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A07266 The heroyk life and deplorable death of the most Christian King Henry the fourth Addressed to his immortall memory; by P: Mathieu, counceller and historiographer of France. Translated by Ed: Grimeston, Esquire.; Histoire de la mort déplorable de Henry IIII. English Matthieu, Pierre, 1563-1621.; Grimeston, Edward.; Sylvester, Josuah, 1563-1618. 1612 (1612) STC 17661; ESTC S112465 671,896 410

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of a Kingdome in Italie the Normans seating themselves in France the erecting of the Kingdome of Naples and Sicilie and the attempt of Godfride upon Freseland against Charles the Great Canutus the Great his holding five Kingdomes a long time For he was King of Denmarke Swethland Norwey England and Normandy and sonne in law to Henry the third Emperour of whom these verses are yet extant Desine mirari quos garrula laudibus effert Graecia quos jactat Roma superba duces c. Cease thou to wonder at those Captaines bold Of which both Greece and Rome did boast of old For now the Danish Land hath brought forth one That is in vertue second unto none By my atchievements I much fame attain'd Five Kingdomes subject were to my command And me he chose his sonne in Law to be Who was third Emperour of Germanie My Iustice famous was I shew'd the way How powerfull Kings should their owne Lawes obey By which it appeares as also by the following warres which divers Kings of the Familie of the Oldenburgs happily waged that it is a warlike Nation and fortunate in vanquishing their enemies both by Land and Sea The Noble men and Senatours of the Kingdome have a free power to elect the Kings but for the most part they chuse the Kings eldest sonne unlesse there be some sufficient cause for the contrary However they alwayes chuse one of the Royall bloud and they doe not suffer the Kingdome to be divided unlesse they be compelled thereunto by civill warres They send the younger sonnes or brothers into other Countries seeing they cannot participate in the government of the Kingdome and hence it is that so many expeditions are undertaken by them Moreover seeing all the Nobles and Common-people cannot live conveniently in their owne Countrie therefore they seeke out to get themselves a more fit seate For the Northerne people have abundance of children in regard of their abundance of bloud and heate they are quarrellers and fighters they drinke and eate much for the cold Ayre excites their appetite and yet digest it well whence it is that they live long they are faire complexioned of great stature crafty and faithfull And an argument that they are long liv'd is that their Kings have raigned very long many of them thirty yeares some forty and some longer The Politicall government THere are five States or Orders in the Common-wealth of Denmarke The first is of the Kings Familie the second of the Nobles among which there are neither Earles nor Barons yet all of them can shew how their Nobilitie descended to them by a long pedigree of Ancestours They carry Bucklers which they will not change nor alter because they anciently used them There are some Families yet living whose Ancestors were present at the Parley between Charles the Great Hemmingus King of Denmarke upon the River Egidora or Eider as the Familie of Vren and others These hold their goods and lands in Capite and they have free liberty to hawke and hunt in their owne lands as the Counts have in Germany Their goods are not feudatory but hereditary All the Castles lands and goods as well moveable as immoveable left them by their parents are equally divided among the brethren and the sisters by a speciall priviledge have a share also yet so that the brother hath two parts with the Castles and places of strength and the sister but one By this meanes the eldest sonnes have not much lands yet some of them comming of a good Familie and being endued with vertue through the Kings favour doe advance themselves to great possessions by marriage Out of this order the Senatours of the Kingdome are chosen who are seldome more then 28. These Senatours have a certain allowance from the King and Kingdome for they have Castles so long as they bee Senatours for which they pay no rent to the King but are charged to keepe certaine horses both in peace and warre and whensoever the King calls them they are to be ready at the proper charge of the Kingdome If they be sent on any Embassage out of the Kingdome they have allowance out of the Exchequer that they may performe their journey in a Princely manner as becommeth a Kings Embassadours The other Nobles also have sufficient maintenance from the King whether they live at Court or not For the King hath lands which in the Danish speech are called Verleghninge or Benefices and out of these hee giveth maintenance either for terme of life or for yeares to those who have done him or the Kingdome any service And those who hold these Benefices of the King are charged to keepe certaine horses and to pay yearely a certaine summe of money into the Exchequer yet so as they may gaine something in reward of their labour and service There is also a good Law Institution in the Kingdome of Denmarke whereby the King is prohibited and restrained from buying any immoveable goods of the Nobles least any dissention should arise betweene the King and them For otherwise the King might by violence take into his hands those lands which the Nobles would not sell yet the King may change any immoveable goods with the Nobles though on the contrary the Nobles cannot buy any of them of the Kings Farmers many of which have hereditarie and as it were free lands Here followes the names of the speciall Families of the Nobility in the Kingdome of DENMARKE THe Lords of Kaas the L. Guldensteen the Lords of Munc of Rosencrantz of Grubbe of VValkendorp of Brahe of Schram of Pasberg of Hardenberg of Vlstant of Bing of Below of VVepfert of Goce of Schefeldt of Ranzow of Schelen of Frese of Iul of Bilde of Dresselberg of Green of Brockenhusen of Holke of Trolle of Knutzen of Biorn Schested of Iensen of Steuge of Mattiesse of Lunge of Banner of Luc of Rastorp of Krusen of Fassi of Lindeman of Suvon of Stantbeke of Quitrowe of Lange of Gelschut of Glambeke of Krabbe of Marizer of Kragge of Achsel of Be● of Ruthede of Negel of VVirfelt of Split of Ofren of Appelgard of Iuenam of Poldessen of Reuter of Podebussen who were all in times past Barons in the Dukedome of Pomerania and some of whose Familie are still remaining there Also the Lords of Vren who lived in the time of Charles the great Also the Lords of Bli● of Galle of VVogersen of Bassi of Solle of Daac of Bax of Basclich of VVensterman of Hoken of Lindow of Bille of Reutem of Hundertmar● of Heiderstorper of VVolde of Papenhaimb of Spar of Falster of Narbu of VVorm of Bilde of Bocholt of Budde of Swaben of Santbarch of Gram of Lutken of Vhrup of Spegel of Bammelberg of Rosenspart of Duve of Hube of Schaungard of Must of Gris of Falcke of Brune of Laxman of Duram of Baggen of Norman of Goss of Matre of Rosengard of Tollen of Ronnoun of Krimpen Out of this Nobilitie is chosen the Praefect
walled Castle on a Rocke by which the River Bísura glideth Cujavia or Vladislavia is a faire Citty being a Bishops seate Bidgostia is subject unto it which is seated by the navigable River Buda Brestia hath under it Radzieiow Crusphicia and Cowalow Crusphicia is the chiefe Citty of Poland next to Gnesna it is built of wood with a slated Castle by the Lake Golpo Rava is a wodden Citty situate by a River of the same name Ploczko is a pleasant Citty seated on a Hill by the River Vistula in which there was a Castle which the Crucigerians did demolish In the lesser Polonia the chiefe Citties are these Cracovia Sandomiria and Lublinum Cracovia is built on a Plaine neere the River Vistula being fortified with a double wall and a deep ditch It hath a Castle on a high Rock● which they call Vanel in this Citty the Kings of Poland keepe their residence and are buried It hath a famous Schoole for the study of Philosophie The Castellanus of Cracovia taketh place of the Palatine in the Senate but in other Provinces the Palatine is preferd before the Castellanus Moreover there are three Citties neere unto Cracovia Clepardia Stradomia and Cassimiria It hath two Dukedomes under it Zarocensis and Oswiecimensis It hath many Townes under it Sandomiria is a principall Citty walled about and situate on a Hill by the River Vistula being 22. miles distant from Cracovia It hath an ancient Castle well fortified under it there are Checiny in a Plaine which is famous for Mines of Blue in which there is Silver also found also Korezin Malogast and other Townes Lublinum is a Citty beyond Vistula being fortified with a Wall a Ditch a Lake and a Castle In which there are 3. Faires every yeere unto which both Turkes Armenians Grecians Germanes Muscovites and Lithuavians doe resort The Iewes doe ininhabite a great part of the Suburbs and have a Sinagogue there The River Bystizna doth runne by the Castle Poland as we said before is a plaine Country the most part of it is coverd with Woods and it yeeldeth good store of Barley Wheate and Pulse It hath abundance of Cattle It hath Lakes which are full of all kindes of Fish The chiefe Rivers are Vistula Viadrus commonly called Odera Tyres now Niester Hypanis which is called Bugh Vistula now called die Weixel was heretofore called Vandalus some call it Issula and Vissula This River riseth in the Carpathian Mountaines and before it commeth to Cracovia it is enlarged by the receit of many Rivers and afterward being growne very deepe and broad before it come to Dantiscum it dischargeth it selfe into the Codan Bay Boristhenes so well knowne of old is now called Nieper It hath a few Mountaines and those Southward where it looketh toward Hungaria The State of the Kingdome consisteth of the Clergie and Nobles The Ecclesiastick Order hath two Bishops the Bishop of Ghesnia who is Primate of the Kingdome who doth also crowne the King and the Bishop of Leopolis in blacke Russia The Bishops are of Cracovia in lesser Poland the Bishop of Posnia in the greater Poland and in other Provinces the Bishops Plocensis Chelmensis Vilnensis Kioviensis Lucensis Ianoucensis Samogitiensis Warmensis Culmensis Sambiensis Pomasaniensis Rigensis and others The Politick order of the Nobles hath 26. Palatines 60. Counts 4. Marshals a Chancellor and a Vicechancellor two Generals or Captaines in the lesser Poland there are forty common Captaines in the greater 30. in Massovia 12. So that the Kings when occasion requires can raise 200000. Nobles He that desires to know more concerning the state of this Kingdome let him have recourse to Stanislaus Kizistanowie his POLAND POLONIA description of the State of the Kingdome of Poland or to Guagninus or Boterus their description of Germany and Neugebaverus his Polonian History There are also in Poland Mines of Salt by Bochnia and Veliscus which doe exceed all others Veliscum is 8. miles distant from Cracovia Bochina is a faire Towne with a Castle where the Governour of rhe Saltpits dwels who is called Zupparius The Country round about is barren but this Country maketh a greater revenue out of these Mines then some Countries doe out of Gold and Silver Mines The people of Poland especially the Nobles doe now differ much from the Scythian barbarisme of the ancient Sarmatians They have no Robberies so that in Summer time they ride in Waggons and in Winter time in Coaches safely and without danger Most of the Nobility are very sharpe witted and doe get experience and languages by travelling into forraine Countries They are couragious and will not shun the stoutest enemy if any one bee wronged by the Nobles all their kindred and friends doe joyne together in revenging it and doe never cease untill they have revenged it or lost their owne lives Lastly they are not so liberall as prodigall both in their frequent Banquets and in the great retinue and number of Servants which they keepe and clothe THE KINGDOME OF HVNGARY HUNGARIA commonly called Hongeren which name it received from the Huns or Hungarians who came out of Scythia and did inhabit it doth containe Pannonia and the Countries of Iazigus and the Dacians beyond Danubius On the South it hath the River Savus which devideth it from Croatia and Servia which are a part of Illyrici over against the Adriatick Sea On the North it hath Poland and Russia which are disjoyned by the Mountaine Carpatus On the West it hath Austria which was heretofore the head of the higher Pannonia together with Moravia and Styria on the East Mysia which they now call Rhetiana It is an excellent Country both for the goodnesse of the soyle and the pleasantnesse of the Situation The Country is very fruitfull and fertill and yeeldeth Pearles Gold Silver Colours and Salt which are to be digged out of the Earth It hath abundance of Grasse Wheate Pulse and Fruit. That Country which is by Danubius doth yeeld excellent wine even from the Country of the five Churches to Taurunus or Belgrad But there is no Oyle and excepting that it is adorned with all the gifts of nature It hath divers kindes of living Creatures having such great plenty both of Oxen and Sheepe that great Droves are carried into other Countries especially into Italy and Germany It hath also abundance of wilde beasts as Hares Does Goats Harts Wolves Beares and the like And also great store of Birds especially Thrushes Partridges and Pheasants The Paeonians or Pannonians did first inhabit this Country afterward the Gothes who were expulsed by the Huns and the Huns by the Longobards who were seated here 13. yeeres But the Huns came in againe under the conduct of their Captaine Attila after whose death Charles the Great tooke it into his owne possession But in the yeere 700. the Huns comming out of Scythia in the Raigne of the Emperour Arnulph possessed those parts being Pagans untill King Stephen whom they called the holy was inaugurated and made King And after
To you Mercator offers by my hand The Worlds Portraicture wherein Sea and Land Which make one Globe are drawn forth in each Part In Plano with such Iudgement Truth and Art That Pictures of all mortall beauties are Weake shaddowes of fraile dust nor can compare With these sweete Picces for who would not be A Lover when he sees Geographie Drawne forth in such fresh colours that invite The eye to gaze with wonder and delight And while it gazes doth such pleasure finde That it convayes loves flame into the minde I know your Iudgements let none henceforth be Your Mistresses but faire Geographie W. S. Reverendae Eruditae Matris Academiae Oxoniae in Albo Mercatoris Famae Inscriptio QVis ille Mundum cogit in leges suas Potentis artis machinâ Non illubenti quis jugum victor dedit Vt serviat feliciùs Angustijsque clausit insuetum novis Vt major inde prodeat Et quae lacerent membra magni corporis Dedit videre singula Per quicquid usquam est sparsa nec lacera tamen Integriora reddidit Non hunc vetustis edidere saeculis seu Roma sive Graecia Aevo priores labore praevios At post-futuris impares Dicemus istos orbis incunabulis Quos admoveri fas erat Quos minores expedire fascias Debebat ut mundo rudi Adultus at jam crevit cingi petit Quod repperit solutius Quin Britanno quod Britanni gaudeant Cinctu decorus visitur N. S. Oxonia Aeque Eruditae Almae Matris Cantabrigiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 R. B. Cantabriglae In Praise of Mercators Workes INdustrious Camden Englands brightest starre By 's Art gave light to us and after Times Mercators Sunne shines more resplendent farre By 's History describing all the Climes And uncouth Contnents strange for us to view The Rockes the Isles the Rivers and their falles Gods greatest Workes and Natures rarest shew Which here lies ope with Mountaines Hills and dales And in these Mappes thou mayest at home descry What some have sought with Travaile farre and neere At easie rate they all heere open lie To feast thy Iudgement with delicious cheare Then crowne his Temples with deserving Bayes That such a Trophee to thy use could raise W. D. Exoniae To the worthy Translator IF what that famous Lyrick-Poet writ In praise of Poetrie so full did fit That He of All deserves the prize and praise Which mixeth Profit with his Pleasant-Layes Then sure the same of Historie is true And of all Histories to This most due To this I say This Atlas of Earths frame This Geographick-Structure of much fame This Worlds bright Light Delight and Sunne most faire Discovering all Earths specious Countries rare In such a Cosmographicall display In such a faithfull and exact Survey That Now at least Eleven faire Languages Themselves with Its Translation sweetly please What thankes Me thinkes then unto Thee remaines Praise-worthy Saltonstall for thy great paines In thus Translating on our English-Soyle So choyce a Peece Wherein without much toyle Yet with much Pleasure and Vtilitie The Minde all-bent on Forraine Noveltie May heere at home even in his Chamber view Each Country in his state and station true In figures faire lively delineated And in exact descriptions demonstrated For which let Belgia give her Hondy praise And we our Saltonstall deserved Bayes I. V. In due commendation of the Author with an Allusion of Atlas his supportation of the World 1. An Acrosticke on Mercators Atlas Mercators Atlas Mirror of all storie Expresse in Tropes of deepe Cosmographie Reader admire in reading for It 's Glorie Claimes a precedence past equalitie All that Laborious Artists can compose Triangles Circles Lines and Parallels Only deare Hondius these thy Maps disclose Raising to life a Worke that all excels Atlas by fiction do's the World uphold Thou more by Art dost all the Orbe containe Let Poets pencill forth thy praise in Gold And all that reape the Harvest of thy paine So shall thy fame to every Age remaine Heere mayst thou reade what ere thou wouldst desire The manners of thine owne and foraigne Nations And in thy Study onely but retire To view their customes strengths and Scituations Then praise his Name such gifts to Man that gave Whereby thou maist much cost and labour save M. R. De Mercatoris Atlante in Anglorum sermone edito ATlas Latine fortis in laudes tuas Graeco politus carmine Heinsius fuit At Nostrum Atlantem qui novus prodit modò Laudare non audere laus post Heinsium R. B. S. S. M. Ad Anglum Lectorem SCire cupis mores hominum lustrareque terras hic depicta tibi cuncta videre licet Ne Linguae ignotae exaniment hunc consule nostrum Atlantem notus sic tibi mundus erit Orbem fuloit Atlas opus hoc intellige Atlantem Lector Atlant is non leve fulcis onus R. B. S. Hosp On this Translation an HEXASTICHON MErcator sure thy Merchandize is good Having so current for so long time stood In forreine Countries but in British soyle Vnkenn'd unkiss'd till Saltonstall with toyle And study rich in thee his natives made Teaching thee with our English now to-trade THOM. VICARS olim Reginensis Oxon. NIli diluvium steriles faecundat agellos Floscula sparsa iuvant stercora lucra ferunt Inde decus Solis late quia lumina spargit Rivi fama patet flumina longa trahens Sic linguis varijs doctum lucrantur opellae Laudem diffusae nos tamen omne bonum Hebrae● Graeci exonerant gens undique docta Alueum in Brittanicum qui scatet arte nova Olim non notus noto divisus ab orbe Huc tendi petijt navita nullus iter Olim tendebat cla●us mercator ad Indos Iam oras Angligenúm curva carina petit Ast hic Mercator non est omninò viator Musaeo merces littus aequor eme Pet. Vowel To his learned though unknowne friend the Author of this Translation SOmewhat amongst the rest of those that presse To honour this thy Worke would I addresse Vnto thy praise and therein strive to be As breife and sweete as this Epitomee The World is here contracted and in this Thou shewest us what the lesser world Man is And therein work'st a wonder that the lesse Should comprehend the greaters spaciousnesse As thou hast thus reduc'd both to a span So shall my lynes thy worth and in this one Expresse thy world of that Coelestiall fire Whose beames we love not more than we admire I. G. Verses in Commendation of this description of the terrestriall Globe by G. W. WIth cost and perill some adventure farre Yet ne're the richer nor the wiser are But giddily through many Climates rome And come lesse honor'd and worse manner'd home Some
one channell to the Ocean and there rushing down headlong from the steepe Rocks as Leunclavius saith doth make those dease which dwell neere unto it as they report the Water-fals of Nilus doth those who inhabite neere unto them The Countrie hath no mountaines but is full of thick woods for heere are the great armes of Hercynia and other such At the mouth of Duina neere to the Sea is Dunamunta or Dun●mund an impregnable Castle not farre from Riga kept by a Polish Garrison to which all ships doe pay a certaine tribute as they passe by There is also in the mid-way Blokaus a royall fortresse which commandeth ships as they sayle by it There is moreover the castle and citie Felinum or Fellin in the Dukedome of Estland which the German hired Souldiers together with the last Governour of Lavonia William Furstenberg by most detestable treachery did betray to the Duke of Moscovia Ternestum which others call Taurum in this Country was heretofore a strong castle but after it had beene taken by the Moscovites the Lithuanians marching under the conduct of their Captaine Nicholas Radziwilus Palatine of Vilna by undermining and by planting powder under it did quite demolish it in the yeare 1561. In Livonia many yet doe live in a heathenish manner and wanting the true knowledge of God some adore the Sunne some a Stone and there are those who doe worship Serpents and Bushes When they are to interre and burie a dead body they banquet freely round about the dead carkasse and doe drinke to the dead man powring also upon him a great pot of drinke Afterward they put him in a Sepulchre and lay by him an hatchet meate drinke and some money for his journey and then they crie out Get thee gone into an other world to rule over the Germans as they have heere ruled over thee and thine They first received the Christian faith under the Emperour Frederick They account it a fault to be laborious and painfull The women borne in the countrie carrie a great state with them doe despise those women which come from other parts They will not bee called women but Mistresses and they never busie themselves with any womans worke but doe vagarie and wander abroad in the Winter time in Chariots and in the Summer by Boate. The drinke of the countrie is Mede Beere and Wine which the richer sort onely use being brought from forraine countries especially Rhenish Wine The women doe disgrace the beauty and comlinesse of their bodies by the disguisednesse of their garments The commodities which are transported out of Livonia into Germanie other Countries are Waxe Honey Ashes Pitch and Tarre Hemp Skins of divers wilde beasts and Hides Also that kinde of corne which the Latines call Secale and wee Rye is yearely transported in great plenty from hence into Germanie and other bordering countries Having explained and declared thus much concerning Livonia I hope it will bee a matter acceptable to the Reader if heere for conclusion I shall adde some thing concerning those Lycaons or men transformed into wolves who are reported to be very frequent and common in this place There are Writers who thinke themselves worthy to be beleeved among which is Olaus Magnus that doe affirme that in this Countrie every yeare some men are turned into wolves I will heere set downe his owne words thereby to recreate the minde of the Reader with the relation of an unheard of noveltie and thus hee writes in his 18 Booke cap. 45. Although in Prussia Livonia and Lithuania all the Inhabitants all the yeare are much endammaged by ravening Wolves because every where in the woods they teare in pieces and devoure a great number of their cattell if they stray never so little from the flock or heard yet they esteeme not this losse so great as that which they sustaine by men changed and transformed into wolves For in Christmas in the night time such a companie of men●wolves doe gather themselves together and shew such fierie cruelty both towards men and other creatures which are not wilde by nature that the Inhabitants of this Countrie doe receive more detriment and losse from these than from true and naturall wolves For as it is found out by experience they doe besiege mens houses standing in the woods with much fiercenesse and doe strive to breake open the doores that so they may destroy and prey upon the men and other creatures that are within But of these things wee have spoken enough let us goe forward to Russia RUSSIA OR MOSCOVIA RUSSIA which is called also Roxolonia is twofold the Blacke and the White The former bordereth on Polonia the latter is a part of Moscovia Moscovie was without doubt so called from the River Moschus or Morava which giveth its name also to the chiefe Citie Mosco through which it floweth The Territories thereof are extended farre and wide and it is bounded on the North with the Icie Sea on the East it hath the Tartarians on the south the Turkes and Polonians and on the West the Livonians and the Kingdome of Swethland In all which spaces of ground many large countries are contained and therefore the Duke of Moscovie doth thus enstile himselfe The Great Lord and by the grace of God Emperour and Governour of all Russia also Great Duke of Volodimiria Moscovia great Novogrodia Pskovia Smolonskia Thweria Iugaria Permia Viathkia Bulgaria c. Governour and Great Prince of Novogrodia the Lesse of Czernigovia Rezania Wolochdia Resovia Bielloia Rostovia Iaroslania Poloskia Biellozeria Vdoria Obdoria and Condimia c. The temperature of the Aire in Muscovia is immoderately cold and sharpe yet it is so wholsome that beyond the head of Tanais toward the North and East there is never any plague knowne although they have a disease not much unlike unto it which doth so lye in the head and inward parts that they die in few daies of it The Countrie in generall neither bringeth forth Vine nor Olive nor any fruit-bearing tree except it be Mellons and Cherries in regard that the more tender fruits are blasted with the cold North windes The corne fields do beare Wheat Millet a graine which the Latines call Panicum and all kinde of Pulse But their most certaine harvest consists in waxe and honey Here is the wood Hercynia being full of wild beasts In that part which lyeth toward Prussia great and fierce Bugles or Buffes are found which they call Bison And also the beast called by the Latines Alces like an Hart save that hee hath a fleshie snout like an Elephant long legges and no bending of the hough and this creature the Moscovites call Iozzi and the Germans Hellene Besides there are Beares of an incredible bignesse and great and terrible Wolves of a blacke colour No Countrie hath better hunting and hawking than this For they take all kinde of wild beasts with Dogges and Nets and with Haukes which the
bee invented or used And on the besieged side you might have seene men women and children with great courage of minde sustaine the furious assaults of their enemies and with constancie and cheerfulnesse repaire the ruines of the wals keepe down those that would have ascended up drive back their enemies to their trenches pursue them and at last fight it out for the most part with good successe Moreover you might have beheld them wearying the besiegers with daily sallying out upon them and lastly subsisting after nine assaults in which though their enemies did fight valiantly yet they were enforced to retire with great losse At length the Ambassadours of Polonia comming the 15 of Iune that they might bring with them Henry Duke of Anjou whom the States of the Kingdome had chosen for King God used this as a meanes to free Rochelle being now exhausted and drawne drie of Corne and being weakned in warlike fortifications besides the losse of many thousand men for now the King by Articles of peace confirmed by his royall solemne edicts did grant that Rochelle Montalban Nemansum and other Cities which did defend themselves should bee free to use their owne Religion such an event had this grievous siege which endured almost for seven moneths In which time more than twentie thousand men perished in conflicts sallies besieges by wounds hunger and sicknesse Rochelle is a constant Seate for presidiall Senatours and other Lawyers The other Cities Townes of note in Santonia are commonly called S. ●ean d' Angely Ponts or Pont l' Oubleze Blaye Taillebourg Borbesieux Brovage and Iosac S. Iean d' Angely otherwise called Angeliacum and S. Ioannes de Angeria is a new Citie although it be one of the speciallest and greatest of all Santonia It renewed its name from an Abbey which was built in that place to the honour of S. Iohn the Baptist the foundation whereof happened to be in the reigne of King Pipin who kept his Court in the Pallace of Angeria neere the River commonly called Boutonne in the Countrie of Alnia for hither as they say came certaine Monkes out of the Holy Land who brought with them the head of S. Iohn Baptist by whose comming the King obtained a famous victorie over his enemies and therefore in remembrance thereof hee built in that place where was the Pallace of Angeria the Abbey of Saint Iohn there placing religious men and endowing them with great revenues that they might there devote themselves to the service of God now by this meanes people flocking thither and building round about the Abbey by degrees it began to be a Citie as it is now at this day and was called by the name of S. Iohn All these things happened about the yeare of our Lord seven hundred sixtie eight while Pipin waged warre against Gaifer King of Aquitania whom hee overcame as it may bee read in the Historie of the Foundation of this Abbey This Citie the Duke of Andegavium or Aniou did besiege in the yeare 1569 and it was yeelded to him after 50 dayes siege the King granting the Citizens th●se conditions That they should march forth of the Citie with their Armour Horses and Colours displayed Santonia raiseth great store of money by its Corne which the Spaniards every yeare doe transport from thence or Merchants which fell it unto them And the Citie of Rochelle is very rich in regard of its neerenesse to the Sea and especially because of the traffick of the English and Dutch whose shipping doe often arrive there AQVITANIA AQVITANIA whose Southerne part is delineated in this Table some would have so called from the waters wherewith it doth abound and some derive it from the Towne Aquis or Aqs. It was extended according to Ptolemie from the Pyrenaean Mountaines even to Liger But now as Ortelius witnesseth from the River Garumna to the Ocean and the Pyrenaean Hils Towards the North-West it hath the Ocean which is called the Aquitanick Bay on the West Spaine on the North Gallia Lugdunensis and on the South Gallia Narbonensis In it according to Mercators account there are five Dukedomes twentie Counties and sixe Seigniories The Dukedomes are Vasconia or Guienna Avernia the Countrie of Engoulesme Berrie and Turonia Vasconia or Guienna being situated neere the Sea betweene Bayon and Burdeaux yeeldeth great store of wine which is transported from thence into other parts of Europe The chiefe Citie in it is Burdigala or Burdeaux the other Cities as Nerac Condom Mirande Nogerat Orthes Bazes and Dax are of no great note yet Dax is famous for her hot Fountaines Salt-pits and Iron-mettle Burdigala so called by Ptolemie is situated in a marsh which the overflowing of Garumna maketh and is adorned both with a Parliament and an University in which the Professours of all Arts and Sciences doe instruct Youth Avernia or the Dutchie of Avergne is partly a plaine and partly a mountainous Countrie It hath on the East Forest on the South Languedock on the West Quercy Perigort and Lemosin and on the North Berry and Bourbon Avernia is two-fold the Higher and the Lower The Higher which is called Le hault pays d' Avergne and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Avernia hath one prime Citie in it called S. Flour being seated on a high Rock the other Townes are commonly called Orillac Carlatum Muratum Buillons le Puy c. There is also in it the Territorie and Bayliwick of Beaucaire The Lower is rich and very fertile being full of excellent Wine Fruit Honey Saffron Cattell Wooll Medowes and Woods The Metropolis of it is Clarimontium commonly called Clermont It is proude of her Castle and is a Bishops Seate The other Cities or Townes are 13 in number of which Rion Monferrat and Isoire doe excell the rest Engoulesme on the North joyneth to Poictou on the West to Santonia on the South to Perigort and on the East to Lemosin It hath abundance of very good Wine fruit and Hempe The Metropolis of it is Inculisma now called Engoulesme being an ancient Citie It is seated on a hill which hangeth over the River Charente in a remote place from the Kings high way The lesser Towns are those which are commonly called Marton Chasteau Neuff Blaisac Chabannes Confollant Cuffec Aigres Gourville la Roche-Foucault Marveil Lanzac Villebois Momberon and Bouteville Concerning the Countrie of Berry wee will speake in a Table by it selfe Turonia commonly called Touraine beginneth somewhat beyond the Citie Amboise towards Belsia and endeth at the towne which is commonly called la Chapelle Blanche AQVITANIA AQUITANIA being subject in spirituall matters to the Bishops of Anjou and Chousai For they appoint and set downe limits betweene the Turonians and Andigavians The sweetnesse of the Ayre doth make this pleasant country more delightfull so that it is called the Garden and Orchard of France It is fruitfull in Wine and Corne and hath woods convenient to hunt in The Metropolis or
much wealth beside And is with Groves and Vines much beautified THE DVKEDOME OF TVRONE Touraine TVRONENSIS Ducatus THE COVNTY OF PICTAVIA THE COVNTIE OF PICTAVIA POICTOU If studie from the minde strength from the body come In both which kindes France hath much honour wonne Then let this Country studies onely love While others warlike matters doe approve So while other Countries like the bodie are Pictavium is like to the soule most rare The Theaters Galienes Pallace and the Aquaeducts of Conduits which are now called les ducts doe shew the antiquity thereof being certaine tokens of the Romane Empire in these parts Some thinke it was built by the Agathirsians and Gelonians the Successors of the Sonnes of Hercules whom the Poets doe call Pict● for they being expelled their Country for stirring up Domestick sedition came into England and from thence being encreased in number and multitude they passed over againe into France where they were called Picts and built this City Others write differently when it is evident both in Pomponius Mela and Pliny that there were Pictones long before they came out of England This City is famoused by a Bishops Seate which D. Hilarius was sometime Bishop of a Prelate of singular learning and piety and one that was an invincible Antagonist against the Arrian faction and did write those 12. famous Bookes of the Holy Trinity wherein he shewed much wit and eloquence The Court of Pictavia is governd by a President and two Substitutes the one whereof doth judge of civill matters the other of criminall Many Townes of this Province have recourse to this Court as besides Pictavia it selfe aforesaid there are also Niort which hath a Castle here the Pictones doe keepe great Faires thrice in a yeare also F●ntenayle Conte it hath also a Castle the Rivulet Vendaeus or Vendee doth flowe by the walls of this Towne which groweth afterward so bigge that it doth overflowe the whole Territorie of Fonten● and the neighbouring parts thereunto also the Towne Lusign● where there is an ancient Castle which is commonly cal'd Mulus●e Al●o Montmorillon Chastelleraud la Basse Marché Dorai S. ●ent and others to which is added ●irray a Marshalship and having a strong Castle There is also in the Principalitie of Pictonia that I may come now to that parte besides Talm●nt so called as it were ●al●ndu Monde Calcanus Mundi or the heele of the world as some would have it ●upes su●er Ioa●na or Roche sur-Iohn who was of the Royall familie of Burbon Our Grandfathers did know Ludov●ck Burbon the Sonne of Iohn Earle of Vendosme when he was Prince of Roche sur-Ioh Earle of Montpenser and also his sonne Charles Castellum Heraldi or ●ast●lberault neere Vigenn● is dignified with a Dukedome The Viecountships are ●ev●rs By the River Tovius also Brosse Bridieres Roche-Chonart There are many Townes which are Baronies and Signiories which I will deliver as they come in viewe first Manlers where there is good fishing for Salmones and a little King of fish which is an enemy to the ●uny but especially there is good fishing for Whales and Codfish which being dryed and hardened in the winde and cold are usually transported into other Countries also the Townes ●artena● S. Ma●ent Melle Chizay Ch●uvigny Luss●c Bressu●●e Charron Ch●steneraye S. M●sni● S. Gillis Chasteaumur les Sables d' Aulonn● S. ●e mine Montaigu● a Towne with a Castle famous for Salt-pi●s Also M●●●bau l'a Motte S. Beraye Vouvant S. Hilaire Mortemer Luzaz S. Savin l' Istle ●●urdun S. Benoist du Sault Bourg●neuff M●loil Merxant Brige Vou●e Villefa●gnax and others And it is gathered o● of Antinius his Itinerary that Limonum was in Pictavia because B●●●gila is called Augu●●odurum Some thinke it to bee the same with 〈◊〉 or Poicters Wee dare affirme nothing In the third C●●entarie of A. Hirttus there is mention of Limonum The Rivers ●ha● water this Countrie are Clanius Vigenna now Vienne or Vendaeus and others which are very full of fish Heere we needes must speake of 〈◊〉 Amphitheater in Pictavia standing neere to the Towne Donaeu●● in the workmanship whereof Art doth strive to immitate nature to it is made hollow and cut out in the Mountaine having no externall 〈…〉 stone or wood in it In Iustus Lipsius in his Booke of the Amphitheaters which out of Rome cap. 6. there is a large description of his ●●●●taine and Amphitheater according to the relation of Levinus Kesmakerus sometime Consul of Zirickzaeus and governour of Zeland at the first beginning of this warre who addeth that the Village Towne Lonaeus was heretofore farre larger as may bee seene by the workemanship thereof not like to Village Townes and by the ruines of the publike wayes and streetes which lay toward the Bridge commonly called Pont du Sey part of which way may bee seene yet in divers places But the greatest part is ruinated and the stones of the aedifices are consumed and carried away About halfe a Mile from the Citie Pictavia in the high way to Biturigum there is a great fouresquare stone underproped with five other stones and from thence called la Pierre Leuree Of which there is this Distich Hic lapis ingentum superat gravitate Colossum Ponderis grandi Sydera mole petit This stone exceeds a great Colossus waight And even to the starres doth penetrate The State Ecclesiastick hath three Bishoprickes which are under the Archbishop of Tolouse as the Bishoprick of Poictiers in which there are 27 Abbies the Bishoprick of Lucon or Lussen in which are 10. Abbies and the Bishop of Maillezay in which are 4. Abbies I come now to their manners The Husband men have a peculiar speech of their owne and hee is held wise that does not trust them A kind of men who because they are prohibited to hunt wild beasts doe persue contentions They are litigious and cunning in stirring up debate and strife The Citizens are unlike them in nature and disposition being courteous bountifull liberall candide and hating impostures and deceits lovers of learning and learned men of which there are many heere The Nobilitie are provident and more bold and daring then strong CADVRCIVM LE PAYS DE QVERCI The Ecclesiastick State Cadurcium doth containe two Bishopricks namely of Cahors and Montalban which are subject to the Archbishop of Tolouse CADVRICVM commonly called le Pays de Querci or as others pronounce it Crecy is encompassed with the Petrocorians the Nitiobrigians the Rutenians the Avernians and Lemovicians The Country of Cadurcium though it bee indented with Mountaines yet it excelleth both for beauty richnesse and fertilitie and it wanteth nothing necessary for the sustenance of life The Cardurcians did formerly inhabit it whome besides Pliny Lib. 4. Cap. 19. Caesar doth mention with many other people of France who calleth them the Eleutheri or Flute●ri that is Freemen For so the word is to be taken and we are not to assent to them who would from thence deduce a
Mountaine Iura a little above the pleasant Villago Mota Moreover Dubis taking his course from the South Northward glideth by the Lake Pontium and so with many windings runneth by Pontarlum M●●tua and Vafrum and so to the Church of S. Hyppolitus and from thence bending Westward it goeth to the Towne Chastelot and so flowing by Vesuntio and making an Iland neere Dola after many winding turnings and having received many Rivers it mingleth his waters with Aratis neere Virdurum Longronius also wholly belongeth to the higher Burgundie commonly call'd Lougnon Davum springeth out of the high Monntaine which hangeth over a great and famous THE COVNTIE OF BVRGVNDIE BURGUNDIA COMITATUS Towne called Syrodu● there are also Lupus or ●upa commonly called Love Araru and others Concerning the Politicke state of this free Countrie when the Provinciall assemblies are held the three states doe meete being summon'd in th● Earles name by the Prince of the Arausians and the Lords of Noz●reth and Arbe The three States doe consist of the Nobles the Clergie and the Citizens The Earles of the higher Diaecese are the Earle of M●nt●ellia●t the Earle of Roche and Varax of Montrivel or Thalamer and Vaulgrenans of Vergey of Rey Liston●is The Abbates are of Croissant of Charité of Bitaine of Corneul of Tulley of Clarfont of Lux●ul of Bellevoulx of Grace-Dieu of Charleu of three Kings or Trium Regum The Priors are of Vau●luse of Lantenans of Cusance of Marteret of Iussey of Portsus Sa●sne of M●ntreul neere Sagona of S. Marcelli The Canonici are of Calem st●er and others of other places The Cities are Gray Vesoul Montho●son ●ussey Palma Portsus Saone Cromary Mont-Iustin Faul●ogney The Lords are of M●mmorot and S. Loup of S. Martin of Taulens of Villeneufoe of Rupi of Montgevelle Chastillon and Belv●we of Conflandey of Monb●llon of Velleson of Dicey of Vgny and Chemyly of Oizelet of Cic●n of Tra●ves of Rainconnieres of Costeb●une of Sombern●m of Vallefaut of Bermont of Av●lley of Mugnay of Vereur of Toura●ze of Cite● of Provanchieres of Grand-mont of Velle Chev●elous of Vosey of Dampie●re of Frotey of Breutal of Matey of Noironde of Tromarey of Mill●●●● of Mailler●n●ourt of Myon of Benaenge of Vellerot le boz of Clere of Betoncourt of Mortaillotte of Amondans of Fraisne of Chavirey of Mon●● of Mons S. Legier of Cuvry of Montereul of Sorans and Lambry and many others The Earles of lower Burgundy are of Ruffey of S. A●bin and the Barron of Chevreaulx The Abbots are of S. Eug●ndi of ●●aume of Calerne of M●nt S. Marie of Mont-Benoist of Bayllen of Rau●res the Priors are of Mainnaul of Vaucluse of Bonlieu of Mente of L●slesaulnier of Arbois of Mote of Syredus of Vallis supra Polichinum of Mortan The Canons are of S. Mauritius of S. Anatolius of S. Mi●●el all in Salina also of Arbosium of Polichnium of Nozeret and of other Cities The Cities are Salina Arbois Poligny Pontarlien Noze●● Castrum Caroli Monmoro●t Orgelot The Lords are of Conlongni● and Andelest of Courla●u and le Pin of S. Amour of Argento of Laub●●●● of Poupet of S. Sorlin of Darna and Tramelay of Borsia of Cressia of P●tigny of Chambery of Montena of Vecles of Rosait of Marigna of B●a●fort of Nasey of Aigle of Courboson of Vertamboz of Largilla of Mau●●● of Estoille of Chasnet of Aresche of Coges of Bar and Iousseaul of Aug● of Muy●e of Charrin of Charlin of Chaumes of Bretterieres of Fomen● of Cogna of Chaulx of Montnet of Vadans Villette of Arbois of Aig●●●erre of Chastelvillaine of S. Iulian of Descrilles of Verges of Champ●g● of Beaulchemin of Villeneusve les Orgellet of Chastres of Ioulx of Vin●●● of Vismeaulx and many others In the Diecesse of Dola there are the Lords of Givrey of Longepierre and Rahon and of Clervaulx The V●●bo●s of Billon of S. Vin●ius of S. Paulus Bisantius of Acey. The Prior● are of Loye of Leval of D●mparis of Iouhe of Monterot of Mote of 〈◊〉 of M●stier in Se●u●●a The Cannons are of Dola of Bisantinum and ●●thers in other places The Citties are Dola Quirgeium 〈◊〉 Losa Ro●●eford Vercelle The Lords are of Vaul●●ey of Rainnes of 〈◊〉 of M●n●fori of Mont-Ri●hard of Fertaus of Maillet of Bermont of ●●ron of Ver●hamps of D●ssans of P●rt of Chasteau of Roillault of Abbaus and Marchault of Reculet of Chartraus of Mont-gros-pain of Mutigney of Chassey of Paressey of Choisey of S. Iley of Faye of Parrel of Chemin of ●alus of ●hampdivers and Rastonnie●es of Rainche-court of Paintre of Montrambart of Salans of Goussans of Chavirey of Ancier and others There is greate store of Nobilitie as wee see in this Countrie And there are foure families which are either descended from the Kings and Princes of Burgundie or are allyed to them by affinitie namely the Noble Lord of Vienna of Vergy who is called the stout of Chalon who is called the rich and Prince of the Arausians and of Neuf Chastel who hath a greate estate of Lands But all appeales are brought out of the three Dieceses or Bayliwicks to Dola to the high Parliament of this Countie Concerning the state Ecclesiasticke the Archbishop of Bisuntine under whom are three Bishops the Bishops of Basil in Germanie of Lausanum in Helvetia and of Bellicensis in Sabaudia is the chiefe for Ecclesiasticall government and the Prince of the Empire The Archbishop of Bisuntium and the Citie Besoncon which is a free imperiall Citie and heretofore the greatest Towne of the Province of the Sequans and the Presidents seate are parts of the Empire of the fifth circle The thenth Circle of the Empire is the Burgundian because it consisteth of the house of Burgundie and doth containe the chiefe Princes of the Lowe Countries which are the Duke of Burgundie H. Bergen and Waelhem Count Egmond and Iselstein Count Nassau in Breda and Count Bergen THE DVKEDOME OF SABAVDIA THE DVKEDOME OF SABAVDIA SABAUDIA DUCATUS LA SAVOIE The Metropolis of Sabaudia is Chamberiacum commonly called Chamberi which the Ancients did call Camerinum as Paradine noteth in his Sabaudia Pinetus thinketh that the Ancients did call it Forum Voconij which Pliny mentioneth lib. 3. cap. 4. and Antoninus in his Itinerarie So that it cannot be that they should count Forum Vocorium among those Townes which are in the Province neere unto the Mediterranian Sea Also Peutingers Itinerarie Table doth place there Forum Voconij not farre from the French shore betweene Forum Iu●ij now called Fricul and Mataron Varerius vainely trifleth in his Chorographie of Portugal who maketh Forum Voconij to be Forum Vocontij as if it were the Metropolis of the Vocontians when the chiefe City of that Country is Augusta Dia Vocentiorum now called Die Caenalis also and Castilion doe thinke that Chamberry is Cinarum which Cicero mentioneth in his Epistles Moreover Chamberry hath a Castle and the Dukes of Sabaudia have a House there who have established here a Seate of Justice for the whole Country and
matter wherefore it is better to be silent than to speake too sparingly The politick state of these Countries both in generall and speciall is threefold the first is the Ecclesiastick state in which the Abbots are the chiefe the second is of the Nobility as the Duks Earles Marcgraves Princes Barrons and great Lords The third is of the Citties which the chiefe Citties of every Country doe represent These states the Prince calleth together when they are to consult concerning matters appertaining to the Prince or to the Principality or to the preservation or utility of the Countrie The Ecclesiasticke state is thus there are foure Bishops in the Low Countries the Camaracensian the Tornaycensian and the Atrebatensian these three are under the Arch-bishop of Rhemes and the Vltrajectine who is under the Arch-bishop of Colen I proceed to the Vniversities which are 4 the Vniversitie of Lovaine and Doway of Leyden and Flankford Lovaine is famous for the many Colledges Students and learned men the chiefe Colledges are Lilium Castrense the Colledge of Porus and Falcon in which Philosophie is read The Buslidian Colledge hath three languages taught in it namely Greeke Latine and Hebrew This Vniversitie at the request of the Nobles of Brabant was first instituted and adorned with Priviledges by Iohn the 4 Duke of Brabant in the yeare 1426. Martinus the fifth being Pope The other were erected in our memory Out of which as it were out of the Troian horse innumerable learned men have proceeded and doe dayly come from thence For in the Low Countries there are learned men skilfull in all faculties and sciences and as heretofore so now it produceth famous Schollers whom it would be too tedious to reckon up Here are divers Libraries in sundry places which are replenished with excellent rare Bookes Among which that at Leyden is the chiefe The inhabitants are faire quiet not cholericke nor ambitious nor proud not much given to venerie civill plaine curteous affable ingenious and ready witty and sometimes talkative laborious industrious faithfull gratefull towards those that have done them a curtesie capable of all Arts and Sciences stout in defending their liberties and Priviledges even to death And this may truely be spoken in the generall prayse of them that the Low Country men are frugall house keepers and thrifty husbands who following the example of the Ant do lay up before winter that which cannot then be gotten and doe buy fish and flesh which they either pickle up or doe dry it in the smoake For every house according to the number of their familie doth kill in Autumne an whole Oxe or provideth halfe an one beside a Hogge which they salt up and then it will serve them to spend a good part of the yeare untill the Spring returne againe Yet many of them are very covetous and desirous of wealth The Women are beautifull well behav'd and curteous For according to their Country fashion they are used from their childhood to converse familiarly with every one and therefore they are very ready both in action or speech or any matter neither doth this freedome or liberty make them lesse honest Neither doe they onely walke alone through the Cittie but they will goe for fellowship to the next Townes without any the least suspition of dishonestie They are very continent and apt and ready in their affaires And they are not onely carefull of houshold matters of which their husbands take no care but they also use Merchandise and dispatch and conferre of businesses belonging unto men and that with so great dexterity and diligence that in many of the Provinces as in Holland and Zeland the men do commit all their affaires unto them And by this manner of living joyned with the innate desire which women have to rule they become for the most part too Imperious and proud It is the fashion both among Princes and men of inferior ranke as also among other Nations on this side the Alpes to give the first born their Parents names althogh they be yet living And the Noble of what quality and condition soever they are doe more esteeme of their eldest daughter than the rest of the younger although they have all an equall dowry so that they marry the rest to those unto whom they denyed her in marriage reserving her for a better husband And they are to be praysed because they easily contract marriages with forrainers if occasion so require and are not bound to match them in their owne Country which is a matter very profitable and commodious for these alliances by marriage are very advantagious to themselves and the Commonwealth Moreover it is accounted undecent and absur'd for young men to marry old women or on the contrary for old men to marry young maydes as also for a noble personage to marry an ignoble person or a master to marry his Maide and a Mistresse her servant But the Low Country men are chiefely given to Mechanicke Arts but not of the base and servile sort but the more nobler as weaving clothing and making of hangings tapestry which serve not only for the use of their owne country but are also transported into France Spaine Germany and other parts of Europe and also into Asia and Affricke For Pictures there is no Nation that doth excell it nor none doth excell in Musicke or for variety of Languages Iohn Eickius a Lowcountryman did first shew the way how to mingle colours with oyle And every one in Flanders Brabant or Zeland can speake not onely their owne Country speech which is Low-Dutch but also French The Sea men Merchants and Schollers can speake also Italian Spanish and Greeke for the most part and some can understand Hebrew the Chaldean and Arabicke language The Lowcountrie men are also skilfull Seamen I come to their food the Lowcountrymen doe use Wheate Rye Oates and Barly they esteeme of no pulse but Beanes and Pease they have few Vetches and no Millet at all For the great strong windes doe lay it and spoyle it The Common people maintaine their families soberly and frugally Their drinke is for the most part Beere which is made of Malt into which they afterward put some ground Barly and Hops And this is a very good and wholesome drinke for those that are used to it they doe also drinke much milke The rich have wine They eate commonly Rye bread They are wont also upon Festivall dayes especially those which beare their owne name to make great feasts and to invite their Parents Kinsemen and friends unto them and to banquet sumptuously with them and to shew themselves generous and magnificent They keepe their houses very neate and cleane being furnished with all kinds of necessary houshold stuffe And truly it is a faire sight to see what store of housholdstuffe they have and how well ordered it is and how cleane it is kept in which without doubt it doth excell all the Nations of the World But the Low Countriemen are too much
the chiefe Cittie in all Zeland being also a famous Towne of traffique Heere Paul of Middleburrough THE COVNTIE OF ZELAND ZEELANDIA was borne who was the chiefe Mathematician of his time And also Nicolas Everhard who was first Paesident of the Court of Holland and afterward of Mechlin in which office he dyed in the yeere 1532. He had sonnes that were singular learned men Peter Everhard Doctor of Divinitie Nicolas Everhard Praesident of the Court of Friesland and afterward of Mechlin Adrian Marius and Iohn a Poet. Veria or Campoveria is so called from the passage over which the Zelanders call Veer It was first walled about in the yeere 1357. Afterward it began to be a Mart towne for Scotch merchandize Flushing hath his name and armes from a Flaggon which the Countrimen call een Flessche It is a new Cittie but powerfull and commandeth the Sea and it is full of excellent shipmasters and Pilots Arnemuda is a free Towne belonging to Middleburrough and a safe roade for shippes The second Isle to Wallachria is Zuidbevelandia which some suppose was so called from the trembling and shaking of it we suppose that it was so called from the Bavarians whose arms may be yet seene in the Scutchions of the Island It extendeth it self in a large and pleasant tract towards the coast of Flanders Brabant albeit some few yers ago a great part of it being lost it is now lesser by halfe than it was There is a pretty Citty that stands off the Land called Romerswalia that hath no tilled fields round about it no● no garden places but the sea doth wash it on every side so it subsisteth onely by trading in salt In this Cittie the Earles of Zeland take a solemne oath which when Philip King of Spaine was to doe according to the usuall custome in the yeare 1549. Nicolas de Conflilte in whose house the Prince was entertayned caused these verses to be written over his gate Vidimus adsueto privatum lumine Solem Pallida turbato vidimus astra die Vidimus undantis horrendos aequoris aestus Nos miseros Belgas quum obruit Oceanus Vidimus ast post quam te Gloria nostra Philippe Caesarea proles Semideûmque decus Cuncta refutamus transacti tristia saecli Quod praesens nostrum testificatur opus Sit licet exiguum sit pro ratione voluntas Nil facit ad nostrum parva carina fretum We have seene when as the suns cleere light did faile And in the day time seene the starres looke pale We have seene the fearefull sea tides rising so Till the Oceans did us Belgians overflow But Philip when thee our glory we espy'd Of Caesars stocke and halfe a god beside We made up all our former rents againe And this present worke doth testifie the same Though it be small yet to accept it please For no small ship can sayle upon our Seas Moreover in the Westerne part of this Island the Cittie Goesa is situated at one of the mouths of Scaldis which they call Schenge It is a Cittie not very large but pleasant and rich being the onely Cittie in the Island It hath very civill and curteous Cittizens and a prudent Senate The third Island of Zeland on this side Scaldis toward the West is Northevelandia in which is the Cittie Cortgreene and very many Townes but this Citty was all drowned with water in the yeare 1532 but now it is a little reedified The fourth Island is Wolferdijc as if you should say Wolfords ditch it is very small having onely two Townes in it There are tenne Citties in Zeland and more townes they being about an hundred and more The inhabitants are wittie craftie and provident and of a middle stature But the Annalls doe report that Withelme Bonus Earle of Holland at the solemnity of the marriage of Charles the faire King of France did bring a woman of an unusuall great stature borne in Zeland in comparison of whom the greatest men did seeme but boyes for she was so strong that she would carry two hoggsheads full of wine in both hands and drinke of them which hogsheads did weigh foure hundred Italian pounds and she would carry a beame or piece of timber up and downe which eight men could not lift They are very skifull in the Art of Navigation They boyle blacke course salt which is brought out of the Westerne Countries in great large cauldrons untill they have made it as white as snow They powre salt water on the rude Spanish and Armorican salt and so boyle it and doe make of a hundred weight of Spanish salt an hundred and five and forty weight of pure salt And they sell this salt in France England Denmarke and other parts of Eurpe Besides they reape much profit by their corne and choyse wheate also by their Madder Salt-fish and great plenty of cattell and especially sheepe They keepe their houses very neate and well furnished they are provident and very painfull in merchandising and also bountifull and liberall to the poore The politicke state of Zeland was wont to consist of three members the one whereof was the Prelate who stood for the whole Clergie which was the Abbot of S. Nicolas in Middleburrough and one noble man who was the Marquesse Veria and also of the generalitie of the Citties the chiefe whereof were those above mentioned namely Middleburrough Zirizaea Veria Flushing Tola Martinsdijk Romerswalia and Goesa But let so much suffice concerning Zeland THE DVKEDOME OF GELDERLAND Containing the Countie of ZVTPHANIA and the Lordship of TRANSISILANIA GElderland was so called from the Castell of Gelre which Wichard of Ponthe together with his brother are reported to have built though many doe suppose that it was so called from the Towne Gelduba which Tacitus mentioneth Others doe bring other reasons for this name It hath on the North Friesland and a Bay of the Germaine Sea commonly called Zuyderze● on the East the Dukedome of Cleveland on the South Iuliacum and on the West Brabant and Holland The ayre of this Countrie is pure and wholesome the soyle fruitefull and fit for tillage and especially it hath abundance of Corne it hath fruitefull meddowe● which doe breed up all sorts of Cattell and great droves of Cattell are brought out of the farthest part of Denmarke to be fatted here for there are many faire and flourishing meddowes especially about the bankes of Rhen● Vahalis and Mosa At the first Gelderland was ruled and governed by Praefects and afterward by Princes For Leopold Nephew to Martin governour of Austria or Guidus as some report was governour of these parts After the time of Charles the Great the Lords of Ponthe governed it Afterward Otto Nassovius was Prince thereof in the yeare 1079. if we may credit Labius After whom followed Gerard Henry Otto Reinald who was in such g●eat favour with the Emperour that at Frankfort in the yeare 1339 on the foureteenth day of Aprill Ludovicke Caesar Augustus did make him Duke of
Praefectureships following are in the Countie of Zutphania the Citties are Dousburg Do●tecomium Lochemum Grolla Bredevorda Broinkhorst and the Praefectureships are those which are named from the Citties And over these there is one chiefe praefect whom in their owne language they call the Drossart of the County of Zutphania Here is also the Citty Herebergensis having a Countie belonging to it It remaineth now that we should adde somewhat concerning Trans Isalania being so called in regard it is situate on the other side of Isala It looketh on the North toward West Friesland on the South toward Gelderland on the East is Westphalia on the West it hath a large bay which is now called Zuyderzee and the River Isala It is a plaine low Country the soyle being very fruitfull especially for corne and also it hath pleasant meddowes The Province of Trans Isalania for many ages was subject to the bishop of Vltrajectum untill in the yeare 1528 by the advice of Henry Palatine Bishop of Vltrajectum it did submit her selfe to Charles the 5. and his successors In this Province there are 8 walled Cittie namely Daventria Campen S●ella Steenw●●kum Vollenhova Hassela O●tmarsia Oldesecla Daventria or Deventer aboundeth with all things which is a rich and well fortified Cittie being seated on the right hand bancke of Isa●● I passe by the rest It hath also beside the River Isala the Rivelet Vidrum and other lesser Rivers also And many pleasant woods although they be small and of no noate The pol●ticke State of Trans Isalania doth consist of two orders the Prince offices and the Nobilitie as Alhemo Ghoer c. and that in three parts of the Countrie Is●lland Twent and Drent The chiefe Parliament is in Vollenhove from whence there is no appeale THE COVNTIE OF ZVTPHANIA SOme suppose that the Zutphanians were herefore called by the Romanes Vsipetes which Iunius conjectureth in his Batavia But Bertius thinketh that the posterity of the Tencterians did possesse that Countery but Cluverius doth alwayes joyne these two people the Tencterians and Vsipetians as Caesar witnesseth who being driven out of their Countrie by the Catt● after they had wandered three yeares together through many parts of Germanie afterward passing over the Rhene received a great over through by the Romanes the remainder of them being by Sigamber admitted within the confines of the Countrie they afterward lived there continually as he delivers Lib. 3. cap. 10. of his learned commentaries of auncient Germanie And also Becanus Franci●or doth affirme that the Tencterians did obtaine the seate of the auncient Sygambrians But it is likely that the limits thereof were heretofore farre larger seeing they write that it reached unto Friesland and to the sea But now they do possesse more Towns and Villages from the Drusian ditch that is Yssela even to the Westphalians The chiefe Cittie thereof is Zutphanium whence the Province is named which seemeth to be so called from the Marishes as if it were Zuitveen that is the Southerne Marsh being situate at the mouth of the River Berekel and on the right hand bancke of Yssela It hath beene a Countie from the yeare of Christ 1107 at what time the Counties of Gelderland and Zutphania were united by the marriage of Otto Nassovius with Sophia of Zutphania the daughter of Wichmann But now Zutphania with the Territorie thereof is one of the 17 Provinces of the Low Countries and albeit as Sandenus saith they were united together 500. yeares before yet they used their owne lawes and rights different and distinct from Gelderland This Cittie is populous plentiful being seated on a Low ground and fortified with waters It was alwayes governed by a learned Senate skilfull both in the Common law and their Countrie Law to which the Iudges of the neighbour Townes when they doubted of any matter which was brought before them were wont to referre the hearing and to desire their opinion of it which when they had received they esteemed as an Oracle so that the ordinarie could not reverse or change any thing There are foure lesser walled townes in this Countrie which have v●yce in the publicke assemblies Do●sbur● Do●ticum Lochemum Gre●●a But the free Territorie is distinguished into foure Praefectureships and as many Baronies The Praefectureships are Het Drosten Ampt Van Zutphen het Schotten Ampt Van Zutphen Richter Ampt Van Doesborch Drosten Ampt van Bredefort The Baronies are Bergha which is also a Countie Bronckhorst Bearwisch And there is at this day a controversie betweene those of Munster as Sandenus witnesseth and the Lords of Anholt whether Anholt doe belong to this Province But that I may come to a conclusion this Cittie endured much miserie in the last warres for it was taken and sackt by the Spaniards in the yeare of Christ 1572 and afterward it was taken by Iohn Bapt. Taxius in the yeare 1583. At length in the yeare of Christ 1591. Grave Maurice beseiged it for the States of the Low Countries and freed it from Spanish servitude and joyned it to the united Provinces THE COVNTIE OF ZVTPHANIA ZVTPHANIA COMITATVS THE BISHOPRICK OF VLTRAIECTVM THE BISHOPRICKE OF VLTRAIECTVM ULTRAIECTUM Dominium This Bishop Balderick who as these verss doe mention walled this Cittie was surnamed Clivensis and Charles the Bald King of France and Emperour of Germany gave him the Citties of Daventria and Tiela with all the Territories thereunto adjoyning both for repairing the Cathedrall Church and for his government in his Bishopricke It appeareth that this Cittie was heretofore called Antonia not onely by the aforesayd verses but also by the testimony of divers writings and by inscriptions upon coyne and auncient stones and monuments found heretofore Yet it is doubtfull whether this name were derived from Antoninus the Romane Senator for some do report that it was so called from Marcus Antonius who was at that time Caesars embassador in France who afterward together with Octavianus Augustus and Marcus Lepidus did assume unto themselves the whole government of the Romane Commonwealth Lastly others doe alleage that it was so called from the Emperour Marcus Antoninus Pius who did reëdifie it when it was decayed Vltrajectum is situate by the old channell of Rhene which River before that it broke into ●●●ca did runne that way and from thence did hasten onward to the Ocean And now the inhabitants by trenches and ditches have brought the two Rivers Wo●rda and L●yda unto the Cittie that way which the River Rhene came heretofore Moreover it is observeable that this Cittie is so seated that in one day you may goe on foote to which you please of fiftie Townes which stand round about it being no farther distant from it than wee sayd before as appeareth also by the Geographicall Table all of which before these troublesome times of warre did belong to the King of Spaine Moreover any one that setteth forth in the morning from Vltrajectum may walke softly to any of those sixe and twenty Citties aforesayd and
there refresh themselves and make merry and at evening come home This is a great Cittie pleasant and powerfull having many stately publicke and private aedifices it hath a faire strong Castell built by the Emperour Charles the fifth and called in their speech Vredenburch The Churches thereof are very magnificent and especially these five which belonged heretofore to so many auncient Colledges of Cannons Namely our Saviours Church S. Martines Church S. Peters S. Iohns and S. Maries But the sumptuous and faire Church of Saint Martine doth exceede all the rest which is a Bishops seate The Bishop Adelboldus caused this Church to be pulled downe and afterward to be built up againe more fairely it was reëdified in the yeare 1023 and twelve Bishops did consecrate it in the presence of the Emperour Henry the first as these verses doe declare Tempore Francorum Dagoberti Regis in isto Praesenti fundo conditur ecce decens Primitus Ecclesia Sancti Thomae prope Castrum Trajectum quam gens Frisica fregit atrox Sed prior Antistes Dominus Clemens ob honorem Sancti Martini post renovavit eam Desidis Henrici sub tempore Regis at illam Praesul Adelboldus fregit ab inde novam Ecclesiam fundans Henrici tempore primi Caesaris electi quem duodena cohors Pontificum pariter benedixit denique Praesul Henricus caepit hanc renovare suam Ecclesiam Regis Gulielmi tempore qvi tum Hollandensis erat inlytus ecce Comes When Dagobert was King of France they did sound Saint Thomas Church upon this present ground Even by the Castell of Trajectum placed But by the Friesland Nation it was raced Then the reverend Praelate Clemens call'd by name In honour of S. Martine built it up againe Even in the time of Henries slothfull raigne But Adelbolde puld it downe unto the ground And afterward a new Church he did found In the first Henries time which with great state Twelve Bishops solemnely did consecrate Lastly the Bishop Henery began For to reëdifie this Church againe Even when King William this same land did guide Who was then Earle of Holland too beside This Saint Maries Church is very faire and beautifull and was built by the Emperour Fredericke as a mulct and charge imposed on him by the Pope of Rome for wasting the famous Cittie of Mediolanum and destroying the Churches therein It was strange that at the laying of the foundation of this Church there was a quicksand found on which they could not build but that it would still sincke at length they cast Oxe hides into it which made the ground sollid and firme so that they built this Church on it in remembrance whereof these verses are extant in Vltrajectum Accipe Posteritas quod post tua secula narres Taurinis Cutibus fundo solidata columna est THE CITTIE AND PROVINCE OF MACHLIN MAchlin is situated almost in the middle of Brabant and is as it were enclosed within it neere the River Dilia which cutteth through the middle of it being equally distant from Antwerp Bruxells and Lovanium in a Champion Countrie and fertile soyle having a light and sandie ground the Cittie is very faire conspicuous both in regard of the pleasantnesse of the situation the cleanenesse and breadth of the streetes the largenesse and curiousnesse of the houses some reckon it as a part of Brabant but yet truely it is a distinct country from it There are divers uncertaine conjectures concerning the originall thereof but this is manifest that in one of the letters Pattents of Pepin King of France dated in the yeare 753 there is mention made of it and that it is there called M●slinas as it were the line of the Sea because the Sea doth flow and ebbe before it which Etymologie pleaseth some better than to call it Machel from one Michael who possessed these parts as Orte●●us doth deliver in his Itinerarie of the Low Countries Others doe deduce the name from other derivations But as we sayd Machlin after the yeare 753 had Adon to be Earle thereof which he held by fealty and service But who were his Praedecessors or successors is not yet knowne Long time afterward there follow'd the Bertoldi who denyed fealty and homage to Godfrey Barbatus Duke of Brabant which occasioned warres betweene them After the Berltoldi Machlin had various fortunes and divers Lords at length it recovered libertie and was not subject unto any in the yeare 1336. And afterward it came to the Burgundian family in the yeare 138● And lastly unto the Austrian family in the yeare 1477. And it is now one of the 17 Provinces of the Low countries where the chiefe Counsell doth sit whither the last appeale in the Low Countries is made instituted by Charles of Burgundie Prince of the Low Countries and at length in our time it was made an Archbishopricke the chiefe Metropolitan seate whereof is Saint Rumolds Church Besides there is an Armorie in it which in the yeare of Christ 1546. in the moneth of August the Gunpowder being set on fire by lightning was burnt downe and the Cittie much defaced thereby Here Nicasius of Woerden a most learned Lawyer although hee THE CITTIE AND Province of MACHLIN MECHLINIA DOMINIVM were blinde was borne also Christopher Longolius Rombert Dodonaus the Emperours Phisitian and professor of Phisicke at Leyden and also Philibert of Bruxells an excellent Lawyer It doth also produce many excellent artificers and workemen especiall stone-cutters and carvers of Images He that desireth to know more concerning this Cittie and the antiquitie of this Province let him have recourse to Iohn Bapt. Gremajus his large description of Machlin and he shall finde very good satisfaction therein THE LORDSHIP OF GRONINGA GROENINGA Domin̄i GRoninga is the head Cittie of the Province of Groninga and the fairest Cittie in Friesland Some thinke it to bee that which Ptolemie calls Phileum They derive the name from Grano a certaine Trojan or Friesland Prince but Vbbo Emmius rejecting other opinions which are grounded on fabulous reports supposeth that it was so called from the greene Meddowes and tufts of trees therein It is distinguished from the other parts of Friesland in the middle whereof this Province is seated by the River Amasus and the Lavician Bay and now since the yeare 1536 it is counted one of the seventeene Provinces at what time the Groningians did put themselves into the protection of Charles the fifth Heretofore this Lordship did doe homage and fealtie to the Bishop of Vltrajectum being given him by the Emperour Henry the third and afterward by the Emperour Maximilian the first in the yeare 1494. And also he gave the Government of Groninga and all Friesland to Albert Duke of Saxonie the Groningians refusing the governement of the Saxons who having made many treaties of peace but in vaine they committed themselves in the yeare 1506 into the Protection of Edzard Earle of East Friesland and afterward dismissing Edzard because he was not able to resist
10 Colledges of Cannons Atreba●●●se Audomarense Bethuniense Arience Hesdinense Lensiense Sanpaulitanum ●alleriense Falkoburgense Douriense The second member is the Nobles among whom there is one Prince of Espinoy one Marquesse of Rentinium 7 Earles S. Pol Falquenberch Harliensis Busquetensis Henniensis Arquensis and lastly Blangiacensis But these two last Earledomes did fall of late to the Abbey of Saint Bertin and foure chiefe Earles are not called or summoned to this meeting as Atrebatensis Audomarensis Bapalmensis and Lensiensis The families of the Gentrie counting them by an Alphabeticall order are these Aussi Averdom Aubigni Aix Annequin Anvezin Aneroult Avion Allenes Anvin Bailleul Beaufort Beaumez Beauraines Beausart Bellone Berles Billy Bofles Boisleux Bonnieres Boncourt Boubers Bours Brias Buissi Caumont Conroy Contes Coupigny Croisilles Cunchy Divion Douvrin Enne Erin Esquerdes Estree Fosseux Frevin Fleshin Gomiecount Gouy Greboval Geulesin Habarcque Hachicourt Hamelaincourt Helfault Houchin Houdin la Viesville la Plancque Liguereul Licques Longastre Malanoy Maisnil Mammez Marles Mes en Contire Mingoual Moiry Nedoncelles Neufville Nojelle Noircarmes Ococh Olham Oignies Oresmaux Plancques Plovicke Pronville Querecques Ranchicourt Ransart Recouet Rebecque Regnauville Rely Rolancourt Rumenghien Sains S. Aldegonde S. Venant Sombrein Sovastre Tieuloie Tramerie Vaulx Villers Vrolant Wancourt Warluzelle Waurans Willerval The third member is the especiall Citties 7 Royall Citties as Atrebatum Saint Omers Bethunia Aria Hesdinum Lens and Bapalina private Lordships as S. Pol Perne Lillers and also these Townes which have the praerogative of Citties and called to the assembly of the States and there be 28 of them Arques Aubigny Avesnes Aussi Benurains Blangij en Ternois Busquoy Carwin Caumont Choques Dourier Franquenberghe Fressin Fleurbay Frevene Frages Gorgue Hennin Lietard Huchin Hosdaine Labroy Libourg Oisy Pas Richebourg Tornehem Ventie Vitry The Provinciall Counsell is held at Atrebatum from whence all appeales are brought to the Parlament at Mechlin But the Bishop of Atrebatum hath all power in spirituall matters and is subject to the Bishop of Rhemes This Table also containes true Picardie and the Dukedome of Cambresi which is a Principallitie of the Empire and is governed both in temporall and spirituall matters by the Bishop of Cambresi But yet sometimes in spirituall matters it is subject to the Bishop of Rhemes and in temporall matters it is under the protection of the King of Spaine And so much may suffice concerning Artesia Let us proceede to Hannonia THE COVNTIE OF HANNONIA unto which is joyned the Countie of NAMVRCIVM THE COVNTIE OF HANNONIA HĀNONIA The Politicke state of Hannonia doth consist of five members which are first the 12 Peeres namely Longueville Lens Filly Chievre Au●sne Chimay Levreux Barbanson Baudour Rebaux Walecourt 2. Ecclesiasticall Pr●lates namely the Abbot and Earle of S. Waldrut 26 Abbots S. Guislaine Marchennes Cambron Hasnon Marville Anein Haultmot ●●essy S. Denys Vicogne ●eullien Crespin B●nne Esperance S. Iean S. Aldegonde Geilenghien Spinleu At h Fontenelle Beaumont Denain Quesnoy Wat●●braine Lolive B●lliay Leture besides the Colledges of Cannons Thirdly Noble men and one principality of Chimay 10 Counties as La●ain Beaumont Ostervant the chiefe Cittie whereof is Bouchin also Barbanson Auesne Barlaymont Bossu Montigni Reux Terrache 22 Baronies as Engh●●n Leuze Havre L●agne A●●oing Vuerchin Fontaine Havaide Kinrain Barlaymont Ville Gomegnie S. Aldegonde Se●zelle Condet Haurdain Belleule Fagneille Bousie Roesin Frusne Harchies One Marshall one Steward one great Ranger one Chamberlaine And foure ordinary Officers The Countie of Namu●●●●m remaineth It is seated betweene Brabant Hannonia and the Dioecesse of Leodium it is a small mountainous Territorie but pleasant having a sweete and temperate ayre The soyle is fruitfull yeelding all things which are necessary for the sustentation of mans life It hath also Mines of Iron and Lead and stone Quarries out of which divers kinds of stones are cut and especially blacke Marble and stones like Iasper And not long since those stones were digged forth which were good to burne we may call them Iathantracas of which we spoke in the aforesayd description Moreover this Countrie at first was governed by a Marquesse and afterward it changed often her Lord. Philip the brother of Balduin Earle of Flanders was Marquesse hereof in the yeare 1200. And Theodorus was Earle of it after whose decease the whole Country came to Philip Bonus Duke of Burgundie as we have declared in the description of the Low Countries There are foure walled Citties in this Country Namurcum Bovina Carlomontium and Valen●our●ium And 182 Villages Namurcum or Namur is the chiefe Cittie whence the name thereof is derived is uncertaine some suppose from Nanus a God of the Heathens who being used formerly to deliver Oracles yet at Christs comming grew dombe and spake no more And therefore from this dumbe mute god Nanus it was called Namurcium some think it was so called from a new wall which was built there by the Roman●s The Cittie is situate betweene two Mountaines on the left hand bancke of the River Mosa where it receiveth Sambra It is eight miles distant from Lovanium 10 from Leodium and as many from Bruxells It is rich and hath many faire publicke and private buildings and it is fortified with a strong Castell Foure miles from Namurcium is Bouvinae a small towne which was often wasted by the warres and last of all it was for the most part ruinated by Henry the second King of France in the yeare 1555. Afterward the Cittizens did reedifie it Charlemont was built by Charles the fifth in the yeare 1555 against the French-men who then possessed Mar●enburg Valencourtium is a town of good noate being distant from Namurcium 7 miles This Country hath many Rivers which are full of fish the chiefe whereof are Mosa and Sambra it hath also faire fresh springs It hath also woods for pleasure and hunting which are full of wilde beasts There are many Churches in this Country famous Monasteries which were built heretofore at the costs and charges of the Earles of Namurcium and endowed with great revennewes Three miles from Namurcium there is the rich Towne Audennas in which there is an auncient Nunne●ie for noble women built by Begga daughter of Pepin from whom they were first called Baggine Vestalls The politicke state of the County of Namurcium doth consist of three members which are the Clergie the Nobility and the chiefe Citties The Clergie are the Abbots of Floref Granpre Anden Bonef Wassore Hastieis The Nobility are the Vicount Done c. The chiefe Citties are Namur Bovinae Charlemont Valencourt or Walencourt In the Cittie of Namurcum there is a Royall Counsell from whence appeales are brought to the Court of Mechlin There is also a Bishops seate whose Cathedrall Church is consecrate to S. Albine The Cittizens are used to armes and martiall discipline they speake French but corruptly There are few merchants and Tradesmen but a great company of Nobles but such as be either the Princes Bastards or comming
Brittish Sea which lyeth Westward even to Sarmatia in the East It is also called the Northerne Sea the Cimbrian Sea the Balthick the Codanian the Suevian Sea c. And so much concerning the Sea There are diverse Mountaines in Germany the chiefe whereof are Rolberg Mons Isidis Melibocus Pinifer Hessus Ostbergus Senus Sucvus Pavonis Rheticus Sprulius Vocetius and Vosagus There are also many other Woods but the greatest of all is Hercynia The best Latine and Greeke Authors doe mention the Wood Hercynia as Pomponius Mela Strabo lib. 7. and Plinny in many places which although it be very large and wide yet all the West and Southerne parts of it lyeth within Germany And therefore Glar●anus saith that he never accounted the Wood Ardenna to be a part thereof which some in our time have rashly done Caesar Lib. 6. Com. de bel Gal. writeth that it is 60 dayes journy long and nine dayes journey broad It hath now gotten divers names for in some places it is called the blacke Wood from the great stoare of Pines in it or Der Schwarts Wald and otherwhere Ottoes Wood from the Emperor Ottoes frequent hunting in that part of the Wood Sometimes it borroweth his name from the people unto which it reacheth whence it is called the Thuringian and Bohemian Wood. But among the Cheruscians it doth still retaine the auncient name of the Hercynian Wood so famous by auncient Greeke and Latine writers in Dutch Der Hartz Wald. For the French and the Germaines doe call Resina Hartz Also Pandulphus Collenutins Pisauriensiis in his description of Germany doth make mention of this wood in these words the Wood Hyrcinia assuming divers names runneth out to the Dacians and Getes untill at length it commeth to the Tartarians where it is called the darke Wood and is impassable both in regard of the unknowne wayes and wilde beasts and the monstrous Fawnes But of these things enough I passe to other matters The publicke and priuate workes doe follow among which to passe by others is the Church at Argeutoratum famous for the neate structure and building having a very high Tower So that it is the eighth miracle of the world This Church was founded in the yeare of Christ 1015. But in the yere of our Lord 1277 in the time of the Bishop Conrade of Liechtenberg Erkuinus of Steinbach an Architect began to build the Tower being a famous worke so that there is not the like either in Germanie Italy or France it was built up to the toppe in seaven and twentie yeeres It is built even from the foundation to the toppe of free square stone it hath many open places to receive the ayre and the winde and the ascent and going up unto it is by foure staires but when the bredth of it begins to lessen and grow sharpe towards the toppe there are eight staires The very top of it which below doth scarsely seeme as bigge as a Bushell is so great that five or sixe men might stand upon it The height of it is 574. Geometricall feete there is also a curious and artificiall Clocke And as concerning the Ecclesiasticke state of Germanie there are 7 Archbishops in the Empire of Germanie These are the Archbishop of Mentz under whom are 12 Suffragan Bishops as the Bishop of Chur the Bishop of Costnitz of Strasburg of Spires of Wormes of Wurtzburg of Ausburg of Aystett of Hildeshaim of Paderborn of Halbertstatt of Ferden The Archbishop of Colen who hath 5 Suffragan Bishops the Bishop of Munster the Bishop of Vtretcht of Leodium of Minden and of Osenburg Also the Archbishop of Triers under whom are 3 Suffragan bishops the Bishop of Metz of Toul in Lotharingia and the Bishop of Verdum Also the Archbishop of ●eydmurg Primate of Germanie under whom are foure Bishops the Bishop of Morsburg the Bishop of Naumburg of Brandeburg and Havelburg The Archbishop of Salizburg hath 9 Suffragan Bishops under him as the Bishop of Trent Brixiensis of Passaw Frisingensis of Vienna of Seckaw of Gurox of Lavenmund and of Chiemse The Archbishop of Bremes under whom there are sixe Suffragan Bishops as the Bishop of Lubecke Suerinensis of Lebus of Schleswicke of Ratzenburg and of Hamburg heretofore an Archbishopricke The Archbishop of Riga hath sixe Suffragan Bishops under him as the Bishop of Revel Curiensis the Bishop of Oesel of Derpt The free Bishops are Misnensis the Bishops of Bamberg and Ratispon Mercator reckoneth up these Vniversities The Vniversity of Basil of Colen of Dillingensis of Moguntinum of Marpurg of Lipswicke of Ingolstade of Heidelburg of Cripswald of Friburg of Frankford neere Odera of Erphord of Prague of Rostoch of Coningsberg of Trevers of Tubingium of Vienna of Breslavia of Wirtemberg and Wurtzburg out of which as out of many Trojan horses an innumerable sort of learned men have issued Which many furnished with all kindes of Arts doe witnesse heere are very skilfull in the Latine Greeke and Hebrew tongues here are eloquent Orators subtile disputants absolute Arithmeticians and exact Astronomers and no Country of Europe hath better Geometricians I omit their accurate skill in Physicke Now I come to their manners All Authors doe report that the Germaines are strong and of a great stature Tacitus saith they are gray eyde red haird large bodyed and very strong Hegesippus and Plinny doe call them great men Sidonius calleth them cruell and fierce Pausanias and Cassiodorus calleth them proud Appianus ungentle Caesar calleth them barbarous treacherous and dissemblers Pater●ulus saith that they are very crafty and are naturally given to lye But Tacitus who lived amongst them saith that the souldiers are very couragious and that it is a warlike Nation but are neither cunning n●r crafty but doe discover their owne mindes and secrets and very faithfull in keeping secrets committed to them Also the Emperour Iulianus in his Misopogne saith that hee knoweth by experience that this Nation cannot flatter but that they deale freely and plainely with all men Ptolemy 11. Quadrip saith that they must needes be of a quiet and peaceable disposition in regard of the qualitie of the Countrie which they inhabit Concerning their religion whereby the mindes of men are held and bound together by the tye and feare of some Deity the Germaines as Caesar writeth doe use no sacrifices they account them onely to be gods whom they see and from whom they receive some benefit as the Sunne and Vulcan and the Moone But afterward as it appeareth in Tacitus who lived under the reigne of the Emperour Nerva they had many other gods as Mercury Hercules Mars Isis and Berecinthia also a certaine god called Al●is The same Tacitus doth report also that Velleda and Aurinia were accounted as Gods And the aforesaid Tacitus maketh mention of the Temple of Tanfana who saith that the Suevians doe reverence the mother Earth which they call as Lipsius saith Aertha But Plutarch and Clemens Alexandrinus doe affirme that they had no Images in their Temples but certaine holy
is now at this day in which the Emperour builded a royall and magnificent Pallace The Towne Helmstad is in the middle way betweene Brunswicke and Magdeburg which William Duke of Brunswicke redeemed from the Abbot of Werden with a certaine summe of money payd unto the said Abbot and so reduc'd it into his owne power Halberstad is an Episcopall Cittie by which glideth the River Oltemia In the middle of this Cittie there is a hill which is two furlongs in length and on the top of it there is a large plaine at the two farthest Corners whereof there are two Churches In the middle there is a Market place which is encompassed round with Religious houses but that part which is situate on the Mountaine is called the Cittie and that part which lyeth at the foote of the hill is called the Suburbs The soyle round about this Cittie is very good having standing Corne which is higher than a man on horsebacke Quedelimberg is an auncient Cittie and not farre distant from Magdeburg which was built by the Emperour Henry Auceps There is also the Towne Hannovera by the bancke of the River Leine over against an ancient Castell belonging to the Earles of Lauwenrod but now in the time of Henry Leen about the yeare of Christ 1056 it was subject to this Castell which because it stood on the other side of the River the Courtiers called it Hannover It is now a flourishing Cittie in Saxonie For it is well fortified with ditches and very populous Hildesheimum or Hildesium which Ptolomie and Irenicus call Ascalingium is an auncient Cittie being at first divided into two parts but afterward it was united It hath a very faire Church and the steeple is gilded It is a pleasant Cittie and Ludolphus of Colen an excellent Mathematician was borne heere being a Bishops seate Irenicus doth reckon up the bishops thereof which Crantzius also doth in his Metropolis and Antonius Monch●acinus more accurately Lib. 2. of the first beginning of Christian religion But the Bishopricke of Hildesheim was first founded and instituted in Saxonie by Charles the Great King of France and Empeperour of Germanie Northausen is an Emperiall Cittie There are also contained in this Table the Dukedome of Grubenhagen which is a member of the Empire and also the Principalitie of Anhalt also Mansfielde and auncient Countie of auncient Saxonie by the river Sala so that Hegenus who lived in the time of King Arthur of Brittaine was Earle of Mansfeld in the yeare 542 it was so called from Mannus the sonne of Thuiscon The chiefe Citties are Mansfeld neere the River Wiperus also Eislebia and Wypra E●slebia is the Metropolis betweene the Rivers Sala and Wiperus which was so called from Isis who as Tacitus reporteth did wander after her husbands death through the coasts of Suevia Neere unto it there are mettall Mines in the Mountaines Melliboci It is supposed that the Tubantians did inhabit these parts This Countie hath under it these foure Counties Wippra Arnslein W●tin and Quernfurt Also the Counties of Barby Stolberg Hohenstein Regenstein and Plesse There are also these Ecclesiasticall principalities Meydburg the Archbishoprick of Germanie and primate of Germanie the Bishoprick of Hildesheim and Halberstat Also the Bishopricke of Quedelborg and Gernroade and Stifien which are in the eight circle of the Empire There remaineth in this Table the Bishopricke of Magdeburg The Bishopricke of Magdeburg commonly called Meydburg is so called from the cheefe Cittie Charles the Great having reformed all Saxonie did institute twelve Bishoprickes in it the chiefe whereof was the Bishopricke of Magdeburg whose seate was at the first in Styde afterward it was translated to Valersleve and thirdly to Vrese And afterward in the yeere 1130 Otto did translate it to Magdeburg who made it the primate of Germanie as it appeareth by a great booke of Chronicles which hath no Authors name set to it Albeit the Archbishop of Saltzburg and other Archbishops that are Electors doe not yeeld priority or supremacy to the Bishop of Magdeburg as Crantzius delivers i● his Metropolis But Otto the first did make the Burggrave of Magdeburg that he might sit in publike judgement in the Emperours steede both in this Country and Bishopricke and in the adjacent Countries Gero Marquesse of Lusatia was the first that bore this office by the ordination and appointment of Otto whose memory is preserved by a Monument which is in the Friary of Geroden After him they reckon some others who followed successively in this order Hermann Duke of Saxonie Lotharius Earle of Waldeck Fredericke the sonne of Lotharius Conradus his Nephew Manfred halfe brother by the mother side to Conradus He being slaine in the warres Dittericus Earle of Plocensium had his honors whose Daughter Vdo Marquesse of Brandenburg having married and thereby got the Burgaviate he left his sonne Henry his successor After whose decease Lotharius did leave the same office to Burchard of the house of the Lords of Quetfort from whom the Earles of Manifeld are originally descended After whom there were the Lords of Schrapela after whom the Emperour did translate it to the Dukes of Saxonie Electors for the Empire The chiefe Cittie is Magdeburg heeretofore called Parthenopolis from Venus Parthenia who was worshipped there situated by the River Albis Iohn Capni● calleth it Domadum Pyrgum Aeneas Silvius calleth it Magdeburg and writeth that Virginopolis was a famous Metropolitan Cittie in Saxonie memorable both for wealth and strength Ligurinus calleth it the Virgin Cittie and the habitation of Virgins and Ptolomie calls it Mesovion Otto builded this Cittie as Lupoldus writeth Otto Frisingensis did enlarge it and was buried there This is a famous Emperiall Cittie it is divided into three parts and fortified with walls and Bulwarkes having strong Towers and Rampiers also faire houses large beautifull streetes and magnificent Churches especially the great Church of Saint Maurice being built by the Ottoes of square free stone The Magistrate doth keepe the civill law of the Romanes written in the Saxon language which was confirmed and established by Charles the Great so that the neighbour Nations doe thereby decide controversies and this law is much reverenced and esteemed And let so much suffice concerning the Bishopricke of Magdeburg And now to conclude this description let us set downe the Rivers which are in the Countries contained in this Table which are Albis Onacra Oltemia Sala Wiperus Inderst Struma Roide Ruma Vker Fues and others It hath also the Mountaines der Ramelberg Meliborus and others and also divers woods as Auff dem Hartz-waldt Solingerwaldt and others which you may behold in the Table or Chart. HASSIA or the Landgraviate of HESSEN Hassia hath great store of Nobilitie and Noble places which it would be convenient to know but I could discover nothing hitherto of them nor of the state of the government I have onely found out that there are two Counties Solms 30.15.50.35 and Witgenstein 30.17.50.50 The Meridians are distant according to the proportion of