Text (translated from the 1570L, 1571L, 1571/1573D, 1572/1573G, 1572/1574F, 1573L, 1574L, 1575L, 1579L, 1580G and 1581F edition). Text of 1570L was translated by Zweder von Martels, University of Groningen, which is gratefully acknowledged). The translation of the Latin texts plus 1580G is presented in merged form first, and after that the merged Dutch, 1572/1573 German and French texts;
111.1. {1570L{NORTGOIA, or the County Palatine of BAYERN
111.2. The other part of Bayern which is on the other side [of the] Donaw and extends beyond the Bohemian woods is called in our time and has been called for a long time Nortgoia. It has Noremberg as its chief city, from which, as some people think, it took its name. And although this Norimberg is not an ancient city, yet its castle, situated on top of a hill, which was once called castle of Noricum is very ancient. This region has many towns, monasteries and villages, especially Amberg, {1579L{which in the year of Christ 1300 was surrounded by a wall}1579L}.
111.3. Then {not in 1571L & 1573L{Awerbach}not in 1571L & 1573L}, Sultzpach, Castell Monastery (where in old times the Princes of Nortgoia held their Court), Eger, {not in 1571L & 1573L{Nevvenstadt}not in 1571L & 1573L}, Beierut, Eistet, Naprug, {1579L{Rewenkelm, Kemnat, Krusen, Grevenvverdt, Eschenbach, Weiden, Pernavv, Pleistein, Herspruck, Rurbach, Neumarckt, Tursenrut, Elbogen, Cham, Schonsee, Künsperg, Stauff}1579L} &c. For the most part these belong to the Palatine Princes. For Ludouicus, the Emperor and Duke of Bayern in the year of Christ 1339 made such a division that of the whole province of Bayern, the province of Nortgoia should be subjected to the Palatine Princes, except only certain towns which should belong to the Emperor, and also many that used to belong to the crown of the Empire have in former times been loaned to the Princes of Bayern.
111.4. In this Province, between Bamberg and Noremberg, in the East, the town of Eger, there is a high mountain called Fichtelberg from which four rivers issue, [namely the] Mœne, Nabe, Sala and Eger. This mountain is in circumference about six miles. It produces various kinds of metal. It [also] yields the best [kind] of blue colour, which they commonly call Azure. In the top of the mountain they also find Tin, and many caves from which metals have been dug in former times. In general, the whole province everywhere teems with mines, especially of iron, by which the Nortgoians yearly make a great profit.
111.5. {1579L{Otherwise, the soil is hard and rough, although in some places it brings forth a good quantity of grain, and is excellent pasture ground. This Province of Nortgoia contains one of the four Earldoms or Landgravies which a long time ago were established by the Emperors, namely {1580G only{the Earldom of}1580G only} Luchtenberg which takes its name from the castle of Luchtenberg, although the Princes of that jurisdiction keep their Court in the town of Freimbd, and sometimes in Grunsfelden, the location of which you may see on the Map.
111.6. The Earl who now possesses this place is called Georgius, if I am not deceived, descended from his forebears Albert and Frederick. This Earldom has not grown to such a size as the other three, which in the course of time have expanded much, both in possessions and command, especially the Landgravy or Eardom of Hessen}1579L}. So far for Sebastian Münster. See also Pius the second. About the beginnings of the County Palatine of this Province read Francis Irenicus. Conradus Celtes the Poet has most excellently described Noremberg, the chief city of this Province. Gasper Bruschius {not in 1580G{of Egra}not in 1580G} has described Fichtelberg {1573L, not in 1580G{(a mountain plentifully bearing Pine trees)}1573L, not in 1580G} in a specific treatise}1570L}.
{1579L{Wirtemberg will be described on the next page, which it occupies by itself}1579L}
[Thus, the following text is not contained in the 1579L and the 1580G edition]
111.7. {1570L{The Dukedom of WIRTEMBERG.
111.8. The Region of the Dukedom of Wirtemberg is shaped somewhat like a circle, and comprises many towns and cities, and also many castles, monasteries, mansions and an infinite number of villages, next to three Imperial Cities, namely Eslinga, Wila and Reutlinga, which have their own jurisdictions under the guardianship of their Ruler. The most prominent cities of this Dukedom are Tubinga, which has an academy, and Stutgard, the seat of their Lord. This is discussed in Münster and others. {1573L only{But let us hear what Iacobus Spiegelius has written about this region. He writes in Scoli which is contained in Bartholini's Austriades: The region of Wirtenberg was from its beginnings under the rule of the Duchy, and it has among its cities three important ones, next to Prince's castles: The first is Vrach, the second Beutelsbach and the third is the kingdom of Grieninga. Later these were merged into two, namely Stutgart and Vrach. In our time it has reformed into one province ruled by the Emperor, as Maximilianus says. Eberhard Barbatus created a Dukedom from the Earldom, and dignified its nobility with titles}1573L only}. The main river of this region, the Neccar, as well as other rivers, has been described beautifully by Franciscus Irenus in his Book 8, Chapter 34. The area at the river Neccar is fertile in generous wine, which hence is called Neccarense}1570L}.
[Since the 1571/1573D, 1572/1573G, 1572/1574F and 1581F texts differ considerably from the one above, a separate translation for these editions will be given below.]
111.9. {1571D{Nortgew or Bavarian Pfaltz.
111.10. Norgevv is the name of the part of Bavaria which extends towards the Bohemian forests on the other side of the Donouwe. The Capital here is Nurenberg from which (as some think) this Country derives its name. And although Nurenberg is not a very ancient City, yet the Castle which lies on a mountain top there, once called Castrum Noricum, is very Ancient.
111.11. In this Land there are many other Cities, Moats, Monasteries, and Villages, such as Amberg, Sultzbach, Auvverbach, the Monastery Castle where the Princes of Nortgevv used to keep Court; then Eger, Neuvvenstadt, Beyerut, Eystet, Napurg etc. which mostly belong to Pfaltz. In the Area between the Cities of Bamberg and Eger lies a mountain called Viechtelberch, which is six miles in circumference. Here they dig all kinds of Metal, particularly Iron, which serves all of Nortgew. They also find much Azure dye here. On top of this mountain there is a Lake. From this mountain run four Rivers towards the four directions of the World, that is, the Meyn to the West, the Eger to the East, the Sal to the North and the Nab to the South.
111.12. You also see on this Map the River Regnits, and another one called Altmul. Emperor Carolus in the year 793 intended to connect these two waters by digging [a canal] so that ships might go from the Danube into the Rhijn. He had some thousands of men work on it, but since it rained a lot at that time, and since the soil around there is very sandy, whatever canal they dug in the day time would collapse at night. So he gave up this idea. At Weyssenburg you can still see remnants of this canal. So far Munsterus. {1581F only{This land comprises four Landgravies, namely that of Leuchteberg which took its name from a fortress so named, where they sometimes still keep Court , which is also done in a village called Pfreindt, and also sometimes in Grunsfelt, which city can also be seen on this map}1581F ends here}.
111.13. The Duchy of Wirtenberg.
111.14. This was once an Earldom, and it was later made into a Duchy. This Land is almost round in shape. It has a very fertile Soil, and is well covered with Cities and Villages, among which the following three, namely Eslingen, Wil and Rutlingen are Free cities. Further there are Stucgart, the main City, where the Duke keeps Court. Around this City there are so many vineyards that they have a saying that if you would press all the grapes around Stucgart, the City would drown in them. This is to say that, since the City lies in a valley, and since the mountains above it yield so much wine, if you would allow the ripe grapes to release their moisture, because of this flood, and given the valley in the land, the City would be inundated by the wine.
111.15. Close by is Tubingen, where there is a University, founded by Earl Eberhert in the year 1477. Then Wiltbadt and Zell, with hot springs. Then Göppingen, where there is an acid spring {1572/1574F only{in German called Saurbrun [= acid spring]}1572/1574F only}, beneficial for many diseases. Then Rottenburg, Helbrun etc. and the Castle of Wirtenberg from which the Land derives its name. It is situated on the Neckar, which river traverses the Area. It empties into the Rhijn at Heydelberg. Along this Neckar there grows the most costly wine, called Neckar-wine}1571/1573D} © Marcel van den Broecke ©.