A BRIEFE DESCRIPTION OF THE WHOLE WORLD WHEREIN Is particularly described all the Monarchies Empires and Kingdoms of the same with their Academies AS ALSO Their severall Titles and Scituations thereunto adjoyning Written by the Reverend Father in God George Abbot late Archbishop of Canterbury The Fifth Eddition LONDON Printed for Margaret Sheares at the Blew Bible in Bedford-Street in Coven-Garden and John Playâ—…ere at the White-Beare in the upper Walk in the New-Exchange 1664. A Briefe Description of the whole World THe Globe of the Earth doth either shew the Sea or Land The Sea general is called by the name or Ocean which coasteth all the World and taketh his name in speciall either of the place neare which it commeth as Oceanus Britanicus Mare Germanicum Sinus Perficus Mare Atlanticum of the Hill Atlas in the West part of Africke or of the finder out as Fretum Magellanicum or of some other accident as the Red Sea because the sand is red Mare Mediterraneum because it runneth between the lands of Europe and Africke Mare Icarium because Icarus was drowned there or the like There be some few Seas which have no intercourse with the Ocean as Mare Mortuum neare Palestina Mare Caspium sive Hircanum not far from Armenia and such a one is said to be in the North part of America The Straits or Narrow Seas are noted in the Latine by the name of Fretum as Fretum Britannicum The English Narrow Seas Fretum Herculeum the Straights between Barbary and Spaine Fretum Magellanicum c. The Earth is either Islands which are those which are wholly compassed by the Sea as Britannia Sicilia Corsica or the Continent which is called in the English The firme Land in the Latine Continens The old known firme Land was contained only in Asia Europe and Africa Europe is divided from Africa by the Mediterranean Sea from Asia by the River Tanais whereby appeareth that the North parts of Asia and Europe in old time were but little known and discovered Africa is divided from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea from Asia by the River Nilus and so Asia by Tanais and Nilus is severed from Europe and Africke Of Spaine TO say nothing of England and Ireland the most Westerne Country of Europe is Spaine which is bounded on the South with the Mediterranean on the West with the Atlanticke on the North with Oceanus Cantabricus or the Spanish Seas on the East with France from which it is severed with certaine Mountaines called Montes Pyrenei or the Pyrenay hils If we should enquire into the times that were before the comming of the Carthaginians and Romans into Spaine we shall find nothing but that which is either fabulous or neare to sables here it was first called Iberia ab Ibero flumine afterwards Hispania ab Hispane we may take as a tradition but their Gargoris their Ha bis their Geryon exceed beleefe of any but those that will take all reports on trust It is certain that the Syrians planted a Colony there in the Isle of Gades corruptly now called Cadiz or Cales These troubled by their Neighbours desired aid of the Carthaginians a flourishing neighbour Common-wealth descended of the Syrians as well as themselves who sent first to defend the Gaditanes against their neighbours afterwards heartned on by their successe in their first Expedi tion these Carthaginians succes sively sent thither three Captaines Hamilcar Hasdrubal and Hanibal who for the most part subdued the Province and held it till by Scipio's and the Romans Forces they were dispossessed of it Yet for many years after the fortunes of the Romans stuck as it were in the subduing of that Province so that from the time of â—…he second Punick war untill the time of Augustus they had businesse made them in that Country continually neiâ—…her could they till then bring it peaceably into the forme of a Province It continued a Province of the Roman Empire untill the time of Honorius the Emperour in whose dayes the Vandals came into it conquering and making it theirs then the Goths the Vandals either driven out or called over into Africk entring erected there a Kingdome which flourished for many yeares till by the comming of the Saracens and Moores their Kingdome was broken who setling themselves in Spaine erected it a Kingdome changed the names of many places and Rivers and gave them new names such as they retaine to this day and continued for the space of some hundred of yeares mighty in that Countrey till they were first subdued by Ferdinand afterwards and that now lately utterly expelled by Philip the Third After the comming in of these Africans in this Country there were many Kingdomes as the Kingdome of Portugall toward the West the Kingdome of Granado toward the South the Kingdom of Navarre and Arragon toward the East and the Kingdome of Castile in the middle of the Land but the whole Dominion is now under the King of Spaine As Damalanus à Goes doth write in the Treatise intituled Hispania there were in times past twelve severall Kingdomes in Spain which he nameth thus Castellae antiquae novae Leonis Aragoniae Portugalliae Navarrae Granatae Valentiae Toleti Galitiae Algarbiâ—…rum Murtiae Cordubae which is not to be wondred at since in England a farre lesse Country there were in the time of the Saxons seven severall Kingdoms and Monarchies In the best Maps of Spaine the Armes of these severall Kingdomes do yet distinctly appeare where for the Armes of Leons is given a Lion which manifestly argueth that whereas by some it is called Regnum Legionis that name is false for it is Leonis surable thereunto for the Armes of Castile is given a Castle which was the cause that John of Gaunt Son to Edward the Third King of England did quarter with the Armes of England the Castle and the Lion as having married Constance Daughter to Peter King of Castile and at this day the first and chief Coat of the King of Spain is a Castle quartered with a Lion in remembrance of the two Kingdomes of Castile and Leons In Corduba as in times past it was called standeth Andaluzia neare unto which the Island called properly Gades but since by depravation of the word Cadiz and commonly Cales which was lately surprized by the English The Kingdome of Granada which lieth nearest to the Mediterranean was by the space of seven hundred years possessed by the Moores and Saracens who do professe the Reâ—…igion of Mahomet the reason whereof Rodericus Toletanus in the third book of history doth shew to be this that whereas the Sarazens after Mahomets time had spread themselves all along Africke even unto the Westerne part of Barbary a King of Spaine called Rodericus employed in an Embassage to them one Julian a Nobleman of his who by his wise Demeanour procured much Reputation amongst the Moores but in the time of his service the King Rodericus
erected it a Kingdome They were utterly expelled by Philip the Tâ—…ird Spaine in â—…ormer time twelve several Kingdomes Granada 700. yeares Possessed by the Moores Sarazens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A strange and unexpected prophesie Portugal added to the Kingdome of Spaine Lisbone the chiefe City of Portugal Sevill Toledo The Magnificent greatness of Spaine and Portugal The Empery of the Kingdome of Spain the greatest in theâ—…â—…an world France how bounded France one of the most absolute Kingdoms of the world Civill wars in France Revenue of the Crown of France exceeding great In France the Offices of Justice bought and sold. The Custom of France for mustering and pressing Souldiers Paris the chief City France The Kingdome of France divided into three parts Gaules the ancient inhabitants of France Note The riches of the states in General The names of the 17 Provinces By this Law Ed. the 3 K of England was put by the Crown France The Switzers Government 23 Cities or Cantons in Switzerland Geneva A rare and excellent Law Germany how bounded The Emperor Governor of Germany Who be the seven Electors His manner of Election The Empire went sometimes by succession and sometimes by election Ferdin Emâ—…eror Caesar or Romani Imperii Imperator The Empire divided by Theodosius A great policy in the Bishops of Rome Munsters complaint Most of the Princes of Germany take onthem as absolute Governours How they came by a great strength The strengh of the Princes of Germany The titles of their Nobility Free States and Cities A Note worthy of observation Scituation of Italy Italy divided into four parts Lombardy the Garden of God The policy of the Bishop of Rome The States of Venice The Venetians impoverished The ex â—…llency of their Government Tuscany Florence The great Duke of Tuscany A great part of Italy under the Bishop of Rome The manner of the rising of the Popes greatnesse Denmarkes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Riches of Denmarke Their Religion Russia sâ—…tuate Emperor of Russia Possevin a Iesuit sent by the Pope to the Emperor A fine excuse for the Popes pride â—…he Emperours rage 〈◊〉 the Pâ—…pe Possevinus fear of the Emperor Difference between the Greek and Latine Church The people of Lapland very heathenish The passage by sea into this Country The first attempt Sir Hugh Willobies Land This Empire one of the greatest in the world Prussia hew scituated Spruce Leather Pâ—…lands sci tuâ—… ion Their ii ves Reti gons They hate the Iesuites Thâ—…ir chief City Cracovia Hungary 〈◊〉 Bunda Austria Vienna Arch Duks of Austria The River of 〈◊〉 Scituâ—…tion of Dacia Transylvania Walachia Moldavia Servia The mountain Hamus Grecia bounded Moreah Sparts Corinth Achaia Euboea Beotia Athens Pernassus Helicou Epirus Illyricum Macedonia Many famâ—…us things from Greece Famcus Laws Famous Captaines The firstPoets The great Oratours Thracia Constantinople Northerne parts were not discovered in times past Meotis Palus Iustine Ovid. Bosphorus Cimmerius Pontus Euxinus Thracius Bosphorus A strange custome among the Turks Hellespon â—…us Xâ—…rxes bâ—…idge Mare Aegeum Tartary bâ—…unded Their Religion Their manner of wars Tamberlain the Great â—… Tartarian Scituation of Cathaie The great Can of Cathaie Cambalu the chiefe City of China A very rich Country Quinsay the â—…hiefe City The people skilfull in Arâ—…s Their Proverbe Two rare wonders invented in Chinai guns and printing The situâ—…tion of the Indies In India are many Kingdomes Their Cattle vâ—…ry big Their Richs The Portugals first discovered the Indies Four Kingdoms by the Portugals discovered The City of Goa The Indians Religion Six Kingdomes 〈◊〉 of Persia. The great and famous Kings of Persia. Persians great Souldiers Sophy of Persia. Their Religion Scituation of Parthâ—…a Their manner of fight Great wars of the Perthians against the Romanes A famous Nation Situation of Armenia Divided into three parts A memorable Note Bathing of thâ—…ir children Assyria bounded Kings of Assyria The swift River Tygris The City Ninive Situation of Chaldea Babylon be chief City of Chaldea The admirabâ—… power of God in preseâ—…ving the peâ—…ple Note Here were the fiâ—…st A strologians Cilicia The City Tarsus Alexanders overthrow of Darius The City of Alexandria Pamphylia â—…he City of Seleuchus Lycia Caria Halicarnassus Ionia Lydia Croesus overthrowne by Cyrus Ephesus The Temple of Diana City of Smyrna Polycarpus Scholar to St John the Evangel st City of Sardis Four Cities of â—…ote Eolis Mysia major Mysia minor The City of Troy Phrygia Gordianus knot Bythinia Ciâ—…y of Nice Chalcedon Paphlagonia Pompciopolis Galatia Lyeaonia Pisidia The Kingdome of Pontus Mithridates Pompey brought Mithridates to distresse Cappadocia Armenia minor Syâ—…ia bounded Their â—…ient â—…ames Ciâ—…y of 〈◊〉 Alâ—…ppo Tripolis Thirty Kings Note The River Iordan Asphaltites Mare mornum Twelve Tribes of Israel Ierusalem Twelve Tribes divided The Iews Ierusalem destroied Note Jerusalem twice destroied 1 By Nebuchadnezzar 2. By Vespasian Jerusalem in the Turks dominion Arabia bounded Arabia divided into three parts Of the Desart of Arabia Mahomet born in Arabia The Turks Alcaron The Turks Religion The City Mecha The blasphemous prophecy of Mahomet Mahomet a lascivious person The red sea Mount Horeb. Situation of Africke The Country of Egypt In fertility The flowing of Nilus Learning very ancient in Egypt Their Pyramides one of the wonders of the world The City Memphis Good Laws made by the King of Egypt The Country of Cyrene Carthage a famous City The Kingdome of Bocchus Atlas minor Atlas major The Kingdome of Morocco A brutish customâ—…uled in this counâ—… Their Religion The Portu gals have there setled themselves The Country of Guinea Their Commodities for Trade The Kingdome of Congo Their Religion The Kingdom of Monomotapa Their Religion The Kingdome of Adel c. The Situation of the Empire of Prester John One of the greatest in the world Lunae Montes The Abissines drowned Egypt The River Nigar Their commodities Their Religion Frizeland Zealand in it standeth Flushen Middleburge Ireland * A rare admirable Note Of Britain Four languages there spoken Their originall The Briâ—…taines five times conquered First by tâ—…e Romans Secondly the Pictes who used to paint or pounse their faces Thirdly the Saxons Their religion and devotion Fourthly the Danes King Lucius the first that here received Baptism the Gospel Note No Country like England The riches of the countrey The rich commodity of wooll Bridges Rivers Faire and large Churches 2. Archbishopricks and 24. other Bishopricks Note Of Scotland Scotland very poor in formertimes The reason why it is said that in Britain are foure languages Borderers great robbers and stealers Lord Warden of the Marches Note A Proverb The policy of the French Musselborough field The barbarousnesse of the Scots in former times The Orcades the people barbarous The Redshankes The Isle of Man The Isle of Anglisey The Isle of Wight The Isles of Gernsey Jernsey Divers other Ilands Insulae Baleares The Iland of Corsica The Iland of Sardinia Note The Iland of Siâ—…lia The City Siracusa Note Arthimides the famous
De Bello Turcico who said that the Emperour of Germany was Rex Regum meaning that his Princes were so great men The King of Spaine was Rex Hominum because his People would obey their Prince in any reasonable moderation The King of England was Rex diabolorum because the subjects had there divers times deprived their Kings of their Crowns and Dignity But the King of France was Râ—…x asinorum in as much as his people did beare very heavy Bâ—…thens of Taxes and Impositions In this Kingdome of France is one great Misery to the Subjects that the places and Officers of Justice are ordinarily bought and sold the beginning whereof was this Lewis the twelfth who was called a Father of the Country began to pay the debts of his Predecessor Charls the seventh which were very great and intending to recover unto France the Dukedome of Millain and minding not to burden his people further than was need thought it a good course to set at sale all the Offices of the Crown but with the places of Justice he did not meddle But his successors after him took occasion also to make great profit of them witness the Author contra Machiavel l. 1. c. 1. By the customes of that Country the King of France hath not that absolute power to muster and presse out Souldiers as in England and some other places of Christendome the Princes have But the manner is when the King will set forward any Military Service he sendeth abroad his Edicts or causeth in Cities and good Towns the Drum to be strucken up and whosoever will voluntarily follow he is enrolled Notwithstanding he wanted few Souldiers because the Noble and Gentlemen of France do hold it their duty and highest honour both to attend the King unto the wars and to beare their own charges yearely for many months The person of the King of France hath in former times been reputed so sacred that Guicciardine saith of them that their people have regarded them in that respect of devotion as if they had been demi-gods And Machiavel in his Questions upon Livie saith that they doted so much upon their Kings that they thought every thing did become them which they did and that nothing could be more disgracefull than to give any intimation that such or such a thing was not well done by their King But this opinion is much now decayed the Princes of the bloud are in the next ranke under the King himself There be many and very rich goodly Cities in France but the chiefest of all is Paris called Lutetia quasi Luto sita as some have merrily spoken which place is especially honoured first by the presence of the King most commonly keeping Court and Residence there Secondly by the great store of goodly houses whereof part belong to Noblemen and part are houses of Religion Thirdly by the University which is incomparably the greatest most ancient and best filled of alâ—… France Fourthly in that it is the chiefe Parliament City of that Kingdome without the Ratification of which Parliament at Paris Edicts and Proclamations coming from the King are not held authenticall Fifthly by the great Traffique of all kind of Merchandize which is used in that place The Parliament Cities in France are places where their Termes are kept and in severall Provinces are seven unto which the causes of inferiour Courts within their distinct Provinces may be brought by appeale but the Parliament of Paris hath that Prerogative that appeales from all Courts of the Kingdome do lie there That which we call our Parliament in England is amongst them tearmed Conventus Ordinum or the States France in ancient time as Caesar reporteth in the first of his Commentaries was divided into three parts Aquitania which was towards the West Celtica towards the North and West and Belgica which is towards the North. Belgium is sometime called Gallia inferior and sometime Germania inforior but we commonly call it the Low-Countries the Government whereof at this day is not at all under France but Gallia Celtica and Aquitania are under the French King The ancient Inhabitants of this Country were the Gaules who possessed not only all that we now call France being the greatest part of that the Romans called Gallia Transalpina but also a good part of Italy which they call Gallia Cisalpina a people whose beginnings are unknown this of them is certaine that they were a Nation of valourâ—… for they not only sackt Rome buâ—… also carried their conquering armeâ—… into Greece where they sate downâ—… and were called by the Name oâ—… Gallogrecians or Galathians Some report also that they enâ—… tred into Spaine and subdued anâ—… inhabited that part which was calâ—… led Lusitania now Portugallia buâ—… howsoever their former victoriâ—… and greatnesse they were by Iuliâ—… Caesar subdued and made a Provinâ—… of the people of Rome and so coâ—… tinued under the Romane Empiâ—… till about four hundred yeares afâ—… ter Christ when in the ruine an dismembring of the Roman Empirâ—… the French invaded Gaule and erâ—… cted a Monarchy which hath coâ—… tinued to this day in the successioâ—… of sixty four Kings of three sevâ—… ral races that is to say the Merâ—… vingians Carolovingians and Capâ—… vingians about twelve hundre years and now flourisheth undeâ—… Lewis the 13. the now raigning Kâ—… of France Although the French have done many things worthily out of their own Countrey in the East against the Saracens although they have â—…or a while held Sicily the Kingdome of Naples and the Dutchy of Millaine yet it hath been observed of them that they could never make good their footing beyond the Alpes or in other for reign Regions Howbeit in it self France is one of the strongest Kingdomes in all Europe at this day That which we commonly call the Low-Countries containeth seventeen several Provinces whereof the most part have several titles and Governours as the Dukedome of Brabant the Earledome of Flanders c. Of which the inheritance at several times did fall on Daughters who being married unto the Heire of some of the other Provinces did in the end bring the whole Country into one entire Government which was commonly called by the name of the Dukedome of Burgundy and yet so that in the uniting of them together it was by composition agreed that the severall Provinces should retaine their severall ancient Laws and Liberties which is the reason yielded why some of those Provinces in our age thinke themselves freed from obedience unto the King of Spain unto whom by inheritance they did descend because he hath violated their liberties to the keeping whereof aâ—… the first composition he was bound When this whole Country did be long unto the Crown of France the Dukedome of Burgundy was bestowed by Philip de Valois K. of France unto John de Valois a younger Soâ—… of his from whom by descent iâ—… came at last to Charles the Bold otherwise Proud Duke of Burgundy who left one
great Country called Cathaie the bounds whereof extend themselves on the North and East to the uttermost Seas and on the South to China The people are not much learned but more civill then the Tartars and have good and ordinary traffick with the Countries adjoining This Country hath in it many Kings which are tributaries and do owe obedience unto one whom they call the great Cham or Can of Cathaie who is the chief governor of all the Land and esteemed for multitude of people and largenesse of dominion to be one of the greatest Princes of the World but his name is the lesse famous for that he lyeth so far distant from the best Nations and the passage into this Country is so dangerous either for the perils of the sea or for the long space by Land His chief Imperiall City is called Cambalu On the South side of Cathaie and East part of Asia next to the Sea lyeth China and the people thereof Osorius describeth by the name of Sina and called their Countrey Synarum Regio This is a fruitfull Countrey and yieldeth as great store of rich commodities as almost any Country in the World It containeth in it very many severall Kingdomes which are absolute Princes in their Seats The chief City in this Countrey is called Quinsay and is described to be of incredible greatnesse as were wont to be the ancient Cities in the East as Babylon Ninive and others This Countrey was first discovered by the late Navigation of the Portugals into the East Indies The people of China are learned almost in all Arts very skilful workmen in curious fine Workes of all sorts so that no Country yieldeth more precious Merchandise then the workmanship of them They are great souldiers very politick and crafty and in respect thereof contemning the wits of others using a Proverbe That all other Nations do see but with one eye but they themselves have two Petrus Maffaeus Historiographer to the King of Spaine for the Eastern Indies doth report of them that they have had from very ancient time among them these two things which we hold to be the miracles of Christendome and but lately invented The one is the use of Guns for the wars and the other is Printing which they use not as we do writing from the left hand unto the right or as the Hebrewes and Syrians from the right hand unto the left but directly downward and so their lines at the top do begin again Of the East Indies ON the South side of China toward the Molucco llands and the Indian Sea lyeth the great Country of India extending it self from the South part of the Continent by the space of many thousand miles westward unto the River Indus which is the greatest Riverâ—… in all the Country except Ganges one of the greatest Rivers in the World which lyeth in the East part of the same Indies This is that Country so famous in ancient time for the great riches thereof for the multitude of people for the conquest of Bacchus over it for the passage thither for Alexander the Great throughout all the length of Asia for his adventuring to go into the South Ocean with so mighty a Navy which â—…ew or none had ever attempted before him And certainly thither it was that Solomon did send once in three yeares for his gold and other rich Merchandise for the Scripture saith that he sent his fleet from Ezion-geber which stood upon the mouth of the Red Sea and it was the directest passage which he had unto the Eastern Indies whereas if his purpose had been to send to Peru as some lately have imagined his course had been thorow the Mediterranean Sea and the Straits of Gâ—…lbraltar This Countrey had in ancient time many absolute Kingdomes and Provinces as in the time of Alexander Porus Taxiles and divers others In it were many Philosophers and men of great Learning whom they called Gymnosophistae of whom was Calanus who burnt himself before Alexander The men of the South part of India are black and therefore are called men of Inde The cattell of all sorts that are bred there are of incredible bignesse in respect of other Countries as their Elephants Apâ—…s Monkies Emets and others The riches hereof have been very great with abundance of gold insomuch that the Promontory who is now called Malacha was in times past named Aurea Chersonesus The commodity of spice is exceeding great that comes from thence The Portugals were the first which by their long Navigations beyond the Equinoctiall and the farthermost part of Africke have of late yeares discovered these Countries to Christendome as heretofore to the use of the King of Portugall so now of the King of Spaine who is reputed owner of them The Portugals did finde divers Kingdomes at their first arrivall in those parts as the Kingdome of Calâ—…cut the Kingdome of Cambaia the Kingdome of Cananor the Kingdome of Cochin and very many other with the Kings whereof they first entring League and Traffick and having leave given to build Castles for their defence they have since by policy incroached into their hands a great part of the Countrey which lieth neer unto the Sea-coast and are mighty now for the space of many thousand miles together The K. of Spain hath there a Vice-Roy whose residence is commonly in the Imperiall City called Goa They do every year send home great store of rich commodities into Spaine The people of the Country when the Portugals came first thither were for the most part Gentiles beleeving in no one God yea at this day there are divers of them who do adore the Sunne as their God and every morning at the rising thereof do use very superstitious Ceremonies which our Mer chants who do trade to Aleppo do oftentimes see for divers o these Indians do come thither witâ—… Merchandize But the Saracens whâ—… reverence the Prophet Mahomet from the Bayes or Gulphes of Persia and Arabia do traffick much thither so that Mahomet was known among them but in one Town called Granganor they found certain Christians dissenting in many things from the Church of Rome and rather agreeing with the Protestants which Christians had received by succession their Religion from the time of Thomas the Apostle by whom as it is recorded in the ancient Ecclesiasticall History part of India was converted In this Countrey of India are many great and Potent Kings and Kingdomes which had been alto gether unknown and unheard of in our part of the World but that we were beholding to the Portugals for their discovery and before their Navigation thither by the back side of Africkâ—… to some Relations that we had from the Venetians who traded and travelled thither by land out of Turkie The 〈◊〉 of these Kings and Kingdomes are these The King of Bâ—…arme the great Mogol the King of Narsing Pegu Siam the forenamed King of
Calecut and others Of Persia. THere be divers Countries between India and Persia but there are not famous Persia is a large Country which lyeth far West from India it hath on the North Assyria and Media on the West Syria and the Holy Land but next unto it Mesopotamia on the South the main Ocean which entreth in notwithstanding by a Bay called Sinus Perficus This is that Countrey which in ancient time was renowned for the great riches and Empire thereof These were they that tooke from the Assyrians the Monarchy and did set up in their Countrey the second great Empire which began under Cyrus and continued unto that Darius who was overthrown by Alexander the Great In this Countrey reigned the great Kings Cyrus Cambyses Darius the Son of Histaspes the great Xerrxes Artaxerxes and many others which in prophane writings are famous for their wars against the Scythians Egyptians and Grecians and in the Scripture for the delivery of the Jews from Babylon by Cyrus for the building of the 〈◊〉 Temple at Jerusalem and for many things which are mentio ed of them in the Prophency of Daniel The 〈◊〉 of this Nation although they were in former times very riotous by reason of their great wealth yet after they had lost their Monarchy by the Macedonians they have grown great Souldiers and therefore as they did ever strongly defend themselves against the old Romans so in the time of Constantine and the other Emperours they were fearefull Neighbours to the Romane Government and of late Time they have strongly opposed themselves against the Turkes ever making their party good with them And yet notwithstanding in the daies of Amurath the third father to Mahomet the Turke now reigning the Turke had a great hand upon the Persians going so farre with his Army as that he took the strong City Taunus standing within the Persians Dominions neer unto the Caspian sea but this losse was to be attributed partly to the great dissentions which were among the Persians themselves and partly to the multitude of the Turke his Souldiers who by fresh supply did overthrow the Persian although he slew down many thousands of them They fight commonly on horseback and are governed as in time past by a King so now by an absolute Ruler and a mighty Prince whom they terme the Shaw or Sophy of Persia. He hath many Countries and small Kings in Assyria and Media and the Countries ad joning which are tributaries Among other the Sophies of Persia about a hundred years since there was one of great power called Ismael the Persian who procured unto himself great fame by his many and valorous attempts against the Turk Surius in his Commentaries writting upon him saith that upon some fond conceit the Jewes were strongly of opinion that he was that Messias whom unto this day they expect and therefore hoped that he should have been their Deliverer and Advancer But he addeth in his report that it fell out so clean contrary that there was no man who more vexed and grieved them than that Ismail did The Persians are all at this day Sarazens in Religion beleeving in Mahomet but as Papists and Protestants do differ in opinion concerning the same Christ so do the Turks and Persians about their Mahomet the one pursuing the other as Herericks with most deadly hatred insomuch that there is in this respect almost cominâ—… all war between the Turk and the Persians Of Parthia and Media ON the North-East side of Persia lieth that Countrey which in old time was called Parthia but now named Arach of whom those great wars of the Romans with the Medians or Armenians in Tacitus and ancient Histories are true This Country aboundeth on Media by the West and it was in ancient time very full of people whose fight as it was very much on horseback so the manner of them continually was for to give an Onset and then to return their waies even to return again like to the Wild-Irish so that no man was sure when he had obtained any victory over them These were the people that gave the great Overthrow to that rich Marcus Crassus of Rome who by reason of his covetousnesse intending more to his getting of gold than to the guiding of his Army was stain himself and many thousand of the Romanes The Parthians with exprobration of his thirst after money poured molten gold into his mouth after he was dead Against these the great Lucullus fought many battles but the Romanes were never able to bring them quite to subjection On the West side of Parthia having the Mare Caspium on the North Armenia on the West and Persia on the South lyeth that Country which in time past was called Media but now Shirvan or Sirvan which is at this day governed by many inferiour Kings and Princes which are tributaries and do owe subjection to the Sophi of Persia. So that he is the Soveraign Lord of all Media as our English men have found who passing through the Dominion of the Emperour of Russia have crossed the Mare Caspium and Merchandized with the Inhabitants of this Media This Nation in former times was very famous for the Medes were they that removed the Empire from the Assyrians unto them which as in themselves it was not great yet when by Cyrus it was joyned to that of the Persians it was very mighty and was called by the name of the Empire of the Medes and Persians Here it was that Astyages reigned the Grandfather of Cyrus and Darius of the Mâ—…des The chief City of this Kingdome was called Ecbatana as the chief City of Persia was Babylon It is to be observed of the Kings of Media that in the summer time they did use to retire themselves Northward unto Ecbatana for avoiding of the heat but in the winter time they came down more South unto Susis which as it seemeth was a warmer place but by this meanes they were both taken for Imperiall Cities and chiefe residences of the King of Media which being known takes away some confusion in old stories The like custome was afterward used also by the Kings of Persia. Of Armenia and Assyria ON the West side of the Mare Caspium and of Media lyeth a Countrey called by a generall name Armenia which by some is distinctly divided into three parts The North part whereof being but little is called Georgia the middle part Turcomania the third part by the proper name of Armenia By which a man may see the reason of difference in divers Writers Some saying that the Countrey whence the Turkes first came was Armenia some saying Turcomania and some Georgia the truth being that out of one or all these Countries they did descend These Turks are supposed to be the issue of them whom Alexander the Great did shut up within certain mountaines neer to the Mare Caspium There is this one thing memorable in Armenia that after the great
Flood the Ark of Noah did â—…est it self on the Mountaines of Armenia where as Josephus witnesseth it is to be seen yet to this day the hils whereon it resteth â—…re called by some Nâ—…ae Montes The people of this Nation have retained amongst them the Chriâ—…tian faith as it is thought from the â—…ime of the Apostles but at this say it is spotted with many absurdities Among other Errors which the Church of Armenia hath been noted to hold this is one that they lid bathe their Children waving them up and down in flames oâ—… fire and repute that to be a necessary circumstance of Baptisme Which errour ariseth by mistaking that place of John the Baptist where he saith That he that came after him meaning Christ should baptize them with the holy Ghost and with fire In which place the word doth not signifie materiall fire but expresseth the lively and purging operation of the Spirit like to the nature of fire On the South part of Armenia bending towards the East lieth the Country of Assyria which is bounded on the West with Mesopotamia This Country was that Land wherein the first Monarchy was setled which began under Ninus whom the Scripture calleth Nim rod living not long after Noahs Flood and it ended in Sardanapalus continuing a thousand and three hundred yeares The King of this Country was Senacherib of whom we read â—…n the book of the Kings and here reigned Nebuchadnezzar who took Jerusalem and led the Jewes away prisoners unto Babylon In this Countrey is the swift River Tygris near unto the which was Paradise Upon this River stood the great City Ninive called by prophane Writers Ninus which was almost of incredible bignesse and exceeding populous by the nearnesse of the River and marvellous fruitfulnesse of the soil which as Herodotus writeth did return their Corn sometime two hundred and sometimes three hundred fold and did yield sufficiency for to maintain it This City for a long time was the Imperiall Seat of the Monarchy but being destroied as God foretold it should be by the Chaldeans the residence of the King was afterwards removed unto Babylon a great City in Chaldea first built by Semiramis Of Chaldea NExt unto Assyria lyeâ—…h Chaldea having on the East side Assyria on the West Syria or Palestina on the North Armenia on the South the Desart of Arabia This Countrey is often called by the name of Mesopotamia which name it hath because it lieth in the middle of two great Rivers Tygris and Euphrates It is called also by the name of Babylonia which word of it self properly taken doth signifie only that part of the Countrey which standeth about Babylon The chief City whereof was Babylon whose ruines do remain unto this day It was a rich and most pleasant City for all kind of Delight and was in the latter time of that Monarchy the Imperiall City of the Assyrians where Nebuchadnezzar and other their great Kings did â—…ye It was to this City that the children of Israel were carried captives which thereof was called the Captivity of Babylon The Kings of Persia also did keep â—…heir residence here it was built upon the River Euphrates some part of it standing on the one side and some part on the other having for its foundresse Semiramis the wife of Ninus Ammianus Marcellinus reporteth one thing of this Countrey wherein the admirable power of God doth appeare for he writeth that in these parts are a huge number of Lyons which were like enough to devour both men and beasts throughout the Countrey but withall he saith that by reason of the store of water and mudd thereof there do breed yearly an innumerable company of Gnats whose property is to flye unto the eye of the Lyon as being a bright and orient thing where byting and stinging the Lyon he â—…eareth so fiercely with his clawes that he putteth out his own eyes and by that meanes many are drowned in the Rivers others starve for want of prey and many the more easily killed by the Inha bitants It is supposed by Divines that in this Mesopotamia between the River Tygris and Euphrates Paradise did stand This was the Country wherein Abraham the Patriarch was born unto which the Romanes could very hardly extend their Dominion For they had much to do to get the Government of any thing beyond the River Euphrates From this people it is thought the wise men came which brought presents to Christ by the guiding of the Starre For as in India and all the Eastern parts so especially in this Country their Noblemen and Priests and very many people do give themselves to all Arts of Divination Here were the great Southsayers Enchanters and wise men as they call them Here were the first Astrologians which are so described and derided in the Scripture and against the Inhabitants of Babylon and Chaldea were the Lawes of the Romans made which are against divining Mathematicians who in Tullie de Divinatione Cornelius Tacitus as also in the Lawes of the Emperors are Ordinarily collected by the name oâ—… Chaldeans and indeed from these and from the Egyptians is supposed to have sprung the first knowledge of Astronomy It is thought that a great reason whereof these Chaldeans were expert in the laudable knowledge of Astronomy was partly because the Countrey is so plain that being without hils they might more fully and easily discover the whole face of the Heaven and partly because the old Fathers which lived so long not only before but in some good part also after the flood of Noah did dwell in or near to these parts and they by observation of their own did find out and discover many things of the heavenly bodies which they delivered as from hand to hand to their posterity But as corruption doth staine the best things so in proces of time the true Astronomy was defilled with superstitious Rules of Astrology which caused the Prophets Isaiah and Ieremiah so bitterly to inveigh against them And then in their fabulosity they would report that they had in their Records Observations for five and twenty thousand yeares which must needs be a very great untruth unlesse we will qualifie it as some have done expounding their yeares not of the Revolution of the Sun but of the Moon whose course is ended in the space of a moneth Of Asia the lesse ON the North-west side of Mesopotamia lyeth that Countrey which is now called Natolia but in times past Asia minor having on the North side Pontus Euxinus on the West the Hellespont and on the South the maine Mare Mediterraneum In the ancient writings both of the Grecians and of the Romans this is oftentimes called by the single name of Asia because it was best knowne unto them and they were not so much acquainted with the farther places of Asia the Great This Countrey in generall for the fruitfulnesse of the Land standing in so temperate a Climate and
Land about the River it hath been so calme that men did go in single thin linnen garments In this Countrey standeth the Lake called Lacus Asphaltites because of a kinde of slime called Bitumen or Asphaltum which daily it doth cast up being of force to joine stones exceeding fast in building And into this Lake doth the River Jordan runne This Lake is it which is called Mare Mortuum a Sea because it is salt and Mortuum or Dead for that no living thing is therein The water thereof is so thicke that few things will sinke therein in so much that Josephus faith that an Oxe having all his legges bound will not sinke into that water The nature of this Lake as it was supposed was turned into this quality when God did destroy Sodome and Gomorrah and the Cities adjoining with fire and brimstone from Heaven for Sodome and the other Cities did stand near unto Jordan and to this Mare Mortuum for the destruction of whom all that Coast to this day is a witnesse the Earth smelling of brimstone being desolate and yielding no fruit saving apples which grow with a faire shew to the eye like other fruit but as soon as they are touched do turn presently to soot or ashes as besides Josephus Solinus doth witnesse in his 48 Chapter The Land of Palestina had for iâ—…s Inhabitants all the Twelve Tribes of Israel which were under one Kingdome till the time Rehoboam the Sonne of Solomon But then were they divided into two Kingdomes ten Tribes being called Israel and two Iudah whose chiefe City was called Ierusalem The ten Tribes after much Idolatry were carried prisoners unto Assyria and the Kingdome dissolved other people being placed in their roome in Samaria and the Country adjoining The other two Tribes were properly called the Iewes and their Land Iudea which continued long after in Ierusalem aâ—…d thereabout till the Captivity of Babylon where they lâ—…ved for seventy-yeâ—…es They were afterward restored but lived without glory till the comming of Christ But since that time for a curse upon them and their children for putting Christ to death they are scattered upon the face of the earth as Runnagates without certaine Country King Priest or Prophet In their chiefe City Ierusalem was the Temple of God first most gloriously built by Solomon and afterward destroied by Nebuchadnezzar By the commandement of Cyrus King of Persia was a second Temple built much more base than the former For besides the poverty and smalnesse of it theâ—…e wanted five things which were is the former as the Jewes write First the Arke of the Covenant Secondly the pot of Manna Thirdly the Rod of Aaron Fourthly the two Tables of the Law written by the finger of God And fifthly the fire of the Sacrifice which came down from Heaven Herod the Great an Edomite stranger having gotten the Kingdome contrary to the Law of Moses and knowing the people to be offended therewithall to procure their favour he built a third Temple wherein our Saviour Jesus Christ and his Apostles did teach The City of Jerusalem was twice taken and utterly laid desolate first by Nebuchadnezzar at the Captivity of Babylon and secondly after the death of Christ by Vespasian the Roman who first began the Warres and by his sonne Titus who was afterward Emperour of Rome who brought such horrible desolation on that City and the people thereof by fire sword and famine that the like hath not been read in any History He did afterwards put thousands of them on one some day to be devoured of the Beasts which was a cruel custome of the Romans Magnificence Although Numbers and Times be not superstitiously to be observed as many foolish imagine yet it is a matter in this place not unworthy the noting which Josephus reporteth in his seventh booke and tenth Chapter de bello Judaico that the very same day whereon the Temple was set on fire by the Babylonians was the day whereon the second Temple was set on fire by the Romanes and that was upon the tenth day of August After this destruction the Land of Iudea and the ruines of Jerusalem were possessed by some of the people adjoining till that about six hundred yeares since the Saracens did invade it for expelling of whom from thence divers French men and other Christians under the leading of Godfrey of Bullen did assemble themselves thinking it a great shame that the Holy Land as they called it the City of Jerusalem and the place of the Sepulchre of Christ should be in the hands of Infidels This Godfrey ruled in Jerusalem by the name of a Duke but his successours after him for the space of 87. yeares called themselves Kings of Jerusalem About which time Saladine who called himself King of Egypt and Asia the lesse did winne it from the Christians For the recovery whereof Richard the first King of England together with the French King and the King of Sicilia did go in person with their Armies to Ierusalem but although they wonne many things from the Infidels yet the end was that the Saracens did retaine the HOLY LAND Roger Hoveden in the Life of Henry the second King of England doth give this memorable note that at that time when the City of Ierusalem and Antioch were taken out of the hands of the Pagans by the meanes of Godfrey of Bullen and others of his Company the Pope of Rome that then was was called Urbanus the Patriach of Ierusalem Heraclius and the Roman Emperour Fredericke and at the same time when the said Ierusalem was recovered again by Saladine the Popes name was Urbanus the Patriarke Ierusalem Heraclius and the Roman Emperour Fredericke The whole Countrey and City of Jerusalem are now in the dominion of the Turke who notwithstanding for a great tribute doth suffer many Christians to abide there There are now therefore two or more Monasteries and Religious houses where Fryars do abide and make a good commodity of shewing the Sepulchre of Christ and other Monuments unto such Christian Pilgrims as do use superstitiously to go in pilgrimage to the Holy Land The King of Spaine was wont to call himselfe King of Jerusalem Of Arabia NExt unto the Holy Land lieth the great Country of Arabia having on the North part Palestina and Mesopotamia on the East side the Gulph of Persia on the South the maine Ocean of India or Ethiopia on the West Egypt and the great Bay called Sinus Arabicus or the Red Sea This Countrey is divided into three parts North part whereof is called Arabia Deserta the South part which is the greatest is named Arabia Foelix and the middle betweene both that which for the abundance of Rocks and stones is called Arabia Petrea or Petrosa The Desart of Arabia is that place in the which God after the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt by passing thorow the Red Sea did keep his people under Moses for
destroy so many ships and was called Syrtis magna as also on the North and West part was the other sand called Syr t is parva Some part of this Country was heretofore under the Sultan of Egypt whose Dominion did extend it self so farre to the West and there was divided from the Kingdome of Tunis but it is now wholly under the Turke and is commonly reputed as a part of Barbary For now by a generall name from the confines of Cyrene unto the West as farre as Hercules Pillar is called Barbary though it containe in it divers Kingdomes as Tunis Fessa and Morocco Of Mauritania and Caesariensis A Part of that Countrey which by a generall name is called at this day Barbary hath in old time been called Mauritania which was divided into two parts The East part whereof next to Africa minor was called by the Romanes Mauritania Caesariensis as the other was called Mauritania Tingitania In Mauritania Caesariensis was the Countrey of Numidia the people whereof were used in the warres of the Carthaginians as Light-horse-men and for all nimble services were very active In the East part of this Countrey standing in the sea was that famous City of Carthage supposed to be built by Dido who came from Tyâ—…us This City was it which for the space of some hundred yeares contended with Rome for the Empire of the world In the Romane histories are recorded the great warres which the people of Rome had with the City of Carthage In the first war of the three the contention 〈◊〉 the Iles of Sicilia Corsica and Sardinia when the victory fell to the Romans and the Carthaginians were glad to redeem their peace with the leaving of those Ilands The second warre was begun by Hanniball who brake the league and after he had taken same part of Spaine from the Romanes and sacked Sagantum a City of their friends came first over the Pyrena hils to France then over the Alpes to Italy where he overthrew the Romanes in three great battels and much endangered their estate he continued in Italy with his Army sixteen yeares till Scipio attempting on Carthage forced Hanniball to return to rescue his own Countrey There was Hanniball overthrowne and his City put to a great pension by Scipio who for his victory there was named Africanus In the third warre because the people of Carthage still brake the league their City was razed to the very ground by the earnest and continuall counsell of Cato the elder fearing evermore so dangerous a Neighbour though Scipio Nasica counselled to the contrary fearing lest if the dread of that enemy were taken away the Romanes would grow either to idlenesse or civill dissention which after they did It is reported of Cato that he never spake his judgement of any thing in the Senate but his conclusion was thus Thus I think for this matter and withall that Carthage is to be razed down And Scipio Nasica would reply in his conclusion Thus I think for this matter and withall that Carthage is not to be razed down Livy reporteth that the way whereby Cato prevailed that Carthage should be razed down was this while the question was very hot he bringeth into the Senate-house green Figs and let the Senators understand that the same day three weekes those figs were growing in Carthage Town whereby he made mannifest unto them that it was possible that an Army might be conveied from Carthage to Rome in so short a time as that they would not be able on a sudden to resist and so Rome might be surprized whereby they all concluded that it was no safety for their City to have so bad a neighbour so neare unto them In this Countrey toward the West not farre from Carthage stood Utica whereof the younger Cato was termed Cato Uticensis because he killed himself there in the Civill warres betwixt Caesar and Pompey because he would not come within the hands of his enemy Caesar. Not far from thence Westward standeth Hippo which was the City where S. Augustine was B shop This whole Countrey at this day is called the Kingdome of Tunis the King whereof is a kind of stipendary unto the Turke the people that inhabit there are generally Saracens and do profess Mahomet Some do write that Tunis standeth in the very place where old Carthage was which is not so but is siâ—…ua ed very neare unto the old ruines of the other Against the King of Tunis Charles the fifth had some of his warres by Sea Of MauritaniaÌ„ Tingitania THE other part of Barbary that lyeth along the Mediterranean farthest into the West was called in old time Mauritana Tingitana The people of which Country were those which almost in all the old histories were called by the name of Mauri Those of the other Mauritania being rather termed Numidia Into the Northwest part thereof did Hercules come and there set up one of his Pillars which answereth to the other in Spain they both being at the straits of Gilbralter in times past called Fretum Herculeum On the South part thereof lay the Kingdome of Bocchus which in the tiaâ—… of Marius had so much to do with the Romans In the west part of this Mauritania standeth on the hill called Atlas minor and on the South part is the great hill called Atlas major whereof the maine Ocean which lyeth between Mauritania and America is called Mare Atlantum This hill is so high that unto those who stood on the bottome of it it seemed to touch heaven with his shoulders This Country hath been long inhabited by the Saracens who from thence finding it to be but a short passage into Spaine did goe over now seven hundred yeares ago and possessed there the kingdome of Granado on the South side of Spain till they were thence expelled by Ferdinandus and Elizabeth or Izabell King and Queen of Castile In this Countrey since that time have the Spaniards taken some Cities and Holds and so also have the Portugals which by the divers event of victory have often been lost and won by them Here it was that the Emperour Charles the fifth had divers of his great warres against the Moores as well as in the Kingdome of Tunis For the assistance of one who claimed to be King of a part of this Country did Sebastian the King of Portugall go with all his power into Africa in the year 1578. where unadvisedly bearing himself he was slain together with two other the same day who claimed to be Kings so that there it was that true battell was fought whereof it was said that three Kings died in one day which battel is called the battell of Alcazar and was the ruine of the Kingdome of Portugall and the cauâ—…e of the uniting it to the Crowne of Spaine Astrologers did purpose that the blazing Starre which appeared the â—…eare before did signifie that iâ—…l eâ—…ent This whole Countrey doth maisâ—…aine in it besides some Imperiaâ—… government two absolute Kingdomes
Lapland Biarmia and thereabouts they are people so rude and heathenish that as Olaus Magnus writeth of them looke whatsoever living thing they doe see in the morning at their going out of their doors yea if it be a bird or a worm or some such other creeping thing they do yield a Divine Wâ—…ship and Reverence thereunto for all that day as if it were some inferiour God Damianus à Goes hâ—…th written a pretty Treatise describing the manner of those Lappians The greatest part of the Country of Russia is in the winter so exceeding cold that both â—…he Rivers are frozen over the land covered with snow and such is the sharpnesse of the aire that if any go abroad bare-faced it causeth their flesh in a short time to rot which befalleth to the fingers and toes of divers of them therefore for a great part of winter they live in stoves and hot-houses and if they be occasioned to go abroad they use many furs whereof there is great plenty in that Country as also wood to make fire but yet in the summer time the face of the soyle and the aire is very strangely altered insomuch that the Countrey seemeth hot the birds sing very merrily and the trees grasse and coâ—…n in a short spâ—…ce do appear so chearfully green and pleasant that it is scant to be beleeved but of them which have seen it Their building is most of wood even in the chiefe City of Mosco insomuch that the Tartars who lie in the North-east of them breaking oft into their Countries even unto the very Mosco do set fire on their Cities which by reason of their woodden buildings are quickly destroyed The manner of government which of late years hath been used in Russia is very barbarous and little less than tyrannous for the Emperour that last was did suffer his people to be kept in great servility and permitted the Rulers and chief Officers at their pleasures to pil and ransack the common sort but to no other end but that himself might take occasion when he thought good to call them in question for their misdemeanor and so fill his own coffers with flee cing of them which was the same course the old Roman Empire did use calling the Deputies of the Provinces by the name of Spunges whose property is to suck up water but when it is full then it selfe is crushed and yi ldeth forth liquor for the behalfe of another The passage by Sea into this country which was wont to be through the Sound and so afterward by land was first discovered by the English who with great danger of the frozen Seas did first adventure to saile so far North as to compass Lapland Finmark Scricfinia Biarmia and so passing to the East by Nova Zembla halfe the way almost to Cathaio have entred the River called Ob by which they disperse themselves for Merchandize both by water and land into the most parts of the dominion of the Emperor of Russia The first attempt which was made by the English for the entrance of Moscovia by the North seas was in the daies of King Edw. the sixt at which time the Merchants of London procuring leave of the King did send forth Sir Hugh Willoby with shipping and men who went so far toward the North that he Coasted the corner of Scricfinia Biarmia and so turned toward the East but the wheather proved so extream the snowing so great and the freezing of the water so vehement that his ship was set fast in the ice and there he his people were frozen to death and the next year some other comming from England found both the ship and their bodies in it and a perfect Remembrance in writing of all things which they had done and dis covered where amongst the rest mention was made of a land which they had touch'd which to this day is known by the name of Sir Hugh Willobies Land The Merchants of London did not desist to pursue this discovery but have so far prevailed as that they have reached one halfe of the way toward the East part of Chyna and Cathaio but the whole passage is not yet opened This Empire is at this day one of the greatest dominions in the world both for compasse of ground for multitude of men saving that it lyeth far North and so yieldeth not pleasure for good Traffick with many other of the best situated nations Among other things which do argue the magnificence of the Emperour of Russia this one is recorded by many who have travelled into those parts that when the great Duke is disposed to sit in his magnificence besides great store of Jewels and abundance of massie plate both of Gold and Silver which is openly shewed in his Hall there do sit as his Princes and great Nobles cloached in very rich and sumptuous attyre divers men ancient for their yeares very seemly of countenance and grave with white long beards which is a goodly shew besides the rich state of the thing But Olaus Magnus a man well experienced in those Northern parts doth say how truely I cannot tell that the manner of their sitting is a notable fraud and cunning of the Russian in as much as they are not men of any worth but ordinary Citizens of the gravest and seemliest countenance which against such a solemnity are picked out of Mosco and other places adjoining and have robes put on them which are not their own but taken out of the Emperours Wardrobe Of Spruce and Poland IN Europe on the East and North corner of Germany lyeth a Countrey called Prussia in Latine most times Borussia in English Pruthen or Spruce of whom little is famous saving that they were governed by one in a kinde of order of Religion whom they call the Grand-Master and that they are a meanes to keep the Moscovite and the Turke from some other parts of Christend me This Country is now grown to be a Dukedome and the Duke thereof doth admit traffick with our English who going beyond the Hance Townes do touch upon his country and amongst other things doe bring from thence a kinde of leather which was wont to be used i Jerkins and called by the name of Spruce-Leather-Jerkins On the Eâ—…t side â—… Germany between Russia and Germany â—…eth Polonia or Poland which is a â—…gdome diffeâ—…ing from others 〈◊〉 Europe because the King there is â—…osen by Election out of some of the Princes neere adjoining as laâ—…ely Henry the third King of France These Elections oftenâ—…mes doe make great factions there so that in taking parts they grow often there into Civill warre The King of Polonia is almost continually in warre either with the Moscovite who lyeth in the East and North-East of him or with the Turke who liâ—…th on the South and South Eâ—…st and someâ—…imes also with the Princes of Germany whereupon the Poles doe commonly desire to chule warriours to their King In this
Country are none but Christians but so that liberty of â—…ll Religion is pâ—…rmitted insomuch â—…hat there be Papists Coilâ—…dges of 〈◊〉 boâ—…h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iâ—… opinion 〈◊〉 Ar 〈◊〉 and diâ—…ers others But of 〈◊〉 years there 〈◊〉 been 〈◊〉 ea nest mâ—…tions in their Par 〈◊〉 that their Co ledges of Jâ—…suites shâ—…uld be dissolved and they banâ—…shed our of that Kâ—…ngdome as of laâ—…e they were from France The â—…eason of i is because that under colour of Religion they doe secretly deale in 〈◊〉 causes and many times sow sedi â—…ons and some of them have given couâ—…sell to murther Princes and â—…ever they be they are the only in telligencers for the Popâ—… besides that many of the Papiâ—…s but especially their Fryars and orders of Religion do hate and envye them first for that they take upon them with such pride to be called Jesuits as if none had to do with Jesus but they and are more inward with Princes then the rest are Secondly because many of them are more learned then common Monks and Fryars And thirdly because they professe more strictly and severely than others do the Capushins only accepâ—…ed This is that Country which in times past was called Sarmatia the chiefe City whereof is named Cracovia Of Hungaria and Austria ON the South-East side of Germany lyeth Hungaria called in the Latine Pannonia which hath been heretofore divided into Pannonia superior Pannonia inferior it is an absolute Kingdome and hath been heretofore rich and populous The Christians that do live there have among them divers sorts of Religion as in Poland This Kingdome hath been a great obstacle against the Turkes comming into Christendome but especially in the time of John Hunniades who did mightily with many great victories repulse the Tuâ—…ks Here standeth Bunda which was heretofore a great Fortresse of Christendome but the glory of this Kingdome is almost utterly decaied by reason that the Turk who partly by policy partly by force doth now possesse the greatest part of it so that the people are fled from thence and the Christians which remaine there are in miserable servitude Notwithstanding some part of Pannonia inferior doth yeâ—… belong to Christendome The Turks for the space of these forty or fifty years last past have kept continuall garrisons and many times great Armies in that place of Hungary which yet remaineth Christned yea and sometimes thâ—… great Turks themselves have come thither in person with huge Hosts accounting it a matter of their re ligion not only to destroy as many Christians as they can but also to win their land by the revenueâ—… whereof they may maintain some Religious house which they think themselves in custome bound to erect but so that the maintai ning thereof is by the sword to be wonne out of the hands of some of those whom they hold enemieâ—… to them Hungary is become the onely Cockpit of the World where the Turkes doe strive to gain and the Christians at the charge of the Emperor of Germany who entituleth himselfe King of Hungary doe labour to repulse them and few summers do passe but that something is either wonne or lost by eâ—…ther party That corner of Germany which lieth neerest to Hungary or Pannonia inferior is called Austria or Pannonia a superior whâ—…ch is an Arch-Dukedome From which house being of late much sprung come many of the Princâ—…s of Germany and of other parts of Europe so that the Crown Imperiall of Germany hath lately oft besallen to some one of this house In this Country standeth Vienna that noble City whâ—…ch is now the principle Bulwarke of Christendome against the Turke from whence Sâ—…liman was repelled by Ferdinandus King of Hungary in the time of the Emperour Charles the fift It was in this Country that Richard the first King of England in his return from the Holy Land was taken prisoner by the Arch-Duke of Austria and so put to a grievous ransome There were lately divers brothers of the Emperour Rodolphus the second which were all called by the name of Arch-Dukes of Austria â—…ccording to the manner of the Germans who give the titles of the Fathers nobility to all the children The names of them were Matthias Ernestus the youngest Albertus who for a good space held by dispensation from the Pope the Archbish oprick of Toledo in Spaine although he were no Priest and had then also the title of Cardinall of Austria and was imploied for Viceroy of Portugall by Philip the 2d King of Spain but after the death of the Duke of Parma he was sent as Lievtenant general Governor of the Low-Ciuntries for the K. of Spaine where since he hath attained to the marriage of the Infanta Isabella Eugenia Clara eldest daughter to K. Philip the second and last King of Spaine and by her hath he the stile of Duke of Burgundy although peaceably he cannot enjoy a great part of that Countrey Thorow both Austria and Hungary doth runne the mighty River Danubius as through Germany doth runne the Rheinc whereon groweth Vinum Rhenanum com monly calâ—…ed Rhenisir wine Of Greece Thracia and the Countries neere adjoining ON the South side of Hungary and South-East lieth a Country of Europe called in old time Dacia which is large and wide comprehending in it Transylvania Walachia Moldavia Servia Of which little is famous save that the men are warlike and can hardly bee brought to obedience They have lately been under the K of Hungary These Countries of Transylvania Walachia and Moldavia have certaine Monarchs of their owne whom they call by the name of Vâ—…gnode which do rule their Countries with indifferent mediocrity while they have the sway in their own hands but confining upon the Turke they are many times oppressed and overcome by him so that often they are his Tributaries yet by the wildnesse of the country and uncertaine disposition of the Rulers and their people he never hath any hand long over them but sometimes they maintain warre against him and have slain down some of his Bassaes comming with a great Army against them by which occasion it falleth out that he is glad now and then to enter confederacy with them so doubtfull a kind of regiment is that which now adaies is in those Countries The River Danubius doth divide this Dacia from Mysia commonly called Bulgaria and Russia which lyeth on the South from Danubius and is severed from Graecia by the Mountaine Haemus This Mountain is that whereof they reported in times past though but falsly that who so stood on the top thereof might see the sea four severall waies to wit East West North and South under pretence of trying which conclusion not Philip Alexanders Father but a latter Philip King of Macedonia did go up to that Hill when in truth his meaning was secretly to meet with others there with whom he might joine himself against the Romans which was shortly
Kings in whose Dominion it stood which may be gathered hereby that when once the Grecians had wonne it Durius Histaspis or Xerxes who were Kings of Persia did give charge that every day at dinner one speaking aloud should remember him that the Grecians had taken Sardis which intended that he never was in quiet till it might bee recovered again There stood also in the In-land Philadelphia Thyatina Laodicea and most of all to the North Pergamus which were the other foure Cities unto which St John the Evangelist did direct his Epistle Going upward from Ionium to the North there lyeth on the Sea-coast a little Country called Eolis and beyond that although not upon the Sea the two Provinces called Mysia Major and Mysia Minor which in times past were so base and contemptible that the people thereof were used in speech as a proverb that if a man would describe one meaner then the meanest it was said he was Mysiorum postremus On the West part of Mysia major did lye the Countrey called Troas wherein stood Ilium and the City of Troy against which as both Virgil and Homer have written the Grecians did continue their siege for the space of tenne yeares by reason that Paris had stollen away Helena the wife of Menelaus who was King of Sparta Eastward both from Troas and Mysia major a good space within the land was the Countrey called Phrygia where the Goddesse which was called Bona Dea or Pessinuntia or Cybele the mother of the old gods had her first abiding and from thence as Herodiaâ—… wrteth was brought to Rome as implying that good fortune should follow her thither In this Countrey lived that Gondius who knit the â—…ot called for the intricatenesse thereof Nodus Gordianus and when it could not be untied was cut in sunder by Alexander the Greâ—…t supposing that it should bee his fortune for the loosing of it so to be the Conquerour and King of Asia as by a prophecy of the same Gordius had been before spoken Yet North-ward from Phrygia lyeth the Countrey of Bythinia which was sometimes a Kingdome where Perusias raigned that had so much to do with the Romanes In this Countrey standeth the City Nicea where the first General Councill was held against Arius the Hereticke by Constantine the Great thereof called the Nicene Councilâ—… Here standeth also Chalcedon where the fourth Generall Councill was held by the Emperour Marcianus against the Heretick Nestorius From Bythinia Eastward on the North side of Asia the lesse standeth the Countrey of Paphlagonia where was the City built by Pompey the Great called by his name Pompeiopolis On the South of Paphlagonia toward the Iland of Asiâ—… minor diâ—… stand the Countrey of Galatia whereunto Saint Paul wrote his Epistle to the Galathians And this also was one of those Countries where the Iewes were dispersed unto which Saint Peter wrote his first Epistle as also unto them which were in Pontus Cappadocia and Bythinia from whence Southward lyeth the Province termed Lyeaoni And from thence yet more South bordering upon Pamphylia which touches the Mediterranean sea lyeth Pisidia concerning which Countries we find oftentimes mention made in such stories as do touch Asia the lâ—…sse From these Sourthern parts if we returne back againe unto the North and East of Asia major lieth the Kingdome of Pontus confining upon that which is named Pontus Euxinus In this Pontus did reigne Mithridates who in his younger daies had travelled over the greatest part of Asia and is reported to have been so skilfull that he could well speak more then twenty Languages His hatred was ever great towards the Romans against whom when he meant first to put his malice in practise he so combined with the Naturals of those parts that in one night they slew more than threescore and ten thousand of the Romans carrying their intendment so close that it was revealed by none till the execution was done Pompey the Great was the man who distressed this Mithridates and brought him to that extremity that he would gladly have poisoned himselfe but could not in as much as his stomack had been used so before unto that kind of Treacle which by reason of his inventing of unto this day is called Mithridate which is made of a kinde of poyson allaied that no venome would easily work upon him Southward from this Pontus standeth the old Kingdome of Cappadocia which in times past was observed to have many men in it but little money Whence Horace saith Mancipiis locuples eget aris Cappadocum Rex Eastward from this Cappadocia as also from Pontus is Armenia minor whereof the things memorable are described in the other Armenia And thus much touching Asia the lesse Of Syria and Palestina or the Holy Land SOuthward from Cilicia and Asâ—…a the lesse lyeth Syria a part whereof was called Palestina having on the East Mesopotamia on the South Arabia on the west Tyre and Sidon and the end of the Mediterranean Sea The people of this Syria were in times past called the Ardmites In their language is the translâ—…ion of the New Testament called Syriacke In this Countrey standed Anâ—… which was sometimes one of the ancient 〈◊〉 See and is a City of reckoning unto this day Here also standeth now the City of Aleppo which is a famous Mâ—…rt Towne for the Merchandizing oâ—… the Persians and others of the Eâ—…st and for the Turks and such Countries as be adjoining Here standeth â—…th also Tripolis The South part of Syria lying downe toward Egypt and Arabia was the place where the Children of Israel did dwell being a Country of small quantity not 200. Italian miles in length it was so fruitfull flowing with Milke and Honey as the Scripture calleth it that it did maintaine above thirty Kings and their people before the comming of the children of Israel out of Egypt and was sufficient afterwards to relieve the incredible number of the twelve Tribes of Israel It is noted of this Countrey that whereas by the goodnesse of the Climate wherein it stood and the fertility of the soyle but especially by the blessing of God it was the most fruitfull Lâ—…nd that was in the World Now ouâ—… Travellers by experience do finde the Countrey in respect of the fruitfulnesse to be changed Gâ—…d cursing the Land together with the Iewes the Inhabitants of it It is observed also for all the Easterne parts that they are not so fertile as they have been in former Ages the Earth as it were growing old which is an Argument of the Dessolution to come by the day of Judgement Through this Countrey doth run the River Jordan which hath heretofore been famous for the fruitfulnesse of the trees standing thereupon and for the mildnesse of the Aire so that as Josephus writeth when snow hath been in other places of the
Alexandria in Egypt and from thence dispersed into Christendome by the Venetians which spices and Apothecaries drugs are found to be farre worse than before time they were by reason of the great moisture which they take on the water by reason of the long navigation of the Portugals by the back parts of Africa This is the sea through the which Solomon did send for his gold and other precious Merchandise unto the East Indies and not to the West-Indies as some lately have disputed Whereout the vanity of that opinion may appeare that America and the West Indies were known in the time of Solomon For if he had sent thither his course had been along the Mediterranean and through the straits of Gibraltar commonly called Fretum Herculium between Spain Barbary But the Scripture telleth that the Navy which Solomon sent forth was built at Ezion Geber which is there also said to stand on the Red Sea So his course might be East-ward or South-ward and not West-ward In the Desart of Arabia is the Mount Horeb which by some is supposed to be the same that is called Mount Sinai where they think it was that Abraham should have offered up his sonne Isaac But this is certaine that it is the place where God in the wildernesse did give unto the people of Israel his Law of the ten Commandements in thundering lightning and great earth quake in most fearefull manner Of Africke and Egypt FRom Arabia and Palestina toward the West 〈◊〉 A fricke having on the North side from the one end of it to the other the Mediterranean sea The greatest p rt of which Coun try although it hath been guessed at by Writers in former time yet because of the great heat of it lying for the most part of it under the Zona Torrida and or the Wildernesses therein it was in former time supposed by many not to be much inhabited but of certainty by all to be very little discovered till the Portugals of late began their navigation on the backe side of Africa to the East Indies So exact a description is therefore not to be looked for as hath been of Asia and Europe Joining to the Holy Land by a little Istmos in the Countrey of Egypt which is a land as fruitful as any almost in the world although in these daies it doth not answer to the fertilty of former times This is that which in the time of Joseph did relieve Canaan with corne and the family of Jacob which did so multiply in the land of Egypt that they were grown to a huge multitude when God by Moses did deliver them thence This Countrey did yield exceeding abundance of corne unto the City of Rome whereupon Egypt as well as Sicilia was commonly called Horreum populi Romani It is observed from all antiquity that almost never any raine did fall in the land of Egypt Whereupon the raining with thunder and lightning and fire running on the ground was so much more strange when God plagued Pharaâ—…h in the daies of Moses But the flowing of the River Nilus over all the Countrey their Cities onely and some few hils excepted doth so water the Earth that it bringeth forth fruit abundantly The flowing of which river yearly is one of the greatest miracles of the world no man being able to yield a sufficient and assured reason thereof although in Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus many probable causes and opinions are assigned thereof That there doth not use any rain to fall in Egypt besides other heathen testimonies and experiences of Travellers may be gathered out of the Scripture for in the 10 Chapter of Deuteronomy God doth make an Antithesis between the Land of Canaan and Egypt saying that Egypt was watered as a man would water a garden of herbes that is to say by the hand But they should come into a Land which had hills and mountaines and which was watered with the raine of Heaven and yet some have written that ever now and then there is mists in Egypt which yield though not raine yet a pretty dew It is noted of this River that if in ordinary places it doe flow under the height of fifteen cubits that then for want of moisture the earth is not fruitfull and if it doe flow above seventeen cubits that there is like to be a dearth by reason of the abundance of moisture the water lying longer on the Land than the inhabitants do desire It is most probably conjectured that the falling and melting of snow from those hils which be called Lunae Montes do make the increase of the River Nilus And the custome of the people in the Southerne parts of Arabia is that they do receive into ponds and dams the water that doth hastily fall and the same they let out with sluces some after some which causeth it ordinarily to come down into the plaines of Egypt For the keeping up of these Dammes the Countrey of Egypt hath time out of mind paid a great tribute to Prester-John Which when of late it was denied by the Turke Prester John caused all the sluces to be let go on the sudden whereby he marveliously annoied and drowned up a great part of the Countrey of Egypt In Egypt learning hath been very ancient but especially the knowledge of Astronomy and Mathematicks whereof before the time of Tully their Priests would report that they had the discent of 1500 yeares exactly recorded with observations Astrological which as it is a fable unlesse they do reckon their yeares by the Moone as some suppose they did every month for a year so it doth argue knowledge to have been among them very ancient Their Priests had among them a kinde of writing and describing of things by picture which they did call their Hieroglyphica This in times past was a Kingdome and by the Kings thereof were built those great Pyramides which were held to be one of the seven wonders of the world being mighty huge buildings erected of exceeding height for to shew the magnificence of their founders There is part of two or three of them remaining unto this day Divers learned men are at this day of opinion that when the children of Israel were in Egypt and so oppressed by Pharaoh as is mentioned in the beginning of the booke of Exodus their labour in burning of bricke was partly imployed to the erecting of some of those Pyramides but the scripture doth onely mention walling of Cities The founders of these Pyramides were commonly buried in or under them and it is not unfit to remember that the Kings and great men of Egypt had much cost bestowed upon them after they were dead For in as much as Arabia was neare unto them whence they had most precious balmes and other costly Spices they did with charge embalme their dead and that with such curious art that the flesh thereof and the skin will remaine unputrified for divers hundred years and all learned men
the one of Fezza or Fez which lyeth on the North part toward the Mediterranean and Spain the other is the Kingdome of Morocco which lyeth from above the hill Atlas minor to the South and West part of Mauritania These are both Saracens as be also their people holding true league with the Turke and with some other Christian Princes a league onely for Trafficke and Merchandize It may be doubted whether it was in this Mauritana Tingitana or rather but near unto it in Mauritania Caesoriensâ—… that which Saint Augustine in his book De doctrina Christiana doth of his own knowledge report that in a City of that Countrey was this brutish custome that once in the year for certaine dayes the Inhabitants of the place did assemble themselves into wide and large fields and there divided themselves each from other so that perhaps the Fathers were on one side and the children or brother on the other and did throw stones with such violence that many were hurt and divers killed with the fury of that assault But S. Augustine relleth that he deâ—…esting the brutishnesse thereof dâ—…d make a most eloquent and elaborate Oâ—…ation or Sermon unto them whereby he did prevaile with those of the City where he was that theâ—… give over that foolish and rude exercise Yet Leo Assâ—…icanus who lived about a hundred yeares since and in his owne person travelled over the greate part of Africke doth write in his description of Africke that in one place of the Kingdome of Fez this barba â—…us custome is yet retained Of the other Countries of Africke lying neare the Sea FRom beyond the hill Atlas major unto the South of Africke is nothing almost it Antiquity worthy the readiag and those things which are written for the most part are fables For towards the South parâ—… of Africke as well as towards the North part of Europe and Asia be supposed to be men of strange shapes as some with Dogs heads some without heads and some with one foot alone which was very huge and such like which that counterfeit Fryer who write that book which is counted Saint Augustines ad fraetres in Eremo and who would gladly father upon Saint Augustine the erecting of the Augustine Fryers doth say that he saw travelling down from Hippo Southward in Africa But as the Asse in Aesope which was cloathed in the Lyons skin did by his long ears shew himself to be an Ass and not a Lyon so this foolish fellow by his lying doth shew himself to be a counterfeit and not Saint Augustine In the new Writers there are some few things to be observed as first that all the people in generall to the South lying with the Zona Torrida are not onely blackish like the Moor but are exceeding blacke And therefore as in old time by an excellency some of them are called Nigritae so at this day they are named Negro's as then whom no men are blacker Secondly the Inhabitants of all these parts which border on the Sea coast even uâ—…to Caput bonae spei have been Gentiles adoring Images and foolish shapes for their Gods neither bearing of Christ nor beleeving on Mahomet till such time as the Portugals comming among them having professed Christ for themselves but have won few of the people to embrace their Religion Thirdly that the Portugals passing along Africa to the East Indies have setled themselves in many places of those Countries building Castles and Townes for their own safety and to keep the people in subjection to their great commodities One of the first Countries famous beyond Morocco is Guinea which we call Ginnie within the compasse whereof lyeth the Cape called the Cape Verde and the other the Cape of the three points and the Towne and Castle named Siâ—…rta Liâ—…na at which place as commonly all Travellers do touch that do pâ—…sse that way for fresh â—…er and â—…ther shâ—…p-provision â—…ur English men have found traâ—… icke into the parts of this Countrey where th iâ—… greatest commâ—…dity is Gold and Elephants teeth of both which there is good store Beyond that toward the South not â—…arre from the Equinoctiall lyeth the Kâ—…gdome of Congo com monly called Mani-congo Where the Portugals at their first arrivall finding the people to be Heathens without Gâ—…d did induce them to a profession of Christ and to be baptized in great abundance allowing of the principles of Religion untill such time as the Priest did teach them to lead their lives according to their profession which the most part of them in no case enduring they returned back again to their Gentilisme Beyond Mani-congo so fare to the South as almost ten degrees beyond the Tropicke of Capricorne lyeth the Lands end which is a promontory now called Caput bonae spei which Vascus Gama the Portugâ—…l did discover and so called it because he had there good hope that the Land did turn to the North and that following the course thâ—…reof hee might bee brought to Arabia and Persia but esâ—…ecially to Calecut in India Which course when himself and other oâ—… his Countrey-men after him did follow thâ—…y fouâ—…d on the coast up towards Arabia the Kingdome of Mosambique Melinda Magadazo and others whose people were all Gentiles and now are in league with the Portugals who have built divers holds for their safety Of which Countries and manners of the people he that listeth to read may finde much in the History of Oso 〈◊〉 and Petrus Maffaeus but there is no matter of any great importance Beyond the Cape toward the North before you come to Mosumbique between the Rivers of Cuama and Sancto Spirito lyes the Kingdome of Monomotapa where the Portugals also have arrived and so much was done there by the preaching of Gonsalvo de Silva a Jesuite that the King and Queen of that Countrey with many others were converted from Gentilisme to Christianiâ—…y and baptized But certaine Mahumetans incensing the King thereof afterwards against the Portugals made him to revolt from his Religion and to put to death this Jesuite and divers others Which fact of his the Portugals assaviâ—…g to revenge with an Army sent for out of Portugall they profited little against him but were themselves consumed by the discommodities of the Countrey and the distemperature of the aâ—…e There are also other Kingdomes sin this part of Africke of whom we know little besides their names and site in generall as Adel Monomugi Angola and therefore it shall be sufficient to have named them in a word Of Abissines and the Empire of Prester John IN the Inland of Africke lyeth a very large Countrey extending it self on the East to some part of the Red Sea on the South to the Kingdome of Molinda and a great way farther on the North to Egypt on the West to Manicongo The people whereof are called Abissini and it self the dominion of him whom we commonly call in English Prester John
but in Latin some terme him Prestiosus Johannes but the most part Presbyter Johannes writing of him As he is a Prince absolute so he hath also a Priest-like or Patriarchall function and jurisdiction among them This is a very mighty Prâ—…nce and reputed to be one of the greatest Emperors in the world What was known of this Countrey in former time was knowne under the name of Ethiâ—…pia but the voyages of the Portugals in these late daies have best described it The people therefore are Christians as is also the Prince but differing in many things from the West Church and in no sort acknowledging any supreme Prerogative of the Bishop of Rome It is thought that they have retained Christianity even from the time of our Saviour being supposed to be converted by the Chamberlaine of Candace the Queen of Ethiopia who was instructed concerning Christ by Philip the Evangelist in the Acts of the Apostles Eusebius 〈◊〉 his Ecclesiasticall story doth make mention of this But they do to this daâ—… retaine Circumcision whereof the reason may be that the 〈◊〉 their Converter not having any fuâ—…ther conference with the Apostle nor any else with him did receive the ceremonies of the Church imperfectly retaining Circumcision which among the Jewes was not aboli shed when he had conference with Philip. Within the dominion of Prester John are the mountaines commonly called Lunae montes where is the first well-spring and rising of the river Nilus yet there are that fetch the head of this River out of a certaine great Lake toward the South called Zembre out of which toward the West runnes the River of Zaire into the Kingdome of Mani-congo The Râ—…ver of Zuama or Cuama towards the South to the Kingdome of Monomoâ—…apa or Benomotapa as the River Nilus towards the North through the Kingdome of the Abissines to Egypt which River running violently along this Countrey and sometimes hastily increasing by the melting of much snow from the Mountaines would over-runne and drown a great part of Egypt but that it is slaked by many ponds dammes and sluces which are within the Dominion of Prester John And in respect hereof for the maintenance of these the Princes of Egypt have paid upto the Governour of the Abissines a great Tribute time out of mind which of late the great Turke supposing it to be a custome needlesse did deny till the people of the Abissines by commandement of their Prince did breake downe their dams and drowning Egypt did enforce the Turke to continue his pay and to give much money for the making of them very earnestly to his great charge desiring a peace In this Countrey also of Prester John is the rising of the famous River Nigar supposed to have in it the most and the best precious stones of any River in the World which rising likewise out of a great Lâ—…ke out of that Mount after it hath runne a good space hideth it self for the space of 60. miles under ground then appearing again after it hath runne somewhat further makes a great Lake and again after a great tract another and at last after a long course fals at Cape Verde into the Atlantick sea Ortelius in his larger Maps describes it falling into the Sea like Nilus in Egypt with seven streames or Ostia but those that travell these parts say that there are only some Bayes but there is no River in those parts running into the Sea but 〈◊〉 There be other Countries in Africke as Agâ—…simba Libia interior Nubia and others of whom nothing is famous but this may be said of Africke in generall that it bringeth forth store of all sorts of wild Beasts as Elephants Lyons Panthers Tygers and the like yea according to the Proverbe Africa semper aliquid oportet novi Oftentimes new and strange shapes of wild Beasts are brought forth there the reason whereof is that the Countrey being very hot a d full of Wildernesses which have in them little water the Beasts of all sorts being enforced to meet at those few watering places that be where oftentimes contrary kindes have conjunction the one with the other so that there arifeth a new kind of Species which taketh part of bo h. Such a one is the Leopard begotten of the Lyon and the Beast called Pardus and somewhat resembling ei her of them A d thus farre of Africke Of the Northern Ilands THE Ilands that do lye in the North aâ—…e in number almost infinite the chiefe of them only shall be briefly touched Very farre to the North in the same Climate also with Sweden that is under the circle Articke lyeth an Iland called in old time Thule which was then supposed to be the farthest part of the world North ward and therefore is called by Virgil Utima Thule The Countrey is cold the people barbarous and yielde hâ—… liâ—…tle commodity saving Hawkes in some part of the yeare there is no night at all Unto this land divers of our English Nation do yearely travel and do bring from thence good store of fish but especially our deepest and thickest Ling which are therefore called Isl nd â—…ings It hath pleased God that in these latter times the Gospell is there preached and the people are instracted in Christianity having also the knowledge of good Learning which is brought about by the meanes of the King of Sweden unto whom that Iland is now subject There is lately written by one of that Nation a pretty Treatise in Latine which describeth the manner of that Countrey and it is to be seen in the first Tome of Master Hackluits Voyage Southward from thence lyeth Frizeland called in Latine Frizlandia whereas the Frizeland joyning to Germany is in Latine called Frizia On the coast of Germany one of the seventeene Provinces is called Zealand which continueth in it divers Ilands in whom little is famous saving that in one of them is Flishen oâ—… Flushen a Town of war and Middleburge is another a place â—…f good Mart. Livinus Limnius and some of the low Germans be of opinion â—…hat this City was fiâ—…t built by Metellus the Roman and that which now is called Middlâ—…burge was at the first termed Metolli Burgum The States of the Low-Countries do hold this Province against the King of Spain These Ilands have been much troubled of late with inundation of water The Iland that lyeth most West of any Fame is Ireland which had in it heretofore many Kings of their own but the whole land is now annexed to the Crowne of England The people naturally are rude and superstitious the Country good and fruitfull but that for want of tillage in divers places they suffer it to grow into boggs and deserts It is true of this Countrey which Solinus writeth of some other that Serpents and Adders do not breed there and in the Irish timber of certaine experience no Spiders web is ever found The most renowned Island in the
tradition among old writers that Britaine did breed no Wolves in it neither would they live here but the report was fabulous in as much as our Chronicles do write that there were here such store of them that the Kings were enforced to lay it as an imposition upon the Kings of Wales who were not able to pay much mony for tribute that they should yearly bring in certaine hundreds of Wolves by which meanes they were at the length quite rid from Wolves The Country of Wales had in times past a King of it self yea and sometimes two the one of North-Wales and the other of South-Wales between which people at this day there is no great good affection But the Kings of England did by little and little so gain upon them that they subdued the whole Country unto themselves and in the end King Henry the 8. intending thereby to benefit this Realme and them did divide the Country into Shires appointed there his Judices Itinerantes or Judges of the circuit to ride and by Act of Parliament made them capable of any preferment in England as well as other Subjects When the first newes was brought to Rome that Julius Caesar had attempted upon Britain Trully in the elegance of his wit as appeareth in one of his Epistles did make a flout at it saying That there was no gain to be gotten by it For gold here was none nor any other commodity to be had unlesse it were by slaves whom he thought that his friend to whom he wrote would not look to be brought up in learning or Musick But if Tully were alive at this day he would say that the case is much altered in as much as in our Nation is sweetness of behavior abundance of learning Musick all the liberal Acts goodly buildings sumptuous apparel rich fare and whatsoever else may be truly boasted to be in any Country near ad joining The Northern part of Britaine is Scotland which is a Kingdome of it self and hath been so from very ancient time without any such conquest or maine transmutation of State as hath been in other Countries It is compassed about with the sea on all sides saving where it joyneth upon England and it is generally divided into two parts the one whereof is called the Highland and the other the Low-land The Low-land is the most civill part of the Realm wherein religion is more orderly established and yieldeth reasonable subjection unto the King but the other part called the High-land which lyeth further 〈◊〉 the North or else bendeth towards Ireland is more rude and savage and whither the King hath not so good accesse by reason of Rocks and mountaines as to bring the Noblemen which inhabite there to such due conformity of Religion or otherwise as he would This Countrey generally is more poor then England or the most part of the Kingdomes of Europe but yet of late yeares the wealth thereof is much encreased by reason of their great traffick to al the parts of Christendome yea unto Spain it self which hath of late years been denied to the English and some other Nations and yet unto this day they have not any ships but for Merchandize neither hath the King in his whole Dominion any vessel called A man of war Some that have travelled into the Northerne parts of Scotland do report that in the Solstitium aestivele they have scant any night and that which is is not above two houres being rather a d mnesse then a darknesse The language of the Countrey is in the Lowland a kind of barbarous English But towards Ireland side they speak Irish which is the true reason whereof it is reported that in Britain there are four languages spoken that is Irish in part of Scotland English for the greatest part Welch in Wales Cornish in Cornwall In the confines between the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland which are commonly called the Borders there lye divers out-laws and unruly people which being subject to neither Prince by their good wits but so far as they list do exercise great robberies and stealing of cattell from them that dwell therabout and yet the Princes of both Realmes for the better preservation of Peace and Justice do appoint certain Warders on each side who have power even by Martiall Law to represse all enormities The Queen of England had on her side three whereof one is called the Lord Warden of the East Marches the other of the west Marches the third the Warden of the middle Marches who with all their power cannot so order things but that by reason of the outrages thereabouts committed the borders are much unpeopled whiles such as desire to be civill do not like to live in so dangerous a place It hath been wondred at by many that are wise how it could be that whereas so many Countries having in them divers Kingdomes and Regiments did all in the end come to the dominion of one as appeareth at this day in Spaine where were wont to be divers Kings and so in times past in England where the seven Kingdomes of the Saxons did grow all into one yet that England and Scotland being continuate within one Iland could never till now be reduced to one Monarchy whereof in reason the French may be thought to have been the greatest hindrance For they having felt so much smart by the Armes of England alone insomuch that sometimes all that whole Country almost hath been over run and possessed by the English have thought that it would be impossible that they should resist the force of them if both their Kingdoms were united joined into one The Custome theresore of the Kings of France in former times was that by their gold they did bird unto them the Kings and Nobility of Scotland and by that means the Kings of England were no sooner attempting any thing upon France but the Scots by and by would envade England Whereupon the Proverb amongst our people grew That he who will France win must with Scotland first begin And these French-men continuing their policy did with infinite rewards breake off the Marriage which was intended and agreed upon between King Edward the sixth and Mary the late unfortunate Queen of Scotland drawing her rather to be married with the Dolphin of France who was son to King Henry the second and afterward himself reigned by the name of King Francis the second But this was so ill taken by the English that they sought revenge upon Scotland and 〈◊〉 them a great overthrow in that 〈◊〉 which was called Musselborough field The people of this Country were in times past 〈◊〉 barbarous that they did not refuse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flesh which as S. Hierom doth 〈◊〉 of them he himselâ—… saw some of 〈◊〉 to do in France and the 〈◊〉 hereof went so far that Chrysostome in one place doth allude to such a matter There be many little Islands adjoining unto the
issueth into divers streets of it as it is in Venice and from some part whereof there are diver Bridges unto the main Land mad also of brick but from the other â—…des men do come by boats where of there is abundant store continually going in that Lake The Writers do record thaâ—… there is to be found in this City a bundance of all kind of provision but especially fruits and other delightfull things which are brought in from other parts of the Countrey This was the chief City of all those quarters before the arrivall of the Spaniards there and in subjection thereunto were many large Provinces extending themselves every way so that the King of this place was a Prince of great estate And accordingly thereunto the Spaniards at this day have made it their chiefe and royall City where the King keeps his Vice-Roy of Mexico for the West-Indies as he hath his Vice-Roy at Goa for the East-Indies and from thence have all the parts of America but especially that which they call Hispania nova their directions and hence they fetch their Laws Ordinances and determinations unlesse it be such great causes as are thought fit to be referred to the Councell of Spaine The Sea which confineth neerest unto this City is called the Gulph of Mexico where as in divers other Bayes or Gulphes the stream or current is such that ships cannot passe directly to and fro but especially out of the Gulph that they are forced to take their course either high to the North or low to the South In and neer unto this Gulph are divers Iland conquered and inhabited by the Spaniards as the forenamed Cuba and Hispaniola where the Spaniards were visited by our English in the time of Queen Elizabeth and their Towns of Sancto Domingo and Saint Jago taken by Sir Francis Drake as also Jarvaica and Boriquen otherwise called the Iland of Saint Phu where the Earle of Cumberland took the Town of Porto-Ricco and many other Islands of lesse note In the Sea coasts of all this Nova Hispania the King of Spaine have built many Towns and Castles and therein have erected divers Furnaces and Forges for the Trying and Fining of their Gold They that do write of the discovery of the West-Indies do report that when Columbus at the first went thitherward in their greatest distraction and doubtfulnesse of minde whether to go forward or backward and Columbus had begged only two or three daies respite there was one of his company who after the Sea manner going up to discover the Land did espie some fire for the which being so happy and lucky a token he did hope to receive at the hands of the King of Spaine some bountiful reward but when he returned home there was nothing at all given unto him which he took with that malecontentednesse and disdaine that he fled over into Africa and there among the Moores did apostate and renounce the Christian faith so that he became a Saracen Of the parts of America towards the North. THE rumor of the discovery of these parts being blown over Christendome and the great quantitie of the Land together with the fruitfulness thereof being reported abroad some other Nations did enterprize to set foot therein as namely the Frenchmen who sent certain ships to a part of this Country lying North from Hispania nova some few degrees without the Tropick of Cancer into which when they had arrived because of the continuall greennesse of the ground and trees as if it had been a perpetual spring they called it Florida where after some few of them had for a time setled themselves the Spaniards took notice of it and being unwilling to endure any such neighbours they came suddenly on them and most cruelly slew them all without taking any ransome And the French in revenge of this deed of the Spaniards came in again afterwards into this Country and slew those that were the slaiers of their country men yet the Syaniards for want of men are not able to inhabite that Countrey but leave it to the old people The French had built in Florida upon the River of Mayo where they were visited by our Sir John Hawkins a Fort which they called Fort Carolin and had reasonably assured themselves for their defence against the Natives but some malicious spirits amongst them fled to the Spaniards with whom they return again into Florida to the murther and overthrow of their own Country-men He who list to see both the attempt of the French-men for the inhabiting of that part and the usage of the Spaniards towards them let him read the Expedition into Florida which is the end of Benzo's story concerning the New found World and there he shall find both the covetous and infatiable nature of the Spaniards who would not endure the French neere unto them although there was land sufficient and much to spare for both of them also their perfidiousnesse in breaking of Oaths and promises and their unchristian cruelty whereby they massacred all The Spaniards also to the number of three hundred foot and two hundred horse under the conduct of Ferdinando de Sota entred Florida about the year of our Lord 1550. and there conquered a thousand miles wide and large and after four or five yeares continuance in that Country betook themselves again from thence and went to new Spain landing at Panuc in Ships and Vessels that they had built in Florida And in all that time notwithstanding many conflicts with the natives and divers discommodities and wants which they sustained in the Countrey they lost but two hundred men After this departure of the Spaniards out of Florida brought thither by Ferdinando de Sota who died in the Country after the defeat of the French and their revenge again taken on the Spaniards the King of Spaine sent thither some small forces to take possession of the Country and sit down there for no other end as it is thought but to keep out other Nations from entring there the one half whereof set down on the River of Saint Augustine and the other half a dozen leagues from thence to the Northward at a place by them called Saint Helena In the year 1586. as Sir Francis Drake came coasting along from Cartagena a City in the main land to which he put over and took it after he departed from Sancto Domingo when the mortality that was amongst our English had made them to give over their enterpriâ—…e to go with Nombre de Dios and so over land to Panama there to have stricken the stroake for the Treasure he was on the coast of Florida in the height of thirty our men discryed on the shore a place built like a Beacon which was made for men to discover to Sea-ward so comming to the shore they marched along the Rivers side till they came to a Fort built all of whole trees which the Spaniards called the Fort of Saint John where the
thither have written concerning those West Indies shall find that the inhabitants there do use it most as a remedy against that which is called Lues venerea whereunto many of them are subject being unclean in their conversation and that not only in fornication and adultery with women but also their detestable and excrable sin of Sodomy After that the Spaniards had for a time possessed Hispania nova for the desire of Gold and Pearle some of them travelled towards the South and as by water they found the Sea westward from Peru which is alwaies very calme and is by them called the South sea as the other wherein Cuba standeth ' is termed the North sea so by land they found that huge and mighty Country which is called Peru wherein the people are for the most part very barbarous and without God men of great stature yea some of them far higher than the ordinary sort of men in Europe using to shoot strongly with bows made of Fish-bones and most cruel people to their enemies Our English people who have travelled that way do in their writings confess that they saw upon the South of Peru very huge tall men who attempting upon them when they put to land for fresh water were much frighted with their Guns or else doubtless had offered violence unto them which our men fearing got them away as speedily as they could There was one Petrus de Cieca a Spaniard who when he had travelled two and twenty years returned back again into Europe and wrote an excellent Book of the Discovery of that whole Country And he amongst other things doth record that there are found in some parts of Peru very huge and mighty bones of men that had been Gyants who dwelt and were buried there Amongst these the Spaniards partly by force but especially by perfidious treason did get infinite sums of Gold and Pearls wherewith being allured they hoped for more by reason that a great part thereof hath under the Zona torrida and that caused them to spread themselves here and there as far as they durst in the country where in some places they digged Gold out of the â—…rth and in some other they found it ready digged and tried unto their hands by the people of the Country which had used that Trade before their comming thither Amongst other creatures which are very famous in this Peru there is a little beast called Cincia which is no bigger than a Fox the tale whereof is long the feet short and the head like a very Fox which hath a bag hanging under her belly whereinto she doth use to put her yong when she seeth them in danger of any hunter or passenger That Petrus de Cieca of whom mention was made before telleth that himself saw one of them which had no less then seven young ones lying about her but as soon as she perceived that a man was comming neer unto her she presently got them into her bag and ran away with such incredible swiftness as one would not have imagined After the Spaniards had conquered Mexico they discovered Peru travelling towards the south and as they prevailed against the Mexicans taking part with an enemy neighbour so finding two brothers striving in Peru Guasâ—…ar Atabaliba they so demeaned themselves in their difference that they ruined both and got their incredible store of Gold The first that attempted against the Peruvians and destroyed their Kings were James of Almagra and the two brothers of Pizarres but dealing treacherously and cruelly with the Peruvians they long enjoyed not their victory but all of them died a violent death The people of Peru are in many places much wiser than those of Cuba Hispaniola and some others parts of the Continent where the Spaniards first landed and therefore they have some orders and solemne customes among them as among the rest they do bury their dead with observable ceremonies laying up their bodies with great solemnity into a large house prepared for that purpose They have also in one Province there a custome of carrying news messages veryspeedily to the end the King and Governor of the Country may presently take advertisement of any thing which falleth out and this is not on horse-back or by the Dromedary or Else as they use in other places but only men who pass over Rocks and thorow Bushes the next way and in 〈◊〉 set places there be alwaies fresh Posts to carry thaâ—… further which is brought unto them by the other The Spaniards have here and there scatteringly upon the sea-coasts set up some Towns and Castles but are not able to possess almost any thing of the land neither have they as yet discovered the inward parts thereof â—…hough daily they spread themselves more and more insomuch thâ—…t it is supposed that within these seven years last past they have gotten into Guiana where in former time no â—…ranger of that Nation hath been Guiana is a country which lieâ—…h to â—…he North sea in the same height as Peru to the South as it is discribed â—…bout five degrees from the Aequinâ—…ctial and that as I take it toward the South The Country is supposed to be exceeding rich to have in it many mines of gold which have not yet been touched or at least but very lâ—…tely to be exceeding fertile and delightful otherwise although it lie iâ—… the heat of Zona torrida but there is such store of rivers fresh waters iâ—… every part thereof and the soile it self hath such correspondency thereunto that it is reported to be as green and pleasant to the eye as any place in the world Some of our Englishmen did with great labour and danger pass by water into the heart of the country earnestly desire that some forces of â—…he English might be sent thither a Colony erected there by reason of the distance of the place the great hazard that if it should not succeed well it might prove dishonourable to our nation and withal because the Spaniards have great companies and strength although not in it ye many wayes about it that intendment was discontinued In divers parts of this Peru and near unto Guiana there are very many great rivers which as they are fiâ—… for any navigation that should be attempted to go up within the land so otherwise they must needs yeeld health and fruitfulness to those that iâ—…habit there The greatest of these rivers is that which some call Oregliana or the river of the Amazones And next is the river Maragnone down towards Magellane straights Rio de la Plata and our English men do speak of the river Orinoque in the greatest of which this is famous that for a good spece after they have run into the main sea yea some write 20. or 30. Miles they keep themselves unmixt with the salt water so that a very great way wiâ—…hin the sea men may take up as fresh water as
if they were neer the Land The first oâ—… our Nation that sailed to Guiana and made report thereof unto us was S. Walter Raleigh who â—…ravelled far up into the country upon the river Orinoque after him one or two voyages thither did captain Kemish make and now lately captain Hâ—…recourt with others have visited â—…hat Country where our men conâ—…inued the space of 3. or 4. yearâ—… being kindly intreated of the natives who much desired them to come and make some plantation amongst them hoping by them to be defended against the Spaniards whom they greatly hate and fear When Sir Walter Raleigh come to Guiana â—…he overthrew the Spaniards that were in Trinidado and took Bereo their Captain or General prisoner he loosed and set at liberty four or five Kings of the people of that country that Bereo kept in chains and sent thâ—…m home to their own which deâ—…d of his did win him the hearts of the people them and make much to favour our English at this day Divers also of that country which â—…mongst them are men of note have been brought over into England here living many years are by our men brought home to their-own country whose reports and knowledge of our Nation is a cause that they have been wel entreated of these Guiancans and much desired to plant themselves amongst them Our men that travelled to Guiana amongst other things most memorable did report and in writing delivered to the world that near unto Guiana and not far from those place where themselves were there were men without heads which seemed to maintain the opinion to be true which in old time was conceived by the Historians and Philosophers that there were Acephali whose eies were in their breasts and the rest of their face there also scituated and this our English travellers have reported to be so ordinarily and 〈◊〉 mentioned unto them in those parts where they were that no sober man should any way doubt of the truth thereof Now because it may appear that the matter is but fabulous in respect of the truth of Gods creating of them and that the opinion of such strange shapes and monsters as were said to be in old time that is men with heads like Dogs some with eares down to their ankles others with one huge foot alone whereupon they did hop from place to place was not worthy to be credited although Sir John Mandevile of late age fondly hath seemed to give credit and authority thereunto yea and long since he who took upon him the name of S. Augustine in writing that counterfeit Book Ad frates in Ermo It is fit that the cerainty of the matter concerning these in Peru should be known that is that in Quinbaia and some other parts of Peru the men are borne as in other places yet by devises which they have after the birth of Children when their bones and gristles and other parts are yet tender and fit to be fashioned they do crush down the heads of the children unto the breasts and shoulders and do with frames of wood other such devices keep them there that in time they grew continuate to the upper part of the trunke of the body and so seem to have no necks or heads And again some other of them thinking that the shape of the head is very decent if it be long and erect after the fashion of a Sugar-loaf do frame some other to that form by such wooden instruments as they have for that purpose and by binding and swathing them to keep them so afterwards And that this is the custome of those people and that there is no other matter in it Petrus de Cieca who travelled almost all over Peru and is a grave and sober writer in his description of those Countries doth report There be in some parts of Peru people which have a strange device for the catching of divers sorts of fowls wherein they especially desire to take such as have their feathers of pâ—…ed orient and various colours and that not so much for the flesh of them which they may eate as for their feathers whereof they make garments either short as Cloaks or as Gowns long to the ground and those their greatest Nobles do wear being curiously wrought and by order as appeareth by some of them being brought into England And here by this mention of feathers it is not 〈◊〉 to specifie that in the sea which is the Ocean lying betwixt Europe America there be divers flying fishes yet whose wings are not feathers but a thin kind of skin like the wings of a Bat or Rearmouse and these living sometimes in the water and flying sometimes in the aire are well accepted in neither place for below either ravenous fishes are ready to devourt them or above the sea-fowls are continually beating at them Some of the Spaniards desirous to see how far this Land of Peru did go towards the South travelled down till at length they found the Lands end and a little strait or narrow Sea which did run from the main Ocean toward Africk into the South-sea One Magellanus was he that found this strait and although it be dangerous passed through it so that of his name it is called Fretum Magellanicum or Magellans straits And this is the way whereby the Spaniards do pass to the back-side of Peru and Hispania nova and whosoever will compass the whole world as some of our English men have done he must of necessity for any thing that is yet known passe through this narrow strait Ferdinandus Magellanus having a great mind to travel and being very desi rous to go unto the Molucco Islands by some other way than by the back side of Africk if it might be did in the year 1520 set forth from Sivill in Spain with five ships and travelled toward the West Indies went so far towards the South as that he came to the lands end where he holding his course in a narrow passage towards the West for the space of divers daies did at the length peaceably pass through the straights and came into a great sea which some after his name do call Mare Magellanicum some others Mare pacaficus because of the great calmness and quietness of the waters there but most comonly it is termed the South sea the length whereof he passed in the space of three months and 20. daies and came unto the Moluccoes where being set upon by the East Indian people himself and many of his company were slain yet one of his ships as the Spaniards do write called Victoria did get away from those Moluccoes and returning by the Cape Bonae spei on the South side of Africk came safe into Spain So that it may be truly said that if not Megellanus yet some of his company were the first that did ever compass the World through all the degrees of longitude Johannes Lyrius in the end
avouch that there be a great many and that it is as good a Countrey as almost any in the world But the arguments why he gathered it to be so he did not deliver and yet notwithstanding it may be most probably conjectured that the Creator of the world would not have framed so huge a masse of Earth but that he would in his wisdome appoint some reasonable creatures to have their habitation there Concerning those places which may be supposed to lie neer unto the Northern Pole there hath in times past something been written which for the particularity thereof might carry some shew of truth if it be not throughly lookt into It is therefore by an old tradition delivered and by some written also that there was a Friar of Oxford who took on him to travel into those parts which are under the very Pole which he did partly by Negromancy wherein he was much skilled and partly again by taking advantage of the frozen times by meanes whereof he might travell upon the Ice even so as himself pleased It is said therefore of him thà t he was directly under the Pole and that there he found a very huge and blackrock which is commonly called Nigra rupes and that the said rock being divers miles in circuit is compassed round about with the Sea which Sea being the breadth of some miles over doth run out into the more large Ocean by four severall Currents which is as much to say as that a good pretty way distant from the Nigra Rupes there are foure several lands of reasonable quantity and being scituated round about the rock although with some good distance are severed each from other by the sea running between them and making them all foure to be Islands almost of equall bignesse But there is no certainty of this report and therefore our best Mathematicians in this latter age have omitted it Our travellers of later years have adventured so far to their great danger in those cold and frozen countries that they have descried Groinland which lieth as far or beyond the circle Artick but whether it go so far out as unto the Pole they cannot say which is also to be afirmed of the Northern parts of America called by some Estote-land for the opening whereof our English-men have taken great pains as may easily appeare by the â—…ew â—…lobes and Maps in which all the Capes Sounds and Furlongs are called by English names Their purpose was in attempting this voyage to have found out a passage to China and Cathaio by the North parts of America but by the snows which fell in August and September as also by the incredible Ice there after many hazards of their lives they were forcâ—…d to return not knowing whether there be any current in the Sea that might lead to the East-Indies or how far the Land doth reach Northward In like sorâ—… some of our English Merchants to their great charges set forth â—…eets to descry the Seas towards the East yet going by the North and there have found many unknown countries as Nova Zembla Sir Hugh Willoughbies land and other mâ—…re but of certain what is very near unto the Pole they could never find They have also so far prevailed as to reach one half of the way toward Cathaio by the North going Eastward insomuch that by the River Ob and by the Bay of St. Nicholas they bring the Merchandize downwards into Russia But whether the sea do go throughout even to the fatherest Eastern parts or whether some great Promontory do stretch out of the main Continent unto the very Pole they cannot yet attain to know These things therefore must be left uncertain to further discoveries in fature ages UNIVERSITIES In England 1 Oxford 2 Cambridge Universities in Spaine 1 Toledo latitude 40. 10. longitude 16. 40. 2 Sivill lat â—…7 â—…0 long 14. 20 3 Valencia lat 39. 55. long 21. 10 4 Granada lat 37. â—…0 long 17. 1â—… 5 S Jago lat â—…0 5 long 15. 40. 6 Valindolid lat â—…2 5. long 15. 45. 7 Alcalade Henaros lat 40. 55. long 17. 30 8 Salamanca lat 14. 10. long 24 4 9 Caragoca lat 4â—… 22 long 22. 20 10 Signencâ—… lat â—…4 35. 20. long 18. â—…0 11 Lerida lat 42 20 long 18. 10 12 Huesca lat 12 50. long 2â—… 20 13 Lisbon lat 38. 50. long 0 50 14 Coimbra lat 40. long 11. 2â—… 15 Ebora lat 37 38 long 20 In the Isle Majorica 1 Majorica In Polonia 1 Câ—…acovia 2 Posne In Prussia 1 Koningsberg In Lituania 1 Wild In France 1 Paris lat 48. â—…0 long â—…3 2 Poictiers lat 46. 10 long 1â—… 1â—… 3 Lyons lat 44. 30 long â—…5 40 4 Anger 's lat 47. 25. long 18. 10 5 Avignon lat 42. 30 long 25 50 6 Orleans lat 47. 10 long â—…2 7 〈◊〉 lat 46. 20 long 22. 10 8 Cacn lat 40. 45. long 1â—… 20 9 Reims lat 48 30 long 25 25 10 Burdeaux lat 44 30 long 17. 50 11 Tolouse lat 43 5 long 20 30. 12 Nismo lat 42 30 long 25 13 Montpelieâ—… lat 42 long 24 30 14 Bisantâ—…n lat 46 3â—… long 27 48 15 Lole lat 46 10 long 27 In Italy 1 Rome lat 41 20 long 38 2 Venice lat 44 50 long 37 3 Padna lat 44 45 long 32 10 4 Bononia lat 43 33 long 35 50 5 Ferrara lat 44 long â—…6 6 Millan lat 44 40 long 33 7 Pavia lat 44 long 33 5 8 Turin lat 43 45 long 31 30 9 Florence lat 42 35 long 35 50 10 Pisa lat 42 40 long 35 11 Sienna lat 42 20 long 36 15 12 Modena lat 13 50 long 35 40 In Boheâ—…a 1 Prague In Germany 1 Collen lat 51 long 30 2 Basil lat 47 40 long 31 3 Alents lat 50 long 31 4 Witzburg lat 50 5 Triers lat 49 50 6 Heidleberg lat 49. 25 long 33 7 Tubinge lat 49 50 8 Ingolsted lat 49 â—…0 9 Erfurt lat 50 10 Leistgige lat 51 10 11 Wittenberg lat 51 50 12 Frankford in Oder 51 10 13 Rostoch lat 53 40 14 Grislwald lat 53 10 15 Friburg lat 48 16 Marburg lat 50 40 17 Viena lat 43 40 18 Diling in Suitzerland neate Dâ—…yaw In Germania Inferiori 1 Lovain lat 50 long 23 2 Doway lat 50 30 long 29 3 Liege lat 50 30 long 29 4 Leiden lat 5â—… 10 long 27 20 In Denmarke Copenhagen lat 56 50 long 34 30 In Moraviâ—… 1 Olmues In Scotland 1 Saint Andrews 2 Abeâ—…don Of England In England are contained Sâ—…ires 52 Bishopricks 26 Castles 186 Rivers 555 Chases 13 Forrests 68 Parkes 781 Clties 25 Parish-Churches 9725 Bridges 956 FINIS Of the seas The divers names given to the seas and the reason why Of the straits or Narrow Seas Of the Earth How Spain is bounded The original name of the Country of Spaine Carthaginians sent to defend the Gaditanes Spaine once a Province of the Roman Empire Sarazens and Moores
Engine-maker Sicily once a Kingdom two famous Tyrants in it The tyrant Phalaris The tyrannies of Sicily were very famous Note that cruelty is alwaies attended with scar. Damocles the flatterer Note how the poor woman prayed for this Tyrant A good note for all inventers of tortures cruelty and likewise for time flatterers The mountian Aetna The reason of the fire in the mountain Aeina Note The Papists Purgatory is the fiery Aeana The death of Pliny the elder Note Malta the only place for repelling the Turks The society of the Knights Templers The Pope the King of France conspiring their ruine Hospitallers The Knights of Rhodes The Knights of Malta The Isle Corsu Cephalenia Zon. The commodities of the Countrey The Impost laid on this Island called the Revenue of St Mark. Zant the Inhabitants Greeks Creta The labyrinth of De dalus The most noted lyars The Island Candy Cithera where was the siue Temple of Venus Divers smal Islands Note The Island of Rhodes The Isle Carpathus The Isle Cyprus The City â—…amogusta The City Paphos The Island Tyrus The Island of Sumatra Two Ilands Iava major and Iava minor The Islands of Molucco's The great richs which the King of Spaine receives from hence yearly Note The Island of Iapan Diverssmal Ilands onely named The Ilands of Gorgades The Isle Madera Hesperides Bonavista Canary Ilands From hence she best Canary Sacks From hence great store of Sugar-canes The Isle of St. Thomas The Isle of Cloves The Ilands of Azores Note the unadvisedness of Don Antonio The people of America utterly void of all manner of knowledge of God or goodnesse The reasons conjectual of a new found World Some have entituled the Queen of England Soveraigne of these Provinces Their Religion Columbus the first discoverer of America In the year 1492. America discovered by Columbus The Island Haity The richs of the country The Island Cuba The pride of the Spaniard labouring to obscure the fame of Columbus Hispania nova Of whom this Country had its name Manner of the people The cruèlty of the Spaniards Their Armour Note their bread No good literature amongst them Note how the Devill did strangely delude these people Note the malice of Satan The admiration of the people at the approach of the men and shipping The mighty bignesse of the trees of Brasile They conceivâ—…d them to be some gods They admired and feared a Letter Some very rare Beasts The Sâ—…a Crocodiles Some rare stones Divers tree not elsewhere found The abun dance of Kin and Buls The condition of the people of America The Religion Yet many grievous sins by them committed Their attire Infinite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gold and silver in America Precious mines Attabaliba his ransome The Country people exchanged it for bablâ—… They dreaded men on horse-back The King had the fist part for his tribute A Councel at Sivill for the government of America Note the Spaniards cruelty His insolency and tyrannising pride Their beastly bassness Note their inhnmanity The Friars complaint of their cruelty Note Mexico described A great Lake Mexico the chief City of all those quarters The Gulph of Mexico Divers Islands in the gulph of Mexico Note And named it Florida The river Mayo Note the Spaniards unchistian cruelty Sir Francis Drakes Voyage Four cities 〈◊〉 in America The burning hill in Americs A strange fire Of Virginia the first plantation The second planta ion The third plantation Of the summer Ilands The fish of New found land Nova Al bion The Portugals discovery of Brasile A large Countrey and much inhabited Note The abundance of Brasile wood Their Religion Their apparell The proportion of the Inhabitants Note The Canibals or man eiters which is the country custome Their great use of Tobacco Note Note this ye Tobacconists A discription of the people of Peru. The riches of the Country of Peru. A strange story of the beast Cincia the first attempters against the Peruvians Guiana The rich ness anâ—… 〈◊〉 os the cuntry The river of the Amazone â—…ir Walter â—… leigh lid first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it to the Englâ—…sh They haâ—…e he Spaniâ—…rds and â—…ove the English A strange story Note Their strange devises to take fowls Divers flying fishes Magellanus straits The South Sea The Moluccoes Magellane the first that evercompased the world Insulae Latornum Insulae Salomonis Philippinae Their Riches Infulas infortunatas Regio Mâ—…gellanica Psittacorum regio Terra del fuego A description of the people Movâ—… Guinea Note Nigra Rupes Groin-land Nova Zembla S Hugh Willonghbies land