Helvetia

Sources from old books

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

HELVETIA▪ VVITH THE NEIGHBOVRING CONFEDERATE COVNTRIES. (Book Helvetia) NEXT to Lions Mercator placeth that Country, which the Romanes called Helvetia. Now it is called,* 1.1 or the greatest part of it, Suicia or Suitia, from the Vitians a people of Saxonie, who being throwne out of their habitations for their often violating of the faith, Charles the great seated them on the Alps, as in like manner hee convay'd some thousands of the Nordalbingians into Flanders and Brabont. Or else it was so called from the Suecians, who in the raigne of King Sigebert did remove out of Suecia into Helvetia, being compel'd to leave their former Habitations, either by the inundations of waters, or by populousnesse of the Inhabitants, or lastly it is so called from the Towne Suitium: it i• commonly Switscherland. It is called the Land of Confederates, and in their owne speech Eydignoschaft, from the League and confederacie, which is betweene the Helvetians. These Eutropius did sometime call Quadians. Moreover Helvetia is situate betweene the Mountaine Iura, the Lake Leman, Italy, and the Rhene, and it hath on the East the Country of •irolum: on the South the Cottian Alpes, Lombardie, the Dukedome of Mediolanum, and Piemont: on the lowest Sabaudia and Bu•gu•gie: on the North the River Rhene. Helvetia is 240. Miles long, as Caesar saith Lib. 1. de bello Gallico: and 80. Miles broad, which Caesar maketh somewhat larger. The Countrie hath a wholesome ayre,* 1.2 and though it have many high rugged Mountaines, yet it is so well husbanded by the Inhabitants, that it is no where barren: but that it produceth nor onely things necessary to sustaine life, but also many delicacies. It bringeth forth abundance of Corne, although in many places, unlesse the gleabe land be burnt, it is in vaine to sowe it, but the labour and industrie of the Husbandman doth helpe this inconvenience. It produceth in many places exellent wine, which doth f•rre exceed Rhenish wine, both in state and quantitie. Besides there are fat Meddowes, in which many flockes and heards doe graze, to the great commoditie of the Inhabitants. This Countrey also do•• breed great store of wild Beasts, as Beares, Harts, Does, Goates,* 1.3 L•••ards, •oares, and others, so that the Inhabitants have great 〈◊〉 of •ame to Hunt, there are also Fowle which they take in great ab••dance. Helvetia is a free Anarchie, and subject to no Prince, since 〈…〉 that the Helvetians being encited and stirred up by the un••• 〈◊〉 and u•just government of the Rulers there, did enter into 〈…〉 with the V•rian Nobilitie, and so shaked off the yoke of 〈…〉 and •ot their owne libertie. The first that began this confederacie were the Urians, the Silvanians, and the Suitensians, in their owne Townes. By whose example not long after, the other Cities being still provoked by the great men▪ their neighbours did the like, and entring into League with them, they grew as strong as their neighbour, and being strengthened with auxilian forces they became a terrour to their enemies. The Country of Helvetia is divided into foure parts, which by a Germaine word they call Gon, which signifieth a Country or Village, and they are these Zuri•hgow, Wiffispurgerg•w, Argow and Turgow, but the Common-wealth of Helvetia doth consist of thee parts. In the first part there are 13. Villages, which the Italians call Cantones, and the Germanes Ort. These Cantones have this priviledge above the other confederates, that they in publike meetings doe deliberate and consult of all matters appertaining to the Commonwealth of Helvetia, and doe give their voices, and are sharers in all commodities or losses belonging to the Citie, and doe equally governe the Prefectureships which they have gotten, and have an equall part in any publike bootie: namely •igu•um joyned it selfe with the 3. confederate Townes, Anno 1351. And Berna in the yeare 1355. Lucerna was joyned to the 3. first Townes by a perpetuall league in the yeare 13.2. Vria, Vren: Suitia, Switz: Vnder-Walden, did first enter into confederacy among themselves Anno 1308. Tugium and Zug were added to the 6. Townes, in the yeare 1362. Glarona also and •ugtum entered into the same league. Basiles, Anno 1301. enter'd it to confederacy with the 10. Townes. Also Frubu gum and Salodu•um, by common consent were received into the number of the Cantones, in the yeare 1481. and so the Citie of Helvetia did consist of 10. Vi•ages or Contones. Schasshusen in the yeare 1600. was received into the number of the Cantones or Villages. And Abbatiscella in the yeare 1502. The Countrie belonging to this Towne is divided unto 12. parts which they call there Roden, 6. whereof are joyned to the Canton, which are called the innermost parts, and 6. are called the outward parts. And there are 12 Senators chosen out of every one of these severall parts, who are to consult of all affaires of the Country, and they are in all 144. Senators. The second part of the confederates, are Abbas and the Towne S. Galli, which was joyned in league with the 4. Townes of the Helvetians in the yeare 1455. And afterward Anno 1455. they were joyned in pepetuall league with the 6. Townes, Tigurum, Ber•a, Lucerna, Suitia, Tugio, and Glorona. The People Granbondter of the Rhetorians made a perpetuall league with the 7. old Townes, in the yeare 1497. And the Curiensians, whose societie was called the house of God, did joyne in confederacy with them Anno 1418. The 3. Societie, which was called the Societie of the 10. Iudgements, did not joyne themselves with the Helvetians, but because it is confederate with the 11. former Cantons, therefore it continues in amitie and faithfull societie with the Helvetians. Sedunum and Valetia did enter into perpetuall league with the Bernatians, Anno 1475. And afterward when there arose a controversie concerning Religion, Hadrian Bishop of Sedunum and 70. Townes of the Valesians entred into confederacy Anno 1533. at Friburg, with these 7. Townes of Friburg, Vria, Lucerna, Suitia, V•der•aldia, •ugium Friburgum, Saladorum, all adhering to the Church of Rome. Rotweil first entered into confederacie with the Helvetians Anno 1463. for 15. yeares, which being many times renew'd, at last in the yeare 1519. it was perpetually established betweene them. Mulhusen was joyned in confederacy with the Helvetians Anno 1468. Bienna Biel joyned it selfe in confederacy with the Bernatians, in the yeares, 1303. 1306. 1352. and 1367. Geneva did bargaine for the right of a Citie, with the Bernatians Anno 1536. but yet it was joyned to the Common Citie of the Cantons. The 3. are the Prefectureships gotten by force of armes or voluntarie yeelding. Turgea or Turgow was subjected to the Helvetians in the yeare 1460. which is governed by 7. ancient Townes. Aquensis Baden was subdued in the yeare 1415. and is governed by 8. of the chiefe Townes. Rhegusti which was gotten Anno 1491. was governed by 20. of the chiefe Townes. Saru•ctum or Sarunga•s Anno 1483. was sold by George Earle or Werenberg to the 7. chiefe Townes, by which it is also govern'd. The free Provinces taken Anno 1415. are governed by these 5. ancient Cantons or Townes, Lugan•m, Lucarnum, Mendresium, and Vallis Madia, these 4. Prefectureships were given by Maxamilian Sforza, Duke of Mediolanum to the Helvetians Anno 1513. and are governed by all the Cantones except Abbatisella, Biltionum and Bellizona: the goverment hereof was afterward granted unto 3. chiefe Cantons, Anno 1513. Valesia which is contained also in this Chart, doth containe 3. people▪ and 3. confederacies. The two former are the Viberians and Sedunians, who are called by one generall name, the free higher Valesians, and they are divided into 10. tythings which they call Decimas or Desenas, the Veragrians who are called the lower Valesians are governed by the higher, yet the chiefe of them all is the Bishop of Sedunum, who hath the chiefe authoritie both in Ecclesiasticall and civill matters, and is called the Earle or Prefect of Valesia. Here is the County of Werdenberg and the Barrony af Saxony. This Province hath many great Lakes: the chiefe whereof are the Lakes of Luc•rnerze: of Zuricherzee: of Walenzee: of Nuwenburgerzee: and the greatest of al is the Lake of Bodenzee, which Solinus and Pliny call Brigantium, Ammianus Marcellinus calleth it Brigantium, from Brigcontium a little ancient Towne. The length thereof is 24. Miles, and the breadth at least 12. Miles. We have here set down Ammianus his words, because they containe a lively description of this Lake, and of the Cataracts of Rhene. The River Rhene runneth with a violent course through the windings of the high Mountaines, which nere the Alepontius doth fall downe like the Cataracts of Nilus, the torrent at his first arising doth rush downe, and keepe his course with the supply onely of his owne proper waters, but now being strengthened with the melted snow, it weareth his bankes wider, it runneth into the round great Lake, which the Inhabitants of Rhene doe call Brigantium, it is inaccessible by reason of the thick Woods, except where the Almaine hath made it Habitable, contrarie to the nature of the place, and the intemperatenesse of the Climate. So that the River breaking into this Lake with a foaming entrance, and passing through the still waters thereof, doth runne through the middle of it, as it were a contrarie element unto it, without augmenting or diminishing his owne waters, it commeth forth againe retayning the same name and strength which it had before. And which is a wonder, the Lake is not moved with the violent course of the water, nor the hasty River is not stayed with the muddy filth of the Lake, as if they could not be mingled together: and if it were not seene to runne through the Lake, it could not be discerned by the forcible course thereof.* 1.4 Moreover the Rivers which water Helvetia, are Rhene, Rhodarus, Adua, Ticinus, Limagus, Byrsa, Langarus, Sara, Taurus commonly call'd Dur, Aenus, Arola, and many others. It were needlesse to reckon the Mountaines, seeing the names of the Rhetian Mountaines are knowne to all men. But least I should seeme too defective herein. I will mention some of them. The Mountaine of Gothardus is now called the high Alpes, after which the Penine Alpes doe follow: neere to the Salassians there are the Co•tian Alpes and the Mountaine St••ius. Also the greater and lessers Mountaines of S. •ernard. The Grae•ian Alpes belong to the Lepontians: the Mountaine Adulas which the Germanes call the Mountaine der Vegel, toucheth the Misacians. The Iulian Alpes, and the Mountaine Permurna are in the Engadinians Countrie. From hence are the Mountaines Val•rius and Brantius, neere the Vendanians: Rhetico is a Mountaine among the Rhucantians. The Mountaine Iurassus hangeth over the Lake Ieman. The Mountaines call'd Abnobae are in the confines of the Tulingians. And these are the most famous Mountaines of this Countrie. But we will speake more largely concerning the Alpes in the description of Italie. There are innumerable Woods, which are but parts of the Wood Hiercynia, which beginneth here, although they are called by severall names as the Brigantine Wood, the Wood Ryhnwalde, Bonwald•, and others. The Helvetian Commonwealth is a mixt government of the Nobles and the people. For some of these People, of whom the whole Citie doth consist, doe use a Democraticall government, where all things are managed by the councell of the Commons, as in those Cantons which have no Townes, as the Uranians, the Suitians, the •uderwaldians, the Glarovensians, and the Abbatiscellanians: and in the same manner are the Tuginians, although they have a Towne; the other Cantons are govern'd by the Nobles, as all the other Cities of Helvetia, as Tigurum, Berna, Lucerna, &c. But seeing the people have the chiefe power, and doe chuse the Magistrates, these Commonwealths are mixt, and some parts are more Aristocraticall, and some parts more popular.