Nassaw

Sources from old books

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

THE COVNTIE OF NASSAW, or NASSAVIA. (Book Nassaw) NAssavia is called as it were Nass-gavia, which word signifies a moist and slimie Country: for the Towne which nameth the Country, is encompassed on every side with moist and moorish grounds: and in the Germaine speech Aw, and Gaw doe signifie a Country; so Thurgaw signifies a dry Country, Rhyn-gaw a Country by the Rhene, Otten-gaw, a Country abounding with corne, and so also Oster-gaw, Wester-gaw, and Brisgaw. But this Countie hath others annexed to it, as Weilburg, Ideste•nen, W•esbaden, Dietzen, Cattimelibocen, Beilstein. It is boundered on the South with the Countie of Wiesbaden, and Idesteinen: on the East with Isenburg, Solms, and Hassia: on the North it is bounded with Westphalia and the Countie of Witgenstein: on the West with the Dukedome of Bergen, and the Counties Weidan, and Seynen. It hath many Praefectureships. As Frudebergen, Sigenen, Nephens, Hegerana, Ebersbacen, Dillenburg, Hilligenbacke, Dringensteinen, Lonbergen, Herbornen, Dridorf, Beilsteinen, Marenbergen, Honstetten, Ellerana, Cambergen, Altenberg, Kidorff, Nassavia, and many others. It is one of the freest Counties of the Empire, the Lords whereof are subject to none but the Emperour, and doe enjoy all the royall priviledges, and praerogatives of the Empire as well as other Noble men. They have power also to coyne gold or silver or brasse money, as appeareth by some peeces of gold which are ye• currant. The Landgrave of Hassia and the Earle of Nassavia are Coe-Lords, and by a joynt Title, doe receive the revennewes of the Countie of Cattimeliboc, by a covenant made in the yeere 1557 betweene Phillip Prince of Hassia, and the Earle of Nassavia. The Countrie in some places is plaine ground, and in other places it riseth and swelleth into hills; here it hath flourishing Vines, as in the Countie of Dietzen, and by the bancke of the River Lanus; and otherwhere it hath pleasant meddowes and pastures, or else fruitefull cornefields. It hath also mettall Mines. For in the Territorie of Sigen, a certaine kind of Iron Mettall, is melted out of stone, out of which they cast Fornaces, Iron Potts, Kettles, Stithies or Anvills, Bulletts, and doe make all kind of Iron worke. At Frendeberg there is excellent steele made. There are also the like Mines, in the Countrie of Dillenburg, Hegeran, and Burback, out of which Lead and Copresse are digged as in Ebersback, where there is also a Glasse-house. The chiefe wood is Westerwalt, which is a peece of Hercyni•; the lesser woods which are also part of Hercinia are Kalt-Eych, Heygerstruth, Schelderwald•, di• Horre, der Calemberg, in which there is great store of wilde beasts for hunting. The chiefe Rivers are •a••••, Siega, and Dille; neere Siega is Sigena, neere •illa is He•gera, D•llenburg, and Herborn: neere Lana are Dietz, Nassovium, L•••ste•••um, where •ane mingleth the river Rhene. The Baths at Emsana do belong both to the Earles of Nassavia, and the Landgrave of Hassia, unto which they come farre and neere in regard of the soveraigne vertue of the water, which they finde to bee very wholesome for many diseases. There are also Fountaines at Codinga and C•mberga, the water whereof being drunke will expell the winde Cholicke. M••••a and Bertius among others have drawne the Pedegree of the Earles of Nassavia.