Selected quad for the lemma: land_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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B18917
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The character of Spain or, an epitome of their virtues and vices.
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1660
(1660)
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Wing C2024; Thomason E.2109[2]
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25,100
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108
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France nor tossed with such earthquakes as Italy nor nipt and pincht by the benumming thumbs of Winter as Holland Swethland and several other Regions but enjoys a moderate and temperate Air. Spain abounds with the most generous Wines and the best Oyls as also the best Fruits as Figs Raisins Almonds Orenges Lemons and Pomegrannets and all other kinde of Vegetables as Herbs Roots and Flowers Besides her bowels are richly furnished with Mettals as Iron Steel Quicksilver and Gold She produceth good Silk Flax an excellent Wooll though they are beholding to us for that commodity Now for that generous Animal the Horse she surpasseth all Countreys for their Cordovan Gjnnets excel those of Turkey for fierceness those of Barbary for their light feet or nimble heels as we term it and those of Italy in comliness of proportion Her stately Fabricks Structures and Cities are as numerous as stately which occasioned the Proverb Quien no ha visto Sevilla non ha visto Maravilla Quien no ha visto Lisboa no ha visto cosa boa He that ne're saw Sevil ne're saw a miracle and he that ne're saw Lisbon ne're saw any thing that was rare but the cadency of the words in the Spanish is far more harmonious than in the English Dialect To prove which I need mention but one and that is the Monastery of St. Laurence near the Escurial which for matter and form is not to be parallel'd Claudian breaks out into an Elogium of her which concludes thus Dives equis frugum facilis pretiosa metallis The patience of the Spaniard is commendable their valor notable their fidelity very signal which was the reason that Julius Caesar us'd to have a Guard of them and Augustus a Band of Biscayners or Cantabrians about him In their Military discipline they are admirable very strict and severe and obedient to their Commanders as may appear by that Spanish Centinel who was found dead in the morning in a tower upon the Cittadel of Antwerp with his musket in his hand in a defensive posture standing on his legs upright like one that was alive and in health to their seeming yet all frozen Besides they are infinitely carefull of their National Honor and very industrious to promote it For their Discoveries of other Countreys they have had great success and rendred themselves famous thereby And though they have received vast heaps of gold and silver from the Americans in requital whereof that they might not be altogether ingrateful they received Christianity and weâ—e civiliz'd by them when as before the Savages did resemble bruit beasts more than rational men It was the Spanish Navigation that first confuted that erroneous opinion that there were no such persons in esse as the Antipodes when as be ore there was a Bishop imprison'd at Rome for verifying this now uncontrovertible Tenet which is understood almost by every plebeian The Friars in the West and the Jesuites in the East-Indies first planted Christian Religion and cultivated those parts and made a fruitful vineyard of them baptising them in the Laver of regeneration nay it is credibly reported that one single Franciscan Frier did christen 400000 of them And though the Proverb hath it Espania las Armas Italia lapluma Spain is more for the pike then the pen yet they have produc'd some famous lights of the Church as Fulgentius Isiodore Paulus Orosius Justinian and others and some Rabbies though of different sect yet may they have a place in the Catalogue of learned men as Rabbi David Chimcho Rabbi Abenezra and Rabbi Mases and more that might be mention'd Now for eminent Doctors in the Civil Law she hath brought up no small number as Alvarus Valascus Goveaneus that is confest and approv'd of for the best and truest interpreter that ever commented upon Justinian Calixtus the third and Pinellus As for Physick she hath produc'd many that have bin very eminent as Garcias ab Horto Averroes of Cordova Christopher a Vega Avicenna of Sevil c. Nor hath she bin destitute of Philosophers witness Seneca who transcended and surpass't all his Predecessors and Posterity hitherto in precepts of morality many more that might be mention'd She hath flourisht with store of Poets that deserv'd the Bays as Silius Italicus Lucan and several others that might be specified Seneca the Rhetorician was an off-spring of their own who was famous for his tenacious memory and several famous Historians as well as Orators Justinus the great Trogus Pomperus Ludovicus Vives Pomponius Mela Martial Columella and Fabius Quintilianus All which have added very much to the Republick of Literature and bin famous for their several works now extant And that you may not think Learning to be a qualification that men are onely adorned withall you shall find it shine in the contrary sex for they can boast of one Aloysia Sigea a famous female Pallas Alcera a second Minerva who was excellently vers'd in five several languages and those that are the radices of all others as Latine Greek Hebrew Syriack and Chaldaick and some of the epistles that Paul the third wrote to this Toledo virgin are extent to this very day That her confines extend incredible wil appear by this that there are but 360d in the Zodiack and Portugal herself is thought to take up 200. Now it must necessarily follow that her policy prudence in governing so many squandred kingdoms so great a number of inhabitants of several humours constitutions and tempers must needs be great The King of Spain may imperare but the miracle is how he makes them parere 't is not so great a wonder that he governs them as that he makes themobey when as we all know that the vulgar are very apt to be rebellious and raise a mutiny in one single countrey and yet he makes multitudes of people and those of several countreys bow to his Scepter And as she is famous for her Government and Policy she is also eminent for the number of Princes that she hath brought forth bestow'd upon other Naations as well as those that have sway'd the Spanish Scepter and first she produced Ferdinand of Arragon who first founded the Spanish Monarchy by matching with Donna Isabella queen of Castile and Philip the II. who was tearm'd Philip the Prudent by a Parlament in Spain afterwards solemnly confirm'd by a Consistory at Rome Besides she hath brought forth Princes to other nations as Theodosius the I. the first Emperor noted for Morality and Virtue who rebuilt and raised up the tottering Roman Monarchy And Trajan the Emperor who had as great a share of Piety as Augustus had of Felicity as also the Emperor Hadrian and Ferdinand the First who was an Infant of Spain a Prince who for all Virtues and Qualifications suitable to and necessary for one of his dignity came short of none of his Predecessors To conclude and draw to a period The Spaniard is very much to be commended for his Policy Prudence and deliberate Consultations for his Patience Gravity and admirable Choler his noble and liberal Disposition his Valor Magnanimity Constancy and height of Spirit As for Spain her self she may be term'd The Exchequer of Christendom and the Nurse of stout Champions who exceeds in Men and Mines and Arts as well as Arms. Her Kings are the longest arm'd Monarchs in the world who have as many Kingdoms as some have Provinces as many Fleets as some have Ships as many Viceroys as some Marshals and as many Capitains by Sea and Land as others have private Soldiers Fortune her self may be call'd the King of Spains Wife who hath brought with her such vast Treasures for her Dowry And thus having given you a taste of her Vices and Vertues Power and Weakness Perfection and Imperfection I lay down my Quill being come to my Ne ultra Books to be sold by Nath Brook at the Angel in Cornhil 1. THe Accomplisht Cook the Mystery of the whole Art of Cookery revealed in a more easie and perfect Method then hath been publisht in any Language expert and ready ways for the dressing of Flesh Fowl and Fish the raising of Pastes the best directions for all manner of Kickshaws and the most poinant Sauces with the terms of Carving and Sewing c. By Robert May in the time of his attendance on several persons of Honor. 2. J. Cleaveland Revived Poems Orations Epistles and other of his Genuine Incomparable Pieces A second Impression with many Additions 3. The Exquisite Letters of Master Robert Loveday the late admired Translator of the Volumes of the famed Romance Cleopatra for the perpetuaring his memory publisht by his dear Brother Mr. A. L. 4. Englands Worthies Select Lives of the most Eminent Persons from Constantine the Great to the death of O. Cromwel late Protector By W. Winstanley Gent. An excellent Piece 5. The Scales of Commerce and Trade the Mystery revealed as to Traffick with a Debitor or Creditor for Merchants Accompts after the Italian way and easiest Method As also a Treatise of Architecture and a Computation as to all the Charges of Building By T. Wilsford Gent. 6. William Clowes his Chyrurgical Observations for those that are burned with flames of Gunpowder as also for the curing of wounds and of the Lues venerea 7. Moor's Arithmetick the second Edition much refined and diligently cleared from the former mistakes of the Press A Work containing the whole Art of Arithmetick as well in Numbers as Species Likewise 8. Exercitatio Elleiptica Nova Or a new Mathematical Contemplation on the Oval Figure called an Elleipsis together with the two first Books of Midorgius his Conicks Analiz'd and made so plain that the Doctrine of Conical Sections may be easily understood a Work much desired and never before publisht in the English tongue By Jonas Moor late of Durham FINIS N B