rich and a place of great trafficke Also toward the North you haue Semur a faire towne built vpon an high ground As like Castillon Flauigni Soloigne Noiers with others the description whereof because this page cannot well containe I referre the Reader to Belleforest a diligent Surueyer of these parts Only one thing I will adde out of the foresaid Sanjulian He against the opinion of all other Writers deriueth this word Burgundie not à burgis that is from the boroughs or incorporate townes built in this region but from one particular place called Burg Ogne In the territorie of Langren about the riuer Tille betweene Luz and Tille-castle he saith there is a plaine which the inhabitants call by no other name but Val d'Ogne where in times past stood a famous borough or city Hence without all question he affirmes that the Burgundians or as they are commonly called Burgognons do borow their name and holds those Writers much deceiued that report them as vagabond people to haue come out of Sarmatia Scandia or the fennes of Maeotis to inhabit this region indeuouring to persuade all men that they were the first and most ancient inhabiters of this countrey The limits of Burgundie were larger in times past as appeareth out of sundrie authours For some there are that bound it South by the Mediterran sea East by the Alpes and the riuer Rhene North by mount Vogesus and West by the riuer of Loire and Seine Then classicke Writers record that it was gouerned by Kings whose royall seat was Arles It was diuided into the Duchie and Countie of Burgundie about the yeere 1034. as the Chronicle of Aemilius testifieth Of the Burgundians Paradine and Nicolas Vignier haue professedly written in Latine and Peter Sanjulian in French Of the ancient Aedui reade Nazarius his Panegyricke pronounced before Constantine the Emperour BVRGVNDIAE INFERIORIS QVAE DVCATVS NOMINE CENSETVR DES 1584. CVM PRIVILEGIO IMPERIALI ET BELGICO AD DECENNIVM GERMANIE GERMANIE the greatest and largest countrey of Europe is distinguished by many names the limits whereof by authours according to euery ones seuerall time are so diuersly described as they seeme applying themselues to the peculiar ages wherein they liued to giue notice of a threefold Germanie namely the ancient that of middle ages and Germanie as it is now taken The ancient is that of Berosus which he circumscribeth by the Rhene the Ocean the riuer Tanais the Euxine sea and the riuer Danubius That of middle ages is the same which Tacitus Ptolemey and Plinie all of one time acknowledged whereof because it is sufficiently knowen out of the authours themselues I hold it needlesse in this place to make any description But Germanie as it is now taken we do confine by the German or Dutch tongue which learned Goropius Becanus in his volume of the antiquities of nations most wittily and learnedly sheweth to be the ancientest language in the world Wherfore all those countries which at this day vse the same language we comprehend vnder the name of Germany And so the greatest length thereof stretcheth from Calais on the West to the riuer Vistula or VVixel Eastward and the largest bredth from the German and Baltick seas to the Alpes The names of the seuerall regions are these Flanders the most Westerly Brabant Zeland Holland Frisland Denmarke Meckleburgh Pomerland Prussia which extendeth beyond the riuer Vistula towards the Baltick sea as likewise the ancient and new Marquesates Saxonie VVestphalia Gelders Cleueland Iuliers the Bishopricke of Colen Hessen Turingen Misnia Lusatia Silesia Morauia Bohemia Franconia the Bishopricke of Mentz Lutzenburg the Bishopricke of Triers the Countie Palatine Elsas VVertenberg Sueuia Bauaria Austria Stiria Carinthia Tirolis and Switzerland next vnto France There be also more names of pettie regions but such as are either of no great moment or comprehended vnder the former And albeit Bohemia speaketh not the German but the Sclauonian tongue yet because it is situate in the midst of Germanie and the King thereof is one of the Prince-electours it is also numbred amongst the German prouinces This countrey of Germanie which for the present is adorned with the title of the Roman Empire is so replenished with beautifull and strong cities castles villages and inhabitants as it is no whit inferiour to Italie France or Spaine for corne wine and riuers abounding with fish it may compare with the most fruitfull regions Here are fountaines of water hot bathes and salt-mines in abundance and for plentie of mettals namely gold siluer lead tinne brasse and iron no countrey shall euer go beyond it Moreouer you shall no where finde more courteous and ciuill behauiour more honest and comly attire more skill and furniture for the warres nor greater store of nobilitie This is the place that whilome as Cornelius Tacitus affirmeth was either darkened with woods or drowned with fennes Such changes can succeeding times affourd as saith the Poet. Of late Writers it hath beene diligently described by Beatus Rhenanus Munster in his Cosmography Franciscus Irenicus Iohannes Auentinus in his Chronicle of Lyonnois Briefly by Bilibaldus Pirkeimerus Iohannes Bohemus Aubames Gerardus Nouiomagus Conradus Peutingerus Conradus Celtes a Poet Iacobus VVimfelingius of Sletstade Aimon in the beginning of his French storie and Henry Pantalion at the entrance of his first booke of Prosopographia Sebastian Brand hath set downe many iourneys distances of places and courses of riuers in this countrey The riuer Rhene is described by Bernard Mollerus in verse and by Magnus Gruberus in prose Iohn Herold hath written two short Treatises of this region one of the Romans most ancient stations in olde Germanie and another of certeine colonies of theirs on the shore of Rhaetia Gaspar Bruschius published a volume of the monasteries of Germanie Of ancient writers Cornelius Tacitus most exactly described it in a peculiar Treatise whereon Andraeas Althamerus Iodocus VVillichius and lately Iustus Lipsius haue written most learned Commentaries Diuers other Writers of Germanie which we haue not as yet seene are reckened vp by Francis Irenicus in the first booke and second chapter of his Exposition of Germanie But here I thinke it not amisse to alledge the testimonie of Laonicus Chalcocondylas a stranger namely of Athens concerning this countrey and the inhabitants Thus therefore he writeth in his second booke This nation is gouerned with better lawes than any other of those regions or peoples that inhabit towards the North or West It hath many noble and flourishing cities which vse their owne lawes most agreeable to equitie It is diuided into sundry principalities and is subiect to Priests and Bishops adhering to the Bishop of Rome The most famous and wel-gouerned cities in the vpper and lower Germanie are Norinberg a rich city Strasburg Hamburg c. The nation is very populous and mighty ruleth farre and wide all the world ouer and in greatnesse is second to the Scythians or Tartars Wherefore if they were at concord and vnder one Prince then might they
certaine other lesser countries and ilands as namely Angle-land Swant-land and Wensusset anciently called Cimbrica Chersonesus But this limitation is somewhat too large for the same authour doth presently after write that Holstein properly is bounded with those foure riuers within which Crantzius doth restrein it Although that Annonius the Monke as he citeth there in steed of the riuer Eyder doth place vpon the North the wall and trench which the country people call Denwerk And this is that Holstein which this our Mappe presenteth vnto thy view That the Cimbri a warlicke people did long since inhabit this tract it is very apparant out of the writings of most approved authours In Wagria or Wagreland Crantzius reckoneth vp these cities Oldenburgh Luthenburgh Niestade or Nigestad Todesto Zegebergh Plone c. In Stormare Hamburgh Reinoldesborgh Itzeho Niemunster c. Dietmarsh hath no cities only there they dwell in streets and villages and of it we haue before written at large in his proper place Of the country of Sleswicke read Dauid Chytraeus his Saxon history Where also he speaketh much of Hamburgh a city belonging to this Dukedome The Ilands belonging to the WANDALLS THey are three Ilands perteining to Pomerland RVGIA Rugen VSEDAMIA Vsedom and WOLLINIA Woollin the more famous for their three Market townes Vineta Arcona and Iulina VINETA a goodly towne of Vsedome which Conrad the second Emperour of Rome surnamed Salignus by the helpe of Canutus king of Denmarke destroied in the yeare of Christ 1036. hauing stood in flourishing estate about 250. yeares together the quarrell grew as they report for that they had vsed certaine Christian Merchants trading thither very despightfully and cruelly It was not situate as Crantzius affirmeth neere the mouth of the riuer Diuenow or vpon the East side of the creeke where the new lake emptieth it selfe into the sea For it is from thence seuen miles Westward two miles Southward from the strong castell Wolgast At this day the foundation of it is yet to be seene in the sea about thirty furlongs from the shore or from the fisher-mens cottages in Damerow It seemeth to haue beene welnigh as bigge as Lubecke Toward the latter end of winter the ice of the marine quarters there about are gathered together and do stay vpon these breaches and oft times it appeareth a farre off like a Castell or Bulwarke Heere the Seales Phocae do cast their yong and bring them vp in the sommer time the East sea being calme vpon the cragges and rocks there And been they sleepe vpon the toppes of the cliffes and rocks which am aboue the waters These do much hurt to the poore fisher-men that dwell heere about eating vp the laxes and other fishes which they catch with hookes ARCONA now the sea-men vulgarly call it Ormunde In the neckeland of Rugen was Wittow or Witmund as the Hollanders call it of the high white chalkie cliffes vpon the sea-coast This iland is diuided into many small iles and neck-lands It hath in all 28. parish Churches Waldemare king of Denmarke in the yeare of Christ 1168. spoiled Arcona Ottocare king of the Romanes and of all Italie was borne in Rugen as also diuers other famous captaines renowmed in histories and registred by Francis Ireney In our time it hath brought forth many learned noble men which haue beene of the Councell to Kings and great Princes IVLINVM now Wollin stood longest This ouercame the fleet royall and great armado of Swein the first king of Denmarke and tooke him thrise in three seuerall battels at sea yet was three times rescued and released our of their hands againe Iulinum stood in that place or there about where now the towne Wollin is seated as the monuments in the places neere adioining do sufficiently testifie Saint Otto Bishop of Bamberg the Apostle of Pomerland in the yeare 1124. in this towne baptized 22000. men Heere the Prince of Pomerland erected a Bishops sea and Albertus the first Bishop of Pomerland was first installed Bishop of the same Yet the citizens and people about Iulinum did soone fall backe to paganisme and do againe adore their idoll Trigilaff and vtterly forsooke Christ and therefore fire fell downe from heauen and wasted the city Waldemare also presently after the fire two yeares after the ouerthrow of Arcona rased Iulinum to the ground There is also the I le Gristoe ouer against and within kenning of Camin These things as I haue heere set them down were written vnto me from Colberg by M. Peter Edling See Saxo Helmold and Crantzius HOLSATIAE DESCRIPTIO Marco Iordano Holsato auctore Cum gratia et Priuilegio RVGIAE VSEDOMIAE ET IVLINAE Wandalicarum insularum Vera descriptio 1584. THIETMARSIA or DIETMARSH OF the MARSI descended from Marsus Strabo the ancient Geographer speaketh and saith that many yeares since they went from the coasts about the Rhein into a low and moorish country Of these are come the THEVTOMARSI or as they commonlie pronounce the word the Thietmarsi the Dietmarshers who about 400. yeares agone were gouerned by the most ancient family of Staden many of which they treacherously slew and so at length they made themselues free by killing banishing all their Nobility Henry surnamed the Lion Duke of Saxony subdued them but he being out-lawed by the Emperour Fredericke Walemare king of Denmarke seized vpon the country and when as he vsed their helpe against Adolph Earle of Holstein and the Lubeckers they reuolted vnto the enemies by whom the king was ouercome at the village Bornhouet Thus againe being restored vnto their liberty least they might seeme to be Anarchi subiect to no Iurisdiction they shrowded themselues vnder the patronage of the Archhishop of Breme and him they acknowledged for their Prince but yet they would neuer pay him tribute or subsidie nor euer would be obedient to his lawes or commands Often the Dukes of Holstein haue attempted wars against them and alwaies they suffered the repulse Fredericke the third Emperour of Rome gaue the country to Christian the first king of Denmarke vnder the title of a Dukedome whose sonne Iohn making war vpon them in the yeare 1500. lost the day all his forces being ouerthrowen himselfe with a very few hardly escaped by flight leauing behind him the greatest part of the nobility of Holstein After that they grew more insolent by this victory and oft greatly troubled and molested the Duke of Holstein Adolph sonne of Fredericke king of Denmarke heire to the kingdome of Norway and Duke of Sleswicke and Holstein not being able to endure their male-part insolencie in the yeare of Christ 1559. mustereth his men gathereth a great army to whom Fredericke the second king of Demnarke and Iohn his brother ioine their forces These armies thus vnited set forward and presently take Meldorp with all the South part of the prouince Then after a few daies respite they ledde their forces along by Tilenbrugge against whom the Dietmarshers out of Hemmingstade make head with all their power
thinke there is no man gentle Reader but knoweth what and how great profit the knowledge of Histories doth bring to those which are serious students therein I doe verily beleeue and perswade myselfe that there is almost no man be it that he haue made neuer so little an entrance into the same and touched them neuer so lightly that is ignorant how necessary for the vnderstanding of them aright the knowledge of GEOGRAPHY is which in that respect therefore is of some and not without iust cause called The eye of History For thou shalt meet with many things in the reading of Histories I will not say almost all which except thou haue the knowledge of the countreys and places mentioned in them cannot onely not bee well conceiued and vnderstood but also oft-times they are cleane mistaken and otherwise vnderstood then they ought to bee which thing commeth to passe in many discourses but especially in the expeditions and voyages of great Kings Captaines and Emperours in the diuers and sundry shiftings of Nations from one place to another and in the traueils and peregrinations of famous men made into sundry countreys But seeing that this is a matter which euen experience it selfe doeth teach vs to be true there is no reason why I should stand long vpon the proofe of the same This so necessary a knowledge of Geography as many worthy and learned men haue testified may very easily be learn'd out of Geographicall Chartes or Mappes And when we haue acquainted our selues somewhat with the vse of these Tables or Mappes or haue attained thereby to some reasonable knowledge of Geography whatsoeuer we shall read these Chartes being placed as it were certaine glasses before our eyes will the longer be kept in memory and make the deeper impression in vs by which meanes it commeth to passe that now we do seeme to perceiue some fruit of that which we haue read I omit here that the reading of Histories doeth both seeme to be much more pleasant and in deed so it is when the Mappe being layed before our eyes we may behold things done or places where they were done as if they were at this time present and in doing For how much we are holpen when as in the Holy Scripture we read of the iourney of the Israëlites which they made from Egypt through the Red sea and that same huge Wildernesse into the Land of promise when as looking vpon the Mappe of Palestina we doe almost aswell see it as if we were there I thinke any student in Diuinitie or that History hath oft made triall Which things being so how much those which are students and louers of Histories are combred hindred and stayd yea many times euen while they are in their race and continued course drawne backe it is an easie matter to conceiue when either the description of all countreys cannot be gotten or if they may be gotten they are dearer then that euery mans money will reach and attaine vnto especially those that are but poore or none of the wealthiest For there are many that are much delighted with Geography or Chorography and especially with Mappes or Tables contayning the plotts and descriptions of Countreys such as there are many now adayes extant and euery where to be sold But because that either they haue not that that should buy them or if they haue so much as they are worth yet they will not lay it out they neglect them neither do they any way satisfie themselues Others there are who when they haue that which will buy them would very willingly lay out the money were it not that by reason of the narrownesse of the roomes and places broad and large Mappes cannot so be opened or spread that euery thing in them may easily and well be seene and discern'd For that I may speake that which is the trueth those great and large Geographicall Maps or Chartes which are folded or rowl'd vp are not so commodious nor when any thing is peraduenture read in them so easie to be look'd vpon And he that will in order hang them all along vpon a wall had need haue not only a very large wide house but euen a Princes gallery or spacious Theater This I hauing oft made triall of I began to bethinke my selfe what meanes might be found to redresse these discommodities which I haue spoken of and either to make them somewhat lesse or if possibly it might bee to take them all cleane away And at length me thought it might be done by that meanes which we haue obserued and set downe in this our booke to which I earnestly wish that euery student would affoord a place in his Library amongst the rest of his bookes But that thou mayest the better vnderstand what it is that wee haue done in this our Theater and what it is that thou must exspect and looke for in the same I thinke it not amisse in few wordes briefly here to declare vnto thee First my purpose was to represent vnto thy view whatsoeuer heretofore thou had'st or new hast in any Geographical or Chorographicall Chartes here and there lately or long since set out that euer came to my handes or were possibly to bee gotten for loue or money Of all countreys whose descriptions are set out in Geographicall Tables we haue selected one for of some there are diuers which in our iudgement seemed to bee the best and most exact Which notwithstanding that it were by the first draught of the Authour somewhat large and broad we haue brought into that small forme as might agree with this our worke and that the whole Mappe might be contein'd in one leafe or which sometime thou shalt obserue we haue done as thou may'st see that in one leafe many might bee contein'd and expressed yet so as nothing no neuer so small a thing is either omitted or altered that was to bee found in the greater except it be this which oftentimes thou shalt finde that the names of places and other things which in the first Copies could hardly be read in these our Mappes we haue so expressed that they may perfectly be read of any man And sometime where occasion did serue or need require and the place would permit vnto the moderne and vsuall names of certaine places wee haue added the ancient names mentioned by old writers but now vulgarly vnknowne Which as we doubt not we haue done with the good-leaue and liking of the Authours themselues so I hope it will be a thing very well pleasing to all such as are readers and students of old Histories and Antiquities In those Mappes which haue their Authours names written vpon them we haue as I said altered nothing at all excepting two or three of the Marine tracts of the Low-countreys which the Sea hath much changed since the time that their descriptions were first set foorth As for examples sake in Flaunders ouer against Zeland not farre from the towne Wateruliet where by the goodnesse and great
called S. Iohns-toun is the onely towne in Scotland that is walled about Of the wood Caledon whereof Ptolemey and other ancient writers haue recorded There is scarcely any mention to be found onely about the towne of Sterling there remaineth some shew of the name Thus farre of the kingdome of Scotland now it will not be amisse to speake somewhat of the ilands that lie round about the same and do belong vnto that crowne The HEBRIDES commonly called the West-iles both for bignesse and number do excell the rest Hector Boëthus saith that they be in number 43. But heere he reckoneth vp the I le of Man as one of them which is not subiect to the kingdome of Scotland but is vnder the allegeance of the King of England neither do I thinke that it was euer accounted of the ancients among the Hebrides The first of the Hebrides is Aran otherwise called Boëth then Hellaw and Rothes Not farre from these is Alize where are great plenty of Barnacles which they call Soland-geese The greatest of all and the most famous is Ile a fertile soile for corne and rich for veines of mettall Then Cumber and Mule Neere vnto these is Ione memorable for the tombs of Kings long since buried there Next vnto this is Lewis last of all is Hirth situate in the 43. degree of latitude Thus Boethus calleth them But Iohn Maior the Scot nameth them thus Argila Aranea Awyna Butha or Rothsaya and Leuisora In these ilands are those geese which they call Clakes Gyraldus calleth them Bernacles which Boëthus affirmeth to breed of the sea and of rotten wood and not to grow vpon trees as the common sort beleeue and haue published in their writings For if you shall cast saith he a peece of wood into that sea in continuance of time first wormes do breed within the wood which by little and little become to haue heads feet wings at the last being fledge and growen to their full growth to the bignes of a goose they attempt to flie and do somtimes swim and sometimes vse their wings as other Sea-foule do Beyond the Hebrides are the ORCHADES or the Orkeney iles of which the best is Pomona famous for the Bishops-sea a goodly Church and two strong castles One of these Iohn Maior calleth Zeland which is 50. miles in length In these grow no manner of trees nor any wheat and yet otherwise of all other sorts of graine they are very fertile It breedeth no serpent or venimous beast In Scotland they buy the barrell'd butter the inhabitants hauing abundance of Barley whereof they make a most strong kind of drinke and are very great drinkers yet as Boëthus saith you shall neuer see a drunken-man or madde man one bestraught or a naturall foole amongst them The same authour affirmeth the like of the inhabitants of the iles of Scetland but this is no wonder amongst them that drinke nought but water All the wealth and commodities of these Scetland-men consist in Stockfish and hides of beastes In the Hebrides they vse the Irish tongue in the iles of Orkeney they speake the Gottish language M. Iordanus in his mappe of Denmarke saith that the Orchades are subiect to the kingdome of Denmarke yet we know them to belong to Scotland vnder the title of a Dukedome But se what we haue written of this in the discourse to the mappe of Denmarke Of Scotland and of the ilands adioining thou maist read more at large in Hector Boëthus Iohn Maior and Iohn Lisley Scottish-men which haue written the histories of this their country SCOTIAE TABVLA Miliaria Scotica Cum Priuilegio Of ENGLAND THe South part of the Iland of Britaine is as we haue said before diuided into two parts That part which is toward the East abutting vpon the German Ocean is of the Angles a people of the Saxons which seated themselues there in their language called ANGLIA or England that is the Angles land The West part which is seuered from that other by the riuers Seuern and Dee and doth vse the ancient Brittish tongue is of the same Angles or Englishmen called WALLIA or Wales yet the Brittan or Welshman calleth himselfe Cumro and his country Cumria the English Saissons and their country Lhoëgria neither do they know or at least they will not acknowledge what England or an Englishman doth meane So great difference there is betweene the languages of the seuerall nations of this Iland All this South part England I meane and Wales hath their proper king vnto whom many Dukes Marquesses Earles Barons and great Noblemen are subiect and obedient It is a countrie at all times of the yeare most kind and temperate The Aire is thicke and so it is much subiect to windes clowdes and raine and therefore in regard of thicknesse of the aire it is neither opprest with too much heat or too much cold For it is found true by experience that although it be more Northerly than Brabant Flanders and other forrein countries yet heere the winter is neuer so bitter nor the frost so eger as in those parts It hath euerie where many hilles without wood and water which notwithstanding do bring forth very small and short grasse an excellent feed for sheepe and therefore infinite flockes of sheepe do bespread them which either by reason of the kindnesse of the aire or goodnesse of the soile do yeeld most soft wooll farre finer than those of other countries And for that this country breedeth neither woolues nor any rauenous beast you shall see in diuers places flocks of sheepe vpon the hilles and dales greene pastures commons fallowes and corne fields into which after the crop is off euery man by a certaine ancient custome doth put in his cattell in common to wander heere and there without a shepheard This indeed is that Golden fleece in which especially the riches of the inhabitants doth consist for an huge masse of gold and siluer is by Merchants which thither flocke from all quarters for such like wares yearly brought into the Iland and there doth continually rest for that it is by proclamation forbidden that no man may carry any money out of the Realme It aboundeth also with all sorts of cattell except asses mules camels and elephants There is in no place of the world greater and larger dogges nor better The soile is very fatte and fertile and naturally bringeth foorth beside all sorts of corne and pulse all maner of things onely the firre-tree and as Caesar saith the beech tree although that now it hath in diuerse places plenty of beeches The ay-green Bay tree doth in these Northren countries no where thriue better Such abundance of Rosemary heere doth grow in all places and that so high that they oft times do fence their gardens therewith Wine they haue none for the grapes seldome heere do ripen and is amongst them planted rather for shade and pleasure then for his fruit and profit There is in no country in Christendome more
the territorie of Hundsruge together with this present Dukedome of Lorrain retaining as yet the ancient name Lotharingia imposed by Lotharius sonne to Ludouicus Pius vnto whose share it befell lying in the midst between Westrasia or as some vnskilfully call it Noastria which fell to Charles and Austrasia to Lewis Lotharius Brethren This therefore I thinke not amisse more largely to describe not in mine owne wordes but in the wordes of Symphorianus Campeggius sometimes a famous Physition of Lorrain LORRAIN saith he ioineth East vpon Alsatia commonly Elsas South vpon Burgundy West vpon Champaigne North it is bounded vpon the Forest Arduenna This region albeit compassed with loftie Alpes is notwithstanding so fat and fertile as it need no supply from the neighbour-prouinces it abounds with cattell great and small with meadowes corne wine fishpooles high woods healthfull bathes saltpits yron copper lead tinne siluer precious stones looking glasses Calcidons and is watered by sundrie riuers foure whereof are famous aboue the rest Mosa the first of these foure springing out of mount Vogesus of which mountaine a great and a good part of Lorraine is named Le bois and Le forest de Voige and running along by Neufchasteau a towne very commodious both for pleasant situation and wholesome ayer diuideth the duchie of Barre from Lorraine and casteth it selfe into one of the chanels of Rhene before it falleth into the sea Mosella the second beginneth Southeast not far from the towne of Rimeremont wherein is a monastery of Nunnes all gentlewomen endowed with large reuenues About six miles from hence are certaine hot-bathes whereunto resort great multitudes of people to cure themselues of sundrie diseases Then runnes it along with swift streames to the townes of Espinall Charmes Toul which in olde time was called Leuca and Mediomatrices now called Metz not farre from whence it falls into the Rhene at a city of Germany called of olde Confluentia and now Cobolentz Betweene these two riuers neere the towne of Vitell is a double fountaine seuered like a mans nosethrills from whence the small riuer Vena issueth which sometimes is sandy and sometimes miry and for the most part very vnseemely and forlorne the waters whereof are commonly dried vp in Iune except the pooles which the swelling and violent streames haue made so deepe Murtha the third riuer falling from certaine rockes of siluer-mines holdeth on his course through the valley of S. Didier wherein is S. Godeberts fountaine which is generally reported to be medicinable for many diseases The said riuer runnes along by the towne of S. Didier and then by the townes of Raon and Luneuill all which both for naturall situation and for rampiers and walles are places of singular defence Then followes the towne of S. Nicholas generally famous both for abundance of marchandise and multitudes of miracles Lower downe the riuer stands Nancey the principall towne of Lorraine a place for munition and fortification of great importance First it is compassed with two ditches of exceeding depth and a double wall also it hath foure most admirable bulwarks with plenty of warlike engins and artillery Murtha falles into Mosell And Sartha the fourth riuer running along the confines of Westereich a prouince subiect to Lorraine towards the East holdeth on his course by the townes of Sarburg Saralben Sarprucke with others and then falles into Mosell Now whereas Lorraine aboundeth all ouer with speciall commodities many of them we will omit and speake only of the most principall First therefore the mountaines of this prouince doe in all kind of mineralls excell euen the Pyreney mountaines wherein not to speake of the rest there are diuers siluer-mines so abounding with that kinde of mettall as it is incredible what commoditie it yeelds to the whole countrey There are also salt-mines out of which is digged most pure sauorie and snow-white salt which yeeldeth yerely to the Duke all charges deducted 100000. francks Heere is found likewise a kind of matter whereof they make looking glasses and drinking glasses the best by all mens confession in Europe nor is there in any place the like to be had Also Calcidons of so extraordinarie bignesse that I my selfe saw at the Bishops of Toul a great cuppe made of one whole piece Item the Lazul or Azure stone representing most excellent colours A minerall out of which the miners raise exceeding gaine In the valley of Voige are fountaines a matter memorable and not to be omitted so abounding with a kinde of pearles and precious stones as the greater part of Germanie doth vse them which all Lapidaries and Iewellers of other countries do not only approue but also preferre before the stones and pearles of the Indies There is a lake of foureteene miles in compasse stored with carps of huge bignesse for they are generally of three foot long and a foot broad which for pleasantnesse of taste are in mine opinion to be preferred before all other standing-water-carps in Europe The lake is fished with nets euery third yeere the fishing whereof as euery man knowes yeeldeth the Duke of Lorrain 16000. francks Moreouer Lorrain aboundeth with wheat wine cattell of all sorts woods excellent horses which surpasse the Turkish horses in courage the Spanish in swiftnesse and the English in stature In briefe for tall men and beautifull women and all things necessary for mans life it is inferiour to no other countrie Thus farre Symphorianus Francis Roseus very lately wrote a large volume of the pedegree and famous acts of the Dukes of Lorraine And I my selfe in mine Itinerarium or Iournall haue published some things of this Region not vnwoorthie the remembrance Lorraine LOTHARINGIAE NOVA DESCRIPTIO Scala milliariorum Lotharingicorum 1587. Cum Priuilegio decennali The County of BVRGVNDIE THere are two Burgundies the lower called Regia intitled with the name of a Dukedome whilome the countrey of the Aedui and the higher named Imperatoria adorned with the title of a Countie or Earledome commonly called LA FRANCHE COMTE that is to say The free Countie This of old the Sequani inhabited It is represented in this Table The confines hereof to the North are Lorraine and vpper Germany to the South Sauoy and Bresse to the West the lower Burgundie and to the East part of Switzerland It is at this present diuided into three partitions or gouernments The Vpper the Lower and that of Dole The cities of the vpper are GRAY one of the principall of the whole gouernment situate vpon the riuer Araris or Saone rich in sundry kindes of merchandise and brauely built On the one side it is endowed with most large and fruitfull fields VESOVL It hath strong walles beautifull houses and faire vineyards MOMBOSON IVSSEY and PALMA standing vpon the riuer Dubis or Doux PORT-SVR-SAONE vpon the riuer Araris or Saone with CROMARAY MONTGVSTIN and FAVLCOGNEY The cities of the lower Burgundie are SALINS a large citie so named in regard of certaine salt and high fountaines for here is excellent white
well be deemed inuincible and the most puissant of nations As touching their bodies they are verie healthfull and want nothing Nor is there any nation that I know gouerned by better lawes Thus much and more concerning this people and countrey who list may reade in the same authour Deutschlanndt GERMANIAE TYPVS Per Franciscum Hogenbergium conciunatus Anno partae salutis M.D.LXXVI vbiorum Coloniae Cum Gratia et Priuilegio Magnifico Nobili ac Praecellentj viro ac Domino D. Constantino a Lÿskirchen florentissimae Agrippinensis Reipub. Confuli Seniori Franciscus Hogenbergius nuncupat GERMANIE on this side RHENE commonly called THE NETHERLANDS or THE LOW COVNTRIES THis Table representeth not all the Lower Germanie but only that part which King Philip sonne to Charles the fifth challenged by right of inheritance And it conteineth these 17. Prouinces the Dukedomes of Brabant Limburgh Lutzenburg and Guelders the Earledomes of Flanders Artois Henault Holland Zeland Namur Zutfen the Marquesat of the sacred Empire the Signiories of Frisland Mechlin Vtreight Ouerissell and Groemingen Regions as ciuill and as well manured as any in the world wherein according to Guicciardin are to the number of 208. cities fortified with walles rampiers or ditches and villages with churches aboue 6300 besides a great number of hamlets castles and forts And this tract beginning from the East maretine part at the riuer Amisus commonly Eems the bound hereof towards the Ocean hath these bordering Princes the Earle of East Friez the Bishop of Munster the Duke of Cleue the Archbishops of Colen and Triers and the French King along the Southwesterne shore as farre as the riuer Aa the extreame Westerne bound of these Prouinces The aire though it may seeme ouer-moist is notwithstanding most healthfull and agreeable to the constitution and digestion of the inhabitants who are heere very long liued especially in Kempenland the Northermost part of Brabant It is euery where watered with riuers and sufficiently adorned with woods and groues either for pastime of hunting or beautifull prospect Mountaines it hath none saue only about Lutzenburg Namur and in Henault where it riseth in some places into hilles It aboundeth with corne and fruits of all sorts and medicinable herbs Here also groweth great plentie of that graine which commonly is called Buckwey but the people corruptly pronounce it Bockwey as if you would say The Beech-herbe for the seed or graine albeit lesse in forme is three-square altogether like the nut of the Beech. So as it may truely be called Beech-mast or if you will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whether this simple were knowen of ancient times let Herbalists enquire Howbeit in some sandie places which the inhabitants in regard of abundance of heath or linge call Heath-ground as in Kempenland the North part of Brabant it growes not in such plentie But this kinde of heath yeeldes such excellent feed for cattell as by the confession of neighbour-countries their flesh is as pleasant and delectable to a mans taste as any other This region I suppose that Plinie in his 17. booke and 4. chapter most truely describeth when he saith What better feed than the pastures of Germanie And yet vnder a thin flag you haue immediatly a mould of barren sand It breedeth no creatures hurtfull to mankinde All the foresaid regions the greatest part of strangers most ignorantly mistaking part for the whole call by the name of Flanders and the inhabitants Flemings whereas Flanders is but a part only and but one Prouince of the seuenteene as in the Table you may plainly see These therefore are in as great an error as if a man to signifie Spaine should name Castilia Andaluzia or any other particular Prouince or speaking of Italie should mention Tuscan or Calabria c. or discoursing of the whole kingdome of France should nominate only Normandy or Bretaigne c. and so should imagine himselfe to haue spoken of all Spaine all Italie or all France These regions Iohn Goropius Becanus in his Becceselanis hath most learnedly described as likewise Peter Diuaeus of Louaine and Hubert Thomas of Liege Iohannes Caluetus Stella a Spaniard writ in his owne language a Iournall of King Philips progresse thorow all these Prouinces wherein you shall finde many particulars worth the reading that giue great light to the knowledge of these countries and cities But whoso desires to haue more full and absolute instructions of these places let him peruse Guicciardin and he will then thinke that he hath not read of these Prouinces but seene them with his eyes Lately also Dauid Chitraeus in his Saxon historie hath written both largely and learnedly of the same argument Whereas the inhabitants in most places speake both the Dutch and French languages and the countrey for traffique and other occasions is frequented by Spaniards and strangers of sundry nations hence it is that diuers cities townes and riuers are called by more names than one for euery man calles them according to his owne language by a name much differing from the proper name vsed by the inhabitants The ignorance of which multiplicitie of names hath made some authours otherwise not to be discommended to fall into intolerable errours and amongst the residue Dominicus Niger in his Geographie who puts downe Anuersa in stead of Tarauanna and Antorpia which notwithstanding in the copie printed by Henrick Peterson he corruptly calles Antropicia he placeth vpon the banke of Tabuda thirty leagues from Tarauanna whereas all men know that Antorpia and Anuersa signifie one and the same citie of Antwerpe Likewise Machelen and Malines Leodium and Liege Nouiomagum and Nieumeghen Traiectum on the Maese and Trait for which he falsly writes Trecia he supposeth to be two seuerall townes ech couple whereas in very deed they signifie but one The citie Raremutium also he most grosly affirmeth to be called Liege and in another place he will needs haue the same Raremutium to be named Rhamon but by his description I coniecture that he meanes by his Raremutium and Rhamon nothing els but the towne of Ruermond So Rhenen a citie of Guelders standing on the banke of the riuer Rhene in regard of the affinitie of name he takes to be all one with the Bishopricke of Rhemes in the Prouince of Champaigne in France But being vtterly vnacquainted with the state of our countries his errors may seeme the more pardonable Howbeit lest others studious in Geography should fall into the like absurdities I thought good to annex vnto this page the coÌ„mon synonymas or sundry names of certaine particular places Antwerpen in Low Dutch in Latine Antuerpia and Andouerpia in High Dutch Antorff whereof in Latine they call it also Antorpia the Italians terme it Anuersa the Spaniards and French men Enberes and Anuers Aken in Dutch in French Aix and in Latine Aquisgranum Hertoghenbosche in Frâ—â—ch Boissedue and in Latine Silua ducalu Loeuen in Latine called Lâ—uanium and in French Louuain Lisle in High Dutch Kijsel in Latine Insula Liege in
for that he was in managing all maner of businesses a most prudent faithfull and fortunate man by Lewis the Fourth the next successour in the Empire much set by and greatly esteemed In his time this whole prouince as it is heere set out in this our Chorographicall Chart was subiect to him and to other Princes and Earles of Hennenberg then liuing But HENRY his sonne dying without issue male the greatest part of this countrey by the marriage of his three daughters KATHARINE SOPHIA and ELIZABETH fell vnto the Marquesses of Misnia Burggraues of Noriberg and Princes of Wurtenburg which two last selling their portions the bishop of Wurtenburg did much enlarge his diocesse IOHN the second sonne of Berthold the first by his wife Adelheida of the house of Hessen had by Elizabeth of the family of Luchtenburg a sonne named HENRY the Fourth who by Mechtilda or Mawd daughter to the Marquesse of Bath WILLIAM the First who by his wife Anna of Brunswicke had WILLIAM the Second which by Katharine Countesse of Hanaw had issue WILLIAM the Fourth begotten of his wife Margaret daughter to the Duke of Brunswicke This William had by his wife Anastasia daughter of Albert Prince Electour of Brandenburg seuen sonnes and six daughters namely WILLIAM and CASPAR which died in their infancy IOHN Abbot of Fulden WOLFGANG and CHRISTOPHER which two died bachelours GEORGE ERNEST and BOPPO the Sixt This Boppo after the death of his first wife Elizabeth daughter to the Marquesse of Brandenburg maried Sophia daughter to the Prince of Luneburg he died vpon the fourth of March in the yeere of our Lord 1574. leauing no issue behind him He was a very godly prudent magnanimous and curtuous Prince That other George Ernest after the death of his wife Elizabeth daughter to the Duke of Brunswicke maried Elizabeth daughter to the Prince of Wurtenburg and at length vpon the seuen and twentieth day of December in the yeare of our Lord God 1583. yeelded to Nature and died in the seuentie and third yeare of his age being the last Prince of that stocke or family The description of this prouince of Hennenberg as heere it is set downe at this day is subiect vnto diuers Princes the greatest part of it belongeth to the Duke of Saxony the rest to the bishop of Wurtenburg and the Landtgraues of Hessen A more large and exact description of this Stocke and Family if any man be desirous to haue may be learned out of the Genealogy or Pedigree of M. Sebastian Glaser sometime Chancellour of this Principality of Hennenberg HASSIA or The LANDTGRAVY of HESSEN THe countrie of HESSEN which sometime was an EARLDOME and now graced with the title of a LANDTGRAVY ' was in old time possessed by the CATTI as almost all writers generally of our time do verily beleeue only Albertus Crantzius to my knowledge is of another mind for he laboureth to make the world beleeue that these Catti were those people which now are called Saxones This prouince hath vpon the East Turingen vpon the South Frankenland vpon the West Westphalen vpon the North the Duke of Brunswicke the bishop of Minden with other princes are neere neighbours It is a countrey very fertile of all maner of things necessary for the maintenance of mans life It beareth no vines but vpon that side only that lieth vpon the Rhein MARPVRG and CASSELL are the chiefe and principall cities of this country Whereof this latter is adorned with the Princes court and concourse of Nobles Gentlemen and other braue gallants following and attendant vpon the same the other is graced with a goodly Vniuersity well frequented with students from all places neere adioining round about In this Landtgrauy there are also diuers other Counties or Earledomes as CATZENELEBOG ZEIGENHEIM NIDA and WALDECK of all which now this Landtgraue writeth himselfe Lord. But listen what Eobanus Hessus that worthy poet in a certaine congratulatory poeme of his written and dedicated vnto Philip the Landgraue of this country vpon occasion of the victory atchieued by him at Wirtemburg wherin he doth by the way thus speake of the nature and situation of this prouince and withall something also of the maners of the people Qualis Hyperboreum prospectans Thraca Booten Gradiui domus ad Rodopen Hemumque niualem Circumfusa iacet gelidis assueta pruinis Gignit in arma viros duratos frigore quique Aut Hebrum Nessumque bibunt aut Strimonis vndas Talis ipsa situ talis regione locorum Et fluuijs siluisque frequens montibus altis Hassia naturae similes creat alma locorum Ceu natos in bella viros quibus omnis in armis Vita placet non vlla iuuat sine Marte nec vllam Esse putant vitam quae non assueuerit armis Quod si tranquillae vertantur ad otia pacis Otia nulla terunt sine magno vana labore Aut duro patrios exercent vomere colles Aequatosque solo campos rimantur aratris Namque planicies segetum foecunda patentes Explicat innumeras plenamesse colonos Ditat ipsa sibi satis est aut ardua syluae Lustra petunt canibusque feras sectantur odoris Venatu genus assuetum genus acre virorum Aut leges iura ferunt aut oppida condunt Fortia non solum bello munimina verùm Quae deceant in pace etiam oblectentque quietos Quid sacros memorem fontes quid amoena vireta Quid valles ipsis certantes frugiferacis Vallibus Aemoniae dulces quid vbique recessus Musarum loca confessu loca digna Dearum O patriae gelidi fontes ô flumina nota O valles ô antra meis notissima Musis c. Thus much in English prose briefly Hessen in situation nature of the soile and temperature of the aire is a country of all the world most like vnto Thrace Which by reason that it is much ouerhanged with many tall and stately woods beset and enclosed betweene the snow-top'd mountaines Hemus Rhodope Pangaeus and Cercina watered and serued with the chill and frozen-streamed riuers Hebrus Nessus and Strimon doth breed an hard kind of people fit for all maner of seruice and toilesome trauell So heere as if they were descended from mighty Mars their chiefe delight is in the wars no other kind of life doth please them halfe so well nay they hold it otherwise no life at all or at least that that man is not worthy to liue that doth not especially delight himselfe in martiall feats and deeds of armes Yet if all be still and warlike Mars do sleep they cannot abide to liue idlely and to spend their time at home For then they either do giue themselues to husbandrie and to follow the plow For heere the large and open champion ground do with great aduantage repay the husbandmans hire and paines or else in hawking and hunting they do through thiâ—ke and thin darkest woods and most bushy forests ouer hedge and ditch highest hils and lowly vales follow
are Aquileya adorned with the title of a Patriarchy This citie Mela nameth The rich In times past it was the seat of the Emperours and therefore it was called Another Rome and was in compasse twelue miles In it there haue beene accounted long since an hundred and twentie thousand citizens The great prosperitie and flourishing estate of this citie especially grew by the great thronging hither of Merchants for that from all quarters almost of the world by reason of the great commodiousnesse of the place easie and safe entrance vnto it aswell by land as by sea merchandise were conueyed to this citie as to a common ware-house That great trade of merchandise ended together with the fortune of the citie the Venetians growing mightie and drawing vnto themselues all meanes of trade and traffique so that now of a most flourishing and populous city it is almost wast and desert Vtina which also is called Vtinum the Italians vulgarly call it Vdene the Dutch Weyden situate in a plaine hath a strong castle built vpon the toppe of an hill raised by the labour and industrie of man conteining at this day fortie furlongs in compasse Tergeste Trieste vpon the sea shore a colonie of the Romans Goritia sometime if I be not deceiued called Noreia Here are many monuments of great antiquitie to this day remaining The citie Austria many thinke it in olde time to haue beene called Forum Iulij situate in the straights of the mountaines is a place strong and fortified by nature Thorow the middest of it doth runne the riuer Natiso vpon the which is a faire stone bridge S. Daniels towne seated vpon a very high and steepe hill Porto Gruaro vpon the South banke of Limine Then Spilimbergo Marano Montfalcone and others of which thou mayest reade in Leander out of whom we haue drawen this briefe description Iohannes Candidus hath written an historie of Aquileia whose copartener in his labour and trauell Leander writeth to haue beene Gregorius Amasaeus Of the monuments and antiquities of Aquileia Sabellicus hath written six bookes which are euery where to be gotten FORI IVLII ACCVRATA DESCRIPTIO Cum Priuilegio Ex Bibliotheca Nobilis et doctissimi Ioannis Sambuci Imperatoriae Mats. Historici 1573. IVLIAE ALPES IAPIDES ET CARNI The liberties of the citie of VERONA THe citie of the Cenomanes situate in Gallia Cisalpina or as now they call it Lombardie is within the iurisdiction of the Venetians a citie most stately built vpon ech banke of the riuer Adese but conioyned by foure faire bridges The same riuer as it doth diuide it into two parts so it doth almost on euery side enclose it round so that it is not only a commodity vnto the citie but also a defence and ornament vnto the same The soile of this tract is excellent good yeelding many things necessary and profitable vnto it Great store of oile and corne yeelding yeerely great gaines vnto the country people by selling and transporting it to forren nations Woll for finenesse excelling the other sorts of Italie The citie is most excellently and pleasantly seated beautified with faire and goodly buildings aswell priuate as publike It hath many famous monuments of antiquitie worth the regarding amongst the which is the Amphitheater which the common sort call Arena The sand of all those which remaine in Italie or in other places of Europe the whollest and least defaced either by iniurie of times or rage of barbarous nations Moreouer a triumphall arche in whose inscription this citie is termed COLONIA AVGVSTA VERONA NOVA GALLIENIANA There are also other monuments which here for breuitie sake we must omit The liberties or ground belonging to this citie is in length from the little towne Baruchello vnto Riua which is on the farther side of Lago de Garda sixtie fiue miles in bredth which beginneth at La torre delle confine vnto Riuoltella fortie miles and conteineth in all 1443378. fields so the common people of Italie call the measure whereby they measure their lands Seardeonius interpreteth it Akers whereof 1223112. are fertile 220266 are barren which notwithstanding dayly by the industry and diligence of the husbandmen are made more fruitfull There is in this tract a very high mountaine the Mappe placeth it betweene Lago de Gardo and the riuer Adese which they call Baldo This hill is very well knowen to Herborists and Apothecaries which flocke hither from all quarters and do gather many kindes of herbs and roots necessary in Physicke and good and holesome for the vse of man There is also here in a certaine vale called Policella a place named Negarina where there is a very hard stone to be seene hauing vpon it teats carued to the iust fashion and proportion of a womans breasts out of the which pappes water doth continually distill and droppe wherewith if a nurse or a woman giuing sucke doe wash her breasts dried vp by sicknesse or any other mischance it presently draweth downe the milke againe There are also other waters of this countrey giuen by the benefit of nature both pleasant and profitable But the studious Reader desirous to know more of this territory let him reade Blondus and Leander he shall be I dare boldly affirme satisfied at the full Torellus Sarayna hath written a whole booke of the antiquities originall gouernment and policy and famous men of the citie of Verona Georgius Iodocus Bergamus hath described Lago de Garda or Benacke lake in verse in fiue books Iulius Caesar Scaliger hath sounded forth the praise of the citie Verona and the lake Benacke in his funerall oration VERONAE VRBIS TERRITORIVM Ã Bernardo Brognolo descriptum 1579. Cum Priuilegio decannali The Duchie of MILLANE LEander in the description of Italie after a long discourse of the gouernment of this Duchie maketh this relation of Millane his chiefe citie The citie Millane saith he is so conueniently seated that besides the great store of fruite which the ground of his territories do yeeld out of Gallia Cisalpina or Lombardie all things aswell for pleasure and delight as for profit and necessarie vse in mans life may be easily transported thither It is so great that it may well compare with the greatest cities of all Europe It hath very longe and large suburbes by which it is greatly augmented some of them so huge that they may contend for bignesse with other great cities of Italie Notwithstanding of late yeares they suffered great wrecke by reason of the mortall warres and continuall troubles betweene Charles the fift and the French and Venetians By which they were by fire and sword almost vtterly ouerthrowne and destroied although now by great diligence and industrie of the citizens they are reedified againe Wide and deepe diches full of water do compasse both the citie and suburbes by which on euery side by boate and barge such great store of prouision is brought vnto it that there is not any thing heere which is not to be bought at a reasonable rate It is very
CREMA CRema a towne in the confines of Millane is a Castle place of garrison of the Venetians This as Leander affirmeth vnder the gouernment of the same Venetians hath so incresed in multitude of citizens and goodly buildings that it may well be accounted amongst the most famous places of all Italie Wherefore they vse to say in a common prouerb in their vulgar tongue Barleta in Puglia Pratum in Toscana Crema in Lombardia signifying the excellency statelinesse and richesse of these three places The Venetians haue often assaied to adorne the towne with the title of a city but the citizens fearing that whereas now it is accounted amongst the best townes it shall then be reckoned amongst the meanest cities haue hitherto withstood that their purpose It is seated in a pleasāt plaine in compasse large wide fortified with a strong wall famous for wealth very populous and abounding with all things necessary for the soile of the territorie and liberties of this towne is very fertile and yet by the great diligence and industrie of the husbandmen it is dailie bettered and amended Many brookes well stored with diuers sorts of fish do euery where water this prouince Blondus writeth that after that Fredericke Barbarossa had spoiled Cremona hee built Crema in scorne to hinder and disgrace it There are others as Leander witnesseth which do thinke it to haue beene built by the citizens of the city Parasium which was ouerthrowne rased to the ground by the Bishop of Millane for heresie which it maintained and therefore they called it Crema in memoriam Crematae patriae in memoriall of their natiue city burned and spoiled But this I leaue to the iudgement of the discreet Reader AGRI CREMONENSIS TYPVS Antonius Campus pictor Cremonensis descripsit 1579. Cum Priuilegio CREMAE DITIONIS DESCRIPTIO Lectori Ne tabula hoc loco omnino vacua extaret hoc Cremae territorium à quodam patriae studioso descriptum hic studiosis exhibere placuit The liberties of BRESCIA THe liberties of Brescia now possesseth part of that coast where in time passed the Cenomanes dwelt and extendeth it selfe in length 800. furlongs or 100. miles in bredth 400. furlongs or 50. miles as Elias Capriolus affirmeth it is situate betweene the lakes Garda and Iseo the Alpes and the riuer Oglio These fields as Iohn Planer writeth are worthily accounted amongst the most delightsome champions of Lombardie For it hath as Baptist Nazario saith Gold Siluer Brasse Lead Iron Alume Marble both Porphyrie and Serpentine as they call it barly coloured with blacke and greene Plinie calleth it Ophites and other stones of great price as also the Marchasite which aunciently hath beene called Pyrites or The fire stone The citie Brixia whereof this territorie tooke his name as yet reteineth the same his auncient name for the inhabitants do call it Brescia the which for his riches and beautie they terme in that common prouerbe of theirs The Bride of the city of Venice There is not any of the old writers either Historians or Geographers which do not make mention of this city Trogus Pompeius writeth that it was built by the Galli Senones Liuy saith that it is the chiefe city of the Cenomanes Pliny in his Epistles of this writeth thus vnto Iunius Mauricus Brixia is that city which constantly retaineth as yet much of that graue modesty and old frugalitie of our auncient Italians It hath beene graced with the title of a Duchie for so I find written in Diaconus his 5. booke of Lombardie in the 36. Chapter But because that none of the late writers that I may say nought of the more ancient haue described this citie more learnedly and eloquently than Pighius in his Hercules Prodicius thou shalt heare him speake in his owne termes Brescia which is seated at the foot of the mountaines may contend with most of the cities of Italie for antiquitie and statelinesse of buildings Iulius Caesar Scaliger a famous Poet of our age hath thus described it in this Epigramme Thou Brixia great which proudly ouerlook'st the boornes and lowlie plaine by due desert now iustlie mayst the soueraigne Empire claime Thy healthfull seat thy pleasant fertile soile thy people wise and nation stout If ciuill discord had not crosst long since had brought about That where long time thou hast beene thrall and stoop'st to others lore Thou mightest haue lorded ouer those to whom thou serud'st before For this Citie by reason of ciuill discord and dissention being subdued vnder the yoke of the French and their next neighbours the Insubres or the Millaners hath endured much miserie yet now at length vnder the peaceable gouernment of the Venetians it is growen very wealthy a great market well furnished with all things necessary very populous and inhabited of a wise and discreet nation The shire is very fertile of oile wine corne and most excellent fruites of all sorts It hath also some rich veines of Mettalls but especially of Iron and Copper whereof ariseth to this citie great gaine and commodity Liuie and other good authors report That Brescia was built by the Galli Cenomanes about the time of the Romane kings which afterward the Romanes hauing subdued all that part of the countrey of the Gaules which lieth beyond the riuer Po reduced vnder their iurisdiction It is apparant out of Liuie how firme it sometimes stood with the Romans especially in those most dangerous warres between them and Hanniball Some would haue it to haue beene made a Colonie present after the end of the League-warre when as Cneius Pompeius Strabo the father of Pompey the great planted colonies in Verona and other cities beyond the riuer Po. Not long after by the fauour of C. Caesar it together with other cities there about obtained the freedome of the city of Rome and after that it is woonderfull how it flourished vnder the Roman Emperours so long as the greatnesse of that Empire stood vnshaken This diuers monuments of Antiquitie which as yet remaine in this city and in the liberties of the same as namely many goodly inscriptions of marble statues pillars and Epitaphes of famous men do constantly auerre by which the former greatnesse of this city may easily be gathered Thus farre Pighius Baptista Nazario wrote a seuerall Treatise of this city in the which he setteth downe all the inscriptions of the auncient monuments of this country Helias Capriolus hath comprized the whole historie of this citie in 12. bookes Gaudentius Merula in his tract of the originall and antiquitie of the Cisalpines speaketh somewhat of it as also Chrysostomus Zanchus writing of the originall of the Orobij and Cenomanes likewise Leander Albertus and lately Andrete Paccius in his sixth booke of the Wines of Italie There is in this prouince a towne called Quintianum 20. miles south-eastward from Brescia neere to the riuer Ollio of the which Iohn Planer a citizen of the same wrote a small Treatise who in an Epistle of his to Paullus
but especially the Neck-land or Peninsula knowen vnto the old writers by these names Scandia Scandinauia Baltia and Basilia but to them neuer throughly discried which in regard of his greatnesse they haue called Another World and the Shoppe of men and as it were the scabberd from whence so many Nations haue been drawen But of the diuers names of this country read that which we haue written at the mappe of Island as also in our Treasury of Geography in the word BASILIA This Neckeland in this our age conteineth three kingdomes Norwey Swedland and Gotland with a part of the kingdome of Denmarke and many other prouinces as Bothny Finmarke Finland Lappland c. whose seuerall descriptions we will heere set downe out of Iames Ziegler NORVEGIA Norway if you would interpret it is as much to say as the Northren tract or Northren way This was sometime a most flourishing kingdome and comprehended Denmarke and Friesland with the circumiacent Ilands vntill such time as the kingdome was gouerned by an hereditary succession of kings Afterward the line failing in the time of vacancie by the consent of the Nobility it was decreed that the kings should be chosen by election At this day it is vnder the iurisdiction of the kings of Denmarke who do not only take the lawfull reuenews iustly due to the crowne but imposing intolerable exactions and by scraping and raking all commodities into their hands they conuey all the wealth of this country into Denmarke Neither is this aggreeuance alone but with all the disaduantage and condition of the place doth much hurt the subiects for all the hauens roads shipping are at the command of the king of Denmarke so that neither they may without his leaue vse the sea or transport their merchandise into forren countries This kingdome either for the temperature of the aire goodnesse of the soile or benefit of the sea is not of meane estimation and account This doth transport into other parts of Europe a fish which is a kind of codde slitte and spread vpon a post and so dried and hardened with the frost and cold and thereupon the Germanes call it Stockfish The best time of the yeare to catch them is in Ianuary when as the weather is coldest to drie them those which are taken when the weather is more mild they shrinke or rotte away and are not fit to be transported any whither All the sea coast of Norway is very calme and temperate the sea freeseth not the snow continueth not long SVECIA Sweden or Swedland is a kingdome rich of siluer copper lead iron corne and cattell Wonderfull plenty of fish is heere taken both in riuers lakes and creekes aswell as in the maine ocean Heere are many Deere and wild beasts Stockholme is the kings seat and chiefe mart towne a city fortified both by nature by art and industrie of the ingenious Architect It standeth in a fenne like Venice and thereof it took the name for that being situate in the waters it is built vpon piles which they call Stockes GOTHIA Gotland that is the Good land is subiect to the king of Sweden In it is the port and mart towne Calmar a great city Heere is a goodly Castle which for ingenious Architecture or Fortification as also for large compasse and content is not much inferiour to that of Millane in Italie Neere Tinguallen are mines of excellent iron Thus farre Ziegler Of DENMARKE and the BRITISH ILES we will speake nothing in this place seeing that we entreated of them at their proper and seuerall mappes In this chart there is described also ISLAND an Iland as famous as any other for strange miracles and secret works of nature Item GROENLAND another Iland knowen to very few Heere also is FRIESLAND a third iland altogether vnknowen to ancient writers neither is it once named of the latter Geographers or Hydrographers only Nicolao Zeno a Venetian who in the yeare of Christ 1380. tossed with many continuall bitter stormes in this sea at last rent and weather-beaten arriued in this I le This authour affirmeth that this iland is subiect to the king of Norway and to be greater then Ireland and that the chiefe towne is of the same name with the I le it selfe lastly that the country people do for the most part liue by fishing For in the hauen of this towne they catch such abundance of all sorts of fish that from thence they lade whole shippes and transport them into other ilands neere adioining The sea next to this iland vpon the West full of shelues and rocks as he writeth is of the inhabitants called Mare Icarium Icarus sea and an iland in it he saith is named ICARIA Of GROENLAND he writeth that the winter heere is 9. moneths long and all that time it neuer raineth nor the snow which falleth in the beginning of winter euer dissolueth vntill the latter end of the same But that is most wonderfull which he telleth of the Monastery of the order of Frier Predicants dedicated to the honour of S. Thomas in this Iland namely that there is not farre from it a mountaine which like vnto Aetna in Sicilia doth at certaine seasons burne and cast out huge flakes of fire and that there is in the same place a fountaine of hot or skalding waters wherewith not only all the chambers of this monastery are warmed in the maner of Stones and hot-houses but also all kind of meat and bread is sodden and dressed and with no other fire All the monastery is built of a kind of hollow light stone which the flames of that burning mountaine do cast forth For these burning stones being by nature somewhat fat and oily are solid and firme but being quenched with this water they become drie full of holes and light and the water wherewith they were quenched is turned into a clammy kind of stuffe like bitumen wherewith these stones are laied in steed of mortar when they are to vse them in building and thus they make a sure worke against the iniury of all weathers Their orchyeards also and gardens watered with this water are alwaies green and do flourish almost all the yeare long with all maner of flowres kinds of corne and fruits This Priory standeth vpon the sea shore and hath a reasonable capacious and large hauen into which the forenamed fountaine emptying his waters doth make it so warme that it neuer freeseth in the hardest and egerest froast that euer was knowen Whereupon heere is such abundance of fish which do flocke hither from more colde places that not only these Monkes but also the neighbours round about are furnished from hence with prouision of victuall These thinges amongst many others Zenus hath written of these Ilands who being made by Zichimnus king of certaine Ilands heere about high Admirall of his nauy discouered all these Northren coasts The ile FRIESLAND now againe in these our daies was descried by the Englishmen and was by them called by a new name WEST
also two sorts of Priests the one sort go in white with their heads shauen and liue by begging as our Friars do the other goeth in blacke wearing their haire long and dwell by themselues as our Priests vse to do heere in Europe Neither of them may marrie yet they liue very wantonly and licentiously Thus farre out of Scalantus It will not be amisse to these to adde some things out of others Iohn Barry in his Asian Decades giueth out that this king hath vnder him fifteen very great and large countries which they call Gouernments And moreouer he addeth that this King alone doth farre surpasse all the rest of the Princes of Asia round about him and that his yearely renenews do exceed all the riches and wealth of all Europe For handy-craft trades and occupations they do excell all men liuing their works are so finely and cunningly made that one would iudge them to haue been framed by nature and not by art and industrie of man At the city Nimpo which others call Liampo he saith it hath been obserued that some of the Portugals in the space of three moneths haue bought and shipped away 166000. pounds of silke Odoardus Barbosa writeth that the people are very kind and humane and go apparelled much like the Dutchmen whom also they do much resemble in pronunciation and maner of speech Those cleare and transparent vessels or dishes as white as the drift snow which amongst vs are of such great estimation are heere made in this maner They mingle certaine cochle-shels eg-shels other things together which they knead make into a paste This paste they hide in the earth where they let it li for the space of fourescore or an hundred yeares before they stirre it or looke to it again leauing it as a great inheritance or pretious iewell vnto their heires That paste they vse which their grandfathers or great grandfathers haue laied vp for them And they do obserue duely by an ancient custome that he which taketh away the old paste do put new presently in his place Antony Pigafetta calleth this King the most mighty Prince of the whole world He saith that his palace or house where he keepeth his Court is enclosed with 7. wals and that he hath alwaies 10000. souldiers for his gard continually there attendant vpon him and that 70. crowned Kings do homage vnto him and are subiect to his gouernment and command The same authour affirmeth that Muske is from hence transported into diuers parts of the world Andrew Corsalis he likewise saith that the greatest store of Rheubarbe and Pearle that is brought hither to vs in Europe doth come from hence In the Iesuites Epistles lately set forth in print many things well worth the obseruation are heere and there set downe of this country That of Ptolemey these people were called SINAE the situation doth plainly proue neither doth the name yet retained much differ from that For the Spaniards and Portugals do write it Ch na yet they pronounce it Sina Of the situation and nature of this country the behauiours and maners of the people you may read in a worke of Iohn Gonsalis set forth of this argument Of the same also read the letters of the Iesuites afore mentioned and Ferdâ—nando Lopez but especially the sixth booke of Maffeius de rebus Indicis Lastly the nienth chapter of the ninth booke of the first part of the choice Library of Posseuinus The Ile IAPAN OR IAPONIA IOhn Peter Maffey in the twelfth booke of his history of India doth thus write of this iland They are especially three greater ilands with many other smaller round about them disioined one from another by very narrow straits or armes of the sea that are called by the name of IAPAN or Iaponia The first and the greatest is diuided into three and fifty signiories or kingdomes the head and chiefe city of this is Meaco whereof this whole iland taketh his name The second is named Ximen and conteineth nine kingdomes the more famous cities of the kingdome of Bungo are Vosuqui and Funay The third iland is called Xicocum it conteineth not aboue foure kingdomes or signiories it is beautified with the goodly city Tonsa Tosa he calleth it of the same name with the kingdome Thus the regiments or kingdomes of Iapan are in all generally sixty and six beside diuers other iurisdictions which cannot iustly be called kingdomes The length of the whole maine land is as they say almost two hundred leagues the breadth is nothing so much for in some places it is not aboue tenne leagues broad at the most it is not aboue thirty leagues ouer Of the compasse there is nothing certainly written that I know of It runneth out from the South toward the North from the thirty degree of latitude almost to the thirty and eight Vpon the East it is opposite to New-Spaâ—ne remote from it not aboue 150. leagues Vpon the North it hath the Scythians or Tartarians and other such people exceeding rude and barbarous On the West lieth China Sinarum regno in some place neerer in some place further off according to the diuers windings and bendings of the shore for from the city Liampo which is the vttermost bound of China toward the West vnto Gotum Ogoto I thinke which is the first Iland of all Iapan that offereth it selfe to the view of those which saile from thence hitherward is not aboue threescore leagues but from Amacan a mart town in the West where the Portugals for the most part do altogether vse to trade vnto the same Gotum the cutte is 297. leagues ouer On the South neere hand it hath naught but the vast and wide Ocean further off certaine lands and countries not yet descried or knowne out of which the report goeth that certaine sailours came once by chance vnto Iapan and neuer put off from thence any more to returne backe to their natiue soile The country for the most part is full of snow all the yeare long bleake and cold and therefore not very fertile In September they cut downe their rise in some places they reap their wheat in May for this generally is the vsuall food throughout the whole country yet they make no bread of it as we vse heere in Europe but a kind of pudding or pappe which they eat in stead of bread The temperature of the aire is very kind and wholesome their fresh waters are passing good they haue also some bathes or springs of hot waters of soueraigne vertues in Physicke as some do constantly report High and steep mountaines they haue many heere and there but two are especially famous the one of which whose name I know not doth continually burne and cast out flames of fire as Aetna in Sicilia was wont to do and as Hecla in Island now vsually doth at certaine times In the toppe of this mountaine the Diuell enclosed in a white clowd sheweth himselfe to certaine men after that for deuotions sake they haue long
little beneath Memphis in the South is of all ancient Geographers Historians and Poets in respect of the forme and proportion of it called DELTA for it is as you see of forme triangular like vnto Δ the fourth capitall letter of the Greeke alphabet And this also of Ptolemey who was borne here and therefore knew the state of it best diuided into Great Delta Little Delta and Middle Delta or the Third Delta This Delta as Pliny testifieth of all the chiefe parts of the world was somtime accounted the Fourth and reckened vp amongst the ilands and was not esteemed as any portion of the continent Vnder Egypt also the three OSITAE beyond the Libyan mountaines are vulgarly comprehended yea and LIBYA it selfe to if a man may giue credit to Ammianus This countrey is watered with no other riuer than NILVS of all the riuers in the world the most famous and renowmed and therefore called knowen by the greatest variety of names for the ancients haue giuen this riuer many titles Some haue called it AEGYPTVS from whence the whole country tooke the name others OCEANVS the sea in respect of the greatnesse of it AETOS an eagle for the swiftnesse of the streame NIGIR MELAS or Melo SIRIS TRITON CHRYSORRHOAS Gilden-flood of the goodnesse and beauty of his waters and others DYRIS Orus Apollo writeth that the Egyptians in their language called it NOYVM that is as I thinke _____ sweet pleasant delightfull for so the impostor Mahomet vseth this word in the xxxij Azoara of his wicked Alcoran as also the Arabian paraphrast 2. Pet. 2.13 And R. Saadias Hagaon Gen 2.15 calleth Paradise Phardusi'nnaym which the forenamed beast at the 66. Azoara nameth Ginnati'nnaym The pleasant garden Iosephus calleth it GEON or Ginon for that as R. Salomon Yarhi the great Rabbine thinketh it runneth from his fountaine or rather rusheth on with great violence and hideous noise Arias Montanus affirmeth that in the Holy Scripture it is named PHISON because as the forenamed Iew sayth his waters do spread themselues swell and wax so high that they flow ouer the banks and water the whole land And SIHOR that is blacke or troubled for that the waters of the same issuing from a durty fenne with great violence oft breaking ouer into the medowes and marsh grounds by which it coasteth along for many hundred miles together are thicke and muddy The Georgians call it MAHARA that is swift or violent item BAHARI'NNIL the sea of Nilus The Africanes as Marmolius writeth commonly call it NIL that is in my iudgement _____ Nehil or Neil of the theame Nahal which in the Arabian dialect signifieth to be liquid thinne dissolued and apt to runne from whence in the Hebrew tongue is deriued Náhal a streame or swift water course And this opinion of mine Pomponius Mela the worthy Geographer doth seeme to patronage where he writeth that In horum finibus fons est quem Nili esse aliquibus credibile est Nuchul ab incolis dicitur videri potest non alio nomine appellari sed à barbaro ore corruptius c. In the confines of Ethiopia there is a spring which some do verily thinke to be the head of Nilus Nuchyl the inhabitants and countrey people do call it and it may seeme probable that they name it by no other name only the barbarous word is corrupted and otherwise pronounced of forreners c. The Abassines Ethiopians and other nations inhabiting neere vnto it do call it by diuers and sundry other names as thou mayest see more at large in our Geographicall treasury It vnladeth it selfe as most men thinke and all antiquity hath constantly affirmed into the Midland sea by seuen mouthes or very great floudgates Ptolemey in his time made mention of nine but of them two were false gates pseudostomata he termeth them then almost quite stopped vp Pliny speaketh of eleuen of which foure were false gates the other seuen were great and more renowmed Herodotus also mentioneth two false gates but in all he speaketh not of more than seuen with him Eustathius word for word agreeth And that which of these mouthes or falles are of this man held for a trueth in others are held for false and contrariwise The like difference there is about the names and proper appellations of these mouthes euen in the best approoued authours Pliny maketh Heracleoticum to be a diuers and distinct mouth from Canopicum in which notwithstanding it seemeth he is much deceiued yea and Diodorus Siculus doth flatly deny it affirming that Canopicum is otherwise named Herculeum or Heracleoticum All this difference about the names number and nature of these mouthes if I mistake not the matter arose in continuance of time from the change and alteration of places For euery man describeth them according to the situation of the sea coast as it then was in that time wherein he liued which by violence of tide and inundatious drifts of sand and shifting of the same backe againe in processe of time haue sometime one forme somtime another as is very likely and they do very well know which dwell neere to the sea who do neuer wonder to see riuers change their channels and leaue their ancient course to see their mouthes sometime to be quite dette vp with sand and to seeke new issues and channels where neuer none were before or to see them which in former times were not nauigable but full of flats and shelfs afterward to become deepe and able to entertaine ships of good burden Galen sayth that this riuer for goodnesse of water hath but few peeres Arethaeus the Cappadotian sayth that the water is thicke Plutarch in the eighth booke of his Conuiual calleth it turbidam troubled and muddy Statius in his fourth booke Amor. sayth that it is sweet and coole without any vnpleasantnesse in taste and therefore he addeth in the same place that the Egyptians do neuer feare any want or dearth of wine Diodorus Siculus sayth that for sweetnesse it doth surpasse all other riuers in the whole world beside which opinion of his Pescennius Niger an Emperor did long since auouch to be true when he thus answered his garrison souldiers demanding wine of him Haue ye Nilus and yet do ye demand wine A description of this riuer thou maist see in Claudian Of his inundation and ouerflowing euery yere beside others reade Strabo and the Panegyricke oration pronounced before Traian Emperour of Rome Item Achilles Statius and Heliodorus He that listeth and hath more vacant time to these may adde Plutarch in his treatise of mountaines Mountaines of Egypt beside those which Ptolemey mentioneth namely Montes Libyci Troicus Alabastrinus Porphyritis Smaragdus Aiaces Acabes Niger Basanites and Pentadactylus are diuers as Nitria Pherme Sinopius Climax Eos Lacmon Crophi and Mophi They haue many Fennes yet these two only Moeris and Maria are of name AEGYPTVS ANTIQVA Terra suis contenta bonis non indiga mercis Aut Iouis in solo tanta est fiducia Nilo
sted of that they make of barley steeped and sodden a kinde of very strong drinke which will assoone make the tosse-pot drunke as the strongest wine in France Lewis Guicciardine writeth that about halfe a Dutch mile off from this towne there is a Mine or quarry of stone that is very like to mettall of Pliny in the 10. Chapter of the foure and thirtieth booke of his Naturall historie it is called Lapis aerosus Cadmia and lapis calaminaris if I be not deceiued The brasse stone or Copper ore D. Fusch testifieth that it hath also diuerse veines of Lead and Iron A kinde of blacke stone cole like vnto that which we heere call Seacoale of a sulphurous nature a good fuell and much vsed of Farriers and Smithes is in diuers places of the country digged out of the ground in great abundance Moreouer heere are found diuers sorts of stone not much vnlike to Marble or Iasper party coloured very beautiful and good for building This countrey at the first was no more but a County or Earldome vntill that Fredericke surnamed Barbarosso in the yeere of our Lord 1172. graced it with the title and dignity of a Duchie The first Duke that enioied this honor was Henry the First lineally descended from Henry the Fourth that valiant and religious Emperour At length Henry the Second Duke of Limburgh dying without heire male Iohn the First Duke of Brabant about the yeere after Christs incarnation 1293 by right of inheritance claimed the same and by dint of sworde driuing out Reynold Earle of Gelderland the Vsurper obteined it since whose daies it hath beene quietly possessed by the house of Brabant Therefore for iustice in ciuill causes not only Limburg but also Faulconburg Dalem and other liberties and free townes beyond the Mose do come to the courts of Brabant which ordinarily are held at Brussels otherwise for ecclesiasticall iurisdiction they doe belong to the diocesses of that Bishop of Leige But beside this dukedome of Limburgh there are diuers other Iursdictions and Signiories described in this Charte of the which these following are the chiefe whereof it shal not be amisse to speake a word or two Faulconburgh Valckembourg it is called of the Dutch but of the French Fauquemont is a very prety towne which hath iurisdiction and command ouer a large circuite of ground conteining many fine villages It is three great Dutch miles from Aix and but two small miles from Mastricht It was conquered and taken by Iohn the third Duke of Brabant who ouercame Ramot the Lord of Faulconburgh a troublesome man that at that time laid seege to Mastricht and had much and oft vexed the country round about him DALEM is a prety fine towne with a Castle but of no great strength It is three long miles from Aix and two from Liege It was honoured with the title of an Earldome and had iurisdiction and command ouer many villages and a great circuit of ground vp as high as the riuer of Mose Henry the Second Duke of Brabant conquered it and adioined it to his dominions ROIDVCK or as Guicciardin calleth it Rhodele-duc is an ancient little towne with an old Castle about one long Dutch mile as the forenamed authour would haue it from Faulconburg yet this our Mappe maketh it about two AIX or AIX LACHAPELLE if we may beleeue Munster was that which the Latines called Aquisgranum so much spoken of and mentioned in the stories of Charles the Great and others of those times Others would haue it to be that which Ptolemey in the 9 chapter of the second booke of his Geography calleth Veterra and where he saith the thirtieth Legion called Vlpia legio did reside Limprand nameth it Palais de Grau Rheginon Palais de eaux that is the Water palace which in my iudgement seemeth most probable because I find that that city in Prouence in France which the Romans called Aquae Sextiae the Frenchmen do at this day call Aix This city is situate betweene Brabant Limburgh the Duchie of Gulicke and the Bishopricke of Liege Some thinke that it was destroied and laid leuell with the ground by Attila king of the Humes others thinke that it was first founded by Charles the Great But to leaue all these as doubtfull this is certeine that it standeth in a most pleasant plaine and as healthfull and sweet an aire as any may be elswhere found in these parts That faire Church of our Sauiour and the blessed Virgin his mother was built by this Emperour and by him was endowed with great lands priuiledges many holy and precious reliques brought thither from sundry places of the world Beatus Rhenanus writeth that Charles the Great made it the head and chiefe city of the kingdome of France and generally of all the whole Empire the ordinary Court and place of residence for the Emperour in these Westerne parts of the same Moreouer he ordained that heere the Emperour should by the Bishop of Collen Metropolitan of this prouince be crowned with a crown of Iron at Millan with a crowne of Siluer and at Rome with a crowne of Gold Ouer one of the doores of the Towne-house are written these six Latine verses Carolus insignem reddens hanc condidit vrbem Quam libertauit post Romam constituendo Quòd sit trans Alpes hic semper regia sedes Vt caput vrbs cuncta colat hanc Gallia tota Gaudet Aquisgranum prae cunctis munere clarum Quae prius imperij leges nunc laureat almi And ouer another doore these two Hîc sedes regni trans Alpes habeatur Caput omnium ciuitatum prouinciarum Galliae This famous Emperour hauing reigned ouer the Frenchmen 47. yeares and worne the imperiall diadem 14. ended his life in the yeere of our Lord 813. and was heere enterred in a tombe of Marble in our Ladies Church with this plaine epitaph Caroli Magni Christianissimi Romanorum Imperatoris Corpus hoc conditum est sepulchro That is the body of Charles the Great Emperour of the Romans lieth heere interred in this tombe Thus farre Guicciardine to whom I wish thee to repaire if thou desire a larger discourse of these particulars LIMBVRGENSIS DVCATVS TABVLA NOVA EXCVSA SVMPTIBVS IOAN BAPTISTAE VRINTS AEMVLI STVDII GEOGRAPHIAE D. AB ORTELLI P. M. COSMOGRAPHI REGII c. ILLVSTRISSIMO DOCTISSIMOQVE DOMINO D. GASTONI SPINOLAE COMITI BRVACENSI c. ORDINIS EQVESTRIS S. IACOBI PRIMO A STABVLIS ATQVE A CVBICVLIS SERENISSIMI DVCIS BRABANTIAE EIVSDEMQVE IN BELLICIS CONSILIIS ASSESSORI ORDINARIO DVCATVS LIMBVRGENSIS TOTIVSQVE REGIONIS VLTRAMOSANAE GVBERNATORI VIGILANTISSIMO OMNISQVE ERVDITIONIS ASYLO VNICO HANC TABVLAM GEOGRAPHICAM NOVISSIMIS DIMENSIONIBVS A SE AD EXACTISSIMAM REDACTAM PERFECTIONEM AEGIDIVS MARTINI ANTVERPIENSIS IN VTROQVE IVRE LICENTLATVS ET MATHEMATICVS FECIT ET DEDICAVIT ANNO M.DCIII AN EPISTLE OF HVMFREY LHOYD VVRITTEN TO ABRAHAM ORTEL COSMOGRAPHER TO PHILIP the Second King of SPAINE wherein at large and learnedly he discourseth of the
THEATRVM ORBIS TERRARVM GEOGRAPHI REGII THE THEATRE OF THE WHOLE WORLD SET FORTH BY THAT Excellent Geographer Abraham Ortelius LONDON Printed by IOHN NORTON Printer to the Kings most excellent Maiestie in Hebrew Greeke and Latine 1606. HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE The sway by Sea Land great IAMES doth beare His Birth His Bloud These Kingdomes figure here But were his seuerall vertues to be crown'd A World past thine Ortelius must be fownd TO THE MOST HIGH MOST MIGHTY AND MOST HAPPY PRINCE IAMES BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF GREAT BRITAINE FRANCE AND IRELAND DEFENDER OF THE FAITH c. IOHN NORTON HIS MAIESTIES MOST HVMBLE AND FAITHFVLL SERVANT CONSECRATETH THESE IMMORTALL LABOVRS OF ABRAHAM OR TELIVS TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH ABRAHAMI ORTELII QVEM VRBS VRBIVM ANTVERPIA EDIDIT REX REGVM PHILIPPVS GEOGRAPHVM HABVIT MONVMENTVM HIC VIDES BREVIS TERRA EVM CAPIT QVI IPSE ORBEM TERRARVM CEPIT STILO ET TABVLIS ILLVSTRAVIT SED MENTE CONTEMPSIT QVA CAELVM ET ALTA SVSPEXIT CONSTANS ADVERSVM SPES AVT METVS AMICITIAE CVITOR CANDORE FIDE OFFICIIS QVIETIS CVLTOR SINE LITE VXORE PROLE VITAM HABVIT QVALE ALIVS VOTVM VT NVNC QVOQVE AETERNA EI QVIES SIT VOTIS FAVE LECTOR OBIIT IIII. KAL IVLII ANNO MD. XCIIX VIXIT ANN. LXXI MENSS II. DIES IIXX COLII EX SORORE NEPOTES B.M. POSS CONTEMNO ET ORNOMENTE MANV Α Χ Ρ Ω THE LIFE OF ABRAHAM ORTELL COSMOGRAPHER TO PHILIP THE SECOND LATE KING OF SPAINE written first in Latine by Francis Sweert of Antwerpe his familiar and louing friend and now translated into English by W. B as great a louer of his learning and vertues THe stocke of the ORTELS flourished not long since and liued in good state and credit at Auspurg in Bayern Augustam vindelicorum the Latines called it From that family came WILLIAM ORTELL who about the yere of our Lord 1460 left his natiue country and seated himselfe in Antwerpe at that time one of the famousest Mart-townes of the world where he did many notable things worthily deseruing great commendation among which that is most memorable that of his owne proper cost and charges he caused a goodly crosse of free stone to be set vp without the Emperours gate in that place where the malefactours are vsually woont to be executed and put to death Beneath this crosse at the base or foot of the same stood Mary and Iohn and beside them a little farther off hung the two theeues the one vpon the right hand and the other vpon the left vpon their seuerall gibbets This William died vpon the seuenth day of Ianuary in the yeere of our Lord God 1511 and was buried in the cloisters of the Franciscane Friers in Antwerpe leauing his sonne LEONARD ORTELL sole Executor and heire not only of his goods and substance but also of his vertues and good qualities For they report that he was a man so deuout and religious that it was an hard matter to finde him from his booke serious meditation on heauenly matters This Leonard maried ANNA HERVVAYERS and by her had issue two daughters and one some named ABRAHAM whose life we heere purpose to describe borne vpon the second day of Aprill in the yeere of our Lord God 1527. Hee was euen in his child-hood of singular towardnesse great capacity and passing quicke conceit and that which is very strange in youth hee was neuer giuen to the reading of any trifles or idle vanities Wherefore his father purposing to make him a scholar began first himselfe to instruct him priuatly at home in his owne house in the Latine and Greeke tongues For the old man was very learned in both these languages But see how these good purposes were soon crossed by the vntimely death of his most louing and kinde father who departing this life in the yeere of Christ 1535 left this his sonne to be further informed and taught abroade by strange schoolemasters whose care and diligence to profit him whatsoeuer their learning were was nothing so great and painfull notwithstanding euen vnder these he made such profit in the Artes and liberall Sciences that he was not much inferiour to the best of his degree and time For as I said before no vaine pleasure or trifles pastimes which commonly are the ouerthrow of many yongue men could euer with-draw him from his setled purpose or alienate his minde from his booke Yet his greatest delight and commendation consisted in the knowledge of the Mathematicall sciences which for the most part he studied and practised without an instructor or teacher atteining only by his owne paines and industrie to the great admiration of others euen to the vnderstanding of the greatest and deepest mysteries of the same In the thirtieth yeare of his age hauing many great matters in his head and loathing to liue idly at home in his owne natiue country he began to entertaine a conceipt of trauelling into diuers and sundry forreine parts and countries of the world To Frankford vpon the Main by reason of the great Marts or Faires there held at two seuerall times euery yere he went very often In the yeere of our Lord 1575 he went with Iohn Viuian of Valence a Marchant but a great louer of learning and Hierome Scoliers of Antwerp to Leige Trier Tungren and Mentz of which iourney and peregrination of theirs there is at this day a booke of his exstant in print wherein he hath learnedly described the particulars obserued by them In the yeere of Christ 1577 with Immanuël Demetrius of Antwerpe hee trauelled beyond the Seas into England and Ireland Italy that nource of great wits that worker of strange woonders that mother of reuerend antiquities and ancient monuments hee visited thrise The third time that he went thither which was in the yeere 1578 he went in company of George Houfnayle of Antwerp who was so excellent a painter that he was greatly esteemed and beloued of the illustrious princes Albert and VVilliam Dukes of Bayern of Ferdinand Duke of Austrich yea and of Rudolphus himselfe at that time Emperour of the Germanes But this his consort to the great greefe of his friends and such as loued his singular qualities left his life at Prage in Bohemia vpon the thirteenth of Ianuary in the yeere of our Lord 1600. This man was woorthy of longer life if the Fates would respect men for their great parts and excellent vertues But so it is that Death like as the sythe in Haruest cutteth downe without distinction aswell the yongue as old There was nothing either in Germanie or in France that was woorth the seeing that this our authour had not seene and viewed with a censorious and iudicious eie At length hauing ouercome so many tedious and toilsome trauels he returned againe to Antwerpe his natiue soile There and then he began to apply himselfe to benefit succedent ages to write of those countries by him viewed and seene to set out in Charts
25. and Plutarch in his naturall questions concerning the face in the orbe of the Moone All these are in some sort confirmed by Platoes fables or histories in his Timaeus concerning the isle Atlantis whose sea he affirmes to be vnnauigable by reason of the slime or oaze remaining of the same isles inundation But concerning the ship called La Victoria learne thus much it is not sayd amisse Bare names oft times things named doe resemble Manifest it is by this ship which vnder this happy name the first voyage that euer she made was the only ship that caried away the victory of sailing quite ouer the maine Ocean for so many ages before For departing from Spaine by the Streight of Magellan to the Moluccos thence hauing doubled the Cape of Buona Esperança and returned whence she first put forth she was the first of all ships and inall ages that euer circumpassed the whole earth The same ship made out of Spaine a second voyage as farre as S. Domingo and home againe Thither also she made a third voyage but in her returne she was quite lost neither was it euer knowen what became of her Antiquity would haue thought she had beene taken vp into the skies and placed among the Constellations like another Argo Nor had this propheticall verse of the peerelesse Poet beene vnfitly alleged in her commendation Then comes another Tiphys another gold-fleeced Argo Let Plinie now cease to maruell that out of a small hemp-seed should grow that which was of force to cary vp and downe the globe of his earth We in our age haue seene with the very same thing this world of ours much greater than his nauigated round about Ours I say which that you may more perfectly vnderstand do but compare the first Table of our Theatre with the first of our Parergon or By-worke and you shall see the difference And here I suppose I shall not bestow my labour altogether in vaine by adding certaine particulars not commonly knowen concerning the first discouery hereof Which by all our late Writers is not vnworthily ascribed to Christopher Columbus For in the yere 1492 he was the first man that laid it open made it knowen and communicated the vse and benefit thereof to the Christian world Howbeit I finde that the North part of America which lieth neerest vnto Europe and to some of our European isles namely Groenland Island and Frisland and is called Estotiland was long since discouered by certaine Frislandish fishers driuen by tempest vpon that coast and afterward about the yere 1390 that it was reuisited anew by Antonie Zeno a gentleman of Venice and that by the authority of Zichmi then King of the said isle of Frisland a Prince in those times very valiant and ouer all that sea for his warres and victories most renowmed Concerning this his expedition there are extant in Italian certaine Collections or briefe extracts drawen by Francis Marcolino out of the letters of Nicolas and Antonie Zeno gentlemen of Venice who liued in these parts Out of which Collections I adde this that followes touching the description of this region Estotiland he saith abounds with all things necessary for mankind In the mids therof stands an exceeding high mountaine That you many better vnderstand this relation peruse our Table of America and Scandia from whence issue foure riuers that water the whole country The inhabitants are witty and most expert in all kind of handicrafts A language and letters they haue peculiar to themselues Howbeit in this Kings Library there are certeine Latine books no whit vnderstood by them which might perhaps before that time be there left by some of their European neighbors that had traffique with them They haue all kinds of mettall but specially gold wherewith they mightily abound They exercise trade of merchandize with the people of Greenland from whence they fetch hides pitch brimstone The inhabitants say that towards the South there are countries rich of gold and replenisht with inhabitants There are also many great woods out of which they haue matter for the building of their ships and cities whereof and of fortresses there are great numbers Of the loadstones vse in nauigation they are vtterly ignorant They also make mention of Drogeo a region toward the South inhabited by Canibals and such as are delighted to eat mans flesh for want whereof they liue with fishing which they very much vse Beyond this there are large countries and another New world but the inhabitants are barbarous and go naked howbeit against the cold of Winter they arme themselues with beasts skinnes These haue no kind of mettall they liue by hunting For weapons they vse long and sharp-pointed staues and bowes They make warres one vpon another Gouernours they haue and lawes wherto they yeeld obedience Southward of this place they liue in a more temperate climate hauing cities and idol-temples wherin they sacrifice liuing men whose flesh they afterward deuoure These haue the vse of gold and siluer Thus much concerning this tract of land out of the foresaid collections or extracts wherein this also is worthy the obseruation that euen then our European Pilots by meanes of the loadstone sailed those seas For I am of opinion that there is not to be found in any history a more ancient testimony touching the foresayd vse of this stone And these things I was the willinger to adioyne to this Table because I see none of them that haue written the histories of the world so much as once mention this matter But concerning the loadstone or sea-compasse you are to vnderstand that the first inuentour therof was Iohn Goia a citizen of Melfi whom Alexander Sardus in his booke De inuentoribus rerum calleth Flauius Campanus For so write the Italians and so much is confirmed by Antonie Panormitanus in this one verse of his First Melfi Sailors taught the loadstone how to vse and that in the yere of our Sauior 1300. This Melfi called Amalphis in Latine is a towne situate vpon the sea-shore of Lucania Goropius ascribes the finding out of this secret to our Danes or Dutchmen being persuaded hereunto because the names of the 32. winds written vpon the compasse are by all Pilots and Mariners be they French Spaniards or of what nation soeuer expressed in the Dutch tongue which I confesse to be true if you except the Italians only for they both write and speake of these winds in their owne mother-language Howbeit seeing all our nauigatours of Europe be they Spaniards French English or Dutch do expresse them in our language I am verily of opinion that as it was first found and vsed by the Amalfitans or Italians especially within their owne Mediterran sea so was the knowledge therof from them deriued vnto our Netherlanders and most of all to those of Bruges whose city at that time before all traffâ—que was reduced to Antwerpe was a famous mart-towne and frequented by Italians especially of Venice as the foresaid Zeni report
and according to the testimony of Peter Quirini Christopher Fiorouanti and Nicolas Michele who in this our Ocean suffered that horrible shipwracke which we reade of in the Italian volumes witnesse also Lewis Cadamosta who in his Epistles written about the yeere 1454 affirmes this city of Bruges to be a Mart inferiour to none else in all the North parts of the world Wherefore that the citizens of Bruges receiued the vs◠of the sea-compasse from the Italians and out of Italian translated the names of the winds into their owne language and that from them the other nations before mentioned borrowed this knowledge I see not well how it may be denied Of the nature and admirable vertue of the loadstone you may reade many notable things in Liuius Sanutus his description of Africa printed in Italian at Venice The isles or Salomon which in this table you see described about Noua Guinea were not long since discouered by Oliuer Mendanio after he had conducted his fleet out of the part of Lima in Perú had sailed ouer this huge Ocean as I find recorded in Iosephus Acosta his 1. book 17. chapter De natura nouiorbis MARIS PACIFICI quod vulgò Mar del Zur cum regionibus circumiacentibus insusisue in eodem passim sparsis novissima descriptio SPE ET METV GENIO ET INGENIO NOBILI DN NICOLAO ROCCOXIO PATRICIO ANTVERPIENSI EIVSDEMQVE VRBIS SENATORI Abrahamus Ortelius Regiae M t s geographus lub merito dedicabat 1589. NEVV SPAINE THis Prouince was about the yeere 1518 forcibly subdued to the Spanish gouernment vnder the command and conduct of Fernando Corlez who with the great slaughter of his owne people but farre greater of the inhabitants fighting for their liberty conquered the same It is a region rich of siluer and golde for it hath very many riuers yeelding sands or graines of perfect gold Vpon the coast of this countrey are many commodious fishings for pearle Salt lakes here are diuers the water whereof through the heat of the Sunne is conuerted into excellent salt Here is great abundance of Cassia fistula and a kind of fruit in the Mexican language called Cacao somewhat resembling an Almond which is with them very highly esteemed for hereof they make a kinde of drinke to their owne taste most delicate The seas and riuers belonging to this countrey abound mightily with fish Their riuers also breed Crocodiles whose flesh is food to the inhabitants In these places this creature is for the most part aboue twenty foot long It is a countrey very mountainous and beset here and there with most lofty and cragged rocks So great is the diuersity of languages in these regions that one cannot vnderstand another without an Interpreter The principall Colonies to be seene in this Table which in New Spaine haue been planted by the Spaniards are first Compostella the seat of a Bishop and of one of the Kings counsels Colima by another name called the city of the Purification Guadalajara a towne most famous and head of the Kingdome of New Gallicia Mechoacan a Bishops sea also Sacatula the city of Angels a mother-towne and a Bishoprick Mexico a Kingly city or rather Queene of all the cities in the New world situate vpon the banke of a lake or rather of a fenne yea the very ground-plot of this city is so fenny that you cannot come thither nor depart thence but ouer bridges and cawseys The lake adioyning is salt being six leagues long and fiue broad Fishes it hath none but very small ones which more aptly may be called wormes than fishes of whose putrefaction which is there caused by the heat of Summer the aire is sometimes so infected that it is most vnholesome dwelling there yet is it as much frequented with inhabitants and merchants as any mart-towne in Europe It is a large city for in compasse it containeth about three leagues The other lake adioining to this is fresh water and very plentifull of fish wherein also stand many townes There are likewise a great number vpon the banks of either lake In this city as Ierome Giraua reporteth there was by Pope Paul the third established the seat of an Archbishop in the yeere 1547. This citie was taken by the Spaniards 140 yeeres after the first foundation thereof Montezuma at the same time being King the ninth in number A wonder how in so few yeeres it should grow to such largenesse and magnificence The nature situation and customes of this citie and of the territory adiacent who desires more perfectly to know may reade the relations of Fernando Cortez Extant they are in the volume intituled Nouus orbis and in the volume of Nauigations printed at Venice in Italian but especially John Gonsaluo who in his little booke of China hath a most large description of this region You haue also many notable discourses hereof in the third Volume of M. Hakluyts English voyages HISPANIAE NOVAE SIVAE MAGNAE RECENS ET VERA DESCRIPTIO 1579. Lectori Partium longitudinis huius tabulae inituum non fumitur Ptolemaico more ab infulis Canarijs versus Oriente sed à Toletano Hispaniensis meridiano Occidentem versus Notularum circa Mexico explanatio a. Escalpucoleo b. Tucuba c. Istapalapa d. Ximaloaca e. Teutitlan f. Gucytitlan g. Mexicalcingo h. Culiacan i. Catlavaca k. Nicsquique l. Cinarantepec m. Xiquicpico n. Ocellotepec o. Vcicilapa p. Mimiapa q. Tecaÿuca r. Chalcontengo s. Tapalcapan t. Tisquiquiac u. Xilocingo x. Chiconantla y. Techcistlan z. Caltoca The Prouince of CVLIACAN THis Prouince of CVLIACAN is part of the kingdome of New Galicia It was discouered vnder the gouernment of Charles the fifth in the yeere 1530. In this region is one only colonie of Spaniards called The towne of S. Michael Villages here are very many built by the inhabitants all which before the Spaniards arriuall were at their owne libertie yeelding obedience to no King or Gouernour The region is indifferently furnished with things necessary Out of the mountaines is digged great abundance of siluer The inhabitants are addicted to war and robbery They that dwell vpon the coast employ most of their time in fishing but the vplandish people liue by hunting They goe naked couering only their priuities with a piece of Cotton They haue many languages They lodge for the most part in the open aire They are a most beggerly nation CVBA and HISPANIOLA THis Island of Cuba is so called by the naturall inhabitants but by the Spaniards Fernandina and Joanna and as Peter Martyr reports Alpha and Omega In length it extendeth East and West 300 Spanish leagues containing in bredth fifteene and in some places twenty of the said leagues The land is very mountainous but rich of gold and excellent copper Madder which the Apothecaries because it is very apt to die wooll and leather call Diers-madder is heere found in great abundance It is in all places beautified with thicke woods with riuers and pooles of fresh water albeit there are lakes naturally
thirtie THVLE Schetland Of these Brittish isles beside the ancient writers Tacitus and Caesar reade Henry Huntington Polydore Virgill Iohn Mayor Paulus Iouius Gregory Cenall in the 2. summa of his 3. booke de re Gallica Antony Sabellicus Enne 10. lib. 5. William Paradine Ieffrey of Monmouth Ponticus Verumius and Beda but especially M. William Camden Clarenceux his Britannia whom when thou hast discreetly read I doubt not but thou wilt thinke thou hadst particularly surueyed the whole ile ANGLIAE SCOTIAE ET HIBERNIAE SIVE BRITANNICAR INSVLARVM DESCRIPTIO Britannia oim insularum Occidentis Septentrionis maxima potentiss est cuius potiorem hodie partem Angliam vocamus ab Anglis videlicet Saxonum gente quae sub Valentiniano eam ingressa tenuit Haec veteribus Albion dicebatur ad differentiam quum reliquae oēs eò tractu Britannicae dicebantur Ab Occasu vicinam habet Hiberniam hodie Irlandiam appellatam regibus Angliae subditam Of SCOTLAND SCOTLAND the North part of Brittaine anciently called Albanie and is of the first inhabitants which they call the wilde Scots and dwell more in within the land retaining yet the old language at this day called Albaine was formerly called of the Romanes Britannia minor and secunda as Lhoyd doth gather out of Sextus Rufus This country is diuided into 2. parts by the rough craggy mount Grampius now Grantzbeen whereof Tacitus maketh mention For it begining at the German ocean neere the mouth of the riuer Dee coasting along by Aberden through the middest of the country toward the Irish-sea staieth at the lake Loumond This Mountaine was sometime the bound of the kingdome of the Pictes and Scottes Scotland is fuller of mountaines and more barren then England Yet euery where it hath many commodious ports and hauens For so is this country embraced of the armes of the sea that there is no house in it as Iohn Maior affirmeth which is aboue twentie leagues distant from the salt water In the vallies are Lakes meeres pooles riuers and fountaines well stored with sundrie sorts of fish In the mountaines are champion plaines yeelding great store of pasture for cattell and woods abounding with plenty of Deere By the meanes of which commodities it hath been so maintained that hitherto it might neuer be wholly conquered For in any eminent danger they presentlie flie to the woods and bogges for succour and refuge where they haue of venison and fish sufficient store for prouision of victuall Scotland hath many wonders whereof some we haue heere set downe out of Hector Boëthus In Galloway saith he is a lake called Myrtoun part of whose water in the winter freezeth as other waters do the other part was neuer knowne to haue beene frozen in the greatest frosts that euer were In the country of Carict there are very great and large Oxen whose flesh is verie tender and of a pleasant and delicat tast Besides that the fatte neuer waxeth hard but is alway thinne in the manner of liquid oile The Sea that washeth the coast of this prouince is very rich of oisters herrings congers cockels and other such like fishes In the prouince of Coyl about ten miles from the towne Aër is a Stone hardly twelue foot high of 33. cubites thicke called of the inhabitants The deafe stone For although you shall make neuer so great a noise nay if one shall shoote off a peece of ordinance on the one side it shall hardly be heard on the other side except one bee a good way off from it for then the sound may easily be perceiued In Lennox which Ptolemey calleth Lelgouia Lelannonia as I conceiue out of Ptolemey but I thinke our authour meant Selgouiae which is farre from this place there is a very great lake which they call Loumond aboue twenty foure miles long and eight miles broad It conteineth thirtie Ilands whereof diuers haue villages well inhabited with Churches and Chappels dedicated to the seruice of Almighty God In this three things are especially worth the obseruation For the fishes there most wholesome and good haue no sinnes The water oft times when the winds are most calme and still is so boisterous and rough that it affraieth the best experienced watermen from putting forth to crosse the same For the wind being alaied the boates are taken in their midde-course and are tossed with such danger that except some commodious hauen shall fortune to be neere hand many times they are ouerturned and cast away Lastly there is an iland in it very good pasture for the feeding of cattell which swimmeth and moueth euery way as the winds driue It is credibly reported that there is a stone which groweth in Argadia Argathelia or Argile which if it be couered but a while with straw or flax it will set it on fire At Slanis a castle in Buquhan there is a caue of a strange nature For the water that droppeth into it in continuance of time is turned into a very white stone and if within a certaine number of yeares they should not be taken out it would haue been long since filled vp with them In this prouince there is no ratte euer seene and if so be that any should be brought in thither it will not by any meanes liue there In the countrie of Fife great store of a kind of blacke stone is digged out of the earth we call it sea-coale a most excellent kind of fuell At the mouth of the riuer Forth in the maine sea there is a very high rocke out of whose toppe a spring of fresh water a great miracle of nature doth runne abundantlie About two miles distant from Edenburgh is a spring vpon the toppe of whose water dropps of oile do continually swimme in such sort that if you take none from off it there will be neuer the more and if you take ought from thence there will be neuer the lesse This oile is good against the roughnesse of the skinne Thus farre of the strange thinges of this Realme Scotland in the countrie of Drisdaile hath a mine of Gold in the which also is found that which they commonly call Lazure It hath also mines both of Iron and Lead The inhabitants which possesse the South part on this side the mount Grampius are more ciuill and humane and do speake the English tongue Those which dwell in the North parts are a rough and more hard kind of people they call them The wild-Scottes and do weare mantles and skirts died with Saffron after the Irish fashion and go barelegged They speake the Irish tongue And as the Language of Scotland is of two sorts so are their maners as diuers These Marianus Scotus calleth High-land-men the other I meane the wild-Scottes they call Low-land-men The chiefe city of Scotland is Edenburgh there is the kings seat and the castle of Maidens often mentioned in histories Saint Andrew and Aberdon are two Vniuersities The city Glasow is the Archbishops sea The towne of Perth commonly
of them called SCOTLAND Syluester Gyraldus Cambrensis about 400. yeares since described this Iland in a seuerall treatise But because that this booke as yet is not set forth and therefore not common and euery where to be gotten we will out of it gather so much as this narrow roome may conteine not doubting but we shall worthily deserue great thankes at the readers hand for the same Listen therefore to his words Ireland next after England the greatest Iland of the knowne world hath the greater Britaine vpon his East side vpon the West only lieth the vast and wide Ocean on the North three daies saile from the coast of Ireland lieth Island of all the Northren iles by far the greatest Britaine is almost twice as great as Ireland for seeing that the length of both runneth the same way from South to North that is about 800. miles long and about 200. miles broad this from Brendam hilles to the iles Columbine otherwise called Thorach is about eight daies iourney that is 400. miles long at the least Ireland conteineth in all 176. Canweds The word Canwed is a compound word vsed aswell of the Welch as Irish and signifieth a circuite of ground conteining within it 100. villages The soile of Ireland is vneuen full of hilles and dales soft and squally full of woods bogges and fennes Vpon the toppes of the highest and steepest hilles you shall oft find great ponds and bogges yet it hath in some places most goodly plaines and champion but in respect of the woods they are very little The ground is very fatte and fertile for Corne. The mountaines abound with sheepe the woods are full of Deere and the whole I le generally is better for pasture then for eareable ground much better I meane for grasse then corne For the kernelles of wheat are heere so dwined and small that they may hardly be dressed with any manner of fanne That which the Spring-time doth bring forth and flourisheth for a while in Summer the dripping and watery Autumne will hardly suffer kindly to ripen or tidily to be inn'd For this Iland is more subiect to blustering winds outragious stormes of raine and floods then any other country vnder the cope of heauen It is very rich of honie and milke Solinus and Isidore affirme that it hath no Bees but by their leaue if they had more diligently examined the matter they might haue on the contrarie written that it wanteth vines but is not altogether void of Bees For this Iland neither now hath nor euer had any vines But of Bees it hath as any other country great plenty which notwithstanding would heere as I thinke swarme in farre greater number if it were not for the venemous and sowre ewgh-trees which in all places of the Iland do grow in great abundance The Iland is euery where crossed and watered with many goodly riuers of which the principall are these Auenliss runneth by Dublin Boand or Boine through Methe Banna through Vlster Linne by Connagh Moad by Kenelcunill Slechey and Samayr Modarn and Furne by Keneleon There are also very many other riuers whereof some issuing forth of the bowels of the earth and from their cleare fountaines other immediatly rushing forth of lakes and fennes wandring heere and there diuide and part the Iland into many goodly prouinces and shires For vnder the foot of Bladina hill now called Bliew Blemy three famous riuers do arise commonly called The three Sisters for they beare the names of three sisters Berne Birgus now Barrow which runneth by Lechlin Eoyr Neorus they call it Nore by Ossire and Swyre by Archfine and Trebagh neere Waterford they kindly salute one another and so falling into one channell they quietlie toward the sea Slane runneth by Wexford Boand by Meath Auenmore by Lismore and Simen by Limiricke And indeed amongst all the riuers of Ireland Sinnen bear'th the bell not only for his goodly greatnesse long and diuers wandrings through the country but also his great plenty of dainty fish For it ariseth out of a very large and goodly lake which diuideth Connagh from Munster and spreadeth it selfe into two branches running two contrary waies one of them tending toward the South passeth by the city Kelleloe and then enclosinge round the citie Limiricke with a direct course and large streame for an hundred miles and vpward running between the two mountaines emptieth it selfe into the Brendan sea The other not much lesse then the former diuiding Meath and the farther parts of Vlster from Connagh running with a crooked course turning this way and that way at last hideth it selfe in the Northren ocean So that this riuer doth separate the fourth and West part of the Iland from the other three like a midland streame running from sea to sea For this Iland in former ages was diuided almost into fiue equall parts namely into North Mounster South Mounster Leinster and Connagh This country hath diuers goodly Lakes The sea coast aboundeth plentifully with all maner of sea-fish on all sides the Riuers and Lakes are stored with great variety of fresh-fishes especially with these three sorts Salmons Trouts and Eeles The riuer Shynen swarmeth with Lampreyes But there are wanting many other sorts of good fresh-fish of other countries as Pikes Perches Gogeons and almost such fish as come not from the sea or salt waters On the contrary the Lakes of this Iland haue three kinds of fish which are no where els to be found For they are somewhat longer and rounder then Trouts very white fleshed passing sauery and pleasant very like vnto the Hallibut Vmbra our authour calleth it but that they are much bigger headed There is another kind very like to herrings aswell for proportion and bignesse as also for colour and tast There are a third sort in all points like trouts but that they are not spotted Yet these sorts of fish are only seen in the Summer in the Winter they neuer appeare In Meath neere Foner are three Lakes not farre distant one from another ech of which hath certaine fish proper to it selfe not found in any of the other two neither do they I meane euer come one at another although there be most conuenient passages by reason of the riuer which runneth from one to another nay if it shall chance that the fish of one lake be caried to another either it dieth within a while after or returneth vnto his own lake againe Eryn HIBERNIAE BRITANNICAE INSVLAE NOVA DESCRIPTIO Irlandt Cum Priuilegio From these naturall things let vs passe vnto those strange wonders which nature worketh in these out-countries of the world In North Mounster there is a lake wherein are two Ilands a greater and a lesse the greater hath a Church the lesser a Chappell Into the Greater neuer any woman or liuing creature of the female kind might euer come but it would die by and by This was often proued by bitches cattes and other creatures of that sex In the lesser no man did
called by the Arabians Axarafi were by King Ferdinand receiued into loyall allegeance together with the city it selfe which notwithstanding after the departure of the Moores became the greatest part of them desolate howbeit the limits of this as they differ much from the ancient precincts of Spanish diocesses so do they come neerer to the forme prescribed by King Vamba vnto all the Cathedrals of Spaine For this diocesse hath on the East the territory of Corduba West the frontiers of Algarue North it lieth ouer against that part of Portugale which is called The gouernment of Saint Iago but the residue toward the South is inclosed with the diocesse of Cadiz and the Ocean sea Principall townes here are very many especially the royall city of Siuill most largely and pleasantly situate vpon the banke of Baetis and enuironed with beautifull and stately walles This famous riuer Baetis or Guadalquibir springing out of the forest called in times past Saltus Tugiensis and holding on his course by the chiefe cities of his adopted prouince doth from this noble city knowen of olde by the name of Colonia Romulea continue his streames in a chanell nauigable and abounding with fish to the Westerne Ocean for the space of threescore miles the banks on both sides flourishing with Oliuets Vineyards and most admirable sweet Gardens perfumed with the delectable and fragrant odour of Citrons HISPALENSIS CONVENTVS DELINEATIO Auctore Hieronÿmo Chiaues Priuilegio Imp. et Regiae Maiests. Next vnto Siuill in authority and greatnesse Caesariana alias Xeres de la frontiera and Iulia firmitas now called Astigi which in old times were colonies of the Romans do excell all other townes cities Carmona and Vtrera may well be termed the two granaries and storehouses of Siuill Next followes Marchena called out of ancient stonie monuments I know not how truly Martia Colonia and Arçobriga being the lord-ship townes of the most illustrious ducal familie of the Ponces To these you may adde Vrsao called of old Genua Vrbanorum and at this present Osuna the most honorable and rich dukedome of the Girones ennobled with an Vniuersitie For oile corne and wine Constantina Caçalla and Maronio do principally excell Nebrisa likewise situate at the mouth of Baetis the most happie natiue soile of Aelius Antonius the restorer and author of the Latin tongue in Spaine is famous for antiquity and inferiour to none in plenty of Corne. Also in the very bay whereinto Baetis dischargeth his streames vpon the headland called of old Luciferi Promontorium stands the towne which we now call Solucar or Sant lucar the rich mart-towne of the Gothish Dukes and very commodious for the west-Indan fleets Other principall townes of this Diocesse for breuities sake I omit The soile in all this tract is most miraculously plentifull of wheat wine and oile and of all kinde of graine wherewith it supplieth remote and forrein countreies and how deseruedly might Plinie haue preferred this part before Italie had not he an Italian caried a greater affection to his owne countrey yet Spaine by him wheresoeuer it borders vpon the sea is commended which praise of his we vnderstand especially of that part of Andaluzia which pertaines to the Diocesse of Siuill because it lies open to the maine Ocean and to the gentle blasts of the west The skie here is most fauourable smiling alwaies with a temperate and most amiable aspect the people borne to piety and good arts excelling in sharpnesse of wit and surpassing others in a bold kinde of courage and towardlinesse of minde which is in a manner peculiar and hereditary to this nation will in no case suffer themselues either in offices of curtesie or in exploit of warre to be excelled by any nation The Archbishop of Siuill next that of Toledo is the highest prelacy in all Spaine whilome it had eleuen suffragan Bishops as appeareth out of the subscriptions of councells namely the Bishop of Corduba who now is vnder the Iurisdiction of Toledo The B. of Iliberis who after the expulsion of the Moores remoued to the Metropolitan sea of Granada The B. of Ilipa or Elepla of late called Pennaflor which towne is now destitute of a B. sea and subscribes to the authority of the church of Siuill The Bishopricke of Tuccitan now called Martos and in old time Augusta Gemella Colonia at this present destitute of a B. and vnder the Iurisdiction of Gienna The Bishopricke of Malaga which now is suffragan to Siuill The Bishopricke of Aegabria now called Cabra it hath no prelate but belongeth to the church of Corduba The bishopricke of Asindia or Asidonia now called Medina Sidonia subiect to the B. of Cadiz the episcopall sea being remoued from Gadisea others call it Asidonia it is now said to stand not farre from that place where Xeres is situate vnlesse you will say that in the same tract it retained one and the selfe-same name It had also the Bishopricke of Ossonoba nere Pharo a towne in Algarue the Moores named it Eruba afterwards it was incorporated into the church of Siluis which before being a member of Siuill was by Pope Paul the third made Suffragan to Euora which himselfe had aduanced to a Metropolitan sea The bishopricke of Abdera which was translated to the sea of Almeria and is now Suffragan to Granada The bishopricke of Astigi which now is ingraffed into the church of Siuill The bishopricke of Italica seated in a most noble colonie of the Romans not only citizens but also Emperors Generals which standing six miles from Siuill on the other side Baetis was in ancient times when S. Gerontius the martyr was bishop a place highly reuerenced Out of this towne sprang Traianus Hadrian and Theodosius three great and renowmed Emperors It is commonly called Old Siuill the vast ruines thereof being now scarse extant a wofull spectacle of the mutability of humane things by so much the more to be lamented in that the forlorne fragments of that most beautifull and large Amphitheatrum which now lie scattered and disiointed renew a more sad memory of the ancient greatnesse and magnificence At this time the Archbishop of Siuill hath for suffragans the bishops of Malaga of Cadiz and of the Canary-isles The maiesty dignity wealth of this church we cannot in few words decypher Sufficeth that we do gather out of their own audits accounts that the archbishops yerely reuenues amount to aboue 100000. duckets The principall of the church vnder him haue cleerely more than 30000 the whole society of the church is allowed 120000. which are diuided among 40. Canons 11. priuileged priests 20. fellow-portionaries or pensioners and so many halfe-pensioners yet so as the Canons and priuileged priests haue such daily allowance as by the yeere comes to 2000. duckats a man the pensioners haue lesse than so much by a fourth part and the halfe-pensioners are allowed only a third part Next vnto the Archbishop the greatest authority remaines in the Deane whose dignity is esteemed worth 5000.
duckats a yeere Besides here are in this church 20. masse-priests which from their number we call Vicenarios who for their nightly and daily orizons are allowed euery day amongst them all 200. duckats and aboue also there are 200. other priests who out of their priuate chapels do raise stipends sufficient for their maintenance Rich benefices in this diocesse there are to the number of 600 many whereof are valued at 1000. some at 2000. duckats by the yeere and of lesser cures which are called chapels or chanteries almost 2000. Here are likewise many cloisters of monks and nunnes wherein their religion and the study of their diuinity flourisheth most of them in yeerely reuenues being able to dispend 6000. duckats There stands a monastery of Carthusians most sumptuously built vpon the banke of Baetis within view of Siuill which hath 25000. duckats by the yeere Long it were to recken vp all their hospitals whenas within Siuill only there are aboue 120. very richly indowed many with 8000. and some with 15000. duckats of yerely income Thus much of this region or diocesse out of the relation of Don Francisco Pacheco Concerning Siuill and the territory thereto adiacent you may reade at large in the Iournall of Nauagierus The Kingdome of VALENTIA PTolemey calles the people inhabiting this part of Hispania Tarraconensis Heditanos Plinie names the region Edetania It seemes that in Strabo they are called Sidetani and in Liuy Sedetani Plinie also mentions the people Sedetanos and the region Sedetania but diuers from these as appeareth out of his third booke and third chapter In this tract stands the city of Valentia albeit Ptolemey ascribes it to the Cotestani a nation bordering not farre off From this city as from the principall all the whole region is denominated and it containes the ancient Hedetania Cotestania and part of Ilercaonia This prouince put on the title of a kingdome about the yeere of our Lord 788. as you may reade in Peter de Medina and Peter Antonie Beuthero It is situate vpon the Mediterran sea and is refreshed with the streames of Turia a riuer so called by Salust Priscian and Vibius by Pomponius Mela Durias and by Plinie Turium Now they call it Guetalabiar which is an Arabicke name imposed by the Moores and in English is as much to say as pure and cleare water It is a riuer not very deepe but in regard of the euerflourishing banks bedecked with roses and sundry kinds of flowers most exceeding pleasant It is on both sides from the very fountaine to the outlet naturally clad with beautifull and shadie woods euery where you may behold the Withy the Plane the Pine-tree and other trees neuer disrobed of their leaues so that Claudian wrote most truly of it Faire Duria with flowers and rosie banks adorn'd There is also the riuer Sucro which by a new name they call Xucar Two hilles here are among the rest one called Mariola and the other Pennagolosa that is The rocke of dainties wherunto from other places resort great store of Herbalists Physicians for vpon these hilles grow great abundance of very rare plants and herbs They haue also a siluer-mine at a place called Buriol in the way from Valentia to Tortosa In a place likewise named Aioder are found certaine stones interlaced with golden veines At Cape Finistrat there are yron-mines and so are there by Iabea About Segorbia there is yet mention of a quarrey from whence Marble was wont to be conueyed to Rome In Picacent they dig Alabaster and all the countrey ouer Allume Oker Lime and Plaister in great abundance But the greatest riches of this countrey consisteth in earthen vessels which they call Porcellan which may perhaps be the same that ancient Writers call Vasa Murrhina These are made in diuers places of this kingdome so curiously and with such arte as the best Porcellans in Italie whereof in all countreys such reckening is made can hardly be preferred before them Who desires to know more of the excellency of this region and how fertile it is of all things especially of Sugar Wine and Oile let him reade the 9. 12. and 13. books written by Bernardine Gomez concerning the life of Iames the first King of Aragon Among the cities of this kingdome Valentia is the principall and the sea of a bishop which bishop as Marinaeus Siculus and Damianus a Goes do report may dispend 13000. duckats by the yeere Amongst all the Valentias of Europe this saith Bernardin Gomez is called by the French Valentia the great for it containeth 12000. houses besides the suburbs gardens which haue as many houses almost as the city it selfe Peter de Medina writeth that in this city there are aboue 10000. welles of fountaine water An exact description thereof you may reade in Iohn Mariana his 12. booke and 19. chap. It is so beautifull as the Spaniards in a common prouerbe say Rich Barçelona Plentifull Saragoça and Faire Valentia Plinie cals it a colonie of the Romans He saith it is three miles distant from the sea That this city of ancient time was called Roma of Romus the king of Spaine Annius out of Manethon and Beutherus out of the Annales do report let themselues auow it In an ancient inscription it is named COLONIA IVLIA VALENTIA It retained the name of Rome saith the same Beutherus vntill the Romans subdued it Who hauing inlarged beautified the same called it Valentia a name signifying the quality of the place Here was a councell held in the yere of our Lord 466. It is a city of venerable antiquity where euen till these our dayes remaine many ancient marbles with inscriptions of the Romans grauen vpon them whereof some are in the custody of the said Beutherus and Ambr. Morales The territory of this city is for the greatest part inhabited by a people descended of the Moores retaining as yet the speech and conuersation of their fathers and grandfathers which I learned of that most worthie and famous man Frederick Furius Caeriolanus naturall of Valentia VALENTIAE REGNI olim CONTESTANORVM SI PTOLEMAEO EDETANORVM SI PLINIO CREDIMVS TYPVS Cum priuilegio ad decennium 1584. GADES otherwise called CADIZ CALIZ or CALIS-MALIS VNder the name of Gades Strabo Plinie and some other Writers giue notice of two islands Mela Solimus Dionysius and Ptolemey make mention but of one which together with the city they call Gadira They that will haue two Gades call the one The greater and the other The lesser This as writeth Plinie out of Philistides Timaeus and Silenus and Strabo out of Pherecides was named Erythia and Aphrodisea and they call it also Iunoes Island By the inhabitants also it was properly called Erythia and Cotinusa by the Carthaginians Gadir and the Romans named it Tartesson as the same Plinie writeth At this present there is but one only isle and that verie much diminished by the oceans violent waues which the Spaniards call Cadiz and corruptly Caliz and our countrymen I know not
vpon what ground Calis-Malis In the lesser of the two foresaid isles stood the towne of Gades and in the greater Iulia Gaditana Augusta which before as appeareth out of Strabo was called Neapolis Now they call both towne and island Cadiz It is the seat of a Bishop who also is intitled Bishop of Alger This Isle was first discouered and inhabited by certaine Phoenicians of Tyrus as is euident out of most ancient records Vpon this isle some are of opinion that the Geryones afterward planted themselues whose droues the Aegyptian or Tyrian Hercules forcibly draue away At one corner of the isle stood the temple of this Hercules famous both for builders superstition riches and antiquity Why it should be holy saith Mela his bones there buried are a sufficient cause Vpon the other corner Strabo affirmes the temple of Saturne to haue been erected In the said temple of Hercules Caesar found the image of Alexander the great as Suetonius in his life reporteth A fountaine there was very holsome to drinke which with a strange kind of contrariety diminished at the floud and increased at the ebbe of the sea In this temple as the same author affirmeth were certaine brazen pillars of eight cubits wheron were ingrauen the costs bestowed in building of the same Here also the same author out of Artemidorus acknowledgeth a temple dedicated to Iuno Dionysius describes therein the temple of Age and of Death and tels of certaine altars consecrated to the Yere to the Moneth to Arte and to Pouerty Hercules pillars are here extant saith Isidore and here growes a kind of tree like a palme with the gum whereof the glasse of Epyrus being mingled is turned into a precious stone The inhabitants of old were famous for their skill in nauigation and from this their ancient trauersing of the seas they do not as yet degenerate But their principall gaine consisteth in making of Salt and in catching of Tunies for which they haue euery yeere an ordinary fishing These fishes being cut in pieces pouldred and barrelled are dispersed all Europe ouer This isle was esteemed by antiquitie the worlds extreame Westerne limit whereupon saith Silius Italicus in his first booke And Gades the vtmost bounds of men c. Also in his 17. booke Gades lands farthest end And Calpe bounding Hercules And Baetis crystall streames That bathe Apolloes steeds For here the Poets faine that the Sun being weary of his dayes labour drencheth himselfe in the Ocean and takes his rest wherefore Statius also calles it Gades the Sunnes soft bed Yea at this very time our Netherlandish Mariners call the Westermost Cape of this isle which by the inhabitants is named El cabo de San Sebastian Het einde der Werelt that is to say The Worlds end This ancient inscription found vpon this isle is by Appianus in his booke of Inscriptions alleged out of Cyriacus of Ancona as followeth HELIODORVS INSANVS CARTHAGINIENSIS AD EXTREMVM ORBIS SARCOPHAGO TESTAMENTO ME HOC IVSSI CONDIER VT VIDEREM SI QVISQVAM INSANIOR AD ME VISENDVM VS QVE AD HAEC LOCA PENETRARET In English thus I Heliodorus a mad Carthaginian commanded in my last will that they should in this tombe bury me at the worlds end to see if any more franticke than my selfe would come thus farre to visit me But that all this inscription is counterfeit and new I learne out of Anthony Augustinus his eleuenth chapter of ancient coines Concerning this isle you may reade more at large in Strabo and Philostratus And of the city reade Brunus in his volume of cities GVIPVSCO GVIPVSCO is a part of that Northerne tract of Spaine called of olde Cantabria it borders vpon the kingdome of Nauarre and the Pyreney mountaines which diuide it from France and it is bounded Westard by the prouince of Biscay The inhabitants in Ptolemey are called Varduli At this present some call it Lipuscoa others Lepuscoa but corruptly as Stephan Garibaio borne in the country writeth Some ancient records of this country do not vndeseruedly name it The wall and fortresse of Castile and Leon. It is a mountainous place euery where so abounding with yron and steele that for quantity and goodnesse of this mettall it is excelled by no other region in the world Wherefore from hence to their great commodity all the neighbour-neighbour-countries are abundantly supplied with all kind of iron-tooles and instruments Here likewise they make warlike armour and artillery as namely Great ordonance Harquebuzes Caliuers Harnesse Swords c. so good and in such plenty as people of all nations are desirous to haue them They themselues also are a people very warlike So that this region a man may rightly call Mars his armory and the inhabitants his workemen Such as dwell vpon the coasts spending the greatest part of their time at sea reape vnto themselues great profit by taking Newfoundland fish called Baccalaos and Whales of whose fat they make great quantitie of Traine-oile Heere also they boile Salt mixing it I know not for what purpose with Oats and with Hempe-seed The head citie is Tholosa situate at the confluence of the riuers Araxis and Oria others there are also of note as Placencia swarming with Smiths Motrico or rather Monte de Trico so called of the rocke Trico that hangs ouer it The port of Sant Sebastian which is the largest most commodious vpon all the coast Hither people of sundry nations do trafficke At first it was called Hicuru afterward Don Bastia and corruptly Donastia which in signification is all one with Sant Sebastian For Don in the Biscain tongue signifieth Saint as Santo in Spanish But by the inhabitants it is commonly called Vrumea For this region differing altogether in language from the residue of Spaine hath many townes called by diuers names according to the difference of languages some whereof I thought good here to note for the benefit of those that reade histories The sundry names therefore of diuers townes in Guipusco are these that follow Salinas alias Gaza both signifying salt Mondragon alias Arrasale Monreal alias Dena Aspeitia alias Vrasueitia Saluatierra de Traurgui Olite alias Ariuierri Renteria alias Villanueua de Oiarcum Penna Oradada alias Puerto de Sant Adrian Elicaur alias Licaur Marquina alias Elgoiuar Azcoytia alias Vrazgoitia Miranda de Traurgui Araxa Arayça Also the hill Aralar is called Arara and the riuer Vidoso Vidorso and Alduida and Beyouia This riuer runnes betweene Spaine and France In describing this region Stephan Garibayo is very copious in the 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. and 14. chapters of his 15. booke And Florian del Campo writes somewhat of it in his first and second chapter And Nauagierus in his Iournall affirmeth that there is so much yron and steele dig'd out of the mines of Guipusco as yeeldeth 80000. duckats of yerely gaine The words of Plinie in his 34. booke and 14. chapter are not I thinke to this place impertinent Vpon the coast of Cantabria saith he which the
Ocean affronteth there is a craggie high mountaine a thing very admirable wholly consisting of the same matter he meaneth yron CARPETANIA THis region lies in the very heart of Spaine which Plinie Liuie call Carpetania The people called Carpetani were knowen vnto Strabo and the Carpitani with .i. by Ptolemey Polybius calles them Carpesios and so doth Liuie in some places Their chiefe citie is Toledo The description whereof you may reade in Nauagierus Pedro de Medina and George Brunus All Carpetania is not set downe in this Table but that part only from Toledo Eastward Concerning Toledo because I haue not read it in any other authour I will adde that which Roger Houeden in the second booke of his Chronicle of England reporteth He calles it Tulette and these be his words In this city there is an hill out of which are daily taken aboue a thousand camels loads of earth and yet it neuer decreaseth for though you dig neuer so deepe an hole yet by the morow if any raine fall it will be filled vp againe The earth taken out of this hill is transported to the neighbour prouinces and sold to wash mens heads and their apparell aswell Christians as Pagans The said Roger liued about the yeere 1200. CARPETANIAE PARTIS DESCR 1584. Cum priuilegio Imp. et Belgico ad decennium GVIPVS COAE REGIONIS TYPVS Vardulorum siue HANC INSVLAM PERLVSTRABAT ET SVA MANV DEPINGEBAT GEORGIVS HOEFNAGLIVS ANTVERPIAN BELGA Dum extendar FRANCE ALl that tract of land from the riuer of Rhene included by the Ocean the Pyreney mountaines the sea Mediterran and mount Appennine as farre as Ancona the ancient Writers by one generall name called Gallia For Westward by the Pyreney hilles it is disioyned from Spaine North it borders vpon the French and British Ocean East the riuer Rhene and the Alpes from sea to sea include it in like maner as the Pyreney mountaines doe West South it is accoasted by part of the Mediterran sea ouer against Prouence It was called Gallia in regard of the peoples whitenesse for the high mountaines and the heauens rigour exclude the heat of the Sunne from this part hereof it comes that their white bodies change not colour Wherefore the Graecians name the Gaules or ancient inhabitants of France Galatas in regard of their milke-white colour for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke signifieth Milke from which name the Latines haue called them Gallos This deriuation the greatest parts of Writers doe approue yet some there are that deride it supposing them rather to be so called of raine which in Hebrew is Galah and in the olde British language Glau as who should say A most ancient nation rain'd vpon and drenched in the very floud of Noah This region of theirs was of olde diuided into Gallia Cisalpina which in regard of vs lieth beyond the Alpes being that part of Italie which at this present is called Lombardie and Transalpina which is included within these fiue bounds namely the riuer Rhene the Ocean the Pyreney mountaines the Mediterran sea and the Alpes This Gallia Transalpina by Caesar in his Commentaries is diuided into three parts Belgica Celtica and Aquitanica Belgica which is enuironed by the Ocean sea and the riuers of Rhene Marne and Senie vsing most part the Dutch tongue and at this present called the Low-countries Celtica or Lugdunensis which is comprehended within the riuers Garomne Marne Senie and Rhosne It is now called France For the Celtae were subdued by the Francks of Germany so that at length they were named Westerne Francks from whom the prouince it selfe is denominated Aquitanica before named Aremorica which extendeth from the riuer Garomne to the Ocean and to the Pyreney mountaines West and by North it is confined with that part of the Ocean which is called the Bay of Aquitane Westward it hath Spaine North Celtica or France properly so called and South the country of Prouence It is now called Gascoine and the inhabitants differ both in stature and language from the residue of France These are the ancient limits of the Gaules Howbeit the countrey of the French which at this day beares the title of a Kingdome and is commonly called the Kingdome of France hath not so large extension but towards the North only is so much the narower as it is cut off by an imaginary line from Strasbourg vpon Rhene to the port of Calais and it comprehends all that tract of land which is conteined within this line the Ocean sea the Pyreney mountaines the sea Mediterran and the Alpes Postellus in his booke of the whole world reckons vp the peculiar Shires or Prouinces of this Kingdome in maner following In the East it hath Prouence Sauoie Swisserland Bressia Borgogne Lorraigne Champanie Henault Cleue and Flanders on the North Picardy Normandy and Bretaigne on the West Bretaigne Aniou Poictou Xantoigne and Gascoigne and on the South Gascoigne Bearne Roussillon Dauphnie Vellay Forest Auuergne Limosni Perigort and Angolesme East of Poictou lie the prouinces of Bourges Bourbon Beaioulois Lionnois the Countie of Burgundy Auxerrois Niuernois Berry Tours Vendosme beyond Aniou le Beaulse Gastinois Valois beyond Sens and not farre off le Perche Druise and le Mans neere Bretaigne And thus at this present are these Prouinces named But albeit Postellus accounteth Sauoy Swizzerland Loraigne Henault Cleue and Flanders among the Prouinces of France yet are they not now vnder the gouernment of this Kingdome for all of them haue peculiar princes not subiect to the crowne of France Concerning the French King Villa Nueua reports two memorable things First That in the Church of Rhemes there is a vessell full of neuer-decaying oile sent from heauen to anoint the Kings of France at their coronation Secondly That the same Kings doe heale the disease called in English The Queenes euill only with touching the place affected All France is described in a large volume by Robert Caenalis reade also concerning the same argument Gilbert Cognatus Nazorenus Iohannes Marius Chassanaeus in his twelfth booke De gloria mundi Postellus in his booke Of the whole world Aimon in the beginning of his storie of the Franks Sebastian Munster Belleforest Theuet and other Describers of the world Touching this region also and the disposition of the inhabitants you may learne somewhat out of the second booke of Laonicus Chalcocondylas of Athens Of ancient Writers Caesar surpasseth all Diodorus Siculus in his fifth booke and Ann. Marcelinus in his fifteenth booke haue many notable things concerning this region Likewise Claudius Champier of Lions wrote in French a Treatise of the first originals of the principall townes in all France Symphorianus father to this man discourseth of the riuers and the miracles of waters and fountaines in France The city of Paris is described in verse by Eustathius à Knobelsdorf and the city of Lions by Champier GALLIAE REGNI POTENTISS NOVA DESCRIPTIO IOANNE IOLIVETO AVCTORE Candido lectori S.D. Gallia tota iam
olim non ob opes solum virtutem bellicam quibus semper pres titit verum etiam ob continentia disciplinam que summum apud illos locum habuit celebris fuit Nam artium illustrium et Graecae etiam lingue peritia excelluit matre vt arbitror Massilia Graeca vrbe in maritima ora Prouinciae sita ad quā quondā disciplinaru gratia ud ex ipsa vrbe Roma missi sūt qui docerētur BRETAIGNE and NORMANDY THis Table representeth that part of Gallia Lugdunensis which stretcheth toward the Westerne Ocean The ancients named it Armorica Heere standeth Neustria corruptly so called of late yeeres for Vestria or rather Westria according to some Westrasia as much to say as a Westerne region The occasion of this errour both in pronunciation and writing was for that the French wanting a double V doe alwayes in stead thereof write a single V and because u in this small forme differs not much from n hereupon it is likely that Westria was prodigiously changed into Neustria In which Neustria at this present are situate the regions of Bretaigne and Normandie which in this Table we present vnto your view NORMANDIA so called of the Northerne people that ouer-ranne it for Nord in Dutch signifieth North and mannen men which Northerne people were Danes and Noruegians who hauing by force subdued this region planted themselues here in the time of Lotharius the Emperour Concerning the situation and nature of this place these are the words of Gaguinus in his seuenth booke Normandie is adorned and fortified with one Metropolitan six cities and ninetie foure strong townes and castles most of their villages also being built citie-like thorow which Prouince a speedie traueller shall hardlie passe in six dayes it aboundeth with fish cattell and plentie of corne being in all places so fraught with peares and apples that the people make all their drinke of the same and yet send great quantitie to other countreys They exercise clothing and are notable quaffers of cyder They are naturally a wilie people subiect to no forren lawes liuing after their owne fashions and customes which they most obstinately maintaine cunning they are in sleights and sutes of law whereupon strangers are loth to haue any dealings with them being otherwise well addicted to learning and religion Moreouer they are very apt and valiant in the warres many of whose worthy acts against strangers are recorded Thus farre Gaguinus Of the qualitie of this region you may more largely informe your selfe out of Henry Altissiodorensis his fifth booke of the life of S. German It aboundeth as Caenalis makes report with all things necessary for mans life wine only excepted which the soile doth not yeeld The chiefe city is Rouen in English commonly called Roan which hath a most learned Senate or Court of Parliament that execute iustice and decide the controuersies of the whole Prouince Heere are also great Merchants by meanes of whose trafficke the citie is knowen farre and neere In this citie there is a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary beautified with a most lofty steeple wherin hangs the greatest bell in all France weighing forty thousand pounds as these French verses grauen thereupon do testifie Ie suis nominée George d' Amboise Qui plus que trente six mil poise Et si qui bien me poysera Quarante mil y trouuera In English George de Amboise my name rightly sounds I weigh more than thirtie six thousand pounds Whoso poiseth me well Fortie thousand may tell This George after whose name the bell is called was Archbishop of Roan about the yeere 1500. who considering that in his Diocesse such was the scarsitie of oile as it would hardly be sufficient for the time of Lent granted to his Diocessans in stead thereof the vse of butter conditionally that they should pay six halfepence Tournois a piece with which summe of money he caused the said steeple to be built which thereupon is yet called Latour de beur that is The steeple of butter The antiquities and other memorable matters of this city F. Noel Taillipied hath described in French in a peculiar Treatise Thus much of Normandie BRETAIGNE bordering vpon the coast of Normandie is the vtmost prouince of France toward the Ocean Some thinke that this was of old called Aremorica Sure I am that Caesar describeth cities which he calleth Aremericas vpon this coast But Plinie and Sidonius do name the inhabitants Britannos placing them vpon the riuer of Loire The Middle-age writers call them Brittones which name they yet retaine Plinie most aptly calles this region The godliest Peninsula of Gallia Lugdunensis In a fragment of the Frankes history I reade that it was once called The horne of France from the shape thereof as I suppose Robert Caenalis is of opinion that the Brittons being named Hermiones tooke occasion by way of allusion vnto this name to make choise of those armes which they now beare commonly called Ermines with weasels tailes and the natiue colour of blacke in a field argent c. This region he saith is somewhat drie and not very fruitfull more apt to beare millet than wheat Their fields saith he they call lands It seemeth more properly to be named Eremorica than Aremorica For they make larger leagues betweene towne and towne namely of three miles which is no slight argument of a barren soile Hereof the coniecture seemes not improbable that it was called Brutannia of nourishing or feeding brute beasts So many of their townes as antiquity reports are denominated from flocks and droues as for example Pullinaicum à pullis equinis from horse-coltes Filicieriae now called Fulgeriae alias Foulgeres of braky grounds also Rhedones à Rhedis that is to say of carts which cary commodities long and tedious iourneys which I rather beleeue than that it first borrowed the name from Brutus Thus farre Caenalis let the trueth thereof stand or fall vpon his credit More concerning these countries you may reade in the same authour and in Belleforest but especially in Bertrard Argentré who hath published a large volume of the same in French Reade also Elias Vinetus vpon Ausonius his poem of Cupid crucified LA MANS the inhabitants whereof were in old time called CENOMANI PLinie in his third booke and ninth chapter putteth the Cenomani amongst the Volsci neere Massilia Ptolemey and Strabo doe place them about Brixia in Italia Transalpina which is on this side Padus Other Cenomani be found in Gallia Lugdunensi by Ptolemey and Plinie lib. 4. cap. 15. or by Caesar in his seuenth booke De bello Gall. Howbeit the latter two call them also by a surname Aulercos And these are they whose region we propound in this Table The inhabitants now call it La Mans. The situation of this countrey and of the seuerall townes you may reade in Theuet Belleforest and Caenalis out of whom I thought good to borow this one speciall note concerning a certeine riuer and a
also we haue borrowed this Table LIMAIGNE THe length of all this region which some ab alimonijs or victuals call Alimonia others of the fat slimie soile Limaigne being part of Auuergne which for shortnesse of time and in regard of the high hilles and low valleys and the crooked windings and turnings we could not exactly measure The length hereof I say from the bridge of olde Briuata as farre as Ganao abounding with Corne Wine Honie Cattell Horses Saffron Nuts Pot-hearbs Pastures Woods Fountaines Riuers Bathes Marle Lakes Siluer-mines Honourable families Strong fortresses and Rich merchandize stretcheth about twenty leagues and the bredth almost eight leagues But we describing only the more fruitfull and inhabited part do in the Table following comprehend about eight leagues in length and almost seuen in bredth placing the townes and villages according to the scale vnder-annexed Thus farre the Authour in a Treatise intituled A godlie and speculatiue Dialogue by him written in Italian where you may see the very Table which I haue here put downe In the lower part of this Table stands a mountaine with a small towne named Gergoie This is Gergouia in Aruernis neere the riuer Elauer whereof Caesar in his seuenth booke of the French warres maketh mention REGIONIS BITVRIGVM EXACTISS DESCRIPTIO PER D. IOANNEM CALAMAEVM LIMANIAE TOPOGRAPHIA GABRIELE SYMEONEO AVCT The Dukedome of ANIOV THe people and countrey of the Andegauenses are by Ptolemey placed in Gallia Lugdunensi The countrey at this present is called Aniou and the people Angeuins In times past it went vnder the name of an Earledome but since the yeare 1350. it hath beene adorn'd with the title of a Dukedome East it confineth vpon Tourain and Vendosme West it bordereth vpon Bretaigne Poictou bounds it Southward and the Counties of Maine and La Val on the North. It is a country not very large but for fruitfulnesse inferior to none other in France the wine of Anjou excelleth all other French wines Neither is it destitute of other commodities requisite either for the necessity or the pleasure of mans life being euery where beautified with Riuers Mountaines Woods and Medowes It aboundeth with cattell great and small and with fish All this their Riuers and Medowes affoord them Out of their Mountaines they digge Marble and a kinde of blew Slates wherewith they couer Churches and houses The common people call them Ardoises This Region is watered with so many Riuers Freshets Fountaines Fish-pooles Lakes and Pondes that some are of opinion it was heeretofore called Aeguada or Aguada of the abundance of waters for in the Aquitaigne tongue they call Water Aigues The principall Riuers besides others are Ligeris which the inhabitants do name Loire calling it likewise The Father of French riuers Into this Riuer within the compasse of Anjou do fall the riuers Vienne Diue Thouets Layon Leure Guiuatte Maine Seure Loir a riuer diuers from Ligeris for it falles thereinto and is called by late Writers Ledus Aution Oudon Maienne Brionneau Losse and Erdret c. So that there runne about fortie Riuers thorow this Prouince It hath diuers faire cities the principall whereof is called Angiers perhaps the same which in Ptolemey is named Juliomagus This being the head citie of all the Region is built on either side the riuer Meduan and ioyned together by a stone bridge The antiquitie hereof is euident out of certaine ancient ruines of a Theater which hang ouer the Citie and are called by the common people Brohan Heere sometimes are olde coines found Lewis the second in the yeere 1389. established an Vniuersitie in this place There be also other townes of note as Saumur Beufort Bauga c. Most of the premisses for the illustration of this Table we haue translated out of Belleforest his French Munster To whom he that will may adde Theuet Anjou ANDEGAVENSIVM DITIONIS VERA ET INTEGRA DESCRIPTIO Licino Guyeto Andegauense auctore Cum Priuilegio 1579. The territorie of PARIS commonly called THE ISLE OF France IN a certaine Iournall of France I reade this description of the territorie of Paris The Isle of France stretcheth from the towne of Saint Denis as far as Rossy and Montmorency and so it comprehends all the land within the winding nookes of Seine towards Normandie one way and towards Picardie another way The occasions of this name were as Andrew Theuet reporteth in that the Frankes comming out of Germanie planted themselues first in this place and here their Captaines tooke vpon them the title of Kings and also for that the Riuers Marne Seine Oyse do in a maner compasse it around Yet all the Region being comprized within these three Riuers pertaineth not to the said isle but only that part which is neere vnto Paris My opinion is that this diuision might be made when the sonnes of Clouis sharing the whole Kingdome limited and included within these bounds the dominions of him who bare rule at Paris and was only called the King of France Howbeit now this diuision is not obserued seeing that certaine Cities of Picardie Briè and other Prouinces are comprehended within the same But let vs heare the opinion of Belleforest also After the death of the great King Clouis France was diuided after a new maner for out of one King sprang many and he only was called The King of France who gouerned at Paris wherefore the Isle of France is the true and ancient iurisdiction of our Kings albeit Pipins posteritie beganne to neglect it and afterwards the Parisian territorie fell to them by inheritance who enioyed the Crowne of all France L'Isle de France PARISIENSIS AGRI DESCRIP The Dukedome of TOVRAIN THis region is not very large being on euery side so restrained with bordering Prouinces West thereof lieth Anjou and part of Poictou from the first it is seuered by the confines of Saumure and from the second by the riuer Creuse whereupon stands the city of Chinon subiect to this Dukedome of Tourain South also lies part of Poictou along the riuer Creuse to La port de Pilles which diuides Guienne from Tourain and Berry in like sort from whence it is separated by Chastillon situate vpon the riuer Indre East not far from Loire the riuer of Cher diuides it from the prouince of Blois and from part of Berry and North it is seuered from the territories of Maine and Vendosmois by the riuer Loire vpon which riuer is built the citie of Tours and it imbraceth the same on the part of S. Lazarus suburbs This riuer also bends his course to the towne of S. Anne and to the suburbe called Rich for East West and South it toucheth the riuer Indre and North all the region towards Anjou and Maine To the Dukedome and gouernment of Tourain are subiect these cities Chinon Lodun Touars Langestz Amboise Loches Chastillon vpon Indre Montrichard besides other places and fortresses of Barons But the cities which I haue named are of best note and as it were the
High Dutch Luyck in Latine Leodium Coelen so called by the inhabitants in French Coloigne and in Latine Colonia Agrippina Dordrecht by contraction we call Dort in Latine Dordracum Macheien in Latine Mechlinia and in French Malines Tournay in High Dutch Dornicke and in Latine Tornacum Arras in French Atrecht in Flemish and in Latine Atrebates Mabeuge in Latine they call Malbodium Tienen in French Tilemont Namur the Brabanters call Namen in Latine Namurcum Maestricht and by contraction Tricht is by ancient Latine writers named Traiectum ad Mosam Viset in High Dutch Weset S. Truyen in French Centron Thionuille in French Ditenhosen in High Dutch and in Latine Theodonis villa Terrewanen and Terrenborch in Flemish Terouenne in French Tarnanna in ancient Latine writers It was wont to be the seat of a Bishop but now it hath the name only Gulick in French Iuliers in Latine Iuliacum Mons the Flemings call Bergen Geersberge which I heare is also called S. Adrians and in French Grammont Ioudoigne those Brabanters that speake High Dutch call Geldenaken Gemblours an abbey with a small citie in Latine Gemblacum Soigni in French in Flemish Senneke Halle in French Nostre Dame de Hault Cortrijck Courtray in French Cortracum in Latine Coomene in French Comines The riuer Maese in French is called Mense and in Latine Mosa The riuer Scheldt in French Escault is by Iulius Caesar and Plinie called Scaldis The riuer Liege in French is in Flemi h named Leye DESCRIPTIO GERMANIAE INFERIORIS The Dukedome of LVTZENBVRG THis region as we see many others is so named of Lutzenburg the principall citie but why it should be thus called we cannot easilie coniecture At first it went vnder the title of an Earledome and afterward was aduanced to the dignitie of a Dukedome and so till this present continueth Some say it was thus aduanced by Wenceslaus King of the Romans others by Charles the fourth howbeit Conradus Vercerius ascribes it to Henry the seuenth the first Romane Emperour of that family I finde in ancient manuscripts that the first Earle of Lutzenburg was one Sigisfridus and that he was the sonne of Tacuinus Duke of Maesland In former times Lutzenburg was part of Triers It stretcheth from the wood Arduenna to Mosella a riuer by Ausonius much celebrated The countries bordering vpon this Prouince are part of France Loraigne Metz Triers Mamure and Liege It is in most places mountainous and woodie but here and there also well manured and of late we see their woods euery where turned vp and conuerted into most fruitfull fields The people are for the greatest part Dutch and yet their countrie ioyneth hard vpon France and they are accustomed to the language and fashions of the French This Dukedome conteineth in compasse as saith Guicciardin seuentie of our Flemish miles Within it are seuen Earledomes many Baronies and great store of gentlemen Cities there are with stone walles to the number of twentie three besides those that the furie of warre hath layd desolate with 1168. villages and sundrie castles of importance The principall citie is called Lutzenburg or Lucemburg for I find it both wayes written but without any choice because both the true maner of writing and the deriuation is vncertaine Some thinke of the riuer Elza running by this citie which perhaps was Antoninus his Alizontia that it might be called Elzenburg and corruptly Lelzenburg Others referre it to the fabulous historie of the Inchantresse Melusina But my purpose is neither to proue nor disproue such opinions Here resideth the chiefe Counsell and the highest Court of iustice The citie is of sufficient force but vnequally situate for standing partly on a hill and partly in a lowe and steepe valley it appeares of a very vneuen shape Then haue you Arlune standing on the top of a hill a towne very beautifull where at this present are found sundry monuments of antiquitie which Count Peter Ernestus hath caused to be transported to his stately Palace in the citie of Lutzenburg Some are of opinion that the Moone in time past was here after a Gentilish maner adored and that it was called Arlune quasi Ara lunae that is the altar of the moone Others imagine that these cities following borowed their names also from the residue of the planets as Iuosium commonly Iuoix from Ioue or Iupiter Sathenacum now Soleure from Saturne Virtonium alias Verton from Venus Maruilla or Maruille from Mars Malmedium Malmedi from Mercurie Some interpret Malmedi Montem maledictum The accursed mountaine saying that it was so called because here the Emperour Valentinian lost his armie Next followes Rademacherne Also Thion-uille on the banke of Mosella it is the fortresse of the whole region and a towne most defensible against all hostile attempts Grauenmachern and Coningsmachern two small townes situate vpon the same riuer Dechrij stands vpon the riuer Saur Echternach containing a famous Abbey Vinden likewise Also the towne of Bastoigne the principall mart of the whole region standing neere the wood Arduenna Here you haue in like sort Naufchastelle Danuiller la Roche and Durbis townes not altogether vnworthie to be mentioned as likewise Sant Vit Marche Chiney and Ferta All which are more amply described by Guicciardin Regino in his second booke makes mention of mount Adromare about Thion-uille where Charlemaigne was wont to ride a hunting More concerning this region you may reade in our Itinerarium or Iournall LVTZENBVRGEN SIS DVCATVS VERISS DESCRIPT Iacobo Surhonio Montano auctore Cum Priuilegio Imp. Regiae Maiestatuum GVELDERLAND GVELDERLAND the seat of the ancient Sicambri as most Writers are of opinion hath to the North thereof Frisland together with an inlet of the German sea commonly called Suiderzee East it confineth vpon the Duchy of Cleue South vpon Gulick and West it affronteth Brabant and Holland It is a champian countrey destitute of mountaines but all ouer replenished with woods and groues It aboundeth with all necessaries especially with corne and their greene ranke medowes yeeld such plentie of feed for cattell as euen out of the farthest part of Denmarke they bring hither their starued droues for succour It is watered with three famous riuers namely Rhijne Maese and VVaele It conteineth the countie of Zutphen and the region called De Veluvve The Veluwe is almost an isle which being situate betweene a branch of Rhijn that runnes by Arnhem and the riuer Yssel stretcheth to the Suyder sea it is meanly fruitfull and not altogether void of woods mountaines and hilles Some thinke that the inhabitants of this place were woont to be called Caninfates The Dukedome of Guelders hath two and twentie cities compassed with walles and ditches and aboue three hundred villages Nieumegen vpon the VVaele is the Metropolitan a citie very populous and gallantly built famous in regard of the mint that is there The greatest part of the citizens vsing trade of merchandize are exceeding rich The territory of this citie is adorned with the title of a Kingdome Next
followes Ruremonde situate where the riuer Roer falles into the Maese It hath in my remembrance beene a Bishopricke Zutphen at the mouth of the riuer Berkel where it dischargeth it selfe into Yssel It beares the title of an Earledome It hath a rich College of Canons and is vnder the iurisdiction of the Bishop of Munster Arnhen stands vpon the banke of Rhijne This is the seat of the high Court of iustice and of the Chancery The Clergie of this towne are subiect to the Bishop of Vtrecht HATTEM a towne well fortified vpon the riuer Yssel ELBVRG on the shore of the Zuyder sea HARDERVVIIK vpon the same shore Heere likewise you haue WAGENING TIEL BOMMEL BRONCHORST DOESBVRG DOTECHEM SHEERENBERG gouerned by a peculiar prince vnder the name of an Earledome LOCHEN GROLL BREDEVORD GELRE which perhaps gaue name to the whole region STRAELEN VENLO a towne vpon the banke of Maese fortified both by arte and nature WACHTENDVNCK of ancient times the city of Hercules in the Dukedome of Iuliers Besides these there are other small townes of note which though now either by furie of warre or iniurie of time they are vnwalled yet they doe enioy the freedomes and priuileges of cities Their names be Keppel Burg Genderen Bateburg Monteford Echt Culeburg and Buren both which haue a peculiar Lord as Bateburg also Vnder Earle Ottho the third this region was mightily inlarged for he compassed with walles and endowed with priuileges the townes of Ruremond Arnhem Harderwijk Bemel Goch and VVagening which till that time had remained villages In the Chronicle of Iohn Reigersbeg written in Dutch I finde this region in the time of Carolus Caluus to haue beene called by the name of Ponthis and that it was by him in the yeere 878. erected to a Signiorie Then in the yeere 1079. this Signiorie of Ponthis was by Henrie the third adorned with the title of an Earledome and called the Earledome of Guelders and the first Earle thereof was Otto à Nassau It went vnder the name of an Earledome till Reinhold the second But whenas this Reinhold not only for his valour and mightinesse grew terrible to his neighbours but renowmed in regard of his iustice his piety and fidelity towards the Roman empire he was at Frankford in a solemne and royal assembly by Lewes the Emperour consecrated Duke in presence of the King of England the French King and the Princes Electours in the yeere of our Lord 1339. Some say that in the time of the Emperour Carolus Caluus towards that place where the towne of Gelre now standeth there was a strange and venimous beast of huge bignesse and monstrous crueltie feared all the countrey ouer which lay for the most part vnder an Oake This monster wasted the fields deuoured cattell great and small and abstained not from men The inhabitants affrighted with the noueltie and vncouthnesse of the matter abandoned their habitations and hid themselues in desert and solitarie places A certaine Lord of Ponth had two sonnes who partly tendring their owne estate and partly also the distresse of their neighbours assailed the beast with singular policie and courage and after a long combat slew him The said Lord therefore not farre from the Maese vpon the banke of Nierson for the perpetuall memorie of his sonnes exploit built a castle which he called Gelre because when the beast was slaine he often yelled with a dreadfull roaring noise Gelre Gelre from whence they say began the name of the Guelders Thus much out of the Chronicle of Henry Aquilius a Guelder borne More concerning this Prouince you may reade in Francis Irenicus but a most large description hereof you shall finde in Guicciardin GELRIAE CLIVIAE FINITIMORVMQVE LOCORVM VERISSIMA DESCRIPTIO Christiano Schrot Auctore The Bishopricke of LIEGE IT is a common and constant opinion that those which we now call Leodienses or Ligeois are a German people named of old Eburones A relique or monument of which ancient name remaineth as yet in the village Ebure a German mile distant from the city of Liege And this very place as I suppose is described by Dion lib. 40. vnder the name Eburonia Howbeit certaine it is that the iurisdiction of Liege stretcheth much farther than that of the Eburones did of olde Of the Eburones mention is made by Strabo Caesar and Florus Dion calles them Eburos and late Writers barbarously terme them Eburonates Themselues in their mother tongue which is a kinde of broken French they call Ligeois but in high Dutch Lutticher and Luyckenaren The deriuation of Eburones Leodienses whoso desires to know I refer him to the antiquities of Goropius Becanus and to a small pamphlet of Hubert Leodius This region taketh vp a great part of ancient Lorraigne for it containes vnder the name of the diocesse of Liege the dukedome of Bouillon the marquesat of Franckmont the countie of Haspengow and Loots and many Baronies In this region besides Maestright halfe wherof is subiect to the Duke of Brabant there are foure and twentie walled cities a thousand seuen hundred Villages with Churches and many Abbeys and Signiories The names of the cities are these following Liege vpon Maese the seat of a Bishop after which all the whole countrey is named Bouillon Franchemont Loots Borchworm Tungeren Huy Hasselt Dinant Masac Stoch Bilsen S. Truden Viset Tuin Varem Bering Herck Bree Pera Hamont Chiney Fosse and Couin as Guicciardin doth both name and number them Moreouer Placentius writeth that part of Maestright was added to this diocesse by the donation of Pori Earle of Louaine The territorie of this citie is called the countie of Maesland in the ancient records of Seruatius abbey built here by King Arnulphus in the yeere 889. Now this countie is vsually called Haspengow It is a region exceeding pleasant and fertile of all things especially on the North part where it ioyneth to Brabant for there it aboundeth with corne and all kinde of fruits and in some places it yeeldeth wine But on the South frontiers towards Lutzenburg and France it is somewhat more barren mountainous and ouerspred with woods here yet being some remainder of Arduenna the greatest forest in all France as Caesar writeth This is the outward hiew of the country but in the entrals and bowels thereof it is enriched with mettals and sundry kinds of marbles as also with sea-coales which they burne in stead of fewell and all these so surpassing good as in a common prouerbe they vsually say that they haue bread better than bread fire hotter than fire and iron harder than iron By their iron than which all the prouinces around vse neither better nor indeed any other they raise a great reuenue Nor with any other more forcible fire do the Smithes and Bearebrewers in all this part of the Low countries heat their furnaces than with these minerall coales of Liege which are of so strange a nature as water increaseth their flame but oile puts it out The smell of this fire or smoke
The greater part of Flanders was from the beginning vnder protection of the French Kings but now it is at libertie and absolute of it selfe being released by Emperour Charles the fift Earle of Flanders who in the treatie of Madrid quite shooke off the French yoke This region Guicciardine hath most diligently described and Iacobus Marchantius most learnedly You may reade also Iacobus Meierus his ten tomes of Flanders affaires Ad autographum Gerardi Mercatoris in hanc formulam contrahebat parergaque addebat Ab Ortelius ZELAND LEuinus Lemnius of Zirichzee in his booke De occultis naturae miraculis Of the bidden secrets of Nature amongst other things writeth thus of Zeland his natiue country That this Marine tract saith he was notvnknowne vnto the ancients it may out of Cornelius Tacitus easily be gathered although not by the same name that at this day it is knowne by but of a custome and common kind of salutation and speaking one to another which acquaintance and friends of this prouince do vse at their meetings therefore he calleth them by the name of MATTIACI when he thus writeth In the same iurisdiction are the Mattiaci a nation very like the Bataui but that those in regard of the situation of their countrie are more desperate and couragious Whereby he giueth to vnderstand that although they are next neighbours and do border vpon the Bataui or Hollanders so called of the hollownesse and lownesse of the ground so that they might iustly be accounted one and the same people yet are only distinguished by the name of their customary saluation and being neerer the Sea are more hardie and audacious as indeed they are and for manhood witte policy craft deceits cunning in buying and selling and diligence in getting and waies to enrich themselues they do farre excell them And in that hee calleth them Mattiaci I conceiue it that they were not so named either of any place or captaine but of that fellowlike salutation as I said and vsuall maner of speaking one to another vsuall amongst them to witte of Maet which in common speach and friendly meetings signifieth a fellow and companion in all our actions bargaines contracts and dangers of all our purposes counsailes labours and trauailles a copartner and consort in any thing whatsoeuer we take in hand or go about c. For the name of Zeland is not ancient but is lately inuented and made of Sea and Land as who would say Sea-land a country or land bordering vpon the sea for it is enclosed round with the ocean consisting of fifteene Ilands although it be not long since the raging Sea did great hurt in this country by whose violence and ouerflowing a good part of Zeland his dammes walles and banks being rent and broken downe was ouercome of the salt-water and laid leuell with the sea notwithstanding certaine of them do remaine of which especially three do continually wrestle with the boisterous billowes of the sea and do very hardly defend themselues with infinite costs and charges against this rude and vnruly element Of these first Walcheren Walachria doth offer it selfe to the eie of such as do saile to these coasts so named either of him that first entered and inhabited in it or as I gesse of the Gaulls Galli which much frequented this country who of the Low-countrie-men are yet called Walen or of that part of Brittaine which lieth vpon the West side of it and is called Wales the most gentleman-like and brauest nation you may beleeue him amongst the English and descended also from the Gaulles which their language as yet doth manifest c. From hence Northward or somewhat declining toward the East is Scouwen Scaldia the Latines call it of the riuer Sceldt which runneth by it and heere falleth into the sea c. Suytheuelandt so named of the situation of it toward the South to distinguish it from another distant from it Northward and therefore called Noortheuelandt a large and most goodly tract of ground coasting along the shore of Flanders and Brabant although of late yeares hauing suffered great dammage and losse it is now much lesse and narrower Thus farre Lemnius Tritthemius in the Annalles of the Franks nameth Middleborough the chiefe city of these Ilands Mesoburgus Meyer calleth it Mattiacum more like a Latinist then a true Geographer More of these thou maist read in the forenamed Lemnius who hath most excellently well described all the Ilands of Zeland and the cities of the same To these if thou wilt thou maist adioine Lewis Guicciardine and I know not what els thou canst seeke for further satisfaction There are also certaine Annalles of these Ilands written in the mother tongue by Iohn Reygersberg But for an incomme thou maist also to these former adde the descriptions of the cities of the Low-countries done by Adrian Barland Of the people of this prouince these verses are commonly spoken Crescit nequitia simul crescente senectâ In Zelandinis non fallit regula talis The worse they wax as they grow old In Zelanders this rule doth hold These Ilands are situate between the mouthes of the riuers Maese and Sceldt bordering on the North vpon Holland on the East vpon Brabant on the South vpon Flanders on the West vpon the Germane sea Iames Meyer thinketh that Procopius calleth these Arboricas Yet Petrus Diuaeus is of opinion that this place of Procopius is corrupt and for Arborichas it ought to be read and written Abroditos That these are those Ilands I do verily beleeue vnto which Caesar in his sixth booke De bello Gallico affirmeth that he forced a part of the army of Ambiorix Prince of the Eburones which as his owne words do giue to vnderstand did hide themselues in Ilands which the continuall motion or ebbing and flowing of the sea had made It is also very probable that Lucane in his first booke aimed at these Isles in these his verses Quaque iacet littus dubium quod terra fretumque Vendicat alternis vicibus cùm funditus ingens Oceanus vel cùm refugis se fluctibus aufert Ventus ab extremo pelagus sic axe volutat c. They come in troopes amaine From where th' vncertaine shore doth lie that is nor sea nor land But both by course as raging Tethys flow'th and ebb'th againe Or as the wind with rowling waues all calm'd doth stand From North to South thus carrying to and fro c. And that which the same Authour in his ninth booke sometime did speake of the Syrtes or Quicksands one may now not altogether vnfitly applie to these Ilands where he thus speaketh Primam mundo Natura figuram Cum daret in dubio terrae pelagique reliquit Nam neque subsedit penitus quo stagna profundi Acciperet necse defendit ab aequore tellus Ambigua sed lege loci iacet inuia sedes When as this massie world by Nature first was fram'd A doubtfull case it seem'd how God would haue it nam'd For neither could
the earth receiue the ocean deep Nor land well able was his owne from sea to keep The place so dangerous is that none to it dare go And whether sea or land it be men skarce do know Yet now these our Ilands are habitable and easie and safely to be come vnto by the industrie and labour of man and not by the benefit and nature of the place ZELANDICARVM INSVLARVM EXACTISSIMA ET NOVA DESCRIPTIO AVCTORE D. IACOBO A DAVENTRIA Cum priuilegio HOLLAND THus Erasmus of Roterodam an Hollander doth describe Holland his natiue country Most learned men saith he do agree in this and that vpon great probabil ty that that iland of the Rhein vpon the maine sea which Tacitus maketh mention of in his 20. booke is the same that now they call HOLLAND A land that I must alwaies both highly commend reuerence as to whom indeed I owe my life and natiuitie And I would to God that it lay in my power to do it againe as great credit as it hath done me honour and good for the which I am much bound to praise the Lord. For in that that Martiall doth accuse this nation rusticitatis of clownish simplicity and that in that Lucane calleth the same trucem rough and vnciuill either it is nothing to vs or els I deeme both to be interpreted as a great commendation vnto the same For what nation in former times hath not been somewhat rude and vnciuill or when were the Romanes more to be commended then when they knew no other art or mysterie but husbandrie and discipline of warre If so be that those things which then were said of the Hollanders some man shall stand in they may be verified of them now what greater praise can be attributed to Holland my natiue country then if it may truly be said to loath those iests of Martiall which he himselfe calleth nequitias knaueries And I would to God that all Christians had such eares as these Hollanders had that they might either not entertaine those pestilent conceits of that Poet or at the leastwise would not be delighted with them If any man please to call this clownishnesse we do willingly beare that slanderous reproch as being a thing common to vs with the good Lacedemonians with the old Sabines the worthy Catoes so much commended And Lucane as I thinke called the Hollanders truces rough in no other sense then Virgill calleth the Romane acer stout and hardie Otherwise if any man do respect their homely and plaine maners there is no nation more prone to ciuility and curteous humanity in which there is lesse cruelty or surly sternnesse they are of a good nature plaine void of all trechery and guile inclined to no notorious vices only they are a little too much giuen to their pleasure especially in banquetting the reason of which I iudge to be the wonderfull plenty of all maner of things prouoking them thereunto and that partly by reason of the forrein commodities brought vnto them for that not only it possesseth the two mouths of the goodly riuers Maese and Rhein but also for that the greatest part of this West coast is continually washed with the maine sea partly by reason of the naturall fertility of the countrie which euery where is watered with many great and nauigable riuers well stored with fish and so hath abundance of pastorage and most fatte meadowes Moreouer the fennes and woods affoord infinite store of wild-foule and therefore they constantly affirme that there is no country in the world which in so little compasse and plot of ground conteineth more cities and townes not very big in quantity and circuite but for state of common-wealth and gouernment excellent For cleanlinesse and near keeping of their houses the Hollanders do beare away the bell from all other nations whatsoeuer by the iudgement of Merchants which haue trauelled ouer the greatest part of the world Of meane learned men there is no where greater plenty The reason why many of them come not to the height of that exquisite learning especially of the ancients is their wanton and riotous life or for that they esteeme more of honesty and vertue then great learning For it cannot be denied but that they haue good wits as is manifest by many arguments although indeed it doth not appeare by me whose gift that way is not great as in nothing els Thus farre Erasmus in his Chiliades This country of Holland almost wholly enclosed like a Peninsula with the sea and the mouths of the riuers Maes and Rhein is not very large as being in compasse not more then 60. Dutch miles yet it comprehendeth 29. walled cities which are these DORDRECHT about an hundred yeares since by a deluge and ouerflowing of the sea made an iland by this 4. riuers do runne It is a mightie city inhabited of very wealthy citizens and beautified with most gallant buildings both publike and priuate Heere is a great concourse of Merchants for in it is held the staple of Rhenish wine corne timber and other wares and merchandice which are brought downe by the Maes and Rhein into these countries to be sold HAERLEM this is the most stately and greatest citie of all Holland situate in a most pleasant place Hard without the town walls is a very fine groue whither the citizens vpon festiuall daies do withdraw themselues for their pleasure and recreation after their labour and toilesome busines This town is famous for clothing where it is certaine that there are tenne or twelue thousand clothes yearely made Heere the citizens do perswade themselues the mysterie of printing was first inuented and practised DELET so named of Delft which in their language signifieth a ditch Heere also the townesmen vse clothing Moreouer in this city they brue good beere which from hence in great plenty is transported into Zeland This towne in the yeare 1536. suffered great losse by fire the greatest part of it being vtterly defaced LEIDEN vpon the Rhein not far from his mouth where it sometime did fall into the sea which now you may perceiue to be stopped choaked with sand It is thought to be the most ancient city of this prouince for some do thinke it to haue beene so named of a Roman legion which sometime wintered in this place Certaine antiquities are heere yet to be seene to this day GOVDE vpon the riuer Isel in that place where it meeteth with the riuer Goude or Gouwe whereof the city tooke his name It is very populous AMSTELREDAM most stately built vpon the inlet or bay called Tie the most populous and frequent Mart towne of all these parts In euery street almost like as in Venice a man may passe from place to place by boate aswell as by foot to dispatch his businesse Heere daily from Norway kussia and other Northren countries as also from Spaine France England c. great store of shippes do arriue and ancher so that sometimes you shall see at once
Saxo Grammaticus and Albertus Crantzius calleth this Frisiam Eydorensem of the riuer Eider vpon which it bordereth and Frisiam Minorem the Lesser Friesland both of them making it a branch sprung from those ancient Frisij Cornelius Kempius in his description of Friesland diuideth the whole country into seuen Zelands that is marine shires you may terme them The first is vpon the West of the riuer Fleuus or Isel and now is called Waterlandt Then Westergoe as who would say The West-land The third Oestergoe that is The East-land These three he saith are commonly known and conteined vnder the name of WEST FRIESLAND The fourth is about the riuer Isel where the cities Dauenter Swool Hasselt Steenwijck and Wollenhoue are seated The fifth conteineth the liberties of Groeningen The sixt that part which they call East Friesland The seuenth is from the riuer Weser beyond Elbe euen vnto the little riuer Eyder Otherwise this country of the Frisij is vulgarly diuided into three parts East Friesland West Friesland and Middle Friesland which of some is called Groningen Ptolemey nameth three towns of the Frisij Manarmanis Phleum and Siatutanda Fleum Castellum in Tacitus is the same as I thinke that Phleum is in Ptolemey the same Tacitus also maketh mention of Cruptoricis stipendarij villa the Mannor of Cruptorix the stipendary Item the groue of Baduhenna where he greatly lamenteth that 900. Romans had their throats cut and where another supplie of 400. men after that they had a suspicion of treason did one kill another The same authour writeth that in his time Hercules pillars were heere still remaining The braue couragious minde of this nation and high conceit of their owne valour is manifest by the history of Verritus and Malorix two of their princes For these as Tacitus reporteth going to Rome and finding Nero the Emperour busied about other matters amongst other things which were vsually shewed to barbarous people they came into Pompeys theatre that they might behold the greatnesse of it While they sate idly there vpon the scaffolds for they were not caried away altogether with the sight of the pastimes as if they neuer had seen such before they question about the differences of estates what or who was a knight and where sate the Senatours they obserued some to sit in the Senatours rooms in a strange habit and demanding who they were after they heard that that honour was giuen to the Embassadours of those nations which for valour and amity with the Romans did excell others they cried out with a loud voice THERE ARE NO PEOPLE OF THE WORLD THAT FOR PROVVES AND FIDELITY DO GO BEFORE THE GERMANES and thereupon they left their places placed themselues in the Senatours roome and it was well taken of the beholders as a token of their ancient spirit and earnest emulation of vertue Nero made them both freemen of the city of Rome Pliny writeth in the third chapter of the fifth booke of his naturall historie that amongst the Frieslanders there groweth an hearb which they call Britannica hauing long blacke leaues and a blacke roote The iuice of this herb is pressed also out of the roote The flowres by a proper name they call Vibones which being gathered before any thunder is heard and eaten do wholly preserue a man from that danger This herb is not only good and medicinable for the sinews and diseases of the mouth but also against the Golne or Squinancy and biting of Serpents Whether this herb be at this day certainly knowne and by what name I desire to be informed of our learned Herbatists Whether that the inhabitants of this prouince be those same Frisij or whether happily they tooke their beginning and name from the Phrygians of Asia as some would haue it or from others of other places for Strabo acknowledgeth also certaine Phrygi in Illyria about the Ceraunian hilles I leaue to the learned to determine The idle fables of those men I cannot chose but laugh at which do thinke that these Frisij came into this country from Fresia a prouince of India If I were delighted with fables I had rather with Hanibald fetch the name of this people from their king Frisus the sonne of Clodio The writers of middle age especially the French do call them as I haue obserued Frisones by a name framed of the French word Frisons by which the Frenchmen at this day vulgarly do call the people of this prouince They retaine euen to this day the ancient name For they are commonly amongst themselues in their own language called Friesen by which name also they are known throughout all Germanie They were conuerted vnto Christianitie by S. Boniface Archbishop of Mentz at that same time when Zacharie was Pope of Rome There is a strange historie of Rabod Duke of Friesland who when he should by Baptisme haue beene consecrated and adopted into the number of Christs flocke he demanded to what place his Grandfathers and Great-grandfathers were gone before him and when he vnderstood that they were all gone to Hell he returned backe again saying that he had rather be with his ancestors Whether of this Rabod our word Rahoudt whereby in our Mother tongue we signifie a knaue and a wicked fellow were deriued I cannot tell Suffridus Petrus Frisius hath written generally of the Frisij in a seuerall and peculiar treatise dedicated wholly to this argument Cornelius Kempius and others haue done the like But Vbbo Emmius Frisius Gretensis of all hath done the same most learnedly Oost ende West vrieslandte beschryuinghe VTRIVSQVE FRISIORVM REGIONIS NOVISS DESCRIPTIO 1568. WEST FRIESLAND FRiesland at this day is by the riuer Eems diuided into West Friesland and East Friesland West Friesland whose description we heere do offer vnto thy view doth by a most ancient right chalenge vnto it selfe the name of Friesland and was alwaies esteemed the better For this country had his proper king vntill the daies of Charles the Great after whose death this prouince was diuersly vexed and suffered many greeuous storms of frowning fortunes ire although indeed before that time also it had often been assaulted and battered by the Danes and Norweies Yea and the raging Ocean a continuall and most noisome enemie of this countrie by ouerflowing beating vpon it tearing and rending his walls and banks hath much molested the same and yet it will not suffer it to be quiet Lastly how it hath of later daies been troubled by the Bishops of Vtrecht and Earles of Holland I thinke there is no man but doth well remember But at length in the daies of Charles the fifth a very peaceable prince it enioied peace and rest from all former troubles At this day they do diuide it into three parts Westergoe Oestergoe and Seuenwolden which againe are distinguished into 29. Gretanies as they vulgarly call them in their mother tongue Courts or principall places appointed for the executing of iustice Moreouer in this mappe there is described the territory of the renowmed
city Groningen as also that tract which they call Ommeland to these are adioined Ouerysel Drent and Twent countries of a fatte and fertile glebe well inhabited full of villages and hamlets breeding also great plenty of cattell The cities of West Friesland are thirteen GROENINGEN the more famous for that it brought forth the learned Rodolphus Agricola DAM LIEVVERDT with a faire castle heere is kept the Court or place of Parliament and Chancerie as they commonly call it DOCKVM the place where the famous Mathematician Gemma Frisius was borne FRANICHER a common palace and place of retreit whither the Noblemen and Gentry of this country do for their pleasure retire themselues BOLSART SNEECK where Ioachim Hopper a very learned and worthy man was borne ILST SLOTEN HARLINGEN vpon an arme of the German ocean which they call Suyderzee hath a commodious hauen garded with a strong castle to defend it from the impechment and assault of the enemie WORCKVM and HINDELOPEN vpon the same bay Lastly STAVEREN which in time past hath been a mighty city but now hauing endured many bitter storms and inundations of the sea it is nothing so renowmed nor great There are beside these 490. villages or parishes of which diuers are endowed with great priuiledges and haue many rich farmours It hath many Monasteries so that for the beauty of their townes husbandrie of the land and stately Abbeies Friesland giueth place to no other country whatsoeuer That in this prouince are many gentlemen descended from honourable families hauing their houses and farms in diuers places of the shire and no Barons or free Lords the cause is partly by reason of the foresaid casualities and partly for that they being contented with their own estate and liberty haue not followed the courts of forrein Princes Petrus Oliuarus in his annotations vpon Pomponius Mela where he speaketh of West Friesland writeth that within so little a circuite of ground he neuer saw so many parish Churches There were saith he which do alleadge this to haue been the cause of that multitude of Churches they report that there arose a great contention amongst the nobility of this country about their places in those Churches euery one contending for the highest seat and when as this contention grew euery day worse and worse they determined as many as were able to build them seuerall Curches euery man vpon his owne demaines and so euery man might take the highest roome in his own seat and heere grew the cause of building so many Churches Thus farre Oliuarius where also thou maist see many things els worth the reading Moreouer read Albertus Crantzius his Saxonia But he that desireth a more ample knowledge of this prouince let him haue recourse vnto the description of the Low countries done by Lewis Guicciardine Aelsius Edouardus Leon Frisius hath described this country in Heroike verse dedicated to D. Viglius Zwichemus Cornelius Kempius and Suffridus Petrus haue done the same at large in peculiar treatises The learned Hieronymus Verrutius did this other day promise to set out the antiquities of this Country FRISIA OCCIDENTALIS SIBRANDVS LEONIS LEOVARDIENSIS DESCRIB Cum priuilegio Imp. et Reg. Mtm. ad decennium 1579. Antiquae Frisiae situs sub Augusto Imperatore ut fertur EAST FRIESLAND THat the Frisij did not in former times inhabit this tract but the Cauchi there is none I thinke that doubt Beside Strabo Dion Suetonius Paterculus and Ael Spartianus Ptolemey who distinguisheth them into The Greater and The Lesser doth make mention of this people Ptolemey placeth the Greater Cauchi between the riuers Weiser and Elbe the Lesser between Eems and Weiser where now these Frieslanders which we call East-Frieslanders at this day do dwell Of the Cauchi Pliny in the first Chapter of his sixteenth booke thus speaketh In the North we haue seene saith he the countries of the Cauchi the Greater and the Lesser as they are termed altogether void of wood and trees For by an huge in-let there twise euery day and night by courses the sea runneth in amaine confusedly couering whatsoeuer generally the earth bringeth forth leauing it doubtfull which is sea and which is land There the silly distressed people get them vp to the toppes of high hills or mounts raised by labour and industrie of men according to the height of the highest tide as they find by experience and thereon they build their poore cottages where they dwell like sailers floting on the waters when the ocean flowing encloseth them round or like those which haue suffered shipwrake when the waters ebbing returne backe againe and then they go out to fish about their cabbines when they obserue the fish to follow the tide They haue no cattell they liue not vpon milke and whit-meats as their neighbours do they hunt not any wild beast as being farre from any shrubs or bushes where they may hide their heads Of Reike a kind of seaweed and rushes growing vpon the washes and boggy places they twist cords whereof they make their fishing nets and taking vp a kind of muddy earth with their hands drying it rather with the wind then with the sunne they vse it for fuell to dresse their meat and heat their limmes starke and stiffe with the cold blasts of the Northren winds They haue no other drinke but raine water which they catch and keep in ditches in the porches of their houses Yet these nations if they be at this day conquered by the Romanes they count it no other but slauery and bondage So it is indeed fortune is fauourable to some to their owne hurt and hinderance Thus Pliny writeth of this people who wondereth that they preferred liberty before the tyrannous command of the Romanes or rather as I thinke he enuieth that they were freed from their yoke For neither is it yet so wonderfull a thing as he would make it for a free nation before all things els whatsoeuer to maintaine their liberty which is excellent a thing in his iudgement ô Pliny whom thou thy selfe doest highly commend before all other who perswadeth vs to maintaine the same with the vttermost hazard of our life and affirmeth it worthily to be desired and preferred not only of man but also of brute beasts before all things in the world beside This country in former times was diuided into many Signiories which seuerally were gouerned by their seuerall and proper Princes euen vnto the time of Fredericke the third Emperour of Rome who gaue this whole country vnto one Vlricke and created him Earle of the same in the yeare after Christs natiuity 1465. The soile of this tract is so rich of all necessarie things that it seemeth not greatly to stand in need of the help of neighbour countries Yea it doth so plentifully abound with diuers things as Horses Oxen Cattell Hogges Wool Butter Cheese Barley Oates Wheat Beanes Pease and Salt that from hence euery yeare they conuey great store of these commodities vnto forrein countries This County hath
but two walled cities namely Eemden and Awricke Of which EEMDEN situate at the mouth of the riuer Eems is the common Mart-towne of the whole prouince for concourse of Merchants especially famous which indeed is caused by the commodiousnesse and opportunity of the hauen which doth thrust it selfe so farre vp into the heart of the city at such a great height and depth that it doth easily receiue and entertaine great shippes full laden with sailes stricken into the very middest of the same This city is much beautified with the sumptuous palace of the Prince a gorgeous Church the Yeeld hall and the goodly houses of the priuate citizens AVRICK by reason of the woods and groues which on all sides almost do inclose it is inhabitd for the most part of Gentlemen and Noblemen where they recreate and delight themselues with Hawking and Hunting In the territorie of this city there is as Kempius reporteth a place called Iyl enclosed round with a wall beset with bushes a commodious dwelling for Hares and Deere in which as in a Parke or warrein they maintaine a great number of these kind of beasts which none dare take vnder a great penalty but they are reserued for the Earles disport and pastime when he is disposed to recreate himselfe with hunting In the confines also of this city Awricke is a little hill rising somewhat high commonly they call it Obstalsboom or Vpstalsbom where the seat of Iustice or Court leet for the whole shire is ordinarily held Heere they were wont euery yeare out of all the Zelands to meet in the open and wild fields and there by the most skilfull and approued lawiers such as best knew their customs and lawes to end and determine all controuersies arising between man and man In this precinct also are diuen castles villages and farms Of hamlets and end-waies such is the number that oft times one doth touch another The greatest part of which both for beauty of their houses and streets as also for multitude of inhabitants and strangers do so excell that they may foe honour and greatnesse contend with diuers cities of Germany The people do giue themselues either to traffique as Merchants or to get their liuings by occupations and handy-crafts or by playing the husbandmen and tilling the ground With their neighbours and forreners they speake in the Dutch tongue amongst themselues they vse a peculiar language proper to that nation and not vnderstood of strangers They are comely apparelled yea euen the very country people so that a man would take them to be citizens The women weare a kind of attire and apparell much differing from that of other nations They bind vp all the haire of their had into one locke and that set out with diuers siluer and gilt spangles and buttons they let to hang behind their backe Their head they bind vp in Summer with a caull of red coloured silke behung with siluer spangles but in the Winter they weare an hood of green cloth wherewith they do so couer their whole head that skarsely one may see their eies this kind of attire they call an Hatte Their vpper garment huick of loose gowne which they weare abroad from the head to the foot is pleited with many small pleits and is so stiffe with siluer and gilt wire or plate wouen into it that when it is put off it will stand vpright This sometime is made of red sometime of green cloth In this country of East-Friesland there are also two other counties the one called Esens the other Ieueren bearing the names of their chiefe towns Of the situation of this prouince nature and maners of the people read Vbbo Emmius FRISIA ORIENTALIS RIDERIAE PORTIONIS facies ante inundationem qui postea sinus maris factus est DENMARKE SAxo Grammaticus hath thus described Denmarke DENMARKE saith he parted in the middest by the boisterous sea conteineth a few small parts of the maine continent seuered and disioined one from another by the breaking in of the ocean winding and turning it selfe diuers waies Of these IVTIA Iuitland is in respect of the greatnesse and beginning in the enterance of the kingdome of Denmarke Which as it is in situation first so running out further it is placed in the vtmost borders of Germany From whose company it being parted by the intercourse of the riuer Eydor it runneth with a larger breadth toward the North euen to the banke of the frith of Norwey he calleth it Fretum Noricum In this is the bay of Lemwicke Sinus Lymicus abounding with such store of fish that it alone yeeldeth as much prouision of victuall to the inhabitants as all the whole country beside To this is adioined FRESIA Strand Friesen a prouince much lesser which lying more low then Iuitland in plaine and champion fields receiueth from the sea ouerflowing it great strength and heart and is very settile for come Whose inundation or violent tide whether it do bring to the country people more profit or dammage it is hard to say For in tempestuous weather the Sea breaking in through the creeks wherein the water was wont to be contained such a world of waters oft times doth follow and come into the country that diuers times it runneth ouer not only the fallow fields but drowneth also whole families with their goods and cattell After Iuitland the ile FIONIA Fuinex doth follow vpon the East which a narrow arme of the ocean sea doth seuer from the maine land This iland as vpon the West it looketh toward Iuitland so vpon the East it hath the ile SEELAND Sialandia he calleth it an iland much commended for the great abundance of all maner of necessary things that it yeeldeth which for pleasant situation is thought to excell all the prouinces of this kingdome and is supposed to be in the middest of Denmarke indifferently situate between the one end of the same and the other Vpon the East side of this an arme of the ocean runneth between it and SCONE Scania Scandinauia Basilia and Baltia called by diuers authours a part of Norwey or Swedland This sea yearely affoordeth great gaine to the Fishermen For this whole bay or gulfe of the sea is so full of all sorts of fish that the fishermen oft times do catch such store and therewith they so fraight their boats that they haue no roome to stirre their oares neither do they heere vse any nets or other meanes to take the fish but many times they are taken only with the hand Moreouer HALLAND and BLIEKER Blekingia he nameth it two prouinces issuing forth from the maine land of Scone like two armes from one and the same body of a tree are by many spaces and by-corners adioined and knitte to Gotland and Norwey Thus farre Saxo Grammaticus See also Albert Crantzius Sebastian Munster and the Ecclesiasticall history of M. Adams The kingdome of NORVVAY is subiect to the crowne of Denmarke as also the ile GOTLAND Item if you will giue credit to Marke
Iordane in his mappe of Denmarke the ilands Groenland Island Hetland Feroa and the Orkneys Yet we haue said before that the Orkney iles do belong vnto the kingdome of Scotland vnder the name and title of a Dukedome Olaus also saith but falsly as I perswade my selfe that the I le Gotland doth belong vnto the kingdome of Swedland GOTHIA or the ile Gotland is a good ground for the feeding and bringing vp of cattell horses and oxen There is plentifull fishing fowling and hunting It is very rich of a kind of faire marble as also of all maner of things necessary for the maintenance of mans life In it is the goodly towne Visbui sometime the most famous and frequent Mart of all Europe There are yet remaining certaine ruines of marble sufficient testimony of his ancient greatnesse and beauty at this day it is now renowmed for the faire Abbey of Benedictine Friers and the Library there containing about 2000. bookes of sundry authours rare and ancient manuscripts Thus farre out of Olaus Magnus and Iacobus Zieglerus CIMBRICA CHERSONES VS now called IVITLAND CImbrica Chersonesus out of the which the Cimbri about the yeare 105. before the incarnation of Christ issued forth and spread themselues in other countries of Europe to the great terrour and affrighting of all Italie stretching it selfe from the riuer Elbe into the North about 80. miles containeth many large and goodly shires It is a part of the kingdome of Denmarke which M. Adams nameth Daniam Cismarinam Denmarke on this side the sea In the entrance of it as one commeth out of Saxony there standeth HOLSTATIA Holstein which old writers for that it is disioined and seuered four the rest of Germany toward the North by the riuer Elbe Albis they called it named NORDALBINGIA and for that it was alwaies accounted the vttermost Northren bound of the Roman Empire and therefore Henry surnamed Auceps the Fowler Emperour of Rome about 650. since had heere in the city of Sleswicke somewhat beyond the limites of the Empire a Lieutenant and Lord-warden of the Marches Holstein conteineth three principall shires WAGRIA STORMAR and DITMARSH of the which Federicke the Emperour about 106. yeares agone made a Dukedome The next prouince from the riuer Eydore which is the furthest bound of Holstein euen vnto Kolding conteineth the Dukedome of Sleswick so named of Sleswick the chiefe city and ancientest mart towne of this country For in former times this country was intituled by the name of the Dukedome of Iuitland which Waldemare the great-grand-child of Abel king of Denmarke first held by homaga from Erick their king about the yeare of Christ 1280. The male line of the Kings and Dukes failing and the Dukedome of Sleswick and the kingdome of Demnarke being vnited and knit into one body Queen Margaret heire to the three crownes granted the Dukedome of Sleswick to Gerard Duke of Holstein on this condition that he should acknowledge his tenure from the king of Denmarke The rest of Cimbrica Chersonesus called North Iuitland stretching it selfe toward Norway by Scagen a towne by reason the quicksands and the shallow sea there well known to sea men groweth sharp and narrow like a wedge This prouince is broadest about Aleburgh a mart towne vpon an arme of the sea which they call Lymford for there it falleth into Iuitland and pearceth almost quite thorow the same Westward diuiding Wensussel only a very narrow space except from the rest making it a Peninsula or Neckland from thence spreading it selfe into a greater breadth enclosing and compassing many goodly ilands putting forth many elbowes and branches it distinguisheth and boundeth diuers shires and countries In this Bay is that Iland which Otho the first Emperour of Rome about the yeare after Christs incarnation 960. when as he passed with his army from the one end of Iuitland to the other called Ottonia whereof the whole tract about this I le is called Otthesunt or vulgarly Odsunt That iland is now called Tyrhalm so named as I guesse of Tyre the mother of king Harald who after the departure of the Emperour Otho out of Iuitland caused all the country from Sleswick Northward to be fenced with a wall and deepe trench In that Iland at this day there is a village called Odby where they suppose that the Iuites ouerthrew the Emperour and his forces Thus farre the authour of this chart hath written of this whole prouince DANIAE REGNI TYPVS CORNELIVS ANTONIADES DESCRIPSIT Cum Priuilegio CIMBRICAE CHERSONESI nunc IVTIAE descriptio auctore Marco Iordano Cum priuileio decenn 1595. HOLSATIA vulgarly called HOLSTEIN OF Holstein thus Crantzius in the seuen and twentieth Chapter of his fifth booke of the history of Saxony Holstatia tooke the name of a vulgar word of thar language for that the country is woody and full of forrests to distinguish between these parts and the other neere adioining which are moorish and green pasture grounds The Saxons call the inhabitants Holsaten that is people dwelling amongst the woods on the contrary those which dwell in fenny countries they call Merstude Thereof the Latines haue formed he names Holsati Holsatia Holsaten and Holstein like as the French and Italians are from their own languages wont to enrich the Latine tongue Vpon the East this country is bounded by the riuer Bilene on the West by Store on the South by Elbe or Elue on the North by Eydore which in time past was the furthest bound of Denmarke From this riuer Eastward the Wandalles or Vandalles otherwise called Wagers did inhabit of whom that prouince was named WAGRIA of an ancient and sometime a populous city of that name now a poore village little inhabited without wall trench rampart or fence the houses are couered with reeds gathered in the fennes homely and country like it runneth out Eastward as farre as the riuer Trauenna Notwithstanding that part of the country which from the riuer Bilene by Elbe declineth toward the riuer Store and of that riuer is called Stormare leaueth but a little ground to the old Holsatia from Store to Eydore For the Dietmarshers a people inhabiting in mournish and fenny places do claime a freedome and priuiledge from the iurisdiction of any other Prince This Crantzius in his time wrote of the state of Holstein then Whereupon it is apparant that Holstein was diuided into Thietmarsh Wagria and Stormare The same Crantzius and others do also call these Holsaters Transabianos and Nordalbianos as situate beyond and vpon the North-side of the riuer Elbe called of the Latines Albis Ado nameth them also Northuidos vnder whom are conteined as the same authour and Helmoldus do write the Stormaren Holsaters and Thietmarshers He that wrote of the warres between the Danes and Dietmarshers his name we know not doth describe these countries somewhat otherwise then those forenamed writers haue done For he affirmeth that Holstein as now it is called generally doth comprehend the Dukedome of Sleswicke Wagria Stormare Dietmarsh and Iuitland with
and met the enemy before the towne Heyde entending to force the souldiers to retire being wearied with a tedious march but oft repelled and yet charging againe afresh at length they are beaten downe killed forced to flie and the towne is taken and fired There were slaine that day about 3000. Dietmarshers Duke Adolph labouring like a valiant captaine to keep his men in aray and to bring them on againe which began to flie receiued an hurt This battell was fought vpon the thirteenth day of Iune The Dietmarshers hauing receiued this ouerthrow submitted themselues to the King and the Dukes and obteining pardon they were againe receiued to grace and thus Dietmarsh which for many ages together by force of armes had defended and maintained their liberty became subiect to the Dukes of Holstein This the authour of this Mappe which heere we haue inserted into our Theater hath written of this country See also Albert Crantzius his Chronicle of Saxony Christianus Silicius a Dane hath lately set forth a little Treatise in which he hath described these warres between the Danes and the Dietmarshers and other things which do much make for the better vnderstanding of this tract OLDENBVRG THis country tooke his name from Oldenburg the chiefe city Albertus Crantzius in his Metropolis in the fifteenth chapter of the third booke writeth that this is one of the most ancient Earledomes of Germany for in the thirty chapter of his second booke he reckoneth Widekind Duke of Saxony who liued in the time of Charles the Great amongst the Earles of this country Iraenicus affirmeth that this city was repaired by Charles the Great who also there dedicated a church to S. Iohn Baptist consecrated by Edalgarge the Bishop In this I thinke he is deceiued that he reckoneth this city amongst the cities of the Wandalls and describeth it vpon that coast For this is another city different from that and is in VVagria a prouince of Holstein nothing neere Pomerland This the VVandalls called Stargard the Danes Brannesia ech according to the propriety of his owne tongue as the same Crantzius writeth The authour of this Mappe thinketh that the Ambrones a people which went into Italie with the Cimbers and were slaine and ouerthrowen by Marius as Plutarch recordeth dwelt heere about and their name yet to remaine amongst that people which they call Amerlanders The same he thinketh of the Alani Saxones which he verily beleeueth to haue sometime dwelt about the lake Alana in this prouince vpon ech side of the riuer Alana both in the Mappe are written Ana euen as high as the castell Oria and at this day to be called Lengener as who would say Alani and Auerlenger that is the Alanes on the further side Andrew Hoppenrode in his booke of Pedigrees hath something of the Earles of this County But Dauid Chytraeus hath written the best of any man of it in his history of Saxony THIETMARSIAE HOLSATICAE REGIONIS PARTIS TYPVS Auctore Petro Boeckel OLDENBVRG COMIT Laurentius Michaelis describ WESTPHALIA or as vulgarly it is called WESTPHALEN THis country seated between the riuers Weiser and Rhein runneth out toward the South almost as farre as Hessen his North border abutteth vpon Friesland The famous riuers Eems and Lippe Amasis and Lupias besides some other of lesser note do runne through this country The soile is reasonably fertile but of those things rather that do belong to the maintenance of sheep cattell and such like beasts than men It yeeldeth diuers kinds of fruits as apples nuts and acorns wherewith they feed and fatte their swine for of these they haue great store the gammons and legges of which dried in the smoke are from hence farre and neere transported and caried into forrein countries for the gammons of Westphalen bacon are accounted for a dainty dish at great mens tables These also that country people do sometime eat raw and take it for a sauory meat It is more fertile about Susate and Hammon but most rich of all commodities in the prouince of Paderborne and Lippe The diocesse of Munster is good meadow and pasture ground as also that tract which is about Weisser in some places It is woody all about Surland and the county of Berg. About Collen and the county of Marche it is not without some veine of mettall The people are goodly men of a tall and comely stature strong and able bodies and courageous stomacke It hath many good souldiers well trained and ready at an houres warning The Counties and Noble houses which do belong to this Countrie are in the iudgement of Roleuinge the County of Benthem Tekelenburgh March VValdecke Spigelberg Dinstlaken Oldenburg Diephold Rauesburg Limburg Arnsburg Ritburg Lippe Buren Rekelinchuisen Ludinchuyssen Steenuord Horstmare Borchlo Brunckhorst Gemme and Cappenberg to these also Hammelman addeth Delmenhorst Lingen and Sterneberg The people about the tract of Collen and in March are the Surlandi the Bergenses which dwell in the mountaines and such as are subiect to the Duke of Cleeueland the Emeslandi in the Bishopricke of Munster and the inhabitants about the riuer Eems and toward Friesland the Slachterlandi in the same prouince neere Cloppenburg and the Norlandi that is the Northren people in the tract of Osnaburg lastly the Delbruggij in the diocesse of Paderborne The chiefe cities of Westphalen properly so called are Munster Dusseldorp Wesall Oldenburg Osnaburg Minde Herworden and of lesse note Widenbrug and Coesueldt Some do account the ancient and true Saxony to be Westfalen and do thinke it to haue been inhabited long since by the Cherusci whose Prince or Generall Tacitus and Velleius do write to haue been that same Arminius who slew Quintilius Varus the Romane and put his three legions to the sword Herman Hamelman hath set out the description of this country in a seuerall treatise out of whom we haue gathered this briefe discourse he nameth and citeth for his authours Werner Roleuing Gobeline and others mo of lesse note writers which yet I haue not knowen The studious Reader to these may adioine Albert Crantz his Saxony Item Dauid Chytraeus his history of Saxony where he hath a large and learned description of this country Of this prouince this rythme and prouerbe is commonly spoken by trauellers Hospitium vile Cranck broot dun bier langhe mile Sunt in Westphalia Qui non vult credere loop da. Lodging base hard bed Kentish miles small drinke and brown bread In Westphalen be He that will not beleeue 't let him go see WESTPHALIAE TOTIVS FINITIMARVMQVE REGIONVM ACCVRATA DESCRIPTIO Qui olim Saxones postea se Ostphalos et Westphalos dixere Visurgi flumine distinctos Ostphalorum autem Vocabulum in Saxonum denuo euanuit At Westphali in hodiernum usque diem nomen retinēt Vetusque tanquam spurium respuentes Cum Imp. et Reg. M tm priuilegio ad decennal 1579. Christianus Schrot Sonsb descripsit Cum Priuilegio SAXONY ALthough this Mappe do beare the title of Saxony notwithstanding it conteineth not all
Saxony for the true and ancient Saxony was comprehended in former times between the riuers Elue and Rhein according to his vttermost length the breadth of it was restrained by the Germane sea and the riuer Eydore and the borders of Hessen and Thuringen Brunswicke was almost in the center and middest of it But now it is not bounded with those or such like naturall bounds such as riuers and mountaines are but it is confined by other Princes signiories and countries Therefore Saxony at this day is diuided into the Vpper and Neather The Vpper or High Saxony is that which this Mappe doth represent and is graced with the title of a Dukedome whose Duke also is one of the Princes Electours which haue their voices in the choosing of the Emperour The chiefe townes of this prouince are VVitteberg and Torga Of Saxony and the antiquities of the same Albert Crantz hath written a whole volume M. Adams also in the first booke of his Ecclesiasticall history hath some things of this country worth the reading Hamelman hath set out the histories of Saxony and VVestfalen They that do desire to know the situation buttes and bounds and famous acts let them read VVitichinde and Sebastian Munster Pet. Albinus Niuemontius very lately and Dauid Chytraeus haue written very learnedly of this prouince Of the Marquesate of BRANDENBVRG LVSATIA Laussnitz and VOITLAND countries which we haue also described in this Chart take these few lines The Marquesate of BRANDENBVRG one of those prouinces which in old time were inhabited of the Wandalls is diuided at this day into the Old and the New by this runneth the riuer Oder by that Elue Albis the Latines call it In the old Marquesate the chiefe city is Brandenburg whereof the whole country tooke his name The New hath the city Franckford vulgarly called Franckford vpon Oder to make a difference between it and that which is situate vpon the riuer Meyn Heere is an Vniuersitie and a great Mart kept twise euery yeare At Berline is the Princes court ordinarily kept Him of the Marquesate they commonly call the Marquesse he also is one of the Prince Electours VOITLAND is a little shire subiect to the Marquesse This Aeneas Syluius calleth Aduocatorum terram and Praetorianam the Sollicitours or Controwlers land framing a word from the Etymologie or true meaning of the Germaine name for Voyt in the Dutch tongue signifieth a Sollicitour or Controwler So called for that sometime the Prince of this country was one of the foure controwlers of the Roman Empire The townes of better note are these as Gasper Bruschius thus reckoneth them vp in Munsters Cosmographie Curia Regnitiana Renitz court commonly called Hoff so named of the riuers which runne by it and there falling into Sala a great city and very populous beautified with the goodly and stately Church of S. Michael a large Monastery of Nunnes and two rich Hospitalls Plauhenium or Plaun a city with a castell Olsnitz which the castell Voytzberg neere adioining Adorff and Weidonium Weyda as I thinke a faire towne with certaine Abbeies about them Milford and VVhite-crowne Geraw Scletz and whatsoeuer is between the Hoff and Cygney standing vpon the riuer Elster Hallestra the Latines call it Neere vnto this is Feichtelberg that famous mountaine bearing plentifully the stately Pine-trees out of which foure riuers do arise runne a very strange worke of Nature vnto foure quarters of the world namely Egre Meyn Nabe and Sala VVolfangus Iobstius hath written a curious description of the Marquesate of Brandenburg LVSATIA Laussnitz is diuided into Ober Laussnitz and Nider Laussnitz the Vpper and the Neather it is also is a part of Saxony as Rithaymer testifieth It lieth between the riuers Elue and Oder and the Bohemian mountaines Sometime it was a part of Meisen Misnia and was adioined to it but the Bohemians who laboured by all meanes to enlarge the bounds of their kingdome and command at length seized it into their hands The people in maners conditions and language do not much differ from the Silesians only they are distinct from them by name and iurisdiction as gouerned by seuerall Princes The name and appellation of Lusatia is somewhat neere in sound to the name of Elysij or Lygij which it is certaine as Ioachinus Cureus writeth sometime dwelt heere about Their chiefe cities are Gorlitz and Sittaw and some others The riuer Neiss runneth through the middest of this country Gasper Peucer hath this other day in Elegiacke verse described the same in a pecular treatise MISNIA Meisen and THVRINGIA Thuringen are described and set out in their seuerall tables which we haue heereafter inserted into this our Theater of the World in their proper places A portraiture and draught of these countries shaddowed and counterfeited out of the Geographicall Chart of Iohn Criginger which was imprinted at Prage in Bohemia in the yeare of Christ 1568. we haue adioined to this our worke SAXONIAE MISNIAE THVRINGIAE NOVA EXACTISSIMAQUE DESCRIPTIO Cum priuilegio The county of MANSFIELD MANSFIELD a part of Old Saxonie is thought to haue beene so called of Mannus the second king of the Germanes For Mansueldt in this country speech seemeth to signifie nothing else but The field of Mannus Which deriuation Ascanien another place not far from hence denominated as some men do verily beleeue of Ascenez the first authour of the Germane name and nation doth seeme strongly to confirme Heere also is Ascher leuben which in their language is as much to say as The house of Aschenez There is also a lake which of Ascenez is called Ascherslebische see This countrie hath vpon the East the riuer Sala the territories of the Archbishopricke of Magdeburg and the Diocesse of Merseburg on the South lieth Turingen on the West the Counties of Swartzburg and Stolberg the Principalities of Sangerhouse Anhalt and Asseburg So that these Earles of Mansfield which are also called The noble Lords of Heldrungen haue these princes their neere neighbours the Archbishop of Magdeburg the bishop of Merseburg the Prince Electour of Saxony the Landgraue of Thuringia the Duke of Saxony the bishop of Halberstade the Prince of Anhald the Lord of Bernburg the Earles of Swartzburg and Stolburg the Lords of Werther and Asseburg When or by whom this prouince was graced with the title of an EARLDOME Andrew Hoppenrode in his booke which he hath written set forth of the Petigrees of the Saxon Princes plainly confesseth that he is altogether ignorant Notwithstanding this same authour and with him Syriacus Spangeberg do auerre it to haue beene very ancient by this that an Earle of this country called Herger did liue in the daies of Great Arthur that renowmed king of the Britans and was one of those which together with the rest of the worthies of this king were first made Knights of the order of the Round Table Now this king Arthur we know liued about 542. yeres after the incarnation of our Sauior Christ But if there be
any man that shall thinke and obiect that this storie of the Round Table is too fabulous to confirme this our assertion yet this is certaine and cannot be doubted of that in England almost in the middest of the kingdome there is a towne called Mansfield situate betweeene the riuers of Trent and Rotheram not farre from the city of Nottingham This county containeth also foure other counties namely ARNSTEDT WIPRA WETHIN and QVERNFVRT all which in former times had their proper and peculiar Earles but now at this day beside the counte Mansfield they haue not any one In this county also there is the county Palatine of Saxony Moreouer there are beside these certaine other Lordships and Principalities as thou maist see in the Mappe The chiefe and principall cities are MANSFIELD EYSLEBEN WIPRA and LEIMBACH This country is very full of Mettall-mines Heere out of the earth are digged those sleitstones which they call Scheyffersteyn such as scarcely are to be found as Sebastian Munster writeth in any other place of the world beside It hath also certaine stones laden with Copper which being burnt in the fire and then steeped and washed in water do yeeld the mettall and together with it some good store of Siluer But this is a wonderfull strange pranke that Nature heere in sporting maner vsually plaieth which the same authour there speaketh of well worth the obseruation namely of a great Lake in this country well stored with diuers and sundry sorts of fish all which kinds of fish together with the paddockes frogs newts and such other things liuing in this lake are found so curiously expressed shaped out in stones as we haue to our great admiration beheld as it is a very hard matter at the first sight vpon the sudden to discern them from the naturall liuing creatures of that kind and that so liuelily that thou shalt be able presently to distinguish one from another and to call them by their seuerall and proper names Some of these I haue giuen me by Peter Ernest the most renowmed and illustrious Earle of this country and worthy Gouernour of the prouince of Lutzenburg There is a Lake in this country which by reason of the saltnesse of the water they call Gesaltzen into which if the fishermen shall cast in their nets ouer deepe they will presently be sienged schorched euen as if they had beene burnt or drawne through the fire as Seuerinus Gobelinus in his history of Amber reporteth The same authour writeth that neere vnto Eisleben there was not long since a piece of Amber found as bigge as a mans head Syriacus Spangeberg did promise to set out the history of this countrey wherin all the cities castles villages mountaines woods riuers lakes mines c. should seuerally be described together with the Antiquities Records Petigrees and such other historicall matters of the same MANSFELDIAE COMITATVS DESCRIPTIO auctore Tilemanno Stella Sig. The Principality of HENNENBERG THe terrirory and precinct of the Princes of HENNENBERG a part of East France how large and wide it was you may see by this our Chorographicall Mappe the buts and bounds of it are thus Vpon the West and North it hath Thuringen and the great forest which of this countrie is called Durynger Waldt whose head on these parts doth diuide Thuringen from Frankenland on the South it is confined with the riuer of Meyn and the bishoprickes of Bamberg and Wuitzburg Moreouer the East part is enclosed with that great mountaine which the country people do call Die Rhon or Rosn vpon the same side also it hath the Diocesse of Fulden and the prouince of Hessen This country is wonderfully stored with deere wild fowle fish and such other things necessary for the maintenance of mans life It hath also some Mines of mettals especially of iron whereof great store is yearely from hence to the great gaine and commodity of the inhabitants transported into forren countries It is watered heere and there with many and diuers fountaines heads or springs of the riuer Visurgis which in these parts they call Die Werra but moâ—e properly it is of some in other places called Die Wesser which indeed the name of the Abbey Vesser doth seeme to approoue for truth which Francis Irenicus and Wolfgangus Lazius do verily beleeue to haue beene so denominated of Wasser which in the Germane is as much to say as water in the English Of the first beginning and originall of this house or family of Hennenberg by reason of the negligence of the writers and Historians of those times we can determine nothing for certainty beside this that in the time of Attila and Charles the Great some authours do make mention of the Princes of Hennenberg which also were Earles of Frankland and Burggraues of Wurtzeburg So againe in the time of Henry the first Emperour of Germany Gottwald and Otto of this house of Hennenberg serued valiantly in defence of the Empire against the assaults and inrodes of the Vgri Item the Boppones two learned men of this family in the yeares of Christ 941. and 961. were bishops of Wurtzeburg and gouerned that sea with the great applause and praise of all men But the true pedigree of these Princes is deriued from BOPPO who in the yeare of our Lord 1078. following Henry the fourth the Emperours side in the battell fought betweene him and Rudolph the Switzer neere to the city Melrichstadt valiantly fighting was honourablie slaine in the field After him succeeded his sonne GOTTEBALD first founder of the Abbey of Vesser for the Monkes of the order of the brotherhood of the Praemonstratenses After him followed his sonne BERTHOLD then BOPPO the Second next him BOPPO the Third all which succeeded one after another in a right line This Boppo the Third had by his second wife Iutta of Thuringen HERMAN whose sonne BOPPO the Fourth died leauing no issue behind him But by his first wife Elizabeth of the familie of the Princes of Saxony he had HENRY who had issue HENRY the Second HERMAN the Second and BERTHOLD the Second Henry had issue BOPPO the Fift whose sonne BERTHOLD the Third died without issue But after Herman these Princes HENRY the Second HERMAN the Third FREDERICK the First GEORGE the First and lastly FREDERICK the Second lineally descended one from another successiuely gouerned this prouince This Fredericke had issue HERMAN who by his wife Margaret of the family of Brandenburg had two sonnes BERTHOLD the Fourth and ALBERT both which died in the yeare of our Lord God 1549. and left no issue behind them Then of the line of Berthold the Second third sonne of Henry the First succeeded BERTHOLD the Fift who for his singular virtues wisedome experience and excellent gifts other waies was in the yeare after Christs incarnation 1310. by Henry of Lutzelburg the Emperour with the generall consent of the whole company of the Electours installed one of the Princes of the Empire And after that for the same his virtues and
their game most laboriously others do take as great paines in ordering and ruling the commonwealth ending of controuersies and seeing that the lawes be duly kept and executed others do busie themselues in building and fortifiing of towns and câ—ties making them not only defensible against the assault and battery of the enemy in time of war but also gorgeous and beautifull to the great delight and astonâ—shment of the beholders in time of peace What should I speake of the goodly wholesome springs the pleasant greene meadowes pastures and vallies which for fruitfulnesse may iustly contend with those of Aemonia that fertile country of Greece so much commended by Poets and Historians Of the sundry and manifold pleasures and delighâ—some places brookes and cleare running waters of this country c. HENNEBERGENSIS DITIONIS vera delineatio Cum Privilegio decennali 1594. HASSIAE DESCRIPTIO IOANNE DRYANDRO AVCTORE Cum Gratia Privilegio decen 1579 THVRINGIA OR DVRINGEN THis Prouince was sometime a Kingdome at this day it is onley graced with the title of a LANDTGRAVY It is seated betweene the two riuers Sala and Werra Vpon the North it is bounded with that great wood which the Historians call Sylua Hercinia and of them is called Hartz On the South it hath the vast forest of Thuringia Duringer Waldt they call it The length of this country which is equall to the breadth is about twelue Germane miles In this narrow compasse as I remember not long since Hugh Brinkhorst an Englishman a citizen of Erford my good friend did tell me there are 12. COVNTIES or Earledomes and as many ABBEIS which they call Gefurstete Abtyen 144. CITIES with so many MARKET TOVVNS Mercktflecken 2000. PARISHES and 150. CASTLES It is a passing fertile country and of wheat and such like corne it yeeldeth greater plenty than any other country of Germany whatsoeuer Whereupon George Agricola doubted not to call it Sumen Germaniae The Sweet-bread of Germany Heere yearely groweth great plenty of woad Isatis the Latines call it which from hence is transported into other countries to the great gaine and commodity of the inhabitants It is an herbe or weed much vsed of Diers to set the more perfect and durable colour in wooll or wollen cloth Heere some are of opinion that sometime the SORABI did inhabite Reinerus Reyneckius in his booke which he wrote of the Originall of the Myssen Mysni doth thinke these Tyringetae to be nothing else but as one would say Tyringotae that is The Gothes of Thuringia and thereupon their city Gothen or Gotha he maketh no question tooke the name Zacharias Riuander in the Dutch tongue hath set out a peculiar treatise containing a description of this countrie The Metropolitane or chiefe city of this prouince is Erford which is held to be the greatest city of all Germany The crystall and nimble streamed Gera runneth almost through euery street of this city as we there beheld to our great delight and exceeding commodity of the people inhabiting the same In it there is a mount vpon the which doth stand a goodly Monastery of Frier Benedictines dedicated vnto S. Peter Here also is a stately church built by Boniface bishop of Mentz and dedicated to our Lady Mary the blessed Virgin This church hath a bell famous all Germany ouer for the huge bignesse of it and massie weight MISNIA THis country is by Iohn Garzo of Bononia an Italian thus described This prouince saith he is seated vpon the riuer Elbe on the Eastside the Vindali the Bohemi on the South the Saxons on the North and Libonotria or the Eudoses on the West are neere neighbours to this country it is contained within the riuers Sala and Muldaw beyond the riuer Sala the Thuringers dwell In it are many rich and wealthy cities and diuers strong castles Here sometime as Ptolemey testifieth the Calucones and the Danduti did inhabite But Libonotria was possessed of the Herthanae Eudosi Varini and Suardones all which afterward were generally called Serabi The country is very fertile of all maner of graine so that it is able in regard of the great abundance thereof to serue almost all the neighbour countries neere adioining Neither doth it yeeld such great store of wheat only but also of wine hony and cattell Thus farre out of the same Garzo The head city of this prouince is Meissen Misna of which the whole country tooke the name The riuer Elbe Albis runneth hard by the wals of this city Heere is a very goodly and strong castle Dresden where the Prince doth ordinarily keepe his court is a city also situate vpon ech side of this riuer Elbe crosse ouer the which a goodly bridge doth passe from one part of the city to the other Torgaw also standeth vpon the same riuer where there is brewed an excellent kind of beere and is thereupon called by the name of this towne Torgaw beere Item Leipzig situate vpon the riuer Pleisse is the greatest and wealthiest market towne in all these parts hither the Merchants do flocke from all quarters farre and neere to the Mart that here is held thrise euery yeere Heere also is a pretty Vniuersity translated hither as Munster saith from Prage in Bohemia about the yeere of our Lord 1408. This towne is verie goodlily built and hath many faire houses but especially the Guild-hall where the Aldermen vsually meet not long since repaired with great cost and expences is of all others most gorgeous The people are very neat cleanly courteous and humane Beside these there are diuers other pretty townes as Zeitz Schreckenberg Naumburg and Freiberg a rich towne by reason of the Gold-mine neere adioining Heere in old time dwelt the Hermanduri as Munster with other good authours doth teach vs. The Originall Famous acts Remooues or colonies and great Commands of this nation are set out not long since by Georgius Chemnicensis in the Latin tongue by Reynerus Reyneckius and at large by Petrus Albinus Niuemontius in the Germane tongue Of LVSATIA a prouince also contained in this mappe we haue spoken before at the Mappe of Saxony TVRINGIAE NOVISS DESCRIPT per Iohannem Mellinger Halens Cum Priuilegio MISNIAE ET LVSATIAE TABVLA Descripta à M. Bartholemaeo Sculteto Gorlit THE MARQVESATE OF BRANDENBVRG THe Marquesate of Brandenburg runneth out in length threescore German miles Vpon the West it bordereth vpon Saxony Misnia and Meckelburg Vpon the North it is bounded by Pomeran Stetin and the Cassubij His East part resteth vpon Polonia and Silesia On the South it hath Bohemia Lusatia and Morauia It is diuided into Old-march Middle-march and New-march This Marquesate also conteineth within his iurisdiction the Lordship of Cothuss or Cotwitz of Peilzen Bescaw and Storkaw all in Neather Lusatia the Dukedome of Crossen in Silesia the Earledomes of Rapin Stolp and Vierad To it also doth belong the little Prouince Prignitz It hath three Bishopricks Brandenburg Hauelberg and Lubusz situate in Middle-march Moreouer beyond the riuer Oder it hath the citie
Hamelen concerning which the learned and famous Physitian D. Arnold Fretaghius wrote to me in a letter the story ensuing his words be these I chanced of late to light vpon a Saxon and a Chronicler of Saxonie He reports that 130. yeres ago the citie of Hamelen vnder the iurisdiction of Duke Ericus being exceedingly pestered with mice there came a iugler that offered his seruice to the townes-men to driue them away this offer was most acceptable vnto them because they could keepe nothing in safetie from those mischieuous vermine Being agreed with the townes-men by the sound of a bell he drawes all the mice out of the citie Then he demandeth his promised hire They denie it him Well in a great rage he departs the citie and within a yeere after returneth and sounding the same bell which before he had vsed to coniure the mice he drew after him vnto an hill not farre off a great number of the citizens children whither being come both they and he immediatly vanished A girle of the company either for wearinesse or by Gods appointment stayeth a good distance behinde who returning home and being asked what she saw makes report that her fellowes were gone vp the hill with the iugler Then euery man runnes to seeke his childe but in vaine for from that time forward they could neuer know what was become of them Hauing read this I iudged it either to be a fable or as it is in very deed a most wonderfull and strange narration Discoursing therefore with certaine citizens of this place I made mention heereof They all affirmed it to be true and sayd that the yeere the day and the number of children that were lost was registred in the records of the citie of Hamelen and it is yet a custome among them in their bonds and couenants which they write in an ancient hand to vse this forme or clause of speech Don onser kinder ausgangh that is to say From the departure of our children And they say that the way or street thorow which they were led for the perpetuall memorie of their mishap was called by the inhabitants Die Bungloese straess and that it is not lawfull thereto ring a bell If you haue perhaps read this storie heretofore I doe now call it to your remembrance If you know any thing that may stand me in stead I pray you impart it as leasure and occasion shall serue Fare you well and loue your Fretaghius From Groenninghen the ninth of Nouember 1580. A description of the territory of NVRENBERG OVt of Pighius his Hercules Prodicius I haue thought good to set downe the originall and description of this place his words be these When the barbarous Hunnes ouerran a great part of Europe and oppressed also the people Norici inhabiting Bauaria certaine principall families of them for shelter and refuge fled vnto the forrest Hercynia planting themselues in a commodious place by the riuers of Pegnitz and Regnitz and so vpon an hill by nature strongly situate and free from hostile incursions they built them a rude and homely castle as the Chronicles of Bauaria doe beare record Within a while their number was increased by the neighbour-husbandmen and the shepheards of the forrest Hercynia and so of a medley of diuers sorts and professions of people they grew at last to the bignesse of a towne But giuing themselues to a base and dissolute kinde of life without gouernours without lawes and continually molesting the neighbour Prouinces with riots and robberies it seemed good to the German Emperours to send thither a colonie of olde souldiers which might serue in stead of a garison for the place to bridle their outrages and to prescribe vnto them lawes of ciuilitie Some report that Henry of Bauaria first brought it into the forme of a citie adorned it with the church of S. Giles enacted lawes and enuironed the castle with a larger wall Also that Conradus the second ioined it to the Empire for at the beginning it was a popular estate One onely ciuill discord in the time of Charles the fourth changed it into an Aristocratia or gouernment of a few principall persons by which meanes the whole authoritie came into the hands of the Senatours who euer since haue vsed such equitie and moderation in their gouernment as there hath not at any time in so great a multitude of common people and diuersitie of nations growen any notable sedition or pernitious mutinie In the citie there are three degrees of people that is to say Senatours Merchants and Artizans Ancient and honourable families there are 28. out of which alwayes are supplied new Senatours who all of them are six and twentie in number Thirteene of these called Burgomasters doe consult of matters of Estate and the other thirteene they call Scabins who being alwayes assisted by three stipendarie lawyers doe vpon Court and Leet dayes execute iustice and decide controuersies among the citizens It is forbidden by their ancient lawes S.W. Herberts opinion confirmed that any professed lawyer or any that beares the title of a Doctour should be admitted to their senate or to the gouernment of their Common wealth Out of either of the said halfes or thirteenes they chuse euery Lunar moneth or new moone a new Consull so that euery yeere the chiefe magistracie falles by turnes for the space of a moneth to euery man of both the foresaid thirteenes Fiue there are of the same company that in criminall causes do make inquiry giue sentence and allot punishment to malefactours They haue likewise a Iudge or President for their suburbs who executes iustice among the pesants and villageois Out of the same company also they yerely elect two Treasurers men of sufficient yeeres credit and honesty who take charge of the customes and reuenues of the whole citie and haue the receit and disbursing of the same All the said magistrates and others that haue any authoritie are chosen only out of the foresaid number of Senatours Two hundred there are yeerely nominated out of the three Estates and the whole citie who once a yeere or vpon any vrgent occasion being assembled by the magistrates do sit in common counsell The State or company of merchants albeit very great and honourable are freed notwithstanding from all publike offices and endowed with most ample priuileges wherefore following their priuate traffike they do in this citie as in a common ware-house hoord vp the riches not only of Europe but of the most remote countries and islands in the world The labourers and artizans which are the last and meanest degree are suffered to haue no conuenticles nor meetings priuate or publike in the citie no solemne banquets nor festiuall assemblies of many together vnlesse it be for a matter of religion or some great funerall for they hold it a thing pernicious to the publike tranquillitie hauing found by often experience that most dangerous factions and seditions haue growen of such popular meetings where people in their drunkennesse
dispute of the Common-wealth and that the like tumults haue bereft many cities of their libertie and brought great calamities vpon them Now if any quarrell or dissention arise among the common sort it is not referred to the Masters or Wardens of their crafts and mysteries but to the Senatours themselues who presently appoint two arbitratours to search into the cause and to do their best to compound it If they can not bring it to agreement then it comes before the Senate who hauing awarded the matter do vnder a grieuous penaltie impose silence to both parties With great seueritie they punish fightings brawles iniuries and priuate quarrels for the maintenance of publike peace insomuch as a man would thinke that Minos and Rhadamanthus gaue dayly sentence vpon their iudgement seats Thus farre Pighius concerning the originall the magistrates and the common wealth of this citie More you may reade in the same authour The territories adiacent being naturally barren and sandie are by the industrie of the people made fruitfull In the same territorie stands Altorff where not many yeeres since the States of Nurenburg instituted an Vniuersitie Nurenburg is watered by the riuer Pegnitz which it crosseth with many stone-bridges In compasse it containeth eight miles It is compassed with a double wall whereon are 183. turrets besides castles and fortresses Concerning the originall situation maners and customes of this citie you haue a notable discourse written by Conradus Celtis a Poet laureat BRAVNSVICENSIS ET LVNEBVRGENSIS DVCATVVM VERA DELINEAT NORIMBERG AGRI FIDISSIMA DESCRIP Habet urbs Nurenberga plateas et vicos 52. puteos aquarum 16. fontes ex arborum truncis emanantes 12. pontes lapideos 11. publica balnea 13. Cum priuilegio decennali Imp. Reg. Cancel Brabantiae 1590. FRANKENLANDT FRANKENLANDT is partly plaine and partly mountainous the mountaines are not very steepe nor the plaines very fruitfull being for the most part sandy In many places the hilles be set with vines do yeeld pleasant and delicate wine especially about Wirtzburg There are great store of woods and much hunting The country is subiect to many gouernours notwithstanding they call the Bishop of Wirtzburg Duke of Frankenlandt The Bishops of Mentz and of Bamberg haue many places here And the Count Palatine enioyeth a great part Here the Marqueses Orantes are seated And here are many imperiall cities also As touching Norimberg it is doubtfull whether it belongs to Frankenland or Bauaria by the name Bauaria should seeme to chalenge it For Norimberg is as much to say as Mons Noricus The Norick hill whereby it appeareth that it was the city of the Norici And after the Norici succeeded the Boiari or Bauarians and now that portion of countrey that lies betweene Danubius and Norimberg is called Noricum Howbeit the city is in the diocesse of Bamberg which belongeth to Frankenlandt The inhabitants of Norimberg will be accounted neither Bauarians nor Frankes but a nation differing from both It is a stately city with churches castles and houses most sumptuously built It stands vpon the riuer Pegnitz in a barren and sandy place which increaseth the peoples industry for they are all either artizans or merchants so that they are exceeding rich and beare a great name in Germany It is a place most fit for the Emperours court a free city and seated almost in the midst of Germany Betweene Bamberg and Norimberg lies Forchaim a towne famous for snow-white bread The inhabitants suppose that Pilate was here borne Thus farre Aeneas Siluius in his description of Europe Reade also Iohannes Aubanus Hermannus Comes Nuenarius Tritthemius the Abbat and Iohn Auentinus who thinks that the principall city thereof Wirtzburg was of old called Poeonia THE BISHOPRICK OF MVNSTER OF this Bishopricke thus writeth Sebastian Munster in his Cosmography Charlemaine erected a third Bishopricke in the midst of Saxonie now Westphalia in Myningrode a place which afterward in regard of a famous Monastery there founded was called Munster and there he ordained as Bishop one Ludgerus borne in Frisland Whose successour Hermannus consecrated the Monastery and Church on the other side the water to the honour of the blessed Virgin Mary Which Monastery in short time so mightily increased and became so famous that it gaue name both to the City and Bishopricke so that the old name of Myningrode being abolished by little and little it began to be called the City and Bishoprick of Munster which name remaines euen till this present day Hitherto Munster out of Crantzius Concerning this Bishoprick and that of Ozenburg reade the Saxonie of Albertus Crantzius and Hamelman his commentaries of Westphalia This City anno 1533. receiued great dammage by the Anabaptists who expelling the citizens vsurped the same and chusing a King out of their rabble they held it almost a yeere against the Archbishop of Colen and the Duke of Cleue who besieged it with a strong army But the Bishop at length growing Master punished both them and their King as they deserued FRANCIAE ORIENTALIS VVLGO FRANCKENLANT DESCRIPTIO AVCTORE SEBAST A ROTENHAN MONASTERIENSIS ET OSNABVRGENSIS EPISCOPATVS DESCRIPTIO Auctore Godefrido Mascop Embricense Cum priuilegio BOHEMIA IOannes Dubrauius in his Bohemian story describeth this region in maner following Bohemia is situate in Germanie East it extendeth to Morauia and Silesia and west to Bauaria Austria bordereth to the South as Saxonie and Misnia do Northward It is in forme of a Theater enuironed around by the forest or woods of Hercynia Wherefore there is no great difference between the length and the bredth containing not much aboue 200. miles a piece Charles king of Bohemia who afterward was Emperour diuided it into 12. regions of which one only he named after the riuer Vultaw that runneth through Prage the other eleuen he called by the names of their principall townes some of them being so harsh of pronunciation that a man shall hardly speake them vnlesse he be a Bohemian borne or very skilfull in the language The chiefe Bohemian townes lying towards Morauia are Mutha Chrudima Konignigretz Pardubitz Litomitz Towards Bauaria you haue Glatow Domazlitz Misa and Tachow On the side towards Austria the principall towne is Buduitz with Cromlawe Trebon Hradeck as likewise on the Misnian side stand Pons Cadana Chomutawe Austia and on the Silesian quarter Iaromir Glacitz Curia and some others In the heart of the countrey the principall townes of note are Cuttenberg Kolim Pelsin Veron Zateckz Launa Slana Lytomerick and Tabor But the head citie of all is Prage being so great as it containeth three faire cities within it namely the new the old and the little towne which is disioyned from the two former by the riuer Vultaw Their Buildings both Publique and priuat are stately and magnificall This city hath two castles one called Vissegard whilom the Kings palace but now waste and almost desolate by meanes of ciuile warres Again that other castle that ouer looketh the little towne as it is named so it
well deserueth the title of the Royal or princely castle For it resembleth rather a city then a Castle filling vp so great a roome with the wals and buildings Of publique edifices the Church built by King Charles before mentioned and the Castle erected by K. Vladislaus late deceased are the most memorable And as Prage of all their Cities hath the preeminence so hath Elbe called by Tacitus renowmed and famous of all their riuers Howbeit concerning the fountaine of this riuer Tacitus writeth skarce soundly namely that it springeth in the region of the Hermonduri For it ariseth not among the Hermonduri but rather out of certaine Bohemian mountaines lying open to the North vpon the frontiers of Morauia which the ancient Bohemians call Cerconessi From which mountaines this riuer refresheth and watereth the greater and better part of Bohemia and then hauing augmented his streames by the influence of Vultawa Egra Satzawa Gitzera and Misa his neighbour-riuers continueth his course and name through Misnia and Saxonie to the maine Ocean being all that way enriched with abundance of Salmons But the smaller riuers and freshets of Bohemia yeeld in some places graines of gold and in others shell-fishes containing pearle Heere also you haue certaine hot bathes both pleasant and medicinable And all the whole countrie so aboundeth with graine as it affoordeth plenty to the neighbour-regions Wines there are no great store and those of the countrey so weake as they last but a very small time Howbeit they haue saffron of the best excelling both in colour smell and moisture three principall properties to chuse that commoditie by There are siluer-mines so exceeding rich that were it not for some small quantitie of flint that insinuates it selfe into the veine you should haue nothing but perfect siluer whereas in other countries those mines are esteemed of high price that hold a quarter or a fift part or at the vtmost one halfe of good siluer They find also plenty of gold-ore in certaine mines which take their name of a place called Giloua It is reported that the Kings of Bohemia haue had graines of pure gold brought from thence weighing tenne pound a piece Neither are they destitute of baser metall namely tinne lead copper and yron And sometimes they finde in those mineral rockes the carbuncle the Saphyre and the Amethist Next vnto their mines there is nothing of greater account to the Bohemians then their waters replenished with carps which I haue declared more at large in a peculiar booke treating of fish-pondes Now let vs decypher the disposition of the inhabitants In briefe therefore both in maners habit and stature of body the Bohemians resemble the Lion king of beasts vnder whose constillation they are subiect that is to say if you consider either the largenesse of their limbs their broad and mightie breastes their yellow shag-haire hanging ouer their shoulders the harshnesse of their voice their sparkling eies or their exceeding strength and courage The Lion carries a kind of contempt and disdainefull pride ouer other beastes and hardly shall you vanquish him if you assaile him by force Neither doth the Bohemian in this respect degenerate but soone shewes his contempt towards other nations both in word and deed and discouers his arrogancie both in his gate gesture and pompe Being set light by he growes impatient in any enterprize he is as bold as a Lion and most firme and constant till he hath brought it to execution but not without a touch of ambition and vaine glory Moreouer like a lion he is greedie of his meat and very curious in the dressing and seasoning thereof And their neighbours the Saxons haue taught them to carouse both day and night And by reason of their neighbourhood the Bohemians differ not much from the Germans in other qualities Hitherto Dubrauius by whom also the originall and ancient dwelling place of this nation is described They brew excellent ale in this countrey calling it Whiteale They speake the Sclauon tongue calling themselues Czecks and the Germans Niemecks Vnder the stile of this kingdome are also comprized the regions of Morauia Silesia and Lusatia Likewise in the yeare 1315. the city Egra became the warehouse or principall mart towne of the Bohemians Concerning the region it selfe you may read more largely in Aeneas Siluius and of the people in the first booke of Martinus Cromerus his Polonian story Vnto these you may adde Munster Rithaimer Crantzius in his description of Wandalia and Sabellicus En. 10. lib. 2. Panthaleon Candidus wrote of late seuen books entitled Bohemaidos Prage the head citie of this Kindome is peculiarly described by Georgius Handschius The Map it selfe we borowed out of the Table of Ioannes Crigingerus published at Prage 1568. The diuers appellations of certaine cities in this Kingdome we thought good here to put downe out of Munster For the names of all their cities are by the Bohemian pronounced after one maner and by the German after another Bohemian names German names These cities are immediatly subiect to the King Praha Prag Plzen Pilsen Budiciowize Budwis Kolim Coeln Cheb Eger Strzibre Misz Hora Kuttenberg Tabor Taber Zatetz Satz Litemierzitze Leitmiritz Launij Laun. Rockowinck Rakowinck Klattowy Glataw Beraim Bern. Most Bruck Hradetz Gretz Auscij Aust Myto Maut Dwuor Hoff. Laromiertz Iaromir Bohemian names German names These cities are subiect to the peers of the kingdome Dub Ath. Piela Wiswasser Gilowy Gilaw Krupka Graupen Loket Elbogen Hanzburg Hasenburg The riuer Albis is called by the Germans Elbe and by the Bohemians Labe. The Bohemians call the riuer Molta by the name of Vltawa REGNI BOHEMIAE DESCRIPTIO Bohemiae longitudo latitudoque peuè par nam retundam faciem ex circumiacientibus montibus accipit cuius diametrū trium dierum itinere expedito absoluitur quorū montium quae ad Septentrionalem plagā vergunt Sudetae appellantur ardui sane ac praecipites vbi Gabrita silua ingens extenditur qui montes cum alijs Danubio proximis vnde Albis fi se proripit in coronam cocunt quos vndique profundissima nemora latissimè occupant Hercinia enim silua vniuersā Bohemian compraehēit SILESIA JOhn Crato one of the Emperours counsellers and his principall Physician hath for the benefit of the studious in Geography out of his relations of Silesia imparted thus much vnto vs. That we may not be scrupulous about the name of the Silesians nor as some haue done deriue it from the Elysian fields we are out of ancient writers to vnderstand that the same region which they now possesse was formerly inhabited by the Quadi For Quad in the Saxon or old German tongue hath the same signification that Siletz hath in the Polonian or Sclauon For they were a people that resorted hither out of sundry places more addicted to warre than peace destroyers rather than builders and impatient of all superioritie The first King that bare rule ouer them was Boleslaus a Polacke He was borne in the yeere of our Lord 967. his
mother a Bohemian neece to Duke Wenceslaus by the brothers side A sonne of his called Mieslaus in the yeere 1001. was married to Rixa daughter of Erenfrid County Palantine neece to the Emperour Otho the third by his sister Melchitis and this man was the first that receiued the kingly diademe from Otho the third But after his decease the Polonians hauing by sedition expelled out of their kingdome the Emperours niece and his sonne Casimire Conradus the Emperour reseruing to himselfe a certaine tribute annexed Silesia to the crowne of Bohemia This Emperour was an Vratislauian borne and perhaps gaue the name of Vratislauia to his natiue citie which is now commonly called Breslaw But hereof I cannot certainly affirme ought This one thing is not to be doubted that the Silesians had no affection towards the Polonians whenas by the practise and industry of Iohn the first king of Bohemia father to the Emperour Charles the fourth they vnited themselues to the Bohemians Some there are by what authority or opinion I know not which affirme that in the same place where Breslaw now stands was built in times past by a Prince called Liguis the city of Budurgis mentioned in Ptolemey For it is apparent out of histories that Mieslaus Duke of Poland who was first created King by the Emperour Otho the third and in the yeere 965. embraced Christianitie did anno 1048. erect a woodden church or chapel to the honour of S. Iohn Baptist Whereby you may gather that in those dayes there was no great matter of building at Breslaw Moreouer Gotefridus the first Prelate of that church being an Italian preferred the village of Smogra before the citie of Breslaw hauing there his Schole and College Likewise about this time it is thought that the foundations of other the principall cities of Silesia namely of Lignitz Glogaw Luben c. were layd for out of monuments and Annales no certainty can be gathered whenas the ancientest writings in all Silesia are the letters of the Emperour Frederick the second which were written in the yeere 1200. all the residue being consumed and lost either by fires or inuasions which haue beene very terrible in these parts But by the good indeuour of Frederick Barbarossa Silesia was both pacified and so distributed among the sonnes of Vladislaus king of Poland that it seemed not altogether to be dismembred from that crowne But when the Polonians perceiued that Silesia grew full of Germans and that the Princes began to fauour them reiecting the lawfull heires they aduanced to the kingdome of Silesia one Vladislaus Locticus a cruell enemy to the Germans This was the occasion that they betooke themselues to the protection of Iohn king of Bohemia who being sonne to the Emperour Henry the seuenth married the daughter of Wenceslaus king of Bohemia and was inuested into the kingdome 1302. Wherefore after the decease of this Iohn of Lucelberg Silesia was subiect to twelue Bohemian kings one after another six whereof were Emperours one a Bohemian another an Hungarian fiue of the house of Austria two Polacks but descended from Austria by the mothers side Of the Polonian race remained as yet in Silesia the Princes of Lignitz and Teschnitz for those of Munsterberg deriue their pedegree from George king of Bohemia Vratislauia the head-city of Silesia being burnt to ashes in the yere 1341 began then so stately to be built of stone as at this present both for order and beauty of houses and largenesse of streets it is little inferiour to any of the cities in Germanie Concerning other more true ornaments of a Common-wealth I shall not need to speake seeing it is manifest to all Germanie that scarse in any other region there are to be found so many Schooles such numbers of learned Professours and of excellent wits It beseemes me not to speake too gloriously of my countreymen yet thus much I may boldly say that there is almost no Princes court nor any famous common-wealth where the vertue and learning of the Silesians findes not entertainment The gentlemen likewise albeit addicted to tillage and good husbandry yet are they so warlike withall that no indifferent Iudges can deny but that by their valour the remainder of Hungarie is defended It is a region very fruitfull of corne especially in one place aboue the rest which is most carefully manured by our people It aboundeth with fish-pooles The famous riuer Odera confineth it East and North and South it is diuided from Bohemia by Sudetes But the situation best appeareth in the Map Of Silesia you haue somewhat written by Aeneas Syluius and by others which are ignorant of the countrey But Laurentius Coruinus could haue brought more certainties to light had not the age wherein he liued been fatally ouerwhelmed in ignorance Thus much Iohn Crato concerning his natiue countrey Silesia It containeth twelue Dukedomes one Bishoprick the Bishop whereof hath his residence at Neisse and sometimes at Breslaw for there is a Cathedrall church and a College of Canons Heere are foure Baronies also In this region about Striga and Lignitz is found a kinde of medicinable earth commonly called Terra sigillata like that of Lemnus and of equall force some quantitie whereof Iacobus Manouius Citizen and Senatour of Breslaw hath often bestowed vpon me The Chronicles of Silesia were of late written by Ioachimus Curius wherein he hath so curiously described the situation and the antiquity of their townes and cities the gouernment of their state and their memorable acts that the studious may here finde an absolute history I am informed by Iacobus Monauius that Francis Faber hath described it in verse also SILESIAE TYPVS A Martino Helwigio Nissense descriptus et Nobili doctoque viro Domino Nicolao Rhedingero ded MORAVIA MORAVIA is thus described by Ioannes Dubrauius in his Bohemian story Morauia was called of olde Marcomania because it confined vpon Germany at that place where Dariubius entreth Hungary For Mark in high Dutch signifies a limit or confine and thereupon Marcomanni are such as inhabit the borders of a countrey Concerning these people Arrianus in his relation of Germany the farthest of these nations saith he are the Quadi and Marcomanni then the Iazyges a people of Sarmatia after the Getes and lastly a great part of the Sarmatians Howbeit at this present because it is bounded by the riuer Mora from the same riuer the inhabitants are called Moraui and the countrey Morauia On three sides as it now stands it is diuided by mountaines woods forests or riuers on the East from Hungary West from Bohemia and North from Silesia for on the South part towards Austria it is plaine being some where separated therefrom by the riuer Thaysa and in other places by another obscure riuer The principall riuer in Morauia is Mora which enuironeth the chiefe city called Olmuntz and from thence running into Hungary dischargeth himselfe with his tributary streames into the chanell of Danubius For Mora receiuing into his bosome the riuer
part now is vnder the dominion of the Dukes of Bayern and doth wholly rest in the name of Bayern Bayern is diuided into the Higher and the Lower THE HIGHER is situate vnder the Alps and toward the South This is combred with many marishes huge lakes swift streames darke and fearefull woods Besides beares bores and such like wild beasts it hath many heards of stags of an hundred yeeres old which no man may hunt without the Princes leaue but vnder a great penaltie It is a good soile for pastorage and for the feeding of cattell It yeeldeth yeerely great plentie of Apples Barley Oats and such like corne although not of all sorts it is inhabited but here and there The cities of this countrey are Munchen vpon the banke of the riuer Isara a most goodly and famous citie and the Dukes seat This citie continually mainteineth Lions Many men do thinke it to surpasse all the cities of Germany for beautie Ingolstadt adorned with a publike Vniuersitie Beside these there are Freising a Bishops sea Wasserburg Neuburg Rosenhaim Auensburg c. THE LOVVER BAYERN is more fertile and better inhabited and by reason of the riuers Donaw Isara and Lauar it bringeth forth Vines His cities are Regensburg which some call Ratisbone formerly called Augusta Tiberia situate vpon Donaw whose suburbs vpon the opposite banke of the riuer are ioyned to it by a faire stone bridge Patauium commonly called Passaw at the mouth of the riuer In where it falleth into Donaw famous for his Bishops sea Strawbing Landshut Dinglesing Osterhoff and diuers others This countrey generally is reasonably fertile as of Salt Corne Cattell Fish Woods Birds Pastures Deere and of all such things necessarily required to the maintenance of mans life either for apparell or victuall it is sufficiently stored It breedeth many swine feeding and fatting them with mast and wildings in such sort that as Hungary affoordeth Oxen so this Swine to the most countries of Europe Salt Cattell and Corne are transported from hence and solde into forren countries Wines are from other places as out of Italie Istria Rhetia Rheni Nicker and Pannony conueyed hither But no Prouince of Germanie is beautified with more and finer cities for within his borders as Philip Apian in his Map of Bayern writeth it conteineth foure and thirtie cities six and fortie townes Mercktflecken they call them threescore and twelue monasteries beside an innumerable company of villages castles and noblemens houses In it Salczburg is the Metropolitan citie and the Archbishopricke which hath vnder it many Suffragans as of Trent Passaw Wien c. The people do rather giue themselues to husbandrie and grasing than to warfare neither do they delight in merchandise and traffique they be much giuen to drinking and venery They seldome trauell forth of their owne countrey The first authour of this nation was Alemanus Hercules the eleuenth King of High Germanie His name as yet is preserued in this countrey in the village and castle Almonstain and the riuer Aleman In time past this countrey was ruled by his proper King vntill the dayes of Arnulph the Emperour him as the Parthians Arsaces the Egyptians Ptolemey they called Cacan After that it had Dukes which as yet it reteineth Marke a certaine disciple of S. Paul conuerted this Prouince vnto Christian religion and he was the first Bishop of Laureacke which Bishopricke afterward was translated vnto Passaw Thus much out of Auentine Munster and Iohn Auban of Bohemia BAVARIAE OLIM VINDELICIAE DELINEATIONIS COM PENDIVM Ex tabula Philippi Apiani Math. Cum Priuilegio NORTGOIA or the Countie Palatine of BAYERN THe other part of Bayern which is on the other side Donaw and runneth out beyond the Bohemian wood is called in our time and long since was Nortgoia hauing Noremberg for the chiefe citie from whence the country as some men thinke tooke his name And although that Noremberg be no ancient citie yet his castle situate vpon the toppe of an hill is very ancient This region hath many townes monasteries and villages especially Amberg which in the yeere of Christ 1300. was enclosed with a wall Awerbach Sultzpach Castell Munster where in old time the Princes of Nortgoia haue held their Court Eger Beierut Eister Napurg Newenstadt Rewenkelm Kemnat Krusen Greuenwerdt Eschenbach VVeiden Pernaw Pleistein Herspruck Rurbach Neumarckt Tursenrut Elbogen Cham Schonsee Kunsperg Stauff c. Which for the most part do belong vnto the Palatine Princes For Lewis the Emperour and Duke of Bayern in the yeere of CHRIST 1339. made such a diuision that of the whole prouince of Bayern the prouince of Nortgoia should be subiect vnto the Palatine Princes except only certaine townes which should belong to the Emperour and many also that did appertaine to the crowne of the Empire in time past haue beene pawned to the Princes of Bayern In this Prouince betweene Bamberg and Neremberg in the East toward the towne Eger there is a great mountaine called Fichtelberg out of which do issue foure riuers Meane Nabe Sala and Eger This mountaine conteineth in compasse about six miles it bringeth forth diuers kinds of mettals it yeeldeth the best blew colour which commonly they call Azure In the toppe of the mountaine there is also found Tinne and many caues out of the which in former times mettals haue beene digged generally all that whole prouince euery where swelleth with mines especially of iron by which meanes the Nortgoians do yeerely reape great profit Otherwise the soile is hard and rough although in some places it doth bring forth good store of graine and is excellent pasture ground This Prouince of Nortgoia conteineth one of the foure Earledomes or Landtgrauies which long since were erected by the Emperors namely Luchtenberg which taketh his name of the castle Luchtenberg notwithstanding that the Princes of that iurisdiction doe keepe their Court in the towne of Freimbd and sometime in Grunsfelden the situation of which towne thou mayest see in the Mappe The Earle which now possesseth the place is called George it I be not deceiued descended from his progenitours Albert and Fredericke This Earledome hath not growen vnto such greatnesse as the other three which in processe of time are much enlarged both in possessions and command and especially the Landtgrauie or Earledome of Hessen Thus farre Sebastian Munster See also Pius the second Of the beginning of the Countie Palatine of this Prouince reade Francis Irenicus Conradus Celtes the Poet hath most excellently described Noremberg the chiefe citie of this Prouince and of late also Pighius in his Hercules Prodicius Gasper Brusch of Egra hath described Fichtelberg a mountaine plentifully bearing Pine trees in a peculiar treatise The territorie or iurisdiction of STRASBVRG THe booke of Records Notitiarum liber maketh mention of Argentoratensis tractus the precinct of Strasburg It taketh his name of Argentoratum or Argentina as others name it now called Strasburg This tract is a part of Holst where in time past the Triboces or
trusted rather to their swords of steele than walles of stone it was notable for the pleasantnesse of the place only commendable now for his antiquitie hauing a most goodly prospect round about aboue are the woods of Beech beneath are the fertile hilles of Vines c. The late Dukes of Wirtemberg for many ages past held their Court in this tower taking from thence their name their stocke and their armes as is to euery man very apparent There are which thinke that the Dukes of Wirtemberg haue had their ofspring from the Tuscans or Rhaetians others from the French Whether of these opinions are more probable I much regard not for in a thing altogether vncertaine I affirme nothing constantly It is certaine that they were strangers whether they came first forth of Italie or from France that as yet is not certainly knowen c. Thus farre Iohn Pede WIRTENBERG DVCATVS Accurata descriptio In qua omnia eius Opida Monasteria pagi nemora flumina et riuuli alicuius nominis diligentissimè exprimuntur Auctore Georgio Gadnero Cum Priuilegio Imp. Regiae M. 1579. The Precinct of SWITZERLAND THey which diuided the Empire of Germany into certeine Bands or Circles Kreis they commonly call them they made Switzerland the fourth in order now in all they record tenne it is certaine as approued histories do mention that at first Switzerland was a Kingdome but afterward reduced vnto a Dukedome Notwithstanding at this day there is none of the Princes of Germanie which is graced with the title of Duke of Switzerland for it is now diuided amongst many Princes One part hath accrued by lot of inheritance vnto the house of Austrich the duke of Wirtemberg enioyeth the greatest part in it there are many free cities and such as do belong vnto the crowne of the Empire many are subiect vnto the Duke of Bauiere There is none of the old writers which doth not make report of this Nation as of the most noble and ancientest of all Germany It is cleere out of Ptolemey Strabo and other authours that heretofore they were seated vpon the riuer Sweue and Albis But now at this day it is the vtmost prouince of all Germany for it abbutteth vpon the Alpes It is bounded by Bayern Frankenland and Alsatia or Elsas on euery side round about In olde time this countrey was called Alemanie of the lake Lemanus vulgarly now called Lac de Losanne or Lac de Geneue the Germans call it Ienfferlee as some thinke The countrey as Iohn Auban in that worthy worke of his De moribus gentium describeth it is partly champian partly hilly The soile is fruitfull of which there is no part which lieth vntilled excepting that which Lakes Mountaines or Woods do possesse In it are many woods and therefore the nation is giuen much to hunting and hawking they haue abundance of corne and great store of cattell The whole prouince by reason of the holsomnesse of the aire is euery where replenished with goodly cities villages castles and bulwarks strongly fortified aswell by nature as arte About the mountaines it yeeldeth iron siluer and other mettals The nation is populous stout audacious and warlike and therefore Plutarch calleth it The most excellent nation of all the Germans Whose renowme is recorded to be such and so to be enlarged that for valour and feats of armes it seemeth to haue deserued the Empire of the whole world which indeed it hath most gloriously for the space of somewhat more than an hundred yeeres enioyed Thus farre out of Iohn Auban where thou mayest at large see the customes and maner of life of this nation Augusta Vindelicorum Augspurg vpon the riuer Lech and Vlm vpon Donaw are the most famous cities of this prouince at this day There are also Campodun Memmingen Werd Nordling and others of which thou mayest reade in Munster Donaw the greatest riuer of all Europe here taketh his beginning and passeth thorow the middest of the countrey This riuer laden with threescore streames which Cuspinian according to the report of Collimitius describeth by name and order emptieth it selfe into Pontus Euxinus the Greeks now call it Maurothalassa the Italians Marmaiore the Turkes as Busbequius affirmeth Cara-denis that is The blacke-sea by six huge mouthes Euery one of which mouthes are so great and the streame so violent as Pliny saith that you shall obserue the sea to be ouer-mastered and driuen backe the space of fortie miles and so farre the water to be perceiued to be sweet Of this countrey and his people and first inhabitants see the ancient Geographers and of the latter writers Iohn Auban of Bohemia Munster and Irenicus who affirmeth that Naucler hath penned certaine books only of this argument and that Berno a certaine Abbat hath written many volumes of this nation In the vpper part of this Map you see a little prouince cōmonly called Kreichgey Dauid Chytraeus hath described it in a seuerall treatise The territorie of BASELL THis Map conteineth that coast in which long since the Rauraci and the Cis Iurani did inhabit as also the Waste of Heluetia The Rauraci in time past according to the opinion of most men were contained betweene the riuers of Rhein Byrsa and Ar and those mountaines which from Iurassus doe reach hither At this day it is for the most part vnder the iurisdiction of Basell In it as yet is there a village vpon the Rein distant a Dutch mile from Basell called Augst sometime the chiefe citie of this nation and was called Augusta Rauracorum but now it is become a base village notwithstanding many apparent signes of decayed buildings which as yet do testifie his antiquitie we haue seene to remaine and be yet extant there The country is rough full of many cragged rocks and euery where shadowed with thicke woods yet is very well inhabited and manured so that euen in the mountaines besides the goodly pastures for cattell of which it is greatly stored it beareth plentifully very good wine and corne Sequani CisIurani did long since reach from the mountaine Iura euen vnto the banke of the riuer Rhein Now this part is called Sungow and the Higher Elsas and is subiect for the most part vnto the Dukes of Austrich Brisgow and Blacke-wood commonly called Swartz-wald possesse the other banke of the Rein. Here the waste or wildernesse of Heluetia is placed by Ptolemey Brisgow is very well replenished with cities and villages and is very rich in corne The common people for the most part liue vpon Vintage The iurisdiction and gouernment of this countrey is diuided betweene the Archdukes of Austrich and the Marquesses of Bath Of this shire thou mayest see many things in Munster Christian Vrstise in a peculiar treatise hath most exactly described the citie of Basell In like maner Aeneas Syluius afterward called Pope Pius II. BASILIENSIS TERRITORII DES CRIPTIO NOVA Auctore Sebastiano Munstero Miliaria Germanica duarū horarū itineris Circulus siue Liga SVEVIAVE Vulgo Schwa
bische Kraiss HELVETIA or SWITZERLAND THe Heluetij which as Eutropius saith were in time past called Quadi Caesar writeth to haue been diuided into foure Pagi At this time they diuide it into thirteene parts which they call Cantones or Angules Heluetia they now call Switzerland and Eydgnoschafft of the league and confederacie which they haue made betweene themselues Some men doe thinke this countrey to be the highest of all Europe for that it is wholly almost situate within the Alpes the highest mountaines of the same Europe and because the greatest riuers of the same Rhein Rhodan or Rosne and Po springing from hence as from a very high place do runne into diuers coasts of the world This countrey is euerie where full of steepe hilles deepe valleys great lakes cleere springs and brooks These mountaines do appeare white with continuall snow so that to those which behold them afar off they seeme to be nothing but hard stone yet notwithstanding the Medowes after they haue beene burnt are found to be very fat In them are fed sheepe and kine from whence great profit ariseth vnto the inhabitants For from thence whey as Oswaldus Molitor writeth cheese butter and other white meats are made in such abundance that not only Switzerland is glutted with such things but also the nations nere adioyning are from thence very plentifully serued For they are transported from hence into Sweueland beyond the mountaine Iura into Italie and into diuers other places And that which may hardly be beleeued as the same man affirmeth for certaine that of twentie kine the yeerely profit is one hundred crownes and all charges borne which is bestowed vpon house-keeping men-seruants and maid-seruants Here-hence it is that so great a people is possibly able to liue and be mainteined in so strait a place and little plot of ground The thirteene Cantones of this countrey as we said they are commonly called are as Glarean reckoneth them vp Zurich Bern Lucern Wry Schwitz Siluan Tugi Glaron Basell Friburg Solodurn Schafhusen and Keiser-stul The gouernment and charge generally of the whole countrey is in the hands of those Cantones for the rule or gouernment of Heluetia is an Anarchia and is not subiect to the command of any Prince These when there is any thing that falleth out which concerneth the whole countrey or gouernment of the same do meet all ioyntly together and do determine vpon that which they thinke meet otherwise seuerall magistrates do gouerne the seuerall cities These cities therefore are linked together by a certaine bond of friendship and league whereupon they are called Eydtgnossen that is ioyned in one couenant Those of Rotweill Sangall Doggenburg and Lepont haue combined themselues also to those thirteene Cantons with the like bond of amitie Heluetia is situate that we may describe it in the plainest maner betweene the riuer Rhein S. Claudius mountaine the lake of Geneua which of the Latine writers is commonly called Lacus Lemanus and Italie Vpon the East it hath the countie of Tiroll vpon the South the Duchie of Millan and the countrey of Peimont vpon the West it bordereth vpon Sauoy the other part of it lieth vpon Burgundie France and High Germanie We said that Switzerland amongst the mountaines doth conteine many valleys of which some there are that do tend from the tops of the Alps toward Italie inhabited of diuers kinds of men For Giles Schude writeth that those which do inhabit the vale of Augusta or Val de Osta where in times past the Salassi dwelt are for the most part all Merchants factors In Cesie vale they are almost all Stone-cutters and Masons From Oscell vale do come Cutlers or Smithes which do make sword-blades and kniues and such as doe turne woodden dishes and trenchers All the inhabitants of the vale Vegese are Chimney-sweepers and so that slouenly kinde of men which liue by sweeping of chimneys and are wont to wander vp and downe thorow Germany France Italie and euen as farre as Sicilia are bred here In the vale Galanch they are all either dressers of Rosen or Basket-makers But these like beggers wander from countrey to countrey yet all the rest do liue vpon their trades Besides that which Caesar Strabo and other ancient writers haue written of this countrey thou mayst reade many other things in Giles Schude Vadian Francis Niger of Bassana Munster Henry Glarean and Oswald Molitor in the commentaries vpon him as also in Iohn Stumpe who hath written an huge volume of this nation To these you may adioyne Iohn Rhellicanes his commentaries vpon Caesar Iosias Simler hath set forth a booke of the prouince of Vallesia and of the Alps. The same man hath in hand a worke of Switzerland in generall Nicolan Stupan of Rhetia promiseth a description of Rhetia For the estate and gouernment of the common wealth of this countrey see Iohn Bodine in his Methodus historica Anthony Pinet in his description of cities hath diligently described the politicall estate and peculiar regiment of the Commonwealth of Berne Giles Schude Henry Glarean and others do contend and differ about the ancient language of the Heluetij I do thinke that they neuer vsed other than now they do But we do send such as are more curious students in the dialects of languages vnto the worke of Iohn Becan which he calleth his Becceselana HELVETIAE DESCRIPTIO AEGIDIO TSCHVDO AVCT The Countie of TIROLL THe Earledome of Tyroll was adioyned vnto the house of Austrich in the yeere after Christs birth 1360. by Rodulph the sonne of Duke Albert. This Countie is so rich in Siluer mines especially neere the towne of Schwatz that it may not onely be preferred before a rich Dukedome but also may iustly seeme to compare with a large Kingdome For it payeth yeerely vnto the Prince as Cuspinian in his historie of Austrich reporteth three hundred thousand crownes of golde Moreouer in it is found absolutely the best brasse when as scarse other where not any is found that will abide the hammer This prouince is situate almost within the Alpes betweene Bauiere and Italie The chiefe cities in it are Oenipons now commonly called Inspruck where the Princes Court of this region is ordinarily kept where also the Councell-table and Parliament for this prouince and for Austrich is held There also did we behold with admiration the house of the Lord Maior vpon the roofe all guilt ouer with infinite cost and charges Next vnto it is Bolzan the Mart-towne and the castle of Tyroll of which the whole countrey tooke his name Then Trent famous for the generall Councell held there within our remembrance This is subiect vnto the Dukes of Austrich yet partly vnto the Bishops of that sea and is placed in the confines of Germanie and Italie whereupon almost all the inhabitants doe vnderstand and speake both the languages Then Halla in which salt is made and boiled which from thence is transported into the countreys neere adioyning The Bishopricke of Brixia and the towne of
all Italie Neere vnto this lake is the territorie of Rosella called of Virgill Rosaea rura velini Velino's fields bedecked with roses sweet of all Italie the most fertile which fertilitie was such as Varro witnesseth that a rod being left in it ouer night the next day it might not be seene for grasse and therefore it is called Sumen Italiae The sweet bread of Italie In former ages they haue reported that the plaine of Stellate was the goodliest and best soile of all Italie but now as Blondus saith the places about Bonony and Mutina do far surpasse the rest Sabellicus according to the common report of the common people attributeth these epithets vnto the chiefe cities of Italie Venice the rich Millane the great Genua the proud Florence the faire Bonony the fertile Rauenna the olde Rome the holie and Naples the noble But the commendation of this country set out by Plinie with as great a maiesty of words as that countrey doth excell the rest of the countreys of the world I cannot but I must needs before I passe from it set downe in this place by way of digression for so he speaketh of it in his third booke and fift chapter ITALIE the nurse and mother of all nations chosen by the prouidence of God to adde a lustre to the very heauens themselues to vnite dispersed kingdomes to temper and mollifie their rude and vnciuill maners to draw the dissonant barbarous and sauage languages of so many diuers people by the entercourse of one refined speech to a conference and parley to teach ciuilitie to men and briefly to make this one a common countrey for all the nations of the world But what shall I say more Such is the excellencie of all places that any man shall come vnto such is the maiestie of all things and of all people which do possesse it The citie of Rome which in it seemeth only to excell and to be a worthy face for so glorious a necke with what words or eloquence may I expresse it How beautifull is the countenance of Campania by it selfe how great and many are the glorious pleasures and delights of the same That it is manifest that in this one place nature hath shewed all her skill in a worke wherein she meant especially to delight And now indeed such is the vitall and continuall holsomnesse of the temperate aire such fertile plaines and champian grounds such sunny banks such harmlesse forests such coole and shady groues such fruitfull and bountifull kinds of woods such fertility of corne vines annd oliues such goodly flocks of sheepe such fat beeues so many lakes such store of riuers and fountaines euery where watering and bedrenching it so many seas hauens or ports as it were bosomes of the land euery where open and ready to entertaine and receiue the traffique of all lands and it selfe running into the sea as it were willingly offering it selfe and earnestly desiring to helpe and succour mortall men distressed in the same I doe omit to speake of the fine wits natures and maners of the people of the same as also of the seuerall nations ouercome by it partly by valour and partly by humanity The Graecians themselues a nation exceeding prodigall of their owne praise and glory haue iudged so of it calling a great part of it Magna Graecia Great Greece Of the ancient writers Caius Sempronius Marcus Cato Polybius in his second booke but most exactly Strabo as he doth all things els haue described this countrey Of the latter historiographers Blondus Iohannes Annius Viterbiensis in his commentaries vpon Berosus and other authors imprinted together with him Pontanus in his first booke of the famous acts of King Alphonsus Volaterrane Sabellicus Bernardus Saccus and Dominicus Niger but most exactly Leander Gaudentius Merula hath most excellently described Gallia Cisalpina which indeed is not the least part of Italie ITALIAE NOVISSIMA DESCRIPTIO AVCTORE IACOBO CASTALDO PEDEMONTANO FORVM IVLII FORVLY or FRIVLY THe originall of the name of Forum Iulij Leander saith diuers writers haue diuersly sought and censured Some doe thinke it so called of Iulius Caesar Blondus seemeth to affirme it to haue tooke his name of the citie Forum Iulij Antiquities do testifie that this region hath beene called Aquilegia of Aquilegium his chiefe or metropolitane city Lastly it is certaine that it is called Patria of the Venetians which name as yet also it reteineth to this day Blondus saith that it was long since called Liburnia but from whence when or for what cause it was so called he sheweth not The first that had here ought to doe were the Euganei Veneti Troiani Galli and after those the Romans vnder whom it did continually persist so long as the fortune and maiestie of the Roman Empire did stand sound and whole which at last declining it came into the hands and iurisdiction of the barbarous nations which oppressed Italie especially the Lombards and so remained vnto the time of Charles the great After that the gouernment thereof was in the power of the Patriarch of Aquileia vntill at length the Venetians desirous to enlarge their territories on this side reduced it wholly vnder their iurisdiction who at this day possesse it The situation of the region is thus It beginneth from a plaine abbuttant vpon the sea and so by a little and little encreasing first it riseth vp in little hilles and then into very high mountaines which almost on euery side so enclose his borders that this plaine enuironed about with the toppes of mountaines as with a wall sheweth like a Theater it is open but at one narrow straight by the which as by a gate ferrying ouer the riuer Sontio from Taruisio it may only be entred The other borders of it the Alpes on euery side doe limit and therefore not to be come vnto but by the sea-ports or valleys of the mountaines or els ouer their tops It hath vpon the sea-coasts very many hauens In this most goodly countrey are large champians watered with many pleasant streames and those fields exceeding fertile for it aboundeth with vines yeelding a kinde of wine which Plinie reckoneth and commendeth for the best and calleth it Vinum Pucinum of the place The mountaines of this countrey are very rich almost of all sorts of mettals to wit of Iron Lead Tinne Brasse Quicke-siluer Siluer and Golde They haue also Marble white blacke and party-coloured Pretious stones as Carneols Berylls c. and crystall Here are all sorts of fruits and apples of a most excellent taste Woods both for fuell timber and hunting most stately pleasant and beautifull meddowes and pastures most excellent pasturage for cattell The aire is temperate The fields of themselues doe abound with all things necessary for the vse of man as also for pleasure and delight The people of this countrey are most apt not only vnto all artes and liberall sciences but also for all merchandise and such other trades of life The most famous cities in it
this is one That once in a moneth they obserue one day in the which all meeting in a Church after a collation made by their filthie and wicked Superintendent at night the Candles being put out without any choice or regard they fall like bruite beastes vnto their beastly Venerie This we haue taken out of Leander where thou maist read if thou pleasest many other such like things Dominicus Niger also hath written of this Country Paradine in his description of Sauoy writeth That the Dukedome of Piemont doth conteine in it beside goodly Cities great and populous which are in number fiue more then fiftie Townes well fortified and beautifull and also two hundred Borrowes walled and fenced with Fortresses and Castles And that it hath Earles Marquesses Barones and other sorts of Nobilitie all subiect to the Duke of Sauoy Thou seest also in this Chart the description of Montferrate which at this day is vnder the dominion of the Dukes of Mantua of the which Blondus thus writeth At the riuer Taner the famous Countie of Montferrate beginneth whose boundes are the riuer Po on this side and the Mount Appennine on that side the riuer Taner from his fountaine vnto his mouth where it falleth into Po and on his vpper side the hilles next to Moncalerio where Piemont beginneth The prouince of Montferrate is almost wholly subiect vnto the Marchions the most noble house of Italie descended from the Constantinopolitane Emperours which haue held that tract these 150. yeares Thus farre Blondus Merula also in his sixt booke of his historie of Vicounts hath written something of this Country PEDEMONTANAE VICINORVMQVE REGIONVM AVCTORE IACOBO CASTALDO DESCRIP Cum priuilegio The Liberties of PADVA THe territories of Padua which is a part of the Marquesate of Treuiso in old time was more large now it is conteined within these bounds On his South side runneth the riuer Athesis now called Ladessa on the North coasteth the little riuer Muson vpon the East lieth the gulfe of Venice vpon the West are Montes Euganei and the prouince of Vincenza Whereupon this verse was engrauen in the ancient seale of the City Muso mons Athesis mare certos dant mihi fines The Mose the Hilles Ladessa and the sea enclose me round It is in compasse 180. miles In it are 347. villages and hamlets Vnto the court-leet of Padua now do belong these seuen goodly townes Montiniano Castro Baldo Atheste Monselesse Pieue di Sacho Campo S. Piero and Citadella As also these six villages Miran Oriaco Titulo and Liuiano Arquado famous for great Petrarchaes tombe Consyluio and Anguillaria There are also in this territorie the mountaines called Euganei famoused by the poets neere vnto which is Abano a village seated vpon the Spring Abano oft mentioned by Claudian and Martiall Also Cassiodorus in his Epistles writeth that Theodoricus K. of the Gothes gaue order for the repairing of them The fertilitie of the soile of this prouince of the liberties of Padua is such that of those things which necessarily are required to the sustenance of mans life it yearely transporteth vnto the neighbour cities and countries round about great abundance without any dearth or want to the inhabitants Their Wines are very rich hunting fowling and fishing heere are very common It is so well watered with brookes and riuers that to the great gaine and profit of the inhabitants there is no country village aboue fiue miles distant from a riuer This great plenty and abundance of all things they bragge of in this their common prouerbe saying Bononia lagrassa Padua la passa that is Padua for fertilitie doth surpasse rich Bononia Thus farre of the shire now something of the city whereof that tooke his name It is seated in a flatte euery way crossed with pleasant riuers The city is very strong enclosed with a broad deepe water ditch with high and thicke walles and is very populous It hath a goodly large common without the citie wherein the enemie that will besiege it shall not find a place to shrowd himselfe A Session-house the Yeeld hall we call it most stately and sumptuous all couered ouer with lead An vniuersitie most famous of all Europe begunne as they report by Charles the Great finished by Fredericke the eleuenth in the yeare of our Lord 1222. and fortie yeares after that confirmed by Vrbane the fourth Bishop of Rome There is in this citie an Orchard which they call the Physicians Garden in forme round and verie large planted with all maner of strange herbs vsuall in Physicke for the instruction of yong students in the knowledge of Herbs and Plants a singular and worthy worke Clothing is the chiefe trade of the Citizens a matter of 600000. pounds returne yearely and more This we haue taken out of Bernardino Scardeonio who hath written a whole volume of the situation liberties antiquities famous men and things worthy of note of this city he that is desirous to see more of this let him read him and if he please to him he may adioine Leander his description of Italie Of the fennie places described vpon the sea-coast thou maist read Cassiodore his twelfth booke Variar Dedicated vnto the Admirall and Masters of the Nauie Of the Liberties of TREVISO BLONDVS in his description of Italie making The Marquesate of Treuiso the tenth prouince of Italie in it placeth these famous cities Feltre Belluno Ceneda Padua Vicenza and Verona the head of which he maketh Treuiso whereof the whole prouince tooke his name The goodly riuer Sile which for clearenesse and swiftnesse of his waters is inferiour vnto none passeth by this citie running Eastward about ten miles from the same is nauigable and falleth into the Adriaticke sea Many little brookes runne through the towne which is compassed with a strong wall and is very populous it is beautified with many stately buildings both Churches and priuate houses The country adioining to Treuiso is most pleasant and rich yeelding all maner of things necessarie to the vse of man and beast For in it is a very large plaine yeelding not onely great store of all sorts of graine and excellent wines but also it hath many goodly pastures feeding abundance of cattell Neither are his mountaines altogether craggie and barren But his lower hilles are set with vines oliues and other fruit-trees and affoord plenty of Deere pastime for the hunter In this country are many faire Townes For on the East and North sides of the same are Opitergium now Oderzo as I thinke Coreglanum or Conegliano both vpon the riuer Mottegan Serraualle Motta Porto Buffole and Sacile these three last are situate vpon the riuer Liuenza To these are to be added the Countie of S. Saluador Colalto S. Paulo Cordignan Roca di val di Marino Cesarea Cesana I take it and Mel. On the West and South are Bassianum Bassan Asolo Castrum fratrum Castelfranco Nouale and Mestre Moreouer in it are diuers End-waies villages and hamlets But hee that desireth to vnderstand more of the
situation antiquities famous men and other matters worthy of record of this prouince let him haue recourse to the most learned Iohn Boniface who hath a while since set forth a most exact and absolute historie of it There is also extant a description of the countrie of Treuiso done in verse by Iohn Pinadello but as yet it is not imprinted Thus farre the Author hath discoursed vpon this his Mappe to which I trust I may with his good liking adde this out of Zacharie Lillie his Breuiary of the world TARVISIVM now Treuiso a goodly city belonging to the Signiorie of Venice of which of all ancient writers Plinie did first make mention brought forth Totilas the fift and most famous king of the Gothes from whom it first began his greatnesse and to arise to that dignitie that now it hath obtained that the whole prouince of Venice should be called The Marquesate of Treuiso For Totilas gathering together a great armie conquered all Italie and entering the city of Rome did sacke and fire it Certaine haue affirmed that the citie Treuiso was built by the Troians vpon the faire riuer Sile which falleth into the Adriaticke-sea The city it selfe for walles castle and water is very strong for bridges priuate houses and Churches very beautifull and for diuers merchandise very famous It hath great store of corne wine oile fish and fruites The country hath very many castles and villages but worthy men commended for Religion and wisedome vertuous life and ciuill conuersation do especially commend this city Thus farre out of Lillie PATAVINI TERRITORII COROGRAPHIA IAC CASTALDO AVCT Milliaria TARVISINI AGRI TYPVS Auctore Io. Pinadello Phil. et I. C. Taruisino The Lake of COMO sometime called LACVS LARIVS LACVS LARIVS which now they call Lago di Como of Como the ancient town adioining vnto it tooke his name of the Fenducke a bird which the Greekes call Larus and the Latines Fulica of which it hath great plenty It runneth out from North to South in length fortie miles it is beset round with Mountaines whose toppes are couered with groues of Chesse-nut-trees the sides with vines and oliues the bottoms with woods which affoord great store of Deere for game Vpon the brinke of the Lake are many Castles seated amongst the which on the South side is Como a faire towne built by the Galli Orobij or as some thinke by the Galli Cenomanes Afterward Iulius Caesar placed a colonie there amongst which were fiue hundred Grecian gentlemen as Strabo testifieth whereupon it was called Nouum Comum It is seated in a most pleasant place that one would iudge it a kind of Paradise or place onely sought out for pleasure and delight for vpon the fore-side it hath the goodly Lake on the backe-side the champion plaines well manured and fertile of all sorts of fruite Vnto which you may adde the wholesome and sweet aire Of the brasen statue long since taken out of this citie see Cassiod 2. Variar cap. 35. and 36. This towne brought forth the two Plinies men worthy of eternall fame in whose honour and memory the citizens caused these Inscriptions to be engrauen in marble vpon the front of S. Maries Church which we wrote out in the yeare of CHRIST 1558. in our returne from Italie Vpon the right hand of the dore THE STATE AND CITIZENS OF COMO HAVE GRACED C. PLINIVS SECVNDVS THE MOST VVORTHY FREEMAN OF THEIR CORPORATION A MAN OF A PREGNANT VVIT HONOVRABLE FOR DIGNITIES FOR LEARNING ADMIRABLE WHO IN HIS LIFE TIME OBTAINED THE LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP OF VESPASIAN THE EMPEROVR BORE MANY GREAT OFFICES EXCELLED ALL VVRITERS OF HIS TIME IN ELOQVENCE AND VARIETIE VVITH THIS TITLE AND STATVE Such honour great and worthy fame me Pliny did adorne But much it grac'th mee more what heere is set Vpon the left hand TO C. PLINIVS CAECILIVS SECVNDVS THEIR VVEL-BELOVED CITIZEN VVHO HAVING BEEN CONSVLL AVGVR AND BORNE ALL OFFICES IN THE VVARRES A FAMOVS ORATOVR POET AND HISTORIOGRAPHER MOST ELOQVENTLY VVRITTEN OF THE VVORTHY COMMENDATION OF TRAIAN THE EMPEROVR BESTOVVED MANY BOONES AND BOVNTEOVS FAVOVRS VPON HIS NATIVE COVNTRY GRACING THE SAME VVITH ETERNALL CREDIT THE STATE OF COMO FOR THESE BENEFITS DID HEERE PLACE THIS MONVMENT THE FIRST OF MAY IN THE YEARE 1498. At home in peace abroad in war ech office haue I borne I liued I di'd and still I liue as yet But why may I not to these adioine the words of the same Plinie in his second booke vnto Caninius writing thus Doest thou studie or doest thou angle or iointly doest thou both For the Lake affoordeth store of Fish the woods plenty of Deere the priuatenesse of the place doth giue great occasion of study The same authour in his 4. Epistle vnto Licinus Sura hath a storie of a certaine strange spring not farre off from this Lake Paulus Iouius hath most excellently described this Lake in a seuerall Treatise out of the which we haue drawen this our Mappe befitting our purpose Moreouer Cassiodorus in his eleuenth booke of Varieties vnto Gaudiosus hath most exactly painted out the same Benedictus Iouius and Thomas Porcacchius haue written the histories of Como Read also Leander in his Italia and Dominicus Niger in his Geographie The territories and liberties of the Citie of ROME OF the city of Rome sometime the Empresse of the world and Liberties of the same because this place cannot beare so large a description as his worth doth deserue and for that it is better to say nothing at all of it then to say little I thinke it best onely to reckon vp those famous authours which haue written of it at large and to referre thee to them for further satisfaction Of which the more ancient are Q. Fabius Pictor Sex Rufus and P. Victor Of the later writers Blondus in his Italia Fabius Caluus of Rauenna Bartho Marlianus Andreas Fuluius Georgius Fabricius Lucius Faunus Andreas Palladius Pyrrhus Ligorius and Lucius Maurus And very lately Io. Iacobus Boissartus Iacobus Mazochius hath gathered and set out all his old Epigrammes Fuluius Vrsinus the Noble houses and Vlysses Aldroandus the statues of the same Hubertus Goltzius with no lesse art then diligence and great expences hath expressed in forme of a booke the table of his Fasti most cunningly cut in brasse LAKII LACUS VULGO COMENSIS DESCRIPTIO AVCT PAVIO OVIO TERRITORII ROMANI DESCRIP FORI IVLII VVLGO FRIVLI TYPVS TVSCIA THe bounds of Tuscia which in time past was called Hetruria are on the East the riuer Tyber on the West Macra on the South the Mediterran sea on the North the Apennine mountaines It is a most goodly beautifull and pleasant country The people are very ingenious and of a subtile witte indifferently fitte either for peace or warre for all maner of humane litterature or for trades and merchandise The nation hath alwaies been superstitious and much giuen to deuotion in religion as is apparant out of ancient writers The sea coast toward the Tyrrhen or Mediterran sea
is for the most part in this our age full of Forrests as also it was in the time of Vopiscus as he witnesseth in the life of Aurelian especially a little beyond the riuer Arno vntill one come beyond Plumbino The inner part of the country is almost as much oppressed with Mountaines In it are these cities more famous than the rest Florence Siena Luca Perugia Pisa Viterbo c. FLORENCE or as they call it Fiorenza is situate vpon ech side of the riuer Arno conioined by foure faire bridges it is a most goodly and beautifull city whereupon commonly they call it Fiorenza la bella Florence the faire as if indeed it might seeme to bee the flower of all Italie For it is adorned with stately buildings aswell Churches and religious houses as of priuate citizens Amongst all other the Church of S. Maria Florida wholly ouerlaid with Marble arched with a roofe of an admirable workemanship neere to which is built a goodly steeple for the bels all of fine marble not farre from which standeth the ancient Temple of Mars of forme round very ingeniously built and of a cunning workemanship now dedicated to S. Iohn Baptist The dores of this Church are of cast brasse a very rare and curious peece of worke especially those which are next to the Church of S. Maria Florida are such that all men of iudgement and experience must absolutely confesse that in all Europe beside the like are no where to be seene But to reckon vp all the worthy buildings of this citie aswell sacred as profane it were too tedious and would require more paper than this our purposed discourse will beare He therefore that desireth to know more of the particulers more at large let him reade Leander SIENA lieth vpon the top of an hill round begirt with high rocks of Tophus-stone gorgeously bedecked with many noble mens houses amongst the which is the great and large Church of our Lady equall to the stateliest and sumptuousest Churches of all Europe whether you respect the worth and price of the Marble whereof it is built or the excellencie of the worke and workemanship of him that made it Besides that there is a most stately house of tree stone built by Pope Pius II. with many other goodly houses Worthy of commendation and record is the large and beautifull market place with Branda the pleasant fountaine alwaies full of most cleare water PERVGIA is seated vpon the mountaine Apennine the greatest part of the countrie arising with goodly pleasant hilles fertile of strong Wines Oiles Figges Apples and other sorts of most excellent fruits Beneath the citie at Asisia as also toward Tuder neere Tiber the pleasant champion fields do spread themselues yeelding plenty of wheat and other kind of graine The city by reason of the nature of the place is very strong adorned with gorgeous buildings both of religious houses and churches as also priuate citizens together with a famous and large fountaine in the middest of the citie It is very populous and the citizens are very ingenious and of couragious stomackes apt indifferently either for any maner litterature or for seruice in the field PISA long since hath beene a famous citie and many waies richly blessed not onely before the flourishing estate of the Roman Empire but euen when it was at the full height as also many yeares after Many famous Marine-conquests which it hath made by which it brought the Ile Sardinia subiect to their command do auouch this to be true Panormo a faire citie of Sicilia they won from the Saracens and of the bootie and spoiles taken in that warre they began to build the great Church which they call DOMNVM as also the beautifull palace of the Bishop It hath an Vniuersitie or Schoole of all maner of Liberall Arts and Sciences whose foundation was laid in the yeare of CHRIST 1309. VITERBO lieth in a pleasant and spacious champion hauing the Cyminian hilles now of this citie called Mont Viterbo vpon his backeside stately for many faire buildings and works of rare Art amongst which is a famous fountaine from whence issueth water in such abundance as is wonderfull LVCA is seated in a plaine not farre from the hilles foot a city of goodly buildings The people are neat wise and ingenious which haue most discreetly retained and kept their libertie of a long time whole in their owne hands although they haue been often assaulted by their neighbours See more at large of this in Leander Myrsilus the Lesbian Marcus Cato in his Origines and their Expositor Ioannes Annius Viterbiensis who also wrote a seuerall treatise of the antiquities of Hetruria William Postell Volaterranus and Laonicus Chalcocondylas a Grecian in his sixth booke and others haue described this prouince Ioannes Campanus hath written most elegantly of the Lake of Perugia THVSCIAE DESCRIPTIO AVCTORE HIERONYMO BELLARMATO Me Ianus tenuit primus formataue ab illo Imposui leges populis nomina Ponto Inferno Supero missos auxiue colonos Imperiumque Italos trans fines foedera natis Dum seruata meis sed me discordia preaeceps Romuleae genti domitam seruire coegit Quae deous antiquae longo post tempore linguae Auxilij male grata mei male grata laborum Abstulit mansit nomen quod Thura dedere Archades aut Lŷdi quod vel mutare Pelasgi Non ausi sacras quibus has concessimus oras Cum priuilegio The Signiory of FLORENCE OF the city of Florence read Blondus who in his view of Italie reporteth thus of it They commonly affirme saith he that this citie was first begonne by Sylla's souldiers vnto whom this part of the countrie was by Sylla assigned and because they first began to seat themselues ad Arna fluenta about the riuer Arno they then intituled it by the name of FLVENTIA And indeed Pliny who of all the old writers first mentioneth this place saith that the Fluentini were seated neere the riuer Arno. These souldiers came hither about the yeare after the building of the city of Rome 667. whereupon it appeareth that Florence was founded about 83. yeares before the birth of Christ This city suffered much wrecke in the time of the warres of the Gothes Yet was it neuer either by Totilas or any other of those ragings Tyrants vtterly rased or spoiled And therefore that which some do write of the repairing of Florence by Charles the Great I can by no meanes allow when as the histories of Charles written by Alcuinus his schoolemaster do only mention his keeping of Easter heere at two seuerall times as he went by this way toward Rome It was preserued from a great hazard of vtter ouerthrow which it was like to haue fallen into by the manhood of one Farinata Vbertino when as they of Pisa Siena and others of Tuscane meeting at a market in a consultation by them held hauing generally determined to rase Florence to the ground said stoutly That while he liued he would neuer suffer
that the Cabbadges heere cauli capucei they call them do often weigh as Mazella reporteth sometime thirty sometime fortie pound and therefore Martiall said not amisse Nos amiternus ager felicibus educathortis In Amiternoes fertile fields we liue and spend our daies The fields before this citie do yeeld such great plenty of Saffron that thereof yearely they make 40000. ducates Heere is once a yeare kept a great Faire It hath 110. Churches Neere this city as Blondus saith is a stone from vnder the which runneth a streame of oile which they call Oile of peter or Petroleum and is desired and sought for of many but of the Almaines and Hungarians it is more esteemed then of the Italians The same authour recordeth that the country people shewed him a Peare-tree growing vpon an hill not farre from the head of the riuer Pescara or Aterno shooting vp in such a sort that the water falling vpon it diuideth it selfe into three parts which become three great riuers Velino Tronto and Pescara running three diuers waies Amiterno in former times a goodly city famous in histories and the natiue country of Salust the noble historian can hardly be discerned where it stood yet Blondus saith that they do yet shew some pieces of the Theater Temples and Turrets Mazella affirmeth that there yet do remaine the Temple of Saturne the tombe of Drusus daughter and a triumph of the Samnites engrauen in marble a memoriall of their happie victory obtained against the Roman army ad furcas Caudinas Teramo long since called Interamnia for that it is situate between three riuers Fiumicello Trontino and Vitiole is the head city of this prouince whose Bishop is graced with many titles and dignities and the lord of the soile is called by the name of the Duke of Teramo Adria the ancient colonie of the Romanes is now called Atri Some do thinke that the Emperour Hadrian was borne heere and of it tooke his name as also the Hadriaticke sea now called Mare superum the higher sea the Gulfe or Bay of Venice Furconium sometime hath been a famous Bishopricke whose Bishops are often mentioned in the Councels and Synods held 800. yeares since at Rome or other places of Italie At this day only some small mention is to be seen of it for it was destroied by the Lombardes and the Bishops sea was by Pope Alexander the fourth from thence translated vnto Aquila The arms of this country as Scipio Mazella writeth is an Eagle argent crowned standing vpon three mounts ore in a field Azure He that desireth to vnderstand more of this country let him repaire to the forenamed Authours who I doubt not will satisfie him to the full APRVTII VLTERIORIS DESCRIPTIO 1590. NATALIS BONIFACIVS SEBENIICENSIS DESCRIBEB The kingdome of NAPLES THis kingdome generally comprehended between the Adriaticke and Mid-land seas from the riuer Fronto and Fundi a city situate vpon the lake Fundano vnto the Frith Messina the Latines call it Fretum Mamertinum or Messanae the Italians el faro di Messina conteineth nine most rich and goodly countries of Italie namely these A part of Latium Campania felix Lucani Calabria Magna Graecia Salentini Apuli Peucetij Apuli Dauni and Aprutium The gallant city Naples which gaue the name to the whole kingdome seated between the sea shore and the foote of most pleasant mountaines hath a temperate and wholesome aire with most sweet fields about it and therefore in this our age Princes and Noblemen do resort hither asmuch as euer heeretofore for almost all the Nobility of this whole kingdome do spend most of the yeare in this city and all for the most part haue heere most beautifull and stately houses so that the frequent throng of Princes Dukes Marquesses Earles Knights Doctors Barons and Noble-men is heere so great that there are very few cities of the world which in my iudgement in that respect may compare with Naples The city in compasse is very large and wide gorgeously built and seated as I said between the sea and the goodly pleasant hils strongly walled and fortified especially that part which was done of late daies at the commandement of Charles the fifth The buildings either of Churches or priuate citizens houses are most beautifull and stately with diuers Castles and Towers almost inuincible But amongst the rest the house of the Duke of Grauina and the Prince of Salerno do farre excell The streets of the city are very faire and straight There are foure Courts which they call Seats Capuana Nida Montana and S. Georgio where the Princes Dukes Marquesses and other of the Nobility do meet to consult of waighty matters and publike businesses The strong Castels are these Castello nouo which Alphonsus the first raised and entrenched with very great charges and expences so that now it may be accounted one of the most defencible fortification of all Europe Next to this is Castello Capuano which now is emploied for place of meeting for the state in consultation for matters of the kingdome and city Then is Castellum oui a little distance without the city standing vpon a rocke the ancients called it Meagrum compassed round with the sea Beside these is Castellum Santemerense vpon a cliffe looking ouer the walls of the city lately fortified very strongly by Charles the fifth Without the wals vpon the South side of the city there is a Block-house in the sea a worke of wonderfull art and cunning workemanship built for the defence and safegard of the Hauen continually full with shippes almost from all quarters of the world Heere also is an Vniuersitie where all maner of Arts and Liberall Sciences are taught and professed vnto which there is great concourse of students from all places of the kingdome Thus farre Vbertus Folietta in a Treatise of his which he wrote and intituled Brumanum Without the wals of this most stately city there are most pleasant sweet fields yeelding all maner of things necessarie not onely for the maintainance of man and beast but also such as serue for pleasure and delight Especiallie with all maner of Corne and Graine and of rich and strong Wine such plenty that he that hath not seene the great store both of Corne and Wine that one Aker of ground doth yeeld may hardlie be made to beleeue it The Hilles and Mountaines in this place are very fertile and full of most excellent fruits and some of them enclosing the lowly plaines in manner of a Theater do affoord plentie of Deere and game for the Nobilitie Moreouer about Naples are most pleasant and fine Orchards planted with Medicinall plants and such like goodlie fruite trees euerie where resounding with a most sweet noise of brookes and streames running to and fro euery where most fragrant and odoriferous smelles do offer themselues vnto your senses such is the abundance of Myrtill Laurell Gelsemine Rosemarie Rose-trees c. in euerie corner To be short the beauty delightsomnesse and elegancie of all places round about
is such as it doth almost exceed the capacitie of mans witte no man need to wonder why in former times as well as now the Noblemen so much delighted to dwell heere This we haue taken out of Leander where manie other things may be read of who hath described the whole kingdome this Citie and the Liberties thereof very curiouslie that indeed it is not necessarie to send the Reader vnto any other Authour but Scipio Mazzella which in a seuerall and peculiar Treatise hath with extraordinarie paines and diligence set out in the Italian Tongue a description of this kingdome There is also in Print a little booke written by Alexander Andreas of the warre betweene Philippe King of Spaine and Paul the fourth Pope of Rome out of which the Reader which is not satisfied with this discourse of ours may heere and there picke out something concerning this kingdome worth the noting and not triuiall The booke is set out in the Italian tongue by Hieronymo Ruscello Iohn Baptista Caraffa Pontanus and Pandulfus Collenutius haue written the histories and chronicles of the kingdome of Naples in the which they in diuers places speake much of the situation of this country Gabriel Barry hath very curiously described Calabria his natiue country as Sanfelicius hath done Campania REGNI NEAPOLITANI VERISSIMA SECVNDVM ANTIQVORVM RECENTIORVM TRADITIONEM SCRIPTIO PYRRHO LIGORIO AV Cum priuilegio APVLIA now called PVGLIA or TERRA DI OTRANTO WE haue composed this discourse following of this countrey out of the treatise of Antony Galatey which he wrote of the situation of Iapigya now called Terra di Barri This country saith he in respect of his situation is seated in the most temperate place of the world Of diuers authours it hath beene diuersly called by sundry names Aristotle and Herodotus called it Iapygia others Peucetia others Mesapia others Magna Gracia Great Greece others Apulia others Calabria for that which now is called Calabria was anciently called Brutia The corne hearbs and fruits of this country are of the best The oats of this soile is as good as the barly of other countries and the barly as good as their wheat Melones of a most pleasing taste and Pome-citrons do euery where grow in great plenty Physick herbs of greater force then other where are here in all places very common The aire is very wholesome the soile is neither drie nor squally or moorish But these so great gifts and blessings of God are intermedled with some mischiefe and danger for heere nature doth breed a most venemous and pernicious kind of spider the Greeks do call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Phalangium and Araneus whose poisonous bite is onely cured by Musicke or Tabret and Pipe Heere is also the venimous serpent which the Greeks call Chersydros the Latines Natrix terrestris the Land snake we call it if I be not deceiued an Adder and heere is a kinde of Locust which hurt and mar all things they light vpon The cities of this country long since more famous were Tarentum now Taranto proudly seated between two seas exceedingly stored with fish in forme somewhat like a long Iland This city in all mens iudgement is inuincible Callipolis now Galipoli Pliny called it Anxa is a city situate in the end of a promontorie or forland shooting farre out into the sea but with such a narrow Isthmos or necke-land that in some places there is scarce so much as a cartway It is very strong and round beset with high cliffes from the maine land there is only one entrance in the which is a very strong Castell Hydruntum of them called Otranto is the chiefe city and which is somewhat more Metropolitan of the whole Peninsula or Demi-ile and that not without cause for whether you respect the antiquity of it the vertue and humanity of the citizens ioined with valour and great magnanimity it hath euer been of them accounted for a very famous and worthy city It hath a very good and capacious hauen but against the raging blasts of the North wind not so safe It was sometime very strong and defencible but now it lieth almost leuell with the ground The fields adioining are very fruitfull full of springs and alwaies green From hence Montes Cerauni certaine hills of Epirus now called Cimera and Canina may easily be descried Heere is the end of the Hadriaticke and Ionian seas as Pliny testifieth Brundusium now called Brindisi a famous city hath as notable a hauen as any in the world els where the inner hauen is enclosed with castles and an huge chaine the outer hauen is heere and there beset with rocks and small Ilands but his mouth is by Alphonsoes meanes so stopped and dette vp that there is no entrance but for little shippes and barges It hath beene in former time a very populous city now it is little inhabited These are the chiefe marine cities He that would know more particularly of the ancient names situation antiquities and priuate stories of the mid-land cities and townes we refer him to the learned discourse of Galatey written of this his natiue country to which if he please to adioine the description of Leander I perswade my selfe the thirstie Reader shall not know what els he may demand CALABRIA GAbriel Barrius Franciscanus hath very curiously described Calabria in fiue bookes which are imprinted at Rome with as little heedfull diligence Out of him we haue culled these particulars following CALABRIA saith he a country of Italie in forme and fashion not much vnlike a tongue lieth between the vpper and neather seas It beginneth at the neather sea the Greeks call it the Tyrrhen sea the Latines the Mediterran or Mid-land sea from the riuer Talao which runneth into the Bay of Policastro at the vpper sea the Ionian sea the Grecians terme it from the riuer Siris otherwise sometime called Senno and coasteth along vntill it come to the streights of Faro di Messano and the city Regio and so being diuided longwise by the mount Apennine heere they call it Aspro monte it endeth in two capes or promontories the one called Leucopetra of them Capo de Leocopetra the other Lacinium vulgarly of them called Cabo delle colonne or Cabo dell ' Alice Not only the plaines and champions but euen the hillie places like vnto Latium or Campania are well serued with water Whatsoeuer is necessary for the maintainance of mans life this country doth yeeld in great abundance it needeth no forraine commodities but is able to liue of it selfe Calabria generally is a good and a fertile soile it is not combred with Fennes Lakes or Bogges but is alwaies green affoording good pastorage for cattell and excellent ground for all sorts of graine The fountaines and brooks are many and those passing cleare and wholesome The sunnie hills and mountaines open to euery coole blast of wind are wonderfull fertile for corne vines and trees of diuers kinds whereof arise great profit to
the inhabitants The valleies are pleasant and fruitfull The shady groues and woods do affoord many pleasures and delights The goodly meddowes and pastures are richly decked with herbs and sweet-smelling flowres and euer-running streames And amongst other heere is great plenty of Medicke fodder wherewith they feed and fatte their cattell Heere also grow many excellent physicke hearbs of soueraigne vertues against diuers and sundrie diseases It bringeth forth diuers plants as the Plane tree Vitex or Agnus castus the Turpentine tree the Oliue tree Siliqua Siluestris Arbute or Strawberry tree wild Saffron Madder Liquirise Tubera or Sowbread It hath also some hoate baths continually distilling from their fountaines which do cure aches and many other like maladies In diuers places there are springs of salt water whereof they make a kind of brine or pickle It is well watered with many fine riuers and those stored with sundrie sorts of fresh fish The sea also on ech side yeeldeth great plenty of fish both tunies sword-fishes and lampreies There in many places is found the best Corall both white and redde Heere is most pleasant hunting and hawking for in these quarters diuers and sundrie sorts of wild beasts do lodge and as many birds and fowles do breed and build wild boares harts hindes goates hares foxes lynces otters squerrells martens badgers ferrets porkupines tortuses both of the waters and of the mountaines Of fowles phesants partridges quailes wood-cocks ring-doues crowes c. as also of many kinds of hawks it is euery where full It maintaineth some herds of cattell and flocks of sheep and goats It breedeth excellent horses very swift and of great stomacke Mettals heere were found in old time and now also it aboundeth at this day with diuers kinds of mineralls hauing indeed euery where mines of gold siluer iron salt marble alablaster crystall marchasite red-lead or vermillion copperas alume brimstone c. many kinds of corne wheat siligo beerbarly rie trimino we call it I thinke Turky wheat barly rise and of sesamum infinite store It aboundeth also with all kind of pulse legumina the Latines call them oile wine and hony and those in their kinds the best There are heere euery where orchards thicke set with oranges limons and pome cittron trees Heere also is made great plenty of excellent silke farre better then any kind of silke made in other places of Italie The Cotton tree Gossipium groweth heere plentifully But what shall I speake of the kind temperature of the aire For heere the fields both winter and summer are continuallie green But aboue all things there is nothing that doth argue the same more soundly then that airy dew or heauenly hony which they call Manna that euery where distilleth from aboue and is heere gathered in great abundance So that that which the Israelites in the wildernes did admire and hold for a strange wonder heere kind nature doth affoord of her own accord It is adorned also with many goodly market towns where marts and faires are kept at certaine times of the yeare Heere in some places still is obserued the ancient custome of the Romanes vsed at funerals and buriall of the dead where a chiefe mourner Praefica they called her is hired to go before the rest of the mourners and she to guide their mournefull ditties and to keepe time in their howling lamentations The funerall being done and all ceremonies performed the dead mans friends and kindred bringing their meat and iunkets do banquet altogether at the dead mans house The women of this country naturally for modesty and for that the waters of these places are good and wholesome drinke naught but water It is a shame for any women to drinke wine except she be very old or be in child-bed c. See more in the same authour Cassiodore also in his Variar hath in diuers places many things of this country APVLIAE QVAE OLIM LAPYGIA NOVA COROGRAPHIA CALABRIAE DESCRIP Per Prosperum Parisium Consent Cum Priuilegio decennali SICILIA THere is not one either of the ancient Historians or Cosmographers that hath not made mention of this Iland or curiously described the same especially Strabo Plinie Solimus and others Diodorus Siculus calleth it The soueraigne of all other Ilands Solinus in like maner writeth of it That whatsoeuer this country breedeth either of the nature of the soile or inuention of man it is little inferiour to those things which are esteemed of greatest worth Of the later writers Vadianus hath thus set it out in his true colours SICILIA not only for richnesse of the soile for which cause it was of the ancients dedicated to Ceres and Bacchus and was accounted the Garner of Rome but also for the multitude and antiquity of his townes famous actes victories and quarrels betweene the Romans and Carthagians both contending for the mastery is more famous then any other Iland whatsoeuer In Plinies time there were 72. cities at this day they report it to containe twelue Bishopricks of great iurisdiction and large diocesses The Dukes of Swevland possessed it a long time It was assaulted and taken by the English Lorreiners especially at that time when they made their voiage into the Holy land against the impious Saracens Lastly it fell vnto the Kings of Arragon and so at this day it remaineth vnder the obedience of Spaine Neither is there any other Iland that I know in the whole world that both Greeks and Latines haue indifferently partly in respect of the goodnesse of the soile and situation partly for the great accidents that heere haue happened by their writings made more famous He that would be further satisfied of the particulars let him read Benedictus Bordonius who hath in one booke comprised a discourse of all the Ilands of the World Leander Albertus Dominicus Niger Franciscus Maurolycius Marius Aretius all which haue most learnedly described the same Lastly Thomas Fazellus that countrie-man borne who hath most curiously and liuelily described the true countenance of this his natiue soile where you shall find the particular story of the mount Aetna now called by an Arabicke name Monte Gibello of which also Petrus Bembus hath put forth a seuerall Treatise Tully hath written something of this Iland in his orations against Verres Thucydides in his sixth booke hath very well laid downe the history of the originall and first inhabitants of the same as Diodorus Siculus hath done in like maner in his fifth booke Hubertus Goltzius hath out of ancient coines added great light vnto the histories of this country SARDINIA SEbastian Munster in his Cosmography hath an excellent description of this Iland done by Sigismundus Arquerus Calaritanus a Sicilian The same is described by Leander Albertus Benedictus Bordonius Nicolas Leonicus besides that which you may reade of it in old writers amongst whom Pausanias hath written some things that are not common This Iland the state of the Roman Empire decaying came into the hands of the Saracens from whom it was
witnesseth in his Obseruations it paieth yearely to the great Turke 12000. ducates of Gold A description of this you may read of in the tenth booke of Martin Barlet of the life of Scanderbeg Thus farre generally of Illyricum now I thinke it not amisse to speake something of this our Mappe which doth not comprehend all Illyricum according to the iudgement of the forenamed authours Pliny only excepted who doth restraine the bounds of it as we said into a more narrow roome There are in this Chart Histria Slauonia Dalmatia Bosnia Carinthia part of Carniola and part of Stiria all almost tributary vnto the kingdome of Hungary except a few prouinces abuttant vpon the sea which belong to the Venetians The Turke hath subdued the greatest part of them to his obedience All which countries almost are described in their seuerall Tables in this our Theater and therefore in this place we speake nothing at all of them Only I thinke it not amisse to adde this one story of Stiria That this country doth breed those Strumosi that is a kind of people subiect to wennes and that there are often seene some with such huge great wennes that they do hinder their speach and a woman giuing sucke as Aubanus writeth doth cast it ouer her shoulder like a sacke or wallet least it should let the child from taking the breast And indeed we in the yeare 1558. iournied from Frisach by Vienna to Venice where we saw to our great admiration a man whose chin beginning at his eares was almost as broade as from shoulder to shoulder and hung downe euen to his breast I say not without great admiration against that of Inuenall Quis tumidum guttur miretur in Alpibus It is no wonder great to see the wenne amongst the Alpes They commonly attribute the cause of the wenne to the water and aire which heere the inhabitants do vse and draw into their bodies Rithmaimer this country-man borne in his treatise of the situation of the World hath a peculiar description of Stiria Of Bosina read D. Chytraeus his Chronicle of Saxony Of these Illyrians read more at large in Dominicus Niger Volaterran and Lewis Verger in the Cosmography of Sebastian Munster as also Laonicus Chalcondylas who in his tenth booke Notiliar hath written something of this countrie worth the reading All this tract except those shires which border vpon Germanie doth speake the Slauonian tongue which that I may say something of it by the way of some is now called Windish was thought to be that which the Latines called Lingua Illyrica the Illyrian tongue and at this day is very farre spread as being generally spoken of all the nations inhabiting between the Gulfe of Venice and the North sea For the inhabitants of Istria Dalmatia Bosna Morauia Bohemia Lusatia Polonia Lithuania Pruthenia Scandinauia Bulgaria and Russia that wide and large kingdome and many other neighbour counrries vp as high almost as Constantinople do speake that tongue so that it is also much vsed amongst the Turkes SCHLAVONIAE CROATIAE CARNIAE ISTRIAE BOSNIAE FINITIMARVMQVE REGIONVM NOVA DESCRIPTIO AVCTORE AVGVSTINO HIRSVOGELIO The other Mappe of ILLYRICA I Had purposed as I promised in the Preface to this booke to haue set out of euery country but one Mappe or Table and that as exact as might be therefore when the famous man Iohannes Sambucus had sent vnto me a more absolute description of this country to be inserted into this our Theater I had determined to haue left the other out But as it is oft times both delightfull and profitable to know diuers opinions of one and the same thing so also I perswade my selfe it will not be altogether vnprofitable sometime to see the different descriptions of sundry authours of one and the same countrie Againe lest the studious and diligent Reader should misse in this our last edition that which was to be had in our first we haue thought good to reteine also aswell the one as the other and to place it heere in this place as an in-come or by-matter I doubt not but it will be a thing well pleasing to all students of Cosmography ILLYRICVM IOAN SAMBVCVS ORTELIO SVO S. Mitto hanc quòque tabellam qua necessaria confinia Pannonia declarantur fluuiorum aliquot locorum situs Hirschuogelij recte mutaui Angelini autem studio plurima adieci et interualla correxi vt parum quis si cum Hirschvogelij haec coniungat desiderarit si qui errores sint dies certiora docebit Viennae Vale 25. Octob. 1572. Cum Imperatoriae Regniae Maiestatis Priuilegio The Dukedome of CARINTHIA or KARNTEN and the County Palatine of GORCZ THis Dukedome of Carinthia which as Rithmayer affirmeth should rather be written Carnithia hath vpon the East and North Steyrmarcke vpon the West and South the Alpes and Friuli Carniola is part of this prouince In this country are many valleies and hilles very good wheat grounds many Lakes and Riuers amongst the which the chiefe is Drauus or as they now call it Dra. The more famous cities of this tract are S. Veit Villach and Clagenfurt S. Veit the Metropolitane city is a city of good note hauing a very faire large market place wherein standeth a goodly conduite of running water which we saw in building in the yeare 1558. The diameter or breadth of the cesterne we tooke to be about seuen foote ouer This cesterne made of one whole stone of white marble and there amongst other monuments of antiquity digged out of the ground was a thing worth the seeing As they go out of the city toward Clagen-furt there is a very wide champion that offereth it selfe as yet bestrewed with many ruines of ancient buildings they commonly call it Solfeldt Paracelsus in that his Chronicle of this country if so be it be his nameth it I cannot tell vpon what ground Liburnia I do rather iudge Soluense oppidum the towne Solue which Pliny maketh mention of in Carina to haue long since stood heere This is that place where the princes are wont to be crowned abroad in the open aire a strange and vnusuall kind of ceremony curiously described by Pius the second in his Europa Villach a towne whose houses in their forefront gorgeously painted and set out with histories and variety of colours yeeld a beautifull and goodly shew to the beholders It is seated vpon the riuer Dra in a plaine enclosed with very high steepe rocks with a great stone bridge ouer the riuer Clagen-furt a strong city anciently called as Lazius witnesseth Claudia Some there are that write that the citizens of this city are so hardly bent against theeues that vpon the least occasion of suspicion of theft a man shall there without examination be hanged and then the third day after that he is hanged they sitte vpon the triall if so be that they find him to haue been vniustly executed they bury him very honourably if iustly they let him hang still But Rithmayer saith
that this is but a meere fable Moreouer Frisach a very ancient towne S. Lionhart Wolfsperg c. are townes also of this country In former times the Iapydes were thought to haue dwelt heere abouts The soueraignty and secular iurisdiction of this country doth belong vnto the Dukes of Austrich but as concerning Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction it partly belongeth to the Bishop of Salczburg and partly to the Patriarch of Aquileia as Paracelsus affirmeth in his forecited Chronicle But in the same place he hath a most ridiculous etymologie of the name of this prouince which he faineth to be fetched from the Latines namely that it should be named Carinthia as who would say Caritas intima Intire loue and affection As if the first inhabitants who seated themselues heere should haue been desirous to haue their country named by a name fetcht from a forrein nation and strange language not vnderstood of them The Reader not satisfied with this heere set downe by vs let him haue recourse vnto Sebastian Munster Sabellicus Pio II. c. I vnderstand also that one Iohn Saluian hath surueied this country whose description as yet I haue not seene Goritiae palatinatus The county palatine of Gorcz belonging to the Duke of Austrich is so named of Goercz the chiefe city of this country called of the Italians for it standeth in Italie beyond the Alpes Goricia of Ptolemey Iulium Carnicum as Leander thinketh Amasaeus as the same Leander saith gathereth by diuers antiquities heere found and remaining that Noteia sometime was seated heere about It is a towne situate at the mouth of the riuer Wipach formerly called Fluuius frigidus I meane where Wipach falleth into the riuer Natiso HISTRIA or ISTEREICH IT is almost a common thing generally as Pliny saith in his naturall historie that euery man describeth best and most curiously that country in which he was borne and brought vp And within a few lines after the same authour saith thus I will follow no one man altogether but as I shall find him in all points to speake most probably and consonant to the truth And therefore heere in this place the which I do almost euery where in these discourses vpon my Maps I haue determined amongst many others that haue described this prouince to offer to the view of the Reader a great description according to the capacity of the place of Lewis Verger that country man borne This man in the Cosmography of Munster saith that this Neckland or Demi-ile from the inner bay where Trieste now standeth hard vpon the shore vnto the S. Veit a towne situate in Fanatico vpon the riuer Fiume conteineth in length better then 200. miles The whole country is not very leuell and plaine yet the mountaines are neither very high steep nor barren but plentifully replenished with vines oliues and other fruit-trees corne pastures and cattell only in that part which bendeth toward the bay Golfo di Quernero sometime called Flanatico or Fanatico it hath a very high mountaine which they commonly call Monte maior This first presenteth it selfe to the eie of the seamen which saile hitherward in whose toppe there ariseth a very goodly spring of fresh-water It yeeldeth many rare hearbs and plants of singular vertues which do make Physitions farre dwellers from hence to resort hither in time of the yeare and with great toile and danger to clamber vp the same The riuers of Histria are three Fornio Naupertus and Arsia the first the country people call Risano the second Quieto the last Arsa which falleth into the bay Quernero or Fanatico and is now the vtmost bound of Italie The cities of Histria are Mugia Iustinopolis Isola Pitano or Piran as I thinke it is named in the mappe Pumago Hemonia Parenzo Osara Rubino Pola S. Veit all of them marine cities Pinguento Montana Portulae Grisignana Bullae S. Lorenzo Doi castelli S. Vincenzo Val Adignano Pamerano Albona Fianonae Petina Galigagna Coslaco and Pisino are vpland cities The most famous city of this whole country is Iustinopolis which they commonly call Capo d' Istria the head of Histria Pliny nameth it Aegida it standeth vpon a rocke in the sea farre remote from the continent vnto which it is ioined by a long bridge This city with many other is subiect vnto the Venetians the rest are vnder the gouernment of the Duke of Austrich c. Beside the ancient Geographers read also Leander Volaterran and Dom. Niger Cassiodore in his 12. booke Variar hath much of this prouince ZARA and SEBENICO ZARA we thinke sometime to haue been called Iadera and others do affirme that his territories anciently was called Liburnia SEBENICO is that which old writers called Sicum Both are marine cities situate vpon the Hadriaticke sea vnder the iurisdiction of the Venetians In that place where in this our mappe thou seest certaine ruines of old decaied buildings Dominicus Niger saith sometime did stand the city Essesia which now lieth leuell with the ground and the place at this day is called Beribir where Epigrammes in Latine and Greeke with many other monuments of antiquity are yet to be seen The authour of this mappe whose name we know not calleth the same Bergine Of this part of Illyria read the same Dom. Niger his sixth booke of Geography M. S. Cornelius Scepper sometime Embassadour of Ferdinand Emperour of Rome vnto Soliman the great Turke in his Iournall hath these wordes At Zara we saw the church of S. Io. de Maluasia so named for that the sailours of a hoy laden with Malmesy being in foule weather in danger of shipwracke vowed that if they escaped safe to land they would build a church whose mortar should be tempered with malmesy which was accordingly performed CARINTHIAE DVCATVS ET GORITIAE PALATINATVS WOLF LAZIO auctore Histriae tabula Petro Coppo descr ZARAE ET SEBENICI DESCRIPTIO HVNGARY HVngaria which it is certaine was so named of the Hunni or Hungari a people come out of Scythia which now inhabit it conteineth almost both the Pannonies the countries of the Iaziges and the Daci now comprehending Transsyluania VValachria and Moldauia On the South it beginneth at the riuer Dra on the North it is bounded by Sarmatia Europaea now called Polonia and Getia at this day named VValagria on the West it hath Austrich sometime the head of the Higher Pannonia vpon the East it is confined with Mysia which at this day they call Rhetia Donaw Danubius of all the riuers of Europe by farre the greatest runneth through the middest of it and so diuideth it into two parts the Heather and the Farder The HEATHER HVNGARIA is that which formerly were the Pannonies the Vpper and Neather this is seuered from the further Hungaria by the riuer Dra from Austrich and Bayern by the foote of the mount Caecius from Slauonia by Dra from Bosna and Rascia by Saw The head and chiefe cities of this part is Buda often they call it the imperiall seat of their kings Other townes of great account
of Wine although not so good as Hungary and Slauonia The two Walachies VValachia Transalpina Walachie beyond the mountaines and Moldauia do enclose Transsiluania that resteth vpon the riuer Donaw this vpon the Euxine sea or Mar maiore as the Italians call it both of them together with Transsiluania do now possesse that part of Europe which anciently was called DACIA Thus that whole tract beyond Donaw which doth not only conteine the higher Hungary but also Transsiluania together with both the Walachies is enclosed round on euery side with Donaw the Carpathian hills Crapacke as some thinke the Euxine sea and againe with the same Donaw Thus farre Broderith But I thinke it not amisse to set downe heere the description of it out of Antony Bonfinius his I. decade of the first booke of his history of Hungary Beyond the Carpathian mountaines saith he is the vttermost prouince of Dacia extended euen vnto the riuer Axiaces This now vulgarly is knowen by the name of TRANSSILVANIA they call it Sibenburghen the Hungarians Herdel It is a most fertile country of cattell wine and corne also of Gold and Siluer where certaine riuers do driue downe shiuers of Gold and pieces sometime of a pound and an halfe weight being euery way round beset with steep hills in maner of a crownet In the woods are kine or beeues with long manes like horses buffs and wild horses both very swift and light in running but the horses haue long manes hanging down to the very ground those which are tame and brought vp for seruice naturally haue a very fine easie kind of amble This country is inhabited partly by Scythians partly by the Saxones and Dakes these are more humane and ciuill those more rude and churlish In old time before the breaking in of the Gothes and Hunnes all Dacia was possessed by the Roman and Sarmatian colonies c. George of Reichtersdorff hath described this country in a peculiar Treatise See also George Rithaymer Peter Rantzan Pius the second in his description of Europe Iohn Auentine and Martine Cromer in his twelfth booke of the history of Poland This country vulgarly is called Sibenburgh and Zipserland as Sebastian Munster hath giuen out More of the knowledge and discouery of this prouince are to be sought for in the first chapter and second section of the twelfth booke of Wolfangus Lazius his Romane common-wealth and in Laonicus his fifth booke Lastly in the protrepticke oration of Iohn Cuspinian Synonymes or diuers names of one and the same place in Transsiluania according as they are named by the Hungarians Germanes and Latines done by Iohn Sambucus Erdel Sibenburgen Dacia ripensis Pannodacia Trans vel Vltratrasiluania Nagbanya Newsteetl Riunli domin Rudbanya Rodna Bestercze Nosn Bistritiae Bonczyda Bonisprukh Kolosuar Glausnburg Claudiopolis Offenbanya Offnburg Aprukh Ochlatn Samos falu Mikldorff Buza Busaten Vorosmarth Rosperg Demeterfalua Metersdorff Teuuisch Durnen Balasfalua Blasndorff Gulafeyruar Weyssnburg Alba Iulia Sermisdacia Zekluasarhel Newmarkh Kizekmezeu Ibisdorff Felseupold Oberspald Absopold Niderspald Zazzebes Millcnbach Zabeus Holduilagh Schatn Apafalu Apfdorff Moneta Donnersmkrhta Braniczka Bernfapff Baijon Bonisdorff Ekemezeu Prosdorff Zelindes Stoltzeburg Naghczur Grooscheyrn Rihonfalua Reicherdorff Requiescit Brasso Cronstatt Corona vel Stephanopolis Varhel Zarmis Segesuar Schesburg Zazhalom Hunderthuhl Centum colles an hundred hills Zarkan Schirkingen Keuhalom Keps Kykelwar Kiklpurg Veczel Venecia Vlpia Traiana Kerestien mezeu Aw Insula Christi Christs iland Muschna Meschen Kakasfalu Hendorff Recze Ratzisd Ioffij Val. Dobra Vizakna Saltzburg Barczasagh Wurtzland Burcia Vaskapur Eysuthor Pilae Geticae the ancients called it Veurostorn Ratertuern Zakadat Zaka Feketetho Nigra palus Blacke more Tolmacz Talmisch Aran Auratus fl Zamos Samisch Samosus fl Keureuz Die Kraysz Chrysius fl Fier Keureus schwartz weis Kreysz Feketh Keureus schwartz weis Kreysz Sebeskeureus dic schnel krapsz fl Maros Merisch Marysus fl Olt Die Alth Aluata Aluttus fl Strell Istrig Sargetia vel Strigetia fl Ompay Die Omp fl Haczagh vel Hatsaag or rather the vale Sarmisia where there was some time the city Sarmisgethusa c. TRANSILVANIA HANC VLTRA VEL TRANSILVANIAM QVAE ET PĀNODACIA ET DACIA RIPĒSIS VVLGO SIBEMBVRGĒ DICITVR didit Viennae Ao. 1566. Nobiliss atque Doctiss Ioēs Sābutus Pannonius H. Litera in hac tabula nonnullis vocabulis adiuncta significat ea esse Hungarica Cum Priuilegio The Kingdome of POLAND POlonia or Poland so named of the champion plaines of the soile which yet in their language they vulgarly call Pole is a vast and wide country on the West bordering vpon Schlesia on the other sides it resteth vpon Hungaria Lithuania and Prussia It is diuided into the Greater and the Lesser The Greater Poland is that which lieth toward the West and conteineth the goodly cities Guesna and Posnauia The Lesser Poland lieth toward the South and hath the famous city Cracow seated vpon the head of the riuer Vistula the Germanes call it De Wixel the Polanders Drwencza which runneth through the middest of the country the other cities are not very great nor beautifull Their houses for the most part are all built of stone and some are dawbed with clay The country is very moorish full of fens and woodes The common drinke the people vse is Beere wine they seldome drinke neither do they know how to dresse and manure the vine They are counted excellent Horsemen for seruice in the warres The soile is fertile they haue many heards of cattell many deere game and pastime for the Noblemen It hath great plenty of Hony Salt heere is digged out of the earth in great abundance In the mountaines which they in their language call Tatri they haue mines of Brasse and Brimstone Cromer writeth that the Polanders are of the Hungars called Lengel of Leech the captaine or father of the Nation Vnder the kingdome of Polonia are comprehended Lithuania Samogitia Masouia Volhinia Podolia and Russia which is called South-Russia and of some Ruthenia as also all Prussia except that part which hath a peculiar Duke by whom it is gouerned Lewenclay writeth that in the yeare 1570. the king of Poland tooke the Prince of Moldauia to his protection The greatest part of LITHVANIA is moorish and full of Bogges for the most part woody and therefore not easilie entered trauelled or come vnto it is better trading with the Lithuans in the winter then at other times for that the moores and lakes being couered either with thicke ice or deep snow the Marchants may passe from place to place more easily In Lithuania there are few townes and the villages are little inhabited The chiefe wealth of the country people are cattell and rich skins of diuers sorts of wild beasts wherewith the whole country is wonderfully stored They haue great plenty of wax and hony This prouince breedeth the Bugle a kind of beast which they call Suber the Germanes Vr-ochs such as was to be seene at Antwerp in the yeare 1570. From hence also commeth that kind of
beast which the Latines call Alces the Dutch Elandt The people speake the Slauonian tongue like as also the Polanders do Their chiefe city is Vilna a Bishop sea and is as bigge as Cracow but the houses in it do not stand close together or touch one another but like as in the country gardens and orchyeards are between house and house All that Oke-timber which we call Wagenschott of which almost all the buildings carpenters worke and ioiners worke as well publicke as priuate is made in the Low-countries as also the greatest part of their furniture and houshold-stuffe is feld in these parts and from thence is through the East sea the Latines call it Mare balticum the Dutch Oostsee the Russians Wareczkouie morie and Germane ocean transported into these countries In SAMOGITIA which in their language signifieth Low-land the people are tall and of a goodly stature but rude and barbarous in their maners and behauiour vsing a sparing and homely diet The Russians call this prouince Samotzkasemla Heere is no maner of faire buildings but their houses are like houels or poore cottages made of wood and couered with straw or reed From the bottome vpward by a little and little their buildings are made lesse and lesse like the keele of a ship or great helmet In the toppe it hath one window letting in the light from aboue vnderneath which is the hearth or chimney where they dresse their meat In that house they hide themselues their wiues children seruants maides sheep cattell corne and houshold-stuffe altogether Sichardus in his history of Germany writeth that the people of Samogitia are descended from the Saxons and therefore although they be subiect to the kingdome of Polonia yet the Saxons challenging it to be a part of their iurisdiction they do affirme it to pertaine to the precinct of Saxony MASOVIA is a shire held of the king of Poland in homage The chiefe or Metropolitane city of this prouince is Warsouia where they make the excellent mead a kind of drinke made of hony c. VOLHINIA a country abounding with all maner of things a very fertile soile full of townes and castles PODOLIA is of such a fruitfull soile that the grasse in three daies will couer a sticke being cast into it It is so ranke and groweth so fast that a plough being left in it vpon the head-lands or grassie places of the field in a very few daies wil be so couered ouer that you shall hardly find it againe Heere also is great store of hony The head city is Camyenetz RVSSIA yeeldeth great plenty of Horses Oxen and Sheep of very fine wooll Their drinke is mead which they make of hony Wine also is brought hither from Pannonia Moldauia and Walachria The chiefe city of this prouince is Leunpurg the Latines call it Leopolis Lion-city MOLDAVIA is a part of Walachia whose metropolitane city is Sossouia commonly called Sotschen The inhabitants of this country are a fierce and cruell people but very good souldiours and therefore they are at continuall enmity with the Transsiluanians As the custome of the Thracians was in old time to marke the Noblemens children with a hot iron so they report that the Lords of Moldauia to this day do vse to marke their children assoone as they be borne with some kind of marke least a question might arise whether they were the right and lawfull heires or not and that aliens and strangers might be excluded from inheritance amongst them as Reinerus Reineckius in his discourse of noble families hath written Many other things of thse countries thou maiest read of in Matthias of Michow in his discourse of the Sarmaties Albert Crantz in his description of Wandalia Bonfinius in his history of Hungary and Laonicus Chalcondylas in his first and third bookes But of all Martine Cromer in his Chronicle of Poland hath most excellently described these countries and Sigismund of Herberstain in his commentaries of Moschouia See also Sebastian Munster Pius Secundus Pope of Rome and Dauid Chytraeus in his Chronicle of Saxony Iohannes Duglossus a most copious historian of the Polonians is cited by Ioach mus Cureus but as yet not published as he affirmeth George of Reichersdorff hath most curiously described Moldauia Laonicus Chalcondylas also in his second booke hath diuers things worth the knowing of this country POLONIAE LITVANIAEQ DESCRIPTIO Auctore Wenceslao Godreccio et correctore Andrea Pograbio Pilsnensi Cum Priuilegio Imp. Regiae etc. decennali SPRVSE GRomer in his description of Poland describeth this country on this maner Amongst many other nations of Sarmatia in Europe the Borussi by Ptolemey are placed very farre North in that coast where now as I thinke the Liuonians and Moschouites do dwell beyond the riuer Chernish next neighbours to the Ryphaeans Those with Erasmus stella I iudge to haue passed further South and West and possessed a great part of Sarmatia which is vpon the East adioined to the Russians and Moschouites and is enclosed on the South with woods and the Hercynian forrest and all that coast along by Pautzkerwicke or Frish-haff as some thinke Ptolemey calleth it Sinus Venedicus Pliny Clylipenus the Balticke and East seas euen vnto the riuers Vistula Wixel or Weissel and Ossa and to be called Borussi or Prussi by names not much different In this compasse now do inhabit the Liuonians Lithuans Samagites and the Pruissen yet retaining the ancient appellation nations distinct in respect that they are subiect to diuers states and gouerned by different lawes and policies but vsing altogether the same language vulgarly wholly differing from the Slauonians yet hauing diuers Latine words intermedled and mixt among but for the most part corrupt and formed rather after the Italian and Spanish termination than after the Latine Notwithstanding the Dutch and Germanes of late yeares conquering that part which lieth vpon the sea and is called Spruisse and Liuonia haue planted their colonies there Heere hence it is that the Dutch tongue is more familiar and vsuall to these people than that ancient and vulgar language especially in the cities and townes Which also is vsuall amongst the Lithuans who by reason of their neighbourhood and entercourse with the Russians and colonies from thence enterteined do much what speake the Russian language For in that Duglossus deriueth the name and originall of this nation from Prusias the king of Bithynia it is altogether fabulous and not worth the confuting Some do thinke that the Borussi in the German tongue were so called for that they were neere the Russi but whether truly or fasly I list not heere to dispute When and how the Latine tongue did intermedle it selfe with the vulgar language of the Borussians Lithuanians and Liuonians we dare not constantly affirme Erasmus Stella saith that Borussia Prussia or Spruse was rather assaulted by the Romanes then conquered and alleadgeth Pliny for his authour whereupon that followeth that together with the Empire the Latine tongue could not there be spread
and planted But Duglossus he telleth vs that in those ciuill warres between Caesar and Pompey a certaine band or company of Romanes forsaking Italie their natiue country in those troublesome times seated themselues in these coasts and to haue built a city there and to haue called it ROMOVE after the name of Rome their mother which city for a long time was the Metropolitane of that country If this opinion of Duglossus be true who may iustly suspect alwaies reserued if there be any cause of doubt of the truth of the history that that band of Romanes lead by some captaine named Libo to haue come vnto the sea coast neere Frisch-haff toward the East and doth border vpon the Russians driuen hither either by tempestuous weather to haue landed in this place or being followed by the conquerours to haue withdrawen themselues into these quarters for shelter against the raging tyranny of Caesars souldiers and so the Libones Liuones or Liuonians to haue receiued their name and appellation from the same Libo Lastly entending their bounds further and spreading themselues euery way some to haue been named Lithuanians by a name deriued from the same but much altered and corrupt and others to haue retained still the ancient appellation of the Prussi Notwithstanding also a great part of Pomerland and Culmischland and the skirts of Michelaw after that they came to be subiect to the same iurisdiction with Spruse and were vnder the command of the Knights of the Holy Crosse Teutones Crucigeri began to be called by one name Spruse yet indeed that is properlie and truly called Spruse which is comprehended between the riuers Weissel Vistulo Dribentz Ossa and Nemen and the bay Frisch-haff which we spoke of before and from Lithuania and Massouia is diuided by thicke woods full of Meeres and Bogges Thus farre out of Cromer I thinke it not amisse also to set down heere the ancient diuision of this country of Spruse into particular shires as Casper Henneberger hath written whose words are these VIDIVVTO or as he is called of some VIDINITVS king of Borussia in the yeare of Christ 573. when he was 116. yeares old before he together with his brother BRVTENOCRIBE did cast himselfe for a sacrifice to his Gods into the fire thus diuided his possessions vnto his sonnes Hee had as they report 12. sonnes The I. was LITPHO or as others call him LITALAN to whom he gaue Lituania the Lower made him king soueraigne of the rest but he for the murder of CRIBE a Bishop of theirs so called was reiected of his brethren Amongst the other eleuen he diuided the country of Spruse Of these the first called ZAMO obtained that tract which of him to this day is named Zambia Samland hauing vpon the West North the salt sea vpon the East the lake Curisch-haff Curonensis lacus and the riuer Deme vpon the South the riuer Pregel it is a receiued opinion amongst them that he dwelt in the mount GALTAGARE II. SVDO got for his portion that part of the country where now are Oletzo Stradaun Lick part of the precincts or liberties of Iohanisburg Letzen Angerburg and Insterburg and hath vpon the East Lituania on the South Masouia and Galindia on the North-West Barthonia Barthenerland on the North Schalauonia This country they called after his name Sudauia Which name afterward when this whole tract was spoiled and laid wast by the Crucigeri the knights of the Holy Crosse it vtterly lost and therefore whether this country was called Sudauia or not the latter writers are wholly ignorant and they do thinke it to haue beene in Sambia where now is the canton called Der Sudawische winkel oder der Bruster ort but they are deceiued For for their treachery they were of the Crucigeri translated thither III. NADROO was seated between Sambia Scalauonia and Barthonia where there are many riuers forrests and vast wildernesses and is called Nadraw NADRAVIA In this prouince are Tapiaw Taplaucken Salaw Georgenburg c. strong and defensible castels IIII. SCALAVONI had those places giuen him which are on either side of the riuer Memel the old writers called it Cronon and therefore his portion was named Scalauonia after his own name V. NATANGO got that part which of him was called Natangen and hath vpon his North side the riuer Pregel vpon the East Alla. VI. BARTHO enioyed Barthonia Barthenerland It was diuided into the Greater the Lesser and Plick Barthen but now those diuisions are forgotten and out of vse VII GALINDO that tract from Masouia vnto the riuer Alla and the lake Spirding of him was named Galindia and conteineth many huge deserts a great part of it doth belong to the Bishop of Varmia and is now accounted as part of Ermeland VIII VARMONI for his portion was assigned VARMIA lying between the countries Galindia Natangia and Pogesamia But he not liuing long after his father this prouince soone againe lost that name and of his mother was named by a Germane name Ermeland IX HOGGO his Lordship was seuered from Ermeland by the riuer Passerg from Pomesamia by the riuer Weseck and the lake Drausen but now of the Germanes it is called Hockerland but by the Latines of POGIA his daughter it is named Pogesania X. POMESO possessed Pomesania denominated of him bounded by the riuers Weissel Weeseck Ossa or Mockra XI CHELMO obtained for his portion Culmigeria or Hulmigeria they call it Colmishland a prouince lying between the riuers Weissel Mockra or Osso and Dreuentza well replenished with castels and cities Heere is another shire worth the remembrance which they call Sossaw Item another called LOBOVIA Lobaw belonging to the Bishop of Culm HVNTAVV also a very little prouince but well inhabited There is also an iland about Margeburg or Marienburg enclosed round with a bancke or wall by the Crucigeri the knight of the Holy Crosse against the inundations and breaking-in of the riuers Weissel and Nogot and it is called The Greater I le Gros Werder The Lesser I le Das klein Werder is in Pomerell about Dantzk Lastly MARIANA by Marienwerder an Iland so called which is not inhabited but reserued for pasture and meddow yeelding yearely great profit This authour promiseth a peculiar Treatise of Prussia with a further discourse of this his mappe But of this thou maiest read more in Guaginus Veronensis in his history of Sarmatia Dauid Chytraeus also in his Saxon Chronicle hath excellently well described the same Amber the Latines call it Succinum and Electrum the Germanes Bernstein Agstein Ammeren is found plentifully on the coast of this country and no where els in the world beside to the great gaine and inriching of this Nation Diuers haue written of the nature and properties of this Simple But none better in my iudgement than Andreas Aurifaber Vratislauiensis in a seuerall tract written both in Latine and Dutch PRVSSIAE VERA DESCRIPTIO Per Gaspar Henneberg Erlichens LIVONIA LIuonia as Lewenclay writeth extendeth it selfe along the sea coast
aboue 4000. furlongs and where it is narrowest it is 1300. furlongs broad The Prussians Lithuanians and Russians dwell round about it the rest the Liuonian Gulfe doth bound Liuonia conteineth the CVRONES ESTHENI and LETTI nations different both in maners and language In the cities and townes they vse the Saxon or German tongue The country is full of wood plaine and champion without hils or mountaines for the most part lying lay and vnhusbanded notwithstanding that the soile is good and fertile For if you shall except wine and oile and some few other such things which nature yeeldeth to some countries that are situate in a more temperate climate for these only are brought in hither vnto them other things more necessary for the maintenance of mans life are heere found in such great plenty that they do liberally communicate them to strangers and forreiners They haue great plenty of Fish and Deere Munster affirmeth that the Hares in this country do in euery season of the yeare change their colour for in the winter they are white and in the summer they are gray From hence wax hony ashes stone-pitch pix arida liquid pitch the Dutch call it Ther we Tarre and that kind of corne which the Latines call Secale the Germanes Rogghe and we Rie is yearely brought vnto vs in great abundance It hath certaine cities very large and finely built of them the chiefest is RIGA a colonie of the Germanes of the Bishopricke of Breme commodiously seated vpon the riuer Duin It is a goodly Mart towne and the Metropolitane of the whole prouince RIVALIA they vulgarly call it Reuel the Russians Roliua built by Waldemare king of Denmarke famous for his goodly hauen vpon a bay of the Balticke or East-sea This for traffique is not lesse frequented or populous then Riga DORPATVM Derpt neere neighbour to the Russians which call it Iuriongorod The riuer Becke runneth by the walles of this city very commodious for traffique with the Russians This riuer is caried in one channell into the sea which running violently with a great fall from steep rocks worketh the same effect to the people neere adioining as Lewenclay saith that the cataracts or fals of the riuer Nilus did to the Aegyptians which in continuance of time by little and little grow to be deaffish and thicke of hearing Besides these cities there are certaine lesser townes fortified with goodly strong castles VENDA Wenden the more honourable for that heere the Grand-captaine or Master of the order keepeth his court It is situate in the middest of the country Then VELINVM Welum Parnaw vpon the sea Wolmer Veseburgum I thinke they call it Yseborg Wittestein Narua and others Willichius and Cureus do thinke that the Efflui and Limouij did sometime dwell in these quarters Of the forme of gouernment and ordering of their common-wealth which is at the prescript of the knights of the order of the Holy Crosse read Iohn Aubane Munster Lewenclay Gaguine in his Sarmatia and Herberstein out of whom we haue culled these particulars But Crantzius also in his sixth booke of Wandalia is to be read with Oderbornes second booke of the life of Basilidis and Dauid Chytraus his Chronicle of Saxony who hath written of the same with greater diligence than the rest POMERANIA or POMERLAND PEtrus Artopoeus Pomeranus in Munsters Cosmography thus describeth this country his natiue soile POMOERANIA saith he situate vpon the Balticke sea of the first inhabitants in their natiue language that is in the Wandall tongue is called PAMORZI It is still possessed of the first in-borne inhabitants gouerned by their proper Princes and was neuer subdued or made subiect to any forrein iurisdiction It is in all places very fertile well watered with riuers brookes lakes creekes and in-lets from the sea it hath many good hauens rich pastures and good corne grounds it hath great plenty of apples cattell deere fishes foule corne butter cheese hony wax and such like commodities it hath many rich mountaines populous cities townes castels and villages there is no void place or wast ground in it but those which lakes or mountaines do possesse Before Christianity was entertained here they spake the Wandall language and followed their fashions and maner of life vntill such time as they were subdued vnder the command of the Roman Emperours for then together with Religion they began to vse the Saxon tongue which to this day they retaine Thus farre Artopoeus Pomerye in the Wandalian language which is the same with the Slauonian tongue signifieth nothing els as Herberstein affirmeth but neere the sea or a marine coast The banke or sea-wall of this country is so strongly fortified by nature with such a strong rampart that heere is no feare of the sea breaking in to ouerflow them The more famous cities vpon this coast besides some other situate further within the land are Stetin Newgard Stargard c. STETIN sometime was but a small village inhabited by a few poore fishermen but after that Christianity was planted heere about Wineta vtterly destroied and the mart was remoued hither it begun presently so to flourish that now it is become the Metropolitan of the whole country It is most pleasantly seated vpon the banke of the riuer Oder from the which it ariseth by little and little higher vpon the side of an hill It is enclosed with a strong wall and deep trench GRYPSVVALD is a towne in the Dukedome of Wolgast which others do call the Dukedome of Barth this towne being long together much afflicted with ciuill warres was much hindered and impaired but in the yeare 1456. by erecting and placing of an Vniuersity there it began againe by little and little to lift vp the head IVLINVM a towne sometime not inferiour vnto the goodly cities of Europe whether you respect the wealth of the citizens or stately buildings of the same This was sometime a famous mart towne of the Wandalls Such a multitude of merchants did flocke hither from Russia Saxony Laussnitz Meisen and all parts of Wandal-land in such troopes that in all Europe except Constantinople there was scarce such a mart to be found but it was so shaken by the violent warres of the Danes that at last it was almost wholly brought to nothing such is the mutability of vnconstant fortune alwaies delighted in change Now they call it Wollin STRALSVND vpon the sea shore It hath had sometime his proper prince viz. the Duke of Barth It is a city very populous and greatly frequented by Merchants WINETA this sometime was also a city of good reckoning peraduenture it is now called Archon or Iulinum Wollin For the cities of Wandal-land according to the diuersity of languages of sundry nations had their diuers names That which the Wandalls called Stargard the Saxons named Aldenburg and the Danes Bannesia as Crantzius affirmeth But I thinke it good to set down the description of this country which the singular learned man M. Peter Edling sent me from Colberg in this
maner Pomerland at this day hath forty cities enclosed with walls and ditches besides certaine goodly castles and monasteries Amongst the which these are the chiefe Stralsund Stettin Grypswald Stargard Colberg and Anglame Fiue hundred yeares since before the enterteinment of Christian religion which was in the yeare 1124. and when they left the Slauonian tongue Pomerland was greater and not much inferiour to a kingdome For Bugslaus the first brother of Wartislaus the first sonne to Swantibore who died a Pagane when as his nephews leauing their country for the alteration of the language adioined Pomerell to Spruise POMERELL which the Polanders do at this day call Casub corner Cassubia is no very small prouince It extended it selfe from the borders of Pomerland to the riuer Wixel or Weissel and conteineth these cities Dantzk Putzka Dirsow Stargard Nauburg Smecha Tauchel Nakel Hamerstein Baldeburg Frideland Conitz Schoneg Slochow c. which cities haue for the most part castles belonging to them beside which there are these castles Moseuantz Talkenborch Subitz Lauterberg and these Monasteries Polpelin Sukow Tzernitz Oliua where the Princes of Pomerell were wont to be buried euen to Mestewin the last of that line who died at Dantzk and was buried at Oliua in the yeare 1295. Read more of Pomerland in the Saxon Chronicle of Dauid Chytraeus This mappe we haue taken out of Munsters Cosmography The Dukedome of OZWIECZIN and ZATOR THis Dukedome is a part of the kingdome of Poland where it toucheth Silesia Sometime it did not belong to this kingdome The territorie of OZVVIECZIN the Germanes in their language call it Auschwitz fell vnto the kings of Poland in the time of Cazimir the third in the yeare 1454. ZATOR about 400. yeares after in the raigne of Sigismund the first was reduced vnto the crowne of Poland and was vnited to that body in the yeare of Christ 1548. as Cromer in his Chronicle of Poland testifieth POMERANIAE WANDALICAE REGIONIS TYP LIVONIAE NOVA DESCRIPTIO Joanne Portantio auctore DVCATVS OSWIE CZENSIS ET ZATORIENSIS DESCRIPTIO ROMANIA anciently called THRACIA THat country which now they call ROMANIA the ancients called THRACIA It was a large and wide prouince hauing on the East Propontis Mar di Marmora and Pontus Euxinus the Italians call it Mar Maiore the Gretians Maurothalassa the Turkes as Busbequius saith Caradenis the blacke sea as both nations vnderstand on the South Mare Aegeum the Turkes call this Acdenis the white sea Archipelago on the West Macedony and Pannony on the North the mount Haemus Monte Argentaro and both the Moesiaes The aire is neither very kind nor the soile very fertile and except it be in those places which do butte vpon the sea it is barrein and cold Ptolemey diuideth it into thirteen shires namely these Danthletica Bennica Bessica Caenica Coeletica Corpialica Drosica Maedica Samaica Sapaica Sardica Sellitica Vrbana and Vsdesica The latter writers haue diuided it into these six prouinces Europa Hoemimontum Moesia Secunda which is the same with Moesia Inferior Rhodope Scythia and Thracia properly so called Lastly it was since called by one name Romania which it still retaineth Yet about Constantinople I vnderstand the Turkes do call it Galatia where also at this day there is the city Galata which we call Pera and the old Historiographers named Cornu Bizantium the horne of Constantinople The famous MOVNTAINES of this country are Hoemus Monte Argentaro or Catena mundi the chaine of the world the Italians call it the Turkes Balkan the Slauonians Cumouiza Rhodope Valizu or Czernaniwerti they now call it Orbelus Karopnitze Pangaeus Malaca or Castagna and diuers others of lesser note The RIVERS are Hebrus Marisa Nessus Nesto or Mestro the Turkes call it Charasou Melas now Lameta or Larissa and Strymon as some thinke although others do rather iudge this to be a riuer of Macedony The famous CITIES are Abdera now Asperosa as Niger thinketh or Polystylo as Sophianus or Astrizza as Nardus affirmeth Apollonia Phinopolis Philippolis Nicopolis vpon the riuer Haemus Nicopolis vpon the riuer Nessus Hadrianopolis the Turkes call it Endrem as Busbechius writeth or Edernay as Postellus teacheth Selyhria Debeltus Heraclea Lysimachia Hexamili and Bysantium famous in all ages so named of Bysa who first built it afterward it was enlarged and fortified by the Emp. Constantine and of him was called Constantinopolis but at this time corruptly and more short Stamboli This now as also long since it was is the most famous and honourable city of all this country next after Hadrianople Andernopoli it is commonly called then Sophia and others of lesse estimation This country also hath adioined vnto it a necke-land or demi-ile which they call the Foreland of Thrace Heere is Callipolis Gallippoli and Sesto famous for the loue of Leander Dauid Chytraeus in his Chronicle of Saxony hath diuers things worth the noting of the prouinces of this chart The ilands in the Archipelago mare Aegaeum neere to Romania are SAMOTHRACIA commonly called Samandrachi and THALASSIA of Ptolemey which others call Thassus and to this day it reteineth some similitude of that name for the latter writers do name it Tasso In Propontis or Mar di Marmora is PROECONNESVS or Elaphonnesus which some haue named Neuris Now the Turkes and Greekes do call it Marmora whereof that sea tooke the name In Bosphorus the Latines call it Stretto di Constantinopoli the straites of Constantinople the Greekes Laimon the Turkes Bogazin are the Insulae CYANEAE which Strabo calleth Symplegades now Pauonare or Iarcazes oft mentioned in the writings of ancient Poets who after their maner did feine them first to haue floted vpon the water and to be moueable and then by the sailing of the Argonautes to haue been setled and fixed Beside the old Geographers Ptolemey Strabo Pliny and Pomponius Mela which haue written of this country the latter writers also are not to be neglected especially the singular learned VVolfangus Lazius his commentaries of Greece and Bellonius his Obseruations Petrus Gyllius hath most curiously and diligently described the city Constantinople which city a man may say was by the prouidence of God ordeined to be the head of many kingdomes and to haue beene sometime called New Rome and at this day Romania so that the famous poet Tibullus may seeme to haue spoken not without iust cause and by a kind of diuine inspiration when he said ROMATVVM NOMEN TERRIS FATALE REGENDIS O Rome thy name doth giue thou shouldest the world command And in the iudgement of Romulus the Gods would haue it VT ROMA SIT CAPVT ORBIS TERRARVM That Rome should be the head of all the World as Liuy hath left record in the first booke of his Decades ROMANIAE quae olim Thracia dicta VICINARVMque REGIONVM VTI BVLGARIAE WALACHIAE SYRFIAE ETC. DESCRIPTIO Auctore Iacobo Castaldo Cum priuilegio decennasi M.D.LXXXIIII SCANDIA OR THE NORTHREN Kingdomes THis Mappe conteineth almost all the Northen tract of the knowen world
whom they are now gouerned as in times past they were by certaine Bishops of their owne by whom they were as we said before conuerted vnto Christianity in the time of Adelbert Bishop of Breme In the raigne of Harald with the faire lockes Pulchricomus Harfagro they vulgarly called him as Ionas writeth who was the first Monarch of Norway it was first begun to be inhabited as some would faine perswade namely when he had ouercome the pety kings and had banished them out of Norway they being driuen to seeke their dwelling in some other place they forsooke their owne natiue country shipped themselues together with their wiues children and whole families landed at the length in this iland and heere seated themselues This seemeth to me to haue happened about the yeare of Christs incarnation 1000. but the forenamed authour Arngrimus Ionas saith that it was in the yeare 874. who also there setteth downe a Catalogue and names of all their Bishops The first Bishop as Crantzius writeth was Isleff That it was subiect to the command of the same Norweies about 200. yeares I find in the abridgement of Zenies Eclogs where I find that Zichmi king of Friesland attempted warre against this iland but in vaine and was repelled by a garrison of souldiers placed there by the king of Norway to defend the same from the assault of enemies It is diuided into foure parts or prouinces according to the foure quarters of the World namely into Westfiordung Austlendingafiordung Nordlingafiordung and Sundlendingafiordung as to say as the West quarter East quarter North quarter and South quarter It hath but two Bishops seas Schalholdt and Hola with certaine scholes adioined vnto them In the diocesse of Hola are the Monasteries Pingora Remested Modur and Munketuere In the diocesse of Schalholdt are Videy Pyrnebar Kirkebar and Skirda Yet by the letters of Velleius the authour of this chart which he wrote vnto me I do vnderstand that there are heere nine monasteries and besides them 329. churches They haue no coine of their owne nor cities for the mountaines are to them in steed of cities and fountaines for pleasure and delights as Crantzius testifieth who affirmeth that for the most part they dwell in caues making their lodgings and roomes by cutting and digging them out in the sides of hilles The which also Olaus doth testifie especially in the winter time They build their houses of fish bones for want of wood Contrariwise Ionas he saith that heere are many churches and houses built reasonably faire and sumptuously of wood stone and turffe Wares they exchange with Merchants for other wares Forrein dainties and pleasures they are not acquainted withall They speake the Cimbrian language or the ancient Germane tongue into which we saw this other day the holy Scriptures translated and imprinted at Hola a place in the North part of this iland in a most goodly and faire letter in the yeare of our Lord 1584. I say in the old Germane tongue for I do obserue it to be the same with that in which a little booke that is imprinted vnder the name of Otfrides Gospels is written in Ionas himselfe confesseth that they haue no maner of cattell beside Horses and Kine Velleius witnesseth that they haue no trees but Berch and Iuniper The soile is fatte for pastorage and the grasse so ranke that all men that haue written of this iland do iontly and with one consent affirme that except they do sometime fetch their cattell from the pasture and moderate their feeding they wil be in danger of being stopped vp with their owne fatte Yet all in vaine oft times as the same Arngrime affirmeth The soile is not good for corne or for eareable ground and so it beareth not any maner of graine therefore for the most part they liue altogether on fish Which also being dried and beaten and as it were ground to meale they make into loaues and cakes and do vse it at their tables in stead of bread Their drinke in former time was faire water but now of corne brought vnto them from forren places they haue learned to brew a kind of beere so that after they began to trade with strangers resorting to them they began also to loue better liquours and haue left their drinking of water For as Georgius Bruno maketh me beleeue the Lubekers Hamburgers and Bremers do yearely resort to this iland which thither do cary Meale Bread Beere Wine Aqua vitae course English clothes and other such of low prices both Wollen and Linnen Iron Steele Tinne Copper Siluer Mony both Siluer and Gold Kniues Shoes Coifes and Kercheifes for women and Wood whereof they build their houses and make their boats For these they exchange the Island cloth they commonly call it Watman huge lumps of Brimstone and great store of dried fish Stockefish we call it All this out of the West and South parts of the same Out of the East and North part of the iland where there is great plenty of grasse they transport into other countries Mutton and Beefe butter and ISLANDIA ILLVSTRISS AC POTENTISS REGI FREDERICO II DANIAE NORVEGIAE SLAVORVM GOTHORVMQVE REGI ETC. PRINCIPI SVO CLEMENTISSIMO ANDREAS VELLEIVS DESCRIBEB ET DEDICABAT Priuilegio Imp. et Belgico decennali A. Ortel exud 1585. sometime the fleeces of sheep and skinnes and pelts of other beasts foxes and white falcons horses for the most part such as amble by nature without the teaching and breaking of any horse courser Their oxen and kine are all heere polled and without hornes their sheepe are not so Saxo Grammaticus and Olaus Magnus do tell of many wonders and strange works of God in this iland whereof some it will not be amisse to receit in this place But especially the mount Hekla which continually burneth like vnto Aetna in Sicilia although alwaies those flames do not appeare but at certaine times as Arngrimus Ionas writeth and affirmeth to be recorded in their histories as namely in the yeare 1104. 1157. 1222. 1300. 1340. 1362. 1389. and 1558. which was the last time that the fire brake out of this hill Of the like nature is another hill which they call Helgasâ—ll that is the Holy mount Of the which mountaine the forenamed Bruno a laborious student and for that his worthy worke which he hath set out of all the cities of the World famous and knowen farre and neere all the World ouer hath written in his priuate letters vnto me that in the yeare 1580. Ionas saith it fell out in the yeare 1581. not in Hecla but in another mount namely in Helgesel fire and stones were cast out with such crackes thundering and hideous noise that fourescore miles off one would haue thought great ordenance and double canons had been discharged heere At this hill there is an huge gulfe where spirits of men lately departed do offer themselues so plainely to be seene and discerned of those that sometime knew them in their life time that they are often taken for
heere and there like sand on shore li'th scattered on the ground The goodly pastures passing fatte the lowly meddowes alwaie green Such store of Neat and Kine in vales do feed as else where may be seen The Sea on all sides round about so many sundrie sorts of Fish Doth yeeld that none their names do know or greater store may wish Whereof they daily lade great shippes from hence and those away do send To forrein countries euery way though many things this ile commend For fish yet doth it farre excell all kingdomes of the world throughout By this the Nation grow'th in wealth the people lusty strong and stout The Northren parts which lie full cold and bleake within the frozen zone Do breath forth flashing flames of fire with lumpes of ashes earth and stone Whot burning coals with filthy stinking smoke mount Hecla casteth out With hideous cracks and thundring noise heard farre and neere about Certaine wordes expounded for the helpe of the Reader and better vnderstanding of the Mappe Wic that is a creeke inlet or bay Iokul a mountaine or hill Ey an ile Eyer ilands Nes the Dutch call it Nas and Nues that is a nose a promontory or foreland shooting out into the sea Lend the Dutch pronounce it Landt the land or earth Clauster a Cloister or Monastery Aust the East West the place of the sunne setting Nord the North. Suyd the South Fior signifieth foure RVSSIA Or rather THE EMPIRE OF THE GRAND DVKE OF MOSCOVIA THis Mappe comprehendeth not all Russia for heere are wanting Polonia and Lithuania which generally are conteined vnder the name of Russia But the whole Empire of the Grand Duke of Moscouia which is bounded on the North by the frozen Sea on the East vpon the Tartars on the South vpon the Turkes and Polanders on the West it abutteth vpon Lithuania and Sweden all whose countries and prouinces Sigismundus Baro of Herberstein hath seuerally and particularly described vnto whom we send the thirstie Reader for further satisfaction Of the Religion habite manners and kind of life of this Nation we haue out of him very willingly for thine ease selected these few things In their Religion they do for the most part follow the rites and ceremonies of the Greeke Church Their Priests are maried They haue Images in their Churches When their children are baptized three times dipped all ouer into the water and the water in the font is seuerally consecrated for euery child Although by their constitutions and canons they haue a kind of Auricular Confession yet the common people thinketh it to belong only to Princes and Noblemen and little to pertaine to them Confession being ended and penance enioined according to the quality of the offence and fault they signe them in the forehead with the signe of the crosse and with a loud mournefull voice they crie Iesus Christ thou sonne of God haue mercy vpon vs. This is their common forme and maner of praier for few can say the Pater noster They do communicate in the sacrament of the supper both kinds mingling the bread with the wine or the body with the blood They administer the Lords supper to children of seuen yeares old for then they say a man doth sinne The better sort of men after the communion ended do spend the day in drunkennesse and riot and do rather reuerence the same with braue apparell than inward deuotion the baser sort of people and seruants for the most part do labour and worke as at other times saying that to make holy day to be idle and to leaue their worke is for gentlemen and masters not for poore folkes and seruants Purgatory they do not beleeue yet they make prayers and do other seruice and ceremonies for the dead No man doth besprinkle himselfe or suffer any other to cast holy water vpon him except the Priest himselfe will do it In the Lent they fast seuen whole weekes together They marry and do tolerate bigamy or permit a man to haue two wiues but they make a question whether it be a lawfull matrimony or not They grant diuorces and separations They take it not to be adultery except one man take another mans wife The state of women in this country is most miserable for they thinke except shee like a snaile do carry her house ouer her head and be continually mewed vp in her closet or so watched that by no meanes she may start out of doores none possibly can be honest It is a wilie and deceitfull people and is rather delighted to liue in seruitude and slauery than at large and in liberty All of them do acknowledge themselues to be the Princes seruants They are seldome quiet for either they must make warres vpon the Lithuans the Liuonians or Tartars or if they be not employed in any seruice in forren warres they are placed in garrisons about the riuers Don Tanais the ancients called it and Occan to represse the robberies and inuasions of the Tartars They weare long cleit gownes without any pleits with straite sleeues after the Hungarian fashion bootes also for the most part red and short such as scarse come to their knees and shoes or clogges clouted and hobbed with iron nailes They tie their girdles not about their wasts but beneath their bellies as low as their hippes They do seuere iustice vpon freebooters and such as robbe by the high way side Pilfering and manslaughter is seldome punished by death Their siluer coines or money are not round but somewhat long of an ouall forme or fashioned like an egge-like figure The country aboundeth with those rich and pretious skinnes or pelts which from hence are transported and caried all Europe ouer it is almost euery where full of huge woods All these particulars we haue drawen out of the aboue named Sigismund Many things more of this country thou maist read of in Matthew of Micou Alexander Gaguine his tract of the Sarmatiaes Albert Crantz his VVandalia Paulus Iouius of the Embassage of the Moschouites to Clement the eight Albertus Campensis vpon the same and in the Persian iourneies of Ambrosio Contareno But I would wish thee also for farther satisfaction heerein to read ouer the first and second bookes of Bonfinius his first Decade of the history of Hungary as also the first booke of the life of Basilides written by Oderborne together with the Chronicle of Saxony done by Dauid Chytraeus RVSSIAE MOSCOVIAE ET TARTARIAE DESCRIPTIO Auctore Antonio Ienkensono Anglo edita Londini Anno. 1562 dedicata illustriss D. Henrico Sÿdneo Walliae praesidi Zlata Baba id est aurea vetula ab Obdorianis lougorianis religiose colitur Idolum hoc sacerdos consulit quid ipsis facieÌ„dum quoue sit migrandum ipsumque dictu mirum certa consulentibê° dat responsa certique euentus consequuntur Horum regionúm incolae Solem vel rubrum pannúm pertica suspensum adorant In castris vitam ducunt ac oiÌ„m animaÌ„tium serpentiuÌ„ vermiuÌ„que carne vescuntur
ac proprio idiomate vtuntur Haec saxa hoīm iumentorúm camelorúm pecorumque caeterarumque rerū formas referentia Horda populi gregis pascentis armētaque fuit Que stupenda quadam metamorphosi repente in saxa riguit priori forma nulla in parte diminúta Euenit hoc prodigium annis circiter 300. retro elapsis Cum priuilegio TARTARIA OR THE EMPIRE OF THE MIGHTIE CHAM HE that will take vpon him to describe TARTARIA he must needes speake of a great number of nations farre asunder and remote one from another For all that huge tract and portion of the Maine land is now called Tartaria that is between the East sea or as he calleth it Mare Mangicum the sea of Mangi or of Sin a country all the World ouer and vulgarly knowen by the name of China and the South countries Sin or China that part of India which is beyond Ganges the country of the Saci the riuer Iaxartes now they call it Chesel the Caspian sea Mar delle Zabacche Maeotis palus it was called of the ancient writers and Westward vp as high almost as the Moscouites For all these countries well neere the Tartars did possesse and in these places they were seated So that it comprehendeth that country which the old Historiographers called Sarmatia of Asia both the Scythiaes and Seria the country where the Seres dwelt which now I take to be named Cataio The name of this Nation was neuer heard of in Europe before the yeare after Christs incarnation 1212. They are diuided in stead of shires into Hordaes that is as the word amongst them doth signifie into companies or couents But as they do inhabite large and wide countries farre distant and remote one from another so in manners and kind of life they are as farre different They are well limmed men broad and fatte faced scowling countenanced and hollow eied shauen all but their beards which they neuer cut low they are strong and of able bodies and do eat horse flesh and other beasts howsoeuer they come to their deaths only hogges excepted from which they wholly abstaine they can more easily endure hunger and thirst than other men a little sleepe doth serue them moreouer when they ride if they be very hungry and thirsty they vse to pricke the veines of their horses vpon which they ride and by drinking of their bloud to slacke their hunger and thirst And because they roue vp and downe and haue no certaine place of abode they guide their course and iourney by the stars especially by the obseruation of the North pole starre which they in their language call as Sigismund Herberstein testifieth Seles nicol that is the iron clubbe naile or sterne They stay not long in one place taking it to be a signe of ill fortune to dwell long vpon one plotte They obserue no maner of iustice or law The people especially the poorer sort are very rauenous and couetous alwaies gaping after other mens goods They haue no maner of vse either of gold or siluer In this country thou seest TANGVT a prouince from whence all the Rheubarbe that is spent and vsed in all the world is brought vnto vs and other places Heere also is the country CATAIA whose chiefe city is Cambalu which as Nicolaus de Comitibus writeth is eighteen Italian miles about or as M. Paulus Venetus thirty two It is of a square forme in ech of whose corners there are castles built foure miles in compasse where continually the Emperours garrisons are kept But Quinzai a city of the prouince Mangi which is from hence Eastward vpon the Eastern sea is thought to be farre bigger than this For this as the same M. Paulus Venetus affirmeth who dwelt there about the yeare after the birth of Christ 1260. is in compasse an hundred miles The same is also auouched by Odericus of Friuli de foro Iulio who nameth it Cansay It is situate in a lake of fresh water There are in it 1260. bridges whereof many are of such great height that shippes full laden may go vnder them and neuer strike saile Heere the Great Cham hath a standing garrison of 12000. trained souldiers continually resident It is a wonderfull stately and pleasant city whereupon it obtained that name for Quinzai they interpret The city of Heauen The Tartars call their Emperour Cham which signifieth the same that Princeps a Prince hereupon Cambalu is interpreted The seate or city of the Prince Sigismundus of Herberstein writeth that the Tartars do call themselues Besermanni The Tartars together with their manner and course of life are most liuely described by Sigismund of Herberstein and Martine Broniouius as also in the Historicall Glasse or Mirour of histories writen by Vincentius Beluacensis in the 30. 31. and 32. bookes of the same See also the commentaries of Hungary written by Antonio Bonfinio M. Paulus Venetus who it is certaine liued long there amongst them and the Iournall or Trauells of Iosapha Barbarus a Venetian Of their originall read Matthias of Michou Haiton the Armenian Caelius secundus Curio his Saracen history and the letters of Iacobo Nauarcho a Iesuite Of the Tartars there be many things worth the reading in the trauells of two Friars which about the yeare 1247. were sent into these quarters by Pope Gregory the fourth in the thirtieth chapter of Nicephorus his eigteenth booke Laonicus also hath many things in diuers places of his workes of the Tartars vnder the name of the Scythians the like hath Gregoras another Greeke writer Lastly Dauid Chytraeus in his Saxon chronicle hath written much of this nation But no man hath more fully and amply set out the maners and life of the Tartars then William Rubricius a Friar of the order of S. Francis a copy of whose trauells into these parts in the yeare of Christ 1253. I haue by me in written hand TARTARIAE SIVE MAGNI CHAMI REGNI tÿpus Continet haec tabula oēm Tartariam cum reliqua Asiae Orientalioris vsque Oceanū Eoum parte Magno Chamo obediente Cuius imperium Obij fl Kataia lacu Volga fl Mari Caspio Chesel flu Vssonte monte Thebet regione Caromoram fluuio Oceano terminatur Cum Priuilegio CHINA BErnardinus Scalantus hath in the Spanish tongue set out a peculiar description of this country in a seuerall tract out of whom we haue gathered these few lines This huge kingdome of China the inhabitants do call TAME and themselues TANGIS but of the bordering nations it is named CHINA and is that Tein or Sin which Auicenna so many hundred times mentioneth and commendeth for rare simples and plants of soueraigne vse in Physicke and is the same no doubt with SINAE or Sinarum regio a country for rich commodities much talked of amongst all ancient Cosmographers This country on the East bordereth vpon the East sea vulgarly called Mare Cin the sea of China on the South vpon the prouince Cauchinchina on the West it is bounded by Bramas on the North
of the forenamed Maffeius who handleth them more at large with many other things of these Ilands of Iaponia Of the same there are heere and there many things in the Iesuites Epistles INDIA THat there is not a more goodly and famous country in the world nor larger comprehended vnder one and the same name than INDIA almost all writers iointly with one consent haue affirmed It was so named of the riuer Indus The whole compasse of India by the iudgement of Strabo and Pliny is thus limited vpon the West it hath the riuer Indus on the North the great mountaine Taurus on the East the Eastern sea wherein those famous Ilands the Moluccaes do lie on the South it hath the Indian sea In the middest it is diuided into two large prouinces by the goodly riuer Ganges Of which that which is on the West side of Ganges is called India intra Gangem India on this side Ganges that on the East India extra Gangem India beyond Ganges That in holy Scripture it is called EVILAT or Hauila this latter some writers call SERIA the country of the Seres as Dominicus Niger testifieth M. Paulus Venetus seemeth to diuide it into three prouinces the Greater the Lesser and the Middlemost which he saith they name Abasia This whole country generally not only for multitude of nations of which as Herodotus writeth it is most populous and best stored of any country in the world and for townes and villages almost infinite but for the great abundance of all commodities only brasse and lead excepted if one may giue credit to Pliny is most rich and fortunate It hath very many riuers and those very great and faire These running to and fro and in many places crossing and watering the same do cause it as in a moist soile where the sunne is of force to bring forth all things most plentifully It storeth all the world with Spices Pearles and Pretious stones as hauing greater plenty of these commodities than all the countries of the whole world besides There are neere vnto this country many goodly ilands which heere and there lie scattering in the maine Ocean so that it may iustly be tearmed the World of Ilands But especially IAPAN which M. Paulus Venetus calleth Zipangri situate in this sea is worth the noting which because it is not many yeares since that it was knowen to few or none I thinke it not amisse to say something of it in this place It is a very large and wide iland and hath almost the same eleuation of the Northren pole and position from the South with Italy The Ilanders and people heere inhabiting are much giuen to learning wisedome and religion and are most earnest and diligent searchers out of the truth in naturall causes They vse to pray and say seruice oft which they do in their Churches in the same maner as the Christians do They haue but one King vnto whom they are subiect and do nothing but according to his behests and lawes Yet he also hath one aboue him whom they call Voo to whom the ordering of Ecclesiasticall matters gouernment of the state of the Church is soly committed This peraduenture we may not vnfitly compare to the Pope as their King to the Emperour To their Bishop they commit the saluation and care of their soules They worship only one God protraitured with three heads yet they can shew no reason of this act They baptize their infants by fasting in token of penance they labour to bring downe their bodies They crosse and blesse themselues with the signe of the crosse against the assault of Satan so that in religion certaine ceremonies and maner of liuing they seeme to imitate the Christians yet notwithstanding the order of the Iesuites labour by all meanes possibly they can not refusing any paines and trauell to reduce them wholly to Christianity Heere are also the MOLVCCAE certaine ilands famous for the abundance of spices which they yearly yeeld and send into all quarters of the world In these is bred the Manucodiatta a little bird which we call the bird of Paradise a strange fowle no where els euer seen More neere the coast of India is SVMATRA or rather Samotra for so the King himselfe of that country writeth it in his letters vnto his Maiesty this Iland was knowen to the ancient Geographers and Historians by the name of TAPROBANA There are also diuers other Ilands heereabout of great estimation and fame as Iaua Maior Iaua Minor Borneo Timor c. as thou maist see in the Mappe but we cannot in this place speake of euery thing particularly and to the full Thus farre the religion of Mahomet is professed and from Barbary ouer against Spaine euen vnto this place is the Arabicke language spoken or vnderstood The Moores from Marrocco Ambassadours to our late Queene some fiue yeares since we saw and heard them speake that tongue naturally in which also their commission or letters patents were written From Achem in Samotra and Bantam in Iaua Maior our Merchants this other day brought letters vnto his Highnesse so fairely and curiously written in that character and language as no man will scarcely beleeue but he that hath seen them especially from so barbarous and rude a Nation Of the ancient writers Diodorus Siculus Herodotus Pliny Strabo Quintus Curtius and Arrianus in the life of Alexander haue described the Indies So hath Apuleius also in the first booke of his Floridorum Dion Prusaeus in his 35. oration hath written much of this country but very fabulously There is also extant an Epistle of Alexander the Great written to Aristotle of the situation of India Of the latter writers Ludouicus Vartomannus Maximilianus Transsiluanus Iohannes Barrius in his Decades of Asia and Cosmas Indopleutes whom Petrus Gyllius doth cite haue done the same But see the Iesuites Epistles where thou shalt find many things making much for the discouery of the I le Iapan But if thou desire a full and absolute description of the same I would wish thee to haue recourse vnto the twelfth booke of Maffeius his Indian history Iohn Macer a Ciuillian hath also written bookes of the history of India in which he hath much of the ile Iaua Moreouer Castagnedo a Spaniard hath written in the Spanish tongue a discourse of the Indies Of the ilands which lie scattering heere and there in this ocean read the twentieth booke of the second Tome of Gonsaluo Ouetani written in like maner in the Spanish tongue INDIAE ORIENTALIS INSVLARVMQVE ADIACIENTIVM TYPVS Cum Priuilegio The kingdome of PERSIA OR The Empire of the SOPHIES THe Empire of the Persians as it hath alwaies in former ages been most famous so at this day still it is very renowmed knowen farre and neere and conteineth many large and goodly prouinces For all that whole tract of Asia comprehended between the great riuer Tigris the Persian gulfe the Indian which of old writers was called mare Rubrum the Red sea the riuers
Indus and Iaxartes they now call it Chesel and the Caspian sea is now in these our daies possessed by the Sophies the Kings of Persia All which tract of ground Pliny in the 27. chapter of his 6. booke of the history of Nature by the iudgement of Agrippa assigneth to the Medes Parthians and Persians But Ammianus Marcellinus who liued in the time of Iulian the Apostata Emperour of Rome doth ascribe it wholly to Persia For he in his foure and twentith booke reckoneth vp these eighteen countries in this order as parts of Persia Assyria Susiana Media Persis Parthia Carmania the Greater Hyrcania Margiana the Bactriani the Sacae Scythia beyond the mount Emodus a part of the mount Taurus the Iewes call it Iethra others Moghali others Beresith as Theuet reporteth Scrica Aria the Paropamisadae Drangiana Arachosia and Gedrosia All these countries euen at this day are subiect to the iurisdiction of the Kings of Persia for ought that I can learne either by the bookes of late writers or relation of sailours and trauellers into those parts yet the names are much altered and changed as you shall easily perceiue by comparing of the moderne mappes and chartes with the descriptions of ancient Geographers Of the originall of the SOPHIES these particulars following Caelius Secundus Curio hath translated in his Saracen history out of the Decades of Asia written by Iohn Barrius In the yeare of Christ 1369. there was a certaine pety king amongst the Persians named Sophi who held the city Ardenelim in his possession This man bragged that he was descended lineally by his ancestours from Musa Cazino nephew of Alij Muhamed He the Chalife of Babylon being dead the contrary faction maintained by the Turkes suppressed by the Tartars began more boldly and freely to broach his opinions of religion and because that Hocemus the sonne Aly from whom he draweth his pedigree had twelue sonnes minding to set some marke or badge vpon his sect and disciples whereby they might be distinguished and knowen from others he ordained that they that would follow him and be of his religion should weare a tire vnder the vaile which all the Turkes do wind about their heads they call it Tulibant should be of a purple colour and should hang out at the middest of the Tulibant twelue hand breadth After his death Guines his sonne succeeded in his steed who did purchase vnto himselfe such an opinion of learning religion and holinesse throughout all the Eastern countries of the World that Tamerlanes that worthy and famous Emperour of the Parthians who ouercame Bayazet the great Turke and defeating all his forces tooke him captiue trauelling through Persia determined to visite him as a most holy and religious Saint To Guines Tamerlanes freely gaue thirtie thousand captiues which he brought thither with him these Guines afterward trained vp in his religion whose seruice Secaidar his sonne especially vsed in his warres For he after that Guines his father was dead made warre vpon the Georgians his neighbours bordering vpon his kingdome and countries a kind of people of Scythia but Christians by profession and by the help of these Mussulmanes grieuously vexed them many kind of waies c. Let this satisfie thee in this place to be spoken of the originall of the Sophies These do make continuall warre with the Turkes about the Mahumetane religion for because the Sophies do follow one interpretour of the Alkora'n and Mahometan religion and the Turkes another which interpretours and expositours do much dissent and vary one from the other so that the Sophians by the Turkes are counted but as Heretiques and contrariwise the Turkes are esteemed for no lesse by the Sophians It is by nature a Gentleman-like and honourable Nation very ciuill and curteous louing learning and liberall sciences and withall do much esteeme of Nobility and Noble-men in that are cleane contrary and opposite to the Turkes which do not acknowledge or regard any difference of bloud or descent from famous ancestours and great houses The situation of these countries the maners customes and behauiour of the people of the same thou maist read of in Aloysius Iohannes Venetus Iosaphat Barbarus Ambrosius Contarenus Iohannes Maria Angiolellus and a certaine Merchants trauels whose name I know not together with them imprinted Looke into also the Iesuites Epistles and the Persian Commentaries of Caterino Zeni a Senatours sonne of Venice Polybius in his fifth booke doth most excellently well describe the middle Country Moreouer Petrus Bizarrus my singular good friend hath this other day set out the history of Persia Lastly and somewhat latter than Bizarrus Thomas Minadoius hath done the like but in the Italian tongue PERSICI SIVE SOPHORVM REGNI TYPVS Cum priuilegio The Empire of the Great TVRKE OF the originall and beginning of the Turkish Empire the encreasing and grow'th of the same vntill it came by little and little to that greatnesse that now it is of whereby it is fearefull to all nations round about we haue gathered these few lines out of the best Historiographers of our time In the yeare of Christ 1300. one OTTOMANNVS a Turke the sonne of Zichi a man of meane parentage began for his pregnant witte and great experience in feats of armes and discipline of warre to grow famous and renowmed amongst the Turkes Of this man the stocke of the Turkish Emperours first tooke their name and beginning and he was the first that ordeined a king ouer the Turkes He raigned seuen and twenty yeares in which space he conquered all Bithynia and Cappadocia and subdued many strong holds neere vnto Mar Maiore or the great sea so now the Italians call that sea which the old writers call Mare Ponticum and Sinus Euxinus the Greekes now Maurothalassa and the Turkes Caradenis that is the Blacke sea After him succeeded his sonne ORCHANES who wonne the great and strong city Prusia or Prusa now called as Bellonius writeth Bource and was sometime named Zellia and Theopolitana which he made the head of his kingdome and place of residence for his Court He was slaine in an vnfortunate battell which he fought against the Tartars in the 22. yeare of his raigne and left AMVRATHES his sonne to rule the kingdome after him who first the Grecian Princes falling at variance and calling him in sailed with an huge army out of Asia into Europe he in a short space subdued almost all Greece and Phocis a part of Bulgaria but himselfe at last being ouercome and taken by Tamerlane died and ended his daies most dishonourably The father being taken CALEPINVS his sonne stepped into the throne and tooke possession of the kingdome But hauing in battell vtterly ouerthrowen Sigismund and his forces and begun to wast and spoile the borders and territories of the Emperour of Constantinople died in the floure of his age when he had raigned but six yeares Heere note by the way that Adolphus Venerius doth not reckon this Calepine amongst the Turkish Emperours For
immediately after Baiazeth he placeth Mahomet And that I may giue euery man his right the singular learned man my good friend Georgius Bruno Agrippinensis hath taught me that the very Turkes themselues do not account him for an Emperour After him MAHOMETES tooke vnto him the crown of the Empire who made fierce warres vpon the Walachians subdued a great part of Slauonia first passed with an armie ouer the Donaw conquered Macedonia and pearced through the country euen as low as the Ionian sea He translated his Court from Prusias in Bithynia vnto Adernopoli in Greece where he died in the fourteenth yeare of his raigne After him AMVRATH the second succeeded in the kingdome This man conquered Epirus Aetolia Achaia Boeotia Attica and Thessalonica now Salonichi a city belonging to the state of Venice After him MAHOMET the second tooke vpon him the Diademe he ouerthrew Athens the most renowmed Vniuersity of the World He wonne by battery the great city of Constantinople vpon the nine and twentith day of May in the yeare after the birth of Christ 1452. He subdued the kingdome of Trapezonda vnder his command He tooke Corinth He forced the ilands Lemnos Stalamine they now call it Euboea Nigroponte and Mitylene to yeeld to his obedience He got Capha a city belonging to the Signiory of Genua and at Geiuisen a city of Bithynia died in the 32. yeare of his raigne BAIAZETH the second after his death possessed the crowne He made warre vpon the Venetians and wanne from them Naupactus Lepanto or as the Turkes call it Einebachti Methona Modon or Mutune a city in Peloponesus Dyrrachium Durazzo and spoiled all Dalmatia He was poisoned by a Iew his Physition After whom SELYMVS his sonne succeeded in the Emperiall throne He wanne Alcairo the strongest city of Aegypt and killing the Souldan subdued Alexandria and all Aegypt vnder his obedience He tooke also Damascus in Syria SOLYMANNVS the only sonne of Zelimus possessing his fathers roome wanne Belgrad tooke Buda the Princes seat and spoiled Strigonium and almost all Hungary He gatte the Rhodes by composition and vtterly rased Quinqueecclesias in Hungary the Turkes call it Petscheu the Dutch Funfkirchen Hauing surprized the city he besieged Zygeth where he ended his life ZELIMVS the second his sonne continued the battery wanne it and sacked it in the yeare of Christ 1566. And thus vnder 11. Emperours in 260. yeares a great part of Africa a greater of Europe and the most of Asia was by Turkish tyranny brought vnder their yoke But he that desireth a more absolute knowledge of the histories of the Turks let him read Paulus Iouius Christofer Richer Cuspinian Baptista Egnatius Gilbertus Nozorenus Andreas Lacuna Pius the second in the fourth chapter of his Europa and others that haue written of the Turkish affaires but no man hath set out these histories either with greater diligence or more amply than M. Richard Knolles our learned countryman my singular good friend Laonicus Chalcondylas hath curiously described the pedigree of the Ottomans together with the originall of the Turks Iohn Leonclaw hath very lately imprinted the Annalles of the Souldan Otthomans written by the Turks in their owne language and interpreted by him into the Latine tongue Of their ancient maner of life behauiour and customes thou maist read in the eighteen chapter of Leo the Emperour of Warlike preparation as also in Bartholomew Georgieuiz who hath written a seuerall treatise of that argument but especially the Annalles of the Turkish Souldans and the history of the Musulmans both written by the singular learned Iohn Leonclaw shall satisfie thee to the full TVRCICI IMPERII DESCRIPTIO Concordia parue res crescunt Discordia maximae dilabuntur Cum priuilegio The HOLY LAND THat which the ancients called Palestina and Phoenicia all the Europeans generally now call The HOLY LAND vnder which name they comprehend that whole country which God gaue vnto the Israelites by the name of the Land of Promise to them and their seed to possesse and inhabite for euer and which after the death of Solomon we read was diuided into two kingdomes IVDAH conteining two tribes Iudah and Beniamin whose cheife or Metropolitan city was Ierusalem and SAMARIA or ISRAEL which comprehended the other tenne tribes together with the city Sebaste or Samaria A latter description of the modern situation of this country very curious exact done by F. Brocard in a seuerall treatise vnto whom we send the Reader for further satisfaction we offer in this Mappe for the former tables did present vnto thy eie the ancient face and more beautifull countenance of this land To him they may adioine that please the treatise of William Tyrius entituled The Holy warres and other authours that haue written their Peregrinations to Hierusalem of which sort there is a great number written and imprinted in diuers languages For many Christians not only out of sundrie parts of Europe but from all quarters of the world haue in former times and now do daily trauell vnto Hierusalem for deuotion to visite the holy sepulchre of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and are there sometimes by the Franciscane Friars dubbed Knights who thereof are named Knights of the Sepulchre the order ceremonies of making these Knights we haue thought not altogether impertinent from our purpose to describe in this place as it is set out by Iod. a Meggē an ei-witnes of that in the 12 chap. of his treatise intituled Peregrinatio Hierusolymetana And thus he hath down the maner of it First of all therefore the Knight that is to be made prepareth himselfe vnto his deuotions that he may receiue the fauour of the degree of the holy order and making his confession hauing heard Masse receiued the Sacrament he is admitted into the roome where the holy sepulchre is and then they begin on this manner First all being gathered together within the holy sepulchre they sing this Psalme Come holy spirit c. Then this Send forth thy spirit c. The Answear And renew c. Lord heare c. Let vs pray Thou Lord which know'st the harts of the faithful c. Then the Gardian demandeth of him what wouldest thou haue He answeareth vpon his knees I do desire to be made a knight of the order of the Holy sepulchre of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Question Of what state and condition of life art thou of Answear A noble man borne of honourable parents Question Hast thou sufficient liuing whereby thou maist liue and maintaine the estate and dignity of knighthood without the help of merchandise or vse of any mechanicall or handie-craft occupation Answear I haue thankes be to God sufficient liuing and maintenance by lands and reuenews Question Art thou prepared to sweare with hart and mouth to keep and obserue to the vttermost of thy power those militarie sacraments and orders which shal be heereafter inioined thee namely these which follow First a knight of the holy order of the sepulchre
high tower and my deliuerer my protectour in whom I haue put my trust is he that subdueth my people that is vnder me Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne c. Saue thy seruant o Lord God which putteth his trust in thee Be thou o Lord vnto him a tower of strength from the face of his enemie Lord heare our praier The Lord be with you c. Let vs pray O holy Lord father almighty who only dost gouerne and rightly disposest all things who hast by thy gratious prouidence granted to man in this world the vse of the sword to represse the malice and audacious lewdnesse of the wicked and to maintaine right and equity and wouldest that the order of knighthood should be instituted for the safegard and protection of thy people who also causest it to be proclaimed by Saint Iohn Baptist to the soulders which came vnto him into the wildernesse that they should smite no man but be content with their owne wages we do humbly beseech thy gratious goodnesse that as thou gauest to thy seruant Dauid power to ouercome Goliath and madest Iudas Marcabeus to triumph ouer those fierce nations which called not vpon thy name so also to this thy seruant N. who lately hath submitted his necke to the yoke of knighthood grant for thy mercies sake power strength to defend faith and iustice giue vnto him the encrease of faith hope and charity and in him order all things aright that pertaine to thy feare and loue of thy holy name to true humility perseuerance obedience and patience that he may hurt no man wrongfully with this sword or any other that he may with it defend all things that are iust and right and like as he now is promoted from a low and mean degree vnto this new and honourable estate of knighthood so he putting off the old man with all his affections may put on the new man that he may feare and reuerence thee aright as he ought to do may shunne the company of the wicked miscreant Infidels and may extend his charity vnto his neighbour be truely obedient in all things to him to whom he is subiect and do his duty vprightly in all things that he shall be emploied in by Christ our Lord Amen The forme of the oth which they must take before they may be admitted to take this holy order of knighthood vpon them thou maist see in the Orientall iournall written by Leonard Rauwolph in the Dutch tongue TERRA SANCTA A Petro Laicstain perlus trata et ab eius ore et schedis à Christiano Schrot in tabulam redacta NATOLIA sometime called ASIA The Lesser PEtrus Bellonius in those learned obseruations which he made and set forth of his trauels saith that this part of Asia called of the ancients Asia minor Little Asia is at this day named of the Turkes NATOLIA or Anatolia of the Greeke word Anatale which signifieth the East vnder which name they comprehend all that part of Asia that is beyond Propontis Mar di Marmora it is now vulgarly called and Hellespontus or Stretto di Gall poli the streits of Gallipoli as at this day they terme it that is to witte all Phrygia Galatia Bithynia Pontus Lydia Caria Paphlagonia Lycia Magnesia Cappadocia and Comagena The miserable estate and condition of which countries the maner of life and customes which the people there do now at this day vse if any man be desirous to know let him repaire to the said authour who was himselfe an eie-witnesse of the same and he shal be I doubt not satisfied to the full Let him also looke ouer the description of the East countries Orientalem Cosmographiam done by Andrew Theuet the Orientall obseruations of Nicolas Nicolai and Peter Gill his Bosphorus or description of Constantinople and the places neere about that city Laonicus Chalcocondylas writeth that of all the prouinces of Asia Minor Paphlagonia doth yeeld a mine of Copper or Brasse and that the King of this country Ismaël he calleth him doth yearely raise a custome or reuenue of 10000. rose-nobles Stater the Greeks call this kind of gold coine Yet it seemeth that he meaneth not generally all Asia when as he addeth this afterward That this copper is thought to be the best in goodnesse next that of Iberia for Iberia is a prouince of Asia bordering vpon the Caspian sea But peraduenture this may be true of that Asia which is called Asia Minor of which Paphlagonia is a portion Theodoricus Adamaeus of Suallemberg hath described the Rhodes an iland which lieth not farre from the coast of Asia Minor AEGYPT VPon the West this country is enclosed with the deserts of Barca Lybia and Numidia vpon the East with the deserts which lie between Nilus and the Red-sea on the North it hath the midland-sea on the South it is confined with the territories of the city Bugia Thus it is bounded according to the iudgement of Iohannes Leo Africanus who doth diuide it into three prouinces Assahid or Alsahid which lieth between Bugia and Alcairo Errifia from Alcairo to Rossetto and Bechria between Pelusium and Tenessa In Haithon the Armenian we read that it was sometime diuided into fiue shires namely Sa yt Demesor Alexandrina Resnit and Damiata That which Haithon calleth Sa yt and Leo Assahid Tyrius nameth Serch except the copy be corrupt and faulty The same authour maketh mention of another shire of Egypt which the Egyptians do call in their language Phium Haithon doth make the country of Egypt to be fifteen daies iourney in length a manuscript copy which beareth the title of Antonius Curchinus not of Haithonus Armenus hath corruptly and falsly as I thinke fiue and twenty daies iourney for fifteen daies iourney and three daies iourney ouer To this computation Gulielmus Tyrius doth seeme to consent who saith that betweene Phacusa and Alexandria cities of the lower Egypt are somewhat more than an hundred Italian miles The vpper Egypt is scarsely seuen or eight miles broad in some places it is so straitely beset and enclosed with mountaines and hils that it is not aboue foure or fiue miles ouer Leo saith that from the Mediterran sea vnto Bugia it is 450. miles long the breadth of it especially in the vpper part is almost nothing to speake of That Nilus the riuer which runneth through the middest of it and watereth all the country doth empty it selfe into the Midland sea only by foure mouthes against the opinion of all ancient writers Gulielmus Tyrius doth teach vs who is a man worthy to be beleeued in this case for he was both an eie-witnesse and a most diligent searcher out of the truth of the same I haue a Mappe which I thinke was made by the pen in Egypt which mentions so many neither doth it point out more that are worth the speaking of Haithon writeth that in this whole country there is beside Alexandria and Cairo neuer a strong city or any that is fortified with
the Portugals still called Cussij of Cush I make no question The people are blacke or of a deep tawny or blackish colour and blacke we say in our common prouerbe will take none other hue Whereupon the Prophet Ieremy in the 23. verse of the 13. chapter of his prophecy saith thus Can ישוכ Cushi the Abyssine or Blacka-moore change his skinne or the leopard his spots For the same reason also the learned Diuines do iudge that Dauid in the title or superscription of the seuenth Psalme by Cush did meane Saul for that his deadly hate was such toward him that by no good meanes that he might vse he could make him change his mind more than an Indian doth his skinne as Kimchi the great Rabbine doth interpret this place The people are by profession Christians as appeareth by the letters of the said Dauid written vnto Pope Clement the seuenth Of whose manner of life customes and religion we haue gathered these few lines out of the trauels of Francis Aluares written and imprinted in the Italian tongue In these countries there are very many Monasteries and Religious houses both of men and women Into the Monasteries of the men there is neither woman nor any liuing creature of the female sex that may enter or once looke within the gates Their Monkes which heere do hold their Lent for fifty daies together do fast for the most part only with bread and water For in these countries there is small store of fish especially in the vpland places for although the riuers are well stored of fish yet they giue not their mind to fishing because they know not how to catch them there is none skilled in that art In time of Lent certaine of these Monkes do not eat any bread at all only they liue vpon rootes and herbs some of them for all that time do neuer go to bed nor sleepe but as they sit in the water vp to the chinne In their Churches they haue bels as we haue but for the most part made of stone Their Ministers and Priests are married They say Masse and do go in procession with crosses and censers like as they vse in some Churches in Europe The Friars do weare their haire long but their Priests do not so neither of them weare any shoes nor any man neither Churchman nor Layman may once enter within the Church dores with shoes on his feet They keep Sundaies and Holy-daies vpon which they do no manner of worke They are all circumcised both men and women but they are also baptised in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost yet not vntill the fortith day after their birth they which liue not till this day are buried vnchristened to all those that are baptized the holy communion or Eucharist as they call it is at the same instant administred powring a great deale of water into the childes mouth that he may so much the more easily get it downe The proper names which then are giuen them are all of some signification They affirme that they were conuerted vnto Christian religion by Candaces a Queen of this country spoken of in the 27. verse of the 8. chapter of the Acts of the Apostles whose proper name they thinke was Iudith They haue a booke diuided into 8. parts this they call Manda and Abetilis which they do verily beleeue was written by all the Apostles being iointly for that purpose gathered together at Hierusalem all the contents of this booke they do most diligently and strictly obserue The baser sort of people do without any controwlement or feare of punishment marry 2. or 3. wiues according to their ability and as they can tell how to maintaine them but these are excommunicated and forbidden by the Cleargy to enter into the Church Their lawes do tolerate diuorcements The Noble-men do esteem raw beefe serued in with fresh or hot bloud in manner as we vse our boiled meats with pottage or stewed broth for a great and dainty dish In all the kingdome of Prester Iohn they haue no manner of brasen or copper money but in steed of it they vse pure gold vncoined of a certaine weight In like manner salt yet not only in these prouinces but also generall throughout all Africa is vsed in exchange and buying and selling in stead of money In some places small pieces of iron bright and burnished do serue that turne But pepper amongst these people is of such great price that whatsoeuer a man will buy he may easily obtaine it for that merchandice These countries haue almost all sorts of beasts and fowles as Elephants Lions Tygres Losses Lynces the Latines call them Badgers Apes and Stagges contrary to the opinion of the old writers which haue generally denied that Africa doth veeld this kind of beast but in all that six yeare which Aluares this our authour dwelt in these countries he writeth that he neuer saw any Beares Conies Linnets Magpies or Cuccoes Yet Iohn Leo an African borne in his 9. booke saith that in Barbary there is wonderfull store of Conies The Locusts do more vex and hurt this country than any place of the World beside so that this plague is almost proper and peculiar to them Such oftentimes is the number and abundance of them that as they flie they do seeme to darken the aire and shadow the earth they flie together in such great flockes and thicke troupes that they do vtterly spoile and consume the fruits sometime of one prouince sometime of another wholly almost deuouring all their corn vpon the ground eating vp the leaues and barkes of the trees leauing their meddowes and pastures bare of grasse so that the people do oftentimes leaue their natiue soile where they were bred and borne and are forced for want of victuals to go seeke some other place to dwell in There is in these quarters a city named Cassumo sometime the seat as their histories do record and place of the Queen of Saba Maquedam that is as I thinke Antistes a Prouost or President they say she was called By whom they affirme that Salomon King of Isra l had a sonne named Meilech that is The King In this city they are perswaded that the Queen Cand ces did afterward dwell But it is best that the Reader that is desirous of further satisfaction to haue recourse to the same Francis Aluares who hath very curiously described those thing which he did most diligently obserue in that his Ambassage into these countries Item Iohn Bermundes who set foorth his Ambassage vnto the Abyssines in the Portugall language Let him also read a little treatise of Damianus à Goes which he wrot out of Ethiopia and Sabellicus his 10. Enneas of his 8. booke Of the originall of Prester Iohn and by what meanes he came out of Asia where he was knowen to writers about 200. yeares since and seated himselfe in Africa read Iohn Nauarchus in his Epistol Asiatica and Gerard Mercator in his
Vniuersall Mappe PRESBITERI IOHANNIS SIVE ABISSINORVM IMPERII DESCRIPTIO Titulus Insignia Presbiteri Iois DAVID SVPREMVS MEORVM REGNORVM A DEO VNICE DILECTVS COLVMNA FIDEI ORTVS EX STIRPE IVDA FILIVS DAVID FILIVS SALOMONIS FILIVS COLVMNAE SIONIS FILIVS EX SEMINE IACOB FILIVS MANVS MARIAE FILIVS NAHV SECVNDVÌ„ CARNEM FILIVS SANCTORVM PETRI ET PAVLI SECVNDVM GRATIAM IMPERATOR SVPERIORIS ET MAIORIS AETHIOPIAE ET AMPLISSIMORVM REGNORVM IVRISDICTIONVM ET TERRARVM REX GOAE CAFFATES FATIGAR ANGOTAE BARV BALIGVANZAE ADEAE VANGVAE GOIAMAE VBI NILI FONTES AMARAE BAGVAMEDRI AMBEAE VANGVCI TIGREMAHON SABAIM PATRIAE REGINAE SABAE BARNAGASSI ET DOMINVS VSQVE IN NVBIAM QVAE IN AEGYPTVM EXTENDITVR BARBARY and BILEDVLGERID THe later writers which haue diuided Africa into foure parts do name this Barbary for the chiefe and they do thus bound it On the East toward the rising of the sun it hath the deserts of Marmarica at this day they call it Barcha euen as farre as that part of the mount Atlas which now is vulgarly called Meies which part peraduenture was described by Strabo vnder the name Aspis This mountaine which runneth all along by the side of it from the East vnto the West euen to the maine sea which of it is called Mare Atlanticum the Atlanticke sea doth bound it vpon the South On the West it abutteth vpon the said Atlanticke sea On the North coast the Mediterran sea doth beat therefore all that whole tract of Africa which formerly conteined both the Mauritanies Africa properly so called and Cyrene is generally by one name called BARBARIA all which tract as Suidas witnesseth was vnder the command of King Masmissa This now is held for the best and most famous part of all Africa and is diuided into foure kingdomes or if you like that terme better foure prouinces namely Marroccho Fesse Telesine and Tunete The people generally of this whole country are of a brownish or tawny complexion They which dwell in cities are very ingenious in Architecture and such like Mathematicall inuentions which a man may easily gather by their rare and artificiall workmanship shewed in their buildings They are if we may beleeue Iohn Leo Africanus most singular honest men without any deceit or couen not only making a shew of simplicity and true dealing outwardly and in word but also approouing the same by their actions to be so indeed and in hart They are very stout and strong men but especially those which dwell in the hils and mountaines There is no Nation vnder Heauen that is more zealous so that they had rather die than to put vp any wrong or disgrace offered by their wiues They are very couetous of wealth and as ambitiously giuen to seeke after honour and preferment and therefore they trade and traffique almost into all quarters of the World They which dwell in tents that is such as follow grasing and do liue by cattell are very kind men courageous patient curtuous good housekeepers and as great louers of vprightnesse as any men in the whole world elsewhere But seeing the state of the world is such that there is no man altogether blessed none but haue their faults these also are not without their vices for the citizens which before we spake of are exceeding haughty and proud hasty and fumish so that the least iniury or indignity that may be offered they do as the common saying is engraue in marble they will neuer forget it The country or vplandish people are so clownish and of such rude behauiour and that so deepely imprinted in their mindes that they will hardly be wonne to acquaint themselues with any stranger he shall hardly euer winne their fauour They are so plaine and simply minded that they are easily drawne to beleeue things told them although almost incredible Of naturall Philosophy they are so ignorant that they hold all things done by the naturall force and operations of Nature to be wholy supernaturall They are so hasty and cholericke that one shall hardly in the day time walke the streets but he shall see two or three either quarrelling or together by the eares They neuer speake but hastily aloud and as if they would eat one another Thus farre of the quality and behauiour of the people now it remaineth that we should speake somewhat of the nature of the soile and country That part of the country which is toward the Mediterran sea is full of hils and mountaines From these mountaines euen vnto famous Atlas it is plaine and champion yet heere and there rising with knols and hils Heere are very many goodly springes and therefore it is well watered with diuers pleasant brookes and riuers It yeeldeth great store of Dates and Pomegranates it is not very fertile for corne and graine but of figges and oliues with such like fruites it affoordeth yearely great plenty Mount ATLAS verie cold and barren on all sides full of woods and couered ouer with snow breedeth almost all the riuers of Africke Yet the cold heere is neuer so great and sharp that one need to desire to come to the fire to warme him The later end of Autumne all the Winter and a great part of the Spring haue many boisterous and bitter stormes of wind and haile and oftentimes they are in these places much vexed and affrighted with terrible thundrings and lightning in some places they haue great and deep snowes c. But Iohannes Leo Africanus hath described these countries and people very curiously and at large who will satisfie thee at the full to whom it thou pleasest thou maiest adioine what Ludouicus Marmolius and Fazellus in the first chapter of the sixth booke of the latter decade of his history of Sicily haue written of this prouince Caelius Augustinus Curio hath set out the description of the kingdome of Marocho in a seuerall treatise to him he that pleaseth may adioine Diego de Turribus who in the Spanish tongue hath written a booke of the Originall and Succession of the Xariffes BARBARIAE ET BILEDVLGERID NOVA DESCRIPTIO Cum Priuilegio The kingdomes of FESSE and MAROCCHO THat part of Africa which of old was called MAVRITANIA TINGITANA at this day comprehendeth the kingdomes of Fesse and Maroccho which heere we present vnto thy view in this Mappe Of the which MAROCCHO taketh the name of Maroccho they call it Marox the Spaniards Marwechos the chiefe and metropolitane citie of the same The territories round about this city and generally the soile and fields of the whole kingdome as Iohn Leo Africanus writeth are most pleasant and fertile euery where bespread with heards of cattell flockes of sheep and diuers sorts of deere and wild beasts in all places are green and goodly pastures most plentifully yeelding whatsoeuer is necessary for the maintenance of mans life whatsoeuer may recreate the senses by pleasant smels or please the eies with delightsome shewes The whole kingdome is almost nothing else but one large champion not much vnlike Lombardy
the Paradise of Italy The hils that are which are but very few are exceeding bleake cold and barren so that they will beare nothing but barly Maroccho which we said was the chiefe city of this kingdome is accounted one of the greatest cities of the whole world for it is of such a wonderfull bignesse that in the raigne of Haly the sonne of Ioseph their king it had more than an hundred thousand families It hath about it 24. gates The wall of a maruelous thicknesse is made of a kind of white stone and chalke vnburned There are heere such abundance of Churches Colledges stoues or hothouses and innes as iustly more may not be desired Amongst the Churches there is none more artificially and gorgeously built than that which standeth in the middest of the city built by the foresaid Haly. There is another beside this first raised by Abdu'-lmumen his successour and enlarged by Mansor his nephew and lastly more richly set out with many goodly columnes which he caused to be brought out of Spaine He made a fountaine or cestern vnderneath the Church as large and wide as the whole Church it selfe The roofe of the Church he couered all ouer with lead At euery corner he made spoutes by which the raine water falling vpon the roofe might runne into the cestern vnderneath The steeple made of a very hard kind of stone like that of the Amphitheater of Vespasian at Rome is higher than that towre of Bononia in Italy The greeses or staiers by which they go vp to the toppe of it are euery one nine handfull thicke but in the outside of the wall are tenne This tower hath seuen roomes or lofts one aboue another Vpon the toppe of it is set another turret or spire like a pyramis sharpe toward the top This hath three lofts one aboue another into which they go vp from one to another by staires or ladders made of wood On the toppe of this spire vpon a shaft of iron in steed of a weather-cocke doth stand a most goodly Moone of pure gold with three golden globes so put vpon the iron shaft that the greatest is lowest the least highest of all If any man from the toppe of the steeple shall looke downe toward the ground the tallest man that is seemeth no bigger than a child of a yeare old From the toppe also of this the cape or fore-land which they call Azaphy being an hundred and thirty miles off may easily be descried And although one should skarcely find a greater Church if one should trauell all the world ouer yet the place is almost wholly desert for none do euer vse to come hither but vpon Fridaies Vnder the cloisters of this Church they report that there were wont to be an hundred Stationers and as many ouer against them on the other side of the Churchyard which daily heere kept shoppe where as now I do not thinke that all this whole city can affoord at this time one booke-seller Hardly the one third part of the towne is inhabited Heere hence it is that within the wals there are many vineyeards large gardens of palme-trees and other fruites with goodly corne fields most fertile and well manured for without the wals they cannot till the ground by reason of the frequent inrodes of the theeuish Arabians This one thing is most certaine that this city is suddenly growne old before the time for it is not aboue fiue hundred and six yeares since it was first built There is also in this city a very strong castle which in respect of the large bignesse the great thickenesse and compasse of the wals the high and many towers or lastly the goodly and stately gates built of the richest Tiburtine marble may iustly be accounted for a faire towne Within this castle is a most beautifull Church with a very high steeple vpon whose toppe is a golden moone with three golden globes of different bignesses all of them weighing 130. crownes There haue been some kings of this country who moued with the loue and valew of the gold haue attempted to take these globes downe and to put them into their purses but alwaies some strange euent or misfortune or other did hinder their purpose and crosse their desires So that it is now commonly amongst the people held for a very ominous thing for any man but once to offer to touch these globes with his hand Let this be sufficient to haue spoken of this city in this place he that desireth a larger discourse both of the city and castle let him haue recourse vnto Leo Africanus who in his 2. booke will satisfie him to the full In this kingdome also is the city TARADANT the Moores call it Taurent a very great and goodly city built by the ancient Africanes It conteineth about 3000. houses or families The people are more ciuill and curtuous than in other places heere about Heere are many artificers of diuers and sundry occupations The townesmen do yearely raise a great profit by keeping of a gard to defend merchants that from hence do trauell vp higher into the country from the assault of theeues and robbers and to conduct and lead them the neereest and best way for it is a place of great resort of strangers aswell of Christians as others There are also other cities as the mappe doth shew amongst the which is MESSA hauing a Church not farre from the sea which they do most religiously reuerence For there are some heere that most fondly do beleeue and affirme that the Prophet Ionas when he was sent of God to preach vnto the Niniuites was at this place cast vp of the fish which before had swallowed him The sparres of this Church and the beames are made of whale bones for it is a common thing for the sea to cast vp heere dead whales of maruailous bignesse Vpon the coast also of this country is found that kind of Amber which we call Amber-greese Not farre from this city is TEINT a towne where all those rich skinnes are dressed which are commonly called Maroccho pelts More of this kingdome thou maist read of in Leo Africanus Marmolius and in the Saracen history of Caelius Augustinus Curio where he hath a seuerall treatise of this prouince Thus farre of Maroccho it remaineth now that we should speake likewise of Fesse FESSE like as Maroccho is a kingdome so called of the chiefe city and metropolitane of the same This city is situate in the hart and middest of the kingdome It was built as they affirme about the yeare of our Lord 786. Neither is it only the head city of this kingdome but it is esteemed The Metropolitane of all Barbary and is vulgarly called as Marmolius testifieth The Court of all the West part of the World Some there are which do thinke it to haue been named Fesse of a masse of gold that heere was found when first they began to lay the foundations of the same for fes in Arabicke signifieth an heap or masse
Heere is also great trafficke for slaues so that the Portugals do yearely buy and carry from hence aboue 5000. Negroes This country doth breed great store of Elephants which they in their language call Manzao There is also found in these quarters a kind of wild beast which they call Zebra of the bignesse and fashion of a mule But that it is not a mule it is apparent in that this beast is not barren as the mule is for this doth breed and bring forth yong as other beasts do The pelt or hide of it is different from those of other liuing creatures of like sort for it is straked with strakes of three diuers colours namely blacke white and yeallow or lion tawny as they call it It is so wonderfull swift of foote and so wild that by no meanes it may be tamed or be made seruiceable for any vse of man whereupon they commonly vse this for a prouerbe As swift as the Zebra There are also as in other places Lions Tigers Woolues Hartes Hares Conies Apes Chamaeleons with diuers and sundry kindes of Serpents beside hogges sheep goats hennes and parrattes Crocodiles which they terme Cariman are heere very plentifull But horses oxen and other beasts fit for such kind of seruices and vses for mankind they haue none at all Heere doth grow great store of Palme-trees Of the leaues of this tree they make and weaue almost all kind of silke garments and apparell For the vse of the silke-wormes which in other places is well knowen is heere altogether vnknowen The maner of their posts or maner of trauell from one place to another for as we haue shewed before they haue no horses I thinke it well worth the while to set downe in this place out of the 15. booke of Maphey his Indian histories who affirmeth that they haue no other but wooden horses which story he thus laith downe Vpon a rafter or beame saith he about nine inches thicke and eight foot long they spread a piece of a buffe hide of the breadth and compasse of a saddle vpon this the traueller sitteth stradling two men beare the bayard vpon their shoulders and if the iourney be long then other two do shift and ease them of their burden The forenamed authour Pigafetta describeth another kind of carying of passengers from place to place yet it is not very much different from this Vpon the North part of this kingdome do abutte the Anzicanes a mankind nation a people I meane that eateth mans flesh so that heere mans flesh is openly sold in their shambles and flesh markets as beefe and mutton and other meat is amongst vs. That also which they report of Loanda an iland vpon the coast of this country I thinke it worth the noting in this place namely that they say it lieth so exceeding flatte and low that it is scarcely seene aboue the water and that it is a made ground compounded of the mudde and sand which the riuer against which it lieth casteth out into the sea Lastly that if any man shall digge but two or three handfuls deepe within the ground he shall find fresh water very wholesome and good to drinke and that which is most wonderfull this same water when the sea ebbeth will he salt but at full sea only it is fresh How this nation was by the meanes of King Iohn King of Portugal in the yeare of Grace 1491. conuerted vnto Christ anity and with what successe they haue continued and gone forward and yet still constantly do persist in the same any man that list may read of in the forenamed authours Pigafetta in his second booke Maphey in his first booke of the history of India and Iohn Barros in the third chapter of the third booke of his first decade of Asia Before the entrance of the Portugals into this country the people had no proper names but were called by common names such as also stones trees herbs birdes and other creatures amongst them were called by ΜΩΡΙΑ ΠΑΡΑ ΤΩ ΘΕΩ PARERGON SIVE VETERIS GEOGRAPIAE ALIQVOT TABVLAE LECTOR S. Ad nostram Orbis terrarum descriptionem habe sequentes tabulas quas in gratiam priscae tam sacrae quà m profanae historiae studiosorum à me delineatas seorsum publicare decreueram nihil enim ad nostrum in hoc Theatro quo hodiernum tantùm locorum situm exhibere proposueram institutum facere videbantur victus tamen amicorum precibus eas in huius nostri Operis calcem tamquam Parergon reieci Vale nostros conatus boni consule HISTORIAE OCVLVS GEOGRAPHIA THE GEOGRAPHY OF HOLY WRITERS THat which we haue promised behold now ye students of Diuinity and Holy writte at length we offer to your view namely a Map of Sacred Geography or of such places as are named by holy writers in the bookes of the Old and New Testaments whether so exactly as the matter requireth and thou doest looke for I know not but that it is done with my best ability skill to which in any matter and therefore in this especially I dare not much rely I know and can truly protest Yet notwithstanding that I haue not bereaued the learned of their due commendation in doing the like I do acknowledge and do willinly confesse we haue done what we could seeing that we might not performe what we would Therefore what heere we offer it is rather our will than our wish Two things most kind Reader we desire thee to obserue and marke before thou iudge and censure this our labour First that in the Geographicall names of places we haue followed the translation of Septuagints because that is but one and vniforme The Latine translations as they are many so also they are different and in naming of places they vary much and dissent one from another so that that word which one doth interpret properly another otherwise doth translate it according to the sense and meaning Which is that I may vse Varroes phrase to make a noune appellatiue of a proper name and contrariwise of proper names to make appellatiues Examples of which thou maist see in the annotations of Emauel Sà as also in our Geographicall Treasure Therefore where we sticke as doubtfull which of these different readings and writings of proper names we may take we runne vnto the 72. interpretours as vnto a sure ground It any man be desirous to know how otherwise the Latine interpretors do call these proper names let him haue recourse to our Treasurie and he shall without any great difficulty easily satisfie his desire For in this he shall find all the Synonymes of places digested according to the order of the Alphabet The other thing gentle Reader which I would haue thee to obserue and necessarily ought to be done least preiudice do go before sound iudgement is this the seats of all places of Palestina are not set downe in this our Mapp but a few of those that are more famous according to the capacity of the table
for thou seest how straite and narrow it is what heere is wanting may be supplied out of the Tables following two of Tileman Stella the third intituled the Peregrination of S. Paul and the fourth intituled the Peregrination of the Patriarch Abraham For if all these should haue been portraitured and ioined together in one and the same Mappe it would grow too much too great yea it would be so great and huge that it would exceed this which heere we giue an hundred times and so by reason of the greatnesse it would not only be troublesome in vse but also vnpleasant to the eie In the hart and middest of the plotte where thou seest Syria as it hath been sufficiently replenished and filled with places so in places round about vpon the coasts on all sides it is most empty and barren so that it would appeare like a small iland in the vast ocean and would soone haue growen into a great burdensome and chargeable bignesse to no purpose or profit at all We haue vpon the side in a void place set the Mappe of the whole World whereby the diligent student of Diuinity by conferring might easily see what and how great a portion of the same the holy history doth mention and comprehend and at once iointly with the same labour to find out the situation and position of two famous places mentioned in the holy Scriptures namely of the situation of the country Ophyr and the earthly Paradise Of the which although many men do write many and diuers things and the opinions of the learned be different yet we haue also set downe our iudgement willingly giuing leaue to the learned Reader in his discretion to take which him pleaseth and he may read if he thinke good that which in our Geographicall Treasurie we haue written more at large of Ophyr Of Paradise also there is the like controuersie and question amongst the Diuines The most men do place it in the East others in Syria Postellus vnder the pole Arcticke Some there are which do gesse it to haue been vnder the Equinoctiall line Goropius our countrieman is perswaded by many arguments that it was in Indoscythia a prouince of India in the East abutting vpon the riuer Indus Some of the old writers did imagine it to reach as high as the sphere of the moone others do place it in other places Caesarius the brother of Nazianzene in his Dialogues in what place he supposeth it to be I cannot deuise for he maketh Donaw one of those foure riuers namely that which sacred antiquity called Phison this Saint Hierome and Eusebius do vnderstand to haue been Nilus in Aegypt others Ganges in East India S. Augustine against the Manicheies hath this opinion Beatam vitam Paradisi nomine significatam existimo By Paradise I do thinke the blessed life to be vnderstood Others more later which purposedly haue written of the situation of Paradise are Moses Bar Cepha in the Syriacke tongue and translated by the learned Masius Pererius vpon Genesis Iohn Hopkinson an Englishman in a peculiar treatise where also thou maist see a Geographicall Mappe of the same Others also haue done the like as Beroaldus in his Chronicle Vadianus in the description of the three quarters of the World and Ludouicus Nugarola in his booke intituled Timotheus or Nilus c. Phison one of the riuers of Paradise which some do expound to be Ganges which runneth too farre toward the East this Mappe by reason of his narrownesse cannot by any meanes containe the situation of which thou maist see in another Mappe of ours in this our by-worke intituled Aeui veteris Geographiae tabula A Geographicall chart of the old World GEOGRAPHIA SACRA Ex Canatibus geographicus Abrahami Ortelii Cum privilagio Imp. Regis et Cancellariae Brabantiae ad decennium MDXCVIII Ophiram regionem quia haec tabula compraehendere non poterat hanc aream universalem hic seorsim delineavimus in qua illam ex dissentientium scriptorum iudicio notaevimus Nostram verò de eadem sententiam si quis intelligere aveat Thesaurum nostrum Georgraphicum adeat censuramque suam per me enim licebit addat REVERENDO ET ILLVSTRI DNO GVILIELMO GRIMBERGIO ANTVERPIENSI PRAESVLI DIGNISSIMO Abrah Ortelius obsequij deuotionisque ergò dedicab consecrabatque Haec notula locum Ophirae designat DOMINI EST TERRA ET PLENITVDO ORBIS TERRARVM ET VNIVERSI QVI HABITANT IN EO Psal 24. PALAESTINA OR The HOLY LAND CANAAN The most ancient name of this country was Canaan which it tooke of Chanaan the sonne of Cham whose posterity diuided it amongst themselues and first inhabited it Their names were these Sidon Heth Iebusy Emory Gergesy Heuy Arky Siny Aruady Semary and Hamathy Gen. 10.15.16.17.18 Euery one of these gaue his owne name to that part of the country of Canaan which he enioied for his portion and possessed and of them mention afterward is made Gen. 13.14.15.23.24.25.27.34.36.38.49.50 Exod. 3.13.23.34 Num. 13.22.32 Deut. 1.2.3.4.7.20 Iosu 2.3.5.7.9.10.11.12.13.15.16.17.19.24 Iudg. 1.3.10.11.18 1. King 7.1 Chron. 1. Iud. 5. Psalm 105.106.134.135 Esa 21. Ezech. 16.27 This country was called by the name of the Land of Canaan vntill the Israëlites hauing partly slaine and partly subdued all the posterity of Canaan possessed the same from which time it began to be called the Land of Israel which name was by the Angell giuen to the Patriarke Iacob for that he had wrestled with God and from thence the country grew to be called by that name Gen. 32.28 For the word Israël in the Hebrew tongue signifieth to preuaile with God or a mighty man preuailing against the mighty God Heere hence were the sonnes and ofspring of Iacob named Israëlites and the country wherein they dwelt the Land of Israël as is apparant out of the booke of Iud. and the 1. booke of the Kings Although the whole land of Chanaan were indeed generally called Israël yet neuerthelesse the portion or iurisdiction of euery Tribe which seuerally Iosua assigned to euery one of the twelue Patriarkes receiued a proper appellation of the chiefe of that family as is apparant by diuers places of Holy Scripture The names of the Tribes were these Ruben Simeon Iuda Zebulon Isaschar Dan Gad Aser Nephtali Beniamin Manasse Ephraim and so the name of euery one of the sonnes of Iacob remained in his posterity and place of abode in the same so that the whole land of Chanaan was diuided into twelue parts as the holy Scripture doth testifie Then vnder Roboam when as Israel and that kingdome was rent into two parts the Tribes of Iuda and Beniamin being vnited retained the name of Iuda and that for these reasons First for that of the two it was the mightiest Secondly by reason that out of it the Messias was to come it was the more famous and the name of the whole was taken from the most honourable But the other tenne Tribes which were commanded by the Kings of Samaria still retained the
of the grace of God where our Sauiour Christ manifested his infinite power by a sufficient testimony raising Lazarus who had lien three daies by the wals from death to life againe This place is spoken of in Matth. 21. Marc. 11.14 Iohn 11.12 BETHABARA the house of Passing ouer or the Ferry-house For there the waters of Iordan were diuided into two channels and therefore there they yeelded a safe passage to Iosua and all the children of Israel through the middest of this riuer Iosu 3.4 Heere Iohn baptized Christ and many others Matth. 3. Moreouer Saint Iohn speaketh of this place in the first and tenne chapters of his Gospell BETHEL Gen. 12. Thither Abraham remoued his houshold after his departure from Sichem For there is no doubt but that they are two diuers places First it was called Luza that is an Almond tree or place where Almond trees did plentifully grow There Iacob saw the Lord standing vpon a ladder as it is related in the 28. chapter of Genesis Therefore vpon that accident the place was called by a new name Bethel that is the house of God In the same Ieroboam erected the Golden calfe that he might seeme in that to imitate the example of the Patriarkes and holy men before him who worshipped God in that place Heereupon the Prophets changed the goodname Bethel and called it Bethauen that is the house of wickednesse or villany BETHSAIDA the house of fruites or the house of corne prouision or hunting Heere Philip Andrew and Peter the Apostles of Christ were borne Iohn 1. The Euangelists also Matthew and Marke haue made mention of this place Matth. 2. Marc. 6. CANA the Greater the country of Syrophoenissa whose daughter Christ cured being possessed with a Diuell Matth. 15. Marc. 8. of this see more beneath in Sarepta CANA the Lesser a towne of Galiley in which Christ with his presence and miracle of turning water into wine honourably graced matrimony Cana signifieth a reed or cane CANANAEA it is the name of a country so called of Chanaan the sonne of Cham. Chanaan signifieth a Merchant and indeed the posterity of Chanaan dwelling vpon the sea coast did trade as Merchants For Sidon the sonne of Canaan built the city Sidon And in the tenth chapter of Genesis the land of Canaan is so described as it is certaine that it contained all that whole tract of ground which afterward the Israelites did possesse from Iordan euen vnto the sea and so along as farre as Aegypt There as yet was no distinction between the Philistiim and Canaan For Canaan also was ancienter than Philistiim which was not borne of Canaan but of Misraim Yet afterward when the power and iurisdiction of the Nation of the Philistines grew to some heigth and greatnesse they caused the country especially all along the sea coast beneath Tyre Southward to be called after their name PALESTINA And in the 13. chapter of the booke of Iosua there are reckoned vp 5. cities of the Philistines Azotus Accaron Ascalon Geth and Gaza When therefore the Canaanites for that they possessed the places neere Iordan were almost vtterly destroied their name by a little and little began to perish and to fade away And although also the Philistines which greatly enlarged their bounds and territories in that countrie which afterward was giuen to the tribes of Iuda Beniamin Simeon Manasses and Isaschar were driuen from thence and were for the most part consumed yet they retained as I said certaine strong cities vpon the sea coast beneath Tyre and so somewhile they greatly flourish and were lords ouer others within a while after they grew weaker and were commanded of others In the time of Abraham the seat and court of Abimelech was at Gerar who in the 26. chapter of Gen. is named King of the Philistines The city Gerara was situate in that country which afterward the tribe of Iuda did possesse not farre from Hebron and was indeed placed between Hebron and Gaza It is therefore to be conceiued that the name of Cananaea Canaan is somewhat more ancient and comprehending more Nations than the name of the Philistines which neuer possessed all that tract and compasse of ground which afterward the Israelites enioyed But notwithstanding because the Philistines had certaine great cities vpon the sea coast the name of Palaestina was by reason of their traffique more famous and better knowen to the Greeke writers than Canaan or Cananaea Herodotus in Polymnia saith that the Phoenicians and Syrians possessing Palaestina sent 300. saile of ships to Xerxes and afterward he addeth that the whole country euen from the skirtes of Aegypt vnto Phoenicia was called Palestina And therefore also afterward the Greekes as Ptolemey vnder the name of Palaestina haue comprehended Iudaea Samaria and Galiley when as notwithstanding the Philistines did not possesse all that large space and compasse of ground But often times names are giuen to countries of some principall prouince of the same that doth in power and command surpasse the rest The Grammaticall interpretation and reason of the Etymology of the word Philistim is thought to be for that this nation inhabiting along the sea coast where earthquakes are very frequent and so whole townes and cities are couered with sand besprinkled and soiled with dust and dirt For the word in the Hebrew tongue signifieth Sprinklers or besprinklings as when any thing is besprinkled and foiled with dust or it signifieth otherwise Batteries and shakings as when a building is violently shaken and mooued by an externall force whereby it is in danger and ready to fall Like as Ascalon and Azotus hauing their names giuen them of Esh fire CAPERNAVM that is a pleasant and delightfull village Heere Christ first began to publish his Gospel Matth. 4. Luc. 4. and 7. For he was a citizen of that corporation betaking himselfe to that place when as he fled for feare of Herod when he put Iohn Baptist to death Therefore of Christ and his Disciples they demanded there a didrachma for poll mony as of the rest of the citizens and dwellers in this city Of this city mention is made Matth. 8.11.17 Marc. 1.2.5.9 Luc. 4.7 Io. 2.6 DALMANVTHA that is the poore mens habitation Christ with his Disciples came also into this country Matth. 16. Marc. 8. DAMASCVS It is distant from Ierusalem 42. Germane miles Breitenbach writeth that Damascus is 6. daies iourney from Ierusalem The map sheweth the situation of it to be in the mount Antilibanas It is a very ancient city which also at this day is very populous and much frequented by merchants Diuers etymologies and reasons of the imposition of this name diuers men do curiously seeke I do hold this for the likeliest The sacke of blood because the old opinion is that in this place Abel was slaine by his brother Cain Surely it is very probable and generally agreed vpon that our first parents Adam and Eue did first dwell not farre from this place DECAPOLIS the name of a prouince
length being released for a long time preacheth the Gospell in Rome and other places of Italy v. 31.32 Some there are that thinke that after his enlargement he went also into Spaine and France and planted the Gospell amongst those Nations Lastly he was againe apprehended by Nero and at Rome put to death by him in the last yeare of his raigne which was the 70. yeare after the birth of Christ The PEREGRINATION of ABRAHAM the Patriarke ABraham the first Patriarke whom Iesus the sonne of Syrach chapter 44. v. 19. calleth a Great man and Admirable for glory and honour the sonne of Thare was borne as Iosephus writeth in the 292. yeare after the vniuersall floud in V R a city of the Chaldees otherwise called Camarine as Eusebius witnesseth it may be it is the same that Ptolemey calleth Vrchoa He goeth forth of his country and natiue soile at the commandement of God when he was as Suidas teacheth but foureteen yeares old into CHARRAN which S. Stephen in that oration which he made to the Iewes Act. 7.2 3.4 as also Achior in the story of Iudith chapter 5. v. 7. in his speech to Holofernes and likewise the 72. interpretours do expound to be Mesopotamia Iosephus taketh it for a city That this place was Carrae famous for the great ouerthrow heere giuen to the Romane forces led by Crassus against the Parthians although there be some which are of that opinion yet I dare not wholly yeeld vnto them only I leaue it to the learned to determine Hauing staid a while in this country of Mesopotamia his father being dead there as the same Suidas reporteth from thence he goeth with Sarai his wife Lot his brothers sonne and all his family and the soules or liuing creatures that he had gotten in Charran toward the land of Chanaan Gen. 12.5 And if you will beleeue Nicolaus Damascenus in Iosephus he dwelt sometime neere Damasco where in his daies he saith there was to be seen a street which they vulgarly called Abrahams house When he came from thence into SICHEM at the plaine of MOREH a place which diuers interpreters diuersly interpret some the Oke Moreh others the Oke-groue of Moreh Zozomene writeth that in his time it was called Terebinthus the Terebinth or Turpentine tree Gen. 12.6 God appeared vnto him and promised to giue to him and to his seed that land for an inheritance for euer therefore in this place he built an altar to the Lord which heere appeared vnto him v. 7. From thence remouing vnto a mountaine Eastward from Bethel he pitched his tent hauing Bethel on the Westside and Haai on the East and there also he built an altar vnto the Lord and calleth vpon the name of the Lord v. 8. thence he remooueth and goeth on toward the South v. 9. But a great famine arising in that land and euerie day growing still more grieuous than other he goeth downe into EGYPT to soiourne there v. 10. And comming thither with his wife a very faire and beautifull woman v. 11. whom he called by the name of his sister v. 13. Pharao the king of Aegypt fell in loue with her and tooke her into his house v. 15. and for her sake intreated Abram extraordinarily well and bestowed great gifts vpon him v. 16. who also was there as Iosephus affirmeth for his eloquence wisedome and great experience in all things had in great estimation amongst the Aegyptians But when the Lord punished Pharao and all his family with many great and greeuous plagues for Sara Abrams wiues sake v. 17. he debated the matter with him and examined him what his reason was to giue out speech that she was his sister and that he had not told him that she was his wife v. 18. and so he restored her to her husband againe v. 19. and gaue commandement that he his wife and all that he had should be conueighed out of the land v. 20. Therefore Abram goeth vp backe againe to Bethel chapter 13.3 into that place where formerly he had built an altar and there he called vpon the name of the Lord v. 4. After this returne Abram and Loth who had alwaies accompanied him grew exceeding wealthy and rich in sheep cattell tents and familie v. 5. that the land could not conteine them both neither might they dwell together v. 6. Besides that their heard-men sheep-heards and seruants could not agree v. 7. Therefore they consent to diuide the land between them v. 9. Loth he chose the plaine of Iordane a champion country well watered euery where with that goodly riuer diuers smaller brookes lakes wels and poolles a tract of ground for pleasantnesse and fertility like vnto Paradise and Aegypt In this place then stood Sodome Gomorrha and those other cities which as yet the Lord had not destroied v. 10. In these cities Loth dwelt euen vp as high as Sodome but Abram he abode still in the land of Chanaan v. 12. Thus they being parted the Lord appeared vnto Abram and shewed him all the country round about Northward and Southward Eastward and Westward as farre as he could see v. 14. all which he promised to giue to him and to his seed for euer v. 15. From thence he remoued and came to dwell in the plaine of Mambre The Septuagint interpretours haue translated it The oke of Mambre quercum Mambre Iosephus hath the Oke Ogyn Euagrius writeth that in his time the place was called Terebinthus the Turpentine tree of the Turpentine tree as I suppose that stood six furlongs off as we read in Iosephus and which Eusebius Pamphilus saith stood still in that place euen in his time This place was not farre from HEBRON or as some write it Chebron v. 18. Heere Abram hearing of the newes of Lots captiuity with his whole familie and goods and substance whatsoeuer taken by the kings of the Nations when they sacked and spoiled Sodom for Lot dwelled at Sodome chapter 14.11.12 he armed 308. slaues or bond-seruants bred and borne in his owne house and with all possible speed maketh out after the enemy v. 14. following them euen as high as DAN and CHOBA Saint Hierome calleth it Hoba and Iosephus Soba v. 15. rescueth his nephew recouereth all his goods and booty that they had taken and bringeth them backe againe with the women and all the people v. 16. Being come home from the slaughter of Chodorlaomer and the rest of the kings which were with him at the VALLEY OF SAVE the Kings dale as Saint Hierome doth call it or the Kings field as Iosephus nameth it the King of Sodome meeteth him v. 17. together with Melchisedech King and Priest of Salem or Ierusalem who bringing forth bread and wine entertained him most kindly v. 18. blessing him and wishing all good fortunes vnto him v. 19. to whom Abram gaue tith of all that he had v. 20. These things being thus performed God appeareth vnto him againe chapter 15.1 and promiseth him an heire of his owne seed v. 4.
from whom should come an ofspring or issue as great in number as the starres of Heauen v. 5. or the sand of the sea Hebr. 11.12 And this he not considering now that his body was withered and dead as being almost an hundred yeares old neither the deadnesse of Saraes wombe but being not weake in faith nor doubting any whit of the promises of God knowing certainly that he which had promised was able to performe what he had promised against all hope beleeued in hope and therefore it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse Rom. 4.18.19 and for a confirmation and further testimony of the truth of the same he diuided a calfe a goat a ramme a turtle and a doue in the middest only the birds he diuided not and that by the expresse commandement of God v. 9.10 The birds that lighted on the carkeises Abram draue away v. 11. Heere God foretelleth him that his seed should be in bondage to the Egyptians 400. yeares v. 13. and then to returne into this country againe v. 16. And after the sun was down there arose a great darkenes and behold a smoaking furnace burning fire brand passed between those pieces v. 17. and the Lord made a couenant with Abram and gaue to his seed and posterity all that whole country that lieth between Nilus the riuer of Aegypt and Euphrates that great riuer which seuereth Palaestina from the kingdome of the Chaldees or Persians v. 18. Sarai his wife hauing hitherto been barren and hauing an Egyptian maid named Hagar moueth Abram to company with her chap. 16.1.2 Abram consenting vnto his wife goeth in vnto Hagar v. 3. who conceiuing bare him a sonne whom by the commandement of the Angel she called Ismaël v. 4.11 After this Abram being 99. yeares old the Lord appeared to him chap. 17.1 maketh a couenant with him with promise greatly to multiply him and his seed and to make him a father of many Nations v. 2.4 Therefore he changeth his name from Abram that is High-father Altiparens vnto Abraham that is Many-father Multiparens v. 5. and his wiues name from Sarai that is My princesse vnto Sarah The princesse v. 15. and promiseth to giue him a son by her whom he was by the counsaile of the Lord to call by the name of Izahak and with him maketh the couenant of circumcision v. 16.19 Abraham therefore tooke Ismaël and all the males of his whole family and cut off the fore skinne of their flesh that selfe same day as the Lord had commanded him v. 23. And Abraham was 99. yeares old Ismaël was 13. yeares old when they were circumcised v. 24.25 Again the Lord appeared vnto him in the plaine of MAMBRF as he sate in the tent dore about the heat of the day chap. 18.1 and lifting vp his eies he saw 3 men in the 2. v. of the 12 chap. of the Ep. to the Hebr. they are called Angels which he entertained into his house chap. 18.1.2.3 and after they had dined refreshed themselues goeth along with them toward Sodom v. 16. In the way as they went the Lord fore-sheweth vnto him the destruction of Sodom Gomorrha v. 17.20.21 Wherefore Abraham earnestly intreateth the Lord to be mercifull vnto them and to pardon the multitude for a few righteous mens sakes amongst them but in vaine for that that great and infinite number which dwelt in these 5. cities and the territories round about them could not affoord 10. that truly feared God v. 32. And being returned home againe v. 33. early in the morning looking toward Sodome and Gomorrha he saw the smoke of the land ascending vp as it had been the smoke of a furnace chap. 19.28 For the Lord had caused it to raine downe from heauen vpon those cities fire and brimstone v. 24. Afterward Abraham went from thence Southward and dwelled between Cades and Sur in the land of GERAR chap. 20.1 Now Abimelek king of that country sent for Sarah whom Abraham as before chap. 12. 13. called by the name of his sister v. 2. but being warned by God in a dreame that she was his wife v. 3. before such time as he had come neere her v. 4. he restored her to Abraham her husband vntouched richly endowed and with great treasure v. 14.15.16 In this country Sarah trauelled and bare Abraham a son in his old age chap. 21.2 according as the Lord before had promised she should chap. 17.19 and Abraham called his name Izaac v. 3. and circumcised him when he was 8. daies old v. 4. Now when he was to be weaned Abraham made a great feast v. 8. At which feast Ismaël whom Abraham had begotten of Hagar the bondwoman mocked Isaac the sonne of the free woman v. 9. wherefore by the counsell of Sara his wife both Hagar and her bastard sonne are turned out of doores v. 14. After this Abraham and Abimelech contended about a well of water which Abimelechs seruants had by force taken from the seruants of Abraham v. 25. yet the truth being sifted out they agree and do make a couenant and league of perpetuall amity v. 27. at a place which of this euent was afterward called B'ER-SHEBAA that is the well of the league or oth v. 31. Heere Abraham planted a GROVE where he called vpon the name of the Lord the mighty God euerlasting v. 33. and he dwelt as a stranger and soiourner in these quarters namely in the land of the Philistines a long season v. 34. These things being thus performed God tempted Abraham chap. 22.1 commanding him to take Izaac his only sonne who was now as Iosephus writeth 25. yeares old by whom he had promised to giue him an innumerable issue and to offer him vp for a sacrifice vpon one of the mountaines in the land of MORIAH v. 2. this mountaine was since called Zion vpon which Dauid afterward appointed a temple to be built 2. Chr. 3.1 Heere therefore he nothing distrusting of the goodnesse and power of God but perswading himselfe certainly that God could without Izaac raise him a posterity out of the dead he buildeth an altar and hauing laid on wood bindeth his sonne v. 9. taketh the knife purposing to slay him as he was commanded v. 10. but behold an Angel sent from God with a countermand charged him not to lay hand vpon Izaac v. 11.12 He therefore looking about him and spying a ramme behind him entangled by the hornes in a bush he catcheth him and offereth him in steed of his sonne v. 13. Wherefore Abraham called the name of that place IEHOVAH-YIREH v. 14. After this Sarah his wife being 120. yeares old chap. 23. 1. dieth in KIRIATH-ARBAA a place that was otherwise called HEBRON v. 2. but Abraham buried her in the caue of the field MACHPELAH oueragainst Mambre the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan which he had bought of Ephron the Hittite v. 19. Then he maried a 2. wife named Keturah cap. 25.1 who bare him many children v. 2. Lastly Abraham being
fifth Section of the third Climate of his Geographicall garden imprinted in the Arabicke language at Rome in the yeare of our Lord 1592. The place saith he where Lot with his family dwelt the stinking sea and Zegor euen vp as high as Basan and Tiberias was called the Vale for that it was a plaine or bottome between two hils so low that all the other waters of this part of Soria do fall into it and are gathered thither And a little beneath in the same place he addeth All the brookes and springs do meet and stay in the lake of Zegor otherwise called the lake of Sodom and Gomorrha two cities where Lot and his family dwelt which God did cause to sinke and conuerted their place into a stinking lake otherwise named The Dead lake for that there is in it nothing that hath breath or life neither fish nor worme or any such thing as vsually is wont to liue or keepe in standing or running waters the water of this lake is hot and of a filthy stinking sauour yet vpon it are little boates in which they passe from place to place in these quarters and carry their prouision The length of this lake is 60. miles the breadth not aboue 12. miles Moreouer Aben Isaac who in like maner wrote in the Arabicke tongue a treatise of Geography certaine fragments of which I haue by me for which I am beholding as also for many other fauours to Master Edward Wright that learned Mathematician and singular louer of all maner literature thus speaketh of this place The sea Alzengie saith he is a very bad and dangerous sea for there is no liuing creature can liue in it by reason of the vnwholesomnesse and thicknesse of his waters which happeneth by reason that the sunne when it commeth ouer this sea draweth vp vnto it by the force of his heat the thinner and more subtill parts of the water which is in it and so doth leaue the thicke and more grosse parts behind which by that meanes also become very hot and salt so that no man may saile vpon this sea nor any beast or liuing creature liue neere it Item the sea Sauk as Aristotle speaketh of it which also is in these parts and doth reach vp as high as India and the parched Zone so I thinke the word Mantakah that is a girdle or belt which heere he vseth doth signifie that there is not in it any liuing creature at all of any sort whatsoeuer and therefore this sea is called The Dead sea because that whensoeuer any worme or such like falleth into it it mooueth no longer but swimmeth vpon the toppe of the water and when it is dead it putrifieth and then sinketh and falleth to the bottome yet when there falleth into it any stinking and corrupt thing it sinketh immediatly and swimmeth not vpon the water at all Thus farre out of Aben Isaac This sea is of Ptolemey called ASPHALTITES the lake Ashaltites of others Asphaltes of the bitumen which it doth yeeld in great plenty of the Iewes MARE PALAESTINORVM ORIENTALE SOLITVDINIS siue DESERTI the Sea of Palaestina the East Sea the Sea of the desert or wildernesse of the situation and position of it vnto the land of Iewry Item MARE SALIS the Salt-sea of the hot and fitish saltnesse of the same aboue other salt-waters which the Arabian iustifieth to be true Pausanias that ancient and famous historian of the Greekes and Iustine the abridger of the large volume of Trogus Pompeius call it MARE MORTVVM the Dead sea of the effect there is saith Iustine a lake in that country which by reason of his greatnesse and vnmoueablenesse of his waters is called the Dead sea for it is neither mooued with the wind the heauy and lumpish bitumen which swimmeth vpon the toppe of the water all the lake ouer resisting the violence of the greatest blasts neither is it saileable for that all things that are void of life do sinke to the bottome neither doth it sustaine any thing that is not besmered with bitumen to these both my Arabians do subscribe of Galen the Prince of Physitions it is called LACVS SODOMAEVS the Lake of Sodome for him Nubiensis doth stand who neuer nameth it Bahri a sea but Bahira a lake or standing poole yet contrariwise Isaac termeth it Bahri not Bahira and by this name it is generally knowen to all the Europeans Solinus calleth it TRISTEM SINVM the Sad-bay like as the gulfe of Milinde is of some named ASPERVM MARE the rough or boisterous sea like as Isaac my authour calleth this same lake Tzahhib the churlish and dangerous sea Iosephus in the tenth chapter of his first booke of the Antiquities of the Iewes saith that this place where now is the Dead-sea was before named the Vale of bitumen pits Strabo otherwise a most excellent Geographer and curious searcher out of the truth in these discourses falsly confoundeth this lake as I touched before with the Sirbon lake Why the Arabian should call it Zengie and Sawke I know not This we haue heere added partly out of the Geographicall treasury of Ortelius for the ease and benefite of the Reader least the diuersity of names might make him mistake the thing Hauing thus finished the Mappes of HOLY write It now remaineth that we do in like maner begin and go on forward with those of PROPHANE histories A draught and shadow of the ancient GEOGRAPHY THou hast gentle and curtuous Reader in this Mappe a draught a plot or patterne I might call it of the whole world but according to the description ruder Geography of the more ancient authours of those of middle age For this our globe of the earth was not then further knowen a wonderfull strange thing vntill in the daies of our fathers in the yeare 1492. Christofer Columbus a Genoway by the commandement of the king of Castile first discouered that part of the West which vnto this day had lien hid vnknowen After that the South part hitherto not heard of togther with the East part of Asia much spoken of but neuer before this time entered was descried by the Portugals That part which lieth toward the North we haue seen in this our age to haue been first found out by the English merchants and nauigatours a particular view and proofe of which thou maist see at large in that worthy worke of the English Nauigations composed with great industrie diligence and charge by my singular good friend Master Richard Hacluyt By him England still shall liue and the name of braue Englishmen shall neuer die The other countries which as yet do lie obscured within the frozen Zones and vnder both the Poles are left for succeding ages to find out Peraduenture ancient writers that liued many hundred yeares since haue named some country or some one place or other out of this our continent but they haue not written ought of the situation of the same as being indeed altogether vnknowen vnto them In
country yeelding all maner of fruites and fruitfull trees and those in their kindes the best and to be such that it were pity that any king in the World should haue ought to do in but he Varro in his bookes De re Rustica of Husbandrie writeth That it is a more temperate and healthfull soile than Asia Statius in his Achilleidos more than once or twice calleth it The Mighty prouince of the World Maxima terra viris foecundissima doctis Vrbibus Europe for multitude of warlike men and scholers deeply learned doth farre excell thus Mamilius writeth of it Aristotle the prince of Philosophers maketh the inhabiters of this part of the world to be A very stout and couragious people The same authour affirmeth that All kind of beasts and cattell heere are in their kind greater and stronger than in Asia and Africke But of the nature of this country the maners and customes of the people let vs heare what Strabo that excellent Geographer saith in his second booke This part is most fertile of valiant and prudent men It is all generally habitable excepting only a very small portion toward the North and abutting vpon the Hamaxici which dwell vpon Tanais Don Maeotis palus Mar delle Zabacche and Borysthenes Nieper or Dnester which place by reason of the extream cold is not habitable Yet certaine bleake and mountainous places inhabited although in respect of the nature of the soile they are tilled and manured with greater difficulty yet hauing gotten good skilfull and industrious husbands those also are tamed and much bettered which heeretofore were badly vsed and kept only by theeues and out-lawes And indeed the Greekes when they dwelt vpon the rocks and mountaines dwelt well and conueniently by reason of their wise cariage in ciuill matters arts sciences and knowledge of those things which necessarily are required to the maintenance of mans life In like maner the Romanes hauing brought many sauage and fierce Nations vnder their seruile yoke seated I meane in places not very conuenient to dwell in in respect of the nature of the country either for that it was rough and craggy or wanted hauens or was too bleake and cold or for other causes taught them to vse merchandise before vnknowen and haue brought them from a sauage and brutish life to liue ciuilly and more humanely But those parts which are situate in an equall and temperat climate there nature administreth all things necessary for the maintenance of man and beast Now when as those Nations which do inhabite and dwell in fertile and rich countries are maintainers of peace and quietnesse and those which are seated in barren and vnfruitfull countries are most hardy and stout it commeth to passe that both are helpfull one to another while these do vse their weapons for their countries defence those againe do help and maintaine them by the profits that they raise out of the earth by their arts and mysteries as also by their learning wisedome and policy euen as in like maner also the dammage is mutuall and either side feeleth a sensible hurt when the one part doth not helpe the other yet the estate of the souldier and warlike man is somewhat better if they be not one come with multitude And the nature of Europe serueth very fitly for this purpose for it is all diuersly distinguished by lofty mountaines and lowly plaines so that euery where the husbandmen and souldiers the politicians and the martiall warriers do dwell together yet so as the greatest number are peaceable men which kind of life they enioy especially by the meanes and labour of their captaines first of the Greekes then of the Macedonians and lastly of the Romanes Therefore both in peace and warre it is sufficient of it selfe to maintaine and defend it selfe for it hath great plenty both of stout souldiers painfull husbandmen and politique statesmen In this also it doth excell that it bringeth foorth passing good fruits such I meane as are necessary for the maintenance of mans life with all sorts of mettall for what vse soeuer Spices or sweet smelling things and pretious stones are brought hither from forren countries WHICH THINGS VVHOSOEVER HAVE NOT THEY LIVE NEVER A VVHIT WORSE THAN THOSE DO THAT HAVE THEM Moreouer this is especially worth the noting that hauing wonderfull store of cattell sheep and oxen it breedeth very few dangerous wild beasts Thus farre the learned Strabo Many other things thou maist read of this Europe together with the nature and condition of the people of the same in that treatise which Hippocrates the prince of Phisitions wrote of the care and waters This Europe also and not any other place of the world beside doth yeeld Succinum or Electrum Amber we call it the Germanes Gleslum yet it is not found in Eridianas a riuer falling into some Northren sea as Herodotus doth fabulously report or in Padus a riuer of Italy Po as the poets iestingly affirme nor in the Electrides certaine fained ilands in the Hadriaticke sea as some men of better credit and more diligent searchers out of the truth as Pliny EVROPAM SIVE CELTICAM VETEREM sic describere conabar Abrah Ortelius CLARISS D. NICOLAO ROCCOXIO I.V.L. PATRICIO ANTVERP EIVSDEMQ VRBIS SENATORI HANC ANTIQVAE EVROPAE NOVAM TABVLAM ABRAH ORTELIVS DEVOTISSIME DEDICAB CVM PRIVILEGIO DECEN NALI IMP. REGIS ET BRABANTIAE CANCELLARIAE 1595. saith haue seriously thought nor in Spaine as Aeschylus beleeued nor in certaine rockes at the further end of the gulfe of Venice mare Hadriaticum as some more sober men haue giuen out nor in Liguria as Sudinus Metrodorus and Theophrastus would haue men thinke nor in Ethiopia neere Iupiter Ammons temple or in Scythia as Philemon imagined nor in Britaine as Socatus nor in the Glessariae ilands in the Germane occan as Pliny hath taught nor in Bannonia or Baltia a certain iland as Timaeus ha h broached nor in a certain riuer as Dion Prusaeus hath taught but neere vnto the neckland or peninsula Haestarum in the bay Pautzkerwicke and Frisch-hast Sinus Clilipenus in the Balticke or East sea not farre from Dantzk in Pomerell or Sprese where hitherto it hath been taken a thing wholly hidden from the ancients to the great gaine and enriching of the Nations neere inhabiting and not many other place of the world beside In the same Europe are there many goodly and stately cities amongst the which the most famous in all ages are Rome and Constantinople which afterward was called New-Rome and now are London Venice and Paris The riuers of greater note are Rhein Isther or Donaw and the Thames the woods more notable are Ardene in Gallia 500. miles of length reaching from the riuer of Rhein vnto Tourney in France and Hercynia in Germany 40. daies iourney long as Pomponius writeth and 9. daies iourney broad as Caesar in his Commentaries reporteth a greater wood than which or more vast there is no history maketh mention of Thus much of Europe But whereof it
Caliabria Calucula Carabis Carbulo Careo Carruca Castax Castra gemina Castra vinaria Cedrippo Certima Cimbis Cinniana Cisembrium Colenda Colobona Coplanium Cotinas Crabalia Cusibi Danium Dia Dumium Eiscadia Erisane Fabreseense Gemella Gruâ—nus Helingas Hellenes Hippo Hippo Carausiarum Ibem Ilipa minor Ilipula Laus Illurco Ilucia Indica Ipasturgi Ituci Iulia cognomine Concordia Iul. Constantia Iul. Contributa Iul. Fidentia Iul. Restituta Lancia Transoudana Lenium Magala Malia Marcolica Massia Moron Merucra Nobilia Nuditanum Olitingi Olone Onoba Opsicella Osintigi Ossigi Ossigitania Oxthraca Sacvuna Saepona Saon Segeda Segestica Serippo Sicane Silpia Sitia Soricaria Soritia Tabeta Tarscium Transsucunus Tribola Turba Turobrica Tutia Velia Ventisponte Vergentum Vergium Vescelia Vesciveca Vesperies Victoria portuo Vrbicuà Vxena MONTES Sacer Ydrus FLVMINA Chalybs Silicense FONTES Tamarici et quaedam Antonini item Avieni Horum omnium situm quamvis ignorarem abesse tamen ab hac tabula iniquum putari In omni enim vetere historia veterem voco ad Caroli Magni usque tempora omnium huius regionis locorum vocabula exprimere valui ni fallor â—â—pressi Si quae autem doctori in en deesse videbuntur erunt fortassè horum querundam synonyma de quibus omnibus in nostro Thesaure geographico Without the limits of the maine land or continent of Spaine there is a part of this country called INSVLARIS or BALEARIVM that is The Spanish iles or the Baleares For this part of Spaine consisteth altogether of ilands The names of those which do lie in the Ocean or Maine sea are these GADES now Caliz IVNONIS insula GERYONIS monumentum S. Pedro a little ile betweene Caliz and the maine land LONDOBRIS ouer against Portugall now knowen by the name of Barlinguas CORTICATA AVNIOS DEORVM insulae peraduenture those which they now call Islas de Baiona and the faigned CASSITERIDES in this tract For these famous ilands are indeed those which our seamen call The Sorlings belonging to the crowne of England as we haue shewed before In the Midland sea are these following the two BALEARES the Greater and the Lesser MALLORCA and MENORCA the two PITYVSAE to wit EBVSVS now Yuica or as some terme it Ibissa and OPHIVSA SCOMBRARIA Cabo di Palos COLVBRARIA Moncolobrer CAPRARIA Cabrera TIQVADRA Coneiera PLVMBARIA PLANESIA and MAENARIA all of them except only the Baleares and Gades small ilands and of none account Gades was much renowmed and famous long since by meanes of the fables of Hercules and Geryon feigned by Poets to haue been acted heere as also for that the long liued king Arganthonius who was before his death 300. yeares old did sometime keepe his court heere The Baleares were much talked of by reason the Ilanders were counted good slingers best experienced and skilfull in that weapon called by the Romanes Funda But especially it was much spoken of by meanes of the great famine and dearth that there was caused by conies of which there was sometime in these Ilands such wonderfull store and abundance that old stories do testifie that the country people were forced to entreat of Augustus Caesar a military aid and band of men to helpe to destroy them keepe them from breeding and spreading any further Pliny compareth the winds of these Ilands with the best that are made of Italian grapes I do verily beleeue that Seruius vpon the 7. booke of Virgils Aeneids did mistake the matter when he writeth that Geryon did rule as king of the Baleares and the Pityusaes For all other writers do affirme that he reigned and kept his court about Gades Except in defence of Seruius one should alledge this saying of Trogus In parte Hispaniae quae ex insulis constat regnum penes Geryonem fuit that is In a part of Spaine which consisteth altogether of ilands Geryon swaied the scepter and ruled as soueraigne king But that he spake this of Gades and the iland not farre from it in the maine sea the wonderfull pastorage and rankenesse which he ascribeth to these is a sufficient argument and proofe which by no meanes may be verified of the Baleares Againe Solinus plainly testifieth for me that Bocchoris and not Geryon did reigne in the Baleares But his owne words may perhaps please thee better therefore listen thus he speaketh Bocchoris regnum Baleares fuerunt vsque ad euersionem Phrygum cuniculis animalibus quondam copiosae In capite Baeticae vbi extremus est NOTI ORBIS terminus insula à septingentis passibus separatur quam Tyrij à Rubro profecti mari ERYTHRAEAM Poeni sua lingua GADIR id est sepem nominarunt In hac Geryonem habitasse plurimis monumentis probatur tametsi quidam putent Herculem boues ex alia insula abduxisse quae Lusitaniam contuetur Thus rudely in English The Baleares where Bocchoris vntill the ouerthrow of the Phrygians raigned and held his court were sometime wonderfully full of Conies In the entrance and head of Baetica which is the outmost bound of the KNOVVEN WORLD there is an iland which is distant from the maine land threescore and tenne pases This the Tyrians come from the Redsea called ERYTHRAEA or The Red iland but the Poeni or Carthaginians in their language named it GADIR that is The hedge Heere Geryon did sometime dwell as monuments and antiquities do strongly prooue although some do thinke that Hercules did cary the Oxen from another iland which lieth ouer against Lusitania Thus farre Solinus Obserue heere that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gader in the ancient language of the Iewes and Giadir in the moderne tongue of the farre-conquering Arabians doth signifie an hedge enclosure or fence Beside these forenamed ilands knowen to the ancient and best writers Sextus Rufus Auienus reciteth others by these names OESTRYMNIDES ARCHALE POETANION AGONIDA CARTARE STRONGILE and LVNAE These because no man else doth seeme to know or take notice of peraduenture may be some of those which Pliny termeth mari vadoso paruas Small ilands or shelues in the shallow sea and are in number well neere twenty What if to these I should adioine CROMYVSA and MELVSSA certaine ilands vpon the coast of Spaine as Stephanus citeth out of Hecataeus his Cosmography Of TRANSFRETANA or TINGITANA Hispania that other part I meane of Spaine beyond the streights called Tingitania because it did only in name and vsurpation not indeed and of right belong to Spaine as also for that it is thus Pomponius Melawriteth of it Regio ignobilis vix quidquam illustre sortita paruis opidis habitatur parua flumina emittit solo quam viris melior segnitiae gentis obscura Abase country and hath scarce any good thing in it worth the speaking of It hath no famous cities but small ragged townes and villages The riuers which runne through it are very small and not nauigable yet the soile is better than the men For the slouththfulnesse and cowardice of the people hath made the country the more obscure I will speake nothing
it must cost one of them his life Others do take vp in the theater gold or siluer or a certaine number of hogges-heads of wine and assoone as they haue bound themselues with an oath that they will endure that for which they had receiued these gifts then taking them and distributing them vnto their most inward and dearest friends they stretch themselues out straight vpon their backes and lay them downe vpon their shields one standing by that is to stabbe them in their throat and cut off their necke with a sword They lie downe to sleepe on grasse or rushes strowed vpon the ground as Polybius testifieth or vpon deares skinnes as Diodorus recordeth In the thirteenth booke of Athenaeus where you shall find these words in my iudgement spoken of Braccata Gallia They lie vpon skins betweene two Ganimedes For I am verily perswaded and I thinke all wise men with me that he meant the Grecians of Marseilles and not the true and ancient Gauls whose maner it was as before we haue noted out of Iulian the Emperour that they vsed that act only for the procreation of children Their houses and habitations saith Caesar for the most part were in woods or vpon the bankes of brookes and riuers thereby to shelter themselues from the violence of the Sunne and heat of Sommer and those Vitruuius writeth were made and couered ouer with oken shingles or else with straw Strabo affirmeth that they are built in a maner round of planks and hardles couered with a great roofe made taper-wise or sugar loafe fashion this roofe as Pliny writeth was of stubble Their gates if we may beleeue Nicolaus in Stobaeus did continually stand open Iulianus the Emperour in his Misopogonus relateth a tale whereby we gather that they had the vse of hot-houses or stoues such as still to this day are vsed in some places of this countrie Villages they haue as Polybius noteth without any wals or rampart for defence against the assault of the enemies For Trogus reporteth that they learned of them of Marseilles to enclose their townes with wals and ramparts The maner of building and fashion of which wals thou maist vnderstand out of the seuenth booke of Caesars commentaries where moreouer thou shalt find this that followeth when any great or notable matter falleth out they giue notice of it through the fields and countries by lowd cries or proclamations one vnto another and so still forwards like vnto our hue and cries vntill it stay at the outmost border of the kingdome Ammianus in his fiue and twentieth booke saith that they gaue themselues much to swimming In hunting as I gather out of Cornelius Celsus they were woont to strike the deere with a venomed arrow Item Aulus Gellius out of Pliny citeth these words of the same argument The Gauls when they went on hunting were woont to dippe their arrow heads in the iuice of hellebore verily beleeuing that the flesh of such deere as were stroken and killed with them was farre more tender than otherwise it would be but by reason of the venome of the hellebore they say they did vse to cut off round about a great deale of the flesh where the arrow went in Item Pliny also maketh mention of the hearb limeum wherewith they made a kind of ointment which they call venenum ceruarium Hart-poison with which in hunting they do besmeare their arrowes Aristotle in his Admiranda sheweth that amongst the Celtae there is a kind of poison found called by them Toxicum the Latine interpreter did read Xenicum that is strange which infecteth and killeth so speedily that the hunters of that country when they haue stricken a deere with an arrow dipped in the iuice of this herb they runne with all speed and do presently cut out all that flesh neere round about where the arrow went in lest the venome spreading it selfe further and further the whole deere should putrifie and so be marred and good for nothing c. Pliny maketh me beleeue that this confection or poison was made of the yeugh-tree taxus they call it where hee saith that those poisons which we now call toxica wherewith they did besmere their arrowes were sometimes called taxica Of the poison and venemous nature of the yeugh-tree we haue entreated before But there was a tree which grew amongst the Celtae much like vnto a figge-tree whose fruit that it bare was fashioned like vnto the chapter of the Corinthiacke pillar This fruit being cutte doth yeeld a iuice wherein if any man shall dippe his arrowes whatsoeuer hee shall strike therewith will presently die of that wound as Strabo affirmeth from the report of others That the Gauls did not feare the danger of Earth-quakes Aristotle and Plutarch do plainlie testifie But whether it be true or false I dare not affirme Another notable example except one should thinke it to be a feined and forged tale of great boldnesse or rather of desperate rashnesse I find in Aelianus his varia historia which is thus They do account it saith he so fowle and shamefull a thing to flie or runne away that oft times they will make no hast to get from vnder houses that they see are ready to fall vpon their heads nay they will hardly out of those houses that are on fire so that many times they be burnt to ashes in the flame Many of them also will stand still vntill the waues and tide of the sea do runne quite ouer them Moreouer some of them will cast themselues into the sea in their armour and with their swords drawne and shaking of their speares daren the tide as if they could either fraie or wound the same Let the credulous Iew beleeue this if he will I beleeue neuer a word of it although I know that Stobaeus and before him Nicolaus did verily beleeue it all to be true Heere I do by experience find that saying of Pliny to be very true that There is hardly any greater disparagement to the truth than when a false told is told by a graue authour But may not one thinke that I may requite one tale with another that this was that sight which Lucian in his Apologia writeth that his friend Sabinus went as farre as the West ocean to see Their funerals according to their maner and state are very gorgeous and costly all things that the dead men in their life time did especially loue and affect yea euen such liuing creatures as they best esteemed were cast into the fire and burnt and not long since within the memory of our forefathers euen their seruants and followers whom they loued extraordinarily well when all ceremonies of the funerall were done were cast into the fire and burnt together with their Masters or Mistresses thus Caesar reporteth of them To this Pomponius Mela addeth That with the dead they burne and burie in the ground all things that they commonly vsed when they were aliue their accoumpts and debts were deferred till doomes day Some there were of
riuer Aleman commonly called Altmul yet all men of other countries ignorant of the Germane tongue do vse the word Alemanie for all Germanie and by Alemanes do meane all the Germanes But the inhabitants at this day name themselues Teutschen Tuisiones whether of god Tuisius sonne of the earth of whom Tacitus maketh mention or of Tuisco Noë his sonne of whom Pseudoberosus speaketh I leaue to the iudgement of the learned reader for to me it is vncertaine And thus much of the name Ouid writing to Liuia doth grace it with a very heroicall surname and honourable titles when he calleth it ORBEM GERMANVM ORBEM NOVVM ORBEM IGNOTVM The Germane world The new world and The vnknowen world Ptolemey surnameth it THE GREAT Pliny in the third booke of his Epistles vnto his friend Macer calleth it LATISSIMAM A most wide and spacious countrey Learne the forme of it out of Dionysius and Priscian his interpreter or as some call him Rhemnius in his periegesis in this verse Haec tergo similis taurino dicirur esse In forme they say it 's somewhat like vnto a large buffe hide but falsly for this is truly spoken of Spaine as Arid Papius before me hath well obserued The situation and limits of this countrey are diuers and sundry wayes described according to the diuersitie and alteration of times Plutarch in Marius doth extend it from the Exterior or Outmost sea and the Northern parts to the rising of the Sunne neere the fenne Moeotis Mar delle Zabbache where it toucheth the Ponticke Scythia Pomponius Mela also and Pseudoberosus do confine it with Sarmatia Europoea And Martian stretcheth it fron Hister Donawe to the Ocean euen vp as high as the deserts of Sarmatia But the word Armeniae is falsly read for Sarmatiae that I may with Pintian by the way correct this fault in this authour Dionysius Apher also placeth the Germanes at the fenne Moeotis Yea and P. Diacono in his first chapter vnder the name of Germanie comprehendeth also all Scandie or Scone in Denmarke where he describeth that denne or caue neere the Scricsinners in which seuen men slept And this I thinke to be that Exteriour Germanie which Eusebius in his sixt booke De Praepar Euang. describeth toward the North. Isidore therefore rightly placeth the Riphaean mountaines at the head of Germanie Others haue made the sea the Alpes Vistula the riuer Wixell and the Rheine to be the limits of the same But Tacitus taketh from it whatsoeuer is betweene Donawe and the Alpes For he confineth it within these limits namely the Rhene Donawe the Dacia's Transsyluania and Walachia and the Sarmatia's Russia with whom also Ptolemey the prince of Geographers consenteth But Strabo and Pomponius do notwithstanding extend it euen to the very Alpes and so by these mountaines do diuide it from Italy as it were by a certeine naturall rampart or bulwarke And this is yet at this day the true and naturall Germanie which on the North side is circumscribed with the sea on the South with the Alpes on the West with the Rhene and on the East with Vistula Wixell or Odera Moreouer Suetonius Tacitus and Dion do diuide this true Germanie into the VPPER and LOWER they call that the VPPER GERMANIE which is neerer the fountaines or head of the Rhene that the LOWER which reacheth from thence to the Ocean But beyond the Rhene also namely in Belgia Ptolemey hath other two Germanies to wit a SVPERIOR and INFERIOR To whom agreeth Marcellinus who nameth this the SECOND that the FIRST But I do not iudge these to pertaine to the true Germanie but that it was so improperly called of the Germanes who as Dion witnesseth afterward possessed it and fixed their seats there And first of the Tungri who as Tacitus writeth first of all other passed ouer the Rhene Item we read in Cesar of certaine Belgae sprung from the Germanes Hence it is that he witnesseth that the Neruij Aduatici Atrebates Ambiani Morini Menapij Caletes Verocasses Veromandui Catuaci Condrusi Eburones Caeresi Paemani Segni were generally GERMANI TRANSRHENANI the Germans beyond Rhene Tacitus saith that the Vangiones Triboci and Nemetes were called Germanes Suetonius recordeth that Tiberius the Emperour placed fortie thousand Germanes in France neere the banke of the Rhene Eutropius writeth that there were of them foure hundred thousand Item by the testimony of Pliny we are made to beleeue that the Germane nation did dwell euen as high as the riuer Scaldis the Sceldt And that at this day the Germans are seated beyond Scaldis vp as high as the straits of the Ocean the language which they vse doth manifestly proue So that Dion in his 53 booke hath truely related that they haue spread themselues as farre as the British ocean vp to the citie Bononia or Boloigne which Zosimus calleth a citie of Lower Germanie GERMANIAE VETERIS typus Ex conatibus geographicis Abrahami Ortelij DVBIAE POSITIONIS QVAEDAM Achiri Alcetienses Ames Ampsani Aravisci Attuarij nisi sint Ansuarij Aviones Ballonoti Butones nisi sint Gutones Calydona Caracates Carini Cathilci Caulci Chaubi Cinesia Cubij nisi sint Vbij Foeti Fosi Guarni Harmi Iaravaci Landi Luij nisi sint Ligij Marsigni nisi sint Maruigni Mugillones Nusipi nisi sint Vsipetes Poenina castra Quadriburgum Reudigni Ribisca Scinthi Sibini Solcinium Suardones nisi sint Pharodeni Subatij Toenij Vadomarius Varini Venaxamodurum Zumi Locorum vocabula circa Caroli Magni tempora primum nata inter vetusta non numero ea itaque nec in ipsa tabula neque hic seorsum nominare visum fuit Cum Privilegio Imperiali Regio et Belgico ad decenn 1587. DN IACOBO MONAVIO SILESIO PATRICIO VRATISLAVIENSI VIRO ET ERVDITIONE ET HVMANITATE ORNATISSIMO ABRAHAMVS ORTELIVS HOC MVTVAE AMICITIAE MONVMENTVM LIBENS DONABAT DEDICABATQVE Plutarch in 6. Conuiual writeth that they weare apparell only against frost and colde of Winter Pomponius writeth that the men do couer themselues with barkes of trees And the same man with Tacitus writeth that they all vse a cassocke for a couering fastened together with a button or thorne and that in their childhood they go naked euen in the greatest colde and dead of Winter Neither is there any other habit for women than for men but that the women oft times do couer themselues with linnen garments Pliny hath noted that they also sowe flax and that the women make cloth of it neither do they know any finer garment than that and that they mingle it with purple Euery mother giueth sucke to her owne childe neither are they committed to bondmaids and nurses We learne out of Eusebius sixth booke de Praeparat and out of S. Clements ninth booke de Recog that they giue not themselues to childish things or any thing which they thought to be vnprofitable as namely to stage-playes painting or musicke Yet they haue giuen themselues to making of verses but such as are rude and simple as witnesseth the
people Paeones a common errour among the Grecian historians which Dion in his nine and fortieth booke did first discouer For of the Romans and of themselues they are called Pannonij The Paeones are a nation diuers from these lying betweene mount Rhodope and the marine coasts of Macedonia Ptolemey Strabo Dion Aurelius Victor and ancient inscriptions do diuide Pannony into the HIGHER and LOVVER Liber Notitiarum The booke of Remembrances into the FIRST and SECOND Optatus Afer maketh three Pannonies but vntruely seeing that those aboue named approoued authours doe describe but two and the coine of the Emperour Decius this countriman borne doth mention no more Solinus writeth that this country is very plaine and champion and as rich and fertile a soile as any other thereabout Appian saith that it is full of woods and that it hath no cities nor townes only the lands and fields are diuided vnto certaine farmes and families In Hygenus I reade that a price and custome was imposed vpon these lands according to the fertility and goodnesse of euery aker for there were fields of the first and second price woods yeelding yearely great plentie of maste woods of the meanest sort of feed and pastorage c. But Iornandes certaine ages after reporteth otherwise of this his natiue country and affirmeth it to be beautified with many goodly cities The people doe liue and fare as hardly as any people vnder heauen hauing neither good ground nor good aire nor hauing of their owne growing either oile or wine but very little and bad neither doe they regard to plant and set these commodities the greatest part of the yeare being there very colde and bitter nothing else almost but a continuall vnkinde Winter Dion writeth that they haue some Barley and Millet Strabo saith Spelt Zea and Millet of which they make their bread and drinke and withall affirmeth that he writeth not this by heare-say or relation from others but of his owne experience and knowledge as he learned and saw at such time as he was Lieutenant there Yet he saith they are a most stout and hardy people but hauing nothing woorthy the name of honesty and ciuility being generally very hasty and bloudy minded killing and slaying without any respect or feare of God or man and that vpon euery crosse word and light occasion Solinus auoucheth the same to be true saying that this country is very strong and well furnished with couragious and stout men Tibullus in his fourth booke saith that they are a wily and crafty people Statius and Paterculus called them Feroces fierce and cruell But the same author doth againe asmuch commend them not only for their great loue of military discipline but for their skill and knowledge of the Latine tongue and for that diuers of them are learned and studious of the liberall sciences Ausonius nameth them Armiferos a warlike people Eusebius in his tenth booke de Praeparat Euangelica giueth out that these people especially those that dwelt about Noricum Bauaria or Bayern did first finde out the vse of copper or brasse Herodian saith that they are bigge bodied very tall ready to fight and to kill and slay vpon euery occasion but of so dull a conceit and simple that they doe not easily perceiue whether one deale or speake ought craftily and subtilly or meane well and plainly The Panegyricke of Mamertinus nameth this Pannony the Empresse of all nations for valour and like as Italy renowmed for ancient honour Pliny saith that this countrey yeeldeth great plenty of mast or akornes The same authour also in his historie of Nature hath left recorded as if it were a matter of some moment that heere the herbe saliunca a kinde of lauender doth naturally grow of it owne accord Oppian commendeth the Pannonian dogges which Nemesianus in this verse affirmeth to be good hunters Nec tibi Pannonicae stirpis temnatur origo The hounds heere bred are not the woorst that ere I see The Pannonian cappes made of beasts skinnes or furres such as souldiours vse to weare Vegetius in his booke of warre doth highly commend This country afterward Probus the Emperour permitted to haue vines and by the helpe of the souldiers himselfe did plant them in mount Almus Arpatarro neere Sermium Sirmisch the place where he was borne as also vpon mount Aureus Meczek in Moesia superior Seruia as Sextus Aurelius Victor in his life doth testifie In Paeonia a prouince heere abbuttant vpon mount Rhodope toward Macedony in Greece the soile is rich and fertile of golde that many men haue found lumps of golde-ore of more then a pound weight And in the confines of this country Aristotle in his Admiranda doth write that oftentimes the earth or vpper soard being by continuall showers washed away that kinde of golde which they call apyrum quicke-golde if I may so call it such as haue not touched the fire is found without digging or any other labour But heere againe I doe also obserue an error very frequent amongst the Greeke writers mistaking Paeonia for Pannonia For Pannonia or Hungary euen to this day is so rich of golde that it is wonderfull and scarse to be beleeued of such as haue not seene it as Bonfinius Broderith and Ranzan doe iointly affirme who do all write that they haue seene very many golden twigges of vines some as long as ones finger others of halfe a foote long but of the richnesse of Paeonia for mines of golde I haue neuer heard nor read in any authour to my remembrance Diogenes Laertius in the life of Pyrrhus Eliensis hath noted that the Paeones doe vse to cast the bodies of dead men into pondes or deepe pooles Maximus Tyrius in his eight and thirtieth oration writeth that the Paeones did worship the Sunne and that the signe or idoll of the same which they adored was a little dish put vpon the end of along pole and set vpright But whether this be meant of them or of the Pannones for that this authour is a Grecian I know not I leaue it to the consideration of the learned The like is that place of Aelianus in the twelfth chapter of his seuenth booke de Animalibus where he writeth a discourse of the laborious painfulnesse of the women of this countrey well worth the reading and obseruation Tzetzes also in the three hundred and eighteenth chapter of his tenth Chiliade nameth the Paeones for the Pannones where he hath something perteining to this our purpose Antigonus in his booke de Mirabilibus writeth that in Illyria and Pannonia is that kinde of beast which they call Monychos Aelianus termeth it Monops Others Bonasus Diaconus in the eighth chapter of his second booke of the historie of Lombardie writeth that Pannonia breedeth great plenty of Buffes or Bugles Bisontes and that he heard of an honest old man that fifteene men haue beene knowen to lie together vpon one buffe hide noting thereby the huge greatnesse of this beast And thus much of both those
Pannonia's now it remaineth that in like maner we say something of Illyris This country is called of Ptolemey ILLYRIS of Stephanus ILLYRIA ILLYRIAE and ILLYRIVM of Historians and Geographers ILLYRICVM Valerius Maximus writeth that one Alexander wrot a whole booke of the description of this country It was so called if we may giue credit to Appianus Alexandrinus of Illyrius the sonne of Polyphemus or Cadmon as Apollodorus and Stephanus doe thinke The bounds of this prouince are by diuers diuersly assigned For Ptolemey confineth it with the Hadriaticke sea Istria the two Pannonies and mount Scardus Marinai they now call it Pliny endeth it at the city Lissus Alesio Pomponius maketh it to begin at Tergestum Trieste a city of Friuli and to end at the riuer Aea which is neere Apollonia Sissopoli a towne of Macedony in Greece Martianus extendeth it yet further namely euen vp as high as the Ceraunian mountaines as in like manner Strabo doth Suetonius in the life of Tiberius writeth thus of the bounds of this country ILLYRICVM which lieth betweene Italy and the kingdome of Noricum Bayern Thrace and Macedony the riuer Donawe and the gulfe of Venice And Appian he maketh it yet more large stretching it out in length from the head of the riuer Ister Donawe euen vnto the Ponticke sea Mar Maiore Sextus Rufus who liued in the time of Valentinian the Roman Emperour comprehendeth vnder the name of Illyricum these seuenteene prouinces Those two of the Norici the two Pannonies Valetia Sauia Dalmatia Moesia the two Dacia's Macedonia Thessalia Achaia the two Epiri Praeualis and Creta Thus much of the name and limits of this country out of diuers authours PANNONIAE ET ILLYRICI VETERIS TABVLA Ex conatibus geographicis Abrahami Ortelij Antverpiani Vis consili expers mole ruit sua Dn̄o Ludovico Hallero ab Hallerstein Stemmate eruditione animi candore verè nobili Ab. Ortelius hoc amicitiae mnemosynon dedicabat Loca incertae positionis In ILLYRIA populi Agravonitae Araxiae Cinambri Decum Deremistae Denari Dudini Glinditiones Grabaei Hemasini Hymani Lacinienses Mentores Melcomani Oxei Palarei Plerei Sassaei Scirtari Selepitani Separi Stulpini Syopij Tralles Vrbes Alcomenae Arduba Astraea Bolcha Bargulum Bolurus Cornutum Dimalum Eugenium Hyscana Iovium Megara Melibussa Nerata Ninia Nutria Oedantum Olympe Orgomenae Pelion Pherae Seretium Sesarethus Setovia Sinotium Sir Surium Tribulium Regio Ias. Fluvius Salancon Mons Monoechus Locus Serita In PANNONIA populi Arivates Belgites Corneatae Dasnones Decentij Desitiates Vrbes Albanum Arsaciana Burgena Quadriburgum Hae urbes quoque circa Iapygiam Istriamque Archimea Torgium et populi Eleutij Moentini Quaedam etiam ex Anton Itinerar hic omisimus We in this Mappe haue expressed only Ptolemey's Illyricum which hee diuideth into two parts namely into LIBVRNIA and DALMATIA Liuy in his sixe and fortieth booke according to the people and inhabitants of the same diuideth it into three parts of the nature of which prouince Strabo writeth in this maner All the sea coast of Illyricum is well furnished with fit and commodious hauens both the maine land I meane and the ilands neere adioyning to the same The soile is very fertile of all maner of fruits and rich commodities especially of oliues and strong wines The countrey that is situate about this is wholly mountainous colde and couered with snowe so that vines are heere very rare either in the high grounds or plaines and vallies Whereupon Propertius not altogether vnfitly called it Gelida Illyria Bleak and frozen Illyria Appian nameth the people Incolas bellicosisimos a most warlike and couragious people Liuy saith that they are a very hardy nation both by sea and land Florus and Strabo maketh them cruell and bloudy men and much giuen to robbe and steale Iulian the Emperor in his discourse de Caesaribus testifieth plainly that they are one of the stoutest and valiantest nations of all Europe Vegetius recordeth that there were alwaies resident in Illyria two legions called Martiobarbuli these Diocletian and Maximinian Emperours of Rome named afterward Iouiani and Herculei and they were preferred before all other legions whatsoeuer Illyricis sudant equitatibus alae as Claudian reporteth in the commendations of Serena Lampridius maketh them well seene and renowmed for their skill in soothsaying and diuining of euents to come when he writeth that Alexander Seuerus excelled this nation in that skill Isogonus in Pliny writeth that there be a kinde of men amongst these which doe bewitch with their eies and doe kill such as they doe beholde and looke vpon any long while together especially such of them as haue firie eies like those which are moued with anger and these kind of people haue two sights in ech eye Aelianus saith that they are great wine bibbers and as Athenaeus reporteth very much giuen to drunkennesse Of the maidens and wiues of this countrey see Varro in the sixteenth chapter of his second booke Claudian in his second panegyricke to Stilico signifieth that they were permitted about the raigne of the latter Emperours to haue vines where he thus writeth Exectis inculta dabant quas secula syluis Restituit terras opacum vitibus Istrum Conserit Which was done as seemeth about the time of the Emperour Probus In Ammianus Marcellinus I finde mention made of Sabaia the drinke of the poorer sort of people which they made of barley or wheat turned into a liquour or kinde of woort Clemens Alexandrinus in his first booke of his Stromaton hath recorded that these people first found out that weapon which the Romans called Pelta a kinde of shield or target The kine heere euery yeare doe bring two or three calues a piece and some foure yea some fiue or more at once and doe giue so much milke at a meale that euery day one cowe yeeldeth more then a large gallon Againe the hennes doe not lay only once a day but some two or three egges a peece euery day as Aristotle in his Admiranda plainly affirmeth Aelianus writeth that he had heard by report from others that their goats heere are whole footed not clouen as in other places Pliny recordeth that heere groweth the best Gentian a kinde of bitterwoort or hearbe whose root is of great vertue and request in physicall vses The same authour commendeth the cockles of Illyria for their extraordinarie greatnesse Athenaeus testifieth that heere in the high countrey far from the sea groweth the best and goodliest Lychnis or Rose campaine Ouid in his second booke de Arte Amandi doth much commend the Illyrian pitch Theophrastus Cornelius Celsus Ouid and Dionysius Vticensis doe mention the Illyrian flower-de-luce an hearbe beside his beauty of soueraigne vse in Physicke the best of which and that which is of greatest estimation as Pliny writeth groweth in the wildes and woods about the riuers Drilo Drino or Lodrino and Narona now called Narcuta In Illyria if one may beleeue Festus in the word Hippius euery ninth yeare they were
cannot away withall for they loue to liue more freely and gentlemanlike by no meanes they will be drawen with great labour and trauell to prepare great and sumptuous banquets and dainties and then when they haue done to eat and drinke them vp In warre they arme themselues with two iauelings or darts a peece Some of them also do cary great shields which they call Thyrei for they do vse wooden bowes and shafts whose heads they dip in a very strong poison for whosoeuer he be that is wounded except he presently drinke treacle or some other holsome soueraigne antidote or shall by and by cut off all the place which is wounded that it run no further the whole body will surely rot and perish They doe delight to flie to steepe and craggie places not easily to be assaulted or come vnto and there to abide and dwell Thus far Leo the Emperour Of HISTRIA which also is contained in this Mappe thou hast a large and fine description in the twelft booke of Cassiodore his Variarum directed to the lieutenants and gouernours of this country where in respect of the great fertility and store of fruits that it yeeldeth he nameth it Rauennae Campaniam Campany of Rauenna and the store-house of the Emperiall city ITALY THey which vse to compare the situation of countries to other things do liken Italy to an oken leafe as Pliny Solinus and Rutilius haue done or to an iuy leafe as Eustathius The later writers do more truly liken it to a mans legge One in our time hath described all Europe in the form of a maiden in whose right arme Italy is portraitured and not vnfitly in my opinion if one do exactly consider the nature of the country and famous acts done in the same for euen as the strength of the body doth for the most part shew his force and ability in this member so this prouince in times past declared to the world by this his arme of what power all Europe the whole body is likely to be That Italy hath had diuers inhabitants partly Barbarians and partly Grecians it is manifest out of the ancient records both of Latines and Greekes For at the first it was inhabited by the Aborigines Siculi Pelasgi Arcades Epei Troiani Morgetes Ausones and Oenotri And therefore it was called by diuers and sundry names as AVSONIA OENOTRIA of the people and nations possessing it IANICVLA of Ianus SATVRNIA of Saturne and lastly ITALIA which it still retaineth of Italus their King or as Varro witnesseth of buls or oxen for the ancient Gretians did in those daies call buls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and because that this country did breed and maintaine many goodly buls it was of them called Italia or as others affirme which more regard poeticall fables for that Hercules from Sicilia hither followed a worthy bull which was named Italus Of the Greekes also it was named HESPERIA of Hesperus the sonne of Atlas or which pleaseth others better of Hesperus the euening starre whereof also in old time Spaine was called Hesperia For for the same reason that Italy was sometime of the Grecians called Hesperia was Spaine of the Latines called Hesperia Yet for distinction sake Virgil in the first and seuen bookes of his Aeneiads calleth Italy Hesperiam Magnam Great Hesperia But it was also by others named by other names For I see that of Macrobius Dionysius Halicarnassaeus Marcus Cato Isaac Tzetzes c. it was called APENINA ARGESSA CAMESENA TVRSENIA SALEVMBRONA and TAVRINA Stephanus writeth that it was called CHONIA and BRETTIA A part also of it was called by writers of good note MAGNA GRAECIA Great Greece of the Grecians that sometime dwelt in it They report as Aelianus writeth that there haue dwelt heere so many and sundrie nations more than in any other country of the world by reason especially that all times and seasons of the yeare are very mild and temperate againe for that the goodnesse of the soile is excellent well watered and very fertile of all maner of fruites and yeeldeth great store of pastorage Item because it is crossed with many riuers and hath the sea very commodious lying round about it and the sea coast on all sides open and cut into sundrie baies inlets creekes and hauens seruing very fitly for the entertainment and harborough of goodly tall shippes Lastly the extraordinary kindnesse and humanity of the people inhabiting it hath been a great meanes to draw others to seat themselues heere The Italians were euer as Iulius Firmicus witnesseth very famous for their princely curtesie and gentlemanlike behauiour Aethicus calleth this country Heauenly Italy and The Queen of the World Rutilius Rerum dominam The mistresse of all Nations Dion Prusaeus The most blessed and happie country of all Europe Halicarnassaeus in his first booke saith that for many reasons It is the best country of the whole World Strabo saith That none may sufficiently expresse in wordes the due commendations of this country according to the worth of the same But I thinke it not amisse to set out the praises of this country by this one commendation of Pliny wherewith he concludeth that his famous worke which he wrote of the history of Nature In the whole World saith he the cope of heauen Italy is the most beautifull country and of all things it doth possesse the soueraignty it is another nurce and mother of the World for men women captaines souldiers seruants famous arts and occupations worthy wittes and inuentions commodious situation wholesomenesse and temperature of the aire easie accesse of all nations many safe hauens kind blasts of windes sufficient good water pleasant and healthfull woods goodly hils and mountaines great store of deere and wild beasts and those harmelesse fertility of soile and multitude of people Whatsoeuer is necessarily required for the maintenance of man and beast is heere to be found and no where better Corne Wine Oliues Wooll Linnen Woollen and Bullockes Neither did I euer see better horses or more esteemed at the runnings or horse-races than those bred in our owne country For mettals as Gold Siluer Copper and Iron so long as they pleased to search for them it was inferiour vnto none all which it still retaineth in her wombe Now it yeeldeth all maner of liquors of sundrie force and vertue together with all sorts of graine and pleasant toothsome fruites Thus farre Pliny You may adde to these if you please that which the same authour writeth in the fifth chapter of his third booke Item that of Polybius in his second booke of Varro in the second chapter of his first booke of Husbandrie of Strabo neere the end of his sixth booke and lastly of Virgil in diuers place Si factum certa mundum ratione fatemur Consiliumquè Dei machina tanta fuit If that we shall confesse that heauen by heauenly skill was rais'd And in the same the massie globe by due proportion pais'd as Rutilius in his second booke speaketh of Italy
mention of the Latinienses a nation of this prouince but extinct something before his time as he there addeth These were called Prisci as Halicarnasseus and Festus doe testifie Of the nature of this countrey Strabo in the fifth booke of his Geography writeth thus All Latium sayth he generally is a very good soile and fertile of all maner of things except only some certeine places neere the sea coast which are morish and very vnhealthfull as namely the fields about Ardea and whatsoeuer is betweene Lauinium and Antium euen as farre as Pometia with some places about Setia and others neere Tarracina and Circeium beside all those fields that are stony and mountainous although euen these grounds are not altogether idle and vnfruitfull all of them hauing either some good pastures and large woods or doe yeeld great abundance of fenny and mountainous commodities Caecubum a place in this fenne doth yeeld a kinde of vine which groweth vp in height like a tree whose wine is counted to be the best of all Italy Heare also what Theophrastus writeth of this prouince in the fift booke of his history of Plants at the ninth chapter of the same booke Latinus ager the countrey of Latium sayth he hath great plenty of water The champion plaines haue great store of laurell and myrtle trees item they yeeld a wonderfull kinde of beech scissima he calleth it or oxea as others terme it of that maruellous length that one tree may serue for a whole keele for such kinde of ships as they commonly vse in Etruria The hilly and mountainous places doe beare the pine and firre trees Pliny doth highly commend the wines of Latium Latiniensia vina The same authour affirmeth that their chiefe meat was far that is a kinde of bearded or redde wheat and withall testifieth that it is certaine that the Romans for a long time together liued with puls by which they vnderstand all maner of corne beside wheat and barley not with bread How populous this countrey was how many cities and people it conteined the same authour doth teach vs where he writeth that in Old Latium only three and fiftie nations are vtterly decayed and extinct without any mention at all remaining of their names Item that Pomptina palus the fen Pontina now called Aufente palude a part also of this countrey had in former times in it three and twentie cities Of all the cities of Latium in olde time Alba longa was the chiefe and metropolitan but afterward Rome which grew to that greatnesse and power that it was not only the head of this prouince but also euen of the whole world beside Whos 's other name because it is held an vnlawfull thing to speake that which is concealed and enrowled in ceremonious mysteries I will not vtter lest with Valerius Soranus I be worthily punished for the same Yet the syrnames epithets and commendable titles where with it was graced and set out by the best writers of all nations if I shall here reckon vp I hope there is no man that is an indifferent Iudge that will blame me It is called and intituled a citie AEQVAEVA POLO As ancient as the heauens of Claudian AETERNA Immortall of Ammianus Tibullus Ausonius and marble inscriptions ALTA Stately by Virgil ALTRIX IMPERII The Nurse of the empire by Corippus ALTRIX ORBIS The Nurse of the world of Rutilius ANTIQVA The ancient by Prudentius and Corippus ARX OMNIVM GENTIVM The fortresse or bulwarke of all nations by Nazarius ARX TERRARVM The bulwarke of all lands by Symmachus AVGVSTA The imperiall by Corippus AVREA The golden by Ausonius and Prudentius BEATA NOBILIBVS POPVLIS Most happy for honourable people of Cassiodorus BELLATRIX The warlike by Ouid Claudian and Sidonius CAPVT GENTIVM The head of all nations by Martianus CAPVT IMMENSI ORBIS The head of the huge globe of the whole world by Ouid CAPVT MVNDI The head of the world by Cassiodorus and Sidonius CAPVT ORBIS The head of the earthly globe by Pliny Ouid Trogus Gratius Fortunatus Aethicus and Prudentius CAPVT RERVM The head of all things by Liuy Ouid Ausonius and Tacitus CAELESTIS The heauenly by Athenaeus CELEBERRIMA The most famous by Statius CELSA The lofty by Prudentius CLARISSIMA The most bright by Stephanus DARDANIA Of Dardanus by Ouid and Silius Italicus DEA The goddesse in coines DEA GENTIVM The goddesse of all nations and DEA TERRARVM The goddesse of all lands by Martiall DESIDERABILIS That all men wish to see by Eustathius and Dionysius Afer DEVM LOCVS The seat and place of gods by Ouid DICNITATVM CVRIA The court of dignities and honour by Sidonius DITISSIMA The most rich by Prudentius DOMINA The mistresse by Ouid Arnobius Horace and Nemesianus DOMINA GENTIVM The lady mistresse of all nations by Eumenius DOMINA RERVM The mistresse of all things by Appianus Eunapius and Ausonius DOMINA TERRARVM The lady mistresse of all lands by Ammianus DOMINA TERRAE MARISQVE The lady mistresse of sea and land by Halicarnasseus DOMINA TOTIVS MVNDI The lady mistresse of all the whole world of Aethicus DOMINA VNIVERSORVM The lady of all things by Halicarnasseus DOMINANS The swey-bearing city by Silius Italicus DOMVS AVREA The golden palace by Ausonius DOMVS DIVVM The palace of the gods by Ausonius DOMVS MAGNA REGVM The goodly palace of kings by Eustathius and Dionysius Afer DOMVS QVIRINI Quirinus palace by Ausonius ELOQVENTIAE FOECVNDA MATER A fruitfull mother of eloquence by Castiodore EXCELSA The lofty by Lucane FELIX The blessed by Propertius Cassiodor and a certeine ancient marble inscription FEROX The fierce by Horace FVTVRA by Rutilius GENETRIX HOMINVM ET DEORVM The mother of men and gods by Rutilius GENITRIX REGVM The mother of kines by Priscian GYMNASIVM LITERARVM A schoole of good learning and liberall sciences by Sidonius IMMENSA The exceeding great city by Statius IMPERII LAR by Ammianus IMPERII LATIALE CAPVT by Statius IMPERII DEVMQVE LOCVS The natiue countrey of emperours and of gods by Ouid INCLYTA The renowmed by Virgil Ennius and Ausonius INVICTA The inuincible in some old coines LAETA The fortunate by Ouid LATII PARENS The mother of Latium by Ausonius LEGVM DOMICILIVM The mansion place of all good lawes and iustice by Sidonius LEGVM PATRIA The natiue soile where all good lawes are bred and borne by Iustinian in his Code LIBERTATIS PARENS The mother of liberty LATIVM Ex Conatibus Geographicis Abrah Ortelij Antverp MONS CIRCAEVS AD VIVVM DELINEATVS AB ANGELO BREVENTANO VIRO NOBILI ET HISTORICO ILLVSTRI MARCO VELSERO PATRICIO AVGVSTANO ABRAHAMVS ORTELIVS DEDICABAT L.M. Cum privilegio decennali Imp. Reg. et Brabantiae 1595. by Corippus LVX ORBIS TERRARVM The light of the whole earth by Tully MAGNA The great by Virgil Horace Calpurnius Siculus Nonn Marcelunus On d and Claudian MARTIA The martiall by Ouid and Ausonius MARTIGENA Begotten by Mars the god of battell by Silius Italicus MARTIS
than 10000. men together with their wiues children nobles princes and kings This MYSIA or as for the most part the Latines write it MOESIA Ptolemey diuideth into the VPPER and NEATHER Superior Inferior this in the Code of Iustinian is called SECVNDA that PRIMA the Second and First The neither is named of Iornandes MINOR SCYTHIA the Lesser Scythia of Zosimus SCYTHIA THRACENSIS Scythia of Thrace of Plutarch in Marius SCYTHICA PONTICA Scythia of Pontus and the inhabitants of the same Celtoscythae of Polyaenus PONTICA MARITIMA Pontus vpon the sea of Ouid and others PONTVS simply without any addition Some there are which do call it FLACCIA of one Flaccus a Romane whom it is certaine out of Ouid was sometime heereabouts lieutenant for the state of the Empire Neither doth this seeme to be altogether false or vnprobable for the name Waiachia or Valachia whereby it is knowē at this day doth import so much By Ouid also in sundrie places it was described vnder these names Sarmaticū solum Geticū littus Cymmeriū littus and Barbaria the Sarmatian soile the Gottish or Cymmerian shore and Barbaria These countries are very fertile of all maner of fruites and commodities so that as Solinus witnesseth the Romanes commonly called it Cereris horreum Ceres barne The poet as Procopius in his 4. booke AEdifici noteth calleth these people Enchemachous such as fight aloofe and farre off Mysos in palustra feroces and Quum Geticis ingens premeretur Mysia plaustris when Mesia great was much oppressed with Gottish waines thus Claudian the poet writeth of them Dant illis animos arcus plenaque pharetrae They much presume vpon their bow and cunning great in archery as Ouid in his first booke de Ponto writeth of them Aelianus sheweth that they were able by their owne strength and power to keepe out the Scythians from entring their country and euery way to defend the same from that furious and violent enemy Strabo saith that they were exceedingly giuen to robbe and steale Vix hâc inuenies totum mihi crede per orbem Quae minus angusta pace fruatur humus Scarse maist thou find in all the world so small a plot of ground Where bloudy wars their hideous noise more oftentimes do sound as the forenamed poet writeth of this country as also this that followeth in another place In quibus est nemo qui non coryton arcum Telaque vipereo lurida felle gerat Amongst these men ther 's none but hath his sturdie bow With poisoned arrowes sharpe and swift to fight against his foe How faire and stout they were thou maist see by this of Florus One of the Captaines saith he stepped out before the army and entreating their silence demandeth who are you It was iointly with one voice answered of all We are Romanes lords of all nations of the world To which answeare they replied againe So you are indeed if you can conquer vs. Posidonius in Strabo affirmeth that they forbeare the eating of flesh for religion and conscience sake and do feed only vpon butter and cheese Of the fabulous story of a kind of horses heere if thou desire to know see Elianus as also Solinus of the strange hearb growing in that part of the country called Pontica In Moesia also is the prouince called DARDANIA which we said was called MYSIA MEDITERRANEA Vpland Moesia for that it is farre remote and distant from the riuer Donaw Of the inhabitants and people of this country the same authour thus speaketh In all their life as I heare by report from others these people do onely bath or wash themselues three times once as soone as they are borne another time when they marry and againe at their death Of the Triballi a people of this country take this of Pliny as he alleadgeth it out of Isigonus They do bewitch and kill with their eies such as they do stedfastly looke vpon any long time together especially if they be angrie which mischiefe of theirs striplings are most subiect vnto and soonest hurt by But that is most notable and worth the obseruation that in ech eie they haue two sights apeece He that desireth to read more of this country especially of the Lower Moesia let him repaire to Ouids 3. booke de Ponto at the 1. 4. and 10. Elegies Of their barbarous manners rites customes and ceremonies thou shalt find much in the 7. Elegie of his 5. booke de Tristibus of the riuer Donaw or Ister which Elianus in the 23. chapter of his 14. booke de Animalibus calleth The king of Riuers Of Apollonius in the fourth booke of his Argonautickes it is named Cornu oceani the horne of the sea for that it runneth through the middest of those countries which heere we haue described it is not amisse in my iudgement to say something of that also That Ister or Donaw of all the riuers of the Romane Empire for greatnesse is next vnto Nilus we do read in the fragments of Salust Gyraldus in his Syntagmata Deorum affirmeth that the kings of Babylon were wont to reserue certaine of the water of Donaw or Ister in ther treasuries amongst their pretious iewels Caesarius Nazianzenus brother in his dialogues saith that this is one of the riuers of Paradise and to be that which the holy Scripture calleth Phison which I will easily grant him to be true when he shall perswade me that by Paradise is meant the whole world or massie globe of this lower element of the earth which I do verily beleeue he thought to be true Seneca in the sixth booke of his naturall Philosophy saith that this Donaw doth part Europe and Asia Notwithstanding all writers generally both Latines and Greekes aswell ancient as those of later times do attribute this to the riuer Done Tanais And what is he I pray you that euer dreamed that Germany which is beyond this riuer should be a country of Asia Shall we correct the copy Or shall we retaine that reading in Horace vpon the credit and perill of Acron his expositour where he saith that Tanais is also called Danubius I leaue it to the censure of the learned This we know for a certainty aswell Tanais as Danubius is of the inhabitants neere about called Done and surely I thinke that both the Greeke Tanais as the Latine Danubius were made of the barbarous Done or Tane which in that language peraduenture for ought I know may signifie a riuer or streame so Nilas as Pomponius Mela seemeth to affirme tooke his name of Nuchul which generally signifieth a riuer as all men meanly skild in Hebrew or Arabicke can testifie with him Isidore also in the ninth chapter of the seuenteenth booke of his Origines seemeth to be of this opinion where he writeth that Rhabarbarum rhew barbe groweth in solo barbarico in a barbarous country beyond the Donaw For we know at this day that it groweth neere the riuer Rha which is beyond the Donaw Eastward In Pliny we
PONTVS EVXINVS Aequor Iasonio pulsatum remige primum Ex conatibus geographicis Abrahami Ortelij Cum Priuilegio Imp. Reg. et Belgico Ad decennium 1590. THRACE VNder the name of THRACIA many and diuerse countries with sundry people are comprehended for except the Indies it is the greatest country of the world as Herodotus doth testifie for Pliny doth confine it by the riuer Ister Pontus Propontis the Aegean sea and the riuer Strymon Yea and Strabo in the first booke of his Geography according to the opinion of Homer extendeth it as farre that way as the riuer Peneus which riuer Ptolemey attributeth to Macedonia Marcellinus maketh the Scordisci to be a people of this country Appianus to these conioineth the Illyrians So also doth Mela vpon the West who moreouer vpon the South to it doth assigne the mount Athos Many of the ancient writers likewise doe make the peninsula or demy-iland Pallene a portion belonging to this country Yea if one may credit Eratosthenes the hill Olympus doth part Macedonia from Thrace And the Epitome of Strabo in his seuenth booke maketh yet a farre other description of the bounds of this region For in Strabo himselfe the description of Thracia is wholly missing This Epitome I say seuereth Thrace from Macedony by the mouth of the riuer Nessus Yea and indeed in succedent ages the compasse of this country was not much lesse for Ammianus Procopius Sextus Rufus and the booke of Records Notitiarum do diuide it into these sixe shires or prouinces Moesia the Second or Lower Scythia Europa peculiarly calling this part by the generall name of that quarter of the world wherein the whole did stand Rhodopa Haemimontus and Thracia properly and specially so called Heere hence it is that in Trebellius and Orosius there is mention made of the THRACIA'S in the plurall number Yet this our Mappe is not so farre extended toward the North. For we haue indeed followed the description of Ptolemey in butting and bounding it who seuereth it from other Northren countries by the mount Haemus And this true THRACIA we do thinke to haue beene so named of the inchanting Nymph Thraca as Eustathius out of Athenaeus teacheth vs hauing been in former times called PERCA And had beene also sometime as many do verily thinke knowne by the names of ARIA ODRYSA CRESTONIA and SCYTONIA Iosephus a most graue authour affirmeth that it was of the Iewes called THYRAS The abouenamed Ptolemey in it nameth these foureteene shires Dantheletica Sardica Vsdicefica Selletica Moedica Drosica Coeletica Sapaica Corpialica Coenica Bessica Bennica Samaica and Vrbana Plinie diuideth it into fifty or two and fifty as I remember Dalechampius hath Regiments Strategiae shirewickes I thinke they call them in some places of England Hundreds or Wapentakes I would call them This Thracia properly so called Ammianus likeneth vnto the halfe Moone or to a Theater whose higher part is enclosed with high and steep mountaines which do diuide this same country from Dacia The lower part openeth toward the Aegean sea Of the nature and quality of this country Virgil speaketh on this manner Terra procul vastis colitur Mauortia campis A martiall country li'th farre off vast champions it conteinth Plutarch teacheth vs that it hath in it many huge fennes and bogges and that it is diuided or crossed this way and that way by diuerse deep and dangerous riuers Pliny saith that the soile of Thracia is very fertile for all manner of corne and commendeth the wheat of the same for waight and heauinesse Item for goodnesse he affirmeth that this kinde of wheat possesseth the third place Athenaeus testifieth that it beareth some vines especially about Biblina which otherwise is called Oesyma Item Pliny highly commendeth Vinum Maroneum the wine of Marogna or Marolia as Lewnclawe calleth it Homer also affirmeth that the Achiui were wont by shippe to transport wines from Thace into Grecce Xenophon writeth that in the mount Pangeus there is a gold-mine and Strabo affirmeth the like to be about Philippi Heere also is the Thracian stone which is kindled by the water and quenched with oile as Pliny witnesseth But because no man of all the ancient writers hath better described this countrie than Pomponius Mela let vs heere him speake It is saith he a countrie that cannot much bragge either of the goodnesse of their soile or wholesomenesse of their aire nay indeed except it be in some place neere the sea coast it is barren cold and verie vnkinde to all things generally that are set sowne or laid into the same It seldome beareth any apple-trees or other fruit-trees yet vines do heere and there grow in diuers places but the grapes neuer ripen kindly or come to any perfection except in some places where the vine-dressers do by the leaues keepe the cold from them It is a countrey much more kinde to men yet they are none of the properest for they are very clownish vnhandsome and rough hewed fellowes but otherwise for number and hardinesse for they are many and those very vnciuill this nation farre surpasseth others neere adioining This latter also is auerred by Pausanias who affirmeth it to containe such wonderfull multitudes of men that if you shall except France Gallia it may for ought that I know in all likely-hood for multitude of men be preferred before any countrie in the world Item Herodotus saith that next after the Indies it is the greatest countrey of the whole earth Liuy calleth it a desperate and most fierce Nation and Solinus he saith that they are a verie stout and hardy people Sextus Rufus maketh them the most cruell and furious people that euer he saw or heard of which Florus well expresseth by this example when he writeth that certaine of them being taken by the Romanes and giued as the manner of captiises is did bite the fetters and manacles with their teeth and so themselues to haue sufficiently punished their owne barbarous cruelty and that there are of their parents euen from their cradle trained vp to this wild inhumane kinde of life Sidonius doth teach vs in these words Excipit hic natos glacies matris ab aluo Artus infantum molles nix cimbrica durat Pectore vixaliter quisquam sed ab vbere tractus Plus potat per vulnus equum sic lacte relicto Virtutem gens tota bibit Creuere parumper Mox pugnam ludunt iaculis hos suggerit illis Nutrix plaga iocos pueri venatibus apti Lustra feris vacuant rapto ditata iuuentus Iura colit gladij consummatámque senectam Non ferro finire pudet Tali ordine vitae Ciues Martis agunt So soone as infant heere is borne The thing they say is sure To frost and snow their tender limmes They presently inure Scarce one of many thousands heere Doth sucke the Nurces teate Warme blood of warlike horses heere For most part 's infants meat This diet mak'th them bold and hard And as they come to growth They
learne to tosse the speare and pike Heere no man liueth in slowth These are the sports that these men vse As soone as boies can ride The fallow deere they learne to chase c. But to these let vs adde that commendation of them giuen by the Emperour Iustinian in his Authentica That is most certaine saith he and for a truth confessed of all men That if any one do but name the countrie of Thracia by and by together as soone as the word is out of his mouth there presently entreth into the heart of the stander by a conceit of manhood and warlike valour fit for all manner of seruice in the field For these things naturally bred in the bone and as it were proper qualities peculiar to this country onely Valerius Maximus highly commendeth the valorous wisedome Animosam sapientiam of the Thracians Yet Thucydides saith it was such as it was the next doore to barbarous crueltie wheresoeuer the Thracian is secure and thinketh he may safely insult there he is most bloudy and tyrannous When it thundereth and lightneth they shoote their arrowes vp into the aire threatning euen God himselfe for that indeed they thinke there is no other God but that whom they adore These gods as Herodotus writeth Mars Bacchus Diana and Mercury they worship onely and none other Yet the same authour in another place nameth Plistorius for a God proper vnto this nation onely Ammianus also writeth that these people do worship the gooddesse Bellona To these their gods as Eusebius affirmeth they slew and sacrificed men before they set forward and attempted to daren battell In which they vsed by the report of Liuy two hand swords of an huge length Their salades or head peeces were of woolues skins euery man wearing his dart and his target with a short dagger or poinyard Euery man heere thinketh it a gallant thing and very honourable to liue by the warres and by robbing and spoiling An idle fellow heere is accounted for a right honest man and it is a most base and contemptible thing to be an husbandman Clemens in the seuenth booke of his Stromaton writeth that these people are of complexion and colour lion tawney and wanne or as it were of a skie colour Homer calleth them Comatos Thraces Long-locked Thracians Iulius Pollux In vertice crinitos wearing a long-locke vpon the crowne of the head It was accounted for an honourable thing amongst them to haue their faces full of skarres and indeed Herodotus saith that it was no disgrace to any man Yea and Plutarch addeth that they vsed to imprinte markes vpon their wiues faces which Athenaeus in the twelfth booke of his Deipnosophiston iustifieth to be true Heraclides and Sextus Empiricus do iointly affirme that euery man vsually had more wiues than one It is very certaine that they were great drinkers of wine and sound drunkerds and that they brewed their wine with hony we learne out of Pliny Yet in Pomponius Mela I read that diuerse of them did neuer know what wine meant but when they meant to be merrie sitting round about the hearth certaine seedes were strawen vpon the coales which cast vp such a smoake or steame that it made euery man so light-headed and pleasant as if he had beene cup shot or had taken a pot or two too much of strongest beere or wine that might be drunke Athenaeus also writeth that they had heere a kinde of drinke which they called Brytum made of barly and other kinds of corne Suidas writeth that what wine soeuer the pot-companions in their quaffings and carowsings could not drinke out was presently powred vpon their heads The same authour reporteth that they are much delighted to eate garleeke as being indeeed of it selfe very hot and their country wherein they dwell very bleake and cold Iulius Pollux writeth that they vsed to exchange slaues for salt Whereupon Sale empti bought with salt was spoken prouerbially of bad seruants and such as were taken vp at iade-faire Item he affirmeth that this nation first inuented a kinde of musicall instrument called Canthorum But of the manners and behauiour of this people many other things may be obserued in the reading of those authours which before I haue cited especially in Herodotus Athenaeus Solinus Pomponius Mela and Heraclides his Policies These although meere Barbarians and vnlearned yet in this one thing diuerse of them iudged not amisse in that they thought and verily beleeued the soule to be immortall others did thinke that it did die yet so as that it was in better estate then when it liued Heereupon it is that they morned when women were brought in bed and wept at the birth of their children An ancient writer affirmeth that there was a kind of nation of the Thracians that could not reckon further then the number of foure any greater number they could not remember Now it remaineth that we should out of Antigonus say something of the miracles and strange things found and obserued in this countrie In Chalcidis a prouince heere there is a place called Cantharoletron for that any beast that goeth in thither may come safe and sound out againe saue only the beast called Cantharus these neuer come out from thence aliue but they presently fall a turning THRACIAE VETERIS TYPVS Ex conatibus Geographicis Abrah Ortelij LOCA CIRCA BYZANTIVM INCERTAE POSITIONIS Anaplus Bathycolpus Canopus Casthenes Chetumesum Chlidium Chrysa porta Colone Coparia Crompi Daphne Fretum angustum Hermoeum Rhesium Senum portus Plura preterea sunt apud Dionysium Byzantium quem vide in Gyllij Bosporo ex quo quum hunc ipsum seorsum iconicè delineare cogitabam experior sine eo comite hoc mihi tam difficile quam illi commentarijs describere fuit sine suo Dionysio THRACIAE ALIQVOT INCOGNITI SITVS LOCA Barathrum quod et Orygma Berzetia Caria Drongilum Ergisce Gammaides Ganiada Maura Nice Onocarsis Parthenium Phalesina Psycterius Tentyra Thrasum Vlucitra REGIONES Aezica Cecropis Chytropolis Mocarsus Petalia Zerania VRBES Abrus nisi sit Aprus Acragas Adrane Aegae Aegialus Aegistum Agessus Alapta Alexandria Ampelus Amytron Anastasiopolis Arne Bellurus Benna Bepara Beres Beripara Bertisum Bibastus Bistiros vel Pistiros Bola odipara Bona mansio Borcobe Borijaros Bre Bylazora Bymazus Cabessus Coenurgia Capturia Carasyra Castrozarba Cissine Cizya nisi sit Bizya Cobrys Cobryle Cucasbiri Cursazura Cusculis Cycla Cynoetha Dalasarda Daunion murus nisi sit Daonium Dengium Denizus Dorium Drison Drys Elaeoe Elce Galepsus Garmaa Heliopolis Hyrcania Isdicea Isgipera Libethrus Ludice Lycozia Mandepsa Mastira Myrtion Mysia Nipsa Nysa Odrysa Omole Ozarba Paroreia Passa Petra Phorunna Pinsum Pissyrus Plysenum Prastillus Probatum Sacisus Scelenas Scempsa Scitaces Scotusa Sipte Sirra Sozopolis Spartacus Strambae Sudalene Tamombari Tharsandala Therne Thestorus Thraces Tylis Zeirinia Zositerpum GENTES Banisoe quae et Basanisoe Bantij Botioei Brinci Bryces Bybe Carbilesi et Carbileti Cerronioe Cinchropsoses Cyrmianoe Darsij Datylepti Desili Diobesi Disorae Droi Drugeri Eleti
Perinthij made it a free corporation and endowed it with many large and ample priuiledges After him as Themistius Euphrada in his sixth oration testifieth Theodosius the Great did beautifie it with diuerse gorgeous and costly buildings Moreouer Iustinian the Emperour as Procopius an eie-witnesse affirmeth adorned it with many most faire and beautifull workes of curious Architecture But especially he graced it by that glorious worke of that stately temple of Santa Sophia which he repaired being a little before burnt downe and vtterly defaced by fire and of it bestowed such cost that the Emperour himselfe as Glycas witnesseth boldly said that in this edifice he had exceeded euen glorious king Salomon in that his building Which worke of his as P. Diaconus writeth of it did so much excell all other buildings that in the whole world beside there was not to be found another that might in any respect be compared vnto it Whereupon Corippus thus speak th of this Church Iam Solomoniaci sileat descriptio templi Cedant cunctorum miracula nota locorum That stately worke of Salomon great Iudahs glorious king May now be still and bragge no more The greatest woonders of the world may well giue place to this No eie hath seene the like before Consta Manasses calleth it Orbis ornamentum The glorie of the world which he verily beleeueth the very Seraphim themselues did reuerence and adore But if any one be desirous to know the fashion and modell of this building let him haue recourse to Procopius his first booke of Edifices Of this church Paulus Lyrus Florus wrote a treatise in heroike or hexameter verse as Agathias in his fifth booke testifieth So that it might seeme that there was nothing more that might be wished for the further beautifying of this city Sozomen doubted not boldly to affirme That Constantinople both for multitude of men and store of wealth and money by all mens ioint consent did farre excell euen great Rome it selfe Moreouer Nazianzen writeth That Constantinople for beauty and brauerie did as much excell all other cities of the world beside as the highest heauens in glory do exceed the lowest elements Whereupon of some it was graced with these proud titles VRBS AETERNAE VRBS REGIA NOVA SECVNDA ROMA The eternall City The Emperiall City New Rome and Another Rome In the praising and tax of the chiefe cities of the Romane Empire this city in a Councell there held was placed in the second degree but in former times as Egesippus testifieth it possessed only the third place Zosimus writeth that there is no other city whatsoeuer whether you respect the large compasse and circuite of the wals or great felicity of it euery way that may iustly be compared vnto it The buildings of it are so close and neere together and the houses and streets are so pestered and thronged that whether a man keepe home or walke abroad he shall be so crowded and thrust that scarcely he might go without danger by reason of the huge throng of men and infinite of multitude of cattle alwaies passing to and fro in the same He that desireth to know all the glorious ornaments and woonderfull things worthy of obseruation to be seene in this city let him read George Cedren his historie of the life of Theodosius the Great Where he doth not onelie receite them all and reckon them vp curiously but also he doth most artificially describe them and paint them out in their true colours This city was taken in the yeere of Christ 1453. by Mahomet the first of that name Emperour of the Turkes who at this daie do yet possesse it Manie other things pertaining to the beautie and magnificence of this city are to be seene in the booke of Records of both the Empires and in Procopius his first booke De Aedificijs Of the originall and famous buildings of this city read George Codinus for no man hath handled that argument better than he But of the later writers Petrus Gyllius hath most exactly and learnedly described the same Of the Thracians this one thing in this place I cannot omit namely That in former times they bore a great sway in forren countries and were great Lords out of their owne natiue soile For they conquered and had vnder them a great part of Asia which is situate ouer against them and caused it after their name to be called THRACIA ASIATICA yea and toward the South beyond the bounds of their owne country vpon the Aegean sea where Pausanias described THRACIA CARIA they had long since placed their colonies This prouince Porphyrogenneta calleth THRACESIVM Xenophon doubted not to call this kingdome the greatest of all other between the Ionian sea and Pontus Euxinus Moreouer Strabo maketh mention of a certaine nation dwelling aboue Armenia which were called Thraces Seraperae To this Thracia is annexed a Chersonesus or Neckland which thereupon was sirnamed THRACIA CHERSONESVS Suidas calleth it CHERSONESVS HELEESPONTIACA of the sea Hellespontus neere neighbour vnto it It is also named PALLENE of Halicarnasseus and Stephanus who moreouer addeth that it was inhabited of the Crusaei Xenophon saith it was a most rich soile and fertile of all manner of things whatsoeuer and withall affirmeth that in it were eleuen or twelue great and goodly townes But wee out of all ancient Historians haue much exceeded this number as the Mappe doth sufficiently approue This Neckland or Chersonesus belonged sometime to Marcus Agrippa after whose decease as Dion reporteth it fell vnto Augustus Caesar He that desireth out of ancient writers a more ample description of Thracia let him read Wolfangus Lazius his Histories of Greece Item the fifth booke of Agathias a Grecian borne A strange thing it is that William Brussius writeth of this Chersonesus that by no manner of meanes or diligence vines can be made to grow heere in any great abundance GRAECIA OR HELLAS THat country which the Latines call GRAECIA Greece of the Greekes themselues generally was named HELLAS yet the out-borders of it are not the same according to euery mans description and limitation That was truly and most anciently called Greece which Ptolemey Pliny and Mela name ACHAIA in which Athens the first and most flourishing Vniuersity of the World and most renowmed citie of these parts was seated Heere Iupiter himselfe as Athenaeus witnesseth kept his Court. It is a free city as Pliny calleth it and needeth as he saith no further commendations so famous and honourable it is and euer hath been beyond all measure or conceipt of man Yet it is manifest not only out of the writers of the common sort of Historiographers but also euen out of Strabo himselfe the prince of Geographers that many countries are comprehended vnder the name of Graecia or Hellas as namely Macedonia Epirus Peloponnesus and those other prouinces and shires conteined vnder these names so that all Greece as it is generally taken is on three sides bounded with the Ionian Aegean Archipelago and the Libyan
seas toward the maine land it abutteth vpon those mountaines which do part Macedonia from Thracia Romania Mysia the vpper Seruia Bosna and Bulgaria and Dalmatia now it is called Sclauonia This is that Greece which as Manilius saith is Maxima terra viris foecundissima doctis Vrbibus c. Renowmed Greece for warlike men and schollers deeply learned doth farre excell c. which as Cicero writeth in his oration pro Flacco for honour renowme learning diuers arts and sciences ciuill policy in time of peace and feates of armes and martiall chiualrie abroad hath euer been famous or as Trogus Pompeius in his 8. booke saith was for valour and estimation Princesse of the World From hence as Pliny saith the bright lusture of all maner of literature and humane learning first call forth his beames and enlightned the rest of the world on all sides round about In this country humanity and letters together with the maner to write and read how to till the ground and sow corne was first inuented and practised as Plinius Caecilius hath left recorded in his epistle written to his friend Maximus And this is that country saith he from whom we had our statutes that I meane which receiued not lawes as those do which are at the command of the conquerour but willingly and curteously did communicate them to such as did demand them MACEDONIA possesseth the greatest part of Greece This long since hauing conquered the greatest part of the World passing through Asia the Lesse Armenia Iberia Albania Cappadocia Syria Aegypt the mountaines Taurus and Caucasus subdued Bactria Media Persia and the rest of those Eastern countries euen as farre as India in this following the steps of Bacchus and Hercules of which also it became the Empresse yea thou maist say if thou wilt of the whole world answeareable to that of Manilius Macedum tellus quae vicerat Orbem and Macedonia stout which all the world subdued This is that Macedonia 72. of whose cities Paulus Aemilius a Romane Consull sacked and sold in one day Then next after this followeth PELOPONNESVS a peninsula or demy-ile not much inferiour for goodnesse of soile fertility and riches to no country vnder heauen is very like in forme to the leafe of the plane tree In this standeth binaris Corinthus the city Corinth the fortresse bulwarke and gate of all Greece situate between two seas in the isthmos neckeland or narrow place between this prouince and Achaia Heere also is Lacedaemon Misithra or Zaconia as some thinke but it was in old time called Sparta reuerend and honoured of all men for the politique gouernment commonwealth instituted by Lycurgus for many memorable acts done both at home and abroad But that the name of Greece did extend it selfe further than before specified on ech side of the sea it plainly appeareth out of the records of the best writers for how great a portion of Italy was in old time called Magna Graecia Great Greece A great part also of the maine continent in Asia beyond the sea ouer against Macedonia of certaine colonies transported thither and seated there by the Greekes was named also by this name whose inhabitants Plutarch in his Laconica apothegmata for distinction sake nameth Graecos Asianos Asian Greekes For Lucian in his treatise of Loue de Amoribus writeth that the insulae Chelidoniae certaine small ilands or rocks as some call them in the midland sea they are now called Isole corrente as Castaldus iudgeth or Caprose as Pinetus thinketh were the ancient bounds of Greece Isocrates in his oration intituled Panegyricos writeth that the Grecians did inhabit from Cnidus a town in the prouince of Doris in Asia the Lesser euen vnto Sinope a city of Paphlagonia in Asia situate vpon the Euxine sea Chalcondylas calleth it Pordapas the Turkes as Leunclaw reporteth Sinabe In like maner the Aegean sea Archipelago which beateth vpon the coast of Macedonia and also vpon this forenamed Asia is called of Thucydides Plutarch Arrian and Polyenus Hellenice thalassa of Pliny Graeciense mare the Greeke sea Strabo and Pausanias amongst the rest haue described Greece as then it stood most diligently and curiously Of Graecia Asiatica this part of Greece in Asia the Lesser which thou seest opposite to Macedonia read Pausanias in his Achaïa and Vitruuius in the fourth chapter of his first booke of Architecture Ελλας GRAECIA SOPHIANI Abrahamo Ortelio descriptore Cum Priuilegio CYPRVS THat this iland was sometimes a part of Syria and ioyned to the maine land Pliny in his Naturall history doth affirme and that it shall againe be reunited to the same Apollo hath prophesied as Strabo in his Geographie hath left recorded Amongst those ilands of the Midland sea more noted for their greatnesse this doth possesse the sixth place In respect of the forme it is as Eustathius writeth compared to a sheeps skin or as Hyginus noteth to a French target It is longer one way than another by the iudgement of Strabo who moreouer addeth that for excellency and goodnesse of soile it is inferiour vnto no iland whatsoeuer Pliny and Mela do testifie hat in former times nine kings did reigne in it at once Herodotus sayth that king Amasis was of all mortall men the first that tooke it and made it tributary vnto his crowne It was all ouer somtime so woody and ouergrowen with bushes and trees that the ground by no meanes might be ploughed and manured a great part of which although it was dayly spent in the melting and refining of copper and siluer for the iland is very full of mettals as also for the building of ships yet notwithstanding for all this they neuer were able vtterly to destroy their huge woods and infinite luxuriousnesse of the same vntill by proclamation free liberty and licence was giuen and granted to euery man that list to fell and cary away what wood and timber they pleased Item that what ground so euer any man had cleared by stocking vp the bushes and trees that he should for euer after hold for his owne by a free tenure The woonderfull fertilitie of this soile Elianus doth bewray when as he writeth that stagges and hindes do oft times swim hither out of Syria to fill their bellies so good is the feed of this I le The manifold variety and plenty of all sorts of commodities here those words of Ammian in his 14 booke do sufficiently demonstrate vnto vs when he giueth out That it needeth no maner of forren helpe of other countries only of it selfe it is able to build a shippe euen from the very keele to the top saile to rigge it and send it foorth to sea furnished with all maner of necessaries whatsoeuer The great riches of this iland these words of Sextus Rufus do manifestly declare CYPRVS famous for great wealth moued the beggerly Romans to attempt the same so that indeed the interest that we haue in that iland we gat rather by violence than any right we had vnto
Africa are generally or indefinitly named these seuerall prouinces of those greater parts are only to be vnderstood The bounds of this prouince of Africa on the West are the riuer Ampsaga and the Mauritania's the countries of the Moores their next neighbours on the North lieth the Midland sea Arae Philenorum a village betweene it and Cyrenaica is the vttermost bound of it Eastward the Inner Libya and the deserts of the same do confine it vpon the South This countrey was otherwise sometime called ZEVGIS and ZEVGITANA It comprehendeth within this compasse these three shires NVMIDIA named of some MASSYLIA BYZACIVM and TRIPOLITANA Diodorus Siculus diuideth this prouince into foure nations the Poeni Libophoenices Libyi and the Numidae At such time as the Romans bore a sway here and Scipio Aemilianus commanded their legions in these parts this Africa was diuided into two prouinces that neere Carthage they called OLDE AFRICA that which conteined Numidia NEW AFRICA as Pliny Appian and Dion do ioyntly testifie Numidia and Byzacium were vnder the command of the Consuls that wherein Carthage stood belonged to the iurisdiction of the Proconsuls as Sextus Rufus reporteth And this diuision they made as Pliny writeth by a certaine ditch drawen betweene them In the first booke of Iustinians Code and in the seuen and twentieh title of the same thou shalt finde another maner of diuision of this countrey and a farre other maner of gouernment of it by Presidents and Lieutenants Numidia beside the great store of Marble there found called by the name of Numidian marble and the maruellous plenty of Deere and wilde beasts which it yeeldeth hath nothing worth the remembrance as Pliny affirmeth Liuy Pliny and Solinus do giue it the praise for the best horsmen for seruice in the warres of any countrey whatsoeuer They doe as highly commend the fat soile of Byzacium which is such that it yeeldeth an hundred for one yea it hath beene knowen that one bushell of wheat being sowen hath yeelded at haruest the increase of an hundred and fifty bushels againe The Lieutenant of this place sent from thence vnto Augustus Caesar Emperour of Rome forty eares of corne sprung and growen vp from one root and one graine as was probable Item there were sent likewise to Nero from thence three hundred and forty stalks with eares of corne come vp of one and the some graine To this also may be adioyned the goodnesse of the soile which is such as Columella reporteth of it that the husbandman after he hath layd his seed in the ground from seed-time to haruest neuer looketh to his fields nor once medleth with it more for that searse any weed or other such thing which vsually hindereth the growth of corne doth here come vp of it owne accord except it be either set or sowen by hand Halicarnasseus also maketh mention of this great fertility of Africa But Titus the Emperor of Rome in one word doth sufficiently declare the woonderfully fruitfulnesse and plenty of all things here in an Oration of his written vnto the seditious and mutinous Iewes where he nameth it Altricem orbis terrarum The nourse of all nations of the world Yea and Saluianus in his seuenth booke termeth it Animam Reipublicae Romanae The soule of the Romane Common-wealth or politicke body there where thou mayst reade many other things worth the obseruation of the riches command and power of this countrey Herodian maketh it a country very fertile of men Polybius on the other side doth as much commend it for the great abundance of cattell and all sorts of liuing creatures that it breedeth So that for multitude of Horses Oxen Sheepe and Goats it doth farre surpasse almost all the rest of the world beside And that which is most woonderfull of all other it is no strange thing here as Columella out of Dionysius Mago and Marcus Varro telleth vs to see Mules to breed and bring forth yoong so that the inhabitants do as oft see the foales of Mules there as we do of Mares here The same authour in the first chapter of his fourth booke sayth that the people are very ingenious and witty Hirtius calleth it Gentem insidiosam A treacherous nation Maternus nameth it Gentem subdolam A wily and crafty people so that Vlgetius doubted not to say That for wiles and wealth the Romans were alwayes inferiour to the Africans Iuuenal the Poet termeth it Causidicorum nutâ—iculam The nurse of prating petifoggers Athenaeus recounteth the Carthaginians amongst those nations which delight much in quassing and carowsing and vse to be often drunke Saluianus in his seuenth booke De Prouidentia sayth that they are generally so inhumane such drunkards so deceitfull fraudulent couetous treacherous disloyall leud lecherous and vnchaste that he that is not such an one he surely is no Africane Lastly there is as he there addeth no maner of wickednesse or villany that they are not giuen vnto All histories do make mention of the vnfaithfulnesse and false-heartednesse of this nation which indeed is such and they for the same so greatly noted and famous that they grew for it into a common by-word among all such nations as had any conuersation or ought to do with them And thus much of this Africa a land as the Poets terme it most rich for triumphs the fortresse or castle as Cicero calleth it of all Prouinces belonging to the Romane Empire The Ilands neere adioyning and belonging to this country more famous and of better note are Melita Menyx Cosura and Cercina beside some other lesser ones and of lesse account of which as also the people riuers mountaines townes and cities see this our Table That Sardinia that goodly iland which lieth ouer against Genua did sometime belong to this Africa Iustinian doth testifie in the seuen and twentieth Title of the first booke of his Code But of CARTHAGE the chiefe and metropolitane citie of this prouince although Salust sayth it is better farre to say nothing at all of it than to speake little yet notwithstanding I thinke it not amisse to adde somewhat of that also in this place This city of the Latines was called CARTHAGO of the Greeks CHARCHEDON Solinus Polyhistor reporteth that it was first called CARTHADA which word sayth he in the Phoenician tongue of neere affinity to the Hebrew and Arabicke signifieth Ciuitatem nouam The new city And indeed truth it is that _____ in the Arabicke dialect and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kariat hadátha in the Syrian doth signifie A new city or castle Hereupon it is that Stephanus nameth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 NOVAM VRBEM The new city He moreouer calleth it OENVSSA CACABE and CADMEIA but vpon what ground and authority I know not Cadmeia peraduenture it was named of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in that language as also in the rest of the orientall tongues deriued from hence signifieth the East or first and chiefest both which may well agree to this city for the first
Lucanus 8. INCERTAE POSITIONIS LOCA Amythaonia Apeliotes Athos Cephro Cessan Colluthium Cusi Elysius Eurychorian Focis Litrae Melite Metole Metopium Nelupa Pyrae Taeniotis Tevochis Tityus REGIONES Dulopolis Pentapolis NOMI Anthites Anytios Aphthala Bathrithites Crambetites Croites Omnites Phanturites Ptenethu Sebrithites Thermopolites VRBES Abotis Achoris Anthiti Anysis Arcadia Arieldela Arype Asphinum Atharrabis Auaris Bosirara Bucaltum Burgus Seueri Byblos Calamona Cassanoros Chiris Chortaso Cos Cotenopolis Crambutis Crialon Cros Cyrtus Flagoniton Gavei Gazulena Helos Isidis opidum Juliopolis Iustiniana II. nova Maximianopolis Mucerinae Muson Mylon Naithum Narmunthum Nupheum Oniabates Paprinus Paremphis Pasteris Ptemengyris Pempte Philadelphia Pinamus Paebebis Polis Precteum Praesentia Proxenupolis Psinaphus Psinaula Psochemnis Python Sadalis Sampsira Sargantis Scenae Sella Senos Sosteum Spania Syis Terenuthis Thamana Theodosiana Ticelia Tindum Tisis Titana Tohum Toicena Trichis Tyana Vantena VICI Anabis Daphnusium Diochites Nibis Phoenix Psenerus Psentris Psinectabis Psittachemnis MONS Laemon FLVVIVS Phaedrus INSVLAE Hiera Nichocis Horum vocabulorum et ceterorum que in ipsa tabula describuntur testimonia et auctoritates veterum videre sunt in nostro Thesauro Geographico Ex conatibus geographicis Abrahami Ortelij cum Priuilegio decennali 1595. The Mappe doth shew the situation of this countrey and therefore I shall not need to speake ought of that What the great fertility and richnesse of soile of this prouince was that worthy commendation vulgarly spoken of it wherein it is sayd to be The common barne of all the world doth sufficiently shew For although it neuer raineth here yet it breedeth great plenty of men and beasts with all maner of cattell whatsoeuer But this indeed their riuer Nilus by his inundation euery yeere bringeth to passe wherupon as the poet Lucan writeth this is Terra suis contenta bonis non indiga mercis Aut Iouis in solo tanta est fiducia Nilo A land that of it selfe is rich enough It need'th no forren aid Ioues helpe it scorn'th so much it stand'th vpon the bounty of the Nile Yea they were woont proudly to vaunt as Pliny testifieth that they caried in their hands the dearth or plenty of the Romans those mighty conquerours The riches and wealth of this countrey one may easily esteeme by that of Diodorus who writeth that the Kings of Egypt vsed yerely to haue of Alexandria only a Subsidie of aboue twelue thousand talents item out of Strabo in whom I reade that Auletes father to Cleopatra leuied yeerely in Egypt a Subsidie of twelue thousand and fiue hundred talents which doth amount according to Budey his estimation to seuenty fiue hundred thousand French crownes and that as he there addeth vnder a very loose and bad kinde of gouernment Eusebius in his second booke de Praepar Euang. reporteth that Osiris their king did erect and make for Iupiter and Iuno his parents and for other gods temples and shrines of beaten gold and siluer a maruellous shew of their woonderfull wealth and riches Of the golde-mines of this countrey Agatharcides hath written something But so many endlesse and immortall works yet extant hauing hitherto euen to this day abode all assaults and iniury of time do sufficiently shew what their great command and power in former times hath beene as namely are those huge Pyramides so many Obelisks of solid marble of one whole stone of such woonderfull height Colosses Sphinges Statues and Labyrinths so many gorgeous Temples of which this one countrey could shew more than all other countreys beside whatsoeuer as Herodotus who himselfe was an eye-witnesse of the same doth plainly affirme The infinite number of people and inhabitants which Philo in his booke of Circumcision ascribeth vnto it gather out of Iosephus and Egesippus who writeth that beside the citizens of Alexandria which as Diodorus testifieth were three hundred thousand free men there were seuenteene hundred and fifty thousand enrolled and made free-denisons of Rome at once It is a very prudent and wise nation as we may vnderstand by diuers histories very ingenious in the finding out of any maner of artes and sciences very quicke of conceit in the search of any inuention whatsoeuer as Aulus Gellius hath left recorded They are fit and able to attaine to the vnderstanding of all maner of diuine knowledge as Macrobius affirmeth who also calleth Egypt The mother of all artes But Trebellius Pollio in the life of Aemilianus the Tyrant sayth that it is a furious and outragious nation easily mooued to sedition tumults and rebellion vpon euery light occasion And Quintus Curtius sayth that they are a light headed and giddy brained people more fit to set matters abroach than to follow them wisely when they are once afoot Hadrianus the Emperour as Flauius Vopiscus in the life of Saturninus reporteth calleth it Gentem leuem pendulam ad omnia famae monimenta volitantem A light and vnconstant nation hanging as it were by a twin'd thread and mooued at the least blast and puffe of newes that might stirre Seneca to Albina calleth it Infidam A faithlesse nation Ventosam insolentem A bragging proud and insolent nation Pliny in his Panegyricke to Traian the Emperour termeth them Nequitias tellus scit dare nulla magis No countrey in the world I am sure More vilder knaues did ere endure sayth the Poet Martiall Philo in his booke of Husbandry sayth that they haue Innatam insignem iactantiam that is that they it bred in the bone that an Egyptian should be a famous bragger Yet he sayth that they are withall wise and ingenious Apuleius termeth them Eruditos Learned Egyptians and Themistius Euphrada Sapientissimos homines Very wise and cunning fellowes Philostratus sayth that they be much giuen to Theology and study of heauenly things Strabo hath left recorded that they were no warlike people Of famous knaues they possessed the middle ranke according to that olde prouerbe Lydimali secundi Aegyptij tertij Cares The Lydians are the great knaues The Egyptians meane knaues be The clownish hobs of Caria are The least knaues of the three as Eustathius vpon Dionysius Afer reporteth Of the customes and maner of life of this nation Porphyrius speaketh much in his fourth booke intituled Of abstinence from flesh meats The most famous cities which we haue read of in the ancient writers of both languages are these First ALEXANDRIA which Athenaeus nameth The beautifull and golden citie the Councell of Chalcedon The great citie Marcelline The head of all cities in the world Eunapius Another world Dion Prusaeus sayth that it is the second citie of all that are vnder the cope of heauen The chiefe temple heere called Sebasteum or Augusteum that is Princely or Emperiall hath no peere This thou mayst see described by Philo Iudaeus in his booke De vita contemplatiua The Serapium another stately building in this citie so adorned and beautified with diuers goodly galleries many gorgeous and lofty columnes and pillars set out with most liuely imagery and diuers
here great swarmes of Monkes and Heremites were bred and from hence were spred and scattered all Christendome ouer as we finde in the Records of the Primitiue Church so that a man may iustly terme this countrey The Seminary or Nursery of all religions Of the Philosophy and Hieroglyphicall secrets of the Egyptians reade the sixt booke of Clemens Alexandrinus his Stromaton Item Orus Apollo and Pierius his Hieroglyphicks The VOIAGE of ALEXANDER THE GREAT IF Archelaus the Chorographer whom Diogenes Laërtius affirmeth to haue described all that part of the earthly globe or maine continent conquered by Alexander the Great that famous king of Macedony or Beton Baeton Athenaeus calleth him and Diogenetus whom Pliny writeth were the measurers of the iourney of the said Alexander or if the Commentaries of Strabo which he saith that he composed of the histories and famous acts of that great Conquerour were now extant it would out of all doubt haue beene an easier matter for vs to haue made this map which heere we purpose to set foorth to the view and benefit of the serious student of Geography of the VOIAGE OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT But being destitute of those helpes first we haue laid the plot of it out of Ptolemey and some other later writers Then we haue set downe in it all those particular places which Quintus Curtius Arrianus and Plutarch doe make mention of in the historie of this expedition For these three of all those which haue at large written of his life and are come to our hands haue of purpose handled this his voiage and expedition To these as helps we haue adioined what we finde making for this our purpose in Strabo Diodorus Trogus Orosius and Plutarch in that his booke which he hath intituled Of the fortune and prosperous successe of Alexander for these men although they haue not purposedly intended that argument yet notwithstanding by the way they haue shewed themselues in the setting out of his memorable acts very diligent and faithfull authours Item Philostratus Solinus and Pliny haue in like maner done vs some seruice heerein And while I looke ouer all maner of histories written either in Greeke or Latine by any other authours whatsoeuer beside those aboue named I could picke very little or nothing out of them that might serue vs in this our argument to any sted at all For although some things may be obserued in the reading of Liuy Valerius Maximus Polybius Athenaeus Polyaenus Aelianus Seneca Stobaeus Quintilian Apuleius Dion Pruiaeus Maximus Tyrius Theon Sophista Plutarch in his treatise of Mounteins and the Panegyricke made to Maxim and Constant yet those doe rather seeme in my iudgement to concerne his priuate life naturall inclination maners vertues and vices then this his voiage and expedition Francis Iuret in his annotations vpon Symmachus doth confesse that he hath by him the life of Alexander the Great written first in the Greeke tongue by one Aesope and since that translated into Latine by Iulius Valerius This authour as yet we haue nor seene and therefore of him we say nothing We haue therefore in the description of this Empire of the Macedonians the greatest as Liuy in his fiue and fortieth booke nameth it of all the whole earth begunne by this our Alexander performed what we could not what we would To this we haue caused the plot and portraiture of Iupiter Ammons oracle famous as Pomponius Mela writeth for the certainty of his predictions to be adioined for an auctuarie and ornament and for that it is so often named mentioned in all ancient histories as also for that this our Alexander in this his expedition went vnto this place to demand of the Oracle what the issue and euent of this his iourney should be Lastly Curtins and Trogus do iointly affirme that he commanded that his body after his death should heere be buried although it be certaine that this was not performed for his corps was interred at Alexandria in Egypt Of it therefore out of sundrie authours we haue collected that which followeth The ORACLE of Iupiter Ammon ALEXANDRI MAGNI MACEDONIS EXPEDITIO IOVIS AMMONIS ORACVLVM INGENIO IVDICIO ET ERVDITIONE PRAESTANTI DOMINO HENRICO SCHOTIO VRBI ANTVERP A CONSILIIS AMORIS ET BENEVOLENTIAE ERGO HANC TABVLAM DEDICAB ABRAH ORTELIVS Cum Priuilegio Imp. et Ordinum Belgicor ad decennium 1595. By that description of Iupiter Ammon in Curtius it seemeth that he meant to expresse vnto vs two formes of it viz. one which was accounted to bee his image or counterfet the other was that which was worshipped for a god that had the shape of a ramme this the forme of a bosse vmbilicus For I vnderstand by the word vmbilicus any high thing that steeketh out as the nauil in a man in maner of a pyramis or conus round or square Like as in books almost finished as Porphyrius testifieth they ordinarily vsed to doe either for ornament or some speciall purpose yea and yet to this day still they are put vpon the outside in forme of a round globe For men of ancient families were wont as we do gather by many circumstances oft times in this rude manner to point at their gods rather then truely to expresse them in their true forme and proportion In the temple of Delphos as Strabo in the 6. booke of his Geography reporteth there was a bosse preserued curiously lapped vp in skarfes and ribbends to demonstrate and shew vnto the world that this place was in Vmbilico that is in the middest or center of the whole earth and it was made as Pausanias writeth of pure white marble For the statue or image of the goddesse Venus which was to be seene at Paphus in Cyprus as Tacitus reporteth was a continuall circle broad at the bottome with a thinne edge or brim rising vp narrower and narrower by degrees in manner of a pyrarnis Maximus Tyrius in his 38. oration speaketh the same of it almost word for word but that he saith it was like a white pyramis The same authour in the same place writeth that the Arabians portraitured their god in forme of a square or cubicall stone and as Suidas affirmeth it had no manner of carued worke vpon it at all But this he speaketh of the Arabians of Petiaea and withall addeth that this their god is called Mars Minutius Felix maketh the same god to be but a rough stone vnhew'd or vnpolish't Liuy also testifieth that the Pessinuntij a people in Phrygia did honour a stone for the mother of the gods Arnobius in his 6. booke saith that it was a flint stone of no great bignesse of colour blacke or very darke and duskish verie craggy rough and vneuen Prudentius also in his 7. booke saith that it was of colour browne or inclining to blacke Herodianus reporteth almost the same of the forme of the statue of the Sunne or Elagabalus that Quintus Curtius doth of his god Ammon These are his words as you may read
much the more neerely vnto him Pausanias saith that in Motya a city of Sicilia there was the statue or counterfet of this our Vlysses but by Nero the Emperour it was from thence transported to Rome in Italy And thus much of this braue Captaine Qui mores hominum multorum vidit vrbes who as the Poet writeth of him saw many mens maners and knew many cities Of whom also thus speaketh Ouid Si minùs errasset notus minùs esset Vlysses If great Vlysses had not strai'd he had beene more obscure But of him I will speake no more lest peraduenture with the Grammarians I bee hit in the teeth with that of Diogenes who said that while they did search diligently to know all the crosses and euils that befell Vlysses did forget their owne And moreouer that worthy admonition of wise Seneca where he saith Quid proderit inquirere vbi Vlysses errauerit quà m ne nos semper erremus What shall it auaile vs to seeke where and which way Vlysses wandred more then to restraine vs that we do not in like maner alwaies wander as he did And now it is high time to take penne from paper As for those coines which we haue spoken of before I wish thee to repaire to Goltzius and others which haue at large and peculiarly handled that argument A description of the RED SEA now vulgarly called The INDIAN SEA MARE ERYTHRAEVM or as the Latines call it MARE RVBRVM The Red Sea which heere we offer to thy view in this Mappe for as much as we can gather out of ancient writers stretcheth it selfe from the West as Liuy writeth along by the coast of Africa or Aethiopia euen vnto India in East yea and beyond that I know not how farre as Arrianus testifieth whereupon Ptolemey Pliny and Melado call it MARE INDICVM The Indian Sea But Herodotus calleth it MARE PERSICVM The Persian Sea Which Pliny doth seeme to iustifie to be true where he saith That the Persians do dwell along by the coast of the Red Sea between the coast of Africa and the iland Taprobana Strabo that worthy Geographer he calleth it MARE MAGNVM The Great sea who moreouer doth affirme it to be a part of the Atlanticke sea and that truly A part of this sea to wit where it toucheth the coast of that Aethiopia which lieth beneath Aegypt Pliny of the countrie Azania which at this day some do thinke to bee called Xoa nameth it MARE AZANIVM Where it ioineth with the Bay of Arabia it is of Ptolemey named HIPPADIS PELAGVS now called of some Archiplago di Maldiuar Item of the same Ptolemey it is otherwise called BARBARICVS SINVS The Barbarian bay I meane in that place where it beateth vpon Aethiopia and the iland Menuthesia now of the seamen generally called The iland of Saint Laurence but of that country people Madagascar and of Theuet Albagra There are two Baies or Gulfes as the Italians and Spaniards terme them of this sea much talked of in all ancient histories to wit SINVS PERSICVS The Persian Bay and SINVS ARABICVS The Arabian Bay which some not well read in old writers do for the most part call Mare Rubrum The Red Sea Very improperly being indeed but a part of that sea properly called the Red sea which we haue hitherto spoken of But why it was of the Greekes named Erythraeum and of the Latines Rubrum Red it is a great question amongst the learned not yet decided Some there are which do deeme it to haue beene called The Red Sea of the colour of the water but this of all late writers trauellers seamen and other eie-witnesses of good credit which haue in this our age euery day do saile through this Sea haue diligently viewed the same is improued and found to be altogether false Moreouer Qu. Curtius amongst the ancients doth plainly testifie that it differeth no whit in colour from other seas Some there are as Pliny writeth which do thinke that by reason of the reuerberation of the Sunne beames it seemeth to cast vp such a like colour to the sight of the beholders Others doe thinke that this is caused by reason of the colour of the sand or earth in the bottom of the same others do affirm it to be the very nature of the water Some do write that it was so named of king Erythrus Perseus sonne whose tombe as Quintus Curtius writeth did in his time remaine in a certaine iland of this sea not farre distant from the maine land Strabo calleth this iland Tyrina Pliny and Pomponius Mela Ogyris Arrianus Oaracta or else of a certaine Persian named Erythras as the forenamed Strabo giueth out Who as Pliny with him testifieth in a small barke or barge first sailed through this sea and discouered the same Which story also is at large handled by Agatarchides Yet our authour calleth him Hippalus who first found out the course to saile through the middest of this sea Pliny by that name calleth the wind by which they make their iourneis through this sea So called as is very probable of the inuentour Which wind the same authour in the thirteenth chapter of his 6. booke maketh the same that Fauonius is vnto the Latines Mela Agatarchides do call it a tempestuous stormy rough and deepe sea Pliny Philostratus Elianus Athenaeus do giue it the title of Margaritiferum the pearle-bearing sea And the same Pliny maketh it Arboriferum a tree-bearing sea For he writeth in the fiue and twentieth chapter of his thirteenth booke that it is full of groues and tall woods the toppes of whose high trees he affirmeth are seene much aboue the waters and therfore at high tide they vse to fasten their shippes vnto the toppes and at the ebbe vnto the roots of the same Item the same authour in the two and twentieth chapter of the sixth booke of his Naturall historie writeth that about Colaicum which also is called Colchi or as Solinus affirmeth about Tapobrana an iland not farre hence the sea is of a very greenish colour and so full of trees that their toppe boughes are barked and brushed with the rudders or sterne of those ships that saile this way Moreouer that trees do grow in this sea Megasthenes out of Antigonus de Mirabilibus doth affirme which Plutarch in his Naturall questions and againe in his booke de facie Lunae doth auouch to be true where he doth particularly nominate some of them to wit Oliue-trees Bay-trees and Plocamus which otherwise they call Isidis Capillus This also Strabo in the sixth booke of his Geography iustifieth to be true so doth the forenamed Pliny who teacheth vs that it is a plant much like to corall without leaues Agatarchides saith that it resembleth much the blacke rush Athenaeus out of Philonides the Physician writeth that the vine was first brought from the Redde-sea and planted in Greece In the eigth chapter of the fourth booke of Theophrastus his history of plants you may reade of diuerse
other kinds of trees and herbs which do naturally grow in this sea Pomponius sheweth that this sea hath more and greater monsters that do liue and breed in it then any other sea in the world beside Quintus Curtius affirmeth that it is full of whales balaenae of such an huge bignesse that they are in bulke equall to the greatest shippes or vessels that are Solinus saith that one of them will couer two akers of ground The same authour doth there describe vnto vs certaine blew wormes which haue their forelegges not lesse then six foot long These are of that wonderfull strength that oft times they do with their clawes lay hold vpon Elephants comming thitherto drinke and by maine force pull them into the sea Item he telleth of certaine whirle-pooles Physeteras he calleth them of that huge bignesse that they are to see to like vnto great and massie columnes these doe many times raise themselues vp as high as the crosse-mast from whence they spout out such abundance of water out of their gullets that oft times by the violence of the storme the vessels of those which saile and passe by that way are sunke and cast away Strabo hath left in writing that Amazenas the admirall of the Indian fleet did there see a whale of fifty foot in length Arrianus in his Indica describeth certaine balaenas whales or whirlepooles of an huge and wonderfull bignesse with three sorts of great and terrible kind of Serpents which as Solinus writeth will couer more then two akers of lands It is recorded by Pliny that the Hydri certaine sea-monsters of twenty cubites in length did much affright the nauy of Alexander the Great Item he telleth of torteises of such a maruellous bignesse that the shell of one of them will make a couer for a prettie house and againe That they vsually do saile in these shels vpon this sea like as they vse in other countries in shippes and boates Yea as Agatarchides affirmeth these fishes do serue those which dwell vpon this sea coast instead of houses boats dishes and meat About the iland Taprobana now called as generally all learned do thinke Samotra there are certaine fishes which do liue partly vpon sea and partly vpon land whereof some are like oxen others like horses and other some are like other foure footed beasts as Strabo in his fifteenth and sixteenth bookes hath left recorded And thus much of the name situation and nature of this Redde-sea which Liuy in his 45. booke tearmeth Finem terrarum The outmost bound of the world He that desireth to know more of this sea let him haue recourse to Agatarchides and Arrianus in his Indica Item let him consult with Baptista Ramusio who translated this Periplus or discouery into the Italian tongue and hath enlarged the same with a discourse as hee calleth it of his owne of the same argument And I would wish him not to omit Stuckius who also translated the same into the Italian tongue and hath illustrated it with his most learned and laborious Commentaries Lastly Athenaeus in the fourteenth booke of his Deipnosophiston maketh me beleeue that Pythagoras that great and famous Philosopher did write a booke of the Redde sea HANNO'S PERIPLVS OR Discouery of the Atlanticke Seas and Coasts of Africa THis Periplus of Hanno king of Carthage was first translated out of Greeke into Latine by Conradus Gesnerus a man that hath very well deserued of all sorts of scholars succedent ages hath illustrated the same with his most learned and painfull Commentaries But before him Baptista Ramusio turned it into the Tuscane tongue and hath to it adioined a discourse as he termeth it Of the ancient writers Pomponius Mela in the second chapter of his third booke Pliny in the first chapter of the fift book of his history of Nature who there calleth him a captaine of Carthage not king of Cathage haue made mention of this Periplus or Discouery But he calleth this discourse by the name of Commentaries not of a Periplus The same Pliny in the one and thirtieth chapter of his sixth booke calleth him an Emperour Yet Solinus in the last chapter of his worke out of Xenophon Lampsacenus maketh as if hee had beene a king of the Poeni Arrianus also toward the latter end of his Indian stories mentioneth this Periplus Moreouer Pliny in the sixteenth chapter of the eighteenth booke of his Naturall historie and Aelianus in the fiftieth chapter of his fifth booke De Animalibus do make mention of one Hanno who was the first man that euer was heard of in the world that durst handle and take vpon him to tame a Lion But whether he be the same with this our Hanno I am not able to determine For there haue beene many of that name of which if any man be desirous to know more let him repaire to the Commentaries of the forenamed Gesner which he wrot vpon this Periplus These words in Pliny and Martianus in very deed are meant of another Hanno diuers from this of whom wee haue hitherto spoken Hanno say they at such time as the Punicke Empire stood in flourishing estate sailed round about by the coast of Barbary and so from thence South-ward all along by the shore vntill at length after a long and tedious iourney he came to the coasts of Arabia Moreouer that student that is desirous to know more of this Periplus or Discouery may adde to these collections of ours such things as Iohn Mariana hath written of it in the latter end of his first booke of his history of Spaine ORBIS ARCTOVS OR The Northren frozen Zone THe draught of this we haue in this place heere adioined both for an auctuary and for the better beautifying or proportioning of this Mappe To wit that there might be something that might answer to the modell of Hannoes Periplus This wee intreat the diligent student of ancient Geography to take in good part Peraduenture succedent ages shall heereafter manifest to the world another different from this of ours and perhaps more true by the diligent and painfull trauels I hope of our English nation or their consorts the Hollanders For these both haue spared no cost nor refused any danger to find out a passage through the Northren seas from hence to China and India For hitherto there is no other way discouered to saile thither but by the South by Cabo de buona speranza which is a long and most tedious iourney But of this read hose worthy labours of M. Richard Hackluyt who to the great benefit and singular delight of all men hath set out the English voyages to the immortall praise and commendation of this our Nation and those braue Captaines and Seamen which haue vndertaken and performed the same ARGONAVTICA That is IASONS voyage for the GOLDEN FLEECE ARGONAVTICA ILLVSTRISSIMO PRINCIPI CAROLO COMITI ARENBERGIO BARONI SEPTIMONTII DOMINO MIRVARTII EQVITI AVREI VELLERIS ETC. ABRAH ORTELIVS DEDICAB L. M. Ex
thee to M. Camdens Britannia where this argument is handled at large and most learnedly Only in defence of Gaulfridus lest any man should thinke that I haue all this while spoken against his person I conclude with this sayng of a learned man of our time Cardanus ait sayth he illius aetatis scriptores tantopere mendacio fabulis fuisse delectatos vt in contentionem venerint quis plura confingeret Cardane sayth That the Historians and Writers of those times betweene foure hundred and fiue hundred yeeres since were so much delighted with fables and lies that they stroue who should lie fastest and win the whetstone It was you see the fault of the time and age wherein he liued not of the man The learned Oratour Tully in the second booke of his Offices as I remember thus describeth the vertues of a true Historiographer Ne quid falsi scribere audeat Ne quid veri non audeat Ne quam in scribendo suspitionem gratiae Ne quam simultatis ostendat A good Historian may not dare to write any thing that is false He may not be afrayd to write any thing that is true He must not shew any partiality or fauour in writing He ought to be void of all affection and malice Learned Antiquaries follow this good counsell of the graue Philosopher Sell vs no more drosse for pure mettall Refine what you reade and write Euery tale is not true that is tolde Some authours want iudgement others honesty Let no man be beleeued for his antiquity For you know what Menander sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grayhaires are not alwayes a signe of wisdome and deepe vnderstanding olde men do sometime dote and will lie as well as others One sayth Nesc to quo casu illud euenit vt falsa potius quà m vera animum nostrum captant I cannot tell sayth he how it commeth to passe but surely true it is that we are more easily caried away with lies and fables than with truth And how hard a matter it is to remoue one from a setled opinion though neuer so false and absurd any man meanly experienced doth very well know f Yet Caesar saith that Britanniae Loca sunt temperatiora qùam in Gallia remissioribus frigoribus The temperature of the aire in England is better then in France the cold is nothing so bitter That is as the authour of the Panegyricke oration made to Constantius the Emperour doth interpret it In ea nec rigor est nimius hyemis nec ardor aestatis In it neither the cold of winter nor the heat of summer is very excessiue And Minutius Felix hee writeth that Britannia sole deficitur sed circumfluentis maris tepore recreatur In England the Sunne shineth not very hotte but that defect is repaied by a certaine steame or hot vapour which ascendeth vp out of the sea that inuironeth this iland on all sides round g What place this should be I dare not for truth constantly affirme Perhaps he meaneth Vitsam or as we call it Whitsan a little towne in the country of Bolloine some fiue or six miles from Calais situate vpon the sea coast built at the mouth of a small riuer which peraduenture he calleth Shant For in the Arabicke tongue Wadi-shant importeth so much h This is false and by himselfe contradicted for in another place if I be not deceiued he maketh it twenty fiue miles ouer wherefore I doubt not but for a mile the authour did put a parasange which conteineth three English miles And this is somewhat neere the mark i I take it that he meaneth Cercester in Glocestershire which vulgarly they now call Ciceter It is an ancient city called of Ptolemey Corinium of Antonine Durocornouium of the Saxons Cyrenceaster taking the denomination from the riuer Corinus or Churne vpon which it is situate The tract of the decaied wals of it which are two miles about doe testifie that it was sometime a very great citie Many antiquities and auncient monuments doe plainly shew that in the time of the Romans it was a place of good rekoning Now it is nothing so populous and well inhabited k From the Seuerne I vnderstand it which at euery floude enterteineth the salt water a great way vp into the countrey l Warham is a sea towne in Dorsetshire strongly fortified by nature vpon the South and North with two riuers Ware and Trent this now they call Piddle and with the maine sea vpon the East only vpon the Wew it lieth open to the assailaunt Yet it was in times past defended with a faire wall and a strong Castle It was very populous well inhabited and graced with the Kings mint for the refining and coining of his mony vntill the time of Henry the Second since whose daies by reason of ciuill warres casualty by fire and stopping of the hauen it is much decaied and hath lost much of that former beauty m This distance is much too great whether he meaneth the lands end in Cornwall or the farther part of Wales Westward which I rather incline to But obserue this once for all that there is no great heed to be taken to those his accounts of miles and distances n Dartmouth an hauen towne in Deuonshire situate vpon a little hill running out into the sea at the mouth of the riuer Dart or Dert as some write it The hauen is defended with two strong Castels or Block-houses It is very populous well frequented with Merchants and hath many goodly tall shippes belonging to it King Iohn granted them certaine priuiledges and euery yeere to chuse a Maior for their supreme magistrrate and gouernour in ciuill causes vnder the King o Thus our seamen cal it at this day The Arabian termeth it _____ Tarfi'lgarbi mina'lgiezira The Westerne bound of the iland Master Camden in his Scotland that I may note this by the way affirmeth that Taurus in Welch doth signifie the end or limbe of any thing Heere in Arabicke thou seest it signifieth the same And in English wee call if I be not deceiued the brimmes of an hatte The tarfe p SALISBVRY or rather SARISBVRY a sweet and pleasant city within the County of Wilt situate in a plaine at the meeting of the riuers Auone and Nadder It is not that ancient city Sorbiodunum mentioned by Antoninus in his Iournall but built of the ruines of it as seemeth very probable For this old towne being often distressed for want of water and at length spoiled and rased to the ground by Swein the Dane in the yeare of our Lord 1003. although it reuiued againe a little after about the time of William the First was forsaken and abandoned by the citizens who laid the foundation of this new citie about 400. yeares since at what time Richard the First was King of England That most stately Cathedrall Church which they report hath as many doores as there be months in the yeare as many windowes as the yeare hath daies and as many pillars as there are
the coast of Norway or borders of Scotland as we shall by and by shew more plainly m So it is written apparently But obserue heere That of the Arabicke letters diuerse in forme and shape of body are the very same and are onely distinguished one from another by pricks or points placed either ouer their heads or vnderneath them Heereupon it is that that Arabicke word which heere I call _____ Zanbaga supposing only one letter to be misplaced which might be the fault of the printer may indifferently be either _____ Norbaga or Norwega as the Danes call it or _____ Neriga or Nerigon whereof Pliny speaketh which is all one in effect For Pomponius Mela saith that Thule Bergarum thus the learned Clarencieux readeth not Belgarum litori apposita est that is Thule is vpon the coast of Norway oueragainst the citie Bergen And it is out of all question saith the same authour that by Nerigon Pliny did vnderstand that same country which at this day we call Norway n That our authour did meane Island if there were no other argument this one were alone sufficient to prooue it For I doe not remember that any one of the ancient writers euer tooke vpon him to define Thule according to his length and breadth only Ptolemey and those other authours haue pointed at it as we haue shewed before and haue told vs whereabout it lieth in the Sea by the longitude and latitude of it as also by the situation of it from Scotland The Orkeney iles and Bergen in Norway Whereas he saith that the length of Rosland is 400 miles it is I say apparant that he meant Island For Ortelius in his Island thus writeth of it Patet haec insula in longitudiue centum milliarium Germanicorum vt vulgus scriptorum habet The length of this Iland as the common sort of writers doe testifie is one hundred Germane miles Now that a common or ordinary Dutch mile doth containe foure English or Italian miles it is a thing so commonly knowen that it needeth no proofe But hauing handled Gentle Reader the particulars for the most part before in their seuerall places least I be too tedious in a thing not greatly needfull I cease to trouble thee any longer GALIZIA a kingdome of Spaine THe kingdome of GALIZIA is bounded vpon the West and North with the Ocean sea vpon the East with the Asturias and the kingdome of Leon vpon the South with the riuer Min̄o and the Kingdome of Portingall It was sometime as Ferdinand Oiea the authour of this Mappe writeth much greater then now it is at this daie and was then held to be one of the largest kingdomes of all Spaine For it extended it selfe Eastward vp as farre as the mountaines of Biscaya and the head of the great riuer Duero Durius Pliny calleth it and so from thence it ranne all along by the banke of this riuer euen till where it falleth into the maine sea as our said authour prooueth by the testimony of Marius Aretius in his description of Spaine of Annius Viterbius and Floriano de Campo in the 40. chapter of his fourth booke and likewise in the third chapter of his fourth booke It is very vneuen and mounteinous or euery where full of dry barrein hils and dales and therfore much of it by reason it wanteth water is waste and not inhabited Their Villages and townes especially the greater and better sort of them are situate vpon the Sea or vpon some great riuer not farre from thence except Santiago Lugo and Mondon̄edo with one or two more Yet which is very strange heere are bred such woonderfull store of horses that that fable which reporteth that hereabouts in Spaine the mares conceiue with foale by vertue of the winde may seeme to be something probable Yea and this our authour Fernandez Oiea saith that it hath great store of cattell and of all manner of Deere aswell for necessary prouision and mainteinance of the house as for game and disporte for the nobility and gentry of the land But of Fish heere taken not only in the Sea but also in the fresh riuers there is such variety and woonderfull store that it is from hence conueighed to most places throughout all Spaine It hath many hot bathes and other springs and waters of rare and soueraigne vertues It yeeldeth great plenty of wine and that so good especially that which is made about Orense and Riuadauia that it is transported from hence farre and neere into all countries Christian It offordeth much good fruite of all sorts but especially of Limons and Orenges Silke and Flax are verie great and gainefull commodities vnto the inhabitants Heere were sometime as Pliny testifieth very rich Mines of gold And Niger writeth that amongst the Artabri who inhabited not farre from Cape finister the riuers and brooks did bring downe after any great store of raine Earth mingled with Siluer Tynne and Gold-ore yea and that the soile heere was so fertile of Gold Copper and Lead that ofttimes the husbandmen with their ploughes did turne vp great cloddes of good gold Yet we know now saith Maginus that the Mines of this country at this day are of no great account It hath also some quarreis of fine marble Pedro de Medina reckoneth vp threescore Cities and townes of note in Galizia of which these following are the most famous and renowmed and therefore the more worthy the speaking of in this place COMPOSTELLA a goodly city situate betweene the two riuers Sar and Sarela is now commonly called and knowen by the name of SANTIAGO Saint Ieameses for that the body of the glorious Apostle Saint Iames elder brother to Iohn the Euangelist who first preached the gospel heere and planted Christianity amongst the Spaniards lieth heere interred and in honour of this blessed Apostle by the consent generally of all Prince Nobles and Prelates it was long since adorned with the title and dignity of Metropolitan This by-word is common amongst the Spaniards That there be three Apostolicall Churches in the world most renowmed and famous Saint Peters in Rome Saint Ieamses in Spaine and Saint Iohns in Ephesus They commonly hold that the first Church that euer was built in Spaine was that of our Lady in Saragosa the second was this of Saint Iames. Heere also is a goodly Vniuersity and schoole of good learning where all the Liberall Sciences are professed and taught and many students are brought vp and maintained vntill they come to be of age and abilitie for publike seruice either in the Church or Commonwealth The GROINE is a very goodly towne situate in an isthmos or demy-ile betweene two baies or creeks of the sea whereof the one is held to be one of the best hauens of the world And therefore heere for the most parte of the Kings ships in time of peace doe lie at anchor LVGO one of the principall cities of all Galizia standeth vpon the Min̄o not farre from Castro de Rey where this riuer ariseth It
foote for ought I know of Italy beyond the Alpes doth belong now to the crowne or kingdome of France The seuerall Shires or Prouinces of this kingdome are very many whereof the most principall are these Boulennois Ponthieu Caux Picardy Normandy Fraunce Beausse Bretaigne Aniow Le Maine Poitow Lymosin Santoine Guien Gascoigne Perigot Quercy Champaine Berrey Gastinois Sologne Auuergne Niuernois Lyomois Charrolois Bourbonois Maine Daulphein Prouince Languedocke Bloys or Blasois Forram Burgundy La Franche Conte Vermandois and some few others mentioned in this Mappe The whole land generally is very fertile and withall passing pleasant and healthfull and thereupon they vse to say that Lombardy is the garden of Italy and France is the garden of Europe Yet some places are more fertile for some one commodity then others are Picardy Normandy and Languedocke are as goodly countries for Corne as any in all Christendome beside Some places doe afforde great store of fruits some as great plenty of Wood In some places Flax and Hempe doe grow in great abundance in other places they make as great a commoditie of their Woad The whole countrey generally in all places affordeth much wine but the best is made in Beausse about Orleans They haue some mines of Iron but many of Salt Whereupon La Noüe saith that the Corne Wine Salt and Woad that is from hence transported into forraine Countries doth bring in yeerely to the subiects and crowne of France twelue hundred thousand pounds of currant mony And Iohn Bodine affirmeth that Such springs of Corne Salt and wine doe heere flow so copiously that it is almost impossible to empty them or drawe them quit dry Another a country man of ours a worthy gentleman and of as good iudgement as the best of them saith that in the prouince of Limosin are the best Beeues about Orleans the best Wines in Auuergne the best Swine and in Berry the choisest Mutton and greatest store of Sheepe In France there are twelue Archbishoprickes and one hundred and foure Suffraganes or Bishops Bodine saith that there are in France twentie seuen thousand and foure hundred Parish Churches counting onely euery city for a Parish The cities and walled townes in this country are very many but of them all PARIS is the chiefe which doth as much excell the rest as the lofty cedar doth the lowest shrubbes And I haue heard say if my memory faile me not that the King of France being demaunded by an Embassadour how many cities there were in all that his whole country and kingdome reckoned vp a great number and amongst them made no mention at all of Paris and being againe asked the reason why he did not account that for one amongst the rest answeared that Paris was another world This towne is seated in the I le of France vpon the riuer Sein in as pleasant and fertile a place as elsewhere may be found in this whole kingdome It is a very ancient city called by Caesar Lutetia by Ptolemey Lucotecia and by Iulianus in his Misopogonus Leucetia Zosimus nameth it Parisium and Marcellinus Castellum Parisiorum The castle of the Parisij For this prouince which now they call properly France or The I le of France was the ancient seat and habitation of the Parisij The riuer Sein Sequana parting it selfe into two streames diuideth this towne into three parts to wit The Burge vpon the North side The Vniuersity vpon the South and The Ville in the middest in the I le aforesaid which seemeth to be the old towne mentioned by Caesar For thus he writeth in the seuenth booke of his Commentaries of the warres of France Id oppidum Lutetia hee meaneth Parisiorum positum in insula fluminis Sequanae Lutetia that towne of the Parisij is situate in an iland in the riuer Sein It is as our learned countryman reporteth tenne English miles about by the wals The Vniuersity was founded by Charles the Great in the yeere of our Lord eight hundred For other particulars I wish thee to looke backe to that which we haue written before generally of France or particularly of diuers and sundry seuerall Prouinces of the same And beside those authours before named thou maiest adioine that our learned countriemam who not long since set out a discourse of this kingdome intituled The view of France GALLIA Geographica Galliae descriptio de integro plurimis in locis emendata ac Regionum limitibus distincta auctore Petro Plantio Quicquid terrarum Rhene Alpibus mari Mediterraneo Pyrenais montibus oceano Aquitanico Britannico et Germanico clauditur communi nomino Latinis Galliae appellatur quibus limitibus potentissimum Francorum regnum Sabaudia Burgundia comitatus Holvetia Alsatia Lotharingia inferior Germania et quaedam aliae regiones hodie continentur Ioannes Baptista Vriuts excudit The Duchie of LIMBORGH in the Low Countries GERMANIA INFERIOR or as we now call it The Low countries is at this day diuided into these seuenteene prouinces to wit foure Duchies Brabant Limbourgh Lukenburgh Guelderland seuen Counties or Earldomes Flanders Artois Heinault Holland Zeland Namur and Zurphen one Marquisate commonly called The Marquisate of the Sacred Empire fiue Grand Signeories Frizeland Mechlin Vtreckt Ouer-issel and Groninghen Of the most of these we haue in the former spoken seuerally and at large onely of Limborgh which although it be one of the least yet in honor and dignity not the least we haue hitherto spoken little or nothing The Dukedome of LIMBOVRGH therefore is a very little prouince situate in the middest betweene the Duchie of Gulich Gelderland the Bishopricke of Leege and Lutzenburge The citie Limburgh or as they vulgarly call it Lympurch the chiefe towne of this prouince and whereof it tooke the name standeth vpon the riuer Wesse or Wesdo as they name it and is distant from Aix three leagues but from Leige it is foure at the least or somewhat more It is a very strong towne both by nature and arte For being built vpon the rising of a stony hill it is enclosed round with a very defensible wall garded heere and there with diuers strong towers beside a goodly large Castle all of free stone vpon the toppe of the hill The situation and prospect of this citie is most pleasant and commendable For at the foote of the hill at the townes side runneth the riuer vnto which adioineth a goodly fertile plaine where daily great store of cattell are kept and mainteined to the great commodity and gaine of the inhabitants round about This city is not ancient nor once mentioned by any old writer as D. Remacle Fusch a learned Physician this countriman borne plainly confesseth and yet he saith that hee had diligently searched and turned ouer all authours who either of set purpose or by the way haue handled that kind of argument The soile is very good and fertile both for corne and pasture especially about Heruey a fine village not farre from Clermont Onely wine it yeeldeth none at all but in
benefit of Almighty God long after that the description of this Countrey was first set out the Maine-land was much enlarged and had gotten an aduantage of the Sea wee there haue altered the forme of that Mappe according as the place is found to be at this day The description of which plot of ground we obteined of Master Marke Laurine the Lord and owner thereof a braue gentleman greatly renowmed both for the noble stocke from whence hee is descended as also for his wisdome and great experience But in other Mappes which had no name of the Authour subscribed vnto them we were somewhat more bold for in these in some places at our discretion where we thought good wee haue altered some-things some-things we haue put out and otherwhere if it seemed to be necessary we haue put in Of some Countreys also that we might as much as in vs did lye make vp our iust number and fill vp our ranke we haue made some Mappes of our owne that there might as few Mappes be wanting as possibly might be In the abridgement and bringing of those Mappes which had as I said the names of the Authours added vnto them into a lesser forme we haue vsed that faithfulnesse and diligence that we hope to deserue thankes not onely of the Reader but also euen of the Authours themselues or at least we haue dealt so in them that no man need be asham'd of these of ours whatsoeuer they be yea he may aswell acknowledge and take this little one of ours for his owne as that greater one first set out by himselfe For wee haue endeuoured to the vttermost of our power in this our worke if it were possible to deserue thankes of the Authours if not yet by no meanes to displease them Not to follow or imitate that bad custome of some men in these our dayes who that they may seeme to the world to set foorth some new thing doe nothing els but alter the workes and labours of other men and oftentimes out of those which are good to select that which is not good and to sell it commonly for the best Sometimes by adding something at their pleasure and in some places againe taking out and detracting something and withall either by concealing the right Authors names or setting to their owne or feyning a name of some one or other they thinke to please the vulgar sort with nouelties that that their worke may sell the better and they may rake money together they care not how For we were not mooued to vndertake this labour by any couetous desire of getting much by it but euen of a willing and forward minde that wee had to helpe and further those that had a loue and affection to these studies not any whit respecting the gayning of any vaine glory and commendation by other mens labours For what need we to make new Mappes when as the old Mappes of other men now extant would serue our turne Some there are peraduenture which will looke to finde in this our Theater more descriptions of particular Countreys for euery man naturally for the loue that he beareth to his natiue soile would I doubt not wish that it were here seuerally described amongst the rest but let them know that those which are here missing are not left out and omitted either by our negligence or for that we were lothe to be at that cost and charges but because that either we neuer saw any such or at leastwayes for that there neuer came any such to our hands If there be any man which either hath any such or knoweth where there may be had him we would earnestly entreate that he would be the meanes to helpe vs vnto them assuredly promising him that we will at our owne cost and charges not without great thankes to him and a most honourable mention of his name cause them to be cut and imprinted apart and by themselues that hereafter they may be inserted into this our Booke either in their owne place elsewhere as any man shall like best Of the Order also by vs here obserued in the placing of these our Mappes I thinke it not amisse gentle Reader to speake a word or two and to acquaint thee with our purpose that if peraduenture there be any man which doeth thinke that they ought to haue bene placed otherwise we may either satisfie him if we may or els excuse our selues which is all I thinke that can be looked for at our hands First of all we present vnto thy view an Vniuersall Mappe of the whole world Then the foure quarters or principall parts of the same to wit Europe Asia Africa and America in this following dame Nature in which alwayes before the parts can be the whole whereof they be the parts must of necessitie first be Next after these we haue put the seuerall and particular Countreys of these parts beginning at the West part of the world in this following Ptolemey the Prince of Geographers and almost all others that haue written of this argument And so the Prouinces and particular countreys of America do first put foorth and shew themselues next to these do follow the Brittish Iles after them Spaine and then France From hence we passe to Germany whose Countreys being after our maner diligently surueyed from Heluetia or Switzerland we passed ouer the Mountaines into Italy which is the next countrey vnto it Eastward purposing also to view all the Prouinces thereof seuerally From thence we crossed the Sea and sayl'd into Greece Whereupon going into Slauonia we surueyed all the Countreys seuerally which do vulgarly speake the Slauonian tongue to wit Hungary Transsyluania Polonia Scandia and Russia Thus hauing finished Europe we come vnto the Isthmus or Straight land which is betweene the head of the Riuer Tanais and the North sea which is in deed the bound of Europe and Asia from it we step into Asia Which after we haue a while beheld we left and so passed into Africa by the Streights or narrow piece of the Mainland which runneth betweene the Bay of Arabia and the gulfe of Damiata Sirbonis lacus made by the ouerflowing of the Midland-sea From thence passing through Egypt and Barbary wee came vnto the Streights of Gibraltar which we crossed and at length came home againe to our owne natiue countrey from whence we first set foote like vnto a trauailer or a Pilgrime which hath viewed and trauailed through many and sundry seuerall Nations and Countreys passing out of one into another orderly as they lay and were situate one by another ouerskipping none at last returneth safely and ioyfully from whence he first set foorth Thus farre of the Mappes themselues Now let vs speake a word or two of the backside of the same Because we thought it would be a thing nothing pleasing to the Reader or Beholder to see the backesides of the leaues altogether bare and empty we determined there to make a certaine briefe and short declaration and Historicall discourse
Nigra and that of Switta whereon standeth the city Brin next in dignity to Olmuntz also Thaysa which glideth along by the city Znaim famous for the death of Sigismund the Emperour and lastly Igla passing by the city Igla rendreth vp his owne and his neighbours substance to the great and renowmed Danubius But the riuer Odera springing not far from Olmuntz retaineth his name to the Ocean sea Some thinke it is called by Ptolemey Viadrus Odera is so named of a word borrowed from fowlers which call their watch-towers for the spying and taking of birds Odri and such towers you haue now in Morauia at the fountaine of Odera Neither must we heere omit the riuer Hana which albeit sometimes scant of water yet doth it so moisten the neighbour-fields being thereby the fertilest in all the region as the husbandmen in regard of their plentifull increase call them the fat of Morauia Here also more than in other places are found the siluer and gold coines of M. Antoninus of Commodus and other Emperours Which is a manifest argument of ancient warres betweene the forces of the Empire and the Marcomans in these parts This one thing is most worthy the admiration that in Morauia there is a kind of Frankincense Myrrhe not distilling out of trees as in other countries but digged from vnder the ground in one place only called Gradisco where till this present is found not only Frankincense called Male frankincense in regard of the resemblance it hath with the priuie parts of man but also in the shape of other members both of man and woman And of late VVenceslaus of the noble family surnamed à Quercu as he was making a foundation for the banke of a fish-poole in his field of Sterenberg he found the intire body of a man consisting all of Myrrhe the which distributing vnto his friends and remembring me among the rest bestowed on me more than halfe an arme which I vsed often for a perfume The inner part of the region is arable an exceeding fertile and fat soile and most apt for corne as the hilles for vines being more fauourable to Bacchus than the hilles of Bohemia wherefore it excelleth for abundance of good wine And it is so generally manured and hath such plentie of husbandmen that vnlesse it be in forests and desert places heere is no pasture at all for the feeding of cattell For the rest both in speech fashions and customes they are like the Bohemians Hitherto Dubrauius In the yeere 895. the people of this region were instructed in the Christian faith by S. Methodius at the procurement of Arnulphus the Emperour Vnder the Emperour Henry the fourth in the yeere 1086. this countrey together with Lusatia and Silesia was annexed to the kingdome of Bohemia Their language is mixt for the greatest part speake Bohemian and the high Dutch is vsed only in cities among persons of best account This Prouince as Dubrauius writeth yeelds plentie of wine but not of the strongest such saith Rithaimerus and I my selfe haue so found it by experience as exempteth not the drinker quite from care Duglossus in his Polonian storie saith that the name of the riuer Odera signifies in the Henetian tongue inundation or robbery Olmuntz the head citie of this region and the seat of a Bishop is described by Stephanus Taurinus in his Stauromachia Concerning Morauia besides Dubrauius reade Aeneas Siluius in his Bohemian story This Map of Morauia first drawen by Fabricius but afterward corrected by diuers gentlemen of the countrey was sent me by Iohn Crato Counseller and principall Physician to the Emperour Maximilian the second a bountifull fauourer of these my studies He gaue me also this catalogue of townes called both by German and Bohemian names The Dutch names The Bohemian names Behemsche Triebaw Trzebowa Czeska Landskron Landskraun Schirmberg Semanin Sciltperg Ssilperck Hanstadt Zabrzch Zwittaw Swittawa Merherische Tribaw Trzebowa Morawska Neustadt Nowy Miesto Deutstbrodt Niemeckybrod Iglau Cziblawa Budwers Budegowice Weissenkirch Hranitza Plos Pzin Drosendorff Drosdowice Freyen Vranow Schtignitz Trztenice Holsterlitz Hosteradice Mislicz Moristaw Ioslwitz Iaroslaiwice Dayex Diakowice Grustpach Hrussowamy Maydpurgk Dewczihrady Auspitz Hustopecz Nuslau Nosyslaw Tischain Itza Schwartz Wasser Strumen Selowitz Zidlochowice Brin Brno Olmutz Holomane Prostnitz Proslegew Wischa Wyskow Austerlitz Slawkow Kremfier Kromerziz Vngerischbrod Vherskybrod Goeding Hodomin Lumpenburg Brzetislaw Altmarck Podiwin Ostra Ostracia MORAVIAE QVAE OLIM MARCOMANNORVM SEDES COROGRAPHIA A. D. PAVLO FABRITIO MEDICO ET MATHEMATICO DESCRIPTA ET A GENEROSIS MORAVIAE BARONIBVS QVIBVSDAM CORRECTA AVSTRIA or AVSTRICH GEORGE RITHAYMER in his Abridgement of the situation of the world describeth Austrich vnder the name of Pannony the higher in these words Pannony the higher saith he toward the East abbutteth vpon the riuer Leyth Ptolemey maketh the riuer Rab his Eastern bound Vpon the West it is bounded with the riuer Onasus and Noricum which is a part of Bayern Some do on that coast limit it with the mountaine Caetius on the North with the riuer Tey and the countrey Morauia for so farre at this day it doth extend it selfe on that side Vpon the South coast it resteth vpon the mountaines of Steyri The soile is good and fertile of all maner of corne and is such as is manured and tilled with small charge In that part which is beyond Donaw and is called Marchfield where long since the Chetuari and and Parmecampi were seated the husbandman falloweth his land with one poore seely jade only Marle without which their land in Bayern is leane and barren what it meaneth the husbandmen of Austrich know not It beareth so good Saffron as no other in the world may compare with it It affoordeth Wine passing holesome and agreeable to the nature of man Althamerus vpon Cornelius Tacitus his Germania writeth that it yeeldeth plentie of Ginger in a mountaine neere the towne Hamburg in the middest of Austrich or Pannony It hath many ancient and famous cities notwithstanding those of greatest note are Styre Vadenhoff Melck Castell anciently called Claudionum Crembs Cetro castle now called Zeisselmaur Saint Hippolytus the two Newberies one surnamed of the Abbey the other of Corne. Petronell a village now but in old time a great citie as his foundation ruines and heaps of stones and rubbish do testifie The new city Pruck vpon the banke of the riuer Leyth and Hamburg out of all the most famous is VVien sometime called Flauiana and Iuliobona renowmed for the Vniuersitie and Schoole than which there is none that hath brought forth more excellent and greater Mathematicians This citie is round beset with Vineyards The houses of the citizens are stately and beautifull so that they may seeme to giue entertainment to Princes and are built with large and open windowes to let the aire in and out and therefore they are neuer pestered and offended with close and bad aire for that euery priuate house hath either his seuerall court-yard or back-side Hither is great concourse of forren nations
from all countreys of Europe Here is great plentie of all maner of prouision necessary for the maintenance of mans life The riuers of Austrich are Donaw sometime the vtmost border of the region but now it runneth thorow the midst of the same Onasus Drawn Erlaph which at Cella or Zelltal famous for the Church of the Virgine Marie ariseth out of a most pleasant lake Draisn Ypsie Melck Marck These doe seuer Morauia from Austrich Camb a notable riuer for sundry sorts of fish Leytte and Swegad in which are Crefishes or Crabs of a most pleasant taste Thus farre Rithaymer Of the originall and reason of the etymologie of the name of this countrey this report Lazius in his Commentaries of VVien doth giue The name of Austria saith he was inuented of late about foure hundred yeeres since of the blast of the South winde called of the Latines Auster which winde in this country bloweth oft or of the similitude of the German name which I thinke to be more likely for the Kings of the Franks called the East border of their Kingdomes Ostenrich like as the West part they termed Westenrich This region long since was first gouerned by Marquesses then by Dukes and lastly by Archdukes to whom it is now subiect as is more at large to be seene in the said Commentaries of Lazius The ancient armes of this countrey were fiue Larkes Ore in a field Azure but Lupold the Marquesse the fift of that name of an accident or euent that befell him was licenced by the Emperour to alter his coat and to beare a field Gules with a fesse argent for that in the siege and assault of Accon he was all ouer embrued with bloud onely his girdle excepted More thou maiest reade of this in Munster and Cuspinian The description of Austrich is to be seene in Bonfinius in the end of his fourth booke fourth Decade of his historie of Hungarie Pius the second in his description of Europe citeth an historie of his written of this countrey which notwithstanding as yet it was neuer our chance to see The same authour hath in his Epistles passing well described Vienna or VVien the chiefe citie of this Prouince AVSTRIAE DESCRIP per WOLFGANGVM LAZIVM The Bishopricke of SALCZBVRG FRANCIS IRENICVS saith that of the fiue Bishopricks of Bayern this is the principall and the Bishops sea termed of Aeneas Syluius the Metropolitan citie whose description we haue here set downe is by Munster thus described Iulius Caesar entending to make warre vpon the Germans caused a very strong castle to be built in the streights of the mountaines whither his souldiers in danger might retire themselues and from whence they might haue succour when need required and therefore it was called Castrum Iuuauiense in the German tongue Helfenberg The riuer vpon which it standeth called Iuuauius is thought by some to haue giuen the name to this castle of which also the citie afterwards built was named Iuuauia This citie hath Fennes Plaines Hilles and Mountaines round about belonging to it The Fennes yeeld pastures the Mountaines hawking and hunting But this citie hauing long since flourished for a few yeres in the time of Attila the King of the Hunnes susteined many inrodes and incursions and was miserably wasted with fire and sword Afterward about the yeere of Christ 520 whenas S. Rupert descended of the bloud royall of the Franks was inuested Bishop of the sea of VVormes and after the death of Childebert was driuen from that his Bishopricke Thedo Duke of Bayern entertained him at Ratispone with great ioy and solemnitie and was baptized of him with his Nobles and Commons Rupert the Bishop going on visitation and trauelling about by Noricum euen vnto Pannony preaching the Gospell conuerted many to the faith of CHRIST and comming vnto the riuer Iuuaue where sometime the citie Iuuawe had stood but now ruined decaied ouergrowen with bushes and without inhabitant and obseruing the place fitting and conuenient for a Bishops sea he obtained the possession thereof from the Duke stocked vp the trees and bushes and finding the foundation of the buildings he erected there a Church which he dedicated vnto the honour of S. Peter Also by the bountifull magnificence of the same Duke he erected a Monasterie of the order of S. Bennet and gouerned the Bishops sea foure and fortie yeeres c. The same authour in that place reckoneth vp also the rest of the Bishops and Archbishops of this sea See Auentinus who thinketh this citie to haue beene of Ptolemey called Poedicum This citie is seated amongst the Alpes Some doe thinke it to haue beene named Saltzburg of Salt which in the countrey neere adioyning not farre from Reichenhall is digged out of the earth in great plenty Yet who doth not see it not to be called of them Saltzburg or Salisburg but Salezburg of Salcz or Salczach the riuer vpon which it is built and situate like as Insperg Instadt of the riuer In Iltzstadt vpon Iltz Regensperg vpon Regen not farre from this place and a thousand such euery where to be obserued The territorie and liberties of this citie is rich of all sorts of mettels as of Golde Siluer Brasse and yron Here is also found Vitrioll Brimstone Alume and Antimonie It hath also some quarries of Marble VViguley Hund hath set forth a catalogue of the Bishops of this citie The Iournall of Antoninus maketh mention of Iuuaue But Gaspar Bruschius thinketh the more ancient name of Iuuaue to haue beene Helfenberg and of that the name Iuuaue to haue beene formed which in signification is the same Pighius writeth that he hath read these verses in the chiefe church of this city Tunc Hadriana vetus quae pòst Iuuauia dicta Praesidialis erat Noricis Episcopo digna Rudiberti sedes qui fidem contulit illis CHRISTI quam retinet Saltzburgum serò vocata Thus verbatim in English Where Hadriana old did stand which since they Iuuaue call'd A garrison towne to Roman State there Robert was enstall'd First Bishop of the sea who them did bring to cheerefull light Of Gospell cleere which yet they hold it now is Salczburg hight SALISBVRGENSIS IVRISDICTIONIS locorumque vicinorum vera descriptio Auctore Marco Secznagel Salisburgense Qui patriae adfert ingenio suae Illustre nomen Laudibus excolens Dignus fauore est praemióque Quem sequens veneretur aetas Cum Marcus ergo fecerit hoc opus Grato tuum te quaeso foue sinu Salczburga ciuem ges tiensque Posteritatis honore cinge BAVARIA BAyern or Bauiere called of the Latines Boiaria or as others like better Bauaria was inhabited in former times by the Narisci Vindelici and Norici The Nariskes which now are called Nardge the riuer Donaw parteth from the other two The Noricks did enter at the riuer In and doe decline toward the East and West euen vnto Hungarie and Italie The Vindelicks were conteined betweene the riuers Lyke Donaw Isara Inne and the Alps which Ptolemey calleth Penninae All this
go Eastward looke by how much the aire is more subtile pure and thinne so much is it more fierce sharpe and piercing On the contrary the farther you go toward the South and West parts of the world by how much the aire is more thicke cloudy and foggy by so much it is more temperate kinde and healthfull For this countrey lying in the midst indifferently seated betweene frozen Island and parched Spaine and by that meanes getting a meane temperature betweene hot and cold aswell in respect of that temperature and holesomnesse of the aire is a most goodly fertile iland The champion fields do yeeld great store of corne the mountaines do feed many heards of cattell the woods affoord many Deere and other kind of wild beasts the lakes and riuers great variety and plenty of good fish Yet the soile of this iland is better for Pastorage than Arable-ground for Grasse than Corne. Multam fruges in Hibernia saith he plurimam in culmis minorem in granis spem promittunt Abundè satis campi vestiuntur horrea farciuntur sola verò granaria destituuntur Here their corne as long as it is in the grasse for Hibernia I read herba is maruellous good but much better it seemeth to be when it is shot vp and spindled only it faileth when it commeth to the threshing then it is seldome found to be casty In the field it maketh a goodly shew yea ordinarily it is as thicke as may stand vpon the ground their barnes are crammed full and mowed vp to the top only their garners are empty Thus farre Giraldus and because we haue handled the generall description of this iland in another place of this our worke we will conclude this discourse with a briefe description of some few of their cities and principall townes as we haue learned of that worthy gentleman Richard Stanihurst this countreyman bredde and borne DVBLIN situate vpon the riuer Liffe in the countie of Dublin the Metropolitan and chiefe citie not only of Leynster but also of all Ireland for goodly faire buildings multitude of people ciuility for sweet aire and situation doth as farre excell all the other cities of this I le as the lofty cypresse doth the lowest shrubs The Cathedrall church of S. Patricks was first founded by Iohn Cinim Archbishop of Dublin in the yere of our Lord God 1197. That great and goodly strong Castle was built by Henry Loundres Archbishop also of Dublin about the yere of our Lord 1220. This city is very ancient and was in Ptolemeys time as learned men thinke called Ciuitas Eblana The city Eblan The next city in order and dignity is WATERFORD a well gouerned towne and one that hath been alwaies faithfull to England It is very populous and ciuill and for that the hauen here is far better and more safe than that of Dublin much resorted vnto for trade and trafficke by merchants of forren countreys The streets of it are very narrow and darke Here no cutthroat-Iewish vsurer is permitted to vse his diuellish occupation that is as Cato sayd to kill men or to liue by the sweat of other mens browes The third is LIMMERICK which in regard of the goodly riuer Shenyn whereupon it is seated and standeth as also for the commodious situation of the same might iustly challenge the first place For this riuer is the greatest and goodliest of all Ireland whose depth and channell is such that notwithstanding the city standeth at the least threescore miles from the maine sea yet ships of great burden doe come vp euen to the towne walles besides that it is woonderfully stored with great variety of fresh fish King Iohn did like the situation of this city so well that he caused there a goodly castle and faire bridge to be built The last and least is CORCK situate vpon the riuer Leigh This hauen is one of the best in all Ireland and therefore the citizens are very wealthy and great merchants These three latter are all within the prouince of Mounster But if thou desirest a larger discourse of these particulars I wish thee to repaire to the foresayd authour Richard Stanihurst he shall satisfie thee to the full IRLANDIAE ACCVRATA DESCRIPTIO Auctore Baptista Boazio SERENISSIMO INVICTISSIMOQVE IACOBO MAGNAE BRITANNIAE FRANCIAE ET HIBERNIAE REGI IOANNES BAPTISTA VRINTS ANTVERPIANVS D. DEDICAT Ioannes Baptista Vrints Geographicarum tabularum calcographus excud Antuerpiae EXPOSITIO VERBORVM HIBERNICORVM Glyn Nemus Can Promontorium Caric Rupes Knoc Collis Slew Mons. B. vel Bale Vicus Kill Pagus Lough Lacus Enis Insula Mo. Monasterum Mc. Territorium filij Satrapae O Caput familiae ENGLAND OR The I le of GREAT BRITAIN as it stood about the time of the entrance of the Normans described by a Nubiensis the Arabian The second section of the seuenth Climate IN this second part of the seuenth Climate we comprehend a part of the b Ocean sea where c ENGLAND which is a very great iland in forme and fashion not much vnlike to a d Storkes head standeth apart from the rest of the world In this Iland there are many e populous Cities well inhabited steepe Hilles running Waters and goodly Champion grounds f Heere it is alwaies Winter The neerest of maine land vnto it is g Wady-shant in the prouince of Flanders Betweene this Iland and the Continent the passage is about h twelue miles ouer Amongst the cities of this I le which are in the outmost borders of it Westward and in the entrance of the narrowest place thereof is the citie i SIHSETER which is distant from the k sea twelue miles From this citie vnto the citie l GORHAM by the sea shore are threescore miles Item from the citie Sihseter vnto the outmost border of the iland Westward are m three hundred and fourescore miles From it also vnto the hauen n DARTERMOVTH are fourescore miles Then from thence vnto the o LANDS END called Cornwallia are an hundred miles From the citie Sihseter vnto the citie p SALEBVRES within the land Northward are threescore miles Item from the citie Gorham vnto the liberties of the citie q HANTONA which standeth vpon a Creeke that falleth into the sea are fiue and twentie miles off into this creeke there runneth from the East part thereof the riuer of r Wynseter From s WYNSETER vnto Salebures Westward are fortie miles From Hantona vnto the citie t SHORHAM are threescore miles This citie is neere the sea From it along by the sea coast vnto the city u HASTINGES are fifty miles From it following the shore Eastward vnto the citie w DVBRIS are seuenty miles This city is at the head of the x passage whereby they passe from England vnto the maine Continent on the other side ouer against it From the citie Dubris vnto the citie y LVNDRES vpland are forty miles This city standeth vpon a great riuer which falleth into the sea betweene the city Dubris and the city z GIARNMOVTH From which city Giarnmouth vnto the
city a TARGHIN are fourescore and ten miles This city Targhin riseth vp higher into the countrey about the space of ten miles From the city Targhin vnto the city b AGRIMES vpon the sea coast are fourescore miles From the city Giarnmouth aforesayd the sea bendeth all at once Northward in maner of a circle And from the citie Agrimes afore-named vnto the citie c EPHRADIK are fourescore miles This city is farre from the ocean sea hard vpon the borders of the iland of SCOTIA which is notwithstanding ioyned to the I le England From the citie Ephradik vnto the fall of the riuer of d VVyska are an hundred and forty miles e This WYSKA is a fortification vpon that riuer vp higher into the countrey from the sea twelue miles From the citie Agrimes before-mentioned vnto the city f NICOLA vpland are an hundred miles A g riuer diuideth this citie in the middest and runneth from it vnto the citie Agrimes and so vpon the South side of it falleth into the sea as we haue sayd before From Nicola an vpland citie vnto the city Ephradik are likewise fourescore and ten miles From thence vnto the citie h DVNELMA are fourescore miles Northward vpland and farre from the sea Betweene the coast of the Wild of Scotia vnto the coast of the I le i IRELAND are two dayes saile Westward From the coast of the I le England vnto the iland k DANAS but one dayes saile From the coast of Scotia Northward vnto the iland l ROSLANDA are three dayes saile From the coast of the I le Roslanda Eastward to the I le m ZANBAGA are twelue miles The length of the I le Roslanda is n foure hundred miles the bredth of it where it is broadest is but an hundred and fifty miles ANNOTATIONS by the Translatour vpon some particulars for the better helpe and direction of the Reader a THe Arabicke Geography imprinted at Rome in the yeere of our Lord 1592 set out by Baptist Raymund at the cost and charges of the most illustrious Prince Ferdinand Medices Graund Duke of Tuscane in Italie is but an Abridgement of a greater worke intitled _____ Nazahti'lmoshtak that is The pleasant garden as the authour himselfe in his Preface to that his worke doth plainly confesse which Abbreuiatour as he himselfe in the beginning of the fourth section of the first Climate testifieth was an African borne in Nubia For he there saith that in this Parallel there be two riuers called Nilus whereof the one which is vulgarly knowen by that name and is for difference sake called Nilus of Egypt runneth along by our countrey _____ Ardiana from South to North vpon whose banks almost all the cities both of Egypt and of the Iland are built and situate By many places of this his worke it is manifest that he was a Mussulman that is by profession a Mahometane He liued as I gather aboue fiue hundred yeeres since presently after the entrance of the Normans into England For at the second section of the fourth climate he writeth that when he wrote this his worke Roger was King of Sicilia but whether this Roger were Roger the father sonne of Tanchred the Norman who draue the Saracens from thence or Roger his sonne who in the yeere after Christs incarnation 1103 tooke vpon him the gouernment of that kingdome it is vncertaine and for ought I know not to be learned out of his words ANGLIAE REGNI FLORENTISSIMI NOVA DESCRIPTIO AVCTORE HVMFREDO LHVYD DENBYGIENSE Cum Priuilegio c _____ Alinkalaterra as the Spaniards Italians and French do call it that is England or The Angles land so named by Egbert king of the West-Saxons about the yere of our Lord 800 is of the three the greatest most fertile flourishing kingdome of this whole ile and therfore it is hereby this our authour in this place by a figure put for Great Britaine the part for the whole Neither is this any strange thing not vsed by any other for Raymundus Marlianus that adioyned those Alphabeticall descriptions of Cities Places Mountaines and Riuers to Caesars Commentaries doth put Angliam Insulam and Angliae Insulam The Ile England and The I le of England for Britanniam Britaine Such is the maruellous greatnesse of this Iland that when it was first descried by the Romans they thought it almost well woorthy the name of ALTERIVS ORBIS Another world And he that made the Panegyricke oration to Constantius writeth that Iulius Caesar who first discouered it to the Romans ALIVM se ORBEM TERRARVM scripserit reperisse tantae magnitudinis arbitratus vt non circumfusa Oceano sed complexa Oceanum videretur did write vnto his friends that he had found Another World supposing it to be of that wonderfull greatnesse that it could nor possibly be inuironed round on all sides of the sea but rather that it contrariwise did enclose the sea And for that it lieth so farre remote from the South like as Thule it was by poets and other ancient writers intituled Vltima Britannia Great Britaine the farthest part of the world Northward d _____ Alnaama In Auicen is a fowle called of the Latines Struthium an Ostrich as Gerardus Cremonensis his interpretour vnderstandeth the word and indeed the South part of the I le the sea falling in betweene Wales and Cornwall doth represent the necke and head of such a like fowle with the mouth gaping wide open Liuy and Fabius Rusticus did liken it Oblongae scutulae vel bipennt To aswingling stocke or sword which those vse that dresse hempe and flax to a twall or twibill a kinde of warlike weapon vsed in fight by some nations And indeed the whole iland being triangular triquetra they call it but of vnequall sides which kinde of figure the Geometers call Scalenum may also aswell as Sicilia be named TRINACRIA For from Taruisium a promontory or forland in Scotland now called Howburne all along by the shore vnto Belerium the cape of Cornwall are 812. miles from whence to Cantium The Forland of Kent are 320 miles from thence againe to Howburne in Scotland 704 miles So that by this account the circuit and compasse of Britaine is 1836 miles which commeth much short of that account of Pliny and is somewhat lesse than that of Caesar e The first inhabitants which seated themselues heere presently after the vniuersall floud in the dayes of Noe came hither from France as Necrenesse of place Likenesse of maners Gouernment Customes Name and Language doe very demonstratiuely prooue and euince And thereupon they call themselues Cumro as come from Gomer the sonne of Iapheth called of Historiographers Cimber from whom are descended the Celiae or ancient Gauls the inhabitants not only of France but generally of all the Northwest parts of Europe What thinke you then of that story of Brute Mary I thinke he wanted honesty that first inuented that fable and he wit that beleeueth it But Iohn Wheathamsted sometime Abbat of S. Albans a graue learned man and of good