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Old -Mark.] GERMANY. 641
foundation. They call them the Balfamcrknd, the langerland, the 5^«-
land, and the land of Zcrmund. Counfellor Lenz in his Grafen Saal,
p. 224, feq.
tells us that the north part of the Old-Mark, or. the Baljamerland,
which was fituate between the Elbe, the Aland, the Biefe, and a part
alfo of the Ucke had its name from the rivulet oi Balfam, which falls into
the Ucht, and comprized in it Arneburg, Seehaujen, and Werben, being
alfo called the Wij'che ; but the fouth part conftituted the Saxon fhare of
the Marfmerland, the latter of which was bounded to the north by the
Balfamcrland, to the eaft by the Elbe, to the fouth by the territory of Magdeburg
and the Ohre-, and by the Milde, Biefe, and Uchfe, as far as to Ste?idal
to the weft, and confequently contained in it 'Tangermund, and Gatdelegen,
together with the prefedturates of Burßall, Calbe, and the county
of Oflerburg.
§. 7. We fliall defcribe
I. The feven immediate towns in their order. Among thefe 1-3
I. Stendal, formerly called alfo Steindal, the head-town of the Old^
Mark, lying on the Vchte in a level furrounded on all fides by mountains,
and which fince the year 171 2, but more particularly between the years
1720 and 1740 has encreafed in buildings and inhabitants. This town
bears the direSloriiim among the feveral towns of the Old-Mark, and is
tlie feat alfo of the fupreme tribunal therein, and likewife of a fpiritual
infpedion. It is divided into four parifhes, and thus contains in it four
principal churches, among which is the cathedral church of St. Nicholas,
At this place alfo lies the general fuperintendency of the Old-Mark and the
Prignitz. This foundation was firft ereded by the Marggrave Henry in the
year 1188, and flood immediately under the papal chair. It conlifted of
a provoft, a dean, and fome canons. In 1551 it was made a donation of
together with all its revenues to the univerfity of Frankfurt on the Oder.
The town-fchool here was placed in what was once a Francijcan monaftery.
The cloyfter of St. Catherine was formerly fupplied with BenediSiitie Nuns,
and that of St. An?ie, with nuns of the order of St. Francis. After the introdudtion
of the Reformation thefe cloyfters 'tis true were ftill preferved,
but came over to the Proteftant religion, and over each of them was fet a
Domina. The refugee French have introduced divers manufadlures into it.
They have here likewife a tribunal of their own. Anciently there were great
numbers of clothiers at this place. The Marggrave Albert the Bear raifed it
about the year 1151 from a village to a town. Formerly alfo it belonged
to the Hanfe. In 1595, 1680, and 1687 it fufFered greatly by fire.
The magiflracy of this place is pofTefTed in the village of Hemert of three
noble eftates, together with one half of the upper and lower jurifdiäion,
as alfo of the right of patronage, and likewife of the village of Belkens, together
with the upper and lower jurifdidlion and the right of patronage
the
fame.
over
Vol. V. 4 N From