I am dead But by his death the race of Ianizaries was preserved and the Crown placed on the head of his Son Sultan Ibrahim who continued it not long before death transferred it to Sultan Mahomet an Infant then but now of Age and at this time regnant a Prince of hopeful Valour and Magnanimity of which he gives great demonstrations in his preparation for War which he intends to prosecute in Transilvania where he hath lately chastised and deposed two Princes thereof who disobeyed his Command and usurped the Government after he had commanded them to quit it as we have said before in that Territory and also in the Isle of Candia against the Venetians where for these two years last past he hath had but slow success The King lately sent to the Port that is his Court at Constantinople the Earl of Winchelsea his Ambassador to confirm and continue the Treaty and Friendship that hath been these many years betwixt us The two chief Residences of the English Merchants who have Factories at Grand Cairo and Damascus are at Constantinople by the Turks called Stamboly and at Aleppo in Syrio in the bottome of all the Straits Scanderoon being the Port or Key where the Ships unload and take in their Merchandise Besides the Morda The Emperor of Muscovia hath for his share in these Quarters of the World the Kingdomes of Casan and Astracan formerly belonging to the Tartar but taken from him in this manner He had made a terrible irruption into Muscovia and had carried all to before him to the very Walls of Musco which at last too he entred and made the great Duke upon certain Articles to become his Tributary and acknowledge him as his Supreme Lord and to hold his Dominions under him which was confirmed by an Instrument in Writing under the Great Seal of the Empire An. 1500. Whereupon with great riches he departed and in his return laid Seige to a strong Castle and seeing the Governour resolute as the Russes are very good in maintaining places even beyond extremity to others he acquainted him with what had passed and that the great Duke had yielded him that place by agreement and had further submitted c. Whereupon the Governour desiring to see the Deed and promising thereupon to surrender the Tartar over-credulously parted with his Act of Homage but could never gain either the Town or that back again Encouraged by this the Russe took heart and followed the Tartar but was sorely beaten till the Successour of that Emperor the Tyrant Evan Vasilowich pursuing the quarrel marched with Fire and Sword into those Countries and at last sate down before Astracan where in sundry attempts he was resisted but being resolutely bent to lose his Army Life and Honour or take the City he commanded a general though most hazzardous Assault ro be given which lasted almost a whole day when with a most bloody Slaughter both of his own and his enemies he victoriously entred and ever since maugre all the Force and Attempts of the Tartars the great Dukes have kept possession thereof suffering no Tartars to lodge in the City or to wear any Arms. Both these Kingdomes are parted with the River Volga where the Cossacks do exercise frequent Piracies and Thefts both upon the Inhabitants and Passenger-Merchants which Trade that way and so by the Caspian Sea into Persia fo Drugs and Silks which are brought by Caravans to that Sea-side in great quantity The chief Islands of Asia are Zellant whose ground is alwayes green and the trees laden with blossomes and fruits as Oranges and Lemmons the Cinamon grows here in whole Woods for it is the second rind of a Tree but being cut and laid in the Sun becomes red the Tree in three years space receives his rind again Besides many other beasts here are a multitude of Elephants Sumatra yieldeth besides other sorts of Spices abundance of Pepper here are also moneys of divers Mettals of which the Inhabitants have learned to cast good Ordnance very great Elephants are found here which being learned are serviceable in War The Rhinoceros a deadly enemy to the Elephant is found here for though he be less yet he warreth with him having whet his horn on the Rock he therewith seeks to rip up the Elephants belly He is by many held to be the true Unicorn every part of him especially his Horn being sovereign against all poyson Iava is very fruitful in several spices and Indian fruits especially Pepper Benda a second Island but very famous for herein are several Islands whereabout grow all the Nutmegs and Mace which are in great abundance sent into all the World the Trees on which Nutmegs grow yield three times in the year fruit viz. in August and December but the most and best in April The Islands of the Mollucco's though but sand yet are known all over the world by reason of the plenty of cloves which grow up here only but are dispersed over all the world they are five in number Ternate Tidon Matir Mantrian and Bachion Victuals are here scant for there grows neither rice nor any other grain it hath no cattel but a few goats and hogs they make their bread of certain trees and roots In these Islands onely are found the birds of Paradise which for the strangeness and fairness of feathers exceed all the birds in the world Most of these Islands are in the occupation of the Hollander or Portugal or so leagued to them by the Natives that the whole profit and trade thereof is as good as theirs which formerly by Articles of Agreement were equally parted to what the Dutch possest betwixt them and us witnesse that bloody Story of Amboyna to the Southward of the Molucco's where the Dutch had a Castle and we a Factory but the Trade arising from the Island proving so beneficial they conspired the ruin of the English by a pretended plot of theirs upon the said Castle which by a Violation of the Articles on our part if admitted true would be a good warrant for their procedure against them which in short was after this manner They of a sudden as in imminent danger seized and secured the principal English Merchant and others on shore and two Japanese Souldiers in the Dutch pay and put them to the Torture which was by hanging them stretcht out upon Planks broad as a Door and muffling up their Chaps with Napkins and pouring in water continually till they had almost stifled them and burnt their Fingers ends besides which grievious Torment extorted a kind of Confession of what they had designed whereupon they were all sentenced to lose their heads which was executed accordingly in the Castle Green the poor wretches so cruciated with the pains they had suffered that it was a Courtesie to murther them Thus the Dutch got the entire enjoyment of that Trade and keep it without giving that due satisfaction for the possession or the blood the price of it Thus much touching the second
permit them to beg Seventhly they baptize themselves every Epiphany in lakes and ponds because that day they suppose Christ to have been baptized of Iohn in Iordan Eightly they eat not of those beasts which in the old Law are reckoned for unclean Ninthly and they keep the Jews Sabbath equally solemn with the Lords day Tenthly they minister the Lords Supper to Infants presently after baptisme Eleventhly they teach the reasonable soul of man is derived from the parents by seminal propagation Twelfthly that Insants dying unbaptized are sanctified in the womb by vertue of the Lords Supper received by the mother after her conception And finally they shew a Book of eight volumes writ as they say by the Apostles assembled at Ierusalem for that purpose the contents thereof they observe most solemnly and they differ from the Papists as the Christians in Egypt they are under the Government of Prester Iohn and the Turk I pass by Ethiopia inferior the people being Pagans where we may observe the distinguishing goodness and grace of God who by people under the same climate and Region is known and unknown a peculiar Kingdom surrounded every where with Pagans and Mahometans worshipping the living God and believing in Christ though erring in many circumstantials of Orthodox Doctrine imputable chiefly to remedilesse Tradition This is the Abassine Empire from whence the Eunuch that was converted by St. Philip the Treasurer to Queen Candace came and which is now the Realm and Dominions of Prester Iohn a Prince of large Territory but of scant and narrow fame for any atchievment and may be supposed more beholding to credulous reports for his Greatness than any real existence thereof However he serves with others to fill up that great Desart and truly Terra Incognita of the world the curiosity of travel being no way competent to the danger among such inhospitable and savage people as that quarter does the Map to idle or no purpose and therefore it shall take up no further room for the Description of it we will only touch a little upon the Southern Coast where we are concerned in matter of Trade Guinea stretching all along the South-west Shore of the Atlantick Sea is bounded on the North and East with Lybia famous for Mines of Gold hidden in the Bowells of some of its inland Mountains for which it is very much traffiqued by all the European Nations even the Swedes Danes and Dantzickers though lockt up by a dangerous Sea at home such is the sacred thirst of that Mettal that through all hazzards and difficulties it is attempted The Hollander to secure his footing there and to make a propriety hath built several Forts and established a Guinea-Company in imitation of the English who justly claim the right possession being the first discoverers and that made Essay of the place and are still better liked and entertained by the Natives then the Dutch are Since His Majesties Restitution they have quitted and delivered several Forts built upon the passage into the Countrey to the English Fleet sent thither to settle the Trade and former Factory according to its former Regulation Here may not be omitted that little spot of earth lying in the Mediterranean Sea the Isle of Malta which by Geographers is reckoned as part of Africa for no greater reason I suppose then St. Pauls character of the Inhabitants upon his Shipwrack there in his Voyage to Rome where he calleth them Barbarians a term appropriate to the adjacent Continent for this Island is scituated South from Sicily from whence it is not half so far disjoyned as from the Coast of Africa and is the Diamond to that large circumference It is very notable for the famous repulse and defeat of the Turkish Armado about 1490. being besieged by Sea by Mustapha Bâ—…ssa when Mounsieur de Valette a Frenchman was grand Master in honour of whom and their deliverance they have built and called their chief City Valette The Knights that are called of this place were formerly of Rhodes which Solyman the Great conquered and from thence setled here To this Order none but Gentlemen of three Descents are admitted and must be Papists The whole Order consisted of Seven Colledges French Spaniards Germans Italians English Portugals and Sâ—…voyrards but since the Reformation in England we have had none of the Order which mindes me of a Speech of Queen Elizabeth concerning forreign Honours conferred on some of her subjects That she would have her Sheep to be known by her own Brand. It continues at present in Statu quo a great vexation and terrour to the Turkish Navigation with whom they are to be at perpetual Enmity by their vow of Knighthood And thus much may suffice to be spoken of Africa we will next Enumerate the perticular Cities and Rivers The chiefest Cities of Africa with the names of the Rivers which are there most famous IN Barbary which containeth the Kingdoms of Fez Morocco Tremiser Algeir Tunis Tripoli and Barca there are the famous Cities Morocco Fez Tangier Telensin Oran Algeir Constantine Tunis Tripoli and Barca The Rivers there most famous are the Tensife the Ommiraby and the River of Cebus Mulvia Rio Major and the Magrida In Belledulgered which containeth the Kingdoms of Suz Daza Sagelmosse Tegorarin Biledulgerid and the Desart of Barca there are these famous Cities Taradante Dara Segelmoss Tegorarin Zeb Billedulgerid the chiefest Rivers are the River of Sur the River of Darba and the Ghir In Egypt are the famous Cities of Sabod Cairo Alexandria Rascha or Rosesta Damiettâ—… Cosir and Surs the renowned River is the River of Nilus In the desert of Zaara are these memorable cities Zauhaga Zuenzera Targa Lemta Berdoa Gaoga and Borno In the Country of the Negroes are these remarkable Cities Gue Eata Gueneha Tombu Agados Cano Cassena Gangara Tula Catan or Senega Guinala Beria Melli Songo Gago Wuber Zegzog and Sanfara the rivers here that are most famous are Sernoga Gambaea and Rio Degrand In Gniomy are these famous Towns Serze-Lionne or Cachieu Saint George De la Mine and Benin In Nubia are these remarkable Cities Gorham Cusam Nubia Dancala Iulac Bugiha Canfila and Dafila In the upper Ethiopia which containeth the Kingdomes of Barnegus Tigremahon Amara Damont Cafatos Innari Gogame Baga Medri Meroe Ximenchi and Dambaea There are these famous Cities Barone Caxumo Amara Damont Gefates Narre Goyame and Adeghena the Rivers which are here most memorable are the Rivers of Zaire and Quilmanci In that part which is called Zanguebar are these remarkable Cities Dambea Mosambiqueâ—… Quiloa Monbaze Melinda On the side of Aian are Bravâ—… Magadaxo Adea Adel. On the side of Abex Erocco or Arquico Suâ—…quem Biafra In the lower Ethiopia which comprehendeth Congo Caffrare and Monomotepa are the famous Cities of Banza Loanga S. Salvador Cabazze or Dongo Safula Simbaos or Messapa and Butua and Tang or Tete the Rivers are Cuana Spiritu Sancto and the River Dos infantes In Africa are divers other Islands
who maintained the Isle of Rhee against the Duke of Buckingham newly before This Ducall Family is now by Marriage principally allyed to the Emperour and House of Austria I shall pass by the Dukedoms of Modena Parma and Mountferrat as being all three but small estates of Italy and havinâ—… but four Bishops amongst them all the arms of Modena the same with the Dukedom of Ferrara and the arms of Mountferrat Gules a chief Argent thus much for Italy These three small principalities have afforded very excellent Couragious Princes Not to mention the exploits of that renowned Alexander Duke of Parma Governour of the Low-Countries for the King of Spain in the time of Queen Elizabeth it shall suffice to say that they ballance the over-growing Power of either of the Monarchs of France or Spain siding alwayes with the weakest lest they become a prey to the Conqueror and to that purpose are commonly divided in the Quarrel siding in opposition yet exercise no Hostility upon each others Dominions Moun ferrat is now annexed to the Dutchy of Mantua whose Duke is Prince of the same The Principality of Piemont a part of the Alpes situate at the foot of the Mount is bounded on the east with Millain and Mountferrat on the west with Savoy on the north with the Switzers and on the south it runneth in a narrow valley to the Mediterranean having Mountferrat on the one side Provence and a part of the Alpes upon the other it is very fertile compared with Savâ—…y and Switzerland but thought to be inferiour to the rest of Italy the Arms of this Principality are Gules a Cross Argent charged with a Label of three points Azure It is now subject to the Dukedom of Savoy This Principality hath been often made the seat of War especially in the Reigns of Hen. the 4. and Lewis the 13th of France in the passage of their Armies into Italy and the Duke of Savoy who is Prince and Soveraign thereof hard put to it most of his strong holds being seized while he partaked with the Spaniard but since the alliance of that Duke with the French it hath had a refreshment which hath been inteâ—…rupted by some intestine troubles about Religion a great part thereof being of the Reformed Religion witness that Massacre there for which such liberal Collections and Contributions were made in 〈◊〉 for those Protestants in time of Oliver Savoy strictly and specially so called is bounded on the East with Wallisland and part of Piemont on the west with Daulphin and La Bresse on the south with some parts of Daulphine only and on the north with Switzerland and the lake of Geneva The Country is altogether Hilly and Mountainous very healthful but not very fruitful The Common People are naturally very dull but the Gentry pleasant ingenious and civil There have been near thirty Earls and Dukes of Savoy It is a very strong place with fortifications of nature the Revenue ordinarily a million of Crowns yearly The onely Order of Knighthood here is that of the Aâ—…nunciado ordained one thousand four hundred and eight their Collar is of fifty links to shew the mysteries of the Virgin at the end is her pourtraicture with the history of the Annunciation in stead of a Motto these Letters F. E. R. T. i. e. Fortituâ—…o ejus Rhodum tenuit are engraven to every plate or link of the Collar each link being interwoven one within another in form of a true lovers knot the number of Knights is fourteen beside the Duke the Soveraign of the Order the Solemnity held annually on our lady-Lady-day the Arms are G. a crosse A. Geneva is a City of the Dukedome of Savoy now a free State having cast off both the Pope and their own Duke and kept free by their neighbours jealousie each of other touching it the Religion is Calvinist Protestant the Government Presbyterial the Language the worst French the People industrious and Merchants their situation for neighbours advantagious thereunto Of the Duke and this Dutchy enough hath been said before in the Historical description of Mantua and Piedmont onely thus much may be added that the present Duke is Cousin German to our Soveraign King Charles the Second by his Mothers side who is Sister to our present Queen Mother and that he is the powerfullest Arbitrator of the Affairs of Italy and hath the peculiar stile of His Highness Royal as a pretender to the Kingdoms of Cyprus as also Ierusalem and Portugal Wallisland reacheth from the Mountain de Burken to the Town of St. Maurice where the hills do close and shut up the valley which is so narrow in that place that a bridge laid from one hill to another under which the River Rosne doth passe is capable of no more than one Arch onely and that defended with a Castle and two strong Gates on other parts it is invironed with a continual Wall of steep and horrid Mountains covered all the year long with a crust of Ice nor passable at all by Armies and not without much difficulty by single passengers so that no Citadel can be made so strong by Art as this Countrey is by nature The Valley is very fruitful in Saffron Corn Wine and most delicate Fruits having Meadows and pleasant Pastures They have also a Fountain of Salt and many hot Baths and Medicinal VVaters they have Cattel enough to serve them also a wild Buck equal to a Stag in bigness footed like a Goat and horned like a fallow Deer leaping with wonderful agility and not so easily caught but in Summer time for then with the heat he is blind The People are courteous towards Strangers but very rough and churlish towards one another They are of the Romish Religion and subject to the Bishop of Sion The Deputies of the seven Resorts having not onely voices with the Cantons in his Election but being chosen they joyn with him also in the Diets for choosing Magistrates redressing grievances and determining matters of State Of this Countrey few Military Occurrences are historified for that it is by Nature as it is described no way fit for the entertainment of Mars and is onely a nursery no residence for Souldiery Switzerland hath on the east side the Grisons and some part of Tyrol in Germany on the west the Mountain Iove and the lake of Geneva which parts it from Savoy and Burgundy on the north Suevia another Province also of the Upper Germany and on the south Wallisland and the Alpes which borders on the Dukedome of Mâ—… It is totally in a manner over-grown with craggy Mountains but such as for the most part have grassy tops and in their hollowness rich Meadows and nourishing Pastures being two hundred fourty miles in length and one hundred eighty in breadth The Inhabitants are rich and rugged of disposition like their Land good Souldiers and mercenary almost to every one their Religion mixed some Papists some Protestants-Zwinglians yet they have agreed to tolerate one another their
is necessary to the life of man it is the nature of this tree though never so ponderous a weight wereput upon it never to yield to the burden but still to resist the heaviness of it and to endeavour to lift and raise it self the more upwards a fit emblem of the resurrection The people are not black but tawny or olive-coloured they weep and mourn over the bodies of their dead daubed over with dung they hold it a great impiety to burn or bury them but having embalmed them they lay them in some inner room the men keep at home for the houshold business the Women follow merchandise and affairs abroad the men carry burdens upon their heads and the women upon their shoulders a witty and ingenious people the first Inventers of Geometry Arithmetick Physick Astronomy Necromancy and Sorcery yea they found out the very use of Letters The Christians among them differ from all other Christians first using circumcision with baptism Secondly conferring all orders under priesthood on infants immediately after baptism their parents till they come to sixteen years of age performing what they promised in their behalf to wit chastity fasting on Wednesday and Friday and the four Lents of the year Thirdly reputing baptism not to be of any efficacy except ministred by a Priest in the open Church in what extremity soever Fourthly and yet not baptising any children till the fortieth day though they die in the mean time Fifthly giving the Lords Supper to Infants as soon as Christned Sixthly contracting marriages in the second degree without dispensation Seventhly not observing the Lords day nor any Festivals except in cities Eighthly reading the Gospel writ by Nicodemus They differ from the Papists in these things first administring the Lords Supper in both kinds secondly with leavened bread thirdly admitting neither extreme unction nor the Lords Supper to those that are sick fourthly nor Purgatory nor prayer for the dead fifthly nor using elevation in the act of administring and sixthly accounting the Roman Church for heretical and esteeming the Latines no better then the Jews This Kingdom of Aegypt was a long while possessed by the Mamalukes a kind of Stratocracy or Army-power such as we had lately in England by Red-coats and Protector the Sultan was always elected by the souldiery who chose always one out of themselves the last of that Dignity was Tomombejus who being defeated by Sultan Selymus some 260 years ago was taken in Grand Cayro whither he fled out of the field and had made a brave defence by barricading the streets for three days He continued not long in a condition of Captivity for he was hanged at his Prison Door and exposed to the view of the Egyptians as a spectacle of the Vanity of humane greatness By this Selymus this Kingdom was reduced into a province where one of the principal Bashawes keeps Court in great state His Government being the richest in all the Turkish Dominions from whence yearly many ships lading of wealth is brought to Constantinople which is alwayes way-laid by some Gallies of Malta or Florence but of late years with little success they come so strongly guarded and if they fear any danger have all the Coast of Cyprus Rhodes and the Continent to Friend The Bashawes are sent thither as Spunges for when they have sucked an incredible treasure by pilling fraud and rapine they are sent for home and are squeezed to their skins which sometimes they are forced to part with to boot There hath been no change but of the Governours ever since the Conquest of this Kingdom which is usual with other Bashawes as namely those of Aleppo who do often rebel and threaten the Grand Seigniour so that at present the Egyptians continue in the same obedience and dumb slavery to which they have been so long accustomed changing in this Turkish Tyranny the names not the nature thereof from that they suffered under the Mamalukes Mount Atlas is a ridge of hills of exceeding height and of no small length it is above the clouds and is always covered with snow in the midst of summer full of thick woods and against Africa so fruitful that it affords excellent fruits of its natural growth not planted grafted or inoculated with the hand of man Lybia hath mount Atlas on the north by which it is parted from Barbary and Asrenaca on the east with Lybia Marmarica interposed betwixt it and Egypt and part of Ethiopia superior or the Abassine Empire on the south with Ethiopia inferior and the land of Negroes and on the west with the main Atlantick Ocean the countrey abounds with dates the chief diet of the people which commonly rotteth out their teeth their Goats they feed with the stones wherewith they grow fat and yield store of Milk the Air is so sound that it cureth the French Pox without any Physick the Inhabitants are base and vile People Thieves Murderers Treacherous and ignorant of all things feeding most on Dates Barley and Carrion counting Bread a diet for Holidayes their Garments of the coarsest Cloth so short that they cover not half the body the richer sort wear a Jacket of blew Cotton with great Sleeves they ride upon Camels without Stirrup or Saddle a Leather thrust through an hole made in the nose of the Camel serves them for a Bridle and to save Spurs they use a Goade their Religion is Mahometisme The land of Negro's is bounded on the east with Ethiopia superior on the west with the Atlantick Ocean on the north with Lybia Deserta and the south with the Ethiopick Ocean and part of Ethiopia inferior the Country very hot by reason of the situation under the Torrid Zone yet very well inhabited full of People and in some places alwayes grassy well watered specially where the River Nâ—…ger overfloweth well stored with Corn Cattel and Garden ware well wooded having store of Beasts wilde and tame they want fruit Trees they have both Gold and Silver Mines very pure the Inhabitants are of little wit and destitute of all Arts and Sciences prone to Luxury and for the most part Mahomeans Ethiopia superior is bounded on the east with the Red Sea and the Sinus Barbaricus on the west with Lybia inferiour the Realm of Nubia in the Land of Negroes and part of the Kingdome of Congo in the other Ethiopia and on the north with Egypt and Lybia Marmarica and on the south on the Mountains of the Moon it is in length a thousand five hundred miles in breadth half as much The religion of the people is they use to circumcise their children both males and females Secondly they baptise the males at forty and the Females eighty dayes after Circumcision Thirdly after the Lords Supper they are not to spit till the Sun-set Fourthly they professe but one nature and one will in Christ. Fifthly they accept only the three first generall Councils Sixthly their Priests live by the labour of their own hands for they allow them nothing nor
Spain or Portugal The mortality that happened there at our first Landing proceeding either from the griping Monopoly of some hoarding Officers or through want of timely recruits or through some fatal Conjunction of the superiour Luminaries It is by good Experience found to be a temperate climate for all 't is scandalized with the Fiction of the Torrid Zone the Heat in the day time being alwayes allayed with the Sea-Breezes which rise with the Sun and the Nights are by an interchangeable and never-failing intercourse refreshed with Land-Breezes Nor is the fertility lesse propitious than the temperature producing in as great abundance as any where in the Indies Sugar-Canes Tobacco Cotton Maez or Indian Corn Potatoes Yaums and Coco-Nuts the Earth continuing its Spring and being green and florid all the year long Here are store of Hogs fatned by what drops from the Trees whole Herds of Beeves which before they were frighted by our unskilful method of killing them by shot fed by 1000 in the Savana's or large Champion fields but now sculk in the Woods and Coverts and appear not but by night Here are also a number of wilde Horses well shaped and very serviceable being all bred of Spanish Gennets which may be bought for 3 l. sterling and will yield 6000 l. of Sugar at Barbadoes There are likewise excellent plenty of choice Timber Trees and Wood for the Dyers use as Fustick Brasiletta and Ebony and a kind of Logwood China Roots Gum Guaiacum Lignum Vitae Cassia c. There are also abundance of Cocoa Trees which the Spaniard reckons one of his chiefest Incomes which may be yearly improved There is one Rarity more which is the Alligator or Indian Crocodile some of them 6 or 7 foot long but they cannot hurt a man if he be aware of them their motion being slow and head and body must move together There are no Mines found out yet but they are not to be despaired of in the prosecution of the Plantation The English have built a new Town at Cagway point of about 600. Houses where at present the Governour resides having quitted the City of S. Iago de la Vega the Spaniards chief town which is seated in a pleasant Savana This City was some 30 years ago plundred by General Iackson who came with 500 men from St. Christophers and in spight of 2000 Spaniards in a readinesse to receive him and 7 Barricadoes such was the Mariners exceeding greediness of spoil forced the Town and plundered it and made the Spaniard give him a great sum to boot to spare it from the fire it had formerly 2000 houses and 16 Churches and Chappels and now but 600 Houses the Skeleton of two Churches and an Abbey Point Cagway is very well fortified and has Guns in it as good as any the Tower had there is also another Plantation of the English in one Regiment at Port Morant who have already made it considerable by planting several Commodities After Venables left the Island the Government was devolved to the eldest Collonel and afterwards Cromwel sent Collonel Brain to command them who died there and then it was conferred on Collonel Doyley who hath been happily active in promoting this Colony and is yet Governour till the Arrival of the Lord Windsor sent thither with a Patent from the King and Grant of the whole Island under whose care it is likely to flourish The King of Spain's Dominions in the West-Indies IT will be unnecessary and of no use to insist much upon the Countries subject to the King of Spain in America because we have no traffique in those parts the King of Spain forbidding and keeping all men from thence with as much diligent watchfulness as the Dragon did the Golden or Hesperian Apples With much difficulty he obtained his Mines severall supplies being lost and his Colonies ready to depart besides the frequent Fights betwixt themselves in point of private advantages several Governours supplanting one another by Tragical means the principal whereof was Columbus that successeful Captain Ferdinandus Cortesius Marquiss of the Valley Pizarro Almagrus Vasca and Blasco By Cortesius Atabalipa King of Peru was taken Prisoner in which are his Mines of Potossi c. Who refusing a dangerous peace offered by the Spaniard by the fortune of the War was made a Prisoner and for his ransome sending to his chief City of Cuscon and other places of his Kingdome filled his Prison being a reasonable Hall with Gold and Silver and yet neverthelesse lost his Life being strangled by the deliberate advice of his Enemies who substituted his Brother in his place The Indians upbraiding the Spaniard with their Cruelty and Covetousnesse and calling Money their God bidding them to eat it It is reported when they first entred the Country they shooed their Horses with Gold and Silver To our discourse this Countrey is divided into Mexicana and Peruana That part of America which is called Mexicana is divided into three several parts according to the scituation of the Land in Plains Mountains and lesse Hilly grounds Out of these Countries are brought over into Europe Gold Silver Bezoar and other precious stones Sarsaparilla and Sugar in abundance Brasil-Wood Cotton costly Plumes Jackanapes several sorts of curiously feathered Birds and many more Drugs and Merchandize We will run over only the several Countries and so conclude The first is the Island of Hispaniola famous for our Defeat before the chief City of St. Domingo though formerly sacked without much opposition by Sir Francis Drake It is seated in 18 19 and 20 degrees of Northern Latitude being 150. Leagues long East and West inhabited chiefly by Negroes which with the Spaniards make not in all above 500. the Commodities are Ginger Sugar Cotton Wool c. and Tallow and Hides 100000. yearly gotten of the wild Cattel which are the biggest in the World The next is the I le of Cuba lying West from Hispaniola 200. Leagues long East and West the broadest part not 45 the Commodities the same with Hispaniola the Land neither so pleasant nor wholsome In it is the Town of Havana in 22. degrees the great resort of the Spanish Fleet the Harbour strongly secured by two Castles Next Porto Rico 15 Leagues from Hispaniola 45 Leagues long East and West 23 broad then Sancta Crux in 16 degrees and a half the Virgins Virgin Gorda Blances Anagada Sambrito Angula St. Martins in 17 degrees and a half once possest by the Spaniards now by the Dutch as is Eustas likewise More Southwardly is Trinidado I le 50 Leagues long and 70 broad Margareta Tortuga Gardiner Caracute Calava and Tamasca On the Continent the Spaniard hath Florida which begins in 34 degrees the Gulf hereof is notable having two Entrances the one between Youcatan and Cuba where the stream cometh fiercely in the other is between Cuba and the Cape of Florida where it runneth more violently out New Spain Besides this Province of Florida the King of Spain in this Nothern America