Text (translated from the 1579/1580L2Add, 1579 Latin, 1580/1589G, 1581 French, 1584 Latin, 1587 French, 1588S, 1592 Latin, 1595 Latin, 1598 Dutch, 1598 French, 1601 Latin, 1602 German, 1602 Spanish, 1603L, 1606 English, 1608/1612 Italian, 1609/1612/1641 Spanish and 1609/1612 Latin edition)
91.1. {1579/1580L2Add{WESTPHALIA, {1606E only{or as it is
vulgarly called WESTPHALEN}1606E only}.
91.2. This country is situated between the rivers Weser and Rhein, <and> extends towards the South almost as far as Hessen. Its Northern border is {1581F, 1587F & 1598F only{East}1581F, 1587F & 1598F only} Friesland. The famous rivers Eems and Lippe {not in 1580/1589G, 1598D & 1602G{(Amasis and Lupias)}not in 1580/1589G, 1598D & 1602G} next to some others of less importance run through this country. The soil is reasonably fertile but mostly for those things used for the maintenance of sheep, cattle and such animals, rather than for people. It yields various kinds of fruits, as apples, {1581F, 1587F & 1598F only{pears}1581F, 1587F & 1598F only}, nuts and acorns with which they feed and fatten their pigs. For they have many of those, the hams and legs of which, dried in smoke, are from here to far and near exported and brought to foreign countries, for the hams of Westphalen bacon are considered a dainty dish at great men's tables {1581F, 1587F & 1598F have instead{are better than those of Mayence}1581F, 1587F & 1598F instead}.
91.3. It is also these hams that country people sometimes eat raw, taking it for a tasteful kind of food. It is more fertile around {not in 1598D{Susate {1581F, 1587F & 1598F only{or Soest}1581F, 1587F & 1598F only} and Hammon, but richest in all commodities in the provinces of}not in 1598D} Paderborn and Lippe. {not in 1598D{The diocese of Munster has good meadow and pasture grounds, as also that area which is around the Weser in some places}not in 1598D}. It is woody everywhere around Surland and the county of Berg. Around Colen and the county of March it is not without some metal <in the ground>.
91.4. The people are excellent men, tall and comely in stature, with strong and able bodies, and courageous minds. It has many excellent soldiers, well trained and ready <for fighting> within an hours warning. The Counties and Noble houses which belong to this Country are according to Roelvingius, the County of Benthem, Teckelenburgh, Marcka, Waldecke, Spigelberg, Dinstlaken, Oldenburg, Diephold, Rauesburg, Limburg, Arnsburg, Ritburg, Lippe, Buren, Rekelinchuisen, Ludinchuyssen, Steenvorde, Horstmare, {not in 1606E{Borchlo}not in 1606E}, Brunkhorst, Gemme and Cappenberg. To these Hamelman adds: Delmenhorst, Lingen and Sterneberg. The people in the area of Colen and in March are the Surlandi.
91.5. <Then> the Bergenses who dwell in the mountains, and are subject to the Duke of Cleve, the Emeslandi in the Bishopric of Münster and the inhabitants near the river Ems and towards Friesland, the Slachterlandi in the same province near Cloppenburg and the Norlandi (that is, the Northern people) in the area of Osnaburg. Lastly the Delbruggij in the diocese of Paderborn.
91.6. The chief cities of Westphalen properly so called are Münster, Dusseldorp, {not in 1598D{Wesel}not in 1598D}, Oldenburg, Osnaburg, Minde, Hervorden, and of less importance Widen-brugge & Coesveldt.
91.7. Some consider the ancient and true Saxony to be Westfalen, and think it to have been inhabited long ago by the Cherusci, {1580/1589G & 1602G have instead{Saxons & Meissners}1580/1589G & 1602G instead} whose Prince or General according to Tacitus and Velleius was the same Arminius who defeated {not in 1598D{Quintilius Varus the Roman, slaying}not in 1598D} his three legions with the sword.
91.8. {not in 1598D{Herman Hamelman has published a description of this country in a separate treatise from which we have taken this brief text: he names and cites as his authors Werner Rolving, Gobeline and others of less importance, writers I have not yet read. The studious Reader may add to these Albert Crantz' Saxony}1581F & 1587F end here}. {not in 1579/1580L2Add, 1579L, 1580/1589G, 1584L, 1588S, 1592L, 1598F & 1602G{Also David Chytræus' history of Saxony, where he has an extensive and learned description of this country}not in 1579/1580L2Add, 1579L, 1580/1589G, 1584L, 1588S, 1592L, 1598F & 1602G}. About this province the following rhyme and proverb is often recited by travellers: <in a curious mixture of Latin, German and Dutch> not in 1598D}
91.9. Hospitium vile,
Cranck brot, dun bier, langhe myle,
Sunt in Westphalia;
Qui non vult credere, {1602G has instead{si non vis credere}1602G instead} loop da}1579L}.
{1588S, 1602S, 1606E, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S only{<that is>
91.10. Lodging be hard bed,
Kentish miles <known to be long>, small drink, brown bread,
In Westphalen be,
He that will not believe it, let him go and see}1588S, 1602S, 1606E, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S only; not in 1598F} © Marcel van den Broecke ©.