Upper Saxony

Sources from old books

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

THE DVKEDOME of the higher SAXONIE, with MISNIA and LVSATIA. The eighth Circle of the Empire. (Book Upper Saxony)

WEE come to the higher Saxonie, which is the eighth Circle of the Empire. For, Saxonie is divided into the higher and the lower: The higher which this Table doth exhibite to your view, we will here describe. Concerning the Lower we have spoken, in the foureteenth Table of Germanie; and therefore we will not repeate that which we have delivered before concerning Saxonie, least it might seeme tedious to the Reader. The higher Saxonie, commonly called Ober Saxen, the Duke whereof is one of the Electors, hath on the East old Marchia, on the West Hassia: on the South Thuringia, and Misnia;* 1.1 on the North the Dukedome of Brunswick. The chiefe Cittie is Wittenberg, situated by the River Albis. It was built by Windechind the first, some say by Windechind his sonne, and that it was called Wittenberg, from Windechind the father or the sonne. Duke Fredericke erected there an Vniversitie, in the yeare 1502, which another Fredericke did so adorne and beautifie, that being at the first of small account, as Eras••• witnesseth, yet at last it grew famous. Peter Mosellanus saith, that Fredericke did so adorne and furnish Wittenberg, with Professors of all Arts, and especially of the three tongues, so that it seem'd to be the patterne of a well founded Vniversitie. In which Henningus and O•l•n•lorpius two Lawyers, did flourish and were famous for their workes through all Germanie. Albertus Crantzius in his Wallia, Lib. 8. cap. 30. hath a memorable story concerning the tryall by hot Iron which is used in this Cittie. It chanced that one was wrongfully accused in this Cittie for setting houses on fire by stealth: but hee forswea•ing it, desired that he might be tryed by the tryall of hot Iron, which the Lay-Iudges, did either not know, or else contemn'd, as being interdicted by the Law. Whereupon he tooke up an hot Iron, and carryed it a great way, and then cast it out of his hands, and was neither burnt, nor had any harme by it. A yeare afterward, a Pavier paving the same streete, thrusting his hand into the gravell found this Iron, which being yet hot burnt his hand. Those which stood by wondered at it, and told it to the governour of that Ward. Who straight began to suspect that this man was guiltie of that fact, of which the other was wrongfully accus'd: so he commanded him to be brought before him, whereupon examination, he confest the fact, and was broken on the wheele, and afterward put to death for this crime. There is also a story concerning this triall by hot Iron, which Genildis wife to Henry the third did undergoe: who being accused of adultery, did cleare her selfe by this tryall of hot Iron. I finde also in George Cedrenus, that they did use the like kind of tryall, for those who were suspected to be de••ourers of Virgins, and for those who were thought to be no maids. Some also doe place Torga in higher Saxonie, which others doe place in Misma, M•snia and Iusatia are described with Saxonie as parts thereof, of which seeing they are delineated in this present Table, we will speake briefely.

Misnia.

Misnia or Meyssen, is a Country of higher Saxonie, lying betweene the River Sala and Albis, which was so called either from the Lake M•sia, neere which the inhabitants hereof did dwell; or from the Cittie Misna, to which opinion Rithamerus in his description of the world doth agree. But it seemeth that this Country was lately so named, seeing we may gather out of Tacitus, that the Hermundurians were formerly seated here, for he mentioneth that the River Albis did rise among the Hermundurians. It is bounded on the North with the Marquiship of Brandenburg and the higher Saxonie, on the East with Lusatia and Silesia: on the South it looketh toward the Kingdome of Bohemia and the Sudetian Mountaines: on the West it hath Turingia. They say the ayre was heretofore very bad and insufferable, in regard of moyst exhalations arising from the Mountaines and the Woods, but now the Woods being cut downe the foggy clouds are vanished, so that the ayre is now more wholesome. This Country aboundeth with all kinde of fruites, so that it furnishes other Countries. It hath every where great store of Corne, and also great plentie of wine, honey, and cattell: except in the Valley of Ioachim: where the soyle is harder, and lesse fruitfull. But the rich Mines of Silver doth recompence the barrennesse of the superficies or surface of the earth. The Mountaines also have divers kinds of mettalls, as Silver, Brasse, Steele, Iron, Lead, and in some places Gold. In the time of Otto the Great, this Countrie together with that higher Saxonie, was called the Marquiship of Saxonie, before the higher Saxonie was made a Dukedome. Afterward in processe of time, these Countries were divided into more Lordships, and afterward they were reduc'd into one Dominion, and had one denomination or name; which happened in the yeare 1241, when the Landgrave of Turingia, dying without issue, his Territories came to the Lords of Misnia, who from that time got both titles, and were called Marquesses of Misnia, and Landgraves of Thuringia. And in the yeare of our Lord 1423, the Prince Elector of Saxonie having no issue male, the Emperour Sigismund did give the Dukedome of Saxonie, to the Princes of Misnia, which they doe still possesse; and after that, as Munster writeth, they usurped a triple or threefold title. There are many Citties in Misnia: the chiefe Cittie is Misena, on the left hand bancke of the River Albis, which was built by Otto the first. The next is Dresdena, very pleasantly seated and well fortified. Heere the Duke of Saxonie hath an armorie, and a magnificent Pallace, and a curious stone bridge. Lipsia is a famous Mart Towne, situated by the River Pleissena, which excelleth all the other Citties of Misnia for wealth; and beautie: heere is a Noble Schoole for learning and wisedome, which in those troublesome times at Prague, was translated thither in the yeare 1408. In the same tract there are Itenburg, Antiquae cellae, Lautenberg, and other Townes. This Countrie is watered with these Rivers, Albis, Sala, Mulda, and others; and it hath many woods, as Gabreta and others, which are parts of Hercynia. The inhabitants are strong, valiant, and well proportioned in body; they are also merry and pleasant, friendly, modest, and peaceable, and are not like the auncient Germanes for rudenesse of behaviour.

Lusatia.

LVsatia also as Rithamerus doth witnesse, is a great part of Saxonie: which lyeth betweene the Rivers, Albis and Odera, and the Mountaines of Bohemia. But the name of Lusatia is derived from the Elysians or Lygians, who, as Ioachim Carens saith, were seated here. This Country hath good store of Corne, and is very fruitfull. It was sometime joyned with Misnia: at length the Bohemians, who strived to enlarge their Kingdome, tooke it to themselves. Lusatia is twofold, the Lower, and the Higher. In the latter there are these Citties, Sprenberg, Prybus,* 1.2 and Cotbus: in the former Gorlits, and Zitaw. Gorlitum commonly called Gorlitz, is the chiefest and Noblest Cittie in the higher Lusatia: having many faire houses, and being well fortified with walls and ditches, and by the mountainous situation thereof, and also by the Vicinitie of the River, which is very profitable and commodious, to Millers, Brewers, Dyers, and other Cittizens. There is a stone Bridge to passe over it, which is covered over head. But of all the publicke and private costly aedifices, S. Peters Church, and the Pallace are the chiefe. This Cittie was first founded and built in the yeare 1030, as the Annalls thereof doe witnesse. But in the yeare 1301, it was burnt downe to the ground, so that there was not one house left standing. But like a Phoenix that riseth out of her owne ashes, so eight yeares afterward out of these ruines, it was built fairer and more curiously than before. It is subject to the Kingdome of Bohemia, as also Lusatia. And Iohn Dubravius Lib. 21. concerning the affaires of Bohemia, doth shew how it came to the Crowne of Bohemia. The River Nissa doth water Lusatia and doth much enrich it. But so much concerning Lusatia. Now let us returne to Saxonie, and speake briefely of it. These Noble Rivers doe water Saxonie, Albis, Sala, Visurgis,* 1.3 also Lusimicius, Multa•ia, Misa, Sala, Fulda, Leyna, Allenius, Odera, Ola, Nisa, and others. It hath also many woods, as Lunenbergerheid, Spondawerheid,* 1.4 Rottenawerheid, Galberheid, Pomerischeid, which are parts of Hercynia. The Saxones were heretofore distinguished into foure ranckes, or orders, the Nobles, Gentry, Freemen, and Servants. And there was a Law made that every one should marry, in their owne rancke or tribe. So that a Noble man should marry a Noble woman, a Gentleman should marry a Gentlewoman, a Freeman should marry a Freewoman, and a Servant should marry a Servant, and it was death to breake or infriuge this statute. They had also excellent lawes for punishing malefactors. Moreover,* 1.5 Ober Saxon which is the eight Circle of the Empire, doth consist of three orders, the first are the bishops of Misnia, of Merspurg, of Naumburg, of Brandenburg, of Havelburg, of Lubecke, of Caminum. The Abbots of Salveldt, of Rottershausen, and Falckenreiten. Also the Abbetesses of Quedelnburg, and of Genrode: the second are the Princes and saecular Lords, as the Duke Elector of Saxonie, the Marquesse of Brandenburg Elector, the Dukes of Pomerania▪ the Princes of Anhalt: the Earles of Schwartzenburg: Count Mansfelt: Count Stolberg: Counte Hohenstein: Count Buchlingen: Count Rappin: Count Mullingen: Count Gleiche: Count Leisneck: Count Widersfelt: the Lords of Bernaw: B. de Tautenberg: Count Regenslein, Russe de Plaw. D. de Gratz, D, de Schonberg. The third are the free Citties, as Da••iscum, and Elbingen.