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
yeelded vnto him with all the artillery and munition the souldiers being about 1100. and some 400. out of Creuecaeur remained in the Princes seruice who afterwards at the battaile of Nieuport shewed themselues both valiant and faithfull And so this Fort of Saint Andrew hath vnto this day remained vnder the obedience of the vnited Estates Culembourg ALthough this towne be a fee of Gueldres yet there is a question made whether it bee of that territory It is scituaed vpon the left banke of the riuer of Lecke a league from Buren two leagues from Vianen on the same side of the riuer It hath a goodly castle whereas the Lord doth ordinarily reside and a large iurisdiction wherevpon King Philippe the second erected it to an Earldome whereof Florent of Palant was the first Earle besides many other great possessions which hee enioyed whereof his sonne is now Lord and Earle Battenbourg ALthough this towne at this present ruined and the castle bee within the limmits of the Duchy of Geldres seated vpon the banke of the riuer of Meuse whereby the Barron of that place makes a great reuenew of the toule and custome which is paied by all the ships that passe that way yet the said signeury is merely held of the Empire as William of Bronchurst did take it vppe of Maximilliam the Emperour His Sonne succeeded him and dying without heires Maximillian of Bronckhurst his cousin Germaine did inherit and is now Lord of it This place is of very great antiquity The Chronicles of Holland affirme that it was the first Castle which Prince Battus of whome Batauia or Holland tooke his name did build vppon the Meuze in the Countie of Sicambrians which now is Gelders Buren THis Towne is neither a fee nor of the territory of Gelders but a little country of it selfe which holdes of the Empire carrying the title of an Earle with great Iurisdiction a large territory and many Villages and yet shut vp in the lymits of the Duchy of Gelders This place is seated neere vnto the riuer of Lingen vppon a little Brooke which in old time was called the ditch for muscles a league from Tyl it is not very bigge but hath a very strong Castle ioyning vnto it where there is an ordinary garrison for the vnited Estates That valiant and famous Prince Maximilian of Egmont was Earle of this place who for his great seruices done vnto the Emperor Charles the fift whereof diuers histories make mention left his memory immortail to posterity Dying at Brussels in the yeare one thousand four hundred nine to whom succeeded his only daughter the sole heire by her mother of the house of Lannoy Who was the first wife of William of Nassau Prince of Orange by whom she left a son and a daughter that is Philip William of Nassau now Prince of Orange Earle of Buren Seignior of Lannoy c. And the Lady Mary of Nassau widdow to Cont Philip of Hohenlo This may suffice for the description of the Townes and cheefe Forts comprehended in the Estate of the Dutchy of Gelders The people of this Prouince are valiant and warlike from whence they were wont to draw a good part of them at Armes and Archers of the bandes of Ordinance of the Low-countries These were the last among the Belgick Gaules that submitted them-selues to the yoake of the Romane Empire the first when this Monarchy began to decline that freed them-selues from their subiection Afterwards they were made subiect to the French yet imbracing the occasion when it it was offered they did shake of this yoak and began to be gouerned by priuat Lords of the country it selfe the which hapned in the time of the Emperour Chalres the bald King of France Which Lords were simply called Tutors ot Aduocats of the country The which according o their vertues and merits were chosen created by the people the first of which was Wrinchard as we haue shewed before to whome succeeded his sonne Gerlach in the yeare 910. so as there were seauen Lords or Feofes successiuely issued from this familie the last whereof was also called Winchard who left but one daughter called Aleyd or Alix maryed to Otto Earle of Nassau who was the first which carryed the title of the Earle of Gelders giuen him by the Emperor Henry the third in the yeare 1079. But the sayd Aleyd beeing dead hee marryed with the daughter of Gerlach Earle of Zutphen who was slaine in a battaile giuen betwixt Conrard Bishop of Vtrecht and Thiery the sixt Earle of Holland Where-vppon as wee haue sayd the Earldome of Zutphen was also vnited vnto the Duchy of Gelders Otto left these Earles after him Gerrard Henry Gerrard Otto the second surnamed the stump-foot It was he which did purchase the Seigneury of Nymeghen as wee haue sayd before which hee did wall in with diuers others which were but Burroughs as Ruremond Arnhem Harderwicke Bommel and Wageninghen all in the Prouince of Gelders and aboue it Goch in the country of Cleues to the which he gaue goodly priuiledges as to great Citties To this Otto succeeded his sonne Renald and to him a sonne of his owne name who obtained in the yeare 1329. the dignity and title of Duke of the Emperour Lewis of Bauaria in an imperiall Dyet held at Francfort As in like manner the Countie of Iuilliers was by him erected into a Dutchy After this Reginold the second Geldres was gouerned by Arnold Edward his two sons but not without great contentions Both of them dying Arnold left two daughters of diuers beddes Ioane and Isabell who continued the diuision which had beene betwixt their Father and Vncle but Isabell dying without children Ioane remained sole and peaceable Dutchesse to whom succeeded William her sonne who was the fourth duke of Geldres but dying without heires Reynold his brother the fourth Duke of Iuilliers succeeded him and was the fift Duke of Geldres who dying without issue male the succession went to his only daughter married to Arnold of Egmond issued from a daughter of the first Duke of Geldres by which meanes the sayd Arnold came vnto the principality whose Sonne called Adolphe who is numbred for the seauenth Duke repyning that his Father liued so long by the perswasion of his own Mother caused him to bee seazed on in a night and to bee put in prison in the castle of Buren where hee detained him many yeares Pope Paul the second and the Emperour Frederick the third not able to suffer so great an impiety gaue authority to Charles the Warlicke Duke of Bourgongne to free this miserable Father by force of armes out of the hands and tyranie of his sonne The which Adolph vnderstanding and seeing that the Pope and Emperor did imbrace the cause and that he was not able to resist Duke Charles his forces he drew his father out of prison and hauing obtayned a pasport from the Duke he came vnto him with his father to Dourlans in Picardy
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
know not by what title Cont William King of Romaines gaue the Lordshippe of Hoochmade to this house as also an other William Earle of Holland and Henaut gaue them the village of Coudekerke vppon the Rhine a League from Leyden where there was a mightie castle the which was razed by the factions in the yeare 1489. It was before called Horne whereof the proprietaries were called Lords of Horne whose memory lies buried with their persons Gerard of Poelgest a Knight did afterwards cause this ruined castle to be repaired with the consent of the Emperor Charles the fift as faire as euer who died to soone for his children The castle of Alcmada from the which they of the house take their name is situated in the iurisdiction of Warmond whereof the ruines are yet to bee seene for that which is now called Alcmada standing vpon the current of Marne was wont to bee called Poelgeest as appeeres by the letters of Thierry Vicont of Leyden saying that hee had giuen the inheritance thereof to Isbrandt of Poelgeest We finde that Henrie of Poelgeest and Floris of Alcmada bretheren by the mother liued in the yeare 1320. Those of Culembourg are descended from that Noble and famous Lord Ralfe of Bosicom of the race of the Earles of Teysterbandt The towne of Culembourg is reasonable good standing vpon the riuer of Lâ—ck two leagues from Viane and one from Buren it is now erected to an Earldome belonging to the Lord of Palant Abcoude was wont to bee a famous and mightie family the which had great possessions in the diocese of Vtrecht the towne and castle of Wyckter Duersâ—ede did also belong vnto them the Lord whereof did build the castle of Abcoude in the Moores midde-way betwixt Vtrecht and Amsterdam One Ghisbert of Abcoude did purchase the Lordship of Gaesbecke who gaue it to his yongest sonne Asueres who married a daughter of the Earle of Lygnes by whom hee had one sonne called Iames verie rich and mighty in possessions for beeing Lord of Gaesbeck hee was Siegnior of Abcoude Putten and Streuen all which are goodly Signeuries hauing iurisdictions It was he which fouÌ„ded the Chartreux nere vnto Vtrecht who since after the death of his sonne only heire being taken prisoner in battaile by the Bishop of Vtrecht was to redeeme his liberty forced to yeeld him the Lordship towne and castle of Wyck where since the bishoppes haue kept their ordynarie residence and the castle of Abcoude which since hath beene the aboad of one of the Marshalls of the Diocese of Vtrecht and of his gard which is there in garrison The house of Persin is also an honorable family from the which are issued manie Knights gentlemen of Waterlandt and the I le of Marke right against Monikendam It is at this time wholy extinct The castle of Persin is yet standing without the wood at the Hage The house of Raphorst is noble and very ancient whereof it appeeres that two bretheren had been slaine with their Prince Cont Floris in the warre against the Frisons That of Matenesse hath in like manner with many others taken their beginning from the Lord of Wassenare Vicont of Leyden The house of Vlyet was in old time banished not as guilty of the murther of Cont Floris but in hatred of his brother the Siegnior of Woerden one of the cheefe conspirators so as Gerard van Vlyet going into exile was dispossest of his lands degraded of his armes But afterwards by the intercession of the Lords of Duyuenvoorde and Liâ—htenberg for his valour shewed in battaile for the Earle of Holland where the bishop of Vtrecht was slaine he was receiued into grace and restored to the possession of all his goods The honors which the houses of Woerden Wesson were accustomed to haue were lost in the persons of Herman van Woerden for the murther of Cont Floris whereof Gerard being the first author executioner was cruelly executed beeing rowled vp down in a pipe ful of nailes in the town of Leyden where hee died miserably Herman his father in law being brother to the Lord of Amstel escaped and died poore in exile The house of Amstel was also blemished with this murther namely Ghysbrecht of Amstel Lord of Amsterdam Amsterweel and Iselsteyn who died in exile poore and miserable beeing dispossest of halfe his goods and the rest remayning to his wife sonne Arnold who were besieged a whole yeare in the towne of Amsterdam and were in the end forced to yeeld it vpon condition that for all their goods they should content themselues with the towne castle of Iselsteyn which since came vnto the house of Egmond whereof the Emperor Maximilian the first created Frederic of Egmond first Earle of Iselsteyn of Leerdam Iohn of Henaut Earle of HollaÌ„d had giuen the signeuries of Amstell Woerden to his brother Guy then Prouost afterwards bishop of Vtrecht during his life the which hee caused to bee built but after his death they were anexed againe to the reuenues of the Earle of Holland which then was Cont William surnamed the good The signiors of Schagen are descended from a bastard of Duke Albert of Bauaria Earle of Holland and Henaut who gaue this goodly Siegneury with that of Burchorne to William the first Lord of Schagen and from him successiuely to him that is now vnder the Estates of Holland So the Signiory of Hoocht-wood came from Duke William of Bauariae called the mad Earle for that after two battailes which hee had against the Empresse Marguerite his mother whereof hee lost one with eight thousand men nere â—o Vlaerdingen and the other he wonne hee was distracted of his wittes fifteene yeares and as a madde man was kept close vnto his death to whom Duke Albert his brother succeeded This William gaue vnto his base Sonne the possession of Hocht-Woude and Aertswoude which are two goodlie villages But this line fayling these two places haue past from one to an other Hochtwoude belonging at this day to Cornellis Mirop Receiuer generall of Holland and Westfrisland signior of Caelslagen Sweiten c. The house of Haemstede did begin at Witte who was the first Lord and bastard to Cont Floris That of Horst is of great antiquity the which seemes to haue had many branches as that of Bronckhorst in Gelders that of Lochorst in the countrie of Vtrecht and that of Raphorst whereof the old castle is yet standing betwixt the Hage and Leyden then Bockhorst twise or thrise ruined being a league from Nortwyck but not in that estate it hath beene The family of Dune is also very ancient the only daughter and heire whereof married some thirty yeares since to Thierry the second sonne of the Lord of Brederode who left the title thereof to his children yet carrying the armes of Brederode and not their mothers It continues still in that race who doe also enioy the Siegniorie of Sprangen which came by marriage from them of Wyelsteyn The house of Zyle
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
and there made his aboad calling it new Frisland whereof the Inhabitants were called Frisiabenes And on a certain place where as since the towne of Alcmar was built he seated a towne which by his wiues name hee called Frougast But as in the Frison tongue as wel as in the Germaine they do vsually pronounce a V. consonant for an F. In succession of times this word is changed into Vrougast or Vroulegast with which word Geyst there are many places end in Frisland This towne of Vrougast became afterwards great and of good trafficke The which the Romaines making warre against the Battauians and Frisons for the affinitie which this name had with their towne of Verona in Italie they also called it Verone Of this VVest-Frisland is that to be vnderstood which Tacitus writes was done by the Frisons for their neighbourhood with the Battauians In this Estate was Frisland maintained since the comming of Friso their first prince the space of one hundred ninety three yeares wherof Staueren was the chiefe town whereas the Princes kept their Court gouerning the other quarters called Zeelandts by their Lieutenants This Towne of Staueren grew so proud by their wealth and Nauigation as they seemed all gold gilding the posts of their houses and their vanitie was so great as a rich widdow hauing commaunded the Maister of her shippe to bring her the best Marchandise hee should finde in the East Countries For that hee brought nothing backe but Wheat which hee held to bee best This vaine woman commaunded the Maister that if hee had laden it on the larboord side hee should cast it into the Sea on the starboord side which hauing done God sent a tempest which did so moue the sandes of the sea as in the same place where the Wheat had beene cast forth there did rise a barre or banke of sand which hath euer since spoyled the Hauen of the said Towne which hath depriued them quite both of their Nauigation and wealth so as since the Inhabitants hauing beene often spoyled are now growne more modest All that Prince Friso had left in writing was not done in the Frison tongue but in Greeke letters hauing raigned sixtie yeare hee died two hundred twenty seauen yeares before Christ Adel his eldest sonne succeeded him who raigned ninetie foure yeares and dyed one hundred thirty one yeares before Christ After him came Vbbo his sonne who gouerned eighty yeares and died fifty one yeares before Christ. Friso or Frisius son to Grunnius who built the towne of Groning as wee haue said marryed the Ladie Frou To whome succeeded his sonne Asniga Ascou 4. Prince of Frisland who raigned 82. yeares and died 31. yeares after the birth of Christ Diogarus Segon was 5. Dibaldus Segon 6. Tabbo 7. al which together liued 443. yeares theÌ„ had they as many Dukes whereof Ascon was the first who had foure sonnes whereof Adelbold the eldest succeeded him and was second Duke of Frisland dying without children hee left his brother Tito Bocaial his successor who dying also without children had Vbbo sonne to his brother Richold Nephew to Ascon for his heire who was 4. Duke of Frisland To whome succeeded his sonne Haron fift Duke who dyed in the yeare of Christ three hundred thirty fiue After him came his son Odibald sixt Duke then Vdolph Haron seauenth and last Duke For after him vnto Charlemaigne Frisland had nine Kings These seauen dukes altogether raigned two hundred sixty two yeares Then came Richold Vtto who was first King of East Frisland wee call it so in regard of VVest-Freezeland into the which Friso the young sonne of Grunnius ledde the first Collonies To him succeeded Odibaldus second King of Frisland Then Richold third King And after him Beroald sonne to Valck fourth King of Frisland in the time of Clotaire King of France and by him slaine in battaile Adgil was fift King of Frisland Radbod the first of that name 6. King of Frisland After whom came Adgil the 2. the 7. King who had three sons Gombauld the 8. King of Frisons Iohn called the Priest Radbod GoÌ„bauld was a good Christian went to serue Charlemaigne where he was slain with Rolland and other peeres of France at the battaile of Ronseual Iohn called the Priest so called for his holynes of life followed Charlemaigne in his voyage to Ierusalem from whence as Suffridus Petri a Frison writer sayeth hee past on with a Collonie to the East Indies where hee erected a Kingdome the which was called by his name the Kingdome of Prestre Iean whose successors which came afterwards into Affricke into the Kingdome of the Abissens are at this day called Prestres Ieans Radbod the third son of Adgil the second of that name was King of Frisland a great persecuter of Christians he was twise vanquished by the French It was he which retyred from the font being ready to be baptized vppon a foolish answer which the Bishop of Soissons made him going to baptize him He did great spoyles vnto Christians as farre as Vtrechtâ— the which hee ruined aud destroyed the Temple of S. Thomas which King Dagobert had built He raigned fifty yeares and with him ended the Kings of Frisland the Realme beeing after that anexed to the Crowne of France Wee haue before made mention of Friso the yong who led the first Collony into West Frisland let vs now speake of the second who was brought into that quarâ—er which is now called Waterlandt which hapned in this manner wee haue before said that Ascon first duke of Frisland had four sons Adelbod Tito Richold Radbod that the two first were dukes successiuely and that Vbbe the son of Richold was the 4. Duke of Frisland there then remained Radbod the 4. son of Ascon hauing taken a wife out of West-Frisland of the race of Friso the yong hee had by her one son called Thierry who in the 300. yeare of CHRISTS natiuity which was the 2. of the raign of Haron the 5. duke of the old Frisons his cousin led a Collony into that quarter of West-frisland with the help of the said Haron and other four of his cousins the which at that time by reason of the multitude of Ilands Moores Lakes and other stil waters was not yet inhabited yet with that aid and the interest he had by his wife he made this second part which at this present is Waterlandt habitable and fertil in the which are Edam Monikendam Purmerends Woormer Ryp Graft and other good villages so as of these two parts ioined togither with that which he added afterwards on the west part he made an Estate and built a Pallace at Medenblike which he made the cheefe town of the whole country VVho pretending to make it a Kingdome Haron his Cousin Duke of East Frisland hindred him for the which they were long in controuersie til in the end Haron forced him to content him-selfe with the title of a Duke This Thierry Duke of West-Frisland had one sonne which
Cornelius Tacitus attributing much to their industry and dexterity in the disposing of an armie and also in obeying their Commaunders to take or put of the combat as it should be thought fit of great courage firme and hard bodies wel lymmed of a fierce and menacing aspect fearefull for the horrible length of their beardes and hayre which fashion and countenance hee saith was not lawfull for them to leaue off or change although they had brought victory from their enemies Some say that Batto issued from the royall bloud of the Cattes was moued to change his naturall abode to a new one not for the desire hee had to finde a better or more fertile country or in regard of too great a multitude of people which are the two maine occasions that nations remoue their ancient habitations but that his step-mother laid diuers ambushes for him and fearing to bee poysoned beeing at oddes with her his father consenting thereto or at least not opposing it By reason whereof what with the splendor of his heroicall vertues his gratious and amiable carryage and his condition truly royall hee drew vnto him a good part of the Nobility and a great number of the people who beeing out of hope of better times followed him willingly and by the councell of the King of Tongres his good father hee addrest him-selfe to the confines of Belgiae there to inhabit and hauing past the Rhyne not farre from the riuers of VVahal and of Meuze hee happily built the Castle of Battengbourgh vppon the riuer of Meuze which hauing past at the parting of the Rhyne where the VVahal retyres and takes his course apart hee inioyed all the whole circuit euen to the Ocean Sea parting the land amongst the Nobles and common people so that of his name it was called Battauia which signifies nothing else but the heritage of Batto as if one should say Batous Haue for Haue in the old Dutch and yet at this present signifies heritage So that then this Prouince hath taken his name and that lawfully from a Prince the son of a King al which is witnessed by diuers authors amongst whom the most worthy of beleefe is Cornelius Tacitus a Romaine Knight a rare writer of the Story of Augustus and Commissary for Gaule Belgique who makes mention of Claudius Ciuilis descended from Batto issued from a royal branch of the Batauians or Hollanders Here you may see that Plyny not without great reason called this Isle the most noble Isle of Batto The which name of Batto hath heretofore spread it selfe very far amongst the Allemans and Dalmatians and Dion a Romaine Historiographer makes mention of two Battoes the first Batto duke of Bruces which is a part of Pannonia which I now hold to be the country of Prussia confining Poland Hungary the other Batto Desidiate who stirred vp the Dalmatians beeing too much exacted vpon by impositions to take armes against the Romanes to whom hee gaue many affronts The same Dion reports in his 55. 56. booke a memorable answere that the said Battus gaue Tyberius Caesar who demaunding of him why he had stirred vp the people to so long and bloody a war Answered that the RomaÌ„es theÌ„-selues were cause in that they had sent them wolues for their gardiens not dogs sheapheards But as it commonly happens amongst these barbarous natioÌ„s through the weaknes or ignoraÌ„ce of the men of those times wee haue nothing left vs whereby wee may know who were the kinsmen or successors to this Batto of Holland so that we know not any thing for certaine of their customes or manner of liuing but that Tacitus hath toucht at theÌ„ as if it were in passing by and that breefly Some say that this Batto re-edefied the Castle of Nymeghen and compast the town with wals that he being dead his son Hesus augmented it by adding therto that quarter which is called Heselbergh or the hil of Hesus The which town the Kings that succeeded after him caused to be the metropolitaine of Batauia or Holland and their seege royal Al which Gerard of Nymeghen recites affirming that he had drawn them from the commentaries of Princes Strabo the Geographer makes mention of one Peremire king of the Batauians who had a daughter called Rhamis married to the son of Siquier Duke of the Cherusques who afterwards was led in triumph to Rome by Germanicus Caesar I haue not known any man that hath writ how great the limits were or how far the inheritance of Batto extended some haue made it too little in taking away a great part from it wherefore I wil assigne him his confines to a haire as it were to remaine firme and stable for euer Batauia then which I cal the antient took heretofore his beginning from the separation of the Rhyne at the castle of Lober was inclos'd on one side with that which we properly call the Rhyne which had wont to fal neer unto Catwick into the Brittish Ocean which gulph is now choakt vp as wee will shew hereafter and the Wahal from whence falling again into the Merwe and from thence into that which we cal the Meuze passing by Bryel renders him self into the same Sea In which coÌ„passe and circuit of the Rhyne ther are a great number of Townes and to beginne aboue first Huessen Tyell Buiren Wickterduirsted Vtrecht Viane Culembourg Aspeney Henâ—lâ—â— Leerdan Iselsteyne Montfort VVoerden Oudewater Gorcum Wandrichom Schoonhouen Dordrecht Goud Leyden Delft Rotterdam SchiedaÌ„ and the Bryell I will not meddle with Nieuport right ouer against Schoonhouen and Haesrecht for that by their ruines other townes haue beene augmented If any oppose to the designements of the limits saying that the Betuwe which is a part of the Dutchy of Gelderland is that which properly ought to bee called Batauia I will send him to the iudge and principall defender of the cause Ptolomeus of Alexandria who puts Lugodunum which is Leyden amongst the Batautans where hee sayes expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lugodunum Battauorum which is a Towne distant foure thousand paces from thence What will this controuler say of Caesars measuring of it who reckons it to bee fourscore thousand paces after it parts from the Rhyne before it enters into the Sea between which two riuers hee cannot deny but that the Batauian Isle is inclosed Tacitus him-selfe ends it at the Meuze from whence it descends to the Sea This inheritance of Battus which I willingly cal the old Batauia for that certaine hundreths of years after his death Drusus of two branches or gulphs made three the 3. falling into the middle sea coÌ„monly called Zuyderzee first passing by Campen in the country of Oueryssell amplifying thereby the territory of Batauia the which he did to excercise his army to preuent idlenesse in them beginning at Iseloort which braÌ„ch is called the riuer of Isell it seemes also that he gaue them an other Isle of the Rhyne more large and spatious which we may cal a
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
by two brothers borne in this towne whose equals in this art of painting haue not to this houre bin found The 12. of Ianuary 1552. the steeple of this Church was burnt by thunder and lightning of the date whereof D. Adrians Iuuius in his Batauia hath made this distique LVX bIssena fVIt IanI hora vespere nona CVM sacra IohannIS VVLCano CorpVII aedes The tWeLfth of IanVarâ—e SaInt Iohns SpIre At nIne a cLoCk was MVCH Impaird with fire The which mischieuous fire burnt nothing but the said steeple and a part of the church notwithstanding that it was enuiron'd with houses But about an hundreth yeares before in the yeare of our Lord 1438. the 18. of August vpon Saint Lewis his day the towne was wholy burnt except three houses vpon the Hauen the old ruines of them being yet to bee seene At this time the old charters and priuiledges of this towne were burnt wherevpon this distique was made FLetIbVs Id dIaICI qVIa GoVda Cre Mat LVdoWICI Sorrow allowde with sighes proclaimes That Lodowicks Goude is all on flames It is not long since that about halfe a league from the said towne were found diuers peeces of siluer with this circumscription on the one side HLVDOVICVS IMP. and on the other CXRISTIANA RELIGIO which seeme to haue beene coyned in the time of the Emperor Lewis the Debonaire the sonne of the Emperor Charlemaine and the Father of the Emperour Charlâ—s the bauld who after he had setled Christian religion in those parts gaue the Earldome of Holland to Thierry of Aquitaine the first of that name There is mention made in the ancient charters and priuiledges of this towne how Florentius the fift of that name Earle of Holland told a Knight called Nicholas van Cats that this towne had beginning in the yeare 1272. Others and among the rest Doctor Adrianus Iunius 1262. notwithstanding that the said towne hath beene knowne to haue beene long time before whereof many Gentlemen haue taken their names and chiefly among the rest Thiery Vander Goude one of the priuie councell to Earle William King of the Romaines and the priuiledges granted to them of Vtrecht in the yeare 1252. shew the like A quarter of a league out of the towne is yet to be seene the place where the Church stood and is commonly called the old Church-yard where during the Romish superstition they vsed to goe on procession in Rogation weeke and likewise a way called the old Goude But for that this place was too farre from the riuer of Issell the Inhabitants for their more commodity remooued from their former dwellings to the place where the Towne now stands The freedome and iurisdiction of this Towne at the beginning was no more then the compasse of it within the portes and walls with very little land without but was afterward in the yeare of our Lord 1484. much amplified by the Emperour Maximillian the first and the Arch-duke Philip his sonne with at least a league of land in compasse on both sides the riuer of Yssell The gouernment of this towne appertained heretofore to the Earles of Blois Lords of the same and was seated in the center or middest of the sayd Countie Iohn of Beaumont Earle of Blois by his wife was made Lord of it and Schoonhouen with their dependances by his brother William the Good Earle of Holland to augment his reuenews in the yeare 1306 who by the consent of his brother instituted the first payments and rights of customes with the houses and sluces where hee receiued his right hee inlarged and much beautified the Castle of the sayd towne the which long time after was chosen by the Estates of Holland as a place very strong for the keeping of the charters priuiledges and lawes of their Countie which Castle except the Tower where their charters were kept was in the yeare 1577. demolished at which time there were many others throwne downe in the Low-countries Iohn of Beaumont Lord of Blois died in the yeare 1456. leauing one onely sonne likewise named Iohn who being a Knight of the Teutonique or Dutch order went into Prussia against the Infidels and there died leauing two sonnes Iohn and Guy Earles of Bloys and of Soyson Iohn of Chastillon Lord of Goude riche and strong issued by his father from the Earles of Holland and by his mother from the Kings of France married Madam Mathilda Dutchesse of Gelders and Countesse of Zutphen at that time when the houses of Bronchorst and Heeckers assaied to shutte out the sayd Lady from her patrimoniall inheritance To remedie the which the Earle of Blois came into Geldres accompanied by many Lords and Knights and a good troope of souldiers besieging Wagheningen and Groensvoerdt which he tooke and afterwards in the right of the Lady his wife was receiued into Arnhem and acknowledged for Lord and Prince This Lord and Lady as Dukes of Gelders gaue priuiledge to the Citizens of Goude to saile with their Marchandize through-out the Dutchie of Geldres and Earledome of Zutphen freely without eyther taxe or toll This priuiledge was giuen in the towne of Arnham in the yeare of on Lord 1372. Iohn of Chastillion dyed in the yeare 1381. without children leauing all his goods to his brother Guy of Blois who married Mary the daughter of the Earle of Namur by whom hee had one sonne called Lewis Earle of Dunois who dyed young at Beaumont the two and twenty of December 1397. After whose death the right line of Iohn of Blois was extinct so that the Signeuries of Goude and Schoonhouen with their dependances which were called the Baliage of the countie of Blois returned to the country of Holland in the time of Albert of Bauaria notwithstanding Guy of Blois left a bastard called Iohn of Blois Lord of Treslon and Henault who as the historâ— of the Netherlands makes mention had by his wife six sons It is apparent that the townes of Goude Dordrecht Harlem Delft and Leyden with the Knights and nobles of the country represented the Estates of Holland and Westfreezeland long before the towne of Amsterdam was receiued for a member as it appeareth by diuers records and letters of state past vnder the seales of the said fiue townes together with the iniuries that they of Amsterdam haue done to them of Goude vpon the same The said towne of Goude for the good order which they haue alwaies held in discipline and Scholasticall instruction hath brought forth many great learned personages to their eternall fame as Henry and Iohn of Goude whom Trithemius Abbot of Spanheim puts in ranke of the rarest writers William Herman of Goude whom Erasmus Roterodamus in his Epistles calls his delight a most excellent Poet and Historiographer Hermanus Goudanus a great Diuine Iacobus Goudanus a famous Poet Thâ—odorus Gerardi Reinerius Suoy a Phiâ—â—ion and historiographer who haue all written learned workes worthy to be consecrated to posterity But Cornelius Aurelius likewise borne in this towne surpast them all in
castle belonging to the Lord of Brederode as wee haue sayd with that of Ameden which is betwixt Viane and Nieuport on the same side Wee haue heretofore made mention of the castles of Woerden Goude Gorchom Medenblyke and Muyden There is neere vnto the towne of Alcmar the castle of Assenburg which is the place of the Lord of Assendelf who hath an other castle nere vnto Rotterdam called Hemingen The castle of Abcoude is one of the Noblest and most antient betwixt Leyden and Vtrecht there is a remainder of a little castle neere vnto Hemskerke seated vpon a hill with foure towers the which for the hight doth some times serue as a sea-marke vnto Mariners Those of the house of Adrichom had a castle neere vnto Beuerwyke which the Frisons did raze and ruine with the ruines whereof the Siegnior Antony Vander Bâ—rcht heire of that place by his mother hath caused a house and a farme to bee built there all walled about The old castle of Riuiere nere vnto Schiedam as wee haue sayd doth belong vnto the Siegniors of Matenesse After it is Kenebourg belonging vnto Iames of Egmont van Merensteyn or to his heires Then Mereburg to the Siegnior of Lochorst and the castle of Duyuen nere vnto Seuenhuysen to the Siegnior of Sprangen There was nere vnto the Hage not farre from Voorburg a castle called Elin at this present wholie ruined The ruines of the castle and temple of Hildegarde within a league of Rotterdam are yet to bee seene vpon a high eminent place whereas in old time there kept one Hildegarde a kinde of Sibille or diuine whose Oracles did represent the times which wee haue now seene in Holland There yet remaines a tower all tattered the ground of which castle is the inheritance of the house of Matenesse Within the compasse of the walles of Rotterdam there is to be seene the ruines of Bulgestein and of the castle of Veen which they call Thoff that is to say the Court so as the gate which is set in that place is called the Hoff-port You may see vpon the riuer of Schye the remainders of the castle of Sterrâ—burg the which belongs vnto the Siegnorie of Duyvenvorde there was also in former times an old castle in the village of Capelle whereof the ruines are yet to bee seene it comes from the house of Naeldwycke and doth now belong to the Earles of Aremberghe The castle of Hodenpyle in the iurisdiction of Vlaerdinghe is quite downe The like hath happened to the castle of Polanen the which did belong vnto one of the noblest families of Holland All these ruines happened during their cursed factions of Hoecks Cabillaux wherof these Noblemen were the chiefe supporters taking a diuilish delight to ruine one an others houses yea in townes the strongest factions of the Bourgers chasing awaie the others which factions continued not much lesse then two hundred yeares The castle of Velsen for that Gerarde van Velsen Knight had murthered Floris the fift Earle of Holland was in like manner ruined nothing remayning but certaine old peeces of walles the ground whereof belongs vnto the heires of Ianus Douza Siegnior of Nortwyck nerevnto which ruines Adrian Groeneveen a rich Bourger of Harlem hath built a faire house with large ditches almost like vnto a castle Sandenburg which was a castle of the Earles of Holland after that the Court had beene transported from Grauesandt to the Hage by Count William King of Romaines was also ruined and so remaines The like happened to the castle of Zyle in old time called Thoff van Zyle The castle Ter Does had beene also ruined but within these foureteene or fifteene yeares it hath beene repaired Altena that is to say to nere so called for that it was feared by them of Delfe by reason of the fort beeing neighbour vnto them belongs to them of Almonde Croeswyck on the other side of the riuer of Rotter and Croelinghen halfe a quarter of a league from Rotterdam are also ruined but if the Signior of Croelinghen had a good purse it should bee soone repaired Louestin right against Worcom and Henselaers-Dyck neere vnto Naeld-Wyck are yet in being Of the Nobility of Holland I Will content my selfe with that which diuers Authors haue written touching Nobilitie how it is pourchased and maintained what the dutie is and wherein true Nobilitie consists who desiers to be instructed let him read Adrianus Iunius in his Battauia in the chapter De Nobilitate Batauica But I will here relate succinctly what the ancient Nobilitie of Holland was how it came to decline and what hath remained The ancient Nobilitie of Battauia or Holland tooke their greatest exercises in Armes by the which they sought the degrees of honour for as Tacitus saith Vt Gallos pro libertate Germanos pro praeda ita Batauos pro gloria ad capessendam pugnam olim fuisse instigatos As the Gaules for libertie the Germaines for prey so the Battauians were in old time prouoked to enter battaile for the desire of glorie They were most commonly the best mounted and had the fairest and most resolute troupes of horse that serued vnder the Romaine Emperors After that Holland had a particular Prince beginning with Thierry of Aquitane their first Earle the Nobility of Holland began to shew them selues so they grew to haue many great and worthy families a great number of gentlemen who had pourchased their nobility either from their Ancestors or by their own vertues and prowesse But I cannot but lament that so many great noble riche and mightie families are now extinct as well by their intestine warres against the Frisons as against strangers for which consideration the heyres males fayling the successions fell to the women and so came to other families besides the furie of Gerard van Velsen had many companions all which were put to death and their neerest kinsmen pursued to the death euen vnto the ninth degree a most cruell reuenge and such as could escape were forced to become vagabonds in forraine countries such as had hidden themselues vntill this furious reuenge was past were afterwards forced to take borrowed names of other families and to leaue their owne To come then to that which remaines and to those which are past We will say that the house of Wassenare as wee haue said else-where was the most ancient of Holland as it appeares by this common prouerbe Vassenare the most ancient Brederode the most noble for that they descend from the first Earles and Egmond the most rich Wee haue scene in this last age Iohn of Wasenare the subduer of the Frisons a braue and valiant Knight who was slaine in those warres leauing one onely daughter and heire married to the Earle of Lingue whereby this familie and surname is extinct The memorie of the house of Brederode may easily be found in the Annales of Holland being come from Ziphard the second sonne of Arnulph the third Earle of Holland and Zealand who to auoyd his fathers