Namur

Sources from old books

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

THE COVNTIE OF NAMVRCIVM. (Book Namuricium)

POntus Huterus Lib. 2. cap. 3. concerning Belgia, writeth that the Countie of Namurcium was heretofore inhabited partly by the Advaticans, and partly by the Eburonians. It is situate betweene Brabant, Hannonia, and the Dioecesse of Leodium: being a small mountainous Territory, but very pleasant. It is populous in inhabitants who are very much addicted to warfare: it hath a sweete and temperate ayre, and rivers full of fish, the chiefe whereof are Mosa and Sambra: it hath also cleare Springs, and woods for delight of hunting, which are full of wilde beasts. It hath also Mines of Iron and Lead, and stone Quarries, in which divers kinds of Stones are cut forth, and especially blacke marble, and stones like Iasper: and of late they digged forth those stones which are good to burne, which assoone as they have taken fire doe kindle by degrees, and are quenched with oyle, but water makes them burne more hotter; they are commonly called Leodian coales, the learned doe call them Lithanthracus. It is not manifest, when this Country was made a Countie. We reade of Marquesses and Earles, of Namurcium, from the yeare of Christ 277, but in broken and interrupted succession; but concerning the Princes of this Country, Gram•aius, well best informe us in his history of Namurcium. Namurcium is 10 miles broad, and 12 miles long. There are foure walled Citties in this Countie, and 182 Villages. And many Noblemens Castells. Also many Abbeys. The government of the Common-wealth belongeth to three orders, namely the Clergie, the Nobility; and the Burgesses of Citties. Namurcum, or Namucum, is the chiefe Cittie, but it is not knowne from whence the name thereof is derived, some derive Namurcum from Nanus a Heathen god, famous for delivering of Oracles; others from a new wall which the Normanes built. Huterus supposeth it to be that which Caesar calleth Nemetoenna. This Citty is situated betweene two Mountaines, on the left hand banke of Mosa, where it receiveth the River Sambra; being fortified both by Art and Nature. It is rich, and hath many faire, publicke, and private aedifices and buildings. In this Citty there is a royall Counsell, from whence appeales are brought to the high Court at Mechlin. It is also a Bishops seate, whose Cathedrall Church is consecrated to S. Albine. The Cittizens speake French, but corruptly: there are a few Merchants and Tradesmen in this Citty, but a great company of Nobles. Three miles from Namurcum there is the rich towne Audennas, in which there is an auncient Nunnery of Noble women, built by Begga the daughter of Pipin, from whom they were first called Baggine Vestalls. Also betweene Namurcum and Dinantum on the mountaine Palvagius, there are some ruines of the auncient Cittie Caprimont, which was wasted in the Leodiensian warres. Foure miles from Namurcum is Bovinae, a little Towne by the River Mosella, which the Earle Henry walled anno 11•6. In the yeare 1554, in the time of the French warre it was razed downe to ground. But afterward the Cittizens did reëdifie it. Walcuria, which the Dutchmen call Waelhovan is situated 7 miles from Namurcum, on the banck of the river Aurca, it was first a Castell, and afterward about the yeare 910 it was walled about. Carlomont was built by Charles the fifth▪ Anno 1555 against the Frenchmen, who then possessed Marieburg, it hath an impregnable Castell, it is situated on the left hand bancke of the River Mosa, three miles from Marieburg.

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

The Earldom of NAMUR, Namurensis Comitatus.

THIS County is bounded on the North by Brabant, on the West by Hainault, on the South by part of Hainault and of Luxemburg, and on the East by part of Luxemburg and the Bishoprick of Liege. It is extended from West to East for the space of about 30 miles, and from North to South about 24 miles. There are found in it divers Mines of Iron and Lead, also many Quarries of Marble, and a sort of Stone call'd House, that serves for Fuel. In this Province are reckon'd up 6 or 7 considerable Towns, together with 180 Burghs or Villages, and some fair Abbies, viz.

Belonging to the French.

• Namur, Bish. Cap.
• ...Charlemont.
• ...Bouvines.
• ...Walcourt.
• ...Florennes.
• ...Charleroy.

Belonging to the Spaniards.

• ...Tille-chateau.
• Bonef, Ab.
• ...Mal-Roy.

NAMƲR, Namurcum, the Capital City of the Province of the same name, is seated at the confluence of the Sambre and the Maes, between 2 small Hills, at the distance of 24 miles from Louvain to the South, 30 from Bruxels to the South-east, 30 above Liege to the West, 18 from Huy, and 35 from Mons to the East. Pope Paul IV. establish'd therein an Episcopal See under the Metropolitan of Cambray, and the Church of S. Albin, was erected into a Cathedral in the year 1569. The Town is beautified with many other stately Churches, Monasteries and publick Edifices built of Stone. The greatest part of the City lies on the North side the Sambre, and therein stands the Town-house, the Market-place and several Churches, but the chief Parochial Church stands on the other side, as doth the Castle: A fair Stone Bridge over the Sambre joins these 2 parts, and from the latter is a Bridge also of Stone over the Maes. The Fortifications are very strong, having besides the Wall and Ditches, Ravelins and Counterscarps, well built and contriv'd according to the modern manner; notwithstanding which the French took it on the 3d of July, 1692.

Bouvines or Bovignes, Bovinae, Boviniacum aut Bovinium, is situated on the West-side of the Maes below Dinant, and 10 miles beyond Namur to the South. This little Town was encompass'd with Walls in the year 1173. by the Order of Henry, sirnam'd the Blind, Earl of Namur, being a Pass between Luxemburg and Namur; it suffer'd much by the Wars at several times, and was finally taken by the French in 1676. without making the least Resistance.

Charlemont, Carolomontium, stands on the top of an high Hill, the foot whereof is water'd by the River Maes, being distant 18 miles from Namur to the South. It is a strong place, and was fortified with divers regular Works, A. D. 1555. by the Emperor Charles V. to whom it was granted by a certain Bishop of Liege, and united to the Earldom of Namur.

Walcourt or Valencourt, standing 20 miles South-west from Namur, is a small Town, and not considerable, except for the Battle fought near it in the year, 1689, between the French and Confederate Armies.

Charleroy, Carolo-Regium, a strong Fortress, is seated on an Hill near the Sambre on the Frontiers of Hainault, almost in the midst between Namur and Mons, at the distance of 14 miles from the first, and 20 from the latter; as also 24 from Bruxels to the South. The Town was built A. D. 1666. near a small Village named Charnoy, by the Marquiss of Castel-Rodrigo on purpose to hinder the Inrodes of the French Garrisons betwixt the Sambre and the Maes, and was call'd Charleroy in honour of Charles II. the present King of Spain: However, it was taken by them in the Year ensuing, and resign'd to their King Lewis XIV. by the Treaty of Aix la Chapelle, on the 2d day of May, 1688. after which they employ'd great Diligence and Cost in repairing the Fortifications and adding new ones, whereby they made it exceeding strong, but were however oblig'd to restore it to the King of Spain at the Conclusion of the Peace of Nimeguen; but now again since this War they besieg'd it with a very numerous Army, and after 27 days Resistance the Garrison was fain to surrender on the 1st of October; 1693.