of Lyons though not here a Native And as to Men of other Studies Ausonius the Poet Hottoman and Gotfredus the Civilians Duarenus the Canonist Barn Brissonius the great Antiquarie Isaac Casaubon that renâ—wned Philologer Budaeus that great Master of the Greek Language â—huanus the Historian Latrentius the Anatomist c. And as for Militarie men it hath been famous for the valour of Clovis the first Christian King of the French Charles Martell that stout Champion of the Church against the Saracens and Charles the great the Founder of the Western Empire In the middle times for Godfrey of Bovillon one of the Nine Worthies as they call them the sonne of Eustace Earl of Boulogn in Picardie and in these later dayes for King Henry the 4th Francis and Henry Dukes of Guise Charles Duke of Mayenne Charâ—es Duke of Biron c. The Laws of this Kingdom are either Temporary and alterable at pleasure or Fundamentall which neither King nor Parliament as they say can alter Of this last sort the principall are the Salique Law and the Law of Apennages By that of the Apennage the younger Sonnes of the King are not to have partage in the Kingdome with their Elder-Brother which Law was made by Charles the Great before whose time we find the Children of the Kings estated in their severall Thrones and the Realm parcelled out among them into many Kingdoms But by this Law they are to be entituled to some Dutchie or County though they are content sometimes with Annual pensions with all the rights and profits thereunto belonging all matters of Regality as Levying Taxes Coynage and the like excepted onely which upon the fayling of the masculine line doe return again unto the Crown The name thereof derived from Abannage a German word signifying a portion But the main Law they stand on is the Salique Law by which the Crown of France may not descend unto the Females or fall from the Lance to the Distaff as their saying is Which Law one undertaking to make good out of holy Writ urged that Text of St. Matthew where it is said Mark the Lillies which are the Arms of France and see how they neither Labour nor Spin. This they pretend to have been made by Pharamond the first King of the French and that the words Sialiqua so often used in it gave it the Name of the Salique Law But Haillan one of their best Writers affirms That it was never heard of in France till the time of Philip the Long Anno 1315. and that it could not possibly be made by Pharamond who though he was the first King of the French had not one foot of Land in France their third King Merovei being the first of those Kings which passed over the Rhene Others say it was made by Charles the Great after the Conquest of Germany where the incontient lives of the Women living about the River Sala in the modern Misnia gave both the occasion and the name De terra verò Salica nulla portio haereditatis muliâ—ri veniat sed ad virilem Sexum tota terrae haereditas perveniat are the words thereof This Terra Salica the learned Selden in his Vitles of Honour Englisheth Knights Fee or Land that is holden by Knights Service as our Lawyers call it and proveth his Interpretation by a Record of the Parliament of Bourdeaux cited by Bodinus where an old Will or Testament being once produced in which the Testator had bequeathed unto his Sonne all his Salique Land it was resolved by the Court that thereby was meant his Land holden in Knights Service And then the sense thereof must be that in Lands holden of the King by Knights Service or the like militarie tenure the Male Children should inherit onely because the Females could not perform those services for which those Lands were given and by which they were holden And for this there may be good reason though in England we deal not so unkindly with the Female Sex but permit them after the Age of 15 yeares to enjoy such Lands because they may then take such Husbands as are able to doe the King those services which the Law requireth But this Interpretation how good and genuine soever indeed it be cannot stand with the French Gloss For then the Crown being held of none but God and so not properly to be called a Fee or Feife could not be brought within the Compass of the Salique Law because not to be counted for Salique Land Give them therefore their own Gloss their own Etymologie and Originall and let us see by what right their Kings Daughters are excluded from their succession to the Diadem For first supposing that to be the Salique Land which lyeth about the River Sala in the modern Misnia I would fain know how it could reach unto the Kings Daughters in France so far distant from it or with what honesty they can lay on them the like brand of incontinencie as was supposed to have been found in those Women of Germanie And next supposing that the Law had been made by Pharamond I would fain learn how it can be applied to the Crown of France to which Pharamond had then no title nor so much as one foot of Land on that side of the Rhene And finally supposing that the Law was made in such generall terms as to extend to all the Countries which the French in time to come should conquer and consequently unto France when once conquered by them I would then ask Whether it did extend to the Crown alone or to all subordinate Estates which were holden of it If unto all Estates holden of that Crown I would fain know with what pretence they could give sentence in behalf of Charles of Blais against John de Montfoâ—t in the succession to the Dukedom of Bretague Charles of Blais clayming by his Mother the Neece of Arthur the second by his second Sonne Guy Whereas John de Montsort was the third Sonne and the next Heir-male of the said Duke Arthur If only to the Crown of France it would be known by what right they detain that Dukedom from the true Heirs of Anne the Dutchess whose Daughter and Heir the Lady Clande being maried unto Francis the first had issue Henry the second and other Children Which Henry besides Francis the second Charles the ninth Henry the third and Francis Duke of Anjou all dying without issue had a Daughter named Isabel or Elizabeth maried to Philip the second King of Spain by whom she was made the Mother of Isabella the late Archdutchess and of Katharine the Wife of Charls Emanuel the late Duke of Savoy Not to say any thing of the pretensions of the house of Lorrein descending from the Lady Clande the second Daughter of King Henry the second and Sister of Isabel or Elizabeth Queen of Spain Nor doe we find that the French so stand upon this Law as not to think that a Succession by and from the Females is in some cases their best
And so it proved in the Event 18 Charles VI. a weak and distracted Prince in whose reign Henry the fifth of England called in by the faction of Burgundy against that of Orleans maried the Lady Catharine Daughter of this King and was thereupon made Regent of France during the Kings life and Heir apparent of the Kingdom But he had first won the great battel of Agincourt in which the English having an Army but of 15000 vanquished an Army of the French consisting of 52000 men of which were slain 5 Dukes 8 Earls 25 Lords 8000 Knights and Gentlemen of note and 25000 of the Commons the English losing but one Duke one Earl and 600 Souldiers This unfortunate Prince lost what his predecessor Philip the ad had taken from King Iohn of England and had not been restored by King Lewis the ninth 1423. 19 Charles VII Sonne of Charles the sixt after a long and bloodie War recovered from the English then divided by domestick dissentions all their Lands and Signiories in France except Calice only 1461. 20 Lewis XI Sonne of Charls the seventh added unto his Crown the Dukedom of Burgundie the Earldom of Provence and therewithall a Title unto Naples and Sicil and a great part of Picardy A Prince of so great wants or such sordid parsimony that there is found a Reckoning in the Chamber of Accompts in Paris of two shillings for new sleeves to his old doublet and three half pence for liquor to grease his Boots 21 Charles VIII Sonne of Lewis the 11th who quickly won and as soon lost the Kingdom of Naples which he laid claim to in the right of the house of Anjou By the mariage of Anne the Heir of Bretagne he added that Dukedom to his Crown 1498. 22 Lewis XII Sonne of Charles and Grand-sonne of Lewis Dukes of Oriâ—â—ans which Lewis was a younger Sonne of Charles the fifth succeeded as the neâ—t Heir-male of the house of Valois He dispossessed Ludowick Sforzâ— of the Dutchie of Millaine and divided the Realm of Naples with Ferdinand the Catholick but held neither long By his mariage with Anne of Bretagne the Widow of his Predecessour he confirmed that Dukedom to his House and united it unto the Realm by an Act of State After his death the English to prevent the growing greatness of Spaine began to close in with the French and grew into great correspondencies with them insomuch that all the following Kings untill Lewis the 13th except Francis the 2d a King of one yeer and no more were all Knights of the Garter 1515. 23 Francis Duke of Angolesme Grand-sonne of Iohn of Angolesme one of the younger Sonnes of the said Lewis Duke of Orleans succeeded on the death of Lewis the 12th without iâ—â—ue male Took Prisoner at the battel of Pavie by Charles the fifth with whom he held perpetual wars he being as unwilling to indure a superiour as the Emperour was to admit an equall 32. 1547. 24 Henry II. Sonne of Francis recovered Caliâ—e from the English and drove Charles out of Germanie and took from him Mets â—oui and Verdun three Imperial Cities ever since Members of this Kingdom 12. 1559. 25 Francis II. Sonne of Henry the 2d King of the Scots also in the right of Mary his Wife 1560. 26 Charles IX Brother of Francis the 2d the Author of the Massacre at Paris 14. 1574. 27 Henry III. elected King of Poland in the life of his Brother whom he succeeded at his death The last King of the House of Valois stripped of his Life and Kingdom by the Guisian Faction called the Holy League 15. 1589. 28 Henry IV. King of Navarre and Duke of Vendosme succeeded as the next Heir-male to Henry the 3d in the right of the House of Bourbon descended from Robert Earl of Clermont a youunger Sonne of Lewis the 9th He ruined the Holy League cleered France of the Spaniards into which they had been called by that potenâ— and rebellious Faction and laid La Bresse unto the Crown together with the Estates of Bearn and Base Navarre and after a ten years time of peace was villainously murdered by Ravillac in the streets of Paris 21. 1610. 29 Lewis XIII Sonne of Henry the 4th the most absolute King of France since the death of Charles the Great For the reduction of the scattered and dismembred Provinces the work of his many Predecessors he added the reduction of all the Ports and Garrisons held by the Hugonots in that Kingdom seized on the Dukedom of Bar and surprized that of Lorreine both which he held untill his death 32. 1642. 30 Lewis XIV Sonne of Lewis the 13th and of the Lady Anne eldest Daughter of Philip the third of Spaine succeeded at the age of four years under the Government of his Mother the 30th King of the Line of Capet the 43 from Charles the Great and the 64 King of France or rather of the French now living As for the Government of these Kings it is meerly Regal or to give it the true name Despoticall such as that of a Master over his Servants the Kings will going for a Law and his Edicts as valid as a Sentence of the Court of Parliament Quod Principi placuerit Legis habet vigorem was a Prerogative belonging to the Roman Emperours as Justinian tells us in his Institutes and the French Kings descending from Charles the Great claim it as their own The Kings Edicts alwayes ending with these binding words Car tel est nostre Plaisir for such is our pleasure And though he sometimes send his Edicts to be verified or approved in the Parliament of Paris and his Grants and Patents to be ratified in the Chamber of Accompts there holden yet this is nothing but a meer formalitie and point of circumstance those Courts not daring to refuse what the King proposeth It is Car tel est nostre plaisir which there goeth for Law And by this intimation of his Royall pleasure doth he require such Taxes as the necessity of his Affairs the greediness of his Officers or the importunity of Suters doe suggest unto him The Patrimonie of the Crown being so exhausted by the riot and improvidence of former Princes that the King hath no other way to maintain his State defray his Garrisons reward such as deserve well of him and support those that depend upon him but only by laying what he pleaseth on the backs of his Subjects against which there is no dispute by the common People though many times the Great Princes have demurred upon it And therefore to make them also instrumentall to the publick 〈◊〉 the Kings are willing to admit them to some part of the spoyl to give them some exâ—mptions from those common burdens and to connive at their oppressing of their Teâ—ants against all good conscience that being so privileged themselves they may not interrupt the King in his Regal â—ourses The power of the French King over his Subjects being so transcendent it cannot be but that
and untractable People The Government of this Country since the first Conquest by the English hath been most commonly by one Supreme Officer who is sometimes called the 〈…〉 most generally the Lord Deputy of Ireland than whom no Vice-Roy in all 〈◊〉 hath greater power or 〈◊〉 nearer the Majesty of a King in his Train and State For his assistance â—e hath a Privie Councell attending on him though resident for the most part at Duâ—lin and in emergencies or cases of more difficult nature proceedeth many times in an arbitrary way without formalities of Law And for their Laws which are the standing Rule of all civil Government they owe their being and original to the English Parliaments For in the reign of â—ing Henry the 7th Sir â—â—award Pâ—ynâ—ngs then Lord Deputy caused an Act to pass in the Irish Parliament whereby all laws 〈◊〉 Statutes which were made in England before that time were to be entertained and 〈◊〉 in force as the Laws of Ireland On which foundation they have raised many Superstructures both of Law and Government enacted in their own Parliaments summoned by the Lord Deputy at the Kings appointment in which by an other Statute made in the time of the said Poynings the people are inabled to make Laws for their own good Governance conditioned they were first transmitted to the Court of England to be considered oâ— by the King before they were Voted to in either of the houses of the Irish Parliaments Which Laws commmonly called Pâ—ynings Laws have hitherto continued in force amongst them though the last much stomaked and repined at not only as a badge of their Subjection to the Crown of England but as a Curb or Martingall to hold them in Yet notwithstabding these good Laws and the ample power of their Commission the Lord Deputies could never absolutely subdue the Iland or bring the People to any civill course of life the Fathers inflicting a heavy curse on all their posterity if ever they should sow Corn build houses or Learn the English tongue To this indisposition of the Irish themselves let us adde the defects of the Kings of England and Irish Deputies in matters of civill policie as I find them particularized by Sir John Davies in his worthy and piâ—hy discourse of this Subject I will only glean a few of them First then saith he a barbarous Country is like a field overgrown with wees which must first be well broken with the Plough and then immediately Sown with good and profitable seed so must a wild and uncivill people be first broken and Ploughed up by War and then presently Sown with the seed of good Laws and discipline lest the weeds revive in the one and ill manners in the other Here then was the first defect in our English Kings not to tame and take down the Stomacks and pride of this people though either civill or forrein wars perhaps occasioned this neglect and also the Irish Deputies who at such times as the people upon a small discomfiture were crest-faln neglected the so keeping of them by severity of discipline The second oversight concerneth particularly our Kings who gave such large possessions and regalities unto the first Conquerours that the people knew no Authority in a manner above their own immediate Lords Thirdly the Laws of England were not indifferently communicated to all the Irishrie but to some particular Families and Provinces only insomuch as there were but five great Lords of the Naturall Irish who had the benefit and protection of the Laws of England that is to say O Neale in Vlster O Connobâ—r in Connaught Mac Morrough in Lemster O Malaghlia in Meth O Brian in Twomâ—nd known by the name of Quâ—nque Sanguines in some old Records By means whereof the rest of the people being in the condition of Out-laws or at the best of Aliens had no incouragement either to build or plant or manure their Land or to behave themselves as Subjectâ— A fourth defect was more particularly in the Deputies or Lords Lieâ—tenants who having made good and wholsome Laws against the barbarous customes of the Common people and the merciless oppressions of the Lords never put any of them in execution as if they had been made for terror not for reformation Fiftly Adde unto these which Sir John Dâ—vies hath omitted the little care which was too often taken by the Kings of England in the choice of their Dâ—puties sometimes conferring that high Office as a Court-preferment without Relation unto the merits of the person and sometimes sending men of weak or broken fortunes who attended more their own profit than their Masters service and were more bent to fleece than to feed this Flock Siâ—thâ—y And yet besides there Errours of the Kings and Deputies in point of Government there was another and as great in the 〈◊〉 themselves who building all their Forts and Castles in the open Countries abandoned the Woods and Bogs and other Fastnesses to the naturall Irish the strength whereof not only animated them to Rebell upon all occasions but served too fitly to continue them in their antient 〈◊〉 In these terms of wildness and non-subjection stood Ireland till the latter end of Queen Elizabeths reign at what time the Rebellion of Hugh O Neal Earl of Vir Oen had ingaged almost all the Irishrie in that desperate Action which ending in the overthrow of that ingratefull Rebel and all his partizâ—ns not only crushed the overmuch powerablenesse of the Irish Nobility but made the finall and full conquest of the whole Nation So true it is that Every Pebellion when it is supprest doth make the Prince stronger and the Subjects weaker Ireland thus broken and ploughed up that glorious Queen died a victor over all her enemies and left the Sowing of it unto her successor King Iames who omitted no part of a skilfull Seedsman 1 Then there was an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Act of Oblivion made whereby all the offences against the Crown were remitted if by such a limited day the people would sue out their Pardons and by the same Act all the Irishrie were manumitted from the servitude of their Lords and received into the Kings immediat protection 2ly The whole kingdom was divided into Shires and Judges it inerant appointed to circuit them whereby it hath followed that the exactions of the Lords are said aside the behaviour of the people is narrowly looked into the passages before unknown unto our Souldiers are laid open by our Vnder-Sheriffes and Bayliffs and the common people seeing the benefit and security they enjoy by the English Laws and loth to plead alwayes by an Interpreter begin to set their children to School for the learning of the English tongue 3ly The Irish were not rooted out as in the first plantation in Lemster and the English onely estated in their rooms but were onely removed from the woods bogs and mountains into the plain and open countrey that being like wild trees transplanted they might grow the
towns with-held from them in Flanders and Brabant This is by far the greater part of the Countrie and more fruitfull in regard of the Commodities there naturally growing but as much inferiour to the other in power and riches by reason of their strength in shipping by which they have the command at Sea and thereby draw the whole trade of Christendom driven before at Antwerp to Amsterdam and other towns of their confederacie For the government of these Provinces there is a Regent sent from the Court of Spain whose authoritie is generally as great as that of the Kings save that all matters of moment passe under the Kings name and that all Officers of any great trust and moment are appointed by him and that all laws decrees sentences and negotiations are dispatched in his name For the assistance of the Regens there is a Privy Councell a Councell of State and a Councell of Finances by whom all things are ordered which conern the publick the Regents authoritie cooperating and concurring with them without which though they may consult they can execute nothing And for the governance and well ordering of the severall Provinces there is in every one of them a Lieutenant or Provinciall Governour subordinate to the Regent and accomptable to him and in each Province a particular Councell held in the Kings name consisting of more or lesse Counsellors as the bignesse of the Province is for the most part Doctors or Licentiates of the civill-Civill-Laws with a President as the head thereof which in some places they call the Parliament after the manner of the French and in some the Chancerie To these Courts all the Subjects do resort for justice in causes both Criminall and Civill to these are brought appeals from inferiour Judicatures such as the Courts of great Towns and particular Franchises and from these lieth an appeal to the great Councel at Machlyn supreme and superintendent unto all the rest When any thing is to be done which concerns the profit of the Prince or otherwise is of publick moment the Regent sendeth out letters in the Kings name to command the Estates that is to say the Clergy the Nobility and the principall Towns of every Province except those of Luxembourg Guelders West-Friseland and Over-yssel who by speciall priviledge cannot be called out of their own countries to come before him The place of their Assembly is for the most part at Bruxels the Court and residence of the Regent because the Brabanters are also priviledged not to be summoned out of the Precincts of their own Province Where being come the States assemble not all together but those of one Province at a time so one after another to whom the President or some one of the Councell of State proposeth in the Princes name that which he demandeth to which if any town oppose then all which the rest have done is of no effect nothing being granted by the Deputies or States of any Province but with this condition that all the rest of the Estates do agree unto it Without this punctuall content of all parties interessed the Prince can impose nothing by their Laws upon the Subject nor alter any thing at all in the publick government And as the people are thus priviledged in regard of the Prince so are the Princes and Prelates priviledged in regard of the Pope it being agreed upon between them 1. That the Prince is to give Clergie-Benefices and the Pope to confirm them 2. That neither Prelate nor Lay-person may be cited to Rome but the Pope to send his Delegates or Commissioners into the Countrie 3. The Pope not to give a Benefice nor grant a Pardon nor send a Bul into the Country without the leave of the Prince 4. That no Clergie man can buy lands or other immoveables without the Princes consent And 5. That the Prince hath power to visit the Clergie to see if they be well governed or not and if they be not to reform the abuses Great priviledges if considered rightly greater then which few Protestant Princes do pretend to in their own Dominions As for the Revenue raised by the Spaniard out of his part of this Estate it is not easie to be guessed at and of that which is there comes but little to his Coffers The expences of his Court there is as great as ever under any of the former Regents and his charge of entertaining Souldiers for his towns and garrisons greater then before Nor doth it now stand with reason of State to lay any arbitrarie taxes upon the people lest he exasperate them to a second Rebellion or startle them to some new Confederacies against his quiet Under the government of the Confederate Estates are the Dukedome of Guelderland excepting some few Towns in the hands of the Spaniard the entire Earldoms of Holland Zeland and Zutphen the Seigneuries of West-Friseland Vtrecht Over-Yssell Groining the town of Sluyes with the Isle of Cassandt in Flanders and many pieces of importance in the Dutchie of Brabant This is the lesser part by far and far inferiour to the other in regard of the soil but the more populous of the two and by the industry and great trading of the people the more rich and powerfull Governed after their own old Laws by the particular Estates of every Province not yet united into one entire body of a Comonwealth saving that for the better preservation of their confederacie the Commissioners of the severall Provinces doe consult together whom they have honoured with the name of the States Generall The Estates of the particular Provinces elected out of the principall towns and places of most importance doe order the affairs thereof according to their ancient priviledges rights and customs as well by themselves as by their Colleagues and Officers whom they doe appoint and that as well for matters of State as in point of Justice For administration of the which the Governour President and Counsellors of the Provinciall Courts have the cognizance of all cases both civill and criminal and in all causes of appeal from inferiour Courts in each of which they do proceed without appeal making their Acts and Commissions in the name of the said Governour President and Councell but pronouncing sentence and executing judgment in the right of the Soveraigntie of the said Province And these Provinciall States are chosen generally out of the Plebeians or common people and the Burgers at the best of the greater Townships the Nobilitie and Gentry being so worn out that in all Holland and Zeland there are not left above 3 families of Gentlemen and those compelled to live after the Plebeian fashion for fear of envie and to avoid the insolencie of the saucie Clowns who out of rudenesse and the desire of equality hate nothing more among them then the name of a Gentleman Out of these Provinciall States which hold not for any certain and determinate time but only during the pleasure of the communitie for which they serve are chosen one
Countrie the worst peece of France onely remarkable for the Lords or owners of it formerly of the house of Foix one of which was that Iohn de Foix created Earl of Kendall and Knight of the Garter by King Henry the sixth but better known in English stories by the name of Capitall or Capdau de Buche the Lords hereof having no higher title than that of Captain III. GASCOIGNE the third and largest part of the Dukedom of Aquitain hath on the East Languedoc from which parted by the River Garond on the West the Pyrenean mountains which divide it from Spain on the North Perigort Quercu and some part of Guienne and on the South a main tract of the Pyrenees running on to Languedoc The Countrie generally fruitfull but of Wines especially brought hence to Bourdeaux as the Staple for that commodity and thence transported into England in great abundance The antient Inhabitants hereof were the Auscii Lastoraces Convenares Conserani c. making up a great part of the Province of Novempopulonia united in this name of Gascoigne on the conquest of it by the Vâ—scones a Spaniâ— Nation who fell in here during the reign of Dagobert the 11th King of the French And though subdued by Clovis the second Sonne of Dagobert yet they left their name unto the Countrie divided afterwards according to the chief Signeuries and Estates thereof into 1 the Principalitie of Bearn 2 the Earldoms of Foix 3 Comminges 4 Bigorre 5 Armaignac 6 Albret and 7 the Countrie of Agenois 1 The Principalitie of BEARN is situate at the foot of the Pyrenees where they joyn to Langnedoc so called from Benearnum a principall Citie of this tract mentioned by Antoninus and others of the antient Writers The Countrie of good pasturage though amongst the mountains affording plenty of Cattell butter and cheese and in some places wines also little inferiour in taste and colour to the best of France and many medicinall springs issuing from the hills adjoyning The Religion here as generally in all Gascoigne is that of the Reformed Churches introduced about the year 1560 or rather then confirmed by publick autority of the King and Queen of Navarre at what time the Mass Tithes Church-lands and the Prelates Votes in Parliament according to the Genevian way of Reformation were condemned together And so it stood untill the yeer 1620 when by the power and autority of Lewis the 13th King of France and Navarre the Prelates were restored to their Votes and Lands the Clergie to their Tithes and Mass caused also to be said in some of their Churches yet so that those of the Reformed were left unto the free exercise of their own Religion as in former times The principall Towns hereof are 1 Orthes the same which antiently was called Benearnum 2 Lescar a Bishops See the antient seat and habitation of the Princes of Bearn 3 Oleron a Bishops See also mounted upon a high hill in the more mountainous parts of the Countrie 4 Saineterrae well garrisoned since the reduction of this Countrie to the Kings obedience 5 Pau the principall of all the Province honoured with a Parliament or Court of Iudicature for all the Countrie and a fair Palace of the Prince built by Henry of Albret King of Navarre and Lord of Bearn and the Seat of him and his Successors till the comming of King Henry the 4th to the Crown of France 6 Grenade upon the Frontire towards Begorre This Countrie for a long time followed the fortune of Aquitain and in the generall dismembring of the French Empire had its own Proprietaries who were the absolute Lords of it acknowledging no Superiour for ought I can find Increased with the Earldom of Begorre by the mariage of Gaston Prince of Bearn with the Heir of that House united to the Earldom of Foix by the mariage of Roger Bernard Earl of Foix with Margaret Daughter of that Gaston and Heir of Bearn Anno 1263 afterwards added to the Crown of Navarre by the mariage of Gaston Earl of Foix and Sovereign of Bearn with Eleanor the Heir of that Kingdom Anno 1481. descending with that Crown upon Henry of Bonrbon King of Navarre and afterwards of France by the name of Henry the fourth but governed by him alwayes as a State distinct without relation or resort to the Crown of France But Lewis the 13 his Sonne finding some inconvenience in that distinction incorporated it for ever to the rest of his Dominions An. 1620 though not without some opposition from the Subjects of Bearn which he was fain to over-bear by his personall presence and the advantage of such Forces as he carried with him Since reckoned as a part of that Kingdom awed as the rest of France by Forts and Garrisons and governed in Civil matters by the Parliament established at Pau the Judges and Counsellors thereof at the Kings appointing 2 The Earldom of FOIX is situate on the West of Languedoc Commingeois interposing betwixt it and Bearn Chief Towns hereof are 1 Maseros on the Garond a Bishops See 2 Pamieres a Bishops See also seated on the River Lagiere 3 Foix on the same River called in Latine Fuxium and the Earls hereof Comites Fuxiensos the chief seat of the Flussates in the times of the Râ—mans now giving name to all the Countrie 4 Mirande in the Countie of Esterac and the chief thereof but otherwise of no great Accompt 5 Savardun and 6 Monthault two strong peeces 7 Mirepoix aâ—piduus Mirapensâ— a Bishops See also but of no note otherwise The olf Inhabitants of this tract besides the Flussates abovementioned were called Vaccaei perhaps of the abundance of Kine bred in the pastures hereof upon which ground the Earls of Foix have for their Arms. 3 Cowes passant Gules horned and hoofed Azure in a Feild Or. The first of these Earls was Bernard of Carcassone advanced to this honour by Raimond Earl of Thâ—louse who had then the Soveraigntie hereof Anno 1062. Roger Bernard the ninth Earl united Bearn to his Estate as before is said whose Grand-child Isabeâ— the male issue failing conveyed the whole Estate to Archembald Lord or Captain of Buche in the Province of Guienne Gaston the Nephew of this Archembald by his Eldest Sonne Iohn was for his many good services to Charles the 7th made a Peer of France and by his mariage with Eleanor or Leanora Daughter and Heir of John King of 〈◊〉 united that Kingdom to his house though he enjoyed it not in his own person By means or which Alâ—iances and other improvements of Estate this Familie grew to so great power an reputation that there were four Queens at one time descended from it viz. Catharine Queen of 〈…〉 Queen of Castilâ— Anne Queen of France and Anne Queen of Hungarie and 〈◊〉 Before which time I mean the addition of Navarre to their other Estates the Earles of 〈◊〉 were in so high esteem in the Court of France that in all publick Ceremonies they took place of the
same Church with them as I see some doe yet I behold them as Assertors of some doctrinall truthes and professed Enemies of the errours and corruptions of the Church of Rome and therein as the Predecessours of the present Protestants 18 The Dukedom of BURGUNDIE THe Dukedom of BURGUNDIE hath on the East the Frenche Countie and some part of Savoy on the West Bourbonois on the North Champagne on the South La Bresse â—ionois and some part of Beau-joulois A Province so well watred with pleasant and profitable Rivers that as Qu. Catharine de Medices used to say of France That it had more fair Rivers than all Europe so we may say of this Countrie That it hath more fine Riverets than all France here being the Rivers of 1 Armacan 2 Serum 3 Curi 4 Torney 5 Valence 6 Dove 7 Brune 8 Sâ—â—n 9 Louche and 10 Soasne the Araxis of the antient Writers this last dividing the two Burgundies from one another Yet notwithstanding this great plentie of waters the Country generally is less fruitfull than the rest of France hardly yeelding sufficient for its own inhabitants except wines onely Chief Cities in it are 1 Dijon the birth-place of S. Bernard seated upon the Soasne and L'ouche in a champian Countrie the Town large populous and of great resort as being the Seat of the Governour and Parliamentary for the Province a Parliament being here erected Anno 147. Well fortified on all parts but specially defended by a strong Castle called Talente situate on an hill adjoyning It is called Divio in the Latine the Bishop hereof Divionensis 2 Chalons in Latin Caballinum called for distinctions sake Chalons upon Soasne to difference it from Chalons upon Marn in Champagne a Bishops See also as the other is and gives name to that noble Family of Chalons out of which the Princes of Orange are extracted being one of the four antient Families of Burgundie the other three Vienne Neufchatell and Vergie 3 Autun by Pâ—olomi called Augustodunum the chief Citie of the Hedui now a Bishops See heretofore the chief of all the Countrie some marks of the old splendour being still to be seen now very ordinarie and mean beautified only with some fair Churches which the ruines of time have not yet demolished 4 Beaulne seated on the Bursoize in the best and richest soyl of all Burgundie and yielding the best Wines in France remarkable for an Hospitall of so fair a building that it is thought equall to any Princes Palace in Europe and an impregnable Castle built by King Lewis the 12th 5 Alize now a small Village but of great name and power in the time of Caesar then called Alexia the chief â—ortress of Vercingetorâ— besieged herein by the said Caesar but so besieged that he had 70000 men in the Town for defence of the place and an Army of 30000 Galls at the back of Caesar to relieve their fellows So that he was fain to fortifie his Camp with two Walls the one against them within the Citie and the other against them without which done he kept such diligent watch and ward on both sides that the besieged heard sooner of the discomsiture of their Friends than they did of their comming Which fatall news being brought unto them the Town was yeelded And â—ercingetorix bravely mounted rode round about Caesar then sitting in his Chair of State disarmed himself took off his Horses caparisons and laying all upon the ground â—ate down at Caesars feet and became his Prisoner 5 Tournus encompassed with the Soasue 7 Semur consisting of three parts each of them severally walled and strongly fortified 8 Verdun 9 Nayâ— 10 St. Ligier famous for medicinall Bathes 11 Noyers on the Borders towards 〈◊〉 12 Auxerre by Antonine called Antisiodorum Of most note for the Councill held here Anno â—27 the Countrie about which is called Auxerrois and was an Earldom of it self till fold by John of Chalâ—ns great Grandchild of Joh the 7th Earl of Burgundie to Charles the fifth of France Anno 1370 by whom united to the Crown subjected to the Parliament of Paris and made part of Champagne Here is also within this Countrie the great and famous Monastery of â—isteaux the mother of so many Religious houses dispersed up and down in Europe from hence denominated and subject to the discipline and Rules hereof Within the limits of this Dukedom on the South parts of it stands the Earldom of CHAROLOIS heretofore the title of the eldest Sonne of the Dukes of Burgundie so called from Charolles the chief Town hereof situate in the borders of it towards La Bresse seized upon with the rest of this Dukedom by Lewis the 11th immediately on the death of Duke Charles the Warlike restored again to Philip the second King of Spain by Henry the second of France on the peace made at Cambray and subjected to the Parliament of Dole in the County of Burgundy as a part or member of that Estate So that neither the Governour of the Dukedom for the French King nor the Parliament of Digion have any thing to do in it The Arms hereof are Gules a Lyon passant regardant Or armed â—zure The antient Inhabitants of the whole Dukedom according to the limits before laid down were the Hedui one of the most potent Nations in all Gaule who calling in the Romans to aid them in their quarrels against the Sequani and Arverni made them all subject unto Rome In the prosperity whereof they made up the Province of Lugdunensis Prima of which Lions was the Metropolis or principall Citie Afterwards in the division of the French Kingdom of Burgundie by Charles the Bald this part thereof being called the Dukedom of Burgundy on this side of the Soasne was cantoned into the five Earldoms of Dijon Chalons Autun Lions and Mascon whereof the three first laid together by Odo or Eudes King of France during the minoritie of Charles the Simple given unto his Brother Richard both Sonnes of Robert Earl of Anjou under the stile and title of Duke o◠〈◊〉 The issue of this Robert failing it fell unto another Robert Sonne of Hugh Capet King of 〈◊〉 more worthily surnamed the Hardie together with the mariage of the Heir of 〈◊〉 Artois and the County of Burgundy An Argument of no great wisdom as was judiciously observed by King Lâ—wis the 11th For by this means those great Estates being united in one person and afterwards these estates improved by as prosperous mariages this house of Burgundy grew formidable to the Kings themselves who never left practising against it till they had brought 〈◊〉 to ruine and once again united this Dukedom to their own Estate from which at first it was dismembred The Dukes of Burgundy 89â— 1 Richard of Saxonie the second Sonne of Robert Earl of Anjou brother of Eudes and Father of Rodolâ—h Kings of France 938. 2 Gilbert the second Sonne of Richard 904. 3 Otho Sonne of Hugh Earl of Paris surnamed the Great and Brother of Hugh Capet King
of Chrysostom 13 Sir Henry Spelmâ—n a right learned antiquary and a religious assertor of the Churches rights 14 Camden Clarentieux the Pausanias of the British Ilands 15 Matthew Paris 16 Roger Hoveden 17 Henry of Huntingdon 18 William of Malmesbury 19 Matthew of Westminster and 20 Thomas of Walsingham all known Historians And finally for Poetrie 1 Gower 2 Lidgate a Monk of Burie 3 the famous Geofrie Chawcer Brother in Law to Iohn of Gaunt the great Duke of Lancaster of which last Sir Philip Sidney used to say that he marvelled how in those mistie times he could see so cleerly and others in so cleer times go so blindly after him 4 Sir Philip Sidney himself of whom and his Arcadia more when we come to Greece 5 The renowned Spencer of whom and his Faerie Queen in another place 6 Sam. Daniel the Lucan 7 with Michael Draiton the Ovid of the English Nation 8 Beaumont and 9 Fleâ—cher not inferiour unto Terence and Plautus with 10 My friend Ben. Iohnson equall to any of the antients for the exactness of his Pen and the decorum which he kept in Dramatick Poems never before observed on the English Theatre Others there are as eminent both for Arts and Arms as those here specified of whom as being still alive I forbear to speak according to that caution of the Historian saying Vivorum ut magna admiratio â—ta Censura est difficâ—lis But from the men to return again unto the Countrie we find it to be subject according to the severall respects of Church and State to a treble division viz. 1 into 6 Circuits destinated to the â—inerary Iudges Secondly into 22 Episcopal Dioceses Thirdly into 40 Shires The Realm was first divided into Circuits by King Henry the second who appointed twice in the year two of the most grave and learned Iudges of the Land should in each Circuit administer Iustice in the chief or head Towns of every Country Of these Iudges one sitteth on matters Criminal concerning the life and death of Malefactors the other in actions Personall concerning title of Land Debts or the like between party and party The first Circuit for we will begin at the West comprehendeth the Counties of Wilts Somerset Devon Cornwall Dâ—rset and Southampton The second containeth the Counties of Oxford Berks Glocester Monmouth Hereford Worcester Salop and Stafford The third hath in it the Counties of Surrey Sussex Kent Essex and Hartford The fourth consisteth of the Shires of Buckingham Bedford Huâ—tingdon Cambridge Norfolke and Suffolke The fift of the shires of Northampton Rutland Lincolne Nottingham Derby Leicester and Warwick And the sixt and last of the Shires of York Durham Northumberland Cumberland Westmoreland and Lancaster So that in these six Circuits are numbred 38 Shires The two remaining are Middlesex and â—heshire whereof the first is exempted because of its vincinity to London and the second as being a County Palatine and having peculiar Iudges and Counsellours to it self The second division but more antient far in point of time is that of Dioceses 22 in all proportioned according to the number of Episcopall Sees each Diocese having in it one or more Arch-Deaconries for dispatch of Ecclesiasticall business and every Arch-Deaconrie subdivided into Rurall Dâ—anries fewer or more according to the bigness and extent thereof Of these there are but four in the Province of York that is to say the Dioceses of York Chester Duâ—ham and Carlile the other 18 together with the 4 of Wales being reckoned into that of Canterbury In respect of which great authority and jurisdiction the Arch-Bishops of Canterbury had antiently the titles of Primates and Metropolitans of all England for some ages before the Reformation used to take place in all General Councils at the Popes right foot Which custom took beginning at the Council of Laterane when Vrban the second called Anselm the Arch-Bishop of Caâ—terbury from amongst the other Prelates then assembled and placed him at his right foot saying includamus hunc in Orbe nostrâ— tanquam alterius Orbis Papam this hapned Anno 10â—9 They were antiently also Legatinaâ—i which honourable title was first given to Arch-Bishop â—heobald by Innocent the second and continued unto his successors And both to honour their calling in the course of their Government and to have the benefit of their Council being men of learning both the Arch-Bishops and the Bishops were antiently privileged to have their place and suffrage in the High Court of Parliament ever since any Parliaments were first held in England as Peeres of the Realm and that too in a double respect first in relation had to their sacred Office and secondly to those temporall estates and Barronies which they held of the King yet did they not enjoy in the times of their greatest power and flourish all the Prerogatives and Privileges of the Temporal Barons as neither being tryed by their Peers in Criminal causes but left to an Ordinary Iury nor suffered in examinations to make a Protestation upon their honour to the truth of a fact it put unto-their Oathes like others of the lower Clergy As for their Ecclesiasticall Courts bt was antient Ordered also that besides such as appertained to the Arch-Bishops themselves besides those holden by the Chancellours and Arch-Diacons of every Bishop in their severall Dioceses and some in many private parishes which they called Peculiars and finally besides the Court of Visitation held every third year by the Bishop himself in person or his lawfull Deputy there should be also Synods or Convocations which are the Parliaments of the Clergy assembled primarily for the Reforming of the Church in Doctrine and Discipline and secundarily for granting tenths and Subsidies to the King and naturally consisting of all the Right Reverend Fathers the Arch-bishops Bishops the Deans Arch-deacons and one Prebend out of each Cathedrall and a certain number of the Clergy two for every Diocess elected by the rest to serve for them in that great Assembly the Clergy not being bound antiently by any Act to which they had not given consent by those their Proxies The third and last Division though the second in course of time is that of Shires made by King Alfride both for the easier Administration of justice and to prevent such Outrages and Robberies as after the example of the Danes the naturall Inhabitants of the Realm began in all places to commit For over every one of these Shires or Counties he appointed an High-Sheriff and divers Officers to see into the behaviour of private men and to punish such as were delinquent and in times of warre either already begun or intended he instituted a Prefect or Lieutenant to whom he gave authority to see their musters their provision of armes and if occasion served to punish such as rebelled or mutinied This wise King ordained also that his Subjects should be divided into tens or tithings every of which severally should give bond for the good abearing of each other and he who was of
in King Iames his reign tending to the advancement of such uniformitie be not interrupted For other things certain it is that London is the antienter Citie as being an Archbishops See in the time of the Britans when the name of Paris was scarce heard of a Bishops See at the first conversion of the Saxons increased so much in wealth and honour from one Age to another that it is grown at last too big for the Kingdom which whether it may be profitable for the State or not may be made a question And great Towns in the bodie of a State are like the Spleen or Melt in the bodie naturall the monstrous growth of which impoverisheth all the rest of the Members by drawing to it all the animal and vitai spirits which should give nourishment unto them And in the end cracked or surcharged by its own fulness not only sends unwholesome fumes and vapours unto the head and heavy pangs unto the heart but drawes a consumption on it self And certainly the over-growth of great Cities is of dangerous consequence not only in regard of Famine such multitudes of mouthes not being easie to be fed but in respect of the irreparable danger of Insurrections if once those multitudes sensible of their own strength oppressed with want or otherwise distempered with faction or discontent should gather to an head and break out into action Yet thus much may be said to the honour of London though grown by much too bigg now for the kingdom that it is generally so well governed and in so good peace that those Murders Robberies and outrages so frequent in great and populous Cities beyond the Seas are here seldom heard of 2 York in the West-riding of that Countie the second Citie of England as the old Verse hath it Londinum caput est Regni urbs prima Britanni Eboracum à primâ jure secunda venit That is to say In England London is the chiefest Town The second place York claimeth as its own And so it may being indeed the second Citie of the Kingdom both for same and greatness A pleasant large and stately Citie well fortified and beautifully adorned as well with private as publick Edifices and rich and populous withall Seated upon the River Ouse or Vre which divides it in twain both parts being joyned together with a fair stone Bridge consisting of high and mighty Arches A Citie of great estimation in the time of the Romans the Metropolis of the whole Province or Diâ—cese of Britain remarkable for the death and buriall of the Emperour Seveâ—us and the birth of Constantine the Great by consequence the Seat of the Primate of the British Church as long as Christianity did remain amongst them Nor stooped it lower when the Saxons had received the Faith and notwithstanding those mutations which befell this Kingdom under the Saxons Dancs and Normans it still preserved its antient lustre and increased it too Adorned with a stately and magnificent Cathedrall inferiour to few in Europe and with a Palace oâ— the Kings called the Manour-house the dwelling in these later dayes of the Lord President of the Court or Councell here established by King Henry 8th for the benefit of his Northern Subjects after the manner of the French Parliaments or Presed all Seiges 3 Bristol the third in rank of the Cities of England situate on the meeting of the Frome and Avon not far from the influx of the Severn into the Ocean in that regard commodiously seated for trade and traffick the Ships with full sayl coming into the Citie and the Citizens with as full purses trading into most parts of the World with good Faith and Fortune A Town exceeding populous and exceeding cleanly there being Sewers made under ground for the conveyance of all filth and nastiness into the Rivers Churches it hath to the number 18 or 20 reckoning in the Cathedrall and that of Ratcliff The Cathedrall first built by Rob. Fitz. Harding Sonne to a King of Danemark once a Burger here and by him stored with Canons Regular Anno 1248. but made a Bishops See by King Henry 8th Anno 1542. The principall building next the Church an antient Castle a piece of such strength that Maud the Empress having took King Steven Prisoner thought it the safest place to secure him in 4 Norwich the 4th Citie of the first rank of which more hereafter 5 Oxford the first of the second rank of English Cities seated upon the Ouse or Isis but whether so called as Vadum Isides Ouseford or the Ford of Ouse or Vada boum as the Greeks had their Bosphori in former times I determine not An antient Town and antiently made a seat of Learning coevall unto that of Paris if not before it the Vniversity hereof being restored rather than first founded by King Alured Anno 806. after it had been overborn awhile by the Danish Furies but hereof as an Vniversity more anon This only now that for the statelinesse of the Schooles and publick Library the bravery and beauty of particular Colleges all built of fair and polished stone the liberall endowment of those houses and notable encouragements of Industry and Learning in the salarie of the Professors in most Arts and Sciences it is not to be parallelled in the Christian World The Citie of it self well built and as pleasantly seated formed in the Figure of a Crosse two long Streets thwarting one another each of them neer a mile in length containing in that compasse 13 Parish Churches and a See Episcopall founded here by King Henry 8th Anno 1541. The honourary Title of 20 of the noble Family of the Veres now Earls of Oxon. 6 Salisbury first seated on the Hill where now stands old Salisbury the Sorbiodunum of the Antients But the Cathedrall being removed down into the Vale the Town quickly followed and grew up very suddenly into great Renown pleasantly seated on the Avon a name common to many English Rivers which watereth every street thereof and for the populousness of the place plenty of Provisions number of Churches a spacious Market-place and a fair Town-Hall esteemed the second Citie of all the West 7 Glocester by Antonine called Glevum by the Britains Caer Glowy whence the present name the Saxons adding Cester as in other places A fine neat Citie pleasantly seated on the Severn with a large Key or Wharf on the banks thereof very commodious to the Merchandise and trade of the place well built consisting of fair large Streets beautified with a magnificent Cathedrall and situate in so rich Vale that there is nothing wanting to the use of man except onely Wine which life or luxury may require 8 Chester upon the River Dee built in the manner of a quadrate inclosed with a wall which takes up more than two miles in compasse containing in that compasse 12 Parish Churches and an old Cathedrall dedicated antiently to S. Wereburg Daughter of Wolfere K. the Mercians and Visitress of all the Monasteries of England but
824. 17 Ludecan 826. 18 Withlas overcome in fight as were his two Predecessors by Egbert King of West-Sex became his tributary 839. 19 Berthulf 852. 20 Burdred a Substituted King of the West-Saxons and the last King of the Mercians the short reign of his six Predecessors portending that fatall period to be neer at hand After whose death Anno 886 this Kingdome for some few yeers tyrannized over by the Danes was united by King Alured to the English Monarchie Such was the Order and Succession of the Saxon Kings during the Hettarchie or division of it into seven Kingdoms continuing separate distinct till the prevailing fortune of the West-Saxons brought them all together into one by the name of England But so that they were subject for the most part unto one alone who was entituled Rex Gentis Anglorum those which were stronger than the rest giving the Law unto them in their severall turnes and are these that follow The Monarchs of the English-Saxons in the time of the Heptarchie A. Ch. 455. 1 Hengist King of Kent who first brought the Saxons into Britain 481. 2 Ella the first King of the South-Saxons 495. 3 Cerdie the first King of the West-Saxons 534. 4 Kenrick King of the VVest-Saxons 561. 5 Cheuline or Celingus King of the VVest-Saxons 562. 6 Ethelbert King of Kent the first Christian King of the Saxons 616. 7 Redwald King of the East-Angles 617. 8 Edwin King of Northumberland 634. 9 Oswald King of Northumberland 643. 10 Oswy King of Northumberland 659. 11 Wulfhere King of Mercia 675. 12 Etheldred King of Mercia 704. 13 Kenred K. of Mercia 709. 14 Chelred K. of Mercia 716. 15 Ethelbald K. of Mercia 758. 16 Offa the Great K. of the Mercians 794. 17 Egfride K. of Mercia 796. 18 Kenwolf K. of Mercia 800. 19 Egbert the Sonne of Alomond K. of the West Saxons vvho having vanquished all the rest of the Saxon Kings and added most of their Estates unto his own caused the whole united Body to be called Engel-lond or England in a Parliament or Counsell held at Winchester Anno 8â—9 being the 19th yeer of his Reign over the West-Saxons and by that name was then crowned in the presence of his Nobles and the rest of his Subjects leaving it unto the rest of his Successors But before we come to the recitall of their names we are to take notice of the Danes the next considerable Actors on the Stage of England vvho in the time of this Egbert first invaded the Countrey and after exercised the patience of his Posterity till in fine they got the kingdom to themselves Of the Originall and first Succcesses of this people vve shall speak more at large vvhen we come to Denmark Suffice it here to knovv that having taken up the void Rooms of the Iuites and English in the Cimbrick Chersonese they thought it not amiss to follovv them into Britain also making a Discovery of some part of the Coasts thereof vvith three Ships only Anno 787 being the first yeer of Bithric the Father of Egbert King of the West-Saxons Which having done and prepared themselves for the undertaking in the time of Egbert they invaded Northumberland the Isle of Shepey in Kent and the Coasts of Wales not without much difficulty driven out by him In the Reign of the three Kings succeeding having vanquished the Northumbrians East-Angles and a part of the Mercians they erected in those kingdoms many petit Tyrannies By Alfred first stopped in their Career by Edward the Elder outed of the East-Angles and by Athelstan of Northumberland also the Danes for some time after being subject to the English Government mixing in mariages and alliance and incorporate with them By the valour and good Fortune of Swain their King they recovered their power again in England and in the person of Canutus obtained the kingdom who having impolitickly sent back his Danes into their Countries as if a kingdom got by force could be held by favour opened a way to their execlusion from the Crown which hapned within seven yeers after his decease Which said we come to the Successious of The Kings of England of the Saxon Race 819. 1 Egbert the last King of the West-Saxons and the first of England 18. 837. 2 Thelwolf the Eldest Sonne of Egbert 20. 857. 3 Ethelbald the Eldest Sonne of Ethelwolf 1. 858. 4 Ethelbert the Brother of Ethelbald 5. 863. 5 Ethefred the Brother of the two former Kings the third Sonne of Ethelwolf and as much molested by the Danes as his Brethren were 10. 873. 6 Alfriae the fourth Sonne of Ethelwolf who totally united the Saxon Heptarchie into one Estate vanquished the Danes whom he made subject to his commands though he could not expell them he divided England into shires and restored the Vniversity of Oxon. 900. 7 Edward surnamed the Elder the Sonne of Alfride who recovered the East-Angles from the power of the Danes whom he shut up in Northumberland 24. 924. 8 Athelstan the Sonne of Edward who subdued the Britans of Cumberland and Cornwall and compelled the Danes to submit themselves to the English Government In his time lived S. Guy of Warwick 16. 940. 9 Edmund the Brother of Athelstan by whom the Danes of Northumberland were brought under obedience and the kingdom of the â—ritans in Cumberland utterly subverted 946. 10 Edred the Brother of Edmund and Athelstan so fortunate against the Danes that he compelled them to be christned 9. 955. 11 Edwy the Sonne of Edmund 959. 12 Edgar the Brother of Edwy surnamed the Peaceable the most absolute Monâ—rch of England since the time of the Saxons by whom the tribute of money imposed by Athelstan on the Wâ—lch was exchanged into a tribute of Wolves 16. 975. 13 Edward II. Sonne of Edgar treacherously murdered by his Stepdame to make way for Ethelred her Sonne hence surnamed the Martyr 3. 978. 14 Ethelred the younger Sonne of Edgar and half Brother of Edward enjoyed the Crown unquietly which he got unjustly Oppressed and broken by the Danes he was fain to buy his peace of them at the yeerly tribute of 10000 pounds inhanced to 48000 pounds within short time after which monies were raised upon the subjects by the name of Danegelt Weary of these exactions he plotted warily with his Subjects to kill all the Danes as they slept in their beds which accordingly was put in execution on S. Brâ—ces night Novemb. 12. Anno 1012. To revenge this out-rage and dishonour Swaine King of Denmark with a sayl of 350 ships came into England the fear whereof compelled Ethelred a weak and impuissant Prince to fly into Normandy leaving his poor Subjects to the mercy of the Danish Tyrant who miserably plagued them till his death To whom succeeded his Sonne Cnute Canutus a more temperate Prince who maugre Ethelred now returned or his Sonne Edmund Ironside a most valiant King did in the end possess himself of the whole Kingdom 1016 15 Edmund II. surnamed Ironside
Iohn expelled the invading French out of England and by a Composition with King Lewis the 9th was restored unto the Dukedom of â—â—yenne held by his Successors till the reign of K. Henry the sixt Exhausted by the Pope and oppressed a long time by his factious and unruly Barons but at last victorious 56. 1274. 9 Edward the Sonne of Henry awed France subdued Wales brought Scotland into subjection of whose King and Nobility he received homage 34. 1308. 10 Edward II. Sonne of Edward the first a dissolute Prince hated of the Nobles and contemned by the vulgar for his immeasurable love to Pierce Gaveston and the Sâ—eucers was twice shamefully beaten by the Scots and being deposed by a strong Faction raised against him by his Queen and Roger Lord Mortimer was barbarously murdered in Barkley Castle 19. 1327. 11 Edward III. Sonne of Edward the 2d a most vertuous and valorous Prince brought the Scots to obedience overthrew the French in two great Battails took the Town of Callice and many fair Possessions in that Kingdom 50. 1377. 12 Richard II. another of our unfortunate Kings lost many of his Peeces in France and at last being over-awed by his two great Vncles of Lâ—ncaster and Glecester and taken Prisoner by his Cosin the Duke of Hereford he was forced to resign his Crown and afterwards was murdered at Pomfret Castle The Lancastrian Line 1399. 13 Henry IV. Sonne to Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the fourth Sonne to Edward the 3d was by the power of the Sword but with the consent of the people setled in the Throne and spent his whole Reign in suppressing home-bred Rebellions 15. 1414. 14. Henry V. the mirrour of Magnificence and Pattern of true vertue pursued the Title of France and won it being ordained Heir apparent to the French Crown but lived not to possesse it 9. 1423. 15 Henry VI. a pious but unfortunate Prince was crowned K. of France in Paris which he held during the life of his Vncle Iohn of Bedford and Humphrey of Glocester after whose deaths he not only lost France to the French but England and his life to the Yorkish Faction 38. The Yorkish Line 1461. 16 Edward IV. Sonne of Richard Duke of York the Sonne of Richard Earl of Cambridge and Grand-Sonne of Edmund of Langley Duke of York the fift Sonne of King Edward the third challenged the Crown in right of the Lady Anne his Grandmother Daughter of Roger Mortimer Earl of March the Sonne of Edmund Mortimer Earl of March and of Philippa his Wife sole Daughter of Lionel Duke of Clarence the third Sonne of the said King Edward and Elder Brother of Iohn of Gaunâ— The claim first set on foot by his Father the Duke of York who lost his life in pursuance of it at the Battail of Wakefeild with better fortune and success pursued by King Edward himself who finally after 9 bloody Battails fought between the Houses especially that of Towton in which were slain 36000 English was quickly seated in the possession of England and Ireland 23. 1484. 17 Edward V. his Sonne was before his Coronation murdered by his Vncle Richard in the Tower of London 1484. 18 Richard III. Brother of Edward the 4th a most wicked and tyrannicall Prince to make way unto the Diadem murdered King Henry the 6th and Prince Edward his Sonne 3. George Duke of Clarence his Brother 4 Hastings a saithfull servant to King Edward 5 Rivers Vaughan and Grey the Queens kindred 6 Edward the 5th his Soveraign with his young Cousin Richard 7 Henry Duke of Buckingham his dear Friend and greatest Coadjutor in these his ungodly Practices and his Wife Anne so to make way to an incestuous mariage with his Neece Elizabeth the Eldest Daughter of Edward the 4th but before the solemnity he was slain at Bosworth 3. The Vnion of the Families 1487 19 Henry VII Earl of Richmund Heir to the House of Lancaster as Sonne of Margaret Daughter of Iohn Duke of Somerset Sonne of Iohn Earl of Somerset Sonne of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster after the overthrow of Richard maried Elizabeth Daughter and Heir to Edward 4th uniting by that mariage the divided Families He was also extracted from the British and French Royall blood as being Sonne to Edmund â—ndor Earl of Richmund Sonne to Owen Tudor descended from Cadwalladar the last of the Britans and Katharine of France Widdow of Henry the 5th His whole wars was against home-bred Rebels the chief being Lambert and the Followers and Fautors of Perken Warbeck 23. 1509. 20 Henry VIII Heir to both Families between which were fought for the Diadem 17 pitched Feids in which perished 8 Kings and Princes 40 Dukes Marquesses and Earls 200000 of the common people besides Barons and Gentlemen This King banished the usurped Supremacie of the Popes and began the Reformation of Religion though formerly he had writ a Book against Luther for which the Pope gave him the honourable Title oâ— The Defender of the Faith afterwards made Hereditarie by Act of Parliament to his Heirs and Successors A Prince of great vices but or greater vertues 38. 1547. 21 Edward VI. the Sonne of Henry the 8th by Iane Seymour his 3d Wife out of whose womb he was fain to be cut to come into the World as Caesar was but he had neither Caesars Fortune nor length of life dying very young and his affairs conducted by divided Counsels though otherwise of great hopes and of a pregnancie of judgement above his yeers 6. 1553. 22 Mary the Daughter of King Henry the 8th by Katharine of Spain the Widow of his Brother Arthur restored the Popes Supremacy banished by her Father with the whole mass of Popery abolished in her Brothers Reign To which Religion so addicted that in the short time of her Reign there was more blood shed than in the whole 44 yeers of her Sister Elizabeth In the last yeer of her Reign she lost Calice to the French which proved the loss of her life also as it was supposed 5. 1558. 23 Elizabeth the Daughter of King Henry the 8th by the Ladie Anne Bullein his second Wife a most gracious and Heroick Princess was by the divine providence of God preserved from the practices of her Enemies in her Sisters reign to sway the Scepter of the kingdom She pursued the Reformation of Religion begun in the times of her Father and Brother refined the corrupt coin brought in by her Father furnished the Royall Navy with all kind of warlike Ammunitions encreased the Revenue of the Universities by the Statute of Provisions succoured the Scots against the French the French Protestants against the Papists and both against the Spaniard defended the Netherlands against the attempts of Spain commanded the whole Ocean entred League with the Moscovite and was famous for her prudence and government amongst the â—urks Persians and Tartars yea her very Enemies Finally she died in the 45 yeer of her reign and the 70th of her life on the 24th of
Ch. 877. 1 Amarawd 36. 913. 2 Idwallo 3 Merick 4 Iames or Iago 1067. 5 Conan Sonne of Iames. 1099. 6 Gryssith ap Conan 1120. 7 Owen Guinedth 1178. 8 David ap Owen 1194. 9 LLewellen ap Iarweth 1240. 10 David ap Llewellen 1246. 11 LLewellen II. Sonne of Gryffith the Brother of David ap LLwellen the last Prince of Wales of the British Race Of whom it is said that once consulting with a Wâ—tch he was told by her that it was his destiny to be caried in triumph thorow London with a Crown on his head Hereupon making some excursions on the Englâ—â—h Borders he drew upon himself the whole power of King Edward the first which not being able to withstand and the King as willing on the other side not to sight with Mountains Commissioners were appointed to conclude the differences Robert Lord Tiptoff and some others for the King of England and for the Welch Prince Grono ap Heylyn a great man of that Countrey descended from Brockwell Skythrac one of the Princes of Powys-land from whom if Camdâ—aâ—â—rentiâ—ux be of any credit the Author of these Papers doth derive his Pedegree under whom that Family had the Office of Hereditarie Cup-Bearer and from thence their name Heylyn Promus 〈◊〉 à poculis quae vox â—a proprium â—omen abiit saith the Welch Dictionarie By those Commissioners it was concluded and agreed on that LLewellen should enjoy a part of the Countrey with the Title of Prince during his life the rest in present and the whole after his decease to be surrendred over to the King of England But David the Brother of LLewellen finding himself excluded by this Agreement from the hope of succession incensed his Brother and the Welch to a new Revolt the issue whereof was the taking of David executed by the hand of justice and the death of LLewellen slain in Battail neer the Buelth in Brecknocksâ—ire Whose head being pitched upon a stake and adorned with a Paper-Crown was by a Horseman caried triumphantly thorow London Anno 1282. And so the Prophecie was fulfilled In him ended the Line of the Princes of North-Wales after they had for the space of 405 yeers resisted not only the private undertakers and Adventurers of England but the Forces of many puissant Monarchs whose attempts they alwayes made frustrate by retiring into the heart of their Countrey and leaving nothing for the English to encounter with but their Woods and Mountains But now the fatall period of the â—ritish Liberty being come they were constrained to yeeld to the stronger What followed after this we shall see anon The Arms of these Princes was quarterly Gules and Or four Lions Passant gardant counterchanged 2 POWISLAND contained the whole Counties of Montgomery and Radnor all Shropshire beyond the Severn with the Town of Shrewsbury and the rest of Denbigh and Flinâ—shires comprehending by the estimate of those times 15 Cantreds or hundreds of Villages the word Cant signifying an hundred and Tret a Village The principall Cities or Towns of it were S. Asaph Shrewsbury Matravall spoken of before A Countrey more partaking of the nature and fertility of England than the parts belonging unto Guinedth or North-Wales but alwayes lying in harms way by reason of the Neighbourhood of the more potent English and therefore given by Roderick to Merâ—yn his youngest Sonne partly because he was the youngest but chiefly because he was a man of approved valour and so more fit to have his portion upon the Borders In his Line it continued a long time together but much afflicted and dismembred by the â—arks of Chester and Shrewsbury who took from them a good part of Flint and Denbigh and 〈◊〉 and by the Princes of North-Wales who cast many a greedy eye upon it Of the Successors of Prince Mervyn I find no good Caâ—taâ— more than of Brockwell Skythrac before remembred The last that held it all entire was Meredyth ap Blethyn who following the ill example of Roderick Mawr divided it betwixt Madoc and Gryffith his two Sonnes Of which Maâ—eâ— died at Wiâ—chestâ—r Anno 1160 in the time of King Henry the 2d his part hereof depending after his decease on the Fortunes of Guinedâ—h and Gryffith was by Henry the first made Lord of 〈◊〉 the stile of Prince left off as too high and lofty In his Race it continued till the time of King Edward the first to whom at a Parliament holden in Shâ—ewsbury Owen ap Gâ—yffiâ—â—h the fifth from Gryâ—â—ith ap Meredith before mentioned surrendred his place and Title and received them of the King again to be holden in Capite and free Baronage according to the Custom of England Avis or Hawis Daughter and Heir of this Owen ap Gryffith was maried unto Iohn Charlâ—ton Valect or Gentleman of the Privie Chamber to King Edward the 2d by whom in right of his Wife he was made Lord Powis Edward the fift also of this Line of the Charleâ—ons was the last of that House his Daughter Jâ—ne conveying the Estate and Title to the House of the Greyes and of them also five enjoyed it the last Lord Powis of the Line or Race of Mervyn being Edward Grey who died in the dayes of our Grand Fathers And so the title lay extinct untill revived again in the person of Sir William Herbert of Red-castle descend from the Herberts Earls of Pembroke created Lord Powys by K. Charles the first Anno 1629. The Arms of the Princes of Powysland were Or a Lyon Rampant Gules 2 SOUTH-WALES or Deheubarâ—h conteined the Counties of Monmouth Glamorgan Caermarden Cardigan and Brecknock the greatest and most fruitfull part of all Wales but more exposed to the invasion of forrain Nations English Danes Flemmings and Norwegians by whom the Sea-Coasts were from time to time most grievously plagued Insomuch that the Kings and Princes hereof were inforced to remove their seat from Caermarthen where it was fixt at first unto Dynevour Castle as a place of greater strength and safety where it continued till the Princes of it were quite extinct called from hence Kings of Dynevour as before is said The chief Towns of it Caermarthen Monmouth Landaffe S. Davids spoken of alreadie The Kings and Princes as farre I can find upon any certainty are these that follow The Princes of South-Wales A. Ch. 877. 1 Cadel 2 Howel 907. 3 Howel Dha 948. 4 Owen 5 Aeneas 6 Theodore the great 1077. 7 Rhese ap Theodore 1093. 8 Gryffith ap Rhese 9 Rhese II. ap Gryffith 10 Gryffith ap Rhese the last Prince of South-Wales of the Line of Cadel after they had with great strugling maintained their liberty for the space of 300 years and upwards but so that though they still preserved the title of Princes they lost a great part of their Countrie to the Norman-English For in the reign of William Rusus Bernard de Newmark a noble Norman seized upon those parts which now make the Countie of Brecknock being then a fair and goodly Lordship and
both being extract from the Welch blood they seldom or never contained themselves within the bounds of true Allegeance For whereas before they were reputed as Aliens this Henry made them by Act of Parliament one Nation with the English subject to the same Laws capable of the same preferments and privileged with the same immunities He added 6 Shires to the former number out of those Countries which were before reputed as the Borders and Marches of Wales and enabled them to send Knights and Burgesses unto the English Parliaments so that the name and language only excepted there is now no difference between the English and Welch an happy Vnion The same King Henry established for the ease of his Welch Subjects a Court at Ludlow like unto the ordinary Parliaments in France wherein the Laws are ministred according to the fashion of the Kings Courts of Westmâ—nster The Court consisteth of one President who is for the most part of the Nobility and is generally called the Lord President of Wales of as many Counsellors as it shall please the King to appoint one Attourney one Sollicitor one Secretary and the Iustices of the Counties of Wâ—les The Town it self for this must not be omitted adorned with a very fair Castle which hath been the Palace of such Princes of Wales of the English blood as have come into this Countrie to solace themselves among their people Here was young â—dward the 5th at the death of his Father and here dyed Prince Arthur Eldest Sonne to Henry the 7th both being sent hither by their Fathers to the same end viz by their presence to satisfie and keep in Order the unquiet Welchmen And certainly as the presence of the Prince was then a terror to the rebellious so would it now be as great a comfort to this peaceable people What the Revenues of this Principalâ—ty are I cannot say yet we may boldly affirm that they are not very small by these reasons following viz. 1 By the Composition which LLewellen the last Prince of Wales made with Edward the first who being Prince of North-Wales onely and dispossessed of most of that was fain to redeem the rest of the said King Edward at the price of 50000 Marks which comes to 100000 pounds of our present mony to be paid down in ready Coin and for the residue to pay 1000 l. per Annum And 2dly by those two circumstances in the mariage of the Lady Katharine of Spain to the above named Prince Arthur For first her Father Ferdinando being one of the wariest Princes that ever were in Europe giving with her in Dowry 200000 Ducats required for her loynture the third part only of this Principality and of the Earldom of Chester And secondly After the death of Prince Arthur the Nobles of the Realm perswaded Prince Henry to take her to Wise that so great a Treasure as the yeerly Revenne of her lonyture might not be carried out of the Kingdom The Arms of the Princes of Wales differ from those of England only by the addition of a Labell of three points But the proper and peculiar device and which we commonly though corruptly call the Princes Arms is a Coronet beautified with thee Ostrich Feathers and inseimbed round with ICH DIEN that is I serve alluding to that of the Apostle The Heir while he is a Child differeth not from a Servant This Coronet was won by that valiant Prince Edward the black Prince at the battell of Cressie from Iohn King of Bohemia who there wore it and whom he there slew Since which time it hath been the Cognizance of all our Princes I will now shut up my discourse of Wales with that testimony of the people which Henry the 2d used in a Letter to Emanuel Emperour of Constantinople The Welch Nation is so adventurous that they dare encounter naked with armea men ready to spend their blood for their Countrey and pawn their life for praise and adding onely this that since their incorporating with the English they have shewed themselves most loyall hearty and affectionate Subjects of the State cordially devoted to their King and zealous in defence of their Laws Liberties and Religion as well as any of the best of their fellow-subjects whereof they have given good proof in these later times There are in Wales Arch-Bishops 0. Bishops 4. THE BORDERS BEfore we come into Scotland we must of necessity passe thorough that Battable ground lying betwixt both Kingdoms called THE BORDERS the Inhabitants whereof are a kind of military men subtile nimble and by reason of their often skirmishes well experienced and adventurous Once the English Border extended as far as unto the Fryth or Strait of Edenburgh on the East and that of Dunbritton on the West the first Fryth by the Latines called Bodotria and the later Glotta betwixt which where now standeth the Town of Sterling was an atient Bridge built over the River which falleth into the Fryth of Edenburgh on a Cross standing whereupon was writ this Pasport I am Free march as passengers may kenne To Scots to Britans and to Englsh-men But when England groaned under the burden of the Danish oppression the Scots well husbanded that advantage and not onely enlarged their Borders to the Tweed but also took into their hands Cumberland Northumberland and Westmorland The Norman Kings again recovered these Provinces making the Borders of both Kingdomes to be Tweed East the Solway West and the Cheviot hills in the midst Of any great wars made on these Borders or any particular Officers appointed for the defence of them I find no mention till the time of Edward the first who taking advantage of the Scots disagreements about the successor of Alexander the 3d hoped to bring the Countrie under the obedience of England This Quarrell betwixt the two Nations he began but could not end the Wars surviving the Author so that what Vellcius saith of the Romans and Carthaginians I may as well say of the Scots and English for almost 300 yeers together aut bellum inter eos populos aut bâ—lli praeparatio aut infidâ— pax fuit In most of these conflicts the Scots had the worst So that Daniel in his History seemeth to marvail how this Corner of the Isle could breed so many had it bred nothing but men as were slain in these wars Yet in the Reign of Edward the 2d the Scots having twice defeated that unhappy Prince became so terrible to the English Borderers that an hundred of them would fly from three Scots It is a custom among the Turks not to beleeve a Christian or a Iew complayning against a Turk except their accusation be confirmed by the Testimony of some Turk also which seldom hapning is not the least cause why so little Iustice is there done the Christians In like manner it is the Law of these Borderers never to beleeve any Scots complaining against an English-man unless some other English-man will witness for him and so on the
over against the Southern part of Cumberland and from which it is distant 25 miles and was judged to belong to Britain rather than to Ireland because it fostered venemous Serpents brought hither out of Britain By Ptolomie it is called Monoeda or the further Mona to difference it from that which we now call Anglesey by Plinie Monabia Menavia by Orosius and Beda Eubonia by Gildas an old British Writer The Welch at this day call it Menaw the Inhabitants Maning and the English Man It is in length 30 miles in bredth 15 and 8 in some places The people hate theft and begging and use a Language mixt of the Norwegian and Irish tongues The soyl is abundant in Flax Hemp Oates Barley and Wheat with which they use to supply the defects of Scotland if not the Continent it self yet questionless the Western Iles which are a Member of it For thus writeth the Reverend Father in God Iohn Moricke late Bishop of this Iland in a letter to Mr. Camden at such time as he was composing his most excellent Britannia Our Iland saith he for cattell for fish and for corn hath not only sufficient for it self but sendeth also good store into other Countries now what Countries should need this supply England and Ireland being aforehand with such provision except Scotland or some members thereof I see not Venerable Bede numbred in it 300 Families and now it is furnished with 17 Parish Churches The chief Towns are 1 Balâ—curi and 2 Russin or Castle-Town the seat of a Bishop who though he be under the Archbishop of York yet never had any voice in the English Parliament In this Iland is the hill Sceafull where on a clear day one may see England Scotland and Ireland here also are bred the Soland Geese of rotten wood falling into the water This Iland was taken from the Britans by the Scots and from them regained by Edwin King of Northumberland Afterwards the Norwegians seized on it and made it a Kingdom the Kings hereof ruling over the Hebrides and some part of Ireland From them taken by Alexander the 3d of Scotland by a mixt title of Arms and purchase after which time it was sometimes English sometimes Scotish as their fortunes varied till in the end and about the year 1340. William Montacute Earl of Salisbury descended from the Norwegian Kings of Man won it from the Scots and sold it to the Lord Scrope who being condemned of Treason Henry the fourth gave it to Henry Piercy Earl of Northumberland but he also proving false to his Soveraign it was given to the Stanleys now Earls of Darby The Kings of Man of the Danish or Norwegian Race 1065. 1 Godred the Sonne of Syrric 1066. 2 Fingall Sonne of Godred 1066. 3 Godred II. Sonne of Harald 1082. 4 Lagnan Eldest Sonne of Godred the 2d 1089. 5 Donnald Sonne of Tado 1098. 6 Magnus King of Norwey 1102. 7 Olave the 3d Sonne of Godred 1144. 8 Godred III. Sonne of Olave 1187. 9 Reginald base Sonne of Godred the 3d. 1226. 10 Olâ—ve the lawfull Sonne of Godred the 3d. 1237. 11 Harald Sonne of Olave 1243. 12 Reginald II. Brother of Harald 1252. 13 Magnus II. Brother of Reginald 1266. 14 Magnus III. King of Norway the last King of Man of the Danish or Norwegian Race The Kings and Lords of Man of the English Blood 1340. 1 William Montacute Earl of Salisbury King of Man 1395. 2 William Lord Scrope King of Man 1399. 3 Henry Earl of Northumberland King of Man 1403. 4 William Lord Stanley Lord of the Isle of Man 5 Iohn Lord Stanley 6 Thomas Lord Stanley 7 Thomas Lord Stanley Earl of Darby 1503. 8 Thomas Lord Stanley Early of Darby 1521. 9 Edward Lord Stanley Earl of Darby 1572. 10 Henry Lord Stanley Earl of Darby 1593. 11 Ferdmando Lord Stanley Earl of Darby 12 William Lord Stanley Early of Darby 13 Iames Lord Stanley Earl of Darby Lord of the Isle of Man now living Anno 1648. King in effect though but Lord in title as having here all kind of Civill power and jurisdiction over the Inhabitants under the Feife and Sovereignty of the Crown of England together with the nomination of the Bâ—shop whom he presents unto the King for his Royall assent then to the Arch-Bishop of York for his consecration And this I take to be the reason why the Bishop of Man was no Lord of Parliament none being admitted to that honour but such as held immediately of the King himself nor was it reason that they should V. ANGLESEY is an Iland situate in the Irish Sea over against Carnarvonshire in North-Wales from which it is divided by a narrow streight which they call the Menai By the Britans themselves as by the Welch at this day it was called Mon from whence the Romans had their Mona but being Conquered by the English it obtained the name of Anglesey as one would say the Iland of the English Men eye in the Saxon language signifying an Iland A place of such a fair Revenue to the Princes of it that LLewellen the last Prince of Wales being stripped of almost all the rest of his Estates by King Edward the first paid to that King a tribute of 1000 per An. for this Iland only And to say truth the Iland is exceeding fruitfull both in Corn and Cattle from whence the Welch are liberally stored with both and therefore it is said proverbially Mon Mam Cymri that Anglâ—sey is the Mother of Wales In length from East to West about 20 miles and 17 in bredth Containing in that Compasse 74 Parishes divided into six hundreds and hath in it only two Market Towns that is to say 1 Beanmaris seated on a flat or marish ground neer the Menai built by King Edward the first to secure his Conquest by whom well walled and fortified as the times then were 2 Newburg a Town of no great antiquity as the name doth intimate by the Welch called Rossur in former times it had an Haven of some good receipt but now choaked with sand The other places of most note are 3 Aberfraw a small village now but heretofore the Royall seat of the Kings of Wales and 4ly Holy-head seated on an head-land or Promontory thrusting into the Sea made holy or thought so at least by the religious retirement of Saint Kuby or Kibius one of the Disciples of St. Hilarie of Poictiers from whence by the Welchmen called Caer-Cuby of most note for the ordinary passage betwixt Wules and Ireland Antiently this Iland was the seat of the Druides and brought with no small difficulty under the power of the Romans by Suctonius Paulinus the People fighting in other parts of Britain for their liberty only but here pro Arts focis too for their Religion Liberty and their Gods to boot Being deserted by the Romans with the rest of Britain it remained in the possession of its own natural Princes till the fatal period of that State when added
by themselves also mixt of the Christian and the Pagan extremely well affected unto their Priests to whom they present salt candles and fruites when they come to them for their blessings great lovers of Confession esteemers of holy water and diligent frequenters of their Churches but so extremely ignorant in all points of Religion that there is hardly one in a village that can say his Pater-noster When they bury any of their dead every one drinketh an health to him and powreth his part upon him when his turne comes to drink putting into the grave with him an hatchâ—t wine meat and a little money for his voyage And in some places they are wholly idolatrous if not converted very lately by the care of the Jesuites some of them worshipping the Sun other stocks and stones and some Serpents also The language of the Countrey is for the most part the High Dutch being the language of those Nations who first lorded over them the Estones having generally a peculiar language which none of the others understand It was divided formerly into the Provinces of Curland Eastland Semigall Virland Harland and Lettenland but these six since the conquest of it by the â—â—landers are reduced to three Harland and Virland being united unto Estland and Semigallia unto Curland Chief places in Estland are 1 Rivalle a Bishops See and well traded Port situate on the Gulf of Finlâ—nd a town belonging to the Swede the keeping whereof and of Viburg on the borders of Moscovie stand him yearly in 100000 Dollars 2 Habsay or Habses Asilia in Latine a Bishops See and 3 Pernow a well fortified place belonging to the Swethlander also ever since the conquest of these parts of the countrey by John the second Places of great importance to the Crowne of Sweden as all other pieces of this nature are which standing in an Enemies Countrey not onely do defend our own but offend our adversaries For they are not onely dores to open a further passage into their territories whensoever we shall see occasion but whilest the Enemie is besieging thereof or otherwise busyed in recovering them into his power our owne state is preserved in quiet and time may yeeld fit opportunity to relieve them if they be distressed without wasting any part of our proper countreys Of which nature was Calais when it was in the hands of the English the Garrisons which the Spaniards and Portuguâ—ze have in Afric and India the charge of keeping them being sufficiently defrayed if the charge prove greater then the income as sometimes it doth by the advantages they give unto him which hath them 4 Velin a strong Town and fortified with an impregnable Castle betrayed by the Dutch Garrison at that time in it together with William of Furstenberg the great Master into the hands of John Basilius the great Duke of Moscovie who still holds it 5 Derpt or Derbren in Latine Tupatum a Bishops See situate on the Beck or Einbeck betwixt two Lakes in the midst of the Province and taken at the same time by the Moscovite who transporting the Livonians into other places planted thosâ— parts with Colonies of his own people 6 Tornest a Castle of great strength taken then also by the Russâ—s but being recovered by the Polander was blown up with Gun-powder that it might no more come into the hands of the Enemy Hitherto nothing of this Countrey which belongs to the Polander these that follow doe that is to say 7 Borcholm the seat and residence of the Bishop of Rivalle since the taking of that Town by the Swedes 8 Weisenberg incommodiously seated betwixt two ill neighbours Narve and Rivalle but serving very well to prohibit the incursions of those Garrisons further into the Countrey 9 Werneber in that part of Fstland which is called Odinpen and Wittenstein in that part thereof which is named Jervia In LETTENLAND lying in the midst betwixt Estland and Curland the places of most note are 1 Rita the people call it Rig seated on the mouth of the River Dwina falling there into the Baltick first built and planted at the charges of the Merchants of Breme after that the Archbishops See the ordinary residence of the great Master and the chiefe City of the whole Province of Livonia A town well fortified according to modern Rules of fortification with a strong wall large Bulwarks double ditches Palisadoes and well provided of all manner of Ammunition a famous Emporie of great resort by forein Merchants who carry hence Pitch Wax Hempe Flax and such other commodities Governed notwithstanding their subjection to the King of Poland by their own Laws and such stout defenders of their liberties that they will by no means admit of any foreiner to have command of the City obedient in all other things to the will of that King 2 Dunamund an impregnable fortresse two Dutch miles from Riga well garrisoned by Polanders who here take toll of all forein Merchants 3 Blokaws a Garrison of the Kings betwixt Riga and Dunamund where the Merchants are tollâ—d over again 4 Winden more within the land on the River so called 5 Wolmar upon the River Treiden 6 Kokenhan a strong Towne on the banks of the Dwina This Countrey belongs wholly to the King of Poland and stood firm for him in the war made by Charles Duke of Suderman against his Nephew Sigismund King of Poland and Sweden when almost all Eastland had submitted to him CVRLAND the third and last member of this division containing Semigallia also lieth south of Lettenland and north of Samogitia and Lituania an entire Dukedome of it selfe but holden under the Soveraignty and homage of the kings of Poland Places of most importance in it are 1 Canden 2 Goldingen 3 Kies the Dutch call it Wenden the seat of the Great Master of the Teutonick order in times past now most frequented as the place of Parliament or Generall Assemblie for affaires which concern the publick 4 Dubin 5 Grubin on the Sea side but of no trade at all 6 Halenpot And then in Semigall 7 Mitow the Court and residence of the Dukes of Curland 8 Selborch 9 Bassembourg 10 Dobelin No town in all this Dukedome of any trading though lying for a great space all along the Baltick because none of them furnished with commodious Havens A Dukedome first begun in the person of Gothardus Ketler of one of the noble families of Danemark the last Great Master of the Dutch Knights in this Countrey who in the year 1562 surrendering his order and the whole possession of Livonia to Sigismund Augustus King of Poland received back again for him and his heirs for ever the Dukedome of Curland and Semigall to be held by them of that Crown the Nobility of these Countreys doing then presently their homage and allegiance to him as their Hereditary Prince Since which time the Princes of this house have continued Feudataries unto Poland but not reckoned as parts or members of the body thereof not coming to the Diets nor