which yieldeth Corn Spices Cocos Jaceros and many other Fruits and by the situation as the Staple especially before the Portugals unfriendly Neighbourhood of Indian Merchandize and therefore in her variety of Merchants being a Map as it were of all the Eastern World The Egyptians Persians Syrians Arabians Indians yea even from Catay the space of 6000 miles had here their trade and traffick The People here do yield divine honour to divers of the deceased Saints and build Temples unto Beasts The Gentlemen and Merchants have a custome to exchâ—nge Wives in token of great friendship Some Women amongst them have six or seven Husbands fathering their Children on which of them she best pleaseh The Men when they marry get others to use them if they be Virgins 15 or 20 dayes before they themselves do bed them Cranganor is a small Kingdom the Inhabitants of this City are Christians of St. Thomas profession about 70000 in number Cochin is now grown great by the Portugals traffick and friendship of the rest there there is not much worth recital The King of Coulam's Dominion stretcheth some 80 miles in which there is some 23 walled Towns Balassia Balassia or the Kingdom of Bocan is famous for its inexhaustible Mines of Gold and Silver The chief Cities of it are 1. Balassia 2. Bocan 3. Senergian Cambaia Cambaia is also called Guzant containing in length from the River Bate to Circam a Persian Region 500 miles of Sea-coast being on other parts invironed with the Kingdoms of Dulcinda and Sanga on the North Mandao on the East and on the West the Gedrosians the Sea and confines of Decan are the Southerly bounds It hath in it by estimation 60000 inhabited places watered with many streams the chief whereof is Indus Fertility This Countrey is very fertil not yielding to any other in India in the Fruits which the Trees and Earth bring forth beside the store of Elephants Gems Silk Cotton and such like Natures of the People The People are of an Olive-colour go naked except about their privy parts they eat no Flesh but Rice Milk Barley and other lifeless creatures Their chief Sea-Towns are Daman Bandora Curate Ravellum and within Land Cambaia Mallabar Campanel and Tanaa Cambaia hath bestowed the name on the whole Kingdom which they call the Indian Cairo for the excellency thereof it standeth three miles from Indus The Inhabitants of it are a mixture of Mahometans Moors Persians Bannyans and from Arabia they are crafty and deceitfull the Priests are singularly reputed of the Women proper but vailed and obscure in their best aspect their faces they colour their teeth black thinking that shews most delight and beauty ard to differ from Dogs whose teeth are white their Apparel is like the other Indians Mandao Mandao this Kingdom is so called of the chief City 1. Mandao which being 30 miles in compass held out a siege of twelve years 2. Molta where the Women ride booted and spur'd 3. Scernus 4. Polymbothia Bengala Bengala the Kingdom of Bengala is very large and hath a coast 120 leagues and as much within Land the River Chaberis watereth it Riches It is plentifull in Rice Wheat Sugar Ginger Long Pepper Cotton and Silk and enjoyeth a very wholesome Air. The Inhabitants near the shore are for the most part Mahumetans Gouro the State-Royal and Bengala are fair Cities Chatigan is also reckoned among the Cities Natures of the People They are a most subtil and wicked People and are esteemed the worst slaves in all India for that they are all Thieves and the Women Whores although this fault is common through all India no place excepted Here are found great abundance of Rhinocerots whose Horn and all other parts is good against poyson Oristan Oristan the Kingdom of Oristan hath on the Sea-coast 350 miles betwixt the richer Kingdoms of Bengala and Bisnagar poor of Ports and traffick Raman is the Royal City The Inhabitants except a few Moors are Gentiles little or nothing differing in Rites from their Neighbours Canora Canora the chief Cities of this Kingdom are 1. Vltabat 2. Danggar 3. Lispoe famous for her quarries of Adamant Six leagues from Decan is a Hill out of which the Diamond is taken this Hill is kept by a Garrison and walled about Dellie Dellie the Kingdom of Dellie is Northerly subject to cold and frosts as in Europe The chief Cities of this Kingdom are 1. Dellie 2. Besmer famous for the study of Magick 3. Tremell and 4. Fultabar This Prince liveth in great state having a Revenue correspondent thereunto his Subjects do reverence him exceedingly making it Holy-day when he cutteth his Hair or shaveth his Beard He is alwayes carried on Mens shoulders in a pompous Chair adorned richly Thus much of India intra Gangem India extra Gangem INdia extra Gangem hath on the East China West the rest of India This India hath formerly been divided amongst 12 Potentates but now by the prosperous fortune of the Kings of Siam and Brama it is wholly subject to their command The most remarkable of these 12 Kingdoms are Machin Arachan Camboia Cauchin-China Brama Siam and Pegu. Machin Machin This Kingdom is accounted famous for the Wood called by us Aloes by the Latin Writers Lignum Vitae this Wood is valued at its weight in pure Silver The chief City is Machin Arachan Arachan This Kingdom is environed round with Mountains and impenetrable Woods The chief Cities are 1. Arachan 2. Ava famous for her abundance of Gems Camboia Camboia This is a great and populous Countrey full of Elephants and Abadas this Beast is the Rhineceros The chief City is Camboia a Town of great Traffick and Commerce for its plenty of Gold Silver and Aloes and other Commodities of great worth Treacherous people They are a treacherous people as may appear by their dealing with the Hollanders in 160â— whom they invited to the shore with promise of certain Buffs and then cruelly slew them Cauchin-China Cauchin-China This Kingdom is situate between the River Cantan and the Kingdom of Siam divided into three Provinces and as many Kings Riches It aboundeth with Gold Silver Aloes Porcelane and Silk Their chief City is Cauchin-â—hina situate on the Sea much frequented by Merchants for Porcelanâ—… or China-Dishes here made Brama Brama Of this Kingdom of Brama the City-Royal is Pegu the Nation where began the greatness of the late Kings not long since This Kingdom was of no estimation but now hath he made all his Neighbours his Homagers having subjected to his Seigniory 12 Kingdoms being all of them rich in the best Commodities that the Indians afford Siam Siam This was not long since the Queen or Lady of this part of India but now is subject to the King of Brama The principal Cities are 1. Malaca now subject to the Portugals they have there their Bishop and a Colledge of
this Countrey are 1 Euphrates 2. Tygris Out of Chaldea the three Wise Men are thought to have come who worshipped Christ and presented Gifts unto him Thus much of Chaldea and the Continent of the Turkish Empire in Asia The Islands and his other Dominions subject unto him shall be mentioned in their due places Persia PErsia is bounded on the East with the River Indus West with Tygris and the Persian Gulf North with the Caspian Sea and the River Oxus and on the South with the Main Ocean Natures and Manners of the People The people of this Countrey are for the most part valiant and proper being Olive-coloured they have no hair on their head nor their Chin only on their upper lip they have it very long and turned downwards their eyes are generally black their noses high as be their foreheads Apparel In their Apparel they are very phantastical about their heads they wynde great rowls of Callico some of Silk and Gold Their outward Garment is commonly of Callico quilted with Cotton some wear them of party-coloured Silks some of Sattin and some of rich Gold or Silver Chamblets The Women likewise are gorgeous in attire their stature is mean but strait and comely their hair black and curled their forehead high their cheeks fat round and painted they look wantonly drink strongly and covet mens moneys really Houshold Furniture Their Houses to speak generally within are poor and sordid a Carpet a Pan and a Platter epitomizes all their Furniture The better sort sleep on Beds two foot high matted or done with girth'-web on which is a shagg or yopanger which riding serves as an Vmbrella against rain and sleeping for a Bed and Coverture Diet. They feed most on Rice boiled with Butter also Mutton Hens and Almonds The better sort sit on Carpets cross-legged using neither Spoon nor Knife for the poorer fort they feed most on Roots as Melons Garlick Opium and Honey They hate Swines-flesh Veal Beef Hares and Buffles because Mahomet forbids it them Provinces This Empire containeth the Provinces of Persis Susiana Caramania Gedrosia Drangiana Aria Arachosia Parapomisus Saca Hircania and Ormus The chief Cities of this Kingdom are 1. Persepolis now called Siras standing within the Province of Persis This City continued the mightiest in Asia 230 years at which time Alexander the Great gave a period to its greatness by the Whorish counsel of the Athenian Lais. It is in compass now some eight or nine miles and seated at the North-West end of a large Plain some twenty miles long and six broad the sides environed with mighty Hills under one of which this City is placed The prime beauty of this City is her Churches and Gardens there are some 14 or 15 Churches most of which are round like Theatres their outside tyling pargetted with Azure Stones two of these have two Pillars or Steeples as high as Pauls in London covered and wrought with Blew and Gold Their Houses are of Sun-burnt Brick flat on the top the windows trelized very curiously and though generally within they have no ornament yet some peculiar Houses as the Dukes and some others may be Competitors for delicacy with most in Europe The Gardens within this City abound in all kinds of Fruits In a word for all delicacy this City may compare with any part of Persia The 2. City of note is Sushan deriving her name from the Province wherein she stands This was once one of the three Royal Palaces of the Median Emperor one being at Babylon and another at Ecbatana Here it was that Ahashuerus made a Feast mentioned 1 Hester and yearly to this day the King celebrates a Feast of Roses and the Duke of Shiras who is Lord of Sushan a Feast of Daffadillies of like continuance 3. Caramania famous for Cloth of Gold and the best Scymitars 4. Gedrosia or Geste 5. Sige. 6. Aria most of them deriving their names from the Provinces wherein they stand Hyrcania Hyrcania This is now made a Province of the Persian Kingdom It hath on the North the Caspian Sea South Mount Taurus East and West Media this people are of late civilized by the Persians The Countrey of old and yet abounds with Tygers Wolves Lyons Wild-Cats Bears and Scorpions It is full of Woods which both befriends them against Winters cold and Summers heat which in their seasons are extreme The prime Cities of this Kingdom are 1. Asharaff she hath in her some 2000 Houses and is seated in a Plain not above two miles from the Caspian Sea The Buzzar in this Town is but homely nor enjoys she any Mosques or Prophets to be spoken of 2. Farabant is a very fair City this lies one mile from the Caspian Sea and five miles West from Asharaff It is yet the best Town for beauty greatness and wealth in the Kingdom of Hyrcania It is furnished with some long deep Prams sowed together with Hemp and Coord but unpitch'd or calk'd in these the Muscovian Merchants sail down Volga over the Caspian Sea and arrive at Farabant to traffick for raw Silks This City glories in her two large and beautifull Buzzars and fragrant Gardens and in a sumptuous Palace of the Kings 3. Omoall is built under Mount Taurus it hath 3000 Houses and inhabited by divers Nations In this City is a Church or Mosque wherein is intombed 444 Princes and Prophets of that Kingdom the people of this City are very courteous and beautified with complements and dainty feature The people of this Kingdom speak the language of the Persians their apparel is like the Irish Trooses their 〈…〉 are very kind and loving unto Travellers and upon any signal will receive them and hold it a point of rudeness in their Virgins if they be coy or disdainfull unto Strangers Ormus Ormus is an Isle within the Gulf it is in circuit 15 miles at the end of this Isle appears yet the ruines of that late glorious City built by the Portugals and lately taken from them by the Persians with the help of some of our English Ordnance so that it is now utterly ruined and not worth the owning which was but 15 years ago the only stately City of the Orient it is now disrobed of all her bravery the Persians each month conveying her ribs of Wood and Stone to aggrandize Gombroone not three leagues distant out of whose ruines she begins to triumph Gombroone is by the Natives called Bander or Port-Town it is distant from Ormus nine English miles It is seated on the Gulf and in the Ormusian Kingdom It containeth well-near 1000 Houses In January here arrive Ships from India English and Dutch and here the English Agent receives Custom of all Strangers that honour being granted for their good service done at Ormus The English and Dutch Merchants have their Houses here this Town in Winter is inhabited by sundry Nations as Persians Indians Arabs Jews all which fly away in the Summer to avoid the intollerable
Inhabitants It hath on the East Ethiopia Superior West the Atlantick Ocean North Lybia and South the Kingdom of Manicongo in Ethiopia Inferior Natures of the People The Inhabitants at most want the use of reason most alienate from dexterity of wit and all Arts and Sciences prone to luxury and are for the greater part Idolaters Riches The Countrey is abundantly stored with Gold and Silver very fine and pure The River Niger here as the River Nilus in Egypt overfloweth the adjacent Fields for the space of 40 dayes and in so many more recollects his waters into his proper Channels The chief Provinces or Kingdoms of which here are 25 are Kingdoms or Provinces Gualata this Province was subdued by the King of Tombuto a beggarly thievish lying Countrey as any is in the World they anoint their hair every day with the fat of Fish for great gallantry whereof they stink exceedingly The women esteem it their chiefest parts of goodly feature to have large breasts which by art and stretching some have them hanging to their Navel Guinea confineth with Gualata here there is neither Town nor Castle but Mina built and fortified by the Portugal for their better trading here They have some Snakes here of 30 foot long Spiders as big as the palm of ones hand slore of Camelions blue Parrots and many sorts of Apes They esteem it a great part of beauty to have a flat Nose Tombutum this is the richest Prince in all this part of Africk keeping a Royal Palace he hath some Scepters that weigh 13000 pound weight a piece The King will admit no Jews into the City he hateth them so yet he loveth and maintaineth a great number of learned men Melli a Countrey of 300 miles in length hath the richest civilest and industriousest Inhabitants of any amongst these Negrites Cano is a Countrey abounding in Lemmons and Pomegranates Gialofi the people hereof are of that admirable nimbleness that they will leap on a Horse when he gallopeth and stand upright when he runs fastest Benin here the people go naked untill they are married and then are clothed from the wast to the knees the King hereof hath 600 Wives with all which twice a year he goeth in pomp the Gentlemen have some 80 some 90 the meanest 1â— Men and Women pinck their bodies putting thereon grease mixed with colour here they offer their Wives to Strangers Nubia stretcheth from Gaoga unto Nilus having the Egyptian confines on the North and the Desarts of Goran on the South Dangala is their chief Town and hath 10000 Families but ill built their Houses being Chalk and Straw the Inhabitants with their Traffick to Cairo become rich there is in this Kingdom great store of Corn Sugar Civet Sandal and Ivory They have a strong poyson here the tenth part of a Grain whereof will kill a man in a quarter of an hour one Ounce is sold for 100 Ducats Bornum here the people have neither Children Wives nor Names but are distinguished by some external accident Gaoga this Kingdom hath neither civility letters nor Government The chief Towns of these Provinces are Tombutum Genni Agadez Guangara Songum and Choninam the third City in estimation of all Africk Thus much of the Land of the Negros Ethiopia Superior or the Empire of Prester John THis is the greatest and powerfullest Prince in all Africk his Dominion begins at the entrance of the Red Sea and stretcheth to the entrance of the Island of Seine North East on Egypt and the Desarts of Nubia and on the South-side on Monemugi It contains in compass 4000 Italian miles Fertility The Region is scarce in Wheat but plenty in Rice Barley Pease and Beans They have abundance of Sugar Minerals of all sorts and infinite Herds of Oxen and Sheep they have no coyn of Gold or Silver Salt is the most currant money The Mountains and Woods are full of Bassill and other odoriferous Plants Natures of the People The people are much inclined to Barbarism destitute of learning not to be credited unless they swear by the life of their Prince they hate a Smith equally with the Devil their colour is generally Olive-tawny Rivers Their chief Rivers are Abas Totcasis and Nilus There are in this Empire 70 tributary Kingdoms the chief whereof are Barnagasso this Kingdom is situate upon the Red Sea it stretcheth from Suachen almost to the mouth of the Streits it hath no other Port on the Red Sea but Erocco neither hath the Prester any other Port in all his Dominion but this and of late the Turk hath taken this with that of Suachen and forced the Governour of this Province to compound for the yearly sum of 1000 ounces of Gold Tigramahon this Kingdom lyeth between Nilus Marabo Angote and the Sea It hath in it Cazunio supposed to be the Royal Seat of that Queen that visited Solomon Angote is between Tigramahon and Amare in this Kingdom Iron and Salt is currant money The Hill Amarah Amara is situate in the midst of the Countrey here is a steep Hill dilating it self in a round form many dayes journey in compass It is situate in a Plain extending it self every way without other Hill in the same for the space of â—0 leagues the form is round the height is such that it is a dayes work to ascend from the bottom to the top the air above is wholesome and delectable and they live there very long without sickness there are 34 Palaces on the top spacious sumptuous and beautifull where the Princes of the Royal blood have their abode with their Families Xoa this Kingdom hath store of Corn and Cattle Goyame this Kingdom hath plenty of Gold here only and in the Hills of the Moon is found the Unicorn which is seldom seen only the Horn is found which he casteth in manner of the Hart. Fatigar in Fatigar is a Lake on the top of a high Mountain 12 miles in compass stored with Fish and thence run many Rivers stored with the same Fish Guegere was sometime called Mero the Inhabitants are confederate with the Turks and Moors against the Abassines it is an Island situate in the Riveâ— Nilus The chief Cities of this Kingdom are Saba and Zambra besides these two there is none have above 3000 Houses in them but these are populous and magnificent with Towers Temples triumphant Arches Obelisks Pyramides and the like tokens of Industry Antiquity and Majesty Saba was founded by the Queen which visited Solomon and was the Mother-City of the Empire It hath 5000 Houses great and sumptuous the Streets spacious with Portals and Pent-houses it hath four choice Gates all Alablaster and Jasper wrought with antique works the great doors of Cedar curiously carved the wayes that lead to these Gates for the space of two leagues are set with Palms Planes Oranges Cedars Cypress and other Trees on both sides for shade and fruit Near to this City are Mines of Gold Gardens and other
strengthened with two Castles This Island is well stored with Tin and Lead and is by the Inhabitants at this day called Mamland Hethy Hethy the second Island of note is Hethy The People of this Island are great drinkers but no drunkards they use the Gothish Language which they derive from the Norwegians in whose possession they once were and of whose qualities they yet retain some smack The Hebrides THese Islands are situate on the West-side of Scotland and are some 44 in number Ila the chief of which are 1. Ila 44 miles long and 16 broad plentifull in Wheat and Cattel and herds of red Deer Iona. The second is Iona famous for the Sepulchers of the Scottish Kings whose chief Town is Sodore Mula The third is Mula which is 25 miles bigger than the other The People both in language and behaviour resemble the wilde Irish and are called Red-Shanks The Sorlinges THese Islands called by the English Silly are situate over against the Western Cape of Cornwall from which they are distant 24 miles They are in number 145 of which ten only are of estimation viz. Armath Agues Sampson Silly Bresar Rusco S. Helens S. Martins Arthur and S. Maries the chief of all the rest as being 8 miles in compass sufficiently fruitfull and strengthened with a Castle call'd Stella Maria. These Islands are well stored with Grass Grain and Lead The Sporades THe chief of these Islands are Man Anglesey Jarsie Gernsey and Wight Man Man this Isle is situate just over against the Southern part of Cumberland from which it is distant 25 miles it is in length 30 and in breadth 15 miles The People hate theft and begging they use a Language mixt of the Norwegian and Irish Tongues The Soyl is abundant in Flax Hemp Oats Barley and Wheat with which they use to supply the defects of Scotland The chief Towns are Balacuri and Russin or Castle-Town the Seat of a Bishop Jâ—…sie Jarsie this Island of Jarsie is in compass 20 miles and contains 12 Towns or Villages the chief being S. Hillary and S. Malo The ground is plentifull in Grain and Sheep most of them having four Horns of whose Wool our true Jarsie Stockings are made Anglesey Anglesey this Island is in length 20 miles and in breadth 17 containing in former times 360 Towns and Villages of which the chief are Beumaish Newberg and Abersraw This Island is abundantly fertil in all things necessary to preserve the life of Man Gernsey Gernsey is distant 20 miles from Jarsey to whom it is far inferiour in respect of fertility and largness but more commodious because of her safe harbours it contains ten Parishes the chief being St. Peters The People use the French Tongue and in their Ecclesiastical Discipline follow the Church of Geneva Wight Wight this Isle is severed from Hampshire by a little narrow and dangerous Streight of the Sea it contains 20 miles in length and 12 in breadth The Soyl is fruitfull the Sheep bear delicate fine Wool and the Trees store of Fruit. Here are two Parks and one Forrest as also 36 Towns and Villages the principal being Newport Yarmouth and Brading The Island is very strong especially toward France it is fortified with three Castles in one of which is Armour for 5000 Men. There are divers other Islands as Demry Londay and Chaldey in the Severn Sea Thanett and Sheppy near Kent and Holyfarne and Cockat on the Confines of Northumberland Thus much of the Brittish Islands The Northern Islands THe principal Islands dispersed in this Sea are Groaenland Island Freezland Nova Zemla and Sr. Hugh Willobyes Island Groaenland Groaenland this Island is situate under the Northern cold Zone the longest day in Summer being three moneths and a half it is in length more than 600 miles The chief Towns are S. Thome and Alba. In this Island the Londoners have met with a good trade of Fishing Island Island is about 400 miles in length and a damnable cold Countrey The People hereof use dryed Fish instead of Bread their best Commodity is their Fish which they exchange with forreign Merchants for other things The Island Ling is famous over all Europe the chief Towns are Hallâ—… and Schshâ—lten This Island is the Hill Hecklefort vomiting flames of fire like Etna in Sicilie Freezland the only riches of this Island is their Fish for which Commodity it is never without the Ships of Flemmings Danes Scots Hansmen and English much frequented by the last It is almost as big as Ireland and subject to the King of Denmark Nova Zemla Nova Zemla this Island lyeth on the North of Muscovy and Lapland and is famous for nothing but the Pigmies which are here supposed to inhabit Sr. H. W. Island Sr. Hugh Willougbies Island is so called because he first discovered it and because he was thereabouts frozen to death Thus much of the Northern and of the European Islands The Oriental Islands THe Islands of Asia are either in the Mediterranean Sea as Rhodes and Cyprus or in the Oriental Ocean as Japan Zeilan Moliccoes Java Major Minor Summatra Burneo and the Philippine Japan This Island on the East is situate over against China Natures of the People of whose nature and qualities the Inhabitants do some what participate It is in length 200 leagues and in breadth in some places 30 in others not above 10. It is devided into 66 Shires or petty Kingdoms Fertility The Soyl is not very fruitfull subject to much Snow but the air is very wholesome and the Bowels of the Earth inriched with divers Metals â—n this Island are two high Mountains one of which casteth forth Flames on the top whereof the Devil useth to shew himself in a bright Cloud to them that by long fasting have prepared themselves for the sight The other called Figeniaris is by some leagues higher than the Cloud The chief Cities are Meaco and Bandum an University This Island is said to be frequented by the Jesuites of whom 200 is said to live here Zâ—…ylon Zelon this famous Isle is not far distant from the point of India called Cape Comrein It is in form resembling an Egg Fertility and for fertility may be compared to any Country in the whole Universe It abounds in Odoriferous Aromatical Spices with whole Woods of the best Cynamon that â—ver the Sun saw besides fruits Oranges Lemmons surmounting those of Spane also here are found the best Smargads Rubies and Amber-Greese through Asia Natures of thaâ— People The Inhabitants are egregious Panyms they hold that on the high Peak called by the Europeins Columbo Adam was there created and lived there and hither do their Pilgrims resort apace where on the top of a high mount is conspicuously set the Idea of a horrible Caco Daemon is invelloped with a Cloud of Arms and sedulously looked unto The Moluccoes The Moluccoes are usually reckoned 5. but