Germany

Sources from old books

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

FOrasmuch as the Romaine Empire is in the power of the Germaines, and very politickely divided into parts, I thinke it a matter worth my labour to set before your eyes the order and disposition of those parts, as they are described in a writing called Matricula Imperij: and afterward to shew you in Tables the severall members of this Empire, that the studious Reader may finde in what Country they are situated. But I have gotten two Coppies of this Matricula, the one written; the other printed at Venice in Italian, being both much corrupted. And I know that the Empire is now divided in another manner. Therefore let no man blame me, or be of•ended, if he finde some parts that are reckoned as belonging to the Empire, doe not belong thereunto, for it is not my intention to speake expressely of all the severall parts of this Empire, neither was it possible for me to do, out of such corrupt Coppies; especially seeing that I know that a great part of the Empire, came into the hands of private Princes, either by Exchange, or Morgage, or gifts, for their good service in defence of the Empire, or for some other causes. Neither is it my part to prosecute those things which belong to Politicians, and not Geographers, but onely I sought that out of this Coppie of Matricula, I might shew the elegant disposition and division of the Empire of Germany, and might declare how the studdies of Geographie, and Policie doe mutually illustrate one another. This is therefore the order of the Empire.