Artesia

Sources from old books

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

THE COVNTIE OF ARTESIA. (Book Artesia)

ARtesia, containeth a great part of those people which Caesar calleth the Atrebatians, from the chiefe Cittie which he calleth Atrebatum. But Mar•us Niger doth place here the Ambianians. And Ptolomie also doth place Atrebatium betweene the river S•an•, and Phrudium, which is now called la Somme. But the new name of Artesia, is derived from the Metropolis called Arras, as it were Aratesia by the figure Syncope, and it is commonly called Artois. The bounds thereof are on the North Flanders, from which it is parted by the River Lisa, and the New ditch: on the South and West it is bounded with Picardie, on the East with Flanders and Cam•racum. The ayre is cleare and swee•e, the Countrie fruitfull, and especially of corne, of which it hath not onely sufficient plentie for it self, but also it furnisheth Flanders, Brabant and other Countries. It is the barne and Granarie for Antwerp and Mechlin. It hath no wine, rather by slothfulnesse of the inhabitants than the unfruitfulnesse of the soyle or climate. This Countrie heeretofore belonged to Flanders: for Charles the Bald gave it to Baldwin Arduennatus for a Dowry with his wife Iudith. Afterward Philip Alsasius when he marryed his Nephew Isabella, to Philip son of Ludovicke the seaventh, King of France, he gave her all West Flanders for her dowry, that is, all that tract of ground, which lyeth from the new Ditch even to Picardie. Afterward Philip in the yeare 1195 made it a County, and gave it to his sonne Ludovicke, who was first Earle of Artesia, afterward King of France, and the father of Ludovicke the holy. But in the yeare 1382 Ludovicke Malanus, Earle of Flanders, after the decease of his Mother, was made Earle of Artesia, and so both the Counties were united againe. But after the decease of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundie, Ludovick the eleventh King of France, did regaine Artesia, which afterward by an agreement and covenant made betweene Charles the eighth King, & Maximilian the Emperour, was passed over Anno 1492, to Ph•lip of Austria the son of Maximilian the father of Charles the fifth. The chiefe Citties are Atrebatum, the Church of S. Audomare, Bethunia, Aria, and Bapalma, the others are lesse. Atrebatum commonly called Arras, or Atrecht, is situated neere the River Scarpa: it is a great Towne well fortified with ditches, and Bulwarkes; it doth resemble two Citties, one of which they call la Cité, which belongeth to the Bishop, and the other la V•lle which belongeth to the Prince. The former part is lesser, but very pleasant, and hath a Cathedrall Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Heere a certaine kinde of Manna was religiously kept as a relique which Saint Hierome in his Epistles doth report, did raine downe in his time in this Country. This part is larger and hath faire houses and streetes, and a great Market place: besides, it hath a Library in which are all kind of written manuscripts, especially of Divine. Heere Francis Baldvin, a famous Lawyer was borne, upon whose Monument at Paris there is this inscription: Cujaci, Balduinus hic jacet. Hoc tecum reputa & vale. Mortuis nobis juris prudentiam gravis corripi & sopor. Franc. Bald, Iurise. ob. anno aet. 54. November 11. a partu Virgiuis 1563. Papirius Massonus Balduini auditor P; that is, Whose monument is this? Baulduine lyeth here. Thinke on that and so farewell: Franc. Bald, a Lawyer, dyed in the yeare of his age 54. on the 11. of November, and after the birth of Christ 1563. Papirius Massonus an hearer of Baldvini did place this monument. In this Cittie the most learned and eloquent Charles Clusius was borne, who after he had travelled through many Countries, he spent his old yeares in this Athens, and Batavia, and there he finished those his famous workes, which deserve immortall fame. The Citty is populous enough, because there are some merchants, and some trades men. The Church of S. Audomare was heretofore called Sithin, as Meyerus witnesseth, afterward it was called S. Omer, from S. Audomar. This Audomar, was bishop of the Morineans about the yeare 1570, and built a Monasterie there neere the River Aa. This Cittie excelleth both for beautie, and populousnesse of the Cittizens. Some thinke it to be Itius Portus, as wee have sayd in the description of Bononia. Three miles hence neere the River Lisa there was also the auncient Metropolis of the Morineans called Teroana, concerning which I have spoken in the same description. Bethunia also is a faire Towne in Atribatum, being a Granarie for wheate. It flourisheth with all kinde of commodities, as corne and other things which are necessary to sustaine mans life, and fit to be transported. Aria is seated by the River Lisa, which runneth through the middle of it, it is two miles distant from Teroana, being a faire Towne and well fortified. It hath an auncient Castell, and neate buldings. There is also Hesdinunt, which is a strong fortresse against France, which Caesar after he had raced the Towne which was of the same name, builded by occasion of the warre that was betweene the most powerfull Princes of Europe. It is conveniently seated on the banke of the River Canchia, one mile neerer towards France, being foure miles distant from Monstrolium, and 5 from S. Paul. It is watered also with another River, commonly called Blangis, from the place where it springeth. So that in regard of the convenient situation thereof, it is accounted a strong Fortresse, and in regard of the lawes and Priviledges which auncient Hesdinum did enjoy, it was soone replenished with inhabitants. Neere to S. Omers there is a Lake, full of fish, in which there are floating Islands, which with a rope tyde to the trees growing thereon, or with long poles may be shou'd and drawne up and down: like those which Plinie mentioneth to be in Lycia, called the Calaminae. Neither are there small pieces of Land; for Oxen & other Cattle may feede and graze upon them. Vnder these Islands in the Winter and Summer time great store of fish doe hide themselves, to avoyde both the cold and heate. The chiefe Rivers are Lisa, Scarpa, Aa, Canchia, and Anthia, besides other navigable Rivers. There is also not farre from Teroana a great Channell, which they call the new ditch some thinke it was digd in the time of the Earle Baldwin, either to hinder the enemies excursions, or to distinguish, and set limits betweene the confines of Flanders and Artesia: others thinke it to be a bay of the Sea. Virgill truely doth acknowledge that the Morians were neere unto the Sea, when he calleth them the farthest inhabitants. But now Teroana is eight miles from the Sea. Besides, out of the bottome of the new ditch, there are oftentimes peeces of Anchors drawne up, which is a certaine argument that the Sea was neere unto it. It hath also some woods, especially Westward and Southward. The Politicke state, of Artesia doth consist of three orders: the Clergie, the Nobles, and the speciall Citties: the first member is the clergie, in which there are 2 Bishops, the Bishop of Atrebatum and S. Omers; 2 Provosts, Bethuniensis and Ariensis. 20 Abbots to whom belong these Monasteries: of the order of S. Benedict, 8, namely, Atrebatense, Aquicinctense Aus•in, S. Omers, Blang•acense, Montense, Hamense or Hames, and Alsiacense: Of the order of S. Augustine 7, as Auriacense, S. Eloy, of Choques, of Hennin, of Lietard, of Rasell• v•lla, of Mar•ul, Aquicurtense in Eaucourt. Of the Cistertian order there are the Abbots of the Monasteries of Cherchamp, and Clommeres. Of the Praemonstratensian order, Damartin, Santandreanum, Auguatianum. There are 10 Colledges of Cannons: Atreba•••se, Audomarense, Bethuniense, Arience, Hesdinense, Lensiense, Sanpaulitanum, •alleriense, Falkoburgense, Douriense. The second member is the Nobles, among whom there is one Prince of Espinoy: one Marquesse of Rentinium, 7 Earles, S. Pol, Falquenberch, Harliensis, Busquetensis, Henniensis, Arquensis, and lastly Blangiacensis. But these two last Earledomes did fall of late to the Abbey of Saint Bertin; and foure chiefe Earles are not called or summoned to this meeting, as Atrebatensis, Audomarensis, Bapalmensis, and Lensiensis. The families of the Gentrie counting them by an Alphabeticall order are these: Aussi, Averdom, Aubigni, Aix, Annequin, Anvezin, Aneroult, Avion, Allenes, Anvin, Bailleul, Beaufort, Beaumez, Beauraines, Beausart, Bellone, Berles, Billy, Bofles, Boisleux, Bonnieres, Boncourt, Boubers, Bours, Brias, Buissi, Caumont, Conroy, Contes, Coupigny, Croisilles, Cunchy, Divion, Douvrin, Enne, Erin, Esquerdes, Estree, Fosseux. Frevin, Fleshin, Gomiecount, Gouy, Greboval, Geulesin, Habarc{que}, Hachicourt, Hamelaincourt, Helfault, Houchin, Houdin, la Viesville, la Plancque, Liguereul, Licques, Longastre, Malanoy, Maisnil, Mammez, Marles, Mes en Contire, Mingoual; Moiry, Nedoncelles, Neufville, Nojelle, Noircarmes, Ococh, Olham, Oignies, Oresmaux, Plancques, Plovicke, Pronville, Querecques, Ranchicourt, Ransart, Recouet, Rebecque, Regnauville, Rely, Rolancourt, Rumenghien, Sains, S. Aldegonde, S. Venant, Sombrein, Sovastre, Tieuloie, Tramerie, Vaulx, Villers, Vrolant, Wancourt, Warluzelle, Waurans, Willerval. The third member is the especiall Citties: 7 Royall Citties, as Atrebatum, Saint Omers, Bethunia, Aria, Hesdinum, Lens, and Bapalina: private Lordships as S. Pol, Perne, Lillers: and also these Townes which have the praerogative of Citties, and called to the assembly of the States, and there be 28 of them, Arques, Aubigny, Avesnes, Aussi, Benurains, Blangij, en Ternois, Busquoy, Carwin, Caumont, Choques, Dourier, Franquenberghe, Fressin, Fleurbay, Frevene, Frages, Gorgue, Hennin, Lietard, Huchin, Hosdaine, Labroy, Libourg, Oisy, Pas, Richebourg, Tornehem, Ventie, Vitry. The Provinciall Counsell is held at Atrebatum, from whence all appeales are brought to the Parlament at Mechlin. But the Bishop of Atrebatum hath all power in spirituall matters, and is subject to the Bishop of Rhemes.

This Table also containes true Picardie, and the Dukedome of Cambresi, which is a Principallitie of the Empire, and is governed both in temporall and spirituall matters by the Bishop of Cambresi. But yet sometimes in spirituall matters it is subject to the Bishop of Rhemes, and in temporall matters it is under the protection of the King of Spaine. And so much may suffice concerning Artesia: Let us proceede to Hannonia.