Cadurcium

Sources from old books

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

CADVRCIVM, LE PAYS DE QVERCI. The Ecclesiastick State. (Book Cadurcium)

Cadurcium doth containe two Bishopricks, namely, of Cahors, and Montalban, which are subject to the Archbishop of Tolouse.

CADVRICVM, commonly called le Pays de Querci, or as others pronounce it Crecy,* 1.1 is encompassed with the Petrocorians, the Nitiobrigians, the Rutenians, the Avernians and Lemovicians. The Country of Cadurcium though it bee indented with Mountaines,* 1.2 yet it excelleth both for beauty, richnesse, and fertilitie, and it wanteth nothing necessary for the sustenance of life. The Cardurcians did formerly inhabit it: whome, besides Pliny Lib. 4. Cap. 19. Caesar doth mention with many other people of France, who calleth them the Eleutheri, or Flute•ri, that is Freemen. For so the word is to be taken, and we are not to assent to them, who would from thence deduce a new kind of people. Cadurcium hath two Diocaesses, Doveoni Cadurecorum, and Mo•talbarum D•veoma, well knowne to Ptolemie,* 1.3 which some badly interpret Du••na. It is commonly called Canors, neere the River Lothus. Some learned men doe call it Divona. Truly howsoever it is written Ioseph Scaliger in his letters to Merula thinketh it to bee the Metropolis of the Cadurcians, and also Vinetus writing to Ausionius and others. Iustus Lipsius in his golden Booke concerning Amphitheaters, supposeth that Doveona is a Towne, commonly calld Dowe, about halfe a dayes journey distant from Ligeris, on that side where the way lyeth from Andegavia to Pictavia. And so the name doth intimate, but then D•veona according to the opinion of Ptolomie, cannot bee the Metropolis or mother Citie of the Cadurcians, which is 60. leagues from that place. Besides that which Antonius calleth Auned•nacum, and Peutingers Tables Avedonacum, in the way betweene Burd•gala and August•dunum, cannot be the same with Ptolomies Doveona, which is commonly called Cahors. For Aunedonacum and Mediolanium of the Santonians, are 16. Miles asunder: but betweene D•veona and Mediolanium, called in the Country speech Cahors and Sa••••s, there are about 40. leagues, which make almost an hundred Miles. Besides the Metropolis of the Cadurcians standeth so farre Eastward, that it cannot be in the way to Burdigala. Let us therefore conjecture with Merula, that Aunedonacum is that Towne commonly calld Aulnay, being distant Northward from the Mediolanum of the Santones, somewhat more than sixe leagues. Aus•nius doth designe and shew the Metropolis of the Cadurcians, Lib. Professorum, at the 18. verse, concerning Ex superius a Rhetorician of Tolouse.

Decedens placid•s mores tranquillaque vitaeTempora praedives fimsti sede Cadu•ca. Thou dying rich, at Cadurcum didst endThy life, which thou so quietly didst spend.

In this Citie there is a Vniversity and a Marshalship. The Cathedrall Church is dedicated to S. Stephen. The Bishops hereof are Earles, so that at the Bishop is both a spirituall and secular Lord, so that while hee solemnely celebrateth the Masse, hee hath sworde, gloves, and other ornaments of that kind by him upon the Altar, and bootes on his legges, which hee weareth in a Pontificall manner by speciall priviledge. Pope Iohn the two and twentieth of that name was borne here, who held that seate 19. yeares and 4. Moneths. Also Clemens Maretus one of the chiefe moderne french Poets was borne at Dorcona. The other diocasse is Montalbanum, now called Montalban, or S. Theodar• de Montalban. The Citie is situate and built on the bending side of a ••ll, having a Castle neere the River Tarnis, commonly called Ta•n having a Bridge over it, the middle part whereof is in the Country of Langed•ck. Neere the Bridge of this Citie, there are arched vaults under the Earth. The Churches are wasted by warres. Mon•lla• was a common receptacle of the fugitives of the reformed religion so that it endurd greater miseries in the first civill warre, than other Townes of Aquitame: insomuch that it was besieged three 〈◊〉 it •leaven Moneths space, and that which was worst of all, they did 〈◊〉 onely contend with the enemy without, but also they had 〈…〉 within their walls. And it was so hotly assaulted by the 〈◊〉 that after the King had graunted them peace, for more the• a Moneth it was still closely straitely besieiged. And though it were violently assailed by the neighbours round about it, yet it vallainly resisted their force, and did frustrate and shunne all their deceitfull stratagemes, to the great admiration of all men that an unfortified Citie, and unfurnished of Souldiers, should delude the attempt of their enemies. The first siege was laid against it by Monluccius 23. May in the yeare 1563, who came with a thousand horse and five thousand foote, to besiege the Citie: but after some light skirmishes, having destroyd the Corne hee departed. For a suddaine feare without any cause did so invade the besiegers, that withal speed, and much perplexednesse of mind, they raised the siege and went away. And this was the event of the first siege, in which thirtie onely of the besiegers were slaine. Three monethes afterward Monluccius returned againe, and having joyned Buria in confaederacy with him, hee laid siege to it the second time. They had 9. troupes of common Souldiers, and a great company of Gentlemen Voluntaries, and of Muskatier• horsemen and fooremen they had a Stewards. Nine bandes of Spanish Souldiers, in which there were twelve hundred Souldiers: five battering pieces of ordinance, three greater and five lesser culueringes, which they planted against the wall. At the first meeting they had a little skirmish, in which Monluccius lost many men, and on the Townes side there were 12. slaine, and many wounded on both sides. The two next dayes following there were in like manner some light skirmishes, in which the besiegers had still the worst. In the meane while Durassius going to Aurelias with a strong armie, by chance marched that way, and sent to Monluvius, to desire him to appointe the day and place to joyne battle in. But then Monluccius had no minde to fight, who lookt for a better oportunitie, which hee afterward obtained, and gave the Durassians a great overthrowe. But lying there in vaine, the Citie being defended with such strong forces, hee raised his siege, in which hee lost 60. Souldiers, and the Towne thirtie. Then Durassius proceeded in his former journey, but when hee departed, the garrison of the Citie was much leaned and diminisht, so that by his comming, the Citie receaved more losse then good. For two foreine Cohorts followed Durassius, so that the Citizens were left destitute of all helpe. But as the favour and aide of men did decrease, so the Citizens courage did increase. For they tooke an oath altogether, that they would suffer all extremities in the defence of their Country, rather than open the gates of their Citie, to their malicious enimies. Monluccius being certified by one of the Captaines of the army, called Fontgravius, both of their want of munition, and the small number of the besieged, marcheth thither in all hast, and the enimies in the third watch of the night did assault the Walls in three places with Scaling ladders, and Musket shot. In the meane time while the Citizens ranne to defend that part of the Wall, a strong band of Souldiers well armed without making any noise, came to the Fortresse of the Ialobites, thinking so to come upon the watch unawares, because the Citizens were busie in fight elsewhere. But they in the watch Tower having discover'd them before they could approach to the Walls, cryed out that they were discover'd, they clapt sealing ladders to the Walls, and made a breach in them with an iron Ramme, which 12. men drove against the Walls, and set up two Colours or Bonners on the Bulwarke, with the sound of Drum, Trumpets, crying out to their companions that followed, that the Citie was taken, but yet the Townesmen encountred them so bravely, that they were enforced to sound a retreate with the losse 200. men, and to leave their Ranime and scaling Ladder, there being but one slaine of the besieged. But seeing that cunning stratagems did not prevaile, they determined to besiege the City the third time. First Terrida came and brought 21. Cohorts with him two wall peeces of Ordnance, and 7 Colverins: which being planted against divers parts of the Wall did batter it shroudly▪ but all in vaine, seeing that men, women and children run cheerefully to repaire the breaches, and brought earth and other Materials to mend them, which succeded so well, that although the enemy had made 500. shot against the walls, yet there were but 5. men slaine. But when the Besiegers saw that their Ordnance did no good, and the Citizens diligence did frustrate their attempts, they turned their assault into a Siege, and so built Townes and Fortresses round about the City, and placed a Garison in the••, that •o man might goe out of the City, or come in, and so to cut off all ay•e or succour from them▪ that so either famine or length of the siege might enforce them to yeeld. After this they had many other light skirmishes, in which the besieged had alwaies the better. The siege endeth with conditions of peace, which yet were not declared to the Citizens untill the 15. of Aprill, although they were published at Orleance and Paris the 26. of March. In all the Sieges there were slaine on the besiegers side •00. men, and 60. of the besieged. But of this enough. The other Townes of Cadu•cium are Castel-Sarrazin, neere the River Tarnis, the water whereof is of a red colour because it passeth thorow a clayie earth: there is also M•n•e• where M. Arnald Sorbinus was borne, a great man and Chaplaine to the King: also Moissac situated in a faire, pleasant, and delightfull soyle, having great store of Vineyards. It is a Towne of traffique and commerce, especially for Corne, Wine, Oyle, Saffron, Wooll, Salt, Fish, and other commodities. King Clodoveus did here found and build the Church of S. Peter and S. Paul. There is also the Monastery of S. Benedict, in which the body of S. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage was buried. Not farre from Moissac is Lausette situate on a Rock, where there are the fairest and best Cellers or Store-houses in all Gutenna. There are also the Townes which are commonly called Burelle, Nazareth, S•villac, Gourdon, and Martel. Neere the Towne Martel on the Frontiers of Cadurcium, as our Author noteth Lib. 8. de bello Gallieo, is Vxellodunum; which is also called Vssoldun and la Pue•h d'Vs•ldum, that is, Podium Vxelloduni, or the Gallerie of Vxellodunum, because it is situate on a very high steepe place. And so much concerning Cadurcium, let us passe to Lotharingia.