Lavoro

Sources from old books

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

THis Contry is now called Terra Laboris, or Terra di Lavoro, that is the Land of labour. It was heretofore called Campania. The bounds thereof, as we may see in Strabo, Ptolemy, and others, are on the west the River Lirus and Latium: on the North the Samnitian Mountaines: on the East the River Silarus, which parteth it from Lucania, and a part of the Samnitians Country: on the South the Tyrrhene Sea. Truely Campania is Campus, or a Field, into which nature hath powred forth of her owne bosome, all the delights, pleasures, and delicacies, which any place can affoord. So that it may bee rightly called the Paradise of Italy, for fertility and fruitfulnesse. Divers people did heretofore governe this Country, which Strabo mentioneth Lib. 5. and Pliny Lib. 3. Cap. 5. as namely, the Opicians, Ausonians, Oscians, Cumanians, Tuscians, and Samnites, whom the Romanes last of all subdued. So much briefely in generall concerning Campania, now I come to a more particular description thereof, and first of the Citties. The Metropolis or mother Citty of Campania and the Kingdome of Naples is called in Coynes Neapolis or Naples. Which name it still retaineth, and is commonly called Neapolis. It taketh up a great space of ground being magnificently built betweene the Sea and the foote of the pleasant Hills: being fortified with Bulwarks, Townes, and Castles, by Charles the fifth, so that it is now impregnable. It hath Ditches, which are 80. feete deepe, 8. Gates, and spacious Market-places. There are great store of common Condiutes, out of which the water is conveied thorow an hundred Pipes. The figure of it is long, and it bendeth like an halfe Moone. The compasse of it heretofore was 3. miles, but now the Territories thereof being enlarged, it is 5. miles about. It hath a gentle pleasant ayre, and scarce any Winter. This Citty hath many faire Churches, and private Buildings, and a strong impregnable Castle, with an University which was instituted by the Emperour Frederick the second, unto which Students do come out of all parts of the Kingdome. There are also some Libraries, the chiefe whereof is S. Dominicks Library. The Country round about it and the neighbouring Hills are pleasant and delightfull, and doe yeeld good store of Corne, Wine, divers Fruits, Hearbes, Flowers, and all delicacies, both for necessity and pleasure. I omit many things concerning this Citty for brevity sake. There are also other Citties, as the old and new Capua, the ancient is knowne to all Latine Writers, and the beauty, fairenesse, and magnificence thereof is praised by all men. Great ruines thereof may be yet seene a mile from new Capua, neere S. Maries Church. New Capua was built out of the ruines of the old, which standeth now on the left banke of Vulturnus, 22. miles from the Sea, on a plaine well inhabited, but not much frequented: it hath straite streets paved with stone and high buildings, on the East and North the River Vulturnus doth water it, and from thence it runneth Westward. There is a faire stone bridge over the River. There is also Teanum surnamed Sidicinum, it is called in Italian Theano, and it is a Bishoprick. There is also the Towne Calvus which is a Bishoprick: Virgil calleth it Cales. Strabo and Ptolemy, and other Grecians Cuma. But now it is fallen downe, and buried in ruines, yet the foundations of some faire buildings may be discerned. There are also Aversa, Casert, a Nola, Summa, Puteoli, and other lesser Townes. The chiefe Lakes of Campania are the Lucrenian, and Avernian. There are also in Campania the Lakes Linterna, Popeja, and Statina. The Rivers are Lirus which receiveth on the right hand Fibernum, Cosa, Alabrum, Trerus, and others. On the left hand Casinus, Melfa, and Omnes. The next to Lirus is Vulturnus, which receiveth many Rivers and Torrents, among the rest, on the right hand it receiveth Cusanum, and Correctam, on the left hand Freddus, Pratellus, Sabbatus, Isclerus, and others. Also Glanis, Sebetus, Linternus, Sarnus, Furor, Ebolis, Silarus. The Mountaines that belong to this Country, are Gaurus, Massicus, Falernus, and others, as Vesuvius, Pausilypus, Misenus, Culma, Christs Mountaine, Taburnus, Tifata, Planus, Astrunus, and Trifolinus. Moreover in the Kingdome of Naples there are these Principalities and Dominions. Namely 10. Principalities, as Ascolt, Besignano, Evoli, Melfi, Mefetta, Monchercole, Squilaci, Sligliano, Sulmona, Verosa, And 23. Dukedomes, namely, Andri, Amalphi, Ariano, Asu, Boyano, Castrovillari, Gravina, Martina, Montalto, Monteliano, Nardo, Nocera, Popoli, Rocca di Mondragone, S. Petro in Galatina, Seminara, Sessa, Somma, Sora, •agliacozzo, Termoli, Terra Nova, Trajetto. There are 30. Marquiships, 54. Counsellors of State, 11. Lords, 403. Titular Barons. The Archbishops and their Suffragans in this Table are taken out of the Romane Province. In Aprucina and Marcicana, there are these Bishops, Aquilensis, Forcanensis, Marsicanus, Valvensis, or Sulmonensis: Theatinus, Adriensis, Pennensis, Aprutinus, or Teranus. The Archbishop of Beneventum under whom are these Suffragans, Telesinensis, Agatha, Alphiensis, or Alepharensis; Mons Marani, Avellinensis, Vicanensis, Arianensis, Bojanensis, or Rojanensis, Asculanensis, Nucerinus, Tertibulensis, Traconensis, Vulturanensis, Alarinensis, Ferentinensis, or Florentinensis, Civitacensis, Termelensis, Lesinensis, Frequentinensis, Triventinensis, Biminensis, Vadiensis, or Gadiensis, Musanensis, S· Mariae. The Archbishop of Naples, under whom are Nolanus, Puteolanus, Cumacensis, Acerranus, Iscalanus. The Archbishop of Capua, under whom are Theanensis, Calvensis, Calmensis, Suessanus, Venefranus, Aquitanensis, or Aquinatensis, Iserniensis, Casertanensis. The Archbishop Amalfitanus, under whom are Capri•ane•sis, Scalensis, or Camensis, Minorensis, Siteranensis. The Archbishop of Salerne, under whom are Aquensis, Palicastrensis, Nusautanensis, or Nuscanensis, Sarnensis, Acervensis, or Acernensis, Maricensis. The Archbishop of Su•rentine, under whom are Lobrensis, Serpensis, Aquensis, or Equensis, or Vtanus, Castellimaris, or Stabiensis. And let so much suffice concerning this part of the Kingdome of Naples, I passe to the other part.