they yeeld unto the Prince in the way of Revenue and what Forces he is able to raise out of his Estates I cannot positively determine But by the Tribute formerly payd unto the Popes for the City of Mutina and the rich territory of both Towns and the great Revenues of the Dukes of Ferrara I conceive they cannot yeeld less than 100000 Crowns of yearly in-come The Armes of this Duke the same with those of Ferrara before blazoned The Dukedom of PARMA THe Dukedom of PARMA hath on the North the Dukedoms of Millain and Mantua from which it is parted by the Po on the South the Apennine which divideth it from Liguria on the East the Country of Modena on the West Montferrat situate as Modena is in Lombardia Cispadana and much of the same nature both for soyl and air and other the commodities of those parts of Italie The principall Cities of it are 1 Parma an antient City and made a Colony of the Romans at the end of the second Punick War as Mutina and Aquileia at the same time were It is seated on a small River of the same name which runneth almost thorough the middest of it beautified with very handsome buildings and peopled by a race of ingenious men whether they do be take themselves unto Arts or Arms. The grounds about this City are of excellent pasturage and yeeld great plenty of the Cheese which is called Parmesan 2 Placentia seated on the Po one of the first Colonies which the Romans planted amongst the Cisalpine Galls and famous for the resistance which it made both to Annibal and Asdrubal who severally in vain besieged it made afterwards the Metropolis of the Province of Aemilia yet nothing the less beautifull for so great an age The fields adjoyning have the same commendation with those of Parma for most excellent Cheese but go beyond for Salt-pits and Mines of Iron which the other wanteth 3 Mirandula a proper Town built in the time of Constans the sonne of Constantine the Great the Patrimony of the noble Family of the Pici of which was Picus de Mirandula that renowned Scholar but held by them as Feudataries to the Dukes of Parma 4 Briscello called antiently Brixellum not far from the chief City Parma of no great note at the present time but memorable in the Roman story for the death of the Emperor Otho who here killed himself For hearing here that his Forces were overthrown by Valens and Cecina Commanders of the Forces of Vitellius then his Competitor for the Empire he rather chose to fall by his own sword than that the Romans should be forced for his sake to renew the war And this he did with so much honour to himself that many of his souldiers slew themselves at his Funerall Pile not out of consciousness of crime on for fear of punishment but to testifie their affections to him and to follow such a brave example as was layd before them So as we may truly say of him as he is sayd by Tacitus to have sayd of himself viz. Alii diutius imperium tenuerunt nemo tam fortiter resiquit 5 Monticella in the middle way almost between Parma and Plancentia and opponte unto Cremona a chief Town of the Dutchy of Millain from which parted by the River Po. These Towns as others in these parts have been partakers of the diversities of fortune as being after the declining of the Western Empire some times under the Venetians most times under the Millanoys and at last couquered by the Popes in the confusions and distractions of the Dukedom of Millain under the two last Princes of the house of Sforza By Paul the 3 d being of the house of the Farnesis the Cities of Parma and Placentia with their Appendixes were given unto his son Petro Aluigi or Petrus Aloysius as the Latins call him with the title of Duke An o 1549. The Signeurie of Camerine which he had lately taken from the Dukes of Urbin being given in recompence to the Church This Petro being a man of most vicious life had amongst other villanies committed an unspeakable violence on the person of Cosâ—â—us Chirius the Bishop of Janum and soon after poysoned him For which most detestable fact he received no other chastisement of his Father than this Haec vitia me non coÌ„monstratore didicit that he was sure he had not learnt those vices by his example But going on in these wicked courses he was slain at last by Count John Aguzzola and Placentia after a short siege yeelded to Ferdinand Gonzaga Vice-Roy in Millain for the Emperor Charles the fifth conceived to be privy to the murder Octavian the sonne of Petro Luigi hearing what had hapned fortified himself in Parma as well as he could but being hated by the new Pope and distrustfull not without good cause of the Emperors purposes he had quite lost it if Henry the second of France had not taken him into his protection For the Emperor Charles fully determined notwithstanding that Octavian had maried his base daughter to have made himself Lord of the Town and the French King was loth to see so great a strength added to the Emperors possessions in Italie When the war had now lasted four years Philip the second which succeeded Charles considering how necessary it was for his affairs in Italie to have this Octavian his friend restored unto him again this Plaisance or Placentia and so withdrew him from the French faction An. 1557. Yet because he would be sure to keep his house in a perpetuall dependance on Spain he restored it not absolutely at the present but held the Citadell thereof with a Spanish Garrison till the year 1583 when in regard of the good services which Alexander Prince of Parma had done him in his Wars against the Hollanders and others of the revolted Provinces he caused it to be surrendred into the hands of his Father Octavian By which and by his setling upon this house the Town and Territory of Novara in the Dukedom of Millam and other personall favours which they have conferred on the Princes of it the Kings of Spain seem to have given some satisfaction to this house for stepping betwixt them and the Kingdom of Portugal to which they might have made such a probable title as would have troubled his Estate had they stood upon it The Dukes of Parma 1549 1 Petro Luigi Farnesis sonne to Paul the third made by the Pope his Father the first Duke of Parma 1550 2 Octavian Farnesis sonne to Petro Lewis maryed Margaret base daughter to Charles the fift afterwards Governess of the Netherlands 3 Alexander sonne of Octavian and Margaret of Austria one of the most renowned Souldiers of his time Governour of the Netherlands for King Philip the 2d. 1592 4 Rainutio Farnesis sonne of Alexander and Mary of Portugal eldest daughter of Edward sonne to King Emanuel one of the competitors for that Crown 5 Edoardo Farnesis sonne of Rannutio Of the Revennes and
Vniversitie Viz. Dublin THE LESSER ILANDS ANd now we come at last to the LESSER ILANDS dispersed in severall parts of the British Ocean The chief whereof are 1 The Orcades 2 Schetland 3 The Hebrides 4 Man 5 Auglesey 6 The Ilands of the Severn Sea 7 The Sorlinges or Isles of Silly 8 Wight 9 Thanet 10 Sunderland 11 Holy Iland I. The ORCADES or Isles of Orkney are in number 32 situate over against Cathness the most Northern Countrey of all Scotland and separate from one another by some narrow Streights The Soil indifferently fruitfull exceedingly well stored with Barley and great Herds of Cattell plentifull in Hares and Conies as of Cranes and Swans but destitute of wheat and unfurnished both of woods and trees But their chief commoditie is their Fish which the inhabitants catch upon the coasts in great abundance Those of most note in all the cluster are 1 Heâ—h conceived to be the Ocetis of Ptolomie as 2 Fair Isle on good reason thought to be the Dumna of Plinie the chief Town of it being still called by the name of Dumo 3 Hey taken or mistaken for the Dumna of Pliuie but not else observable 4 Pomonia the chief of all in length about 26 miles in bredth where it is broadest six The chief Town of it Kiâ—kwall honoured with a Bishops See and strengthned with two Castles This Iland is well stored with Tinne and Lead and is at this day by the inhabitants called Mainland The people of these Isles according to Maginus are great drinkers but no drunkards bibacissimi sunt incolae nunquam tamen inebriantur they use the Gothish Language which they derive from the Norwegians in whose possession they once were and of whose qualities they still retain some smack The Isles themselves in the time of Solinus were not inhabited being then overgrown with rushes now in a measure populous and fertile as before was said and were first discovered by Julius Agricola the first that ever sailed about Britain In later times they were possessed by the Normans or Norwegians who held them till the yeer 1266 when Magnus K. of Norwey surrendred them up to Alexander King of Scotland which surrendry some of the succeeding Kings did afterwards ratifie the claim hereto being finally relinquished by Christiern the first King of Danemark and Norwey on the mariage of his Daughter Margaret with King James the third An. 1474. some money being added to make good the contract without which the Danes would not forgoe their pretensions to them II. Two dayes sayling North of these Orcades lyeth SCHETLAND an Iland belonging to the Crown of Scotland and is by many learned men upon very good reasons â—upposed to be the Thule of the Antients For first it standeth in the 63 degree of latitude in which Ptolomie placed Thâ—lâ— 2ly It lieth opposite to Bergen in Norwey against which Pomporius Mela hath seated it 3ly Câ—sper Peucerus hath observed that this Schetland is by Mariners called Thylensell a name in which that of Thule is apparently couched That Ise-land was not Thule as most say we shal shew you when we come to Norwey the Northern Ilands Here we adde only that the Antients did report many strange things of it and some of them beyond all belief Pliâ—ie affirming that they had no day here for all the winter nulli per brumam dies as his own words are with whom agree Solinus and many others as to that particular Isidore addes Origin lib. 14. c. 6. nullum ultra eam diemâ—sse that beyond this Isle there was no day in any place as if here had been the end of the world and nature But Pytheas in Polybius goes beyond them all reporting that in this Isle there was no distinction of Earth Air and Water 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but a confused mixture of all together like the primitive Chaos of the Poets The reason of which strange reports was the audaciousness of those who had seen the Iland and thought that whatsover they said of it would not be disproved because of the remoteness of it from more civil Countries So truly and judiciously spoken was that of Synesius a right learned Prelat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thule saith he gave those who had sailed unto it the opportunity of lying without controll An opportunity which many of our Mariners and vulgar Travellers have made too much use of in these last times also III. The HEBRIDES HEBUDAE or Western Ilands situate on the West of Scotland are in number about 44. The chief whereof 1 Ila 24 miles long and 16 in bredth plentifull in Wheat Cattle and herds of Deer 2 Iona famous for the Sepulchres of the old Scotish Kings whose chief Town is Sodore once a Bishops See called hence Sodorenfis his jurisdiction comprehending these Ilands with the Isle of Man his See erected by Pope Grâ—gory the 4th Anno 840 or thereabouts His dwelling for the most part in the Isle of Man as the wealthier and more pleasant part of his Diocese till the conquest of it by the English at what time those of the Western Ilands withdrew themselves from his obedience and had a Bishop of their own both of them for a long time called Sodorenses but at last this took the name of Insulanus Bishop of the Isles which he still retains 3 Mala by Prolomie called Maleos that of Ila before-mentioned being his Epidia mountainous and hillie but affording good mines of Lead and Copper 25 miles more in compass than that of Ila 4 Leunes or Levissa the largest of all the Hebrides said to be 60 miles in length and 30 in bredth the more Western of the two Ebudaes spoken of by Ptolomie the other being now called 5 Skye famous for multitude of Sea-Calves in the Creeks thereof 6 Racline the Recina of Ptolomie the smallest of the Hebrides and most neer to Ireland The rest of less note not known or not inhabited in the time of the Romans and not very well peopled at the present I forbear to name some of them rather Rocks than Ilands others scarce having grass enough to hide their bareness The people of them all as well in language as behaviour resemble the wild-Irish and are called Redshanks a people as King Iames affirmeth in his Basilicon Doron utterly rude and without all shew of Civilitie such as endure not to be governed by Laws or kept under by Discipline Legum severitate judiciorum metu se allegari non patiuntur saith judicious Camden Such as they are they came unto the Crown of Scotland by a contract betwixt Magnus King of Norwey and King Alexander the third the Orcades being bargained for at the same time also South of the Hebrides in the Bay of Dunbritton Frith lieth the Isle of Rothsay now called Buthe which gives the title of a Duke to the Prince of Scotland and the Isle of Arran which gives the title of an Earl to the chief of the Hamiltons IV. MAN is situate just
King with 2000. horse 3. Eastward of Pontus Galaticus lieth Polemoniacus so called by the Romans either from Polemomum a chief town of this tract or from Polemo the last King hereof after whose death this Kingdome came unto the Romans Places of most importance in it 1. Polemonium on the Sea-side spoken of before 2. Hermanassa a Sea-town also more in the land 3. Neo-Coefarea now Nixaria the Metropolis of Polemoniacus when made a Province of it self 4. Zela enlarged by Pompey and called Megalopolis by Constantine laid unto the Province of Helenopontus 5. Sebaestia so called in honour of Augustus whom the Greeks called Sebastos a place of great strength and one of the first Townes in the Lesser Asia which held out against Tamerlane in revenge whereof when he had took it he caused 12000. men women and children to be most cruelly buried alive in some hollow pits which he had dagged for that purpose Nigh to this City is Mount Stella where Pompey gave Mithridates his fatal overthrow where also Tamerlane with an Army of 800000 of his Tartars encountred with Barazet the Turke comming to the reliese of Sebastia with an Armie of 500000 fighting men The assue of which fight was this that Bayazet having lost 200000. of his souldiers was himself taken prisona and carried by the insolent Conqueror in an iron cage against the barres whereof he beat out his brains 6. Barbanissa 7. Megalossus 8. Gozalvia c. not much observable in Story In this part of Pontus is the rise and fall of the River Thermodon on the bankes whereof the Amazones a sort of Warlike women are said to dwell so called either quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they used to cut off their right pappes that they might not be an impediment to their shooting or from a and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 since pane because they used not to eat bread or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they used to live together They were originally of Schythia and accompanied their husbands to these parts about the time of the Scythians first irruptions into Asia in the time of Sesostris King of Egypt The leaders of this people into Cappadocia were Plinos and Scolpythus two young men of a great house whom a contrary action had banished They held a great hand over the Themiscyrii who inhabited this region and the Nations round about them At last they were by treachery all murdered But their wives now doubly vexed both with exile and widowhood and extremity of grief and fear producing its usual effect desperateresse they set upon the Conquerors under the Conduct of Lampedo and Marpesia and not onely overthrew them but also infinitely inlarged their Dominions The Amazon Queens 1. Lampedo Marpesia First Queens of the Amazones in these parts 2. Ortera 3. Antiopa whose sisters Hippolyte and Menalippe challenged Hercules and Theseus to single combate and were at last hardly vanquished to their eternal credits 4. Penhesilea who came with a troope of brave Viragoes to the aid of Priamus King of Troy she invented the Battaile axe and was at last slaine by Pyrrhus sonne to Achilles Long after her death reigned Thalestris who came to Alexander being in Hyrcania and plainly told him she came to be his bed-fellow which done she returned and at last by little and this Female Nation was extinct They used in matters of copulation to go to their neighbouring men thrice in a year if they brought forth males they sent them to their fathers if females they kept them and trained them up in all discipline of war and courage Of these more elsewhere 4. the most Eastern part of Pontus called CAPPADOCIUS for that it bordered on that Province and for a time was added to it by the Romans extended from Polemoniacus to Colchis and the River Euphrates the utmost boundaries of this Countrey Places of most consideration in it 1. Pharnacia built by Pharnaces a King of Pontus 2. Cerasu by Constantine laid unto the Province of Polemoniacus from whence Cherries were brought first to Rome Anno V. C. 680 called therefore Cerasa by the Latines 3. Ischopolis on the Euxine Sea as the others are And so is also 4. Trapezus now Trabezond the Imperial City of the Comneny here raigning over Cappadocia Galatia and these parts of Pontus An Empire founded first by Alexins Comnenus Nephew of the great Tyrant Andronicus Comnenus by his Son Emanuel who at the taking of Constant nopl by the Western Christians fled unto these parts which willingly submitted unto his command Anno 1200. Here his posterity flourished in great prosperity preserving the Majesty of the Empire in a better measure then the Constantinopilitans themselves till the time of David the last Emperour in whose reign the City of Trabezond and therewith all the whole dominion belonging to it was taken by Mahomet the Great the poor Emperour ledde prisoner into Greece and there cruelly murdered A famous Emporie and specially for the trade of fish caught by the People on the shores of the Euxine Sea here salted and from hence transported in great quantities to Constantinople Caffa and other places And for their better help herein it is said that there is a Mountain not far from this City affording a black stone which being beaten in a Mortar serves instead of salt wherewith they season the fish which they send abroad A City honored heretofore with the residence of the Lord Deputies or Lieutenants of the Grecian Emperour for defence of the outparts of the Euxine against the Persiant and now the Station of such Gallies as are maintained by the Grand Siegnour to scoure the coasts of the Black Sea and secure their trade More in the land stand 5. Zephiriam 6. Aza 7. Cocalia 8. Cordyle and many others named in Ptolomy but not else observable The antient Inhabitants of this Countrey were called LEUCOSYRI or White Syrians governed by a race of Kings descended from the Royall house of Achemenes King of Persia The first of them called Mithridates one of the seven Competitors for the Persian Kingdome on the death of Cambâ—ses But that honour failing on Darius of which more hereafter he seated himself in these remote parts of 〈◊〉 the Ancestour of many great and purssant Princes but none more memorable then one of his 〈◊〉 Regum Orientis post Alexandrum Aeagnum Maximus the most potent King of all the East since the time of Alexander the great as my Author hath it A Prince of great abilities both in war and councâ—ll and one who longer held it out against the Romans then Pyrrhus Anniball and the great Kings of 〈◊〉 and Syria had done together This was that famous Mithridates who being once a friend and confederate of the Roman took their part against Aristonious who would not consent to the admission of the Romans unto Pergamus according to the will of Attalus Afterward conceiving an ambitious hope to obtain the Monarchy of Asia in one night he plotted
woods that the people were not able to till the land Insomuch that notwithstanding the great wast made of them both in building ships and casting metals a law was made that every one which would should fell them and take as much ground in severalty for his own inheritance as he could overcome and make fit for tillage Encourged herewith the natural Cypriots together with the Colonies of Grecians Phoenicians and Aegyptians so bestirred themselves that at last they brought it unto Champagn parcelled out in succeeding times amongst nine Kings for so many Cyrus the great Persian Monarch found at his comming hither But Cyrus though he did subdue all those petit Princes yet he took not from them their estates or titles contented with the conquest of it and an annual tribute For after this in the time of Artaxerxes Mnemon we find Evagoras and Nicooles to whom Isocrates inscribed two of his Orations to be Kings hereof And in the time of Alexander the Great Citium it self such was the honour born unto the Mother-City had a King apart not subject unto any other The King whereof to indear himself with the Conquerour gave him a sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Plutarch an admirable sword both for colour and lightness which he after used in all his fights And after the death of Alexander his great Commanders cantoning his estates amongst them the Princes and people of this Iland were in great distractions not knowing to whom they might submit for their best advantage But Ptolomy who had seized on Egypt for his part of the spoil being strong in shipping settled them by a personal visit and fortifying some of the best pieces in it assured the Countrey to himself To him and his posterity it continued subject till the time of Ptolomy Auletes the nineth King of this line in our Accompt who gave it for a portion to one of his Brethren in whose time the Romans without any colour or pretence of quarrell but only to enrich themselves with the spoil of the Iland sent Portius Cato to subdue it And he at first assayed to get it with die Kings consent offering him in the name of the Roman Senate the Priest-hood of the Temple of Paphos being a rich and gainful Office and of high esteem among that people But when Ptolomy for fear of a worse mischief had made away himself by poison Cato without more ceremony takes possession of it And because Ammianus Marcellinus the Historian hath so significantly expressed this business and withall described so punctually the estate of this Iland we will adde to this discourse from him though somewhat be repeated which was said before Cyprum insulam procul à Continente distantem protuosam c. The Isle of Cyprus farre distant from the Continent and well stored with Harbours is famous besides many Municipall Towns by two principall Cities that is to say Salamis and Paphos the one sacred to Jupiter and the other to Venus An Isle so admirably fruitful and with all things furnished that without the help of any forrein Nation it is able of it self to build and rig forth a ship from the very keel unto the top-sail and trim it with all tackle necessary for a present voyage Nor do I shame to say that with greater avarice than justice the Romans did invade this Iland King Ptolomy our old Consederate and Ally being unworthily proscribed for no other reason but that our treasury was bare our Exchequor empty And he no sooner had prevented this dishonour by a quick and voluntary death making away himself by poison but the Iland was forthwith made tributary and the riches of it velut hostiles exuvioe classi imposit oe in urbem adduct oe per Catonem as the spoils of so re conquered enemy were brought on Ship-bord and conveyed by Cato unto Rome So far and to this purpose he I know there is another cause alleged for the sending of Cato on this Errand viz. that Clodius who was then Tribune and sped the Edict might have opportunity by his absence to revenge himself on Cicero and some others of the opposite faction but the main business was the money as before was said the prey amounting to 7000 Talents which comes to two Millions and one hundred thousand Crowns of coin now currant Which money and moveables amounting unto so vast a sum he fearing to lose by Sea divided it into many small portions which he put into several boxes viz. in every box two Talents and fifty Drachms At the end of every box he fastened a long rope with a piece of Cork by which floating above the water the money if by Shipwrack lost might be espied again which was not much unlike the buoyes which Mariners fasten by long ropes to their Anchors that they may be the sooner found We see by this that the pretence of the Romans to this Countrey was very weak Avariùs magis quam justius sumus assecuti are the words of Sextus Rutus also But being made a Roman Province it was in the division of the Empire assigned to the Constantinopolitan Emperours under whom it suffered as all other parts of the Empire did by the violent invasion of the Saracens who spoiled and ransacked it in the time of Constans the second destroying then the City of Salamis or Constantia But that tempest being overblown they returned again unto that Empire governed by a Succession of Dukes till the year 1184. At which time Androuicus Comnenus usurping the Greek Empire compelled Isaacibus 〈◊〉 one of the bloud Royal to shift for himself who seasing on this Iland made himself King thereof and ruling till the year 1191. when Richard the first of England being denyed the Common courtesie of taking in fresh water and seeing his Souldiers abused by the Cypriots not only took the King Prisoner but subdued the whole Iland And as Paterculus telleth us that when Marcus Antonius had captivated Aramasdes King of Armenia Catenis sed ne quid honori deesset aureis vinxit So did our Richard keep a decorum towards this Prisoner binding him not in bonds of Iron but silver King Richard having thus possessed himself of this Countrey sold it for ready money which for his mannaging of his intended wars against the Turk he most needed unto the Templers and taking it upon I know not what discontent again from them he bestowed it on Guy of Lusignam the titulary and miserable King of Hierutalem receiving in way of exchange the title of that lost and shipwracked Kingdome with which title be and some of his Successours for a time were honoured In the posterity of this Guy this Iland continued free and absolute till the year one thousand foure hundred twentythree when Melechella or Melechnaser Sultan of Egypt invaded this Countrey took John King hereof Prisoner ransomed him for 150000 Sultanies restored him to his Kingdome and imposed on him and his Successours the yearly tribute of 40000 Crowns This
but reigning in their severall parts Of which Demetrius intending to disseize his brother was himself vanquished and forced to fly into Parthia leaving the whole Kingdome unto Philip. During which warres amongst themselves Syria was invaded and in part conquered by Aret as King of the Arabians and Alexander King of the Jews 3884. 21. Tigranes King of Armenia during these dissentions was by the Syrians chosen King that by his power they might be freed from the Jews and Arabians the most puissant Prince that had reigned in Syria since the time of Antiochus the Great as being King of Syria by election of Armenia by succession of Media by conquest But ingaging himself with Mithridates whose daughter he had maryed against the Romans was vanquished by Lucullus who with the loss of five Romans onely and the wounds of an hundred is reported to have slain of his Enemies above a 100000 men Finally being again broken and vanquished by Lucullus he yielded himself to Pompey who being appointed Lucullus successour deprived him of the honour of ending that warre and retaining to himself Armenia only he left all Syria to the Romans having reigned eighteen years And though Antiochus Comagenus the Sonne of Eusebes petitioned Pompey for a restitution to the Throne of his Anâ—estours yet it would not be granted Pompey replying that he would not trust the Countrey into such weak hands as were not able to defend it against the Arabians Parthians and the like Invaders and so reduced it presently to the form of a Province The government of this Countrey under these new Lords was accompted to be one of the greatest honours of the Empire the Prefect hereof having almost regall jurisdiction over all the regions on this side Euphrates with a super-intendency over Egypt Niger the concurrent of Severus was Praefect here and on the strength hereof presumed on that competition So also was Cassius Syrus who being a Native of this Countrey and well-beloved by reason of his moderate and plausible demeanour had almost tumbled M. Antonius out of his Throne On this occasion it was enacted by the Senate that no man hereafter should have any militer or legale command in the Province where he was born Left perhaps supported by the naturall propension of the people to one of their own Nation and heartned by the powerableness of his Friends he might appropriate that to himself which was common to the Senate and people of Rome But this was when it was entire and passed but for one Province only Phoenicia being also taken into the accompt which made the Antiochians so proud and insolent that Adrian in his time intended to subduct Phoenicia from it netot civitatum Metropolis Antiochia diceretur faith Gallcanus that Antioch might not be the chief of so many Cities But what he lived not to accomplish was performed by Constantine By whom Phonicia was not only taken off but Syria itself divided into four distinct Provinces as was shewed before each of them having its Metropolis or Mother City but all subordinate to the command of the Comes or Praefect of the East as he to the command of the Praefectus Praetorio Orientis the greatest Officer of the Empire of whom we have often spoke already For the defence hereof aswell against all Forrein invasions as the insurrections of the Natives a wavering and inconstant People the Romans kept here in continuall pay four Legions with their Aids and other Additaments For so many Mutianus had here in the time of Galba and by the strength and reputation of those Forces was able to transfer the Empire upon Vespasian And though the Constantinopolitan Emperours to whose share it fell in the division of the Empire rather increased than diminished any part of this strength yet when the fat all time was come and that Empire was in the Declination the Saracens under the conduct of Haumar their third Caliph an 636. possessed themselves of it Heraclius then reigning in Constantinople And it continued in their power till Trangrolipix the Turk having conquered Persia and the Provinces on that side of Euphrates passed over the River into Syria and made himself Master of a great part of that also A quarrell falling out betwixt him and his neerest Kins-men and thereby a great stop made in their further progress was thus composed by the mediation of the Calivh of Babylon in the time of Axan his Successour To Cutlu Muses was assigned a convenient Army to be by him employed against the Christians with Regal power over the Provinces by him gained without relation or subordination to the Persian Sultans of whose successes and affairs hath been spoke elsewhere To Melech and Ducat two others of his discontented Kins-men but all of the same Selzuccian family he gave the fair Cities of Aleppo and Damascus and those parts of Syria with whatsoever they could conquer from the Caliph of Aegypt who then held all Phoenicia and the Sea-coasts of Palestine to be held in see and vassalage of the Crown of Persia To these two brethren then we are to refer the beginning of the Turkish Kingdome in Syria who with their Successors by reason that here they held their residence caused themselves to be called The Turkish Kings of Damascus 1075. 1. Melech and Ducat the first Turkish Kings of Damascus by the gift of Axan the second Sultan of the Turks in Persia added to their dominions all the rest of Syria together with Cilicia and some neighbouring Provinces in the Lesser Asia 2. Sultan of Damascus at such time as the Christians of the West won the Holy Land against whom he notably defended the City and Territories of Damascus and in a set Battel discomfited and flew Roger the Norman Prince of Antioch 1146. 3. Noradine the Sonne of Sanguin Generall of the Armies and Sonne-in-Law to the former King succeeded him in the estate A noble Prince memorable amongst other things for a gallant answer made to his Commanders when they perswaded him to take the advantage on the death of Baldwin the third and to invade Hierusalem whilst the Christians were busie in solemnizing his Funerals Not so faith he Compassion and regard is to be had of the just sorrow of those Christians who have lost such a King as could not be equalled in the world 1175. 4. Melechsala Sonne of Noradine contemned by reason of his youth by his Nobles and Souldiery who made choice of Saladine for their King by whom dispossessed first and after vanquished 1176. 5. Saladine the Turkish Sultan of Egypt having vanquished the Persians or Parthians coming under the conduct of Cacobed Uncle to Melechsia to restore that Prince to his Estate remained King of Damascus and by the puistance of his Armies recovered from the Christians all Syria and the Holy Land with the City of Hierusalem 1199. 6. Eladel or El-Aphzal the eldest Sonne of Saladine suceeded in the Realm of Damascus which he exchanged for that of Egypt with his Brother Elaziz 7. Elaziz
do usually take up as much ground as the City of London Yet notwithstanding this great power the fortunes of this Empire have not only been at a stand since the deathof Echebar But the Rasbooches in Cambaia the Venazarari in Decan and other puissant Rebels in other parts of his Dominions hold out still against him some of them being said to command as much land as a pretty good Kingdom and to have always in a readiness 20000 Horse 50000 foot to make good their Mountains Nature or Divine Providence hath given to Empires as to men a determinate growth beyond which there is no exceeding 2 INDIA EXTRA GANGEM INDIA EXTRA GANGEM is that part of the great Continent of India which lieth on the further side of the River Ganges from the spring or fountain of it wheresoever it be to the fall thereof into the sea by the first and last mouth thereof which is called Antholi The other four being reckoned into the other part of India on this side of that River From hence extended Eastward as far as China and the Oriental Ocean on other parts bounded as before The Countrey in those elder times so renowned for wealth that one Tract of it had the name of The Silver Region and an other of The Golden Chersonese this last supposed to be the Ophir of Solomon of which more hereafter The People of the same nature and disposition in the elder times as those which did inhabit on the hither side of the Ganges not so well known to the Greeks or Romans as the others were by reason of the remoteness of their situation nor so well discovered at the present So that the best Accompt we shall be able to give of it will no be so exact and punctual as of that before with reference either to the estate hereof in the times of the Ancients or the affairs of it in these dates Mountains of most note in it 1. Bepyrrus 2. Maeandrus 3. Semanthinus and 4 these called Damasi touched upon before in our general discourse of India Out of which and from other Springs flow these following Riveâ—s 1. Catabeda 2. Bocosanna 3. Sadus 4. Temala 5. Besynga 6. Chrysaoras 7. Polanaas 8. Attabas these three last in the part hereof called the Golden Chersonese 9. Daonas and 10. Dorias rising out of the Mountains called Damasi Others there are whose names I meet with in my Author but of no great note by what names any of them now distinguished it is hard to say Nor find I any who have dared to adventure on it Of the chief Towns 1. Balanga 2. Cirtatha 3. Tasile 4. Tagma and 5. Malthura have the name of being the Metropoles of their several Nations 6. Triglyphon only honoured with the name of Regia more memorable perhaps for the white Crows and bearded Hens which are said to have been thereabouts than for being the Seat-Royal of some petit Prince After these 1. Sada on the banks of the River Sadus 2. Samba 3. Sabara 4. Colâ— 5. Zabae and 6. Sinda have the name of Cities 7. Baracura 8. Berabonna 9. Bobynga 10. Tacola 11. Sabana and 12. Thibon bâ—stus are marked out for the most noted Emportes or Towns of trade the memory of Sabana being still preserved in the Frith of Sabaor betwixt this Chersonese and Sumatra Others there are not noted by those special Adjuncts of which 1. Cocconagaoa and 2. Balonoa in the Golden Chersonese 3. Rhandamarcotta in the Midlands 4. Pentapolis neer the mouth of Ganges called Antibolum 5. Agmâ—gara neer the Bay called â—inus Magnus and 6. Corygaza one of the principal Towns of the 〈◊〉 may be some of the chief The old Inhabitants hereof besides the Marandae last spoken of were the Gangarides and Gangaent inhabiting on the banks of Ganges the Tacorae bordering on the Mountain Bepyrrus as the Tilaedae on Maeandâ—us and the Ammachae and Caboâ—aeh neer the hills called Damasi The Basadae said to be crooked short and thick but of a cheerful aspect and cleer complexion of which composition also the inhabitants of the Golden Chersonese were observed to be the Barrae and Cudutae on the Bay called Sinus Magnus the Lestori a Theevish and Piratical people who lived in Caves and were affirmed to be of so hard a skin that it was not penetrable by an Arrow These with the rest too many to be here recited the issue in most likelyhood of Chavilath and Saba the sonnes of Joktan of whom we find so many footsteps in Sabara Civitate Sabaraco Sinu Sabana Emporio Sobanus Fluvio and in the Countreys now called Ava and the Kingdom of Cavelan Of any of their actions we find little in antient stories or of the power of any of their former Kings but that it was given out in the time of Alexander that beyond the Ganges lived a Prince called Aggramenâ—s the most powerfull King of all those Countreys able to bring into the field 200000 Foot 20000 Horse 3000 Elephants and 2000 armed Chariots With which report though Alexander was the more inflamed to trie masteries with him yet his Souldiers were so terrified with it remembring the hard bout which they had with Porus that no perswasions could prevail with them to go further Eastward Nor hear we much of them after this unless the conversion of the Indians in the time of Constantine may be applyed to those on that side of the River as perhaps it may As for the later observations and discoveries of it we find it as most barbarous Countreys else till reduced to Order dismembred and subdivided into many estates almost as many Realms as Cities and distinct governments amongst them as Tribes and Nations Most of them Gentiles in Religion with whom the name of Christ and Christianity not so much as heard of till the comming of the Jesuites thither who have not onely obtained leave but some invitations for the promoting of the Gospel And for Mahometamsm though it had got some footing on the Sea-coasts of the Golf of Bengala as lying most convenient for the trade of the Arabian Merchants yet on the North and midland parts and those towards China and the Oriental Seas it was as little heard of as Christianity But for the Kingdoms of this part I mean the chief of them to which as many of the rest as are worth the looking after are to be reduced they are those of 1. Brama or Barma 2. Cauchin-China 3. Camboia 4. Jangoma 5. Siam and 6. Pegu. BRAMA THe Kingdomes of BRAMA or BARMA have on the West the River Ganges on the North part of Cathay in Tartarie on the East Cauchin-China and on the South the Kingdomes of Pegu So called from the Brachmanes Bramanes or Brames possessed for many ages past of these North West Countreys By the transposing of a Letter they are now called the Kingdomes of Barma The Countrey of these Brames or Bramanes extendeth Northwards from the neerest of the Peguan Kingdomes for the space
Italie altogether unfurnished for Wars and indeed such as by reason of the variety of pleasures in them used were more likely to weaken their minds than to arm their bodies Now to give the Senate some sweet meat to their sowr sawce he as much honoured and reverenâ—ed that Order as ever it was in the Free-state submitting himself to their Judgements and appearing of his own accord at most of their dayes of Session Out of those he chose 15 alterable every half year to be of his privy Counsell but then changing them for others that so all of them might participate that honâ—ur and yet none of them be acquainted with too many of his secrets At his entrance into the Senate he used courteously to salute the Lords and so likewise at his departure He knew full well that it was noted for great pride in his Father Iulius so much to sleight the Lords of that House as he always did never making to them any obeysance no not then when they came to tell him what honours were decreed unto him 25. This Reformation of the great Ones soon made the lower sort more carefull both to observe good order and to learn obedience Yet did not AUGUSTUS refer all to President but somewhat to Precept The Roman Knights he enforced to yeeld an account of their lives an Ordinance full of health and wisdom Idleness being the root of all private vices and publike disorders To the Commons in their Comitia and other meetings he prescribeth Laws and Orders as himself listed The old authority of the Tribunes dashed in the Dictatorship of Sylla he would not restore He suffred them to intercede for the People but not to prefer or hinder any Bill to the advancement or the prejudice of their Estate Without this Curb the Common sort would never have suffered him to sit fast in the Saddle For had the people had their Tribunes and had the Tribunes had their antient dignity and power which they had usurped there had been little or no hope of altering the form of Goverment So different are the ends of the Common-people especially if nuzled in a factious Liberty from the designs of Soveraign Princes 26 The City thus reformed in the principall errors and defects of it he again exhibiteth unto them divers pleasures As Shews of Fencers Stage-plays Combats of wild beasts publique Dancings with variety of other delightfull spectacles And this as well to breed in them a good conceit of the change as fearing left their cogitations for want of other objects would fix themselves upon his actions and the old freedom Horse-races Tilts and Tornaments he gladly cherished but he permitted them onely to the Inhabitants of Rome That so that City being the Seat-Town of his Empire might be stored with good Horses and expert Riders Such of the Commons as were behind hand he relieved and when that any of them had made him Heir to their goods he well knowing that no good Father did appoint to his Heir any Prince but a Tyrant presently restored to the Children of the deceased the whole Patrimony An action truly worthy of AVGVSTVS as true a Guardian of Orphaâ—â—s as a Father of his Country Such Princes as gape covetously after other mens possessions seldom enjoy the benefit of their own The Treasures of Kings are then greatest not when their own Coffers are full only but their Subjects rich Yet one thing more he seemed to leave unto the people which they thought most pleasing Liberty of speech Wherein sometimes they were so liâ—entiâ—â—s that they spared not Agrippa himself so potent with the Empâ—ror But he good man never using the Princes favour to the prejudice of any seemed not to mark their taunts and slanders whether with greater moderation or wisdom I cannot tell Neither did AVGVSTVS scape their foolish Pasquils and infamous Libels All which he winked at knowing that Contumelles of that nature slighted and contemned soon vanish of themselves but if repined and stormed at seem to be acknowledged A temper which he learnt of his Father Julius who was perfect at it And certainly it was a notable point of wisdom in both of them It is the misery of the best Princes even when they do well to be ill spoken of And therefore many times such follies are with more policie dissembled than observed by the greatest Kings 27 As for this Lavishness of the tongue it is a humour that springeth for the most part rather from a delight in pratling than any malice of the heart and they which use it are more troublesome than dangerous Julius feared not the fat men but the lean and spare And so AVGVSTVS thought that not men liberal of speech but silent close and sparing of their words were most likely to raise tumults Moreover as long as the Common People retained Libertie of speech they were the less sensible of the loss of Liberty in State Whereas in the dayes of Domitian when not only they were prohibited to commune together but even their secret sighs and tears were registred then began they to look back with a serious eye on the old and Common Liberty Neglect is the best remedy for this Talking vein When the humour is spent the People will cease on their own accords till then no forces can compel them Tacitus taxeth Vitellius of great folly for hoping by force to hinder the continuall reports of Vespatians revolt that being the only way to increase not diminish the rumour And as much he extolleth I will not say how fitly the Reign of Prince Nerva wherein it was lawfull for the Subject to think what he would and speak what he thought 28 These courses though he took to rectifie the Senate and content the people yet he stayed not here There were too many of both sorts dangerous and unquiet spirits who stomacked his proceedings and under pretence of the antient Liberty were apt to any bold attempt and suddain alteration These as he winked at for the present so he employed them as occasion served in his forreign Wars Wherein he followed the example of his Father Julius who when his Souldiers had displeased him in their Mutinies and Tumults would lead them presently unto some desperate and dangerous service So weakning both his Foes which lay next unto him and punishing those Souldiers which had disobeyed him For though AVGVSTVS had thrice shut the Temple of Janus and cherished Peace no Emperor more of so large a Territory Yet when he saw his times and that mens minds were active and their thoughts disquieted he could find presently occasion for some new imployment In this a Body Politique may be compared most fitly to the Body naturall When we are full of blood and our spirits boyling there is not any Physick better than Phlebotomie But if a vein be broken in us and we bleed inwardly our estate commonly is dangerous and almost incurable So Princes when their people are tumultuous and apt to mischief or that
his two sonnes The people after his decease either desirous of Novelties as most people are or fearing to be made hereditary to this powerfull Family seemed to incline to one of the Soderini a man of plausible deportment and well beloved But he judiciously considering that new houses as they are easily honoured so are they as soon abandoned by the fickle multitude conferred all the dependances which were cast upon him on these two young men of the Medices as being descended from a Family which had long governed the Citie Against these two the Pazzi a potent house in Florence conspired and at Mass they slew Julian but Lorenzo escaped the blows which were struck at him being received by one of his servants whom two days before he had delivered out of prison For this fact the Pazzi were hanged at the Palace window together with the Archbishop of Pisa who had been of the conspiracie To revenge the death of this Bishop Pope Paul the 2 d Excommunicated the Florentines and Ferdinand King of Naples warred upon them Loronzo to divert this mischief went in person to Naples where he grew so much into the good liking of the King that there was a perpetuall League made between them After his death An. 1492 his sonne Peter having very improvidently delivered Pisa and Ligorn with other peeces to the French King was together with his whole Family banished John di Medices the sonne of Lawrence and Brother of Peter being made Pope by the name of Leo the 10th restored again his Family who not long after his death were again exil'd This disgrace Julio di Medices sonne to the above-named Julian and Pope of Rome by the name of Clement the 7th not enduring procured Charles the fift to besiege it which request was granted and the City after two years resistance yeelded The Emperour then gave it to Alexander Medices Grand-child to Peter by his sonne Lawrence An. 1531 And he to restrain the insolencies of the people built a strong Citadell in the Town This Alexander was a Prince of good parts enough had he not been too much addicted to Lust and Wantonness which being observed by Lawrence de Medicis his own Cousen he trained him to a secret place under colour of bringing him to the bed of a beautifull Lady and there basely murdered him Which done instead of calling the people to take Arms for recovery of their lost Liberty as he first intended he fearfully left the City and fled towards Venice So that before the people had notice of the Accident the heads of the Medices consulted together and sent for Cosmo di Medices dwelling in the Countrey with his Mother and then about 18 years of age to be their Prince as being the next Heir-male which was left of the Family according to the Entail as our Lawyers call it made by Charles the Emperor This Cosmo proving an excellent Statesman and a fortunate Commander so swayed the affairs of Italie that Philip the second of Spain to be assured of his friendship gave him the Signeurie of Sienna out of which he had lately driven the French and Pius the 4th had an intent to have crowned him King of Tuscany But Philip of Spain though otherwise his speciall friend thwarted that intent as loath to have in Italie any more Kings than himself After in the year 1570 Pius the fifth crowned the said Cosmo in the Court of Rome with the title of Great Duke of Tuscany for him and his Heirs for ever In the new Dukes Coronet he caused to be engraven these words Pius quintus Pont. max. ob eximiam dilectionem religionis catholicae zelum pracipuumqne justitiae studium donavit Thus forward were these Popes 〈◊〉 honour this family but their successors have been otherwise affected to it For when one of Duke Cosmo's successors did since intreat a succeeding Pope that he might be created King of Tuscany the Pope not liking so Lordly a title answered that he was content He should be a King in Tuscany but not King of Tuscany A Scholar-like distinction but not so satisfactory to the point proposed The Princes of the house of Medices in the Free-estate 1410 1 John di Medices the first advancer of the Family to publick greatness 1433 2 Cosmo di Medices the sonne of John called the Father of the Commonwealth 1646 3 Peter the sonne of Cosmo 1472 4 Lawrence di Medices sonne of Peter the great Advancer of Learning in Italie 1492 5 Peter di Medices II. exiled upon the comming in of Charles the 8. 6 Lawrence di Medices II. sonne of Peter exiled together with his Father made Duke of Urbin by Pope Leo the 10. The Dukes of Florence and Great Dukes of Tuscanie 1531 1 Alexander di Medices the sonne of Lawrence the first Duke of Florence 1537 2 Cosmo II. the next heir of Alexander descended from Lawrence a brother of the first Cosmo the wisest Statesman of his time 1574 3 Francis di Medices sonne of Cosmo the II. Father of Mary the French Queen 1587 4 Ferdinand di Medices the brother of Francis 1609 5 Cosmo the III. sonne of Ferdinand 1621 6 Ferdinand II. sonne of Cosmo di Medices the twelf of this family the sixt Duke of Florence and the first of Tuscany The length of this Estate is 260 miles the bredth in some places not much inferior but growing narrower where it bordereth upon that of Genoa In all which tract the Great Duke hath but one considerable Port on the main land which is that of Ligorn so that his strength in shipping is not very great and yet might be greater than it is if the Subjects did delight in Trafick and not suffer their Commodities to be bought by Strangers as generally they do in all this Country and carryed thence in forein vessels For otherwise being an industrious people and well trained in Manufactures their power at Sea must needs be greater than it is the Great Dukes Fleet consisting ordinarily of no more than twelve Gallies two Gallions and five Galliasses And for his power by Land he hath in readiness sixteen thousand Foot of his own subjects well trained and mustered under experienced Commanders to serve him upon all occasions and a hundred men at Arms and 400 Light-horsmen well payd as well in times of Peace as in time of War And besides these he keeps so many Forts and Towns in continuall Garrison that his Estate is sayd to be made of Iron The only Order of Knighthood in this Estate is that of S. Stephen instituted by Cosmo di Medices An. 1561. and dedicated to S. Stephen because upon the Festivall of Stephen Pope and Martyr being the 6. of August he won the famous battell of Marciano Pope Pius the fourth confirmed it the same yeer and granted them all the privileges which they of Malta enjoy conditioned that those of this Order should make a vow of Charity and conjugall Chastity and Obedience They are to be nobly born
on a fair and deep channell made by art and filled with the waters of all the adjoyning Fountains and Rivulets which artificiall channels are in these Countries very frequent to the great enriching of the whole State 3. Ypres a town seated very strongly and almost impregnable on a small river so named a reasonable rich Town and well built though most of the houses be of timber very well served with water conveyed into every house almost in leaden pipes of which there is so great a number that the foundations of it seem to be laid in lead 4. Bourbourg a fine strong town but little pertaining to the French King in the rights of the House of Burbon 5. Comines on the River Lis or Ley beautified with a strong castle and an excellent Library but more in being the birthplace of Philip de Comines that notable States-man and Historian 6. Courtray on the same River of Ley one of the ancientest towns in Flanders yet still continueth well built and of very great strength both by art and nature famous for a great overthrow given the French Anno 1301. for which the town was called of long time the Sepulchre of the Frenchmen 7. Wâ—nocksberg so called of a goodly Abby built upon an hill in the honour of S Winock an English man of an holy life sacked by the French Anno 1538. but since reedified and made more beautifull then it was before 8. Graveling on the sea side which since the taking of Calice by the French hath been made the strongest town in the Low-countries 9. Oudenard seated on the Scheld a fair strong town and of very great traffique especially for Tapestry and the finest Linnens which are herein made the birth-place of Margaret Dutehesse of Parma and Mother to Alexander Prince of â—arma that renowned souldier The principall Ports of Flanders being four in number are all of them seated in this part viz. 1. Dunkerke a small but safe Port belonging to the French King as doth Graveling also in the right of the house of Vendâ—sâ—e both taken lately by the French and so returned ex post liminio to the proper owner Most memorable in these dayes in that the people of it in the times of war so infested the seas 2. Scluse seated at the mouth of the Channell of Bruges beautified with a very fair Haven able to contain 500 good Ships and is now subject to the States with whose safety it could not well stand to leâ— the Spanâ—ards enjoy any safe and large harbour so near unto them Over against it lyeth the Isle of Cassandt famous for the birth of George Cassander a moderate and learned Papist Formerly as big again as it is at the present having then a fair town in it and many rich villages of which there is but one remaining of the same name with the Iland the rest all swallowed by the sea 3. Newport a pretty Town with a very strong Castle built on a well frequented Haven but not very safe and therefore not much used by the men of war nor made rich by Piracies as Dunkerke Near to this town Anno 1603. was fought the field-battell betwixt Arch-duke Albert and the States the victory next under God being gotten for the States by the valour of the English and the excellent conduct of the Veres 4. Ostend not walled till the Low-countrey wars and then but with a mud-wall only and that not finished till the Arch-duke sate down before it insomuch as the Arch-dutchesse Isabell is said to have sworn that she would not shift her smock till the town were taken who had she kept that rash oath had been very lowsie the town then garrisoned with English holding out against the said Arch-duke a siege of three years and as many moneths 2. IMPERIALL FLANDERS so called because it was long under the obedience of the Emperâ—s is severed from Brabant by the River Dender and from the Gallick Flanders by the River Scheld about Oudenard It was sometimes called Bracant of a Castle of that name destroyed by Baldwin le Debonaire Earl of Flanders and is now called the County of Alost from the chief town thereof so named the jurisdiction whereof containing 170 Villages extendeth as far as to the wals of Gaunt and the Gates of Oudenard The town strong and indifferently fair situate on the River Dender most famous in these times for a Fair of Hops which is kept there yearly 2. Hulst a walled town and the chief of the four towns in the County of Waes the other three being 3. Axele 4. Mouchont 5. Asseneds of which little memorable but that they were all taken from the Empire by the said Baldwin le Debonaire in the time of the Emperour Henry the fourth 6. Dendremond situate at the mouth of the Dender where it entreth into the Scheld a strong town both by Art and Nature and much enriched by making Fustians and a weekly market of Flax. A distinct Signeure of it self with many rich villages belonging to it incorporated into the Earldome of Flanders by the marriage of Earl Lewis de Malaine with the Lady Margaret of Brabant to which house it formerly appertained 7. Rupelmond on the mouth of the River Rupel where it falleth into the Scheld famous in former times for an ancient Castle in which were kept the Muniments and Records of the Earls of Flanders more in late times for being the birth-place of Mercator that renowned Cosmographer 8. Mont Gerhard called by the French Grandmont a fine and pleasant town seated on the Dender Which three last towns together with Bornhen a fair large village having some jurisdiction on the parts adjoyning made up that estate which was called the Propro or Donaire of Flanders because not holden of the Empire or the Kings of France but in the soveraignty alone of the Earls hereof 3. FLANDERS GALLICANT so called from the French language there spoken lyeth on the south of Flanders Flammengant having Hainault on the East Artois on the West and the Country of Cambray on the South The chief towns of it are 1. Listle in Latine Insula so called from its Iland-like situation amongst ponds pools and marishes dryed up and made firm land by Earl Baldwin le Barbum who built the town Anno 1007. which afterwards was walled by Baldwin de Lisle his son born in this town and hence so named Anno 1066. The town made rich by manufactures and resort of Merchants accompted the best town of traffick next Amsterdam and Antwerp in all the Netherlands Not far from which are to be seen the ruines of an ancient Castle called Brug the Seat or Manour house of the ancient Forresters who had the government of this Countrey for the Kings of France 2. Doway Duacum in Latine a fair and strong town seated on the Scharpe having many fountains good buildings and a great number of Churches made an University by King Philip the second of Spain who built therein a Seminary or Colledge
fortunes of Bithynia it self I look upon the Bithynians as a Thracian people whom both Strabo and Herodotus speak of as the founders of the name and Nation Of such a King of theirs as Bithynius I finde some mention in my Authors and possibly it might be he who had the leading of the Thrni or Bithyxi in this expedition that being the name rather of his Nation then his proper Family But for the line of Kings which held out till the flourish of the Roman greatnesse they begun to reign here some few geaerations before the time of Philip and Alexander the Macedonians by whom having other imployment and lying out of the road towards Persia they were little troubled alantus one of Alexanders Captains made an expedition into their Countrey and was vanquished by them and afterwards they had to do with one of the Lieutanants of Antigonus one of Alexanders greatest Princes who though he humbled them for the present yet got he neither title nor possession by it And thus they held it out till the time of Prusias so shuffling with the Macedonian and Syrian Kings that betwixt both they still preserved their own estates This Prusias when the Romans became so considerable as that no danger need be feared from Greece or Syria peeced himself with them and having aided them in their warres against Philip and Antiochus both and most unworthily promised to deliver Anniball who had fled to him for succour unto their Embassadours made all sure on this side His Sonne and successour Nicomedes being outed of his Kingdome by Muhridates King of Pontus and restored again unto it by the power of the Romans held it as their Fenditarie as did Nicomedes his next Successour simamed Philometor who dying without issue in the time of Augustus gave his whole Kingdome to the Romans By them with the addition of that part of Pontus which lay next unto it it was made a Province of their Empire by the name of Pontus and Bithynta continuing so till the division of that Empire into the Eastern and the Western when falling to the share of the Constantinopolitans and with them to the power of the Turkish Tyrants who do still possesse it 2. PONTVS PONTUS is bounded on the East with Colchis and Armenta on the West with Bithynia and the River Sangarius on the North with the Euxine Sea and on the South with Phrygia Mayor Paphlagonia Galatia and Cappadocia So that it taketh up the whole length of Anatolia or Asia Minor from Bithynia to the River Euphrates which parts it from Armenia Major but not of answerable breadth and gives name to the Sea adjoining a Ponto regione illi adjacente it a appellari as Ortelius hath it called from hence Pontus by the Latines the adjunct of Euxinus comming on another occasion which we have spoken of before A Countrey of a large extent and therefore divided by the Romans when Masters of it into these four parts viz. Metapontus or Pontus specially so called 2. Pontus Galaticus 3. Polemomacus and 4. Pontus Cappadocius 1. PONTUS specially so called or Metapontus bordering on Bithynia and bounded on the East with the River Parthemius which divided it from Paphlagonia had for the Chief Cities thereof 1. Claudiapolis so called in honor of Clausdius the Roman Emperor as 2. Flaviopolis in honor of Flavius Vespasianus and 3. Fulipolis in honor of the Julian family all midland Towns 4. Diospolis on the Euxine Sea so called from a Temple consecrated to Jupiter of great resort 5. Heraclea a Colonie of the Phocians called for distinctionssake there being many of that name Heraeclea Pontit memorable of late times for being the seat or residence of a branch of the Imperial family of the Conent when at the taking of Constantinople by the Western Christians David Alexius Comnexi fled into these parts the first fixing here his Royal residence commanded over this part of Pontus and paphligonia the other possessing himself of Cappadocia and Galatia made Trabezond his Regall or Imperiall City But these two Empires though of the same date were of different destinies that of Heraclea and Pontus being partly conquered by the Greek Emperours residing at Nice and partly seized on by the Turks in the beginning and first fortunes of the Ottoman family the other keeping up the Majesty and State of an Empire till the year 1461. when subdued by Mahomet the Great 6. Phillium at the mouth or influx of the River Phillis upon which it is seated 7. Amastris the farthest Town of this part towards the East on the Sea-side also once of great strength but take by Lucullus together with Heracles Sinope Amisut and other Townes in the war against Mithridates the great King of Pontus 2. Eastward of Pontus specially so called or Metapontus as Justin the historian call's it lyeth PONTUS GALATICUS so named because added to Galatia in the time of the Romans The chief Cities whereof were 1. Sinope pleasantly seated on a long point or Promontorie shooting into the main remarkable in antient storie for the birth and sepulture of Muthridates before mentioned and in the later times for being the chief seat of the Issendiars and noble Family of the Turkes who had taken it with the rest of this tract from the Comneni and held it till the same year in which the Empire of Trabezond was subdued by Mahomet First built by the Milesians and continuing in a free estate till taken by Pharatees a King of Pontus and made the Metropolis of that Kingdome 2. Castamona the head City of the Principality of the Isfendiars before mentioned preferred by them for strength and conveniency of situation before Heraclea or Synope 3. Themiseyra now called Favagoria seated on a spacious plain neer unto the Sea and antiently giving name to the Province adjoyning 4. Amasia the birth-place of Strabo the Geographer remarkable in the Ecclesiatical Histories for the Martyrdome of St. Theodorus and of late times for being the residence of the eldest Sonnes of the Grand Signeur sent hither as soon as circumcised never returning back again till the death of their Father Accompted now amongst the Cities of Cappadocia and the chief of that Province a midland Town as also is 5. Cabira called afterward Dtopolis memerable for the great defeat which Lucullus gave there unto Mithridates more for the trick which Mithridues there put upon Lacullus For being well acquainted with the covetousnesse of the Romans he saw no better way to save himself and the rest of his forces after the defeate then to scatter his treasures in the way which he was to take that by that meanes his enemies might slacken the pursuite to collect the spoiles and he preserve himself to another day and so accordingly it proved 6. Coniaus to difference it from another of that name called Comana Pontica to which other being of Cappadociae or Armenia Minor Mithridates came in safety by the trick aforesaid and thence escaped unto Trgranes the Armenian
23. And no lesse memorable amongst the Gentiles for that snmptuous and magnificent Temple here consecrated to Diana which for the largenesse furniture and workmanship of it was accompted one of the Wonders of the World The length thereof said to be 425. foot 220. foot in breadth supported with 127. Pillars of Marble seventy foot in height of which twenty seven were most curiously engraver and all the rest of Marble polished The modell of it contrived by one Ctesiphon and that with so much art and curiosity of Architecture that it took up two hundred years before it was finished When finished it was fired seven times the last time by Erastrotus onely to get himself a name which hap'ning on the same night inwhich Alexander the Great was born gave occasion to that weighty but witty scoffe that Diana she was counted one of the Godesses of midwifery could not attend the preservation of her Temple being then busied at the birth of so great a Prince As for those Iones or Ionians they were no doubt the descendants of Javan the fourth sonne of Japhet as hath been shewn before in our generall Preface but whether they came hither out of Graecia or passed from hence into that Countrey hath been made a question The Athenians boasting of themselves to be Aborigines men growing as it were out of the Soile it selfe without any Ancestors report that those Ionians were a Colonie of their Plantation But Hecataeus in Strabo doth affirm the contrary Saying that the Athenians or Iones of Greece came from those of Asia for that Attica was antiently called Ionia Plutarch in the life of Theseus doth declare expresly Most probable it is that Hecataeus was in the right these parts of Asia lying so directly in the way from the vallyef Shinaar unto Greece that Javan may very well be thought to leave some of his company here when he ferried the rest over to the opposite Continent I know Pansani as ignorant of their true antiquity deriveth them from Ien the sonne of Xuthus and grandchild of Deucaliâ—n wherein he came so neer the truth though he missed the men that it was the grand-son of that man who escaped the flood from whom both the Athenians and those Ionians had their true Originall In regard of which relations betwixt the Nations the Athenians gave aide to those Ionians against the Persians who on the overthrow given to Croesus pretended to the Lordship or Dominion of Asia and conquered them in the time of Cyrus the first Persian Monarch Upon which ground and the sending of fresh aid to them upon their revolt in the time of Darius that King first undertook the invasion of Greece After this yielding to the times they followed the fortune of the strongest subject successively to the Persians Macedonians Romans Constantinopolitans and Turks till the death of Aladine before mentioned when both Aeolis and Ionia got a new name and are now called Sarcan from Sarachan a Turkish Captain who on the death of that Aladine seized upon this Countrey and erected here a petit Kingdome long since subdued by those of the race of Ottoman 12. LYDIA LYDIA is bounded on the East with Phrygia Maâ—or and some part of Pisidia from which separated by a branch of the Mountain Taurus on the West with Aeolis and Ionia or Asia specially so called on the North with the Greater Mysia on the South with Caria So called from Lud the Sonne of Sem by some of whose posterity it was first inhabited In the full Latitude and extent thereof as antiently comprehended in Aeolis and Ionia the adjoining Provinces it made the Lydian Asia spoken of before within the verge whereof all the seven Churches were contained mentioned by Saint John in the Revelation The people of this Countrey are said to have been the first coyners of money the first Hucksters and Pedleâ—s and the first inventers of dice ball chesse and the like games necesity and hunger thereunto enforcing them according to that of Persius Arâ—is Magister ingeniique largitor venter For being sorely vext with famine in the time of Atis one of the progenitors of Omphale they devised these games and every second day playing at them beguiled their hungry bellies Thus for 22 years they continued playing and eating by turns but then seeing that themselves were more fruitfull in getting and bearing children then the sâ—ile in bringing forth sustenance to maintaine them they sent a Colony into Italy under the conduct of Iyrrhenus the Sonne of Aâ—is who planted in that Countrey called at first Tyrrhenia and afterward Tuscany This Countrey was also called Moeonia and was thought to have been the native soile of Homer in regard that Colophon and Smyrna two of the seven contending Cities and those which seem to have most colour for their claime were antiently accounted as parts of Lydia as was said before Hence Homer hath the name of Moenides and Moeonitus Vates and in some Authors Carmen Moeontum is used for Homers Poeticall abilities as Carmine Moeonio consurgere in Ovid. Bacchus is also called sometimes by the name of Moeonius but for a very different reason viz. because antiently there were no Trees in all this Countrey but the Vine onely Principall Mountaines of this Countrey are 1. Sipylus and 2. Tmolus this last of most accompt in regard of the great fruitfulnesse of it covered over with Vines and yielding abundance of the best Saffron Cinefe Rivers of it are 1. Hermus which rising out of Phrygia Major passeth onely by the skirts hereof and so falleth into a fair Bay of the Aegean opening towards the Isle of Clazomene 2. Pactolus which rising at the foot of mount Tmolus falleth not long after into Hermus famous amongst the Poets for its golden sands 3. Caystrus no lesse notable for the abundance of Swans which swim thereon whose fountain is in Phrygia Major also neer the borders hereof and his fall in the Aegean also over against the Isle of Samos 4. Maeander which rising out of a branch of the Taurus in the furthest parts of the said Phrygia towards Lycaonia passeth by Magnesia and endeth his course in the same Sea neer the City of 〈◊〉 A River famous for its many turnings in and out 600 at the least as Prusaeus counteth them Of which in generall thus the Poet Quique recurvatis â—lud it Maeander in undis Maeander plaies his watry pranks In his so many winding banks The Countrey by reason of these Rivers was exceeding fruitfull abounding in all sorts both of wealth and pleasures well cultivated and manured above ground and under-neath inriched with prodigall veines of Gold and Silver and some precious gemmes Which made the people after their overthrow by Cyrus to become more sensuall and voluptuous and lesse sit for action then any plot of their new Masters could have brought them to had not the naturall delicacies of the Soyle it self contributed to the advancement of their design And yet before they were sufficiently
be let down out of the house in which he was by the help of Basket 12. Eden at the foot of Mount Libanus now a Town of the Maronites and antiently of such esteem that the whole Countrey of Damascus was called Beth-Eden Amos 1. 5. But antient and honourable though this City was we find nothing of the story of it till the time of David the Kings thereof untill those daies being conceived to have been Homagers and Tributaries to the Kings of Zobah The first exploit ascribed unto them in the Holy Scripture is their coming to the aid of Adad-ezer upon his first dereat by David in which action having lost 22000 men they were so broken that they did not only suffer David to put Garrisons in the best Cities of Damascus but patiently became his Servants and brought presents to him 2 Sam. 8. 5 6. The name of this unfortunate Prince not made known in Scripture is by Josephus affirmed out of Nicolas Damasceus to have been Adad a name much cherished and assumed by the Kings his Suceessours who keeping constant to the party of Adad-ezer in his following wars was at last slain with him in that great discomsiture which David gave them mentioned in the 2 of Sam. chap. 10. v. 18. In which Text the Scripture telleth us nothing of the death of those Kings that being supplyed to us by Josephus out of their Records Who also addeth that Rezin one of the Chief Commanders of Adad-ezer taking this advantage not only usurped his Masters Kingdome but made himself Master of the Kingdome of Damascus also From this time forward the Seat-Royall of the Kings of Syria Nor is this the tradition of Josephus only but founded plainly on the Scriptures of which see 1 Kings 11. v. 23 24. the Scriptures after this taking no notice of any other Kings of Syria by the name of Kings of Syria but of those that reigned in Damascus who in short time had swallowed up the petit Kingdomes of Gessur Ish-tok Rehob besides that of Sobah before-mentioned The Kings of Syria or Damascus 1. Adad the Friend and Confederate of Adad-ezer King of Sobah in whose quarrel he was vanquished and slain by David 2. Rezin of whom the Scripture saith in the 2 of Chron. that when David slew them of Sobah he fled from Adad-ezer his Lord and gathered men unto him and certain Captains over a Band and went to Damascus and dwelt therein and reigned in Damascus 3. Adad II. an Idumoean supposed to be of the family of Adad-ezer but rather as I think of Adad for fear of David fled to Aegypt where he maried Taphnes the Queens Sister and hearing that both David and Joab were dead returned again into his Countrey and as some write expelled Rezin out of Damascus and reigned there as King 4. Hezion Successour unto Adad 5. Tabrimon the Sonne of Hezion as is said 1 Kings 15. 18. 6. Ben-hadad the Sonne of Tabrimon hired by Asa King of Judah to aid him in his wars against Baasha of Israel 7. Ben-hadad II. Sonne of the former twice invaded Israel in the reign of Achab but both times notably repulsed the first time by a sally of 700 men at the siege of Samaria the next at Aphec where with the like number in effect he was taken prisoner and his Army routed 8. Hazael Captain of the host to Ben-hadad annointed King of Syria by the Prophet Elisha whom God appointed so to do that by his hands he might avenge himself on Ben-ha-dad whom Hazael slew but he proved as ill a neighbour to the Kings of Israel as those before him He attempted upon Judah also in the time of Joas but bribed with the Treasures of the Temple he withdrew his forces 9. Ben-hadad III. Sonne of Hazael discomfited in three set Battels by Joas King of Israel 10. Ben-hadad IV. Sonne of Ben-hadad the third 11. Ben-hadad V. Sonne of Ben-hadad the fourth 12. Ben-hadad VI. Sonne of Ben-hadad the fifth in the time of one of which three Kings but which one we find not for a certain Jeroboam the Sonne of Joas King of Israe subdued both Chamath and Damascus of which see 2 Kings 14. v. 18. 13. Râ—zin II. Sonne of Ben-hadad the sixt and the last King of Damascus who joining with Pâ—kâ—h King of Israel against Ahaz of Judah enforced him to call unto his aid â—â—glal Pâ—alasar King of Assyria by whom Rezin was taken and beheaded and the City of Damascus won the Kingdome of Syria by that means united to the Assyrian Empire After this time the Syrians continued subject to the Babylonian and Assyrian Monarchs and in the overthrow of that Empire by the Medes and Persians became a part of their estate remaining so till the first battel betwixt Alexander and Darius fought near Issus in Cilicia The victory wherein falling to the Macedonia gave him without more trouble than the seige of Tyre the possesion of Syria and Phoenâ—â—â— He dying not long after his conquest of Persia this Countrey lay as it were at stake betwixt Prolomy King of Egypt and Antigonus the chief Lord of Asia but the possession of it together with the rest of the Persian Empire in both Asias fell in conclusion to the share of Scleucus for his many great and signal victories surnamed Nicanor a man strangely preferred For being at the first Governour of Chaâ—dea onely he was fotced to leave Babylon and forsake his Province for fear of Antigonus then dreadful to all the Macedonian Captaines and to flie into Egypt where he became Ptolomies Admiral After which Ptolomie sighting a pitched field with Demetrius son to Antigonus took Seleucus with him and having won the battel gave him aid and license to recover his former government Seleucus wel-beloved of the people soon made himself Master not of Chaldea onely but of all the Persian Provinces beyond Euphrates and not long after being seconded by his good friend Ptolomy Cassander and Lyâ—â—machus he encountred Antigonus at Ipsus in Ionia where Antigonus himself was slain and his whole army routed This victory made Seleucus Lord of all Asia from whence passing over into Europe he vanquished and flew Lysimachus seven moneths after which victory he was slain by Ptolomy Ceraunus whose patron and protector he had formerly been being yet the last survivor of all Alexanders Princes and the onely possessour of all the dominions which his master had by the way of conquest Egypt excepted His Successours although they were Lords of all Asia yet since in Syria they kept their residence to the end that they might the better furnish themselves with Souldiers out of Greece upon all occasions as was said before they were commonly called the Kings of Syria But long they held not in that greatness of estate and power which Seleucus left them though being a full-bodied Tree and of several Limbs it endured the lopping off of many branches and many a sad blow at the very root of it before it fell For in the time
to inlarge their dominions but they received some notable overthrow at the hand of the Scythians and when the Tartars made over it under the conduct of Saba the Cham of Zagathay for the invasion of Persia they were shamefully beat back again by Hysmael Sophie Nor is it less memorable in old stories for the famous passage of Alexander over it in pursute of the murderers of Darius For having followed Bessus to the banks of this River and not knowing how to pass over his men there being neither ships upon it nor timber neer at hand to build them he caused a great number of bags and bladders to be stuffed with straw and so in 3 daies transported his Army So that I may truely say with his own Historian Unum id Consilium quod necessit as subjecerat iniit necessity is the best Author of fine inventions 4. Zioberis in Hyrcania which rising out of the same mountainous tract as the two last-mentioned after a long course above ground in the open light hideth himself again for the space of 38 miles and then breaketh out at a new fountain and falleth into 5. Rhadaga another chief River of those parts And this Alexander the Great found to be true by casting two Oxen into the River Zioberis which by the current of the stream were carryed under the ground and brought to light where the River had its rise again 6. Hidero by what name known unto the Antients I am not able to say but of great note amongst modern Travellers for the fall thereof into the Sea so steep and strong that the people are said to sacrifise or banket under the fall thereof the stream so violently shooting over their heads that it never wetteth them Mountains of most note are those which pass by the name of Tanrus which having left Media on the West passeth thorow the Northern Provinces of the Persian Empire dividing Parthia from Hyrcania and Paropamisus from Bactria and Aria from Margiana Known by the names of Coronus the Scriphian hills Paropamisus Caucasus whereof more as occasion serveth in their proper places It is divided into the particular Provinces of 1. Susiana 2. Persis 3. Carmania 4. Ormuz 5. Gedrosia 6. Drangiana 7. Aria 8. Parthia 9. Arachosia 10. Paropamisus 11. Hyrcania and 12. Margians Which we will severally survey in the Chorography and story till we have joined them altogether in the Persian Monarchy and then pursue the history as conjunct and fashioned into the body of one Empire 1. SVSIANA SVSIANA is bounded on the East with Persis on the West with Babylonia or Chaldea one the North with Assyria on the South with a branch of the River Tigris and some part of the Gulf of Persia It was so called quasi Cusiana or the Land of the Chusites from Chus the eldest sonne of Ham and the grandsonne of Noah by whose sonne Havilah it was first peopled and therefore called in Scripture the land of Havilah this being that land of Havilah which the River Pison is said to incompass in the Book of Genesis The difference betwixt them is that that land of Havilah lay on both sides of the River Euphrates which the Countrey of Susiana doth not and was the Eastern bound of the Ismaelites Amalekites and other Nations intermingled in those parts of Arabia For whereas Saul is said in the first of Sam. chap. 15. ver 7. to have smitten the Amalekites from Sur to Havilah that is say from the Red Sea to the gulf of Persia it must be understood of Havilah in the first extent but neither of Havilah in the East Indies so called from a sonne of Jocktan or of that part of Havilah which lay on the East side of Euphrates and is that Susiana in which now we are it being no where found that Saul was so great a Traveller as to see the Indies or of such puissance as to force a passage thorow the Countreys of the Chaldeans and Babylonians But the name of Havilah being lost that of Cusiana or Susiana did still remain preserved to this day in that of Chusestan by which now called The Countrey memorable in the Scriptures for Gold Bdellium and the Onyx-stone which doth abundantly set forth the richness and commodities of it Bdellium being a Tree for of the other two nothing need be said about the bigness of an Olive yielding a certain Gum very sweet to smell to but bitter of tast which in time hardneth to a Pearl as Eugubinus and Beroaldus have delivered to us Divided antiently into many particular Regions or at least known by severall names in its severall quarters For where it bordered upon Tigris it was called Melitene Cabandone where it touched upon Persis where it confined on the Elymeans it had the name of Cissia and neer the wall or Ditch called Fallum Pasini it was called Characene Watered besides Eulaeus and Tigris before spoken of with the Rivers Orontes and Masaeus with that branch of the River Tigris which Ptolomy called Basilius Curtius Pasi-Tigris and the Scriptures Pison Chief Cities hereof 1. Aracca spoken of by Ptolomy the same which the Scriptures call Erech and one of the four which Nimrod built in the first beginning of his Empire Gen. 11. Remembred by Tibullus for the fountains of Naphtah of which the Medians made their oyl spoken of before a bituminous liquor easily taking fire but not easily quenched Of which thus the Poet Audet Areccaeis aut unda perhospita Campis Where by unda perhospita he meaneth that bituminous liquor called Napthta issuing from the fields of Erech as the learned Salmasius hath observed in his notes on Solinus 2. Susa the Shusan of the book of Hester and Nehemiah honoured with the residence of the Persian Monarchs in winter as Ecbatana in summer Situate on the River Eulaeus by the Prophet Daniel called Ulai Built as some say by Memnon the sonne of Tithonus slain by the Thessalonians in the Trojan warres the walls whereof as Cassiodorus hath reported cemented with Gold But howsoever it was doubtless a magnificent City and of infinite wealth Alexander finding in it 50000 Talents of gold uncoined besides silver wedges and Jewels of inestimable value Memorable for the great feast here made by Ahasuerus of 180 dayes continuance for his Lords and Princes imitated by the Persian Sultans to this very day who with a Royal Feast of the like continuance do annually entertain their Nobles Now nothing but a ruine and perhaps not that 3. Elymais the chief City of the Elymaei by Ptolomy unless his Copies be corrupted mistakingly called Eldimaei Situate on the banks of Eulaeus also neer the border of Persis the Nation of the Elamites or Elymaei taking part of both Provinces Of great note antiently for a sumptuous Temple of Diant sacrilegiously ransacked by Antiochus of which see 1 Mac. 6. 2. and of such wealth by reason of the concourse of Pilgrims thither that Severus Sulpitius calleth it Oppidum opulentissimum a most opulent
been since he so vainly laboured to have them thought greater than indeed they were The old Inhabitants hereof were the Indo-Scythae inhabiting on the North-West of Indus the Mazagae Sadani Piratae Limyrices Aii the Soringi Arvari Oxydracae Malli and Lambatae the Gandarides or Gangarides neer the mouch of Ganges the Caspiraei under the shades of Mount Vindius The Musicani Chatziaei Polindae Phyllitae Bittigi Chadramotitae Pezuari Adisathri Mandalae Dryllophitae Sabarae Pandioni with many others to the number 122 several nations if Megasthenes be not out in his reckoning too many and too impertinent to be mustered here Originally descended from the Sonnes of Noah before they left these Eastern parts to go towards the unfortunate valley of Shinaar We could not else have found this Countrey so full of people in the days of Semiramis the wife of Ninus who leading an Army compounded of several nations to the number of four millions and upwards if Ctesias and Diodorus Siculus who reports it from him be of any credit but certainly the greatest Army that was ever raised was encountred by Staurobates King of India with greater forces made up of naturall Indians onely by whom she was vanquished and slain A matter beyond all belief though neither Army could make up a fourth part of that number if the Indians had been no other than some one of those Colonies which were sent from BABEL or rather a second or third Swarm of those former Colonies which went thence under the command of the first Adventurers For that any of the first Adventurers who were present at the building of the Tower of BABEL travelled so far East is not affirmed by any who have laboured in the search of their plantations So that I take it for a matter undeniable that the plantation of India preceded the attempt of BABEL though by whom made there is nothing to be said for certain Yet if I might have liberty to express my own conceptions I am inclinable to believe that all the Eastern parts of Persia with China and both the Indiaes were peopled by such of the sons of Sem as went not with the rest to the Valley of Shinaar For otherwise I can see no reason that the posterity of Japher should plant the greatest part of the Lesser Asia and the whole Continent of Europe with the Isles thereof and that the sonnes of Cham should spread themselves over Babylonia Palestine the three Arabiaes and the whole Continent of Africk the posterity of Sem being shut up in a corner of the Greater Asia hardly so big as some one Province taken up by the other Adventurers And therefore that I may allow to the sonnes of Sem an equall Latitude I think it not improbable to fix them in these Eastern Countreys spreading themselves this way as they grew in numbers before the rest of the Adventurers went to seek new fortunes at the Tower of BABEL And being that the Countrey was large and wealthy and might have room enough to spare for some second commers especially descending from the same root with them I doubt not but to place here also all the sonnes of Jocktan Havilah Chatsarmaveth Saba Abimail who have left here some tract or monument of themselves as hath been shewn at large in our GENERALL PREFACE and as concerning Ophyr shall be shewed hereafter To proceed therefore to our Story the next who made any invasion on this Countrey after that of Semiramis was Bacchus or Liber Pater the sonne of Jupiter and Semele accompanyed with Hercules Aegyptius not much more fortunate than she the forces of Bacchus being defeated and Hercules forced to throw away his Golden Shield But what they could not do by Arms they effected by Arts. Bacchus instructing them in the use of wine oyl sacrifices and the Art of Architecture and drawing them into Towns and Cities for that cause honoured as a GOD. To Hercules they ascribe the Nation of the Pandioni proceeding from a daughter of his called PANDAEA the memory of both preserved in Statuaes and Pillars erected by them After this unattempted till the time of Alexander who having made a full conquest of the Persian Empire invaded India with an Army of an 120000 fighting men Beginning with CLEOPHE Queen of the Mazagae a people of Indo-Scythia he brought her to conformity possessed himself both of her person and estate on whom he begot a sonne called Alexander who is said to have succeeded in her Dominions Being passed over the River Indus Taxiles by some called Omphis a prudent Prince whose Kingdome is affirmed to be bigger than Aegypt submitted of his own accord offering his service and assistance to promote his conquest and presenting him with a Crown of Gold and 80 Talents of ready money The King made welcome but his money not so much as looked on the Macedonian being so far from fingring of this Indian gold that he gave him a thousand Talents of his own treasure Encouraged by this Royall dealing Abiajares another puissant Prince of the opposite faction unto Taxiles submitted also and was as graciously received Porus whose Kingdome lay on the other side of Hydaspes would not be so conquered and therefore mustereth up his forces and valiantly made good the banks of the River But vanquished at the last not without much difficultie he was made a Prisoner to the Victor who honouring the man for his brave resistance gave him his liberty and Kingdome with a great inlargement The Conqueror had a great desire to go further East but the Souldiers would not be perswaded sufficiently taught by Porus what they were to look for if the Indiansshould unite their forces Unable to prevail he erected in the place twelve Altars as high as Towers where he observed many solemn Games and Sacrifices and having sacrifised to Hydaspes Indus and Acesines he sailed down Indus towards the Southern Ocean which seen at distance he turned towards Gedrosia and thence to Babylon where he died After his death Eumenes raised some part of his forces hence But the Macedonians being plunged in a Civil war one Androcottus stirred up the Indians to recover their freedomes making himself at first their Captain but at last their King Possessed of all that had been conquered by the Greeks he was encountred by Seleucus who had then got the command of Asia against whom he brought an Army of 600000 fighting men Frighted wherewith Seleucus made peace with him and contracted a solemn League betwixt them continued with the interchange of friendly Offices amongst their posterity and more confirmed by an interview betwixt Antiochus the Great and Saphagasenus one of the Successors of Andracottus by whom Antiochus was presented with 150 Elephants and the promise of some treasure to be sent after him By the Posterity of Andracottus was the Kingdome held till the prosperity and full height of the ROMAN Empire The power whereof though they rather knew by report than trial yet was it not amiss to entertain a potent
Forces of these Princes I have little to say but think them to be of good consideration in both respects their Territories lying in the best and richest part of Italie and their Estates environed by more puissant neighbours which both necessitate and inable them to defend their own The Duke of MONTFERRAT THe Dukedom of MONTFERRAT is situate betwixt Lombardy and â—iemont or the Rivers of Tenarus and Po on the East and West extended North and South in a line or branch from the Alpes to the borders of Liguria of which last it was sometimes counted part and called Liguria Cisapennina for distinction sake It took this name either à Monte ferrato from some mountain of it stored with Iron or else à monte feraci as some rather think from the fertilitie of the Mountains And to say truth though the whole Country seem to be nothing else than a continuall heap of Mountains yet are they Mountains of such wonderfull fruitfulness that they will hardly give place to any Valley in Europe The principall River of it is the Tenarus above mentioned which springing out of the hils about Barceis a Town of the Marquisate of Saluzzes falleth into the Po not far from Pavie The principall Cities of it are 1 Alba called by Plinie Alba Pomera situate on the banks of the sayd River in a rich and fertile soyl but a very bad air near to which in a poor village called Zobia the Emperor Pertinax was born Who being of mean and obscure Parents after the death of Commodus was called by the Conspirators to the Roman Empire But being over-zealous to reform the corruptions of the souldiers he was by the Praetorian Guards hating their Princes for their vertues as much as formerly for their vices most cruelly murdered and the Imperiall dignity sold to Julianus for 25 Sestertiums a man 2 Casal vulgarly called Saint Vas from the Church there dedicated to St. Evasius or Saint Vas as they speak it commonly the strongest Town in all this Country well built and peopled with many antient and noble Families of which the family of St. George is one of the principall and made a Bishops See by Pope Sixtus the fourth An o 1474. t was in former times the chief seat of the house of Montferrat and for that cause compassed with a strong wall and a fair Castle but of late fortified after the modern manner of Fortifications and strengthned with an impregnable Citadel by Duke Vincent Gonzaga as the surest Key of his estate in which new Citadell the Governour of the Province holds his usuall residence 3 Aique in Latin Aquensis famous for its Bathes or Fountains of hot and medicinall waters 4 Saint Saviours where there is a very strong Fortress as there is also in 5 Ponsture or Pont di Stura so called of the River Stura 6 Osoniano antiently Occimianum the old seat of the first Marquesses of this Montferrat 7 Villa nova 8 Balzale 9 Liburn and many others of less note Here are also with in the limits of this Dukedom the Towns of Ast Cherian and Chivasco belonging to the Dukes of Savoy in the description of whose Country we may speak more of them together with Novara and Alexandria appertaing to the Dukedom of Millain which we have spoken of already And hereunto also I refer the strong and in those times impregnable Fortress by the Latin Historians called Fraexinetum from some Grove of Ashes near unto it situate in the advantages of the Mountains and not far from the sea by consequence better able to defend it self and admit relief and therefore made the receptacle or retreat of the Saracens at such time as they had footing in these parts of Italie First took and fortified by them in the year 891 recovered afterwards by the prowess and good fortune of Otho the Emperor deservedly surnamed the Great about 60 years after Of great note in the stories of those middle times By Luitprandus placed near the borders of Provence by Blondus and Leander near the River Po and the Town of Valenza once called Forum Fulvii and finally by Sigonius in the Coltian Alpes and so most fit to be referred unto this Country though now so desolated that there is no remainder of the ruins of it This Country was made a Marquisate by Otho the 2 d An. 985. one of the seven by him erected and given to the 7 sons of Waleran of Saxonie who had maryed his daughter Adelheide A Military Family conspicuously eminent in the Wars of Greece and the Holy-land where they did many acts of singular merit insomuch as Baldwin and Conrade issuing from a second branch hereof were made Kings of Hierusalem and Boniface one of the Marquesses got the Kingdom of Thessaly and many fair Estates in Greece But the Male-issue fayling in Marquess John the Estate fell to Theodorus Palaeologus of the Imperiall family of Constantinople who had maryed the Heir-generall of the house continuing in his name till the year 1534 when it fell into the hands of the Dukes of Mantua In the person of Duke William Gonzaga raised to the honour of a Dukedom as it still continueth the best and richest part of that Dukes Estate and the fairest flower in all his Garden The residue of the story may be best collected out of the following Catalogue of The Marquesses of Montferrat A. C. â—985 1 William one of the sonnes of Waleran and Adelheide made the first Marquess of Montferrat 2 Boniface the sonne of William 3 William II. who accompanied the Emperor Conrade the 3. and 5 Lewis of France to the Holy-land â—183 4 Boniface II. sonne of William the second his younger brother William being designed King of Hierusalem and Reyner another of them made Prince of Thessaly succeeded his Father in Montferrat Ayding his Nephew Baldwin the sonne of William in recovering the Kingdom of Hierusalem he was took prisoner by Guy of Lusignan Competitor with him for that title 5 William III. sonne of Boniface poysoned in the Holy-land where he endeavoured the restoring of his Brother Conrade to that languishing Kingdom 6 Boniface III. sonne of William the third for his valour in taking of Constantinople made King of Thessalie 1254 7 Boniface IV. sonne of Boniface the third added Vercelli and Eporedium unto his Estate 8 John surnamed the Just the last of this house 9 Theodore Palaeologus sonne of the Emperor Andronicus Palaeologus the elder and Yoland his wife daughter of Boniface the fourth 10 John Palaeologus sonne of Theodore 11 Theodorus II. sonne of John a great builder and endower of Religious houses 12 Jacobus Johannes sonne of Theodore the second 13 John III. eldest sonne of Jacobus Johannes 1464 14 William IV. brother of John the third founder of the City and Monastery of Casal 1487 15 Boniface V. brother of John and William the two last Marquesses invested by Fredederick the fourth Blanea Maria the daughter of William surrendring her Estate unto him 16 William V. sonne of Boniface