Text, scholarly version, translated from the 1584L 3rd Add., 1584 Latin, 1584 German 3rd Add., 1588 Spanish, 1592 Latin, 1595 Latin, 1601 Latin, 1602 German, 1603 Latin, 1606 English, 1608/1612 Italian & 1609/1612 Latin editions:
54.1. {1584L3Add{The duchy of Burgundy.
54.2. That part of Gallia {not in 1606E{Lugdunensis}not in 1606E} which the Ædui once enjoyed is now called the duchy of Burgundy. It is bordered in the North by Champagne and Gastinois {1608/1612I only{nowadays Châteaulandonesi}1608/1612I only}. West by Nivernois and Borbonnois. South, it borders on Lyon, and East the river Rhône separates it from Savoye and the countship of Burgundy. The main city in former times was Augustodunum, {1584G3Add, 1588S & 1602G instead{Autun}1584G3Add, 1588S & 1602G instead} now Divion or Dijon, {not in 1584G3Add, & 1602G{as Gregoire de Tours calls it in his third book, its inhabitants call it Dijon, which now has superiority}not in 1584G3Add & 1602G}, for here the parliament for the whole duchy is held {not in 1606E{as recent writers say}not in 1606E}. It is located on the banks of the river {not in 1588S & 1602G{Oscarus}not in 1588S & 1602G} (commonly called Ouch), a river abounding with fish, on a fertile and rich soil, the adjacent mountains producing strong and excellent wines, as Gregoire de Tours, whom we just mentioned, reports elegantly. Some think that it was built by emperor Aurelianus but others claim it to be much older. It is a city most strongly fortified by art and nature against all hostile attempts [to invade it], and certain new forts have lately been added. Belna, (commonly called Beaune) is the second city of the duchy, famous for the wines of Beaune which everyone recommends.
54.3. This city is fairly built, and unassailable because of a castle which Louis the twelfth erected here. It has a hospital comparable in shape to any kings palace. Here is also the seat of the high court of the chancery. The abbey of Cisterium was built in the adjacent territory by duke Othone around the year of our Lord 1098, on a woody and moist soil, which some think was so called because of certain cisterns dug there. Under the jurisdiction of this monastery, as Belleforest reports, there are 1800 {1602G has instead{1080}1602G instead} other monasteries of friars, and as many of nuns.
54.4. Next follows {not in 1584G3Add & 1602G{Augustodunum}not in 1584G3Add & 1602G} (which some, though on insufficient grounds of antiquity, suppose to have been Bibracte), now Autun. That this city in ancient times was very large and populous is evident from various authors, and especially from Cæsar. Here are still mighty ruins extant of a theatre, of statues, pillars, aquaducts, {1584G3Add & 1602G only{six-sided}1584G3Add & 1602G only} pyramids and many other monuments from antiquity. {not in 1608/1612I{Thus, here they daily dig up coins, small vessels, and other such ancients remnants}not in 1608/1612I}.
54.5. This city has experienced two memorable captures. One by Cæsar in his French wars. And the other later, around the time of Galienus the emperor. But it was afterwards rebuilt by Constantine, the son of Claudius, as the Panegyric of Eumenius, calling it Flavia Heduorum testifies. And at this very day it is adorned with stately temples and other buildings for public use.
54.6. Then you have Matiscona Cæsaris or Matisconense castrum Antonini, where he puts in garrison the tenth Roman legion. It is now called Mâcon. Long ago it was graced with the title of a duchy. It joins the banks of [the river] Araris {1584G3Add, 1588S, 1602G & 1608/1612I have instead{Saône}1584G3Add, 1588S, 1602G & 1608/1612I instead} by a bridge. Here the Lord's day [Sunday] of the Christians was first celebrated, as Paradinus reports on the basis of the Edict of Guntram. The history of the city of Mâcon has been described elegantly and succinctly by Philip Bugnonius. [Then there is] Cabilonum, now Châlons, also on the banks of the Araris {1584G3Add,1588S, 1602G & 1608/1612I have instead{Saône}1584G3Add, 1588S, 1602G & 1608/1612I instead}, anciently called Orbandale, as Pierre Sanjulian reports. The fourteenth Roman legion here had its garrison, according to Antoninus.
54.7. It was in old times the royal seat of Guntram, which notwithstanding was afterwards so thoroughly destroyed and burnt to the ground by Lotharius, son to Ludovicus Pius{1608/1612I only{Augustus}1608/1612I only}, so that no mention of a city remained. Yet, now it is very rich, and a place of great commerce. Also towards the North you have Semur {1584G3Add & 1602G instead{a pretty town}1584G3Add & 1602G instead} {not in 1606E{in Mandubii}not in 1606E}, a fair town built upon a high ground. There are other cities such as Châtillon, Flavigny, Soloigne, Noyers and others, for the description of which I refer the reader to Belleforest, {not in 1584G3Add, 1588S & 1602G{a diligent surveyor of these parts, {not in 1601L{because this page cannot contain it}not in 1584G3Add, 1588S, 1601L & 1602G}.
54.8. I will only add one thing, taken from Sanjulian just mentioned. Against the opinion of all other writers, he does not derive the word Burgundy from à burgis, that is, from the boroughs or incorporated towns built in this region, but from one particular place, called Burg Ogne. He says that in the territory of Langres, near the river Tille, between Luz and Tille-castle there is a plain which the inhabitants call by no other name than Val d'Ogne, where in former times stood a famous borough or city. It is hence, without question, as he affirms, that the Burgundians, or as they are commonly called the Bourgognons derive their name, and he considers those writers to be much in the wrong who report that they [the Burgundians], as vagabond people, have come from Sarmatia (1584G3Add & 1602G instead{Samaria}1584G3Add & 1602G instead}, Scandia, or the fens of Mæotis to inhabit this region, endeavouring to persuade everyone that they were the first and most ancient inhabitants of this country.
54.9. The borders of Burgundy used to extend further in former times, as becomes clear from various authors. There are some that have the Mediterranean as its Southern border, the Alps and the river Rhine at the East, the Vosges mountains in the North and the rivers Loire and Seine in the West. Then, classical writers record, it was governed by kings, {not in 1584G3Add & 1602G{whose royal seat was Arles}not in 1584G3Add & 1602G}. It was divided into the duchy and countship of Burgundy around the year 1034, as the Chronicle of Æmilius testifies. Of the Burgundians Paradinus and Nicolas Vignier have chosen to write in Latin, and Pierre Sanjulian in French}1584L3Add, 1584L, 1584G3Add, 1588S & 1602G end here}. {1592L{You can read about the ancient Ædui in Nazarius' Panegyric, presented to Constantine the emperor}1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1603L, 1606E, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612L end here.}
Now we present the vernacular version, derived from map texts of the 1585 French 3rd Additamentum, 1587 French and 1598 French editions:
54.10. {1585F3Add{The duchy of Burgundy.
54.11. That part of Gallia Lugdunensis which the Authunois once enjoyed is now called the duchy of Burgundy. It is bordered in the North by Champagne and Gastinois, nowadays Château-Landon. West by Nivernois and Borbonnois. South, it borders on Lyon, and East the river Rhône separates it from Savoye and the countship of Franche Comté. The main city in former times was Autun, now Dijon, for here the parliament for the whole duchy is held. It is located on the banks of the river commonly called Ouch, a river abounding with fish, on a fertile and rich soil, the adjacent mountains producing strong and excellent wines, as Gregoire de Tours, reports elegantly. Some think that it was built by emperor Aurelianus but others claim it to be much older. It is a city most strongly fortified by art and nature against all hostile attempts [to invade it], and certain new forts have lately been added. The city of Beaune is the second city of the duchy, famous for its wines which everyone recommends.
54.12. This city is fairly built, and unassailable because of a castle which Louis the twelfth erected here. It has a hospital comparable in shape to any kings palace. Here is also the seat of the high court of the chancery. The abbey of Cisterium was built in the adjacent territory by duke Othone around the year of our Lord 1098, on a woody and moist soil, which some think was so called because of certain cisterns dug there. Under the jurisdiction of this monastery, as Belleforest reports, there are 1800 other monasteries of friars, and as many of nuns.
54.13. Next follows Autun. That this city in ancient times was very large and populous is evident from various authors, and especially from Cæsar. Here are still mighty ruins extant of a theatre, of statues, pillars, aquaducts, pyramids and many other monuments from antiquity. Thus, here they daily dig up coins, small vessels, and other such ancients remnants.
54.14. This city has experienced two memorable captures. One by Cæsar in his French wars. And the other later, around the time of Galienus the emperor. But it was afterwards rebuilt by Constantine, the son of Claudius, as the Panegyric of Eumanius, testifies. And at this very day it is adorned with stately temples and other buildings for public use.
54.15. Then you have the city of Mâcon. Long ago it was graced with the title of a duchy. The banks of [the river] Saône are joined by a bridge. Here the Lord's day [Sunday] of the Christians was first celebrated, as Paradinus reports on the basis of the Edict of Guntram. The history of the city of Mâcon has been described elegantly and succinctly by Philip Bugnonius. [Then there is] Châlons, also on the banks of the Saône.
54.16. It was in old times the royal seat of Guntram, who was then the son of Clovis, king of France, which notwithstanding was afterwards so thoroughly destroyed and burnt to the ground by Lotharius, son to Ludovicus, so that no mention of a city remained. Yet, now it is very rich, and a place of great commerce. There is also in this duchy of Burgundy the city of Sandon, a beautiful city situated in a high spot. There are other cities such as Châtillon, Flavigny, Soloigne, Noyers and others, for the description of which I refer the reader to Belleforest, a diligent surveyor of these parts.
54.17. I will only add one thing, taken from Sanjulian just mentioned. Against the opinion of all other writers, he does not derive the word Burgundy from à burgis, that is, from the boroughs or incorporated towns built in this region, but from one particular place, called Burg Ogne. He says that in the territory of Langres, near the river Tille, between Luz and Tille-castle there is a plain which the inhabitants call by no other name than Val d'Ogne, where in former times stood a famous borough or city. It is hence, without question, as he affirms, that the Burgundians, or as they are commonly called the Bourgognons derive their name, and he considers those writers to be much in the wrong who report that they [the Burgundians], as vagabond people, have come from Sarmatia, Scandia, or the fens of Zabacce [sea of Azov] to inhabit this region, endeavouring to persuade everyone that they were the first and most ancient inhabitants of this country.
54.18. The borders of Burgundy used to extend further in former times, as becomes clear from various authors. There are some that have the Mediterranean as its Southern border, the Alps and the river Rhine at the East, the Vosges mountains in the North and the rivers Loire and Saône in the West. Then, classical writers record, it was governed by kings, whose royal seat was Arles. It was divided into the duchy and countship of Burgundy around the year 1034, as the Chronicle of Æmilius testifies. Of the Burgundians Paradinus and Nicolas Vignier have chosen to write in Latin, and Pierre Sanjulian in French}1585F3Add, 1587F & 1598F end here}.