parts are yet joyned into one by two Bridges or causway's made over it having sluces to let out the water the South part is the greater consisting of divers streets having in it a School and an Hospital of St. John founded for the relief of the poor The farther part is the lesse but beautified with a very goodly Cathedral Church which is round about compassed with a very fair wall Castle-like This Church mounteth up on high with three Pyramids or spires of stone making an excellent shew and for elegant and proportionable building yeeldeth to few Cathedrals in England But by our late civil wars it is much defaced The City of Westchester described The City of Chester is built foursquare and is inclosed with a strong wall that is above two miles in compasse and hath in it eleven Parish Churches the fairest of which is that of St. Johns without Eastgate being a very stately building near unto the River Dee standeth the Castle upon a rockie-hill where the Courts Palatine and the Assises are kept twice a year The houses are built very fair and along the chief streets are galleries or walking-places they call them Rowes having shops on both sides in which a man may walk dry from one end to the other Here King Edgar in a magnificent manner triumphed over the Brittish Princes for himself sitting at the foredeck of his Barge Kennadie King of the Scots Malcolin King of Cumberland Mucon King of Man and of the Isles with all the Princes of VVales comming to do homage like watermen working at the Oare rowed him along the River Dee in a triumphant manner There is in it a very large and fair Cathedral Church wherein is the Tomb of Henry the fourth Emperor of Germany who as they say gave over his Empire and lived here an Eremites life This City wants not any thing required in a flourishing City but that the Sea being offended and angry as it were at certain Mills and a causway made crosse the channel of the River Dee hath by degrees drawn himself back and affordeth not unto the City the commodity of an haven which formerly it did injoy The wall hath in it four fair gates opening towards the four quarters of heaven besides three Posterns and seven watch-Towers Before the desolations made by our late civil wars without the East and North gate the City extended herself in her suburbs with very fair streets adorned with goodly buildings both of Gentlemens houses and fair Innes for the entertainment of strangers The Water-Gate leadeth to the River of Dee where it enters into the mouth of the Sea and by which is a fine spacious peece of ground called the Rood-eye yeelding pleasure and profit and upon which the Citizens walk for the air and use sundry recreations The Bridge-Gate hath lately been beautified by a seemly water-work of stone built steeple-wise by the invention and charge of Mr. John Tyrer and is of excellent use for conveying the River-water into the Citizens houses throâ—gh pipes of Lead and wood into almost all parts of the City The City of Hereford described The City of Hereford is seated amongst pleasant medows and plentiful Corn-fields compassed almost round about with Rivers on the North and West sides with one that hath no name on the South side with the River Wy that commeth out of Wales It is walled about having six Gates â—or entrance and fifteen Watch-Towers for defence extending in compasse to one thousand five hundred paces The Normans upon the side of Wy built in it a mighty great and strong Castle which time hath so defaced that now there remains nothing but the ruines of it The greatest glory that this City had was when King Athelstan brought the Lords of VVales into it and forced them yearly by way of tribute to pay him besides Hounds and Hawks twenty pounds of gold and there hundred pounds of silver by weight The City of York described The City of York is very ancient and of so great estimation formerly that the Roman Emperors kept their Courts there It is at this day the second City of England the fairest in all the Country and a singular both safeguard and ornament to all the Northern parts A pleasant place large and stately well fortified beautifully adorned as well with private as publick buildings rich populous and was lately an Archiepiscopal See The River Ouse flowing with a gentle stream from the North part Southward cutteth it in twain and divides it as it were into two Cities which are conjoyned with a stone Bridge having in it a mighty Arch of extraordinary bignesse The VVest part is compassed in with a very fair wall and the River together four-square wise and gives entrance only at one gate from which a long and broad Street reacheth unto the very bridge which is beautified with handsome houses having Gardens and Orchards planted on the backside on either hand and behind them fields even to the walls for exercise and disport On the East side the houses stand very thick and the Streets are narrower and it is fortified also with a strong wall and on the South-East it is defended with the deep channel of the muddy River Fosse which entring into the heart of the City by a blind way hath a Bridge over it with houses built upon it and so close ranged one by another that a man would judge it a Street rather than a Bridge and so a little lower it runneth into the Ouse where at there confluence a strong and stately Castle was built that commanded the City but is now gone to decay Towards the North stands the Cathedral Church an excellent fair and stately Fabrick King Henry the Eight appointed here a Council not unlike to the Parliaments in France to decide and determine the causes and controversies of these Northern parts according to equity and coâ—science consisting of a Lord President certain Counsellors a Secretary and under officers This City is governed by a Lord Maior twelve Aldermen many Chamberlains a Recorder a Town Clerk six Sergeants at Mace and two Squires which are the Sword-Bearer and common Sergeant who with a great Mace goeth on the left hand of the Sword The City of Durham Described The City of Durham is seated high and is passing strong withall yet taketh it up no great circuit of ground It is of an Oval form and environed on every side save on the North with the River Weer and fortified with a wall Towards the Southside stands the Cathedrall Church built high and stately with an high Tower in the middest and two Spires at the West end In the middest is a Castle placed as it were between two stone bridges over the River Northward from the Castle is a spacious Market place and St. Nicholas Church from whence there runneth out for a great length North-East a Suburb compassed on two sides with the River like as other on both sides beyond the River which lead unto the
Vallies and spreadeth it self into a Lake called Genazereth sixteen miles long and six broad environed with many pleasant Towns as Julias and Hippo on the East Tarichea on the South and Tiberias on the West made wholesome with her hot-waters But before it makes the Lake of Genazereth it makes another called Samachonitis it especially is filled with the snow of Libanus usually melted in the first month which causeth Jordan then to swell and overflow his banks which made Josua's passing thorough it at that time the more miraculous In Scripture it s called the waters of Merom The variety of fruits and other temporall blessings wherewith this Country was inriched are so fully set down in Scripture that I need make no particular mention of them What multitudes of people it fed may be taken notice of in those two Instances First When David numbred them there were found Eleven hundred thousand in Israel and four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah valiant men that drew the sword 2 Sam. 24.9 and yet Benjamin and Levi were not reckoned And in the dayes of Jeroboam 2 Chr. 13. Abijah King of Judah brought into the field four hundred thousand and Jeroboam eight hundred thousand and on this part were slain five hundred thousand all choice men which no history can match in any age or place of the world What then was the total number if women children impotent and aged men had been reckoned After the return from the Babylonish Captivity one third part of this Country was called Judaea to distinguish it from the other two Samaria and Galilee Galilee was the most Northerly confining on Libanus and Anti-Libanus towards the North on Phaenicia Westerly having Caelosyria on the East and Samaria with Arabia on the South Jordan parted it â—n the middest It was divided into the higher and lower Galilee the higher was called Galilee of the Gentiles containing the Springs of Jordan and those Cities which Salomon gave to King Hyram The lower was called Galilee of Tiberias that City giving name both to the Lake and Region in which Nazareth and the Hill Tabor were famous Samaria is seated betwixt Galilee and Judaea being much lesse than either of them Judaea is the most Southerly between the Mediterranean and Dead Seas Samaria and Idumaen Pliny addeth to these the Region of Decapolis so called from her ten Cities which were Caesarea Philippi Aser Kedes Nepthalim Sephet Corazin Bethsaida Capernaum Jotopata Tiberias and Bethsan called also Scythopolis A Description of Hierusalem and the Temple as they were when they were destroyed by the Romans Hierusalem was compassed with a treble wall on every side save only on that part where it was inclosed with inaccessible Vallies for on that side it needed onely one wall It was built upon two hils the one opposite to the other separated by a Valley which was wonderously replenished with houses One of these Hills whereon stood the upper part of the City was far higher and steeper than the other whereupon King David compassing it about with a Wall called it the City of David The other hill called Acra was the place whereon the lower part of the City stood And opposite to this Acra was another hill lower than it which at first was divided from it by a large Valley but when the Asmonians reigned they filled up this Valley and cut down the top of Acra that it might not hide the Temple within one of the vallies was Siloam a Fountain sending forth abundance of clear and sweet water The outmost wall by reason of the valley about it and the Rock whereon it stood was impregnable the rather because besides the situation it was built very strongly by David Salomon and other Kings A fourth wall was begun by Agrippa In humane reason had this wall been finished the City could never have been taken For hee began to build it with stones twenty cubits long and ten cubits broad so that it could neither bee easily undermined nor battered with Engines But hee built this wall but ten cubits high and then fearing lest Claudius Caesar should think that hee had a purpose to Rebell hee gave it over Yet afterwards the Jews raised this wall twenty cubits high made a Battlement two cubits high and the Tower three cubits in all four and twenty cubits high Besides upon the wall were three Towers twenty cubits broad and twenty cubits high built four square very strongly within these Towers were rooms for men to dwell in and Cisterns to receive rain-water The third wall had ninty of these Towers and between every Tower were two hundred cubits space The second wall had fourteen Towers and the old wall had threescore and the compasse of the whole City was three and thirty furlongs Between the North and the West-part of the City upon the outmost wall stood the Tower Psephina which was raised threescore and ten cubits high so that in a clear day a man might from thence discover Arabia and the utmost confines of the Jews even to the Sea Just opposite to this was the Toweâ— Hippicos built by Herod upon the old wall which for bignesse beauty and strength surpassed all others in the world It had four corners each of which was five and twenty cubits broad as many long and thirty cubits high and in no place hollow On the top was a Well to receive Rain-water twenty cubits deep On the top of all were Houses five and twenty cubits high divided into many rooms Above them were battlements two cubits high and Turrets three cubits high so that in all it was fourscore and five cubits high Hee built also a second Tower in breadth and length forty cubits and as many high in figure of a square pillar all solid and not hollow within And above this a Porch ten cubits high adorned with Turrets and Pinacles Over the midst of this Porch hee built another Tower distinguished into goodly roomes and sumptuous Baths and on the top it was beautifyed with Turrets and Pinacles so that the whole height was almost fourscore and ten cubits Lastly Hee built a third Tower which hee called after his Queens name Mariamne twenty cubits high and twenty broad all of solid stone and not hollow having more stately and magnificent lodgings in it than either of the former It was in all fifty five cubits high These Towers though they were very high yet by reason of their situation they seemed far higher For the old Wall whereon they were built stood upon a Rock that was thirty cubits high whereby their height was much increased They were not built also of ordinary stone but all of white Marble whereof each stone was twenty cubits long and ten cubits broad and five cubits thick and so curiously joyned together that every Tower seemed but one stone within the City was the Kings Palace surpassing all that can bee spoken of it and for greatnesse and curious workmanship may bee compared with any other in the world It
very cheap But it s most memorable in the Cabriz or blood-stone here generated The Riches of the King of Pegu. The King of Pegu in the East-Indies for people dominions gold silver and precious stones far exceeds the power of the great Turk This King hath diverse Treasuries full of Riches Hee is Lord also of the Mines of Rubies Saphires and Spinels Near unto his Royal Palace there is an inestimable Treasure whereof hee makes no account for it stands in such a place as every one may see it It is a great Court walled about with stone with two gates which stand alwayes open and within this Court are four guilded houses covered with lead and in each of them are Idols of a very great value In the first there is the Image of a man of gold very great and on his head a Crown of gold set with most rare Rubies and Saphires and round about him are four little Children of gold In the second there is the statue of a man of silver sitting on heaps of money whose stature in height as he sits is higher than the roof of an house I measured one of his feet saith mine Author and it was as long as all my body with a Crown on his head like the first In the third there is a statue of Brasse of the same bignesse with the like Crown on his head In the fourth there is a statue as big as the other of Gansa which is the mettal they make their mony of which is copper and lead mingled together this also hath a Crown on his head like the first They have many Idol-houses which they call Pagods all the tops whereof are covered with leaf gold and some of them are covered with gold from the top to the bottome and once in ten years they guild them a new This King stiles himself King of the white Elephants and when hee rides abroad four white Elephants are led before him vested with gold having their teeth inclosed in sheathes wrought with Jewels Hee keepeth above four hundred tame Elephants and hath many wild ones in the Woods which they can catch at their pleasure The City of Pegu described Pegu is a very great strong and fair City and very populous It s made square with very fair walls and a great Trench round about it full of water wherein are many Crocodiles It hath twenty fair Gates made of stone on every side five Gates there are upon the walls many Turrets guilded with gold very fair the streets are as streight as a line from one Gate to another and so broad that twelve men may ride abreast in them On both sides at every mans door there grows a Palmer tree which yeilds a pleasing shadow so that a man may walk in the shade all day long their houses are covered with Tiles The Kings house is in the midst of the City walled and trenched about the buildings within are very curious and sumptuously guilded having costly workmanship on the front which is also fairly guilt The house wherein his Idol stands is covered with tiles of silver and all the walls are guilt with gold Not far from this City there is an Idol-house of a wonderfull bigness and all guilt from the top to the bottome unto which adjoyneth an house for their Tallipoies or Priests to preach in It is five and fifty paces long and hath three walks in it and between them four great Pillars guilded The house it self is guilded with gold within and without and round about it are very fair houses for Pilgrims to lodge in and many goodly houses for their Priests which are full of Images of men and women all covered with gold Sir Walter Raughly in his History of the World proves by many probable arguments that this was the Ophir from whence Solomon fetched his gold and Ivory Pur. Pil. This Kingdome of Pegu is bounded by Siam Ganges and the Ocean and is Commandresse of many Islands as Monim Barongo Nogomallo Cocos c. It is a Kingdome full of all earthly delights and blessings of nature as gold silver lead and Iron Also Smaragds Topaz Rubies Saphires Garnats Emeralds Espinels and Cats eyes As also of Rice long Pepper Sugar Benoin Musk Gum-Lack Cotton Calicoes and what else a reasonable man can desire Their habit is thin and fine they wear no beards they dye their teeth black because Dogs teeth are white they cut and pink their flesh as a mark of bravery The King of Pegu on festival dayes rides abroad in his triumphant Chariot all guilded which is drawn by sixteen goodly horses His Chariot is high with a rich Canopy over it About and behinde it go twenty of his Nobles each of them having a rope in his hand that is fastened to the Chariot to hold it upright from falling The King sitteth in the midst of the Chariot and about him stand four of his Nobles that are in greatest favour c. Hee hath one Principal wife and at least three hundred Concubines Every day hee sits to hear the suits of his Subjects in this manner Hee sits on an high seat in his great Hall and under him sit his Nobles and they which desire audience come and set them down before him at forty paces distance holding up their supplications in one hand and in the other a present according to the weightiness of the matter then come the Secretaries take their petitions and read them before the King and if hee grants their requests hee sends one to take their present otherwise not but never speaks to them himself The Noble and simple are all apparelled alike for the fashion only differing in the finenesse of the cloth which is of Bombast First they have a shirt of white Bombast then another painted cloth which they binde up betwixt their legs and on their heads they wrap an other cloth in fashion of a Miter they go all barefooted all sorts of women wear a smock that reacheth to their middle and from thence downward they wear a cloth open before so that they cannot go but they discover natures secrets which they say was invented to keep men from sin against nature they go also barefooted having their arms adorned with hoopes of gold and Jewels and their fingers full of precious rings Sumatra described Sumatra is that famous Isle formerly called Trapabone It s six hundred miles long and two hundred and forty broad It s rich in gold fruits and precious stones but miserably overspread with ignorance and superstition the Inhabitants worshiping Cats Rats Dogs yea and the Devil himself both sexes go for the most part naked The soil is good where the Rivers water it but barren where the veins of gold are found There are many good inland Towns but the Ports are best known as Aken Aru Daru c. but especially Passaman where is most store of gold the Rivers abound in Fish and Crocodiles which Creature is a wonder in nature comming from a little
miles the building for the two first stories are built of Marble curiously wrought but by the Law they are forbidden to use marble any higher It hath a very spacious Haven well fortified where ships may ride in safety 10. The state of Luca which is situated in Tuscany the City is three miles in compass the Territories eighty miles in which they can raise three thousand horse and fifteen thousand foot upon occasion And thus I have done with Italy and come to the description of the chief Cities in it The chief Cities in Italy described A Description of old Rome and the chiefest Rarities thereof Rome when it was first built was but two twenty miles in compasse it was situated upon dainty hills in a most healthfull air had a brave River running by it with the more ease to convey the in-land commodities for her necessity and delight it had the Sea at a convenient distance not too neer whereby shee might be annoyed with Forreign Navies nor so remote but that shee might bee supplyed with outlandish Commodities The River Tiber at Rome is four hundred foot broad and so deep that it will carry ships of the greatest burden It s about sixteen miles distant from the Sea It was almost round in compasse The Suburbs in processe of time grew so great that Aurelian the Emperor built new walls which were almost fifty miles in compasse the walls were adorned with seven hundred and forty Turrets And yet again the Suburds in a little time grew so great that one of them was fifteen miles long and reacht even to the Sea and in Augustus his time there was numbred in Rome above three hundred and twenty thousand poor people that received relief from the publick Besides the number of Bondmen was very great few rich men but they had an hundred and some four hundred a peece Seneca saith in his time that the Inhabitants were so many that the spatious and innumerable houses were scarce able to contain them that a great part of them were Forreigners that came from all parts of the world to live there So that the number of Inhabitants was reckoned to bee at least four millions These people were sustained with provisions brought out of all Nations so that Rome seemed to bee the common Mart of the whole World Heliogabalus to shew the greatnesse of the City caused all the Spiders to be gathered and put together which being weighed amounted to ten thousand pound weight and a great plague breaking out at Rome for many dayes together there dyed ten thousand persons The houses were generally built very high that so they might bee the more capacious insomuch as Augustus was fain to make a Decree that their buildings should not exceed seventy foot in height conceiving that they marred the delicacy of the air by their over-much shadow but this extended only to private mens houses for the great men were not limited But besides the great height of the houses they were beautified by the matter whereof they were built by the Architecture and by the Symmetry of them wherein Art and Elegancy strove for priority And for that end what exquisite workmen soever Greece or Asia brought forth they were either sent for or came of their own accord to beautify this Imperiall City especially in Augustus's time who made his boasts Marmoream se relinquere quam lateritiam accepisset that hee should leave Rome built of Marble which hee found built of Bricks Nero also when hee had burned a great part of it at his own charges built it up again beautifying it with excellently composed streets large wayes and curious porches to all the houses which three things were a great Ornament to the City whereupon Cassiodorus saith Our fore-Fathers tell us of the seven wonders of the world The Temple of Diana at Ephesus The costly Tomb of King Mausolus The brazen Statue of the Sun in the Isle of Rhodes called the Colossus The Image of Jupiter Olympicus made by Phidias The house of Cyrus King of the Medes and Persians built by Memnon The walls of Babylon built by Semiramis And the Pyramides of Egypt But now saith hee the City of Rome is the greatest miracle of them all There were in it four hundred twenty four Temples erected to their Idol-gods There were two Capitols in Rome The old built by Numa the new begun by Tarquinius Priscus and Superbus finished by Horatius Pulvillus Consul upon the Saturnin or Tarpeian or Capitoline hill It was eight acres or eight hundred feet in compasse almost four square It was ascended unto by one hundred steps on the South part which looked towards the market place and Palace it would hold eight thousand men It was covered with Brasse-tiles all guilt with Gold There were three Chappels in it to one of which viz. Jupiters Augustus gave sixteen thousand pound weight of gold and jewels worth almost as much more twelve thousand talents were spent in gilding of it The gates were covered with thick plates of Gold The only foundations of this Capitol cost Tarquinius forty thousand pound weight of silver the pillars of it were cut out of a Quarry of Marble called Pentick-marble and they were as thick as long Plut. Next after the Capitol the Pantheon is worthily noted It was built by Agrippa son in Law to Augustus in the year of the City seven hundred twenty and nine The Architecture of it was admirable the beauty and proportion of all the parts most exquisite the breadth of it was one hundred forty and four feet and the height as much It was wholly covered over with very great tiles of Brass richly guilt In the reign of Trajan it was burnt by lightning and re-built by Hâ—drian The Temple of Peace was built by Vespasian three hundred foot long and two hundred broad It was the most beautifull of all the Temples in the City and enriched with gifts of inestimable value It was adorned with Statues and pictures of most exquisite workmanship yea and all the rarities were collected into this Temple for the sight whereof men formerly used to travell through the whole world And here also hee placed those vessels which formerly belonged to the Temple of Hierusalem and were brought from thence by Titus at the sacking of it It was burnt down in the time of Commodus either with fire from heaven or arising out of the earth after a little Earthquake There were an infinite number of Baths both publike and private in Rome Some of which baths were all paved with plates of silver and set with rows of Pillars for ornament Antoninus's bath had sixteen hundred seats of polished Marble in it The Appian Causey was built by Appius Claudius Censor It reached from Rome to Capua the bounds of the Empire that way at that time which was afterwards lengthened to Brundusium by Julius and Augustus Caesar in all three hundred and fifty miles long and so broad that two coaches might easily pass by one
Moravia on the West with Franconia on the North with Misnia and Lusatia and on the South with Bavaria and is encompassed with the Hercynian Forrest The whole Kingdome is in compasse five hundred and fifty miles in which are contained seven hundred and eighty Cities walled Towns and Castles and thirty two thousand Villages they use the Sclavonian Language The soil is fruitful enriched with Mines of all sorts but Gold Here are many Forrests and in some of them a beast called Loris having under its neck a bladder of scalding water with which when shee is hunted shee so tormenteth the Dogs that shee easily escapeth them The chief Cities are 1. Prague in the middest of the Countrey seated on the River Mulda It consists of four several towns each of them having their several Magistrates Laws and Customes the principal is called the Old Town adorned with many fair buildings a spacious Market place and a stately Senate-house the second is called the New-town separated from the other by a deep and wide ditch the third is called the Little-town divided from the Old by the River Mulda and joined to it by a beautiful Bridge consisting of twenty four Arches In this Town is the hill Rachine on whose sides are many stately houses of the Nobles and on the top a magnificent Palace for the Kings the fourth is that of the Jews who have in it five Synagogues and live after their own Laws The second City is Egra seated on the River Eger on the borders towards Franconia 3. Budwus towards Austria 4. Melmukle on the river Albis 5. Weldaw 6. Pilsen Silesia is bounded with Bohemia on the West Brandenburg on the North Poland on the South and Hungary and Moravia on the East It s in length two hundred and forty miles and fourscore in breadth and is equally divided by the river Oder the chief towns are 1. Preslaw or Uratislavia 2. Jagundorfe 3. Glats 4. Oppolen 5. Glogaw 6. Olderberg all seated on the River Oder Lusatia which hath on the East and North Silesia on the West Brandenburg and on the South Silesia the chief Cities are Gorlits and Trabel on the river Nisse Spemberg and Gotthuse on the River Spe and lastly Bautsen Moravia which hath on the North and East Silesia on the West Brandenburg and on the South Austria and Hungary It abounds with Corn and hath much Myrrh and Frankincense which contrary to the usuall manner grow immediately out of the Earth not from trees the chief towns are 1. Brinne 2. Olmutz an University 3. Terebitz 4. Jasa c. 11. Brandenburg which hath on the East Poland on the West Saxony on the North Pomerania and on the South Lusatia It s in compass five hundred and twenty miles in which are contained fifty Cities and sixty four walled towns the chief are 1. Brandenburg 2. Frankfurt upon Oder an University seated in a fruitful soil abounding with Corn and Wine 3. Berlin where the Prince keeps his Court seated on the River Spre 4. Havelburg to this belongs part of Prussia called Ducal with the Dukedomes of Cleve Juliers and Berg c. So that in largenesse of territories they exceed the Dukes of Saxony but not in revenues 12. Pomerania and Meclemburg The first is bounded on the East wirh the River Vistula on the VVest with Meclemburg on the North with the Baltick sea and on the South with Brandenburg the chief towns are 1. Stetin the Princes seat and an University 2. Wolgast 3. VVallin 4. Gripswald an University 5. Newtrepton a Sea Town Meclenburg or Megalopolis stands on the West of Pomeren the chief towns whereof are 1. Malchaw 2. Sternberg 3. VVismar 4. Rostock an University On the West hereof stands the fair Hans-Town of Lubeck and about ten miles from it Hamborough On the further side of the River is Stoade where the English house is to sell their wares 13. Saxony which hath on the East Lusatia and Brandenburgh On the West Hassia On the North Brunswick and on the South Franconia and Bohemia It contains the Countries of Thuringia Misnia Voitland and Saxony The chief Cities in Thuringia are 1. Erdford a great City 2. Iene an University of Physicians 3. Smalcald 4. Hale 5. VVeimar The whole Country is in length one hundred and twenty miles and about as much in breadth and yet it contains two thousand Villages and twelve Earledoms Misnia environed with Bohemia Voitland Thuringia and Saxony the chief Towns whereof are 1. Dresden on the River Albis the Dukes seat and principal Magazine 2. Lipsique an University 3. Rochlits 4. Mulburg Voitland is a little Country South of Misnia whose chief Towns are 1. Olnits 2. VVerde 3. Cronach 4. Culmbach 5. Hoffe Saxony lies on the North of Thuringia and Misnia The chief Cities are 1. Magdeburg formerly Parthenopolis 2. VVorlits seated on the Albie 3. Helderick 4. VVittenberg the seat of the Duke and an University where Luther lived within the bounds of Saxony are the two small Principalities of Anhalt and Mansfield 14. Brunswick and Luneburg which have on the East Brandenberg On the West Westphalia On the North Denmark And on the South Saxony and Hassia The River Ems runs through this Country and the chief Cities are 1. Brunswick 2. Wolfohaiton where the Duke keeps his Court Halberstade 4. Lunebourg 5. Cella 5. Hassia which hath Saxony on the East Franconia on the South Westphalia on the West and North The chief Towns are 1. Dormestad 2. Marpurg an University 3. Geysen 4. Dries 5. Frankenburg 6. Cassels In this Country is the VVederaw containing the Counties of Nassaw and Hannaw and the free City of Friburg In the County of Nassaw are 1. Dillingbourg 2. Nassaw 3. Catzenelbagen and 4. Herborne an University where Piscator and Alstedius were Professors Denmark described Denmark contains the Cimbrick Chersoness part of Scandia and the Islands of the Baltick Sea The Chersoness is in length one hundred twenty miles and in breadth fourscore wherein are contained eight and twenty Cities and twenty Royal Castles or Palaces The cheif Provinces are 1. Holstein whose chief Cities are Nyemunster and Brumsted 2. Ditmars whose chief Cities are Meldory where they cover their houses with Copper and Mance 3. Sleswick whose chief Cities are Goterpe and Londen a Haven Town 4. Iuitland whereof the chief towns are Rincopen Nicopen Hol and Arhausen The Islands are five and thirty whereof the principal are 1. Senland or Zeland in length threescore and four in breadth two and fifty miles containing seven strong Castles and about thirteen Cities the chief being 1. Coppenhagen an University 2. Elsennour on the Sea side where they that pass the Sound pay their customes This Sound is in breadth three miles and is commanded by the Castles of Elsenbourg on Scandia side and Cronburg in this Island 3. Roschilt The second Island is Fuinen 3. Bornholme 4. Fimera wherein Ticho Brahe built his artificial Tower in which are rare Mathematical Instruments That part of
hundred fathoms deep the King of Spain receives thence yearly eight or ten millions of silver Lima is the cheifest City in Peru standing within two Leagues of the South sea containing about two thousand houses is very rich and of more trade than all the Cities of Peru besides It is the seat of the Vice-Roy the Arch-Bishop and of the Inquisition FINIS EXAMPLES OF THE Wonderfull VVorks OF GOD IN THE CREATURES CHAP. I Of strange Stones Earth and Minerals IN Cornwal near unto a place called Pensans is that famous stone called Main-Amber which is a great Rock advanced upon some other of meaner size with so equal a counterpoize that a man may stir it with the push of his finger but to remove it quite out of his place a great number of men are not able Camb. Brit. p. 188. The like is in the Country of Stratherne in Scotland In Summerset-shire near unto Cainsham are found in Stone-quarries stones resembling Serpents winding round in manner of a wreath the head bearing up in the Circumference and the end of the tail taking up the centre within but most of them are headless Camb. Brit. p. 236. In Gloucestershire upon the hills near Alderly are found certain stones resembling Cockles Periwinckles and Oisters which seem to bee the gaimsome works of nature or such shells turned into stone Camb. Brit. p. 363. In Yorkshire about Whitby are found certain stones fashioned like Serpents foulded and wrapped round as in a wreath so that a man would verily think that they had been sometimes Serpents turned into stone Camb. Brit. p. 718. Also in the same County at Huntly Nabb there â—ye scattering here and there amongst the Rocks stones of divers bigness so Artificially by nature shaped round in manner of a Globe that one would take them to bee big bullets made by the Turners hand for shot to bee discharged out of great Ordnance in which if you break them are found stony Serpents enwrapped round like a wreath but most of them are headlesse Camb. Brit. p. 721. In the County of Cornwal near unto St. Neots there are a number of good great Rocks heaped up together and under them one stone of lesser size fashioned naturally in the form of a Cheese lying in presse whereupon it s named Wring-cheese Camb. Brit. p. 192. In Richmondshire amongst the ragged Rocks are found stones like unto Periwinckles Cockles and other shell fish Camb. Brit. p. 727. In the County of Hereford a hill which they call Marcley-hill in the year 1571. as though it had wakened on a sudden out of a deep sleep roused it self up and for the space of three dayes together moving and shewing it self as mighty and huge an heap as it was with roaring noise in a fearful sort and overturning all things that stood in the way advanced it self forward to the wondrous astonishment of the beholders Camb. Brit. p. 620. In Glamorganshire in a Rock or Cliffe by the Sea side there appeareth a very little chinck unto which if you lay your ear you shall hear a noise as if it were of Smiths at work one while the blowing of the bellows another while the striking of the sledge and hammer sometimes the sound of the grindstone and Iron tools rubbing against it the hissing sparks also of steel gads within holes as they are beaten and the puffing noise of the fire burning in the furnace Camb. Brit. p. 643. This is called Merlins Cave At Aspley 〈◊〉 in Bedfordshire near unto Woburn there is a kind of earth that turns wood into stone For proof whereof there was a woodden Ladder in the Monastery of Woburn that having lien a good while covered in that earth was digged forth again all stone Camb. Brit. p. 401. I have a peece of wood turned into stone by that earth In Kile in Scotland there is a Rock about twelve foot high and as much in breadth called the Deaf-Craig For though a man call never so loud or shoot off a Gun on the one side yet his fellow on the other side cannot hear the noise Description of Scotland In Argile there is a stone found in diverse places which being laid under straw or stubble doth set it on fire by reason of the great heat that it gathereth there Idem It is most strange yet true that the Arms of the Duke of Rohan in France which are Fusils or Lozenges are to bee seen in the wood and stones through all his Country so that if you break a stone in the middest or lopp a bough of a Tree you shall behold the grain thereof by some secret cause in nature Diamonded or streaked in the fashion of a Lozeng Camb. Brit. In VVarwick-shire the Armes of the Shugburies which are starres are found in the stones in their own Manour of Shugbury so that break the stone where you will and there is the exact fashion of a star in the end of it Idem I have some of these stones In the Kingdome of Fesse in Affrica there is a Mountain called Beniguazeval in the top whereof there is a Cave that casteth out fire perpetually Pur. Pil. v. 2. p. 807. In Prussia there is great store of Amber which groweth like Corall in a mountain of the North sea which is clean covered with water by the violence of the waves beating against this Rock the Amber is oft broken off and cast up by the sea into their Havens About Bever Castle in Lincoln-shire are found the stones called Astroites which resemble little stars joyned one with another wherein are to be seen at every Corner five beams or rayes and in the middest of every ray is to bee seen a small hollownesse Cam. Brit. Wee have Corral Amber Emeralds Calcedony Pearl Onix Sardonix Sardis Bezar Hemathist and the Turquoise from Arabia Indostan and Persia. Pearls Berils Saphires and Adamants from Zeilan Jasper Cornelion Agate Heliotrope Jacinth and Chrysolite from Malabar Nursinga and Cochin-china Diamonds from Borneo and Gulkunda Gold Silver Rubies Saphires Granats Topaz Emerald Smaradg Espinels Cats-eyes and Porcellane from Pegu Siam Bengala Sumatra Japan and China A strange report of a City in Barbary that is turned into stone They write from Barbary that a whole City consisting of men beasts trees houses Utensils c. are turned lately into stone every thing remaining in the same posture as children at their mothers breasts c. One Whiting Captain of an English ship who was a a slave there comming to the Duke of Florence told him of it having himself seen it whereupon the Duke holding fair correspondence with the Bassa of Tripolis wrote to him about it the Bassa by letter hath assured him of the truth of it and that himself was an eye witnesse of the same going to the place to see it and that it was done in few hours and hee hath sent the Duke diverse of thâ—se things petrified and amongst the rest some peeces of gold that are turned into stone This information Sir Kenelm
to purge sin and confer devotion In the Midan the shops bee uniform the Trades are no where severed all the Mercers together the Lapidaries together c. but most of them are of gums drugs and spices so sweet and delicate as can bee imagined The Hummums or Sudatories are many and very beautiful some square but most round made of white stone polished and durable the windows are large without and narrower within the glasse is thick and dark the top round tyled with a counterfeit Turquoise perfectly blew fresh and lasting they are divided into many rooms some for delight and others for sweating the paving all pure black Marble Men use them in the morning women towards night T is their Catholicon against all diseases colds catarrhes flegme aches c. The City is Oval each house made pleasant by large Cypresse Gardens The Seraglio for his women is full of precious treasures and more precious beauties but not to bee seen The Castle is very large well walled and deeply moated The City hath so many pleasant Gardens that at a distance you would take it for a Forrest so sweet you would call it a Paradise I shall only describe one of them excelling all others Going from the Midan you passe through an even delicate street two miles long most part of the way walled on both sides bedecked with Summer-houses but more remarkable in that abundance of green broad spreading Chenore Trees yeelding shade and incomparable order and beauty The Garden is circled with a stately wall three miles in compasse entred by three gallant and curious gates From North to South it is one thousand paces from East to West seven hundred from one end to the other easily seen by reason of a fair large Alley running all along in parallel distinguished into nine ascents each surmounting other a foot each distance smooth and even In the Center is a spacious Tank made into twelve equal sides each side being five foot set round with pipes of lead which spout out water in variety of conceits and postures which sort of pastime continues thence to the North gate where is raised a house of pleasure antickly garnished without within divided into four or six Chambers the lower is set out with Tanks of rich white Marble and fumes out a cool Breese the higher rooms are garnished with variety of Landskips representing their sports of hunting hawking fishing riding shooting wrestling and other fancies the seeling is inriched with beaten gold imbost with Azure From her Tarrasses is a dainty prospect of most part of the City This Garden is replenished with trees of all sorts for fruit shade and medicine All so green so sweet so pleasant as may well bee tearmed a Compendium of Sense-ravishing delights Within the City is a Column or Pillar at the base twenty foot round and sixty foot high made of the heads of men and beasts the occasion of this was Anno Christi 1500. when Tamas Shaw ruled Persia being much troubled with Turks and Tartars these Citizens refused not only to contribute to his Wars but denyed him enterance whereupon hee vowed revenge entred the City by force and without regarding age or sex slew three hundred thousand of them and of their heads made this Pillar as a Trophee of his victory and their basenesse En quo discordia Cives perduxit miseros When our English Embassador came to the Emperor of Persia he found him at Asharaff in Hircania two miles from the Caspian Sea when hee came to the Court with his retinue they allighted and were ushered into a little Court du Guard that stood in the center of a spacious Court the ground spread with Persian Carpets about a pretty white Marble Tank where they were feasted with Pelo and Wine the flagons cups dishes plates and covers being of pure beaten gold Thence they were led through a spacious and fragrant Garden curious to the eye and delicate to the smell to another Summer-house rich in gold imbossements and paintings but far more excellent for the admirable prospect for from thence they viewed the Caspian Sea on one side and the Mountain Taurus on the other The ground Chambers were large four-square archt and richly guilded above and on the sides below bespread with curious Carpets of Silk and Gold In the Center were Tanks of Christalline water an Element of no mean account in those Torrid habitations Round about the Tanks were placed Goblets Flagons Cisterns and Standards of pure Massy-gold some of them were filled with perfumes others with Rose-water with wine some and others with choisest Flowers From thence they were led into another large square upper Room where the roof was formed into an Artificial Element many golden Planets attracting the wandring eye to help their Motion The ground was covered with far richer Carpets than the other the Tank was larger the matter Jasper and Porphiry the silver purling-stream was forced up into another Region yet seemed here to bubble wantonly as in her proper Center about it was so much gold in vessels for use and oftentation that some Merchants with them judged it worth twenty millions of pounds sterling Another Tank there was incircled with a wall of Gold and richest Gems No other Flagons Cups nor other vessels were there but what were thick and covered over with Diamonds Rubies Pearls Emeralds Turquises Jacinths c. The seeling of this Chamber was garnished with Poetick fancies in gold and choicest colours The ground in this room was covered with such Carpets as befitted the Monarch of Persia Above sixty of the greatest Nobles sat round about it cross-legged with their bums to the ground and their backs to the wall like so many statues their eyes fixed on a constant object not daring to speak sneese Cough spit c. in the Emperors presence The Ganimed Boys in vests of Gold and richly bespangled Turbanes c. with Flagons of most glorious mettal profering wine to such as would tast it The Emperor Abbas himself sat at the upper end so much higher than the rest as two or three silken shags could elevate him his apparrel was plain c. The City of Casbine Described Casbine is at this day for multitude of Buildings and inhabitants the chiefest City in Media and next to Spahawn the greatest City in the Persian Monarchy It s compassed with a wall seven miles in compasse seated in a fair even plain having no hill of note within thirty miles compasse the Champain yeilds grain and grapes but no wood It hath a small stream to water it which gives drink to the thirsty and makes fruitfull the gardens whereby they yeild abundance of fruits and roots in variety as Grapes Orenges Limes Lemons Pomecitrons Musk melons and Water-melons Apples Pistachoes Filberts Almonds Walnuts Plums Cherries Peaches Apricocks Figs Pears Goosberries Dates and excellent Pomgranats c. The Families in it are twenty thousand and the Inhabitants about two hundred thousand The Buzzars or market places
are large and pleasant The Midan is uniform and beautifull The Kings Palace nigh the market low built painted with blew red and yellow colours commixt with Arabick letters and knots in gold and azure The windows are spacious trellized and neatly carved Neer the Kings gate is a great Tank The Hummums or sweating places are many resplendent in the azure pargetting and tileing The gardens are pleasant for view and smell The City of Tauris Described Tauris was the late Metropolis of Media taking its name from the prodigious Mountain Taurus under which it is built the ancient name was Ecbatane when shee was farre greater than now shee is Strabo saith that it was fifteen miles in compasse the walls were strong and stately seventy cubits high and fifty broad beautified with many lofty Turrets and battlements within were many great and excellent Palaces especially that which was built by Daniel the Mausoleum of the Median Kings was most magnificent which remained undemolished till the time of Josephus That built by Darius was no lesse memorable most whereof was built of Cedar the roof studded and plaited with burnished gold At this day its about five miles compasse well peopled traded to from farre and neer The houses are flat on the top made of brick the Buzzar large and the gardens lovely The City of Derbent Described Derbent is a strong and famous Port Town upon the Caspian Sea viewing from her lofty Turrets the Armenian and Hyrcanian Territories as also Ararat and the sea It s circled with a strong high and defensible stone-wall above three miles in compasse The houses Hummums and Churches are but meanly beautifull the strong Castle Kastow is most observeable in it pleasantly and very advantagiously seated Hyspaan Described The City of Hyspaan in Persia was formerly called Hecatompolis by reason of its hundred gates It 's compassed with a strong wall and is in circuit as much as a man may well ride on horseback in a day it s a very strong City and is excellently watered with deep channels of running springs conveyed into it from the Coronian Mountains which are as a wall inaccessible about it On the North side is a very strong Castle which is compassed about with a wall of a thousand and seven hundred yards in compasse On the West side of the City are two Seraglio's one for the King the other for his women Palaces of great state and Magnificence the Walls whereof glister with pollished Marble and pargetting of divers colours and all the Palaces are paved with curious checkered work and covered with curious Carpets wrought with Silk and Gold the windows are made of Marble Porphery and Alabaster the Posts and doors of Massie Ivory checkered with glistering black Ebonie so curiously wrought in winding knots as may easilier stay than satisfie the wondering eye of the spectator Near the Palace is a stately Garden spacious and large beautifully adorned with a thousand sundry kinds of Fruit-trees plants and flowers of all sorts to delight the beholders There are in it a thousand Fountains and a thousand Brooks and as the Father of them all a pretty River which with a mild stream and delightful murmure divides the Garden from the Kings Palace Casan described Casan is the chiefest City in Parthia It is seated in a goodly plain having no Mountains within a dayes journey of it It wanteth neither Fountains Springs nor curious pleasant Gardens It aboundeth with all necessaries for the life of man It 's greatly frequented with all sorts of Merchandize especially out of India The Citizens are very industrious and curious in all manner of Sciences especially in weaving girdles and shashes in making Velvets Satins Damasks excellent Persian Carpets of a wonderful finenesse Here you may buy all manner of Drugs and Spices as also Turkesses Diamonds Rubies and Pearles as also all sorts of Silk raw and wrought For there is more Silk brought into Casan in one year than there comes broad cloth into London This City is much to bee commended for Civil Government For an idle person is not suffered to live amongst them the child that is but six years old is set to labour no ill rule disorder or riot is suffered there They have a Law amongst them whereby every person is compelled to give his name to the Magistrate withal declaring by what course hee liveth and if any tell untruly hee is either well beaten on the feet or imployed in publick slavery Casan contains above four thousand families the houses are fairly built the streets bee large and comely the Mosques and Hummums are curiously painted and covered with blew Tiles like Turquoises The Buzzar is spacious and uniform The Gardens abound with fruit and the fields with Corn The Carravans-Raw is an admirable Fabrick able to receive all the retinue of the greatest Potentate in Asia It was built by Saw-Abbas for the entertainment of Travellers on free cost The whole building is founded on Marble six foot high the rest of Brick varnished and coloured with knots and Phansies of Arabick characters in Azure red and white laid in Oile It s a perfect quadrangle each side two hundred paces long In the midst of this spacious Court is a large fouresquare Tank or Pond with Christaline water This Royal Inne is seated in the midst of fragrant and spacious Gardens Armenia the greater described Armenia Major lyeth on the farther side of Euphrates is a very mountainous Country hath part of Cappadocia and Euphrates on the West Mesopotamia on the South Colchis Iberia and Albania on the North. And the Caspian Sea and Media on the East One part of it is called Turcomania the other Georgia On the Mountain of Ararat in this Countrey the Ark rested and from hence the World was repeopled The chiefest Rivers are Phasis and Lycus which runne into the Pontick Sea Cyrus and Araxes into the Caspian Euphrates and Tygris which run into the Red or Persian Sea Tygris so called from its swiftnesse passeth through the Lake Arethusa yet neither mingling water nor fishes saith Solinus afterward it diveth under Taurus and riseth on the other side bringing much filth with it and is again hidden and again riseth and at last carrieth Euphrates into the Sea Mr. Cartwright in his Preachers Travels saith that these present Armenians are a very industrious people in all kind of Labour that their women are very skilful and active in shooting and managing any sort of weapon like the Ancient Amazons That their Families are great the Father and all his posterity dwelling together under one roof having their substance in common and when the father dyeth the eldest son governs all submitting themselves under his regiment after his death not his son but his brother succeeds and when all the brethren are dead then the eldest Son In diet and clothing they are all alike Media Described Media hath on the North the Caspian Sea on the South Persia on the West Armenia and on the East Parthia
of them Mahometans They have certain Idol puppets made of Silk or other stuff in the likenesse of a man which they fasten to the door of their walking houses to keep them in safety besides they have the Image of their great Cham of an huge bignesse which they erect at every stage when they march and every one as he passeth by must bow down to it they are much given to witchcraft and sorcery They are divided into Hoords over each of which is a Duke who are bound when the Emperor sends for them to attend him with such a number of Souldiers every one having two horses one to ride on and the other to kill when his turn comes to have his horse eaten for their chief food is horseflesh which they eat without any bread They keep also great heards of Kine and black sheep rather for their skins and milk which they carry with them in great bottles then for their flesh which they say is not so strengthning as horse-flesh they drink milk and bloud mingled together Sometimes as they travel they let their horses blood and drink it warm They have no Towns but walking houses built upon wheeles like Shepheards Cottages these they draw with them and drive their cattel before them and when they stay they plant their cart-Cart-houses very orderly in rank so making the form of streets and of a large Town the Emperor himself hath no other City but such as these In the spring they move with their Cattel Northward grazing up all before them and then return Southward again where they remain all the winter Towards the Caspian sea and on the frontiers of Russia they have a goodly Country but marred for want of Tillage They use no money and prefer brass and Steel before all other mettals They have broad and flat visages much tanned have fierce and cruel looks thin hair on their upper lips they are light and nimble they have short legs as if they were made for horsemen their speech is sudden and loud speaking out of a deep hollow throat their singing is very untunable The Circasses that border upon Lituania are more civil than the rest applying themselves to the fashions of the Polonians The Nagay Tartars lye Eastward and are far more savage and cruel The most rude and barbarous are the Morduit-Tartars that worship for god the first living thing they meet in the morning and swear by it all the day after when his friend dyes hee kills his best horse and carries his hide upon a long pole before the Corps to the place of buriall that so his friend may have a good horse to carry him to heaven they are void of learning and without written Laws only some rules they hold by tradition as to obey their Emperor and Governors none to possesse any land but the whole Countrey to bee common not to use daintiness in diet c. This great Country is bounded on the East with the Eastern Ocean On the West with Russia and Moldovia On the North with the Sythick or frozen Sea and on the South with Mare Caspium the Hill Taurus and the wall of China It s in length from East to West five thousand four hundred miles and in breadth from North to South three thousand and six hundred miles It was formerly called Scythia It hath been so fruitfull of people that it was called Vagina gentium et officina generis humani the mother of all inundations From hence indeed Huns Herules Franks Bulgarians Circassians Sueves Burgundians Turks Tartarians Dutch Cimbers Normans Almaines Ostrogothes Tigurines Lombards Vandals Visigothes Have swarm'd like Locusts round about this Ball. And spoil'd the fairest Provinces of all The Island of Cyprus Described In the Mediterranean Sea there are only two Islands belonging to Asia Cyprus and Rhodes The Island of Cyprus Described Cyprus is seated in the Sea of Syria and is in compasse five hundred and fifty miles It s in length from East to West two hundred miles In breadth but sixty five miles It s about sixty miles distant from Cilicia and one hundred from the main land of Syria In summer it s very hot the greatest supply of water is from the Clouds So that in Constantines time there being a great and long drought the Island was almost unpeopled for thirty six years together Ordinarily it s very fruitfull and so stored with Commodities that without the help of other Countrys its able to build a ship from the keel to the top-sail and to furnish it to Sea with all things necessary either for a voyage or Sea-fight It yeilds plenty of wine Oile Corn Sugar Honey Wool Cotton Turpentine Allum and Verdegreece As also all sorts of Mettals Salt Grograms and other Commodities whence it was called Macaria or the blessed Island There are abundance of Cyprus Trees growing in it The Inhabitants are warlike strong and nimble civil Hospitable and friendly to strangers The Jews in Trajans time slew in this Island two hundred and forty thousand living souls whereupon ever since they suffer no Jew to come amongst them The Island is divided into eleven Provinces the chief Rivers are Pedeus and Tenus The chief Cities are Paphos once famous for the Temple of Venus Famagusta on the South Sea Nicosia almost in the center of the Countrey Amathus Ceraunia now called Cerines And Arsione now Lescare It s now under the Turks who took it from the Venetians Anno Christi One thousand five hundred threescore and ten The Island of Rhodes Described Rhodes is situated in the Carpathian Sea over against Caria in the lesser Asia It s in circuit one hundred and twenty miles The chief City is of the same name where stood that huge Colossus of Brasse in the Image of a man fourscore cubits high whose little finger was as big as an ordinary man it was the work of twelve years made by Chares of Lindum The Inhabitants of this I le were always good Seamen Anno Christi 1308. the Knights of St. John in Hierusalem being driven out of Asia by the Saracens seized upon this Island and were always troublesome neighbours to the Turks till the year 1522. at which time Solyman the Magnificent wrested it from them The forenamed City of Rhodes stands on the East part of the Island at the bottome of a hill and on the shore of the Sea having a safe and fair Haven it hath also two walls for defence thirteen high towers five bulwarks besides sconces and outworks It s inhabited only by Turks and Jews for though the Christians are suffered to trade freely all day yet at night upon pain of death they must leave it The Rhodian Colossus more fully Described In the Isle of Rhodes stood one of the worlds seven wonders which was a huge Colossus made of Brasse in the form of a man standing with his two leggs striding over an haven under which ships with their Masts and Sails might passe It was fourscore cubits high with all the
In form its square each way One thousand five hundred miles over The circuit above four thousand miles The Country is generally plain and fruitfull full of sweet and Navigable Rivers which are no lesse inhabited than the Cities and villages There are in it six hundred Cities two thousand walled Towns and four thousand unwalled one thousand Castles and Villages numberlesse it feeds above sixty millions of men and boyes besides women which bee not inrolled The whole Empire is divided into fifteen Provinces each of which hath a Metropolis full of people fairly built and very spatious One of their Kings to keep out the Tartars built a wall of one thousand and two hundred miles in length six fathom high twelve yards thick it was twenty and seven years in building though constantly wrought upon by seven hundred and fifty thousand men Pequin the now Regal City of China described Pequin is in compasse thirty Leagues or fourscore and ten English miles environed with two walls upon which are innumerable Towers and Bulwarks It hath three hundred and sixty gates each having over it a Castellet with two Towers and a draw-bridge There are in it three thousand eight hundred Temples wherein are continually sacrificed birds and wild beasts and amongst these four very admirable for their curiosity and costlinesse The streets are long and large the houses fair encompassed with Iron and Latten grates at each street end is a Triumphal Arch shut up at nights in the chief whereof are Watch-bells There are one hundred and twenty large Channels of water and over them eighteen hundred rich and fair bridges There are in this City one hundred and twenty Shambles one hundred and twenty market-places besides in every street five or six shops wherein they sell flesh poultry and Bacon There are without the City sixteen hundred Garden-houses belonging to persons of Principal note And twenty four thousand Sepulchres of Mandarines Justices of Peace with their little gilded Chappels encompassed with Grates of Iron and Latten with rich Arches at their entries The gardens groves Tanks and Fountains have their walls lined within with fine Porcelane which makes a gallant shew There are also store of other houses with great walls in which are Gardens and groves with game for hunting which belong to several companies The City of Nanquin described The City of Nanquin is thirty and six miles in compasse circled with three strong walls and ditches the Kings Palace in it is vast and glorious the other buildings many the inhabitants are reckoned to bee twenty thousand the Temples are above a thousand the streets fair and the people industrious The Country of Quinsay described Quinsay borders upon Cochin-china The whole Countrey is well watered and the Rivers abound with fish which they use to take with Cormorants The People are of an Olive colour wear their hair very long their eyes are commonly black their noses little their eyes small their beards deformedly thin their nailes oft-times as long as their fingers serving as a mark to distinguish the gentry by The better sort are cloathed in silk and Satten the meaner in black cloth made of Cotton their coats long and quilted made to tye under the left arm after the Asâ—â—tick mode their sleeves are long and strait at hand their shooes oft of the same stuff with their coats some have them richly imbroidered some knit their hair in cawls of silk in horse-hair some and some in fillets of gold or silver Others wear high Caps or Felts made of fine twigs round and mixed with silk of divers colours c. The women are modest a light vail of fine linnen wholly covering them They are generally proud crafty jealous voluptuous and given to Musick Poetry Painting and stage-playes They eat in porcellane and have their diet in many small dishes minced which they take up with two sticks of bone or Ivory for to touch their meat or their mouths with their fingers is held absurd and impious they all sit on stools and eat on Tables No Beggars are suffered amongst them for if they bee young the whip rewards them but if they bee old and lame the Hospital relieves them murther they punish with death adultery and theft with the Strappado They exceedingly honor and reverence their Parents they obey them at all times in all places marry not without their assent they honor them bee they never so mean relieve them bee they never so poor at their death shew loyalty and duty and seldome mourn lesse than two or three years They arrogate all sorts of excellencys in Art or Science as peculiar to their Nation they think their speech which mostly consists of Monosyllables the most sweet and Rhethorical of any in the world They say they are the antientest of all other People and that they borrow nothing from any other but all other from them They say they were the first inventers of Letters Guns Painting Tillage and Navigation For all which they say That they only see with two eyes and all others but with one They are great Gamesters and when they have lost all stake their wives and children whom they part with till they can redeem them they so firmly believe the Resurrection that sometimes they lend money to bee repayed in the world to come Though their houses outwardly are but mean yet oft-times the insides are lined with excellent good Marble Porphyry and Serpentine When the Husband dyes the wife mourns exceedingly puts sackcloath next her skin for three years is scarce seen to laugh and abstains from publick Feasts and pastimes There hath often been great warres between the Tartars who lived beyond the vast wall before mentioned and the Chineses as Anno Christi 1206 which lasted for seventy and seven years at which time the Tartars wholly conquered that potent Empire extinguished the imperially family of the Sunga's erected a new family of their own which they called Ivena of which Tartarian race nine Emperors governed successively the Kingdome of China for the space of seventy years in peace but at the end thereof a contemptible person of the Chineses called Hugh presumed to rise up against them acting first the part of an high-way man and wanting neither courage nor companions in a short time made up the vast body of an army fought with and after many signal victories in the year 1368. finally drove them out of the Kingdome of China receiving for his pains the whole Empire and was the first erector of the Imperial family of the Taiminges who enjoyed the Kingdome in peace for two hundred and fifty years The last of them was called Vanley who from the year 1573 to 1620 governed the Kingdome of China with much prudence and equity But about that time the Tartars being multiplied and receiving many injuries from the Chineses they again take armes invade China and with mighty successe began and continued the wars till the year 1653 at which time they had made a full conquest
Lahor is the chief City afterwards described which is the chiefest City of Trade in all India 11. Chishmeere The chief City is called Siranakar the River Phat passeth through it that falls into Indus 12. Bankish The chief City is called Bishur It s divided from Chishmeere by the River Indus 13. Jengapor The chief City is of the same name It lies upon the River Kaul 14. Jenba The chief City is of the same name It lies East of Peniab 15. Delli The chief City is of the same name which is a great City where most of the Great Mogols lye interred 16. Bando The chief City is of the same name It hath Agrae on the West 17. Malway A very fruitful Province The chief City is Rantipore 18. Chitor A great Province where the chief City is of the same name 19. Guzarat A goodly Kingdome and exceeding rich inclosing the bay of Cambaia The chief City is Surat a place of great trading 20. Chandis VVhere the chief City is Brampoch large and populous and the South bounds of this Empire 21. Berar The chief City is Shapore the South part of it also bounds this Empire 22. Narvar VVhere the chief City is Gehud watered by a fair River that empties it self into Ganges 23. Gualiar The chief City is so called where the Mogol hath a great Treasure In this City also is a strong Castle where hee useth to keep his Prisoners 24. Agra Where the chief City is of the same name and afterwards described 25. Sanbal The chief City is of the same name It s watered by the River Jemini which falls into Ganges 26. Bakar where the chief City is Bikaneer It lies on the VVest side of the River Ganges 27. Nagracut The chief City is of the same name where is a Chappel richly seeled and paved with plates of pure gold The Idol is called Matta visited by many thousands yearly which out of devotion cut off a part of their tongues to sacrifice to it 28. Syba VVhere the chief City is Hardwair Here the famous River Ganges springs out of a Rock whither the superstitious Gentiles go daily in troops to wash their bodies 29. Kakares Where the principal Cities are Dankalee and Purhola It s very large and exceeding mountainous and is parted from Tartarie by the Mountain Caucasus being the Mogols most Northerly bound 30. Gor The chief City is of the same name The River Persilis begins here which runs into Ganges 31. Pitan the chief City is of the same name It s watered by the River Kanda which falls into Ganges 32. Kandua Where the chief City 〈◊〉 Karhakatenka the River Sersili parts it from Pitan and lies Northward 33. Patna The chief City is of the same name A fertile Province bounded by Ganges on the West 34. Jesual Where the chief City is Raiapore It lies East of Patna 35. Mevat Where the chief City is Narnol It s a very mountainous Country 36. Udessa Where the chief City is Jokanat It s the Eastermost part of this vast Empire 37. Bengala It s a very spacious and fruitful Kingdome bounded by the Gulph of Bengala into which the River Ganges emptieth it self at four mouthes This Empire hath plenty of excellent Wheat Rie and Barley whereof they make pure white bread As also of Kine Sheep and Goats with whose Milk they make much Butter and Cheese they have store of Bufelo's that give good milk It s a very large Beast having a smooth thick skin without hair They have store of red Deer fallow Deer Elks and Antilops which are good Venison and every mans Game not being enclosed in Parks They have Geese Ducks Pigeons Partridges Quails Peacocks and many other singular good fowl a sheep is usually sold for twelve pence four couple of Hens for twelve pence A Hare for a penny three Partridges for a penny c. They have store of Salt and Sugar They have abundance of Musk-melons Water-melons Pomegranats Pomecitrons Lemmons Orenges Dates Figs Plantans Mangoes in shape like our Apricocks but more luscious Ananas a delicate fruit store of Potatoes Carrats and other good roots as also Pears and Apples in the Northerly parts many good Garden Herbs and Ginger also Taddy an excellent Drink that issues out of a Tree For three months they have abundance of rain with much thunder and lightening the other nine months so clear that a cloud is scarce to bee seen The Country is beautified with many woods and great variety of fair goodly trees some having leaves as big as bucklers others parted small as Fern as the Tamarine trees that bear a sower fruit somewhat like our Beans very good to cool and cleanse the blood all their trees are green all the year about There are rare flowers of admirable colours but few of them sweet save their Roses and two or three more sorts The Country is watered with many goodly Rivers especially Indus and Ganges besides which they have store of springs upon many of which they bestow great cost of stonework making Tanks or Ponds some of them a mile in compasse others more surrounded with stone walls and within them fair stone steps round about Some of them are filled with rain water They have a strong drink called Rack distilled from Sugar and the spicie rind of a tree called Jagra they have also Cohha made with a black seed boiled in water that helps digestion quickens the spirits cleanses the blood and provokes lust Many of their houses are flat on the top on which in the cool seasons of the day they take the cool air they have no chimnies using no fire but only to dresse their meat The upper rooms have many lights to let in air but they use no glasse Amongst their houses are many fair trees which are a great defence against the Sun Most of their houses in the Cities are of Brick or stone well squared Their staple commodities are Indico and Cotton-wool of which they make diverse sorts of cloth some finer and purer than our best Lawns some of it they staine in variety of curious figures They have also store of Silk which they weave curiously sometimes with gold and silver whereof they make Velvets Sattens and Taffaties but not so good as in Italie They have store of Drugs and Gums especially Gum-Lac of which wee make hard wax The Earth hath store of minerals of Lead Iron Brasse Copper and Silver which yet they need not open having so much brought out of all other Countries They have curious Gardens planted with fruitfull trees and dainty flowers which never fade in which they have fountains to Bathe in and other water works for delight There are Lyons Tygers Wolves Jackals Over grown Snakes and in their Rivers Crocodiles There are many Scorpions and Flies that are very troublesome and Muskitees The Wind called the Monson blows six months Southerly and six months Northerly seldome varying April May and the beginning of June till the Rains fall are exceeding
revenues whereof amount to two hundred thousand peices of gold called Saraffi The Suburbs are very large wherein also are many stately buildings especially a Colledge being of a wonderful height and great strength Besides many other Palaces Colledges and Temples Here they have great store of poultry For in certain Ovens built upon sundry lofts they put abundance of Eggs which Ovens being kept in a moderate heat will in seven days hatch all those eggs into chickens P. Pil. There are in it eighteen thousand streets It is so populous that its reputed in very good health if there dye but a thousand a day or thirty hundred thousand in a year I mean when the Plague which comes once in seven years is amongst them Heil In one of the streets are about threescore Cooks shops then follow othâ—r shops wherein are to bee sold delicate waters and drinks made of all kinds of fruits which are kept charily in fine vessels next to these are shops where diverse confections of honey and Sugar like to ours in Europe are to bee sold Then follow the Fruiterers shops who have out-Landish fruits out of Syria as Quinces Pomgranats c. Next to them are shops wherein they sell Eggs Cheese and Pancakes fryed with Oyle Next is a street wherein all manner of Artificers dwell Then there are diverse ranks of Drapers shops In the first rank they sell excellent fine linnen fine cloth of Cotton and cloth called Mosal of a marvellous breadth and finenesse whereof the greatest persons make shirts and scarfs to wear upon their Tulipants Then are Mercers shops wherein they sell Silks Damask Cloth of Gold and Velvet brought out of Italy The next are woollen Drapers with all sorts of European cloth next of all are store of Chamblets to bee sold. At the gate of Zuaila dwell great store of Artificers Next to the forenamed Burse is a street of shops where are all kind of Perfumes as Civet Musk Ambergreece c. Next follows the street of Paper Merchants with most excellent smooth Paper There are also to bee sold pretious stones and Jewels of great value which the Brokers carry from shop to shop Then come you to the Gold-Smiths street inhabited mostly by Jews who deal in rich commodities Then are there Upholsters and Brokers who sell apparel and rich furniture at the second hand as Cloaks Coats Nappery c. It hath many large Suburbs as that of Bed Zuaila containing about twelve thousand Families being a mile and an half in length The Suburb called Gemâ—li Tailon adorned with a most admirable Palace and sumptuous Temple where also dwell great store of Merchants and Artificers The Suburb called Bell Elloch containing neer three thousand Families inhabited by Merchants and Artizans of diverse sorts there is also a great Palace and a stately Colledge Here are many stage-players and such as teach Camels Asses and Dogs to dance very delightful to behold The Suburb Bulach upon the Bank of Nilus containes four thousand Families here are many Artificers and Merchants especially such as sell Corn Oyle Sugar c. It s also full of stately Temples Colledges and Hospitalls under this Suburb you may sometimes see above a thousand Barks upon the River The Suburb of Caresa contains about two thousand Families Here are many Sepulchers built with high and stately vaults and Arches adorned within with diverse Emblems and colours the pavement spread with sumptuous and rich Carpets The Inhabitants of Cairo in the Winter time wear garments of cloth lined with Cotton In the summer they wear fine shirts over which some have linnen garments curiously wrought with silk others wear Chamblet and great Turbants on their heads covered with cloth of India The women go in costly attire having on their foreheads frontlets and about their necks chains of Pearl on their heads they wear a sharp and slender Bonnet about a span high very pretious and rich their Gowns are of woollen cloth with strait sleeves curiously imbroidered with needle work over which they cast veils of excellent fine cloth of India their faces are covered with a black scarff on their feet they wear fine shooes or Pantoffles c. The City of Alexandria described The great City of Alexandria was founded by Alexander the great not without the advise of most famous and skilful Architects upon a beautiful point of land stretching into the Mediterranean Sea being distant forty miles Westward from Nilus It was most sumptuously and strongly built four square with four Gates for entrance One on the East-side towards Nilus Another on the South towards the Lake of Buchaira the third Westward towards the Desert of Barca and the fourth towards the Haven Neer unto the City walls are two other gates which are divided asunder by a fair walk and a most impregnable Castle which stands upon the Wharf in which Port the best ships out of these parts of the World ride Here the Christians pay a tenth of all their wares whereas the Mahometans pay but a twentieth part At this time that part of the City that lyes towards Cairo is best inhabited and furnished with Merchandize and so is the other part that lies next to the Haven under each house in the City is a great vaulted Cistern built upon mighty Pillars and Arches whereinto at the overflowing of Nilus the water is conveyed under the City walls by a most artificiall Sluce that stands without them The City stands in a sandy Desert so that its destitute of Gardens Vines and Corn but what is brought from places at forty miles distance The City of Rosetto Described Rosetto was built by a Slave to one of the Mahometan Governours upon the Eastern bank of Nilus three miles from the Mediterranean Sea and not far from the place where Nilus emptieth it self into the sea In it is a stately Bath-stove having fountains both of cold and hot water belonging thereunto The City of Thebe Described Thebe at this present contains but about three hundred Families â— but the buildings are very stately and sumptuous It abounds with Corn Rice and Sugar with a certain fruit of a most excellent tast called Muse It hath in it great store of Merchants and Artificers The Countrey about it abounds with Date-trees which grow so thick that a man cannot see the City till hee comes neer the Walls Here grow also store of Grapes Figs and Peaches Over against the City the River of Nilus makes an Isle which standing high brings forth all sorts of fruits but Olives The City of Chanca described The great City of Chanca is about six miles from Cairo at the very entrance into the Desert through which is the way to Mount Sinai It s replenished with most stately houses Temples and Colledges All the fields between Cairo and it are full of Dates From Chanca to Mount Sinai are one hundred and forty miles in all which way there is no habitation Through this City lye the two main roads one leading to Syria
stained with Hierogliphical Characters The Linnen being pulled off the bodies appear solid uncorrupt and perfect in all their dimensions whereof the musculous parts are of a brown colour hard as stone-pitch and hath in Physick the like operation only more soveraign To keep these from putrefactions they drew the brains out at the nostrils with an Iron instrument replenishing the head with preservative spices then cutting up the belly with an Aethiopian stone they took forth the bowels cleansed the inside with Wine and so stuffing it with a composition of Myrrhe Cassia and other odours they closed it up again The like the poorer sort effected with Bitumen fetched from the Lake of Asphaltites in Jury whereby they have been preserved till this day having lyen there for about three thousand years The Lake of Maeris described Maeris one of the Egyptian Kings undertook and finished that most admirable Lake which for greatnesse and colour is like a Sea It s about six hundred furlongs from the City of Memphis the circumference of it contains M.M.M.DC. furlongs the depth of it is fifty fathom or three hundred feet many myriads of men were imployed for many years about it The benefit of it to the Egyptians and the wisdome of the King cannot bee sufficiently commended For seeing the rising of Nilus is not alwayes alike and the Country is more fruitful by the moderatenesse thereof Hee digged this Lake to receive the superfluity of the water that neither by the greatnesse of the inundation it should cause Marshes or by the scarcity of water the earth should not yeeld her strength hee therefore cut a ditch from the River to this Lake fourscore furlongs long and three hundred feet in breadth by which sometimes receiving in and sometimes diverting the River hee gave at his pleasure a sufficient quantity of water to the husbandmen After the Kings name it s called the Lake of Maeris In the midst of this Lake hee built a Sepulchre and two Pyramids each of them of an hundred fathoms high placing upon them two Marble statues sitting on a Throne one representing himself the other his wife seeking hereby to make his memory immortal The revenews which came by the fish of this Lake hee gave to his wife to buy her unguents and ornaments which was so great that it amounted to a Talent a day For it was mightily replenished with fish of twenty sorts so that very many were continually imployed in catching and salting of them Diod. Sion Herod Barbary described Barbary hath on the East Cyrenaica on the West the Atlantick Ocean On the North the Mediterranean Sea and on the South the Mountain Atlas It s now usually divided into the Kingdomes of Tunnis Algiers Fess and Morocco It produceth Figs Olives Dates Sugar and horses excellent for shape and service The men are comely of feature of a duskish colour stately of gate implacable in hatred laborious and treacherous The women are rich in Jewels beautiful in blacknesse and have delicate soft skins The Kingdome of Tunis described Tunis hath on the East Cyrenaica and on the VVest Algier It containeth all that which the Ancients called Numidia antiqua The soil is fertile especially the Western part The Inhabitants are healthful seldome vexed with any sicknesse it s divided commonly into five parts 1 Ezzab in the East having many Towns and Regions in it 2 Tripolis where the chief City is of the same name and where the Great Turk hath a Bassa or Vice-Roy It s at this day a receptacle of Pyrats that rove and rob in those Seas Anno Christi 1551. It was wonne from the Knights of Malta by Sinan Bassa 3 Tunis where the chief City of the same name standeth near to the ruines of Carthage It hath in it about ten thousand housholds and many Temples and especially one of singular beauty and greatnesse Cairoan also hath been a famous City six and thirty miles from the Sea and one hundred from Tunis where is an admirable Temple built upon Pillars of Marble 4 Constantina having the chief City of the same name wherein aâ— eight thousand families and many sumptuous buildings a great Temple and two Colledges 5 Bugia which for one hundred and fifty miles space extends it self by the Sea side to the River Major the Principal City is called Bugia sometimes adorned with Temples Hospitals Monasteries and Colledges of students in the Mahometan Law There is also in Bugia Necotus a very pleasant City and Chollo very rich In this Country also is seated Bona formerly called Hippo where St. Augustine was Bishop The Kingdome of Algier described Algier formerly called Mauritania Caesariensis is bounded on the East with Tunis on the VVest with Fess and Morocco It hath in it five Principal Cities 1 Hubeda 2 Tegdenit 3 Guagido 4 Telesine which sometimes contained sixteen thousand families and is adorned with many beautiful Temples and hath in it five dainty Colledges curiously wrought with Mosaick work And 5 Algier The City of Algier described Algier is seated on the Mediterranean Sea upon the side of an hill whereby one house hinders not the prospect of another It s in fashion like a Bow the old Town is in compasse three thousand four hundred paces the Island wherein it stands is walled about except that part which is open to the Port and City where lately they have erected a five cornered Tower to secure both It s well strengthened with Turrets Fortresses and Bulworks without the Wall is a ditch of sixteen paces broad without the Town there are three Castles the Streets are generally narrow and in the Winter Dirty The Houses toward the street are dark but being inwardly built with square Cloisters it makes them light the roofs being flat serve them for galleries and Prospect In the middest is a well but the water brackish they use no chimnies but make fires in Panns The Kings Palace and great mens houses have spacious Courts with specious Pillars about and many by-rooms spread with Mats and Carpets their Custome being to put off their shooes when they enter Their houshold furniture is generally mean their common lodging is upon a Mat or Carpet upon the ground Pelts are their Nappery water their drink Rice with pulse their meat c. five Cisterns without the City supply them with water fetched in upon the shoulders of their slaves There are seven fair Mosques five Colledges of Janizaries where six hundred of them live together in one house One Hospital four fair Baths whereof two for washing with hot and cold water paved with Marble Two Royall Porches one of thirty six foot square with columes for the Janizaries and the other is before the Palace within the Walls are neer thirteen thousand houses many of them containing thirty Families and some more There are in all above one hundred Mosques besides the Oratories of Hermites Sixty two Baths fourscore and six Schools wherein children learn to read and write and a few others for
the Alcoran In the Suburbs are fourteen thousand six hundred ninety eight Gardens each having Christian Slaves to keep them yea there is scarce a family in the City wherein they have not one or more Christian Slaves of both Sexes Besides in the Kings Prison are commonly two thousand and two or three thousand more in their Gallies so that in all there are seldome fewer than thirty thousand of these poor slaves See what misery these poor captives indure before in the Chapter of Cruelty Fesse and Morocco described Fesse and Morocco formerly called Mauritania Tingitana have on the East Algiers On the West the Atlantick Ocean and are parted one from the other by the River Omiramble The other principal Rivers in them are Tensilt Sus Suba and Lyssus Fesse is divided into seven Provinces in the which the chief City is Fesse so called from the abundance of Gold that was found at the laying of the foundation of it The City of Fesse Described The City of Fesse is both great and strong the soil about it is diversified with little Hills and pretty vallies which make it very pleasant The River neer it disperseth it self into many channels and when it enters into the City it divideth it self into two arms and these again are subdivided into variety of water-courses passing through every street and by pipes under ground is carried into every Temple Colledge Inne Hospital and almost into every private house whereby it carrieth away all the silth that might annoy either the sight or sent The buildings are of Mosaick-work with fine bricks and stones framed after a most curious manner lovely for delight and stately for admiration The roofes of the houses are adorned with Gold Azure and other excellent colours on the top they are flat for the Inhabitants use and pleasure within they are richly furnished every Chamber having in it a Presse curiously painted and varnished The Portals Pillars Cisterns and other Ornaments of the City are very exquisitly framed There are of Temples in it about seven hundred whereof fifty are very great and fair adorned with Marble Pillars and other Ornaments the Chapiters whereof are wrought with Mosaick and carved works each of them hath his Fountain of Marble and other costly stones the floores are covered with Mats closely joyned the walls also for a mans height are lined with the same every Temple hath its Steeple after the Mahometan manner whereon their Priests call the People to prayer at the appointed hours The principal Temple is that of Caruven so great that it contains in circuit a mile and a half It hath thirty one Gates great and high the Roof is one hundred and fifty Tuscan yards long and neer fourscore broad It s supported with thirty eight Arches in length and twenty in breadth Round about it are Porches on the East West and North every one in length forty yards and in breadth thirty under which are store-houses wherein are kept Lamps Oyle Mats and other necessaries every night are lighted nine hundred Lamps for every Arch hath his Lamp especially that row which extends through the midst of the Quire which alone hath one hundred and fifty Lamps amongst which are some great lights made of Brasse every of which hath sockets for one thousand five hundred Lamps The Steeple is exceeding high Not far from the City are twenty Lime-kills and as many brick-kills serving for the reparation of the Temple and houses that belong to it The revenues of this Temple are two hundred Duckets a day In the City there are two Principal and most stately Colledges adorned with Mosaick and carved works paved with Marble and stones of Majorca in each of them are many Chambers One of them containing above one hundred Chambers is adorned with a goodly Fountain of Marble and a continuall running stream about it are three Cloisters or Galleries of incredible beauty supported with eight square Pillars of diverse colours the Arches adorned with Mosaick of Gold and Azure the roof of carved work The Gates of the Colledge are of Brass finely wrought and the Chamber doors are well carved In the great hall where they say their Prayers is a Pulpit ascended by nine stairs all of Ivory and Ebony There are many Hospitals in Fesse not inferior to the Colledges for building there are also a hundred Bath-stoves well built each of them having four Halls and certain Galleries without in which they put off their cloaths most of them pertaining to the Temples and Colledges and yeilding them a great rent Their Inns are almost two hundred built three stories high each of them having one hundred and twenty Chambers in them with Galleries before all the doors but yeilding neither beds nor food for strangers There are also a thousand Mills the revenues whereof belong to the Temples and Colledges Each trade in Fesse hath a peculiar place allotted thereto There are six hundred fountains walled about which supply the Temples and other places with water because the River is sometimes dry In the territories of Fesse is the City of Sella where the buildings are of Mosaick work supported with Marble Pillars The shops are under fair and large Porches in which there are Arches to part the several Occupations it hath in it fair and beautiful Temples hither the English Genowayes Flemings and Venetians use to trade Morocco described Morocco is divided into seven Provinces in all which the chief City is Morocco once the Metropolis of Barbary containing one hundred thousand Families but now inferior to Fess for voluptuousnesse spaciousnesse and beauty yet there is a large Church in it bigger than that of Fesse though not so beautifull having a Tower on it so high that from thence may bee seen the hills of Azasi at one hundred and thirty miles distance There is also a large and stately Castle on whose Tower there stand three Globes made of pure Gold weighing one hundred and thirty thousand Barbary Duckets some Kings have been about to take them down but have always been hindred by some disasters which makes the common people judge that they are kept by spirits Numidia and Lybia described Betwixt Barbary and these is the Mountain Atlas so high that the top of it cannot bee seen It was so called from one Atlas a King that dwelt at the bottome of it Numidia hath on the East Egypt on the West the Atlantick Ocean on the North Atlas and on the South Lybia The Inhabitants live like the Nomades not in houses but in Waggons and Carts whence Lucan speaking of them said They dwell in Waines not houses and do stray Through fields and with them lead their gods each way Heilin They spend their time in hunting staying but three or four dayes in a place whilst the grasse will sustain their Camels so that there are few Towns in this Country and those far remote one from another Teffet is their greatest City which yet consists not of above four hundred housholds and hath
hand It hath in it above three hundred Emeralds Rubies the greatest in the World Above fifty Saphires Turqueses Balazes Amethists Spinels Topazes Jacinths Chrysolites c. Nature here playing the Jeweller and representing a Map of the worlds Gemmes in this one Jewel without and infinitely beyond all Art of Man Bernardo de Vecheti a Jeweller being sent thither by Francis de Medicis Duke of Florence to see it accounted it beyond all estimation and value The Emperor also hath made him Tables with thousands of stones set in them In this hill are kept the Princes of the Blood Royal as in a prison and never return thence except they bee chosen Emperors Anno Christi 1608. there were six of them These meet all together when they please to recreate themselves by hauking hunting c. and they have grave persons to instruct them in learning and vertue Purchas Pilgrimage p. 677. c. The chiefest Cities in Abassia or Aethiopia superior Described The chiefest Cities in this Empire are 1. Saba in which are four Gates made of Alabaster and Jasper wrought with antique work and the doors thereof curiously carved It hath in it five thousand great and sumptuous houses the streets are spacious and so shaded with Pent-houses that a man may walk without being offended by either Sun or rain The other Cities are 2. Aruma 3. Cossomum 4. Zameta the seat of Barnagasso or the Vice-Roy 5. Suacen before described 6. Tanape 7. And Zembra The Kings Court also is a wandring City For his Pavilions and Tents belonging to him and his retinue being pitched take up ten miles in compasse In this Empire are seventy Tributary Kingdomes the chief whereof are 1. Barnagassum which lyeth towards the Red-sea and borders on the Turks 2. Tigremaon famous for her Mines of Gold 3. Angote where the Inhabitants use Salt Pepper and Iron instead of mony and feed on raw flesh 4. Amara where is that famous Mountain before described 5. Guagere which is an Island in the River Nilus one hundred seventy and five miles long and one hundred twenty and five broad c. The Natives call this Emperor The Negus His revenues are so great that besides the expences of his Court and Camp he coffers up three millions every year The Islands in the Red-Sea belonging to Africa Described That which is now called the Red-Sea or Arabian Gulph that parts Asia from Africa is in length one thousand and two hundred miles in breadth for the most part one hundred It s so full of sholds that â—xcept they keep the channel in the middest there is no sailing but by daylight At the entrance into it stands the I le of Babel mandel or Babmandel which the ancient Kings of Egypt used to chain up to keep the passage Sues is neer the bottome of this Sea where the Turk hath his Arsenal and Gallies for those Seas The Timber is brought out of Caramania by Sea by the River Nilus and by Cammels the rest of the way at incredible charges Some think that Pharaoh was here drowned Others think that the passage of the Israelites was at Tor where this Sea is not above nine miles over Ezion Geber was a Port hereabouts whence Solomon sent his Fleet to Ophir for Gold c. Bernice was a Port in the Red-sea where the Indian Drugs and Spices were unladen in the time of the Roman Empire and from thence carried to Alexandria in Egypt Zidem is twelve leagues from Mecca where since the ships used to unlade their Spicery as formerly they did at Bernice A little further is the I le of Mehun and then the I le of Cameran one of the hotest places in the world then Dalaqua where they get pearls It s one hundred twenty and five Leagues long and twelve broad Mazzua is another Island which makes Ercocco a good Haven There are diverse other small Iles in which there is nothing memorable The chiefest Islands belonging to Africa Described Madagascar Described Madagascar or St. Laurence Island is the greatest Island in the World being a thousand miles in length and in some places four hundred miles in breadth It s full of Towns people Minerals Beasts Woods waters and what 's requirable in a fruitful land It s a good place for victualling as they passe into the East-Indies the air quick and healthfull It s divided into four Kingdomes each King with their Ebony Scepters ruling his people being jealous of each others greatnesse The Sea Towns are infected with Mahometisme the midland eclipsed with black Idolatry Nature hath taught them Laws they punish Murther with death adultery with publick shame and theâ—t with banishment Fishing delights them more than Tillage The people are generally strong couragious and proper The men cover their naked bodies in warre with strong and Massy Targets their right hand brandishing a long neat pike or lance of Ebony barbed with Iron kept as bright as silver which they can throw with excellent dexterity and skill Their colour is black they anoint their naked bodies with Grease and Tallow proud to see their skin shine and are not offended with the stink their hair is long black and curled They wear a few leaves plaited about their wasts but are elsewhere naked their ears are bored and wide they pink and cut their flesh and whilst the men seek their prey abroad the women keep constantly at home and spin The boys marry at ten and the maids at twelve years old They know no Letters Nihil scire nil jucundius The earth is rich in Minerals Gold Silver Iron Copper c. but hearing of the cruelty and covetousnesse of the Portugals they prohibit the diging of them If you will buy any thing of them they give it in exchange for Agats Helitropians Jasper and long red Cornelian beads which they prefer before all the Diamonds of India and of which they are so proud that the owner bee hee Subject or King is oft dethroned for it one string of them being able to put them all into a combustion Bracelets Copper-chaines beads bells and Babies are much esteemed for which you shall have in exchange sheep with great tails Beeves Bufaloes Camels Antilops Red-deer Leopards Goats Milk Hens Eggs VVheat Barley Rice Oranges Lemons Lymes Pomcitrons Plantanes Sugar Canes Ginger Toddy Coconuts c. Herb. Travels Their time of marriage is for men at twelve and for women at ten They have a kind of Bean growing on trees the Cod whereof is two footlong The Island of Mohelia described Mohelia another Island beyond it where the houses are made of Reeds or straw fitted to the heat of such a torrid climate The Inhabitants are cole black have great heads big lips flat noses sharp chins huge limbs go naked having only a few plantane leaves about their wastes to veil their modest parts they cut and pink in several works their skins face armes and thighs striving to exceed each other in variety Tobacco is of great account
describes the people out of Epimenides The Cretians are lyers evil beasts slowbellies It s famous for three things 1. They have no venemous Creature there 2. If a woman bite a man hard hee never recovers again 3. There is an herb called Alimos which if one chaw in his mouth hee shall feel no hunger that day It was once called Hecatompolis because it had in it a hundred Cities It is in the Venetians hands The Jonian Isles described Cythera is in compasse threescore miles It was formerly called Porphyris from the abundance of that sort of Marble called Porphyrie which the Mountains yeeld The Strophades are two Islands wherein there is nothing remarkable but a spring of fresh water in one of them which hath his fountain in Peloponesus above five miles distant which passing under the Sea ariseth there Zacinthus now Zant is threescore miles in compasse It s wonderfully stored with Wine Oil and Currans of which last ordinarily they make yearly one hundred and fifty thousand Chekins for their own Coffers besides eighteen thousand Dolars which they pay for custome to the State of Venice when the English first traded thither the inhabitants were very poor and when the English bought so many Currans of them they asked our Merchants whether they dyed cloaths or fed their Swine with them which uses themselves put them to but now they know better and grow rich by the trade This Island is much troubled with earthquakes commonly once a week whereupon they build their houses low The chief City is Zant not big the streets rugged and uneven and the houses low for the cause aforesaid Over the Town-hall door in this City is this Distich inscribed Hic locus odit amat punit conservat honorat nequitiam pacem crimina jura probos The Echinades Islands are five in number being but like Rocks and are famous for nothing but for the famous battel of Lepanto fought near them betwixt the Turks and the Christians Cephalenia is in compasse one hundred sixty and six miles and contains two hundred Towns the chiefest commodities it yeelds are Wheat Hony Currans Powder for dying Scarlet Oil and Wooll c. Corcyra now Corfu is neer Epyrus in length four and fifty miles in breadth four and twenty Its seated in the midst of the Venetians Lordships by Sea The chief City is Corfu where the Turks have received sundry repulses It s very fruitful in Hony Wax Wine Oil c. The Adriatick Isles have nothing of note in them and therefore I proceed to the Mediterranean Isles the principall whereof is 1 Scicily in compasse seven hundred miles The people are ingenuous eloquent and pleasant but very unconstant and talkative The soil is incredibly fruitful in Wine Oil Hony Saffron Sugar Salt in Mines of Gold Silver Allom having also Agates and Emeraulds with such abundance of Corn that it was called The Granary of the Romane Empire In this Country is the Hill Hybla so famous for Bees and Hony and Aetna which continually sendeth forth flames of fire Here was once the famous City of Siracuse two and twenty miles in compasse but now Palermo is the seat of the Spanish Vice-Roy In this Island lived those two great Tyrants Dionysius the elder and Dionysius the younger who were so odious for their cruelty that all the people hated and continually cursed them only one old woman prayed for the life of the latter and being asked the reason shee answered that shee knew his Grand-Father to bee very bad and when at the prayers of the people hee was taken away his son succeeded that proved far worse than his Father and after their curses had prevailed also for the removal of him came this present Tyrant worse than either for whose life shee was resolved to pray least after his decease the Devil himself should come amongst them Malta is in compasse about threescore miles It s seated on a Rock over which the earth is not above three foot thick yet have they abundance of Pomegranats Citrons Orenges and other excellent fruit there is also great store of Cotton-Wooll whâ—ch they sow as wee do Corn In the Acts this Island is called Melita It consists of four Cities and threescore Villages It was by Charles the fifth given to the Knights of the Rhodes newly expelled by the Great Turk they are a thousand in number whereof five hundred must bee alwayes resident in the Island the others upon summons must make their appearance None are admitted into their order unlesse they bring a testimony of their Gentry for six descents But some make this Island to belong to Africk where you may see more of it 3 Corsica is just against Greece in the Ligurian Sea and is in length one hundred and twenty miles in breadth threescore and ten the whole circuit being three hundred twenty and five It s a fine Country yeelds excellent Dogs for game good horses fierce Mastiffs and a beast called Musoli found no where in Europe but here and in Sardinia horned like Rams and skinned like Stags of incredible hardnesse It produceth the best VVines Oil Figs Raisons and Hony but bitter and unwholesome It abounds also with Allom Box-trees Iron-Mines c. It s under the Government of Genoa The people are churlish stubborn poor and illiterate 4 Sardinia which is seven miles distant from Corsica It contains in length one hundred and fourscore miles in breadth fourscore and ten in circuit five hundred and threescore It abounds in Corn and Cattel but wants Oil. Their Bulls do naturally amble and therefore the Country Peasants usually ride upon them Here is the Beast Musoli of whose skins carryed to Corduba and there dressed is made our true Cordovan Leather The Inhabitants are little of stature and prone to Rebellion and therefore the Spaniard suffers neither Smith nor Cutler to live there The chief City is Calearis just opposite to Africk having a goodly haven much frequented by Merchants and is the seat of the Spanish Vice-Roy The Baleans Islands described The chief of these Islands are 1. Majorca about threescore miles distant from Spain and is three hundred miles in compasse the chief Cities are Majorca wherein is an university and Palma 2. Minorca distant from the former nine miles and is in circuit one hundred and fifty miles the inhabitants are effeminate the soil for the most part fruitful Nigh to these are two lesser Islands 1. Ebuisa one hundred miles in circuit the chief commodity in it is salt 2. Olhiusa threescore and ten miles about The men and women in both of them are excellent swimmers The lesser Islands scattered up and down have nothing in them remarkable but only in one of them called Ischia is a fountain so hot that in a short time it will boil any flesh or fish put into it Somewhat without the mouth of the Straits of Gibralter is the Island of Gades or Cales in length thirteen miles Anno Christi 1596. it was suddenly taken by
bee found in the World and our Marriners and Souldiers are not to bee equalled In King Edward the third his time two hundred of our ships neer Scluse overcame four hundred of the French of which they sunk two hundred sail and slew thirty thousand Souldiers In eighty eight a few of our Queens ships overthrew the Spanish Invincible Armado consisting of one hundred thirty and four great Gallions Sir Francis Drake with four ships took from the Spaniard one million and one hundred eighty nine thousand and two hundred Duckats in his voyage Anno Christi 1587. And again with five and twenty ships hee awed the Ocean sacked St. Jago Domingo and Carthagena bringing away with him besides much treasure two hundred and forty peeces of Ordnance Our Country men Drake and Cavendish have sailed round about the World I omit the voyage to Cales mentioned before Sir Richard Creenvil in one of the Queens ships called the Revenge wherein were but one hundred and fourscore Souldiers and of them ninety so sick as not able to fight yet maintained hee a Sea-fight for four and twenty hours against above fifty of the Spanish Gallions and though when his powder was spent to the last barrel hee yeilded on honorable tearms yet before he had killed one thousand of the Spaniards and sunk four of their greatest vessels And what victories wee have had of late over all the Navies of the Lowcountries I omit to speak of because they are fresh in every ones memory In land service our souldiers are able to endure and resolute to undertake the hardest enterprises witnesse our warres and conquests in Spain France Ireland and Scotland and the Netherlands assisted by us England is a most fertile and a most potent Island as well for situation as for men and ships and the Inhabitants are good souldiers both by sea and land in valour and courage not inferior to any one Nation whatsoever and are more apt to offend by temerity and overmuch forwardnesse than by cowardize It excells all other nations in Mastiffs Cocks of the Game and Women who are incomparably beautiful and therefore have great influence upon the men yea the Queens have commanded here more absolutely and have been much better obeyed and respected than the Kings The division of England is into forty shires and nine thousand seven hundred and twenty five Parishes beside Chappels In these are five hundred fourscore and five Market Towns besides Cities the chief are Shrewsbury Northampton South-hampton Lecester Warwick c. Our Universities are two Cambridge and Oxford which for number and beauty of Colledges multitudes of Students and largeness of revenues are not to bee equalled in the Christian world I will not determine which is of greater antiquity this question having been agitated by so many In several places of England there is excellent white salt made I shall describe the manner of the making of it at Nantwich only There is one salt spring which they call the Brine-pit standing close by the River Weever from whence the Brine is conveyed into the severall Wich-houses and when the Bell rings they begin to make fire under the Leads wherein they boil the said salt-water and as it seeths the Wallers which are commonly women do with a woodden Rake gather the Salt from the bottome which they put into long wicker baskets and so the water voideth and the Salt remains In some other places they boil it in Iron pans with coals but they say the salt is not so white The Cities in England Described The City of London Described No Records set down the Original of this ancient City A City it was when Caesar first entred Brittain and by the Testimony of Tacitus Ptolemy and Antonine was called Londinium and by Ammianus Marcellinus for her successive prosperity Augusta the greatest title that can bee given to any In regard of both elements it is most happy as being situate in a most rich and fertile soil abounding with plenty and store of all things and on the gentle ascent and rising of a hill hard by the Thames side which by his safe and deep channel is able to entertain the greatest ships which daily bring in such store of rich Merchandise from all parts of the VVorld that it striveth at this day with the Mart towns in Christendome for the second place and affordeth a most sure and beautiful rode for shipping This City doth shew her self as the Cedar amongst shrubs It was the seat of the British Kings and is the model of the Land and Mart of the World For thither are brought the Silks of Asia the Spices of Africa the Balms from Grecia and the Riches from both the Indies No City hath been so long famous nor in civil Government can bee compared with her Her walls were first built by Constantine the great at the request of his mother Helena reared with rough stone and british brick three English miles in compass through which are seven fair Gates besides posterns A long the Thames this wall at first ranged with gates the one Douregate now Dowgate the other Billingsgate a receptacle for ships In the middest of the City was set a mile mark as the like was in Rome also from whence they measured their stations which stands till this day and is commonly known by the name of London stone St. Peters in Cornhill is thought to have been the Cathedral of Restitutus a Christian Bishop in Constantine the great 's time which was afterwards removed to St. Pauls whose greatness exceeds all others and spires had so high that twice they were consumed by lightning from heaven It hath in it besides this Church one hundred twenty and one Churches more viz. ninety and six within the walls and sixteen without but within the liberties and nine more in her suburbs It s divided into six and twenty Wards governed by so many Aldermen a Lord Maior and two Sheriffs the yearly choice whereof was granted them by Patent from King John In whose time also a Bridge of stone was built over the Thames upon twenty Arches built of excellent freestone and each Arch being sixty foot high and full twenty in distance from one another so that for length breadth beauty and building the like is not again to be found in the world King John gave certain void places in London to the City to build upon and the profits thereof were to go toward the charges of building and repairing the same bridg and the Mason who was the chief woâ—kman in building it erected a large chappel upon it at his own charges and largely endowed it which is since turned to a dwelling house It was finished Anno Christi 1209. having been thirty and three years in building Afterwards sundry beautiful houses were built upon it that it seems a street rather than a bridge and many charitable men have given lands houses and summes of money towards the maintenance of it At the East end of this City
standeth the Tower A most famous and goodly Citadel encompassed round with thick and strong walls full of lofty and stately Turrets fenced with a broad and deep moat furnished with a gallant Magazine of warlick Ammunition and other buildings besides so that it resembles a big town Concerning the Church of St. Paul an ancient writer saith that it contains in length six hundred and ninety feet the breadth thereof is one hundred and thirty foot the height of the West arched roof from the ground is one hundred and two foot and the new fabrick from the ground is eighty eight foot high The stone work of the steeple from the plain ground rose in height two hundred and sixty foot and the Timber frame upon the same was two hundred seventy and four foot high the Spire before it was burnt down was five hundred thirty and four foot high About the time of William the Conqueror when Musters were made of able men to bear arms London brought into the field under their colours forty thousand foot men and twenty thousand horsemen It hath often and is daily enlarged with new buildings and spacious Suburbs stretched forth from the Gates a great length on every side but Westward especially which are the greatest and best peopled In which are twelve Inns for students of the Common Law The four principal houses are the Inner Temple the middle Temple Grates Inn and Lincolns Inn six smaller belong to the Chancery besides two Inns more for the Sergeants at Law These Western Suburbs are so carried on that they joyn to London another City called Westminster famous for the Seat and Sepulchre of our Kings and for the Courts of justice kept every Tearm in Westminster Hall No walls are built about this City and those of London are left to shew rather what it was than what it is whose Citizens as the Lacedemonians did do repute their strength to consist in their men and not in their walls In the City of Westminster along by the Thames side are many stately buildings for the Nobles and great men of the Land as Essex house Arundel house Summerset house c. The Abby Church in Westminster was the last time built by King Henry the third of excellent workmanship supported with sundry rows of Marble Pillars and the roof covered over with sheets of Lead a peece of work that cost fifty years labour in building It was afterwards much enlarged towards the West end by the succeeding Abbots and at the East end King Henry the seventh built for the burial of himself and his children a Chappel of admirable and stately workmanship called by Leland the VVonder of the VVorld for a man would think that all the curious and exquisite work that can bee devised is there compacted together wherein is to bee seen his own most stately and magnificent monument all of massy and solid Copper VVestminster Hall was built from the ground by King Richard the second and made his own habitation which continued so till Henry the eights time who removed it to VVhite-Hall which formerly belonged to Cardinal VVoolsey The New Exchange was built by the Earle of Salisbury and so named by King James But to return a little again to London There are in it many publick and beautiful buildings as that famous Senate-house called Guild-hall built by Sir Thomas Knowls Lord Mayor Leaden-hall a large and goodly building erected by Simon Eire to bee a common Granarie wherein to lay up Corn to bring down the price thereof in time of a dearth But especially the Burse which Queen Elizabeth with a solemn Ceremony named the Royal Exchange erected upon Pillars for the use of Merchants and ornament of the City It was set up by Sir Thomas Gresham Citizen and Knight A most magnificent work it is whether you respect the model of the building the resort of Merchants from all Nations thither or the store of wares therein The Royal Exchange This Royal Exchange was erected in the year 1566. in this order The ground whereon it stands and the houses were purchased by the Citizens of London It cost them above three thousand five hundred thirty and two pounds the houses they sold for four hundred seventy and eight pounds to such persons as should pull them down and carry them away Then was the ground levelled at the charges of the City and possession thereof was by some Aldermen given to Sir Thomas Gresham Knight and Agent for Queen Elizabeth thereupon to build a Burse at his own proper charges and hee on the seventh of June laid the first foundation Brick being accompanied with some Aldermen every one laying a peece of gold upon his Brick which the workmen took for themselves and forthwith followed their work with such diligence that in September Anno Christi 1567. the same was finished and covered with slate In the year 1570. January the three and twenty the Queen came from Summerset-house through Thridneedle-street to Sir Thomas Greshams house in Bishopsgate-street where shee dined and after dinner going through Cornhil entred the Burse viewed every part of it especially the Pawn which was furnished with all sorts of fine and rich ware and then caused the said Burse by an Herald and Trumpet to bee proclaimed by the name of the Royal Exchange and so to bee called from thenceforth and not otherwise Besides which this Sir Thomas Gresham gave a most spacious house sometimes his own habitation one part thereof to bee an Hospital for poor people and the other to the advancement of learning now known by the name of Gresham Colledge standing between Bishopsgate-street and Broad-street and instituted professors of Divinity Law Physick Astronomy Geometry Musick and Rhethorick allowing them fifty pounds per annum a peece besides Chambers and other accommodations Gresham Colledge The first professors in this Colledge were Mr. Anthony VVootton for Divinity Doctor Matthew Guin for Physick Doctor Henry Mountlow for Civil Law Doctor John Bull for Musick Mr. Beerwood for Astronomy Mr. Henry Bridges for Geometry and Mr. Caleb VVillis for Rhethorick These Lectures are read daily in Tearm-time except Sabbaths by every one upon his day in the morning betwixt nine and ten a clock in Latine and in the afternoon betwixt two and three in English notice whereof is given by ringing the Exchange-Bell at these hours Only the Musick Lecture is read in English on Saturdayes between ten and eleven in the morning and between three and four in the afternoon But to passe by Sion Colledge whereof Doctor VVhite was the founder which is governed by a President two Deans and four Assistants yearly chosen and the many Hospitals and other publick buildings yet amongst them The Charterhouse described Wee may not passe by that greatest and most noble work that ever was done by one man and hee a subject which was the building and endowing of the Charter-house by Mr. Thomas Sutton for the entertainment of youth and decayed Gentlemen who by maims in
the wars or by other casualties were undone where their provision is so bountious that it can hardly bee matched in Europe the very house and appurtenances cost him thirteen thousand pound besides which hee endowed it with five manners in Essex two in Lincolnshire eight in VVilt-shire together with near four thousand acres of rich pasture ground in that County Two in Cambridge-shire beside his lands in Hackney-Marsh and Tottenham in the County of Middlesex and with all and singular the VVoods Reversions Presentations and Rights of him the said Thomas Sutton in any of the aforesaid Mannors over and above hee gave five thousand pound to make additions to his Hospital and for some other charitable uses And to the Treasury of the house to defend their right if need were one thousand pound besides some other gifts Wee may in the next place take notice how commodiously London is supplied with water conveyed by pipes under ground from excellent springs some of them at a remote distance besides the New-River water brought twenty miles from Chadwel and Amwel in Hartford-shire to the North side of the City near Islington where a large Cistern is made to receive it This work was undertaken by Mr. Hugh Middleton and begun February twenty Anno Christi 1608. and in five years space was fully accomplished by reason of the inequality of the ground the Trench in some places descended full thirty foot In others it was mounted over Vallies in a Trough born up with wooden Arches some fixed deep in the ground others rising in height above three and twenty foot Another convenience of water was devised by Peter Maurice a Dutchman who by means of a wheel brings water out of the Thames into a great part of the City Of the beauty and excelleny of this City one made these verses Along Thames banks outstretched far the City London lies Resembling much her Mother Troy aloft shee lifts her eyes VVhile on a gentle rising hill shee beareth towards East A City pleasant for her site in aire and soil much blest Religious and populous and hence shee looks on high And well deserves for to bee called the Britans Britany For learning new Lutetia Ormus for trade and wealth A second Rome for valiant men Chrysae for plate and health Salisbury described In VViltshire the City of Salisbury was built about the year 1218. at which time Richard Poor the Bishop purposing first to begin with the house of God in a most delectable place began to found a most stately and beautiful Minster which with an exceeding high spired steeple and double crosse Isles on both sides hee with great cost finished forty years after viz. one thousand two hundred fifty and eight concerning which Church Daniel Rogers made verses thus in English VVonders to tell how many dayes in one whole year there been So many windows in that Church ' men say are to bee seen So many Pillars made by Art of Marble there appear As houres do flit and flie away throughout the running year So many Gates do entrance give as months one year do make A thing well known for truth though most it for a wonder take A Cloister it hath besides on the South side for largenesse and fine workmanship inferiour to none whereunto adjoyned the Bishops Palace and on the other side an high bell-Tower passing strong standing by it self apart from the Minster Through the City there are Rills and sewers of water in every street It is passing well inhabited and frequented plentiful of all things especially of fish adorned with a very stately Market-place wherein standeth their common Hall of Timber-work a very beautiful building Camb. Brit. Bristow described The City of Bristow hath the River Avon passing through the midst of it It stands partly in Sommerset and partly in Gloucester-shire But is of it self a County incorporate It is situate somewhat high between Avon and the little River Frome sometimes it was invironed with a double wall it is so beautified with buildings publick and private that it fully answers the name of Bright-stow It hath common sewers or sinks so made to run under the ground for the conveyance and washing away of all filth that it is very cleanly and wholsome whereupon there is no use here of Carts it is excellently furnished with all things necessary for mans life so populous and well inhabited that next after London and York it may justly challenge the chiefest place of all the Cities in England It hath a very commodious Haven which admitteth Ships under sail into the very bosome of the City on the Southside Radcliffe by a stone Bridge with houses on each hand built upon it which makes it more like a street than a Bridge is joyned to the City It hath Hospitals in every quarter thereof for the benefit of the poor and fair Churches The most beautiful of all which is St. Maries of Radcliff without the walls into which there is a most stately ascent up many stairs large withal and finely and curiously wrought with an arched roof of stone over the head artificially embowed a steeple also of an exceeding height which was founded by one VVilliam Cannings an Alderman of the City Hard by there is another Church called the Temple the Tower whereof when the Bell rings shaketh to and fro whereby it hath cloven it self from the rest of the building There is also St. Stephens Church The Tower steeple whereof being of a mighty height was most sumptuously and artificially built by one Shipward alias Barstable a Citizen and Merchant On the East and North side it s fenced with the River Frome which gently falling into the Avon maketh a dainty harbour for ships with a convenient wharf called the Kay under which between Avon and Frome there is a plain set round about with trees yeelding a most pleasant walk On the South East there is a large and strong Castle for the defence of the City Beyond the River Frome which hath a Bridge over it there ariseth an high hill from which is a fair and goodly prospect of the City and haven upon the top of this Hill where it spreads into a plain shadowed with a double row of trees is an handsome School This City is further beautified with many stately buildings amongst the rest is the Cathedral Church c. Neer unto this City is an high Cliffe by the Avons side called St. Vincents Rock very full of Diamonds which are not much set by because of the plenty of them They are of a bright and transparent colour matching if not passing the Indian Diamonds in hardnesse only they are inferior to them Nature hath framed them four or six pointed with smooth sides as if cut by a Lapidary There is another Rock also on the West side full of Diamonds which by a wonderful work of nature are enclosed as young ones within the bowels of hollow and reddish flints There are within this City and suburbs
twenty fair Churches whereof eighteen are parish Churches there is no dunghill in all the City nor a sink that comes from any house into the street but all is conveyed under ground they carry all upon sleads and bring no Carts into the City The water at the Kay sometimes ebbs and flows forty foot in height Four miles below it the Avon falls into the Severn the Bridge is half as long as London bridge and yet hath but four Arches in it The City of Wells Described Neer unto Mendip hills which are rich in Lead-Mines stands the City of Wells so named from the springs or wells that boil up there which for the multitude of Inhabitants for fair and stately buildings is worthy to bee regarded A goodly Church it hath and a Colledge founded by King Ina. Neer unto the Church there is a spring called St. Andrews well from whence comes such a confluence of water as by and by makes a swift brook The Church is throughout very beautifull but the frontispice thereof in the West end is most excellent for it riseth up from the foot to the top all of Imagery in curious and antike wise wrought of stone carved and embowed very artificially The City of Bath Described This City is seated low in a plain environed round about with hills almost of one height out of which certain rills of fresh water flow continually to the great commodity of the Citizens within the City there bubble and boil up in three several places hot springs of water of a Sea colour sending up from them thin vapours and a kind of a strong sent withall by reason that the water is drilled and strained through veines of Brimstone and a clammy kind of earth called Bitumen These springs are very medicinal and of great vertue to cure bodies overcharged and benummed with corrupt humors by their heat causing much sweat Of all these the Cross-Bath is of the most mild and temperate nature having twelve seats of stone in the sides of it and is inclosed within a wall A second distant from this not fully two hundred foot is much hotter thence called the Hot-Bath adjoyning to which is a Spittle or lazar-Lazar-house built by Reginald Bishop of Bath for the relief of poor diseased persons The third and greatest is called the Kings-Bath walled also round about and fitted with thirty two seates of Arched work The City is fortified with walls wherein are set certain Antique Images and Roman inscriptions and hath in it a fair and large Cathedral Church The City of Excester in Devonshire Described The City of Excester stands upon the River Ex whence it receives its name It is pleasantly seated upon the gentle ascent of an hill The Walls of it which were first built by King Athelstone are in a manner round only towards the Ex it rangeth almost in a strait line having six gates for entrance and many watch-Towers interposed betwixt whose compass containeth above one thousand and five hundred paces or a mile and an half having Suburbs running out a great way on each side In it there are fifteen Parish Churches and in the highest part thereof neer the East Gate standeth a Castle called Rugemont commanding the whole City and territory about it and hath a very pleasant prospect into the Sea In the East quarter of the City stands the Cathedral Church having many fair houses round about it By reason of some Wears the River is so stopped up that no vessels can come neerer the City than Topsham which is three miles off The soil about it is but barren yet by reason of the statlinesse of the place the riches of the Inhabitants and the frequent concourse of strangers all kinds of commodities are there so plentiful that a man can ask for no necessary but he may have it The City of Winchester Described In the County of Hamtshire is the City of Winchester situated in a fruitful and pleasant place being a valley under hills having a River on the East and a Castle on the VVest the circuit of her Walls are well neer two English miles containing one thousand eight hundred and eighty paces through which open six gates for entrance In this City are seven Churches besides the Minster which is seated about the middest of it and built very sumptuously The City of Chichester in the County of Sussex Described The City of Chichester is walled about in a circular round form The Lavant a pretty riveret running hard by it on the VVest and South sides Four gates it hath opening to the four quarters of the world from whence the streets lead directly and crosse themselves in the middest where the market is kept and where Bishop Robert Read erected a fair market house of stone supported with pillars round about it Between the West and South Gates stands the Cathedral Church not very great but handsome and neat having a spire steeple of stone rising a very great height The City of Canterbury in Kent Described Canterbury is a very Ancient and famous City in Kent much renowned both for the situation and great fertility of the soil adjoyning as also for the walls enclosing it round about By reason likewise of the Rivers watering it and commodiousnesse of the woods there about besides the vicinity of the Sea yeilding store of Fish to serve it And though it was sore shaken in the Danish warres and consumed in a great part sundry times by fire yet rose it up always again more beautifull than it was before The Cathedral is raised aloft neer the heart of the City with great Majesty and stateliness The City of Rochester Described In the same County is the City of Rochester seated in a bottome fortified on the one side with a Marsh the river Medway and weak walls It is now stretched out with large Suburbs on the East West and South sides The Cathedral Church was built by Bishop Gundulph a Norman Anno Christi 1080. neer unto it stands an old ruinous Castle fortified formerly both by art and situation At the end of the City there is a very goodly Bridge of stone excellently Arched built by Sir Robert Knowls at the end whereof Sir John Cobham erected a Chappel and the bridge is daintily coped with Iron bars under which the River Medway swelling with a violent and swift stream makes a loud roaring noise The City of Glocester Described The City of Glocester is a very fine and beautiful City both for the number of Churches and buildings therein It lyeth stretched out in length over the Severn and on that side where it is not guarded by the River it hath in some places a strong wall for defence The Cathedral Church is a stately building with an exceeding high and fair steeple In an Arch of this Church there is a wall built in the form of a semicircle full of corners with such an Artificial devise that if a man speak with never so low a voice at the one
part thereof and another lay his ear to the other which is a good way off he may easily hear every sillable The City of Oxford Described Where the River Cherwel meets with Isis and pleasant Ilets lye dispersed by the sundry disseverings of waters there this famous City and University of Oxford sheweth it self aloft in a champion plain from whence Religion and learning have been spread into all the parts of England A fair and goodly City it is whether wee respect the seemly beauty of private houses or the stately magnificence of publick buildings together with the wholsome situation and pleasant prospect thereof For the hills beset with woods do so environ the plain that as on the one side they exclude the pestilent Southwind and the tempestuous West-wind on the other so they let in the clearing East-wind only and the North-East-wind with all which frees it from all corruption whence sometimes it was called Bellositum The City of Eli Described The City of Eli is situate in the middest of great and large Fens and was formerly famous for the reputed holinesse of the Nuns there residing and for a stately Monastery so rich that the Abbot thereof not long after VVilliam the Conquerors time laid up every year in his own Coffers a thousand and four hundred pounds King Henry the first made it a Bishops Sea promoting thereto one Hervey who sought by all means to advance the dignity of his Church For which end hee obtained of the King that it might bee Toll-free hee made a way also from Exing to Eli through the Fens of six miles in length and the Monks growing rich the Cathedrall Church being much decayed through age they by little and little built it and brought it to the ample statelinesse which now it hath A Lanthorn it hath at the very top thereof just over the Quire supported by eight Pillars and raised upon them right Artificially built by John Hothum the Bishop and under the Church towards the North stands St. Maries chappel a singular fine peece of work built by Simon Montacutâ— Bishop The City it self is not much to bee accounted of either for beauty or resort of people to it as having an unwholsome air by reason of the Fens round about it The City of Lincoln Described The City of Lincoln is large and well inhabited and frequented It stands upon the side of an hill where the River VVitham bends his course Eastward and being divided with three small channels watereth the Lower part of the City In the highest part of the City the Cathedral is erected a stately structure being built through out not only most sumptuously but with rare and singular workmanship most beautiously especially the forefront at the West end which in a sort ravisheth and allureth the eyes of all that judiciously view it very ancient this City is and hath been farre larger and more populous It hath in it fifty Parish Churches whereof at this day there remain only fifteen besides the Minster The City of Norwich in Northfolk described Norwich is situated upon the River Yare the form of it is somewhat long being from South to North a mile and an half long and in breadth about half so much drawing it self in by little and little in the Southend making in a manner a sharp point compassed it is about with strong walls beautified with many Turrets orderly placed and twelve gates only it is not walled on the East side where the River after it hath with many windings in and out watered the North part of the City having four Bridges for passage over it is a sufficient defence with his deep channel and high steep banks It flourisheth with wealth plenty of inhabitants great resort of strangers fair buildings and hath in it about thirty Parish Churches on the East side of it stands a very fair Cathedral Church near unto the Castle built upon a very high hill which was compassed about with an exceeding deep ditch In the midst of the City near the Market-place is a very fair Town-house which on Market-dayes is plentifully furnished with all things necessary for mans life The Netherlanders being driven away by the Duke d' Alva's cruelty repairing hither in great numbers brought in the making of Sayes Bayes and other stuffe to the great gain of the Citizens Anno Christi 1583. the Citizens conveyed water out of the River in pipes by an artificial instrument into the highest parts of the City The City of Coventry in Warwickshire described Coventry is a City very commodiously seated large sweet and neat fortified with very strong walls which are about three miles in compasse through which are thirteen gates for enterance most of them very stately and strongly built besides eighteen other Towers in several parts of the wall for defence A little River called Shirburn runs through the City which is beautified with many fair and goodly houses amongst which there rise up on high two Churches of rare workmanship St. Michaels and Trinity standing one hard by another with stately spire steeples of a very great height In the midst of the City is the Market-place called the Cross-cheaping and therein a Crosse or Pillar of stone of most exquisite and admirable workmanship there is also a very fair Grammer-school and a neat Library at the end of it with convenient habitations for the Master and Usher near unto it is VVel-street and therein a very large fountain that continually sends forth great plenty of excellent water The City had very large suburbs belonging to it especially in the East and West ends most whereof were broken down in our late Civil wars and a large Trench made on the outside of the walls The City of Worcester described Under the City of Worcester runs the Severn with a slow pace as admiring and wondring at the City as it passeth by and truly worthy it is of admiration whether you respect the antiquity or the beauty thereof It stands in a place rising somewhat with a gentle ascent by the Rivers side that hath a fair Bridge with a Tower over it It is well and strongly walled and the inhabitants are much inriched by the trade of cloathing It is one thousand six hundred and fifty paces about the walls through which seven Gates give entrance with five other VVatch Towers for defence there are in it divers Churches besides the Cathedral which is seated on the South side of the City and is a passing fair and stately building adorned with the Tombs and Monuments of King John Prince Arthur diverse of the Beauchamps c. The City of Lichfield in Staffordshire described Lichfield is a very ancient City known unto Bede by the name of Lichidfield i. e. the field of dead bodies by reason of a number of Christians there martyred in the bloody persecution under the Emperor Dioclesian This City is low seated of a good largenesse and fair withal divided into two parts by a shallow pool of clear water which
fairest houses in Christendome Northward lyeth the Dukedome of Valois whose prime City is Senlis and next it Luzarch 7. Berry and Burbon which are environed with Poictou Limosin Avern Burgondy and Champain The chief City in Berry is Bourges well stored with sheep It s watered with the River Cher and hath in it thirty and three walled towns In Bourges is a famous University 2. Sancerre 3. Argenton 4. Casteau Rous. Burbon is watered with the Rivers of Loyre and Alliere The Cities are 1. Burbon 2. Molins 3. Nevers To Burbon belong Beavois and Avern In Beavois are the Cities of Beavois and ville Franche In Avern the chief Citie is Clermont then St. Floure invincible by its situation 3. Claudes Argues 4. Maregnes and 5. Aubigny 8. Limosin is environed with Berry Poictou Xantoigne and Avergne It s watered with the Rivers Vienne and Vexerew The chief Cities are 1. Tulles 2. Tuviers 3. Maignai 4. Limoges 5. Chalue South-West to Limosin are the â—â—ttle Countries of Perigort and Quercu whereof the chief Towns are 1. Mountalbon situated on the Garond A strong hold of the Protestants 2. Cahors a beautiful rich City In Perigort are the Cities of Perigeux and Sarlat 9. Daulphine is environed with Avergne on the West Provence on the South Savoy on the East and Bresse on the North. The Rhoan runs through this Countrey and meeting with Zone it washeth the walls of Lyons a famous mart Town and University 2. Valence 3. Vienna 4. Grenoble where is a Parliament In the mountains bordering on this Country and lying between it Savoy Provence and Piedmont dwell the Waldenses many times formerly and now of late grievously persecuted by the Popish Party 10. Languedoc is environed with the Pyrenean hills Gascoin the River Rhoan and the Mediterranean Sea the chief Cities are 1. Narbon 2. Montpelier on the sea side which is a famous University for the study of Law and Physick 3. Nismes 4. Agde 5. Lodove 11. Provence is bounded with Languedoc Dauphine Piedmont and the Mediterranean Sea It s divided into three parts one whereof belongs to the Pope the Metropolis whereof is Avignion seated on the River Rosne wherein the Popes made their residence seventy years together in it is an University The second part belongs to the Prince of Orang wherein the chief City is Orang famous for her rare and wonderful Antiquities The third and greatest part belongs to the King of France wherein are 1. Marseleis a famous mart Town 2. Aix where is a Parliament 3. Arles wherein was held a Councill by Constantine Anno Christi 313. 12. Picardy and Champaigne are environed about with Normandy Belgia Lorayn Burgundy Berry Burbon and France It s divided into the higher and lower In the higher is 1. Callis taken by our Edward the third after eleven Months sieg Anno 1347. and suddenly lost by Queen Mary Anno 1557. after it had been English two hundred years 2. Bullen taken by our King Henry the eight 3. Terwin taken by the same King Maximilian the Emperor of Germany serving under his ensigns In the lower Picardy are 1. St. Quintins 2. Abbeville strong frontire Towns 3. Peronne 4. Amience 5. Monstreville 6. Guise Campaigne hath in it 1. Rheimes where the Kings of France are Crowned and anointed In it is an University and one Colledge for the entertainment of English fugitives 2. Troys 3. Brie 4. Montargis 5. Sens 6. Auxerre 7. Chalons 13. The Dutchy of Burgundy is bounded with Champaign Bresse and Burbonoys The chief Cities whereof are 1 Dijon where is a Parliament 2 Autun 3 Beaulne 4 Verdune 5 Sologne 6 Chalons belonging to the Prince of Orange 7 Alice It s watered with ten Rivers All these Provinces are under the King of France and besides Cities have in them thirty and four good Havens Within the limits of France are three other Countries which are not subject to the King of France as 1 Savoy 2 Lorrain 3 the County of Burgundy which last is bounded with Champaigne Lorrain Switzerland and Bresse and the Dutchy of Burgundy The length of it is ninety miles the breadth sixty The Inhabitants are a warlike people called commonly Walloons The soil is exceeding fruitfull it s watered with the Rivers Soan Love Dayne and Doux upon whose banks stands the fair and strong City of Bezanson an University Dole also stands on the same River a strong rich and beautiful City and an University wherein the Jesuits have a Colledge 3. Salines 4. Gray 5. Arbois 6. Boutenant 7. Chastilion and above three and twenty more walled Towns 2 Lorrain which is environed with part of Belgia Alsatia the County of Burgundy and Champaigne It abounds with Corn Wine Mines Salt Fish and an excellent race of horses The people are hardy and politick and are governed by a Duke In it are store of Lakes well replenished with Fish one whereof is fourteen miles in compasse The chief Rivers are 1. The Meure 2. Mosa 3. Mosella The chief Cities are 1. Nancy seated on the Meure 2. St. Nicholas well seated neatly built and very populous but not walled about 3. Vausoleur 4. Pont Moson 5. Neufa Chateau 6. Vaudemant Unto this Countrey belongs the County of Barrois environed with the two streams of the River Marne the chief Towns are Barleduc Lamot Arg and Ligni 3. Savoy which is bounded with Dauphine Bress Switzerland and Piedmont Within the limits of this Countrey stands the famous City of Geneva being but two English miles in circuit and the territories thereof stretch but two leagues and an half of each side At the end of the City is the lake Lemannus and the River Rhoan divides it into two parts This little Common-wealth by the assistance of God resisted a great siedg laid against it by the Duke of Savoy Anno Christi 1589 As also another attempt made by Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy to have taken her by surprise Hee secretly listed one thousand and two hundred men under the command of Mounsieur d' Aubigny who by means of great store of Ladders and other instruments got to the number of two hundred into the Town whilst the Duke was following with some Regiments for recruit But being discovered and the Citizens running to their Arms it pleased God to strike those which were entered with such a Pannick fear that they returned the same way they came without having been able so much as to seize upon one gate to let in the other Forces Thus this great design so long premeditated so secretly carried on so successefully begun and almost compleatly executed was by the watchful eye of Gods Providence over his people prevented and this hot Camisado hath made them of Geneva stand better upon their guard ever since They use to punish Adultery with death and if any malefactor fly thither for refuge they punish him after the custome of the country where the crime was committed The chief Cities of Savoy are 1. Chambery the Dukes seat It
and her structures so magnificent and neat that shee ravisheth therewith all strangers that come to visit her She hath in her one hundred and fifty Churches and Monasteries but especially three things worthy of sight viz. St. Mark 's Church and Steeple the Treasury and the Arsenal St. Mark 's Church is built throughout with rare Mosaique work and yet the furniture of the Church surpasseth the Fabrique in richnesse Her walls are inlaid in many places with precious stones of diverse colours and in such a manner that they seem rather to be the work of Nature than of Art It is built in the form of a Crosse whose corners are highly vaulted and covered with bright Lead as all the rest of the Church is The whole Bulk is supported with most curious Arches joyned together by marvellous Art The inside from the middle to the highest part thereof glistereth with gold and the concavity of the vaults is enriched with divers curious and antick pictures That which is from the gilding down to the pavement is excellently joyned together with goodly Tables of Marble by whose pleasant veins in form of rays the eyes of the beholders are rather fed than satisfied The seats below are of an extraordinary red stone like to Porphyry the Pavement is all of Marble engraven with diverse figures wholly different and of various colours There are sundry Columnes and Tables of Parian Spartan and Numidian work that environ the seats on both sides the Quire The entrance into the Church on both sides is in a manner of the same trimming while gilded Arches are sustained without by more than three hundred exquisite Pillars the space between those Pillars being filled with choyce Tables of Marble On the height of this entrance are four great brazen horses all gilded over in a posture as if running and neighing All this bears up the highest top of the Church divided into six Steeples every of which is like a Pyramid and hath on the sharpest point thereof a white Marble Statue of a naked man standing upright Divers other representations delightfull to the eye and wrought with exceeding skill do beautify the spaces between the Steeples and all that which is vaulted underneath is covered with Gold In sum there is no place in the whole Church either within or without but it 's either adorned with Marble Gold or precious stones so that the two Columnes of Alabaster and the Chalcedony stones which are in the middest of the pavement are accounted the least curiosities The Arsenal of Venice is one of the greatest Magazines of Armes in all the World It 's three miles in compasse wherein there are above three hundred Artificers perpetually at work who make and repair all things that belong thereto This Arsenal hath armes to furnish two hundred thousand men and hath constantly belonging to it two hundred Gallies in Dock or abroad in course besides Galliasses and Galleons with all provisions necessary for them Amongst the Armors are one thousand coats of plate garnished with gold and covered with velvet so that they are fit for any Prince in Christendome The Treasury of St. Mark is cried up through the World They say there is enough in it to pay six Kings Ransomes There are Jewels of all sorts and sizes Diamonds Rubies Saphires Emerauds Cups of Agatâ— of an huge bigness The great Diamond which Henry the third gave when hee was made a Gentleman of Venice There you may see an Armour all of massie Gold beset all over with great Pearles Turkies Rubies and all manner of precious stones in such a quantity and bigness that they alone would make a rich Treasury There are also twelve Corslets of Gold beset with precious stones There is an huge Gold chain that reacheth from Pillar to Pillar Diverse Chests of Gold and amongst others one great Iron Chest with this inscription When this Chest shall open the whole earth shall tremble There are two large Unicorn's horns A great Bottle made of a Chalcedonian stone transparent and clear which will hold above a quart There is a Garnet of a vast size formed into the shape of a Kettle which will hold neer a Gallon There are many Crosses and Crucifixes of massie Gold beset with Jewells of all sorts There are the Crowns of Cyprus and Candy as also that of the Dukes of Venice all inlaid with choyce rich Diamonds great Rubies Emerauds Saphires and other stones that would beget astonishment in the beholders In that of the Dukes there is one great Ruby worth an hundred thousand Crowns There are Cups of sundry formes cut out of rich stones with dishes of sundry kinds There are divers presses full of plate huge and massy with Statues of Silver and large Chalices of gold and variety of other rich things the worth whereof no eye is able to judge There are moreover twelve Crowns of massie Gold which were taken at the sacking of Constantinople when the French and Venetians divided the spoyles Pacheco the Spanish Ambassadour comming to see this Treasury fell a groping whether it had any bottom and being asked why answered In this amongst other things my great Masters's Treasure differs from yours in that his hath no bottom as I finde yours to have Alluding to the Mines in Mexico and Potofi In one of its Islands called Murano Crystall Glasses are made where you may see a whole street on the one side having above twenty Furnaces perpetually at work both day and night If one of these Furnaces bee removed to any other Island or but to the other side of the street though they use the same men materials and fuel yet can they not make Glasse in the same perfections for beauty and lustre as in this place Howels Survey The City of Padua Described Padua is a City within the Venetian Territories and was erected into an Academy Anno Christi 1222. Shee is famous every where for a Seminary of the best Physicians and hath a Garden of great variety of Simples It was formerly girt with a treble wall but a double contents her now which hath very deep ditches round about For the River Brent with vast charges and labour was brought to this City which hath much advantaged her both for Strength and Navigation It is situated in a most pleasant and plentiful plain enjoying a sweet temperate Clime with a singular good soil by reason of the Neighbourhood of the Eugonian Mountains on the West side of it Her circumference is neer upon seven miles Her Temples and dwelling houses both publike and private are more magnificent than elsewhere Shee hath six stately Gates Five large Market-places within the walls twenty two great Churches twenty three Monasteries twenty nine Nunneries She hath the most renowned Hall for publike Justice of any City in Italy covered all over with Lead and yet propped by no pillars The Council-Court hath gates and Columes of Marble Shee hath twenty eight Bridges Arched over the Brent which runns thorow her She
hath very spatious Piazza's Shee hath six Hospitalls three for the poor and three for Pilgrims Shee hath a place called Monte de Pieta set up on purpose to root out the Jews usury who used to demand twenty per cent for Brocage Shee hath other two Hospitals for Orphans and poor children There are thirty eight thousand Crowns deposited in the hands of several persons of quality to whom the poorer sort may repair with their pawns and if it bee under thirty shillings they pay no use for their mony if it bee above they pay five per centum for relieving the poor The City of Millan described The City of Millan in Italy lies within a stately wall of ten miles compasse It s situated in a great Plain and hath about it green Hills delightful Meadows navigable Rivers enjoyes an wholesome air and the fertile Country about it furnisheth it with all store of necessary provision The City it self is thronged with Artisans of all sorts There bee many stately Churches in it and before that of St. Lorenzo there stand sixteen Marble Pillars being a remnant of the Temple of Hercules But of all the Churches the Cathedral is most costly 'T is all of white Marble and about it are five hundred Statues of the same There is a late building added to it which is very glorious especially for the huge Pillars of Granito an excellent sort of Marble Private mens houses also in Millan are not inferiour to those of other Cities in Italy The streets are of a more that common breadth and there are very many Gardens within the Walls The greatest Hospital in Italy is that in Millan which is a square of Columnes and Porches six hundred Roods about seeming fitter to bee a Court for some King than an Hospital for the poor The Castle in Millan is accounted by all Engineers the fairest and strongest Citadel in Europe Riamund's Mer. Ital. The City of Naples described Naples the Metropolis of that Kingdome stands upon the shore of the Mediterranean Sea It s reckoned the third City in Italy and so great are the delights that nature hath allotted to this place that it is still frequented by persons of great quality The streets of it are generally well paved of free stone large and even The houses are very uniform built flat on the top to walk on a notable convenience in those hot Countries Another like accommodation which this City hath against the heat is the Mole which is an Artificial street casting it self into the Sea whither all the Gentry at the evenings resort to take the Fresco. Amongst the Palaces that of the Vice-Kings is the fairest It hath three Castles and the Churches generally are very curious and costly filled with Marble Statues This City is exceeding populous and consequently vicious Hee that desires to live a chaste life must not set up there For as their Gardens are well filled with Oranges so their houses want not Lemmons there are usually thirty thousand Courtesans registred that pay taxes for their pleasure Near unto Naples is Virgil's Tomb upon an high Rock And the Crypta Neapolitana in the rocky Mountain Pausylippus cut thorow very high spacious and well paved so that for the space of a mile two Coaches may go on front under the earth In the midst is a Madonna with a Lamp perpetually burning Not far off is the Hill of Brimstone on which neither grass nor any herb grows but 't is all white with ashes and ever casts out of several holes a continual smoak with flames making the very earth to boil The ground is hollow underneath and makes an hideous noise if struck upon with an hammer On the other side Naples is the Mountain of Vesuvius brother to Aetna upon the top whereof is a terrifying spectacle viz. a Vorago or hole about three miles in compass and half as much in depth and in the midst is a new hill that still vomits thick smoak which the fire within hath raised within these few years and it still daily increaseth Pliny the Naturalist being too inquisitive after the cause of this fire changed life for death upon this Mountain Idem Virgil made a Talisman or Brazen Fly which hee set upon one of the Gates of the City of Naples which for the space of eight years kept all manner of Flies from comming into the City Gaffarels Unheard of Curiosities part 2. chap. 7. See more there The City of Florence described Florence is the Capitol City of Tuscany situated at the bottom of very high hills and environed on all sides with the same except on the West side before which lies a plain Country This City is divided into two by the River Arno over which are built four Bridges of stone upon one of the two chief is the Goldsmiths street upon the other which is a very stately structure stand the four quarters of the year in Marble Opposite unto which stands a vast Columne with a Statue of Justice in Porphyrie at the top Hard by is the Palace of Strossie admirable for the immensity of its Fabrick on the left hand whereof is the Merchants Vault supported with many fair Pillars and before it a brazen Boar jetting forth water Before that is the great place in the middest whereof is the great Duke Cosmus on horseback in brass near unto which is a Fountain the like to which Italy affords not Round about the Laver is the Family of Neptune in brasse with his Colosse of Marble in the middest born up by four horses In this same Piazza is a Porch arched and adorned with some Statues amongst which that of Judith in brass with the rape of the Sabines three persons in several postures cut all out of one stone Just against it is the Palazzo Vechio at the entrance whereof stand two Colossi the one of David the other of Hercules trampling on Caous excellent pieces Within is a Court set about with pillars of Corinthian work Above is a very spacious Hall with divers Statues Near to it is the richest of Treasures the great Dukes Gallery in the uppermost part whereof are contained as many wonders as things some to bee admired for the preciousness and Art others for their rarity and antiquity On each side of the Gallery stand above fourescore Statues One an Idoll brought from the Temple of Apollo in Delphos Another of Scipio Africanus holding up his gown under his Arm Then two curious triumphant Pillars Over the Statues hang rare pictures the most famous Scholars on the one side and Souldiers on the other At the right hand of this Gallery are several Stanza's full of curiosities wherewith the spectators are astonished both in regard of the richnesse and rarity thereof In the first Room is an Altar totally compacted of Jewels and precious stones The value inestimable In the next is a Table with Flowers and Birds in their natural colours of precious stones with a Cabinet worth two hundred thousand Crowns covered with
Agates Emerauds Amethists c. Within it is the History of Christs Passion with the twelve Apostles all in Amber In the third is a Cabinet with Calcedonie Pillars filled with ancient Medals of gold Round about this Room are an infinite number of Natural and Artificial curiosities As the Emperours head cut on a Turquoise bigger than a Walnut with thousands more Next is the Armory wherein are the habits and diverse sorts of Arms of several ages and people There is likewise a Loadstone that bears up fourscore pounds weight of Iron In the last Cabinet are curious turned works of Ivory A Pillar of Oriental Alabaster c. In another Room are twelve great Cupboards of silver Plate of all sorts and another of all pure massie gold A Saddle all embroydered with Pearls and Diamonds besides many other things of great worth From hence is a private passage to the Dukes Court on the other side of the River The front of which edifice is very Majestick towards the Basis of Dorick work in the middest of Ionick and the uppermost story of Corinthian In the Court is a Grotto with Statues and a Fountain over it and a Loadstone of a most prodigious greatnesse The Gardens belonging to it for their largenesse have the face of a Forrest for their variety of a Paradise Here are Cypresse Groves their Walks with Statues Here a Sea of Fountains these Swans Ostriches and other delighting Creatures The Cathedral Church is of a vast bulk and exquisite workmanship made of Red White and black Marble The Cupola is so high that the brass Globe at the top will hold sixteen persons No lesse excellent is the Steeple composed of the same stone and materials with the Church but with more Art and Ornaments The Chappel of St. Laurence seems more than terrestrial It s wholly overlaid with fine polished stones neither is there any colour upon Earth but it 's there in stones naturally Near to this is a famous Library filled with great variety of Manuscripts In brief the houses of Florence are generally built high the streets are paved with great stones even and large and adorned with many excellent Fountains and other publick Ornaments The chiefest Cities of Italy are thus usually distinguished Rome the Un-holy Venice the Rich Naples the Gentle Florence the Fair Genoa the Proud Millan the Great Bolonia the Fat Padua the Learned and Verona the Ancient Idem Belgia or the Netherlands described Belgia is bounded on the East with the River Ems and part of Germany On the West with the Germane Sea on the North with East-Friezland and on the South with the Some Champaigne and Lorrain It s in compass one thousand miles The Country is very populous the men well proportioned and ingenious the inventers of Clocks Printing and the Compass They found out diverse musical instruments the making of Chariots Painting with Oil colours working pictures in Glass making of Worsteads Sayes Tapestry c. The women govern all both within doores and without The Country lies low upon the Seas and therefore is very subject to inundations In the reign of our King Henry the second Flanders was so overflown that many thousands of people whose dwellings were devoured by the Sea came into England and were by the King first planted in York-shire but afterwards removed into Pembrook-shire Since then the Sea hath swallowed up in Zealand eight of the Islands and in them three hundred Towns and Villages the ruines of the Churches c. being seen at low water till this day The commodities are Linnen Skarlet Worstead Sayes Silks Velvets Armour Cables Ropes Butter Cheese c. The chief Rivers are 1. Rheine 2. Mosa which compasseth half the Country 3. Ems dividing the two Friezlands 4. Scaldis which rising in Picardy runs through Artois divides Henault and Brabant and a little above Antwerp emptieth it self into the Sea 5. Ley which runs quite through Flanders In Zealand and Holland especially they are fain to defend themselves against the Sea by huge banks about ten ells high and five and twenty in breadth at the bottom made of the hardest Clay with great pains and maintained with great charge their inside is stuffed with wood and stone and their outside covered with strong and thick Mats It s divided into seventeen Provinces which are these that follow 1. Limbourg and the Bishoprick of Leige environed with Brabant and Namurce on the West with Brabant and Gulick on the North with Gulick and Collen on the East and with Luxenbourg on the South In the Bishoprick are four and twenty walled Towns and one thousand and eight hundred Villages the chief City is Leige seated on the Meuse the buildings of it are very fair It s a famous University wherein were students at one time nine Kings Sons four and twenty Dukes sons twenty nine Earles Sons besides Barons and Gentlemen The next Cities are 2. Tongres 3. Dinand neer Namur 4. Huy 5. Bilsen 6. Truden The Dutchy of Limbourg contains five Towns 1. Limbourg on the River Weser 2. Walkenbourgh 3. Dalem 4. Rode le Buck. 5. Carpen besides one hundred twenty and three Villages Luxenbourg which is bounded on the North with Limbourg on the South with Lorrain on the East with the Bishoprick of Triers and on the West with the Meuse It s in circuit two hundred and forty miles in which stand one thousand one hundred sixty and nine villages and twenty and three walled Towns The chief are 1. Luxenburgh on the River Elze 2. Bostonack commonly called the Paris of Ardenne 3. Thionville 4. Mommedi 5. Danvillers 6. Ivoy 7. Neuse Chastel 8. Rocke de March 9. Arluna Here is the Forrest of Ardenna once five hundred miles in compass now scarce ninety In the edges whereof are the famous hot Baths called the Spaw which are of most vertue in July because then hottest In the skirts of this Countrey towards France is the Dukedome of Bovillion whose cheif Towns are Sedan where is Schola Illustris and Bovillon The Duke is a Peer of France and hath been a great friend to the Protestants 3. Gelderland which hath on the East Cleve on the West Brabant on the North Frizland and on the South Limbourg It contains three hundred villages and twenty four Towns the chief whereof are 1. Nimmegen seated on the branch of the Rheine which is called Whael 2. Ruremond 3. Arnheim 4. Harderwick 5. Doesbourgh 6. Buren It s a fertile soil for feeding of Beasts which grow so great and fat that Anno Christi 1570. there was a Gelderland Bull killed at Antwerp that weighed three thousand and two hundred pounds 4. Brabant having on the East North and South the Meuse and on the West the Scheld It s in length seventy five in breadth sixty miles comprehending seven hundred villages and twenty six Towns whereof the chief are 1. Lovain in compasse within the walls four miles and six without It s an University wherein are twenty Colledges and a Seminary
The Kingdome of Casan and Citraham 14. Muscovia whose chief City is Mosco The City of Mosco Described Mosco the Regal City in Russia is almost round and bigger it is than London environed with three strong walls circling the one within the other and having many streets lying betwixt them The inmost wall and the buildings within it being fenced and watered with the River Moschua that runneth close by it is all accounted the Emperors Castle The number of houses as they were formerly reckoned amounted to forty one thousand and five hundred The streets of this City instead of paving are planked with great Firr trees planed and laid even together and very close the one to the other The houses are of Timber without Lime and stone built very close and warm of Fir trees which are fastened together with notches at each corner and betwixt the Timber they thrust in Moss to keep out the air which makes them very warm The greatest danger is their aptnesse to take fire which being once kindled is hardly quenched and hereby much hurt hath been done and the City miserably defaced sundry times The whole Countrey of Russia in the Winter lyeth under snow a yard or two thick but greater in the Northern parts from the beginning of November to the end of March in which time the Air is oft so sharp that water thrown upward congeales into Ice before it comes to the ground If you hold a pewter dish in your hand it will freeze so fast to it as that it will pull off the skin at parting divers in the Markets are killed with the extremity of cold Travellers are brought into towns sitting dead and stiff in their sleds some loose their Noses some their Ears Fingers Toes c. which are frozen off and yet in the Summer you shall see a new face on the Countrey the woods which mostly are Firr and Birch so fresh and sweet the Pastures and Medows so green and well grown such variety of Flowers such melody of the Birds especially of Nightingales that you cannot travel in a more pleasant Country The Summer is hotter than with us in England For Fruits they have Apples Pears Plums Cherries red and black Deens like Muskmelons but more sweet and pleasant Cucumbers Gourds Straberries Hurtleberries c. Wheat Rie Barley Oats Pease c. Their cheif Commodities are Furrs of all sorts as black Foxes Sables Lufernes dun Foxes Martrons Gurnstales or Armines Minever Beaver Walverines a great water Rat whose skin smels like Musk Squirrels grey and red foxes white and red as also Wax Honey Tallow Hides of Beeves and Buffs Train Oile Caviare Hemp Flax Salt Tar Salt-Peter Brimstone Iron Muscovy slate Fallow Deer Roe-bucks and Goats great store For Fowl they have Eagles Hawks of all kinds swans tame and wild Storks Cranes Fesants white Partridges c. For fresh water fish they have Carp Pike Pearch Tench Roach as also Bellouga of four or five ells long Sturgion Severiga Sterledy which four sorts breed in Volga and of all their Roes they make Caviare c. The streets in their Cities and Towns instead of paving are planked with Firr trees planed and laid even together Their chief Cities are Mosco Novograd Rostove Volodomire Plesco Smolensco Jaruslave Perislave Nisnovograd Vologda Ustiuck Colmigroe Casan Astracan Cargapolia and Columna It s governed by an Emperour or great Duke with most absolute authority after the manner of the Eastern Countries though it lye very near the North. The Muscovites follow the Greek Religion under a Patriarch though yet it bee mingled with very many superstitions which are not like to bee amended because the Great Duke suffers none of his subjects to travel and see other Countries They are much tormented by the Turks and Tartars They have waged great wars with the Poles and Swedes but with many losses A Description of the state and magnificence of the Emperour of Russia Sir Thomas Smith being sent Ambassador from King James to Boris Emperour of Russia Anno Christi 1604. one of his company thus relates their entertainment When saith hee wee entrâ—d the presence wee beheld the excellent Majesty of a mighty Emperour seated in a chair of gold richly embroidered with Persian stuffe In his right hand hee held a golden Scepter had a Crown of pure gold upon his head a coller of rich stones and Pearles about his neck his outward garments of Crimson Velvet embroidered very fair with Pearles precious Stones and Gold On his rightâ—hand stood a very fair Globe of beaten Gold or a Pyramis with a Cross on it Nigh that stood a fair Bason and Ewre which the Emperour used daily Close by him on another Throne sate the Prince in an outward Garment like his Fathers but not so rich with an high black Fox cap on his head worth there five hundred pound having a golden staffe in his hand On the Emperours right hand stood two gallant Noble men in cloath of silver high black Fox Caps with great long gold chains hanging to their feet with Poleaxes of gold on their shoulders and on the left hand of the Prince stood two other such but their Poleaxes were of silver round about on benches sate the Council and Nobility in golden and Persian Coats and high black Fox Caps to the number of two hundred the ground being covered with cloath of Arras After dinner saith hee again wee were led to have audience through many Chambers to a very fair and rich room where was infinite store of massie plate of all sorts where wee again viewed the Emperour and Prince seated under two Chairs of state each having a scul of Pearl upon their heads In the midst of the room stood a great Pillar round about which for a great height stood wonderful great peeces of Plate very curiously wrought with Beasts Fishes and Fowles besides other ordinary peeces of serviceable Plate The Emperour at dinner was served in rare dishes of silver but most of Massie gold c. Sic transit gloria mundi Pur. Pil. v. 3. p. 748. The Permians and Samoeds described The Permians lie North from Russia and are now subject to the Emperor thereof they have broad and flat faces like the Tartars from whom probably they had their original they live by hunting and trading with their Furrs The Samoeds live more towards the North Sea they are very brutish eating all manner of raw flesh even to the very carrion that lyeth in the ditch they are also subject to the Russees they acknowledge one God but represent him by such creatures as they have most good by and therefore they worship the Sun the Ollen the Losh c. They are clad in Seals-skins with the hairy side outward that reaches as low as the knees with their breeches and stockings of the same both men and women they are all black-haired and beardlesse the women are known from the men by a lock of hair hanging down by their ears they are ever
not knowing of his Brothers imprisonment because hee heard nothing from him thought that his suit was rejected and thereupon addressed himself to the King of Spain who after many delayes furnished him with two ships only for discovery with this small assistance hee sailed in the Ocean more than threescore dayes without discovery of any land so that his discontented Spaniards began to mutiny absolutely resolving to go no further Columbus did all that hee could to pacifie and incourage them but when nothing would prevail hee was fain to ingage himself to them that if land was not discovered within three dayes hee would steer his course back again At the end of which time one of the company discryed fire an evident sign of land which they took possession of Anno Christi 1492. and Columbus in honour of the Spaniards called it Hispaniola after which hee discovered Cuba and so with much treasure and greater content hee returned into Spain and after two other voyages hee sickned and dyed and was buried at Sivil This Columbus being on a time at supper with some of the great Spanish Dons in the Court they took occasion to speak very sleightly of his Indian discoveries as if it was such a small matter which might have been performed by any man Hee hearing them called for an Egge and when hee had it desired them to try if any of them could make it stand an end upon their trenchers they all tryed and by indeavouring equally to poise it laboured to make it stand but could not then did Columbus take it and knocking it down pretty hard crackt the end which caused it to stand upright at this they all laughed saying that every fool could do so Yea saith hee and now I have made a discovery of that new world every one can go thither c. VVhen the Spaniards first arrived in those parts they found the Inhabitants naked unacquainted with husbandry making their bread of Cassavy roots worshiping the Devils whom they called Zemes in remembrance of whom they had certain Images made of Cotton-wool like to our Childrens babies To these they did great reverence as supposing the spirit of their Zemes to bee in them and the Devil to blind them the more would sometimes make these Puppets move and make a noise they stood also in great fear of them for if they did not fulfil his will the Devil would execute vengeance upon some of the Children of these poor deluded souls They thought the Christians to bee immortal wondring at the Masts Sails and tacklings of their ships and to try whether they were immortal or no having taken some straglers they held their heads under water till they were strangled which made them change their opinions They esteemed gold and silver no more than dross yet for the colours sake adorned themselves therewith as they did with shells feathers and the like The Spaniards after their coming amongst them behaved themselves very cruelly killing them like sheep and forcing them like beasts to labour in their Mines to carry their burthens and to do all manner of drudgery which caused them so to hate them that one Haythney a noble man amongst them being perswaded to bee baptised with the promise of Heaven for his reward asked whither the Spaniards went when they dyed and when answer was made that they went to Heaven hee renounced his intended Baptisme protesting that hee had rather go to Hell with the unbaptised than to live in Heaven with so cruel a people In some places there was such abundance of gold that in some Mines they found more gold than earth which the Indians exchanged greedily for Hammers Knives Axes Hatchets and such tools of Iron for before they were fain to make their Canows or Boats plain without of the body of a great tree which they made hollow with the force of fire Columbus having thus happily begun this noble enterprize hee was seconded by Americus Vesputio a Florentine from whom unjustly it was called America To him succeeded John Cabot imployed by our King Henry the seventh Ferdinando Magellane first found out the South passage called the streights of Magellane by which hee compassed the world and was afterwards followed by our Drake and Candish and the Dutch Nandernoort since which time another Dutchman called Le Maire found out a more Southerly passage into the South Sea called Le Maires Streights by which hee also compassed the world America is divided into two parts Mexicana and Peruana Mexicana is the Northern tract containing the Provinces of Mexico Quivira Nicaragua Jucutan Florida Virginia Norembega New-France New-England c. Mexico is now called New-Spain in which is that excellent tree called Mete which they plant and dress as wee do our Vines yeelding so many sorts of commodities For when they bee tender they make of them Conserves Paper Flax Mantles Mats Shooes Girdles and Cordage On the leaves grow prickles so hard and sharp that they use them in stead of sawes From the root of the tree comes a juice like unto syrup which if you seeth it will become Hony if you purifie it it will become Sugar you may also make Wine and Vineger of it The rind rosted cureth hurts and sores and from the top boughs is such a Gum which is an excellent antidote against poison It abounds also with many golden sanded Rivers wherein are Crocodiles which the natives eat It hath Mines of gold and a mountain burning like Aetna It s bounded on the East with Jucutan and the Gulph of Mexico on the West with California on the South with Peruana and the Northern limits are not known It was very populous before the arrival of the Spaniards who in seventeen years slew six millions of them roasting some plucking out the eyes cutting off the arms of others and casting them alive to bee devoured of dogs and wild beasts Mechuacan one of the Provinces of New-Spain abounds with Mulberry trees Silk Hony Wax black Amber and great plenty of Fish the Inhabitants are tall strong active and speak a copious language Mexico hath in it a City of the same name in compass six miles consisting of six thousand houses of Spaniards and sixty thousand of Indians It s situate on Lakes and Islands like Venice every where interlaced with pleasant currents of fresh and Sea waters The plain wherein the Town standeth is seventy leagues in compass environed with high hills on the tops of which Snow lyeth continually The Lake on whose banks the City lyeth is fifty miles in compass the banks whereof are adorned with pleasant Towns and houses and on the Lake are fifty thousand wherreyes plying continually Nigh to this City is the Gulph of Mexico whose current is so swift and heady that ships cannot pass directly to and fro but are compelled to bear either much North or much South It s nine hundred miles in compass and hath two Ports one between the farthest part of Jucatan and the Isle of Cuba at
and comely When the King dieth they bury him with solemnity and upon his grave they set the cup wherein hee was wont to drink and about it they stick many Arrows for six months certain women are appointed to bewail his death His house and goods they burn together They sow or set their Corn as in Virginia and have two seeds times and two harnests their meat is Venisons Fish and Crocodiles dried in the smoak for preservation Peruana Described The other part of this new World is called Peruana being in compasse seventeen thousand miles comprehending in it Golden Castile Guiana Peru Brisile and Chili The first is so called from the abundance of gold in it lying in the Northern parts of Peruana and part of the Istmus which is but seventeen miles broad between sea and sea It s admirably stored with silver Spices Pearls and medicinal herbs and is divided into the Provinces of Castella del oro Nova Andaluzia Nova Granata and Carthagena Castella del Oro is in the very Istmus an unhealthful Countrey the chief Cities are Nombre de dios on the East and Panama on the West side Through which two places comes all the traffique between Spain and Peru. The commodities from Peru being unladen at Panama in the South sea and thence carried by land to Nombre de dios in the North sea and thence shiped to Spain In Guiana is the great River Orenoque which is Navigable with ships of burthen for one thousand miles and with Boats and Pinnasses almost two thousand more It was discovered by Sir Walter Rawleigh and the River Margnon called the River of the Amazons which is Navigable almost six thousand miles and towards the sea two hundred miles broad Peru lieth under the Aequinoctial line and stretcheth for the space of eight hundred leagues upon six hundred whereof viz. from Atacama to Tumbez it never rainethâ— and yet it is as fruitful a land for all sorts of necessaries for the life of man as is in the world On the West frontire is a mighty ridg of high Mountains that are always covered with Snow from whence issue great store of Rivers into the South sea with the water whereof being led by sluces and channels they moisten their vineyards and Corn fields which makes them exceeding fruitful Besides Mines of gold and silver there are mines of Copper and Tin there is also abundance of Salt-peter and Brimstone It is now well replenished with horses kine sheep goats and Wheat The Fortresse of Cusco Described One of the Incas of Peru built a fort that may rather seem the work of Devils than of men especially considering that these Indians had neither Iron nor steel to work and cut the stones with nor Cart nor Oxen to draw them yet was this Fort built with stones that seemed Rocks rather than stones drawn by strength of men with great Cables and that through uneven ways in rough mountains many of them being brought from places that were ten twelve and some fifteen Leagues off especially that stone which the Indians called VVearied which was brought fifteen Leagues and over a great river in the way The most of them came five Leagues off these stones they joined so close together in the building that the joynts could scarcely bee discerned which required often lifting up and setting down neither could they make Cranes or any kind of Engines to help them therein neither had they square or Rule to direct their work Instead of mortar they used a kinde of Clay that held faster This Fortresse was built on an hill on the North side of the City of Cusco the hill was so steep on one side that that way it could not bee assaulted and therefore one wall served on that side which was two hundred fathoms long On the other sides they made three walls one without another each being above two hundred fathoms and were made in the fashion of an half Moon in which there were stones admirably great each wall had in the middest one gate which was covered over with one entire stone each wall stood thirty foot distant from the other and at the top of them the battlements were above a yard high Within those walls there were three strong forts the middlemost was round which had in it a Conduit of very good water brought under ground from far The walls were all adorned with gold and silver and had Images of beasts birds and Plants enchased therein which served instead of Tapestry the other two Forts were square and they had passages under ground from one to another artificially made with Labarinthian windings and turnings inextricable but by a thread They drew their great stones with great Cables To draw the stone which they called Wearied they had twenty thousand Indians the one half before the other behind and yet in one uneven passage it crushed three or four thousand of them to death This proved so unweildy that they never laid it in the building Pur. Pil. v. 4. p. 1478. Another of the Incas to shew his magnificence caused a chain of gold to bee made which was seven hundred foot long and every link as big as a mans wrist two hundred Indians could but lift it Caxamalca another City in Peru is four miles in circuit entered by two gates on the one side stands a great Palace walled about having within it a great Court planted with trees this they call The house of the Sun whom they worship putting off their shooes when they enter into it in this City there are two thousand houses the streets are as strait as a line the walls are strong built of stone about three fathoms high within there are fair fountains of water In the middest is a very fair street walled about having before it a fortress of stone On one side of this street was the Palace of the â—nâ—as or Emperor with lodgings and Gardens the houses were all painted with diverse colours and in one room were two great Fountains adorned with plates of Gold one of them was so hot that a man cannot endure his hand in it the other was cold Atabalipa was Emperour when the Spaniards took it from whom they presently got fifty thousand Pezoes of gold each of them being worth one ducat and two Carolines and seven thousand Marks of silver besides many Emeralds The Spaniards asked Atabalipa what he would give them for his ransome Hee told them that hee would fill that room with Gold to a mark that was higher than a tall man could reach by a span the room being five and twenty foot long and fifteen foot broad Then they asked him how much silver hee would give besides Hee answered as much as ten thousand Indians could carry in vessels of silver of diverse sorts The Spaniards went to Cusco to receive part of it where they found a Temple of the Sun covered with plates of gold as also many pots and vessels of gold yea there was such store
of gold as amazed them especially one seat which weighed ninteen thousand Pezoes of gold In another room the pavement and walls were covered with plates of gold and silver they found also a great house full of pots and tubs of silver The Spaniards having worn out their horses shooes in their travel caused the Indians to shooe them with gold In the City of Pachalchami they found an Image with many Emeralds at his feet fastened in gold Idem p. 1490. Peru is plentiful in all manner of grain hath civil Inhabitants many Cities and an healthful air It hath store of Tobacco first brought into England by some Marriners Anno Christi 1585. the use whereof is now grown too common It abounds above all other Provinces with gold and silver In this Countrey is the river of Plate one hundred and fifty miles broad at the mouth and two thousand miles long In it also is a beast that hath a bag in her neck into which shee puts her young ones when any body approaches and so runs away with them there is also a sort of fig-trees of which they write that the Northside that stands towards the Mountains bringeth forth fruit in the Summer only and the Southside towards the Sea is fruitfull only in winter Atabalipa King of this Countrey being taken prisoner by the Spaniards was forced to redeem his life with an house full of refined gold and silver judged to bee worth ten millions which when they had received they perfidiously slew him The admirable High-waies in Peru described In Peru in the West-Indies are two admirable High-wayes made by the Ingas or Emperours The one is by the Andes or Forrests from Pasto unto Chile being nine hundred Leagues long the Cawsey five and twenty foot broad and every four leagues hath a stately house where was provision of victuals and apparel and every half League men that stood ready to carry messages and orders from hand to hand The other way was thorow the Plains along the coast of twenty five foot broad and on each side a wall of a mans height from Piura to Chile where both the wayes met This latter way was between trees that yeelded a very pleasant shadow in those hot Countries and both of them began at the imperial City of Cuzco P. Pil. v. 3. p. 887 888. The Emperors Garden described There belonged also to the Incas a Garden of silver and gold wherein were many sorts of Herbs Flowers Plants Trees Beasts great and small Snakes Snails Lizzards Butterflies small and great Birds each set in their places all of gold They had also Maiz Quinua Pulse Fruit-trees with fruit on them all of gold and silver resembling the natural In the Incas house they had heaps of wood all counterfeit of gold and silver All the vessels which were infinite for the Temple-service Pots Pans Tubs Hogsheads were of gold and silver yea the spades and pickaxes for the Garden were of the same At the taking of this City by the Spaniards the Image of the Sun fell to one Captains share who lost it one night at dice whereupon they said That hee had played away the Sun before it was up P. Pil. v. 4. p. 1464 c. The Temple of the Sun described Cusco the Imperial City of the Incas in America when the Spaniards first took it had in it a Temple of the Sun all the walls whereof were covered with plates of gold from the top to the bottom At the East end was the image of the Sun of one plate of gold as thick again as the other the face was round with raies of gold like flames of fire all of one peece It was so big that it filled all from one wall to the other On both sides were the bodies of their deceased Kings embalmed set in seats of gold placed on planks of gold All the doors about the Temple were lined with plates of gold without the Temple on the top of the walls ran a champhered work of gold above a yard broad round about the Temple Beyond the Temple ran a cloister of four squares round about the top whereof was such a crown of champhered gold above a yard broad In the corners of the Cloister were Chappels one whereof was dedicated to the Moon all which with the Gates thereof were covered with plates of silver the image was placed as that of the Suns with the face of a woman all of one plank of silver The next Chappel was dedicated to Venus and the Starres lined also with silver and the porch of silver The third was dedicated to the Thunder and Lightning The fourth to the Rainbow which two last were all lined and garnished with gold Hard by was an house for the Priests all lined with gold from the top to the bottom There were twelve doors to the Cloister and as many Tabernacles or Shrines which were all plated over with gold in form of Porches and the floores covered with gold The Images were all set with Turkesses and Emeralds In the house also were five Fountains of water wherein they washed the sacrifices out of them the water ran in Pipes of gold and many of their pillars were of gold hollow and some of them were of silver Brasile hath on the North Guiana on the South the River of Plate and Chile on the East the Ocean and on the West the Mountains of Peru called the Andes The hills are high and craggie full of ravenous beasts and poisonous Serpents on them also inhabite a barbarous people going stark naked In the Vallies the air is healthy the earth fat and alwayes flourishing It yeelds great store of Sugar and rich Mines and Brasil wood to dye with the natives go naked and are very barbarous In their feasts they used to roast a fat man and cutting him to collops did eat him with much delight Both men and women are great swimmers and excellent divers being able to endure long under water Here is a beast so slow in motion that in fifteen dayes hee cannot go further than a man can throw a stone whence the Portugals call it Pigritia Brasile is generally temperate of a delicate and healthful air so that many of the Inhabitants live till they bee above one hundred years old generally it s neither hot nor cold The Heavens are very pure and clear especially by night The Moon is prejudicial to health and corrupteth things very much the mornings are most healthful there are very little twilights their Summer begins in September and endeth in February Their Winter in March and ends in August the nights and dayes are almost all equal The Country is very watery both from the plenty of Rain and Rivers It s full of great woods which are green all the year Towards the Sea coast it is Hilly From Parnambuck to the Captainship of the Holy-Ghost it s scarce of stone From thence to St. Vincent mountainous with many Quarries of stone there is little provision for
in one of the most populous Regions in the World saith Casas there remain not above four or five thousand persons Cortes used to have four Kings to wait upon him hee burned sixty Kings their children looking on Another Spaniard cast four of their Kings to bee devoured by his dogs In New-Spain from the year 1518 to 1530. within the compasse of four hundred and eighty miles about Mexico they destroyed above four millions of people by fire and sword besides those that dyed by miserable servitude and drudgery In the Province of Naco and Honduras in the space of eleven years two millions of men perished by the same ways In Guatimala in sixteen years space were destroied five millions of souls Alvarado who was the instrument of this destruction dyed by the fall of his horse and had his City of Guatimala destroyed and overwhelmed by a threefold deluge of Earth water and stones In his expeditions he forced the Indians by ten or twenty thousand at a time to go with him allowing them no other sustenance but the flesh of their slain enemys keeping in his Army Shambles of mans flesh In Panuco and Xalisco they exercised the like cruelties One of the Spaniards forced eight thousand of the Indians to wall about his Garden and suffered them all to perish with Famine In Machuachan they tortured the King that came forth to meet them that they might extort gold from him they set his feet in the stocks and put fire thereto binding his hands to a Post behind him and then had a boy standing by that basted his roasted feet with Oil Another stood with a Cross-bow bent against his breast and a third stood with Dogs ready to devour him by these tortures hee dyed They forced the Indians to bring them their gods hoping they had been of gold but when their golden hopes failed they forced them to redeem them again with Gold Yea where the Fryers had forced the Indians to cast away their gods the Spaniards brought more from other places to sell them In the Province of St. Martha they laid utterly waste and desolate four hundred and fifty miles of land by destroying the Inhabitants The like they did in the Kingdome of Venezula where they destroyed four or five millions Besides they carried of them Captive out of the Continent into the Islands a million of People They spared no sort of persons plucked the Children from the breasts to quarter them to their dogs tortured Kings with new devices borrowed either from the Inquisition or from hell they used to cut off the Noses and hands of men and women that lived peaceably with them they sold Fathers Mothers Children asunder into diverse places and to diverse persons never to meet again they used to ly with the women that being with child they might yeild them the more mony in their sale The Spanish Priests used to devote them with Curses to the Devil and taught them vices by their evil practises and examples insomuch as one said Hee would perswade the King of Spain to send no more Priests into America They teach them Usury Lying Swearing Blasphemy A Caciques son that was towardly in his youth and proved after dissolute being asked the reason of it said since I was a Christian I have learned to swear several sorts of Oaths to Dice to Lye to swagger and now I want nothing but a Concubine to make mee a compleat Christian This made them to say that of all Gods the Christians God was the worst which had such bad servants and to wish for their own gods again of whom they never received so much hurt as from the Christians A Christian said one of them is one that impiously demands Maiz Honey Silk Raiment an Indian woman to lye with they call for gold and silver are idle and will not work are Gamesters Dicers wicked Blasphemers Backbiters Quarrellers c. And taking a peece of Gold hee said Loe this is the Christians God For this they kill us and one another for this they play blaspheme curse steal and do all manner of villanies In Peru they had publike places of torture whereinto they might put a thousand of the miserable Creatures at once by exquisite tortures to force them to a confession of their hidden treasures such as escaped these used to hang themselves in the Mountains and their wives by them and their little children at their feet By Dogs at Land they worried them and in their Pearl fishings exposed them to the ravenous Sharks in the seas by fire and sword consuming twenty millions of people since the Jesuits went amongst them These and infinite more have been the cruelties which the cruel Spaniards have exercised upon the poor naked innocent people Our Author a Papist that relates these things least any should think that hee wrote too much protests that they were a thousand times worse than hee had set down the Reading whereof might astonish the sence of the Reader amaze his Reason exceed his faith and fill his heart with horror and uncouth passions It is no marvel that God follows such bloody beasts with his vengeance as lately hee hath done if the relation be true which cometh from the mouths of some of themselves lately taken by some of our Frigots upon the Coast of Spain as they came out of these Countryes whereof the Narrative follows The Marquesse of Baydex now taken by our Fleet neer Cadiz upon examination saith that above five months since there happened in Lima a fearfull Earthquake and a most miraculous rain of fire in Peru insomuch that the whole City of Lima is swallowed up and destroyed as also the City of Calao in which places there perished above eleven thousand Spaniards and through the wonderful distinguishing hand of God not above one hundred Indians In the City of Lima the King of Spain hath lost by the Earthquake one hundred Millions of silver ready wrought up Also the famous Mines of Potozi where they had their greatest quantities of silver are destroyed in a wonderfull manner so that the hill is not to be seen but all is plain nor is there any further possibility of having gold or silver in Peru Some of the Spaniards themselves acknowledge that this judgement is justly befaln them for their cruelty to the poor Indians who crying to God for vengeance have pulled down this visible hand of God upon them Lima and Potosi Described In Lima no houses are covered on the tops because it never rains and is a hot Countrey no City in India is richer Over the top of the Mountain of Potosi there always hangs a cloud even in the clearest day The hill riseth in the form of a Pyramis being three Leagues high environed with cold air at the foot of it standeth the fair City of Potosi within six leagues about grows no grasse Corn nor wood the entrance and Mine works are so dangerous that few that go in return again The metal lies above two