Text, one version only, translated from the 1579/1580L2Add, 1579 Latin (AB), 1580G2Add, 1580/1589G, 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:
91.1. {1579/1580L2Add{WESTPHALIA, {1606E only{or as it is
vulgarly called WESTFALEN}1606E only}.
91.2. This country, situated between the rivers Weser and Rhine, extends towards the South almost as far as Hessen. Its Northern border is Friesland. The famous rivers Eems and Lippe {not in 1580G2Add, 1580/1589G, 1598/1610/1613D & 1602G{(Amasis and Lupias)}not in 1580G2Add, 1580/1589G, 1598/1610/1613D & 1602G} next to some others of less importance run through this country. The soil is reasonably fertile but mostly of those things serving grazing cattle rather than for people. It yields various kinds of fruits, as apples, {1581F, 1587F & 1598F only{and pears}1581F, 1587F & 1598F only}, nuts and acorns with which they fatten their pigs. For they have many of those, the hams {1606E only{or legs}1606E only} of which, dried in smoke, are from here to far and near exported to foreign countries, for the hams of Westfalen bacon are considered a dainty dish {1581F, 1587F & 1598F have instead{are better than those of Mayence}1581F, 1587F & 1598F instead}.
91.3. It is also these hams that the inhabitants may eat raw, taking it for a tasteful kind of food at rich tables{1581F, 1587F & 1598F instead{is neither new nor strange to them}1581F, 1587F & 1598F instead}. It is more fertile around {not in 1598D{Susate {1581F, 1587F & 1598F only{or Soest}1581F, 1587F & 1598F only} and Hamm, but richest in all commodities in the provinces of}not in 1598D} Paderborn and Lippe. {not in 1598/1610/1613D{The diocese of Münster has good meadows, and also that area which is around the Weser}not in 1598/1610/1613D}. It is woody everywhere around Sauerland and the duchy of Bergen. Around Cologne and the duchy of Bergen it is not without some metal [in the ground].
91.4. The people are excellent men, tall and comely in stature, with strong and able bodies, and courageous minds. It has many excellent soldiers, well trained and ready [for fighting] at short notice. The duchies and noble houses which belong to this country are according to Rolevingius the dukedom of Bentheim, Tecklenburg, Marck, Waldeck, Spiegels Berge, Dinslaken, Oldenburg, Diepholz, Ravensberg, Limburg, Arnsberg, Ritburg, Lippe, Büren, Recklinghausen, Lüdinghausen, Steinvorde, Horstmare, {not in 1606E{Borglo}not in 1606E}, Brunkhorst, Gemme and Kappenberg. To these Hamelman adds: Delmenhorst, Lingen and Sterrenberg. The people in the area of Cologne and in Marsch are the Sauerlanders.
91.5. [Then] the inhabitants of Bergen who dwell in the mountains, and are subject to the duke of Cleve, the Emscher in the bishopric of Münster and the inhabitants near the river Ems towards Friesland, the Slachterlanders in the same province near Cloppenburg and the Norlanders, that is, the Northern people in the area of Osnabrück. Lastly the Delbruggers in the diocese of Paderborn.
91.6. The chief cities of Westfalen properly so called are Münster, Düsseldorf, {not in 1598/1610/1613D{Wesel}not in 1598/1610/1613D}, Oldenburg, Osnabrück, Minden, Herford and of less importance Wiedenbrück & Coesfeld.
91.7. Some consider the ancient and true Saxony to be Westfalen, and think it to have been inhabited long ago by the Cherusci, {1580G2Add, 1580/1589G & 1602G have instead{Saxons & Meissners}1580G2Add, 1580/1589G & 1602G instead} whose prince according to Tacitus and Velleius was the same Arminius who defeated {not in 1598/1610/1613D{Quintilius Varus slaying}not in 1598/1610/1613D} his three legions with the sword.
91.8. {not in 1598/1610/1613D{Herman Hamelman has published a description of this country in a separate treatise from which we have taken this brief text: he names and cites as his authors Werner Rolevingius, Gobelinus and others of less importance, writers I am not yet familiar with. The studious reader may add to these Albert Crantz' Saxony}1581F, 1587F & 1598F end here}. {1595L, not in 1598F & 1602G{Also David Chytrĉus' History of Saxony, where he has an extensive and learned description of this country}1595L, not in 1598/1610/1613D, 1598F & 1602G}. About this province the following rhime and proverb is often recited: [in a curious mixture of Latin, German and Dutch].
91.9. Hospitium vile,
Cranck brot, dun bier, langhe myle,
Sunt in Westphalia;
Qui non vult credere, {1580G2Add, 1580/1589G & 1602G have instead{si non vis credere lauff da}1580G2Add, 1580/1589G & 1602G instead, which end here} loop da}1579L2Add, 1579L(AB), 1584L, 1592L, 1595L, 1598/1610/1613D, 1601L, 1603L & 1609/1612L end here}.
{1588S, 1602S, 1606E, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S only{[that is]
91.10. Lodging be hard bed,
Kentish miles [known to be long], small drink, brown bread,
In Westfalen be,
He that will not believe it, let him go and see}1588S, 1602S, 1606E, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S only, which end here}.