Transylvania

Sources from old books

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

TRANSYLVANIA, OR SIEBENBVRGEN. (Book Transylvania) TRANSYLVANIA is the mediterranean part of anci∣ent d 1.1 Dacia, which the Romans called Dacia Ripensis,* 1.2 and it taketh its name from the woods and mountaines where∣with it is encompassed, as the Hercynian woods, and the Carpathian hils. It is called commonly e 1.3Septem castra, by a name borrowed from the German word Siebenburgen, and the Hungarians call it Herdel. On the West it is bounded with Pannonia, on the North with Polonia, on the South with Walachia, and on the East with Molda∣via. Transylvania is very fruitfull, & hath great plenty of corne through the whole Countrie, which (besides daily experience) that coyne of Trajans doth witnesse, in which Ceres stood, holding in her right hand the horne of the goate Amalthaea, which signifieth plenty; and in her left hand a Table, with this inscription or motto Abundantia Daciae. i. the abundance of Dacia.* 1.4 It bringeth forth excellent wine about Alba Iulia, Deva, Egmedine, Birthilbine, and Fenuscine, It hath also great store of fruite, among which (to omit the rest) it hath most excellent Da∣maske Prunes, Quinces, sweet Cherries, which may be compar'd with those that grow in Italie, and Mellons. Heere are also excellent choyse hearbs, which grow in every place, as Rhubarbe, the greater Centory, Gentiana with a yellow and purple flowre, Sea-wormewood, the herbe called Libanotis, saffron, and many others. There are many famous Mynes of Mettall in this Country, as Mynes of Gold at Sculattin, which the Hungarians call Zalakna, and at Rimili Dominurdz, which signifies the River or Rivulet of Lords. In these places great wedges or pieces of gold are cut forth, which as soone as they are digged out they can presently make use of without any accurate refining. The Roman pieces of golden coyne which are oft digged up in these places, doe witnesse this plentie, for they have on the one side the image of a man with a broade hat, and with this inscription on it C. Cato, and on the other side, Dacia in the forme of a Goddesse, holding a Booke in her right hand with this inscription AVR: PVR. Moreover, there are silver Mynes at Offera and Radna Copper is digged out of the same Mountaines, out of which the gold and silver commeth. Steele is digged and found at Cyk, Iron at Thorosco, and Vaidahuntada: and lastly Sulphure and Antimo∣nie are found in the Copper Mynes. There is such great store of salt∣pits in Transylvania, that it sendeth abundance of salt to other Coun∣tries. And there is such a great company of Oxen in it,* 1.5 that the largest and fairest ones are often sold for a Floren. What shall I speake of the excellent metall'd horses which it breedeth, which amble and pace na∣turally? What should I mention the divers kindes of Birdes? as Eagles, Faulcones, Pheasants, Partridges, Peacocks, Woodcocks, Snipes. And what should I reckon the water-fowle? as Swans, Bustards and Bit∣ternes, &c. I passe from these to the wilde beasts: for this Countrie hath great Forrests, and spacious woods, in which are Beares, Buffes or wilde Oxen, Elkes, Harts of a large stature, Leopards, Martins, Does, and white Hares. Divers Nations heretofore inhabited this Countrie, of whom there is yet a remnant in Hungaria, as the •azyges, called by Pliny Metanastae, beside the Getes, Bastarnians, Sarmatians, Grecians, Ro∣mans, Scythians, Saxons, and Hungarians. The Romans did conquer it, when the Emperour Trajan overcame Decebalus King of Dacia, and re∣duced it into the forme of a Province, calling the Citie Zarmizegethusa after his owne name Vlpia Trajana;* 1.6 but Galienus lost it two hundred yeares after, and from that time the Inhabitants having laid aside the Roman humanitie, speech, and eloquence, began to resume their former wildenesse and barbarisme, calling themselves Walachians. After the Romans, the Scythians under the conduct of their Captaine Artilas sea∣ted themselves in this place, and built seven free Townes. The Saxons succeeded the Scythians in the time of Charles the great, who forsaking their Countrie, seated themselves likewise in these parts, & built them∣selves seven free Cities, following the example of the Scythians. The Hungarians came last, who partly allured with the vicinity and neernesse of the place, mingled themselves with the Dacians: and afterward being provoked by injuries, they conquered the whole countrey, in the reigne of Stephen King of Pannonia, whom they stiled the holy. By them some Townes were also built. The mountainous part of Transylvania was lately subdued by Matthias Huniades, whose surname was Corvinus, and afterward by Stephen King of Hungary. This Matthias tooke alive one Dracula, a Vaivode or Prince of the mountainous Transylvania, a man of unheard of cruelty, and after ten yeares imprisonment, restored him to his former place. Transylvania is now divided into three Nations, differing both in manners and lawes, and inhabiting severall parts of the Countrie: namely into the Saxons, the Ciculi, and Hungarians: The Saxon Transylvanians, as all other German Nations, have a peculiar dialect or language unto themselves: they inhabite the strongest cities and castles, and doe excell the other Nations. They have seven Seates, namely Zarwaria, Zabesia, Millenbach, Rensmarke, Segesburg or S•hesburg, Ollezna, Schenkerstall, and Reps: all which have some villages under them. The Ciculi neere to Moldavia, being descended from the Scythi∣ans, doe live after their owne lawes and customes, and doe distribute their offices by lot. They are divided into seven Regions, which they call Seates, the names whereof are, Sepsi, Orbai, Kysdi, Czyk, Gyrgio, Mar∣cus Zeek, and Aranyas Zeek. The Hungarians and Transylvanian Nobles being mingled with the Saxons, and the Ciculi doe, for the most part, a∣gree with them both in speech, habite, and armour. All Transylvania is able to set forth ninety thousand armed men and more. There are se∣ven chief Cities in Transylvania, having a reasonable distance one from an other,* 1.7 among which Cibinium is the Metropolis or Mother-citie, & is now called Hermanstat: It is seated on a plaine, not shut up with mountaines, but spread into a great breadth. It is not much lesse than Vienna in Austria, but it is farre stronger both by Art and Nature: for in regard of the many Fish-ponds and Lakes round about it, no Armie can come unto it 2, * 1.8 Brasso or Corona, which the Germans call Cronstat, and is somtimes called Stephanopolis, being seated amongst pleasant mountaines, and fortified with Wals, Ditches, and Rampiers. Heere is a famous Universitie and Librarie. 3, Bistricia or Noesenstat, which is sea∣ted on the plaine of a large valley, and hath on either side hils full of Vines. 4, Segoswar o• S•hespurg, which is partly situated on a hill, and partly at the foote thereof. 5,h 1.9 Megies or M•dwisch, which is situated in the midst of Transylvania, being fruitfull in wine, and stored with all commodities that are either gainefull or necessary for food. 6, i 1.10 Zabesi∣um or Zaaz, which lyeth in a plaine and deepe valley, encompassed with waters full of fish. They say that this was the first seate of the Saxons 7,k 1.11 Coloswar or Clausenburg, which is likewise sweetly seated in a plaine, and is beautified not onely with faire wals without, but with stately buildings within. Heere is also Alba Iulia or We•senberg, an ancient city, & a Bishops Seate, it is situated on a steep hill, which hath a large plaine spreading it selfe round about it. It hath on the East the River M•••, and on the other side the River called in the Hungarian language •••ay, which descendeth from the Alpes. Heeretofore it was called T••∣•, and in Trajans time it was the Pallace of King Decebalus. As tou•ching the payments of taxes and tributes, there are in Transylvania eight principall circles or divisions of ground called Chapters, all which to∣gether they call the Universitie, as first the Bist••ensian Chapter, which hath in it Bistricia with 23 royall Townes. 2, The Regne•sian Chapter, which hath more than 30 Townes. 3, The Bar•ensian Chapter, which hath the citie Corona, with thirteene royall Townes. 4, The Kisde•sian Chapter, which hath Segesburg, and eight and fortie townes. 5, The Chapter called the chapter of two Seates, which doth containe the city of M••ie• with sixe and thirtie townes. There are two Chapters of the Cibinian•, one of which containeth Cibinium, and three and twenty townes, and the other which they call Surrogative, containe about 22 Villages. Last of all, the Zabesensian Chapter, which hath Zabesium with seventeene Villages. This Countrie hath many Lakes and standing waters,* 1.12 which are full of excellent fish. There are in it three navigable Rivers, l 1.13 Aluta, Morus, called also Marus and Marisus) and Samu•: the two former arising out of the Scythian Mountaines, the last of them falleth into Tibiscus, the other runneth straight forward into Danubius▪ Samus (which the Germans and Hungarians call Thimes) ariseth out of the Alpes called Colota, and likewise slideth into Tibiscus. There are also •ther Rivers, as Kockel the Greater and the Lesse, Sabesus, Chrysus, Chry∣••••os, and Strygius, &c. the three last whereof have little graines or land of gold in them, and doe somtimes bring downe pieces of gold of halfe a pound weight. Divers kindes of excellent fish are found in them, and the aforesaid Rivers, as namely the greater and lesser Sturgeon, three kindes of Carpes, the Salmon, the River and Lake-Lamprey, the fish called Silurus, the Mullet, an other rare kind of Lamprey, the white and black Trout, the scaly Gudgeons, and those that have no scales, unknowne to other places: besides Pikes, Perches, Tenches, and the common Lamprey, all which are found there and of a great size. There are Mountaines neere unto Walachia Cisalpina and Moldavia, which doe produce Agarick and Turpentine Trees.* 1.14 There are many woods in Transylvania, and amongst the rest Hercynia, in which besides the wilde beasts above-mentioned, there are wilde Oxen and Horses, whose manes doe reach even to the ground.* 1.15 There are also in this Countrie many Castles well fortified: among which the chiefe is called the Red Castle, being a strong defence, and seated on the Alpes, neere to a running streame, where there is a straight passage betweene the Moun∣taines into the Countrie, and it is, as it were, the fortresse thereof, so that no one can enter into it on that side, if the Governour of the castle barre up the way. There is also an other fortified castle beneath the Towne Millenbach neere unto the Towne Bros, where also neere unto the River, there is a way leading into Transylvania betweene the vales and snowie Alpes. Now it followeth that wee should adde somthing concerning their manners which are divers and various, because (as we said before) it was formerly possessed by divers Nations, and is still at this day. The people of Walachia are rude,* 1.16 and ignorant of good Arts and Disciplines, they are of the Greeke Religion, but their manners and customes savour of Paganisme, in regard that they much esteeme of O∣racles, sweare by Iupiter and Venus whom they call Holy, and in many other things come neere unto the customes of the Gentiles. They have no Townes, or brick-houses, but doe live in the woods and forrests, having no defence against the violence of the weather but a few reedes, or cottages of reedes. The other part of Transylvania in most places is of a more fruitfull soyle, and the people are more civiliz'd, and of a bet∣ter behaviour. The Scythians speech in Transylvania differs little from the Hungarian speech at this day, though heretofore they differr'd much both in speech and writing, for they (like the Hebrewes) did begin to write from the right hand to the left. The Ciculi are a fierie and warlike kinde of people, among whom there are no Nobles or Rusticks, but all of them are of one ranke. The Hungarians have great power and autho∣ritie above all the rest. And let so much suffice to have beene spoken briefly concerning Transylvania.