History of Holland > Holland history > Lodovico Guicciardini description of the Low Countries > Guicciardini book page 6-II

Guicciardini book page 6-II

course Westward from Arnem, till it come unto wick: wher about the year of our Lord 860. or as others write 1170. it brake into the little River Leck, and leaving his olde course which was by Utrecht, Voerden and Leyden, into the Ocean Sea, by reason that extreame tempests had slopped up that course with sands, and also loosing ever sithence his own proper name; it hath born the name of the little river that it brake into, and is called Leck and neere to Grimpen entereth into the Merwe, which is a name common to the Meuse and the Wael after their second conjunction, namelye, after they have made the little Ile of Bomolerwert. But you shal understad that notwithstanding that the Rhine have left his old course, yet have the Inhabitants, with ditches & chanels drawne waters into that olde course, the which retaineth the ancient name of Rhine, and passing by Utrecht, Voerden, and Leyden, entereth into the Sea neere to Catwick, or rather is swallowed up of the Sands, neere to the sayde Catwick, and the Fort Brittanique, where was in times past the auncient mouthe of the River of Rhine.

The Meuse riseth in the mount Vogesus, not farre from the fountaines of the twoe noble Rivers, Seine and Marne. At Herverden it meeteth with the Wael, and suddenly they disioyne againe, neyther river losing his name, and so apart each taketh his course to Lowestaine, wher (having

Guicciardini - description of the Low Countries (Holland and Belgium) - printed in the year 1593 - Next page 7-I -->