Text (translated from the 1584L 3rd Add., 1584 Latin, 1584 German 3rd Add., 1587 French, 1588 Spanish, 1592 Latin, 1595 Latin, 1598 French, 1601 Latin, 1602 German, 1603 Latin, 1606 English, 1608/1612 Italian & 1609/1612 Latin edition)
54.1. {1584L3Add{The Duchy of BURGUNDY.
54.2. That part of Gallia {1584L3Add, 1584L, 1587F, 1588S, 1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1602G, 1603L, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612L{Lugdunensis}1584L3Add, 1584L, 1587F, 1588S, 1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1602G, 1603L, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612L} which the Ædui once enjoyed is now called the Dukedom of Burgundy. It is bordered in the North by Champagne and Gastinois. West by Nivernois and Borbonnois. South, it borders on Lyonnois, and East the river Rhosne separates it from Savoy and the county of Burgundy. The main city in former times was Augustodunum, now Diuion or Diuionum, {not in 1584G3Add, 1587F & 1602G{as Gregorius Turonensis calls it {not in 1598F{in his third book, as do its inhabitants}not in 1584G3Add, 1587F, 1598F & 1602G}. Dijon now has superiority, for here the Parliament for the whole Dukedom is held {1584L3Add, 1584L, 1588S, 1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1603L & 1609/1612L only{as recent writers say}1584L3Add, 1584L, 1588S, 1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1603L & 1609/1612L only}. It is located on the banks of the Oscarus (commonly called Ousch), a river abounding with fish, on a fertile and rich soil, the adjacent mountains producing strong and excellent wines, as Turonensis, whom we just mentioned, reports. Some think that it was built by Emperor Aurelianus but others claim it to be much older. It is a city most strongly fortified by art and nature against all hostile attempts <to invade it>, and certain new forts have lately been added. Belna, (commonly called Beaulne) is the second city of the Dukedom, famous for the wines of Beaulne which everyone recommends.
54.3. This City is fairly built, and unassailable because of a Castle which Louis the twelfth erected here. It has a hospital comparable in shape to any Kings Palace. Here is also the seat of the high court of the Chancery. The abbey of Cisterium was built in the adjacent territory by Duke Othone around the year of our Lord 1098, on a woody and moist soil, which some think was so called because of certain Cisternes dug there. Under the jurisdiction of this Monastery, as Belleforest reports, there are 1800 {1602G has instead{1080}1602G instead} other Monasteries of Friars, and as many of Nuns.
54.4. Next follows Augustodunum {not in 1587F & 1598F{(which some, though on insufficient grounds of antiquity, suppose to have been Bibracte)}not in 1587F & 1598F}, now Austun. That this city in ancient times was very large and populous is evident from various authors, and especially from Cæsar. Here are still mighty ruins extant of a Theatre, of Statues, Pillars, Water channels, {1584G3Add & 1602G only{six-sided}1584G3Add & 1602G only} Pyramids and many other monuments from antiquity. {not in 1608/1612I{Thus, here they daily dig up coins, small vessels, and other such ancients remnants}not in 1608/1612I}.
54.5. This city has experienced two memorable captures. One by Cæsar in his French wars. And the other around the time of Galienus the Emperor. But it was afterwards rebuilt by Constantine, the son of Claudius, as the Panegyric of Eumanius, {not in 1587F & 1598F{calling it Flauiam Heduorum}not in 1587F & 1598F} testifies. And at this very day it is adorned with stately temples and other buildings for public use.
54.6. Then you have Matiscona Cæsaris or Matisconense castrum Antonini, {not in 1598F{where he puts in garrison the tenth Roman legion}not in 1598F}. It is now called Mascon. Long ago it was graced with the title of an Earldom. It joins the banks of <the river> Araris {1584G3Add, 1587F, 1588S, 1602G & 1608/1612I have instead{Saone}1584G3Add, 1587F, 1588S, 1602G & 1608/1612I instead} by a bridge. Here the Lord's day of the Christians was first celebrated, as Paradinus reports on the basis of the Edict of Guntram. The history of the city of Mascon has been described elegantly and succinctly by Philip Bugnonius. <Then there is> Cabilonum, now Chalon, also on the banks of the Araris {1584G3Add, 1587F, 1588S, 1602G & 1608/1612I have instead{Saone}1584G3Add, 1587F, 1588S, 1602G & 1608/1612I instead}, {not in 1598F & 1602G{anciently called Orbandale}not in 1602G}, as Peter Sanjulian reports. The fourteenth Roman legion here had its garrison, according to Antoninus}not in 1598F}.
54.7. It was in old times the royal seat of Guntram, which notwithstanding was afterwards so thoroughly destroyed and burnt to the ground by Lotharius' son to Ludovicus Pius, that no mention of a city remained. Yet, now it is very rich, and a place of great commerce. Also towards the North you have Semur {1584G3Add & 1602G instead{a pretty town}1584G3Add & 1602G instead} in Mandubii, a fair town built upon a high ground. There are other cities such as Castillon, Flauigny, Soloigne, Noiers and others, for the description of which I refer the Reader to Belleforest, {not in 1584G3Add & 1602G{a diligent Surveyor of these parts, because this page cannot contain it}not in 1584G3Add & 1602G}.
54.8. I will only add one thing, taken from Sanjulian just mentioned. Against the opinion of all other Writers, he does not derive the word Burgundy from à burgis, that is, from the boroughs or incorporated towns built in this region, but from one particular place, called Burg Ogne. He says that in the territory of Langres, near the river Tille, between Luz and Tille-castle there is a plain which the inhabitants call by no other name than Val d'Ogne, where in former times stood a famous borough or city. It is hence, without question, as he affirms, that the Burgundians, or as they are commonly called the Bourgognons derive their name, and he considers those Writers to be much in the wrong who report that they <= the Burgundians>, as vagabond people, have come from Sarmatia, Scandia, {1587F & 1598F only{or the sea commonly called Zabacce}1587F & 1598F only} {not in 1587F{or the fens of Mæotis}not in 1587F} to inhabit this region, endeavouring to persuade everyone that they were the first and most ancient inhabitants of this country.
54.9. The borders of Burgundy used to extend further in former times, as becomes clear from various authors. There are some that have the Mediterranean as its Southern border, the Alps and the river Rhine at the East, the Vogesus mountains in the North and the rivers Loire and Seine {1587F has instead{Saone}1587F instead} in the West. Then, classical Writers record, it was governed by Kings, {not in 1584G3Add & 1602G{whose royal seat was Arles}not in 1584G3Add & 1602G}. It was divided into the Duchy and County of Burgundy around the year 1034, as the Chronicle of Æmilius testifies. Of the Burgundians Paradinus and Nicolas Vignier have chosen to write in Latin, and Peter Sanjulian in French}1584L3Add, 1584L, 1584G3Add, 1587F, 1588S & 1602G end here}. {1592L, not in 1598F{You can read about the ancient Ædui in Nazarius' Panegyric, presented to Constantine the Emperor}1592L, not in 1598F} © Marcel van den Broecke ©.