parts, but specially La Marche, which lieth towards Auvergne, being mountainous, and not very
fruitfull; but of a free and open Air, inhabited by a people of a more staid and sober nature than
the rest of the French; frugall in expence, and moderate in diet; only so great devourers of bread,
that they are grown into a By-word.
The chief Towns in La March, or the Lower Limosin, are, 1 Tulles, seated in a rough and hilly
Countrie, a Bishops See. 2 Uzarche, seated amongst the mountains, on the River Vezere, a very
fierce and violent current: with which so sortified on all sides, that it is thought to be a very strong
and secure dwelling. 3 Treinac. 4 Dous••nac. 5 Belmont. 6 Meissac. 7 Bri••e la Gaillard,
&c. In the Higher Limosin the chief Towns are 1 Limoges, a Bishops See, the principall of the
Lemovices, from whom denominated; by Ptolomie called Ratiastum. A neat, but no large City,
rich, populous, and inhabited by a people of so great an industrie, that they compell every one to
work, and is therefore by the French called the Prison of Beggars. Seated on the Vienne. At the
taking of it, when revolted, Edward the Black Prince could by no means be allured to pity the di∣stressed
Citizens, till pursuing his enemies, he saw three French Gentlemen make head against his
Armie; the consideration of whose magnanimity drew him to pity, where before he had vowed
revenge. 2 Chaluz, at the besieging of which, our Richard the first was slain by a shot from an
Arbalist; the use of which warlike engine, he first shewed unto the French. Whereupon a French
Poet made these verses, in the person of Atropos.
Hoc volo, non aliâ Richardum morte perire,
Ut qui Francigenis Baelistae primitùs usum
Tradidit, ipse sui rem primitùs experiatur:
Quam{que} aliis docuit, in se vim sentiat artis.
It is decreed, thus must great Richard die,
As he that first did teach the French to dart
An Arbalist; 'tis just he first should trie
The strength, and taste the fruits of his own Art.
The man that shot him was called Bertram de Gurdon, who being brought before the King (for
the King neglecting his wounds, never gave over the Assault till he gained the place) boldly justi∣fied
his Action, as done in the service of his Countrie, and for revenge of the death of his Father
and Brother, whom the King had caused to be slain. Which heard, the King not only caused him
to be set at liberty, but gave him an hundred shillings sterling in reward of his gallantrie. 3 Soub∣sterre••n,
on the confines of Berry. 4 Confaulat. 5 Dorat, on the River Vienne. 6 Bo••sson. 7
B••rat, of which nothing memorable.
2 PERIGORT, hath on the East Auvergn and Quercu; on the West Xantoigne; on the North
Limosin; and on the South some part of Gascoine. The Countrie and people are much of the same
condition with that of Limosin, saving that Perigort is the more woodie; and those woods plenti∣full
of Chesnuts. The chief Towns of it are, 1 Perigeux, the principall Citie of the Petrogorii, by
Ptolomi•• called Vessina, now a Bishops See, some foot-steps of which name remain in a part of Pe∣rigeux,
(for the Town is divided into two parts) which to this day is called Vesune, in which stan∣deth
the Cathedrall Church, and the Bishops Palace. The whole Citie seated in a very pleasant
Vallie, environed with Downes affording a most excellent Wine; and having in it, as a mark of the
Roman greatness, the ruines of a large and spacious Amphitheatre. 2 Bergerac, seated on the great
River of Dordonne. 3 Sarlat, a Bishops See. 4 Nontron, defended with a very strong Castle. 5
Miramont. 6 La Roche. 7 Marsae, where is a Well which ebbeth and floweth according to the
pulse of the River of Bourdeaux. And 8 Ang••lesme, in the North-west, towards Xantoigne, the
seat of the Eugolismenses in the time of the Romans, now a Bishops See: seated upon the River of
Charente, with which it is almost encompassed; the other side being defended by a steep and rocky
mountain. A Town of great importance, when possessed by the English, being one of their best
out-works for defence of Bourdeaux: one of the Gates hereof being to this day called Chande, seems
to have been the work of Sir Iohn Chando••s Banneret, one of the first Founders of the most noble
Order of the Garter, then Governour hereof for King Edward the third. Being recovered from
the English by Charles the fifth, it was bestowed on Iohn, the third Sonne of Lewis Duke of Orle∣ans,
Grandfather of King Francis the first, with the title of an Earldom onely, Anno 1408. After∣wards
made a Dukedom in the person of the said King Francis, before his comming to the Crown.
And for the greater honour of it, as much of the adjoyning Countrie was laid unto it, as maketh
up a Territorie of about 24 French Leagues in length, and 15 in bredth: Within which circuit
are the Towns of Chasteau-net••f, and Coignac, on the River of Charente. 3 Roche Faulcon, 4 Cha∣bannes.
5 Meriville. 6 Villebois, &c. Since that united to the Crown, it hath of late times given
the title of Duke to Charles Earl of Auvergne, Anno 1618. The Base Sonne of Charles the ninth,
consequently extracted from the house of Angolesme.
3 QUERCU, is encompassed about with Limosin, Perigort, Languedoc, and Auvergne. A popu∣lous
Countrie for the bigness (being one of the least in all France) and very fruitfull withall,
though somewhat mountainous. The principall places in it, 1 Cahors, the chief Citie of the Ca∣durc••
in the times of the Romans; still a great, strong, and well traded Town, and the See of