a Bishops See by King Henry the 8th The buildings generally fair the Streets wide and open with Galleries before every door under which a man may walk dry from one end to the other The rest of chief note shall be specified on another occasion with this advertisment that the ordinary Cities of England are not to be compared with those of France and Italy First because the Nobles and Gentry of those Countries live for the most part in the Cities ours in Country-Villages And secondly because the Londoners so ingross all trading that they draw thither all the Wealth and treasure of the Kingdom By means whereof that every day increaseth in wealth and beauty the rest except Bristol only doe decay as sensibly that Citie being like the Spleen in the body naturall the monstrous growth whereof starveth all the rest of the Members Liene excrâ—scenâ—e reliquum corpus contabescit as the Doctors have it There are in England but two Vniversities which may equall six nay ten of all other Countries so that Paris be not in the number most of them being no better than our Colleges of Westminster Eaton or Winchester and none so liberally endowed as some one of these in the Vniversities Of which there are 16 in Cambridge some of them called only by the name of Halls but these endowed with Lands and Fellowships as the others are In Oxford there 18 Colleges endowed with Lands besides six Halls where Students live at their own charges in both of them Professors of the Arts and Sciences as also of Divinity Law Physick and the Learned Languages with liberall Salaries and in each to the number of 3000 Students so regular in their lives and conversations as are not to be found in the World besides The fairer and more antient Oxford which of long time together with Paris in France Bononia in Italy and Salamanca in Spain hath been honoured with the Title of Generale studium For that the Vniversity of Cambridge though giving upper hand to her Sister of Oxford she may take place of all the Vniversities in the World besides is not of so long standing as that of Oxford is evident by the testimony of Robertus de Remington cited by Master Camden viz. Regnante Edwardo primo It should rather be read secundo de studio Grantbridge facta est Academia sicut Oxonium where the word sicut doth not import an idenity of the time but a relation to Oxford as to the pattern We see this truth yet clearer in the Bull of Pope Iohn the 21 the contemporary of our Edward 2d as I find in the work of that great Searcher of Academicell Antiquities Mr. Brian Twine Aâ—ostolica authoritate statuimus saith the Bull quod Collegium magistrorum scholariâ—m ejusdem studij speaking of Cambridge Vniversitas siz censenda c. But what need more than Resolution of the Commons of the first Parliament holden under King Iames. For when he Clerk of that House had put the name of Cambridge before Oxford they taking disdainfully that Hysteron Proteron commanded the Antiquities of both Vniversities to be searched and after fearch made gave the place to Oxford But to proceed the Vniversity of Cambridge as it was much of a later Foundation so was it long before it grew into esteem insomuch that when William of Waâ—nslate Bishop of Winchester and Founder of Magdalen College in Oxon whereof I was once an unworthy Member perswaded King Henry the sixth to erect a College in Oxford as some of the Kings his Predecessors had done before him immo potius Cantabrigiae replyed the King Vt duas si fieri possit in Anglia Academias habeam No said the King in Cambridge rather that so if possible I may have two Vniversities in my Realm of England As for the Storie of this Country that it was first peopled out of Gaul is affirmed by Caesar proved by many strong and concluding Arguments as their Religion Manners Languages Customs and the neerness of the one to the other To omit therefore the Fable of Brute and the Catalogue of 68 Kings which are said to have reigned here successively before the coming of the Romans Certain it is that Caesar found the Countrey cantoned into many Kingdoms four in Kent alone and the people to be very rude and illiterate Such Learning as they had was locked up in the brests of the Druides who committed nothing unto writing and by that means kept the People in continuall ignorance communicating what they knew to none but those of their own Order and therein being sought to by the Druides or Priests of Gaul who came over into this Island to them and did from them receive the knowledge of their sacred Mysteries Being conquered or discovered rather by Iulius Caesar it was not so much as looked after by the two next Emperours Augustus and Tiberius counting it an high point of Wisdom not to extend the Empire beyond the Ocean Caligula had once a mind to the Adventure but he durst not follow it But Claudius his Successor undertook the Enterprise sollicited thereunto by Bericus a noble Briton who for sedition and some practices against the publick was expelled the Countrey Hereupon Aulus Plautius is sent over with some Roman Forces by whom and Pâ— Ostorius Scapula his Successor Togodumnus and Caractacus two Kings of the Britains were severally overcome in battel a Roman Colonie planted at Camalodunum and the Southern parts thereof reduced to the form of a Province After this time by little and little the whole was conquered as far as to the Frythes of Dunbarten and Edenburgh Agricola in the time of Domitian having the happiness and good fortune to goe beyond the furthest of his Predecessors and so much moderation not to venture further where there was nothing to be got but blowes cold and hunger At the first entrance of the Romans the Iland was divided into severall Nations each governed by its own Kings and particular Princes different in their ends and counsels and so more easily subdued by united Forces The principall of which for it is needless to make mention of inferiour Claâ—s were 1 the Danmonij containing Devonshire and Cornwall whose chief Cities were Isca now Exeter and Volcha neer the Town of Falmouth in Cornwall 2 the Durotriges inhabiting only in the County of Dorset whose chief Citie was Danium or Durnovaria which we now call Vorchester 3 the Belgae planted in the Counties of Somerset Southampton and Wilts whose chief Cities were Aquae calidae now Bath Ventu Belgarum now Winchester and Sorbioâ—unum the seat of old Salisbury 4 the Attrebatij confined within Barkshire only the chief Citie of whom was Guallena where now is Wallingfâ—rd 5 the Regni possessed of Sussex and Surrey whose chief Cities were Vindeliâ— now Winchelsey and Neomagus situate some ten miles from London 6 the Cantianâ— or the Kentish having Durovernum now Canterbury Dubris now Dover and Rhutupiae now called Richborough for their principall Cities
is said to be like a Flea quickly skipping into a Countrie and soon leaping out of it as was the Expedition of Charles the 8th into Italie The Dutch is said to be like a Lowse slowly mastering a place and as slowly yet at last driven out of their hold as was their taking and losing of Ostend and Gulick The Spaniard is said to be like a Crabb or 〈◊〉 inguinalis which being once crept into a place is so rooted there that nothing but the extremity of violence can fetch him out again In which I think I need not instance it being generally observed that the Spaniards will endure all possible hardship before they will part with any thing that they are possessed of It is used also for a By-word that the Italian is wise bâ—fore-hand the Dutch in the time of action and the French after it is done a wisdom much like that of the antient Gaul Nor are they less Litigous than the old Gauls were Insomuch as it is thought that there are more Law-sutes tryed among them in seven years than have been in England from the Conquest till the time of King Iames. They are great Scoffers yea even in matters of Religion as appeareth by the story of a Gentleman lying sick on his death-bead who when the Priest had perswaded him that the Sacrament of the Altar was the very Body and Blood of CHRIST refused to eat thereof because it was Friday Nor can I forget another in the same extremity who seeing the Host for so they call the Consecrated Elements brought unto him by a lubberly Priest said that CHRIST came to him as he entred into Hierusalem riding upon an Asse As for the Women they are sayd to be wittie but Apish Wanton and Incontient where a man at his first entrance may find acquaintanâ—e and at his first acquaintance may find an entrance So Dallington in his View of France describeth them But I have since heard this Censuâ—e condemned of some uncharitableness and the French Gentlewomen highly magnified for all those graces which may beautifie and adorn that Sex And it is possible enough that it may be so in some particulars though it be more than any man would guess at that cometh amongst them For generally at the first sight you shall have them as familiar with you as if they had known you from your Cradle and are so full of Chat and Tattle even with those they know not as if they were resolved sooner to want breath than words and never to be silent but in the Grave As to the persons of this People they are commonly of a middle stature and for the most part of a slight making their complexion being generally hot and moist which makes them very subject to the heats of lust and easily inclinable unto those diseases which are concomitants thereof their Constitution somewhat tender if not delicate which rendreth them impatient of Toil and labour and is in part the cause of those ill successes which have hapned to them in the Warres in which they have lost as much for want of constancy and perseverance in their enterprises as they have gained by their Courage in the undertaking And for the Women they are for the most part very personable of straight bodies slender wasts and a fit Symetrie of proportion in all the rest their hands white long and slender and easily discernable to be so for either they wear no Glâ—ves at all or else so short as if they were cut off at the hand-wrist To these the Complexion of their faces and the colour of their hair too much inclining to the black holds no true Devorum T is true the Poets commend Leda for her black hair and not unworthily Leda fuit nigris conâ—â—icienda comis as it is in Ovid. But this was specially because it set off with the greater lustre the amiable sweetness of her Complexion For in that case the Hair doth set forth the Face as shadows commonly do a Picture and the Face so becommeth the Hair as a Field Argent doth a Saâ—le bâ—aring which kind of Coat our Critical Heralds call the most fair But when a Black hair meets with a Brown or swarth Complexion it falls much short of that attractiveness of beauty which Ovid being so great a Crafts-Master in the Art of Love did commend in Leda The chief exercises they use are 1. â—enxis every Village having a Tennis-Court Orleans 60. Paâ—s many hundreds 2. Danâ—ing a sport to which they are so generally affected that were it not so much enveighed against by their strait-laced Ministers it is thought that many more of the Frenth Catholiques had been of the Reformed Religion For so extremely are they bent upon this disport that neither Age nor Sickness no nor poverty it self can make them keep their heels still when they hear the Musick Such as can hardly walk abroad without their Crutches or go as if they were troubled all day with a Scâ—atica and perchance have their rags hang so loose about them that one would think a swift Galliard might shake them into their nakedness will to the Dancing Green howsoever and be there as eager at the sport as if they had left their severall infirmities and wants behind them What makes their Ministers and indeed all that follow the Geneâ—ian Discipline enveigh so bitterly against Dancing and punish it with such severity where they find it used I am not able to determine nor doth it any way belong unto this discourse But being it is a Recreation which this people are so given unto and such a one as cannot be followed but in a great deal of Company and before many witnesses and spectators of their carriage in it I must needs think the Ministers of the French Church more nice than wise if they choose rather to deter men from their Congregations by so strict a Stoicism than indulge any thing unto the jollitie and natural Gaiety of this people in matters not offensive but by accident only The Language of this People is very voluble and pleasant but rather Elegant than Copious and therefore much troubled for want of words to find out Periphrases besides that very much of it is expressed in the action the head and sholders move as significantly toward it as the lips and tongue and he that hopeth to speak with any good grace must have somewhat in him of the Mimick A Language enriched with great plenty of Proverbs consequently a great help to the French humour of Scoffing and so naturally disposed for Courtship as makes all the people complementall the poorest Cobler in the Parish hath his Court-Cringes and his Eaubeniste de Cour his Court-holy-water as they call it as perfectly as the best Gentleman-Huisher in Paris Compared with that of other Nations the Language of the Spaniards is said to be Manly the Italian Courtly and the French Amorâ—us A sweet language it is without question the People leaving out in their pronunciation many of
in the North-west towards Xantoigne the seat of the Eugolismenses in the time of the Romans now a Bishops See seated upon the River of Charente with which it is almost encompassed the other side being defended by a steep and rocky mountain A Town of great importance when possessed by the English being one of their best out-works for defence of Bourdeaux one of the Gates hereof being to this day called Chande seems to have been the work of Sir Iohn Chandoâ—s Banneret one of the first Founders of the most noble Order of the Garter then Governour hereof for King Edward the third Being recovered from the English by Charles the fifth it was bestowed on Iohn the third Sonne of Lewis Duke of Orleans Grandfather of King Francis the first with the title of an Earldom onely Anno 1408. Afterwards made a Dukedom in the person of the said King Francis before his comming to the Crown And for the greater honour of it as much of the adjoyning Countrie was laid unto it as maketh up a Territorie of about 24 French Leagues in length and 15 in bredth Within which circuit are the Towns of Chasteau-netâ—f and Coignac on the River of Charente 3 Roche Faulcon 4 Chabannes 5 Meriville 6 Villebois c. Since that united to the Crown it hath of late times given the title of Duke to Charles Earl of Auvergne Anno 1618. The Base Sonne of Charles the ninth consequently extracted from the house of Angolesme 3 QUERCU is encompassed about with Limosin Perigort Languedoc and Auvergne A populous Countrie for the bigness being one of the least in all France and very fruitfull withall though somewhat mountainous The principall places in it 1 Cahors the chief Citie of the Cadurcâ— in the times of the Romans still a great strong and well traded Town and the See of a Bishop who is also the Temâ—orall Lord of it seated upon the River Loch From hence descended and took name the noble Family of Chaworth De Cadurcis in Latine out of which by a Daughter of Patrick de Cadurcis Lord of Ogmore and Kidwelly in the Marches of Wales maried to Henry the third Earl of Lancaster come the Kings of England and most of the Royall houses in Europe 2 Montalban a Bishops See also built on the top of an high mountain and so well fortified by all advantages of Art that it is thought to be the most defensible of any in France of which it gave sufficient proof in that notable resistance which it made to King Lewis the thirteenth in his Wars against those of the Religion Anno 1622. 3 Soulac upon the River Dordonne 4 Nigrepellisse another of the Towns possessed by the Protestant party reduced to the obedience of King Lewis the thirteenth Anno 1621. but in Novemb. following they murdered the Kings Garrison and the next yeer denied admission to the King Taken at last Anno 1622. by the King in person the punishment did exceed the Crime For the men were not only killed and hanged as they had deserved but many of the women also some of them having their secret parts rammed with Gun-powder and so torn in peeces by the unpattern'd Barbarism of the merciless and revengefull Souldiers 5 Chasteau-Sarasin a strong Town on the Garond 6 Nazaret 7 Burette c. The antient Inhabitants of these 3 Provinces were the Lemovices the Petrocorii and the Cadurci before-mentioned of which the Lemovices and Cadurci were cast into the Province of Aquitania Prima the Petrocorii and Engolismenses into Aquitania Secunda In the declining of that Empire seized on by the Gothes but from them speedily extorted by the conquering French Afterwards when King Henry the third of England released his right in the Provinces of Normandy Poictou Anjou Tourein and Maine Lewis the ninth to whom this release was made gave him in satisfaction of all former interesses 300000 l. of Anjovin money the Dukedom of Guienne the Countie of Xaintoigne as far as to the River of Charent with the Province of Limosin And on the Capitulations made betwixt Edward the third of England and John of France then Prisoner to him Perigort and Quenou amongst other conditions were consigned over to the English discharged of all Resort and Homage to the Crown of France After which times respectively they remained all three in the possession of the English untill their finall expulsion by King Charles the seventh never since that dismembred from the Crown thereof 14 AQUITAIN THe Dukedom of AQUITAIN the greatest and goodliest of all France contained the Provinces of Xaintogne 2 Guienne 3 Gascoigne with the Isles of Oleron and Rees and other Islands in the Aquitainick or Western Ocean 1 XAINTOIGNE is bounded on the East with Limosin and Perigort on the West with the Aquitaâ—ick Ocean on the North with Poictou and on the South with Guienne So called from Sainctes one of the Principall Cities of it as that from the Santones a Nation here inhabiting in the time of the Romans whose chief Citie it was The River of Charente running thorow the middle of it and so on the North border of it emptieth it self into the Ocean just opposite to the Isle of Oleron having first taken in the Seugne and the Boutonne two lesser Rivers The chief Towns of it are 1 Sainctes by Ptolomie called Mediolanum by Antonine Civitas Santonum seated upon the Charente a Bishops See and the Seneschalsie for the Countrie 2 S. John d' Angelie situate on the Boutonne a Town impregnably fortified whereof it hath given sufficient testimonie in the Civill Wars of France about Religion 3 Marans a little port but in a marishy and inconvenient situation 4 Bourg sur la mer upon the Dordonne which for the wideness of it is here called a Sea 5 Retraicte seated near the confluence of the two great Rivers the Garond and the Dordonne 6 Blaye the most Southern Town of all this Countrie defended with a strong Castle and a good Garrison for securing the passage unto Bourdeaux this Town being seated on the very mouth of the River which goeth up to it 7 Rochell Rupella in the present Latine but antiently called Santonum Portus as the chief Haven of the Santones a well noted Port in the most northern part of Xaintoigne from whence the Countrie hereabouts is called ROâ—HELOIS The Town seated in the inner part of a fair and capacious Bay the entrance of which is well assured by two very strong Forts betwixt which there is no more space than for the passage of a good ship every night closed up with a massie Chain and the whole Town either environed with deep marishes or fortified with such Bulwarks trenches and other works of modern Fortification that it was held to be as indeed it was the safest retreat for those of the Reformed Religion in the time of their troubles as may be seen by the storie of it which in brief is thus At the end of the second Civill Wars Anno 1568. Many
of Biscay were Argent two Wolves Sable each of them in his mouth a Lamb of the second 5 GALLICIA GALICIA or GALLAECIA is bounded on the East with the Asturias from which parted by the River Mearo on the South with Portugall from which divided by the River Minâ—o on the North with the Cantabrian and on the West with the Atlantick Oceans The antient Inhabitants of it were the Gallaici whence it had the name distinguished into the severall Tribes of the Bedyi Seuri Cilini Capori and Lemavi spoken of by Ptolomie The Countrie like that of the Asturias mountainous and almost inaccessible overspread with the Cantabrian hils and so the fitter to hold out against forrein invasions in defence of Libertie and Religion in that regard chosen for a retiring place by the distressed and vanquished Christians in their first Wars against the Moores Not well inhabited to this day not so much for the hilliness of the Countrie as for want of Water which defect makes the people generally draw more towards the Sea where they improve their fortunes by trade and fishing The barrenness of the Countrie râ—ompenced heretofore by the rich mines of Gold and Silver which in this Countrie and the Astures and some part of Lusitania afforded yeerly 20000 pound weight of Gold unto the Romans amounting in our money to two millions of Crowns but now no mines found in it of any value Instead of which it yeeldeth the best mines for Iron of any Province of Spain for which their Waters are so proper that they are said to fortifie and improve the metal Places of principall importance are 1 Compostella an Vniversity and Archbishops See vulgarly called St. Iago in honour of S. Iames the sonne of Zebedee whom they pretend to be buried here and of whom there is denominated an Order of Knights his Relicks said to be kept in the chief Church of it worshipped by the Romanists with great devotion and drawing to this place a wonderfull concourse of people comming thither on pilgrimage 2 Baiona not far from the mouth of the River Minio 3 Corunna by Ptolomie called Flavium Brigantium by us English the Groyn often mentioned in the storie of our Wars with the Spaniard in Qu. Elizabeths time then taken by the English but since very well fortified to avoid the like surprizall Divided then as now into the High Town and the Low situate on the Cantabrian Sea betwixt the Promontorie Trilencum now Cabo Ortegal lying towards the East and that of old called Nerium now Cabo Finis terre as being the most Western end of the then known World 4 Oreus upon the Minio a Bishops See by Ptolomie called Aquae Calidae from the Bathes here being now much commended for the best Wines 5 Tui on the same River frontiring upon Portugall a Bishops See in antient Writers called â—udâ— 6 Ponte-vedre 7 Ribadeo both upon the sea both fitted with convenient Harbours The antient Inhabitants hereof as before is said were the Gallaici one of the last Nations which submitted to the power of the Romans by whom first made a part of Tarraconensis after a Province of it self by the name of Gallicia the Asturias and some part of the Old Castile and Portugall being added to it In the declining of that Empire the Suevi a potent Nation of Germanie accompanying the Vandals and Alani in their transmigrations invaded Spain and first possessed themselves of this Countrey But not content with their Estate they warred on the Silinges a Vandal-tribe then possessing Baetica whom they vanquished and took that Province from them under the conduct of Rechila their second King They added shortly after Lusitania to their former conquesâ—s stopped in their careere by Theodorick the 2d King of the Gothes by whom vanquished and confined again within Gallicia which they enjoyed till the finall ruine of their kingdom by Leutigild the Goth Anno 858. reduced then to a Province of the Gothish kingdom Their habitation before their comming into Spain was in the Eastern part of Germanie beyond the Elb. Their Religion at the first under Recciarius their third King was very Orthodox and â—ound But vanquished by the Gothes and obliged unto them for the restoring of their kingdom they fell off to Arianism persisting in that Heresie for the space of an hundred years and then again returning of the Catholick Faith under Theodomire their King therein continuing constant till their finall overthrow The Kings hereof as many as are upon record are these that follow Kings of the Suevi in Gallicia 1 Hermenericus who first brought the Suevians into Spain and possessed Gallicia Arcadius and Honorius then Emperours of the East and West 2 Râ—chila who conquered the Silinges and subdued Baetica 3 Recciarius the first Christian King who won Lufitania afterwards vanquished and slain by Theodorick King of the Gothes the Suevians for a time becomming subject to that King 4 Masdras restored unto the kingdom by Theodorick 5 Frumarius the Sonne of Masdras 6 Remismuâ—dus Brother of Frumarius recovered some part of Lusitania and fell off to Ariaâ—ism 7 Theodomirus the Restorer of the Catholick Faith amongst the Sâ—evians 8 Ariamirus Sonne to Theodomire 9 Eboricus the Sonne of Ariamirus deposed and shorn Monk by Andeca 10 Andeca the last King of the Suevii in Gallicia or rather the Vsurper of the Regall title served in the same kind by Leutigildis King of the Gothes as he had served Eboricus his Lord and Master After which time Gallicia was made a Province of the Gothish Monarchy and the name of Suevians no more heard of in Spain In times ensuing it became a part of the Kingdom of Leon erected to a Kingdom by Alfonso the Great King of Oviedo and Leon and given unto his Sonne Ordogno Anno 886. And though Ordogno came after to succeed in his Fathers Throne his elder Brother Garcias dying without issue yet did Gallicia continue as a State distinct till wrested from the Owners of it by Alfonso the sixt of Leon and the third of Castile by whom incorporate with this Kingdom never since dis-joyned the Castilians being too good Statesmen to dismember Kingdoms The Arms hereof were Azure seme of Crossets Fitchee a Chalice covered Or. 6. The Kingdom of CORDVBA HAving thus surveied those Provinces under the Government of Castile which lye at the foot of the Pyrenees and on the shores of the Northern or Cantabrian Ocean we will next look on those which lye more toward the Streights of Gibraltar and the Mediterranâ—an And so come round at last to Castile it self And first we will â—egin with the Kingdom of CORDVBA which at the first erection of it contained all those parts of Spain conquered by the Moores and not again recovered by the Kings of Leon and Navarre conrracted within narrower bounds when subdued by the King of Castile at that time comprehending only the Provinces of Andalusia Extemadura Granada and the Isle of Gades We will consider it notwithstanding in both
their several Blazons I know not on how good autoritie we find in Bara the French Herald The principall of them were Sir Lancelot Sir Tristrum Sir Lamorock Sir Gawin c. all placed at one Round Table to avoid quarrels about priority and place The Round Table hanging in the great Hall at Winchester is falsely called Arthurs Round-Table it being not of sufficient Antiquity and containing but 24 Seats Of these Knights there are reported many fabulous Stories They ended with their Founder and are feigned by that Lucian of France Rablates to be the Ferry-men of Hell and that their pay is a piece of mouldy bread and a phillop on the nose 2 Of S. George called commonly the Garter instituted by King Edward the third to increase vertue and valour in the hearts of his Nobility or as some will in honour of the Countess of Salisburies Garter of which Lady the King formerly had been inamoured But this I take to be a vain and idle Romance derogatory both to the Founder and the Order first published by Polidore Virgil a stranger to the Affairs of England and by him taken up on no better ground than fama vulgi the tradition of the common people too trifling a Foundation for so great a building Common bruit being so infamous an Historian that wise men neither report after it nor give credit to any thing they receive from it But for this fame or common bruit the vanity and improbabilities thereof have been elsewhere canvassed Suffice it to observe in this time and place that the Garter was given unto this Order in testimony of that Bond of Love and Affection wherewith the Knights or Fellowes of it were to be bound severally unto one another and all of them joyntly to the King as the Soveraign of it So saith the Register of the Order in which occurreth not one word of the Ladies Garter affirming that King Edward did so fit the habit into that design Vt omnia ad amcitiam concordiam tendere nemo non intelligat But to return unto the Order there are of it 26. Knights of which the Kings of England are Soveraignes and is so much desired for its excellencie that 8 Emperors 21 forein Kings 22 forein Dukes and Princes besides divers Noble-men of other Countries have been Fellowes of it The Ensign is a blew Garter buckled on the left leg on which these words are imbroydered viz. Honi soit qui mal y pense About their necks they wear a blew Ribband at the end of which hangeth the Image of S. George upon whose day the Installations of the new Knights are commonly celebrated 3 Of the Bath brought first into England 1399 by Henry the fourth They are created at the Coronation of Kings and Queens and the Installation of the Princes of Wales their duty to defend true Religion Widows Maids Orphans and to maintain the Kings Rights The Knights hereof distinguished by a Red Ribband which they wear ordinarily about their necks to difference them from Knights Batchelors of whom they have in all places the Precedencie unless they be also the Sonnes of Noble-men to whom their birth gives it before all Orders 4 Of Baronets an Order instituted by King Iames in the 9th yeer of his Reign for the furtherance of the Plantation of Vister They have Precedency of the Knights of the Baâ—h but not of those of the Garter nor of the younger Sonnes of the Nobility But this being Hereditarie not personall and rather civill than militarie is not so properly to be rancked amongst Orders of Knight-hood There were in England at and since the time of the Reformation Arch-Bishops 2. Bishops 20. WALES WALES is bounded on all sides with the Sea except towards England on the East from which separated by the River Dee and a Line drawn to the River Wie Antiently it extended Eastwards to the River Severn till by the puissance of Offâ— the great King of the Mercians the Welch or Britans were driven out the plain Countries beyond that River and forced to betake themselves to the Mountains where he caused them to be shut up and divided from England by an huge Dich called in Welch Claudh Offa i. e. Offa's Dâ—ke which beginning at the influx of the Wie into the Severn not far from Châ—pstow extendeth 84 miles in length even as far as Chester where the Dee is mingled with the Sea Concerning which Ditch there was a Law made by Harald That if any Welchman was sound with a Weapon on this side of it he should have his right hand cut off by the Kings Officers The name of Wales some derive from Idwallo the Sonne of Cadwallader who with the small remainder of his British Subjects made good the fastnesses of this Countrie and was the first who had the title of King of Wales Others conceive that the name of Welch and Wales was given them by the Saxons who having possessed themselves of all the rest of the Countrie called the Britans who lived here by the name of Walsh which in their Language signifieth as much as Aliens because they differed from them both in Lawes and Language which is the generall Opinion Most probable it is that as the Britans derive their Pedigree from the Galls as before was proved so they might still retain the name and were called Wallish by the Saxons instead of Gallish the Saxons using in most words W. for G. as Warre for Guerre Warden for Guardian and the like And this to be believed the rather because the Frenchmen to this day call the Countrey Galles and the Eldest Sonne of England Le Prince de Galles as also that the Dutch or Germans of whom the Saxons are a part doe call such Nations as inhabit on the skirts of France by the name of Wallons The antient Inhabitants hereof in the time of the Romans before it had the name of Wales were the Siluâ—es possessing the Counties of Hereford Brecknock Radnor Monmouth and Glamorgan all Glocestershire beyond the Severn and the South parts of Worcestershire on the same side also their chief Towns Ariconium now Hereford not reckoned since the time of Offa as a part of Wales Balleum now Buelih in Brecknock Gobannium now Abargevenny in Monmouth Magni now New Radnor in the Countie so named and Bovium now Boverton in Glamorgan 2 The Dimetâ— possessing Cardigan Caermarthen and Pembrokeshires whose chief Towns were Loventium now New Castle in Caermarthen Maridunum or Caermarthen it self and Octopitae where now stands S. Davids by the Welch called Menew whence that Bishop hath the name of Menevensis in Latine 3 The Ordovices inhabiting the Counties of Merioneth Carnarvon Anglesey Denbigh Flint and Montgomery with the North part of Worcestershire beyond the Severn and all Shropshire on the same side of the River Their chief Towns were Segontium now Caer Seont in Carnarvonshire Cononium now Conwey in the same County Bonium where after stood the famous Monastery of Banchor in Flintshire and
with the famous Rivers of the Rhene and the Neccar Chief Towns hereof 1. Mâ—spach a pretty neat town on the banks of the Neccar and a Prefecture not far from the borders of Wirtenberg 2. Ladenberg neer the influx of the same River into the Rhene the moiety whereof was bought by Rupertus Emperour and Palatine of the Earls of Hohenloe anno 1371. the other moiety belonging to the Bishop of Wormes 3. Winhâ—ime a small town not far from Ladeberg belonging once to the Arch-bishop of Mentz but on some controversie arising about the title adjudged unto the said Rupertus and his heires for ever 4. Scriessen in the same tract well seated but not very large sold with the Castle of Straluberg to the said Rupertus by Sifride or Sigifride of Straluberg the right heir thereof anno 1347. 5. Heidelberg on the right shore of the Neccar going down the water compassed on three sides with Mountains and lying open onely towards the West which makes the air hereof to be very unhealthy The chief beauty of it lyeth in one long street extended in length from East to West on the South-east side whereof is a fair and pleasant Market-place and not far off a very high mountain called Koningstall that is to say the Kingly Seat upon the middle ascent whereof is the Castle where the Princes Electours use to keep their Courts and on the very summit or top thereof the ruines of an old Tower blown up with gun-powder A town of no great bignesse nor very populous there being but one Church in it which was used in the time of my Author for Prayer and Preaching the rest being either ruined or imployed unto other uses if not repaired again since the Spaniards became masters of it for more frequent Masses Howsoever it hath the reputation of being the chief City of this Palatinate not long since furnished with a great and gallant Library which for choice and number of Books especially Manuscripts was thought not to be fellowed in all Europe till matched if not over-matched by the famous Bodleian Library of Oxford most of them to the great prejudice of the Protestant cause being carryed to Rome and other places of that party when the town was taken by the Spaniards anno 1620. Finally for the town it self it was once part of the possessions of the Bishop of Wormes from whom it was taken by the Palatines it is now famous for being the seat of the Palsgraves the sepulchre of Rodolphus Agricola and for an University founded by the Emperour and Palatine Rupertus anno 1346. 6. Baccharach on the banks of Rhene so called quasi Bacchi ara for the excellent wines 7. Coub on the other side of the water near unto which is the old and fair Castle called Psalts from whence the name Psalts-grave or Palsgrave seemeth to some to have been derived 8. Openheim a strong town which together with Keisers Lauterne and Ingelheim were given to the Palatines by Wenceslaus and after setled on them by Rupertus the Emperour and Palatine for 100000 Florens anno 1402. 9. Cruintznacke called antiently Stauronesus 10. Frankendale lately a Monastery onely but being peopled by such of the Netherlands which to avoid the fury of Duke Alva fled hither is now a town of principall strength 11. Germersheim and 12. Manheim a well fortified town seated on the confluence of Rhene and Neccar On the Eastern part of the Country standeth 13 Laden situate on the little River Tiberus the furthest bound of the Palatinate towards the North-east there adâ—oyning to the rest of Frankenland And on the west side the Townes of 14 Newstat 15 Keisars Lautern in Latine called Caesarea Lutra once a town Imperiall from which and from its situation on the River Luter it received this name 16. Sweibrueken the title of a younger house of the â—saltsgraves whom the Latine writers call Prinâ—lpes Bipontani the French the Princes of Deuxponâ—s 17. Sinâ—neren on the north-west point of it where it meets with the District of Triers the title of another Branch of the Palatine Family called the Dukes of Sinâ—neren In all there are contained within this Palatinate 24 walled Towns and 12 fair Palaces of the Prince most of which they have added to their estate within little more then 400 yeers Such excellent managers have they been of their own estates so potent in ordering the affaires of the Empire both in war and peace and so ingrafled themselves into the most noble Families of Germany that I may well say with Irenicus Non est alia Germaniae familia cui plus debeat nobilitas Within the limits of this Country and intermingled with the lands of the Princes Palatine are the Bishopricks of Spires and Wormes both ancient and of great Revenue but feudataries for a great part of their estates to these Electors Of these more towards the head of the Rhene stands the City of Spires by Ptolomy called Neâ—magus from the newnesse of the building when that name was given by Antoninus Civitas Nemetum from the Nemetes who possessed this tract and sometimes Spira by which name it doth still continue A town Imperiall and antiently a Bishops See Tessis the Bishop hereof subscribing to the Acts of the Councell of Colen anno 347. A neat Town and very delectably seated Of great resort by reason of the Imperiall Chamber the soveraign Court of Judicature of all the Empire capable of Appeals from the Tribunals of all the Princes and free States thereof A Court which first followed the Emperour in all his Removes as antiently the Kings Bench in England by Maximilian the Emperour first made Sedentary and fixt at Frankfort removed after to Wormes and finally to this City by Charles the fift Sufficiently famous in that the name of Protestants was here taken up given to the Princes and free Cities following the Reformed Religion upon their legall Protestation here exhibited More down the water in the same shore thereof stands the City of Wormes one of those built upon the Rhene for defence of Gaul against the Germans by Ptolomy called Borbegomagus by Antonine Civitas Wormensis whence the modern name but generally Civitas Vangionum from the Vangiones the old inhabitants of those parts whose chief City it was A town Imperiall as the former and a See Episcopall as that is and as ancient too Victor the Bishop hereof subscribing to the Acts of the Councel of Colen before mentioned A town to be observed for the first appearance which Luther made before Charles the fift the Imperiall Chamber then being holden in this City who being disswaded from that journey by some of his friends returned this resolute answer to them That goe he would though there were as many devills in the town as there were tiles on the houses Chief towns belonging to these Bishops are 1 Vdenheim a town belonging to the Bishop of Spires whose residence it sometimes is conveniently seated for the command of the Country and therefore upon some
on the South Altay on the West and North the main Scythick Ocean on the East the Streights of Anian by which parted from America So called because the first habitation of the Tartars who from this den or Jail made their first eruptions and have since over-grown so much of Asia The Countrey cold and comfortless as lying under the Polar Circle and in part beyond it not fit for any but for such as can live no where else yet heretofore a receptacle of many Christians though those of the Nestorian Sect who here enjoyed that liberty of their Religion which the Persians and Saâ—â—â—enâ— denyed them in more pleasing Countries It containeth many Regions some not considerable Those of most note are 1. Thebet 2. Tabor 3. Tenduâ— 4. Bargu 5. Anian and 6. Tartar 1. THEBET a fenny Region and full of woods rich in Corall which they find on the Sea-shore and use it instead of money So named from the chief City of it the ordinary Seat of the Abassi or Pope of this Idolatrous people much reverenced and having in his power the disposing of all Offices which concern the service of their Idols They have also some good store of Musk and abundance of wild beasts which are bred in their Forrests But no beasts wilder than the people who in times past if not at the present also used to bury their Parents in their own bowels and to make drinking cups of their skuls for fear lest in the midst of their jollity they should forget their Progenitors Yet not more barbarous than immodest it being contrary to their custome to take a wife that is a Virgin And therefore the Mothers use to prostitute their daughters to the Merchant-Strangers who having had their pleasure of them gratify them with a Jewell or some other present which they wear on their wedding day she being the most acceptable Bride to her husband who bringeth the greatest Dowry with her of those base rewards It contained once eight petit Kingdomes Homagers to the Kings of Tenduc with many Cities but now laid desolate by the Tartar 2. â—ABOR once a distinct Kingdome also One of the Kings whereof in the year 1540. came to the Courts of Charles the fift and Francis the first where he found Princely entertainment But upon proof that he was a Factor for the Jews and secretly solicited many uato that Religion by the command of Charles he was burnt at Mantua 3. TENDVâ— a populous Kingdome of it self but greater in name and power the Kings hereof commanding all these North-East parts as far as the borders of Cathay Christian in Religion till the Conquest of it by the Tartars though according to the Nestorian tendries but now Mahometan â—or the most part with some remainders and but few of Christianity Divided into many large and spacious Provinces as Chinâ—hintales Cerguth Egrigaia Cercham others of less note so called according to the names of their principâ—ll Towns or having some Towns in them of the name of the Provinces Those of most note in Tenduc It self 1. Coras the ordinary sepulture of the Kings of Tenduc before it was subdued by the Tartars and since that also 2. Caâ—acoras where Cingis was first honoured with the Title of King The Kings hereof bearing the port of Kings and the office of Priests were antiently called by the name of Presbyter Johannes or Prester John a title now erroniously conferred by some on the Emperour of the Abassines or Aethiopians in Asrick Concerning which it is a wonder that Joseph Scaliger a man of such infinite reading should be so deceived and by the authority of his judgement deceive so many For finding that there was a Presbyter Johannes in the North of Asia and hearing vulgarly that title given unto him in Africk he fell upon a fancie that this Aâ—assine Emperour was formerly of so great power as to extend his empire over India and the North of Asia and in this last for the assurance of his conquests to hold his residence A monstrous and undefensible fancy For besides that all histories even those of the Aâ—â—ssines themselves are silent in it how improbable is it that a King reigning in the heart of Aâ—â—â—k should subdue the most remote parts of Asia and there keep his Court so many great States and most puissant Nations being interposed or that so memorable an exploit should be buried in silence and found in no record but in Scaligers head Besides it is well known and generally granted that the Presbyter John of Asia was by Sect a Nestorim but he that is so called in Africk of the Sect of the Jacâ—bites and further that the Christians of Aethiopâ—â— are circumcised which never was reported of those of Asia Letting this pass therefore as an unwarrantable and ill-grounded fancy we are to know that formerly this Province of Tenduc was under the old Kings of Cathay till the time of Cin-Cham the King thereof After whose death a certain Nestortâ—n shepheard that is to say the master of great flocks of sheep being Governour of the Yaymans a People of Tenduc took to himself the title of king of Tenduc whom they called by the name of Prâ—â—st John or Prince John the same word in their language as in the Hebrâ—â— signifieth both Priest and Prince Dying he bequeathed his estate and flocks to his brother Unt-â—ham commonly called in one word Uncham a greater sheep-master than he whose flocks ranged over all the past ures of the Moâ—es or Monguls and Tartars though dwelling fourteen daies journey off whom he had in subjection the title of Priest John or Presbyter Johannes going along with the dignity and Royall estate And though afterwards this Uncham was subdued by the Tartars yet his posterity for long time were suffered to enjoy the title of Kings and Presbyters but Vassals and Homagers to the Great Cham the Great Chams in regard of their nobility and royall parentage bestowing their daughters on them in marriage as is said by William de Rubraquis who travelled in these Countries Anno 1253. the King hereof being then named George the fourth from Uncham but commonly called Presbyter Johannes as his Fathers were 4. BARGV on the extreme North-west bordering on both those sides the cold Scythick Ocean situate under the North-starre of the same nature both for the soyl and people as that of the Tartars And 5. ANIAN on the North-East opposite unto it giving name unto the Streightâ— of Aâ—iaâ— lying betwixt Tartarie and America which Streights the Tartars and some other of these Northern nations are thought to have passed over and to plant that Countrey 6. TARTAR so called of the great River Tartar the principall of this Northern Tract and giving name unto the Tartars this being their Originall Countrey where they lived like beasts having neither faith nor letters nor habitation nor the use of Arms nor any reputation amongst their neighbours In matter of Religion the worst sort of gentiles worshipping the Sunne Moon
of the Indus three dayes journey from Tutta the Port-town unto which it is notwithstanding that distance Supposed to be situate in or neer the place of that Alexandria which Alexander built in memory of his navigation down this River to the Indian Ocean An Haven much frequented because free from worms which about Surat and other Havens on these Seas so infest the ships that without much cost and care bestowed upon them they make them unable to return 3. Calwalla memorable for the Tenure as given by Echebar the Mongul to a company of Women and their posterity for ever to bring up their daughters to dancing and more wanton exercises 4. Radempoore a great Town with a strong Castle seated at the edge of the Desarts thorow which those that are to pass use here to provide themselves of water and other necessaries for their journey 5. Nuraquemire a pretty Town on the further side of the Desarts esteemed a Paradise by such as have passed thorow those uncomfortable and dangerous sands for the space of ten or twelve daies journey 6. Sarrama a large Town twenty miles from Tutta the Center in which all lines meet and from whence the distances of all Towns in Sinda are accustomably measured The Countrey antiently subject to the Kings of Cambaia and in the right of that Crown to the Great Mongul but the people for the most part so untamed and masterful that except in some of the greater Towns they pay no Tributes and in some places even within half a daies journy of Tutta will acknowledge no King but rob and spare whom they please If at any time the Mogul sends a force against them as he doth sometimes they fire their houses made like a Bee-Hive of straw and mortar which are soon rebuilded and retire themselves unto the Mountains Yet one good quality they have amongst many ill ones When they have robbed a Traveller or took money of him in the way of toll or custome for his passage by them they will conduct him honestly to the end of the Desarts lest any should rob him but themselves 2. GVZARATE hath on the North Sinda on the South the main Ocean the River Indus on the East on the West Gedrosia which the Indians call Nawatacos but the Persians Circam The Soil of the same temper and fertilitie with that of Cambaia specially so called and there we shall speak further of it The common people whom they call Guzorates of the same disposition generally with the rest of the Indians but the greatest part of the Countrey is possessed by the Resbutes or Rasâ—ooches the antient Inhabitants of this tract Who when their Countrey was subdued by the Moores or Saracens retired unto the Mountains and fatuesses of it standing upon their guard and were never yet subdued by the Great Monguls Who though possessed of the Sea-shores and most Towns of consequence are fain to leave the inland parts and open Countries to the power of these Out-lawes who either prey upon the people or force them to compound for their peace and quiet at uncertain prices Their Arms most commonly a Sword Buckler and Launce well-horsed and resolute in any thing which they undertake which made one of the Moguls say of them that no men in the world knew to die but they Places of most importance in it 1. Diu in a Peninsula looking towards Persia but on the Eastside thereof neer the mouth of Indus Possessed by the Portugal and by them fortified with a strong and impregnable Citadel built with the leave and liking of King Badurius thereby to buy their aid against Merhamed the Mongul who had newly vanquished him A matter of such consequence to the Crown of Portugal that John Bo elius confined to India for some Crimes by him committed undertook in hope by the merit of that service to obtain his pardon to carry the first news of it in a small vessel not above 18 foot long and but 6 foot broad the best which for the present could be provided which with great courage he performed and thorow that large wide and tempestuous Ocean came in safety with his news to Lisbon to the great joy of the King but greater admiration of all sorts of people Scarce settled in their new possession when besieged by Solyman Bassa Admirall to Solyman the Magnificent with a Flcet of 80 ships and Gallies Anno 1537. offended with the Portugals for aiding the King of Persia more for diverting the Spice-trade unto Alexandria In which he had so ill success that having assaulted it in vain with his Land-forces he was fain to raise his siege in such hast and tumult that he left his great O dnance behind him 2. Sauran a Town and Castle of the Resbutes spoken of before and by them held against the power of the Great Mongul 3. Boldra a very fair and beautiful City but of no great compass 4. Ardovat not far from the banks of the Indus on the North of this Region towards Sinda 5. Madibat by some called Amadabat affirmed to be both for wealth and greatness the cheif of Guzarate neer as big as London well walled and situate on a plain neer the Rivers side seldome without Merchants of all Religions Jews Gentils Christians Moores some of all and neither 6. Saringt 7. Periano 8. Serkeffe this last remarkable for the Sepulchres of the old Kings of Cambaia fair and well kept and visited from all parts of the Kingdome Nothing considerable in this part of the Countrey as to point of story but what is common to them with the rest of Cambaia but that the Rasbutes or Rasbooches still remain unconquered Possessed not only of the hills and Mountains but of some strong holds and governed by the Heads of their Casts or Tribes all which acknowledge the Morgul for their Superiour in regard of his power but none of them obey him as their Lord or Soveraign conceiving it to be some abasement of their own authority if they admit of him as an Umpire to compose their differences which they sometimes do 3 CAMBAIA specially so called hath on the North Mandao on the South the main Ocean and some part of Decan on the East Delly from which parted by a ridge of Mountains on the West the Main Ocean with some part of Guzarate It standeth on the East-sides of the out-less of Indus running along the Sea-shore for 500 miles and took this name from Cambaia the chief City of it The Countrey said to be the most fruitful of all India abounding in Rice Wheat Sugar Spices of all sorts and choicest fruits of silk and Cotton so great plenty that they fraught yearly forty of fifty ships with those commodities In the mountains they find Diamonds Chalcedonies and a kind of Onyx-stone which are called Cornelines and corruptly Cornelians Amongst the Rarities hereof they reckon the Abades a great Beast twice as bigge as a Bull having on their snowts a little horn and the hide so hard
also 7 Arar the principal of the Kingdom more within the Land and about 38 Leagues from Zeila This Country formerly a member of the Aethiopian Empire is of late grown to so great strength and reputation that the Kings hereof have freed themselves from all signs of subjection to that Crown and think themselves the mightier Princes of the two Advanced to this repute and power by Gradogna or Guadameth who reigned here in the year 1540. by whom Clandius the Neguz was so overlaid and his Country so destroyed by continual incursions that he was forced to abandon his Frontiers retire himself into the heart of his Estates and crave aid of the Portugals And though by their assistance and the help of their shot he was twice victorious yet in the third battel he was vanquished and in the fourth An 1559 slain upon the place This King accounted for a Saint by the Moors and Saracens in regard of his continual wars against the Christians did so establish the affairs of his little Kingdom and left it so well setled unto his successors that the Abassine Emperor hath ever since left it out of his Titles though many other of those small Kingdoms are reckoned in the Imperial stile in which he hath as little power as he hath in this It is said also that in the battel wherein Claudius was slain and his Army routed consisting of 60000 Foot and 500 Horse of his own Subjects besides the Portugals the King of Adel got into his possession the greatest masse of Coin and treasure that was ever seen A victory obtained as well by policie as force the Abassines being seldom fought with or their Country wasted and depopulated by the Kings of Adel till by the strict observance of their Lenten Fast they were grown so weak that they were not able to discharge their domestick businesses and therefore most unable to resist a prevailing Enemy 12. ADEA ADEA or ABEX as some call it hath on the North the Kingdom of Adel on the South and West some parts of the Abassine Empire on the East the Sea Extended from the Cape of Guardafu where it joyneth with Adel along the greatest part of the Bay called of old Sinus Barbaricus of the reason of which name hereafter The Country plentifully fertile shaded with Woods and spacious Forrests and those Woods liberally furnished both with Fruits and Cattel the Champagn-Country not less fruitful in Wheat Barley and other necessaries besides a great store of Horses The people of an Olive-colour in some places more inclined to black Not clothed but from the girdle downward nor very well armed in time of war but with poisoned Arrows Mahometans in Religion Arabians by original extraction whose language they retain with some little difference in pronunciation Places of most observation in it 1. Adea which gives name to the whole Kingdom because the old residence of the Kings 2 Carfur upon the Sea-coast sometimes called Opone then a noted Emporie and situate neer the Promontory called Zingis extrema 3. Azun and 4 Zazelle supposed to be the Essina and Tonica of the Antient writers 5 Magadazo a petit Kingdom of it self a wealthy and well traded Town situate in a fruitful and delightful soul and neighboured by a safe and capacious Haven much traded by the Portugals who bring from Ada in Arabia Felix and Cambaia in India their Spices Silks and other Indian commodities which here they batter and exchange for Honey Wax Gold and Abassine Slaves which last they value as the chiefest merchandise which this Country yieldeth First built by some Arabian Moors who flying from the King of Laza their mortal enemy under the conduct of seven brethren came into these parts where they founded this City and that of Brava in the Province of Barus of which more hereafter The Inhabitants are originally of Arabia as before was said who many hundred years ago became Lords of all the Sea-coasts of both Aethiopias as far as to the Cape dos Corrientes which is somwhat to the South of the Tropick of Capricorn The Kings hereof in former times Vassals to the Abassine Emperor to whom they paid an yearly tribute this Kingdom still remaining amongst his titles but since the taking of Magadazo made so obnoxious to the power and command of the Portugals that the Estate of the Abassine in it is but meerly titular 13. FATIGAR 14. XOA FATIGAR hath on the East Adel and some part of Adea on the West the little Realm of Xoa on the South Barus another Province of this Empire The Country Champagne sufficently fruit ful of Corn and Cattel not meanly furnished with pleasant and delicious fruits Most memorable for a Lake of twelve miles compass on the top of a Mountain well stored with Fish from whence and from the rest of the Mountain issue many Rivers which much enrich the vallies and fields adjoyning The chief Town hereof if any one be better then other I conceive to be Fatigar giving this name unto the Kingdom or so called from it Westward of Fatigar lieth the little Realm of XOA bordering West on Amara Southward upon Damut furnished with great store of Corn and Cattel but not much beautified with Towns of any consideration Nothing observable in the History or Description of it but that together with Fatigar and others of the mid-land Provinces it hath continued constant in obedience to the Abassine Emperours notwithstanding all those misadventures which have hapned to that Empire in these later dayes 15. BARVS ON the South East of Adea lieth the Province of BARVS extended Eastward to some part of Sinus Barbaricus and touching at the Western point upon that of Fatigar The soyl and People much of the same condition with the rest of Aethiopia Mahometans upon the Shores but Christians for the generality in the mid-land parts Those Christians subject as the rest to the Abassine Emperour but he hath neither place of strength or consideration in all the Country those of most note viz. 1 Brava once a Free Town and governed after the manner of a Common-wealth by twelve Aldermen or Common Counsellors descended from the seven Arabian Brethren by whom first built the founders of Magadora also as before was said But now together with 2 Pate and 3 Gogia all upon the Sea made subject to the Portugals by whom taken under the Conduct of Tristran de Cugna Besides these there are many other Kingdoms mustered in the Stile Imperial the swelling vanity whereof we shall see anon but of so little observation in the course of business and so obscure in the esteem of such as have spoken of them that it is enough to tell you where to finde their names and having found their names to bid you not to seek for more there being nothing else in them which is worth the knowing As for the body aggregated of these several Members it was first planted as is noted and proved elswhere by Ludim the son of Mizraim and
of Goats Stags Deer Hares and Conies Elephants of that bigness that their teeth weigh 200 pounds and Serpents of so vast a bulk that they will eat a whole Deer at once not to say any thing of their fowl both wilde and tame which they have here in great abundance The People of mean stature black of complexion thick lips and having the apple of the eye of divers colours which makes them ghastly to behold strong and long-lived with very little hair on their heads but that all naturally curled In Religion for the most part Heathens some worshipping the Sun and Moon others the Earth as the Mother and Nurse of all things and some again wilde Beasts and Serpents So populous that without any sensible diminution of their infinite numbers it is supposed that they fell 28000 Slaves to the Portugals yeerly by whom they are sent into Brasil there to work in the Mines and Sugar houses The Christian faith admitted in some few of their Provinces but specially in that of Congo where first preached in the reign of John the 2. king of Portugal An. 1490. by Gonzalvo ae Susa who having converted and baptized the Kings Uncle and one of his Sons prevailed so far upon the King that in the end he and his Queen and many of his principal Subjects did imbrace the Gospel Received there by the people with such infinite joy that when their first Bishop came to live amongst them they caused the wayes from the Sea-side to the City of Banza being 150 miles to be covered with Mats and offered to him all the way as he went Lambs Chicken Kids Partriges Fish Venison and other necessaries to testifie their rejoycings in that happy change And though many of the Subjects in the other Provinces were baptized accordingly and for a time imbraced the Faith yet after some small trial of it they relapsed to their former Heathenism either unable or not willing to conform to so strict a Rule Principal Rivers of this Country 1 Bengo 2 Coanza 3 Dande 4 Barbela 5 Ambrizi 6 Loza 7 Zaire This last the greatest of them all if not of all Africk also of which though we have spoke already we shall adde this here That it falleth into the Aethiopick Sea with so great a violence that for ten miles commonly for fifteen sometimes the waters of it do retain their natural sweetness not intermingled nor corrupted with the salt Sea-waters Nor can the people fail above five miles against the stream by reason of the Cataracts or huge fals which it hath from the Mountains more terrible and turbulent then those of Nile And for the Mountains of most note they are 1 Sierra Complida or the Long mountain 2 Mons Christalli or the Christalline mountain so called from the abundance of Christal which is found therein 3 Sierra de Sol the Mountain of the Sun of excessiue height 4 Montes Sal nitri so called from their abounding in that kind of Mineral and 5 the Mountains of Cabambe rich in Mines of Silver It conteineth in it many large and ample Provinces of which we have this general muster in the stile Imperial wherein their King calleth himself King of Congo Bamba Sango Sandi Bangu Batti Pemba Abundi Matana Quisoma Angola and Cacango Lord of the Congemes Amolaze Langelungi Anzuichi Cucchi and Zoanghi Many of these not so well discovered as to afford us any matter fit for our discourse the principal of those that be are 1. ANGOLA bounded on the South with Cafraria on the North with the Provinces of Bamba and Pemba on the East with some part of Zanzibar on the West with the main Ocean The Country rich in Mines of Silver and most excellent Copper some store of Kine and Horses brought out of Europe which they kill rather for their tails the wearing whereof is held for a special ornament then keep for any other use their chiefest diet being Dogs which they fat for the Shambles and to that dainty so affected that at the first coming of the Portugals thither they would give twenty slaves and upwards for a good large Dog By this we may conjecture somewhat at the nature of the people who besides this are said to be much given to sorcerie and divinations by the flight of Birds skilful in medicinal herbs and poisons and by familiarity with the Devil able to tell things to come Permitted as most Pagans are to have as many wives as they will who with the rest of the women whether maids or widows use at the first sight of every New Moon to turn up their bare bums in defiance of her as the cause of their troublesom purgations In this Country are the Mountains called Cantaberes rich in Mines of Silver but those Mines not suffered to be digged for fear of drawing some unnecessary war upon them so that they use Glass-beads for money and therewith also do adorn the persons of greatest eminence Their principal City called Cabazza is about 150 miles from the Sea and the Royal residence of their Kings but not else observable This Country was first discovered by the Portugals under the conduct of Diego Can An. 1486. the King hereof at that time Vassal unto him of Congo and so continued till that King did imbrace the Gospel whereupon they revolted from him and have since subsisted of themselves without such dependance At first they held good correspondencie with the Portugals and allowed them free traffick in their dominions But after their revolt from the King of Congo with whom the Portugals were in league they put to death as many of them as they found in Cabazza An. 1578. under colour of some pretended treason To be revenged of this soul murder Paul Diaz Governour of these parts for the King of Portugal arming such people as he had with two Gallies and some other Vessels passed up the River of Coanza wasting the Country on both sides Against whom the King of Angola raised an Army of a Million of men but amongst those multitudes of men there were so few Souldiers that an handful of the Portugals aided with some of the forces of the King of Congo gave him a notable defeat A. 158â— Since that the trade with Portugal is revived again and the King hereof hath expressed some good affections unto Christianity sending unto the King of Congo for some Priests to instruct him in it but obtained them not the state of Religion in that kingdom being then declining To this king belong also the two Provinces of Matana and Quisoma though both used in the titles of the King of Congo of which the first lying towards the Sea is said to be of a wholsom air and a fertile soil outwardly furnished with fruits and inwardly with Mines of Christal and other metals but not very rich for want of some convenient Haven to bring on commerce The other lying towards a great Lake called Aque Lunda was once governed after the manner of a Commonwealth but
command of so many Merchants The usuall Division of Italie is into six parts 1. Lombardie 2. Tuscany 3. the Land of the Church 4. Naples 5. Riviere de Genoa and 6. the Land of Venice and of them there is passed this Câ—nâ—ure according to the principall Cities i. e. Rome for Religion Naples for Nobility Millaâ—n for beauty Genoa for stateliness Florence for Policie and Venice for riches But take it as it stands at the present time and Italie is best divided into The Kingdoms of Naples Sicilie Sardinia The Land or Patrimony of the Church The Dukedoms of Urbin Florence The Common-wealths of Venice Genoa Luca. The Estates of Lombardie i.e. The Dukedom of Millain Mantua Modena Parma Montferrat The Principality of Piemont The Kingdom of NAPLES THe Kingdom of NAPLES is invironed on all sides with the Adriatick Ionian and Tuscan Seas excepting where it joyneth on the West to the Lands of the Church from which separated by a line drawn from the mouth of the River Tronto or Druentus falling into the Adriatick to the Spring-head of Axofenus By which accompt it taketh up all the East of Italie the compass of it being reckoned at 1468. miles It hath been called sometimes the Realm of Pouille but most commonly the Realm of Sicil on this side of the Phare to difference it from the Kingdom of the Isle of Sicil lying on the other side of the Phare or Streit of Messana The reason of which improper appellation proceeded from Roger the first King hereof who being also Earl of Sicil and keeping there his fixed and ordinary residence when he obtained the favour to be made a King desired in honour of the place where he most resided to be created by the name of King of both the Sicilies And that indeed is the true and antient name of the Kingdom the name or Title of King of Naples not comming into use till the French were dispossessed of Sicil by the Aragonians and nothing left them but this part of the Kingdom of which the City of Naples was the Regalâ— Seat called therefore in the following times the Kingdom of Naples and by some of the Italian Writers the Kingdom onely This is esteemed to be the most fertile place in all Italie abounding in all things necessary for the life of man and in such also as conduce to delight and Physick viz. Many Springs and Medicinall waters Bathes of divers vertues sundry Physicall herbs It hath also an excellent breed of Horses which may not be transported but by the leave of the King or at least the Vice-Roy great store of Allom Mines of divers Metals and the choicest Wines called antiently Vina Massica and Falerna frequently mentioned by the Poets And as for Merchandise to Alexandria they send Saffron to Genoa Silks to Rome Wine and to Venice Oyl The Noblemen or Gentrie hereof live of all men the most careless and contended lives and like the Tyrant Polycrates in the elder stories have nothing to trouble them but that they are troubled with nothing And there is a great number of them too there being reckoned in this Realm in the time of Ortelius 13 Princes 24 Dukes 25 Marquesses 90 Earles and 800 Barons and those not only Titular as in other places but men of great power and revenue in their severall Countries insomuch that the yearly income of the Prince of Bisignan is said to be an hundred thousand Crowns one year with the other the Princes of Salern and St. Severine being near as great They are all bound by their Tenure to serve the King in his Wars which gives them many privileges and great command over the common subject whereby as they were made the abler to assist the King upon any foren invasion so are they in condition also of raising and countenancing such defections as have been made from King to King and from one Family to another as sorted best with their ambitious and particular interesses For not alone the Nobles but in generall as many of the common people as can be spared from Husbandry are more addicted to the Wars than they are to Merchandise The Nobles in pursuit of honour and the Paisant out of desire of being in action so that the greatest part of the Forces which serve the Spaniard in the Low Countries are sent from hence To which the humour which they have from the highest to the lowest of going bravely in Apparell serves exceeding fitly An humour which is so predominant in both sexes that though the Paisant lives all the rest of the week in as great servility and drudgery as his Lord doth in pride and jollity yet on the Sundayes and Saints-daies he will be sure to have a good Suit to his back though perhaps he hath no meat for his belly And for the women she that works hard both day and night for an hungry living will be so pranked up on the Sundaies and other Festivals or when she is to shew her self in some publick place that one who did not know the humour might easily mistake her for some noble Lady The principall Rivers of this Kingdom are 1 Sibaris 2 Basentus 3 Pescara 4 Trontus 5 Salinellus 6 Vomanus 7 Salinus and 8 Gariglian On the banks of this last River many battels have been fought between the French and the Spaniards for the Kingdom of Naples especially that famous Battell between the Marquess of Saluzzes Generall of the French and Gonsalvo Leader of the Spaniards the loss of which Victory by the French was the absolute confirmation of the Realm of Naples to the Spaniards More famous is this River for the death of Peter de Medices who being banished his Country at the comming of King Charles the 8. into Italie and having at divers times in vain attempted to be reimpatriate followed the French Army hither and after the loss of the day took ship with others to fly to Caâ—eta but over-charging the vessel she sunk and drowned them all But most famous is it in that Marius that excellent though unfortunate Captain being by Sylla's faction driven out of Rome hid himself stark naked in the dirt and weeds of this river where he had not layen long but Sylla's Souldiers found him and carried him to the City of the Minturnians being not far off These men to please Sylla hired a Cimber to kill him which the fellow attempting such is the vertue of Majesty even in a miserable fortune run out again crying he could not kill C. Marius This river was of old called Liris and towards its influx into the Sea expatiated into Lakes and Fens called the Lakes of Minturni from a City of that name adjoyning It is divided into the Provinces of 1 Terra di Lavoro 2 Abruzzo 3 Calabria inferior 4 Calabria superior 5 Terra di Otranto 6 Puglia and 7 the Iles of Naples Some of which have some smaller Territories adjoyning to them which we shall meet withall as they come in our way 1
Estates as may be proved by many particulars in the Realm of England in which the Law of the Crown differeth very much from the Law of the Land as in the Case of Parceners the whole blood as our Lawyers call it the Tenure by courtesie and some others were this a time and place fit for it But to return again to France whether the Salique Law were in force or not it made not much unto the prejudice of King Edward the third though it served Philip the Long to exclude the Daughter of King Lewis Hutin and Charles the fair to do the Like with the Daughter of Philip as it did Philip of Valoys to disposess the whole Linage of King Philip Le Bel. Machiavel accounteth this Salique Law to be a great happiness to the French Nation not so much in relation to the unfitness of Women to Govern for therein some of them have gon beyond most men but because thereby the Crown of France is not indangered to fall into the hands of strangers Such men consider not how great Dominions may by this means be incorporate to the Crown They remember not how Maud the Empress being maried to Geofrie Earl of Anjou Tourain and Mayenne conveyed those Countries to the Diadem of England nor what rich and fertile Provinces were added to Spain by the match of the Lady Ioan to Arch-duke Philip Neither do they see those great advantages of power and strength which England now enjoyeth by the conjunction of Scotland proceeding from a like mariage Yet there is a saying in Spain that as a man should desire to live in Italy because of the civility and ingenious natures of the People and to dye in Spain because there the Catholique Religion is so sincerely professed so he should wish to be born in France because of the Nobleness of that Nation which never had any King but of their own Country The chief enemies to the French have been the English and Spaniards The former had here great possessions divers times plagued them and took from them their Kingdom but being called home by civill dissentions lost all At their departure the French scoffingly asked an English Captain When they would return Who feelingly answered When your sins be greater than ours The Spaniards began but of late with them yet have they taken from them Navarre Naples and Millain they displanted them in Florida poisoned the Dolphin of Viennois as it was generally conceived murdered their Souldiers in cold blood being taken Prisoners in the Isles of Tercera and by their Faction raised even in France it self drave Henry the third out of Paris and most of his other Cities and at last caused him to be murdered by laques Clement a Dominican Frier The like they intended to his Successour King Henry the fourth whose coming to the Crown they opposed to their utmost power and held a tedious War against him Concerning which last War when they sided with the Duke of Mayenne and the rest of those Rebels which called themselves the Holy League of which the Duke of Guise was the Author against the two Kings Henry the third and fourth a French Gentleman made this excellent allusion For being asked the cause of these civill broiles he replyed they were Spania and Mania seeming by this answer to signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 penury and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 furie which are indeed the causes of all intestine tumults but covertly therein implying the King of Spain and the Duke of Mayenae In former times as we read in Cominaeus there were no Nations more friendly than these two the Kings of Castile and France being the neerest confederated Princes in Christendome For their league was between King and King Realm and Realm Subject and subject which they were all bound under great curses to keep inviolable But of late times especially since the beginning of the wars between Charles the fifth and Francis the first for the Dukedom of Millain there have not been greater animâ—sities nor more implacable enmities betwixt any Nations than betwixt France and Stain which seconded by the mutuall jealousies they have of each other and the diversitie of Constellations under which they live hath produced such dissimilitude betwixt them in all their wayes that there is not greater contrariety of temper carriage and affections betwixt any two Nations in the world than is between these Neighbours parted no otherwise from one another than by passable Hils First in the Actions of the Soul the one Active and Mercurial the other Speculative and Saturaine the one sociable and discoursive the other reserved and full of thought the one so open that you cannot hire him to keep a secret the other so close that all the Rhetorick in the world cannot get it out of him Next in their Fashion and Apparrell the French weares his hair long the Spaniard short the French goes thin and open to the very shirt as if there were continuall Summer the Spaniard so wrapt up and close as if all were Winter the French begins to button downward and the Spaniard upwards the last alwayes constant to his Fashion the first intent so much on nothing as on new Fancies of Apparrel Then for their Gate the French walk fast as if pursued on an Arrest the Spaniard slowly as if newly come out of a Quartane Ague the French goe up and dowu in clusters the Spaniards but by two and two at the most the French Lacqueys march in the Rere and the 〈◊〉 alwayes in the Van the French sings and danceth as he walks the streets the Spaniards in a grave and solemn posture as if he were going a Procession The like might be observed of their tune their speech and almost every passage in the life of Man For which I rather choose to refer the Reader to the ingenious James Howels book of Instructious for Travell than insist longer on it here Onely I adde that of the two so different humours that of the Spaniard seems to be the more approvable Insomuch as the Neapolitans Millanois and Sicilians who have had triall of both Nations choose rather to submit themselves to the proud and severe yoke of the Spaniards than the lusts and insolencies of the French not sufferable by men of even and wel-balanced spirits And possible enough it is that such of the Netherlands as have of late been wonne to the Crown of France will finde so little comfort in the change of their Masters as may confirm the residue to the Crown of Sâ—ain to which they naturally belong The chief Mountains of this Countrey next to the Pyrenees which part France from Spain the Jour or Jura which separates it from Savoy and Switzerland and the Vauge or Vogesus which divides it from Lorrein are those which Caesar calleth Gebenna Ptolomie Cimmeni being the same which separate Auvergae from Langucdoc called therefore the Mountains of Auvergn the onely ones of note which are peculiar to this Continent of France which for the
divided into the Higher and the Lower the Lower containing the Sea coasts and the Higher the more Inland parts Principall Cities of the whole 1 Constance a Bishops See the Spire or Steeple of whose Cathedrall is easily discernable afar off both by Sea and Land and serveth Saylers for a Landmark From hence the Country hereabouts hath the name of Constantin 2 Auranches situate on a rock with a fair prospect over the English Channell but more neer to Bretagn than the other the chief Citie of the Abrincantes called Ingena by Ptolomie now a Bishops See 3 Caen Cadomum in Latine an Episcopall See as the other Strong populous and well built seated upon the River Orne second in Reputation of the whole Province but more especially famous for the Sepulchre of William the Conquerour the Vniversitie founded here by King Henry the 5th and for the long resistance which it made against him in his Conquest of Normanite 4. Baieux the â—ivitas Baiocassium of Antoninus from whence the Countrie round about hath the name of Bâ—ssin Memorable of a long time for a See Episcopal One of the Bishops whereof called Odo Brother unto William the Conquerour by the Mothers side was by him created Earl of Kent and afterwards on some just displeasure committed Prisoner For which when quarreled by the Pope the Clergie being then exempted from the Secular Powers â—he returned this answer that he had committed the Earl of Kent not the Bishop of Bayeux By which distinction he avoided the Popes displeasure 5. Roven of old Râ—thomarâ—m pleasantly seated on the Seine and watered with the two little Riverets of Robeâ— and Râ—inâ—lie which keep it very sweet and clean The Citie for the most part well built of large circuit and great trading the second for bigness wealth and beauty in all France antiently the Metropolis of this Province and an Arch-Bishops See and honoured of late times with a Court of Parliament erected here by Lewis the twelfth Anno 1501. In the Cathedrall Church hereof a Reverend but no beautifull fabrick is to be seen the Sepulchre of Jâ—hâ— Duke of Bedford and Regent of France for King Henry the sixt which when an envious Courtier perswaded Charles the eighth to deface God forbid saith he that I should wrong him being dead whom living all the power of France was not able to withstand adding withall that he deserved a better Monument than the English had bestowed upon him And to say truth the Tomb is but mean and poor short of the merits of the man and carrying no proportion to so great a vertue 6 Falaise upon the River Ante once of strength and note the dwelling place of Arlette a Skinners Daughter and the Mother of William the Conquerour whom Duke Robert passing through the Town took such notice of as he beheld her in a dance amongst other Damosells that he sent for her to accompany him that night in bed and begot on her William the Bastard Duke of Normandy and King of England Her immodesty that night said to be so great that either in regard thereof or in spite to her Sonne the English called all Strumpets by the name of Harlots the word continuing to this day 7 Vernaville Vernolâ—um in Latine in former times accompted one of the Bulwarks of Normandie against the French Of which it is reported that when news was brought to Richard the first that Philip surnamed Augustuâ— the French King had laid siedge unto it he should say these words I will never turn my back till I have confronted those cowardly French men For performance of which Princely word he caused a passage to be broken thorough the Palace of Westminster and came so unexpected upon his Enemies that they raised their siedge and hastned homewards 8 Alanson of most note for giving the title of Earl and Duke to many Princes of the Royal Familie of Valois beginning in Charles de Valois the Father of Philip de Valois French King and continuing for eight successions till the death of Charles the fourth Duke of this line conferred occasionally after that on many of the younger Princes of the Royal Familie 9. Lysieux on the North-East of Alanson a Bishops See the chief Town of the Lexobii as 10 Caux of the Caletes both placed by Caesar in these parts 11. Eureux an Episcopal See also by Ptolomie called Mediolanium the chief Citie antiently of the Eburones and still a rich and flourishing Town the third in estimation of all this Province 12. Gisors a strong frontire Town towards France whilst Normandie was in the hands of the English or under its own Dukes and Princes notable for the many repulses given unto the French And 13. Pontoyse another frontier upon France so called of the Bridge on the River of Oyse which divides France from Normandie on which the Town is situate and by which well fortified on that side but taken at the second coming of Charles the 7th after an ignominious flight hence upon the noyse only of the coming of the Duke of York commander at that time of the Province and the English Forces 14. Albemarl contractedly Aumerl most memorable for giving the title of Earl to the Noble Familie De Fortibus Lords of Holderness in England and of Duke to Edward Earl of Rutland after Duke of York More towards the Sea 15. S. Valenies seated on a small but secure Bay betwixt Dieppe and New Haven 16. Dieppe at the mouth of a little River so named opening into a large and capacious Bay a Town of Trade especially for the Newfound-Land remarkable for its fidelity to Henry the 4th in the midst of his troubles When the Confederates of the Guisian faction called the Holy League had outed him of almost all the rest of his Cities compelled him to betake himself hither from whence he might more easily hoise Sail for England and called him in derision the King of Dieppe 17. New-Haven the Port Town to Roven and Paris situate at the mouth of the River Seine from hence by great Ships navigable as far as Roven by lesser unto Pont de l' Arch 70 miles from Paris the Bridge of Roven formerly broken down by the English to secure the Town lying unrepaired to this day by means of the Parisians for the better trading of their City By the French it is called Havre de Grace and Franciscopolis by the Latines repaired and fortified the better to confront the English by King Francis the first and from thence so named Delivered by the Prince of Conde and his faction into the hands of Q. Elizabeth of England as a Town of caution for the landing of such forces as she was to send to their relief in the first civil War of France about Religion and by the help of the same faction taken from her again as soon as their differences were compounded By means whereof the Hugonots were not only weakned for the present but made uncapable of any succours out of England for the
general that is to say on Isabel Daughter of Philip the 2d of Spain and the Ladie Isabel or Elizabeth his Wife the eldest Daughter of Henry the 2d and neece to the said Francis the first and after her decease dying without issue on the Lady Catharine her Sister maried to Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy For whom when Philip of Spain claimed this Estate the French pretended a Law against it of their own devising viz. That no Estate being incorporated to that Crown could be aliened from it A proper Law and cousin German to the Salique but such as served their turn by the help of the English who desired not to have the Spaniards so neer Neighbours to them Most of our former Earles of Richmond were Earles and Dukes of this House Their Arms were Ermins THE DVKEDOM OF ANIOV THe DVKEDOM of ANJOV taking it in the full latitude and extent thereof is bounded on the East with La Beausse on the West with Breâ—agne on the North with Normandie and on the South with part of Berry and Poictou In which circumference are comprehended the three small Provinces of Anjou Tourein and Maine the antient Inhabitants whereof in the times of the Romans were the Andes as Caesar or the Andegavii as Plinie calls them the Turones and the Cenomani accounted afterwards a part of the Province of Lugdunensis Tertia The Countrey for the most part is very fruitful and pleasant especially in Tourein as is the whole tract upon the Loir Anjou is somewhat the more hilly but otherwise little inferiour to Tourein affording plenty of white wines the best in France and yielding from those Hills above 40 Riverets falling into the Loire from thence the chief whereof are Mayenne 2 Vienne 3 Dive and 4 Sartre 1 ANJOV called Andegavia by the Latines is situate in the middest betwixt Maine and Tourein so called from the Andegavi the Inhabitants of these parts Principal Cities are 1 Angâ—ers by Ptolomie called Iuliomagus of a large Circuit and well built the See of a Bishop reckoning in it 15 Parishes besides the Cathedral It is seated on the River Sartre in a very good air and therefore chosen for the seat of an Vniversitie founded here by Lewis the 2d Duke of Anjou the Sonne of King Iohn Anno 1388. 2 Beaufort a Town belonging formerly to the Dukes of Lancaster in which Iohn of Gaunt so much delighted that he caused all the Children that he had by Catharine Swinford his third Wife to be called Beauforts which Beauforts were afterward Dukes of Somerset and Exeter and Earls of Dorset This Town came to the house of Lancaster by the mariage of Blaxch of Artoys unto Edmund surnamed Crouchback second Son to our Henry the 3d created by his Father the first Earl of Lancaster Memorable in these later times for giving the Title of a Dutchess to Madam Catharine the beloved Mistress of King Henry the 4th by whom she was mother of Caesar now Duke of Vendosme and Alexander not long since the Grand Prior of France With reference to which the second Sonne of the Duke of Vendosme is honoured at this present with the title of Duke of Beaufort as the eldest with relation to his Mother was made Duke of Mercoeur 3 Baugie neer which was fought that memorable Battle betwixt the English and the French wherein the English lost the day and Thomas Duke of Clarence Brother to Henry the fifth was there unfortunately slain Anno 1422. 4 Saumur pleasantly situate on the Loire and for long time one of the Cautionarie Towns in the hands of those of the Reformed Religion of whom it is the onely entire Universitie of this Kingdome especially famous for the learned Philip du Morney Lord of Plessis sometimes the Governour hereof 5 Loches seated on the River Indre the Castle whereof being mounted on a steep high Rock is thought to be one of the strongest peeces of all France 6 La Flesche of speciall name at the present for a College of Jesuits one of the fairest in this Kingdom The word in the French tongue signifieth an Arrow whence those who make Bowes and Arrowes have the name of Flâ—schers At Nola in the Realm of Naples there is another College of them called Dâ— Arque the Bow On which one wittilie composed this ensuing distich Arcum Nola dedit dedit illis alma Sagittam Gallia quit Funem quem meruere dabit That is to say Nola the Bow and France the Shaft did bring But who shall help them to the Hempen-string 2 On the South-east of Anjou betwixt it and Berry lieth the Countrie of TOUREIN the ancient Seat of the Turones which for the wholesomness of the Air the pleasantness of the Countrie and admirable plenty of all Commodities is by some called The Garden of France Principall Cities in it 1 Amboise pleasantly seated on the Loire and beautified with one of the fairest Castles in France both for the gallantrie of the Building and beautifulness of the Prospect 2 Tours by Ptolomie called Caesarodunum and the Turonum Civit as of Antoninus the Metropolis of Lugdunensis tertia and an Archbishops See a fair rich and well-traded Town situate on the banks of the Loire in a most sweet and pleasing Countrie Famous in that those of the Reformed Religion from the Gate of S. Hugo at which they used to issue out to their Assemblies in the Fields had the name of Hugonots Given to them as some others think as the Disciples of the night-walking Spirit or Robin Goodfellow which they call S. Hugo in regard they had their first meetings for the most part in the nights as had the Primitive Christians in the times of their Persecutions Some more improbably and indeed ridiculously derive the name from the first words of an Apologie which they are fabled to have made to the King which were Huc nos venimus fancying that as the Protestants did derive that Appellation from the words Protestantes and Protestamur so often used by them in their Apologie to Charles the fifth so from those words Huc nos came the name of Hugonots or Hucnots But more assuredly famous for the great Battle fought neer it by Charles Martell Mayre of the Palace and Father of Pepin King of France against an Armie of 40000 Mâ—ors led by Abderamen Leiutenant Generall in Spain for Evelid or Iscam the great Caliph of which 370000 lost their lives in the place Anno 734. 3 Laudun 4 Richelieu pleasantly seated in a rich and flourishing Soil as the name importeth Of no great note till the time of the late great Cardinall of Richelieu who took name from hence by whom it was made one of the neatest Towns in all this Kingdom and honoured with the titles of a Dukedom and Pairrie of France As for the Fortunes of this Province for of Anjou we shall speak more at large anon it had a while its own Proprietarie Earls of the house of Blais conferred by Hugh Capet upon Odon Earl of
Councill of Arles Anno 314. Eborius Bishop of York Restitutns Bishop of London and Adelsius Bishop of Colchester there called Colonia Londinensium and some of them also present in the Councill of Sardira Anno 358. concurring with the rest in voting to the condemnation of the Arian Heresies and the same or others the next yeer in the Synod of Arimâ—n And when the Britans were expulsed their native Countrie or shut up in the mountainous parts of the Ordovices and Silures which we now call Wales they caried Christianity and Bishops along with them Augustine the Monk finding no fewer than seven Bishops in the British Church when he was sent by Gregory the Great to convert the English And yet it is no fabulous vanity as some men suppose to say that Augustine the Monk first preached the Gospel in this Countrie because it must be understood in that saying not with Relation to the Bâ—itans but the English Saxons from whom these parts of the Isle had the name of England and from whom both the Britans and the Faith it self were driven into the Mountains of Wales and Cornwall and Heathenism introduced again over all the Kingdom Long after which it pleased God that Gregory the Great but at that time a Deacon only in the Church of Rome seeing some handsom youths to be sold in the open Market demanded what and whence they were to whom it was answered they were Angli and well may they be so called saith he for they seem as Angels Asking again of what Province they were amongst the Angli and answer being made of the Province of Deira part of the Kingdom of the Northumbrians therefore said he de ira Dei sunt liberandi And lastly understanding that the King of their Nation was named Alle how fitly said he may he sing Allelujahs to the most High God After which time he seriously endeavoured the Conversion of the English Nation which being Pope he happily effected by the travell and diligence of Augustine the Monk the first Arch-bishop of Canterbury And so well did the work prosper after this beginning that not only all the Saxons did receive the Gospel but communicated the Light of it to other Nations the Hassians Franconians and Turingians being converted by Winifred the Frisons or Hollanders by Wittikind the first Bishop of Vtrecht the Saxons of Westphalen by Willdrode the first Bishop of Brâ—me all of them being English Saxons as we find in Beda and some others Now as these parts of Britain were the first which generally entertained the Gospel so were they the first also in these later times which universally submitted to the Reformation of such corruptions as had been brought upon them by the power and tyrannie of the Church of Rome Endeavoured first in France by the Albigenses and Waldenses as was said before Who being suppressed and ruinated by the sword of the Kings of France sheltred themselves in the mountainous parts of Gascoigne and Guienne then in possession of the English who by that means became acquainted with their Tenets maintained here publickly by Wiclef and spreading under-hand amongst the people of this Kingdom till the times of Luther and the Reformation by him aimed at Which being in most other Countries received tumultuously by the power of the People was here admitted upon mature deliberation by the autority and consent of the Prince and Prelates the Architects in this great work without respect unto the Dictats of Luther or Calvin but looking only on Gods Word and the Primitive Patterns abolishing such things as were repugnant unto either but still retaining such Ceremonies in Gods publick worship as were agreeable to both and had been countenanced by the practice of the Primitive times A point wherein they did observe a greater measure of Christian prudence and moderation than their neighbour Churches which in a meer detestation of the See of Rome allowed of nothing which had formerly been in use amongst them because defiled with Popish Errors and abuses and thereby utterly averting those of the Papal party from joyning with them in the work or coming over to them when the work was done Whereas had they continued an allowable correspondencie in these extrinsecals of Religion with the Church of Rome their partie in the World had been far greater and not so much stomacked as it is And so it was conceived by the Marquesse de Rhosne after Duke of Sally and Lord High-Treasurer of France and one of the chief men of that partie there when being sent Ambassadour to King Iames from King Henry 4d he had observed the Majesty and Decency of Gods publick Service in some Cathedrals of this Kingdom he said Religion would be soon defaced and trod under foot if not preserved and fenced about with the hedge of Ceremonies As for the Government of the Church since the last Conversion as by the piety and example of Lucius there were founded three Arch-Bishopricks and 25. Bishopricks according to the number of the Archi Flamines and Flamines whose great Revenues were converted to more sacred uses in the times of Idolatry So by the like pious care of Pope Gregory the Great by whose means this last Conversion hapned Arch-Bishopricks and Bishopricks were designed to convenient places The number 26 in all to each Province twelve besides the two Archbishops and Metropolitans wherein he had the happiness to have his desires fulfilled though the number was not made compleat till these later dayes nor with such equall distribution as he did intend For in the Province of York laid wast and desolate by the Danes and not so soon converted as the other was the number of the Suffragan Bishops came not up to his purpose but did as much exceed in the Province of Canterbury especially when King Henry the 8th had incorporated Wales with England and founded five Episcopall Sees out of the ruines and Revenues of some principall Monasteries of which none but the Bishoprick of Chester and that of the Isle of Man which maketh up the 27th were laid unto the Province of York And so it stood notwithstanding the alterations of Religion without any dispute till Calvin having hammered out his new Presbrterie and recommended it to the use of all the Christian Churches the History whereof we had succinctly in the Alpine Provinces found many apt Scholars in most places to decry this Order though consonant to the word of God and most pure Antiquity But the truth is it was not so much the Autority of Calvin or the malignant zeal of Beza or the impetuous clamours of their Disciples which caused the Episcopall Order to grow out of credit as the Avarâ—ce of some great persons in Court and State who greedily gaped after the poor remnant of their Possessions It had been else a miracle that Calvins Plat-form made only for the use of a private Citie and not proportioned no nor intended at the first to the estate of other Churches especially where the Bishops had been
both being extract from the Welch blood they seldom or never contained themselves within the bounds of true Allegeance For whereas before they were reputed as Aliens this Henry made them by Act of Parliament one Nation with the English subject to the same Laws capable of the same preferments and privileged with the same immunities He added 6 Shires to the former number out of those Countries which were before reputed as the Borders and Marches of Wales and enabled them to send Knights and Burgesses unto the English Parliaments so that the name and language only excepted there is now no difference between the English and Welch an happy Vnion The same King Henry established for the ease of his Welch Subjects a Court at Ludlow like unto the ordinary Parliaments in France wherein the Laws are ministred according to the fashion of the Kings Courts of Westmâ—nster The Court consisteth of one President who is for the most part of the Nobility and is generally called the Lord President of Wales of as many Counsellors as it shall please the King to appoint one Attourney one Sollicitor one Secretary and the Iustices of the Counties of Wâ—les The Town it self for this must not be omitted adorned with a very fair Castle which hath been the Palace of such Princes of Wales of the English blood as have come into this Countrie to solace themselves among their people Here was young â—dward the 5th at the death of his Father and here dyed Prince Arthur Eldest Sonne to Henry the 7th both being sent hither by their Fathers to the same end viz by their presence to satisfie and keep in Order the unquiet Welchmen And certainly as the presence of the Prince was then a terror to the rebellious so would it now be as great a comfort to this peaceable people What the Revenues of this Principalâ—ty are I cannot say yet we may boldly affirm that they are not very small by these reasons following viz. 1 By the Composition which LLewellen the last Prince of Wales made with Edward the first who being Prince of North-Wales onely and dispossessed of most of that was fain to redeem the rest of the said King Edward at the price of 50000 Marks which comes to 100000 pounds of our present mony to be paid down in ready Coin and for the residue to pay 1000 l. per Annum And 2dly by those two circumstances in the mariage of the Lady Katharine of Spain to the above named Prince Arthur For first her Father Ferdinando being one of the wariest Princes that ever were in Europe giving with her in Dowry 200000 Ducats required for her loynture the third part only of this Principality and of the Earldom of Chester And secondly After the death of Prince Arthur the Nobles of the Realm perswaded Prince Henry to take her to Wise that so great a Treasure as the yeerly Revenne of her lonyture might not be carried out of the Kingdom The Arms of the Princes of Wales differ from those of England only by the addition of a Labell of three points But the proper and peculiar device and which we commonly though corruptly call the Princes Arms is a Coronet beautified with thee Ostrich Feathers and inseimbed round with ICH DIEN that is I serve alluding to that of the Apostle The Heir while he is a Child differeth not from a Servant This Coronet was won by that valiant Prince Edward the black Prince at the battell of Cressie from Iohn King of Bohemia who there wore it and whom he there slew Since which time it hath been the Cognizance of all our Princes I will now shut up my discourse of Wales with that testimony of the people which Henry the 2d used in a Letter to Emanuel Emperour of Constantinople The Welch Nation is so adventurous that they dare encounter naked with armea men ready to spend their blood for their Countrey and pawn their life for praise and adding onely this that since their incorporating with the English they have shewed themselves most loyall hearty and affectionate Subjects of the State cordially devoted to their King and zealous in defence of their Laws Liberties and Religion as well as any of the best of their fellow-subjects whereof they have given good proof in these later times There are in Wales Arch-Bishops 0. Bishops 4. THE BORDERS BEfore we come into Scotland we must of necessity passe thorough that Battable ground lying betwixt both Kingdoms called THE BORDERS the Inhabitants whereof are a kind of military men subtile nimble and by reason of their often skirmishes well experienced and adventurous Once the English Border extended as far as unto the Fryth or Strait of Edenburgh on the East and that of Dunbritton on the West the first Fryth by the Latines called Bodotria and the later Glotta betwixt which where now standeth the Town of Sterling was an atient Bridge built over the River which falleth into the Fryth of Edenburgh on a Cross standing whereupon was writ this Pasport I am Free march as passengers may kenne To Scots to Britans and to Englsh-men But when England groaned under the burden of the Danish oppression the Scots well husbanded that advantage and not onely enlarged their Borders to the Tweed but also took into their hands Cumberland Northumberland and Westmorland The Norman Kings again recovered these Provinces making the Borders of both Kingdomes to be Tweed East the Solway West and the Cheviot hills in the midst Of any great wars made on these Borders or any particular Officers appointed for the defence of them I find no mention till the time of Edward the first who taking advantage of the Scots disagreements about the successor of Alexander the 3d hoped to bring the Countrie under the obedience of England This Quarrell betwixt the two Nations he began but could not end the Wars surviving the Author so that what Vellcius saith of the Romans and Carthaginians I may as well say of the Scots and English for almost 300 yeers together aut bellum inter eos populos aut bâ—lli praeparatio aut infidâ— pax fuit In most of these conflicts the Scots had the worst So that Daniel in his History seemeth to marvail how this Corner of the Isle could breed so many had it bred nothing but men as were slain in these wars Yet in the Reign of Edward the 2d the Scots having twice defeated that unhappy Prince became so terrible to the English Borderers that an hundred of them would fly from three Scots It is a custom among the Turks not to beleeve a Christian or a Iew complayning against a Turk except their accusation be confirmed by the Testimony of some Turk also which seldom hapning is not the least cause why so little Iustice is there done the Christians In like manner it is the Law of these Borderers never to beleeve any Scots complaining against an English-man unless some other English-man will witness for him and so on the
or more for each severall Province according to the condition and capacitie of those which are chosen to reside at the Hague there to consult of the affairs which concern the publick but so that be they more or lesse out of every Province they make amongst them but one suffrage when any thing is to be put unto the Vote And these they call the States Generall first because a collected body out of all the Provinces and secondly because they are not properly to deal in any matters of particular concernment which are determinable absolutely by the States Provinciall but only in such things as concern the generall good of the whole Estate as treating with Ambassadours making war and peace c. For their assistance in the which there is a Councel of State made up of the Governours and some eminent men of every Province in which the Ambassadour of England as long as we held Flushing and the other Cautionarie Towns had his voice or suffrage by whose advice they dispose of all things which concern the publick But so that if any difficultie do appear in the businesse they conclude nothing till they have the approbation and consent of the particular Cities and Provinces for which they are chosen to whom they are accomptable for their administration and by whom revocable whensoever they please The Revenue of this Estate doubtlesse is exceeding great the Armie which they keep in continuall entertainment consisting of no lesse then 30000 men which they can draw into the field leaving the Forts and Towns very well provided yet so well paid that we never read of any mutinie amongst them for want thereof The whole charge with the entertainment of Captains and superiour Officers is said to amount to 500000 l. per annum raised on the people by Excise laid upon all commodities and many taxes of like nature so insupportable in themselves and amongst men which would be thought to live in a free State that should the Spaniard or any Prince in Christendome lay but half so much upon their Subjects it would occasion a Revolt So that whereas one of the first causes of their falling off from the King of Spain was to free themselves from taxes and impositions illegally as they said inforced upon them they have drawn upon themselves more arbitrarie and illegall payments then any Nation in the World So little have they got by the change of government Touching their power at Sea we have spoke alreadie All I shall now adde to it is by way of instance which is that in the year 1587. the King of Denmark on pretence of some displeasure arrested 608 ships of theirs of all sorts at one time in the Sound and that the next year after they set out upon very short warning an hundred good men of war to join with England against the invincible Armada which then threatned both To conclude there is nothing wanting to these Countries wherewith the God of all blessings doth enrich a Nation but a gracious Prince unitie of Religion and a quiet Government which if it pleased the Almighty to confer upon them they would surpasse all neighbouring States in treasure potencie content and all worldly happinesse There are in these Countries Archbishops 3. Bishops 15. Universities 7. Viz. Lovain Doway Leige Leyden Harderwick Franeker Groyning And thus much of Belgium OF GERMANIE GERMANIE is bounded on the East with Prussia Poland and Hungarie on the West with France Switzerland and Belgium on the North with the Baltick Seas and some part of Denmark on the South with the Alps which part it from Italy By which accompt the modern Germanie much differeth from that described by Tacitus and others of the Roman writers that comprehending the three Kingdoms of Denmark Norway and Sweden with so much of the Kingdom of Poland as lieth on this side of the River Vistula but bounded on the East with the Rhene and on the South with the Danow the modern Germanie containing on the further banks of those Rivers 5 whole Roman Provinces that is to say Noricum Ripense and Mediterraneum Rhoetia secunda Belgica and Germania prima with some parts of Rhoetia prima and Germania secunda but terminated with the Danes and the Baltick Sea It was first called thus by the Romans as some conceive who seeing the people both in customs speech and course of life so like those of Gallia called them the Germanes to the Gaules the word Germanus in the Latine signifying a Brother of the whole bloud as our Lawyers phrase it that is to say a brother both by father and mother those which have the same mother but divers fathers being called Fratres uterini And of this minde is Strabo who speaking of the great resemblance which was betwixt these Nations in manners speech customs and way of life concludes it thus that the Romans did with very good reason call them Germans cum fratres eos Gallorum hoc nomine vellent ostendere intending to signifie by that name that they were the brethren of the Gaules But this is to be understood of those people only which dwelt next to Gaule and not of all the Nations which inhabited in this vaste Continent according to the ancient extent thereof it being very well observed by Tacitus that Germanie was at first Nationis non Gentis nomen the name of some of the Nations only not of all the Country the name in processe of time spreading over all that large tract of ground and those scattered Nations which were either conquered by them or incorporate with them Others will have the name to be meerly Dutch deriving it from Ger which signifieth all and the word man signifying in that language as in ours whence also they derive the name of Almans by which they would imply that the Almans or Germans are a very warlike Nation a people that have in them nihil nisi virile nothing not worthie of a man Bocartus somewhat near to this telling us that Ger in the antient Gallick did signifie as much as Guerre in the modern French would have them at their first coming over the Rhene to be called Germans by the Gaules that is to say men of war or Gens d' Armes in the present French by reason of the great and many victories obtained by them The like diversity I find for the name of Almans For though some gave them the name of Almans from the same originall from whence they fetch the name of Germans as was said before yet others as probably conjecture that they had that name because they consisted of so many severall Nations coming out of the North and North-east hither that they seemed to be an Hotch-poth of all sorts of men kneaded into one name and Nation which is the conceit of Asinius Quadratus But for my part I doe conceive supposing the name of Almans to be Dutch originally that the whole Country was not called Almain till such time as the Princes of the
Swethlanders they became better known in the flourishing times of the French Empire by the name of Normans first called 10 by Egiâ—â—hatus in his History of the life of Charles the Great infesting then the Sea-coasts of France and Belgium Under this name they fell so heavily on the French especially in the times of Charles the Simple that they extorted from him that goodly Country since of them called Normandy conferred on Rollo first Duke thereof anno 912. whose successours much increased their glory by the conquest of England as some private adventurers of them did by the conquest of the Kingdomes of Naples Sicil and Antioch Afterwards setling on their own bottome every one of these northern nations acting by it self they were called Norwegians sometimes as formerly commanding over all three Kingdomes subject successively to each but most an end governed by their own Kings till their finall subjugation by the Danes And as a Nation acting solely and by it self they subdued Ireland under the conduct of Turgesius who tyrannized there for a time as also all the Orcades and the I le of Man sold or surrendred by them upon good conditions to the English and Scots who by those titles still possesse them The Catalogue of their Kings leaving out all those of the darker times parallel to our Brute and the first Scottish Fergus as meerly fabulous we will begin with King Suibdagerus who was King of all the three Kingdomes and at his death divided them again amongst his three sons whose successours Munster thus reckoned The KINGS of NORWAY 1 Suibdagerus 2 Haddingus 3 Hetharius 4 Collerus 5 Frogerus 6 Gotarus 7 Rotherus 8 Helga 9 Hasmunus 10 Reginaldus 11 Gumaraus 12 Osmundus 13 Olaus 14 Osmundus II. not long after whose time anno scil 800. the Normans began their irruptions 15 Aquinus 16 Haraldus 17 Olaus II. 18 Sueno King of Danemark by Birth and of Norway by Conquest 19 Olaus III. son of Swaine or Sueno succeeded in the Realmes of Denmark and Norway Canutus his younger brother being King of England In this Kings time the Norwegians first received the Gospell 20 Canutus King of England succeeded his brother Olaus in the Kingdomes of Denmark and Norway to which he also added the Crown of Sweden 21 Sueno II. by whom the Kingdome was restored to the Norwegians 22 Canutus II. 23 Magnus 24 Harald II. 25 Magnus II. King of Sweden and Norway 1326 26 Magnus III. King of Sweden and Norway intending the Crown of Sweden for Ericus his eldest sonne conferred that of Norway on Haquin or Aquinus his second sonne 1359 27 Aquinus King of Norway younger sonne of Magnus the third married with Margaret eldest daughter of Waldemar the third King of Denmark so uniting the Kingdomes And though Olaus the onely son of this bed died young without any issue yet the Danes having once got footing in Norway so assured themselves of it that they have ever since possessed it as a subject Kingome keeping the Natives so poor and low that they are not able to assert their former liberties and not permitting them to use any shipping so much as for transporting their own commodities for fear they should grow wealthy and strong at Sea Besides the strong Garrisons maintained in most parts of the Country keep it in such an absolute awe that they dare not stir against the Danes if their stomachs served them So that now Norway being made subject to the Crown of Denmark or both made fellow-subjects to the same King we must next look upon these Kings not as Kings of each distinct and separate from the other but as they are in fact and title The KINGS of DENMARK and NORWAY 1376 1 Haquin or Aquinus King of Denmark and Norway of this last by descent of the other by marriage 1380 2 Olaus son of Aquinus and Margaret 1383 3 Margaret wife of Aquinus mother of Olaus and daughter of Waldemar the third after the death of her sonne in whose time she governed as his Guardian took upon her the Kingdome in her own right not onely keeping Norway in the state she found it but adding unto Denmark the Crown of Sweden won by the vanquishment of Albert Duke of Mecklenburg then King thereof A gallant and magnanimous Lady the Semiramis of Germany 1411 4 Ericus Duke of Pomeren and Knight of the Garter sonne of the Lady Mary Dutchesse of Pomeren daughter of Ingelburgis the sister of Margaret by whom adopted for her Heir succeeded after her decease in all the three Kingdomes outed of all before his death by a strong Faction made against him and his estates conferred on 1439 5 Christopher Count Palatine of the Rhene and Duke of Bavaria but in title onely the sonne of Margaret sister of Ericus chosen by the joynt consent of all the States of these Kingdomes After whose death without issue the Danes considering the great advantage they had gotten by the addition of Norway pitched upon Adolphus Duke of Sleswick and Earl of Holst for the next successour that they might get in those Estates to their Kingdome also Who excusing himself by reason of his Age and want of Children commended to them Christiern Earl of Oldenburg his kinsman and next heir who was chose according 1448 6 Christiern Earl of Oldenburg upon the commendation of his Uncle Adolfus chosen King of Danemark and Norway succeeded his said Uncle in the Estates of Holst and Sleswick continuing since united unto that Crown and added also thereunto by conquest the Kingdome of Sweden 1482 7 John son of Christiern succeeded in all three Kingdomes Knight of the Order of the Garter 1514 8 Christiern II. son of John King of Denmark Norway and Sweden which last he held under with great cruelty hated by reason of his Tyranny towards all sorts of people and outed of his Kingdomes by his Uncle Frederick anno 1522. by whom at last taken and kept in prison till he dyed anno 1559. 1523 9 Frederick brother of John and Uncle of Christiern the second chosen King of Denmark and Norway on the abdication of his Nephew reformed Religion in both Kingdomes according to the Confession of Ausbourg 1535 10 Christiern III. suppressed with great trouble the party formed against him in behalf of Christiern the second perfected the Reformation begun in the time of his Father and was a great Benefactour to the University of Copenhagen 1559 11 Frederick II. sonne of Christiern the third subdued Ditmarsh before unconquered by the Danes or the Earls of Holst and added it unto that Dukedome both being united to that Crown though held of the Empire Knight of the Garter 1588 12 Christien IV. sonne of Frederick the second brother of Anne Queen of Great Britain and Knight of the Garter engaging in a warre against the Emperour Ferdinand the second for the liberty of Germany was suddenly beat out of all the Cimbrick Chersonese by the prevailing Imperialists but compounded the businesse upon very good termes and was
was a Theocratie as the Fathers call it that is to say a government wherein GOD presided more immediatly than in other Nations And thereupon when the People cried out to Samuel to have a King God said unto him Hearken unto the voice of the people for they have not rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not reign over them 1 Samuel 8. 7. God was their King and he had mightily reigned over them since they came out of Egypt but they desired to have a King like to other Nations to go in and out before them and to fight their battels a King whom they might see with their bodily eyes and converse with him in such manner as the people did which dwelt round about them And so came in the Monarchy or Kingly Government begun in Saul but confirmed in David the first a Benjamite the second of the Tribe of Judah of which Jacob had fore-told at the time of his death that the Kingdome of his People should be vested in it But there were onely three in all reckoning Saul for one who had Dominion over the whole house of Israel the Kingdome after Solomons death being rent in twain ten of the twelve Tribes revolting unto Jeroboam the Sonne of Nebat and only Benjamin and Judah and so much of the Tribes of Dan and Simeâ—n as lay intermingled with and in the Tribe of Judah remaining firm to Reholoam the Son of Solomon who misguided by some evil Counsellers which were about him had given occasion to the breach A breach that never could be soldered or made up again notwithstanding the fair opportunities which were after offered of uniting Judah unto Israel for so the two Kingdomes were distinguished in the time of Joas and rejoining Israel to Judah in the time of Asa The opportunity offered to Asa King of Iudah for regaining the revolted Tribes was the confusions which in his time had fallen out amongst them by severall factions each challenging the privilege of making a King unto it self Nadab the Sonne of 〈◊〉 being slain by Baasha Ela the sonne of Baasha murdered by Zimri Zimri deposed by Oâ—â— the Father of Ahab and Tobni a competitor against Omri also During which time as the people must needs suffer many great oppressions which might make them think of their allegeance to the house of David so could not Asa have wanted many fair advantages had he made his best use of them of working on the divided Kingdome and reducing it back unto his house But there were two reasons which prevailed more against this re-union than any that could be presented to invite them to it First the imperiousness and arbitrary government of the Kings of Iudah putting to death without formality of law those that had displeased them as in the case of Shimei Ioab and Adonijah in the daies of Solomon and raising on the Subject what sums they pleased though more for ostentation of their own magnificence than the necessities of the State Of which exactions Rehoboam the Sonne of Solomon was so far from promising a release or some mitigation at the least that he threatned to make them more than double what they had been formerly and how knew they but that Asa and all such as descended from him might be of the same temper also and act according to those Principles which their Fathers left them Whereas the Kings of Israel holding by no other title than the love of their people and the moderate and regular form of their government over them had put their mouthes in such a tast of the sweets of liberty and made them so much masters of their own both lives and fortunes that Naboth durst deny his vine-yard to Ahab though offering full compensation for it and Ahab durst not question the life of Naboth but by suborning witnesses to accuse him of blasphemie So that the present confusions under which they suffered by the change and violent death of so many Kings one after another being only temporary and not likely to continue long were no perswasions unto them to accept of Asa and much less to offer themselves unto him who conceived all adversity to be far more tolerable than the weighty Scepter of that house And there was something also of present profit which swaied the business The people were obliged by the Law of Moses to make three chargeable journeys yearly to Hierusalem to worship there in the Holy Temple and to pay a double tenth yearly out of their estates besides offerings and other casualties to the Priests and Levites Jeroboam out of an ungodly policie fearing these frequent journeys unto Hierusalem might be an occasion of reducing them to the house of David released them of that charge and trouble by setting up a new form of worship erecting golden Calves for them in Dan and Bethel and leaving every man unto the liberty of his own opinion so it tended not to the establishment of the old Religion And on the other side the Levites which dwelt amongst them and received their Tithes not willing to conform to these new impieties and finding that their Ministery was no longer useful withdrew themselves into the Kingdome of Judah and left the antient places of their habitations by means whereof the people were released of those payments also If they returned again to their old obedience and accepted Asa for their King they must return again also to their old Religion the golden Calves of their own imaginations and inventions must no more be worshipped and which no doubt prevailed most on the common people who like that Religion best which costs them nothing the antient payments to the Priests and Levites must come up again Rather than so they were resolved to suffer yet a little longer to please themselves in expectation of more settled times and so no falling off to Asa though as moderate and religious a Prince as they could have wished for had they had power of fashioning a King to their own desires Now as this opportunity of rejoining Israel unto Judah proved unsuccesful unto Asa so did the like of uniting Judâ—th unto Israel prove as unprofitable unto Joas the Sonne of Jehoahaz and grand-child of Iehu King of Israel who being provoked by Amaziah King of Iudah made warre upon him and not onely discomfited him without battell and took him prisoner without blowes but led him captive to the very walls of Hierusalem and by his authority got the gates thereof to be opened to him But not contented with this honor greater than ever had befallen to the Kings of Israel he caused 400 Cubits of the wall to be broken down thorow which breach he entered triumphantly in his chariot carrying the unhappy Prince before him and being entered sacked both the Royal palace and the holy Temple This was the opportunity which was given to Ioas of uniting Iudah unto Israel and this the loss of it For the people otherwise like enough to have accepted him for their
our Law-students in London called the Temple was the chief house of the Knights of this order in England and was by the Knights of Saint John whose principal mansion was in Smithfield sold unto the students of the Laws for the yearly rent of 10 l. about the middle of the reign of Edward the third These three orders M. Salden and deservedly putteth not in his Titles of honour in that they were prohibited to kiss a woman honourary Knight-hood and the love of Ladies going together like vertue and reward Thus much for Palestine OF ARABIA ARABIA hath on the East Chaldaea and the Bay or Gulf of Persia on the West Palestine some part of Aegypt and the whole course of the Red-Sea on the North the River Euphraes with some parts of Syria and Palestine and on the South the main Southern Ocean But at some times the name extended somewhat further Pliny enlargeth it as far as to Comagena the North part of Syria in regard that many Arabian Colonies had been their planted by Tigranes and Xenophon comprehending in it the greatest part also of Mesopotamia because situate on the West of the River Tigris and consequently the Western part of the Assyrian Empire as the word Ereb doth import from whence some derive the Erymon and name hereof Which notwithstanding in the generall esteem of Authors it is bounded only as before As for the name there be some that derive it from Arabus a supposed Sonne of Apollo and Babylonia others from three supposititious Sons of Janus Pater one of the pretended Grand-Sonnes of Cham. Who is fabled to have sent his Sonne Arabus into Arabia Deserta Petreius into Arabia Petraea and Sabus into Arabia Felix the dwelling place of the Sabaeans And for this trim conceit we are beholding to the Berosus of Frier Annius More probable is their conjecture who derive the name from the Hebrew Arab signifying black by reason of the swarth or tawny complexion of the inhabitants who are inter niâ— rum fulvum as Vertomannus an eye-witness hath informed us of them on the same reason as one of the Provinces of Africa is commonly entituled the Land of Negroes But the most likely origination of it as I conceive is from Harabi which signifieth in the Hebrew a Theef or Robber such as the Arabians in all ages have been known to be According unto that of the Prophet Jeremy In the waies thou hast sate for them as an Arabian in the Wilderness as our English reads it tanquam Latro insidians in solitudine saith the Vulgar Latine Jerem. 32. St. Hierome though he render it quasi Latro as the Vulgar doth yet in his Commentary he informs us that the word doth also signifie an Arabian quae gens latrociniis deditausque hodie incursat Palestinae fines c. which people being addicted to thest and robberie do to this day faith he infest the coasts of Palestine which border neer them and lay in wait for those which had any occasion to travel thither Agreeable hereunto is the observation of Martin del Rio Adeo latrociniis infames sunt ut Hebraeis Arabs latronem denotat sicut Chananaeus Mercatorem Chaldaeus Mathematicum i.e. So infamous were they for their theft and frequent Robberies that it was as familiar with the Jews to call a thief by the name of Arabian as by Chanaanite to signifie a Merchant or to use the word Chaldaean for a Mathematician In the same sense they came in the succeeding times to be called Saracens from Sarak or Saraka an Arabian word which signifieth to steal whereof more anon no otherwise than one of the American Islands had the name of Ladrones or Insula latronum given by Magellanus from the theevishness of the Inhabitants who had stoln his cock-boat I have staid the longer on the name because it doth express so much of the Charactar of the people also living for the most part upon spoil and robberie as all that travell that way know by sad experience Of mean statures raw-boned tawny or swart-complexioned having feminine voices of swift but noiseless gate and upon you ere you are aware Of no set dwellings except only in Arabia Felix living in tents which they remove like walking Cities for the benefit of pasturage and hope of booty for this last cause hanging about the skirts of more habitable Countreys and having robbed retire with a marvellous speed Mounted on Dromedaries for that purpose a beast of most incredible swiftness satisfied with little food though without water to it and will easie carry a man a hundred miles a day without any refreshing Nor are such horses as they have though but poor and lean of less speed or less patient of travel whom they feed twice a day with the milk of Camels and think them not worth keeping if not able to outgoe an Ostrich As now formerly all horsemen and but ill appointed fitter to rob and spoil than to deal with Souldiers as riding stark naked and trusting rather to the swiftness of their horses than any other way of resistance where they were opposed There language is the Arabick so called from this Countrey but not proper to this Countrey onely Spoken in all places where Mahometanism hath got any footing The Alcoran being written in it the publick offices of their Religion performed in it and the tongue taught in Schools as generally as with us the Latine but made the natural language in Mesopotamia Syria Palestine the three Arabia's Egypt and all Barbary except the Kingdome of Morocco A great extent but short of that which some give to it who will have it spoken in two parts of the whole habitable world The Christian faith was first here planted by Saint Paul of whose being in Arabia after his conversion he telleth us Gal. 1. 17. to which the coming in of the Saracens gave a great increase in the time of Mavâ—â— their Queen during the Empire of Valentinian the first Moses a man of exemplary piety and famed for many miracles being created their first Bishop after more generally propagated over all the Countrey by their King Alamandarus Anastasius then reigning in the East But long it had not been received when supplanted by Mahometanism which had its first beginning here and hath so universally overspred the whole face hereof that now there are no Christians left in all the Countrey except only in Elior a Port Town in the Bay of Arabia Felix in Petra the chief City of Arabia Petraea and two small Monasteries about Mount Sinai It is in circuit about 4000 miles but of so unequall and heterogeneous composition that no generall Character can be given of it and therefore we must look upon it as it stands divided into Arabia Deserta 2. Arabia Petraea 3. Arabia Felix and 4. the Arabick Ilands 1. ARABIA DESERTA ARABIA DESERTA called Beriara by the Turks is bounded on the East with Babylonia on the West with parts of Palestine and Arabia Petraea on the North with
captived in the fight Weakned wherewith they became an easie prey to the Vice-Roy of Tangu when he first made himself sole Master of this part of India Who giving to his brother the kingdome of Ava and leaving to his eldest sonne the kingdome of Pegu with the Soveraignty over all the rest conferred this Countrey with the title of king of Jangoma on a younger Sonne But he begotten on a daughter of the king of Pegu and born after his Father had attained this whole Indian Empire was easily perswaded by the â—alapoies so they call their Priests that his Title was better than that of his Elder Brother who was born before it Prevented in his claim by the kings of Arrachan and Tangu by whom that king was slain and his kingdome wasted How he sped afterwards I find not But probable it is that he submitted with the rest to the king of Barma 5. SIAM SIAM is bounded on the North with Jangoma and part of Pegu on all other parts with the wide Ocean save that it toucheth on the East with a part of Camboia and on the West with a poinâ— of Pegu. So called from Siam the chief of all those kingdomes which pass under this name as that from Siam the chief City of it The Countrey of greater length than breadth stretcheth it self South-wards into the Sea many hundred miles in form of a Peninsula or Denty-Iland called antiently Aurea Chersonesus or the Golden Chersonese one of the five famous Chersoneses or Peninsulaes of the elder writers the other four being Peloponnesus in Greece the Thracian Chersonese neer Propontis the Taurican Chersonese in the Euxine and the Cimbrian Chersonese in the North of Germany now part of Denmark It had the name of Aurea or the Golden super-added to it from its plenty of Gold for which much celebrated by the Antients both Greeks and Romans and therefore not improbably thought by some to be Solomons Ophir stil famous with the rest of the Countries of the kingdome of Siam for abundance of Gold Silver Tinn and other metals great quantity of Pepper sent yearly thence with store of Elephants and horses the whole Countrey very fat and fertile well stored with Rice Corn Grass and all other necessaries The people generally much addicted to pleasures if not to Luxury delighted much with Musick and rich apparel and such as stand much upon their honour For their instruction in good letters they have publick Schools where their own Lawes and the mysteries of their own religion are taught them in their natural Language all other Sciences in strange tongues understood by none but by the learned To tillage they can frame themselves and are painful in it but by no means will follow any Mechanicall Arts which they put over to their Slaves In Religion for the most part Gentiles worshiping the four Elements amongst other Gods to each of which as they are severally affected so are their bodies to be disposed of either burnt buried hanged or drowned after their decease as in their lives they were most devoted to the fire Earth Air or Water Some Christians here also in and about the parts possessed by the Portugals but more Mahometans who possessing two hundred Leagues of the Sea-Coasts of this Countrey have planted that religion in most part of the Countrey now by them possessed It containeth in it many kingdomes some of little note those of most observation 1. Malaca 2. Patane 3. Jor 4. Muanâ—ay and 5. Siam properly and specially so called Of which Malaca is now in the hands of the Portugals Jor and Patane are possessed by the Arabians or Saracens the other two have followed the fortunes of the kings of Siam 1. The kingdome of MALACA taketh up the South part of the Golden Chersonese extended towards the North from the Cape or Promontory which Ptolomy calleth Malancoâ—in in the extreme South-point hereof neer unto Sabana then a noted Emporie for the space of 270 miles So called from Malaca the chief City of it of old times called Musicana or built very neer it from whence this Tract is called by Strabo Musicani terra The City seated on the banks of the River Gaza which is here said to be 15 miles in breadth by the frequent overflowings whereof and the neerness of it to the Line being but two degrees to the North the Air hereof and all the territory belonging to it is very unwholsome and for that cause the Countrey but meanly populous In compass it is said to be 20 miles of great wealth because of almost infinite trading for Spices Vnguents Gold Silver Pearls and previous Stones the most noted Emporie of the East Insomuch that is said by Ludovico Barthema who was there before the Portugals knew it that it was traded by more ships than any one City in the world more by far since the comming of the Portugals to it than it was before The People as in all this tract of an Ash-colour with long hair hanging over their faces bloody and murderous specially when they meet one another in the Night Few other Towns of any note in a place so unhealthy except 2. Sincapura situate East of Malaca neer the Promontory of old called Magnum supposed by some to be the Zaba of Ptolomy and that more probably than that it should be his Palura as Maginus would have it Palura being a City of the Hither India and different at the least 20 degrees of Langitude from any part of this Chersonese But whatsoever it was called in the former times it was in these latter ages the mother of Malaca the greatest part of the Trade and people being removed from thence to this newer foundation before which time it was the best frequented Emporie in these parts of the East 3. Palo Zambilan 120 miles on the West of Malaca from whence to Sincapura coasting about the Southern Cape now called Cape Liampo we have a Sea-shore of 270 miles as before was said No other habitation of any reckoning but a few sheds upon the shore for the use of Fisher-men and some scattered Villages in the land the People dwelling most on Trees for fear of Tigers This Tract in former times possessed by the Kings of Siam about the year 1258 bâ— came a kingdome of it self founded by Paramisera and some other of the Javan Nobility who flying the tyranny of their own king came into this Country where they were lovingly received by Sangesinga then reigning under the Sâ—amite in Sincapura Him they perfidiously slew and invested Paramisera in his Dominion Outed of which by the King of Siam he was forced to seek a new dwelling and after two or three Removes fell upon the place where Malaca now standeth which City pleased with the commodiousness of the situation he is said to have built The trade of Sincapura in short time removed hither also which so increased the wealth and power of the Kings hereof that joyning with the Moores who began to plant themselves on
this City and the rest of his Subjects of Muantâ—y It is said that for the use of this City only being eated like Venice upon many little Ilands not bridged together there are no fewer than 200000 skiffes and shallops serving to wast the people from one place to another By means hereof of great strength and almost impregnable But being beleagured by the Tanguan or 〈◊〉 Conquerour with ten hundred thousand fighting men an Army bigge enough to have buryâ—d a greater City than this if every man had but cast a shovell full of earth upon it it was wonne at last The Government of these kings of Siam was absolute heretofore if not tyrannical he being sole Lord of all the land in his kingdomes which he either gave to his Nobles or Farmed out to Husbandmen during life or pleasure but never passed over unto any the right of Inheritance And these he grants unto his Subjects besides rents in money upon condition to mairtain a determinate number of horse Foot and Elephants thereby inabled without further charge unto the Subject to leavy 20000 Horse and 250000 Foot for present service besides far greater numbers out of the residue of his people if occasion be And for his ordinary Guard he was said to keep 6000 Souldiers and 200 Elephants of which beasts he is reported to have 30000 of which every tenth Elephant is trained up to the war By reason of so great a power he became Master of the Realms of Camboia and Champa held those of Mâ—lâ—ca Jâ—r Pahan and Patane as his Vassals and Tributaries with that of Jangoma and the Laos under his protection But when the fatal time was come and that his City of Siam was betrayed to the king of Pegu he poisoned himself upon the newes his sonne becoming Tributary to the Peguan Victor This sonne of his too much a Prince to be a Subject reuolted from a sonne of the Peguan a vicious and tyrannical King degenerating from the gallantries of so worthy a Father by whom he was besieged in Siam with 900000 fighting men Unable to resist this Army if he had presently declared such a resolution he entertained the king with Treaties and promises of delivering the City to him till the third moneth after which was March when ordinarily the River was to overflow all the Countrey for 120 miles about by which sudden and violent inundation and the sword together the Siamites waiting diligently for the opportunity there perished all of this great Army except 70 thousand After this blow the conquering Siamite Anno 1600 besieged and endangered the City of Pegu of which more annon and dying in the year 1605. left his estate unto his Brother Whose sonne succeeding settled a Factory in Siam of the English Merchants Anno 1612. and was in a fair way of obtaining the soveraignty of Pegu then destroyed and wasted if the violent and unresitable coming of the king of Barms had not crossed him in it to whom now subject with the rest of the Indian Princes on that side of the River 6. PEGV PEGV is bounded on the East with Jangoma and a part of Siam on the North with the kingdomes of Brama on the West and South with the kingdome and Golf of Bengala So called from Pegu the chief City as that is by the name of the River upon which it standeth Divided commonly into the kingdoms and estates of 1. Verma 2. Macin 3. Orrachan 4. Martavan and 5. Pegu specially so called 1. VERMA is the name of a small kingdome bordering upon Bengala and so denominated from Verma the chief Town thereof A kingdome which hath no Port or Haven at all and therefore wholly freed of Moores and Mahometans which can be said of no other of these Indian kingdoms The people black naked above the Waste and covered beneath it onely with a veil of Cotton in matter of Religion Gentiles and in wane right valiant This last apparent by the long and frequent warres which they had with the Peguans to whom made Tributary in conclusion but not fully conquered 2. MACIN so called from Macin the chief City thereof is another of these Peguans kingdoms Of small esteem but for the great quantity of the sweet-wood by the Latines called Lignum vitae by the natives Calamba so much in use for Funeralls and Bathes as was said before held also by the Indians for a Sovereign and unparallell'd Medicine against many dangerous diseases great quantities whereof are brought hence yearly by the Merchant One of the first kingdoms which was conquered by the king of Barma upon whom it bordereth in the beginning of his Fortunes 3. ORRACHAN or Arrachan lieth on the West of Macin and the South of Verma environed round with mountains and impassable woods Chief Towns thereof 1. Dia ga taken and destroyed by the Portugals in the quarrels betwixt them and the king of Arrachan Anno 1608. â— Sundiva situate in an Iland unto which it gives name fix leagues off from the continent of Bengala to which it formerly belonged Subdued by the Portugals Anno 1602. and from them taken by this king about two years after and made a member of his kingdom The Iland 30 leagues in compass very strong fruitfull and the Town well fortified 3. Arrachan the head City which gives name to all distant from the Sea 45 miles but seated on a large and capacious River The king and kingdom of no note till the ruins of Pegu to the Crown whereof it once pertained In the desolation of which State the king hereof combining with him of Tangu besieged the second Tanguan king in the Castle of Macan and had betwixt them the whole pillage of that wealthy City together with the possession of the best Towns of it After this victory he returned to Arrachan in triumph leading with him the white Elephant of the king of Pegu sumptuously adorned the brother and two sonnes of the Peguan following in the Pagâ—ant A solemn and magnificent entry The better to assure himself of his new dominions this king bestowed upon the Portugals the fort of Siriangh on the River of Pegu. For which favour ill-requited by the Portugals who had taken his sonne and put him to a grievous ransom they brake out into open warres In the pursuit whereof after many losses the king recovered from them the Isle of Sundiva and manning out a Fleet of 1200 sail of which 75 were of so great burden as to carry every one twelve peeces of Ordnance and in that fleet 30000 Souldiers 8000 hand-guns and 3500 greater peeces besieged the Fortress assisted in that action also by the king of Tangu And though he failed in his design yet like enough he had prevented the king of Avâ— who took it in the year 1613 as before is said had he not been outed in the mean time of his own kingdom by the king of Barma of whole great rise the conquering of the Realms of Macin and Arrachan were the first foundation 4. MARTAVAN the
and flourished But growing into many distractions and every Sultan or Provincial Governour shifting for himself it became a Kingdom under the stile and title of the kingdom of Tremesen The majesty of it much impaired by Abulthasen or Albohacen king of Fesse who brought it not long after under his command Recovering after some short time its former liberty it became a Kingdom once again and so continued till the time of Abuchemen who incurring the hatred of his people because by his supine neglect the Spaniards had surprised and taken Oran and Masalquivir their two best Havens made an easie passage for his brother Abuzeiden to the Regal diadem Abuzeiden scarce well setled lost it to Hairadine Barbarossa An. 1515. He to Charles the fifth by whom Abuchemen was restored becoming Homager and Tributary to the Crown of Spain But his successor Abdulla weary of the Spanish servitude put himself under the protection of Solyman the magnificent as a Prince of his own Religion to whom at his decease he left the possession of his Kingdom also ever since subject to the Turks whos 's Beglerbeg or Supreme Officer for these African Provinces resides for the most part in Algiers and hath 40000 Timariots under his command 3. FESSE 4. MOROCCO THese Kingdoms I have joyned in title because united for the most part in the storie and affairs thereof and of late times making but one entire Estate under the Xeriffes of Morocco and therefore handled both together in the point of History though of a different consideration in the way of Chorography They contain in them the whole Country of Mauritania truly and properly so called divided antiently into Tingitana and Sitifensis Caesariensis being naturally a Numidian Region the Masasyli and the rest of the Inhabitants of it of Numidian breed not laid to Mauritania nor accompted any part thereof till the death of Iugurth when given to Bocchus King hereof in reward of his treason for betraying that unhappy Prince into the hands of the Romans It took this name from the Mauri the Inhabitants of it when that name first given the word Tania signifying a Nation being added to it as in Britannia Lusitania Aquitania and perhaps some others and the name of Mauri given them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth amongst other things obscure or black by reason of the darknesse of their complexion Accompted in their times an hardy but a bloody people carelesse of life fearlesse of death implacable if once offended their thirst of revenge not to be quenched but by blood Mauri sunt genus hominum suapte nature cadis avidissimum nibilque non facile audens desperatis similes contemptu viz. mortis periculorum the character given of them in Herodians time and it holds good still notwithstanding the intermixture of Goths and Saracens incorporated into the same nation with them and passing by the same name in the Writers of the middle time Post baec Mauri totam Hispaniam Provinciam Burgundiam c. dominio suo manciparunt as my Author hath it where by Moors we are to understand the Saracens which came out of Africk Chief Mountains of this Country 1. Atlas Minor so called to difference it from the greater Mountain of that name from which it is seven degrees more North but shooteth as that doth with a point or Promontory into the main Atlantick Ocean on the South of Salla 2. Durdus extended also into Caesariensis 3. Diur 4. Phocra of which little memorable Rivers of most note 1. Sala 2. Subur 3. Zilia 4 Phuth 5. Diur 6. Cusa all falling into the Atlantick this last the same as I conjecture which our modern Writers call Ommirabili And for the rest we must find amongst them 1. Sifelmel 2. Tensist 3. Niffis the names of the chief Rivers as at this time called The old Inhabitants here of in the time of the Romans were the Metagonita neer the Streits giving name unto Metagonitis an adjoyning Promontory the Succosii Verbicae Nectiberes Vacuatae Voli and on the East-side the Mauresii These last participating of that common name in which all united Called by the Latines Mauri by the Greeks Maurusii The Etymologie as before Their descent originally from Phut the son of Cham whose memory preserved here in the River Phut To that the coming of the Chanaanites of the same extraction served but as an Accessory From those two fountains sprang the whole Nation of the Mauri Governed by Kings the most considerable of which when first known to the Romans was that Bocchus who betrayed Jugurth his friend and son in law into the hands of the Romans gratified for that treacherie with the Country of the Masasyli reckoned for part of Mauritania from that time forwards as Hiempsal one of his sons was not long after with the Kingdom of Numidia The whole Estates of Bocchus Syphax and Masinissa united by this means in the person of Juba one of his posterity the most potent Prince of all these parts who falling in the African war against Julius Casar Numidia was forthwith made a Province of the Roman Empire Crispus Salustius being made the first Governour of it But Mauritania extending at that time from the Ocean to the River Ampsagus he gave to Bocchus and Bogud two of his Confederares but descended of the old Regal family Bogud unluckily taking part with Mark Antony against Augustus was by Bocchus who declared for the other side dispossessed of his part that which now makes the Kingdom of Fesse in which confirmed for his good service by the conquering Emperor Juba the son of the former Juba grown famous for his eminent learning was of a Prisoner made a Prince invested affect the death of Bocchus in all the Dominions of his father except Numidia and by the bounty of Augustus a great Patron of Learning advanced to the marriage of Selene daughter of Antony and Cleopatra After whose death and the death of Ptolomy their son murdered by Caligula Mauritania was by Claudius added to the patrimony of the Roman Empire divided into two Provinces viz. Caesariensis betwixt the two Rivers Malva and Ampsaga now the Kingdom of Tremesen and Tingitana from the River Malva to the Western Ocean This last divided into Tingitana and Sitifensis the River now called Ommirobili being the boundary betwixt them by the Emperor Constantine who leaving Sitifensis to the Diocese of Africk laid Tingitana why I know not unto that of Spain Cained from the Romans by the Goths after by the Saracens they became members of those Empires in the declining of the last divided into the two Kingdoms of Fesse and Morocco to the description and history whereof we do now proceed 3. MOROCCO THe Kingdom of MOROCCO hath on the East the River Malva by which parted from Tremesen on the West the Atlantick Ocean on the South Mount Atlas and on the North the Kingdom of Fesse So called from Morocco the chief City of it in former times known by the
inhabited Place and told them of it 40 miles before they came to it Cities of note we hope for none where we finde no water Of such as go for Cities here the most considerable 1 Tegaza rich in veins of Salt resembling Marble which the Inhabitants being 20 days distant from any habitation and consequently many times in danger to die for famine exchange for Victuals with the Merchants of Tombutum who come hither for it Much troubled with the South winds which doth so drive the sands upon them that it causeth many of them to loose their sight 2. Huaden or Hoden a known resting place and a great refreshment to the Merchant in the midst of these Desarts 3 Guargata on the brink of a Lake fed by a River of hot water affirmed to be a Town of elegant building and inhabited by a wealthy People 4 Toberaum of little note but that it serveth for a Stage or baiting place to the wearie Traveller Of which kinde there are said to be others at the extremities or ends of each several Desarts the Havens of such men as sail in these sandy Seas but not else observable Nor is there much if any thing observable of them in the way of story but that not looked after by any of the great Conquerours either Greeks or Romans much of the Country was possessed by Arabian Colonies men fit enough to plant in such barbarous Nations at such time as the Saracens planted their Religion here The Government of the Country since as it was before by the Chiefs of their several Clans or Families who as they know no Law themselves so do the People shew as much ignorance of it in their lives and actions differing but little from brute Beasts more then shape and speech And so much for LIBYA INTERIOR OF TERRA NIGRITARVM TERRA NIGRIT ARVM or THE LAND OF NEGROES is bounded on the East with Aethiopia Superior on the West with the Atlantick Ocean on the North with Libya Deserta and on the South with the Aethiopick Ocean and part of Aethiopia Inferior So called from the Nigritae the chief of the Nations here inhabiting in the time of Ptolomy and they so named from the River Niger of which more anon The Country very hot by reason of ifs situation under the Torrid Zone yet very well inhabited full of people and in some places alwayes green well watered and exceeding fruitful specially in those parts which lie within the compass of the overflowings of the River Niger and on the further side of the River Sanaga abundantly well stored both with Corn Cattel and Garden-ware for the use of their Kitchins well Wooded and those Woods well furnished with Elephants and other Beasts both wild and tame Their greatest want but such a want as may be born with is the want of Fruit-trees few of which they have and those they have bear one kind of fruit only which is like the Chesnut but somwhat bitterer Rain here doth neither hurt nor help their greatest welfare consisting in the overflowings of Niger as that of Egypt in the inundations of Nile In some parts liberally enriched with Mines both or Gold and Silver very fine and pure so that had not the Portugals affected the honour of discovering New-Worlds as much as Wealth they might have made as rich a Factory here as at the Indies The inhabitants till the coming of the Portugals thither were for the most part so rude and barbarous that they seem to want that use of Reason which is peculiar unto man of little wit and destitute of all Arts and sciences prone to luxury and for the greatest part Idolaters though not without some small admixture of Mahumetans When the Portugals first sailed into these Coasts they hereof took the Ships for great Birds with white wings and after upon better acquaintance they could not be brought to believe but that the Eyes which were casually painted on the beaks of the ships were the eyes by which they saw how to direct themselves in their course Guns seemed to them for their hideous noise to be the works of the Devil and for Bag-pipes they took them to be living creatures neither when they had been permitted to feel them would they be perswaded but that they were the work of Gods own hands The very Nobles if so noble a name may without offence be given to such blockish people are so dull and stupid that they are ignorant of all things which belong to civil society and yet so reverent of their King that when they are in his presence they never look him in the face but sit flat on their buttock with their elbows on their knees and their hands on their faces They use to anoint their hair with the fat of Fishes which makes them stink more wretchedly then they would do otherwise Of complexion they are for the most part Cole-black whence the name of Negroes but on the South-side of the River Senaga they are only Tawny the Blacks so much in love with their own complexion that they use to paint the Devil white which I find thus versified The Land of Negroes is not far from thence Neerer extended to th' Atlantick Main Wherein the black Prince keeps his residence Attended by his jetty coloured Train Who in their native beauty most delight And in contempt do paint the Devil white They have tried all Religions but agree in none Idolaters at the first as others the Descendants of Cham Afterwards it is said that they received the Rites and Religion of the Jews but the time and occasion of it I do no where find in which they continued very long But that being worn out at the last Christianity prevailed in some Kingdoms of it In the year 973. Mahometism began to get ground amongst them by the diligence and zeal of some of the Preachers of that Law the first who were reduced that way being those of Melli after which Tombuto Oden Gualata were infected with the same poyson also In the end all the rest of this Country followed their example except the Kingdom of Borneo some part of Nubia and the Coasts of the Atlantick Ocean which continue in their antient Gentilism Christianity being confined to a corner of Nubia if still there remaining and some few Garrisons belonging to the Crown of Portugal And as they are of different Religions so are they also of several Languages those of Gualata Guinea Tombutum Melli and Gugonti speaking the Language called Sungai the Guberoi Canontes Chaesenae and Gangrates c. that called Guber Gualata a language of its own and those of Nubia one resembling the Arabick Chaldaean and Egyptian Mountains of most note in it in the former times were those of 1. Arvaltes and 2. Arangus and 3. that called Deorum currus this last supposed to be the same which is now called Punta de Lopes Gonsales but that more probably which they now call Cabo de Sierra Leona a large Promontory