the Portugals still called Cussij of Cush I make no question The people are blacke or of a deep tawny or blackish colour and blacke we say in our common prouerbe will take none other hue Whereupon the Prophet Ieremy in the 23. verse of the 13. chapter of his prophecy saith thus Can ישוכ Cushi the Abyssine or Blacka-moore change his skinne or the leopard his spots For the same reason also the learned Diuines do iudge that Dauid in the title or superscription of the seuenth Psalme by Cush did meane Saul for that his deadly hate was such toward him that by no good meanes that he might vse he could make him change his mind more than an Indian doth his skinne as Kimchi the great Rabbine doth interpret this place The people are by profession Christians as appeareth by the letters of the said Dauid written vnto Pope Clement the seuenth Of whose manner of life customes and religion we haue gathered these few lines out of the trauels of Francis Aluares written and imprinted in the Italian tongue In these countries there are very many Monasteries and Religious houses both of men and women Into the Monasteries of the men there is neither woman nor any liuing creature of the female sex that may enter or once looke within the gates Their Monkes which heere do hold their Lent for fifty daies together do fast for the most part only with bread and water For in these countries there is small store of fish especially in the vpland places for although the riuers are well stored of fish yet they giue not their mind to fishing because they know not how to catch them there is none skilled in that art In time of Lent certaine of these Monkes do not eat any bread at all only they liue vpon rootes and herbs some of them for all that time do neuer go to bed nor sleepe but as they sit in the water vp to the chinne In their Churches they haue bels as we haue but for the most part made of stone Their Ministers and Priests are married They say Masse and do go in procession with crosses and censers like as they vse in some Churches in Europe The Friars do weare their haire long but their Priests do not so neither of them weare any shoes nor any man neither Churchman nor Layman may once enter within the Church dores with shoes on his feet They keep Sundaies and Holy-daies vpon which they do no manner of worke They are all circumcised both men and women but they are also baptised in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost yet not vntill the fortith day after their birth they which liue not till this day are buried vnchristened to all those that are baptized the holy communion or Eucharist as they call it is at the same instant administred powring a great deale of water into the childes mouth that he may so much the more easily get it downe The proper names which then are giuen them are all of some signification They affirme that they were conuerted vnto Christian religion by Candaces a Queen of this country spoken of in the 27. verse of the 8. chapter of the Acts of the Apostles whose proper name they thinke was Iudith They haue a booke diuided into 8. parts this they call Manda and Abetilis which they do verily beleeue was written by all the Apostles being iointly for that purpose gathered together at Hierusalem all the contents of this booke they do most diligently and strictly obserue The baser sort of people do without any controwlement or feare of punishment marry 2. or 3. wiues according to their ability and as they can tell how to maintaine them but these are excommunicated and forbidden by the Cleargy to enter into the Church Their lawes do tolerate diuorcements The Noble-men do esteem raw beefe serued in with fresh or hot bloud in manner as we vse our boiled meats with pottage or stewed broth for a great and dainty dish In all the kingdome of Prester Iohn they haue no manner of brasen or copper money but in steed of it they vse pure gold vncoined of a certaine weight In like manner salt yet not only in these prouinces but also generall throughout all Africa is vsed in exchange and buying and selling in stead of money In some places small pieces of iron bright and burnished do serue that turne But pepper amongst these people is of such great price that whatsoeuer a man will buy he may easily obtaine it for that merchandice These countries haue almost all sorts of beasts and fowles as Elephants Lions Tygres Losses Lynces the Latines call them Badgers Apes and Stagges contrary to the opinion of the old writers which haue generally denied that Africa doth veeld this kind of beast but in all that six yeare which Aluares this our authour dwelt in these countries he writeth that he neuer saw any Beares Conies Linnets Magpies or Cuccoes Yet Iohn Leo an African borne in his 9. booke saith that in Barbary there is wonderfull store of Conies The Locusts do more vex and hurt this country than any place of the World beside so that this plague is almost proper and peculiar to them Such oftentimes is the number and abundance of them that as they flie they do seeme to darken the aire and shadow the earth they flie together in such great flockes and thicke troupes that they do vtterly spoile and consume the fruits sometime of one prouince sometime of another wholly almost deuouring all their corn vpon the ground eating vp the leaues and barkes of the trees leauing their meddowes and pastures bare of grasse so that the people do oftentimes leaue their natiue soile where they were bred and borne and are forced for want of victuals to go seeke some other place to dwell in There is in these quarters a city named Cassumo sometime the seat as their histories do record and place of the Queen of Saba Maquedam that is as I thinke Antistes a Prouost or President they say she was called By whom they affirme that Salomon King of Isra l had a sonne named Meilech that is The King In this city they are perswaded that the Queen Cand ces did afterward dwell But it is best that the Reader that is desirous of further satisfaction to haue recourse to the same Francis Aluares who hath very curiously described those thing which he did most diligently obserue in that his Ambassage into these countries Item Iohn Bermundes who set foorth his Ambassage vnto the Abyssines in the Portugall language Let him also read a little treatise of Damianus à Goes which he wrot out of Ethiopia and Sabellicus his 10. Enneas of his 8. booke Of the originall of Prester Iohn and by what meanes he came out of Asia where he was knowen to writers about 200. yeares since and seated himselfe in Africa read Iohn Nauarchus in his Epistol Asiatica and Gerard Mercator in his
dignity did choose rather tyrannouslie to shew their force and power at home against their kinsfolke friends subiects and best men of all sorts then abroad against the publicke enemy and disturber of the state These men by all maner of vnlawfull meanes succeeding one another at last the Empire and managing of the common-wealth was onely in the hands of Tyrants and Vsurpers neither was there any man now that euer would once trouble himselfe to defend the same from the furious assault of the raging enemy and no maruell For euen the Empire it selfe and whatsoeuer did of right belong vnto the same was by the souldiers bought and sold for money or giuen for fauour and affection While all things stood thus in the Roman Empire ODOACER king of the Hunnes with a mighty army inuadeth the same and in all places wheresoeuer he became ouerthroweth and beateth downe the Romane forces and garrisons for at this time in the idle and dissolute souldiers there remained neither strength nor true fortitude AVGVSTVLVS the Emperour hearing of these newes being smitten into a great feare flieth and that he might the better escape vnknowen in the flight throweth off his imperiall robes and ornaments In the meane time Odoacer speedeth himselfe toward Rome besiegeth it taketh it and within a few daies after he was wholly and quietly possessed of it changeth the name of it and after his owne name caused it by proclamation to be called ODOACRIA but together with the ancient name this city leaueth the former beauty and lusture there is nothing now heere to be seene but miserable destruction and ruine This prosperous successe and easie inuasion of the city of Rome by Odoacer within foureteen yeares after giueth occasion to THEODORICVS king of the Gothes who was then in Thrace to attempt the same Therefore mustering his men with many thousands of Goths he entreth Italy driueth Odoacer out of Rome and again the second time neere to Verona setteth vpon him and putting him his forces to flight followeth him to Rauenna where he besiegeth him continually for the space of three yeares together but at length being forced to yeeld the city he was by him taken and put to death Neither did this satisfie frowning Fortune that Rome was thus once or twise taken sacked and consumed with fire except the LONGOBARDI Lombardes a strange and cruell people do also inuade Italy to deface and ouerthrow all things whatsoeuer the former enemies had left vntouched and standing All things are now deformed and cast downe whatsoeuer in former times were most beautifull and glorious the Romane citizen is compelled to forsake that ancient and famous title so long enioied by them and by meanes of this so irrecouerable a dammage the name of an Emperour was for euer banished out of Italy The case thus standing with the Romanes destitute of all helpe at home and in vaine expecting the same from the Greeks who for their Empire contented themselues only with Constantinople the Pope of Rome for defence of the Church was forced in this great distresse to entreat aid of Charles king of the Frankes who afterward was sirnamed CHARLES THE GREAT This good king pricked on forward with a godly zeale for the maintenance of Christian religion passing with a great army ouer the Alpes putteth the Lombards to flight taketh their king Desiderius with his wife and children vtterly ouerthroweth their kingdome and cleane extinguisheth that impious race The Pope obseruing his inuincible courage and his siugular loue that he bare to the Church and religion with the generall consent and admirable applause of all men in the yeare after Christs incarnation 801. crowneth him with the Imperiall diademe and giueth him the title of AVGVSTVS and GREAT EMPEROVR of the West This king was the first that of the Dutch was called Emperour and that translated that dignity from the Greekes vnto the Germanes He valiantly assailed the Hunnes and at last with continuall wars so afflicted them that they were neuer after able to gather head againe The Normanes Freises Danes Angles Saxons and others molesting the Empire he wonderfully vexed and weakened Hauing on all sides greatly enlarged his Empire and for the space of fowreteene yeares swaied the scepter quietly at home void of tumults and noise of warre he committed the gouernment of the same to his sonne Lewis sirnamed the Religious and ended his life at Aquisgran After the reigne of this Charles the digni y and title of the Empire remained not amongst the Germanes without continuall warres and bloudshed diuers kings coueting to annex the same to their crowne and nation by dint of sword assaied by all meanes to bring their purpose to passe To seat it amongst the French Charles the Bald spareth no cost ventureth life and limme and setteth all the world together by the eares yet the Germanes valiantly fighting for the Imperiall ti le and dignity do after many sore conflicts quite and cleane driue him out of Germany Lewis the Fourth most furiously setteth vpon Berengarius an vsurper lately proclaimed Emperour in Italy ouercommeth him in the field and forceth him to betake him to his heeles The Italians oft desired that this dignity once lost might againe be restored to them and no maruell seeing that euery nation doth account it a most honourable thing to haue the name of an Empire resident amongst them Yet maugre all externall spite this dignity for many ages together remained in the hands of the Germanes the Princes of this country manfully defending and preseruing it by force of armes from all iniuries and forren inuasions whatsoeuer Vntill at length the forenamed Princes foreseeing what was best for the state and good of the Empire did chuse for their Emperor Otto the Fourth the naturall sonne of Otto the Third a yong man brought vp at Rome had been somtime in the custody and tuition of Henry Duke of Bayern This Emperor perceiuing that it would not be an easie thing to appease and end the warres and controuersies that did arise about the election and choice of the Emperor except by some other meanes order this choice were made did therefore inuent a certaine order and maner of election whereby heereafter all cause of dissention and tumult was wholly taken from all men and by which for euer it might quietly be retained amongst the Germanes This order is heere expressed in this Mappe and is in effect thus much In the first ranke are the Seuen PRINCE ELECTOVRS and Officers of the sacred Romane Empire instituted by Otto the Third whereof the Three vpon the right hand are Ecclesiasticall persons or Churchmen to wit the ARCHBISHOP OF TRIER a city situate vpon the riuer Moselle chiefe Chancellour for the Empire in the kingdome of France The ARCHBISHOP OF COLEN vpon the Rhein Chiefe Chancellour in Italy and the ARCHBISHOP OF MENTZ Chiefe Chancellour in Germany The other Foure vpon the left hand are Secular or Lay men the First is the KING OF BOHEMIA
Tiroen Armagh Colrane Donergall Formanagh and Cauen On all sides round about Ireland in the sea as also in the baies riuers lakes and fresh water are heere and there many small ilands whereof some are fertile others wast and barren of which to speake seuerally would require a larger discourse then heere we are allowed Coelestinus Pope of Rome in the yeare of CHRIST 431. sent into Britaine Paladius a Bishop as Prosper Aquitanus writeth to purge it of the Pelagian he esie wherewith it was but lately distained and by this meanes also at the same time caused Christian religion to be planted in Ireland Palladius died in Britaine before he had brought to passe that which he came for whereupon Patricke a Brittaine and of kinne to Martinus Turonensis was by Celestine put in his place who with such wonderfull successe did preach the Gospell in Ireland that he conuerted the greatest part of that I le vnto Christianity that he well deserued the name of The Irish Apostle From hence after that at sundrie times diuers colonies if I may so vse the word of learned and religious men were sent into sundrie parts of Europe and were not only the great patrons and planters of the Gospell there but founders of Monasteries cities and towns as schooles of that profession In those bloudy warres of the barbarous Saxons all scholes of learning in Brittaine were shut vp and all religion almost wholly banished so that whosoeuer was desirous of instruction that way was constrained to seeke for it in Ireland and after these wars ended those which returned brought with them not only the Irish letters which yet the same charecters common to both nations do plainly shew but also liberall arts and sciences which together with Christianity they taught the Saxons To these the Reader may adioine such things as Henry of Huntington Polydore Virgill William Newbery Iohn Maior and others haue written of this in their seuerall histories Daniel Rogers hath set forth a description of this Iland in verse dedicated to Thomas Phediger And M. William Camden in prose hath most exactly described the same in his Britannia But Richard Stanihurst a worthy gentleman this countrie man borne hath this other day put forth a seueral treatise of the history and state of this iland Baptista Boazio hath described it in a mappe apart by it selfe dedicated to the late Queene Elizabeth and my good friend M. Speed with no lesse care and diligence hath done the same in his Imperium Brittannicum or Empire of Great Brittaine lately set forth and dedicated to his Highnesse The Isles of the AZORES SOme are of opinion that these Isles situate in the Atlantick or West Ocean are so named by the Spaniards from a kinde of Hauks which they call Azor. And in the plurall number Açores One writes but fondlie that they are so called from the French word Essorer which signifieth to drie or wither In Latin a man may call them Accipitrarias or the Isles of Hauks and in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Netherlanders terme them De vlaemsche eilanden that is The flemish Islands because they are thought first to haue beene discouered by certaine Flemish Marchants of Bruges At that time they said they could find nothing vpon them but trees especiallie great store of Cedars and woods and foules of diuers sorts and thither they sent inhabitants to possesse and manure the said Isles Afterward they submitted themselues to the Portugales vnder whose gouernement they yet remaine Lewes Marmolius fol. 38. reports that they were discouered about the yeare 1455. Vndoubtedly auncient writers knew them not yet might they name them perhaps For whether they specified them vnder the name of Cassiterides I cannot be assured The Spanish fleets laden with Indian commodities doe vsually in their returne touch at these Isles before they ariue at Lisbone or Cales One strange thing haue I heard concerning the soile or the heauenly influence or if I may so say the Genius of these Isles For sailing from these parts of the world towards America so soone as you are past the said Isles you are freed from gnats fleas lice and all kinde of noisome vermin which beyond the Açores doe immediately die and come to nothing They are in number nine and thus called by the Portugales The Isle of S. Michael Terçera S. Georges Isle Pico Fayal Flores Cueruo and the Isle of S. Marie all which we will particularly entreat of TERÇERA THis Isle is called Terçera because it is the third in order as you saile from Spaine And from this one the common mariners confusedly call the whole nine by the name of Terçeras It abounds with corne and fruits neither is it destitute of wine The Inhabitants are greatly inriched by their Madder wherewith clothes are died red In this Isle growes plenty of this commodity especially about the places commonly called Los Altares and Falladores Angra the head city is most strongly fortified with an impregnable rocke or bulwarke called Brazil This Isle also from the name of our blessed Sauiour the Spaniards call Isola del buen Iesu PICO THis Isle was so named from a mountaine therein rising sharpe in forme of a round Pyramis or Sugar-loafe For whatsouer is naturally of that shape is by the Portugals called Pico This hill is three miles high within it is hollow and full of darcke caues At the foote of this mountaine Eastward there is a spring of fresh water which sometimes dischargeth fierie streames and stones burning hoat and that with so great force and violence that it sends them packing as it were with a current by steepe and lower places euen to the sea whereas of the multitude of these stones is made a promontory or headland commonly called Misterij It is distant from the said fountaine 12. miles At this present it stretcheth a mile and halfe further into the sea in regard of the continual increase of this heape of stones They are much deceiued which write that this Isle was so named from the bird called Picus Martius in English the woodpecker FAYAL THis Isle is so named of the Beech-tree For the Portugals call the Beech Faya and a place planted with Beeches Fayal That heere are yet in this Isle certaine families of the Flemish race which first inhabited the same namely such as are called Bruyn Vtrecht c. I haue learned from a Portugale of good creditte Linschott also an eye-witnesse in his Iournall published in Dutch writeth that in this very Isle there is a riuer called by the Portugales Ribera des Fiamengos or the riuer of Flemings and saith further that all the Inhabitants of this Isle came originally out of Flanders and that they doe as yet much fauour the Flemish nation Concerning the residue namely Flores so called of abundance of Flowers Cueruo of Crowes Gracioça of pleasantnesse or the Isles of S. George S. Marie and S. Michael so denominated of those saints for it is vsuall with the Spaniards
olim non ob opes solum virtutem bellicam quibus semper pres titit verum etiam ob continentia disciplinam que summum apud illos locum habuit celebris fuit Nam artium illustrium et Graecae etiam lingue peritia excelluit matre vt arbitror Massilia Graeca vrbe in maritima ora Prouinciae sita ad quā quondā disciplinaru gratia ud ex ipsa vrbe Roma missi sūt qui docerētur BRETAIGNE and NORMANDY THis Table representeth that part of Gallia Lugdunensis which stretcheth toward the Westerne Ocean The ancients named it Armorica Heere standeth Neustria corruptly so called of late yeeres for Vestria or rather Westria according to some Westrasia as much to say as a Westerne region The occasion of this errour both in pronunciation and writing was for that the French wanting a double V doe alwayes in stead thereof write a single V and because u in this small forme differs not much from n hereupon it is likely that Westria was prodigiously changed into Neustria In which Neustria at this present are situate the regions of Bretaigne and Normandie which in this Table we present vnto your view NORMANDIA so called of the Northerne people that ouer-ranne it for Nord in Dutch signifieth North and mannen men which Northerne people were Danes and Noruegians who hauing by force subdued this region planted themselues here in the time of Lotharius the Emperour Concerning the situation and nature of this place these are the words of Gaguinus in his seuenth booke Normandie is adorned and fortified with one Metropolitan six cities and ninetie foure strong townes and castles most of their villages also being built citie-like thorow which Prouince a speedie traueller shall hardlie passe in six dayes it aboundeth with fish cattell and plentie of corne being in all places so fraught with peares and apples that the people make all their drinke of the same and yet send great quantitie to other countreys They exercise clothing and are notable quaffers of cyder They are naturally a wilie people subiect to no forren lawes liuing after their owne fashions and customes which they most obstinately maintaine cunning they are in sleights and sutes of law whereupon strangers are loth to haue any dealings with them being otherwise well addicted to learning and religion Moreouer they are very apt and valiant in the warres many of whose worthy acts against strangers are recorded Thus farre Gaguinus Of the qualitie of this region you may more largely informe your selfe out of Henry Altissiodorensis his fifth booke of the life of S. German It aboundeth as Caenalis makes report with all things necessary for mans life wine only excepted which the soile doth not yeeld The chiefe city is Rouen in English commonly called Roan which hath a most learned Senate or Court of Parliament that execute iustice and decide the controuersies of the whole Prouince Heere are also great Merchants by meanes of whose trafficke the citie is knowen farre and neere In this citie there is a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary beautified with a most lofty steeple wherin hangs the greatest bell in all France weighing forty thousand pounds as these French verses grauen thereupon do testifie Ie suis nominée George d' Amboise Qui plus que trente six mil poise Et si qui bien me poysera Quarante mil y trouuera In English George de Amboise my name rightly sounds I weigh more than thirtie six thousand pounds Whoso poiseth me well Fortie thousand may tell This George after whose name the bell is called was Archbishop of Roan about the yeere 1500. who considering that in his Diocesse such was the scarsitie of oile as it would hardly be sufficient for the time of Lent granted to his Diocessans in stead thereof the vse of butter conditionally that they should pay six halfepence Tournois a piece with which summe of money he caused the said steeple to be built which thereupon is yet called Latour de beur that is The steeple of butter The antiquities and other memorable matters of this city F. Noel Taillipied hath described in French in a peculiar Treatise Thus much of Normandie BRETAIGNE bordering vpon the coast of Normandie is the vtmost prouince of France toward the Ocean Some thinke that this was of old called Aremorica Sure I am that Caesar describeth cities which he calleth Aremericas vpon this coast But Plinie and Sidonius do name the inhabitants Britannos placing them vpon the riuer of Loire The Middle-age writers call them Brittones which name they yet retaine Plinie most aptly calles this region The godliest Peninsula of Gallia Lugdunensis In a fragment of the Frankes history I reade that it was once called The horne of France from the shape thereof as I suppose Robert Caenalis is of opinion that the Brittons being named Hermiones tooke occasion by way of allusion vnto this name to make choise of those armes which they now beare commonly called Ermines with weasels tailes and the natiue colour of blacke in a field argent c. This region he saith is somewhat drie and not very fruitfull more apt to beare millet than wheat Their fields saith he they call lands It seemeth more properly to be named Eremorica than Aremorica For they make larger leagues betweene towne and towne namely of three miles which is no slight argument of a barren soile Hereof the coniecture seemes not improbable that it was called Brutannia of nourishing or feeding brute beasts So many of their townes as antiquity reports are denominated from flocks and droues as for example Pullinaicum à pullis equinis from horse-coltes Filicieriae now called Fulgeriae alias Foulgeres of braky grounds also Rhedones à Rhedis that is to say of carts which cary commodities long and tedious iourneys which I rather beleeue than that it first borrowed the name from Brutus Thus farre Caenalis let the trueth thereof stand or fall vpon his credit More concerning these countries you may reade in the same authour and in Belleforest but especially in Bertrard Argentré who hath published a large volume of the same in French Reade also Elias Vinetus vpon Ausonius his poem of Cupid crucified LA MANS the inhabitants whereof were in old time called CENOMANI PLinie in his third booke and ninth chapter putteth the Cenomani amongst the Volsci neere Massilia Ptolemey and Strabo doe place them about Brixia in Italia Transalpina which is on this side Padus Other Cenomani be found in Gallia Lugdunensi by Ptolemey and Plinie lib. 4. cap. 15. or by Caesar in his seuenth booke De bello Gall. Howbeit the latter two call them also by a surname Aulercos And these are they whose region we propound in this Table The inhabitants now call it La Mans. The situation of this countrey and of the seuerall townes you may reade in Theuet Belleforest and Caenalis out of whom I thought good to borow this one speciall note concerning a certeine riuer and a
whereunto adioyneth a castle Some places here are also which in Dutch we call Vrijheden or Free townes which though they be not fortified with walles and ditches yet because they enioy the priuileges and immunities of Princes we thinke not altogether vnwoorthie the naming Osterwijck Orschot Turnhout Hoochstraten Duffel Walen Merchten Asche Wernen Duisbosch Hulpen Waure Braine Genappe Gheel Arendonce and Dormal Here are seuen hundred villages with parish-churches that haue steeples and belles a great many of which villages are adorned with titles of dignities Also vnder the gouernment and iurisdiction of Brabant are certaine regions beyond the Maese as namely the duchy of Limburg the countie of Dalem the state of Valkenburg c. Besides all which it hath many other places of importance but it is not our purpose here to make relation of all Iohn Seruilius published a briefe treatise as touching a conspiracie of the people of Guelders against this countrey of Brabant where you shall finde many furtherances to the better knowledge of this region But in Guicciardin his description of the Low countries you shall not only reade of these places but euen behold them with your eyes so curiously hath he described them The antiquities and memorable acts of this countrey my learned friend M. Iohn Gerard is now in hand withall All which we earnestly expect that he will ere long publish The ancient inhabitants of this region were called Ambiuariti and Aduatici Concerning whom reade Iohn Goropius Becanus his Becceselanis BRABANTIAE DESCRIPTIO Valkenborch MACHLINIAE VRBIS DOMINIVM Stemmate et eruditione claro Dn. Hadriano Marsselario patricio Antwerpiensi Ab. Ortelius dedicab L. M. Cum Imp. Reg. Brabantiae privilegio decennali 1591. NAMVRE THe region of Namur is at this present endowed with the title of an Earledome Whether it was thus named of the principall citie or that the city assumed this name from the region remaineth as yet vncertaine as likewise the originall of the word it selfe The inhabitants call it Namur and the high Dutch Namen but the true signification of the word they are vtterly ignorant of For those that affirme that an Idol called Nanus was of old worshipped and deliuered answers and oracles vpon the same hill whereon now the castle of Namure is situate and that afterward when Christian religion began to shine this Idol waxing mute or silent the whole region of Namure was so named of Nanus mutus do I thinke report fables without the authority of any approoued writers Meierus affirmeth that anciently it was called Neumur as much to say in Latine as Nouus murus a new wall Vpon this region do border the prouinces of Liege Brabant Henault and Lutzenburg It is watered by Maese and Sambre two nauigable riuers The country is neither mountainous nor plaine but raised here there into little hilles and depressed into valleys the woods whereof the greatest is called Marlaigne yeeld plenty of game for Gentlemen It abounds with things necessary for mans life Here are many yron-mines Here also they digge a kinde of stony or minerall coles which in Dutch we call Steenkolen the inhabitants as likewise the Ligeois for they are found with them also terme them Hoille the learned call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much to say as Stone-coles The nature of these stones is most wonderfull for whereas oyle increaseth the flame of all other fewell these burne more vehemently by casting on water and are quenched with oyle With these coles the inhabitants and bordering nations for they are transported hence into other countries do make lusty fires and Black-smithes do soften their yron better with this than with any other fiering Here are quarries also out of which are cut marbles of exceeding hardnesse both blacke browne and particoloured wherewith the churches houses of the regions adiacent are maruellously adorned By meanes of which marbles the people of Namure reape no small benefit This county hath foure walled townes Namure Bouuignes Charlemont and Vallencure NAMVRE as hath beene said is the principall city and of late is become the see of a Bishop it is right commodiously situate namely at the confluence or meeting of the riuers Maese and Sambre it hath bridges to passe ouer both riuers Here is the chiefe tribunall of iustice for the whole region BOVVIGNES stands vpon the Westerne banke of Maese a towne in times past glorious for building and populous for inhabitants but now so deformed and ruined with often warres as it hath lost the greatest part of her beauty CHARLEMONT is a most impregnable castle so named and built by Charles the fift neere the banke of Maese on the top of an hill by a village called Giuet Neither is VALENCVRE a towne of small moment Also within this county besides diuers Abbies there are 82. villages of which Floreu Vascie Samson and some others are so large and beautifull as they may well be compared with townes This region of old bare the title of a Marquesate but about the yere 1200. it was conuerted into an Earledome The people are very warlike and most loyall to their Prince They speake French This region as the rest of the Lowe countries is exactly described by Guicciardine NAMVRCVM Comitatus Iōes Surhon describ Cum Imp. et Regiae M t is priuilegijs 1579. HENAVLT LEssabaeus writeth vpon what ground I know not that this Prouince was of old called Pannonia because the rusticke god Pan was here worshipped then Saltus carbonarius or The cole-forest and afterward The lower Picardie But at length it was named Hannonia of the riuer Haysne that runnes thorow the midst of it The inhabitants call it Henault and the Germans Henegow which in the ancient language of the place signifies The field of Hainault For Gow in Dutch signifies a field Another deriuation also of the name of this countrey is produced by Carolus Bouillus in his discourse of the variety of vulgar languages To the West of this Prouince by Flanders and Artois on the North Brabant and Brabant againe with part of Namure and Liege vpon the East and South it is bounded by Champaigne a Prouince of France A country as pleasant and as well stored with woods lakes fountaines medowes and pastures as any other in all these parts The inhabitants are warlike and towards their Prince most loyall and seruiceable Their libertie or freedome they vsually boast of in a common prouerbe saying Pays de Hainault tenu de Dieu du soleil that is The Prouince of Henault holds of God and of the sunne Which prouerbe Nicolaus Brontius in a discourse of his published in commendation of this region interpreteth in two Latine verses to this effect Star-guiding Ioue and Phoebus bright Of this place only challenge right In length it conteineth about twenty and in bredth sixteene miles In which space as Guicciardin reporteth it comprehends foure and twenty townes and aboue nine hundred and fiftie villages or hamlets Robert Caenalis reckons vp in this
part now is vnder the dominion of the Dukes of Bayern and doth wholly rest in the name of Bayern Bayern is diuided into the Higher and the Lower THE HIGHER is situate vnder the Alps and toward the South This is combred with many marishes huge lakes swift streames darke and fearefull woods Besides beares bores and such like wild beasts it hath many heards of stags of an hundred yeeres old which no man may hunt without the Princes leaue but vnder a great penaltie It is a good soile for pastorage and for the feeding of cattell It yeeldeth yeerely great plentie of Apples Barley Oats and such like corne although not of all sorts it is inhabited but here and there The cities of this countrey are Munchen vpon the banke of the riuer Isara a most goodly and famous citie and the Dukes seat This citie continually mainteineth Lions Many men do thinke it to surpasse all the cities of Germany for beautie Ingolstadt adorned with a publike Vniuersitie Beside these there are Freising a Bishops sea Wasserburg Neuburg Rosenhaim Auensburg c. THE LOVVER BAYERN is more fertile and better inhabited and by reason of the riuers Donaw Isara and Lauar it bringeth forth Vines His cities are Regensburg which some call Ratisbone formerly called Augusta Tiberia situate vpon Donaw whose suburbs vpon the opposite banke of the riuer are ioyned to it by a faire stone bridge Patauium commonly called Passaw at the mouth of the riuer In where it falleth into Donaw famous for his Bishops sea Strawbing Landshut Dinglesing Osterhoff and diuers others This countrey generally is reasonably fertile as of Salt Corne Cattell Fish Woods Birds Pastures Deere and of all such things necessarily required to the maintenance of mans life either for apparell or victuall it is sufficiently stored It breedeth many swine feeding and fatting them with mast and wildings in such sort that as Hungary affoordeth Oxen so this Swine to the most countries of Europe Salt Cattell and Corne are transported from hence and solde into forren countries Wines are from other places as out of Italie Istria Rhetia Rheni Nicker and Pannony conueyed hither But no Prouince of Germanie is beautified with more and finer cities for within his borders as Philip Apian in his Map of Bayern writeth it conteineth foure and thirtie cities six and fortie townes Mercktflecken they call them threescore and twelue monasteries beside an innumerable company of villages castles and noblemens houses In it Salczburg is the Metropolitan citie and the Archbishopricke which hath vnder it many Suffragans as of Trent Passaw Wien c. The people do rather giue themselues to husbandrie and grasing than to warfare neither do they delight in merchandise and traffique they be much giuen to drinking and venery They seldome trauell forth of their owne countrey The first authour of this nation was Alemanus Hercules the eleuenth King of High Germanie His name as yet is preserued in this countrey in the village and castle Almonstain and the riuer Aleman In time past this countrey was ruled by his proper King vntill the dayes of Arnulph the Emperour him as the Parthians Arsaces the Egyptians Ptolemey they called Cacan After that it had Dukes which as yet it reteineth Marke a certaine disciple of S. Paul conuerted this Prouince vnto Christian religion and he was the first Bishop of Laureacke which Bishopricke afterward was translated vnto Passaw Thus much out of Auentine Munster and Iohn Auban of Bohemia BAVARIAE OLIM VINDELICIAE DELINEATIONIS COM PENDIVM Ex tabula Philippi Apiani Math. Cum Priuilegio NORTGOIA or the Countie Palatine of BAYERN THe other part of Bayern which is on the other side Donaw and runneth out beyond the Bohemian wood is called in our time and long since was Nortgoia hauing Noremberg for the chiefe citie from whence the country as some men thinke tooke his name And although that Noremberg be no ancient citie yet his castle situate vpon the toppe of an hill is very ancient This region hath many townes monasteries and villages especially Amberg which in the yeere of Christ 1300. was enclosed with a wall Awerbach Sultzpach Castell Munster where in old time the Princes of Nortgoia haue held their Court Eger Beierut Eister Napurg Newenstadt Rewenkelm Kemnat Krusen Greuenwerdt Eschenbach VVeiden Pernaw Pleistein Herspruck Rurbach Neumarckt Tursenrut Elbogen Cham Schonsee Kunsperg Stauff c. Which for the most part do belong vnto the Palatine Princes For Lewis the Emperour and Duke of Bayern in the yeere of CHRIST 1339. made such a diuision that of the whole prouince of Bayern the prouince of Nortgoia should be subiect vnto the Palatine Princes except only certaine townes which should belong to the Emperour and many also that did appertaine to the crowne of the Empire in time past haue beene pawned to the Princes of Bayern In this Prouince betweene Bamberg and Neremberg in the East toward the towne Eger there is a great mountaine called Fichtelberg out of which do issue foure riuers Meane Nabe Sala and Eger This mountaine conteineth in compasse about six miles it bringeth forth diuers kinds of mettals it yeeldeth the best blew colour which commonly they call Azure In the toppe of the mountaine there is also found Tinne and many caues out of the which in former times mettals haue beene digged generally all that whole prouince euery where swelleth with mines especially of iron by which meanes the Nortgoians do yeerely reape great profit Otherwise the soile is hard and rough although in some places it doth bring forth good store of graine and is excellent pasture ground This Prouince of Nortgoia conteineth one of the foure Earledomes or Landtgrauies which long since were erected by the Emperors namely Luchtenberg which taketh his name of the castle Luchtenberg notwithstanding that the Princes of that iurisdiction doe keepe their Court in the towne of Freimbd and sometime in Grunsfelden the situation of which towne thou mayest see in the Mappe The Earle which now possesseth the place is called George it I be not deceiued descended from his progenitours Albert and Fredericke This Earledome hath not growen vnto such greatnesse as the other three which in processe of time are much enlarged both in possessions and command and especially the Landtgrauie or Earledome of Hessen Thus farre Sebastian Munster See also Pius the second Of the beginning of the Countie Palatine of this Prouince reade Francis Irenicus Conradus Celtes the Poet hath most excellently described Noremberg the chiefe citie of this Prouince and of late also Pighius in his Hercules Prodicius Gasper Brusch of Egra hath described Fichtelberg a mountaine plentifully bearing Pine trees in a peculiar treatise The territorie or iurisdiction of STRASBVRG THe booke of Records Notitiarum liber maketh mention of Argentoratensis tractus the precinct of Strasburg It taketh his name of Argentoratum or Argentina as others name it now called Strasburg This tract is a part of Holst where in time past the Triboces or
situation antiquities famous men and other matters worthy of record of this prouince let him haue recourse to the most learned Iohn Boniface who hath a while since set forth a most exact and absolute historie of it There is also extant a description of the countrie of Treuiso done in verse by Iohn Pinadello but as yet it is not imprinted Thus farre the Author hath discoursed vpon this his Mappe to which I trust I may with his good liking adde this out of Zacharie Lillie his Breuiary of the world TARVISIVM now Treuiso a goodly city belonging to the Signiorie of Venice of which of all ancient writers Plinie did first make mention brought forth Totilas the fift and most famous king of the Gothes from whom it first began his greatnesse and to arise to that dignitie that now it hath obtained that the whole prouince of Venice should be called The Marquesate of Treuiso For Totilas gathering together a great armie conquered all Italie and entering the city of Rome did sacke and fire it Certaine haue affirmed that the citie Treuiso was built by the Troians vpon the faire riuer Sile which falleth into the Adriaticke-sea The city it selfe for walles castle and water is very strong for bridges priuate houses and Churches very beautifull and for diuers merchandise very famous It hath great store of corne wine oile fish and fruites The country hath very many castles and villages but worthy men commended for Religion and wisedome vertuous life and ciuill conuersation do especially commend this city Thus farre out of Lillie PATAVINI TERRITORII COROGRAPHIA IAC CASTALDO AVCT Milliaria TARVISINI AGRI TYPVS Auctore Io. Pinadello Phil. et I. C. Taruisino The Lake of COMO sometime called LACVS LARIVS LACVS LARIVS which now they call Lago di Como of Como the ancient town adioining vnto it tooke his name of the Fenducke a bird which the Greekes call Larus and the Latines Fulica of which it hath great plenty It runneth out from North to South in length fortie miles it is beset round with Mountaines whose toppes are couered with groues of Chesse-nut-trees the sides with vines and oliues the bottoms with woods which affoord great store of Deere for game Vpon the brinke of the Lake are many Castles seated amongst the which on the South side is Como a faire towne built by the Galli Orobij or as some thinke by the Galli Cenomanes Afterward Iulius Caesar placed a colonie there amongst which were fiue hundred Grecian gentlemen as Strabo testifieth whereupon it was called Nouum Comum It is seated in a most pleasant place that one would iudge it a kind of Paradise or place onely sought out for pleasure and delight for vpon the fore-side it hath the goodly Lake on the backe-side the champion plaines well manured and fertile of all sorts of fruite Vnto which you may adde the wholesome and sweet aire Of the brasen statue long since taken out of this citie see Cassiod 2. Variar cap. 35. and 36. This towne brought forth the two Plinies men worthy of eternall fame in whose honour and memory the citizens caused these Inscriptions to be engrauen in marble vpon the front of S. Maries Church which we wrote out in the yeare of CHRIST 1558. in our returne from Italie Vpon the right hand of the dore THE STATE AND CITIZENS OF COMO HAVE GRACED C. PLINIVS SECVNDVS THE MOST VVORTHY FREEMAN OF THEIR CORPORATION A MAN OF A PREGNANT VVIT HONOVRABLE FOR DIGNITIES FOR LEARNING ADMIRABLE WHO IN HIS LIFE TIME OBTAINED THE LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP OF VESPASIAN THE EMPEROVR BORE MANY GREAT OFFICES EXCELLED ALL VVRITERS OF HIS TIME IN ELOQVENCE AND VARIETIE VVITH THIS TITLE AND STATVE Such honour great and worthy fame me Pliny did adorne But much it grac'th mee more what heere is set Vpon the left hand TO C. PLINIVS CAECILIVS SECVNDVS THEIR VVEL-BELOVED CITIZEN VVHO HAVING BEEN CONSVLL AVGVR AND BORNE ALL OFFICES IN THE VVARRES A FAMOVS ORATOVR POET AND HISTORIOGRAPHER MOST ELOQVENTLY VVRITTEN OF THE VVORTHY COMMENDATION OF TRAIAN THE EMPEROVR BESTOVVED MANY BOONES AND BOVNTEOVS FAVOVRS VPON HIS NATIVE COVNTRY GRACING THE SAME VVITH ETERNALL CREDIT THE STATE OF COMO FOR THESE BENEFITS DID HEERE PLACE THIS MONVMENT THE FIRST OF MAY IN THE YEARE 1498. At home in peace abroad in war ech office haue I borne I liued I di'd and still I liue as yet But why may I not to these adioine the words of the same Plinie in his second booke vnto Caninius writing thus Doest thou studie or doest thou angle or iointly doest thou both For the Lake affoordeth store of Fish the woods plenty of Deere the priuatenesse of the place doth giue great occasion of study The same authour in his 4. Epistle vnto Licinus Sura hath a storie of a certaine strange spring not farre off from this Lake Paulus Iouius hath most excellently described this Lake in a seuerall Treatise out of the which we haue drawen this our Mappe befitting our purpose Moreouer Cassiodorus in his eleuenth booke of Varieties vnto Gaudiosus hath most exactly painted out the same Benedictus Iouius and Thomas Porcacchius haue written the histories of Como Read also Leander in his Italia and Dominicus Niger in his Geographie The territories and liberties of the Citie of ROME OF the city of Rome sometime the Empresse of the world and Liberties of the same because this place cannot beare so large a description as his worth doth deserue and for that it is better to say nothing at all of it then to say little I thinke it best onely to reckon vp those famous authours which haue written of it at large and to referre thee to them for further satisfaction Of which the more ancient are Q. Fabius Pictor Sex Rufus and P. Victor Of the later writers Blondus in his Italia Fabius Caluus of Rauenna Bartho Marlianus Andreas Fuluius Georgius Fabricius Lucius Faunus Andreas Palladius Pyrrhus Ligorius and Lucius Maurus And very lately Io. Iacobus Boissartus Iacobus Mazochius hath gathered and set out all his old Epigrammes Fuluius Vrsinus the Noble houses and Vlysses Aldroandus the statues of the same Hubertus Goltzius with no lesse art then diligence and great expences hath expressed in forme of a booke the table of his Fasti most cunningly cut in brasse LAKII LACUS VULGO COMENSIS DESCRIPTIO AVCT PAVIO OVIO TERRITORII ROMANI DESCRIP FORI IVLII VVLGO FRIVLI TYPVS TVSCIA THe bounds of Tuscia which in time past was called Hetruria are on the East the riuer Tyber on the West Macra on the South the Mediterran sea on the North the Apennine mountaines It is a most goodly beautifull and pleasant country The people are very ingenious and of a subtile witte indifferently fitte either for peace or warre for all maner of humane litterature or for trades and merchandise The nation hath alwaies been superstitious and much giuen to deuotion in religion as is apparant out of ancient writers The sea coast toward the Tyrrhen or Mediterran sea
maner Pomerland at this day hath forty cities enclosed with walls and ditches besides certaine goodly castles and monasteries Amongst the which these are the chiefe Stralsund Stettin Grypswald Stargard Colberg and Anglame Fiue hundred yeares since before the enterteinment of Christian religion which was in the yeare 1124. and when they left the Slauonian tongue Pomerland was greater and not much inferiour to a kingdome For Bugslaus the first brother of Wartislaus the first sonne to Swantibore who died a Pagane when as his nephews leauing their country for the alteration of the language adioined Pomerell to Spruise POMERELL which the Polanders do at this day call Casub corner Cassubia is no very small prouince It extended it selfe from the borders of Pomerland to the riuer Wixel or Weissel and conteineth these cities Dantzk Putzka Dirsow Stargard Nauburg Smecha Tauchel Nakel Hamerstein Baldeburg Frideland Conitz Schoneg Slochow c. which cities haue for the most part castles belonging to them beside which there are these castles Moseuantz Talkenborch Subitz Lauterberg and these Monasteries Polpelin Sukow Tzernitz Oliua where the Princes of Pomerell were wont to be buried euen to Mestewin the last of that line who died at Dantzk and was buried at Oliua in the yeare 1295. Read more of Pomerland in the Saxon Chronicle of Dauid Chytraeus This mappe we haue taken out of Munsters Cosmography The Dukedome of OZWIECZIN and ZATOR THis Dukedome is a part of the kingdome of Poland where it toucheth Silesia Sometime it did not belong to this kingdome The territorie of OZVVIECZIN the Germanes in their language call it Auschwitz fell vnto the kings of Poland in the time of Cazimir the third in the yeare 1454. ZATOR about 400. yeares after in the raigne of Sigismund the first was reduced vnto the crowne of Poland and was vnited to that body in the yeare of Christ 1548. as Cromer in his Chronicle of Poland testifieth POMERANIAE WANDALICAE REGIONIS TYP LIVONIAE NOVA DESCRIPTIO Joanne Portantio auctore DVCATVS OSWIE CZENSIS ET ZATORIENSIS DESCRIPTIO ROMANIA anciently called THRACIA THat country which now they call ROMANIA the ancients called THRACIA It was a large and wide prouince hauing on the East Propontis Mar di Marmora and Pontus Euxinus the Italians call it Mar Maiore the Gretians Maurothalassa the Turkes as Busbequius saith Caradenis the blacke sea as both nations vnderstand on the South Mare Aegeum the Turkes call this Acdenis the white sea Archipelago on the West Macedony and Pannony on the North the mount Haemus Monte Argentaro and both the Moesiaes The aire is neither very kind nor the soile very fertile and except it be in those places which do butte vpon the sea it is barrein and cold Ptolemey diuideth it into thirteen shires namely these Danthletica Bennica Bessica Caenica Coeletica Corpialica Drosica Maedica Samaica Sapaica Sardica Sellitica Vrbana and Vsdesica The latter writers haue diuided it into these six prouinces Europa Hoemimontum Moesia Secunda which is the same with Moesia Inferior Rhodope Scythia and Thracia properly so called Lastly it was since called by one name Romania which it still retaineth Yet about Constantinople I vnderstand the Turkes do call it Galatia where also at this day there is the city Galata which we call Pera and the old Historiographers named Cornu Bizantium the horne of Constantinople The famous MOVNTAINES of this country are Hoemus Monte Argentaro or Catena mundi the chaine of the world the Italians call it the Turkes Balkan the Slauonians Cumouiza Rhodope Valizu or Czernaniwerti they now call it Orbelus Karopnitze Pangaeus Malaca or Castagna and diuers others of lesser note The RIVERS are Hebrus Marisa Nessus Nesto or Mestro the Turkes call it Charasou Melas now Lameta or Larissa and Strymon as some thinke although others do rather iudge this to be a riuer of Macedony The famous CITIES are Abdera now Asperosa as Niger thinketh or Polystylo as Sophianus or Astrizza as Nardus affirmeth Apollonia Phinopolis Philippolis Nicopolis vpon the riuer Haemus Nicopolis vpon the riuer Nessus Hadrianopolis the Turkes call it Endrem as Busbechius writeth or Edernay as Postellus teacheth Selyhria Debeltus Heraclea Lysimachia Hexamili and Bysantium famous in all ages so named of Bysa who first built it afterward it was enlarged and fortified by the Emp. Constantine and of him was called Constantinopolis but at this time corruptly and more short Stamboli This now as also long since it was is the most famous and honourable city of all this country next after Hadrianople Andernopoli it is commonly called then Sophia and others of lesse estimation This country also hath adioined vnto it a necke-land or demi-ile which they call the Foreland of Thrace Heere is Callipolis Gallippoli and Sesto famous for the loue of Leander Dauid Chytraeus in his Chronicle of Saxony hath diuers things worth the noting of the prouinces of this chart The ilands in the Archipelago mare Aegaeum neere to Romania are SAMOTHRACIA commonly called Samandrachi and THALASSIA of Ptolemey which others call Thassus and to this day it reteineth some similitude of that name for the latter writers do name it Tasso In Propontis or Mar di Marmora is PROECONNESVS or Elaphonnesus which some haue named Neuris Now the Turkes and Greekes do call it Marmora whereof that sea tooke the name In Bosphorus the Latines call it Stretto di Constantinopoli the straites of Constantinople the Greekes Laimon the Turkes Bogazin are the Insulae CYANEAE which Strabo calleth Symplegades now Pauonare or Iarcazes oft mentioned in the writings of ancient Poets who after their maner did feine them first to haue floted vpon the water and to be moueable and then by the sailing of the Argonautes to haue been setled and fixed Beside the old Geographers Ptolemey Strabo Pliny and Pomponius Mela which haue written of this country the latter writers also are not to be neglected especially the singular learned VVolfangus Lazius his commentaries of Greece and Bellonius his Obseruations Petrus Gyllius hath most curiously and diligently described the city Constantinople which city a man may say was by the prouidence of God ordeined to be the head of many kingdomes and to haue beene sometime called New Rome and at this day Romania so that the famous poet Tibullus may seeme to haue spoken not without iust cause and by a kind of diuine inspiration when he said ROMATVVM NOMEN TERRIS FATALE REGENDIS O Rome thy name doth giue thou shouldest the world command And in the iudgement of Romulus the Gods would haue it VT ROMA SIT CAPVT ORBIS TERRARVM That Rome should be the head of all the World as Liuy hath left record in the first booke of his Decades ROMANIAE quae olim Thracia dicta VICINARVMque REGIONVM VTI BVLGARIAE WALACHIAE SYRFIAE ETC. DESCRIPTIO Auctore Iacobo Castaldo Cum priuilegio decennasi M.D.LXXXIIII SCANDIA OR THE NORTHREN Kingdomes THis Mappe conteineth almost all the Northen tract of the knowen world
heere and there like sand on shore li'th scattered on the ground The goodly pastures passing fatte the lowly meddowes alwaie green Such store of Neat and Kine in vales do feed as else where may be seen The Sea on all sides round about so many sundrie sorts of Fish Doth yeeld that none their names do know or greater store may wish Whereof they daily lade great shippes from hence and those away do send To forrein countries euery way though many things this ile commend For fish yet doth it farre excell all kingdomes of the world throughout By this the Nation grow'th in wealth the people lusty strong and stout The Northren parts which lie full cold and bleake within the frozen zone Do breath forth flashing flames of fire with lumpes of ashes earth and stone Whot burning coals with filthy stinking smoke mount Hecla casteth out With hideous cracks and thundring noise heard farre and neere about Certaine wordes expounded for the helpe of the Reader and better vnderstanding of the Mappe Wic that is a creeke inlet or bay Iokul a mountaine or hill Ey an ile Eyer ilands Nes the Dutch call it Nas and Nues that is a nose a promontory or foreland shooting out into the sea Lend the Dutch pronounce it Landt the land or earth Clauster a Cloister or Monastery Aust the East West the place of the sunne setting Nord the North. Suyd the South Fior signifieth foure RVSSIA Or rather THE EMPIRE OF THE GRAND DVKE OF MOSCOVIA THis Mappe comprehendeth not all Russia for heere are wanting Polonia and Lithuania which generally are conteined vnder the name of Russia But the whole Empire of the Grand Duke of Moscouia which is bounded on the North by the frozen Sea on the East vpon the Tartars on the South vpon the Turkes and Polanders on the West it abutteth vpon Lithuania and Sweden all whose countries and prouinces Sigismundus Baro of Herberstein hath seuerally and particularly described vnto whom we send the thirstie Reader for further satisfaction Of the Religion habite manners and kind of life of this Nation we haue out of him very willingly for thine ease selected these few things In their Religion they do for the most part follow the rites and ceremonies of the Greeke Church Their Priests are maried They haue Images in their Churches When their children are baptized three times dipped all ouer into the water and the water in the font is seuerally consecrated for euery child Although by their constitutions and canons they haue a kind of Auricular Confession yet the common people thinketh it to belong only to Princes and Noblemen and little to pertaine to them Confession being ended and penance enioined according to the quality of the offence and fault they signe them in the forehead with the signe of the crosse and with a loud mournefull voice they crie Iesus Christ thou sonne of God haue mercy vpon vs. This is their common forme and maner of praier for few can say the Pater noster They do communicate in the sacrament of the supper both kinds mingling the bread with the wine or the body with the blood They administer the Lords supper to children of seuen yeares old for then they say a man doth sinne The better sort of men after the communion ended do spend the day in drunkennesse and riot and do rather reuerence the same with braue apparell than inward deuotion the baser sort of people and seruants for the most part do labour and worke as at other times saying that to make holy day to be idle and to leaue their worke is for gentlemen and masters not for poore folkes and seruants Purgatory they do not beleeue yet they make prayers and do other seruice and ceremonies for the dead No man doth besprinkle himselfe or suffer any other to cast holy water vpon him except the Priest himselfe will do it In the Lent they fast seuen whole weekes together They marry and do tolerate bigamy or permit a man to haue two wiues but they make a question whether it be a lawfull matrimony or not They grant diuorces and separations They take it not to be adultery except one man take another mans wife The state of women in this country is most miserable for they thinke except shee like a snaile do carry her house ouer her head and be continually mewed vp in her closet or so watched that by no meanes she may start out of doores none possibly can be honest It is a wilie and deceitfull people and is rather delighted to liue in seruitude and slauery than at large and in liberty All of them do acknowledge themselues to be the Princes seruants They are seldome quiet for either they must make warres vpon the Lithuans the Liuonians or Tartars or if they be not employed in any seruice in forren warres they are placed in garrisons about the riuers Don Tanais the ancients called it and Occan to represse the robberies and inuasions of the Tartars They weare long cleit gownes without any pleits with straite sleeues after the Hungarian fashion bootes also for the most part red and short such as scarse come to their knees and shoes or clogges clouted and hobbed with iron nailes They tie their girdles not about their wasts but beneath their bellies as low as their hippes They do seuere iustice vpon freebooters and such as robbe by the high way side Pilfering and manslaughter is seldome punished by death Their siluer coines or money are not round but somewhat long of an ouall forme or fashioned like an egge-like figure The country aboundeth with those rich and pretious skinnes or pelts which from hence are transported and caried all Europe ouer it is almost euery where full of huge woods All these particulars we haue drawen out of the aboue named Sigismund Many things more of this country thou maist read of in Matthew of Micou Alexander Gaguine his tract of the Sarmatiaes Albert Crantz his VVandalia Paulus Iouius of the Embassage of the Moschouites to Clement the eight Albertus Campensis vpon the same and in the Persian iourneies of Ambrosio Contareno But I would wish thee also for farther satisfaction heerein to read ouer the first and second bookes of Bonfinius his first Decade of the history of Hungary as also the first booke of the life of Basilides written by Oderborne together with the Chronicle of Saxony done by Dauid Chytraeus RVSSIAE MOSCOVIAE ET TARTARIAE DESCRIPTIO Auctore Antonio Ienkensono Anglo edita Londini Anno. 1562 dedicata illustriss D. Henrico Sÿdneo Walliae praesidi Zlata Baba id est aurea vetula ab Obdorianis lougorianis religiose colitur Idolum hoc sacerdos consulit quid ipsis facieÌ„dum quoue sit migrandum ipsumque dictu mirum certa consulentibê° dat responsa certique euentus consequuntur Horum regionúm incolae Solem vel rubrum pannúm pertica suspensum adorant In castris vitam ducunt ac oiÌ„m animaÌ„tium serpentiuÌ„ vermiuÌ„que carne vescuntur
is for the most part in this our age full of Forrests as also it was in the time of Vopiscus as he witnesseth in the life of Aurelian especially a little beyond the riuer Arno vntill one come beyond Plumbino The inner part of the country is almost as much oppressed with Mountaines In it are these cities more famous than the rest Florence Siena Luca Perugia Pisa Viterbo c. FLORENCE or as they call it Fiorenza is situate vpon ech side of the riuer Arno conioined by foure faire bridges it is a most goodly and beautifull city whereupon commonly they call it Fiorenza la bella Florence the faire as if indeed it might seeme to bee the flower of all Italie For it is adorned with stately buildings aswell Churches and religious houses as of priuate citizens Amongst all other the Church of S. Maria Florida wholly ouerlaid with Marble arched with a roofe of an admirable workemanship neere to which is built a goodly steeple for the bels all of fine marble not farre from which standeth the ancient Temple of Mars of forme round very ingeniously built and of a cunning workemanship now dedicated to S. Iohn Baptist The dores of this Church are of cast brasse a very rare and curious peece of worke especially those which are next to the Church of S. Maria Florida are such that all men of iudgement and experience must absolutely confesse that in all Europe beside the like are no where to be seene But to reckon vp all the worthy buildings of this citie aswell sacred as profane it were too tedious and would require more paper than this our purposed discourse will beare He therefore that desireth to know more of the particulers more at large let him reade Leander SIENA lieth vpon the top of an hill round begirt with high rocks of Tophus-stone gorgeously bedecked with many noble mens houses amongst the which is the great and large Church of our Lady equall to the stateliest and sumptuousest Churches of all Europe whether you respect the worth and price of the Marble whereof it is built or the excellencie of the worke and workemanship of him that made it Besides that there is a most stately house of tree stone built by Pope Pius II. with many other goodly houses Worthy of commendation and record is the large and beautifull market place with Branda the pleasant fountaine alwaies full of most cleare water PERVGIA is seated vpon the mountaine Apennine the greatest part of the countrie arising with goodly pleasant hilles fertile of strong Wines Oiles Figges Apples and other sorts of most excellent fruits Beneath the citie at Asisia as also toward Tuder neere Tiber the pleasant champion fields do spread themselues yeelding plenty of wheat and other kind of graine The city by reason of the nature of the place is very strong adorned with gorgeous buildings both of religious houses and churches as also priuate citizens together with a famous and large fountaine in the middest of the citie It is very populous and the citizens are very ingenious and of couragious stomackes apt indifferently either for any maner litterature or for seruice in the field PISA long since hath beene a famous citie and many waies richly blessed not onely before the flourishing estate of the Roman Empire but euen when it was at the full height as also many yeares after Many famous Marine-conquests which it hath made by which it brought the Ile Sardinia subiect to their command do auouch this to be true Panormo a faire citie of Sicilia they won from the Saracens and of the bootie and spoiles taken in that warre they began to build the great Church which they call DOMNVM as also the beautifull palace of the Bishop It hath an Vniuersitie or Schoole of all maner of Liberall Arts and Sciences whose foundation was laid in the yeare of CHRIST 1309. VITERBO lieth in a pleasant and spacious champion hauing the Cyminian hilles now of this citie called Mont Viterbo vpon his backeside stately for many faire buildings and works of rare Art amongst which is a famous fountaine from whence issueth water in such abundance as is wonderfull LVCA is seated in a plaine not farre from the hilles foot a city of goodly buildings The people are neat wise and ingenious which haue most discreetly retained and kept their libertie of a long time whole in their owne hands although they haue been often assaulted by their neighbours See more at large of this in Leander Myrsilus the Lesbian Marcus Cato in his Origines and their Expositor Ioannes Annius Viterbiensis who also wrote a seuerall treatise of the antiquities of Hetruria William Postell Volaterranus and Laonicus Chalcocondylas a Grecian in his sixth booke and others haue described this prouince Ioannes Campanus hath written most elegantly of the Lake of Perugia THVSCIAE DESCRIPTIO AVCTORE HIERONYMO BELLARMATO Me Ianus tenuit primus formataue ab illo Imposui leges populis nomina Ponto Inferno Supero missos auxiue colonos Imperiumque Italos trans fines foedera natis Dum seruata meis sed me discordia preaeceps Romuleae genti domitam seruire coegit Quae deous antiquae longo post tempore linguae Auxilij male grata mei male grata laborum Abstulit mansit nomen quod Thura dedere Archades aut Lŷdi quod vel mutare Pelasgi Non ausi sacras quibus has concessimus oras Cum priuilegio The Signiory of FLORENCE OF the city of Florence read Blondus who in his view of Italie reporteth thus of it They commonly affirme saith he that this citie was first begonne by Sylla's souldiers vnto whom this part of the countrie was by Sylla assigned and because they first began to seat themselues ad Arna fluenta about the riuer Arno they then intituled it by the name of FLVENTIA And indeed Pliny who of all the old writers first mentioneth this place saith that the Fluentini were seated neere the riuer Arno. These souldiers came hither about the yeare after the building of the city of Rome 667. whereupon it appeareth that Florence was founded about 83. yeares before the birth of Christ This city suffered much wrecke in the time of the warres of the Gothes Yet was it neuer either by Totilas or any other of those ragings Tyrants vtterly rased or spoiled And therefore that which some do write of the repairing of Florence by Charles the Great I can by no meanes allow when as the histories of Charles written by Alcuinus his schoolemaster do only mention his keeping of Easter heere at two seuerall times as he went by this way toward Rome It was preserued from a great hazard of vtter ouerthrow which it was like to haue fallen into by the manhood of one Farinata Vbertino when as they of Pisa Siena and others of Tuscane meeting at a market in a consultation by them held hauing generally determined to rase Florence to the ground said stoutly That while he liued he would neuer suffer