Text (translated from the 1584 Latin 3rd Add., 1584 Latin, 1584 German 3rd Add., 1585 French 3rd Add., 1587 French, 1588 Spanish, 1589G, 1592 Latin, 1595 Latin, 1598 French, 1601 Latin, 1602 German, 1602 Spanish, 1603 Latin, 1606 English, 1608/1612 Italian, 1609/1612/1641 Spanish and 1609/1612 Latin edition)
112.1. {1584L3Add{NORTGOIA, or the County Palatine of BAYERN.
112.2. 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 Nurenberg as its chief city, from which, as some people think, it took its name. And although this Nurenberg is not an ancient city, yet its castle, situated on top of a hill, {1584L3Add, 1584L, 1584G3Add, 1587F, 1588S, 1592L, 1595L, 1598F, 1601L, 1602G, 1602S, 1603L, 1608/1612I, 1609/1612/1641S & 1609/1612L only{called Castrum Noricum}1584L3Add, 1584L, 1584G3Add, 1587F, 1588S, 1592L, 1595L, 1598F, 1601L, 1602G, 1602S, 1603L, 1608/1612I, 1609/1612/1641S & 1609/1612L only} is very ancient. This region has many towns, monasteries and mansions, especially Amberg, which in the year of Christ 1300 was surrounded by a wall.
112.3. Awerbach, Sultzpach, Castel Munster (where in old times the Princes of Nortgoia held their Court), Eger, Beierut, Eistet, Napurg, Newenstadt, Rewenkeln, Kemnat, Krusen, Grevenwerdt, Eschenbach, Weiden, Pernaw, Pleistein, Herspruck, Rurbach, Neumarckt, Tursenrut, Elbogen, Cham, Schonsee, Kunsperg, Stauff &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.
112.4. In this Province, between Bamberg and Nurenberg, in the East, towards the town of Eger, there is a high mountain called Fichtelberg from which four rivers issue, [namely the] Mœnus, 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.
112.5. Otherwise, the soil is hard and rough, although in some places it brings forth a good quantity of grain, and is excellent pasture ground {1584L3Add, 1584L, 1584G3Add, 1587F, 1588S, 1592L, 1595L, 1598F, 1601L, 1602G, 1602S, 1603L, 1608/1612I, 1609/1612/1641S & 1609/1612L only{to fatten their cattle}1584L3Add, 1584L, 1584G3Add, 1587F, 1588S, 1592L, 1595L, 1598F, 1601L, 1602G, 1602S, 1603L, 1608/1612I, 1609/1612/1641S & 1609/1612L only}. This Province of Nortgoia contains one of the four Earldoms or Landgravies which a long time ago were established by the Emperors, namely 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.
112.6. The Earl who now possesses this place is called George, 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 Earldom of Hessen. So far for Sebastian Münster. See also Pius the second. About the beginnings of the County Palatine of this Province read Franciscus Irenicus. Conradus Celtes the Poet has most excellently described Noremberg, the chief city of this Province. {1592L, not in 1598F & 1602G{And lately also Pighius in Hercules Prodicius}1592L, not in 1598F & 1602G}. Gasper Brusch of Egra has described Fichtelberg {not in 1584G3Add & 1602G{(a mountain plentifully bearing Pine trees)}not in 1584G3Add & 1602G} in a specific treatise. {1602G only{We will deal with Wirtenberg on the next map, which is specifically devoted to it}1602G only, which ends here}.
112.7. The territory or jurisdiction of STRASBVRG
112.8. The book of Records (Notitiarum liber) mentions Argentoratensis tractus, the precinct of Strasburg. It takes its name from {not in 1584G3Add & 1587F{Argentoratum or Argentina, as others name it, now called}not in 1584G3Add & 1587F} Strasburg, {1587F & 1598F only{the capital city of this area}1587F & 1598F only}. This area is part of Elsas, where in former times the Triboces or Tribocci lived, as Rhenanus, Münster and others think. It is clear from old records that it has at some stage been under the jurisdiction of the city of Trier. Afterwards, it was governed by Earls (although not [meant] in that sense in which the word is commonly used nowadays), yet they were subject to the Duke of Mentz, as the book of Records just mentioned shows.
112.9. At this day it is dignified with the title of Landgravy. Besides many [other] things in this city worthy of our praise, there is a most stately steeple on its chief church, whose height is such that it does not only exceed all the rest in all of Germany, but in my opinion in all of Europe. It is, as Münster has recorded, five hundred and seventy-four feet high. The people of Vienna in Austria think that the steeple on their Church of St. Stephanus exceeds all others in height, yet, as Cuspinianus reports, it is no less than four hundred and eighty feet high.
112.10. {1592L, not in 1598F{The steeple of St. Paul's of London in England is in height five hundred and thirty-four feet, as the learned Mr. Camden says}1592L, not in 1598F}. Ours of the Church of our Virgin at Antwerp is only four hundred and sixty-six feet high. But whether the Geometrical foot used by the Architects of these three {1592L and later have instead{four}1592L and later instead} different cities for measuring is the same or not, let those who are more curious about these matters seek the solution}1584L3Add, 1584L, 1584G3Add, 1587F, 1588S, 1592L, 1595L, 1598F & 1609/1612/1641S end here}. {1601L, 1602S, 1603L, 1606E, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612L only{That [steeple] of ours in Antwerp excels above all others in workmanship and beauty I dare to affirm, having seen all [the steeples] mentioned}1602S ends here}.
About this territory of Strasburg, read Beatus Rhenanus' first book of his German histories}1601L, 1603L, 1606E, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612L only} © Marcel van den Broecke ©.