Text, scholarly version, translated from the 1579/1580L2Add, 1579(AB) Latin, 1580/1589 German, 1581 French, 1584 Latin, 1587 French, 1588 Spanish, 1592 Latin, 1595 Latin, 1598/1610/1613 Dutch, 1598 French, 1601 Latin, 1602 German, 1602 Spanish, 1603 Latin, 1606 English, 1608/1612 Italian, 1609/1612 Latin and 1609/1612/1641 Spanish editions:
60.1. {1579/1580L2Add{The duchy of Luxemburg.
60.2. This region, as we see [it among] many others, is named after Luxemburg, its principal city. But why it is called by that name is unclear. First it went under the title of an countship, and then was advanced to the dignity of a duchy, and as such it continues to the present day. Some say that it was advanced in this way by Wenceslaus, king of the Roman Empire; others [say] by Charles the fourth, but Conradus Vercerius ascribes this to Henricus the seventh, the first Roman emperor of that family. {1592L, not in 1602G{I find in ancient manuscripts that the first count of Luxemburg was a certain Sigisfridus, and that he was the son of Tacuinus, duke of Mosel}1592L, not in 1602G}.
60.3. In former times Luxemburg was part of Trier. It stretches from the end of the wood Ardennas from which it now obtains its name, to the Mosel, (a river much praised by Ausonius). The countries bordering on this province are {1606E only{part of}1606E only} France, Lorraigne, Metz, Trier, Iuliers {1592L and later except for 1602S, 1602G & 1609/1612/1641S instead{Namur}1592L and later except for 1602S, 1602G, 1609/1612/1641S instead} and Liège. {not in 1592L and later but included in 1602S & 1609/1612/1641S{It does not have many cities built recently {1579/1580L2Add, 1579L(AB), 1580/1589G, 1584L, 1588S, 1602S & 1602G have instead{it has only nine cities}1579/1580L2Add, 1579L(AB), 1580/1589G, 1584L, 1588S, 1602S, 1602G & 1609/1612/1641S instead}, according to Vercerius. and it had more of them in the past; maybe these diminished because of the liberties which Henricus bestowed on the three municipalities of Saarbrucken, Vitelliaco and the splendid church he donated to Trier, and because of wars with France}not in 1592L and later but included in 1602S, 1602G & 1609/1612/1641S}. It is in most places mountainous and woody, but here and there also well manured, and recently we see their woods everywhere being removed and converted into the most fruitful fields. The people mostly speak German {1606E instead{Dutch}1606E instead}, but in the part of the country adjacent to France, they are accustomed to the language and fashions of the French.
60.4. This dukedom, according to Guicciardini, is about 70 of our {1606E only{Flemish}1606E only} miles long. Within it, there are seven countships, {not in 1580/1589G & 1602G{many baronies}not in 1580/1589G & 1602G} as they call them, and numerous noblemen. There are as many as twenty-three cities with stone walls, next to those laid waste by the fury of war and fires, and [it has] 1168 {1579L(A) & 1592L have instead{1068}1579L(A) & 1592L instead}{1580/1589G & 1602G have instead{1800}1580/1589G & 1602G instead} villages and various castles of importance.
60.5. The principal city is called Lutzenburg or rather Luxemburg, for I find it written in both ways, but without any choice [being made between these two] because both the true manner of writing it and its derivation are uncertain. Some think it might be called Elzenburg and corruptly Lelzenburg after the river Elza (perhaps what Antoninus calls Alizontia) which runs through this city. Others refer [in this context] to the famous story of the enchantress Melusina [legendary medieval lady in the form of a mermaid, serpent or fish]. But it is not my purpose to prove or disprove such statements. Here resides the chief council and tribunal.
60.6. The city is sufficiently strong, but it is unevenly distributed. For it is partly located on a hill, and partly in a steep and low valley, depending on the point of view. Then you have Arlon located on the top of a hill, a very beautiful town {1592L, not in 1602G{where you nowadays find various monuments from antiquity, which count Peter Ernestus ordered to be moved to his stately palace in the city of Luxemburg}1592L, not 1602G}. Some are of the opinion that formerly the moon was adored here in a heathen manner, and that [therefore] it was called Arlun, as if Ara lunae, that is, the altar of the moon. {1592L, not in 1602G{Others imagine that the following cities also borrowed their names from those of the planets, such as Ivosium (commonly Ivoix) from Iove {1602S, 1606E & 1609/1612/1641S only{or Jupiter;}1602S, 1606E & 1609/1612/1641S only} {not in 1608/1612I{Sathenacum (now Soleure) from Saturnus; Virtonium (now Virton) from Venus}not in 1608/1612I}; Marvilla (or Marville) from Mars; Malmedium (Malmedy) from Mercury. Some interpret [it as] Malmedi, Montem maledictum, [that is] the accursed mountain, saying that it was called like that because [it was] here [that] emperor Valentinianus lost his army}1592L, not in 1602G}.
60.7. Next follows Rodemacher [Redange]. Also Thionville, on the banks of the Mosel. It is the fortress of the whole region, and a town well defended against all hostile attempts [to take it]. [Then] Grevenmacher and Coningsmacher, two small towns situated on the same river. Dechrij is located on the river Saur. {not in 1603L and later but included in 1609/1612/1641S{Then Virton}not in 1603L and later, but included in 1609/1612/1641S}. [Then] Echternach {1595L, not in 1602G{with a noble abbey}1595L, not in 1602G} and Vianden. Also the town of Bastoigne, the principal market of the whole region, located near the wood Ardennes.
60.8. Here you have similarly {not in 1592L and later but included in 1602S, 1602G & 1609/1612/1641S{Malmedy}not in 1592L and later but included in 1602S, 1602G & 1609/1612/1641S}, Neufchâteau, Danviller, {not in 1595L and later but included in 1602S, 1602G & 1609/1612/1641S{Marville}not in 1595L and later but included in 1602S, 1602G & 1609/1612/1641S}, la Roche, and Durbis, towns not altogether unworthy to be mentioned, as are Saint Viaud, Marche, {not in 1592L and later but included in 1602S, 1602G & 1609/1612/1641S{Ivois}not in 1592L and later but included in 1602S, 1602G & 1609/1612/1641S}, Chiny and Ferté. All of these are more elaborately described by Guicciardini}1579/1580L2Add, 1579L(A), 1580/1589G & 1602G end here}. {1579L(B){Regino in his second book makes mention of mount Adromare near Thionville, where Charlemaigne used to go out hunting on horseback}1579L(B), 1584L & 1588S end here, not in 1580/1589G}. {1592L{More about this region you may read in our Itinerarium or Journal}1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1602S, 1603L, 1606E, 1608/1612I, 1609/1612L & 1609/1612/1641S end here}.
Vernacular version, translated from the 1581 French, 1587 French, 1598 French and 1598/1610/1613 Dutch editions:
60.9. {1581F{The duchy of Luxemburg.
60.10. This region, which it has in common with many others, is named after Luxemburg, its principal city. But why it is called by that name is unclear. First it went under the title of an countship, and then was advanced to the dignity of a duchy. Some say that it was advanced in this way by Wenceslaus, king of the Roman Empire; others [say] by Charles the fourth, but Conradus Vercerius ascribes this to Henricus the seventh, the first Roman emperor of that family. {1598/1610/1613D only{I found in a manuscript that the first duke of this land was called Sigifridus, a son of Tacuinus, duke of Mosel.
60.11. In former times Luxemburg was part of Trier. It stretches from the end of the wood Ardennas from which it now obtains its name, to the Meuse {1598/1610/1613D instead, correctly,{Mosel}1598/1610/1613D instead}, {not in 1598/1610/1613D(a river much praised by Ausonius)}not in 1598/1610/1613D}. The countries bordering on this province are France, Lorraigne, Metz, Trier, Iuliers {1598/1610/1613D instead{Namur}1598/1610/1613D instead} and Liège. {not in 1598/1610/1613D{It has only nine cities, according to Vercerius. and it had more of them in the past; maybe these diminished because of the liberties which Henricus as he is called bestowed on the three municipalities of Saarbrucken, Vitelle and the splendid church he donated to Trier, and because of wars with France}not in 1598/1610/1613D}. It is in most places mountainous and woody, but here and there also well manured, and recently we see their woods everywhere being removed and converted into the most fruitful fields. The people mostly speak {not in 1598/1610/1613D{high}not in 1598/1610/1613D} German, but in the part of the country adjacent to France, they are accustomed to the language and fashions of the French.
60.12. This dukedom, according to Guicciardini, is about 70 of our miles long. Within it, there are seven countships, many baronies, and numerous noblemen. There are as many as twenty-three cities with stone walls, next to those laid waste by the fury of war and fires, and [it has] 1168 villages and various castles of importance.
60.13. The principal city is called Lutzenburg or rather Luxemburg, for I find it written in both ways, but without any choice [being made between these two] because both the true manner of writing it and its derivation are uncertain. Some think it might be called Elzenburg and corruptly Lelzenburg after the river Elza {not in 1598/1610/1613D{(perhaps what Antoninus calls Alizontia)}not in 1598/1610/1613D} which runs through this city. Others refer [in this context] to the famous story of the enchantress Melusina [legendary medieval lady in the form of a mermaid, serpent or fish]. But we do not support fables {1598/1610/1613D instead{But to accept or reject this is not my intention}1598/1610/1613D instead}. Here resides the chief council and tribunal.
60.14. The city is sufficiently strong, but it is unevenly distributed. For it is partly located on a hill, and partly in a steep and low valley, depending on the point of view. Then you have Arlon located on the top of a hill, a very beautiful town {1598/1610/1613D only{where now many antiquities are found which count Petrus Ernestus ordered to bring to his splendid palace in a suburb of Luxemburg}1598/1610/1613D only}. Some are of the opinion that formerly the moon was adored here in a heathen manner {not in 1598/1610/1613D{by the noblemen or the peasants}not in 1598/1610/1613D}, and that [therefore] it was called Arlun, as if Ara lunae, that is, the altar of the moon. {1598/1610/1613D only{There are some who connect the names of cities in this duchy with the names of gods, such as Ivoix from Jupiter, Soleure from Saturnus, Verton from Venus, Marville from Mars, and Malmedy from Mercurius. Others say that this last city derives its name from [montem maledictum] the accursed mountain}1598/1610/1613D only}.
60.15. Next follows Rodemacher [Redange]. Also Thionville, on the banks of the Meuse {1598/1610/1613D instead, correctly(Mosel}1598/1610/1613D instead}. It is the fortress of the whole region, and a town well defended against all hostile attempts [to take it]. [Then] Grevenmacher and Coningsmacher, two small towns situated on the same river. {not in 1598/1610/1613D{Dechry is located on the river Saur. Then Virton}not in 1598/1610/1613D} Echternach {1598/1610/1613D only{famous for its abbey,}1598/1610/1613D only} and Vianden. Also the town of Bastoigne, the principal market of the whole region, located near the wood Ardennes.
60.16. Here you have similarly {not in 1598/1610/1613D{Malmedy}not in 1598/1610/1613D}, Neufchâteau, Danviller, {not in 1598/1610/1613D{Marville}not in 1598/1610/1613D}, la Roche, and Durbuy, {not in 1598/1610/1613D{towns not altogether unworthy to be mentioned}not in 1598/1610/1613D}, as are Saint Viaud, Marche, {not in 1598/1610/1613D{Ivois}not in 1598/1610/1613D}, Chiny and Ferté. All of these are more elaborately described by Guicciardini}1581F, 1587F, 1598F & 1598/1610/1613D end here}.