Burbon

Sources from old books

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

THE DVKEDOME OF BVRBON· (Book Burbon)

THE Country and Dukedome of Burbon, or le Pays and Duché de Burbonneis, was so called from the Dukes of Burbon,* 1.1 who were Governours thereof. On the West it is neighboured with the Biturigians, and Lemonicians, on the North with the Nivernianis: On the East lyeth Burgundie, on the South are the Lugdunians. The Soile for the most part is all pasture ground, and hath no Corne but in some few places.* 1.2 But there are very good Wines, and great plenty of Corne. Those people whom Caesar Lib. 1. de Bello Gallico calleth Boij, were supposed to have dwelt here formerly, and hee calleth their Towne Lib. 7. Gergovia, where hee also mentioneth Boia, which doubtlesse was the Boians Towne. Their strength was so greate that joyning themselves with the Cenomanians and Insubrians, they pluckt downe the pride and arrogancy of the Thuscians▪ possest their dominions, and seated themselves in that parte of Italie which is now calld Romania. The Romanes did call it Gallia Togata, because the Frenchmen who were subject to the Romanes, dwelt there. The Sugusians also did inhabit all that part which is called le Pays de Fores. All this Territorie, as many other bordering Countries, was heretofore subject to the Kings of Aquitaine. Afterward it had Dukes;* 1.3 who from a Towne of no meane note were called Dukes of Burbon. The last of them was Arcibaldus, who had one onely daughter and heyre, called Agnes. Shee marrying Iohn Duke of Bugundie, gave her daughter Beatrix, which shee had by him, the Dukedome of Burbon for her dowry, having married her to Robert the Son of Ludovick the ninth, yet with this caution, that it should be called after his wives name, and the house of the Burbons, that so the title thereof might remaine to posteritie. Which being done. Robert the sonne of Ludorick the ninth, who was canonized for a Saint, did propagate and enlarge the name of the Borbons. For his sonnes were Ludorick surnamed the greate, who succeeded his Father, Iohn Clar•m•nt Lord of the Towne of the Fane of Iustine in Campania: Peter Archdeacon of Paris, and two daughters. This Ludorick Philip Valesius the sixt created the first Duke of Burbon, in the yeare 1339. or thereabout, who had by his wife Mary the daughter of Iohn Earle of Hannonia, Peter the first who succeeded him, and Iames the Father of the Earles of March and Vendosme, Philip Lord of Bello•••, Mary, and Beatrix. This Peter was created the second Duke of Burbon, and Lord of Molin. Hee was slaine in a Battell fought betweene the Picts, and the English. Hee had by Isabell, the daughter of Charles, Earle of Valence. Ludorick the 2. who succeeded his Father: Iames the Lord of March, and seven daughters. Ludorick surnamed the good married Anna. the daughter of Peral•us the Dolphine of Avercia, who was called Duke S•mus, and of Ione Forres•aria, who brought him Iohn who succeeded his Father, Ludovick, and Iames Lord of Pransium. Iohn the first of that name marrying Mary the daughter of Iohn, Duke of the Biturigians, was Duke of Burbon and Avernia, Earle of Claromont, M•mpensper, Forrest, and Lord of Bellyocum and the Castle of Chinon. From him issued Charles, who succeeded his Father, Iudorick Earle of Montpenser (from whom the Dukes came of Montpenser) and Iames. Charles tooke the part of King Charles the 7. and Philip the good, Duke of Burgundie, with whome at last by the meditation and perswasion of his wife Agnes a Burgundian, sister to Philip, hee made a peace with him. Agnes brought him Iohn who succeeded after him, Ludovick, Peter, who was afterward a Duke, Charles a Cardinall, and Archbishop of Lions, Lud••ick Bishop of Le•dium, Iames and five daughters, Iohn the second was Duke of Borbon and Avernia, Earle of Claromont, of Forrest, the Iland and March, Lord of Belliocum and of the Castell of Chinon, a •eere and Constable of the Kingdome of France. Hee marryed thrice, but dyed without issue. Peter the 2. succeeded his brother John, who was high Chamberlaine of the Kingdome of France, and hee had by Anne daughter of King Ludorick the 11. one onely daughter called Susan, who succeeded her Father. Shee marrying Charles Burbon, Earle of Montpenser (the sonne of Gilbert Burbon, Nephew to Iohn Ludorick the first aforesaid, Duke of Burbon, Earle of Montpenser, and Dolphine of Avernia) by her marriage made her Husband Duke of Burbon. This was that Charles who being Constable of France, revolting from his Prince Francis King of France, tooke part and sided with the Emperour Charles the fifth, and besieged Rome where being shot with a bullet in the yeare 1527. the day before the Nones of May▪ he dyed, having obtained no victorie nor left no children. After the death of his wife Susan, the King getting Burbon to himselfe, the Dukes of Vend•sme kept onely their armes, and their bare title by the right of affinitie. The Earles of Flanders did first lineally descend from the familie of the Burbons: and many great Kings and Princes have sought to bee linkt in affinitie with this royall and Princely house. Moreover the French Geogrophars doe make two parts of the Dukedome of Burbon, the lower and the higher. The lower containeth divers Cities, and two Countries. Concerning the Cities. The Metropolis of the whole Dukedome is Molirum (or Malins) a Towne by the River which Caesar calls Elaver, now Al•ie•: it was the ancient Seate of Dukes: afterward it was a house of pleasure, and a pleasant retyring place for the Kings of France. Some thinke that that which Caesar calls Gergobina was a Towne among the Celta, whom Caesar in the Helvetian Warre placed there. The Marshall of Burbon hath his Presidiall Seate here, which was erected by King Francis the first of that name. Molins hath a very faire Castle, and a curious Garden adjoyning to it, in which there are great store of Oranges and Citernes. In the Castle Xystum you may see the lively Pictures of the Dukes of Burbon, and their Genealogies. Here is also a faire Fountaine.

The other Cities and Townes are Burbon, famous for antiquity, and which heretofore did name the whole Province. Caesar in his 7. Booke calleth it Boia. This City is situated betweene the Rivers Elaveres and Caris, commonly called Cher, well knowne and famous in the time of Charles the great. It hath a strong Castle and Baths: also L'Archimont, Montmerant. And Cosne surnamed en Burbonnois neere the River Lotre, having a Castle, and in regard that the Territory is fitt for Pasturage it exceedeth other parts: also Montlusson, and S. Porcin, whose Fields doe bring forth excellent Wines, (yet some doe ascribe it to •vernia) also Cusset; Chancelle; Charroux; Vernueil, famous for Wines: also Varennes a famous Towne by the River Elaveres; Gannat confining upon Avernia; also Le Mont aux Moines; Souvigni le Comte, ou aux M•ines; la Palisse, having a stately Castle: also Erisson, Sancoings, the Fane of S. Peter, commonly called S. Pierre le Monstier, which is not very ancient. It hath a President, under whom are the Baylies of the same Towne; and the Townes which are commonly called Douziois, Xainco• •usset, and others, one part whereof are seated in Avernia, and anoth•• 〈◊〉 Nervernesium: there is also Ainayla Chasteau, so named from the Ca• S. Amand, and others. So much concerning the Cities and Townes. The Counties are two, which are commonly called Beaujolois and F••est. The former Bello Iolesius containeth all that lyeth betweene the River Ligeris and Araris, being situated towards the East betweene the Forestians and Burgundians: being the Patrimony of the ancient Burbons. The chiefe City is called in French Beaujea. The other is named not from the Woods and Forrests as the word doth seeme to intimate, but from the Forensians, for so I name those people: on the North lyeth Burbon, on the West Avernia, on the South the Lugdunians confine upon it: on the East the Bello-Jolesians. Heretofore it had Earles, from whose Stock did arise the noble of Bello-Iolesius. A certaine Earle of Forrest and Bello-Iolesius is celebrated by French Historians, who had three Sonnes, Arthauldus Earle of Lugdunum, Stephen Earle of Forrest, and Emfrid Earle of Bello-Iolesius. When thus the Counties of Forrest and Bello-Iolesius had beene for a long time distracted, they were united againe by the death of Guica•d, Earle of Bello-Iolesius, who was Master of the horse in the time of Philip the 2. King of France, for his Sister Isabel, Countesse of Bello-Iolesius was married to Reginaldus, Earle of Fortest, who was discended of the stocke of Arthauld aforesaid, as shee from the ofspring of Stephan, who was brother to Arthauld as is mentioned before. From this marriage there proceeded Guido, who was heyre to the County of Forrest, and Lugovick, who was Lord of Bello-Iolesius. After whome there is no certainety delivered. Henry the third King of France, before hee came to the Monarchie of France, possessed the Dukedomes of Burbon and Avernia, the County of Forrest together with the Dukedome of Andigavia.

It containeth fortie walled Townes, and about as many faire Villages. The chiefe Towne of the Forrensians Roana, or Roanne, neere the River Ligeris, which hath a Bridge over it, which standeth in the way to Lions, and also a Castle. The second Towne of note is Forum Segusian rum, for so it was heretofore called which is now commonly calld Feurs: Ptolomy calls it Phoros of the Segusians: and the Itinerary Tables corruptly call it Forum Segustivarum. And from this Forum, the Country corruptly is commonly called Le Layis de Forest, when it should bee rather called, de Fores. This is now a Towne of commerce and traffique for the whole Province. The other Townes are Mombrisonium, or Montbrison, being a Bayliwicke and subject to the Lugdunians, also the Fane of S. Stephan, and S. Estierne de Furan, where armor and Iron barres are made, which are transported from thence into all parts of France. The artificers Arte is much furthered by nature of the water, which doth give an excellent temper to Iron, and also the coales which are digged there: there is also the Fane of S. Galmarus, or S. Galmier, or Guermier, in the Suburbs whereof, there is an Alome Fountaine, which is commonly called Font-Foule: also the Fane of S. Germane, or S. Germain Laval, which hath abundance of wine growing about it: also the Fane of D. Bovet, or S. Bovet le Castell, in which the best tongs are made: also the Fane of D. Rembertus, or S. Rembert, having the first Bridge that is over Ligeris. The Country of Burbon is watered with two great Rivers, namely Ligeris and Elavera, being a River of Arvernia. Ligeris commonly called Loire riseth up in Avernia, in a place which in French is called La Fort de Loire. Elaver, commonly called Allie•, riseth foure Miles above the Towne Clarumont, beneath Brionda neere Gergovia, and floweth not farre from a place which in French is called Vsco, where there is a famous mine of gold, and of the stone Lazulus. It is as bigge as the River Liguris, and by so much more full of fish. Concerning the Manners of the Burbons, those which border on Avernia are of the same disposition with them, namely wittie and craftie, very laborious, carefull to get, and for the most part they are litigious, and violent men, and ill to be dealt withall. Those that dwell farther off are courteous and affable, subtile and well experienced, frugall and carefull housekeepers, greedy of gaine, and yet very bountifull and kind toward strangers. The Forensians also are subtile, acute, and witty, wisely provident and carefull in their owne affaires, loving gaine, and to that end they travell into remote and farre distant Countries to Merchandise and traffique with them. But they are mercifull and kinde to their owne Countrymen if they come to necessity and want in forraine Countries. Much warinesse and wisedome is to be vs'd, in despatching any businesse with a Forensian. Forrest doth send her workes in Iron and Brasse thorow the whole world, especially the Fane of S. Stephen, where there are very many Artificers, and as good as any in France. And there are many Merchants of this Country very rich, having great estates in other parts out of France.