Text (translated from the 1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592 Latin, 1595 Latin, 1598 Dutch, 1598 French, 1601 Latin, 1602 German, 1602 Spanish, 1603 Latin, 1606 English, 1608/1612 Italian, 1609/1612/1641 Spanish and 1609/1612 Latin edition).
50.1. {1591G4Add & 1602G{Lothringen}1591G4Add & 1602G}{1590L4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1603L & 1609/1612L have instead{LOTHARINGIA}1590L4Add1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1603L, & 1609/1612L instead}{1602S & 1609/1612/1641S{<have both}1602S & 1609/1612/1641S}{1608/1612I instead{La Lorena}1608/1612I instead}.
50.2. {1590L4Add{The borders of Lorrain in former times extended much further, for it contained almost the whole region lying between the rivers Rhine and Schelde, and the {1591G4Add only{Elsas}1591G4Add only} mountain <range> Vogesus, all of which was divided into higher and lower <Lorrain>. Lower <Lorrain> contained {1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1598F, 1601L, 1602G, 1602S, 1603L, 1606E & 1608/1612I only{Brabant}1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1598F, 1601L, 1602G, 1602S, 1603L, 1606E & 1608/1612I only}, Haspengow, Guelders and Cleve. In higher <Lorrain> were the Bishopric of Liege with the countries of Lutzenburg and Limburg, as also the Duchy of Maesland {1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1598D, 1601L, 1602G, 1602S, 1603L, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612L have instead{Moesel}1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1598D, 1601L, 1602G, 1602S, 1603L, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612L instead}, the county Palatine upon Saur and the territory of Hundsruge, together with the Dukedom of Lorrain presented on this map, retaining as yet its ancient name Lotharingia, {not in 1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1598D, 1598F & 1602G{imposed by Lotharius, son of Ludovicus Pius to whose share it fell, lying <as it does> between Westrasia (or as some incorrectly call it Noastria), which fell to Charles and Austrasia to the Brothers Ludovicus Lotharius}not in 1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1598D, 1598F & 1602G}. Therefore I do not think it amiss to describe it in more detail, not in my own words, but in those of Symphorianus Campegius, once a famous physician from Lorrain as follows:
50.3. LORRAIN (he says) borders East of the Rhine on Alsatia (1598F has instead{Schelde}1598F instead}, {1606E only{commonly <called> Elsas,}1606E only} South on Burgundy, West on Champaigne (not in 1606E{on this side of the Alps}not in 1606E} & North it is bounded by the Forest Arduenna {1591G4Add & 1602G have instead{Eyffel, and the woods and mountains which extend from Lutzelburg to Flanders}1591G4Add & 1602G instead}. This region, although near the lofty Alps, is nevertheless so fat and fertile that it needs no supply from the neighbouring provinces. It abounds with cattle great and small {1598F only{such as sheep, oxen, cows}1598F only}, corn, wine, fish ponds, tall woods, health baths, salt mines, iron, copper, lead, tin, silver, precious stones, looking glasses, <and> Calcidons, and is watered by various rivers, four of which are famous above the rest. <The> Mosa, the first of these four, has its source in mount Vogeso {1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1602G, 1602S, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S have instead{Vosago}1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1602G, 1602S, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S instead}{not in 1602S{(after which mountain a large and good part of Lorraine is called Le bois and Le forest de Voige)}not in 1602S}{1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1598D, 1601L, 1602G, 1603L & 1608/1612Ihave instead{Vogesia}1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1598D, 1601L, 1602G, 1603L & 1608/1612I instead} and running past Neufchasteau, a town now very accommodating both for its pleasant location and its wholesome air, separates the duchy of Barroys from Lorraine, and empties into one of the tributaries to the Rhine before it reaches the sea.
50.4. <The> Mosella, the second <river>, begins in the Southeast, not far from the town of Remiremont, where there is a monastery of Nuns, all gentlewomen, {not in 1598D{endowed with large yearly revenues}not in 1598D}. About six miles from here there are certain hot baths to which great multitudes of people come to cure themselves of various diseases. Then it runs along in a swift stream to the towns of Espanal, Charmes, Toul (which in old times was called Leuca) and {not in 1598D, 1602S, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S{Mediomatrices, now called}not in 1598D, 1602S, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S} Metz. Not far from there it empties into the Rhine in a city in Germany {not in 1591G4Add, 1598D, 1602G, 1602S, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S{that used to be called Confluentia}not in 1591G4Add, 1598D, 1602G, 1602S, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S}, {1591G4Add, 1598D, 1602G, 1602S, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S{and now Coblenz}1591G4Add, 1598D, 1602G, 1602S, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S}. {1590L4Add, 1592L & later, but not in 1602G{Between these two rivers near the town of Vitell there is a double fountain split like a man's nostrils, from where the small river Vena issues. This is sometimes sandy, sometimes muddy, and for the most part is very inconsiderable and forlorn. Its waters have commonly dried up in June, except for pools which have been made very deep by swelling and violent streams}1590L4Add, 1592L & later, but not in 1602G}.
50.5. <The> Murtha, the third river, {1591G4Add & 1602G only{as we can see daily}1591G4Add & 1602G only}, falls from certain rocks of silver mines, keeps its course through the valley of St. Didier, containing St. Godeberts fountain, which is generally {1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1602G, 1602S, 1603L & 1608/1612I only{by Divine order}1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1602G, 1602S, 1603L & 1608/1612I only} reported to be medicinal against many diseases. The river mentioned runs along the town of St. Didier, and then past the towns of Raon and Luneville which, {1598D only{(so help me God}1598D only} are both singularly well defended because of their natural location, and because of their ramparts and walls. Then follows the town of St. Nicholas, generally famous and praised for its abundance of merchandise and multitude of miracles. Lower down the river is Nancy, the principal town of Lorraine, a place for ammunition, and a fortification of great importance. First it is surrounded by two ditches of great depth and a double wall. It also has four most admirable bulwarks, with plenty of military equipment and artillery, {1598D only{and also woods, in great multitudes}1598D only}. The river Murtha finally empties into the Mosel. {not in 1606E{The fourth river is the Sar which runs from the East through Westerreich, a province of Lorraine passing through Sarrhacastrum, Sarrhapontis and near Trier empties into the Maas {1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1598D, 1601L, 1602G, 1602S, 1603L, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612L have instead{Mosel}1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1598D, 1601L, 1602G, 1602S, 1603L, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612L instead, <which is correct>}, not in 1606E}.
50.6. As Lorraine abounds all over with special commodities, we will omit many of them, and speak only about the main ones. First, then, the mountains of this province excel in all kinds of metals even above the Pyrenee mountains {1591G4Add & 1602G only{of France and Spain}1591G4Add & 1602G only}. They have, not speaking of the rest, various silver mines so abounding with this kind of metal that it is incredible what profit it brings to the whole country {1598F has instead{the Princes and Lords}1598F instead} of Lorraine.
50.7. There are also salt mines, from which the most pure, tasteful and salt, snow white {1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1602G, 1602S, 1603L, 1608/1612I, 1609/1612/1641S & 1609/1612L only{as if it were snow from Scythia}1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1602G, 1602S, 1603L, 1608/1612I, 1609/1612/1641S & 1609/1612L} is dug, which yields a yearly profit to the Duke, after deducting all costs, of 100,000 franks.
50.8. They also find here a substance from which they make looking glasses and drinking glasses, the best, in everyone's judgment, of Europe. It is impossible to find their equals in any place. Also Calcidons of such an extraordinary size that I myself saw {1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1602G & 1608/1612I only{so help me God}1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1602G & 1608/1612I only} at the Bishops of Toul a great vessel made of one whole piece. Also, Lazul {not in 1598D{(or Azure stone)}not in 1598D} in most excellent colours. <It is> a mineral by which {1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1602G & 1603L only{as all writers agree}1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1602G & 1603L only} the miners raise big profits.
50.9. In the valley of Vogesa there are fountains (a memorable matter, and not to be omitted) so abounding with a kind of pearls and precious stones that most inhabitants of Germany use them. All Stone smiths and Jewellers from other countries not only approve of them, but also prefer them to the stones and pearls from the Indies.
50.10. There is a lake, {1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1598D, 1601L, 1602G, 1603L, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612L only{if God loves me}1590L4Add, 1591G4Add, 1592L, 1595L, 1598D, 1601L, 1602G, 1603L, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612L only}, fourteen miles in circumference, full of huge carps, for they are usually three feet long and one foot wide, which for deliciousness of taste are (in my opinion) to be preferred to all other sweet water carps in Europe. The lake is fished with nets every third year. This fishing, {not in 1598D{(as everyone {1591G4Add, 1602G & 1608/1612I instead{as all young children}1591G4Add, 1602G & 1608/1612I instead} knows)}not in 1598D} brings the Duke of Lorraine 16,000 franks yearly.
50.11. Moreover, Lorrain abounds with wheat, wine, cattle of all sorts, wood, <and> excellent horses which surpass the Turkish horses in courage, the Spanish in swiftness, and the English in stature. In brief, {not in 1598D{<as regards> tall men and beautiful women}not in 1598D}, and all things necessary in a man's life, it is inferior to no other country. So far Symphorianus.
50.12. {not in 1598D{Francis Roseus very recently wrote a large book on the pedigree and famous deeds of the Dukes of Lorraine. And I myself in my Itinerarium or Journal have published some things about this Region not unworthy to be remembered}1591G4Add; not in 1598D} © Marcel van den Broecke ©.