A Description of the Seventeen Provinces Commonly Called the Low Countries, Province 15 – Province 16
The Province of Haynault Described.
Haynault is so named of the River Hayne which runs through it. Its bordered North with Brabant, and Flanders; South with Champaign and Picardy; East with the County of Namur, and part of the County of Lieg; West with the Scheld, and part of Flanders Gallicane. Its twenty Leagues long, and sixteen Broad: The Aire is wholsome, and the Soyl excellent good by reason that the Country is watered with many Rivers, namely, the Scheld, the Sambre, the Tender, and many other small Rivolets. There are also in it many Lakes, Marishes, Ponds, Pools, Fountains, goodly Woods, and pleasant Forrests.
Haynault aboundeth with fragrant and fair Pastures, and Meddows for all kinds of Cattel; with good fruits, and profitable Trees, especially with great plenty of good Corn. In divers parts of it are Iron Mines, Lead, and quarries of Stone for all kinds of Building, yea, of the Touch-stone. There is also great store of excellent white Lime and Sea-Cole.
In Haynault there are twenty four Walled towns, namely, Montz, Valenciennes, Bouchain, Quesnoy, Conat, Lan dresy, Anesnes, Chimay, Mariembourg, Phillips Ville, Beamount, Mauberg, Bovais, Bins, Reux, Segny, Brain le Comte, Eughien, Halle, Lessme, Cheure, Ath, St Guisline, and Leuze. There are also in it nine hundred and fifty Villages, with many Castles and Signiories: Many of these Villages are great, and fair, and have Titles of Honour annexed unto them, as Pequicourt, Fontayn, Laling, Montigny, Antonig, Barlamon, Barbanson, Aimeries, and many others.
The City of Montz described.
The City of Mons receives its Name from its situation, which in their Language signifies a Mountain or Hill. But the rise of the Earth there is so gentle, as it cannot be said to be Mountainous. Its a very Noble City, as well for the concourse of People, as for Commerce. It hath many good Houses in it, and there the King of Spains Counsel used to sit, which administred justice to all the Country. All which Prerogatives gave it the precedency over all other Cities in the Province of Henault. It commands large and spacious Fields round about it, which may be questioned, whether they abound more in Pasture or in Tillage: Nor is the Territory there of less rich in Woods, nor generally indeed all the rest of that Province of Henault. This City is stronger by its natural situation than by manual industry. It is cut through on the lower side by a little Rivolet called Trulla, which as soon as it goes out of it, falls into another, somewhat bigger called Hain, which crossing through the Province before it be gotten quite out, falls likewise into the Scheld. This Province of Henault looks towards the South of Campania and Picardy in France.
Mons (saith another) is a Noble City for situation, Inhabitants, and Buildings. Its a very strong Town both by Nature and Art, and may be environed with Water at pleasure. The City Wall is very strong, and besides its fortified with three large and deep Ditches, and with an ancient Castle. The Town is great and fair, and beautified with sumptuous Buildings, both publick, and private, with very clear Fountains, and with Rich Citizens, and Artists.
The City of Valenciennes described.
Valenciennes stands upon the Scheld, and the little River Rovelle, the which, besides that they make many goodly, and strong Isles in the City, pass almost under every particular mans House, to the great beauty and commodity of the place. The seat of this Town is so strong (besides the Fortifications made by Art) that it may at pleasure be drowned upon one side with water; and its so defended by Hills on the other side, that it can hardly be besieged but by two Camps, and therefore is almost impregnable. In the City is a Store-house, where great store of Artillery, and Ammunition is kept for the defence of the place.
Its a very goodly, large, and beautiful City, as well for private, as for publike Buildings, namely, Churches, Monasteries, &c. Especially our Lady Church is very fair, being built after the ancient Mode, with three Vaults, sumptuous Arches, and goodly Pillars of Marble, and Porphyrie. St. John's Church also is a stately building; but the Town House, called La Hall, is the stateliest of all the rest, being built all of square Stone curiously wrought, and of such greatness and magnitude, that it alone were a sufficient Ornament to the whole City.
On the left side of this Hall there is an excellent Building of a great heighth, in which is a Clock and a Dial, shewing not only the Hours of the day and night, but also the course of the Moon, and of all the Planets, and likewise of the Months, and divers other things. Under this Clock-House, and so under Covert, is the Corn-Market, being great and large; and above in the Hall is a place to sell Wool and Cloth: There are also in it Fencing Schools, and places for all Publick Courts, Magistrates, and Officers of the Town: A Gaol, or common Prison: So that in this one Building is compact together all Offices, serving for the commodity and glory of the Town.
In this City also are divers Monasteries, Hospitals, and other Religious places endowed with good Revenues. There is also in it a fair Colledg, and many Schools, for the Education of Orphans, and poor Children, wherein they are taught divers Arts and Occupations. And in it are Cloths, Woosted, Linnen, as fine as Cambrick, changeable Taffaties, and almost all sorts of Mercery Wares, &c. It hath a great Jurisdiction, and enjoyes great Priviledges, and Franchises, more than any other Town of the Low-Countries. Its very well peopled. Its the most Merchantlike Town in all these parts.
Bouchain stands upon the River Scheld. The Town is Strong, and the Castle is counted impregnable. Its the Principal County of Osternand.
Quesnoy is a strong Townin, which are made Woosteds, and great store of Linnen, by which means there is great Traffique in this Town.
Conde also stands upon the Scheld. Its a good little Town.
Landrecy stands upon the River Sambre: The Town is little, but very strong.
Avesnes stands upon the River Hypre. Its a good and a strong Town.
Chimay stands in a Forrest upon the little River Blanche. Its well built, with a fair Pallace for the Prince, a goodly garden, and a Labyrinth.
Mariembourg stands between the Rivers Blanch and Noire. It's a very strong Town having four great Bulwarks.
Philipvill is so fortified, that it's held to be impregnable.
Beaumont is a fine little Town standing upon the knapp of a goodly Hill, whereof it beareth the Name.
Maubeug stands upon the River Sambre which passeth through it. It's a good Town of Merchandize.
Bavays Vallone is a very small Town.
Bins, or Binch stands upon a branch of the River Hayn, and is a good and pleasant Town.
Reux is a little Town, but stands very pleasantly in a fruitful Soyle, and hath many Villages under its Jurisdiction.
Soigny stands upon the little River Sein.
Breine le Comte is a very ancient Town.
Enghien is a good little Town wherein great store of Tapestry of all sorts of prizes is made.
Halle stands upon the River Sein which runs through it.
Lessny: Through it passeth the Denre; and here great store of Linnen Cloth is made.
Cheure stands upon the Little River Hunell: It's a pleasant little Town.
Ath hath the Denre running through it. It's a little, but a fair, pleasant, and rich Town, because great plenty of Linnen is made in it.
St. Guislem taketh its Name from the Abby that stands in it, which is the chiefest Abby in all Haynault.
Leuse is a good Town.
Among the Villages in Haynault, many of them have strong Castles in them, and though unwalled, enjoy the Priviledges of Walled Towns. There is nothing else memorable in them.
The Province of Luxembourg Described.
Luxembourg is a Dutchy. It beareth the Name from the principal Town thereof. Its bounded North with the Countries of Lieg, and Namur: South with Lorrain: East with the River Moselle, and the Bishoprick of Trevir: And West with part of the Forrest of Ardenne.
Its replenished with Mountains, and Forrests, and containeth the greatest part of the Forrest of Ardenne: Its divided into two Parts; the one called Famenne, which is fruitful of Corn, and many other good things, and hath some Mines, and divers sorts of good Stone, of some of which, excellent good Lime is made. It yeilds also some Wine. The other part is called Ardenne, which is barren, and produces little Corn; but hath store of Red and Fallow Deer, Goats, Hares, Conies, and exceeding great plenty of Fowle: As also wild Hens of two Sorts, one as large as Turky Cocks, called Limoges, the other as big as our common Hens, called Bruiers. Many Rivers run through this Country, especially the Moselle.
Luxenbourg contains in circuit about seventy Leagues, and in it are twenty Walled Towns: namely, Luxembourg, Arlon, Rodemark, Theonvil, Gravemakre, Coningmakre, Dickrich, Vireton, Estewerck, Vandalen, Bastonac, Mommedi, Neuschasteau, Danvillers, Marvil, La Roch en Ardenenne, Durby, St. Vite, Marche and Salme. Divers Castles there are in this Country very ancient and Noble, like to little Towns. There are likewise in this Dutchy one thousand one hundred sixty nine Villages, divers of which are fair, and great, as La Rochotte, Avio, and St. Hubert.
The City of Luxembourg Described.
Luxembourg hath the River Elze passing through it. Its large, and a very strongly seated City, yet but reasonably built, having been often destroyed by the Warrs.
Arlon hath suffered much by the Warrs.
Rodemark is a good little Town with a strong Castle.
Theonville stands upon the Moselle, having a goodly Bridg over the River. Its a marvelous strong Town.
Gravemackren, and Coninkmackren stand both upon the Moselle.
Bastonack is a good little Town, and is commonly called Paris en Ardenne.
Mommedi stands: upon an high Hill, at the foot whereof runs the River Cluirs. Its a strong Town.
Neuscastle is also a strong Town.
Danvilliers, is a fair and a strong Town.
Marvil stands upon the Chiers.
St Vite is a little, but a very pleasant and fine Town.
Salme is a good and a rich Town.
Ivoy, Chimy, and some other Towns have been so often destroyed in the Warrs between France and Spain that there is nothing remarkable in them.
No Province in all the Low-Countries, is so replenished with Nobility as this Dutchy of Luxembourg, who govern their Subjects and Tenants like to the Peasants of France, or rather like Slaves, contrary to the liberty of the rest of the Provinces of the Low-Countries. Here they hate Laws and Lawyers, and end their controversies among themselves without any Process.