Parma

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

THE Dukedome of Parma is so called from the Citty Parma. The Soyle is pleasant, and beareth excellent fruite and good Vines, it hath also wholesome waters,* 1.1 and pleasant Meddowes, and it is very much commended for cheese and fleeces of wooll. This Citty of Parma from whence the Dukedome is denominated, was built by the Tusci∣ans, and as many other Citties in these parts, afterwards it was posses∣sed by the Borians, and in Processe of time the Romans were Lords of it, who as Livy delivers Lib. 29. in the yeare 570. brought thither a Colonie. Mar. Tul. in the last of his Philippicks, bewaileth that cala∣mity which L. Antoninus brought upon it: Afterward it was freed from the power of the Romane servitude: and now it sometimes be∣longed to the Emperours, sometimes to the Popes, but it was alwayes joyned in friendship with Bononia. It endured two whole yeares a grie∣vous siege which was laid against it by the Emperour Frederick the se∣cond about the yeare 1248. because it tooke part with the Pope. But he being driven away, it had afterward many Earles, as the Corregi∣ans, Scaligers, Atestians, also the Galeatians, and the Sforzas, who were Vicounts: and lastly, the Frenchmen, with whom the Pope of Rome did often contend for the Dominion and Soveraignty over this Citty, who at last being ayded by the Emperour Charles the fifth, expulsed the Frenchmen out of Italy, and got the Citty. Now it hath Dukes, the first whereof was instituted by the Pope, namely, Peter Aloysius Farnesius, the Sonne of Pope Paul the third, who within two yeere being cruelly murder'd; his Sonne Octavius was put in his place, and after his decease his Sonne succeded him. But Strabo and Ptolemy doe place Parma in the Aemilian way, five miles from the Apennine. It was so called from the River Parma: or as others suppose, Quod Parmam, hoc est breve scutum, referat, that is, because it resembleth a lit∣tle round Buckler or Target, which is called Parma. It hath faire houses, strait broad streets, and plenty of all things necessary. It is very populous, and seated on a Plaine: the ayre is very wholesome: so that Pliny maketh mention of 5. men of Parma, three whereof lived 120. yeeres, and two 130. yeeres. The Winters and Summers are temperate. It hath a strong Castle, and many Palaces belonging to Princes and noble Families. In the Market-place which is very large there is a faire Fountaine: and a Church built in imitation of the Romane fashion: and a Bell hung on three Pillars: and a Steeple like that at Bononia. The Suburbs are devided from it by a River of the same name, and it is an Archbishoprick. The Inhabitants are come∣ly, noble, Martiall, couragious, and witty. Also the ancient and no∣ble Citty Placentia hath a Duke as well as Parma, which Ptolemy and o∣thers call Plakentia, and commonly Piazenza. It is seated neere Po, from which it is distant about 1000. foote, it standeth in a pleasant soyle, and glorieth in her fruitfull fields, and famous Citizens. The walls are new: the Bulwarkes and Fortifications very large and strong. It is also a Bishoprick. It hath a Schoole for all Arts and Disciplines. The fields round about this Citty in regard they are well watered doe yeeld Wine, Oyle, Corne, and all kinde of Fruits: for it hath many Springs, Rivers, and Rivulets, which doe water the Pa∣stures, and Meddowes.