his deare Mother which brought him vp by them to be spoiled Therefore Florence partly taking by force and partly by other meanes drawing to their part the Fesulanes about the yeare of Christ 1024. was much enlarged in wealth and authoritie at which time also Henry the first Emperour of Rome built the goodly Church of S. Miniate neere the walles of Florence This city was twise within a little while in the yeare 1176. miserably defaced by casualty of fire From which time it first began to be gouerned as now it is by the Priori the masters of the twelue companies and a Standard-bearer Gonfalonerio they call him One of the first Gonfalonerios was Stroza a nobleman borne of a great house The goodly Minster which in our time by the ingenious direction of Philippo Brunalitio a Florentine was most stately arched and dedicated to our Lady was begun in the yeare of our Lord 1294. Foure yeares after that was that gorgeous Palace where now the Priori or Aldermen do keepe first founded And fiue yeares after that was the Pomoerium the prospect or wast ground round about the city leuelled and the walles of the city enlarged Pistorio was the first city that the Florentines subdued vnder their command as Leander in his description of Italie affirmeth vpon the testimony of Aretino where also he hath these words of the diuers forms and different maner of gouernment of the same After that it was repaired saith he by Charles the Great they yearely chose two Consuls or Sheriffes who with the assistance of 100. Senatours or Aldermen should gouerne the city This forme of commonwealth being altered they created the Decemuiri the tenne called of them Antiani about the yeare of Grace 1220. as Volaterran affirmeth or as Blondus saith in the yeare 1254. After that in the yeare 1287. hauing redeemed their freedome of the Emperour Rudolfe for 60000. crownes as Platina writeth the Decemuiri the tenne were reduced to Octouiri eight and were called the Priori the maisters of the companies ouer whom was set the Standerd-bearer called by them Gonfalonerio di Giustitia the Lord chiefe Iustice which office they were to hold but two monethes and then others were to be elected This forme of policy for as much as I can gather out of historiographers was since that time thrise altered First in the yeare 1343. when the Florentines bought Luca of Mastino Scaligero for 5000. crownes their forces being ouerthrowne by the enemie they were constrained to demand aid of Robert King of Naples and obtained Gualterio Gallo a captaine of Athens for their generall who by great subtilty and cunning getting the rule of the city went to the Court and there deposed the Priori and other Magistrates from their office Yet he enioied not his vsurped authority long for the people at the persuasion of Angelo Accieuolo Bishop of the sea a Frier predicant rose vp in armes and deposing the Tyrant restored the Priori and Confalonerio to their places againe The second alteration of this Common-wealth happened in the time of Alexander the sixth Bishop of Rome when as his sonne Caesar Borgia Duke of Valence neuer labouring to bring home againe Peter Iohn and Iulian the sonnes of Laurence Medices who but lately had beene banished at length brought the matter so about that the office of the Gonfalonerio should be giuen to Peter Soderine for a perpetuall and standing office who together with the Priori chosen euery two moneths after the ancient custome most wisely behaued himselfe and orderly gouerned that Common-wealth vntill at length being expelled by Raimundo Cordona Embassadour of Ferdinand the King of Arragon and Naples who was to restore Iohn Cardinall Medices and his brother Iulian in the yeare of Grace 1412. and erecting the ancient maner of gouernment which continued vntill the yeare 1530. In the meane time although the city were commanded at the discretion and direction of the Popes Leo the tenth which was Iohn Medices and Clement the seuenth which was Iulius Medices the bastard sonne of Iulian the first Cardinall Cortonesse hauing the wardship and being Gardian to Hippolytus the sonne of Iulian the second of Alexander the bastard sonne of Laurenznio the nephew of Peter the second Yet notwithstanding the ancient Magistrates were chosen after the custome formerly vsed In that same yeare therefore when as three yeares before the Emperours souldiers besieging Clement the seuenth in Hadrians castle the city shaking off the yoke of bondage obteined freedome and endeuoured by all meanes to retaine the same Philip the Prince of Aurange leading the armie of the Emperour Charles the fifth Clement entreating that Alexander his nephew whom before he had intituled Duke of Penna to be brought againe into the city forced it being much distressed for want of victuall to yeeld to the obedience of the Emperour Charles the Emperour at the request of Clement the Pope presently created Alexander perpetuall Priour and thus the offices of the Priori and Gonfalonerio were vtterly taken away Then when the Emperour Charles had created Alexander Duke of Florence and giuen vnto him in mariage Margaret his bastard daughter in the yeare of our Sauiour 1535. and two yeares after that before the seuenth day of Ianuarie Laurence Medices the sonne of Peter Francis that he might set his natiue country at liberty as he pretended had miserably slaine him Cosmus Medices the sonne of Iohn Medices was created Duke in his roome Thus farre Leander vnto which I may adioine these words of my kind friend M. Iohn Pinadello When it was known saith he to Pius the fifth Pope of Rome that Cosmus Medices Duke of Florence had at that time taken great paines for the maintainance of the Church and Religion and spared no cost in the warres against the hereticks in the yeare 1570. in the moneth of Februarie comming to the city crowned him in Aula Regia the Kings hall a place in Vaticana so named and gaue him and his successours the title of The great Duke In whose Crowne the Pope caused these words to be engrauen PIVS QVINTVS Pont. Max. ob eximiam dilectionem Catholicae religionis zelum praecipuumque iustitiae studium donauit that is Pius the fifth Bishop of Rome in token of great loue earnest zeale of Catholique religion and constant maintainance of true Iustice gaue this Thus farre in few words of the Offices Policy and Iurisdiction of this city I thinke it not amisse here to adioine another short discourse because it is rare and not altogether from the purpose It is thus as Syffridus Presbyter reporteth in George Fabricius his historie of Misnia Otho the third Emperour of Rome lying at Mutina with his wife the Empresse fell in loue with a certaine Earle but when as he by no meanes would consent vnto her she so diffamed him vnto her husband the Emperour that he commanded him to be beheaded before euer he had examined the matter Who before he was beheaded entreated his wife
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
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
here great swarmes of Monkes and Heremites were bred and from hence were spred and scattered all Christendome ouer as we finde in the Records of the Primitiue Church so that a man may iustly terme this countrey The Seminary or Nursery of all religions Of the Philosophy and Hieroglyphicall secrets of the Egyptians reade the sixt booke of Clemens Alexandrinus his Stromaton Item Orus Apollo and Pierius his Hieroglyphicks The VOIAGE of ALEXANDER THE GREAT IF Archelaus the Chorographer whom Diogenes Laërtius affirmeth to haue described all that part of the earthly globe or maine continent conquered by Alexander the Great that famous king of Macedony or Beton Baeton Athenaeus calleth him and Diogenetus whom Pliny writeth were the measurers of the iourney of the said Alexander or if the Commentaries of Strabo which he saith that he composed of the histories and famous acts of that great Conquerour were now extant it would out of all doubt haue beene an easier matter for vs to haue made this map which heere we purpose to set foorth to the view and benefit of the serious student of Geography of the VOIAGE OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT But being destitute of those helpes first we haue laid the plot of it out of Ptolemey and some other later writers Then we haue set downe in it all those particular places which Quintus Curtius Arrianus and Plutarch doe make mention of in the historie of this expedition For these three of all those which haue at large written of his life and are come to our hands haue of purpose handled this his voiage and expedition To these as helps we haue adioined what we finde making for this our purpose in Strabo Diodorus Trogus Orosius and Plutarch in that his booke which he hath intituled Of the fortune and prosperous successe of Alexander for these men although they haue not purposedly intended that argument yet notwithstanding by the way they haue shewed themselues in the setting out of his memorable acts very diligent and faithfull authours Item Philostratus Solinus and Pliny haue in like maner done vs some seruice heerein And while I looke ouer all maner of histories written either in Greeke or Latine by any other authours whatsoeuer beside those aboue named I could picke very little or nothing out of them that might serue vs in this our argument to any sted at all For although some things may be obserued in the reading of Liuy Valerius Maximus Polybius Athenaeus Polyaenus Aelianus Seneca Stobaeus Quintilian Apuleius Dion Pruiaeus Maximus Tyrius Theon Sophista Plutarch in his treatise of Mounteins and the Panegyricke made to Maxim and Constant yet those doe rather seeme in my iudgement to concerne his priuate life naturall inclination maners vertues and vices then this his voiage and expedition Francis Iuret in his annotations vpon Symmachus doth confesse that he hath by him the life of Alexander the Great written first in the Greeke tongue by one Aesope and since that translated into Latine by Iulius Valerius This authour as yet we haue nor seene and therefore of him we say nothing We haue therefore in the description of this Empire of the Macedonians the greatest as Liuy in his fiue and fortieth booke nameth it of all the whole earth begunne by this our Alexander performed what we could not what we would To this we haue caused the plot and portraiture of Iupiter Ammons oracle famous as Pomponius Mela writeth for the certainty of his predictions to be adioined for an auctuarie and ornament and for that it is so often named mentioned in all ancient histories as also for that this our Alexander in this his expedition went vnto this place to demand of the Oracle what the issue and euent of this his iourney should be Lastly Curtins and Trogus do iointly affirme that he commanded that his body after his death should heere be buried although it be certaine that this was not performed for his corps was interred at Alexandria in Egypt Of it therefore out of sundrie authours we haue collected that which followeth The ORACLE of Iupiter Ammon ALEXANDRI MAGNI MACEDONIS EXPEDITIO IOVIS AMMONIS ORACVLVM INGENIO IVDICIO ET ERVDITIONE PRAESTANTI DOMINO HENRICO SCHOTIO VRBI ANTVERP A CONSILIIS AMORIS ET BENEVOLENTIAE ERGO HANC TABVLAM DEDICAB ABRAH ORTELIVS Cum Priuilegio Imp. et Ordinum Belgicor ad decennium 1595. By that description of Iupiter Ammon in Curtius it seemeth that he meant to expresse vnto vs two formes of it viz. one which was accounted to bee his image or counterfet the other was that which was worshipped for a god that had the shape of a ramme this the forme of a bosse vmbilicus For I vnderstand by the word vmbilicus any high thing that steeketh out as the nauil in a man in maner of a pyramis or conus round or square Like as in books almost finished as Porphyrius testifieth they ordinarily vsed to doe either for ornament or some speciall purpose yea and yet to this day still they are put vpon the outside in forme of a round globe For men of ancient families were wont as we do gather by many circumstances oft times in this rude manner to point at their gods rather then truely to expresse them in their true forme and proportion In the temple of Delphos as Strabo in the 6. booke of his Geography reporteth there was a bosse preserued curiously lapped vp in skarfes and ribbends to demonstrate and shew vnto the world that this place was in Vmbilico that is in the middest or center of the whole earth and it was made as Pausanias writeth of pure white marble For the statue or image of the goddesse Venus which was to be seene at Paphus in Cyprus as Tacitus reporteth was a continuall circle broad at the bottome with a thinne edge or brim rising vp narrower and narrower by degrees in manner of a pyrarnis Maximus Tyrius in his 38. oration speaketh the same of it almost word for word but that he saith it was like a white pyramis The same authour in the same place writeth that the Arabians portraitured their god in forme of a square or cubicall stone and as Suidas affirmeth it had no manner of carued worke vpon it at all But this he speaketh of the Arabians of Petiaea and withall addeth that this their god is called Mars Minutius Felix maketh the same god to be but a rough stone vnhew'd or vnpolish't Liuy also testifieth that the Pessinuntij a people in Phrygia did honour a stone for the mother of the gods Arnobius in his 6. booke saith that it was a flint stone of no great bignesse of colour blacke or very darke and duskish verie craggy rough and vneuen Prudentius also in his 7. booke saith that it was of colour browne or inclining to blacke Herodianus reporteth almost the same of the forme of the statue of the Sunne or Elagabalus that Quintus Curtius doth of his god Ammon These are his words as you may read
before namely the furnace or hearth the panne or kettle with the trefeet the tunnell the drinking cuppes or earthen pots the spoones and the boxes wherein they keep the hearb and the powder made of the same These things they set little lesse store by than we do heere in Europe by rings beset with pretious stones or bracelets of the best and most orient pearles Their houses for the most part are framed of timber to auoid the danger of earth-quakes which heere are very frequent and often although that some haue their houses very artificially and stately built from the foundation vpward of a very faire kind of stone They haue many goodly Churches and Monasteries both of men and women very rich and sumptuous The language of all these ilands is one and the same but so diuers and manifold and of such different dialects that it may not vniustly be said to be many For they haue of one and the same thing diuers and sundrie names of which some are vsed in scorne and bad sense others in good sense and honourable vsage other phrases and words are vsed by the Nobility others by the common people others are spoken by the men others by the women Moreouer they speake otherwise than they write and in their writing there is a great variety for they write their priuate letters vnto their friends one way and bookes and such like another way They haue diuers bookes very fairely written both in verse and in prose Againe their letters are such as in one and the same character they do expresse and signifie sometime one word sometime two or more Lastly the Iaponian language is of indifferent iudges preferred before the Latine either in respect of the elegancy and smoothnesse of pronunciation or copy and variety of the same therefore it requireth both great time and labour to learne it They are a very warlike people and much giuen to follow that kind of life the chiefe men of dignitie which haue the command of the kingdome and gouernment of the same they generally call Tonos although amongst those there are also certaine degrees as there are amongst our Nobility Princes Dukes Marquesses Earles and Barons Another sort of men there are amongst them which haue the charge and managing of matters of their Church these are shauen all ouer both head and beard these may neuer marrie but do vow perpetuall chastity There are diuers and sundrie sects of these religious persons amongst them some there are which after the maner of the Knights of the Rhodes do iointly professe armes and religion together but they are generally called by one name Bonzij They haue in many places diuers great schooles such as we call Vniuersities The third state or sort of people amongst them are the citizens and other degrees of gentry next vnto these are the retalers hucksters factours and shop-keepers with artificers and handiecraft-men of diuers occupations very ingenious and skilfull in their trades They haue many kinds of armours and warlike weapons made of sundrie makings and excellent temper They haue also the vse of Printing with letters and stamps not much vnlike our maner inuented and practised heere in Europe The last sort and state of people in these ilands are the husbandmen and labourers Generally it is a very subtile wittie and wise Nation and of singular endowments and good parts of nature both for acute iudgement aptnesse of learning and excellency of memorie It is no shame or reproach to any to be accounted poore Slaunderous and railing speeches theeuing robberies and that vngodlie kind of rash othes and swearing with all kind of dicing and gaming they do vtterly abhorre and detest Any offendours against the Law of what degree soeuer are punished by no lesse punishment than banishment confiscation of goods or death Those which are to be executed are for the most part beheaded suddenlie before they are aware Notwithstanding it is the maner in some places to cary such as are taken for robberies in a certaine kind of carre round about the city in the face of all the people and to hang them vp without the wals of the towne In the seruice of God which is the chiefe point of iustice and vertue they do miserably erre and swarue from the right tract Their guides and great masters of religion to informe the rest are those which I say they name Bonzij Amongst their saints which they worship the chiefe are those which they call Amida and Xaca other idols they haue of lesse estimation and note amongst them whom they pray vnto for health recouery in sickenesse children money other things belonging to the body these they call Camis All Iaponia or the people of that name were subiect in time past vnto one Emperour whom they called Vo or Dair this was his title of honour and dignity vntill such time as he growen effeminate and giuen to pleasures and ease became to be scorned and contemned by the Lieutenants and Nobility especially of the Cubi for so they called the two chiefest Princes vnto whom the gouernment of the country was committed of which afterward the one did kill the other therefore the Lieutenants of the seuerall shires with the military men hauing for a time endured such a carpet Knight by and by began to loath his gouernment and at last wholly shaking off the yoke of subiection seised euery man into his owne hand the prouince ouer which he was set as gouernour vnder the Emperour so at an instant that vnited body and maine Empire of so large command was shattered as it were into many parts and pieces yet so as notwithstanding a kind of soueraigne authority doth euen to this day remaine in the Dair of distributing and giuing the titles of honour to the Nobility which eftsoones are altered according to the diuersity of the degrees and are designed by certaine notes and badges The chiefe and most mightie of all the Princes of Iaponia is he that gat either by force or policy Meacum and the best kingdomes neere to the same which they generally by one name do vulgarly call Tensa Those places were lately possessed by Nubunanga that tyrant which I spake of before this King being slaine by treason about two yeares before and his children murdered or banished one Faxiba a chiefe captaine of the rebels by force and violence stepped into his regall throne and tooke vpon him to sway the scepter of that kingdome The honour and credit of the first entrance of this Iland certaine Portugals do challenge and take vnto themselues but I do rather giue credit to Antonio Gaualno who reporteth in that booke which he wrote of the descries of the New-found world that Antonâ—o Mota Francisco Zeimoro and Antonio Pexoto in their iourney as they sailed from the city Dodra in Sion to passe for China they were caried by a contrary wind to the Ilands of the Iaponians about two and forty yeares before that time All this we haue extracted out
of colour but also to marke them with diuers kinds of pictures and counterfeits of sundrie sorts of liuing creatures and to go naked least they should hide this their painting I read in Herodian Listen thou shalt heare Solinus speake the same wordes The countrie is partly possessed by a barbarous and wild people which euen from their childhood haue by certaine cutters men skilfull that way diuers images and pictures of liuing creatures drawen and raised vpon their skinne and so imprinted in their flesh that as they grow vnto mans estate these pictures together with the painters staines do wax bigger and bigger neither doth the wild people endure any thing more patiently and willingly than that their limbes by meanes of those deep cuts and slashes may so deepely drinke in these coloures that they may sticke long by them Amongst the Goddesses as I learne by Dion they worshipped Andates for so they call Victoriam victory who had a temple and sacred wood where they vsed to do sacrifice and performe their religious seruice and worship to her Beside her they had another which was called Adraste whether this were the same with Adrastia which some did take to be Nemesis the Goddesse of reuenge which the ancient Grecians Romans did worship I leaue to others to determin Caesar saith that in former times the Druides a kind of superstitious priests dwelt also amongst this people who affirmeth that their discipline and religion was first heere inuented and from hence caried beyond sea into France That they continued vntill the time of Vespasian the Emperour of Rome in Mona or Anglesey it is apparent out of the 14 booke of Cornelius Tacitus his Annals Frō them doubtlesse this nation had their knowledge of the state immortality of the soule after this life for this was the opinion of those Druides as Caesar and others haue written of them But of the Druides we will God willing speake more in our Old France or Gallia as it stood in Caesars time That the Britans did so greatly esteeme and wonderfully extoll the art Magicke and performe it with such strange ceremonies that it is to be thought that the Persians had it from hence I haue Pliny for my patron who mightily perswadeth me The forenamed Bunduica also doth seeme to iustifie the same who as soone as she had ended her oration vnto her army cast an hare out of her lappe by that meanes to gesse what the issue of that iourney would be which after that she was obserued to goe on forward all the company iointly gaue a ioifull shout and acclamation To sacrifice and offer the blood of their captiues vpon their altars and to seeke to know the will and pleasure of their Gods by the entrails of men as the Romans did by the bowels of beasts these people held it for a very lawfull thing Thus farre Tacitus and thus much of Albion now it remaineth that we in like manner say somewhat of Ireland HIBERNIA Or IRELAND VPon the West of Britaine in the vast ocean the Latines call it Oceanus Virginius that is as the Welch call it Norweridh or Farigi as the Irish pronounce the word lieth that goodly iland which all ancient writers generally haue called by one and the same name although euery one hath not written it alike an ordinary and vsuall thing in proper names translated into strange countries For Ptolemy and vulgarly all Geographers which follow him calleth it HIBERNIA Orpheus the most ancient Poet of the Greekes Aristotle the Prince of Philosophers and Claudian IERNA Iuuenall and Mela IVVERNA Diodorus Siculus IRIS Eustathius in his Commentaries vpon Dionysius Afer WERNIA 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and BERNIA the Welch-men or ancient Britans YVERDON the Irish themselues from whence all the rest were fetched ERIN whereof also the Saxons by adding the word Land signifying a countrey or prouince as their manner is haue framed IRELAND by which name it is not only knowen to the English but generally at this day it is so called of all Nations whatsoeuer Thus farre the learned Clarencieux who also thinketh it so to haue beene named by them of their Irish word Hiere which signifieth the West or Western coast or country Like as the Celtae whose language he proueth to be the same with this for the same reason and of the same word named Spaine Iberia which afterward the Greekes in their language interpreted Hesperia In Festus Auienus who wrote a booke intituled Orae maritimae the sea coast it is named INSVLA SACRA The Holy Iland who moreouer addeth that it is inhabited of the Hierni that is of the Irish-men Isacius in his Commentaries vpon Lycophron calleth it WEST BRITAINE Plutarch in his booke which he wrote Of the face in the sphere of the Moone calleth it OGVGIA but why we know not yet read him if you thinke it worth the while you shall heare many an old wiues tale The latter writers as S. Isidore and the reuerend Beda our countriman call it SCOTIA of the Scottes which seated themselues in the West part of this I le about the yeare of our Lord 310. from whence within a very few yeares after being called in by the Picts they came into Brittane and indeed Paulus Orosius Beda and Egeinhardus authors of good credit wrote that it was inhabited of the Scots It is in length from South to North 400. miles in breadth scarse 200. The soile and temperature of the aire as Tacitus affirmeth is not much vnlike that of England It breedeth no snake or serpent nor any venemous creature fowle and birds heere are not very plentifull and as for bees no man euer saw one in the whole country yea if so be that any man shall strew dust grauell or small stones brought from hence amongst the hiues the swarmes will presently forsake their combes as Solinus writeth Yet we know by experience that this is all false for such is the infinit number of bees in this country that they are not only to be found heere in hiues and bee-gardens but also abroad in the fields in hollow trees and holes of the ground The temperature of the aire saith Pomponius Mela is very vnkind and vnfit for the ripening of corne and graine but the soile is so good for grasse not only great and ranke but also sweet and wholesome that their heards and cattell do fill themselues in so short a time that if they be not driuen out of the pasture they will feed while they burst Solinus affirmeth the same but in fewer words Furthermore he calleth it an inhumane and vnciuill country by reason of the rude and harsh manners of the inhabitants And Pomponius Mela termeth the people a disordered and vnmannerly nation lesse acquainted with any sort of vertue then any other people whatsoeuer yet they may in some respect be said to be louers of vertue in regard that they are very religious and deuout Strabo saith that they are more rusticall and vnciuill then the