have thought that the Goths came thence; but it is too small to have been able to hold such a multitude of men; besides, if the Goths had come from Scandia, they must have returned from Gothland into Sweden, and again bent their course backwards by Scandia, which is not at all consistent with reason. In the island of Gothland there are still remaining the ruins of the city of Wisby, in which the quarrels and disagreements of the sailors who passed by that way used to be judged and settled, and questions of business concerning distant maritime places were brought to that city and argued.
The province of Livonia extends a long distance by the sea shore; its metropolis is Riga, which is under the government of the master of the Teutonic order. The province comprises two bishoprics, namely that of Revel and Oesel, besides the archbishopric of Riga. It contains several towns, the chief of which is Riga, which is situated on the Dwina, not far from its mouth, as well as Revel and Derbt. The Russians call Revel, Bolivar; and Derbt, Turgovgorod: Riga retains its name in both languages. It has in it the navigable rivers, the Rubo and the Nerva.
The prince of this province, as well as the brothers of the order, the principal of whom are styled commanders, as also the nobles and citizens, are nearly all German.
As three languages are used by the common people, so they are divided into three orders or tribes. Every year a fresh supply of labourers and soldiers are brought into Livonia out of the German principalities of Juliers, Gelderlund, and Munster, to replace those who have died, or those who, after fulfilling their yearly duty, return in freedom to their own country.
They possess so great a quantity of horses of a remarkably fine strong breed, that hitherto they have been able to endure, and vigorously to withstand, the repeated hostile inroads
