VERMANDOIS

LILLE

CAMBRESY

HAINAUT

BRABANT

NAMUR

FLANDERS

TOURNAY

A detailed regional map of the borderlands between the Low Countries and France, specifically focusing on the County of Hainaut and surrounding areas like Cambray and Brabant. The map is filled with hundreds of place names, forests, and winding river systems. On the left side, there is a large, ornate architectural cartouche. At the top of the cartouche, a grotesque mask sits beneath a pediment, flanked by two winged putti. The cartouche contains three distinct text panels: a top oval with a Dutch description of the Seventeen Provinces, a middle rectangular panel with a similar description in Latin, and a small bottom oval containing the publisher's imprint and date.

These Seventeen Nether-

landish Provinces are rightly

considered to be that part of Germany which

God, through the industry of the inhabitants, has more adorned

than any other, and also, on account of their language, they are to be held as German. This is a renowned and capable area of land, adorned with many

great, strong, powerful, and wealthy cities: for there are found within it 208 walled and fortified strong cities, some of which may well be counted among the most excellent cities of Europe: besides this, it also has 150 free cities and small market towns: there are countless hamlets or vil-

lages, amounting to over 6300: also 239 abbeys, with various other monasteries: and countless castles and

manors: which, to the certainty and defense of the land, is also a land rich in water,

for it lies at the sea at the Eoe likely referring to the North Sea or a specific coastal region and is strengthened by fisheries with good,

capable seaports, very useful for trade and sea travel: it has besides that many

beautiful flowing rivers: of which the principal ones are the Rhine, Meuse, and Scheldt: Although the

unfortunate destruction and grace on one side is also present there through means of courts with many districts: Nevertheless

it is very abundant and fertile in grain, in meat and fish, in cattle, and also rich in wool and cloth, in-

the opposite it acquires human life through the trade of the sea: also industrious with many weaving mills and other crafts: although it has been the ever-

quartered referring to the ongoing military occupation or presence of troops area of this time, the weather-beaten place of peace: The powerful war also has been

waged everywhere in these lands: and is also lamentably waged, it is god-

ly that the grace of God is still reached for peace and

unites and clings to the falling. The inhabit-

ants of this land are a rich and brave people, free

and industrious of spirit, even though it is also that these

people of the land are very famous in warfare,

sturdy and firm in all kinds of arts and hand-

icrafts, in the light made famous as the clever

and courageous separated

These Belgian Provinces are the best part, always counted as belonging to Germany:

because the greatest part of the cities, both from the Ubii an ancient Germanic tribe and from others from their beginnings, have

also maintained German customs. These regions are however almost everywhere enclosed and shut-

in; except where the Ocean washes them, or the bay of the Northern sea: and they abound everywhere with a very dense and very strong population. Both are re-

pleted and built up with a very dense population, so much so that almost the entire region is like one

single city. For in most of the cities, besides the villas, castles, and manor houses, which

are numbered on this soil and its elevations, there are 7800. Besides those that lie open to the Ocean, it has most convenient ports: and because of the vicinity of the sea, it is abundant and plentiful in all kinds of goods: by which they are irrigated on all sides: the rivers are the Rhine, the Meu-

se, the Moselle, and the Scheldt: upon which swim huge numbers of these. The air is of a healthy

temperament, which causes the most fortunate birth of people of marvelous and excellent talent, and of

heroic spirits: whose virtue and greatness, in these and all kinds of manual crafts, are greatly adapted to our needs and utilities: and almost from the whole world, it nurtures its people with the praise of arts, almost more delightful than any other.

Ioannes a

Duetecum of Deven-

ter printed this

at Haarlem

in the Year of our Lord 1594

on the third day of the month of

November

[Fragment van een kaart der XVII Verenigde Nederlanden, waarop Henegouwen, het westelijk deel der provinc...