great plenty of Wheat A place so surfeiting of Delights that the vile Impostor Mahomet would never enter into it lest by the ravishing Pleasures of this place he should forget the business he was sent about and make this his Paradise This City is famous first for her Founders who were Abrahams Servants next for the Temple of Zacharias which was garnished with 40 stately Porches and adorned with about 9000 Lanthorns of Gold and Silver and last of all for the Conversion of St. Paul who here first preached the Gospel for which he was forced to make his escape out of the House being let down the Walls in a Basket Josephus believeth that it was built by Vs the Son of Abraham Grandchild to Noah However it were after Type and Sidon began to decay this began to be in some repute and hath been esteemed the chief City of Phoenicia and sometimes of all Syria It is beyond Mount Libanus in respect to Tyre and Sidon seated in a Soll so fertil and delightful by reason of the Rivers and Fountains that in Holy Scripture it is called a famous City a City of Joy a House of Delight and Pleasure and some Authors call it the Paradise of the World Yet hath it felt very great changes as well as Tyre and Sidon It hath been taken retaken ruined and re-established divers times by the Assyrians Babylonians Persians Macedonians Romans Parthians Saracens Tartars by the Soldans of Egypt and in fine by the Turks in whose hands it is at present very flourishing and rich The Houses of private persons are not so fair without as within the publick Buildings are very beautiful the Castle is in the middle of the City built by a Florentine 4. Serepta seated on the Sea Coast betwixt Tyre and Sidon memorable in Holy Scripture for the Prophet Elijah in raising from death the poor Widows Son Here is found excellent Wines accounted as good as those of Grece 5. Acre of old Acon and Ptolemais is bounded with the Sea on two sides the third is joyned to a Plain of the Continent The City is very strong being walled with a double Wall fortified throughout on the out-side with Towers and Bulwarks and in the middle of the City a strong Castle on the top of which there was every Night set Lights which served to direct Ships at Sea to their Port. The Plain is fertil and well watered with Streams which descend from the Neighbouring Mountains The Christians took lost and retook this place divers times when they made War into the Holy Land in which none more famous than Richard the First and Edward the First both Kings of England The same did likewise the Saracens the Soldans of Egypt ruined it and after re-built it and at present it remains in the hands of the Turks 6. Tripoli of Syria for distinction from Tripoli of Barbary seated in a rich Plain is at this day by some esteemed the Metropolis of Phoenicia thought it hath three times more Ruins than whole Houses and seated about two miles from the Sea but not above half a mile from its Haven which formerly served for a Port to Aleppo but since removed to Alexandretta or Scanderone But yet a place of some small Trade affording Corn Cotton-Wool Yarn Silk some Drugs Pot-Ashes and other Commodities The Buildings are generally low and the Streets narrow excepting those which lead towards Aleppo which are fair and broad having many pleasant Gardens which are watered with delightful Streams in which Gardens they keep great quantities of Silk-Worms The Soil is excellent good if it were well tilled but the Air is unhealthful 7. Biblus now Gibbeleth was the habitation of Ciniras the Father of Myrrha Mother to the fair Adonis from whence the neighbouring River took its name remarkable in the infancy of Christianity for being the See of a Bishop but now by the Turks made desolate And 8. Barutt or Beryte a place formerly of great Trade but now of great concourse and much frequented by Merchants and others it being the Road for all those Caravans that travel from Aleppo Damascus and Jerusalem to Cairo and Mecca It is subject to the Grand Signior Near to this Town is that noted Valley where as some Authors say St. George by killing the Dragon which had his abode in a Cave here redeemed the Kings Daughter which was to be delivered to his fury PALESTINE Palestine bounded PALESTINE formerly called Judaea Canaan or the Holy Land is bounded on the East with Mount Hermon so much spoken of in Holy Scripture on the South with part of Arabia Petraea on the West with the Mediterranean Sea and part of Phoenicia and on the North with the Anti-Libanus which separates it from Syria and the rest of Phoenicia It s scituation is between the Third and Fourth Climates which makes the longest day to be 14 hours and a quarter So populous that before the coming in of the Israelites they had 30 Kings and afterwards David numbred 1300000 Fighting men besides those of the Tribe of Benjamin and Levi. This last and most Meridional part of Syria which we call Palestine first received the name of the Land of Canaan because the Children of Canaan first seised it and parted it amongst them when God had promised it to Abraham and his Posterity it was called the Land of Promise but when it fell into the hands of the Hebrews after their return from Egypt and that they had divided it by Tribes it took the name of the Land of the Hebrews under which it was governed by Prophets Judges and Kings but under these Kings it was soon divided into two Realms which they called Judah and Israel Under the Romans it was only known by the name of Judea or Palestine of Judea because that the Tribe of Judah was always the most powerful of the Twelve and the Kingdom of Judah the most noble and preserved it self longer than that of Israel of Palestina because the Philistines which possessed a part of the Maritim Coast of Judea were powerful and very well known to Strangers After the death of our Saviour Jesus Christ all this Country was called the Holy Land A description of the Jews and their Religion The People which anciently possest this Country were the Jews being of a middle stature strong of body of a black complexion goggle-ey'd a subtle and ingenious people and such as will live in any place much given to Traffick Usury and Brokage not lending without Pledges and taking the forfeitures of them Their Law or Religion was given them by God the Father which with the several Ceremonies and Rites c. prescribed to them may be found in the five first Books of Moses their Synagogues are neither fair within nor without save only adorned with a Curtain at the upper end together with several Lamps and in the midst is placed a Scaffold in form of a Reading-Desk for their Priest which readeth their Law and sings their Liturgy
or Provinces within Land are so near and sometimes so engaged with those of the Coast that I will not change the order I have taken to consider this Kingdom in 5 principal parts in each part observing the Governments Provinces and Kingdoms therein Hunain Haresgol and Marsalquibir on the Coast Telensin Hanghad and Benirafi within Land shall compass the quarter of Telensin Tenes and Sarsell on the Coast and Meliana within Land shall be the quarter of Tenes Algier on the Coast and Cuco within Land that of Algier Bugia and Gilgili on the Coast Stefe Labes Necaus and Mesila withing Land that of Bugia Bona on the Coast Constantina and Thebesse within Land that of Constantine Province of Telensin The City of Telensin which those of the Country now call Tremecen and Tilmisan hath once been chief of a Kingdom of the same name of which the Provinces of Telensin Tenes Algier and Bugia were the parts The City is not above seven or eight Leagues distant from the Sea It hath been one of the greatest and fairest of all Barbary This may appear in that there remains but eight Mosques of consideration it having had 250 but four Bania's of 160 but two Inns for the Franks and four for the Moors of 34 but six Hospitals of thirty or forty It had 16000 Houses about the year 1000 20000 about the year 1200 25000 in the year 1550 and the Jews had ten great Synagogues The divers changes which it suffered and the rude treatment which they received from the Turks hath made many of its Inhabitants retire into Fez and some other where which hath reduced it low That which remains is magnificent its Houses better built its Streets more large and spacious its Gardens more embellished Its People more civil and its Merchants of better credit then those of Algier It hath a Cittadel built after the Modern Fortifications Humain 2. Humain which others call Humanbar and Vnhaim is the ancient Artifiga It s Port is not great but good its Land hath much Figs Oranges Citrons Pomgranates and Cotton of which the Inhabitants make divers Manufactures In 1535 this place was ruined by the Castilians and not restored till long after Haresgol 3. Haresgol is the ancient Siga a Roman Colony the residence of Syphax sometimes King of this Country before he seised the Estates of Massanassa Its scituation is on a Rock whose foot is washed by the Sea and hath no communication with the firm Land but on the South side This City hath been much greater then it is the takings and retakings which it suffered by the Kings of Fiz by the Califfs by the Moors by the Castilians and by the Arabs reduced to the estate it is at present under the Kings of Algier City of Oran who kept a Garrison in its Castle 4. Oran and Marsa-el-Quibir which belongs to the Marquisate of Oran are in the hands of the Catholick King Oran which the Africans call Tuharan the Arab of Nubia Vaharan is the Cuisa of the ancients and Marsa-el-Quibir there Portus Magnus since this name signifies the great Port. This was taken by the Marquess of Comares in the year 1505 the other by the Cardinal Ximenes in the year 1509. At the taking of this last the Castilians lost only 30 men killed 4000 Moors and delivered 20000 Christian Captives This City of Oran before it was taken had above 6000 Houses abundance of Temples Hospitals Canes Bania's c. and had sometimes been the residence of the Catholick Kings The Venetians Genouese Catalonians c. having here so great a Trade that its riches and power inclined its Inhabitants to deny Tribute to the Kings of Telensin and to make some incursions on the Coast of Spain which was the cause of their loss At present it is a Suffragan Bishoprick to the Archbishoprick of Toledo it hath some Convents and Hospitals among others one very rich It is strongly seated on the Mediterranean Shore powerfull at Sea in their Gallies and is a place of some Trade affording most of the Commodities the Country produceth Marsalquibir 5. Masalquibir hath one of the fairest greatest and most secure Ports that is in all Africa The Government or Marquisate of Oran comprehends likewise some Castles and Mountains where there are good Garrisons which keep the Neighborhood in jealousie Mazagran with its Castle on the Coast is in the hands of the Moors Province of Anghad The Quarter of ANGHAD or RANGVAD though for the most part desart yet hath some fertile places where are the Cities Gâ—â—gida and others Guagida hath yet about 3000 Families its Land fruitful in Grains and watred with many Rivers The Desart is possessed by the Arabs and amongst them many Lions Wild-Boars Stags and above all Ostriches in hunting of which the Arabs often exercise themselves making profit of their Feathers eating their Flesh and currying their Skins to carry their Baggage in They keep the heart to make use of in Charms or Witcherasts the Fat to mix in their Medicaments and the Nails or the Horn to make Pendants for the Ears to deck themselves with when they utter the other parts Province of Benirasid BENI-RASID or BENIRAXID hath some Plains towards the North many Mountains toward the South is fruitful almost every where and hath three or four places of some consideration in these Mountains 1. Beni-Arax of Old Bunebora is not walled it contains more then 2000 Inhabitants 2. Calaa or Calat-Haoara of Old Vrbara between two Mountains is strong 3. Moascar of Old Victoria hath a Castle where the Governor of the Countrey resides 4. Batha of Old Vaga on the River Mina having been ruined by the Inhabitants of the Mountain of Guanseris some Morabut out of their opinion of his sanctity restored it in Anno 1520. And 5. Medua Province of Tenes its chief places fertility and people The Province of TENES is between that of Telensin and Algier to whose Kings it hath been subject sometimes to one and sometimes to others and sometimes it self hath born the Title of a Kingdom It s principal places on the Sea are Tenesa and Sargel within Land Meliana 1. Tenesa part on the side of a Hill and part on a Plain descending to the Sea hath a Castle and a Palace formerly the abode of its Kings or Lords now of its Governours Its Inhabitants are addicted to Traffick The Country both in the Mountains and Plains yields them Grains Fruits Hides Wax Hony and some other Commodities 2. Brischa and 3. Sersela East of Tennesa and between Tennes and Algier have many Roman Antiquities The first is the ancient Icosima the other is Rusubricari This hath suffered divers Ruins the Moors driven from Granada rebuilt it and enriched it with their Piracies with their Silks and Fruits The Inhabitants both of the one and the other are for the most part Weavers 4. Meliane or Malliana is on a Mountain where yet the most part of the
now this Problem is the same with that to find out the Meridian Line and the North and South quarters for these being known it is easy to know the rest First by the Stars viz. in the night the Bear or the Helice and Polary Star so called in the extremity of the tail of the Vrsa Minor of great same amongst the Ancients which shewed the North quarter whence all the rest are found for the face being turned to the North the East is at the right hand and the West on the left the Line of which quarters at Right Angles cutteth the Line of the North and South And these Cardinal quarters being found it is easy to find the intermedial quarters unto which purpose that there may be no need of a description they had a Circle made with the quarters whose Northern Line being placed above the Northern Line of any place the other quarters at one sight are discovered But in the day they sought out the quarter by the rising or setting of the Sun as we have shewed in the XXVIII Chapter See Chap. 28. 2. The other Method of the Antients for the knowing of quarters was the knowledge of the scituation or extension of the Shoars and one Promontory to the other For seeing the quarter of this extension was known to them either from the Maps or from Observation and Experience they might in Navigation by seeing them know the other quarters For one quarter being known all the rest are known therefore the Ancients did not far depart from the Coasts viz. that they might know the quarter by the benefit of the known quarter of the extension of Shoars For they could not always use the Method of the Stars and the rising and setting of the Sun 3. The third Method of the Ancients of the knowledge of the quarters was the observed course of the Ship For going from any place and guiding the Ship to the known quarter they were able from the mutation of the course of the Ship to know the quarters 4. Hence it is manifest that the chief cause of the dangerous and imperfect Navigation of the Ancients was the ignorance of a Method by which every where in the middle of the vast Ocean they might know the quarters and so that quarter unto which the Ship was to be steered For as I have said the Method by the Stars and the rising and setting Sun cannot be applied on all days and on the hours of every day for the mark from the scituation of the Shoars faileth in the mid Seas in the night neither is it safe enough in the day time The third Method from the observed course of the Ship hath not place when the Ship is tossed by boysterous winds and tempests from one quarter to another And in this casually lyeth the chief difficulty This I thought fit to admonish concerning the Modes of the Ancients for the finding out the Meridian Line and the North and South by reason that the imperfection of these was the cause of the dangerous and small Navigation of the Ancients seeing that they were never able to commit themselves to the vast Ocean and therefore never knew those Regions between which the Ocean is interposed of which the chief is all America never yet fully known But at this day the Method of knowing the quarters in all places and of finding out the Line of the North and South is facile by the benefit of the admirable propriety which the Loadstone and all Iron touched by it hath been found to have Viz. that all Magneticks not hindred by others in any place direct their points almost to the same quarters For there are two opposite points in the Loadstone whereof one always and in all places turneth it self to the North or the adjacent quarter the other to the South and so also the other points of the Magnes respect the other quarters viz. every point its particular quarter but all of them are not considered but only those two points which as I have said do convert themselves to the North and South which are termed the Poles of the Magnes one Northern the other Southern And the same virtue much to admiration is communicated to the Needle but by an inverted and contrary operation of nature For the end of the Lamine or Needle which is touched at the North Pole of the Magnes doth not convert it self to the North but to the South and that end which is rubbed at the South Pole of the Loadstone turneth not to the South but to the North. These points of the Needle are also termed the Poles The virtue of the Loadstone Although therefore the Loadstone and the Iron touched by it have very many notable properties yet all may be referred to two species or heads one is that virtue which doth extract the Iron the other by which in every place it directeth the two points of its Superficies to the North and South The former faculty the Ancients were not ignorant of but only this latter Seeing therefore the Magnes hath this property therefore by its help it is easy to find in any part of the Earth or Sea where the North or South is whence all the other quarters are soon known For if those points of the North and South be noted in any Loadstone or the North and South Pole and we have this Magnes in the Ship where we are in the Sea when we desire to know the quarters the Loadstone being hung by a Cord that it may easily move it self will so direct its Poles to the quarter of the North and South that it will shew the quarters demanded But the Magnetick Needle is more easy for use whose end is touched at the South Pole of the Magnes For if that this Needle be placed in the middle upon a sharp perpendicular pin so that it can freely turn round the Needle resting will shew by one of its ends the North quarter and by the other the South From what hath been said it is easy to make a Nautical Instrument Proposition II. To make a Mariners Compass Of the making the Mariners Compass Let the described Circle on any Paper be divided into 32 Quarters or degrees and let one of these deg being taken for the North Quarter be ascribed with these appellations Viz. with a peculiar Sign the Flower de Luce and the found out points for the other Quarters viz. South East West North-East North-West as we have propounded them in the Diagram in the XX Chapter Mariners term this Chart the Rose Then let the Magnetick Needle be so affixed beneath the Chart that the middle of the Needle may be beneath its Center and the North Pole of the Needle may be subjected to the Line of the Paper unto which we ascribe the Northern Quarter Moreover the Paper being so made with the Needle lying under let it be put upon the pointed pin that it may have a free Circumrotation So the Index of the
there are yet formed a great number of Creatures which appears when the Inundation of the Nile diminished saying that the Gods after them the Heroes and in fine Men have reigned for almost an incredible number of years Of these Gods there are three degrees of which Pan was the most ancient of the eight first Hercules of the 12 second and Denis of the 〈◊〉 third They divide the times of their men Kings by Dynasties that is Dominations of divers Families and give so great a number to their Kings and so great a time to their Reigns that they must have beginning long before the Creation of the World and likewise by their account their Gods and Hero's had reigned before Men the space of 20 or 25000 years They attribute the foundation of most of their Cities to their Gods Hero's and Kings and these they make and build many Labyrinths Pyramids Obelisques Colosses c. not knowing how to expend their Treasures or employ their People In the History of the Kings of Egypt one Sesostris or Seostris subdued all Europe and Asia if we will believe them Joseph an Hebrew servant and after master of the House of Potipher from the prison rose to such favour with the King that he alone had almost the whole Government of the Kingdom established his brothers in Egypt and their descendants multiplied so that in the end the Kings of Egypt became jealous and fearful lest they should make themselves masters of the Kingdom another Sesostris subdued Syria Assyria Media the Isles of Cyprus c. and was esteemed as much or more then any of his predecessors Mephres or Memnon it was that dedicated his Statue to the Sun which it saluted at its rising and shewed some signe of Joy so artificial was it made Busiris treated the Hebrews so ill that he left him the name of an infamous Tyrant Cenchres was the Pharaoh who was drown'd in the Red Sea Proteus gave occasion to say that he turned himself into a Lion sometimes into a Bull or Dragon c. by reason of his different arming his head or possibly for his different actions Rempsis had no other care but to keep up riches Chemnis caused to be built the first and greatest Pyramid imploying therein three hundred sixty thousand men for the space of twenty years of which more anon Sesac or Sesouchis armed four hundred thousand Foot sixty thousand Horse and One thousand two hundred Chariots against Rehoboam took and pillaged Jerusalem and its Temple Bocchoris though weak of body was so prudent that he gave Laws to the Egyptians This was he that leagued himself with Hosea against Salmanazar King of the Babylonians Sevecho or Sebeko reigning in Egypt Sennacherib King of the Assyrians being come to assault him an infinite number of Wild Rats knawed in one night the Arrows in the Quivers and the Strings or Cords of the Bows and the Thongs of the Assyrians Armes which caused on the morrow both their flight and overthrow Necao or Necaus began the Channel between the Nile and the Red Sea passed by the Meridional or Aethiopian Ocean by the Occidental or Atlantick Ocean reentred by the streight of Gibraltar and returned into Egypt at the end of three years he vanquished Josias King of Judea and was also vanquished by Nebuchodonozar Apryes happy in his beginnings was in the end defeated by those of Cyrene in Libya and saw all Egypt revolt who chose for their King Amasis under whose reign there were counted twenty thousand Cities in Egypt as Pliny saith Under this Amasis the Estate fell into the hands of the Persians after to the Macedonians Greeks and then to the Romans c. Among the Kings of Persia who ruled in Egypt Cambyses was the first and best known among the Macedonians and Greeks Alexander the great after whom the Kings of Egypt took the names of Ptolomies from the name of him who first bore the title of King after Alexander but after the Romans had to do with the affairs of Egypt there was nothing more remarkable of their History but Cleopatra after whom Augustus reduced this Kingdom to a Roman Province and it remained under the Romans and under the Emperours of the East near seven hundred years till about the year of Grace six hundred and forty that the Arabs seised it under their Califs who resided first at Medina then at Bagdad Damascus and sometime at Cairo The Soldans abolished this Califate in Egypt and among them the Christians have but too well known one Saladine who drove them out of a great part of the Holy Land Among these last Soldans Campson Gaurus and Tomombey were esteemed valiant yet were so ill served that the Turks under their Emperour Selimus became Masters of Egypt in 1518 and do yet possess it The Tribute they pay to the Bassa At present the Port sends a Bassa to command in Egypt and the 12 Cassilifs or Governours of the Country depend on this Bassa and are as it were only his Farmers They give him every year a certain number of Purses every Purse of 750. or 760 Lion dollars some 25 30 40 some only 10 or 12 according to the goodness of the Country or the greatness of their Cassilifs or Governments some having only 40 or 50 Towns other 100 200 300 and more besides these Purses for the Bassa they give to the Tihaja or Haja who is as it were his Chancellor and other Officers about the sixth or at least the fifth part of what they give to the Bassa And for the Prince or Grand Signior some pay 6 times more others ten times more then they give to the Bassa and besides these Purses they furnish a certain number of Ardeps or measures of Grain Pulse c. The constant Profit or Revenue that the Grand Signior drawsâ—rom this Kingdom is 1800000 Zeccheens yearly The Grand Signiours revenue from Egypt each Zeccheene is valued at 9 s. sterling which is 8 millions and 10000 l. sterling and this Revenue is divided into 3 equal parts of which one is allotted for the furnishing and accommodating the Annual Pilgrimage to Mecha the second goes for the payment of the Souldiers and Officers with other necessary charges for the management of the Kingdom and the third and last goes clear into his Chequer The several Cassilifs in Egypt The Cassilif of Girgio or of Sa it is one of the best and richest it passed not above 100 years since for a Kingdom and received its Bassa from the Port. It hath likewise its Dievan disposes its Cassilifs or under-Governments which lie in its extent the Soyl is fruitful bears much Corn and feeds many Cattle The Cassiliffs of Manfelout and Benesuef are not so great but better peopled and worth little less then that of Girgio On the other side of the Nile are those of Minio and Cherkeffi which have as large an extent as the other 3 together but are incomparably less as to the goodness scarce
or God on a four square place covered with Wires or Fetissoes straws which the Birds by them called Gods Birds devour During which time the Fetissero sits upon a Stool with a Pot of Drink in his hand using several Ceremonies Their Marriage theirabode Amongst their Barbarous Customs they have one very good and that is when their Daughters are of a fitting age to marry they put them into Houses which are in the nature of Monasteries where for a year they are educated by Old Men of good repute amongst them And at the expiration of the said year they are brought well habited according to their Custom and accompanied with Musick and Dancing and when a Young-man makes choise of any of them he bargains with her Parents and satisfies the Old Man that educated her for his pains and charges which is not much and then takes her to Wife The Portion being thus paid they meet one another naked and the Woman swears to be faithful to the Man both at Bed and Board and so the Marriage is concluded But the Man sweareth not being at liberty so that upon the least offence he may put her away or force her to pay a Fine of so many Potoes of Gold And according to the ability of a Man he may buy and keep as many Wives as he pleaseth among which the eldest is subservient to the youngest The Man never lieth with any of his Wives neither eateth with them but on Tuesdays which is their Sabbath And although the Husband commands yet the Wife is the Purse-bearer until she be with Child and ready to be delivered at which time being stark naked and in the Field among the People she throweth the bag to her Husband until taking a handful of Manniget and a spoonful of Oyl she goeth abroad the next day as well as if she had not been with Child or suffered any pain and then feasteth her Neighbors circumciseth the Child and after it hath lain sprawling upon the ground two or three daies she taketh it and carrieth it on her shoulders How they bring up their Children like those which we call Gipsies and is about four years of age the Mother bringeth it to the Father who teaches it to Swim make Nets Fish and Row giving it nothing but what it can earn and when it can be master of so much Gold as will purchase Linnen to make it a Wastcloth it is rich In Guiny there are several Petty Kingdoms who make War one against the other Their War during which War they destroy and burn the Countrey to the end that the enemy may find no succour removing their Goods to a Neighboring Kingdom with whom they have peace and the whole Kingdom surrounds the King Their Weapons for his defence and safeguard and thus they march Their Weapons are the Bow and Arrows with which they are so expert that they can shoot within the breadth of a Shilling Also they make use of the Poniard the Dagger the Shield and Turbant In which Wars those they kill they eat those they take they make Slaves and such are those that the English Dutch and other Nations buy of them and whom they subdue they take Hostages from The Riches Revenue State and Power of their Kings Their Kings are not over-rich that Revenue which they have comes from the Customs and Tithes upon Goods as also in the two Ounces of Gold paid by every Man that lieth with anothers Wife Likewise in Fines levied for Theft for their ransom and lastly in the Sixpenny forfeitures for bringing their Weapons within any of their Cities Neither do they live in great pomp and grandure a poor Cottage with us being with them a Princes Palace Yet they are had in such reverence that none cometh to speak with them though of their Nobility and Gentry but must crawl upon the hands and knees and so deliver their business unto them But the White Men are had in so much respect though never so poor that they sit cheek by jowl by their Kings Upon the Coronation day as also upon the Quarter days when the Kings receive their Customs they make a maguificent Feast which lasteth for two or three days at which times they have all the varieties in their way as the Countrey will afford and many of them are held very powerful And here on this Coastof Guiny the Dutch have been great Traders having several Holds and Factories but of late in Anno 1663 and 64 the English have had many struglings with the Dutch whom they have pretty well subdued and have now settled their several Factories and are incorporated into a Society at London called the Royal African Company who have many Factories and settlements driving a very considerable Trade to the great benefit of the Nation Isles of St. THOMAS c. BEtween Guiny and the Lower Aethiopia is a Guph where are the Isles of St. THOMAS Princes Island Fernand Poo Annobon or Bon Anne and farther in the Great Sea St. Matthew the Ascention St. Helena c. These Isles have their names from the day whereon they were discovered That of the Prince because its Revenue was designed for the Prince of Portugal that of Fernand Poo from him that discovered it But of all these Islands that of St. THOMAS is by much the greatest The Island of St. Thomas described and the best Its form is almost round it is thirty others say forty others and with more apparent truth 60000 Paces Diameter which are 180000 Paces or 65 Leagues circuit seated under the Aequator and by reason of the excessive heats which are there predominant The Air is found very prejudicial and unhealthful to strangers especially to the Europeans who scarce ever reach to the age of fifty years and the Women much less Yet the Natives of the Countrey live commonly 100 years and without sickness They have no Rain but only in March and September yet by reason of the Dews which at all other times of the year falls the Earth is well moistned so that it brings forth all sorts of Fruits Roots and Pot-Herbs but their principal riches is their Sugars of which they have sometimes exported 150000 Arrobes each Arrobe being 32 l. weight which is five Millions of pounds yearly Also Ginger c. there is carried them in exchange for their Commodities Wines Oyls Cheese Stuffs Beads Drinking-glasses Corn-Flower and little white Shels which serve for Money in Aethiopia as in Guiny c. They Trade in the Neighbouring Coasts where are the Rivers of Barca Campo St. Benito St. Juan and the Isle of Corisco Those Grains and Vines which they would have sown and Planted have not thriven the Earth being too fat They make their Bread of divers Roots have their Wood from Palm-Trees They feed much Fowl have abundance of several sorts of Fish both great and small among others Whales They have also great store of four-footed Beasts among others their Hogs bear
pleasantly seated on a River whose Streams commodiously water its Streets which are large and spacious It is beautified with fair Buildings and its Minster or Cathedral is a stately Structure having as many Doors for entrance as Months in the year as many Windows as Weeks and as many Pillars great and small as Days in the year and its Spire proudly sheweth it self from a great distance near unto which is the Bishops Palace then its Town-Hall seated in a spacious Market-place is a fair Building This City amongst its Immunities sends Burgesses to Parliament is a place well inhabited and frequented enjoyeth a good Trade and its Markets which are on Tuesdays and Saturdays are very considerable for Corn and Provisions and for living Cattle on Tuesdays This City is encompassed with open Fields and Plains where at about 6 miles distance is that wonderful piece of work called Stone-Henge composed of great and unwrought Stones some being 28 foot high and 7 broad and so laid thwart one another that it is wonderful to behold And these Stones are said to be thus raised by the Britains as a Monumental Sepulchre of the Vertue and Manhood of Ambrosius Aurelianus who took upon him the Imperial Purple-Robe of Britain in the declension of the Roman Empire succoured his languishing Country and by the aid of that warlike Arthur repressed the furious rage of the Enemy vanquishing powerful Armies and in the end in the last Battel sought on this Plain lost his life Wilton Wilton well watered with the Willey and another River a Town in former time of such great note that it was the chief in the County and was dignified with an Episcopal See had a Monastery and enjoyed great Immunities but at present it is become a small mean Borough Town electing Parliament men is the place where she Knights of the Shire are chosen where the Sheriff keeps his Monthly County-Courts yet hath but a small Market on Fridays Divizes Devizes seated near Blackmere-Forest a Town of greater note and strength in former times than at present being defended by a powerful Castle yet is it a large Town being well inhabited and traded unto for divers Commodities especially for Mault It hath the election of Parliament men and its Market which is on Thursdays is very considerable for Horses Cattle of all sorts Corn Provisions and divers other Country-commodities Chipnam Chipnam seated on the Avon a Borough Town electing Parliament men and hath a noted Market for Corn and Provisions on Saturdays Marlborough Marlborough seated on the Kenet near Savernake-Forest and Aldburn-Chase and in a Chalky Soil a Town of great note in former times where there was a Parliament held and a Law made for the suppressing of all Tumults called the Statute of Marlborough And here was once a strong Castle belonging to John Sirnamed Sans Terre who was after King of England It is at present a good large and well built Borough Town electing Parliament men is governed by a Major and Burgesses and hath a very considerable Market for Corn Mault Provisions Butter and especially Cheese on Saturdays Not far from this place are divers Stones some of a vast bigness pitched up an end Swindon Swindon seated near a rich Vale and on the Summit of a Hill a Town of no largeness but its Houses are generally well built of Stone and hath a considerable Market for fat Cattle on Mondays Malmesbury Malmesbury pleasantly seated on the Banks of the Avon which almost encircleth it over which it hath 6 Bridges It is a Town of great antiquity where Maidulph an Irish-Scot a man of great Holiness and Learning under a Hill in a solitary Grove built a Cell or little Monastery and lived an Hermetical life and where his Successor Adelma built a fair Monastery It as it present a good Borough Town governed by a Major and Aldermen enjoyeth several Immunities sends Burgesses to Parliament and hath a good Market for Corn and Provisions on Saturdays County of Worcester The County of WORCESTER is of a fertil Soil both for Tillage and Pasturage bearing good Crops of Corn and feeding store of Cattle It is inter laced with aspiring Hills well clothed with Wood as the Malvern Bredon Woodbery Aberleg c. and through its Valleys run those many Rivers which so plentifully water the County as the Severn Avon Salwarp c. This Shire hath such great abundance of Fruits that even the Hedgerows and High-ways are beset therewith whose Fruits are free to all Passengers and here Sider and Perry is had in as great plenty as Beer at London Here are many Salt-Pits or Wiches which afford a most excellent high prized Salt for the Gentries Table which for fineness whiteness and hardness imitateth Loaf-Sugar This County is severed into 5 Hundreds in which are seated 152 Parishes and is traded unto by 11 Market Towns Worcester Worcester no less pleasantly than commodiously seated on the Severn over which it hath a fair Stone-Bridge with a Tower upon it It is a City of great antiquity said to be built by the Romans the better to secure themselves from the Britains who were Masters of all beyond the Severn and was held in good repute in the time of the Danes and Saxons and although it hath received so many shocks of ill fortune by Fire and Sword yet is it a place of good largeness numbring 9 Parish Churches besides St. Michaels and its Cathedral a stately Structure in whose Quire are several graceful Tombs This City enjoyeth ample Immunities electeth Parliament men is dignified with the See of a Bishop is governed by a Major Sheriff 6 Aldermen 24 principal Citizens with 48 less called Common-Council-men 2 Chamberlains a Recorder Town Clerk with sub-Officers is graced with good Buildings and well ordered Streets is well inhabited enjoyeth a good Trade especially for Clothings here made in great quantities and its Markets on Wednesdays Fridays and Saturdays are very considerable especially that on Saturdays for living Cattle Corn Flesh Fish and all Provisions which are here had at easie rates Evesholme Evesholme seated on a Hill arising from the River Avon which almost encompasseth it where it hath a Stone-bridge This Town was of note for its Abby founded by Edwin by the helping-helping-hand of King Kenred Son of Wolpher King of the Mercians It is at present a large and well-built Major-Town esteemed the best in the County next to Worcester containing two or three Parishes sends Burgesses to Parliament is well inhabited and frequented enjoyeth a good Trade principally for Stockings and its Market which is on Mondays is very considerable for Corn Cattle Provisions and Stockings This Town gives name to a Vale near adjoyning which for fertility of Soil may deservedly be called the Granary of these parts Droitwich Droitwich seated on the River Salwarp a pretty good Bailiwick-Town but its Market which is on Fridays is but small This Town is of great note
Mouth of the River Bany where it hath a good Porâ— and is a place well fortified Ross Ross seated on the Sea-shoar once of good account when it had a goâ—â— Road and Port which now is barred up Yoghall Yoghall fortified with a Wall and scituate on the River Broadwater at iâ— influx into the Sea where it hath a good Haven which makes it to be well iâ— habited and to enjoy some Trade County of Waterford described WATERFORD a pleasant and fertil County washed with the Sea 〈◊〉 divided into seven Baronies viz. Deeceis Gualtier Cashmore and Coshbridâ— Middle-third Vpper-third Glamhery and Waterford-Liberty And hatâ— for its cheif places Waterford Waterford by the Britains and Irish called Portblargy said to be built 〈◊〉 certain Pirates of Norway seated on the River Showr on which it hath 〈◊〉 commodious and capacious Port where about a 1000 Sail of Ships may safeâ—â— ride at Anchor It is a fair and well inhabited City enjoyeth a good Trade 〈◊〉 dignified with the See of a Bishop and is esteemed the second place of â—â—te iâ— the whole Kingdom Dungarvan Dungarvan a well fortified Town on the Sea-shoar where it hath a gooâ— Road for Ships which makes it to be of some account Ardmore Ardmore also seated on the Sea-shoar Lismore Lismore a place of some note Divers small Isles in the British Sea And thus much for the Description of Ireland besides which and Greaâ—-Britain there are a vast number of lesser Isles which may be comprehendeâ— under the denomination of the British Isles and may be considered under fouâ— sorts or heads viz. the Orcades the Hebrides the â—orâ—inges and the Isles oâ— Scilly with those of the Sporades And of these in order MAPP OF THE ISLES 〈◊〉 WIGHT IARSEY GARNSEY â—â—RKE MAN ORCADES â—â—D SHETLAND BY RIC Blome by his Matys Comand SHETLAND ISLE OF Mâ—â— To the R t honble Will Earlâ— of Derby L d Stanley and Strange of 〈…〉 〈…〉 L d Lieutenant 〈◊〉 County 〈◊〉 of Lancaster Chesir Admirall of the 〈…〉 Lord of Man 〈…〉 This Mapp of 〈…〉 humbly dedicated by Rich Blome .. â—â—â—E OF WIGHT To the Worshipfull Thomas Bucclugh of Swaynston Brixton in the Isle of Wight Esq Son heir to the Sr. Io Barington of Barrington hall in Essex Kt. and Bart. This Mapp of the Isle of Wight is Humbly dedicated by Ric Blome ORCADES â—ARSEY To the R t honble S. r George Carteret Kt Bar t 〈◊〉 Chamberlaine of his Majâ—â—s household one of his Matys most honble privy Councell c This Mapp of Jarsey is humbly dedicateâ— by Ric Blome GARNSEY To ye. Rt. Hon Christopher Haton Baron Hatton of Kirby Governour of the Isle of Garsey c. This Mapp of Garnsey is Humbly DD. by Ric Blome Isles of Orkney when first discovered and how subdued THe ORCADES or ISLES of ORKNEY are in number 32 and scituate against the Northern Cape of Scotland from which it is separated by a narrow Streight In Solinus his time they were uninhabited and overgrown with sledgy or rushy Weeds and at present they are not over-crowded with People as not being very commodious to dwell in being very cold destitute of Woods and unfit to bear Wheat so that instead of Bread-corn they make use of dried Stock-fish which they beat to powder And these Isles according to Tacitus are said to be first discovered by Julius Agricola when he sailed round Britain with his Fleet at which time he brought them under his subjection After that according to Ninnius Octha and Ebissus Saxons who served under the Britains sailed about the Picts Country with 40 Sail of Cyules that is Flyboats or roaving Pinnaces and sorely wasted these Isles Soon after this they fell into the hands of the Norwegians who kept the possession thereof until the Year 1266 at which time the Scots waging War with them Magnius the Fourth of that name then King of Norway was constrained to surrender them up again upon composition unto Alexander the Third King of the Scots which was afterwards confirmed by King Haquin And in Anno 1498 Christian the First King of Norway and Denmark upon the Marriage of his Daughter to James the Third King of the Scots renounced all his Right for himself and his Successors thereunto It s People And the People that inhabit these Isles as well in Language as Behaviour resemble much of the wild Irish and are called Redshanks a sort of People utterly rude and barbarous The chief of these Isles are as followeth POMONIA by Solinus called Pomona Diutina Pomonia and by the Inhabitants Mainland for that it is far larger than all the rest being about 26 miles in length and 6 in breadth an Isle well stored with Lead and Tin is indifferently inhabited and hath for its chief Town Kirke-wale a large Town dignified with an Episcopal See Kirkwale is fortified with two Castles and for Divine Worship hath 12 Churches one of which to wit its Cathedral is a fair Structure Hoy with other Isles HOY indifferent large having several Towns Souna Flotta South-Ranals Burra Siapins Eglis Roous Wester Papa Fana Heth or Eda Streoms Sand-Isle and North-Ranals with divers others of less note and not worth the naming Shetland Isles The ISLES of SHETLAND by some though falsly esteemed the Thule of the Ancients and by the Commentator upon Horace the Fortunate Island where according to the fabulous Opinion of Tzetzes the Souls of good men are Ferried over into those Elysiian Fields which are always clothed in their Summer-Livery but the mistake is very gross for on the contrary this Isle lying in the Latitude of 63 degrees is extreamly Cold and the greatest part of the Year pestered with Ice and Snow and the more as lying on every side open to the bitter Storms of the Northern Ocean Isle of Hebrides described The HEBRIDES HEBVDES or Western Isles as seated Westwards of Scotland are about 44 in number and for the generality are plentifully provided with Corn Woods Sheep Salmons Herrings and other Fish as also with Fowl Deer and Conies And for the People according to Solinus they are said to be uncivil ignorant of Religion Arts and Literature contenting themselves in a mean condition for Food Rayment or Habitation and all these Isles were anciently ruled by a King of their own which was not by succession but election and to that end their Kings were prohibited to marry but were permitted to enjoy other mens Wives which he fancied when and as long as he pleased And 't is said that in the other part of Scotland according to ancient Custom the Virginity of all New-married Wives were the Landlords due until such time that King Malcolme made a Law that half a Mark should be paid for redemption It seemeth Maiden-heads in these parts were then of no great value for a Mark Scotch is little above a Shilling English The
they cross out It s other chief places are 1 Xauquin a Maritime City 2 Luicheu also seated on the Sea very commodious for Traffick and opposite to the Isle of Aynan from which it is distant about 5 Leagues 3 Lampaca also seated upon the Sea and 4 Nanhium seated far within Land and among the Mountains which parts this Province from Chiamsi The Isle of Aynan its commodities The Isle of AYNAN is also comprehended under this Province and is the greatest of all the Islands that belong to China It is distant from Amacao on the South 50 or 60 Leagues it is almost as long as broad having 50 Leagues from South to North where it almost joyns upon the Southern Coast of China and on the other side regards Cochinchina It abounds in Grains Fruits Tame and Wild Beasts The Sea hath Pearls Lignum Aquilae and Calamba Their Craw-fish taken out of the Water die and grow hard like a Stone which being reduced to Powder serves for a remedy against many diseases The Earth hath Mines of Gold and Silver for which the Inhabitants care little In the midst of the Island the People are likewise half Savages The chief City is Kincenfen seated on the Sea-shore and regarding the Province of Canton The Province of Quancy and its chief Cities The Province of QVANCY which Purchas calls Guansa enjoys the same temperament with Canton yields the same Commodities and with the same plenty but is not so much frequented by Mexchants nor hath scarce any confluence of Strangers the reason is because its Rivers loose and discharge themselves all in the Province and at the City of Canton which forces them to pass through the hands of those of Canton to utter their Merchandizes and receive those of others In this Province there are Ten large Cities of which Quancy is chief all well built and very populous besides about one hundred small ones The Province of Zunnan and its chief places The Province of ZVNNAN which Purchas calls Vanam is the last on the South Coast where it is washed by the Gulf of Cochinchina and on the West where it touches on the Kingdom of Tunquin and on divers People beyond those Mountains which inclose the West of China The Women have here the liverty to go in publick to buy and sell which those of other parts of China do not It hath Mines which yield a kind of Amber redder and less pure then ours but which hath some particular vertue against Fluxes Besides this it transports few Merchandizes into other places This Province hath likewise good store of small and great Cities the chief of which bears the name of the Province and Hilan seated on a Lake so called which is inform of a Crescent The Province of Chiamsi its Trade chief places The Province of CHIAMSI which Purchas calls Lansay is inclosed with Mountains which have their passages open to the Neighbouring Provinces and particularly on the Coast of Canton On the Mountain of Muilin there is a great concourse for the carriages of Merchandizes which are transported from Canton to Nanquin which is done by mounting the River of Canton unto the foot of the Mountain From whence the carriages being taken out of the Vessels are loaden and born upon Mens backs to the other side of the Mountain where there is found another navigable River which crosses the Province Kiamsi till it falls into the famous Jamchuquiam which leads to Nanquin and the Sea This Province is so peopled that a part of its Inhabitants are constrained to spread themselves through all other Provinces of China to seek their fortune It is in one of the Cities of this Province that they make Porcelain the Water here being fit to give it perfection The Earth is fetched from other places beaten and fashioned at the same time the tincture they most commonly apply is Azure some lay on Vermilion others Yellow In this Province are 12 great Cities besides about sixty small ones its chief City being called Nanciam seated on a Lake as is Quianhanfu and others It s other chief places are 1 Kienchan 2 Linbiang 3 Juencheu 4 Nangam The Province of Huquam and its Commodities The Province of HVQVAM is so abundant in Rice that it is able to furnish a good part of China It is likewise rich in Oyls and Fish The Jamchuquian and many other Rivers and Lakes cross it on all sides and carry its Commodities towards Nanquin and to Quincheu It is very populous containing 15 great Cities and about 100 small ones the chief of which are 1 Chingiang 2 Huchang 3 Suchang 4 Yocheu c. The Povince of Suchuen described The Province of SVCHVEN which Mendoza calls Susuan Purchas Soin is one of the lesser Provinces of the Kingdom it is high scituated and pours down its Rivers into the Neighbouring Provinces Here is found good store of yellow Amber and excellent Rhubarb It s chief Cities are in number 8 together with about 120 lesser ones all which are exceeding populous the chief bearing the name of the Province The Province of Quicheu and its chief places The last of the Provinces I have to treat of is QVICHEV or likewise CVTCHEV according to Purchas It borders on the People Timocoves Gueyes the Kingdom of Ciocangue and the People called Layes Here is that famous Lake Câ—ncui-Hai from whence comes divers Rivers which water China They make here quantity of Arms of all sorts to serve against those People which border upon them which once belonged to China but which now for the most part are Enemies to it This Province is Hilly and unever which makes it not very fertil in Corn Fruits c. but it hath abundance of Quicksilver and also it breeds the best Horses of any Province in all China Cities in this Province are very few there being not above 15 both small and great the chief of which are 1. Quicheo seated on the River Yanchuquianâ— 2. Rueyang 3. Hianchoau 4. Liping 5. Cipan c. All these Provinces or rather all these Kingdoms of China are governed by divers Magistrates which those of Europe call in general Mandarins These are persons that have Patents whom the King or chief Officer of State doth chuse after knowledge of their capacity and honesty the degrees given to Students the general and particular Governments the charges of the Militia the receipt of and management of Revenues the building and repairing of Publick Buildings the Civil and Criminal Justice are in their hands And there are Appeals from one to the other according to the order and nature of Affairs The Council of Estate always resides near the person of the King and hath a general eye over the Kingdom But it shall suffice what we have said of China let us finish by saying That we have described it as it was before the Tartars made an irruption in â—618 These Tartars kept it wholly for some years since which
Food for three daies There is likewise 200 Banias or Stews 200 Inns of which some have more then 100 Chambers 400 Mils which daily work 1200 Mules Among its Colleges the building of that of King Hahu Henon cost 500 thousand Duckats being a most curious and delicate Building all enriched with Mosaicque work of Gold Azure and Marble its Gates are of Brass In this Colledge are abundance of stately Buildings as Cloisters Halls Baines Hospitals c. It hath a stately Library in which besides other Books are 20000 Volumes in Manuscript They have 150 publick necessary houses built so commodiously that the Waters carry away the ordure To its Walls it hath 86 Gates which serve for entrance into the City South East of the old Fez is the new City The New City of Fiz at a Mile or 1200 paces distance this is almost only for the House and for the Officers of the King The Palace where he ordinarily resides and the Palaces of the principal Lords the Mint a stately Temple c. are in the first quarter The Officers of the Court and the Captains of the guard hold almost all the second and the Kings Guards alone had formerly the third Now a good part of this last quarter is possessed by Jews and Goldsmiths and part of the second by divers Merchants and Artisans In this City of Fez as generally throughout these parts they have abundance of Conjurers Fortune-tellers Juglers and Inchanters who are in some War esteem amongst them It s People are of a duskish or blackish complexion of sly Stature tall and well proportioned they are of an active disposition for and Horse-manship otherwise excessive idle they are very subtle close perfidious inconstant proud much addicted to Luxury and therefore by consequence very jealous of their Wives whom they keep with great severity and that the more according to their external graces they are very revengeful if injured and hard to be reconciled In their gait they have much of the Spaniard in them in their Apparel they go very sumptuous and rich but their Food is but very gross Their Religion As to their Religion they are either Mahometans or Heathens and are for the most part inclined to Literature and Arts. Their Magistrates and Justice In this City are four sorts of Magistrates one for the Canon-Law one for the Civil-Law another for Marriages and Divorcements and another as an Advocate to whom they make their appeal In the Administration of Justice they are more or less severe according to the hainousness of the offence In their Marriages they observe many Ceremonies as being agreed they are accompanied to the Church by their Parents Relations and Friends which Ceremony being ended they are invited to two Banquets the one at the Bridegrooms cost and the other at the Brides Relations which being done the Bridegroom causeth the Bride to be conducted to his House with Musick and Torches being accompanied with their Friends and being entred the House she is immediately lead to the Chamber door and delivered by her Father Brother or some of her Kindred to his Mother if living who there waits for her coming who immediately is redelivered to him who forthwith conducts her to a private Chamber where he enjoyeth her and if she is found to be a Virgin which will appear by the blood which will proceed which perceiving they drie up with a Napkin and carry in their hands to shew the Company with great joy and then they make Feasts and are very merry But if she be contrary and that no blood is caused then they judge her Virginity lost and thereupon the Marriage is frustrated and with great disgrace she is turned home to her Parents This with several other Ceremonies are omitted in the Marriage of a Widow Here the Women at the death of their Friends assemble themselves together habit themselves in Sack-Cloth and Ashes and sing a Funeral Dirge to the praise of the Deceased and at the end of every verse howl and crie and this they do for seven daies together during which time her Friends send in Provisions and come and comfort her for their custom is not to have any meat drest in the House of Mourning during the said time especially untill the Corps is interred 1. The City of Mahmora fell into the hands of the Portugals in 1515 was presently retaken by the King of Fez who defeated 10000 Christians and gained 60 pieces of Artillery The Kings of Spain likewise made themselves Masters of it 1614 and have fortified it because of the goodness of the Port. 2. Sala or Sally hath been the residence of some Kings of Fez. It is composed of two Cities the Old and the New and hath a great Trade with the English French Hollanders and Genoueses It s Fortress is on a rising ground with a high Tower which discovers the Sea In the Castle the King Mansor and others his successors have their magnificent Tombs The place was taken by the Castilians and retaken from them some years past and afterwards abundance of the Moors of Granado driven from Spain retiring thither have fortified and enriched it with their Piracies 3. Mechnese between Sally and Fez is in the middle of a Plain where for 5 or 6000 paces there is only Gardens filled with excellent Fruits The City is well built its Streets large and well ordered Its Inhabitants liberal and civil but alwaies in jealousie against those of Fez. Divers Aqueducts bring water to the City and furnish the Temples Bains Hospitals and Colledges and private Houses Asgar is a Province between the Rivers of Suba Province of Asgar and Lusus or Lixa on the Coast it extends itself far up the Land towards the City of Fez and hath fair and fertile Fields with an Air so pleasant that formerly the Kings of Fez passed here a part of the Spring in Hunting 1. Elgiumha or Elgiuhma in the way from Fez to Larrache and formerly the fairest of the Provinces serves now only as the Granary where the Arabs store up their Corn. 2. Casarel-Cabir a place of pleasure which Mansor caused to be built between the Fens the Forests the Sea and the River may now have about 1500 Houses adorned with a stately Hospital a Colledg and many Temples The Battel which Don Sebastian King of Portugal lost was here fought In which it is observable that the three Chiefs of the Armies which that day met all died viz. Don Sebastian of Portugal in the field of the Battel Muley Mahomet of Fez in favor of whom Don Sebastian passed into Africa was drowned passing the River of Mucazin to save himself in Arzile and Abdelmelech of Morocco the Conqueror died with labour and pains or with the sickness with which he was seised before the Battel all three competitors for this Kingdom with several others of eminent quality 3. Lharais or Larrache once Lixos which some among the Ancients say was greater then the Great
Carthage and hath made the Royal Residence of Antaeus whom Hercules defeated and from whence he brought the Golden Apples gathered in the Hesperides Gardens It is at present one of the principal Fortresses of the Kingdom and hath often been attempted by the Portugals and Spaniards The Province of Habat is part on the Ocean Province of Habat part on the Mediterranean Sea and holds all the streight of Gibraltar on the African side opposite to Spain in Europe The principal Cities of this Province are Arzila which the Portugals took in 1471 carrying away all its inhabitants and among the rest Muley Mahomet el Oataz then seven years old after King of Morocco who remembring more his imprisonment then the liberty he had from Spain in the year 1508 raised 10000 Moors besieged and took the City of Arzila and the Castle the Portugals hardly defending themselves in a Tower which was yet relieved the City and Castle retaken and the Moors well beaten The Portugals afterward and under some pretext abandoned this place which Muley Mahomet called the Black returned it to Don Sebastian King of Portugal in 1578 but which the Xeriffs retook again and do at present possess The City is great and strong with a Port on the Ocean the soyl produces more fruits and Pulse then Grain and Wood. 2. Tangier of old Tingis hath been the most famous among the Ancients builded as they say by Antaeus and so renowned that the neighbouring Mauritania took from it the name of Mauritania Tingitana and the Streight of Fretum Tingitanum yet were its Bishop and Government united not long since to that of Ceuta where they had their residence till the dis-union of the Estates of Portugal and Castile Ceuta remaining in the hands of the Spaniards Tangier and Cazar Ezzaghir returning to the Portugals The former of the two last is now delivered into the hands of the English upon the marriage of Donna Catharina Infanta of Portugal with our Soveraign Lord King Charles the Second of happy memory Where we have a good Fort and Mold for the convenience of shipping by which means it may be in time a place of a considerable Trade It is made a very strong place since the English have been masters of it and doth contain about 1500 Houses well built they have pleasant Gardens Near to this place it is said that Hercules overcame Antaeus a monstrous Giant of 64 Cubits high 3. Tettuan or Tetteguin hath not above 800 Houses which are as well built as any in Barbary and a good part of the Moors driven from Granada being retired thither it is maintained in a good estate they are continually coursing on the Sea and keep many Christians their Slaves In this Country are abundance of other Cities though of no such considerable note as those aforementioned Its Mountains which are counted about 8 are inhabited by the Tribes of Gumera who drink Wine though contrary to the Law of Mahomet and pay some 3 some 4 others 6000 Duckats yearly That of Rahon hath Vineyards and its Inhabitants make quantity of Sope and Wax Benifensecare besides its Wax yields Hides and Linnen-Cloth and on its Srturday Markets the Christians muy Trade Benihurus is almost dis-inhabited by reason of the Neighborhood of Gazar Ezzaghir under whose government it hath been Chebib on the contrary is much augmented after that the Portugals took Tangier the ancient Inhabitants of this retiring thither Benichessen hath its Inhabitants addicted to Arms as likewise Quadres near the Streight and Bemguerdarfeth near Tittuan to whose government they are obedient serving against the Garrison of Centa They have formerly furnished the Kings of Granada with a great power and among them with one Helul whom their Poems and Romances esteem the terror of all Spain Angera hath Flax of which they make Linnen-Cloth as also Timber fit to build Ships Province of Errif Errif above the Mediterranean Sea and between the Rivers of Gomer and Nochor advances it self in the Land as far as the Mountain which separates it from the Provinces of Fez and Chaus It is very Mountainous and Woody it is little fruitful in Grain abundant in Barley Vines Figs Olives and Almonds Hath quantity of Goats Asses and Apes few Sheep or Oxen. The Houses are only of one Floor and ill covered the Inhabitants are valiant but much addicted to drink Its Cities are almost all on the Coast as Gomer Terga Bedis Mezemma and others The most part ill inhabited by reason of the Neighborhood of the Spaniards 1. Gomer is seated on a River of the same name 2. Those of Terga use much Fishing uttering their Salt-Fish to the Inhabitants of the Mountains but at present almost quite deserted 3. Bedis or Belis with its Castle its Palace and its Port is in some esteem and maintains some Gallies But much molested by the Fort of Pennon de Velez which the Spaniards hold in an Island not above 1000 or 1200 paces from Bedis 4. Mezemma seated on a Mountain formerly great and well peopled hath now nothing but Walls The Mountains have Vines Barly Horses Goats Fruits c. Some pay some tribute and others none at all That of Bemguazeval can arm 25000 men hath quantity of Towns and a City famous among them and a Volcano which continually casts forth fire Susaon is one of the most fruitful and most pleasant places of Africa It s people under their Xeque keeping themselves in liberty Province of Garret Garret possesses the rest of the Coast upon the Mediterranean Sea unto the River Mulvia which separates it from Telansin Mellila hath been its chief City at present in the hands of the Castilians as is Chasasa and both the one and the other have their Port that of Mellila much better and may count 2000 Houses serves as a passage to the Traffick between those of Fez and the Venetians There are excellent Mines of Iron in the neighborhood The middle of this Province is Mountainous It s extremity towards the South joyning to the Province of Chaus is untilled and without Water Province of Chaus The Province of Chaus is so great that it contains a third part of the Kingdom The Rivers of Cebu or Suba of Mulvia of Nocor and some others have here their Springs at the foot of divers Branches of the Atlas This Country is but meanly inhabited considering its bigness and its people fierce and warlike to which they are addicted not caring much for Traffick or Tilling their Ground which if well ordered would produce several good Commodities Among its Cities Tezza is the chief and is esteemed the Third of the Kingdom of Fez and makes no less then 5000 Houses The Nobility have here many rich Palaces but the private Houses are not fair It is adorned with 3 Colledges 23 Baniaes many Hospitals about 100 Mosques or Temples among which there is one greater though not richer then that of Fez. It hath a magnificent Castle and the Kings
Marins sometimes made here their residence and gave it to their second Son as well because of the beauty of the City and the civility of its Inhabitants as for the goodness of the Air and the abundance of all sorts of Fruits which they gather there 2. Turet is beyond the River Mulvia and on the River Quhas so advanced on the Frontiers that the King of Fez and Telensin have often carried it the one from the other It is seated on a Hill in the midst of a Plain but encompassed about with Desarts very advantagiously inclosed with strong Walls well built within and filled with about 3000 Houses 3. Dubdu is on the side of a high Mountain from which many Fountains descend and run through the City 4. Garsis And 5. Haddaggia are on the Mulvia 6. Gherselvin only is beyong the Atlas and on the borders of Segellesse it is handsom within but beautiful without c. The Inhabitants of its Mountains Among the Inhabitants of the Mountains there are some rich who pay little or nothing others poor and over burthened with Tribute The Plains of Sabhelmarga hath almost nothing but Charcoal-men by reason of the adjacent Woods that of Asgari-Cameren Shepherds because the Grass grows all the year that of Guregra Husbandmen the Land being proper for Grain In this Province there is a remarkable Bridge over the River Sebu which runs between Rocks so high A strange Bridge that this Bridge is 150 yards from the Water It is a Basket or Pannier hung upon two Cords which turn upon two Pullies fastned to the ends of two great Piles of Wood on each side of the Valley And those who are in the Basket there may go about ten persons draw themselves from one side to other by the Cords which are made of Sea-Bulrush as well as the Basket The Country of Fez and Morocco of a different nature The Kindoms of Fez and Morocco ought to be considered in four sorts of Lands Mountains Vallies Plains and Coasts and the most part of their Provinces have these sour sorts The Mountains are almost all in the hands of the Arabs and Bereberes who live partly free partly tributary The Vallies are almost all the same according as they are more or less engaged in the Mountains or near the Plains The Plains are all obedient The Coasts in part belong to the Kings of Fez and Morocco in part to the Portugals and Spaniards these holding what is on the Mediterranean Sea the others on the Ocean So that considering the Continent of these two Kingdoms even when they were united there was always a quarter or third part which obeyed not the Xeriffs or Kings of Fez and Morocco But if they had been absolute in these two Kingdoms they might easily have brought into the field One hundred thousand Horse and more then so many Foot The Moors of this Kingdom and their disposition The Moors of Fez and Morocco are well disposed strong Active and yet melancholly they may marry four Wives and repudiate them when they will giving them the Dowry they promised when they espoused them And if they would be rid of them better cheap they treat them ill and these Women may forsake their Husbands quitting their Dowry Besides these four Wives they may have as many Concubines as they can keep but the Law permits them not to lie but with the one or the other of the four Wives Persons of Estate spend so much on their Weddings that they say commonly That the Christians spend the greatest part of their Goods in Law-suits the Jews in their Paschal-Feasts and the Moors in their Nuptials They enterr their dead in Virgin-Earth that is where no person hath been before enterred fearing least at the general Resurrection it should be difficult to unmix all their pieces Arabs here inhabiting which much annoy the Countrey Besides these Moors in the Estates of Fez and Morocco there are many Arabs which go by Cabilles or Lineal Descent and which make War and Peace as they please between themselves and with the Moors Wandering continually and pillaging now one Coast and then another They either assault or convoy the Caravans according to their interest sometimes serving the Kings of Morocco sometimes making War upon them Those that are in the highest Mountains of Atlas are so rude and barbarous that the Ancients have believed them to be Satyrs Pans Aegipans that is Half Devils In some Cities there are quantity of Jews almost no Christians except they be Slaves or some Merchants The Kingdom of ALGIER and TELENSIN The Kingdom of Algier THe Kingdom of ALGIER is at present the most famous or rather the most infamous on the whole Coast of Barbary As well for its Riches and Forces as for those Pyracies it exercises towards the Christians and the barbarousness it useth towards its Captives It s name is taken from the principal City seated in the midst of its Coast on the Mediterranean Sea towards the West it is separated from the Kingdom of Fez by the Rivers of Zhas and Mulvia towards the East divided from that of Tunis by the Guad-il-Barbar The Northern Coast is washed by the Mediterranean Sea the South confined by the Mountains of Atlas which divide it from Segelmesse Tegorarin and Zeb parts of Billedulgered It s length from West to East is near 300 Leagues its breadth 50 60 or 75 Leagues It s Division and parts We will divide it into five parts of which that of Algier shall make the middle one Telensin and Tenes shall be on the west Bugia and Constantina on the East The Turks as Grammajus saith hath established 20 Governments whereof 10 are on the Coast and 10 others within Land On the Coast there are 5 West ward of Algier and 5 Eastward of Algier Sargel Tenes Marsalquibir Hunain and Haresgol advance towards the West Algier Bugia Gigell Constantina and Bona towards the East Of the 10 Governments which are within Land Grammajus places 6 in the Mountains of Telensin or Benrasid Tenes Algier Bugia Constantina and Bona. These names of Mountains being taken from Cities neighboring on them and almost all on the Coast The 4 Governments remaining are Steffa Necab or Necaus Mezella or Mesila and Mastin which are the names of their chief places But Grammajus not contenting himself with this division within Land makes yet other 10 of which 4 he calls Kingdoms and which are only Tributary Huerguela or Guergela Cuco Tricarta or Techcort and Labes 2 Provinces Benirasid and Tebesse 2 Dynasties or Signiories Meliana and Angat And likewise 2 Kingdoms subject Telensin and Tenes Of these 10 pieces Telensin Angat Benirori Tenes and Meliana are towards the West Coco Labes and Tebesse towards the East Guerguela and Techcort far towards the South These 2 last are so engaged in Billedulgerid that I cannot well describe them with the Kingdom of Algier though they be Tributary to it And the Governments
broad Here is a fair Burse or Exchange for Merchants two great Prisons for their Slaves and some Bastions to defend the Port which is good and large This place is famous for the death of Cato sirnamed Vticensis who for fear of falling into the hands of Caesar here slew himself and is of note in the Carthaginian Wars The Government or City of Goletta The Government of GOLETTA is much esteemed because of the neighbouring Carthage or rather because of Tunis whose Key it is It is a Fortress built in the neck of the Gulph between Tunis and the Sea by which all must necessarily pass And it hath given occasion to build a Fort on the top of a Hill whose foot is washed by the Sea There was heretofore the old Fort and the now the Old was only an intrenched Bastion guarded by 30 or 40 Janizaries the New is great well fortified and furnished with all things necessary A Fountain of Running-water crosses the place so that it seems rather a City than a Fortress Charles the Fifth took this Fort in 1535 which the Turks retook in 1574. Under this Fort was it that General Blake with the English Fleet The City of Tunis fired the Pirate Ships of Tunis in 1654. Tunis at the bottom of this Gulph is at present one of the fairest Cities of Barbary it counts 8 Gates 8 chief Streets which are crossed by abundance of others 10 Places or Markets more than 300 Temples and Synagogues of the Jews and many Oratories some likewise for the Christians 150 Bania's or Hot-Houses 86 Schools 9 Colledges where Youth is nourished and instructed at the publick expence 64 Hospitals and a great number of Canes or Inus for Merchants and Christians c. The Buildings of the Royal Palace are magnificent it had long since 10000 Houses and is much increased since the Moors of Granada were driven out of Spain Among its Inhabitants are many Merchants Apothecaries Druggists Confectioners Cooks Bakers Butchers and above all Drapers and Weavers c. Their common Bread is kneaded with Oil of which they have abundance and utter quantity into Egypt Their Linnen and Manufactures have vent through all Africa It is a place of great Traffick It s Trade and Commodities and much frequented by Merchants of Foreign parts affording several other good Commodities as Gold Saffron Wax Oil raw and salted Hides variety of Fruits Wool Spunges Hard Soap they have also a great trade for Horses and Ostrich Feathers c. and above all for Christian Slaves Commodities most vendible here are English Cloths Perpetuanoes Iron Lead c. They have no Water either of Well or of Fountain except that which is reserved for the Bassa but make use of Cisterns and Rain-water They are fain to have their Mills turned by their Slaves or by Oxen. The Arab of Nubia Sanutus and some others esteem Tunis to answer to the Ancient Tarsis This place as Heylin noteth is observable in the History of the Holy Wars for the Sieges and Successes of two of our English Princes viz. Edward the First in his Fathers life time and Henry the Fourth then but Earl of Darby by both of which the City was forced to a composition But the Ruins of Carthage Tunis received its splendor from the ruins of Carthage from which Tunis had its increase are remarkable because of the Antiquity Scituation Greatness and Power of this City The beginning of it is given to Dido the Phoenician who inclosed with the Wall the Quarter or Castle of Byrsa which is two miles and a half in Circuit which in the Country they still call Bersac and Byrsa signifying a Hide to the Greeks and a Fortress to the Phoenicians the one agrees with the Fable that Dido had bought and builded the place on the greatness and extent of an Oxes Hide the other to the scituation and advantage of the place where this Fortress was built This Scituation and the goodness of the neighbouring Port drew so many People that it became one of the fairest Cities in the World Its circumference in its splendor was 360 Stadia like to that of Babylon and its Inhabitants have been so rich and powerful that they disputed with the Romans for the Empire of the World being once called the Lady and Mistress of Africa The particular power of this City was not known till the third and last Punick War when after having had to do with Massinissa to whom they yielded a good part of their Estates after having granted and put into the Romans hands their Ships of War their Elephants their Arms and their Hostages which were demanded when they commanded them to leave the City and to inhabit from the Sea-Coast despair made them resolve on the War They made other Arms built new Ships the Women and Virgins giving their Hair to make Cables and Cordage and defended themselves yet 3 or 4 years It was afterwards restored and at divers times but the Vandals and in the end the Arabs have wholly ruined it there not remaining above 7 or 800 Houses of Fishermen Gardiners c. The Government of Soussa its Cities People c. The Government of SOVSA contains the Cities of 1. Hammametha which communicates its name to the neighbouring Gulph at the bottom whereof it is scituated its Walls are strong and its Harbour safe 2. Susa is in a higher and lower City the former on a Rock and of difficult access the last on the Sea with a good Port where are laded great quantities of Oils both the one and the other well built The Duke of Savoy made an enterprize on them in 1619. 3. Monastero so called because there was once a famous Monastery of the Order of St. Augustine The Riches about Susa is in Olives Pears and other Fruits and Pastures for Cattle The ordinary Food for the Inhabitants is Barly-bread the Country affording no other Grain The Inhabitants of Susa and Hammametha addict themselves to Traffick others to Whitning of Cloth they make Charcoal and draw some profit from their Fishing The Government or City of Africa or El-Madia The Government of AFRICA or EL-MADIA hath nothing considerable but this place may be made far better than it is It s scituation is in a Peninsula which touches not the Main but by an Isthmus of 2 or 300 Paces where there is likewise some Marsh and on this side the City is invested with a double Wall and good Ditches It s Port within the City is capable to lodge 50 Gallies but its entrance is so narrow that a Galley is forced to lift up its Oars to pass The Coasts about Sousa and Elmedia and what Transactions hapned there The Coasts about Susa and Elmedia have been well known in the Roman History in the time of the Wars between Caesar and the Party of Pompey Caesar landed at Rhuspina now Susa Adrumetum now Hammametha being in the Enemies hands and in the beginning had divers
abandon the City by reason of the multitude of Scorpions whose biting is mortal as is that of the Black Scorpions which are towards Calaa in the Kingdom of Labes yet here the Inhabitants taking but two drams of a little Plant it cures them though bitten and preserves them a whole year saith the Arab of Nubia from biting Borghia is well peopled hath many Artizans and Labourers The Water which passes at Deusen is hot as likewise that which passes at Nefta The Inhabitants of Teolacha are proud and haughty Quarter of Mezzab its chief places c. described The Quarter of MEZZAB is to the South of that of Zeb and is a great passage from divers parts of Barbary to go towards the Land of the Negroes which makes those of the Country trade on the one and the other side They have six walled Towns and a great number of Villages are Tributary to some Arabs The Estates of Techort and Guerguela The Estates of Techort and Guerguela have each their Prince or King they have sometimes been free sometime Subjects or Tributaries to Morocco Telensin Tunis and in fine to the Kings of Algier to whom they give a certain number of Negroes in form of Tribute Each Estate takes its name from its chief City besides which they have each of them many walled Towns and about 100 or 150 Villages and about 150000 Duckats of Revenue They can raise 40 or 50000 Men but they are but bad Souldiers Techort though on the top of a Mountain and having 2500 Houses was yet taken by the Turks of Algier with a very few people and 3 Pieces of Cannon They have abundance of Dates from whence flows their Riches they want Corn and Fish they treat Christians favourably and are more civil than their Neighbours Quarter of Billedulgerid with its parts and chief places BILLEDVLGERID or BELED-ELGERED that is the Country of Dates is a particular Province of Billedulgerid taken in general This Province is above the Coast of Tripoli and we add the Quarters of Teorregu Jasliten Gademez and Fezzen The particular Billedulgerid is so rich in Dates that it takes thence its name and hath communicated it to the neighbouring Countries and to all that part which is above Barbary It s principal Cities are Tensar Caphsa and Nefsaoa and a great number of Villages Teorregu hath 3 walled Towns and 26 Villages of which the chief bears the name of Teorregu Jasliten 3 or 4 Towns and 30 Villages and the chief so called Gademez hath 16 walled Towns and about 60 Villages the chief of which are Gademes and Statio Fezzen more than 50 Cities or walled Towns and above 100 Villages The two last Estates are free the other subject to the Turks or to the Kings of Tunis and Tripoli Caphsa of old Capha which is believed to be built by the Libyan Hercules is put by some among the Governments of Tunis EGYPT may be divided into three Parts and then The first shall contain the Twelve Cassilifs or Governments within EGYPT as In the Higher EGYPT the Cassilifs of GIRGIO Asna Barbanda Girgio â—â—id Chiana MANFEâ—OUT Maâ—â—â—oâ—â— Aâ—â—otha AEBENSUEF Fium Mâ—niâ— Benisuaifa MINIO Assuana Chana Minio Ichmina CHERKâ—FFI Almona Paulicella Anthium FIUM Fium Cosora GIZA Gezâ— CAIRO Cairo Sues Elmena Larnabula Antâ—â—li Emelcocena In the Lower EGYPT the Cassilifs of MANSOURA Heroa Mansoura Belbesa Sahidum Berâ—lies Mesela Elboera Teâ—exa Faramida Cassia GARBIA Damiata Petra Bourles Beltina Migâ—â— Eliâ—ala Demanohoura MENUFIA Menufia BASBEIH or CALIOUBIEH with the Territory of ERRIF or ALEXANDRIA Tureta Zuga Euoâ— Sebennets Alexandria Turâ—is Bochira Arabum Rosetto Atacona Tunia Turamania Alhaman Democuria The Second Part shall contain the Cities seated on the RED SEA among which are those of Buge â—ibid Saâ— Cosur Ficte Dacati Suguam Libelezaita Azirut Grodol The Third shall be the Cassilif or Government of BONHERA or BAERA without the True EGYPT and in LIBYA but under its Jurisdiction whose chief places may be considered as as they lie On the Sea among which are those of Ripaealba Roxa Lagoseium Albertonus portus Solona Musulomara Trabochus portus Patriarcha portus Salinae Favara Forcella Bon Andreas Doera Laaneum Zadra Tolomeâ—a Taochara Berzebona Berâ—ichum Careora Camera Avâ—um portus Salinae Within Land as Cayroan Barca Solue Altahune Nachel Maghar Alacquin EGYPT OF all the parts of Africa EGYPT is the nearest and only contiguous to Asia and this Neighbourhood hath perswaded some Authors both Ancient and Modern to esteem Egypt either in whole or in part in Asia At present we hold it all in Africa and give for its bounds the Red Sea Egypt bounded and the Isthmus which is between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean on the East the Desarts of Barca on the West Nubia on the South and the Mediterranean Sea on the North. The Nile alone washes this Region through its whole length which is from its Cataracts to the Sea about 20 Leagues or more its breadth not being above half so much and of that breadth that which is between the Mountains which incloses the Valley of Nile on the East and the Coast of the Red Sea is but Desart there being nothing inhabited but the Valley which lies on both sides the Nile inclosed with Mountains and very narrow in the higher part of Egypt but enlarging it self much more as it approaches the Sea Of this Figure which the Country makes the Ancients have taken occasion first to divide it into high and low It s Division and Names after into high middle and low Higher which they called Thebais by reason of Thebes at present Saida Middle which they called Heptanomos by reason of the 7 Nomi Provostships or Governments it contained at present Bechria or Demesor Lower and more particularly Egypt and sometimes Delta the best part of the lower having the form of a Greek â–³ the two sides of which were inclosed by the branches of the Nile and the third by the Sea and this part is now called Errif The Romans changed something in the number and in the names of these Provinces which we shall now omit At present Egypt is divided into 12 principal Cassilifs Sangiacats or Governments of which five answer to the Higher Egypt viz. Girgio Manfelout and Aebensuef on the left hand of the Nile Minio and Cherkeffi on the right still descending the Nile two with the Territory of Cairo answer to the Middle Egypt viz. the Cassilifs of Fium and Giza on the left and Cairo with its Territory on the right hand of the Nile then four others answer to the Lower viz. Mansoura Garbia Menoufia Callioubech or Basbieh with Alexandria and its Territory for the Cassilif of Bonhera or Baera is out of the limits of the ancient and true Egypt and in Libya which passes commonly under the name of the Kingdom of Barca Egypt of great Antiquity EGYPT is very famous in that they would make us believe that the first Men were here formed and as