Westphalia

Sources from old books

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

THE FIRST TABLE OF WESTPHALIA. (Book Westphalia) WEstphalia followes in our method, concerning the name whereof there are divers opinions. Some suppose it was so called from the goddesse Vesta, as it were Vestalia, be∣cause heretofore she was reverenced here:* 1.1 and so they would have the Westphalians to bee so called as it were Vestalians, for they say that those which dwell Eastward beyond the River Visurgis are called Oostvalian Saxones, from Oost the East∣winde, and Vadem which in the Saxon Language signifies a Coult, which they bore in their military ensignes, and Colours. But now that name is worne out, and it is generally called Saxonie. So the Westphalians, that dwell Eastward on this side Visurgis, are so cal∣led from the Westerne winde. Lastly, others suppose that the Westphalians were so denominated from Veldt that is a field, rather than from Valen. It hath on the East Visurgis, on the South the Mountaines of Hassia, which Ptolemie calls the Abnobij:* 1.2 on the West the River Rhene: on the North it looketh toward Friesland, Holland, Trajectum, and Trans-Isalana. The ayre is cold and sharpe,* 1.3 but wholesome. The Country is fruitfull, but hath more pasturage than corne. It hath divers kindes of fruites, as Apples, Nutts, and Akornes, with which Hogges are fatted.* 1.4 It is more fruitfull about Susatum and Hammonia: and most fertile neere Paderborne and Lippia, but it is barren and desert ground in some places about Amisis. The Dioecese of Munster confineth on it, and that tract of land which lyeth neere the River Visurgis. It is wooddy through all Surland, and the Coun∣tie Bergensis: it hath store of Mettall in the Countrie of Colen, and and the Countrie of March: and in some parts there are many Salt pits. It breedeth an innumerable sort of Cattell, and especially,* 1.5 a∣bundance of Hogges flesh, which is esteemed a great dainty, and is served up to Princes Tables. There are also many wilde beasts in the Wood. Charles the Great did first conquer the Westphalians, and converted them to the Christian religion. He instituted these Bisho∣prickes, the Bishopricke of Munster, of Osnaburg, of Paderborne,* 1.6 and Minden. But it is not found in the Annalls, how Westphalia was go∣verned after Charles the great, or whether it was subject to the Pope. Truely in East Saxonie there were secular Lords, who did governe the Countrie: at the first, Kings that were descended from Charles the great, under whom the Dukes of Saxonie did grow up by degrees even until Henry the first, King of the Romains, after whom there were three Ottoes, who were afterward Marquesses of Saxonie, being sons to Henry Duke of Bavaria, brother to the first Otto. But we doe not reade what Princes, Westphalia which is West Saxonie, had at that time joyned in governement with the Bishops. But afterward Duke Leo, and his grandfather before him, Luder Duke of Saxonie, and af∣terward Emperour, did governe Westphalia. For after the aforesayd Henry was displac'd by the decree of the Emperour Fredericke the first, the Dukedome of Westphalia did assume the title of the Arch∣bishoprick of Colen; and the Dukes of lower Saxonie, being descended from the Earles of Anholt, did hold and possesse it. And now the aforesayd Bishop doth hold a great part of this •ountrey, and espe∣cially Angria: and the Westphalians are subject unto him, and his Nobles, being as it were slaves unto them. Here formerly the Teu∣tonians, the Busasterians, the Chamavians, the Angrivarians, the Longobardians, the Dulhumnijans, the Angilians, the Chaucians, and Cheruscians were seated. Those whom Mela and other call the Teu∣tonians, Ptolomie calls Teutones: they comming from the Balthicke shoare, where Ptolomie placeth their auncient seate, did give that appellation to Teutoburg, which Tacitus placeth in Westphalia. Those whom Ptolomie calls the lesser and the greater Busacteri∣ans; Tacitus calleth them Bructerians. Willichius writeth that they did inhabite Munster. Those whom Tacitus calleth Chamavians, Ptolomie doth name Camanians, as Villenovanus thinketh. From whom David Chitreus supposeth that the Towne Chamen in the Countie of March doth derive his name. The Angrinarians were seated Eastward neere Visurgis: The Longobarians or rather the Langobardians, Ptolomie placeth on the Frontires of this Pro∣vince, on the farthest part whereof was Bardewick: so also those whom Ptolomie calleth the Dulguminians, Tacitus nameth the Dul∣gibinians, from whom the Towne Dulmen in the Dioecese of Mun∣ster was denominated; heere are also the Angilians, who about the yeare 444 went over into Brittaine, and gave their owne name to England, as it appeareth by many histories, as also by Saint Bedean English writer. But the Chaucians, whom Ptolomie calleth the Cau∣chians, and Suetonius, Lampridius, and Strabo the Gaucians, Dio the Chaucians, and Claudian the Chaycians, as Tacitus writeth, doe spread themselves from Friesland, even to the Catti. The same Tacitus doth place the Cheruscians hard by them: whence the Situation of their Country may be easily gathered: for Dion the historian doth wit∣nesse that they dwelt beyond Visurgis, which may be also collected out of Tacitus. But this first Table or Chart of Westphalia, doth con∣taine the Counties of Oldenburg, Hoya, Diepholt, and the neighbou∣ring Lordships. The Politicke state of Westphalia does consist of three orders, 1. The Clergie, 2. the Nobles, 3. the free Citties. In the first order are the Bishops of Paderborne, Leodium, Vltraje∣ctum, Munster, Cameracum, Osnaburg, Ferdensis, and Mindensis. The Abbots Werdensis, Strablonensis, S. Cornelius, Munster, Echternao∣kensis, Corbei, and Hervordensis; and the Abbatesle Essensis. In the se∣cond order are the Princes, Earles, and Barons: as the Duke of Cleue∣land and the Countie of March, the Duke of Iulia and Bergen. The Marquesse of Baden, the Earle of East Friesland or Embda: the Earle of Sein: the Earle of Dillenburg: the Earle of Vernenberg: the Earle of Manderscheid: the Earle of Weida and Ringelberg: the Earle M•ursensis: the Lord of Brunchorst: the Earles of Steinford, Benthem, Dortmund, Oldenburg, the Lord of Ridburg: the Earles of Hoya and Diepholt, and Scaumburg: the Lords of Spiegelberg, and Vanenberg: the Earles of Arenberg, of Lip, and the Lord of Somer¦auss. In the third order which is of the free Citties, there are Co∣len, Aquisgranum, under Wesel, Durun, Cameracum, Dortmund, Su∣satum, Duysburg, Hervord, Brukel, Wartburg, Lemgow, and Werden. But so much of this, now our order requires that we should unfold the Cities and townes of Westphalia. But seeing we are to speake of the Dioecese of Bremes, we will leave off for a while the description of Westphalia, and returne to it againe in the following Tables, and so will passe to the Bishopricke of Bremes.