Friuli

Sources from old books

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

FRIVLI, and ISTRIA, KARSTIA, CARNIOLA, AND the Marquiship of the VVindorians, and the County of CILIA. (Book Fivli) THere followeth in Mercator, Forum Iulij, and Istria, with other Countries. This Country was at first so called from Forum Iulij, the chiefe Citty, or as some would have it, from Iulius Caesar, who brought hither some Legions against the Germanes. The Italians call it new Friuli, the Germanes Friaul: the Venetians and others doe call it Patria. It appeareth also in Histories that it was called Aquilejensis. The bounds of this Country on the East are Istria: on the North the Stony Mountaines: on the West the Vindelician and Norician Alpes: on the South the Hadriatick Bay. This Country hath a temperate climate, a wholesome ayre, faire fields, well watered, and yeelding abundance of all kindes of fruits, the Medowes and Pastures flourishing and full of Cattell, it hath also Vines which yeeld excellent rich Wines. Woods it hath which affoord good Timber, and excellent Hunting, and also Mountaines full of Mettals, Marble, and other Pretious Stones. The Euganians did first inhabit this Country, afterward in processe of time the Venetians, afterward the Frenchmen, afterward it was under the Romane Empire, which declining, it was subject to the Langbards. After them succeeded the Emperours, and after them the Berengarians, who being destroyed and excirpated, it returned to the obedience of the Romane Empire. The Emperour Oth• gave a good part of it to the Church of Aquilejum, and Conradus gave the other part with Istria. The Venetians at length possessed it, about the yeere 1420. who still doe governe it, although the most part of it bee subject to peculiar Earles and Lords. The Me•ropolis of this Country is Vtinum, commonly call'd Vden•, the Germanes call it Weiden. Leander supposeth that it is an ancient Towne, and that Pliny maketh mention of it. Niger beleeveth that it is that which Ptolemy and others doe call Forum Iulium. Howsoever it is a large Citty, magnificent, and abounding with plenty of all things. The compasse of it is 5. miles. The Venetians doe now governe the Common-wealth by Presidents sent thither, which they call Locumtenentes or Substitutes. There are in it 16000. Citizens. There are also other Citties, Aquileia, commonly called Aquilegia, the Germanes call it Agler. It is situate by the River Natison. The Citty was heretofore large and spacious, and fortified with walls, and also beautified with Churches, a magnificent Theater, and other publike and private Buildings. It is now unfrequented, which was heretofore very faire and populous. It remained faithfull and constant to the Romane Empire, untill the time of Attila King of the Huns, by whom being besieged and much distressed for want of Corne, at length it was taken and sackt, and 30000. men who lived in it were put to the Sword, the •est fled to the Iland. Afterward it was re-edified by Narsetes, and for a time it was under the power of the Langbards, untill the comming of harles the great into Italy, after which time it was subject to the Kings of Italy, and afterward to the Romane Emperours. Afterward it began to bee under the government of Patriarkes, from them it came to the Venetians, under whom it now continueth in peace and tranquility. But these Bishops are subject to the Patriarch of Aquilegium, the Bishop of •encordia, Pola, Parentium, Triestinensis, or Tergestin•nsis, Coma lensis, or Petenensis, Iustinopolitanus, Madrientis, of the New Citty, or Emonians. Seeke the rest in the second Table of Lombardy. Under the Bishop of Gradensis, are the Bishops of Castellanium, or Venice, also Terce••nensis, Equilensis, or Eusulanus, Caprulensis, Clodiensis, of the New Citty▪ o• G•ritia according to Leander, which Ptolemy and Antoninus call •u••um Carnicum. Amasaeus Lib. of the bounds of Venice, placeth G•ri•ia where No•eja was heretofore, Candidus calleth it Noritia. G•rilia hath his Princes, which are subject to the Dukes of Austria. It is a Towne famous for wealth and nobility. There is also Portus Cru••ius. which Pliny calleth Portus Roma•inus, or Spilim•ergum, which is well fortified both by nature and Art; also Maranum which is very populous and rich. The Mount Falcon is a noble rich Towne. There is also the Citty Palma, and a round Castle built by the Venetians in the yeere 15•3. under the foundation whereof there was money laid with this Inscription on one side, Pasalo Ciconta Duce Venetorum. An• ••m. 1•93. On the other side, Fori Idlij, Italiae, Christianae side• pr•pugna •••m. That is, the Fortresse of Forum Iulium, of Italy, and the Christian faith. lomit the other lesser Townes. These Rivers doe appertaine to this Country. Romantinum, Tilaventum, Sontius, Frigidus▪ Natis•, A•a••urus, and others. The Inhabitants are very prone and apt to humane Arts, Merchandise, and other honest studies.