decipher their true and continned Chronologie but since Charlemaignes time But the Frisons hauing to this day alwaies kept one name and one dwelling may directly and by a plain computation of times report their gestes from the beginning vnto the ending so hauing taken beginning 313. yeares before CHRIST and since that time foure times made proofe of the change and Estate of their Common weale they may by a cleer computation of yeares shew how long they were vnder princes then vnder dukes after vnder Kings vnto Charlemaigne and since vnder Podestates vntill their Anarchia how long also vnder the Factions vnto the resignation which George Duke of Saxony made vnto the Emperour Charles the fift and how long vnder the house of Austria vntil their Emancepation and liberty which they inioy at this present prouing from the beginning of their Princes the foundation and building of the towne of Staueren which then was the cheefe of al the Realme of Frisland By reason of which Antiquity this town hath had a prerogatiue from the Kinges of Denmarke that in passing the straight of the Sonde their ships haue priuiledge to go first before all others either going or comming out which must attend their turnes but not those of Staueren which must bee presently dispatcht by the Impost gatherers To describe the questions which are betwixt the ancient and moderne Authors to find out the truth from what place Friso and his two bretheren Bruno and Saxo are first descended were in my opinion a tedious and endlesse labour seeing they can determine nothing that is certaine no more then of the Ancestors of these three princes which some maintained to be descended from Ragau sonne to Sem the sonne of Noe But it appeares plainely that they were of the reliques of the Macedonian
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
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
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
the yeare 1543. when as hee conquered it from William Duke of Cleues who maintained himself to be true and lawfull heire to Charles of Egmont last Duke of Gelders which councell did serue as well for the Duchy of Gelders as the County of Zutphen ioyntly consisting of a Chancellor and ten councellors that is foure of the Nobility of the foure quarters aboue mentioned and sixe Lawiers or others the which administer Iustice with great authority hauing an Attorney generall a Register and other Officers from whose sentence there is no appeale In which towne the Chamber of accounts was also placed by Philip the second King of Spaine and Duke of Geldres succeeding the Emperor Charles his Father in the yeare 1559. whereas all the Officers of Geldres and Zutphen as well of Iustice as of the treasure must yeeld an account of their charges and offices This towne within these thirty yeares is wonderfully changed as well in fortifications and Boulwarks as otherwise it hath beene often threatned and attempted to be surprized by the Spanish faction but it was fruit-lesse the which might seeme strange considering the easie accesse they had when as they held the townes of Deuenter and Zutphen Nymegen IT is a free towne and a fee of the Empire of ancient foundation Of the which we read that Magus King of Gaule the Sonne of Dis had beene the first founder who called it Maga by his owne name And that afterwards Batto King of the Catthes as we will shew more amply in the description of Holland comming into that quarter pleasing himselfe in the scituation and in the remarkable antiquity caused it to be repaired and did both amplefie and fortefie it with new walls wherevpon it was called Nouiomagum the which in the country speech answeres to Nyenmegen vnlesse that in fauoring the little town of Megen seated vpon the riuer of Meuse prefering it in antiquity we will maintaine that Nymegen hath beene built since vpon the riuer of Wahal by the same Magus or his successor the which I leaue doubtfull Hessel Sonne to Batto fauored this towne of Nymeghen for that he was borne there and did so inlarge it as the lower part of the towne is called Hessel-marckt vnto this day Among all the singularities and antiquities of this towne the castle is yet standing vpon the toppe of a little hill and ouer lookes the towne the which some affirme was built and re-edefied by Iulius Caesar to discouer the Country there-aboutes and to commaund it Neither is there any place in all that quarter to be found which yeelds so goodly a prospect of the country riuers townes and villages as this Fort doth the which vnto this day they call Des Wallicks Hoff which is as much to say as the Gaules Court the which is a probable argument that Magus or some other of the Gaules haue built it They haue found in this towne about it within few yeares memories of the Romans antiquity as medals and goodly stones of sumptuous buildings and sepulchers with inscriptions and Epitaphes of some Captaines famous men There are also many ruines of the Romaines time along the riuer of Wahal where as some thinke they planted their campe and placed their garrisons so as the passage which is neere vnto the towne is at this day called in the country language Roomsche Vort which signifieth a Romaine Fort. So as they haue found great stones in the wall of the chiefe Port which they call Hessell-Port whereas these words are grauen Hâ—c pes Romani Imperii Here is the foote of the Romaine Empire And on the other side Hic finis regni Stauriae Here is the end of the command of Staurius whereof we will speake here-after in the description of Frisland There was also found in St. Stephens church-yard a great stone on the which these verses were grauen Anno milleno postquam salus est data saeclo Centeno iuncto quinguageno quoque quinto Caesar in orbe situs Fredericus pacis amicus Lapsum confractum vetus in nihil ante redactum Arte nitore pari reparauit opus Neomagi Iulius in primo tamen extitit eius origo Impar pacifico reparateri Frederico Twelue hundred years wanting but forty fiue After Saluation did appeare to men Frederick then peacefull Emperor did reuiue The Pristine fame of ruin'd Nymegen Iulius did build it long before as then His first foundations stood but farre vnlike To the repaires of peacefull Frederick This was when as the Emperor Frederick caused the old ruines to be repaired Vnder this towne are comprehended as making one quarter of the Dutchie of Gelders the townes of Bomel and Tyel which are walled in and Ghendt which lyes open but yet it enioyes the priuiledges of a towne The iurisdictions are first that of the Bourgraue that is to say the Vicont of Nymegen of the officers of the said two townes and of Bomelweerd then that of the higher and lower Betuwe and afterwards they that lye betwixt the riuers of Wahal and Meuse In the yeare 1248. this towne came vnder the subiection of the Princes of Gelders by the meanes which follow Otto Earle of Gelders did lend vnto William King of the Romanes Earle of Holland Zeeland c. the summe of 21000. markes of pure siluer vpon condition that if within a certaine time limited hee did not pay the sayd summe hee should inioy the sayd Towne with the iurisdiction as his owne proper inheritance The which the Emperor Rodolphus did continue since did augment the conditions for the Earles aduantage And withall the said money was not satisfied whether it were through the negligence of the Princes of the Empire or that they had not meanes to pay it wherby the Vicontie and Seigneury of Nymeghen hath remained incorporated vpon certain conditions to the Duchy of Gelders retaining the iurisdiction soueraignty and prerogatiue to coyne money as an Imperiall Towne In the yeare 1589. Collonell Martin Schencke of Nydeck made an vnfortunate enterprize vppon the towne who retyring vnto his boate beeing ouerladen it sunke and he was drownd Since the vnited Estates hauing built a mighty fort called Knotsenbourg on the other banke of the Riuer of Wahal opposite vnto the Towne the which did hinder their nauigation and much anoy them with their Canon the townse-men did presse the Duke of Parma to free them from this Fort and to beseege it But Prince Maurice comming thether out of Frieseland and hauing defeated some of the Dukes men hee was forced to raize his seege and to retyre with his Army into Brabant he him-selfe going to the Spaw The Prince seeing him retyred made haste to beseege the sayd towne which he soone forced to yeeld vnto the vnited Estates In the yeare 1592. vnder whose obedience it hath euer since continued Ruermond IT is a reasonable good towne seated vpon the Riuer of Meuze ioyning to the mouth of that of Ruoer For Mondt in the duch tongue signifies mouth or
entrance and so of that word and of Ruer the name of this towne is compounded as many others are found in the Netherlands of the like definitions as Dendermond in Flanders Isselmond in Holland and others in Latin it is called Ruremunda fiue leagues from Maistricht three from Venloo A towne well peopled rich well built strong both by nature and by art of fortifications of rampars and bulwarkes It is one of the foure chiefe Townes of Gelders chiefe of one of the quarters vnder whose IurisdictioÌ„ are comprehended the Townes of Venlo Gelder Stralen Wachtendonck and Erâ—kelans al walled and strong with three small Bouroughes Montfort Vucht and Nyeustadt one a league distant from another which are vnder the Iudges and Officers of the said townes as also they of Kessel Middeler and Creykenbeeck Within sixty yeares this town was appointed to be the Bishops Sea for the whole Duchy of Gelders And there are at this day more Priestes and Monkes in iâ— then in any other Towne in the Country They haue had their share of troubles in these last warres but not in so great a measure as many others A good league from Ruremond is the goodly Village of Kessell with a strong Castle built vpon a Mountaine belonging to a priuate Lord from which Village there is a little Angle of the Country called Landt-van-Kessell which is of the demaines of the Duchie This place of Kessell was sometimes a towne of great importance the which Ptolomey calleth Castelleum makes it the Metropolitaine of the Menapians This towne of Ruremond with the whole Iurisdiction is at this day subiect to the Princes of Austria Venloo IT is vppon the right banke of the riuer of Meuse three leagues from Ruremond and halfe a league from Stralen it is a good and a strong Towne the people are martiall and giuen to Armes and hath in former times resisted an Imperiall Armie And although it hath often had garrisons of VVallons Germaines Spaniards and Italiens yet they haue alwaies found meanes to free them-selues by some deuice and to sette the garrison at diuision one against an other the Citizens fortefying one of the parties and chasing away the other then finding them strong ynough for that which remained and which had fauoured them they expelled them also as it hapned in the yeare 1578. to the Seignior of Esstournelles and in the yeare 1591. to Otto Bentinck their Gouernor remaning notwithstanding alwaies faithfull to the Princes of Austria to whom they knew wel how to excuse them-selues In the yeare 1601. Prince Maurice made a gallant enterprize vpon the said Towne but beeing ill seconded the Burgers hauing taken armes and recouered their Ports it succeeded not so as he was forced to retyre with the losse of two of his Captaines In this Towne VVilliam Duke of Cleues hauing lost all his Duchy and a good part of Iuilliers and Cleues came in the yeare 1543. and submitted him-selfe to the mercy of the Emperor Charles the fift where he was receiued into grace renouncing the league which hee had with the French and marrying the daughter of Ferdinand King of the Romaines the Emperors brother absolutely renounced al his interest to the Duchy of Gelders as we haue shewed more amply in another place Guelder THe Towne of Gelder is as we haue said that which hath giuen the name to the whole Ducthy being within two smal leagues of Stralen it hath a Castle which was wont to be without the towne but now it is comprehended within the fortification This was wont to be the Court of the Lords of Pont Aduocats and afterwards Earles of Gelders it is deuided into two habitations seperated by a water vppon the which there is a bridge which giues accesse from one to the other seated in a country some-what Moorish and not very accessible to plant the Canon This towne in the beginning of the last troubles was vnder the obedience of the vnited estates But the Earle of Lecester Lieutenant to the Queen of England Protectresse of the vnion hauing placed Collonel patton a Scottishman for Gouernor there hee sold it for thirtie thousand crownes in ready money to the duke of Parma in the King of Spaines name retaining to him-self the horses and moueables of Collonel Schenck and the ransomes of some of the ritchest and best Cittizens And so this towne returned vnder the power of the Princes of Austria as it is yet at this day Stralen THis towne is but a league and a halfe from Wachtendonck a small towne but sufficiently fortified for the importance thereof beeing too neere to Venlo in the which the Princes of Austria intertaine an ordinary garrison vnder some Gouernor or Captaine whome they place there Wachtendonch IS also a small Towne with a Castle belonging to a priuate Lord the which in the yeare 1588. holding the party of the vnited Estates the duke of Parma after that hee had fayled at the seege of Berghen vp Zoom sent Cont Charles of Mansfeldt to beseege it where in the end hee forced them to yeeld In the yeare 1600. Cont Lodowike of Nassau surprized it for the vnited Estates After which the garrison of Gelders Stralen and others thereabouts surprized it againe but not able to take the Castle they were forced to abandon it So as in the yeare 1605. the Marquis Spinola went and beseeged it who receiued it by composition for the Arch-Dukes of Austria Erchelens SOme will say that this towne hath taken his name of Hercules Allemanicus It is situated vpon the fronters of the Duchy of Iuilliers foure leagues from Ruremond it is a reasonable good towne obedient with the like garrison vnto the Princes of Austria But lette vs now come vnto the townes which are seated as wel vpon Zuyderzee as vpon the riuers of Rhyne Wahal Meuze and Issell First Echt IT is a league from the Meuze and as far from Montfort on the side of that goodly Wood which they call Echterwout Montfort IT is a Castle of importance the which was in ancient time a smal towne it lies a league from Ruermond Harderwick IT is a an indifferent good towne lying vppon the Zuyderzee yet the hauen is bad so as the shippes are forced to lye in the Road Notwithstanding Charles Duke of Gelders sending fiue shippes well manned with soldiers out of that towne thought to surprize the Towne of Horne in West-Freezeland whereof he fayled In the yeare 1503. this towne was by chance sette on fire the which was so violent as in lesse then three houres it was all consumed to ashes except fiue or sixe houses with the losse of all their goods and the death of many persons which were surprized by the fire or smothered vnder the ruynes of the houses and walles the which was a fearefull and pittyfull sight Since it hath beene in a short time new built and made more beautifull and stronger then before There are some rich and ciuil people in it The Magistrate intertaines a
good Schoole there It hath not much tasted of the miseries of these last warres sometime it hath maintained a small garrison of horse and foote without any great charge vnto them Elburgh IT lyes vppon the Zuyderzee like vnto Harderwick from the which it is distant two good leagues and as much from the Towne of Campen in Oueryssell It is a little town of smal trafficke but yet good cheap to liue in and hath during these warres followed the same party that Harderwick did Hattem WAs in ancient time a good towne though none of the greatest seated vppon the left banke of the riuer of Yssell There is a goodly strong Castle which hath tasted of the miseries of these last warres for the Drossart or Lieutenant of the Country thinking to deliuer it into the Spaniards handes being discouered they thought to make it good in this Castle wheras the Estates beseeged them and the Castle was so battered and torne with the canon wherof the marks are yet to bee seene as they were forced and carryed prisoners to Arnham whereas they lost their heads Wagheninghen IS a small ancient strong towne and is the very same which Cornelius Tacitus called Vada as to speake the truth it ma◠properly be so called being in a manner compassed in of all sides with moores and bogs which makes it in-accessible on those parts it lies not far from the riuer of Rhyne beeing of an equall distance from the townes of Arnham and Nymeghen and foure leagues from Culenbourg Tyel THis Towne is the chiefe place of the Iurisdiction or Bayliwick which they call Tyelerweerd the which was wont to be a Peninsula But since these last warres Derick-vick Seignior of Soulen Bailiffe of the town and iurisdiction hath caused a chanell to be cutte through the Countrie to sayle from the riuer of Meuze into the Wahal vppon the right banke wherof the said towne is built ◠by which meanes the said Tyelweerd is now made an Iland for that there is no entrance into it but by water or through the towne It is strong by nature and by art through the dilligence of the said Amptman or Bailyffe who since the last troubles hath made sharp wars against the Spaniards by the meanes of that garrison In the yeare 1528. holding the party of Charles Duke of Gelders their Prince the Burguignons beseeged it in the Emperors name but it was so well defended as they were forced to raise their seege to the great honour of the Inhabitants and the few soldiers that were within it Bommel IT is a faire strong place the cheefe towne of all the Territory of Bommell-weerd which the Rhyne and Meuze doe compasse in making it an Iland the which they say was called by Caesar Insula Batauorum if it extend no farther the which wee may say is now the higher and lower Betuwe on the other banke of the riuer of Ryne as farre as Tyel and beyond to Haerwerden where at this present is the mighty fort of Saint Andrew whereof wee will presently make mention whereas the Wahal and the Meuze kissing as the passe ioyne together at Louestein at the end of the said Bomels-weerd in one body the which soone after from Gorrichom takes the name of Meruve vntill that hauing past Dordrecht it resumes his name of Meuze and beneath Bryell runnes into the Brittish Seas In this Iland there are many fayre Villages and Castles among others Rossem whereas Martin van Rossem Seign ior of Puydroyen was borne a famous Captaine in his time hauing beene Marshall of the field to the Duke Charles of Gelders and William of Cleues who in the yeare of our Lord 1534. did terrifie the Towne of Antwerp and thinking to doe the like to them of Lovuain was forced to retyre In the yeare of our Lord 1598. Arch-Duke Albert of Austria beeing gone into Spaine to fetch his spouse the Infanta Isabella daughter to King Philip the second and sister to King Philip the third now raigning left during his absence Cardinal Andrew of Austria to gouerne the Netherlands which were giuen in marriage to the sayd Isabella and Don Francisco de Mendoza Admirall of Arragon for generall of his armie the which hee sent vnto the frontiers of Germanie to make warre against the vnited Estates that way where hauing done what hee listed and taken from the Estates by seege the townes of Rhynberch and Deutecom and then the Fort of Creuecaeur hee past to the said Iland of Bommell with an intent to beseege the towne the which by reason of their workes at the fortification lay halfe open The which Prince Maurice vnderstanding he posted thether with all speed and assured it with his presence and forces causing a trench to bee cast without the towne from one side of the riuer vnto the other whereas hee lodged the greatest part of his Army where-vppon the Admirall seeing there was no way to force them hee retired farther into the Iland busiyng him-selfe about the building of Saint Andrewes Fort so as the towne of Bommel was freed In this towne was borne that learned man Elbert Leoninus Doctor of the Lawes who dyed in the yeare 1601. being Chancellor of Gelders and deputy for the general Estates of the vnited Prouinces being aboue 80. years old he was sōtimes Tutor to the Prince of Orange which now liueth S. Andrew THis Fort was so named by Andrew of Austria Cardinal of Constance being Gouernor of the Netherlands as wee haue said in the absence of the Arch-duke Albert. It is the mightiest fort that hath bin made in al the Netherlands for the building whereof the Admirall of Arragon disfurnished the whole Iland of trees It is comprehended in fiue Bulwarks after the forme of the Cittadel of Antwerp wherof three are vppon the bankes of Meuze and Wahal and the two others towards Haerwerden either of them hauing a caualier or plat-forme to defend it with broad and deepe ditches without the which is a counterscarpe the which hath also a ditch round about it and small forts to warrant it especially wheras these two riuers imbrace one an other towards Tyler-weerd whereas the Fort of Nassau is set opposite to that of Saint Andrew in a corner which is also made an Island by art beeing called Voorne and is held by the Estates which two Forts did daily salute one an other with their Ordinance The Admirall hauing fynished this Fort thinking thereby to keepe the riuers of Wahal and Meuse and the whole Island in subiection left a garrison of 1500. men in it with store of artillerie and munition and then retired with his army to refresh it in Brabant But Prince Maurice did not dissolue his armie but kept it togither all the winter as well in the towne of Bommel as in the trenches and ships which he had lying by The spring time beeing come hauing recouered the Fort of Creuecaeur he went to beseege that of Saint Andrew the which through want of victualls was
to that of England holdes the the third ranck and suffrage in the session of the Estates for the Country of Holland This Towne hath his name from his situation being seated vpon a chanell that comes from the Hage and falls into the Riuer of Meuze at Delfs-Hauen which chanel cut in a right line cost a great deal of labour and charge before it was made This town was first founded by Godfrey called the crooke-backe Duke of Lorraine who beeing called in and assisted by the Bishoppe of Vtrecht chased out of Holland Earle Robert the Frison the Lady Gheertruyd his wife and hir little son that she had in her first marriage by Florent the first of that name and sixth Earle of Holland This Duke of Lorraine inioyed the said Earldome aboue foure yeares during which time he built the towne of Delf But the little sonne of Geertruyd being growne somewhat bigger with the helpe of neighbour Princes both Germaines in regard of his mother and others re-entred with a goodly army into Holland to giue him battaile where he ouerthrew him and hauing chased him out recouered al his couÌ„try But shortly after one of his seruants as hee was at the priuy run him into the fundament with a Iauelin of which hee died in the towne of Maestricht This towne of Delf was straightly beseeged by Count Albert of Bauaria as you may read more amply in the history of the Netherlands so as being constrained to yeeld the Earle caused a great part of the wall to bee throwne down Yet notwithstanding shortly after they did him great seruice in the warre hee had with the Frisons the other Townes refusing to ayd him and couragiously released certain English soldiers engaged in a Fort beseeged by the Frisons for which duty and valour of theirs the Earle consented to the re-building of their walles There befell a pittifull accident to this towne in the month of Maie 1536. being set on fire by casualty the fire so disperst that it was almost burned before there could bee any helpe yet they wanted not water for it hath two chanels that passe through the towne But the wind being very vehement so disperst the fire that there scarce could any thing be saued yet like the Phaenix renuing out of her ashes this Towne was built againe more fayre and magnificent then euer before remedying their error in the first building which was the cheefe cause of their ruine by not suffering one house to bee thatcht with straw but high and stately buildings without with their inward ornaments and furnitures so neat and fitting that in the whole Netherlands it is not to be parraleld the streets likewise so cleane and well kept that notwithstanding the greatest rayne there is no durt to touch the shoo so as indeed they seem to be alwaies washt In this fire there hapned so memorable an accident that happily the like hath not beene recorded in antient or moderne storries It is most true that Pliny and other authors set downe as a matter of notable and great consideration that the young Storkes when the old ones are growne in yeares and past helping of themselues supply that want by feeding them and when their winges fayle in passing the Sea the young ones take them on their backes But that which hapned of the same birds in the towne of Delph is of greater consequence and more remarkeable This towne is so seated for the feeding and bringing vp of these birdes that it is hard to see any house vppon the which they are not nested to breed in This fire hapned vppon the third of Maie in the yeare aforesaid 1536. at which time the young Storkes are growne pretty and big the old ones perceiuing the fire to approch their nests attempted to carry them away but could not they were so waighty which they perceiuing neuer ceased with their winges spread couering them till they all perished in the flames Gaspar Veldius an author of reuerent esteeme in his booke of Storkes recountes the same and also D. Adrianus Iunius in his history of Holland from whom I haue drawn these lattin verses following Candida et obstreperis inuisa Ciconia ramis Pignora ab ardenti viderat igne premi Aeripatne suos et aperta pericula tentet Hinc suadet Pietas vitae amor inde vetat Hanc luctam pietas generosa diremit et vrna Esse â—adem et sobolis vult libitena suae Iam minor Assyrium Phaenicem fama boquatur Viuerae quae busto quaerit at ista mori The white hu'd Storke that neuer sits on bowe Seeing her young in flames ah how it paines her Shall she for them aduenture life to loose Piety bids her trye but feare restraines her Yet piety her feare soone ouerthrowes And so one tomb with her poore yong containes her Giue place thou Phaenix then thou seeks new breath By being Burnt but she sought onely death AT Delf there are excellent clothes made both great and small that are much desired in other countries commonly called in their language Delfs puyck In this towne was borne that abhominable Monster for heresie and imposture called Dauid George but his right name was Hans van Burcht a painter of glasses and the sonne of a painter one that infected with the poyson of his heresie the towne of Munster in Westphalia A man altogether vnlearned yet of so subtile a memory and vnderstanding and withall so eloquent accompanied with a kind of grauity that hee could perswade his followers to what hee thought good whereby he not onely made him-selfe chiefe head of a new sect but caused him-selfe by his desciples and followers to bee adored as GOD him-selfe perswading them that hee was the true Messias This Gallant or rather Diuell was married and had children gouerning his familie in outward shew indifferent honestly but in effect had neiher religion vertue or any goodnesse whatsoeuer notwithstanding the people being for the most part light and inconstant louers of nouelties wicked and contentious feeding their ambition by the first occasion offered hee sowed and dispersed his heresie vnder colour of diuers extrauagant lawes throughout the lower Germany being already so far aduanced in this businesse that diuers that followed him as his desciples bound them-selues to the will of this damnable Arch-hereticke But this impiety beginning to bee discouered and the Magistrate making dilligent pursuit and seuere inquisition after it as the case required this monster fled to Basil in Suitzerland with his wife children houshold and all other his baggage where being ariued hee was taken to be a rich Marchant of the Netherlands fledde thether for his religion and to auoyd the fury of the Imperial Placarts where by his friends and confederates hee was welcomed and much made off When hee went to Church with his wife and children hee was accompanied like a great Lord with a troope of followers and seruants shewing at his first comming great liberallity to the poore which made him
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
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
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
middest of the Riuer of Issel and the body of his armie lay intrencht without the towne towards the fields whereas the Admiral thought to make his approches to besiege it but finding such lettes hee durst not affront the Prince who attended him long in battaile but retyred and went to winter vppon the Territory of the Empire where he carryed himselfe as you haue heard in the history of the Netherlands DOETECVM THis towne stands in ihe Champian country a League from Doesbourg vppon the old Issel it is a reasonable good towne with a double wall yet none of the strongest The Admiral of Arragon hauing past the Rhyne to besiege Doesbourg he went first before it and tooke it by composition within three daies But the Admirall beeing retyred Prince Maurice went and beseeged it againe the which was as easily yeelded to him as to the Spaniard remaining at this day vnder the obedience of the vnited Estates as it had beene aboue thirty yeares before except those few daies the Admirals men held it BRONCKHORST IT is within a league of Zutphen seated vppon the right side of the riuer of Issel erected to a Contie hauing a particular Earle The familie of Bronchoorst is ancient from the which are issued the houses of Battenbourg Anholt Megen and others The towne hath beene much ruined during these warres But the Castle which is of a reasonable strength stands still where there is a continuall garrison for one party or other LOCHEM IS a good little towne two leagues from Zutphen well fortified for the importance thereof beeing very necessary during the troubles for holding the States partie in the yeare one thousand fiue hundred eightie two the Duke of Parma sent Charles Earle of Mansfeldt to besiege it in the King of Spaines name But the Prince of Orange knowing that three of his Nephewes Herman Frederic and Adolph vanden Berghe sonnes of his Sister and of Cont Van Sheeren Berghen were within it hee sent the Earle of Hohenloe with an armie to raise the siege as he did and freed them forcing Mansfeldt to retire with losse Since which time the said town hath continued constant vnder the obedience of the Estates vntill that in the yeare 1605. the Marquis Spinola Lieutenant to the Arch-duke Albert of Austria besieged it and tooke it by composition but soone after it was recouered by Prince Maurice and continues as before GROLL IN old time was a good Borrough but by these last warres within these thirtie yeares it hath beene walled in with rampars and Bulwarks hauing broad and deepe ditches fortified with casemats and counterscarps Being held by the Spaniards Prince Maurice went and besieged it for the vnited Estates Whereof Peter Earle of Mansfeldt Lieutenant for the King of Spaine by prouision beeing aduertised he sent Collonel Mondragon Captaine of the Castle of Antwerp with a small Armie to raise his siege or at the least to cut of his victuals The Estates beeing ill informed of the strength of this Spanish armie which was made greater vnto them then it was they commanded Prince Maurice to retyre as he did But hearing what Mondragons forces were who retyred towards the Rhyne to passe at Berck hee pursued him beyond the town of VVezell in which pursuite Cont Philip and Ernest of Nassau Brethren Cousins to the Prince and Cont Ernest of Solms beeing too farre aduanced contrary to the Princes order after they had defeated two Cornets of Spaniards were them-selues in the end put to route and the two Earles Philip of Nassau and Ernest of Solms slaine and Cont Ernest of Nassau was taken prisoner Where-vppon the Prince leauing his pursuit brought backe his Armye and Mondragon repassing the Rhyn returned with his into Brabant But two yeares after in the yeare 1597. the Prince went agayne to beseege it in the which Cont Frederic Vanden Berghe commanded with 1200. men who finding him-selfe very hardly prest he yeelded it by composition Since in the yeare 1605. the Marquis Spinola recouered it although it were held very strong beeing yeelded vppon an honorable composition It is two leagues from Breefort SHEEREN BERGHE A Towne and Castle erected to an Earledome wherof the last Earle was called William whom King Philip the second made Earle he had to wife the Prince of Oranges sister by whome he had many sonnes the eldest called Herman is now Earle Hee with two of his bretheren being beseeged in Lochem were deliuered by the dilligence of the Prince their Vncle But soone after abandoning him vngratefully they followed the Spaniards partie yet the Estates seazed vppon the towne in the which they had their garrison vntill that the Prince passing that way in the yeare 1597. the Contesse their mother obtained of him that the town should remaine neuter and that she and her daughters liuing in the castle should bee freed from garrison The like she obtained from the Arch-duke Albert It is a little towne of small importance a League and a halfe from Dotecom BREDEFORT IS but a small Towne with a Castle situated in a Moore to the which there is but one passage to come vnto it vppon a Causey so as it is of hard accesse yet in the yeare 1597. Prince Maurice surmounting all difficulties did beseege and batter it and hauing caused it to be summond the Burgers hauing a disposition to yeeld yea the women and children falling on their knees vppon the Rampar and crying for mercy the Captaine who commanded them being resolued for to hold it the Prince caused an assault to be giuen and took it by force commanding the soldiars to spare the Inhabitants The Captaine like a coward fled with his soldiers into the castle and hid him-selfe The Prince caused certaine peeces of Ordinance to bee brought to batter the Port which the soldiers seeing they yeelded vpon condition that they should be all taken to ransome This braue Captaine was found hiddē in a seller yet he was no worse intreated then the rest only he indured many affrōts for his cowardly brauery This town lies two leagues from Anholt since it hath bene well fortified by the vnited Estates KEPPEL IS a little towne of small importance as al other Land-townes be it stands vpon the old streame of Issel halfe a league from Doesbourg BVRG IS not much better then Keppel seated vppon the same torrent a League from Doesbourg Heere you may see tenne townes as well great as small strong as weake in the Contie of Zutphen besides Boroughes Villages and Castles whereof there is good store which make this Prouince to haue a large Iurisdiction It hath indured much in these last warr but now they begin to take breath whereof they haue great need as well as diuers others but wee will content our selues with this description The Prouince and Seigneiurie of Vtrecht THis Estate and Seignieurie in old time belonging vnto a Prince and particular Prelat whom they called the Bishop of Vtrecht was first giuen by the meere liberalitie of the Kings
house declyning as wee haue shewed in the chapter of the Nobility of Holland AMERSFORT THis towne was in olde time built at twise for there is a little towne al walled about in the very midest of an other greater the which at this present is verie strong with rampars and bulwarks flanking one an other and large ditches It is three leagues from Vtrecht standing vpon a little riuer which they cal Do. It hath beene often taken and retaken by the Geldrois the last was in the yeare 1543. when as Martin van Rossen Marshall of the Duke of Geldres army tooke it by force but he sodenly yeelded it againe according to the accord made in the towne of Venlo betwixt the Emperor and the sayd Duke To speake the truth it is a faire and a good towne well peopled for a land towne the inhabitants are courteous and of good conuersation among the which there are many learned men and louers of musicke who in certaine daies of the weeke meet togither in honest company to make musicke for the which they haue certaine gardins and faire chambers of the sworne companies as pleasant in sommer as can bee seene in any place whersoeuer and in winter they make choise of some of their houses Maister Iohn Fouck Prouost of our Ladies church in Vtrecht was borne in this towne he was honored with other degrees and Ecclesiastical dignities a learned and vertuous man and therefore he was called by the King into Spaine and there made President of the councell of the Netherlands for the affaires of Flanders In this towne was also borne that great personage Iohn of Oldenbarneuelt Knight Siegnior of Tempel and Groeneuclt first councellor and aduocate for the county of Holland and West-Frisland a man of great Iudgement and experience vpon whom the affaires of Estate do chiefely depend not only for the said coūty but also of the generall Estates of the vnited Prouinces which remaine not at the Hage in Hollād RHENEN SO called for that it is situated vpon the banke of Rhine fiue good leagues from Vtrecht as much from Arnhem in Geldres whereas they doe most commonly dine going or comming from one of these two townes vnto the other which is a great passage towards Deuenter Zutphen Doesbourg and other places as well in Geldres as Cleues or to Cologne or any place where they please in Germany This towne hath towardes Vtrecht a large country the soile whereof is fit to make turfes to burne but not so good and durable neither make they so good a cole as those of Holland And a league frō thence there hath beene within these 60. yeares a village built more for the making of these turfes then for any other reason There remaines yet some forme of a castle in this towne the which is little and of small importance if this great passage were not which makes it to be frequented It consists most of Innes and Tauerns It hath also suffred much during the warres against the Geldrois MONTFORT THis towne hath a particular Lord at this day who writs himself Vicont of Montfort it stands vpon the riuer of Yssel a league in equal distance frō the townes of Woorden Oudewater Iselsteyn The place is little but strong founded by Godfry of Rhenē bishop of Vtrecht to serue as a bar fronter against Holland who did also build against the Geldrois the castle of Horst against the Traiectins the towne of Woerden and against the Frisons Vollenhouen in the contry of Oueryssel the which appeeres sufficiently by his Epitaph Godefride tui Rhenanam prouidus arcem donasti iuris aereque mox proprio Quatuor en patriae largus munimina nostrae Horst Woerd et Monfort construis et Volenhoe Wise Godfrey first with Rhenen did enlarge our state and then at his owne cost and charge He Montfort Venlo Horst and Woerdt did reare the foure chiefe forts that keepe our foes in feare Lambertus Hortensius a learned man who hath composed many good bookes was borne in this twon Of the Estate of Vtrecht in generall THe Bishoprike and Estate of Vtrecht was in former times very great and powerfull the which Charles the Bald King of France did with the temporalty make an Earledome wherevpon there grew great and long warres betwixt the bishops of Vtrecht the Earles of Holland for that the bishops sought to recouer by fauour of the Emperors all their ancient demeins granted vnto them by Dagobert and Charles the Bald And the Earles of Holland seeking to maintaine yea to augment that which had bin newly giuen them were supported by the Kings of France I say that this Estate was in old time so great and their territories so large as Aeneas Siluius otherwise called Pope Pius the 2. doth write as the bishop or prince therof might at need put 40000. armed men of his owne naturall subiects to field And although they had continuall warres against their neighbors wherof they themselues were euer the first motiues as the Hollanders Frisons and Geldrois yet they made head against thē all as well as they could as appeered by Godfrie of Rhenen But in the latter age Charles of Egmond duke of Geldres a proud Prince warlike and fierce made such sharpe warres against the Bishops of Vtrecht as he reduced them to great extremitie especially Henry of Bauaria brother the the Cont Palatin of Rhine from whom hee tooke a great part of his Siegneury as well of the higher as the lower diocese Moreouer the cittizens of Vtrecht were grown so proud by reason of their freedomes and preuiledges and so insolent by reason of their welth as they grew into factions among themselues causing many disorders in their towne and attempting against their bishops they did often reuolt against them if they were not chosen according to their humors they would not accept them but did them a thousand indignities yea killing their Officers taking some prisoners before their faces not without danger to the bishoppes owne person who was forced to escape their fury to fly to his castles of Wyok or Horst The last reuolt and affront which they did vnto their Prince and bishop was vnto the aboue name Henry of Bauaria who had enioyed this dignitie foure yeares beeing incensed against him hauing beene one day abroad in the country and returning home at night they shut the gates against him and would not suffer him to enter into the towne and which was worse soone after they receiued Martin van Rossen Marshall of the campe to the Duke of Geldres into the towne with a garrison of Geldrois who from thence did wonderfully annoy the Hollanders and at one time made an incursion as farre as the Hage the which they spoyled and retired safely with their bootie to Vtrecht Bishop Henry seeing himselfe thus braued by the Geldrois and by his owne subiects resolued to cast himselfe into the armes of the Emperor Charles the fifth and to transport vnto him all that
of the Groningers This is all we can say in breefe of the towne Estate and commonweale of Groning and their Ommelands yet we may not forget that out of this towne are come great and learned men among others Rodolphus Agricola of whome that great Erasmus of Rotterdam giues an honorable testimony for that he was expert in the Greeke eloquent in the Latine an excellent Orator a good Poet a subtill Philosopher a perfect Musition being able to make Musical instruments himselfe as he did the Organs of the great Church and others of whome also that most learned Hermolaus Barbarus doth make mention in an Epitaph which he compounded vpon his vntimely death wich was in the fourty yeare of his age in the citty of Heidelberg in the yeare 1585. where the President Viglius Aita of Zichem passing that way as one honoring the memory of his countriman he caused a faire stone to bee set vpon his tombe and the Epitaph of the said Hermolaus grauen thereon as followed Inuida clauserunt hoc marmore Fata Rudolphum Agricolam Frisij spemque decusque soli Scilicet hoc viuo meruit Germania laudis Quicquid habet Latium Grecia quicquid habet The glory of the Frisons shew is gone through enuious fate and lieth within this stone Rudolph Agricola whose life did see All Europes praise deseru'd by Germany In this towne and in Agricolas time was also borne the learned Wessel Basillius an excellent Philosopher who died in the yeare 1489. who we may say were the two starres of Groning Townes and places out of the eight Prouinces yet comprehended vnder their vnion HAuing described as particularly as wee could the estate of the said eight vnited Prouinces the situations the commodities the trafficke and the ornamants of euery one of the townes the forts comprehended within them and which are of their iurisdiction although that the generall estates haue not all at their commandement as there are some in Gelders and beyond the Rhine held by the Archduke Albertus and Isabella of Austria yet the vnited Estates haue the greatest part and the cheefest places vnder their obedience wee must now also described the townes and forts which they hold in those Prouinces which are vnder the saied Archdukes especially in the Duchy of Brabant and Conty of Flanders gotten by armes the which they keepe First In the Duchy of Brabant BERGEN VP ZOOM WE place this towne first of all those which the vnited Estates hold in Brabant for that it is made a Marquisate although that Breda be one of the first Barronies of the Duchy This towne hath a good hauen at the mouth wherof there is a mighty fort which defends it it is right against Tertolen one of the Ilands of Zeeland Before the towne of Antwerp was in credit and that Bruges began to decay it had the cheefe trade for Marchandise There were wont to be goodly buildings the which being abandoned in these last warre by their proprietaries and remayning as it were desert they haue serued to noe other vse but to lodge soldiars and are much decayed It hath beene alwaies a good garrison for soldiars who went to seeke there fortunes farre and neare to the gates of Antwerp and as farre as Luxembourge bringing home often times very good booty with whome the Bourgers Inne-keepers and Tauerners did so well agree as they reaped great benifit by the soldiars This towne hath constantly mayntayned the party of the generall Estates of the vnited Prouinces sence the time that it was yeelded in the yeare 1577. by the Germaines who deliuered vp their Collonel Fronsbergh with the towne vnto the generall Estates In the yeare 1588. the Duke of Parma came to beseege it with a mighty army thinking to take the great fort by practise with an Englishman but hee was disapointed of his purpose and was forced to retier with dishonor and losse And in the yeare 1605. the Marquis Spinola Lieutenant to the Arch-dukes made two furious attempts the which in a manner succeded but they were repulst by the valours of the Bourgers and soldiars with great losse Although it bee vnder the obedience of the vnited Estates yet doe they retaine still their ancient rights and preuiledges BREDA IS a faire great towne with a pleasant Castle ioyning vnto it which was wont to bee the Pallace whereas the Earles of Nassau held their Court as the deceased William of Nassau Prince of Orange did for a time for it is but twelue leagues from Brussells It was wont to haue a goodly Heronrie in the great Church-yard but now they are dispersed yet there are some of them remayne still beehinde the Castell Collonel Foucker with his Germaines hauing escaped out of Antwerp in the yeare 1577. hee retired into this towne whereas Philip Earle of Hohenloo went and beseeged him in the Prince of Oranges name the towne being his patrymony and for the Vnited Estates the which the soldiars deliuered vnto the Estates with their Collonel as they had done Fronsbergh at Berghen vp Zoom vnder whose obedience it did continue vntill that the Baron of Fresin being prisoner in the Castle hauing corrupted some soldiars found meanes in the yeare 1580. to deliuer it to the Duke of Parma from whome it was recouered in the yeare 1590. by a hardy and dangerous enterprise which Chaptaine Charles of Heraugiere a gentleman of Cambray seruing vnder Prince Maurice made with 72. resolute soldiars who being hidden in a boatefull of turfes in a thousand dangers of their liues hauing entred at noone day into the castle without descouery the night following they surprized it cutting the Corps de gard in peeces giuing entry vnto the Prince and the Earle of Hohenlo with their troupes which lay not farre of which the Captaines of the garrison seeing fled and the towne was also yeelded by composition since which time the towne hath continued vnder the obedience of the Prince and the said Estates who made Herauguiere gouernot as a recompence of his valour and gaue good reward vnto the soldiars with promise of aduancement as most of them haue had vpon the first changes STEENBERGHEN IS a little towne betwixt Berghen vp Zoom and Breda along the sea-coast the which the Spaniard did hold vntill the yeare 1590. when as Charles Earle of Mansfeldt by commandement from the Duke of Parma went to besiege the fort of Seuenberghe the which he battred and did what he could to take it but finding he should profit nothing hee retired The Prince hearing that the fort was thus freed hee went to besiege this towne of Steenberghen the which hee forced to yeeld by composition and since it hath continued vnder the obedience of the vnited Estates WILLEMSTADT THat is to say Williams towne built within these 30. yeares by William of Nassau Prince of Orange who gaue it that name It is in the Island of Rogheville which is in the duchy of Brabant a good and a strong towne at this time almost all built It