of their Governour * Their beastly basâ—â—esse Besides that they are men immoderately given to the lust of the Flesh making no conscience even at home even to get Bastards in their young dayes and reputing it no infamy unto them to frequent Harlots and Brothel-houses but when they are abroad especially in Warlike Services they are very outragious impudently and openly deflowring mens wives and daughters It may easily then be guessed what disorder they kept in the West Indies where the Countries are hot and the Women were not able to resist their insolencies and how they did tyrannize over the poore unarmed people making them to drudge for them not onely like slaves but bruit beasts which grosse oversight of theirs was at the first so apparant that all of good mindes did complaine thereof as appeareth by Peter Martyr himselfe who in his Writing to the Pope and other Princes doth much deplore the ill usage of them who in name were Christians towards those simple Infidels And certainly it caused many of them to * Note their 1 â—â—maâ—ity blaspheme the Name of GOD and of Christ and to renounce their Baptisme whereunto they were either forced or intreated when they measured the God of the Christians by the actions of his Servants whom they found to be Blasphemers and Swearers riotous and great Drunkards ravenous tyrannous and Oppressours unsatiable covetous Fornicators beyond measure given to incredible Wantonnesse and exercising even among themselves all kinde of envy contention murthers poysonings and all sort of inhumane behaviour Not long after the arrivall of the Spaniards there The Fryers complaint of their cruelty there were certaine Fryers and religious men who mooved with some zeale to draw the people there to the Christian Faith did travell into those parts that so they might spread abroad the Gospell of Christ and when they came there beholding the intemperance of their Countrymen which turned many away from the profession of Religion they were much mooved in their hearts and some of them by Writings and some other of them by travelling personally backe againe into Spaine did informe the King and his Court how dishonourable a thing it was to the Name of Christ that the poore people should be so abused and how improbable it was that those courses being continued any of them would hardly embrace the Faith The earnest Petition of these caused Charles the Fift the Emperour and the King of Spaine by his Edict and open Proclamation published in the West Indies to give liberty unto the Inhabitants and Naturals of the place that they should be in the state of Freemen and not of bond * Note but his Subjects were so inured proudly to domineere over them that this did little amend the condition of the people Since these dayes notwithstanding the blind zeale of the Spaniards hath beene such as that the Kings have beene at some cost and other men also have beene at great charge to erect divers Monasteries and Religious Houses there and many have taken the paines to go out of Europe as they think for Christs sake to reside as Monkes and Fryers in America There be established some Bishoprickes there and other Governments Ecclesiasticall and the Masse is there published and Latine Service according to the custome of the Church of Rome labouring to roote out their infidelitie but mingling the Christian Religion with much Popish Superstition By reason that the Countrey is exceeding rich and fruitfull the Spaniards with great desire did spread themselves towards the North where they found some more resistance although nothing in comparison of Wariours but the greatest of their labour was to conquer the Kingdome of Mexico * Mexico described which Mexico is a Citie very great and as populous almost as any in the World standing in the middest of a great Marsh or Fen. The Conquerour of this was Ferdinandus Cortesius so much renowned in Spaine unto this day If there were any thing at all in these West Indies which might sauour of civility or any orderly kind of government it was in the Kingdome of Mexico where it appeared unto the Spaniards that there is a certaine setled state which was kept within compasse by some decrees and customes of their owne and which was able to make some resistance as it may be termed if it be compared with the other Inhabitants of America although little if it bee conferred with the courses of Christendome But the policie of the Spaniards was that by private meanes they came to understand of a King that confined neere unto Mexico who as hee was of good strength so was hee of exceeding malice towards these his Borderers and by his Forces and intelligence Ferdinandus Cortesius and his Company came to have their will upon Mexico * A great Lake In this Countrey there standeth a very great Lake which at the one end is very large and almost round but towards the other end doth contract it selfe againe into a narrow roome and then spreadeth wide againe and round onely about the third part of the compasse of the greater end In the lesser of the two there are set some Houses in foure or five severall places which represent our Villages but in the greater part of the Lake standeth Mexico it selfe being a Citie built of Bricke to a good and elegant proportion where the water issueth into divers streets of it as it is in Venice and from some part whereof there are divers Bridges unto the mayne Land made also of Bricke but from the other sides men doe come by Boats wherof there is abundant store continually going in that Lake The Writers do record that there is to be found in this Citie abundance of all kind of Provision but especially Fruits and other delightfull things which are brought in from other parts of the Country * Mexico the chiefe City of all those quarters This was the chiefe City of all those quarters before the arrivall of the Spaniards there and in subjection thereunto were many large Provinces extending themselves every way so that the King of this place was a Prince of great estate and accordingly thereunto the Spaniards at this day have made it their chiefe and Royall Citie where the King keepeth his Viceroy of Mexico for the West Jndies as hee hath his Vice-roy at Goa for the East Indies but from thence have all the parts of America but especially that which they call Hispania nova their directions and hence they fetch their Lawes Ordinances and Determinations unlesse it be such great causes as are thought fit to bee referred to the Councell of Spain The Gulph of Mexico The Sea which confineth neerest unto this City is called the Gulph of Mexico where as in divers other Bayes or Gulphes the Streame or Current is such that Shippes cannot passe directly to and fro but especially out of the Gulph but they are forced to take their course either high to the North or
in the World which lyeth in the East part of the same Indies This is that Countrey so famous in ancient time for the great riches thereof for the multitude of people for the conquest of Bacchus over it for the passage thither of Alexander the Great throughout all the length of Asia for his adventuring to goe into the South Ocean with so mighty a Navy which few or none had ever attempted before him And certainly thither it was that Salomon did send once in three yeeres for his Gold and other rich Merchandise for the Scripture saith that hee sent his Fleet from Ezion-geber which stood upon the mouth of the Red Sea and it was the directest passage which hee had unto the Easterne Indies whereas if his purpose had been to send to Peru as some lately have imagined his course had been thorow the Mediterranean Sea and the Straits of Gibraltar This Countrey had in ancient time In Jndia are many Kingdomes many absolute Kingdomes and Provinces as in the time of Alexander Porus Taxiles and divers others In it were many Philosophers and men of great Learning whom they called Gymnosophistae of whom was Calanus who burnt himselfe before Alexander The men of the South part of India are blacke Their Cattle very big and therefore are called men of Jnde The Cattell of all sorts that are bred there are of incredible bignesse in respect of other Countries as their Elephants Apes Monkies Emêts and other Their riches The riches hereof have beene very great with abundance of Gold insomuch that the Promontory which is now called Malacha was in times past named Aurea Chersonesus The commoditie of Spice is exceeding great that comes from thence The Partugals first discovered the Indies The Portugals were the first which by their long Navigations beyond the Equinoctiall and the farthermost part of Africk have of late yeeres discovered these Countries to Christendome as heretofore to the use of the King of Portugall so now of the King of Spaine who is reputed owner of them Four Kingdoms by the Portugals discovered The Portugals did finde divers Kingdomes at their first arrivall in those parts as the Kingdome of Calecut the Kingdome of Cambaia the Kingdome of Cananor the Kingdome of Cochin and very many other with the Kings whereof they first entring League and Trafficke and having leave given to build Castles for their defence they have since by policie encroched into their hands a great part of the Countrey which lyeth neere unto the Sea-coast and are mighty now for the space of many thousand miles together The K. of Spain hath there a Vice-roy whose residence is commonly in the Imperiall Citie called God Chief City God They doe every yeare send home great store of rich commodities into Spain The Indians Religion The people of the Country when the Portugals came first thither were for the most part Gentiles beleeving in no one God yea at this day there are divers of them who doe adore the Sunne as their God and every morning at the rising thereof doe use very superstitious Ceremonies which our Merchants who doe trade to Aleppo doe oftentimes see for divers of these Jndians do come thither with Merchandize But the Saracens who reverence the Prophet Mahomet from the Bayes or Gulphes of Persia and Arabia doe trafficke much thither so that Mahomet was knowne among them but in one Town called Granganor they found certain Christians dissenting in many things from the Church of Rome and rather agreeing with the Protestants which Christians had received by succession their Religion from the time of Thomas the Apostle by whom as it is recorded in the ancient Ecclesiasticall History part of India was converted In this Countrey of Jndia are many great and potent Kings and Kingdomes which had beene altother unknown and unheard of in our part of the World but that we were beholding to the Portugals for their Discovery and before their Navigation thither by the backside of Africk to some relations that wee had from the Venetians who traded and travelled thither by Land out of Turkie The names of these Kings and Kingdomes are these The King of Biarme the great Mogol Sâ—â— Kingdomes the King of Narsing Pegu Siam the forenamed King of Calecut and others Of Persia Situation of Persia THere be divers Countries betweene India and Persia but they are not Famous Persia is a large Country which lyeth farre West from India it hath on the North Assyria and Media on the West Syria and the Holy land but next unto it Mesopotamia on the South the mayn Ocean which entreth in notwithstanding by a Bay called Sinus Persicus This is that Countrey which in ancient time was so renowned for the great riches and Empire thereof These were they who tooke from the Assyrians the Monarchie and did set up in their Country the second great Empire which began under Cyrus continued unto that Darius who was overthrowne by Alexander the Great In this countrey raigned the great Kings Cyrus The g eat and famous Kings of Persia Cambises Darius the Son of Histaspes the great Xerxes Artaxerxes and many others which in prophane writings are famous for their wars against the Scythians Aegyptians and Graecians in the Scripture for the delivery of the Iewes from Babylon by Cyrus for the building of the second Temple at Jerusalem and for many things which are mentioned of them in the Prophecie of Daniel The people of this Nation although they were in former times very riotous by reason of their great wealth yet after they had lost their Monarchy by the Macedonians Persians great Souldiers they have growne great Souldiers and therefore as they did ever strongly defend themselves against the old Romanes so in the time of Constantine and the other Emperours they were fearefull neighbours to the Romane government and of late time they have strongly opposed themselves against the Turkes ever making their party good with them And yet notwithstanding in the dayes of Amurath the third father to Mahomet the Turke now raigning the Turke had a great hand upon the Persian going so farre with his Army as that hee tooke the strong Citie Tauris standing within the Persian dominions neere unto the Caspian Sea but this losse was to bee attributed partly to the great dissentions which were among the Persians themselves and partly to the multitude of the Turke his Souldiers who by fresh supply did over-beare the Persian although hee slew downe many thousands of them They fight commonly on horseback are govern'd as in time past by a King so now by an absolute ruler Sophy of Persia and a mighty Prince whom they tear me the Shaw or Sophy of Persia Hee hath many Countries small Kings in Assyria Media and the countries adjoyning which are tributaries Among other the Sophies of Persia about a hundred years since there was one of great power called Ismael the
lyeth neerest to the Mediterranean was by the space of seven hundred yeers possessed by the Moores and Saracens who do confesse the Religion of Mahumet the reason whereof Rodericus Toletanus in the third Book of his Story doth shew to be this Rodericus Toletanus that whereas the Saracens after Mahumets time had spred themselves all along Africk even unto the Western part of Barbary a King of Spaine called Rodericus employed in an Embassage to them one Iulian a Nobleman of his who by his wise demeanour procured much reputation amongst the Moores but in the time of his service the King Rodericus destoured the Daughter of the said Iulian which the Father tooke in such indignation that hee procured those Saracens to come over into Spaine that so he might be revenged on his King but when those barbarous people had once set foot in there they could never be remooved untill the time of Ferdinando and Elizabeth King and Queen of Spain about a hundred yeeres since The Authour before named writeth that before the comming of those Moores into Spaine the King Rodericus would needs open a part of a Palace which had been shut long before and had by discent from hand to hand beene forbidden to be entred by any yet the King supposing there had beene great treasure therein broke into it but found nothing there saving in a great Chest the pictures of men who resembled the proportion Attire and Armour of the Moores and a Prophecie joyned therewithall A strange and unexpected prophecie that at that time when the Pallace should be entred such a people as was there resembled should invade and spoile Spaine which fell out accordingly The Spaniards that now are be a very mixt people descended of the Gothes which in former times possessed that Land and of those Saracens and Iews which are the basest people of the World Portugall added to the Kingdome of Spain The Kingdome of Portugall did contain under it Regnum Algarbiorum but both of them are now annexed unto Castile by the cunning of the King of Spaine Philip the Second who tooke the advantage after the death of Sebastian who was slaine in Barbary in the Yeere 1578. Then after him raigned Henry who sometimes was Cardinall and Vncle to Sebastian in whose time although shew was made that it should be lawfully debated unto whom the Crowne of Portugall did belong yet Philip meaning to make sure work did not so much respect the right as by main force invaded and since to the great griefe of the Portugals hath kept it The chiefe City of Portugall is Lisbone Lisbone the chief City of Portugall called in Latine Olysippo from whence those Navigations were advanced by which the Portugals discovered so much of their South part of Africk of the East Indies possessed by them to this day The City from whence the Castilians do set forth their ships to the West Indies is Sevill Sevill called in Latine Hispalis Another great City in Spain is Toledo Toledo where the Archbishopricke is the richest spirituall dignity of Christendome the Papacy onely excepted The magnificent greatnes of Spain and Portugall In the time of Damianus à Goes there were reckoned to be in Spain foure Archbishoprickes of great worth three other inferiour and forty Bishopricks as also in Portugall three Archbishoprickes and eight Bishopricks Hee reckoneth up also in Spaine besides the great Officers of the Crown 17 Dukes 41 Marquesses 87 Earles or CouÌ„ts 9 Viscounts as also in Portugall besides the Officers of the Crown six Dukes 4 Marquesses nineteen Earles and one Vicount In Spaine he saith are seven Vniversities The Country is but dry and so consequently barren in comparison of some other places What commodities it doth yeeld it may be seen in the Treatise of Damianus a Goes which hee calleth his Hispania Not onely this great and large Countrey heretofore divided into so many Kingdomes is now under one absolute King but that King also is Lord of many other Territories as namely of the Kingdome of Naples in Italy and the Dutchy of Millaine of the Isles of Sicily Sardinia Majorque Minorque Evisa In the mid-land Sea of the Ilands of the Canaries in the Atlantique besides divers strong Towns and goodly Havens in Barbary within without the Straits On the back side of Africk he commands much on the Frontiery besides the Islands adjoyning to the mayn Land In the Western Indies he hath Mexico Peru Brasil large Territories with the Islands of the South the North Sea And Philip the Second getting Portugall as a Dowry to that forc't Marriage got also all the dependances of that Crown in Africke the East Indies and the Atlantique Sea the Towns of Barbary and the East Indies willingly submitting themselves unto him but the Terceras hee wonne by force at the first and second Expedition so if we consider the huge tract of ground that is under this Kings Dominion The Empery of the Kingdome of Spain the greatâ—st in the Christian World wee will say that the Empery of the King of Spain is in that respect the largest that now is or ever was in the World Of France France how bounded THE next Countrey is France which is bounded on the West with the Pyrenie hils on the North with the English Seas on the East with Germany on the South-east with the Alpe-hils on the Southwest with the Mediterranean Sea The Kingdome of France is for one entire thing France oâ—â— of the most absolute kingdomes of the World one of the most rich and absolute Monarchies of the World having both on the North and South side the Sea standing very convenient for profit of Navigation and the land it selfe being ordinarily very fruitfull The consideration wherof caused Francis the first King of France to compare this Kingdome alone to all the Dominions and Seigniories of Charles the fifth Emperour for when the Herauld of the sayd Charles bidding Defiance to King Francis did give his Majestie the title of Emperour of Germany King of Castile Arragon Naples Sicilie c. Francis commanded his Herauld to call him so often King of France as the other had Titles by all his Countryes implying that France alone was of as much strength and worth as all the Countries which the other had Concerning this Argument see the warlike and politike Discourses of Monsieur de la Nove. He who writeth the Commentaries of Religion and state of France doth shew that when there had beene of late in France in the dayes of Francis the second and Charles the ninth three Civill warres which had much ruinated the glory and beauty of that Kingdome Civil wars in France when a little before the great Massacre in the yeare one thousand five hundred seventy two there had beene peace in that Country scant full two yeares yet so great is the riches and happinesse of that Kingdome that in that short time
all things were renewed and repaired againe as if there had never beene any such desolation Revenue of the Crowne of France exceeding great The Revenue of the Crowne of France is exceeding great by reason of the Taxes and Impositions which through the whole Kingdome are layd upon the subjects for their Sizes and Toules doe exceed all Imposts and tributes of all the Princes of Christendome in as much as there are few things there used but the King hath a commodity issuing out of them and not onely from matters of Luxury as in other States but from such things as be of necessity as Flesh Wood Salt c. It is supposed at this day that there be in the Kingdome thirty thousand men who are Vnder-officers and make a good part of their living by gathering of the Kings tribute This is much increased no doubt in these latter times but yet of old it was in so great measure which caused that speech of Maximilian the Emperour as Iohannes Aventinus witnesseth de Bello Turcico who said that the Emperour of Germany was Rex Regum meaning that his Princes were so great men The King of Spaine was Rex hominum because his people would obey their Prince in any reasonable moderation The King of England was Rex Diabolorum because the subjects had there divers times deprived their Kings of their Crownes and dignitie But the King of France was Rex asinorum in as much as his people did beare very heavy burthens of taxes and impositions In France the offices of Iustice bought and sold In this Kingdome of France is one great miserie to the subjects that the places and offices of Iustice are ordinarily bought and sold the beginning whereof was this Lewis the 12. who was called a Father of the Country began to pay the debts of his predecessour Charles the 7. which were very great and intending to recover unto France the Dukedome of Millaine and minding not to burden his people further than was need thought it a good course to set at sale all the Offices of the Crowne but with the places of Iustice he did not meddle But his successors after him tooke occasion also to make great profit of them witnesse the Author contra Machiavel lib. 1. cap. 1. By the customes of that Countrey The Custome of France for mustering and pressing Souldiers the King of France hath not that absolute power to muster and presse out Souldiers as in England and some other places of Christendome the Princes have But the manner is when the King will set forward any Military Service he sendeth abroad his Edicts or causeth in Cities and good Townes the Drum to be strucken up and whosoever will voluntarily follow he is enrolled Notwithstanding he wanteth few Souldiers because the Noble and Gentlemen of France doe hold it their dutie and highest honour both to attend the King unto the warres and to beare their own charges yearely for many moneths The person of the King of France hath in former time beene reputed so sacred that Guicciardine saith of them that their people have regarded them in that respect of devotion as if they had beene de mi-gods And Machiavel in his Questions upon Livie saith that they doted so upon their Kings that they thought every thing did become them which they did and that nothing could be more disgracefull than to give any intimation that such or such a thing was not well done by their King But this opinion is now much decayed the Princes of the bloud are in the next ranke under the King himselfe Paris the chiefe City of France There be many and very rich goodly Cities in France but the chiefest of all is Paris called Lutetia quasi Luto sita as some have merrily spoken which place is especially honoured first by the presence of the King most commonly keeping Court and residence there secondly by the great store of goodly houses whereof part belong to Noble men and part are houses of Religion thirdly by the Vniversity which is incomparably the greatest most ancient and best filled of all France fourthly in that it is the chiefe Parliament City of that Kingdome without the ratification of which Parliament at Paris Edicts and Proclamations comming from the King are not held authenticall fiftly by the great traffique of all kinde of Merchandize which is used in that place The Parliament Cities in France are places where their Termes are kept and in severall provinces are 7. unto which the causes of inferiour Courts within their distinct Provinces may be brought by appeale but the Parliament of Paris hath that prerogative that appeales from all Courts of the Kingdome doe lie there That which we call our Parliament in England is amongst them tearmed Conventus Ordinum or the States The kingdome of France divided into three parts France in ancient time as Casar reporteth in the first of his Commentaries was divided into three parts Aquitania which was towards the West Celtica towards the North and West and Belgica which is towards the North. Belgium is sometime called Gallia inferior and sometimes Germania inferior but wee commonly call it the Low-Countries the governement whereof at this day is not at all under France but Gallia Celtica and Aquitania are under the French King Gaules the ancient inhabitants of France The ancient inhabitants of this Countrey were the Gaules who possessed not onely all that we now call France being the greatest part of that the Romans called Gallia Transalpina but also a good part of Italy which they call Gallia Cisalpina a people whose beginnings are unknowne this of them is certaine that they were a Nation of valour for they not onely sackt Rome but also carried their conquering armes into Greece where they sate down and were called by the name of Gallogrecians or Galathians Some report also that they entred into Spaine and subdued and inhabited that part which was called Lusitania now Portugallia but howsoever their former victories and greatnesse they were by Julius Caesar subdued and made a province of the people of Rome and so continued under the Roman Empire till about foure hundred yeares after Christ when in the ruine and dismembring of the Roman Empire the French invaded Gaule and erected a Monarchie which hath continued to this day in the succession of sixty foure Kings of three severall races that is to say the Merovingians Carolovingians and Capevingians about twelve hundred yeares and now flourisheth under Lewis the 13. the now raigning King of France Although the French have done many things worthily out of their owne Countrey in the East against the Saracens although they have for a while held Sicily the Kingdome of Naples and the Dutchy of Millaine yet it hath been observed of them that they could never make good their footing beyōd the Alps France one of the strongest kingdomes in all Europe or in other forraigne Regions howbeit in it selfe France is one of the
of a Duke which raigneth as an absosute Prince and by little and little hath so incroched on his own Citizens and Neighbours round about him that hee hath gotten to be called and that not unworthily Magnus Dux Hetruriae or the great Duke of Tuscany The great Duke of Tuscany A great part of the rising of the Family of the Medices which are now Dukes of Florence may be ascribed to the cunning carriage of themselves but it hath been much advanced forward by their felicitie in having two Popes together of that house which were Leo the Tenth and Clement the Seventh who by all means laboured to stablish the government of their Country upon their kindred and it made not the least accesse thereunto that affinity was contracted by them with the Kings of France when Katherine de Medices Neece to Pope Clement the Seventh was married to the younger sonne of Francis the first whose elder brother dying that younger came to be King of France by the name of Henry the Second for as in the time of her Husband she layd the foundation of her aspiring so after the death of the sayd husband when she bare the name of the Queene Mother This Queen Mother swayed all at her pleasure in France during the successive raigne of her three sonnes Francis the Second Charles the ninth and Henry the third in all which time no doubt she promoted Florence and the Florentines to her uttermost A great part of Italy under the Bishop of Rome A good part of Italy is under the Bishop of Rome which is commonly called The land of the Church where the Pope is a Prince absolute not only spirituall as elsewhere hee claymeth but also temporall making Lawes requiring Tribute raising Souldiers executing Iustice as a Monarch The Bishops of Rome do pretend that Constantine the Great did bestow upon them the City of Rome together with divers other Cities and Towns neere adjoyning and the Demeans of them all to be as the Patrimony of Saint Peter as many times they do tearme it But Laurentius Valla in his set Treatise of this argument hath displayed the falshood of that pretence and in truth the greatnesse of the Popes hath risen first by Phocas who killing his Master the Emperour of Rome The manner of the rising of the Popes greatnesse and being favoured by the Bishop of that Sea and so aspiring himself to the Empire did in recompence thereof suffer the Bishop of Rome to be proclaimed Vniversall Bishop and of likelihood gave unto him somewhat to maintain his estate And afterward King Pipin of France and Charles the Great his sonne getting by means of the said Bishop the Kingdome of France and the one of them to the Empire did bestow good possessions upon the Papacy and since that time the Popes have had so much wit as by destruction of the Princes of Italy by encroaching on the favour of others the great Monarchs of Europe and by their warres and other devices to keepe and increase that Land of the Church which in our time is well inlarged by the policy of Clement the Eighth late Pope who hath procured that the Dukedome of Ferrara is or shal be shortly added to his Dominion Rome the chief residency of the Pope The chief residence of the Bishop of Rome is Rome it selfe which was first founded by Romulus and afterwards so increased by others who succeeded him that it was built upon seven hils hath had only raigning in it seven Kings and hath been ruled by seven severall sorts of chief government that is Kings Consuls Decem-viri Tribunes of the people Dictators Emperours and Popes They first incroached on the neighbours about them in Italy afterwards on all Italy Sicily some of the Ilands till at length it proved to be the Lady and chief Mistresse of the world whose incredible wealth and greatnes in men treasure shipping and armour was so huge that it did even sink under the wealth of it self Wherupon after divers civill wars as between Marius and Sylla Pompey and Caesar with others it was at length revoked unto one absolute and Imperiall government The Majesty wherof notwithstanding was afterward somewhat impayred by the building of Constantinople which was erected or rather inlarged by Constantine the Great and called Nova Roma But when the division was made of the East and West Empire it received a greater blow yet the main overthrow of it was when the Gothes and Vandals entred Italy sacked it and possessed it at their own pleasure so that it was for a time almost quite forsaken and had no inhabitants till the Bishops of Rome did make means to gather together some to people it againe and since those times a good part of the old building upon the Hils hath beene quite decayed ruinated and that Rome which now may be called in comparison of the old new Romes is built on a lower ground where the place was which in times past was termed Campus Martius very neer unto Tyber the River which too well appeareth by the sudden inundation of that Tyber destroying and spoyling men cattell and houses as very lately to their great losse was experimented The Bishops of Rome as sometimes for their pleasure or profit they do withdraw themselves unto Bologna or some other Townes of Italy so the time was when they removed their court unto Avignon a City in France standing neer the Mediterranean soa and not far from Marsiles in Province where continuing for the space of seventy yeers they so afflicted the Citie of Rome for lack of resort which is very great when the Pope is there that the Italians to this day do remember that time by the name of the Captivity of Babylon which continued as appeareth by the Scripture for seventy yeeres Who so looketh on the description laid down by the Holy Ghost in the Revelation shall see that the Whore of Babylon there mentioned can be understood of no place but the Citie of Rome In the South part of Italy lyeth the Kingdome of Naples which is a Country very rich Nap'es lyeth in the South part of Italy and full of all kind of pleasure abundant in Nobility whereof commeth to be said that Proverb Naples for Nobilitie Rome for Religion Millain for Beauty Florence for Policie and Venice for Riches This was heretofore ruled by a King of their own till the time of Ioane Queene of Naples who by deed of gift did first grant that Kingdom to the Kings of Arragon in Spain and afterward by will with a revocation of the former Grant did bequeath it to the house of Anjoy in France Since which time the Kingdome of Naples hath sometimes been in the hands of the Spaniard somtimes possessed by the French and is now under the King of Spain The Dukedome of Calabria unto this is annexed also the Dukedome of Calabria This Kingdome of Naples lyeth so neere to some part of Graecia which is
had done discovered where amongst the rest meÌ„tion was made of a Land which they had touched which to this day â—s known by the name of Sir Hugh Villobies Land Sir Hugh Willobies Land The Merchants of London did not desist to pursue this discovery but have so far prevailed that they have reached one halfe of the way toward the East part of Chyna and Cathaio but the whole passage is not yet opened This Empire one of the greatest to the world This Empire is at this day one of the greatest dominioÌ„s in the world both for compasse of ground for multitude of men saving that it lyeth far North and so yeeldeth not pleasure or good traffique with many other of the best situated nations Among other things which doe argue the magnificence of the Emperour of Russia this one is recorded by many who have travelled into those parts that when the great Duke is disposed to sit in his magnificence besides great store of Iewels and abundance of massie plate both of gold and silver which is openly shewed in his hall there doe sit as his Princes and great Nobles cloathed in very rich and sumptuous attyre divers men ancient for their yeares very seemly of countenance and grave with white long beards which is a goodly shew besides the rich state of the thing But Olaus Magnus man well experienced in those Northerne parts doth say how truely I cannot tell that the manner of their sitting is a notable fraud and cunning of the Russian in asmuch as they are not men of any worth but ordinary Citizens of the gravest and seemliest countenance which against such a solemnity are picked out of Mosco and other places adjoyning and have robes put on them which are not their owne but taken out of the Emperours Wardrope Of Spruce and Poland Prussia bow situated IN Europe on the East and North corner of Germany lyeth a Countrey called Prussia in Latine most times Borussia in English Pruthen or Spruce of whom little is famous saving that they were governed by one in a kinde of order of Religion whom they call the Grand-Master and that they are a meanes to keepe the Moscovite the Turke from some other parts of Christendome This countrey is now growne to be a Dukedome the Duke thereof doth admit traffique with our English who going beyond the Hants townes doe touch upon his countrey amongst other things doe bring from thence a kinde of leather which was wont to be used in Ierkins and called by the name of Spruce-Leather-Jerkins Spruce Leather On the East side of Germany betweene Russia and Germany lyeth Polonia Polands Situation or Poland which is a kingdome differing from others in Europe because the King there is chosen by Election out of some of the Princes neere adjoyning as lately Henry the third King of France These Elections oftentimes doe make great factions there so that in taking parts they grow often there into civill warre The King of Polonia is almost continually in warre either with the Moscovite who lyeth in the East and North-east of him or with the Turke who lyeth on the South and South-east and sometimes also with the Princes of Germany whereupon the Poles do commonly desire to choose warriours to their King In this Countrey are none but Christians but so Their divers Religions that liberty of all Religion is permitted insomuch that there be Papists Colledges of Jesuites both of Lutherans and Calvinists in opinions Anabaptists Arrians and divers others They hate the Iesuites But of late yeares there hath bin made earnest motions in their Parliaments that their Colledges of Iesuites should bee dissolved and they banished out of that Kingdome as of late they were from France The reason of it is because that under colour of Religion they doe secretly deale in State causes and many times sow seditions and some of them have given counsell to murther Princes and wheresoever they be they are the onely intelligencers for the Pope besides that many of the Papists but especially all their Friers and orders of Religion doe hate and envy them first for that they take upon them with such pride to be called Iesuites as if none had to doe with Iesus but they and are more inward with Princes than the rest are Secondly because many of them are more learned than common Monks and Fryers And thirdly because they professe more strictly and severely than others doe the Capuchins onely excepted Their chiefe Citie Cracovia This is that Countrey which in times past was called Sarmatia the chiefe Citie whereof is named Cracovia Of Hungaria and Austria Hungaria situated ON the South-East side of Germany lyeth Hungaria called in the Latine Pannonia which hath beene heretofore divided into Pannonia superior Pannonia inferior it is an absolute Kingdome and hath beene heretofore rich and populous The Christians that doe live there have among them divers sorts of Religion as in Poland This Kingdome hath bin a great obstacle against the Turkes comming into Christendome but especially in the time of Iohan. Huniades who did mightily with many great victories repulse the Turke Here standeth Bunda which was heretofore a great Fortresse of Christendome Bunda but the glory of this kingdome is almost utterly decaied by reason that the Turke who partly by policy partly by force doth now possesse the greatest part of it So that the people are fled from thence and the Christians which remaine there are in miserable servitude Notwithstanding some part of Pannonia inferior doth yet belong to Christendome The Turks for the space of these forty or fifty yeares last past have kept continuall garrisons and many times great Armies in that part of Hungary which yet remaineth Christned yea and sometimes the great Turks themselves have come thither in person with huge hosts accounting it a matter of their Religion not onely to destroy as many Christians as they can but also to win their land by the revenues whereof they may maintaine some Religious house which they think themselves in custome bound to erect but so that the maintayning thereof is by the Sword to be wonne out of the hands of some of those whom they hold enemies to them Hungary is become the onely Cockpit of the world where the Turkes doe strive to gaine and the Christians at the charge of the Emperour of Germany who entituleth himselfe King of Hungary doe labour to repulse them and few Summers doe passe but that something is either wonne or lost by either party The corner of Germany which lyeth neerest to Hungary or Pannonia inferior Austria is called Austria or Pannonia superior which is an Archdukedome From which house being of late much sprung come many of the Princes of Germany and of other parts of Europe so that the Crown imperiall of Germany hath lately oft befallen to some one of this house In this Country standeth Vienna Vienna that
England One of the honourable commendations which are reputed to bee in this Realme is the * Fair and large Churches fairenesse of our greater and larger Churches which as it doth yet appeare in those which wee call Cathedrall Churches many of them being of very goodly and sumptuous buildings so in times past it was more to be seene when the Abbeyes and those which were called Religious Houses did flourish whereof there were a very great number in this Kingdome which did eate up much of the wealth of the Land but especially those which lived there giving themselves to much filthinesse and divers sorts of uncleannesse did so draw downe the vengeance of God upon those places that they were not only dissolved but almost utterly defaced by King Henry the eight 1. Archbishopricks and 24. other Bishopricks There are here two Archbishoprickes and twenty foure other Bishoprickes within England and Wales It was a tradition among old Writers that Britaine did breed no Wolves in it neither would they live here but the report was fabulous in as much as our Chronicles do write that there were here such store of them that the Kings were enforced to lay it as an imposition upon the Kings of Wales who were not able to pay much money for tribute that they should bring in yearely certaine hundreds of Wolves by which meanes they were at the length quite rid from Wolves * The Countrey of Wales had in times past a King of it selfe yea Of Wales and sometimes two the one of North Wales and the other of South-wales betweene which people at this day there is no great good affection But the Kings of England did by little and little so gaine upon them that they subdued the whole Countrey unto themselves and in the end King Henry the eight intending thereby to benefit this Realme and them did divide the Countrey into Shires appointed there his Iudices itinerantes or Iudges of the circuite to ride and by Act of Parliament made them capable of any preferment in England as well as other Subjects When the first news was brought to Rome that Iulius Caesar had attempted upon Britaine Tully in the elegance of his wit as appeareth in one of his Epistles did make a flowt at it saying that there was no gaine to bee gotten by it For gold here was none nor any other commodity to bee had unlesse it were by slaves whom he thought that his friend to whom he wrote would not looke to be brought up in learning or Musicke Note But if Tully were alive at this day hee would say that the case is much altered in as much as in our Nation is sweetnesse of behaviour abundance of Learning Musicke and all the liberall Artes goodly Buildings sumptuous Apparell rich Fare and whatsoever else may bee truely boasted to bee in any Countrey neere adjoyning * Of Scotland The Northerne part of Brittaine is Scotland which is a Kingdome of it selfe and hath beene so from very ancient time without any such Conquest or mayne transmutation of State as hath beene in other Countries It is compassed about with the Sea on all sides saving where it joyneth upon England and it is generally divided into two parts the one whereof is called the Hye-land and the other the Low-land The Low-land is the most ' civill part of the Realme wherin religion is more orderly established and yeeldeth reasonable subjection unto the King but the other part called the Hye-land which lyeth further to the North or else bendeth towards Ireland is more rude and savage and whether the King hath not so good accesse by reason of Rockes and Mountaynes as to bring the Noblemen which inhabite there to such due Conformity of Religion or otherwise as hee would This Countrey generally is more * Scotland very pooâ—e in former times poore than England or the most part of the Kingdomes of Europe but yet of late yeares the wealth thereof is much increased by reason of their great trafficke to all the parts of Christendome yea unto Spaine it selfe which hath of late yeares beene denied to the English and some other Nations and yet unto this day they have not any Shippes but for Merchandize neither hath the King in his whole Dominion any vessell called A man of Warre Some that have travelled into the Northerne parts of Scotland doe report that in the Solstitium aestivale they have scant any night and that which is is not above two houres being rather a dimnesse than a darknesse The language of the Countrey is in the Lowland a kind of barbarous English But towards Ireland side they speake Irish * Thereason why it is said that in Brittain are soure languages which is the true reason whereof it is reported that in Brittaine there are foure Languages spoken that is Irish in part of Scotland English for the greatest part Welsh in Wales and Cornish in Cornwall In the Confines between the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland which are commonly called the * Borderers great Robbâ—s and Stealers Borders there lie divers Outlawes and unruly people which as being subject to neither Prince by their good wils but so farre as they list do exercise great robberies and stealing of Cattell from them that dwell thereabout and yet the Princes of both Realmes for the better preservation of Peace and Iustice doe appoint certaine Warders on each side who have power euen by Martiall Law to represse all enormities The Queene of England had on her side three whereof one is called the * Lord Warden of the Marches Lord Warden of the East Marches the other of the West Marches the third the Warden of the middle Marches who with all their power cannot so order things but that by reason of the out-rages thereabouts committed the borders are much unpeopled whiles such as desire to be civill do not like to live in so dangerous a place It hath beene wondred at by many that are wise how it could bee that whereas so many Countries having in them divers Kingdomes and Regiments did all in the end come to the Dominion of one as appeareth at this day in Spaine where were wont to bee divers Kings and so in times past in England where the seven Kingdomes of the Saxons did grow all into one yet that England and Scotland Note being continuate within one Iland could never till now bee reduced to one Monarchy whereof in reason the French may bee thought to have beene the greatest hinderance For they having felt so much smart by the Armes of England alone in so much that sometime all that whole Countrey almost hath beene over-runne and possessed by the English have thought that it would bee impossible that they should resist the force of them if both their Kingdomes were united and joyned into one The Custome therefore of the Kings of France in former times was that by their Gold they did binde unto them the Kings and