beds of Cotton called Hammackoeâ— and they worship only the Sun and Moon They have Parrats bigger than Pheasants with backs breasts and bellies of a purple colour In Guadabuza is a fountain so hot that it will quickly boil a peece of meat In Mevis also there is an hot bath like ours in England In Mona are wild Boars and great wild Bulls in Moneta are abundance of Fowl The Antiles Islands are seven St. Vincent Granado Lucia Matalina Dominica Guadalupa and Aysey where the Natives paint themselves to keep off the Muskitoes wear their hair long cut their skins in diverse works worship the Devil and poison their arrows Boriquen or St. Johns Island is three hundred miles long and seventy broad traversed with a rough Mountain out of which flow many rivers Here the Spaniards have some Towns the chiefest is Porto Rico taken by the Earl of Cumberland Anno Christi 1597. from whence hee brought about eighty cast peices and much other wealth Mevis hath in it great store of wood and in a valley betwixt two hills there is a bath like unto ours in England There are in it store of Conies sundry kinds of Fowl and plenty of Fish some of our English under Captain Middleton Anno Christi 1606 passing through the woods came to a most pleasant Garden being one hundred paces square on every side and had many Cotton trees growing in it and many Guiacum trees about it were such goodly tall trees growing as if they had been planted by Art In the Islands of Margarita and Cubagua which are situate nigh unto the Golden Castile there is neither Corn Grass Trees nor water so that sometimes the people will give a tun of Wine for a tun of Water But they have abundance of precious stones hence called Margarites and the gems called Unions because they alwayes grow in couples Jamica described Jamica or the Island of St. James which was once very populous but now is almost destitute of Inhabitants the Spaniards having slain in this and a neighbouring Island called Boriquen above sixty thousand living souls so that the women used to kill their Children before they had given them life that they might not serve so cruel a Nation It s in length two hundred and fourscore milâ—s and in breadth threescore and ten It s well watered and hath two Towns of note Oristana and Sevil Here the English have this last year planted themselves Jamica is very subject to Hurricanes which are such terrible Gusts of wind that nothing can resist them They â—urn up Trees overturn houses transport ships from Sea to Land and bring with them a most dreadful confusion they are most frequent in August September and October The natives are of quicker wits than in other Islands Cuba is three hundred miles long some say three hundred leagues and threescore and ten broad It s full of Forrests Rivers Lakes salt and fresh and mountains Here the people were prohibited the eating of Serpents as a dainty reserved for the higher powers The air is temperate the soil is fertil producing excellent brass but the gold is drossie it abounds with Ginger Mastick Cassia Aloes Cinamon Sugar Flesh Fish and Fowle The chief Cities being seated on the Northern shoar are St. Jâ—go and Havana a safe rode for ships where the King of Spains Navie rides till they carry home their rich lading In this Isle of Cuba two things are admirable one a Valley trending between two hills for three leagues which produceth abundance of stones of a perfect round form like bullets The other a Fountain whence Bitumen or a pitchie substance floweth abundantly and is excellent to pitch ships In these Islands the Inhabitans have been wasted by the Mines of Hispaniola and Cuba to the number of twelve hundred thousand Bermudae were discovered by Sir Thomas Summers and thence called Summers Islands they are four hundred in number In the biggest is a Colony of English who found it fruitful and agreeable to their constitutions The commodities in these Islands are variety of Fish plenty of Swine Mulberries Silk-worms Palmitos Cedars Pearls and Amber-greese They have great variety of Fowle as big as Pidgions which lay speckled Eggs as big as Hens Eggs on the Sand. Another Fowle there is that lives in holes like Conie-holes Tortoises they have and in the belly of one of them they finde a bushel of Eggs very sweet One of them will serve fifty men at a meal Their winter is in December January and February yet not so sharp but then you may meet with young birds It s so invironed with Rocks that without knowledge a Boat of ten Tuns cannot bee brought in and yet within is safe harbour for the greatest ship Hispaniola which lamenteth her loss of three millions of her inhabitants murthered by the bloody Spaniards It s in compass one thousand and four hundred miles having a temperate air fertil soil rich Mines Amber and Sugar It excels Cuba in three things 1. In the fineness of gold 2. In the increase of Sugar one Sugar-Cane will here fill twenty sometimes thirty measures 3. The great fruitfulness of the soil the Corn yeelding an hundred fold The chief City is St. Domingo ransaked by Sir Francis Drake Anno Christi 1585. And lately attempted by our English but through miscarriages they lost their opportunity of taking it which made them go to Jamica Hispaniola seemeth to enjoy a perpetual spring the trees always flourishing and the Medows all the year cloathed in green It s in a manner equally divided by four great Rivers descending from high mountains whereof Junna runneth East Attibunicus West Nabiba South and Jache Northward Diverse of their Rivers after they have run a course of ninety miles are swallowed up of the earth On the top of an high Mountain is a lake three miles in compasse into which some Rivolets run without any apparent issue In one part of this Island is a Lake whose water is salt though it receive into it four great fresh rivers and twenty smaller It is thought to have some intercourse with the sea because some Sharks are found in it it is subject to stormes and tempests Another Lake there is that is partly salt partly fresh being twenty five miles long and eight broad These are in a large plain which is one hundred and twenty miles in length and between twenty five and twenty eight miles in breadth Another valley there is that is two hundred miles long and broader than the former and another of the same breadth but one hundred and eighty miles long One of the Provinces in Hispaniola called Magua is a plain compassed about with hills wherein are many thousand Rivers and Brooks whereof twelve are very great some thousands of them are enriched with gold Another Province is most barren and yet most rich with Mines From this Island the Spaniards used to bring yearly four or five thousand Duckats of gold This Island is much infested with flyes whose stinging
buyers costly mirth and admiration to prevent which the Marriners upon the delivery of each beast either kill it quickly or fasten their horns with cords to stakes placed there on purpose The Kingdome of Sofala Described Sofala is situate on the cost of Eastern Ethiopia neer the Sea here the Portugals traffick to Manica a Land of much Gold within land above threescore Leagues the women perform the offices of Tillage and Husbandry In it are many sorts of fruit as Pomgranats which bear all the year some green some ripe and some in flowers Fig-trees which yeild black Figs all the year about Oranges Limes Vines which bear twice a year in January and July Ananas Sugar canes Palm-trees which yeild infinite Cocoes and Wine Guiny Wheat and Rice There are abundance of Hens Goats Kine Wild beasts and wild Swine In Manica grow little trees on Rocks which are dry most part of the year but if you cut off a bough and put it into water in the space of ten hours it springs and flourisheth with green leaves In some parts they have store of Orenges and Lemons The King of this Country is called the Quitive they are Gentiles Hee hath above one hundred women whereof one or two are his Queens and many of them are his Aunts Cosins Sisters and Daughters all whom hee useth promiscuously when hee dies his Queens must dye with him to do him service in the other world The Kingdome of Monomopata Described Monomopata is above two hundred Leagues long On the North-West lies the Kingdome of Abutua where is much fine Gold yet their greatest riches they count their Cattle On the East it hath the River Zambeze On the South-West it extends to the Ocean and Southward it s bounded with the River Inhanabane The King hath many women whereof one is principal None may speak with him except hee bring a present The King and his Subjects wear a white Perewinkle in their foreheads for a jewell fastened in their hair and the King hath another great one on his breast None of them cut the hair of their heads or beards yet they grow not long they live commonly to ninety or one hundred years when the King dyes his Queen must drink poyson to serve him in another World It abounds so with Elephants that about five thousand are yearly killed for their teeth-sake There are said to bee three thousand Mines of Gold The Kingdome of Congo or Manicongo Described The Kingdome of Congo hath on the West the Ocean On the South the Caphars and Mountains of the Moon On the East those Hills from which the Rivers issue and run into the Fountains of Nilus and on the North the Kingdome of Benin The most Southerly part is called Quimbibe a great and mighty Kingdome extending from Bravagal to Bagamidri the air is wholesome the earth out-outwardly furnished with store of fruits inwardly with Mines of Christal and other mettals Angola is another Province of Congo a great Kingdome and very populous Cabazza is the Royal City one hundred and fifty miles from the Ocean from this Country the Portugals use to carry above twenty thousand slaves yearly into Brasile They are Heathens have their Idols of wood in the midst of their Towns in fashion like a Negro which they call Mokisso's they take as many wives as they please there are Mines of Silver and excellent Copper they have many Kine but love Dogs-flesh better which they feed for the Shambles their houses are fashioned like Bee-hives Horse-tails are great Jewels amongst them for one of which they will give two slaves Congo properly so called extendeth Westward three hundred seventy five miles Northward five hundred and forty Southward six hundred crossing over the Mountains of the Sun and the Mountain of Christal It s divided into six Provinces Bamba Songo Sundi Pango Batti and Pemba Bamba is the greatest and richest there are Mines of silver and on the Sea-shore shells which they use in stead of mony Amongst them there are some very strong men who will cleave a slave in the middle or cut off a Bulls head at one blow There are certain creatures as big as Rams having wings like Dragons long tails and chaps with diverse rows of teeth they live upon raw flesh their colour is blew and green and they have but two feet the Pagan Negroes worship them for Gods The Rivers of Congo are many the greatest whereof is Zatre In all of them are River-horses and Crocodiles and they overflow as doth Nilus There are whole Mountains of Porphiry Jasper white Marble and other Marbles and one that yeelds fair Jacinthes straked with natural veins When any of the Inhabitants dye they have no power to bequeath their goods to their kindred but the King is heire general to all men The Kingdome of Loango described Loango is the Noâ—therly neighbour of Congo right under the Line the Country stretcheth two hundred miles within Land the people are called Bramanes and the King Mani Loango they are circumcised after the manner of the Jews as all the rest of the Nations in those Countries use to bee they have abundance of Elephants and wear cloaths of Palm they are Heathens and use many superstitions they have their Mokisso's or Images to which they offer several things Beyond the Country of Loango are the Anzigues the cruellest Cannibals that are under the Sun for in other places they eat their enemies or their dead but here they eat their Country-men and kins-folk and keep shambles of mans flesh as with us of Beef or Mutton They have many Mines of Copper and great quantity of Sanders both red and gray They are excellent Archers they are circumcised and worship the Sun for their greatest God and the Moon next Ethiopia Superior called also Abassia described It is watered with four principal Rivers and as many huge Lakes The first River is Taucea running Northward but drunk up by the thirsty sands before it can come to the Sea It hath bordering upon it Mountains of admirable height and inaccessible The second River is Oara larger than Nilus that emptieth it self into the Sea of Zeila the water is very clear but the superstitious Abassines refuse to drink of it because in its passage it watereth some Mahometan Regions The third is Gabea and the fourth is Nilus One of the Lakes is called Dambea threescore mile long and five and twenty broad It abounds with fish and River-horses and in it are many Islands in which traitors are confined The Abassine soil is for the most part hollow and in the midst of the plains rise many Rockie-hills which in times of war serve them for Fortresses The whole Country abounds with Mettal-Mines but the inhabitants partly through ignorance and partly for fear of the Turks if the riches of their Country should bee discovered suffer them to lye hidden in the earth only they make use of so much Iron as lyes upon the surface of the earth Of plants and
apparrel the Country yeelding nothing but Cotton-wool They have fair and large Deer with large heads of several kinds As also Elks somewhat like a Mule that have no horns a snout that they shrink up and put forth and are excellent swimmers There are store of wild Boars that have their navel on their backs whence comes a sent like that of Foxes There are a sort of Acuti like Conies that live in their houses that having filled their bellies hide what they leave till they bee again hungry Their Pacas are like Pigs their flesh is pleasant but they never bring forth above one at a time There are Ounces some black some grey some speckled a cruel and dangerous beast The Curigue is grey as big as a Cat shaped like a Fox and smells worse they have a bag from the fore to the hinder feet wherein they carry their young ones till they can get their own food they usually have six or seven young ones The Armadillo is as big as a Pig of a whitish colour having a long snout and the body armed with things like Plates so hard that no arrow can peirce them except in the flank with their snouts they dig into the earth with incredible celerity their flesh tastes pleasantly and of their skins they make purses There are several sorts of Porcupines If one of their quills enter the flesh it works it self in strangely if it bee not pulled soon out There are many kindes of Apes with beards and Monkies and wild Cats with excellent Furrs There are huge Snakes some of twenty foot long that will swallow a whole Deer others there are that live of Birds Eggs black long and having a yellow breast they live on trees Another sort there is big and long all green and beautiful that live also of Birds and Eggs. Another sort with a long snout that feeds only upon Frogs there are rattle-snakes so swift that they call them the flying-snakes some of them twelve or thirteen spans long There are abundance of other sorts with Scorpions and Spiders and so many Lizards that they cover the walls of their houses There are abundance of Parots that flye in flocks and fill whole Islands they are fair and of sundry colours and are good meat There are other curious birds and amongst the rest the Awaken-Bird which sleeps six months and lives the other six months they have Partridges Turtle-Doves Blackbirds yea and Ostriches Eagles Faulcons c. They have many sort of fruit-trees and Cocoes and above twenty sorts of Palm-trees Pine-trees also and others that are medecinable some they have that never rot and others that yeeld an excellent smell Chilie hath on the East the Virginian Sea on the West the South Sea or Mare del Zur on the North Peru and on the South the Streights of Magellane It s very cold and in the Midland very mountainous and barren but towards the Sea level fruitful and watered with many Rivers that flow from the mountains It yeelds plenty of gold abundance of Hony store of Cattel and Wine fruits and plants brought from Spain prosper well here here are the Patagons some of them are said to bee eleven foot high Here is a River having in the day time a violent stream and in the night no water in it the water proceeding from the melting of the snow upon the Mountains The gold in Chily is gotten two wayes One by washing the earth in great trays of wood the earth by washing wasteth and the Gold remaineth in the bottome The other is by art to draw it out of the Mines every shower is a shower of gold for with the violence of the water falling from the Mountains it brings from them gold along with it There are also rich Copper Mines Horses Goats and Kine brought thither out of Spain are so encreased that there are found thousands in heards wild and without owners They have also other Cattel that are natural to America in some of which the Bezar stones are found Amongst the rest there is a little beast like unto a Squirel whose skin is the rarest delicatest and softest furr that is It is of a grey colour No Fruits that have stones will prosper here The Magellanick Streights Described Fourteen Leagues within the Cape of St. Mary lyeth the first Streight where it ebbs and flows violently the Streight being not full half a mile broad so that the first entrance is dangerous and doubtful three Leagues this Streight continues whence it opens into a sea eight miles long and as broad beyond which lyes the second Streight West South West from the first a dangerous passage also being three leagues long and a mile in breadth this opens into another Sea extending to the Cape of Victory a place of such a nature that which way soever a man steers his course hee shall be sure to have the wind against him the length of it is forty Leagues the breadth in some places two leagues in some others not half a mile the channel so deep that there can bee no anchorage the water full of turnings and the stream so violent that being once entred there is no returning On both sides are high Mountains continually covered with Snow from whence proceed also dangerous counter-winds that beat on all sides of it The Principal of the American Islands Described Many of the Islands in this part of the World have nothing remarkable in them and therefore I will speak but briefly of them The Islands neer unto the Gulph of Mexico Described At Paria begin two ranks of Islands the one extending East and West the other North and South Amongst the former is Margarita so called from the abundance of Pearls gotten there but being barren and wanting fresh water it is not inhabited Cubagâ—ua is her next neighbour yeildeth also store of Pearls but for the like barrennesse is unpeopled Here were so many Pearls gotten that the King of Spains fifth amounted ordinarily to fifteen thousand Duckats a year On the East part of this Island neer unto the Sea there is a fountain that casteth forth a bituminous substance like Oil in such abundance that it is seen floating upon the sea two or three leagues off Then follow Orchilia Oruba and some other Islands concerning which we have no more than their names upon record That other rank that trends Northward are Granata St. Vincent St. Lucia Dominica and North-west Desiderara St. Christophers Holy-Cross c. all which are called the Islands of the Caribes or Canibals the Inhabitants whereof eat mans flesh and passing over in their Canoes to other Islands hunt for men as others do for beasts At home they only cover their privities but in war they use many Ornaments they are nimble beardlesse shoot poisoned arrows bore holes in their ears and nostrils for bravery which the richer sort deck with gold the poorer with shels and make their teeth black which never ake nor rot their houses are round they have hanging
A Geographicall Description Of all the COUNTRIES In the known VVORLD AS ALSO Of the greatest and famousest Cities and Fabricks which have been or are now remaining Together with The greatest Rivers the strangest Fountains the various Minerals Stones Trees Hearbs Plants Fruits Gums c. which are to bee found in every Country Unto which is added a Description of The rarest Beasts Fowls Birds Fishes and Serpents which are least known amongst us Collected out of the most approved Authors and from such as were eye-witnesses of most of the things contained herein By SA CLARKE Pastor of the Church of Christ in Bennet Finck London PSALM 104.24 25. O Lord how manifold are thy Works In wisdome hast thou made them all The earth is full of thy riches So is the great and wide Sea wherein are things creeping innumerable both small and great Beasts c. LONDON Printed by R. I. for Thomas Newberry at the three Lions in Cornhill over against the Conduit MDCLVII A GEOGRAPHICALL DESCRIPTION OF ALL THE COVNTRIES IN THE KNOWNE WORLD as also of the Chiefest Cittyes Famousest Structures Greatest Rivers Strangest Fountaines c. Together with The rarest Beasts Birds Fishes c which are Least knownâ— amongst vs. BY SA CLARKE R Gaywood fecit A Geographicall Description Of all the COUNTRIES In the known VVORLD The Division of the World THE Earth is commonly divided into four parts Asia Africa Europe and America Asia Described Asia is divided into two parts Asia the lesse next to Europe called also Anatolia or Natolia thus bounded Towards the West and North is Greece Full West is the Archipelagus On the East is the River Euphrates On the North is the Euxine Sea And on the South the Mediterranean This Country was once of admirable fertility affording all sorts of Commodities both for necessity and delight But for the sins of her Inhabitants it s turned into barrennesse having been so often wasted by the great Monarchs of the earth First by the Babylonians then by the Meads and Persians then by the Grecians then by the Romans and lastly by the Turks who have made such wofull havock that in it are to bee seen the ruines of above four thousand Cities and Towns the residue have lost both the names and memory of their Predecessors and the people are faln from the Knowledge Religion and Industry of their fore-fathers and for the most part are Mahumetans In this Asia the Lesse are contained these Provinces Caria Jonia Doriâ— Lydia Aeolis Phrygia minor and major Cilicia Pamphilia Lycia Bythinia Pontus Paphlagonia Galacia Cappadocia Lycaonia Pysidia and Armenia minor In Jonia stood Miletum where Paul Preached to the Elders Acts 20.17 and Ephesus In Lydia were seated Laodicea Thyatira Philadelphia Sardis and Pergamus In Phrygia minor was Adramitium mentioned Act. 27.2 In Phrygia major was Colosse to whom Paul wrote his Epistle In Cilicia was Tarsus where Paul was born In this Country feed those Goats whose hair makes our curious Chamlets and Grogerams falsely called Camels hair In Pamphilia are seated Perga Pisidia and Attalia Sea Towns Act. 13 1â— 14. In Lycia the cheif City was Patara In Lycaonia were Iconium and Listra In Pisidia was the famous City of Antiochia In Asia the Greater are contained these Countries Syria Palestine Armenia major Araâ—â—a the Happy Stony Desert Media Assyria Mesopâ—tamia Persia Chaldâ—n Partâ—ia Hircania Tâ—rtaria â—hiâ—a and India In Syria are Phaenicia Caelâ—syria and Syrophâ—nicia In Phaenicia are Tyre and Sidon Sarepta and Ptolaemais In Caelosyria are Hieropolis Damascus Aleppo Tripolis c. Palestine is in length two hundred miles in breadth but fifty containing Samaria Idumaea Judaea Galile the higher called Galile of the Gentiles Galile the lower wherein were Nazareth and Mount Tabor where Christ was transfigured Armenia major now Turkomania wherein was Colchus whence Jason fetched the golden Fleece Arabia divided into three parts Arabia Deserta where the Children of Israel were fed with Manna forty years Arabia Petrosa where Mount Sinai was and the Law given Arabia Faelix abounding with Spices and Drugges where Medina is the place of Mahomets Sepulchre Media where the fruits of the Country are said to bee always green and flourishing Assyria where Nineveh stood to which Jonah was sent Mesopotamia where was Babylon Persia a great Empire where the Regall City is Persepolis Chaldaea often mentioned in Scripture Parthia the Inhabitants whereof were famous for their Archery and opposition against the Romans Hircania which hath many Cities of note and abounds with Wine and Honey Tartaria formerly called Scythia whose Queen Tomyris overcame Cyrus and cut off his head They have neither Cities nor houses but live in hoards their Prince is the great Cham. China is a very great populous and fruitful Country and the Inhabitants are very ingenuous but it is lately overrun by the Tartars as you shall hear afterwards India through the midst whereof runs the River â—anges dividing it into India intra Gangem which lieth towards the West and India extra Gangem which lyeth towards the East The chief place whereof is Goa where the Vice-roy of Portugal resides The Islands of Asia the less are Rhodes over against Caria and Cyprus formerly consecrated to Venus In the Indian Ocean the Islands are very many principally Ormus Zeilan Sumatra Avirae insulae Bocuro Java major and minor Japan the Molucco's and the Philippine Islands which abound with Spices of all sorts Pearls and Gold whereof I will now give a more particular account Asia minor more largely described Cappadocia described Cappadocia called also Leucosyria and now Amasia stretcheth four hundred and fifty miles along the Euxine Sea bounded on the West with Paphlagonia Galatia and part of Pamphilia on the South with Cilicia on the East with the Hills Antitaurus and Moschius and part of Euphrates Here runneth Halis the end of Craesus Empire both in the site and fate thereof hee being deceived with that ambiguous Oracle Craesus Halin penetrans magnam pervertet opâ—m vim that passing Halis hee should overturn a great State which hee interpreting actively of his attempts against Cyrus verified it passively in himself In Cappadocia was the City of Comana famoused by the Temple of Bellona and a great multitude of such as were there inspired by Devillish illusions Not far thence also was Castabala where was the Temple of Diana Persica Galatia or Gallo-graecia hath on the South Pamphilia and on the North it s washed with the Eâ—xine Sea by the space of two hundred and fifty miles Sinope was the chief City Deiotarâ—s a famous King but Galacia is made more famous by St. Pauls Epistle written to the Church thereof Pontus and Bithinia now called Bursia hath on the West the mouth of Pontus the Thracian Bosphorus and part of Propontis Galacia on the East part of the Euxine Sea on the North and Asia properly so called on the South The most famous Cities in it were Nice wherein was celebrated the first General Council gathered
though the Plague rage never so much as many times it doth yet upon that very day wherein Sol enters into Leo which is usually the twelfth or thirteenth day of July it immediately ceaseth and all that are then sick amend and such as are then come abroad need fear no further danger The Turks call Aleppo Halep which signifies milk because it yeilds great store of milk It s usuall here with many Christians to take a woman of the Country provided shee bee not a Turk for its death for a Christian to meddle with them and when they have bought them to enroll them in the Cadi's book and so to use them as wives at bed and board while they sojourn there and then at their departure to leave them to shift for themselves and children Tripolis is a City on the main land of Syria neer unto Mount Libanus which is a Mountain of three days journey in length reaching from Trypolis to Damascus The Christians which dwell upon this Mountain are called Maronites they are a very simple and ignorant People yet civil kind and curteous to strangers There are now few Cedars growing here only in one place there are four and twenty growing together they are tall and as big as the greatest Oaks with diverse rows of branches one over another stretching strait out as though they were kept by Art There is no place in all the VVorld wherein they speak the Syriack tongue naturally at this day but only in four villages on this mountain which are Eden Hatcheeth Shany and Boloza Neer unto Tripolis there is a gallant plain of about a mile in length full of Olive and Fig-trees Scandaroon by Christians called Alexandretta is in the very bottome of the Straights The Air is very unwholsome and infects those that stay any time there occasioned by two high mountains which keep away the Sunne from it for a great part of the day the water also neer the Town is very unwholsome Here our Merchants land their goods and send them by Caravan upon Camels to Aleppo distant about three days journey Here are many Jackalls which in the night make a great crying and comming to a grave where a Corse hath been buried the day before if the grave bee not well filled with many great stones upon it they will scrape up the Earth and devour the corps Mr. Bidulphs Travels The Empire of Persia Described Persia at this day hath many famous Provinces subjected to her Command as Persia Parthia Media Hyrcania Bactria Sogdiana Evergeta Arâ—a Drangiana Margiana Paropamisa Caramania Gedrosia Susiana Arabia Chaldea Mesopotamia Armenia Iberia and Mengrellia twenty Noble Kingdomes of old The whole Empire is bounded East West North and South with India Arabia the Caspian and Persian Seas In length from East to West is one thousand three hundred and twenty miles and in breadth from North to South it s One thousand four hundred fourscore and eight miles So that the whole Circuit is about Four thousand miles the Revenues of the Persian King amount yearly to the sum of one million and one hundred and ninty thousand pounds sterling The Persians are usually big-boned strong straight and proper Of an Olive colour the women paint the men love Arms and all love Poetry No part of their body is allowed hair the upper lip excepted where it grows long and thick they turn it downwards the meaner sort reserve a lock in the middest of their head by which they believe Mahomet will pluck them up into Paradise Their eyes are black their foreheads high and their Noses hooked upon their heads they wear Shashes of great rowls of Calico silk and gold the higher the more beautiful They wear no bands their outside garment is usually of Calico stitched with silk quilted with Cotton the better sort have them farre richer of silk silver and gold their sleeves are straight and long their garment reaches to the Calf of the leg their wasts are girt with Towels of silk and gold very long next their skin they wear smocks of Cotton very short their breeches and stockings are sowed together from the ankle to the shooes they are naked their shooes have no latchets sharp at the toes and turn upward Circumcision is so necessary that without it none can call himself a Mussulman Both men and women use it the women at any time from nine to fifteen the men at twelve which was Ishmaels age when Abraham circumcised him whom they make their progenitor Their ordinary houshold furniture is a Pan a Platter and a Carpet their diet is soon drest and as soon eaten their Table is the ground covered with a Carpet over which they spread a Pintado cloth before each man they lay four or six thin Cakes of Wheat for every one a wooden spoon their handles almost a yard long and huge big mouthes Their only meat is Pelo dressed after diverse manners It consists of Rice Mutton and Hens boiled together to which they adde various sauces c. Their drink is Sherbet made of fair water sugar Rosewater and juice of Lemmons mixt together The chief Cities in Persia described The City of Lar described Lar is the chief City in the Province of Larestan It s not walled about In that Art is needlesse the lofty Rock so naturally defending her shee hath a brave Castle on the North Quarter mounted upon an imperious Hill not only threatning an enemy but awing the Town with her frowninâ— posture the ascent is narrow and steep the Castle of good stone the walls are furnished with good battlements whereon are mounted twelve brasse Cannons and two Basilisks the spoils of Ormus within the walls are one hundred houses stored with souldiers who have there a gallant Armory able to furnish with Lance Bow and Gun three thousand men The Buzzar or Market-place is a gallant Fabrick the materials a good Chalkie-stone long strong and beautiful It s covered a top arched and containing in it a Burse or Exchange wherein the shops are stored with variety of wares the walk from North to South is a hundred and seventy paces from East to West one hundred and sixty the Oval in the Center is about one hundred and ninety The Mosques or Churches are not many One especially is round figuring eternity in some places engraven with Arabick letters and painted with knots and in other places with Mosaick fancies It s low and without glasse windows woodden trellizes excellently cut after their manner supplying that want Here are the fairest Dates Orenges Lemmons and Pomecitrons in all Persia at easy rates you may have Hens Goats Rice Rache and Aquavitae The Inhabitants are for the most part naked being a mixture of Jews and Mahumetans their habit is only a wreath of Calico tyed about their heads a cloth about their loins and sandals on their feet the rest naked Herb. Trav. Shyraz described Shyraz is at this day the second City for magnificence in the Persian Monarchy It 's watered by
after the Indian mode are narrow and nasty the buildings in general are spacious and comely T is watered with a delicious stream the Gardens are filled with sweet and eye-pleasing flowers the whole Isle abounds with Grass Corn Groves Cattel fruits and many other sense-ravishing delights wherein there are above twenty Villages The field peeces here are above three hundred the Palaces are strong of good stone furnished within with rich Arras and painting and the Churches beautiful and comely Herb. Travels The City of Amadavar described Amadavar is the Metropolis of Cambaya or Guzurat watered by a sweet River and circled by a beautiful strong stone wall of six miles compass well and orderly adorned with many pretty Towers and twelve Posterns The streets are many indifferently large and comely most shops abound with Aromatick Gums perfumes and spices as also with Silks Cottons Calicoes and choice of Indian and China rarities owned and sold by the fair spoken but crafty Bannians The Market-place is rich and uniform the Castle strong large and moated about The houses in general are built of Sun-dryed Bricks low large and tarrassed The Island of Socotora described Socotora is an Island in the mouth of the Red-Sea a little Island but pleasant and abounding with good things one part rising into wholesome Hills other parts falling into fruitful dales all places garnished with spreading trees sweet Grass fragrant flowers and rich Corn hath store of Olives Aloes Sempervive Sanguis Draconum Cocoes Dates Pistachoes Orenges Pomegranats Pomecitrons Lemons Melons Suger-Canes c. It abounds with fish foul and flesh Here are Civet-Cats The inhabitans are black they are Christians by profession their Churches are built in the form of a Cross kept sweet and neat without seats and images they have a Patriarch whom they reverence and duly pay their Tithes to the Clergie their feasts and fasts like ours Age is much regarded humility commanded and commended second marriages are not allowed except they had no Children by the first have their Sacraments wrap the dead in clean linnen and so bury them without lamentation Ormus described Ormus is situated in the Persian Gulph a miserable and forlorn City and Isle at this day though not many years since it was the bravest place in all the Orient If all the world were made into a Ring Ormus the Gem and grace thereto should bring The whole Island is a Sulphurious Earth which together with the heat of the Sun from May to September makes it almost intollerable so that their custome is to sleep in beds of water all day naked the City had a fair Buzzar many Churches Monasteries brave Magazeens stately houses and as gallant a Castle as any was in the East The whole Isle exceeds not fifteen miles in compass and is the most barren place in the World neither affording Tree nor spring of good water yet from the advantagious standing the industrious Portugal made it the staple and glory of the world till in the year 1622. the English joyning with the Persians made it a ruinous heap as it continues till this day Narsinga Described Narsinga is famous all over Asia it s confined by Mallabar Gulcunda Bengala and the Ocean the King is very rich and powerfull in men arms and ammunition His Countrey full of all things requisite for use and pleasure Hath many fair Towns strong Forts pleasant fields and choicest Minerals abounding in Rivers hills dales Cattel Corn Fruits c. The Temples have in them many rich and Massy Idols of ugly shape as best pleaseth the Devil for his service and devotion Bisnagar is the second City in Narsinga for grandeure and bravery being circled with a wall of four miles compass and as well fortified well built and wealthy It is much frequented by our European ships and Junks from all parts of India Few strangers come thither but they are invited by the King who delights to shew them his fine cloathes being set thick with stones and Gems of infinite value hee hath for his guard a thousand Pensioners Hee affects Polygamy and therefore stiles himself The Husband of a thousand women who at his death makes his flaming grave their consuming Sepulcher Mesulipatan is seated neer the Bengalan Ocean The Town hath little beauty not many years since a raging mortality and Famine having well nigh depopulated it The fields and gardens are parched by the Sun from March to July the four next months are disturbed with wind and incessant rains only from November to March they have kindly weather The English have here a residence where they trafick for Calicoes Rice c. Malacca described Malacca is a Peninsula whence abundance of gold is carried into Pegu Siam Borneo and Sumatra It s judged to bee part of the Ophir whence Solomon fetched his gold Malacca the Royal City obeyes now the Siam Monarchy being conquered by the King thereof Anno Christi 1508. by the help of the Portugals at which time they gat an incredible Mass of Treasure three thousand peeces of great Ordinance and so much minted coin that the King of Portugals part came to two hundred and fifty thousand Ryals of eight The City is above three miles long but narrow built upon the banks of a pleasant River as broad as our Thames A rivolet of sweeter water runnes through the Town over which is raised a strong stone bridge the buildings are generally low and but meanly furnished though they want no gold to purchase better The streets and fields shew many delightful Arbours and choice fruits with Corn Sugar and Durapen trees preferred before gold and silver Patania Described Patania stands between those two famous Ports of Malacca and Siam the Town is strong and defended by twelve great brass guns whereof one is a Basilisco of twenty six foot long The People are black and go almost naked they delight much in eating Bettle and Opium they usually eat in plates of Gold they are very hospitable to strangers and the better sort of them blush not to proffer their daughters and neeces to be their bed-fellows during their stay there Adultery they punish sharpely Fornication lightly they delight much in wine Rack Rice Fruites c. Siam Described Siam is a powerful and wealthy Kingdom The King hath under him many Countries watered by Ganges he usually goes to war with a thousand Elephants and two hundred thousand men The Inhabitants are black and almost naked As a badge of devotion they gird their middles with a peece of Leather and carry an umbrella in their hands to lenefy the flaming Sun they are great Idolaters worshiping gods in the shape of Prtapus or Pan They have Groves and Altars whereon they offer flesh fruit and flowers their Tallapois or Priests are great Conjurers and much esteemed by the People Here are abundance of Diamonds Chrysolites Onix-stones Magnets Bezars with Lignum aloes Benjamin Cotton and mines of Gold Silver Iron Copper c. Victuals and other Commodities are
of it no considerable party opposing them in their peaceable possession as you may read more fully in a book called Bellum Tartaricum The City of Quinsay described Quinsay was formerly the Regal City of China situated abuut the heart of the Country and yet not far from the Sea In it were to bee found so many delights that it seemed an earthly Paradise It was one hundred miles in compasse for the streets and channels thereof were very wide and the Market-places very large It had on the one side a clear lake of fresh water and on the other a great River which entring into many places of the City carryed away all the filth and occasioned a good air There were store both of Carts and Barks to carry necessaries It had in it twelve thousand Bridges great and small those on the chiefest Channels being so high that ships might passe under them On the other side of the City was a great Trench forty miles long large and full of water from the River which served both to receive the overflowings of the River and as a fence to that side of the City the earth that was taken out being laid as a bank or hill on the inside There are ten chief Market-places besides infinite others along the streets all of them square the square being half a mile on each side and from the fore part of them runs a principal street forty paces wide reaching from one end of the City to the other with many Bridges traversing of it and at the end of every four miles is such a Market-place There is also a large channel running over against the street behinde the Market-places on the banks whereof are erected store-houses of stone where Merchants out of all Countries laid up their Commodities being commodious to the Markets In each of the Market-places three dayes in a week was a concourse of forty or fifty thousand persons which brought in whatsoever was requisite for the life of man besides beasts and fowls of game Then followed the Butchers rows of Beef Veal Kid and Lamb Besides there were all sorts of Herbs and fruits and amongst them huge Pears weighing ten pound a peece and very fragrant Peaches yellow and white very delicate Every day from the Ocean which is but five and twenty miles off is brought up abundance of fish besides what the Lake and River yeeld All the Market-places are encompassed with high and fair houses and underneath are shops of Artificers and all sorts of Merchandises Spices Jewels Pearls Rice-wine c. Many streets answer one another in those Market-places wherein are many Bathes both of cold and hot waters and people wash every day before they eat any thing At the end of each Market-place is a Palace where Magistrates determine all controversies which happen amongst Merchants and others There are twelve Principal trades each of which have one thousand shops and yee shall see in every shop ten twenty thirty or forty men at work under one Master The Masters themselves work not but stand richly apparreled and their wives with Jewels inestimable their houses are well ordered and richly adorned with Pictures and other stupendious costs About the Lake are many fair buildings and great Palaces of the Nobles and chief men and Temples of their Idols and Monasteries of many Monks In the middest of the Lake are two Islands upon each of which is a Palace with incredible numbers of rooms whither they resort upon occasions of marriages or other feasts where are provisions of Vessels Nappery and other things kept in common for such purposes In the Lake also are Boats and Barges for pleasure adorned with fair seats and Tables and other provision for banquets covered over head within they are neatly painted and have windows to open and shut at pleasure Nor can any thing in the World seem more pleasant than from the Lake to have such a prospect the City so fully presenting it self to the eye with so many Temples Monasterys Palaces Gardens with high trees Barges People c. For their manner is to work one part of the day and the other part to spend in solace with their friends or with women on the Lake or in riding in Chariots up and down the City All the streets are paved with stone as are all the high wayes in China The principal street of Quinsay is paved ten paces on each side and in the midst it 's well gravelled with passages for the water which keeps it alwayes clean There are also multitudes of Chariots accommodated with cloathes and cushions of Silk for six persons in each of them and in them the inhabitants solace themselves in the streets or go to Gardens provided on purpose for their pleasure This City contains about sixteen hundred thousand housholds and together with the Country adjoyning yeelded to the King sixteen millions and eight hundred thousand Ducats of gold yearly besides six millions and four hundred thousand Ducats for the customes of salt Pur. Pil. v. 3. p. 98. The Great Mogols Empire described The Great Mogols Country is called Indusâ—an which for spaciousness abundance of brave Towns numberlesse inhabitants infinit treasure mines food and all sort of Merchandise exceeds all Kings and Potentates in the Mahomitan World This vast Monarchy extends from East to West two thousand six hundred miles From North to South one thousand four hundred miles It s in circuit five thousand It is bounded with the Bengalan Gulph and Indian Ocean On the South with Decan and Mallaber North and North West with Tartary and Persia It contains thirty seven large Provinces thirty great Cities three thousand walled Towns His revenues are very great He hath in continual pay three hundred thousand Horse and keeps two thousand Elephants at a vast charge his Treasurer yearly issuing out above forty millions of Crowns The names of the Provinces are 1. Candahor The chief City is of the same name It lies Northward and confines upon Persia. 2. Cabul The chief City is of the same name It lyes in the North West part and confines upon Tartary 3. Multan The chief City is of the same name On the West it joyns with Persia. 4. Hajacan It hath no great City It s bounded Eastward with the famous River of Indus and Westward with Persia. 5. Buckor The chief City is Buckor-succor Indus runs through it and much inriches it 6. Tatta The chief City is of the same name The River Indus maketh many fruitful and pleasant Islands in it the chief arm of it falls into the Sea at Synde a place famous for curious handy crafts 7. Sorat The chief City is Janagar It s a little Province but rich bounded with the Ocean on the South 8. Jeselmeere The chief City is of the same name 9. Attack The chief City is of the same name It lyeth on the Eastside of Indus 10. Peniab It 's seated 〈◊〉 five Rivers which all fall into Indus It s a great and very fruitful Province
Lahor is the chief City afterwards described which is the chiefest City of Trade in all India 11. Chishmeere The chief City is called Siranakar the River Phat passeth through it that falls into Indus 12. Bankish The chief City is called Bishur It s divided from Chishmeere by the River Indus 13. Jengapor The chief City is of the same name It lies upon the River Kaul 14. Jenba The chief City is of the same name It lies East of Peniab 15. Delli The chief City is of the same name which is a great City where most of the Great Mogols lye interred 16. Bando The chief City is of the same name It hath Agrae on the West 17. Malway A very fruitful Province The chief City is Rantipore 18. Chitor A great Province where the chief City is of the same name 19. Guzarat A goodly Kingdome and exceeding rich inclosing the bay of Cambaia The chief City is Surat a place of great trading 20. Chandis VVhere the chief City is Brampoch large and populous and the South bounds of this Empire 21. Berar The chief City is Shapore the South part of it also bounds this Empire 22. Narvar VVhere the chief City is Gehud watered by a fair River that empties it self into Ganges 23. Gualiar The chief City is so called where the Mogol hath a great Treasure In this City also is a strong Castle where hee useth to keep his Prisoners 24. Agra Where the chief City is of the same name and afterwards described 25. Sanbal The chief City is of the same name It s watered by the River Jemini which falls into Ganges 26. Bakar where the chief City is Bikaneer It lies on the VVest side of the River Ganges 27. Nagracut The chief City is of the same name where is a Chappel richly seeled and paved with plates of pure gold The Idol is called Matta visited by many thousands yearly which out of devotion cut off a part of their tongues to sacrifice to it 28. Syba VVhere the chief City is Hardwair Here the famous River Ganges springs out of a Rock whither the superstitious Gentiles go daily in troops to wash their bodies 29. Kakares Where the principal Cities are Dankalee and Purhola It s very large and exceeding mountainous and is parted from Tartarie by the Mountain Caucasus being the Mogols most Northerly bound 30. Gor The chief City is of the same name The River Persilis begins here which runs into Ganges 31. Pitan the chief City is of the same name It s watered by the River Kanda which falls into Ganges 32. Kandua Where the chief City 〈◊〉 Karhakatenka the River Sersili parts it from Pitan and lies Northward 33. Patna The chief City is of the same name A fertile Province bounded by Ganges on the West 34. Jesual Where the chief City is Raiapore It lies East of Patna 35. Mevat Where the chief City is Narnol It s a very mountainous Country 36. Udessa Where the chief City is Jokanat It s the Eastermost part of this vast Empire 37. Bengala It s a very spacious and fruitful Kingdome bounded by the Gulph of Bengala into which the River Ganges emptieth it self at four mouthes This Empire hath plenty of excellent Wheat Rie and Barley whereof they make pure white bread As also of Kine Sheep and Goats with whose Milk they make much Butter and Cheese they have store of Bufelo's that give good milk It s a very large Beast having a smooth thick skin without hair They have store of red Deer fallow Deer Elks and Antilops which are good Venison and every mans Game not being enclosed in Parks They have Geese Ducks Pigeons Partridges Quails Peacocks and many other singular good fowl a sheep is usually sold for twelve pence four couple of Hens for twelve pence A Hare for a penny three Partridges for a penny c. They have store of Salt and Sugar They have abundance of Musk-melons Water-melons Pomegranats Pomecitrons Lemmons Orenges Dates Figs Plantans Mangoes in shape like our Apricocks but more luscious Ananas a delicate fruit store of Potatoes Carrats and other good roots as also Pears and Apples in the Northerly parts many good Garden Herbs and Ginger also Taddy an excellent Drink that issues out of a Tree For three months they have abundance of rain with much thunder and lightening the other nine months so clear that a cloud is scarce to bee seen The Country is beautified with many woods and great variety of fair goodly trees some having leaves as big as bucklers others parted small as Fern as the Tamarine trees that bear a sower fruit somewhat like our Beans very good to cool and cleanse the blood all their trees are green all the year about There are rare flowers of admirable colours but few of them sweet save their Roses and two or three more sorts The Country is watered with many goodly Rivers especially Indus and Ganges besides which they have store of springs upon many of which they bestow great cost of stonework making Tanks or Ponds some of them a mile in compasse others more surrounded with stone walls and within them fair stone steps round about Some of them are filled with rain water They have a strong drink called Rack distilled from Sugar and the spicie rind of a tree called Jagra they have also Cohha made with a black seed boiled in water that helps digestion quickens the spirits cleanses the blood and provokes lust Many of their houses are flat on the top on which in the cool seasons of the day they take the cool air they have no chimnies using no fire but only to dresse their meat The upper rooms have many lights to let in air but they use no glasse Amongst their houses are many fair trees which are a great defence against the Sun Most of their houses in the Cities are of Brick or stone well squared Their staple commodities are Indico and Cotton-wool of which they make diverse sorts of cloth some finer and purer than our best Lawns some of it they staine in variety of curious figures They have also store of Silk which they weave curiously sometimes with gold and silver whereof they make Velvets Sattens and Taffaties but not so good as in Italie They have store of Drugs and Gums especially Gum-Lac of which wee make hard wax The Earth hath store of minerals of Lead Iron Brasse Copper and Silver which yet they need not open having so much brought out of all other Countries They have curious Gardens planted with fruitfull trees and dainty flowers which never fade in which they have fountains to Bathe in and other water works for delight There are Lyons Tygers Wolves Jackals Over grown Snakes and in their Rivers Crocodiles There are many Scorpions and Flies that are very troublesome and Muskitees The Wind called the Monson blows six months Southerly and six months Northerly seldome varying April May and the beginning of June till the Rains fall are exceeding
stained with Hierogliphical Characters The Linnen being pulled off the bodies appear solid uncorrupt and perfect in all their dimensions whereof the musculous parts are of a brown colour hard as stone-pitch and hath in Physick the like operation only more soveraign To keep these from putrefactions they drew the brains out at the nostrils with an Iron instrument replenishing the head with preservative spices then cutting up the belly with an Aethiopian stone they took forth the bowels cleansed the inside with Wine and so stuffing it with a composition of Myrrhe Cassia and other odours they closed it up again The like the poorer sort effected with Bitumen fetched from the Lake of Asphaltites in Jury whereby they have been preserved till this day having lyen there for about three thousand years The Lake of Maeris described Maeris one of the Egyptian Kings undertook and finished that most admirable Lake which for greatnesse and colour is like a Sea It s about six hundred furlongs from the City of Memphis the circumference of it contains M.M.M.DC. furlongs the depth of it is fifty fathom or three hundred feet many myriads of men were imployed for many years about it The benefit of it to the Egyptians and the wisdome of the King cannot bee sufficiently commended For seeing the rising of Nilus is not alwayes alike and the Country is more fruitful by the moderatenesse thereof Hee digged this Lake to receive the superfluity of the water that neither by the greatnesse of the inundation it should cause Marshes or by the scarcity of water the earth should not yeeld her strength hee therefore cut a ditch from the River to this Lake fourscore furlongs long and three hundred feet in breadth by which sometimes receiving in and sometimes diverting the River hee gave at his pleasure a sufficient quantity of water to the husbandmen After the Kings name it s called the Lake of Maeris In the midst of this Lake hee built a Sepulchre and two Pyramids each of them of an hundred fathoms high placing upon them two Marble statues sitting on a Throne one representing himself the other his wife seeking hereby to make his memory immortal The revenews which came by the fish of this Lake hee gave to his wife to buy her unguents and ornaments which was so great that it amounted to a Talent a day For it was mightily replenished with fish of twenty sorts so that very many were continually imployed in catching and salting of them Diod. Sion Herod Barbary described Barbary hath on the East Cyrenaica on the West the Atlantick Ocean On the North the Mediterranean Sea and on the South the Mountain Atlas It s now usually divided into the Kingdomes of Tunnis Algiers Fess and Morocco It produceth Figs Olives Dates Sugar and horses excellent for shape and service The men are comely of feature of a duskish colour stately of gate implacable in hatred laborious and treacherous The women are rich in Jewels beautiful in blacknesse and have delicate soft skins The Kingdome of Tunis described Tunis hath on the East Cyrenaica and on the VVest Algier It containeth all that which the Ancients called Numidia antiqua The soil is fertile especially the Western part The Inhabitants are healthful seldome vexed with any sicknesse it s divided commonly into five parts 1 Ezzab in the East having many Towns and Regions in it 2 Tripolis where the chief City is of the same name and where the Great Turk hath a Bassa or Vice-Roy It s at this day a receptacle of Pyrats that rove and rob in those Seas Anno Christi 1551. It was wonne from the Knights of Malta by Sinan Bassa 3 Tunis where the chief City of the same name standeth near to the ruines of Carthage It hath in it about ten thousand housholds and many Temples and especially one of singular beauty and greatnesse Cairoan also hath been a famous City six and thirty miles from the Sea and one hundred from Tunis where is an admirable Temple built upon Pillars of Marble 4 Constantina having the chief City of the same name wherein aâ— eight thousand families and many sumptuous buildings a great Temple and two Colledges 5 Bugia which for one hundred and fifty miles space extends it self by the Sea side to the River Major the Principal City is called Bugia sometimes adorned with Temples Hospitals Monasteries and Colledges of students in the Mahometan Law There is also in Bugia Necotus a very pleasant City and Chollo very rich In this Country also is seated Bona formerly called Hippo where St. Augustine was Bishop The Kingdome of Algier described Algier formerly called Mauritania Caesariensis is bounded on the East with Tunis on the VVest with Fess and Morocco It hath in it five Principal Cities 1 Hubeda 2 Tegdenit 3 Guagido 4 Telesine which sometimes contained sixteen thousand families and is adorned with many beautiful Temples and hath in it five dainty Colledges curiously wrought with Mosaick work And 5 Algier The City of Algier described Algier is seated on the Mediterranean Sea upon the side of an hill whereby one house hinders not the prospect of another It s in fashion like a Bow the old Town is in compasse three thousand four hundred paces the Island wherein it stands is walled about except that part which is open to the Port and City where lately they have erected a five cornered Tower to secure both It s well strengthened with Turrets Fortresses and Bulworks without the Wall is a ditch of sixteen paces broad without the Town there are three Castles the Streets are generally narrow and in the Winter Dirty The Houses toward the street are dark but being inwardly built with square Cloisters it makes them light the roofs being flat serve them for galleries and Prospect In the middest is a well but the water brackish they use no chimnies but make fires in Panns The Kings Palace and great mens houses have spacious Courts with specious Pillars about and many by-rooms spread with Mats and Carpets their Custome being to put off their shooes when they enter Their houshold furniture is generally mean their common lodging is upon a Mat or Carpet upon the ground Pelts are their Nappery water their drink Rice with pulse their meat c. five Cisterns without the City supply them with water fetched in upon the shoulders of their slaves There are seven fair Mosques five Colledges of Janizaries where six hundred of them live together in one house One Hospital four fair Baths whereof two for washing with hot and cold water paved with Marble Two Royall Porches one of thirty six foot square with columes for the Janizaries and the other is before the Palace within the Walls are neer thirteen thousand houses many of them containing thirty Families and some more There are in all above one hundred Mosques besides the Oratories of Hermites Sixty two Baths fourscore and six Schools wherein children learn to read and write and a few others for
trees there is great variety There are Hares Goats Bores Harts Elephants Camells Buffalls Lions Panthers Tigers Rhinocerotes and Jaraffs The air in this Country is most part warm and temperate In some parts very hot and unwholesome The Winter is from the end of May to the beginning of September in which time it rains almost every day which is often accompanied with thunder their VVine is made of Honey their Churches are usually compassed with trees for shade The richer sort buy garments of the Saracens the rest both men and women cover their bodies either with a skin or some course Hempen-cloth when they do reverence to any they put off their cloth from the shoulders to their navel their hair is long which serves them for a Hat the better sort curle and anoint their hair with butter they brand marks in their bodies especially in their face on their little fingers they suffer their nails to grow as long as they will their hands and feet are bare which they colour reddish they are artlesse and lazie they lye on Ox hides they eat their meat out of great bowles of wood without any Napperie they have no Cities but great unwalled Villages their greatest Town hath scarce sixteen thousand houses These houses are small without elegancy or story round and covered with earth and straw They paint Christ the Virgin and other Saints black as Devils and wicked men white Their Temples are round having a double Porch they neither walk nor talk nor sit nor spit nor laugh in the Church nor admit Dogs into the Church-yards some Churches are only for men others for women In small Villages they are common to both but with divisions that they cannot see one another The chiefest Port belonging to the Abissines is Suaqueâ—n situated in the Arabian Gulph It excels most of the Cities in the Orient in four things First in the goodnesse and security of the Haven which is fenced by nature against all storms and will contain two hundred ships besides multitudes of small Vessels Secondly In the easinesse of loading and unloading of them For the City being built in an Island they set the beak-heads of their Ships and Gallies over the streets and by casting a plank over they are emptied into the ware-houses Thirdly For trafick with strange Nations for there repair thither Merchants from all parts of India Cambaia Pegu Malacca Arabia Ethiopia Egypt c. which trade for abundance of gold and Ivory Fourthly For the strength of the City which is very great by reason of Sholds Flats Islands Rocks Banks of sand c. which makes the approaches very difficult and dangerous This Country of Abassia is as big as Germany France and Italy and hath in it plenty of Rice Barley Beans Pease Sugar c. The Hill Amara in Ethiopia described In Ethiopia under Prete Janny commonly called Prester or Presbyter John is an hill called Amara situated in the navel of the Ethiopian body under the Equinoctial line adorned with all variety of fruits wholesome air pleasant aspect and prospect yea Heaven and Earth Nature and Industry have all been corrivals to present their riches to it It stands in a great plain having no other hill near it by thirty leagues the form of it is round the rock is cut so smooth without any unequal swelling that to him that stands beneath it s like an high wall the top is overhanged with rocks jutting forth for the space of a mile It s above twenty leagues in the circuit compassed with a wall on the top well wrought that so neither man nor beast in chase may fall down The top is a level only towards the South is a rising hill beautifying this plain whence issueth a pleasant Spring which passeth through all that plain and payeth its tribute to every Garden that will exact it and so maketh a Lake at length whence issueth a River that from thence runneth into Nilus The way up to it is cut out of the Rock not with stairs but by an easy ascent so that one may ride up with ease at the foot whereof is a fair Gate with a Corps du Guard Halfway up is a fair and spacious Hall cut out of the Rock with three large windows to it and at the top is another gate with the like Guard The air above is wholesome and delectable so that they live long there without sicknesse There are upon it thirty four Palaces standing by themselves spacious sumptuous and beautiful where the Princes of the Royal blood have their abode with their Families There are two Temples also the most beautiful in all Ethiopia There are many flourishing and fruitful Gardens curiously made and plentifully furnished with Europian fruits as Pears Pippins c. and of their own as Oranges Citrons Lemons c. It s also adorned with Cedars Palm-trees c. as also with variety of herbs and flowers to delight the sight taste and sent There are also Cubaio trees pleasant in taste beyond all comparison and great store of Balm-trees There is plenty of all sorts of Grain and Corn and such charms of Birds as delight the ear with their melodious warbling notes and please the eye with their variety of colours and other creatures that adorn this Paradise The aforenamed Churches have their Pillars and Roofs of stone richly and cunningly wrought the matter and workmanship contending for magnificence That of Jasper Alabaster Marble Porphyrie This of painting gilding and much curiosity To these are adjoyning two stately Monasteries in one whereof are two rare peeces whereon wonder may justly fasten both her eyes The Treasury and the Library of the Emperor are such as neither of them is thought to bee matchable in the world neither that of Constantinople wherein were one hundred and twenty thousand Books nor that of Alexandria wherein were seven hundred thousand Books For the number in this Library is numberlesse their price inestimable There are three great Halls each above two hundred paces large with Books of all Sciences written in fine Parchment with much curiosity of golden Letters and other work and cost in writing binding and covers There are all the Greek Fathers The Writers of Syria Egypt Africa and the Latine Fathers with others innumerable in Greek Hebrew Arabick Abyssine Egyptian Syrian and Chaldee There are Poets Philosophers Physicians Rabbines Talmudists Cabalists Hieroglyphicks c. The Treasury leaves them of all other Princes behinde it It s a Sea that every year receiveth new Rivers which never run out every Emperor yearly laying up part of his revenue there The Jewels here kept are incomparable Topazes Amethists Saphires Diamonds c. Hee hath one Jewel that was found in the River Niger that brings forth more Gemmes than any other in the world which is one peece diversified with a thousand variety of stones It s about two spans and an half square there are in it one hundred and sixty Diamonds one as large as the palm of ones
and her structures so magnificent and neat that shee ravisheth therewith all strangers that come to visit her She hath in her one hundred and fifty Churches and Monasteries but especially three things worthy of sight viz. St. Mark 's Church and Steeple the Treasury and the Arsenal St. Mark 's Church is built throughout with rare Mosaique work and yet the furniture of the Church surpasseth the Fabrique in richnesse Her walls are inlaid in many places with precious stones of diverse colours and in such a manner that they seem rather to be the work of Nature than of Art It is built in the form of a Crosse whose corners are highly vaulted and covered with bright Lead as all the rest of the Church is The whole Bulk is supported with most curious Arches joyned together by marvellous Art The inside from the middle to the highest part thereof glistereth with gold and the concavity of the vaults is enriched with divers curious and antick pictures That which is from the gilding down to the pavement is excellently joyned together with goodly Tables of Marble by whose pleasant veins in form of rays the eyes of the beholders are rather fed than satisfied The seats below are of an extraordinary red stone like to Porphyry the Pavement is all of Marble engraven with diverse figures wholly different and of various colours There are sundry Columnes and Tables of Parian Spartan and Numidian work that environ the seats on both sides the Quire The entrance into the Church on both sides is in a manner of the same trimming while gilded Arches are sustained without by more than three hundred exquisite Pillars the space between those Pillars being filled with choyce Tables of Marble On the height of this entrance are four great brazen horses all gilded over in a posture as if running and neighing All this bears up the highest top of the Church divided into six Steeples every of which is like a Pyramid and hath on the sharpest point thereof a white Marble Statue of a naked man standing upright Divers other representations delightfull to the eye and wrought with exceeding skill do beautify the spaces between the Steeples and all that which is vaulted underneath is covered with Gold In sum there is no place in the whole Church either within or without but it 's either adorned with Marble Gold or precious stones so that the two Columnes of Alabaster and the Chalcedony stones which are in the middest of the pavement are accounted the least curiosities The Arsenal of Venice is one of the greatest Magazines of Armes in all the World It 's three miles in compasse wherein there are above three hundred Artificers perpetually at work who make and repair all things that belong thereto This Arsenal hath armes to furnish two hundred thousand men and hath constantly belonging to it two hundred Gallies in Dock or abroad in course besides Galliasses and Galleons with all provisions necessary for them Amongst the Armors are one thousand coats of plate garnished with gold and covered with velvet so that they are fit for any Prince in Christendome The Treasury of St. Mark is cried up through the World They say there is enough in it to pay six Kings Ransomes There are Jewels of all sorts and sizes Diamonds Rubies Saphires Emerauds Cups of Agatâ— of an huge bigness The great Diamond which Henry the third gave when hee was made a Gentleman of Venice There you may see an Armour all of massie Gold beset all over with great Pearles Turkies Rubies and all manner of precious stones in such a quantity and bigness that they alone would make a rich Treasury There are also twelve Corslets of Gold beset with precious stones There is an huge Gold chain that reacheth from Pillar to Pillar Diverse Chests of Gold and amongst others one great Iron Chest with this inscription When this Chest shall open the whole earth shall tremble There are two large Unicorn's horns A great Bottle made of a Chalcedonian stone transparent and clear which will hold above a quart There is a Garnet of a vast size formed into the shape of a Kettle which will hold neer a Gallon There are many Crosses and Crucifixes of massie Gold beset with Jewells of all sorts There are the Crowns of Cyprus and Candy as also that of the Dukes of Venice all inlaid with choyce rich Diamonds great Rubies Emerauds Saphires and other stones that would beget astonishment in the beholders In that of the Dukes there is one great Ruby worth an hundred thousand Crowns There are Cups of sundry formes cut out of rich stones with dishes of sundry kinds There are divers presses full of plate huge and massy with Statues of Silver and large Chalices of gold and variety of other rich things the worth whereof no eye is able to judge There are moreover twelve Crowns of massie Gold which were taken at the sacking of Constantinople when the French and Venetians divided the spoyles Pacheco the Spanish Ambassadour comming to see this Treasury fell a groping whether it had any bottom and being asked why answered In this amongst other things my great Masters's Treasure differs from yours in that his hath no bottom as I finde yours to have Alluding to the Mines in Mexico and Potofi In one of its Islands called Murano Crystall Glasses are made where you may see a whole street on the one side having above twenty Furnaces perpetually at work both day and night If one of these Furnaces bee removed to any other Island or but to the other side of the street though they use the same men materials and fuel yet can they not make Glasse in the same perfections for beauty and lustre as in this place Howels Survey The City of Padua Described Padua is a City within the Venetian Territories and was erected into an Academy Anno Christi 1222. Shee is famous every where for a Seminary of the best Physicians and hath a Garden of great variety of Simples It was formerly girt with a treble wall but a double contents her now which hath very deep ditches round about For the River Brent with vast charges and labour was brought to this City which hath much advantaged her both for Strength and Navigation It is situated in a most pleasant and plentiful plain enjoying a sweet temperate Clime with a singular good soil by reason of the Neighbourhood of the Eugonian Mountains on the West side of it Her circumference is neer upon seven miles Her Temples and dwelling houses both publike and private are more magnificent than elsewhere Shee hath six stately Gates Five large Market-places within the walls twenty two great Churches twenty three Monasteries twenty nine Nunneries She hath the most renowned Hall for publike Justice of any City in Italy covered all over with Lead and yet propped by no pillars The Council-Court hath gates and Columes of Marble Shee hath twenty eight Bridges Arched over the Brent which runns thorow her She
which the tide entereth with a violent stream the other between the said Cuba and the farthest part of Florida at which the tide with the like violence goeth forth the Sea is very tempestuous and hath only two safe Havens viz. Havana on the North side and St. John de Luna on the South which are strongly fortified by the Spaniards The Country of Mexico is inferior to Peru in the plenty and purity of gold and silver but far exceeding it both in the Mechanical and ingenious arts here professed and in the abundance of fruits and cattel of which last there is such store that many a private man hath forty thousand Kine and Oxen to himself Fish also are very plentiful that only which is caught in the Lake whereon Mexico stands being reputed worth twenty thousand Crowns per annum Mexico was conquered by Ferdinando Cortez Anno Christi 1521. His Army consisting of one hundred thousand Americans nine hundred Spaniards eighty horsemen seventeen small peeces of Ordnance thirteen Brigandines and six thousand Wherrie-boats which from the Lake assaulted Mexico In Quivira another Province the riches of the people consists in cattel whose hides yeeld them coverings for their houses their bones bodkins their hair thred their sinewes ropes their horns mawes and bladders vessels their dung fire their Calf-skins budgets to draw and keep water in their blood drink and their flesh meat Nova Albion lyeth on the West towards Tartary It was discovered by Sir Francis Drake Anno Christi 1585. The King whereof did willingly resign himself and land to our Queen In it is a Hare resembling a Mole in his feet a Cat in his tail under whose chin nature hath fastened a little bag as a store-house for in it when hee hath filled his belly hee reserveth the rest of his provision It abounds in good fruits Jucutan is a Peninsula in circuit nine hundred miles a fruitful Country situated over against Cuba Florida hath on the East the Northern Sea on the West Mexico on the North New-France and on the South Virginia It abounds with goodly fruits and hath some quantity of gold and silver Emeralds are also found there and Turquesses and Pearls Women when their Husbands dye cut off their hair close to their heads strewing it upon their husbands graves and may not marry again till their hair bee grown to cover their shoulders Virginia described Virginia is seated between four and thirty and four and forty degrees of Northerly latitude It s bounded on the East with the great Ocean with Florida on the South New-France on the North and the Western limits are unknown The Summer is as hot as in Spain the VVinter is as cold as in France and England It was discovered by the English by the direction and at the charge of Sir VValter Rawleigh Anno Christi 1584. and in honour of our Virgin Queen called Virginia It yeelds store of Tobacco and now they get Silk-worms and plant store of Mulberry trees which is like to bee a good commodity There is but one entrance by Sea into this Country at the mouth of a goodly Bay The Capes on both sides are named Henry and Charles The water floweth in this Bay near two hundred miles and hath a Channel for one hundred and forty miles between seven and fifteen fathom deep and ten or fourteen miles broad At the head of the Bay the land is mountainous from which proceed great brooks which make five navigable rivers the mountains have in them Milstones Marble and some peices of Christal The earth is generally black and sandy The river neer to the mouth of the bay is called Powhatan the mouth whereof is neer three miles broad and it is Navigable one hundred miles Hence their Emperor is called Powhatan In a Peninsula on the North side thereof is placed James Town No place in Summer affords more Sturgeons whereof threescore and eight have been caught at one draught In Winter they have abundance of Fowl Fourteen miles from Powhatan is the River Pamaunk seventy miles navigable with big vessels Then Toppahanock which is Navigable one hundred and thirty miles Then Patawomeck one hundred and twenty miles navigable At the mouth of Powhatan are the Forts Henerico and Charles forty two miles upward is James Town seventy miles beyond that the Town of Henerico ten miles higher are the falls where the River falls down between Mineral rocks twelve miles beyond that there is the Crystall Rock wherewith the Indians head their Arrows The Commodities are silk-grass Hemp and Flax surpassing ours A certain Sedg which by boiling yeilds skeines of good strength and length some like silk some like flax and some like hemp There is also Allom Terra Sigillata Pitch Tar Rozen Turpentine Sassafras Cedar Grapes Oil Iron Copper c. Sweet Gums Dies Timber Trees of sweet wood of fourteen kinds Besides plenty of Fowl Fishes Beasts Fruits Plants Hearbs Berries Grains especâ—ally Maiz whereof one acre of ground will yeild two hundred Bushels of Corn Roots c. Their chief Beasts are Bears Deer a beast like a Badger but living in trees like a Squirrel Flying Squirrels another beast headed like a Swine tailed like a Rat as big as a Cat and hath under her belly a Bag wherein shee carrieth her young Their Dogs bark not their Wolves are little bigger than our Foxes their Foxes like our silver haired Conies and smell not as ours They have Eagles Hawks wild Turkies c. The People are cloathed in Deer skines about their middles else all naked Their houses are round of small poles fastened at the tops and covered with bark or mats they are good Archers so that they will kill birds flying fish swiming and beasts running Their chief God is the Devil which they call Oke whose Image is made ill-favouredly On the North of it lyes New-England planted with many English Towns especially New-Boston an haven Town and a place of good trading The other Countryes in this tract of ground have little that is remarkable in them Florida Described The length of Florida extends to twenty and five degrees It runs with a long point into the Sea and into land it stretches Westward unto the borders of New-Spain and to those Countries which are not yet fully discovered On other parts it s washed with a dangerous sea It is very rich with Silver Gold and stones of great value In it are great variety of Trees fruits fowls Beasts as Bears Leopards Ounces Wolves Wild Dogs Goats Hares Conies Deer Oxen c. Their Towns are paled about with Posts fastened in the ground having no more entrance than for two men to passe at a time where stand two watch Towers for defence their houses are round their apparrel nakedness except a skin about their secrets they paint and rase their skin curiously which they rub over with the juice of an herb that cannot bee gotten out they let their nailes on their fingers and toes grow long they are tall nimble
causeth great swelling also there is a worm that creepeth into the soles of mens feet which causeth great swelling and pain for which they have no remedy but to lance the flesh and so to dig them out They have a certain kinde of Beetles which have four lights that shine much in the dark two in their eyes and two under their wings when they flye they use to bring them into their houses where they do them double service First by killing the Gnats secondly by giving them light which is so great that they can see to read by it Kine in this Island carried thither by the Spaniards are so multiplied and grown wild that they kill them for their hides and Tallow leaving their flesh to bee devoured by dogs and fowl Almost forty thousand of them have been transported in one year Anno Christi 1519. Ants were as noisome to them as Grashoppers in other parts of the world they spoiled their fruits and fruit trees they could keep nothing in their houses which was fit to bee eaten from them and had they continued they would have unpeopled the Island There are worms also which do such harm in Timber that a house will scarce stand here thirty years when the King in this Countrey died they buried the best beloved of his Concubines with him who also had other women buried for to attend upon them in the other World together with their Jewels and Ornaments they had also set in their Sepulchre a Cup of water and some of their Cassavi bread Anno Christi 1508 here happened such an Hurricane as threw down most of the houses in Domingo and Bona ventura destroied twenty sail of ships lifted up many men into the air who falling down again were miserably bruised Newfound-land described Newfound-land is an Island bordering upon the continent of America no farther distant than England is from the nearest part of France It lies between six and forty and three and fifty degrees of Northerly latitude It s near as big as Ireland and is near half the way between Ireland and Virginea even in winter it s as pleasant and healthful a place as England The natural Inhabitants are not many and those rude ignorant of God and living under no kinde of civil Government In their habits customes and manners they resemble the Indians which live upon the continent They are ingenious and tractable and take great pains in helping those Christians which yearly fish upon their coasts to kill cut and boil their Whales expecting nothing for their labour but a little bread or some other trifles All along the coast of this Country there are many spacious and excellent Bayes some of them stretching into the land more than twenty leagues And round about the Coast and in the Bayes there are many small Islands all within a league of the land which are both fair and fruitful neither doth any Country in the world afford greater store of good harbours nor those more safe commodious and free from danger The soil of the Country in the Vallies and sides of the Mountains is so fruitful that without the labour of man it naturally produceth great plenty of Pease and Vetches as full and wholesome as ours in England Other places produce plenty of Grass There are Strawberries red and white and Rasberries as fair and good as ours in England Multitude of Bilberries and other delicate Berries in great abundance There are also Pears Cherries Filbeards c. There are Herbs for Sallets and broth as Parsley Alexander Sorrel c. As also Flowers as Red and Damask-Roses with others beautiful and delightful both to the eye and smell There are also diverse Physical Herbs and Roots Some Corn that our men have sowed proved very good and yeelded great increase so do Cabbages Carrats Turneps Lettice c. In the Country there are great store of Deer Hares Foxes Squirrels Beavers Wolves Bears and other kindes of Beasts both for necessity profit and delight Besides great numbers of small Birds there are Hawks great and small Partridges Thrustles Nightingals c. As also Ravens Gripes Crowes c. besides plenty of water-Fowle as Geese Ducks Gulls Penguines Pigeons c. Of these there is such abundance that the Fisher-men which yearly trade thither finde great refreshing by them The Country yeelds store of Rivers and Springs pleasant delightful and wholesome together with abundance of fuel for the fire besides Timber Trees as Fir Spruce fit for Masts of ships from whence also comes abundance of Turpentine Pines also and Birch-Trees c. The Rivers and Harbours are stored with delicate Fish as Salmons Pearles Eeles Herrings Makarel Flounders Cods Trouts as large fat and sweet as any in the world Besides Lobsters Crab-fish Muscles c. There are also Beavers Otters c. The Seas along the shore yeeld Whales Spanish-Makarel Dorrel Pales Herring Porposses Seales c. Especially by their Cod-fishing both our own and other Nations are much enriched Two hundred and fifty sail of Ships go thither usually in one year from England New-Scotland described New-Scotland lyeth on the East of St. Croix on the North it s compassed with the great River Canada and hath the main Ocean on the South It hath many safe harbours and great Rivers having on the sides of them delicate medows where the earth of it self bringeth forth Roses red and white and Lillies having a dainty smell The soil is fat producing several sorts of Berries as Goos-berries Straw-berries Hind-berries Ras-berries c. as also Pease Wheat Barley and Rye The Rivers abound with Lobsters Cockles and other small fishes There are great store of wild fowle as Geese Herons Ducks Wood-cocks Pigeons The Coast hath store of Cod and other great fishes The Land is full of wood mostly of great Oaks the rest Fir-trees Spruce Birch and many other sorts here unknown Groenland described Groenland is accounted part of America and is high mountainous and full of broken Islands along the Coast It hath good Baies and navigable Rivers that are full of fish Between the mountains are pleasant plains and vallies there aâ—e store of fowle black Foxes and Deer The people wander up and down in the Summer time without fixed habitations for hunting and fishing carrying their Tents and baggage with them they are of a middle stature brown active warlike eating raw flesh or a little perboiled in blood oil or a little water which they drink Their apparrel are Beasts or Fowles skins the hairy or feathered side outward in summer and inward in winter Their Arrows and Darts have but two feathers and a bone-head no wood growes there they worship the Sun Their Winter-houses are built of Whales-bones covered with earth and vaulted two yards deep under the earth within land they have a King that is carried upon mens shoulders They have Hares as white as Snow with long fur Dogs which live on fish whose pizzels as also of the Foxes are bony Their Summer work is
in one of the most populous Regions in the World saith Casas there remain not above four or five thousand persons Cortes used to have four Kings to wait upon him hee burned sixty Kings their children looking on Another Spaniard cast four of their Kings to bee devoured by his dogs In New-Spain from the year 1518 to 1530. within the compasse of four hundred and eighty miles about Mexico they destroyed above four millions of people by fire and sword besides those that dyed by miserable servitude and drudgery In the Province of Naco and Honduras in the space of eleven years two millions of men perished by the same ways In Guatimala in sixteen years space were destroied five millions of souls Alvarado who was the instrument of this destruction dyed by the fall of his horse and had his City of Guatimala destroyed and overwhelmed by a threefold deluge of Earth water and stones In his expeditions he forced the Indians by ten or twenty thousand at a time to go with him allowing them no other sustenance but the flesh of their slain enemys keeping in his Army Shambles of mans flesh In Panuco and Xalisco they exercised the like cruelties One of the Spaniards forced eight thousand of the Indians to wall about his Garden and suffered them all to perish with Famine In Machuachan they tortured the King that came forth to meet them that they might extort gold from him they set his feet in the stocks and put fire thereto binding his hands to a Post behind him and then had a boy standing by that basted his roasted feet with Oil Another stood with a Cross-bow bent against his breast and a third stood with Dogs ready to devour him by these tortures hee dyed They forced the Indians to bring them their gods hoping they had been of gold but when their golden hopes failed they forced them to redeem them again with Gold Yea where the Fryers had forced the Indians to cast away their gods the Spaniards brought more from other places to sell them In the Province of St. Martha they laid utterly waste and desolate four hundred and fifty miles of land by destroying the Inhabitants The like they did in the Kingdome of Venezula where they destroyed four or five millions Besides they carried of them Captive out of the Continent into the Islands a million of People They spared no sort of persons plucked the Children from the breasts to quarter them to their dogs tortured Kings with new devices borrowed either from the Inquisition or from hell they used to cut off the Noses and hands of men and women that lived peaceably with them they sold Fathers Mothers Children asunder into diverse places and to diverse persons never to meet again they used to ly with the women that being with child they might yeild them the more mony in their sale The Spanish Priests used to devote them with Curses to the Devil and taught them vices by their evil practises and examples insomuch as one said Hee would perswade the King of Spain to send no more Priests into America They teach them Usury Lying Swearing Blasphemy A Caciques son that was towardly in his youth and proved after dissolute being asked the reason of it said since I was a Christian I have learned to swear several sorts of Oaths to Dice to Lye to swagger and now I want nothing but a Concubine to make mee a compleat Christian This made them to say that of all Gods the Christians God was the worst which had such bad servants and to wish for their own gods again of whom they never received so much hurt as from the Christians A Christian said one of them is one that impiously demands Maiz Honey Silk Raiment an Indian woman to lye with they call for gold and silver are idle and will not work are Gamesters Dicers wicked Blasphemers Backbiters Quarrellers c. And taking a peece of Gold hee said Loe this is the Christians God For this they kill us and one another for this they play blaspheme curse steal and do all manner of villanies In Peru they had publike places of torture whereinto they might put a thousand of the miserable Creatures at once by exquisite tortures to force them to a confession of their hidden treasures such as escaped these used to hang themselves in the Mountains and their wives by them and their little children at their feet By Dogs at Land they worried them and in their Pearl fishings exposed them to the ravenous Sharks in the seas by fire and sword consuming twenty millions of people since the Jesuits went amongst them These and infinite more have been the cruelties which the cruel Spaniards have exercised upon the poor naked innocent people Our Author a Papist that relates these things least any should think that hee wrote too much protests that they were a thousand times worse than hee had set down the Reading whereof might astonish the sence of the Reader amaze his Reason exceed his faith and fill his heart with horror and uncouth passions It is no marvel that God follows such bloody beasts with his vengeance as lately hee hath done if the relation be true which cometh from the mouths of some of themselves lately taken by some of our Frigots upon the Coast of Spain as they came out of these Countryes whereof the Narrative follows The Marquesse of Baydex now taken by our Fleet neer Cadiz upon examination saith that above five months since there happened in Lima a fearfull Earthquake and a most miraculous rain of fire in Peru insomuch that the whole City of Lima is swallowed up and destroyed as also the City of Calao in which places there perished above eleven thousand Spaniards and through the wonderful distinguishing hand of God not above one hundred Indians In the City of Lima the King of Spain hath lost by the Earthquake one hundred Millions of silver ready wrought up Also the famous Mines of Potozi where they had their greatest quantities of silver are destroyed in a wonderfull manner so that the hill is not to be seen but all is plain nor is there any further possibility of having gold or silver in Peru Some of the Spaniards themselves acknowledge that this judgement is justly befaln them for their cruelty to the poor Indians who crying to God for vengeance have pulled down this visible hand of God upon them Lima and Potosi Described In Lima no houses are covered on the tops because it never rains and is a hot Countrey no City in India is richer Over the top of the Mountain of Potosi there always hangs a cloud even in the clearest day The hill riseth in the form of a Pyramis being three Leagues high environed with cold air at the foot of it standeth the fair City of Potosi within six leagues about grows no grasse Corn nor wood the entrance and Mine works are so dangerous that few that go in return again The metal lies above two
Whale or as others the sperme or seed of the Whale consolidated by lying in the Sea P. Pil. v. 2. p. 772. The Herb Addad is bitter and the root of it so venemous that one drop of the juice will kill a man within the space of one hour P. Pil. v. 2. p. 850. Of Palm-trees which they keep with watering and cutting every year they make Velvets Satins Taffaties Damasks Sarcenets and such like all which are spun out of the leaves cleansed and drawn into long threads P. Pil. v. 2. p. 985. Frankincense grows in Arabia and is the gumme that issueth out of trees Idem p. 1781. In Mozambique Manna is procreated of the dew of heaven falling on a certain tree on which it hardens like Sugar sticking to the wood like Rozen whence it s gathered and put into jars and is used much for purging in India Idem p. 1554. Mastick-trees grow only in the Island of Sio the trees are low shrubs with little crooked boughs and leaves In the end of August they begin their Mastick-harvest men cutting the bark of the Tree with Iron instruments out of which the Gumme distills uncessantly for almost three months together Idem p. 1812. Spunges are gathered from the sides of Rocks fifteen fathom under water about the bottom of the Streights of Gibralter the people that get them being trained up in diving from their child-hood so that they can indure to stay very long under water as if it were their habitable Element In Manica is a tree called the Resurrection-tree which for the greatest part of the year is without leaf or greenness but if one cut off a bough and put it into the water in the space of ten hours it springs and flourisheth with green leaves but draw it out of the water as soon as it is dry it remaineth as it was before Pur. Pil. v. 2. p. 1537. There is in the Island of Teneriff which is one of the Canaries a Tree as big as an Oke of a middle size the bark white like Hornbeam six or seven yards high with ragged boughs the leaf like the Bay-leaf It beareth neither fruit nor flower it stands on the side of an hill in the day its withered and drops all night a cloud hanging thereon so that it yeelds water sufficient for the whole Island wherein are eight thousand souls and about an hundred thousand Cammels Mules Goats c. The water falls from it into a pond made of brick paved with stone from whence it s conveyed into several ponds thorough the whole Island They also water therewith their Corn-ground for they have no other water in the Island except Rain-water The Pond holds twenty thousand Tun of water and is filled in one night Many of our English that have been there have attested the truth hereof Idem p. 1369. Concerning which Tree Sylvester the Poet made these verses In th' I le of Iron one of those same seven Whereto our Elders happy name have given The Savage people never drink the streams Of Wells and Rivers as in other Realms Their drink is in the air their gushing spring A weeping tree out of it self doth wring A Tree whose tender bearded root being spread In dryest sand his sweating leaf doth shed A most sweet liquor and like as the Vine Untimely cut weeps at her wound the Wine In pearled tears incessantly distills A royal stream which all their Cisterns fills Throughout the Island for all hither hie And all their vessels cannot draw it drye Aloes grows in the Island of Socotera which is nothing but Semper vivum it is so full of a Rosin-like juice that the leaves are ready to break with it which leaves they cut in small peeces and cast them into a clean pit made in the ground and paved there it lies to ferment in the heat of the Sun whereby the juice floweth forth which they put in skins and hang them up in the wind to drye whereby it hardens P. Pil. v. 1. p. 419. Indico groweth in the Moguls Country having a small leaf like that of Sena the branches are of a wooddy substance like Broom It grows not above a yard high the stalk about the bignesse of a mans thumb The seed is included in a small round Cod of an inch long This once sowed lasteth three years that of the first year makes a weighty reddish Indico that sinks in water being not yet come to its perfection that of the second year is rich very light and of a perfect Violet colour swimming on the water that of the third year is weighty blackish and the worst of the three This herb when it s cut is put into a Cistern and pressed down with stones then covered over with water where it remains till the substance of the herb is gone into the water then it s drawn forth into another Cistern and laboured with staves till it bee like Batter then they let it seeth and so scum off the water two or three times till nothing but a thick substance remains which taking forth they spread on a cloath dry it in the Sun then make it into balls dry it on the sand which causes the sandy foot That is best which is of a pure grain Violet-colour is glossie dry and light Idem p. 430. Sir James Lancaster in his East-Indy Voyage in the Isle of Sombrero found on the Sea-sands a young twig growing up to a tree and offering to pluck up the same it shrank down into the ground and when it was by strength pulled up a great Worm was the root of it and as the Tree groweth in greatnesse the Worm diminisheth This Tree plucked up the leaves and pill stripped off by that time its dryed is turned into a hard stone so that this Worm was twice transformed into different natures after a wondrous manner Of these hee brought home many P. Pil. v. 1. p. 152. About Saffron Walden in Essex there grows great store of Saffron which was first brought into England in the reign of King Edward the third This in the month of July every third year being plucked up and after twenty dayes having the root split and set again in the earth about the endâ— of September it putteth forth a whitish blew flower out of the midst whereof there come three chives which are gathered in the morning before Sun-rising and being plucked out of the flower are dried by a soft fire and so great is the increase that commeth thereof that out of every acre of ground there are made fourscore or an hundred pound weight of Saffron whilst it is moist which being dryed yeeld some twenty pound weight And the ground which three years together hath brought Saffron is so enriched thereby that it will bear very good Barley many years together without dung or manuring Camb. Brit. p. 453. All along the shores of the Red-sea are abundance of Palm-Trees of a very strange nature They grow in couples Male and Female both thrust
strange nature that the one half of it doth never freeze in the coldest winter Descrip. of Scotl. In Lenox is a great Loch or Meere called Loch-Lowmond in length twenty four miles and eight in breadth wherin are three strange things First Excellent good Fish without any fins Secondly a floating Island whereon many Kine feed And thirdly Tempestuous waves rageing without winds yea in the greatest calms Desc. of Scotl. There is a certain Island called Lounda in the Kingdome of Congo wherein is no fresh water being a very sandy ground but if you dig but the depth of two or three hand breadthes you shall find sweet water the best in all those Countryes and which is most strange when the Ocean ebbeth this water grows brackish but when it flows to the top it is most sweet P. Pil. v. 2. p. 989. Not far from Casbine the Regal City in Persia is a fountain of a strange and wonderful nature out of which there continually springeth and issueth a marvellous quantity of black Oil which serveth in all parts of Persia to burn in their houses and is usually carried all over the Countrey upon Kine and Asses whereof you may often meet three or four hundred in company P. Pil. v. 2. p. 1431. About three days journey from old Babylon is a Town called Ait and neer unto that is a valley of pitch very marvellous to behold wherin are many Springs throwing out abundantly a kind of black substance like unto Tar and Pitch which serveth all the Country thereabout to make staunch their barques with and boats every one of which springs makes a noise like to a Smith's Forge in puffing and blowing out the matter which never ceaseth day nor night and the noise is hard a mile off the Moors call it Hell-mouth P. Pil. v. 2. p. 1437. Clitumnus is a River in Italy which makes all the Oxen that drink of it white Fulk Meteor Lib. 4 The River Melas in Boeotia makes all the Sheep that drink of it black Plin. The Fountain of Jupiter Hammon is cold in the day time and hot at midnight The Fountain of the Sun hath its water extream cold and sweet at noon and boiling hot and bitter at midnight Plin. lib. 2. c. 103. Augustine There is a River in Palestine called the Sabbatical River which runs with a violent and swift stream all the week but every Sabbath it remains dry Joseph de Bel. Jud. l. 7. c. 24. Some question the truth of this In Idumaea is a fountain called the Fountain of Job which for one quarter of the year is troubled and muddy the next quarter bloody the third green and the fourth clear Isiod The River Astaces in the Isle of Pontus uses sometimes to over flow the fields after which whatsoever sheep or milch Cattel feed thereon give black milk Plin. l. 2. c. 103. Furius Camillus being Censor in Rome the Lake Albanus being environed with Mountains on every side in the time of Autumn when other Lakes and Rivers were almost dry the waters of this Lake after a wondrous manner began to swell and rise upwards till at last they were equall with the tops of the Mountains and after a while they brake thorow one of those Mountains overflowing and bearing all down before them till they emptied themselves into the Sea Plut. The River d ee in Merionneth shire in Wales though it run through Pimble-Meer yet it remaineth intire and mingles not its streams with the waters of the Lake Cam. Brit. Ana a River in Spain burieth it self in the earth and runneth under ground fifteen miles together whereupon the Spaniards brag that they have a bridge whereon ten thousand Cattel feed daily Pliny tells us of a fountain called Dodon which always decreaseth from midnight till noon and encreaseth from noon till midnight Hee also tells us of certain Fountains in an Island neer Italy which always increase and decrease according to the ebbing and flowing of the sea Aristotle writeth of a Well in Sicilie whose water is so sharp that the Inhabitants use it instead of Vinegar In Bohemia neer to the City of Bilen is a Well of such excellent water that the Inhabitants use to drink of it in a morning instead of burnt wine Dr. Fulk In Paphlagonia is a Well which hath the taste of wine and it makes men drunk which drink of it whence Du Bartas Salonian Fountain and thou Andrian Spring Out of what Cellars do you daily bring The oyl and wine that you abound with so O Earth do these within thine entrals grow c. Aelian mentioneth a Fountain in Boeotia neer to Thebes which makes horses run mad if they drink of it Pliny mentioneth a water in Sclavonia which is extream cold and yet if a man throw his cloath cloak upon it it is presently set on fire Other waters there are which discolour the fleeces of the sheep which drink of them whence Du Bartas Cerona Xanth and Cephisus do make The thirsty flocks that of their waters take Black red and white Add neer the crimson deep Th' Arabian Fountain maketh crimson sheep And again What should I of th' Illyrian Fountain tell What shall I say of the Dodonean Well Whereof the first sets any cloathes on fire Th' other doth quench who but will this admire A burning Torch and when the same is quenched Lights it again if it again be drenched In the Province of Dara in Lybia there is a certain River which sometimes so overfloweth the banks that it is like a sea yet in the Summer it is so shallow that any one may passe over it on foot If it overflow about the beginning of Aprill it brings great plenty to the whole region if not there follows great scarcity of Corn. Pur. Pil. v. 2. p. 823. In the Kingdome of Tunis neer unto the City El-Hamma is a hot River which by diverse Channels is carried through the City the water of it being so hot that few can endure to go into it yet having set it to cool a whole day the people drink of it Idem p. 821. In Africa there is a River called Margania and by it a salt spring which turns all the wood is thrown into it into hard stone Idem p. 1547. The River Meander is famous for its six hundred windings and turning in and out whence that of the Poet. Quique recurvatis ludit Maeander in undis Maeander plays his watry pranks within his crooked winding banks Groenland in the Hyperborean Sea was discovered Anno Christi 1380. it hath in it the Monastery of St. Thomas situate in the North-East part thereof at the foot of a Mountain where there is a River so hot that they use to boil their meat in it and it serves for other such purposes as fire doth with us Isac Chron. p. 275. The River Hypanis in Scythia every day brings forth little bladders out of which come certain flies which are thus bred in the morning are fledge at
noon and dye at night Fit Emblems of the vain and short life of man The famous River of Nilus in Egypt useth once in the year to overflow her banks whereby the whole Country is watered It usually beginneth to overflow upon the seventeenth of June and increaseth daily sometimes two sometimes three fingers and sometimes half a cubit high on a day The increase of it is known by a Pillar erected in a Cistern whereinto the water is conveyed by a Sluce which pillar is divided into eighteen parts each a cubit higher than the other If the water reach no higher than to the fifteenth cubit they expect a fruitful year if it stay between the twelfth and fifteenth cubit the increase of that year will bee but mean If it reach not to the twelfth it s a sign of scarcity If it rise to the eighteenth the scarcity will bee greater in regard of too much moisture This River continueth forty dayes increasing and forty dayes decreasing Pur. Pil. v. 2. p. 838. Another thing is wonderful which is this In the Grand Cairo which is the Metropolis of Egypt the Plague useth many times to bee very violent till the River begins to overflow its banks at which time it doth instantly cease So that whereas five hundred a day dyed the day before not one doth dye the day following Idem p. 897. In the County of Devon not far from the Town of Lidford at a Bridge the River Lid is gathered into a strait and pent in between Rocks whereon it runneth down a main and the ground daily waxing deeper and deeper under it his water is not seen only a roaring noise is heard to the great wonder of those that pass by Camb. Brit. p. 199. In VVarwickshire at Nevenham Regis three fountains arise out of the ground strained through an Allom Mine the water whereof carrieth the colour and taste of Milk which cureth ulcers in the bladder or kidneys caused by the stone and provoketh urine abundantly Green wounds it cleanseth closeth up and quickly healeth being drunk with salt it looseth and with Sugar it bindeth the belly About fifty years ago these wells were famous and in great request many resorting to them and the water by others was sent for far and near Idem p. 562. In Herefordshire a little beneath Richards Castle Nature who never disports her self more in shewing wonders than in waters hath brought forth a pretty well which is alwayes full of little fish bones although they bee drawn out from time to time whence it s commonly called Bone-VVell Idem p. 619. In Yorkshire upon the Sea-shore by Sken-grave when the winds are laid and the weather is most calm upon the Sea the water lying level and plain without any noise there is heard here many times on a sudden a great way off as it were an horrible and fearful groaning which affrights the Fishermen at those times so that they dare not launce forth into the Sea Idem p. 720. Pliny tells us of the fountain Chymaera that is set on fire with water and put out with earth or hey Plin. nat Hist. Lib. 2. c. 106.107 The same Author also tells us that in the hot deserts of India grows a certain kinde of Flax that lives in the fire and consumes notâ— wee have seen saith hee table-cloathes made of it burning in fires at feasts by which they have been cleansed from their stains and spots and made whiter by the fire than they could bee by water At Belgrad in Hungary where Danubius and Sava two great Rivers meet their waters mingle no more than water and Oil not that either flote above other but joyn unmixed so that near the middle of the River I have gone in a boat saith Sir Henry Blunt in his voyage into the Levant and tasted of the Danow as clear and pure as a well then putting mine hand an inch further I have taken of the Sava as troubled as a street-channel tasting the gravel in my teeth Thus they ran sixty miles together and for a dayes journy I have been an eye-witness of it CHAP. IIII. The wonderful works of God in the Creatures Of strange Fishes ANno Christi 1204. at Oreford in Suffolk a fish was taken by the Fishermen at Sea in shape resembling a wild man and by them was presented to Sir Bartholomew de Glanvil Keeper of Oreford Castle In all his limbs and members hee resembled a man had hair in all the usual parts of his body only his head was bald The Knight caused meat to bee set before him which hee greedily devoured and did eat fish raw or sod that which was raw hee pressed with his hand till hee had squeezed out all the moisture Hee uttered not any speech though to try him they hung him up by the heels and grievously tormented him Hee would get him to his Couch at the setting of the Sun and rise again at the Sun-rising One day they brought him to the haven and let him go into the Sea but to prevent his escape they set three rows of very strong nets before him to catch him again at their pleasure but hee streightwaies diving to the bottom crept under all their nets and shewed himself again to them and so often diving hee still came up and looked upon them that stood on the shoar as it were mocking of them At length after hee had sported himself a great while in the water and there was no hope of his return hee came back to them of his own accord and remained with them two months after But finally when hee was negligently looked to hee went to the Sea and was never after seen or heard of Fabians Chron. Anno Christi 1404. some women of Edam in the Low-Countries as they were going in their barks to their cattel in Purmer-Meer they often saw at the ebbing of the water a Sea-woman playing up and down whereat at the first they were afraid but after a while incouraging one another they made with their boats towards her and the water by this time being nor deep enough for her to dive in they took her by force and drew her into the boat and so carried her to Edam where in time shee grew familiar and fed of ordinary meats and being sent from thence to Harlem shee lived about fifteen years but never spake seeking often to geâ— away into the water Belg. Common VVealth p. 102. In the Seas near unto Sofala are many VVomen-Fishes which from the belly to the neck are very like a woman The Females have breasts like womens with which also they nourish their young From the belly downward they have thick and long tails with fins like a Dolphin the skin on the belly is white on the back rougher than a Dolphins They have arms which from the elbows end in fins and so have no hands the face is plain round and bigger than a mans deformed and without humane semblance They have wide mouths thick hanging lips like a