Text, translated from the 1579/1580 Latin 2nd Add., 1579 Latin, 1580/1589 German, 1584 Latin, 1588 Spanish, 1592 Latin, 1595 Latin, 1601 Latin, 1602 German, 1602 Spanish, 1603 Latin, 1606 English, 1608/1612 Italian, 1609/1612/1641 Spanish, and 1609/1612 Latin edition:
38.1. {1579/1580L2Add{PICTAVIA. {1588S, 1602S & 1609/1612/1641S additionally, 1606E instead{Poitou.}1588S, 1602S & 1609/1612/1641S additionally, 1606E instead}{1608/1612I instead{Il Poetv, o Poetiers.}1608/1612I instead}.
38.2. Among the people of Gallia Aquitanica some are called Pectones by Ptolemæus and Plinius. By Cæsar and Strabo [they are called] Pictones, with an i in the first syllable, and Ammianus Marcellinus [calls them] Pictaui. {1595L, not in 1602G{Ausonius calls the country Pictonica regio}1595L, not in 1602G}, but later writers and speakers of Latin today call it Pictavia. The inhabitants in their own language call themselves Poictevins, the region Poitou, and the main city Poitiers which perhaps is the same as Ptolemæus' Augustoritum. The opinion of those who say it was thus named after the Picts I consider altogether a fable, for from the classical writers it is clear that Pictones is a more ancient name than Picti. Poitou is now divided into Lower and Upper Poitou. The Lower Poitou we call that [region] which ends Westwards at the sea of Aquitaigne{1608/1612I has instead{Guascogna}1608/1612I instead}, and the Upper Poitou lies Eastwards towards Touraine and Berry. South, it borders on Xantoigne, Angoulême and Limoges, and North on Bretaigne and Anjou.
38.3. It is a country most fertile for corn and cattle, rich in wheat and wine, and abounding with fish. [Of] wild fowl and beasts there are plenty, and for that reason there is much hunting and hawking.
38.4. This region of Poitou contains 1200 dioceses or rather parishes under three bishoprics, namely Poitiers, Luçon and Maillezais, as they are commonly called. The main cities next to these are, as the inhabitants call them, La Roche-sur-Yon, Talmont, Meroil, Vouvant, Mervans, Bressuire, Loudun [and] Fontenay-le-Comte, all of which are in Upper Poitou, as we said. In Lower Poitou there are Niort, Parthenay, Tours, Moncontour, Hernault, Mirambeau, Châtellerault &c. The head of all these is Poitiers which next to Paris is the main city of all France, and is mostly surrounded by the river Clain. The antiquity of this town becomes sufficiently clear from its [amphi-]theatre (commonly called Arenas) as also from the palace of Gallienus, and the arches of aquaducts still extant, which the inhabitants call Arceaux de Parigné, all [of] which are traces of the Romans in this place.
38.5. However, before their arrival this city was located on another plot of ground, as may be gathered from the writings of Ammonius and Adonis, for they mention a place called Old Poitiers, where the division was made between the kingdoms of Charlemaigne and Pepin {1588S has instead{Philipe}1588S instead}, kings of the Franks. {1579L(B), not in 1580/1589G & 1602G{Also on this map at the very same river Clain towards Châtellerault you may see a place called Vieux Poitiers, that is to say Old Poitiers}1579L(B), not in 1580/1589G & 1602G}. The town of Talmont or rather Talon du Monde {1602G & 1606E only{(The heel of the world)}1602G & 1606E only} {1579L(B){in Latin the Heel of the World}1579L(B)}is so called by the French because it stands at the utmost border of this country {not in 1580/1589G & 1602G{towards the ocean}not in 1580/1589G & 1602G}, and therefore it was to be considered the most extreme part of the world.
38.6. Opposite the shore of Poitou are also these islands: Oleron (by Plinius called Uliarius) at the mouth of the river Charente, called Charentonus by Ausonius, and Canentelum by Ptolemæus. [Also] L'Isle de Rez, {1579/1580L2Add{in the Rupella region,}1579/1580L2Add}{1588S, 1602S, 1606E, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S instead{opposite La Rochelle}1588S, 1602S, 1606E, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S instead}, abounding with wine after which it has been named. [Then] the isle of Noir or Marmonstier, which yields plenty of salt. [Then] the isle of Aulonne [Oleron] which on this map appears rather as a peninsula. It abounds with wine and salt, as does another small island called Chavet.
38.7. The map also presents to you L'Isle de Dieu {1580/1589G, 1602G & 1606E only{or God's isle,}1580/1589G, 1602G & 1606E only} and one which is called Nôtre-dame de Bovin. [It is] by Saint Hilarius, the apostle of Aquitania, [as] ecclesiastical writers say, that this region was converted to Christianity. A more exact description of it may be found {not in 1606E{in the Cosmography}not in 1606E} published by Belleforest, who will refer you from himself to Ioannes Bouchet's Chronicle of Aquitaigne {1608/1612I only{or Gascoigne}1608/1612I only}.
38.8. {1579L(B){Something you may learn from {not in 1580/1589G & 1602G{Antonius Pinetus' description of cities}1579L(B), not in 1580/1589G & 1602G}. Thevet should also be consulted}1579L2Add, 1579L(AB), 1580/1589G, 1584L, 1588S, 1592L & 1602G end here}. {1595L{Ioannes de la Haye also wrote a specific treatise in French about this region}1595L, 1602S, 1603L, 1606E, 1608/1612I, 1609/1612L & 1609/1612/1641S end here}.
Now the vernacular map text is presented, translated from the editions 1581 French, 1587 French, 1598 French and 1598/1610/1613 Dutch:
38.9. {1581F{POITOV.
38.10. Among the people of Aquitanica some are called Pectones by Ptolemæus and Plinius. By Cæsar and Strabo [they are called] Pictones, {not in 1598/1610/1613D{with an i in the first syllable, and Ammianus}not in 1598/1610/1613D} Marcellinus [calls them] Pictaui. But later writers call it in Latin Pictavia. The inhabitants in their own language call themselves Poicteuins, the region Poitou, and the main city Poitiers which perhaps is the same as Ptolemæus' Augustoritum. {not in 1598/1610/1613D{The opinion of those who say it was thus named after the Picts I consider altogether a fable, for from the classical writers it is clear that Pictones is a more ancient name than Picti}not in 1598/1610/1613D}. Poictou is now divided into Lower and Upper Poictou. The Lower Poictou we call that [region] which ends Westwards at the sea of Aquitaigne, and the Upper, which lies Eastwards towards Touraine and Berry. South, it borders on Xantoigne, Angoulême and Limoges, and North on Bretaigne and Anjou.
38.11. It is a country most fertile for corn and cattle, rich in wheat and wine, and abounding with fish. [Of] wild fowl and beasts there are plenty, and for that reason there is much hunting and hawking {not in 1598/1610/1613D{and fishing}not in 1598/1610/1613D}.
38.12. This region contains 1200 dioceses or rather parishes under three bishoprics, namely Poitiers, Luçon and Maillezais. The main cities next to these are, as the inhabitants call them, Roche-sur-Yon, Talmont, Meroil, Vouvant, Mervant, Bressuire, Loudun [and] Fontenay le Comte, all of which are in Upper Poictou. In the Lower there are Niort, Partenay, Touars, Moncontoul, Hernault, Mirebeau, Châtellerault &c. The head of all these is Poitiers which next to Paris is the main city of all France, and is mostly surrounded by the river Clain. The antiquity of this town becomes sufficiently clear from its [amphi-]theatre (commonly called Arenas) as also from the Palace of Gallienus, and the arches or waterconducts still extant, {not in 1598D{which the inhabitants call Arceaux de Parigné}not in 1598D}, all [of] which are monuments of the Roman government of this place.
38.13. {not in 1598/1610/1613D{However, before their arrival this city was located on another plot of ground, as may be gathered from the writings of Ammonius and Adonis, for they mention a place called Old Poitiers, where the division was made between the kingdoms of Charlemaigne and Pepin, kings of the Franks. The town of Talmont or rather Talon du Monde [the heel of the world] is so called by the French because it stands at the utmost border of this country, and therefore it was to be considered the most extreme part of the world}not in 1598/1610/1613D}.
38.14. Opposite the shore of Poitou are these islands: Oleron {not in 1598/1610/1613D{(by Plinius called Uliarius)}not in 1598/1610/1613D} at the mouth of the river Charente, {not in 1598/1610/1613D{called Charentonus by Ausonius, and Canentelum by Ptolemæus}not in 1598/1610/1613D}. [Also] L'Isle de Rez, opposite La Rochelle, abounding with wine after which it has been named. [Then] the isle of Noir or Marmonstier, which yields plenty of salt. [Then] the isle of Aulonne which on this map is rather a peninsula. It abounds with wine and salt, as does another small island called Chavet.
38.15. The map also presents to you L'Isle de Dieu and one which is called Nôtre-dame de Bovin. [It is] by Saint Hilarius, the apostle of Aquitaigne, [as] ecclesiastical writers say, that this region was converted to Christianity. A more exact description of it may be found in {not in 1598/1610/1613D{the Cosmography}not in 1598D} published by Belleforest, {not in 1598/1610/1613D{who will refer you from himself to}not in 1598/1610/1613D} Ioannes Bouchet's {not in 1598/1610/1613D{Chronicle of Aquitaigne.
38.16. Something you may learn from}not in 1598/1610/1613D} Antonius Pinetus portrait of cities and Thevets}1598/1610/1613D end here}Cosmography}1581F, 1587F, 1598F & 1598/1610/1613D end here}.