THEATRVM ORBIS TERRARVM GEOGRAPHI REGII THE THEATRE OF THE WHOLE WORLD SET FORTH BY THAT Excellent Geographer Abraham Ortelius LONDON Printed by IOHN NORTON Printer to the Kings most excellent Maiestie in Hebrew Greeke and Latine 1606. HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE The sway by Sea Land great IAMES doth beare His Birth His Bloud These Kingdomes figure here But were his seuerall vertues to be crown'd A World past thine Ortelius must be fownd TO THE MOST HIGH MOST MIGHTY AND MOST HAPPY PRINCE IAMES BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF GREAT BRITAINE FRANCE AND IRELAND DEFENDER OF THE FAITH c. IOHN NORTON HIS MAIESTIES MOST HVMBLE AND FAITHFVLL SERVANT CONSECRATETH THESE IMMORTALL LABOVRS OF ABRAHAM OR TELIVS TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH ABRAHAMI ORTELII QVEM VRBS VRBIVM ANTVERPIA EDIDIT REX REGVM PHILIPPVS GEOGRAPHVM HABVIT MONVMENTVM HIC VIDES BREVIS TERRA EVM CAPIT QVI IPSE ORBEM TERRARVM CEPIT STILO ET TABVLIS ILLVSTRAVIT SED MENTE CONTEMPSIT QVA CAELVM ET ALTA SVSPEXIT CONSTANS ADVERSVM SPES AVT METVS AMICITIAE CVITOR CANDORE FIDE OFFICIIS QVIETIS CVLTOR SINE LITE VXORE PROLE VITAM HABVIT QVALE ALIVS VOTVM VT NVNC QVOQVE AETERNA EI QVIES SIT VOTIS FAVE LECTOR OBIIT IIII. KAL IVLII ANNO MD. XCIIX VIXIT ANN. LXXI MENSS II. DIES IIXX COLII EX SORORE NEPOTES B.M. POSS CONTEMNO ET ORNOMENTE MANV Α Χ Ρ Ω THE LIFE OF ABRAHAM ORTELL COSMOGRAPHER TO PHILIP THE SECOND LATE KING OF SPAINE written first in Latine by Francis Sweert of Antwerpe his familiar and louing friend and now translated into English by W. B as great a louer of his learning and vertues THe stocke of the ORTELS flourished not long since and liued in good state and credit at Auspurg in Bayern Augustam vindelicorum the Latines called it From that family came WILLIAM ORTELL who about the yere of our Lord 1460 left his natiue country and seated himselfe in Antwerpe at that time one of the famousest Mart-townes of the world where he did many notable things worthily deseruing great commendation among which that is most memorable that of his owne proper cost and charges he caused a goodly crosse of free stone to be set vp without the Emperours gate in that place where the malefactours are vsually woont to be executed and put to death Beneath this crosse at the base or foot of the same stood Mary and Iohn and beside them a little farther off hung the two theeues the one vpon the right hand and the other vpon the left vpon their seuerall gibbets This William died vpon the seuenth day of Ianuary in the yeere of our Lord God 1511 and was buried in the cloisters of the Franciscane Friers in Antwerpe leauing his sonne LEONARD ORTELL sole Executor and heire not only of his goods and substance but also of his vertues and good qualities For they report that he was a man so deuout and religious that it was an hard matter to finde him from his booke serious meditation on heauenly matters This Leonard maried ANNA HERVVAYERS and by her had issue two daughters and one some named ABRAHAM whose life we heere purpose to describe borne vpon the second day of Aprill in the yeere of our Lord God 1527. Hee was euen in his child-hood of singular towardnesse great capacity and passing quicke conceit and that which is very strange in youth hee was neuer giuen to the reading of any trifles or idle vanities Wherefore his father purposing to make him a scholar began first himselfe to instruct him priuatly at home in his owne house in the Latine and Greeke tongues For the old man was very learned in both these languages But see how these good purposes were soon crossed by the vntimely death of his most louing and kinde father who departing this life in the yeere of Christ 1535 left this his sonne to be further informed and taught abroade by strange schoolemasters whose care and diligence to profit him whatsoeuer their learning were was nothing so great and painfull notwithstanding euen vnder these he made such profit in the Artes and liberall Sciences that he was not much inferiour to the best of his degree and time For as I said before no vaine pleasure or trifles pastimes which commonly are the ouerthrow of many yongue men could euer with-draw him from his setled purpose or alienate his minde from his booke Yet his greatest delight and commendation consisted in the knowledge of the Mathematicall sciences which for the most part he studied and practised without an instructor or teacher atteining only by his owne paines and industrie to the great admiration of others euen to the vnderstanding of the greatest and deepest mysteries of the same In the thirtieth yeare of his age hauing many great matters in his head and loathing to liue idly at home in his owne natiue country he began to entertaine a conceipt of trauelling into diuers and sundry forreine parts and countries of the world To Frankford vpon the Main by reason of the great Marts or Faires there held at two seuerall times euery yere he went very often In the yeere of our Lord 1575 he went with Iohn Viuian of Valence a Marchant but a great louer of learning and Hierome Scoliers of Antwerp to Leige Trier Tungren and Mentz of which iourney and peregrination of theirs there is at this day a booke of his exstant in print wherein he hath learnedly described the particulars obserued by them In the yeere of Christ 1577 with Immanuël Demetrius of Antwerpe hee trauelled beyond the Seas into England and Ireland Italy that nource of great wits that worker of strange woonders that mother of reuerend antiquities and ancient monuments hee visited thrise The third time that he went thither which was in the yeere 1578 he went in company of George Houfnayle of Antwerp who was so excellent a painter that he was greatly esteemed and beloued of the illustrious princes Albert and VVilliam Dukes of Bayern of Ferdinand Duke of Austrich yea and of Rudolphus himselfe at that time Emperour of the Germanes But this his consort to the great greefe of his friends and such as loued his singular qualities left his life at Prage in Bohemia vpon the thirteenth of Ianuary in the yeere of our Lord 1600. This man was woorthy of longer life if the Fates would respect men for their great parts and excellent vertues But so it is that Death like as the sythe in Haruest cutteth downe without distinction aswell the yongue as old There was nothing either in Germanie or in France that was woorth the seeing that this our authour had not seene and viewed with a censorious and iudicious eie At length hauing ouercome so many tedious and toilsome trauels he returned againe to Antwerpe his natiue soile There and then he began to apply himselfe to benefit succedent ages to write of those countries by him viewed and seene to set out in Charts
Nigra and that of Switta whereon standeth the city Brin next in dignity to Olmuntz also Thaysa which glideth along by the city Znaim famous for the death of Sigismund the Emperour and lastly Igla passing by the city Igla rendreth vp his owne and his neighbours substance to the great and renowmed Danubius But the riuer Odera springing not far from Olmuntz retaineth his name to the Ocean sea Some thinke it is called by Ptolemey Viadrus Odera is so named of a word borrowed from fowlers which call their watch-towers for the spying and taking of birds Odri and such towers you haue now in Morauia at the fountaine of Odera Neither must we heere omit the riuer Hana which albeit sometimes scant of water yet doth it so moisten the neighbour-fields being thereby the fertilest in all the region as the husbandmen in regard of their plentifull increase call them the fat of Morauia Here also more than in other places are found the siluer and gold coines of M. Antoninus of Commodus and other Emperours Which is a manifest argument of ancient warres betweene the forces of the Empire and the Marcomans in these parts This one thing is most worthy the admiration that in Morauia there is a kind of Frankincense Myrrhe not distilling out of trees as in other countries but digged from vnder the ground in one place only called Gradisco where till this present is found not only Frankincense called Male frankincense in regard of the resemblance it hath with the priuie parts of man but also in the shape of other members both of man and woman And of late VVenceslaus of the noble family surnamed à Quercu as he was making a foundation for the banke of a fish-poole in his field of Sterenberg he found the intire body of a man consisting all of Myrrhe the which distributing vnto his friends and remembring me among the rest bestowed on me more than halfe an arme which I vsed often for a perfume The inner part of the region is arable an exceeding fertile and fat soile and most apt for corne as the hilles for vines being more fauourable to Bacchus than the hilles of Bohemia wherefore it excelleth for abundance of good wine And it is so generally manured and hath such plentie of husbandmen that vnlesse it be in forests and desert places heere is no pasture at all for the feeding of cattell For the rest both in speech fashions and customes they are like the Bohemians Hitherto Dubrauius In the yeere 895. the people of this region were instructed in the Christian faith by S. Methodius at the procurement of Arnulphus the Emperour Vnder the Emperour Henry the fourth in the yeere 1086. this countrey together with Lusatia and Silesia was annexed to the kingdome of Bohemia Their language is mixt for the greatest part speake Bohemian and the high Dutch is vsed only in cities among persons of best account This Prouince as Dubrauius writeth yeelds plentie of wine but not of the strongest such saith Rithaimerus and I my selfe haue so found it by experience as exempteth not the drinker quite from care Duglossus in his Polonian storie saith that the name of the riuer Odera signifies in the Henetian tongue inundation or robbery Olmuntz the head citie of this region and the seat of a Bishop is described by Stephanus Taurinus in his Stauromachia Concerning Morauia besides Dubrauius reade Aeneas Siluius in his Bohemian story This Map of Morauia first drawen by Fabricius but afterward corrected by diuers gentlemen of the countrey was sent me by Iohn Crato Counseller and principall Physician to the Emperour Maximilian the second a bountifull fauourer of these my studies He gaue me also this catalogue of townes called both by German and Bohemian names The Dutch names The Bohemian names Behemsche Triebaw Trzebowa Czeska Landskron Landskraun Schirmberg Semanin Sciltperg Ssilperck Hanstadt Zabrzch Zwittaw Swittawa Merherische Tribaw Trzebowa Morawska Neustadt Nowy Miesto Deutstbrodt Niemeckybrod Iglau Cziblawa Budwers Budegowice Weissenkirch Hranitza Plos Pzin Drosendorff Drosdowice Freyen Vranow Schtignitz Trztenice Holsterlitz Hosteradice Mislicz Moristaw Ioslwitz Iaroslaiwice Dayex Diakowice Grustpach Hrussowamy Maydpurgk Dewczihrady Auspitz Hustopecz Nuslau Nosyslaw Tischain Itza Schwartz Wasser Strumen Selowitz Zidlochowice Brin Brno Olmutz Holomane Prostnitz Proslegew Wischa Wyskow Austerlitz Slawkow Kremfier Kromerziz Vngerischbrod Vherskybrod Goeding Hodomin Lumpenburg Brzetislaw Altmarck Podiwin Ostra Ostracia MORAVIAE QVAE OLIM MARCOMANNORVM SEDES COROGRAPHIA A. D. PAVLO FABRITIO MEDICO ET MATHEMATICO DESCRIPTA ET A GENEROSIS MORAVIAE BARONIBVS QVIBVSDAM CORRECTA AVSTRIA or AVSTRICH GEORGE RITHAYMER in his Abridgement of the situation of the world describeth Austrich vnder the name of Pannony the higher in these words Pannony the higher saith he toward the East abbutteth vpon the riuer Leyth Ptolemey maketh the riuer Rab his Eastern bound Vpon the West it is bounded with the riuer Onasus and Noricum which is a part of Bayern Some do on that coast limit it with the mountaine Caetius on the North with the riuer Tey and the countrey Morauia for so farre at this day it doth extend it selfe on that side Vpon the South coast it resteth vpon the mountaines of Steyri The soile is good and fertile of all maner of corne and is such as is manured and tilled with small charge In that part which is beyond Donaw and is called Marchfield where long since the Chetuari and and Parmecampi were seated the husbandman falloweth his land with one poore seely jade only Marle without which their land in Bayern is leane and barren what it meaneth the husbandmen of Austrich know not It beareth so good Saffron as no other in the world may compare with it It affoordeth Wine passing holesome and agreeable to the nature of man Althamerus vpon Cornelius Tacitus his Germania writeth that it yeeldeth plentie of Ginger in a mountaine neere the towne Hamburg in the middest of Austrich or Pannony It hath many ancient and famous cities notwithstanding those of greatest note are Styre Vadenhoff Melck Castell anciently called Claudionum Crembs Cetro castle now called Zeisselmaur Saint Hippolytus the two Newberies one surnamed of the Abbey the other of Corne. Petronell a village now but in old time a great citie as his foundation ruines and heaps of stones and rubbish do testifie The new city Pruck vpon the banke of the riuer Leyth and Hamburg out of all the most famous is VVien sometime called Flauiana and Iuliobona renowmed for the Vniuersitie and Schoole than which there is none that hath brought forth more excellent and greater Mathematicians This citie is round beset with Vineyards The houses of the citizens are stately and beautifull so that they may seeme to giue entertainment to Princes and are built with large and open windowes to let the aire in and out and therefore they are neuer pestered and offended with close and bad aire for that euery priuate house hath either his seuerall court-yard or back-side Hither is great concourse of forren nations
maner Pomerland at this day hath forty cities enclosed with walls and ditches besides certaine goodly castles and monasteries Amongst the which these are the chiefe Stralsund Stettin Grypswald Stargard Colberg and Anglame Fiue hundred yeares since before the enterteinment of Christian religion which was in the yeare 1124. and when they left the Slauonian tongue Pomerland was greater and not much inferiour to a kingdome For Bugslaus the first brother of Wartislaus the first sonne to Swantibore who died a Pagane when as his nephews leauing their country for the alteration of the language adioined Pomerell to Spruise POMERELL which the Polanders do at this day call Casub corner Cassubia is no very small prouince It extended it selfe from the borders of Pomerland to the riuer Wixel or Weissel and conteineth these cities Dantzk Putzka Dirsow Stargard Nauburg Smecha Tauchel Nakel Hamerstein Baldeburg Frideland Conitz Schoneg Slochow c. which cities haue for the most part castles belonging to them beside which there are these castles Moseuantz Talkenborch Subitz Lauterberg and these Monasteries Polpelin Sukow Tzernitz Oliua where the Princes of Pomerell were wont to be buried euen to Mestewin the last of that line who died at Dantzk and was buried at Oliua in the yeare 1295. Read more of Pomerland in the Saxon Chronicle of Dauid Chytraeus This mappe we haue taken out of Munsters Cosmography The Dukedome of OZWIECZIN and ZATOR THis Dukedome is a part of the kingdome of Poland where it toucheth Silesia Sometime it did not belong to this kingdome The territorie of OZVVIECZIN the Germanes in their language call it Auschwitz fell vnto the kings of Poland in the time of Cazimir the third in the yeare 1454. ZATOR about 400. yeares after in the raigne of Sigismund the first was reduced vnto the crowne of Poland and was vnited to that body in the yeare of Christ 1548. as Cromer in his Chronicle of Poland testifieth POMERANIAE WANDALICAE REGIONIS TYP LIVONIAE NOVA DESCRIPTIO Joanne Portantio auctore DVCATVS OSWIE CZENSIS ET ZATORIENSIS DESCRIPTIO ROMANIA anciently called THRACIA THat country which now they call ROMANIA the ancients called THRACIA It was a large and wide prouince hauing on the East Propontis Mar di Marmora and Pontus Euxinus the Italians call it Mar Maiore the Gretians Maurothalassa the Turkes as Busbequius saith Caradenis the blacke sea as both nations vnderstand on the South Mare Aegeum the Turkes call this Acdenis the white sea Archipelago on the West Macedony and Pannony on the North the mount Haemus Monte Argentaro and both the Moesiaes The aire is neither very kind nor the soile very fertile and except it be in those places which do butte vpon the sea it is barrein and cold Ptolemey diuideth it into thirteen shires namely these Danthletica Bennica Bessica Caenica Coeletica Corpialica Drosica Maedica Samaica Sapaica Sardica Sellitica Vrbana and Vsdesica The latter writers haue diuided it into these six prouinces Europa Hoemimontum Moesia Secunda which is the same with Moesia Inferior Rhodope Scythia and Thracia properly so called Lastly it was since called by one name Romania which it still retaineth Yet about Constantinople I vnderstand the Turkes do call it Galatia where also at this day there is the city Galata which we call Pera and the old Historiographers named Cornu Bizantium the horne of Constantinople The famous MOVNTAINES of this country are Hoemus Monte Argentaro or Catena mundi the chaine of the world the Italians call it the Turkes Balkan the Slauonians Cumouiza Rhodope Valizu or Czernaniwerti they now call it Orbelus Karopnitze Pangaeus Malaca or Castagna and diuers others of lesser note The RIVERS are Hebrus Marisa Nessus Nesto or Mestro the Turkes call it Charasou Melas now Lameta or Larissa and Strymon as some thinke although others do rather iudge this to be a riuer of Macedony The famous CITIES are Abdera now Asperosa as Niger thinketh or Polystylo as Sophianus or Astrizza as Nardus affirmeth Apollonia Phinopolis Philippolis Nicopolis vpon the riuer Haemus Nicopolis vpon the riuer Nessus Hadrianopolis the Turkes call it Endrem as Busbechius writeth or Edernay as Postellus teacheth Selyhria Debeltus Heraclea Lysimachia Hexamili and Bysantium famous in all ages so named of Bysa who first built it afterward it was enlarged and fortified by the Emp. Constantine and of him was called Constantinopolis but at this time corruptly and more short Stamboli This now as also long since it was is the most famous and honourable city of all this country next after Hadrianople Andernopoli it is commonly called then Sophia and others of lesse estimation This country also hath adioined vnto it a necke-land or demi-ile which they call the Foreland of Thrace Heere is Callipolis Gallippoli and Sesto famous for the loue of Leander Dauid Chytraeus in his Chronicle of Saxony hath diuers things worth the noting of the prouinces of this chart The ilands in the Archipelago mare Aegaeum neere to Romania are SAMOTHRACIA commonly called Samandrachi and THALASSIA of Ptolemey which others call Thassus and to this day it reteineth some similitude of that name for the latter writers do name it Tasso In Propontis or Mar di Marmora is PROECONNESVS or Elaphonnesus which some haue named Neuris Now the Turkes and Greekes do call it Marmora whereof that sea tooke the name In Bosphorus the Latines call it Stretto di Constantinopoli the straites of Constantinople the Greekes Laimon the Turkes Bogazin are the Insulae CYANEAE which Strabo calleth Symplegades now Pauonare or Iarcazes oft mentioned in the writings of ancient Poets who after their maner did feine them first to haue floted vpon the water and to be moueable and then by the sailing of the Argonautes to haue been setled and fixed Beside the old Geographers Ptolemey Strabo Pliny and Pomponius Mela which haue written of this country the latter writers also are not to be neglected especially the singular learned VVolfangus Lazius his commentaries of Greece and Bellonius his Obseruations Petrus Gyllius hath most curiously and diligently described the city Constantinople which city a man may say was by the prouidence of God ordeined to be the head of many kingdomes and to haue beene sometime called New Rome and at this day Romania so that the famous poet Tibullus may seeme to haue spoken not without iust cause and by a kind of diuine inspiration when he said ROMATVVM NOMEN TERRIS FATALE REGENDIS O Rome thy name doth giue thou shouldest the world command And in the iudgement of Romulus the Gods would haue it VT ROMA SIT CAPVT ORBIS TERRARVM That Rome should be the head of all the World as Liuy hath left record in the first booke of his Decades ROMANIAE quae olim Thracia dicta VICINARVMque REGIONVM VTI BVLGARIAE WALACHIAE SYRFIAE ETC. DESCRIPTIO Auctore Iacobo Castaldo Cum priuilegio decennasi M.D.LXXXIIII SCANDIA OR THE NORTHREN Kingdomes THis Mappe conteineth almost all the Northen tract of the knowen world
must euery day if opportunity be offered heare a masse or diuine seruice Secondly when need requireth viz. when there is any generall warre against the Pagans or Infidels he must aduenture both body and goods in the quarrell of the Church that is he is bound either to go in his owne person or to send thither of his charges some one sufficient man or other Thirdly he is bound by that oath to defend and free in as much as in him shall lie the holy Church of God and all the members of the same from their persecutors and from the enemies of Christianity Fourthly he must altogether shunne vniust warres filthy lucre and hire fencing iusts torneaments combats and such like but only for exercise and making of himselfe more fit for the sacred warre Fifthly he must procure peace and concord between faithfull Christian people do his best to grace and enlarge the bounds of his country defend orphanes and widdowes he must carefully take heed of cursed oathes periuries blasphemies rapes vsurie sacriledge murther drunkennesse suspected places infamous persons and to shunne and keep himselfe as from the deadly plague from all those vices of the flesh that mortall man by nature is so much subiect vnto and that he do so cary himselfe that in the iudgement of men he shall not be blame worthy but shall shew himselfe worthy of that honour that he is called vnto by frequenting the Church procuring the honour and glory of God in what he can It is therefore demanded of him whether he be ready with hart voice to protest sweare performe all these things Answear IN. do protest and promise before our Lord Iesus Christ and the blessed Virgin Mary his mother that I will to the vttermost of my power obserue all these things These being done the Sword is blessed or consecrated by the Gardian according to the blessing beneath prescribed if it be not otherwise consecrated before but if it be blessed then after that blessing or consecration calling one of those that are to be made Knights and causing him to kneell downe before the holy sepulchre the Gardian putteth his hand vpon his head and saith Thou N. be thou a faithfull true stout good and braue souldiour of our Lord Iesus Christ and of his holy sepulchre whom we pray to vouchsafe thee his heauenly glory with his chosen Saints Amen Then the father Gardian giueth him a paire of gilded spurres which he must put vpon his heeles standing vpon the ground Afterward he giueth the naked sword to the Knight saying Take thou N. the holy Sword In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen making withall 3 crosses vpon the same Vse it for thine owne defence for the defence of the holy Church of God to the offence and confusion of the enemies of the crosse of Christ and Christian faith and to thy vttermost power thou shalt hurt no man wrongfully with it which he vouchsafe to grant who with the Father and the holy Ghost raigneth one God both now and for euer Amen Then the Sword is put vp into the scabberd the Gardian girdeth the Sword about the Knight saying Be thou N. most valiant girded with thy Sword vpon thy thigh in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and obserue that the Saints haue conquered kingdomes not by their swordes but by faith The Knight thus girded with the Sword ariseth and resting vpon his knees and leaning his head vpon the holy Sepulchre he is dub'd by the Gardian 3 times smiting the Sword vpon the shoulders of the Knight and saying thrise these words I ordain make thee N. a Knight of the holy Sepulchre of our Lord Iesus Christ in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen making as afore 3. crosses Then he kisseth him and putteth vpon his necke according to the old maner a chaine of Gold with a crosse hanging vpon it Lastly the Knight kissing the Sepulcher restoreth all these ornaments goeth aside and another is called which is to be dubbed with the like ceremonies In the meane time the Knight first made must stay in the hall of the holy Sepulchre vntill such time as all the rest that are to be preferred to this dignity haue obtained the same When they are all made then Te Deum is song by the Friars and from thence they go to the chappell of the Minorites or else there they stay still as the Gardian shall please or appoint Then these words following are spoken in the singular number if there be but one if there be many in the plurall In the singular it is said Thou more beautifull than the sonnes of men thou N. gird c. with thy sword vpon thy thigh o thou most mighty If there be many it is spoken in the plurall number The Versicle Lord heare c. Answear And let my crie come vnto thee The Lord be with you And with thy spirit Let vs pray Grant vnto thy Church most mercifull God that being gathered together in the Holy Ghost it may no manner of way be disturbed by the assault of the enimy Almighty and euerlasting God powre the grace of thy blessing vpon this thy seruant or these thy seruants which at this instant desireth to be girded with the glorious sword cause him being defended by the power of thy right hand to be continually garded with a garrison of heauenly souldiers against all aduersaries whereby he may not be molested in this world with any tempestuous stormes of bitter wars by Christ our Lord c. Lastly the Gardian and others if they please do embrace him The blessing of the sword Hee that blesseth it must hold the sword naked before him and say Our help is in the name of the Lord c. Let vs pray Listen we pray thee o Lord vnto our praiers and vouchsafe with the right hand of thy Maiesty to blesse this sword wherewith this thy seruant desireth to be armed to the end that he may be a defendour of the Church of widdowes orphanes and of all such as serue God against the fury of the Paganes and Infidels and a terrour and dread to such as shall assault or go about to hurt him assuring him of the certain effect of iust lawfull defence and offence by Christ our Lord Amen Let vs pray Blessed Lord holy Father almighty and eternall God by the inuocation of thy blessed name by the comming of thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and by the gift of the holy Ghost blesse this sword that this thy seruant which this same day by thy bounteous fauour is to be girded vnto him may ouerthrow and beat downe all thy enemies both visible and inuisible and he getting the vpper hand may continually abide void of all danger by Christ our Lord Amen The blessed Lord my rocke which teacheth my hands to fight and my fingers to warre my largesse and my castle my
dignity did choose rather tyrannouslie to shew their force and power at home against their kinsfolke friends subiects and best men of all sorts then abroad against the publicke enemy and disturber of the state These men by all maner of vnlawfull meanes succeeding one another at last the Empire and managing of the common-wealth was onely in the hands of Tyrants and Vsurpers neither was there any man now that euer would once trouble himselfe to defend the same from the furious assault of the raging enemy and no maruell For euen the Empire it selfe and whatsoeuer did of right belong vnto the same was by the souldiers bought and sold for money or giuen for fauour and affection While all things stood thus in the Roman Empire ODOACER king of the Hunnes with a mighty army inuadeth the same and in all places wheresoeuer he became ouerthroweth and beateth downe the Romane forces and garrisons for at this time in the idle and dissolute souldiers there remained neither strength nor true fortitude AVGVSTVLVS the Emperour hearing of these newes being smitten into a great feare flieth and that he might the better escape vnknowen in the flight throweth off his imperiall robes and ornaments In the meane time Odoacer speedeth himselfe toward Rome besiegeth it taketh it and within a few daies after he was wholly and quietly possessed of it changeth the name of it and after his owne name caused it by proclamation to be called ODOACRIA but together with the ancient name this city leaueth the former beauty and lusture there is nothing now heere to be seene but miserable destruction and ruine This prosperous successe and easie inuasion of the city of Rome by Odoacer within foureteen yeares after giueth occasion to THEODORICVS king of the Gothes who was then in Thrace to attempt the same Therefore mustering his men with many thousands of Goths he entreth Italy driueth Odoacer out of Rome and again the second time neere to Verona setteth vpon him and putting him his forces to flight followeth him to Rauenna where he besiegeth him continually for the space of three yeares together but at length being forced to yeeld the city he was by him taken and put to death Neither did this satisfie frowning Fortune that Rome was thus once or twise taken sacked and consumed with fire except the LONGOBARDI Lombardes a strange and cruell people do also inuade Italy to deface and ouerthrow all things whatsoeuer the former enemies had left vntouched and standing All things are now deformed and cast downe whatsoeuer in former times were most beautifull and glorious the Romane citizen is compelled to forsake that ancient and famous title so long enioied by them and by meanes of this so irrecouerable a dammage the name of an Emperour was for euer banished out of Italy The case thus standing with the Romanes destitute of all helpe at home and in vaine expecting the same from the Greeks who for their Empire contented themselues only with Constantinople the Pope of Rome for defence of the Church was forced in this great distresse to entreat aid of Charles king of the Frankes who afterward was sirnamed CHARLES THE GREAT This good king pricked on forward with a godly zeale for the maintenance of Christian religion passing with a great army ouer the Alpes putteth the Lombards to flight taketh their king Desiderius with his wife and children vtterly ouerthroweth their kingdome and cleane extinguisheth that impious race The Pope obseruing his inuincible courage and his siugular loue that he bare to the Church and religion with the generall consent and admirable applause of all men in the yeare after Christs incarnation 801. crowneth him with the Imperiall diademe and giueth him the title of AVGVSTVS and GREAT EMPEROVR of the West This king was the first that of the Dutch was called Emperour and that translated that dignity from the Greekes vnto the Germanes He valiantly assailed the Hunnes and at last with continuall wars so afflicted them that they were neuer after able to gather head againe The Normanes Freises Danes Angles Saxons and others molesting the Empire he wonderfully vexed and weakened Hauing on all sides greatly enlarged his Empire and for the space of fowreteene yeares swaied the scepter quietly at home void of tumults and noise of warre he committed the gouernment of the same to his sonne Lewis sirnamed the Religious and ended his life at Aquisgran After the reigne of this Charles the digni y and title of the Empire remained not amongst the Germanes without continuall warres and bloudshed diuers kings coueting to annex the same to their crowne and nation by dint of sword assaied by all meanes to bring their purpose to passe To seat it amongst the French Charles the Bald spareth no cost ventureth life and limme and setteth all the world together by the eares yet the Germanes valiantly fighting for the Imperiall ti le and dignity do after many sore conflicts quite and cleane driue him out of Germany Lewis the Fourth most furiously setteth vpon Berengarius an vsurper lately proclaimed Emperour in Italy ouercommeth him in the field and forceth him to betake him to his heeles The Italians oft desired that this dignity once lost might againe be restored to them and no maruell seeing that euery nation doth account it a most honourable thing to haue the name of an Empire resident amongst them Yet maugre all externall spite this dignity for many ages together remained in the hands of the Germanes the Princes of this country manfully defending and preseruing it by force of armes from all iniuries and forren inuasions whatsoeuer Vntill at length the forenamed Princes foreseeing what was best for the state and good of the Empire did chuse for their Emperor Otto the Fourth the naturall sonne of Otto the Third a yong man brought vp at Rome had been somtime in the custody and tuition of Henry Duke of Bayern This Emperor perceiuing that it would not be an easie thing to appease and end the warres and controuersies that did arise about the election and choice of the Emperor except by some other meanes order this choice were made did therefore inuent a certaine order and maner of election whereby heereafter all cause of dissention and tumult was wholly taken from all men and by which for euer it might quietly be retained amongst the Germanes This order is heere expressed in this Mappe and is in effect thus much In the first ranke are the Seuen PRINCE ELECTOVRS and Officers of the sacred Romane Empire instituted by Otto the Third whereof the Three vpon the right hand are Ecclesiasticall persons or Churchmen to wit the ARCHBISHOP OF TRIER a city situate vpon the riuer Moselle chiefe Chancellour for the Empire in the kingdome of France The ARCHBISHOP OF COLEN vpon the Rhein Chiefe Chancellour in Italy and the ARCHBISHOP OF MENTZ Chiefe Chancellour in Germany The other Foure vpon the left hand are Secular or Lay men the First is the KING OF BOHEMIA
which is from the head or fountaine of this riuer directly vnto the North Ocean it is diuided from Asia according to the opinion of Glarean And thus it beares the shape of a Peninsula which signifies a place of the earth almost disioyned and cut from the Continent and so well neere on euery side enuironed with waters as in the Table it selfe is manifest The head hereof Rome was whilome conqueresse of the earth The regions thereof as they are now called are Spaine France Germanie Italie Slauonia Greece Hungarie Poland with Lithuania Moscouia or more significantly Russia and that Peninsula which conteineth Norway Sweden and Gotland Among the Isles thereof the first place is due to Britany conteining England and Scotland then followes Ireland Groenland Frisland and Island all situate in the maine Ocean In the Mediterran sea it hath Sicilia Sardinia Corsica Candia Maiorica Minorica Corfu Negropont and others of lesse note the particular names and situations whereof are to be seene in the Table This our Europe besides the Roman Empire reuerenced of all the world hath in all if you adde those foureteene which Damianus à Goes reckens vp only in Spaine eight and twentie Christian Kingdomes whereby you may estimate the worthinesse of this region It is a place out of measure fruitfull and the naturall disposition of his aire is very temperate For all kindes of Graine for Wine and abundance of Woods it is inferior to none but comparable to the best of the others It is so pleasant and so beautified with stately Cities Townes and Villages that for the courage and valour of the people and seuerall nations although it be lesse in quantitie and circuit yet might it well be accounted and indeed of all ancient Writers hath it euer beene accounted superiour vnto the other parts of the World most renowmed also hath it beene both in regard of the Macedonian Empire and the great command and power of the Romans The praises thereof you may reade in Strabo who in his third booke and seuen bookes following hath most learnedly and excellently described it Peruse also other ancient Geographers Of late Writers amongst other things by the way Volateranus Sebastian Munster Dominicus Niger Georgius Rithaimerus in their Geographies haue endeuoured to paint it out in his colours But Pius the second Christopher Cella and Anselmus his brother haue described it a part and by it selfe Diuers Iournals ouer all Europe in a maner together with the distances of places haue beene committed to writing by Cherubin Stella John Herbacius and George Mayerus The like hath beene done by William Gratarolus in the end of his booke which is entitled De regimine iter agentium or A direction for trauellers AFRICA THis the Ancients haue diuersly distinguished but at this present it is diuided by Iohn Leo of Africa into foure chiefe parts Barbarie Numidia Libya and the Land of Negros BARBARIE which is accounted the best they circumscribe with the Atlantick Mediterranean seas with mount Atlas with the region of Barcha bordering vpon Aegypt NVMIDIA called by the inhabitants Biledulgerid and abounding with Dates for which cause the Arabians call it by no other name but the Date-bearing region is bounded Westward by the Atlantick Ocean Northward by mount Atlas it stretcheth East as farre as the citie Eloacat which is an hundred miles distant from Aegypt and the sandie Deserts of Libya embrace it on the South LIBYA the third part is named in the Arabian tongue Sarra which word signifies a Desert It beginnes East from Nilus and thence runneth West as farre as the Atlantick sea Numidia lies to the North of it and the Land of Negros to the South Now followeth the fourth part which they call NIGRITARVM terra either from the inhabitants which are of a blacke colour or from the riuer Niger that runneth thorow the countrey It is confined North by Libya South by the Aethiopick Ocean West by Gualata and East by the Kingdome of Gaoga And here we are to note that according to this their diuision all Africa is included within the Mediterran Atlantick and Aethiopick seas and the riuer Nilus wherefore Aegypt and Aethiopia are accounted parts of Asia which we notwithstanding thinke more properly to belong to Africa For the true Aethiopia containes at this day Presbyter Iohns Empire which by all late Writers is ascribed to Africa We therefore with Ptolemey iudge that it ought to be bounded by the Mediterran and Ocean seas rather than by any riuer whatsoeuer and so it hath the forme of a Peninsula being ioyned to Asia by an Isthmos or small neck-land which lies betweene the Mediterran sea and the gulfe of Arabia The South part hereof was vnknowen to our ancestours till the yeere 1497 whereas Vasco de Gama first doubling the Cape de buona speranza or of good hope and sailing about Africa came to Calicut in East India This Southern part by the Persians and Arabians is called Zanzibar At the foresayd Cape of good hope the inhabitants are exceeding blacke which we thought in no wise to omit because all men suppose the cause of blacknesse to be heat and the nearenesse of the Sunne wheras here the Sunne scorcheth no more than about the Streight of Magellan if we measure the heat of the place according to the position of the heauens and distance from the Equinoctiall line where notwithstanding the people are reported to be maruellous white But if we will needs ascribe this blacknesse to the scorching heat of the Sun let vs consider what makes the Spaniards and Italians looke so white whenas they are equally distant from the Equinoctiall with the inhabitants of the foresayd Cape namely the one towards the South and the other towards the North. Presbyter Iohns people are of a browne colour in Zeilan and Malabar the inhabitants are coale blacke yet all in one the same distance from the aequator and vnder the very same parallele of the heauens * And on the contrary why did Herodotus and Pindarus describe such as inhabited the same climate with themselues namely Colchis to be of a blacke colour and curled haire Herodotus in his Thalia makes the Indians blacke like the Aethiopians which the experience of our times confirmeth I know Herodotus will haue the cause hereof to be the seed of the parents which he sayth is not white as that of other people but blacke To whom Postellus also subscribeth and imputeth the originall of this blacknesse vnto Chams curse Against which opinion I haue nothing to allege Let the trueth of the matter rest vpon the authours credit But this a man may thinke more strange that in all America there were no blacke people found besides a few only in one place called by them Quareca What then is the efficient cause of this colour Is it the drinesse of the heauen or of the earth Is it perhaps some hidden propertie of the soile Or a kind of qualitie inherent to the nature of men
called S. Iohns-toun is the onely towne in Scotland that is walled about Of the wood Caledon whereof Ptolemey and other ancient writers haue recorded There is scarcely any mention to be found onely about the towne of Sterling there remaineth some shew of the name Thus farre of the kingdome of Scotland now it will not be amisse to speake somewhat of the ilands that lie round about the same and do belong vnto that crowne The HEBRIDES commonly called the West-iles both for bignesse and number do excell the rest Hector Boëthus saith that they be in number 43. But heere he reckoneth vp the I le of Man as one of them which is not subiect to the kingdome of Scotland but is vnder the allegeance of the King of England neither do I thinke that it was euer accounted of the ancients among the Hebrides The first of the Hebrides is Aran otherwise called Boëth then Hellaw and Rothes Not farre from these is Alize where are great plenty of Barnacles which they call Soland-geese The greatest of all and the most famous is Ile a fertile soile for corne and rich for veines of mettall Then Cumber and Mule Neere vnto these is Ione memorable for the tombs of Kings long since buried there Next vnto this is Lewis last of all is Hirth situate in the 43. degree of latitude Thus Boethus calleth them But Iohn Maior the Scot nameth them thus Argila Aranea Awyna Butha or Rothsaya and Leuisora In these ilands are those geese which they call Clakes Gyraldus calleth them Bernacles which Boëthus affirmeth to breed of the sea and of rotten wood and not to grow vpon trees as the common sort beleeue and haue published in their writings For if you shall cast saith he a peece of wood into that sea in continuance of time first wormes do breed within the wood which by little and little become to haue heads feet wings at the last being fledge and growen to their full growth to the bignes of a goose they attempt to flie and do somtimes swim and sometimes vse their wings as other Sea-foule do Beyond the Hebrides are the ORCHADES or the Orkeney iles of which the best is Pomona famous for the Bishops-sea a goodly Church and two strong castles One of these Iohn Maior calleth Zeland which is 50. miles in length In these grow no manner of trees nor any wheat and yet otherwise of all other sorts of graine they are very fertile It breedeth no serpent or venimous beast In Scotland they buy the barrell'd butter the inhabitants hauing abundance of Barley whereof they make a most strong kind of drinke and are very great drinkers yet as Boëthus saith you shall neuer see a drunken-man or madde man one bestraught or a naturall foole amongst them The same authour affirmeth the like of the inhabitants of the iles of Scetland but this is no wonder amongst them that drinke nought but water All the wealth and commodities of these Scetland-men consist in Stockfish and hides of beastes In the Hebrides they vse the Irish tongue in the iles of Orkeney they speake the Gottish language M. Iordanus in his mappe of Denmarke saith that the Orchades are subiect to the kingdome of Denmarke yet we know them to belong to Scotland vnder the title of a Dukedome But se what we haue written of this in the discourse to the mappe of Denmarke Of Scotland and of the ilands adioining thou maist read more at large in Hector Boëthus Iohn Maior and Iohn Lisley Scottish-men which haue written the histories of this their country SCOTIAE TABVLA Miliaria Scotica Cum Priuilegio Of ENGLAND THe South part of the Iland of Britaine is as we haue said before diuided into two parts That part which is toward the East abutting vpon the German Ocean is of the Angles a people of the Saxons which seated themselues there in their language called ANGLIA or England that is the Angles land The West part which is seuered from that other by the riuers Seuern and Dee and doth vse the ancient Brittish tongue is of the same Angles or Englishmen called WALLIA or Wales yet the Brittan or Welshman calleth himselfe Cumro and his country Cumria the English Saissons and their country Lhoëgria neither do they know or at least they will not acknowledge what England or an Englishman doth meane So great difference there is betweene the languages of the seuerall nations of this Iland All this South part England I meane and Wales hath their proper king vnto whom many Dukes Marquesses Earles Barons and great Noblemen are subiect and obedient It is a countrie at all times of the yeare most kind and temperate The Aire is thicke and so it is much subiect to windes clowdes and raine and therefore in regard of thicknesse of the aire it is neither opprest with too much heat or too much cold For it is found true by experience that although it be more Northerly than Brabant Flanders and other forrein countries yet heere the winter is neuer so bitter nor the frost so eger as in those parts It hath euerie where many hilles without wood and water which notwithstanding do bring forth very small and short grasse an excellent feed for sheepe and therefore infinite flockes of sheepe do bespread them which either by reason of the kindnesse of the aire or goodnesse of the soile do yeeld most soft wooll farre finer than those of other countries And for that this country breedeth neither woolues nor any rauenous beast you shall see in diuers places flocks of sheepe vpon the hilles and dales greene pastures commons fallowes and corne fields into which after the crop is off euery man by a certaine ancient custome doth put in his cattell in common to wander heere and there without a shepheard This indeed is that Golden fleece in which especially the riches of the inhabitants doth consist for an huge masse of gold and siluer is by Merchants which thither flocke from all quarters for such like wares yearly brought into the Iland and there doth continually rest for that it is by proclamation forbidden that no man may carry any money out of the Realme It aboundeth also with all sorts of cattell except asses mules camels and elephants There is in no place of the world greater and larger dogges nor better The soile is very fatte and fertile and naturally bringeth foorth beside all sorts of corne and pulse all maner of things onely the firre-tree and as Caesar saith the beech tree although that now it hath in diuerse places plenty of beeches The ay-green Bay tree doth in these Northren countries no where thriue better Such abundance of Rosemary heere doth grow in all places and that so high that they oft times do fence their gardens therewith Wine they haue none for the grapes seldome heere do ripen and is amongst them planted rather for shade and pleasure then for his fruit and profit There is in no country in Christendome more
the selfe name with the Island very large and fairly built They vse the lawes of the Castilians and do much resemble them both in language and maners This description of the isles Maiorca Minorca we haue borrowed out of N. Villagagnon his discourse of the expedition to Alger Who desires to know more of these isles and of the inhabitants disposition may reade Bernardin Gomez his sixt and seuenth books of the life of Iames T. King of Arragon That Philip King of Spaine possesseth the greatest Empire in the world since the worlds beginning we haue proued in our Theatre printed in high Dutch REGNI HISPANIAE POST OMNIVM EDITIONES LOCVPLESSI MA DESCRIPTIO The Kingdome of PORTVGALE PORTVGALE is vnproperly called Lusitania for neither is all Portugale comprehended in Lusitania nor all Lusitania in Portugale yet can it not be denied that the better part of Lusitania is subiect to the King of Portugale Portugale is diuided into three regions Transtagana or that which lies beyond or South of Tagus the riuer of Lisbon as far as Guadiana Cistagana situate on this side or North of Tagus as far as the riuer Douro and Interamnis Transtagana border vpon that part of Andaluzia which from the riuer Guadiana extendeth to the limits of Castilia Nuoua Interamnis I call that which lies between the riuers Douro and Minho a region no lesse pleasant than fruitfull This Interamnis or Riuer bounded prouince is wholly out of the limits of Lusitania vnlesse reiecting the former description we will rather incline to Strabo who saith that the greatest part of Lusitania is inhabited by the Callaici The length of this region is twelue leagues and the bredth where it is largest is twelue leagues also being in other places but six or foure leagues ouer And in this so small a portion of ground besides the Metropolitan church of Braga the Cathedrall of Porto and other fiue Collegiate churches there are aboue 130. monasteries the greater part whereof are endowed with most ample reuenues and also to the number of 1460. Parish churches as one writeth Certaine it is that within the peculiar Diocesse of Braga there are accounted 800. Whereby you may easily coniecture both the fruitfulnesse of the soile and the ancient deuotion of the inhabitants But of the pleasantnesse what need we speake whenas within this one prouince are found aboue fiue and twenty thousand springing fountaines bridges most sumptuously built of square stone almost two hundred and hauens for shipping to the number of six These things therefore I thought not vnfit to be remembred because the goodnesse and woorth of this Prouince is in a maner vnknowen To the East hereof adioyneth the prouince called Transmontana that is to say on the other side of the mountaines it aboundeth with excellent Wheat and strong Wine and containes within it the city Bragança which is the head of a most large Dukedome Thus much out of Vaseus Peter de Medina reckoneth and nameth in this Kingdome of Portugale sixty seuen cities or walled townes To the Kingdome of Portugale at this present belongeth the Kingdome of Algarue which is nothing els but the South part of the whole Kingdome towards the sea For the King entitles himselfe King of Portugale of Algarue of Guinie of Aethiopia Persia and India This Kingdom first began about the yeere 1100. For vntill then as also in ancient times it went altogether vnder the name of Spaine Marinaeus thus writeth of it One Henry Earle of Loraigne a man of most vndoubted valour comming out of France atchieued great exploits against the Moores In regard wherof Alonso the sixt King of Castile gaue him in marriage his base daughter called Tiresia and assigned for her dowry part of Gallicia contained in the kingdome of Portugale Of this marriage afterwards was born Alphonsus the first King of Portugale he that recouered Lisbon from the Moores Who hauing vanquished fiue of their Kings in one battell left vnto posterity as a monument of this exploit his armes consisting of fiue scutchions Oliuer à Marca in his Chronicle published in French more particularly blazeth the armes of this kingdome At first he saith it was a plaine siluer scutchion without any portrature afterwards in regard of the fiue vanquished kings there were fiue scutchions imposed and in euery of the fiue scutchions fiue siluer circles in remembrance of the fiue wounds of our Sauior CHRIST which in time of the battell miraculously appeared vnto Alphonso in the skies or as others report for that being wounded with fiue mortall wounds by the prouidence of Almighty God he escaped death Reade also Ierome Osorius Marinaeus Siculus and Sebastian Munster Of the originall of this Kingdome reade the first chapter of Iohn Barros his Decades of Asia Athenaeus in his eighth booke and first chapter writeth somewhat of the fruitfulnesse of this Region and the excellent temperature of the aire Lisbon the chiefe city of the Kingdome Damianus a Goes describeth in a peculiar Treatise Concerning the antiquities of Portugale there is a booke written by Andrew Resende The Portugales Dominions at this present are very large for they extend euen from the Streights of Gibraltar along all the Sea Prouinces and the Islands adiacent as farre as China and the Isles called Lequios PORTVGALLIAE quae olim Lusitania nouissima exactissima descriptio Auctore Vernando Aluaro Secco GVIDONI ASCANIO SFORTIAâ— S.R. E. CARD CAMER Achillas Statius Sal. Lâ—â—â—â—tanicus Vâ—râ—â—â—◠〈…〉 descripta tibi obgentes nâ—â—trâ— pâ—â—â—iâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 Gâ—ido Sfortiâ— Hinc homines 〈…〉 pâ—â—â—â—â—ti 〈◊〉 Orbis terraraÌ„ poâ—â—â—â— oâ—iâ—â—◠〈…〉 in Pr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reâ—â—â—â—runt in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 quidâ—◠〈…〉 Asâ—â—◠〈…〉 reâ—â—â—â— nationes Jhesu Christ◠〈◊〉 religionemque 〈…〉 Vâ—â—â— Râ—â—â—â— XIII Caleâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Aâ—â—â—â— M. CCCCC.LX The Diocesse of SIVILL being part of ANDALVZIA THE Diocesse of the Church of Siuill is situate in that prouince of Spaine which in rich commodities and a kinde of fruitfull and peculiar brauery excelleth all the rest This beautifull prouince the ancients of the riuer Baetis called Baetica but late Writers haue named it VVandalicia or Andaluzia of the Vandals who about a thousand yeres past ouerran the same The said Diocesse or territory of all the regions and territories in Spaine is rightly esteemed the most happy both in regard of the multitude and ciuility of the inhabitants and of their riches and ouerflowing abundance of all things this being confirmed euen by the verses of the Grecians who attribute the Elizian pleasures and delights vnto this tract which bordereth vpon the West Ocean This territory containeth here there almost 200. principall townes besides a great number of villages so that there are now more townes vnder the iurisdiction of this one diocesse or conuent than there were of old in all foure together for as Plinie writeth they prescribed lawes but only to 175. townes And how small a number will these seeme to be if those hundred thousand villages be accounted which only in the territory of Siuill
Ocean affronteth there is a craggie high mountaine a thing very admirable wholly consisting of the same matter he meaneth yron CARPETANIA THis region lies in the very heart of Spaine which Plinie Liuie call Carpetania The people called Carpetani were knowen vnto Strabo and the Carpitani with .i. by Ptolemey Polybius calles them Carpesios and so doth Liuie in some places Their chiefe citie is Toledo The description whereof you may reade in Nauagierus Pedro de Medina and George Brunus All Carpetania is not set downe in this Table but that part only from Toledo Eastward Concerning Toledo because I haue not read it in any other authour I will adde that which Roger Houeden in the second booke of his Chronicle of England reporteth He calles it Tulette and these be his words In this city there is an hill out of which are daily taken aboue a thousand camels loads of earth and yet it neuer decreaseth for though you dig neuer so deepe an hole yet by the morow if any raine fall it will be filled vp againe The earth taken out of this hill is transported to the neighbour prouinces and sold to wash mens heads and their apparell aswell Christians as Pagans The said Roger liued about the yeere 1200. CARPETANIAE PARTIS DESCR 1584. Cum priuilegio Imp. et Belgico ad decennium GVIPVS COAE REGIONIS TYPVS Vardulorum siue HANC INSVLAM PERLVSTRABAT ET SVA MANV DEPINGEBAT GEORGIVS HOEFNAGLIVS ANTVERPIAN BELGA Dum extendar FRANCE ALl that tract of land from the riuer of Rhene included by the Ocean the Pyreney mountaines the sea Mediterran and mount Appennine as farre as Ancona the ancient Writers by one generall name called Gallia For Westward by the Pyreney hilles it is disioyned from Spaine North it borders vpon the French and British Ocean East the riuer Rhene and the Alpes from sea to sea include it in like maner as the Pyreney mountaines doe West South it is accoasted by part of the Mediterran sea ouer against Prouence It was called Gallia in regard of the peoples whitenesse for the high mountaines and the heauens rigour exclude the heat of the Sunne from this part hereof it comes that their white bodies change not colour Wherefore the Graecians name the Gaules or ancient inhabitants of France Galatas in regard of their milke-white colour for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke signifieth Milke from which name the Latines haue called them Gallos This deriuation the greatest parts of Writers doe approue yet some there are that deride it supposing them rather to be so called of raine which in Hebrew is Galah and in the olde British language Glau as who should say A most ancient nation rain'd vpon and drenched in the very floud of Noah This region of theirs was of olde diuided into Gallia Cisalpina which in regard of vs lieth beyond the Alpes being that part of Italie which at this present is called Lombardie and Transalpina which is included within these fiue bounds namely the riuer Rhene the Ocean the Pyreney mountaines the Mediterran sea and the Alpes This Gallia Transalpina by Caesar in his Commentaries is diuided into three parts Belgica Celtica and Aquitanica Belgica which is enuironed by the Ocean sea and the riuers of Rhene Marne and Senie vsing most part the Dutch tongue and at this present called the Low-countries Celtica or Lugdunensis which is comprehended within the riuers Garomne Marne Senie and Rhosne It is now called France For the Celtae were subdued by the Francks of Germany so that at length they were named Westerne Francks from whom the prouince it selfe is denominated Aquitanica before named Aremorica which extendeth from the riuer Garomne to the Ocean and to the Pyreney mountaines West and by North it is confined with that part of the Ocean which is called the Bay of Aquitane Westward it hath Spaine North Celtica or France properly so called and South the country of Prouence It is now called Gascoine and the inhabitants differ both in stature and language from the residue of France These are the ancient limits of the Gaules Howbeit the countrey of the French which at this day beares the title of a Kingdome and is commonly called the Kingdome of France hath not so large extension but towards the North only is so much the narower as it is cut off by an imaginary line from Strasbourg vpon Rhene to the port of Calais and it comprehends all that tract of land which is conteined within this line the Ocean sea the Pyreney mountaines the sea Mediterran and the Alpes Postellus in his booke of the whole world reckons vp the peculiar Shires or Prouinces of this Kingdome in maner following In the East it hath Prouence Sauoie Swisserland Bressia Borgogne Lorraigne Champanie Henault Cleue and Flanders on the North Picardy Normandy and Bretaigne on the West Bretaigne Aniou Poictou Xantoigne and Gascoigne and on the South Gascoigne Bearne Roussillon Dauphnie Vellay Forest Auuergne Limosni Perigort and Angolesme East of Poictou lie the prouinces of Bourges Bourbon Beaioulois Lionnois the Countie of Burgundy Auxerrois Niuernois Berry Tours Vendosme beyond Aniou le Beaulse Gastinois Valois beyond Sens and not farre off le Perche Druise and le Mans neere Bretaigne And thus at this present are these Prouinces named But albeit Postellus accounteth Sauoy Swizzerland Loraigne Henault Cleue and Flanders among the Prouinces of France yet are they not now vnder the gouernment of this Kingdome for all of them haue peculiar princes not subiect to the crowne of France Concerning the French King Villa Nueua reports two memorable things First That in the Church of Rhemes there is a vessell full of neuer-decaying oile sent from heauen to anoint the Kings of France at their coronation Secondly That the same Kings doe heale the disease called in English The Queenes euill only with touching the place affected All France is described in a large volume by Robert Caenalis reade also concerning the same argument Gilbert Cognatus Nazorenus Iohannes Marius Chassanaeus in his twelfth booke De gloria mundi Postellus in his booke Of the whole world Aimon in the beginning of his storie of the Franks Sebastian Munster Belleforest Theuet and other Describers of the world Touching this region also and the disposition of the inhabitants you may learne somewhat out of the second booke of Laonicus Chalcocondylas of Athens Of ancient Writers Caesar surpasseth all Diodorus Siculus in his fifth booke and Ann. Marcelinus in his fifteenth booke haue many notable things concerning this region Likewise Claudius Champier of Lions wrote in French a Treatise of the first originals of the principall townes in all France Symphorianus father to this man discourseth of the riuers and the miracles of waters and fountaines in France The city of Paris is described in verse by Eustathius à Knobelsdorf and the city of Lions by Champier GALLIAE REGNI POTENTISS NOVA DESCRIPTIO IOANNE IOLIVETO AVCTORE Candido lectori S.D. Gallia tota iam
lake His words be these speaking of Sarte a riuer in this Prouince Sarte being come to the bridge commonly called Noien as farre as the towne of Malicorne how plentifully and miraculously it aboundeth with fish may appeare by this one example that not many yeeres past contrary to mens vsuall expectation here was taken a carpe of an ell and handfull long his tongue if we may beleeue the common report weighed six pounds which is confirmed also by a monument written vpon the Bishops palace They say that not farre from this place in the tract of Sagona there is an exceeding deepe lake it is named The causey-foord for it ends at the place commonly called Gay Chaucey out of which lake are taken carpes of so huge bignesse that one of them will suffice a meane family for an whole weeke together the experience whereof following the Court I learned in the towne of Blois Hitherto Robert Caenalis in his story of France CENOMANORVM Galliae regionis typus Auctore Matthaeo Ogerio La Mans. Neustria BRITANNIAE et NORMANDIAE TYPVS 1594. Cum privilegio decennali POICTOV AMongst the people of Aquitaigne some there are called by Ptolemey and Plinie Pictones by Caesar and Strabo Pictones with i in the first syllable and by Ammianus Marcellinus Pictauos Ausonius names the countrey Pictonicam regionem but later Writers call it in Latine Pictauia The inhabitants in their owne language terme themselues Poicteuins the region Poictou and the head city Poictiers which perhaps is all one with Ptolemey his Augustoritum The opinion of some who affirme it was thus named of the Pictes I holde altogether fabulous for out of Classicall writers it is apparent that Pictones is an ancienter name than Picti Poictou is now diuided into the Lower and the Vpper The Lower Poictou we call that which ends Westward vpon the sea of Aquitaigne and the Vpper which lieth Eastward towards Tourain and Berry South it confines vpon Xantoigne Angolesme and Limosin and North vpon Brettaigne and Aniou It is a countrey most fertile of corne and cattell rich in wheat and wine and abounding with fish Wild-fowle and beasts heere are great plenty and for that cause much hunting and hauking In this region are conteined 1200. Parishes vnder three Bishopricks namely Poictiers Luçon and Maillezais The principall places besides these are Roch-sur-yon Talmont Meroil Vouuant Meruant Bresuire Lodun Fontenay le Conte All which be in the Vpper Poictou In the Lower are situate Niort Partenay Touars Moncontoul Hernault Mirebeau Chalstelleraudt c. The head of all these is Poictiers which next vnto Paris is the principall citie in all France and is for the most part enuironed by the riuer Clain The antiquity of this towne sufficiently appeareth out of the Theater commonly called Arenas as likewise out of Gallienus his Palace and the Arches of Water-conducts as yet extant which the inhabitants call Arceaux de Parignè all which are Monuments of the Romans gouernment in this place Howbeit before their comming this citie was seated vpon another plot of ground as may be gathered out of the writings of Ammonius and Ado. For they make mention of a place called Olde Poictiers whereat they say was the diuision of the kingdome betweene Charlemaine and Pipin Kings of the Frankes Also in this table vpon the very same riuer of Clain towards Chastellerault you may see a place called Vieu Poictiers that is to say Old Poictiers The towne of Talmont or rather Talon du Monde in English The heele of the World is so called by the French because it stands vpon the vtmost border of this countrey towards the Ocean as if therefore it were to be esteemed the extreame part of the World Ouer against the shore of Poictou lie these islands Oleron by Plinie named Vliarius at the mouth of the riuer Charente called by Ausonius Charantonus fluuius and by Ptolemey Canentelum L'isle de Rez opposite to Rochell abounding with wine wherof it is named The isle Noir or Marmonstier which yeeldeth plenty of salt The isle Aulonne which in this Table is rather a Peninsula this aboundeth with wine and salt as doth another little isle called Chauet The Mappe also represents vnto you L'isle de Dieu or Gods isle and that likewise which is called Nostre-dame de Bouin By Saint Hillary the Apostle of Aquitaigne Ecclesiasticall Writers affirme that this region was conuerted to Christianity A more exact description hereof you may reade in Belleforrest who will referre you from himselfe to Iohn Bouchet his Chronicle of Aquitaigne Something you may learne out of Antony Pinetius in his description of Cities Theuet likewise is to be perused Concerning this region also Iohn de la Haye wrote a peculiar Treatise in French POICTOV PICTONVM VICINARVMQVE REGIONVM FIDISS DESCRIPTIO Auctore Nobili Dn̄o Petro Rogiero Pictone Regiae M t is Galliae consiliario etc. The region of BERRY called of olde BITVRIGES THe people Bituriges are mentioned in most of the ancient Geographers Plinie calles them Liberos and saith they were also named Cubos The country is now diuided into the Vpper the Lower The principall citie called at this present Bourges was named by Caesar as some thinke Auaricum Theobald Fagotius citizen of the same writeth that the territory adiacent is exceeding fruitfull and wanteth nothing that all France may affoord that the city is ancient as appeareth by diuers notable monuments that it is a towne of great trafficke that they haue an Vniuersitie flourishing with all kinde of learning insomuch as it may well be called The Honour of the liberall Arts and A Mart of learned men But concerning the originall of this citie and the deriuation of the name let vs giue eare to Iohn Calmey who writes thereof in maner following In the yeere of the worlds creation 1791. one Gomer of the nation of the Gaules bringing a Colonie into this region of the Bituriges planted the same in the chiefe citie the name of Ogygis being by Noah his grandfather imposed for honours sake vpon the inhabitants which by them for the fauor and loue they bare to their founder descended of Ogygis was afterward changed and they named themselues Bitogyges which in the Armenian tongue signifies The posteritie of Ogygis But as words by custome are often times corrupted for to make them familiar or more proper we will not sticke to adde detract or alter some letters or syllables so the name of this countrey and of the chiefe citie either by the force thereof or by the appointment of a certaine Prince named Biturix changed the name of Bitogyges into Bituriges Amongst other opinions some hold that it was called Bituris quasi Biturris of two ancient Towers which sometimes stood in this citie whereupon a certaine Grammarian hath written this verse Turribus à binis inde vocor Bituris that is Of Towers twaine Bituris I was nam'd Thus much out of John Calamaeus his booke of the originall of the Bituriges from whence
also we haue borrowed this Table LIMAIGNE THe length of all this region which some ab alimonijs or victuals call Alimonia others of the fat slimie soile Limaigne being part of Auuergne which for shortnesse of time and in regard of the high hilles and low valleys and the crooked windings and turnings we could not exactly measure The length hereof I say from the bridge of olde Briuata as farre as Ganao abounding with Corne Wine Honie Cattell Horses Saffron Nuts Pot-hearbs Pastures Woods Fountaines Riuers Bathes Marle Lakes Siluer-mines Honourable families Strong fortresses and Rich merchandize stretcheth about twenty leagues and the bredth almost eight leagues But we describing only the more fruitfull and inhabited part do in the Table following comprehend about eight leagues in length and almost seuen in bredth placing the townes and villages according to the scale vnder-annexed Thus farre the Authour in a Treatise intituled A godlie and speculatiue Dialogue by him written in Italian where you may see the very Table which I haue here put downe In the lower part of this Table stands a mountaine with a small towne named Gergoie This is Gergouia in Aruernis neere the riuer Elauer whereof Caesar in his seuenth booke of the French warres maketh mention REGIONIS BITVRIGVM EXACTISS DESCRIPTIO PER D. IOANNEM CALAMAEVM LIMANIAE TOPOGRAPHIA GABRIELE SYMEONEO AVCT The Dukedome of ANIOV THe people and countrey of the Andegauenses are by Ptolemey placed in Gallia Lugdunensi The countrey at this present is called Aniou and the people Angeuins In times past it went vnder the name of an Earledome but since the yeare 1350. it hath beene adorn'd with the title of a Dukedome East it confineth vpon Tourain and Vendosme West it bordereth vpon Bretaigne Poictou bounds it Southward and the Counties of Maine and La Val on the North. It is a country not very large but for fruitfulnesse inferior to none other in France the wine of Anjou excelleth all other French wines Neither is it destitute of other commodities requisite either for the necessity or the pleasure of mans life being euery where beautified with Riuers Mountaines Woods and Medowes It aboundeth with cattell great and small and with fish All this their Riuers and Medowes affoord them Out of their Mountaines they digge Marble and a kinde of blew Slates wherewith they couer Churches and houses The common people call them Ardoises This Region is watered with so many Riuers Freshets Fountaines Fish-pooles Lakes and Pondes that some are of opinion it was heeretofore called Aeguada or Aguada of the abundance of waters for in the Aquitaigne tongue they call Water Aigues The principall Riuers besides others are Ligeris which the inhabitants do name Loire calling it likewise The Father of French riuers Into this Riuer within the compasse of Anjou do fall the riuers Vienne Diue Thouets Layon Leure Guiuatte Maine Seure Loir a riuer diuers from Ligeris for it falles thereinto and is called by late Writers Ledus Aution Oudon Maienne Brionneau Losse and Erdret c. So that there runne about fortie Riuers thorow this Prouince It hath diuers faire cities the principall whereof is called Angiers perhaps the same which in Ptolemey is named Juliomagus This being the head citie of all the Region is built on either side the riuer Meduan and ioyned together by a stone bridge The antiquitie hereof is euident out of certaine ancient ruines of a Theater which hang ouer the Citie and are called by the common people Brohan Heere sometimes are olde coines found Lewis the second in the yeere 1389. established an Vniuersitie in this place There be also other townes of note as Saumur Beufort Bauga c. Most of the premisses for the illustration of this Table we haue translated out of Belleforest his French Munster To whom he that will may adde Theuet Anjou ANDEGAVENSIVM DITIONIS VERA ET INTEGRA DESCRIPTIO Licino Guyeto Andegauense auctore Cum Priuilegio 1579. The territorie of PARIS commonly called THE ISLE OF France IN a certaine Iournall of France I reade this description of the territorie of Paris The Isle of France stretcheth from the towne of Saint Denis as far as Rossy and Montmorency and so it comprehends all the land within the winding nookes of Seine towards Normandie one way and towards Picardie another way The occasions of this name were as Andrew Theuet reporteth in that the Frankes comming out of Germanie planted themselues first in this place and here their Captaines tooke vpon them the title of Kings and also for that the Riuers Marne Seine Oyse do in a maner compasse it around Yet all the Region being comprized within these three Riuers pertaineth not to the said isle but only that part which is neere vnto Paris My opinion is that this diuision might be made when the sonnes of Clouis sharing the whole Kingdome limited and included within these bounds the dominions of him who bare rule at Paris and was only called the King of France Howbeit now this diuision is not obserued seeing that certaine Cities of Picardie Briè and other Prouinces are comprehended within the same But let vs heare the opinion of Belleforest also After the death of the great King Clouis France was diuided after a new maner for out of one King sprang many and he only was called The King of France who gouerned at Paris wherefore the Isle of France is the true and ancient iurisdiction of our Kings albeit Pipins posteritie beganne to neglect it and afterwards the Parisian territorie fell to them by inheritance who enioyed the Crowne of all France L'Isle de France PARISIENSIS AGRI DESCRIP The Dukedome of TOVRAIN THis region is not very large being on euery side so restrained with bordering Prouinces West thereof lieth Anjou and part of Poictou from the first it is seuered by the confines of Saumure and from the second by the riuer Creuse whereupon stands the city of Chinon subiect to this Dukedome of Tourain South also lies part of Poictou along the riuer Creuse to La port de Pilles which diuides Guienne from Tourain and Berry in like sort from whence it is separated by Chastillon situate vpon the riuer Indre East not far from Loire the riuer of Cher diuides it from the prouince of Blois and from part of Berry and North it is seuered from the territories of Maine and Vendosmois by the riuer Loire vpon which riuer is built the citie of Tours and it imbraceth the same on the part of S. Lazarus suburbs This riuer also bends his course to the towne of S. Anne and to the suburbe called Rich for East West and South it toucheth the riuer Indre and North all the region towards Anjou and Maine To the Dukedome and gouernment of Tourain are subiect these cities Chinon Lodun Touars Langestz Amboise Loches Chastillon vpon Indre Montrichard besides other places and fortresses of Barons But the cities which I haue named are of best note and as it were the
all France situate partly in a valley towards the riuer of Vienne and the towne and church of S. Stephen and partly on an hill towards the suburbe of S. Martiall The length farre surpasseth the bredth extending North and South It is strongly fortified with walles and ditches and abounds with water deriued from a notable Fountaine in the highest part of the citie which serues likewise both to water their horses and to clense their streets But the ruines of the ancient walles yet standing in the next Vineyards do plainly shew that the Citie in times past was much larger than at this present For first the Romans surprized it and afterwards the Gothes as witnesseth Sidonius Apollinaris when he hath reckoned vp all the cities of Aquitaigne sacked and destroyed by them The Francks also miserably afflicted it After them Charles Martell laid it waste And lastly the English made spoile thereof Notwithstanding at this time for the bignesse it is accounted one of the richest cities in the whole Kingdome being very well ordered and gouerned in regard of the Court of Parliament there as likewise the authoritie of the Vicount the Kings Eschequer and the assembly of the Consuls in Merchants affaires which they commonly call The Burse Thus much and more concerning this region writeth Belleforest Blaisois BLESIENSIS TERRITORII hanc tabulam describebat Ioannes Temporius Blesis anno Messiae nati 1592. epoche Christianae 1590. Mundi 5610. Le Blaisois contient en longitude d'Occident en Orient depuis S. Ouin iusques à Brinon 25 lieuez en latitude de l'Equateur vers le Nord depuis Chasteauroux iusques à Rabestan 40. lieues La cincture de la terre est divisee en 360. degrez a chascun degre donnons 25. lieues Toute la terre contient 9000. lieues LEMOVICVM TOTIVS ET CONFINIVM PROVINCIARVM QVANTVM AD DIOECESIM LEMOVICENSEM SPECTANT NOVISSIMA ET FIDISSIMA DESCRIPTIO Io. Fayanus M. L. describebat Homere Demosthene et Archimede ensemble Lymoges á nourry óu la Vertu sassemble Muret Dorat Fayen trois excellens Esprits Muret son Demosthene et Dorat son Homere Fayen son Archimede ayant sa ville Mere Sa Prouince et son Plan heureusement compris IOACHIN BLANCHON CALAIS and BOVLONGNE THis Cart conteineth the description of that North-western part of France which the English were masters of from the yere 1347. vntil the yere 1557. At what time the Duke of Guise Lieutenant for the French King tooke it by force of armes The townes of Calais Guisnes and Ardres the English from time to time haue furnished with able garisons And Calais hath heretofore beene the Staple for Woolles and other English commodities Concerning the tract of Boulongne thus saith Robert Caenalis in his 2. book and 3. Perioche De re Gallica Of Gessoriacum a port of the Morini I may well say with Meierus that it is now truely called Boulongne vpon the sea shore from whence there is a very short cut to Douer on the English coast But the Docke or place for building ships called Nauale Gessoriacum which Bilibaldus falsely affirmes to be Gaunt I thinke rather to be Castellum now named Cassell Some by another name call it Petressa and Scalas commonly Scales Moreouer by the situation of Boulongne one may easily coniecture whether it were Portus Iccius or no. Wherein that no man may doubt let vs learne this one thing out of Strabo That the sea between Portus Iccius and England was iust 320. stadia or furlongs ouer which make in all 40. miles But the later Maps containe betweene Boulongne and Douer 17. English which are longer than Italian miles and from Calais 18. Whereby it is manifest that from Boulongne to Douer it is but a very short cut wherefore Portus Gessoriacus the hauen and Nauale Gessoriacum the docke are not all one which docke whoso thinketh stood where Calais now stands I will not greatly contradict him Thus farre Caenalis This very place of Boulongne is described by Arnoldus Ferronius who continued the French history of Paulus Aemilius till his owne time in maner following There is saith he Base Boulongne and High Boulongne The base towne was vnwalled before the comming of the English There stands the church of S. Nicholas and a cloister of Franciscans the English sea beateth vpon this towne Neere vnto this Frierie which is not farre from the sea there is a very commodious place to passe for England It is distant from the higher Boulongne about 100. pases or somewhat more But Boulongne the higher is inuironed with most strong walles and with high ditches compassing the walles All this region is full of that sand which those that dwell on the coast call hot sand Whereupon they will haue the name of Boulongne to be deriued of the French word that signifies such kinde of sand notwithstanding we know it out of Ammianus Marcellinus to be an ancient name Thus much out of Ferronius Concerning these matters reade Diuaeus also VERMANDOIS THis Region which of olde the Veromandui inhabited still retaining the ancient name is at this present called Vermandois From hence the riuers of Some and Schelde fetch their originall Here in times past as Robert Caenalis witnesseth stood the city called Augusta Veromanduorum now raced all saue a Monasterie which remaineth This citie was the sea of a Bishop but vnder Medardus the Bishop thereof it was translated to Noion as Carolus Bouillus reporteth Howbeit the place yet holdeth the ancient name and is called Vermand-abbey Wherefore they seeme to be in an errour that thinke the towne of S. Quintins to haue beene Augusta Veromanduorum Concerning the people of this region reade Peter Diuaeus in his booke of the antiquities of Gallia Belgica CALETENSIVM ET BONONIENSIVM DITIONIS ACCVRATA DELINEATIO VEROMANDVORVM EORVMQVE CONFINIVM EXACTISSIMA DESCRIPT Iohanne Surhonio Auctore PICARDIE THe name of Picardie as all that write of France do affirme not to be ancient so the originall or deriuation thereof none of them can render Caenalis dares not say that it was so called of the Begardes Belleforest flatly denies it supposing the Picardes to be somewhat ancienter than the Begardes Some thinke that they were so named of the warlike weapon called the Pike which as they imagine was here first inuented Certaine it is that the prouince of Picardy was larger in times past for we reade that Artois with a part of Flanders as farre as the riuer Lis and the countie of Boulogne were all comprehended vnder the name of Picardy The region which is now properly called Picardy extends not so farre as the Map it selfe This Region is part of Gallia Belgica whilom inhabited by the Ambiani Bellouaci and Veromandui or as Ptolemey calles them Romandui The riuer Somme which some thinke to be Ptolemey his Phrudis refresheth the wole countrey and makes it most fertile of all kinde of graine and the townes and cities to abound with all necessaries for it yeeldeth such plentie of wheat as it is
seuen Hospitals seuen Parishes seuen Nunries seuen Colleges seuen Frieries and seuen gates Not farre from hence is the valley of Chisa at the head of the riuer Sorgues a place so highly magnified by Petrarch as he often calles it his Helicon and Pernassus This he made choise of as an hermitage to weane himselfe from worldly cogitations A man in my conceit not of the ordinary cast of Writers and whom I may boldly and deseruedly call The Christian Seneca PROVINCIAE Regionis Galliae vera exactissimaque descriptio Petro Ioanne Bompario auctore Cum Privilaegio decennali Imp. Reg. et Brab 1594 The coast of NARBONNE THE principall places along this coast William Paradine describes in these words Arles was a colonie of the Sextaine as some Writers doe affirme Standing vpon Rhosne it is enuironed with Marshes wherein at this present are a breed of fierce and vntamed Kine Whilome it was a famous Mart-towne as Strabo writes in maner following Narbo saith he the most frequented Mart of this Region standeth at the outlet of the riuer Araxis by the lake Narbonensis but vpon Rhodanus the towne of Arles a Mart of no small importance is situate Neere vnto Arles are those hot bathes where Sextius saith Strabo built a towne after his owne name calling it Aquae Sextiae The cause why he built it was to place a Roman garrison there Here were the Cimbrislaine by Marius as writeth S. Ierome Aurasio now called Orange famous in times past for the gouernment of the Gabali or Cabilonenses wherin I saw the ruines of an huge Theater and a mightie wall excellently built of square stone the like whereof I doubt whether all France can affoord There stands also at the gate towards Lions a triumphall arche with a tilt or turniment of horsmen ingrauen thereupon which we long beheld with great delight To this citie belongeth Nemausum now called Arenas a place renowmed for the ancient Theater there extant Heere is a most woonderfull passage vnder ground passing thwart vnder the very chanell of Rhodanus to the citie which standeth afarre off Heere likewise you may see the Palace of Plotina built by Adrian the Emperour as Spartianus reporteth c. Thus much out of Paradine But of all others most exactly Iohn Poldo d' Albena hath described this citie and set forth the antiquities in picture with the situations and ancient names of the places adiacent Of this argument reade Strabo in his fourth booke and Gunterus a Poet of Genoa The originall of this Table my friend Mr. Carolus Clusius of Arras gaue me drawen with his owne hand SAVOIE SAVOIE standeth on this side the Alpes the Prince whereof called the Duke of Sauoie is Lord of the Region of Piemont The head citie is Chamberi of olde as saith Caenalis called Ciuaro wherein the Senate or Parliament resideth This region some thinke was named Sabaudia from certaine people called Sebusiani and as others suppose of the Sabbatian fourds But Bouillus renders another reason of this name For this region saith he in regard of the narrow passages as being situate among the Alpes and of the scarsitie of inhabitants was all ouer-pestered with theeues which either robbed or murdered such trauellers as passed that way Hereupon a certaine Nobleman hauing obtained it of the Emperour vnder the title of a Dukedome expelled by force of armes all the said theeues and robbers and made the way most secure for trauellers This done he caused it afterward to be named Salua via commonly Sauluoy that is The safe way which before was called Mala via alias Mauluoy The euill or dangerous way hence the Latines call it Sabaudia Hitherto Carolus Bouillus Whether it be a fable or an historie I appeale to the authours credit This one thing I am sure of that the word SAPAVDIA is often vsed in the booke called Notitiae prouinciarum for a name of one of the prouinces of Gallia Narbonensis But here also I thinke it not amisse to annex the description of this prouince out of the history which Paradine wrote of it His words be these That region which in Latine is now called Sabaudia commonly Sauoy ancient Writers named Allobroges And it containeth all that tract which in times past the Sabbatij Ingauni Intimelij Hiconij Tricorij Vicontij Lepontij Latobrigi Medualli Centrones Catoriges Veragri Nantuarij Salassi Tharantasij and Seduni inhabited The regions therein comprised at this present are thus named Sauoy the countie of Geneua the Marquisat of Susa the countie of Morienne the Baronisse of Tharentaise Brengeois Foucigni Chablais Val de Oste Pais de Vaul Pais de Geis and some others The Duchie of Sauoy hath vnder it the region of Piemont adorned with the title of a Princedome Also the region of Bresse wherein are the counties of Varaz Mountrueil Pont de Vaulx Bagey c. Out of ancient monuments it is apparent that this region in times past bare the name of a Kingdome especially in the dayes of Hannibal who being ordained vmpire betweene Bronchus and his brother about the gouernment of this countrey compounded their quarrell and restored the kingdome to the eldest whom his yonger brother had expelled as Liuie reports in his 21. booke Florus also affirmeth that Betultus or as some reade it Betuitus the King of this place was taken captiue by Fabius Maximus And sundrie authours doe make mention of King Cottius in the time of the Emperour Augustus of whom the neighbour-alpes were called Cottiae More concerning this region you may reade in Philibert Pingonicus The Countie of VENACIN THe Countie of Venacin named in Latine Comitatus VENVXINVS and by Caenalis VENETICVS and the Popes territory also because it is vnder his iurisdiction is part of that region in France now called Prouence and of olde Narbonensis secunda The principall citie is Auignon situate vpon the Rhosne It is the Popes towne and held for a while the Papall sea In this countie are three Bishopricks where law-matters also are decided namely Carpentras Cauaglion or L'isle and Vaurias In this Table is comprehended also the Princedome of Orange so called of Orange the chiefe citie being famous in Sidonius and Ptolemey vnder the name of Arausio Plinie and Pomponius call it Arausia Secundanorum COL ARAVSIO SECVNDANOR COH 33. VOLVNT is found grauen vpon an ancient stone More concerning this region you may reade in Belleforest and Theuet GALLIA NARBONENS SABAVDIAE DVCAT Auctore Aegidio Bulionio Belga Scala milliarium VENVXINI COMITATVS NOVA DESCR Auctore Stephano Ghebellino LORRAIN THE bounds of Lorrain in times past extended much farther for it comprehended in a maner all the whole region lying betweene the riuer Rhene and Scheld and the mountaine Vogasus All which was diuided into the higher and the lower The lower Lorrain contained Brabant Haspengow Guelders and Cleue In the higher were the Bishopricke of Liege with the counties of Lutzenburg and Limburg as likewise the duchy of Maesland the countie Palantine vpon Sur and
Iordane in his mappe of Denmarke the ilands Groenland Island Hetland Feroa and the Orkneys Yet we haue said before that the Orkney iles do belong vnto the kingdome of Scotland vnder the name and title of a Dukedome Olaus also saith but falsly as I perswade my selfe that the I le Gotland doth belong vnto the kingdome of Swedland GOTHIA or the ile Gotland is a good ground for the feeding and bringing vp of cattell horses and oxen There is plentifull fishing fowling and hunting It is very rich of a kind of faire marble as also of all maner of things necessary for the maintenance of mans life In it is the goodly towne Visbui sometime the most famous and frequent Mart of all Europe There are yet remaining certaine ruines of marble sufficient testimony of his ancient greatnesse and beauty at this day it is now renowmed for the faire Abbey of Benedictine Friers and the Library there containing about 2000. bookes of sundry authours rare and ancient manuscripts Thus farre out of Olaus Magnus and Iacobus Zieglerus CIMBRICA CHERSONES VS now called IVITLAND CImbrica Chersonesus out of the which the Cimbri about the yeare 105. before the incarnation of Christ issued forth and spread themselues in other countries of Europe to the great terrour and affrighting of all Italie stretching it selfe from the riuer Elbe into the North about 80. miles containeth many large and goodly shires It is a part of the kingdome of Denmarke which M. Adams nameth Daniam Cismarinam Denmarke on this side the sea In the entrance of it as one commeth out of Saxony there standeth HOLSTATIA Holstein which old writers for that it is disioined and seuered four the rest of Germany toward the North by the riuer Elbe Albis they called it named NORDALBINGIA and for that it was alwaies accounted the vttermost Northren bound of the Roman Empire and therefore Henry surnamed Auceps the Fowler Emperour of Rome about 650. since had heere in the city of Sleswicke somewhat beyond the limites of the Empire a Lieutenant and Lord-warden of the Marches Holstein conteineth three principall shires WAGRIA STORMAR and DITMARSH of the which Federicke the Emperour about 106. yeares agone made a Dukedome The next prouince from the riuer Eydore which is the furthest bound of Holstein euen vnto Kolding conteineth the Dukedome of Sleswick so named of Sleswick the chiefe city and ancientest mart towne of this country For in former times this country was intituled by the name of the Dukedome of Iuitland which Waldemare the great-grand-child of Abel king of Denmarke first held by homaga from Erick their king about the yeare of Christ 1280. The male line of the Kings and Dukes failing and the Dukedome of Sleswick and the kingdome of Demnarke being vnited and knit into one body Queen Margaret heire to the three crownes granted the Dukedome of Sleswick to Gerard Duke of Holstein on this condition that he should acknowledge his tenure from the king of Denmarke The rest of Cimbrica Chersonesus called North Iuitland stretching it selfe toward Norway by Scagen a towne by reason the quicksands and the shallow sea there well known to sea men groweth sharp and narrow like a wedge This prouince is broadest about Aleburgh a mart towne vpon an arme of the sea which they call Lymford for there it falleth into Iuitland and pearceth almost quite thorow the same Westward diuiding Wensussel only a very narrow space except from the rest making it a Peninsula or Neckland from thence spreading it selfe into a greater breadth enclosing and compassing many goodly ilands putting forth many elbowes and branches it distinguisheth and boundeth diuers shires and countries In this Bay is that Iland which Otho the first Emperour of Rome about the yeare after Christs incarnation 960. when as he passed with his army from the one end of Iuitland to the other called Ottonia whereof the whole tract about this I le is called Otthesunt or vulgarly Odsunt That iland is now called Tyrhalm so named as I guesse of Tyre the mother of king Harald who after the departure of the Emperour Otho out of Iuitland caused all the country from Sleswick Northward to be fenced with a wall and deepe trench In that Iland at this day there is a village called Odby where they suppose that the Iuites ouerthrew the Emperour and his forces Thus farre the authour of this chart hath written of this whole prouince DANIAE REGNI TYPVS CORNELIVS ANTONIADES DESCRIPSIT Cum Priuilegio CIMBRICAE CHERSONESI nunc IVTIAE descriptio auctore Marco Iordano Cum priuileio decenn 1595. HOLSATIA vulgarly called HOLSTEIN OF Holstein thus Crantzius in the seuen and twentieth Chapter of his fifth booke of the history of Saxony Holstatia tooke the name of a vulgar word of thar language for that the country is woody and full of forrests to distinguish between these parts and the other neere adioining which are moorish and green pasture grounds The Saxons call the inhabitants Holsaten that is people dwelling amongst the woods on the contrary those which dwell in fenny countries they call Merstude Thereof the Latines haue formed he names Holsati Holsatia Holsaten and Holstein like as the French and Italians are from their own languages wont to enrich the Latine tongue Vpon the East this country is bounded by the riuer Bilene on the West by Store on the South by Elbe or Elue on the North by Eydore which in time past was the furthest bound of Denmarke From this riuer Eastward the Wandalles or Vandalles otherwise called Wagers did inhabit of whom that prouince was named WAGRIA of an ancient and sometime a populous city of that name now a poore village little inhabited without wall trench rampart or fence the houses are couered with reeds gathered in the fennes homely and country like it runneth out Eastward as farre as the riuer Trauenna Notwithstanding that part of the country which from the riuer Bilene by Elbe declineth toward the riuer Store and of that riuer is called Stormare leaueth but a little ground to the old Holsatia from Store to Eydore For the Dietmarshers a people inhabiting in mournish and fenny places do claime a freedome and priuiledge from the iurisdiction of any other Prince This Crantzius in his time wrote of the state of Holstein then Whereupon it is apparant that Holstein was diuided into Thietmarsh Wagria and Stormare The same Crantzius and others do also call these Holsaters Transabianos and Nordalbianos as situate beyond and vpon the North-side of the riuer Elbe called of the Latines Albis Ado nameth them also Northuidos vnder whom are conteined as the same authour and Helmoldus do write the Stormaren Holsaters and Thietmarshers He that wrote of the warres between the Danes and Dietmarshers his name we know not doth describe these countries somewhat otherwise then those forenamed writers haue done For he affirmeth that Holstein as now it is called generally doth comprehend the Dukedome of Sleswicke Wagria Stormare Dietmarsh and Iuitland with
certaine other lesser countries and ilands as namely Angle-land Swant-land and Wensusset anciently called Cimbrica Chersonesus But this limitation is somewhat too large for the same authour doth presently after write that Holstein properly is bounded with those foure riuers within which Crantzius doth restrein it Although that Annonius the Monke as he citeth there in steed of the riuer Eyder doth place vpon the North the wall and trench which the country people call Denwerk And this is that Holstein which this our Mappe presenteth vnto thy view That the Cimbri a warlicke people did long since inhabit this tract it is very apparant out of the writings of most approved authours In Wagria or Wagreland Crantzius reckoneth vp these cities Oldenburgh Luthenburgh Niestade or Nigestad Todesto Zegebergh Plone c. In Stormare Hamburgh Reinoldesborgh Itzeho Niemunster c. Dietmarsh hath no cities only there they dwell in streets and villages and of it we haue before written at large in his proper place Of the country of Sleswicke read Dauid Chytraeus his Saxon history Where also he speaketh much of Hamburgh a city belonging to this Dukedome The Ilands belonging to the WANDALLS THey are three Ilands perteining to Pomerland RVGIA Rugen VSEDAMIA Vsedom and WOLLINIA Woollin the more famous for their three Market townes Vineta Arcona and Iulina VINETA a goodly towne of Vsedome which Conrad the second Emperour of Rome surnamed Salignus by the helpe of Canutus king of Denmarke destroied in the yeare of Christ 1036. hauing stood in flourishing estate about 250. yeares together the quarrell grew as they report for that they had vsed certaine Christian Merchants trading thither very despightfully and cruelly It was not situate as Crantzius affirmeth neere the mouth of the riuer Diuenow or vpon the East side of the creeke where the new lake emptieth it selfe into the sea For it is from thence seuen miles Westward two miles Southward from the strong castell Wolgast At this day the foundation of it is yet to be seene in the sea about thirty furlongs from the shore or from the fisher-mens cottages in Damerow It seemeth to haue beene welnigh as bigge as Lubecke Toward the latter end of winter the ice of the marine quarters there about are gathered together and do stay vpon these breaches and oft times it appeareth a farre off like a Castell or Bulwarke Heere the Seales Phocae do cast their yong and bring them vp in the sommer time the East sea being calme vpon the cragges and rocks there And been they sleepe vpon the toppes of the cliffes and rocks which am aboue the waters These do much hurt to the poore fisher-men that dwell heere about eating vp the laxes and other fishes which they catch with hookes ARCONA now the sea-men vulgarly call it Ormunde In the neckeland of Rugen was Wittow or Witmund as the Hollanders call it of the high white chalkie cliffes vpon the sea-coast This iland is diuided into many small iles and neck-lands It hath in all 28. parish Churches Waldemare king of Denmarke in the yeare of Christ 1168. spoiled Arcona Ottocare king of the Romanes and of all Italie was borne in Rugen as also diuers other famous captaines renowmed in histories and registred by Francis Ireney In our time it hath brought forth many learned noble men which haue beene of the Councell to Kings and great Princes IVLINVM now Wollin stood longest This ouercame the fleet royall and great armado of Swein the first king of Denmarke and tooke him thrise in three seuerall battels at sea yet was three times rescued and released our of their hands againe Iulinum stood in that place or there about where now the towne Wollin is seated as the monuments in the places neere adioining do sufficiently testifie Saint Otto Bishop of Bamberg the Apostle of Pomerland in the yeare 1124. in this towne baptized 22000. men Heere the Prince of Pomerland erected a Bishops sea and Albertus the first Bishop of Pomerland was first installed Bishop of the same Yet the citizens and people about Iulinum did soone fall backe to paganisme and do againe adore their idoll Trigilaff and vtterly forsooke Christ and therefore fire fell downe from heauen and wasted the city Waldemare also presently after the fire two yeares after the ouerthrow of Arcona rased Iulinum to the ground There is also the I le Gristoe ouer against and within kenning of Camin These things as I haue heere set them down were written vnto me from Colberg by M. Peter Edling See Saxo Helmold and Crantzius HOLSATIAE DESCRIPTIO Marco Iordano Holsato auctore Cum gratia et Priuilegio RVGIAE VSEDOMIAE ET IVLINAE Wandalicarum insularum Vera descriptio 1584. THIETMARSIA or DIETMARSH OF the MARSI descended from Marsus Strabo the ancient Geographer speaketh and saith that many yeares since they went from the coasts about the Rhein into a low and moorish country Of these are come the THEVTOMARSI or as they commonlie pronounce the word the Thietmarsi the Dietmarshers who about 400. yeares agone were gouerned by the most ancient family of Staden many of which they treacherously slew and so at length they made themselues free by killing banishing all their Nobility Henry surnamed the Lion Duke of Saxony subdued them but he being out-lawed by the Emperour Fredericke Walemare king of Denmarke seized vpon the country and when as he vsed their helpe against Adolph Earle of Holstein and the Lubeckers they reuolted vnto the enemies by whom the king was ouercome at the village Bornhouet Thus againe being restored vnto their liberty least they might seeme to be Anarchi subiect to no Iurisdiction they shrowded themselues vnder the patronage of the Archhishop of Breme and him they acknowledged for their Prince but yet they would neuer pay him tribute or subsidie nor euer would be obedient to his lawes or commands Often the Dukes of Holstein haue attempted wars against them and alwaies they suffered the repulse Fredericke the third Emperour of Rome gaue the country to Christian the first king of Denmarke vnder the title of a Dukedome whose sonne Iohn making war vpon them in the yeare 1500. lost the day all his forces being ouerthrowen himselfe with a very few hardly escaped by flight leauing behind him the greatest part of the nobility of Holstein After that they grew more insolent by this victory and oft greatly troubled and molested the Duke of Holstein Adolph sonne of Fredericke king of Denmarke heire to the kingdome of Norway and Duke of Sleswicke and Holstein not being able to endure their male-part insolencie in the yeare of Christ 1559. mustereth his men gathereth a great army to whom Fredericke the second king of Demnarke and Iohn his brother ioine their forces These armies thus vnited set forward and presently take Meldorp with all the South part of the prouince Then after a few daies respite they ledde their forces along by Tilenbrugge against whom the Dietmarshers out of Hemmingstade make head with all their power
well deserueth the title of the Royal or princely castle For it resembleth rather a city then a Castle filling vp so great a roome with the wals and buildings Of publique edifices the Church built by King Charles before mentioned and the Castle erected by K. Vladislaus late deceased are the most memorable And as Prage of all their Cities hath the preeminence so hath Elbe called by Tacitus renowmed and famous of all their riuers Howbeit concerning the fountaine of this riuer Tacitus writeth skarce soundly namely that it springeth in the region of the Hermonduri For it ariseth not among the Hermonduri but rather out of certaine Bohemian mountaines lying open to the North vpon the frontiers of Morauia which the ancient Bohemians call Cerconessi From which mountaines this riuer refresheth and watereth the greater and better part of Bohemia and then hauing augmented his streames by the influence of Vultawa Egra Satzawa Gitzera and Misa his neighbour-riuers continueth his course and name through Misnia and Saxonie to the maine Ocean being all that way enriched with abundance of Salmons But the smaller riuers and freshets of Bohemia yeeld in some places graines of gold and in others shell-fishes containing pearle Heere also you haue certaine hot bathes both pleasant and medicinable And all the whole countrie so aboundeth with graine as it affoordeth plenty to the neighbour-regions Wines there are no great store and those of the countrey so weake as they last but a very small time Howbeit they haue saffron of the best excelling both in colour smell and moisture three principall properties to chuse that commoditie by There are siluer-mines so exceeding rich that were it not for some small quantitie of flint that insinuates it selfe into the veine you should haue nothing but perfect siluer whereas in other countries those mines are esteemed of high price that hold a quarter or a fift part or at the vtmost one halfe of good siluer They find also plenty of gold-ore in certaine mines which take their name of a place called Giloua It is reported that the Kings of Bohemia haue had graines of pure gold brought from thence weighing tenne pound a piece Neither are they destitute of baser metall namely tinne lead copper and yron And sometimes they finde in those mineral rockes the carbuncle the Saphyre and the Amethist Next vnto their mines there is nothing of greater account to the Bohemians then their waters replenished with carps which I haue declared more at large in a peculiar booke treating of fish-pondes Now let vs decypher the disposition of the inhabitants In briefe therefore both in maners habit and stature of body the Bohemians resemble the Lion king of beasts vnder whose constillation they are subiect that is to say if you consider either the largenesse of their limbs their broad and mightie breastes their yellow shag-haire hanging ouer their shoulders the harshnesse of their voice their sparkling eies or their exceeding strength and courage The Lion carries a kind of contempt and disdainefull pride ouer other beastes and hardly shall you vanquish him if you assaile him by force Neither doth the Bohemian in this respect degenerate but soone shewes his contempt towards other nations both in word and deed and discouers his arrogancie both in his gate gesture and pompe Being set light by he growes impatient in any enterprize he is as bold as a Lion and most firme and constant till he hath brought it to execution but not without a touch of ambition and vaine glory Moreouer like a lion he is greedie of his meat and very curious in the dressing and seasoning thereof And their neighbours the Saxons haue taught them to carouse both day and night And by reason of their neighbourhood the Bohemians differ not much from the Germans in other qualities Hitherto Dubrauius by whom also the originall and ancient dwelling place of this nation is described They brew excellent ale in this countrey calling it Whiteale They speake the Sclauon tongue calling themselues Czecks and the Germans Niemecks Vnder the stile of this kingdome are also comprized the regions of Morauia Silesia and Lusatia Likewise in the yeare 1315. the city Egra became the warehouse or principall mart towne of the Bohemians Concerning the region it selfe you may read more largely in Aeneas Siluius and of the people in the first booke of Martinus Cromerus his Polonian story Vnto these you may adde Munster Rithaimer Crantzius in his description of Wandalia and Sabellicus En. 10. lib. 2. Panthaleon Candidus wrote of late seuen books entitled Bohemaidos Prage the head citie of this Kindome is peculiarly described by Georgius Handschius The Map it selfe we borowed out of the Table of Ioannes Crigingerus published at Prage 1568. The diuers appellations of certaine cities in this Kingdome we thought good here to put downe out of Munster For the names of all their cities are by the Bohemian pronounced after one maner and by the German after another Bohemian names German names These cities are immediatly subiect to the King Praha Prag Plzen Pilsen Budiciowize Budwis Kolim Coeln Cheb Eger Strzibre Misz Hora Kuttenberg Tabor Taber Zatetz Satz Litemierzitze Leitmiritz Launij Laun. Rockowinck Rakowinck Klattowy Glataw Beraim Bern. Most Bruck Hradetz Gretz Auscij Aust Myto Maut Dwuor Hoff. Laromiertz Iaromir Bohemian names German names These cities are subiect to the peers of the kingdome Dub Ath. Piela Wiswasser Gilowy Gilaw Krupka Graupen Loket Elbogen Hanzburg Hasenburg The riuer Albis is called by the Germans Elbe and by the Bohemians Labe. The Bohemians call the riuer Molta by the name of Vltawa REGNI BOHEMIAE DESCRIPTIO Bohemiae longitudo latitudoque peuè par nam retundam faciem ex circumiacientibus montibus accipit cuius diametrū trium dierum itinere expedito absoluitur quorū montium quae ad Septentrionalem plagā vergunt Sudetae appellantur ardui sane ac praecipites vbi Gabrita silua ingens extenditur qui montes cum alijs Danubio proximis vnde Albis fi se proripit in coronam cocunt quos vndique profundissima nemora latissimè occupant Hercinia enim silua vniuersā Bohemian compraehēit SILESIA JOhn Crato one of the Emperours counsellers and his principall Physician hath for the benefit of the studious in Geography out of his relations of Silesia imparted thus much vnto vs. That we may not be scrupulous about the name of the Silesians nor as some haue done deriue it from the Elysian fields we are out of ancient writers to vnderstand that the same region which they now possesse was formerly inhabited by the Quadi For Quad in the Saxon or old German tongue hath the same signification that Siletz hath in the Polonian or Sclauon For they were a people that resorted hither out of sundry places more addicted to warre than peace destroyers rather than builders and impatient of all superioritie The first King that bare rule ouer them was Boleslaus a Polacke He was borne in the yeere of our Lord 967. his
mother a Bohemian neece to Duke Wenceslaus by the brothers side A sonne of his called Mieslaus in the yeere 1001. was married to Rixa daughter of Erenfrid County Palantine neece to the Emperour Otho the third by his sister Melchitis and this man was the first that receiued the kingly diademe from Otho the third But after his decease the Polonians hauing by sedition expelled out of their kingdome the Emperours niece and his sonne Casimire Conradus the Emperour reseruing to himselfe a certaine tribute annexed Silesia to the crowne of Bohemia This Emperour was an Vratislauian borne and perhaps gaue the name of Vratislauia to his natiue citie which is now commonly called Breslaw But hereof I cannot certainly affirme ought This one thing is not to be doubted that the Silesians had no affection towards the Polonians whenas by the practise and industry of Iohn the first king of Bohemia father to the Emperour Charles the fourth they vnited themselues to the Bohemians Some there are by what authority or opinion I know not which affirme that in the same place where Breslaw now stands was built in times past by a Prince called Liguis the city of Budurgis mentioned in Ptolemey For it is apparent out of histories that Mieslaus Duke of Poland who was first created King by the Emperour Otho the third and in the yeere 965. embraced Christianitie did anno 1048. erect a woodden church or chapel to the honour of S. Iohn Baptist Whereby you may gather that in those dayes there was no great matter of building at Breslaw Moreouer Gotefridus the first Prelate of that church being an Italian preferred the village of Smogra before the citie of Breslaw hauing there his Schole and College Likewise about this time it is thought that the foundations of other the principall cities of Silesia namely of Lignitz Glogaw Luben c. were layd for out of monuments and Annales no certainty can be gathered whenas the ancientest writings in all Silesia are the letters of the Emperour Frederick the second which were written in the yeere 1200. all the residue being consumed and lost either by fires or inuasions which haue beene very terrible in these parts But by the good indeuour of Frederick Barbarossa Silesia was both pacified and so distributed among the sonnes of Vladislaus king of Poland that it seemed not altogether to be dismembred from that crowne But when the Polonians perceiued that Silesia grew full of Germans and that the Princes began to fauour them reiecting the lawfull heires they aduanced to the kingdome of Silesia one Vladislaus Locticus a cruell enemy to the Germans This was the occasion that they betooke themselues to the protection of Iohn king of Bohemia who being sonne to the Emperour Henry the seuenth married the daughter of Wenceslaus king of Bohemia and was inuested into the kingdome 1302. Wherefore after the decease of this Iohn of Lucelberg Silesia was subiect to twelue Bohemian kings one after another six whereof were Emperours one a Bohemian another an Hungarian fiue of the house of Austria two Polacks but descended from Austria by the mothers side Of the Polonian race remained as yet in Silesia the Princes of Lignitz and Teschnitz for those of Munsterberg deriue their pedegree from George king of Bohemia Vratislauia the head-city of Silesia being burnt to ashes in the yere 1341 began then so stately to be built of stone as at this present both for order and beauty of houses and largenesse of streets it is little inferiour to any of the cities in Germanie Concerning other more true ornaments of a Common-wealth I shall not need to speake seeing it is manifest to all Germanie that scarse in any other region there are to be found so many Schooles such numbers of learned Professours and of excellent wits It beseemes me not to speake too gloriously of my countreymen yet thus much I may boldly say that there is almost no Princes court nor any famous common-wealth where the vertue and learning of the Silesians findes not entertainment The gentlemen likewise albeit addicted to tillage and good husbandry yet are they so warlike withall that no indifferent Iudges can deny but that by their valour the remainder of Hungarie is defended It is a region very fruitfull of corne especially in one place aboue the rest which is most carefully manured by our people It aboundeth with fish-pooles The famous riuer Odera confineth it East and North and South it is diuided from Bohemia by Sudetes But the situation best appeareth in the Map Of Silesia you haue somewhat written by Aeneas Syluius and by others which are ignorant of the countrey But Laurentius Coruinus could haue brought more certainties to light had not the age wherein he liued been fatally ouerwhelmed in ignorance Thus much Iohn Crato concerning his natiue countrey Silesia It containeth twelue Dukedomes one Bishoprick the Bishop whereof hath his residence at Neisse and sometimes at Breslaw for there is a Cathedrall church and a College of Canons Heere are foure Baronies also In this region about Striga and Lignitz is found a kinde of medicinable earth commonly called Terra sigillata like that of Lemnus and of equall force some quantitie whereof Iacobus Manouius Citizen and Senatour of Breslaw hath often bestowed vpon me The Chronicles of Silesia were of late written by Ioachimus Curius wherein he hath so curiously described the situation and the antiquity of their townes and cities the gouernment of their state and their memorable acts that the studious may here finde an absolute history I am informed by Iacobus Monauius that Francis Faber hath described it in verse also SILESIAE TYPVS A Martino Helwigio Nissense descriptus et Nobili doctoque viro Domino Nicolao Rhedingero ded MORAVIA MORAVIA is thus described by Ioannes Dubrauius in his Bohemian story Morauia was called of olde Marcomania because it confined vpon Germany at that place where Dariubius entreth Hungary For Mark in high Dutch signifies a limit or confine and thereupon Marcomanni are such as inhabit the borders of a countrey Concerning these people Arrianus in his relation of Germany the farthest of these nations saith he are the Quadi and Marcomanni then the Iazyges a people of Sarmatia after the Getes and lastly a great part of the Sarmatians Howbeit at this present because it is bounded by the riuer Mora from the same riuer the inhabitants are called Moraui and the countrey Morauia On three sides as it now stands it is diuided by mountaines woods forests or riuers on the East from Hungary West from Bohemia and North from Silesia for on the South part towards Austria it is plaine being some where separated therefrom by the riuer Thaysa and in other places by another obscure riuer The principall riuer in Morauia is Mora which enuironeth the chiefe city called Olmuntz and from thence running into Hungary dischargeth himselfe with his tributary streames into the chanell of Danubius For Mora receiuing into his bosome the riuer
is such as it doth almost exceed the capacitie of mans witte no man need to wonder why in former times as well as now the Noblemen so much delighted to dwell heere This we haue taken out of Leander where manie other things may be read of who hath described the whole kingdome this Citie and the Liberties thereof very curiouslie that indeed it is not necessarie to send the Reader vnto any other Authour but Scipio Mazzella which in a seuerall and peculiar Treatise hath with extraordinarie paines and diligence set out in the Italian Tongue a description of this kingdome There is also in Print a little booke written by Alexander Andreas of the warre betweene Philippe King of Spaine and Paul the fourth Pope of Rome out of which the Reader which is not satisfied with this discourse of ours may heere and there picke out something concerning this kingdome worth the noting and not triuiall The booke is set out in the Italian tongue by Hieronymo Ruscello Iohn Baptista Caraffa Pontanus and Pandulfus Collenutius haue written the histories and chronicles of the kingdome of Naples in the which they in diuers places speake much of the situation of this country Gabriel Barry hath very curiously described Calabria his natiue country as Sanfelicius hath done Campania REGNI NEAPOLITANI VERISSIMA SECVNDVM ANTIQVORVM RECENTIORVM TRADITIONEM SCRIPTIO PYRRHO LIGORIO AV Cum priuilegio APVLIA now called PVGLIA or TERRA DI OTRANTO WE haue composed this discourse following of this countrey out of the treatise of Antony Galatey which he wrote of the situation of Iapigya now called Terra di Barri This country saith he in respect of his situation is seated in the most temperate place of the world Of diuers authours it hath beene diuersly called by sundry names Aristotle and Herodotus called it Iapygia others Peucetia others Mesapia others Magna Gracia Great Greece others Apulia others Calabria for that which now is called Calabria was anciently called Brutia The corne hearbs and fruits of this country are of the best The oats of this soile is as good as the barly of other countries and the barly as good as their wheat Melones of a most pleasing taste and Pome-citrons do euery where grow in great plenty Physick herbs of greater force then other where are here in all places very common The aire is very wholesome the soile is neither drie nor squally or moorish But these so great gifts and blessings of God are intermedled with some mischiefe and danger for heere nature doth breed a most venemous and pernicious kind of spider the Greeks do call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Phalangium and Araneus whose poisonous bite is onely cured by Musicke or Tabret and Pipe Heere is also the venimous serpent which the Greeks call Chersydros the Latines Natrix terrestris the Land snake we call it if I be not deceiued an Adder and heere is a kinde of Locust which hurt and mar all things they light vpon The cities of this country long since more famous were Tarentum now Taranto proudly seated between two seas exceedingly stored with fish in forme somewhat like a long Iland This city in all mens iudgement is inuincible Callipolis now Galipoli Pliny called it Anxa is a city situate in the end of a promontorie or forland shooting farre out into the sea but with such a narrow Isthmos or necke-land that in some places there is scarce so much as a cartway It is very strong and round beset with high cliffes from the maine land there is only one entrance in the which is a very strong Castell Hydruntum of them called Otranto is the chiefe city and which is somewhat more Metropolitan of the whole Peninsula or Demi-ile and that not without cause for whether you respect the antiquity of it the vertue and humanity of the citizens ioined with valour and great magnanimity it hath euer been of them accounted for a very famous and worthy city It hath a very good and capacious hauen but against the raging blasts of the North wind not so safe It was sometime very strong and defencible but now it lieth almost leuell with the ground The fields adioining are very fruitfull full of springs and alwaies green From hence Montes Cerauni certaine hills of Epirus now called Cimera and Canina may easily be descried Heere is the end of the Hadriaticke and Ionian seas as Pliny testifieth Brundusium now called Brindisi a famous city hath as notable a hauen as any in the world els where the inner hauen is enclosed with castles and an huge chaine the outer hauen is heere and there beset with rocks and small Ilands but his mouth is by Alphonsoes meanes so stopped and dette vp that there is no entrance but for little shippes and barges It hath beene in former time a very populous city now it is little inhabited These are the chiefe marine cities He that would know more particularly of the ancient names situation antiquities and priuate stories of the mid-land cities and townes we refer him to the learned discourse of Galatey written of this his natiue country to which if he please to adioine the description of Leander I perswade my selfe the thirstie Reader shall not know what els he may demand CALABRIA GAbriel Barrius Franciscanus hath very curiously described Calabria in fiue bookes which are imprinted at Rome with as little heedfull diligence Out of him we haue culled these particulars following CALABRIA saith he a country of Italie in forme and fashion not much vnlike a tongue lieth between the vpper and neather seas It beginneth at the neather sea the Greeks call it the Tyrrhen sea the Latines the Mediterran or Mid-land sea from the riuer Talao which runneth into the Bay of Policastro at the vpper sea the Ionian sea the Grecians terme it from the riuer Siris otherwise sometime called Senno and coasteth along vntill it come to the streights of Faro di Messano and the city Regio and so being diuided longwise by the mount Apennine heere they call it Aspro monte it endeth in two capes or promontories the one called Leucopetra of them Capo de Leocopetra the other Lacinium vulgarly of them called Cabo delle colonne or Cabo dell ' Alice Not only the plaines and champions but euen the hillie places like vnto Latium or Campania are well serued with water Whatsoeuer is necessary for the maintainance of mans life this country doth yeeld in great abundance it needeth no forraine commodities but is able to liue of it selfe Calabria generally is a good and a fertile soile it is not combred with Fennes Lakes or Bogges but is alwaies green affoording good pastorage for cattell and excellent ground for all sorts of graine The fountaines and brooks are many and those passing cleare and wholesome The sunnie hills and mountaines open to euery coole blast of wind are wonderfull fertile for corne vines and trees of diuers kinds whereof arise great profit to
of Wine although not so good as Hungary and Slauonia The two Walachies VValachia Transalpina Walachie beyond the mountaines and Moldauia do enclose Transsiluania that resteth vpon the riuer Donaw this vpon the Euxine sea or Mar maiore as the Italians call it both of them together with Transsiluania do now possesse that part of Europe which anciently was called DACIA Thus that whole tract beyond Donaw which doth not only conteine the higher Hungary but also Transsiluania together with both the Walachies is enclosed round on euery side with Donaw the Carpathian hills Crapacke as some thinke the Euxine sea and againe with the same Donaw Thus farre Broderith But I thinke it not amisse to set downe heere the description of it out of Antony Bonfinius his I. decade of the first booke of his history of Hungary Beyond the Carpathian mountaines saith he is the vttermost prouince of Dacia extended euen vnto the riuer Axiaces This now vulgarly is knowen by the name of TRANSSILVANIA they call it Sibenburghen the Hungarians Herdel It is a most fertile country of cattell wine and corne also of Gold and Siluer where certaine riuers do driue downe shiuers of Gold and pieces sometime of a pound and an halfe weight being euery way round beset with steep hills in maner of a crownet In the woods are kine or beeues with long manes like horses buffs and wild horses both very swift and light in running but the horses haue long manes hanging down to the very ground those which are tame and brought vp for seruice naturally haue a very fine easie kind of amble This country is inhabited partly by Scythians partly by the Saxones and Dakes these are more humane and ciuill those more rude and churlish In old time before the breaking in of the Gothes and Hunnes all Dacia was possessed by the Roman and Sarmatian colonies c. George of Reichtersdorff hath described this country in a peculiar Treatise See also George Rithaymer Peter Rantzan Pius the second in his description of Europe Iohn Auentine and Martine Cromer in his twelfth booke of the history of Poland This country vulgarly is called Sibenburgh and Zipserland as Sebastian Munster hath giuen out More of the knowledge and discouery of this prouince are to be sought for in the first chapter and second section of the twelfth booke of Wolfangus Lazius his Romane common-wealth and in Laonicus his fifth booke Lastly in the protrepticke oration of Iohn Cuspinian Synonymes or diuers names of one and the same place in Transsiluania according as they are named by the Hungarians Germanes and Latines done by Iohn Sambucus Erdel Sibenburgen Dacia ripensis Pannodacia Trans vel Vltratrasiluania Nagbanya Newsteetl Riunli domin Rudbanya Rodna Bestercze Nosn Bistritiae Bonczyda Bonisprukh Kolosuar Glausnburg Claudiopolis Offenbanya Offnburg Aprukh Ochlatn Samos falu Mikldorff Buza Busaten Vorosmarth Rosperg Demeterfalua Metersdorff Teuuisch Durnen Balasfalua Blasndorff Gulafeyruar Weyssnburg Alba Iulia Sermisdacia Zekluasarhel Newmarkh Kizekmezeu Ibisdorff Felseupold Oberspald Absopold Niderspald Zazzebes Millcnbach Zabeus Holduilagh Schatn Apafalu Apfdorff Moneta Donnersmkrhta Braniczka Bernfapff Baijon Bonisdorff Ekemezeu Prosdorff Zelindes Stoltzeburg Naghczur Grooscheyrn Rihonfalua Reicherdorff Requiescit Brasso Cronstatt Corona vel Stephanopolis Varhel Zarmis Segesuar Schesburg Zazhalom Hunderthuhl Centum colles an hundred hills Zarkan Schirkingen Keuhalom Keps Kykelwar Kiklpurg Veczel Venecia Vlpia Traiana Kerestien mezeu Aw Insula Christi Christs iland Muschna Meschen Kakasfalu Hendorff Recze Ratzisd Ioffij Val. Dobra Vizakna Saltzburg Barczasagh Wurtzland Burcia Vaskapur Eysuthor Pilae Geticae the ancients called it Veurostorn Ratertuern Zakadat Zaka Feketetho Nigra palus Blacke more Tolmacz Talmisch Aran Auratus fl Zamos Samisch Samosus fl Keureuz Die Kraysz Chrysius fl Fier Keureus schwartz weis Kreysz Feketh Keureus schwartz weis Kreysz Sebeskeureus dic schnel krapsz fl Maros Merisch Marysus fl Olt Die Alth Aluata Aluttus fl Strell Istrig Sargetia vel Strigetia fl Ompay Die Omp fl Haczagh vel Hatsaag or rather the vale Sarmisia where there was some time the city Sarmisgethusa c. TRANSILVANIA HANC VLTRA VEL TRANSILVANIAM QVAE ET PĀNODACIA ET DACIA RIPĒSIS VVLGO SIBEMBVRGĒ DICITVR didit Viennae Ao. 1566. Nobiliss atque Doctiss Ioēs Sābutus Pannonius H. Litera in hac tabula nonnullis vocabulis adiuncta significat ea esse Hungarica Cum Priuilegio The Kingdome of POLAND POlonia or Poland so named of the champion plaines of the soile which yet in their language they vulgarly call Pole is a vast and wide country on the West bordering vpon Schlesia on the other sides it resteth vpon Hungaria Lithuania and Prussia It is diuided into the Greater and the Lesser The Greater Poland is that which lieth toward the West and conteineth the goodly cities Guesna and Posnauia The Lesser Poland lieth toward the South and hath the famous city Cracow seated vpon the head of the riuer Vistula the Germanes call it De Wixel the Polanders Drwencza which runneth through the middest of the country the other cities are not very great nor beautifull Their houses for the most part are all built of stone and some are dawbed with clay The country is very moorish full of fens and woodes The common drinke the people vse is Beere wine they seldome drinke neither do they know how to dresse and manure the vine They are counted excellent Horsemen for seruice in the warres The soile is fertile they haue many heards of cattell many deere game and pastime for the Noblemen It hath great plenty of Hony Salt heere is digged out of the earth in great abundance In the mountaines which they in their language call Tatri they haue mines of Brasse and Brimstone Cromer writeth that the Polanders are of the Hungars called Lengel of Leech the captaine or father of the Nation Vnder the kingdome of Polonia are comprehended Lithuania Samogitia Masouia Volhinia Podolia and Russia which is called South-Russia and of some Ruthenia as also all Prussia except that part which hath a peculiar Duke by whom it is gouerned Lewenclay writeth that in the yeare 1570. the king of Poland tooke the Prince of Moldauia to his protection The greatest part of LITHVANIA is moorish and full of Bogges for the most part woody and therefore not easilie entered trauelled or come vnto it is better trading with the Lithuans in the winter then at other times for that the moores and lakes being couered either with thicke ice or deep snow the Marchants may passe from place to place more easily In Lithuania there are few townes and the villages are little inhabited The chiefe wealth of the country people are cattell and rich skins of diuers sorts of wild beasts wherewith the whole country is wonderfully stored They haue great plenty of wax and hony This prouince breedeth the Bugle a kind of beast which they call Suber the Germanes Vr-ochs such as was to be seene at Antwerp in the yeare 1570. From hence also commeth that kind of
beast which the Latines call Alces the Dutch Elandt The people speake the Slauonian tongue like as also the Polanders do Their chiefe city is Vilna a Bishop sea and is as bigge as Cracow but the houses in it do not stand close together or touch one another but like as in the country gardens and orchyeards are between house and house All that Oke-timber which we call Wagenschott of which almost all the buildings carpenters worke and ioiners worke as well publicke as priuate is made in the Low-countries as also the greatest part of their furniture and houshold-stuffe is feld in these parts and from thence is through the East sea the Latines call it Mare balticum the Dutch Oostsee the Russians Wareczkouie morie and Germane ocean transported into these countries In SAMOGITIA which in their language signifieth Low-land the people are tall and of a goodly stature but rude and barbarous in their maners and behauiour vsing a sparing and homely diet The Russians call this prouince Samotzkasemla Heere is no maner of faire buildings but their houses are like houels or poore cottages made of wood and couered with straw or reed From the bottome vpward by a little and little their buildings are made lesse and lesse like the keele of a ship or great helmet In the toppe it hath one window letting in the light from aboue vnderneath which is the hearth or chimney where they dresse their meat In that house they hide themselues their wiues children seruants maides sheep cattell corne and houshold-stuffe altogether Sichardus in his history of Germany writeth that the people of Samogitia are descended from the Saxons and therefore although they be subiect to the kingdome of Polonia yet the Saxons challenging it to be a part of their iurisdiction they do affirme it to pertaine to the precinct of Saxony MASOVIA is a shire held of the king of Poland in homage The chiefe or Metropolitane city of this prouince is Warsouia where they make the excellent mead a kind of drinke made of hony c. VOLHINIA a country abounding with all maner of things a very fertile soile full of townes and castles PODOLIA is of such a fruitfull soile that the grasse in three daies will couer a sticke being cast into it It is so ranke and groweth so fast that a plough being left in it vpon the head-lands or grassie places of the field in a very few daies wil be so couered ouer that you shall hardly find it againe Heere also is great store of hony The head city is Camyenetz RVSSIA yeeldeth great plenty of Horses Oxen and Sheep of very fine wooll Their drinke is mead which they make of hony Wine also is brought hither from Pannonia Moldauia and Walachria The chiefe city of this prouince is Leunpurg the Latines call it Leopolis Lion-city MOLDAVIA is a part of Walachia whose metropolitane city is Sossouia commonly called Sotschen The inhabitants of this country are a fierce and cruell people but very good souldiours and therefore they are at continuall enmity with the Transsiluanians As the custome of the Thracians was in old time to marke the Noblemens children with a hot iron so they report that the Lords of Moldauia to this day do vse to marke their children assoone as they be borne with some kind of marke least a question might arise whether they were the right and lawfull heires or not and that aliens and strangers might be excluded from inheritance amongst them as Reinerus Reineckius in his discourse of noble families hath written Many other things of thse countries thou maiest read of in Matthias of Michow in his discourse of the Sarmaties Albert Crantz in his description of Wandalia Bonfinius in his history of Hungary and Laonicus Chalcondylas in his first and third bookes But of all Martine Cromer in his Chronicle of Poland hath most excellently described these countries and Sigismund of Herberstain in his commentaries of Moschouia See also Sebastian Munster Pius Secundus Pope of Rome and Dauid Chytraeus in his Chronicle of Saxony Iohannes Duglossus a most copious historian of the Polonians is cited by Ioach mus Cureus but as yet not published as he affirmeth George of Reichersdorff hath most curiously described Moldauia Laonicus Chalcondylas also in his second booke hath diuers things worth the knowing of this country POLONIAE LITVANIAEQ DESCRIPTIO Auctore Wenceslao Godreccio et correctore Andrea Pograbio Pilsnensi Cum Priuilegio Imp. Regiae etc. decennali SPRVSE GRomer in his description of Poland describeth this country on this maner Amongst many other nations of Sarmatia in Europe the Borussi by Ptolemey are placed very farre North in that coast where now as I thinke the Liuonians and Moschouites do dwell beyond the riuer Chernish next neighbours to the Ryphaeans Those with Erasmus stella I iudge to haue passed further South and West and possessed a great part of Sarmatia which is vpon the East adioined to the Russians and Moschouites and is enclosed on the South with woods and the Hercynian forrest and all that coast along by Pautzkerwicke or Frish-haff as some thinke Ptolemey calleth it Sinus Venedicus Pliny Clylipenus the Balticke and East seas euen vnto the riuers Vistula Wixel or Weissel and Ossa and to be called Borussi or Prussi by names not much different In this compasse now do inhabit the Liuonians Lithuans Samagites and the Pruissen yet retaining the ancient appellation nations distinct in respect that they are subiect to diuers states and gouerned by different lawes and policies but vsing altogether the same language vulgarly wholly differing from the Slauonians yet hauing diuers Latine words intermedled and mixt among but for the most part corrupt and formed rather after the Italian and Spanish termination than after the Latine Notwithstanding the Dutch and Germanes of late yeares conquering that part which lieth vpon the sea and is called Spruisse and Liuonia haue planted their colonies there Heere hence it is that the Dutch tongue is more familiar and vsuall to these people than that ancient and vulgar language especially in the cities and townes Which also is vsuall amongst the Lithuans who by reason of their neighbourhood and entercourse with the Russians and colonies from thence enterteined do much what speake the Russian language For in that Duglossus deriueth the name and originall of this nation from Prusias the king of Bithynia it is altogether fabulous and not worth the confuting Some do thinke that the Borussi in the German tongue were so called for that they were neere the Russi but whether truly or fasly I list not heere to dispute When and how the Latine tongue did intermedle it selfe with the vulgar language of the Borussians Lithuanians and Liuonians we dare not constantly affirme Erasmus Stella saith that Borussia Prussia or Spruse was rather assaulted by the Romanes then conquered and alleadgeth Pliny for his authour whereupon that followeth that together with the Empire the Latine tongue could not there be spread
but especially the Neck-land or Peninsula knowen vnto the old writers by these names Scandia Scandinauia Baltia and Basilia but to them neuer throughly discried which in regard of his greatnesse they haue called Another World and the Shoppe of men and as it were the scabberd from whence so many Nations haue been drawen But of the diuers names of this country read that which we haue written at the mappe of Island as also in our Treasury of Geography in the word BASILIA This Neckeland in this our age conteineth three kingdomes Norwey Swedland and Gotland with a part of the kingdome of Denmarke and many other prouinces as Bothny Finmarke Finland Lappland c. whose seuerall descriptions we will heere set downe out of Iames Ziegler NORVEGIA Norway if you would interpret it is as much to say as the Northren tract or Northren way This was sometime a most flourishing kingdome and comprehended Denmarke and Friesland with the circumiacent Ilands vntill such time as the kingdome was gouerned by an hereditary succession of kings Afterward the line failing in the time of vacancie by the consent of the Nobility it was decreed that the kings should be chosen by election At this day it is vnder the iurisdiction of the kings of Denmarke who do not only take the lawfull reuenews iustly due to the crowne but imposing intolerable exactions and by scraping and raking all commodities into their hands they conuey all the wealth of this country into Denmarke Neither is this aggreeuance alone but with all the disaduantage and condition of the place doth much hurt the subiects for all the hauens roads shipping are at the command of the king of Denmarke so that neither they may without his leaue vse the sea or transport their merchandise into forren countries This kingdome either for the temperature of the aire goodnesse of the soile or benefit of the sea is not of meane estimation and account This doth transport into other parts of Europe a fish which is a kind of codde slitte and spread vpon a post and so dried and hardened with the frost and cold and thereupon the Germanes call it Stockfish The best time of the yeare to catch them is in Ianuary when as the weather is coldest to drie them those which are taken when the weather is more mild they shrinke or rotte away and are not fit to be transported any whither All the sea coast of Norway is very calme and temperate the sea freeseth not the snow continueth not long SVECIA Sweden or Swedland is a kingdome rich of siluer copper lead iron corne and cattell Wonderfull plenty of fish is heere taken both in riuers lakes and creekes aswell as in the maine ocean Heere are many Deere and wild beasts Stockholme is the kings seat and chiefe mart towne a city fortified both by nature by art and industrie of the ingenious Architect It standeth in a fenne like Venice and thereof it took the name for that being situate in the waters it is built vpon piles which they call Stockes GOTHIA Gotland that is the Good land is subiect to the king of Sweden In it is the port and mart towne Calmar a great city Heere is a goodly Castle which for ingenious Architecture or Fortification as also for large compasse and content is not much inferiour to that of Millane in Italie Neere Tinguallen are mines of excellent iron Thus farre Ziegler Of DENMARKE and the BRITISH ILES we will speake nothing in this place seeing that we entreated of them at their proper and seuerall mappes In this chart there is described also ISLAND an Iland as famous as any other for strange miracles and secret works of nature Item GROENLAND another Iland knowen to very few Heere also is FRIESLAND a third iland altogether vnknowen to ancient writers neither is it once named of the latter Geographers or Hydrographers only Nicolao Zeno a Venetian who in the yeare of Christ 1380. tossed with many continuall bitter stormes in this sea at last rent and weather-beaten arriued in this I le This authour affirmeth that this iland is subiect to the king of Norway and to be greater then Ireland and that the chiefe towne is of the same name with the I le it selfe lastly that the country people do for the most part liue by fishing For in the hauen of this towne they catch such abundance of all sorts of fish that from thence they lade whole shippes and transport them into other ilands neere adioining The sea next to this iland vpon the West full of shelues and rocks as he writeth is of the inhabitants called Mare Icarium Icarus sea and an iland in it he saith is named ICARIA Of GROENLAND he writeth that the winter heere is 9. moneths long and all that time it neuer raineth nor the snow which falleth in the beginning of winter euer dissolueth vntill the latter end of the same But that is most wonderfull which he telleth of the Monastery of the order of Frier Predicants dedicated to the honour of S. Thomas in this Iland namely that there is not farre from it a mountaine which like vnto Aetna in Sicilia doth at certaine seasons burne and cast out huge flakes of fire and that there is in the same place a fountaine of hot or skalding waters wherewith not only all the chambers of this monastery are warmed in the maner of Stones and hot-houses but also all kind of meat and bread is sodden and dressed and with no other fire All the monastery is built of a kind of hollow light stone which the flames of that burning mountaine do cast forth For these burning stones being by nature somewhat fat and oily are solid and firme but being quenched with this water they become drie full of holes and light and the water wherewith they were quenched is turned into a clammy kind of stuffe like bitumen wherewith these stones are laied in steed of mortar when they are to vse them in building and thus they make a sure worke against the iniury of all weathers Their orchyeards also and gardens watered with this water are alwaies green and do flourish almost all the yeare long with all maner of flowres kinds of corne and fruits This Priory standeth vpon the sea shore and hath a reasonable capacious and large hauen into which the forenamed fountaine emptying his waters doth make it so warme that it neuer freeseth in the hardest and egerest froast that euer was knowen Whereupon heere is such abundance of fish which do flocke hither from more colde places that not only these Monkes but also the neighbours round about are furnished from hence with prouision of victuall These thinges amongst many others Zenus hath written of these Ilands who being made by Zichimnus king of certaine Ilands heere about high Admirall of his nauy discouered all these Northren coasts The ile FRIESLAND now againe in these our daies was descried by the Englishmen and was by them called by a new name WEST
before namely the furnace or hearth the panne or kettle with the trefeet the tunnell the drinking cuppes or earthen pots the spoones and the boxes wherein they keep the hearb and the powder made of the same These things they set little lesse store by than we do heere in Europe by rings beset with pretious stones or bracelets of the best and most orient pearles Their houses for the most part are framed of timber to auoid the danger of earth-quakes which heere are very frequent and often although that some haue their houses very artificially and stately built from the foundation vpward of a very faire kind of stone They haue many goodly Churches and Monasteries both of men and women very rich and sumptuous The language of all these ilands is one and the same but so diuers and manifold and of such different dialects that it may not vniustly be said to be many For they haue of one and the same thing diuers and sundrie names of which some are vsed in scorne and bad sense others in good sense and honourable vsage other phrases and words are vsed by the Nobility others by the common people others are spoken by the men others by the women Moreouer they speake otherwise than they write and in their writing there is a great variety for they write their priuate letters vnto their friends one way and bookes and such like another way They haue diuers bookes very fairely written both in verse and in prose Againe their letters are such as in one and the same character they do expresse and signifie sometime one word sometime two or more Lastly the Iaponian language is of indifferent iudges preferred before the Latine either in respect of the elegancy and smoothnesse of pronunciation or copy and variety of the same therefore it requireth both great time and labour to learne it They are a very warlike people and much giuen to follow that kind of life the chiefe men of dignitie which haue the command of the kingdome and gouernment of the same they generally call Tonos although amongst those there are also certaine degrees as there are amongst our Nobility Princes Dukes Marquesses Earles and Barons Another sort of men there are amongst them which haue the charge and managing of matters of their Church these are shauen all ouer both head and beard these may neuer marrie but do vow perpetuall chastity There are diuers and sundrie sects of these religious persons amongst them some there are which after the maner of the Knights of the Rhodes do iointly professe armes and religion together but they are generally called by one name Bonzij They haue in many places diuers great schooles such as we call Vniuersities The third state or sort of people amongst them are the citizens and other degrees of gentry next vnto these are the retalers hucksters factours and shop-keepers with artificers and handiecraft-men of diuers occupations very ingenious and skilfull in their trades They haue many kinds of armours and warlike weapons made of sundrie makings and excellent temper They haue also the vse of Printing with letters and stamps not much vnlike our maner inuented and practised heere in Europe The last sort and state of people in these ilands are the husbandmen and labourers Generally it is a very subtile wittie and wise Nation and of singular endowments and good parts of nature both for acute iudgement aptnesse of learning and excellency of memorie It is no shame or reproach to any to be accounted poore Slaunderous and railing speeches theeuing robberies and that vngodlie kind of rash othes and swearing with all kind of dicing and gaming they do vtterly abhorre and detest Any offendours against the Law of what degree soeuer are punished by no lesse punishment than banishment confiscation of goods or death Those which are to be executed are for the most part beheaded suddenlie before they are aware Notwithstanding it is the maner in some places to cary such as are taken for robberies in a certaine kind of carre round about the city in the face of all the people and to hang them vp without the wals of the towne In the seruice of God which is the chiefe point of iustice and vertue they do miserably erre and swarue from the right tract Their guides and great masters of religion to informe the rest are those which I say they name Bonzij Amongst their saints which they worship the chiefe are those which they call Amida and Xaca other idols they haue of lesse estimation and note amongst them whom they pray vnto for health recouery in sickenesse children money other things belonging to the body these they call Camis All Iaponia or the people of that name were subiect in time past vnto one Emperour whom they called Vo or Dair this was his title of honour and dignity vntill such time as he growen effeminate and giuen to pleasures and ease became to be scorned and contemned by the Lieutenants and Nobility especially of the Cubi for so they called the two chiefest Princes vnto whom the gouernment of the country was committed of which afterward the one did kill the other therefore the Lieutenants of the seuerall shires with the military men hauing for a time endured such a carpet Knight by and by began to loath his gouernment and at last wholly shaking off the yoke of subiection seised euery man into his owne hand the prouince ouer which he was set as gouernour vnder the Emperour so at an instant that vnited body and maine Empire of so large command was shattered as it were into many parts and pieces yet so as notwithstanding a kind of soueraigne authority doth euen to this day remaine in the Dair of distributing and giuing the titles of honour to the Nobility which eftsoones are altered according to the diuersity of the degrees and are designed by certaine notes and badges The chiefe and most mightie of all the Princes of Iaponia is he that gat either by force or policy Meacum and the best kingdomes neere to the same which they generally by one name do vulgarly call Tensa Those places were lately possessed by Nubunanga that tyrant which I spake of before this King being slaine by treason about two yeares before and his children murdered or banished one Faxiba a chiefe captaine of the rebels by force and violence stepped into his regall throne and tooke vpon him to sway the scepter of that kingdome The honour and credit of the first entrance of this Iland certaine Portugals do challenge and take vnto themselues but I do rather giue credit to Antonio Gaualno who reporteth in that booke which he wrote of the descries of the New-found world that Antonâ—o Mota Francisco Zeimoro and Antonio Pexoto in their iourney as they sailed from the city Dodra in Sion to passe for China they were caried by a contrary wind to the Ilands of the Iaponians about two and forty yeares before that time All this we haue extracted out
the Paradise of Italy The hils that are which are but very few are exceeding bleake cold and barren so that they will beare nothing but barly Maroccho which we said was the chiefe city of this kingdome is accounted one of the greatest cities of the whole world for it is of such a wonderfull bignesse that in the raigne of Haly the sonne of Ioseph their king it had more than an hundred thousand families It hath about it 24. gates The wall of a maruelous thicknesse is made of a kind of white stone and chalke vnburned There are heere such abundance of Churches Colledges stoues or hothouses and innes as iustly more may not be desired Amongst the Churches there is none more artificially and gorgeously built than that which standeth in the middest of the city built by the foresaid Haly. There is another beside this first raised by Abdu'-lmumen his successour and enlarged by Mansor his nephew and lastly more richly set out with many goodly columnes which he caused to be brought out of Spaine He made a fountaine or cestern vnderneath the Church as large and wide as the whole Church it selfe The roofe of the Church he couered all ouer with lead At euery corner he made spoutes by which the raine water falling vpon the roofe might runne into the cestern vnderneath The steeple made of a very hard kind of stone like that of the Amphitheater of Vespasian at Rome is higher than that towre of Bononia in Italy The greeses or staiers by which they go vp to the toppe of it are euery one nine handfull thicke but in the outside of the wall are tenne This tower hath seuen roomes or lofts one aboue another Vpon the toppe of it is set another turret or spire like a pyramis sharpe toward the top This hath three lofts one aboue another into which they go vp from one to another by staires or ladders made of wood On the toppe of this spire vpon a shaft of iron in steed of a weather-cocke doth stand a most goodly Moone of pure gold with three golden globes so put vpon the iron shaft that the greatest is lowest the least highest of all If any man from the toppe of the steeple shall looke downe toward the ground the tallest man that is seemeth no bigger than a child of a yeare old From the toppe also of this the cape or fore-land which they call Azaphy being an hundred and thirty miles off may easily be descried And although one should skarcely find a greater Church if one should trauell all the world ouer yet the place is almost wholly desert for none do euer vse to come hither but vpon Fridaies Vnder the cloisters of this Church they report that there were wont to be an hundred Stationers and as many ouer against them on the other side of the Churchyard which daily heere kept shoppe where as now I do not thinke that all this whole city can affoord at this time one booke-seller Hardly the one third part of the towne is inhabited Heere hence it is that within the wals there are many vineyeards large gardens of palme-trees and other fruites with goodly corne fields most fertile and well manured for without the wals they cannot till the ground by reason of the frequent inrodes of the theeuish Arabians This one thing is most certaine that this city is suddenly growne old before the time for it is not aboue fiue hundred and six yeares since it was first built There is also in this city a very strong castle which in respect of the large bignesse the great thickenesse and compasse of the wals the high and many towers or lastly the goodly and stately gates built of the richest Tiburtine marble may iustly be accounted for a faire towne Within this castle is a most beautifull Church with a very high steeple vpon whose toppe is a golden moone with three golden globes of different bignesses all of them weighing 130. crownes There haue been some kings of this country who moued with the loue and valew of the gold haue attempted to take these globes downe and to put them into their purses but alwaies some strange euent or misfortune or other did hinder their purpose and crosse their desires So that it is now commonly amongst the people held for a very ominous thing for any man but once to offer to touch these globes with his hand Let this be sufficient to haue spoken of this city in this place he that desireth a larger discourse both of the city and castle let him haue recourse vnto Leo Africanus who in his 2. booke will satisfie him to the full In this kingdome also is the city TARADANT the Moores call it Taurent a very great and goodly city built by the ancient Africanes It conteineth about 3000. houses or families The people are more ciuill and curtuous than in other places heere about Heere are many artificers of diuers and sundry occupations The townesmen do yearely raise a great profit by keeping of a gard to defend merchants that from hence do trauell vp higher into the country from the assault of theeues and robbers and to conduct and lead them the neereest and best way for it is a place of great resort of strangers aswell of Christians as others There are also other cities as the mappe doth shew amongst the which is MESSA hauing a Church not farre from the sea which they do most religiously reuerence For there are some heere that most fondly do beleeue and affirme that the Prophet Ionas when he was sent of God to preach vnto the Niniuites was at this place cast vp of the fish which before had swallowed him The sparres of this Church and the beames are made of whale bones for it is a common thing for the sea to cast vp heere dead whales of maruailous bignesse Vpon the coast also of this country is found that kind of Amber which we call Amber-greese Not farre from this city is TEINT a towne where all those rich skinnes are dressed which are commonly called Maroccho pelts More of this kingdome thou maist read of in Leo Africanus Marmolius and in the Saracen history of Caelius Augustinus Curio where he hath a seuerall treatise of this prouince Thus farre of Maroccho it remaineth now that we should speake likewise of Fesse FESSE like as Maroccho is a kingdome so called of the chiefe city and metropolitane of the same This city is situate in the hart and middest of the kingdome It was built as they affirme about the yeare of our Lord 786. Neither is it only the head city of this kingdome but it is esteemed The Metropolitane of all Barbary and is vulgarly called as Marmolius testifieth The Court of all the West part of the World Some there are which do thinke it to haue been named Fesse of a masse of gold that heere was found when first they began to lay the foundations of the same for fes in Arabicke signifieth an heap or masse
The greatest part of the city standeth vpon hils only the middest of it is plaine and leuell The riuer vpon which it is seated entreth it at two sundry places for the one is diuided into two parts and being entered within the wals it spreadeth it selfe almost into infinite branches and is by and by in channels troughs and pipes conueighed almost to euery priuate house church colledge inne and hospitall Lastly running through their vault fewers and sinkes it carieth with it all the ordure and soile of the city out into the maine riuer and by that meanes keepeth it continually near and cleane The greatest part of their houses built of bricke and coloured stones are very beautifull and do make a goodly shew to the beholder Moreouer the open places galleries and porches are made of a kind of party-coloured bricke or pauement much like vnto those earthen dishes which the Italians call Maiorica The roofe or seelings of their houses they ouerlay with gold and other most orient coloures very finely and gorgeously The toppes of their houses on the out side are couered ouer with boord a dare made plaine so that in the summer time they may be ouerspread with couerlets and other clothes for heere in hot weather they vse to lie and sleepe all night Item for the most part euery house hath a turret seuered into many roomes and lofts whither the women being toiled and weary may with-draw themselues to recreate and refresh their mindes for from hence they may almost see al-ouer the city Churches and Chappels they haue in this city to the number almost of 700. whereof 50. are very large and goodlie most sumptuouslie built of free CONGI REGNI CHRISTIANI IN AFRICA NOVA DESCRIPTIO Auctore Philippo Pigafetta FESSAE ET MAROCCHI REGNA AFRICAE CELEBERR describebat Abrah Ortelius 1595. stone or bricke euery one hauing a fountaine or conduict adioining to it made of a kind of marble or stone vnknowen of the Italians Euery Church hath one Priest belonging to it whose charge is to say seruice there and to read praiers The greatest and chiefe church in this city called Carrauen is of that greatnesse that it is said to be almost a mile and a halfe about It hath one and thirty gates of maruellous bignesse and height The steeple of this Church out of which the people with a very lowd and thundering voice are called to Church like as we do vse by the towling of a bell is very high Vnderneath this is a cellar or vault where the oile lights lampes mats and such other things necessarily and ordinarily vsed in the Church are kept and laid vp In this Church there are euery night in the yeare 900. lamps lighted at once Moreouer in this city there are more than an hundred Bathes Item two hundred innes euery one hauing six skore chambers apeece at the least for diuers of them haue many more Euery inne hath a well or fountaine of water priuat to it selfe In about foure hundred places you shall find mill-houses euery place hauing in it fiue or six mils so that in all you may account heere certaine thousands of mils All occupations heere are allotted their seuerall and proper places to dwell in euery one by it selfe so that the best and more worshipfull trades are placed neerest the cathedrall Church All things which are to be sold haue their seuerall market places appointed out for them There is also a place assigned as proper to the Merchants which one may iustly call a little city enclosed round with a bricke wall It hath about it twelue gates ech of which hath a great iron chaine drawne before it to keep horses and cartes out And thus much of the West part of Fesse For the other side which is vpon the East although it haue many goodly churches buildings noblemens houses and colledges yet it hath not so many tradesmen of sundry occupations Notwithstanding heere are about fiue hundred and twenty weauers shops besides an hundred shops built for the whiting of thread Heere is a goodly castle equall in bignesse to a prettie towne which in time past was the Kings house where he vsed to keep his court These particulars we haue heere and there gathered out of the third book of Iohn Leo his description of Africa where thou maist read of very many other things of this city both pleasant and admirable Item Iohn Marmolius hath written something of the same Moreouer Diego Torresio in that his booke which he sometime wrot of the Seriffs or Xariffs as the Spaniards vsually write it hath done the like Out of whom I thinke it not amisse in this place to adde this one thing worth the remembrance There is a stone saith he at one of the gates of this city which hath vpon it this inscription in Arabicke letters _____ FIZ VLEDEELENES id est populus gentium or thus Fes bleadi'lenes Fesse is a world of men like as they commonly speake of Norway calling it Officinam hominum the shoppe or workehouse where men are made Againe he alleadgeth this as a common prouerbe vulgarly spoken of this city Quien sale dc Fez donde ira y quien vende trigo que comprera as much to say in English He that is weary of Fesse whither will he go and he that selleth wheat what will he buy answerable to that of the poet spoken of Rome Quid satis est si Roma parum est What will content thee if all Rome be not inough This S. Hierome in his second Epistle vnto Geruchia a virgine doth cite out of Ardens the Poet. The kingdome of CONGI OF Congi this kingdome of Africa which others corruptly call Manicongo for this word properly signifieth the king of Congi and cannot he spoken of the country alone my good friend Philippus Pigafetta the authour of this Mappe wrote a booke in the Italian tongue this other day imprinted at Rome Which he penned from the mouth and relation of Odoardo Lopez a Portugall who had himselfe been a long time a dweller there and so a man very skilfull of the state and situation of this country and an ey witnesse of that which heere is set downe out of whom we haue drawen these few particulars This kingdome is diuided into these six prouinces Bamba Sogno Sundi Pango Batta and Pemba The first of which is inhabited and possessed by a warlike and very populous nation so that this one by it selfe is able if need be to make 40000. fighting men The chiefe city of this prouince and seat of their Kings is Bansa which now they call Citta de S. Saluador All this whole prouince is very rich of siluer and other mettals especially about the iland Loanda where also they catch abundance of those shell fish which breed the pearles these they do vse in this kingdome for exchange in buying and selling in steed of money for heere there is no manner of vse of coine neither do they much esteeme of gold or siluer
tooke the name and was so called or who first gaue it that name I thinke saith Herodotius there is no man vnder heauen doth certainly know or can vpon any probalibity gesse except one should thinke it so called of Europa Tyria But wherefore it should so of her be named I am wholly ignorant and I perswade my selfe and do verily beleeue that no man in the world doth truly know For that she as we read in the fabulous stories of the poets was violently taken out of Phoenicia a country of Asia and caried from thence into Cyprus or as others write into the iland Creta Candy all men do know well enough where as Eusebius his Chronicle doth witnesse being taken of Asterius king of Creta to wife she bare him Minoes Rhadamanthus and Sarpedon from whence she went not into Europe but into Asia as Herodotus hath left recorded But what is that to Europe this part of the world One might easilier beleeue it to haue been so named of Europus who as Trogus Pompeius witnesseth sometime in these parts possessed a large kingdome which also I do see to be auouched by Eustathius vpon Lycophron who maketh this Europus to be the sonne of one Himerus Pausanias saith that one Europa was king of Sicyonia a prouince of Peleponnesus in Greece to him Eusebius in his Chronicle doth ascribe who maketh him equall to the Patriarke Abraham to haue liued aboue 3550. yeares since about 1950. yeares before the birth of Christ There be some as Festus writeth that thinke it so named of the beautifulnesse and excellency of the country These we are sure are fabulous or vncertaine may we not therefore as they haue formed of Phrat Euphrates and of Koft Aegyptus as we haue shewed before thinke that of Riphath the sonne of Gomer Iapheths sonne to whom this part of the world was presently after the confusion at Babel assigned they haue likewise formed Europa And surely the name Riphath doth very manifestly shew it selfe in Riphaeis montibus the Riphean hils item in Riphaeo fluuio now called the riuer Oby in Ripe a city of Peloponnesus in Rhiphataeis the people of Paphlagonia as Iosephus writeth Ptolemey in the second booke of his Quadripartite in my opinion much more truly writeth that it was sometime called by a common name CELTICA namely of a principall Nation that first did inhabite it For there is almost no prouince in all this part in which in time past the CELTAE did not inhabit For in Spaine toward the West and beyond Hercules pillars are the Celtae as Herodotus affirmeth Item about the riuer Baetis as Strabo auoucheth the Ciltica Praesamarci are in the prouince of Lucensis and others otherwise named Nerij as Pliny saith Dion and Xiphilinus do shew that the Cantabri and Astares are the same with the Celtae Pliny nameth the city Celtica in the prouince Hispalensis Antonius hath the Celti item Celticum promontorium is the same that Cantabrum promontorium which now is called Cabo de finis terre What Geographer or Historian is he amongst the ancients that hath not made mention of the Celtebri In France were the Celtae and Celtogalatae and from thence are those in Britaine For that this iland was first peopled from hence lying so neere ouer against it it is a common opinion and very probable That the Gauls Germanes were vulgarly called Celtae all Historiographers do iointly agree and indeed Dion doth affirme that the Celtae did dwell vpon either side of the riuer Rhein the Celtae dwelt in Gallia Cisalpina Lombardy or Italy as Appianus writeth And againe vpon the Ionian sea that is the Hadriaticke which also Strabo doth auerre Silius Italicus placeth them about the riuer Eridianus Po In Epirus sometime dwelled the Celtae as Antonius Liberalis hath giuen out Stephanus placeth the same about the mount Haemus Arrianus neere the mouth of the riuer Donaw as also Strabo in Moesia The same authour writeth that the Celtae are intermedled with the Illyrij and Thraces Who also placeth them vpon the riuer Borysthenes Moreouer Aristotle in his booke De mundo ioineth the Celtae with the Scythians Heere hence the same Strabo and Plutarch do make their Celtoscythae In Plutarch in the life of Camillus I read that the Galatae which he maketh to haue come of the stocke of the Celtae passing the Northren sea came vnto the Riphaean mountaines Againe out of the forenamed Strabo I learne that the Nations dwelling Northward were in his time called Caltae The which also their ancient language which is called the Celticke or Germane tongue doth at this day sufficiently demonstrate which is the same only differing a little in dialect with that which is vsed in the ilands neere adioining to these places as in Island Groenland Friesland and others in this ocean Plutarke in Marius writeth that Celtica doth begin at the outmost sea that is the Atlanticke sea and so stretcheth it selfe out farre into the North and from thence vnto the fenne Maeoris Mare delle Zabacche Pomponius Mela calleth the Cassiterides which in another place we haue proued to belong to great Britaine or to be of the number of those which are named Brittanicae Celticke Ilands What is this else I pray you than plainly to affirme that THE CELTAE DO POSSESSE ALL EVROPE Which indeed is that which Ephorus in Strabo did see so many yeares since when as he diuiding all the world into 4. quarters saith that That part which is toward the East is inhabited of the Indians that which is in the South of the Aethiopians the North parts of the Scythians and the West of the Celtae The scholiast of Appollonius nameth the Hadriaticke sea Mare Celticum the Celticke sea And Lycophron describeth Celtos a certaine poole about the mouth of the riuer Ister Item he placeth Leuce an iland of Mar maiore Pontus Euxinus ouer against the mouth of the riuer Donaw May we not therefore properly as they call those that inhabit Asia Asians and those which dwell in Africa Africanes call these which dwell in Celtica Celtickes He that out of all ancient stories penned either in Latine or Greeke doth not know that the Celtae are the Germanes let him haue recourse to the 22. chapter of Hadrianus Iunius his Batauia and I doubt not but hauing throughly waied those many sound arguments and sufficient testimonies of ancient graue writers shall rest satisfied and sweare to our opinion If not let him listen to the Dutchmen and he shall heare them call one another in their familiar communication Kelt The French also or Gauls I call a German nation And I can proue by good arguments if it were a matter pertaining to this our purpose that the Germane or Dutch tongue is the ancient language of the Celtae and to be the same which hitherto they haue vsed in all places and now is spoken except in some places where the power of the Romanes so preuailed that they banished this and seated theirs in the roome It
and sundry other rare works and deuices the best that the most excellent Architects of the world might inuent that next after the Capitoll of which reuerend Rome doth so much glory the whole world it selfe hath neuer seene ought more rich and sumptuous at Ammianus Marcellinus writeth of it Strabo in the seuenteenth booke of his Geography doth most brauely describe the whole citie The like doth Statius Alexandrinus in his fifth booke of Loue and Diodorus Siculus in the 17 booke of his history Item Hirtius in his booke De bello Alexandrino THEBAE was the next citie of great note famous for the multitude of gates that sometimes it had and thereupon it was otherwise called Hecatompylos Hundred-gate and Diospolis Gods-towne item Busyris and Thebestis as S. Hierome affirmeth MEMPHIS an ancient towne renowmed by reason that their kings ordinarily kept their Court here was accounted one of the greatest cities of this kingdome COPTOS a great Mart-towne well frequented with Arabian and Indian merchants Of this city the whole prouince tooke the name as we haue elswhere shewed before ABYDVS the Court and Emperiall seat of Memnon their king famous for the temple of Osiris I omit SYENE with diuers others for it were more than needeth here to recken them vp all because they offer themselues at an instant to him that shall but cast his eye on the Map Besides that Herodotus Diodorus Pliny Iosephus Marcellinus Philostratus Eusebius and diuers other good authours yet extant and in many mens hands haue most eloquently and diligently described them and set them out in their true and liuely colours The situation of this countrey the riuers mountaines cities and strange things there to be seene we haue already described according as the capacity of the place assigned would permit Now it remaineth that with like breuity also we do out of Diodorus Herodotus Strabo Athenaeus Aelianus Plutarch Philo Eusebius Pliny Heliodorus Lucian Ammian Clemens Athanasius Prudentius and others speake something of their religion Eusebius in his first booke De Praepar Euang. teacheth me that the Egyptians were the first men that euer honoured the Sunne Moone and the rest of the Starres for immortall Gods But not only the Holy scripture but euen profane authours also doe plentifully testifie that they were euer from the beginning the vainest men of the world and in this their diuine seruice and choice of gods of all other most fond and foolish for beside the gods of the Gentiles as Iupiter Iuno Vulcane Venus Bacchus and such others which they had and worshipped common with all the world yet by their seuerall and different names as Isis Osiris c. they moreouer as Artemidorus and Cicero in the third booke of the Nature of gods do testifie consecrated all kinde of beasts and liuing creatures Herodotus affirmeth that they accounted all maner of beasts which they had in Egypt as sacred and holy so that as Dion reporteth they farre surpassed all nations of the world in multitude and variety of gods Neither did they only reuerence these as gods but also Anubis Orus Typhon Pan whom they called Mendon and painted him with a goats head and the Satyrs Item another which as Plutarch in Osiris writeth they called Cneph Moreouer Minutius Felix sayth that they worshipped a man and in the city Anabis did all maner of diuine seruice vnto him as vnto an immortall God as Eusebius auoucheth who furthermore addeth that they had another peculiar god which they called Canopus and expressed in the forme of a pot This Bembus hath described in his Hieroglyphicall table Athanasius and Heliodorus doe testifie that they accounted the water but especially Nilus for a god Of foure footed beasts the Crocodile the Oxe the Mneuis the Lion the Beare the Cat the Hee-goat the Monkey the Ape the Bull the Ramme the Shee-goat the Hogge the Dogge the Ichneumon or Indian rat the Woolfe the Sheepe the Weazell and the Shrewmous they put into the inuentory of their gods Of fishes the Oxyrinchus the Lepidotus the Latus the Phagrus the Maeotis fishes proper to the riuer Nilus and the Eccle beside the Cantharus as Porphyrius in his booke De sacrificijs testifieth Of birds the Eagle the Ibis and the Hawke beside the Owsell or Blacke-bird if we may beleeue Hyginus and the Vulture and Rauen as Aelianus affirmeth with the Sparrow as Porphyrius in his Treatise De Abstinentia maketh vs beleeue Iosephus in his second booke against Appion sayth that they worship the Ferrit They had beside these the Dragon or serpent the Aspis which they named Thermathis and the Beetle The counterfets of these for the most part they adored and worshipped as gods yet some delighted rather to honour the very beast themselues aliue so that it was felony for a man to kill any of them although it were by chance And if so be that one of them should fortune to die of any disease they vsed to bury it with mourning and great solemnity Item certaine vegetable things without life as Onions Leekes and Garleeke they did adore with diuine honour as S. Hierome against Iouinian testifieth of the Pelusiotae Nay they did not content themselues with these naturall things but euen certeine monsters such as were neuer seene in the world they did in like maner consecrate for gods as the Cynocephalus with a dogges head worshipped of the Hermopolitani and Cepus honoured of the Babylonians To these you may adde out of Athanasius the Serpenticipites idols with serpents heads and Asinicipites with asses heads Moreouer in the villages and vpland townes Lucian reporteth I know not whether in iest or earnest that some held the right shoulder for a god but those that dwelt ouer against them the left Some did sacrifice to the one halfe of the head others to a Samian cup or dish Diodorus Siculus reporteth I blush to speake it that they accounted the priuy parts for a god Eusebius in the second booke De praeparat Euangel seemeth to restraine it only to Osiris Clemens in the fifth booke of his Recognitionum addeth blush foolish idolaters for I will tell it and let another say surreuerence that the Egyptians worshipped the Iakes and a Part for their gods which also is auerred and iustified by Minutius Felix This is that which Lactantius reporteth of them that they reuerenced certaine beastly and shamefull things Philo Iudaeus sayth that all things vnder the cope of heauen are consecrated and enrowled amongst the number of their gods And Sextus the Philosopher sayth of them that there was not any thing which they did not hold for sacred Thus much of their gods more thou mayest see of this matter in Clemens but especially in Iuuenall the Poet. These do hold themselues to be the first and most ancient Nation in the world and to haue first had the knowledge of God to haue built temples groues and conuents in honour of them as Lucian testifieth Afterward when the light of the Gospell began to shine forth
whereby they were sometime called before the entrance of the Saxons But let vs come againe to Mona Our countreymen and the inhabitants of this ile speaking now at this day the ancient British tongue doe know no other name of it than MON for so they all generally call it Polydore Virgil calleth it ANGLESEA that is The English ile I grant that this iland being subdued by the English men was beautified and graced with their name and that the English men do so call it I do not denie But I pray thee did the English men first descrie this iland was it neuer seene before or had it no name at all before their comming Hearest thou Polydore bethinke thy selfe thou mayest aswell say that England is not that land which was sometime called Britannia nor that was not Gallia which now we call France Nay which is a greater matter than this and more strange the inhabitants of this ile notwithstanding they be subiect to the crowne of England do neither know what England or an English man doth meane For an English man they call Sais but in the plurall number speaking of more than one Saisson and this their natiue countrey they name Mon. Moreouer that faire citie built vpon that arme of the sea or frith aboue mentioned on the other side ouer against the West part of this iland is called Caeraruon that is The citie vpon Mon For Caer in our language signifieth a walled towne Kir in Hebrew is a wall and Kartha in those Easterne tongues is a walled citie Ar is as much to say as Vpon and as for the v in the last syllable for m that is the proprietie of the language in some cases for in all words beginning with m in consequence of speech that letter after some certeine consonants is changed into v for which our nation doth alwayes vse f because that v with them is euermore a vowell So we call Wednesday Diem Mercurij Die Mercher but Wednesday night Nos Fercher Mary we call Mair but for our Ladies church we write and pronounce Lhanuair Neither is this citie only thus named but euen that whole tract of the continent of Britaine that runneth along by it is called Aruon that is Opposite or ouer against Mon. But let it be that this iland was not that Mona so oft mentioned by the ancients then ought Polydore for his credits sake haue found another name for it and not to haue left it wholly namelesse Now let vs come vnto the other which our countreymen do call MENAW and which all the inhabitants generall as also the English and Scots reteining the Welsh name but cutting it somewhat shorter MAN Therefore there is no man for ought I know beside this proud Italian and one Hector Boëthius a loud liar that euer called this iland by the name of Mona But leauing these demonstrable arguments which indeed do make this matter more cleere than the noone day let vs come vnto authorities and testimonies of learned men which in some cases are rather beleeued than any other arguments whatsoeuer by these I doubt not but the true and proper name shall be giuen to ech of these ilands and the controuersie decided without any maner of contradiction There is a piece of Gildas Britannus that ancient writer a man euery kinde of way learned at this day remaining in the Librarie of the illustrious Earle of Arundell the only learned Noble man of his time in which he hath these wordes England hath three ilands belonging to it Wight ouer against the Armoricanes or Bretaigne in France The second lieth in the middest of the sea betweene Ireland and England The Latine Historians doe call it Eubonia but vulgarly in our mother tongue we call it MANAW Thou hearest gentle Reader a naturall Welsh man speaking in the Welsh tongue For thus we call Polydore Virgils Mona in our natiue language euen at this day Moreouer the reuerend Beda that worthy Englishman famous thorow all Christendome in his dayes for all maner of literature and good learning in the ninth chapter of the second booke of his Historie writeth thus At which time also the people of Northumberland Nordan Humbri that is all that nation of the Angles which did inhabit vpon the North side of the riuer Humber with Edwin their king by the preaching of Paulinus of whom we haue spoken a little before was conuerted vnto the faith of Christ This king in taking of good successe for his enterteinment of the Gospel did grow so mightie in Christianitie and the kingdome of heauen and also had that command vpon the earth that he ruled which neuer any king of the English did before him from one end of Britaine to the other and was king not only of the English but also of all the shires and prouinces of the Britons Yea and he brought vnder his subiection as I haue shewed before the iles of Man insulae Menaniae Here I do thinke that for Menauiae it ought to be written Menauiae seeing that there is such small difference betweene an n and a u that they may easily be mistaken and one put for another Moreouer Henry Archdeacon of Huntingdon a worthy Historiographer who wrote about the yeere of our Lord 1140 one that followed Beda in many things almost foot for foot doth seeme also to correct this fault and cleere the doubt For he setting forth the great command and conquests of this Edwine King of the Northumbers brusteth out into these words Eduwyn the king of the Northumbers ruled ouer all Britaine not only ouer that part which was inhabited of the English but ouer that also which was possessed of the Britons Kent only excepted Moreouer he brought the I le Menauia which lieth between Ireland and Britaine and is commonly called MAN vnder the obedience of the Kings of England Here obserue that this English man did giue also to this iland which Polydore Virgil falsly calleth Mona the English name for it is commonly sayth he called Man by which name it is knowen called at this day of all the English Besides this also Ranulph of Chester in the foure and fortieth chapter of the first booke of his Polychronicon doth thus speake of those ilands which are neere neighbours vnto Britaine Britaine sayth he hath three ilands lying not farre off from it beside the Orkney iles which doe seeme to answer vnto the three principall parts of the same For WIGHT lieth hard vpon the coast of Loëgria which now is called England Anglia MONA which the English call Anglisea perteineth vnto Cambria that is to Wales But the I le EVBONIA which hath two other names Menauia and Mania lieth oueragainst Scotland These three Wight Man and Anglisea Vecta Mania Mona are almost all of one bignesse and conteining the like quantitie of ground Thus farre Ranulph of Chester The reason why Gildas and others haue called this iland Eubonia I take to be this because it was first inhabited of the same nation