Brabant

Sources from old books

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

THE DVKEDOME OF BRABANT. (Book Brabant) BRabant for the most part doth containe the Countrie of the Advatians, Ambivaritians, and Tungrians:* 1.1 but it is uncertaine at what time this Country was called Brabant, some deriving it from Brennus a Frenchman; some from a Cittie of that name, of which there is no mention neither in the Country nor in histories: some derive it from Bratuspandium a towne of the Bellovacians, which Caesar mentioneth Lib. 2. Some doe mention a Captaine called Salvius Brabon, an Arcadian, who came with Caesar into the Low Countries, whose wife Suana was Caesars Nephew. Some also thinke that it was called Barbantia, from Gotefridus Barbatus Earle of Lovaine, and afterward Brabant. I had this name of late, which is manifest, but the originall thereof is unknowne. The length of Brabant from Gemblours,* 1.2 even to the holy Mountaine of S. Gertrud, is about 22 miles. The breadth from Helmontium to Bergae, is 20 Miles. And the compasse of it is 80 miles. It hath on the North the River Mosa, which parteth Gelderland, from Holland. On the South Hannonia, the Countie of Namurcum, and the Leodiensian Bishopricke, which confineth on it on the East. On the West is the River Scaldis, with the countrie Alost.* 1.3 It hath a wholesome ayre, and a fertile soyle, abounding with all sorts of fruites, but yet the countrie of Kempen, is barren by reason of the sands; which part yet is not altogether unfruitfull. There are 26 Citties in this Dukedome. As Lovanium, or Loven, which is an auncient Cittie, and the first seate of the Grudians, in which the Duke doth binde himselfe by taking the Sacrament. It is a pleasant Cittie, and now somewhat enlarged, the compasse of it within the walls is foure miles. It is watered with the River Dela. Brussells is a faire great Cittie, fortified with a double wall, and situate in a fertile soile, abounding with all things. It is a wonderfull thing that this Citty could yeeld plentie of provision to serve the Dukes Court, the strangers, and forreine Princes which lay there with their whole trayne. There is also Antwerpe which they commonly call Antwerpen, the French call it Anvers, the Italians Anversa, the Germaines Antorff. Peter Appian thinketh that it is the same with that which Ptolemie and Caesar, doe call Atuacutum. It is supposed that this Cittie was so called from the casting forth of hands. For a certaine Giant called Druo who dwelt in these parts before C. Caesars comming, when any travellers came by, if they did not pay him the halfe of their commodities, he caus'd their right hands to be cut off, and to be cast into the River: which appeareth by the armes of this Cittie, and certaine great bones of this Giant Druo, which are kept untill this day; some say he was called Antigonus. But these things are fabulous. But it is more likely that the inhabitants called it so from the heape or rifing of Earth neere Scaldis, which the Lowcountrimen doe call Antwerpen; for by making banckes on both sides they straitned the River, and made the channell deeper. It is situate by the deepest part of the River, under the 26 degrees of Longitude, and 42 minuts. And 51 of Latitude and fiftie eight minutes. It is 4 miles distant from the Sea, and as many from Mechlin, 7 miles from Lovaine: 10 miles from Gandavum, 15 miles from Bruges, 8 miles from Brussells, threescore miles from London: 29 from the Agrippine Colonie, 60 miles from Franckford. It was thrice walled. First with a narrower wall, Anno 1221: afterward with a larger wall Anno 1314, which yeare there was a great famine, and the next a great pestilence. Lastly, the suburbs were enlarged toward the North, Anno 1543. The compasse of it without the walls is 4 miles, and eight hundred and twelve paces. There are eight ditches which are brought into the Cittie out of the River, and are able to receive many great shippes. It is a great Cittie for traffique. Guicciardine giveth an estimate, that the yeerely trading in this Cittie doth amount to above twelve thousand Crownes, which was lesse than it came to when the Cittie of Antwerpe flourished. And therefore Iulius Scaliger doth worthily praise it thus:

Oppida quot spectant oculo me torvasinistro,Tot nos invidiae pallida tela petunt.Lugdunum omnigenum est, operosa Lutetia, RomaIngens, ro• Venetum vasta, Tolosa potens.Omnimodae merces, artes priscae{que} novae{que},Quorum insunt alijs singula, cuncta mihi. Looke how many Townes doe lye on our left side,Even by so many Townes we are envide.Leyden and Paris painefull are, Rome great,Venice is rich, Tolouse in power compleate.All wares, and strange inventions that there be,In severall Citties, are all found in me.

There are two and forty religious houses in Antwerp, also Churches, Monasteries, and Hospitalls. The chiefe Cathedrall Church is dedicated to the blessed Virgin Marie. It is a faire and sumptuous worke, and hath a famous Tower steeple, which is all built of free stone curiously carved, and is foure hundred and twenty Antwerp feete, that is, two hundred Florentine Ells in height, so that it is very beautifull to behold, and yeeldeth a faire prospect: for from it you may behold not onely all the Cittie, and the pleasant fields and gardens lying round about it, but also you may cleerely discerne some Citties that are afarre off, as Mechlin, Bruxells, Lovaine, Gandavum, and moreover you may see to the end of the River, and discover the Sea, and the Zeland Islands. In this Tower there are threescore and eight Bells, some greater some lesser, some of which like musicall Instruments will yeeld an harmonious sound of foure or five parts. The greatest of them, which is of a wonderfull great weight, was named by the Emperour Charles the fifth, which is not rung but upon some extraordinary occasion. There are foure and twenty Cannons bebelonging to that Church, over whom there is a Deane, and a Bishop, who was first instituted in the yeare 1567. This Church is kept very bravely, & the revenues belonging to it are great, and the Priviledges & immunities belonging to the Priests. Buscoducum or Silva Ducis, which is called in Dutch's Hertogenbosch, and in French Bolduc, is so called from the Woods: it is a faire pleasant Cittie, strongly fortified, being seated by the River Disa, being a mile from Mosa, and twelve from Antwerpe. And these are the foure chiefe Citties, the first three whereof together with Nivella, doe make the Marquiship of the sacred Empire. Some reckon Mechlin to be in Brabant, yet indeede it is parted from it, being a faire, and neate Cittie: having an Archbishopricke, and a faire Councell, unto which the last appeale in Belgia, may be made. Moreover there are these Citties in Brabant, Tra•ectum neere Mosa, commonly called Maestricht, Lira, Vilvord•, Gemblacum, or Gemblours, Ioudoigne, Hannut, Landen, Halen, Le••wen, Schienen, Herentals, Eindoven, Helmont, Grave. There are also many free Townes unwalled, as Oostenrije, Oorschot, Turnhout, Duffel, Waelem, Merchtem, Asche, Vveren, Duisburch, Hulpen, Waure, Breine, Genape, Ghecle, Arendone, Dormal and Isca. There are also 700 Villages. There are refered to Brabant the Lordship of Ravestein, the Dukedome of Limburg, with the Lordship of Dale and Vacklenburg. The Lakes and Rivers are very commodious and profitable to Brabant. The chiefe Rivers are Mosa and Scaldis, and there are also other lesser Rivers. This Country hath many Woods, the chiefe whereof are five, Somensis, Saventerloo, Grootenhout, Grootenheist and Meerdal. Heere are many publicke workes both sacred and prophane. The chiefe whereof is the Church at Lovaine, consecrated to Saint Peter, being very faire and sumptuous. The Churches at Bruxells are very sumptuous, being beautified with faire and rich ornaments. Also Antwerpe, hath many Churches, of which S. Maries Church is the fairest and largest. I passe by other Churches, which are innumerable in other places. There are also many prophane workes: as Pallaces, noblemens houses, Castells, Towers, and the like. Moreover the Politicke state of Brabant hath three members: the Clergie, which are the Abbots, Afflighemensis, Grimbergensis, Tongerloo, Grunendalensis, of S. Gertrud at Lovaine, of Saint Bernard, of Vileer, of Dielegem, Parckensis neere Lovanium, Vlierlikensis neere Lovanium. The great Prior of the order of S. Augustine in Leeuwee, the Prior of Gemblours. The Nobles, which are, the Abbot of Gemblacum an Earle, the Duke Arscotensis, the Marquesse of Bergen neere the little River Some: The Barons, Diestensis, of Braeda, Boxtelensis, Gaesbeeckensis, of Wesemacl,, Petersem, Perweys, Hoochstratensis now an Earle, of Renes: the Lords Aschensis, Merchtensis, Vuerne, Gheel, Lummen, Thurnout, Oosterwi•e, S. Oedenroy, Walem, Duffel. The foure principall Citties are Lovaine, Bruxells, Antwerpe, Buscoducum. Concerning the state Ecclesiasticke it is partly under the Leodiensian Bishop, and partly under the Camaracensian Bishop: the Leodiensian keepeth his Ecclesiasticall Court at Lovaine. The Camaracensian at Bruxells: Lovaine hath a famous Academie or Vniuersitie: of which wee will speake more largely in the generall description of the Low Countries. The Babanters, are merry, jesting, and full of comicall conceits, as Lemnius witnesseth. Besides Brabant, there are conteined in this Table, the Dukedome of Iuliacum and Cliveland. The Politicke state whereof we will describe out of Mercator. The politicke state of Iuliacum doth consist likewise of three members, which are the Clergie, as namely the Abbots, the Colledges and Monasteries: the Nobilitie, the Cittizens. There are 24 Lordships in this Countrie Caster, Brugge, Born, Boisseler, Euskirchen, Munstereyfell, Moniou, Eschwiler, Grevenbroich, Wassinberg, Geilenkirchen, Hensbergh, Durem, Thonberg, Berchem, Heimbach, Wilhemstein, Gladbach, Millen, Rangenrayd, Norvenich, the Counties of Nuenar, Iuliacum, and Nideken. In like manner Cliveland doth conteine three orders, the Clergie, the Nobility, and the Citties. But the governour of the Province of Cleveland hath these eight Cittties under him. Cliva the Metropolis, Calcaria, Sonsbeke, where he hath his residence, also Santen, Buric, Vdem, Griet, Griethusen. Here are 14 Lordships, Cranenburg, Duffel, Gennep, Goch, Orsoy, Huessen, neere Arnhem, Lymers, Emmeric, Hetter, Aspel, Ringenburg, Bisselic, Dinslaken, in which are five Citties, Dinslaken, Wesel, Duysburg, Schermbeke, Holte. The Lordship of Ravesteyn is joyned and annexed to the Court of Cliveland.