in the General for its dimensions fuller planted with People Cities Great Towns Castles Fortresses Bulwarks Forts Garrisons and for Military Defence then any other Countrie in Europe Their Naval Forces were prodigious befitting Wonder rather then Words even a Terrour to the Great Princes of the World For their trade it far exceeded that of the Neighbouring Princes and in the Oeconomy of it more prudently managed To every town they assigned some Staple-Commodity As to Dort the Germane Wines and Corn To Middleburgh the French and Spanish Wines To Trevere the Scotch Trade In Leyden in respect of her long Siege was erected an Vniversity to Harlem Knitting and Weaving and to Rotterdam formerly now Dort the English Cloth this maketh their Towns so equally rich and populous The Hollanders the best Copy of Thrift in Christendom teach their little Ditches to bear Boats not that their Waters are more docible in this kinde then ours but they are the more ingenious and industrious School-Masters of the lesson of publique advantage making every place in their Provinces to have access to others therein by such cheap transportation A thing much to be desired in England and certainly this great Metropolis and other Cities here would attain to much more grandeur and riches if more navigable Rivers were made unto them for nothing can more advance Trade or raise a better Nursery of Sea-men Their Buildings are Splendid and Magnificent In many places as in Amsterdam the Foundations of their Houses cost more then the Superstructure for the Ground being low and spungy they are constrain'd to ram in huge stakes of Timber till they come to a firm Basis so that one said Whosoever could see Amsterdam under Ground should see a huge Winter-Forest But of these as of their more Ancient and Noble Families the Famous Men of their Countries for Learning and Exploits of War their rare Monuments and other admirable Rarities to be found amongst them with many other remarkables which for thy more ample satisfaction I shall refer thee to the following discourse wherein our Author hath gravely and judiciously with singular method and brevity set each memorable particular to thy View in which thou wilt meet with many Occurrences worthy of thy admiration having not only equall'd the best of such Writers as have hitherto treated on this Subject but far out-done them all And therefore I shall no ways doubt of thy candid Interpretation of this his very laudable and worthy Enterprize assuring thee that thy friendly reception of these his present Labours will strongly invite him to commend unto thy judicious consideration another Political Discourse discovering their Arts and Intrigues by which they have attained to their Grandeur a Book which will be of great concern and advantage to the English Nation Of the great pleasure and utility and the excellent use that will be found in the serious perusal of Books of this kind I shall need to say nothing though I first principally intended it it being a truth so generally received amongst all Judicious Readers only I shall tell thee thou hast here Magnum in parvo or Iliades in nuce or the late High and Mighty States of the United Netherlands with all their Provinces brought thee even to thine own home But I shall not inlarge knowing Verbum Sapienti sat est Yours to serve you T. W. An Exact SURVEY OF THE Vnited Netherlands BELGIVM or the Netherlands are Bounded on the East with Westphalen Gulick Cleve and the Land of Tryers Provinces of the higher Germany on the West with the main Ocean which divides it from Britain on the North with the River Ems which parts it from East-Friesland on the South with Picardie and Champaigne two French Provinces upon the South-East with the Dukedom of Lorrain The chief Rivers here are 1. The Rhene 2. The Maes 3. The Ems 4. The Scaldis or Schelt 5. Lis or Ley. The Rhine is divided about the confines of Gelderland into four Channels Of which the first is called the Wael which running thorow Gelderland by Nimmegen and Bommel loseth it self in the Maes The Second which keepeth the name of the Rhene passeth by Arnhem from thence in a contracted channel to Vtrecht and so through Holland The Third called the Leck taketh his course through the Provinces of Vtrecht and Holland and so into the Sea 'twixt Dort and Rotterdam The Fourth called the Yssel passing by the Towns of Zutphen and Deventer 'twixt Gelderland and Overyssel emptieth it self into the South-Sea The Maes runneth by Ruremond and Venlo two known Towns of Gelderland where turning towards the West it takes in a part of the Rhene and from thence passing to Maestricht divides Brabant from Holland watering the Town of Grave in the one and of Dort in the other and falls into the Sea not far from Brill Ems which divides the two Frieslands Scaldis or Schelt which ariseth in Picardy and runs through Artois and between Hainault and Brabant meets with the Sea a little above Antwerp Lis or Ley which runs through Flanders Besides which Rivers and others of inferiour note here are great store of Lakes Pooles and Marishes which do both fortifie the Country and provide it of Fish Belgium is divided into 17 Provinces Whereof there are 4 Dukedoms 1 Limburg 2 Luxemburg 3 Gelderland 4 Brabant One Marquisate viz. of the Holy Empire Seven Earldoms 1 Flanders 2 Artois 3 Hainalt 4 Namur 5 Zutphen 6 Holland 7 Zealand Five Baronies 1 West-Friesland 2 Vtrecht 3 Overyssel 4 Machlin 5 Groninge Of these 17 Provinces only two did acknowledg the Soveraignty of the Kings of France viz. Flanders and Artois the Earls of which were Homagers to that Crown at the Treaty of Cambray Anno Dom. 1550 when they were quitted by Henry the Second of France to Philip the Second King of Spain and to his Successors the rest were held originally of the Germane Empire Nine of which Provinces are under the King of Spain 1 Flanders 2 Artois 3 Hainalt 4 Namur 5 Luxemburg 6 Limburg 7 Brabant 8 Marquisate 9 Machlin Under the States General are 1 Holland 2 Zealand 3 West-Friesland 4 Vtrecht 5 Overyssel 6 Gelderland 7 Zutphen 8 Groning With some Towns in Flanders and Brabant HOLLAND HAth on the East the Zuyderzee Vtrecht and some part of Gelderland on the West and North the Germane Ocean on the South the Islands of Zealand and some part of Brabant Upon the eruption of the Gothish and Danish Nations they here planting themselves in Holland and Zealand as Adrianus Junius conceiveth in reference to Zealand and Orland two Islands in the Baltick Sea out of which they came these two Provinces were called Holland and Zealand And with him agreeth William Heda Petrus Hannius Scriverius and others But Hugo Grotius will have it called Holland from Holtland which is as much as to say a Country of Wood Holt signifies a Wood. And the Annals tell us that heretofore Holland was full of Woods and Bushes This Country
Town with a Castle it 's scituate in a Moor which there is but one passage to come unto It 's upon a Causey so as it 's of hard Access Anno 1597 it was taken by Prince Maurice ZVTPHEN or ZVYDFEN SO called of the South scituation of it among the Fens on the right shore of Yssel where it receives to it the River Borthel which runs through the Town It hath been twice or thrice taken and re-taken by the Spaniards and States but hath contined in the possession of the States since the year 1591 it was taken by the Earl of Leicester for the States Here fell that Gallant Gentleman Sir PHILIP SIDNEY Keppel Is a small Town of no importance half a League from Doesburgh Burg Not much better then Keppel it 's a League from Doesburgh GRONINGEN-LAND HAth on the East East-Friesland on the West West-Friesland and on the North the Main Sea on the South Overyssel It contains under it the Country called the Ommelands corruptly for Emmelands as I conjecture because lying along the River Ems and therein 145 Villages The chief whereof are Dam Neer the Ems bordering on the East-Friesland It 's two Leagues from Groning Keykirk Old-Haven Standing on the Sea For the Town of Groning it self it 's rich great and very well built scituate amongst divers small streams which run through it and having divers Chanels for conveyance of waters which adds much to its safety and strength This Town hath two small Rivers Huneso and Aha coming out of the Country of Drenthe through the Ommelands the which compassing about the Town meet in the Suburbs which is cal'd Schayten-dyep from whence passing by the town of Dam with other small Brooks which joyn there they fall by the Sluces of Delf-ziel into the Dullart which is of the River Ems by the which all Ships both great and small take their course to joyn with the greater which Anchor upon the Dullart and so to go from thence to the Sea This City is strongly fortified with Ditches and Trenches A Town of great Jurisdiction both within and without judging without Appeal in Cases Civil and Criminal Anno 1594 it was taken by the Prince of Orange Some hold that the name of this Town was given by Grunnius issued from the Bloud of the Kings of Friesland which was the Founder of it but being seated in a pleasant Soyl and goodly Pastures it 's so called from the greenness thereof this word Groen signifying green ingen being an Adjective which makes up the word as Fine-lingen and others This City is ennobled with many Priviledges as that no King Prince or Commonwealth can call any Burger or Citizen out of this City into justice nor cause him to be cited or adjourned before any Court but only before the Senate or his Ordinary Judge No man can appeal from any Sentence that is given here either in Civil or Criminal Causes They may make Laws and abrogate them at pleasure without the authority of any Person The Ommelands are divided into three Quarters 1. The Feuelingo 2. Himsing 3. The West quarter They have many Priviledges here in their places of Judgment which they call their Gretonies or Bailiwicks Delfzyel Is a great and mighty strong Fort in Form of a Town We have given you a short view of the Towns and Forts which the States General hold in these Provinces We shall now observe what other Towns they hold in other Provinces under the King of Spain especially in the Dutchy of Brabant and County of Flanders which they have gain'd by their Arms. In the Dutchy of BRABANT Bergen Op-Zoome It 's called Bergen by the Normans which invaded Brabant who so called it from a Town in Norway and Bergen-Op-Zoome from the River Zoome upon which it is scituated about half a League from Scheld and not far from the Sea it hath a good Haven belonging unto it Anno 1533 't was made a Marquisate It 's within six hours journy of Antwerp It 's opposite to Rommerswael and Tholen Towns of Zealand It hath a very high Earthen Rampier and Ditches round about it It 's in some places Fortified with Palisadoes in other parts with Walls on the top of the Rampiers there are many Bulwarks about it for defence of the Town It came under the power of the States Anno 1577. If Bergen be subdued the Islands of Zealand would easily be reduced one after another especially the Isle of Terthole Anno 1588 it gave a Famous repulse unto the Duke of Parma who Beleaguered it with 30000 Men and after a long Siege with much loss and dishonour was forced to retire with the loss of 12000 Souldiers as it is credibly reported Anno 1605 Marquess Spinola made two furious Assaults upon this Town but by the valour of the Burgers and Souldiers was repulsed with great loss It 's held impregnable and one of the best Fortified Towns in the Low Countries Anno 1605 Prince Maurice took Woud-Castle within a Mile of Bergen-Op-Zoome It 's strongly fortified with Bulwarkâ— and seated in a Fenny plaâ—â— and therefore naturally stâ—â—ng It 's one of the chiefest Castles belonging to the Marquess of Bergen Breda Is a very fair Town it 's seated in the Land of Kempen scituate on the River Merck eight Miles from Antwerp six Miles from Boisleduc or s'Hertoghen bosch six Miles from Bergen-Op-Zoome and two from Gertrudenburg It 's the residence Barony and chief Town of the Prince of Orange Count Henry of Nassaw caused the Town to be Fortified with Rampiers Anno 1534 both in the Castle round about the Town he caused five great Bulwarks to be made which defended one another together with very deep Ditches He built here a most Princely Palace moated round about and with that a very magnificent Edifice with a most noble Gallery supported with Pillars of Blewstone with a gilded Frontispiece within the Palace there is a most noble Hall built on Pillars in the Hall there is a Chappel there is also a goodly Armory stored with all sorts of Warlike Provision and much Cannon It hath under it the Town and Territory of Steenberg the Franchise of Rosindale and the Seignory of Osterhout Anno 1567 't was taken by the Duke of Alva the Prince retiring into Germany for 's own security and so continued as a Garrison for the Spaniard till 1577 and then it returned again unto the Prince In whose possession it was for four years Anno 1581 ' was taken by the Prince of Parma he kept it till the year 1590. It now doth continue in that illustrious Family It 's invested with many Priviledges and Jurisdictions it hath an Exchequer or Court-trial whereunto the Town of Steenberghen and the 16 Villages of the Country of Breda with those of Eycheren Mewxem Schotem Loetrout and Oestmael make their Appeals And besides the said Court there is a Seat of Justice belonging to a Sheriff before whom upon the first Summons the Burgers must appear
together with them of Tettering Motengracht Sandberg Vijsluyce and the Haeghstrate None may Appeal from the Sentence given in either of the said Courts or any other Court of Justice Dirst On the River Dennere a strong Town and invested with a noble Territory belonging to the Prince of Orange in right hereof he is Burgrave of the City of Antwerp Gertruydenburgh Stands on the Douge not far from the influx of it into the Maes the furthest Town in the North of Brabant where it joyns to Holland A Town of great Trade for Fishing plenty of Salmons and Sturgeons being taken here but of Stades or Trouts especially whereof 18000 are sometimes caught in a day salted and sent into Forreign parts This Town is of the Inheritance of the Prince of Orange Anno 1593 't was recovered by the Prince of Orange in the view of the Earl of Mansfield who then had the Command of an Army of 30000 for the King of Spain It 's a Town of great strength and well Fortified Grave The chief City of the Land of Cuyck seated in Brabant upon the Maes It 's strong by Nature it 's now so Fortified with Bulwarks Ravelins and Counterscarps that it is one of the strongest Towns in the Netherlands It 's six Miles from Ravesteyn and 15 from the Bosch It 's the Inheritance of the House of Nassau Anno 1586 't was besieged by the Prince of Parma and to him delivered and so it continued till 1602 when it was re-taken by Prince Maurice after a stout Resistance Maestricht in Latine Trajectum ad Mosam So called of a Ferry over the Maes in former times It 's a very strong Town subject in part to the Bishop of Liege and partly to the Duke of Brabant Anno 1632 't was besieged and taken by the Confederate States Hertogen-Bosch Boisleduc or the Bosch So called from a pleasant Wood belonging to the Dukes of Brabant where the Town now stands scituate on a little River called Deese some two Leagues from the Maes near the Borders of Gelderland a large and well-built Town very strongly Fortified and of great Trade for Cloathing It 's one of the principal Towns in Brabant properly so called comprehending under it four Countries of Compenland Maesland Peeland and Osterwick and was taken by the Confederate States from the King of Spain Anno 1628. It 's environ'd with seven or eight Bastions and some Half-Moons and Horn-works this with the bredth of the River secures it against all Danger and Holland from all Fear It hath seven Ports or Gates 51 Stone-Bridges 58 Wooden The Jurisdiction of the City of Bosch and the Majorality thereof extends over 109 Villages The Town and Seignory of Ravesteine Scituate on the Banks of the Maes between Grave and Meghen six Miles distant the one from the other It belongs to the Duke of Cleve and his Successors Sevenburgh It 's seated upon the River of Merew three Leagues beneath Gertrudenburgh and as much from Breda there was a most strong and mighty Fort during all the time of the late Wars Crevecoeur A most strong Fortress lyeth about four English Miles from the Bosch and hath held out many Sieges Steenberghen Is a little Town betwixt Bergen-Op-Zoome and Breda along the Sea-Coast Anno 15â—0 yielded to the States General Willem-Stadt Built by William of Nassaw Prince of Orange who gave it that name it 's scituated in the Island of Rogheville a good and strong Town It serves as a Rendezvouze to the States Army when they have any Enterprize or Incursion to make It hath seven Bastions a double Ditch and a fair Haven It hath Brabant on the South and Zealand on the North. Cluyndert Here the States have built an exceeding strong Fort where for the importance thereof they entertain a Garrison it hath eight Bastions and some Ravelins Lillo Is a strong Fort upon the River Escault within three Leagues of Antwerp not far from the Gulf of the said River It 's a place of great Importance to stop the Navigation to Antwerp It 's opposite to another Fort which the States now hold in Flanders called Liefskenhoek Fer Heyden Is a very strong Fort at the mouth of the River the which coming from Breda falls there into the Sea For all which Townes and Places together with their Jurisdictions there 's a Councel of Brabant held at the Hague before which there 's Appeal from inferiour Judges Towns and Forts which the States hold in FLANDERS Sluce IS a strong Fortified City being intrench'd with Walls and double Ditches During the Prosperity and Traffick of the town of Bruges 't was the Store-house for their Wines which came from Spain the Canaries and France It 's three Leagues distant from Flushing five Miles from Middleburgh and three from Bruges It 's in the Isle of Cadsant which the States do enjoy with all the other Forts opposite to the Haven of that Town In the Isle of Cadsant there are two Fortresses the one called Hoolstede both won by Prince Maurice 1604 with the Sluce in which there were 70 Cannon of Brass and Iron besides those in the Forts The Haven is very large where 200 Sayl of Ships of great Burthen may safely ride There are two Block-houses in the Haven the one in the very mouth of the Haven called Haseschant zee the other not far from the Town called Beck-of Ardenburgh A strong Town neer the Isle of Cadsant 't was heretofore call'd Rodenburgh and was the Metropolis of all Flanders containing Touront Ostburg Bruges and all the Sea-Coast even to Bononia It hath a Church consecrated to the Virgin MARY which is the fairest and most magnificent in all Flanders this Town is a Mile distant from Sluce Ysendick Is a mighty Fort right against Flushing standing towards the Sas of Gant and Bocholdt It hath a very convenient Haven able to contain many Ships of 4 or 500 Tun very well scituated upon the Sea Lyefkenhoech A strong Fort built at the same time with that of Lillo and opposite unto it upon the River Escault so as all Ships as come from the Sea to go to Antwerp must pass 'twixt these two Forts Ferneuse Is a strong Village and well-Garrisoned It 's scituate in the midst of drown'd Land and therefore not easie to approach nor Camp before it Axelle Is a strong Town in the Island of Waes one of the best Quarters of Flanders Anno 1587 Colonel John Peron surpris'd and delivered it to the States which they have powerfully Fortified by drowning a great part of the Country which makes it inaccessible The States have in this Quarter many Sconces as the Tetter-Sconce by Ysendicke St. Philips St. Catharines Newet-Sconce Henries-Sconce Slyckenbergh and Hansfriezes all Forts between Sluce and Ysendicke the Hoffle Oistictirt the Old and New Pass-Sconces by Sluce the Crabb the Oly the Alder and Spitsbroeck-Sconces lying about Ardenburgh they have besides about Sluce St. Fredericks Donaes the Star St. Jobs and Blemkenleige sconces Plassendate-sconce