Ultrajectum

Sources from old books

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

THE BISHOPRICK OF VLTRAIECTVM. (Book Ultrajectum)

OLd Batavia was governed by Kings of their owne, but the royall line being extinct, it was divided into parts. The inhabitants of the River Isala, the Bishops of Vltrajectum, the Earles of Holland, and the Duke of Gelderland, did every one challenge a part to themselves. That part which belonged to the Bishop of Vltrajectum, was called the Bishopricke. The first Archbishop hereof was D. Willibrordus a Saxon-Brittaine, who came to these coasts about the yeare of our Lord 690, being sent into Friesland to convert Ratbodus and his subjects to the Christian faith: who stubbornly resisting his godly and pious purpose, he returned to Vltrajectum, where he brought the inhabitants to the Christian religion, and reëdified a Church built by Dagobert King of France. From thence he went to Rome, and was created Archbishop of Vltrajectum, by Pope Sergius: and after hee returned to Vltrajectum, he caused a Church to be built in honour of S. Martine Archbishop of Turone, and made it an Archbishopricke both for himselfe and his posteritie. After him there succeeded in the Archbishopricke Divus Bonifacius, who together with 52 more suffered Martirdome at Doccomum in Friesland. But in regard of the grievous Norman persecution, the Archbishopricke was translated to the Agrippine Colonie. But afterward it was restored by King Pipin, and his sonne Charles the Great, who did not onely dignifie the Cittie with the auncient honour of the Bishopricke, and gave the Bishop temporary power and meanes to defend himselfe against his enemies; which temporary power was so large, that it did almost containe all Batavia. Truely it is manifest that the Countrie of Trans-Isalana, and Groninga, were subject to this Bishopricke, even untill the yeare 1527, when Henry Bavarus, being much injur'd did commit himselfe to the Protection of the Emperour Charles the fifth; and that he might recover his Ecclesiasticall state, did passe over all his temporall power unto him: of which when hee had certified Margaret, who was Governesse of the Low Countries at that time, it was agreed that the Earle of Hoogstrat should come to Trajectum, on the 15 of November, where the Bishop of Vltrajectum, did willingly and freely resigne up to the Emperour Charles the fifth, as Duke of Brabant, and Earle of Holland, and also to his lawfull Posteritie, all his temporall state and jurisdiction in Vltrajectum and in Trans-Isalania: which being done, the Bishop did free his subjects from their oathe of alleagiance which they had taken a little before; but on this condition, that they should take the same oath to be faithfull subjects to the Emperour, and his lawfull heyres being Dukes of Brabant, and Earles of Holland; reserving to himselfe and his successor the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction, and revennewes onely, with the Bishops Pallace. Afterward the Citties and Countrie of Vltrajectum, were united with the other Provinces, and it was agreed, that the Countrie of Vltrajectum, should be so firmely united to Holland, that they should be afterward ruled by one Governour, and that the States of either Provinces, should be called together; and that it should be in the Praefects power to change yeerely the Magistrates of all the Citties in either Province. And also that those who had beene banished in Holland, should not be received into Vltrajectum. And that all Tenures should runne in these words: That they should hold in Fee of the County of Holland and Vltrajectum. But in the yere 1580. after the decease of Fredericke Bishop of Tautenburg, the States did assume unto themselves the governement of the Cittie of Vltrajectum, and afterward the Vltraject•nsians as confederates with the other States of the united Provinces, did acknowledge no other Lord but the States. These things being unfolded, let us come now to the Cittie. This countrie is encompassed on the North, West, and the South almost on every side with the Countie of Holland: on the East it is bounded with the Dukedome of Gelderland. It hath a good fertile soyle. Which as it is higher and dryer, so is it much more fit for tillage. Heere are five walled Citties, namely Vltrajectum, Batavadurum, Rhena, Amersford, and Montfort. Vltrajectum which is the Metropolis of the Province was so named, as Iunius Hadrian witnesseth, from the Romaine armies which lay by Rhene. For in that place where the Cittie now standeth, the five and thirtieth Legion was quartered, which was thus written by abbreviation, V. Trig. L•g. Stat. that is, the station or quarter of the five and thirtieth Legion: but those which were ignorant of the Latine tongue, reading those words together which should have beene divided, did pronounce it Vtriestat; for the middle letters Leg. were left out. Afterward this word Vtriestat was changed into Vtrecht. Neither is it a strange matter, seeing the Cittie Cantstat in Southland, did take his name from these words, Leg. Ant. Stat. that is, the Station of the Antonian Legion. It is thought also that it was called Antonia from Antoninus a Romaine Senator, who having left Rome, in regard of Neroes Tyrannie; came into those coasts and built this Cittie. And afterward the Wiltians did depopulate and waste it, and built there a faire Castell, which they called after their name Wiltenburg, which Castell Dagobert the sonne of Clotarius did take by force of armes, and having fortified it more strongly than it was before, called it Trajectum, because it is a passage for those that travell that way, and there is a certaine Toll payd there: Which appeareth by these verses which are to be seene in S. Martines Church:

Circumquaque fluens Hollandia gurgite Rheni,Cingitur, Oceani fluminibusque maris.

In qua cum muris urbs Antonina novellisTempore Neronis aedificata fuit.Hanc devastavit fera flammea gens, & ibidemCastrum Wiltorum conditur inde novum.Turribus excelsis quod adhuc plebs Abroditorum,Funditus evertens diruit usque solum.Hinc Trajectense castrum cum moenibus altisConditur a Francis Christicolis: sed idemVulgus Danorum confregit humo tenus, omnesCum Clero cives insimulense necans.Denique Baldricus Praesul nova moenia struxit,Quae modo subsistunt auxiliante Deo.Sic Hollandensi terrae veraciter omniTrajectum constat urbs capitalis adhuc.

Holland is compass'd in on every sideBy the Rhene, and by the Ocean Sea so wide.In which that Cittie which they Antonia callWas built in Neroes time with a new wall;Which a fierce Nation did with fire soone wast,And the Wiltian Castell was built there at lastWith high built Towers; which the AbroditanPeople did raze even to the ground againe.Then the Castell of Trajectum with a wall,The Frenchmen builded, who were Christians all.The Danes did cast it to the ground againe,When they the Clergie and Cittizens had slaine.At last the Bishop Baldricke did command,That new walls should be built, which yet doe stand.So that it seemes, that still Trajectum isHollands chiefe Cittie and Metropolis.

This Bishop Balderick, who (as these verss doe mention) walled this Cittie, was surnamed Clivensis, and Charles the Bald, King of France, and Emperour of Germany, gave him the Citties of Daventria, and Tiela, with all the Territories thereunto adjoyning, both for repairing the Cathedrall Church, and for his government in his Bishopricke. It appeareth that this Cittie was heretofore called Antonia, not onely by the aforesayd verses, but also by the testimony of divers writings, and by inscriptions upon coyne and auncient stones, and monuments found heretofore. Yet it is doubtfull whether this name were derived from Antoninus, the Romane Senator: for some do report that it was so called from Marcus Antonius, who was at that time Caesars embassador in France, who afterward together with Octavianus Augustus, and Marcus Lepidus, did assume unto themselves the whole government of the Romane Commonwealth. Lastly, others doe alleage, that it was so called from the Emperour Marcus Antoninus Pius, who did reëdifie it when it was decayed. Vltrajectum is situate by the old channell of Rhene, which River before that it broke into •••ca, did runne that way, and from thence did hasten onward to the Ocean. And now the inhabitants by trenches and ditches have brought the two Rivers, Wo•rda, and L•yda, unto the Cittie, that way which the River Rhene came heretofore. Moreover it is observeable, that this Cittie is so seated, that in one day you may goe on foote to which you please of fiftie Townes which stand round about it, being no farther distant from it than wee sayd before▪ as appeareth also by the Geographicall Table,) all of which before these troublesome times of warre, did belong to the King of Spaine. Moreover any one that setteth forth in the morning, from Vltrajectum, may walke softly to any of those sixe and twenty Citties aforesayd, and there refresh themselves and make merry, and at evening come home. This is a great Cittie, pleasant, and powerfull, having many stately publicke and private aedifices; it hath a faire strong Castell, built by the Emperour Charles the fifth, and called in their speech Vredenburch. The Churches thereof are very magnificent, and especially these five which belonged heretofore to so many auncient Colledges of Cannons: Namely our Saviours Church▪ S. Martines Church, S. Peters, S. Iohns, and S. Maries. But the sumptuous and faire Church of Saint Martine, doth exceede all the rest, which is a Bishops seate. The Bishop Adelboldus, caused this Church to be pulled downe, and afterward to be built up againe more fairely; it was reëdified in the yeare 1023, and twelve Bishops did consecrate it in the presence of the Emperour Henry the first, as these verses doe declare:

Tempore Francorum Dagoberti Regis in istoPraesenti fundo conditur ecce decens.Primitus Ecclesia Sancti Thomae, prope CastrumTrajectum, quam gens Frisica fregit atrox.Sed prior Antistes Dominus Clemens, ob honoremSancti Martini, post renovavit eamDesidis Henrici sub tempore Regis: at illamPraesul Adelboldus fregit, ab inde novamEcclesiam fundans, Henrici tempore primiCaesaris electi, quem duodena cohorsPontificum pariter benedixit: deni{que} PraesulHenricus caepit hanc renovare suamEcclesiam, Regis Gulielmi tempore, qvi tumHollandensis erat inlytus ecce Comes.

When Dagobert was King of France, they did soundSaint Thomas Church upon this present ground:Even by the Castell of Trajectum placed,But by the Friesland Nation it was raced.Then the reverend Praelate Clemens call'd by name,In honour of S. Martine built it up againe,Even in the time of Henries slothfull raigne.But Adelbolde puld it downe unto the ground

And afterward a new Church he did foundIn the first Henries time; which with great state,Twelve Bishops solemnely did consecrate.Lastly the Bishop Henery beganFor to reëdifie this Church againe,Even when King William this same land did guide,Who was then Earle of Holland too beside.

This Saint Maries Church is very faire and beautifull, and was built by the Emperour Fredericke, as a mulct and charge imposed on him by the Pope of Rome, for wasting the famous Cittie of Mediolanum, and destroying the Churches therein. It was strange that at the laying of the foundation of this Church, there was a quicksand found, on which they could not build, but that it would still sincke; at length they cast Oxe hides into it, which made the ground sollid and firme, so that they built this Church on it, in remembrance whereof these verses are extant in Vltrajectum:

Accipe Posteritas quod post tua secula narres; Taurinis Cutibus fundo solidata columna est.