a temple of death In these temples alters were erected to the Gods of the yeare to monethly Gods to Arte pouertie The inhabitants of this prouince did in tymes past excel in nauigation they do not now degenerate from their anceters Their chief comodities rise of salt fish This was the last I le knowne in the world as antiquitie belieued And there they said the Sunne beeing weeried with running his dayly race descended into the Ocean sea tooke rest therefore this I le is of Statius called the Sunnes bed GADES FRANCE THe realme of France as now it is limitted hath on the north syde the narrow seas that deuyde it from England westward it hath the west Ocean in the southwest it ioyneth to Spaine directly south it bordereth vpon the Mediterraneum sea On the Eastsyde to begin from the south downward vnto the north it bordereth first vpon Sauoy then on the Countie of Burgundie otherwise called La Franche Countè so along by Lorraine vpon Luxembourg Heualt Ã…rtois This goodly kingdome is aboundant in corne and wyne al sortes of frutes hauing plenty of cattel and foule wanteth not all other necessarie thinges mynes it is not renowmed to haue yet is it moste ritch opulent beeing situate in the middest of the chief countries of Europe hauing trafike on all sydes It shal not be needful to shew the three parts wherein Ceasar recounteth it to haue bene deuyded of oldtyme seeing both the limitts and inhabitants are since altered At this present it is deuyded into eight prouinces which are vnder eight continual courtes of Parlament The first is the prouince of France otherwise called the I le of France wherein the citie of Paris is situate In which citie the first courte of parlament resideth The second prouince is Languedoc the parlament whereof is in Tholouse The third Guienne whose parlament is in Bourdeaux The fowrth is Normandie whose parlament is in Roan The fist is Burgundie whose parlament is Dijeon The sixt is Dauphinè whose parlament is in Grenoble The seauenth is Prouence whose parlament is in Aix The eight is Britannie whose parlament is in Renes and vnder these eight prouinces all France is conteyned limitted for recours of iustice vnto these parlaments FRANCE GASCONIE THis prouince of Gasconie is situate on the southwest syde of France reatching on thesaid syde vnto the Pireney mountaines by the which France Spaine are deuyded On the east syde it hath Languedoc and on the north Guienne and Arminac The people are valiant warlyk The country is very plentiful of all thinges but it chiefly aboundeth in wyne where with it not only serueth it self but sundry other countryes in Europe besydes In the tyme of Carolus Magnus it was called the kingdome of Gascony In this country thesaid Charles the great marching against the Saracins of Spaine did lose in a battaile forty thowsand men in which battaile his noble nephew the Earle Roland was slaine This country was first subdued vnto France by Dagobert the first of that name In the yeare of our lord 1155 both it and all Aquitaine came to bee subiect vnto the crowne of England through the mariage of King Henry the second of that name with Elinor daughter and heyr vnto VVilliam Duke of Aquitaine And it was lost in the yeare of our lord 1453. in the 31 yeare of the raigne of King Henry the sixt so as it remayned vnder the obeisanâ—e of England about 300 yeares GASCONIE POICTOV THis prouince of Poitou called in Latin Pictauia is detryded into two partes to wit the Superior Inferior The vpper Poitou is that which stretcheth east-ward towards the countries of Towrs Berry the nether Poitou is that parte which westward extendeth it self to the Ocean sea It is a country frutefull in Corne Cattel rich in wynes furnished with great store of fish And the great aboundance of wyld beastes fowle doth cause the delightfull sportes of hunting hauking to bee here much vsed The chief citie of this prouince is called Poitiers having a notable vniuersitie chiefly for study of the Ciuil law this citie is of great antiquitie as appeereth by the Theatre Aquaduct monuments which are there yet remaining POICTOV BRITANNIE BRitannie called in tyme past Armorica bordereth eastward vpon the country of Maine and a parte of Aniou towards the north it hath the narrow sea a parte of the country of Constantin towards the west the maine Ocean towards the south the country of Poitou It is reconed in two partes to wit the higher the lower Britany There are in it nyne Bishoprykes which are deuided into three distinckt quarters Three of these which are Cornuaille S. Paul Treguiers do speake the British tongue the inhabitants are called Cornubians Other three to wit those of Dol Renes S. Malo do speake the French tongue The third beeing those of Nantes Vannes and S. Brieu do speak both French and British The principall townes in Britannie are Nantes and Renes but in Renes resydeth the courte of Parlament for the whole prouince The chief hauen of all Britany is that of Brest It is not to bee omitted that the hauen of S. Malo is garded with mastiues which beeing thereto trayned do there kepe diligent night watch It is generally a pleasant fertile country the earable land beeing as good as can be desyred hauing also plenty of wood pasture exceeding great store of medow ground There are in it mynes of Iron lead in some places siluer fyne salt is there boyled through the heat of the Sun And the country through the many comodities thereof the sea trafike is very welthy BRITANNIE NORMANDIE NOrmandie hath on the north syde thereof the narrow seas that seperate England France on all sydes els ir is enuyrond with seuerall countries prouinces of France From whence this Duchie taketh name the name it self of Normandie doth declare to wit North-mandie that is the dwelling or region of the men of the North for from Norvvay othewise North-vvay came Rolo afterward called Robert with his Northmen and of Charles the simple King of France hee and his people obtayned heere there habitation about the yeare of our Lord. 9 12. This prouince of Normandie is a moste pleasant fertil soile so wel furnished of all necessaries as sildome any place better It hath great store of flesh and fish of corne and vvood much wyne it hath not there growing but is furnished with great store by the riuer of Scine which coming through Paris passeth by Roan the chief citie of this prouince All the corne feilds as also the high wayes passages are set planted about with frute-trees espitially aples peares which yeildeth great aboundance of tider perry The riuer of Seine as a foresaid passing by Roan falleth into the sea at Haure de grace or nevvhauen where ships arryuing do
haue made their residences This citie of Auignion among other rareties hath seauen thinges of note seauen againe of each of them to wit seauen Pallaces seauen Parishes seauen Hospitales seauen Monasteries of women seauen Colleges seauen Couents seauen Gates PROVENCE THE COVNTIE OF BVRGVNDY THe countie of Burgundy the frenchmen call La franche Conté that is to say a free earldome the limits of this earldome northward are Lorraine Germany southward Sauoy westward the Duchy of Burgundy eastward Svvitserland Besançon Dole are the two chief cities of this country The former of these beeing very auncient is the principall of all It hath as good pleasant a situation as any citie els beeing enuyroned with ritch mountaines plentiful vineyards forests of goodly Oakes the riuer of Doux which passeth through the middest thereof doth yeild vnto it very good fish Dole standeth also vpon the same riuer and hath a flourishing vniuersitie in all faculties of learning In a parte of this country there are salt pittes which do yeild moste excellent pure whyte salt In that parte called Arbois groweth the excellent wyne called vin d'Arbois The whole country although but litle is both fruteful wel inhabited albeit it bee said of Orgelet a place where very industrious people dwel that liue by clothmaking that by reason of the rocks mountaynes the fields are without gras the riuers without fish the hilles without wood THE COVNTIE OF BVRGVNDY THE DVCHIE OF BVRGVNDIE THis second or lower Burgundie now a Dukedome was in former ages a kingdome the kinges where of did for the moste parte make their residences in the citie of Arles so as the boundes of this kingdome stretched much farther then this Duchie now doth the which paleth with Campaigne on the north syde with Niuernois Bourbonnoys on the west with the country of Lions on the south the countie of Burgundie on the east Of this Duchie Dijeon is the chief citie it lieth vpon the riuer of Ouche here is held the tribunall or courte of Parlament for Burgundie c. The riuer whereon this citie standeth is full of fish The country is very frutefuul yeildeth very good wyne The Dukes of Burgundie haue heretofore bene very famous of great power opulence and the people valiant The country taketh name as Saniulianus saith of a Burg or castle in the vally of Ogue therefore called Burgogue It hath besydes Dijeon diuers fair cities as Beaunle Chalon Mascon sundry others among which Autun sheweth it self to bee of great antiquitie where the ruynes of a great Theatre are yet to bee seene The cronicles of Aemylius do shew how about the yeare 1044 the whole country of Burgundie was deuyded into two partes to wit into a Dukedome and an Earldome THE DVCHIE of BVRGVNDIE LORRAINE THis Dukedome accompted to bee of Germanie hath on the east syde the country of Alsatia in the south the countie of Burgundy in the west Champaigne on the north the forest of Arden It was heretofore a kingdome and called Austrasia but then extending it self much farther then it now doth It tooke the name of Lorraine of Lotbarius nephew vnto Charles the great was annexed vnto the Empyre vnder Otho the first The country is hilly but wanteth nothing necessary for mannes vse It is furnished with cattel hath very good medowes pasture groundes it yeildeth corne wyne It hath mynes of Siluer Tin Copper Iron Lead Pearles are found in some waters in the valley of vaguy The pretious stone called the Calcedony with sundry other stones of woorth are here fomid as also azure More-ouer here is exceeding pure whyte salt which is said to yeild yearly vnto the Duke all charges borne 100000 Franckes There is a lake about 14 leagues in compas wherein amonge other sortes of fish are carpes of exceeding sweet taste comonly of three foote long one foote large this Lake beeing fished euery three yeares doth yeild somuch that it maketh in yearly value vnto the Duke 16000 Franks Lorraine hath many fyne riuers the holesome warm bath of Plombiers The chief citie is Nancy there the Duke moste comonly resydeth LORRAINE CALIS and BVLLEN OF all partes of the maine continent this only parte is in the view of England England thereof is viewed These two townes with their territories are paled on the east syde with west Flaunders on the west syde with the English or narrow seas northward with the Germaine Ocean southward with Artois Picardie The country aboute Bullen is good pleasant inward into the land are hilles some woods which are accompted portions or partes of the great forest of Arden which the french call Boys de morman The country about Calis is vnpleasant low warrish Calis of sundry authors is called Iccius Portus but others atribute that name vnto Bullen At Bullen is yet beheld a strong tower built by Iulius Ceasar of Englishmen called the old man The towne territory of Calis was subiect to the crowne of England from the yeare 1346 what tyme through force of armes it was by Edvvard the third taken from the french vnto the yeare 1557 when the Lord vventvvorth beeing gouernour thereof for Queene Marie it was taken againe by the French so that it remayned in the possession of the English 210 yeares and the towne of Calis became famous through the Staple of wool by them there holden In tymes past the towne of Calis belonged vnto Flaunders after vnto France then to England so to France agame as hath bin said in the yeare 1596 It was taken from the French through force by the Archduke then Cardinal Albertus of Austria gouernour of the Netherlands at that tyme for the King of Spaine in the yeare 1598 vpon a peace concluded betwene France Spaine it was rendred againe to the French CALIS and BVLLEN VERMANDOIS VErmandois is almost enuyroned with Picardy saue that on the one syde thereof it ioyneth vpon Artois and Cambresy It is a litle prouince but the name is of antiquitie the people thereof were of old called Veromandui The chief towne hereof is called S. Quintins which was long since called Augusta Veromanduorum howbeit one author saith that thesaid Augusta was two myles from the towne of S. Quintines and was since called the Abbey of Vermond This was wont to bee a Bishopryke but S. Medard the fourteenth Bishop of Vermandois translated that seat vnto Noyon in the yeare 524 when the Vandales came into France Phillip the second King of Spaine tooke this towne by force of armes in the yeare 1557 with great discomfiture losse of the French men In this country of Vermandois two notable riuers haue there begining the one not far from the other The one is the riuer of Somme which passing through Picardie falleth into the sea at S. Valeries The other is the riuer of Skeld which passing
also sheep whose tailes are of incredible greatnes conteyne 5 or 6 yea 8 or 9 pound of flesh A certaine beast there is which is called Hyena which draweth dead bodies out of the graues vnto his den and their feedeth on them it is about the bignes of a wolf the people of the country are of opinion that these beastes do vnderstand their speech espetialy when they go about to catche them These people are generally held to be very crafty fals deceatful NATOLIA EGIPT THis ritch ancient kingdome hath on the north syde thereof the Midland sea on the east the desert of Sues the northerne end of the Red sea on the south the countrie of Nubia on the west the land of Barcha In this country of Egipt it raineth not but the riuer of Nyle ouerflowing it at sundry tymes doth make it of great fertilitie in the said riuer is a piller of marble whereon are made certaine markes of the height that the water doth arise vnto when the yeare wil prooue plentiful The riuer is deep great ships may pas on it the great serpent called the Crocodile liueth heere and eateth both men horse the fish of the riuer The greatest cittie is called Cairo or Alcaire it is meruelous great of great welth Not far from hence are the moste wonderful Pyramides vpon the greatest whereof as Plinie writerh 2060 men did continually woork for the space of 20 yeares they are buylded foure square from the foot vnto the top do stil grow sloping lesse lesse a man standing on the top for there is some space to stand or go shooting a bolt out of a crosbow the bolt in falling downe wil light on the same Pyramide which argueth the greatenes of the space it carieth beneath at the foot which greatnes also apeereth in that it neuer yeildeth any shadow from it These Pyramides haue bene buylt by the ancient kinges of Egipt to serue for their sepulchres these sepulchres the Egiptians vsed for the conseruation of their dead bodies which euen at this present are found vnrotten the flesh of them is called Mummia caried thence into other countries to bee vsed in medicyne The 2 principall sea-hauens of Egipt are Alexandria Damiata EGIPT THE porte of CARTHAGE THe countrie enuyroning the gulf of Golette otherwise called Sinus Cartha ginensis hauing at the south end thereof the cittie of Tunis is now after the name of that cittie called the kingdome of Tunis It lieth on the northsyde on the Midland sea almost directly ouer against Sardinia on the west it extendeth to Algiers eastward to Mesurata all along on the southsyde it hath the mountaines that seperate Barbarie from Biledulgerid This kingdome conteyneth 5 prouinces to wit Bugia Constantine the iurisdiction of the cittie of Tunis Tripoli and Ezzab On the west syde of thesaid Gulf are the ruynes of an aquaduct of the Ancient cittie of Carthage whereof but some sew ruynes els are left behynde to testify that once so famous a cittie hath flowrished in that place some number of howses village-lyke to that it hath bin about 25 shops of marchants are now there to bee found This cittie of Carthage is a true glasse wherein the incertitude of this vaine world may bee seene that no glorie on earth can haue euerlasting durance THE porte of CARTHAGE ABISSINE or the EMPYRE of PRESTER-IOHN THe great King comannder of all Aethiopia sundry other kingdomes countries is called of Christians Proster Iohn of the moores Arictabassi of his owne people Acegue that is Emperor His dominions are limited on the southsyde with the Mountaines Lamae on the west with the kingdome of Congo the riuer Nyger c. on the north with Nubia Bugia that confyne vpon Egipt on the east with the Red sea Synus Barbaricus The country generaly is very fruteful albeit there bee litle corne yet is there other grayne other good frutes not found in Europe vineyards they haue but no olyue trees yet make they oyle of an herbe called Gena Of hony and wax they haue meruelous great store They haue al sortes of great beastes as Elephants Lions Camels horses red-deere kyen gotes c. they are much endamaged by great multitudes of grashopers Good mynes of metals they haue but not theskil to make vse of them They haue 2 somers 2 winters which are not greatly denyded by heat or cold but by rainy faire wheather The people are of a kynde of tawny colour vnseene in notable scyences without knowlege of Phisick They haue no coyned mony but vse peces or wedges of gold by waight They are Christians but hold many grosse errors both men and women are circumsised they are Christened at 40 dayes old They haue a book which is deuyded in 8 partes which they beleeue the Apostles to haue written before their departure from Ierusalem Mōnasteries they haue many both of men women wherein they do liue stricktly but it is lawfull for lay men to haue 2 or 3 wyues at once deuorcements are also allowed The Emperor affirmeth him self to be descended from the lyne of King Dauid he hath no one setled place of residence but remoueth from one prouince to another dwelleth in tents It is said hee is not of the colour of his people but of a whyter fairer skin He may surely bee accompted one of the greatest princes of the world is esteemed able to bring to the feld a million of men 500 elephants a great nomber of horses camels ABISSINE or the EMPYRE of PRESTER-IOHN BARBARIE ON the northsyde of Africa all along by the Mediteraneum sea oueragainst the south partes of Spaine France Italy lieth this country of Barbarie al along on the southsyde thereof are certaine woodie mountaines that deuyde it from Biledulgerid in these hilles are great store of wyld beastes This country of Barbarie is held the best moste fruteful parte of Africa conteyneth 4. kingdomes or rather in deed prouinces to wit Maroco Fez Telesine and Tunis The inhabitants are of a duscish colour are called Barbarians of the woord Barbara which in the Arabee tongue signifieth grumbling because their speech soundeth in the eares of the Arabians as no perfect or cleere pronunced speech but as a kynde of grumbling they were first Idolaters afterward conuerted to the faith of Christ yet at the length they came to Mahometisme wherein they yet continew are for the most parte subiects or tributaries to the Turck except some few places which are in the possession of the King of Spaine BARBARIE FESSE and MAROCCO AT the west end of Barbarie are thease 2 kingdomes of Fesse Marocco that of fesse lieth of the twaine more toward the north the Mediteraneum sea that of Marrocco more inward toward the south The realme of Fesse taketh name of
AN EPITOME OF ORTELIVS HIS THEATRE OF THE VVORLD VVHEREIN the principal regions of the earth are described in smalle Mappes VVith a brief declaration annexed to ech Mappe And donne in more exact manner then tâ—e lyke declarations in Latin French or other languages It is also amplyfied with new Mappes wanting in the Latin editions CONTEMNO ET ORNO MENTE MANV Α ☧ Ω AT LONDON PRINTED BY IOHN NORTON DE GOVERNOVR E VENT GRACE TO THE NOBLY-DESCENDED AND VERTVOVSLY-ACCOMPLISHED Mr. RICHARD GARGRAVE MOST vvoorthy sir no sooner did this stranger my friend set foot on English shore but being desirous to trauail North I could not devise vvhere he should finde more condigne respectiue intertainment then vnder your most fauourable roof It appears by his many languages namely Latin Italian French Spanish high lovv Dutch and novv lastly English that he hath sometimes bin a traueler And so indeed if you examin him throughly you shall finde he hath asvvell by sea as by land In his discourses he is vnlike the greatest part of our trauellers vvho vvith their tedious fabulous narrations vvill bring either deafnes to your eares or slumber to your eyes But this man speakes nothing but matter and that so succinctly as by his conference you may reap delight yet not hinder your affaires of importance or recreation Giue him incouragement in the North and ere long you shall see him come ouer in another habit to try vvhat acceptance the south vvill affourd him Thus doing you shall not onely grace him benefit your country but in all dutifull seruices you shall make mee his poore vvel-vviller Yours Most truly deuoted A brief description of the 2 half globes or spheres asvvel Celestial as Terestrial BEcause the true proper description of the earth the partes thereof cannot wel bee made without the knowlege of Cosmographie Geographie It is not amisse that the circular composition both of heauen earth bee briefly explicated Cosmographie doth describe the world that is to say the heauen what els is conteyned within the circuit thereof For the world is deuyded into heauenly elementarie regions The celestial or heauenly doth conteyne 8 distinct Orbes of starres of which the seauen former and neerest to the earth are atributed to the seauen planets and the greater of these doth alwayes conteyne circularly the lesser euery one of these doth carry about one only star or planet but the eigth otherwise named the firmament conteyneth in it all the other starres which are called fixed The starry heauen or firmament conteyneth within his circumference all the foresaid Orbes with their planets and thesame againe vvith all the other inferior Orbes is embraced of the nynth heauen which is called the first moueable by vvhose continuall reuolution all these 8 Orbes of starres are caryed about vpon the pole of the vvorld from the east to the west in the space of 24 howres but the 8 inferiors on the other parte are euer caried continually about from the west vnto the east vpon other poles called those of the Zodiak But because mariners do vse only the constitutions of certaine principal fixed starres which are found about the 2 poles of the world the ambiguous moueinges of the planets are here omitted as to them not necessarie here are only aioyned two celestial figures by which the two half spheres of the whole firmament or starred heauen are demonstrated Of the which the first conteyneth the septentrional or northerne starres the second those vvhich belong to the southâ—â—â—â— THE CELESTIAL GLOBE THe elementarie region is compassed and conteyned within the later Orbe of the planets in the which the moone holdeth her place This region doth consist of fowre elements of which the highest is called by the naturall philosophers fyre the next after is called ayre the third vvater and the fowrth earth of which the two later do make together one round body And as to the view of the courteous reader hath bene set downe in two half spheres the whole constitution order of all the fixed starres so in lyke manner is here pourtraited in other two half spheres the constitutions of the whole earth aswel the partes habitable as the inhabitable The former of which conteyneth the new discouered world which is called America the later the world longest knowne by our ancerers inhabited the which is deuyded into three partes Europa Asia Africa And because there is mention made in the descriptions folowing of the different countries places with their proprieties such particular descriptions are therefore heere omitted To declare also the reasons how the conioyned superfices of the whole earth are to be designed in platforme would bee ouerlong wherefore such as desyre to vnderstand it may haue recours vnto the writings of Ptolomey Alexandrinus as also of Neoteryk but espetialy to the comentaries of the moste learned Gerardus Mercator vpon Ptolomey his book of Geographie to such learned authors as thereof haue treated THE TERRESTRIAL GLOBE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VVHOLE VVORLD As a preface to the reader IT is agreed on by all Cosmographers that the whole world is round it is coÌ„pact in that perfect figure by the Almighty maker author of all perfectioÌ„ It is surely a mirrour of moste great admyration wherein the vnsearchable scyence of the all-surpasling Artizan is to bee seene as also the greatnesse of himself in so great omnipotencie And rather might it seeme a point of faith and belief to hold that the earth depending on nothing should bee so immoueable beeing round the oposite inhabitaÌ„ts vnder different horisons to bee antipodes the one vnto the other but that experience and proof and not belief and faith hath taught it vnto vs. How at the begining the earth was deuided from the sea is altogether vnknowne but by the deluge the limits of sea land haue doubtlesse bene much altered sundry regions through the extraordinary violence of the moste forceible elements haue since that tyme bene also greatly changed As they are at this present the heer-presented mappe in general those that ensue in particular wil demonstrate to the which I refer the courteous reader thus leauing thesame to his best comoditie with desyre to be excused for such breuitie as in the descriptions I haue bene constrayned to vse I humbly take my leaue R. V. M. Tullius Cicero The horse is created to beare to dravv the ox to til to labor the earth the dog to hunt and to gard the hovvs But man to consider contemplate vvith the eyes of his vnderstanding the disposition of the vvhole vvorld THE DESCRIPTION OF THE EARTH TYPVS ORBIS TERRARVM EVROPA THe countries of Europe as we now call them are Spaine France Germanie Italie Slauonia Graece Hungarie Polonia Lituauia Moscouie or more significatly the countrie of Sarmatia and the Peninsula in which is Norwey Swethen and Gothland Among the Iles Albion conteyning
Germaine whose ofspring doth stil possesse the same vnder their owne King It contayneth together with the country of wales 52 Shyres 29 Cities and 25 Bishoprykes On the east syde it hath the Germaine Ocean On the west the Irish sea On the south the narrow seas which deuyde it from France And on the north it is seperated from Scotland by the riuer of Tvvede the Cheuiot hilles It aboundeth chiefly in cattel for which cause the inhabitants are more giuen to grafing then to tillage of the ground desyring rather pasture then corne land This region is very temperate and without great extremitie of cold The soile is exceeding frutefull howbeit it yeildeth not wyne There are many hilles which beeing without trees do yeild a kynde of shorte and sweete gras for the best nowrishing of sheepe which are heere in all aboundance and whose fyne fleeces do excel those of other countries which is caused either by the temperature of the ayre or the goodnes of the pasture This fyne english wooll may wel be calleth the Golden fleece for that thereby so great plenty of gold siluer from so many so remote regions of the world is brought into this Realme Here are also great store of mynes of Tinne Lead Iron as also of Copper neither are the mynes voyd of Gold and Siluer In brief England aboundeth with plenty of all sortes of victuals is furnished with all store of thinges necessary for the vse of man ENGLAND SCOTLAND THe realme of Scotland hath England on the south syde therof on all other sydes els it is enuyroned with the maine Ocean on the north syde it hath the Iles called the Orcades on the west the Hibrides all subiect vnto Scotland And albeit it bee not so frute full as England yet is the land aboundantly furnished with cattel the sea with fish in it are many thinges very strange wounderfull In Glasco is a lake one parte whereof frieseth in winter but the other parte doth neuer frise In Carik are Oxen whose far is neuer hard but alwayes soft oily In the prouince of Coyl or Kyle about ten myles from the towne of Aer here is a stone 12 foote in height 30 in length called the deaf stone for albeit neuer so great noise bee made on the one syde on the other syde it cannot bee heard vnlesse a man stand farr of for so may it bee descerned or els not In Lennox is a lake called Lowmond beeing about 24 myles in length 8 in bredth having in it thirty Iles in this lake are three thinges woorthy of note There are finlesse fishes of a good taste There are fleeting Iles that with thee wynde are moued driuen to fro And somtymes no wynde blowing the water becometh so rough that the passengers are in great danger to bee drowned yf they cannot speedely get to land In Argadia as is reported groweth a stone which beeing put to straw or stubble wil kindle set the same on fyre In Burquham is a cane wherein water falling it turneth into whyte stones in this prouince no rattes are found In the sea at the mouth of the riuer of Forth is a high rock out of the top whereof issueth a fountaine of fresh water About 10 myles from Edenbourgh is a fountaine on the water whereof drops of oyle are found the which oile is medicinable In Clidisdale is a myne of Gold another of azure and in the muscles and shelfish on the shore of Scotland pearles are found SCOTLAND IRELAND IReland is a soile vneuen hilly and the highest hilles haue standing lakes on the tops It hath also many bogges and quagmyres is generally watry woodie moorish yet hath it notwithstanding in diuers places moste faire plaines which yet are but few in respect of the woodes It is a fat soile apt to bring foorth corne The hilles abound with cattel and the woodes with wyld beastes This I le is more plentiful of pasture then of corne of gras then of graine yea the wheat-corne is small withered and not easy to bee wynoed with a fan In tyme of haruest the raine scarsly permitteth the corne to bee gotten into the barne somuch is this I le subiect vnto raine It is plentifull of milk hony Solinus and Isidorus affirme it to haue no bees but they might more truly haue written the contrary No toade adder spider or venemous beast is nowrished in this countrie nor can liue therein beeing brought thether from any other place IRELAND TERCERA THis I le is called Tercera because that of the Iles called Acores it is the third as the ly in order to such as come out of Spaine to saile westward It is plentifull of corne and frute and not without wyne Madder which diers vse for the dying of cloth red doth yeild great comoditie to the inhabitants of this I le for that it groweth heere aboundantly The Oxen of this I le excede in fairnesse largenesse all others in Europe Ceder groweth here in such aboundance that it serueth for fuel The chief towne of this I le is called Angra which hath a promontorie whereon lieth a strong forte called Brazil The Spagniards do also call this Ile Isola del buen Iesu The ships coming from the west Indies are accustomed heere to take harbor in their retourne to Spaine Of these Iles of Acores there are seauen in number to wit Tercera S. Mighel S. Marie S. George Gratiosa Pico and Fayal but the chiefest of name is Tercera TERCERA SPAINE SPaine beeing greater then France lesser then Germanie is enuironed with the great Ocean and the Mediteraneum sea except on the north-east syde for there it is continent with France from the which it is deuyded by the mountaines called the Pirenes It is now one entire monarchie but in former tyme hath bene deuyded into fourteene Kingdomes By authors thus recounted vid. The old and new Castilia Leon Arragon Catalonia Nauarre Asturia Granada Valentia Toledo Galicia Murcia Cordoua Portugal Algarbe Spaine albeit it bee not in all places manured because of the stonynesse of sundry partes thereof yet is it far more fertil then Africa in very many places it yeildeth aboundantly whatsoeuer is necessary for the vse of man As very faire VVheat Rice VVyne Oyle Hony Saffran Suger Limons Capers Citrons Orenges Pomgranades other fruytes Rosmary groweth there in the fieldes in such plenty that it serueth for fuel It hath also great store of beastes both wild tame yeildeth horses of such swiftnes that it was said of them in old tyme as a prouerb that they were engendred of the wynde It hath also diuers mynes as of Gold Siluer Copper Tin Iron and Lead gold is not only found in mynes but euen in sand on the sydes of the riuer Tayo In sundry maritime places it yeildeth great store of Salt The ayre is pure and helthfull it is litle subiect vnto
through Cambressi Tournay into Flannders cometh vnto Antwerp so downe into Zealand is there receaued into the sea VERMANDOIS PICARDIE PIcardie accompted of old a parte of Galia Belgica hath on the east syde Vermandois on the west Normandie a parte of the narrow sea on the north it hath Artois and on the south Champagne The riuer of Somme which of Ptolomey seemeth to bee called Phrudis watreth this country maketh it frutefull and the townes to bee furnished with all necessary prouision The soile yeildeth great aboundance of corne albeit it hath no wyne it is rather thought to procede of the negligence of the inhabitants in not planting vineyards then through the vnfitnes of the soile to nourish them The principall citie of this country is Amiens which is a Bishops sea ancient very famous and aswel fortified as any citie in France Next vnto this is Abbeuile then haue ye Peronne as also the towne of Guyse whereof the how 's family of Guyse taketh name From whence the name of Picardie is deryued there are diuers opinions Some think that the Begardi should be changed into Picardos which Caenalis wil not affirme of certainty Others do say that these people haue the name of Picardes consequently their country the name of Picardie for hauing in warr first taken vp the vse of pykes PICARDIE GERMANIA THis great spatious country hath on the northsyde thereof the Germaine Baltish sea southward it confyneth with Italy westward it reatcheth vnto France eastward northerly it ioyneth on Polonia southerly vpon Hungaria within it lieth the Kingdome of Bohemia It is a country mightely replenished with goodly cities townes and villages exceeding populus hauing therein many goodly riuers whereof the Rhene the Danubie the Elbe are the chief It is deuyded into sundry Dukdomes Earldomes other gouernments yet all in some sorte depending on the Empyre for here in Germany the Emperor hath his seat residence for whose election Pope Gregory the fyft beeing of the how 's of Saxony ordayned seauen Princes electors to wit three spiritual 4 temporal the spiritual are the Bishops of Magunce Cullin Treuers The 4 temporal are the Dukes of Saxon and Bohemia for Bohemia now a kingdome was then a dukdome The Palsgraue of the Rhene the Marquis of Brandenbourg The earth ayre as also the people of Germanie seeme much altered since the tyme of C. Tacitus who described the soyle to be barren the ayre not very good the country woodie watrish the people very rude vnciuil for now wee fynde the ayre to be helthsome good the country fruteful the inhabitants courteous ciuil It hath now good wyne growing in it such aboundance of corne in the east partes thereof that it sustayneth sundry other countryes neither is it vnfurnished of all other necessaries It hath also mynes of Gold Siluer Copper Iron other metalles The people are warlyke very industrious many rare inuentions haue bene by them found out GERMANIA INFERIOR GERMANIE INferior Germany conteyning the seauenteene prouinces which the Emperor Charles the fift left vnto his sonne King Philip the second of Spaine Is corruptly of some strangers called Flaunders the inhabitants Flemings whereas Flaunders is but one of these prouinces the inhabitants thereof properly Flemings The names of the prouinces are these The Dukedomes of Brabant Geldres Limbourg and Lutzembourg The Earldomes of Flanders Artois Henalt Holland Zeland Namure and Zutphen The Marquesat of the holy Empire The Signories of Friseland Macklin Vtreck Ouerysel and Grooning The prouinces are generally by the inhabitants called by the name of Nederlant which in English is Netherland and the people generally call themselues Netherlanders There are in it as Levvis Guicciardyne affirmeth the number of 226 walled townes diched about and more then 6300 villages each village hauing a parish Church then are there Castles fortresses noble mennes howses a great number Some parte of this country is very euen flat lyke vnto Lombardy other partes are more high hilly It is very frutefull having plenty of corne of flesh and fish some of which comodities are in some prouinces more or lesse abounding then the others according to the nature situation of the place The people are maruelous industrious and do excell in all artes and sciences whereby as also by their great trade of marchandise this country may wel bee said to bee one of the moste pecuniary countryes of the world INFERIOR GERMANIE LIEGE THis Bishopryk ioyneth on the north west syde unto Brabant on the east on the duchie of Limbourg southward it extendeth vnto Lutzembourg partly vnto France The ayre is sweet the country exceding frutefull in corne and other graine it hath wyne albeit but smalle it hath store of beastes both wyld tame It hath exceeding good Iron it hath lead also gold Alablaster very faire marble is digged out of the hilles with great labor and arte of vndermyning Stone-coles are digged out of deepe pittes which kynde of cole was first discouered to be there in the yeare 1198 whereof besydes those there spent there is transported yearely to other prouinces to the value of more then 100000 ducates Sr Iohn Mandeuill knight doctor of phisick beeing borne in England having trauailed so farr through somany countries kingdomes did not fynde a place that for the sweetnes of the ayre the frutefulnes of the earth accompagned with a very great freedome that better pleased him then did this country of Liege where he chose to end the rest of his dayes there died in the yeare 1272. The citie of Liege is the chief of all the townes in this country wherein are 8 collegiat Churches with ritch Canonries Tungres for the antiquitie thereof is reconed next vnto Liege the ruynes without and within the towne do aswel as old bookes declare the oldnes of this citie there apeereth yet the paued high way that reatched from thence vnto Paris Some thinke the fountaines to bee about Tungres whose vertues Pliny somuch comendeth but experience sheweth them to bee at the Spaw LIEGE LVTZEMBOVRG THis Duchie is bordered on the northsyde with the Bishopryk of Liege the Earldome of Namure on the south Lorraine on the east the Mosel the Bishopryk of Treuers westward partly with the Mose partly with the forest of Arden The country is altogether hilly woody much of the wood of late yeares is turned to corne land The chief cirie is of the same name that the whole Duchie beareth but was by Ptolomey called Augusta Romanduorum It lieth parte on a hil parte on low ground The inhabitants do speake the high duitsch for the more parte except those which dwel on the syde towards France for they vse the french tongue By reason of the situation of this country beeing frontyred with so many seueral iurisdictions it hath
man that found out the manner of salting barrelling vp of hering FLANDERS GELDRES GEldres extendeth in the northwest vnto the Zuder-sea south west it confyneth with Brabant eastward it hath the Duchie of Cleue westward the Signory of Vtreck It is deuyded into 4. seueral quarters whereof the 4 principall cities are Nimmegen Ruremond Zutphen Arnhem The country is very frutefull hauing come wood but it moste exceedeth in medow pasture ground by reason of the riuers of Rhene VVale Mase which do all take their passage through this country Leane oxen are sent from other partes to bee here fatned in the yeare 1570 an Ox was brought from hence to Antvverp that weyed 3200 pound The people of all the inhabitants of the Netherland prouinces haue alwayes bene reputed the moste warlyke the country by warre hath bin moste wasted They were of old tyme called Sicambri as Henricus Aquilius in his compendious Cronicle plainly proueth who also sheweth how it afterward took the name of Geldres It was somtyme an Earldome but Reynold the second for his great valour whereby the made himself both feared honored being withal a great iusticer hauing don great faithful seruice to the Romaine Empyre was in an assembly or diet holden at Frankford in the yeare 1329 by Levvis the Emperor honored with the tytle of Duke in the presence as is said of the Kings of France England of all the Princes electors GELDRES ZELAND VNder the name of Zeland are comprised all the Iles lying betweene Flanders Brabant Holland and the sea VVhereof 7 are esteemed the principall to wit VValkere Southbeuerland Northbeuerland VVolferdyk Skovv Doueland and Tole These 7 with certaine other of lesse accompt do altogether make an earldome which hath in all 8 walled townes with some other that are vnwalled and 102 thorps or villages The chief citie of Zeland is Midlebourg situate in the I le of VValkere where the staple of wyne is kept in this I le is Flushing Campheere Armuy And Midlebourg lying in the middest taketh there of that name VVel may this country be called Zealand or Sealand beeing so low that the sea is at euery high water higher then the land men standing in the meddowes may see in looking vpward the very keeles of the ships as they saile along were it not for the sand-bancks or downes on the one syde the banckes of earth fagots made on the othersyde the sea would soone ouer-runne it It is said for a prouerb that none of the 4. elements are good in Zealand or Holland the ayre is strong the earth vnfirme by reason of the marishnes the fyre stincking because it is made of turf the vvater salt brackish Zeland notwithstanding bringeth foorth faire corne the meddowes do nowrish cattel ZELAND HOLLAND THe earldome of Holland lieth al along on the west syde vpon the Germaine Ocean with the creeks whereof it is almost enuyroned hauing a great number of waters riuers euery way passing through it It is said to haue the name of Holland by reason that the earth through the vnfirmnes thereof seemeth hollow others affirme it to haue taken the name of Holland of the Danes or Normans that inuaded it in Anno 837 hauing before bene called Batauia for that they called it Oland after an I le so named in their northern region The country of Holland is lyke vnto Zealand very low the earth soft weak much of it beeing by the waters ouerflowen All along the maine Ocean it hath through the mercie of nature the downes or sand-hilles that defend it from the inundation of the sea in these downes are woonderful store of conies The medow groundes for the feeding of cattel are so exceeding good as the great aboundance of butter and cheefe transported from Holland into so many countryes doth declare The inhabitants do also reap great comoditie by their wyld ducks waterfoule but espetially by their sea-fishing principally by there hering-fang Litle or no corne groweth in Holland but they haue it from the east countries of Germany VVood they haue not their fuel for the moste parte is turf their wood beth for howsing shipping is brought from Norvvay other places The chief citie is Amsterdam the howses whereof are built vpon pyles of wood which are driuen into the watrish ground The court of Holand is kept at the Hage which is no walled towne howbeit the fairest village in all Europe situate in the moste pleasant parte of all the countrie The people are exceeding industrious the country ful of townes cities HOLLAND FRIESLAND BOth east west Friesland hath all along on the northsyde the Germaine Ocean on the southsyde VVestphalia ce Tacitus in his description of the manners of the old Germaines parteth Friesland in Maiores and Minores that is the greater the lesser freslanders according to their power and habitation The country is now deuyded into east and west Friesland Generally it is very low the Somer beeing past it is not to bee vsed it hath litle corne ground but very notable meddowes yeildeth very fat oxen as also faire great horses The chief citie in VVest friesland is Grooning and in East-friesland Embden Groening with the territory thereof is accompted one of the seauenteene Netherland prouinces but Embden belongeth vnto the earle of the same place The Frizons or Frieslanders are an ancient and warlyk people beeing in old tyme gouerned by a king of their owne Plinie saith that an herb groweth in this country which he calleth Herba Britannica which herb is good for the fastning of loose teeth for the weaknes of the legges knees espetial good for the disease called the Scorruie which disease is scarsly knowne but in these low-landes the remedy in lyk forte espetialy here to bee found FRIESLAND VVESTPHALIA THat VVestphalia should take that name of the Goddesse Vesta is very fabulous for the name is aptly significant in the self countrie language It ioyneth on the northwest syde with Friesland on the northeast with the dioces of Breme on the southeast syde it hath the country of Padelborne on the southwest the dioces of Cullen parte of the duchie of Cleue It was according to the opinion of Sebastian Munster the ancient habitation of the Saxons It hath in it diuers earldomes Signories The people of this country are strong faire good soldiers the country is moste woody pasture ground very good for the nowrishing of cattel Dainty meates delicacies are not he ere found with bacon beef browne bread the people do liue very long helthfully and here is the best Bacon the greatest store The chief citie of westphalia is Munster which in Anno 1535. the Anabaptists hauing gotten into possession erected there a new comon welth vnder their king Iohn of Leyden who before had
FRANCONIA FRanconia in the Germaine tongue vulgarly called Franckenland hath on the southsyde Bauaria on the west the riuer of Rhene Bohemia on the east Hassia Thuringia on the north Out of this prouince according to the opinion of many very good authors came Faramond with his Francks or Franc-men so called because they were a free people thereof since called French-men into Galia which therevpon came to lose that ancient name to be called France of some authors Francia Occidentalis or vvest-france because this country of Franconia is called Francia Orientalis that is East-france Adriauns Iunius notwithstanding holdeth a paradox that the Franckes that went out of Germanie to inhabite Galia did dwel much lower vpon the east syde of the Rhene The most famous citie of Franconia is Franckford where 2 very famous faires or martes are holden euery yeare the one about midlent the other in the middest of September The Emperor Charles the fowrth ordained Franckford for the place of the Emperors election All Skirm-masters to wit masters of defense through all Germany must come to this citie bee here allowed so to bee yf by the burgers which are notable fensers they are found to deserue tht name The Bishop of VVirtsberg is duke of Franconia The country is pleasant fruteful hauing store of vineyardes About the citie of Bamberg groweth so great aboundance of Licoris that it is transported thence with cartloades FRANCONIA VVIRTENBERG THe dukedome of VVirtenberg in tyme past an earldome doth ioyne westward vpon the marquisdome of Baden northward vpon the territories of the Paisgraue of the Rhene east southward vpon Svveuia It is very fertile hath many faire townes thorpes the principall cittie is called Stutgard there the Duke keepeth his court There are such fruteful vineyards about this cittie that the people haue a prouerb that yf the grapes of Stutgard were not gathered the cittie would bee drowned in wyne Next vnto this is the cittie of Tubing which hath an vniuersitie the which was founded by the Earle Euerard in the yeare 1147. At the townes of VViltbad Zil there are hotte bathes and at Gipping there is a fountaine which yeildeth water of a fyne tartish sauor which the inhabitants in their tongue do call Saurbrun which is in english sower-bourne or sower-water and beeing dronck it serueth for a remedy against diuers diseases The castle of VVirtenberg whereof the country taketh name is situate vpon the pleasant riuer of Neccar on the sydes whereof groweth a very good kynde of wyne wel knowne in Germaine by the name of Neccar-vvyne VVIRTENBERG TIROL THis earldome of Tirol conteyneth a parte of the Alpes that deuyde Germany Italy hauing on the northerne syde Bauaria on the southern syde Italy The chief cities hereof are Inspruck Bolzan Tirol Trent Brixia Bruneck and Schvvatz This country is very ritch in mynes and notwithstanding the hillynesse thereof yet hath it sufficient of all thinges for humaine sustenance About three Germaine myles from the cittie of Trent lieth a mountaine called Nausberg which is in length 12 Germaine myles and 3 in bredth Rodulph the sonne of Albert Duke of Austria annexed by mariage this earldome vnto his other possessions the same beeing also confirmed by the last wil restament of the fore-going heyre possessor thereof TIROL SVITZERLAND SVitzerland called in Latin Heluetia hath on the southsyde Lombardy on the west syde Sauoy on the north the county of Burgundy on the east the county of Tyrol This people hauing taken all gouernment from the Nobillitie deuyded the country into 13 partes or Cantons the magistrates of each chief towne of these cantons do gouerne the whole canton there vnto belonging The 13 cantons are these Zurick Berne Lucerne Vri Suits Vndervvalden Zug Glaris Basel Fribourg Soleurre Shafhouse and Appenzel besydes these they are confederate with certaine other iurisdictions This country of Suitzerland is held to bee the highest land in all Christendome very probably for the exceeding high mountaines thereof from whence the riuers of Rhene Danubius Po Sone Rhosue descending do seek their passages through lower regions hold their courses diuers wayes as the Danubie eastward the Rhene northward the Po southeast the Sone Rhosue westward which z riuers lastly ioyning in one do turne southerly fall into the sea at Marcels It hath many great lakes one of them beeing vpon a high hil is not knowne to haue any issue foorth nor by any chanels coming to it to bee augmented There groweth very good corne wyne such store of cattel is there nowrished that oxen are sent thence to serue other prouinces both of Italy Germany SVITZERLAND ITALIE ITalie beginning in the northwest at the foot of the Alpes which deuydeit from Germany and France extendeth it felf betwene the Mediteraneum and the Adriatyk sea toward the foutheast in the forme of a mannes arme This famous countryes praise would rather requyre a large volume then so brief a description as a page of paper wil admit The sweetnes of the ayre the goodnes of the earth the fruteful vynes olyue trees the plenty of cattel the sweete riuers lakes fountaines the sea hauens about it what praise deserue they not There are in Italy very many faire ancient citties amongst the which the chiefest is the maiestical cittie of Rome whose glory both antiquitie power hath highly renowmed ouer all the world The principall citties of Italie are comonly thus praised Rome for holynesse Naples for noblenesse Florence for fairenesse Bononia for fatnesse of the soile Rauenna for oldnesse Venice for ritchnesse Milan for greatnesse and Genua for statelynesse c. The people of Italy are generally very ingenious excelling in all excellent artes sciences ITALIE FRIVLI FRiuli called in latin Forum Iulij lieth at the vpper end of the Adriatyksea or gulf of Venice and not farr from the cittie of Venice on the east syde it hath Istria on the north the hilles called Lapides westward a parte of the Alpes on the south the aforesaid sea This country hath serued for the dore entrance of sorrow affliction to it self the adioyning countries for that the Batbarians in tymes past did here make their aryuall It is on the one syde plaine euen but afterward it riseth higher higher groweth steep vp vnto the high neyghbouring mountaines it hath notwithstanding fruteful feilds faire vineyards much wood both for fuel and maintenance of chase In the mountaines are mynes of all mettals as namely Iron Lead Tin Quicksiluer Siluer Gold There is also passing faire whyte marble taken our of the quarreyes moreouer Christal Beril other stones of price are there found This country was subiect vnto the Romans so long as their gratnes endured afterward it was subdued by the Longobards gouerned by dukes and now lastly it belongeth vnto the Venetians who accompt them-selues
ordinarily they are in other partes of Italy and in their owne tongue delighted in the reading of books of philosophy In tymes past this territory was of larger boundes the inhabitants maintained great warr against the florentines but at this present it is subiect vnto the Duke of Florence THE TERRITORIE of SIENA THE TERRITORIE of PERVGIA THis territorie is confyned in the north west with that of Elorence southwest with that of Oruieto northeast with that of Vrbine southwest with the citie country about it of Assisie It seemeth a farr of to be but a barren soile but it is both fertil pleasant full of townes villages the ayre very good Through the middest of this region runneth the riuer of Tiber not farr from this riuer vpon a hill is the cittie of Perugia whereof the whose territorie taketh name it is a strong cittie beautified with many faire edificies as well citizeus howses as churches in this cittie was borne the great learned lawyer Baldus The Lake of Perugia of the ancients called Lacus Trasymenus is a very pleasane lake it is large round in compas not hauing any issue foorth of it and it yeildeth aboundance of good fish but the taking fish thereout from Easter vnto the first of Nouember is prohibited to the end the encrease of the same bee stil maintayned about this lake are many Castles villages one among the rest of the villages is called Ossaia where somtyme the Romans were by Hanibal ouerthrowne and this place seemeth to haue the name of Ossaia by reason of the bones of the there-killed Romanes The lake conteyneth in circuit about 27 Italian myles in it are three Ilands two whereof are inhabited with fishermen There groweth about the Lake very good wyne great store of hemp flax THE TERRITORIE of PERVGIA THE TERRITORIE of ORIVETO EAstward from the territorie of Siena lieth this of Oriueto The ayre naturally is good but is corrupted through the hemp which at certaine seasons is laid to steep in the riuer of Pagia where it yeildeth so il a sent that it maketh the very ayre noysome vnto the inhabitants The towne of Oriueto which giueth appellation to the whole territorie is fituate vpon a high rocky mountaine it is vnwalled but yet fortified by nature through the strength of the place whereon it is buylt It hath a very faire Church the stone of the windowes thereof beeing transparent so as the sonne is seene through them There is among other imagery within the said Church the creation of Eue of a rib of the syde of Adam which is held for so rare a pece of woorck that no hand of man may amend it The riuer Pagia runneth close by the rock of Oriueto afterward entreth into the Tiber. Neere vnto Oriueto lieth the mounte Pelio which Leander weeneth to haue taken name of the Pelij which from the mount Pelione in Thessalie came here to inhabite THE TERRITORIE of ORIVETO THE MARCA of ANCONA THe Longobardes after their many victories in Italy appointed six rulers whereof fowre were dukes namly of Benevento Spoleto Turino and Friuli the two other were Marck-graues the one of Ancona the other of Treuigi and hereof it cometh that this prouince somtyme called Picenum is now named Marca de Ancona for Marck in duitsh betokeneth a limited prouince this on the east syde is limited by the riuer Tronto on the south by the high Apenynes on the north by the Adriatyk sea by Romagna in the west The cittie of Ancona whereof the territorie taketh name lieth on the sea aforesaid hauing a very good hauen The whole countrie is very fruteful it is stored with Orange oliue trees faire vineyards for the woorthynes of the soile it is to bee accompted among the best partes of Italy Betwene the towne of Reccanato the sea somwhat on a hilly place is the famous church of our lady of Laureto in this church standeth the how 's as Leander writeth wherein the blessed virgin dwelt when she receaued the salutation of the Angel Gabriel This church is wonderfully enriched through the gifts of many princes other people that from diuers places do come thether on Pilgrimage In the Appenyne hilles which in this prouince are higher then in the other prouinces of Italy where they extend there is a grotte or depe caue where it is said one of the Sibillaes had somtyme her habitation This Marca of Ancona came to bee of the territories of the Church in the tyme of Pope Clement the seauenth THE MARCA of ANCONA THE LAKE of COMO VVithin the boundes of Lombardy and on the north syde thereof is the famous lake of Como called in latin Larius Lacus This lake according to the accompt of Strabo is 38 myles in length and 4 in bredth it lieth north south and at the south end thereof is the cittie of Como situated About the middest of this lake it extendeth as it were an arme towards the east The riuer of Adda passeth through it as it were swimming ouer the owne water of the lake There lieth within it an Iland called Comacina which in former tyme hath had a strong fortresse wherein the Kings of Lombardy were wont to kepe their treasure iewels as in a place of good securitie Many townes castles villages are placed about this lake among the which the cittie of Como is the moste both of welth of fame Out of this cittie two lights haue risen whose glistering brightnes hath illustred their names through the world these I meane are the two Plinies whose learning eloquence hath merited their stil during memorie THE LAKE of COMO THE TERRITORIE of PADVA THis territorie is closed on the south syde with the riuer Ladesse on the north with the smalle brook called Muson with the gulf of Venice on the east the Euganish mountaynes on the west Seauen walled townes are belonging to Padua six villages among the villages Arquato Montanare is of fame for hauing in the churche thereof the sepulchre of the renowmed orator poet Petrarcha and thereon is his epitaphe of his owne making The cittie of Padua whereof the territorie taketh name hath of former tyme bene very famous one of the principall places of Italy where vnto the ruynes which are seene in diuers places about it do giue testimony and among these ruynes is the sepulchre of Antenor who is said first to haue sounded it This cittie countrie belonging to it after the many different rulers it hath had is lastly come to bee vnder the commaund of the Venetians who haue repared the walles strengthened them against the force of warre so as now the mother resteth vnder the fortnuate shadow of her daughter for that Venice tooke first ofspring from Padua VVithin this cittie the phisisians haue a maruelous faire garden where in are many rare herbes brought from farr countries Padua was
that it hath bene firme or continent land in tymes past with Syria by tempests force of the sea cut of seperated It was of old tyme called Macaria by reason of the pleasantnes thereof The chiefest comoditie that it yeildeth is silk which from thence in great quantitie is yearely brought vnto venice It hath also very good wyne lyke vnto the malmesey of Creete salt is there also found It is said for a spetial comendation of this I le that ships can therein be buylt wholy furnished with the owne comodities of this country as not needing to haue ought vnto them belonging to be brought from other partes for heere are great high trees both for buylding them for their mastes here is also pitch flax for failes ropes Not far from the towne of Lymise is a place which is so full of wormes such lyke creeping vermin that no people can inhabite there There is some distance from this place a monasterie wherein is kept many cattes which are let out into the fieldes to diminish this vermin so taught that by the sound of a bel they are called home againe vnto the monasterie There are in this Ile two famous citties namely Famagosta and Nicosia in Nicosia the kinges of Cyprus were wont to make their dwelling but whyle the venetians had the rule the Gouernour garrisons their for them remayned in Famagosta vntil such tyme as by Selym the Turkish emperor it was taken from them This I le hath bene in tymss past deuyded into 9 kingdomes but came afterward to bee all reduced vnto one CYPRVS GREECE THis famous countrie of Greece was somtyme called Hellas It hath on the west syde the Midland Adriatyk sea on the east syde the sea called Archipelago on the south it hath the Peninsula Morea northward it is aioyned vnto the maine continent The moste famous Republykes hereof of old tyme were two to wit that of Athens that of Lacedemonia Sundry strange woundres haue bin said to bee in this countrie as that the riuer Melas made whyte sheep to become black that the riuer Cephis made the black sheep whyte with sundry other thinges found to bee no lesse fabulous moreouer that the sea called Euripus did in 24 howers 7 tymes ebbe flow so that Aristotle not wise enough to vnderstand this secret of nature for shame anger cast himself into the said sea whereof it was said that because Aristotle could not comprehend Euripus Euripus had comprehended Aristotle Sundry moste pleasant places were renowmed in Greece of old tyme as Helicon Parnassus where Apollo with the nyne muses had there residence Hymeirus euer greene Olympus Pindus Tempe places exceeding delightful Delphos where the Oracle was of Apollo which was in this manner In a rock was a deep hole out of the which issued a cold spirit lyke vnto a vapour or wynde which possessing the sences of the southsaiers they became as frantyke in their frantiknes they gaâ—e their ambiguous answers to the demaunders foretold thinges that were to come This noble countrie of Greece after all her flowrishing lyeth now vnder the subiection and stanery of the Turck GREECE ILLYRICVM BEtwene the Adriatyke sea the kingdome of Hungarie were in old tyme two famous regions the one Illyricum the other Dalmatia but Illyricum beeing now deuyded into many sundry prouinces as Schlauonia Croatia Carnia or Carinthia Istria Bosnia c. maketh that the confynes of this country through diuersiue of the opinions of authors are not easy to bee set downe Strabo saith that this country hath good hauens the soile is very fat deuyded into vineyards Oliue trees exceptin certaine stony places Among the country people some are found to haue great bagges growing vnder their chinnes which is said to proceede of their drincking of snow water which falleth from the hilles The famous citties were Flamone Segne Iadere Scardone Spalare Epidaure which beeing destroyed by the Gothes the cittie of Ragusia is growne great through their ruynes beeing now a cittie of great trasyke but of litle territorie and accompted the least comon weith or republyke in the world is now vnder the protection of the Turck for the which they pay a tribute of 12000 ducats by yeare In Carinthia is a cittie called Clagen where they obserue an old custome albeit very rigorous for yf a thief bee taken with the fact hee is foorthwith hanged without more a doo they hang those also which are vpon great presumptious thought culpable of theft 3 dayes after iudgement is giuen on the case yf the iudges then fynde the party guylty is hee left hanging on the gallowes til hee fall thence but yf hee be vnguilty hee is taken downe honestly buryed to make him amends ILLYRICVM HVNGARIE THis kingdome beginneth on the south at the riuer Era on the north it extendeth vnto Polonia VValachia westward it ioyneth to Austria eastward vnto Maesia The people are strong valiant And scarsly is any country found whereof the soile is more fertile the ayre more sweet temperate or that hath greater aboundance of cattel greater store of mynes then this and wanting neither corne wyne nor great choise of excellent frutes c in somuch as diuers authors affirme yf it were not so afficted through continual warre but were wholy in the quiet possession of Christians it might rather be preferred before all the prouinces of the world then after any one of them Buda is the chief cittie of All Hungarie which King Sigismond beautified with a faire Pallace other sumptuous edifices Agria is also a comodious cittie Cassouie is more ancient so called after one Cassio a Roman At Alba regalis the ancient kinges of Hungarie are buryed But to the grief of all good myndes the chief citties best partes of this country are now in the possession of the Mahometicall Tyrant The famous riuer danubie passeth through this countrie in diuers places is so large that in it are sundry Iles hauing rownes villages in them The Emperor beareth at this present the tytle of King of Hungarie hath a good parte of the countrie and some good citties also in possession HVNGARIE OZVVICZIN and ZATOR ON the south vvest syde of Polonia bordering vpon Silesia are these tvvo dukedomes of Ozwiczin and Zator In former tyme they belonged not vnto the kingdome of Polonia but vvere brought vnto it by Casimire the third and Sigismond the first The cittie of Ozwiczin lieth neere the riuer Sola vvhich cometh out of the confyning hilles of Morauia not farr from this to vvne falleth into the riuer Vistula vulgarly called VVixel The iurisdiction of the cittie the Germanes call Auschwitz vvhich King Casimire obtayned by svvord-right in the yeare 1454. The tovvne of Zator is situate on the riuer Skauda vvhich falleth also into VVixel vvas gotten through force by King
the habitation of sundry sortes of wyld beastes And albeit no great store of corne groweth heere yet hath is barley rice the Indians by rice cheese milk flesh fish delicate frutes are nowrished besydes their store of frutebearing trees they haue great reedes or canes whereout whyte hony lyke vnto gum is pressed Silk is heer in great aboundance beastes both wyld tame are in infynit numbers greater then in other places of the world as Kyen Camels Lions Dogges Elephants there are also dragons serpents whyte apes camelions that liue by the ayre all sortes of the best kynde of foule The spyces of India are knowne to all the world Heben wood groweth heer the trees that yeild frankensence the shores or sydes of the riuers do deliuer gold the sea faire pearles Diamonds Rubies Saphires Amatistes Agates sundry other sortes of pretious stones are found in this noble country The inhabitants of India are of different languages different in apparel of different religions some beeing Christians some Mahometaines some Iewes some Pagans The people are generally talle of stature strong of a tawny or browne colour many do liue to 130 yeares or thereabouts INDIA PERSIA THe name of Persia is very ancient but the country was in tymes heretofore far lesse then it now is It hath on the eastsyde of it parte of Tartarie parte of East India on the south syde Sinus Persicus parte of the Indian sea on the west syde it confyneth with the dominions which the Turk now occupieth in Asia on the north it hath the Caspium sea c. The beginning of the greatnes of this kingdome was in the yeare 1269 when a noble persian of the cittie Ardenelim named Sophi being also a Mahometain reuolted from the Turk beganby war to conquer countries and his successors haue since both augmented their possessions continued the great quarrel about the right successor of Mahomet The Persians are a more humane people then the Turkes not beeing so rigorous against the Christians which liue among them hauing among them noble gentlemen which the Turkes haue not The countrie is very fruteful except in the mountanous desert partes It yeildeth aboundance of fyne silke the best Iron for armour steele for armes of the whole world is here found It hath also ritch mynes pretious stones pearles and the fertillitie thereof in many places may bee compared vnto that of the neighbouring India PERSIA TVRKIE THe Turkish Empyre conteyneth the foutheast parte of Europe the northeast of Africa the southwest of Asia so as it lieth where these 3 partes of the world do meet taketh a parte of each of them howbeit the fargreater parte is in Asia which far exceedeth the partes both in Africa Europe At Constantinople which is in Europe the great Turk keepeth his residence This cittie was taken by force of Mahomet the eight Turkish Emperor vpon the last day of May in the yeare 1453. after it had bene besieged 54 dayes after sundry other victories this Mahomet died on the first day of May in the yeare 481 was buried in the said cittie of Constantinople In Europe is subiect vnto the Turk the greater parte of Hungarie all Bulgarie Greece Macedonia Romania Morea sundry other prouinces In Africa Barcha Egipt besydes the kinges kingdomes there tributarie vnto him In Asia hee hath Natolia the two Arabiaes to the great grief of Christians the countrie of Palestyne where Christ our sauiour liued died many other prouinces to long heer to describe Both Christians jewes are suffred to liue in this Turkish Empyre vnder tribute albeit the Turkes do carry somwhat a better opinion of Christians then of jewes yet are the Christian inhabitants subiect to very great inconueniences The Turkes according to the law of their great reputed prophet Mahomet are circumsised they are forbidden to drink wyne to eat swynes flesh allowed to haue many wyues TVRKIE PALESTYNE THe old pagan authors called this country Palestyne the Iewes called it The land of prontis Christians haue termed it the Holyland It hath al along on the west syde the Mediteraneum sea on the east syde Arabia northward it hath Mount Libanus southward it reatcheth downe towards Egipt the Red sea This countrie was denyded among the 12 trybes of Israel but after the tyme of King Salomon it was denyded into a kingdomes In this moste noble country liued the holy prophets And the Sonne of God did heer receaue humaine flesh It was in former tymes so excellent aboue other countries that it was called the land that flowed with milk hony but it is now greatly altered the sinnes of the inhabitants hauing deserued no better Burcardus saith that it yet excelleth in yeilding aboundance of pure wheat that with litle laboring of the ground Roses Sage fenel other flowers herbes do without the industrie of man grow in the feilds The riuer of Iordan hauing his issue vnder Libanus runneth through the lake of Genazareth into the dead sea the country half a dayes iorney euery way from this sea is barren by reason of the euil vapors sauouis thereof It seemeth to haue the name of Mare Mortuum because there is in it no liuing thing The ancient famous cittie of Ierusalem is situate in a hilly place Mount Syon lieth on the southsyde Mount Gyon on the west By the encreased greatnes of this cittie the holy sepulchre wherein Christ was buried hauing a church built ouer it is now within the walles The mount of Caluarie whereon our Lord was crucified is 108 foot from the graue there is a pauement to pas from the Chruch to the place where the crosse did stand which riseth in height to 28 foote on the same rock the clifts rentings do yet appeere which hapened at the death of our deere lord and sauiour PALESTYNE NATOLIA NAtolia extendeth it self from Asia where vnto on the eastsyde it is aioyned and lieth in length westward towards Europe hauing on the northsyde Mare Maggiore and on the south the Midland sea and at the west end the sea called Archipelago The Turkes who now possesse it do call it Litle Asia It conteyneth Phrygia Galathia Bithinia Pontus Lydia Caria Paphlagonia Lycia Magnisia Capadocia and Comagena all goodly countries ancient renowmed prouinces some of them Kingdomes yea a perticular Empyre of Trehizonde whereof Nicomedia heretofore a moste noble cittie appeereth now but in the ruynes thereof Nyce is also here to bee seene where the famous great Councel heertofore was holden Amasia is the chief cittie of Capadocia was the birth-place of Strabo the wel-knowne Cosmographer And the renowmed martyr and Patron of England S. George was also of this country of Capadocia In Natolia are gotes which haue that fyne heare or rather wolle whereof the thamlets are made There are
for his soldiers in those partes In this territorie was by a gentleman of the cittie discouered in our tyme the very lyke earth both in cooler kynde which is found in the I le of Lemnos the which phisitians do call Terram Lemniam of the Turk is so greatly esteemed that it is not permitted for any man to take thereof but licence of those that haue farmed it THE TERRITORIE of BLOIS MAINE THe countrie of Mans or Maine hath on the south syde Aniovv on the west Britannie on the north Normandie on the east Vendome It is a countrie hauing therein many woodes forests therefore more apt for chase nouris hing of beastes then for corne or pasturage yet is it not vnfurnished of corne feildes faire vineyardes The cittie of Mans is the chief of all the townes of this duchie It is faire populous seated pleasantly the soile about it beeing made the more fertile through the riuers of Haygne Orne and Satre which ioyning together neere this cittie do all in one enter afterward into the riuer of Loire In the chief churche of this cittie of Mans was christened in the yeare of our lord 1133. Henry sonne vnto Geoffrey suruamed the faire earle of Anion and of Maine the which Henrie as heyre vnto Maude his mother daughter vnto Henry the first King of England came after to enioy thesaid kingdome by the name of K. Henry the second MAINE LANGVEDOC BY this Map is described the maritime parte of the countrie of Languedoc as also a parte of the maritime syde of Prouence The prouince of Languedoc is in that parte of France that of old tyme was called Galia Narbonensis It hath on the east syde thereof the riuer of Rhone on the west syde Gasconie on the south the mountaines that denyde it from Arragon a parte of the midland sea on the north the countrie of Quercie In fertillitie it aprocheth vnto that of Prouence according to the neernesse of the place lying on the west syde thereof beeing seperated from it by the riuer of Rhone Tholouse is the chief cittie of all this countrie therin is kept the parlamental court which is accompted the second of all France consequently the next after that of Paris Montpellier is also of fame for the renowmed vniuersitie espetially in the study of phisick There is also the citties of Nimes Narbone sundry others both of importance antiquitie as the ruynes or remainder of diuers moste ancient edifices do declare LANGVEDOC THE I LE of FRANCE THe french do properly call this the I le of France wherein the citrie of Paris the towne of S. Denis c. are situate It is not properly an I le but somwhat compassed about with the riuers of Marne Seâ—ne and Oyse It taketh the name of France as Andrew Thenet telleth vs because the Frankes or Franch-men that came out of Germany when France had the name of Galia the inhabitants were called Gaulos did here make their first setled abode their chiefs did heer begin to take vpon them the tytles of kinges The countrie is aboundant in graine yeildeth exceeding store of poultrie other comodities About the cittie of Paris espetialy towards Mount martyr that kynde of morter for building called plaster of Paris is found This exceeding great moste famous cittie also called Lutetia took the name of Paris after Paris a King of the Celtes though some haue fabulously affirmed it to come of Paris the Troyan It is deuyded into partes Cittie Towne Vniuersitie the cittie is in an I le of the riuer of Seine people do pas by bridge to the towne on the one syde to the vniuersitie on the other This vniuersitie was erected by Charles the great at the solicitation of Alcuinus who was scholer vnto Venerable Bede and afterward preceptor vnto this Emperor and with other learned men came out of England vnto Paris and there in the streetes demaunded yf any would buy wisdome offring to sel it them for the giuing of them a place wherein to vtter it This cittie is the chief seat residence of the kinges of France the court of Parlament About 2 leagues from hence is the towne of S. Denis where in a goodly monasterie the sepulchres and monuments of the ancient kinges of France are to bee seene THE I LE of FRANCE DAVPHINEY THis prouince long since a parte of the kingdome of the Allobroges hath on the northsyde thereof the territorie of Lions on which syde lieth the base or low parte of Dauphiney whereof the cittie of Vienna is the chief on the west syde it is bordered with the Rhosne on the east it ioyneth to Sauoy on the south vnto Prouence this parte is called high Dauphiney the metropolitane cittie thereof is Embrun howbeit Grenoble is the parlamental capitall cittie of the whole countrie It is said that neere vnto this cittie is a fountaine out of the which their issueth both fyre water the which is a moste wonderful woork of nature incomprehensible to all philosophers In the Mountaines not far from this aforesaid cittie is the great chief how 's of the Carthusians who take their name of those cold snowie mountaines of Carthusia The people of Dauphiney beeing annexed vnto the crowne of France not by war or conquest but by amitie haue obtayned to accept no gouernour but of the blood royal of that realme The country in some places is very fertil yeilding store of corne wyne the moste infertil places do yeild great aboundance of chest-nuts with the which both cattel people are nourished so aboundant they are in cattel that they are able to furnish therewith other aioyning prouinces DAVPHINEY THE SIGNIORIE of FLORENCE THis Signiorie of Florence the chief parte of Tuscane is in the hart of Italy in the middest thereof is the ritche beautiful cittie of Florence In this cittie in the yeare 1464 died Cosmo de Medicis a woorshipful citizen thereof from whome the Duke that now possesseth both the cittie countrie and his predecessors are descended This Cosmo for his great wisdome welth credit was such that it may be thought there was neuer any priuate man to wit without some tytle of honor to be vnto him compared The cittie of Florence by the goodly edifices which therin he erected hath bin greatly beautified The moste faire sumptuous Church of S. Laurence he there builded as also the Church of S. Mark the monasterie of S. Verdiana He built for himself so faire a dwelling how 's that the best masters in Architecture do admyre it In the Fesulian hilles hee built the monasterie of S. Hierome and another called the Abbadia In Mugelo he built a monasterie of S. Francis In Fresoli Carregi Cafayolo Tribio places in the country there abouts he built 4 magnifical palaces and in Ierusalem he built an hospital for pilgrims
He endued the monasteries which he founded with competent landes renenues the churches with vessels of gold siluor faire hanginges goodly paintinges ornaments c. His sonne after his death perusing his bookes of accompts did fynd that there was scarsly found any one citizen that was not one way or other in his debt And notwithstanding his great opulence he did not in his porte or apparel beare himself otherwise then the other citizens neither maried hee his children or kin folks but among his neighbours fellow citizens Thus much I thought good to ad in this place by occasion of this faire cittie of Florence which is so ancient that the name thereof was not vnknowne to Tacitus Procopius Agathias other ancient authors Touching the soile countrie becauseit is alredy spoken of in this epitome in the description of Tuscane it is heer omitted THE SIGNIORIE of FLORENCE APVLIA APulia otherwise called Terra di Otranto is the furthest east end of Italy enuyroned with the sea saue where it ioyneth vnto Terra di Barri aprocheth vnto Calabria It seemeth one of the moste temperate partes of the world Corne frute all sortes of pot-herbes medicinal herbes are heer most excellent The oates may bee compard vnto barley the barley vnto wheat of other countries But the countrie with thease extraordinarie good comodities is not exempt from incomodities as extraordinarie euil for the foile doth heer bring foorth the serpent Tarantola whose venim is cured by instrumental music Here are also certaine water-serpents and gras-wormes that poison and destroy the thinges which they touch Tarentum in tymes past was a towne of this prouince situated betwene 2 armes of the sea thought impregnable Calliopolis standeth vpon a promontorie stretching out into the sea with so narrow a passage vnto it in some places that 2 cartes cannot pas together in front Hydruntum which hath a good hauen is thought to haue bin in tymes past the Metropolitaine cittie of all this Peninsula Brindezi is also a good comodious hauen-towne the hauen whereof is chained vp euery night with 2 chaynes of Iron fastened vnto the rockes that are on either syde APVLIA ISLAND IN the north sea south from Groneland lieth the I le of Iseland so called because immediately beyond it the Icie sea is accompted to begin In this I le in somer when the Sun is in the Tropyk of Cancer there is no night contrariwise in winter no day The countrie is all ful of high hilles stony iockes the people do make themselues dwellinges in the rock sydes some do buyld themselues cabins of the bones of whales other fishes Townes villages are scarse among them not a tree is to bee found in the country neither haue they corne growing there but the valeys are so aboundant in grasse that they are faine to keep vp their cattel from ouermuch eating thinking they would els die of to great fatnesse They haue wonderful aboundance of fish much of it they do dry so make it stockfish The I le is deuyded into fowre partes those according to the foure quarters of the world east west north south They are subiect vnto the King of Denmark who yearly sendeth them a gouernor There Bishop who is of the Lutheran religion they haue in great reuerence They delight exceedingly in songes of the valiant actes of their fore fathers and euery where in the stony rockes the doughty deedes of their predecessors are grauen carued Sundry of their hilles are so high that they are alwayes couered with snow yea somtymes the snow may bee seene on the top of the hil when the foot of it burneth in flame of these the hil Hecla is the chief it lieth on the west syde of the I le There are also 2 other burning hilles the one is called Crosberg the other Helga and neer vnto mount Hecla are heard diuers hideous and strange noises ISLAND IAPPONIA BEyond the furthest continent eastward of all Asia ouer against China lierh the I le of Iapponia or Iapan it conteyneth in length about 400 english myles in bredth in some places but 20 where it is largest not aboue 60. It is deuyded into 3 partes the first whereof conteyneth 2 kingdomes to wit of Miace Amaguco In the second part are also 2 kingdomes whereof Bungi the principal of al is one Figen is another The third parte is deuyded into fowre prouinces lieth betwene the other two partes and in the kingdomes aforesaid are many seuerall gouernments The I le is hilly somwhat cold rather vnfruteful then fruteful in diuers places Howbeit in some places they gather in their graine in the moneth of May and their rice in the moneth of September they make no bread of their corne but a kynde of potage They haue neither eyle not butter beastes they haue both wyld tame but they eat the flesh of the wyld rather then of the tame they haue a kynde of auersion from much seeding on flesh therefore their greatest sustenance is ryce herbes fish they also eat the fat of fish serueth them in steed of oyle or butter Two mountaines in this I le exceed all the other the one in wonderful heigth reatching aboue the cloudes the other in casting foorth flaming fyre Many of these people haue of late yeares through the preaching of the Iesuits receaued the Christian faith howbeit not al for fome do yet continew in paganisme haue a custome diuers tymes to kil their new borne children thereby to auoyd the trouble charge of bringing them vp IAPPONIA ROMANIA THe region which now is named Romania the ancients called Thrace It is the furthest southeast parte of Europe and hath on the east syde the sea now called Mare Magiore of old Pontus Fuxinus On the southsyde it hath the sea called Archipelago on the west it hath Bulgaria c. on the north Syrfia vvalachia c. In this region lieth the ancient famous cittie of Constantinople of old called Byzantium of the Turks that now possesse it corruptly called Stambol the countrie lying about this cittie the Turks do call Galatie neere vnto this said cittie is a litle towne called Galata but more modernly Pera of old tyme Cornu-Byzantium This countrie of Thrace or Romania is neither of good soile nor good ayre but cold and barren except towards the sea syde The principall citties thereof are Abdera Apollonia Phinopolis Philippopolis Nicopolis Hadrianopolis Selybria Debeltus Heraclea Lysmachia the chief of all the aforesaid cittie of Constantinople called Byzantium of Byza the founder thereof afterward Constantinople after Constantyne the Emperor of whome it also receaued new honor new augmentation ROMANIA THE TABLE VNTO THE ADDITION LImagne 1 Champagne 2 Touraine 3 The territorie of Blois 4 Maine 5 Languedoc 6 The I le of France 7 Daulphiney 8 The Signorie of Florence 9 Apulia 10 Island 11 Iaponia 12 Romania 13 Typis Henrici Svvingenij