Cloth that serves not onely themselves but is also transported into other parts their chief City is London the Inhabitants are brave Warriors both at Sea and Land and many of them learned and witty The Orders of Knighthood are of St. George or of the Garter there are twenty six Knights of it whereof the King of England is the Soveraign the Ensign is a blew Garter buckled on the left leg on which these words are embroidered Hony soit qui mal y pense about their necks they wear a blew Ribond at the end of which hangeth the Image of Saint George upon whose day the Order is for the most part celebrated Secondly of the Bath instituted one thousand and nine They use to be created at the Coronation of Kings and Queens and the installing of the Prince of Wales Their duty to defend true Religion Widows Maids Orphans and to maintain the Kings Rights the Knights thereof distinguished by a red Riband which they wear ordinarily about their necks to difference them from Knights Batchelours of whom they have in all places the precedence unless they be also the Sons of Noble-men to whom the Birth gives it before all Orders Thirdly of Baronets an hereditary Honour the Armes are Mars three Lions passant gardant Sol. This Kingdome famous for Warlike Exploits abroad there being no Nation in the known world but where their dreadful Arms have been carried witness our Holy-Land Expeditions our Atchivements in Spain several Times our Conquests in France our defence of the Netherlands our Triumphs over Scotland and subduing of Ireland our Naval Power not less formidable in 88. and lately with the stubborn Dutch whom for all our more than uncivil Broyls we humbled into an intreaty of Peace was infinitely more terrible to it self in the late Convulsion and Subversion of the Laws and Government by a fatal Quarrel of the Parliament with the King A Prince no doubt of the greatest vertues piety and abilities that ever Swayed this Scepter nor could the Malignity of our Distempers have seized one of a sounder Constitution as to Honour Conscience Clemency Justice or what ever good quality is requisite for a King being absolutely the best of all the Princes that ever Reigned in this Island It will be alike grievous and tedious to relate the Miseries of this unnatural War the Battels Seiges and Surrenders that happened therein It will be too much to say that after a bloody Contest the King was worsted and with him the Laws and afterwards by his own rebellious and traite ous Subjects brought to a new unparallel'd High Court of Justice and by Sentence thereof beheaded before his own Court-Gates at White-Hall Ianuary 30. 1648. By the perpetration of this Murder and by a thing called an Act of Parliament Monarchy seemed to be actually dissolved it being made Treason to Proclaim the Prince or any other Person King or Queen of England All Empires have their certain periods and measures of Time at the Expiration whereof they tast of that Vicissitude and Change to which all other sublunary things are more frequently subject This Monarchy had â—…asted without any great alteration in a direct Line the Name only changed from Plantagenes which begun in Henry the second who restored the Saxon Line to Tâ—…wdor in the Person of Henry the seventh who united the two Houses of York and Lancaster after to Stuart in the Person of King Iames who united the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland and continuing and long may it in our present Soveraign six hundred years and upwards till this fatal Revolution was come when we were under an Anarchy no Government at all in reality There are reckoned during this interregnum no less then seventeen Forms of Authority we were under in the space of eleven years betwixt the Parliament Protector and Army In the year 1651 our present Soveraign to regain his Right entered England from Scotland where Cromwell had p evailed and very like to carry all before him and got a start of three dayes march and came to Worcester where he was not long after defeated but most miraculously escaped into France where Divine Providence preserved him safe and after many strange over-turnings after we had been ridden by a Rump of a Parliament and tyrannised over in our Lives and Estates by the Protector Oliver Cromwell who by wicked means had scrued himself into the Supreme Power and wearied with the lording Insolencies of an Army by the Conduct of General Monk returned him in Honour and safety to his Kingdomes and his Kingdomes to Peace and Prosperity on his most happy Birth-day May 29. 1660. since which His Majesty is most happily Married to the Infanta of Portugal and such an alliance made as will be most beneficial to the Trade and consequently promote the Glory of these Nations Scotland invironed with the Sea except on the south side where it bordereth with England is not so fruitful yet hath of all things enough to fustain it self the head-City is Edenborough Scotland giveth many sorts of course Woollen Cloth Wool Mault Hides Fish The principal Order of Knighthood here is that of St. Andrew The Knights did wear about their necks a Collar interlaced with Thistles with the picture of St. Andrew appendent to it The Motto is Nemo me impune lacesset Secondly of Nova Scotia ordained by King Iames one thousand six hundred twenty two hereditary but the Knights thereof distinguished by a Riband of Orange Tawney the Arms of the Kingdome are Sol a Lion Rampant Mars within a double Tressure counter-flowered Little can be said of Scotland because its story is all one with England as to latter Times But be it remembred that soon after the union of the two Kingdoms was dissolved by dividing the Head thereof by the hand of Violence that Realm was totally Conquered by the English which all the English Prowess and valour of our Ancestors could never effect This was atcheived by the incomparable Felicity and conduct of the thrice renowned General Monck who in 1653. marched over Hills Rocks and Praecipices into the furthest Northern parts of Scotland and there forced General Middleton to fight where the said Middleton was overthrown and the whole Countrey thereupon submitted to the Conquerour Ireland is full of brooks marshes waters and woods hath good pasture and abundance of tame and wilde beasts but little grain the Inhabitants are rude and wilde People yet through the conversation and Government of the English are daily more and more brought to Civility the air here is very temperate cooler in Summer and warmer in Winter than in England the Arms of Ireland are Azure an Harp Or stringed Argent This Kingdom was never in a better constitution of Government as to appearance than in the beginning of our Troubles in 1639. by the prudent steerage of the Earl of Strafford Deputy thereof but in 1640. the 23. of October such a sudden and bloody Rebellion broke out that from that day
the south or toward the north unto the number ninety The Longitude is returned from the Meridian circle and about the west Islands called Carva and Flores beginning right at the Equator easterly and running forwards unto the number three hundred sixty As for example London lyeth from the Equinoctial northward fifty one degrees and a half which is the Latitude and the Longitude thereof is twenty degrees answering unto that degree of the Equinoctial reckoning from the Meridian And now that I have briefly touched upon the Longitude and Latitude of Countries and having often spoke of the Meridian and Horizon I shall I hope not unprofitably take time in a word or two to tell you what each of them are The Meridian is a great circle rounding the earth from pole to pole There are many Meridians according to the divers places in which a man liveth But the chief and first Meridian passeth through the Islands Saint Michael and of the Azores The Horizon is a great circle designing so great a space of the earth as a quick sight can ken in an open field the use of it is to discern the divers risings and settings of the stars I shall now speak a little of the Climates and Parallels and then I hope I have done with things generally concerning the earth A Climate is a space of the earth included within the space of two parallels The use of them is to shew the difference of length and shortnesse of dayes over all the world as you may see in the midst of every climate the number of the longest day in the year under that climate the longest day in one climate differing half an hour from the longest of another so that there are twenty four climates consisting of forty eight parallels ere the day come to be twenty four hours of length which is twelve hours longer than the Equinoctial day is Now under the Equinoctial line and thirteen degrees that is three parallels on either side thereof the dayes exceed not the length of Twelve hours but after in every clime encrease the length of half an hour and when they come to forty eight parallels and twenty four climates as I said before the dayes being then twenty four hours long their increase is then by whole weeks and months till in the twenty fourth clime about the pole the day is full half a year long and as it is thus between the Equator and the north pole so it is between the said Equator and the south pole wherefore there are two sorts of climes that is twenty four northern and as many southern touching the names of which and other circumstances I shall say nothing here but leave the readers to other more large discourses thinking this enough in a Tract of this nature to have spoken of things generally concerning the whole earth The whole Earth is now divided into four parts Europe Asia Africa America Of each part and their several Regions Empires Kingdoms Dominions Common-wealths Titles of honours and Laws as briefly as I can together also with their sundry trade and commodities Europe though the least of the three first parts of the world nevertheless excelleth all other parts in worthiness power renown multitudes of well-builded Cities and of People skilful in all kind of arts also excelling in virtue and the knowledge of God better than all the riches of the world Through the Grecian and Romane Empire in it it hath had once the Dominion over Asia and Africa Mr. Heylin mentions in it fourteen mother Tongues which I will not stand now to name It hath plenty of grain plants fruits coals rivers and fountains of admirable virtue it needs nothing but what may be well spared as hot spices not so fit for our temper precious jewels the nourishers of vain and soul-destroying pride and wild beasts which cause desarts where they breed yet of gold silver and other commodities it hath a part it is divided on the east from Asia partly by the Rivers Duina and Tunnis and partly by the lake called Meotis now termed Mare de le Zabacche pont Euxine or Mare Maggiore From Africa it is severed by the midland Sea on the west and north side it hath the great Ocean I shall follow Mr. Heylin's method in the description of the Regions and Countries thereof beginning with first Italy then going secondly to the Alps thirdly France fourthly Spain fifthly Brittain sixthly Belgia seventhly Germany eighthy Denmark ninethly Swetheland tenthly Russia eleventhly Poland twelfthly Hungary thirteenthly Solavonia fourteenthly Dacia and the fifteenth Greece speaking of the several Islands as they relate to some or other of the greater Countries Italy the Mother of all Latine Learning stretcheth out easterly on Asia between the Adriatick and Thuscan Seas and borders towards the west upon France and towards the north on Germany and is severed from those countries by the river Varus and the mountains called Alpes the rest being compassed with the Sea It hath had seven kinds of Government first Kings second Consuls third Dictators forth Decemviri fifth Tribunes sixth Emperours seventh Popes It flourished most in the time of Christ and a little afterwards by means of the great and wide dominion of the mighty city of Rome which then reigned as Queen of the world over many Lands of Europe Asia and Africa This land excelleth all the lands of Europe in fruitfulness and pleasantness the inhabitants are witty industrious and frugal yet hot and lascivious And withall the men very jealous and that taken to be not without cause The religion there now professed is the Popish religion unto which they are more straightly kept by the Inquisition The chief Wares which are carried out of Italy into other Countries are rice silks velvets sattins taffaties grogrems rashes stamels bumbasins fustians felts serving for Clokes costly arras gold and silver thred allum galls Venetian drinking and looking-glasses It containeth at this day the Kingdoms of Naples Sicily and Sardinia the lands and patrimony of the Church so called which the Pope posseth the great Dukedomes of Urbin and Tuscany the Common-wealths of Venice Genoa and Luca and the estates of Lumbardy being the Dukedomes of Millain Mantua Modena Parma Monferrat and the Principality of Piemont of all which I shall observe somewhat The Kingdome of Naples in Italy is environed on all sides with the Adriatick Ionian and Tuscan Seas excepting where it joyneth on the west to the Lands of the Church from which separated by a line drawn from the mouth of the River Tronto or Druentus falling into the Adriatick to the spring head of Axofenus it taketh up all the east of Italy one thousand four hundred sixty eight miles it hath anciently been called the Kingdome of both the Sicilies The fertilest place of all Italy abounding in all things necessary for life delight and physick Hence are also brought the Neapolitan Horses It hath had thirteen Princes twenty four Dukes twenty five Marquesses ninety
Earls and nine hundred Barons not Titular only but men of great Estates It hath had twenty six Kings of several Countries beginning first with the Norman race and now being in the hand of Spain The disease called now the French Pox was first in all Christendome found here The Arms of this Kingdome are Azure seme of Fleur de Lices Or a file of three Labels Gules It s revenue is two millions and an half of Crowns whereof twenty thousand are the Popes for his chief rent and the rest so exhausted in maintaining Garrisons upon the Natives and a strong Navy against the Turks that the King of Spain receiveth not a fourth part theâ—…eof clearly It hath twenty Arch-bishops and one hundred twenty seven Bishops-seas This Crown and Kingdom hath been in long dispute between France and Spain Charles the Eighth of France won and lost it in a Dream so transitory was his possession of it much blood being spilt in the quarrel The Duke of Guise of the Family of Lorrain now pretends a right to it and hath attempted the Conquest of it of late years twice being called in by the Citizens of Naples in 1647. after that famous insurrection in the City of Naples under Mâ—…ssianelio the Fisherman who led and commanded 100000 men at his beck and pleasure for 14. dayes at the end whereof he and his mutinous Government expired being supposed to be poysoned by the Artifice of the Spaniard In the year 1654. the same Duke of Guise having better retained in mind the Courtshâ—…ps of the Neapolitans than his own misfortunes and his promises made at Madrid where he was kept prisoner from the time that Naples was reduced 1647. equipped another Fleet from that Kingdome from Toulon and Marseilles which nâ—…rrowly escaped the English Fleet under General Blake designed against it and after much bad weather landed and was defeated by the Spanish Vice-roy his Lieutenant General Marquis du Plessis being killed in the place with 2000 more and so the French were forced to re-imbarque and the Expedition frustrated The Spaniards how quietly hold it from the Papacy by a fealty Present yearly of a White Horse to his Holyness The Kingdom of Sicilia in Italy is situate under the fourth climate the longest day being thirteen hours and an half it shoots forth into the Sea with three Capes or Promontories The People are Ingenious Eloquent and Pleasant but withall very inconstant and full of talke they Invented Oratory Pastorall Eclogues Hour-glasses with Military Engins The Soyl is incredibly fruitfull in Wine Oyl Honey Minerals of Gold Silver and Allum together with plenty of Salt and Sugar there are also gems of Agats and Emeralds it yieldthe also great store of the richest Silk hath most excellent and delicious Fruits both for tast and colour with abundance also of all sorts of Grain Here is the hill Aetna which many have taken to be Hell and ignorant Papists Purgatory because of its sending forth of flames of fire which eth brimstone there causeth It hath many Cities Rivers and Lakes of which I cannot stand to treat There were eight Kings of Sicilia six of the first whereof were called to rule In the year one thousand two hundred eighty one the house of Arragon governed it and there hath succeeded ten Kings It is now united to the Crown of Spain the revenue is eight hundred thousand some say a million of Ducats disbursed again on the entertainment of the Vice-Roy defence of the Island the Arms are four Pallets Gules Sable being those of Arragon between two Flanches Argent charged with as many Eâ—…g'es Sable beaked Gules It hath had seven Princes four Dukes thirteen Marquisses fourteen Earls one Viscount and fourty eight Barons the People are Papists and have three Arch-bishops and nine Bishops The Island and Kingdom of Sardinia in Italy lieth west from Sicilie from the neerest point Cape Boy or Cape Bara It is distant about two hundred miles it is in length one hundred eighty miles ninety in breadth five hundred sixty in the circuit and is situate under the fourteenth Climate the longest day being fourteen houres there is neither Wolf nor Serpent neither venomous or hurtful beast but the Fox only and a little creature like a Spider which will by no means endure the sight of the Sun except held by violence Some pools it hath very plentiful of Fish but generally are so destitute of River-water that they are fain to keep the rain which falls in winter for their use in summer by means whereof and for that there is no passage for the Northern Winds being obstructed by the high Mountains neer Cape Lugudori the air is generally unhealthy if not pestilential The soil is very fertile but ill manured well stored with all sorts of cattel the horses hereof hot head-strong and hard to be broken but will last long the bullocks naturally gentle so that the Country-man doth as familiarly ride them as they do in Spain on Mules or Asses Here is also the beast called Mufr nes or Muscriones found in Corsica also but in no other part of Europe somewhat resembling a Stagg but of so strong an hide that it is used by the Italian in stead of Armour of the skin of which carryed to Cordova in Spain and there dressed is made the right Cordovant leather also there is an Herb whereof if one eat it is said that he will die with laughter the Herb being of such a poysonous nature that it causeth the Man to die with such a convulsion of sinews that he seemeth to grinn or laugh at the time of his death The People are small of stature their Complexion inclining unto swarthiness rude in Manners very slothful and rebellious yet given to Hunting their Diet mean their Apparel in Towns Gorgeous in Villages base their Religion Papistically formal little Curious their Clergy being counted the most illiterate and ignorant in that part of the World called Christendome it is now in the hands of the King of Spain governed by a Vice-Roy who resides at Calaris and must of necessity be a Spaniard under whom are two Deputies-Governours Spaniards also inferiour Officers of command may be of the natives what profits arise here to the King of Spain I have no where found The arms hereof are said to be Or a cross Gules betwixt four Saracens heads Sable curled argent There are also divers small Islands belonging thereunto And lastly it hath three Arch-bishops and fifteen Bishops The lands of the Church or the Popes Dominions in Italy lie west of the Realm of Naples extended north and south from the Adriatick to the Tuscan-Seas bounded on the north-east with the river Trontus on the south-east with the Axofenus by which two it is parted from that Kingdom as on the north-west by the rivers Poe and Frore by which it is separated from the State of Venice and on the southwest by the river Pisco by which it is divided from the modern Tuscany
of Castles and Villages such abundance of People and with such Politique Government that she may compare with any The Soil is fruitful both in Corn and Wine it hath many Navigable Rivers stored with plenty of Fishes most excellent Fountains and hot Bathes Mines of Gold Silver Tin Copper Lead and Iron it hath very Learned Men skilful in all Sciences and Mechanick Arts The Religion is here very diverse for there being many free Provinces some are Papists some Protestants and of these again some Calvinists some Lutherans There are six Arch-Bishops and thirty four Bishops The Wars of Germany ushered in by the Comet or Blazing-Star in 1618 have had dire and prodigious effects first the Prince Elector Palatine undertaking the Crown of Bohemia was worsted at Prague and the King of Denmark seconding him was likewise brought very low by Count Tilly the Emperour's General and glad to accept of a Peace upon hard terms when in 1629 enters Gustâ—…vus Adolphus the King of Sweden whose victorious Armes conquered Tilly at the Battel of Leipsick and presently over-run all Germany defeated the Emperours next General Wallestein Duke of Freidland at Lutzen where notwithstanding he was killed his Army had the Day of whom it was said that Before Death in Death and after Death he was victorious At the Battel of Nordlingâ—…in the Fortune of the Swedes failed a great slaughter being made on them by the Imperial Army and so a Peace was afterwards patched and again interrupted till the solemn and general Pacification at Munster since which time the Princes and People have been in quiet The Prince Elector Palatine losing the one half of his Estate as forfeited to the Emperour who hath invested the Duke of Bavaria the Electors neerest kinsman in the upper Palatinate Denmark and Norway are very great Regions bordering southward upon Germany they extend toward the north to seventy one degrees and thirty minutes north Latitude towards the east they border upon Sweden and on the west and north-side they are invironed with the Sea they at this time are under the Government of one King who is Lord of Seland Greenland Hitland and Gothland These Kingdomes afford unto other Lands Oxen Barley Mault Stock-fish Tallow Sand Nuts Hides Goat-skins Masts Deals Oaken-boards Wood to burn Pitch Tarr Brimstone and the like their Religion is the Lutherans The chief Order of Knighthood in it is that of the Elephant their Badge a Collar powdered with Elephants towered supporting the Kings Arms and having at the end the Picture of the Virgin Mary The Arms of the Land are Quarterly Of three Lions passant Vert crowned of the first for the Kingdome of Denmark and two Gules a Lion rampant Or crowned and armed of the first in the Paws a Dansk hatchet Argent for the Kingdome of Norway there are two Arch-Bishops thirteen Bishops This King is allyed to the Crown of England Queen Ann Wife to King Iames being Aunt to this present King Frederick Twice in twenty years not to mention other Wars before hath this Crown been endangered by the Swedes but more neerly in 1657 and 8 when the King of Sweden Carolus Gustavus being drawn out of Poland to prevent the Dane then in Arms against him with strange success almost over-run his Countrey In a most hard Winter he passed his Arms and Canon over the Sea from the Continent unto the Island of Funen where he overthrew the Dane took Cronenburg Castle which Commanded the Sound and at last laid Seige to Copenhaguen the chief City of Denmark where attempting a Storm by night he was repulsed with the loss of three thousand Men and soon after the Hollanders with a Fleet in spight of his Navy and the said Castle entered and relieved the Town with Conceit whereof and a violent Feaver the said King not long after deceased and the Danes in gratitude and Honour of their King Frederick who had so bravely defended and stood by them consented to make that Kingdome hereditary as now it is established all the Estates having done Homage which before was onely Elective the Family of this King afore injoying onely the Crown of Norway by descent and inheritance This Prince suffered much for siding with the Dutch against the English in the late difference seizing there twenty of our Merchant-men on pretence of his Aunts Dower but was forced at last to make recompense for the dammages which the Dutch undertook for him Sweden is a great and mighty Kingdome bordering on the East upon Muscovia on the south upon the Baltick Sea and Denmark on the West upon Norway and on the North upon the Finmark and the Zurick Sea The Merchandises it selleth are Copper Iron Lead costly Furrs Buff and Ox-hides Goat-skins Tallow Pitch Barley Mault Hazel-nuts and such like things their Religion is Lutheran the Arms of the Kingdom Azure three Crowns Or It hath two Arch-Bishops eight Bishops It is a wonder and Men can scarce comprehend how this Nation is come to this greatness to make War in so many parts of Europe being to pass over the Sea or how they get so many Men in Arms the Dominions thereof being large but not populous so that there never came from thence sixty thousand Men. It was reported that many Women in Mens clothes supplyed their places and fought like Amazons The beginning of this upstart greatness was from Charles Duke of Sunderman who being Uncle to Sigismond King of Sweden by Descent and of Poland by Election upon his seating himself in that Kingdom and constituting his Uncle Vice-Roy of his Native Kingdome of Sweden he with the consent of the Senators assumes the Crown and maintaines it against his Nephew whereupon ensued divers Battels the Usurper wafting over his Swedes into Poland and beginning an offensive War when he dying his Son the Great Gustavus prosecuted it afresh till after various Successes a Truce was concluded on before the expiration of which he fell with that strange success into Germany before said After his death his Daughter Christina was Crowned and Reigned seventeen years when another occasion of War hapning they judging her not capable to mannage it procured her to renounce her right to the Crown and resign it to her kinsman Carolus Gustavus who with a powerfull Army invaded Poland prompted thereunto by Cardinal Mazarine and the Usurping Protector of England who by an Ambassador Mr. Whitlock projected that Invasion to keep the Arms of the House of Austria in suspence and attendance of the issue of that War which were raised to the assistance of the Spaniards then in War with both French and English Carolus Gustavus dying as aforesaid the Crown is placed on the head of his Son Charles a Child of five years old by his Wife the Daughter of the Duke of Holsteyn Of their late Conquests within these fourty years there remains to that Crown all Pomerania and the Arch-Bishoprick of Brâ—…men in Germany besides other less Provinces gained from the Dane and several Islands
the Chinese or with the Russe but the Crim Tartar is wholly Mercenary being in the late War of Poland employed first by the Pole and then by the Swede and Transylvanian Prince Ragotzki China is bounded on the east by the east Sea on the west with India and Bramus and on the north it is divided from Tartaria with a wonderfull Wall four hundred miles long built between the Mountains It is divided into fifteen Kingdoms or great Provinces each having a peculiar Prince but all yielding obedience to their great King It is reported that he may bring into the Field three hundred thousand Foot and two hundred thousand Horse-men The Land is fruitful of Grain and Beasts wild and tame Wines of Precious Stones Gold Copper Iron Steel Pearl and good store of Silk Also very great Cities well peopled Paqu'n is the Royal City of which things be written that be incredible The People are lively witty wonderous Artists they make Waggons that sail over the land as Ships do over the Sea the Art of Printing and making of Guns is more ancient with them than with us they have good Lawes according to which they do live but they want the knowledge of God for they are Heathens and Worship the Sun Moon and Stars yea and the Devil himself that he may not hurt them Of this Kingdome of China there is little writ either certain or true because of its vast distance which if the North-west passage had been passable and not frozen might have been throughly known The last news from thence was that the Tartars had invaded that Kingdome and had thrown down part of that eminent Wall abovesaid that was built for a Fence against their incursions and defeated the Chinese in several Battels It hath been travelled of late by some forraign Friers but our English Ships seldome thriving in the Voyage is the reason no better account can be given of their Government Lawes and Customes From thence come the China dishes called Porcelane which the Fathers prepare 40 years under ground and lay up for their Sons as an Estate before it be fit for use its fineness and transparency requiring such a time of perfection Iapan aboundeth so with Gold that it is reported that the Kings Pallace was covered therewith in the time of Paulus Venetius These Iapanneses are the best Navigators and Sailers of the Nations of those parts of the World for which they are beholding to the situation of their Country being an Island so that they are very frequent and use Commerce in all that Quarter and prove good Auxiliary Souldiers to the several Princes They are much entertained by the Dutch as may be seen in the business of Amboyna India situated between Persia and the Tartars Sinca and the Indian Sea all Writers account the best and goodliest Land in the World for it fills almost the whole World with precious Jewels and Pearls Medicinal Drugs and Perfumes that it may be called an earthly Paradise The King of this Country the Great Mogul is certainly the richest and most Magnificent Prince in the World which to shew to his Subjects at the several seasons of the year as it grows Hot or Cold he removes his Court from City to City of great distance south and north his Countrey being very vast and well peopled But his chief Imperial City is Agraâ—… where as most great Cities of the East Lime trees and others of great shade and sweet sent are placed along the streets most beautifull and pleasant to behold The Mogul is altogether if not more absolute than any of the Eastern Princes all whose Governments are Monarchical Tyrannies Every morning he shews himself in great State to his Nobles and Princes who prostrate and adore him and at the same time the Elephants of which he keeps many hundreds are brought to Salam that is to bow and bend their knee which being taught they will do very readily To this Mogul King Iames sent the Earl of Denbigh Ambassador to Treat or rather to Complement about our Trade in the East-Indies Surrat being in his Dominions where constantly one of his chief Nobles is resident as Governour The Earl carried Presents with him but was most magnificently and costly Re-presented by the Mogul even to an Estate and his Ambassie civilly and effectually answered we count them Barbarians but they are a Nation of extraordinary Civility as our Commerce witnesseth where they love they love ardently and constantly and where they hate they hate furiously and deadly At present they are engaged in a Civil War for the Mogul Sultan Coram lately dying left his Estate in Dispute though divided to his three Sons of whom he most loved his youngest who by the favour and practice of the chief of the Nobility having gained the Army which is alwayes kept standing possest himself of most part of the Empire while his Brothers were disputing with one another about other the private Limits and Boundaries of their Lands Both are now joyned against him but with what successe is not yet known The English Trade is neverthelesse no way molested or impeached their Governour now siding with the Younger Brother but is carried on as formerly the chief Merchants of that Nation being the Banians a sect and preciser sort of People than the rest the most of them being Mahometans who are just dealers and very rich and negotiate in all the Traffique of the East The Hollanders have some places of Strength here also and are in League with the Mogul though in War with some of the adjacent lesser Princes The King of Portugal is possest of the Kingdome of Goa and other large Provinces and Territories which were formerly distinct Kingdomes and Principalities but Conquered and won by his Sword but hath been disquieted and disturbed very often as well by the Natives as the Dutch but yet he hath made a shift to keep the greatest part still in his hands and consequently a very rich Trade and Traffique which he manageth himself There is alwayes resident at Goa his Vice-roy one of the Portugal Nobility who lives in great Pompe and State in a very fair Palace The City is strongly fortified and several out-Forts and Guards circumjacent to prevent a sudden attempt of an Enemy and other Fortresses are erected in that Kingdome some whereof are put into the hands of the English by agreement the Coast being beneficial to our Navigation into the Indies The Portugal Inhabitants follow the Habit and Fashion of the Indians as all Nations whatsoever Trading thither do their Habit. Persia is a mighty rich Land governed by the Sophy though he be a Mahometist yet he warreth against the Turk for the Religion of Mahomet concerning the expounding of the Alcoran out of Persia are brought the Bezoar-stone and other precious Stones Pearls of great value and many Silk-works This Kingdom once honoured with the Universal Empire as absolutely lost it self under the Turkish Slavery as before under the victorious
Spain or Portugal The mortality that happened there at our first Landing proceeding either from the griping Monopoly of some hoarding Officers or through want of timely recruits or through some fatal Conjunction of the superiour Luminaries It is by good Experience found to be a temperate climate for all 't is scandalized with the Fiction of the Torrid Zone the Heat in the day time being alwayes allayed with the Sea-Breezes which rise with the Sun and the Nights are by an interchangeable and never-failing intercourse refreshed with Land-Breezes Nor is the fertility lesse propitious than the temperature producing in as great abundance as any where in the Indies Sugar-Canes Tobacco Cotton Maez or Indian Corn Potatoes Yaums and Coco-Nuts the Earth continuing its Spring and being green and florid all the year long Here are store of Hogs fatned by what drops from the Trees whole Herds of Beeves which before they were frighted by our unskilful method of killing them by shot fed by 1000 in the Savana's or large Champion fields but now sculk in the Woods and Coverts and appear not but by night Here are also a number of wilde Horses well shaped and very serviceable being all bred of Spanish Gennets which may be bought for 3 l. sterling and will yield 6000 l. of Sugar at Barbadoes There are likewise excellent plenty of choice Timber Trees and Wood for the Dyers use as Fustick Brasiletta and Ebony and a kind of Logwood China Roots Gum Guaiacum Lignum Vitae Cassia c. There are also abundance of Cocoa Trees which the Spaniard reckons one of his chiefest Incomes which may be yearly improved There is one Rarity more which is the Alligator or Indian Crocodile some of them 6 or 7 foot long but they cannot hurt a man if he be aware of them their motion being slow and head and body must move together There are no Mines found out yet but they are not to be despaired of in the prosecution of the Plantation The English have built a new Town at Cagway point of about 600. Houses where at present the Governour resides having quitted the City of S. Iago de la Vega the Spaniards chief town which is seated in a pleasant Savana This City was some 30 years ago plundred by General Iackson who came with 500 men from St. Christophers and in spight of 2000 Spaniards in a readinesse to receive him and 7 Barricadoes such was the Mariners exceeding greediness of spoil forced the Town and plundered it and made the Spaniard give him a great sum to boot to spare it from the fire it had formerly 2000 houses and 16 Churches and Chappels and now but 600 Houses the Skeleton of two Churches and an Abbey Point Cagway is very well fortified and has Guns in it as good as any the Tower had there is also another Plantation of the English in one Regiment at Port Morant who have already made it considerable by planting several Commodities After Venables left the Island the Government was devolved to the eldest Collonel and afterwards Cromwel sent Collonel Brain to command them who died there and then it was conferred on Collonel Doyley who hath been happily active in promoting this Colony and is yet Governour till the Arrival of the Lord Windsor sent thither with a Patent from the King and Grant of the whole Island under whose care it is likely to flourish The King of Spain's Dominions in the West-Indies IT will be unnecessary and of no use to insist much upon the Countries subject to the King of Spain in America because we have no traffique in those parts the King of Spain forbidding and keeping all men from thence with as much diligent watchfulness as the Dragon did the Golden or Hesperian Apples With much difficulty he obtained his Mines severall supplies being lost and his Colonies ready to depart besides the frequent Fights betwixt themselves in point of private advantages several Governours supplanting one another by Tragical means the principal whereof was Columbus that successeful Captain Ferdinandus Cortesius Marquiss of the Valley Pizarro Almagrus Vasca and Blasco By Cortesius Atabalipa King of Peru was taken Prisoner in which are his Mines of Potossi c. Who refusing a dangerous peace offered by the Spaniard by the fortune of the War was made a Prisoner and for his ransome sending to his chief City of Cuscon and other places of his Kingdome filled his Prison being a reasonable Hall with Gold and Silver and yet neverthelesse lost his Life being strangled by the deliberate advice of his Enemies who substituted his Brother in his place The Indians upbraiding the Spaniard with their Cruelty and Covetousnesse and calling Money their God bidding them to eat it It is reported when they first entred the Country they shooed their Horses with Gold and Silver To our discourse this Countrey is divided into Mexicana and Peruana That part of America which is called Mexicana is divided into three several parts according to the scituation of the Land in Plains Mountains and lesse Hilly grounds Out of these Countries are brought over into Europe Gold Silver Bezoar and other precious stones Sarsaparilla and Sugar in abundance Brasil-Wood Cotton costly Plumes Jackanapes several sorts of curiously feathered Birds and many more Drugs and Merchandize We will run over only the several Countries and so conclude The first is the Island of Hispaniola famous for our Defeat before the chief City of St. Domingo though formerly sacked without much opposition by Sir Francis Drake It is seated in 18 19 and 20 degrees of Northern Latitude being 150. Leagues long East and West inhabited chiefly by Negroes which with the Spaniards make not in all above 500. the Commodities are Ginger Sugar Cotton Wool c. and Tallow and Hides 100000. yearly gotten of the wild Cattel which are the biggest in the World The next is the I le of Cuba lying West from Hispaniola 200. Leagues long East and West the broadest part not 45 the Commodities the same with Hispaniola the Land neither so pleasant nor wholsome In it is the Town of Havana in 22. degrees the great resort of the Spanish Fleet the Harbour strongly secured by two Castles Next Porto Rico 15 Leagues from Hispaniola 45 Leagues long East and West 23 broad then Sancta Crux in 16 degrees and a half the Virgins Virgin Gorda Blances Anagada Sambrito Angula St. Martins in 17 degrees and a half once possest by the Spaniards now by the Dutch as is Eustas likewise More Southwardly is Trinidado I le 50 Leagues long and 70 broad Margareta Tortuga Gardiner Caracute Calava and Tamasca On the Continent the Spaniard hath Florida which begins in 34 degrees the Gulf hereof is notable having two Entrances the one between Youcatan and Cuba where the stream cometh fiercely in the other is between Cuba and the Cape of Florida where it runneth more violently out New Spain Besides this Province of Florida the King of Spain in this Nothern America
hath three great Kingdomes The first and principal is the Kingdome of New-Spain The second is the Kingdome of Galisia The third the Kingdome of Gutemalia and the Province of Varagua that adjoyneth to the Straight of Darian and is properly of the Council of Panama The Kingdome of Spain hath in it a Viceroy and Council intituled the Viceroy of Mexico And within his Government the Province and Bishoprick of Mexico that of Tlascala Guaxaâ—…a Mechoachan Chiapa Yucatan and Panuco The Indians of this Kingdome are of two sorts the Chickamecans which are a sort of Rogues that live much after the manner of Toriges or ancient Irish by robbing and spoiling Passengers on the way Towns and Villages and the other live even as decently as the Spaniard and are of all Trades and Vocations as they are of sharp wits and of great agility of body as appeareth by their extraordinary feats of Activity on the Rope and tumblings This Kingdome is a high Country for the most part of it and for riches pleasantness and wholesomeness accounted one of the best in the world as lacking nothing naturally that is to be had excepting Wine and Oil which they might also have but that it is forbidden to plant Vineyards or Oliveyards by the King of Spain and it hath divers things not elsewhere to be had both of Trees Herbs and Drugs New-Galicia THis Kingdome of New Galicia hath no Viceroy but is governed by a Council whose bounds is parted from New Spain at the Port of Nativity on the South Sea to the North North-west and North-east It hath no bounds but may inlarge their Territories as they see occasion on the Indians It hath already these Provinces The first Guadalaica Xalisco Sacaticas Chiamerla Culiacan New-Biscai and Sivaloa And this Kingdome is not much inferiour to New Spain and it hath the same sort of Indians Gutamalia This Kingdome of Gutamalia is governed as the other by a Council without a Viceroy and is the Southwardliest Region of this North America and hath within its bounds the Provinces of Gutamalia from whence the Kingdome taketh name Soconusco Chiapa Suchiâ—…epoque Verapas Honduaras and Cacos Saint Saviour and Saint Michael Nievaraqua Chuluteca Taquesgalpa and Costarica or the rich Coast. The Indians here are more warlike than the rest and have more unwillingly submitted to the Spanish Yoke and therefore they have had almost continual wars the most of the Indians living till very lately after the manner of the Chickamecians though many of them are docible as the Indians of Mexico This is a rich wholsome Kingdome not inferiour to Galicia but rather exceeds it But when I come to each particular Province I shall name them as they adjoyn on the Coast of the Sea Panuco is a Province near adjoyning to Florida and parted from it by the River of Palms which lyeth in 28 degrees of North Latitude That part of it that lyeth next to Mexico is the best and hath the greatest plenty of Victuals with some gold the other side which is next Florida is poor and barren The next to Panuco on the Coast of the North Sea lyeth the Province of Talascalia or Losangels It hath abundance of Flax Wheat Sugar and Ginger diversity of herbs and fruits abundance of Cattel Hogs and Horses many silver mines 200 chief Indian Towns and at least 40 Monasteries of Friers Youcatan The North part of this Province adjoyneth to the South of Talascalia It is a peninsula and in compasse 150 Leagues The temperature is hot and moist it hath no Rivers but is full of good willows It is a woody country nor will it bear English grain neither hath it gold or other mineral The Province of Honduras adjoineth unto the South part of Youcatan this coast stretcheth along the north Sea as far as Nicaragua which is near 150 leagues It is a hilly Countrey plentiful of all sorts of Cattel and store of Wheat and Mines of Gold and Silver Nicaragua lyeth next to the South-side of Honduras it is a plentiful Countrey of Coco Cotten-Wool Millet Cattel and much gold It hath five Spanish Towns and abundance of peaceable Indians which are most expert in the Spanish tongue The Province of Costarica lyeth between Nickuragua and Caragua between which it hath 90 Leagues in length It is a good Land and very fruitful in Millet Wheat Flax and Sugar plenty of Mines both of Gold and Silver and it hath two Spanish Towns The Province of Varagua lyeth between Costarica and Panama adjoyning on the South part to the Straight of Dariana The northerliest is in eleven degrees it hath East and West 50 leagues and in breadth 25 and is washed as Costarica with the north and south seas It is a Mountainous Country full of bushes without Pasture or Cattel Wheat or Barley but it hath some Millet and is full of rich Mines of Gold The Indians are few and they be in continual wars with the Spaniards And at the end of this Varagua beginneth the southern America And therefore I shall return back to the other parts of this north America which is not yet discovered The Province of Cibloa is the most northerly Province that the Spaniards possess in America It hath but one Spanish Town Here are store of all sorts of our Cattel and the Ox of the Countrey which hath a bunch of Flesh on his back of the bignesse of a mans head and his hair is shaggy and long his horns smaller then our Kines horns but his body much bigger this is an Inland Province and lyeth from the Sea many Leagues The Province of New-Biskay lyeth on the south-west of Cibloa it hath store of Provision and Cattel and divers Mines of Silver It hath two fair Spanish Towns that is to say Sancta Barbola and the Baro of Saint Iohn with divers peaceable Indians It is an Inland Province but of much Commerce by reason of the silver Mines The Province of Chiamerla lyeth in more than two and twenty degrees of hight It is ten Leagues broad and something more in length it lyeth along the south Sea but hath no Ports of name The Province of Guliacan is the most northerly Province the Spaniards possesse on the Coast of the south Sea It lyeth west of Chiamerla there are much Cattel Seeds and Fruits of England Sacetas lyeth south-east from Biscay It is very wholesome in some parts of it and as sickly and unwholesome in other parts which causes that in some places there is much want and in other places as much plenty But to amend all defects there are in most places rich silver Mines The Province of Xalisco hath the City of Compostella near the south Sea in one and twenty degrees nineteen Minutes there is the Village of the Purification south-west from Gudalaria thirty leagues this land is hot and sickly but hath Mines of Gold and Silver good store of provisions and excellent Horses that are well bred for any service Guadalaira is the best