Picardie

Sources from old books

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

PICARDIE AND CAMPANIA. (Book Picardie)

ALthough the name of Picardie is not very ancient, yet no certaine reason can be rendred for it:* 1.1 some conjecturing one thing, some another. Cenalis professes that hee knowes not whether the Picardians borrowed this name from the Bigardian Hereticks: however, it is manifest saith he, that they were of greater antiquitie than the Inhabitants of this Country. Some suppose that they were called Picardians, because they were the first that used those Lances, which are commonly called Pikes.* 1.2 On the West that I may make a plain description of the bounds thereof) is the Brittish Ocean, with some part of Normandie: on the North lie those Countries of ancient Belgia, which are now called Artesia, or Artois, and Hannonia, or Henegou• on the East lyeth Luxenburg o• Lorraine: and lastly, on the South Campania, and that Country which by a more speciall name is called France.* 1.3 It is a most fruitfull Countrie, and the Store-house or Granarie of Paris, and most parts of France. It hath but little wine, which proceedeth rather from the sloathfull idlenesse of the Inhabitants, than from any defect of the Soyle or Climate.* 1.4 Picardie is divided into three parts: the true Picardie, the Lower, and the Higher. I will onely speake here of the True Picardie, (called in French, La vraye Picardie). It doth containe in it the jurisdictions of Ambiana, Corbia, and Pequignya, the Counties of Veramandois, and Retelois, and the Dukedome of Tirascha. Ambiana (or Visdamie d' Amiens) was so named from the Citie Ambianum, commonly called Amiens. Heretofore, as the Learned doe thinke, it was named Samarobrina; and by Ptolemie, Samarobriga. Antoninus in some of his bookes calls it Samarba•iva, and in others Samarabriga. Briga in the ancient Spanish language, and Bria in the Thracian speech,* 1.5 doe signifie a Citie; yet some doe write that it was called Somonobriga from its bridge, (in Dutch called Brug) which standeth on the River Somona. Ambianum is situated at Somona, which divideth it into severall parts: (whence some suppose that the Emperour Gratian did name it Ambianum, quòd aquis ambiatur, because it is encompassed with water). It is thought to be one of the strongest Townes in all France, both for the naturall situation, and artificiall fortification thereof: it is entrenched with deepe broad ditches, and is the key of that part of the Kingdome. There is a faire * 1.6 Church in it. The Inhabitants are reputed to be very honest and faithfull. The Countie of Corduba is so called from Corduba, which is a Towne neare Somona, and is seated by a River which runneth there into it. Peguignya is so called from a Towne commonly called Peguigny: which received its name (if wee shall beleeve the common report) from one Pignon, a Souldier of Alexander the great. It is famous in Histories, because William Duke of Normandie, surnamed Long-sword, was slaine by an ambushment laid by Baldwin Earle of Cambray, who drew him thither under a colour of making a peace, as the Norman Annals doe testifie. The Countie of Veromandois (as Geographers that describe France doe note) containes under it the Counties of the Suessons, and Laudunenses, the Territorie of the Tartenians, and the Cities of Noviomagus, and Fane de S. Quintin. The Suessones are commonly called Suessons, or Soissonois, whose Citie is now called Soisson, having in it a strong Castle. Antoninus calls it Suessones by the name of the Inhabitants; and Ptolemie, Augusta Suessonum. The Countrie of the Laundunenses, now called Laonnois, hath its name from Laudunum, (mentioned in the life of Charles the great) which is now called Laon, being seated on a hill. The Country of the Tartenians is called in French Tartenois, the Metropolis whereof is Fera, commonly called La Fere. It is a Citie strongly fortified, and commodiously seated, neare the confluence and meeting of the Rivers, Oysa, and Serva, having also a strong Castle. The Citie Noviomagus, which Antoninus placeth betweene Soisson and Amiens, and maketh the seat of the eighteenth Roman Legion, is now called Noion: Ptolemy calls it Noviomagos Vadicassimum, and others y 1.7 Noviomus. It is a Citie which seemeth to be very ancient, and is a Bishops Seate, the Prelates whereof stile themselves Earles of Noion, and Peeres of France. Fane de S. Quintin, which was sometime the head Towne of the Country, and seate of the Earles of Vermandois was so called from Quintin, who suffered Martyrdome there: whereas before it was called Augusta Veromanduorum: so much concerning Veromandois. The Territorie of the Retclians (commonly called Retelois, is situate betweene Hannonia, Lotharingia, and Barrois: The Metropolis thereof is Retelium. The chiefe Citie of Tirascha, (called La Tirasche) is Guisa, having a stately Castle to defend it against the Luxenburgians.

PICARDIE. THE ECCLESIASTICALL STATE. (Book Picardie)

That part of Picardie which is subject to the King of France hath 7. Bishopricks under the Archbishoprick of Rhemes: the Bishops of Suesson, Silvanectum, Beavais, (which is in France) Noyon, Laon, Amiens, and the Bishoprick of Bouloygne. This Bishoprick was formerly at Ternaen, but being suppressed it was agreed that the Bishops Seate should be translated to Bouloygne, Anno 1559.

PICARDIE.

• 1.1PICARDIE (as I said before) some thinke to be so called, because the Inhabitants thereof were the first that used Lances, which is not probable. Some say Picardy was so called from the Towne Pequigny, or from a famous Souldier called Pignon, the first Founder of the Pequignians and Ambianians, who after the death of Alexander being made Captaine of the Warre, after he had conquerd many Nations, arrived with a Fleete of Ships at Neustria, now called Normandies; and harrasing those places hee gave them afterward his owne name. On the West lyeth the Brittish Ocean with some part of Normandy, on the North lye the Countries of ancient Belgia,* 1.2 Artesia, and Hannonia, on the East Luxenburg and Lotharingia, and on the South Campania, and that Country which is called by a more speciall name France. Picardie as I have said also before is devided into three parts. The true Picardy, the lower,* 1.3 and the higher. The true Picardy doth containe Vidamates, of Ambianum, Corbie, and Pequigny, the County of Veromandois, and the Dukedomes of Tirasche, and Retelois. Ambianum hath its name from a Towne so called, situate at the River Samona. This Towne hath a very faire Church, built with great Art, graced and adorned with Images farre exceeding all the curious pieces of Europe, and in it as they fabulously report S. Iohn Baptists head is kept whole. It hath a title of a Bayliwick, but yet the Civill government, as the ordering of the municipall Court, and the power to appoint watches which 〈◊〉 to be chosen out of the Citizens▪ belongeth to a Consul appointed for that purpose, The first Bishop thereof was F••minus the 〈◊〉, after whom 〈◊〉 Bishops succeeded orderly, the last of which was Iohn Cre•itus, of the Canaplensian Family. The Inhabitants are repured to b• very honest and faithfull, and therefore have many priviledges and immunities as being exempted from serving in Forraigne warres and from paying of Subsidies. Here the most learned Phisitians Silvius and Fe•nelius were borne and also the excellent Orator Silvius, who with gr•at commendations imitated many Bookes of C••e•o••. This City (as we have said before) 〈◊〉 built by Pig• a Souldier of Alexanders the great, if wee will beleeve many Writers. In the yeere 1597. the Spaniards treacherously invading it, made it their owne, but Henry the 4. King of France by siege and force of Armes compell'd them to render it up againe. The Vidama••e of Corbie is so called from Corbia, which is a Towne 〈…〉 the River •omona 〈…〉. The Vidamate of Pequigny is so call•d from Pequigny built as I have before expressed by one Pigne• a Souldier of •l•xander the great French Writers doe testifie that those of the English which surviv'd after a certaine victory obtaind against them were all slaine at this Towne, who could not pronounce the name thereof, for they pronou•ced it •equeny in stead of Pequigny. The Geographers that describe 〈◊〉 doe note that Veromandois doth containe under it the Territories of •issenois, La•nn•is, and •artencis: and the Cities N•yon, and S. Quintins. The City of Soiss•ns is subject to Themes the chiefe City of Calaa Belgica, and was honoured by Caesar with the title of a Royall City. It was in the power of the Romanes, but was taken from them by Cladoveus, after whose decease, his Sonnes restored it to that former honour which it enjoyed in Caesars time. The Inhabitants are a warlike people. In this City, in the raigne of Philip Augustus▪ there was a Consell held by the Clergie of England and France, for that the King of England having thrust the Bishops out of their Seates, had kept the Churches goods in his owne hands for 6. yeeres▪ and afterward had banisht the Bishops into Fran•e. In this Cou•sell he had excommu•ication and warres denounced against him as an enemy to the Church, upon which he was overcome in Battell, and all his auxiliary Forces which he had out of Planders were overthrowne: the Suess•nes among the rest behaving themselves very valiantly against him. The Temple and Monastery of the blessed Virgin in the City Soiss•ms was built by Ebroynus the Tyrant who was Master of the Palace of •rauce. The Bishops of Soissons from Sixtus to Mathew Paris were 79.. The Country of Laonois so called from the City Laon which i• situated betweene the Rivers Ayne, and Oysa on a Hill, and •gisbertus saith that •l•doveus in the yeere 500. did honour this City with a Dukedome and a Bishoprick. Hee constituted Genebaldus to bee the first Bishop thereof, and after him unto Iohannes Bu••erius, there are reckoned 72. Bishops. It is also a Bayliwick, under which are these Cities, Soissons. Noviomagus, or Noyon, S. Quintins, Ribuaria, or Ribemont, C•u•y, Chau•y, Guise, Perona, Mondidier, and Roia. Next adjacent unto Laon is ••mpendium, called by the French, Compiegne, and by others Par•p••is, from Carolus Calvus, who in the yeere 896. did enlarge and fortifie it like Constantinople, erecting there also a Monastery to Saint Cornelius. The Church of Compiegne, and the Monastery of the Dominicans and Franciscans were built by S. Ludovicus King of France. The Metropolis of Tartenois is Fera, commonly called La Fere, being a City well fortified and commodiously seated, at the confluence and meeting of the Rivers Oysa, and Serva, and having a strong Castle. Concerning the Cities Noyon and S. Quintins there is enough spoken in the Description of a former Table. So much therefore concerning true Picardie. There are divers parts of the lower Picardie called (Le Basse.) As Sancterra, Pontium, Bolonesium, Gu•naeum, and Oyum. Sancterra, or Sancterre lyeth betweene Mons S. Desiderij, Perona, Roye, and Nesla. Mons S. Desiderij, or Mondidier is a strong Place or Hold. Perona is situated at the River Somona: here Herebert Earle of Veromandois kept Cha•les the Simple King of France Captive, where he died and left the Kingdome much troubled. Roye is a faire Towne, fortified with a Castle. Antoninus calleth it Caesaremagnus, as also the Itinerary Tables. •essa is a strong Fortresse as many other places are in this part of the Kingdome. In Sancterra have many famous men beene borne, and the ancient Lords thereof being Marquesses, formerly joyned in affinity and allyed to the Family of the Courtneys, which descended from the Kings of France. Pontium or in French Le Conté Ponthieu is so named, from the great company of Bridges and Marishes which discharge and empty themselves into the Sea, neere to S. Valeri. The chiefe Towne of the County is Abatisvilla, commonly called Abbeville neere the River Oyse, being a Bailiwick, and the Seate of a President, from whence Causes and Suites in Law are brought to Paris. The other Townes are Cr•toy, Rua, Treport, and S. Richeri, besides Cressiacum, or the little Towne of Cressi famous for the slaughter of 36000. Frenchmen, under the conduct of Philip of Valots, in the yeere 1346. This Country also doth containe two other under it, to wit, the Counties of M••streul, and S. Paul▪ some thinke the former was so called quasi M•rs Reguis, that is, the Royall Mountaine, but others imagine it to bee so named from a Monster which had his dwelling house here. Lower Picardie containeth the County of Bononia,* 1.4 commanly call'd Co••• de Boleigne, and the County of Guisne, of which we will speake in the Description of Bononia. The chiefe Rivers of Picardie are Somona, neere to which lye the Towne Ambianum, or Amiens and Abbe-Villa,* 1.5 Oyse▪ or Esia, Scaldis, Escault, or Sceldt, and those which are commonly call'd A••• and Scarpe. I come to their manners. The Picardians are of a good disposition, well set, courteous, Officious, valiant, and prone to anger, whence they are called hot heads: they are so soone assuredly given and addicted to wine, so that a man can hardly obtaine any thing of them, unlesse he will beare them company in drinking. Yet they agree so well among themselves, that if you offend one of them, all the rest will be your enemies. The Nobles are warlike, and doe most of all delight in military affaires. So much concerning Picardy.