AN HISTORICAL AND Geographical DESCRIPTION OF FRANCE Extracted from the best Authors both Ancient and Modern By J. De LACROSE Eccl. Angl. Presb. LONDON Printed for T. Salusbury at the King's-Arms near St. Dunstans Church in Fleet-street 1694. To His Most Excellent MAJESTY WILLIAM III. By the Grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. May it please Your Majesty THE Kingdom of France tho' never so large and powâ—rful has formerly belong'd either â—n part or in whole to Your glorious Ancestors The vast Dutchies of Normandy and Guyenn Maine Touraine Perche and Poictou the Counties of Ponthieu and Guisnes Calais Boulogne Ardres 〈◊〉 and their dependencies were thâ— Patrimonial Estates of the Kingâ— of England besides many Countieâ— and Lordships that Your Predecessors the Princes of Orange havâ— enjoy'd in Dauphine Provence Languedoc and Burgundy 〈◊〉 that tho the pretended Salick Law by which the Houses of Valois anâ— Bourbon endeavoured to maintain their usurpation should takâ— place Your Majesty has still thâ— lawful claim of inheritance to thâ— best part of the French Territories All the World knows that nâ— such motives have ingaged Youâ— Majestâ— in this present War Youâ— generous Mind aims at nothing else than to get restor'd to your Allieâ— what an ambitious Prince has usurped from them But as when Solomon prefer'd Wisdom to Riches God gave him the latter too as an Overplus So it may be that the just Distributer of Kingdoms being pleased with that act of Justice of Your Majesty will add to Your Dominions the vast Estates of Your Fore-Fathers and lâ—t us sâ—e another Henry of England Crown'd in Paris A great nâ—mber of those who appear Your inveterate Enemies are most concern'd for Your Majesty and truâ—st to Your Interest The Secular Clergy of France depriv'd of their Authority the Nobility of their Power the Gentry of their Estates the Parliaments reduc'd to be only the unworthy Ministers of the Passions and Pleasures of a few arbitrary Courtiers the Learned overloaden with Superstitions the persecuted Protestants forc'd to a Worship which they detest in their Heart most or all the French Cities or Countries robb'd of their Liberties and Privileges and even the whole Kingdom beggar'd and famish'd sigh and long for such a Deliverer as Your Majesty who is not afraid of the tempests of the Sea and bids defiance to the Fire of Canon's who has â—eceiv'd so many Wounds and looâ—'d so many Dangers in the Face for our Security May Almighty God animate Your Subjects with so â—uch Zeal and bless Your Arms with so great a Success that Your Majesty may afford an occasion to Your secret Friends to declare themselves and procure them such a settled Welfare and constant Liberty as may have no other end but the Consummation of the World Which is the earnest Desire Of Your Majesty's Most humble most obedient And most faithful Servant J. De LACROSE THE PREFACE SOme Readers may imagine that it is no hard matter to describe a Country so near so full of Learned men and so stor'd with excellent Books as France is especially for a Native of it because of the many helps an Author may meet with I have made use of all those I could come at Books Maps Memoirs Inquiries of living persons besides what I knew of my own But I was soon aware that the Description of those who have Written before me even in the middle of that Kingdom are very imperfect All the Journeys into France I have read as du Verdier Sinceri Accii Itinerarium Galliae Le Grand Tour de France les Delices de la France and the late Voyages Historiques de l'Europe observe neither order nor method confounding not only the several Counties into which each great Government is subdivided but even the great Governments themselves As to Geographers Comminges and Darity are too old and confus'd The Maps of Sanson the Father and the Son are excellent those of Du Val next to them and by comparâ—ng them together as I have done one may be pretty sure of the Longitude and Latitude situation and distance of places But neither of the Sansons has made a modern and particular Description of France and that of Du Val is too short and not methodical enough As to Antiquities Andre du Chesne in his curious Inquiries concerning the Towns of France is full of Fables and ought not to be follow'd but very cautiously tho he is a Man of a vast reading and much to be commended for having published several Historians of the middle Age that have Written of the French affairs and made use of them in his Antiquities of that Country and Monarchy Joseph Scaliger how Learned soever he may be in other things does not come near Du Chesne in this and proposes many bold conjectures concerning the ancient names of the French Cities and Countries for which he often gives no other authority but his bare saying Baudrand is but a pitiful compiler of modern Books who never look'd into ancient Authors Sanson in his Pharus Galliae Antiquae is more accurate than the fore mentioned Writers and has made many curious and useful discoveries But the most exact of all in my Judgment is Adrian de Valois in his Notitia Galliarum as to the Latin names of Places for there is hardly any thing else in that huge Folio besides some few hints of History to be gâ—ther'd here and there with great trouble I have perus'd three other modern Geographers which I must not forget viz. Robbe's Memoires Geographiques Morery's Grand Dictionnaire Historique and Geographique with the supplement of Perayre and De la Croix's Geographie Vniverselle As to the first he cannot commit many faults for he has almost nothing besides French names but as soon as he presumes to say something more for instance to determine the extent of a Government or its Latitude and Longitude one may very near be sure to find him in an error As to Morery it is pity he did not live long enough or had not the conveniency to read ancient Authors His want of Learning in Ecclesiastical History and Mysteries of State makes him too passionate when he speaks of the Protestants and leads him into many mistakes as to Latin names and other Antiquities As to De la Croix all his performance consists in having put an abâ—idgment of Morery into Robâ—e's method and a very unjudicious one too for he leaves out what is most curious and essential in the Great Dictionary and the rest he takes it word for word unless it be to corrupt and abridg it again but for the most part he is so faithful as to transcribe the very faults of the press as p. 200. l. 29. Anvers for Anâ—t Whatever he adds of his own here and there as the Latitude and Longitude and the distance of places is always falâ—e for he never took the 〈◊〉 of looking into one of Sanson's or du Val's Maâ—s For instance
speaking of Priviledges I must not forget four very rare and considerable Prerogatives granted by the French King to the Inhabitants of Bourges perhaps in reward of their Fidelity to Charles the VII * Du Chesne 1. Their Goods cannot be confiscated 2. They are free from Garisons and Winter Quarters 3. Those that posses Lordships or noble Manors are not subject to the Duty of Ban and Areerban 4. Those that buy or inherit them pay nothing to the King The City is govern'd by a Mayor and Sheriffs who take care of it in time of Peace and War and judge in first instance of the differences between the Citizens which may be brought by Appeal only before the Parliament of Paris but the Suits of the Country People resort to the Presidial as well as the Appeals from the Royal Seats of Issoudun Dun-le-Roy Meun sur Yeure Concressaut Sancerre c. Amongst the Buildings of Bourges the Town-House and the House of Jaques Coeur are worthy to be seen This Man was Treasurer to Charles the VII and one of the first that ventured to send Merchant Ships into the East By that unknown Trade he gather'd in a short time such vast Sums of Mony that he bought the Lordships of St. Fergeau Menetou Boisi S. Geran de Vaux la aliPsse c. and built a most sumptuous Palace that is yet partly subsisting iâ— which are said to be as many Windows as there are Days in the Yoar besides other publick Buildings and whole Streets wherewith he adorn'd this City But his great Riches prov'd his Ruin for the envious Courtiers took thence occasion to accuse him of keeping unlawful Correspondences with the Turks of sending them Arms Weapons and Amunitions and even Smiths and Gunners to smeed melt and point them after the Christian manner Of discovering the Secrets of the State makeing away the King's Mony and drawing unlawful Taxes from Languedoc for which true or pretended Crimes he was put close Prisoner condemned to excessive Fines and then banish'd for ever from France As to the Ecclesiastical State Christianity together with Episcopacy was as it 's said planted here by one Vrsinus Disciple to the Apostles who was the first Prelate of it in the second Century And as by the Division of the Emperours August and Constantine Aquitain became the fourth Part of the Gauls and was subdivided into three other Provinces the First the Second and the Third Aquitain Bourges being the Capital of all its Bishop took the Title of Patriarch or Primate of Aquitain and had the Precedency of the Metropolitans of Bourdeaux Narbonne and Aâ—ch This Honour having been conferr'd or confirmed to him by Charlemaign who rested Aquitain into a particular Kingdom he enjoy'd it undisturbed till the Dutchy of Guyenn and the Estates of the Counts of Toulouse were torn off from the Kingdom of France for then the Arch-Bishops of Bourdeaux Narbonne and Auch endeavoured to free themselves from their subordination to the Primate of Bourges as their Masters had done from their Subjection to the French Kings Divers National Councils were kept upon this account but the Arch-Bishops of Bourdeaux maintained by the Kings of England would never yield The most famous Assembly of Prelates that was ever call'd to Bourges was in 1438 where the French Clergy acknowledged the Council ot Basil and approved of the Pragmatique Sanction as did also the Parliament of Paris in 1459. This Constitution first drawn up by Lewis the IX corrected and enlarged by the Council of Basil consisted of 23 Statutes of which 21 had been ratified by Pope Eugenius IV Their Principal aim was 1. To cause the Elected Bishops to be acknowledged for such before or without their going to Rome 2. To make the Elections of Bishops Abbots c. free and independant from either King or Pope 3. To prefer the Authority of a General Council before that of the Pope 4. To abolish expectative Graces so that the Pope might not give the Survivance of a Living to any of his Favourites Eugenius repented soon after to have yielded so s nuch broke with the Council of Basil and sent Ambassadours to the French King Charles the VII to hinder the Reception of the Pragmatique but all in vain for it subsisted till 1516. that it was suppressed by an Agreement between Francis I. and Leo X. call'd the Concordat the French King allowing the Pope to inslave his Clergy again that he might abolish the free Elections and Name to the great Livings The Diocess of Bourges contains 900 Parishes under 12 Arch-Deacons and 20 Arch-Priests besides 34 Collegiate Churches and 35 Abbies Before the Year 1676. it had Eleven Suffragans but Albi that was then Erected into a Metropolitan took away five with it self so that Bourges had but five left viz. Clermons Let St. Flour Tulles and Limoges Just now I hear that the H. Chappel and many Houses was burnt down July 1693. Sancerre lies 8 Leagues North-East of Bourges upon a Mountain wash'd by the River Loire The Latin Name of this Town is a proof of its Antiquity for Authors call it either Sacrum Cereris because in the Time of Heathenism Ceres the Goddess of Corn was ador'd there Or Sacrum Caesaris because Cesar sacrific'd in this Place after his Victory over the Berruyers Others pretend that this great General built here a Fort to keep in the Statues or Images of his Lares or Hous-Gods but this has little probability since the Romans did not use to carry their domestick Gods with them in their Armies besides that considering the swiftness of Cesar's Conquest 't is most likely he did not lose Time in building Fortresses Another mark of the Antiquity of Sancerre is its Title of County which it got by being given in Portion to a youngest Son of the House of Champaign Stephen Brother to Thibauld or Theobald the Groat under the Reign of Lewis the IX Stephen's Posterity enjoy'd it to the Year 1451. that it passed to the House of Du Bucil During that time the Counts of Sancerre were famous and their Family produc'd many brave Men as amongst others Lewis of Sancerre High-Constable of France in 1397. The Neighbourhood of Orleans made this Town take part with the Dukes of that Name during their Quarrels against the Burgundians who for this reason besieg'd it In the last Century Sancerre held for the Protestants and was twice attempted in vain by the Roman Catholick Commanders viz. in 1568 and 1572 at which time he serv'd as a place of Refuge to those Inhabitants of Orleans and Bourges that could escape the barbarous Murther of St. Bartholomew but the following Year it was taken by Famine after a Siege of 8 Months This County has 31 Chastelnies and 500 Parishes depending on it Issoudun Vsellodunum or Exoldunum lies on the small River Thiol seven Leagues West of Bourges It s Gaulish termination intimates that it is an antient Town and Du Chesne confidently relates it was one of the 20
Valence in Spain hitherto by Audald a Monk of Gascony in 858 if we believe Aimoin-Castres has still the name of a County and has been possest under that Title by the Counts of Mountfort and then by those of Armagnac the last of whom James of Armagnac was beheadâ—d under Lewis XI in 1417. This King gave â—t to one Bouffil of Juges his Lieutenant in Râ—usâ—â—â—n but under Francis I. it was re-united to the French Crown In the time of its Counts Castres had a Seneschal Comtal and a Judg of Appeals but now all its Officers of Justice are resorting to the Seneschalship of Carcassonne The French King Henry IV. had establish'd there â— Chamber of the Edict or a Sovereign Court consisting of Counsellors one half Protestants â—nd the other half Roman Catholicks but â—ewis XIV transferr'd it to Castelnaudary and then abolish'd it with all the others in 1679. under pretence of uniting it to the Parliament of Toulouse This Town divided into two parts by â—he River Agout was taken by the Reformed â— 1567 and is very much known by the Maâ—â—factory of Crapes It has several Churches â—nd Monasteries especially a Chartreuse or Convent of Carthusians hard by the City The Bishop's Palace is a very sumptuous Building There is a great huge Rock call'd the Rock of Luâ—el two Leagues from Castres that is worth taâ—ing notice of if it be true what I am assured â—y Mr. Boyer a Gentleman of parts and a Nâ—â—â—re of that Country viz. that it may b◠〈◊〉 â—y any ones Hand or Finger though it stâ—â—â—â—â—â—movable when Carts and Coaches go 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 it lies under a Bridge I shall here subjoyn another observation communicated to me by that ingenious promoter of Learning Sir Theodore de Vaux Physician to the Late King Charles II. Fellow of the Royal Society concerning the Mountain of the Priapes as they call it that lies betwixt Castreâ— and Carcassone much out of the road It is â— little Hill amongst other Hills where thâ— Stones are shap'd like Mens Yards with two Stones perfectly made some great like those oâ— big Men some like Boys and some like Children We gathered said he amongst us above 40 oâ— them some of which I gave during my Travels in sundry places to the curious to puâ— them into their Closet of Rarities Amongsâ— others I presented Caualier del Puzzo a Virtuosâ— of Rome with one very much resembling the natural parts of a Man of middle Age. Thesâ— Stones being broken there is a vein of Cristâ— in the midst I gave one to King Charles Iâ— not so big as that at Rome but of as exact shape I had many of them at Padoa buâ— our Maid that found them on a Shelf fluâ—â— some of them away and others she broke thinking we had put them there to laugh aâ— her one broken I gave to the Royal Society with one that is made like a Womans thinâ— the earth round about this place is a Sand likâ— blood almost The reason of this I leave to Phâ—losophers observing only that the Inhabitanâ— use to ascribe it to a Celestial Influence foâ— want of a more proper cause So far my woâ—thy Friend whose relation I have inserteâ— here the rather that I never saw nor hearâ— before of any thing like it Three Leagues North-West of Castres lies the small Town of Lautrec with a ruined Castle and the Title of a Viscounty that has been born by the Counts of Foix and since by several illustrious Families in Languedoc This Town is seated upon a Mountain that produces excellent Wines and the Chapter of S. Peter of Burlas has been transferred thither The other places are Briateste Graulhet and Mondragon upon the Dadou Venais S. Germier and Roque-courbe near Castres Brassac and Castelnau de Brassac Pierre-Seguade Viannes and La Caune upon the Gigeou La Salvetat Boissesson de Murviez and S. Gervais Of the County of Foix. THis County comprehending the Dioceses of Rieux Pamiez and Mirepoix has that of Toulouse on the North those of S. Papoul Carcassonne and Alet on the East part of Catalogne on the South and the Counties of Conserans and Comminges on the West It reaches 20 Leagues South and North from Lavet Coronat near the source of the Arriegue to its mixing with the Lers between Sabaudun and Calmont and 14 or 16 East and West This Country has had its particular Counts issued from the Earls of Carcassonne during six Ages Bernard I. if we believe the Learned De Marca was the first Count of Foix in 1012. Raimond Roger the Sixth in order took the part of the Albigeois about the beginning of the XIII Century It 's reported that as in a conference betwixt the Roman and these true Catholicks the Sister of the Count would speak in behalf of the last a rough Monk Stephen of Minia told her most uncivilly that She ought to go and spin from her distaff and not to meddle with Religious Matters whereupon the ingenious Princess reply'd that the very Stones will speak where Men keep an unworthy silence and that she must needs discharge a Duty which he was either unable or unwilling to perform The zealous Count lost a great part of his Estate in this quarrel but his Son Roger Bernard II. to preserve the rest reconcil'd himself to the Church of Rome and made Peace with the French King Lewis IX in 1246. The Counts of Foix became afterwards more powerful and acquired either by Marriage or Inheritance the Viscounties of Bearn and Chastelbon the Lordships of Grailly and Albret and even the Kingdom of Navarr till all these Dominions and Estates past into the House of France by the coming of Henry IV. to that Crown This County has several Quarries of fine Marble and some Silver Mines FOIX upon the Arriegue Fuxum has the Title of a County and Peerdom erected by Charles VII in behalf of Gaston of Foix in 1458. It has an election and is the Seat of a Seneschal and of the Estates of the Province It lies near the Pyrenean Mountains 17 Leagues South of Toulouse and resorts for the spiritual to the Bishop of Pamiers Pamiers Apamia upon the same River 4 Leagues North of Foix and 13 South of Toulouse was anciently a Town called Fredelac where the Counts of Carcassonne foundâ—d in the 8 Age an Abby of Regular Canons of S. Austin under the name of S. Antonia De Valois esteems him to be the same who has written an Itinerary or a Journal of his Travels from France to the Holy Land through Italy but at the same time he quotes an ancient Martyrology wherein this S. Antonin is said to have suffer'd Martyrdom at Pamiers by the Heathens V. Nonas Sept. or the 2. of September but the Year is not mention'd so that the whole remains uncertain Sure it is that this Towr had already a considerable Castle in the time of the Albigeois whose Historians call it Apamia and Apamiae that in 1149 Roger Bernard Count
into Foreign Countries The French Monarchy strove many Ages before it came to that high Point of Grandeur to which it has attained of late The Weakness of Charlemaign's Successors and the Incursions of the Normans had reduced it to so narrow Limits that the French King was hardly Sovereign in Paris The Governors of the several Counties and Provinces taking hold of the occasion made their Charges Hereditary and soon after render'd themselves Lords of the Countries they Govern'd So that France at that time was rather an Aristocracy or a Confederacy of several Petty-Princes under the French King their Head as Germany now is under the Emperor then a Monarchy properly so call'd But the Victories which Charles VII got over the English in the Fifteenth Age during the Wars of the Houses of York and Lancaster gave him means to Unite to his Crown the large Provinces of Guyenne and Normandy together with Poictou le Maine and Tourain Lewis XI his Son and Successor after the Death of Charles the Râ—sh last Duke of Burgundy in 1477 usurp'd upon his Sole Heiress Mary Spouse of Maximilian of Austria the Dutchy of Burgundy and some part of Picardy Charles VIII and Lewis XII by their Marriage with Ann Daughter to Francis II. late Duke of Britany United that Dutchy to their Crown Anno 1514 Then it was that France began to look as a mighty Kingdom So that Francis I. King of France was a sit Match even for Charles V. Emperor and King of Spain Naples and Sicily Duke of Milan and Lord of all the Low Countries The extent of the French Kings Jurisdiction was yet increas'd by the Accession of Bearn or Lower Navarre of which Henry IV. was in Possession when he came to that Crown And by his Acquisition of the Province of Bresse with the Lands of Bugey Valromey and the Bailwick of Gex which he Exchanged with Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy for some Pretensions on the Marquisate of Salusses in 1601. Lewis XIII his Son Divested the Duke of Lorrain of his Dutchy the Emperor and the King of Spain of a good part of Elzas and the Netherlands and this present King has not only Conquer'd the County of Burgundy and the rest of Elzas but push'd so far his Conquests in the Low Countries that what now remains in the Hands of the King of Spain is not able to withstand him any long time The Authority of the French Monarchs grew stronger and more absolute within their Kingdom as the Bounds of it were extended without at least in this latter Age. For in former times even that mighty Emperor Charlemaign would do nothing without the Advice of his Barons no not so much as establish and endow a Bishoprick and by their means it was that his Son Lewis the Pious was re-inthron'd The Power of the French Lords lasted not only under the Second Race but three or four Ages too under the Third And as these petty Princes were extinguished their Authority was transferr'd to the States of the several Provinces under whose hands it remained till the Civil Wars under the pretence of Religion gave a mighty check to it and the shrewd Policy of the Cardinals Richelieu and Mazarine made it altogether arbitrary Now the French Kings pretend that they are Emperors in France as Bodin and du Tillet have endeavoured to prove That their Authority is Absolute and Sovereign and that as to the Temporal they have no other Superior than God alone upon whom their Crown immediately depends it not being in the Power of the Prelates of their Kingdom either to excommunicate them or to publish them to be such By reason of their Consecration they are look'd upon to be of the Body of several Cathedral Churches in France where they hold the Prebends The nominating to Bishopricks Abbeys c. belongs to them even by the Pope's Consent and the Concordat made betwixt Francis I. and Leo X. They alone can make Laws in their Kingdom grant Favors and Pardons naturalize Strangers and legitimate Bastards They build Colleges Universities Courts and Companies of Justice create Offices and provide for the same The Males only by Salique Law which the French call the Fundamental of the State have Right to Succession and the Crown always is devolved to the next Heir that is to the eldest Son of the King and to the Issues of the eldest Infinitely This First-born during his Father's Life is commonly called the Dauphin by the Donative of Humbert last Dauphin of Viennois of his Lands of Dauphiné to Philip of Valois King of France upon condition that his eldest Son should be call'd Dauphin and bear quarterly the Arms of France with those of Viennois It was in the year 1343. Philip at the intreaty of John his Son who reigned after him gave the Land to his Grandson who reigned under the Name of Charles called the Wise and was the first Son of France who bore the Title of Dauphin The Arms of France are Three Flowers de Luce Or in a Field Azure King Charles VI. reduced them to Three his Predecessors having had them without number contrary to the Custom even of the first Kings The Consecration of the Kings is solemnly performed at Rheims where they are anointed with Oyl of the Holy Ampoule kept religiously in the Abbey-Church of St. Remigius whence it is carried under a Canopy by four Knights of the Holy Ampoule created by Clovis IV. The Royal Ornaments are kept at St. Denis from King St. Lewis's time The twelve Peers of France assist at the Consecration six whereof are Ecclesiastical to wit the Archbishop and Duke of Rheims who consecrates the King the Bishop and Duke of Laon the Bishop and Duke of Langres the Bishop and Earl of Bonâ—vais the Bishop and Earl of Chaalons the Bishop and Earl of Noyon The Six Lay Peers were formerly the Duke of Burgundy the Duke of Normandy the Duke of Guyonne the Earl of Tolouse the Earl of Flanders and the Earl of Champagne but these Peers subsisting no more they are represented by as many French Princes or Lords The King's Guards are composed of two strange Nations viz. Scots and Switzers and of his French Subjects The Scotch Guard is the first Company of the King's Guard du Corps However it ought to be observed that this Name is but a remainder of the ancient Alliance between the Scotch and the French for since the Reformation and the Union of England and Scotland there has hardly been a Scotch Man among these preâ—ended Scotch Guards However as this Company is the ancientest so it enjoys the greatest Privileges for their Captain precedes the three others and begins always to serâ—e the first Quarter of the Year and when the Guard du Corps are quartered they chuse the first Lodging This Company was at first composed of 100 Gentlemen or chosen Soldiers 24 of whom have yet a good Stipend are Privileged and have at their Head the first Man at Arms of France
Matter before the King's Council so that our Reformed seeing that no Justice was to be hoped from the Parliament made an Interest to remove the Cause before the King's Council that they might avoid expences which many other imitated not without the secret Support of the Court. CHAP. VI. Of the Religion of the French THE Reader must not here expect an Account of the Bardes and Druides or of the Idolatrous Worship of the ancient Gauls neither am I minded to assert or confute what has been said concerning St. Denis the Areopagite being Bishop of Paris or St. Martial Bishop of Limoges and both Apostles of the Gauls about the Year 70. By whomsoever the Christian Religion has been first preached in France sure it is that it was early enough since in the middle of the second Century there were two conspicuous Churches at Lyons and Vienne who endured a long and bloody Persecution under the Empire of Marc. Aurele An. 176. By what Means and Degrees Popery corrupted Christianity is not a Mystery in this Protestant Kingdom but I have some Observations to make upon the Progress and present State of that Superstitious Worship in France It 's well known that Superstition began to creep into the Church by the over-great Honour the Faithful rendered to those Christian Heroes the Martyrs who contrary to the Heathen that got a Name by their being troublesome to others signalized themselves by their own Sufferings And with great reason were they so much reverenced since the Pagan Antiquity which mentions so many Hercules can hardly supply us with an Anaxarchus While these couragious Athletes lay in Prison Sinners were released of their Penances upon their Intercession after their Death their Tombs were the Gathering-place of the Faithful and when God had given Peace to his Church Temples were built upon or near their Graves and called after their Names And as the Vulgar doth not know how to keep the golden middle Path hates or loves despises or praises to excess So this due and lawful Remembrance soon degenerated into an Idolatrous Worship Perhaps at the beginning it had been easie to Clergy-Men to put a Stop to that Superstition but the Generality found it seems their Reckoning by it and pious Men durst not oppose the Current However the Gauls had the Honour to produce one Jovinian a Monk of Milan who endured a long Persecution for openly disproving the creeping Practices of Coelibacy Vows and the Veneration of Reliques in the time of St. Ambrose But a greater Man than Jovinian whom neither Italians nor Spaniards can challenge is Vigilantius for he was born at Calaguri a small Borough near Cominges in Gascony True it is that St. Jerom disputed against him with much Violence but the Learned know that the Conduct of this Father is not so much commended as his Science and notwithstanding his Out-crys Vigilantius quietly died in the Communion of the Church and left a great many Disciples who seem to have been the Fore-fathers of the Albigenses as those of Jovinian maintained the Truth in the Churches of Italy till Claudius Archbishop of Turin arose and was succeeded by the Vaudois The second Step of Superstition was the Worship of Images which when the Emperors of the East could no longer oppose God raised Charlemaign in the West who caus'd it to be condemned together with the second Council of Nice in another held at Francfort Ann. 794. At the same time Agobard Archbishop of Lyons and Claudius of Turin preach'd and wrote againâ—â— these Idolatrous Practices which prevail'â— at last during the Weakness and Division of Charlemaign's House and Successors Transubstantiation was a casual Off-spring of Image-Worship for when thâ— Orthodox told the Iconolatre's that God'â— Son had left us but an Image of himself namely the Holy Sacrament which notwithstanding he never commanded to adore the last after many Subterfuges finally bethought themselves of this Answer 〈◊〉 That the consecrated Bread and Wine were not a simple Image of our Lord but his true Body and Blood Against this strange Doctrine Bertram or Ratramn Priest and Monk of Corby in Picardy composed a Book about the Year 850. and a little after John Scot Erigeene Professor of Divinity in the University of Paris wrote of the same Matter both by Order of Charles the Bald Emperor By the Opposition of these great Men this monstrous Tenet was somewhat suppressed but as it lifted up its Head again after their Death Berengarius Arch-Deacon of Anger 's arose for the Truth in 1035 was a long time maintained by several French Bishops against the Power and Persecution of the Popes and dy'd in the Communion of the Church Ann. 1088 not without solemnly recalling the nonsensical Confession which the Popes Nicolas II. and Gregory VII had forced upon him After Berengarius the Assertors of the Truth had more dreadful Storms to go through however France was never wanting such Christian Heroes Some rejected all the Popish Errors as Peter de Bruys and Henry of Tolose the Waldenses and Albigenses Some confuted Transubstantiation as John Dr. of Paris known under the Name of Joannes de Parisiis others bewailed the Corruption of the Church as Nicolas of Clemangis others inveighed against the Monks their Luxury and Covetousness especially William of St. Amour As to those that opposed the Tyranny and Usurpations of the Popes it would be too tedious to enumerate them and I refer my Reader to the Learned Richer and Du Pin. De potest Eccles L. 1. c. 3. De Antiq. Eccles Discipl Diss 7. The French Soyl being so well prepared to receive the Seed of the Gospel 't is not to be wondered at if the Disciples of Luther and the Writings of Calvin caused such a Harvest in that Kingdom one ought rather to be surpriz'd that it was not fruitful every where and that against all Appearance in less than 200 Years the Roman Tare has outwardly covered the whole Realm again I say against all appearance for it seems somewhat strange that some Northern Countries have generally iâ—brac'd and hitherto preserved the Refoâ—mation and that the quick-sighted Frenâ—â— have suffered themselves to be imposed uâ—on so far as to let Popery and Tyranâ— prevail after they had spilt so much Blooâ— to obtain at least a Liberty of Consciencâ— I will not presume to enter the Secrets 〈◊〉 God but as the ways of his Providenâ—â— may sometimes be discovered after the â—vent and the Faults of our Fore-fathers 〈◊〉 the Frauds of our Enemies may make 〈◊〉 wiser for the future so it will not mâ—thinks be amiss to observe the Causes thaâ— have put a stop to the Reformation iâ— France 1. In most of the Countries that reformeâ— themselves the Church-Revenues were noâ— all disposed of according to the pious Intent of the Givers but a good part waâ— appropriated to Secular Uses which alienated the Hearts of the Clergy in otheâ— Countries and gave them occasion to insinuate to the People that Covetousness anâ— not
the Love of the Truth was the chieâ— Motive of their Change This Inconvenience might have been prevented by some Foundations for promoting Learning and Piety and erecting up Schools Colledges and Places for the Retirement of the Learned who had served the Church a certain time or were fitter for Writing than Preaching 2 Calvin chancing to light upon Geneva established there a Form of Ecclesiastical Government very suitable to a Common-wealth but not at all to a Kingdom The French Protestants however set up the fame amongst them which was pardonable enough during the Persecution since they had not the Means to keep up Bishops and that they had been more exposed than simple Ministers both because of their Dignity and their Opposition to the Roman Prelates But when God had given them a Protestant King who conquered a good part of his Realm with the Dint of his Sword when so many of the Bishops and Nobility resorted to Henry IV 't is a wonder that his Presbyterian Ministers never thought of submitting to the Prelates provided the Prelates would submit to the Truth 3. Thence arose another Evil for there being no Means of Subsistence for Dignitaries amongst the Reformed no not so much as an honorable Recompence for the Learned after the Separation was made very few came over to them out of the Roman Church and a greater Number of their Ministers was seduced to the Popish Tenets 4. To cheat People of their Money the Monks had invented or adorned with fabulous Stories the Doctrine of Purgatory and made them believe at the saâ—â— time that they might redeem themselâ— either with Money or painful Satisfactioâ— which the Reformers perceiving drove perhaps too forwardly the Doctrines absolute Predestination and free Grace Tâ— subtil Controvertists of the Roman Churâ—â— let not slip this Occasion of ridiculing thâ— Adversaries and traduced them as Enemâ— to good Works and such as overthrew 〈◊〉 Moral of the Gospel These Accusatioâ— how false soever they were being set up 〈◊〉 able Pens were sufficient to amuse the Vâ—â—gar and to hinder them from opening thâ— Eyes to see the gross Errors of Popeâ— which in the mean time were not urged 5. It 's well known that there has beeâ— pretended Holy League in France for maiâ—taining the Roman Catholick Religion aâ—â— that the Dukes of Guise were Chieftenaâ—â— and Promoters of it but they who haâ—â— not read the Books of those Times are 〈◊〉 so well acquainted with the Artifices thâ— used to draw in so many of the Nobilitâ— They perswaded them that the Huguenâ—â— were Commonwealth-men who intendâ— to subvert the Kingdom and dismember 〈◊〉 into several petty Principalities and Repuâ—licks just as their Brethren the Switzers 〈◊〉 the Free Towns and Princes of Germanâ— By these Insinuations great and aspiriâ—â— Men who cannot make considerable Foâ—tunes under a weak Government stuck close them 6. As to the last Persecution of the French â—â—â—testants as it has been long and in a â—â—nner insensible during Thirty or Forty â—ars but at the latter end extreamly cruâ—â— sudden and unfore-seen so it could 〈◊〉 be prevented either by any Forreign â—wer or any Insurrection within The â—â—ench Cardinals and Jesuits no less cruel â—â—d cunning than the Wolves of the Fable â—â—ok from the Reformed their Places of â—â—rety seduced their great Men invaded â—eir Priviledges and fell upon Dragoonâ—g them when they were disarmed and â—â—t of state of making any Defence But will smart them I hope before it be long â—or besides that God never left such a perâ—iousness unpunished they are so far â—â—om having extirpated the Reformation at they have spread it farther by mingling â—â—e Protestants amongst them And any one â—ay easily suppose that during the Separatiâ—n the Reformed had not so many fair Occaâ—ons of instilling into them a secret Horror â—â—r superstitious Practices as they have now And let this suffice to the First Part of â—ur Description I had resolved to follow 〈◊〉 the Second Part the ordinary Division â—f France in Twelve Governments but â—â—nce I considered that this Method would â—e troublesome both to me and my Readers and perhaps make me overskip some of thâ— Countries included in the general Goverâ—ments Besides that there are now Nineteeâ— and not Twelve of them so that I thought more convenient to begin at one End 〈◊〉 with Lorrain then pursuing my way Nortâ—wards to make the Grand Tour of Francâ— and go out of it through the County 〈◊〉 Burgundy than to puzzle my self and â—thers with unnecessary Bounds and Divâ—sions However I will not fail to maâ— the Extent of each Government and thâ— Countries belonging to it A DESCRIPTION OF FRANCE PART II. WHEREIN â—ach of its great Provinces smaller Counties Cities Towns Royal Houses Forests Mountains Coasts Rivers and Lakes are Geographically and Historically described CHAP. I. LORRAIN the Three Bishopricks and the Dutchy of BAR. THIS Province is called thus from Lothaire Grand-Son of Lewis the Meek Emperour and King of France who was Soveraign thereof when it was far greater and bore the Name of Kingdom The whole Dutchy belongs now to thâ— King of France who has usurped the greaâ—est part of it upon Charles III. the true Sâ—veraign and forced him to make over 〈◊〉 Right to him The present Bounds of thâ— Province are Elzas and the Palatinate oâ— the East Champaign on the West Luxeâ—bourg and the Electorate of Triers on thâ— North and the County of Burgundy on thâ— South The Inhabitants are Warlike anâ— the Country for the most part covered witâ— Woods and Forests yet well stock'd witâ— Corn Vines and Minerals nor does it waâ— pleasant Rivers and good Waters It s Town are well built strong and rich NANCY the Capital of Lorrain was the ordinary Residence of the Dukes whose Courâ— was crouded with great Numbers of Nobilitâ— and Gentry It was here that those Princes Riches made a fine Sight especially two Tables of a great Length and Breadth one Marble the other Silver-gilt or washed over witâ— Gold with several Figures and Emblems and Latin Verses most artificially engraveâ— upon them There were also costly Hangings and the Effigies of a Man in Wood whose Muscles seemed to move and werâ— interwoven with so much Art that it waâ— a perfect Wonder The Dukes Tombs arâ— likewise here amongst which that of Renatus who overcame the Burgundians is moâ—â— considerable that of Charles Duke of Buâ—gundy is there also The Arsenal was well provided with all Necessaries and its Fortifications seemed to render it impregnable before the French took it There is a Bog or fenny Place pretty nigh the Town in the midst of which is a Cross of Stone with an Inscription in French that marks the Defeat of the Burgundians under Charles the Rash their last Duke An. 1477. The Town is situated about an hundred Steps from the Meurte which discharges it self into the Moselle four or five Miles from thence Nancy is divided into Old and New Town the Old has the Palace of the Dukes
to be forgotten though he lost his Placâ— because he maintained Arminius's Teneâ—â— The Principality of Raucourt and the Prâ—vostship of Donchery are depending upon Sâ—dan the first lying North and the Seconâ— South-West of it 2. The Dutchy of Bouillon between Sâ—dan Luxemburg and Liege belongs yet tâ— the Dukes of that Name It is of no greaâ— extent and the Capital Bouillon is but 〈◊〉 good Burrough situated on the River Sâ—moy but has a Castle built on a steep Rock with Lodging-rooms even in the Rock sâ— that Bombs and Mines can have but littlâ— effect upon it In the Year 1683 the Spâ—niards having declared War against France that they might ingage the Hollanders to do the same the French King by derision caused the Duke of Bouillon to give out a Declaration of War against Spain 3. At the coming out of Sedan is seen thâ— Town and strong Castle of Mesieres where the French King always keeps a good Garrison and then you come into the Dutchy of Rethelois which belongs to the Duke oâ— Mantua whereof the Capital called Rethel is one of the strongest Places in the Kingdom It 's now called Mazarin and makes part of the Government of Champaign The Prince of Condé who was then on the Spaniards side took it in 1653. In the same Dutchy is Charleville a very pleasant and strong Town built upon the Meuse by Charles Gonzague Duke of Nevers and Mantua On the other side of the River is Mount Olymp with the Ruins of an old Castle that was as 't is believed a Temple of the Heathens and where the French King keeps a Governour Rocroy was also a very strong Town whence the Spaniards made Incursions into Champaign but since besieged it in vain and were defeated near it in 1643 by the Duke of Anguien Stenay upon the Meuse was one of the Keys of Lorrain but having been taken from his Duke was united to Champaign in 1633. Mouson on the other side of Meuse between Sedan and Stenay belonged formerly to the Empire having been taken from the French by Count Nassau General of Charles V. but was retaken Thirty Years â—fter and a small Hill which commands it was extreamly fortified The French King keeps there a Governour too CHAP. III. Champaign THIS Province is one of the best and largest of the whole Kingdom it has Franche-County Lorrain and Barrois to the East Burgundy to the South Picardy the Isle of France and the Gastinois to the West Luxemburg and Hainaut to the North. It is about Ninety Miles East and West from Tilly to Claye in Brie and an Hundred twenty six North and South from Rocroy in Rhetelois to Fontaine-Françoise in Burgundy It 's called Champaign from its great Plains and divided into upper and Lower the Upper which is more Northerly has great Chalky Plains without Trees Rivers or Fountains and produces no other Corn but Rye with great Woods towards the North. The Lower is more fruitful especially in Wines Champaign is likewise divided into eight Baylwyks or Precincts Proper Champaign or the Country of Troyes Rhemois Perthois Rethelois Vallage Bassigny Senonois Brie-Champenoise For the Province of Brie is partly a Dependance of this Goverment and both were in Caesar's time part of the Belgick Three of the ancient Counts of Champaign have been Kings of Navarre viz. Thibaud IV. Thibaud V. and Henry III. that left but a Daughter called Jane married in 1284 to Philip the Fair King of France who united this County to his Crown after it had been separated from it 326 Years since Robert the first Soveraign Earl of Champaign in 958. These Counts have been once so powerful that they made bold to war against the French Kings and at other times against the Kings of Burgundy and the Emperours of Germany They had seven Counts for their Vassals called the Peers of Champaign namely those of Joigni Retel Brienne Rouci Braine Grand-Pré and Bar upon the Seine Champaign has yet two Archbishopricks Rheims and Sens four Bishopricks Chalons upon the Marne Langres Troyes accounted by most the Capital of the Province and Meaux the chief Town of Brie Its Rivers are 1. The Seine which receives the Yonne the Marne the Aube and has been already described The Yonne comes from the Nivernois three Leagues from Clemessi receives the Cure the Armançon and the Venne goes by Auxerre and Sens and falls into the Seine at Montereau The Marne Matrona has its Source in Champaign in a Place called the Marmote washes Langres Roland-Pont Chaumont Joinville S. Dizier Vitry Chalons Espernay Dormans Chateau-Thierry La Ferté under Jouarre Meaux and Lagni and being encreased with the Waters of Vannori St. Geome the Mousche the Swize the Blaize the Saude the Roignon the Moyvrâ— the Soupe and great and little Morin mixeâ— with the Seine at the Bridge of Charentoâ— about a League off Paris The Aube Albâ— and Albula springs in the Diocess of Laâ—gres at a Place called Auberive washes Lâ— Ferté Clervaux Bar Romeru and dischargeâ— it self into the Seine near Marcilly 2. The Aisne Axonia is formed from two Fountains the one comes from Beaulieu in Argonne up higher S. Menehould whereby iâ— passes the other from the Dutchy of Bar beyond Clermont which it goes by Theâ— both Fountains being united at Mouron wash Rethel Chateau-Porcien Soissons and having received the Vesle that passes through Rheims and Fismes it mixes with the Oysâ— above Compiegne 3. The Meuse springs in Champaign near a Village of that Name and Montigni le Roi but goes soon out of it through Lorrain and Barrois the County of Namur the Bishoprick of Liege Gueldres and Holland where it falls into the Sea below Rotterdam and near the Briel 1. Rheims RHeims esteemed by some Capital of Champaign is a very ancient Town as appears by Caesar's Fort that is not far off it It s Compass is wide surrounded with good Walls of about a League in circuit and embellished with very magnificent â—tructures especially the Archiepiscopal Church consecrated to our Lady which is â—ne of the most sumptuous and most acâ—omplished Buildings in the whole Kingâ—om It s Portail Raising as high as the very Towers Sixty seven Canons officiate dayâ—y in this Church besides there is another â—onsecrated to St. Remy with the Title of Abby wherein the Ampoule pretended to â—e brought from Heaven at the Consecraâ—ion of Clovis and since destined for anointâ—ng the Monarchs of France is carefully kept with several other Curiosities as the Representation of the Twelve Dukes and Peers of France dressed as when they assist at the King's Coronation which Ceremoâ—y is for the most part performed in this Town It s Archbishop is the first Duke and Ecclesiastical Peer of France and has for Suffragans Soissons Chalons upon the Marne Laon Senlis Beauvais Amiens Noyon and Boulogne and before Cambray was erected into an Archbishoprick this City together with Arras and Tournay depended upon the Metropolitan of Rheims The ancient Latin Authors called
of that Name separates the Bishopricks of St. Pol and Triguier and empties it self into the Bay of the Torean The Trieu receives the Lier and falls into the Sea between the Isles of St. Mande and Brehacy The Arguenon separates the Bishoprick of St. Brieux from that of St. Malo and runs into the Sea at Port of St. Cas. The River Rance comes from the borders of the Bishoprick of St. Brieux washes Dinant and empties it self into the Bay of St. Milo The Couesnon washes Foguâ—res Romazic Antraim where it receives the Aisance goes through Pont-Orson and falls into the Sea near Mount St. Michael Britany is divided into upper and lower or Eastern and Western Others divide it according to the Idioms that are spoken in its several Diocesses The Bishoprick of Rennes Dol and St. Malo speak French those of Quimpercorentin St. Pol. and Triguer speak Brittish and those of Nantes Vennes and St. Brieux make use of both These nine Bishopricks are all suffragans to the Archbishop of Tours There are several Islands round about this Province but for the most part inconsiderable and unhabited except it be the Isles of Wessant and Belle-Isle of which I shall speak under the Bishopricks on which they depend Of High Brittany The Bishoprick of Rennes RENNES Capital of Britanny is situated upon the meeting of the Rivers Vilaine and Lille eighteen leagues South of the Sea and Mount St. Michael and was already considerable in Caesars time who calls its Inhabitants Rhedones and Ptolomy the City it self Condate Redonum It remained under the Romans till Conan made himself King of Britany and established there the Seat of his Empire About the end of the fifth Century part of our Brittish Ancestors went over the Sea ransack'd and plunder'd this Town However it took its former lustre again and was still the ordinary Residence of the Dukes of Brittany who bore the Title of Counts of Rennes The most Ancient Bishop of Rennes is one Artemius who assisted at the first Council of Tours in 461. and to that of Vennes in 465. Before Henry II. instituted a Parliament at Rennes for the whole Dutchy of Brittany and made it Sedentary at the same time viz. in the Year 1553. there was a Senelchalship to which resorted the Diocesses of Rennes Dol St. Malo Cornouaille Vennes St. Brieux Leon and Triguier The Parliameat of Rennes was transferr'd to Vennes in 1675. for some discontent the French King had taken against its Citizens who unwillingly saw their priviledges invaded and were loth to pay his Exorbitant Taxes this Monarch little remembring how faithful this Town had been to his Ancestors during the Civil Wars Nevertheless he was not in such a Passion but that he restored them their Parliament in 1687. for a Summ of Money Besides the Cathedral Church of St. Peter Rennes has several Parochial Churches and Monasteries and the Abbies of St. Melaine St. George and St. Sulpice The Palace of its Parliament is built on the modern way and the Bell of its Clock is esteemed one of the biggest in the Kingdom The other Towns and considerable Burroughs of this Diocess are Vitrey Vitreium near the source of the Vilaine ten leagues South-east of Rennes with the Title of a Barony The French Protestants had there a considerable Church St. Aubin du Cormier perhapâ— Cornutius Vicus Gregory of Tours testifies that in 579. the Brittains made an Incursion into the Countrey of Rennes and penetrated to this Cornutius Vicus Lewis of La Trimouille K. Charles VIII his General defeated here the Duke of Brittany and his Confederates in 1488. July 28. It lyes upon the River Couesnon four leagues North-west of Vitrey Fougeres near the source of the Couesnon Coetnus is about twelve leagues North-east of Rennes It has given its Name to a Noble Family and one of this Lords call'd Raoul de Fougeres fortified it and built there a good Castle It is so called from the quantity of Fern Fougere that grows thereabouts and this Countrey is so remarkable for Health in French Landes that two other Burroughs take their Name from thence viz. S. Sauveur des Landes and S. Gilles des Landes Antraim lyes upon the same River five leagues Northwest of Fougeres The Latins call it Interamnis because it s seated upon the meeting of the Couesnon and Aisance There was formerly a famous Monastery and the Emperor Charles the Bald had an Interview with Solomon King of the Brittains at this place in 863. Of the Bishoprick of Dol. THis Diocess the most Easterly of those that lye on the Sea-coast is bound on the West and South by that of St. Malo on the East by those of Rennes and Avranches and on the North by the Ocean It is hardly seven leagues North and South and three or four East and West Dol its Capital City is only considerable by its Bishoprick It is situated in a Marshy Plain above ten leagues North of Rennes four or five Northwest of St. Malo and seven North-east of Mont St. Michael The most ancient part of this Town is the Castle near which was founded an Abby by a Bishop called Samson in remembrance of a Serpent he had forc'd to fly thither It was erected into a Bishoprick in 566. whereof this Samson was the first Prelate according to Duchesne or rather in 844. under Neomenes King of Brittany according to the Jesuit Sirmond and De Valois The Dukes of Brittany laboured a long time to have this Church erected into an Archbishoprick and one Baldric Abbot of Bourgueil in Anjou calls John Archbishop of Dol and Metropolitan but at last Hugh one of his Prelates yielded of its Pretensions in behalf of the Metropolitan of Tours Near to this Foundation is an Abby of the Order of Cisteaux call'd Vicuville Of the Bishoprick of St. Malo THis Diocess reaches 20 leagues in length North and South 9 or 12 leagues East and West where it is broadest and in some places handly 2 or 3. It is included between the Sea and the Bishoprick of Dol on the North those of St. Brieux end Vennes on the West and South and that of Rennes on the East The Capital St. Malo is one of the best Sea-Port Towns in France tho' its access be somewhat difficult and defended by a strong Castle flank'd with great Towers surrounded with Ditches and kept by a good Garrison This Town is one of the Keys of France and considerable in time of Peace by its Trade into the Northern parts of Europe but much more in time of War for being a Nest of Sea-Robbers It is said that St. Malo is guarded by Dogs because the Garrison lest they should be surprized le ts out 12 Dogs that go round about the Walls which do not fail to bark at the Goers by This Town was built in an Island a mile from the Ruines of another more Ancient called Alet the remains of whose Walls Port and Castle are still to be seen It got this Name of St.
and in latter Ages Santoni lies upon the Charante with a Bishoprick Suffragan of Bourdeaux from which it is distant 22 Leagues to the North and almost 10 from the Sea to the East It has had particular Counts as well as the whole Province and is very ancient there are still to be seen the remains of an Amphitheatre and Aqueducts of a triumphant Arch upon the Charante and many Inscriptions of the Romans S. Eutropius is accounted its first Bishop and its Cathedral Church is dedicated to St. Peter but it was almost ruin'd during the Wars of Religion Brouage Santonum portus lies on a narrow Bay over against the Isle of Oleron 8 Leagues West of Saintes It is called in vulgar Latin Broagium from the mildness of its Soyl and is the head of the Country thereabouts called le Brouageois that constitutes a particular Government in which are two of the finest Burroughs in France Marennes and la Tremblade where the French King has a Store-house for his Vessels And tho the Country be but small yet because of the customs it yields 14 Millions of Livers which amount near to 1100000 pound Sterling to the French King This together with the conveniency of the Havens and Salt-pits makes Brouage an important Town for which reason it is strongly fortified The other places of note are S. Jean d' Angeli Engeriacum or Ingeriacum on the River Boutonne 8 Leagues North of Saintes It was formerly very strong and given to the Protestants as one of their Towns of security but Lewis XIII who took it from them by storm in 1621 pull'd its Walls down Taillebourg has a Bridge on the Charante and is famous for a Battel fought there in 1242. by Lewis the IXth's Forces with the Count of La Marche that had revolted against him Soubize and Royan are two Sea-ports the first who gave the name of Duke to a famous Protestant Commander lies on the Mouth of the Charante and the other on the Bay of the Gironde Mortaigne and Chalais have titles of Principalities Posnac and Matha of Counties Aubeterre of a Viscounty Montausier was erected into a Dutchy and Peerdom in 1665. Pons is a Sirauté or ancient Lordship on which 250 fees are depending Barbezieux gives now Title of a Marquess to one of Louvoys Sons Secretary of State to Lewis XIV Jonsac and Mirembeau are also considerable Lordships Of Armagnac ARMAGNAC Armaniacum is a County in Gascogne between Languedoc on the East the Garonne and Condomois on the North Chalosse and Bigorre on the West and Cominges on the South There is a great plenty of Corn excellent Wines Cattel and Fowls This Country in Caesar's time was inhabited by the Elusates whose Capital Euse or Eause Elusa or Aceluso was then a Metropolitan and Aux a Bishoprick only but the two Dioceses having been melted in one and the Archiepiscopal Seat transferr'd to Aux Eause became an inconsiderable place and retains nothing of its former grandeur but an Archiepiscopal Palace Eause is seated on the River Gelise and the Borders of Condomus almost 14 Leagues South of Bazas so that from Serignac on the Garonne and Aragmer in the Pyrenees Armagnac is extended 43 Leagues North and South in its greatest length and 30 East and West from Verdun on the Garonne to Aire or Barcelone on the Adour Thus this County together with the Countries of Riviere and Verdun are included betwixt 42 Deg. 40 Min. and 44 Deg. 10 Min. of Latitude 19 Deg. 50 Min. and 21 Deg. 40 Min. of Longitude It has had famous Counts and has above 1800 Fees subject to the Ban and Rear-ban The most remarkable places are Ausch Archbishoprick Lectoure a Bishoprick and strong City with a Cittadel Vic d'Armagnac where the Counts of Fosensac us'd to reside who receiv'd homage of 300 Gentlemen Vic de Lomagne Capital of the Country of that Name There is also Miradou which stopp'd the designs of the Prince of Conde in 1652. Mirande Capital of the Country of Estrac Verdun Capital of the Country of that Name La Bastide Jegun Naugaro Trie c. The City of Aux or Ausch Augusta Auscorum and Ausci lies upon the Giers with a Presidial and Archbishoprick 'T is said to have been a Roman Colony which is confirmed by its Antiquities it has some remains of the magnificence of the Counts of Armagnac Clovis the Great is thought the Founder of the Cathedral which is one of the most magnificent and richest Churches in the Kingdom its first Bishop is thought to be Aufronius its Chapter consists of 15 Dignitaries and 20 Prebendaries of which 5 are Lay-men who sit in the Quire and have a share in the Distributions These are the Count of Armagnac and the four Barons of Montaut Pardillan Montesquiou and l'Ile The 15 Dignitaries are the Provost 3 Abbots of Faget Idrac and Cere 7 Archdeacons of Angles Sabanes Sos Vic d'Armagnac Magnoac Astarac and Pardillan two Priors of Montesquiou and S. Mary of Snow a Sexton who is withal a Parson and a Theolocal or Professor of Divinity There are also 36 Incumbents eight Chaplains of the Holy Ghost and St. Denys 37 Chaplains in ordinary and divers Clerks for the Divine Service The Archbishop has the Moiety of the Lordship of the City there are many other Churches and Monasteries c. Of Chalosse CHALOSSE or Gascony properly so called lies between Armagnac on the East Condomois on the North the Lanâ—â— on the West and Bearn on the South This Country bordering too much on the â—andes or wasts of Gascony produces nothing â—â—t Rye Millet and some Pastures It reaches â—3 Leagues North and South from the Source 〈◊〉 the Gelouse to the Burrough of Mant upon â—â—e Luy and 13 East and VVest from Aire to â—eyond Gaviac c. The chiefest Places are â—ires Bish Cap. S. Sever Meugron Arsac â—â—â—â—muy The City of Aires Vicus Juli Aturensium â—nitatis or Aturae is a Bishoprick Suffragan of â—â—sch seated on the Adour in a plentiful Country â—â—most 27 Leagues South of Bourdeaux It deâ—ends on the Seneschal of Bazas and the Parâ—iament of Guienne without further appeal The Kings of the Visigoths made their Residence â—here there is still to be seen on the River â—â—de the Ruins of Alaric's Palace he that made publick in 506 the Theodosian Code â—hich had been revised by Anian his Chancelâ—or Since that time this Town has often been â—â—in'd by the Saracens Normans c. it sufferâ—d much during the late Civil VVars There is an Abbey of S. Quiterne which is celebrateâ— for the Martyrdom of that Saint it is conâ—â—thedral with that of Aires which has the Blesseâ— Virgin for Patron The ancientest Bishop 〈◊〉 St. Marcel who sent in 506. one of his Priesâ— to the Council of Agde the Chapter has twâ— Archdeacons and the whole Dioceses is divideâ— under 6 Arch-priests c. Of Condomois CONDOMOIS Pagus Condomiensis is small Country betwixt Armagnac anâ— Agenois on the East Basadois on thâ— North the Landes
and Chalosse on the VVesâ— and part of Chalosse and Armagnac on the Soutâ— It reaches 30 Leagues East and West from â—staffort on the Giers to beyond the Gelouse bâ— its greatest extent North and South is hardâ— 12 Leagues and in some places only 2 4 6 â— 7. However 't is subdivided in other smallâ— Countries as Mursan Gavardan Fesensagueâ— c. They say that Condomois yields all the nâ—cessaries for life and borrows nothing of iâ— Neighbours The most considerable Places aâ— Condom Bish Gondrin Corrensan Mezin Sâ— Rimbes Montreal Gabaret Cap. of Gavardaâ— Mauvesin Capital of Fesen saguet Mont de Maâ—san with Roquefort and St. Justin c. The City of Condom Condomium Vasconum is â—â—â—ted upon the Baise Balisa with a Bishopâ—â—er Suffragan of Bourdeaux three Leagues â—â—om Nerac it has a Presidial and Election â—â—â—e it was separated from the Bishoprick and â—â—â—schalship of Agen. The Pope John XXII ereâ—ed it into a Bishoprick in 1327. and gave it â—â—e revenues of an Abbey of St. Benedict conâ—â—crated to St. Peter which is now the Catheâ—â—al Raimond Gontard last Abbot of that Abâ—â—ey was the first Bishop of Condom and the â—anons were secularized in 1549. There are â—any other Churches and several Monasteries This City was taken in 1569. by Gabriel of â—â—tmorency Commander of the Protestants Of the Landes THE LANDES are along the Sea between the Country of Labourd on thâ— South Chalosse on the VVest and Bourdelois oâ— the North. This is a barren Country that haâ— in some places nothing but Heaths and Pastures where abundance of Cattel is feeding in somâ— other places it yields a little Corn and a greaâ— deal of Rye by the means of burnt Earth whicâ— mixed with the sandy Soyl fattens it and makeâ— it fruitful It 's extended 33 Leagues North East and South-West from Belin to Bayonne Buâ— only 12 in its largest breadth from Tartas oâ— the Adour to the Sea It was the Habitation oâ— the ancient Tarbelli whom Caesar and Strabâ— describe as living on the Sea-Coast of Aquitaâ— from Bourdeaux to the Pyrenees The Places tâ— be noted are Dax Bish Tartas Belin le Mâ—ret Magese Albret c. The City of Dax or Aqs Aquae Augustâ— or Aquae Tarbellicae lies upon the Adouâ— with a Bishoprick Suffragan of Ausch and a Sâ—neschal's Court 13 Leagues North-East of Baâ—onne It is a trading City rich and well builâ— with a Castle flank'd by many big rounâ— Towers with a Garrison in it it is famouâ— for its warm and healthful Bathes which werâ— in great consideration in the times of the Râ—mans whence comes its name of Aquae and that of Aquitain Of Labourd THE Land or Country of LABOVRD or rather Lapord Lapurdensis pagus lies on the Frontiers of Spain between Bearn on the East the Landes on the North and the Ocean on the West This Country has in most â—â—tees little Corn and Wine but is plentiful in Fruits especially Pears and Apples of which they make excellent Syder It yields a great deal of Millet and Physical Herbs of great Virtue Whales have been taken upon its Coasts and there are Mineral Waters good for several Distempers This Country reaches 17 Leagues East and West from Bidache to Fontarabie but his extent North and South is not above six or seven Leagues The chief Places are Bayonne Bish St. J hn de Luz Luisium that is muddy places Bidache Siboule c. The City of Bayonne Lapurdum Boatium Ciâ—itos and vulgarly Baiona lies on the Confluence of the Adour and Nive which three Miles after disburthen themselves into the Sea It has a Bishoprick Suffragan of Ausch and is one of the Keys of the French Kingdom toward Spain it is very rich because of its Trading and very strong The word Bayonne comes from Baie a Port and from Juna which signifies gooâ— in the Bask or Country Language so that it as much as to say Good Port. 'T is in the Castâ— of this City called Lapurdum that the Tribâ—â— of the Novem Populan Cohort made his Residence it is under the Seneschal's Jurisdictioâ— of Dax Near this City is a Hill on the top 〈◊〉 which one may see part of three Kingdoms viâ— of France Castile and Navarre The Cathedral is dedicated to the blessed Virgin anâ— St. Leon There are many other Churches anâ— several Monasteries This Bishoprick was onâ—â— extended into three Kingdoms viz. France Nâ—varre and Castile but in 1565. Philip II. 〈◊〉 of Spain obtained from the Court of Roâ—â— the dismemb ing of it on behalf of Pampeluâ—â— This Country had formerly its own Viscounts Ships of any rate come up the River which 〈◊〉 very deep as far as the middle of the City Of Lower Navarre THE LOWER NAVARRE Borders on the Country of Labourd to the North-West and West on the Pyrenees to the South and the Viscounty of Soule to the East It is a Mounâ—â—inous Country which produces little Corn or Wine and yields only Millet Oates Pears and Apples of which they make Syder that is the usual drink of the Inhabitants Pasture ground is very good here the flesh of Cattel very delicate and the Wool very fine Game both small and great is likewise very common The most remarkable places are St. Palais the Capital St. John pie de Port S. Johannes â—â—â—pyrenaei Garris Garrucium la Bastide de Clarences S. Palais Fanum Sancti Pelagii is seated on the Rivers Bidouse almost 12 Leagues South-East of Bayonne It was the Seat of Chancery and Sovereign Justice before the Institution of the Parliament of Pau in 1620. it has still a Court of Mint c. Of Soule THE Viscounty of SOVLE Subola is 〈◊〉 little Country that makes part of Navarreâ— and lies betwixt it and Bearn There is no remarkable place but Mauleon of Soule which iâ— its chief Town called by the Latins Malleâ— Oppidum or Castrum and is seated in the hearâ— of it It 's the birth place of Henry Sponde Bishop of Pamiez who has continued the Annalâ— of Baronius Of Bearn BEARN or Benearnensis pagus with the Title of Principality lies near the Pyrenees bordering on the County of Bigorre to the East Lower Armagnac to the North the Precincts of the Provost of Acqs Lower Navarre and the Viscounty of Soule to the West and the Mountains of Arragon and Ronçal to the South The chief Town of this Province is Pau the other most remarkable are Benearnum now Lescar Lascurris Oleron Iluro Nay Ourtes or Ortez Navarreins Morrane Sauveterre Pontac Sanbege Salies and 434 Burroughs or Villages 2 Bishopricks and 3 Abbeys It lies betwixt 42 Deg. 50 Min. and 43 Deg. 40 Min. Latitude and between 18 Deg. 50 Min. and 20 Deg. of Longitude its greatest strength East and West being about 22 Leagues and 20 North and South There are two Principal Rivers called Gave one has its source in the Mountains of Bareges in Bigorre and is called the Gave of Bearn and the other is that of Oleron which is a compound of
the Kingdom of the Visigoths It seems it is they who gave to the first Narbonnoise the name of Septimania and so jealous they were of that Title that having lost by the Battel of Vouillé where their King Alaric was killed by Clovis in 507. the Towns of Toulouse and Vzès they supplied that number by the addition of Narbonne and Careassonne The Visigoths enjoyed Septimania above 250 years which is the cause that it is sometimes call'd by the Latin Authors of the middle Age Gothia Thence some derive the modern name of Languedoc as tho it were said for Langue de Goth or Langue-Goth but this Etymology does neither agree with the spelling of Languedoc nor with the appellation of Occitania and Lingua Occitana which the said Authors give it And therefore I more approve of those who observe that the French have been distinguished time out of mind into Langue D'Ouy and Langue D' Oc that is in such as say Ouy and such as say Oc for Yes the first living on this side and the second on that side of the Loire In process of time the Sirname of Langue D'Oc was appropriated to Septimania wherein it is more general to say Oc for Yes than any where else The French having expell'd the Goths beyond the Pyrenees Charlemaign established Governors in Languedoc with the Title of Counts of Toulouse of whom the first was one Corson in 778. The second was St. William du Court-Nez or Aux Cornets whence the Princes of Orange derive their pedigree as may be infered from the hunting horn they bear in their Arms. This William who lived about the year 790 founded the Abbey of St. William the Desart in the Dioceses of Lodeve wherein he took the Habit of Monk After his death or retirement the State of Languedoc was very much troubled by the quarrels of the several pretenders who making use of the weakness of the French Kings endeavour'd to erect their Governments into Sovereign Principalities Raimond-Pons Count of Toulouse in 907. made himself Proprietary of the Dutchy of Septimania or Marquisate of Gothia but not being able to subdue some particular Governours as the Counts of Carcassonne Melgueil and Foix the Viscounts of Narbonne Besiers Agde Nismes Lodeve Vzès c. who formerly depended on the Dukes of Septimania and would now become Sovereigns as well as themselves the Counts of Toulouse allow'd them to enjoy their Usurpations In the mean while they acquired by Marriage Inheritance or War the Counties of Querei Perigord Albi the Agenois the Milhaud the Gevaudan the County Venaissin Melgueil Asterac nay they were sometime Marquesses of Provence * Godefrid Annal. as in 1235 and in that quality made homage to the Emperor These Lords being so powerful the French Kings were glad to make them the first Counts and Peers of their Kingdom that by this Title of honour they should be drawn to stick the closer to the French Interest However this House remain'd not long in its lustre for Raimond the 6th sirnamed the Old maintaining the persecuted Albigeois as his Subjects the fourth Council of Lateran excommunicated him and gave his Estate to Simon Count of Montfort in 1215. Amauri Son to Simon dead in 1218 not being able to keep the unlawful Conquests of his Father yielded them to the French K. Lewis the VIIIth in 1224. Raimond the 6th was dead two years before in 1222 and his Son Raimond the 7th or the Young perceiving that he could not withstand the whole power of Popery thought best to reconcile himself to the Church of Rome as he did in 1228. At the same time he made a Treaty with K. Lewis the VIIIth by which he betrothed Jane his only Daughter to Alfonse of Poictiers the King's Brother upon condition that if they happened to dye without Issue the States of the Counts of Toulouse should fall to the Crown of France they both died without Children in the Month of August 1271 upon which King Philip the Bold took possession of their Dominions and in 1361. King John reunited this Country to the Crown of France by his Patent Letters which were confirmed in in an Assembly of the General States of that Province These States the only ones that have yet any shadow of power are made up of the 3 Orders of a Kingdom namely the Clergy the Nobility and the People the Clergy is represented by the 22 Prelates of that Province whereof 3 are Archbishops and 19 Bishops the Nobility Votes there by the Mouth of 22 Barons of the following Families 1. Rieux 2. Mirepoix 3. Florensac 4. Vauvert 5. Castelnau d' Estrete Fons 6. Capendu 7. Haute-rive 8. Confoulens 9. St. Felix 10. Ville Neuve 11. la ' Gardiole 12. Lanta 13. Alais 14. Polignac 15. Clermont 16. Arques 17. Cauvisson 18. Ganges 19. Castries 20. Castelnau de Bonnefons 21. Ambres 22. Ferrals The People speaks in the Persons of 22 Consuls or Sheriffs deputed out of the 22 Bishopricks The Archbishop of Narbonne is President born of that Assembly which is seldom called for any thing else but to give the King money by laying besides the ordinary Taxes an extraordinary and heavy imposition under the name of Don-gratuit or free Gift Languedoc lies between 21 Deg. 16 Min. and 26 Deg. 10 Min. of Longitude 41 Deg. 45 Min. and 45 Deg. of Latitude It reaches 23 Leagues East and West from Beaucaire upon the Rhone to Rieux upon the Garonne or 79 from Crussol upon the Rhone over against Valence in Dauphine to Castel-Sarasin on the Garonne in the Diocese of Montauban It 's extent North and South is still more unequal from Moissac in Quercy to Lavet Coronat in the County of Foix it is of 40 Leagues of 53 from La Garde Biaur on the Borders of Rouergue to beyond Prat de Mollo in Roussillon and 50 from Serrieres in Vivarais to beyond Fort de Peccais near Aigues-mortes in the Diocese of Nismes It is one of the most fruitful and healthful Provinces of France divided into Upper and Lower Languedoc and the Cevennes The first comprehends the Toulousan the Albigeois the Lauragais and the County of Foix The second is distinguish'd into 3 Precincts or Quartiers that of Narbonne of Beziers and of Nimes the Cevennes are subdivided into 3 Countries Gevaudan Vivarais and Velay Both parts of Languedoc produce great quantity of Corn that they use to carry into Spain and Italy their Wines are delicious and their Fruits most esteem'd especially pickled Olives and Raisins Their Salt-pits and Dyers-wood make up a considerable Trade besides Azure Saffron Verdigrease Vermilion or artificial Cinoper Sope Glasses Box-trees and several Simples and Plants that are transported thence The Air is so wholsome that it is thought a specifick remedy against consumptions chiefly about Montpellier which temperature of the Heavens contributes not a little to make Women comely and Men ingenious as appears by the great number of Poets either in French Latin or the Country-Language and
said to yield to none of that Country in well breeding and comeliness but to those of Montpellier The late Governours of Languedoc as the Duke of Montmorency and the Prince of Conti have kept here their ordinary Residence and the States of the Province have been consequently held here which has much contributed to the enriching and beautifying of this Town The other places of this Diocese are Marseillan Florensac Castelnau Montagnac Le Pouget Gignac Ville-Magne Loupian and Meâ—e the Mesua of Pomponius Mela tho the Island he speaks of seems rather to be Lates Lodeve seated between Mountains near the meeting of the Rivers Solondre and Lergue not far from the Cevennes and the Borders of Roâ—â—rgue and Gevaudan lies almost 9 Leagues North of Pesenas and 13 of Agde It s antient name in Latin is Forum-Neronis and then Leuâ—eva both known to Pliny and its Bishop kept already the 4th or 5th rank among the Suffragans of Narbonne at the beginning of the 5th Century Lodeve is not now very big for it has suffer'd several devastations during the Wars of the Goths then of the Albigeois and lastly during the Civil Wars between the Prâ—testants â—â—d Roman Catholicks and the Duke of Montmorency took it in 1585. This Town had formerly the Title of a Viscounty which one of its Prelates Raimond Guilhen Brother to the Lord of Montpellier bought off from Viscount Geldin whence it comes that the Bishops of Lodeve are Lords of it appoint the Magistrates and take the Title of Counts of Montbrun a Castle near it And 't is asserted that 800 Noblemen depended on and made homage of their Lands to this Prelate who on this account was Sirnam'd the Noble Bernard Gui and John Plantavit de la Pause Bishops of Lodeve have published Chronicles of their Church Denis Briconnet and Francis Bosquet are likewise in the number of Authors The Diocese of Lodeve comprehends besides the Towns or Burroughs of Las Ribbes S. Michel Ganges Brisac S. Jean de Buege S. Guillem ley Desert with a famous Abby of Benedictins founded by one of the Ancestors of the Princes of Orange Mont-Peyroux S. Jean de Foz S. André Clermont de Lodeve and Canet Of the Precinct of Nismes THis Precinct is not near so great as the ancient Territories of the Volcae Arecomici who extended themselves through the Dioceses of Montpellier Nismes Vzès and Lodeve enjoyed the Town of Pezenas and even some Lands beyond the Rhone Now it is restrained within the Episcopal Jurisdiction of Montpellier and Nismes and has the district of Beziers on the West Gevaudan and Vivarais on the North and North-East the Rhone on the East and the Sea on the South It s greatest length from Frontignan on the Pond of Maguelonne to the source of the Eraut is 17 Leagues North and South and its greatest breadth from Beaucaire on the Rhone to Anagne on the Eraut 22 Leagues East and West but in some places it is so very tarrow that it has hardly 4 or 5 Leagues Montpellier 3 Leagues South of the Sea 13 East of Pesenas and 14 North-East of Agde is call'd in Latin Mons-pessulus Mons-pessulanus Mons-peslerius and Mons-puellaris but every one may see that these are not old Latin names and likewise this Town is hardly known in History since 600 years though it be now the biggest and richest in Languedoc after Toulouse It is seated upon a Hill whose foot is wash'd by the small River Lez which receives there another Rivulet called Merdanson after it has serv'd to the uses of the Town The original of Montpellier is related thus There was formerly a strong and considerable City call'd Maguelonne Magalo in a Gulph nam'd by Pliny Laterna and by the French l'Etang du Tau de Lates or de Perraut The foundation of Maguelonne is uncertain for tho the Coast of Lower Languedoc has been sometime in the power of the Marseillois and Stephanus mentions Alonis as an Island belonging to them whose Inhabitants were call'd Alonites yet having no other testimony a small and far fetched resemblance of names can scarce prove them to be one and the same However it be sure it is that Maguelonne was an Episcopal City in the 5th and 6th Centuries and a famous Sea-port too which was the cause of its ruin For after the Saracens had conquered Spain they spread themselves in Lower Languedoc in 730 and threatned the whole Kingdom of France with a Barbarian Invasion when they were utterly routed by Charles Martel near Tours As this great Captain had observ'd that they commonly landed at Maguelonne when it had retaken this Town in 736 he raz'd it to the very ground and transferred the Episcopal See to Soustancion Sextatio almost a Mile East of Montpellier Soustancion is mention'd in the Geographical Tables of the Emperor Theodose and in the Travels of Aethicus but the Inhabitants finding the Situation of the place where now Montpellier lies more convenient and the Air sweeter began to build there Thus the new Village increas'd by degrees during 300 Years that the B. of Maguelonne kept their Seat at Soustancion But in 1060 Arnauld Julian one of these Prelates rais'd up the Walls of Maguelâ—nne fortify'd them with Towers and the Haven where the Saracens us'd to land being stop'd built another in a more convenient place Before this the Governour of Maguelonne had retir'd to a place call'd now Mauguio where he built a Castle under the name of Melgueil and having usurp'd the Sovereignty of his Government during the troubles of the French Monarchy he took upon him the Title of Count of Melgueil and Soustancion and coyn'd a kind of small Money call'd the Melgoris pence The Estates of these Counts pass'd in 1172 into the House of Toulouse by the Marriage of Ermessende their Heiress with Raymond VI. Sirnamed the Old and was confiscated upon his Son by Pope Innocent III. and the Council of Latran in 1215. In the mean while Montpellier increas'd apace for it appears by a passage of S. Bernard Abbot of Clairvaux that there was already a School or Seminary of Physicians in 1155 and in 1156 we find mention of its Baths which were farm'd by the Lords of that Town as being of a considerable Revenue However the first Institution of its University is commonly ascrib'd to the Disciples of Averroes aâ—d Avicenne in 1196 and its perfect establishment is said to have been made but in 1220. About this time the Lords of Montpellier were in great esteem This Lordship was first detached from the Patrimony of the Counts of Melgueil to be the Portion of Eustorgia a Daughter of that House She had a Son call'd Fulcran who became Bishop of Lodeve and two Daughters who bequeathed their Estates to the Church of Maguelonne in 975. These Prelates sold Montpellier to a Gentleman nam'd Gui on condition that he should keep it as a Fee of the Church and defend it against the Saracens The French Kings and the succeeding Bishops of Maguelonne
confirm'd this gift or sale so that Montpellier remain'd to his Posterity who because of the increase of their Town and the consideration it came to be in allied themselves with very illustrious Houses as the Kings of Jerusalem and of Aragon the Dukes of Burgundy and the Counts of Foix and became at last Kings of Majorca But this small Kingdom was the ruine of their Patrimonial Estate for James III. King of Majorca and Lord of Montpellier having been depriv'd of his Realm by Peter of Arragon his Brother in Law was compell'd by want and misery to sell his Lordship to the French King Philip of Valois in 1349. Physick has the precedency in the University of Montpellier yet both parts of the Law are taught in one of its Colleges by four Royal Professors with power of making Licentiates and Doctors There are besides a generality of the King's Treasurers a Court of Aides a Chamber of Accounts a Mint and a Presidial-seat Montpellier was one of the Towns of security which Henry IV. had granted to the Protâ—stants but Lewis XIII designing the ruin of this part of his Subjects forc'd them by Arms to surrender this pledge of his protection and took this City after a long Siege and a vigorous defence in the Month of October 1622. Then it was that the Roman Catholicks got again into their hands the Cathedral of S. Peter for the Bishoprick of Maguelonne had been transferred thither in 1536 with the consent of Pope Paul III. Soustancion being now but a ruin'd Village However they were still fewer in number and have been so till this last Persecution Montpellier is govern'd by six Consuls or Sheriffs who are also Viguiers or Baylies of the Town and have a great attendance The Merchants have likewise their Consuls under the came of Consuls of the Sea to distinguish 'em from the Sheriffs call'd Consuls Majours There is a particular Court for Debts whose Judge sirnamed of the little Seal has jurisdiction over them who submit to him by contract Besides the University the Churches and the Palace of the Justice there are other Buildings worthy to be taken notice of as the Royal College for Humane Learning the Cittadel rais'd since the taking of Montpellier from the Protestants and flank'd with four Bastions two within and two without the Town Near to its Wall is the Royal Garden of Simpâ—es extraordinary well kept and furnished The Ceremonies us'd in taking the degree of Doctor in Physick is worth seeing were it only for their putting seven times on and off the Back of the new Doctor the old Gown of Rabelais The Confection of Alkermès is likewise made in a solemn manner before the Magistrate and one of the Professors of Physick Their Triacle is in as great esteem as that of Venice and their Powders of Cypre Queen of Hungary's Waters Essences and Scent-waters are vended through alâ— Europe The Inhabitants of Montpellier are also famous for making Verdegreese whitening Wax working upon Silk with Mills and severaâ— other Manufactures Add to this that theiâ— Soyl is one of the best and the Air one of the wholsomest in France Lates mention'd by Pomponius Mela undeâ— the name of Castellum Latara and by more modern Authors under those of Castrum de Latis and Castrum de Palude is seated in an Island made by the Mouth of the Lez Ledum which discharges it self into a great Pond call'd by Pliny Laterna and by Mela Stagnum Volcarum This Island lies but a Mile South of Montpellier and is reck'ned its Haven A League more Westwards on the Mouth of the Caulazon lies the Town of Ville-neuve over against Magueloune and 4 Leagues South-West upon the same Lake or Pond of Lates the Town of Frontignan so famous for its Muscadine Wines De Valois takes it for the Forum Domitii of the Antients so called from Cn. Domitius Aenobarly who having vanquished the Allobroges and Auvergnats was carry'd in triumph upon an Elephant through the whole Province Three Miles North-West you meet with the small Town of Balaruc renown'd for its Bathes Lunel Lunate 5 Leagues East of Montpellier gives its Name to a Bridge upon the Vidourle over against the Town It has a Monastery under the Name of S. Peter but is more renown'd for being the Birth-place of a Learned Jew Rabbi Salomon who took from thence the Sirname of Jarchi The other places of this Diocese are Montferrand Murvieil Pignan Fabregues Sanson mentions a great many other but he marks them all for Villages NISMES Nemausus Volcarum Arecomicorum lies seven Leagues North-East of Arles and ten and a half North-West of Montpellier in a fertil Plain overshadowed with Fruit-trees and at the foot of Hills cover'd with Vineyards It 's a very ancient City though the time of its foundation be uncertain Stephanus and Suidas after him ascribe it to one Nemausus of Hercules's posterity whence Du Chesne infers that it is a Greek Colony of the Marseillois but as there have been many Hero's of that name and that the Descendants of the Greek Hercules have been long in repute this does not precisely determine the time of its first Building De Valois derives it from a Fountain springing hereabouts which Ausonius calls Nemausus but it will still be doubtful whether the City has given its name to the Fountain or the Fountain to the City and whence both have got this appellation It will be more useful and diverting to consider the rise and various fortunes of Nismes and withal the precious remains of its Antiquities It owes its first increase to a Colony of Roman Soldiers who return'd with August from the Conquest of Egypt as appears by an ancient Inscription which this City has taken for its Arms COL NEM Colonia Nemausensis the Colony of Nismes Before that Julius Caesar had put a Garrison in this Town to defend it against the incursions of those of Reuergue and Querci The Volcae Arecomici were already one of the most powerful Nations of the Gauls in the time of Hannibal according to Livy and under the Empire of August and Tibere Strabo * L. 21. L. 4. testifies that Nismes was the Metropolis of the Volcae Arecomici and that tho it was not to be compar'd to Narbonne as to the number of Strangers and Merchants yet it exceeded this Capital of the Province as to the State of its Government for it had 24 Villages or Commonalties 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under it inhabited by considerable Persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who enjoy'd the privileges of the Latins so that one might find at Nismes Rom. Citizens who had discharged the Offices of Edile or City Surveyor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of Quaestor or Treasurer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therefore this Plantation did not answer before the Tribunal of the Governors that were sent thither from Rome But though they were so favoured by the Senate and Emperors a particular hatred they had against Tiberius †Suetonius made 'em throw