Burdegalia

Sources from old books

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

THE DESCRIPTION OF THE ARCHBISHOPRICK AND COVNTY OF BƲRDEGALIA. (Book Burdegalia) BURDIGALIA having an Archbishoprick and County belonging to it, and the head and Metropolis of Gutenna, is an ancient and famous City, which Strabo and Pliny have mentioned, and Strabo Lib. 4. Geogr. writeth thus: Garumna being enlarged with the receit of three Rivers doth flow by the Biturigians, whom they call the Viviscians and Santones, being both Countries of France. It hath Burdigalia a Towne of Traffique, seated by a certaine great Lake, which is made by the eruptions and breaking out of the River. Concerning the name there are divers opinions. For some say it was called Aquita from the abundance of waters, whence also others doe derive the name of the Province of Aquitane, from Bourda and Iala, two Rivulets, the one whereof is neere to Burdigala, the other 4000. miles off, others bring other dertvations. But I beleeve that the name was derived from Burgo, and Isidorus Originum lib. 15. cap. 1. seemeth to be of the same opinion: when he saith, That Burdigala was so called, because it contained a Colony of the French Burgians, others read it the French Biturigians. And Syncerus is of the same minde in his Burdigala. And these people, as it is aforesaid, were called Viviscians, to distinguish them from the Cubian Biturigians neere the River Ligeris, which Ausonius a Poet of Burdeaux testifies in his Verses, wherein he sings thus:

Haec ego Vivisca ducens ab origine gentem. These things I, who by my Country amDescended from the old Viviscian.

And this ancient Inscription doth confirme it.

AVGUSTO SACRUMET GENIO CIVITATISBIT. VIV.

Which besides famous Ioseph Scaliger, Elias Vinetus in his most learned Annotations to Ausonius, and Indo•us Syncerus in his Itinerarie added to his Booke of Burdigala, doe mention. This City when it came into the hands, was not onely freely permitted to use their owne Lawes, as Strabo and Pliny affirme; but they adorn'd it also with faire Aedifices and magnificent Monuments and pieces of Building, of which there doe yet remaine some vast ruines For in the yeere 1557. when it was strengthned with some new Fortifications, some ruines of Baths were found neere to Iupiters Gate were found and discoverd. There are also two faire Aedifices which for the most part are in repaire and whole: namely, one which they call the Palace of Safety, and another which is commonly named the Palace of Galienus. The former stood heretofore out of the City neere Garumna, by the Ditch which fortified the North side of the City (as Lurbeus writ••h in his Chronicle, whose words I doe here set downe) but at length it was included within the City when the City was inlarged on that side. There is a Quadrangular straite sided Standard being 87. foote long, and 63. broad, having 8. Pillars in length, and 6. in breadth, so that it had in the whole compasse of it 24. Pillars, of which there are 18. yet standing adorned with some Images and Statues. There is a Vault under it built after an old fashion, in which Wine is laid. It is doubtfull how it was used heretofore, and some beleeve that it was a Temple consecrated to the Turelary God, which appeareth by the name thereof, concerning which see Merula in his Cosmographie. The common people doe call it Pilas from the Pillars thereof. Lastly, there are some small ruines of a magnificent Amphitheater, which were and are without the City. It was encompassed (as Vinetus saith) with 6. walls. And betweene the outermost which was higher than the rest, and the innermost which was lower than all the rest there was 68. feete distance. The length of the Yard, which had Doores on every side was 224. foote, and the breadth 140. foote: for it was their custome to build such Aedifices in an Ovall Figure. Also the ancient Walls are worthy of consideration, which are in the middle of the City, and were in good repaire in Ausonius time, which hee thus mentioneth.

The Walls are square having Towres thereon so high,That the tops thereof doe reach unto the skie.

After those times it suffered many calamities, being first washed by the Gothe, and then burnt by the Sarazens and Normans. But afterward it was re-edified and enlarged, so that now it containeth 450. Acres of ground, so that it is as bigge as a third part of Paris. For the Romane Empire declining, the Gothes obtained it in the 400. yeere from the building of the City, who being expelled, and Alari•us being slaine in Picaady, and those which remained, cut off in the Arrian Fields which were so named from that slaughter neere to Burdig•••a, it returned againe to the Frenchmen. But when the Frenchmen grew slothfull and carelesse, the Aquitanians about the yeere 727. shaking off their subjection to the French did create Eud• Duke thereof. The Sonne of this Eudo was Carfrus, who being forsaken by his owne men, was slaine in the yeere 767. and was buried without the City in a Moorish place, neere the Castle Farus, where now the Capuchines have built themselves a Religious house. Afterward Hunold whom the Aquitanians had made Duke, being vanquished and droven out by Charles the Great, this Province was restored to the French, and to keepe it the better in obedience, there were Earles placed in divers parts of Aquitaine, and especially at Bourdeaus there was left Sigumus the Father of Huon of Bourdeaus, and after these other Earles and Dukes did governe the people under the King of France. D. Martiall• was the first that converted those of Bourdeaus to the Christian faith, who as it is reported built a Temple there, and dedicated it to S. Andrew the Apostle, afterward it became the Seate of an Archbishop, on which these Bishopricks doe depend, Santonensis, Pictaviensis, Lussonensis, Mallacensis, Petragoricensis, Serlacensit, Condomiensis, Agimensis. And as this City is large, so it is beautified with divers Churches, for there are two Collegiate Churches, one of which is Metropolitan, 12. Parish Churches, 8. Frieries, one Nunnery, and a Colledge of Jesuites. There is a faire Church-yard of S. Severine without Iupiters Gate neere the Amphitheater which is worthy to bee seene, both because it is more ancient then the rest, in which S. Amandus, and S Severinus were buried, and divers other Monuments are shewed, and also because there hollow stones laide on Sepulchers, which are full of water or empty, according to the increase or decrease of the Moone. Many Knights are here interr'd who were slaine in the time of Charles the great by the treachery of Ganelen. The University is an Ornament unto it, the Professors whereof doe instruct Youth in all Arts and Sciences. In which both heretofore and of late Tiberius Victor and Minervius a Rhetorician whom D. Ieromimus mentioneth in his Chronicle, and maketh another Quintilian. And Attius Celphidius, whom Ammianus Marcellinus calleth a vehement Orator, were Latine and Greeke Professors. And also Pomponius Maximus Hirculanus, and many others, of whom Ausonius maketh a Catalogue with severall Eulogies. The most noted in our age were, Andr. Goveanus, Ioannes Gel•da, M. Ant. Muretus, Ioannes Costanus, Georg. Buchanan, Nicolaus Grachius, Withelmus Guerentaeus, and of late Elias Vinetus, a learned man, and a light to his Country. This University had many priviledges, honors, and liberties granted unto it by the Princes of Aquitaine, the Kings of France, and the Popes of Rome: and at last it was beautified by the Aquitaine Colledge, from whence many learned men as Lights of France have successively come forth. But let vs speake somewhat of the Parliament, which is the ancientest seate of Justice in France, whither the Burdigalians, the Valatensians, the Aginnensians, the Condomiensians, the Armeniacensians, the Cardurcians, the Len•ovicensians, the Petrocorensians, the Angelismensians, the Santons, and Ruxellensians, have recourse by way of suite. But afterward the Provinces of Armenium, of Santome, of Ruxelles, and the greatest part of Cadurcium did withdraw themselves and came to the Parliament of Paris and Tolouse. But when King Ludovick had granted Aquitania (which was now circumscribed with new bounds) to his Brother Charles to hold of him by Fealty, the Parliament was translated to the Picts, but after Charles his decease in the yeere 1472. and all Aquitaine returning to Ludovick, it was brought back againe, and not long after Charles the 8. by his Edict dared in the 〈…〉 it to consist of three Pre••dents and ••. Counsellors. 〈…〉 in the yeere 1519. in the moneth of o• May added to the 〈◊〉 D. •ie of new Counsellors, to judge of criminall matters, which they call •ornell. But when by sedition the Parliament in the yeere 1•4•. was cha•g•d againe. King Henry the 2. restored the former ample dignity of the Senate to Bu•digala, and received the Citizens i• to •avour. Here the Prefect of the Province of Aqui•aine hath his 〈◊〉 who is called the Marshall and also the Admirall. There is also in the same City a Colledge of Q•estors or Auditors of accounts. The gov•rnment of the Common-wealth of Burdeaux as it is at this day began in the raigne of Henry King of England who in the yeere 117•. granted that the Citizens should freely decree a Prince of the Senate whom they call the Maior of the City, but at first the Maior• held th•ir office continually, and •id yeerely chuse a Substitute out of the sworne men, whom in his absence was to be Governour of the Colledge of sworne men. Henry the 2. did change this custome▪ so that the Maiors office should not be perpetuall, but for two yeeres. After him the sworne men as they call them should succeede: Who being fifty at the beginning were reduced to 24 and in the yeare 1378. they were contracted to 12. according to the number of the parts of the Citie. But at last they came to be sixe, and those to rule two yeares: so that three were changed every yeare, and they continued in their Mairoalty for two whole yeares. To this Colledge of the Maior and the swornemen▪ there were added 30. chosened Citizens to assist them in counsell & above three hundred more were added, if a matter of consequence were handled. It hath a fruitfull Soile for Wines, which is transported from thence into other parrs of Europe, the praise whereof is celebrated by the ancients, as also Pliny and Colum•lla, and it hath abundance of all other necessaries. Besides it hath convenient Rivers, the greatest whereof are Garumna, and Dordona. There are many Townes subject to Burdeaus, as these neere to the Sea Espar•um or Caput S. Mariae, in which place Ptolemy seateth Nevioparrum, which is now not to be knowne: also the Fane of Ma•arium▪ La•m•nt, Carbonaria, also Liburrium, which is a pretty small Towne, s•arc•la• the mouth of D•rdona, and others. But it is most famous, because Iu••nius was borne here, who celebrateth the praise of his Country in these verses.

My too long silence I doe now condemne,That thee O Countrie fam'd for witty men,And for thy pleasant Rivers, and thy Wine,And Senate, art not here amongst the primeMentiond by mee, as if thou wert a smallCitie, and didst deserve no praise at all.Burdigala is my native Country whereThe mild ayre makes the earth much fruite to beare,The Spring is long, the Winter short belowe,The leavy Mountaines shadowed Rivers flowe, Whose hasty course doe imitate the Seas.Then the wayes within and houses you may pleaseTo admire, and that the streetes doe still retaine,Though they are large, and broade their former name.And yet through the Citie a fresh streame doth glide,Which when the Ocean filleth with his tide,You shall behold when as the Sea doth come,How by the Ships which ride there it doth runne.