A New Description of the World, Section 1 · Account of region 6
A Description, particularly of the Low-Countries.
ZEaland or Sealand, is a Country standing upon 7 Islands Northward in the Sea▪ commodiously scituate for Shipping, and Harbours, so that it may in a manner be questioned, whether the Inhabitants live on the Water or on the Land, and though it consists of 7 Islands only at present, it formerly was 15 whereof 8 have been swallowed up by the Waves, with their Towns and Cities, so that we may well alude.
Invenies sub Aquis, & ad-huc austendere nautae,
Inclinata solent, cum maenibus opida versis, &c.
The Waters hide them, and the Sailers show,
The Ruined Walls, and Steeples as they Row.
The chief Towns of this Province, are Middleburg, Famous for Traffick, and the Staple for French and Spanish Wines; Flushing, a strong and fortified Sea Town. All the Islands are fertile, much abounding with Pastures, Corn, and plenty of Cattle, yielding a great deal of Madder, for dying, Wooll, &c.
HOLLAND, (the chief of the Provinces, under the Denomination of which the rest are vulgarly called, and is the most powerful in Shipping, and Navigation,) comprehends the Famous City of Amsterdam, by which the River Tay flows like a large Sea, and is one of the chief Empories of Europe, Rotterdam, Leyden an University, Doort, Delph, Harlem, and other places of note, as the Hague, &c. the which, though but an Inland Village, is much honoured by the Concourse, resorting thither, and the frequent assembling of the Estates; and this, more than any other part, abounds with Woods, esteemed though but small, to contian 400 Villages, and 20 walled Towns in its Jurisdiction.
VTRECHT, another of these Provinces has five considerable Towns in it, of which Vtrecht, Mont-fort, and Rhenen, are the principal; as also 70 Villages, many of them very fair and pleasant, all well watered, and accommodated with Gardens, Pasturages, and other things necessary for the use of Man; the Province was anciently called Antonia, but since took its Name from a Ferry that was kept there, for the Transportation of Passengers, &c.
OVER-YSSEL, another of the Provinces, is memorable for the City of Daventree, won by Robert Earl of Leicester, an English Peer, in the time of Queen Elizabeth, from the Spaniard, and delivered to the States, and has besides 11 good Towns of which Campene, Swall, and Daventree are the chief, 101 Villages, and abounds with good Pasture…, Meddows, Corn and Cattle, producing yearly a… extraordinary quantity of Butter and Cheese, and the rather Fruitful, as being well watered by the River Yssel, from which it appears to take its name.
ZVTPHEN, though it claims the Jurisdiction of a Province, yet it is no more than a Town in Guelderland, free, and independent, before which (to the great Grief of all good Men) the Famous and Learned Sir Philip Sidney, received the Mortal wound of which he dyed, though the Town was notwithstanding won by his Conduct and Valour, being a very antient Earldom.
GVELDERLAND is a Dukedom of considerable note, abounding with Plenty of all sorts of Provisions, and many curious Manufactures, and is held to contain 24 Towns, and 300 Villages. The chief of the Towns being Nimegen, seated on a branch of the River Rhine, and much noted for the Treaty held there, Ruremond and Arnheim, and is recounted in Historians to take its name from Geluba; once a famous Town Scituate in the Province, but now altogether ruined or reduced to a strait compass.
GROINING or GRONINGEN, is a Barrony of West Friezland, so large that under its Jurisdiction it has 154 Towns and Villages, the principal being Old Haven and Keikerk, and boasts of great Plenty and much Riches.
FRIEZLAND contains 11 chief Towns, the most considerable being Harlingem, Lewarden, and Zwichen, with about 345 Villages, Incompassed with Excellent Pasture grounds, abounding in Herds of Cattle, of a more then ordinary bigness, and is in a manner, every where refresh'd with pleasant Streams; and not far from it is the Island of Scelinck, on the Coast whereof the Fishing trade is continually maintained; and there are found Dog-Fish in abundance.
The Air in these, and the other Provinces, is at this day very temperate; so that, although the Winters last long, yet are they not excessive; and as for the Summer it is gentle and mild, resembling the Spring, in the more Southern Countries; as for the People they are generally corpulent, well proportioned, and great Artists, being quick of Invention, and very curious Artificers. The Women are for the most part tolerably handsome, and constant House-wifes much in subjection to their Husbands, and very careful in the management of such Affairs as they understand: They are (both Men and Women) frequently great drinkers; nor do they come behind hand, especially those of the 7 Provinces last mentioned, in eating; and as for their Warfare they are better Soldiers, and more fortunate by Sea then Land, for indeed Navigation is in a manner their greatest business; many of those, we properly call the Dutch, being born on Ship-board, and there brought up; their Parents having no Land, Houses or Tenements, but live on board for the most part, and are seldom in Lodgings which is all they take care for, rejecting any settlement; and thus much in brief for the 17 Provinces, or Lower Germany, from whence I proceed to the Higher, &c.