Artois

Sources from old books

1685. Geographia universalis: the present state of the whole world by Pierre Duval.

Artois, now reunited to the Crown of France, from which, the French say, it was dismembred, is a Province extraordinary fertile in Corn. Arras, its Metropolis, is compos'd of a high and low Town, both well fortified. Hesdin is a regular Hexagone, and its River has been lately rendred Navigable, as far as Montreuil. Bapaume is an advantagious situation. Lens is known for the Victory of the French, in the Year 1648. Bethune for its good Cheeses; Terouenne for its Ruins. St. Omar is environ'd with Marshes, where are floating Islands. Aire is important for the Navigation of the Lys.

1695. Thesaurus geographicus a new body of geography by Abel Swall and Tim. Child.

CHAP. I. The County or Province of ARTOIS, Artesia, Arthesia, or Adartesia.

THE Province of Artois is bounded on the North by that of Flanders, on the South by Picardy, on the East by the Territories of Cambresis, and on the West by those of Boulen, extending it self from North-west to South-east about 60 miles, and 23 from East to West. This is the Country of those ancient People call'd Atrebates by Caesar, and is at present entirely subject to the French: Wi•hin its Limits are 850 Towns and 9 Castellanies, together with a great number of rich Abbeys and Monasteries. It bringeth forth much Corn, abounds in Pastures, and is watered with divers Rivers; the chief whereof are the Lys, the Scarp and the Aa. A•tois was at first subdued by the Romans, and then by the French, under the second Race of whose Monarchs it obtained certain particular Governours or Earls, who in process of time render'd themselves proprietary Lords thereof; until, at length, after divers Revolutions, the French made an absolute Conquest of this Province, to whom it was granted by the 35 Article of the Pyrenean Treaty of Peace, A. D. 1659.

The most considerable Towns, Villages, &c. are these, viz.
Arras, Bish.	Aire, Pr.
S. Omer, Bish.	Therouane, ru•n'd.
Bapaume.	Lens.
Hesdin,	Avesne le Comte.
Bethume,	S. Paul.
S. Venant.	Mont S. Elo•, Ab.

ARRAS, Atr•batum aut Nemetocerna, & Nemetacum, is situated on the River Scarpe, at the distance of 30 miles from Amiens to the N. and 30 from Tournay to the S. W. 47 from Dunkirk to the S. and 18 from Cambray to the W. It is a very ancient and large City, defended by a strong Castle, and very good Bulwarks, Trenches and other Fortifications. It is divided into two Parts, called the City and the Town, separated formerly by a Wall. The former is the smaller, but b•st built; in it stands the Cathedral (a beautiful Building, dedicated to the Virgin Mary) wherein are kept some famous Relicks, particularly a Candle pretended to be dropt down from Heaven, and some Manna showred down on S. Jerome. The Town hath fair broad Streets, a spacious Market-place and stately Churches; and is inhabited by wealthy Traders and Artificers, who make Sayes and Tapestry Hangings, especially the latter, which Art was invented here, and therefore take their Name from this City. Arras is the See of a Bishop, Suffragan to the Metropolitan of Cambray, who is accounted Lord of the City, as the Secular Prince is of the Town. It was taken by the French Troops under the Command of the Marshal• de Chaune, Chatillon and la Melleraye, on the 1•th day of August, A. D. 1640. and hath ever since remain'd in their Possession. The Spaniards, to r•gain so important a Place, laid Siege to it, but were repulsed with great Loss, on the 25th day of Aug. A. 16•4.

S. Omer, Fanum S. Audomari, au• Audomaropolis, stands on the River Aa, in the C••••ry of the ancient Morini, and is also an Episcopal See; the Bishop whereof hath been a Suffragan to the Archbishop of Cambray ever since the year, 1559. when it succeeded the demolish'd City of Ter•uanne in thi• Dignity, from the Ruins of which it is distant 3 •eagues to the Nor•h, 20 miles from Boulen to the East, 20 from Dunkirk to the South, and 32 from Arras to the North-west. S. Omer, Bishop of Ter•uanne, sounded a Monastery here, A. C. 660. whither People resorting, Buildings round it were erected, which in time increased to a good Town: And A. 8•0. Tonques, Abbot of S. Bertin began to inclose it with Walls, whi•h were afterward finish'd by Baldwin II. surnam'd the Bald, Earl of Flanders, in 902. Not far from he•ce is to be seen a large Lake, in which there are divers floating Islands, which are remov'd by P•l•• and Cords, and inhabited by certain Famil••s that never depart out of these Islands, and refuse to co•tract Alliance with any but those of their own Tribe; In one of these Islands stands a Monastery of the Order of S. Bernard, and a Church. S. Omers is large and the People rich, by means of their Trade. An English Seminary of Jesuits is establish'd h•re; from whence our Nation hath been infested w••h Disturbers of the publick Peace. This City is for••ed both by Nature and Art, as being environ'd on one Side with the River and Marshes, and on the other with an Hill or rising Ground, defended by a strong Castle, divers Bastions and very deep Trenches: However, the Duke of Orleans made himself Master thereof, after having defeated the Spanish Forces at the Battle of Cassal, on the 23d Day of April, A. D. 1677. And it was yielded up to the French King by the Peace concluded at Nimeguen in the Year ensuing.

Aire or Arien, Aira, is situate on the River Lys, 10 miles from S. Omer to the South-East, and about 24 from Arras to the Nor•h-West; and is a very strong well fortified Town, having, besides the Walls, Bastions, Half-Moons, H•rn-Works, Redoubts, Counterscarps and Ditches, a Morass which environs it on three sides, and on the side that is accessible, a Fortress call'd Fort S. James, which hath 5 Bastions, 2 Half-Moons, and a deep Trench. But notwithstanding its S•reng h, this Town was taken by the French in 1641. and quickly after retaken by the Spaniards: And in the year 1676 the French again took it, and have ever since poss•ssed it.

In the midway between S. Omer and Aire, are the Ruins of the once considerable City of Terouanne, which was fa•••s on account of the Siege thereof by our King Hen•y VIII. in Person, in the year, 1513. at which the Emperor Maximilian assisted, and wore the English ••dge (S. George's Cross) as a Soldier under King Henry. At this Siege the French attempting to put Provisions into the Town, were beaten by the English with great Slaughter, and by reason of the haste wherewith the French fled away 'twas call'd the Battle of Spurs; intimating, That those were the chief Weapons they used: Quickly after the City was taken, but dismantled and quitted. Which the French afterwards repairing, it was again taken by the Emperor Charles V. and utterly demolish'd, in the year 1553. and is at prefent a small Village only.

Bethune, Bethunia, a fortified Town, and the Capital of a County, stands on the River Briette, 12 miles from Aire to the East: An excellent sort of Cheese is made here, and sold into all the Neighbouring Countries. It is a Place of Trade, and hath two annual Fairs.

Bapaume, Bapalma, another small fortified Town, stands near the Confines of Picardy and Cambray, about 15 miles from Arras to the South-east.

Hesdin, on the River Canche, being incommodiously seated for Defence, was demolish'd by the Emperor Charles, and Hisdin-Fort built a little above upon the same River C•nche, where the •ernois falls into it; which was well fortified, and made one of the strongest Towns in these Countries: But was, however, taken by the French in 1639. It is situated near the Confines of Picardy, 20 miles South from Aire, and about 10 West from S. Paul.

S. Paul, Poliniacensis Pagus, a small Town, the Capital of a County, formerly subject to its own Lords, is seated near the Head of the small River Ternois, about 10 miles from Hesdin Fort to the East, 15 from Arras to the West, and as many from Aire to the South.