Teutonici or the Dutch Knights tho in all likelihood the Order had this name before it was brought into these parts consisting at its first institution chiefly of Germans Being call'd into Prussia say some by the Muscovite or as others sent thither by the Emperor Frideric II. they seated themselves at Marienberg about the year 1340 after a long engagement in a bloody war against the Natives under the thirteenth Great Master of their Order Sigefrid de Feuchtwangen In the year 1450 they were forc'd to submit to Casimir IV. King of Poland and at last the Order was surrender'd by Albert Marquise of Brandenburg the thirty-fifth and last Great Master of the Order to Sigismund King of Poland who thereupon created him Duke of Prussia Such of the Knights as disrelished this action of their Master Albert retir'd into Germany where they chose one Walter Croneberg Master of their Order Afterwards the Title was conferr'd upon Maximilian one of the younger Sons of the Emperor Maximilian II. But the Order never flourish'd but decay'd daily since the days of Albert before-mention'd and is at this day an obscure honour of little or no repute in the world The only Order of Knighthood at this day known in Germany or taken notice of for Knights of the Empire are the geschlagenen Rittern or dubb'd Knights on whom the Emperor confers that honour by touching them lightly upon the shoulder with a naked Sword and saying to each of them Esto Miles Dei Sancti Stephani The Title of Armiger Esquires or Esquire as we and the French use the word is wholly out of use in the Empire Yet in ancient Dutch Records we read of Skiltknaben and Wapeneren both which words have one and the same signification and are properly render'd Armigeri And these had their Title and Dignity conferr'd on them by delivery of a Sword only without girding it on with a blow on the cheek or ear which gave them the liberty of bearing a Sword or other Arms in attendance on a Knight or Ritter geschlagen but not of wearing it girded on as the Knight himself did For it was not lawful formerly for any subject whatever in the Empire to bear Arms excepting such as had the Emperors more especial licence so to do The Gentry in the Empire are express'd by the general name of Edel-lute Gentlemen which as our Gentleman is an universal name for all such as either from the blood of their Ancestors the favour of their Soveraign or their own virtue are raised to an eminency above the multitude Hence Edel-dom and Edel-heit are used to signifie Nobility and Veredelen and Edel-machen to Enoble Some singularly eminent Gentlemen in Francken Schwaben and Rhein-land who are free from Taxes and subject to no other Court but the Emperor's have the Title of die freye vom Adel or die freye Adeliche Reichs Ritterschaft i. e. the free Gentlemen or Ordo Equestris of the Empire Our English Saxons used the word Aedel in the same signification whence in Aelfric's Glossary Generositas is interpreted AEdelborynnesse Noble Birth and generosa is render'd by þ AEðele or a Noble Woman Indeed Aetheling Etheling or Adeling was commonly used by our Saxon Ancestors to denote the Kings eldest Son or Heir apparent to the Crown who afterwards got the Title of Prince of Wales Hence Edgar Etheling so often nam'd in our English Historians had his Surname which Robert of Glocester in his Poem upon King Harold a manuscript Copy of which may be seen in Sir John Cotton's Library explains thus The Gode tryewemen of the Lond wolde aabbe ymade King The kind Eir the young child Edgar Atheling Wo so were next King by kunde me cluped him Atheling Thervore me cluped him so vor by kunde he was King But if we search into the Etymology of the word we shall find that AEðeling is only a patronymic from the primitive AEðel and signifies no more then Nobilis ortu or Generosus i. e. one descended from him that was AEðel or a Nobleman Thus in King Aelfred's Saxon Version of Bede's Ecclesiastical History we read mid eallum AEðelingum his ðeode that is with all the Ethelings of his Nation instead of the Latin Cum cunctis Gentis suae Nobilibus Of the Present State of the German Church with a view of the Power and Dignity of the Archbishops Bishops Abbots and other Ecclesiastical Orders therein contain'd HOW much several of the Provinces and Principalities of the German Empire differ among themselves in points of Religion since the first beginning of the Reformation by Martin Luther we have shew'n before and it cannot be expected that where the Doctrines are so dissonant there should be an Uniformity in Church Discipline The intolerable greatness which the Roman Church had usurp'd in all parts of the Emperor's Dominions was the first thing which render'd it uneasie and therefore 't was no unexpected change when Luther's opinions had prevail'd with so many of the great Princes of the Empire to see Bishoprics converted into secular Principalities and a new form of Church-Government set up instead of Episcopal Dignity which had been so much abused The Archbishops and Bishops of the Roman Church Prelates of the Roman Church who to this day bear rule in such parts of Germany as have not embraced either Luther or Calvin's Doctrine have more power and exercise a greater authority in their several Bishoprics then any other Prelates in Christendom Most of them are great Princes and challenge as absolute a dominion over the Temporality of their Diocesses as any Secular Elector can pretend to over his own Lands and Inheritance Heretofore besides the three Ecclesiastical Electors there were five Archbishops and thirty Bishops that had Seats and Voices in the Assemblies and Diets of the Empire But their number has exceedingly decreased of late since the Archbishoprics of Magdeburg Bremen and Riga together with the Bishoprics of Halberstadt Minden and Werden have been chang'd into Secular Principalities those also of Besanson Verdun Mets and Toul cut off from the Empire and inseparably united to the Territories of Spain and France and lastly those of Valesia Losanna and Chur abolished by the Suisses Insomuch that at present in the Colledge of Princes of the Empire only the Archbishop of Saltzburg besides the Ecclesiastical Electors and about twenty Bishops have Votes By this secularizing three Archbishoprics and six Bishoprics the Protestant Princes some of them at least have lost the opportunities of providing for their younger Brethren in as plentiful a manner as they could have done before the Treaty of Munster For whilst the Archbishopric of Magdeburg was in the hands of the Elector of Saxony that of Bremen in the possession of the King of Denmark and the rest of the Spiritual Dignities which are now cut off from the Church were in the gift of other Princes of the Empire considerable maintenance was provided for many young Dukes and Counts who at this time can
his crown very bare unction and the like They vow perpetual chastity and abstinence from flesh Nor hath he that is once enter'd ever any hopes to get out again The Monastery of Troitza is said to have had near an hundred thousand Rubbles per ann in revenue It is built like a Castle having walls of stone regularly fortified and stored with Cannon and the ordinary number of Religious besides their officers and servants were about seven hundred They have also Nunneries of several orders Some admit only noble widows and maids others promiscuously but this is universally observed that none that are once enter'd do ever return to their secular condition The Emperor having continued with his wife twenty years without having issue by her thrust her into a Nunnery where after two months she was brought-a-bed but could not for all that go out of the Nunnery The History of the Princes of Russia THE Russes have the same vanity that the Romans and most other Nations have had to deduce their original either from Gods or the most famous of men Whereby how much honour soever themselves think to have obtained so much do other Nations think they have lost of truth Some Authors derive them from Augustus Cesar Ivan Vasilowich the learnedst of all the Russes and who had reason to be best informed told an English Goldsmith smiling because the Emperor had said that all Russes were theeves that he was not a Russ but a German and that their family came from Beala a famous King of Hungary More particulars of this we know not as neither who when or upon what occasion they came nor who were their successors But it is certain the Imperial Family was commonly called the House of Beala Others say that the first Governors were three brethren Rurich Sinaux and Truvor of the Varegi But who those Varegi were or what Country they inhabited 't is uncertain as is also the time of their coming which some say was ann 752 others 861. And of these Rurich setled at Novogrod Truvor at Plescow and Sinaux at Bielioser these two last dying without issue Rurich succeeded and left the whole dominion to his son Igor Igor married Olga and fighting with the Drewlians was taken by them and beheaded Olga afterwards defeated and destroyed these Drewlians went to Constantinople was baptized and took the name of Helena about the year 876 brought Christianity into Russia and died with the opinion of sanctity and her anniversary day is July 11. Suetoslaw when he came to age succeeded his father and Jeropolick him Next after him was Wolodomir concerning whom we have something of certainty Zonaras saith that in the time of Basilius the Emperor there was a Bishop sent from Constantinople to convert the Russes I think his name was Leo The Russes would not believe except they saw a miracle whereupon the Bishop threw the book of the Gospels into the fire and after a long time took it out unblemish'd and this was the beginning of the conversion of the Russes but their solemn receiving it was not till 988 when their Prince Wolodomir marrying Anna Sister of Basilius and Constantine was converted baptized and changed his name into Basilius He is by them look'd upon as their Apostle and they celebrate his Festival July 15. he died in 1015. This man removed the Metropolis of the Nation from Kiow to Wolodomir He had many children who fought and slew one another two Borissus and Chlebus are for their holy lives and unjust deaths accounted holy Martyrs and their day is July 24. Sewoldus Coras some call him Jeroslaws after many wars subdued his brethren and obtained the government He was follow'd by his son Wolodomir surnamed Monomachus but others say he was called Jeroslaw or fair bank because he built that City Saxo Grammaticus saith that he married the daughter of Harold King of England He was a potent Prince and kept very good correspondence with the Emperors of Constantinople But it is to be noted that the actions of this are confounded with those of the other Wolodomir They say he died ann 1146 which is not probable if he was the husband of that Lady who followed and is not set down till 1237 when reigned George by some called Gregory call'd by some Szeveloditz others make Wszevolod to be the father and George his son George was ann 1237 slain by Batus a Tartarian Prince who subjected the whole country to the Tartars ordering that the Tartars should from time to time chuse the Princes of Moskow that when they sent their Ambassador the Prince should go to meet and wait upon him on foot offering a platter of Mares-milk that if the Tartar let any of it fall upon the main of his horse the Prince should lick it up and that he should bare-headed and on foot give the Tartars horse his provender out of his cap but the most grievous was that the Tartar had a house and a guard in the Castle of Moskow Michael succeeded his brother and was also slain by the same Tartar Next was Alexander his son and then his son Danielou or Daniel surnamed Caleta He transferred the Imperial Seat to Moskow and called himself Great Duke of Muscovia c. some say by the authority of Inocent IV about ann 1246. Some place after him George Danielowitz Caleta who they say was slain by Demetri Michaelowitz who was kill'd by the Tartars Other place next to Daniel his son Ivan chosen by Zanabeck the Crim-Tartar who favoured him so much that he abated some part of the slavery imposed upon the Tzars His son Ivan Ivanowitz succeeded and was wholly subject to the Tartars Demetri Ivanowitz was his son who refused to pay tribute to the Tartars making a fierce war upon Mamai Kan and gained a very bloody victory the earth for thirteen miles together being cover'd with carcases But Tachtanisk Kan in another battel slew Demetri and renewed the power of the Tartars over the Russes Vasili Demetriwitz follow'd ann 1357 who chased the Tartars out of Russia and conquer'd Bulgaria beyond the Wolga Being jealous of his wife Anastasia he disinherited his son Vasili and gave the Empire to his brother George who at his death restor'd it from his own sons to the right heir But those sons making war upon Vasili took him prisoner and put out his eyes therefore was he call'd Vasili Ciemnox or dark But the Boiars being faithful to him he reigned peaceably till his death and left the Empire to his son Ivan Vasilowich surnamed Grotzdyn who was the first that gave lustre and fame to the obscure name of the Russes For taking away the Dukedoms and Governments from his Uncles who accounted themselves absolute in their dominions he united the whole Nation in his own person and call'd himself Tzaar or as they pronounce it Tzar that is King He married Mary daughter to Michael Duke of Tweria some say Severia or Severski and presently after chaced him out of his
march not beyond its limits above five leagues wherefore when they have occasion to lead an Army further it is decreed in the Senate which is convoked before every war to levy stipendiary Souldiers and as they are composed principally of the Nobles they frequently signalize themselves by their valour and successes against the much greater numbers of their enemies Thus Zamoschius in the time of Sigismund the third with 3000 men worsted Carigereius the Scythian who with 70000 was making an inroad into Poland and forced him with the loss of many thousands of his Tartars to return into his own countrey Taurica Chersonesus And Zolkievi with 3000 horse setting upon 80000 Muscovites unawares put themselves all to flight and brought away prisoners three German Regiments that served amongst them The Polish foot is of little esteem and therefore although each City is bound to set forth a certain number yet the King rather chuses such a sum of money as may be equal to the charges and so makes provision of Foreigners taken chiefly out of Hungary and Germany The Zeporensian Cossacks formerly served the Polish Kings in their wars either as Volontiers or for very small pay They came in sometimes 30000 strong arm'd with Lances or Scimiters and long Guns each had his Horse and as occasion required fought either mounted or on foot They used their own discipline and chose all their Officers out of their body even their cheif Commander whom they would depose without any fault if he were not successful Now although the strength of the Polanders may be said to equal both in number and quality most of the Kingdoms of Europe yet it often falls out that they are unsuccesful in their undertakings partly because of the slowness as well of their councils which consisting of all the principal Officers in the Kingdom are not readily convened nor without much ado kept together as of their Nobles in their rendezvousing who seldome come in before the last summons partly also because the generality of the Souldiers depending more upon their particular Patrons then the King are apt to follow their inclinations tho to the prejudice of the publick Besides it being a difficult thing to furnish necessaries for so many persons any long time having no publick Magazins provided towards the Seat of the war they are inclined to mutiny and disband before they have done their work Fortified Towns they have but few as we said before believing their own courage fortification enough to defend their countrey and unwilling by means of Garrisons to give their Kings opportunity of assuming an absolute power and arbitrary rule over them The government of Poland partakes more of Aristocracy then Monarchy 〈…〉 and is shared amongst the King the Senate and Nobility Some would reckon in the Citizens and Kmetones for so in old Charters are the Husbandmen called who live dispersed in Villages but they being never admitted to publick offices and employments ought not to be numbred among the orders and estates of the Kingdom At first the Kings of Poland were successive 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 as appears from the testimony of all their Historians and it was the custom that the reigning Prince appointed his successour So Lescus the Third appointed Popielus so also Boleslaus the Chast did Lescus the Black Nay oftentimes the Kings of Poland divided the Kingdom amongst their sons which is not usual in elective governments This is evident from the example of Boleslaus Crivoustus and is further confirm'd in the Polonian Histories by the precedent of Boleslaus the Curld But in the reign of Sigismund Augustus a Law was made that no King of Poland should presume to nominate or impose on the Kingdom a successor which law was not only renew'd in the interregnum after his death but several times afterwards the custom of Elections having encroached upon the Scepter for some while before for want of issue of the true Polish Royal Family From this Electiveness it now comes to pass that from the death of one till the Election of another King there are frequently too long Interregna during which the Arch-Bishop of Gnesna performs all Kingly offices acting in all things like their Soveraign without any distinction save that he is not crown'd with the Royal Diadem And such an Interregnum may happen not only by the death but by the Deposition or Resignation of the King Deposition of Kings was formerly more frequent in Poland then now Henry Valois is the last precedent in that kind who being elected King of Poland when he heard of the death of his Brother Charles the Ninth withdrew himself privately out of Poland by night that he might not loose his right in France Whereupon the Poles after they had often besought his return finding him not in the least inclin'd to forsake a successive for an elective Kingdom in a general assembly of the Estates discharg'd him from being King of Poland and renounced their allegiance The most memorable example of Resignation is that of John Casimir in the year 1669 of which a large narrative is given by Nicolas Chwalkowski in his Treatise de Jure Publico Polonico who was an eye witness of the whole Ceremony The Interrex or person who performs the Regal offices during the Interregnum as was said is the Arch-Bishop of Gnesna a Legate born the Primate and first Prince of the Kingdom not suspected as being a spiritual person of affecting the Crown Which dignity is not conferr'd upon him by Election but is annexed to his Archbishoprick least any delay in his nomination should endammage the publick This office he takes upon him not only upon the death but also in the Kings absence or residence in another Countrey as when Henry withdrew into France and Sigismund the Third went into Swedeland If there be no Archbishop of Gnesna then this dignity belongs to the Bishop of Cujavia or in his absence also or vacancy of the See to the Bishop of Posnania At the beginning of the Interregnum the Archbishop betakes himself to Warsaw whither all the neigbouring Nobility repair to him by whose advice Proclamations are issued forth out of the Archbishops Chancery under his hand with all his Titles annexed whereby the Interregnum is proclamed by the publick Ministers in all the Palatinates and Districts of the Kingdom and in the mean while all necessary orders are taken for the security of the people The Interrex also receives opens and answers all the letters from Foreign Princes gives audience to all foreign Ambassadours and indeed all the publick affairs of the Kingdom pass through his hands As for the Candidates this is certainly agreed that no Piasti or Native is excluded from the hopes of Election The Electors in the first place are the prime Senators of the Kingdom as well Ecclesiastick as Secular next to them the Nobility who have liberty to act either in their proper persons or by Deputies and lastly the Deputies of Cracow Posnania Leopolis
so well stored with inhabitants especially in Suecia and Gothia places so far removed from the Mount Ararat which is generally supposed to be Caucasus upon which as many Authors are of opinion Noah's Ark rested as to be forced by reason of the multitude of them to send out Colonies into other Countries yet as to the evincing an emigration into these western and southern parts very anciently to have been it is by Jornandes Crantzius and all Swedish writers unanimously approv'd to whom we refer the Reader for further satisfaction in so difficult and obscure a controversie This people tho at present united under the same Government and Laws with the Swedes The 〈…〉 and commonly passing under the same name with them was anciently different from them as well in their manners as their policy whereupon it may not be amiss to set down in this place what occurs amongst Authors as proper to this Nation in relation to their manners and customs which may probably seem to have been the same not only in Scandia but also in all the other parts of Europe and Asia which they subdued and whither they extended their dominion they always ruling by their own Laws and Constitutions which they suffer'd not to be translated into any other language but always published in their own not only making those they overcame their subjects but by instilling their customs and manners into them as much as possible the same Nation This piece of policy was practised by William the Conquerer here in England who caused all our Laws to be turned into the French language that thereby this Nation might in time forget its own tongue and be better disposed to endure his yoke That the Goths were always a warlike people their several swarmings into other neighbouring Countries and the great victories they obtain'd over them do fully manifest Mela does not only commend them for their courage but their honesty and plain-dealing who says Of all the Thracians it seems they had in his time advanc'd into and been considerable in the more Southern parts of the world the Goths or Getes are the most valiant and the most just And this their courage in war was from the belief they had of the immortality of their souls a doctrine they receiv'd from Zamolxes their great King and Prophet according to Lucan lib. 2. De bello Pharsal where speaking of the Goths he says certe populi quos despicit Arctos Faelices errore suo quos ille timorum Maximus haud urget Lethi metus inde ruendi In ferrum mens prona viris animaeque capaces Mortis ignavum rediturae parcere vitae Their education and usage whilst young was such as best fitted them for warlike enterprizes and couragious exploits for their children as soon as born were dipp'd over head and ears first in cold then in hot water and as the Spartan children used to be whipp'd at the Altars of their Gods these were constantly lash'd with scourges till the blood gushed out thereby to inure them to hardship nor when they were grown up were their exercises or employments any other then such as agreed best with men of a military constitution They practis'd Tilts and Turnaments as did also the Swedes riding the great Horse vaulting c. and for recreation Chess-play As any one exceeded another in rank and quality so more and more noble performances were expected from them their Kings sons being never admitted to sit at table with or scarce come into the presence of their fathers before they had received some signal testimony of their courage from the very chief of their enemies as is reported of the Longabards a people says Wolf Lazius anciently inhabiting Scandia who under the conduct of Alvinus son to their King Odvinus obtaining a great victory over the Gepidae requested that their General who with his own hand had slain the King of the Gepidae's son might be admitted to sit with him at the publick or triumphal Banquet but the King refused their address and told them that it was against the custom of theirs and the Gothick Nation in general that their Kings son should be permitted to eat with his father before he had commendations of his valour from another Prince This the son hearing took with him forty soldiers went to Jurismundus's Camp so was the King of the Gepidae named and telling him he was the man who slew his son in battel desired of him a testimonial of his courage the King admiring his boldness courteously received him placed him by him in his dead sons room and giving him the armour which he used to bear peaceably dismissed him Lovers they were tho no great practisers of Learning and according to the character Johannes Magnus gives of them easier drawn by perswasion then command as always hating and thinking it unworthy themselves to be inferior to any in knowledg or courage Towards their friends courteous towards their enemies if obstinate cruel and revengeful if submissive none more merciful and kind and no Nation readier then the Goths to accept a parley or any overture of peace Their wives of which they as also the Scythians were allow'd plurality were not less valorous considering their sex then their husbands they accompany'd them in all dangers and frequently taking up arms made a great and considerable part of their army as they are said to have done in Thracia and Maesia when they were set upon by Claudius the Roman Commander Yet did not the women always and upon every Colony and Detachment of Goths sent out of Scandia several of which are mentioned by Wolf Lazius follow their husbands for the Laws commanding the men to return into their own Country or to forfeit their Estates every one that presum'd to be absent after such a time being thereby adjudged dead in Law and his next heir to enter upon his inheritance were chiefly procured by the women whom the Goths at their departure had left in Suecia and Gothia The Virgins were taken in marriage without any other dowry then their own perfections to commend them to their husbands choice never having any portions given them Adultery amongst them was punished by death with many such-like customs which may be gather'd out of their Laws publish'd by Isidore Bishop of Sevil in Spain Their manner of Government was the best Their Government and according to Aristotle's opinion the most natural of any the Monarchical their King when distinct from the Swedish not being bound in any Covenant with his people nor holding his Estate at the Will of the Subject whereupon perhaps their Kingdom was more considerable in it self and more terrible to its enemies as being more expeditious in its determinations and united in its designs then a Democratical State is frequently found to be Their Kings did not only bear rule over the Goths their own Nation but after their uniting with the Swedes sometimes commanded that people also tho at present the King
coming of the Asians into these parts says Odin or Woden the great Captain of the Asae spread his language over Saxony as well as Denmark Sweden and Norway Adding further That within awhile the Asian tongue was generally spoken in all the neighbouring Countries The strongest argument to prove a difference between this tongue and the old Teutonic may be had from a diligent enquiry into the various phrases and proprieties of speech used in both of them But when we consider how much the idioms of the High and Low Dutch differ and how vastly the Syntax of our English Language is alter'd from the Danish and German we shall have reason to confess before we pronounce these last two distinct primitive languages that time is able strangely to alter the physiognomy of tongues as well as men However the dispute is like shortly to have an end and the Danes will in a little while if they do not already speak good Dutch For the German tongue is now ordinarily spoken in Copenhagen and most of the chief trading Cities in Denmark To let pass the stories of King Dan Government whom some Historians make to reign in this Kingdom three hundred years before the birth of our Saviour it is manifest from the unquestionable testimonies of the best Roman writers that Denmark was a Monarchy in the Consulship of Catulus and Marius near an hundred years before Christ Afterwards we have a certain account of Gothric King of the Danes in the days of the Emperor Charles the Great from whom the present Kings of Denmark are descended in a lineal succession except what Pontanus seems not to allow of the line of the ancient Kings failed upon the death of King Christopher III. A. D. 1448 The power of the Danish Nobility in Council is exceeding great but not so large as to make the supreme Government Aristocratical Some would argue That the Nobles are above the King since 't is well known they denied to Crown Frederic II. in the year 1559 till he had sworn never to pretend to be able by his own authority to put any Nobleman to death From this and some other like instances Bodinus endeavours to prove the Kings of Denmark petty Princes rather then absolute Monarchs not remembring that even in France it self as well as all other Kingdoms of Europe it has always been thought requisite for the satisfaction of the people that every King at his Coronation should make some solemn Vow to maintain the ancient Laws and Priviledges of his Country and Subjects And if in the case mentioned the Nobility of Denmark required their King to lay a stricter obligation on himself then was usual the performance was arbitrary and not constrain'd The Subjects might possibly upon the Kings refusal to gratifie them have rebell'd against their lawful Sovereign but could not justly have compell'd him to a compliance Before the year 1660 King the Kingdom of Denmark was not as Norway Hereditary but Elective yet so that the Senators usually chose the eldest son of their King who thenceforward was styled the Prince The rest of the Kings sons had the Titles of Dukes and Heirs of Norway The Election in ancient times was commonly had in this solemn manner As many of the Nobles as were Senators and had power to give their voices agreed upon some convenient place in the fields where seating themselves in a circle upon so many great stones they gave their votes This done they placed their new elected Monarch in the middle upon a stone higher then the rest and saluted him King In Seland to this day there is such a company of stones which bear the name of Kongstolen or the Kings seat And Olaus Magnus tells us the same story of a great stone call'd by the Vicenage Morastaen near Vpsal in Sweden Near St. Buriens in Cornwall in a place which the Cornish-men call Biscow-Woune are to be seen nineteen stones set in a round circle distant every one about twelve foot from the other and in the very center one pitched far higher and greater then the rest This Cambden fancies to have been some Trophee erected by the Romans under the later Emperors or else by Athelstane the Saxon when he had subdued Cornwal and brought it under his dominion But Wormius more probably guesses that in this place some Danish or Saxon King was elected by his followers And I conceive the same may be said of Long Meg and her daughters near little Salkeld in Cumberland But to return to Denmark of later years the Danes in their elections have follow'd the customs of other Countries till Frederic III. in the year 1660 who was the first that ventur'd to exercise the authority of an absolute Prince and to shake off the dependance his Ancestors were wont to have upon the good will of their Subjects procuring with fair words and threats a Law to be established That for the future the Kingdom of Denmark should immediately upon the Kings death descend upon his lawful Heir Whereupon the present King Christian V. was the same night his Father dyed without any previous election or consent asked of the Nobility proclaimed King The Rites of Coronation are usually perform'd at Copenhagen where the King is anointed by the Bishop of Roschild The Chronicles of the Kings of Denmark which have hitherto been publish'd Catalogue of their Kings are so imperfect and contradictory one to another that 't is utterly impossible to give an exact Catalogue of their Kings Saxo Grammaticus who liv'd saith Stephanus in the twelfth Century has made a shift to collect a great many stories out of the scatter'd fragments of old Runic Inscriptions and ancient Ballads and to relate them in a better method and stile then could be well expected from the age he liv'd in But when we consider that the best he met with could not possibly be of more authority then such venerable scraps of Chronicles as are published by Wormius at the end of his Monumenta Danica and see how these two run counter it is hard to rest satisfied with the relation he gives us and yet as difficult to provide our selves of a better The first rational account given us of any of the Danish Kings which we may safely rely upon for truth is in our English Chronicles which as the Learned Sir Henry Spelman in an Epistle to Ol. Rosecrantz formerly Danish Ambassador in England treat more fully and clearly of the affairs of Denmark then any of the Danish Historians Wherefore omitting the relations given of Dan Humblus and the rest of their Heathen Kings as either false or frivolous we shall content our selves with a short Register of the Kings of Denmark since the first planting of Christianity in that Kingdom And 1. Harald being beaten out of his Kingdom by his brother Reinferd's accomplices fled to the Emperor Ludowic for help who assisted him in regaining of his Crown upon condition he would forsake his Idolatry and turn
Christian Whereupon he was baptized in the year 826 and immediately restored to his dominions But soon after he renounced Christianity and continued Heathen till reclaim'd by St. Anschar who for his good offices in the Northern Kingdoms was made Archbishop of Hamburgh in the year 835. 2. Eric succeeded his brother Harald with whom he had been baptized in Germany in his Kingdom and cruelty against the the Christians In his days about the year 853 the Danes first enter'd France under the command of their Captain Rollo though others more probably relate him not to have been the first of those Northern Rovers that invaded France but to have succeeded to Gotfrid and to have entred France about the year 876 and not to have been peaceably settled in Normandy till 889 or 890 see the History of the life of King Aelfred and seated themselves in that part which has ever since kept the name of Normandy 3. Eric Barn or the Child being the only male left alive of the Royal Family after the bloody wars between his predecessor and Guthorm King of Norway He begun his reign happily having married the daughter of King Guthorm but within awhile he grew more cruel then any of his Ancestors had been slaying more Bishops and destroying more Churches and Religious Houses both in Germany and England then all the rest of the Danish Kings put together In his German wars he slew Brunno Duke of Saxony and twelve Counts He dyed about the year 902. 4. Canutus the Hairy or Lodneknudt succeeded his father Eric In his days saith King Eric in his Chronicon every third man in Denmark went by lot to seek his fortune so that those who marched off over-run all Prussia Semgal Curland and several other Countries whence they never return'd but there they and their posterity have continued to this day He dyed a Heathen about the year 912. 5. After the death of Canutus the Danish Scepter was given to Frotho his son so say the most credible Historians tho Lindenbruch reports that his brother Sueno reigned nine years He was twenty years King of England and Denmark in the former of which he was baptized and dyed a good Christian 6. Gormo Gormund or Guthrum surnam'd Hartesnute and Engelender because born in England succeeded his father He together with his followers was baptized at Aalre in Sommersetshire and had our Learned and Pious King Aelfred to his Godfather who at the Font gave him the name of Athelstane and afterwards bestowed on him the Kingdom of the East-Angles From this Gormo a Village near Huntingdon call'd at this day by the inhabitants corruptly Godman-Chester had its name Gormon-Chester As Cambden proves from that old Verse Gormonis a Castri nomine nomen habet I am very unwilling I must confess to confound this Gormo with King Aelfred's God-son who as far as we can learn from English writers never sat in the Throne of Denmark neither do the times agree But the Danish Historians will have it so and 't is in vain to seek for satisfaction in the midst of such confusion as we meet with in their writings 7. Harald surnam'd Blaatand succeeded his father Gormo In his days the Danes threw up that famous Trench between Gottorp and Sleswic call'd Dannewirck of which we shall have occasion to speak more hereafter 8. Sueno or Svenotho surnamed Tuiskeg i. e. fork'd-beard succeeded Harald At first he was an Heathen and a severe persecutor of the Christians but afterwards he turned Christian himself and founded three Bishopricks at Sleswic Ripe and Arhuse Some say he dyed in the year 1012 and was buried at York others make him live till the year 1014 and bring him to his grave in Denmark 9. Canutus the Great son to Sueno He was at once King of England Denmark Sweden Norway Slavonia and Sambland some make him King or Duke at least of Normandy And this seems to be the meaning of that old Distich which not reckoning either Slavonia or Sambland a Kingdom brings him in thus speaking of himself Facta mihi Magni pepererunt inclyta nomen Quinque sub imperio regna fuere meo He was buried at Winchester in the year 1036 after he had been twenty-seven years King of Denmark twenty-four of England and seven of Norway leaving the Kingdom of Denmark to his son 10. Hardi-Cnute who within four years obtain'd the Kingdom of England upon the death of hs brother Harald Here he dyed in the year 1041 and was buried by his father in the Cathedral at Winchester 11. Magnus King of Norway seized on the Kingdom of Denmark upon the death of Hardi-Cnute pretending a title to it by contract But he enjoy'd it not long He dyed in the year 1048 and left the Kingdom to 12. Sveno Esthret son on one Vlf an English Earl He dyed in the year 1074 and left behind him five sons who all of them sate successively in their fathers Throne 13. Harald Sveno's eldest son held the Scepter only two years He was a soft easie and timorous Prince afraid to punish offenders or to look an enemy in the face So that the English making use of the opportunity shook off the Danish yoke without any considerable molestation 14. St. Canutus King Swain's second son was barbarously murder'd in St. Alban's Church in Odensee a City in the Isle of Funen whither he fled for sanctuary from the rage of his own Subjects in the year 1088 Pontanus says 1077 The occasion was this The pious King commanded that all his Subjects should pay Tythes according to the custom of other Nations This Edict was represented to the people by his brother Olaf who long'd for the Crown as an encroachment upon the priviledges and liberty of the Subject Whereupon they quickly rose in open rebellion against their Soveraign who to appease the rage of the rabble was martyr'd 15. Olaf Swain's third son upon the slaughter of his brother Cnute which he traiterously had procured was by his followers unanimously declared King But his brothers blood went not long unrevenged For in this Kings days the famine was so great in Denmark that even the Kings Houshold wanted bread Olaf at last sensible that this judgment was inflicted on the Kingdom for his sins pray'd that God would turn the current of his vengeance from the people upon his head that had offended His prayers were heard and the same night in the year 1096 he dyed hungry and miserable and the famine immediately abated 16. Eric Swain's fourth son surnam'd the Good for his religious zeal and piety who dyed in his pilgrimage towards Jerusalem and was buryed in the Isle of Cyprus in the year 1106. In his days Lunden was made an Archbishops See before which time all the Danish Bishops were under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Bremen 17. Nicolas Sveno's youngest son He was slain by the Jutes in revenge of Cnute Duke of Flanders whom he had caused to be killed in the Church in the year
34. Christian I. son of Theodoric Count of Oldenburgh was elected King of Denmark upon the death of King Christopher He was a generous pious and valiant Prince but wholly ignorant of all manner of learning He reduc'd the Swedes to their Allegiance who in the beginning of his reign had revolted from the Crown of Denmark annex'd Holstein to his Dominions made himself Duke of Dithmars and Stormar and having ruled three and thirty years dyed in peace in the year 1481 and was buryed in a Chappel which he himself had built at Roschild leaving his Crown to his son 35. John who was a Prince endued with all the Royal qualities of his father He was devout in exercises of Religion temperate in diet grave in apparel and valiant in exploits of war which excepting only the overthrow he receiv'd from the Dithmarsians in the year 1500 proved exceeding successful He dyed of the plague at Olburgh in the year 1513. 35. Christian II. King John's son who was the bloodiest cruellest and most dissolute Prince that Denmark or perhaps any other Kingdom ever saw Lindenbruch gives this character of him That Nero Phalaris and Sylla put in the scales against him would signifie no more then half an ounce to a pound weight Meursius reports that he was born with one hand grasp'd which when the Midwife opened she found full of blood This was look'd upon by his father as a certain prognostic of a bloody mind of which his subjects had afterwards a lamentable experience The only good he ever did his Country was the founding a Fair and establishing a more then ordinary trade at Copenhagen At last after he had by his wickedness thrown himself out of three Kingdoms and for six and thirty years undergone the miseries of banishment or imprisonment he dyed in the Castle of Kallenborg in Zeeland in the year 1559. 36. Frideric I. King John's brother succeeded his Nephew Christian As soon as he was Crown'd in the year 1524 he begun to bring the Augspur Confession into all the Churches of Denmark He ruled almost ten year in quietness and dyed at Sleswig in the year 1533. 37. Christian III. Frideric's son He perfected the reformation which his father had begun in the Church He lived and dyed in the year 1559 a Prince of singular piety wisdom temperance justice and all Royal virtues And left behind a fair pattern of a happy King and good Christian to his son 37. Frederic II. Who having exactly imitated his fathers example after a happy reign of twenty-nine years dyed in his Palace of Anderscow in the year 1587. Immediately after his Coronation he was engag'd in a war against the rebels of Dithmars whom he quell'd with small trouble Afterwards he waged war with Eric XIV King of Sweden which lasted seven years The rest of his days were spent in peace and quietness 39. Christian IV. before his fathers burial was elected and soon after crown'd King of Denmark In his reign the Emperor of Germany Ferdinand II. overrun the greatest part of the Cimbrian Chersonese and had once well nigh brought the whole Kingdom of Denmark under his subjection But King Christian contracting as it were all the exspiring Spirits of his Realm made the Imperialists at last give ground and brought them to a Treaty upon honourable terms He dyed in the year 1648 and was succeeded by his son 40. Frederic III. Who receiv'd as great a blow from the Swedes as his father had done from the Germans Charles Gustave the victorious King of Sweden had brought him to that extremity as to lay close siege to Copenhagen which City and consequently the whole Kingdom of Denmark would doubtless have faln into the hands of the Swedes had not the Emperor of Germany the King of Poland and most of the Northern Princes jealous of the growing power of the Swedish King concern'd themselves in the defence of it He that desires a further account of the beginning continuance and end of these Northern wars may have recourse to the accurate history of them written by R. Manley and printed in the year 1670. King Frideric got his Nobles perswaded to consent that the Kingdom of Denmark as well as that of Norway should be Hereditary and was himself proclaim'd hereditary King the twenty-third day of October in the year 1660. He dyed of a Fever the twenty-fifth day of February 16 69 70. and that night as is before said the Nobility swore Allegiance to the new King 41. Christian V. now reigning A valiant and active Prince The Royal Family of Denmark consists of the Children of the King 〈…〉 and his near Relations together with the Princes of Sunderburg Norburg Gluckburg Arnsbeck Gottorp and Ottingen or Oytin who are all descended from King Christian the third excepting the Houses of Oytin and Gottorp who are the issue of his brother Adolph Duke of Sleswic The Nobles who never pretend to nor accept of the Titles of Dukes Earls or Barons are such as have for many ages had a single Coat of Arms belonging to their Family which they never alter nor quarter with any other There are to this day some Families of the Nobility in Denmark as Wren and others who are said to have been at the signing of a Treaty of Peace between Charles the Great and King Hemming on the Eidor Upon the death of any Nobleman all his goods moveable and immoveable are divided amongst his Children so as a son has two moieties and a daughter only one By the Laws of Denmark the King is prohibited to purchase any part of a Nobleman's Estate nor can any of the Nobility buy any of the Crown Lands A Catalogue of the names of the chief Noblemen at this day in Denmark is given us by the Author of L'Estat des Royaumes de l'Europe in the following Alphabetical order Achsel Appelgard Alefeld Andersem Bielke Banner Brache Bilig Below Bild Brokenhusem Biorn Beck Blick Bassi Bax Baselich Bockowlt Budde Baggen Bammelberg Brune Blom Blocktorp Breiden Daac Dresselberch Dune Duram Dam Freze Fassi Falster Falcke Guldenstern Grubbe Goce Green Gelschut Galle Gram Gris Goss Gadendorp Grabow Hardenberg Holke Hoken Hiderstorper Hube Hesten Hager Holer Hoeken Hoier Hacken Harberger Jul Juensen Juenan Jensen Johensen Korwitz Krabbe Kaas Krusen Kragge Krumpen Krumdick Kercberg Karssenbrock Koelet Knutzen Lange Lindeman Lunge Lutkem Laxman Lancken Leven Lindow Munck Matiessen Marizer Must Matre Meinstorf Moeten Magnussen Negel Narbu Norman Ofren Otten Pasberg Podessen Podebussen Papenheimb Podwisch Plessen Pensen Paisen Petersen Qualem Quittow Ranzaw Rosenkrantz Rastorp Ruthede Reuter Ruten Rosenspart Rosengard Ronnow Reventlow Ratlow Ritzerow Schram Schefeldt Schelen Seestedt Stuege Swron Stantbeke Split Solle Swaben Santbarch Spar Spegel Sturen Suinem Staken Stove Siversen Trolle Totten Vhrup Vonsflet Vantinnen Vken Voien Vlstandt Vren Wlefeld Walkendorp Wipfert Witfelt Wogersen Wenfsterman Wolde Worm Walstorp Wenfin Wittorp Though none of these are ever made Dukes Knights Marquises Earls or Barons yet 't is usual
top of an hill commanding the Town and haven was first built by Adolph of Schaumburg the first Earl of Holstein Earl Adolph IV. founded a monastery of Franciscan Minorites in this City which upon the bringing in of the Augsburg confession into this Country with the rest of the Danish Territories was changed into an Hospital 2. Rensborg or Reinholsburg founded by one Reinold of whom we have no further account then that he was either a Prince of the Blood or some Great Nobleman This is the best fortifyed Town in the Dukedom environed with the Byder and defended by a strong Castle built by Earl Gerhard the Great 3. Wilster a neat and well built City seated on a River of the same name which soon after empties it self into the Stor 4. Nieumunster seated on the North-West of the Stor not far from the head of it The Earldom of Holstein was only a Province of the Great Dukedom of Saxony until Lotharius Great Duke of Saxony afterwards Emperor of Germany bestowed it upon Adolph Earl of Schaumburg or Schouwanburg about the year 1114. Since which time we have the following account of the Earls of Holstein 1. Adolph of Schouwenburg the first absolute prince of Holstein On whom the Earldom was bestowed as a recompence for the services he had done the Duke of Saxony in his German and Danish wars 2. Adolph II. son to Adolph the I. having obtained his fathers Earldom cast out the Slavonians who a little before his time had overrun all this part of Saxony and planted in their rooms Colonies of Germans Frisians and Nether Saxons In the quarrel among the three pretenders to the Crown of Denmark Sueno Canutus and Waldemar he sided with Canutus and had setled him in the throne had not King Sueno by fair means and promises prevailed with him to lay down his Arms. He left the Earldom to his son 3. Adolph III. who after many skirmishes and battles with Waldemar II. King of Denmark was at last vanquished and kept close prisoner by that King who by the intercession of Andrew Bishop of Lunden and some others granted him his liberty upon condition That he should disclaim all right and Title which he and his predecessors had hitherto pretended to the Earldom of Holstein or any other place formerly subject to Henry surnamed the Lion Duke of Saxony and quietly retire to the inheritance of his Ancestors at Schouwenburg But these Articles tho at the first secured by Hostages were not long observed by his son 4. Adolph IV. who associating to himself Henry Earl of Zurin Gerhard Bishop of Bremen and some other petit Princes begun a rebellion against King Waldemar and succeeded so well in the undertaking that within a very short time he made himself master of all the Territories his father had been beaten out of and renounced His son 5. Gerhard enjoy'd peaceably the dominions left him by his Father He was for some time kept prisoner at Imsburg by the Folchungs a noble family in Sweden for being in company with one Ingemar an upstart Gentleman but great favourite of their King Magnus whom they slew in a rage and cast his companions into prison 6. Henry Gerhards son was the first that set up a Custom-house in Hamburg which brought in no small portion of the revenue of his successors 7. Gerhard the second son of Henry upon the death of Christopher the second King of Denmark was made Protector of the Danish Kingdom and Tutor to the young King Waldemar the third By these advantages his power grew so great that he ventur'd to stile himself Duke of Jutland and by degrees would in all probability have aspired to the Crown of Denmark if not timely taken off by one Ebbo a Danish Nobleman who murdered him in his bed at Randerhusen 8. Henry the second son to Gerhard II. refused the Crown of Sweden when it was offered him by Ambassadors sent from that Court A. D. 1363. He is said to have been a Prince of great courage and candor courteous in his behaviour and exceedingly chast and temperate in the whole course of his life In short a man that had in him all the Royal vertues that might deserve a Kingdom and the modesty to refuse one when offer'd 9. Gerhard the third Henry the second 's son after he had got the Dukedom of Sleswic annexed to the Earldom of Holstein by Margaret Queen of Denmark was slain by the men of Dithmarss whom he had required to do him homage His son 10. Henry the third being denied that right to the Dukedom of Sleswic which his father had enjoy'd made war against Eric the Eighth King of Denmark in which at the siege of Flensburg he was slain 11. Adolph V. commonly called the twelfth by those that reckon all the Earls of younger houses succeeded his brother Henry and was the last Earl of this house In the year 1440 he received the Dukedom of Sleswic at the hands of Christopher the third King of Denmark swearing fealty to that Crown Christian Earl of Oldenburg son of Hedvigis sister to Henry and Adolph the two last Earls of Holstein succeeded his Uncle Adolph in the Earldom of Holstein Which in his time was enlarged by the addition of Dithmarss and changed into a Dukedom by the Emperor Frideric the third A. D. 1474. When this Christian was advanced to the throne of Denmark the Dukedom of Holstein became a part of that Kingdom Yet so that the Kings of Denmark as the Kings of Sweden upon the late accessions in Germany to their Crown were reckoned Princes of the Empire as Dukes of Holstein tho not obliged to repair to any Diet. Afterwards the title of Duke of Holstein together with a considerable part of the Country was given to Adolph Christian the Third's brother created Knight of the Garter by our Queen Elizabeth A. D. 1562 who governed it interchangeably with the King his brother by turns Upon the decease of this Duke and his issue male the title was conferr'd on Vlric King Christian the fourth's brother Since his days there have been several houses of the Dukes of Holstein as Sunderburg Norburg Gluckburg Arnsbeck Gottorp and Ottingen Amongst whom the Duke of Holstein Gottorp is chief and challenges the same power in governing and administration of justice which was at first conferred upon Duke Adolph King Christian the third's brother In the late wars between the two Northern Crowns the King of Denmark jealous of the great power of the present Duke of Gottorp forced this Prince to quit his Dukedom and leave his Majesty in full possession of the whole Country of Holstein But at the signing of the Treaty between the Kings of France Sweden and Denmark at Fountenblaeu on the second of September 1679 the Danish Ministers promised their Master should at the desire of his most Christian Majesty restore to the said Duke all his Countries Towns and places in the state they were and the soveraignty thereof all which he
unanimous are sufficient to defend the whole Island against a potent enemy The Language anciently spoken in Rugen was a Dialect of the Slavonian or Wendish tongue Language But after the Dukes of Pomeren assisted by the Citizens of Stralsund as shall be shew'n hereafter had possession of the Island the Wendish manners and language were utterly abolished insomuch that 't is recorded in the Annals of Rugen as a memorable thing that in the year 1404 there was one old woman left in the Isle that understood perfectly and could speak the Slavonian tongue At this day the greatest part of the inhabitants speak the language of the Lower Saxons and some few especially where the King of Sweden's Officers keep their residence speak Swedish The ancient inhabitants of this Isle were the last of all the Northern Nations that were converted from their Idolatry and Paganism Religion and embrac'd the Christian Religion Helmondus seems to point more especially at the Rugians when he says Inter omnes autem Borealium populos sola Slavorum Provincia remansit caeteris durior atque ad credendum tardior However about the year 813 a company of hardy Monks ventur'd to preach up Christianity to these stubborn people and succeeded so well in the undertaking as in a very short time to bring over a great many of them to the true faith But they as quickly abandon'd Christianity and relaps'd into their former Idolatry For as upon the first preaching of the Gospel in Lycaonia the inhabitants of that Country were ready to do sacrifice to St. Barnabas and St. Paul under the names of Jupiter and Mercury so these poor people mistaking God's Ministers for God himself idoliz'd St. Vite a poor Monk that had undertaken their conversion by the name of Swant which name was afterwards given to a monstrous four headed Image which they worshipp'd in a sumptuous Temple To this Idol all the Rugians repair'd as to an Oracle for advice and the foreign Merchants that had made a safe Voyage were obliged to offer up some of their best Merchandises as a tribute of thanksgiving to this grand tutelary God of the Island Three hundred Horses were kept constantly for the service of Swant one whereof was white and never rid but by the chief Priest This Horse was now and then shew'n to the people in a morning all over besmear'd with dirt and sweat the Priest in the mean time protesting to the multitude that Swant himself had brought the beast into that pickle by engaging with and pursuing the Enemies of Rugen the night before The manner of worshipping this Idol which stood in Arcona the famous City in old Rugen before mention'd was thus The chief Priest looking into a Horn which the Image held in its right hand and which had been fill'd the year before with a precious liquor prognosticated from the good quantity or scarcity of the liquor therein contain'd the plenty or dearth of the year following That done with his lips shut for fear of harming the Idol with his breath he very solemnly poured out the remaining liquor at the feet of the Image and having replenish'd it afresh plac'd it again with a great deal of reverence in the God's right hand whence he had taken it down These Ceremonies being ended the rest of that day was spent in anniversary feasting and jollity In this miserable condition the Rugians continued for some ages until by a continual conversation with their neighbours the Pomeranians they were almost insensibly turn'd Christians and about five hundred years ago at last wholly quitted their Idolatrous practices and at this day the inhabitants of Rugen are as zealous assertors and maintainers of the Augsburg Confession as any Germans whatever The Isle was anciently govern'd by Princes of its own Gâ—â—â—mers whose Dominions reach'd beyond the narrow boundaries the Sea had set them a great way into Pomeren taking in all the Territories near Stralsund Gripswald and other places now subject to the King of Sweden Antiquity will afford us a Register of Eleven Princes of Rugen and those in the following order 1. Wislaus who is said to have been Prince of Rugen in the days of the Emperor Otho I. about the year of Christ 938. 2. Grimus Remarkable for nothing but his filling up a space in the Catalogue of these Princes 3. Cruco or Crito At the same time Prince of Rugen and petty King of the Obatriti in the year 1100 who after he had for some years exercis'd Idolatry and Tyranny in his Dominions was deposed and slain by Henry Son of Gothscalc another inconsiderable King of the said Obitriti at the entreaty of his wife Schlavine Daughter to Swantibor I. Prince of Pomeren 4. Raze A great Warriour who besieged Lubec and took it He died in the year 1141. 5. Teslaus A Prince who had continual wars with the Kings of Denmark two whereof Eric VI. and Sueno III. he as often overcame as he was beaten by them but at last was utterly vanquish'd and made tributary by King Waldemar 6. Jarimar Teslaus's Brother The first Prince of Rugen that embraced Christianity 7. Barmita arimar's Son He died in the year 1241. 8. Witzlaus II. Barmita's Brother and Founder of the Monastery at Campen He died in the year 1247. 9. Jarimar II. Witzlaus the second 's Son who immediately after his admittance to the Government rebell'd against the King of Denmark and at last after many Engagements got himself and his successors eas'd from that yoke in the year 1259. 10. Witzlaus III. Jarimar the second 's Son A great promoter of the Christian Religion in Liefland where himself sometimes took upon him the office of a Priest preaching Christianity to the poor Infidels of those parts 11. Witzlaus IV. The last Prince of Rugen of this Family Upon the unruly growth of the great City of Stralsund the Merchants and Burgers finding themselves able enough to grapple with this Prince were resolv'd to be no longer subject to him or any of his Successors if by violence or otherwise they could procure their liberty whereupon they openly proclaim'd themselves a free City declaring that neither the Princes of Rugen nor any of their neighbours could lawfully pretend to exact any Tribute or Homage from the Citizens of Stralsund Upon the noise of this revolt Prince Witzlaus assisted by some of the neighbouring Kings and Princes besieged Stralsund demanding submission together with an humble acknowledgment of their unpardonable crime in daring to make so traiterous a revolt but in vain For the Stralsunders not only persisted in the resolution of asserting their Liberty to the last but bravely withstood the assaults of Witzlaus and his Associates and after many hot disputes slew this Prince in a sally thereby putting an end to the controversie and whole Lineage of the Princes of Rugen in the year 1325. After this the Island of Rugen with other parts of that Principality upon the Continent came into the hands of the Dukes of
Hludovicus Rex missis quibusdam fidelibus suis sine bello compressit acceptisque obsidibus nonnullis muneribus non paucis eos sub pristinum redegit servitium I have been the more punctual in alledging these Authorities because I find the Polish writers obstinately deny that the Silesians had in these days any other Lords then the Princes of Poland Only Vincentius Kadlubko in the second Book of his Polish Chronicle seems to allow of the foremention'd German Relations when he says that Boleslaus I. annex'd Seleucia Prussia Russia Moravia and Bohemia to the Territories of his predecessors which intimates thus much that formerly Seleucia or Silesia was under the dominion of some other Prince In the year 1042 the Emperor Henry III. gave a grant of Silesia to Bretislaus Duke of Bohemia who resign'd it up to the Polanders on condition they should for ever pay out of it a yearly tribute to the Princes of Bohemia Afterterwards Henry IV. at a Diet held at Mentz A. D. 1086 gave power to Vrati-slaus King of Bohemia to invade Silesia Lusatia and the whole Kingdom of Poland and to subject them to his own Government as is testified by Cosmas Pragensis who was himself present at the Diet. This Cromer cannot deny but only in the height of his passion asserts that neither the Emperor Henry nor King Vratislaus had ever any thing to do with a foot of Land in any of these Territories This Assignment of Silesia occasion'd wars betwixt the Bohemians and Polanders the later whereof we have reason to believe were Conquerors since we read that the Silesians remain'd still subject to Boleslaus III. King of Poland This King's Son Vladislaus II. being banish'd by his Brothers whom his Father had left Coheirs with him of the Kingdom out of Poland fled to the Emperor Conrad III. whose Successor Frideric I. forced King Boleslaus IV. to resign all Silesia to this exil'd Brother and his Heirs for ever Vladislaus left behind him three Sons Boleslaus Mieczislaus and Conrad who were joint-Dukes of Silesia but paid some small homage and acknowledgment to the Kings of Poland The flocking in of the Germans into Silesia with Vladislaus and his Sons and their setling themselves in this Dukedom bred a great deal of bad blood betwixt this Nation and the Polanders Insomuch that the Kings of Poland would seldom call any of the Dukes of Silesia to the General Assemblies or the Princes and Nobility of that Kingdom nor were they ever admitted to succeed to the Crown tho before the Kingdom came to be Elective they had often the justest Title to it John King of Bohemia and Son to the Emperor Henry VII was a zealous promoter of these dissentions managing them so well to his own advantage that at last he became Lord of Silesia by an agreement made with Casimir the Great King of Poland However by this Treaty the whole Dukedom was not made over to him for Bernhard Duke of Sweidnitz still acknowledg'd the Supremacy of the Polish Kings as Stanislaus Lubienski proves out of several ancient Records of that Nation Afterwards Casimir the Great recover'd by force of Arms the Town and Territories of Wschovia contrary says Curaeus to the Articles of the Treaty sign'd by him and the foremention'd John King of Bohemia and by vertue of this Conquest or rather outrage committed by the said Casimir's Soldiers in the year 1343 the Kings of Poland have kept actual possession of Wschovia to this day In the reign of Casimir Jagellonides IV. John Duke of Oswiecieme ventur'd upon an affront given him to invade Poland and to lay waste several Towns and Villages in that Kingdom The Polanders to make themselves satisfaction for this injury march'd into this Duke's Territories and laid in ashes the whole Country before them until Duke John was forc'd to compound the business upon condition that he should for a certain sum of money resign to the King of Poland his whole Right and Title to the Town and Fort of Oswieciem By which means that City was cut off from the King of Bohemia's Dominions in the year 1454. About the same time the Dukes of Ratibor and Sessine made over the Dukedom of Sever to the Bishop of Cracow whose Successors are Lords of it to this day Some other small Tracts of Land in the Dukedom of Silesia do still belong to certain Abbies and other Religious Houses in the Kingdom of Poland but all the most noted Provinces except the Dukedom of Crossen of which in its place are reckon'd Dependances on the Crown of Bohemia upon which score the Emperor of Germany stiles himself Duke of Silesia This Great Dukedom is commonly divided into the Upper and Lower Silesia Diviâ—â— in the former whereof are contain'd the Cities and Territories of Jagerndorf Troppau Teschen Ratibor and Oppelen and in the later the Towns and Dukedoms of Grotkau and Neisse Brieg Bresslau Oelss Munsterberg Schweidnitz Javer Lignitz Glogau Sagan and Crossen Another division of it is into the Polish and German Silesia whereof the first contains all the Tract of Land beyond the Northern banks of the Oder and the later that on the Southern All along the Coasts of Bohemia there are vastly high Mountains which separate that Kingdom from the Dukedom of Bohemia Soil the most remarkable of which are the Montes Sudetes or Risen-bergen whereof the Reader may expect a larger account in the description of Bohemia Within the limits of Silesia the four chief Mountains are 1. Zottenberg or Zobtenberg call'd by Latin Authors Mons Zotensis Zabothus and sometimes Silensis or Silentius 'T is usually by the neighbourhood being about two German miles distant from Schweidnitz call'd the Silesian Wethercock for by the top of this Mountain they pretend to guess what weather they are to expect the next morning On the top are still to be seen the ruins of an old Castle storm'd and demolish'd by the Citizens of Breslaw in the year 1471 because it had been for several years the Harbour and Refuge of a great company of Robbers who here kept their Rendezvous and daily infested the Vicenage Out of this hill the Silesians dig a delicate dark-green Marble 2. Gratsberg or Grodisberg in the Dukedom of Lignitz on the top whereof Duke Frideric the first built a fair Castle which is since turn'd into a Watch-Tower 3. Spitsberg another Beacon-hill not far from the former 4. Georgenberg in the Dukedom of Schweidnitz famous for the Strigische Erde or Terra Sigillata which is a sort of hard Earth with several white yellow and red strokes or veins in it 'T was first discover'd by an excellent Chymist John Montanus Physitian at Strigaw and by him made use of as an antidote against all manner of poison and a soveraign medicine for a great many diseases which he cured with a great deal of facility The secret he kept for some years to himself but at last for the benefit of his Country and all mankind publish'd a
the Reader for the Terra Sigillata found here in great quantities Reichenbach Polckenhahn Landeshut Freyberg Friedberg Fridland Zobten Waldberg and Gottesberg 3. Brieg BRIEG or Brig has its name from the Polish word Berega which signifies an exceeding high bank of a River such as this City is seated on The streets here are uniform enough and the houses generally built of stone St. Nicholas's Church is an high and stately old Fabrick beautified with two Towers and built after the ancient Franckish mode This whole City excepting only some few publick buildings was laid in ashes by the Hussites who overran a great part of Bohemia and Silesia in the year 1428. In the Dukedom of Brieg are reckon'd the Towns of Strelen Olau Nimptsch Pitschen Creutzburg Loben Michelau and little Oelsse The two Mine-Towns of Reichenstein and Silberberg are jointly subject to the Dukes of Brieg and Lignitz who are both of the same Family and descended from the ancient Hereditary Kings of Poland 4. Monsterberg MONSTERBERG or Munsterberg so called from the Monastery built in this place by the Emperor Henry the first the Founder of this City is seated not far from the head of the River Ola in a pleasant and fruitful plain The Town is neither large nor strong and has nothing in it of note but the School an old Castle and a fair Town-Hall In this Dukedom are the Towns of Franckenstein and Warta to which some Historians and Geographers are pleased to add Hainrichau Tepliwoda and Kamentz 5. OPPELEN is seated in a sandy and dry Oppelen but fruitful Country 'T is subject to the King of Poland who prevail'd with the Emperor to withdraw all his Forces and Subjects hence in the year 1647. Since which time the Citizens of Oppelen and all the Rusticks in the Villages near it speak the Polish language If strong Gates and thick Walls were proof against modern sieges this Town were sufficiently provided against the assaults of an Enemy but otherwise its fortifications are very mean and inconsiderable Among the many Towns and Villages in this Dukedom the most remarkable are little Glogaw Neustat Kosel Beudten Gleibitz Tost Strehlitz Falckenberg Zultz Rosenberg Lublinitz and Schurgast IX The Cities and Dukedoms of GROTKAW JEGERNDORF TROPPAU RATIBOR and TESCHEN CROTKAW is a City of no great 〈◊〉 bulk as its name seems to intimate but so well seated that 't is a proverb in this Country 'T is as impossible as for a Grotkawer to starve or freeze The reason of which expression is grounded upon each Burger's having a plentiful share in the adjacent Corn-fields and neighbouring Woods Most of the Houses in the Town are Wood-buildings only the Church Bishop's Palace and the Town-Hall are of stone The Dukedom of Grotkaw is subject to the King of Bohemia tho sometimes its Lieutenant is a Polander and contains in it the Cities of Neisse a place of great traffick Otmachau Wansen Ziegenhals Freywald Hozenplotz Jawernick Kaltenstein Patschkau Oyest Weidau and Zackmantel The great trade of this Country especially the Citizens of Neisse is in making and selling to the Merchants of Bohemia and Poland a sort of strong and durable Linnen-Cloth for Beds and Bolsters 2. JAGERNDORF Jagerndorf Which signifies in the German language a Village inhabited by Huntsmen and had its name probably from the abundance of all manner of Game in the neighbouring Woods The Moravians call this Town Carnowf whence the Dukedom is ordinarily by Latin Authors nam'd Ducatus Carnoviensis and a Citizen of this place Carnowfsky from the ancient Arms of the City which are a pair of Horns between two great Stones This City with the small Dukedom which bears its name was given by Ludowic King of Hungary and Bohemia to George Marquise of Brandenburg who was at the charges of building the Castle and erecting the other little fortifications that defend the Town DUCATUS SILESIAE GROTGANUS cum Districtu Episcopali NISSENSI To John Nicholls Esq of Trewane in Cornwall this Mapp is Humbly Dedicated by Moses Pitt Notularum Explicatio Vrbs Arx Pagus cum Templo Pagus nobilis Pagus Episcopalis Commenda COMITATUS GLATZ Notae Vrbs Oppidum Pagus cum templo Vicus Arx Auri et argenti fordinae Mons Notabilis Kohloruben Holtz fluesse The inhabitants of these and all other Towns and Villages in the Dukedom observe the same Laws with the Moravians For which reason the greatest part of them have often endeavour'd to associate themselves to the Marquisate of Moravia and renounce all dependance upon the great Dukedom of Silesia but have always been opposed by the Citizens of Troppau who have still been zealous to continue members of their ancient Body 4. RATIBOR is seated in a pleasant plain about six German miles from Oppelen We have no account of it before the year of Christ 1164 so that most Geographers venture to say that 't was built about that time The private dwelling Houses of the Citizens are as in most parts of Silesia generally wooden buildings but the Duke's Palace Cathedral and some other publick buildings are of stone There is still in the City one Popish Monastery and formerly the Jesuits had a great footing in it but since the Reformation that sort of Cattel were driven out of their Harbors The Dukedom of Ratibor which contains the Towns of Oderberg Sora Ribenick Pilzowitz and Mieslowitz was formerly governed by a Duke of its own but upon the death of Duke Valentinus its last Prince who died without issue in the year 1516 it became more immediately subject to the King of Bohemia 5. 〈◊〉 TESCHEN or Tessin is one of the oldest Cities in Silesia said to have been built by Cessimir or Gessimir Son of Lescus III. Duke of Poland A. D. 810 and from him to have had its first name which has since been corrupted into Tessin It is seated on the confines of Silesia Moravia Poland and Hungary whence it comes to pass that its Citizens speak a medly of languages hardly intelligible to any but themselves They have here great store of all sorts of Venison and wild Fowl the Vistula and Elsa afford them plenty of Fish and the Hungarian Merchants bring them in daily vast quantities of Wine Fruit and other Commodities of that Country At one of their Churches they have weekly Divine Service and a Sermon in the Bohemian language and at another the like in High Dutch for of these two Nations the Burgers chiefly consist Here is brew'd Beer of two sorts the one with Wheat and the other with ordinary Barly Malt the latter of these they call Matznotz a sort of drink pleasant enough but mighty strong and heady which too often on their Market-days makes the poor Rusticks commit several outrages and disorders in the height of their jollity In this Dukedom there are several high mountains whereof two Rows are more especially remarkable and taken notice of by Geographers and Historians The first of these are those on the
is T were situate on the River Twertza which falls into the Volga near this Town This is a large Town and hath in it about sixty Churches the chiefest that of our Saviour Upon the same River is placed Torsoch Tersack or Torsiock a large Town also The Province is rich both in Corn and Merchandise very populous also being ready to furnish their Prince with forty thousand good Horse and twice as many foot Here is also a Mint and a Bishops See Near to these is Plescow 〈…〉 which the Russes call Pscow the chief City hath a strong Castle situate upon a Rock whence springs the River Pskow which after six leagues dischargeth it self into the Lake of Peipis which Herberstein calls Czuezko or Czudzin It was govern'd by its own Princes till Ivan Vasilowitz 1509 united it to his Crown The Citizens till then were famous for their valour civility and honest dealing in their trade but the Grand Duke transported them and put Muscovites in their stead It is one of the strongest wall'd Cities in all Russia 't is of so great extent that when besieged by Stephen King of Poland there were said to be in it seventy thousand foot and seven thousand horse besides the inhabitants in garison Were it not for one ledg of Rocks the Navigation from hence to the Baltic Sea would be very convenient and easie There were in this Province divers places of strength which gave the Grand Tzar Vasilie great trouble to reduce them to his command South and by West of this Province of Novogorod that we dispatch all these Territories that ly together lies the great City of Smolensko Smolensko belonging anciently to Litvania recover'd to that Province by Vitold their Duke in 1413. Basilius the Grand Tzar made several attempts to recover it but in vain till his beloved General Michael Glinski a valiant Polish General that ran over to the Russes recover'd it more easily with his money then he could with his arms The Poles have endeavour'd several times to recover this City and in one battel near unto it slew eighty thousand Russes but could not reduce the City till Sigismund King of Poland took it in 1611 and in 1633 Michael Federowitz besieged it in vain yet his son Alexie Michaelowitz had it surrendred to him by composition in 1654 and the Russes still keep it The River Nieper commonly thought to be Boristhenes tho Beresine comes nearer that name runs thro it The City is very well fortified both with good walls well palisado'd and as they say above ten yards high and also with a very strong Castle upon the bank of the River To this jurisdiction belong Drohobus Wyesma and Mozaizko where the Emperor commonly once a year diverts himself and the Ambassadors in hunting This Mozaisko hath many times a Governour of its own and a Territory belonging to it The Town was taken from Alexander King of Poland by the Grand Tzar Ivan predecessor of Vasilie and the Grand Duke often repairs thither in devotion to St. Nicolas the great Saint of the Russes who is said to be buried in the Chappel of the Castle There remains one Province or Dukedom 〈…〉 which anciently belonged to Litvania the South-West border of Muscovy called Sewera Severia Siberia Which hath given occasion to some to confound it with that Province which the Russes call Sibior upon the River Ob. This is a large and fruitful Principality reaching from the Dnieper to the Castle of Mscenek which is now demolished This Country had at first Dukes of its own afterwards it acknowledg'd the superiority of the Dukes of Litvania together with which Jagello becoming Christian it submitted to the Kings of Poland afterwards they fell from Casimire unto the Grand Tzar at length in the Reign of Vasilie father of Ivan Vasilowich the Duke was accused of treason and lost his Principality which was united to the Crown of Muscovy The chief City Novogrod Siviersky and sometimes residence of the Dukes is called Novogrod Siviersky a City and Castle well fortified after the manner of Russia from whence to the City Moskow is an hundred and fifty leagues the way lies thro Bransko Serensko Worotin a small Principality the City Worotin is upon the River Occa and Coluga a Town also upon the Occa and dependant upon the Abbey of Troitza Other great Towns in this Province are Starodub Posiwol Czernigow Kilski Krom Arol and Osippow They that from hence travel towards Tartary pass the Rivers Sna Samara Ariel Koinschwada and Molosca They pass the Rivers on branches of trees fasten'd together instead of Boats This Country by reason of its neighbourhood to the Tartars upon whom it borders toward the East is much of it Desert and Forrest for want of culture but those few inhabitants there are are very warlike being kept in continual exercise by the Tartars Thus much for the Western parts of this Empire let us proceed to those that ly in the in-land Country 〈…〉 South of Vologda North of Jeroslaw lies the Town and Castle of Castrom upon a River of the same name which looses it self in the Volga And East of Castrom is the little Town of Galitz near the Lake Galitz here the Grand Tzar hath a manufacture of Salt Jaroslaw Jaroslaw fifty leagues North of Moskow a Province rich in Corn Cattel and Honey The City lies upon the Volga containing about forty thousand inhabitants strongly fortified and of a great trade as having a very easie passage to Archangel They make here much Linnen Cloth This used formerly to be the Title and subsistence of the younger Sons of the Emperors family till Ivan Vasilowich took it from them to himself 1565. Yet he permitted some of them to keep the Title being till of late called Knest Jaroslawski Of the same condition and propriety is Rostow 〈◊〉 the City is twelve leagues South of Jeroslaw upon a Lake of the same name Ivan Vasilowich put to death the last Heir to this Province of the family of the Grand Tzar 〈◊〉 In this Province is Vglitz a Town famous for its bread Chlopigrod was a great Mart for all the Northern Nations yet more bartering than buying and selling 〈◊〉 because of the River Mologa by which it communicateth with Weliki Novogrod It is now ruined The name signifies the Castle of Slaves for they say that when their Masters had subdued their Slaves with their Whips the Slaves retired hither Susdal is between Rostow and Wolodomir Susdal The City is famous for a stately Monastery of Nuns whither Ivan Vasilowitz confined his Wife and it was formerly the Metropolis of Russia This Province also belonged to the younger Sons of the Emperor and since ruin'd by the Tartars ann it hath never recover'd it self Castrom and Galitz belonged formerly to this Government Pereaslaw belonged formerly to Rostow Pereaslaw famous now for its salt Lake and fruitful Soil At the end of harvest the Grand Tzar
and Vilna For the Polonians believe that it very much avails both to the security of the Governour and to confirm the allegiance of them that obey that the King should be chosen by the Generality who can then have no pretence to complain of their own Act. The place of Election is in an open field not far from Warsaw near the Village Wola by reason of the multitude of them who have voices in the Election it is mark'd out by the Marshals of Poland and Lithuania When the day of Election is come and the Senators all met the Interrex asks the Question three times Whether it be their pleasure to command that such a one shall be declared King If by consent of voices they return for an answer It pleases us Let him live then the Archbishop declares him King in these words In the name of God I declare such a one King and great Duke of Lithuania and beseech the King of Heaven to enable him for so great a charge and through his mercy so to order that the Election may be prosperous for the Nation and happy for the Catholick Religion After which the Marshals proclaim the Election in the following manner King N. is unanimously elected and so declared by the Interrex him therefore all ye acknowledg your lawfully elected and declared King If the King so elected be absent his Ambassadours are obliged to confirm by oath the conditions and receive the decree of the Election After which the Marshalls make a second Proclamation in these words The Polanders have a lawful King On the other side before the King is admitted he is obliged by oath to preserve the Laws and priviledges of the Kingdom and the Covenants agreed upon by the Estates in all their clauses points and conditions and to renew the said oath at his Coronation But though he be now elected the Interregnum does not cease till after his Coronation for till then he assumes no other Title then that of King Elect neither are his Letters to Foreign Princes seal'd with any other seal then that of the Chamber So that though the present King was permitted to make use of the Seal of great Duke of Lithuania before his Coronation that was only done upon the necessity of the Muscovitick Expedition The usual place of Coronation is Cracow where the Crown is kept in the cheif treasury under the charge of the high Treasurer and the person performing the ceremony is always the Archbishop of Gnesna if not prevented by sickness The chief Ceremonies at the Coronation are the Questions propounded to the King Wilt thou profess the Catholick faith delivered by Catholick men Answ I will Wilt thou defend and maintain the Church and its Ministers Wilt thou uphold defend and govern the Kingdom by God committed to thy care according to Justice Ans I will All which he confirms by the usual form of words and laying his hand upon the Evangelists The Ceremony of anointing is perform'd with saying these words I anoint thee King with the sanctified oil in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost The words of Confirmation are Sit and possess the Throne appointed thee by God Let thy hand be strengthned and thy right hand exalted The solemnity being ended the King repairs to the grand Assembly for the Coronation where the Interrex resigns his Authority and the Senatours together with the Nobility and Deputies of the Cities take their oaths of allegiance to the new King The present power and authority of the Kings of Poland will more plainly appear by a recital of the articles to the observance whereof they bind themselves as well before as at their Coronation for they contain all the essential properties of Regal Dominion under the name of Pacta Conventa As to their power in Ecclesiastical affairs the Roman-Catholick Kings of Poland have been so kind as to part with their chiefest prerogatives in that particular reserving only to themselves the collation of benefices The King swears to maintain peace between the dissenters in Religion of which there are many in Poland and to compose the causes and differences among persons professing the Greek religion as appears by the Pacta Conventa sworn to by John the Third now reigning As for foundations of Churches and Monasteries whatsoever liberty the King may have to erect they are to be confirm'd by all the orders at the general assembly of Estates and thus the immunities and priviledges granted by the Kings of Poland to the Academy of Vilna were also confirm'd The next prerogative is the legislative power concerning which we find that in the time of Lechus the Kings of Poland had an absolute authority of making Laws themselves as necessity required But afterwards when they had received the Christian faith they began to make Laws with the consent of the Peers Insomuch that Sigismund the Third in the year 1570 enacted That no Law should be of publick force till reviewed and subscribed by such a number of Deputies of the Nobility and Senators whose consent was to be required before-hand whether the Law should pass which Law remains to this day The determination of Controversies was likewise formerly in the breast of the King as supreme Judg till Vladislaus Jagello granted this priviledge to the Nobility That they should not be punished or imprison'd till convicted by Law After him Bathor threw off the burthen of hearing causes from his own shoulders and erected several courts of Judicature in Poland and Lithuania reserving only to himself the judgment of such causes as concerned his Chequer and such Cities as were immediately under his jurisdiction But now the Nobility create the chief Judg or Marshal with his assistants in those tribunals nor does the King sit alone upon causes that come before him by way of appeal besides the King swears to determine all Court causes according to the advice and opinion of the Senators and Officers residing at Court as also to call the causes in order as they are set down in the Register and neither to retard nor further any cause for favour or interest The power of making war did formerly without doubt absolutely belong to the King But Casimir the third in the year 1454 made a promise that he would undertake no war without the consent of the Senate At this day the Kings of Poland by the Pacta Conventa promise not to admit or call in any foreign assistance without the especial consent of the Estates not to encrease the number of the standing Militia nor raise forces privately not to send aid to any other Prince without consent as aforesaid nor to commit the trust of Forts or Castles to strangers or plebeians but to men of worth and landed Nobility Besides all these engagements there is a Council of War elected out of the Senate and Nobility to attend and advise him in the field according to the late Constitutions in the year 1676 and several others before He is also
finished Herman de Salza Master of the Teutonic Order gave Laws and Constitutions Die Kulmsche Handveste for its government a specimen of which antient Canons is given by Lambecius out of an old Dutch Manuscript in the Emperor's Library at Vienna The City at present looks old and ruinous but is still a Bishop's Sec. The Lutherans were permitted the exercise of their religion in private houses by a publick edict signed and published in this City by John Malachowski Bishop of the Diocess the thirteenth of March 1678. 4. Thoorn built at the same time with Culm by the Knights of the Teutonic Order for a post against the Heathen Prussians but not in the place where it now stands Old Thoorn was seated a mile West-ward from the new where to this day are found the ruins of an old Castle and City By whom and when new Thoorn was first founded is not easily determined for when in the year 1454 this part of Prussia delivered it self up into the hands of the King of Poland the old and new Thoorn joyned interests and made up one entire Corporation betwixt them Whence it hapned that the records of the new City were neglected and lost Thoorn seems to have had its name from the German word Thor a gate because built by the Teutonic Order as a gate to let in such forces into Prussia as they should have occasion for Hence the arms of Thoorn are a Castle and Gate half open At present this City is the neatest and best built in Regal Prussia The streets are much broader and the houses statelier then at Dantzig It owes much of its beauty to Henry Stroband Burgo-master of the Town who died in the year 1609. He built the Gymnasium here and endowed it with a considerable revenue for the maintenance of several Lecturers and poor scholars He founded also the Hospital and public Library and built a-new the Town-hall which were it not of late out-done by the Stadthuis at Amsterdam might be reckoned the stateliest in Europe of its kind The rest of this Country comprchended under the general name of Ducal Prussia is subject to the Elector of Brandenburgh and therefore as a part of the Empire shall be treated of in the description of Germany The Great Dukedom of Lithvania WHence this large and noble Country should have its name is utterly unknown Lithvania 'T is ridiculous to bring the word from the Latine Lituus a hunting-horn because forsooth the inhabitants are much addicted to hunting Erasmus Stella an Historian of good credit tells us some Prussians under the command of Litwo one of their Kings sons came into these parts about the year 573 and called the land after their Captains name Litwania or Litvania The Polish Historians agree generally in this story That Palaemon flying the fury of Attyla left Rome and came with several Italians into this Country who gave it the name of La Italia which was afterwards corrupted into Lithvania The Lithvanians themselves glory in this derivation of the name of their Country and prove this story of Palaemon true by the Roman names of their Nobles Vrsin Column Julian c. But this etymology seems too far fetch'd Stella aims fairest tho he miss the mark a little For 't is certain the Prussians did conquer this land and seat themselves in it tho the additional story of Prince Litwo seems feign'd More likely it is that the Prussians not satisfied with their change call'd the Country Lithvania from Litwo which in the ancient Prussian language signifies a vagabond or wanderer The ancient inhabitants are thought to have been the Alani Antient inhabitants since the Lithvanians do still retain some footsteps of the name of these people in their Lithalani and Roxalani But he that shall compare the account which Ammianus Marcellinus gives of the manners of the ancient Alani with what the best Authors say of the old Lithvanians will easily perceive that they are not both one Nation Their language sufficiently proves them to be of the same original with the Prussians and what that is we told you before About the year 1235 Ringeld son of Gimbut Alteration of Government of the posterity of Palaemon is said to have first taken upon him the title of Great Duke of Lithvania In the year 1319 Gedimin who first built Vilna refused to pay homage to the Russian and entring Novogrod with an army took Volodimir and made all Volhinia swear fealty to the Magistracy of Lithvania How large the Dukedom is may appear from the vast territories he left to each of his seven sons at his death To Montvid he gave Kiernova and Slomin To Narimund Pinsko Mozyr and part of the Province of Volodimir To Olgierd Creve and the Country beyond as far as Beresine To Kieystut Samogitia and the territories of Troce Lida Vpide and Subsylvania To Coriat Novogrod and Volkowiski To Lubart Volodomir and Volhinia To his youngest son Javnut Vilna Osmia and Braslaw designing him for Great Duke But soon after when the Tartars begun to infest Volhinia and Kiow Javnut was deposed and his brother Olgierd made Great Duke in his place He in the year 1331 falls upon the Tartars and in a short time makes himself Master of Podolia which they had kept for some years About the same time Demetrius Duke of Moscovy sent an Ambassador into Lithuania to demand a restitution of all those Provinces which formerly belong'd to the Dukedom of Russia The Great Duke immediately upon his arrival commits him to close custody and marching forthwith in the head of his army towards Moscovy surprised the Duke in his Palace and forced him to accept of a peace upon this condition That for the future the bounds of Lithuania should reach as far as Mosco and the river Vgra When Vladislaus Jagello was chosen King of Poland in the year 1386 he promised that from thence forward the Great Dukedom of Lithuania should be annexed to that Crown At the same time the Lithvanian and Russian Nobility took an oath of allegiance to the King and Queen of Poland which was repeated in the years 1401 and 1414. But this obligation they afterwards shook off For when the Polanders desired to joyn Volhinia Podolia and some other Provinces of Russia to their own Kingdom the Lithuanians loath to part with so fair possessions opposed them with that vehemence That for several years there was nothing but continuall skirmishes between the two Nations At last in the year 1566 differences begun to be composed which were finally determined A. D. 1569 by articles drawn up and subscribed to by both parties in the presence of several Ambassadors of other Nations The principle Articles agreed upon were these That the Lithuanians should for the future disclaim all right and title to the Provinces of Podlachia and Volhinia and the Palatinate of Kiow That they should never by themselves elect a Great Duke but upon a vacancy repair to the place whither they
October they have a general rendezvous of men women and children who bring with them to the place appointed loaves of bread and vessels full of beer These they set on a table spread with hay That done they bring out a young heifer a boar and a sow a cock and hen with other such cattle and poultry as the house affords in pairs male and female When things are thus in readiness out comes an old Priest or Wizard who mumbling over a few hard words gives the sacrifice a blow with a stick which stroke is seconded by the whole company till the heifer be dead and beat to pieces Whilst this ceremony lasts they cry This oblation of thanksgiving we make thee O Ziemiennik so they call the feigned god for that it hath pleased thee to preserve us from all the evils of the year past and we beseech thee to protect and defend us for the future from fire sword pestilence and all our enemies After this they take a little of every dish they have provided and put it in four corners of the house and in the ground crying aloud Accept O Ziemiennik our offerings eat with us and be merry The solemnity thus over they spend the rest of that day in feasting and drunkenness There is no City or great Town in Samogitia of any consequence Mzdniki is a poor and despicable City all the rest scarce merit the name of villages Lithvania and this Province have all along been sharers in the same fortune and change They were both at once subject to the Russians at once overrun by the Teutonic Order and at once converted from Idolatry and subjected to the Crown of Poland by Vladislaus Jagello Livonia LIvonia or Liefland is bounded on the East with Russia on the West with the Baltic sea on the North with the Finland-bay on the south with Samogitia and some part of Lithvania The length of it is about 500 English miles and the breadth near 160. The country is generally plain and fruitful abounding with corn and hony some parts of it are fenny full of Lakes and rivers The many conquests this Land has suffered have made its inhabitants a medly of Moscovites Swedes Danes Polanders and Germans But the last have the greatest share in the country whence the generality speak High-Dutch The common people are used as hardly here as in Poland or Lithvania and the Nobility lord it as much Drunkenness and gluttony are vices the Lieflanders are generally addicted to from the greatest Lord to the meanest peasant The Bores would be hard put to 't to get a living considering the untolerable drudgery they undergo if they had not the priviledge of hunting hares of which they have great plenty in these parts white in winter and brown in summer foxes bears and other kinds of venison 'T is agreed upon by all Authors that Liefland was first annexed to the Crown of Poland by Sigismund Augustus though the story is told different ways Kojalowicz tells us That William Furstenburg Master of the Liefland Order of Knighthood upon his turning Lutheran had frequent quarrels with William Archbishop of Riga whom he accused at a session of the Nobility at Winden of a conspiracy of betraying Curland into the hands of Albert Duke of Prussia and the rest of Liefland to Sigismund King of Poland his kinsman Upon this pretence he immediately enters the Archbishop's territories with an army and takes him prisoner King Sigismund hearing this wages war with Liefland and A.D. 1557 conquers it But the reasons of this war seem to be grounded upon better pretensions then these For though it be true that there arose many skirmishes between the Archbishop and the Master of the Order touching points of religion yet during Furstenburg's government Ivan Duke of Moscovy and not Sigismund King of Poland overrun and lay wast the greatest part of Liefland Against whom Gothard Ketler Furstenburg's successour requested the aid of King Sigismund who quickly beat the Moscovian out of his holds and created Gothard Duke of Curland annexing the rest of Liefland to his own dominions But he found this country was easilier conquer'd then kept For the Revalians finding themselves unable to withstand the dayly incursions of the Moscovians committed their land to the protection of Eric King of Sweden Whereupon this King thought his title to Liefland was as good as the Polanders especially since Ferdinand the Emperour had given him the sole charge of defending it Upon these pretensions he presently routed the Poles out of Habsal Lehale Parnow and other places and put into them garrisons of his own Besides the Polish interest received at the same time another fatal blow upon this occasion John Duke of Finland married Katherine sister to the King of Poland to whom he lent 80000 some say 124000 dollars upon a mortgage of the castles of Wittenstein Karchise Frichate Helmult Ermise Ruja and Bortwic all in Liefland Returning into Sweden he was accused by King Eric his brother of high treason in offering to make a confederacy as he call'd it with Sigismund Augustus King of Poland without his consent In this rage the King robs his brother of all the castles and takes them into his own hand not without the pretence of being more able to defend them from the fury of the Moscovite Not long after upon the death of Eric King of Sweden and Sigismund King of Poland the Duke of Moscovy with irresistable force created the great Duke of Holstein King of Liefland When the Kings of Sweden and Poland perceived matters brought to this pass they thought it high time to lay aside all petit animosities between their two Kingdoms and to joyn forces against their common enemy the Moscovite fearing lest otherwise whilst they two stood quarrelling for each a shell he should snatch away the fish And indeed this confederacy prov'd very successful to the Swede who in the year 1580 retook many strong holds from the Moscovite as Lode Lehale Habsal Narwe the Province of Wicki Wittenstein Carelogrod c. Steven King of Poland fearing lest if the Swede went on with the same success and vigour he begun with he would bring all Liefland to his own beck claps up a peace with the Moscovite unknown to the King of Sweden upon these conditions That the Moscovite should restore all the places he had taken in Lithvania That on the other hand King Stephen should restore to the Duke of Moscovy Vielikoluk and some other forts he had taken in these wars After this when Sigismund son of John the third King of Sweden was upon the death of Stephen elected King of Poland the Poles admitted him upon this condition That he should annex all that part of Liefland which was under his goverment to the Crown of Poland But Sigismund the third coming to he Crown of Sweden could not by any means be perswaded to grant this request When he was deposed from his Kingdom there arose bloody wars between the King of Poland
of Lechus the first Others think it the same with Ptolomey's Carodunum corrupted into Cracow This City as 't is the largest so it is the best built of any one in Poland Cromer sets it in competition with the best built Cities of Germany or Italy but we must allow him to stretch a little more then ordinary in commendation of his own Country The houses are for the most part of free-stone and four or five stories high but covered with boards instead of slat There are in it a considerable company of Italian and German Merchants who bring in such foreign wares as the Country stands in need of It consists like London and Paris of three parts 1. Cracow properly so called or the antient City 2. Cazimiria joyned to the rest by a wooden bridge cross the Vistula 3. Stradomia which lyes between Cracow and the bridge The King's Palace is seated on the top of an high hill whence it overlooks both City and Country 'T was rebuilt in the magnificent posture it now stands by Sigismund the Elder who added the gallery on the north side from whence you have one of the best prospects in Europe The University of Cracow was first begun by Casimir the Great finished by Vladislaus Jagello in performance of the last will and testament of his Queen Hedwig and had its priviledges confirmed to it by Pope Vrban In the year 1549 the scholars of Cracow by a general consent left the University upon an affront put on them by the Magistrates of the City who refused to execute justice upon the servants of Andrew Czarnkowski when in a quarrel they had slain a great number of students and dispersed themselves into several parts of Germany whence returning Lutherans they spread the reform'd opinions all Poland over and got great numbers of proselytes Upon the first planting of Christianity in this Kingdom Miecislaus the first who begun his reign in the year 964 Cracow was made an Archbishoprick But within a hundred years after Lampert Zula refusing to receive his Pall from the Pope of Rome as his predecessors had done before him it degenerated into a Bishoprick Afterwards in the reign of Boleslaus the chast which begun A.D. 1226 a contest arising between Jvo Bishop of this Diocess and the Bishop of Vratislaw about precedency the Bishop of Cracow upon his submissive appeal to the See of Rome was again restored to the dignity of an Archbishop which only lasted during his life At this day the Bishops of Cracow wear an Archbishop's Pall set richly with jewels which is the only relique they have of their antient honour The next Palatinate of the Lesser Poland Sendomir is that of Sendomir The City is seated on the bank of the Vistula and fortifyed with walls and a Castle both built by Casimir the Great who afterwards dyed of a surfet by eating too freely of the fruits of this Country which are reckoned the fairest and best in Poland Here is nothing else worth the taking notice of save the Monastery of Dominican Friars founded by Jvo Archbishop of Cracow The Palatinate of Lublin was taken out of that of Sendomir as being too big for the jurisdiction of one Palatine by Casimir Jagellonides Lublin The City is not very large but well built and much frequented especially in the Fairs kept three times a year by Christian Jewish and Turkish Merchants 'T is much better fortifved by the marshes which environ it then its walls and more beholden to nature for its defence then either Casimir the Great who walled it round or the Russians who built the adjoyning Castle The great Church in it was built by Lescus the black upon a great conquest obtain'd against the Lithvanians near this City and dedicated to St. Michael who in a vision the night before the battel had promised him good success St. Bridgets Monastery among many other magnificent ones was founded by Vladislaus Jagello One of the two chief Courts of Judicature from which no appeal lies save to the Parliament of Poland is kept at Lublin Hither for judgment in controversies of any great moment repair the Palatinates of Cracow Sendomir Russia Podolia Lublin Belze Podlassia Volhinia Braclaw Kiow and Czernichow or at least so many of them as are still subject to the Crown of Poland Of other Countries and Provinces to which the Kings of Poland have formerly pretended a title by conquest contract or otherwise BEsides the places mentioned and at present subject to the Crown of Poland the Kings of that Nation have from time to time lay'd claim to many and large Territories now in the hands of other Princes Omitting Bohemia Moravia Wagria Misnia and the Dukedomes of Rugen Mecklenburg and Lunenburg which whatever some of the Polish writers assert and endeavour to make good were very little or not at all subject to Boleslaus Chrobri who was the only King that ever could plausibly pretend a title to any part of them we shall confine our discourse to those Countries to which the Polonian Princes may seem to have had a more just and legal title That all or most of Silesia was part of the Dukedome of Poland Silesia in the days of Lechus the first and several of his successours is highly probable from the writings of Adam Bremensis and Helmoldus who both of them make the river Oder the bounds of Poland Besides the German Chronologers tell us that Charles the Great Ludovicus Pius and other Emperors conquer'd the Silesians and made them tributary to the Empire But the Polish Historians upon what grounds I know not are generally positive in asserting That Silesia was always without any such intermission or conquest as the Germans strive to make out a part of the Polish dominions Only Vincentius Kadlubko agrees with the Germans affirming That Boleslaus Chrobri amongst his many other conquests regain'd Selucia as he calls it and left it annexed to the Crown of Poland After his time we find that Casimir the first translated the Bishoprick of Bicine to Vratislaw whence 't is manifest that in his days Silesia was part of the Realm of Poland Not long after Henry the IV Emperour of Germany in the Diet at Munster A.D. 1086 made over Silesia Lusatia and indeed all Poland to Vratislaus King of Bohemia though as Cromer says he had no right to a foot of land in any of them Whereupon ensued a bloody war betwixt the Bohemians and Poles wherein it is to be conjectured the latter had the better since all Historians agree that Silesia was under the King of Polands goverment during the whole reign of Boleslaus the third His son Vladislaus the second being deposed by his brethren who were left Co-heirs with him in the Kingdom fled first to the Emperor Frederick the first who brought Boleslaus Crispus Duke of Poland and brother to Vladislaus to such straits that he was forced to resign all Silesia into the hands of his brother's children but upon condition they should
still pay homage to the Princes of Poland From that time the Polanders begun to sleight and hate the Silesians seldom calling any of the Silesian Nobility to Councils of Parliament and balking the right succession if any of this Province had a just title to the Crown These jealousies and quarrels were fomented and increased by John King of Bohemia son to the Emperor Henry the seventh who by this means whedled the Dukes of Silesia into his yoke and afterwards forced Casimir the Great to resign the supreme government of that Province into his hands After this the Poles though they had frequent skirmishes with the Bohemians yet never regain'd any considerable footing in Silesia For excepting the small territory of Wschovia retaken by Casimir the Great A.D. 1343 and some other parcels of ground annexed to the estates of several Bishopricks and Abbeys in Poland Silesia is at present wholly subject to the King of Bohemia Lusatia was once conquer'd by Boleslaus Chrobri but soon after lost again Lusâ—â—â—â— For though when John King of Bohemia subdued Silesia Lusatia was reckoned a part of that Country and has ever since so continued yet the Polanders claim'd no more of it as Lords of Silesia then a few frontier Towns the rest was under the Marquesses of Misnia and Lusatia Princes of the Empire as Goldastus proves 'T is without all authority of Annals what some of the Polish writers have endeavoured to make out by Etymologies Neâ— Maâ—â—â— that the greatest part of the Marquisate of Brandenburgh was formerly subject to the Princes of Poland That New Marck indeed or at least a good share of it was theirs is beyond all controversy since as the best Historians witness Miecislaus or Miscio the first Christian Duke of Poland towards the latter end of the tenth Century first founded the Bishoprick of Lubuss This City was taken from the Polanders by the Emperour Henry the second but recovered by Boleslaus the first King of Poland His successours kept it till the year 1109 when it was again taken by the Emperour Henry V who gave it to Adelgot Archbishop of Magdeburg But soon after it return'd into the hands of the Poles When Silesia was as we have said divided among the sons of Vladislaus the second the territories of Lubuss devolved into the hands of the Silesian Dukes whence it happened within a short while after to be made a part of the Marquisate of Brandenburgh Cromer says 't was mortgaged by Boleslaus the bald and never redeemed But Dlugossus ad ann 1198. tells us 't was sold by Boleslaus son to Henry Duke of Vratislavia From that time the Kings of Poland have had very little to do in New Marck and at present have not one foot of land in it Vladislaus Jagello brought it wholly under his power but his son found it too hot service for him to keep it and was therefore fain to resign it up to the Marquess John Casimir their late King parted with the last stake by delivering up the Town and Castle of Drahim to the present Elector of Brandenburgh in the treaty at Bydgost in the year 1657. That the Slavonians were antient inhabitants of Pomeren is undeniably true Pom … Pomorska in the Slavonian language signifies near the sea whence Vincentius Kadlubko an antient and judicious Polish writer uses frequently the word Maritima for Pomeren and speaking of this Country these phrases are ordinary with him Maritimae Praeses Maritimae Dux Ingressus est Maritimam c. But whether or no the Polanders were masters of Pomeren immediately upon the entrance of the Slavoniaus is a grand question which the Poles affirm but the Pomeranians deny and 't is hard to decide the controversy between them Helmoldus agreeing as it should seem with the latter places Pomeren amongst the free Slavonian Provinces lying without the bounds of the Polish dominions And before his days Adam Bremensis gives us the same account Micraelius an Historian of good credit lib. 2. Chron. Pomer num 46. p. 191. is of opinion that the first entrance which the Polanders made upon Pomeren was in the tenth Century when the Emperor Otto III. authorized Boleslaus Chrobri King of Poland to make war upon and bring into his subjection the Prussians Pomeranians Wendi and Russians Which done the Emperor at a visit given King Boleslaus made the Bishop of Colberg a Suffragan to the Archbishop of Gnesna In the beginning of the eleventh Century Miecislaus II. spread his dominions all over Casubia and the Eastern Pomeren putting Garrisons into all the Forts and Castles between the Persandt and the Vistula and committed the government of them to Bela the King of Hungary's brother But upon Bela's return into Hungary Pomeren shook off the Polish yoke and only was subject to Dukes of its own till Svantibor surrendred it again to Boleslaus III. Duke of Poland upon condition he would free him from prison to which his own subjects had committed him After Svantibors death the Dukedom of Pomeren was divided amongst his four sons whereof two who were Dukes of the Western Pomeren from Colberg as far as the Marck and the Dukedom of Mecklenburgh were admitted Princes of the Empire by Frederick Barbarossa the other two were forced to yeild themselves subjects to the Crown of Poland But the Pomeranians soon weary of bondage revolted once more from the King of Poland and perhaps had for ever rejected his government had not Mestwin their Duke wanting issue endeavour'd to subject them to the Dukes of West Pomeren For looking upon the people of that Country as meer strangers being indeed three parts of them Germans they chose rather to give themselves up into the hands of their acquaintance then to be slaves to an upstart and foreign Nation Whereupon they unanimously swore fealty to Praemislaus II. King of Poland who took upon him the title of Duke of Pomeren and quarter'd his Coat with the Arms of Pomeren the Gryphins By this means the Kings of Poland became sole Lords of the Eastern Pomeren In the year 1460 Casimir Jagellonides straitned in the wars he was engaged in against the Teutonick Order in Prussia committed the Cities and Castles of Lavenburgh and Bouta to the trust of Eric II. Duke of West Pomeren whose successor George son of Bugislaus X. and Nephew to Sigismund I. King of Poland had these Cities confirmed to him and his posterity upon condition of paying some sleight acknowledgment to the Crown of Poland Upon these terms the present Elector of Brandenburgh renewed his title to these places after the usual fashion by his Ambassador in the year 1670. What right the Polanders have at this day in Prussia we have shew'd before but formerly their pretensions were much greater then now Sometimes the Duke of Masovia Lorded it over the Prussians and made the Master of the Teutonick Order his Vicegerent But in the treaty made between Sigismund I. King of Poland and Albert Marquess of Brandenburgh whom the
Treasurer the Key and the King on horseback follows them to the Church where the Arch-Bishop receiving him demands of him an account of his faith then reverently approaching the high Altar he tenders to him an Oath to this effect That he will fear God and defend his Church promote love justice and truth amongst his Subjects that he will govern his Kingdom by Natives and not admit any Strangers into Council or places of great trust that he will not alienate any Forts Lands or Territories within his Dominions but preserve them whole and entire to his Successours that he will provide himself and his Court out of his constant Crown Revenues and never burthen his Subjects with Taxes but upon these accounts viz. Either upon an Invasion whether by Christians or Infidels a Domestick Insurrection upon the marriage of his Sons or Daughters for the building of some new Forts or upon diminution of the Exchequer and that he will introduce no laws or Constitutions without or against the consent of the people To Sigismund the third King of Poland who claim'd this Kingdom they propos'd that he would not alter any thing in the establish'd Religion which was the Lutheran which Oath he either refusing or presently breaking lost the favour of his people and the Kingdom it self before he was well setled in it This done the Arch-bishop puts on him his Crown and other Kingly Ornaments and one of the Heralds proclaims such one is crown'd King of Swedland and Gothland and none but he then all the people answer Let the King live After this the King calls before him the Governors or Legifers of every Province and chief Cities within his Dominions who for themselves and their respective Governments take an oath of Allegiance to the King this done the King gives to every one of them to the Legifer of Vpsal first and the rest in order an Escutcheon with the Arms of that Province or that City where they are to preside as Badges of their Offices and returning to his Pallace his Nobility are by him splendidly entertain'd and the Ceremony ends Henceforward he hath power in Ecclesiastical and civil matters and rules his people as an absolute Monarch The next heir to the Crown is the Kings eldest Son if he have any who sometimes is by publick declaration acknowledg'd to be so before his Fathers death as Charles eldest Son to Gustavus the first is said to have been and though in that Kings time the right of succession was by the States granted only to his Issue Male yet in the year 1627 Gustavus Adolphus procur'd that the Kings Daughters also might be admitted to the Throne by which procurement his Daughter Christina was made capable to succeed him Upon default of Issue Royal it is by the Vnio Haereditaria provided that the nearest in blood to the Kings Family shall suceed and upon failure of these the power of electing is to devolve upon the States The Kings younger sons he commonly makes Governours over some particular Provinces giving them Titles fitted to their Commands His Daughters are provided for at the expence of the whole Kingdom their Portions being not taken out of the Kings Exchequer but levied by publick Tax In the Interregnum absence sickness or minority of the King the Kingdom is govern'd by the Drotset or Vice-Roy the Marshal Admiral Chancellour and Treasurer of the Kingdom who at their admission to the publick management of affairs take an Oath not to diminish any thing of the Kings Rights but preserve them whole and entire and if it happen that any part of them be by these Trustees during the Kings Minority sold or alienated the King when he comes to full age may by law recover it Anciently the Kings of Sweden shortly after they were elected used to make a publick Progress through their Dominions the Legifer or Lievtenant of every Province being bound to provide for his Reception what the King did was to assure the people of the great care he had of them and that charge wherewith they had entrusted him and to receive of the people Oaths of Allegiance and Fidelity This custom being found somewhat expensive and the civil troubles of the Kingdom oftentimes not permitting it is now quite left of and the people rest content in the confidence they have of their Prince without thus seeing his Person The Court of the King of Sweden The Court of Sweden like that of England consists of Ecclesiastical Civil and Military persons and government 1. For the Ecclesiastical there is the Arch-bishop with as many Suffragans as are by the King thought convenient who attend the King both at Church and Council upon these several of the inferiour Clergy continually wait 2. For the Civil officers the Drotset or Vice-Roy is chief whose office was anciently to admonish and direct the King to inform him upon any default whatsoever and upon non-amendment to declare the same to the Governours of the Kingdom in whose power it was when they thought fit to dethrone their Prince 2. Next is the Chamberlain or Commissary General who presides over the chief Court of Judicature the Kings Chamber commonly held at Stockholme and discharges all expences and orders all the disbursements of the Kingdom He has under him one Questor who takes care of what money is brought into the Exchequer and gives account to him Under these are twelve Masters of accounts who keep Registers of the Kings Revenues take care lest any detriment happen to the Crown and once a year make up their accounts to the Commissary General in the presence of some of the Privy Counsellours Every one of these has one particular Province of the Kingdom given him in charge in which he employs divers Tax-Masters who collect the Tributes Tenths and other Crown Revenues and bring them to his hands 3. In the third place succeeds the Chancellour of the Kingdom whose Office is much-what the same as in other Kingdoms 4. The Treasurer of the whole Kingdom who has under him several Secretaries and other Officers his office is to keep the Crown Globe Scepter and Sword he is Master of the Royal Mint and Pay-master general of the whole Kingdom accountable to none but the King only 3. For the Military Officers the principal is the Grand Marshal or Generalissimo of the Kings Forces Next is the High Admiral of the Kingdom with the several other officers not different from those in other States Besides these chief Officers of State each Province of the Kingdom has its peculiar Governour called Landshere or Stathallar whose power is very great and office considerable under him there are in every Province as many Lands-men and Nemdaries or Nempmen as there are Districts or Praefectures in it all which have distinct and subordinate offices appeals lying from the lower to the next immediately above it and so to the supream Court of Judicature the Kings Chamber all actions acquiescing in the King as the source and
fountain of the laws By these Governours and Deputies agreeeing together Tributes are exacted and Taxes levied According to an order of the Senate held at Lyncopen 1599 they were to keep Courts of Justice twice in every year all of them meeting in the Winter time about February at Vpsal at the publick Fair called Disting and in Summer at Lyncopen States or Orders of men in this Kingdom there are says Bureus six 1. Princes of the Blood Royal Nobility Clergy Souldiery Merchantry and Commonalty 1. Princes of the Blood The Princes of the Blood-Royal are disposed of by the King according to their age and capacity The eldest as was said is Heir apparent to the Crown The younger are commonly created Dukes and made Governours of Provinces of Vpsal first and the rest in order of dignity These after the death of their elder brother if he dye without issue have right to succeed in the Throne 2. Nobility The Nobility which is said to have descended from King Ingon or Harold of Norway and spred through Germany Suitzerland Spain c. when the Goths invaded the Roman Empire It is divided into three ranks or orders 1. Consists of Earls and Barons or Franck-Barons The Earls Jerl anciently were created only upon extraordinary accounts as were also their Dukes called Hertog neither of their titles being then hereditary A war happening between them and some of their Kings their Honour and Titles were for some ages quite laid aside till King Ericus XIV about the year 1560 first of all renewed these lost Titles and restored them to their owners which gracious favour of his was follow'd by his successors they not only conferring like honour during life but at present making it hereditary The second consists of those whose ancestors have been advanc't to the honour of Senators of the Kingdom The third sort is made up of those who are neither Counts nor Barons and whose ancestors have not been of the Senatorian Order of these Orders may be either their Knights for their valour created by the King whose Titles are not transmitted to their Heirs tho frequently upon equal desert confer'd on them or Gentlemen who are the lowest degree of the Nobility anciently called Affwappen either because they were expert in war or bore a Coat of Arms. All these Noblemen enjoy great priviledges and immunities All their estates are free from taxes and impositions so much only out of the Lands of Earls and Barons excepted as they at their creation receive of the King for which they pay some acknowledgment to the Crown only in time of war and all exigences whatever they are obliged to fit out horses and men for the Kings service proportionable to their estates Out of these are commonly elected the Senators Judges and chief Officers of the Kingdom men of low birth tho of considerable parts seldom advancing themselves into places of great trust and employment in Civil affairs in Ecclesiastical more frequently The estates of these Noblemen are inherited as well by their daughters as their sons the son if one having half and a daughter three parts of them which custom King Bergerus Jerl is said to have made and brought in about four ages ago 3. The Clergy Clergy concerning whom what we find is set down under Vpsal 4. The Souldiery 〈◊〉 which enjoys very great priviledges from the King as soon as any is listed Souldier he has over and above his ordinary pay all his Lands Tax-free if in time of war a Souldiers horse be killed under him the King provides him with another and if any be taken Captive by the Enemy the King redeems him at his own charges and such like which we shall mention when we speak of the Forces of the Kingdom 5. The Merchantry Merchantry in whose possession the most considerable part of the riches of the Kingdom is kept and by whose procurement forreign Commodities are imported For the good government and benefit of these every Maritime City and Mart-Town had anciently their particular Municipal Laws derived from Berca the ancient seat of their Kings and about 600 year ago a Town of the greatest trade in the Kingdom by these it was ordered how and in what manner the Maritime Cities might exercise Trade as well with Inland Towns as Forreigners what Commodities they might traffick with not hindring one anothers commerce c. These laws were by the Civil wars in the Kingdom quite neglected and for a long time out of use but by the care of some of the late Kings they or some equivalent to them begin to be restored and put in Execution 6 The last and lowest state Commonalty and as it were the Basis of the rest is the Commonalty called Bond or Beond of which there are two sorts 1. Named Scatbonder who have Hereditary Lands priviledges of fishing and fowling c. belonging to them these in time of war are bound to fit out one Horse and Man for the Kings service The second sort are those that labour in the Mines called Bergs-men no less profitable to the publick then the former and enjoy no less priviledges and immunities both possessing Estates and Fishery of their own and like the Commons of England having their Representatives in the publick Council of the Kingdom Of these some by reason of their freedom and advantage of Education which is denyed the Pesantry of other Countrys sometimes arrive at great honours in Church and State the famous King Ericus furnamed the Saint is said to have been a Country-mans son The Swedes as all other Nations were for a long time governed only by the laws of nature the confus'd edicts of their Kings Decrees of the States and Responses of the wise till about the year 1251 Bergerus Jerl compiled a body of Laws and Constitutions for the Kingdom collected out of the former These before the invention of Paper were engraven upon large wooden Posts thereby after the manner of the Romans and Athenians to be promulgated to the people They were commonly very short and general as designing the decision of particular cases to the publick Magistrates Besides these they had upon any emergent difficulties other ancient Laws which they called Recessus Regni and other ancient Statutes of the Kingdom by which only great controversies were decided At present the Courts of Justice are more regular and for the speedier execution of it there are in the whole Kingdom five supream Courts of Judicature 1. The Kings Chamber which is divided into three ranks or degrees 1. Supream in which all Cases twixt Senator and Senator brought thither by Appeal are decided 2. The Middle in which are determined actions of Treason and all others betwixt Noblemen Lagmen and publick Officers 3. The lowest where ordinary Trials are decided whether Civil or Criminal where it is judged whether the procedure in Inferiour Courts in actions brought thence by Appeal has been Legal or not From this Court there lies no
of Sweden is and for many years has been absolute Monarch over both Kingdoms A Catalogue of their Kings is given by Jo. Magnus Grotius upon Procopius Crantzius Loccenius Their Kings Swedish and Gothish Wolf Lazius and other Authors whom we shall follow setting down what we find most remarkable and agreed upon concerning them They are commonly divided into foreign and domestic or internal and external Kings who exercised their authority sometimes in Gothland and Swedland sometimes in Scythia Italy Spain and other places which they subdued Wolfgang Lazius is of opinion that those Kings which were made in Forreign Countries as not only in Thracia Maesia c. but even in Scythia before the time of the Trojan war did not only rule over their own particular Colonies but had the whole Kingdom of Swedland subject to them which seems to be contrary to what we have alledged out of Locc and other approv'd Authors for if the Swedes were subject to them in Thracia c. upon what authority did they publish Laws for the recalling them thence and if those were Lords and Masters of Sweden upon what account could they be justly disinherited for not returning thither and it is further said that when Theodoricus was King of the Goths in Italy one Radolphus King of Swedland with many of his Subjects went to visit him which shews that even then when the Gothish Nation was most potent abroad the Swedes had a distinct King of their own and exempt from their Jurisdiction Johannes Magnus by what authority I know not Loccenius himself in a matter so obscure not venturing to be positive deduces the Original both of this Nation and Monarchy of the Swedes from 1. Magog Grand-child to Noah by Japhet whom he makes to be their first King and Founder 2. After him is said to have succeeded Swenno his eldest son who as the same Author says first of all gave name to the Swedes or Swenons 3. Gether or Gogus who founded the Getish or as afterward named the Gothish Nation 4. Vbbo brother to Swenno Anno a Dil. 246 who is said to have built Vpsal 5. Siggo who to defend his Territories against the Finlanders built the City Sigtuna near the Lake Meller 6. Ericus Anno a Dil. 357 he so prudently managed and so far extended his Kingdom that by many Historians amongst which Loccenius is one he is reckoned as the first King of the Swedes and Goths how descended is somewhat uncertain but by some said to have been a poor mans son and advanced to the Throne by the voices of the people In his Reign several men vagabonds such as would not conform to his Laws and Government were sent out into Schonen and the Cimbrick Islands He lived to a great age and died peaceably After the death of Ericus An. Mundi 2014 according to the Swedish Chronicles the state of this Kingdom was much disturb'd by civil commotions and the succession in the Throne for some time interrupted The next names are 7. Vddo 8. Alo. 9. Othenus 10. Charles I. 11. Biorno and Getharus All which ruled both in Gothia and their own Country Suecia 12. Gylfo who is said to be descended from one Ferinoto King of Finland 13. After Gulfo the Kingdom is said to have been govern'd by Judges for sometime till Othinus or Odinus who came out of Asia into the Northern parts and settling at Vpsal by his Magick and Sorceries gain'd so much favour amongst the people that they elected him King and after he was dead esteem'd him as one of their principal Gods He was as I may say the Numa Pompilius of the Swedes being the first that established any set worship and sacred solemnities amongst them that gave Laws and ordain'd Officers both to execute justice in his Kingdom and take care of all Religious matters the chief of which were twelve of a Senatorian order call'd Driar or Drotnar whence Drotset the name now in use to denote their Viceroy seems to come This he did as he pretended by the advice or at the command of the Gods with whom he kept great familiarity and correspondence 14. Niordus or Nearchus a famous Magician 15. Freius Froerus or Frotho surnam'd the Peaceable the first that took upon him the name of Drott or King He is said to have given the patrimony of Vpsal call'd Vpsala Oedom which belongs to the Crown and which the King takes an oath not to alienate or embezle 16. Odder and Freia or Frigga his wife who with her husband rul'd peaceably and was reputed a Goddess after her death 17. Fiolmus a sottish and negligent Prince who neither regarded his own nor the peoples welfare Being invited to banquet by Fretho King of Denmark and made drunk with strong Liquors he was accidently drown'd in a Vessel of Mead. 18. Sueigder of whom the Norwegian Chronicles mention many fabulous Stories and Diabolical Enchantments 19. Walander or Wanlander who made an inrode into Schonen and Hallandia and conquer'd them or rather regain'd them out of the hands of one Ostarus who had possess'd himself of those parts In his time the Russes are said to have imploy'd one Retho a famous Pirate to infest the Swedes who lay upon their coasts and did very much injury to them hence Retheran signifies in the Swedish Language to commit rapine Against this Pirat the King levied all the forces he could but withal distrusting their power desired assistance of the Devil promising him his body and soul upon condition he might obtain a victory over him which he is said to have done and the Devil shortly after according to compact to have come and fetch'd away his bargain 20. Wisbur 21. Domalder who with many of his Nobles was sacrific'd to their God Odinus or Woden 22. Domarus 23. Vignerus in the Norwegian Chronicles call'd Dygue the first that took upon him the name Konung or King 24. Ingemarus or Agnus as some report murther'd by his wife 25. Humelus or Humblus whose eldest son Dan was the first King of the Danes and gve name to that Nation 26. Sigtrugus who defeated Gramus King of Denmark in battel 27. Suibdagerus first of all King of Norway next of Denmark and afterwards of Sweden the first Forrainer after Odinus that obtain'd the Swedish Kingdom 28. Asmundus 29. Vffo Both which waged a long and bloody war with Hadingus King of Denmark 30. Hunningus or Hundingus who concluded a peace with Hadingus and lov'd him so entirely that hearing a false report of his death he made a funeral Banquet as was the custom in honour and remembrance of him invited his Nobles to it and as not willing to survive his friend before them all drown'd himself in a Vessel of Metheglin which Hadingus hearing and being resolv'd that affection should not seem cold on his part for very grief hang'd himself 31. Regnerus a good and peaceable King 32. Hothebrodus who took up arms against Helgo King of Denmark because he in disgrace of
the Swedish Nation had made a law amongst his subjects that if any of them kill'd or injur'd a Swede he should pay only half the mulct which was to be pay'd if he had done the like to any other person whatsoever 33. Atislus a warlike and magnificent King 34. Hotherus who waged war with the Danes and Russes and died of a wound he received in battel 35. Rodericus King of Denmark and Swedland at the same time but either leaving or loosing the former he retir'd into the latter and there ended his days 36. Attilus who kill'd Wermundus King of Denmark in single Duel and was himself afterwards slain by Wermundus's two sons After this Kings time the succession for about 600 years was much interrupted who enjoy'd the Kingdom is uncertain Botvildus Charles II Ericus II and six more are mention'd but little more known of them then their names He whom Historians first pitch upon to have certainly succeeded was 46. Alricus who challenging Gestiblindus King of the Goths to Duel thereby lost both his life and Kingdom 47. Ericus III surnamed the Wise and by some the Eloquent a happy and peaceable Prince He reign'd according to Johannes Magnus's computation about four and thirty years before our Saviours Birth A Catalogue of the Gothish Kings who reigned shortly after their Transmigration out of Scandia while they dwelt about the Palus Maeotis near the time of the Trojan War collected out of Wolf Lazius upon whose credit you are to take them 1. Telephus well known for his exploits in the Trojan War 2. Bericus or Beger 3. Filimar 4. Frogradus 5. Aringis 6. Eurypilus 7. Tamyris 8. Antriregus After this succession of Kings in Scythia Europea the Goths either weary of that Country or driven out of it by some of their potent Neighbours are said by the same Author though I find not his opinion seconded by any Swedish writer to have returned into Gothia and particularly to have pitch'd upon the Isle Gotland as the fittest seat for their Kings a long series of whom might seem not very necessary to be set down being for the most part the same with the Swedish Kings before mention'd 48. Haldanus in whose reign the Hunns overrun Gothia and the greatest part of the Kings dominions built Hunnaberg an ancient City in Ostro-Gothia and after some continuance in the Country were by this King at last utterly expell'd 49. Sivardus or Sigvardus in whose time commotions arising in the Kingdom the Goths elected a separate King of their own nam'd Carolus whom some make to be 50. Charles III. 51. Ericus IV. slain by Haldanus King of Denmark 52. Haldanus who got the Kingdom by his valour Of this King are reported several prodigious Stories as of his Gigantick stature his pulling up Trees by the roots and such like not inferiour to those which Poets relate of Hercules and the Giants 53. Vngvinus who to his own Kingdom united Gothia for a long time govern'd by distinct Kings 54. Ragvaldus or Regnaldus 55. Amundus 56. Haquinus in whose reign the Goths elected one Sivardo King of Gothia 57. Ostenus I. who entertain'd an implacable hatred against the Norwegians sent a great Army against them subdued their Country made the Inhabitants Tributary to the Swedish Crown and as an opprobrium to the Nation set a Dog to be chief Governour over them to which they were to pay all subjection and swear allegiance under the penalty of losing one hand and one foot this is mention'd both in the Swedish and Norwegian Chronicles 58. Alverus or Alaricus elected says Krantzius out of the Nobles and in the midst of his happy Reign stabb'd by his Brother Ericus who was impatient to obtain the Crown which he thought he might procure after his death but vainly for the Government was conferr'd on 59. Ingo I. eldest son to Alverus He was the first that order'd the election of Kings to be held at Moresten near Vpsal of the manner of which see what was said in Suecia About this time the Kingdom was governed by Judges the next King is 60. Ingellus I. kill'd by his Brother 61. Germunder in a war against Denmark taken Prisoner and hung up upon a Gibbet 62. Haquinus 63. Egellus after whose time succeeded several Kings Johannes Magnus reckons twenty concerning whom nothing very remarkable is set down by Historians The next great Epocha is counted from the reign of 84. Bero or Biorno III. the first Christian King in Sweden converted to Christianity by one Herebretus at his request sent to him by Charles the Great Emperor of Germany 85. Brautamundus or Amundus in some civil commotions in his Kingdom kill'd by his brother and Successor 86. Sivardus II. who in his expeditions against Norway was with the greatest part of his Army overcome in battel the enemies Forces mostly consisting of Women 87. Herotus or Haraldus 'twixt whom and the King of Denmark a war broke out concerning the Province of Schonen which this King at last freely granted to the King of Denmark as a reward of his signal prudence and valour 89. Charles VI. 90. Biorno IV. 91. Ingellus II. in whose time Helsingia and several other Provinces in Suecia had their distinct Governours these he under colour of friendship invited to a Banquet and when he had made them drunk with strong Liquors he caus'd a fire to be set on the place where they were and so destroy'd them all and seiz'd on their possessions To revenge this cruelty Gramus Duke of Sudermannia and Hauno Duke of Ostro-Gothia rais'd Forces and came against him but with no good success at last for under pretence of a Parley they were taken Prisoners and at Ingellus's command burnt to death 92. Olaus from his commanding many thick woods to be cut down surnam'd Tratelia or Tree-Feller He is said by some to have embrac'd Christianity at the perswasion of Ansgarius a Learned Bishop sent into Sweden by Lewis II. Emperor of Germany But though he himself perhaps did favour Christian Religion it got small footing amongst his Subjects for Paganism is said for a long time to have prevail'd in the Reigns of the succeeding Princes 93. Ingo II. 94. Ericus VI. surnam'd Windy-Cap who is said to have had a Cap by holding up of which he could cause the wind to blow from what Point he pleas'd for which and such like magical exploits he by the consent of the people was elected King 95. Ericus VII surnam'd Victorious 96. Ericus VIII surnam'd Aarsel i.e. Rich in Corn. He is said to have countenanc'd Christianity which had been from the time of Bero 'till his reign very much suppress'd and endeavouring by Law to establish it in his Kingdom to have been by the fury of his Subjects torn in pieces and martyr'd for his good intentions toward them 97. Olaus surnam'd Scotkonung i.e. Infant-King because advanc'd to the Crown when young He embrac'd Christianity and sent to Ethelred King of England to furnish him with able Ministers
to teach him and his Subjects in that Religion Ethelred accordingly order'd Sigfridus Arch-bishop of York and with him two Priests Eschillas and Davidus to go into Sweden where the King kindly receiv'd them was by them baptiz'd and at their intreaty built Christian Churches in most Provinces of his Dominions and as some say by reason of his great constancy and zeal in his Religion had the name of Christianissimus given him He among several good Laws and Constitutions order'd that the chief power of electing the Kings of Sweden should not belong to the Goths in any case but principally to the Swedes and that they before call'd Kings of Vpsal should be thenceforth stil'd Kings of Swedland and Gothland This King suppress'd Duelling and the Runick Characters introduc'd the trial by Fire Ordeal and dyed in a happy old age 98. Anundus nick-named Carbonarius because he order'd that whosoever offended against the Laws which he had promulgated should in proportion to the crime either have all his house or part of it burnt down He was educated in the Christian Religion by the care of his father Olaus which in his reign he defended and dyed peaceably 99. Enundus base-son to Olaus and brother to Anundus surnam'd Gammel i. e. base from his contempt of Religion or as some are of opinion because he yeilded up to the Crown of Denmark Schonen Blekingia and Hallandia which belong'd to him as being part of the Kingdom of Gothia 100. Haquinus III. surnam'd Rufus 101. Stenchillus II. bred up in the Christian Religion which he very much encouraged amongst his subjects making his Palace a sanctuary for any that were persecuted in any parts of his dominions for that profession 102. Ingo III. Not descended from the Blood-Royal but for his singular virtues elected King by the voices of the people He is said to have been so exact an observer of his own Laws that he never offended against any of them 103. Halstanus a just and peaceable Prince 104. Philippus 105. Ingo IV. in his progress through his dominions by some of his Courtiers poison'd at a small Village in Ostro-Gothia 106. Ragvaldus surnam'd Knaphofde i. e. cock-brain'd elected by the Swedes without the consent of the Goths which they not enduring as thinking it a breach of their priviledges rebell'd against him and in battel slew him For one to succeed him both Nations pitch'd upon 107. Suercherus II who as he was going to Church on Christmas day was by a Ruffian employ'd by one Scatelerus who hop'd to obtain the Crown after his death miserably assassinated Gothick Kings out of their own Country who reign'd over the Goths while they inhabited about the River Vistula or Weissel and also in Dacia and Thracia near that time when according to some Authors they divided themselves into Ostro and Westro-Goths 1. Anthinus 2. Antheas 3. Gothilas a Famous Queen whose Daughter Medumpa was married to Philip King of Macedonia 4. Sitalcus elected King An. ante Christum 300. He with an army of 150000 men lay'd wast all the Country of Greece 5. Dromgethes 6. Tanobonta 7. Boroista cotemporary with Sylla the Roman Dictator who lived An. ante nat Christ 76. 8. Commositus both King and Priest 9. Corillus under whose conduct the Goths says Lazius first of all invaded Dacia 10. Dorpaneus co-temporary with Domitian the Roman Emperor An. Christ 83. 11. Decebalus 12. Ostrogotha 13. Cinna or Omba 14. Cannabas or Canabandes 15. Hildericus surnam'd Ovida who liv'd in the time of Constantine the Great 16. Gebeticus 17. Armanaricus who was says Damasc suppl Eutrop. overcome by the Hunns and made Tributary to them 18. Vinnitarius 19. Hunimundus 20. Totismundus 21. Alaricus and Fridigernus who as Lazius mentions reign'd at the same time in Thracia they defeated the Roman Forces sent against them commanded by Valens the Emperor whom they put to flight and apprehending him in a small Cottage whither he had fled to hide himself burnt him to death 23. Theomarus who conquer'd Maesia 24. Radagaisus who to Maesia added a great part of Pannonia An. Christ 390. 25. Alvaricus a Potent King 26. Alaricus II. who subdued all Illyricum and extended his Arms as far as Italy Arcadius and Honorius sons to Theodosius the Emperor either for some private ends wishing the success or not being able to withstand the power of his Forces and thereupon not timely preventing his designs he sack'd Rome subdued Naples and overran the greatest part of that Country But at last the Goths were by Stilico General of the Roman Army driven out of Italy and after their departure thence they are said to have sate down in France The Ostro-Gothish Kings who ruled in Italy according to Wolf Lazius 1. Alaricus I. 2. Theodericus whom Leo or as Scalig. Zeno the Emperor made his adopted son he expell'd the Heruli out of Italy and wholly subjected it to the power of the Goths he had one daughter nam'd Amalasuentha 3. Theodatus or as Jornandes has it Eutharicus call'd out of France by the Italick Goths to be their King 4. Alaricus II though he was the first of that name who setled in Italy 5. Alaricus III. 6. Athalaricus who had one only Daughter whom he married to Vittigis who maintain'd a war against Justinian the Emperor for about fourteen years and defended himself bravely against the Roman Power 7. Illovadus he was kill'd in battel by Narses the Roman General 8. Alaricus IV. who reigned only five months 9. Totylas or Odilo 10. Teias the last Gothish King in Italy who himself was kill'd by the Romans and his people almost all rooted out and destroyed by them some few only remaining who mixing and incorporating with the Italians at present pass for the same Nation with them Westro or Wiso-Gothick Kings who reign'd in Gallia Lugdunensis and Aquitanica 1. Alaricus I. who as was said conducted the Gothick people into those parts An. Salut 411. 2. Austulphus son to Alaricus 3. Theodericus kill'd by Attyla King of the Hunns 4. Turismundus son to Theodericus who to revenge his fathers death waged war with the Hunns and overcame them 5. Dietmarus in whose time a great part of the Goths under the conduct of one Vallia went into Spain 6. Gundoccarus in the time of Theodosius junior After his reign the Goths in these parts grew inconsiderable as intermixing themselves with other people and not having a distinct King of their own but being subjected to many other Princes Besides these Gothish Kings which we have mentioned there were many other who ruled over the Wiso-Goths in Spain and the adjacent parts a Catalogue of whom we leave to be set down in Spain and Arragon and the Kingdoms where they reigned for the Goths in those parts blending with the Romani Alani Suevi Mauri Saraceni c. did not so much continue a distinct Nation of themselves as become a people incorporated with those of other Nations or these with the Goths so that they were ruled by
Forreign Princes and their manners modell'd by different Laws The second great Epocha in the Swedish Chronicles is from the reign of 108. Ericus IX surnam'd the Saint a virtuous and pious Prince He never lay'd any Taxes or Impositions upon his Subjects but was content with the Crown-Patrimony and when Money was offer'd him by his people he refus'd to accept it He built the Cathedral Church at Vpsal and propagated Christianity to the Finlanders This King new modell'd all the Swedish Laws and expung'd those that any way favour'd Paganism He was murther'd by a Party of Rebels and in the very place where they cut off his head there presently issued out says Loccen a spring of pure water famous for curing diseases 109. Charles VII a peaceable and religious King who founded several Monasteries and had an Arch-bishops see granted him in his own Dominions 110. Canutus son to Ericus 111. Suercherus II. 112. Ericus X a quiet and peaceable King 113. John I surnam'd the Meek He propagated the Christian Religion amongst the Leiflanders 114. Ericus XI surnamed the Stammerer He rooted out Paganism in Tavastia and brought over the Inhabitants to the Christian Faith 115. Waldemarus son to Bergerus Jerl who upon the death of Ericus in his Fathers absence was clected King which his Father being dissatisfied with at his return declaring his displeasure that an unexperienc'd youth his Son should be advanc'd to the Crown and himself disregarded he was thereupon desir'd to take upon him the management of all publick affairs After his death Waldemarus had absolute power in his Kingdom and ruled by his own unfortunate commands He was depos'd by his people and his Crown given to 116. Magnus I surnam'd Ladulaus i. e. the Lock to Granaries because he made such severe Laws against stealing Corn and breaking up Granaries that in his reign the people used neither Lock nor Key his Laws being sufficien to secure them from Thieves and Robber He built many Churches and made several wholsom Laws ordering that all Offenders instead of paying mulcts should be obliged to assist in building some Tower or Fort. 117. Birgerus son to Magnus in his time and by his means Carelia received the Gospel He manag'd affairs imprudently and thereupon was depos'd and banish'd by his Subjects and his Kingdom conferr'd on 118. Magnus II. surnam'd Smeek i. e. the flatter'd or cocker'd Prince In the former part of his reign he ruled peaceably and had the affections of his people but falling into sottishness and following strange women he lost the love of his Subjects and was in a Senate at Stockholm publickly arraign'd for his misdemeanors call'd for to answer for himself and not appearing in his own defence by them depos'd Ericus XII son to Magnus sometime during his Fathers reign manag'd all business of State and therefore he is by some reckon'd amongst the Kings of Sweden though without good reason for he was only an assistant to the King in Council not a Partner in the Government The fourth Swedish Epocha is reckon'd from the remarkable alteration of affairs under 119. Albertus of Mecklebourg elected by the Suffrages of the people For some time he rul'd well but preferring Germans to the chief places of trust in his Kingdom he thereupon lost the love of his Subjects and his Crown to boot After he was depos'd he retir'd into a Monastery The person who succeeded was 120. Margaretta Queen of Denmark and Norway She vex'd her Subjects with intolerable Taxes admitted Danes English-men and Italians into publick Offices and was thereupon assaulted by the Nobles of the Kingdom who had certainly slain her had she not given them fair promises and propos'd to them one to succeed her viz. 121. Ericus XIII her Nephew son to Wartislavus Duke of Pomeren He was King of Denmark Norway and Sweden at the same time He marryed Philippa Daughter to Henry IV. then King of England for some time he reigned happily but breaking the Laws of the Kingdom and not observing his Coronation-Oath he fell into great troubles and at last after he had enjoy'd three Crowns for five and forty years was dethron'd by his Subjects this King after he was depos'd is said to have turn'd Pirat and very much infested the Brittish Coasts his Kingdoms of Denmark and Sweden were given to 122. Christophorus Duke of Bavaria This King revis'd and corrected the municipal Laws of Sweden and caus'd them to be promulgated from him call'd Christopher's Laws He dyed suddenly at Helsinburg as he was going to consult with his Nobles at Jenecopia After this Kings death there was an Interregnum for some small time during which all publick business was manag'd by one Benedictus Bielke and Nicolaus Baner two Principal Officers of State in the time of King Christophorus The fifth Epocha is reckon'd from the ending of the Interregnum which was when the Government was undertaken by 123. Carolus VIII Canuti Marshal of the Kingdom who was descended from the Stock of the ancient Gothish Kings As soon as he was setled in the Throne he pretended Title to Gotlandia which the Danes then possess'd and thereupon made war with Christianus I King of Denmark but with small success He lay'd upon his Subjects heavy and grievous Taxes and attempting to take away Church Lands and pious Donations lost the favour of his Subjects and was by them expell'd or rather by the Danish forces driven out of his Dominions His friend whom he in his Banishment trusted himself with was Casimirus King of Poland who entertain'd him nobly for seven years during which time Sweden was govern'd by 124. Christiernus I. King of Denmark call'd hither by the prevailing Faction but seizing the publick Treasure of the Kingdom and committing many cruelties he was shortly after deposed from being King and 125. Carolus Canuti recall'd from Dantzick and restor'd to the Throne but being troubled with civil Commotions at home chiefly manag'd by the Arch-bishop of Vpsal and endanger'd by the Danish Forces from abroad commanded by the depos'd King Christiernus I. he voluntarily left the Government of the Kingdom and appointed for his Successor his Nephew 126. Steno Sture Senior who was receiv'd by the Senate at Stockholm rather as a Protector then an absolute Governour of the Kingdom he manag'd all publick affairs very happily and with great satisfaction to the people for a long time till in the year 1491 at which time he was accus'd by the Senate for acting in several matters without their knowledg and advice for making a League with the Inhabitants of Riga against the Teutonick Order of which the Russes taking advantage had made some inrodes into Livonia and Finland and such-like Crimes and thereupon by them turn'd out of all office the Kingdom was conferr'd on 127. John II. son to Christiern I. King of Denmark He took Steno Sture into favour and going as was then the custom to visit his dominions left him Vice-roy at Stockholm to manage all the affairs of
state during his absence Steno got into the Office endeavours nothing more then to lessen his Masters and to advance his own credit and interest with the people and thereupon calumniates him as a publick Enemy to the Nation seizes upon those Castles and Forts which the King had Officer'd with Danes besieges Stockholm gains the City presently the Castle in which the Queen had secur'd her self after two years siege and not long after the command of the whole Kingdom Upon these disorders in Sweden the King shelters himself in Denmark thence sends a Messenger to Steno Sture desiring him to send his Queen Christina to him whom he courteously attending to the Borders of Denmark dyed suddenly at Jenecopia a City in Smalandia being as was suppos'd poison'd by some of the Queens friends The Kingdom was dispos'd of by the Nobles and given to or rather as Johannes Magnus relates forcibly obtain'd by 128. Suanto Sture son to one Nicolaus Grand Marshal of Sweden He was Administrator or Protector of the Kingdom not absolute King He took Colmar then possess'd by the Danes and maintain'd a bloody war against John II. of Denmark the exil'd King of Sweden A Treaty of peace being agreed on to be held at Colmar he refus'd to be present and was thereupon by Maximilian the Emperor of Germany and John of Denmark declared an Enemy to the publick and a disturber of the peace and as such he and all his accomplices were by all good men to be deem'd and their possessions to be confiscated Suanto not valuing all their protestations against him declares against their proceedings and striking a League with the Lubechers which they afterwards broke puts himself in a posture of defence in the prosecution of the war he dyed at Arhusia after he had govern'd very happily for eight years the next who succeeded him was his son 129. Steno Sture Junior Protector of the Kingdom Upon some grievous quarrels and animosities breaking out 'twixt this King and Gustavus Trolle who afterwards enjoy'd the Crown the Kingdom was miserably shatter'd and opportunity given to Christiern II. son to John II. King of Denmark to make an Invasion into it Steno to defend himself raises an Army goes against him and near the Lake Wener loses his life in battel The Kingdom was by the Nobles under certain conditions as of having their Laws and Religion protected c. given to 130. Christiern II. King of Denmark who having obtain'd the Diadem meditated nothing more then revenge and cruelty and committed so many Massacres and Acts of hostility upon his Subjects that he may seem not much inferiour in tyranny to Nero himself He under pretence of friendship and deciding the troubles of the Kingdom invited all his Nobles to a royal banquet and after having treated them splendidly for two whole days at last pretending the disturb'd state of the Kingdom requir'd that they should be taken out of the way and that the Popes Bull which he caus'd publickly to be read before them gave him authority to do it murther'd them casting their dead bodies out into the streets where they lay for three days to be torn by Dogs and trod upon by the Souldiers The body of Steno Sture which had layn some time in the ground he caus'd to be dug up and given to the Dogs to devour with such-like unheard of Cruelties which made him hated amongst his Swedish Subjects and not secure while he liv'd among them Hereupon he retir'd or rather fled into Denmark and the whole management of Swedish affairs was undertaken by 131. Gustavus I. Nephew to Steno Sture by his brother Ericus whom Christiern had put to death He when young was taken by Christiern and carried prisoner into Denmark whence miraculously escaping he came into Sweden put himself in the head of the dissenting party manag'd several engagements against the Tyrant very successfully and was at last seemingly much against his will crown'd King This King was the first who made the Kingdom of Sweden Hereditary the Nobles and Commons in consideration of the great service he had done the Nation freely giving up their ancient right of electing and establishing the Crown upon him and his heirs for ever He was the first that encourag'd and propagated the Lutheran Confession in Sweden and made a League with the Reform'd Princes of Germany to defend it against all Opposers He protested against Christianus III. King of Denmark who alledg'd some pretentions to the Arms three Crowns Or of Sweden made a peace with the Russes and after he had reign'd happily for nine and thirty years dyed in a quiet and peaceable old-age his Diadem according to the right of inheritance was conferr'd on the head of 132. Ericus XIV his Eldest son As soon as or before he was well settled in the Throne the first thing he propos'd to the Senate was to consult about a marriage with Elizabeth Queen of England He concluded a peace with the Danes which they not observing on their part he made war against them invaded Norway and committing some cruelties upon the Norwegian Noblemen thereupon quite lost the favour of his own Subjects and was by them under the command of his rebellious Brothers notwithstanding their oath of Allegiance treacherously betrayed thrust from his Throne and shut up in Prison where after nine years confinement he died miserably During his imprisonment when he perceiv'd what way affairs would go and to whom the Kingdom after his death according to justice be transferr'd he is said to have writ under his Escutcheon these words Translatum est regnum factum est fratris mei a Domino constitutum est ei which so happen'd for the Diadem in right descended upon 133. John III. brother to Ericus He as soon as invested with his Royal Robes endeavours to lay a Foundation for a quiet reign and thereupon concludes a peace with the Muscovite the Pole and the Dane his three potent Neighbours This King is said to have endeavour'd to introduce the Religion of the church of Rome into his Dominions and labour'd to perswade his Brother Charles to embrace that Profession but with small success In the latter part of his Reign he was victorious in war and saw his son Sigismund crown'd King of Poland He died not without suspicion of being poison'd After his death his Brother Charles Duke of Sudermannia for some time manag'd all publick affairs 'till his Nephew to whom according to the right of succession the Crown did belong could conveniently come out of Poland to receive it 134. Sigismund son to John III. He was educated in the Religion of the church of Rome Hereupon the States of Sweden fearing lest he being admitted King might reestablish Popery amongst them before his Coronation propos'd to him an Oath not to alter any thing in their Religion reform'd according to Luther but to allow his Subjects the free exercise of that profession This Oath he endeavour'd at first to evade but being
advised by the Popes Legat and some Jesuits that an Oath taken by him with Heretics was not obligatory or if he scrupled that that a Dispensation for the breach of it was easily attainable from the Pope at last solemnly took it and promising the States faithfully to observe all the conditions of it he left Sweden and return'd into Poland During his absence all affairs of the Kingdom were managed by Duke Charles his Uncle who for some small time executed the Office of Vice-Roy very quietly and to the great satisfaction of the Kings subjects but some differences arising about Religion the Papists Jesuits especially to whom free exercise of their Worship had been granted growing powerful and thereupon behaving themselves insolently towards the Lutherans the businesses of State became troubled and the determination of controversies and removal of jealousies out of the peoples hearts a very difficult matter Hereupon Sigismund is sent for out of Poland but both delaying to come into Sweden and to send Orders to his Uncle An. Ch. that Popish Delinquents as they were represented to him should according to Law be proceeded against as enemies to the State and that other such-like grievances should be redress'd he so lost his interest with his Swedish Subjects that when at last he came amongst them they opposed him as a public enemy made war against him and overcame him in Battel After he was defeated he return'd to Poland and his Crown of Sweden was by the States set upon the head of his Uncle 135. Charles IX Duke of Sudermannia and brother to John III. He maintain'd the Augustan Confession during his whole Reign carryed on a bloody war against his Nephew Sigismund and Christianus IV. King of Denmark whom he challeng'd to a Duel and after he had reigned eleven years dyed at Nycopia in his return from opposing the Danes The Government after his death according to the right of Inheritance descended upon his eldest son 136. Gustavus Adolphus II. surnamed the Great This King in the beginning of his Reign prosecuted the war with Denmark which his father was engaged in at his death but intending to turn the whole forces of his Kingdom against his Cousin Sigismund K. of Poland he within a short time concluded a peace both with the Dane and Muscovite this done he invaded Livonia took several places of great importance in that and other Provinces which belong'd to the Pole and at last making a Truce with his Cousin for six years he return'd into Sweden During the war with Poland Ferdinand II. Emperor of Germany had done him as he alledged very many injuries as his sending assistance to the Pole into Borussia under the command of Arnhemius his not admitting the Swedish Delegates to a Treaty of Peace at Lubeck but charging them to depart the Empire c. whereupon he invaded the Imperial dominions took several strong Cities and after he had over-run a great part of the Empire was kill'd in battel near Leipsick He was succeeded by 137. Christina his only daughter who being then but seven years old the affairs of the Kingdom were order'd by her Guardians till she came to the eighteenth year of her age at which time she took the Government upon her self made a Peace with the Emperor and the King of Denmark and at last either weary of ruling so potent a Kingdom or thinking the care of it too great a burthen for her to undergo voluntarily laid down the Crown and commended it to 138. Charles Gustavus X. A Noble and Victorious Prince He maintain'd war against the Pole the Muscovite and the Dane As he was returning from Gottenburg upon the confines of Denmark to Stockholm he dyed of a Feaver and his Kingdom according to right of succession descended upon 139. Charles XI his son then four years of age During his Minority the Kingdom was govern'd by his Guardians but coming to full age he took upon himself the management of all publick affairs and is now reigning A. D. 1680. Aged twenty-four years A warlike and virtuous Prince Of the Great PRINCIPALITY OF FINLAND BEyond the Bothnic Bay lies the Great Principality of Finland Finland call'd by the Natives Somi or Soma from the great number of Lakes that are in it Soma signifying a Lake but by the Swedes first and after them by all strangers call'd Finland q. Fine-land from the pleasantness of the Country or as others say q. Fiende-land i.e. the Land of Fiends or Enemies the Finlanders using for a long time before they were under the Swedish power to make frequent incursions into that Kingdom and very much injure and molest its inhabitants It is bounded on the East with the Sinus Finnicus and the Lake Ladoga on the West with the Bothnic Bay on the North with part of Lapland and on the South with part of the Finnic and Baltic Seas It is divided into these seven Provinces Its Provinces 1. Southern-Finland 2. Northern-Finland 3. Cajania 4. Savolaxia 5. Tavastia 6. Nylandia And 7. Carelia 1. Southern Finland Southern Finland parted from the Northern by the River Aujaroki which waters the Episcopal City Abo. It extends it self all along the Finnic Bay Eastward having on the North and North-East the Provinces of Tavastia and Nylandia In it are besides several little Towns two remarkable Forts viz. Gusto in the Western and Raseberg to which belongs a Dynasty or Principality in the Eastern part of it 2. Northern Finland Northern Finland running along the East-side of the Bothnic Bay towards the North. It is indifferently large in circumference taking in both the Satagunda's with Viemo and Masco Water'd it is by one only River call'd Cumo-elff famous for its abundance of Salmon and other sorts of Fish which falls into the Sea near the City Biorneborgh Towns of note here are Raumo Nystadh and Nadhendal to these Sanson adds Castelholm in the Island Alandia 3. Cajania Cajania or Ost-Bothnia as some call it in opposition to West-Bothnia which lyes over against it on the West side of the Bothnic Bay In it are many large Rivers the chief of which are Kimi-elff which emptieth it self into the Bothnic Bay at the most Northern Cape of it and parts this Province from West-Bothnia Iio-elff and Vla-elff Cities here are 1. Vlam or Vlo 2. Vasa or Wassam Cal to which may be added the Forts Cajaneburg and Vlaburg 4. Savolaxia Savolaxia which is bounded on the East with the Lake Ladoga on the West with a a ridge of Mountains which part it from Carelia on the North with part of Muscovitic Lapland and on the South with Tavastia and Carelia This Province abounds much with Lakes and Rivers most of which disburthen themselves into the Lake Ladoga The Rivers afford Fish Pike especially in great abundance and the Lakes besides the great quantity of Fish they breed supply the inhabitants with Sea-Calfs not met with in any other Scandian Lakes Here is one remarkable Fort
King of Denmark was called Dan who reigned before the birth of Christ From him Denmark had its name But the stories they tell us of this King like all their ancient histories are so incoherent and incredible that little trust can be given to this etymology Others ridiculously derive the names of Danes and Danemark from Dan the son of Jacob. Some from the Graecian Danai Hadrianus Junius a learned Historian but not too happy in etymologies would have the Danes so called from the abundance of Fir-trees which grow in their Country not considering that a Fir-tree has not the same name Dannen or Tannen-baum in Denmark as in Germany for the Danes as well as the English call it a Firtre or Firtrae Pontanus sleghting all the conjectures of other Authors thinks he gives us a sufficient account of the original of the words Dani and Dania when he tells us That these people are the Danciones or Dansciones as the learned Mr. Cambden reads the word instead of Dausiones in the vulgar Copies mentioned by Ptolomey But this determination is not at all satisfactory for the question is not how long but whence the Danes have had their name For my own part I dare not assent to any of the derivations yet given but had rather guess that the Danes or Dansche took their name from the great opinion they had of their own uprightness and integrity For Danneman is a word ordinarily used among them to this day to denote an honest and good man Thus the Germans use the phrase ein Teutschhertziger mensch to signifie a true Dutch hearted fellow And we may observe that it was the constant custom of all the Northern Nations to give themselves names from their piety as well as prowess Thus the people who stiled themselves Germans War-men in the field were Teutschen or Godly at home and the Cimbri or Camp-fighters in time of war were Gottisch pious and religious as soon as they laid down their weapons The ancient inhabitants of Denmark were the Cimbri and Getae Ancient Inhabitants of both which we shall discourse at large in the description of Jutland Concerning the Goths something hath been said in the description of Sweden and more may be expected in the treatise of the Cimbric Islands The Kingdom consists of 1. Jutland Division and Situation which is a Peninsula washed on either side by the German and Baltic Seas and bounded on the South with some parts of the nether Saxony 2. Zeeland Funen with some more Islands of less note To these may be added 3. Schonen and Halland which formerly did belong to this Kingdom but in the year 1658 by a Ratification of Peace concluded at Roschild between Frederic III. King of Denmark and Charles X. King of Sweden were wholly annex'd to the Crown of Swedeland and by another Ratification held at Copenhagen 1660 confirm'd to it The Air is not so cold as in some places of Germany which ly much more to the South Air. nor so hot in Summer This temperature proceeds chiefly from the adjoining Sea which as in England fans the inhabitants in Summer and keeps them warm in Winter Sometimes indeed the Baltic Sea is frozen up as it happ'ned in the year 1659 when the King of Sweden march'd his army out of Jutland into Zeeland over the Ice and then Charcoal and Turf which is their only fuel stand their friends The Land naturally barren Soil and abounding with little but Woods and Mountains is by the late care and industry of the inhabitants made very fruitful Funen furnishes many foreign parts with Barley and Zeeland's greatest trade lyes in transporting of Corn and Hay Schonen is full of pleasant Meadows whence some Authors think it had its name for Schone signifies fair The rich pastures in Denmark afford such multitudes of Kine Cattel that according to Oldenburgh's relation some years forty thousand others an hundred thousand Cows and Oxen are hence transported into the Low Countries which must needs exceedingly enrich the Kingdom They have also good breeds of Horses but not in such numbers that they can afford to send any into other Nations Helmoldus tells us Fish that in his time the great riches of the Danes consisted in Fish And Saxo Grammaticus says the Sea-coasts round Zeeland and other parts of the Danish Kingdom are so stock'd with shoals of Herrings and other Fish that you may not only take them up with your hand without the help of any Net Line or Hook but that they hinder the passage of Ships and Boats Certain it is however strange and incredible Saxo's story may appear Herrings swim usually in infinite numbers and no part of the Seas were anciently better stock'd with this kind of Fish then the coasts of Denmark But of late years the Herring-trade has fail'd strangely here and those they do catch come far short of the English and Dutch Herrings in bulk and goodness I am unwilling to think with Oldenburgh this decay of the Fishing-trade in Denmark a judgment inflicted on the inhabitants since our Fishermen will tell us that some years the Herrings haunt the English shore sometimes the Dutch or French However tho the Herrings have forsaken them they have still plenty of other sorts of Fish as Plaise Whiting Cod c. which they dry and send abroad Pontanus to shew how well they are provided in this kind tells us this memorable story It happened not many years before the writing of his History of Denmark that several Ambassadors from most of the greatest Princes in Europe being met together at the Emperor of Germany's Court had some disputes about precedency Some of them asserted the dignity and power of their Masters from the riches of their Country in Gold and Silver others brag'd of the plenty of Corn Fruits c. when all had done the Danish Ambassador told them That should the richest Prince in Europe sell his Kingdom and with the price buy nothing else but wooden Platters the King his Master was able to fill them all with three sorts of fresh Fish Whereupon they unanimously declared the King of Denmark the happiest Prince in Christendom and placed his Ambassador next the King of France's who sat on the Emperors right hand Their Forrests are full of all sorts of Venison Forrests insomuch that every hunting season which commonly is in August there are above sixteen hundred Bucks brought in to the Kings Palaces besides an infinite number of Hares Conies Boars c. However the ancient Romans vilified and contemned all the Northern Nations Manners esteeming them a sort of barbarous dull and unactive people yet 't is manifest from the relations given by Lucius Florus and other Roman Historians who never cared for speaking too well of their enemies how stoutly the Cimbrians encounter'd the Roman Forces And 't is more then probable that the Galli Senones came out of this Country who forced their Infantry to take sanctuary or
1135. 18. Eric Emund a pious and good King succeeded his Uncle Nicolas and was barbarously murder'd by one Plag Sorte a Nobleman of Jutland in his own Palace in the year 1139. 19. Eric Lamb succeeded his Uncle Eric Emund He laid down his scepter and put himself into a Monastery at Odensee in Funen where he dyed in the year 1147. 20. Swain Gratenhede Eric Emund's son got the Crown upon the death of his Kinsman Eric Lamb. In this mans days there were three Kings of Denmark at the same time Some running after Cnute King Nicolas's Grandchild others following Waldemar son to Cnute Duke of Flanders After some skirmishes in which both Swain and Cnute were slain the whole Kingdom was rul'd by 21. Waldemar surnam'd the Great He was Lord of all the Countries on the North of the Elb and dyed in the year 1182 leaving the Kingdom to his son 22. Cnute He bravely maintain'd a war against the Emperor of Germany who would needs demand homage of the Kings of Denmark He dyed at Ringstede in the year 1202. 23. Waldemar II. Cnute's brother He new modell'd the Danish conquer'd Norway and set over it a Vice-Roy vanquish'd and put to flight the Emperor Otto who thought to have made himself Master of Holslein and having reign'd victoriously thirty-nine years dyed in the year 1241 Crantzius says 1242 24. Eric Plog-penning Waldemar's son He was taken at Sleswic and slain by his brother 25. Abel who reign'd wickedly two years and was then murder'd by his rebellious Subjects in the year 1252. 26. Christopher I. brother to Eric and Abel He lived in a continual war with his own people to whom rebellion was now grown natural Some of the Danish Chronicles say he was at last in the year 1259 poyson'd by Arnefast Bishop of Arhuse as the Emperor Henry the Seventh was afterwards by Bernardine the Monk with the Eucharist 27. Eric Glipping King Christopher's son who being seated in his fathers Throne gave himself up to all manner of lewdness and debauchery His whole life is nothing else but a Catalogue of his oppressions sacriledges murders and whoredoms After a long uninterrupted course of wickedness sleeping one night in a Barn at Findetorp a small Village in the Bishoprick of Wiberg he was murder'd with fifty-six some say seventy wounds given him by seven Ruffians hired to dispatch him by Andrew Stigot Marshal of Danemark whose wife he had ravish'd and some others of the Nobility in the year 1286. 28. Eric Menved Glipping's son He was as godly a Prince as his father was impious The murderers of his father had conspired his death but were prevented by Providence which protected him both from the lewd life and miserable death of his Ancestors So that he dyed as he had lived peaceably in the year 1319 and was buryed at Ringstad where his Epitaph is still to be seen as follows Ego Ericus quondam Daniae Rex regnans ann xxxij Rectus Justiciarius pauperum divitum ubi jus habuerunt Oro omnes quibus aliquid forefeci ut mihi per suam gratiam indulgeant orent pro anima mea Qui obii A. D. 1319. die beati Brixij Episcopi Confessoris 29. Christopher II. Menved's brother He trod in his fathers steps and ended his days like him He is reported to have been an unfortunate sluggish cruel and perfidious Prince an hater of the Nobility and hated by the Commonalty Had he had any sense of Religion policy or common honesty in him he might have been an happy Prince for never were the Danes more unwilling to rebel and take up arms against their King then in his days tho never more provok'd to it Having linger'd out a reign of about thirteen years he dyed at last forsaken of all neglected and unpity'd at Nicoping in the Isle of Falster in the year 1333. After this Kings death the Danes seem'd to be weary of a supreme Soveraign and resolv'd not to set any more over them They fancy'd 't was more eligible to have no King at all then such as they had the bad luck to meet with a Sot or a Tyrant But after fifteen years confusion they found it was better to have an akeing head then none at all Whereupon weary of their new Anarchy they resolv'd to establish in the Throne of his father 30. Waldemar III. King Christopher's son who recollected the scatter'd members of the Kingdom into one body and dismounted most of the Usurpers without any great bloodshed He is represented as a Prince of great subtilty avarice and boldness When Pope Gregory XI threatned to excommunicate him for his saucy behaviour and sleighting of the Apostolic See he is said to have return'd this answer Valdemarus Rex Daniae c. Romano Pontifici salutem vitam habemus a Deo regnum ab incolis divitias a parentibus fidem vero a tuis praedecessoribus quam si nobis non faves remittimus per praesentes Vale. i. e. Waldemar King of Denmark c. To the Bishop of Rome sendeth greeting We hold our life from God our Kingdom from our Subjects our Riches from our Parents and our Faith from thy Predecessors which if thou will not grant us any longer we do by these presents resign Farewel He dyed in the year 1375 and was buried by his father at Sora. 31. Margaret King Waldemar's daughter was upon the death of her father crown'd Queen of Denmark and manag'd the Scepter more discreetly then almost any of the Kings her Predecessors had done A womans government seem'd at first a little uncouth but her Subjects soon found a great deal of satisfaction in her prudent management of affairs at home and wise conduct abroad when in one Campagn she took Albert King of Sweden Rodulph Archbishop of Scharen the Duke of Mecklenburg and the Earls of Holstein and Reppin prisoners Her father was wont to say of her That Nature intended her for a man but spoil'd her in the making She dyed a great friend to Religion and Patroness of the Clergy and was buryed at Roschild in the year 1412 leaving the Kingdom to her Great-Nephew 32. Eric son of Vratislaw VII Duke of Pomeren Who having spent a great many years in tyranny rapine perjury oppression and whoredom was at last in the year 1438 forced to quit his Throne and fly from the fury of his incens'd Nobles into Gothland whither he carried with him a vast treasure and one Cecilia his Concubine who by her evil counsels and proud humours brought him to these extremities 33. Christopher Duke of Bavaria and Count Palatine of the Rhine another of King Waldemar's Great-Grandchildren succeeding Eric in the Kingdoms of Denmark Norway and Sweden His reign was short but prosperous especially against the Rebels in Jutland and the Hans Towns He dyed childless at Helsingburgh in the year 1447. The Danish Chronicles are full of his commendations but Johannes Gothus and other Swedish Historians will not by any means allow him so good a character
for many of them to be dubb'd Knights upon any considerable piece of service done their King or Country The Danes call their Knights Ridders i. e. Equites Riders and all their offspring have the title of Riddersmens men The most noble Order of Knighthood in Denmark Knights of the Elephant is that Of the Elephant Of which we cannot have a better account then is given us by the Learned Elias Ashmole Esquire Windsor Herald at Arms in his famous work of The Institution Laws and Ceremonies of the most Noble Order of the Garter p. 120. Observing saith he some difference among writers touching the Institution Collar and Ensign of this Order I was in doubt what to say till at length I haply met with better satisfaction from a Letter wrote in the year 1537 by Avo Bilde Bishop of Arhusen sometime Chancellor to John King of Denmark and Norway unto John Fris Chancellor to King Christian the third a copy whereof was communicated to me by Monsieur Cristoftle Lindenow Envoy from Christian the fifth now King of Denmark to his sacred Majesty the present Soveraign of the most Noble Order of the Garter This Letter informs him of the Institution and some other particulars relating to the Order to wit That King Christian the first being at Rome whither he had travel'd upon a religious account Pope Sixtus the fourth among other honours invested him with this Order in memory of the Passion of our Lord and Saviour and withall ordain'd that the dignity of Chief and Supreme should be continued as a successive right to the succeeding Kings of Denmark This King founded the magnificent Chappel of the three Kings in the Cathedral Church at Roschild four leagues from Copenhagen where the Knights were obliged to assemble upon the death of any of their fraternity He also admitted thereinto divers Kings Princes and Noblemen The chief Ensign of this Order was the figure of an Elephant on whose side within a rundle was represented a Crown of Thorns with three Nails all bloody in honour and memory of the Passion of our blessed Saviour The Knights were obliged to the performance of acts of Piety Alms-deeds and certain Ceremonies especially upon those days on which they wore the Ensigns of the Order But King John set so high a value upon it that he wore them on every solemn Festival He also advanc'd the honour of this Order to so great esteem that it became accepted by both our King Henry the eighth and James the fifth of Scotland his sisters son with whom the Ensigns thereof remain'd as a pledg and assurance of constant and perpetual friendship with these he likewise invested divers Ambassadors Senators and Noble Danes There is one Ivarus Nicholai Hertholm a learned Dane as I am inform'd who hath written a particular Treatise of the Elephantine Order but not yet printed The scope whereof is to shew that the before mentioned Epistle of the Bishop of Arhusen does not sufficiently make it appear that it received its first Institution when Christian the first had those many honours confer'd on him by Pope Sixtus the fourth And that the Badge was an Ensign meerly Military anciently given as a memorial and incitement to the Danish Princes who took upon them the defence of Christianity against the Moors and Africans 'T is greatly presumed that this Book which we hope may shortly be published will furnish the world with many choice things relating to the antiquity and honour of the Institution Ensigns and Ceremonies of the Royal Order Heretofore the Knights wore a Collar of Gold compos'd of Elephants and Crosses fashioned something like Crosses ancrees Mennenius calls them Spurs at which hung the picture of the Virgin Mary to the middle holding Christ in her arms and surrounded with a Glory of Sun-beams But they have long since laid this Collar aside and now wear only a blew Ribbon at which hangs an Elephant enamel'd white adorn'd with five large Diamonds set in the middle Those Elephants worn by the Knights in the days of Christian the fourth had in the same place within a circle the Letter C and in the heart thereof the figure of 4 made to signifie Christianus quartus This honour hath most commonly been conferr'd by the Kings of Denmark on the day of their Coronation both upon the Nobles and Senators of the Kingdom It seems Frederic the third brought into use in imitation of the most Noble Order of the Garter an embroider'd Glory of Silver Purl wrought upon the left side of their Cloak or Vest on which was embroider'd two Crowns within a Rundle bearing this Motto Deus Providebit for such an one did Count Guldenlow Ambassador hither from that King wear at his residing here in England in the year 1669. But we are to note that the Motto hath changed with the King for that of the present King is Pietate Justitia and this the Knights of his election now wear in the middle of the circle Nevertheless all the Knights created by his father are obliged still to continue the former Motto In remembrance of the Danebroge or holy Danish Cross which was thought miraculously to have preserved King Waldemar the Second's Army from the fury of the Lieflanders as we shall have occasion hereafter to shew when we come to speak of the Arms of this Kingdom that King instituted the Order of Knights of the holy Cross Knights of Danebroge Which continued till the relique it self was lost in Ditmarss but then was for many years quite lay'd aside Of late the present King Christian the fifth revived this antiquated Order in the year 1672. Ordaining That Knights of this Order of which he himself is one should wear a white enamell'd Cross edged round with red hung in a string of the same colours reaching from the right shoulder to the left side Thomas Bartholinus P. has given us a large account of the first Original Progress Restauration c. of this Order To whom we refer the Reader Out of these Knights Senators and the rest of the Nobility were chosen formerly the Senators who seldom exceeded the number of eight but are now a far greater number As long as they continued in their places they were maintain'd as our Parliament may be if they please during their sitting by the Country The King allow'd them Castles to live in They pay'd no Taxes but were obliged to keep a certain number of Light-horse ready for service upon all occasions They were bound to attend the King at his call upon their own charges provided he stir'd not out of his own dominions But if he sent them on an Ambassy into other Princes Courts they had an allowance out of the Treasury Besides these there are others that live as Pensioners Pensioners to whom the King in requital of some good services done him assigns certain Livings for life or a set number of years forlaeninger out of which they are to provide so many
divided formerly the Dukedom of Holstein from the Kingdom of Denmark BEfore the invention of Guns and other terrible Engines of war now used by all the Europeans and the greatest part of the known world the only fortifications and ramparts were strong walls and ditches which the ancients fancied as indeed they were sufficient to defend them from the arrows and battle-axes the only weapons then in use of their barbarous neighbours Hence it was that the Chinois thought their Empire secured from the incursions of their bloody neighbours the Tartars when their famous King Tzinzow had hedged them in with a wall of some hundreds of miles in length Thus the best expedient the Romans could find of putting the borders of their Brittish dominions in a posture of defence against the daily revolt of the Natives whom they had driven into Scotland was the building of Picts Wall and Severus's rampire which reach'd from Sea to Sea For the same reasons the Kings of Denmark having their Territories continually infested by the daily inroads of the Germans thought it highly requisite to block up their passage by walling up that neck of Land which lies between Hollingsted and Gottorp It is hard to determine from the account given by Historians when this work was first begun Paulus Aemilius a curious French Historian says Gothofred King of Denmark whom the Danish writers call Gothric was the first that made use of this stratagem to exclude the Armies of the Emperor Charles the Great about the year 808. The same story is told us by Aimoinus and Christianus Cilicius But Saxo Grammaticus Crantzius and the whole Class of the Northern Historians tell us unanimously That Queen Thyra daughter of Ethelred King of England and wife to Gormo Gamle King of Denmark was the Authoress of this fortification and that thence she had the surname of Danebode i.e. the Mistress builder of the Danish Nation bestowed on her I can scarce allow the latter part of the story to to be truth since we find that this surname was given her long before she had done any thing either towards the building or repairing of the Danewirk as they call'd this Fort. For upon a monument erected by King Gormo Gamle in honour of his Queen Thyra we find the following Inscription Gurmr Kunugr gerdi kubl dusi eft Turui Kunu sina Tanmarkur-bat i.e. Gormo the King erected this Tomb for Thyra his Queen Danebode or repairer of the Kingdom of Denmark This inscription cannot be an Epitaph writ after Queen Thyra's death seeing all the Danish writers assert positively that she outliv'd her husband Gormo many years and after his death took the Danewirk in hand So that its more then probable the surname of Danebode was given her for the many good offices she had done the Nation in repairing several old decayed Castles and Forts and building a great many new ones King Eric the Eighth in his Danish Chronicle says Thyra built the Fort of wood Which Witfield understands of the fencing the rampire with Stakes as bulwarks are guarded in our modern fortifications Others make Harald Blaatand Queen Thyra's son the first Author of this work after he had driven the Emperor Otho out of Jutland Which Erasmus Laetus the Danish Virgil alludes to when speaking of this King Harald he says Hic ille est solido primns qui Cimbrica vallo Munijt arva solique ingens e corpore dorsum Eruit immani quod se curvamine longos Incitat in tractus mediumque perambulat Isthmum Et maris Eoi ripas cum littore jungit Hesperio ac tenuem Sleswici respicit urbem King Eric decides this controversy by telling us That Thyra built a wooden fortification and afterwards advised her son to strengthen the work by Trenches and Rampires of earth Notwithstanding all these relations of other Historians both Pontanus and Wormius agree that 't is most likely the rude draught of this Fort was first drawn by King Gothric and only repair'd and improv'd by Queen Thyra King Harald and other succeeding Princes Waldemar the first built a wall of brick seven foot broad and eighteen high to strengthen it After so many improvements the fort was reckon'd impregnable For soon after King Waldemar's reparation when Henry Duke of Saxony surnamed the Lion intended to have endeavoured a breach through this fort into the King of Denmark's dominions he was disswaded from the enterprise by his chief Counsellor Bernhard Razburg who represented the undertaking as a thing impossible to be effected assuring him Danewirkae custodium Danorum sexaginta millibus mandatum esse i.e. That Danewirk was defended by a Garrison of sixty thousand Danes Hence King Sueno finding himself unable to force his way through so strong and so well man'd a Rampire endeavour'd to work his passage by corrupting the Keeper of Wiglesdor the only Gate leading through this wall into Jutland At this day there remain but sleight marks of so great a work At Schubuge and Hesbuge two small Villages upon the ruins of the wall the Inhabitants find reliques of old furnaces and brick-kilns whence the Danish Antiquaries conclude that King Waldemar had his bricks burn'd here tho he was forced to fetch mortar as far as Gothland Joh. Cypraeus tells us at Dennenwirch an inconsiderable Village in these parts may still be seen the ruins of an old Castle where Queen Thyra lodged The same Author says Wiglesdor was antiently called Kaelgate because placed in an open and plain part of the Country where the Enemy could have no shelter nor be in any probability of suprizing the Defendants HOLSTEIN ANtiently the whole Territories of the Dukedom of Holstein contained at present in the Provinces of Holstein properly so called Ditmarss Wagerland and Stormar went under the general name of Nortablingia or the country beyond the Elb Northwards Adam Bremensis and Helmoldus are the first that mention Holsatia which the former derives from Holts-geseten i.e. seated in a wood or forrest DUCATUS HOLSATIAE DESCRIPTIO NOVISSIMA Excudebant Janssâ—â—io-Waesbergii et Moses Pitt The fruitfulness of the soil convenience of trading in the Baltic and Brittish seas and industry of the Inhabitants render Holstein the richest Country in the King of Denmarks dominions and make the incomes of some of the Nobility exceed the treasure of many Princes in Germany The chief Cities and great Towns in Holstein are 1. Kyel Chilonium seated on the Baltic shore in a corner of land shut in betwixt the mouths of two rivers Whence some have fetcht its name from the German word Kiel which signifies a wedge It is furnished with a large and commodious haven which is continually throng'd with Merchant-Ships from Germany Liefland Sweden and all the Isles on the Baltic Sea There is yearly in this Town a meeting of the greatest part of the Nobility of Holstein who come hither to consult about the affairs of the Dukedom especially the concerns of the mint and value of money The Castle which is seated on the
endeavours to prove that Xen. Lampsacenus mentions the Baltic Sea and thence concludes that this name is much more ancient then most of the modern Geographers fancy who make Adam Bremensis and Helmoldus the first Authors that call this Bay Mare Balthicum But he that shall take the pains to examine Pliny's words upon this occasion will find that no mention is there made of the Baltic Sea but of an Island only in these parts called Baltia which is now named Schonen but is not as the Ancients imagined an Isle From this Baltia some think this Sea was called Baltic as the Adriatic Sea had its name from the Island Adria Others more happily derive the word from the Danish and English word Belt because Seeland and the greatest part of the King of Denmark's dominions are girt round with this Bay And to this day the inhabitants of Seeland and Funen call that small arm of the Sea which part these two Islands die Belt Pomponius Mela who is followed by many late writers of good note calls the Baltic Sea Sinus Codanus which signifies no more then the Danish Bay For Codanus Godanus or Gedanus is the same with Danus and Gedanum and Dantiscum signifie the same thing And indeed when we consider what a large portion of the Danish Kingdom is encircled with the Sea we shall find reason enough notwithstanding the late surrender of several Islands to the Swedes to let it still retain this its ancient name The most considerable Islands in the Baltic which at this day are subject to the Crown of Denmark are these that follow FIONIA FIonia or Funen is parted from Jutland by a streight of the Baltic called by the inhabitants Medelfarsund about one German mile in breadth and separated from Seeland by the Beltis-sund or Baltic Bay The length of it from East to West is about ten German miles and the breadth eight Saxo Grammaticus Lyscander and most of the Danish writers make this the pleasantest piece of ground in the King of Denmark's dominions Whence they have fancied the Island had its name from fine which has the same signification in Funen as in England Tho Adam Bremensis may seem to favour this conceit in calling the inhabitants of this Island Finni and their Country Finningia and Pontanus allows the etymology yet methinks Stephanius guesses better at the derivation of the word when he fetches it from Fion which in the old Runic monuments signifies a neck of land rent from the continent and such any man will suppose Funen to be who shall have the opportunity of viewing that slender Frith which at this day separates that Island from Jutland The Island abounds with all manner of Corn especially Wheat and Rye which is hence yearly transported in great quantities into other Nations Besides the Natives have generally great Herds of Cattle and very good Breeds of Horses The Woods which overspread almost the whole Island are exceedingly well stored with Deer Hares and Foxes The chief City in this Island is Ottensee which some will have to take its name from Woden the great God of the ancient Danes whom some of their Historians call Othin or Odin Others more probably say 't was built by the Emperor Otho the first who overrun a great part of the Danish Kingdom and left his name in more places then one This opinion seems to be confirmed by a Letter written by the Emperor Otho the third about the year 987 in which this City is named Vrbs Othonesvigensis Pontanus thinks 't was first built by King Harald who to testifie his gratitude to the forementioned Emperor Otho the first by whose procurement he was converted to Christianity called it Ottonia or Ottensche and his son Suenotto This City is seated in the very center of the Island and therefore in a fit place for the Sessions of the Nobility and Magistracy which are yearly held in this place As were likewise the General Assemblies of the Kingdom of Denmark before the year 1660. The buildings in this Town are generally well built and the streets uniform Besides other public buildings there are in it two fair Churches whereof one is dedicate to St. Cnute the other to St. Francis Not far from the former of these stands a stately Town-Hall upon a very spacious Market-place where King Frideric II. renew'd the ancient League between the Crown of Denmark and the Dukes of Holstein and Sleswic in the year 1575. When the Quire of St. Cnute's Church was repair'd in the year 1582 the workmen found in a Vault a Copper Coffin gilded and adorn'd with precious stones upon which was writ the following inscription in old Latin-Gothic characters Jam coelo tutus summo cum rege Canutus Martyr in aurata rex atque reconditur arca Et pro Justitiae factis Occisus inque Vt Christum vita sic morte fatetur in ipsa Traditur a proprio sicut Deus ipse ministro A.D. MLXXXVI Other Towns of note in Funen are 1. Bowens a Port-Town of good trade seated on the West-side of the Island at the North-end of Medelfarsund 2. Middlefar seated on the common passage from this Island to Kolding in Jutland On the thirtieth of January in the year 1658. Carolus Gustavus King of Sweden led his Army over the ice to this place and having routed the Danish Forces that opposed him made himself absolute master of the whole Isle of Funen 3. Ascens not far from the mountains of Ossenburgh where John de Hoy Nicholas Fechlenburgh and Gustavus Troll Bishop of Vpsal were slain and their Army commanded by Christopher Earl of Oldenburgh totally routed by John Rantzaw King Christian the third's General who level'd this City to the ground 4. Foborg upon the Southern coast of the Island It was once burnt by the unruly soldiers of Christian the third whilst Odensee adhering to the captive Prince Christian the second who at that time was kept close prisoner at Sunderburg redeem'd it self from the like fate by a large sum of money 5. Swynborg over against the Island of Langland From this place Carolus Gustavus King of Sweden led his Army over the ice into Seeland in the year 1658. 6. Nyborg the usual passage from Funen into Seeland This City was first fortified with a Moat and Bulwarks by King Christian the third It is very memorable for the battel fought by the Confederates of the Empire Brandenburgh Poland and the Low Countries in the year 1659 against the Swedes who in that engagement were overthrown and utterly routed out of Funen Besides the great Towns mentioned there are in Funen a great number of fair Villages among which they reckon up no less then 264 Parish Churches SEELAND SEeland the largest fairest and most fruitful Island in the Baltic Sea lies to the East of Funen from which 't is separated as we have said before by the Belt On the other side it is parted from Schonen by a small Frith call'd by the inhabitants Oresundt thro which
pass all the Merchant-ships which traffick in the Baltic The breadth of it is about twelve German miles and the length eighteen This Island is undoubtedly the ancient Codanonia mentioned by Pomponius Mela which signifies the same thing as the more modern words Dania and Denmark Most of the Danish Etymologists derive Seeland from Soedland or Seedland from the plenty of Corn which this Country affords Others with greater probability make the word signifie no more then an Island or piece of ground encompassed with the Sea Whence Saxo Grammaticus and several other ancient Historians call it Seelandia from the old Danish word Sia or Sio which is now turned into Soe and in our English tongue corrupted into Sea In most or all of the ancient Runic Manuscripts it is called Soelunder or the Sea-Grove The Edda Islandorum calls it Soelund and gives us this account of the first original of the word There was formerly a certain King in Sweden named Gylfi who promised an Asian Sorceress call'd Gesion who had pleased him with her melody as much land as four Oxen could plow up in one day and a night Whereupon the old Hag brings four of her sons out of North Jutland and turning them into as many Oxen caused them to plow up a large and deep furrow round this piece of ground Which when the Sea had fill'd up the land became an Isle and was call'd Seelund Stephanius thinks Ptolomy alluded to this fable when speaking of some Islands in the Baltic he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. Beyond the Cimbrian Chersonese ly three Islands called Alociae from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a furrow Copenhagen the Metropolis of this Island Copenhagen and of the whole Kingdom of Denmark is seated on the East of Seeland upon the Sea-shore The Danes call it Kiobenhaun and the Germans Copenhaven both which words are corruptions of Kiobmanshafen i.e. Portus Mercatorum as Saxo somewhere calls it Mejerus a learned Frisian writer derives the name of this City from Coppen which says he in the Frisian language signifies James and Haven q.d. St. James's Haven But there is very little or no grounds for any such derivation About the year 1168 Axil Wide surnamed Snare Saxo calls him Absolon Archbishop of Denmark built a considerable fortification in the Island in which now stands the Castle This was call'd after his name Axel-huys and was a good defence to the whole Island against the daily incursions of Pyrats Under the protection of this Fort several Fishermen and others that traded this way used to harbour their Ships in security This caused a continual concourse of the Natives who resorted hither to furnish the Vessels with such provisions as their Country afforded and in a short time laid the first rude draughts of a City which at this day for strength trade beauty and bulk is not surpass'd by many in Europe Most of the Danish Kings especially Christian IV. have been very active in beautifying this City with an University Churches Walls Ditches c. James Ecland Bishop of Roschild was the first that granted any priviledges to it in the year 1254. These his successor Ignatius confirm'd and they were afterwards considerably enlarged by King Waldemar in the year 1341 and Eric of Pomeren in the year 1371. Christopher of Bavaria endowed it with Municipal immunities like the other Cities of Denmark in the year 1443. All which were confirm'd by the large Charters of Christian the third and Frideric the second The Citizens houses till within these few years were very mean and low most of them patcht up of wood and mortar but of late they are grown more curious and expensive in Architecture and few of their streets are without a considerable number of fair brick buildings The Cathedral Church dedicate to St. Mary is beautified with a noble Copper Spire built at the charges of King Christian the fourth The Advowsance of this Church belongs to the Professors in the University The Market-place is exceeding spacious and no small ornament to the Town Besides these the Kings Palace the Arsenal which perhaps excels any thing that Europe affords in this kind the Observatory or Runde taarn and the adjoining University Church and Library the Exchange c. are places richly worth the seeing and deserve a larger description then the bounds of this short account of the whole Kingdom will permit The City is governed by four Burgomasters one whereof is Regent or President for his life This honour is at present conferr'd on that worthy and learned person P. John Resenius Professor of Moral Philosophy in the University at Copenhagen and Counsellor to the present King of Denmark With him most of the other Professors of note in this University as William Langius formerly Tutor to this present King Christian the fifth Erasmus Vindingius Professor of History and Geography and Author of the Academia Hafniensis which gives us an exact account of all the famous men that have ever flourished in this University Thomas and Erasmus Bartholini both well known by their incomparable works c. are at this day Ministers of State in the Court of Denmark and keep only the title and pension of Professors without being tyed to the performance of the duties SELANDIAE in Regno Daniae Insulae Chorographica Descriptio Apud Janssonio-Waesbergios et Mosem Pitt VIRO Illustri ac Generoso Dno GEORGIO SEEFELDO Haereditario in REFFES Regni Daniae Senatori ac Iudici provintiali Selandico Domino ac Patrono plurimum honorando D. D. D. Johannes Janssonius The rest of the great Towns and places of note in this Island are Roschild 1. Roschild which takes its name from a river running by the Town which drives seven mills Roe in the antient Danish Tongue signifies a King and Kille a stream of water 'T was formerly the Metropolis of the whole Kingdom but of late years this City has decayed and Copenhagen grown so fast that it is scarce remarkable for any thing at this day save the great old Cathedral the burying place of the Kings of Denmark and some small trade This City was first made a Bishop's See by Suenotho King of England Denmark Sweden and Norway about the year 1012. who gave the Bishoprick of Roschild which is now swallowed up of Copenhagen to Gerebrand a Monk Afterwards Sueno Gratenhede fortifyed it with a wall ditch and bulwark Lyscander tells us there were once no less then twenty seven fair Churches in this Town Among these I suppose he reckons the Chappel built by King Harald Svenotho's father in which both he and his son whose dead corps were carried out of England to Roschild to be buried are entombed In the old Cathedral amongst many other rich monuments in honour of several of the Danish Kings and Queens stands a fair marble pillar which Margaret Queen of Denmark erected on purpose to hang thereon the Whetstone which is fastened to it with a chain which Albert King of
Sweden in derision of her Sex sent her to sharp her needles on This scoff cost him seven years imprisonment and a renunciation of all the right he pretended to the Kingdom of Sweden for the performance of which Articles the Hans-Towns were sureties 2. Elseneur Elseneur called otherwise Helsenoer Helschenoer Helsingor and Halsingor as the opposite Castle in Schonen is by Adam Bremensis Halsingburg is so named q. d. Halsen-ore i. e. An ear in the neck because at first a watchtower seated on that neck of the Sea called by the Danes Oresundt which parts Seeland from Schonen Here Pontanus fancies Ptolomy's Hellevones had their habitation The chief ornament and strength of this Town laies in Croneburg a Royal and impregnable Castle which commands this side of the Oresundt with as much case as Elsingburg secures the other It is built of hewn Free-stone brought hither out of Gothland This was for many years the seat of the Danish Kings who as may appear from what we have said before touching the revenues of this Crown had from hence one of the most pleasant and profitable prospects in the whole Kingdom Every ship that passes this streight is obliged to strike sail to Croneburg and that done the master is to come to a Composition in the City for Custom upon pain of the confiscation of his vessel and loading Frideric the second built the Castle of Croneburg at his own charges without a penny Subsidy from his Subjects and covered it with Copper 3. Fredericksburg called formerly Ebelholt Fredericksburg and only a Monastry dedicated to the Holy Ghost of which Johannes Parisiensis who was afterwards put into the Popish Kalendar of Saints is said to have been Abbot about the year 1201 till turned into a Castle by King Frederic the second The structure was first begun by one Harlef a Danish Noble man who sold it to King Frideric After this King's death his son Christian the fourth spared no charges in compleating what his father left unfinish'd but adorned it with a Collection of the richest Pictures Statues Hangings c. that Europe could afford Insomuch that Mounsieur l' Espine a French writer who printed his History soon after the finishing of this Royal Palace does not stick to say That the world can scarce parellel this piece Adding further that here the locks and bars in the windows were all of beaten Silver c. The foundation of the house is all Free-stone but the upper building brick It is seated in a pleasant wood about the middle way betwixt Elsineur and Copenhagen The adjoyning Park was first stock'd with fallow Deer sent thither out of England in the 24. year of the reign of our Queen Elizabeth 4. Ringstede Ringstede a Town of the greatest Antiquity of any excepting Roschild in Denmark where ly buried many of the Danish Kings particularly King Waldemar the first and Eric the Godly It is seated in the very center of Seeland where destitute of Trade it decayes dayly 5. Sor Soor or Soer seated in a pleasant woody Country between Slagen and Ringsiede Absalon Hvide Archbishop of Lunden and Bishop of Roschild founded here a fair Monastry about the middle of the twelfth Century and endowed it with large Revenues for the maintenance of several learned men who were to be employed in writing and publishing the History of the Acts and Monuments of the Kings and other Heroes of Denmark Upon this encouragement Saxo Grammaticus first took the pains to collect a vast company of old Historical fragments and afterwards digested them into a better Order then could rationally be expected from any man bred up in a Nation so unpardonably barbarous as Denmark in and before his dayes is known to have been Afterwards Esbern the said Archbishop's brother augmented the Revenues by the addition of fourteen Villages and enlarged the Monastery it self He dyed within a year after his brother A. D. 1202. and was buried at Sor. Many years after this King Frideric the second removed the School which he had founded at Fridericksburg for the education of the young Nobility to this place where having encreased the number of both teachers and hearers he thought it also requisite to enlarge the Income Which done of a rich Popish monastery it became one of the best endowed Free-Schools in the reformed part of Christendome His son Christian the fourth turned the Free-School into a small University by setling certain Salaries for the maintenance of a set number of Professors who were to instruct young Noble men in the principles of several Arts and Sciences and the rudiments of the Latin Greek Hebrew French and Italian Tongues Besides to to this Gymnasium he annexed an Academy furnished with fit Masters to teach perfectly all Gentile and Marshal Exercises as Dancing Vaulting Riding the great horse c. Whence some Authors call the University at Sor Academiam Equestrem because at first principally intended for the Education of young Gentlemen in the Acts of Chivalry tho afterwards it grew to be the most famous University for all manner of learning in the King of Denmark's Dominions In the year 1621 the Nunnery of Mariebo in Laland was demolished the Nuns thrown out and the lands given to this University But at this day these and all other the large Territories which have been heretofore settled upon the University at Sor are in the present King's hand who threatens dayly to reestablish an University in this place but without any show of performance His resolutions I suppose if ever he had any such are in a great measure stopped by the continual disswasion of the Professours at Copenhagen who think it very inconsistent with their Interest to have another University erected in their neighbourhood For heretofore when any Professor's place was vacant at Copenhagen 't was odds but some brisk fellow from Sor carried it 6. Anderskaw Anderskaw or Andersbouw formerly a great Monastery now a strong Castle about an English mile from Slagen It is seated in a level Champagn Country and delicately well built Here Frideric the second dyed A. D. 1548. 7. Kallenborg Kallenborg which Saxo Grammaticus calls Kallunda and Meursius Callundeburgum was formerly a small Village inhabited by none but Fishermen and by them named Herwig But Esbern Suare brother to Absalon Hvide abovementioned turned it into a City about the year 1158 or as some 1171 and beautified it with a Castle Church and several other publique buildings 'T is at present a Town of good Trade having the convenience of as safe an harbour for Ships as any haven in Denmark 8. Kosor Korsor so called from the multitude of Crosses erected formerly in the place out of the abundance of superstitious Zeal in the Inhabitants 9. Koge Koge Coagium a small but very populous and rich City about sixteen English miles from Copenhagen It is a place much thronged with Corn-merchants and Fishmongers the Commodities pleasant situation c. of
seems plain from the arguments and authorities of learned men before alledged 't will be no difficult matter to evince the truth of this assertion That the Getes and Goths together with all the inhabitants of the Danish Isles in the Baltic Sea are originally one and the same Nation 'T is true in some small Islands in and near the Finnic Gulph the people use a language altogether unintelligible to a true Dane or Swede but further westward the languages spoken in all the Baltic Islands are so many dialects of the Gothic tongue And the old Runic monuments daily found in most Provinces of the Danish and Swedish dominions prove manifestly the same words and characters to have been used in Schonen Jutland and the intermediate Islands From the difference of manners customs habits c. in these Isles no more can be conclucluded then that some wanting the convenience of traffick and correspondence with other Nations are forced to content themselves with the rude and ungentile ways of living taught them by their homebred Ancestors whilst others who lay more in the road of Merchant-ships must needs insensibly admit of a daily alteration both in manners and language NORWAY WHat the Edda Name and other Mythological writers tell us of Nor son of their God Thor Grandchild to Woden the first grand Captain of the Norwegians from whom that people and their Country fetch say these men their names merits just as much credit as the Danish stories of their King Dan. The truth is Norway or Norweg as the Germans write it whence the Latin word Norwegia is only via seu tractus septentrionalis i. e. a country situated towards the North. Hence in the Danish Swedish Norvegian tongues 't is to this day called Norrike or the Northern Kingdom Pliny's Nerigon is only a corruption of this word and we find that anciently all the Cimbrian Kingdoms were named Regna Norica By Helmoldus the Norwegians are called Nordliudi which word is not as Dr. Heylin guesses derived from the Dutch word Nordt and the French lieu for Nordliod or Nordtleut in the Northern languages is no more then the people of the North. In the Preface to our King Aelfred's Anglo-Saxonic Version of Orosius this Kingdom is stiled Norðh manna land the Country of the Normans Adam Bremensis calls it Normannia And we know Rollo brought his Normans out of these parts This Kingdom is bounded on the South with the Baltic Straits Bounds which separate it from Jutland on the North and West with the Northern Ocean on the East with Sweden and Lapland The whole length of it from the Baltic Sea as far as Finmark is reckoned to be about 210 German miles The Eastern part of Norway is very thin peopled Soil being a Country of nothing but inaccessible and craggy mountains Towards the South there is greater store of inhabitants who dwell in pleasant valleys encircled with barren and rocky hills The rest of the Country is overspread with woods which furnish the greatest part of Europe with Deal-boards and Masts for Ships The long ridge of high mountains which divide this Kingdom from Sweden where Pliny places his Sevo are continually covered with snow whence intolerable sharp winds are sent down into the valleys beneath which by this means become desolate and unfruitful But more Southerly and all along the Western coasts the air is much more temperate and would be healthful enough if not corrupted by the putrefaction and stench of a certain kind of Rats called by the inhabitants Lemmer which infect the whole Country with the Epidemical disease of the Jaundice and a giddiness in the head which is most especially apt to seize on strangers unacquainted with the danger and unarm'd against the distemper In the valleys there are good breeds of Cattel Commodities insomuch that the inhabitants export yearly great quantities of Butter Tallow Hides and Cheese Their chief Grain is Barley The woods afford Timber Pitch Tar rich Furs and great store of Filberds Besides these commodities they have a good trade from their Stock-fish and Train-Oyl which is vended all Europe over Christian IV. King of Denmark employ'd several Artists in the search of some Silver and Gold Mines in the year 1623. And 't is said some lumps of the Oar of both those mettals were here found and presented to the King But this discovery never turned to any considerable account For the Natives were utterly ignorant of the art of refining any kind of Minerals themselves and altogether unwilling to admit into their Country any foreigners skill'd in that way The inhabitants are much of the same complexion and humour with the Danes 〈…〉 They are generally effeminate and lazy not so much thro any fault of nature as the want of employment For the King of Denmark seldom or never makes use of this Nation in his wars as being loth to trust them with arms The ancient Norwegians as well as their neighbours are every where reported to have been notorious Pyrats but at this day the Seas are scarce in any place in Europe so secure from robbery as on the coasts of Norway The cause of this alteration can scarce be attributed to the modern honesty of this Kingdom so far excelling that of former days but rather to the general poverty and mean spiritedness of the inhabitants into which the Danish rigor has forc'd them For they have little or no Shipping allow'd them and are too low kept to pretend to hector and domineer Their diet is what they furnish other Countries with Stockfish 〈◊〉 and a coarse kind of Butter and Cheese Their usual drink Rostock Ale In this they commonly drink three draughts one in remembrance of God the second to the Kings health and the third to the Queens As Norway is still reckon'd a distinct Kingdom from Denmark 〈◊〉 so it had formerly its own independent Kings who sometimes Lorded it over the Monarchs of Sweden and Denmark Nevertheless the account we have of these Princes from the Chronica Norvagica published by Johannes Slangerupensis in the year 1594 and Olaus Wormius in the year 1633 and the relations of other Historians is so imperfect and incredible that 't would but waste paper to give the Reader a catalogue of them The last King that sway'd the Scepter in Norway was Haquin who in the year 1363 married Margaret eldest daughter of Waldemar III. King of Denmark thereupon uniting the two Kingdoms Now tho King Haquin had only one son by Queen Margaret Olaus for some while King of Denmark who dyed without issue yet the Danes having once got footing in this Kingdom were resolved to keep their station and therefore to secure themselves from all future insurrection and rebellion they immediately put strong Garrisons into all the Cities and Forts of consequence in the Nation Since it is manifest from the language manners c. of the inhabitants that the Norwegians and Islanders are both one
an oath taken in Norway and Iseland we read Hialpi mier suo Fryer og Niordur og hin al matke As i.e. So help me Frier and Niordur a Norwegian King Deified for his noble exploits and the almighty Asian i.e. Woden From him the Iselanders call the fourth day of the week Odensdagur and we Wendesday The Nobility of the ancient people of the North were wonderfully ambitious of fetching their pedigree down in a streight line from this Patriarch and God of the Northern Nations Hence possibly it comes that in some Copies of our Anglo-Saxonic Chronicle the Genealogy of our English King Cerdic with several others is run up to one who is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the son of Woden and there the pedegree breaks of As if in so doing they had sufficiently imitated St. Luke's Genealogy of our Saviour unto Adam which was the son of God And hence as may well be conjectured the Islanders do to this day call their Noblemen Godar and Hoffgodar i.e. such as are of the lineage or family of the Gods Besides these two we sometimes read of Freyer as in the Norwegian oath before quoted one of Wodens companions and Friga Wodens wife whence our Friday with several others of less note Arngrim allows 〈…〉 that several Christians came out of Norway into Iseland with Ingulf in the year 874 but that the Isle was then converted to the Christian faith he denies A full and total conversion he says was never attempted till about an hundred years after The first that openly preached the Gospel was one Frideric a Saxon born who came over into this Isle in the year 981 and succeeded so well that within three years after there were several Churches built The Iselandic Chronicle mentions one Thangbrandt another outlandish Bishop who came into Iseland in the year 997. At last in the year 1000 it was agreed on in a general Assembly of the whole Isle That the worship of Heathenish Idols being abandoned they would unanimously embrace the Christian Religion In the year 1056 Isleif an Iselander was consecrated Bishop of the whole Isle and enter'd upon the See of Schalholt the year following It is very observable what is recorded in the Iselandic Chronicle that this Isleif married Dalla the daughter of one Thorwald and by her had three sons The eldest of which named Gysser succeeded his father in the Bishoprick of Schalholt altho he also is said to have married Stenun the daughter of Thorgrin Since that time the inhabitants of Iseland have continued stedfast in the Christian faith Gudbrand Thorlac who entred the Bishoprick of Holen in the year 1571 abolished the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of Rome and introduced the Augustan Confession which to this day is maintained all over the Isle The same Bishop first procured a Printing-house to be set up in Iseland and afterwards caused the Bible and several other godly books to be translated into the Iselandic tongue and printed Christian the third King of Denmark founded two Free-schools in Iseland one at Holen and the other at Skalholt which by the munificence of his successors Frideric the second and Christian the fourth were improved into two considerable Colledges where young men were instructed in the liberal Arts and principles of Religion till they were thought fit for the ministry Of late years many ingenious men and learned Iselanders have been bred up in the University at Copenhagen We have before taken a survey of the mean Cottages or Burrows of the Rusticks in Iseland Cities and we cannot expect that their Citizens should live in much better fashion There are only two Cities in the Isle Holen and Skalholt the one the seat of their Northern the other of their Southern Bishop In both of them the houses are built of wood rarely of stone cover'd with either boards or turf The Cathedral at Holen according to Arngrim's description either is or at least has been a stately Fabrick In his days the Church-porch had on each side five pillars which were fourteen ells high I suppose he means Norwegian ells one of which is about three quarters of a yard English and five in thickness The Quire and Body of the Church were proportionable to the Porch This noble structure was blown down in the year 1584 but magnificently rebuilt at the charge of Frideric II. King of Denmark within four years after Neither of these Cities look any better then one of our ordinary Villages for the houses are not contiguous nor defended by any fortification or rampire Blefkenius tells us how truly I know not of a pleasant plain in the middle of Iseland Judicature where formerly stood an high flaming mountain which by degrees burnt away This plain says he is encompassed with huge rocks which make it inaccessible excepting only in one place and there too you have room for no more then one passenger at once From the tops of two of these rocks fall down two large rivers which with a terrible noise are swallowed up by a whirl-pool in the midst of the plain Hither yearly upon the twenty-ninth day of June repair all such as have any suit at Law or other controversie to be determined At the passage stands a guard of soldiers who admit all in that desire the favour but suffer none to go out without a pass from the Governor As soon as all who have any business are come in the Governor or Lieutenant of the Isle reads his Commission from the King of Denmark That done he gives his charge insisting much upon the good will and kindness which the King his Master and himself bear the Iselanders and advising them all to administer justice without respect of any manner of persons whatever After this he returns to his Tent where in a godly Sermon preach'd to him and the rest of the Assembly the necessity of punishing offenders and vindicating the injur'd is declared As soon as Sermon is ended the twelve chosen Justices whom they call Lochmaders i.e. men of the Law sit down on the ground with each a book of the Iselandic Laws in his hand After the Plaintiff and Defendant have both given in what they have to say they all arise and every man examines privately the verdict of his book in the case proposed Returning they consult awhile of the sentence and then unanimously pronounce it If any considerable doubt arise among them which they themselves cannot easily solve they consult the Lieutenant but will not give him authority or leave to decide the controversie by pronouncing of sentence These twelve Jurymen of whom one always is Foreman have great respect shew'n them as long as these Assizes last They have power to determine all Civil causes and to pronounce condemnation as they think convenient against all Criminals Those that are condemn'd to dye as Adulterers Murderers and notorious Thieves are beheaded but smaller misdemeanors are marked in the forehead with an hot iron This
had from the Lutherans the authority of Calvin prevail'd so exceedingly as to be entertain'd in France Scotland the Netherlands a great part of Poland and many Provinces of Germany Whereas Lutheranism never reach'd much further then it was at first spread by Luther himself The Kingdoms of Denmark and Sweden embraced Luther's Doctrine very early and the generality of the inhabitants of both those Nations profess it to this day But in the Dominions of the Electors of Saxony and Brandenburg Luther's credit decays daily and is thrust out by Calvinism The present Elector of Brandenburg is a Calvinist and encourages men of his own perswasion in the Universities of Francfurt upon the Oder Konigsberg and Rostoc This makes the Scholars of Leipsic who are strict Lutherans dread his coming into their neighbourhood when he comes to take possession of Holie which falls into his hands upon the death of the present Administrator Augustus Duke of Saxony For the Lutherans hate a Calvinist as much as a Turk insomuch that in the Great Church at Leipsic they have the pictures of the Devil Ignatius Loyola and John Calvin hung in one frame with this subscription The three great enemies of Christ and the Christian Religion At Wittemberg the only support which Luthers Doctrine has left is Abraham Calovius an old Gentleman that has taken great pains to run down all opposers of his opinions But the greatest part of the University begin to close with Calixtus Junior one of the present Professors in the University of Helmstadt and his followers who are stout pleaders for Comprehension In the Kingdom of Bohemia Arch-Dukedoms of Bavaria and Lorain the Territories of the three Spiritual Electors and other Bishoprics which still remain in the hands of the Clergy the Popish Religion is still profess'd A short Account of the GERMAN Emperors THat the vast tract of Land which to the Ancients was known by the general name of Germany was subject to several Princes and never acknowledged the Supremacy of any one Governor except perhaps in the time of war in which all the particular Provinces were mutually concern'd to unite and defend themselves from the assaults of some potent foreign enemy before the coming of Charles the Great to the Imperial Crown seems plain from the whole History of that Nation From this great Prince we must therefore begin to reckon the German Emperors A. D. 800. Charles son of Pepin King of France was Anointed and Crown'd Emperor by Pope Leo the Third upon Christmass-day He had before this rescued Italy and a great part of Germany from the tyranny of the Lombards and annex'd the whole Dominions of their King Desiderius whom he took prisoner to the Kingdom of the Franks In the year 772 he began to make war upon the Saxons at that time the most potent people in Germany in hopes to reduce them which he at last effected to Christianity Wherever he conquer'd he establish'd the Christian Religion and erected Schools for the education of young children in the same Doctrine He was a great Benefactor to the University at Paris where he would himself frequent Disputations and reward the industry of those he found to be deserving men Besides he was the Founder of an incredible number of great Schools and petit Universities in Germany insomuch that we shall scarce in the following Description mention a Town of considerable note in the Empire which has not receiv'd some signal kindness from him I know not whether it were his Acts of Piety or Prowess got him the title of Great but doubtless both deserv'd it After he had been Emperor fourteen years he died at seventy-two years of Age in the year 814 and was buried at Aix la Chapelle where he had built a Church and design'd also to have establish'd the chief Residence of the German Emperors All his Epitaph was Magni Caroli Regis Christianissimi Romanorum Imperatoris corpus hoc Sepulchro conditum jacet He bequeath'd his Empire to his Son Ludowic then King of Aquitain 814. Ludowic or Lewis for his piety and zeal in promoting the Christian Religion surnam'd the Godly succeeded his Father He was Crown'd Emperor by Pope Stephen IV. at Rheims in France Soon after his entrance upon the Empire he procur'd a translation of the Bible into the Saxon tongue Copies of which he caused to be distributed among the Commonalty The greatest exploit of war which he is reported to have done was the expulsion of the Saracens out of Italy Besides this he took his Nephew Bernhard King of Lombardy who had endeavour'd to make himself Master of Italy prisoner and putting out the eyes of him and his followers condemned them all to a Monastery By his first wife Irmengarde he had three Sons Lotharius Ludowic and Pipin who overpower'd with the perswasions of some bad companions rebelled against their Father whom they took prisoner and shut up in a Monastery Some say his Son Ludowic released him willingly but the most generally receiv'd story is that most of his Subjects rose up in Arms resolving to rescue their Emperor Which Ludowic seeing he submitted himself to his Father and begg'd pardon After he was set at liberty he march'd with his own and his Son Ludowic's Forces against Lotharius who had raised the strongest rebellion but dyed on the way at Mentz in the twenty-seventh year of his Reign and sixty-fourth of his Age. 840. Lotharius the Emperor Ludowic's eldest Son succeeded his Father in the whole Empire having thrown out his two Brethren who were left partners with him He was the first that annex'd Austrasia which was from him call'd by the High Dutch Loth-reich by the French Lot-regne now Lorreign i. e. Lotharius's Kingdom to the German Empire After he had ruled fifteen years he retired into a Monastery at Treves where he lived some time after In his days Pope Joan under the covert name of John VIII as the Historians of that time generally relate was Head of the Church of Rome 855. Ludowic II. a Prince of wonderful Piety and Learning succeeded in the Empire upon his Fathers resignation He conquer'd the Sclavonians and converted them to Christianity defended Italy from the incursions of the Saracens and made provision in most parts of his Empire for poor Widows and Orphans He had a great quarrel with the Court of Rome for electing a Pope without acquainting him But the Popish writers tell the story otherwise and say That when the Emperor heard how that Court had elected Pope Adrian II. into the room of Nicolas I. without staying for his voice he commended them highly for so doing Nay they make him give this reason for his approbation of their proceedings Qui enim fieri posset ut peregrinus hospes dignoscere posset in aliena republica quis potissimum caeteris praeferendus sit i. e. How is it possible that a stranger should be so well skill'd in a foreign Commonwealth as to be able to pitch upon a man fittest
lust and ambition 1002. Upon Otto's death Henry Duke of Bavaria was chosen Emperor by the Electors His piety got him the Title of Holy and a mischance in his Childhood surnam'd him the Lame Willegise Archbishop of Mentz a Wagoner's Son whence that City got a Wheel for its Arms Crown'd him He fought many great Battels and from most of them came off Conqueror The Saracens were by him driven out of Apulia and Calabria and the Wendish Armies which had over-run a great part of Germany he utterly vanquish'd He is by some Historians stiled the Apostle of Hungary because he was the first that thorowly converted that Nation Upon his death-bed after he had reigned twenty and three years he is said to have return'd his Empress Cunigunda to her friends for a pure Virgin in which state by mutual consent they both had continued from the first day of their marriage Tho we read that once he so far question'd his Wife's chastity and the performance of her Vow as to make her purge her self by a fiery Ordeal Which she perform'd by going barefoot over a red-hot iron grate without the least shrink or sense of pain 1024. Conrad a Prince descended from Charles the Great succeeded Henry and was Crown'd Emperor at Aix la Chappel by the Archbishop of Colen Amongst Historians we find this high character of him that he was Acer consilio manuque strenuus charus Principibus Populo acceptior Reipublicae salutaris i. e. Quick at Council-board and valiant in the field one on whom the Princes of the Empire doted the People's Darling the strength of the Empire One of the good Laws which he established was That it should be death for any Prince to offer to disturb the peace of the Empire by making an offensive war upon any particular Province in it He died suddenly in his return from an expedition against the Hungarians and was buried at Spire after he had reigned fifteen years 1039. Henry surnam'd the Black Conrad's Son succeeded his Father in the Empire He reign'd seventeen years and seven months The first war he engag'd himself in was against the Bohemians upon their refusal to pay tribute to the Emperor Afterwards he turn'd his Forces against the Hungarians and restored their King Peter who had been deposed by his own Subjects for Tyranny In the year 1046 he march'd into Italy to compose differences among the three Popes who were set up by contrary factions But he depos'd them all and made a fourth viz. Clement II. renewing the old Law wherein it was enacted That no Pope should be created without the consent of the Emperor 1056. Henry IV. succeeded his Father at six years of age He is said during his reign which lasted fifty years to have fought sixty-two great battels which are more then either Marcus Marcellus Julius Caesar or any other Roman General could ever brag of Pope Hildebrand who went under the name of Gregory VII cast off this Emperors yoke and after some skirmishes got Rudolph Duke of Schwaben proclaim'd Emperor in his stead to whom the Pope presented an Imperial Crown with this Inscription Petra dedit Petro Petrus diadema Rudolpho But this Emperor of the Pope's making was soon vanquish'd and slain However within a while the Empire was taken from him in good earnest and that by his own Subjects who deposed him and elected his Son into his room This Emperor is reported to have been brought to those extremities before his death as to be forc'd to beg a Prebendary of the Bishop of Spire some say Wormes in the Church which he himself had built which was nevertheless denied him 1106. Henry V. was admitted into his Father's Throne by his rebellious Subjects and crown'd Emperor at Goslar At his Coronation part of his Sword was melted with Lightning but the Scabbard was untouch'd and himself escap'd without harm He was forc'd to acknowledg the Pope's Supremacy and to quit all pretensions to the power of Investiture which his Ancestors challeng'd as their right He reigned nineteen years dyed without issue and was buried at Spire 1125. Lotharius Duke of Saxony was elected to succeed Henry V. and receiv'd his Crown from the Pope at Rome in the year 1133. The greatest thing this Emperor did was the reviving the practice of the Civil Law in the German Empire after it had been banish'd thence for the space of five hundred years 1138. Conrad Duke of Schwaben and Lotharius's Sister's Son succeeded his Uncle carrying the Empire against Henry Duke of Bavaria who for some time opposed him In his days a Body of the Canon Laws was first set forth by Gratian a Benedictine Monk and publicly taught in the Universities of Germany He reign'd fourteen years 1152. Frideric Duke of Schwaben surnam'd Barbarossa from his red beard was elected Emperor upon the death of Conrad and was Crown'd at Rome by Pope Adrian IV. He was a wise valiant and pious Prince and commonly fortunate in all his undertakings Pope Alexander the third excommunicated him for his obstinacy but afterwards was reconciled when the Emperor threw himself at the Pope's feet and suffer'd him to tread on his neck In the year 1187 accompanied with our King Richard I. and Philip II. King of France he went to fight against the Saracens in the Holy Land Here he was drown'd in a river wherein he intended only to have bathed himself and was buried at Tyre after he had reign'd thirty-eight years 1190. Henry Frideric Barbarossa's Son tho short of his Father in deserts was-elected into his place He took Tancred prisoner in Sicily who thought to have supplanted him in that Kingdom and having put out his eyes sent him bound into Germany Pope Celestine who Crown'd him Emperor perswaded him to engage himself in the Holy-war but he never reach'd Palestine dying upon his journey thither when he had reigned almost eight years 1198. Upon the death of the Emperor Henry his Brother Philip was at first elected But because he refused to submit himself to the Pope as his Ancestors had done he was shortly after excommunicated and Otto Duke of Brunswic by the Electors and the Pope's authority declared Emperor Whereupon the two Emperors engaged the whole Empire in a long and bloody war each asserting a legal title and refusing to quit his pretensions to the Crown At last Philip was treacherously slain in his bed after he had ruled the Empire at least the greatest part of it ten years 1208. Otto Son of Henry surnam'd the Lion Duke of Brunswic got possession of the Empire as soon as Philip was taken of He had not reign'd four years e're he met with his Predecessor's fate having the Imperial Crown taken from his head by the Pope of Rome and the Electors and given to Frideric King of Sicily Otto got some succours from the Kings of England and Poland but was never able to make any considerable resistance One battel decided the controversie establishing Frideric in the Imperial Throne
made use of at such a solemnity was a wreath of white Scarffs wherewith they bound the heads of their Kings The Elector of Colen for a long time perform'd the Ceremony of Coronation but because the Archbishops of that See have not been Priests for many years the Archbishop of Mentz has executed the office for this last Century At the Coronation of the Emperor Ferdinand III. there arose a grand dispute betwixt the Elector of Colen who at that time was a Priest and the Archbishop of Mentz the former demanding a restitution of the Honour which did formerly belong to his See and the later asserting his right from the example of his Predecessors who had long enjoy'd it However the Archbishop of Colen was overthrown and the Archbishop of Mentz perform'd the office and in so doing some say only preserv'd a right which many ages before had belong'd to his predecessors At the Coronation the King of Bohemia carries the Crown the Elector of Bavaria bears the Globe the Duke of Saxony the Sword and the Marquess of Brandenburgh the Scepter Of the King of the ROMANS THat there may be a King of the Romans chosen while the Emperor is living is a matter of fact which none can be ignorant of who are conversant in the writings of the modern German Historians Thus Charles IV. Wenceslaus Maximilian I. II. Rodolph II. Ferdinand III. IV. were all elected in the life-time of their Predecessors However many of their Civilians question the lawfulness of the Election fancying that by this means the Electors may disturb the peace of the Empire by setting up two Princes at once who by Election have a just Title to the Imperial Crown The consequence indeed may be dangerous but there is no disputing the Authority of those who doubtless have as great power in appointing the Emperor a Successor when they please as they have in deposing him 'T is ordinary in some of the High Dutch writers to mean the Emperor when they speak of the King of the Romans and till of late years there was no difference between them But now there are many marks of distinction As 1. The King of the Romans bears for his Arms the Eagle with one head the Emperor with two 2. The former is only stiled Augustus but the later Semper Augustus 3. The Emperor in his Letters Patents directed to the King of the Romans begins his Compellation with Vnsern Liebten i. e. To our Beloved c. but the King in his Answers complements the Emperor with the Title of Ihre Majestaet i. e. Tour Majesty Lastly the King of the Romans always acknowledges the Emperor his Superior and has no authority of his own during the Emperors life When the Emperor is absent or employed in other affairs he usually takes upon him the administration of the Empire and after the Emperors death succeeds without any further Election The first occasion of Electing a King of the Romans proceeded from a politic contrivance of the Emperors who by this means got the Imperial Crown secured to their own Family For making use of their power and authority while themselves sat in the Throne they could easily obtain the favour of the Electors to chuse a Son Nephew or other Relation to be King of the Romans which at last being grown customary prov'd almost as considerable kindness to the House of Austria as if they had entail'd the Empire upon that Family For das Heilige Romische Reich or the Holy Roman Kingdom signifies the same thing in the German Tongue as the Sacred Empire and 't is all one to chuse any Prince King of the Romans as to Elect him Emperor Of Dukes Counts and other Orders of Nobility in the GERMAN Empire THo the ancient Germans had litle or no Magistracy amongst them in time of peace Dukes yet both Julius Cesar and Tacitus agree in this that whenever they were engag'd in war they had one supreme Governor who ruled the Armies and gave laws to the multitude This superintendant of their forces they call'd Heertog or Heerzog a name which their Dukes to this day retain which signifies as much as the Latin word Dux or our Duke i. e. A Leader or Commander of an Army He was usually chosen in a general Assembly of the whole Country by a majority of voices and as soon as he was elected they set him upon a Banner and bore him upon their shoulders Which ceremony as Cluverius proves was afterwards observ'd by later Germans in the Election of their Kings and by the Roman Soldiers at the Coronation of their Emperors Julius Cesar tells us that these Dukes had power of life and death but Tacitus who was better acquainted with the state of Germany assures us they had no such authority They could indeed give counsel and orders to the Soldiers but had no power to punish offenders or correct the obstinate For in all probability there was not any manner of Judges in the Land that had the power of sentencing any offender to death When any controversie arose amongst the Commonalty Counts or Graven they were wont to chuse a Judg out of the Nobility of the Village where the quarrel begun These kind of Judges they call'd Grafen or Graven and their office was to determine all trifling disputes in their neighbourhood Meibomius in his learned Tract of Irmensul tells us that all Germany was anciently divided into Villages call'd by the inhabitants Gouwen and that each of these had their peculiar Judges thence nam'd Gowgraven Ein Graff says the Author of the Glossary upon the Saxon Spiegel bedeut nach altem Sachsischen Deutschen ein Richter i. e. Graf signifies a Judg in the old Saxon language Die Graven signifies properly the grey headed or elders of the people whence our King Edward the Confessor in the thirty-fifth Chapter of his Laws afterwards confirm'd by William the Conqueror tells us that the Low Dutch Greve is in effect the same with the English Eoldenmen now Aldermen This was the ancient state of the Dukes and Earls in Germany before the Romans overran some parts of that Land but whatever came into their hands was immediately divided into Provinces and govern'd as they themselves pleased Whence Duces and Comites were created by them in several places but such as had another kind of power committed to them then the aforesaid Hertzogen and Graven could pretend to In Roman Historians we meet with a great many of this sort such as Dux Germaniae primae Dux Moguntiacensis Dux Sequanicae Dux Rhetiae primae secundae Dux Belgicae secundae c. And Ammianus Marcellinus speaks of one Carietto whom he calls Comes per utramque Germaniam These had authority to raise Taxes and were invested with many other priviledges in the administration of justice which the others wanted But the Romans having never got any considerable footing on the East-side of the Rhine could not fix any of their fashions of Government in the Northern
parts of Germany So that these still retain'd their ancient forms until the Franks having made themselves Masters of all introduc'd new modes and establish'd a new sort of Government every-where For these Conquerors imitating the Romans reduc'd all Germany into Provinces over which they appointed so many Dukes who had authority to govern and to administer justice according to the tenure of their respective Commissions To these Dukes they sometimes added Assistants who were from their office which was to aid the Dukes in the management of great and weighty affairs call'd Counts or Comites The Dukes were always elected by the King and Nobility out of some illustrious Family yet so that if the deceased Duke's Son were capable and worthy of his Father's honour he was seldom rejected At last the power of these Dukes grew exceedingly great and terrible insomuch that 't was ordinary for several of them to deny to pay homage to the Emperors Which when Charles the Great observ'd he destroy'd the two great Dukedoms of the Francic Kingdom Aquitane and Bavaria by dividing them into several smaller Counties But not long after Charles's death the Emperors created new Dukes in most places where he had chang'd them into Counts Whereupon the Empire was quickly reduc'd to the former straits every Duke pretending to and exercising Regal authority in his own Province The first of these that grew formidably potent was Otho Duke of Saxony afterwards elected Emperor who tho he refus'd the Imperial Diadem and got it conferr'd on Conrad Duke of Franconia was always look'd upon as the most powerful Prince of the German Empire in his time After Otho's death the Emperor Conrad used all means possible to reduce the overgrown power of the Duke of Saxony to some tolerable mediocrity but his endeavours prov'd unsuccessful and Duke Henry stoutly maintain'd the Honours and Priviledges which his Father Otho had enjoy'd without disturbance From that time forward the Emperors lay under an obligation of creating new Dukes who getting into their hands the government of several potent Cities set up for almost absolute Princes Our Learned Antiquary Mr. Selden reckons up six several sorts of Graves or Counts which are these 1. Schlecht-Graven or simple Counts 2. Counts Palatine which as will be shew'n anon are subdivided into several other branches 3. Counts of the Empire 4. Marck-Graves or Counts of the Frontiers 5. Landt-Graves or Counts of Provinces 6. Burg-Graves or Counts of Cities and great Towns There was anciently a seventh sort Here-Graven who answer'd exactly to the primitive Dukes or Her-tzogen for as the office of these was to conduct and govern the Soldiers so the others were to determine all controversies as Field-Judges The Gefurstete Graven do not make a distinct species being nothing else then such Counts as besides their ordinary Title may challenge that of Furst or Prince In the old Laws and Constitutions of the Empire we meet with almost an innumerable company of inferior Officers who have the title of Graven bestow'd on them Such are 1. Cent-Grave he that had the government of an Hundred We may English the word High-Constable 2. Holtz-Grave or Wald-Grave Overseers of the Woods and Forests 3. Gograf of which before 4. Spiel-Grave the Master of the Revels 5. Hans-Grave a Title formerly given to the Chief Judg in all matters relating to Trade debated in the Diet at Ratisbon But we shall not weary the Reader with insisting upon these obsolete Titles of Honour contenting our selves with a short account of the six first kinds which are all our famous Antiquary beforemention'd has thought worthy his taking notice of The first are such as are stiled barely Counts Schlechtgraven without the addition of any more then the place which gives them that Title As Der Graf von Eissenburg Der Graf von Ortenberg c. There were formerly only four of this kind in the whole Empire who were ordinarily called Die vier Graven dess Heiligen Romischen Reichs i. e. The four Graves or Counts of the Holy Roman Empire These were the Counts of Cleve Schwartzenburg Ciley and Savoy But since the Counts of Cleve and Savoy were advanced to Dukes and the Family of the ancient Counts of Ciley was extinct which happen'd about two hundred years ago the Count of Schwartzenburg in Thuringen is the only Prince that bears that Title stiling himself usually to this day der vier Graven dess Reichs Grave zu Schwartzenburg i. e. of the four Counts of the Empire Count of Schwartzenburg Besides him there are now-a-days several other German Counts who may justly be referr'd to this head tho they have no Investiture into any Graffschaft or County but are only stiled Counts of some small Castle or inconsiderable Territories of which they are Lords Such are the Counts of Ottingen and Zollern who are supposed to be of the posterity of some of the ancient Counts of the Empire and thence retain the title tho not the grandeur and power of their Ancestors Counts Palatine call'd by the Germans Pfaltz-Graven Counts Palatine or Dess Heiligen Romischen Reichs Hoffe-Graven are such as have in their Title a certain eminence of their Dignity from a relation as their name denotes to the Emperors Court or Palace For Palatinus is but the possessive of Palatium and signifies no more then an Officer of the Houshold with us in England But this Title is twofold 1. Originally Feudal and annex'd to the name of some Territory or Grafschaft with such jura Imperii Majestatis as other ordinary Princes of the Empire have not as we see in the Title of the Counts Palatine of the Rhine 2. Meerly Personal without the addition of any particular Territory proper to him that hath the Dignity Both the Title and Nature of this later kind are originally to be fetcht from the Examples of the old Roman Empire but the former tho the Nature of it may be found in the ancient Constitutions of the Roman Empire under the name of Praefectus Praetorio yet was in ordinary use as to the Name and Title only in the Francic Kingdom For there was in the Court of the Francic Kings long before their Kingdom was chang'd into an Empire a chief Officer known by the name of Comes Palatii or Count Palatine who had a Vice-Regency under the King in like sort as the Praefecti Praetorio in the elder Empire or the old Chief Justice of England under our ancient Kings that is he had the exercise of supreme Jurisdiction in the name of the King in all causes that came to the Kings immediate audience I suppose the Office of Hofmeister used to this day in every German Prince's Court is a relique of this Palatinate And that Comes Palatii might easily signifie the same thing with Praefectus Praetorio or Hofmeister will not be difficult for any man to imagine that shall consider the signification which the word Comes had amongst the ancient Romans in the usual compellation of
superadded to the Title of Freyherr to denote the antiquity of those four who bear this name in the rank of Barons Paurmeister gives his opinion of the case proposed in these words Ego Baronum genera nulla esse arbitror quocunque nomine Semper-Freyen Freyherrn Edle Herrn vel singulariter Freyen Herrn Edle vel Die Edle appellantur Nobilitate ac Dignitate pares esse Omnes enim generali vocabulo Herrn comprehenduntur ut perpetuo habet Decretorum Comitiorum subscriptio Von der Graven und Herrn wegen i. e. I do not think there are any different kinds of Barons but that whatever Title they may have whether Semper-Freyen Freyherrn Edle Herrn Freyen Herrn or Edle they are all of them notwithstanding of equal Nobility and Dignity since they all agree in the general Title of Herrn as we find the Decrees anciently pass'd in the Diets subscribed Von der Graven und Herrn wegen i. e. by assent and authority of the Counts and Barons And as Herrn is a common name for all sorts of German Barons so is Herrschaft a general name for a Barony which two words the High Dutch use in the same sense as we do Lord and Lordship We see then what the Title of Frey-herr signifies â—â—â—on And in the modern writings of the Germans we seldom or never meet with the word Baron tho this is as ordinary in Spain Italy France and England as the former is in Germany However Schottelius who made as diligent enquiry into the ancient monuments and records of the German Nation as any man whatever assures us that Bar or Baar in old Teutonic manuscripts signifies a Baron and is commonly there used instead of the more modern word Frey-herr And possibly there may be as just grounds for deriving Baro from the High Dutch as either the Latin or Greek For the Latin word Vir signifying a man separate and distinct from the vulgar by his virtue whence the generality of Critics derive Baro has in all probability been borrowed of the High Dutch in whose ancient Laws Baro or Barus and Foemina do usually occur for a man or woman The English Saxons call'd a man Æ¿er or Æ¿ar which the old Franks turn'd into Ber and afterwards Paro In Junius's Edition of the Codex Argenteus the Gothic word Wair is used for man and Waire in the plural for men Sometimes instead of Baron the Germans use the Title of Banner-herr â—â—nner-herr or Panner-herr which may be render'd Dominus vexillifer and signifies the same thing with Banneret I cannot certainly affirm that the word Banner-herr tho ordinarily met with in German writers is ever made use of to denote any High Dutch Title of Honour but only to express the Honorary Titles of other Nations What a Chivalier Banneret or Knight Banneret which the Germans usually render Banner-herr does signifie may be learn'd from the account which the Author of La division du mond gives of it Pour faire says he un Chevalier Banneret cest quant il a longement suyvy les guerres et que il a assez terres et revenue tant que il peult tenir et soudoyer cinquants gentils homes pour accompagnier sa Banniere Lors il peult licitement lever ladit Banniere et non autrement car nul autre home ne puit porter Banniere en Battaile sil n'a cinquant homes prestz pour battailler Which story of maintaining fifty men under him to accompany his Banner is in the end of the old printed Copy of Gesta Romanorum in French notwithstanding the assertion of some late Authors that a Banneret need have no more then twenty-five some say ten men under him The Germans call a Knight Ritter â—â—tter for the same reason as the Latins stiled him Eques because this Title was formerly never conferr'd upon any man that had not perform'd some gallant exploit in the field and who was dubb'd Knight by being accouter'd with a Sword and pair of Spurs One of our ancient English Poets Dan. Lydgate gives us a full explication of the Title of Ritter in these words Eques ab Equo is said of very right And Chevalier is said of Chevalry In which a Rider called is a Knight Arragoners done also specifie Caballiero through all that party Is name of worship and so took his ' ginning Of spores of Gold and chiefly Riding The first original of dubbing of Knights with a Sword came probably from the ancient custom of the Northern Nations of girding their young men with a Sword as soon as they were able to bear Arms. Nihil says Tacitus speaking of the ancient Germans neque publicae neque privatae rei nisi armati agunt Sed arma sumere non ante cuiquam moris quam Civitas suffecturum probaverit Tum in ipso concilio vel Principum aliquis vel Pater vel Propinquus scuto frameaque Juvenem ornant Haec apud illos Toga hic primus Juventae honos Ante hoc Domus pars videntur mox Reipublicae Besides this Ceremony of giving a Lance or Target to such as were admitted members of the Empire they had another way of adopting Sons per arma Thus Theodoric King of the Eastern Goths in Italy adopted the King of the Heruli by a Charter still extant in Cassiodorus's Northern History And hence Justin the Elder being about to adopt Cosroes the King of Persia's Son was advised by Proclus his Chancellor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Procopius speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. That it should be done according to the custom of the barbarous Nations who did not adopt Sons by Writing but by Arms. There are not so many several Orders of Knighthood in Germany as in most other European Nations Orders of Knighthood if we except those who have any Honour and Title of some particular Order sent them from the Kings of Spain England and Denmark For from these Princes several Dukes Counts and other Grandees of the Empire receive the honorary Titles of Knights of the Golden Fleece the Garter and the Elephant The Teutonic Order of Knighthood of which we have spoken something before in the Description of Prussia was first instituted under the walls of Acon or Ptolemais in the Holy Land altho Jacob de Vitriaco Polydore Vergilius Gretser and several other Historians of good note make the Order much more ancient After the City was taken by the Christians these new Knights who were most of them Citizens of Lubec and Bremen fix'd themselves at a Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary from whence they are sometimes stiled Equites Mariani Here they were setled under Henry Walpot von Passenheim their first Great Master in the year 1190. Afterwards when the Christians were beaten out of Syria they remov'd to Venice and thence to Marpurg in Hassia where as in several other parts of Germany their Convent was endow'd with fair revenues Whence some fancy they first got the name of Equites
large Tomes De Rebus publ Anseaticis gives no positive account of the first original of this Confederacy but seems to bring it down from the time of Henry Duke of Brunswic surnamed the Lion Henry Suderman who was sometime Counsellor to the Hans-Towns fetches its Institution far further then the beginning of the thirteenth Century or later end of the twelfth which is the time usually pitcht upon by other Historians With how little probability these opinions are back'd is easie to observe tho perhaps after the most diligent enquiry we shall not be able to guess right our selves For Lubeck has been always look'd upon as the chief of all the Hans-Towns and for that reason their High Court of Judicature was kept there Therefore 't is very likely that this City was one of the first that enter'd into that solemn League and Covenant Now 't is certain that Lubeck was only built towards the later end of the twelfth Century and it is hard to imagine that this Town and Hamburg would enter into any such League as long as they were under the yoke of the then inconsiderable King of Denmark which they did not shake off before the year 1226. Besides if Lubeck were then one of the Hans-Towns we should meet with an account of some succour sent her when she was engaged in war against Waldemar and his two Sons Eric Abel and Christopher Kings of Denmark which was ended about the year 1259 and yet no Historian of those times mentions any such thing We may therefore probably enough conclude that the said Cities enter'd not into any Confederacy till after the sixtieth year of the thirteenth Century at which time Peace was first concluded with the Danes and Trade began to be improv'd in these parts of the German Empire What Angelius reports of his having seen some Charters and Priviledges granted to the united Hans-Towns which are dated in the year 1194 is as little to be credited as the stories which others of the German Historians relate of our King Henry the Third's granting of large Priviledges to the same Cities in the 1206 whereas 't is well known that this Prince was not advanced to his Fathers Throne before the year 1216 and was then only nine years of age Polydor Virgil to whom we know what credit to give in those particulars especially wherein he dissents from the rest of our English Historians witnesses indeed for these men that Henry the Third did grant some such kind of priviledges to the Hans-Towns as they mention but the same Author will tell them that this King reign'd till the year 1273. And Angelius when he comes to ransack old Norwegian papers for testimonies of the Antiquity of this Society can produce nothing of unquestionable authority as he phrases it written before the year 1278. Afterwards when he comes to give us a short Compendium of their Laws which he has transcribed out of Domannus the oldest amongst them does not bear date beyond the year 1312. So that possibly this Company was no proper Body Politic before that time But the German Historians differ as much in assigning the derivation of the word Hans â—â—ne and the reasons why these Confederate Cities should call themselves by that name as they do in pitching upon the time of the first Institution of their Confederacy We shall give the Reader a short catalogue of the most probable opinions and leave it to his judgment to embrace or reject any of them as he shall see cause First then some derive the word Hanse or Anse for in Latin Authors we meet with Vrbes Anseaticae and Ansaticae as well as Hansaticae from the Dutch am zee or am see signifying near unto or upon the Sea-shore because say they the Hans-Towns were at first only a company of Cities which lying upon the Sea-shore enter'd into a Confederacy meerly for the advancement of Trade by Navigation And that this was the sole end of their entring into a League and not the securing of their Territories which was the thing which some Cities upon the Rhine proposed to themselves upon their entring into the like Confederacy they prove from the testimonies of Chytraeus and Crantzius who are Authors of good credit and authority 2. Others bring the word from Hansa which in the old High Dutch tongue signifies a Common Council Thence the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. xxvi 4. which our English Interpreters have render'd they consulted is in some ancient Dutch Versions translated sie haben ein Hansa gemacht 3. Wehner tells us that in old Charters of some of these Cities instead of Hanse-Stadte as the Germans now-a-days usually write the word he has met with Hayn-Stadte which signifies in the ancient Saxon Dialect a City situate in a Wood such as are a great many of the Hans-Towns in Saxony and not as some explain it a Town in a pleasant Valley or plain Field 4. The fourth opinion and last that looks like a probable conjecture is That they had the name of Hans-Towns from that preeminence and precedency which they justly challeng'd amongst the rest of the German Cities for the same reason as great Lords and Princes of the Empire are sometimes stiled Grosse Hansen Gewaltige Hansen c. And hence several old German proper names fetch their original as Anselmus Hanshelm a man famous for his Helmet Ansbrechtus Hanswert one that deserves to be made a Lord Ansfridus Hansfried a Prince of a peaceable temper and the like And the ordinary name of Hans used at this day all Germany over is not as many think a contraction of Johannes but a part of those others abovemention'd But at present Hans is not so honourable a Title as formerly for the Germans call an impertinent medling fellow such as the old Latins would have named Ardelio and the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hans in allen gassen and Hans unmuht Hans filtzmaul Hans sparmund Praal Hans Bauer-Hans and the like are lookt upon as Nick-names of the highest ignominy and disgrace It would be worth a critical Etymologist's while to enquire whether the word Hans amongst other of its significations did not denote something relating to trade and merchandise since to this day he that determines as Judg all controversies amongst the Merchants and Tradesmen of Ratisbon is call'd Hans-Graff The Hans-Towns of Germany are usually divided into four Circles Number distinguished by the names of the four principal Cities amongst them viz. Lubeck Colln Brunswic and Dantzig To the Circle of Lubeck belong the Cities of Hamburg Rostock Wismar Stralsund Lunenburg Stetin Anclam Golnau Gripswald Colberg Stargard Stolpe c. To that of Colln Wesel Duissburg Emmerick Warburg Vnna Hammen Munster Minden Osnabrug Dortmund Sost Herford Paderborn Limgow Billefeld Warberg Lippstadt Cossfeld Nimwegen Sutphen Rurnmund Arnheim Venloh Elburg Harderwic Thiela Bommel Deventer Campen Swol Groningen Bolsswerder Gorcum Hinlopen Staveren Embden Briel Wieringen Middelburg and some more of less note To
that great Conqueror From his Loins after several generations descended Billiengus a potent King of the Vandals whose Mother say some was Charles the Great 's Sister He was the first that after his own conversion brought in the profession of Christianity into Mecklenburg tho afterwards at the instigation of his Son Micislaus both himself and all his Subjects turn'd Apostates The next famous Prince of Mecklenburg was Gottschalck surnam'd the Godly who would often himself take the pains to preach Christianity to his Subjects by whom he was at last for his Religion murder'd in the year 1066. From him descended amongst many others Henry II. who dying in the year 1228 left behind him two Sons Nicolot and John From the former of these sprang all the succeeding Princes of the Vandals until William the last Prince of that Line who died in the year 1430. From the later surnam'd Knese Janko or John the Divine because he had taken a Doctor of Divinity 's degree in the University at Paris are descended the present Dukes of Mecklenburg This John left behind him Henry who was six and twenty years kept prisoner by the Turks Father to Henry surnam'd the Lion whose two Sons Albert and John Dukes of Mecklenburg were by the Emperor Charles IV. created Princes of the Empire in the year 1349. Which is not to be understood tho I find this construction put upon it by several of the modern German Historians as if these two Princes before Charles's creation had been only ordinary Lords or Barons of Mecklenburg and by the Emperor advanc'd to the dignity of Princes or Dukes For from him they receiv'd no more than an admission into the number of the Estates of the Empire under whose protection they were brougth by making themselves members thereof upon condition they should be subject to its Laws and contribute to its necessities Albert's eldest Son Albert II. was chosen King of Sweden and not long after taken prisoner by Margaret Queen of Denmark by whom after several years imprisonment he was at last releas'd upon the payment of a vast ransom So that the management of the Dukedom of Mecklenburg was committed to his Brother Magnus a Prince that if we believe Chytraeus who in his first Book of the Saxon Chronicle has given him a noble character was nomine re Magnus endow'd with all the excellent qualities that are requisite to make a brave Prince His Son John who succeeded his Father in the Dukedom founded the University at Rostock in the year 1419. This Duke's Successors Henry the Fat and Magnus II. Founder of the Cathedral Church at Rostock upon the death of William the last Prince of the Vandals made themselves Masters of the whole Land of Mecklenburg After the death of this Magnus and his Son Albert II. the Dukedom came to his Grandchild John Albert in the year 1547 who first brought in the Lutheran Confession into his Dominions by demolishing Popish Abbeys and converting their Revenues to the use of the University at Rostock His Son John III. who died in the year 1592 left two Sons the eldest was Adolph Frideric who married Ann-Mary Countess of East Frisland by whom amongst other children he had Christian-Ludowic the present Duke of Mecklenburg-Swerin His youngest Son was Gustavus Adolphus who seated himself at Gustrow In the late Civil Wars in Germany the whole Land of Mecklenburg was overrun by the Imperial Army and the Dukedom conferr'd upon their ambitious and at last unfortunate General Albrecht Duke of Friedland However within a little while after the two Dukes Adolph Frideric and John Albrecht were reinstated in their Dominions by Gustavus Adolphus the victorious King of Sweden their Kinsman For a character of the present Dukes of Mecklenburg the Reader may have recourse to the following descriptions of Swerin and Gustrow the places of their residence The strength of these Princes would be considerable enough Militâ—â—â— strength sufficient to secure their own Territories and keep their neighbours in awe if firmly united Their equal pretensions to the sole government of the City and University at Rostock did formerly occasion some animosities between the two Houses but this quarrel has for some years last past been quite laid aside and now a difference in Religion the Duke of Swerin being a Romanist and he of Gustrow a Lutheran is the greatest cause of their mutual fears and jealousies Heretofore they thought it their chief interest to adhere to the Swedes and secure themselves under the wings of the potent Kings of that Nations but when after the many conquests of the brave Gustavus Adolphus the power of those Princes grew so formidable as to threaten an universal slavery to their neighbours round about them rather then the defence of any of their Liberties the Dukes of Mecklenburg thought it high time to relinquish that party and join with the Dane and Branburger in opposing their common enemy the King of Sweden They saw Wismar rent out of their hands without any probability of being ever recover'd and they had reason to fear that a great part of the adjoining Country would follow it if their ruin were not timely prevented by the strength of their new Allies The whole Land of Mecklenburg so much I mean as is now subject to the two Dukes which bear that Title is usually divided into these six parts Territries The Dukedomes of Mecklenburg strictly so call'd and Vandalia the Earldom of Swerin the Baronies of Rostock and Stargard and the Bishopric of Butzow In the Dukedom of Mecklenburg are reckon'd the Cities of Wismar to which is the neighbouring Island Poel Tempsin Gades Rhena and Bucow In the Dukedom of Vandalia Gustrow Sterneberg Malchin Stavenhagen Ivenack Neu-Calven Warin Pentzlin Rebell Wredenhagen Malchau Tetrou Goltberg Parchum Plage Lupsian Grabou Domitz Neu-Statt Eldenau and Gorlosen In the Barony of Rostock the City of Rostock Ribnitz Gnoien Tessin Laga Schwan Salines and Morlou In the Barony of Stargard Brandeburg Stargard Furstenburg Strelitz Mirow Fredland and Wesenberg And lastly in the Bishopric of Butzow the City of Butzow and the Peninsula of Swerin The most considerable Cities in the Dukedom of MECKLENBURG I. LUBEC Lubec This City is indeed situate in Wagerland and for that reason we have already given the Reader some short account of it in the Description of Denmark but because it is of it self an Imperial City wholly independant upon the Crown of Denmark and immediately subject to the Emperor of Germany we have reserv'd a more particular survey of it for this place And it cannot so properly be referr'd to any particular Province of the Empire as the Dukedom of Mecklenburg For altho the Citizens of Lubec do not pay any manner of tribute or homage to the Princes of Mecklenburg yet it may perhaps as justly be reckon'd part of that Dukedom as Bremen which never yet acknowledg'd any subjection to the Kings of Sweden may be esteem'd part of that Principality which now bears
he mentions yet upon examination we shall find that this Wisimir if ever there was any such man must have slain Siward about the year of Christ 340 and we never hear of Duke Lechus in Poland before the year 550 nay some say he began his Government in the year 644. Wherefore omitting these impertinent contradictions and anticronisms it is certain that Wismar had its name from the convenience of its situation Wis-meer signifying no more then a safe and secure part of the Ocean such an one as that is upon which this City is now seated Nor is the Town so ancient as they would make it but first built or at least made a City out of the ruins of Mecklenburg which as hath been already said was once the Metropolis of this whole Dukedom about the year 1250 or as some will have it 1238 by Gunceline II. Earl of Swerin Afterwards Henry Duke of Mecklenburg for his great performances in the Holy Land surnam'd Hierosolymitanus brought hither the Statutes and Ordinances observed in the Government of the City of Lubec and new modell'd Wismar about the year 1266. From which time it grew so extravagantly great and populous that within a very short time it was reckon'd one of the chief Hans-Towns and was made the Harbour for all the Men of War belonging to that Society This engaged the whole Community to contribute towards its fortification insomuch that within the compass of a very few years it became almost impregnable By the Treaty of Munster the City and Haven of Wismar with the Castle of Wallfrisch and the Peninsula of Pole excepting the Villages of Schedorff Weitendorff Brandenhusen and Wangeren which belong to the Hospital of the Holy Ghost in Lubec as also Newen-Closter were given up to the Swedes since which time the King of Sweden has always stiled himself Lord of Wismar But in these late Wars between the two Northern Crowns the City of Wismar amongst many others was taken by the present victorious King of Denmark Christian V. Altho it was agreed by the Eighth Article of the Treaty of Peace signed at Fountainblaeu on the second day of September in the year 1679 by the French and Danish Ministers that Wismar and Rugen should be restor'd to the Swedes within three weeks after the ratification of the said Treaty yet in a second Treaty sign'd on the twenty-sixth day of the same month at Lunden in Schonen it was agreed that Wismar should remain in the hands of the King of Denmark as a surety for the arrears of certain Contributions due from that King to the Crown of Sweden This obligation it seems is not yet cancell'd for the Danes to this day keep possession of this great Town and are not like to be forc'd in any short time to yeild it up III. Rostock ROSTOCK A City of great antiquity if we believe the stories which some of the German Antiquaries report of it For they tell us that this is the very place which several of the ancient Roman Writers point at when they report great things of Lacinium Rhodopolis and Laciburgium all which names the modern Historians appropriate to Rostock But how its name came at last to be chang'd for there seems to be but little affinity betwixt Lacinium or Laciburgium and Rostock altho Rhodopolis come something nearer to the modern name they cannot so easily determine Some think the word Rostock or Rostzogz a compound of two old Wendish Monosyllables signifying as much as a confluence of two Rivers So that this City according to this derivation had its name at first for the same reason that several great Towns in France are at this day nam'd Confluent The Polish writers say the name was first given it by some of their Country-men in whose language Rostock signifies a moist or boggy place P. Lindebergius in his Chronocle of Rostoch proves from inscriptions upon the Seal of the City and other ancient Monuments that the true name of the Town is Rotzstock and he guesses that this name was first given it from a great Red Pillar von einem rothen saul oder stock which in the days of Paganism and Idolatry was worshipp'd by the Inhabitants of these parts And this conjecture seems most agreeable to the name of Rhodopolis before-mention'd not to mention its being back'd with the authority of a learn'd man and great Antiquary But whatever grand conceit the Mecklenburgers may have of the antiquity of this City 't is certain that in the year 329 't was only a small inconsiderable Village built by some poor Fishermen on the banks of the Warna and consisting of a few slender Tents rather then Houses Afterwards it was advanc'd into a small City by Gotheschalk King of the Heruli and by his successor Primislaus the Second notably enlarged about the year 1160. At last Burevinus Primislaus's Son made it a compleat City having been at the charges of walling it about and new modelling it according to the Laws and Constitutions of the City of Lubeck Burevinus's Charter which the Citizens of Rostock shew to this day amongst other records of their Corporation is signed in the year 1218. At this Day it consists of three parts the Old New and Middle City in all which are reckoned 140 Streets and many thousands of high and stately Citizens Houses The most memorable things in Rostock are usually by the Mecklenburgers in their Saxon Dialect reckoned up in the following Rithms Seven doren tho St. Marien-karcke Seven Straten van den grooten Marckle Seven thore so der gahn tho lande Seven kopmans bruggen by dem strande Seven torne so up den Radthuss staan Seven Klocken die daar daglycken slaan Seven linden op den Rosen-garden Dat syn die Rostocker kennewarten i. e. There are seven times seven remarkable things in Rostock 1. Seven great doors to the Cathedral Church of St. Mary 2. Seven large Streets leading to the chief Market-place 3. Seven Gates of the City towards the Land Seven Bridges over the Warna which runs through several places of the Town 5. Seven Towers on the top of the Town Hall 6. Seven great Bells which chime at certain hours in the Town Clock 7. Seven vast Linden trees in the Common Garden But of late years one of their Bridges being decayed with age fell down and because of no great use has not since been repaired so that one of their Septenaries is fail'd The most notable Commodity of the Town is Beer which is here brewed and carryed into several parts of Germany and other Nations A Rostocker will tell us that yearly by the 250 priviledged Brewers in this City there are at least so many thousand Tun of Beer brewed besides the vast quantities which many of the Private Citizens men especially of the chiefest rank and repute must be supposed to brew for their own use The University at Rostock which is now one of the largest and best stockt in the German Empire was first founded by John
Soldiers before William Archbishop of Mentz wall'd it in the year 964. The whole trade of the Citizens is in sowing gathering and dressing Woad They have three sorts of this herb the first of which they sow about Christmas the next call'd Summer Woad is sown in the Spring Summer or Harvest and of this they have usually three crops the third is not sow'n at all but grows wild Besides the good quality of this Herb it is reckon'd a very Soveraign Balsamic and cures wounds if taken in time almost with a touch It something resembles Plantain but shoots out a longer leaf The roots of it exceedingly fatten and improve barren ground and for that reason it has been of late years brought over into England with Clover-grass Cinque-foil and other herbs of the like nature and in many parts of this Kingdom particularly in Northamptonshire is now sow'n with good success Towns of less note are 1. Eysennach or Isenach on the borders of Hessen the Seat of a great branch of the House of Saxony 2. Mulhausen an Imperial City but of no great consequence 3. Hahn 4. Arnstadt c. COMITATVS MANSFELDIAE DESCRIPTIO Auctore Tilemanno Stella Sig. Apud Janssonio-Wassbergios Mosem Pitt et Stephanum Swart THE COUNTY OF MANSFELD SOME of the German Historians tell us that Heger Count of Mansfeld was one of the Commoners at our British King Arthur's round Table and hence they endeavor to prove the Antiquity of this County For King Arthur is suppos'd to have reign'd about the year of Christ 540 and Mansfeld in Notinghamshire which these men say was built by the foremention'd Heger is thought of age enough to justifie this story But others trace its Antiquities much higher and derive the name of Mansfeld from Mannus Tuisco's Son and Father of the Germans And this fancy is back'd with the name of Ascania a neighbouring Town in the Principality of Anhalt which say they must needs have been so call'd from Ascenas the Father of Tuisco and the German Nation This is one of the four Hercynian Counties the other three being those of Stolberg Hohenstein and Regenstein It is bounded on the East with the River Sala which separates it from the Bishopric of Mersburg and other parts of the Elector of Saxony's Dominions on the North with some part of the Principality of Anhalt on the West with the Counties of Schwartzburg Stolberg and some other lesser Principalities on the South with Thuringen In this County there are great store of Mines which afford several sorts of Metals and Minerals to the no small profit of the Inhabitants Amongst the rest the Scheiffersteyn a kind of Mineral peculiar to this and the neighbouring Provinces is here found in great abundance 'T is a blackish glistering sort of Slat which being bray'd and melted down yeilds a vast quantity of Copper and a considerable deal of Silver John Hubensak a German Commentator on some part of Munster's Cosmography gives the following account of this Mineral The Counts of Mansfeld says he have in their Dominions several Mines of Scheifferstein the like whereof the whole world can scarce pretend to For out of this stone the inhabitants melt a Copper each hundred weight whereof contains betwixt ten and twelve ounces of pure silver Nor are the Mines like to fail in hast since in what part soever of the whole County you dig for this Mineral you are sure to speed I my self have been an eye-witness of a strangely extravagant curiosity of Nature in the composure of this stone There is in the neighbourhood not far from Eisleben a Lake of several miles in length and breadth abounding with several sorts of Fish and other living Creatures as Frogs Water-Rats c. all which are lively represented in many of these Scheifferstones by fair Copper-strokes thro the very body of the Slat So far Hubensak Now what credit may be given to the later part of his story I shall not determine but leave it to the Reader 's discretion to believe or reject it Many of Hubensak's Countrymen are forward enough to second him in the assertion and Petrus Albinus in his Chronicle of the Mines of Misnia not questioning the truth of the story endeavours to lay down the true and natural reasons of these appearances And possibly Nature has wrought no greater miracles in these then in other stones daily found in many parts of our own Island We may here in one County meet with lively pourtraictures of Plants Insects Fishes Birds Beasts nay and several parts of man's body delineated by Nature her self in the bodies of hard and flinty stones For a testimony of this truth I shall only refet the Reader to the fifth Chapter of our ingenious Dr. Plot 's Natural History of Oxfordshire where he may find a faithful register of almost innumerable Instances in this kind together with a learned conjecture at the reasons of such variety of shapes They that attempt the running up the pedigree of the Counts of Mansfeld as high as Heger or Mannus are too Romantic to be credited Counts or taken notice of in this place The more sober Genealogists are content to fetch the original of this Family from Burchard the fifth Count of Quernfort on whom the Emperor Frideric Barbarossa bestow'd this County in requital of the many signal services done by him both in the wars against the foremention'd Duke Henry and in the Holy Land His grandchild Burchard by a Son of the same name was the first that assum'd the Title of Count of Mansfeld about the year 1250. Since which time that Honour has been continued down to several Princes of the same Line who have nevertheless always paid some small acknowledgment of Homage to the Electors of Saxony Amongst these Counts the most eminent have been 1. Walerad Privy-Counsellor to the Emperor Sigismund a faithful Servant to the Empire and a notable Improver of his own Estate 2. John George for some time Deputy-Governor of Saxony under Duke Augustus 3. Peter Ernest Governor of Luxemburg under the Emperors Charles the Fifth and Philip the Second by both of whom he was employ'd in their wars with France and against the Rebels in the Netherlands 4. Albert a constant Friend to Martin Luther and a faithful follower of John Frideric the deposed Elector in whose quarrel he lost his Estate and was forc'd to retire to Magdeburg which City was afterwards by him bravely defended against the Emperor's forces 5. Ernest Grandchild to the foremention'd Albert by his Son John famous for his couragious and gallant behaviour in managing and carrying on the war against the Emperor Ferdinand the second in behalf of Frideric Prince Elector Palatine of the Rhine and the States of Bohemia At this day the Family of the Counts of Mansfeld is branch'd out into four or five distinct Houses which division has render'd them much more inconsiderable then formerly they have been The Metropolis of this County Eisleben and chief place
the following order 2. Frideric II. Son to the First 3. Ernest Frideric the second 's Son 4. Frideric III. Ernest's Son 5. John Frideric the third's Brother 6. John-Frideric the Son of John a great promoter of the Reform'd Religion 7. Maurice Cousin-German to his predecessor John who drove Charles the fifth out of Germany and was slain in the Battel of Siffridhuse against Albert Marquise of Brandenburg 8. Augustus Maurice's Brother 9. Christian Augustus's Son 10. Christian II. Son of Christian the first 11. John George Christian the second 's Son who first sided with the Emperor Ferdinand against the Elector Palatine and afterwards with the King of Sweden against the Emperor 12. John George II. Son to John George the first He spent the greatest part of his time in ease and quiet and dying this last year 1680 in a good old age left the Electorate to his Son 13. John George III. This Elector is a Prince of low stature but great Spirit something fat and corpulent but withall active and brisk He was born the 20th day of June A. D. 1647 and in the year 1663 married Ann Sophia Princess of Denmark and Sister to the present King Christian By her he has several children the eldest of whom John George is the Electoral Prince The Revenues of this Elector are thought to be as great at least as any other Prince's in Germany Reveâ—â—â—â— excepting only the Imperial Family altho the circuit of his Dominions and number of his Subjects fall far short of what his neighbour the Elector of Brandenburg is master of They that reckon his yearly Revenue to amount to 400000 pound sterling speak modestly enough and he that shall carefully compute all the incomes of his Treasury from the Imposition upon Beer and all other Commidities from Taxes Mines c. will I presume find it rise to a much larger sum The profit which arises to him out of the silver Mines at Freyberg and some other places in his Territories has been long since computed to amount yearly to 130000 pound and certainly the daily encrease of labourers will rather augment that sum The Excise or Impost upon Beer in Leipsick only a City consisting of no more then two Parishes is usually farm'd at the rate of 20000 pound per annum Besides this and the like Customs he has Tenths of all the Corn Fruit Wine c. in his Country Add to these the great standing Tax laid upon his Subjects towards the maintenance of a war against the Turk granted at first in times of danger and hostility but gather'd since in days of peace at least as to that Enemy under pretence of being in a readiness to receive him whensoever he shall attack this Country Answerable to these vast revenues is the pomp and splendour of his Court his Attendants being usually more numerous then the Trains of any of his neighbour-Princes 'T is reported that in the Elector Christian the second 's Court at the same time three Dukes as many Earls and five Barons of foreign Nations besides a great number of the Nobility of his own Country were Pensioners to that Prince Nor have the two late Electors abated much of this state and grandeur Witness the Funeral of John George the First in the year 1657 at which were twenty-four Horses of State cover'd with black and the Electoral Eschutcheon wrought thereon each of them being led by two Gentlemen after which follow'd three thousand five hundred persons in mourning The Court of Saxony has been always more bronded with excessive intemperance in drinking then any other Prince's Palace in Germany Nor have the Electors themselves been able to shun the imputation a red nose being as is reported by some of their own Historians the inseparable badg of that Family II. Leipzig LEIPZIG This City is supposed to have been built by the Vandals who were ancient inhabitants of these parts about the year of Christ 700 and to have had its name from the Slavonian or Wendish word Lipzk which signifies a Linden-tree from the multitude of this sort of Timber which formerly grew in this place Whence in Latin Authors we sometimes meet with Phylurea instead of Lipsia from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tilia 'T is seated at the concourse of three small Rivers the Elster Pleissa and Parda in a pleasant and fruitful plain abounding with all manner of necessaries and pleasures as large and rich meadows which are mowed twice constantly sometimes thrice a year pleasant Woods and an infinite number of fine Orchards plentifully stock'd with all sorts of fruit Within the walls there is no such thing as Orchard or Garden but the whole plot of ground is cover'd with stately Fabricks Pleissenburg or the Castle seated on the Pleissa which defends the Town is a strong Fort and strictly guarded and St. Nicolas's Church is thought to be the fairest on the inside of any Lutheran Church in Germany The Citizens have generally well-built houses many whereof especially near the market-place are seven some nine stories high Near this place was the chief seat of the late civil wars of Germany insomuch that this Town was five several times besieged and taken in the space of two years At the last 't was taken by the Imperialists on the 12th of August 1633. but restored upon the ratification of the Treaty of peace betwixt the Emperour and Elector of Saxony sign'd at Prague A. D. 1635. At this day 't is famous for besides the purity of the high Dutch tongue which is thought to flourish here in a more refin'd strain then in any other part of Misnia and consequently of Germany the three things following 1. The great Traffic and concourse of Merchants from all places of note in Europe especially dureing the three fairs which are here kept yearly at Christmas Easter and Michaelmas 2. The high Court of Judicature before which the Elector himself is bound to appear upon summons The manner of proceding in this Court is at large deliver'd by Zobelius in his book entituled Differentiae Juris Saxonici Civilis and by the Author of the Chronicon Lipsiense written not many years since in High Dutch 3. The University which was founded here A. D. 1408 upon the quarrel betwixt the Hussites and Papists at Prague whereby the former were forced to leave the town and to settle themselves at Leipsig to which City two thousand of them are said to have flock'd in one day There are in it at this day four Colleges and twenty four public professors amongst whom the chief professor of Divinity is Dr. John Adam Schertzer a person of wonderful humanity and as great learning The several books he has publish'd especially his Collegium Anti-socinianum wherein he has bravely confuted those knotty arguments of the Cracovian party which few of his Countreymen before him were able to understand sufficiently demonstrate to the world the quickness of his parts and foundness of his judgement His
East of the Dukedom dividing it from the Kingdoms of Hungary and Poland mention'd usually in Latin writers by the name of Montes Carpatii or Hungarici but by the Natives of this Country call'd commonly Jablunka Amongst these Hills the Silesians find the chief treasure of their Great Dukedom having here a great many Mines of Silver and Lead The Miners that inhabit these parts are call'd by their neighbours Die Walachen and are a sort of people much more rough and rustical then the rest of the Silesians A vast company of these Bores in the year 1643 revolted from the Imperialists and fled to the Swedish Army but were not long after reclaim'd The other row of mountains are on the South and divide the Dukedom of Teschen from the Marquisate of Moravia These Hills the Natives call Gesencke but Latin Authors make them a part of the Sudetes and name them Montes Moravici These latter do not afford that plenty of Ore which is found in the former but are tolerably well stock'd with Minerals and some Metals and supply what they fall short of the other in this kind with huge flocks of Sheep which are here pastur'd Other Towns of note in the Dukedom of Teschen are Bielitz Freystattlein Friedick Jablunke which has its name from the Eastern row of mountains abovemention'd Nistkow Strummen Skotschau and Schwartzwasser Some add Lassla with whom agrees J. Scultetus's Map of Silesia but this Town ought rather to be referr'd to the Dukedom of Troppau X. The County and City of GLATZ AMongst the Montes Sudetes lies the County of Glatz County being bounded on the South with Moravia on the West with Bohemia and on the East and North with the Great Dukedom of Silesia For which reason modern Geographers have been at a stand to determine which of the three Nations they should refer it to some of them making it a part of the Kingdom of Bohehemia others esteeming it a petty Province of the Marquisate of Moravia and a third sort who seem to have most probability on their side call it a Silesian County It s ancient inhabitants are thought to have been the Marsigni in whose days the City of Glatz was call'd Luca. After them the Hungarians got possession of this and the neighbouring Provinces and kept it till the Emperor Henry I. routed them and hang'd up their chief Commander in one of the Forests of this County From this great Hungarian Warriour whose name is said to have been Glozar the City of Glatz or Glotz was first named tho other Etymologists think its ancient name to be Klotz which signifies properly the root and trunk of a Tree but is sometimes taken for a large Forest or Copse of Shrubs such as they tell us once grew in the place where Glatz now stands The Nobility of this County have a tradition amongst them that before their Land was conquer'd by Henry the First and made Christian this County was immediately subject to the Emperors of Germany by whom 't was afterwards bestow'd on the Kings of Bohemia M. George Aelurius in his Chronicle of the City and County of Glatz printed in the year 1625 says that 't was as his Countrymen affirm subject at first to the Emperors but afterwards won and enjoy'd for some time by the Princes of Poland from whom the Bohemians took it and as appears from the Records of that Kingdom were Masters of it in the years 1074 and 1114. After this the Dukes of Silesia made themselves Lords of the County of Glatz which within a while return'd to the Kings of Bohemia and then back again to the foresaid Dukes In this state it continued till the days of the Emperor Charles the Fourth in whose reign it was once more subjected to the King of Bohemia And thus it continued till King George about the year 1460 bestow'd the Cities of Glatz Munsterberg and Franckenstein upon his own Sons who thereupon had the Titles of Dukes of Munsterberg and Earls of Glatz conferr'd on them by the Emperor Frideric IV. In the year 1500 the Dukes of Munsterberg sold this Country to Vlric Earl of Hardegg whose successors within less then forty years after sold it again to the Emperor Ferdinand I. who bestow'd it on the Lords of Bernstein From them it descended A. D. 1549 upon Ernest Duke of Bavaria after whose death it return'd again to the Kings of Bohemia in whose possession it continues to this day The Commodities of this Country are Iron Coal Silver-Ore Timber all sorts of Venison and tame Cattel Butter Cheese c. How rich the Country is may hence easily be gather'd that not many years ago the King of Bohemia's Stewards and Rent-gatherers have been known to bring into their Master's Coffers near forty thousand Ricxdollars yearly out of this one County The City of Glatz is a neat and compact Town 〈◊〉 seated in a pleasant plain on the banks of the Neisse but fortified with a strong Castle on the top of a neighbouring Hill which overlooks and commands the Town The great Church is said to have been formerly the Temple of an Idol worshipp'd by the ancient inhabitants of these parts in which as Aelurius tells us the young maids of the Country used to nail up their hair against the walls as was the custom amongst the ancient Romans and that not many years ago several of these kind of Tabulae Votivae were still to be seen The Charter of their City permits their Magistrates to coin money in their own names but they seldom make use of the priviledg any further then to give abroad a kind of small coin little better then the farthings and half-pence lately currant by the authority of no better man then an ordinary Grocer or Chandler in most of our Market-Towns in England Besides Glatz there are the following nine great Towns in this County Havelswerd Neurode Winschelburg Mitselwald Reinertz Lewin Landeck Beurath and Wilhelmsthal or Neustatl besides an hundred fair Villages and upwards MARCHIONATVS MORAVIAE Auct I. Comenio Excudebat Janssonio-Waesbergä Moses Pitt et Stephanus Swart Notularum explicatio Vrbs muris cincla Oppidum Pagus turritus Arx Zamek Castellum â—â—â—z Pagi innominati Monasterium Vinetorum colles Thermae seu aquae medicale Officinae â—â—â—â—aria Auri et Argenti fodinae Ferri fodinae THE MARQUISATE OF MORAVIA MORAVIA is commonly in the Bohemian writers preferr'd before Silesia altho this later be a Dukedom and the other no more then a Marquisate The reason of which preeminence must be ascrib'd either to this Marquisate's having been anciently a Kingdom or else to its being made subject to the Kings of Bohemia before ever the Silesians embraced their yoke The Germans call this Country Mahren and some of their writers would have it nam'd Mehrhenland or Equarum Regio imagining the true Etymology of the word to come from the multitude of Horses or Mares bred in this Marquisate But certainly the word Moravia which is undoubtedly of the same offspring with the
Henry the First 's Sister tho others think it rather a corruption of Papenberg or Pfaffenberg as having been anciently the Seat of the Priests or Pfaffen We have already acquainted the Reader with the delicate situation of this City abounding with all sorts of rich fruits and plants beyond any of its neighbouring Provinces and shall here only take notice of what is observable within the Town The old Earls of Bamberg kept their residence at Altenburg about an English mile from the Town but the Bishops have now adays a Palace in the midst of the City on a small Island in the River Regnitz 'T is a pile of building sufficiently magnificent and splendid rarely beautified with large and fair Orchards and Gardens The Jesuits College and Church make a good shew and the four Spires at the Cathedral are noble SCHWEINFURT or Trajectus Svevorum has its name from the Swabes passing the River Mayn in this place Sâ—â—â—â—â—â— fâ—â—â— Goltmeyer says this Town was built 217 years before Christ but brings little proof for what he reports The Town is at present neither very large nor populous but tolerably well fortified with Walls and Rampires and has the advantage of a good River running by This City is by some reckon'd a part of the Principality of Hennenberg of which anon TERRITORIUM FRANCOFURTENSE To Iohn Hillersdon of the Inner Temple Esq thisMapp is Humbly Dedicated by Moses Pitt The City and Territory of FRANCFURT upon the MAYN THE Emperor Charles the Great King of the Francks having once made war against the Saxons and thoroughly incensed that bold and resolute people he could get but little rest till he had subdued them beyond all possibility of a Rebellion For they were continually pressing in swarms upon the Francks whom when they found themselves too numerous for their enemies they would be sure to pursue to the very banks of the River Mayn where they had sometimes the misfortune to be cut in pieces by the Francks who well acquainted with the Fords of that River would suddenly rush in upon them and put most of them either to flight or the sword From these sallies 't is thought the Town of Francfurt had its name it being seated upon one of these common Fords of the Francks This is the opinion of the ingenious Gunther in his Ligurinus where he says quia Carolus illic Saxonas indomita nimium feritate rebelles Oppugnans rapidi latissima flumina Maeni Ignoto fregisse vado mediumque per Amnem Transmississe suas neglecto ponte cohortes Creditur c. But others say tho without reason that 't was built by Francus the first Captain of these people and that from him it got its name And some as ridiculously have call'd it Helenopolis from the Emperor Constantine's Mother The Town is divided into two parts separated from each other by the Mayn whereof the greater is call'd Francfurt and the less Sachsen-huss or the House of the Saxons These two are united by a Stone-bridg cross the River of thirteen or fourteen Arches and subject to the same Magistrates The City is strong and well fortified and which gives it more strength then Walls or Rampires can do its inhabitants are unanimous professors of the Lutheran Religion The Jews indeed have one street to themselves and are allow'd a Synagogue with the public profession of their Religion But these are so inconsiderable an handful of men that there is no fear of their disturbing the Government It is a place of great traffick and well seated for that purpose For the Mayn passing by the great Cities of Bamberg Schweinfurt Wurtzburg and Guemund gives it an opportunity of trading with the greatest part of Franconia and the same River running into the Rhine carries off and brings in Commodities from the Remoter parts of the German Empire and the Netherlands The greatest concourse of foreign Merchants is at the two great Fairs kept here yearly in March and September at which times all sorts of Commodities especially Books are brought hither by the Factors of the Germans Hollanders Italians French and English They have every year a Catalogue publish'd of such new Books as are or will be brought into the Fair and from them our London Booksellers have of late years learn'd the trick of printing a Catalogue every Term. As long as this Mart lasts which is usually three weeks there is here as great variety and choice of Books as in any City in Europe but when that is over the Booksellers shops are usually shut up On the North-side of the City they have a spatious Horse-Fair wherein yearly a vast number of good Horses are bought and sold Among the many Priviledges conferr'd on this City by several of the German Emperors Priviledges the chief is its being appointed the certain place for the Election of every new Emperor This was a customary thing ever since Arnulph the First 's days but confirm'd only by Charles IV. Author of the Aurea Bulla of which we have already treated at large in the General Description of Germany After the Electors have given their voices in St. Bartholomew's Church if it does not appear as now there are Eight Electors it may easily happen which person has the most votes it has been usual for the two Candidates to determine the quarrel by battel in the neighbouring Fields wherein the Conqueror is carried off with great acclamations back to the City and there proclaim'd King of the Romans Thus the controversie was decided betwixt Henry Landgrave of Thuringen and Conrad Son to the Emperor Frideric II. as also between Ludowic Duke of Bavaria and Frideric Arch Duke of Austria and lastly betwixt Gunther Count of Schwartzenburg and Charles IV. These are the instances given by Munster and some other German writers all of whom Martin Zeiller relying on the Authority of Chrst Lehman in his Chronicle of Spire fancies to be mistaken and to report stories which none of the more ancient Historians who flourish'd in the times when these things should have been transacted ever mention St. Bartholomew's Church in Francfurt is a venerable and stately piece of Architecture having been first built by King Pepin Charles the Great 's Father Some other public buildings as the Town-Hall several Monasteries c. are worth the seeing But the Mineral Springs and Baths are most remarkable which are daily visited by the Nobility and Gentry of the Town and neighbourhood Amongst the rest there is one Cold Bath wherein as Zeiller reports 't was the custom in his days to wash women before they went to be married or as soon as their month of childbed was over But that which gave England the greatest cause to remember this City was the entertainment of some of our Protestant Ministers who with their Congregations fled hither in the days of Queen Mary's bitter persecution Yet I am sorry our Island is forced to own such a sett of Ecclesiastics who went hence a pack of Zuinglian Gospellers and
Schweinfurt which some Geographers bring within the bounds of this Principality Schmalcad was once a part of this Principality but is not esteem'd so now PRINCIPATUS HENNENBERGENSIS COMITATVS WERTHEIMICI FINITIMARVMQVE REGIONVM NOVA ET EXACTA DESCRIPTIO Apud Janssonio-Waesbergios Mosem Pitt et Stephanum Swart The City and County of WERTHEIM IN the mouth of the Tauber on the banks of the Mayn is seated the City of Wertheim in a fruitful soil and good air The Citizens whose chief trade is in making Wine liv'd formerly in good credit till upon some disagreement between them and their Earls who endeavour'd to reestablish Popery in the Town they were brought to so great poverty and straits for the defence of their Religion that they have scarce been able to recruit themselves to this day However they still stick close to the Augsburg Confession and are zealous assertors of the honour of their Saint Luther The County of Wertheim which is a part of the old Francia Orientalis as lying on the South side of the River Mayn is bounded on the East with the Bishoprick of Wurtzburg on the South with the County of Hohenloe and the Palatinate on the West with the Silva Ottonica and on the North with the large Forest of Speshart This Province affords much more plenty of Corn then the Territories about Francfurt nor is it any way inferior to those for the goodness of its Wine The inhabitants have here good store of Meadows and Pasture-ground for Cattel which bring in yearly as great revenues as their best Vineyards They have no want of wild Fowl and are cloy'd with Venison Among the several Villages that have dependance upon the City of Wertheim Niclashausen the most remarkable is Niclashausen famous for the birth and education of one John Behaim who was burnt for an Heretick at Wurtzburg A. D. 1476. The occasion whereof was this The poor Bore being melancholy and crack-brain'd fancied daily that he saw in his melancholy and dumpish fits strange and terrible apparitions One time the Virgin Mary forsooth amongst his other spiritual guests gave him a visit and grew so familiar as to communicate to him several deep intrigues and secrets The choicest whereof was that there lay no obligation at all upon the Burgers of Wertheim to shew any manner of respect to their Earls or inferior Magistrates but that they were all as free and boundless as the Rivers that water'd their Country This was a plausible Doctrine in the ears of the Commonalty and needed but little Divine Revelation to authorize it so that Behaim had presently more proselytes then all the Preachers in the Country and would in a short time have perverted the greatest part of the County had he not early been overpower'd and prevented by the Bishop's forces Erpach Norimberg Hanaw c. are purposely omitted in this place tho parts of Franconia as being reserv'd for the second Volume of Germany THE County Palatinate OF THE RHINE DIE Pfaltz which is the ordinary German word for this County signifies no more then Palatium Name whereof Palatinus is only an Adjective Possessive Now how Palatium should be a name given to a County or Palatinus to an Earl we have already acquainted the Reader treating of the High Dutch Nobility in the General Description of Germany There are only at this day two Counties in the German Empire which are usually known by the name of Counties Palatinate whereof one the Upper Palatinate is part of the Dukedom of Bavaria and shall be treated of elsewhere About four or five hundred years ago Bounds very little of the Country about Huydelberg was reckon'd a part of the Lower Palatinate but most of the Cities in this neighbourhood were either Imperial or subject to some other Prince then the Counts Palatine who are now by Marriage Conquest or Purchase Masters of the Land Before the Bohemian Wars betwixt the Emperor and Frideric Count Palatine and the Civil Wars of Germany the Territories and Revenues of this Prince were large enough to make him more formidable then any of the other Electors But such were his misfortunes in those bloody Engagements that he lost both the Kingdom of Bohemia which he contended for and also all his own hereditary Dignities and Estates The Upper Palatinate was seized on by the Duke of Bavaria and the Lower conquer'd and subdued by the King of Spain By the Treaty of Munster the late Count Charles-Ludowic Son to the unfortunate King of Bohemia was restored to some part of his Father's Dominions in the Lower Palatinate but these are of no great extent and are still like to be lessen'd by the daily encroachments of the French King This Country is much the pleasantest part of the German Empire Soil and therefore 't is no great wonder that the neighbouring Princes have in all ages watcht an opportunity of getting it into their clutches The Hills are cover'd with Vines which yeild that rich Liquor known all Europe over by the name of Rhenish Wine The Plains and Valleys afford plenty of all manner of Grain and Fruit and the Forests are plentifully stock'd with Deer and other Game The Rhine passing thro the midst of the County gives a fair advantage of exporting the commodities of this and importing those of foreign Nations The Rivers Rhine and Neccar have store of Fish and the Hills want neither Mettals nor Minerals That part of the Lower Palatinate which lies on the Western banks of the Rhine 〈◊〉 was first conquer'd by the Romans and afterwards by the French of whose Kingdom it was a part but more immediately subject to the Earls of the Moselle Afterwards when the Kingdom of Lorrain came to be divided betwixt the Emperors of Germany and the Kings of France this Territory became a share of the German Empire but was still possess'd by the Prince of Moselle as before Upon the failure of that Family it fell under the more immediate power of the Emperors who for many good offices done them were pleased to bestow it on the Elector's Palatine By the same means they became Masters of the other part of this Country on the Eastern banks of the River upon extirpation of the House of Schwaben The present Elector Palatine is Count Charles 〈…〉 who was born on the last day of May in the year 1651 and was advanc'd to the Electorate upon the late death of his Father Charles-Ludowic A. D. 1680. He is a pious and learned Prince and treads much in the steps of his Father who possibly was considering the troubles he had undergone as learned a Prince as Europe afforded in his time The Revenues of this Elector's Ancestors are said to have amounted to 100000 pounds sterling yearly Nor can we well imagine them to have been less when only the Silver Mines about Amberg in the Upper Palatinate yeilded 60000 Crowns a year and the passage over one Bridg cross the Rhine brought in 20000 more To which if
place sprung out of Hills of Allum Brimstone and Niter but their Waters are not so hot here as at Baden Drunk inwardly they have been known to cure Asthmaes and all manner of stoppage and shortness of breath as also old and inveterate Agues and Feavers By washing and bathing they cure the Itch Scab and Leprosie and are an excellent remedy against old sores and bruises Rotel Sponheim Susenburg and Mahlberg Badenweiler are places which have been formerly of some note by reason of the Castles or Palaces of some ancient Princes of the Empire who have borrow'd their Titles from the ancient Seat of their Family And hence the names of these old Towns are still registred in the Titles of the Marquises of Baden but otherwise they have nothing worthy of a description THE LANDGRAVIATES OF ALSACE ALSATIA or Elsass has its name in all probability from the River Ell or Ill which runs thorow it Whence Elsassen as the Germans call the inhabitants of this Country signifies no more then die an der Elle Sassen oder wohnen i.e. the people that dwell on the banks of the Elle Some I know would have the ancient name of the Country to be Edel-Sassen intimating a delicate and Noble Seat our Countryman Mr. Sheringham as we have elsewhere observed makes this a part of the Territories of the ancient Saxons and by them call'd Edel-Sassen or Noble as a piece of the richest and pleasantest ground they were masters of The Country is certainly as these later Etymologists would make it as rich and noble a Province as any in the German Empire and as plentifully stock'd with all manner of necessaries especially Corn and Wine The Hills are commonly cover'd with Chesnut-Groves and Leberthal with some other Valleys afford good store of Copper Lead and other Mettals In some places you meet with rich Meadows and fat Pasture-grounds which furnish the inhabitants with good Butter and a sort of Cheese equal if not preferable to the best in Holland 'T is bounded on the East with Schwaben and the Dukedom of Wirtenberg on the South with Switzerland on the West with the Dukedom of Lorrain and on the North with the County Palatinate of the Rhine The length of it is reckon'd at about twenty German miles tho the bredth scarce any where exceeds four This whole Land was formerly subject to the Kings of the Francks and by their King Hilderic bestow'd under the name of a Dukedom on his Favorite Etico in the year 684. Etico was succeeded by his Son Adelprecht who left his two Sons Linfrid and Eberhard Coheirs of the Dukedom After this the Dukes of this Country were driven out of their Dominions by Charles Martel Hofmeister or Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold to the King of France But in the days of the Emperor Otho I. the Counts of Kiburg the Emperor's Kinsmen got possession of Alsatia and as some will have it were made the first Landgraves of this Country Others say that 't was first divided into two Landgraviates in the reign of the Emperor Otto III. In whose time the Upper Alsace came first into the hands of the Counts of Hapsburg who from thenceforward were Lords of that part of the Country The Lower Alsace was afterwards by the Earls of Ottingen who got the possession of it after the decease of Henry its Landgrave without issue sold to the Bishop of Strasburg who is like to continue Master of it so long as the French King will give him leave Alsatia is usually divided into the Upper and Lower Alsace besides the lesser Territories of Ortenaw Brisgow Hagenaw Sungaw c. But most of these petty Provinces may be referr'd to the Upper Alsace and coming within the bounds of the Upper Landgraviate and the rest to the Lower The chief Cities and great Towns in the Lower ALSACE NEXT to Strasburg of which anon the chief Town in the Lower Alsace is Zabern Zabern or Elsasszabern as 't is sometimes call'd to distinguish it from the other two Cities of the same name one in the Palatinate and the other in Bergen 'T is thought to be the Tabernae mention'd by Antonine and Marcellinus one of the old Roman Garrisons demolish'd by the ancient Germans but rebuilt by Julian the Apostate The City is defended by a strong Castle on the top of a high Rock up to which you are led by a narrow and rugged way cut out of the hard craggy Mountain by William III. Bishop of Strasburg This Prelate and his successors have usually kept their Residence at Zabern where they had also erected a Court of Judicature for the decision of all Controversies arising within the Precincts of their Diocess but 't is thought that the French King who pretends to be Master of the place will employ the Castle otherwise hereafter 2. Weissenburg WEISSENBURG is an Imperial City but reckon'd a part of the Lower Alsace as being incorporated into the Province of Hagenaw Beatus Rhenanus says that 't was the Seat of the ancient Sebusii and therefore 't is call'd by Latin Authors Sebusium Dagobert King of France presented this City with a Crown of Silver gilt with Gold and adorn'd with a great many Turrets and other flourishes of Art whose diameter was four and twenty foot In remembrance of which noble present the Citizens had a Crown of Copper of the same bigness hung up in their great Church which continued there till in the late Civil Wars of Germany 't was broken in pieces by the Soldiery who siezed on it for good plunder The same King granted the Citizens of Weissenburg priviledg to hunt and fish within the compass of a certain circle which in some places reaches two German miles from the Town in others no more then one This Circle is in their Charter stiled Emunitas which the modern inhabitants of the place have corrupted into Mundat The Emperor Charles IV. made the Abbot of this place as well as of the Monasteries at Fulda Kempten and Murbach a Prelate of the Empire bestowing on him the Title of a Prince and allowing him to sit at his feet in all Diets and other public Assemblies of the States General of the Empire 3. Brisach The Imperial City Hagenaw is seated between the two Rivers Motter and Sorna about four German miles from Strasburg 'T is encompassed round with a sandy Soil and thick Woods but at some distance from the Town there are large and pleasant Corn-fields with good store of Vineyards It has anciently been reckon'd one of the four chief Villages of the German Empire and indeed it may now as properly as ever be term'd a Village since 't was burnt to the ground by the French Forces A. D. 1677 but had in it even in those days the supreme Court of Judicature for both the Upper and Lower Alsace Afterwards the Emperor Frideric I. wall'd it round beautifying it with a fair Palace wherein himself for some time kept his Residence and making it
quarter is struck by a Child with an Apple the second by a Youth with an Arrow the third by a full aged man with a Tip-staff and the fourth by an old man with his Cane On the outside of the Church are shew'n the true increase and decrease of the Moon with the motion of the Sun through all the Signs of the Zodiack For a larger Description of this master-piece of Art I refer the Reader to the Treatises writ on this Subject by Dasypodius Schadaeus Frischlin c. The Bishopric of Strasburg was founded by King Dagobert who made St. Amandus the first Bishop of this Diocess Of late years there have been several quarrels betwixt the Bishop and Citizens who to this day are unwilling to allow their Prelate the Jurisdiction that he lays claim to The Armory of this Town is well worth the seeing But their University makes more noise in the world then it ought to do The Reader may expect a more accurate account of the present state of some parts of Alsace when we come to treat of the French King's Conquests in the Volume of France THE DUKEDOM OF WIRTEMBERG WIRTEMBERG is a Province of the great Circle of Schwaben a Country sufficiently provided for with all manner of profits and pleasures The Mountains are full of Mines and Vineyards and the Valleys are well stock'd with large Herds of Cattel 'T is of no great extent but so populous that there is in it 't is said 63 Cities 158 great Towns 645 Villages and 14 Abbeys Before the Civil Wars of Germany the Duke of Wirtemberg was able to raise an Army of 24000 men in 24 hours but that calamitous War lessen'd the number of Soldiers in this as well as other Provinces of the Empire The Princes of this Country were anciently no more then Counts but raised to the Dignity of Dukes by the general consent of all the Estates of the Empire in a Diet held at Worms A. D. 1495. The reason of which advancement was the great improvements they had made of their Estates wherein was contain'd only the Castle of Wirtemberg with some few Villages depending thereon When Duke Vlric was driven out of all his Territories in the year 1519 his whole Dukedom was sold to the Emperor Charles V. Afterwards in the year 1534 the Duke was restored to his Dominions by the assistance of Francis I. King of France and Philip Landgrave of Hesse the former whereof aided him with Moneys and the latter with Men and Arms. Whereupon he sent his Son Christopher to Ferdinand King of the Romans who agreed that the House of Wirtemberg should be again restor'd to their Dutchy paying homage to the House of Austria This order was observ'd till the year 1599 wherein by a Covenant made betwixt the Emperor Rodolph II. and Frideric I. Duke of Wirtemberg the Dukedom was reduc'd to its ancient state the House of Austria only reserving to it self the Title and Arms which the Emperor now bears of Wirtemberg and the right of Succession upon failure of Heirs male The Metropolis of this Province and place of the Duke's residence is Stutgard seated not far from the banks of the Neccar about the middle of the Country Stutgard signifies properly a Yard to train young Horses in and such some Antiquaries tell us was formerly the place where this City now stands This story they confirm by the Arms of the Town which is a young Colt let loose But I rather think this only a Rebus taken from the name of the City which may possibly have no more affinity with the true Etymology of the word then the Ox in the Arms of our City of Oxford has with the ancient name of this Town The Duke's Palace is a noble Fabrick adorn'd with most delicate Groves and Gardens of pleasure In these you have as fair rows of Orange-trees as well contriv'd Grottoes and Waterworks and as stately a Pleasure-house as at any Prince's Palace in the Empire But the Houses of private Citizens fall short of this pomp and grandeur Most of them are wooden buildings and of a very despicable height WIRTENBERG DVCATVS Apud Janssonio-Waesbergios Mosem Pitt et Stephanum Swart There is also at Tubingen a supreme Court of Judicature wherein all Controversies in Cases Civil and Criminal are determin'd by five of the Nobility four Doctors in the University and as many Burgers of the Town Besides this there is a Consistory of Divines and Civilians who take cognisance of all Ecclesiastical matters The first Rector of the University in this Town was Joh. Nauclerus whose Historical works Philip Melancthon took great care to publish in the year 1500. A Book highly commended by the learned Camerarius in his life of Melancthon The only famous men I think whom they can brag of for this last age are Martin Crufius and Will. Schickard both singularly well skill'd in the Oriental Languages Besides these I fancy 't will be as difficult to find a Scholar worth the mentioning bred at Tubingen as to meet with one City or great Town among the Hundreds of that name in the Dukedom of Wirtemberg which merits a particular description in this place The End of the Second Volume An Advertisement to the Reader FOR the literal faults which may have escap'd the Press there needs no Apology because these are neither so numerous nor so gross as to interrupt the sense or disturb the Reader And some of the more material Errata may be excused by considering the different times wherein several Paragraphs of the Book seemingly contradictory were pen'd For Example 'T was true in the year 1680 when the sixth sheet was printed that Augustus Duke of Saxony was Administrator of Magdeburg and Halle as is said Pag. 21. Col. 2. And as true that the present Elector of Brandenburg was Duke of both those places at the penning of Pag. 92. Some other considerable mistakes we have taken notice of may be thus Corrected I. Instead of Halberstadt pag. 9. col 2. lin 9. Read Hildesheim as in pag. 51. col 1. II. For Charles IV. Wenceslaus c. pag. 33. col 1. lin 35. Read Wenceslaus Charles the Fifth's Son c. Since as the best German Historians inform us Wence slaus was the first of their Emperour 's that had the Title of King of the Romans conferr'd on him AN ALPHABETICAL INDEX Containing The NAMES of all the COUNTRIES CITIES TOWNS RIVERS ISLES c. IN THE Maps of the Second Volume Places Map Latitude D. M. Longitude D. M. A Â AAb 34 49 30 26 50 Aag 01 47 40 25 20 Aaken 14 51 30 29 00 Aaihusen 17 51 50 26 40 Aâ—â— 01 51 00 20 00 Aâ—â—delost 14 51 35 29 30 Aâ—â— fl 38 46 00 23 40 Aâ—â—berg 01 46 50 23 30 Aâ—â—â—g 01 47 00 24 10 Aâ—â—â—w 38 47 00 24 20 Aâ—â—â— 2 3 05 54 10 25 50 Â Â 53 40 25 50 Aâ—â—h 01 50 40 19 50 Aâ—â—ve fl 05 53 25 26 30 Aâ—â—h 34 48
were forc'd at last to relinquish the trade as an employment which would by no means quit labour and cost The whole Land is sufficiently furnish'd with Wood and in most places the Forests afford good store of Venison tho only the Woods near Tschopau shelter Bears The chief Rivers in this Province are the Elb Rivers Mulda Pleiss white and black Elster The lesser are Moglitz Weiseritz Flohe Meisse c. All which afford plenty of all manner of fresh water fish especially Carp which are as numerous and large here as in any part of Europe 'T is agreed by most Historians that the Misnians had their original from the Mysi Inhabitants a people of Asia of whom Cicero in his Oration pro Flacco gives this character that they were a people so contemptibly mean that to call a man Mysorum ultimus was the most opprobious language you could give him However the modern Mysi or Mysnii have no part in this character being a people of a singularly courteous and affable behaviour Nor are they less commendable for their delicate shape and neatness in clothes whence the Germans have a proverb Meissner Gleissner intimating that a Misnian makes the greatest shew of any German Albinus commends them highly for chastity and probably the severity of their Saxon Law which punishes Adultery with death may be one grand inducement to the practise of this vertue Chief Cities in MISNIA DRESDEN Dresden The usual Seat of the Elector a neat and well fortified City on the River Elb which runs thro the midst of it dividing the old Town from the the new A Town which as 't is probably guess'd had its name from the three Lakes von den dreyen Seen not far from it which etymology of the word seems the more rational for that as its ancient Records testifie the name of this City was formerly written Dresen The new City in which stands the Elector's Palace is the much more beautiful of the two and better fortified a place perhaps as well worth a curious Traveller's view as any Town in Germany Not to mention the Stone-bridge Rarities which unites the two Towns and for its largeness and length consisting of seventeen fair Arches is reckon'd one of the wonders of Germany nor other notable pieces of Architecture in and about the Duke's Palace that which most delights a strangers eye is the Elector's Kunst-Kamer or Chamber of rarities in which are to be seen a vast company of the wonders of Art and Nature I had presented me by one of the late Elector's Courtiers a perfect Catalogue of all the rarities in this admirable Repository but that being too large to insert in this place I shall only at present give the Reader a short view of the choicest of them in the words of the ingenuous and learned Dr. Edw. Brown in the account he has publish'd of his Travels in Germany A. D. 1668. In the first partition are to be seen all manner of well made Instruments belonging to most Trades as Joiners Turners Barbers Smiths Chirurgeons and other Artificers instruments to force open doors chests c. In the other Chambers these and the like are observable A Tube Glass four Ells long A large blew Turkish Glass Variety of Coral and artificial works of it Fowls made of mother of Pearl Drinking Cups in the shape of Dragons Elephants c. Castles of Gold and mother of Pearl Several Fowls and Cups made out of Nautili and other shells A fine Oestrich made out of its Egg with feathers of Gold A Cup made of the Ball taken out of an Oxe's stomach richly set about a foot long A stone as big as a man's fist like a Bezoar's stone taken out of an Horse A Purse made out of the Linum Incumbustibile Silver Ore from the Mines of Freyberg almost pure in strings and shoots A natural Cross of Silver Ore One hundred and twenty one heads carv'd on the outside of a Cherry-stone A religious man or Friar of Japan carv'd in Box. A Crystal Cabinet sold by Oliver Cromwell wherein is kept a Ring with stones in it of the shape of a Castle His present Majesty of England King Charles the Second on Horseback carv'd in Iron An Head of King Charles the first A Glass Organ Topazes unpolish'd ten inches in diameter A Cup out of a Topaze Emeraulds an inch in diameter as they grow in the rock resembling the vitriolum nativum Thunder-stones smelling of fire Rocks made out of all sorts of Ore and the names of the places where they were digg'd written upon them The figures of Fishes in stones out of Mansfeld the stones are dark colour'd but the Fishes of a Gold or Copper colour see more of these stones in the description we have given the Reader of the County of Mansfeld All sorts of stones which are to be found in Saxony and Misnia polish'd Two large pieces of pure Virgin Gold out of the Mine A Hart with a Cabinet in his side containing all medicines taken from a Hart. A white Hart as big as the life made out of the shavings and filings of Harts-Horn looking like Plaister Figures printed in Trees A Spur in part of a tree Horns in trees Besides these Duâ—â—â— and some other rarities of less note the foremention'd Author takes particular notice of the pictures of all the Dukes and Electors of Saxony both in their Military and Electoral Habits Amongst whom he might have observ'd the lively portraictures of Hengist and Horsus drawn questionless according to the descriptions given of them by some of our Romantic English Historians I shall not trouble the Reader with an historical account of the life and death of each particular Elector We have already given a Catalogue of the Dukes of Saxony down as far as Henry the Lion in the description of those Territories which are now subject to the Dukes of Brunswic and Luneburg Upon the deposing of that Prince by the Emperor Frideric Barbarossa Bernhard Prince of Anhalt Son of Albert Marquise of Brandenburg was made Elector and was succeeded by 2. Albert his Son from whom the Dukes of Lawenburg derive their pedigree After him came 3. Albert the second Son of his predecessor 4. Rodolph I. Albert the second 's Son 5. Rodolph II. Son of Rodolph the first 6. Winceslaus Son of Rodolph the second 7. Rodolph III. Son of Winceslaus 8. Albert III. Son of Rodolph the third the last Duke and Elector of Saxony of that Family Upon the failure of this Line and the neglect of the Princes of Lawenburg to lay claim to the Electorate Frideric Landgrave of Thuringen and Marquise of Misnia was created Duke of Saxony and Elector by the Emperor Sigismund By which means the Title return'd again to the Family of Wittikind King of the ancient Saxons from which it had been alienated for the space of two hundred years From this Frideric is derived the succession of the present Electors down to this day in