A Description of the Seventeen Provinces Commonly Called the Low Countries, Province 9 – Province 10
The Province of Zealand described.
Zeland is as much as to say, A Land won out of the Sea; under which Name are contained fifteen or sixteen Islands, which being united together, make one Body, and have the Title of a County.
Zeland is parted Southward from Flanders with the left Arm of the Scheld, called Hont; Eastward from Brabant, with the right Arm of the Scheld, which retaineth the ancient Name of Scheld; North, it is sever'd from Holland with a Goulph of the Sea called Flack: West it hath the Sea towards England.
The Principal Islands of Zealand are seven, which are (by an Arm of the Scheld) neer to the entrance thereof into the Sea) divided into the Oriental, and Occidental. The Oriental Isles are, Schouwe, Dueland, and Tolen. The Occidental are, Walkaren, Zuidheveland, Northewland, and Wolfersdike. Towards the Sea these Islands are defended with Hills of Sands, called the Downs, thrown up by the surges of the Sea.
Towards the South they are defended with Rampars, and Banks made, and with great pains and charge maintained by the People, being ten Flemish Ells high, and twenty five thick at the bottom. They are made of the hardest clay that can be gotten: within they are thick built with Wood, and Stone, and covered without with Mats strongly wrought.
Zealand is a very fruitful Country, and produces excellent pure and bright Corn; great quantities of Coriander, and Bay Trees that bring forth ripe Berries, which grow not in any Province of the Low-Countries besides: It produces also abundance of good Madder, and diverse other simples. As also of Turfe. It hath great abundance of excellent good Pasturage for the Cattel, and no less plenty of Fish.
In this Country are eight Walled Towns: namely, Middlebourg, Sirixee, Cunfere, Ulissenghen, Tollai, St Martins-Dike, Romersvale, and Goses: There are diverse other smal places unwalled, and one hundred and two Villages.
The Isle of Schouwe described.
This Isle hath been much encroached upon by the Sea, yet its seven Leagues in Circuit. In it are these Towns: Sirixzee, the ancienst Town in all Zealand, their Traffique is Salt, and Mather, whereof there is great abundance in this Isle.
The Isle of Duveland hath its Name of the great abundance of Doves that breed therein. Its in Circuit four Leagues. In it are many Villages, and Gentlemens Farms.
In the Isle of Tolen is the Town of Tolen, which gives Name to the whole Isle; and St. Martins Dike, with divers small Villages.
The Occidental Isles are: Walkeren, which is ten Leagues in Circuit. Its a strong and fruitful Island, full of People, and of great wealth. In it are seven good Towns: as First, Middlebourg, so named, because it stands in the midst of the Isle. Its a very strong Town, well Fortified, Walled, and Diked. The Streets are large, the Houses, Churches, and Monasteries very fair Built. Its a great Town of Traffique of all kinds of Merchandize. It stands not upon the Sea, but upon two Channels, one whereof called the New-Channel, is as strait as a Line, and is made so wide and deep, that a Ship of a hundred Tun may come from the Port of Rumue, even up to the very Town of Middlebourg.
The second Walled Town is Veere, or Canfer, standing upon the North Coast. In it is a goodly Arsenal, wherein all furniture for Warre by Sea is used to be kept.
Ulussenghen is the third Walled Town. Its the Key of the Sea of these Low-Countries, because all ships that go up to Antwerp must of necessity passe by this Town. The chiefe Villages of Walkeren are, VVestcapelle, Dombourg, Ramekins, where standeth the Fort of Zeerbourg to secure the entrance into the River on that side. And Ramue, or Armuyden, which hath the goodliest Haven in all Christendom. Sudbourg: and divers other good Villages are in this Isle.
The next of these Iles is Zuidbes… veland, which is the greatest of all the Isles of Zealand. Much of it was swallowed up by the Sea, Anno Christi 1532. Romerswald is the principal Town in it, seated upon the East towards Berghen. Goes, or Tergoes is an other Town that stands upon the North coast: Besides there are many good Villages in this Iland: with pleasant Woods, and Thickets, well stored with Fowl, and Wild Beasts, for Hauking and Hunting.
Northbeveland is almost wholly swallowed up by the Sea. VVolfersdike is the least of all these Islands having only two Villages in it.
The City of Antwerp described.
Antwerp lyes on the right side of the Scheld, and extending its Walls for a long space on that side which looks towards the River, it afterwards makes a great compass towards the other which commands the Fields. That River cannot be mastered by a more Noble City, nor that City be watered by a more noble River. It flourisheth exceedingly in the number of Inhabitants, in beautiful Buildings, and in Merchandizing, which is chiefliest occasioned by the commodiousness of the Scheld, it being a River of so great breadth and depth, and ebbing, and flowing so far into the Sea, as that it is there capable of the greatest Vessels which Sail upon the Sea.
Towards the Field side, the City is environed with one of the statelyest Walls that can be seen, as well for the breadth of the Platform within, as for the Noble Bastions without; and the Ditch is every where answerable. On the other side towards the River, the River it self serves for a defence, and therefore on that side, there is only a single Wall. The Platform of the Wall towards the Fields is of such a breadth as many Rowes of Trees stand round about it, so as it serves no less for delight than for defence.
Antwerp is in, or rather joins upon Brabant, of it self making one of the seventeen ancient Provinces, by the name of The Marquisat of the Sacred Empire. The Province of Flanders joyns upon the contrary side of the River, which place partakes thereby of all the advantages afforded, both by so large a River, and of a City of such Merchandizing.
The Citadel of Antwerp stands upon the Banks of the Scheld, upon the South side of the City. It is a Pentagon, composed of five Royal Bastions. Of all other modern Fortifications, it hath been esteemed so famous, as it hath served for a Pattern to almost as many Citadels as have been built in any Country since. Some of her Flanks lye towards the City, and the rest lean towards the Champian; respect being here had (as in all other Castles) to be able on one side to command the City, and on the other, to receive necessary succour upon all occasions from without. There lyes a good space of ground between the Citadel and the City.
The Noble Province of Flanders Described.
Flanders is now bounded on the North with the Sea, and the branch of the Scheld that is called Hont: South with Artois, Hainault, and Vermandois. East with the ancient Scheld, and part of Haynault: West partly with the Sea towards England, and partly with the River Au, and part of Artois that borders upon Callice, and Boloign. The length of it from Antwerp to the New-Foss is thirty three Leagues; The breadth from Ninoven to Graveling thirty Leagues.
The aire is very wholsome, especially Southward: The Country flat: The Soil fruitful, especially towards the Sea, and towards France. They breed great store of Cattel, especially of good Horses..
Flanders hath divers Rivers running through it: namely, Scheld, Lis, and Tender, and many other small streams: the rest is supplied with Channels made by hand to receive in the Sea, It hath many pleasant Hills, especially Flanders Gallicant.
There are in Flanders 28 Walled Towns: The three Capitall are Gant, Bruges, and Ipre: the others are Lisle, Douay, Tournay, Courtray, Oudenard, Alost, Hulst, Termond, Bieruliet, Neuport, Scluse, Dunkirk, Graveling, Bourbourg, Damme, Dixmude, Uvern, Ardembourg, Ninove, Berg de St Winoc, Montgerard or Grammont, Gassel, Denise, Orchies, and Lanoy.
Towns unwalled, yet rich, fair, and populous, are about thirty, the chief are Ostend (now fortified with Rampars and Ditches) Oudembourg, Messine, Belle, Poperinge, Toroue, Ostbour, Axsele, Middlebourg, Loo, Werwick, Blonchberg, Houck, Rosselar, Tielt, Ghistell, Eeclo, Lombartside, Steechem, Houscot, Munchereed, Mardike, Meeren, Hallewin, Wastene, Steegberg, Mergen, Haesbrook, and Armentiers. Besides these there are one thousand one hundred fifty four Villages, many of them as great, rich, and populous as any in Europe. As also many Castles, Fortresses, and Noblemens, and Gentlemens Houses, very beautifull to behold. What great alterations the King of France hath made of late, I cannot give an account.
This country is divided into three parts, namely, Flanders Flamigeant, so called, because the Flemish Language is used in it: This is the chief part of the Country. The second is Flanders Gallican, so stiled, because the Walloon Language (which is a bastard French) is used therein. The third is Flanders Imperial, because it was long under the obedience of the Empire. The first lyes towards the Sea, the second towards the Walloon Countries.