Pertica

Sources from old books

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

THE COVNTY OF PERTICA. (Book Pertica) THE Country of Pertica confineth on the Carnutensians, and dependeth also on their diocesse, and hath beene a long time a famous County. First it came by marriage to the familie of the Druides, and afterward to the Alenconians. For Robert a Frensh man Earle of the Druides, marryed the widdow of Rotrocus Earle of Pertica, who was slaine at the seige of the Castle of Rotomagum. After him Robert Alenconius the sonne of Charles, and brother to Phillip Valesius, who died without issue, being slaine in the Battell of Cr•ssy in the yeare 1346. was Earle of Per••ca. It is divided into two parts, the lower which is called Pe••tica Goveti, is as it were inserted into Carnutum, the head Towne whereof is Nog•ntum of Rotrocus, which in the yeare 1428. was taken by the Earle rf Salisbury an Englsh man, and all that were found in it were hangd. But afterward in the yeare 1449. Charles the 7. recoverd it againe. This Towne is called N•gentum of Rot•o• from the Earle thereof above mentioned, who marched in the yeare 1120. with his English troupes into Syria, against •ulco Earle of the Andians, and King of Hierusalem, and Yvo Carnutensis doth name it in his Epistle to Pope Pascall, thereby to difference it from the other No•entum. Sigebert about the yeare 1170. doth mention Godefride Earle of Pert•ce, who by rebellion lost his Earledome. There are also other Townes besides Nogentum: as Basochium, Govetum, Alugium, m•ns Mirallij, Brevium, Anthovium, Maulbesium, the Towne of red Maillard, and Condatum seated by the River Huis•e. The higher part of Perti•a is called the County, and it hath the Towne Mortenium, with a Castle seated on a Hill, in which the Praefect whom they call the Bayly hath his residence, also the Townes Peniletum, and Belesmia, a Towne with a Castle. Whence the ancient and famous families of the Belemies is descended, out of which came Robert •elemy, who sided with Robertus▪ intending to make warre against his brother, King of England, concerning whom see Thomas Walsingam in his description or patterne of Neustriae: on the frontiers thereof toward Normandy are Vernolium, and Memertium towards Cen•mania. Some would seate the Vnelly here, a people once of France, whom Caesar mentioneth Lib. 3. de bello Gallico in these words. While these things were done at Venice, Q. Titurius Sapinus came with his army which Caesar had given him, into the Country of thf Vnelly, Viridovix was Captaine thereof, and did governe all those Cities which had revolted, out of which he levyed a great army. And a little before at the end of the second Booke: at the same time came P. Crassus, whom hee had sent with one Legion to the Venetians, the Vnelli, the Osismi, the Curiosilitae, the S•suriij, the Aulerij, the Rhedones▪ which are maritine Cities neere to the Oc••• &c. Bla••us Vignerius in his Frensh translation for Vnelli doth put, 〈◊〉 the & •u¦parche, and Renal Chopinus. Concerning the Municipiall Lawes of the Audians doth in like manner calling them ceux de per•he, which hee ranslateth the Vn•li. But when Caesar maketh them to be neere unto the Armorican Cities (which is a Maritaine Nation) some thinke that this name belongeth to the Lavallij, but I leave these things to more curious inquisiters. In this Country the learned and Noble Poet Ana•reon was borne, who was worthily called the Remigium Bellaqutum of his age▪ who in his Pastoralls did lively expresse and paint forth that elegant fiction of the Arcadia of Zamazaus, which exceedeth all the rest. His Poeme concerning Gemmes and pretious stones, doth deserve the lawreth wreath, to which •onsa•d the Prince of French Poets hath alluded, in an Epitaph which bee made on him, which is to be read at Paris, which I have rudely heere translated into Latine.

BEILAQUIO artifices quid splendida saxa paratis?Ex gemmu tutulum condidit ipse sibi. Artificers why doe you now provide?Faire shining stones that may Anacreon hide,For hee a Tombe of pretious stones compos'd,Wherein his pretious body is enclos'd.