A Description of the Seventeen Provinces Commonly Called the Low Countries, Province 14
The Province of Artoys described.
Artoys is bordered North with the River Lis, and the New Channel which seperates it from Flanders: South with Dourlans, which is the Frontire of Picardy: East with Flanders Gallicant, and the Country of Cambresis: West, towards Monstrueil upon the Sea, it borders again upon Picardy. The Soyl is very fruitful, the air wholsome, the Country wants no commodity, but only Wine: It yeilds much Corne wherewith it furnisheth its Neighbours.
In Artoys are twelve Walled Towns, and eight hundred fifty four Villages, and many Abbies, Convents, and Monasteries. The chief Towns are, Arras, St. Omers, Betune, Aire, Bapaumes. The lesser are Hedinsfort, Renty, St. Pol, Perue, Lillers, La Bassee, and Lens.
The City of Arras described.
Arras stands within a Bow shot of the Scarpe. Its a very great Town, but divided into two parts, each part having a several Wall; the one named the City, and appertains to the Bishop; the other The Town, and belongs to the Prince. The City is little, but faire, and very well Fortified. In it is the sumptuous Church of the Virgin Mary, in which is a rare Library. The Town is very large and wonderful strong, both by Nature and Art. The Streets are fair and broad, and the Market place scarcely to be matched. In the Town are many Cellars and Vaults, very artificially made, and paved, to withdraw their Families into, in case of a Siege. It hath a great Jurisdiction over many places about it; and in it are made many excellent Serges.
St. Omer Described.
It hath its name of one St. Omer, who first built a Church of that Name, and stately Abbyes of great Revenues.
St. Omer is a Frontire Town against France, and stands upon the River Aa. Its a very strong Town, and well peopled, and hath a Country of very great importance under it, and Jurisdiction over many Villages. Neer unto it is a goodly Lake of fresh Water, in which are many little Islands (yet not so little but you may put a good number of Cattel to feed in many of them) the which are moveable, and may be drawn with a Cord, fastened to the Rushes that grow in them, which way you will; and under them are multitudes of Fishes, that defend themselves there from …ll Weathers.
Betune described.
Betune is a good, and a strong Town, where is made great plenty of excellent good Cheese that is sold into divers Countries.
Aire described.
Aire stands upon the River Lis. Its a good, and a strong Town, with a Castle of great Antiquity. The houses in this Town are very well and orderly built.
Bapaulm described.
Bapaulm is a little, but a strong Town, because it cannot be besieged for want of fresh Water, which is not to be had within three Leagues thereof. It hath also a very strong Castle, and a large Country, and a good Jurisdiction under it.
Renty is but a Castle with a good Village standing upon a little Brook; yet its a very strong place.
Hesdinfert is marvelously well seated upon the River Canch. Its one of the most strong and defensible places in all the Low-Countries, and hath many large Priviledges; It's a fair Town, and well Peopled, and is now called Hesdin.
St. Pol hath of a long time been honoured with the Title of an Earldom, and hath a goodly Jurisdiction over a large Country, and a great Revenue.
Perue is under the Jurisdiction of St. Pol, and is a place of good importance.
Lilliers is a reasonable passable Town.
Lens is but a little Town, yet hath a large Territory, and Jurisdiction.
The Villages of Artoys, that be of any importance, having the Priviledges of Markets, and Fairs, are Avennes le Comte, Aschicourt, St Venaut, Courriers, Blangis, Ligny, and Pas.
The City of Cambray described.
Cambray stands upon the Scheld which runs through the midst of it. Its seated upon the edg of the Frontiers made by the two Provinces of Henault and Artoys, on Flanders side, towards France, opposite to Piccardy. It enjoyes a free Government under the Spiritual and Temporal Dominion of its Arch-Bishoprick. It is endowed with very large Priviledges: Full of Noble Churches, whereof the Cathedral is such as hath not the like in any of the neighbouring Cities. Its sufficiently provided also of other Edifices both for use and Ornament. Yet the Inhabitants are not answerable in number to the Houses; many of which being Ecclesiasticks, Forraign Commerce and Merchandizing doth rather languish than flourish there: Neither doth the Scheld yeild commodity for it. For the River hath its Head but a little above the City, and therefore is hardly Navigable hereabout.
The City of Cambray is about a League in Compass, and is environed with an Ancient Wall, flankt for the most part after the ancient Mode, but with many Bulwarks also, after the Modern Way of Fortification. It hath a Ditch which is very broad and deep on one side, whereinto (for the most part) the Scheld runs: The rest by reason of its height, is dry, but so much the deeper. On the East stands a Citadel with four Royal Bulworks, having a great half-Moon between two of them which are next to the Fields, and divers other defences, for the Custody of the Ditch. Here is made much sine Linnen called Cambrick.
Cambray hath under it a goodly Signiory and Jurisdiction, called Cambresis, in which are divers Villages, and places of importance, and among others, the Castle of Cambresy, six Leagues from the City, in which the Peace between the chief Princes of Christendom was concluded, Anno Christi 1559.