also comprehended they of Cleues Monts Marck Iulliers all neighbors to the Rhine and on the other side a part of the riuer of Meuse which passing by the country of the Eburones and the moderne Geldrois comes ioynes with the riuer of Wahal which is a branche of the Rhine nere vnto Louestein and then retayning the sole name of Meuse washing the townes of Dordrecht Rotterdam Schiedam Vlaerdingen and the Brill it falls into the British sea and so into the great Ocean The which Sydonius Appolinaris an excelent Poet in his time doth witnesse by these verses Sic Ripa duplicis tumore fracta Detonsus Vahalim bibat Sycamber So when the double swelling breakes the brinke Wahal shal be the shorne Sicambrians drinke But no man can directly say when or how these Menapians Sicambrians were diuided in these Prouinces thus distinguished by which distinction they haue lost their ancient name This Prouince is at this day called Geldres and the others Cleues Iuilliers Monts Marck Lieg yea Westphalia the Etimology of which name of Geldres seems ridiculous vnto me as it is set downe in the chronicle of Holland I would rather hold with them which maintaine that the whole countrie hath taken his name of Gelduba a towne in old time seated vpon the Rhine wherof Tacitus makes honorable mention but at this day there remaines no memory thereof Munster holds it for most certaine that the first Lords of this country who long after carried no higher title then of Aduocates then of Earles and in the end of Dukes were two brethreÌ„ issued from the French Wyncard and Lâ—â—old du Pont who built a Castell called Pont-Gelder which castle hath long retained that name of Pont and is now ioyned to the towne of Geldre which hath giuen the name to the whole Prouince hauing at this day towards the North the countrie of Frisland to the Norwest the Zuyderzee vpon the South the riuer of Meuse ioynes vpon it and diuides it from the Duchie of Brabant to the South-east is the Duchie of Iuilllers Towards the East is a part of the riuer of Rhine and the duchie of Cleues the which diuides it into two very vnequall parts to the West is Holland and the siegneurie of Vtrecht This Prouince is plaine and of a goodly scituation hauing few mountaines but maine heaths great store of woods which are both pleasant and profitable among the which is that of Echterwald All their soile or ground for tillage is very fertile in corne and the pasture fat for cattle especially that which lies vpon the bankes of the riuer of Rhine Wahal Issel and Meuse Lewis Guichardin and other writers of our time confound the Earldome of Zutphen with the Duchie of Geldres as we will shew in the particular description and not confound it with that of Gelders The Duchie of Gelders and the Countie of Zutphen containe the townes of Arnhem Zutphen Nymegen and Ruremond which are the foure chiefe of the whole country making the foure quarters of these two Prouinces are scituated as we will shew vpon foure diuerse riuers and are subiect to foure seuerall Bishops Then are the townes of Venlo vpon the Meuse Geldres Stralen Wachkendonck and Erkelens in the champian country Then there is Hatten vpon the Issell Elbruch and Harderwyck vpon the Zuyderzee Wageningen vpon the Rhine Tyel and Bomel vpon the Wahal There are many townes which in ancient time were walled in but through diuerse accidents and disasters they are now wholy or in part spoiled in theâ—e last warres some haue bin vtterly ruined yet as touching that little which remaines they doe still enioy their ancient priuiledges of townes as Keppel Burch Ghendt Batenburch Montfort Eche with others whereof we will make mention comming to their quarter with the which there are aboue three hundred villages hauing steeples the rights of parishes The Estates of this Duchie consists vpon three chiefe members of the Barons whom they call Vry Heren of the Nobles whom they call Redderschap and of the foure foresaid chiefe townes which Estates so farre as they are fallen from the Princes of Austria hold their Colledge in the towne of Arnham whereas in like manner the Chancerie and the Chamber of accoumpts remaines as well for the Duchie as the county of Zutphen Wherefore although it may displease Nymegen as the last member added to the Duchy of Gelders wee will begin with Arnham as the chiefe towne and describe all the other townes in particular according to their dignities Arnham THis towne was in old time called Arnacum it is a good towne and somewhat spacious seated vpon the right banke of the riuer of Rhine halfe a league from the which is Fossa Drusiana which is now called Issel Dort whereas Drusus to keepe his soldiers from idlenesse caused them to begin to dig a channell which drawing the water out of the Rhine it fell into a little riuer called Issell neere vnto Dousbourg in the countie of Zutphen the which hee did build and called it by his owne name that he might haue a shorter passage by water to go and make warre against the Frisons which channell or little riuer did so increase in a short time as at this day it is growne very great is called Issel passing before the townes of Dousbourg Bronchorst Zutphen Deuenter and Campen where it falls into the Zuyder sea This towne of Arnham is the chiefe of the Estate and siegneury of the Veluwe which is one of the foure quarters of the Duchie of Gelders vnder which towne are the townes of Hattem Harderwyck Elbruch Wageningen all walled with many villages burrowes and castels with their iurisdictions and particular officers subiect to the iustice of the Drossart or Lieutenant generall of that quarter compassed in by the Zuyderzee the Rhine and the riuer of Issel for which cause fish abounds there and is very good cheape besides there is great store of woods vnder-woods and bushes full of game for the pleasure of hunting Neere vnto the said towne of Arnham is an other member of the duchy called Velwe Zoom the which extends neer vnto Zutphin on the one side and on the other it reacheth neere to Wageningen in all which soile there are nothing but meades and very pleasant and fertile pastures which quarter hath a particular officer which is the Iudge of Arnham with foure assistants and as for the Veluwe the Drossart hath ten assistants or councellors whereas hee keepe his courts of pleas But touching the spiritualtie the towne of Arnham with the whole iurisdiction before the troubles was subiect to the Bishoprick of Vtrecht In this towne the Dukes of Geldres did in former times make their residence and there they were intombed in the great Church before the market place from whence they go vnto the Port which leads vnto the riuer of Rhine The Chancery the councel of Gelders were established there by the Emperor Charles the fift in
his pretended marriage with Ioane of Albret Princesse of Nauarre and marrying with the daughter of Ferdinand King of Romanes the Emperors Brother In consideration wherof all his other Countries which the Emperors men had taken from him were restored againe To which Accord the Estates of Gelders did willingly consent vpon certain e conditions conteyned in their pattent And so Gelders and Zutphen returned againe to the house of Austria vnder the Emperor Charles the fift in the yeare 1543. and in the yeare 1549. there was receiued for Prince and homage done vnto Philip of Austria Prince of Spaine the only son vnto the Emperour as future and lawfull Lord of the said Duchy Earldome who gaue the gouernmeÌ„nt thereof vnto Charles of Brunen Earle of Meghen Vntill that in these last wars the said Prouinces hauing entred into the general vnion of the Netherlands by the pacification of Gandt they haue notwithstanding the dis-vnion of them of Arthois Henauâ—t and others continued alwaies constant in the said vnion and so remaine at this present hauing tasted the bitter fruites of the said wars as the historie of the Netherlands makes mention The Earldome of Holland and of VVest-Friesland BEfore I vndertake to describe Batauia which is now called Holland in old time the mother of good horsemen and the mistresse of martiall discipline not tributary but companions and allyes to the people of Rome I thinke it fit in the relating the originall of the nation to make a repetition of that which hath bin collected of their antiquity by ancieÌ„t records redeeming them from forgettfulnesse to restore them to their ancient glory and honour To which effect as I hold it very absurd to abuse the reader with fables and lyes so will I not altogether reiect that which hath beene deliuered by our Ancestors I know that the curious reader affects new things more then ancient the memory wherof is almost extinct but I will intreat them to giue mee leaue to remember the honour which the Batauians haue purchased by armes registred by al ancient writers whereof we wil presently make mention First of all it is well knowne that the Batauians are originally descended from the Cattes a people of Germany whoe driuen from their natiue soyle by intestine dissentions hauing past the Rhyne sought a new habitation and ceazing vppon the borders of Belgia which were inhabited they planted them-selues in the Iland which the Rhyne doth enuiroÌ„ The which Tacitus a Knight and a faithfull Romaine writer doth witnesse in his booke which hee hath written of the manners of the Germains Omnium saith hee harum gentium virtute precipui Bataui non multum exâ—ripa sed insulam Rheni amnis incolunt CattoruÌ„ quondam populus et seditione domestica in eas sedes transgressus in quibus pars Romani Imperii fueruÌ„t manet honos antiquae societatis insigne c. That is to say of al the natioÌ„s meaning the Germaines the Batauian are the most valiant not farre from the bankes but inhabiting of the Iland of the riuer of Rhyne In ancient time a people of the Cattes and by their ciuill dissentions transported into these parts to make a portion of the Romaine Empire they yet inioy the honour thereof Bataui donec trans Rhenum agebant pars Cattorum seditione domestica pulsi extrema Gallicae orae vacua cultoribus simulque insulam inter vada sitam occupauere quam mare Oceanum a fronte Rhenus amnis tergum ac latera circumluit The Batauians whilst they remained beyond the Rhyne were a part of the Cattes chased away by Ciuill dissentions planted them-selues vppon the extremities of the Gaulish fronters In an Iland lying among the marishes hauing the Ocean Sea in Front and the Riuer of Rhyne behinde and on either side By these words wee are taught that the Battauians must fetch their first beginning from the Catthes but it is questionable in what part of Germany the Catthes did dwell for Iohn Stella who hath written the Philippi peregrination sayth that they did reside at Heidelberg Heilbrunen and the Othonian forest Schonerus the Mathematician makes them Saxons Marlianus sends them to the forest of Hongary Irenicus will haue then Turingians all which opinions are full of obscure errors But Stella flying a heigher pitch like vnto Icarus one error drawing on an other makes the Visipiens to be neighbors vnto the Catthes assigning those of Fancford and Conflens euen vnto the riuer of Moselle whereas it falls into the Rhine Hee affirmes more-ouer that the Teucteres neighbors to the Catthes now called a part of Hessen remayning along the riuers of Laue and Lippe For my part I hold them to be of Hesse with the which many learned writers doe concurre for Tacitus doth make them to bee neighbors to the Cherusques which are the people of Lunebourg and to the Hermodures which were they of Misnia beginning their iurisdictions from the forrest Hircinia whereof the riuer Sala is a good witnesse for the enioying whereof the Catthes were in continuall quarrell against the Hermodures which diuiding the Bishopricke of Naumburg and Merspurg falls into the riuer of Elbe limiting in old time the Signieury of the Cattes The riuer of Eder is also a witnesse running through the country of the Cattes which as the same author doth report the yong men of the Cattes did swim through when as Caesar Germanicus did charge them sodenly This riuer falls into that of Fulda vpon whose banke Battenburg is seated from whence we may coniecture that our Batto or at the least they of the house of Battenburg are issued The which also they of Catsenellebogen doe testefie hauing a Castle vpon the banks of theriuer of Rhine of that name shewing the antiquitie of the name of the Cattes Meliboces In the countrie of Hessen wee haue also for reliks of this nation two villages of the Cattes the one vpon the sea called Catwyck vp Zee and the other neere vnto the village of Rinsburg called Catwycke vppon the Rhine both of them of the iurisdiction of Holland and Cattes a towne of Zeeland which some seuenty yeares past was drowned And since with Cortgeen and the I le of Northbeueland an Island of Zeeland within this ten yeares recouered from the sea There are some that affirme that the cause why the Cattes remooued from the place of their birth was for that they lost a battayle against the Hermodures being in continuall quarrell for their salt which as we haue said before was made of the water of the riuer of Sala whereby the Hermodures became more puissant but I hold it a detraction from the Batauian honour for that they by the assistance of the Romans hauing obtained a great victory constrained the Cattes to change their place and to come to inhabit this Iland of the Rhyne For which cause the Cattes may with great reason bee said to bee the beginning andfirst Fathers of the Batauians or Hollanders A people renowned for their skill in warre
Cromer in his Chronicle of Poland writes that in Cracouia in the yeare 1269. the wife of the Earle Buboslas was deliuered of sixe and thirty children all liuing the which is against all the rules of Phisick and naturall Philosophy yea against the course of nature it selfe yet there is no rule but hath some exception whereas the grace or diuine vengeance interposeth it selfe the which ouer-rules Nature and the force of the Elements VLAERDINGHE ALthough this bee but a Borroughe at this day yet it is put in the first ranke of all the walled townes of Holland the riuer of Meuse vpon whose bankes it stands hauing in a manner eaten it vp with the castle and by great tempests driuen it into the sea Thierry of Wasenare doth maintaine that it ought be called Verdinge by reason of the tolle which doth yet belong vnto the Lords of Wassenare where they did bargaine as well as they could it is two leagues distant as well from Delfe as Rotterdam SEVENBERGHE THis towne is seated vpon the riuer of Mâ—ruve three leagues beneath Gheertruydenberghe and as much from Breda The towne lies open it is small but reasonable good where there was a mighty fort during all the time of the last troubles the which was held by a garrison for the vnited Estates It belongs now to the Earle of Aremberghe who hath liberty from the Estates that paying contribution it shall remaineneuter as it hath done All the aboue named townes although they bee not so great as those of Brabant and Flanders yet they are not much inferior beeing for the most part greater by the halfe stronger and better peopled then they were thirty yeares since so as they which haue not beene there since especially in Amsterdam will not know it Of all these townes there are fiue which should bee held for Bourroughs whereof wee will presently speake some thing that is to say the Hage which deserues well the name of a towne Vlaerdinghe Seuenbergh Muyden and Voorn yet there is an other towne not walled in called GOEREE WHich I finde to bee the last of the townes of Holland it is situated in a little Iland inhabited for the most part by fishermen and makers of nets which is their greatest labour and trafficke it hath as good and as deepe a roade as any is in Holland where as great shippes which go long voiages cast anchor attending their last prouision and a good winde This place hath of late yeares beene spoiled by the garrisons of Woude and Hulst as also Hellevooet-sluys opposite vnto it which is the Sluse of the Iland of Voorn on that side towards the sea whereas Bryle lies on the other side vpon the gulphe of the riuer which they call the old Meuse BEVERWYCK THis word is as much to say as a retreate for Baâ—arians for it seemeth that the Kings of France hauing subdued Holland did diuide the inheritances of the countrie amongst their olde souldiars whether they should retire themselues and inhabit the which they did distribute by nations This Bourg is two leagues from Harlem vpon the riuer of Tye not aboue two thousand paces distant from the sea it is well built and hath goodly farmes about it The Noblest of all Borroughes and Villages ending in Wyck is Calwyck whereof there are two the one vppon the sea and the other farther vppe into the countrie which haue beene built by the Cattes fathers to the Battauians or Hollanders who following their Prince Batto went and seated themselues neere vnto the gulphe whereas the Rhine dischargeth it selfe into the sea which place by reason of the commodity of the situation hath beene heretofore ample spatious and verie fit to receiue shippes and marchandise but diuers times destroyed and ruined by the incursions of Barbarians and Pirats Besides there is Suydwyck neere to Wassenare where there is a Mil vpoÌ„ the South side the which by a breuiation they call Suyck then there is Noortwyck on the North side to the which it seemes that the Normans which came out of Denmarke and Suedland gaue the name whereof that worthy man Ianus Douza was Lord and left it to his children Then haue you Osterwyck which some hold was inhabited by the Vandales or Esterlings vnlesse that â—oppo Lord of Arckel gaue it the name of Esterwyck Then is there Naeldwycke wherof the Lords of the direct line are dead and now it belongs vnto the Earle of Arembergh where there is a Chanonry Martin van Dorp a great diuine and a Poet was borne there After it is Riswyck nere vnto the Hage Stolwyck famous for the good cheese which is made there nere vnto Goude Bleyswyck belonging vnto the Siegnior of Bronckhurst Brerdwyck beeing so called of the Bardes Gaules or of the Lombards a people of Germanie Brandwyck Schalcwyck and Hontwyck whereof it were hard to write the etimologies beginnings NIEVPORT IS on the other bancke of the riuer of Leck right against Schoonhoven It hath beene in former times a good towne but as the condition of humaine things is frayle and transitorie it seemes that the spoyles of Barbarous nations the intestine warres which they haue had in Holland hath brought it to decay yet it is still a good Borrough SCAGE IT is a good Bourg well built like vnto a towne the market place is made of a triangle forme and goes into three streetes where there are little passages from the one to the other It hath the best most frutfull soyle of all Holland both for tillage and pasture the Bourgers are verie rich There is a goodly castle all which belongs vnto the Siegnior of Scagen and Barchom who descends from Duke Albertus of Bauaria Earle of Holland It were an infinite thing to describe the other Bourgs and Villages of the sayd county the which we will omit and speake something of the castles as well of those which haue beene ruined during the factions of the Hoocs Cabillaux as of the rest which are yet standing Among those which are ruined are the castles of Brederode halfe a league from Harlem and of Egmont being 5000. paces from Alcmar It was first ruined long since and afterwards in the last troubles in reuenge that the Earle of Egmont the father left the Noblemen of the Netherlands who had entred into league against the Duke of Alua the which cost him his head and for that the sonnes in steede of reuenging the ignominious death of their father followed the Spaniards party Then is the castle of Teylingen where as the Countesse Iaqueline tooke great delight betwixt Leyden and Harlem ruined also nere vnto the walls but it might be easily repaired On the other side of the town of Schoonhouen is the great and mighty castle of Lysfeldt nere vnto the bankes of the riuer of Leck belonging vnto the Duke of Brunswyck if of late yeares hee had not exchanged it together with the towne of Woerden with Philippe Earle of Hohenlo At Vianen there is also a faire
THE LOW COVNTRY COMMON WEALth Contayninge An exact description of the Eight vnited Prouinces Now Made free Translated out of french ED. GRIMESTON Printed by G. Eld. 1609 TO THE WORTHIE Knight Sir Peter Manwood Sir AFter the Edition of the Netherland Historie I was intreated to peruse and translate this discourse being a description of the vnited Prouinces written by Iohn Francis Petit one of the cheefe Authors of that Historie who as he himselfe doth auerre hath made a particular suruay of all the Prouinces townes and forts which are now vnder the gouernment of the Confederate Estates And finding it likely to giue some contentment to the Reader and necessarie as well for his better vnderstanding of the Historie as for his knowledge of the strength and state of those Prouinces which haue maintained so long and difficult a warre against so potent a Monarke I haue spent such houres as I could well spare from my more necessarie imployments since my comming into France in the traduction thereof that it might bee printed as an Appendix to the History The which I cannot recommend to any Gentleman better deseruing of mee then your selse vnto whom I am much bound for many kind fauors and respects Accept it good Sir though not worthy of your view yet as a testymonie of his loue and thankefullnesse who will alwaies remaine Yours deuoted to doe you seruice Edward Grimeston Orleans Aprill 10. stilo nouo 1609. A table contayning all the names of Citties Townes Castles Burgs and Villages in these eight vnited Prouinces with the Townes and Forts out of the said Prouinces and yet included in their vnion and first of Geldres The Dutchy of Geldres in particular fol. 1 ARnham folio 6 Nymeghen 9 Ruremond 13 Venloo 14 Gelders 15 Stralen 16 Wachtendonck 17 Erchelens ibid. Echt. 18 Montfort ibid. Harderwick ibid. Elburg 19 Hattem ibid. Wageningen 20 Tyell ibid. Bommel 21 Saint Andrewes Fort. 23 Culembourge 25 Battenbourg ibid. Buren 26 The Earldomes of Holland and Westfreesland fol. 36 DOrdrecht 46 Harlem 52 Delf 60 Leyden folio 67 Amsterdam 73 Goude 78 Enchuysen 87 Horne 89 Alckmar 94 Medenblick 100 Edam 101 Munikendamme 103 Purmerende ibid. Muden 105 Naerden 106 Gorrichom 107 Worchom 109 Heusdin 111 Leerdam ibid. Henclom ibid. Aspren 112 Oudewater ibid. Rotterdam 113 Schiedam 115 Bryell 117 Schoonhouen 118 Iselstein 119 Woerden ibid. Viane 120 Ghâ—ertruydenberg 121 Hage 122 Vlaerdinghe 128 Seuenberghe ibid. Goere 129 Beuerwick ibid. Nieuport 131 Scage ibid. Nobility of Holland from 136. to 157 Discription of the Brittish Fort called L' Huis te Brittaine 157 Zealand with the Islands Townes Burroughs 159 VVAlachry or Walchren 161 Middlebourgh ibid. Vere or Camp-vere 165 Flâ—singhe 168 Arnemuyden 171 Dombourgh 174 West-cappelle ibid. Soetlandt 175 Rammeken ibid. Schowen 176 Ziriczee 177 Browershauen 178 Zuit-beuelandt 179 Rommerswall 180 Goes 181 Tolen the Island and towne 182 Saint Martins Dike 183 Noort-beuelandt ibid. Wolfers-dicke 184 The County of Zutphen in particular 189 DOes-burgh 192 Doetecum 193 Bronckhorst ibid. Lochem 194 Groll ibid. Sherenbergh 196 Bredefort ibid. Keppel 197 Bourg ibid. The Prouince and Signiory of Vtrecht in particular 198 VTrecht 199 Wickter-duyrsteede 206 Amersfort 208 Rhenen 209 Montfort 210 The state of Vtrecht in general 211 Freesland in generall 219 LEwarden 236 Dockum 242 Franiker 244 Bolsewaert 245 Staueren 247 Harlinghen 250 Sneck ibid. Sloten ibid. Ilst ibid. Worcum 252 Hindelopen ibid. The seauen Forests 253 Oueryssell in generall 254 DEuenter 259 Campen 260 Swoll 263 Steenwick 265 Hassel ibid. Oldenzeel 266 Otmarse ibid. Enschcede 267 Vollenhouen ibid. Geelmuyden 268 Meppell ibid. Hardenbergh 269 Coevoorden ibid. Rissen 270 Diepenhem ibid. Ghoer 271 Delden ibid. Almeloo ibid. Wilsen ibid. Graff-horst 272 Gronninghen and the Ommelandts in generall 273 DAm 287 Delfziell ibid. Townes and Forts out of the vnited Prouinces and yet comprised in their vnion 289 In the Dutchy of Brabant BErghen vpon Soom 289 Breda 290 Steenberghen 293 William-Stadt ibid. Cluyndert 294 Lilloo ibid. Ter-Heyden 295 Townes and Fortresses that the States hold in Flanders 296 SLuce ibid. Ardenbourgh 298 Ysendike ibid. Lyefkens-hoeck 299 Ter-neuse 300 Axell ibid. Fortresses held by the States beyond the Rhine 301 BOrentangâ— ibid. Bellinger-wolder-ziell 302 FINIS The Belgick Common-weale Or A particular description of the eight vnited Prouinces of the Netherlands The Duchie of Gelders THere is great contradiction of opinions betwixt both ancient and moderne writers touching the first beginning of the Geldrois the which they can hardly reconcile neither will I vnder-take the charge Marlian saith that in Iulius Caesars time the contrie which is now called Gelders was inhabited by the Menapiens Others hold that it was the aboad of the Sicambrians where-vnto I will yeeld and that vnder that name the Cleuois were comprehended through whose country as well as through Gelders the riuer of Rhine doth runne the which doth cast one of his branches betwixt the Duchies of Gelders and Cleues being called Wahal at the diuision of the Iland of Sgrauen-Weerdt where that mighty fort was first built by Collonell Martin Schenck and at this day in great esteeme For which Iland there hath bin long debate betwixt the Dukes of Gelders and Cleues the which is not yet decided was begun betwixt the Emperor Charles the fift and William duke of Cleues father to this last Duke The Battauians or Hollanders did also hold a part of that which is now called Gelders There is no doubt but in Caesars time the Sicambrians did inhabit on eitherside of the Rhine in the countries of Cleues and Geldres as Wezel on the one side with Burich Cleef and others of the other side are of the Duchy of Cleues And of Geldres Nymegen lies of the one side and Arnham on the other so as we may rightly say that the riuers of Rhine and Wahal do run through these two Prouinces for the Sicambrians hauing often bin defeated by the Romains Augustus who succeeded Caesar as Strabo Suctonius others do write to be the better assured of them and to keepe them in awe transported a good number of them with other people on this side the Rhine and there planted them I will not deny that the Menapians did not first inhabit all that country which lies along the riuer of Rhine to whom the Sicambrians did afterwards succeed who enioyed a great continent of ground on the one side as far as the Vbiens and on the other vnto the ocean sea The which Marlian confirmes by these words The Sicambrians planted wheras the two great riuers of Rhine and Meuse do meet and ioyne extend themselues vnto the ocean sea And in another place he saith The Sicambrians are people wholy Germains inhabiting beyond the riuer of Rhine nere vnto the Vbiens and Eburones which are the people of Cologne Liege So as wee cannot say that those which at this day are called Geldrois had the name of Sicambrians onely but that vnder that name were
the yeare 1543. when as hee conquered it from William Duke of Cleues who maintained himself to be true and lawfull heire to Charles of Egmont last Duke of Gelders which councell did serue as well for the Duchy of Gelders as the County of Zutphen ioyntly consisting of a Chancellor and ten councellors that is foure of the Nobility of the foure quarters aboue mentioned and sixe Lawiers or others the which administer Iustice with great authority hauing an Attorney generall a Register and other Officers from whose sentence there is no appeale In which towne the Chamber of accounts was also placed by Philip the second King of Spaine and Duke of Geldres succeeding the Emperor Charles his Father in the yeare 1559. whereas all the Officers of Geldres and Zutphen as well of Iustice as of the treasure must yeeld an account of their charges and offices This towne within these thirty yeares is wonderfully changed as well in fortifications and Boulwarks as otherwise it hath beene often threatned and attempted to be surprized by the Spanish faction but it was fruit-lesse the which might seeme strange considering the easie accesse they had when as they held the townes of Deuenter and Zutphen Nymegen IT is a free towne and a fee of the Empire of ancient foundation Of the which we read that Magus King of Gaule the Sonne of Dis had beene the first founder who called it Maga by his owne name And that afterwards Batto King of the Catthes as we will shew more amply in the description of Holland comming into that quarter pleasing himselfe in the scituation and in the remarkable antiquity caused it to be repaired and did both amplefie and fortefie it with new walls wherevpon it was called Nouiomagum the which in the country speech answeres to Nyenmegen vnlesse that in fauoring the little town of Megen seated vpon the riuer of Meuse prefering it in antiquity we will maintaine that Nymegen hath beene built since vpon the riuer of Wahal by the same Magus or his successor the which I leaue doubtfull Hessel Sonne to Batto fauored this towne of Nymeghen for that he was borne there and did so inlarge it as the lower part of the towne is called Hessel-marckt vnto this day Among all the singularities and antiquities of this towne the castle is yet standing vpon the toppe of a little hill and ouer lookes the towne the which some affirme was built and re-edefied by Iulius Caesar to discouer the Country there-aboutes and to commaund it Neither is there any place in all that quarter to be found which yeelds so goodly a prospect of the country riuers townes and villages as this Fort doth the which vnto this day they call Des Wallicks Hoff which is as much to say as the Gaules Court the which is a probable argument that Magus or some other of the Gaules haue built it They haue found in this towne about it within few yeares memories of the Romans antiquity as medals and goodly stones of sumptuous buildings and sepulchers with inscriptions and Epitaphes of some Captaines famous men There are also many ruines of the Romaines time along the riuer of Wahal where as some thinke they planted their campe and placed their garrisons so as the passage which is neere vnto the towne is at this day called in the country language Roomsche Vort which signifieth a Romaine Fort. So as they haue found great stones in the wall of the chiefe Port which they call Hessell-Port whereas these words are grauen Hâ—c pes Romani Imperii Here is the foote of the Romaine Empire And on the other side Hic finis regni Stauriae Here is the end of the command of Staurius whereof we will speake here-after in the description of Frisland There was also found in St. Stephens church-yard a great stone on the which these verses were grauen Anno milleno postquam salus est data saeclo Centeno iuncto quinguageno quoque quinto Caesar in orbe situs Fredericus pacis amicus Lapsum confractum vetus in nihil ante redactum Arte nitore pari reparauit opus Neomagi Iulius in primo tamen extitit eius origo Impar pacifico reparateri Frederico Twelue hundred years wanting but forty fiue After Saluation did appeare to men Frederick then peacefull Emperor did reuiue The Pristine fame of ruin'd Nymegen Iulius did build it long before as then His first foundations stood but farre vnlike To the repaires of peacefull Frederick This was when as the Emperor Frederick caused the old ruines to be repaired Vnder this towne are comprehended as making one quarter of the Dutchie of Gelders the townes of Bomel and Tyel which are walled in and Ghendt which lyes open but yet it enioyes the priuiledges of a towne The iurisdictions are first that of the Bourgraue that is to say the Vicont of Nymegen of the officers of the said two townes and of Bomelweerd then that of the higher and lower Betuwe and afterwards they that lye betwixt the riuers of Wahal and Meuse In the yeare 1248. this towne came vnder the subiection of the Princes of Gelders by the meanes which follow Otto Earle of Gelders did lend vnto William King of the Romanes Earle of Holland Zeeland c. the summe of 21000. markes of pure siluer vpon condition that if within a certaine time limited hee did not pay the sayd summe hee should inioy the sayd Towne with the iurisdiction as his owne proper inheritance The which the Emperor Rodolphus did continue since did augment the conditions for the Earles aduantage And withall the said money was not satisfied whether it were through the negligence of the Princes of the Empire or that they had not meanes to pay it wherby the Vicontie and Seigneury of Nymeghen hath remained incorporated vpon certain conditions to the Duchy of Gelders retaining the iurisdiction soueraignty and prerogatiue to coyne money as an Imperiall Towne In the yeare 1589. Collonell Martin Schencke of Nydeck made an vnfortunate enterprize vppon the towne who retyring vnto his boate beeing ouerladen it sunke and he was drownd Since the vnited Estates hauing built a mighty fort called Knotsenbourg on the other banke of the Riuer of Wahal opposite vnto the Towne the which did hinder their nauigation and much anoy them with their Canon the townse-men did presse the Duke of Parma to free them from this Fort and to beseege it But Prince Maurice comming thether out of Frieseland and hauing defeated some of the Dukes men hee was forced to raize his seege and to retyre with his Army into Brabant he him-selfe going to the Spaw The Prince seeing him retyred made haste to beseege the sayd towne which he soone forced to yeeld vnto the vnited Estates In the yeare 1592. vnder whose obedience it hath euer since continued Ruermond IT is a reasonable good towne seated vpon the Riuer of Meuze ioyning to the mouth of that of Ruoer For Mondt in the duch tongue signifies mouth or
entrance and so of that word and of Ruer the name of this towne is compounded as many others are found in the Netherlands of the like definitions as Dendermond in Flanders Isselmond in Holland and others in Latin it is called Ruremunda fiue leagues from Maistricht three from Venloo A towne well peopled rich well built strong both by nature and by art of fortifications of rampars and bulwarkes It is one of the foure chiefe Townes of Gelders chiefe of one of the quarters vnder whose IurisdictioÌ„ are comprehended the Townes of Venlo Gelder Stralen Wachtendonck and Erâ—kelans al walled and strong with three small Bouroughes Montfort Vucht and Nyeustadt one a league distant from another which are vnder the Iudges and Officers of the said townes as also they of Kessel Middeler and Creykenbeeck Within sixty yeares this town was appointed to be the Bishops Sea for the whole Duchy of Gelders And there are at this day more Priestes and Monkes in iâ— then in any other Towne in the Country They haue had their share of troubles in these last warres but not in so great a measure as many others A good league from Ruremond is the goodly Village of Kessell with a strong Castle built vpon a Mountaine belonging to a priuate Lord from which Village there is a little Angle of the Country called Landt-van-Kessell which is of the demaines of the Duchie This place of Kessell was sometimes a towne of great importance the which Ptolomey calleth Castelleum makes it the Metropolitaine of the Menapians This towne of Ruremond with the whole Iurisdiction is at this day subiect to the Princes of Austria Venloo IT is vppon the right banke of the riuer of Meuse three leagues from Ruremond and halfe a league from Stralen it is a good and a strong Towne the people are martiall and giuen to Armes and hath in former times resisted an Imperiall Armie And although it hath often had garrisons of VVallons Germaines Spaniards and Italiens yet they haue alwaies found meanes to free them-selues by some deuice and to sette the garrison at diuision one against an other the Citizens fortefying one of the parties and chasing away the other then finding them strong ynough for that which remained and which had fauoured them they expelled them also as it hapned in the yeare 1578. to the Seignior of Esstournelles and in the yeare 1591. to Otto Bentinck their Gouernor remaning notwithstanding alwaies faithfull to the Princes of Austria to whom they knew wel how to excuse them-selues In the yeare 1601. Prince Maurice made a gallant enterprize vpon the said Towne but beeing ill seconded the Burgers hauing taken armes and recouered their Ports it succeeded not so as he was forced to retyre with the losse of two of his Captaines In this Towne VVilliam Duke of Cleues hauing lost all his Duchy and a good part of Iuilliers and Cleues came in the yeare 1543. and submitted him-selfe to the mercy of the Emperor Charles the fift where he was receiued into grace renouncing the league which hee had with the French and marrying the daughter of Ferdinand King of the Romaines the Emperors brother absolutely renounced al his interest to the Duchy of Gelders as we haue shewed more amply in another place Guelder THe Towne of Gelder is as we haue said that which hath giuen the name to the whole Ducthy being within two smal leagues of Stralen it hath a Castle which was wont to be without the towne but now it is comprehended within the fortification This was wont to be the Court of the Lords of Pont Aduocats and afterwards Earles of Gelders it is deuided into two habitations seperated by a water vppon the which there is a bridge which giues accesse from one to the other seated in a country some-what Moorish and not very accessible to plant the Canon This towne in the beginning of the last troubles was vnder the obedience of the vnited estates But the Earle of Lecester Lieutenant to the Queen of England Protectresse of the vnion hauing placed Collonel patton a Scottishman for Gouernor there hee sold it for thirtie thousand crownes in ready money to the duke of Parma in the King of Spaines name retaining to him-self the horses and moueables of Collonel Schenck and the ransomes of some of the ritchest and best Cittizens And so this towne returned vnder the power of the Princes of Austria as it is yet at this day Stralen THis towne is but a league and a halfe from Wachtendonck a small towne but sufficiently fortified for the importance thereof beeing too neere to Venlo in the which the Princes of Austria intertaine an ordinary garrison vnder some Gouernor or Captaine whome they place there Wachtendonch IS also a small Towne with a Castle belonging to a priuate Lord the which in the yeare 1588. holding the party of the vnited Estates the duke of Parma after that hee had fayled at the seege of Berghen vp Zoom sent Cont Charles of Mansfeldt to beseege it where in the end hee forced them to yeeld In the yeare 1600. Cont Lodowike of Nassau surprized it for the vnited Estates After which the garrison of Gelders Stralen and others thereabouts surprized it againe but not able to take the Castle they were forced to abandon it So as in the yeare 1605. the Marquis Spinola went and beseeged it who receiued it by composition for the Arch-Dukes of Austria Erchelens SOme will say that this towne hath taken his name of Hercules Allemanicus It is situated vpon the fronters of the Duchy of Iuilliers foure leagues from Ruremond it is a reasonable good towne obedient with the like garrison vnto the Princes of Austria But lette vs now come vnto the townes which are seated as wel vpon Zuyderzee as vpon the riuers of Rhyne Wahal Meuze and Issell First Echt IT is a league from the Meuze and as far from Montfort on the side of that goodly Wood which they call Echterwout Montfort IT is a Castle of importance the which was in ancient time a smal towne it lies a league from Ruermond Harderwick IT is a an indifferent good towne lying vppon the Zuyderzee yet the hauen is bad so as the shippes are forced to lye in the Road Notwithstanding Charles Duke of Gelders sending fiue shippes well manned with soldiers out of that towne thought to surprize the Towne of Horne in West-Freezeland whereof he fayled In the yeare 1503. this towne was by chance sette on fire the which was so violent as in lesse then three houres it was all consumed to ashes except fiue or sixe houses with the losse of all their goods and the death of many persons which were surprized by the fire or smothered vnder the ruynes of the houses and walles the which was a fearefull and pittyfull sight Since it hath beene in a short time new built and made more beautifull and stronger then before There are some rich and ciuil people in it The Magistrate intertaines a
good Schoole there It hath not much tasted of the miseries of these last warres sometime it hath maintained a small garrison of horse and foote without any great charge vnto them Elburgh IT lyes vppon the Zuyderzee like vnto Harderwick from the which it is distant two good leagues and as much from the Towne of Campen in Oueryssell It is a little town of smal trafficke but yet good cheap to liue in and hath during these warres followed the same party that Harderwick did Hattem WAs in ancient time a good towne though none of the greatest seated vppon the left banke of the riuer of Yssell There is a goodly strong Castle which hath tasted of the miseries of these last warres for the Drossart or Lieutenant of the Country thinking to deliuer it into the Spaniards handes being discouered they thought to make it good in this Castle wheras the Estates beseeged them and the Castle was so battered and torne with the canon wherof the marks are yet to bee seene as they were forced and carryed prisoners to Arnham whereas they lost their heads Wagheninghen IS a small ancient strong towne and is the very same which Cornelius Tacitus called Vada as to speake the truth it ma◠properly be so called being in a manner compassed in of all sides with moores and bogs which makes it in-accessible on those parts it lies not far from the riuer of Rhyne beeing of an equall distance from the townes of Arnham and Nymeghen and foure leagues from Culenbourg Tyel THis Towne is the chiefe place of the Iurisdiction or Bayliwick which they call Tyelerweerd the which was wont to be a Peninsula But since these last warres Derick-vick Seignior of Soulen Bailiffe of the town and iurisdiction hath caused a chanell to be cutte through the Countrie to sayle from the riuer of Meuze into the Wahal vppon the right banke wherof the said towne is built ◠by which meanes the said Tyelweerd is now made an Iland for that there is no entrance into it but by water or through the towne It is strong by nature and by art through the dilligence of the said Amptman or Bailyffe who since the last troubles hath made sharp wars against the Spaniards by the meanes of that garrison In the yeare 1528. holding the party of Charles Duke of Gelders their Prince the Burguignons beseeged it in the Emperors name but it was so well defended as they were forced to raise their seege to the great honour of the Inhabitants and the few soldiers that were within it Bommel IT is a faire strong place the cheefe towne of all the Territory of Bommell-weerd which the Rhyne and Meuze doe compasse in making it an Iland the which they say was called by Caesar Insula Batauorum if it extend no farther the which wee may say is now the higher and lower Betuwe on the other banke of the riuer of Ryne as farre as Tyel and beyond to Haerwerden where at this present is the mighty fort of Saint Andrew whereof wee will presently make mention whereas the Wahal and the Meuze kissing as the passe ioyne together at Louestein at the end of the said Bomels-weerd in one body the which soone after from Gorrichom takes the name of Meruve vntill that hauing past Dordrecht it resumes his name of Meuze and beneath Bryell runnes into the Brittish Seas In this Iland there are many fayre Villages and Castles among others Rossem whereas Martin van Rossem Seign ior of Puydroyen was borne a famous Captaine in his time hauing beene Marshall of the field to the Duke Charles of Gelders and William of Cleues who in the yeare of our Lord 1534. did terrifie the Towne of Antwerp and thinking to doe the like to them of Lovuain was forced to retyre In the yeare of our Lord 1598. Arch-Duke Albert of Austria beeing gone into Spaine to fetch his spouse the Infanta Isabella daughter to King Philip the second and sister to King Philip the third now raigning left during his absence Cardinal Andrew of Austria to gouerne the Netherlands which were giuen in marriage to the sayd Isabella and Don Francisco de Mendoza Admirall of Arragon for generall of his armie the which hee sent vnto the frontiers of Germanie to make warre against the vnited Estates that way where hauing done what hee listed and taken from the Estates by seege the townes of Rhynberch and Deutecom and then the Fort of Creuecaeur hee past to the said Iland of Bommell with an intent to beseege the towne the which by reason of their workes at the fortification lay halfe open The which Prince Maurice vnderstanding he posted thether with all speed and assured it with his presence and forces causing a trench to bee cast without the towne from one side of the riuer vnto the other whereas hee lodged the greatest part of his Army where-vppon the Admirall seeing there was no way to force them hee retired farther into the Iland busiyng him-selfe about the building of Saint Andrewes Fort so as the towne of Bommel was freed In this towne was borne that learned man Elbert Leoninus Doctor of the Lawes who dyed in the yeare 1601. being Chancellor of Gelders and deputy for the general Estates of the vnited Prouinces being aboue 80. years old he was sōtimes Tutor to the Prince of Orange which now liueth S. Andrew THis Fort was so named by Andrew of Austria Cardinal of Constance being Gouernor of the Netherlands as wee haue said in the absence of the Arch-duke Albert. It is the mightiest fort that hath bin made in al the Netherlands for the building whereof the Admirall of Arragon disfurnished the whole Iland of trees It is comprehended in fiue Bulwarks after the forme of the Cittadel of Antwerp wherof three are vppon the bankes of Meuze and Wahal and the two others towards Haerwerden either of them hauing a caualier or plat-forme to defend it with broad and deepe ditches without the which is a counterscarpe the which hath also a ditch round about it and small forts to warrant it especially wheras these two riuers imbrace one an other towards Tyler-weerd whereas the Fort of Nassau is set opposite to that of Saint Andrew in a corner which is also made an Island by art beeing called Voorne and is held by the Estates which two Forts did daily salute one an other with their Ordinance The Admirall hauing fynished this Fort thinking thereby to keepe the riuers of Wahal and Meuse and the whole Island in subiection left a garrison of 1500. men in it with store of artillerie and munition and then retired with his army to refresh it in Brabant But Prince Maurice did not dissolue his armie but kept it togither all the winter as well in the towne of Bommel as in the trenches and ships which he had lying by The spring time beeing come hauing recouered the Fort of Creuecaeur he went to beseege that of Saint Andrew the which through want of victualls was
yeelded vnto him with all the artillery and munition the souldiers being about 1100. and some 400. out of Creuecaeur remained in the Princes seruice who afterwards at the battaile of Nieuport shewed themselues both valiant and faithfull And so this Fort of Saint Andrew hath vnto this day remained vnder the obedience of the vnited Estates Culembourg ALthough this towne be a fee of Gueldres yet there is a question made whether it bee of that territory It is scituaed vpon the left banke of the riuer of Lecke a league from Buren two leagues from Vianen on the same side of the riuer It hath a goodly castle whereas the Lord doth ordinarily reside and a large iurisdiction wherevpon King Philippe the second erected it to an Earldome whereof Florent of Palant was the first Earle besides many other great possessions which hee enioyed whereof his sonne is now Lord and Earle Battenbourg ALthough this towne at this present ruined and the castle bee within the limmits of the Duchy of Geldres seated vpon the banke of the riuer of Meuse whereby the Barron of that place makes a great reuenew of the toule and custome which is paied by all the ships that passe that way yet the said signeury is merely held of the Empire as William of Bronchurst did take it vppe of Maximilliam the Emperour His Sonne succeeded him and dying without heires Maximillian of Bronckhurst his cousin Germaine did inherit and is now Lord of it This place is of very great antiquity The Chronicles of Holland affirme that it was the first Castle which Prince Battus of whome Batauia or Holland tooke his name did build vppon the Meuze in the Countie of Sicambrians which now is Gelders Buren THis Towne is neither a fee nor of the territory of Gelders but a little country of it selfe which holdes of the Empire carrying the title of an Earle with great Iurisdiction a large territory and many Villages and yet shut vp in the lymits of the Duchy of Gelders This place is seated neere vnto the riuer of Lingen vppon a little Brooke which in old time was called the ditch for muscles a league from Tyl it is not very bigge but hath a very strong Castle ioyning vnto it where there is an ordinary garrison for the vnited Estates That valiant and famous Prince Maximilian of Egmont was Earle of this place who for his great seruices done vnto the Emperor Charles the fift whereof diuers histories make mention left his memory immortail to posterity Dying at Brussels in the yeare one thousand four hundred nine to whom succeeded his only daughter the sole heire by her mother of the house of Lannoy Who was the first wife of William of Nassau Prince of Orange by whom she left a son and a daughter that is Philip William of Nassau now Prince of Orange Earle of Buren Seignior of Lannoy c. And the Lady Mary of Nassau widdow to Cont Philip of Hohenlo This may suffice for the description of the Townes and cheefe Forts comprehended in the Estate of the Dutchy of Gelders The people of this Prouince are valiant and warlike from whence they were wont to draw a good part of them at Armes and Archers of the bandes of Ordinance of the Low-countries These were the last among the Belgick Gaules that submitted them-selues to the yoake of the Romane Empire the first when this Monarchy began to decline that freed them-selues from their subiection Afterwards they were made subiect to the French yet imbracing the occasion when it it was offered they did shake of this yoak and began to be gouerned by priuat Lords of the country it selfe the which hapned in the time of the Emperour Chalres the bald King of France Which Lords were simply called Tutors ot Aduocats of the country The which according o their vertues and merits were chosen created by the people the first of which was Wrinchard as we haue shewed before to whome succeeded his sonne Gerlach in the yeare 910. so as there were seauen Lords or Feofes successiuely issued from this familie the last whereof was also called Winchard who left but one daughter called Aleyd or Alix maryed to Otto Earle of Nassau who was the first which carryed the title of the Earle of Gelders giuen him by the Emperor Henry the third in the yeare 1079. But the sayd Aleyd beeing dead hee marryed with the daughter of Gerlach Earle of Zutphen who was slaine in a battaile giuen betwixt Conrard Bishop of Vtrecht and Thiery the sixt Earle of Holland Where-vppon as wee haue sayd the Earldome of Zutphen was also vnited vnto the Duchy of Gelders Otto left these Earles after him Gerrard Henry Gerrard Otto the second surnamed the stump-foot It was he which did purchase the Seigneury of Nymeghen as wee haue sayd before which hee did wall in with diuers others which were but Burroughs as Ruremond Arnhem Harderwicke Bommel and Wageninghen all in the Prouince of Gelders and aboue it Goch in the country of Cleues to the which he gaue goodly priuiledges as to great Citties To this Otto succeeded his sonne Renald and to him a sonne of his owne name who obtained in the yeare 1329. the dignity and title of Duke of the Emperour Lewis of Bauaria in an imperiall Dyet held at Francfort As in like manner the Countie of Iuilliers was by him erected into a Dutchy After this Reginold the second Geldres was gouerned by Arnold Edward his two sons but not without great contentions Both of them dying Arnold left two daughters of diuers beddes Ioane and Isabell who continued the diuision which had beene betwixt their Father and Vncle but Isabell dying without children Ioane remained sole and peaceable Dutchesse to whom succeeded William her sonne who was the fourth duke of Geldres but dying without heires Reynold his brother the fourth Duke of Iuilliers succeeded him and was the fift Duke of Geldres who dying without issue male the succession went to his only daughter married to Arnold of Egmond issued from a daughter of the first Duke of Geldres by which meanes the sayd Arnold came vnto the principality whose Sonne called Adolphe who is numbred for the seauenth Duke repyning that his Father liued so long by the perswasion of his own Mother caused him to bee seazed on in a night and to bee put in prison in the castle of Buren where hee detained him many yeares Pope Paul the second and the Emperour Frederick the third not able to suffer so great an impiety gaue authority to Charles the Warlicke Duke of Bourgongne to free this miserable Father by force of armes out of the hands and tyranie of his sonne The which Adolph vnderstanding and seeing that the Pope and Emperor did imbrace the cause and that he was not able to resist Duke Charles his forces he drew his father out of prison and hauing obtayned a pasport from the Duke he came vnto him with his father to Dourlans in Picardy
Cornelius Tacitus attributing much to their industry and dexterity in the disposing of an armie and also in obeying their Commaunders to take or put of the combat as it should be thought fit of great courage firme and hard bodies wel lymmed of a fierce and menacing aspect fearefull for the horrible length of their beardes and hayre which fashion and countenance hee saith was not lawfull for them to leaue off or change although they had brought victory from their enemies Some say that Batto issued from the royall bloud of the Cattes was moued to change his naturall abode to a new one not for the desire hee had to finde a better or more fertile country or in regard of too great a multitude of people which are the two maine occasions that nations remoue their ancient habitations but that his step-mother laid diuers ambushes for him and fearing to bee poysoned beeing at oddes with her his father consenting thereto or at least not opposing it By reason whereof what with the splendor of his heroicall vertues his gratious and amiable carryage and his condition truly royall hee drew vnto him a good part of the Nobility and a great number of the people who beeing out of hope of better times followed him willingly and by the councell of the King of Tongres his good father hee addrest him-selfe to the confines of Belgiae there to inhabit and hauing past the Rhyne not farre from the riuers of VVahal and of Meuze hee happily built the Castle of Battengbourgh vppon the riuer of Meuze which hauing past at the parting of the Rhyne where the VVahal retyres and takes his course apart hee inioyed all the whole circuit euen to the Ocean Sea parting the land amongst the Nobles and common people so that of his name it was called Battauia which signifies nothing else but the heritage of Batto as if one should say Batous Haue for Haue in the old Dutch and yet at this present signifies heritage So that then this Prouince hath taken his name and that lawfully from a Prince the son of a King al which is witnessed by diuers authors amongst whom the most worthy of beleefe is Cornelius Tacitus a Romaine Knight a rare writer of the Story of Augustus and Commissary for Gaule Belgique who makes mention of Claudius Ciuilis descended from Batto issued from a royal branch of the Batauians or Hollanders Here you may see that Plyny not without great reason called this Isle the most noble Isle of Batto The which name of Batto hath heretofore spread it selfe very far amongst the Allemans and Dalmatians and Dion a Romaine Historiographer makes mention of two Battoes the first Batto duke of Bruces which is a part of Pannonia which I now hold to be the country of Prussia confining Poland Hungary the other Batto Desidiate who stirred vp the Dalmatians beeing too much exacted vpon by impositions to take armes against the Romanes to whom hee gaue many affronts The same Dion reports in his 55. 56. booke a memorable answere that the said Battus gaue Tyberius Caesar who demaunding of him why he had stirred vp the people to so long and bloody a war Answered that the RomaÌ„es theÌ„-selues were cause in that they had sent them wolues for their gardiens not dogs sheapheards But as it commonly happens amongst these barbarous natioÌ„s through the weaknes or ignoraÌ„ce of the men of those times wee haue nothing left vs whereby wee may know who were the kinsmen or successors to this Batto of Holland so that we know not any thing for certaine of their customes or manner of liuing but that Tacitus hath toucht at theÌ„ as if it were in passing by and that breefly Some say that this Batto re-edefied the Castle of Nymeghen and compast the town with wals that he being dead his son Hesus augmented it by adding therto that quarter which is called Heselbergh or the hil of Hesus The which town the Kings that succeeded after him caused to be the metropolitaine of Batauia or Holland and their seege royal Al which Gerard of Nymeghen recites affirming that he had drawn them from the commentaries of Princes Strabo the Geographer makes mention of one Peremire king of the Batauians who had a daughter called Rhamis married to the son of Siquier Duke of the Cherusques who afterwards was led in triumph to Rome by Germanicus Caesar I haue not known any man that hath writ how great the limits were or how far the inheritance of Batto extended some haue made it too little in taking away a great part from it wherefore I wil assigne him his confines to a haire as it were to remaine firme and stable for euer Batauia then which I cal the antient took heretofore his beginning from the separation of the Rhyne at the castle of Lober was inclos'd on one side with that which we properly call the Rhyne which had wont to fal neer unto Catwick into the Brittish Ocean which gulph is now choakt vp as wee will shew hereafter and the Wahal from whence falling again into the Merwe and from thence into that which we cal the Meuze passing by Bryel renders him self into the same Sea In which coÌ„passe and circuit of the Rhyne ther are a great number of Townes and to beginne aboue first Huessen Tyell Buiren Wickterduirsted Vtrecht Viane Culembourg Aspeney Henâ—lâ—â— Leerdan Iselsteyne Montfort VVoerden Oudewater Gorcum Wandrichom Schoonhouen Dordrecht Goud Leyden Delft Rotterdam SchiedaÌ„ and the Bryell I will not meddle with Nieuport right ouer against Schoonhouen and Haesrecht for that by their ruines other townes haue beene augmented If any oppose to the designements of the limits saying that the Betuwe which is a part of the Dutchy of Gelderland is that which properly ought to bee called Batauia I will send him to the iudge and principall defender of the cause Ptolomeus of Alexandria who puts Lugodunum which is Leyden amongst the Batautans where hee sayes expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lugodunum Battauorum which is a Towne distant foure thousand paces from thence What will this controuler say of Caesars measuring of it who reckons it to bee fourscore thousand paces after it parts from the Rhyne before it enters into the Sea between which two riuers hee cannot deny but that the Batauian Isle is inclosed Tacitus him-selfe ends it at the Meuze from whence it descends to the Sea This inheritance of Battus which I willingly cal the old Batauia for that certaine hundreths of years after his death Drusus of two branches or gulphs made three the 3. falling into the middle sea coÌ„monly called Zuyderzee first passing by Campen in the country of Oueryssell amplifying thereby the territory of Batauia the which he did to excercise his army to preuent idlenesse in them beginning at Iseloort which braÌ„ch is called the riuer of Isell it seemes also that he gaue them an other Isle of the Rhyne more large and spatious which we may cal a
as Wine Corne Wood and other commodities that passe by them comming out of Germanie Gelderland Cleues and Iuilliers belonging to this towne of Dordrecht VVell seeing wee haue made mention of this word Staple it followes necessarily for the true vnderstanding of it that we say something both for the name and vse of it The word Estaple is a French word deriued from the lattin word Stabulum so that the word Staple is a market or publicke place in a towne ordained for the bestowing of VVine Corne VVood and other Marchandise that comes frō other countries euery Towne hauing their seuerall priuiledges according to the graunt of the Prince Not without great greefe and vexation to others both Marchants and Marryners that bring them thether As for example The towne of Arras is the Staple for Arthois and Valenciennes for Henault for Wines that are brought out of France by land into the Low-Countries So that the Marchants or Carryers are constrained to bring them thether before any other place and there to bee stayde a certayne time in the Staple to see who will buy in the Market the which beeing done they may carrie them away whether they thinke best The towne of Middlebourgh in Zealand is the Staple for Wines that come from France Spayne Portugal and other Countryes brought thether by Sea But the priuiledges of the town of Dordrecht are more strickt and compelling for they are of fuch force and vertue that what-souer is brought either by the Rhyne or Meuze be it corne wine pitch cole or any other Marchandise passing by them they are compelled vppon paine of forfeyture of all if they bee taken not hauing payed their duty to discharge their boates or barkes in their Hauen and to paie all rights customes impostes and other duties what-soeuer and also to discharge their Marchaundise in Shippes of the towne or of the Cittizens and free Marryners or else to make some agreement with them and so they may passe them in those that belong to the custome or impost And notwithstanding that the priuiledges are at this present diuers and vary one from another according to the nature of the marchandise and condition of the townes to whome such priuileges are graunted yet they haue euer from the first beginning beene called by the name of Estaple The which being sometimes in one towne sometimes in another either for the scituation or some other occation cause a great commodity and benifit to the country both in generall and particuler and a faire reuenew and large profit to the Prince of the same This towne as the first in rancke hath power to coyne both siluer and gold a priueledge denied to any other towne of Holland what-so-euer In this towne the Prince or Earle of Holland is put in possession of this county taking his oth to the states of the country and receiuing their homage and feallty Harlem THe second towne of Holland in rancke and prerogatiue is the towne of Harlem which within this thirty yeares before Amsterdam was made greater was the greatest and fairest of all Holland as well in faire buildings as sweete and good temperature of ayre hauing neither the Sea nor Marishes or Fens to annoy it feared in the middest of a good land fit both for tillage and for pasture enuironed with faire country houses Farmes little woods and many castles and villages and to conclude seated reasonable high and very pleasant It hath one very great Church with a high steeple supported with great columnes or pillars and much longer then any other in the Low-countries There passeth now through it a riuer called Sparre which falls out of a lake of fresh water into the chanell that runnes towards the townes of Amsterdam and Leyden which is called the sea of Harlem which riuer hath bene drawne with great labour and charge from that of Tye by the sluces of Sparendam about halfe a league from thence before the towne on that side towards Leyden there was heretofore a very pleasant wood which during the seege of the Spaniards was cut downe by the Allamaines that were quartred on that side in the village of Hemsted But within a few yeares after the Magistrate of the towne caused it to be replanted so as in a short time it became as pleasant as it was before seruing the inhabitants of the towne for delightfull walkes for the excersise of their spirits and keeping many people of the towne from the Tauernes and such other places in passing their time there There is there likewise made very great store of fine white linnen cloth much desired and sought for from Spaine Italy and other countries and also good wollen cloth which for the dye equalls any other country and is like-wise transported into forraine regions Touching the Etymology or deriuation of the name I may not rely vpon Lewis Guichardine who hath followed the old Dutch chronicle of Holland but rather follow that learned Phisition and Historiographer of Horne Doctor Adrianus Iunius who affirmes that the Harlemois are issued from the bloud of the Kings of Freezland who first built both the their towne and castle in the yeare of the natiuity of our Sauiour Iesus Christ fiue hundred and sixe The castle was seated vpon the chanell that runnes towards Egmont not farre from Heimskirk all built of great and large bricke as yet at this day is to be seene by the ruines and ground worke of the walls The demolishment whereof some attribute to the tyrany of the Lord of the place others to the fury of the people who sought to extirpe and roote out the Nobility This castle alone at this time was not demolished but like a violent thunder they threw downe all to the ground Seeing wee are speaking of this castle I thinke it not amisse although it be set downe in the history of the Netherlands to relate a memorable accident that then hapned as a strange note of true coniugall loue And thus it was The Lord of the place hauing by his exaction and cruelty made him-selfe odious to all his people and he and his wife being beseeged and so prest for want of victualls that he was compelled hauing no other meanes to escape to enter into treaty for the rendering of the towne His wife atrue mirror of piety and loue towards her husband among other articles for the rendring of the towne capitulated that shee might haue as much of her most pretious mooueables as she could carry out at one time the which being graunted shee with the helpe of her chamber-maide carried her husband lockt in a chest out of the castle leauing all her rings and iewells behind her In imitation of the wife of Guelphe Duke of Bauaria who in the like necessity prayed the Emperor Conrad that she and her Ladies might carry out that which they held most deare and pretious the Emperor imagining it was nothing but their rings and iewels shee and all the Ladies after her example tooke her husband on her
to that of England holdes the the third ranck and suffrage in the session of the Estates for the Country of Holland This Towne hath his name from his situation being seated vpon a chanell that comes from the Hage and falls into the Riuer of Meuze at Delfs-Hauen which chanel cut in a right line cost a great deal of labour and charge before it was made This town was first founded by Godfrey called the crooke-backe Duke of Lorraine who beeing called in and assisted by the Bishoppe of Vtrecht chased out of Holland Earle Robert the Frison the Lady Gheertruyd his wife and hir little son that she had in her first marriage by Florent the first of that name and sixth Earle of Holland This Duke of Lorraine inioyed the said Earldome aboue foure yeares during which time he built the towne of Delf But the little sonne of Geertruyd being growne somewhat bigger with the helpe of neighbour Princes both Germaines in regard of his mother and others re-entred with a goodly army into Holland to giue him battaile where he ouerthrew him and hauing chased him out recouered al his couÌ„try But shortly after one of his seruants as hee was at the priuy run him into the fundament with a Iauelin of which hee died in the towne of Maestricht This towne of Delf was straightly beseeged by Count Albert of Bauaria as you may read more amply in the history of the Netherlands so as being constrained to yeeld the Earle caused a great part of the wall to bee throwne down Yet notwithstanding shortly after they did him great seruice in the warre hee had with the Frisons the other Townes refusing to ayd him and couragiously released certain English soldiers engaged in a Fort beseeged by the Frisons for which duty and valour of theirs the Earle consented to the re-building of their walles There befell a pittifull accident to this towne in the month of Maie 1536. being set on fire by casualty the fire so disperst that it was almost burned before there could bee any helpe yet they wanted not water for it hath two chanels that passe through the towne But the wind being very vehement so disperst the fire that there scarce could any thing be saued yet like the Phaenix renuing out of her ashes this Towne was built againe more fayre and magnificent then euer before remedying their error in the first building which was the cheefe cause of their ruine by not suffering one house to bee thatcht with straw but high and stately buildings without with their inward ornaments and furnitures so neat and fitting that in the whole Netherlands it is not to be parraleld the streets likewise so cleane and well kept that notwithstanding the greatest rayne there is no durt to touch the shoo so as indeed they seem to be alwaies washt In this fire there hapned so memorable an accident that happily the like hath not beene recorded in antient or moderne storries It is most true that Pliny and other authors set downe as a matter of notable and great consideration that the young Storkes when the old ones are growne in yeares and past helping of themselues supply that want by feeding them and when their winges fayle in passing the Sea the young ones take them on their backes But that which hapned of the same birds in the towne of Delph is of greater consequence and more remarkeable This towne is so seated for the feeding and bringing vp of these birdes that it is hard to see any house vppon the which they are not nested to breed in This fire hapned vppon the third of Maie in the yeare aforesaid 1536. at which time the young Storkes are growne pretty and big the old ones perceiuing the fire to approch their nests attempted to carry them away but could not they were so waighty which they perceiuing neuer ceased with their winges spread couering them till they all perished in the flames Gaspar Veldius an author of reuerent esteeme in his booke of Storkes recountes the same and also D. Adrianus Iunius in his history of Holland from whom I haue drawn these lattin verses following Candida et obstreperis inuisa Ciconia ramis Pignora ab ardenti viderat igne premi Aeripatne suos et aperta pericula tentet Hinc suadet Pietas vitae amor inde vetat Hanc luctam pietas generosa diremit et vrna Esse â—adem et sobolis vult libitena suae Iam minor Assyrium Phaenicem fama boquatur Viuerae quae busto quaerit at ista mori The white hu'd Storke that neuer sits on bowe Seeing her young in flames ah how it paines her Shall she for them aduenture life to loose Piety bids her trye but feare restraines her Yet piety her feare soone ouerthrowes And so one tomb with her poore yong containes her Giue place thou Phaenix then thou seeks new breath By being Burnt but she sought onely death AT Delf there are excellent clothes made both great and small that are much desired in other countries commonly called in their language Delfs puyck In this towne was borne that abhominable Monster for heresie and imposture called Dauid George but his right name was Hans van Burcht a painter of glasses and the sonne of a painter one that infected with the poyson of his heresie the towne of Munster in Westphalia A man altogether vnlearned yet of so subtile a memory and vnderstanding and withall so eloquent accompanied with a kind of grauity that hee could perswade his followers to what hee thought good whereby he not onely made him-selfe chiefe head of a new sect but caused him-selfe by his desciples and followers to bee adored as GOD him-selfe perswading them that hee was the true Messias This Gallant or rather Diuell was married and had children gouerning his familie in outward shew indifferent honestly but in effect had neiher religion vertue or any goodnesse whatsoeuer notwithstanding the people being for the most part light and inconstant louers of nouelties wicked and contentious feeding their ambition by the first occasion offered hee sowed and dispersed his heresie vnder colour of diuers extrauagant lawes throughout the lower Germany being already so far aduanced in this businesse that diuers that followed him as his desciples bound them-selues to the will of this damnable Arch-hereticke But this impiety beginning to bee discouered and the Magistrate making dilligent pursuit and seuere inquisition after it as the case required this monster fled to Basil in Suitzerland with his wife children houshold and all other his baggage where being ariued hee was taken to be a rich Marchant of the Netherlands fledde thether for his religion and to auoyd the fury of the Imperial Placarts where by his friends and confederates hee was welcomed and much made off When hee went to Church with his wife and children hee was accompanied like a great Lord with a troope of followers and seruants shewing at his first comming great liberallity to the poore which made him
was very rich to borrow a loafe of bread to saue her and her children from staruing her sister denyed that shee had any in the house shee insisted that shee had where-vppon her ritch sister fell a swearing and cursing praying God that if she had any it might bee turned into a stone which God miraculously suffered to bee done to the confusion of this pittilesse and periured woman it is not long since there were two loaues but now there is but one Two little leagues from Leydén is Wassenare a fayre and beautifull Village with the two Catwicks Voorburch and Voorscoten belonging now to the Counts of Ligne the masculine lyne of the Vicounts of Leyden and Lords of Wassenare being vtterly extinct In this towne Hans van Leyden a knife-maker by his trade was born a most disloyal Anabaptist and one that by strange and extraordinary meanes so besotted the people that hee made him selfe King of Munster in Westphalia to the great and pittifull ruine of it In the end he was beseeged by the Bishoppe assisted by the Princes of Germany and after almost a yeares siege this King of perdition and his complices were taken and punished according to their merites This Kinge and one of his cheefe Councellors called Knipperdolinge were putte into two Cages of yron and hung out of a high Tower where they ended their cruell and most miserable liues and reigne This town in opposition to this il hath brought forth many vertuous and learned men as Iohn Gherbrand an excellent historian Englebert of Leyden a rare Poet and Gramarian Nicholas Leonce a good Retorician and aboue all Ianus Douza Lord of Noortwick a most knowing man in the tongues and a most famous Poet as his printed workes testifie In the yeare of our Lord 1574. this towne was straightly besieged by the Spaniards and blockt vp with some thirty-sixe fortes to famish them wherein there dyed aboue seauenthousand men of famine and the pestilence the raizing of this seege and deliuerance of this towne can bee attributed to none but to GOD although the Prince of Orange and the States of Holland did what they could as well by breaking of ditches and drawing vp Scluses as otherwise drowning all the countrie almost to the towne but not so deepe that it would carry boates vntill GOD sent a strong South-west-winde which draue the Sea into the riuers and land that great boates past a floate and victualled the towne Which the Spaniards perceiuing they quitte all their Fortes and fledde for feare of beeing intrapped But behold the wonderfull and re-markeable worke of GOD who two daies after the Towne was victualled sent as strong a North-west-wind that beat backe the Sea againe from whence it came as you may read more at large in the history of the Netherlands Amsterdam LEt vs now come to the towne of Amsterdam which within these hundreth yeares is become so rich and opulent that the very name of it is famous throughout the whole world It takes name from the Riuer of Amstell that runnes cleane through the towne and fals into the Zuyderzee from whence they sayle into all Seas yea the most remote and farre off of the whole world They of the family of Amstell heertofore most rich and opulent now vtterly extinct were the first that compassed it with pallisadoes and hâ—ld the proprietary Lordship of it This towne since the decay of Antwerpe is become the most renowned of all the Netherlands ritch in people and of all sorts of Marchandises situate in the middest of Holland in a marish country It is strong by reason of the situation but stronger by art the foundations of their houses being made of piles of wood armed with yron and other necessaries of or that purpose so that the charge of building of most houses is more chargeable vnder ground then aboue The ordinary course of their Nauigation is to all other parts of the Netherlands as France England Spayne Portugall Germany Poland Denmarke Liflandt Sueden Norway Ostlandt and other septentrional parts where one may see twice a yeare foure or fiue hundred great shippes arriue from Dantzick Rye Reuell and Varna with diuers and innumerable quantity of Marchandises so as this Towne is become a wonderfull port or Staple to the amazement of the beholders to see so many great hulkes belonging to the Cittizens and Inhabitants of the towne arriue there and within fiue or sixe dayes to be all vnladen and ready for a new voyage There is yearely built there a great number of tall warlike ships as wel for trade in Marchandise as for the war Within this 25. or 30. yeares the town hath bin made greater as wel in the circuit of the walls as in beautifull and faire building by the halfe with a new church built where Saint Anthonies gate heretofore stood It is flanked about with great bulwarks that answering one na other makes it inpregnable what with the waters about it and the industry of man it is warranted towards the Sea with a long double pallisadoe from the East to the West in which aboue a thousand great ships and innumerable of lesser sorts may safely lye out of daunger There hath bene of long tyme two churches the one called Saint Nicholas the old the other our Lady the new To conclude this towne is a most ritch Store-house not onely for the Low-Countries but in a maner for all Christendome where al thinges necessary for the vse of man are as soon to be fouÌ„d as in al the world besids D. Adrianus Iunius in his history of Holland hath writ certaine accrostique verses in praise of it which I thinke not vnfit to bee here inserted both in lattin and English A ureus vt perhibent quondam ab Ioue perpluit imbar M agnificis turgentem opibus Rhodon horrea Romae S icaniam esse Ceres victuro munere â—essit T orsit et huc occulos facilis Deus ipse benignosâ— E t me mactam opibus iussit florereque rebus L aetis at circundor aquis pigraque palude O bsita roboreoque solo stant culmina nixâ— D epactis altê trabibus surgentia caelo A lternansque statis vicibus maris estus aperti M aenia subcingit qua parte exotica puppes V elliferae inuectant onera exportantque frequenti M ercatu Hesperias qua se dimittit in vndas B arbaraque Eous pandit quâ littora Titan. E xpedio quos nostra tamen non area verrit L egifere cumulos Ceraris genitalia dona G argara prouentu tanto non farris abundant I nferior fuerit vel Momo iudice mecum C ontendit locuplete penu si Trinacris ora Aequaleisque ferax non Affrica stipat aceruos H orrâ—um et agnoscit me non male Belgica faelix O mnigenas vt opes sic vitae altmenta ministro R ecte vt quis saturae similem me dixerit aluo R obore defectos succum quae didit in artus E ximiae hine adeo Caesar me ferre coronam
hauen which goes directly vnto the sea the which is faire large and commodious notwithstanding since that Middelbourg grew so famous it cannot recouer the accustomed trafficke touching nauigation yet is it good faire and strong retayning their ancient trade for salt and graine to die withall with the fishing for herring In this towne the Receiuer of Beoosterschelt doth commonly remaine who is as I haue sayd chiefe Iustice for the countie of Zeeland to whom as to him of the Beversterschelt at Middelbourg all commissions are directed comming from the superiors to put them in execution euery one in his iurisdiction In this towne was borne that famous Amandus Ziricxeus a relligious man of the order of Saint Francis who hath written many goodly Poems as may be seene in the Library of Cornelius Gesnerus From thence also came Leuinus Lemnius Doctor of Phisick a man of great knowledge as his workes do witnesse whose sonne called William of the same profession was called to be Phisition to the King of Sueden Peâ—rus Peâ—kius was also borne in this towne a man of rare learning who hath written many printed bookes BROWERSHAVEN IN this Island of Schoueâ— two small leagues from Ziâ—icxee is that great Bourg of Browershauen more inhabited by fishermen then any other and yet there was borne one Petrus carrying the surname of his towne a learned man who writ many bookes in diuinity This towne did some-times belong to Maximilian of Bourgogne Lord of Beueren Admirall of the sea thus hauing fallen vnto him with many other goodly Siegneuries by the Ladie Anne his Grand-mother issued from the Noble house of Borssele which familie hath fayled long since for want of lawfull heires which Maximiliam died also without children in the yeare 1558. whose succession fell to the children of the Earle of Bossu who had married one of the Sisters of the Lord of Beueren and to the children of the Siegnior of Cruminghen who had married the other Sister from whome is issued the Siegnior of Cruminghen who keepes commonly at the Hage in Holland In this Island of Shouven there are many castles and villages belonging to certaine Gentlemen and other priuate persons amongst the which is the village of Bomene seated at one end of it verie famous for the great losse of Spaniards which the great Commander of Castille had entring into the sayd Island the which in the end hee tooke by force and slue all that were in the fort except one man who escaped dangerously but let vs passe to the other Islands ZVYT-BEVELAND THis Island is so called for that before it was rampared with Dykes it trembled for Beuen signifies to tremble and Beuelandt a trembling country as if it had no firme seat and foundation This Island is the greatest of all those of Zeeland and at one time it had twenty leagues circuit but by reason of the tempests and inundations of the sea and the contynuall flowing and ebbing of the riuer of Escault which runnes with a violent streame betwixt Romerswael and Berghen vp Zoom it is halfe consumed In this Island of Zuytâ—euelandt there was in old time three townes of Marke the chiefe whereof was Romerswal then Borssele which stood towards the South but in the yeare of our Lord 1432. the Dykes were broken by the high tides and great tempests and it drowned with the countrie depending thereon which they called the Siegneury of Borssel ROMERSWAL HEld in that time the first ranke among the townes of the sayd Island looking towardes Berghen vp Zoom vpon the East from the which it is not aboue a league distant but the same tempests and inundations wherewith Borssele was swalloed vp diuided this towne from Zuytbeuelandt leauing it a part in a small Island beeing forced to defend it selfe continually with great toyle cost and amazement for feare of the sea and the riuer of Escaut against the which they must fight continually as a cittizen of that towne a man of great knowledge doth wittely shewe by these verses following which hee planted at his doore in the yeare of our Lord 1549 when as Prince Phillippe afterwards the second of that name King of Spaine came thether to receiue the othes of the countie of Zeeland and to take possession thereof as followeth Vidimus assueto priuatum lumine Solem pallida turbato vidimus astra die Vidimus vndantes horrendos aequoris aestus nos miseros Belgas cum obruit Oceanus Vidimus ast postquam te gloria nostra Philipe Caesareaproles semi-deumque decus Cuncta refutamus transacti tristia saecli quod praesens nostrum testificatur opus Sit licet exiguum sit pro ratione voluntas nil facit ad vastum parua catena fretum We haue beheld faire Sol depriu'd of sight pale starres at noone and nooneday like the night We haue beheld the furious waues make way through all the strengths of wretched Belgia But when we but beheld that face of thine great Phillip glorious bud of Caesars line It clear'd our hearts froÌ„ woes our eies froÌ„ showres witnesse this present monument of ours Which be it small our loues must be our pleas small chaines cannot ore-reach the broadest seas GOES WHich is otherwise called Tergoes is the onely places which is left standing on the North-side vpoÌ„ an arme of the Escault called Schenge It is now a good towne beeing since these last troubles much inlarged and fortefied with large rampars and goodly bulwarkes there is reasonable good-trade especially of graine for diars wherewith the countrie abounds There growes also the best wheat of all Zeeland more then they need for their owne vses transporting the surplusage into the other Islands Their hauen is long and straight at the mouth whereof there are two forts one of either side so as nothing can passe without descouery Not farre from this towne is the village of Cloetinghen belonging to the sonne of the deceased Floris of 〈…〉 heire apparent to all that house a little farther off is the village of Barlandt where that learned man Adrianus Barlandus who hath carefully written the chronicles of Brabant and a sommarie of the Earles of Holland Then Cruyningen Zeaetskerke Hynckesandt Capelle Catten-dyke which are all villages and many others In this Island of Zuytbeuelandt there are yet some pleasant groues and busshes fit for hunting for there are many hares found in the Island and great store of wild foule TOLEN IS one of the East Islands of Zeelande belonging to the countrie it is now wholie enuironed with good trenches and some forts betwixt fearing the irruptions of the Spaniards who haue twise or thrise attempted to get footing for there is but one chanell to passe vpon Brabant side It is verie neere the Dyke of Saint Martin for there is but one little chanell which diuides them and therfore some affirme as it is likely that in former times they were two Islands although in effect it be but one in the which are two good little townes both well fortefied with
which are the six principall townes the rest hauing no voyce nor accesse vnto the sayd Estates with their Recorder and Secretary Behold wherin the Estates of Zeland consist In that Court there doth also remaine the Councel or College of the Admiraltie of the saide Contie consisting for the most part of the Deputies of the sayd Estates with an Aduocate â—scall and a Secretarie in which Counsell all Sea-causes are determined The County of Zealand hath drawne vnto it selfe as wee haue said before the chamber of Accoumptes touching the demaines and of all the reuenewes proceeding as well from customes Imposts rents collections and contributions as other dependances of the receits concerning the whole Estate which was wont to be intreated of and decided ioyntly with the Contie of Holland and VVestfreezland for which three there was but one chamber of Accoumptes at the Hage This Chamber of Zealand hath a President Maisters Auditors Registers Vshers and other Officers The said Conty of Zealand hath now a particular coyne established in the Court of Middelbourg which they were not accustomed to haue no more then West-freezeland hauing but one Mynt thirty years since for al three in Dordrecht the capitoll towne of Holland where it remained long and was much priuiledged during the raigne of the Emperor Charles the fift As for their gouernment and religion it is al one with the vnited Prouinces their Confederats Ecclesiastical causes as wel for their discipline as otherwise are referred to their Synodes whereas some Deputies of the Estates do assist All Appellations in ciuill causes be the sentences prouitionall or definitiue of all the Townes Bailywiks and Iurisdictions in the Conty of Zealand Notwithstanding the Estates of this Prouince haue sought to sequester them-selues resort to the Prouincial Councell at the Hage in Holland Except they of Middelbourg who by a special priuiledge haue choyce to appeale to the said Prouinciall Councell or to the great Councell which is also at the Hage like vnto that at Macklyn whereof there is but a reuision before the Councellors deputed out of the vnited Prouinces The sentences of which reuisors are held for holy and inuiolable decrees But criminall sentences are executed without Appeale by euery officer in his Iurisdiction They haue also in Zealand their Dickgraues as in Holland which are Iudges hauing their Iurisdictions apart with certaine assistants or Sheriffes whome they call Geswooren that is to say Iurats to heare determine of all controuersies concerning the entertainment of dikes Sluses large ditches waies fludgates which Dickgraues Iurats are in the Iland of Walchren in manner of a Colledge the which consists of the Marquis of La Vere or his Deputie of the townes and of the Deputies of the best proprietaries in the Iland of Walchren The like is obserued in the other Ilands of the Conty of Zealand euery one according to his priuiledges The Contie of Zutphen THis Conty hath taken his name of the Capitol Towne of the countrie which is Zutphen standing vpon the right banke of the riuer of Issel by the which the riuer of Berckel doth passe which falles into Issell This towne before the first troubles and that the Duke of Alua did exercise his cruelties was rich well traded faire and great with a goodly Bridge to passe towardes the towne of Arnhem in Geldres the which was broken by the Spaniards part of the towne burnt and the Inhabitants miserably intreated which were the first fruites of the Spaniards gouernment Since it hath been twise or thrise taken and re-taken by the one and the other partie hauing continued since the yeare one thousand fiue hundred ninety one vnder the vnited Estates Although that this towne and the Iurisdiction therof be numbred for the third member or quarter of the Dutchy of Geldres it hath yet a long time beene a Conty of it selfe hauing a particular Earle the last whereof was the Earle Gerlache who left no other heires but one Daughter the which was marryed to Otto Earle of Nassau and of Geldres who brought him the said Earldom of Zutphen for her Doury by meanes whereof he augmented his Demaines Since which time the said Towne with the Iurisdiction hath been incorporate to the Dutchy of Geldres subiect to one Chancerie Gouernment Chamber of Accoumptes and making one member at the generall Estates of both Countries which as we haue said before are held in the towne of Arnhem whereas they of the said Towne and Contie haue their Assistants and ordinary Deputies who assist in the Assemblie of the general Estates of the Vnited Prouinces that is to say of euery one of the said quarters and of the Nobility of Geldres who change as the Estates of the Prouince shall thinke it fit The Townes and Iurisdictions of the said Contie are these which follow after the cheefe Towne Doesbourg a league and a halfe from thence Dotecome Bronckhorst Lochom Groll Bredeuoerd Keppel Bourg Sherenbourg which are or haue beene heretofore walled Townes besides many good Villages So as this Conty hath larger limmittes and is richer then that of Namure Wherefore it merites to bee held as it hath alwaies beene and as the Emperour and King Philip haue carryed it in their Titles for one of the seauenteene Prouinces of the Netherlandes And at this present one of the eight vnited and confederate There is in this Contie a generall Officer called Drossart which depends vpon the Chancery of Arnhem Whose Iurisdiction extendes cheefly to the champian country who is bound to bring all Offenders to Arnhem or to the other townes that haue right to take knowledge thereof The townes are gouerned by their Gouernors Councell and other ordinary Officers DOESBOVRG IS an ancient Town which some call Drusiburgum other moderne writers will haue it the same towne which Tacitus names Asciburgum It is seathe at the mouth of Fossa Drusiana or Drusus ditch the which is a chanell which Drusus to keepe his soldiers from idlenesse made them to digge at Isseloort drawing it out of the Rhyne and carrying it into the Riuer of Issell at Doesbourg the which hee made to haue a shorter passage to make warre against the Frisons then if he should haue beene forced to haue gone downe the riuer of Rhyne and so entring into the Brittish sea to haue compassed about all the country of the Battauians and so to haue entred into Frisland by the riuer of Flye It is a good towne and well peopled the which during these wars hath not felt so many alterations as many other townes In the yeare one thousand fiue hundred ninetie eight the Admirall of Arragon Lieutenant of the Arch-duke Albert hauing taken the Towne of Berck vppon the Rhyne and past his armie there he resolued to besiege this towne But Prince Maurice raizing his camp out of the I le of Geldre which they call Gelderscheweert he went and put himselfe into the said towne lodging part of his troopes in a little Iland right against it in the
he held of the temporaltie to the end hee might succor him to preserue that which belonged vnto the spiritualtie in this towne and state And for that the Emperour was then in Spaine hee did impart it to the Lady Marguerite his Aunte who was Douager of Sauoy and Regent of the Netherlands so as in the end it was concluded that on the 15 of Nouember 1â—27 he should come in person to Schoonhouen whether the Emperor should send some men of account on his behalfe amongst which were the Earles of Buren Hochstraten the chancellor of Brabant and the President of the Prouincial councel of Holland where being arriued at the day appointed after many consultations they concluded that the Bishop should yeeld vp resigne transport all the rights interest and pretensions which hee had to the temporall iurisdiction in the diocese of Vtrecht and the country of Oueryssel to the benifit profit of the sayd Emperor of which rights he did put his Imperial Maiesty in possession as Duke of Brabant Earle of Holland not in quality of Emperor as well for himselfe as for his successors descended of his bloud whervpon the Earls of Buren and Hochstraten the chancellor and other deputies did promise vnto the bishop in the Emperors name their maister and did bind themselues to make war against his enemies and to settle him in his Episcopal seat and make him duly to enioy his spirituall dignity The Duke of Geldres beeing aduertised of this treatie and accorde hee made sharper warres then before and so incensed the cittizens of Vtrecht against their Bishoppe Henry as they sought by all meanes to depriue him of his Episcopall dignitie choosing in his place by the Dukes instigation and councell the Earle of Bilg a chanonine of Cologne TheÌ„ did there grow a furious warre betwixt the Emperor and Bishop Henry against the Duke of Geldres and the comunalty of Vtrecht holding the Dukes partie and their new Bishops So as after much bloud spilt and many spoiles done in the country there were some citizens of Vtrecht well affected to Bishop Henry who brought the Emperors men into the towne the 1. of Iuly 1528. who entred early in a morning by surprize where there was some little opposition the Earle of Maeurs lieutenant to the Duke was taken prisoner with many of the chiefe of the towne and some chanoins Three daies after the bishop entred and caused some of the mutines to bee executed by the sword yea he made two chanoins to bee put into a sack and cast into the riuer and he would haue taken a sharper reuenge without the intercession of the Earle of Hochstraten eight daies after he asseÌ„bled the three Estates in the publick place by the which he was acknowledged to bee their bishop Prince all sollemnly swearing fidelity obedience vnto him Afterwards the bishop hauing conferred againe with the said Estates hee propounded vnto them how that being in the town of Schonhouen he had let them vnderstand his resolution to submit the temporalty of his Siegneury to the Emperour shewing them how necessary it was for their quiet and publike preseruation to the end that this Estate being vnder the gard and protection of so mighty a Monarke it should bee defended and preserued from all enemies which did enuiron it intreating them to like well of that which he had resolued and to yeeld vnto it The matter being diuersly debated after many allegations on either side in the end for that they could not auoide it the Emperors men being already in possession of the town seeing they had coÌ„mitted an error and that their oppposition would auaile them nothing but incense the Emperor their Prelat they yeelded vnto it That is that the citty of Vtrecht with the iurisdiction and limmits of al the townes villages borroughes forts territory champian country mountaines woods forests riuers pooles lakes mills rents and reuenues to conclude all that was of the temporall demeins of the sayd Estate and countrie of Vtrecht together with all the right title and interest which hee had to the high diocese that is to say to the country of Oueryssel and ouer the town of Groning the iurisdiction of the Groningers and the Omelands with all their rights should be vnited and incorporated to the demeins of the Dukes of Brabant and Earles of Holland The which hauing beene agreed vpon and concluded the Traiectins were absolued of their othe of fealtie which they had taken vnto the sayd bishoppe who freely discharged them vpon condition that they should take the like othe and doe homage to the Emperour and to his lawfull heires issued of his bloud Dukes of Brabant and Earles of Holland The Bishop reseruing nothing for himselfe and his successors but the spirituall iurisdiction and reuenues and that sumptuos Palace in the towne ioyning to the cathedrall church built by Charles Martel Duke of Brabant father to Pepin King of France who gaue it to Gregorie the third Bishop of Vtrecht All things being thus concluded betwixt the Bishoppe Henry of Bauaria and the Emperor Charles Duke of Geldres finding his forces to weake to incounter so great a Monarke hee purchased a peace with his Maiesty the which was concluded the first of October following And the 21. of Nouember the Earle of Hochstraten as gouernor of Holland for the Emperor was sent by the Ladie Marguerite Regent into the sayd towne of Vtrecht who tooke a sollemne possession in his Maiesties name as Duke of Brabant and Earle of Holland and receiued their othes and homages the like hee did at Amersfoort Wyck-ter-Duyrsted Renen and Montfort as for the soueraigntie this last towne hauing a particular Lord and Vicont of that place returning back to Vtrecht the chiefe towne of the country he disposed of the Estate gouernment And as al things were well setled vnder the Emperors authority bishop Henry had a desire for some reasons to retire into Germanie to his other Bishoppricke of Wormes chosing for Bishop substituting in his place William of Enckwoort borne at Boisleduc Cardinall and Bishop of Tortone as Pope Adrian the sixt had beene before hee was Pope who resigned the said Bishopprike vnto him before hee came to the Popedome This Enckwoort was a Courtier at Rome and came not to his Bishoprike of Vtrecht making Iames Vteâ—engen his Vicar vntill he died in the yeare 1533. In the meane time Pope Clement the seauenth hauing seene the Contracts and Instruments of the cession and transport made by the Bishop Henry of Bauaria to the Emperour of the temporaltie of Vtrecht and the appourtenances hauing had therein the aduice and consent of the Colledge of Cardinals they did approue and ratifie all decreeing that this cession and transport should be of force and take full effect But for that this Estate and Seignieury is a fee of the Empire and doth hold of the Imperiall Chamber the Emperour was forced to demand the Inuestiture of the said Chamber in his
the high diocese But sence that the Emperor Charles the fifth obtained from the bishop the temporality of both dioceses the higher and the lower hee made two Prouinces one of Vtrecht and the other of Ouerysel the which are numbred among the 17. Prouinces and now vnder the vnion of the Generall estates of the confederate Prouinces who by armes haue shak't of the Spanish yoake and haue purchased their liberty which they enioy at this day This country is so called for that it lies beyond the riue of Yssel this Duch word Ouer signifying beyond and in Latin Trans so as it was called Transissalana On the north side it hath Friseland and a part of the country of Groning on the South the Conty of Zutphen to East the country of West-phalia and vpon the West the Zuyderzee It is watred by many riuers the Yssel Vidre Regge Dan-noire and Wahal besids the chanels which are kept in by the Sluce A good and fertill soyle and fat pastures where they doe yearely feed many fatte cattell There is abundance of good butter and cheese and all other sorts of victuall The whole Prouince is diuided into three great Baylywicks that is of Salandt of the old Saliens of Tuent so called of the ancient Tubantins and of Vollenhouen which is in the midest of the other two whereof the one bends to the North and the other to the South The quarter of Salandt comprehends vnder it many good townes among the which are these three Imperiall Hans townes Deuenter Campen and Swolle the lesser are Hasselt Couoerden Genemuiden Ommen Hardenbourg Wilson and Graff-horst That of Tuent hath the townes of Oldenzeel Otmarson Enschede Ghoor Diyepenham Delden Rissen and Almeloo The quarter of Vollenhouen hath a towne of that name with a Castle which was wont to be the Bishop of Vtrechts Pallace when they came into the high diocese then the towne of Stâ—enwicke to which the Cuyndert did belong which was wont to be famous for the strength of the Castle the which was ruined in these last warres Among the fortefied townes besides the three Imperiall Hans townes of Deuenter Campen and Swolle are those of Hasselt vpon Vidre to distinguish it from Hasselt a good towne in the country of Liege Oldenzeel Steenwick Otmarsom and Enscheede There are also a great number of castles and aboue 120. Borroughs and villages The souerainty of this Prouince before the troubles in the Netherlands did belong vnto Phillip the second King of Spaine who succeded the Emperor Charles the fift his father who had the interest confirmed by the Pope from Henry of Bauaria Bishoppe of Vtrecht vpon certaine conditions the cheefe whereof was that hee should maintaine their priuiledges for want whereof and to free them from the oppression of the Spaniards they haue as all the other vnited Prouinces freed them-selues and recouered their liberty whereof the people as well as the Frisons are wonderfully desirous and impatient to beare the yoake The sayd Prouince hath neuer acknowledged but two members in their gouernment that is the Nobility of the which are chosen the particular gouernors and high officers and they three Imperiall townes Deuenter Campen and Swoll and no others By the voices suffrages of which two members all difficulties in the Estate are decided And whatsoeuer hath bin decreed by them according to the constitutions of the country shall remaine firme and stable And as the nobility in precedence yeeld not to any no more do the towns but in their order and degree whereof Deuenter is the first then Campen and last Swoll euery one of which townes iudge by decree as well in ciuill as criminal causes and either of them hath priuiledge to coine money Let this suffice for a breefe description of the Estate of the country of Oueryssell Let vs now come to a particular description of the townes DEVENTER THE first of the three Imperiall Hans townes is seated vppon the right banke of the riuer of Yssell three leagues from Zutphen and foure from Swoll It was a goodly great town and of great traffick before the last troubles But the two sieges which they haue beene forced to endure with in these thirty yeares by the vnited Estates hath much decayed it The first time in the yeare 1578. when it was yeelded to the Earle of Reneberg Lieutenant for the said Estates and the country since the earle of Lecester gouernor for the Queene of England Protectresse of the vnited Prouinces gaue the Gouermnent thereof to Sir William Stanley an English Collonel who sold it to the Spaniard So as it remained subiect to the Spanish insolencies from the yeare 1587 vnto the yeare 1591. when as Prince Maurice went to beseege it with the said Estates in the which Cont Harman Vanden Bergh Cousin german to the Prince commanded whome hee forced to yeelde by composition after a great battery the ruines whereof will not be easily repaired in many yeares especially towards the kaye But whereas the cannon could not anoy them it is well built with faire high houses the streets broad and cleane with a faire market place in the midest whereof is the house of the sworne companies whereas a gard is kept day and night before the great Collegiall Church is the towne-house which they call Raed huys that is to say the councell house whereas the Bourguemasters and Senators doe assemble dayly to doe iustice to euery man The Magistrats there shew them-selues modestly graue and the Burgers ciuill among whome there are rich Marchants by the trafficke which they haue of all sorts of Marchandise as of marchandise as well by Land into Westphalia and other places of Germany as by the riuer of Yssel which on one side mounts vp the Rhin vnto Cologne and descends downe before Campen to the Zuyderzee vnto Amsterdam Horne Enchuysen and other Towns of Holland and Friseland Since it was last yeelded it is wunderfully fortified with rampars and good Bullwarkes besides that it hath alwaies had a double wal of Bricke round about it In ould time when a matters succeeded not well in the diocese of Vtrecht the Bishops retired themselues to Deuenter as we reade of Bishop Baldric who to fly the fury of the Normans and Danes which ruined the towne of Vtrecht retired with all his clergy to this towne then the Danes being chased away he returned and repared the Cathedrall Church which they had made a stable for their horses In this towne doth vsually reside the Drossart or great Bayliffe for the quarter of Salandt whereof this is the chiefe towne and in the which there is great store of gentlemen CAMPEN THis is the second of three Hans townes in the Prouince of Ouerysell although it be not like to all the rest on the other side of the riuer of yssel but on Gelders side it is a faire great towne of more length then breadth the which after that it had beene yeelded vnto the Earle of Reneberg in the name
of the Estates it was much better fortified then before It hath agoodly bridge vpon the riuer at the end whereof they did then build a good fort to defend it by which bridge they may goe both on horse-backe Wagon and foote to all the townes of Ouerysel Friseland and Groning or else if they will by the chanells which rune through the country Hauing past this bridge going towards Vollenhouen Geelmuyden you enter into a goodly great and spatious pasture full of diches which they cal Maester brouk which yeelds as good butter and cheese as any part in Holland besides that in a short time it fats a great number of goodly Oxen. This pasture hath at the least foure leagues in circuit from the bridge of Campen vnto Geelmuyden along the riuer of Vidre passing before the towne of Hasselt then passing on to Swolle it returnes from thence to Campen which circuit is a halfe dayes iorny It is good cheape lyuing in this towne there is aboundance of fresh water fish and good cheape as Salmon Sturgion Carpes Barbels and Pikes I did once buy three Carpes there either being a foote and a halfe long for sixe Patars a peece the which tide to the barke and swimming in the Zuyderzee I brought a liue to Amsterdam All sorts of victuall are good cheape there especially foules and Ducke and Mallard This towne is full of Gentlemen and learned men the houses are faire and high built and streets very cleane It is much inlarged and beautified within these twelue or thirteene yeares The Magistrates are affable and the people ciuill and courteous whereas those that are fled thether for relligion are kindly entertayned yea they are drawne thether to set vp their trades being very fit for it for that the Marchants and workemen may goe in one night with a good wind to Amsterdam and going from thence at night after the dispach of their busines they may bee the next day againe at their owne houses which is a great commodity This towne hath priuiledge to coyne mony and they carefully entertaine a free schole SWOLLE IS a land towne of a round forme situated vpon a little Brooke running into the riuer of Vidre and from thence by the blacke water into the Zuyderzee It is held to bee strong hauing euer had double walles and double diches since these troubles it hath beene fortified with new rampars and Bulwarks In former times it was wont in time of daunger to bee the retreat of the Gouernor and of the Councell of that country who made his residence at Vollenhouen It is good cheape liuing there but the streets are not so cleane kept as at Campen by reason of the Cattell which they keepe within the towne and the great multitude of Wagons which come thether from all parts for it is of greater trafficke then Campen It hath not bene any way anoyed by siege during these troubles like to Deuenter and Campen being fallen into the Estates power by the preuention of the well affected Burgers who chased away them of the Spanish faction whereby they are become rich It hath two chanels which passe through it vpon the greatest of them stands the Market place which is faire and spatious and ioyning vnto it the great Temple of Saint Michel then a little lower is our Ladies Church In honor of this Town these foure latin verses were made Swolla diu celebris meruit virtutibus arma Quae populum fortem nobilitare solent Inde salutifera vetere pâ—etate fid que In Tripolim recipi faedere digna fuit Swolls vertue whilom got these armes that grace the vndanted troop that won them and their race And for hir faith and Martial brood 't was shee was only held fit guard for Tripoli For that it is the third imperial Hans Town of this Prouince of Oueryssell hauing priuiledge to coine both gold and siluer as the two others wee haue described these three chiefe Townes let vs now come vnto the lesser but strong and wel fortified STEENWYCK IS situated vpon a brooke called Blockerzyel comming out of the country not far from the towne and falls nere vnto Vollenhouen into the Zuyderzee In lesse then twenty years it felt two sieges the one by Charles Earle of Mansfeldt for the Prince of Parma who was forced to retire the towne beeing victualed by Count William Lewis of Nassau Philippe Earle of Hohenloo and Generall Norris Being afterwards surprised by the Spaniards Prince Maurice went to besiege it in the yeare of our Lord 1592. the which hee did so importune both by batterie and myne as notwithstanding the great losse of his men he himselfe being also shot in the cheeke hee forced them to yeeld by composition It is not ten yeares since the Spaniards made an other enterprise but it succeeded not It was much defaced by these two sieges but it now begins to recouer it selfe HASSEL THis town is called Hassel vpon the Vidre to distinguish it from Hassel nere vnto Tongre in the country of Liege it is two leagues from Volenhouen in ancient time a good and ritch towne by reason of the commoditie of the riuer of Vidre which runnes into the Zuyderzee at Gheelmuyden beeing mingled with the two little riuers of Regge and Veecht It is at this day reasonably well fortefied but it hath no such trafficke as it it was accustomed yet it is a prettie towne and well gouerned OLDENZEEL IS the towne which they call in Latin Veteres Salij from whence some will maintaine but without any great ground that the lawe Salike comes It hath also felt the fruits of their last warres hauing beene besieged in the yeare of our Lord 1605. and yeelded to the Marquis Spinola for the Arch-dukes Albertus and Isabella of Austria Dukes of Brabant Earles of Flanders c. It is a reasonable great towne and of good trade where they make great store of fine lynen cloth which they sell in the Netherlands and is sent into Spaine OTMARSVM IS called in Latin Veteres Marsii which are the old Marsians whom Pliny and Titus Liuius doe often mention being seated in the country of the Tubantins which at this present is Tuent a quarter in the Prouice of Oueryssel It is a little towne and of small importance yet hath it thrise tasted the fruites of warre as well by siege as otherwise Beeing vnable to endure a long siege by reason of the weaknesse thereof lying in an open country whereas either partie being Maister of the field might easily cut off their victualls In the yeare 1592. Prince Maurice tooke it in lesse then foure and twenty houres where as the Siegnior of Famas Generall of the artillery for the Estates was slaine a gentleman much lamented by the Prince and of all men of warre of his partie within these three yeares the Marquis Spinola recouered it with as much ease To conclude this towne and Oldenzeel are so weake as they must yeelde to the first enemie that comes with
any force for to besiege them ENSCHEDE THis towne is of reasonable good traffick situated in the open country in the quarter of Tuent a league from Oldenzeel and two from Otmarsum it felt in the yeare 1597. the waight of Prince Maurices forces to whom it was forced to yeeld by composition at the same time when as Grolle Brefort Lingen and others were taken VOLLENHOVEN VVAs not 30. years since a good town lying vpon the gulphe of the Zuyderzee two leagues from Steenwyck It was wont to haue a faire great and pleasant castle which was the court of the Princes Bishoppes of Vtrecht when as they came into the high dioceses and therefore it was a town renowned where there was good commoditie of victualls brought thether both by water and by land And moreouer after that the temporall Estate of Vtrecht came vnto the Emperor the Gouernor of the Prouince and the councell made their residence there But the last troubles haue greatly impayred it and the castle is ruined GHEELMVYDEN HAth runne the same fortune that Vollenhouen from whence it is a league distant and as much from Hassel that stands vpon the Gulphe of Vidre towards the Zuyderzee hauing towards the land the pleasant pastures of Maesterbrouck in like manner a league from Campen The castle wherein the King of Spaine was wont to keepe a garrison hath beene also ruined MEPPEL THis towne is seated vpon a little brooke which neere vnto Gheelmuyden falls into the Vidre It was neuer of any great importance and now it is in a manner all ruined HARDENBERG WAs in ancient time a good towne vpon the same riuer of Beecht where there was wont to bee a good castle whereas the Bishops of Vtrecht tooke great delight for that it stood in an open country It is mid-way betwixt Coeworden and Ommen both the towne and castle are to this day almost ruined by these last warres COEWARDEN BEfore the last siege which Prince Maurice of Nassau laied before it the which hee tooke by composition it was but a little base towne commanded by a great and strong castle The Drossart hearing of the Princes approach caused the sayd towne to be burnt and ruined to the end the enemy should haue no commodity to lodge there yet hee did so presse this towne both by battry and myne as the Drossart was forced to yeeld it some two moneths after the taking of Steenwyck by the sayd Prince lying in the same countrie of Oueryssel in the yeare 1593. Cont Herman vanden Berghe and Verdugo went to besiege it but when as they saw they could not preuaile any thing neither by battery nor myne hauing changed their first resolution and thinking to famish it in time they stopt vp all the passages with forts so as nothing could enter into it yet the Princes men that were in garrison within the castle maintained themselues with great constancy and resolution a whole winter vntill the Spring when as the Prince came with a good army to victuall it in despight of all these forts which Cont Herman and Verdugo seeing abandoning all their forts or burning them they retired wherefore the Prince hauing victualed it at ease and supplied it with fresh men the same Sommer being in the yeare 1597. hee went to besiege the towne of Groning the which hee tooke as wee wil shew hereafter Since the Estates haue giuen order for the repayring of the towne for that it is a good passage to goe by land into Frisland the countries of Groning Westphalia Breme and other places RYSSEN IS seated vpon the riuer Regge the which runnes into Vidre at Hessel and passing from thence before Gheelmuyden it falls into the Zuyderzee It is so little and at this day so deformed as it merits not the name of a good towne DIEPENHEM VPon the same riuer of Regge it is a league or little more from Ryssen and two leagues from Enschede At this present it is but a Bourrough although with all the small townes it hath the priuiledges of a towne GHOER IS a Borrough standing vpon a brooke which runnes into Regge at Diepenhem from whence it is a league distant It hath during these warres had a great fort which was alwaies taken when as eitheir party was maister of the field DELDEN THis was wont to bee a good towne and of trafficke but now is much decaied by reason of the last warres hauing beene subiect to the passing and lodging of souldiars of either party for as I haue sayd hee that was maister of the field was alwaies maister of those petty places AMELOO IS built vpon a brooke comming from Oldenzeel the which two leagues from thence falls into the Vidre it is at this present but a Bourg WILSEN IS at this daie but a village seated vppon the waie as you goe from Campen to Swolle yet hath it the priuiledges of a towne and is numbred among the lesser townes GRAFFHORST IS situated vpon the gulfe of the riuer of Yessl entring into Zuyderzee halfe way betwixt Campen and Gheelmuyden It is but a small village not so good as Wilsen yet hath it the title and rights of a towne All this is comprehended in the country of Oueryssel which is the seauenth in ranke of the eight vnited Prouinces of the Netherlands which haue recouered their liberty by armes and acknowledge at this day no Soueraigne Prince but the generall Estates of the sayd vnion which eight Prouinces are the Dutchie of Geldres the Earledomes of Holland Zeeland and Zutphen the Siegneuries of Vtrecht Frisland Oueryssel and Groning West-Frisland whereof they might make a Prouince by it selfe is comprehended vnder the county of Holland who giue it the name of Noort-holland which the West-Frisōs wil not willingly heare of for they haue their particular Estates Admiralty Officers and Mynte Prince Maurice of Nassau hath this Prouince of Oueryssel vnder his gouernment with Geldre Holland Zeeland Zutphen and Vtrecht The assembly of the Estates of the said Prounice both generall and particular is diuersly made according to the ancient customes preheminences of euery quarter not tied in that regard to any townes but according their order and ranke the deputies changing often I haue seene them held in a country house Wherefore wee cannot specefie any certaine place of their assembly by reason of their often change Yet there remaines a certaine forme of a colledge of Estate in the towne of Deuenter But it cannot resolue of any affaires of importance which must bee referred to the assemblie of the Estates for the whole Prouince wheresoeuer it shal be held Yet when as the affaires shall tend to the good or preiudice of the generality of the vnion they must referre them to the assemblie of the generall Estates of all the vnited Prouinces the which is commonly kept at the Hage in Holland Groningue with the Ommelands THe Estate of the towne of Groningue and the Ommelands which are country iurisdictions consisting of many good Borroughs Villages Abbaies and
Monasteries are situated betwixt the riuers of Ems and Lanwers and make a Siegneury or Prouince which is numbred among the 17. of the Netherlands and the eight in ranke of the vnited Prouinces which are represented and gouerned by the common consent of the Estates of the sayd Prouince Before that we treat of this Estate in general we wil first speake of the town of Groningue which giues the name vnto the whole Prouince which name some hold was giuen it by Grunnius issued from the bloud of the Kings of Frisland who was the founder and not that Troian of whom Sebastian Munster speakes This towne is seated in a pleasant soyle enuironed with goodly pastures some thinking that it hath taken the name from the greenes thereof this worde of Groen signifying greene Ingen being as an adiectiue which makes vppe the word wherof there are many both in this and other Prouinces of the Netherlands as Husinghe Finelinghe others in the country of Groeningue Harlinghe in Frisland Vlaerdinghe in Holland Flissinghe in Zeeland Poperinghe in Flanders and others els where This towne with the dependances was heretofore giuen to the Bishops of Vtrecht in the yeare 1057. by the Emperor Henry the third and others going before him and by their successors since that the Normans destroied the towne of Vtrecht whereof they gaue letters of Estate to the sayd Bishops of the which they haue alwaies made vse vntill the end of the last age The which notwithstanding was often taken from them as well by the Groningers themselues as by the Princes which haue seazed vpon that Siegneury amongst others Albert and George Dukes of Saxony who had the gift from the Emperors Frederic and Maximilian and Edsard Earle of Embden whom they accepted for their Lord all which did not acknowledge the Bishops of Vtrecht This towne is inricht with two small riuers Huneso and Aha comming out of the countrie of Drenthe through the Ommelands the which compassing about the towne meete in the suburbes which is called Schaytendyep from whence passing by the towne of Dam with other small brookes which ioyne there they fall by the Sluses of Delfzyele into the Dullart which is of the riuer of Ems by the which all ships both great and small take their course to ioyne with the greater which anchor vpon the Dullart and so to goe from thence to sea whether they please There were wont to be twelue churches in this towne whereof three were parish churches the first was Saint Martins the second Saint Walburge which Temple hath the forme of a Mosquee which they say was built by Pagans the Parish beeing now annexed to that of Saint Martin and the third is that of our Lady ioyning to one of the Market places Other fiue are Monasteries and the foure which remaine Hospitalls among the cloisters that of Franciscains being in the midest of the town is conuerted to a colledge for schollers for the study of humanity wherof at my being there doctor Vbbo Ems was Rector the other cloisters monasteries are applied to better vses then to feed idle bellies The foure hospitalls are entertained whereof the first which is great like a parish is called of the Holie Ghost the second Saint Gheertruyde the third Saint Iames and the fourth Saint Anthony There are in this town two goodly market places the one for the greatnesse was called Dat-brede marckt very great and spacious the like whereof is not be seene in any other towne beginning from Saint Martins church-yard going toward the west at the end whereof is the towne-house nere vnto it is the other market-place not much lesse which goes to our Ladies church which they call Ter Aha or fish market At which two market places which is a goodly thing to see there meet 17. of the greatest streets of the towne whereof six go to seueral gates being eight in al that is to Poel port Ooster port Heren port Ter Aa port Botteringe port Ebbing port which gates are called by the name of the said streetes The Spaniards in the Duke of Aluas time did builde a Cittadell at Heren port which the Burgers did ruine when as Gaspar of Robles Lord of Billy a Spaniard Gouernor of the town was deteined prisoner by his owne soldiars and the towne reduced vnder the vnion of the Estates but afterwards it was trecherously yeelded vnto the King of Spaine by George of Lalain Earle of Rheneberg with the murther of the Burgue-master and some Burgers vntill the yeare 1594. that Prince Maurice of Nassau did force it by a siege and furious battery to submit it selfe vnder the obedience of the sayd generall Estates as it continues vnto this day with the Ommelandes This towne hath betweene Poel port and Steeneille port a goodly suburbes with a chanell where the shippes arriue which come from Dam Delfziell and other places of the country with turfes and al sorts of prouision necessary for the towne which suburbes are so fortefied as the Inhabitants thinke themselues as safe there as within the towne it is called Schuytendiep Within these ten yeares the generall Estates for some ielousie which they had of the sayd towne as well for feare of intelligences of some Burgers with the Spaniards as also to take away all occasion for Enno Earle of East frisland to attempt against the sayd towne caused a cittadell to bee built in the which they entertained an ordinary garrison the which kept the mutins in awe There is yet an other suburbe rampared like vnto a fort at the Port Ter Aa an other at the Port of Botteringe and an other beyond the Cittadell all which suburbes haue much endured during the siege and in the last warres as many goodly houses of pleasure as well of gentlemen cittizens as ritch farmers most part ruined doe yet smart for it Finally the situation of this towne is such that as they may carrie and transport whatsoeuer they please by water so may they also doe by land at all seasons of the yeare by the Drenth and other neighbour places to the fronters of Germany which brings great proffit to the towne As for the Ommelandes that is to say the champian country thereabouts which consists of many good Bourges and villages although they bee not subiect to the towne yet by a mutual accord there is such vnity among them as in many things they haue yeelded vnto the towne as the right of the market the staple of marchandise sold by great or by retaile to sell no strange beere nor ale throughout all the country but only such as they doe brew within the towne the which is set downe at large in the letters of the statute in the yeare of our Lord 1455. renewed and augmented in the yeare 1482. And the chiefe point wherein the Ommelands haue yeelded vnto the towne the which they haue enioyed for these many yeares is touching matters of Iustice by the which the wise men of the country are gouerned Inferior
Iudges kept in awe the iurisdiction maintained the pride of the ritch and mighty restrained and the Edicts belonging to the common-weale concerning their authoritie published For the which the Magistrate or Senate of the towne chuse fiue honorable persons fit for those charges to bee renewed euery yeare if for their sufficiencie and merittes they bee not continued two or three yeares these are called Hoft-mannem they are seldome chosen if they haue beene Bourgue-maisters Senators or of the councell These fiue Hoft-mannem tooke knowledge of all things were it by themselues alone or ioyntly with the Senate Their Court was called their iudiciall chamber their authoritie was great ouer all the champian country which by little and little did extend beyond the riuer of Lanâ—vers and then into Ostergoe and Westergoe two chiefe Cantons of Frisland wheerby there grewe great quarrells betwixt the Groningers and Frisons yea among the Frisons themselues diuided into those two cursed factions of the Schyeringers and Wetcoopers To pacefie the which the Emperor Frederick the 3. sent Otto van Langhen a Chanoine of Ments and his councellor into Frisland but hee returned without any effect by reason of the wilfulnesse of the Schieringers The Emperor Frederick dying soone after Maximilian the first his son succeeded in the Empire who sent the same Otto van Langhen again into Frisland with an ample commission giuing them authority as they had before time to choose a Potestate which is as much to say as a Prouinciall Gouernor and to settle the Frisons in their ancient liberties whereby the Groeningers had beene excluded from the confederation which they had with them of Ostergoe and Westergoe But although the Frisons were well inclined to this Election of a Potestate wherein they proceeded so farre as there was one chosen of the chiefe of their Nobilitie and well qualified yet one of the factions held him for suspect either partie desyring to haue one of his league where-vpon their hatred did so increase as Otto preuayled no more then at the first which made the Emperour Maximilian to giue the gouernment Hereditarie of Frisland and Groningue to Duke Albertus of Saxonie as wee shewed in the description of Frisland Duke Albertus hauing afterwards broken this confederation betwixt them of Groening and Frisland ouer whom hee held himselfe halfe Maister seeking to dispose of all things at his pleasure as well within the towne of Groening as in the Ommelands where hee pretended an absolute superioritie which they beeing vnwilling to yeeld vnto hee went to besiege the towne of Groening the which after a long siege hauing endured many Indignities from Duke Albertus and fearing in the end a badde issue of this warre they did call in and receiue for their Protector Hereditarie Edsard Earle of Embden or rather of East-Frisland Lieutenant at that siege to the Duke but discontented with Collonel Vyt vppon certaine conditions amongst others to build a fort or block-house the which was done The Duke seeing himselfe deceiued by the Earle and disapointed of so goodly a prey ment for the recouery thereof to imploy all his meanes holding the Frisons to bee halfe vanquished The Groeningers seeing the Emperour to imbrace the Dukes quarrell and that there was a proscription sent out by the Empire against Cont Edsard who could hardly free himselfe much lesse protect them rather then to fal vnder the proud gouernment of the Saxons they called in Charles Duke of Geldre a Prince that was stirring high minded to vndertake their protection vpon the same conditions that they had receiued Cont Edsard onely the fort which he had built should be razed the which the Geldrois to augment his Signeuries would not neglect sending the Seignior of Oyen to take possession and thus the towne and state of Groning fell into the hands of the Geldrois which was the cause of great warres betwixt the two Dukes of Saxony and Geldres The Geldrois being put in possession of the towne in the yeare 1518. and of the Ommelandes 1521. as such an actiue spirit cannot containe him-selfe within his bounds hee began soone after to attempt as well vp on the rights of the towne as the preuiledges of the Ommelandes The Groningers hauing discouered his practises with Captaine Meinard van Ham for the King of Denmarke vpon the towne of Dam which is of their iurisdiction the which hee pretended to fortefie to keepe Groening in subiection and then to doe all things at his pleasure They seeing them-selues thus circumuented and knowing the dukes intention grew cold in their affection which they did first beare him turning it to the house of Bourgongne where-vpon hauing resolued with the consent of the Ommelands they did write vnto George Schencke Baron of Tautenburg knight of the order of the Golden-fleece gouernor of Friseland for the Emperor Charles the fift according to the resignation which the Duke of Saxony had made vnto him to which effect the sayd Seignor Schencke hauing receiued commission from the Lady Mary Queene of Hungary sister to the Emperor marched with all the forces hee could thether where he entred in Iune in the yeare 1536. and there receiued their oth of fidelity in the Emperors name as Duke of Brabant Earle of Flanders Holland Zeeland c. Lord of Friseland and Ouerissel but vpon certaine conditions that the members and state of the Seigneury of Groning should hold their priuiledges right and statutes as they had receaued them from their ancestors that the towne should hold their ancient Preture and the foraine that they should build a pallace in the towne for the Emperor fit for a Prince but without any fortification the forts in the country should be razed noe new built if necessity did not require it for the defence of the country and of the towne out of whose reuenues there should be yearely payed vnto the Emperor to his successors 12000. crownes vpoÌ„ which conditioÌ„ Phillip K of Spaine was receiuedin Ianuary 1550. Among all the priuiledges of the said towne they haue one very notable which came from their ancestors with an inviolable contynuation which is That noe King Prince Estate nor common-weale can call any Bourger or Cittizen of that towne into iustice nor cause him to bee cited or adiorned before any court but onely before the Senat or his ordinary iudge more-ouer that noe man might appeale from any sentence that were giuen either in ciuill or cryminall causes neither from the court of Hoffmans or iudiciall chamber in that which concernes their iurisdiction from the which no man of what quality so euer may decline moreouer the towne is Lady and mistrisse of her owne lawes and statutes the which by a soueraigne power they may make and vndoe create and abrogate without the authority of any person The Estates of the Ommelands haue also the like authority in their regard The towne hath had a priuiledge to coyne siluer and copper for these foure hundred years and gold since
Lilloo beeing opposite vnto it vpon the riuer of Escault so as all ship s that come from the sea to goe to Antwerp must passe betwixt these two forts But it could not resist the enemies attempts like vnto Lilloo for in the yeare 1584. the Vicont of Gant Marquis of Roubay besieged it and tooke it by assault by a stratageme which he made with a heape of strawe and haie which he caused to bee burnt on the dicke-side where hee gaue the assault so as the smoake being driuen with the winde did so trouble their sights that defended the breach as they were forced with great furie the Vicont killing Collonel Petain who commanded there with his owne hand in cold bloud and causing many Burgers of Antwerp to bee hanged the which was afterwards reuenged vpon the Spaniards and other prisoners which they held in the vnited Prouinces It was since recouered by the Estates vnder whose obedience it hath continued vnto this day Yet it is not like to continue as Lilloo but may well be razed vpon the conclusion of a peace beeing of no such importance as the other TERNEVSE Is a good village of that quarter of Flanders which hath a Baylife Alderman and other officers whereas the vnited Estates did long since build a fort and entertained a good garrison it is situated in the midest of a drowned Land and therefore not easie to approch nor to campe before it for which consideration the Spaniard who will not willingly wet his feet would not attempt it remaining vnto this day vnder the Estates being commanded by a captaine superintendent for them AXELLE IS a little towne in the land of Waes which is one of the best quarters of Flanders which Seruaes van Steelandt great Bayliffe of the said country of Waes deliuered vnto the Spaniard when as the Duke of Aniou was retired after that great folly committed at Antwerp Six or seauen years after Sir Phillip Sidney Gouernor of Flessingue and Collonel Ihon Peron surprised it and deliuered it vnto the Estates in the yeare 1587. the which they much fortefied since by drowning of the great part of the country which makes it inaccessible whereof the said Peron hath recouered a good part during the time that the Estates left him gouernor of the place There are other forts in that quarter of Axelle and of â—erneuse vpon Flanders side as that of Blockersdyek Saint Marguerits and Saint Anthonis-hoeck the which we omit beeing of no great importance nor likely to continue Forts beyond the riuer of Rhine BOERENTANGHE IT is a goodly fort none of the greatest but at this present like a little towne vpon the fronters of the countie of Lingen which is the high-way to goe out of Friseland and Groning into the country of Westphalia and by Cloppenbourg to Delmenhorst and Breme and so to Hamburg Lubecke and other towns of the East country along the Baltique sea Is is entertained with a good ordinary garrison consisting of many halfe companies at the least when I was there wherby in my opinion the Estates did wisely cutting off many Monopolies and occasions of mutynies for that there is seldome any accord where there is diuersitie The countrie about is all moorish or full of turfes wherewith they doe both furnish the place and the countrie about it BELLINGER-WOLDER-ZYEL IS a good village or rather a Borrough at the end of the Dullard where as the riuer of Ems growes narrowest by the which they must passe comming from Embden by water to goe to Boerentanghe leauing the castle of Wedde vpon the right hand where the Estates haue made a fort to defend the county of Lingen yet is it not so well fortefied but it must yeeld to the first enemy if he be Maister of the field As for the other forts dispersed here and therevpon riuers fronters and passages beeing many in number throughout all the vnited Prouinces I haue thought it superfluous to describe them here particularly hauing onely vndertaken the chiefe By this description may be seene that in the said eight vnited Prouinces which make the Estates of the Belgike Common-weale there are aboue sixescore townes great and small and aboue a hundred castles and forts of all sorts entertained with ordinarie garrisons besides their troupes of reserue which they put into townes especiallie in winter or when they haue neede to refresh their companies either of foote or horse where they are well lodged and accommodated Touching the shippes of warre which the vnited Estates doe vsually entertaine as well at sea as vpon the riuers of Rhine Meuse Wahal Ems and others I cannot set downe the number the which is great some-times more some-times lesse according to the necessitie of their affaires they haue some-times a hundred and twenty shippes of warre in paie well armed and appointed with men and munition Their nauigation and trafficke of marchandise extends to the East West North and South I dare boldly saie that the Common-weale of Venice which is held so ritch and mighty an Estate could not haue continued such intestine wars three years as they haue done many and doyet like the ebbing and flowing of the sea whom all the forces of Spaine could neuer vanquish Wherefore wee must conclude that the King of Spaine was ill aduised to intreate them with such rigor as they haue beene forced to oppose themselues and to shake off his yoake Whereas contrary-wise the King his sonne now raigning for feare of some greater inconuenience hath with good aduice declared them free Estates seeing that his father could not with all his forces and treasure depriue them of their liberties and freedomes offring then peace without attending the preiudiciall euent of a warre of a hundred yeares as the Princes of Austria his Predecessors had against the Cantons of Suisses who almost for the like occasions did shake off their yoake neere three hundred yeares since Let vs praie vnto God that their vnion may continue the which may restraine the insolency of some of their Neighbours and norrish peace among them Which God grant FINIS
shoulders and her little childe in her armes and so issued forth But let vs returne to Harlem to the which and that iustly wee may attribute the noble inuention of the Art of printing although some to selfe-willed maintaine that it came from Mogunce ot Mentz an imperiall and electorall towne of Germany but it is for certaine confirmed by many notable and auncient personages of the said towne of Harlem that from father to sonne they haue held and yet to this day doe hold it that about a hundreth and seauenty years agoe there dwelt in the sayd Towne in a very fayre house which is yet to bee seene standing right against the royall Pallace one Laurence Ians surnamed Sachristain which was a good and honourable hereditary office in his family to whome this place of honour which some other heretofore haue robd them off belongs This man walking forth for his recreation into the Wood of Harlem as it was the custome the of best Burguers after dinner supper began to cutte in little peeces of wood the letters of his name printing them on the backe of his hand which pleasing him hee cutte three or four lines which he beat with Inke and printed them vpon paper wherewith beeing much ioyd as it is said the worekman delights in his worke he determined to find out an other kind of inke more fasting and holding and so with his kinsman Thomas Peterse who left foure sonnes who al came to the place of Burguemaisters which I speak to that end that I would haue no man thinke that so noble an inuention could haue beginning from low-spirited and mechanical men found out an other way to print whole sheetes but of one side only which are yet to be seene in the said towne and besides a booke in Flemish called the mirrour of health which hee did in the instancy of this art no inuention being brought to perfection at the first assay and assaying to print the sheet on the other side the right side tooke not and so hee spoyled the impression Afterwards he changed his letters of wood into lead and after that into tinne to make them more firme lesse plyant and more dnrable the remainder of which Caracters are yet to be seene in the house of the said Laurence since possest and dwelt in by Gerard Thomas an honourable old Cittizen who died within this fifty yeares This new Art neuer seen before made euery one so inamoured of it that it yeelded him much profit and his businesse so increased that he was constrayned to take seruants to help him but in the choyce of them he was so curious that hee intertained not any but hee took an oth of thē not to discouer the art to any body beeing very desirous to keepe the principall secrets to him-selfe yet notwithstanding al his care one of his seruants called Iohn of his owne surname who hauing learnt to compose cast the letters and other things belonging to this Art spyed his time and oportunity to runne away the which he did vppon Christmas day at night when euery body was at Euen song and his maister absent taking away the Caracters other thinges belonging to this Art running away like a Domestique theefe with the goods and honour of his maister to Amsterdam from thence to Cologne and afterwards to Mogunce or Mentz where he might liue more safe and keepe open shop of his theft Laurens Ianse printed the Doctrinall of Alexander a grammar then much in vse and the treatises of Peeter of Spaine Behold then what hath beene affirmed from time to time by many ancient and honorable personages of the first inuention of it besides the good and sufficient proofes that they of Harlem haue wherefore it were a great wrong to robbe them of the honor of this inuention as that theefe did his Maister to make his name famous in the towne of Mentz Polidore Virgill in his treatise of the inuention of things attributes it to one Iohn Gutttenbergh a gentleman of Germany I must needs grant that the art by succession of time was brought to a greater perfection then in Holland but they like infants suckt their milke from Laurence Ianse of Harlem the first inuentor Well wee see that it was sufficiently diuulged for in the yeare one thousand fiue hundred fourty eight one Conrade a German also carried this art into Italy and so to Rome After him Nicholas Iohnson a French man inricht it meruelously but aboue all Aldus Manutius a Roman a man well read and very learned in the Greeke and latin tounges brought this art to perfection by his extreame dilligence great trauail neuer shrinking at any charge or trouble but only respecting his honor the publique good so that euery man desired his bookes of Aldus edition they were so neate and exactly printed hee beeing the first that euer sette vp a printing presse for the Greeke tongue The people of this towne of Harlem had the honour of the taking of Pelusium now called Damiette a famous towne in Aegipt which the Christian princes had long time beseeged among whome was William Earle of Holland While the Princes were consulting how they might first get the hauen of the town wnich was shut vp with 2. great chaines of yron fastned to two strong Towers from one side to the other they of Harlem caused a hulke or two bee armed from the toppe to the bottome with sawes made of yron a purpose to cut the chaynes and with a good gale of wind at the returne of the Sea ranne with full sayles spread against the chaines which they broke and notwithstanding all the arrowes and other shotte made at them from the two Towers past on and got the hauen making passage for the rest of the Christian ships and so the towne was wonne The honour whereof was giuen to them of Harlem and in memory of their valour their armes which before was a dry Tree were by the Emperour changed to a Swoord compassed with sixe stars to the which the Patriarke of Ierusalem added vpon the point a crosse Patteé which are at this day the Armes of the towne of Harlem This town was greatly afflicted and distressed in the yeare 1572. the Spaniards lying before it eight moneths to their great losse yet in the end by reason of famine it was constrained to yeeld to the mercy of the the Duke of Alua the violent fury of whose soldiars brought it well neere to ruine During this seege there was obserued in the Bourgers and inhabitants a meruailous resolution to defend and constancy to maintaine them-selues the garrison soldiers they neuer dis-agreeing which gaue examples to the other townes of Holland to arme them-selues against the Spanish fury as we will shew hereafter in the description of the towne of Alcmar Delf THe Towne of Delf heretofore renowned but now much more for brewing good beere which they transporte through all Holland Zeeland and other neighbour countries not much inferior