formerly a province of the Netherlands, belonging partly to France and partly to the house of Austria. It is bounded to the south by France; to the north by Flanders and Brabant; to the east by the duchy of Brabant, the county of Namur, and the bishopric of Liege; and to the west by Artois and Flanders. Its extent from north to south is about 45 miles, and about 48 from east to west. The air is pleasant and temperate, and the soil fruitful: it abounds in rich pastures, corn-fields, woods and forests, coal, iron, lead, beautiful marble, flate, and other useful stones: it is well watered by rivers and lakes, and breeds abundance of black cattle, and sheep whose wool is very fine. Its principal rivers are the Schelde, the Selle, and the Dender. This province is reckoned to contain 24 walled towns, 950 villages, one duchy, and several principalities, earldoms, peerdoms, and baronies. The abbeys in it are 27. For spiritual matters, the greater part of it is subject to the archbishop of Cambry, and the rest to the bishops of Liege and Arras. The states of the province consist of the clergy, nobility, and commoners. The clergy are the abbots, deputies of the chapters, and rural deans; but the chapters of St Waudru and St Germain, in Mons, send no deputies, as they contribute nothing to the public taxes. The nobility consist of the carls and barons, and all those who by their birth have a right to a seat in the assembly of the states. The commoners are composed of the deputies of the towns. The clergy in this county are uncommonly rich. The states meet only when they are summoned by the sovereign; but there is a standing committee at Mons which meets weekly. This county had counts of its own, till the year 1436; when Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy, arrived to the possession of it, upon the death of Jacqueline, the heiress, without issue. The French acquired that part of it which they possess, partly by the peace of the Pyrenees, and partly by those of Nimeguen and Rywick. It was formerly governed by a sovereign council, at the head of which was the high bailiff, who had very great authority; he represented the sovereign, was governor of Mons, and captain-general of the province. By the treaty of Luneville, the whole of the province was ceded to France.