the moneths of May Iune and Iuly and reape within six weeks after Concerning this region reade the booke of Iaques Morguez le moine GVASTECAN THis also is a region of North America and part of New Spaine The inhabitants are poore Along the sea-coasts and the bancks of riuers they liue for the most part of fish but in the inland with Guinie-wheat which they call Maiz. Otherwise they are a people gentle enough The Spaniards haue planted two colonies here the one is called Panuco of the riuer that runneth by it and the other S. Iames of the vallies Not farre from Panuco neere the towne called Tamatao stands an hill with two fountaines vpon it one whereof disgorgeth blacke pitch and the other red which is scalding hot The BRITTISH Iles. THE EMPIRE OF GREAT BRITAIN included within the parallels 49. and 63. and the Meridians or longitudes 9. and 26. bounded vpon the South by France vpon the East by Germany vpon the North West by the Vast Ocean disioined from the rest of the maine land as High Admirall of the seas comprehendeth that Iland which at this day conteineth the kingdomes of England Scotland together with Ireland ouer against it Westward the circumiacent iles the Orchades Hebrides Man Anglesey Wight the Sorlings many others of lesse note and were generally of the old writers with one consent called BRITANNICAE INSVLAE The Brittish Ilands taking their denomination as seemeth from the greatest of them commander of the rest which indeed is properly called BRITANNIA Brittaine So named not of that fained Brutus the bloody parricide as the fabulous historian Geffrey of Monmouth against all reason authority truth of storie hath hitherto made the world beleeue nor of the Welch word Prydain or Prydcain as the learned Britaine Humfrey Lhoyd hath thought but of Brit a Celticke word which signifieth Painted For these people as Caesar and other old writers report vsed to paint their bodies and therefore were called of the Gaules their next neighbours BRITONES as those people of the same nation who to auoid the slauery and seruitude of the Romanes and withdrew themselues into the North parts from whom they continually molested their colonies heere were of them for the same reason in their language called PICTI The Greekes called it also ALBION not of Albion Neptunes sonne which sometime sweied the scepter heere as some haue most fabulously taught but of Alphiων the white cliffes vpon the sea coast which first offer themselues to the eie of those which to this our land saile hither from France and indeed the Welch poets call it Inis win that is as Orphaeus the most ancient poet of the Greeks doth interpret it Nesos leu caessa and Leucaios Chersos The white I le or The whiteland The first Inhabitants which seated themselues heere not long after the vniuersall Flood and Confusion of Babel came hither from France as by Neerenesse of place Likenesse of language Maners Gouernment Customes Name is by the learned Clarencieux Camden the onely light of our histories in that his thrise renowned Britannia euidently demonstrated For to this day the ancient Britans the Welchmen do call themselues CVMRI not Cambri as come from Gomer the sonne of Iapheth called of the Latines Cimber from whom are descended the Celtae or Gaules The Romanes a second nation vnder the conduct of Iulius Caesar about the yeare before the birth of CHRIST 54. entered Brittaine and planted their colonies in diuers and sundry places of this Iland The Scottes obseruing the Roman legions to grow weake and their Empire to decline thereupon tooke occasion first to seise vpon Ireland then about the yeare of CHRIST 446. great trouble arising in France the Emperours were constrained wholly to withdraw their forces from hence and to leaue the Brittaines naked and open to the furie of the Pictes their enemies From hence ensued a double mischiefe for first the vnquiet and turbulent Pictes thinking that now the onely opportunitie was offered them to accomplish their desires thought to make sure worke called in the Scottes out of Ireland combined themselues together against the poore disarmed Britans whereupon the Britans were constrained for safegard of their liues and liberties to call in about the yeare of CHRIST 440. the Angles Saxons and Iuites a warlike people inhabiting along the sea coast of Germany from the riuer of Rhein vnto Denmarke to aid them against their violent enemies The Normanes lead by William the Bastard their Duke tooke possession of Great Brittaine in the yeare 1066. The Vandalles Norweis and Danes who by their piracies and robberies a long time and oft greeuously vexed these Iles neuer seated their Colonies heere and therefore I passe them ouer with silence The forme of Brittaine is triangular like vnto that figure which the Geometers call Scalenum or as Nubiensis the Arabian saith to the head and necke of Alnaama the ostrich and therefore it may aswell as Sicilia be called TRINACRIA The three-cornered I le The ancient Geographers did hold it and that deseruedly to be the greatest Iland of the Maine Ocean wherefore Solinus saith it may well deserue the name of ANOTHER WORLD and Matthew Paris for the same cause calleth it THE QVEEN or Empresse of the Isles of the Ocean In respect of which large compasse it hath been in former ages diuided into many seuerall iurisdictions and kingdomes in the time of the Saxons England the South-east part into seuen and Wales into three Great Egbert in the yeare 800. reduced the Saxon heptarchy into a Monarchy The Irish Princes Nobles and Commons after the incarnation 1172. vnited their Pentarchy to the crowne of Egbert and swore alleageance to Henry the second King of England Edward the first to these did knit in the yeare after the birth of Christ 1282. the triple crowne of the Pety Kings of Wales In these our daies the eternall wisedome of the Great King of Heauen and Earth hath cast all these together with the crowne of Scotland into one massie Emperiall Diademe and placed it vpon the head of our dread soueraigne IAMES lineally descended from those mighty Monarches and shall we doubt not in time adde to these whatsoeuer from them vnto his Highnesse do belong BRITANNICAE INSVLAE or the Empire of Great Brittaine conteineth Ilands Greater and often mentioned in histories BRITANNIA diuided by the Romans into Superior the Higher conteining ANGLIA England CVMERIA Wales Inferior the Neather now called SCOTIA Scotland HIBERNIA Ireland vpon the West of Britaine Lesser yet famous belonging to England from it South Close to the shore of Brittaine VECTA Wight Vpon the coast of France CAESARIA Gersey SARNIA Gernsey And many other lesser West From the point of Cornwall SILLINAE Silly anno 145. In the middest betweene England Ireland and Scotland MONOEDA Man Wales MONA called of the English Anglesey of the Welch Tirmôn Scotland lying from it West HEBRIDES The West isles in number foure and fortie North ORCHADES Orkney-iles about
therefore they are of the English Nobility for seruice preferred before the English Yet of late heere they haue vsed themselues to dwell in cities to learn occupations to trade as merchants to go to plough and to do any maner of businesse good for the common-wealth as well as the English nay in this thing they excell them that there is no man so poore amongst them but for a while will set his sonnes to schole to learne to write and read and those whom they find to be apt they send to the Vniuersities cause them for the most part to giue their minds to the study of the ciuill law Heere hence it is that the greater part of those which in this kingdome doe professe the Ciuill or Canon law are Welshmen borne You shall find also very few of the common and meaner sort of people but can read and write his owne language and after their fashion play vpon the Welsh harpe Now also they haue the Bible and common praier booke printed in their owne tongue a language as we said vsed of their ancestors and wholly different from the English And as in old time long since being a people as Tacitus reporteth impatient of the least wrongs that might be offered they were alwaies together by the eares and cutting one anothers throates so now for feare of law to which they are more obedient then any other nation they will wrangle and contend one with another as long as they are worth a groate These few obseruations we haue gleaned out of Lhoyd to whom we send the Reader that desireth more of the particulars of this country Syluester Gerrard a Welshman hath described VVales in a seuerall treatise Read also the Iournall of VVales Moreouer VVilliam of Newbery in the 5. chap. of his 2. booke hath many things of the nature of this country maners of the people To these you may adioine Polyd. Virg. those things which Robert Caenalis hath written in the summe of his 2. booke de re Gallica This Cymri or as the English call it VVales belongeth that we may heere by the way say something of this by an ancient decree to the King of Englands eldest sonne or daughter if he faile to the Kings heire I meane who is to succeed next after him and he is called assoone as he is born The Prince of VVales and that in the same sense as in Spaine and Portugall they call the Kings heire The Prince and in France The Dolphin Ieffrey of Monmouth writeth that in these parts of VVales neere the riuer of Seuern there is a poole which the country people call Linligune This saith he when the sea floweth into it enterteineth the waters like a bottomlesse gulfe and so drinketh vp the waues that it is neuer full nor euer runneth ouer But when the sea ebbeth the waters which before it had swallowed do swell like a mountaine which then do dash and run ouer the banks At which time if all the people of that shire should stand any thing neere the poole with their faces toward it so that the water shall but dash into their clothes and apparell they shall hard be able to auoid the danger but that they shal be drawne into the poole But if ones backe shal be toward it there is no danger at all although he should stand vpon the very edge of the same This is the story I haue nam'd the authour let him approue the truth of the same Of Mona the iland vpon the shore of this country thou hast the opinion of Humfrey Lhoyd in his epistle which we haue adioined to the end of this booke Of this also Iohn Leland in his Genethliacon of Edward Prince of VVales thus writeth This Iland saith hee being conquered by the English changed the name and was called Anglesey that is the iland of Englishmen Polydore Virgill a man of great reading and good iudgement in many matters is of another opinion Hee laboureth with all his forces to proue Menauia to be Mona If the name which yet it retaineth If the citie Caernaruon which is ouer against it vpon the maine do take his denomination from hence and is called Aruon for Ar-mon If that same very short cut ouer of which the Roman writers do speake If the nesse or promontorie Pen-mon that is as the word signifieth The head of Mon If the huge bodies of trees and rootes couered ouer with sand which daily are digged out of the shore of Tir-mon If the firre-trees of maruailous length which in squally grounds are heere and there found within the earth in this Iland do not sufficiently proue that that was anciently called Mona which now we call Anglesey I know not what to say more then that I haue read this in the 14. booke of Cornelius Tacitus his Annales Excisique luci saeuis superstitionibus sacri c. Felling the woods consecrated to superstitious seruices c. The same Leland in another place hath these verses of this Iland Insula Romanis Mona non incognita bellis Quondam terra ferax nemorum nunc indiga siluae Sed Venetis tantum cereali munere praestans Mater vt à vulgo Cambrorum iure vocetur c. Tyr-môn in former times thus witnesse writers old was full of stately woods but now li'th bleake and cold The soile is passing good of corne it yeeld'th such store That Welsh-mens nurse it 's call'd as we haue shew'd before c. CAMBRIAE TYPVS Auctore HVMFRE DO LHVYDO Denbigiense Cambrobritano Aliquod Regionum huius tractus synonyma prout Latinè Britannicè Anglicè etiemnum appellanture Cambria L. Cambrÿ B. Wales A. Venedotia L. Gwÿnedhia B. Northwales A. Demetia L. Dÿfet B. Westwales A. Ceretica L. Ceredigion B. Cardigan A. Pouisia L. Powijs B. Dehenbart B. Sutwales A. IRELAND IRELAND which the Greekes and Latines call HIBERNIA others IVERMA and IERNA the Irish themselues call Eryn From hence strangers taking it from the mouth of the English which pronounce e the second vowell with the same sound that other nations do sound i the third vowell haue made as it seemeth Irynlandt compounded as is apparent of the Irish Erin and the Saxon or Dutch Landt which afterward was contracted for more commodity of speach and roundnesse of pronunciation into Irland from whence the Latines framed IRLANDIA The first inhabitants which seated themselues in this Iland came hither as may be easily demonstrated from Brittaine or England not from Spaine as some most absurdly haue written For the abridgement of Strabo doth flatly call these ilanders Britaine 's and Diodorus Siculus saith that Irin is a part of Britaine wherefore it was iustly of all old writers called INSVLA BRITANNIA One of the Brittish iles About the yeare of CHRIST 400. in the daies of Honorius and Arcadius the Emperours at what time the Roman Empire began to decline the Scottes a second nation entered Ireland and planted themselues as Orosius writeth in the North parts whereupon it was
followes Ruremonde situate where the riuer Roer falles into the Maese It hath in my remembrance beene a Bishopricke Zutphen at the mouth of the riuer Berkel where it dischargeth it selfe into Yssel It beares the title of an Earledome It hath a rich College of Canons and is vnder the iurisdiction of the Bishop of Munster Arnhen stands vpon the banke of Rhijne This is the seat of the high Court of iustice and of the Chancery The Clergie of this towne are subiect to the Bishop of Vtrecht HATTEM a towne well fortified vpon the riuer Yssel ELBVRG on the shore of the Zuyder sea HARDERVVIIK vpon the same shore Heere likewise you haue WAGENING TIEL BOMMEL BRONCHORST DOESBVRG DOTECHEM SHEERENBERG gouerned by a peculiar prince vnder the name of an Earledome LOCHEN GROLL BREDEVORD GELRE which perhaps gaue name to the whole region STRAELEN VENLO a towne vpon the banke of Maese fortified both by arte and nature WACHTENDVNCK of ancient times the city of Hercules in the Dukedome of Iuliers Besides these there are other small townes of note which though now either by furie of warre or iniurie of time they are vnwalled yet they doe enioy the freedomes and priuileges of cities Their names be Keppel Burg Genderen Bateburg Monteford Echt Culeburg and Buren both which haue a peculiar Lord as Bateburg also Vnder Earle Ottho the third this region was mightily inlarged for he compassed with walles and endowed with priuileges the townes of Ruremond Arnhem Harderwijk Bemel Goch and VVagening which till that time had remained villages In the Chronicle of Iohn Reigersbeg written in Dutch I finde this region in the time of Carolus Caluus to haue beene called by the name of Ponthis and that it was by him in the yeere 878. erected to a Signiorie Then in the yeere 1079. this Signiorie of Ponthis was by Henrie the third adorned with the title of an Earledome and called the Earledome of Guelders and the first Earle thereof was Otto à Nassau It went vnder the name of an Earledome till Reinhold the second But whenas this Reinhold not only for his valour and mightinesse grew terrible to his neighbours but renowmed in regard of his iustice his piety and fidelity towards the Roman empire he was at Frankford in a solemne and royal assembly by Lewes the Emperour consecrated Duke in presence of the King of England the French King and the Princes Electours in the yeere of our Lord 1339. Some say that in the time of the Emperour Carolus Caluus towards that place where the towne of Gelre now standeth there was a strange and venimous beast of huge bignesse and monstrous crueltie feared all the countrey ouer which lay for the most part vnder an Oake This monster wasted the fields deuoured cattell great and small and abstained not from men The inhabitants affrighted with the noueltie and vncouthnesse of the matter abandoned their habitations and hid themselues in desert and solitarie places A certaine Lord of Ponth had two sonnes who partly tendring their owne estate and partly also the distresse of their neighbours assailed the beast with singular policie and courage and after a long combat slew him The said Lord therefore not farre from the Maese vpon the banke of Nierson for the perpetuall memorie of his sonnes exploit built a castle which he called Gelre because when the beast was slaine he often yelled with a dreadfull roaring noise Gelre Gelre from whence they say began the name of the Guelders Thus much out of the Chronicle of Henry Aquilius a Guelder borne More concerning this Prouince you may reade in Francis Irenicus but a most large description hereof you shall finde in Guicciardin GELRIAE CLIVIAE FINITIMORVMQVE LOCORVM VERISSIMA DESCRIPTIO Christiano Schrot Auctore The Bishopricke of LIEGE IT is a common and constant opinion that those which we now call Leodienses or Ligeois are a German people named of old Eburones A relique or monument of which ancient name remaineth as yet in the village Ebure a German mile distant from the city of Liege And this very place as I suppose is described by Dion lib. 40. vnder the name Eburonia Howbeit certaine it is that the iurisdiction of Liege stretcheth much farther than that of the Eburones did of olde Of the Eburones mention is made by Strabo Caesar and Florus Dion calles them Eburos and late Writers barbarously terme them Eburonates Themselues in their mother tongue which is a kinde of broken French they call Ligeois but in high Dutch Lutticher and Luyckenaren The deriuation of Eburones Leodienses whoso desires to know I refer him to the antiquities of Goropius Becanus and to a small pamphlet of Hubert Leodius This region taketh vp a great part of ancient Lorraigne for it containes vnder the name of the diocesse of Liege the dukedome of Bouillon the marquesat of Franckmont the countie of Haspengow and Loots and many Baronies In this region besides Maestright halfe wherof is subiect to the Duke of Brabant there are foure and twentie walled cities a thousand seuen hundred Villages with Churches and many Abbeys and Signiories The names of the cities are these following Liege vpon Maese the seat of a Bishop after which all the whole countrey is named Bouillon Franchemont Loots Borchworm Tungeren Huy Hasselt Dinant Masac Stoch Bilsen S. Truden Viset Tuin Varem Bering Herck Bree Pera Hamont Chiney Fosse and Couin as Guicciardin doth both name and number them Moreouer Placentius writeth that part of Maestright was added to this diocesse by the donation of Pori Earle of Louaine The territorie of this citie is called the countie of Maesland in the ancient records of Seruatius abbey built here by King Arnulphus in the yeere 889. Now this countie is vsually called Haspengow It is a region exceeding pleasant and fertile of all things especially on the North part where it ioyneth to Brabant for there it aboundeth with corne and all kinde of fruits and in some places it yeeldeth wine But on the South frontiers towards Lutzenburg and France it is somewhat more barren mountainous and ouerspred with woods here yet being some remainder of Arduenna the greatest forest in all France as Caesar writeth This is the outward hiew of the country but in the entrals and bowels thereof it is enriched with mettals and sundry kinds of marbles as also with sea-coales which they burne in stead of fewell and all these so surpassing good as in a common prouerbe they vsually say that they haue bread better than bread fire hotter than fire and iron harder than iron By their iron than which all the prouinces around vse neither better nor indeed any other they raise a great reuenue Nor with any other more forcible fire do the Smithes and Bearebrewers in all this part of the Low countries heat their furnaces than with these minerall coales of Liege which are of so strange a nature as water increaseth their flame but oile puts it out The smell of this fire or smoke
Manutius doth highly commend it both for learning and chiualrie Whether this be that Quintianum of which Optatus after speaketh I leaue to the learned to determine The riuer Mela or Mella of which Virgil maketh mention doth runne through the middest of this shire as also Catullus in this verse affirmeth Brixia Cygnaea positus in specula Flauus quam molli percurrit flumine Mella Old Brixia plac'd amidde the brookes as gardian of the Swans The riuer Mella kindly greet'th and watereth all his lands This riuer retaineth the name of Mella vnto this day Notwithstanding it runneth not by it now as you may see although not farre off from thence it passeth through his liberties The little riuer which runneth along by the city is now called Garza but I thinke that in old time it was also called Mella And I thinke I may truly affirme that the riuer Mella when it approacheth neere vnto the city spreadeth it selfe into two channells both of them retaining the same name do make a riuer-iland like as Nilus maketh Heracleopolites and then againe falling into one streame still keepe the name of Mella and hauing so heauily laden runne for many miles together at length it vnladeth it selfe into the riuer Ollio But before I finish the discourse of this Mappe I haue thought good to say somewhat of the Lakes of the same The lake Benacus called of the poet Catullus Lydius Capriolus thinketh to haue been so named of the city Benaco sometime seated vpon his brinke a mention of which to this day remaineth still in a village called Toscolano which thou seest vpon his west side standing vpon a brooke of the same name A memoriall of this city is preserued in an auncient monument whose inscription Manutius setteth downe in his Orthographie This lake is now called Garda of the castle Garda placed opposite vnto Benaco vpon his east banke This lake as Alexius Vgonius writeth in a letter of his to Cardinall Poole aboundeth with store of fish which for goodnesse do far surpasse all others It is enclosed on euery side with most pleasant hilles into it from all quarters the cleare fountaines flow Goodly meddowes vines oliues beeches laurell and cedars besides townes furnished with all maner of necessarie prouision like a crowne beset it round on euery side so that nothing at all of those things may further be desired which may make a champion country either beautifull to the eie or commendable for profit and commodities c. While I was writing of this there came into my mind what speech I once had of this lake with that most learned good man Benedictus Arias Montanus for we both had seene the same although not at the same time in which we both did protest either to other that we neuer in all our liues had seene a place either more pleasant for situation or more delightsome to the eie so that it was no maruell that Catullus did so highly commend in his Epigrammes that his Sirmion and the waters of this lake The other lake in this Cart is Sebinus or Seuinnus for Plinie vseth both made by the riuer Ollio This now they call Iseo of a town of the same name situate vpon his banke There is also another lake which they call Idro by what name it was called of the auncients or whether by any I doe not certainly know I know that a certaine learned man doth hold it to be Brigantinus Lacus whereof Plinie speaketh but why I am not of his opinion I haue shewed reasons in my Geographicall treasure Bresciano BRIXIANI AGRI TYPVS Brixia Cygnaea supposita in specula Cum priuilegio Imperiali Regio et Belgico 1590. Milliaria Italica decem The Dukedome of PIEMONT THat prouince which was formerly called Taurinorum regio is now termed Piemont or Pedemont for that it is seated at the bottome of the Alpes which do diuide France and Sauoy from Italie and so is as one would say The prouince at the foot of the hilles The bounds of this country are thus on the East the riuer Po on the South the Alpes of Liguria vpon the West the Alpes of France on the North Riuiera di Duria It hath many goodly fields full of pleasant and fruitfull hilles which yeeld corne and other sorts of graine excellent wines and fruite great store It is well replenished with Cities Townes and Villages Vnder the gouernment of the Lombardes it was called The Dukedome of Taurine so named of the city Taurin By them it was first reduced into the forme of a prouince vnder the iurisdiction of a Duke The gouernment of the Lombardes being come vnto a period it was made subiect to the Kings of Italie who were alwaies chosen by the Emperours after that it was gouerned by diuers Petie Kings and long since in later ages it was accounted as part of the iurisdiction of the Princes Earles and Dukes of Sauoy vntill the yeare 1536. when as Francis the first King of France tooke a great part of it and now it is againe restored to the Duke of Sauoy The chiefe city of this Prouince is Turin seated at the mouth of the riuer Dorra where it falleth into Po. This citie Ptolemey Plinie and Tacitus call Augusta Taurinorum That this citie in old time was a very famous citie it may easily appeare in that it was a colonie of the Romanes It lieth at the foot of the mountaines it is foure square and hath foure goodly gates It is very famous for the rich Isle and state of the citizens and is adorned with many goodly buildings amongst the which the Cathedrall Church is most beautifull It hath an Vniuersitie of all maner of goodly learning and is very well serued with all sorts of prouision of victuall The countrie is of a very good and fertile soile especially toward the East and South hauing Vallies most rich for veines of Iron Paulus Diaconus affirmeth that Taurin was the seat of the Lombardes vnto whom it was subiect vntill Desiderius their king was ouercome and taken by Charles the Great and then it was brought vnder the subiection of the Kings of Italie Emperours Countes Montferrate and Marchions and Dukes of Sauoy to whom at this time it is obedient Neere the head of the riuer Po toward Ripell or C. de Reuell and Paisana are quarries of most excellent Marble Vpon the North side of the fountaine of the riuer Po beginneth a certaine pleasant valley called the Vale of Po or as the inhabitants terme it the Vale of Luserna of the towne Luserna which standeth in it It runneth out in length thirtie miles and is not aboue foure miles broad In the entrance of his Eastend is Mambrinum in the end toward the West is a very high stone crosse The people of this place are commonly called The Christians but in some maners and customes which they vse they scarse follow the strickt rules of Christianity nay they do obserue most vngodly and wicked rites and ceremonies amongst which
of Wine although not so good as Hungary and Slauonia The two Walachies VValachia Transalpina Walachie beyond the mountaines and Moldauia do enclose Transsiluania that resteth vpon the riuer Donaw this vpon the Euxine sea or Mar maiore as the Italians call it both of them together with Transsiluania do now possesse that part of Europe which anciently was called DACIA Thus that whole tract beyond Donaw which doth not only conteine the higher Hungary but also Transsiluania together with both the Walachies is enclosed round on euery side with Donaw the Carpathian hills Crapacke as some thinke the Euxine sea and againe with the same Donaw Thus farre Broderith But I thinke it not amisse to set downe heere the description of it out of Antony Bonfinius his I. decade of the first booke of his history of Hungary Beyond the Carpathian mountaines saith he is the vttermost prouince of Dacia extended euen vnto the riuer Axiaces This now vulgarly is knowen by the name of TRANSSILVANIA they call it Sibenburghen the Hungarians Herdel It is a most fertile country of cattell wine and corne also of Gold and Siluer where certaine riuers do driue downe shiuers of Gold and pieces sometime of a pound and an halfe weight being euery way round beset with steep hills in maner of a crownet In the woods are kine or beeues with long manes like horses buffs and wild horses both very swift and light in running but the horses haue long manes hanging down to the very ground those which are tame and brought vp for seruice naturally haue a very fine easie kind of amble This country is inhabited partly by Scythians partly by the Saxones and Dakes these are more humane and ciuill those more rude and churlish In old time before the breaking in of the Gothes and Hunnes all Dacia was possessed by the Roman and Sarmatian colonies c. George of Reichtersdorff hath described this country in a peculiar Treatise See also George Rithaymer Peter Rantzan Pius the second in his description of Europe Iohn Auentine and Martine Cromer in his twelfth booke of the history of Poland This country vulgarly is called Sibenburgh and Zipserland as Sebastian Munster hath giuen out More of the knowledge and discouery of this prouince are to be sought for in the first chapter and second section of the twelfth booke of Wolfangus Lazius his Romane common-wealth and in Laonicus his fifth booke Lastly in the protrepticke oration of Iohn Cuspinian Synonymes or diuers names of one and the same place in Transsiluania according as they are named by the Hungarians Germanes and Latines done by Iohn Sambucus Erdel Sibenburgen Dacia ripensis Pannodacia Trans vel Vltratrasiluania Nagbanya Newsteetl Riunli domin Rudbanya Rodna Bestercze Nosn Bistritiae Bonczyda Bonisprukh Kolosuar Glausnburg Claudiopolis Offenbanya Offnburg Aprukh Ochlatn Samos falu Mikldorff Buza Busaten Vorosmarth Rosperg Demeterfalua Metersdorff Teuuisch Durnen Balasfalua Blasndorff Gulafeyruar Weyssnburg Alba Iulia Sermisdacia Zekluasarhel Newmarkh Kizekmezeu Ibisdorff Felseupold Oberspald Absopold Niderspald Zazzebes Millcnbach Zabeus Holduilagh Schatn Apafalu Apfdorff Moneta Donnersmkrhta Braniczka Bernfapff Baijon Bonisdorff Ekemezeu Prosdorff Zelindes Stoltzeburg Naghczur Grooscheyrn Rihonfalua Reicherdorff Requiescit Brasso Cronstatt Corona vel Stephanopolis Varhel Zarmis Segesuar Schesburg Zazhalom Hunderthuhl Centum colles an hundred hills Zarkan Schirkingen Keuhalom Keps Kykelwar Kiklpurg Veczel Venecia Vlpia Traiana Kerestien mezeu Aw Insula Christi Christs iland Muschna Meschen Kakasfalu Hendorff Recze Ratzisd Ioffij Val. Dobra Vizakna Saltzburg Barczasagh Wurtzland Burcia Vaskapur Eysuthor Pilae Geticae the ancients called it Veurostorn Ratertuern Zakadat Zaka Feketetho Nigra palus Blacke more Tolmacz Talmisch Aran Auratus fl Zamos Samisch Samosus fl Keureuz Die Kraysz Chrysius fl Fier Keureus schwartz weis Kreysz Feketh Keureus schwartz weis Kreysz Sebeskeureus dic schnel krapsz fl Maros Merisch Marysus fl Olt Die Alth Aluata Aluttus fl Strell Istrig Sargetia vel Strigetia fl Ompay Die Omp fl Haczagh vel Hatsaag or rather the vale Sarmisia where there was some time the city Sarmisgethusa c. TRANSILVANIA HANC VLTRA VEL TRANSILVANIAM QVAE ET PĀNODACIA ET DACIA RIPĒSIS VVLGO SIBEMBVRGĒ DICITVR didit Viennae Ao. 1566. Nobiliss atque Doctiss Ioēs Sābutus Pannonius H. Litera in hac tabula nonnullis vocabulis adiuncta significat ea esse Hungarica Cum Priuilegio The Kingdome of POLAND POlonia or Poland so named of the champion plaines of the soile which yet in their language they vulgarly call Pole is a vast and wide country on the West bordering vpon Schlesia on the other sides it resteth vpon Hungaria Lithuania and Prussia It is diuided into the Greater and the Lesser The Greater Poland is that which lieth toward the West and conteineth the goodly cities Guesna and Posnauia The Lesser Poland lieth toward the South and hath the famous city Cracow seated vpon the head of the riuer Vistula the Germanes call it De Wixel the Polanders Drwencza which runneth through the middest of the country the other cities are not very great nor beautifull Their houses for the most part are all built of stone and some are dawbed with clay The country is very moorish full of fens and woodes The common drinke the people vse is Beere wine they seldome drinke neither do they know how to dresse and manure the vine They are counted excellent Horsemen for seruice in the warres The soile is fertile they haue many heards of cattell many deere game and pastime for the Noblemen It hath great plenty of Hony Salt heere is digged out of the earth in great abundance In the mountaines which they in their language call Tatri they haue mines of Brasse and Brimstone Cromer writeth that the Polanders are of the Hungars called Lengel of Leech the captaine or father of the Nation Vnder the kingdome of Polonia are comprehended Lithuania Samogitia Masouia Volhinia Podolia and Russia which is called South-Russia and of some Ruthenia as also all Prussia except that part which hath a peculiar Duke by whom it is gouerned Lewenclay writeth that in the yeare 1570. the king of Poland tooke the Prince of Moldauia to his protection The greatest part of LITHVANIA is moorish and full of Bogges for the most part woody and therefore not easilie entered trauelled or come vnto it is better trading with the Lithuans in the winter then at other times for that the moores and lakes being couered either with thicke ice or deep snow the Marchants may passe from place to place more easily In Lithuania there are few townes and the villages are little inhabited The chiefe wealth of the country people are cattell and rich skins of diuers sorts of wild beasts wherewith the whole country is wonderfully stored They haue great plenty of wax and hony This prouince breedeth the Bugle a kind of beast which they call Suber the Germanes Vr-ochs such as was to be seene at Antwerp in the yeare 1570. From hence also commeth that kind of
though it be somewhat loathsome to those that are not accustomed with it yet salt being cast thereupon it smelleth either but a little or not at all But concerning these coales you may reade more at large in the Tables of Namur and Henault This region they say was conuerted to the faith by S. Materne the first Bishop of Tungeren about the yeere of our Lord 101. For the Bishopricke which is now at Liege was then at Tungeren and there continued till the yeere 498 what time it was by S. Seruatius translated to Maestright where it remained till the time of S. Hubert the Bishop who in the yeere 713. remoued it to Liege where it continueth till this present Touching this Prouince reade more largely in Guicciardin Hubert of Liege and Placentius To whom you may adde Francis Roserius his description of Loraigne LEODIENSIS DIOECESIS TYPVS BRABANT THe Dukedome of Brabant is in such sort circumscribed by the riuers Maese Scheld Sambre and Dender as it no where ouerpasseth them nor doth it in all places stretch so farre for on this side the Maese lies a great part of the Prouince of Liege But that we may describe the bounds hereof more perfectly it hath to the North Holland and Guelders East the Bishoprick of Liege South the counties of Namure and Henault and West it is diuided From Flanders by the riuer Scheld It is a goodly and pleasant country exceeding fertill and abounding with come and fruits of all sorts especially to the South of the riuer of Demer For the North part thereof namely Kempenland is somewhat more barren and sandy Howbeit this part is not altogether fruitlesse for Iacobus Spielegius writing to Guntherus of Genoa affirmeth that the husbandmen of Brabant are so industrious as they make the driest sandes to beare wheat Also to head-cattell and sheepe the greatest part whereof as we reade in Homer of those Libyan sheepe are horned it yeelds most pleasant and plentifull pasture And now by the industry vncessant labour of the husbandmen it is dayly so manured that where in times past there was nothing but vnprofitable sand-heaps you may at this present beholde to the great benefit of the inhabitants most fruitfull corne-fields On the East part of this Prouince there is a kinde of bogge or quagmite called Peele the ground whereof as Plinie reporteth of the fields Gabiensis and Reatinus trembleth vnder a mans foot neither can it be passed by horses or wagons but only in Winter when the vpper crust thereof is hardened with frost This region containes the Marquesat of the sacred Empire the chiefe citie whereof is Antwerpe as likewise the Marquesat of Bergis the Dukedome of Arschot the Earledomes of Hochstraten Megen and that of Cantecroy lately erected by Charles the fifth c. It hath also woods and forests abounding with wilde beasts of sundry kindes the principall whereof are Grootenhout Grootenheyst Meerdael Zauenterloo and Soenien the greatest of all conteining in it for the space of seuen miles compasse sundry villages monasteries Hunting and hawking except in these fiue woods which are reserued for the Princes owne game are free for all men The people are so iocund as they seeme scarse to feele the inconueniences of olde age which frolike disposition of theirs hath giuen occasion to their neighbours round about to vse this iest The longer the Brabanter liues the more foole he The aire is exceeding holsome for when the plague hath beene most vehement in all the regions adiacent Brabant hath often most wonderfully remained free This Dukedome of Brabant hath six and twentie cities enuironed with walles and ditches And they are these following ANTVVERPE situate vpon Scheld the most famous mart not only of Germanie but of all Europe and one of the strongest cities in the world being much beautified with the steeple of S. Maries built an incredible height of white marble The palace lately built is scarse to be matched in all Europe BRVSSEL abounding with sweet fountaines Here for the most part resideth the Prince and therefore is this towne so much frequented by Nobles and Courtiers LOVAIN a large city conteining Gardens Vineyards and Pastures within the walles well may you call it The habitation of the Muses for which purpose in the yeere 1426. Iohn the fourth Duke of Brabant established here an Vniuersitie which flourisheth with all kind of learning The territorie of this citie makes Brabant to glory of her vintage Then followes MACHELEN famous for the court of Parliament there instituted by Duke Charles of Burgundie in the yeere 1473. HERTOGENBOSCH a towne of no small importance conteining an excellent Grammar schoole and inhabited in times past with a most warlike people TIENEN vpon the riuer Ghette from whence are brought great store of cheeses Here stands the church of S. Germans whereunto belongs a college of Canons LEVWE where the noble ale is brewed NIVELLE In this citie there is a chanterie of Nunnes whereinto none but ladies of great nobilitie can be admitted The Gouernesse of this chantry the Nunnes themselues chuse by voices yet with the consent of the Prince and the Bishops approbation and she is called the ladie of Niuella Also the temporall and ecclesiasticall iurisdiction of the towne and adioyning territory soly belongeth vnto her ARSCHOT situate on the riuer Demer bearing at first the title of a Marquesat but since by Charles the fift aduanced to a Dukedome BERGEN ap Zoom so named of a small riuer that runnes thorow it a towne heeretofore of good traffique but now by the neighbourhood of Antwerpe not so frequented of forren merchants MEGHEN situate vpon the Maese BREDA a towne most fairely built Here stands the Palace of the Earles of Nassau so gallantly begun by a most skilfull architect that being once finished it may I thinke be preferred before all the Princes houses in this region MAESTRIGHT a large populous and rich citie which though it seemeth to lie without the bounds of Brabant acknowledgeth the Duke of Brabant as her souereigne Lord. STEENBERGEN vpon the sea-shore In times past it was a flourishing mart towne but now it is almost brought to nothing LIERE so beautifull and pleasant a towne as many noble men make choise thereof as a place of recreat and solace VILVORDEN Here is a strong fortresse and the castle of the Duke GEMBLOVRS The Abbat of this towne beareth the greatest sway in causes both ecclesiasticall and temporall IOVDOIGNE for the holesomnesse of the aire in times past the nurserie of the yong Princes of this region HANVT heretofore reported to haue beene an Earledome situate in a most fertile place LANDEN esteemed of some the most ancient towne in all Brabant HALEN almost vtterly ruinated by warres DIEST built on either side the riuer Demer a spacious citie the inhabitants whereof gaine much by clothing SICHENEN a towne vpon the same riuer HERENTALS that maintaines it selfe also by clothing EINDHOVEN in the middest of Kempenland vpon the riuer Dommel HHLMONT
Saxony for the true and ancient Saxony was comprehended in former times between the riuers Elue and Rhein according to his vttermost length the breadth of it was restrained by the Germane sea and the riuer Eydore and the borders of Hessen and Thuringen Brunswicke was almost in the center and middest of it But now it is not bounded with those or such like naturall bounds such as riuers and mountaines are but it is confined by other Princes signiories and countries Therefore Saxony at this day is diuided into the Vpper and Neather The Vpper or High Saxony is that which this Mappe doth represent and is graced with the title of a Dukedome whose Duke also is one of the Princes Electours which haue their voices in the choosing of the Emperour The chiefe townes of this prouince are VVitteberg and Torga Of Saxony and the antiquities of the same Albert Crantz hath written a whole volume M. Adams also in the first booke of his Ecclesiasticall history hath some things of this country worth the reading Hamelman hath set out the histories of Saxony and VVestfalen They that do desire to know the situation buttes and bounds and famous acts let them read VVitichinde and Sebastian Munster Pet. Albinus Niuemontius very lately and Dauid Chytraeus haue written very learnedly of this prouince Of the Marquesate of BRANDENBVRG LVSATIA Laussnitz and VOITLAND countries which we haue also described in this Chart take these few lines The Marquesate of BRANDENBVRG one of those prouinces which in old time were inhabited of the Wandalls is diuided at this day into the Old and the New by this runneth the riuer Oder by that Elue Albis the Latines call it In the old Marquesate the chiefe city is Brandenburg whereof the whole country tooke his name The New hath the city Franckford vulgarly called Franckford vpon Oder to make a difference between it and that which is situate vpon the riuer Meyn Heere is an Vniuersitie and a great Mart kept twise euery yeare At Berline is the Princes court ordinarily kept Him of the Marquesate they commonly call the Marquesse he also is one of the Prince Electours VOITLAND is a little shire subiect to the Marquesse This Aeneas Syluius calleth Aduocatorum terram and Praetorianam the Sollicitours or Controwlers land framing a word from the Etymologie or true meaning of the Germaine name for Voyt in the Dutch tongue signifieth a Sollicitour or Controwler So called for that sometime the Prince of this country was one of the foure controwlers of the Roman Empire The townes of better note are these as Gasper Bruschius thus reckoneth them vp in Munsters Cosmographie Curia Regnitiana Renitz court commonly called Hoff so named of the riuers which runne by it and there falling into Sala a great city and very populous beautified with the goodly and stately Church of S. Michael a large Monastery of Nunnes and two rich Hospitalls Plauhenium or Plaun a city with a castell Olsnitz which the castell Voytzberg neere adioining Adorff and Weidonium Weyda as I thinke a faire towne with certaine Abbeies about them Milford and VVhite-crowne Geraw Scletz and whatsoeuer is between the Hoff and Cygney standing vpon the riuer Elster Hallestra the Latines call it Neere vnto this is Feichtelberg that famous mountaine bearing plentifully the stately Pine-trees out of which foure riuers do arise runne a very strange worke of Nature vnto foure quarters of the world namely Egre Meyn Nabe and Sala VVolfangus Iobstius hath written a curious description of the Marquesate of Brandenburg LVSATIA Laussnitz is diuided into Ober Laussnitz and Nider Laussnitz the Vpper and the Neather it is also is a part of Saxony as Rithaymer testifieth It lieth between the riuers Elue and Oder and the Bohemian mountaines Sometime it was a part of Meisen Misnia and was adioined to it but the Bohemians who laboured by all meanes to enlarge the bounds of their kingdome and command at length seized it into their hands The people in maners conditions and language do not much differ from the Silesians only they are distinct from them by name and iurisdiction as gouerned by seuerall Princes The name and appellation of Lusatia is somewhat neere in sound to the name of Elysij or Lygij which it is certaine as Ioachinus Cureus writeth sometime dwelt heere about Their chiefe cities are Gorlitz and Sittaw and some others The riuer Neiss runneth through the middest of this country Gasper Peucer hath this other day in Elegiacke verse described the same in a pecular treatise MISNIA Meisen and THVRINGIA Thuringen are described and set out in their seuerall tables which we haue heereafter inserted into this our Theater of the World in their proper places A portraiture and draught of these countries shaddowed and counterfeited out of the Geographicall Chart of Iohn Criginger which was imprinted at Prage in Bohemia in the yeare of Christ 1568. we haue adioined to this our worke SAXONIAE MISNIAE THVRINGIAE NOVA EXACTISSIMAQUE DESCRIPTIO Cum priuilegio The county of MANSFIELD MANSFIELD a part of Old Saxonie is thought to haue beene so called of Mannus the second king of the Germanes For Mansueldt in this country speech seemeth to signifie nothing else but The field of Mannus Which deriuation Ascanien another place not far from hence denominated as some men do verily beleeue of Ascenez the first authour of the Germane name and nation doth seeme strongly to confirme Heere also is Ascher leuben which in their language is as much to say as The house of Aschenez There is also a lake which of Ascenez is called Ascherslebische see This countrie hath vpon the East the riuer Sala the territories of the Archbishopricke of Magdeburg and the Diocesse of Merseburg on the South lieth Turingen on the West the Counties of Swartzburg and Stolberg the Principalities of Sangerhouse Anhalt and Asseburg So that these Earles of Mansfield which are also called The noble Lords of Heldrungen haue these princes their neere neighbours the Archbishop of Magdeburg the bishop of Merseburg the Prince Electour of Saxony the Landgraue of Thuringia the Duke of Saxony the bishop of Halberstade the Prince of Anhald the Lord of Bernburg the Earles of Swartzburg and Stolburg the Lords of Werther and Asseburg When or by whom this prouince was graced with the title of an EARLDOME Andrew Hoppenrode in his booke which he hath written set forth of the Petigrees of the Saxon Princes plainly confesseth that he is altogether ignorant Notwithstanding this same authour and with him Syriacus Spangeberg do auerre it to haue beene very ancient by this that an Earle of this country called Herger did liue in the daies of Great Arthur that renowmed king of the Britans and was one of those which together with the rest of the worthies of this king were first made Knights of the order of the Round Table Now this king Arthur we know liued about 542. yeres after the incarnation of our Sauior Christ But if there be
for that he was in managing all maner of businesses a most prudent faithfull and fortunate man by Lewis the Fourth the next successour in the Empire much set by and greatly esteemed In his time this whole prouince as it is heere set out in this our Chorographicall Chart was subiect to him and to other Princes and Earles of Hennenberg then liuing But HENRY his sonne dying without issue male the greatest part of this countrey by the marriage of his three daughters KATHARINE SOPHIA and ELIZABETH fell vnto the Marquesses of Misnia Burggraues of Noriberg and Princes of Wurtenburg which two last selling their portions the bishop of Wurtenburg did much enlarge his diocesse IOHN the second sonne of Berthold the first by his wife Adelheida of the house of Hessen had by Elizabeth of the family of Luchtenburg a sonne named HENRY the Fourth who by Mechtilda or Mawd daughter to the Marquesse of Bath WILLIAM the First who by his wife Anna of Brunswicke had WILLIAM the Second which by Katharine Countesse of Hanaw had issue WILLIAM the Fourth begotten of his wife Margaret daughter to the Duke of Brunswicke This William had by his wife Anastasia daughter of Albert Prince Electour of Brandenburg seuen sonnes and six daughters namely WILLIAM and CASPAR which died in their infancy IOHN Abbot of Fulden WOLFGANG and CHRISTOPHER which two died bachelours GEORGE ERNEST and BOPPO the Sixt This Boppo after the death of his first wife Elizabeth daughter to the Marquesse of Brandenburg maried Sophia daughter to the Prince of Luneburg he died vpon the fourth of March in the yeere of our Lord 1574. leauing no issue behind him He was a very godly prudent magnanimous and curtuous Prince That other George Ernest after the death of his wife Elizabeth daughter to the Duke of Brunswicke maried Elizabeth daughter to the Prince of Wurtenburg and at length vpon the seuen and twentieth day of December in the yeare of our Lord God 1583. yeelded to Nature and died in the seuentie and third yeare of his age being the last Prince of that stocke or family The description of this prouince of Hennenberg as heere it is set downe at this day is subiect vnto diuers Princes the greatest part of it belongeth to the Duke of Saxony the rest to the bishop of Wurtenburg and the Landtgraues of Hessen A more large and exact description of this Stocke and Family if any man be desirous to haue may be learned out of the Genealogy or Pedigree of M. Sebastian Glaser sometime Chancellour of this Principality of Hennenberg HASSIA or The LANDTGRAVY of HESSEN THe countrie of HESSEN which sometime was an EARLDOME and now graced with the title of a LANDTGRAVY ' was in old time possessed by the CATTI as almost all writers generally of our time do verily beleeue only Albertus Crantzius to my knowledge is of another mind for he laboureth to make the world beleeue that these Catti were those people which now are called Saxones This prouince hath vpon the East Turingen vpon the South Frankenland vpon the West Westphalen vpon the North the Duke of Brunswicke the bishop of Minden with other princes are neere neighbours It is a countrey very fertile of all maner of things necessary for the maintenance of mans life It beareth no vines but vpon that side only that lieth vpon the Rhein MARPVRG and CASSELL are the chiefe and principall cities of this country Whereof this latter is adorned with the Princes court and concourse of Nobles Gentlemen and other braue gallants following and attendant vpon the same the other is graced with a goodly Vniuersity well frequented with students from all places neere adioining round about In this Landtgrauy there are also diuers other Counties or Earledomes as CATZENELEBOG ZEIGENHEIM NIDA and WALDECK of all which now this Landtgraue writeth himselfe Lord. But listen what Eobanus Hessus that worthy poet in a certaine congratulatory poeme of his written and dedicated vnto Philip the Landgraue of this country vpon occasion of the victory atchieued by him at Wirtemburg wherin he doth by the way thus speake of the nature and situation of this prouince and withall something also of the maners of the people Qualis Hyperboreum prospectans Thraca Booten Gradiui domus ad Rodopen Hemumque niualem Circumfusa iacet gelidis assueta pruinis Gignit in arma viros duratos frigore quique Aut Hebrum Nessumque bibunt aut Strimonis vndas Talis ipsa situ talis regione locorum Et fluuijs siluisque frequens montibus altis Hassia naturae similes creat alma locorum Ceu natos in bella viros quibus omnis in armis Vita placet non vlla iuuat sine Marte nec vllam Esse putant vitam quae non assueuerit armis Quod si tranquillae vertantur ad otia pacis Otia nulla terunt sine magno vana labore Aut duro patrios exercent vomere colles Aequatosque solo campos rimantur aratris Namque planicies segetum foecunda patentes Explicat innumeras plenamesse colonos Ditat ipsa sibi satis est aut ardua syluae Lustra petunt canibusque feras sectantur odoris Venatu genus assuetum genus acre virorum Aut leges iura ferunt aut oppida condunt Fortia non solum bello munimina verùm Quae deceant in pace etiam oblectentque quietos Quid sacros memorem fontes quid amoena vireta Quid valles ipsis certantes frugiferacis Vallibus Aemoniae dulces quid vbique recessus Musarum loca confessu loca digna Dearum O patriae gelidi fontes ô flumina nota O valles ô antra meis notissima Musis c. Thus much in English prose briefly Hessen in situation nature of the soile and temperature of the aire is a country of all the world most like vnto Thrace Which by reason that it is much ouerhanged with many tall and stately woods beset and enclosed betweene the snow-top'd mountaines Hemus Rhodope Pangaeus and Cercina watered and serued with the chill and frozen-streamed riuers Hebrus Nessus and Strimon doth breed an hard kind of people fit for all maner of seruice and toilesome trauell So heere as if they were descended from mighty Mars their chiefe delight is in the wars no other kind of life doth please them halfe so well nay they hold it otherwise no life at all or at least that that man is not worthy to liue that doth not especially delight himselfe in martiall feats and deeds of armes Yet if all be still and warlike Mars do sleep they cannot abide to liue idlely and to spend their time at home For then they either do giue themselues to husbandrie and to follow the plow For heere the large and open champion ground do with great aduantage repay the husbandmans hire and paines or else in hawking and hunting they do through thiâ—ke and thin darkest woods and most bushy forests ouer hedge and ditch highest hils and lowly vales follow
part now is vnder the dominion of the Dukes of Bayern and doth wholly rest in the name of Bayern Bayern is diuided into the Higher and the Lower THE HIGHER is situate vnder the Alps and toward the South This is combred with many marishes huge lakes swift streames darke and fearefull woods Besides beares bores and such like wild beasts it hath many heards of stags of an hundred yeeres old which no man may hunt without the Princes leaue but vnder a great penaltie It is a good soile for pastorage and for the feeding of cattell It yeeldeth yeerely great plentie of Apples Barley Oats and such like corne although not of all sorts it is inhabited but here and there The cities of this countrey are Munchen vpon the banke of the riuer Isara a most goodly and famous citie and the Dukes seat This citie continually mainteineth Lions Many men do thinke it to surpasse all the cities of Germany for beautie Ingolstadt adorned with a publike Vniuersitie Beside these there are Freising a Bishops sea Wasserburg Neuburg Rosenhaim Auensburg c. THE LOVVER BAYERN is more fertile and better inhabited and by reason of the riuers Donaw Isara and Lauar it bringeth forth Vines His cities are Regensburg which some call Ratisbone formerly called Augusta Tiberia situate vpon Donaw whose suburbs vpon the opposite banke of the riuer are ioyned to it by a faire stone bridge Patauium commonly called Passaw at the mouth of the riuer In where it falleth into Donaw famous for his Bishops sea Strawbing Landshut Dinglesing Osterhoff and diuers others This countrey generally is reasonably fertile as of Salt Corne Cattell Fish Woods Birds Pastures Deere and of all such things necessarily required to the maintenance of mans life either for apparell or victuall it is sufficiently stored It breedeth many swine feeding and fatting them with mast and wildings in such sort that as Hungary affoordeth Oxen so this Swine to the most countries of Europe Salt Cattell and Corne are transported from hence and solde into forren countries Wines are from other places as out of Italie Istria Rhetia Rheni Nicker and Pannony conueyed hither But no Prouince of Germanie is beautified with more and finer cities for within his borders as Philip Apian in his Map of Bayern writeth it conteineth foure and thirtie cities six and fortie townes Mercktflecken they call them threescore and twelue monasteries beside an innumerable company of villages castles and noblemens houses In it Salczburg is the Metropolitan citie and the Archbishopricke which hath vnder it many Suffragans as of Trent Passaw Wien c. The people do rather giue themselues to husbandrie and grasing than to warfare neither do they delight in merchandise and traffique they be much giuen to drinking and venery They seldome trauell forth of their owne countrey The first authour of this nation was Alemanus Hercules the eleuenth King of High Germanie His name as yet is preserued in this countrey in the village and castle Almonstain and the riuer Aleman In time past this countrey was ruled by his proper King vntill the dayes of Arnulph the Emperour him as the Parthians Arsaces the Egyptians Ptolemey they called Cacan After that it had Dukes which as yet it reteineth Marke a certaine disciple of S. Paul conuerted this Prouince vnto Christian religion and he was the first Bishop of Laureacke which Bishopricke afterward was translated vnto Passaw Thus much out of Auentine Munster and Iohn Auban of Bohemia BAVARIAE OLIM VINDELICIAE DELINEATIONIS COM PENDIVM Ex tabula Philippi Apiani Math. Cum Priuilegio NORTGOIA or the Countie Palatine of BAYERN THe other part of Bayern which is on the other side Donaw and runneth out beyond the Bohemian wood is called in our time and long since was Nortgoia hauing Noremberg for the chiefe citie from whence the country as some men thinke tooke his name And although that Noremberg be no ancient citie yet his castle situate vpon the toppe of an hill is very ancient This region hath many townes monasteries and villages especially Amberg which in the yeere of Christ 1300. was enclosed with a wall Awerbach Sultzpach Castell Munster where in old time the Princes of Nortgoia haue held their Court Eger Beierut Eister Napurg Newenstadt Rewenkelm Kemnat Krusen Greuenwerdt Eschenbach VVeiden Pernaw Pleistein Herspruck Rurbach Neumarckt Tursenrut Elbogen Cham Schonsee Kunsperg Stauff c. Which for the most part do belong vnto the Palatine Princes For Lewis the Emperour and Duke of Bayern in the yeere of CHRIST 1339. made such a diuision that of the whole prouince of Bayern the prouince of Nortgoia should be subiect vnto the Palatine Princes except only certaine townes which should belong to the Emperour and many also that did appertaine to the crowne of the Empire in time past haue beene pawned to the Princes of Bayern In this Prouince betweene Bamberg and Neremberg in the East toward the towne Eger there is a great mountaine called Fichtelberg out of which do issue foure riuers Meane Nabe Sala and Eger This mountaine conteineth in compasse about six miles it bringeth forth diuers kinds of mettals it yeeldeth the best blew colour which commonly they call Azure In the toppe of the mountaine there is also found Tinne and many caues out of the which in former times mettals haue beene digged generally all that whole prouince euery where swelleth with mines especially of iron by which meanes the Nortgoians do yeerely reape great profit Otherwise the soile is hard and rough although in some places it doth bring forth good store of graine and is excellent pasture ground This Prouince of Nortgoia conteineth one of the foure Earledomes or Landtgrauies which long since were erected by the Emperors namely Luchtenberg which taketh his name of the castle Luchtenberg notwithstanding that the Princes of that iurisdiction doe keepe their Court in the towne of Freimbd and sometime in Grunsfelden the situation of which towne thou mayest see in the Mappe The Earle which now possesseth the place is called George it I be not deceiued descended from his progenitours Albert and Fredericke This Earledome hath not growen vnto such greatnesse as the other three which in processe of time are much enlarged both in possessions and command and especially the Landtgrauie or Earledome of Hessen Thus farre Sebastian Munster See also Pius the second Of the beginning of the Countie Palatine of this Prouince reade Francis Irenicus Conradus Celtes the Poet hath most excellently described Noremberg the chiefe citie of this Prouince and of late also Pighius in his Hercules Prodicius Gasper Brusch of Egra hath described Fichtelberg a mountaine plentifully bearing Pine trees in a peculiar treatise The territorie or iurisdiction of STRASBVRG THe booke of Records Notitiarum liber maketh mention of Argentoratensis tractus the precinct of Strasburg It taketh his name of Argentoratum or Argentina as others name it now called Strasburg This tract is a part of Holst where in time past the Triboces or
trusted rather to their swords of steele than walles of stone it was notable for the pleasantnesse of the place only commendable now for his antiquitie hauing a most goodly prospect round about aboue are the woods of Beech beneath are the fertile hilles of Vines c. The late Dukes of Wirtemberg for many ages past held their Court in this tower taking from thence their name their stocke and their armes as is to euery man very apparent There are which thinke that the Dukes of Wirtemberg haue had their ofspring from the Tuscans or Rhaetians others from the French Whether of these opinions are more probable I much regard not for in a thing altogether vncertaine I affirme nothing constantly It is certaine that they were strangers whether they came first forth of Italie or from France that as yet is not certainly knowen c. Thus farre Iohn Pede WIRTENBERG DVCATVS Accurata descriptio In qua omnia eius Opida Monasteria pagi nemora flumina et riuuli alicuius nominis diligentissimè exprimuntur Auctore Georgio Gadnero Cum Priuilegio Imp. Regiae M. 1579. The Precinct of SWITZERLAND THey which diuided the Empire of Germany into certeine Bands or Circles Kreis they commonly call them they made Switzerland the fourth in order now in all they record tenne it is certaine as approued histories do mention that at first Switzerland was a Kingdome but afterward reduced vnto a Dukedome Notwithstanding at this day there is none of the Princes of Germanie which is graced with the title of Duke of Switzerland for it is now diuided amongst many Princes One part hath accrued by lot of inheritance vnto the house of Austrich the duke of Wirtemberg enioyeth the greatest part in it there are many free cities and such as do belong vnto the crowne of the Empire many are subiect vnto the Duke of Bauiere There is none of the old writers which doth not make report of this Nation as of the most noble and ancientest of all Germany It is cleere out of Ptolemey Strabo and other authours that heretofore they were seated vpon the riuer Sweue and Albis But now at this day it is the vtmost prouince of all Germany for it abbutteth vpon the Alpes It is bounded by Bayern Frankenland and Alsatia or Elsas on euery side round about In olde time this countrey was called Alemanie of the lake Lemanus vulgarly now called Lac de Losanne or Lac de Geneue the Germans call it Ienfferlee as some thinke The countrey as Iohn Auban in that worthy worke of his De moribus gentium describeth it is partly champian partly hilly The soile is fruitfull of which there is no part which lieth vntilled excepting that which Lakes Mountaines or Woods do possesse In it are many woods and therefore the nation is giuen much to hunting and hawking they haue abundance of corne and great store of cattell The whole prouince by reason of the holsomnesse of the aire is euery where replenished with goodly cities villages castles and bulwarks strongly fortified aswell by nature as arte About the mountaines it yeeldeth iron siluer and other mettals The nation is populous stout audacious and warlike and therefore Plutarch calleth it The most excellent nation of all the Germans Whose renowme is recorded to be such and so to be enlarged that for valour and feats of armes it seemeth to haue deserued the Empire of the whole world which indeed it hath most gloriously for the space of somewhat more than an hundred yeeres enioyed Thus farre out of Iohn Auban where thou mayest at large see the customes and maner of life of this nation Augusta Vindelicorum Augspurg vpon the riuer Lech and Vlm vpon Donaw are the most famous cities of this prouince at this day There are also Campodun Memmingen Werd Nordling and others of which thou mayest reade in Munster Donaw the greatest riuer of all Europe here taketh his beginning and passeth thorow the middest of the countrey This riuer laden with threescore streames which Cuspinian according to the report of Collimitius describeth by name and order emptieth it selfe into Pontus Euxinus the Greeks now call it Maurothalassa the Italians Marmaiore the Turkes as Busbequius affirmeth Cara-denis that is The blacke-sea by six huge mouthes Euery one of which mouthes are so great and the streame so violent as Pliny saith that you shall obserue the sea to be ouer-mastered and driuen backe the space of fortie miles and so farre the water to be perceiued to be sweet Of this countrey and his people and first inhabitants see the ancient Geographers and of the latter writers Iohn Auban of Bohemia Munster and Irenicus who affirmeth that Naucler hath penned certaine books only of this argument and that Berno a certaine Abbat hath written many volumes of this nation In the vpper part of this Map you see a little prouince cōmonly called Kreichgey Dauid Chytraeus hath described it in a seuerall treatise The territorie of BASELL THis Map conteineth that coast in which long since the Rauraci and the Cis Iurani did inhabit as also the Waste of Heluetia The Rauraci in time past according to the opinion of most men were contained betweene the riuers of Rhein Byrsa and Ar and those mountaines which from Iurassus doe reach hither At this day it is for the most part vnder the iurisdiction of Basell In it as yet is there a village vpon the Rein distant a Dutch mile from Basell called Augst sometime the chiefe citie of this nation and was called Augusta Rauracorum but now it is become a base village notwithstanding many apparent signes of decayed buildings which as yet do testifie his antiquitie we haue seene to remaine and be yet extant there The country is rough full of many cragged rocks and euery where shadowed with thicke woods yet is very well inhabited and manured so that euen in the mountaines besides the goodly pastures for cattell of which it is greatly stored it beareth plentifully very good wine and corne Sequani CisIurani did long since reach from the mountaine Iura euen vnto the banke of the riuer Rhein Now this part is called Sungow and the Higher Elsas and is subiect for the most part vnto the Dukes of Austrich Brisgow and Blacke-wood commonly called Swartz-wald possesse the other banke of the Rein. Here the waste or wildernesse of Heluetia is placed by Ptolemey Brisgow is very well replenished with cities and villages and is very rich in corne The common people for the most part liue vpon Vintage The iurisdiction and gouernment of this countrey is diuided betweene the Archdukes of Austrich and the Marquesses of Bath Of this shire thou mayest see many things in Munster Christian Vrstise in a peculiar treatise hath most exactly described the citie of Basell In like maner Aeneas Syluius afterward called Pope Pius II. BASILIENSIS TERRITORII DES CRIPTIO NOVA Auctore Sebastiano Munstero Miliaria Germanica duarū horarū itineris Circulus siue Liga SVEVIAVE Vulgo Schwa
bische Kraiss HELVETIA or SWITZERLAND THe Heluetij which as Eutropius saith were in time past called Quadi Caesar writeth to haue been diuided into foure Pagi At this time they diuide it into thirteene parts which they call Cantones or Angules Heluetia they now call Switzerland and Eydgnoschafft of the league and confederacie which they haue made betweene themselues Some men doe thinke this countrey to be the highest of all Europe for that it is wholly almost situate within the Alpes the highest mountaines of the same Europe and because the greatest riuers of the same Rhein Rhodan or Rosne and Po springing from hence as from a very high place do runne into diuers coasts of the world This countrey is euerie where full of steepe hilles deepe valleys great lakes cleere springs and brooks These mountaines do appeare white with continuall snow so that to those which behold them afar off they seeme to be nothing but hard stone yet notwithstanding the Medowes after they haue beene burnt are found to be very fat In them are fed sheepe and kine from whence great profit ariseth vnto the inhabitants For from thence whey as Oswaldus Molitor writeth cheese butter and other white meats are made in such abundance that not only Switzerland is glutted with such things but also the nations nere adioyning are from thence very plentifully serued For they are transported from hence into Sweueland beyond the mountaine Iura into Italie and into diuers other places And that which may hardly be beleeued as the same man affirmeth for certaine that of twentie kine the yeerely profit is one hundred crownes and all charges borne which is bestowed vpon house-keeping men-seruants and maid-seruants Here-hence it is that so great a people is possibly able to liue and be mainteined in so strait a place and little plot of ground The thirteene Cantones of this countrey as we said they are commonly called are as Glarean reckoneth them vp Zurich Bern Lucern Wry Schwitz Siluan Tugi Glaron Basell Friburg Solodurn Schafhusen and Keiser-stul The gouernment and charge generally of the whole countrey is in the hands of those Cantones for the rule or gouernment of Heluetia is an Anarchia and is not subiect to the command of any Prince These when there is any thing that falleth out which concerneth the whole countrey or gouernment of the same do meet all ioyntly together and do determine vpon that which they thinke meet otherwise seuerall magistrates do gouerne the seuerall cities These cities therefore are linked together by a certaine bond of friendship and league whereupon they are called Eydtgnossen that is ioyned in one couenant Those of Rotweill Sangall Doggenburg and Lepont haue combined themselues also to those thirteene Cantons with the like bond of amitie Heluetia is situate that we may describe it in the plainest maner betweene the riuer Rhein S. Claudius mountaine the lake of Geneua which of the Latine writers is commonly called Lacus Lemanus and Italie Vpon the East it hath the countie of Tiroll vpon the South the Duchie of Millan and the countrey of Peimont vpon the West it bordereth vpon Sauoy the other part of it lieth vpon Burgundie France and High Germanie We said that Switzerland amongst the mountaines doth conteine many valleys of which some there are that do tend from the tops of the Alps toward Italie inhabited of diuers kinds of men For Giles Schude writeth that those which do inhabit the vale of Augusta or Val de Osta where in times past the Salassi dwelt are for the most part all Merchants factors In Cesie vale they are almost all Stone-cutters and Masons From Oscell vale do come Cutlers or Smithes which do make sword-blades and kniues and such as doe turne woodden dishes and trenchers All the inhabitants of the vale Vegese are Chimney-sweepers and so that slouenly kinde of men which liue by sweeping of chimneys and are wont to wander vp and downe thorow Germany France Italie and euen as farre as Sicilia are bred here In the vale Galanch they are all either dressers of Rosen or Basket-makers But these like beggers wander from countrey to countrey yet all the rest do liue vpon their trades Besides that which Caesar Strabo and other ancient writers haue written of this countrey thou mayst reade many other things in Giles Schude Vadian Francis Niger of Bassana Munster Henry Glarean and Oswald Molitor in the commentaries vpon him as also in Iohn Stumpe who hath written an huge volume of this nation To these you may adioyne Iohn Rhellicanes his commentaries vpon Caesar Iosias Simler hath set forth a booke of the prouince of Vallesia and of the Alps. The same man hath in hand a worke of Switzerland in generall Nicolan Stupan of Rhetia promiseth a description of Rhetia For the estate and gouernment of the common wealth of this countrey see Iohn Bodine in his Methodus historica Anthony Pinet in his description of cities hath diligently described the politicall estate and peculiar regiment of the Commonwealth of Berne Giles Schude Henry Glarean and others do contend and differ about the ancient language of the Heluetij I do thinke that they neuer vsed other than now they do But we do send such as are more curious students in the dialects of languages vnto the worke of Iohn Becan which he calleth his Becceselana HELVETIAE DESCRIPTIO AEGIDIO TSCHVDO AVCT The Countie of TIROLL THe Earledome of Tyroll was adioyned vnto the house of Austrich in the yeere after Christs birth 1360. by Rodulph the sonne of Duke Albert. This Countie is so rich in Siluer mines especially neere the towne of Schwatz that it may not onely be preferred before a rich Dukedome but also may iustly seeme to compare with a large Kingdome For it payeth yeerely vnto the Prince as Cuspinian in his historie of Austrich reporteth three hundred thousand crownes of golde Moreouer in it is found absolutely the best brasse when as scarse other where not any is found that will abide the hammer This prouince is situate almost within the Alpes betweene Bauiere and Italie The chiefe cities in it are Oenipons now commonly called Inspruck where the Princes Court of this region is ordinarily kept where also the Councell-table and Parliament for this prouince and for Austrich is held There also did we behold with admiration the house of the Lord Maior vpon the roofe all guilt ouer with infinite cost and charges Next vnto it is Bolzan the Mart-towne and the castle of Tyroll of which the whole countrey tooke his name Then Trent famous for the generall Councell held there within our remembrance This is subiect vnto the Dukes of Austrich yet partly vnto the Bishops of that sea and is placed in the confines of Germanie and Italie whereupon almost all the inhabitants doe vnderstand and speake both the languages Then Halla in which salt is made and boiled which from thence is transported into the countreys neere adioyning The Bishopricke of Brixia and the towne of
that the Cabbadges heere cauli capucei they call them do often weigh as Mazella reporteth sometime thirty sometime fortie pound and therefore Martiall said not amisse Nos amiternus ager felicibus educathortis In Amiternoes fertile fields we liue and spend our daies The fields before this citie do yeeld such great plenty of Saffron that thereof yearely they make 40000. ducates Heere is once a yeare kept a great Faire It hath 110. Churches Neere this city as Blondus saith is a stone from vnder the which runneth a streame of oile which they call Oile of peter or Petroleum and is desired and sought for of many but of the Almaines and Hungarians it is more esteemed then of the Italians The same authour recordeth that the country people shewed him a Peare-tree growing vpon an hill not farre from the head of the riuer Pescara or Aterno shooting vp in such a sort that the water falling vpon it diuideth it selfe into three parts which become three great riuers Velino Tronto and Pescara running three diuers waies Amiterno in former times a goodly city famous in histories and the natiue country of Salust the noble historian can hardly be discerned where it stood yet Blondus saith that they do yet shew some pieces of the Theater Temples and Turrets Mazella affirmeth that there yet do remaine the Temple of Saturne the tombe of Drusus daughter and a triumph of the Samnites engrauen in marble a memoriall of their happie victory obtained against the Roman army ad furcas Caudinas Teramo long since called Interamnia for that it is situate between three riuers Fiumicello Trontino and Vitiole is the head city of this prouince whose Bishop is graced with many titles and dignities and the lord of the soile is called by the name of the Duke of Teramo Adria the ancient colonie of the Romanes is now called Atri Some do thinke that the Emperour Hadrian was borne heere and of it tooke his name as also the Hadriaticke sea now called Mare superum the higher sea the Gulfe or Bay of Venice Furconium sometime hath been a famous Bishopricke whose Bishops are often mentioned in the Councels and Synods held 800. yeares since at Rome or other places of Italie At this day only some small mention is to be seen of it for it was destroied by the Lombardes and the Bishops sea was by Pope Alexander the fourth from thence translated vnto Aquila The arms of this country as Scipio Mazella writeth is an Eagle argent crowned standing vpon three mounts ore in a field Azure He that desireth to vnderstand more of this country let him repaire to the forenamed Authours who I doubt not will satisfie him to the full APRVTII VLTERIORIS DESCRIPTIO 1590. NATALIS BONIFACIVS SEBENIICENSIS DESCRIBEB The kingdome of NAPLES THis kingdome generally comprehended between the Adriaticke and Mid-land seas from the riuer Fronto and Fundi a city situate vpon the lake Fundano vnto the Frith Messina the Latines call it Fretum Mamertinum or Messanae the Italians el faro di Messina conteineth nine most rich and goodly countries of Italie namely these A part of Latium Campania felix Lucani Calabria Magna Graecia Salentini Apuli Peucetij Apuli Dauni and Aprutium The gallant city Naples which gaue the name to the whole kingdome seated between the sea shore and the foote of most pleasant mountaines hath a temperate and wholesome aire with most sweet fields about it and therefore in this our age Princes and Noblemen do resort hither asmuch as euer heeretofore for almost all the Nobility of this whole kingdome do spend most of the yeare in this city and all for the most part haue heere most beautifull and stately houses so that the frequent throng of Princes Dukes Marquesses Earles Knights Doctors Barons and Noble-men is heere so great that there are very few cities of the world which in my iudgement in that respect may compare with Naples The city in compasse is very large and wide gorgeously built and seated as I said between the sea and the goodly pleasant hils strongly walled and fortified especially that part which was done of late daies at the commandement of Charles the fifth The buildings either of Churches or priuate citizens houses are most beautifull and stately with diuers Castles and Towers almost inuincible But amongst the rest the house of the Duke of Grauina and the Prince of Salerno do farre excell The streets of the city are very faire and straight There are foure Courts which they call Seats Capuana Nida Montana and S. Georgio where the Princes Dukes Marquesses and other of the Nobility do meet to consult of waighty matters and publike businesses The strong Castels are these Castello nouo which Alphonsus the first raised and entrenched with very great charges and expences so that now it may be accounted one of the most defencible fortification of all Europe Next to this is Castello Capuano which now is emploied for place of meeting for the state in consultation for matters of the kingdome and city Then is Castellum oui a little distance without the city standing vpon a rocke the ancients called it Meagrum compassed round with the sea Beside these is Castellum Santemerense vpon a cliffe looking ouer the walls of the city lately fortified very strongly by Charles the fifth Without the wals vpon the South side of the city there is a Block-house in the sea a worke of wonderfull art and cunning workemanship built for the defence and safegard of the Hauen continually full with shippes almost from all quarters of the world Heere also is an Vniuersitie where all maner of Arts and Liberall Sciences are taught and professed vnto which there is great concourse of students from all places of the kingdome Thus farre Vbertus Folietta in a Treatise of his which he wrote and intituled Brumanum Without the wals of this most stately city there are most pleasant sweet fields yeelding all maner of things necessarie not onely for the maintainance of man and beast but also such as serue for pleasure and delight Especiallie with all maner of Corne and Graine and of rich and strong Wine such plenty that he that hath not seene the great store both of Corne and Wine that one Aker of ground doth yeeld may hardlie be made to beleeue it The Hilles and Mountaines in this place are very fertile and full of most excellent fruits and some of them enclosing the lowly plaines in manner of a Theater do affoord plentie of Deere and game for the Nobilitie Moreouer about Naples are most pleasant and fine Orchards planted with Medicinall plants and such like goodlie fruite trees euerie where resounding with a most sweet noise of brookes and streames running to and fro euery where most fragrant and odoriferous smelles do offer themselues vnto your senses such is the abundance of Myrtill Laurell Gelsemine Rosemarie Rose-trees c. in euerie corner To be short the beauty delightsomnesse and elegancie of all places round about