Mediolanum

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator. THe Dukedome of Mediolanum is 300. miles in compasse. The soyle is very fertile and fruitfull. Livie, Florus, and Polybius, doe report that this Country, with the most of the Transpadane Citties did yeeld themselves to the power of the Romanes, and became a Province, Marcellus and Cn. Scipio being Consuls. And it is manifest that some of the latter Emperours, allured by the conveniency of the place, did make this Citty their seate of Residence, as Nerva, Trajane, Hadri•n, Maximinian, Philip, Constantine, Constantius, Iovianus, Valentes, Valentinian, and Theodosius. Trajane built a Palace here, which still retaineth that name. But when the power of the Caesars grew weake, this Citty was wasted and spoyled by the incursions and inrodes of the Barbarians: as the Gothes, Hunnes, and Langbards. Whom when Charles the great had droven out of Italy, this Country did put it safe under the protection of the Kings of France, & afterward of the Germane Em••rours. The most of which were yeerely crowned here with an Iron Crowne, in the ancient and famous Church of Saint Ambrose, as Le•nder proveth by severall examples. At length under the raigne of the Emperours Frederick the first, and the second, against whom it continually rebelled, it had new Lords, which were the Vicounts Ga••at••, who afterward in the yeere 1394. were created Dukes by the Emperour Wenceslaus. Afterward they had the Dukes of Sfortia, by the suffrage and consent of the Citizens, and by the authority of the Romane Empire: which the Galeatians could never obtaine. But their Line being extinguished, the Emperour Charles the fifth was their Successor, who passed over this Principallity to the Kings of Spaine his Successours. The chiefe Citty is called by all Latine Writers Mediolanum: Polybius, Strabo, Ptolemy, doe call it Mediolanium, and Mediolana, the Italians doe now call it Milano, the Germanes Mey-landt. Mediolanum was built by the French Insubrians, as Livy, Trogus, and others doe report; who comming into Italie under the conduct of their Captaine Bellovesus, and having expulsed the Tuscians, they founded a Citty here: in the yeere, as some doe reckon, before the birth of Christ 339. and as others recken, 380. Howsoever it is most ancient. Isaac Causabone. Lib. 4. and Strabo doe thinke that it was so named from Mediolanium a Citty of the Santones in France. Some say that it is derived from a Germane word, as it were May-landt, from the greene fields, which are as fresh and pleasant as the fields are in the Moneth of May: or else it is called Midlandt, because it is the middle and Navell, as Iovius sheweth of Insubrit, being enclosed with the River Ticinus: or lastly, it is called Maegde-landt, or Meydel-landt, that is the Virgin Country, from Minerva who had a Temple there, which was heretofore consecrate to our Saviour, afterward to the blessed Virgin, and now to Saint Tecla. Mediolanum is situate betweene Ticinus and Abdua, not farre from the Alpes: having a temperate ayre and climate. It is thought to be one of the greatest Citties of Europe, and it flourisheth for wealth and merchandizing: it hath faire buildings, great Churches, and wide large streets: and it is well fortified with Walls, Bulwarks, and an Armory, which doe take up a great space of ground. It hath large Suburbs, some of which may compare with great Citties, being ditched and walled about as the Citty is next to the Church which is call Domus, being fairely and magnificently built, there is Saint Laurences great Church, which was built upon the ruines of Hercules Temple. There are also in it seven high channelled Pillars curiously wrought. There is also the strongest Castle which is in this part of the world, and it is called Porta Iovia, it is impregnable, and the fairest in all Europe. There is in the Suburbs an Hospitall for Strangers, or for the sicke, by the way of Bernomatius, the foundation whereof containeth many Acres, it was begun by the Sfortians, but is not yet finished. Also there is the Church of S. Gothard, in which are the Tombes, and Sepulchres of many noble Vicounts. There are many ancient Inscriptions in the Citties, and many other Monuments of Antiquity. It hath an ancient University, where it is thought that Virgil studied. And Leander writeth that it hath a famous Library. There are so many diversities of Tradesmen, that it is a common Proverb. Che chivolesse rassettare Italia, siruma Milano, which is to say, Mediolanum scilicet destruendo, Italiam instrui posse. That is, if Millan were destroyed all Italie might be furnished with all kinde of Tradesmen and Artificers. It is said that the King of Spaine receiveth yeerely from hence 80. thousand crownes. The ridding and determining of civill and criminall causes belongeth to the Senate of Millan, in which there are 16. Doctors, and some Prelates and Patritians of Millan. Millan is an Archbishoprick, the Archbishoprick whereof hath these Suffragans under him, Bergomensis, Brixiensis, of •remona, Landensis, Novaria, Vercellensis, Ipporegtensis, Vigleviensis, Astensis, Aquensis, Albensis, Terdonensis, Saonensis, Albingaunensis, Vintimeliensis, Placentinum, Papiensis, and Ferrara are exempted.