Argow

Sources from old books

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

ARGOW. (Book Argow) ARgonia, commonly called Argow, was a part of the Kingdome of Transtura, which comprehended all the Countries lying from the Mountaine Iura, even to the Alpes; of which heretofore the Heluetians, the Ranracians, and part of the Allobrogians, and now the Dukedome of Sa•aud•a, V•landia 〈◊〉, Suntgovia, Cremerlandia, and the Praefectureship of 〈◊〉, or the Cantons of Heluetia, doe now hold. But in this Table, the Townes Lucerna, Vren, Switz, Vnder•ald, and Glarona, are contained: Lucerna is a Citty of Helvetia which M•y•rus calleth Lacocerna, it is situated upon the River Rusa, where it breaketh out of a great Lake, by which there is a passage by 〈◊〉 to three Townes, unto the foote of the high Mountaine which they commonly call Fractum & Pilati Montera, that is, the broken Mountaine or Pilats Mountaine. The Lake is very convenient for the Citty, because there is a way by it into Italy, by the Lepe•••• Al•e•; which they call now the Mountaine of Saint Goth•rd: from hence commodities are carried to the Alpes, and from thence by Packe-horses into Italy; and againe, Italian commodities are brought downe the Lake, and the River •asa to the Rh•n•, and so unto the Ocean. Besides, the Lucernatians doe make more profit by the Lake, than of the adjacent soyle lying about it, although they have excellent Meddowes for the pasturing and feeding of Cattell. It is a very pleasant Citty, and rich, being the common Mart Towne of the Su•t•nsians, the Vrantans, and the Transiluanians. The originall of this City is uncertaine: it is reported that there were Castles on both sides of the River, which were built by the Almaines, but there are Cittizens houses in their places. It was so called from a Lampe or light which was hung out there, as a Sea marke for the direction of Marriners, and it is credible and likely that the auncient Tower served for this purpose, which at the higher bridge is now named from the waters; The like is at Tigur••n, which is called from the Sea waves We••nberga: the auncients did call these kind of Towers Watch-towers. Their owne Annalls doe report, that the Lucernatians did go to warre with Charles the Great, against the Narazins, and that hee gave them some priviledges, and taught them the use of Hornes, with which in these times, they doe sound a retreate in the warres. The Colledge of the Cannonists, had heretofore the greatest power, which afterward came to bee under the authority of the Abbot of Murbacum by the donation and graunt of King Pipin. Afterward A•¦bertus, Emperour of Austria, bought Lucerna of the Abbot of M••bacum. But not long after the Lucernatians oppressed by the heavie burdens layd upon them by the Aus•rian governours, being desirous of peace and liberty, made a league with them Anno 1323. There were two Praefectureships of Lucerna, which Mercator reckoneth, in which the Praefects dwell in one place, which are as I suppose Wiken, Sempach. But the latter Praefect hath no power over the towne, but is onely overseeer of the Lake and the fishing therein: the Senators in the City doe governe the other Townes, which are: Willisow, Entlibuchia Vallis, Rotenburg or Rott, or some place neere unto it: also Habspurg, Berona, with the neighbour Country called Chelamt, that is, the Praefectureship of Michael; also Merischwanden, Waggis, Ebicona, Krientz: also the two Citties, Surseium and Sempachium, which are under the Lucernatians protection, yet they have a Counsell of their own, which doth judge both civill, and criminall causes: but the chiefe man of the Surscian Counsell is called Sculthes, who giveth an oath to the Lucernatians: but the chiefe of the Sempachian Counsell is chosen out of the Senate of Lucerna, but yet out of the number of the Citizens of Semphachium. The next is the Towne of the Vrians or Vrania. In Iulius Caesars time, the Romanes did call the inhabitants thereof Taurisci, and the name of Vrians, by which they are now called, is thought to be derived from the Vranians, whom the ancients did call Tauriscians, as also they now call the Siebentalensians, Taurians, after the Germaine manner. Moreover, the armes of this Country is a black Bulls heads in a yellow field. The Vrians Canton is divided into ten parts, which they call Gnossaminem, that is, to shares, or participations, because those Senators onely, which are elected out of them, are capable of publicke offices, & are called to the annuall meetings. The next is the Canton of the Suitians: Suitia or Suicia, is a Towne which communicateth his name to all Helvetia,* 1.1 for they first built it, who fled hither out of the Kingdome of Suecia to seeke themselves new habitations. There is one of the three Cantons, who joyned themselves in confederacie against the insolencie of the nobility, and it brought forth many stout and able men for service, who were often a terrour to their enemies. All the Country doth live upon the fruites which the earth bringeth forth. From this Towne or Canton, strangers and forrainers doe call the Helvetians Suitzers, because they fought first for liberty in their Country, or because they contended long with the Eremitans, and were the first of the 3 Towns of the Austrians, that was inforced to breake into the Country, and was the chiefest in power of al the three Cantons, & the other Cantons were comprehended under their name, as being of most noate, and from the name was afterward communicated, to all the confederates: or lastly because the Vrians, Silvanians, and Suitensians, began the confederacy in their Towne. The Country of the Suitzers is divided into five parts, which they call Quartas, retaining still the name of the new division,* 1.2 in this new and sixtfold division. There is also the Canton of lower Silvania, which is commonly called Vnderwaldia. This is a free Canton, being mutually joyned in confederacy with Suitia and Vrania, in the yeere of our Lord 1315. It is environd round about with the Alpes; it hath pleasant pastures, for breeding and feeding of Cattle, by which the inhabitants of Syluania doe reape much profit. But the Vrians, the Suitensians, the Silvanians or Vnderwaldians, although by some covenants they were subject to the Abbies of certaine Monasteries, yet they had liberties of their owne, and received Praefects from the Empire, which they call Vo•tos, by a Greek word, as heretofore the Praefects of the Romanes. For their office was the same with the Burgraues in these Countries. For they had power to give judgement of life and death. I conjecture that the other forme of governement remained from the auncient Monarchie of the Romans, in which the Paefects did not live as they listed, neither did create magistrates out of their owne number, but they received them from the Senate or the Emperour. But the Canton of Vnderwaldia, is divided by the wood Kernwald into two parts, namely the higher and the lower, yet all the Country neverthelesse is comprehended, under the name of Vnderwaldia. There remaines Glarona,* 1.3 commonly called Glaris, a Country of the Helvetian confederacy, neere the River Limagus, not very large, being three Germane miles long, and taketh its name from the speciall Towne in this Countrie, being three parts of it encompassed with the high Alpes; on the South and North it joyneth to the Rhetians, on the West to the Vrians, and Suitians, on the North to a Country called Castra Rhetica or the Rhetian Tents, where the River Limagus entereth into the Vale.* 1.4 The jurisdiction of this Countrey, and the revennewes thereof, was given in the time of S. Fridoline by a certaine Earle to the Monasterie of Seekingense, namely in the time of Clodovius the first Christian King of France, in the yeare of our Lord 500, who was the first King of France, that raigned and governed Rhetia, Almania, and Helvetia. This Land afterward obtained her liberty, and her owne jurisdiction, and did joyne it selfe in confederacy with the Helvetians, in the yeare of our Lord 1252. The Inhabitants doe now live upon milke, Cheese, butter, and flesh. Among the straites of the Mountaines there is little ground sowed, and few Vines are planted. They have Orchards full of fruit, and flourishing Meddowes. Wine and corne are brought in from other parts. The Lakes afford fish;* 1.5 and the wooddy Mountaines doe furnish them with fowle and flesh, of wild beasts. Henry Glareanus, and Aegidius Yscudus, two learned men were borne in this Countrie. To these is joyned the Countie of Hamburg, and the Baronie of Humbert and Ringenbereg. But Glarona is distributed into 15. parts, which they call Tagwan. Werdenbergen doth command the Country, which they bought, Anno 1517. They and the Su•tians doe by turnes send praefects to Vzenacum, or V•sn••, and into the Rhetian Tents at Wesome. But so much hitherto, let us now adde something in generall concerning this part of Helvetia, and here the Lakes are first to be considered, among which is the miraculous Lake, called Pilates Lake, which is situated on the broken Mountaine as they call it, not farre from Lucerna, almost on the top of the Mountaine it standeth solitarily, being encompassed on every side with Woods, so that none can stirre or provoke it. For they report, that if any thing be purposely cast into it, it will stirre up a great tempest, and make it over-flow, as many have found by experience: but those things that fall in by accident, doe occasion no danger at all. It is a place fearefull to behold, and the water standeth still in the channell of it, neither hath it any vent, neither doth it receive any River into it, neither is it encreased by snow or raine water. It is scarsely mooved with the winde, but the waters thereof are alwayes blacke, and strangers are not permitted to come unto it, least they should rashly cast any thing thereinto, whereby the neighbouring Country may be endangered. Among the other Rivers which doe water this Country,* 1.6 there is one called Lamagus, which riseth in Glarina, and in the middle of the Country, it receiveth Sermphius another River which runneth out of another Valley. Afterward beneath Vrna (which is the name of two Townes) above the Laterician bridge (for so they call it) having borrowed some water out of the Lake Vesenius, it parteth and divideth Marcha (which was heretofore the boundes betweene the Helvetians, and the Rhetians, for so the Helvetians call a bound) and the Tents of the Rhetians. Afterward entring into the Lake Tigurinum, at the mouth thereof it divides Tigurum a large Cittie of the Helvetians: and from thence it slideth to those waters which the Graecians, call Bathes, which are so famous for their hot waters. And not farre from thence it mingleth it selfe with the two Rivers, Vrsa and Arola. The River Vrsa, which by transposition of the two former letters, they commonly call Rusa, ariseth on the top of the Alpes, which are now called Saint Gotharas Alpes, and so runneth straite North-ward, when on the other side T•einus, arising out of the same Mountaine runneth by the Lepontians Southward, first through Vrsula or Vrsella a Rhetian Valley, and afterward it commeth to Vria of the Tauriscians, the remainder of the French Nation, where it mingleth it selfe with the Lake, where it watereth the Vrians, the Suizians, the Silvanians, and Lucerinians, foure Citties of the Wood, for so they call them now. Afterward having received the Rivers of Tuginum, it glideth by Bremgarte, and M•ll•ge, (which are Townes of Helvetia) and so beneath Bruges mingleth it selfe with Arola. And at their consluence, or meeting together, three Rivers of Helvetia, Limagus, Vrsa, and Arola, doe discharge themselves into the Rhene. But let so much suffice concerning Helvetia, and the parts thereof, we passe to the Low Countries, or lower Germany.