x68 UNIVERSAL ERUDITION. 



took the title of king of Ireland, by virtue of 

 an a<5t of the parliament of Dublin. 



XVII. XL The Hiftory of the Low Countries, 

 and, /'// particular, that of the Seven United Pro- 

 vinces, containing, 



4 Duchies : Brabant, Limburg, Luxemburg, 

 and GOelders. 



7 Counties: Flanders, Artois, Hainault Hol- 

 land, Zealand, Namur, and Zutphen. 



5 Principalities, or feigniories : Friezland, 

 Mechlin, Utrecht, OveryfTel, and Groe- 

 n in gen. 



j Margraviate ; that of Antwerp -, which, to- 

 gether, form the 



17 United Provinces, that are called the Low 

 Countries. In the time of the Romans, the 

 Rhine traced the limits between Gaul and Ger- 

 many. That part of the Low Countries which 

 is on the weft borders of the Rhine^ was 

 .aamed Gallia Belgica, Belgic Gaul -, and that 

 ituate on the eaft belonged to Germany, and 

 was called Batavia. In the filth century, when 

 the Franks parted into Gaul, the Low Countries 

 remained annexed to France, under the Mero- 

 vingian kings. In the partition which the 

 Carlovinian emperor, Lewis le Debonnair, made 

 of his dominions, the greateft part of the Low 

 Countries falling to Lothair, made a confiderable 

 part of the kingdom of Lorrain ; and that king- 

 being diflblved, the feventeen province! 



