olde time named Yedam of a current of water which is called Ye vry Yde the which running about the Câ—urch fell by a Sluse which they call Damme into the great chanell of the towne which goes vnto the sea that is to say the Sluse of Yde There is a certaine village in the midest of this water called Middelye The towne is at this present well walled in and ditcht it is famous for the good cheese which is maâ—e there it hath a long hauen to the which there belongs many great and goodly shippes which are built there euery yeare beeing as stately and of as great charge as any in Holland or Zeeland bee it either for warre or Marchandise In the yeare of our Lord 1404. some women of this towne going in barkes to feed their cattell in the neere pastures of Purmermeer they did often see at the ebbing of the water a sea woman playing in the water whereat in the beginning they were afraied but beeing accustomed to see it often they incourraged one an other and with their barkes entred into this water into the which shee was come at a full sea and could not finde the waie out againe these women hauing descouered her made with their boates towardes her and the water beeing not deepe ynough for her to diue vnto the bottome they tooke her by force drewe her into a boate and carried her to Edam where in time shee grew familiar accustoming her selfe to feede of ordynarie meates They of Harlem desired much to haue her to whom shee was sent and liued some fifteene yeares shee neuer spake seeking often to gette againe into the water you may reade this discourse at large in the History of the Netherlands This towne is two leagues equally distant as well by sea as by land from Horne MONICKENDAM THis towne on the South-side lookes towards the I le of Mark which is opposite vnto it the sea therein reasonably still for that it lies vnder the Lee of the sayd Island It is not verie spatious and towardes the Land it is walled and ditcht It takes the name of a Lake neere vnto it called Monicker-meere the which beeing at this daie defended with bankes is made a sea whereas great shippes lie safely beeing couered with that Land The armes of this towne are a Monke clad in blacke holding a mase in his hand whereby wee may conclude that both the Lake and the towne tooke their names from a Monke but why or what hee was it is not knowne This towne was built in the yeare of our Lord and Sauiour 1297. When as the Frisons came thether with a fleete of shippes to goe and succor the Bishoppe of Vtrecht it is but a league from Edam PVRMERENDE THis towne stands in the midest of Moores lying at the end of the Purmer sea where is a Sluce by the which they of the towne sayle towardes Edam Monickendam and other places that border vpon the sayd sea on the other side there is nothing but Lakes which coast the townes of Ryp Graft Wormer euen vnto Alcmar In these three Bouroughes they are ritch men which imploy themselues most at sea as well in fishing for herring as in trade of marchandise At Wormer they make aboundance of good by scuit which they carry to sell in all the townes of Holland Zeeland and Frisland for the prouision of their shippes This towne is verie small it hath beene fortefied during these last warres against the towne of Amsterdam the which in the beginning of the troubles held the Duke of Aluas party but this was allied to the townes of Alcmar Horne Enchuysen Medenblick Edam Monickendam with other places of West-Frisland against whom the Spaniards could not preuaile but lost many men in this watrish countrie the which is rightly called Waterland in the which are the sayd townes of Purmerende the three Boroughes aboue mentioned and many other villages This towne was first built by a priuate person but verie ritch the which came afterwardes with the castle to the Earles of Egmont and ioynes vnto his hauen vpon Alcmar side It is verie cheape lyuing there by reason of the aboundance of flesh and fish MVDEN THe towne of Mâ—den is seated at the mouth of the riuer of Vecte some fortie yeares since it was but a poore paltrie village feeling then the miseries which it had endured by the burning and spoiles of the Duke of Guelders but within two yeares it was repaired Since the last troubles yea within these twelue yeares it hath beene wholy finished and beautified with ramparts goodly bridges and faire houses It hath a strong castle vpon the gulphe whereas the Vecte runnes into the Zuyderzee This castle is famous by the taking of Floris the fift Earle of Holland who hauing forced the wife of a Knight called Gerard van Velsen was by the conspiracâ—e of many noble men of Holland taken being a Hawking and carried into this castle thinking to transport him from thence into England there to end his dayes and to call home Earle Iohn who had married the Kings daughter but they found no opportunitie to effect it besides the commons of the Waterlanders did rise of all sides to succour him the which the conspirators finding meaning to carry him by land into some other countrie they ledde him from thence but as they were egerly poursued Van Velsen being loth to abandon his prisoner whom hee had mounted vpon a paltrie Iade comming to leape oâ—er a ditch as all the country is full of trenches the horse falling ouerthrew the Earle into the ditch Van Velsen seeing that he could no longer keepe him with a furious desire of reuenge gaue him eighteene wounds with his sword whereof hee died vpon the mount of Naerden whether the pesants carried him Van Velsen and the other conspirators saued themselues in the castle of Croenenburg where they were taken and grieuously punished The Lords of Amstel Woerden and some others escaped and wandred long vp and downe The Siegnior of Nyuclt is captaine of this castle of Muyden with a good garrison well prouided of all things NAERDEN ALthough that this towne hath suffered much being first ruined by that warlike Prelate the Bishop of Vtrecht of the house of Arckel who changed the place of situation and did cause them to build it where it now stands being a faire and a strong towne the which we may iustly say is but a shopp of Weauers whereas they make great aboundance of very fine cloath The houses of this towne are very faire being newly built within foure and thirtie yeares For the Duke of Alua meaning to bee reuenged of the Hollanders who were for the most part reuolted by reason of his tyrannie he sent Don Frederick his sonne thether with an armie who approching neere vnto the towne of Naerden the Bourguemaister councell of the towne went forth to meete him and to present him the Keyes of the towne when being entred with his troops the Bourgers
castle belonging to the Lord of Brederode as wee haue sayd with that of Ameden which is betwixt Viane and Nieuport on the same side Wee haue heretofore made mention of the castles of Woerden Goude Gorchom Medenblyke and Muyden There is neere vnto the towne of Alcmar the castle of Assenburg which is the place of the Lord of Assendelf who hath an other castle nere vnto Rotterdam called Hemingen The castle of Abcoude is one of the Noblest and most antient betwixt Leyden and Vtrecht there is a remainder of a little castle neere vnto Hemskerke seated vpon a hill with foure towers the which for the hight doth some times serue as a sea-marke vnto Mariners Those of the house of Adrichom had a castle neere vnto Beuerwyke which the Frisons did raze and ruine with the ruines whereof the Siegnior Antony Vander Bâ—rcht heire of that place by his mother hath caused a house and a farme to bee built there all walled about The old castle of Riuiere nere vnto Schiedam as wee haue sayd doth belong vnto the Siegniors of Matenesse After it is Kenebourg belonging vnto Iames of Egmont van Merensteyn or to his heires Then Mereburg to the Siegnior of Lochorst and the castle of Duyuen nere vnto Seuenhuysen to the Siegnior of Sprangen There was nere vnto the Hage not farre from Voorburg a castle called Elin at this present wholie ruined The ruines of the castle and temple of Hildegarde within a league of Rotterdam are yet to bee seene vpon a high eminent place whereas in old time there kept one Hildegarde a kinde of Sibille or diuine whose Oracles did represent the times which wee haue now seene in Holland There yet remaines a tower all tattered the ground of which castle is the inheritance of the house of Matenesse Within the compasse of the walles of Rotterdam there is to be seene the ruines of Bulgestein and of the castle of Veen which they call Thoff that is to say the Court so as the gate which is set in that place is called the Hoff-port You may see vpon the riuer of Schye the remainders of the castle of Sterrâ—burg the which belongs vnto the Siegnorie of Duyvenvorde there was also in former times an old castle in the village of Capelle whereof the ruines are yet to bee seene it comes from the house of Naeldwycke and doth now belong to the Earles of Aremberghe The castle of Hodenpyle in the iurisdiction of Vlaerdinghe is quite downe The like hath happened to the castle of Polanen the which did belong vnto one of the noblest families of Holland All these ruines happened during their cursed factions of Hoecks Cabillaux wherof these Noblemen were the chiefe supporters taking a diuilish delight to ruine one an others houses yea in townes the strongest factions of the Bourgers chasing awaie the others which factions continued not much lesse then two hundred yeares The castle of Velsen for that Gerarde van Velsen Knight had murthered Floris the fift Earle of Holland was in like manner ruined nothing remayning but certaine old peeces of walles the ground whereof belongs vnto the heires of Ianus Douza Siegnior of Nortwyck nerevnto which ruines Adrian Groeneveen a rich Bourger of Harlem hath built a faire house with large ditches almost like vnto a castle Sandenburg which was a castle of the Earles of Holland after that the Court had beene transported from Grauesandt to the Hage by Count William King of Romaines was also ruined and so remaines The like happened to the castle of Zyle in old time called Thoff van Zyle The castle Ter Does had beene also ruined but within these foureteene or fifteene yeares it hath beene repaired Altena that is to say to nere so called for that it was feared by them of Delfe by reason of the fort beeing neighbour vnto them belongs to them of Almonde Croeswyck on the other side of the riuer of Rotter and Croelinghen halfe a quarter of a league from Rotterdam are also ruined but if the Signior of Croelinghen had a good purse it should bee soone repaired Louestin right against Worcom and Henselaers-Dyck neere vnto Naeld-Wyck are yet in being Of the Nobility of Holland I Will content my selfe with that which diuers Authors haue written touching Nobilitie how it is pourchased and maintained what the dutie is and wherein true Nobilitie consists who desiers to be instructed let him read Adrianus Iunius in his Battauia in the chapter De Nobilitate Batauica But I will here relate succinctly what the ancient Nobilitie of Holland was how it came to decline and what hath remained The ancient Nobilitie of Battauia or Holland tooke their greatest exercises in Armes by the which they sought the degrees of honour for as Tacitus saith Vt Gallos pro libertate Germanos pro praeda ita Batauos pro gloria ad capessendam pugnam olim fuisse instigatos As the Gaules for libertie the Germaines for prey so the Battauians were in old time prouoked to enter battaile for the desire of glorie They were most commonly the best mounted and had the fairest and most resolute troupes of horse that serued vnder the Romaine Emperors After that Holland had a particular Prince beginning with Thierry of Aquitane their first Earle the Nobility of Holland began to shew them selues so they grew to haue many great and worthy families a great number of gentlemen who had pourchased their nobility either from their Ancestors or by their own vertues and prowesse But I cannot but lament that so many great noble riche and mightie families are now extinct as well by their intestine warres against the Frisons as against strangers for which consideration the heyres males fayling the successions fell to the women and so came to other families besides the furie of Gerard van Velsen had many companions all which were put to death and their neerest kinsmen pursued to the death euen vnto the ninth degree a most cruell reuenge and such as could escape were forced to become vagabonds in forraine countries such as had hidden themselues vntill this furious reuenge was past were afterwards forced to take borrowed names of other families and to leaue their owne To come then to that which remaines and to those which are past We will say that the house of Wassenare as wee haue said else-where was the most ancient of Holland as it appeares by this common prouerbe Vassenare the most ancient Brederode the most noble for that they descend from the first Earles and Egmond the most rich Wee haue scene in this last age Iohn of Wasenare the subduer of the Frisons a braue and valiant Knight who was slaine in those warres leauing one onely daughter and heire married to the Earle of Lingue whereby this familie and surname is extinct The memorie of the house of Brederode may easily be found in the Annales of Holland being come from Ziphard the second sonne of Arnulph the third Earle of Holland and Zealand who to auoyd his fathers
wrath retyred into Freezeland and there without his priuity he marryed the Potestats daughter of the country by whome hee had two sonnes Thierry and Simon Being afterwards reconciled to his Father he had certaine land alotted him for his portion which was measured by the great rod the which in the country language is Brederode fâ—om whence they tooke their name His father gaue him also the Castle and Territory of Theylingen the which Zyphard at his death disposed to his two sons to Thierry he gaue Brederode and to Simon Teylingen from whence are issued the two families of Brederode and Teylinge the which ended by the death of two bretheren who were slaine with their Prince VVilliam King of Romans in the warre against the Frisons As for that of Brederode we haue seene foure bretheren of the right lyne dye also in the warres against the French in few yeares so as it fell by a collaterall line vnto VValrauen Lord of the said Brederode Vianen Ameyden c. who hauing not any children and not likely to haue any by reason of his age and his wiues all must returne to Floris of Brederode his Brothers sonne who may raise vp the house being now halfe extinct The beginning of the house of Egmont is doubtfull for the Lordes thereof cannot truly shewe a continuance of their descent for three hundred yeares yet they say they are issued from Radbod I know not which King of the Frisons but I thinke it would bee a tedious thing to finde out this pedigree Such as contradict it say that they are descended from a Receiuer of the Abbay of Egmond which Office had beene called Aduoe and vnder this title hauing inriched them-selues with the goods of this Abbaie by little and little they attained to great wealth and thereby to great allyances which haue augmented their house as well in possessions as degrees of honour so as in the end they marryed a daughter of the famous house of Arckel the which was heire to the Dutchie of Geldres Whereas Arnold of Egmond the first Duke of that house had one sonne called Adolph who did much trouble his father yea hee detained him in prison vntill that Charles Duke of Burgongne sette him free Adolph retyring into France marryed a Lady of the house of Bourbon who hauing one son named Charles hee was afterterwards slaine being Generall of the Ganthois before Tournay After whose death the Emperour Charles the fift vnder coullor of some transport which hee pretended that Duke Arnold had made vnto duke Charles of Burgongne beeing in dislike with his son hee seazed vppon the whole Duchy but Charles of Egmond sonne to Prince Adolph for he was neuer Duke with the helpe of the Princes of the house of Bourbon who stirred vp the French King returning into his Countrie hee was receiued and acknowledged for Duke in many townes the Emperors men chased away Afterwards being of a turbulent spirit hee had great warres so as in the end hee dyed about the yeare 1536. without any children and in him failed the distrect lyne of this house of Egmond The Seignieury of Egmond falling to the yonger house who was father to Iohn the first Earle of Egmond which Iohn had one brother MaximliaÌ„ of Egmond Earle of Buren Lord of Iselsteine whose daughter being issued of a Lady of the house of Launoy and the onely heire marryed with William of Nassau Prince of Orange so as the possessions of these two houses of Buren and Launoy are discended to Prince Philip eldest son to the deceased Prince of Orange as wel by his grandfather as by his father Some do account next among the most ancient and Noble families that of Vander Merwue as descended from Merouee King of France in honour of whome some beleeue that in that place the riuer of Wahall was changed into Meruwe but this Original is farre fetcht There is yet some remainder of a Tower in the midst of Meruve which in old time was the place where they payed toll the which is now receiued in Dordrect whereas the Baron of Meruve who is also Lord of Aspren hath one day in the yeare all right of superiority and power to pardon murthers and al other offences The house of Arckel did for a long time command insolently in the Earldome of Teysterbandt betwixt the Wahal and the Leck the which the riuer of Linge doth crosse and passing through Gorichom it fals into the Meruve In this County there are many other Townes then Gorichom with the Castle as Leerdam Henkelom Haerstricht Aspren Euersteyn Hagesteyn and Gasprien wherof the three last and Haarstrecht haue beene burnt and ruined It seemes that all the neighbour Princes haue conspired against this house for their great pride For Frederick Bishop of Vtrecht hauing taken Gaspren Hagestein and Euersteyn he ruined them quite The Lord of Vianen wrested Rhynstein from him Arnold Duke of Geldres tooke Leerdam and Steenvoerd Albert Duke Bauaria Earle of Holland took Haestrecht from him and ruined it Afterwards the said Duke bought of Iohn the last Lord of so many townes and Seigieuries that of Gorichom with consent of his sonne and vnder his hand writing who notwithstanding soone after disavowed the contract the which hee brake after his fathers death and found meanes to surprize the said towne The Countesse Iaqueline went thether with an armie besieged it and took it by assault whereas the said young Lord receiued the reward of his disloyalty for he was slain there These Lords of Arckel were so mighty as besides the County of Teysterband in the which are the townes aboue mentioned they had liuing in Brabant Lembourg Bar Vtrecht Geldre Holland and Zeland which possessions made them proud arrogant hatefull vnto their neighbours ouer whom they did insult vntill they came to the end which we haue spoken of The house of Batenbourg is without al question one of the most ancient taking their name from Prince Batto from whome Battauia is come whereof there were of great fame for their vertue some fiue hundred yeares since Albert Rodolphus and Thierry Lordes of Battenbourg as of late Thierry Gâ—sbercht and VVilliam who beeing Lieutenant to the Prince of Orange leading an army to victuall Harlem beseeged by the Duke of Alua was defeated by the Spaniards This Towne of Battenbourg was afterwards burnt and the Castell held long by the Spaniardes The sayd Ghisbrecht had besides William three other sons wherof one was traiterously slayne at Collogne Ghisbrecht and Thierry beeing taken prisoners in the Warre by the Earle of Arembergh hee deliuered them to the Duke of Alua who caused their heades to bee cutte off at Brusselles with other Gentlemen of their religion But it was not long before this Earle receiued his due punishment for before a yeare past hee was slayne in Battaile in the same Countrie where hee falsified his faith to these two young Barons The race of the Lordes of Harlem is also very ancient and noble who they say
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
the largenesse of the gulfe where as the Meuse and the Rhine ioyned together fall into the Ocean or Brittish seas in which place they say that Claudius Ciuilis issued from the bloud royall of the Battauians did fight with the Romaine fleete but with-out any great gaine to eyther parte This word of Briele doth well agree with that of Hiele in Plinie which for the largenesse of the gulph may bee called Bre-heile which is a large heele and by corruption of the tongue Briele This towne with that of Gheervlyet a small towne in the same Island of Vorne are reasonablie good the Inhabitants for the most part are sea-faring men which gette their liuing by fishing and that which belongs therevnto The ayre of this towne is grosse and heauie lying so neere vnto the sea so as it is euery yeare visited with some disease or other The countrie about it is very fertill and yeelds aboundance of good wheate and all other victuals are plentifull and good cheape there SCHOONHOVEN THis towne takes his name of the goodly and pleasant gardens which are both within and about it abounding in diuerse sorts of fruites For this worde Schoonhoven signifies goodly gardens It is situated vpon the left banke of the riuer of Leck they hold that it was built of the ruines of the towne of Nieuport the which at this day is but a Bourg on the other side of the sayd riuer opposite to Schoonhouen In all this passage euen vnto the village of Leckerke there is great fishing for Salmons which they sell in the said towne and the villages there-abouts Christopher Longolius that excellent Orator was borne in this Towne although that some would haue him a French-man or a Wallon The which Peter Longolius his Vncle a very learned man did witnesse whose testimonie is sufficient to confute all other opinions There passeth a channell through this towne which comes out of the riuer of Yssell very commodious to passe from one riuer vnto the other ISELSTEYN IT is a small towne but very strong beeing so fortified by reason of their great warres It is so called of a little channell which passeth comming out of the riuer of Yssell There had beene a long controuersie betwixt the Hollanders and them of Vtrecht for the iurisdiction of this towne either partie pretending an interest Some foure and thirtie yeares since the Church steeple was burnt by lightning from heauen but did no other harme vnto the towne It is of the patrimonie of the house of Egmont whereof the last Lord was Maximilian of Egmont Earle of Buren and Iseisteyn who left one daughter sole heyre to the Lord of Launoy whom William Prince of Orange did marry being his first wife so as all the inheritance of these houses of Buren and Launoy came to Phillip William and to the Lady Mary of Nassau Countesse of Hohenloo his sister WOERDEN IS a reasonable good towne and well built with a market place whereas all prouisions are to bee solde once a weeke it stands in a moore hauing a strong castle whereas they keepe prisoners of importance as of late dayes the Admirall of Arragon the Earle of Busquoy and others The Lord of Hierges hauing taken Oudewater as wee haue said for the Duke of Alua the towne of Schoonhoven he went to besiege Woerden where hauing begun to make his approches and to plant boates for his batterie they of the towne let goe all their Sluses the which in one night drowned the countrie about so as hee was forced to rise and leaue two peeces of ordinance This towne was built by Godfrey Bishop of Vtrecht a man giuen to armes to suppresse the courses of the Hollanders And therefore the superioritie thereof was for a long time questionable betwixt the Earles of Holland and the Bishops of Vtrecht It hath for long time had a particular Lord among others a brother to the Lord of Amstel who being one of the conspirators of the death of Cont Flo is the fift fled and continued a vagabond since bâ— the law of Armes the Hollanders haue enioyed it VIANE IT is a little square towne seated vppon the left banke of the riuer of Leck a free Baronie belonging to the house of Brederode which would neither be subiect to the King of Spaine nor to the Earles of Holland whereof there hath bin some question yet it is held of the dependances of Holland but it is not yet decided It hath a faire Castle which is the ordinarie aboade of Walrard Lord of Brederode Baron of Viane Ameide c. hauing a large iurisdiction It hath endured much after the retreate of Henry Lord of Brederode in the yeare 1567. SAINT GERTRVYDENBERGHE THis word signifieth the mount of Saint Geertruyde it may be for that the place had beene dedicated to that Saint It is a strong towne both by nature and art situated vpon the left bankâ— of the riuer of Meruve more famous for the taking of great Salmons then any part of all the Netherlands and such aboundance of Aloses or troutes as on a market day you may see aboue 18000. great and small and many great stuâ—gions which in a conuenient season are transported to Antwerp Brusselles Gand Bruges and other places besides that which is distributed into Holland Zeeland and the rest of the vnited Prouinces The like is found in the riuer of Yssel nere vnto the towne of Campen in the country of Oueryssel In former times there hath beene great controuersie for the proprietie of the sayd towne the Brabansons pretending a title therevnto for that it stand on their side and the Hollanders making claime also vnto it by reason of their ancient possession Which question proceeded so farre there beeing no meanes to reconcile it as the Estates of Holland when they did receiue their Earles bound them by a sollemne oâ—h to keepe it vnder the sayd Earldome and they of Brabant on the other side did binde their Dukes to recouer it Yet it appeeres plainely by the Chronicle of Holland that when as their Earle who was also Earle of Henault intended to goe to Mons Valenciennes or any other place of the sayd Earldome the Nobility of Holland came to accompanie him to this towne whether they of Henault came to attend him and did conduct him whether he would goe as also in his returne they brought him thether where as they of Holland did incounter him to conuoie him into Holland This towne is of the inheritance of the house of Nassau in whose name it was cunningly surprized in the yeare 1573. and so continued vnder the vnion of the vnited Estates vntill that some leud persons vnder collour of an ill grounded mutynie sold it in the yeare 1588. to the Duke of Parma for readie money But since in the yeare 1593. it was recouered by siege in viewe of the old Earle of Manffeldt who was generall of the King of Spaines armie and gouernor by prouision after the death of the Duke of Parma
tooke their beginning from the Kinges of Freezeland which had built the Castell of Harlem according to their name in the yeare a thousand sixe hundred The ruines of this Castell are yet to bee seene not farre from Hemskerke It appeares by the Annales of Holland that one Isbrandt of the house of Harlem did accompany the Ladie Sophia Princesse of Holland and Prince Otto her yongest sonne in a Pilgrimage which they made through deuotion vnto Ierusalem Some Knights of this house vnfortunate in the warre against the Frisons haue lost their liues there Of this house was Simon of Harlem knight who conuerted a faire house which he had within the wals of the towne into a Cloyster of Carmelites in the yeare 1249. Of which house by changing of the name they of the house of Assendelfe haue obtained the inheritance and the Armes vnto this daie Nicholas Lord of Assendelfe was wont to say that his father hauing built the Castell of Assenburch had repented him a hundred times that hee had not set it vppon the ruines of the Castell of Harlem to preserue the honour of antiquitie This house of Assendelfe takes his name from the Village which is richer the which in ancient time as at appeares by old Charters was called Asâ—maundelfe Cralinghen or rather Carolinghen is said to haue had their beginning from the Emperour Charl maigne for the French had for a long time caused a part of Germanie and Gaule to be gouerned by them of Meruwe and Craelingen which are two noble families and very famous in Holland We read that the house of Heusden where there is a towne and Castle is issued some eight hundred yeares since from the Earles of Cleues hauing carryed the armes as well of Edmond King of England whose daughter Baldwin Lord of Heusden stole away and marryed her who hauing many children by her would haue his nephewes to carry a wheele of Geules in a field Or. The reason was that when as the King of Englands seruants sent to seeke his daughter came to the Lord of Heusdins they fouÌ„d her spinning at the wheele with some pretty children about her which brought her into fauour againe Since the yeare 1290. the Earle of Cleues resigned all the interest he had to the Lordships of Heusden and Altena to Floris the sixt Earle of Holland to hold them of him in fee but this resignation did not hold long for the Duke of Brabant came and fell vppon Heusden and became maister of it but he held it as little for Count VVilliam of Bauaria being a mediator betwixt the duke of BrabaÌ„t the Earle of Flanders dealt first for himselfe in such sort as hee should haue HeusdeÌ„ the which hath bin annexed to this day to the conty of HollaÌ„d Those of Duyvenuoorde are issued from the house of VVassenare This word hauing taking his beginning for that two Bretheren of the house of VVassenare being a fishing the elder to cause the boate to aduance said to his younger Brother Dole Voort that is to say aduance which word as a good presage remained to the younger house whereof are come by corruption of the word the Siegnior of Duyuenvoort This name was first giuen to Philippe the second sonne of Aldewyn Vicont of Leyden Lord of Wassenare and of Rhinlandt who also gaue him libertie to carrie his armes which were three Croisants Or in a field Sables Philippe Curat of Wassenare doth report it somewhat otherwise hee sayth this Philippe had fiue sonnes whereof the eldest being heire of the name and armes was called Thierry the second Philippe Signior of Duyuen-Voorde the third Iohn Lord of Polanen who carried in a field Argent three Croissants Sables the fourth called Sandthorst who remained vnknowne and the fifth Arnold of Groenevelt who carried Sinople and the Croisants siluer of which house the Signior Arnold of Groenevelt is yet lyuing beeing Collonel and Gouernor of Nymegen for the vnited Estates In the yere 1353. William of Duyuenvoorde Signior of Osterhout was so ritch as hee knew no end of his welth who hauing no children he would not make his kinsfolks partakers thereof but did build two Monasteries or Cloisters neere vnto Gheertruydenberghe the one of Chartreux Monks the other of Saint Clare And not content with this prodigality of his welth he caused a castle to be built at Osterhout made the towne of Viane to be walled in and dicht as appeeres by his Epitaphe at Brusselles The house of Polanen as wee haue euen now sayd is issued from that of Duyuenvoorde but it was of small continuance for Iohn Lord of Polanen hauing left one onely sonne called also Iohn hee dyed without any heires male leauing one daughter the sole heire of Polanen of Lecce and of Breda the which shee brought in marriage to Engelbert Earle of Nassau who was the first Gouernor of the Netherlands for the Ladie Mary Dutchesse of Bourgogne so as the sayd Siegneuries doe at this day belong vnto the children of William of Nassau Prince of Orange That of Naeldwyck was not of much longer contynuance whereof wee finde that one Baldwin a Knight Gouernor of the castle of Windenesse in Westfrisland a league from Horne carried himselfe valiantlie vntill that for want of victualls and all other necessarie prouision hee was forced to yeelde vppe the place Those of that house conuerted their goodly castle of Wateringhe into a Monasterie which was ruined in these last warres I will make but one house of those of Woude and of Warmont for that the Siegnor of Woude tooke more delight at Warmont which stands in a good ayre and in a goodly country then in the castle of Woude which stands in a Moore so as the castle of Woude being neglected it fell to decay and that of Warmont florished This house of Warmont was wont to beare in a field Or three Lozenges Geules vntill that Thierry of Wassenare Vicont of Leyden giuing the possession of certaine Lands in the yeare of our Lord 1359. to Iames the foureteenth Lord of Warmont hee suffred him to carrie his owne Armes which is a band Or vpon a field Azure betwixt three Croisants Argent which that house carries vnto this daie But those of that house beeing partakers of the furie of Gerard van Velsen the murtherer of Count Floris the fifth they were for the safe-gard of their liues forced to abandon the countrie But some fiue yeares after the death of Cont Iohn the sonne of Floris Iohn of Henaut beeing Earle of Holland to whom Iames Lord of Warmont did great seruice at the defeate of the Bishoppe of Vtrecht all iniuries beeing troden vnder foote this house was reconciled to their Prince and so haue continued in good Estate vnto this daie Those of Poelgeest are also of a famous race the which in olde time had a castle of the same name in the quarter of Oestgeest the village whereof was called Kerkwerve the which by changing of the name is now called Alcmada I
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
before whome the father casting his gloue defied the sonne But the Duke who loued this Adolph labored to perswade the father to resigne the Duchy vnto his Sonne and that being now very old he should retire to Graue and content him-selfe with that peece and three thousand florins rent wherevpon Adolph like an vnnaturall and barbarous sonne hearing this proposition made by Duke Charles of Bourgongne answered that he had rather cast his father head-long into a wel and him selfe after then accept of that composition That it was reason seeing his father had gouerned forty foure yeares that he should also come in his rancke to the Principality and enioy it as his father had don Adding that he was well content his father should haue 3000 florins yerely for his entertainment but he must depart out of the country and siegneury of Gelders and neuer enter more into it Duke Charles hearing these speeches and noting the cruelty of a sonne towards his father seemed so much incensed thereat as Adolph fearing his fury fled in a disguised habit thinking to saue him-selfe in Gelders but beeing knowne neere vnto Namur hee was taken and put in prison at Villevord from thence carried to Courtray where hee remayned till after the death of Duke Charles In the mean time the father to be reuēged of his son sought to dis-inherit him resigning his Duthcy of Gelders County of Zutphē vnto Duke Charles vppon certaine conditions By which resignation the Princes of the house of Austria haue so much pretended vnto the sayd Dutchy as in the end after the death of the last Duke Charles of Egmont they haue inioyed it although by right it should descend to VVilliam Duke of Cleues whome the Emperor forced to yeeld it vnto him And to return to Adolph he was freed from his prison at Courtray by the Ganthois who made him their Generall against the Frēch king Lewis the 11. where this vngrateful son was slaine before Tournay receiuing the fruits of his desert hauing bin so cruel to his father Duke Arnould dying afterwards at Graue he instituted vpō caution the said duke of Bourgongne to be his heyre dis-inheriting his son Adolph of the succession as contumax ingrat rebellious But the Geldrois refusing to accept of Duke Arnolds disposition testament the duke of Bourgongne went with a mighty army and by force took possession of the country receiuing their othes of fealty homage whervnto he forced the townes the Nobility of Gelders And the better to assure this new Estate he purchased from Gerard Duke of Iuilliers and his children all the interest they had or might hereafter pretend vnto the Duchie of Gelders This done hee sent Charles and Philip the sons of Adolph whome he had by a Princesse of the house of Bourbon to be bred vp in Flanders and by that meanes the Duke of Bourgongne remained in quiet possession of the Estate of Gelders and dying left the succession to his onely daughter and heyre who was married to the Emperor Maximillian but the Geldrois refusing to obey him he raised a mighty Army and came to Boisleduc where-with the Estates of Gelders being terrified they acknowledged him for their Prince in the right of his wife and did sweare obedience vnto him And so Maximillian gotte the quiet possession without any effusion of blood the which he inioyed vntil that Charles the sonne of Adolph who had bene taken prisoner with the Earle of Nassau in an incounter neere vnto Bethune by the French and afterwards by reason of his Allyance by the mothers side set at liberty with the helpe of the French King and his Kinsmen and friendes returned into Gelders with a small Army where without any resistance or difficulty hee was receiued by the people as their lawful Prince and numbred for the eight Duke of Gelders This Duke Charles of Egmont was in his time a valiant and warlike Prince making war against all his neighbors especially against Albert duke of Saxony feudatary of Freezland of Groning Gouernor of a part of the Netherlands for the Emperour Maximillian and the Arch-Duke Philip his sonne who marryed the Lady Ioane of Castile and was afterwards Queen of Spaine after the death of the King Don Ferdinand of Arragon and of Queene Issabelle of Castile her father and mother whereby the Realmes of Spaine came vnto the house of Austria and haue continued vnto this day The said Duke had also great warre against the Lieutenant of the Emperor Charles the fift sonne and successor to the said Arch-Duke Philip so as in the end there was a peace made betwixt them at Gorcum in the yeare 1528. and afterwards in the yeare 1536. there was an other generall peace made in the Towne of Graue The conditions whereof were in substance that Duke Charles of Egmont should hold the Dutchy of Gelders and the County of Zutphen in fee of the Emperor or Duke of Brabant and Earle of Holland for him and his lawful heirs But if hee dyed without issue his Estates and Seigneuries should accrue vnto the Emperor and his heirs This duke died without children in the yeare 1538. And so according to the said Accord and transaction and the rights which his great grandfather the Duke of Burgongne had gotten these countries should descend vnto the said Emperor But Iohn Duke of Iuilliers pretending an interest by reason of their ancient rights renounced and sold as we haue sayd by his Ancestors was not receiued by the Estates so that after the death of Duke Charles of Egmont the Cleuois had laboured to draw some by loue and others by force vnder the subiection of the King and to make them his vassals where-vppon they tooke armes against him And worshipping the sunne rising more then the sunne seting neglecting the old Duke they did chose and receiue his sonne William who was made sure to the daughter of the Duke of Albret and heire to the Crowne of Nauarre which election was confirmed and better established in the yeare of our Lord 1539. by the death of the said Duke Iohn at which time neither the Emperors title nor authority could preuaile any thing to make him to be acknowledged Lord of this Prouince But this was not all for the Emperor being in Spaine his countries were sodainly inuaded by the French King and this Duke William Where-vppon the Emperour beeing returned from his last vnfortunate voyage of Affricke hee went into the Netherlands with a mighty army and sodainly subdued in a a manner all the townes of the Dutchy of Cleues and Iuilliers and among others those of Duren Sittant Where-with Duke William being amazed and fearing this mighty enemy by the perswasion of the Princes of Germany his Allies he went and humbled him-selfe vnto the Emperor in the towne of Venlo to whom he was reconciled yeelding absolutely vnto him the said Dutchy of Gelders and Earldome of Zutphen renouncing also the league which hee had with the French King and
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
know not by what title Cont William King of Romaines gaue the Lordshippe of Hoochmade to this house as also an other William Earle of Holland and Henaut gaue them the village of Coudekerke vppon the Rhine a League from Leyden where there was a mightie castle the which was razed by the factions in the yeare 1489. It was before called Horne whereof the proprietaries were called Lords of Horne whose memory lies buried with their persons Gerard of Poelgest a Knight did afterwards cause this ruined castle to be repaired with the consent of the Emperor Charles the fift as faire as euer who died to soone for his children The castle of Alcmada from the which they of the house take their name is situated in the iurisdiction of Warmond whereof the ruines are yet to bee seene for that which is now called Alcmada standing vpon the current of Marne was wont to bee called Poelgeest as appeeres by the letters of Thierry Vicont of Leyden saying that hee had giuen the inheritance thereof to Isbrandt of Poelgeest We finde that Henrie of Poelgeest and Floris of Alcmada bretheren by the mother liued in the yeare 1320. Those of Culembourg are descended from that Noble and famous Lord Ralfe of Bosicom of the race of the Earles of Teysterbandt The towne of Culembourg is reasonable good standing vpon the riuer of Lâ—ck two leagues from Viane and one from Buren it is now erected to an Earldome belonging to the Lord of Palant Abcoude was wont to bee a famous and mightie family the which had great possessions in the diocese of Vtrecht the towne and castle of Wyckter Duersâ—ede did also belong vnto them the Lord whereof did build the castle of Abcoude in the Moores midde-way betwixt Vtrecht and Amsterdam One Ghisbert of Abcoude did purchase the Lordship of Gaesbecke who gaue it to his yongest sonne Asueres who married a daughter of the Earle of Lygnes by whom hee had one sonne called Iames verie rich and mighty in possessions for beeing Lord of Gaesbeck hee was Siegnior of Abcoude Putten and Streuen all which are goodly Signeuries hauing iurisdictions It was he which fouÌ„ded the Chartreux nere vnto Vtrecht who since after the death of his sonne only heire being taken prisoner in battaile by the Bishop of Vtrecht was to redeeme his liberty forced to yeeld him the Lordship towne and castle of Wyck where since the bishoppes haue kept their ordynarie residence and the castle of Abcoude which since hath beene the aboad of one of the Marshalls of the Diocese of Vtrecht and of his gard which is there in garrison The house of Persin is also an honorable family from the which are issued manie Knights gentlemen of Waterlandt and the I le of Marke right against Monikendam It is at this time wholy extinct The castle of Persin is yet standing without the wood at the Hage The house of Raphorst is noble and very ancient whereof it appeeres that two bretheren had been slaine with their Prince Cont Floris in the warre against the Frisons That of Matenesse hath in like manner with many others taken their beginning from the Lord of Wassenare Vicont of Leyden The house of Vlyet was in old time banished not as guilty of the murther of Cont Floris but in hatred of his brother the Siegnior of Woerden one of the cheefe conspirators so as Gerard van Vlyet going into exile was dispossest of his lands degraded of his armes But afterwards by the intercession of the Lords of Duyuenvoorde and Liâ—htenberg for his valour shewed in battaile for the Earle of Holland where the bishop of Vtrecht was slaine he was receiued into grace and restored to the possession of all his goods The honors which the houses of Woerden Wesson were accustomed to haue were lost in the persons of Herman van Woerden for the murther of Cont Floris whereof Gerard being the first author executioner was cruelly executed beeing rowled vp down in a pipe ful of nailes in the town of Leyden where hee died miserably Herman his father in law being brother to the Lord of Amstel escaped and died poore in exile The house of Amstel was also blemished with this murther namely Ghysbrecht of Amstel Lord of Amsterdam Amsterweel and Iselsteyn who died in exile poore and miserable beeing dispossest of halfe his goods and the rest remayning to his wife sonne Arnold who were besieged a whole yeare in the towne of Amsterdam and were in the end forced to yeeld it vpon condition that for all their goods they should content themselues with the towne castle of Iselsteyn which since came vnto the house of Egmond whereof the Emperor Maximilian the first created Frederic of Egmond first Earle of Iselsteyn of Leerdam Iohn of Henaut Earle of HollaÌ„d had giuen the signeuries of Amstell Woerden to his brother Guy then Prouost afterwards bishop of Vtrecht during his life the which hee caused to bee built but after his death they were anexed againe to the reuenues of the Earle of Holland which then was Cont William surnamed the good The signiors of Schagen are descended from a bastard of Duke Albert of Bauaria Earle of Holland and Henaut who gaue this goodly Siegneury with that of Burchorne to William the first Lord of Schagen and from him successiuely to him that is now vnder the Estates of Holland So the Signiory of Hoocht-wood came from Duke William of Bauariae called the mad Earle for that after two battailes which hee had against the Empresse Marguerite his mother whereof hee lost one with eight thousand men nere â—o Vlaerdingen and the other he wonne hee was distracted of his wittes fifteene yeares and as a madde man was kept close vnto his death to whom Duke Albert his brother succeeded This William gaue vnto his base Sonne the possession of Hocht-Woude and Aertswoude which are two goodlie villages But this line fayling these two places haue past from one to an other Hochtwoude belonging at this day to Cornellis Mirop Receiuer generall of Holland and Westfrisland signior of Caelslagen Sweiten c. The house of Haemstede did begin at Witte who was the first Lord and bastard to Cont Floris That of Horst is of great antiquity the which seemes to haue had many branches as that of Bronckhorst in Gelders that of Lochorst in the countrie of Vtrecht and that of Raphorst whereof the old castle is yet standing betwixt the Hage and Leyden then Bockhorst twise or thrise ruined being a league from Nortwyck but not in that estate it hath beene The family of Dune is also very ancient the only daughter and heire whereof married some thirty yeares since to Thierry the second sonne of the Lord of Brederode who left the title thereof to his children yet carrying the armes of Brederode and not their mothers It continues still in that race who doe also enioy the Siegniorie of Sprangen which came by marriage from them of Wyelsteyn The house of Zyle
retaine vnto this day the trade of many great shippes which arriue there daily laiden with diuers sorts of marchandise and from thence is transported into the other Prouinces of the Netherlands except salt comming from Spaine France and other places the which remaines there to bee refined for the which there are many salt-pannes ' built along and vpon the toppe of the Dyke where it is boyled and made white and then they lade it and transport it to other places And although that new Arnemuyden was not walled in vntill the yeare 1572. yet hath it beene held of all forraine nations for a towne of good esteeme by reason of the nauigation and trafficke for which respect the Earles of Holland and Zeeland did in old time establish their towles and customes due vnto the county of Zeeland This towne hath alwaies enioyed the like priuiledges with the towne of Middlebourg as Bourgeses and subiects thereof vntill the yeare 1572. that they followed the Prince of Oranges partie Soone after the Spaniards surprized it spoiled it slue some and the rest fled wandring vp and downe vntill that in the yeare 1574. the towne of Middelbourg being forced to yeeld vnto the Prince of Orange Arnemuyden was also comprehended in the Accord so as the I le of Walchren beeing then freed euery man returned to his house so as by little and little the towne was fortefied as you see it at this day For the reedefying whereof the Prince gaue it goodly priuiledges and freedomes beeing exempt from the subiection of Vasselage being subiect to Middelbourg by vertue of their contract and causing it to bee walled and ditcht hee gaue them the rights and prerogatiues that belong to a good towne gouerned by their owne Magistrats Baylife Bourguemasters Aldermen and other Officers which they of Middelbourg were accustomed to chose but now they dispose of all matters concerning Iustice and gouernment themselues The towne of Arnemuyden had for many yeares a particular Lord carrying the title of Siegnior of Arnemuyden the last was called Gyles of Arnemuyden who in the yeare 1418. was made Knight and married the daughter of Wolphart van Borsselle by whom hee had two daughters the one Mary the other Marguerite of Arnemuyden Mary married with Nichâ—las of Borssele Siegnior of Brigdame Coudekerke Soeteland and Saint Laurence from whom is issued the house of La Vere Marguerite married William of Vriese Siegnior of Oosteinde from whence is descended the house of Trasigny And as the sayd Giles was the last Lord which carried that name his house fell to the distaffe Those of this towne for the loue of him carry his armes in their seales and armories which they vse to beare and they are at this day two Eagles Or in a field Geules armed and encompassed with Azure and in the midst a sand-hill rising out of the waues of the sea DOMBOVRG ALthough this bee but an open place which is dayly more and more couered with sand notwithstanding all remedies by reason that the winde driues the sand of the sea and downes which couers their gardins and pastures yet beeing esteemed the most ancient towne of the Isle of Walchren whereof there are yet to be seene some old ruines of walles it retaines still the ancient priuiledges municipall rights as the best town of the sayd Island WEST CAPPELLE THis place Bourg or village howsoeuer you will call it doth enioy the like priuiledges of other townes for that the ancient West Cappelle which stood in the same place was wont to bee a good towne and had the best port in al the Island of Walchren which about 150. yeares since was carried away by the inundations of the sea so as there remaines nothing but what wee see of the old buildings hauing notwithstanding bin inlarged with new houses within these thirty yeares the which makes it more commendable SOETELAND IS yet at this day a good place so termed as a sweete country and so it is the sweetest soyle and the best seat in all the Island which makes the Marchants of Middelbourg and Flissinghe to walke thether whereas after they haue recreated themselues they returne at night to their houses There are also in this Island many goodly villages as Oost and West Suybourg a quarter of a league one from the other betwixt Flissinghe and Middelbourg At West Suybourg there is a good castle the which with the village doth now belong vnto the heires of Phillippe de Marnix Siegnior of Saint Aldegonde the light of learned men of our age in which castle the Emperour Charles the fift remained vntill the winde prooned faire to imbarke to make his last returne into Spaine but wee may not forget the important castle of RAMMEKEN OTherwise called Zeebourg which about 60. years since the Lady Mary Queene of Hungary sister to the Emperor Charles the 5. gouernesse of the NetherlaÌ„ds caused to be built vpon the Dyke betwixt Middelbourg Flissing seruing as a bulwark for all shippes that are forced for want of a good winde to come and anchor in the Roade This castle is alwaies well manned with a good garrison and with all things necessary for a place of so great importance being as necessary to be entertained and well kept as any other in all the vnited Prouinces By reason whereof the Queene of England desired to haue it with the townes of Flissinghe and Bryele for caution of the money which shee did lend vnto the vnited Estates some twenty yeares since SCHOWEN IN Latin called Schaldia a Flvuio Schaldi of the riuer of Escault in old time a great Island but the tempests and breaches of the sea haue wonderfully dyminished it It hath yet at this day aboue eight leagues in circuit and it was in those daies so nere vnto the Island of North-beuelandt as the Inhabitants did talke together from one banke vnto the other whereas since there hath beene a great distance But within these twelue years that the sayd Island of North-beuelandt hath beene recouered they are neeâ—er This Island is as fertill and plentifull of all things as any other in Zeeland and therefore it holds the second ranke at the Estates of the sayd Prouince in the which the soueraigne Iudges of the East of Zeeland do commonly reside whom they call the Receiuer of Beâ—osterghelt who hath all power of cryminall causes in that quarter the cheefe towne whereof is ZIRICZEE THis towne is held for the first and most ancient of the countie of Zeeland and as some say it is found in the Annales of the Netherlands that it was built in the yeare of our Lord 849. by one called Zyringus whose name it carries in ancient time very famous for the trade of Marchandise wherevnto it was verie commodious by reason of their goodly port which the marchants did vsually frequent But the sands hauing in tract of time stopt vp the hauen it is now lesse frequented within these twelue or fourteene yeares the townesmen haue made a newe
bulwarkes rampars and counterscarps whereof the first is called by the name of the Island TOLEN THis towne shewes the effect by the name beeing the towle or custome of marchandises due vnto the Prince and now vnto the Estates of the countrie who choose the Officers of Iustice as Bayliffs Sheriffs and others Saint Martins Dyke IS a pretty town some times belonging to Adolph of Bourgogne Siegnior of Beuren the which came afterwards to the house of Buren and now belongs to Philip of Nassau Prince of Orange Earle of Buren by his mother In this territory is the village of Saint Annelandt which is as much to say as a good Bourg belonging also to the sayd Prince Ioyning vnto it is a little Island called Philips Landt these are the foure principall Islands with theâ—r townes Noort-Beuelandt THis Island was drowned as wee haue sayd in the yeare of our Lord 1532. in which inundation there perished the townes of Coortgeen and of Cats the villages of Campen We le Emelisse Haemste and others beeing also the patrimonie of the Prince of Orange which Cont Philippe of Hohenloo his Brother in lawe within these tenne yeares by an agreement made betwixt them hath recouered from the sea and fortefied it rounde about with good bankes so as at this daie it is a good countrie both for tillage and pasture likelie to bee soone built againe with goodly villages as it was wont to bee WOLFERS-DYCK SO called by the name of the Lord Wolphart as much to say as the Dyck of Wolphart it is the least of all these Islands aboue mentioned in the which there are but three villages Wolfers Dyck Sabbinghe and Hogersdyck but there is good pasture for cattel the Inhabitants being most giuen to fishing There are moreouer in Zeeland some other small Islands which are daily recouered from the sea riseing first like bankes of sand so as seeing them thus rise by little and little and to beare grasse they send their sheepe ouer to feede there whereas the shepards haue little lodges and for their cattell they make great barnes or stables where they lie drie in foule weather and there the owners prouide them haye before winter It seemes also that these Islands of Zeeland haue beene recouered from the sea long before Charles Martel Duke of Brabant father to King Pepinne of France wherein the Danes laboured much who in those daies had continual war against the French and great Brittanie for they did choose these sand-hills as a safe retreat for their Incursions vpon the neighbour countries which they made their Rendezvous making it the magasin of their spoiles First they seazed vpon the Isle of Walchren the which they did fortefie as well as they could against the violence of the sea before which enterprise they made many high mounts of earth as are yet to be seene heere and there which remaine vnprofitable some neere vnto townes applied to the vse of Gardens vnto which mountes being any extraordinary tide they did driue their cattel and retyred thether them-selues vntill the waters haue falne and then they returned to their lodgings These Danes or Noortmans hauing thus recouered the country began to Tille it especially after the descent of their great Captaine Duke Rollo who was head of the Norman Nation in France But in the end the Danes being expelled out of great Brittaine they were chased also out of these Ilandes the which in succession of time were peopled and made ciuill And so after many Accidents reuolutions quarrels in these watery parts in the end they were by force made subiect to the Earles of Holland being giuen vnto them long before made a County by the Emperour Lewis the gentle as the Emperor Charles the bald his father had made Holland a County and giuen it to Thierry the first Lord of these two Earldomes But after that the Emperor Henry the third of that name had giuen vnto Baldwin Earle of Flanders this Iland of VValchren and other smal neigbour Ilands there fell great warres betwixt the Flemings and the Hollanders especially that furious battaile in the yeare one thousand two hundred fifty three wheras Floris brother to Cont VVilliam King of Romaines and the Prince of Cleues defeated the Ladie Maguerit Contesse of F landers neere vnto VValchren before the King came in which defeat as histories report there were fifty thousand Flemings slaine as many drowned and almost as many prisoners whom the victors intreated ignominiously stripping theÌ„ naked among the prisoners were the two Commaunders Iohn and Guy of Dompierre sonnes to the Contesse Marguerite with Thybault Earle of Guise Geffrie Earle of Bar and aboue 230. Noble men Knights and men of accoumpt King William being puft vppe with this victory hauing such prisoners would not giue eare to any conditions of peace but such as he propounded to the Contesse which shee would not yeeld vnto But the King beeing slaine two yeares after in Freezeland a peace was made betwixt the Contesse and Floris Brother to the deceased King Vncle and Gardien to his sonne who was Earle of Holland and Zealand named Florens the fift By the which peace it was said that all prisoners should be set at libertie paying great ransomes And that the young Cont Florens shoulde marry Beatrix Neece to the Contesse Marguerite Daughter to Cont Guy her eldest sonne By which Accord and marriage the Flemings did transport and giue in marriage to the said Beatrix all such rights and pretensions as they might haue in the Conties of Zealand and in the Conty of Alost But this was but a counterfet peace and of smal continuance for that Guy of Dompierre being Earle of FlaÌ„ders could not indure that the Earles of Holland should inioy this Iland of Walchren but began to make warre to his great dishonor and preiudice the which could neuer haue any end vntill that all thâ— Seigneuries of Henault Holland Zeland and Frisland fel to the house of Burgonne at one instant in a mâ—nner with the Dutchy of Brabant vnder the good Duke Philip. The Estates of the conty of Zealand which wee haue described consists of the Nobilitie and of the townes of the Ilands of Walchren Schouuen Zuit-Beuelandt Tolen Noort beuelandt newly recouered from the Sea Duyuelandt VVolfersdick and Philâ—ipslandt wherof Prince Maurice is Gouernor Admiral general which Estates hold their general AsseÌ„blie in the town of Middelbourg wheras commonly the colledge of their Deputies do reside who AsseÌ„ble euery day to treat and determine of all occurrents touching the Estate or otherwise in stead of the Court of Zeland in the said town the which was wont to be the Abbay of S. Martin At which Colledge doth first appeare by his Deputy the sayd Prince Maurice in quality of Marquis of La vere the first Gentleman of Zealand speaking for the whole Nobility of Zealand then the Treasoror generall of the country then the Deputies of the townes of Middelbourg Zirczee La-Vere Flissinghe Tergoes Tolen
to the exigence of the fact which Regents and Administrators receiue their authorite and commission yearely from the Gouernor and councel of the Prouince There was in old time three Monasteries in the town The pore haue good entertainmeÌ„t the Orphins founded by Rheine Bourguemaster of the towne the which was indowed with more lyuing by Hyde the daughter of Hero being a widow Then the ritch Hospitall whereas many poore people are fed all at one table with their lodging Then the poore Hospitall whereas many poore old people haue euerie one a chamber a part and are entertained there with bread beere butter and firing from whence the poore people of the towne haue once a weeke releefe This towne is since the yeare of our Lord 1572. much increased and well fortefied as well in portes rampars bulwarkes as otherwise The Burgers haue endured much as well in their trafficke at sea as in lodgging of souldiars This towne hold a market euery Saterday whether the inhabitants of all the nerest townes and villages Greteines or Baylewycks come and bring their marchandise and victualls with greatstore of wild-foule venison they want no fish also both from the fresh water and sea The Bayliff of Wouseradeel comes thither euery market-day to hold his seat of iustice and to do right to all men of his iurisdiction where the Gâ—ieteman or Bailife doth preside with his Assessors Iurats hauing vnder them 29. villages and two monasteries that is the Abbay of Fleurecampe of men and one of women called Oogecloester now ruined in these last wars their reuenue applied to the coÌ„mon cause Nere vnto this town is a village named Womels famous for the birth of that learned man Cyprianus Womelius a doctor of the law and a great Poet councellor in the Imperiall chamber at Spyer These of this towne of Bolswart did many years since ioyne theÌ„selues to the Hans towns oâ— Germany with whom they are confederate and are registred among the members thereof inioying the like priuileges freedomes and exemptions of imposts and customes as the other townes of Denmarke Sueden Norwaie Liuonia Prussia East country and other Principalities and common-weales Hauing also their chamber or lodging of Esterlings in Antwerp and at the Stylliard in London the which is now out of vse which priuiledges the inhabitants of the said towne inioye bringing onely a certificate of their Bourgesie vnder the seale of the towne of Bolswaert The which was wont to yeeld them great profit in nauigation and traffick It was practised generallie throughout all the Hans townes the better to entertaine their commerce and mutuall correspondencie and to traine vppe their youth in the trade of marchandise from one Prouince to an other no married men beeing admitted in those places of London and Antwerp onelie young men doing their owne businesse or their Maisters so as they bee members of this companie As for the foundation of this towne of Bolswaert wee finde that it was built by the Ladie Bolswine daughter to Radbod King of Frisland in the yeare 713. which Ladie was married to the Siegnior of Teekenbourg issued from the Noble house of Dockenburg the which of a castle was made a towne and is now called Dockum This Ladie being a widowe retired her selfe from Teekenburg into this quarter of Frisland whereas King Radbod her father gaue her a house of pleasure and there shee built a small towne which shee called by her owne name Bolswaert for that it was seated in a halfe Island the which the Danes and Normans did often ruine yet in the end it became a good towne of trafficke Beeing in that towne it was told mee that at that time of the foundation the sea came vp vnto it but since the land hath wonne much of the sea so as it staies at the village of Mackum STAVEREN IT is the most ancient and was in former times the cheefe towne of all Frisland wherof we haue sufficiently discoursed of the same society and company but more ancient then that of Bolswaert whose priuiledges especially their precedence at the Sond in Denmarke before all other shippes wee haue made mention of before being needlesse now to make any further repetitioÌ„ it stands vpon the sea on the South side on the entry of the gulph of Zuyderzee at the point which lookes towards Holland almost opposite to the passage of Enchuysen halfe a league from Hinderlopen vppon the same shoare It seemes that this is the place whereas time the people kept whome Plinie cals Sturi of which name all Frisland was sometimes called Regnum Stauriae Which Kingdome did extend to Nymegen where was wont to be ingrauen on the East Port hic limes Imperii Heere is the bounds of the Empire and on the West gate Hic finis Regni Stauriae Heere is the end of the Stauriens Kingdome so as there is no doubt but heretofore it hath been a rich and mighty Towne but the tempests and Inondations of the sea haue often annoyed it and driuen it farther into the country beeing told mee when I went to view it that the old towne was a League nerer to the Sea and now in the bottome of the Sea Besides certaine barres of Sand haue stopt the Hauen and taken away their nauigation as wee haue formerly obserued There was wont to bee a strong Castle at the end of the towne looking towardes the Sea and the Hauen But during these last troubles the Captaine which was put in gard there with a garrison beeing beseeged by the Estates growing wilful and resolute to keepe it his soldiers hauing smal hope of any succors yeelded vp the place and deliuered their Captaine to the Estates who caused it to bee presently raized as wee may see by a great part of the ruines The towne is long and narrow inlarged and fortified with rampars and bulwarks but of small importance and ill intertained as beeing held at this present time not greatly necessarie The houses in the great streete are resonable faire and well built the Inhabitants liue by their handy-workes and by the Sea but not of such nauigation and trafficke as they were wont to haue HARLINGEN IT is now a good and spatious towne and of good trafficke since that Gasper Robles Lord of Billy Gouernor of the country of Frisland and Groning for the King of Spaine caused the bankes behinde the Castle to bee repayred and inlarged with great labour and cost which doth now defend it from the tempests and waues of the sea which beate against it which worke the Inhabitants notwithstanding the hard gouernment of the sayd Robles cannot sufficiently commend The Estates of Frisland hauing since these last troubles resumed their liberty haue caused the said Castle to bee ruined so farre as it did ouerlooke the Towne retaining the fortification which lookes towards the Sea and the Bankes hauing in the same place where the ditch was drawne a goodly new Hauen into the Towne which passeth vnder a great draw-bridge to go