vpon the North vpon the West with Brisgow and the Marquisate of Baden and vpon the other sides with the Proper Schwaben In this country lyeth the greatest part of the hillie forrest of Schwartz-waldt confining the same and Brisgow and Baden The soile for this cause is much different in quality The parts of Schwartz-waâ—â—â— the Alpes of Schwaben which is an other mountainous tract branching from and continued from Schwartz-waldt and the head of the Danow along the course of that riuer vnto the towne of Vlm that is all the South and West parts are barren stony and asperous yet affording good pasturage and in many places plenty of corne by the industry of the inhabitants but yeilding no wines The like affected are the Northerne towards Franconia and the Lower Palatinate coasting along the riuer Cochen ouerrun with the branches of Schwartz-wald The more happie are the midle parts about the Neccar plaine pleasant and abundantly fruitfull Cheifer townes are Wimpsen Hailbrun townes imperiall seated vpon the Neccar Lauffen vpon the Neccar Canstaâ— vpon the Neccar Nere hereunto vpon the toppe of an high hill standeth the castle of Wirtenberg the seate sometimes of the Earles of Wirtenberg occasioning the name of the country Nierting vpon the Neccar Tubingen a neate and rich towne vpon the Neccar where florisheth an Vniuersity founded by Duke Everard the first Reutling a towne Imperiall Aurach Weil a towne imperiall Kirchen Gepping a towne Imperiall vpon the riuer Vils Schorndorff vpon the riuer Reeâ—â—ss where are hot bathes whose waters are bitter Stutgard seated nere vnto the Neccar in a fruitfull and pleasant country The towne is faire rich and populous the chiefe of the country and the seate of the Prince In the ruder parts of Schwartzwald Nagolt vpon the riuer thus called Wiltpurg Kalb both vpon the same river Newnburg vpon the riuer Enâ—z Wildbad vpon the same riuer in a solitary and desert tract occasioned by the hot medicinable bathes thereof much resorted vnto from all parts Dornstett Schiltach The whole country the townes Imperiall excepted belongeth to the Dukes of Wirtenberg The auncient inhabitants seeme to haue beene the Charitini of Ptolemy THE PROPER SCHWABEN BOunded vpon the West with the Dukedome of Wirtenberg vpon the North with Francoâ—iâ— vpon the South with Switzerlandt and the Rhijn and vpon the East with the river Lech and Bavaâ—ia The country is mountainous hilly overrun with the branches of the Alpes Schwartz-waldt very populous notwithstanding full of good townes and by the industry of the inhabitants yeelding sufficient store of all necessary provision The more fruitfull parts are Hegow and the shore of the Lake of Constance affording plenty of good wiâ—es wherof they other in regard of their height and colder lyeing are in a maner destitute Townes here of better note are Rotweil a towne Imperiall now confederate with the Switzers situated vpon the river Neccar neere vnto the head thereof Villingen vpon the Brigen a river falling into the Danow The towne belongeth to the princes of Austria Not farre off standeth the castle of Furstenberg whereof the Earles of Furstenberg are entitl'd princes of the Empire Vlm a citty Imperiall seated at the meetings of the rivers Iler Blave and the Danow The towne is of great state large rich and strongly fortified against hostile invasion containing 6 miles in compasse Here the Danow beginneth first to be navigable Betwixt this towne and Schwartz-waldt along the course of the river Danow lie the Suevian Alpes named thus from their white colour which they shew a farre off distinguished after Munster into the many particular naâ—es of the Alb where stand the townes of Rotenburg and Hechingen with the castle of Zolleâ—â— Sâ—her called thus from a towne of that name vpon the Danow Albuch and Hertz-feldt where are the castles Hohenberg and Kockenberg Wendt a towne Imperiall at the meetings of the river Danow and Warâ—â—◠〈◊〉 a towne Imperiall vpon the river Warnitz Hall seated on both sides of the river Cochen in a deepe vallie amongst steepe and high mountaines a towne Imperiall named and occasioned from the Salt-wiches thereof Alen a towne Imperiall vpon the river Cochen The â—illy country hereabout and along the Cochen is by Pickhermerus accompted part of the Mountaines Abâ—obi of Ptolemie â—opâ—ingen a towne Imperiall vpon the river Egra Noâ—lingen vpon the river Egra in a low and moorish part of the country a towne Imperiall and a wel traded emporie Gmundt a towne Imperiall vpon the river Rheemss Vpon the other side of the Danow betwixt that river and the Alpes Aâ—spurg Augusta Vindelicorum of Ptolemy and Augusta Vindelicûm of Antoninus named thus from the rivers Vinda and Lycus now the Werd the Lech vpon which is situated and from the Emperour Augustus Caesar by whom it was made a colony of the Romans now a Bishops sea and a towne Imperiall of great magnificence and state rich populous and strongly fortified containing after Munster some nine miles in circuit Kauffbeurn a towne Imperial Kempten Campodunum of Strabo and Antoninus a towne Imperiall Memmingen Drusomagus of Ptolemy a towne Imperiall populous rich and well traded containing three miles in circuit Leukirch a towne Imperiall Wangen Nemauia of Antoninus a towne Imperiall Rauenspurg Bibrach Buchaw vpon the lake Federsee Pfullendorff Yssna all townes imperial These from Augspurg lie in the part called Algow contained after Munster within the riuers Lech and the Danow the Alpes and the Lake of Constance a country hillie colde and baâ—ren whose inhabitants liue chiefely vpon manufactures Vberlâ—â—gen a towne Imperial vpon the 〈◊〉 of Constance Merspurg vpon the same lake belonging to the Bishop of Constance his ordinary seat and place of residence Lindaw a towne Imperial seated Iland-like within the same lake wherewith it is almost round encompassed ioined to the continent with a long bridge or causey of 290 pacâ—s Buchorn vpon the same Lake a towne Imperiall Arbon vpon the same lake Arbor â—oelix of Strabo and Antoninus It belongeth to the Bishops of Constance Constance seated vpon both sides of the Rhijn where it issueth forth of the lake a Bishops sea a towne Imperiall and a rich and flourishing empory The Nobility here as in other cities of Germany by a sullen and prowd disdaine converse not with the tradesmen or burgers living vpon thâ—ir rents and marrying and keeping company a part a cause of much faction iealousie and hatred betwixt the sides The lake named from hence is otherwise called Boden see by the Dutch from the castle 〈◊〉 and by Plinie more anciently Lacus Acronius and Briganâ—â—us made by the 〈◊〉 of the Rhijn and other lesser rivers falling hereinto and containing about three Dutch miles in breadth eight in length and in its greatest depth at Merspurg some 600 yards or 300 fathoms Below is the lake Venetus of Plinie made also by the Rhijn and now named by the Dutch the lake of Cel
the sea The citty is large rich populous and of great state inhabited by wealthy marchants and industrious tradesmen the chiefe towne of Zealandt and one of the most flourishing Empories of Europe About a Dutch mile from hence vpon the Ocean standeth the strong castle of Rammekens ZVIT-BEVERLANT SItuated betwixt Walcheren and Brabant The onely towne of note is Goes standing on the North side of the Iland Betwixt this and Brabant lyeth a drowned land sometimes part of the Iland NORT-BEVERLANT LYing betwixt Zuyt-beverlant and Schouwen The Iland is little not having any walled towne peopled onely with villages WOLFERSDIICK IT is a little Iland betwixt Nort and Zuyt-Beverlants containing onely two boroughs or villages BE-OESTER-SCHELT LYing betwixt the right chanell of the Scheldt and the Ilands Gaurede and Voorn of Holland It containeth the Ilands of Schouwen Duvelant and Tolen SCHOVWEN SEated towards the North-West Hollandt the chiefest of the division containing six Dutch miles in circuit Townes here are Zerick-zee vpon the Ocean Brauwershaven inhabited by Fishermen DVVELANT HAving in compasse about foure Dutch miles and situated neere vnto Schouwen betwixt that Iland and Tholen named thus from the abundance of Pigeons there breeding It hath no towne of note containing only Villages In the yeare 1520 the sea breaking in the whole was overwhelmed with a deluge of waters The breaches since that time haue been made vp and the land recouered TOLEN CAlled thus from a towne of that name It lyeth betwixt Duvelant and the North-West point of Brabant against Steenbergen and Bergen op Zoom divided from that continent by a narrow creeke or arme of the sea All these Ilands together containe 8 walled townes and about 100 boroughs or villages The more ancient inhabitants were the Mattiaci of Tacitus HOLLANDT BOunded vpon the South with the Ilands of Zealandt vpon the West and North with the German Ocean vpon the North-East with the Zuyder Zee and West-Freislandt and vpon the East with the Zuyder Zee Vtreicht and Gelderlandt The country is low and fenny the Westerne sea-coasts excepted which like vnto those of Flanders swell with a perpetuall ridge of sandy downes trenched with innumerable dikes water-courses for the dreaning of the marishes and the more easie conveyance of merchandise affording plenty of very excellent pasturages milke butter cheese cattle and horses of extraordinary bignesse but yeelding little fruits corne or other staple commodities No place notwithstanding is for the quantitie more populous more full of rich and well gouerned townes or better stored with all sorts of provision whether for necessitie or ornament conveyed hither by sea from all countries and nations by the industrious inhabitants thereof It is divided into the South and North-Hollandts SOVTH-HOLLANDT COntained betwixt the Ilands of Zealandt and the middle Channell of the Rhijn continued from Vtreicht to Leyden Chiefer townes are Schoonhoven vpon the Leck Dort seated Iland-like amongst waters vpon the Merwe or Nieuwe Maes broke off from the Continent by an invndation hapning in the yeare 1421. The towne is large populous rich and well traded commanding the trafique and navigation of the Maes Waell below whose confluence it standeth Betwixt it and S. Gertrudenberg in Brabant lie for a great space the drowned lands of Herderwert Munsterkirck Dubbelmund and other villages overwhelmed by the forenamed deluge in the yeare 1421 many of whose ruines now appeare vnder water Rotterdam situated nere vnto the Maes vpon the Rotter a dike or channell so called giuing the name herevnto a rich Empory and a noted port the country of the learned Erasmus Betwixt this and Dort at a little towne called Krimpen the Lecke one of the three mainer branches of the Rhijn falleth into the Maes Oudewater vpon the Ysel a dike drawne from the middle channell of the Rhijn Goude vpon the Ysel Delf Graven-Hage a faire and populous open towne seated vnder the downes in the most healthfull and open part of the country the Parliament or chiefe Court of iustice for Hollandt and the ordinary residence of the Delegates or Generall States of the confederate Provinces containing about two thousand houses Leyden Lugdunum Batavorum of Ptolemie now a noted Vniversitie Hither sometimes passed the middle channell of the Rhijn receaued into the Ocean not farre from hence betwixt the townes of Catwijck and Nortwijck since the maine streame being diverted another way by the Leck continued hither by a small current stopped here by the intervening sandy downes and vnder another name of the Vâ—iet turned into the Maes at Sluys a little village against Brill There belongeth to this division the Ilands of Voorn wherein is seated the strong towne of Brill Somersdijck Corendijck Rierschille and Gaurede divided from the maine land by the Maes and continued betwixt this river and the Ilands of Schouwen Duvelant and Tolen of Zealandt NORTH-HOLLANDT COntaining the division lying betwixt the middle channell of the Rhijn and the Zuyder-Zee and West-Freislandt Chiefer townes are Naerden vpon the Zuyder-Zee Haerlem neere vnto the Lake named from hence Haerlem-meer Alcmaer encompassed round with deepe fens and Marishes Amsterdam vpon the Ye a navigable gullet or inlet of the Zuyder-Zee and the dyke or river Amstel parting and giuing the name to the towne The citty is new not much exceeding the date of 400 yeares at this day especially since the warres of the Lowe Countries and the decay of trade in Antwerpe and the townes subject to the Archduchesse growne to that state that for beautie riches and all sorts of bravery magnificence it may contend with the best Citties of Europe and for number and strength of shipping doth farre exceed the most great and flourishing Empories of the world A no small cause hereof besides the opportunitie of the sea and the reasons alleaged hath heen the vnpleasantnes of the neighbouring country wholy possessed with deepe and il-favoured marishes forcing the people hither as to a more commodious dwelling and to the exercise of trade and negotiation and desire of seeing forraine better countries Horn vpon a spacious crooke or bay of the Zuyder Zee Enchuysen at the entrance of the Zuyder Zee thwart of West-Freislandt noted ports Medenblick vpon the Ocean There appertaine to this division the Ilands of Wieringen and Texel situated towards the North betwixt this the Ocean The more ancient inhabitants of South-Hollandt were part of the war-like nation of the Batavi Those of North-Hollandt were part of the Frisij Minores of Ptolemie The whole containeth some 33 walled townes and 400 villages STIFF VTRECHT INclosed vpon the West South and North with Hollandt and confining vpon the East with Gelderlandt Townes here are Cuilenborg vpon the Leck Wijck de Duersteden Batauodurum of Tacitus in his 5 booke the mansion then of the second Roman Legion situated now vpon the middle channell of the Rhijn at what place this diuerteth into the Lecke Amersfort Vtreicht the chiefe towne named thus from the
points A maine controuersie betwixt them was the celebration of Easter of whom the Britons from whom the Picts and Scots did not much differ observed the 14 day after the New-moone in March or the first Moneth following the custome of the Church of Asia and pretending the practice of Saint Iohn the Evangelist and the Romans with the English and others the Sunday after the 14 day alleadging an Apostolicall tradition a scruple then much disturbing the peace of Christendome and disputed of in sundry Synods No lesse was the controversie but long afterwards and amongst the English themselues betwixt the married vnmarried Priests in the raignes of Edwy Edgar Edward the Martyr Etheldred Monarches of the English-Saxons as likewise after the conquest of the Normans for vntill this time Priests were married adiudged against the married Priests through the pretended miracles of S. Dunstan a great vpholder of the Monkish faction the sentence of Pope Hildebrand in the yeare 1074 and raigne of William the Conquerour and lastly for yet notwithstanding the Popes interdict the Priests still kept their wiues by Anselmus Arch-bishoppe of Canterbury and a Synod then held at London in the raigne of King Henry the first In the raigne of great Egbert and about the yeare 829 breake in the merciles and Pagan Danes through whom and the many Popish errours which already had crept in religion is againe eclypsed Their Idol was Thur giuing afterwards the name of Thursday to the fourth day of the weeke By holy Alfred Edward the Seniour and Athelstan the second they are at length subdued and for the time either expulsed the Country or brought vnder the English and Christian yoake By this time the long aspiring Papacy had gotten the vpper hand ouer the rest of the Churches of the West and princes people divine and humane Lawes here as in all other places are made subject to the sole will and free arbitration hereof By Pope Alexander the second the Normans are authorized to vsurpe the Crowne of England Edgar and the Saxon line the right heires excluded and the oppressed English disabled for making resistance terrified and kept in by Papall cursings By Innocent the third King Iohn is made vassall to the pretended Apostolique sea surrendring his Crowne and resuming the same againe to be held vnder the fee and tribute of the Popes The Christian world hauing beene long abused Iohn Wiclef a soecular Diuine of the Vniversity of Oxford and Rectour of Lutterworth in Leicester shire in the raignes of Edward the third and Richard the second first to any effect opposeth against the tyranny hereof and those errours and impostures which antiquity superstitious and improvident zeale and their ambition and avarice had obtruded vpon religion fauoured by Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Henry Lord Percy the Chancelour and body of the Vniuersity sundry Regulars and Priests the Londoners and multitudes of the Common and Lay people besides England spreading his opinions ouer the neighbouring Germany the authour of the reformation of the Hussits amongst the Bohemians withstood by the Praelates and Monkes thundred against by Bulls of the Pope sent to the King the Bishops and Vniversity and condemned by the Councell of Constance the liue bodies of Husse and Hierome of Prage and the bones of Wicleffe in detestation of their pretended heresie being burnt by the order of that Synod The positions hereof are to be read in the history of Walsingham but mingled with many falsities and vntruthes through the malice of that relater a Monke and of those times no friends to his cause What more rightly they were is better seene in the confession of the Hussits or Bohemians arising from hence moulded after his doctrine Now begun the ancient holy and grand-esteeme of the Church to asswage and coole superstition to be vnmasked the Papall power to grow suspected his censures to become more vile the wealth and great reuenues of the Monks and Cleargie to be envyed and their liues and actions to be scanned and looked into by a more narrow censorious eye In the raigne of King Richard the second a petition is exhibited by Parliament for the taking away of all their temporall possessions not assented vnto and reiected by that plaine and well meaning prince The like is attempted by two other Parliaments in the raigne of Henry the fourth and Henry the fift pretending their abuse and better imployment in the reliefe of the poore the maintenance of Esquires Knights and Lords and the seruice of the King lastly diuerted the suppression of Monasteries excepted belonging vnto strangers through the wisedome of Henry Chichlie Arch-bishop of Canterbury proposing the more honourable French warres and declaring the vndoubted right of the Prince to that Crowne By king Henry the eight provoaked by the excommunication and rash censures of Pope Clement the seaventh the Papall authority is abolished through the Realme and the power and title of supreame head of the English Church assumed and entayled vpon his successours some abuses about images and the Scriptures and prayers in an vnknowne tongue in part reformed and Monasteries and religious houses stiffe abetters of the Romish Hierarchie to the great astonishment of the world vtterly razed and demolished and their whole possessions whether Temporalties or tithes offerings the vndoubted rights of the Church escheated to the Crowne and fold or giuen to lay persons through passion avarice or his zeale against the many vices and enormities of the Monkes or to engage the laity without which possibly he could not haue withstood so great a danger in his warre against the Papacy and Cleargie partakers with him of their spoyles Vnder Edward the sixt religion is more fully established and the Church purged from errours and superstition the Masse and the rest of the 6 bloudy articles of his father abrogated images pulled downe the holy Eucharist administred vnder both kinds and the Scripture and deuine seruice read in the vulgar language yet done not without much rapine and iniurie committed vnder pretence of reformation the sacred monuments of the dead in Churches defaced and Bishoppricks Collegiate Churches Hospitalls and Almes-houses being robbed of their reuenewes by sacrilegious greatnes during the licentious raigne of that most hopefull but young pupill king By Queene Mary a great strength to whose title was the dispensatition and authority hereof Religion is againe made vassall to the sea of Rome and the power and iurisdiction of the Pope restored with condition notwithstanding that the lands and goods lately taken from the Cleargy should remaine to their lay possessours without which caution the Nobility and Commons in Parliament whose ioynt interest this was would not giue their consent persecution raging soone after with fresh furie and the whole kingdome flaming with fires and gashly sights of burning Martyrs Queene Elizabeth of famous memory gaue
first mentioned more distinctly boundeth Normannia or the Countrey of the first or Dutch Normans with the river Eydore including within this accompt Denmarke and other more Northerly Regions and excluding Saxony and the parts of Germany lying vpon the South of that riuer They were otherwise called the Nord-luidi in Helmoldus and the aforesaid Authour The derivation we know not vnlesse from the words Nord or North and Lieu which last with the French signifieth a place or country The names were begun vpon occasion of the pyracies and warres of certaine mixtures of all those Northerne together or of the Swethlanders Norvegians a part following the tracts of the Danes and invading and preying vpon the French and English towards the declining estate of those nations and called by these generall appellations either because their proper names were not yet so well knowne abroad or because then consisting of many We first read of the expresse name of the Normans in the raigne of Charles the Great by Eginhartus in his life of that Emperour infesting then the sea-coasts of France and Germany Their mentioÌ„ after this is frequent more especially in the French Histories with great cruelty fury vnresistable afflicting the kingdome of France in the raigne of Charles the Bauld vnder their Captaine Hastinge and vnder Godfrey an other of their Leaders in the raigne of Charles the Gros. In the yeare 912 they first fixe fast footing in this rich Continent vnder Rollo another of their Captains to whom king Charles surnamed the Simple vpon composition for his peace herewith gaue the country of Neustria together with his daughter Gista in marriage with condition to hold the same vnder the fief and homage of the French kings and to become Christian. After this time that part of France from the firme residence hereof hath ever since beene called Normandy as the inhabitants hereof Normans victoriously held for a long time by the heires of Rollo with the title of Dukes of Normandie succeeded vnto by William surnamed Long-espee or with the Long-sword son to this first Rollo Richard the first son to William surnamed Long-espee Richard the second son to Richard the first Richard the third son to Richard the second Robert brother to Richard the third and William surnamed the Bastard the seaventh Duke naturall son to Robert Vnder this last prince these French Normans France now growing too narrow for their ambition first attempt vpon invade England Their colour for this war was the pretended right of their Duke William to the Crowne hereof bequeathed vnto him by Edward the Confessour in the time of the Danes during his exile in France confirmed afterwards by Edward being king and now since his decease with-held by Harold Their hopes in so great an enterprise was the vnsetled state of England now vnder an vsurper Edgar Etheling the right heire excluded and the favour of the Bishop of Rome Alexander the second then succeeding in the Papacy siding to their cause of whose countenance in authorizing vniust claimes Pepin and the late kings of France had made profitable vse In the yeare 1066 the Armies of the English Normans assisted with many thousands of French adventurers in Sussex neere Hastings fatally encounter Harold not by valour but through the sins and many vices of the Nation is vanquished and slaine with the losse of aboue 67000 of his valiant and faithfull souldiers and the remainder of the miserable English none then further adventuring factious irresolute without head and terrified with Papall cursings without any more resistance become subiect to the Conquerours William the Norman obtayneth the Crowne with great happines maintained hitherto in his Norman posterity The kingdome of the English the growth hereof hauing beene long hindred by the Danish warres before this last Norman conquest exceeded not the auncient limits of the Saxons Heptarchie bounding vpon the West with Wales and the Countries of Westmoreland Cumberland enjoyed by the Scots Welsh princes vnder the homage of the kings of England By king William the first following his victories Cumberland and Westmoreland as before are taken in and incorporated into the accompt name hereof By William Rufus and the succeeding Monarches Wales In forreine parts by Henry the second Ireland is conquered and Aniou Touraine Maine Aquitaine and Guienne with Normandy their auncient inheritance contayning almost one halfe part of France are annexed to the house and right of the Norman-English By Edward the third and the fift sixt Henries the potent kingdomes of France The French hauing long since withdrawn their allegiance divided asunder by spacius seas language and affection the rest remaine subject parts or states appending of the English kingdome In Iames the first of happy memory both kingdomes of England and Scotland or the whole Britaine are vnited vnder one Monarch together with Ireland a Countrie depending vpon England or the dominion of all the British Ilands The Kings of England follow of the Norman blood and vntill this last and blessed vnion William duke of Normandy from this victories surnamed the Conquerour the first king of England of the house of the Normans naturall son to Robert Duke of Normandy by Arlet a Burgers daughter of Falaise in that Countrey Battle-field wonne by conquest and a pretended right from the gift of Edward the Confessour his cosen German by the mothers side succeeding in the yeare 1066. The subdued English stubborne male-contented vnquiet and ill brooking forreine gouernment he oppressed with servitude and hard Lawes dispossessing the nobility of their goods places and revenues which he assigned to his French Normans the root of the present more auncient English gentrie He deceased in the yeare 1087. william the second surnamed Rufus from his more ruddy colour a younger son to the Conquerour king of England by the will of his father his elder brother Robert succeeding in the Dukedome of Normandy He deceased in the yeare 1100 slaine vnawares in New-Forrest in Hamshire as he was following his game vnmarried and without issue Henry the first surnamed Beauclercke or the good Scholler for such he was by meanes of his education borne at Selby in Yorkeshire yongest son to the Conquerour king of England through the advantage of his brother Roberts absence warring then abâ—ad in the Holy Land and by the favour of the people in regard of his English birth and his sugred promises which in part hee performed to remit those heavy lawes taxations wherewith they had beene burthened during the raignes of his father and brother To better his title and the more to insinuate into the English affections he tooke to wife Maude daughter to Malcolme the third king of Scotland and S t Margaret daughter to Edward surnamed the Out-law eldest son to Edmund Iron-side hereby vniting together the Norman and English blood in his issue posterity Warres arising betwixt the two brethren he with his English subdued the Normans vpon the same day after forty yeares
holy warre 11 Quintos The Exercitio granted by all the Provinces towards the keeping of slaues and making and maintaining of gallyes 7 Quintos 750000 Maravedies The extraordinary contribution of Spain is yearly worth 104 Quintos and 305000 Maravedies gathered through the country amongst the common sort of people taxed according to their seuerall abilities The ordinary revenues of the kingdome of Aragon a freer state then the rest and lesse subiect to impositions reach only to 75 Quintos The revenues of Sicily to 375 Quintos Of Naples to 450 Quintos Of the Dukedome of Milaine to 300 Quintos Of the West Indies to 300 Quintos The Low-Countryes with Burgundy were wont to yeeld 700 Quintos but besides the late revolt of some third part they are now alienated from the Crowne hereof assigned to the Arch-dutchesse Isabella The Ilands of Sardinia Mallorça Menorça affoord the Prince no profit at all their whole revenues being imployed for their defence against the Turkish Pirats to whose injuries they are still exposed and sometimes more then is receiued The ordinary revenues of Portugall amount to a million of Dukats The Masterships of the crosse of that kingdome yeeld 100000 Dukats The Ilands of the Sea Atlantique the Açores Madera Cape-Verde S. Thomas and del Principe for the Canaries belong to the Crowne of Castile 200000 dukats The Mine of S. George in Guinea appertaining to the order of Christ now vsurped by the king 100000 dukats Brasil 150000 dukats The custome of the spices and merchandise brought to Lisbona frō the East-Indies for the other revenues are spent vpon the defence of the Country 600000 dukats His whole revenues out of all his three kingdomes of Castile Portugal and Aragon and of the conquests thereof we finde in Linschotten reckoning euery dukat at 5 s 6 d a million of Maravedies to a Quinto and each Quinto at 735 l 5 s ob sterling accompted in grosse at 4084917 l and 5 s 9 d English From such his large possessions and meanes some much extolling the greatnes of this Prince haue compared him with the great Turke and other the mightiest Monarches of the world yet not rightly considering the many weakenesses and imperfections his great body of estate is subject vnto making him not only inferiour herevnto but perhaps in solid strength to some lesser neighbouring Potentates 1 The disvnion and remotenesse of his Prouinces severed by infinite spaces of sea land and their vnreadines herevpon in case of danger to relieue succour one another 2 His slow praeparation for any warre vpon the same reason his forces being long a gathering together from parts so farre distant and subject still to be cut off by the way or smothered in the many strangling harbours hereof by a more quicke and ready enimy 3 His want of men for the execution of any great designe his Indians and other barbarous subiects being altogether vnfit for service and Spaine for the causes before set downe not so well peopled as that with the rest of his dominions in Europe it can afford any great matter 4 The vncertainty and danger of a great part of his revenues expos'd to the hazard and lets of seas winds pyracyes and open enimies 5 His extraordinarie charge and expence in the wages and stipends of almost infinite Viceroyes governours officers and souldiers he is forced to maintaine in the many Provinces of his scattered Empire 6 The discontentednes of the greatest part of the people and nations subject vnto him the Aragonians being much offended with him for their priviledges broken ancient liberties infringed the Portugalls never well brooking the Castillian government forced herevnto by conquest and accustomed to Princes of their owne and his estates in Italy and of the Levant kept from open revolt by the strength of Citadels and Spanish garrisons My censure onely shall be the greatnes of these his empty scattered and ill affected dominions rather to be a trouble and burthen then to adde any great advantage and strength vnto him not easily any long time to bee held together without his commaund of the Sea or if not guided by a provident and wise Councell after the manner of the nation very warie and circumspect in all their actions and seldome committing ouersights endued with an extraordinary judgment constancy and valour aboue many of their neighbours as to foresee and prevent so to master and remedy any mischiefes and disorders which may happen The Countrie at this day contayneth 18 greater parts or devisions 1. Of Portugall betwixt the Taio and Guadiana 2. Portugall betwixt the Taio Duero 3. Portugal betwixt the Duero Minio 4. Castillia la Nueva 5. Castillia la Veia 6. Galitia 7. Asturia 8. Biscaia 9. Guipuscoa 10. Navarra 11. Estremadura 12. Andaluzia 13. Granado 14. and Murcia parts of the kingdome of Castille and of 15. Aragonia 16. Valentia 17. Catalonia 18. and the land of Russillon the parts of the kingdome of Aragon whose descriptiōs follow in the third place after that I haue first set downe the auncient estate with the many alterations successions hapning in the province from the first memorie of histories vnto our times occasioning the present state names and devisions THE SIXTH BOOKE COntayning the Descriptions of the more noted Mountaines the Riuers of Spaine Their auncient and moderne names The more auncient limits and names of Spaine The first inhabitants The intrusion of the Celtae Tyrians Phocenses Zacynthij and Rhodians The first conquest hereof by the Carthaginians Their continuance and the extent here of their empire The dominion hereof and conquest of the Romans The Description and Estate of Spaine during the government of the Romans collected out of Ptolemy and the auncient Geographers The History invasion and conquests of the Vandals Silingi Alans Suevians and Gothes The succession dominion and history of the Moores The beginning encrease and vnion of the kingdomes of Leon Castille Navarra Aragon and Portugal with the Earledome of Barcelona The present devision names and estate of Spaine occasioned thorough these mutations THE MOVNTAINES OF SPAINE THE Land-markes whereof wee will make vse in the ensuing discourse are the Mountaines and Rivers hereof The Mountaines may be distinguished in 6 greater ridges continuate and knit together and whereof the rest are parts A first is the noted ridge of the Pyrenes common herevnto and France inhabited by both Nations the boūds of both They begin at the Promontory Oiarco and Sea Cantabrique and are continued from thence South-East betwixt the two kingdomes vnto Cabo de Creux and the Sea Mediterranean Part hereof towards the Mediterranean and land of Russillon is called the Mountaine Canigo Other names and distinctions we find not From these about Ronceval branch a second row of hills coasting Westwards along the shoare of the Sea Cantabrique and overspreading the countries of Guipuscoa Biscay and Asturia vntill in Galitia which they devide in the middest at the
Portugall it is emptied into the Westerne Ocean not farre from Baiona Other rivers hauing immediate entercourse with the Ocean are first in Catalonia Lobregat and Francolino in the countrey of Valentia Guadilivar and Xucar in the kingdome of Granado Guadalquivireio and Guadalantin in Andaluzia Guadalethe in Portugal betwixt Guadiana and the Taio Palma betwixt the Taio and Duero Mondego betwixt the Duero and Minio the riuer Limia the famous Lethe of the auncient Poets There are not any riuers of note receiued into the Cātabriā Sea stopped by the intervening of the lōg mountainous ridge before mentioned drawne from Ronceval of the Pyrenes vnto Cabo Finisterre and coasting along that shoare Those which be of short courses and falling from that banke of Mountaines are the riuer Mearo now deviding Galitia and Asturia in Biscaia Ibaisabellum vpon which standeth the rich towne of Bilbao and in Guipuscoa Gurvinea rio the riuer of the port of S t Sebastian Here is also the Vidosa springing out of the Pyrenean Mountaines and at Fuentarabia bounding this kingdome and France The most part of those of the South lying betwixt the Guadiana and Ebro haue the Punique word Guadi prefixed an argument of the long and setled abode of the Moores in those parts None of these riuers are verie deepe and navigable vsually spreading too wide and through the naturall drought of the Country scanted of waters besides vneven and vncertaine Marinaeus Siculus reckneth the whole nūber to be 150 of al sorts DIVERS NAMES OF SPAINE THE more ancient Greeke Authours haue named this Countrey Iberia either from the noted riuer Iberus which is most probable or from the Iberi a people of Asia neighbouring to the Caspian Sea related by Pliny with the Persians sometimes to haue come into those parts By others also wee finde it sometimes called Celtiberia from the more warlike and famous nation of the Celtiberi likewise Hesperia from the Evening starre and its more Westerne situation The latter Greekes and generally all the Latines call it Hispania or Spaine a name which to this day it retaines if we may beleeue Iustin from Hispanus once king hereof not to trouble you with more difficult and further fetcht Etymologies and alike vncertaine ANCIENT BOVNDS THE Bounds hereof haue still beene the same environed vpon three sides with the Ocean and on the part towards the Continent of Europe walled from the Province of Gaule or France with the long ridge of the Pyrenean mountaines extended betwixt the Mediterranean and Cantabrique Seas SPAINE VNDER THE FIRST NATIVES THE first rule and dominion hereof was vnder the natiue Spaniards for we reade not any former name of inhabitants after the manner of all barbarous Nations shared amongst many lesser and obscure Princes Amongst these wee finde mention in Macrobius of one Theron king of the hither Spaine in Herodotus of Arganthonius and in Iustin of Gargoris and Habis kings of Tartessus of Mandonius and Indibilis in Plutarch in the life of the great African of Luceyus Prince of the Celtiberians in the same Authour Concerning other memories hereof in regard of their exceeding antiquity and the rudenes of those first times little is related or whereunto safe credit may bee giuen The first intrusion of forreine Nations OF stranger nations the first intruding here amōgst were the Celtae Tyrians Phocenses Zacynthij Rhodij the occasion of whose descent hither we haue before pointed at The first arriuall of the Tyrians Strabo setteth downe to haue hapned before the age of Homer Mariana I know not from what more ancient authority about the foundation of the City of Carthage brought hither by Sichaeus husband to Queene Dido The comming of the other is more vncertain From the Celtae the warlike Celtiberi Calaeci and Celtici were descended By the Phocenses a colony of the Massillians the city Emporiae and Dianium were founded By the Zacynthij the famous Saguntum By the Rhodians as is thought the city Rhodope By the Tyrians Gades Strabo relateth in his third booke the most part in his time of the townes of Turdetania and of the neighbouring Sea-coasts to haue been colonies of this People The conquest-hereof by the Carthaginians THE first who vpon an ambitious desire of attayning greater dominion and Empire invaded this Province were the Carthaginians Repulsed from Sicily and other Ilands of the Levant about the yeare of Rome 132 and bending their forces towards the West they first tooke in here the Iland of Ebusa belonging to this Continent About the yeare 236 invited by the Tyrians inhabiting Gades to their aid against the neighbouring Spaniards turning their faithlesse armes here against they dispossessed them of that famous city and Iland By their captaines Himilco and Hanno in the yeare 307 by force and subtilty they got seazed of the Ilands of the Baleares Vnder Hamilcar father to the great Hannibal about the yeare of Rome 516 first to any purpose attempting vpon the Continent they conquered Betica together with the Bastetani and Contestani vpon the same shore of the Levant By Hasdrubal succeeding hereunto in the government they enlarged their conquests the city of the Saguntines excepted as farre as the Ebro By Hannibal successour vnto Hasdrubal Saguntum taken and the Carpetani Ilergetes Ausetani and other barbarous people subdued they extended the same vnto the Pyrenaean Mountaines stretching vpon the other side Westwards vnto the straights of Hercules Lusitania and the more Northerne parts excluded remaining yet free and not conquered by forreine power till afterwards By the fortune of the second Punique warre in the 14 yeare thereof they quite abandoned and lost this Province driuen out by the valiant P. Scipio from his greater victories afterwards surnamed the African some 416 yeares after their first taking of Ebusa and about 32 yeares since their invasion and conquest of the Continent by Hamilcar leauing the same and their other hopes herein to the more fortunate and better succeeding Romans By the Romans THE occasion of the first attempts of this Nation hereupon was their like ambition of greater dominion together with their jealousie of the Carthaginian greatnes whose conquests here and dayly encroachings they much feared the joint cause hereof and of the second Punique warre Vnder Cn and Pub Scipio brethren pretending the aide hereof and the revenge of their confederates the Saguntines iniuriously warred vpon and sacked by Hannibal in the yeare of Rome 534 and about the beginning of that warre they first set footing herein after many victories both of them diasterously here slaine by the armes of the Carthaginians and treason of the Celtiberians Vnto these with much better fortune succeeded in the Proconsulship and warre hereof in the yeare of Rome 543 Publius Scipio the African son to the other Pub Scipio before named whose valour or chance it was vtterly to expell here-hence the Carthaginians and to make way for the Romane greatnes
Aragonia The country seemeth a continuate garden the fields in regard of the mild temperature of the Heauens garnished all the yeare long with sweet-smelling flowres and miraculously euery-where abounding with Pomegranates Limons and other delicious fruite-trees Otherwise for corne it yeeldeth not that plenty which might suffice the inhabitants The sheepe heere beare the finest fleece thorough the whole Spaine being as some relate of the breed of Cottes-would in England transported into this Continent in the raigne of Ferdinand the fift The inhabitants by reason of their too great pleasure delicacy are accompted lesse warlike then the rest of the Spanish nation Of these were reckoned of late yeares no fewer then 22000 families of the Moriscos for the most part inhabiting the country and like vnto those of the Alpuxarras retaining the language as in a manner the behaviour and manner of liuing of the auncient Moores with the rest of that race in Spaine banished into Afrique by King Philip the third Chiefer townes here are Orihuela Orcelis of Ptolemy a Bishops See vpon the riuer Segura and confines of Murcia Alicante Illicias of Ptolemy Illici of Pliny Illice of Mela and Ilicis of Antoninus a free Colony of the Romans and giuing the name to the bay called by Mela Sinus Illicitanus now the bay of Alicante a noted port vpon the Mediterranean Denia Dianium of Ptolemy Strabo Pliny and Solinus a stipendiary towne of the Romans first founded by the Massillians seated vpon a hill vpon the brinke of the Mediterranean ouer which it enioyeth a faire and large prospect Hereof was entitled the Marquesse of Denia of the house of Roias and Sandoval since created Duke of Lerma Betwixt this towne and Alicante lyeth the great Promontory Ferraria named Artemus Dianium and Hemeroscopium by the auncients Gandia giving the title and name to the Dukes thus stiled of the house of Borgia a petty Vniversity lately instituted by the Dukes Valentia Valentia of Ptolemy Pliny Mela and Antoninus then a Colony of the Romans founded by Iunius Brutus by the Moores afterwards made the head city of the kingdome thus named now an Archbishops See and the chiefe city of the Province situated vpon the right shore of the riuer Guadalivar some 3 miles from the Mediterranean The towne is rich faire well traded and exceedingly pleasant Here were borne vnder contrary starres the learned Lodovicus Vives and that monster of Popes and men Alexander the sixt Bishop of Rome Xativa Setabis of Strabo and Ptolemy a Bishops See situated vpon the riuer Xucar Xelva or Chelva supposed by Florianus to be Incibilis of Livy where Hanno was ouercome by Scipio African the great Sogorve Segobriga of Ptolemy and Strabo the chiefe city of the Celtiberi now a Bishops See Morvedre vpon a river thus named Saguntum of Strabo Ptolemy and Pliny and Saguntus of Mela and Antoninus founded by the Zacynthians confederate with the Romans destroyed by Hannibal a little before the second Punique warre and reedified afterwards by the Romans and made one of their Colonies The auncient inhabitants of the country of Valentia were parts of the Bastita◠Contestani Edetani and Celtiberi of Ptolemy and other more auncient Authours ARAGONIA LYing with an equall division vpon both sides of the riuer Ebro hauing vpon the South Valentia and Aragonia vpon the West the two Castilles vpon the North the riuer of Aragon Navarra vpō the East the Pyrenaean mountaines and France The countrey is nothing so pleasant and fruitfull as are the parts immediatly before described ouerrun with the branches of Idubeda of the Pyrenaean Mountaines and commonly drie and scanted of waters where it is not refreshed with rivers and for this cause ill inhabited especially towards the Mountaines Pyrenaean where in regard of this want in some places neither towne nor house are to be seene for many dayes journeye Chiefer townes are Albarracino a Bishops See Daroca vnder Sierra Balbaniera Calataiut vpon the riuer Xalon named thus from Aiub a Saracen prince the founder thereof Some halfe a mile from hence and vpon the Xalon with whose streames it is almost round encompassed ariseth the hill Baubola the seate sometimes of the city Bilbis of Ptolemy Bilbilis of Strabo and Antoninus a municipium of the Romans and the countrey of the Poet Martial Aboue this hill the litle river Cagedo falleth into the Xalon mentioned likewise by the Epigramatist Taradona Turiaso of Ptolemy Antoninus a Bishops See situated neere to Monte Moncaio and the borders of Castille Saragoça Caesaraugusta of Ptolemy Strabo Pliny Antoninus then a Colonie and Municipium of the Romans and one of their seaven juridicall resorts of Tarraconensis named thus from the Emperour Augustus Caesar by whom it was first made a colony formerly being called Salduba from certaine neighbouring Salt-wiches yet extant in the Mountaines Vnder the Moores it became the head of a particular kingdome thus named recovered in the yeare 1118 by the Christians and afterwards made the chiefe residence of the kings of Aragon It is now an Arch-bishops See an Vniversity and the seate of the Inquisition and Vice-roye of the province situated in a goodly champian vpon the right shore of the river Ebro The city is faire large having wide open and hansome streetes and contayning 17 parishes besides 14 monasteries sundry chappels dedicated to the blessed Virgin amongst the which is that called Nuestra Senora del Pilar beleeued by this credulous people to haue beene erected by Iames surnamed the Lesser the Apostle of Spaine and patron of the Castillians Beyond the Ebro Cuera vpon the river Gallego Fraga vpon the river Senga Gallica Flava of Ptolemy and Gallicum of Antoninus Balbastro vpon the Senga Burtina of Ptolemy Bortina of Antoninus now a Bishops See Monçon Huesca Osca of Strabo Ptolemy and Antoninus the place where Sertorius in Plutarch detayned as hostages for their fathers fidelity the children of the Spanish nobility vnder the pretence of trayning them vp in learning afterwards vpon their revolt cruelly murthered by him It is now a Bishops See and a petty Vniversity Venasque amongst the Pyrenaean mountaines Iacca amongst the same mountaines a Bishops See the first seate or residence of the Kings of Aragon From hence were named the Iaccetani of Ptolemy Strabo and Lacetani of Pliny The ancient inhabitants of Aragonia were the Iaccetani Cerretani and Lacetani now mentioned with parts of the Celtiberi Illergetes and Edetani CATALONIA BOunded vpon the West with Valentia and the river Cinia vpon the North with Aragonia vpon the East with the Earledome of Russillon and the Pyrenaean Mountaines from France and vpon the South with the Sea Mediterranean betwixt the riuer Cinia Cabo de Creux The countrey is hilly full of woods yeelding small store of corne wine and fruites enriched more thorough its maritine situation then by home-bred commodities Chiefer townes are
t Eutropius of Saintes S t Lucian of Beauvois S t Taurinus of Eureux and S t Nicasius of Roan appointed by S t Clement Bishop of Rome successour to S t Peter That a Church here flourished during those first times amidst streames of blood tortures and persecution besides other testimonies might witnesse the dolefull letter of the distressed Christians of Vienna and Lyon sent vnto the Churches of Asia and Phrygia about the yeare 179 and raigne of the Emperour M. Aurelius Antoninus Philosophus mentioned by Eusebius in his 5 booke and 1 chapter In the raigne of the Emperour Constantine the Great Gentilisme abolished Religion was here as thorough the whole Romane Empire publikely professed and authorized exauthorized shortly after by Constantius and Iulianus and re-established againe by Iovianus and the succeeding Catholique Romane Emperours of the West Towardes the expiration of the Westerne Romane Empire swarme in hither the barbarous Northerne nations in the raigne of the Emperours Honorius and Valentinian the third by whom Religion is againe eclypsed Of these the Burgundians a more ciuill people then the rest were Christians and Catholiques before their comming hither The Gothes were Arrians in which heresie they persisted vntill the raigne of Reccaredus Monarch of Spaine and the third Councell of Toledo in the yeare 588 at what time they first became Catholiques The Frenchmen at their first entrance were Gentiles Vnder Clovys or Clodoveus their fift king from Pharamond after their great victory obtayned against the Almans at Zulp or Tolbiacum they first embraced the Christian Faith wherein with great constancy and zeale they haue perseuered vnto our times thorough their many and great Conquests and victories enlarging afterwards as their Empire so the bounds of Christianity ouer the whole Gaule or France and the better part of Germany with other neighbouring countreyes of Europe corrupted not long afterwards by Popish impostures and made subject to the common errours and misfortunes of the Westerne Churches The first here who openly durst make head against the abuses tyranny of the See of Rome were the Waldenses named thus from one Peter Waldus a citizen of Lyon their chiefe and called otherwise the Poore men of Lyon in regard of their poverty and exile which hapned about the yeare 1160 and raigne of Lewis the seauenth French King The Waldenses ouerborne and scattered by the power and greatnes of the Papacy hidvered vnder the ashes for a time after certaine yeares broke out againe vnder an other name of the Albigenses called thus from the towne of Alby in Languedoc where they first made open profession spreading their opinions ouer the most part of Languedoc and the Southerne French Provinces and maintaining their cause by force of armes for about the space of 50 yeares during the raignes of Philip Augustus and of Lewis the eight and S. Lewis or Lewis the ninth favoured and maintained amongst other of the French nobility of the Earles by Tholouse Foix Cominges and Beziers and assisted by Peter the second King of Aragon slaine in their quarrell at the battaile of Muret after long oppression misery and warre lastly worne out in the raigne of S t Lewis or forced to retire amongst Mountaines and more difficult places of accesse where in Daulphinye Savoy but more notably in Provence we find a continuall succession of them certaine remainders whereof were those miserable people of Merindol and Chabrieres cruelly slaine and massacred in the raigne of King Francis the first Some pretended positions of theirs are set downe by b Sieur du Haillan in Philip Augustus and Mariana in his 12 booke and 1 chapter for the most part monstrous false and most suppositious after the Popish manner maliciously fained to disgrace their cause and the Orthodoxe Religion What more vnpartially and truely they were see the confession of the Waldenses in Balth Lydius and Ioachimus Camerarius Those Reformed covered afterwards vnder the more odious names of the Lutherans Calvinists and Hugonots and consenting with them in doctrine and opinion no lesse persecution afflicts then before during the whole raignes of Francis the first before mentioned Henry the second In the raigne of the next succeeding Prince Francis the second the number of the Protestants daylie encreasing begin first those bloodie ciuill warres for Religion After the troublesome vnfortunate raigns of three brethren kings Francis the second Charles the ninth and Henry the third infinite battailes and conflicts fought the takings and sackings of towns and cities on both sides the slaughters and killings of Princes and heads of both factions many treaties and peaces made and the same still broken by the happy procurement of the late King Henry the fourth a lasting and firme peace is at length granted hereunto which since his decease his Queene Mary de Medices Regent of France and not without some quarrels and bickerings in the meane time his sonne Lewis the thirteenth more lately haue confirmed Their are then two different names of religions now openly professed and allowed in this kingdome that of the Papists adhering to the sea of Rome and the Reformed or Calvinisme Of the Popish sect is still the king for so their stronger side constrayneth him most of his Nobilitie Councelours and Officers of estate with the greatest part of the common people The doctrine of the Protestants differeth not from that of the Church of England Their order discipline is such which the condition of their state poore afflicted rather tolerated then allowed without Bishops Tithes almost Churches detayned by the Papists hath necessarily enforced them vnto The Ecclesiasticall dignities are all still held by the Popish Cleargie Of these are reckoned 15 Arch-bishopricks 109 Bishopricks 540 Monasteries or Abbeyes 27400 Pastorall Cures after the number of their Parishes accompting but one parish for every city besides chappels and infinite other religious places Their Bishops and Arch-bishops follow Vnder Lions the Primate of the kingdome the Bishops of Austun Langres Chaalon vpon the Soasne Mascon vnder Rheims Chalon vpō the Marne Laon Soissons Cambray Tournay Arras Boulogne Amiens Noion Senlis Beauvois vnder Roan Sais Aurenches Constances Bayeux Lyseux Eureux vnder Sens Paris Chartres Orleans Auxerre Meaux Nevers Troy vnder Tours Mans Angiers Renes Nantes Cournovaille Vannes Leon Triguier Dol S t Malo S. Brieu vnder Bourdeaux Sainctes Poictiers Lusson Mailesais Perigueux Sarlat Condom and Agen vnder Bourges Mende Castres le Puy en Velay Rodes Vabres Cahors vnder Tholouse Montaubon Rieux Mirepoix Vaur Lombez S. Papoul and Apamies vnder Narbonne Carcassone Besiers Agde Lodesve Nismes Montpelier Vzez Eaule Aleth and S. Pont de Tonieres vnder Aux Cominges or S Bernard Coserans Lactoure Tarbe Aire Basatz D'ax Baione Lescar and Oleron vnder Aix Ries Apt Gap Cisteron and Feriuls vnder Ambrun Digne Senez Clandeve la Grace S. Paule de Vences and Nice vnder Vienne Geneve Grenoble Maurienne
the Great and his son Lewis the Godly were Sole commaunders of all Gaule of Germany vnto the rivers Eydore Elb Saltza of Pannony of a great part of Italy and of Barcelona or Catalonia in Spaine Since the vsurpation of Capet he for a long time held subject in the Low-countries the great Earledome of Flanders with that other of Artois held alwayes by the Princes thereof vnder the fief and soveraignety of this Crowne by the late league of Cambray in the raignes of Henry the second French King and Philip the second King of Spaine quitted from all right and acknowledgment hereof At this day he onely retayneth moderne France limited as aboue together with the bare title of Navarre the countrey ever since Ferdinand the fift being witheld from him by the Spaniard The greater causes of the declining hereof haue beene 1 that improvident devision of the French Empire by the sons of the Emperour Lewis the Godly whereby not only Gaule or France within the Rhijn became parted into divers lesser seigneuryes but Italy and Germany quite rent herefrom their kingdomes with the honour and title of Roman Emperour being translated to forraine stranger families 2 The monstrous alienations of many the chiefer provinces hereof graunted by former Kings with a bare reservation of homage vnto themselues by which meanes the great Dukedomes of Aquitaine and Guienne Bretaigne Normandy and Burgundy the Earledomes of Champaigne and Provençe with others contayning aboue one halfe part of the whole France became for a long time free and loose from the immediate commaund and jurisdiction hereof which by marriages otherwise comming into the hands of straungers or of some not so well affected to this Crowne haue much disabled him for any great performance and oftentimes turning their armes here-against haue much endangered the ruine of the whole kingdome a no small advaÌ„tage of the English cause of the many victories which they atchieved in times past against this Nation 3 The infinite factioÌ„s wherevnto this vnconstant and stirring people haue beene still subject and from the which they haue beene almost never cleare whereof their wiser neighbours haue still knowne to make good vse 4 The jealousies of neighbouring princes especially since the great attempts and conquests vpon Milan and Naples by Charles the eight and Lewis the twelth bending their leagues and setting vp enabling the Spaniard against him But as his power and auncient greatnes haue beene hereby much abated so yet neither haue they beene so empared but that for solide true strength he remayneth now nothing inferiour to any Christian prince of Europe Indeed he is not Lord of such huge and spacious dominions as some others are Yet if we consider the generall fertility and riches of his countries their compaction and vnitednes not broken into diverse kingdomes or parted by Sees or the intervening of forraine states his store of strong and well fortified cites and townes in every province the infinite number of his French subjects in regard of the extraordinary populousnes of the countrie the substance of war the wall of kingdomes estimated at 15 millions of inhabitants and that harmony and good agreement which should be amongst a people of the same law nation countrey and language wee shall finde him to haue sundry advantages aboue many of his neighbours firme strong great and not easily to be endangered by the mainest combination of his adversaries An especiall strength and advantage of the present aboue the former kings hath beene the incorporation of the many alienated great Dukedomes and Estates before mentioned thorough the great wisedome of his Predecessours still as they were gotten in by warre or marriage being inseparably vnited to the crowne hereof What his revenues might be from so rich a kingdome we wil not define Monsieur Froumenteau in his book entitled les Secrets des Finances accompteth them for 31 yeares space during the late raignes of Henry the second of the three brethren kings at 15623655 17 31 Escus or French Crownes one yeare with an other but whereof a great part being then made by the confiscation of Protestants goods alienations of their demaines by the like casualties incident to troubled States cannot be accompted ordinary The country conteineth now 24 greater divisions or Provinces of Bretaigne Normandy Picardy Champaigne Brie France Special Beausse Poictou Engoulmois Berry Bourbonois Forest Beauiolois Lionois Auvergne Limousin Perigort Guienne Gaiscoigne Quercy Rovergne Languedoc Provençe Daulphine and Bourgogne divided amongst 8 iuridicall resorts or Parliaments of Paris Roven Renes Bourdeaux Tholouse Aix Dijon and Grenoble whose descriptions follow hauing first set downe the auncient estate hereof with the sundry changes and successions people nations and gouerments hapning vnto our times occasioning the present names state and divisions THE NINTH BOOKE COntayning the description of the more famous Mountaines and Rivers of France Their auncient and moderne names The auncient name and Etymologie of Gaule The distinction hereof into Gaule on this side and beyond the Alpes The beginning and occasion of the name of Gaule on this side the Alpes The bounds situation and auncient estate of Gaule on this side the Alpes before the subiection thereof to the Romans and revnion with Italy The auncient limits and extent of Gaule beyond the Alpes The first inhabitants of Gaule beyond the Alpes The intrusion of the neighbouring Germans and of the Greekes Phocenses The foundation of the auncient and noble city of Marseilles The conquest of Gaule beyond the Alpes by the Romans The description and face hereof during the Roman government out of Ptolemy Pliny Antoninus and others The history invasion and conquests of the Britons VVisigothes Burgundians Almans and Frenchmen The conquest of the whole by the French The large extent aunciently of the French dominions The reestablishment of the Roman Empire of the VVest in Charles the Great and the French nation The name of France The distinction hereof into the parts and names of Oosten-reich and VVest-reich The division of the grand Monarchy of the French by the sons and posterity of the Emperour Lewis the Godly The French kingdomes of Germany and Italy Their rent from the nation and name of the French The kingdomes of Burgundy Lorraine and VVest-France The Dukedomes of Lorraine Iuliers Cleue Brabant Luxemburg Limburg and Gelderlandt the Palatinate of the Rhijn the Bishopricks of Liege and Vtreicht the Lantgraueship of Elsatz the Earledomes of Namur Hainault Holland and Zealandt parts sometimes of the auncient French kingdome of Lorraine The vniting of Brabant Luxemburg Limâ—urg Gelderlandt Namur Hainault Holland Zealandt Vtreicht vnto the Netherlands and family of Burgundy and of the rest to the Empire of the Germans The Dukedomes of Savoy and of Burgundy on this side the Soasne and beyond the Iour the Earledomes of Lions and Mascon the free counrye of Burgundy the kingdome of Arles the Earledome of Provence Daulphiny and the Common-wealth and League of the
of Northerne Latitude or betwixt some 51 minutes on this side of the 15 or middle paralel of the sixt clime where the longest day hath 15 houres and an halfe and the 19 minute beyond the 21 or middle paralel of the 9 clime where it hath 17 houres It is therefore wholy seated in the Northerne halfe-part of the Temperate Zone and is for this cause much colder then the more Southerne parts before described yet of a more liuely and healthie temperature and more potent for generation bringing forth men cattell and plants whereof it is well capable in farre more abundance and of greater strength and larger proportion then the other the fatall nursery of those numberlesse swarmes of barbarous nations overwhelming the Roman Empire and new peopling the provinces of the West The soile is very fruitfull the mountainous parts of the Alpes Schwartzwald Otten-wald and other wild reliques of the old Hercynian forest excepted The Country is large and exceedingly populous stored with infinite Cities the best and fairest for any one Province in the world what by meanes of the industrie of the inhabitants and through the commodity of the situation thereof standing in the heart and center of Europe the ordinary way of all the merchandise and riches of the neighbouring Provinces The more happy parts are the Southerne betwixt the river of Meine and the Alpes yeelding plenty of very excellent wines especially the tract of the Rhijn of which the other is destitute The Northerne is generally more plaine but worse inhabited and accompted lesse fruitfull chiefly towards the Wixell and the Sea Baltique yet abounding in corne with other of the East-lands the garner and storehouse of Holland and the Lowe Countries and in time of dearth of Italie Spaine and of other countries The chiefer commodities which are transported from hence are Corne and Wines whereof these growe onely in the Southerne parts the other more abundantly in the Northerne It aboundeth also with all sorts of mettals as of Iron Lead Brasse and of other baser sorts so of Silver which the mines of Meissen Bohemia and Tirol doe very plentifully yeeld Salt is here in a sufficient quantity as boiled out of Salt springs so minerall extracted out of the earth It affordeth also store of Saffron in the vpper Austria and Bavaria as it doth of woolls in the land of Hessen of extraordinary finesse for those transmarine regions The ancient inhabitants hereof were the Rhaeti Vindelici Norici with parts of the PaÌ„nonij possessing the whole tract exteÌ„ded betwixt the Danow and the Alpes the Menapij Treveri Mediomatrices Lenci Vbij Eburones Nemeti Vangiones Triboci Raâ—raci and Sequani parts of Gaule Belgique and inhabiting the Westerne shore of the Rhijn the Germans contained anciently within the Rhijn the Danow the Wixel and the Ocean the Scâ—avi or Winithi succeeding in the left roomes of the Germans flitting into the Westerne Roman Provinces taking vp the moitie hereof contained betwixt the rivers Elb and Saltza the Wixel and the Sea Baltique the Huns Avares Lombards and Hungarians successiuely intruding amongst the Pannonij The rest of the Barbarians subdued and driuen out by this more strong and mighty nation the whole are now accompted and knowne only by the name of Germans The moderne Germans are commonly of a tall stature square and bigge by complection phlegmatique or rawe sanguine or where moisture hath the dominion over heat of haire yellow or light browne strong and thicke hauing great bones and much flesh with large ioints nerues and sinewes but for want of heat not so firmely knit neither abounding with such store of quicke and nimble spirits as might sufficiently weild so great a masse of body being for this cause of a dull and heavy disposition fitter to resist then execute and strong rather with a weighty sway of flesh then otherwise They are by nature plaine and honest simple without any mixture of deceipt haters of impostures and base dealing religious chast laborious constant stiffe or rather opinatiue and obstinate as suspitious of their owne weaknesse and hating to be circumvented rough or rather rude and vncivill in their carriage but nothing dangerous not notably giuen to any vice drunkennesse excepted common herevnto and to all the Northerne Nations not so much by ill habit and custome as by naturall inclination caused whither by a sympathie of their moister bodies or through a vehement appetite of their hotter stronger digesting and throat-scorching stomackes intended by their cold In handy-crafts and mechanicall inventions they haue alwaies much excelled the first inventers of Gunnes Gun-powder Printing Clocks strange water-works and other wittie devises to the no lesse benefit then admiration of the world In warres at this day they are not so well accompted firme and constant in their order but slowe and heavy better to receaue then to giue a charge and to fight a battaile in the open field then to assault a Town the ordinary warfare of those times fearefull dull and for this cause against dangers often mutinous as loath to haâ—ard subiect to disrout by false alarums and sudden feares and being once broken not easily brought to rally and gather head againe The languages here spoken are the French in Savoy Lorraine Luick and the Free county of Burgundie the Sclavonian amongst the Bohemians and Moravians and in some parts of Lausâ—its about the Elb and the High Dutch common in a maner to the whole province What was the ancient Religion of the nation see Tacitus in his description hereof The first who here preached the Gospell was S t Thomas surnamed Didimus if Dorothaus may be credited an author somewhat ancient but whose truth hath alwaies beene suspected The Magdeburgenses in their first Century and 2 booke and chapter muster vp S t Egistus one of the 70 Disciples of our blessed Saviour preaching at Bardewick vpon the river Elmenow nere Lunenburg S t Lucius of Cyrene in Rhaetia and Vindelicia S t Mark at Laureacum amongst the Norici S t Crescens at Ments S t Clemens at Mets and S t Maternus and Eucharius at Colen and Triers with others from the relations of Henricus de Erphordia Aventinus the Liues of the Bishops of the Tungri and some Histories of the Saints later authors or vncertaine and not backed with the authorities of more ancient Irenaeus of of much better authority liuing in the raigne of the Emperour Antoninus Verus and yeare 170 in his 1 booke and 3 chap. contra Haereses maketh mention of the German Churches but without naming their Apostles That Christianity during those primitiue times had taken good root in the parts lying without the Rhijn wee more certainely gather from the Catalogue and names of Bishops in the first Councell of Arles held about the yeare 326 and in the raigne of Constantine the Great where we finde mention of Maternus Bishop of Colen and Agritius of Trier but more manifestly from the Councell of Colen had in the
yeare 347 and raigne of Constantius sonne to the great Constantine where againe wee read of S t Maximinus Bishop of Trier Tessis of the Nemeti or Spier Victor of the Vangiones or Worms Amandus of the Argentinenses or Strasburg Martin of Mentz Iustinian of the Rauraci or Basil and Servatius of the Tungri amongst others present in that Synode The like wee cannot but define in Rhaetia Noricum and Pannonia or the parts betwixt the Danow and the Alpes subiect then to the Christian and Catholique Roman Empire of the West The Great or proper Germanie within the Rhijn and the Danow for their desert vastnesse and incivilitie were not converted vntill the conquests and soveraigntie of the Frenchmen The Westerne Roman Empire troden vnder foot by the barbarous nations and the countries or parts now mentioned being planted with new Colonies of French Almans Bavarians and Huns at that time Gentiles and enimies to Christianity Religion for a time is againe totally darkned eclypsed By meanes of the great victories of the Frenchmen not long after converted besides Gaule subduing this whole Continent vnto the rivers of the Elb and Saltza Christianitie begunne againe to be planted as in the tracts without the Rhijn and the Danow so within those rivers vnto the Saltza and Elb now mentioned the bounds then of their Empire amongst the Switzers and Grisons by S t Fridolinus a Scottishman in the raigne of Clovis the first Christian king of the French in Bavaria by S. Rupert Bishop of Worms about the yeare 590 and the raigne of Theodebert King of Austrasia and of Theodo the third prince of that country amongst the Frisons Thuringians and Lower Germans by S. Willebrord the first Bishop of Vtreicht S. Weiro Bishop of Deira and S. Plechelmus of Candida Casa with others in the regency of Pepin the Fat Maior of the Palace in East-France by S. Willebald the first Bishop of Eystet about the same time and in Saxonie by S. Swibert Bishop of Verden in the yeare 711. and raigne of the Emperour Iustinian the second and by S. VVillehade first Bishop of Bremen in the raigne of the Emperour Charles the great Chiefer instruments in this sacred worke were the English of Great Britaine for such were these here named then a late Colonie of the Dutch of the same language with them and but newly made Christians and for these causes more especially imployed herein by the French Kings and the Bishops of Rome Of more eminent note amongst these was S. Winifrid or S. Boniface the first Archbishop of Ments comming hither in the Regency of Pepin the Fat by whose more effectuall endeauours Christianity and the Orthodox faith became here more fully established Gentilisme and haeresie rooted out a Churches discipline framed new Bishops erected and painefull ministers and labourers every where placed in regard hereof acknowledged yet by the Germans as their Apostle and the author of their conuersion These hether parts thus enlightned the further lying beyond the Saltza and the Elb and inhabited then by the sundry people of the Sclaui by meanes hereof not long after tooke flame the Morauians by the armes and conquest of Zwentibaldus base son to the Emperour Arnulph the Bohemians vnder their king Borzivoius conuerted by S. Methodius Bishop of the Moravians in the reigne of that Emperour the Sorabi inhabiting where now is Meissen and Lausnitz subdued by the Emperour Henry the first the Helveldi Leubuzi with others possessing sometimes the country called afterwards the Marquisate of Brandenburg forced by the same Emperour and their long warrs with the Marquesses hereof and the Wiltzi and Pomerani now Pomeren vnder their princes Wartislaw and Casimir the first Christned and won vnto the faith by Otto bishop of Bamberg about the yeare 1124 in the raigne of the Emperour Henry the Fift The last which stood out were the Obotriti with other people anciently possessing the moderne Dukedomes of Mecklenburg and Lawenburg after sundrie apostacies and much stifnes in the defence of their idolatry and liberty worne out by continuall warres with the neighbouring Saxons their country filled with new colonies of this Christian Dutch nation by Henry surnamed the Lion Duke of Saxony Bauaria in the raigne of the Emperour Fredericke Barbarossa which hapned in a manner by the same meanes to all the rest of the Winithi The whole country being thus cleared from Gentilisme ran the same fortune with other the Provinces of the West enthralled to Popish impostures and the tyranny of the Sea of Rome The first who sensible of their erronr begun to shake off this yoake were the Bohemians about the yeare 1400 in the raigne of their king Wenceslaus the fourth incited herevnto through the preaching of Iohn Husse professour of Divinity at Prage drawing his opinions from Iohn Wickliffe not long before attempting the like reformation in England in the raignes of Edward the third and Richard the second after long tumults sundry battailes fought many victories gained much blood-shed and cruelties committed on both sides Husse and Hierome of Prage burnt at Constance and in reuenge hereof Monasteries and Religious houses pulled downe by Ziska and his followers two Generall Councells assembled at Constance and at Basil at length in the raigne of the Emperour Sigismund obteining a liberty of their consciences which although commaunded still by Popish princes they enioyed notwithstanding vntill the present raigne of the Emperour Ferdinand the second by whō after his great victory at the battaile of Prage the publique exercise of their religion hath beene lately prohibited their ministers and such as would not conforme to the popish doctrine being banished the country iealous of their better inclination and loue vnto Frederique the first Counte Palatine of the Rhijn his competitor for the kingdome Orthodox religion for a time confined almost within the mountaines of Bohemia about some 117 yeares after Huss in the yeare 1517 and th◠raignes of the Emperour Maximilian the first Pope Leô the tenth for the further enlargement thereof it pleased god to raise vp Luther in the neighbouring parts of Saxony a Carmelite Frier by profession borne at Islebie in the County of Mansfield with great vehemency declayming against the errours and impostures of the Church of Rome stirred first vp through the abuse of indulgencies exasperated and drawne on to a more curious search by the vnseasonable violence and opposition of the Popes and their ministers adhaered vnto by many Princes and free Common-wealths of the Empire countenancing and maintaining his doctrine in sundry Colloquies and Diets afterwards by force of armes and open warre continued with variable successe betwixt them and the Emperour Charles the fift vntill in the yeare 1555 and raigne of the same Prince for the more secure defence and saftie of the Province threatned with the warres of the Turkes and their stronger vnion against that enimie in a Diet then held at
where lie the Bishoprickes of Munster Paderborn Breme and Hildesheim with Engern and the Earledome of Ravensperg The Laccobardi Dulingâ— Teâ—tonari Avarpi The Longi-mani and Longi-Didâ—ni where now 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 The Calucones The Banochaemae inhabiting after Pirckhermerus about Cottowitz and Dresen The Batini Corconti Luti-Buri The Sidones now the Dukedome of Oppolen The Cogni The Visburgij after Pirckhermerus the part of Morauia about Olmuntz The Nertereanes after Pirckhermerus with the Casuari and Danduti coÌ„taining now the Earledome of Henneberg the countries Puchen and Ron the townes of Smalcald Koberg Egra and others The Danduti The Tubanti after Pirckhermerus now the country Essfeld and the wood Hartz The Turiochâ—mae The Curiones containing after Pirckhermerus with the Chaetuori Parmae Campi now the Lower Austria where lie the townes of Krems Znaem and Niclaspurg The Chaetuori Parmae Campi Teracatriae and Racatae The Baemi encompassed with the wood Hercynian containing then the Marcomanni and inhabiting now the countrie of Bohemia In these parts dwelt sometimes a remainder of the vanquished Boij of the Gaules Cisalpine of Italy after some abode here expulsed hence before the time of my author by the Marcomanni leaving notwithstanding here their name and memoriall of their dwelling the people being called here Bâ—mi by Ptolemy as was their country Boiemum by Tacitus by Paterculus Boiohâ—mium and now after sundry changes of inhabitants Bohemia Pliny addeth the Vindili the Vâ—ndalij of Tacitus the Vandâ—li of Cassiodorus Ingaevones Istaevones and Hermiones with the Peâ—cini being the fiue generall all parts or nations whereinto he distributeth the whole country containing sundry lesser people The Burgundiones part of the Vindili after Ph. M. adioining to the sea Baltique and containing the parts of the Dukedomâ—s of Mecklembarg and Pomeren where stand the townes of Rostoch and Sâ—nd In the raigne of the Emperour Valentiâ—ian the first these leaving that their ancient habitation to the number of fowresoare thousand fighting men descended to the Rhijn and borders of Gaule received shortly afterwards into Gaule by Stilico in the raigne of the Emperour Honorius giving there the name vnto the people and country of Burgundy Strabo addeth the 〈…〉 whose interpretations we finde not The Ilands belonging to this continent were after Ptolemy those of the Saxones distant 750 sladia from the moâ—â—th of the river Albis three named Alociae lying about the 〈◊〉 Chersonesâ—â— and fower called the Standiae situated towards the East of the Chersonese of which the three lying next vnto the Chersonese were lesser Ilands The fourth standing more Easterly more properly named Sâ—andia was of very large extent seated thwart of the riuer Vistula Solinus nameth this last the Ilâ—nd Scandinavia the biggest after his accompt of the German Ilands It containeth now the kingdomes of Sweathlandt and Norwaie with Schonen and Hallandâ— belonging vnto Denmarke by later and more exact discoueries found to ioyne vnto the continent Besides these Mela maketh mention of the seauen Hemodes situated then in the bay Codanus coÌ„taining now the ilands of DeÌ„marke lying in the mouth of the Sundt The greatest and the most fruitfull hereof he nameth the iland Codanonia most probably now Zealandt the royall seat and residence of the kings of Denmarke from whence most probably and the Baye Codanus in succeeding times begun first and was occasioned the name of the Danes A chiefe cause of so great differences and defects wee haue found here in the interpretations of the many German Nations hath beene the auncient rudenes of the country being without citty or ciuill habitation by which as with more certaine landmarkes remaining to posterity they might afterwards be distinguished and knowne We adde the sauagenes of the people not safely to be trauailed amongst and conuersed withall by strangers in danger still of their cruelty and vnnaturall sacrifices We may adde againe their often flittings as each nation had power and will to kill to driue out an other and to remoue into their voide places These during the Roman greatnes had onely the fortune not to be enthralled to the bondage hereof endangered once by Drusus in the raigne of Caesar Augustus but freed by the victory of Arminius and the death of Varus and his Legions neglected afterwards as a people for their valour vnconquerable or not worth the conquest in regard of their pouerty or through a satiety of that Empire state ouerburdened with prouinces solicitous to keepe what they had gotten and not ouer-greedy of more for this cause in regard of their restles and vndaunted 〈◊〉 pâ—un'd in with most powerfull garrisons armies hereof consisting in the raigne of the Emperour Tiberiuâ— of twelue Legions with their wings and aides whereof eight attended the shore of the Rhijn and fower that of the Danow by meanes of their continuall alarums and schirmishes herewith accompted the most warlicke and best experienced souldiers that common-wealth had Towards the waine of the Romanâ—Empire as after the same was expired those auncient names of inhabitants before mentioned and set downe being by little and little worne out and quite extinguished through their fights and butcheries amongst themselues their transmigrations into forraine countries their affection and vnions into new names and the flittings and invasions of the Sarmatiâ—ns and more Eastâ—rne people the country including Pannonia Rhaetia and Noricum shortly after confounded in the name and accompt hereof became peopled with 13 for the most part different names of the Saxons Almans French Thâ—ringians Boioarians Hunnes Lombards Avâ—res Hungarianâ— Daâ—â—s Norâ—egians Sâ—ethidi and Solaeves whose originall and whole fortunes and of the moderne kingdomes and states issuing from them wee are in the next place to relate beginning with the Saxons The SAXONS Amongst other more vnlikely Etymologies some deriue the name hereof from a short kinde of weapon they vsed called in their language Saxa Others from the Saci a people of Asia remembred by Herodotus Xenophon and Pliny and with the Getae Daci and other Barbarous nations remouing into these Westerne parts Others from the Sassones a people in the North part of Asia mentioned by Ptolâ—mie which name of all the rest suiteth best with the present now called in their language Sasses and their country Sassen or Sachsâ—n I rather thinke that the name is first and ancient without any knowne derivation as were those other names of the Dutch people before mentioned Their first mention we finde in Ptolemie who liued about the raigne of the Emperour Antoninus Pius placed as is before set downe In Histories we first read of them in the raigne of the Emperour Diocleâ—â—â—â— with the French infesting then the Sea-coast of Gaule Belgicke and Armorique Afterwards wee againe heare of them in the raigne of Constantius and Iulianus by Zosimus in his third booke where hee giueth them the chiefe place for strength hardinesse and valour aboue the rest of the Barbarians of those parts
sundry petty Lords Bishops and Lay Princes The ancient inhabitants were the Chamavi and Angrivarij with parts of the Tencteri and Cherusct of Tacitus afterwards the Westphali and Angrivarij part of the Saxons The Vbij before Caesar and the Romanes seeme to haue possessed sometimes the parts now of Bergen and Marck removed afterwards by Agrippa beyond the Rhijn into the part of ancient Gaule where now standeth Colen THE ILANDS OF GERMANY THere are not any Ilands of note belonging to this continent excepting those of Rugen Vsedom and Wollin in the Ooster-Sche lying now thwart of Pomeren and accompted parts thereof The rest appertaining sometimes vnto Ancient Germany are subiect at this day vnto the confederate states of the Netherlands and to the kings of Denmarck and Swethen whereof we shall haue occasion to relate in the Description of those countries OF THE STATE OF EVROPE The XIIII Booke COntaining the descriptions and relations of the Common-wealth and league of the Switzers Netherland Danemarck Norwey Swethen Poland and Hungarie The difference in ancient authours about the extent and limits of Illyricum The more true and precise bounds and description of Illyricum or of Illyris and Dalmatia collected out of Ptolemy with reference to Plinie and others The dominion and conquest of Illyricum by the Romanes Herruli Visigothes the Greekish Emperours and the Sclaves The cause here and beginning of the name of Sclavonia The annexing of Croatia and Dalmatia or of the kingdome of Sclavonia vnto the right of the kings of Hungary The dominion and conquest of Dalmatia or of the sea-coasts of Sclavonia by the Venetians The affaires hereof with the Hungarians The conquests and intrusion of the Turkes The present state of Sclavonia or Illyricum The moderne particular names and countries hereof The Chorographicall discriptions of Windischland Krabbaten Bosna Contado di Zara Dalmatia now thus properly tearmed and Albania with their Ilands THE COMMON-WEALTH AND LEAGVE OF THE SWITZERS THIS was sometimes a part of the kingdome and Empire of the Germans from the which it is now divided through a long crazines indisposition of that loose heavie body It lyeth in the confines of France Germany and Italy containing part of each of those provinces with the heights of the Alpes Lepontiae Paeninae and Rhaeticae al which now are either vnited or subject to the Confederacie hereof The bounds hereof are vpon the East the Earledome of Tirol vpon the North Sungow and the Rhijn and Lake of Constance dividing it from Schwaben the Canton of Schaff-hausen excepted which lieth beyond the Rhijn vpon the West the Lake Lemane and the mountainous ridge of the Iour parting it from Savoy and the Free Countie of Burgundie and vpon the South the Dukedome of Milan in Italy It is situated betwixt the 28 and 32½ degrees of Longitude and the 44½ and 47½ degrees of Northerne Latitude or betwixt the 15 or middle paralell of the 6 Clime where the longest day hath 15 houres and a halfe and the 16 paralel and beginning of the 7 Clime where the longest day hath 15 houres and 3 quarters Caesar accompteth the length hereof to be 211 Italian miles the breadth at 180 of the same miles measuring only the Helvetij the other parts not being reckned The country is altogether possessed with steepe and mighty mountains the mother of sundry great and famous rivers of the Tesin Inn Adise Rhosne Russ Aar Limat the Rhijn flowing from hence as from the greatest height and top of Europe towards farre distant and contrary Oceans the Adriaticke Euxine French and German seas The soile for this cause is for the most part cold rockie and barren yeelding little wines neither of corne sufficient store for the necessary vse of the inhabitants plentifull chiefly in pasturages Cattle Flesh and milke-meats Here lye notwithstanding hidden amongst the hills and rocks many fruitfull and pleasant vallies abounding in all sorts of most excellent commodities such as are the Valtolina Wallislandt and other bottomes of the Alpes especially those which open towards Italy and the South The auncient inhabitants were the Helvetij possessing the parts which were included within the Rhijn the Alpes the mountaine Iour and the Lake of Geneue containing now the 13 Cantons of the Switzers Basil and Schaff-hausen excepted Turgow Baden Rapers-wyl Bremgarten Mellingen the Free provinces in Wagenthal Newenburg and Biel part of the Rauraci now the country of Basil part of the Allobroges now Geneve the Veragri now the Lower Wallislandt the Seduni the part now of the Vpper Wallislandt about Sitten the Lepontij inhabiting the creeks and vallies of the Alpes thus named and comprehending now the higher part of the Vpper Wallislandt where springeth the riuer Rhosne Vrseren or the valley of the riuer Russ and on the other side of the Alpes towards Italy Liviner-tal Palenser-tal Eschental Meintal Val Hugonia Masoxer-tal and Galancker-tal with the townes of Bellizona and Locarno vpon the Lake Maggiore the Vennonetes containing now after Tschudus whom he maketh a distinct people from the Vennones the vallies of Cleven Valtolina Gampoltshin Bergel of the Grisons or the courses of the riuers Maira Lyra and Aada vntill their entrances into the Lake of Como the Aetuatij now part of the Grisons about the Vorder and the Hinder Rhijn where are Rhijnwalder Schams Tusis Retzuns Tavetch Diserntis Trans Ilantz Grub Flymss Stussafien the valley of Lugnitz and the Higher Sax. The Cotnantij the parts now of the Grisons where lye the townes of Chur Ortestein Furstnow Vatz Churwald Porpon Burgunn Schanfick Tafaas Alfenow Tuffen-casten Gryffenstein Tintzen Stalla Reamss and Wels with others the Rucantij now Pfevers and Prettigow of the Grisons or the course of the riuer Lanquarte the Vennones now Engadin Vinstermuntz and Vinstgow of the Grisons or the country about the heads of the rivers Inn and Adise the Rheguscae now Rhijntal or the Prefectureship of Rheineck belonging to the Switzers with the opposite shore of the Rhijn appertaining to the house of Austria extended from thence towards Werdenberg and Veldkirch along the course of that riuer vnto the Lake of Constance and the Sarunetes now the countries of Sargans and Werdenberg and vntill the Lake Walensee Of these the Helvetij Rauraci Allobroges Seduni and Veragri were parts of the Gaules containing part of the Provinces of the Alpes Graiae and Paeninae Maxima Sequanorum and Vienniensis The Vennonetes Aetuatij Cotuantij Rucantij Vennones Rheguscae Sarunetes were parts of the Rhaeti Vindelici The Lepontij Strabo placeth amongst the Rhaeti Ptolemie amongst the people inhabiting Italy The Vennones and Vennonetes seeme to haue beene the same nation and to haue beene mistaken by Tschudus A cause of this errour might be their different placing in their authors the Vennones by Strabo being put amongst the Vindelici and the Vennonetes by Plinie amongst the Rhaeti By Caius and Augustus Caesars in their warres of Gaule with the