History of Holland > Holland history > Lodovico Guicciardini description of the Low Countries > Guicciardini book page 7-II

Guicciardini book page 7-II

Provinces, especially into England. Besides sturgeons the Meuse yeeldeth also great store of Salmons and Salmon trowts,Lamprayes, Shads, Congers, Mulets, Vives and divers other sorts of Fishes, all the which are leane in the Sea,but after they are entred into the fresh water, they become fatte and excellent good.

The Schelde riseth in Picardy, out of the selfeÂsame mountaine that the Rivers of Somme and Sambre, foure leaglues beneath Andwerp, the Schelde devideth himselfe into two branches,the one of the which turneth Westward and is called Hont,and having run about xii leagues, betweene Scluse and the Ile of Valachry entreth in to the Sea. The other turneth towards the north, and environeth the North part of Zeland, & having received at Berghen the little river of Zoom againe, he parteth himselfe in twaine, one of the which called Vosmeer, passeth by Tolen, and about a league from thense, dischargeth it selfe into the Merwe, and this seemeth to have been the auncient mouth of the River of Schelde. The other branch separateth the Iles of Zeland with divers streames, but principally where the course of the River is largest and deepest: It deuydeth these Iles into two principall parts: namely, East and West Zeland, through the which conveying it selfe into the Sea, it endeth his course and looseth his name, betweene Scowe and Valachry, receiving floud and Ebbe as farre as Gant, which

Guicciardini - description of the Low Countries (Holland and Belgium) - printed in the year 1593 - Next page 8-I -->