Wiflispurgergow

Sources from old books

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

VVIFLISPVRGERGOVV. (Book Wiflispurgergow) THERE followes in our Author the Aventian Canton• commonly called Wiflispurgergow. It is so named from the Towne Wiflispurg, which heretofore in •ulius Caesars time was the head Citie of Helvetia, and was called Aventi•um. The Countrie is contained within the bounds of abaudia, although it be subject to the Bernatians and Friburgensians, as also the Countrie seated over against it, and beyond the Lake of B•el or Neoburg. It is sufficiently stored with Wine and Corne. But in this Table the whole Cantons of Berne and Friburg are contained. In the former the chiefe Citie is Berna. It is not verie ancient, but if you consider the excellent Situation, the manners and civilitie, the Lawes and Statu•es, and the power and vertue thereof, it is not inferiour unto any Citie. Concerning the building whereof we reade thus. Berchtaldus Duke of Zert•gia the 4. of that name, built in his time 2. Friburgis, that is free Castells, namely one in Brisgoi•, and the other in Vchtlandia. And to the end that his subjects might dwell more safely in Vchtland, he purposed to build another Citie neere his Castle, which was called Nide•k, in a Peninsula which was called Saccus, which was at that time a Wood of Oakes. And upon a certaine time when the same Berchtoldus was Hunting, he said to his fellowes; we will call this Citie, which we purpose to build in this convenient place, after the name of that beast which we shall first meete and after take. And so it happened that they tooke a Beare, which the Germaines call Bern. And where (as we said) there grew many Oakes in that place, in which the Citie was to be builded, yet all the trees were cut downe to build houses: whence the workemen would commonly say when they cut downe the trees: Holtz lassdich hauwen gern: die stat muss he•ssen Bern: i. e▪ Arbores sinite ut secemini libenter: Quon••m Cevitas ista vocabitur Bern: that is, yee Trees suffer your selves to be cut downe willingly; Because this Citie shall be called Bern. This Citie is situated as it were in a Peninsula, which the navigable River Arola maketh. For on the South side of the Citie, this River floweth in a low place, from the West Eastward, and then winding back againe it runneth Westward, as far a as Cannon can shoote, which is the whole length of the Citie, so that the River is to the Citie as it were a ditch flowing with fresh water, but that on the West for the length of a Crosse-Bow shot, the foundation of the Citie joyneth to the Continent, which Isthmus if it were digged through, the Citie Bern would be an Iland. On the South and North it hath the water running beneath it for a prospect; on the East there is a gentle ascent unto the highest part of the Citie. The adjacent soile lying round about it ••••ry fruitfull, but hath no Wine, yet not farre of the Bernatians doe make very good Wine out of their owne Vineyards. There doe grow also Vines on one side of the Citie, but they are of no account, and doe yeeld but little Wine. But Berchtoldus the 4. the builder of this Citie yed, before he had finish'd it, leaving the perfecting of this worke to his sonne Berchtoldus the 5. and the last Duke of Zeringia. He had by his wife the daughter of the Earle of Kiburg two sonnes, whom the Nobles of the Country made away by poison, for this cause chiefely, because they supposed that Berchtoldus out of hatred and emulation towards them, had finished the building of the City, that so he might keep them under the yoke of servitude. Berna hath under it both Germane and French Prefectureships, among which is Lausanna an Episcopall City. It hath a strange situation, being seated on two opposite Hills, and a Vale lying betweene them. The Cathedrall Church, and the Canons houses doe stand on the North Hill, and from the Southerne Hil over against it, there is a great descent even to the Lake. The Court of Judgement is in the Vale. After the death of •harles Duke of Burgundie, Lausanna being redeemed by the Princes of S. •audia▪ the Citizens of Lausanna in the meane time did enter into great familiarity with the Bernatians, even to the yere one thousand five hundred 36 at what time Lausanna came to be under the Dominion of the Bernatians. But yet the Citizens do enjoy all their former Rights and Priviledges. There are 31. Germane Townes▪ 4. whereof belong to the City, which as many Standard-bearers of the City doe governe, and under their Colours all the Prefectureships doe march to Battell in the warres. Namely Haselis Vallis, Has•i: the Towne Onders•a or Vinderseu•en: Simmia Vallis superior: Simia vallis inferior; •rutingen, Sana, Aelen, Thun, Louppen, Signow, Drachselwald, the Vale of the River Emm, Sicon•swald, Burgdorff, B•ereneck, Landshu•t, Arberg, Nidow, E•lach, Bippium, Wangen, Arwargen, Arburg, Biberstein, Schen•kenbergh, Lentzburg. Also three free Townes in the Verbigenian Canton are subject to the Bermans: Zof fingen, Araw, and Bru•k: Also there are 9. Monasterie• endowed with Lands, 6. whereof are under a civill Jurisdiction. There are also 8. French Cantons and Townes, as Aventicum W•flispurg: Minnidunum, Mouilden: Yuerden, Morges, Novidunum, Ny••, Oron, Zilia with Vibiscum or Viv•y: also Mercator reckoneth up three Monasteries belonging to the Bernatians: which are M•rten, Schwartzenburg, Granson, Chalan or Cherlin, over which the Bernatians and Friburgians in their severall courses doe appoint and constitute Governours for 5. yeere, so that if the Governour be chosen out of one City, they may appeale to the other, which may examine and take account of their government. Friburg is a Towne of the Nicetonians situate in Vchtland by the River Sana, it was built by Berchtoldus the fourth, Duke of Zeringia some yeeres before Berne. For in the raigne of Lotharius, in the yeere 1527. William Earle of Vchtland dyed, as Nauclerus writeth, at what time the Emperour gave Vchtland to the Prince of Zeringia: who dying in the yeere 1552. his Sonne Berchtoldus Duke of Zeringia, the fifth of that name succeeded after him. He founded and built both the Friburgs, Brisgoia, and Vchtland, (as we said before) in the yeere after Christs birth 1252. and endowed them with large Priviledges. As also the succeeding Emperours did shew no lesse favour to both those Townes, than if they had beene Parts and Members of their Empire. Afterward in the yeere of our Lord 1218. Berchtoldus Duke of Zeringia dying, Friburg in Vchtland with all the priviledges thereof, came into the hands of the Earles of Kibu•g, in the yeere of Christ 1260. Eburhardus Earle of Hasburg, governed this City. He in the yeere 1270. sold his right to this City for a great summe of money to King Rudolphus. Hence Aeneas Sylvius calleth Fribu•g the noble House of Austria. At last the Inhabitants being wearied with these frequent changes, for a great summe of money bought their liberty of the House of Austria. So that it is now under the Jurisdiction of Helvetia. And on the wall of Friburg there is such an Epitaph found:

Dum, bis sexce•tis ter senis jungitur annus,In Friburg moritur, Berchtoldus Dux Alemannus. Unto sixe hundred and eighteeneIf thou doe adde a yeere,Then Berchtold Duke of AlmaineIn Friburg dyed here.

The Towne it selfe is wonderfully well seated, for part of it standeth on a Mountaine, and part of it in a Vale, and the River •an• doth flow about the Mountaine at the bottome of the Citie. The Iudgement Hall is situated on a high Rock, where there was formerly a Castle, from wh•ch in processe of time the Citie grew large, both above a•d beneath. Two opposite Mountaines doe beare the Walls, although on the Easterne Mountaine there are almost no houses, but Munition and fortifications. Wheresoever you goe in the Citie, you must either ascend or descend. The Country round about it bringeth for•h all things necessary, except Wine, of which they have none but that which is imported and brought in. And so much concerning the Cities of this tract, now we will adde something concerning the Civill government of these Cities. The manner of the Common wealth in these Cities, is the same with that which is in the Cities of Helvetia which are not divided into certaine Tribes, out of which the Magistrates are equally chosen. But in these Cities they cal the chiefe Magistrate and Head of the publike Counsell, Ein Schuldthessen. This Germane word is used in the Lawes of the Longobardians, and it is written Schuldahis, but the Etymologie of the word seemeth to be derived from Debito a debt, for so Schuld signifies, and from commanding, because the Schuldahis doth command the Debtors to satisfie his Creditors. This Schuldahis hath great authority and power in these Cities. Here are also two publike Counsels, the greater and the lesse. The greater Counsell of Berne and •igurum, is called the Counsell of two hundred men, although there are more than two hundred in it. But the lesser Counsell of Berne consisteth of sixe and twenty men. The manner of chusing the Senate at Berne is thus: The foure Standard-bearer of the City doe chuse out of the Citizens sixteene honest sufficient men to joyne with themselves: and those twenty men, together with the Consull doe chuse the greater Senate: and afterward also the lesse: But the Consuls who have the chiefe dignity, are chosen out of either Counsell by common Suffrages and voices. In like manner the greater Counsell at Friburg consisteth of two hundred men, and the lesse of foure and twenty. The lesser Senate doth looke to the affaires of the City, and doth heare the Subjects appeales, except it bee those Sabaudian Countries which were last taken in warre, but those matters which appertaine to the whole Common-wealth, and are of greatest moment, are referred to the two hundred men, or the greater Counsell. The Consul who is President in both Counsels, is chosen by the people. The Earles in this part are Nuenberg, Ni•dow, Arberg, and the Barony of Balm.