Palatinate

Sources from old books

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

THE PALATINATE OF RHENE. (Book Palatinate)

• 1.1AFter Waldecia there followeth in my method the Palatinate of Rhene, commonly called die Pfaltz. Some suppose that this Noble part of Germanie was so called from the Pallace of Rhene; some would have it so named from Charles the Great, and others from the Pallace of Trevers. Beatus Rhenanus endeavoureth to prove out of Ammianus Marcellinus; that the Palatinate was so denominated from the Country Palas. For Ammianus writeth in this manner. A Bridge being built neere M•guntiacum, the legions passed over the Rhene, and pitched their Tents in the Country of Capellatium, which was so called from Palas. And in another place▪ When they came to the Country which is called Cappellatium o• Palas, they pitched their Tents there, where the bounde• stone doth distinguish the confines of the Romans & Burgundians. Moreover Rhenanus addeth: Heere we may observe that the Prince Palatine was not so called from the Pallace of Caesar, or from that little a difice or building which is neere the Rhene, but that he receiveth that appellation from the Country. But seeing there are many Count Palatines of other places mentioned in Histories, some doe reject this opinion concerning the Etymologie of a Palatine. But most doe thinke that the title of Count Palatine is derived from a Pallace; which was and is a title of great dignitie in the Romaine Empire. So that those who did serve the Prince in the Countie of the Pallace were called Palatines. The Country hath on the West the Dukedome of Zwe•bruck,* 1.2 on the East Franconia, and the Dukedome of ••rtemberg▪ on the North it is bounded partly with the River Moenus, and partly with the Wood, which they call Ottenia: on the South it hath A•s•tia. All this tract is not interior to any part of Germany, both for pleas•••nesse, fruitfulnesse, and plentie of all things. The Mountaines forth▪ most part doe beare Vi••s, which doe yeelde most excellent Wine▪ which other Countries do• fetch from thence: and these Mountaine on the ••rthside are full o• Chesnuts. The fields doe yeel• abundance of 〈◊〉 as Wheate, Pul•e, and Barley. There are also many 〈◊〉 Gardens, and Orchards, which are planted with all kinde 〈◊〉 which bea•e great store of apples.

Th••e a•• excellent Vines between Wormacia▪ Heyd••berg Neo••diu•▪ 〈…〉, and Oppenhe•mum▪ and especially at P• 〈…〉 may compare for goodnesse with the S•••an, 〈…〉 Vines. There are also Woods and Mountaines 〈…〉 b••r•s especially Harts. And also the inhabitants 〈◊〉 up many Goates and Kiddes in these woods, in regard that they delight more in wooddy Forrests than in Meddowes. For Caprae or Goates are so called a Carpendo, that is, from cropping of trees, and therefore it was wont to be a clause of exception in letting of ground, that no Farmer should keepe Goates in his ground. Neere Heydelburg there is great storne of Hearnes, which breed there in the Woods: there is also a kinde of water Fowle, which liveth in the water, and yet cannot endure any raine or tempests, which she avoydeth by flying high in the ayre, according to that of Virgill:

Atque altam supra volat Ardea nubem,And the long-wing'd Herne doth flyAbove the clouds that are so hie.

It is called also Ardea, quo ardua suo volatu petat, that is, because it flyeth high. She buildeth her nest in the highest trees, and doth naturally hate the Hawke, as likewise the Hawke seeketh continually her destruction. But when they fight in the ayre, they both strive which should get uppermost; if the Hawke be above her, he comes downe upon her with great violence, and kills her. But to the matter. There were alwayes Praefects of the Pallace, especially in the Emperours Court, which the Frenchmen did heretofore call the Majors, of the house or Pallace. But at what time the Countie Palatine of Rhene was instituted, and where the Palatines of Rhene did keepe their residence foure hundred or five hundred yeares agoe, I cannot determine, seeing there are divers different conjectures. Some say the first Palatines, were onely Noble men untill the time of Otto the third, at what time they were made Princes Electors: for they had more dignity. The first Elector Palatine was Henry, who with the other Electors in the yeare 1003 did chuse the Emperour Henry. But Munster saith that he doth not finde it mentioned in any writings, either where he kept his Court, or what Country he governed, or what people were subject unto him; but some doe suppose, but without any certaine ground, that the Princes Palatine did heretofore keepe their residence at Worma•••, and had great power in that Citie. It is manifest, that Conradus Duke of Fre••••• in the yeere 742 did reside at Wormes, but not the Prince Palatine. This was the seate heretofore of the Intuergians, the Nemetians, and the Vangionians, as some doe suppose. The I•trergians were a people of Germanie, which Pencerus doth place in the Palatinate neere to Heydelberg, which Country was also called Capellatium and 〈◊〉 as we sayd before. Those whom Ptolomie and others call the Nemetian•, were a people in Germanie neere the Rhene, confining on the Met•nsians, Ar••n••mentians, and Wormacensians; Rhenanus calleth it now the Episcopall Cittie of Sp•res, and ••thicus calleth it Augusta Nemetum. Also those whom Ptolomie calleth V•ngiones, are a people of Germanie, neere the Rhene: Rhenanus and Lichtenavius doe call them Wormbser-B•s•••umbs. But P• on the contrary affirmeth that the Vangionians are those of Sp•res, and the Nemetians those of Wormes; and Irenicus addeth this reason, namely because Ptolemie, who in description of Rhene, did usually proceede from the South Northward, doth first mention the Vangians, and afterward the Numetians. But Sig. Gemblacensis, who writ about five hundred yeares agoe, calleth Wormes the Cittie of the Vangionians. Also Iohn Herald doth gather, out of an inscription, that the Cittie Wormes, was heretofore called the Watch Tower of the Vangionians. There are 48 Citties in the Palatinate, the chiefe whereof is Heidelberg, where the Prince Palatine keepeth his residence. It was so called either from the people, whom the Germaines call Heyden: or from the Mir•le-tree, which they call Heydelbeer, and heereupon the most learned Melissus doth call this Citty Myrtilletum. T•a• which Pyramius calleth Durlacum, others more rightly doe call Durlach. Iohn Herald doth call it Capellatium, others doe call Cap•llatium the Palatinate, as we sayd before. Munster calleth it Bergstras, which standeth in the way from Frinckford to Heydelburg. Some doe suppose that the Cittie which Ptolemie calls Beudoris, was scared here, but this is but conjecturall. For Ptolemie placed Beudoris; in the 51 degres of Latitude; when as Heidelberg, is in the 49 degree, and 35 minutes of Latitude. Some suppose that it should be read and written Edelberg, which signifies the noble Mountaine: and others Eidleberg, which signifies the neere Mountaine. It is situate by the River Nicrus or N•icarus, in the entrance of the Mountaines, it hath beene a famous Vniversity for learning and Arts from the yeare 1356, being then instituted by Rupert the elder, Prince Palatine, who sent for one Marsilus from Paris to be governour thereof. And from that time it was well replenished with learned men, and students. The most famous Doctors were Rodolphus Agricola, Iohn Dalburgius, Iohn Virdungus, William Xilander, Thomas Erastus, Zachary Vrsin, and many others. Moreover, the whole Palatinate is divided into foure Praefectureships, as Heydlebergensian, the Alzaeens••• the Neostadiensian, and the Mosbachensian, which are so called from the Citties of Hedelberg, Alzea Neostadium▪ and Mosbacum. There is also Bretta, which is a small Towne neere the River Salza, in which Philip Melanchton was borne, who writ much concerning the liberall Arts: also Ladeburg, so called from the Romaine Tents, halfe of which was pawned to Duke Rupert the elder, the other part came to the Bishop of Wormes. Sifrid of Stralnberg sold unto the aforesayd Prince in the yeare 13•7, the Towne Schriess•n, and the Castle of Stralnberg. And in the yeare 1344, the Towne W•inheim, was given to the Prince by awardment of Arbitrators, which heretofore the Bishop o• Moguntinum did possesse. There are also the Townes Cauba, G•l•usen, Sintzon, Luden by the River Tuberus, Oppenheim Caesar•a ••tra, Inge•heim, Lowenstein: and in Brureinia there is Bruxells and others, as may be seene in the Table, and also many Castles and Villages. The chiefe Rivers are Rhene and Neccarus. The latter doth water and cut th•ough the middle of the Palatinate, and doth discharge it selfe into the Rhene, neere Ladeburg; the auncients did call it Nicer, it hath great store of Mullets, which are commonly called Barbells. Also there continually commeth downe this River great pieces of timber, from the wood Otto, which the River Necarus bringeth into the Rhene. The lesser Rivers, are Tuberus, Lutherus, Iaxtus, and others. The Country is both Mountainous and field ground. It hath high Mountaines, which doe beare excellent Vines, of which the Rhenish Wine is made. And there are Woods which yeeld stoare of game for hunting. The chiefest whereof is the Wood Otto, which is a part of the Hercynian Wood: the breadth thereof is from the River Necarus even to Manus, and the length from the Mountainous way called Bergstras, even to the River Tuberus. But so much hitherto. There were many Churches, in the Palatinate, and many Monasteries; as the Monastery of Lorsch, which was built by Charles the Great, or as some suppose by Pepin. Concerning the Library, thereof Munster writeth thus: There is not a place in all Germanie, where there is a more ancient Library than in this Monasterie. I saw there a Manuscript written with Virgills owne hand: and in it Ammianus Marcellinus his last booke was found, which is now published, being written before in great capitall letters. Iohn Dalberg Bishop of Wormes a learned man, did take the best bookes from thence, and put them in the Librarie at L•den•u••. There are foure Electors in Germanie; the Palatine of Rhene, the Arch•ishops of Mentz, of Triers, and Colen. The free Citties are Men•z, Colen, T••r, and Gelenhausen. The Princes and Lords are the Count Palatine: Count Nassaw: and Beilslaine: H. Reiffersche•de, and Rheineck: T•utscb Ordens Hern in Coblentz: the Abby of S. Maximinus neere Triers, the Provost Seltz H. Nider Eisenburg. But so much hitherto, I come to the Dukedome of Wirtemberg.