Colen

Sources from old books

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

THE ARCHBISHOPRICK OF COLEN by RHENE. (Book Colen) THe Vbians in Caesars time were seated on that bank of the river Rhene which is toward Germany, and had a flourishing Citie; but they being vexed by the Suevians who were the most potent people of Germanie, sent Embassadors unto Caesar and made a league with him, leaving pledges and desiring ayde of him against their enemies; who being then suppressed, yet afterward the Suevians assailed them againe. Whereupon that they might live in more security hereafter, M Agrippa son in law to the Emperour Augustus, brought them over the Rhene to a place which they now call Vpen. And also Agrippina, wise to Agrippa, N. Claudius, afterward Emperour, the sonne of Germanicus; brought thither in the reigne of Tiberius, a Colonie because she was borne there, and so as Tacitus saith, it was called after her name: so that afterward they would not bee called Vbians but Agrippinians. This Cittie grew so bigge, that Zosimus calleth it the greatest Cittie, and Ammianus calleth it a well fortified Cittie: and it is manifest that it was the head Cittie, and Metropolis of Germanie, and a Dukes seate, so that Vitellius, as Suet•nius witnesseth, sent the Dagger hither, with which Otto stab'd himselfe: and in the same Cittie Trajan received the ensignes of the Empire, being sent unto him from Nerva. It continued faithfull unto the Romaines, untill in the yeare 462, their strength being weakned and spent, the Frenchmen under the conduct of King Childericke, by force got possession of it, and held it untill Ottoes time. For he having tooke it from the Frenchmen, restored it to the Romaine Empire, and set it at liberty. But before Fredericke the seconds time, about the yeare of Christ 1201, it was associated and joyned to Hansa. It is now fortified with 38 Towers, and with a double ditch and a wall, on both sides whereof there are rowes of trees. It hath in many things some affinitie with Rome; in the Magistracie there are Consuls, Proconsuls, Praetors, Censors, Tribunes, Questors, and Aediles: As for sacred buildings, it hath many faire Churches, and for civill buildings, it hath a Court, a Market place, a Porch or an Exchange. The Court hath a high Tower of curious workemanship, of free square stone, which is every were adorned with curious artificiall statues. The River Rhene glideth by the Cittie, on the opposite bancke whereof the Divitensian Castell was built with a bridge by Constantine the sonne of Constantius, who placed a garrison therein for defence of the Frenchmen, which together with the bridge was destoyed by the Bishop Bruno, who built an Abby with the stones thereof. which in the yeare 1124. was governed by Rubert a famous divine. There were 78 Bishops of Colen, from Beatus Maternus Saint Peters Scholler, as some would have it, even to Ferdinand Bavarus. Their territory is very large, and they have many Townes subject unto them, the chiefe whereof are Bonna, Nussia, and Ardernacum neere the Rhene. It is a fruitfull Country abounding with corne and wine. Their sacred jurisdiction is extended farre and neere; and in saecular matters they are Potent Princes, and they have the second place among the Electors of the Romaine Empire.