Ecbatane was once the Metropolis of it twenty miles distant from the Caspian Straits which are a narrow way made by hand through the Hills scarce wide enough for a Cart to pass eight miles in length the rocks with their obscure frowns hanging over them and in the summer time multitudes of Serpents guarding them The walls of Ecbatane were built of hewen stone seventy cubits high and fifty cubits broad and sixteen miles in compasse Herodotus saith that after the Assyrians had raigned in Asia five hundred and twenty years the Medes rebelled chose Deioces for their King at whose command they builded him this royall City and in it a Palace of Cedar wood joyned with plates of silver and gold being a stately thing the whole compasse of it was seven furlongs Diodorus Siculus reports that at one time multitudes of Sparrows that devoured their seed forced the inhabitants to leave this Countrey and to seek their living in other places as Mice caused them in some part of Italy and Frogs that rained out of the Clouds made the Attariotae and Fleas chased away the Inhabitants of Myus How great is that God who of the smallest of his Creatures can muster Armies to conquer them that swell in the conceit of their own greatnesse as against Pharoah c. And how many Nations in Africa have the Grashoppers exiled from their native habitations amongst the Medes none might bee King except hee was in stature and strength more eminent than others They used to nourish Dogs with great care to whom they cast men ready to dye whilest yet breathing to bee devoured of them In this Country is the Lake of Van three hundred miles long and a hundred and fifty broad of salt water the greatest next to Meotis Gyllicus affirms that eight great Rivers run into it without any apparent issue to the Sea Parthia described Parthia is seated at the roots of the mountains having the Arians on the East the Medes on the West Caramania on the South and Hyrcania on the North surrounded with Desarts they used not gold or silver but only to adorn their armour they had many wives of whom they were so jealous that they forbad them the sight of any other man They performed all businesses both publick and private on horseback this being the distinction of free men from servants they buried their dead in the bellies of birds or dogs they were exceeding superstitious in the service of their Gods they were a stout unquiet and unfaithful people their fight was more dangerous in their flight than in their onset whence Seneca saith Terga conversi metuenda Parthi The Parthians flight doth most affright It s now called Arach Hyrcania described Hyrcania now Strava hath on the West Media on the East Margiana on the South Parthia and on the North the Caspian Sea It s famous for store of woods and Tygers Strava the chief City abounds with trafick for Silk Their Religion agrees with that of the Persians Arabia described Arabia is a very large Country lying between the Persian Gulph on the East and the Arabian Gulph on the West On the South is the Ocean and on the North is Syria and Euphrates It s usually divided into Petraea Deserta and Foelix The name Faelix or Happie is given to the Southern part from the fertility of it Petraea to a second part of Petra the Seat Royal Deserta or the Desert from the nature of it being a very barren soil Arabia the Desert is bounded on the East with Babylonia and part of the Persian Gulph on the North with Mesopotamia neer to Euphrates On the West with Syria and Arabia Petraea and on the South with the Mountains of Arabia Faelix neer unto which and Euphrates it hath some Towns which are frequented by Merchants In other parts it is unpeopled only by some roving Arabians wandering in it seeking pasture for their Cattel Arabia Petraea hath Syria on the West and North Arabia the Desert on the East and Arabia Foelix on the South some call it Nabathaea that part of it which is next to Syria is fruitful the other barren wanting both wood and water and frequented by wandring theevish Arabians In this Country it was that the Israelites wandred forty years up and down in their passage to Canaan Here is Mount Sinai a mile and an half from Horeb and far higher Sinai is ascended by steps cut out of the Rock and from the top of it may bee seen both shores of the Red-Sea Arabia Foelix bounds upon the former and hath the Sea on all other parts against which it doth abut for the space of three thousand five hundred and four miles It s now called Ayaman or Giamen It s probable to bee the Country where Saba stood whose Queen came to visit Salomon though the Abassines challenge her to themselves It hath store of Rivers Lakes Towns Cities Cattel and fruits of many sorts The chief Cities are Medina Mecca Ziden Zebit Aden c. Here is store of gold silver and variety of precious stones As also wild beasts of diverse kinds The Inhabitants use circumcision at thirteen years old after the â—xample of Ismael Frankincense grows only in this Country and not in every part but in one part only guarded and almost unpassable by Rocks the place is one hundred miles long and about fifty in breadth there are three hundred families appointed to attend this Wood who are called Holy and when they cut the trees whence Incense sweats which is in the Spring and Autum they must abstain from Women funerals c. when it s gathered they carry it on Camels by Sabota where they pay the Tithe to a God called Sabis They have in Arabia sheep with great tailes some of which weigh forty pounds some much more they kill all the Mice they can as supposing them enemies to their Gods the women cover their faces being contented rather to see but with one eye than to prostitute their whole faces They have also Balsom trees The Arabick language is now the most common in all the Eastern Countries especially amongst those that imbrace the Mahometan Religion Tartary described The Tartars inhabit a vast space of ground in Asia and are divided into many Tribes different both in name and government one from another The greatest and mightiest of them is the Crim Tartar called by some the great Cham that lyeth South and South East from Russia Their Arms are Bows Arrows and Swords they are all Horse-men and use to shoot as readily backward as forward the common souldiers have no armour more than their ordinary apparel which is a black sheep skin with the wool side outward in the day time and inward in the night with a cap of the same the Nobles imitate the Turks both in apparrel and armour In their wars they chiefly seek to get store of Captives especially of Boyes and Girles whom they sell to the Turks or other neighbour Nations they are most
hot Thus hath the wise disposer of all things tempered bitter things with sweet to teach us that there is no true and perfect content in any Kingdome but that of heaven They have store of good Horses and Camels Dromedaries Mules Asses Rhynocerots which are as long as the fairest Oxe in England their skines lye plaited in wrinkles on their backs They have many Elephants their King having usually fourteen thousand and many of the Nobles a hunded a peece There are some of them fifteen foot high all of them black their skin thick and smooth without hair they take much delight in the water and will swim excellent well they are exceeding docible so that they will do almost any thing the keeper bids them If he would have them affright a man he will make towards him as if hee would tread him in peeces and yet when hee comes to him not touch him If hee bid him abuse a man hee will take dirt or kennel water in his trunk and dash it in his face c. They are most sure of foot never stumbling they are governed with a hook of steel with which their keeper sitting on their Necks pull them back or prick them forward at their pleasure Every Male hath allowed to him four females The Inhabitants of Indostan Described The Inhabitants before they were conquered by Tamerlane were all Gentiles but now they are mixed with Mahometans they are of stature like us very streight seldome or never is there a crooked person amongst them They are of an Olive colour have black hair but not curled they love not any that are white saying that they are like Lepers their chins are bare but have long hair on their upper lips shave their heads only reserve a lock on the Crown for Mahomet to pull them to heaven by The habits of men and women differ little mostly made of white Cotton cloth made close to the middle then hanging loose down below the knee under them they have long breeches reaching to the ancle and close to their bodies their feet are bare in their shooes which they commonly wear like Slippers which they put off when they come into their houses whose floores are covered with excellent Carpets upon which they sit when they talk or eat like Taylors on their shop boards on the mens heads are shashes which is a long thin wreath of cloath white or coloured The Mahometan women cover their heads with vails their hair hangs down behind twisted with silk oft bedecked with jewels about their necks and wrists their ears have pendants their nostrils pierced to put in rings at their pleasure Their ease in child bearing is admirable for it is a common thing there for women great with child one day to ride carrying their Infants in their bodies and the next day to ride carrying them in their arms The great Mogol every year at the entring of the Sun into Aries makes a feast to his Nobles which lasts nine days at which time they present him with gifts and he again repays them with Princely rewards I was astonished saith mine Author who was an eye witnesse of it when I beheld at that time the incredible riches of gold pearls Pretious stones jewels and many other glittering vanities which were amongst them The walls in the Kings house are painted or beautified with pure white Lime the floores are covered with rich and costly Carpets there lodge none with him in his house but his Eunuches and women and some little boys that hee keeps for detestable uses hee always eats in private amongst his women upon great variety of excellent dishes which being prepared and proved by the Taster are served up in vessels of Gold covered and sealed up and so by the Eunuches brought to him In this Empire there are no Inns to entertain strangers onely in great Towns are fair houses built for their receit which they call Sarrays not inhabited where Travellers have room freely but they must bring with them beds food and other necessaries which they usually carry upon Camells or in Carts drawn with Oxen wherein they have tents to pitch when they meet with no Sarray's The inferior sort of people ride upon Oxen Horses Mules Camels or Dromedaries and the women like unto the men or else in slight Coaches drawn with Oxen many whereof are white and large and they are guided with cords which go through the parting of their Nostrils and so betwixt their horns into the Coach-mans hands they are nimble and will go twenty miles a day The better sort ride upon Elephants or are carried on mens shoulders in Sedans which they call Palankeenes In all their great Cities they have Markets twice a day early in the morning and in the evening wherein they sell almost every thing by weight They are generally so superstitious that they will rather dye than eat or drink any thing that their Law forbids The chief Cities in the great Mogols Countries Described Lahore in the great Mogols Country is a vast and famous City not much inferiour to Agra the Metropolis yea for circuit and bravery it much excells it The aire for eight months is pure and restorative the streets are paved and gracefull which are cleansed and watered by the River Ravee which flows most pleasantly into this City from the Casmyrian Mountains and after a stately course of three thousand English miles deep enough for Junks of sixty Tun it falls into Indus at Tutia This City is beautified with stately palaces Mosques Hummums or Sudatories Tanks or Ponds Gardens c. The Castle is large strong uniform pleasant and bravely seated being built of hard white and polished stone armed with twelve Posternes within which is a Palace sweet and comely entred by two Gates and Courts on the walls are pictured sundry stories and pastimes From this City to Agra is five hundred miles the Country in all that distance being even without Mountains and hills and the high way planted on both sides with shady Ash-trees whose spreading green tops lenefies the scorching heat of the Sun At the end of each eight miles is a fair and convenient lodge built for travellers to repose themselves in Herb. Trav. p. 69. Pur. Pil. v. 2. p. 1468. Brampore in the same Countrey is a City seated low and in an unhealthful plain very large and spacious and inhabited most by the Bannians the streets are many and narrow the houses not high and but meanly beautifull In the North-East end it hath a Castle standing by the Rivers side large and defensive In the River is an Artificial Elephant so skilfully shaped that by the Bannians it is adored and by others admired Idem Fettipore if the water were good it had triumphed over all the Cities in India It is walled about and to the North North West hath a lake or fish pond five miles over The North East hath a fair Buzzar or market place five hundred paces long well paved and built on all sides
more upon the back than upon the belly They are very ambitious and good Souldiers knowing as well how to use a victory as to gain it and are more exactly observant of Discipline than any other Nation in the world The Kingdome is hereditary and for want of an heir male it falls to the distaff Granada which is bounded with Murcia on the East Andaluzia on the West Castile on the North and the Mediterranean Sea on the South The chief Cities are 1. Granata a neat and stately Town the houses being all built of freestone with curious workmanship It hath many wholsome Springs about it and is fenced about with a strong wall in which are twelve Gates and one hundred and thirty Turrets 2. Alamia famous for her Baths 3. Malaga whence comes our Malaga sacks 4. Almeria a great Port-Town 5. Osuna 1. Estremedura watered with the River Batis the chief Cities are 1. Merida 2. Guadaloâ—nal famous for her Mines of Gold and Silver 4. Gallicia a very mountainous Country In it the chief Cities are 1. Compostella in which is an University 2. Baiona at the mouth of Minius 3. Coronna called the Groine a place often spoken of in our wars with Spain in Queen Elizabeths time 5. Biscaie having Navarre on the East Old Castile on the South Leon on the West and the Cantabrian Ocean on the North. The chief Cities are 1. Tholosa 2. St. Sebastian 3. Fontaraby 4. Bilbo It abounds with good Wines store of cattel and the best sword-blades It s mountainous and woody out of the hills arise one hundred and fifty Rivers of which Iberus and Duerus are the chief It yeelds plenty of Iron and good Timber for ships They admit no Bishops amongst them and the women at all meetings drink first 6. Toledo the chief City is of the same name standing upon the River Tagus beautified with many Palaces of rare and admirable architecture and fortified with good walls on which stand one hundred and fifty Towers it s seated almost in the midst of Spain and is well inhabited by Noble men for pleasure by Merchants for profit and by souldiers it being garrisoned The Arch-Bishop hereof is the chief Prelate of Spain President usually of the Inquisition whose revenues amount to three hundred thousand Crowns per annum It hath in it an University 2. The next City is Calatrava on the River Ana. 3. Talbora on the River Tagus a very neat City 7. Murcia The chief Cities whereof are 1. Alicante whence comes our true Aliâ—ant Wine made of the juice of Mulberries growing here in great plenty Murcia on the River Segourg 3. Cartagena a brave haven upon the Mediterranean Sea 8. Castile bounded on the East with Navarre Arragon and Toledo on the West with Portugal on the North with Asturias and on the South with Andaluzia and Granada It s now divided into the new and old the Old is on the North side wherein the chief Cities are 1. Soria 2. Segovia famous for Wooll and cloathing 3. Validolid a neat Town and an University 4. Avila 5. Burgos 6. Salamanca the chiefest University in Spain New-Castile is on the South of the old The chief Cities are 1. Madrid the Kings seat and the most populous City in all Spain though it bee seated in a barren Country 2. Alcara de Henares formerly Complutum an University 3. Alcantara 4. Signeuca a small Academy 5. Cuenca nigh to which is the Escurial or Monastery of St. Lawrence built by King Philip the second A building of that magnificence that no building either in times past or present is comparable to it The Front towards the VVest is adorned with three stately Gates the middlemost whereof leadeth into a very sumptuous Temple and into a Monastery wherein are one hundred and fifty Monks of the order of St. Jerom and a Colledge That on the right hand openeth into divers offices belonging to the Monastery That on the left into Schools and out-houses belonging to the Colledge At the four corners are four Turrets of excellent workmanship and for height Majestical towards the North is the Kings Palace On the South part are diverse beautiful and sumptuous Galleries And on the East side sundry Gardens and walks very pleasing and delightful It contains in all eleven several Quadrangles every one Cloistered about Portugal described 9. Portugal hath on the North the River Minius On the South the River Ana On the VVest the Ocean and on the East Castile formerly it was called Lusitania The air is very healthful the Country for the most part is hilly and bare of Corn But it abounds with Hony VVine Oil Allom Fruits Fish white-Marble Salt c. It s in compasse eight hundred seventy and nine miles the length three hundred and twenty the breadth threescore the most firtile part is about Conimbria The people are excellent Mariners and happy in forreign discoveries The Rivers great and small are near two hundred the greatest is Minius full of red Lead and its navigable one hundred miles The chiefest Cities are 1. Lisbon upon Tagus famous for traffick It s seven miles in compasse containing above twenty thousand houses of neat and elegant building It s walled about wherein towards the Sea are two and twenty Gates and towards the land sixteen on the walls stand threescore and seven Turrets 2. Miranda 3. Braga 4. Conimbra a famous University 5. Porto At the Southern part of Portugal is the Cape of St. Vincent After the overthrow of King Sebastian in the battel in Africk where three Kings fell in one day there were divers pretenders to the Crown of Portugal and amongst the rest Philip the second King of Spain was one who made a shew that their titles should bee lawfully debated yet in the mean time hee sent an Army under the Duke de Alva seized on it by force and so kept it till within these few years the Portugals drave out the Spaniards as was aforesaid on a sudden and made the Duke of Bragance one of the family of the former pretenders King who keeps it till this day The King of Spain by the losse of it hath lost one of the fairest Diamonds in this Crown having therewith lost the East Indies and Brasile in the West 10. Valentia The chiefest City is of the same name situated near the mouth of the River Guadalander In it is an University c. there is nothing of note in this Country 11. Catalonia which hath Iberus on the South Arragon on the West the Sea on the East and the Pyrenian mountains on the North the chief Cities are 1. Gironne 2. Barcelona on the Sea a Town of good strength 3. Perpignan 12. Arragon is bounded with Catalonia on the East Castile on the West Navarre on the North and Valentia on the South the River Iberus runs through the midst of this Country The chief Cities are 1. Lerida an University on the River Cinga c. there is nothing else of note The Pyrenean Hills
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
A Geographicall Description Of all the COUNTRIES In the known VVORLD AS ALSO Of the greatest and famousest Cities and Fabricks which have been or are now remaining Together with The greatest Rivers the strangest Fountains the various Minerals Stones Trees Hearbs Plants Fruits Gums c. which are to bee found in every Country Unto which is added a Description of The rarest Beasts Fowls Birds Fishes and Serpents which are least known amongst us Collected out of the most approved Authors and from such as were eye-witnesses of most of the things contained herein By SA CLARKE Pastor of the Church of Christ in Bennet Finck London PSALM 104.24 25. O Lord how manifold are thy Works In wisdome hast thou made them all The earth is full of thy riches So is the great and wide Sea wherein are things creeping innumerable both small and great Beasts c. LONDON Printed by R. I. for Thomas Newberry at the three Lions in Cornhill over against the Conduit MDCLVII A GEOGRAPHICALL DESCRIPTION OF ALL THE COVNTRIES IN THE KNOWNE WORLD as also of the Chiefest Cittyes Famousest Structures Greatest Rivers Strangest Fountaines c. Together with The rarest Beasts Birds Fishes c which are Least knownâ— amongst vs. BY SA CLARKE R Gaywood fecit A Geographicall Description Of all the COUNTRIES In the known VVORLD The Division of the World THE Earth is commonly divided into four parts Asia Africa Europe and America Asia Described Asia is divided into two parts Asia the lesse next to Europe called also Anatolia or Natolia thus bounded Towards the West and North is Greece Full West is the Archipelagus On the East is the River Euphrates On the North is the Euxine Sea And on the South the Mediterranean This Country was once of admirable fertility affording all sorts of Commodities both for necessity and delight But for the sins of her Inhabitants it s turned into barrennesse having been so often wasted by the great Monarchs of the earth First by the Babylonians then by the Meads and Persians then by the Grecians then by the Romans and lastly by the Turks who have made such wofull havock that in it are to bee seen the ruines of above four thousand Cities and Towns the residue have lost both the names and memory of their Predecessors and the people are faln from the Knowledge Religion and Industry of their fore-fathers and for the most part are Mahumetans In this Asia the Lesse are contained these Provinces Caria Jonia Doriâ— Lydia Aeolis Phrygia minor and major Cilicia Pamphilia Lycia Bythinia Pontus Paphlagonia Galacia Cappadocia Lycaonia Pysidia and Armenia minor In Jonia stood Miletum where Paul Preached to the Elders Acts 20.17 and Ephesus In Lydia were seated Laodicea Thyatira Philadelphia Sardis and Pergamus In Phrygia minor was Adramitium mentioned Act. 27.2 In Phrygia major was Colosse to whom Paul wrote his Epistle In Cilicia was Tarsus where Paul was born In this Country feed those Goats whose hair makes our curious Chamlets and Grogerams falsely called Camels hair In Pamphilia are seated Perga Pisidia and Attalia Sea Towns Act. 13 1â— 14. In Lycia the cheif City was Patara In Lycaonia were Iconium and Listra In Pisidia was the famous City of Antiochia In Asia the Greater are contained these Countries Syria Palestine Armenia major Araâ—â—a the Happy Stony Desert Media Assyria Mesopâ—tamia Persia Chaldâ—n Partâ—ia Hircania Tâ—rtaria â—hiâ—a and India In Syria are Phaenicia Caelâ—syria and Syrophâ—nicia In Phaenicia are Tyre and Sidon Sarepta and Ptolaemais In Caelosyria are Hieropolis Damascus Aleppo Tripolis c. Palestine is in length two hundred miles in breadth but fifty containing Samaria Idumaea Judaea Galile the higher called Galile of the Gentiles Galile the lower wherein were Nazareth and Mount Tabor where Christ was transfigured Armenia major now Turkomania wherein was Colchus whence Jason fetched the golden Fleece Arabia divided into three parts Arabia Deserta where the Children of Israel were fed with Manna forty years Arabia Petrosa where Mount Sinai was and the Law given Arabia Faelix abounding with Spices and Drugges where Medina is the place of Mahomets Sepulchre Media where the fruits of the Country are said to bee always green and flourishing Assyria where Nineveh stood to which Jonah was sent Mesopotamia where was Babylon Persia a great Empire where the Regall City is Persepolis Chaldaea often mentioned in Scripture Parthia the Inhabitants whereof were famous for their Archery and opposition against the Romans Hircania which hath many Cities of note and abounds with Wine and Honey Tartaria formerly called Scythia whose Queen Tomyris overcame Cyrus and cut off his head They have neither Cities nor houses but live in hoards their Prince is the great Cham. China is a very great populous and fruitful Country and the Inhabitants are very ingenuous but it is lately overrun by the Tartars as you shall hear afterwards India through the midst whereof runs the River â—anges dividing it into India intra Gangem which lieth towards the West and India extra Gangem which lyeth towards the East The chief place whereof is Goa where the Vice-roy of Portugal resides The Islands of Asia the less are Rhodes over against Caria and Cyprus formerly consecrated to Venus In the Indian Ocean the Islands are very many principally Ormus Zeilan Sumatra Avirae insulae Bocuro Java major and minor Japan the Molucco's and the Philippine Islands which abound with Spices of all sorts Pearls and Gold whereof I will now give a more particular account Asia minor more largely described Cappadocia described Cappadocia called also Leucosyria and now Amasia stretcheth four hundred and fifty miles along the Euxine Sea bounded on the West with Paphlagonia Galatia and part of Pamphilia on the South with Cilicia on the East with the Hills Antitaurus and Moschius and part of Euphrates Here runneth Halis the end of Craesus Empire both in the site and fate thereof hee being deceived with that ambiguous Oracle Craesus Halin penetrans magnam pervertet opâ—m vim that passing Halis hee should overturn a great State which hee interpreting actively of his attempts against Cyrus verified it passively in himself In Cappadocia was the City of Comana famoused by the Temple of Bellona and a great multitude of such as were there inspired by Devillish illusions Not far thence also was Castabala where was the Temple of Diana Persica Galatia or Gallo-graecia hath on the South Pamphilia and on the North it s washed with the Eâ—xine Sea by the space of two hundred and fifty miles Sinope was the chief City Deiotarâ—s a famous King but Galacia is made more famous by St. Pauls Epistle written to the Church thereof Pontus and Bithinia now called Bursia hath on the West the mouth of Pontus the Thracian Bosphorus and part of Propontis Galacia on the East part of the Euxine Sea on the North and Asia properly so called on the South The most famous Cities in it were Nice wherein was celebrated the first General Council gathered
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
with pleasant houses At one end is the Mogols house and a Mohol most excellently framed the other side is glorious by a curious Mosque or Church ascended by thirty steps adorned with a brave gate the top is full of Pyramids the Court within is six times bigger than the Royal Exchange in London excellently paved with free stone the Iles are large and well paved the Pillars all of one stone and beautifull and affronting this Gate is a most sumptuous Monument covered with painting and Pearl-shell proud in the many Princes there buried Idem Candahor is seated in a reasonable fruitfull Countrey redundant in all good things yet by reason of so many Caravans passing and repassing from Lahore to Persia all sorts of provision is very dear and the passage much pestered with theeves the City is not very spatious but strong made defensive by many helps of Nature and Art In the South and East it s surrounded with an advantagious wall In the West and North with high and precipitious Mountains the Suburbs are large adding to the City both beauty and Wealth Idem Mandow is a City both antient and famous seated on the side of a lofty and steep hill and beautified with a strong and stately Castle encompassed with a defensive wall of five miles compass the City is very beautiful adorned with Temples in one of which are buried four Kings Palaces Fortresses especially with a Tower ascended by one hundred and seventy steps supported by Massy Pillars and adorned with gates and Windows very observable Idem Surat is at this day a City great famous rich and populous yet neither air nor soil agrees with strangers the one being extream hot the other sandy and sulphurious From June to September the clouds showre down continually unhealthful rains the wind and thunder so commixing that no place in the world seems more unhealthful It s counted the third best Town in the Guiarat Kingdome Amadavar and Cambaya excelling her It s watered with a sweet River called Tappee which arising out of the Decan mountains glides through Brampore and so to Surat It s circled with a mud-wall a strong stone Castle is built at the South-West side the River washing it the VVest opens into the Buzzar through a fair gate of stone The Medan is of no great beauty nor do the shops give any splendor The houses are indifferently beautiful some of carved wood others of Brick the English and Dutch houses at the North end excelling the other for bignesse and furniture adjoyning to one gate is a Tank of water made of good free-stone circling in above one hundred sides or angles in compasse near one thousand paces Agra is the navel of the Mogols territories and Empresse of India It s watered by the River Jeminey which from Delly glides hither and commixing with Ganges flows into the Bengalan Sea It s in shape like an half Moon the streets long and narrow and nasty of seven miles continuance part of it is walled about the rest ditcht Here the Great Mogol hath a Palace wherein are two large towers at least ten foot square which are covered with Plates of the purest gold Asmeer is seated upon an high impregnable mount the greater part of the City being below fairly built walled with good stone and moated about the Country about it is Champaigne and very fruitfull The Kingdome of Bengala Described Bengala is a very large Kingdome lying along the Sea-coast one hundred and twenty leagues and as much into the land It s watered by the River Cabaris called by some Guenga It abounds with Rice VVheat Sugar Ginger long Pepper Cotton and Silk and enjoyeth a very wholesome air Gouro is the Regal City spacious and beautiful and so is Bengala which hath given name to that part of the Sea called the Gulph of Bengala Chatigan is also another of their Cities The inhabitants are a most subtile and wicked people Men and VVomen given much to uncleannesse they never dress or seeth meat twice in one pot but every time have a new one Adultery is punished with the losse of their noses In this Country are many Rhinocroces It is now subject to the Great Mogol Cambaia described Cambaia is called also Gâ—sarat containing in length from the River Bate to Circam which is a Country belonging to Persia five hundred miles upon the Sea-coasts On all other parts it s invironed with the Kingdomes of Dulcinda and Sanga on the North Mandao on the East and with the Gredosians on the VVest the Sea and the confines of Decan being the Southerly bounds It hath in it sixty thousand Cities and villages It s watered with many Rivers whereof Indus is the chief which divides it in the middle arising from Caucasus and after a course of nine hundred miles at two mouths disembogues it self into the Ocean It s a fertile Country not inferiour to any other in India the earth and trees bring forth plenty and variety of fruits It hath store of Elephants precious stones Silk Cotton c. The people are of an Olive colour and go naked except about their privities They eat no flesh but Rice Barley milk and other liveless Creatures their chief Sea-Towns are Daman Bandora Curate Ravellum and Bazuinum and within land Cambaia Madabar Campanel Tanaa c. Cambaia being the chiefest situate three miles from Indus It s called the Indian Cairo having much trafick to it by Indians Portugals Persians Arabians Armenians c. The VVomen dye their teeth black thinking it a great part of their beauty and therefore alwayes go with open lips to shew it VVhen men die they burn their bodies and their wives dressed as for a wedding burn with them Six leagues from Decan is a Hill out of which Diamonds are taken it is walled about and kept with a Garrison Their Religion is partly Moorish partly Heathenish They have Hospitals for sick or lame Birds Beasts c. yea they redeem Beasts and Birds lives and if maimed or hurt carry them to their Hospitals In the high wayes and woods they set pots with water and scatter meat to feed them If they catch a Flea or a Louse they will not kill it but let it go and you can do them no greater injury than to kill either in their presence and if by intreaty they cannot perswade you to forbear they will redeem its life with mony They drink no Wine eat no Vinegar use water only they will eat no Eggs as supposing blood to bee in them they are very careful before they sit down that no living Creature bee under them Pur. Pilgrimage The Philippine Islands described The Philippine Islands were discovered by the Spaniards out of new Spain Anno Christi 1542. who in honour of their King Philip the second gave them that name They are many in number lying far into the Sea before Cauchin-China and Chambaia some of them are great and very rich in Rice Honey Fruits Birds Beasts Fishes Gold c.
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
no other Town within three hundred miles of it In this Country are abundance of Dates whence it s called Dactylorum regio This fruit is most of â—heir food and with the stones of them they feed their Goats which makes them fat and causeth them to give store of milk The air hath this property that it presently cures all that have the French disease and come into it The chief Cities are Stafilet Dausen Dara Lapsa and Teffet Lybia hath on the East Nilus on the VVest the Atlantick Ocean On the North Numidia and on the South the Land of Negroes In this Country Arius the Heretick was born who denyed the perpetual divinity of Christ. It is now called Sarra i. e. a Desart because the whole Country is full of sandy Desarts through which Merchants use to travel eight dayes together without the sight of either River Lake Bush or Tree The chief Cities are Huadan Guargata and Toherraum They have neither King nor Lawes but are governed by the chief man in every Tribe They are most Gentiles they have some Mahometans amongst them The Land of Negroes described The Land of Negroes hath on the East Aethiopia superior On the West the Atlantick Ocean On the North Lybia and on the South the Kingdome of Manicongo The people are very ignorant and bruitish most of them Gentiles yet are there some Mahometans and Christians amongst them They took the Portugal ships when they first saw them for great birds with white wings their guns for the work of the Devil and bag-pipes for living Creatures The Nobles in the presence of the King never look him in the face but sit on their buttocks with their elbows on their knees and their hands on their faces they anoint their hair with fat of fishes which makes them stink abominably They have abundance of gold and silver very pure and fine It s watered with the River Niger which from the fifteenth of June overflows its banks for the space of forty dayes and is so many more before it returns into its channel which makes the fields very fruitful In one place Niger hides it self for six miles under ground The second River is Senega upon whose Northern bank the people are cole black but on the South only tawny The Chief Kingdomes are 1 Gualata where they have no Laws 2 Guinie where there is neither Town nor Castle except Mina built by the Portugals 3 Tombutum where the Inhabitants spend all their time in singing and dancing The King hereof is the richest of all the Princes in those parts of Africa keeping a royal Palace and hath for his guard three thousand horsemen and footmen sance number 4 Melli which is three hundred miles long the Inhabitants are rich civil and industrious 5 Cana where are Plenty of Lemons and Pomegranats 6 Gialoâ—ie where the people are so nimble that they will leap upon a horse when hee gallops and stand upright when hee runs turn themselves about and suddenly sit down mount and dismount in a trice 7 Benin where the people rase their skins with three lines drawn to the Navel without which they think they cannot bee saved Both men and women go naked till they bee married and then they wear a cloath from the wast to the knees 8 Nubia where there is a poison so exceeding strong that the tenth part of a grain will kill a man in a quarter of an hour It s sold for one hundred Duckats the ounce 9 Bornum where the people have neither wives nor children that they call their own nor names but are only distinguished by some external accident 10 Goaga where the King hath no revenues but what hee winnes from his enemies 11 Ganaga where the King hath nothing but what his Nobles please daily to allow him The Country of the Mandigos described In Guinie upon the River Gambra live the Mandingos The River abounds with Crocodiles River-horses Torpedoes running-fishes c. On the banks of it are many Geese Ducks Hernes Curlews Storks Plovers c. On the Land are Beeves Goats Guinie Hens c. The people are perfeclty black and live a very idle life except it bee in their seed-time and harvest their usual food is Rice or some Grain boiled their drink is water or Dullo made of Grain like our Ale Their houses are round covered with Reeds many of them built together and compassed with a wall of Reeds six foot high to defend them from wild-beasts which yet many times much endanger them There are Ant-hills cast up by Pismires some of them twenty foot high and in compasse able to contain twelve men which with the heat of the Sun are baked into that hardnesse that our English which trade thither for gold use to hide themselves in the ragged tops of them when they take up their stands to shoot at Deer or other beasts The Town wherein the King dwels is seated on the River compassed about with Hurdles ten foot high and fastened to strong poles On the outside is a Trench of great breadth beyond which the Town is again circled with Posts set close together of about five foot high their Armes are Azegaies or Javelins made of Reeds six foot long with an Iron Pike artificially made and dangerous they have others that they cast like Darts with barbed heads as also swords about two foot long Some have Bows and Arrows made of Reeds headed with Iron poisoned when any of them come to the King they presently kneel down and comming nearer they lay their hands first upon the ground then upon their head then comming to him they lay their hand with much submission upon the Kings thigh and so retire back the King answers them with nodding his head They are generally cloathed in cloth made of Cotton whereof there is plenty their apparrel is a shirt to their knees and a pair of breeches they are mostly bare-headed their hair bedecked with Gregories made of leather of several fashions which whilst they wear they think that no evil can betide them The King hath two wives sitting by him laying their hands on his naked skin stroaking and gently pulling the same VVhen the woman is with child shee lyes no more with her husband till the child bee weaned The wives live in great servitude beating their Grain in Morters they never are admitted to sit and eat with their husbands you shall never see kissing or dalliance betwixt husband and wife nor brawling amongst the wives though one man hath many and they equal each woman hath her several house for the night and when they appear in the morning they salute their husbands kneeling laying their hands on his thigh her apparrel is loose and party-coloured from the wast upward shee is bare to shew her painted razed body whereof they are proud turning themselves to shew it and well pleased when you handle it Few either of men or women are without Tobacco-pipes made of earth well glazed about two inches long
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
and Peel a poor Harbour facing Ireland It abounds with springs of water which make diverse usefull Rivolets the soil is indifferently fruitfull yet much of it is mountainous It yeilds Rie Wheat Barley but especially Oates of which they make their bread It s stored with Beasts Sheep of a course wooll Horses of a small size and Goates there is no want of Fish and plenty of Fowl The Aire is quick and healthful Frosts short and seldome Snow will soon dissolve because of the vicinity of the Sea and its subject to extraordinary high winds The Inhabitants are civil and laborious their drink water their meat Fish their bedding generally hay or straw they are much addicted to the musick of the Violine so that there is scarce a family but more or lesse can play upon it they are ingenious in learning manifactures and bear a great esteem and reverence to the publick service of God Naturally they are unchaste Anno Christi 1649. it was given by the Parliament to Thomas Lord Fairfax as a reward of the great services he had done for them The Azores Islands Described The Islands of Azores are nine in number Tercera St. Michael St. George St. Mary Pico Fayall Graciosa Flores and Corvo They are named Azores from the many Ayeries of Goshawks found there Of these Tercera is the greatest and fruitfullest It abounds with Oil Wine Corn Oade Fruits c. Her best Town is Angra her best Fort Brazeil her Haven bad to Anchor in Pico is the highest being as some say above fifteen miles to the top which is many times seen cleerly but about the middle of it hang the clouds It s about ten miles in circuit It s for the most part composed of Brimstone so that many times from the top issue forth flames of fire as out of Aetna Below are umbragious shades and cold Rivolets into which when the vomited fire is forced those opposite Elements eccho forth their discontents in an hideous noise In the Island of Tercera are some fountains the water whereof is so hot that it will boil an egg There is also another fountain that turns wood into stone and a Tree that grows by it hath that part of the root which grows in the water petrified the other that is out is Wood as of other trees A more particular description of the Kingdomes and Countries contained in the continent of Europe Spain Described Spain was seized upon by the Sweves Goths and Vandals Anno Christi 168. who remained in possession thereof more than four hundred years till their King Rodrigues with almost all his Nobility was defeated by the Saracens who were brought in by a certain Earl in revenge of the dishonour of his daughter whom the King had ravished These Saracens maintained themselves there above seven hundred years as well against the French as the Spaniards themselves who endeavoured to expell them It was formerly divided into twelve Kingdomes which were all reduced to one by Ferdinand and Isabel Anno Christi 1474 except that of Portugal which was subjugated by Philip the second and peaceably possessed by him and his heirs till the year 1640 as above It was in the reign of the aforesaid Ferdinand that the Indies and many other Islands were found out the riches whereof hath much augmented the potency of Spain and made her to aspire to the Monarchy of the world The chief Rivers in Spain are 1. Tagus formerly famous for his golden sands It riseth in the mountain of Seira Molina running by the City of Toledo and then smoothly gliding by the walls of Lisbon in Portugal it pays his tribute to the Western Ocean 2. Ana now Guadiana which rising about the same place afterwards runs under-ground for the space of fifteen miles as our Mole in Surrey doth 3. Baetis now Guadalquiver 4. Duerus that runneth from its head in the hills of Bâ—iscay Westward 5. Iberus which having his head in the same Mountains runs Eastward almost four hundred miles of which two hundred is navigable The chief hills are 1. Aurentius Saltus stretching from the Pyrenean Mountains towards Portugall 2. Siera Morena declining from the middest of Spain towards the straits of Gibraltar 3. Seira Nevada which crosses the Kingdome of Granata from East to West steep hills amongst which the people speak the Arabick tongue perfectly Whilst the Saracen Moors possessed Spain they divided it into twelve Principallities as 1. Leon and Oviedo having on the East Biscay on the South Castile on the North the Ocean on the West Gallicia It yeildeth little yet swift horses called Hobbies The chief Towns are 1. Aviles on the sea side 2. Palenza 3. Oviedo 4. Astorga 5. Leon. 2. Navarre having on the East the Pyrenean mountains on the West Iberus on the North Biscay and on the South Aragon The chief Cities are 1. Victoria 2. Viana 3. Sanguessa 4. Pampelune the Metrotropolis of the Country Anno Christi 1512. in the reign of Queen Katherine who was married to John of Albert the King of Spain raising an Army under pretence of rooting out the Moors suddenly surprized this Kingdome unprovided for resistance and keeps it till this day though the French have often attempted the recovery of it 3 Corduba comprehending Andaluzia Granada and Estremadura Andaluzia is the richest and fruitfullest Country in all Spain the chief Towns are 1. Corduba the Metropolitan whence comes our true Cordovan Leather made of the skins of a Sardinian Beast Neer this City is a wood thirty miles long consisting all of Olive trees 2. Marchena where are the best Jennets in all Spain 3. Medina Sidonia the Duke whereof was General of the Armado in eighty eight 4. Lucar di Barameda an haven Town 5. Xeres a haven Town also whence come our Xeres Sack commonly called Sherry-Sacks 6. Tariffa seated at the end of the Promontory towards Affrick 7. Sevil the fairest City in all Spain in compasse six miles environed with beautiful walls and adorned with many magnificent buildings of Palaces Churches and Monasteries and hath under its jurisdiction twenty thousand small Villages It s also divided into two parts by the River Baetis yet both are joyned together by a beautifull and stately Bridge Hence come our Sevil Oranges and from hence goeth the Indian Fleet. Analuzia in Spain as well for plenty of all blessings of the Earth as for the pleasures and delights of the fields is a meer terrestrial Paradise The horses which shee produceth are so swift in course that they seem according to the Proverb to be engendred by the Wind. Spain feeds an infinite number of Sheep especially in Castile where is made most excellent Cloath and the wooll for the superlative finenesse thereof is transported into other Countries In other parts it is barren through the lazinesse of the people as some think who love much better to put their hands to the Sword than to the plough The people are melancholy and cholerick sober and content with a little spending
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
stands in a pleasant valley amongst the Mountains and is beautified with many neat houses well fortified with a strong Castle and some outworks 2. Tarentaise which commands the passage into Italy through the hills Geneura 3. Bramont 4. Aquibelle 5. Carboneirs 6. Maurienne On the North East of Savoy is the County of Bresse the chief Towns whereof are 1. Chattillion 2. Mont Real 3. Bourg well seated and fortified The Marquisat of Saluzzes is seated in Piedmont a part of Italy Piedmont it self being bounded with Millaine on the East Savoy on the West Switzerland on the North and the Mediterranean on the South A fruitful Country compared with Savoy but inferior to the rest of Italy It hath in it one hundred and sixty walled places and is very populous It hath in it fifty Earldomes and fifteen Marquisates It s divided betwixt the Dukes of Savoy and Mantua the River Tenarus parting their possessions The chief Towns belonging to the Savoyard are 1. Turin built on the banks of the River Duria In it is the Palace of the Duke of Savoy and an University 2. Aoste 3. Vercelli a strong Town 4. Inurea c. The Alps described The Mountains of the Alpes which require five dayes to bee ascended divide France and Germany from Italy they are alwayes covered with Snow Hanibal made a way through them with fire and Vineger They begin at Savona and having run a good space in a continued hill are at last divided into many parts There are five passages over them into Italy three out of France and two out of Germany The first out of France is through Provence close upon the Tyrenean Seas and so through Liguria which is the easiest The second through the Hills called Geneura into the Marquisat of Saluzzes and so into Lombardy The third is over Mount Cenis through the Country of Turin The first way out of Germany is through the Grisons Country by the Town of Valtolin the other way is through the Country of Tyrol by the Towns of Inspurg and Trent Italy described This Country abounds with Rice Silks Velvets Sattins Taffaties Grograms Rash Fustians Gold Wire Allom Glasses c. The chief Rivers in it are 1. Poe which riseth out of the Alps and running through Lombardy emptieth it self into the Adriatique Sea 2. Rubicon 3. Tyber Italy is usually divided into six parts but the principalities thereof are ten as 1. The Kingdome of Naples having the land of the Church on one side and the Sea on all others It s in compasse one thousand four hundred sixty and eight miles It abounds with Mines of divers Mettals and the choisest Wines The chiefest Provinces in it are 1. Terra di Lavoro formerly Campania wherein the chiefest Cities are 1. Cajeta seated on the Sea side 2. Naples the Metropolis and a beautiful City containing seven miles in compasse In this City the French or Neapolitan disease was first known in Christendome It stands on the Sea shore and is fortified with four Castles 3. Capua which emasculated the valor of Hanibals souldiers 4. Cuma nigh to which is the Lake Avernus the stink whereof poisons birds that flye over it 5. Baiae famous for the Baths 6. Nola. 7. Puteoli 8. Misenum nigh unto which is the Hill Vesuvius that casteth forth flames of fire and in the reign of Titus it cast forth such abundance of smoak and ashes as darkned the Sun and overwhelmed two Cities 2. Abruzzo whereof the chief Towns are 1. Aquilea 2. Beneventum 3. Aquino where Thomas Aquinas was born 4. Sulmo Ovids birth-place 3. Calabria inferior whose chief Cities are 1. Peste where Roses blossom thrice in a year 2. Salernum famous for the study of Physick 3. Consensia 4. Regium 5. Locris 4. Calabria Superior wherein the chief Towns are 1. Tarentum 2. Crotona 3. Polycastrum 4. Amicle 5. Sybaris 6. St. Severine 5. Terra di Otranto wherein the chief Cities are 1. Brundusium one of the best Havens in the world 2. Hydruntum now Otranto 3. Gallipolis 6. Puglia the Cities whereof are 1. Manfredonia 2. Cannae where Hanibal slew of the Romans forty two thousand and seven hundred and had hee followed that victory hee had been Master of Rome In this Country is the Hill Gargalus or Mount St. Angelo one hundred and twenty miles in compasse strengthened both by nature and Art it abounds with cattel The people in these two Provinces are troubled with a Tarantula which is only cured by Musick 2. The land of the Church which North and South is extended from the Adriatick to the Tuscan Seas the East bounds are Axafenus and Trontus which divide it from Naples North-West its bounded with the Rivers Poe and Fiore which divide it from the Venetians and South-West with Pisseo which parts it from the Florentines The Provinces hereof are 1. Romandiola extending from Rubicon East to the Venetians on the West from the Appenine Hills South to Padus and the Adriatique on the North. The chief Cities are 1. Bononia the principal University in Italy where the civil Laws are much studied seated on the River Aposa 2. Rimana formerly Ariminum on the mouth of the River Rubicon 3. Cervia on the Adriatique Sea where great store of salt is made 4. Ferrara whose territories stretch in length one hundred and sixty miles and in breadth fifty wherein are contained the brave Cities of Modena and Rhegium Ferrara the chief-City is seated on the bank of Poe a broad deep and swift River which guards it on the one side and on the other it s fortified with strong walls and a large moat In the midst of the City is a large Green into which there open on all sides nineteen streets most of them half a mile long and so even that the ends of them may bee easily seen The whole compasse is five miles 5. Ravenna 2. Marcha Anconitana environed with Romagna the Appennine Naples and the Adriatique The chief Towns are 1. Ancona seated on the Hill Cimmerius and it is an Haven Town 2. Ascoli the fair 3. Firmo the strong 4. Macerata 5. Adria which gave the name to the neighbouring Sea 6. Narma 7. Humona 8. Loretto famous for the Pilgrimages made thither 3. The Dukedome of Spoleto is situate under the Appennine Hills The chief Cities are 1. Spoleto 2. Ovietto seated on a very high Rock where is a Church very lightsome and yet the Windows are made of Alabaster in stead of Glasse 3. Perugia 4. Asis In this Country is the Lake of Perugia thirty miles in compasse Near which Hanibal slew Flaminius with fifteen thousand of his Romane souldiers 4. St. Peters Patrimony containing Campagna di Roma formerly Latium and part of Hetruria The chief Cities are 1. Alba. 2. Ostia at the mouth of Tyber 3. Antrum 4. Tybur 5. Praenâ—ste 6. Ardea 7. Gabii 8. Veii a large and rich City 9. Tivolis 10. Rome seated on the River Tyber enlarged with the receit of two and forty Rivers and is distant
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
roving about from one place of the Country to another without property either of house or land Their leader in every company is a Priest Lapland described On the North of Russia next to Corelia lyeth Lappia about three hundred forty and five miles in length in breadth fourscore and ten The whole Country almost is either Lakes or Mountains those on the outside are barren craggie Rocks but in the inland they are well furnished with woods the Lakes being in the Vallies their diet is very mean bread they have none but feed only upon Fish and Fowle they are subjects part to Russia part to Sweden and the other part to Denmark which all exact tribute of them but the Emperor of Russia the most They are wholly unlearned not having so much as the use of the Alphabet amongst them They pass all Nations in witch-craft and sorcery Their weapons are long-Bows and hand-guns wherein they are very nimble and excellent marks-men through their continual practise in shooting at wilde fowle For our English cloath they give Fish Oil and Furs whereof they have store when their fishing is done they draw their boats to shore turning the keel upwards and so let them lye till the next spring-tyde They travel upon sleds drawn by Olen-Deer which they use to turn a grazing all the Summer time in an Island called Kilden and towards Winter when the Snow begins to fall they fetch them home for their use Anno Christi 1611. VVilliam Purseglove a servant to our English Muscovy company makes this relation of his travels in these Countries wee travelled saith hee in sleds each of them drawn by two Rain Deer the Snow was so hard frozen that it did bear sleds and Deer Two hundred and fifty Sleds were in this Argeshey or company with whom wee travelled some dayes then chusing the best Bucks I with seven Sleds more rid Post only staying now and then for an hour where the Samoed our guide knew that there was store of white Moss wherewith to refresh our Deer so that in eight and forty hours space wee rode three hundred and fifty miles These Samoeds by their frequent travel know the wayes though the weather bee thick and foggy as also where store of white Moss grows at which places if it bee night they pitch their Tents made of Deer or Elks-skins which work is done by the women and in the mean time the men unyoak the Deer and turn them loose to dig through the Snow though it bee very deep to seek for their food and sustenance Pur. Pil. v. 3. p. 548. When a rich Samoed dies because hee should not travel on foot his friends will kill three Deer to carry him into the new World they will also strangle a slave to attend on him If a young child dye under seven years old they use to hang it by the neck on some tree saying it must flye to Heaven The women are very hardy and at their labour the Husband plaies the Midwife as soon as the child is born they wash it with cold or Snow-water and the next day the woman will bee able to conduct her Argish of Sleds The men are stout and bold of spirit not very tall but broad breasted broad faced with hollow eyes their weapons are Bows and Arrows long Spears and short Swords Poland described This Country is plain and wooddie the air so cold that they have no Wine or Grapes but use Ale in stead thereof It so abounds with Corn that it sends much abroad into other Countries they have also great store of cattel They use the Sclavonian language yet are much addicted to the Latine tongue They are generally proud impatient delicious in diet and costly in attire they are of all Religions The chief Rivers are 1. Vistula which parts it from Hungary 2. Neister which parts it from Moldovia 3. Neiper c. But to speak more particularly of the Provinces which are 1. Livonia which is bounded on the East with Muscovy on the West with the Baltick Sea on the North with Finland and on the South with Lituania It s in length five hundred miles in breadth one hundred and threescore very mountainous and fenny yet yeelds plenty of Corn. The chief Cities are 1. Riga 2. Derpt a town of much traffick 3. Rivalia a strong place 4. Name another strong Fortress Other chief Countries in it are 1. Curland 2. Senugal 3. Estland 4. Virland 5. Harland 6. Geroenland 2. Lituania which hath Livonia on the South Podolia on the North Poland on the East and Muscovie on the West The chief Cities are 1. Vilna an University 2. Vilkomire 3. Brestia The air is sharp and the Country barren yet are there many beasts whose skins are good commodities 3. Volinia environed with Lituania Podolia and Russia It is a small woody Province the chief Cities are Kiovia and Circassia on the banks of the river Nieper 4. Samogitia whose chief town is Camia It joyneth to Livonia on the North and the Baltick sea on the West It s full of wood and yeilds great store of honey 5. Podolia which hath Lituania on the North Neister on the South Russia East and Poland VVest The ground is so fertile that of one sowing they have three harvests the chief Cities are 1. Camienza seated on high rocks 2. Orkzacow 3. Winieczia 6. Russia nigra having on the East Podolia on the West and North Poland and on the South Hungary the chief Towns are 1. Leopolis or Lembourg 2. Grodeck 3. Luckzo A fruitfull Countrey having store of horses and Cattel 7. Mazovia which is environed with Russia Prussia Lituania and Poland the chief City is Marzow 8. Spruce Prussia or Borussia is upon the Baltick sea that part of it which belongs to Poland is called Prussia Regal the chief Cities whereof are 1. Dantzick a famous Mart town 2. Koningsberg an University 3. Heilsperg 4. Maneburg or Marpurg 5. Angenberg 6. Clune 9. Podlossia which hath Lituania and Mazovia on the East and West the chief Towns are 1. Tycockzin a strong for t 2. Byesko 3. Knissin 10. The Dukedomes of Opswitz and Zator which have the chief towns of the same names they are in Silesia but under the King of Poland 11. Poland properly so called which hath Lituania on the East Germany on the West Mazovia on the North and Podolia on the South the chief Cities are 1. Cracovia on the bank of Vistula 2. Lublin 3. Guisna 4. Siradia 5. Sendomire 6. Minsko 7. Posna 8. Dobrinia 9. Vlatislavia Poland takes her name from the great fields which produce a huge quantity of Corn there are in it many fens Lakes and very great Forrests where in the trunks of trees is often found great store of hony whereof they make a certain drink chiefly in Lituania which is most delicate and yeilds not a whit in goodnesse to Spanish wine there Winter is very long and sharp against the rigour whereof they serve themselves of stoves and good furred
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
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-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
after the Indian mode are narrow and nasty the buildings in general are spacious and comely T is watered with a delicious stream the Gardens are filled with sweet and eye-pleasing flowers the whole Isle abounds with Grass Corn Groves Cattel fruits and many other sense-ravishing delights wherein there are above twenty Villages The field peeces here are above three hundred the Palaces are strong of good stone furnished within with rich Arras and painting and the Churches beautiful and comely Herb. Travels The City of Amadavar described Amadavar is the Metropolis of Cambaya or Guzurat watered by a sweet River and circled by a beautiful strong stone wall of six miles compass well and orderly adorned with many pretty Towers and twelve Posterns The streets are many indifferently large and comely most shops abound with Aromatick Gums perfumes and spices as also with Silks Cottons Calicoes and choice of Indian and China rarities owned and sold by the fair spoken but crafty Bannians The Market-place is rich and uniform the Castle strong large and moated about The houses in general are built of Sun-dryed Bricks low large and tarrassed The Island of Socotora described Socotora is an Island in the mouth of the Red-Sea a little Island but pleasant and abounding with good things one part rising into wholesome Hills other parts falling into fruitful dales all places garnished with spreading trees sweet Grass fragrant flowers and rich Corn hath store of Olives Aloes Sempervive Sanguis Draconum Cocoes Dates Pistachoes Orenges Pomegranats Pomecitrons Lemons Melons Suger-Canes c. It abounds with fish foul and flesh Here are Civet-Cats The inhabitans are black they are Christians by profession their Churches are built in the form of a Cross kept sweet and neat without seats and images they have a Patriarch whom they reverence and duly pay their Tithes to the Clergie their feasts and fasts like ours Age is much regarded humility commanded and commended second marriages are not allowed except they had no Children by the first have their Sacraments wrap the dead in clean linnen and so bury them without lamentation Ormus described Ormus is situated in the Persian Gulph a miserable and forlorn City and Isle at this day though not many years since it was the bravest place in all the Orient If all the world were made into a Ring Ormus the Gem and grace thereto should bring The whole Island is a Sulphurious Earth which together with the heat of the Sun from May to September makes it almost intollerable so that their custome is to sleep in beds of water all day naked the City had a fair Buzzar many Churches Monasteries brave Magazeens stately houses and as gallant a Castle as any was in the East The whole Isle exceeds not fifteen miles in compass and is the most barren place in the World neither affording Tree nor spring of good water yet from the advantagious standing the industrious Portugal made it the staple and glory of the world till in the year 1622. the English joyning with the Persians made it a ruinous heap as it continues till this day Narsinga Described Narsinga is famous all over Asia it s confined by Mallabar Gulcunda Bengala and the Ocean the King is very rich and powerfull in men arms and ammunition His Countrey full of all things requisite for use and pleasure Hath many fair Towns strong Forts pleasant fields and choicest Minerals abounding in Rivers hills dales Cattel Corn Fruits c. The Temples have in them many rich and Massy Idols of ugly shape as best pleaseth the Devil for his service and devotion Bisnagar is the second City in Narsinga for grandeure and bravery being circled with a wall of four miles compass and as well fortified well built and wealthy It is much frequented by our European ships and Junks from all parts of India Few strangers come thither but they are invited by the King who delights to shew them his fine cloathes being set thick with stones and Gems of infinite value hee hath for his guard a thousand Pensioners Hee affects Polygamy and therefore stiles himself The Husband of a thousand women who at his death makes his flaming grave their consuming Sepulcher Mesulipatan is seated neer the Bengalan Ocean The Town hath little beauty not many years since a raging mortality and Famine having well nigh depopulated it The fields and gardens are parched by the Sun from March to July the four next months are disturbed with wind and incessant rains only from November to March they have kindly weather The English have here a residence where they trafick for Calicoes Rice c. Malacca described Malacca is a Peninsula whence abundance of gold is carried into Pegu Siam Borneo and Sumatra It s judged to bee part of the Ophir whence Solomon fetched his gold Malacca the Royal City obeyes now the Siam Monarchy being conquered by the King thereof Anno Christi 1508. by the help of the Portugals at which time they gat an incredible Mass of Treasure three thousand peeces of great Ordinance and so much minted coin that the King of Portugals part came to two hundred and fifty thousand Ryals of eight The City is above three miles long but narrow built upon the banks of a pleasant River as broad as our Thames A rivolet of sweeter water runnes through the Town over which is raised a strong stone bridge the buildings are generally low and but meanly furnished though they want no gold to purchase better The streets and fields shew many delightful Arbours and choice fruits with Corn Sugar and Durapen trees preferred before gold and silver Patania Described Patania stands between those two famous Ports of Malacca and Siam the Town is strong and defended by twelve great brass guns whereof one is a Basilisco of twenty six foot long The People are black and go almost naked they delight much in eating Bettle and Opium they usually eat in plates of Gold they are very hospitable to strangers and the better sort of them blush not to proffer their daughters and neeces to be their bed-fellows during their stay there Adultery they punish sharpely Fornication lightly they delight much in wine Rack Rice Fruites c. Siam Described Siam is a powerful and wealthy Kingdom The King hath under him many Countries watered by Ganges he usually goes to war with a thousand Elephants and two hundred thousand men The Inhabitants are black and almost naked As a badge of devotion they gird their middles with a peece of Leather and carry an umbrella in their hands to lenefy the flaming Sun they are great Idolaters worshiping gods in the shape of Prtapus or Pan They have Groves and Altars whereon they offer flesh fruit and flowers their Tallapois or Priests are great Conjurers and much esteemed by the People Here are abundance of Diamonds Chrysolites Onix-stones Magnets Bezars with Lignum aloes Benjamin Cotton and mines of Gold Silver Iron Copper c. Victuals and other Commodities are
Egg and growing till it bee eight or ten yards long their tailes are as long as their bodies their mouths and throats so wide that they are able to swallow a horse and man at one bit their teeth are engrailed they have no tongue and contrary to all other Creatures move only the upper jaw their bellies are penetrable their backs hard to bee peirced In the winter quarter they fast from food all the rest of the year devour their prey with much greedinesse sixty dayes passe before the female layes her eggs which are commonly sixty in number and shee is sixty dayes in hatching them and usually they live sixty years some call them Aligartos The Jchneumon steals into his belly and gnaws in sunder his guts whilst hee lies gaping that the little Trochil may pick his teeth which gives it feeding Java Major described Java the greater is an Island neer the Bengalan Sea in length four hundred and fifty miles in breadth two hundred and seventy the midland is for the most part Mountainous and ill peopled the Sea coasts low and populous yet unhealthful The Sea-coasts by reason of trade for Pepper hath well-built Towns especially Bantam Palamban Jackatra Japarra Tuban Jortan c. Bantam is the biggest City in the Island nigh two miles long It yeelds Rice Pepper and Cotton-wool though most of the Pepper bee brought thither by the Chineses from Janeby Borneo and Malacca Four Vice-Royes are under the Mattarans or great Kings command who is able to bring into the field two hundred thousand desperate slaves black but valiant the Climate is so hot that for the most part they go naked their weapons are lances darts arrows but especially creezes two foot long broad waved sharp and small pointed and basely poisoned the hilt of wood horn the better sort of gold silver or Ivory cut in the figure of a deformed Pagod They are given to murders theft Adultery deceit c. also Magick and Astrology delight them in which Satan instructs them the better to oblige them to his worship They are excellent swimmers they delight in hunting Tygers Ouzces c. They are friendly to the English especially ever since the Dutch took Jackatra from them Their Orankayes or great men are idle sociable but not to be trusted The Isle of Celibes Described Celibes is by some called Makasser from her best City in the Island Its oval and above two hundred miles long well peopled but with bad people It s fruitful though under the hotest part of the burning zone They are black naked only having a few plantane leaves tyed about their middles the better sort wear Tulipants and white shirts upon their coal-black skins The women are very immodest The men use long Canes out of which they can blow a little pricking quill which if it draw bloud in any part of the body it kills immediately so strong is the poyson The Molucco Isles described The Molucco Isles are five in number Molucco Gillolo Tirnate Tidore and Machan The English were the first Traders hither and the natives acknowledged our King their Sovereign though since the Dutch thrust us out as if all India was theirs by title from the Creation Gillolo is the greatest but in Cloves Mace Nutmegs Ginger Pepper Oile Aloes and Honey all of them alike plentifull The Bandaneza Islands Described Neer unto the former are the Islands of Amboyna Banda Puloway Pulerone Lantore Batan Labatacka Nero Ticobassa Cumber Salamo c. All of them especially Pulerone and Puloway seeming continued wildernesses of Nutmeg and Clove trees Pepper Vines and Olives These two last first traded with our Merchants and acknowledged fealty to our King James till the uncivil Dutch dispossessed us cruelly abusing our men and entitling themselves Lords of the Banda-Islands The Isle of Borneo described Borneo resembles an Oval shield and for the most part groans uâ—der the Spanish servitude It hath many villages and people which are great Idolaters It yeilds Mines of gold and Diamonds Bezar Musk Lignum Aloes Amber Sanguis Draconum VVax Rice and Rattoons Her chief haven Towns are Socodania and Bemermassin The Isle of Japan described Japan is in length six hundred miles in breadth One hundred four score and ten The best towns and Ports in it are Meacco Ozacca Tenze Firando Fuccate c. Macco is an inland City as big as Florence but not so beautifull Hath a sweet and large River low but comely houses abundance of stately Fotiquees or Temples full of guilded Idols called by them Mannada's The Government is Monarchicall above sixty petty Kings do homage to the Emperor whose frowns are worse than an ordinary death The Countrey is for the most part mountainous full of Rivers Trees Corn Grasse and Mines It hath plenty of villages swarming with Heathen Idolaters The people in the North and East parts of it are more savage treacherous idle Lascivious and awed by no Law malefactors they crucify The Civil Japonians are valiant courteous and great affectors of Novelties The best port in it is Ozacca strong and beautifull famous for its royal Castle varnished tiled and burnished over with pure Gold rich and Majesticall of excellent stone and well built the walls are every where twenty foot thick well polished and curiously cemented circled with deep trenches ful of water having above twelve Iron Gates with draw-bridges Fuccate is a pretty sweet Town well watered having a strong and defensive Castle It s environed for three miles compasse with spreading Sycamore Trees wherein are many small but richly-tiled Fotiquees or Temples in which they worship Pan or Priapus yea the Devil in his ugliest shapes In Meacco are seventy Temples wherein they number three thousand three hundred thirty and three little guilded Devils but more memorable is that in Meacco huge and wonderfull of guilt Copper Its posture is sitting in a chair seventy foot high and fourscore broad fifteen men may conveniently stand upon his head his thumb is forty inches about and his other limbs proportionable At Dabis is another of these Idols made of Copper hollow vast thick and double guilt his height is twenty four foot though formed kneeling his buttocks resting on his legs his arms are stretched out and sometimes making a fire in him they sacrifice a child which in his embraces is fryed to death with horrible torture The women of Japan if they want means to bring up their children most unnaturally deprive them of that life which not long before they had given them Their houses are most of wood because of their frequent Earth-quakes With them black is a feastival colour and white a Funeral They dye their teeth black Reproaches Thefts Peâ—â—â—ry and Dice-play is very hateful to them Herb. and Purch The Kingdome of China described China hath on the East the sea of Japan On the West the Deserts of Judustan On the North the Tartars On the South the Philippine Islands And on the South West Cochinchina Pegu with part of Siam
of it no considerable party opposing them in their peaceable possession as you may read more fully in a book called Bellum Tartaricum The City of Quinsay described Quinsay was formerly the Regal City of China situated abuut the heart of the Country and yet not far from the Sea In it were to bee found so many delights that it seemed an earthly Paradise It was one hundred miles in compasse for the streets and channels thereof were very wide and the Market-places very large It had on the one side a clear lake of fresh water and on the other a great River which entring into many places of the City carryed away all the filth and occasioned a good air There were store both of Carts and Barks to carry necessaries It had in it twelve thousand Bridges great and small those on the chiefest Channels being so high that ships might passe under them On the other side of the City was a great Trench forty miles long large and full of water from the River which served both to receive the overflowings of the River and as a fence to that side of the City the earth that was taken out being laid as a bank or hill on the inside There are ten chief Market-places besides infinite others along the streets all of them square the square being half a mile on each side and from the fore part of them runs a principal street forty paces wide reaching from one end of the City to the other with many Bridges traversing of it and at the end of every four miles is such a Market-place There is also a large channel running over against the street behinde the Market-places on the banks whereof are erected store-houses of stone where Merchants out of all Countries laid up their Commodities being commodious to the Markets In each of the Market-places three dayes in a week was a concourse of forty or fifty thousand persons which brought in whatsoever was requisite for the life of man besides beasts and fowls of game Then followed the Butchers rows of Beef Veal Kid and Lamb Besides there were all sorts of Herbs and fruits and amongst them huge Pears weighing ten pound a peece and very fragrant Peaches yellow and white very delicate Every day from the Ocean which is but five and twenty miles off is brought up abundance of fish besides what the Lake and River yeeld All the Market-places are encompassed with high and fair houses and underneath are shops of Artificers and all sorts of Merchandises Spices Jewels Pearls Rice-wine c. Many streets answer one another in those Market-places wherein are many Bathes both of cold and hot waters and people wash every day before they eat any thing At the end of each Market-place is a Palace where Magistrates determine all controversies which happen amongst Merchants and others There are twelve Principal trades each of which have one thousand shops and yee shall see in every shop ten twenty thirty or forty men at work under one Master The Masters themselves work not but stand richly apparreled and their wives with Jewels inestimable their houses are well ordered and richly adorned with Pictures and other stupendious costs About the Lake are many fair buildings and great Palaces of the Nobles and chief men and Temples of their Idols and Monasteries of many Monks In the middest of the Lake are two Islands upon each of which is a Palace with incredible numbers of rooms whither they resort upon occasions of marriages or other feasts where are provisions of Vessels Nappery and other things kept in common for such purposes In the Lake also are Boats and Barges for pleasure adorned with fair seats and Tables and other provision for banquets covered over head within they are neatly painted and have windows to open and shut at pleasure Nor can any thing in the World seem more pleasant than from the Lake to have such a prospect the City so fully presenting it self to the eye with so many Temples Monasterys Palaces Gardens with high trees Barges People c. For their manner is to work one part of the day and the other part to spend in solace with their friends or with women on the Lake or in riding in Chariots up and down the City All the streets are paved with stone as are all the high wayes in China The principal street of Quinsay is paved ten paces on each side and in the midst it 's well gravelled with passages for the water which keeps it alwayes clean There are also multitudes of Chariots accommodated with cloathes and cushions of Silk for six persons in each of them and in them the inhabitants solace themselves in the streets or go to Gardens provided on purpose for their pleasure This City contains about sixteen hundred thousand housholds and together with the Country adjoyning yeelded to the King sixteen millions and eight hundred thousand Ducats of gold yearly besides six millions and four hundred thousand Ducats for the customes of salt Pur. Pil. v. 3. p. 98. The Great Mogols Empire described The Great Mogols Country is called Indusâ—an which for spaciousness abundance of brave Towns numberlesse inhabitants infinit treasure mines food and all sort of Merchandise exceeds all Kings and Potentates in the Mahomitan World This vast Monarchy extends from East to West two thousand six hundred miles From North to South one thousand four hundred miles It s in circuit five thousand It is bounded with the Bengalan Gulph and Indian Ocean On the South with Decan and Mallaber North and North West with Tartary and Persia It contains thirty seven large Provinces thirty great Cities three thousand walled Towns His revenues are very great He hath in continual pay three hundred thousand Horse and keeps two thousand Elephants at a vast charge his Treasurer yearly issuing out above forty millions of Crowns The names of the Provinces are 1. Candahor The chief City is of the same name It lies Northward and confines upon Persia. 2. Cabul The chief City is of the same name It lyes in the North West part and confines upon Tartary 3. Multan The chief City is of the same name On the West it joyns with Persia. 4. Hajacan It hath no great City It s bounded Eastward with the famous River of Indus and Westward with Persia. 5. Buckor The chief City is Buckor-succor Indus runs through it and much inriches it 6. Tatta The chief City is of the same name The River Indus maketh many fruitful and pleasant Islands in it the chief arm of it falls into the Sea at Synde a place famous for curious handy crafts 7. Sorat The chief City is Janagar It s a little Province but rich bounded with the Ocean on the South 8. Jeselmeere The chief City is of the same name 9. Attack The chief City is of the same name It lyeth on the Eastside of Indus 10. Peniab It 's seated 〈◊〉 five Rivers which all fall into Indus It s a great and very fruitful Province
and inriched more by trade from China seventy of these Islands are subjects or friends to the Spaniards their intestine divisions making an easy way to the Spanish Conquest They worshiped the Sun and Moon Now they have amongst them many Monasteries of Friers and Jesuites But the wicked lives of the Spaniards makes the Inhabitants abhor their Religion They carve and cut their skins in sundry fashions and devises all over their body The Island of Mauritius described The Island of Mauritius lies within the torrid Zone about one hundred Leagues from Madegascar It abounds with all good things requisite for mans use The land is high and mountainous the shape somewhat round in circuit about one hundred miles every where sweet and flourishing having an healthful air and the blooming fragrant trees abating the heat of the Sun besides the gentle Breezes moderating the weather There are delicious Rivers which make the Earth fruitful Infinite store of lofty spreading trees green all the year their boughs being never unapparrelled of their Summer livery The ground is ever spread with natures choicest Tapestry the mirthful Sun ever re-inforcing a continued vigor and activity Of the trees some are good for timber others for food all for use Here is store of Box and of Ebony of all sorts black white red and yellow the tree is high small and streight and the wood of such esteem that many ships come yearly to it to load with Ebony besides which there are Coquo trees Pines Ashes Cypresses c. As also store of rare fruits birds and fowl Hawks of all kinds Bats as big as Gos-hawks Passo-Flemingos Herons Geese and many others good in their flesh and excellent in their feathers Fish there are plenty as the Cow-fish Dolphins Abicores Cavalloes VVhale Porpice Grampasse Mullet Bream Trout Tench Soles Flounders Tortoises Eeles Sharks Pikes Crabs Lobsters Oysters Cuttle-fish Rock-fish and other strange fishes some like Hedg-hogs some like Cats others with bristles c. This Isle also affords Goats Hogs Beeves and land Tortoises so big that two men may sit on one of them and shee will go away with them Africa described in General Africa is divided on the North from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea On the South it runs on a point to the Cape of Good Hope and is bounded with the vast Ocean called there the Aethiopick Sea On the East with the Red-Sea and on the VVest with the Atlantick Ocean called Mare del Nort so that her longitude and latitude contains about four thousand and two hundred English miles It s much lesse than Asia and far bigger than Europe In most parts it s very barren and therefore hath no great plenty of Inhabitants It s full of sandy desarts which lying open to the winds and storms are often moved like to the waves of the Sea by which means Cambysis with his Army was much hazarded It s full of venemous Serpents which much endanger the Inhabitants besides other ravenous beasts which ranging about possesse themselves of a great part of this Country and make it a VVildernesse of Lions Leopards Elephants and in some places Crocodiles Hyena's Basilisks and Monsters without number and name for when for want of water Creatures of all kinds at sometimes of the year come to those few rivolets that bee to quench their thirst the Males promiscuously forcing the Females of every species that comes next him produceth this variety of forms Salust reports that there dye more of the people by beasts than by diseases And in the tracts of Barbary the Inhabitants every tenth fifteenth or five and twentieth year are visited with a Plague and with the French disease in such violence that few recover except they remove into Numidia or the land of Negros the very air whereof is an excellent Antidote against those diseases Their commodities are Elephants Camels Barbary-hoâ—ses Rams with great tails weighing above twenty pound c. Africa is divided into seven parts Barbary or Mauritania Numidia Lybia The land of Blacks Aethiopia superior Aethiopia inferior and Egypt besides the Islands Barbary hath on the North the Mediterranean Sea on the VVest the Atlantick on the South the mountain Atlas and on the East Egypt The Inhabitants are crafty covetous ambitious jealous of their VVives their Country yeelds Orenges Dates Olives Figs and a kinde of Goat whose hair makes a stuff as fine as Silk It contains in it the Kingdomes of Tunnis Algier Fess and Morocho Tunnis is famous for the chief City of the same name five miles in compasse and Carthage two and twenty miles in circuit that contended so long with Rome for the Monarchy of the world and Utica memorable for Catoes death there Algier contains in it a strong harbor for Turkish Pirates before the chief Town whereof the Emperor Charles the fifth received a mighty losse of ships Horses Ordinance and men Fess hath in it a City with seven hundred Churches one of which is a mile and an half in compasse Morocho where the chief City of the same name hath a Church larger than that of Fess and thereon a Tower so high that from thence may bee discerned the toâ— of the Mountains Azaci which are at one hundred and thirty miles distance Here is also a Castle famous for Globes of pure gold that stand on the top of it weighing one hundred and thirty thousand Barbary Duckeâ—â— Numidia the second part of Africa hath on the East Egypt on the VVest the Atlantick Ocean on the North the Mountain Atlas and on the South the desarts of Lybia It s called also the Region of Dates from the abundance that grows there The Inhabitants are very wicked stay in a place but till they have eaten down the grasse Hence there are but few Cities and those in some places three hundred miles distant Lybia on the East is bounded with Nilus on the West with the Atlantick on the North with Numidia and on the South with the Country of the Blacks It s so dry that a traveller can scarce meet with any water in seven dayes journey the Inhabitants live without any Law almost so much as that of nature The Land of Blacks or Negroes hath on the West the Atlantick on the East Aethiopia superior on the North Lybia and on the South the Kingdome of Manicongo The River Niger runs through it almost as famous as Nilus for her overflowing It yeelds store of gold silver Ivory and other commodities It hath in it four Kingdomes Tombuâ—o infinitly rich Bornaum where the people have no names proper no wives peculiar all therefore no children which they call their own Gonga the King whereof hath no estate but from his subjects as hee spends it And Gualatum a very poor Country Of this Land of Negroes one makes these verses The Land of Negroes is not far from thence neerer extended to th' Atlantick main Wherein the Black Prince keeps his residence attended by his Jetty-coloured train Who in their native beauty
buyers costly mirth and admiration to prevent which the Marriners upon the delivery of each beast either kill it quickly or fasten their horns with cords to stakes placed there on purpose The Kingdome of Sofala Described Sofala is situate on the cost of Eastern Ethiopia neer the Sea here the Portugals traffick to Manica a Land of much Gold within land above threescore Leagues the women perform the offices of Tillage and Husbandry In it are many sorts of fruit as Pomgranats which bear all the year some green some ripe and some in flowers Fig-trees which yeild black Figs all the year about Oranges Limes Vines which bear twice a year in January and July Ananas Sugar canes Palm-trees which yeild infinite Cocoes and Wine Guiny Wheat and Rice There are abundance of Hens Goats Kine Wild beasts and wild Swine In Manica grow little trees on Rocks which are dry most part of the year but if you cut off a bough and put it into water in the space of ten hours it springs and flourisheth with green leaves In some parts they have store of Orenges and Lemons The King of this Country is called the Quitive they are Gentiles Hee hath above one hundred women whereof one or two are his Queens and many of them are his Aunts Cosins Sisters and Daughters all whom hee useth promiscuously when hee dies his Queens must dye with him to do him service in the other world The Kingdome of Monomopata Described Monomopata is above two hundred Leagues long On the North-West lies the Kingdome of Abutua where is much fine Gold yet their greatest riches they count their Cattle On the East it hath the River Zambeze On the South-West it extends to the Ocean and Southward it s bounded with the River Inhanabane The King hath many women whereof one is principal None may speak with him except hee bring a present The King and his Subjects wear a white Perewinkle in their foreheads for a jewell fastened in their hair and the King hath another great one on his breast None of them cut the hair of their heads or beards yet they grow not long they live commonly to ninety or one hundred years when the King dyes his Queen must drink poyson to serve him in another World It abounds so with Elephants that about five thousand are yearly killed for their teeth-sake There are said to bee three thousand Mines of Gold The Kingdome of Congo or Manicongo Described The Kingdome of Congo hath on the West the Ocean On the South the Caphars and Mountains of the Moon On the East those Hills from which the Rivers issue and run into the Fountains of Nilus and on the North the Kingdome of Benin The most Southerly part is called Quimbibe a great and mighty Kingdome extending from Bravagal to Bagamidri the air is wholesome the earth out-outwardly furnished with store of fruits inwardly with Mines of Christal and other mettals Angola is another Province of Congo a great Kingdome and very populous Cabazza is the Royal City one hundred and fifty miles from the Ocean from this Country the Portugals use to carry above twenty thousand slaves yearly into Brasile They are Heathens have their Idols of wood in the midst of their Towns in fashion like a Negro which they call Mokisso's they take as many wives as they please there are Mines of Silver and excellent Copper they have many Kine but love Dogs-flesh better which they feed for the Shambles their houses are fashioned like Bee-hives Horse-tails are great Jewels amongst them for one of which they will give two slaves Congo properly so called extendeth Westward three hundred seventy five miles Northward five hundred and forty Southward six hundred crossing over the Mountains of the Sun and the Mountain of Christal It s divided into six Provinces Bamba Songo Sundi Pango Batti and Pemba Bamba is the greatest and richest there are Mines of silver and on the Sea-shore shells which they use in stead of mony Amongst them there are some very strong men who will cleave a slave in the middle or cut off a Bulls head at one blow There are certain creatures as big as Rams having wings like Dragons long tails and chaps with diverse rows of teeth they live upon raw flesh their colour is blew and green and they have but two feet the Pagan Negroes worship them for Gods The Rivers of Congo are many the greatest whereof is Zatre In all of them are River-horses and Crocodiles and they overflow as doth Nilus There are whole Mountains of Porphiry Jasper white Marble and other Marbles and one that yeelds fair Jacinthes straked with natural veins When any of the Inhabitants dye they have no power to bequeath their goods to their kindred but the King is heire general to all men The Kingdome of Loango described Loango is the Noâ—therly neighbour of Congo right under the Line the Country stretcheth two hundred miles within Land the people are called Bramanes and the King Mani Loango they are circumcised after the manner of the Jews as all the rest of the Nations in those Countries use to bee they have abundance of Elephants and wear cloaths of Palm they are Heathens and use many superstitions they have their Mokisso's or Images to which they offer several things Beyond the Country of Loango are the Anzigues the cruellest Cannibals that are under the Sun for in other places they eat their enemies or their dead but here they eat their Country-men and kins-folk and keep shambles of mans flesh as with us of Beef or Mutton They have many Mines of Copper and great quantity of Sanders both red and gray They are excellent Archers they are circumcised and worship the Sun for their greatest God and the Moon next Ethiopia Superior called also Abassia described It is watered with four principal Rivers and as many huge Lakes The first River is Taucea running Northward but drunk up by the thirsty sands before it can come to the Sea It hath bordering upon it Mountains of admirable height and inaccessible The second River is Oara larger than Nilus that emptieth it self into the Sea of Zeila the water is very clear but the superstitious Abassines refuse to drink of it because in its passage it watereth some Mahometan Regions The third is Gabea and the fourth is Nilus One of the Lakes is called Dambea threescore mile long and five and twenty broad It abounds with fish and River-horses and in it are many Islands in which traitors are confined The Abassine soil is for the most part hollow and in the midst of the plains rise many Rockie-hills which in times of war serve them for Fortresses The whole Country abounds with Mettal-Mines but the inhabitants partly through ignorance and partly for fear of the Turks if the riches of their Country should bee discovered suffer them to lye hidden in the earth only they make use of so much Iron as lyes upon the surface of the earth Of plants and
trees there is great variety There are Hares Goats Bores Harts Elephants Camells Buffalls Lions Panthers Tigers Rhinocerotes and Jaraffs The air in this Country is most part warm and temperate In some parts very hot and unwholesome The Winter is from the end of May to the beginning of September in which time it rains almost every day which is often accompanied with thunder their VVine is made of Honey their Churches are usually compassed with trees for shade The richer sort buy garments of the Saracens the rest both men and women cover their bodies either with a skin or some course Hempen-cloth when they do reverence to any they put off their cloth from the shoulders to their navel their hair is long which serves them for a Hat the better sort curle and anoint their hair with butter they brand marks in their bodies especially in their face on their little fingers they suffer their nails to grow as long as they will their hands and feet are bare which they colour reddish they are artlesse and lazie they lye on Ox hides they eat their meat out of great bowles of wood without any Napperie they have no Cities but great unwalled Villages their greatest Town hath scarce sixteen thousand houses These houses are small without elegancy or story round and covered with earth and straw They paint Christ the Virgin and other Saints black as Devils and wicked men white Their Temples are round having a double Porch they neither walk nor talk nor sit nor spit nor laugh in the Church nor admit Dogs into the Church-yards some Churches are only for men others for women In small Villages they are common to both but with divisions that they cannot see one another The chiefest Port belonging to the Abissines is Suaqueâ—n situated in the Arabian Gulph It excels most of the Cities in the Orient in four things First in the goodnesse and security of the Haven which is fenced by nature against all storms and will contain two hundred ships besides multitudes of small Vessels Secondly In the easinesse of loading and unloading of them For the City being built in an Island they set the beak-heads of their Ships and Gallies over the streets and by casting a plank over they are emptied into the ware-houses Thirdly For trafick with strange Nations for there repair thither Merchants from all parts of India Cambaia Pegu Malacca Arabia Ethiopia Egypt c. which trade for abundance of gold and Ivory Fourthly For the strength of the City which is very great by reason of Sholds Flats Islands Rocks Banks of sand c. which makes the approaches very difficult and dangerous This Country of Abassia is as big as Germany France and Italy and hath in it plenty of Rice Barley Beans Pease Sugar c. The Hill Amara in Ethiopia described In Ethiopia under Prete Janny commonly called Prester or Presbyter John is an hill called Amara situated in the navel of the Ethiopian body under the Equinoctial line adorned with all variety of fruits wholesome air pleasant aspect and prospect yea Heaven and Earth Nature and Industry have all been corrivals to present their riches to it It stands in a great plain having no other hill near it by thirty leagues the form of it is round the rock is cut so smooth without any unequal swelling that to him that stands beneath it s like an high wall the top is overhanged with rocks jutting forth for the space of a mile It s above twenty leagues in the circuit compassed with a wall on the top well wrought that so neither man nor beast in chase may fall down The top is a level only towards the South is a rising hill beautifying this plain whence issueth a pleasant Spring which passeth through all that plain and payeth its tribute to every Garden that will exact it and so maketh a Lake at length whence issueth a River that from thence runneth into Nilus The way up to it is cut out of the Rock not with stairs but by an easy ascent so that one may ride up with ease at the foot whereof is a fair Gate with a Corps du Guard Halfway up is a fair and spacious Hall cut out of the Rock with three large windows to it and at the top is another gate with the like Guard The air above is wholesome and delectable so that they live long there without sicknesse There are upon it thirty four Palaces standing by themselves spacious sumptuous and beautiful where the Princes of the Royal blood have their abode with their Families There are two Temples also the most beautiful in all Ethiopia There are many flourishing and fruitful Gardens curiously made and plentifully furnished with Europian fruits as Pears Pippins c. and of their own as Oranges Citrons Lemons c. It s also adorned with Cedars Palm-trees c. as also with variety of herbs and flowers to delight the sight taste and sent There are also Cubaio trees pleasant in taste beyond all comparison and great store of Balm-trees There is plenty of all sorts of Grain and Corn and such charms of Birds as delight the ear with their melodious warbling notes and please the eye with their variety of colours and other creatures that adorn this Paradise The aforenamed Churches have their Pillars and Roofs of stone richly and cunningly wrought the matter and workmanship contending for magnificence That of Jasper Alabaster Marble Porphyrie This of painting gilding and much curiosity To these are adjoyning two stately Monasteries in one whereof are two rare peeces whereon wonder may justly fasten both her eyes The Treasury and the Library of the Emperor are such as neither of them is thought to bee matchable in the world neither that of Constantinople wherein were one hundred and twenty thousand Books nor that of Alexandria wherein were seven hundred thousand Books For the number in this Library is numberlesse their price inestimable There are three great Halls each above two hundred paces large with Books of all Sciences written in fine Parchment with much curiosity of golden Letters and other work and cost in writing binding and covers There are all the Greek Fathers The Writers of Syria Egypt Africa and the Latine Fathers with others innumerable in Greek Hebrew Arabick Abyssine Egyptian Syrian and Chaldee There are Poets Philosophers Physicians Rabbines Talmudists Cabalists Hieroglyphicks c. The Treasury leaves them of all other Princes behinde it It s a Sea that every year receiveth new Rivers which never run out every Emperor yearly laying up part of his revenue there The Jewels here kept are incomparable Topazes Amethists Saphires Diamonds c. Hee hath one Jewel that was found in the River Niger that brings forth more Gemmes than any other in the world which is one peece diversified with a thousand variety of stones It s about two spans and an half square there are in it one hundred and sixty Diamonds one as large as the palm of ones
the Carthaginians It is now held by the Knights of Malta whose valour appeared Anno Christi 1565. by defending it against their mighty and powerful adversary the Turk The General Description of Europe Europe by Pliny is called Orbis domitorum genitrix and well shee may if we read her story in her Greek Monarchy of Alexander the great and in her Latine Empire of the Romans who scarce left a corner of the World then known unconquered It is almost encompassed with the Sea being as it were a Peninsula whose Isthmus is that part which lyes between the River Tanais and the frozen Sea by which it is joyned to Asia Westward it is bounded with the Atlantick Ocean having no land till you come to Amerrica On the East towards Asia it hath the Aegean Sea called Archipelagus and Pontus Euxinus Palus Meotis and the River Tanais Southward it hath the Mediterranean Sea and Fretum Herculeum Northward the Pole Artick She bears in length but three thousand and eight hundred miles and in breadth nigh one thousand and two hundred miles So that shee is the least but yet the most populous part of the world and blessed with the Gospel above all others The Kingdomes and Countrys in the Continent of Europe are Spain France Belgia Germany Italy Denmark Hungary Poland Sclavonia Greece Dacia Norway Sweden and Muscovy Spain not long since consisted of three Kingdomes Castile Arragon and Portugal but lately Portugal hath rent it self from her and chose for King the Duke of Braganza under the name of John the Fourth but wee will speak of her as shee was before and so in compass shee is about one thousand eight hundred and ninety English miles It s begirt with the Sea on every side unlesse on the Eastern where it is joyned to France by a kind of Isthmus crossed by the Pyrenaean Mountains from Sea to Sea On the West it s bounded with the Atlantick Sea On the North with the Cantabrick On the South with the straits of Gibraltier and South East with the Mediterranean Sea It yeilds all sorts of Wines Sugar Fruits Oils Mettals Lamb-skins Wool Cork Rosen Steel c. The Inhabitants are not many nor have they many great Cities as in other parts of Europe the poor are proud the best superstitious and hypocritical yet good Souldiers because patient to endure labor hunger thirst by which means they rather weary out than overcome their enemies France begins at the West from the Pyrenean Mountains and is bounded on the East with Germany On the North with our English Seas Southward with the Mediterranean and South-East with the Alpes which divide it from Italy The cheif Provinces are Lorraign Burgondy and Savoy which have Princes of their own the rest are Normandy Britany Bury Aquitane Picardy Peictoires Languedock Anioâ— Casconie Provence and Campaine c. The Country is very fruitfull which causeth much Traffick from neighbouring Nations their special commodities are Wine Salt Linnen Paper c. It s well peopled and hath many fair Cities the Inhabitants are great Courtiers and light of carriage Belgia hath France on the South Denmark on the North Germany on the East and the Ocean on the West It s called the Lowcountrys or Netherlands It s in compasse about one thousand miles It s divided into seventeen Provinces whereof four are Dukedomes seven Earldomes five Baronies and one Marqueship The Dukedomes are 1. Brabant in which is Anâ—werp 2. Luick 3. Lutzenburg where is the vast Forrest of Ardenna 4. Gilderland The Earldoms are 1. Flanders 2. Artois 3. Heinolt 4. Holland 5. Zeland 6. Zutphen 7. Hamme The Barronies are 1. Friezland 2. Utrech 3. Mecklen 4. Overysel 5. Grauling The Marquisat is that of the Holy Empire It s a good land and affords store of Butter Cheese and very great Oxen. The people are industrious and excellent Mechanicks The men are big boned excellent Seamen and maintain their liberty by the sword Germany lyeth Eastward from Belgia and is bounded on the West with France and Belgia On the East with Hungary and Poland and the River Vistula On the North with the German Ocean and on the South with the Alps that divide it from Italy Bohemia is situated in the middest compassed with the Hyrcanian wood whereof the Regal City is Prague Germany comprehends many Provinces as Saxony Brandenberg Pomeren Bavaria Silesia Franconia Austria Helvetia East-Friesland Westphalia Cleveland Alsatia Brunswick and Hassia The Emperor is now chosen by eight Electors the Arch-Bishops of Triars Ments and Colen the Count Palatine of the Rine the Duke of Saxony and Bavaria and the Marquesse of Brandenberg and the King of Bohemia with his casting voice It s a rich country in Corn Wine Fruits and Mines and hath in it healthful Baths the People are warlick and ingenious Italy hath Germany on the North the Mediterranean on the South the Adriatick Sea on the East and on the West Mare Terrenum It s in length one thousand and ten miles the greatest breadth is four hundred and twenty It s divided into many States the chief are the Kingdome of Naples the territory of Rome Lumbardy Tuscany The Signiory of Venice Verona c. It s of admirable fertility and called the Paradice of the world The Inhabitants are grave but exceeding libidinous Denmark is joyned to Germany on the South on the West it hath Mare Germanicum and is a Peninsula the two principal Provinces are Irglant and Holstein most of the other are petty Islands whereof Zeland is the chief and Loitland It breeds goodly horses and store of Cattle Hungary hath on the VVest Germany the River Tabiscus and Walachia on the East Poland on the North and on the South is the River Sauri Southward is Sclavonia The famous River Danubius cuts her in the middle nameing her parts Citerior and Ulterior The chief Provinces are Soliense where the earth sends forth such a stink that it poysons the birds that fly over it and an Island in Danubius that is exceeding fertil and so generally is the whole Country The Inhabitants are strong their Daughters Portions are only a new attire and all their sons equally inherit without respect of primogeniture The Emperor and Turk share it betwixt them Poland hath Silesia on the West the River Boristhenes on the East the Baltick Sea on the North and Hungary on the South It s in compasse two thousand six hundred miles The chief Provinces are Livonia Lituania Volinia Samogatia Podolia Russia Nigra Mazoria Prussia Regal Podlasia and the Dukedome of Opwits and Zator and Polonia propria The land abounds with hony wax Mines of Copper and Iron horses fit for service the Kingdome is elective Sclavonia hath Hungary on the North the Adriatick sea on the South Greece on the South-East and Italy on the West It contains in length four hundred and fourscore miles and in breadth one hundred and twenty It s divided into Illiricum Dalmatia and Croatia The Sclavonian Language is used in
Bridges and each of them have their several Churches Venerable Bede lies under a marble Tomb in the Cathedral Church of this City The City of Carlile in the County of Cumberland Described The City of Carlile is passing commodiously and pleasantly seated between severall rivers being guarded on the North side with the Channel of Eden on the East with Petteril on the West with Caud Besides which natural fences it is fortified with strong walls of stone with a Castel and a Citadel In form it is somewhat long running out from West to East On the West side stands the Castle fair and large Almost in the middest of the City riseth on high the Cathedral Church the upper and newer part of it being very artificially and curiously wrought On the West side stands the Citadel built by King Henry the eight very strongly and with bulworks VVales Described VVales is bounded with the Seas on all sides but the East where it is separated from England by the River Dee and a line drawn to the River VVie or rather by that huge ditch cast up by King Offa which begins where Wie falls into Severn and reacheth unto Chester even fourscore and four miles in length The Country is very Mountainous and barren yet by the industry of the Inhabitants is made fruitful their chiefest commodities are woollen Flannels Cottons Bays c. brought weekly to Oswestre the farthest Town in Shropshire and thence dispersed into other Countries It is divided into North-Wales and South-Wales in both which are twelve shires having in them one Chase thirteen Forrests thirty and six Parks ninety and nine bridges The chiefest Rivers are Dee VVie Conwy Tivy and Chedhidy The Welsh Language is least mixed with forreign words of any used in Europe but having many Consonants in it is lesse pleasing The People are cholerick and hasty but very loving each to other In VVales are one thousand and sixteen Parishes of which fifty and six are market Towns besides the Cities which are four viz. St. Davids in Pembrookshire Bangor in Carnarvonshire Asaph in Flintshire and Landaff in Glamorganshire In Cardiganshire were found some silver Mines by the industry of Mr. Thomas Middleton that yeilded some good quantity of Silver The twelve shires of VVales are Pembrookshire Caermardenshire Glamorganshire Brecknockshire Radnorshire Cardiganshire Moungomeryshire Mertonethshire Denbighshire Flintshire Caernarvonshire and the Isle of Anglesey which is separated from the main Land by the River Moenay wherein are Beu-marish and Holi-head common passages to Ireland Scotland described Scotland is separated from England by the Rivers Tweed and Solway and the Cheviot-Hills reaching from one river to the other It s in length four hundred and eighty miles In breadth much lesse no place being threescore miles from the Sea It s divided into High-land and Low-land The people of the High-land living on the VVestern parts of Scotland have some civility but those in the out Isles are very barbarous The Low-landers are in dispositions and language almost like the English Scotland is far more barren than England The chief commodities are course cloathes Freeses Fish Hides Lead-oare c. The principal Rivers are Forth Clada and Tay all navigable In Scotland there are four Universities St. Andrews Glasco Aberdeen and Edenburgh The Nobility and Gentry are great affecters of Learning and therefore do not only frequent their own Universities but travel into forraign parts for improvement of the same The whole Country is divided into two parts by the great River Tay the Southern part is more populous and fruitful every where bestrewed with Cities and Towns as England is the Northerly more barren and rude retaining the customes of the wilde Irish from whence they came The Southren part hath in it these Counties Tividale Merch Laudien Liddesdale Eskedale Annandale Niddesdale Galloway Carrick Kyle Cunningham Arran Cluidesdale Lenox Sterling Fife Strathern Menteith Argile Cantire and Lorn The Northern counties are Loquabrea Braidalbin Perth Athol Anguse Merâ—s Mar Buguhan Murrey Ross Sutherland Cathnes and Strathnavern And these again are divided into Sheriffdoms Stewardships and Bailiwicks The chief Cities in Scotland described Edenburgh is the Regal City of Scotland seated in Lothien where is the Royal Palace and the chief Courts of Justice It consists principally of one street about a mile long into which runne many petty lanes so that the whole compasse may be about three miles It s strengthened by a Castle that commands the Town Glasco in Cluidsdale where an University was founded by Bishop Turnbull Anno Christi 1554. St. Andrews in Fife Sterling or Striveling seated in Striveling hundred Aberdeen in Mar. Dondee in Anguis Perth or St. Johns Town Scotland was once inhabited by two populous Nations the Scots and Picts the former inhabited the Western parts of the land the latter the Eastern These two Nations at length falling out there were great and large warres betwixt them till at last the Scots prevailing they extinguished not the Kingdome only but the very name of the Picts Most memorable was that fortification drawn from Abercorn upon the Frith of Edenburgh unto Dunbritton opening upon the West Sea where Julius Agricola set the limits of the Romane Empire At this place began the great wood Caledonia famous for the wilde white Bulls bread therein with Manes like Lyons thick and curled of nature fierce and cruell so hatefull to mankind that they abhorred whatsoever was by them handled or breathed upon The Cattle in Scotland are but small yet many Fish so plentifull that in some places men on horseback hunt Salmons with Spears The Islands belonging to it are the Western the Orknayes and the Shetlands in number above three hundred Amongst the Western the Hebrides Skie Mula Ila and Arran are the chief all abounding with Corn Wood Salmons Herrings and some with Conies Deer Horses and Sheep The Orknay Islands upon the North lie in a raging Sea about three and thirty in number whereof thirteen are inhabited the other replenished with Cattel In them are no venemous Serpents nor other ugly vermine the aire sharp and healthful apt to bear Oats and Barley but have no wood Of these Pomonia is the greatest that hath six Minerals of Lead and Tin and twelve Parishes in it Ireland described Ireland is divided into four Provinces Mounster Leinster Connaught and Ulster In Mounster are the Counties of Limmerick Kery Cork Waterford Dismond and Holy Cross in Typperary In Leinster are East-Meath West-Meath Kilkenny Caterlough Queens County Kings County Kildare VVeshford and Dublin In Connaught are Clare â—r Towmund Gallaway Maio Slego Letrim and Roscoman In Ulster are Dungal or Tyr-connel Tyrone-upper Tyrone-nether Farmanagh Cavan Monaghan Colrane Antrim Down Armagh and Lough Ireland hath on the East that tempestuous Sea that divides it from England On the West the Western Ocean On the North the Deucalidonian Sea and on the South the Vergivian Sea It contains in length four hundred and in breadth two hundred miles The air is
temperate but not so clear as ours in England it doth not therefore ripen Corn well but causeth grasse to grow abundantly The Winter is more subject to wind than snow The soil is uneven wooddy wilde watrish and boggy full of Loghs and Meers yea great ponds are sometimes found upon high mountains hence new commers are subject to Rheumes dissenteries and Fluxes the usual cure whereof is Uskebah This Island breeds no venemous creature neither will any live there if brought from other places All the breed in Ireland except women and Grayhounds are lesse than in England The commodities are cattel and sheep which are twice shorne in one year but their wool is course of which they make Mantles Caddows and Coverlets their Hobbies also are of great esteem Bees there are in great abundance The people are generally strong and nimble patient of hunger and cold implacable in enmity light of beleef greedy of glory The Kernes or wilde Irish are extreamly barbarous not behaving themselves as Christians scarcely as men The chief Rivers are 1. Shenin or Sinei beginning in Ulster and running two hundred miles till it falls into the Vergivian Sea and is navigable threescore miles 2. The Slane 3. Awiduff or Blackwater 4. Showre c. of which Spencer makes these verses There was the Liffie rowling down the Lea The sandy Slane the stony Aubrian The spacious Shenin spreading like a Sea The pleasant Boyne the fishie-fruitful Bann Swift Awiduffe which of the English man Is call'd Blackwater and the Liffar deep Sad Trowis that once his people over-run Strong Allo tumbling from Slewtogher steep And Mullamine whose waves I whilome taught to weep There also was the wide embayed Mayer The pleasant Bandon crown'd with many a wood The spreading Lee that like an Island fair Enclosed Corke with his divided flood And baleful Oure distain'd with English blood With many more c. The principal Lakes are Lough Earn Lough Foile and Lough Corbes in length twenty in breadth four miles in which are three hundred Ilets abounding with Pine-trees Dublin the Metropolis of Ireland is seated on the Liffie in which is an University Our King John was the first that was entituled Lord of Ireland which title the Kings of England retained till Anno Christi 154â— at which time in an Irish Parliament King Henry the eight was declared King of Ireland as a name more repleat with Majesty The Province of Mounster described Mounster hath on the South the Vergivian Sea on the North part Connaught on the East Leinster and on the VVest the Ocean It s in length from Baltimore in the South unto the Bay of Galway in the North fourscore and ten miles Its breadth East and West from Waterford haven to Feriter haven is one hundred miles The air is mild and temperate the soil in some parts hilly with woods and solitary mountains the vallies beautified with Corn-fields The commodities are Corn Wood Cattel Wool and Fish especially abundance of Herring and Cod. The principal City is Limrick compassed about with the famous River Shannon by the parting of the channel Also neer unto the River Savaren which issues out of Muskerry mountains stands the City of Cork and lastly in this Province is the fair City of VVaterford having a commodious Haven for trade and traffick The Province of Leinster described Leinster hath on the East the Irish Seas VVestward on Connaught side it s bounded by the River Shannon Northward with the territory of Lougth and Southward with part of Mounster It s in length fourscore miles in breadth seventy The airds clear and mild the soil generally fruitful and plentifull both in fish and flesh stored with corn cattel and pastures It s well watered with Rivers and for the most part well wooded except the County Dublin where it is much wanting It breeds excellent Hobbies that amble very easily It hath in it three Rivers of note Shour Neor and Barraeo which issue out of the huge Mountains Blandinae and meet together before they empty themselves into the Ocean In this Province are 1. Kilkenny a fair midland Town 2. Kildare 3. VVexford which was the first English Collony 4. Dublin the Metropolitan City which is strong beautiful and frequented by Merchants Near to it is the beautiful Colledge consecrated to the holy Trinity which Queen Elizabeth made an University The Province of Connaught described Connaught is bounded Eastward with part of Leinster Northward with part of Ulser Westward with the main Ocean and Southward with part of Munster It s in length one hundred six and twenty miles and in breadth fourscore The Air is not so pure and clear as in other Provinces by reason of the many Bogs In it Twomond or the County of Clare is best both for Sea and Soil Galway commodious for shepheards Maio replenished with Cattel Deer Hawks and Hony Slego with pasturidge Le Trim full of rank grasse and forrage Roscomen plain and fruitful fit for cattel or husbandry The principal City and indeed the third in Ireland is Galway built in manner much like a Tower and is well frequented with Merchants having a convenient Haven near unto it is the Isle of Arran The Province of Ulster described Ulster on the North is divided with a narrow Sea from Scotland Southward it extends to Connaught and Leinster and on the VVest is beaten with the vast Ocean It s length is near one hundred miles from North to South the breadth one hundred and thirty and odd miles The air is temperate which causeth the ground to bring forth great store of several trees both for building and fruit-bearing plentiful it is of grasse for Cattel well furnished with horses sheep and Oxen. The Rivers carry Vessels for pleasure and profit furnished they are with great store of fish especially of Salmons abounding more in some of these Rivers than in any other place in Europe Indeed in some places this Country is barren troubled with Loughs Lakes and thick woods but in other places fruitful enough if it were but well husbanded The principal place in this Province is Armagh near unto the River Kalin which though it make but a poor shew yet lately was an Archiepiscopal See wherein once sate Richard Fitz-Ralph commonly called Armachanus who Anno Christi 1355. wrote so sharply against the begging Friers detesting such voluntary beggery in Christians Thus was the state of Ireland before the late horrid rebellion brake forth what alterations the same hath produced I am not able to write The Isle of Man Described Man is situated in that part of the British Sea that is called St. Georges channel It lyes between England and Ireland containing in length about thirty miles the broadest place exceeds not nine miles the narrowest is not lesse than five Generally it s an high land upon the Sea-Coasts defended with rocks lying out into the Sea The Harbours for shiping are 1. Douglas the safest 2. Rainsway 3. Ramsey 4. Laxie all towards England
of English Jesuits There are in it many goodly Gardens Mountaines Valleys Medows c. 2. Bruxels of the same bigness and the Dukes seat but for pleasure profit uniform buildings and elegancy thereof far beyond Lovain 3. Bergen ap some famous for the notable resistance it made to Spinola Anno Christi 1622. 4. Bolduc 5. Tilmont 6. Mastriecht 7. Breda the seat of the Prince of Orange 5. The Marquisat of the Empire is contained in Brabant the chief City is Antwerp in circuit seven miles In it are eight principal channels cut out of the Scheld on which the Town is seated the biggest of them being able to contain one hundred ships Before the Civil warres it was a place of wonderful great Trading but now the Hollanders have so blocked up the Haven that the traffick is removed to Amsterdam 6. Flanders is divided into the Imperiall Gallick and Teutonick Flanders The last of these is divided from the other two by the River Ley. The chief Towns in it are 1. Gaunt whose wall is seven miles round The Rivers Scheld and Ley run through it and make in it twenty six Islands conjoyned with ninety eight bridges 2. Burgiâ— situated on a fair and deep channel made by Art which much advantageth it 3. Ypres a very strong Town standing on a River of the same name 4. Winnocks-Berg 5. Grauling on the sea side a strong Fort. 6. Oudenard The four principal Ports of Flanders are 1. Dunkirk 2. Scluse at the mouth of the channel of Bruges having a fair Haven able to contain five hundred good ships It s in the hand of the States 3. Newport where was fought that famous Battle between the Spaniards and States 4. Ostend which held out a siedg of three years and three months against the Arch-Duke Imperiall Flanders is parted from Brabant by the River Dender from the Gallick Flanders by the River Scheld about Oudenard The chief Towns are 1. Alost on the Dender 2. Dendermond 3. Hulst 4. Axelle 5. Rupelmond The Gallick Flanders is severed from the Teutonick by the River Ley from the Imperiall by the Scheld The chief Towns are 1. Lisle 2. Doway where is an University 3. Orchies 4. Armentiers 5. St. Amand. 6. Turnay In all Flanders there are thirty five Towns and one thousand one hundred seventy and eight Villages It s in length ninety six miles in breadth much lesse It s bounded with Brabant on the East Picardy on the West the Sea on the North and Artoys on the South 7. Artoys which hath on the East Heinalt on the West Picardy on the North Flanders and on the South Champaigne It contains seven hundred fifty and four villages and twelve walled Towns whereof the chief are 1. Arras whence comes our Arras hangings 2. Ayre 3. Pernes 4. St. Omer a good Haven 5. Lilliers 6. Le-Cluse The frontier Towns are 1. Hedinfert against Picardy 2. St. Paul 8. Heinalt bounded on the East with Limbourg on the West with Flanders on the North with Brabant and on the South with Champaigne The length of it is sixty miles and the breadth fourty eight It contains nine hundred and fifty Villages and twenty four Towns the chief whereof are 1. Mons a strong and rich City 2. Valenciennes seated on the Scheld 3. Conde 4. Bavays 5. Landrecy on the River Sambre 6. Mariembourgh 7. Engien 8. Reulx 9. Avennes On the South part of Heinalt is the Town and territory of Cambray 9. Namurce which hath on the East Limbourg on the VVest Heinalt on the North Brabant and on the South Luxenburg In this Country are many Coals which are kindled with Water and quenched with Oil. It contains one hundred and eighty villages and four Towns 1. Namurce seated where Sicambris falls into Meuse 2. Charlemont 3. Valencourt 4. Bovines It s a fruitful Country enriched with Mines of Jasper and all sorts of Marble and abounding with Iron The Inhabitants are good souldiers 10. Zutphen is a Town in Gelderland an ancient Earldom seated on the River Ysell a strong place in the siege whereof that mirror of Chivalry Sir Philip Sidney lost his life 11. Holland is a woody Country having on the East Utrecht on the West and North the Sea and on the South the Meuse It s in circuit one hundred and eighty miles no part whereof is distant from the Sea three hours journey It containes four hundred villages and three and twenty Towns whereof the chief are 1. Dort where the National Synod was held against the Arminians Anno Christi 1618. 2. Harlem where Printing was invented 3. Leiden a famous University Which City consists of forty one Islands passed partly by Boats and partly by Bridges whereof there are one hundred forty and five and of them one hundred and four built with stone 4. Delft 5. Alkmer 6. Rotterodam 7. Horn. 8. Enchusen 9. Amsterdam a very fair Haven Town the men are good Sea-men the women very industrious there is scarce a boy of four years old but can earn his own meat It yeilds Butter Cheese c. The chief Village is the Hage having in it two thousand housholds 12 Zealand consisteth of seven Islands and in them three hundred Towns The first Island is Walcheren and in it the chief towns are 1. Midlebourg 2. Flushing an excellent Haven and of great strength Nigh unto it is the Fort Ramekins and the Brill 3. Vere The next Island is South Beverland whose chief Town is Tergowse The third is Schoven its chief Town Sixixee 4. Tolen whose chief Town is Tertolen c. In all this Countrey are eight Cities and one hundred and two Villages the soil is fruitful but they have neither wood nor fresh water 13. West-Freizland which hath on the East Groyning on the South Overyssel on the other sides the Sea It contains three hundred forty and five Villages and eleven Towns the chief are 1. Lewarden 2. Harlingem a sea Town 3. Zwichen 4. Doceum 5. Franeker an University 14. Utrecht is bounded on the East with Gelderland on the other three sides with Holland It contains seventy Villages and five Towns as 1. Rhenen 2. Wick de Duerstede 3. Amesford 4. Monfoort 5. Utrecht just in the middest 15. Overyssel is bounded on the North with Freizland and Groning on the South with Gelderland on the East with Westphalia on the West with the sea It contains one hundred and one Villages and eleven Towns the chief whereof are 1. Swall 2. Campene 3. Deventer basely betrayed to the Spaniards by Sir William Stanley 4. Steinwick 5. Hasselt 6. Oldezel 7. Handerberg 8. Delden 16. Machlin which is a Town in Brabant which Anno Christi 1546. was much defaced by fireing of eight hundred barrels of Gunpowder Besides the Town it contains nine Villages It s a fair and strong Town being daintily seated amidst the waters of the River Dele so that it may bee drowned on all sides 17. Groyning which is a Town of VVest-Friezland containing under her command
one hundred forty and five Villages the chief being Old haven and Keikerk It s bounded on the East with East-friezland on the West with VVest-Friezland on the South with Overyssel and on the North with the Sea These Countries are now divided between the States under an Aristocratical government and the King of Spain The States have the Dutchy of Guelders The Earldomes of Holland and Zealand and Zutphen The Lordships of Friezland Utretcht Overyssel and Groning seven in all the rest are Spanish Germany described The compass of this spacious Country is two thousand and six hundred English miles The Inhabitants are little addicted to Venus but very much to Bacchus they are of strong constitutions and much inclining to fatnesse The titles of the Fathers descend to all their Children every son of a Duke being a Duke and every Daughter a Dutchess The soil for the most part is healthful and profitable yeelding several Minerals Corn and Wine together with Linnen Quicksilver Allom c. The chief Rivers are 1. Danubius which rising out of Nigra sylva receiveth threescore navigable Rivers into it and having run a course of one thousand and five hundred miles emptieth it self at seven mouths into the Euxine Sea 2. Rhene which arising in Helvetia and running through Germany and Belgia after a course of eight hundred miles falleth into the German Ocean 3. Albis rising on the skirts of Bohemia passing by Magdenbourg Brunswick and Denmark after four hundred miles course falls into the same Sea 4. Oder arising in Silesia runs through Brandenbourg and Pomerania about three hundred miles and so falls into the Baltick Sea 5. Maenus or the Main 6. Weser The Empire of Germany is not hereditary but elective and when the Emperor is dead the Arch-Bishop of Mentz writes to the rest of the Electors to meet at Frankfurt within three months either in person or to send their Ambassadors In the vacancy the Elector Palatine is the Vicar and hee who is elected King of the Romans is declared heir The three Ecclesiastical Electors are the Arch-Bishops of Mentz Trevers and Colein the others are the King of Bohemia the Elector Palatine the Duke of Saxony and the Marquiss of Brandenburg to whom was lately added the Duke of Bavaria Being assembled at Frankfurt they make oath to chuse a fit person they are obliged to finish the choice within thirty dayes and may not go out of the Town till it bee accomplished If the voices happen to bee equal hee who hath the King of Bohemia's vote is proclaimed Emperour The three states of the Empire are 1. That of the aforesaid Electors wherein the Ecclesiasticks have the precedency The second state consists of four Arch-Bishops as Magdeburg Salsburgh Bremen and Bezanson after whom follows the great Master of the Teutonick Order and then one and thirty Bishops ten Abbots with the title of Princes and some Abbesses and lastly the Counts and Barons whereof there are many The third State is made up of the Imperial Towns which are in number threescore and five the four principall are Lubeck Metz Auspurgh and Aixe or Aquisgraâ—e Another Union there is for the preservation of Trade and commerce the chief Cities whereof are Lubeck Colein Brunswick and Dansick These are called Hanse-Towns The Empire is distributed into ten circles Franconia Bavaria Austria Swevia That of the upper Rheyn that of the four Electors towards the Rheyn Westphalia Saxony Low Saxony and Burgundy Come wee now in particular to the chief Provinces of Germany which are fifteen As 1. East-Friezland having on the West the River Ems on the East the Weser on the South Westphalia and on the North the Sea The chief Towns are 1. Emden 2. Ammer Dun. 3. Oldenbourg 2. Westphalia which is bounded on the East with Brunswick on the West with Belgia on the South with Hassia and on the North with the Sea The soil is fruitful the trees yeeld abundance of sweet Acorns which feed our Westphalia Bacon The Northern part is called Bremen from the chief City of that name the next parts belong to the Duke of Saxony the chief Towns whereof are 1. Clappenbourg 2. Exenberg 3. Alsdorpe c. The other part belongs to the Bishopricks of Collen Munster and Triers In that of Collen are 1. Collen the Bishops seat 2. Andernaâ—h 3. Lentz seated on the Rhene 4. Bonna 5. Mondenand The chief towns under the Bishop of Munster are 1. Warendorp 2. Herverden 3. Munster seated on the River Ems. Here the frantick Anabaptists seated themselves Anno Christi 1522. till they were deservedly punished and destroyed The chief Towns in the Bishoprick of Triers are 1. Bopport on the Mosel 2. Engers 3. Coblents 4. Triers on the Mosel also 3. Cleveland which Dutchy contains Cleve Gulick and Berge It joyns to Gelderland and the chief Cities are 1. Cleve 2. Calkar 3. Wesel 4. Emerick In Gulick the chief Cities are 1. Aquisgraue or Aken 2. Gulick 3. Dulken 4. Newis The chief Towns in Berge are 1. Dusseldorp 2. Hattingen 3. Arusberg 4. Alsatia which hath on the West Lorrain on the South Helvetia on the East the Rhene and on the North the Palatinate The chief Towns are 1. Strasbourg where is a Tower five hundred seventy and eight paces high It stands on the Rhene 2. Psaltburg 3. VVeisenberg On the South end of Alsatia stand Colmer Hagenaw and Selestade three fair Cities belonging to the Empire 5. Franconia which is bounded on the East with Bohemia on the West with Elsas on the North with Hassia and on the South with Swevia Bavaria and Helvetia It s divided betwixt the Palatine of Rhene the Duke of VVittenberg the Marquess of Anspach and Baden the Bishops of Mentz Bamberg VVestberg and the Emperour of which in order The Palatinate of Rhene is in length from North to South threescore and twelve miles in breadth from East to West fourscore and sixteen In which compass are some Towns of the Empire and some Lordships belonging to the Bishops of VVormes and Spires both seated on the Rhene The Palatinate hath store of fruits mettals and Rhenish Wines Hath many gallant Towns as 1. Mospotch 2. Heidelberg an University On the banks of Rhene stand 1. Bacharach whence come the best Rhenish Wines called Bachrach 2. Coub 3. Oppenheim 4. Cruitznack 5. Frankendale 6. Germensheim 7. Mainhem c. There are in this Country fourteen other walled Towns VVittenberg whereof the chief Towns are 1. Turbing an University 2. Stutguard the Dukes seat 3. Marback 4. Caustat c. Anspach the chief Towns whereof are 1. Anspach 2. Haâ—lbrun 3. Plenifelt Baden a fruitful Country lying between the Rivers Rhene and Neccar The chief Towns are 1. Durlach 2. Pfortshaime 3. Baden a neat Town seated on the Rhene having hot Baths in it Mentz seated where the Main emptieth it self into the Rhene whereof the chief Towns are 1. Lanstein 2. Bing seated on the Rhene Bamberg which is a fair City seated on the Main the other chief
Towns are Schestlites and Forchiam VVirtzberg a Bishops seat formerly called Herbipolis the other Towns belonging to it are Schwinfurt on the Main and Arnsteme The Emperors part contains the free and imperial Cities seated in the Palatinate and VVittenberg the chief whereof are 1. Norenberg situated in the very center of Germany 2. Frankfurt on the Main where the two great book Marts are held in Midlent and Mid-September 6. Helvetia or Switzerland which is bounded on the East with Tyrol on the West with France on the North with Lorraine and Elsas and on the South with Italy It contains thirteen Cantons as 1. Zurick 2. Bern. 3. Lucern 4. Urania 5. Glaris 6. Zugh 7. Basil 8. Friburg 9. Underwalt 10. Soloure 11. Schaffhausen 12. Apensol 13. Swits The chief Towns are 1. Zurick or Tygure 2. St. Gall. 3. Basil. where is a famous University 4. Constance seated on the Lake Bodenzee it belongs to the house of Austria 5. Bern. 6. Baden where are good Bathes 7. Lucerne situate on the banks of a great Lake bearing the same name The Country is in length two hundred and forty and in breadth one hundred and fourscore miles In it are the heads ofâ—those four famous Rivers Poe Danow Rhene and Rhone that run East West North and South These people were sometimes under the Emperor but being over-burthened by the Tyranny of their Governours they shaked off the yoak and entring into an offensive and defensive league cantoned themselves under a new Government These Helvetians are shut up within Mountains and great Lakes which make their Country unaccessible The tyranny of some Governours as aforesaid caused them to shake off the yoak not only of the house of Austria but of their own Nobility also Their first league was begun by three Country Peasants which in a short time was much augmented by the aversion of the people from the abovesaid Government Let no man trust to his own power and maintain it by rigour for enemies often come from whence they are least expected So soon as this league was made they seized upon the Castles of their Governours and drove them out of their Country Anno Christi 1307. But Arch-Duke Leopold being puffed up by some conquests hee had made and being provoked by the solicitations of the expulsed Nobility led his forces against the Villages but was defeated in the Mountains near Morgarten This victory of the Switzers produced the perpetual alliance of the three Villages to which the rest shortly after adjoyned themselves yea and many imperial Towns near them have so leagued themselves with them that now they have no enemie that they need fear except from among themselves Since which time their alliance hath been sought by Popes Kings and Princes of Europe and especially by France which by keeping in with them through a yearly pension hath drawn no small advantages from them Their Republick is composed of three orders The Villages to the number of thirteen The Associates or Confederates And the Towns which depend upon their direction They have also divers forms of Government for that of the Villages is Democratical and that of the Towns Aristocratical which mixt Common-wealth is only kept in unity by the care which shee hath of her own preservation Their Assemblies are made by a general Convocation to treat of war peace c. at which the Ambassadors from every Town are to meet Their Religion in some of the Cantons is only Romane in others reformed and in some mixed In this Marshal age of ours bloody Mars hath as well skipped over their Mountains as through the Seas Desâ—â—â—s and vast Forrests 7. Suevia which is divided into the upper and lower The upper is bounded on the East with Tyrol on the West with Helvetia on the North with lower Suevia and on the South with Millaine It was formerly called Rhetia now they are called Grisons divided into three confederations 1. Lega Cadi Dio whose chief City is Coyra 2. Lega Grisa 3. Lega Dritture they are Papists and Protestants mixt together Lower Suevia or Schwaben hath on the East Bavaria on the West Danubius on the North Franconia and on the South Tirol and the Grisons The chief Towns are 1. Ulme 2. Lindwe on the Lake Bodenzee 3. Auspurg on the River Leith 4. Norlingen 5. VVherlingen 6. Ravensperg 7. Dinkle spuhel 8. Gmund 8. Bavaria which hath on the East Austria and Stiria on the West the Leike on the North Bohemia and part of Franconia and on the South Tirol and Carinthia The chief Cities are 1. Munchen the Dukes seat on the River Aser 2. Ingolstat on the Danow an University 3. Ratisbone on the Danow also 4. Passaw 5. Sulesbourg on the River Saltzach 6. Frising 7. Eystet c. being in all thirty four and forty six walled Towns besides the soil is fruitful The Northern part of Bavaria is called the Upper Palatinate whereof the chief Towns are 1. Amberg where are Silver Mines 2. Newburg 3. Awerbach 4. Sultzbach 5. Weiden 7. Castel 9. Austria is an Arch-Dukedome that contains the Province of Austria Styria Carinthia Tirol and Carniola It s divided from Hungary on the East by the Leita From Bavaria on the West by the Ems From Moravia on the North by the Tems and from Stiria on the South by the Muer It was once called Pannonia superior the chief Cities in Austria are 1. Vienna an University seated on the Danow the beautifullest City in all Germany adorned with magnificent Churches stately Monasteries and a sumptuous Pallace for the Archduke 2. Emps. 3. St. Leopald 4. Neustat 5. Hainburg 6. Crems Styria is in length one hundred and ten miles and about sixty in breadth It hath the River Rab on the East Carinthia on the West the Dravus on the South and the Meur and Austria on the North the chief Cities are 1. Marchpurg 2. Gratz Carinthia is seventy five miles in length and fifty five in breadth It hath Stiria on the East Tirol on the West Bavaria on the North and the Alps on the South The chief towns are 1. Villach 2. Spittal 3. Gurach 4. Freisach 5. St. Veit Carniola is one hundred and fifty miles long and forty five broad It hath on the East Sclavonia on the West Italy on the North Carinthia and on the South Istria the chief towns are 1· Newmark 2. Esling 3. Marsperg 4. Bagonock 5. Saxenfelt all on the River Savus which runs through the middle of the Country Tirol which is seventy two miles broad and as many long It hath on the East Carinthia on the West the Grisons on the North Schwaben and on the South Marca Trevigeana It s a fruitful Countrey and full of silver Mines the chief towns are 1. Oenipont or Inspurch 2. Landeck 3. Tirol 4. Bolzan 5. Trent on the River Adesis where the Council was held against the Protestants 10. Bohemia which hath annexed to it Silesia Lusatia and Moravia Bohemia is bounded on the East with Silesia and
Scandia which belongs to Denmark is divided into three Provinces 1. Hallandia 2. Scania in length threescore and twelve miles in breadth eight and forty the pleasantest and fruitfullest Country in all Denmark and having Seas abounding with Herrings 3. Blicker where is Colmar a strong Fortress against the Swedes The Province of Scania reaches up to Sweden and Juâ—land to Holstein The Kingdome is elective and the principal strength of it consists in good and stately ships not only for the defence of the Islands but of that most important passage of the Sound which is a streight separating Scania from Zeland and is of huge advantage by reason of the infinite number of ships which pass through it into the Baltick Sea and come from all the Havens of that Sea back into the Ocean The Noble men are much inclined to the wars zealous for their Rights and Liberties and make no alliance by marriage with the common people they refuse Ecclesiastical honours as below their condition The Gentlemen are all equal and as it were of one family there being neither Earl nor Baron only the Officers of the Crown and Counsellers of the Kingdome have the preheminence Norway described Norway is bounded on the North with Lapland on the East with the Doâ—rine Mountains which part it from Swethlâ—nd on the other parts with the Sea It s in length one thousand and three hundred miles in breadth not half so much It s much troubled with certain little Beasts called Lemmers about the bigness of a field-mouse which like Locusts devoure every green thing on the earth and at a certain time die in heaps and with their stench poison the air so that the people are long after troubled with the Jaundies and a giddinesse in the head but these beasts come not often The soil is barren and the common people live on dryed fish in stead of bread The chief Commodities are stock-fish butter rich furrs train Oile pitch masts cables deal-boards c. Towns here are few and the houses are miserably poor their cheif towns are 1. Nidrosia 2. Bergen an ancient mart town 3. Asloia 4. Staffanger On the North and West of it lieth Finmark a great and populous Province both of them are subject to Denmark The chief towns in Finmark are 1. Saman 2. Hielso both sea towns 3. Wardhouse a place of much trading Swethland Described Swethland hath on the East Muscovy on the West the Dofrine hills on the North the frozen Seas and on the South the Baltick Sea which doth not ebb and flow This Sea begins at the Sound and interlaceth Denmark Swethland Germany and Poland extending to Livonia and Lituania This Countrey with the Provinces of Lapland Scricfinia and Barmia is bigger than France and Italy joyned together The soil is fruitful the aire healthfull so that many of the Inhabitants live to one hundred and thirty and some to one hundred and forty years old It yeilds Mines of Lead Copper and Silver Buck-skines Goat-skines Oxen Tallow Tar costly Furrs c. The chief Provinces are 1. Lapland which is divided into two parts whereof the Eastern part belongs to the great Duke of Mosco the western containing Lapland properly so called and Scricfinia belong to Swethland they have store of rich Furrs but use not many and are good Archers 2. Bodia lying on the South of Scricfinia the chief towns whereof are 1. Virtis 2. Vista 3. Helsinga 3. Finland which hath the Baltick sea on the South It s a very fruitfull and populous Countrey containing one thousand four hundred thirty and three Parishes wherein are a thousand Families in some of them the chief towns are 1. Albo. 2. Name a strong place c. 4. Sweden which hath on the East Sinus Bodicus on the West the Dofrine Hills on the North Lapland and on the South Gothland For the most part it is a fruitful Countrey the chief Cities are 1. Upsale 2. Nicopia a sea town 3. Coperdole famous for its abundance of Brasse 5. Gothland which is the best and richest Province of the North It s divided into the Island and the Continent The Island of Gothland is seated in the Baltick sea being in length eighteen miles and but five broad the chief Town is Wisbich The continent of Gothland joyns to Denmark and hath in it the great Lake Weret which receiving into it twenty and four Rivers empties it self at one mouth with such an hideous noise that it is commonly called the Devills head The chief Cities are 1. Stockholm 2. Lodusia 3. Walburg 4. Colmar famous for its impregnable Castle Sweden is the biggest of all the Northern Kingdomes the Regall City whereof is Stockholm a town with the suburbs of great distent there are in it many huge Mountains Rocks and Forrests where are sometimes seen and hard strange illusions and phancies as likewise in the water which are very terrible both to men and horses that pass that way The Swedes are good souldiers both by sea and Land of a strong complexion and fit to indure hardship and labour the Nobility is very milde and frank loves learning and Languages especially the Latine and French they travel much abroad are dextrous at exercises and seek learned company they heartily love one another out of their own Country hide the vices of their compatriots and stand much for the honour of their Nation Muscovy Described Muscovy hath on the East Tartary on the West Livonia Lituania and part of Sweden on the North the frozen Ocean and on the South the Caspian sea and lake of Meotis It is in length from East to West three thousand and three hundred miles in breadth three thousand sixty and five The women love their husbands best that beat them most they use the Sclavonian Language and in their Religion follow the Greek Churches the Northren parts are so cold that the people do not only line their cloaths but their houses with Furrs the chief Commodities are rich Furs Flax Hemp Oil Honey Wax Canvasses Nuts c. It hath many great rivers as 1. Tanais which emptieth it self into Palus Meotis 2. Duina running into the Scythian seas 3. Boristhenes or Neiper running into the Euxine sea 4. Onega running into the Baltick sea 5. Volga which at seventy mouths empties it self into the Caspian sea The chief Provinces are 1. Novograd having a City of the same name on the Baltick sea a place of great trading 2. Plescovia whose chief town is Plescow it is in length three hundred and thirty miles and one hundred and thirty in breadth 3. Volodomire a fruitful Country where usually one bushel of Corn returns twenty and sometimes five and twenty the chief town is of the same name 4. Rhezan very plentiful in Corn Hony Fish Fowl c. 5. Severia a great Province upon the lake of Maeotis 6. Smolensco whose chief City is of the same name 7. Rescovy 8. Rostowia 9. Corelia 10. Permia where are abundance of stags 11. Condora 12. Petzora 13.
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
gowns the Nobility is very studious of warre and desirous of travel and of an humor much like that of the French they express their gallantry in the beauty of their cloaths weapons and horses In the sumptuousness of feasts weddings funeralls Christenings and in numerous traines of servants when they go a wooing The most eminent dignities amongst them are to be Senators whom they call Waiwodes Chattellans and starosts or Captains Of Poland it is said that if a man hath lost his religion let him go seek it in Poland and he shall find it there or else let him make account that its vanished out of the world Europae spec Hungary Described The soil is wonderfull fruitful yeilding Corn thrice a year the Grass in some places exceeds the height of a man which feeds a wonderfull number of Cattel Besides which they have Deer Partridg and Pheasant in such abundance that any man may kill them They have also Mines of Gold Silver and Copper Fish Wine c. The chief Rivers are 1. Danubius called also Ister 2. Savus 3. Dravus 4. Tibiscus which exceedingly abounds with Fish The Turk hath these chief Cities in Hungary 1. Buda on the Danow 2. Gyula on the confines of Transylvania 3. Pest. 4. Alba Regalis 5. Quinque Ecclâ—siae 6. Rab. The Emperor hath in his part 1. Presburg upon the edg of Austria 2. Strigonium or Gran. 3. Agraria 4. Comara 5. Toctax 6. Canista 7. Alkeinburg 8. Neheusel 9. Zigeth on the Dravus Dacia Described This Countrey is sufficiently fruitful and abounds with horses whose manes reach to the ground but to speak of the Provinces more particularly which are 1. Transylvania which hath on its North the Carpathean Mountains on the South Walachia on the West Hungary and on the East Moldovia The chief towns are 1. Alba Julia or Weisenburg 2. Claudiopolis or Clausenburg 3. Bristitia 4. Centum Colles 5. Fogaros 6. Stephanopolis c. Their present Prince is Rogotzi a Protestant 2. Moldovia is on the North end of Transylvania and extending to the Euxine Sea the chief Cities are 1. Zucchania 2. Fucchiana 3. Falezing 3. Walachia divided from Bulgary by the Danow the chief Cities are 1. Sabinium 2. Prailaba 3. Tergovista the Vayvodes seat It abounds with gold Silver Iron Saltpits wine Cattel horses brimstone c. 4. Servia which lyeth between Bosnia and Rascia the chief Cities are 1. Stoinburg the seat of the Despot 2. Samandria 3. Belgrade on the Danow 5. Rascia between Servia and Bulgary the chief City is Boden 6. Bulgary joyning on the East to the â—uxine sea on the West to Rascia the chief Cities are 1. Sophia the seat of the Beglerbeg of Greece 2. Nicopolis 7. Bosnia having Servia on the East Croatia on the VVest Savus on the South and Illiricum on the North the chief Cities are 1. Cazachium 2. Jaziga Sclavonia Described Sclavonia is more fit for Pasturage than for Corn their sheep and other Cattle bring forth young twice in a year and are shorn four times the Provinces are Illiricum or Windismarch which is bounded on the East with the Danow on the West with Carniola on the North with Dravus and on the South with Savus the chief Cities are 1. Zatha on Danubius 2. Zakaocz 3. VVindishgretz on Dravus 4. Sagouna It s now a member of Hungary Dalmatia which hath on the East Drinus on the West Croatia on the North Savus and on the South the Adriatique sea the chief Cities are 1. Ragusi a sea town and of great traffick 2. Sicum on the sea also 3. Jadara another sea Town 4. Spalato a sea town 5. Scodra or Scutary 6. Lyssa where Scanderbeg was buried these two last are under the Turks the other under the Venetians Croatia which hath on the East and South Dalmatia on the North Savus and on the West Istria and Carniola the chief Cities are 1. Gradiska situate on Savus 2. Bruman 3. Novigrade on the Savus neer Germany 4. Sisseg or Sissaken 5. Petrowya These people are usually called Crabbats and serve as mercenaries in the Emperors Armies Greece described Greece is bounded on the East with the Aegean sea the Hellespont Propontis and the Thracian Bosphorus On the West it hath Italy with the Adriatick sea on the North with the Mountain Hemus and on the South with the Jonian sea It s situate in the Northern temperate zone under the fifth and sixth Climates the longest day being about fifteen hours The people once were famous for Armes and Arts which made them account all others Barbarians now they are degenerated from the Prinstine vertue of their ancesters and are become unconstant ignorant riotous and idle At their feasts they drink till they come to the height of intemperancy hence grew our Proverb As merrie as Greeks The women are generally brown yet well-favoured and excessively amorous they use much painting to keep themselves in favour with their husbands who when they are wrinkled and old put them to all drudgery Their Church government was by four Patriarks 1. Of Alexandria 2. Of Hierusalem 3. Of Antioch 4. Of Constantinople Their language was Greek of which they had five Dialects 1. the Attick 2. the Dorick 3. the Aeolick 4. the Jonick 5. the common Dialect but now it is almost devoured by the Sclavonian or Turkish Tongue The soil is fruitfull and would yeild good profit if it were well husbanded but the natives having nothing that they can call their own in regard of their slavery to the Great Turk neglect husbandry The Commodities that they send abroad into other Countries are Wine Oil Copper Vitreal Velvets Damasks Grogreams c. and some Gold and Silver The chief rivers are Cephisus which rising in the frontiers of Epirus emptieth it self into the Aegean sea Erigon Alaicmon Strimon Athicus Stymphalus Ladon Inacus Pineus Populifer c. Greece is ordinarily divided into these seven parts 1. Peloponesus 2. Achaia 3. Epirus 4. Albania 5. Macedonia 6. Migdonia 7 and Thracia Peloponesus Described Peloponesus is a Peninsula almost surrounded with the sea only it is joyned to the firm land by an Istmus five miles broad which was fortified by a strong wall and five Castles called Hexamilium which reached from sea to sea It is in compasse six hundred miles and it is now called Morea and is divided into six Provinces 1 Elis. 2. Messina 3. Arcadia 4. Laconia 5. Argolis and 6. Achaia propria 1. Elis which hath on the East Arcadia on the West the Jonian sea on the North Achaia propria and on the South Messina the chief Cities are Argis nigh unto the river Alpheus It was formerly called Olimpia famous for the statue of Jupiter Olimpicus which was one of the Worlds wonders And Pisa. 2. Messina which hath on the East Arcadia on the North Elis on the West and South the sea the chief Cities are 1. Messina now Golpho di Coron 2. Pilon now Navarino 3. And Methone or Medon 3. Arcadia which hath
on the East Laconia on the VVest Elis and Messina on the North Achaia propria and on the South the sea The chief Cities are 1. Psophis 2. Mantinia 3. Megalopolis And 4. Phialia here was the Lake Stymphalus and the River Styx whose water for the ill tast was called the Water of hell this Countrey was fit for pasturage and grazing 4. Laconia which is bounded on the East and South with the sea on the North with Argolis and on the West with Arcadia the chief Cities are 1. Lacedaemon once a most flourishing Commonwealth 2. Leuctra on the sea side 3. Thalana nigh unto the Lake Lerna and Mount Tenarus and 4. Selassia 5. Argolis which is bounded on the East and North with the sea on the VVest with Achaia propria and on the South with Laconia the chief Cities are 1. Argos 2. Micene 3. Nemaea 4. Epidaurus and 5. Nauplia 6. Achaia propria which hath on the South Elis Arcadia and Argolis on all other parts the sea The chief Cities are 1. Corinth at the foot of the Acro-Corinthian hills neer to the fountain Pyrene this City was formerly strengthened with a Castle which standing on the said Hills was called Acro-Corinthus and was impregnable Here lived Lais that famous strumpet that exacted ten thousand Drachmas for a nights lodging It s now called Crato and is a place of small note 2. Patras 3. Scycion now Vasilico and 4. Dimea The Country of Achaia described Achaia is bounded on the East with the Aegean Sea On the West with Epirus On the North with Thessaly and on the South with Peloponesus and the Sea thereof It s divided into seven Provinces 1. Attica 2. Megaris 3. Boeotia 4. Phocis 5. Aetolia 6. Doris and 7. Locris 1. Attica which hath on the West Megaris and on all other parts the Sea the soil is barren yet by the industry of the Inhabitants was made fruitful their current mony was stamped with an Oxe whence grew that saying of corrupt Lawyers Bos in lingua The chief Cities are 1. Athens once famous all the world over 2. Marathron where Mâ—ltiades overthrew the huge Army of Darius 3. Piraea the Haven Town to Athens and 4. Panormus 2. Maegaris which hath on the East Attica on the West Sinus Corinthiacus on the North Boeotia and on the South the Istmus The chief Cities are 1. Megara now Megra and 2. Eleusis 3. Boeotia which is bounded on the East with Attica on the West with Phocis on the North with the River Cephisus and on the South with Megaris and the Sea The chief Cities are 1. Thebes on the River Cephisus 2. Daulis 3. Platea 4. Leuctra where Epaminondas gave that great overthrow to the Lacedemonians 5. Ascra the birth-place of Hesiod 6. Cheronea the birth-place of Plutarch 7. Orchomenon In this Country are the streights of Thermopylae where Leonidas with three hundred Spartans slew twenty thousand of Xerxes his Army and were themselves all slain 4. Phocis which hath on the East Boeotia on the West Locris and Doris on the North the Rivers Cephisus and on the South Sinus Corinthiacus Here is Mount Helicon consecrated to the Muses Mount Citheron and Pernassus whose two-fold top kissed the clouds The cheif Cities are 1. Cyrra 2. Crissa 3. Anticyra on the Sea side where grew Eloborum that cured the Phrensie 4. Elladia 5. Pytho or Pythia seated in the heart of Greece Here the Amphictyons kept their Court. They were men selected out of the twelve principal Cities in Greece and had power to decide all controversies and to enact Lawes for the common good 6. Delphos where was the Temple of Apollo the most famous Oracle of the Heathens 5. Locris which hath on the East Aetolia on the North Doris and on the other parts the Sea The chief Cities are 1. Naupactum now called Lepanto where was that famous battel between the Turks and Christians 2. Ematia 6. Aetolia which is bounded on the East with Locris on the West with Epirus on the North with Doris and on the South with the Gulph of Lepanto Here is the Forrest of Caledon where Meleager slew the wild Boar and the Rivers Evenus and Achilous The chief Cities are 1. Chalcis 2. Olenus 3. Plurona and 4. Thirmum 7. Doris which hath on the East Boeota on the West Epirus on the South the Sea and on the North the Hill Oeta The chief Cities are 1. Amphissa 2. Libra and 3. Citinum Epirus described Epirus is bounded on the East with Achaia on the North with Macedonia and on the other parts with the Sea Here is the Mount Pindus sacred to Apollo and the Muses and the Acroceraunian Hills Here are also the Rivers Acheron and Cocytus for their colour and taste called the Rivers of Hell The Eastern part of this Country is called Acarnania the Western Chaonia The chief Cities are 1. Antigonia 2. Cassiope 3. Toronia These in the Western part and in the other 1. Nicopolis 2. Ambracia now Larta 3. Leucas 4. Anactorium and 5. Actium nigh to the Sea of Lepanto where Augustus and Anthony fought for the Empire of the world This Country was once called Molossia Here that famous Scanderbeg was King as also of Albania Albania described Albania hath on the East Macedonia on the West the Adriatick Sea On the North Sclavonia and on the South Epirus The chief Cities are 1. Albanopolis 2. Sfetigrade 3. Durazzo formerly called Dyrachium 4. Croya under whose walls Amurath lost his life Macedonia described Macedonia hath on the East Migdonia on the West Albania on the North Misia superior and on the South Epirus and Achaia The chief Cities are 1. Scydra or Scodra 2. Andaristus 3. Aedessa 4. Eribaea 5. Pidna upon the mouth of the River Alaicmon 6. Pella on the same shore and 7. Syderocaspae famous for her gold and silver Mines Thessaly described On the Southern part of Macedonia is Thessalia planted It s a fruitful and pleasant Country Here is the Hill Olympus upon which were the Olympick games as running with Chariots and on foot wrestling fighting with Whirlebats c. The reward of the Conquerors was only a Garland of Palm and yet highly esteemed by them Here also are the Hills Pelion and Ossa and betwixt Olympus and Ossa was that delectable Valley called Tempe five miles long and six broad so beautified with natures riches that it was accounted the Garden of the Muses The chief Cities are 1. Tricca 2. Lamia 3. Demetrias 4. Larissa both upon the Pelasgick Bay 5. Pharsalis nigh unto which was that great battel fought between Caesar and Pompey for the Monarchie of the world And 6. Pherae Migdonia described Migdonia is bounded on the East and South with the Aegean Sea on the West with Macedonia and on the North with Thracia Here is the Hill Athos which is threescore and fifteen miles in compass three dayes journey in height and casts a shadow as far as Lemnos which is forty miles off The chief Cities are 1. Stagira
causeth great swelling also there is a worm that creepeth into the soles of mens feet which causeth great swelling and pain for which they have no remedy but to lance the flesh and so to dig them out They have a certain kinde of Beetles which have four lights that shine much in the dark two in their eyes and two under their wings when they flye they use to bring them into their houses where they do them double service First by killing the Gnats secondly by giving them light which is so great that they can see to read by it Kine in this Island carried thither by the Spaniards are so multiplied and grown wild that they kill them for their hides and Tallow leaving their flesh to bee devoured by dogs and fowl Almost forty thousand of them have been transported in one year Anno Christi 1519. Ants were as noisome to them as Grashoppers in other parts of the world they spoiled their fruits and fruit trees they could keep nothing in their houses which was fit to bee eaten from them and had they continued they would have unpeopled the Island There are worms also which do such harm in Timber that a house will scarce stand here thirty years when the King in this Countrey died they buried the best beloved of his Concubines with him who also had other women buried for to attend upon them in the other World together with their Jewels and Ornaments they had also set in their Sepulchre a Cup of water and some of their Cassavi bread Anno Christi 1508 here happened such an Hurricane as threw down most of the houses in Domingo and Bona ventura destroied twenty sail of ships lifted up many men into the air who falling down again were miserably bruised Newfound-land described Newfound-land is an Island bordering upon the continent of America no farther distant than England is from the nearest part of France It lies between six and forty and three and fifty degrees of Northerly latitude It s near as big as Ireland and is near half the way between Ireland and Virginea even in winter it s as pleasant and healthful a place as England The natural Inhabitants are not many and those rude ignorant of God and living under no kinde of civil Government In their habits customes and manners they resemble the Indians which live upon the continent They are ingenious and tractable and take great pains in helping those Christians which yearly fish upon their coasts to kill cut and boil their Whales expecting nothing for their labour but a little bread or some other trifles All along the coast of this Country there are many spacious and excellent Bayes some of them stretching into the land more than twenty leagues And round about the Coast and in the Bayes there are many small Islands all within a league of the land which are both fair and fruitful neither doth any Country in the world afford greater store of good harbours nor those more safe commodious and free from danger The soil of the Country in the Vallies and sides of the Mountains is so fruitful that without the labour of man it naturally produceth great plenty of Pease and Vetches as full and wholesome as ours in England Other places produce plenty of Grass There are Strawberries red and white and Rasberries as fair and good as ours in England Multitude of Bilberries and other delicate Berries in great abundance There are also Pears Cherries Filbeards c. There are Herbs for Sallets and broth as Parsley Alexander Sorrel c. As also Flowers as Red and Damask-Roses with others beautiful and delightful both to the eye and smell There are also diverse Physical Herbs and Roots Some Corn that our men have sowed proved very good and yeelded great increase so do Cabbages Carrats Turneps Lettice c. In the Country there are great store of Deer Hares Foxes Squirrels Beavers Wolves Bears and other kindes of Beasts both for necessity profit and delight Besides great numbers of small Birds there are Hawks great and small Partridges Thrustles Nightingals c. As also Ravens Gripes Crowes c. besides plenty of water-Fowle as Geese Ducks Gulls Penguines Pigeons c. Of these there is such abundance that the Fisher-men which yearly trade thither finde great refreshing by them The Country yeelds store of Rivers and Springs pleasant delightful and wholesome together with abundance of fuel for the fire besides Timber Trees as Fir Spruce fit for Masts of ships from whence also comes abundance of Turpentine Pines also and Birch-Trees c. The Rivers and Harbours are stored with delicate Fish as Salmons Pearles Eeles Herrings Makarel Flounders Cods Trouts as large fat and sweet as any in the world Besides Lobsters Crab-fish Muscles c. There are also Beavers Otters c. The Seas along the shore yeeld Whales Spanish-Makarel Dorrel Pales Herring Porposses Seales c. Especially by their Cod-fishing both our own and other Nations are much enriched Two hundred and fifty sail of Ships go thither usually in one year from England New-Scotland described New-Scotland lyeth on the East of St. Croix on the North it s compassed with the great River Canada and hath the main Ocean on the South It hath many safe harbours and great Rivers having on the sides of them delicate medows where the earth of it self bringeth forth Roses red and white and Lillies having a dainty smell The soil is fat producing several sorts of Berries as Goos-berries Straw-berries Hind-berries Ras-berries c. as also Pease Wheat Barley and Rye The Rivers abound with Lobsters Cockles and other small fishes There are great store of wild fowle as Geese Herons Ducks Wood-cocks Pigeons The Coast hath store of Cod and other great fishes The Land is full of wood mostly of great Oaks the rest Fir-trees Spruce Birch and many other sorts here unknown Groenland described Groenland is accounted part of America and is high mountainous and full of broken Islands along the Coast It hath good Baies and navigable Rivers that are full of fish Between the mountains are pleasant plains and vallies there aâ—e store of fowle black Foxes and Deer The people wander up and down in the Summer time without fixed habitations for hunting and fishing carrying their Tents and baggage with them they are of a middle stature brown active warlike eating raw flesh or a little perboiled in blood oil or a little water which they drink Their apparrel are Beasts or Fowles skins the hairy or feathered side outward in summer and inward in winter Their Arrows and Darts have but two feathers and a bone-head no wood growes there they worship the Sun Their Winter-houses are built of Whales-bones covered with earth and vaulted two yards deep under the earth within land they have a King that is carried upon mens shoulders They have Hares as white as Snow with long fur Dogs which live on fish whose pizzels as also of the Foxes are bony Their Summer work is
like water being fresh and sweet This liquor being sodden becomes Wine which being kept till it bee sower makes good Vineger Boil it a little more than for Wine and it makes a fine Syrup and boil it till it bee thick and it makes Hony Idem v. 3. p. 957. There is a certain Tree in New-Spain called Tunalls in whose leaves breed certain small worms which are covered with a fine web compassing them in daintily This in the season they gather and let it drye and this is that Cochenille so famous and dear wherewith they Dye in grain Idem The Jack or Giack is an high tree and uneasy to bee ascended the Jack for shew and bigness resembles a Pumpeon without it is of a gold yellow mixt with veins within its soft and tender full of golden coloured cloves each full of kernels not unlike a great French Bean but more round each of them hath an hard stone within it the fruit is somewhat unpleasant at the first taste t is glutinous and clammy in the mouth but very restorative and good for the back The Ananas is not inferiour to the Jack in bulk and roundnesse It ariseth from no seed or sowing but from a root like an Artichoke when they are ripe they shew themselves and are not above two foot high without it is covered with a drie rind hard and skaley within its wholesome and pleasant and though a little of it seems to satiate the appetite yet the stomach likes it well and its easie of digestion The Duroyen is somewhat like the Jack in shape round the inward vertue is far greater than the outward beauty at first opening it hath an unpleasant smell the meat is whitish and divided into a dozen cells or partitions filled with stones as big as Chesnuts white and cordial It s a fruit nutritive and dainty and may well bee called an Epitome of all the best and rarest fruits in the Orient The Arec-tree is almost as high as a Cedar but more like the Palmeto It is of a fuzzie hollow substance adorned at every top with Plumes wherein the fruit hangs in clusters it s in shape and bigness like a Walnut white and hard within hath neither taste nor smell they never eat it alone but wrap it in a leaf of Bettle and are frequently chawing of it some adde to it a kinde of Lime made of Oister-shells it cures the Chollick removes Melancholly kills Wormes provokes lust purges the maw and prevents hunger It s much used in the East-Indies The Palmeto-tree is long strait round and soft without leaf bough or branch save at the top and those are few green and sedgie under which branches there appear certain codded seeds Both the Male and Female bear blossoms but the Female only bears fruit and yet not that unless a flowring branch of the Male tree bee yearly inoculated The leaves serve for many uses At the top of this tree there is a soft pith in which consists the life of it for that being cut out the tree dyes This pith is in bigness like a small Cabbage in taste like a nut kernel and being boiled it eats like a Colly-flower But of more value is the Palmeto Wine which is sweet pleasant and nourishing in colour and taste not unlike Muskadine It purges cures obstructions and kills the Worms If it stand two dayes in the Sun it makes good Vinegar The Wine is thus gotten They cut a small hole in two or three Trees that grow together which in a short time are filled with the sap that issues in them which with a Cane or Quill they draw forth Pur. Pil. In Summersetshire near unto Glastenbury in Wiral Park was that famous Hawthorn tree which used upon Christmas day to sprout forth as fresh as in May but now it s cut down Camb. Brit. p. 227. In the Marishes of Egypt grow those sedgie reeds called Papyri whereof formerly they made Paper and from whence ours that is made of rags assumed that name They divide it into thin flakes whereinto it naturally parteth then laying them on a Table and moistening them with the glutinous water of Nilus they press them together drye them in the Sun and then they are fitted for use Pur. Pil. v. 2. p. 898. CHAP. III. The wonderful works of God in the Creatures Of strange Fountains Rivers and VVaters IN the Bishoprick of Durham in Dirlington feild there are three pits of a wonderful depth called by the Vulgar Hell-Kettles in which the water by an Antiperistasis or reverberation of the cold air striking thereupon waxeth hot which pits have passage under ground into the River Teese as Archbishop Guthbert Tonsta observed by finding that Goose in the River which hee had marked and let down into these pits Camb. Brit. p. 737. In Yorkshire near unto Knasburrow Castle is a Well in which the waters spring not up out of the veins of the earth but distil and trickle down dropping from the Rocks hanging over it whence it s called Dropping-VVell into which what wood soever is put it will in a short space bee turned into stone Camb. Brit. p. 700. In Caermardenshire near unto Careg Castle there is a fountain that twice in four and twenty hours ebbeth and twice floweth resembling the unstable motions of the main Sea Camb. Brit. p. 650. In VVestmerland hard by Shape there is a Well or Fountain which after the manner of Euripus ebbeth and floweth many times in a day Camb. Brit. p. 762. In Ireland is a Fountain whose water killeth all those beasts that drink thereof but hurteth not the people though they usually drink of it Ortelius Neer unto Lutterworth in Leicester shire there is a spring of water so cold that in a short time it turneth straws and sticks into stone Camb. Brit. p. 518. In Derbyshire in the Peak-Forrest not far from Buxtone is a Well which in a wonderful manner doth ordinarily ebb and flow four times in the space of one hour or thereabouts keeping his just tides Camb. Brit. p. 558. Also in the same County at the spring head of Wie there rise and walm up nine Fountains of hot waters commonly called Buxton Wells very sovereign for the stomach sinews and whole body Camb. Brit. p. 557. In Scotland on the bank of Ratra neer unto Stang's Castle there is a Cave wherein the water distilling naturally by drops from the head of the Vault is presently turned into Pyramidal stones and were not the said hole or Cave otherwhiles rid and cleansed the whole space as far as up to the vault would in a short time be filled therewith Camb Brit. Scotl. p. 48. In Scotland in the Countrey of Murray there is a River called Naes the water whereof is almost always warm and at no time so cold that it freezeth yea in the most cold time of winter broken ice falling into it is dissolved with the heat thereof Descrip. of Scotl. Also in Galloway the Loch called Loch-Merton is of such a
strange nature that the one half of it doth never freeze in the coldest winter Descrip. of Scotl. In Lenox is a great Loch or Meere called Loch-Lowmond in length twenty four miles and eight in breadth wherin are three strange things First Excellent good Fish without any fins Secondly a floating Island whereon many Kine feed And thirdly Tempestuous waves rageing without winds yea in the greatest calms Desc. of Scotl. There is a certain Island called Lounda in the Kingdome of Congo wherein is no fresh water being a very sandy ground but if you dig but the depth of two or three hand breadthes you shall find sweet water the best in all those Countryes and which is most strange when the Ocean ebbeth this water grows brackish but when it flows to the top it is most sweet P. Pil. v. 2. p. 989. Not far from Casbine the Regal City in Persia is a fountain of a strange and wonderful nature out of which there continually springeth and issueth a marvellous quantity of black Oil which serveth in all parts of Persia to burn in their houses and is usually carried all over the Countrey upon Kine and Asses whereof you may often meet three or four hundred in company P. Pil. v. 2. p. 1431. About three days journey from old Babylon is a Town called Ait and neer unto that is a valley of pitch very marvellous to behold wherin are many Springs throwing out abundantly a kind of black substance like unto Tar and Pitch which serveth all the Country thereabout to make staunch their barques with and boats every one of which springs makes a noise like to a Smith's Forge in puffing and blowing out the matter which never ceaseth day nor night and the noise is hard a mile off the Moors call it Hell-mouth P. Pil. v. 2. p. 1437. Clitumnus is a River in Italy which makes all the Oxen that drink of it white Fulk Meteor Lib. 4 The River Melas in Boeotia makes all the Sheep that drink of it black Plin. The Fountain of Jupiter Hammon is cold in the day time and hot at midnight The Fountain of the Sun hath its water extream cold and sweet at noon and boiling hot and bitter at midnight Plin. lib. 2. c. 103. Augustine There is a River in Palestine called the Sabbatical River which runs with a violent and swift stream all the week but every Sabbath it remains dry Joseph de Bel. Jud. l. 7. c. 24. Some question the truth of this In Idumaea is a fountain called the Fountain of Job which for one quarter of the year is troubled and muddy the next quarter bloody the third green and the fourth clear Isiod The River Astaces in the Isle of Pontus uses sometimes to over flow the fields after which whatsoever sheep or milch Cattel feed thereon give black milk Plin. l. 2. c. 103. Furius Camillus being Censor in Rome the Lake Albanus being environed with Mountains on every side in the time of Autumn when other Lakes and Rivers were almost dry the waters of this Lake after a wondrous manner began to swell and rise upwards till at last they were equall with the tops of the Mountains and after a while they brake thorow one of those Mountains overflowing and bearing all down before them till they emptied themselves into the Sea Plut. The River d ee in Merionneth shire in Wales though it run through Pimble-Meer yet it remaineth intire and mingles not its streams with the waters of the Lake Cam. Brit. Ana a River in Spain burieth it self in the earth and runneth under ground fifteen miles together whereupon the Spaniards brag that they have a bridge whereon ten thousand Cattel feed daily Pliny tells us of a fountain called Dodon which always decreaseth from midnight till noon and encreaseth from noon till midnight Hee also tells us of certain Fountains in an Island neer Italy which always increase and decrease according to the ebbing and flowing of the sea Aristotle writeth of a Well in Sicilie whose water is so sharp that the Inhabitants use it instead of Vinegar In Bohemia neer to the City of Bilen is a Well of such excellent water that the Inhabitants use to drink of it in a morning instead of burnt wine Dr. Fulk In Paphlagonia is a Well which hath the taste of wine and it makes men drunk which drink of it whence Du Bartas Salonian Fountain and thou Andrian Spring Out of what Cellars do you daily bring The oyl and wine that you abound with so O Earth do these within thine entrals grow c. Aelian mentioneth a Fountain in Boeotia neer to Thebes which makes horses run mad if they drink of it Pliny mentioneth a water in Sclavonia which is extream cold and yet if a man throw his cloath cloak upon it it is presently set on fire Other waters there are which discolour the fleeces of the sheep which drink of them whence Du Bartas Cerona Xanth and Cephisus do make The thirsty flocks that of their waters take Black red and white Add neer the crimson deep Th' Arabian Fountain maketh crimson sheep And again What should I of th' Illyrian Fountain tell What shall I say of the Dodonean Well Whereof the first sets any cloathes on fire Th' other doth quench who but will this admire A burning Torch and when the same is quenched Lights it again if it again be drenched In the Province of Dara in Lybia there is a certain River which sometimes so overfloweth the banks that it is like a sea yet in the Summer it is so shallow that any one may passe over it on foot If it overflow about the beginning of Aprill it brings great plenty to the whole region if not there follows great scarcity of Corn. Pur. Pil. v. 2. p. 823. In the Kingdome of Tunis neer unto the City El-Hamma is a hot River which by diverse Channels is carried through the City the water of it being so hot that few can endure to go into it yet having set it to cool a whole day the people drink of it Idem p. 821. In Africa there is a River called Margania and by it a salt spring which turns all the wood is thrown into it into hard stone Idem p. 1547. The River Meander is famous for its six hundred windings and turning in and out whence that of the Poet. Quique recurvatis ludit Maeander in undis Maeander plays his watry pranks within his crooked winding banks Groenland in the Hyperborean Sea was discovered Anno Christi 1380. it hath in it the Monastery of St. Thomas situate in the North-East part thereof at the foot of a Mountain where there is a River so hot that they use to boil their meat in it and it serves for other such purposes as fire doth with us Isac Chron. p. 275. The River Hypanis in Scythia every day brings forth little bladders out of which come certain flies which are thus bred in the morning are fledge at
with tenents and mortesses so as the whole frame seemeth to hang whereof it s commonly called Stone-henge Camb. Brit. In Westmerland hard by Shape there bee huge stones in form of Pyramids some of them nine foot high and fourteen foot thick ranged directly as it were in a row for a mile in length with equal distance almost between them Camb. Brit. p. 762. Mausolus his Tombe described Artimesia Queen of Halicarnassus when her husband Mausolus dyed built him a stately Tomb accounted for the rare workmanship and costly magnificence one of the worlds Wonders It was five and twenty cubits high and supported with six and thirty curious pillars of which Martial thus writeth Aere nam vacuo pendentia Mausolaea laudibus immodicis Cares ad astra ferunt The Mausolaea hanging in the skie the men of Caria's praises Deifie When Sir Thomas Row was Ambassador there the Great Mogul built a stately Monument for his Father it was about twenty years in building and three thousand men working daily at it it was built square three quarters of a mile in compass it was made with seven heights one above another and each narrower than other till you come to the top where the herse is At the outward Gate is a most stately Palace and Gardens walled about at least three miles in compass all built at a vast charge Pur. Pil. p. 226. Mr. Herbert who saw it afterwards thus describes it It consists saith hee of four large squares each about three hundred paces long the matter is freestone polished having at each Angle a small Tower of party coloured Marble Ten foot higher is another Tarras on each side beautified with three such Towers The third Gallery hath two Towers on each side The fourth one The fifth half and a small square Gallery mounting to a Royall Pyree within which is the Mummy of Ecbar bedded in a Coffin of pure Gold The whole structure is built in the middest of a spatious and curious Garden surrounded with a wall of red stone and planted with beautiful and odoriferous flowers Porsennah's Tomb described Porsenna King of Hetruria not far from the City of Clusium built for himself a Monument of square stone each side of it was three hundred foot broad and fifty foot high within which square Basis there was an inextricable Labyrinth into which whosoever adventured without a clue could finde no passage out Upon this square hee erected five Pyramids four in the corners and one in the middest in the bottom they were seventy five foot broad and each of them one hundred and fifty foot high on the top was one brasse circle and covering for them all from which there hung bells fastened with chains which being moved with the winde gave a sound a far off Upon this brazen circle stood other four Pyramids each of them one hundred foot high and upon them being covered with another plain were again erected five other Pyramids the height whereof my Author was ashamed to name so foolishly did hee waste the wealth of his Kingdome that in the end the commendation of the Artificer should bee the greatest Pliny out of Varro and Greaves out of him In the Great Moguls Country from Agra to Lahor which are the two chief Cities in this Empire is about four hundred English miles The Countrey in all that distance being even without Mountains or hills and the high-way betwixt them is planted on both sides with Trees like unto a delicate walk P. Pil. v. 2. p. 1468. The Trees are Mulberry trees And in all this way ever and anon are Inns built by several Kings and great men for the entertainment of strangers In which you may have a chamber for your self room for your horse and horse-meat but little for your servant when a man hath taken up his lodging no other may dispossesse him In the morning about break a day all make ready to depart at which time the gates are opened and none suffered to depart sooner for fear of theeves p. 520. The first invention of Printing Laurence Jans a rich Citizen of Harlem in the Low-Countrys walking forth one day into the neighbouring Woods for recreation began to cut in peices of wood the letters of his name printing them on the back of his hand which pleasing him well hee cut three or four lines which hee beat with Ink and printed them upon Paper wherewith hee much joyed and determined to find out another kind of Ink more fastening and holding and so with his Kinsman Thomas Peterse found out another way to print whole Sheets but of one side only which are yet to bee seen in the said town afterwards hee changed his Letters of Wood into Lead and after that into Tin and so by degrees this famous Art of Printing grew to perfection Belg. Common-Wealth p. 57. Some say that John Guttenberg of Strasburg was the first Inventer of it Anno Christi 1440. In which City he first practised it and removing from thence to Mentz there perfected it They say that Tullies Offices was the first book that ever was printed P. Ramus Schol. Math. L. 2. It doth with wonderful celerity convey learning from one Country and age to another Imprimit ille die quantum vix scribitur anno The most famous Printers were Aldus Manutius and after him Paulus his son in Venice In France Crispinus Henry Stevens father to Charles and Charles to Robert Robert to Henry and Henry to Paul all Printers Christopher Plantine of Antwerp was a most famous and learned Printer Frobenius that was Erasmus his faithful Printer Daniel Bombergus an excellent Printer of the Hebrew Bible and many other Hebrew books c. The first Invention of Guns A German Fryer of the Order of St. Francis called Bertholdus Swart being very studious of Chymistry as hee was one evening for the finding out of some experiment very busy in tempering Brimstone Sulphureous powder of dryed earth and certain other ingredients in a Morter which hee covered with a stone when it grew dark hee took his Tinder-box to light him a candle a spark whereof by chance flying into the mortar caught hold of the Brimstone and Salt-Peter and firing with a sudden flash blew up the stone The cunning Chymist guessing what it was which wrought this effect never left till hee found out the certainty and then taking an iron pipe hee crammed it full of the said ingredient together with some stones and so putting fire to it hee saw that with great fury and noise it discharged it self Soon after which hee communicated this his Invention to the Venetians who having been often vanquished by the Genowayes did by the help of these Bombards or Guns give them a notable discomfiture Anno Christi 1380. Bucholtz At Middleburg in Zealand in the Steeple of the Abby-Church there is a Bell of eighteen thousand weight to strike the houres on and twenty four small ones which serve for the Chymes Belg. Common-wealth p. 162. A Description
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
described The Pyrenean Mountains stand as a natural boundary between the two great Monarchs of France and Spain they run in a ridge from Sea to Sea the Cantabrian Ocean fiercely beating on the West and the Mediterranean gently washing the East ends of them The highest of them is called Canus because it hath for the most part a white cap of Snow upon it on the top whereof in a clear day a man may see both the Seas The French side of these mountains is naked and barren the Spanish very fruitful and adorned with trees France described The Kingdome of France is composed of four and twenty Provinces wherein are fifteen ArchBishopricks ninety seven Bishopricks ten Parliaments fourteen Universities and four orders of Knighthood The French are so naturally inclined to Armes that the Proverb saith They are born souldiers nor indeed can they stay long at rest for if they have no war with their neighbours they quickly make it amongst themselves Points of honour make them run into the field as to a feast so that many of the Nobility unhappily fall by Duels They go like Thunderbolts to combats and conquests and overcome whatsoever opposes them but as soon as their heat is cooled they turn their backs and suddenly loose what they had gained with such reputation The French are more than men saith the Proverb at the beginning of a fight and lesse than women towards the end The French Cavalry is the stoutest and best in the World Their generosity is such that they grudge not to praise the vertue even of their enemies when they deserve it They agree so ill out of their own Country that they make themselves disesteemed by it France is wonderfully stored with Rivers the chiefest whereof are 1. Seine which arising in Burgundy passeth by Paris and Rhoan and receiving into it nine navigable streams disembogueth it self into the Brittish Ocean 2. Some upon which standeth Amiens hath its head about St. Quintins divides Picardy from Artois and receiving eight lesser streams into it falleth into the Sea 3. Loyre on which are seated Nants and Orleance it riseth out of the great mountains in Avergne runs six hundred miles receiveth into it seventy two lesser rivulets and so falleth into the Aquitane Ocean 4. Rhoane rising at Briga three miles from the head of Rhene watering Lyons where it meets with Sone flowing from Alsatia then it waters Avignion and admitting thirteen lesser brooks it falls into the Mediterranean at Arles 5. Garond which running from the Pyrenean hills passeth by the walls of Burdeaux and Tholouse Of these Rivers it is said The Seine is the richest the Rhoane the swiftest the Garond the greatest and the Loyer the sweetest But come wee to a more particular description of the several Provinces 1. Gascoyn and Guien are bounded with the Pyrenean Hills the Aquitane Ocean and the River Garond The cheif Cities in it are 1. Tholouse wherein is a Parliamentary Court for the execution of Justice the fields about it extend in length one hundred in breadth seventy French Leagues wherein was fought that dreadfull battel between Attila King of the Huns that had in his Army five hundred thousand fighting men and Aetius the Roman Lieutenant in France wherein the Romans were Victors and slew of the Barbarians an hundred and fourscore thousand persons 2. Burdeaux where our King Richard the second was born In it are an Vniversity and Parliamentary Court 3. Bazas on the Garond 4. Raion on the coast of Spain On the North end of this Country stands the little Province of Xantoigne the cheifest Cities whereof are Sainctes and Rochel the best fortified Town in all France and formerly the strongest hold of the Protestants 2. Poictou which hath on the North Brittain and Anjou on the East the Dutchy of Berry on the South Xantoigne and Guien and on the East the Aquitain Sea The chief Cities are 1. Poictiers on the River Clarius next in greatness to Paris it self 2. Castle Herauld the title whereof was given to the family of Hamiltons in Scotland by Henry the second and Francis his son c. 3. Anjou is but a little Province but very fruitfull and yeilds the best wines in France To it are annexed the Provinces of Turrain and Main The chief Towns of Anjou are 1. Angiers where is an University 2. Beaufort sometimes belonging to our Dukes of Lancaster 3. Saumur pleasantly seated on the Loyre and an University On the North sides of Anjou between it and Normandy lyeth Main whose chief Cities are 1. Man 's or Main 2. Beaumont 3. Vendosme On the South-East between Anjou and Berry lyeth Toureine and in it the Cities of 1. Toures neer unto which Charles Martel overthrew an Army of four hundred thousand Saracens under their Captain Abdaramen and slew of them three hundred and seventy thousand about the year 732. 2. Amboise 3. Bloys 4. Orleance upon the Loyre an University wherein especially the civil Law is studied 4. Britain environed with Main Tourain and the Sea in it are two good Havens Brest and St. Malo the chief Cities are 1. Naâ—ts upon the bank of Loyre where is a Parliament 2. Rhenes 3. Vannes 4. St. Briene 5. Rohan 5. Normandy which hath on the South Main and the I le of France on the East the River Some on the other parts the Ocean The river Seine runs through the middest of it The chief Cities are 1. Constance 2. Cane 3. Bayeux on the Sea side 4. Pontoyse 5. Roan 6. Falaise 7. Mortaigne 8. Crecy 9. Caux 10. Verneil The cheif Haven Towns are Hareslew Deep and Newhaven 6. The Isle of France encompassed with the Seine and other petty brooks in it is seated the regal City of Paris formerly Lutetia quasi in luto sita because situated in a clayie soil whence grew the Proverb It stains like the dirt of Paris The City of Paris Described Paris is in compass twelve miles It stands in a most fertile soil The Citizens are reputed to be about five hundred thousand It s honoured with a Parliament to which all others may appeal from which not one It hath in it a famous University counted the first in Europe containing fifty and five Colledges built by Charles the great Anno Christi 800. at the perswasion of Alcuinus an English-man It s seated on Seine which serves the Town with little boats and Barges the river ebbing and flowing no higher than Pontelarch about seventy and five miles below Paris It was held by the English sixteen years and in it our King Henry the sixth was crowned King of France and England in the Church of Nostre Dame or our Lady which Church is threescore and five fathom long four and twenty broad and fifteen high above which the Steeples are raised thirty and four fathoms In this Isle of France is also St. Vincents and somewhat Eastward Soysons then Carenton where the Protestants have a Church Also the Royall Palace of Fountainbleau one of the