A Geographical Description of All the Countries in the Known World, Part 1 · Subpart 167
Belgia, or the Netherlands described.
Belgia is bounded on the East with the River Ems, and part of Germany: On the West with the Germane Sea, on the North with East-Friezland, and on the South with the Some, Champaigne, and Lorrain: Its in compass one thousand miles. The Country is very populous, the men well proportioned, and ingenious: the inventers of Clocks, Printing, and the Compass: They found out diverse musical instruments, the making of Chariots, Painting with Oil colours, working pictures in Glass, making of Worsteads, Sayes, Tapestry, &c. The women govern all, both within doores, and without: The Country lies low upon the Seas, and therefore is very subject to inundations. In the reign of our King Henry the second, Flanders was so overflown, that many thousands of people, whose dwellings were devoured by the Sea, came into England, and were by the King first planted in York-shire, but afterwards removed into Pembrook-shire. Since then, the Sea hath swallowed up in Zealand eight of the Islands, and in them three hundred Towns, and Villages, the ruines of the Churches, &c. being seen at low water till this day. The commodities are Linnen, Skarlet, Worstead, Sayes, Silks, Velvets, Armour, Cables, Ropes, Butter, Cheese, &c. The chief Rivers are, 1. Rheine. 2. Mosa, which compasseth half the Country. 3. Ems, dividing the two Friezlands. 4. Scaldis, which rising in Picardy, runs through Artois, divides Henault, and Brabant, and a little above Antwerp emptieth it self into the Sea. 5. Ley, which runs quite through Flanders.
In Zealand and Holland especially, they are fain to defend themselves against the Sea by huge banks about ten ells high, and five and twenty in breadth at the bottom, made of the hardest Clay, with great pains, and maintained with great charge; their inside is stuffed with wood, and stone, and their outside covered with strong, and thick Mats. Its divided into seventeen Provinces, which are these that follow.
1. Limbourg, and the Bishoprick of Leige, environed with Brabant, and Namurce, on the West: with Brabant, and Gulick on the North: with Gulick, and Collen on the East: and with Luxenbourg on the South. In the Bishoprick are four and twenty walled Towns, and one thousand and eight hundred Villages: the chief City is Leige, seated on the Meuse: the buildings of it are very fair. Its a famous University, wherein were students at one time, nine Kings Sons: four and twenty Dukes sons: twenty nine Earles Sons, besides Barons, and Gentlemen. The next Cities are, 2. Tongres. 3. Dinand, neer Namur. 4. Huy. 5. Bilsen. 6. Truden.
The Dutchy of Limbourg, contains five Towns. 1. Limbourg, on the River Weser. 2. Walkenbourgh. 3. Dalem. 4. Rode le Buck. 5. Carpen, besides one hundred twenty and three Villages.
Luxenbourg, which is bounded on the North with Limbourg, on the South with Lorrain, on the East with the Bishoprick of Triers, and on the West with the Meuse. Its in circuit two hundred and forty miles, in which stand one thousand one hundred sixty and nine villages, and twenty and three walled Towns. The chief are, 1. Luxenburgh on the River Elze, 2. Bostonack, commonly called the Paris of Ardenne. 3. Thionville. 4. Mommedi. 5. Danvillers, 6. Ivoy. 7. Neuse Chastel. 8. Rocke de March. 9. Arluna. Here is the Forrest of Ardenna, once five hundred miles in compass; now scarce ninety: In the edges whereof are the famous hot Baths, called the Spaw, which are of most vertue in July, because then hottest. In the skirts of this Countrey towards France, is the Dukedome of Bovillion, whose cheif Towns are, Sedan, where is Schola Illustris; and Bovillon: The Duke is a Peer of France, and hath been a great friend to the Protestants.
3. Gelderland, which hath on the East Cleve, on the West Brabant, on the North Frizland, and on the South Limbourg ▪ It contains three hundred villages, and twenty four Towns, the chief whereof are, 1. Nimmegen, seated on the branch of the Rheine, which is called Whael. 2. Ruremond. 3. Arnheim. 4. Harderwick. 5. Doesbourgh. 6. Buren. Its a fertile soil for feeding of Beasts, which grow so great and fat, that Anno Christi 1570. there was a Gelderland Bull killed at Antwerp, that weighed three thousand and two hundred pounds.
4. Brabant, having on the East, North, and South the Meuse, and on the West the Scheld. Its in length seventy five, in breadth sixty miles, comprehending seven hundred villages, and twenty six Towns, whereof the chief are, 1. Lovain, in compasse within the walls four miles, and six without. Its an University wherein are twenty Colledges, and a Seminary of English Jesuits: There are in it many goodly Gardens, Mountaines, Valleys, Medows, &c. 2. Bruxels of the same bigness, and the Dukes seat, but for pleasure, profit, uniform buildings, and elegancy thereof, far beyond Lovain. 3. Bergen ap some, famous for the notable resistance it made to Spinola, Anno Christi 1622. 4. Bolduc. 5. Tilmont. 6. Mastriecht. 7. Breda, the seat of the Prince of Orange.
5. The Marquisat of the Empire is contained in Brabant: the chief City is Antwerp, in circuit seven miles: In it are eight principal channels cut out of the Scheld, on which the Town is seated, the biggest of them being able to contain one hundred ships. Before the Civil warres, it was a place of wonderful great Trading: but now the Hollanders have so blocked up the Haven, that the traffick is removed to Amsterdam.
6. Flanders is divided into the Imperiall, Gallick, and Teutonick Flanders. The last of these is divided from the other two, by the River Ley. The chief Towns in it are, 1. Gaunt, whose wall is seven miles round. The Rivers Scheld, and Ley run through it, and make in it twenty six Islands, conjoyned with ninety eight bridges. 2. Burgi…, situated on a fair, and deep channel made by Art, which much advantageth it. 3. Ypres, a very strong Town standing on a River of the same name. 4.Winnocks-Berg. 5. Grauling, on the sea side, a strong Fort. 6. Oudenard. The four principal Ports of Flanders are, 1. Dunkirk. 2. Scluse, at the mouth of the channel of Bruges, having a fair Haven able to contain five hundred good ships; Its in the hand of the States. 3. Newport, where was fought that famous Battle between the Spaniards, and States. 4. Ostend, which held out a siedg of three years, and three months against the Arch-Duke.
Imperiall Flanders, is parted from Brabant, by the River Dender, from the Gallick Flanders, by the River Scheld about Oudenard. The chief Towns are, 1. Alost, on the Dender. 2. Dendermond. 3. Hulst, 4. Axelle. 5. Rupelmond.
The Gallick Flanders, is severed from the Teutonick by the River Ley: from the Imperiall by the Scheld. The chief Towns are, 1. Lisle, 2. Doway, where is an University. 3. Orchies. 4. Armentiers. 5. St. Amand. 6. Turnay. In all Flanders there are thirty five Towns, and one thousand one hundred seventy and eight Villages. Its in length ninety six miles, in breadth much lesse. Its bounded with Brabant on the East: Picardy on the West: the Sea on the North: and Artoys on the South.
7. Artoys, which hath on the East Heinalt, on the West Picardy, on the North Flanders, and on the South Champaigne. It contains seven hundred fifty and four villages, and twelve walled Towns, whereof the chief are, 1. Arras, whence comes our Arras hangings, 2. Ayre. 3. Pernes. 4. St. Omer, a good Haven. 5. Lilliers. 6. Le-Cluse. The frontier Towns are, 1. Hedinfert against Picardy. 2. St. Paul.
8. Heinalt, bounded on the East with Limbourg, on the West with Flanders, on the North with Brabant, and on the South with Champaigne: The length of it is sixty miles, and the breadth fourty eight. It contains nine hundred and fifty Villages, and twenty four Towns, the chief whereof are, 1. Mons, a strong and rich City, 2. Valenciennes, seated on the Scheld. 3. Conde. 4. Bavays. 5. Landrecy, on the River Sambre. 6. Mariembourgh. 7. Engien. 8. Reulx. 9. Avennes. On the South part of Heinalt, is the Town, and territory of Cambray.
9. Namurce, which hath on the East Limbourg: on the VVest Heinalt: on the North Brabant, and on the South Luxenburg: In this Country are many Coals which are kindled with Water, and quenched with Oil. It contains one hundred and eighty villages, and four Towns. 1. Namurce, seated where Sicambris falls into Meuse. 2. Charlemont. 3. Valencourt. 4. Bovines. Its a fruitful Country, enriched with Mines of Jasper, and all sorts of Marble, and abounding with Iron. The Inhabitants are good souldiers.
10. Zutphen, is a Town in Gelderland, an ancient Earldom, seated on the River Ysell, a strong place, in the siege whereof that mirror of Chivalry, Sir Philip Sidney lost his life.
11. Holland is a woody Country, having on the East Utrecht: on the West and North, the Sea: and on the South the Meuse. Its in circuit one hundred and eighty miles, no part whereof is distant from the Sea three hours journey. It containes four hundred villages, and three and twenty Towns: whereof the chief are, 1. Dort, where the National Synod was held against the Arminians, Anno Christi 1618. 2. Harlem, where Printing was invented. 3. Leiden, a famous University. Which City consists of forty one Islands, passed partly by Boats, and partly by Bridges, whereof there are one hundred forty and five, and of them one hundred and four built with stone. 4. Delft. 5. Alkmer. 6. Rotterodam. 7. Horn. 8. Enchusen. 9. Amsterdam, a very fair Haven Town: the men are good Sea-men, the women very industrious: there is scarce a boy of four years old, but can earn his own meat. It yeilds Butter, Cheese, &c. The chief Village is the Hage, having in it two thousand housholds.
12 Zealand, consisteth of seven Islands, and in them three hundred Towns. The first Island is Walcheren, and in it the chief towns are, 1. Midlebourg, 2. Flushing, an excellent Haven, and of great strength. Nigh unto it is the Fort Ramekins, and the Brill. 3. Vere. The next Island is South Beverland, whose chief Town is Tergowse. The third is Schoven, its chief Town Sixixee. 4. Tolen, whose chief Town is Tertolen, &c. In all this Countrey are eight Cities, and one hundred and two Villages, the soil is fruitful, but they have neither wood, nor fresh water.
13. West-Freizland, which hath on the East Groyning, on the South Overyssel, on the other sides, the Sea. It contains three hundred forty and five Villages, and eleven Towns: the chief are, 1. Lewarden. 2. Harlingem, a sea Town. 3. Zwichen. 4. Doceum. 5. Franeker, an University.
14. Utrecht, is bounded on the East with Gelderland, on the other three sides with Holland: It contains seventy Villages, and five Towns, as, 1. Rhenen. 2. Wick de Duerstede. 3. Amesford. 4. Monfoort. 5. Utrecht just in the middest.
15. Overyssel, is bounded on the North with Freizland, and Groning, on the South with Gelderland, on the East with Westphalia, on the West with the sea. It contains one hundred and one Villages, and eleven Towns, the chief whereof are, 1. Swall. 2. Campene. 3. Deventer, basely betrayed to the Spaniards by Sir William Stanley. 4. Steinwick. 5. Hasselt. 6. Oldezel. 7. Handerberg. 8. Delden.
16. Machlin, which is a Town in Brabant, which Anno Christi 1546. was much defaced by fireing of eight hundred barrels of Gunpowder. Besides the Town, it contains nine Villages. Its a fair and strong Town, being daintily seated amidst the waters of the River Dele, so that it may bee drowned on all sides.
17. Groyning, which is a Town of VVest-Friezland, containing under her command one hundred forty and five Villages, the chief being Old haven, and Keikerk. Its bounded on the East with East-friezland, on the West with VVest-Friezland, on the South with Overyssel, and on the North with the Sea.
These Countries are now divided between the States under an Aristocratical government, and the King of Spain: The States have the Dutchy of Guelders: The Earldomes of Holland, and Zealand, and Zutphen. The Lordships of Friezland, Utretcht, Overyssel, and Groning, seven in all; the rest are Spanish.