Biscay

Sources from old books

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

BISCAY, GVIPVSCOA, NAVARRE, and Asturia de Santillana. (Book Biscay)

BISCAY (as Iohannes Bishop of Gerunda affirmeth) taketh its name from the Bastuli the ancient Inhabitants of Baeti∣ca,* 1.1 for they comming from Lybia into that part of Spaine which is called Baetica, and being beaten and expulsed thence by the Moores, they fled into the Mountaines of Galaecia, and so building themselves houses, the whole Countrie was called from that time Bastulia, which is now called Bis∣cay. Some doe call Biscay Viscaia, which word hath some affinity with the name of the Vascones. Biscay is a Countrie of Spaine lying neere the Ocean, and very full of hils, out of which arise 150 Rivers.* 1.2 It hath a more temperate Climate than other parts of Spaine. For being envi∣ron'd with great Mountaines, it is not troubled with too much cold, nor burnt with too much heate. The Countrie is full of trees fit for the buil∣ding of Ships: which not onely Spaine doth acknowledge,* 1.3 but other Countries, whither whole ship-loades are often transported.* 1.4 Heere are abundance of Chesse-Nuts, Hasel-Nuts, Oranges, Raizins, and all kind of Mettals, (especially Iron and Black-lead) besides other commodi∣ties. Where they want wine, they have a kinde of drinke made of prest Apples, which hath an excellent taste. Heere are also store of beasts,* 1.5 fish, fowle, and all things which are convenient and necessarie for the sustaining of mans life. The r 1.6 Cantabrians did heretofore inhabite that Countrie which wee now call Biscay, but it was larger than Biscay is now, and contained Guipuscoa and Navarre. These Cantabrians were a famous people, and much celebrated by many Writers. They thought that was no life which was without warres: and when all the people of Spaine were subjected, and reduced to the obedience of Rome, they alone with the Asturians, and some others who joyned with them,* 1.7 could not be overcome; untill at last C. Caesar Octavianus Augustus did subdue this stout Nation, being broken & wearied by a warre of almost five yeares continuance, (hee himselfe going against them, and the rest that were not obedient to the Romans) by the industrie and valour of Vispanius A∣grippa, and of the other Generals which hee brought with him.* 1.8 There is in Biscay, besides other Townes, one speciall Towne of note called Bilbao, which is, as some doe suppose, by changing of the letters (which is frequent with the Spaniards) as much to say as Beluao, that is, Bellum vadum, Didacus Lopeus de Hazo, Prince of the Cantabrians built it, in the yeare of Christ 1300, or thereabouts. This Towne is especially com∣mended for three things, the convenient Situation, the plenty of Corne, and the wonderfull great traffique and merchandizing which is heere, for whatsoever comes or is brought from England, France, or the Low-Countries, is transported and carried through this Towne into other parts of Spaine, and whatsoever Spaine doth communicate by way of traffique unto other Countries, it is exported and carried through it. Heere are Citizens, who at their owne proper charge doe yearly build three or foure ships. On the side of the Citie there is a litle towne on the Sea-coast, commonly called Portugallete, from whence a certaine River, or rather a great arme of the Sea doth flow into it, even unto the houses of the Inhabitants. By reason of which, divers kindes of wares are daily for a small matter imported and exported. There are also faire Havens in Biscay. There is no kinde of fish but you may have it heere, and that good and new. The Sea-shell-fish here have pearles in them, but of a meane sort. The people of the Countrie are curteous, merry, and eloquent. It is a custome and fashion that the Virgins in Biscay, as long as they are unmarried, doe never let their haire grow, neither doe they cover themselves with any veile; but presently when they are married, they cover their heads with a Quoife, made like a Helmet, of linnen cloth of a golden colour, which they wrap up in such a manner that it standeth forth a pretty way like an horne upon their foreheads. The Spaniards heere have great store of trading with the French, the Germans,* 1.9 the English, and other people. It especially affordeth wooll, so that all Market-places are full of buyers and sellers.

GVIPVSCOA was heretofore the Countrie of the Cantabrians, some doe call it Lipuscoa and Lipuisca,* 1.10 yet corruptly, as Stephanus Gary∣bayus an inhabitant thereof noteth. But whence it hath this appellation I cannot easily determine, unlesse perhaps it taketh it from the ancient Citie Opuscua.* 1.11 It is enclosed and bounded on the East with the River Vidosone, (which is also called Vidorso, Alduida, Huria, and Beoyvia, being in the middle betweene France and Spaine) and the Pyrenaean Hils; on the South with the Kingdome of Navarre; on the West with Biscay, (of which I spake before) and on the North with the Cantabrick Sea. This Countrey is very temperate,* 1.12 neither feeling too much cold, nor too much heate of the Sunne. It hath a moist and variable Climate. It is very rugged and mountainous, and therefore it is not every where tilled, but yet those places which are tilled are very fruitfull. It hath but few Vineyards,* 1.13 except it be on that side which is next to the Sea. But it hath every where great store of Iron and Steele, so that no Coun∣trey hath better or greater abundance; for so much of it is digged here as is sufficient for many Countries. Moreover, not onely Vulcans shop, but Mars his Armory seeme to be placed heere by Nature: for there is here so great plenty and store not onely of Iron and Steele, but also of wrought Armour, that in some writings belonging to the Countrie it is deservedly called the Wall or defence of the Kingdomes of Castile and Legio. Navigierus writeth, that in this Countrey so much Iron & Steele is digged, that every yeare they make 80000 Duckats gaine thereof. Therefore not without cause doth Pliny write, lib. 34. cap. 45. that there is a whole mountaine there of Iron: There is, saith hee, a very high mountaine of Cantabria on the Sea side (a thing incredible to be spoken) which is all of Iron. Ptolemie, Pomponius, and Plinie doe place here the Orogevio∣nes, the Autrigones, and the Varduli. The Metropolis is y 1.14 Tolosa, seated at the confluence and meeting of Araxis and Orta: There are also other Townes, as Placentia, where there is an incredible company of Iron∣smiths; Motrico, or as others thinke it should be written, Monte de Trico, from the Rocke which hangeth over the Towne; Fuentarabia, which Ptolemie cals Phlasiobriga; the Fane or Temple of Saint Sebastian, heretofore called Hisuru, afterward Don Bastia, and now corruptly Do∣nastien, signifying the same with Saint Sebastian, for Don signifieth that among the Cantabrians, which Sanctus doth with the Latines, and Sancto with the Castellanes; and many places in Cantabria have, for the most part, divers names, in regard of the difference of speech: the Cantabri∣ans call them by one name, the other Spaniards by an other, and the French-men by an other name, and yet they commonly signifie one thing. This Towne is situated at the mouth of the River which is called by Pomponius Mela Menascus, by Ptolemie Menosca, but now is called Rio Gurumea,* 1.15 or Vramea. The River Chalybs doth rise up hereabout, the water whereof is very good to temper Iron withall, so that the Spaniards doe approve of no other Armour, but that which hath beene tempered therewith. Iustine lib. 44. saith, that the bordering people were called Chalybes from this River. The Fane of Saint Sebastian hath a very large Haven (not made by humane Art,* 1.16 but by Natures providence) where ships doe ride securely and safely, being defended from the violence of winde or Seas. The entrance into it is betweene two Castles, the one whereof standing towards the East is built on a high Mountaine,* 1.17 higher than that which is on the West side, which is onely placed on a rock. The Inhabitants are like in manners to the Inhabitants of Biscay, and speake the same language. They are by nature ingenious, politick, well accomplished, neate, easie to be allured, but hard to be compelled, de∣sirous of honour, stoute defenders of their owne priviledges, nimble, couragious, ready and quick in handling their Armes, and apt for war. The women also are very strong and of a warlike spirit, well bodied, well favoured, although they accustome and use themselves to labour, which is a cause why they are lesse proud. Those that dwell by the Sea side doe get much by fishing, and especially by taking those kinde of fish called Baccali.

The Kingdome of Navarre, which was also anciently called the Kingdome of Sobabre, in all parts is as fertile, and abounding with all things necessary for mans life, as any other Kingdome of Spaine. And though commonly it bee thought to be very small, yet it hath sixe and fiftie walled Cities. The Inhabitants of this Countrie were heretofore very stout and warlike, and such as oftentimes shooke off the yoake of the Roman subjection, yet at the last they were wholly subdued, and brought into obedience to the Romans. When Caius Iulius the Dictator being kill'd at Rome, Octavianus Augustus succeeded him. For Augustus sent foure Legions against them, who entring the Province did waste it with fire and sword. When therefore they saw that they were unable to resist the Roman forces, the most of them fled to the mountaines which were very steepe and inaccessible, and are now called Navaia, lying length-wayes betweene Mescua, and Eulates. Heere when they had dwelt a long time, they were called from those Mountains Navinii, and afterwards the Moores possessing Spaine did corruptly call them Na∣varri. But being opprest by the Tyrannie of the Moores, and compelled to forsake their owne habitations, they betooke themselves to the z 1.18 Py∣renaean Mountaines, where they chose themselves a King, and for many successions of Kings lived according to their owne Lawes, even till the yeare a thousand five hundred and thirteene, when Pope Iulius the se∣cond did by the sentence of Excommunication deprive Iohannes Albre∣tus King of Navarre of his Kingdome as a Schismatick adhering to Lewis the 12 King of France, and gave a faire pretext & occasion to Ferdinand the Catholick K. to invade Navarre, which hee long gaped for; he there∣fore sending Duke Alban, did drive King Iohn out of his Kingdome, and left it to his Successours. The chiefe Citie of Navarre is now common∣ly called Pampelona, some call it Pompeiopolis, as if it were built by Pom∣peius Magnus. It is situated under the sixteenth Degree and eleven Mi∣nutes of Longitude, and the 44 Degree, and 43 Minutes of Latitude. There are besides these chiefe Cities, Sanctus Iohannes, Pedis Portus, Mons Regalis, Amaya, Estella, Olyta, Taffala, and Tudela.