Rhetia

Sources from old books

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

THe Rhetians are accounted an auncient people by the consent of all men. For some ages before Christs birth the Tuscians being beaten by the French out of their owne habitations, under the conduct of their Captaine Rhetus, seated themselves in an Alpine Country, which was called from their Captaine, Rhetia, and they themselves Rheti∣ans. But whereas this Countrie was heretofore very large, and that the name of the Rhetians, for warlike matters grew famous amongst their neighbours, so that they were a terrour unto many which Ovid declareth in this verse:

Rhaetica nunc praebent Thracia ij; arma metum.The Thracian armes, now every where,And the Rhaetian doe put us in feare.

At length being conquered by the Romanes, they made two Pro∣vinces of it, namely the first, and the second Rhetia: which did not onely containe the Alpine Countries, but a great part of Suevia and Bavaria. Now by this name we understand those people, whom they call Grisones, for their grisely habit which was made of their owne Countrie cloth; but the Germains at this day doe call them Grauw∣buntner, who doe inhabite the ancient Alpine Rhaetia, neere to the Spring-heads of the River Rhene and Oenus, who are perpetually joy∣ned together by a threesold tye of amitie, and confaederacie. The first confaederacie, which is called the higher, hath eighteene assem∣blies in it, among which the chiefe heretofore were, Disentinus the Abbot, the Barons of Rhetia, and the Earles of Mis•uicium; but those families are long since worne out and extinguished. Although they that now possesse the Castle of Rhaetia, doe challenge that title, from the Plantinian familie. The severall conventions or assemblies, have one chiefe annual Magistrate, whom they cal Ammanus; he toge∣ther with the Iudges chosen by the same assembly, judgeth of con∣troversies, doth lay mulcts and fines upon offenders. The second confaederacy is called the house of God, or der Gotthuss bunt, in re∣gard of the Bishopricke and Colledge of Curiense; it hath 21. con∣ventions or partnerships in it, which are sometimes contracted in∣to eleaven greater. The Citty Curia is the head of this confaederacie, and hath a speciall Commonwealth; not unlike unto Tigurinum. Af∣ter them the chiefe partnerships, are Ingadinus, and Bregalianus, in whose Territories are the heads of the Rivers Athesis and Oenus. The third confaederacie hath 10 Iurisdictions, the first whereof is Davo∣sian, so called from the Towne Davosium, in which is the Court for this confaederacie, and the Assises for all the jurisdictions are held. The second is the Belfortian jurisdiction, the third the Barponensian, the fourth the Praelonganian, the fifth of S. Peter, the sixth the Coeno∣brensian in the Rhetian Valley, the seaventh the Castellanean, the eighth the Aceriensian, the ninth the Malantiensian, the 10 the Maievill•nsian. But these 3 confaederacies have 50 jurisdictions, of which one Com∣mon-wealth is framed: For albeit the most of them have meetings of their owne, and also Magistrates, Lawes or rather customes, and power to judge of civill and criminall matters, yet the Senate of the three confaederacies hath the greatest power and authoritie. And sometimes they haue entred into other confaederacies, notwithstan∣ding this perpetuall confaederacie. In the yeare 1419. the Bishop and the Curiensian Colledge made a league with the Tigurinians for 51. yeares, having formerly entred into societie with the Glaronians. The Rhaetians also of the higher confaederacie, did a long time joyne themselves with the Vrians; and the confaederates of the house of God, did joyne themselves in perpetuall league, with the 7 Cantons (as they call them) of the Helvetians. He that desireth to know more concerning these matters, let him have recourse to Sprecherus his Rhaetia, and Egidius Scudius his Rhaetia, and Simlers Helvetia. I will onely adde, that the length of Rhaetia at this day, if it be taken from the South, unto the North, is about 15 Rhaetian or Germaine miles, accounting 8000 paces to every mile; the breadth of it from the East to the West, is thirteene miles, or there abouts.