Text, one version only, translated from the 1573 Dutch1Add/1573 Dutch, 1573 German1Add/1573German, 1573Latin1Add/1573 Latin (AB), 1574 French1Add/1574French, 1574 Latin, 1575 Latin, 1579 Latin (AB), 1580/1589 German, 1581 French, 1584 Latin, 1587 French, 1588 Spanish, 1592 Latin, 1595 Latin, 1598 French, 1601 Latin, 1602 German, 1602 Spanish, 1603 Latin, 1606 English, 1608/1612 Italian, 1609/1612 Latin & 1609/1612/1641 Spanish editions:
114.1. 1573D1Add/1573D{The precinct of SUEVIA [Schwaben].{1608/1612I has instead{SVAVE} 1608/1612I instead}.
114.2. They who divided the empire of Germany into certain areas or circles (Kreis they commonly call them) made Schwaben {1606E instead{Switzerland}1606E instead} the fourth in order. {1573L1Add/1573L(A){Now in all they record ten of them}1573L1Add/1573L(A)}. It is certain from historical documents that this Schwaben {1606E instead{Switzerland} 1606E instead} was a kingdom, but after that reduced to a dukedom. In spite of that, nowadays none of the princes of Germany is graced with the title of duke of Schwaben {1606E instead{Switzerland}1606E instead}. For it is now divided amongst many princes. One part has by inheritance gone to the house of Austria. The duke of Wirtenberg enjoys the largest part. In it are many free cities which belong to the crown of the empire. Many are subject to the duke of Bavaria. There is none among the old writers who does not make a report on this nation as being the most noble and ancient part of all Germany. It is clear from Ptolemæus, Strabo and other authors that they were so far settled near the rivers Elbe and Spree. But now it is the most outlying province of all of Germany because it borders on the Alps {1580/1589G & 1602G only{or the Swiss mountains}1580/1589G & 1602G only}. It is bounded by Bayern, Frankenland and Alsatia {1606E only{or Elsass,}1606E only} on all sides. In old times this country was called Alemania, after lake Lemanus {1606E only{(vulgarly now called Lac de Lausanne or Lac de Geneve, the Germans call it GENFERSEE)}1606E only} as some think.
114.3. The country, as Johann Aubanus describes it in that worthy work by him, De moribus gentium [About the manners of peoples] is partly plain, partly hilly. The soil is fruitful, and no part of it lies untilled, except those parts which consist of lakes, mountains or woods. There are many woods here and therefore the nation is much given to hunting and hawking. They have an abundance of corn, and a lot of cattle. The whole province is because of the healthy air everywhere full of beautiful cities, villages, castles, and high bulwarks, strongly fortified by art as well as nature. The mountains yield iron, silver and other metals. The nation is populous, valiant, audacious and warlike. And therefore Plutarchus calls it the most excellent nation of all the Germans. Its fame is recorded to be so great and to have been enlarged so much that for valour and feats of arms it seems to have deserved to be the empire of the whole world, a position which indeed it has enjoyed most gloriously for a period of somewhat more than a hundred years. So far for Johann Aubanus, where you may see more about the customs and ways of life of this nation.
114.4. Augsburg, {1606E only{on the river Lech,}1606E only} and Ulm {1606E only{on the Danube}1606E only} are the most famous cities of this province today. There are also Kempten, Memmingen, Werdau, Nördlingen and others, about which you may read in Münster. The Danube, the greatest river in all of Europe here has its source, and passes through the middle of this country. This river, filled by 63 {1606E instead{60}1606E instead} streams, (which Cuspinianus according to the report of Collinitius described by name and order) and empties itself into Pontus Euxinus {1606E only{(the Greek now call it Maurothalassa, the Italians Mar Maiore. The Turks, as Busbequius confirms Cara-denis, that is, The black sea)}1606E only} by six huge mouths. Each of these mouths is so large, as Plinius says, that you shall see the sea to be overpowered, and driven back as much as forty miles, and to this distance the water is perceived to be sweet. {1573L1Add/1573L, not in 1574F1Add/1574F, 1581F, 1587F & 1598F{Of this country, its people and its first inhabitants, see the ancient geographers. And of the later writers, Johann Aubanus of Bohemia, Münster and Irenicus, who states that Naucler has written certain books on this topic only, and that Berno, some abbot, has written many volumes about this nation}1573L1Add/1573L, not in 1574F1Add/1574F, 1581F & 1587F}. {1595L, not in 1598F & 1602G{In the upper part of this map you see a little province commonly called Kreichgey. David Chytræus has described it in a particular treatise}1595L, not in 1598F & 1602G}.
114.5. The territory {1573G1Add/1573G, 1580/1589G & 1602G have instead{bishopric}1573G1Add/1573G, 1580/1589G & 1602G instead} of BASEL.
114.6. This map contains those regions where long ago the Rauraci and the Sequani CisIurani {1573G1Add/1573G, 1580/1589G & 1602G have instead{Sundgauer}1573G1Add/1573G, 1580/1589G & 1602G instead}{1574F1Add/1574F, 1581F, 1587F & 1598F have instead{Bourguignons from the Jura mountain range (specifically Saint Glaude}1574F1Add/1574F, 1581F, 1587F & 1598F instead} lived, and also the wilderness of Helvetia {1608/1612I only{presently in their language called Kleckgow}1608/1612I only}. The Rauraci in former times, in the opinion of most men, were contained between the rivers Rhine, Birß and Ahr, and those mountains which extend in this direction from the Jura {1574F1Add/1574F, 1581F, 1587F & 1598F only{or St. Glaude}1574F1Add/1574F, 1581F, 1587F & 1598F only}. Today most of it is under the jurisdiction of Basel. There is still in this place a village at the Rhine, at a distance of one German mile from Basel, called Augst which was once the chief city of this nation, then called Augusta Rauracorum. But now it has become a simple village. {1573L1Add{Many signs of decayed buildings are apparent which still testify of its antiquity, as we have seen to remain and still be extant there. The country is rough, full of ragged rocks, and everywhere covered with thick woods. Yet it is well inhabited and manured, so that even in the mountains, next to beautiful pastures for cattle of which there is a lot, it [also] brings forth very good wine and corn.
114.7. Some time ago the Sequani Cisiurani {1573G1Add/1573G only{or Sündgauer}1573G1Add/1573G only}{1574F1Add/1574F, 1581F, 1587F & 1598F have instead{the Bourguignons}1574F1Add/1574F, 1581F, 1587F & 1598F instead} extended from the mountains of the Jura {1574F1Add/1574F, 1581F, 1587F & 1598F only{to St. Glaude and}1574F1Add/1574F, 1581F, 1587F & 1598F only} all the way to the banks of the river Rhine. Now this part is called Sundgau, and the Higher Elsaß, and is subject for the largest part to the dukes of Austria.
114.8. Breisgau and Black-wood, commonly called Schwarzwald lie on the other bank of the Rhine. This is where Ptolemæus locates the waste and wilderness of Helvetia. Breisgau is very well provided with cities and villages, and is very rich in corn. The common people live mostly on wine growing. The jurisdiction and government of this country is divided between {not in 1580/1589G & 1602G{the archdukes of Austria and}not in 1580/1589G & 1602G} and the marquises of Baden. Of this area you will find much in Münster}1573D1Add/1573D, 1573G1Add/1573G, 1573L1Add/1573L(AB), 1574F1Add/1574F, 1574L, 1575L, 1579L(AB), 1580/1589G, 1581F, 1584L, 1587F, 1588S, 1592L, 1598F & 1602G end here}. {1595L, not in 1598F{Christianus Vrstisius in a specific treatise has most exactly described the city of Basel, [and] so has Æneas Sylvius, afterwards called Pope Pius II}1595L, 1601L, 1602S, 1603L, 1606E, 1608/1612I, 1609/1612L & 1609/1612/1641S end here}.