IT is usual with Writers of these sub­jects1. Name▪ to begin with the Names of places, but where there is ambigui­ty and uncertainty, and no real and absolute necessity to contend about it, 'tis better to leave enquiry, and to rest satisfied with the common known name of it, as it is at pre­sent called Flanders à Flando; from the various winds blowing upon the coast.

It is one of the seventeen Provinces, which did2. Countrey▪ all formerly belong to the Emperour, and were gi­ven by the Emperour of Germany unto the King of Spaine; who held them till he brought in that bloody Inquisition together with the Illegal op­pressions, taxes and Spanish tyranny by that insolent Duke of ALBA General of his Forces: Some of the Provinces resolutely and unanimously joyned themselves, and stood up in Armes for their Lives [Page 2] and Liberties (for both were at stake to be lost) and did by the help of the English, Scots, and French, defend themselves, and gain'd upon their Enemy, and so cast out the Spanish Tyrannical intended sla­very; these were called the United States, or the States General of the United Netherland Provinces, by name, Holland, Zealand, stift of Utretcht, Over­Isel, East and West Friezland, and have since their first contest gained a great part of Brabant, Gilder­land, Cleeveland, with some places of note in this Country of Flanders; as the Scluice; the Dam, Hulst, strong places, and to the States beneficial, and ad­vantageous to curb the Spaniard.

The ancient Inhabitants and Natives were in3. Inhabitants. Caesars time called Morini; as from the Moorish, fenny places, and Marshes, which were then there­in; now by good Husbandry, and skill, made rich, and fat pastures and meadows.

The People being civiliz'd, and reduced to4. Made a County. live under Government, this was form'd into a County distinct by it self from others, in the yeare of our Lord, 877. by Charles called and sirnamed Le Chave King of France, and then held its government from France.

It was anciently bounded by the Sea, and the5. Ancient bounds of it. Rivers Somme and Scheld, and then had these seven chief Cities, Arras, Gaunt, Bruges, Ipre, St. Omer, Lile and Doway, but that is now altered by marri­ages, and Warres; so that now the true bounds of Flanders are; first, Calais in France on the VVest, the Sea on the North, and North-East; Zealand and part of Brabant on the East, and Brabant, and Artois on the South.

[Page 3]It is richly seated, and large in it self, as having6. Length and breadth of it about it for three parts, the Sea, and such rich Countreys to trade to, as England, France, Den­mark and Holland, and by land all the Empire of Germany, and Italy: It containes in length thirty five or thirty six leagues, amounting to a hundred of our English miles; and that is from Antwerp to the New Foss, or Ditch towards France: In breadth it is full thirty leagues, or ninty English miles from the Forrest of Ninoven to Graveling. So that the Circumference of it is three hundred English miles.

Some Countreys are holesome for aire, but not7. Aire, fruit­fulness of it. rich; others are rich, but not holesome; but Flanders is throughout both pleasant, and healthy for aire, and rich through all the parts of it, but the aire is the most pleasant further South, and the most rich towards France, and the Sea.

It breeds large and able Cattle, as Horses and8.▪ Cattel.▪ Mares, so that 'tis grown into a proverb; to call a tall and lusty woman, a great Flanders Mare, and so for cowes; and oxen, and other cattel.

Flanders is divided into three parts, viz. that▪ 9. Division of it into Flan­ders, Fla­mingant, Gallicane, and Imperi­al. which is called Flanders, Flaming-gant, the greatest and noblest, wherein are three Capital Cities, as Gaunt, Bruges, and Ipre; as also the foure Sea-ports Scluice belonging to the States of Holland, Ostend, and Newport (as yet in the Spanish power, but may ere long be rid of their old Masters, and come into the hands of better. Duinkirk, victoriously won and strongly possess'd by the English, as the flourishing colours up­on the Castles, Forts, and works do shew; and Graveline, which now lies groveling ready to starve, [Page 4] and must ere long without speedy relief (which is hard to come by) yeeld to his highnesse the Lord Protector, it being beset at Sea with our stout Fri­gots, and at land by Mardike on the East, Bourburgh on the South, and Calais on the West.

Flanders Gallican, the Name showes it lies upon France Westward, Artois on the South, and the River Scheld on the East. Flanders Imperial is towards Brabant, Flanders Gallican, and this are the richer for Wheat, but the other for Rie, Oats, Peason, Fitches, Beans, Buck-wheat, flax and hemp, fruits and roots of all sorts.

The Rivers in Flanders are many, which bring10. Rivers and Forrests. in wealth, and are commodious for traffique, fishing, and pleasure, the chief of them are the Lis, the Scheld, and Tender; there are many Forrests, and Woods, which do not only adorne and beau­tifie it, but also breed infinite store of cattel and a­bundance of foul, as Pheasants, Patridges & the like, but they are also of singular use for building & fire, the chief are Neip and Nonnen, the Countrey hath no rocks or mountaines but is even and flat, and so the more fruitful, yet some pretty pleasant fruitful hills are intermix'd, pleasant for hauk and hound, and rather for prospect, then to tire the traveller in going over them.

This County of Flanders exceeds most of her o­ther11. Cities and Towns walled sixteen sisters for famous, beautiful, large, po­pulour, strong, and pleasant Cities and Towns; for there are no lesse then twenty eight walled Towns; which because they are so many and so faire ones; I will name them, (viz.) Gaunt, Bruges, Ipre the three chiefest: Lile, Doway, Tournay, Courtrick, Oudenade, Aulst, Hulst, Termont, Biervleit, Scluice, [Page 5] Newport, Dunkerk, Graveling, Dam, Burburgh, Dix­mude, Vuerne, Ardenburgh, Ninove, Winoxbergh, Grammont, Cassel, Demsee, Orchier, Lannoy.

Besides these, there are thirty other great12. Unwalled Towns. Townes, that had they Walls, they might be judged for their greatnesse to be Cities; some of them have had Walls, but through the fury of War dismantled and cast down, or else through time decayed, yet many, nay most of them have Bul­warks, and Works, and Moats, and Draw-bridges to defend them from sudden depredations, Some of them are mainly fortified, as Ostende and Mardike (which place is happily now garrison'd by his Highnesse) and hath been a pleasant seat; but what by French and Spaniards hath been reduced onely to a strong, and at present an impregnable Fort, so long as so many stout English hearts have it in possession; they are as followe, Oudenburg, Messine, Belle, Poppering, Torone, Ostburgh, Axeile, Middleburgh (there is one of the same name in Zea­land) Hoo, Werwick, Blanckberg, Houcke, Rosselor, Tielt, Giestle, Ecclo, Lombarzide, Steechet, Honscot, Morche­rede, Meenen, Haelvein, VVastein, Steegers, Mergen, Haesbrook, Armentiers, which the other two of O­stende and Mardike make up thirty fair, well peo­pled, and well traded Towns.

I cannot let two of the head Cities, and some of13. Gaunt & Bruges briefly described. the others go or passe in silence, to wit, Gaunt and Bruges, Dunkerk and Ostende. Gaunt was built by Julius Caesar foure leagues distant from Sea, It is seated upon three Rivers, the Scheld which runs by Antwerp, the Lis, and Liette, which make with­in the City twenty six Iles, and fourscore and ten [Page 6] great Bridges, under and through which goes small ships and Vessels with all sort of wares, be­sides many smaller ones pleasant and profitable, It is strong by nature and art, fortified by a strong and a large Cittadel, Gallant in buildings, stately, high and uniforme, the wall more then sixteen English miles about; there be six principal water-mills; one hundred and thirty Windmils upon the walls; fifty eight publick Churches, foure Orders of Friers, twenty six Schools of literature, fifty two Companies of Trades, and twenty seven Orders and degrees of Weavers, of Gold and Silver, Silks, Lin­nin, VVollen, Tapistry, Sarges, Fustions, VVorsteds, Buckroms, and all other sorts of Stuffs; this City is famous for the birth of the Emperour Charles the fifth, and that valiant Prince-like John of Gaunt.

Bruges is little inferiour, for 'tis a stately Towne14. Bruges. and ancient, strong and healthy, the Wall is five Italian miles in compasse, hath many Schools, in it are threescore and six Churches well built and beautified, the chief of them is dedicated to Donatus: here are sixty eight free Companies, besides abund­ance of Cloisters, Nunneries and Priories; the City for health and pleasure is frequented by great per­sons of Nobles and Gentry, it is well stored for all sorts of provision and at cheap rates, its full of plea­sant Gardens, Orchards and walks, you may guess of the rest by these two, famous in building, riches, commerce and pleasure.

I will refer the story of Dunkerk toward the end15. Villages in Flanders. of this Treatise, and so I shew you the gallant­nesse of this County for the great number of rich [Page 7] and pleasant Parishes and Villages that are in it, being one thousand one hundred fifty foure, wealthy and great as any in Europe, besides16. Castles. the great number of Castles, Fortresses, Seigni­ories, Noble and Gentlemens Houses beautiful and large, and rich, and to augment the splen­dor of this County there are fourty eight faire17. Castles, Ab­beys. Abbies, besides Nunneries a vast number of Priories, Canonical Colledges, and Monasteries, so that the Spaniards, when they came first into Flanders and beheld the variety of buildings and multitude of Parishes (notwithstanding it hath been so harrassed by Warres for these sixty yeares) said that all Flanders was but one entire City of pleasure and profit: and who knows not that old true saying that France is the great and mightiest Kingdome of all Europe, Milan the mightiest Dukedome, and Flanders the mightiest and greatest Coun­tie.

Next observe that in this Countrey there18. Dignities & Government and Officers of State. are five ancient Vicounties, viz. of Gaunt, Ipre, Vuerne, VVinnoxbergh, and Haerbleck. The States of Flanders consist of foure members, Nobles, Prelates, Towns, Castleneues, or Commanders of Castles and Towns, here are in Flanders thirty one Courts of Justice or Bayliwicks, four great Baronies which all give the Bear for their Arms, but distin­guished19. Principali­ties. by the fields, viz. Pamele, Cison, Heine, Bou­laer; there are eighteen Baronies of latter erection, yet of great Command: here are also twelve Preres in this County in imitation of France: here also are three Principalities of Steinhawse, Gauree, and Espinoy.

[Page 8]I will not omit to name the Earle of Flanders 20. Officers pe­culiar to the Earle of Flanders. chief Officers, such as follow him and are of his Court, and have Lordships and Seigniories of inheri­tance in Flanders annexed to their office, there are, first, a great Constable, two Marshals for Justice, a Master of his horse, chief Master of his Game, a Chancellor, a Chamberlaine: foure Receivers of his Revenues, a chief Steward, besides abundance of infe­riour Officers and Ministers under these: he also hath a set number of Chaplains, three Secretaries, one for the Church-affaires, one for State-affaires,21. The Earles Revenues. and one for his own special occasions, the Earles Revenues and estate in times of peace were won­drous large, from his Churches and Religious per­sons, from his own Hereditary Lands, and from his customs upon all Commodities by sea and land, computed to amount to the summe of two milli­ons of Rix dollers or Crownes by the yeare in our moneys according to pound sterling, after this rate they come to five hundred thousand pound per ann.

I promised ere I concluded to set down the State of Dunkirk and Ostend, both of them have22. Ostende. been subject to the fury of VVarre, and change of Lords and Laws: for Ostend 'twas a fishing Town, and lived by what they got at Sea, as well by labour as by Pyracy; for they used both as well against us English, as against the Hollanders, who once were Masters of it, and did by the valour of English Com­manders, especially Sir Francis Vere, and Horatio afterwards Lord Vere his valiant brother, and Sir John Ogle with other hardy Commanders hold out a tedious siege of three years, three moneths, and odde dayes against all the Spanish power and [Page 9] strength, who spared neither men nor bullets, to get it into his hands; which at last (when it was not a Town, but an heap of battered Rubbish) by the fury of his Cannon and Granadoes) when it had cost him almost a million of men and millions of moneys was honourably yeelded into his hands; to the never dying fame and honour of our Commanders and souldiers, and so the Spaniard hath kept, and builded it anew, so that at pre­sent it is a neat prety new town, but strongly fortifi­ed, and hath done a world of mischief to our Mer­chants, Fisher-men, and Colliers, and would have been a sore nest of Pirates had they not been vali­antly kept prisoners within by our stately Men of VVar, who have barr'd up this nest of pickeroons with good Cannon, and stout Seamen; and who will (I hope) ere long roust them out of this Hole, and make them look out another kennel; and re­duce O end as Dunkerk is, to the obedience of his Highnesse, to the benefit of all Merchants and honor of our Nation.

And now we are almost come to a period, onely23. Dunkerk. this Place must not be omitted. It hath the name from the Church Duin-kerk, in Dutch signifying a Church in or neer the Downes, or to be seen in the Downes as a mark at Sea: there is a convenient Harbour for shipping, and a strong Castle, the Town indifferent large, well built, too good for such vermin as are now cast out of it, strong it is, and well Bulwark'd toward sea and land; 'tis commodious­ly seated for pleasure and profit, the great Church is faire in building, and will be fairer when as Popish superstition is removed, and the Gospel [Page 10] preached in its with vigour, zeal, and purity which is already begun; the Townsmen may praise God for so happy a change, it hath been subject to many alterations; I will onely name some for brevities sake, it was sacked, pillaged, and burned, Anno. 1558. by Monsier Termes. It was besieged and won from the Spaniard by the French, Anno 1655. Again, the peace being not broke betwixt England and Spaine it was regained by the Spaniard (but he was behol­den then to us for it) and now this present yeare after a short siege, though hot for the time; it was at first yeelded into the hands of his Majesty of France, who presently redelivered it into the Lord Lockarts possession for his Highnesse, who now is sole owner of it and Mardike her strong neighbour; both turned from Spanish and French fashion into English: So that at present Flanders is under the Government of two free States, to wit, England and Holland, and under two Kings, of France and Spain.

This Couutrey hath been the seat of Warre for24. Battels in Flanders. sixty years and upwards, sometimes by the Dutch and Spaniards, who worryed one another in this Countrey in several sieges, as that of Scluis, and that at Dam, and two voyages to Hulst; the first time the Prince of Orange was glad to come off with some loss, but the second time entring with a strong Army took that Town of Hulst, and the States of the Low­Countreys do keep it garrisoned at this present, it is not far distant from sea.

It hath also been the thorough-fair for the French and Spanish armies to range and rove in, to the ex­tream harassing and impoverishing the husband­man and trades.

[Page 11]The most famous battel that hath been fought inNewport Battel. this Countrey was that of Neiwport; great were the Armies as well that of the States, as that of the Arch-Duke Albertus, and almost for number equal, the advantages of winde, or Sun, or ground little or none; the States had a sad morning, and the Arch­Duke a fatal evening, for the Spaniards cut off twelve hundred stout and hardy Scots at a narrow passage, (a great losse for the quality of the souldi­ers, or number at that pinch of time, for they were (with the English) the flower of the States Army, the Spaniards followed their game so furiously, that Prince Maurice left the field, all the Dutch ran a shipboard, that valiant and wise Sir Francis Vere was shot in the morning, which wound rendred him unable for Command that day, but he committed it to his brother a prosperous, and religious Leader; who managed it so, that when the Spaniard had gained so much ground that they possessed the Cannon, and cryed out Sancta Maria, Victoria, victoria, and all was given for lost, yet the English Regiments (who only kept and wonne the field) did so poure their bullets amongst the enemies, that they pre­sently regain'd the Ordnance, and charg'd them presently with small shot, and discharg'd them so successfully, that the Spaniards were forc'd to leave the field in disorder; that night, and their heels was their shelter. But the English pursuing their victory slew and cut down all they overtook stragling, so that the day was gained by the English, who did not onely gain that field then, but from time to time have upheld the Low-countreys; who in truth had been totally ruin'd by the Spaniard, with­out [Page 12] our help, this famous battel was fought with at least fourty five thousand men on both sides.

And now at present this County of Flanders is the Seat of Warre, wherein England and France are tugging against Spain, and hitherto have performed admirable service, as the taking of Bourburgh and Mardike, the surrender of Dunkerk into our hands, that Town so infamous for Piracies; the great o­verthrow given to the Spaniards striving to relieve it, with a great number of field Officers and others, made prisoners, the speedy gaining of VVinnoxberg, Vuern, Dixmude, Towns that have all of them titles added to their names; as Dunkerk for trade, Win­noxbergh for a gallant Market, Vuern for pleasure, and Dixmude for excellent butter.

And at this Instant that strong seated, deep moated and treble-walled Town of Graveling is be­sieged, Newport and Ostend kept close In, which when gain'd will cause the Spaniard to shrug and shrink in his bombasted titles and Bravadoes; and be a just cause of Englands triumph, and rejoycing over the proud Spaniard.