Cosmographie in four bookes : containing the chorographie and historie of the whole vvorld, and all the principall kingdomes, provinces, seas and isles thereof / by Peter Heylyn.

7 LA BEAUSSE.

LA BEAUSSE is bounded on the East with France specially and primarily so called, and part of Champagne; on the West, with Anjou, Maine, Tourein, and some part of Berry; on the North, with Normandie; and on the South, with Bourbonois, and the rest of Berry. It is called Bel∣sia in Latine Writers; both names derived from the pleasantness and beauties of it.

The Principall Nations of the whole in the time of the Romans▪ were the Carnutes, which inha∣bited the greatest part, and the Samnitae neer the Loire; part of Gallia Celtica, and cast into the Province of Lugdunensis quarta by the Emperour Constantine. Divided by the French into the Higher, the Lower, and the Intermediate.

1 The HIGHER BEAUSSE is that part which lieth next to Normandie, of which the princi∣pall Towns are, 1 Dreux, seated upon the River Eureux, supposed to be the Seat of the antient Druides, who held here their Parliaments or Sessions for administration of Justice. The title and inheritance of that Peter of Dreux, who succeeded Arthur, the Sonne of Geofrie Plantagenet, in the Earldom of Bretagne. 2 Montfort, an Earldom, the title and estate of Iohn Earl of Montfort, sur∣named the Valiant, who succeeded in the Dukedom of Bretagne, by the Aid of the English, Anno 1341. 3 Chartres, called antiently Carnutum Civit as, (but by Ptolomie, Antecum) seated upon the Eureux also, from whence the Countrey hereabouts was called Le Pais Chartrain; A Bishops See, and one of the Videmates of France. Which honour as it is peculiar to the French onely; so Milles in his Edition of Glovers Catalogue of Honour, will have but four at all in France, viz: those of A∣miens, Chalons, Gerberoy, and this of Chartres. But certainly in France there are many more of them, as at Rhemes, Mans, &c. and formerly as many as it had Bishops: the Vicedominus or Vidame being to the Bishop in his Temporals, as the Chancellour in his Spirituals; or as the Vice Comites (Viscounts) were antiently to the Provinciall Earls in their Courts of Judicature.

2 The LOWER BEAUSSE is that which lieth towards Bourbonois; and is subdivided into Se∣logne, and Orleanois. In SOLOGNE, which lieth close to Burbon, the chief places of note, are, 1 Romorantin, seated on the So••l••re, the chief Town of this Tract. 2 Mallenzay. 3 La Ferte, or La Ferte S. Bernard, of which nothing memorable. In ORLEANOYS, which lieth more North∣wards upon the River of Loire, are, 1 largean, a Town once of very great strength, and one of the out-works of Orleans. 2 Cleri, called also Cleri of Nostre-dame, from the Church there built unto our Ladie. 3 Tury; and 4 Angerville, both in the ordinary Road betwixt Par••s and 5 Or∣leans, the principall Citie of all Beausse, called Genabum in the time of Caesar; repaired, or rather new built by the Emperour Aurelius, Anno 276; from thence named Aurelia, the Countrey round about it Aurelianensis, now Orleans, and Orleanoys. The Countrie generally very fruitfull, and yeelding a most excellent and delicious Wine; Which, for the strength, and intoxicating power

thereof,* 1.1 is banished the French Kings Cellar by especial Edict. The City very pleasantly seated on the River Loyre, well built, situate in a sweet Air, and planted with a civil and ingenious People, who are said to speak the best language of any in France. For a time it was the chief Seat of a di∣stinct Kingdom, (according to the unprovident humour of the Mero••iguians) the lot of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sonne of Clovis the Great, and Guntram Sonne of Clotaire, both Kings of Orlea••s, as also was Theodorick, the second Sonne of C••ildebert King of Mets, on the death of Gunthram. But Sigibert his Sonne being vanquished by Clotaire the second, this Kingdom ex∣tending to the shores of the Aquitaine Ocean, was added unto that of France. Orleans since that time content with a lower title, hath of late often times with greater prudence, been made the ho∣norarie title of the second Sonnes of France called Dukes hereof. It is a See Episcopal, a Bailly∣wick, or Seige Praesidial, and an Vniversitie. The See Episcopal founded in the Church of St. Crosse, miserably ruined by the Hugonots in the civil Warrs, out of meer hatred to the name. The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Praesidical setled here by King Henry the 2d, 1551. for the ease of his Subjects of these parts, in sutes not worth the troubling of the Courts of Paris. The Vniversitie erected by King Philip le Bel, An. 1312 though to speak properly it be an Hall only for the reading of the Civil Lawes, the only learning there professed, and for that considerable. A Town now not of so great strength as in for∣mer times, when for some moneths it held out against the whole power of the English, rescued from them at last by the valour of Ioan the Virgin, whose Statua, (like a man of Arms) is still preser∣ved on the Bridge-gate of this Citie; neer which great Montacute E. of Salisburie had his fatal blow.

The MIDDLE or intermediate BEAVSSE lieth betwixt the former, in which the places of chief note are, 1 Blois, seated also on the Loire, in a sound air, and fruitful Countrie; the Nurserie for the most part of the Kings Children, for that cause much resorted to by the Nobilitie, and honoured sometimes with the residence of the Kings themselves: it being in the Councel-Chamber of the Kings house here, that Henry of Lorrein, Duke of Guise, the chief contriver of the terrible Massacre at Paris, and Authour of the holy League, was slain by the command of King Henry the 3d, Anno 1589. 2 Chastean-Dun, the chief Town of the Earldom of Dunois, (the ho∣nour and estate of Iohn Earl of Dunois, commonly called the Bastard of Orleans, one of the best Souldiers of his time, and so approved by his exploits against the English) mounted upon the top of an high hill, at the confluence of the Loire, and Aigre, 3 Vendosme (Vindocinum in Latine) the chief Town of the Dukedom of Vendosme; not otherwise of note than for the Earles and Dukes which have born this Title: of which as being the Progenitors of the Kings now regnant, I have thought fit to adde the ensuing Catalogue:

Earles and Dukes of Vendosme.

• 1386. 1 Iohn of Bourbon, Grandchild of Lewis the first Duke of Bourbon, the first Earl of Vendosme of this Familie.
• 1432. 2 Lewis of Bourbon, a Confederate with Ioan the Virgin in her acti∣ons against the English.
• 1446. 3 Iohn of Bourbon the II. from whom descended the Princes of Roch-sur-you, and the Dukes of Montpensier.
• 1472. 4 Francis of Bourbon.
• 1495. 5 Charles of Bourbon, the first Duke of Vendosme, from whose youngest Son called Lodowick, or Lewis, descend the now Princes of Conde, and Earls of Soissons.
• 1537. 6 Antony of Bourbon, Duke of Ven∣dosme, and King of Navarre.
• 1562. 7 Henry of Bourbon, Duke of Ven∣dosme, and King of Navar••e, after∣wards King of France also by the name of Henry the 4th:
• 8 Caesar de Vendosme, one of the Sonnes of Henry the 4th, by the Duchess of Beaufort, created by his Father Duke of Vendosme, and once designed his Successour in the Crown of France: Afterwards by the procurement of the King his Father, maried to the Daughter and Heir of Philibert Emanuel, D. of Mercoeur, a younger branch of the house of Lorrein) possessed of a fair and goodly estate in the Dukedom of Bretagne in the right of his Wife, a Daugh∣ter and Heir of the house of Martignes (a branch of the Familie of those Dukes.) By means whereo•• the Duke of Vendosme hath not only a large inheritance, but great autoritie in that Countrie.

The Arms of the Earls and Dukes of Vendosme, were and are, Azure, six Flower de Lyces Or. 3. 2. 1.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Berry.