Zeland

Sources from old books

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

THE COVNTIE OF ZELAND. (Book Zeland) ZEland signifies nothing else but a Sea-land, the name thereof being compounded from Sea and Land.* 1.1 For it is encompassed on every side with the Sea. Lemnius doth collect out of Tacitus, that it was not unknowne unto the ancients, but not by that name by which it is now called, but the people and inhabitants thereof, did vulgarly call it Maet. For hee nameth them Mattiacans when he saith: Est in eodem obsequio Mattiacorum gens Battavis similis, nisi quod ipso terrae suae solo ac coelo acrius animantur: that is; The Nation of the Mattiacans, is also subject unto them, and are like the Battavians, but that their soyle and climate doth make them more couragious and lively. It was called Zeland from the Danes and Normanes, who comming out of the Cimbrian Island in Denmarke, which is called Zeland, to seeke new Countries; being pestered with multitudes of inhabitants, they invaded the Coasts of Brittaine and France, and they called Walachria, and the neighbour Islands Zeland, after the name of their own Island. These Islands are situate betweene the mouthes or outlets of the Rivers Mosa and Scaldis; on the North they have Holland,* 1.2 on the East Brabant, on the South Flanders, on the West the Germaine Ocean. Zeland hath somewhat an intemperate ayre,* 1.3 for in some parts it is very cold and sharpe, and not so wholesome as the neighbour Countries, especially in Summer, in regard of the Vapours arising from the ditches and standing Pooles, and also because the Country is not planted with trees. But yet it hath this blessing, that it is not often troubled with plagues or pestilent diseases, but when it hath a plague it is most violent, and it is long before the cessation of it. But it hath a very fat, and fruitefull soyle,* 1.4 and fields which yeeld abundance of wheate, so that no Country hath the like for whitenesse, and waightinesse, and many other fruites: also Coriander seede, and Madder, which is good to dye cloath in graine, and make it hold colour: and also great store of faire Baytrees loaden with Berryes: and also many wholsome hearbes both to eate, and to cure disseases withall. Heere are also excellent Meddow Pastures for fatting of Cattell, not onely inclosed within hedges and ditches, but also upon the very shore by the Sea side, in which many thousand head of Cattell doe graze,* 1.5 to the great gaine and commoditie of the owners, being not onely of an unusuall bignesse, but of a delicate and excellent taste, by reason of the sweetenesse and goodnesse of the soyle & grasse, so that they are much esteemed by forreiners. In the yeere 8•3,* 1.6 in the yeere of Charles the ••lde; a principality was first erected among the Battavians and Zelanders, and then they were called Counties, and the first Earle thereof was Theodoricke the sonne of Sig••bert, Prince of Aquitania, who having beene Earle thereof eight and thirty yeares, left his second sonne Theodoricke, successor thereof▪ after whom these Countries by a long succession of Earles, came and was devolved over to Phillip King of Spaine. The Islands of Zeland are seaven, three beyond the mouth of Scaldis, toward Battavia and the East, which are therefore called the East Islands, as Scaldia, Duvelandia and Tolen. And 4 on this side toward the West, Walachria, Zuythevelandia, Northevelandia, and Wolferdi••. The greatest and chiefest Ile of them all beyond Scaldis is Scaldia, the inhabitants doe call it Landt van Schouwen: the compasse whereof is 7 miles, yet heretofore it was greater, and was divided onely by a little straite of the Sea from Northevelandia. The chiefe Citties in it are Zirizaea, and Brouwershavia. Zirizaea is supposed to be the auncientest Cittie in Zeland, being built by one Siringues, about the yeare 869. It was a long time a famous towne of traffique, in regard of the commodiousnesse of the Haven, and the resort of strangers unto it; but when the Haven was filled up with sand, it grew out of esteeme: yet there is hope that if a new Haven were digged, it would be as famous as ever it was. In this Cittie Levinus •e••nius, a learned and famous Phisitian was borne and lived. Fishermen doe inhabite Brouwershavia, who live by the Sea. The second Island to Scaldia is Dwelandia, so called from the great store of Doves, that are therein; and it is foure miles in compasse. There are in it some Townes onely and Villages, but no Cittie. In the yere 1130 it was overflowed with the Sea, to the losse of many people, but afterward the banckes being repaired, and the Sea kept out, that losse was soone recompenced. The third Island is Tollen, which is neere unto Brabant, being onely parted and divided from it by a straite narrow sea, in which is Toletum; which the Low countriemen in regard of the custome and tribute which is payd there, doe call Tollen, being an auncient little Towne: and not farre from thence is the Martinian bancke, commonly called S. Martines Dijck, being a pleasant place, and planted round about with trees, in which great store of fowle, especially Hernes doe breede. The chiefe Island on this side Scaldis toward the West is Walachria, which the inhabitants call Bewester Schelt, being so called from the first inhabitour, or from the Welch or Frenchmen. This Island lyeth on the East over against Brabant, on the South against Flanders, on the North against Batavia, on the West against Brittaine, This is the chiefe Island of all Zeland, being famous both for the situation thereof, the wealth, populousnesse, and for the beautie of the townes and traffique, being 10. miles in compasse. The Citties in it are Middlebrough, Veria, Flushing, Arnemuda. There are also many townes in it. Middlebrough is so called from the situation thereof, for it is a towne in the middle of the Island. It is a faire Cittie having many private and publicke edifices, being excellently adorned with Bridges, Towers, and Fortresses, both for use and beautie: and it is the chiefe Cittie in all Zeland, being also a famous Towne of traffique. Heere Paul of Middleburrough, was borne, who was the chiefe Mathematician of his time: And also Nicolas Everhard, who was first Paesident of the Court of Holland, and afterward of Mechlin, in which office he dyed, in the yeere 1532. He had sonnes that were singular learned men, Peter Everhard Doctor of Divinitie, Nicolas Everhard Praesident of the Court of Friesland, and afterward of Mechlin, Adrian, Marius, and Iohn a Poet. Veria or Campoveria, is so called from the passage over which the Zelanders call Veer; It was first walled about in the yeere 1357. Afterward it began to be a Mart towne, for Scotch merchandize. Flushing hath his name and armes, from a Flaggon, which the Countrimen call een Flessche. It is a new Cittie, but powerfull and commandeth the Sea, and it is full of excellent shipmasters, and Pilots. Arnemuda is a free Towne belonging to Middleburrough, and a safe roade for shippes. The second Isle to Wallachria is Zuidbevelandia, which some suppose was so called from the trembling and shaking of it; we suppose that it was so called from the Bavarians, whose arms may be yet seene in the Scutchions of the Island. It extendeth it self in a large and pleasant tract towards the coast of Flanders & Brabant, albeit some few yers ago, a great part of it being lost, it is now lesser by halfe than it was. There is a pretty Citty that stands off the Land, called Romerswalia, that hath no tilled fields round about it, no• no garden places, but the sea doth wash it on every side, so it subsisteth onely by trading in salt. In this Cittie the Earles of Zeland take a solemne oath: which when Philip King of Spaine, was to doe according to the usuall custome, in the yeare 1549. Nicolas de Conflilte, in whose house the Prince was entertayned, caused these verses to be written over his gate:

Vidimus adsueto privatum lumine Solem:Pallida turbato vidimus astra die.Vidimus undantis horrendos aequoris aestus,Nos miseros Belgas quum obruit Oceanus.Vidimus ast post quam te Gloria nostra Philippe,Caesarea proles, Semideûm{que} decus:Cuncta refutamus transacti tristia saecli,Quod praesens nostrum testificatur opus.Sit licet exiguum, sit pro ratione voluntas,Nil facit ad nostrum parva carina fretum. We have seene when as the suns cleere light did faile,And in the day time seene the starres looke pale.We have seene the fearefull sea tides rising so,Till the Oceans did us Belgians overflow.But Philip when thee, our glory, we espy'd,Of Caesars stocke, and halfe a god beside,We made up all our former rents againe,And this present worke doth testifie the same:Though it be small, yet to accept it please,For no small ship can sayle upon our Seas.

Moreover in the Westerne part of this Island the Cittie Goesa is situated at one of the mouths of Scaldis which they call Schenge. It is a Cittie not very large, but pleasant, and rich, being the onely Cittie in the Island: It hath very civill and curteous Cittizens, and a prudent Senate. The third Island of Zeland on this side Scaldis toward the West is, Northevelandia, in which is the Cittie Cortgreene, and very many Townes; but this Citty was all drowned with water in the yeare 1532, but now it is a little reedified. The fourth Island is Wolferdijc, as if you should say Wolfords ditch, it is very small having onely two Townes in it. There are tenne Citties in Zeland, and more townes, they being about an hundred and more. The inhabitants are wittie, craftie, and provident, and of a middle stature. But the Annalls doe report that Withelme Bonus, Earle of Holland, at the solemnity of the marriage of Charles the faire King of France, did bring a woman of an unusuall great stature, borne in Zeland, in comparison of whom the greatest men did seeme but boyes: for she was so strong that she would carry two hoggsheads full of wine in both hands, and drinke of them, which hogsheads did weigh foure hundred Italian pounds; and she would carry a beame or piece of timber up and downe, which eight men could not lift. They are very skifull in the Art of Navigation:* 1.7 They boyle blacke course salt which is brought out of the Westerne Countries, in great large cauldrons, untill they have made it as white as snow. They powre salt water on the rude Spanish and Armorican salt, and so boyle it, and doe make of a hundred weight of Spanish salt, an hundred and five and forty weight of pure salt. And they sell this salt, in France,* 1.8 England, Denmarke, and other parts of Eurpe. Besides they reape much profit by their corne and choyse wheate, also by their Madder, Saltfish, and great plenty of cattell, and especially sheepe. They keepe their houses very neate and well furnished: they are provident and very painfull in merchandising, and also bountifull, and liberall to the poore. The politicke state of Zeland was wont to consist of three members, the one whereof was the Prelate, who stood for the whole Clergie, which was the Abbot of S. Nicolas, in Middleburrough: and one noble man, who was the Marquesse Veria: and also of the generalitie of the Citties, the chiefe whereof were those above mentioned, namely Middleburrough, Zirizaea, Veria, Flushing, Tola, Martinsdijk, Romerswalia and Goesa. But let so much suffice concerning Zeland.