Transcription of the two cartouches of the map of the Diocese of Bayeux by Jean Petite, canon of Bayeux.
Spelling and punctuation have been partially modernized for better understanding of texts
A Monsignor the Most Illustrious and Most Reverend Mr. François de Nesmond, Evesque de Bayeux
Monsignor
I offer you this plan as a gift of your property, one of the fruits of your pastoral vigilance, and an excerpt that I have drawn from what I have learned with you from your Diocese, in the courtyards of the Calendars of your deans, visits to your Churches, Missions in your parishes, and Ecclesiastical Conferences in many of the places where God spreads his blessings through your Sacred Ministry where I have had the honor of accompanying you several times, and where you are continuously applied, I had proposed to mark in this Description other particularities that I have discovered in different places, and to join them to those that I have inserted in this map, but the lack of space has forced me to reserve them for the entire history of your Bishopric where you will have a good part. I expect from the Savants of antiquity some Memoirs before giving it to the Public.
However, Monsignor, accept this essay, and do not refuse your protection to the other purpose, since it is on your background that I work and that I am Monsignor, your very humble and very obedient Servant Petite, canon and official of Bayeux
Summary of the Particularities of the Diocese of Bayeux
This diocese is part of Lower Normandy, it is under the Parliament and the Archbishopric of Rouen. The Bessin flat country, fertile in wheat and herbs, and the more unequal Bocage, covered and dry, which carries rye, aucine and sarazin wheat, are the territories that share the time, between the villages where markets are, and the 3 walled cities BAYEUX, which is the oldest, is in good air and low place like the floor of an Amphitheater, lined with pieces of land, and meadows, cut with water and dormes, the Architecture of the Cathedral Church with its famous Clergy, the Episcopal Palace, the Convent of the Cordeliers, the hospital, the Castle, the Viconte, Vice baillage, Election, Grenier à Sel and the particular mastery of the Waters and Forests make it the main ornaments.
CAEN is the 2th and the most pleasant city in the province by its location, layout of streets, buildings, politeness, rivers, meadows, wheat campaigns, famous university, Scholarly Academies, baillage and presidential where 5 Vicomtez and 4 Vice baillages stand out, office of the Treasurers of France, Election, Grenier à Sel, Headquarters ... of great provost, waters and forests, and Admiralty, right to mint currency, large Abbeys, and convents, beautiful churches, 11 parishes, hospital, place Royale, fair fair, Castle with its dungeon and garrison.
VIRE is the 3th city, as populated as Bayeux, although it only has a parish whose clergy is more than 60 priests. There are as in the other 2 cities, hospital, Cordeliers, Capucins, Bénedictines, Vicomté, Vice baillage, Election, more than 30 mills for the manufactures of sheets or bures and papers.
Falaise, where the Guibray fair is, is the 4ème viscomté, which falls under the Presidial de Caen and the diocese of Sées for the spiritual.
Torigni, formerly the city of Augustodure, is only a large village where we see remains of antiquity, in 1515 was erected as a county, since we made the 5ème Vicomté and Vice Baillage by the dismemberment of Bayeux, there is Prieuré and Abbey of St Bernard, the Castle and the marble Mausoleum of the marshal of Mar of Matignon are to be seen, like the houses of Tury, Beny, Flers with its cedars, Balleroy with its fir wood and its hunts or avenues or avenues and those of Cournaudon, St Clair, of the Menil, the Garden of the curious plants of Mr Doseuille in Ver, the reefs of the cemeteries, St Germain and St Germain Cider makes the delights of the tables, the best is from Isigny; and for other foods, Vire bread, sheep and rabbits from Cabourg, beef from Auge, veal and butter from Trévières, chickens from Bayeux, cakes from Cintheaux, galettes from Vimon, oysters from Luc, soles from Grandcamp, mussels from Isigny, alose d'Orne, trout from the rocks from Vire and Noireau, pikes from Seulles, Aure and Drôme, butter trafficking in Isigny, cattle in Villers le Bocage, paper in Vire, Planqueri, St Quentin d'Elle, knives in Condé-sur-Noireau, leathers in Caen, canvases and serges as in Bayeux and tanned cows are renowned.
There are 2 Marquisates, 2 Counties, 12 Baronies, 3 large Chatelenies, 42 small ones called Sergenteries, 5 Special Admiralty Seats. For the Spiritual, the Episcopal See is in Bayeux, 2 official seats share the jurisdiction from the Holy place to Manerbe, which contain 4 Chapters including that of the cathedral, 4 Archdeaconates, 5 rural Decans, and 2 of Christianity, one in Bayeux and the other in Caen, 12 Abbeys of Men and 2 of Girls plus 17 other Convents of Men and 13 of Girls, 14 priories, both in rule and in order, 7 Commanderies of Malta, 5 Personats, plus 200 Chapels founded, in addition to the ruined, 8 hospitals, 2 Seminaries, 24 Ecclesiastical Conferences, 625 parishes served by 655 parish priests, including those of Bayeux and Caen who were not marked for lack of space that will be put in the rubble of the history of the benefits of this diocese; finally there are nearly a million Communiants, and we can say in general that common