GElderland 202 Geneva 304 Gâ—noa 337 Groningen 203 Guatimala 631 Guiana 641 H HEbrides 121 Hispaniola 634 Holland 201 Hungarie 378 I IAmaica 633 Iapan 621 Ilands of England 129 India Asiatica or East-India 574 Ireland 68 Italy 317 Iudea 551 K KAthaia 498 L LOrrayne 428 Lybia 376 M MAlta 373 Man the I le 120 Manly Arts breed martiall valour 29 Mantua 362 Marishes their description and use 44 Mexico 630 Millaine 336 The Great Mogor 578 Moldavia 539 Mona 120 Monomotapaâ— 453 Moravia 278 Moscovia 463 Mountaines their description and use 42 N NAplâ—s Kingdome 330 Narsinga 613 Natolla 540 Navarre 194 Negroes Land 429 Netherlands 195 New Spaine 630 Nicaragua 632 Norwey 212 Nova Francia 636 Numidia 427 O OF Observation 1 Over-Isel 203 P PAlatinate 285 People of the North their constitutions complexions and natures 8. Of the South 12. Of the middle Region 15 Persia. 563 Peru. 637 Polâ—nd 409 Popes Estate 320 Prester Iohn 444 R REligion a great advancer of Monarchie 30 Rewards military the benefit of them 30 Rivers their use in preserving of Empire 41 Roman Empire 262 Russia 463 SAvoy 364 Sarmatia 463 Saxonie 287 Situation the aptnesse of it for Empire 35 Of the Situation of Nations 4 Scotland 114 Sea the commodities in inlarging Empire 29 Seigniories divers pettie ones easily overcome one by one by a common enemie 37 Siam 602 Sicily 369 Spaine 222 States of the Low-Countries 200 Swethland 213 Switzerland 309 T TArtaria 494 Tartars their manners and armes 485 Temperature the division of it 2 Terra australis 643 Transylvania 394 Travell instructions for it 46 Treasure the use in Warre 33 Turkes their originall and story 554 Turkie 505 Turcomania 545 Tuscanie 324 V VAlour the commendations of it 23. Military Valour how increased 27 Venice 339 Virginia 635 Vrbine 361 Vsage to the Wars the effects 27. Free Vsage of people a meanes to make Princes potent 28 Vtrecht 203 W WAlachia 539 Wales 117 Weapons their qualities and advantages 32 West-India 625 Wildernesses their descriptions 45 Wisdome the use of it in Warres 25 World and the greatest Princes in it and the means to inlarge Dominion 19 X Great Xeriff 433 FINIS * The States of the world * Petrus Bertius Numbers Valour Wisdome Rashnesse I Vse 2 〈◊〉 3 Manly arts 4 Military rewards 3 Religion 4 Weapons Treasure Situation Pettie Seigniories 1 The commodities of the Sea for the defending or inlarging of Empire 2 Rivers 3 Mountaines 4 Marishes 5 Wildernesses 6 Desarts 〈◊〉 Of Minde Of Religion Of Persons and Places Of Language Of Reading Of Conference Of the body Of Exercises Of outward necessaâ—ies Of Money Of Bookes Of Apparell Manners of Nations Nature of Soiles Of people Of the Spaniard Of the Italian The Frenchman The German Of the Pole laque Of the Netherlander and Dane The Muscovite The Grecian The Turke The Persian The Armenian The Tartar The Moore The Savoyen The Switzer Government The Situation of England Bishopricks Wealth Qualities of the English England compared with Russia and Aethiopia With Germanie With Italie With Spaine With France M Paris fol. 68â— The King The Court. The Nobility Courts of Iustice. The Gentry The Citizens The Husbandman or Yeoman compared Compared with the Turk With the Hungarian With the Italian With the Spaniard With the Frenchmen With the German With the Irishman Concerning traffike The disposition of Male-contents abroad What other Nations conceive of us Spaine The Emperor The Pole and Moscovite The Turke Italy Millan Mantua Venice The Florentine The Pope Nâ—ples Sicil. The situation of England Forces At land Neighbourhood France The Spanish The Netherlands The Archduke Scotland Pit coale or Sea-coale Wales Ilands belonging to the Crowne of Great Brittaine Camden and Gyraldus Provinces Commodities Rivers Havens and Ports Paris Vniversitie London compared with Paris For populousnesse For neat and cleane streets For Aire For River For Bridges For a Castle For places of Retreit For seats of Iustice and concourse of Merchants For Colleges for students of the Lawes For Churches For decent riding For unconfused intermixtures For a Maior For the Court. Castles Charges Governments Lawes Officers of Court Great Master Gentlemen of 〈…〉 Mastâ—r or Stewâ—â—d of the Kings House Great Provost of France Great Faulciner and Common Hunt Gentlemen of the Kings Guard His Forces His Infantery Officers of waâ—â—e Constable The Marshall Admirall Discipline His Expence His Revenue The Domaine Conquest Pension Trafficke Sale of Offices Riches A good note Officers of his Finances The Treasurer Generalities Elections Receivers Controlleâ—s His Coine The Clergie The Temporal livings of the Church The grosse errors of the Cabinet of France 〈…〉 â—ecâ—es of â—â—ance Their Apparel Their Exercises Shooting Tennis-play Dancing Musicke Their Language 1. In deliberation 2. In matter of Warre 3. Entertaining of friendship 4. In managing 〈◊〉 〈…〉 his wife 6. In aptnesse to scoffe Townes Nature of the soile Forces Holland Gâ—ldeâ—lanâ— Over-Isel Vtrecâ—â— Groningen The Richeâ— Their forces By Land â—y Sea Belgian Riches Forces at Land At Sea Gotâ—â—â—â— Finland Riches Coâ—per Forces at land Sea-forces Fortifications Borders His dominions in Europe In Africa Within the Streights Without the Streights Vnder the Aequinoctiall In Asia In the New-World Islands Continent The riches of these places Peru. 〈◊〉 Philipinae His greatnesse in Europe Division of his dominions Spaine The Estates of Italy The dominion of India The Low-Countries Italian Provinces under the Spaniard Revenues ordinary Extraordinary Orders of Knighthood Malecontents The Iewes The Portugals The Arragonou The Nobles Revenues from Italie The Italian humouâ—â— The Indies 〈◊〉 yeare 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 made of another Oâ— Flanders Councell Government Correspondencie With the Pope With the College of Cardinals With the Emperour With the Archduchesse With France With Savoy Polonia With 〈◊〉 Tuâ—ks Forces at land Humours of the Spaniards Their Cavalrie Borderers The Venetians The French The Persian In Barbarie In Tuscanie Parma Vrbine Genoa Malta Lucca Venice From him Forces These Galleons I suppose were but poore â—â—gats Borderers Situation Plentie Climate Soyle Commodities Rivers Cities 〈…〉 Temporall Princes Revenue Forces Forces by Sea Austrich Bohemia Moravia 〈◊〉 Swevia Saxonie Situation Borderers Anhault Mansfield Force Erdford Dresden Vniversities Wittenberg 〈…〉 Fertilitie Riches Commodities People Manners of the people Artizans Merchants Nobles Valour Conceit of the English Councell Revenues The Duke of Brunswicke Bavaria Wirtemberg Michelburg Hesse Baden Ansbach Situation Circuit Strength The Territories Fertilitie Handicrafts Revenue Government Behaviour Situation The Causes of their first Revolts Levying of souldiers Government Their Soveraigne Magistrate Situation Length and Breadth Natures and manners of the people Merchants Artificers Husbandmen Sharers The King of Spaine The Pope The Venetians Genoa Florence Sienna Lucca Ferrara Mantua Vrbine Parma The Bishop of Rome Marchia Romagna Riches The State of Rome The College of Cardinals Tuscan Pisa. Florence Manners of the Florentines Arezzo Sienna His forces at land At Sea His Revenues Naples House of Piety Calabria Compasse and conteinue Calabria superior Situation Caesaria Gallipolis Apulia The extent Capitanato Mansredonia Puglia and Abruzze Malsi Benevento Forces at Land At Sea Revenue Nobilitie Riches Calabria Genoa Mâ—ineâ—s of the 〈◊〉 Venice The increase thereof The description Murano The Glasse-houses Venice The site thereof and hardnesse to approach Division of the State of Venice Of the Continent Of the Island s of the Gulfe Of the Islands out of the Gulfe Riches Of the Sea The strength of the State Forces at land At Sea Of Neighbours The Turke The Spaniard The Emperor The Pope Lombardie Milan Brescia Bologna Verona Modena Mantua Number of Inhabitants Moderne Forces Nature of the people Sicil. Garrisons 〈◊〉 Revenues Forces by land By Sea Bounded Fertility Manners Riches Forces Neighbours 〈◊〉 of Hungarie Bounded Government Forces at land forces by water Fortification Plentie Mines Reasons why the Turke standeth at a stay in Hungarie Causes of greatnesse of Empires Causes of declination Riches Revenues Neighbours Forces Government Riches Revenues Government Forces Riches Forces Infantery Pioners The description of Africke Creatures proper to Africke Numidia Gualata Tombut Gago Borneo Gaoga Kings Court. Its privileges Plentie His manner of government Revenues Forces Fertilitie State Revenue Borderers King of Borno Turke King of Adel. The Slaves Greatnesse Elephants teeth Mines Salomons Oâ—hir Government Fertility Riches Cair Anciently called Gâ—â—es Riches Bounded Shires Situation Mosco The soyle and climate Of Waters Forme of government 〈…〉 Riches and commodities Of his Entrada or Revenue Their crueltie in punishing offenders Of his strength Borderers The Circassi The Nagayans The Chrim Tartars Tartaria The Pole The large extent of all Tartaria Their features Their fashions Their Riches The ancient division Their moderne division Tartaria minor The Precopenses Tartaria deserta Astrachan The Zagataâ—e Bounded Fertilitie Forces His Coronation Government His Countries Cities Their Government The Iemoglans or tribute-children Their preferments A Beglerbeg A Sanziake A Chause The Spachi and then distinctions The Ianizars and their distinguishments Their birth-place Their training Their allowance Their licentious liberty Some say forty thousand The Azapi properly belonging to the Gallies The Tartars Forces at Sea Administration of Iustice. Revenues ordinary besides Timariots Extraordinary The Timariots Report saith that this is againe reconquered by the Persian Administration of Justice Borderers The Persian The Portugals Prester John The Xeriffe The Polander The Austrian The Venetians The Spaniard Patriarches of Constantinople Of Alexandria Of Ierusalem Of Antioch Thrace Gallipolis Macedon Epyrus Achaia Peloponnesus Dalmatia Maesia superior Servia Bulgaria Valachia The reason of the desolation of these Countries Moldavia Pontus Bithynia Bursia Asia minor Caramania Cappadocia or Amasia Cilicia Armenia minor Arabia Deserta Arabia Potrea Arabia Felix Situation Nature of the people The Curdines Gurgistâ—n or Georgia in times past Iberia Situation * Now Caesaria Pâ—ilippi * Now Gibelin Iordan Asphaltites Forces Galilie Nazareth Samaria Iudea Ierusalem Mount Calvarie Valley of Ichosaphat Bethlem Gaza Jdumea Phoenicia Sydon Acon Beritus Cities Government Desarts Forces Riches Borderers The Mogor The Zagatai The Turke One Tomana maketh twenty French Crownes Government Arts. Forces at land Force at sea Treasure Borderers Riches Forces Government Borderers Aracan Macin
frequent his Dominions Without the which inticements peradventure they might be unwilling to hazard their estates from farre Nations amongst such barbarous and unsure customers For sure hee was that his Neighbours could not and the Portugals would not supply those necessities which concerned the life and essence of an intire Estate THE FIFTH BOOKE Of India commonly called Asiatica or East-India INdia is a spacious portion of Asia the most Noble part of the World and far exceeding any other apportionment comprehended under one name Tartarie only excepted As that which without other addition lifteth up her Title alone to challenge all the Territories betweene China and Persia A conteinue almost twelve hundred leagues yet divided into many Kingdomes Amongst whom he is principall that most obtaineth by force and popularitie The Region is most wholesome to inhabit by the favour of the Westerne winds but in regard of its spaciousnesse subject to diverse Temperatures As in some places to heat viz. towards the Equator In some to temperatures or rather to cold as towards the North. But generally for goodnesse of situation health and fertilitie it is farre better than any other Countrey And therefore seldome or never feeleth famine or scarcitie the misery whereof is prevented by the benefit of Rivers as in Aegypt For the two great Rivers of Indus and Ganges water it thorowly which being divided into a thousand brookes insulteth of two Summers temperature of Aire with duplicitie of increase And that wee are but Adventurers for those delicacies which shee vtlipendeth and yet not admitted to the understanding of one halfe of her worth yet hath it its Desarts scorching Sands places infested with wilde Beasts and unpeopled by reason of impenetrable woods And although the Region wanteth Wheat yet aboundeth it with divers sorts of fruits of Pulses of Barley and Rice Vines they haue none but rare and therefore brew their Beverage of Barley and Rice Fruit-trees and trees fit to make linnen cloth of they have in abundance and out of the Palme they produce Wine Vinegar and fruit to eat The particular of their Silkes Bombasies Elephant Serpents Spices Stones and divers famous Rivers being well knowne I will not stand to recite The natures and fashions of the Inhabitants briefly I will who being diversly dispersed into divers Regions and Principalities doe diversly differ in language visage habit manners and religion Both men and women imitate a noble pompe as not incountred abroad nisi mâ—gna comitante caterva using many odours in their baths and washings nor are they without oiles and perfumes jewels pearls and other ornaments befitting the businesse they intend Of whom the foure principall Nations that inhabit this tract are the Indians viz. the Natives and they for the most part are Gentiles The second are the Iewes and they are dispersed here as else-where over the whole face of the earth The third are the Mahumetans whereof some are Persians and some Scythians now called Mogors living in the upland Countries The fourth are the Moores or Arabians who within these two hundred yeares usurping upon the maritime coasts of the Country have built them places and Cities very fit for Trafficke and expulsed the Natives into the more Inland Countries And now of late besides those ancient Christians which Saint Thomas converted there reside many Portugals natives and Mâ—sticos who are daily converted by the industry of the Iesuits to the Christian beleefe who have taught them to baptize Children and to fast Wherein they are now tedious observants as all barbarous people are the best maintainers of customes and ceremonies especially where the Roman Church instructeth The Portugals intruded by armes prayers and policie Their purchases I account to be so farre from the name of a Conquest as was the possession of the English from the Crowne of France when they held nothing but â—alais in Picardie Howbeit for state and ostentation every third yeare a Vice-Roy is sent to Goa from whom and from whence all inferiour deputations have their directions and governments Here he hath his Councell his Nobles his Chancery and Iustices as is used in Portugal from whence in Civill cases the parties may appeale to Portugal but in Criminall no one person except he be a Gentleman He is very magnificent in State and never goeth abroad unlesse to Church and then attended with musike and accompanied with all the principall Gentlemen and Burgers of Goa on horsebacke with a guard of souldiers before behinde and on each side It is a place of great honour and profit For besides the presents which the bordering Princes round about Goa send them at their first entrances for contraction of peace and friendship by their Embassies they have also the management of the Kings revenues and treasure with absolute allowance from his Majestie to give spend and reward as best pleaseth him When a new Vice-Roy arriveth the time of the former being expired hee presently dispatcheth his Lieutenants with sufficient authoritie in their Masters name to receive the possession of the Government of India and to prepare the Palace Whereupon the old Vice-Roy maketh quicke and cleane riddance of all Vtensils neither leaving one stoole in the Palace nor one peny in the Treasury So that these great Officers by reason of their short time of imployment have enough to doe The first yeare to furnish their house with necessaries The second to gather treasure and to respect the causes that moved them to come into India The third and last yeare to prepare themselves and to settle their businesses in order left they be overtaken and surprised by the approach of a new successour The like is to be understood of all the Captaines in the Forts and of all other Officers thorowout these Indies The Great Mogor IT shall alwayes beene beleeved that the territory lying betweene Ganges and the 〈◊〉 Indus hath evermore beene subject to great and mighty Monarchs For to be silent in matter of more ancient memory about the yeare of our Lord 1300 there reigned in the Kingdome of Delos and Arabian Prince of the fâ—â—t of Mahumet named Sanofaradin as Iohn Barros reporteth of so great power strength that he enterprised the conquest of Asia Upon which resolution forsaking these Regions in which Indus and Ganges take heir beginnings with a mighty Army by little and little he subdued those Princes and people which did oppose against him untill he pierced to the bounds of Canora where it beginneth at the River Bate about Chaul and stretcheth betweene Bate the Gulfe of Bengala to Cape Comerine When he had wonne so large and famous a territory resolving to returne to Delos he left Abdessa his Lieutenant in Canora This man encouraged by the victories of his Master and presuming upon his owne good fortune bereaved the Gentiles of the greater part of Canora and hauing gathered a most mighty and populous Army compacted of Gentiles Mahumetaâ— and Christians after he had reigned twenty
especially if they were not naturally Spaniards first with an empty title and lastly being not otherwise able to pay or recompence them with a Spanish sico. A great and a maine advancer of a cause and enlarger of Empire is Religion or the pretence of it Religion is well called the soule of the State and is ever the prime thing to be looked into most bitter dissentions and hinderances of all great actions still proceeding from discontentments in Religion Anima est actus corporis sayes the Philosopher T is the soule that gives action and motion to the body and if the affections and passions of the soule bee composed to a well ordered and contented tranquillity and serenity there followes health strength and growth in all the limbs and members of the body The conscience is an active sparke and can easily man up all the powers of soule and body either for the maintenance or enlargement of it's libertie Bonum est sui communicativum Religion contrary to counsell desires ever to be made publike the spirituall man as well as the naturall ever having a desire generare sibi simile to beget others in his owne likenesse to compasse Sea and Land to make a Proselyte As therefore Princes have still accounted it a dangerous thing to arme Religion against themselves so have they most willingly accepted of the countenance of Religion No such encouragement could come to the Israelites or disheartning to the Philistines as when the Arke of God was in the host of Israel who is able to stand against these mighty gods say they Most surely is the kingdome of the Pope founded whose ground is layed in the conscience The Turke pretending to propagate his Religion with fire and sword we see how that hath advanced his conquests and what advantage hath the Spaniard more made use of in these late warres than a specious pretence of rooting out the Protestants and the re-establishing of the Catholike Religion by which secret he hath not onely staved off the popish Princes and Erectors of Germany not onely from defending the common libertie of their country but to enter that which they call the holy league with him whereby for zeale of enlarging their Religion they in the meane time weaken themselves that he at last picking a slight quarrell with them may swallow them up one after another having long before designed them Papists as well as Protestants to a common destruction for though the Spaniard pretends Religion yet he intends Monarchie This plot beginning to be discovered we see most of the Princes of Christendome drawing to a leaguer war that is to a cōfederacy of all Protestant Princes against all Popish who sees not that if the Romish religion prevailes the King of Spaines Monarchie must needs prove as Catholike that is universall as his religion and then will he prove the Catholike King indeed Now that the pretence of Religion may take the better 't is necessary that there be an union in it among all the subjects of the grand pretender or at least that those of the adverse opinion be so few and weake that they be not able to put an Armie into the field tolerations of Religion are most dangerous and surely should the King of England much exhaust his land forces to make a potent invasion upon the Spanish dominions the Iesuites would presently stirre up our Papists to call him backe againe for the stinting of a domestike rebellion for to be feared it is that though all our Recusants be the King of Englands subjects yet too many of them be the King of Spaines servants No sooner on the otherside did the French King this present yeare lead his Army over the Alpes into Italy but the Duke de Rohan thought it a fit opportunity for the Protestants to struggle for their liberty And therefore plainly as of all good causes Religion is the chiefe so in Religion there must be unitie and that makes it irresistable Finally as naturall bodies are best nourished by things of that nature and kinde whereof they consist even so that Empire which is gained or inlarged by Religion must ever be maintained by it T was therefore the old rule amongst the Conquerours to bring in their owne language lawes and religion among their new subjects The Romanes did this every where and the Norman did it in England The Spaniard indeed hath not much stood upon lawes and language but hath ever beene diligent for his Religion and though in the Palatinate he suffered some Protestant Ministers awhile to make the conquest the sweeter yet those being either dead or wearied out he never suffered another Protestant to succeed The diligence and fury of the Emperour for rooting out those of the Augustane confession in Bohemia c. may well confirme the truth of this observation The qualities of weapons and the order of discipline are important instruments of this martiall greatnesse Advantage of weapons is like good casting and strict discipline like skilfull playing both which must needs winne the game The Macedonians by their Pikes and the Romans by their Pyles the Parthians and English by their long bowes have still beene victorious The same thing doth engine and fortification The gunne hath brought all weapons to an equality that onely domineeres now Nothing resists it but the spade T is a weapon of terrible execution serviceable both by Sea and Land yet are not the slaughters made by the gunne any way comparable for numbers to those bloudy battels wonne by the sword The charges of this disables Princes from levying Armies equall for multitudes to the Ancient which now adayes beginne to be incredible Infinite were it to speake of the new invented engines and fire-workes and of the severall provisions to prevent them and whether after-ages shall invent a more terrible weapon than the gun is to us uncertaine which if it proves the Inventor gets incredible advantage Treasure is an advantage of great importance forasmuch as there is nothing more necessary in warres or of more use in peace By meanes hereof the Florentines became Lords of a great part of Tuscany they bought many Cities they freed themselves from the incursions of divers enemies they maintained the warres many yeares against the Pisans and against the prowesse of those peoples and the power of those Princes which did aid them and at the last brought that warre to good end By meanes hereof the Venetians made themselves Lords of a good part of Lumbardy and endured the forces of the King of Hungary the Arch-duke of Austria and of divers other Princes Whereby it appeareth that money worketh two notable effects to the augmentation and continuance of the greatnesse of kingdomes and estates The one to provide and gather forces and those being gotten to uphold and maintaine with supplies of Souldiers victuals munition and armes The other that it doth offer us opportunity if not to weaken and vanquish the enemy having gotten the
my Traveller will keep this Bird safe in his bosome he must neither be inquisitive after other mens Religions nor prompt to discover his owne For I hold him unwise who in a strange Countrey will either shew his minde or his money A true friend is as hard to finde as a Phenix of which the whole world affoords but one and therefore let not this my Traveller be so blinde as to thinke to finde him every where in his owne imagination Damon and Pithias Pilades and Orestes are all dead or else it is but a dead Story And therefore let him remember that Nature alters like humours and complexions every minute of an houre And as I would not have him to change so would I wish him to beware how he heare any thing repugnant thereto for as I have tied his tongue so must I stop his ears left they be open to the smooth incantations of an insinuating Seducer or the subtill arguments of a sophisticall adversarie To this effect I must precisely forbid him the fellowship or company of one sort of people in generall those are the lefuites underminers and inveiglers of greene wits seducers of men in matter of Faith and subverters of men in matter of State making of both a bad Christian and a worse Subject These men I would have my Traveller never heare except in the Pulpit for being eloquent they speake excellent language and being wise therefore best knowing how to speake to best purpose they seldome or never handle matter of controversie As for other orders of Religion Friers of Monkes or whatsoever let him use them for his bettering either in matter of language or other knowledge They are good companions they are not so dangerous they talke more of their cheere than of their Church of their feasts than their Faith of good wine than good workes of Curtisans than Christianitie The reason is because few of them are learned many carelesse in their profession almost all dissolute in their conversation I have excepted against the Persons I will now protest against the Places These are Rome Rhemes and Doway but these two last being out of all ordinary road of Travell I say he that goes that way goes doubly out of his way and shall neither have this discourse for his direction nor me for his companion Let me only say of Rome because it is the Seminary and Nursery of English Fugitives and yet a place most worthy to be seene vel antiquitatis causa vel novitatis that it is suspected of all knowne to many and proved by some to be dangerous that way Thus much of the Persons and Places have I noted hee that shall meet with others of like condition and danger let him see and shun It remameth I speake of bettering the minde by the knowledge and understanding of tongues for as for learning the liberall Sciences he hath much better meanes at home their manner of teaching and orders of Vniversities being farre inferiour to ours For the attaining therefore of Language it is convenient that he make choice of the best places These are Orleans for the French Florence for the Italian and Lipsicke for the Dutch tongues for in these places is the best Language spoken And as we observe a difference of speech in our Countrey of the North from the South and the West from both or as wee have learned of the Greeks that they had five severall kindes of Dialects so differ they infinitely in Germany but that of Misnia is the best where Lipsicke stands More in France where the Picard speakes one the Norman another the Eriâ—â—an his the Gascoigne his the Provenciall and Savoyard theirs the Inlanders theirs but of all these the Orleanois is the best As also in Italy the Roman hath one kinde of phrase and pronunciation the Neapolitan another the Venetian a third the Bergamasco a worse but the best of all is the Tuscan where Florence stands yet I prescribe not these places so precisely as that he may not live in others and learne the Language as well for in Tuscany Stena and Prato are some places where the speech is as good as that of Florence and more retired and of lesse charge therefore fitter for some whose proportion for expence is but small So have ye in Germany Heidleburge as good as Lipsick And in France Blois as good as Orleans Having made choice of the place his next care must be to make choice of a good Reader whereof he shall finde in Travell great scarcity Let good acquaintance or good fortune bring him to the best For were it that there were good Readers it were here needlesse to set downe a course of learning for hee might have a better direction from them But for the cause alleaged I will presume to advise him that the most compendious way of attaining the tongue whether French or Italian is by Booke I meane for the knowledge For as for the speaking he shall never attaine it but by continuall practice and conversation He shall therefore first learne his Nounes and Verbs by heart and specially the Articles and their uses with the 〈◊〉 words Sum and Habeo for in these consist the greatest observation of that part of speech Let not your Reader reade any Booke of Poetry and the first but some other kinde of Stile and I thinke meetest some moderne Comedie Let his Lecture consist more in questions and answers either of the one or the other than in the Readers continued speech for this is for the most part idle and fruitlesse by the other many errours and mistakings either in pronunciation or sense are reformed After three moneths he shall quit his Lectures and use his Master only to walke with and discourse first the one and then the other for thus shall be observe the right use of the phrase in his Reader heare his owne faults reproved and grow readie and prompt in his owne delivery which with the right straine of the accent are the two hardest things in language Privately hee may for his pleasure reade Poetry especially if at his returne hee meane to Court it but for his profit if hee be a man of meanes and likely hereafter to beare charge in his Countrey or if a man of endevours and willing to preferre himselfe by service I wish him to Historie If one that would make a fortune by the warres I commend him beside History to the Mathematicks discourses of warre and bookes of fortification To this Reading he must adde a continuall talking and exercising of his speech with all sorts of people with boldnesse and much assurance in himselfe for I have often observed in others that nothing hath more prejudiced their profiting than their owne diffidence and distrust To this I would have him adde an often writing either of matter of translation or of his owne invention where againe is requisite to the Readers eye to censure and correct for who so cannot write the language
them beautifull and commonly all painted and deceitfull except some few of rare worth which may bee the wonder of the country And therefore as you finde them so let them have their due honour For Germany you shall finde the Nobles and chiefe Gentlemen either great Schollers or valiant Souldiers rather resolute to gaine honour than proud of Authority their Cities strong and their Merchants very rich and their Countries well peopled For their Ladies and Gentlewomen by the grossenesse of their diet and too much delight in drinking and banquetting they are for the most part a corpulent kinde of people yet many of them strong and of bigge bone as we commonly say good bearers and good breeders The younger sort as well men as women very industrious and the elder sort rather politike than Religious their Lawes very severe and therefore the people in better order and obedience For Poland the Cities are strong and the people rather wise than wealthy the Gentlemen for the most part given to armes and the peasant in much subjection to the Gentry The Merchant rather covetous than honourable and the Schollers rather beloved than advanced the women indifferent faire and better witted than spoken the old men studious and the younger sort seldome idle little given to drinke and as little accounting of honour except it be in the field For the Low-countries and Denmarke you shall finde them much to agree in nature but that Denmarke will admit a King which I finde not willing in the Low-countries Their Magistrates are rather wise by experience than by study and the Souldier fitter for the Sea than the field Denmarke is governed by the Kings law set downe but the Low-countries have divers formes of Government in a manner according to the disposition of the States and Governours much given to drinke and yet serving their times politike in their government their old men wise and covetous their young men thrifty and industrious and their Merchant very ambitious For their religious thinke of them as you finde them I have seene them much reverenced and well maintained And as for their Ladies they are wittie and of a good complexion for the most paâ—â— many of them are very faire and much given to honour vertue rather neat than proud in their attire very kinde where they take affection The Muscovite is proud stately malicious and those which be slaves are slaves indeed especially when their Emperour or Lord controlleth Superstitious tending almost to idolatry jealous as having many wives and bad performers of promise nor must you challenge him of the same for the good which floweth from him commeth commonly from the fountaine of free will Their women are very private fearefull to offend but once lascivious intolerably wanton beastly idle and ill attended The Greeks are merry lyers blasphemers promise-breakers buggers strong membred and blacke haired Their women are stately comely of person proud without doores no lovers of dalliance yet desirous of the company of men cleanly in washing and shaving themselves whom the Italians imitate as also doe the East hot Countries by reason the company of many men may grow otherwise to great inconvenience mercenary fantasticall in apparell and loving those who speake their language The Turke is a warlike proud man a scorner of other Nations and languages no idle talker or doer of any thing superfluous a judiciall sound fellow hot and venerious comely of person majesticall in gate a slave to his Emperour and a lover of Mahomets race and Religion Their women small of stature for the most part of good complexions and not to be seene or spoken to abroad jealous revengefull when they have opportunity lascivious within doores or in their baths very pleasing in matters of incontinency and cleanly The Persian is lordly in his complement rather fantasticall than curious in his apparell yet sumptuous and in his expences magnificent maintainers of Nobility lovers of learning and good qualities fearfull of troubles desirous of peace and superstitious in his Religion Their women gorgeous in attire with high Tiaras and veiles like the Sultaneses amongst the Turks long sitters at feasts delightsome in sequestration of pleasure as beginning with a modest shamefulnesse but ere you have concluded delicately wanton cleanly in much washing but withall using perfumes and odours loving truly and desirous to be preferred in the first place of her husbands affection For hauing many wives they are desirous to please The Armenians are very merry sluttish carelesse of greatnesse desiring peace and ease though it tend to slavery and bondage having great bodies comely and willing to be soothed in any thing Their women tall and not faire soone old poore loving their children and incontinent The Tartars are swartish illfavoured with a great thick lip flattish nose carelesse of outward ornaments swift on foot vigilant laborious warlike yet loving presents and desirous to be much made of their women sutable only wanting or scorning money they will bedecke themselves like the people of Virginia with gewgaies of copper and latton about their armes and necks The Moore is comely of body stately of gate of sufficient constitution to endure any worke or travell implacable in hatred treacherous tumultuous and superstitious Their women have delicate soft skins sumptuous in jewels odors and perfumes incontinent good bed-fellowes in the darke beautifull in blacknesse and revengefull yet being bought a slave extraordinary loving to their masters so they be well pleased and used accordingly but being once got with childe they expect manumission according to the custome of the Mahometan Law The Savoyen is penurious foolish and ill-nurtured yet doe the better sort imitate the Spanish pride and by reason of his neighbour-hood to France and Millane are reasonable good Souldiers and the better enabled by the hardnesse of the mountaines The women are strangely apparelled ill-favoured scolding must be discommended and for the most part wenny that is having great bunches under their chinnes with drinking snow water like the Helvetians and 13. Cantons The Switzer is strange in his attire yet not transgressing the limits of his inheritance have great bodies and are mercenary as performing what he is commanded and one that best approveth of his owne Country and habit even preferring his owne snowy hils and coldnesse before the fertillest places of Lumbardy Their women are honest somewhat better favoured than the Savoyen ill brought up plaine dealers and so loveth her husband or friend that she will goe with him to the campe and dresse his meat As for the Kingdomes of Saca Bactriae Sogdiana and many like Nations invironing the East and South of the Caspian I meane not to relate of because I finde the best Authors unacquainted with their properties and discoveries The Armenians report them to be tyrannous their chiefe exercise to be rapine and murthering of passengers without forme of government or controll of superiours
Which done they flie to the mountaines and in despight of any forces continue unsubjected howsoever unpunished And therefore since I have deciphered the persons let me in a word advise thee of their properties that is to take heed of the pride of Spaine the poyson of Italy the treason of France and the drinke of Flanders Beware of company and let not rash trust in friendship produce matter of fruitlesse repentance Remember that Damon and Pithias Pilades and Orestes are all dead or else it is but a dead story Nature alters like humours and complexions every minute of an houre And should I not speake too much to the worlds shame I would advise thee to thinke that there is no one man faithfull to another in the world And therefore in this dangerous age since every man is neerest and onely neere unto himselfe and hee is held the onely wise man who hath the world at most command let no man so presume of his owne sufficiency as to neglect the benefit of counsell Take a young man for thy companion rather than for thy friend The world affordeth but one Phenix and let not any man be so conceited as to thinke to finde him in his owne imagination Serve God with devotion and then care not for the devils illusion When thou returnest from these forren men and forren places resolve then also to leave their forren manners First come home to thy selfe and then fashion thy carriage thy apparell thy studies thy conscience and thy conversation to the best patterne of the place from whence at first with good intent thou began'st thy pilgrimage So shall the remembrance of thy travell be pleasant the profit infinite and thy returne an ornament to King and Country THE SECOND BOOKE Of Europe The Commendations Bounds Religions and Languages of it IT now remaineth that I beginne to tell you how according to our best and latest Cosmographers this great Globe for parts and parcels whereof so great and universall quarrels have from the beginning beene entertained amongst Princes Peoples and Nations hath beene divided into seven parts The first three whereof viz. Europe Africa and Asia were knowne to the Ancients The fourth is America Septentrionalis containing the Provinces of Estotilant Terra de Labrador Terra de Biccaleos Nova Francia Norimbega Florida Nova Hispania and others The fifth is America Meridionalis which is a peneinsula and disjoyned from the former by a small Isthmus or necke of Land containing the Regions of Brasil Tisnada Caribana Peguana and Peruvia The sixt is termed Terra Australis wherein lieth Psitaicorum regio Terra del feugo Beach Lucach and Maletur situate betweene Iava major and Iava minor The last being under the Northerne Pole is the least of the residue all almost unknowne and divided by Mercator upon a meere fabulous report of one that was never there into foure Islands lying in a manner under the very Pole This part hath not hitherto beene discovered the neerest approach that any man of Europe ever yet made to the North Pole was by one Marmaduke who in a ship of Hull arrived in 82. degrees that is no neerer than within 8. whole degrees of the Pole mountaines of Ice keeping him from discovering further Of all these seven parts because Europe is farrelesse than any of the rest and yet exceedeth them all in Noblenesse Magnificence multitude of people in might puissance and renowne we will first beginne with the description thereof It is bounded on the North with the North Ocean Sea on the South with the Mediterranean on the East with the floud Tanais and on the West with the West Ocean It containeth more than foure and twenty Christian Kingdomes at this day as farre excelling the residue of the Provinces in Religion Arts Valour and Civilitie as in elder age it did surpasse them in Prowesse and Reputation The principall Provinces are Spaine France Belgia Germany Italy Sclavonia Greece Hungary Poland Lituania Moscovia and that toward the North called Scandia wherein are Denmarke Norwey Swethland Iutland c. The Islands are Brittaine containing the Kingdomes of England and Scotland Ireland Island and Engroneland in the North Ocean In the Mediterranean are Sicilie Candia Corsica Sardinia Majorca Minorca Nigropont Malta Corsu Salamine Mitâ—lene Sciros with many other in the Archipelago The aire hereof is passing good wholesome temperate and soile exceeding fertile Therein are many goodly Cities famous Mart-Townes and learned Vniversities The people thereof have in all ages excelled all other Regions in Courage Arts sharpnesse of Wit and all other gifts of Nature In times past it commanded Asia and Afrike by the Armes of the Greeks and Romans and at this day it is of great force by the power of the Turks and Muscovites and of no lesse reputation by the Navigations of the English Dutch Spaniards and Portugals so as it seemeth that Nature hath given unto this people a precedency to rule and governe forren Provinces as men farre surpassing all other Nations in wisdome courage industry and invention This least and best part of the greater portions of the world was so named of Europa daughter of Agenor King of Phoenicia brought into these parts by Iupiter in honour of whom the Phoenicians being the first Navigators and discoverers of these countries might as well leave her name to all their new discoveries the habits manners and languages of these parts especially at those times being all one or not much different as the Turks Aethiopians and all those of the East call us by one name of Franks and the Kingdomes of France England Spaine Germanies c. are in the histories of the warres of the Holy Land all together called the Kingdome of the Franks our Languages the Franke tongue and our Religion the Franks Religion The figure of Europe is fancied to resemble a Queene and so is she indeed of all the world her Princes having some dominion or other in all parts of the world and they none in her The Crowne and Head of this Queene is Spaine her Necke must bee that part of France under the Pyrenaean mountaines her Brest France it selfe her Armes Italy and Brittaine her Belly Germany her Navell Bohemia the rest of her Body hidden under her lower garments are Denmarke Sweden Lituania Prussia Poland Hungaria Dalmatia Grecia Moldavia Tartary and Muscovia This Queene at this day commands 28 Kingdomes all gathered up by three Emperours the German Turke and Muscovite and eight Kings France England and Spaine hereditarie Bohemia Hungaria Poland Denmarke and Sweden elective Princes States and Common-wealths in Italy and the Germanies many and potent some one of them Venice or the Low Countries by name too hard a match for the most potent Prince of Asia or Africa could they but come at him For Riches we have the most usefull and substantiall for goodly Cities Italy alone hath more than Asia Africa and America all together if other parts have any fortified townes thye here saw
Kings of England doe elect their Magistrates and Officers as the Cities and townes of England doe In England the ancientest Earles of Ireland do give precedency to the Earleâ— of England for that they have no voice in the Parliament of England neither hath the Nobility of England any voyce or prerogative in the Parliaments of Ireland so Irishmen borne are denizens by birth in England and may beare Office and inherit lands in England as experience teacheth without charters of denization as Englishmen are and doe in Ireland And so Irishmen pay onely such customes and duties in England as Englishmen doe and ought The Wards of the Nobilitie are disposed of by the King and of inferiour persons by the Viceroy and certaine of the Councell there according to their Commission Even so titles of honours lands and offices are usually granted by the Kings of England under the great seale of England or Ireland according to pleasure The incivility wherewith this so goodly a kingdome hath beene much branded hath chiefly arisen from want of education and learning And secondly for that the Country aboundeth with idle men having no trade whereupon to live which onely abuse hath incouraged rebellion the Ring-leaders not doubting to bee followed by these swarmes of dissolute persons ready to take armes upon any occasion for desire of spoile But verily sithence that now of late the King of Peace and Pietic hath wiped away all distrust of former neglects by his continuall industry to plant Religion and Arts to re-people the wasted Provinces and to extirpate the innated idlenesse of the worst bred Irish there is no question under God to be made but that this beautifull Island being so neere a neighbour so fruitfull in soile so rich in pasture more than credible beset with so many woods inriched with so many Minerals watred with so many Rivers invironed with so many Havens lying fit and commodious for Navigation into most wealthy Countries will in time prove profitable to the Church advantagâ—ous to the Prince pleasing to the Inhabitants and comparable to any the best and civillest kingdomes of the Christian Common-weale Great Brittaine THe whole Island of Brittaine once divided now re-united under the name of the kingdome of Great Brittaine is an Island situated in the maine Ocean over against France and divided into foure great Provinces The first whereof the Englishmen doe inhabit the second the Scots the third the Welshmen and the last the Cornishmen Every one of those doe differ from other either in language in manners or in customes England so termed of the Englishmen the Inhabitants thereof is by much the greater and goodlier portion and divided into nine and twenty Provinces which they terme Shires Of the which ten doe make the prime part of the Kingdome and inclining towards the South have their existence betweene the Thames and the Sea Next as farre as the Trent which runneth thorow the middest of England are sixteene other Shires proportioned whereof the first six lie towards the East and the other ten lie more to the Inland other six border upon Wales and are bounded towards the West About the heart of the Kingdome lie Darbishire Yorkeshire Lancashire and Cumberland And upon the left hand inclining towards the West Westmerland Vpon the contrary side lie Durham and Northumberland Provinces opposed to the North and sometime appertaining to the Crowne of Scotland These Shires are two wayes divided first into six circuits parted among the Iudges who twice a yeare goe over them for the holding of Assises Secondly into two Archbishopricks Canterbury who hath two and twenty Bishoprickes under his Province and Yorke who hath three in his These are by the Grecians termed Dioceses and take their denominations from the Cities wherein the Bishops have their Seas the chiefe whereof is London and was once the seat of an Archbishop now translated unto Canterbury This prime part upon the East and the South is bounded with the Ocean upon the West with Wales and Cornwall upon the North with Tweed the bounder also of England and Scotland At this River of Tweed endeth the length thereof which being accounted to beginne at the Shore which lieth most Southerly is from thence reckoned to containe about three hundred and twenty miles On this side the Humber it is accounted the fertilest for corne beyond mountainous but excellent for herbage For albeit to one that beholdeth it afarre off it seemeth all champiâ—n notwithstanding it hath many hils and those for the most part destitute of wood as also most pleasant vallies wherein especially the Gentlemen have their mansions who according to their old customes dwell not in Townes but approach the Vallies and Rivers and inhabit the Villages as I thinke the better to avoid the furie of tempestuous winds whereunto the Island is sometime subject Wherby it commeth to passe that the Yeomen conversing with the Gentry doe in every place savour of some good fashion and the Vpland Cities are the lesse famoused The land generally is exceeding fertile and plentifull in beasts whereby it commeth to passe that the English people are more addicted unto Grazing than unto Tillage so that almost the third part of the soile is reserved rather for Cattell Deere Conies and Goats a for of this sort also there is great store in Wales And in every Shire you shall see Parkes impaled and Forrests replenished with these beasts in the hunting whereof the Nobility and Gentry doe much delight there being more Parks in England than in all Europe besides For provision of the Inhabitants neither is it lesse stored with corne wilde fowle and fish so that for plenty goodnesse and sweetnesse it needeth neither the helpe of France no nor of any neighbour-bordering Country Among other things the flesh especially of their Swine Oxen and Veales have the best rellish of any part of Christendome and of Fish their Pike and Oysters It bringeth not forth Mules nor Asses but of Horse for pace the best in the world and of those infinite proportions for service running and coursing The wealth hereof consisteth in the never-decaying Mines of Tinue and Lead of Copper Iron and Coales On the Downes groweth a small and tender kinde of grasse neither dunged nor watred with spring or river but in Winter nourished with the moisture of the aire and in Summer with the dew of Heaven which is so gratefull and pleasing to the Sheepe that it causeth them to beare fleeces of singular goodnesse and exceeding finenesse The Island breedeth no Wolves nor any other ravening beast and therefore these their flockes wander night and day by Hils Dales and Fields as well inclosed as common without feare or danger Most delicate Cloths are woven of this Wooll which from thence are transported in great abundance into Germany Poland Denmarke Sweveland Italy Turkie and the Indies where they are in high request There grow all sorts of pulse great store of Saffron yea infinite quantities of
first stroke loseth her sting and can hurt no more He sheweth this his lightnesse and inconstancie not only in matters of service and warre but also even in other his actions and carriages But in nothing more than in his familiarity with whom a stranger cannot so soone be off his herse but he will be acquainted nor so soone in his chamber but the other like an Ape will be on his shoulder and as suddenly and without cause ye shall lose him also A childish humour to be won with as little as an Apple lost with lesse than a Nut Quite contrary to the nature of the Italian of whom ye shall in your travell observe that he is of too fullen and retired a fashion and a loupgarou as the Frenchman cals him wherein I would wish you to observe the vertue of the Englishman for vertue is a mediocrity betweene two extremes who is neither so childishly and â—pishly familiar as the French nor so scornfully and Cyaâ—â—ally solitary as the other So are we in matter of Duell and private quarrell in a 〈◊〉 me thinks betwene these two Nations for we are 〈◊〉 to devillishly mind fall of reâ—eâ—ge a notarry seven or â—â—n yeares for an opportunity upon our enemy as doth the Italian not so inconsiderately hasty as we must needs either fight to day or be friends tomorrow as doth the French Of the French carriage and manage of a quarrell how childish and ridiculous it is I have seene two or three examples wherein the parties have neither shewed judgement to know their owne right nor valour to revenge their wrong whereas the English Gentleman with mature deliberation disputeth how farre his honour is ingaged by the injury offered and judiciously determineth his manner of satisfaction according to the quality of the offence which done he presently imbarketh himselfe into the action according to the prescription of the old rule Post quam consulueris mature opus est facto wise resolutions should be speedily executed I will here remember you of one other instance more wherein our Country-men keepe the golden meane betweene the two extremes of defect and excesse and wherein these two Nations of Italy and France are culpable and here worthily to be taxed Wee may say of the Italian who maketh his house his wives prison as Plutarch saith of the Persians They are by nature strangely and cruelly jealous of their Women not onely of their Wives but also of their Slaues and Concubines whom they guard so strainly that they are neuer seene abroad but remaine alwayes locked up in their houses Whereas the French liberty on the other side is too much for here a man hath many occasions offered upon any small entrance to come acquainted and upon every least acquaintance to enter where he may come to her house accompany her arme in arme in the streets court her in all places and at all leasons without impâ—tation Wherein me thinks the French married man doth as Plutarch reports of Pericles take away the Wals and fences of his Orchards and Gardens to the end every man might freely enter and gather fruit at his pleasure No marvell then the bridle being left in their owne hands though sometimes they be saddled and their Husbands know not You may observe therefore that in this matter of Wedlocke also the English use is better than either the Italian or French It is also naturall to the French to be a great scoffer for men of light and unsteady braines have commonly sudden and sharpe conceits Hereto also their language well agreeth as being currant and full of proverbs to which purpose I will remember you of two answers not long since made by two Frenchmen wherein you may observe how little esteeme they hold of the Roman Religion in heart though they make profession thereof in shew The one of these being very fâ—ke and as was thought in danger of death his ghostly father comes to him with his Corpus Domini and tels him that hearing of the extremity wherein hee was hee had brought him his Saviour to comfort him before his departure The sicke Gentleman with-drawing the curtaine and seeing there the fat lubberly Fryer with the Host in his hand answereth I know it is our Saviour he comes to me as he went to Ierusalem Câ— est vn asne qui le porte He is carried by an Asse The other Gentleman upon like danger of sicknesse having the Frier come to him to instruct him in the Faith and after to give him the Host and the extreme unction it was on a Friday told him that he must beleeve that this Corpus Domini which he brought was the very reall flesh bloud and bone of our Saviour Which after the sicke man had freely confessed the Frier offered it him to receive for his comfort Nay quoth the other You shall excuse me for Iâ— eat no flesh on Fridayes So that yee see the French will rather lose his God than his good jest The French humour also faith one Cannot away with patience vid modesty And therefore another saith of him that he is as shamefast and modest As a Page of the Court. Or as Hiperbolus who Plutarch saith for his boldnesse and faucie impudency was the onely subject in his time for all Satyricks and Comedians to worke upon He is also such a one as Theophrastus cals immundus uncleanly Who being leprous and scabby and wearing long unpared nailes thrusts himselfe into company and sayes those diseases come to him by kinde for both his Father and his Grand-father were subject unto them He is loquax Talkative who had rather seeme more chatting than a Swallow than hold his peace so willing is he to make himselfe ridiculous With which people it is strange yee shall talke all day and yet at night not remember whereof he hath talked such multiplicity of words he hath and so idle is the matter whereof he treateth Hee is also Iâ—tâ—mpestâ—vus unseasonably troublesome Who 〈◊〉 to his friend fâ—â—ll of businesse will give him counâ—â—â— before hee have imparted the maâ—â—er unto him Of which kinde of people Theophrasrus bids us beware where he saith If you will not bee troubled with a sit of an Agâ—e you must runne as fast as your legs can carry you from such kinde of men for it is very troublesome living with fellowes that cannot distinguish the seasons of leasure and affaires He is Microphilotimos that is proud of trifles Who if he have sacrificed an Oxe useth to naile up the head and hornes at his gate that all that come to him may take notice that he hath kild an Oxe And if hee bee to pay forty shillings will be sure to pay it in new-coined money This is he that comes to the Tennis-Court throwes his purse full of coine at the line which giveth a found as if there were no lesse than thirty or forty crounes whenas sometimes by mischance we have discovered that it was nothing
it is well knowne but at this day it is Turkish and without any famous Cities save in a peece of Albania In it is nothing memorable but the Mount Athos or the holy Mount It is 75. miles in compasse three dayes journey long and halfe a dayes journey broad resembling the shape of a man lying with his face upward whose highest Cone alwayes covered with snow is seene thirtie miles off at Sea It is exceeding fertile in Grasse Fruit Oyle and Wine Long agoe it was dedicated in honour of Saint Basile to the Greeke Caloieri and endowed with privileges which at this day it enjoyeth by the Turkes good favour that is to say that no man neither Grecian nor Turke may inhabit in this place except he be a Priest So that their number in these dayes are about six thousand dispersed into twentie and foure Monasteries ancient and warlike so built for feare of theeves and pyrats although there be no such great cause In these Monasteries are many relickes which cause great concourse of people and they are stately built and richly adorned This hill is in as great request with the Grecians for their sanctimonious strictnesse of life as is Rome with the Latines yea the Turks themselves doe send hither many bountifull almes None of them live idly but must doe somewhat and so doe daily for the oeconomike of the house as to dresse Vines fell Timber yea to build ships and such like mechanicall labours They are poorely clad like Hermits neither weare they shirts of Linnen but Woollen and them they spin and sow themselves never giving themselves to studie and that more is many of them can neither write nor read And yet notwithstanding if any man have occasion to journey by their houses he shall if he please finde viands scot-free according to his calling Epyre now Albania was once a very famous Province as witnesseth P. Aemilius It had in it seventie Cities now destroyed and turned into ruines or Villages meanly inhabited For the most part it is woodie and barren but neere the sea fertile and adorned with very beautifull havens Achaia is a very goodly Region as may be gathered by the goodly Cities which therein once flourished viz. Delphos Thebes Athens Megara many moe now destroyed So is Peloponnesus termed by Plinie the bulwarke of Greece It yeeldeth all things that man can desire either for life or pleasure And although the ancient Cities be now defaced yet is it for quantitie the best peopled part of Greece It is now under the Turke and counted the best Sangiak-ship in Turkie as bound to bring at the commandment of the Beglerbeg of Greece one thousand horsemen under his owne pay It is worth yearely fourteene Ducats The Ilands adjoyning unto these large continents I will not discourse of for as they are diverse in worth and estimation so are they many in number and for the most part not worthy relation Dalmatia is at this day divided into Sclavonia Dalmatia and Albania Sclavonia lieth upon the West Albania upon the East and in the middle Dalmatia In all fertilitie it is as good as Italy Of a Countrie first wasted by Caesar Augustus secondly by the Gothes thirdly by the Turkes and at this day shared amongst three such Lords as are the Venetians the Turke and the Emperour it may be said to be reasonable well inhabited And so it is having many fine Cities in it as Iadera Ragusa c. Howbeit that part which is subject to the Turke lieth almost desart by reason of their continuall inrodes Bossina or Maesia superior is also a parcell of Illyria and erected into a Turkish Beglerbeg-ship having under it nine Sangiaks Servia now Rascia lieth between Bosnia and Bulgaria it was taken by the Turke 1438. and reduced into a Sangiak-ship under the Beglerbeg of Buda Bulgaria which some take for the lower Maesia is so famous a Province that the Turkish Emperour hath erected it for the cheife Seat of the Beglerbeg of Europe under whose command are twentie and one Sangiaks Valachia containeth the two Provinces of Moldavia and Transalpina Valachia is a plaine and fertile Countrey smally inhabited and destitute of fire-wood but stored with excellent Horse Cattell and Mines of Gold and Silver if the people durst dig them for feare of the Turkes It is 500. miles long and 120. broad It hath one Archbishop and two Bishops and is more populous than Moldavia They speake both one language being almost halfe Italian This Countrey and Moldavia are plagued with three bad neighbours viz. the Turkes the Tartars and the Cassoks They follow the Greeke Church and in matters of Religion obey the Patriarch of Constantinople They are the same which in ancient times were called Daci The Turks have often attempted with their mightiest powers to have made a small conquest of these Provinces but they have hitherto bin valiantly resisted and repulsed partly by the Natives and partly by the Polonians Transylvanians and the Cassoks in dislike of each others bad neighbourhood Yet is it tributarie to the Grand Seignior and payeth him yearely twentie foure thousand Chechini Moldavia being in a manner round is almost 300. English miles over every way It hath two Archbishopricks and two Bishopricks and is exceeding fertile in Corne Wine Grasse and Wood. It affordeth great plentie of Beefe and Mutton and therwith feedeth Polonia a great part of Germanie the populous citie of Constantinople A great fat Oxe in this Country is valued but at thirtie shillings a Sheepe at three shillings The tenth whereof which of duty is yearely payed to the Prince amounteth to 150000. The Clergie and Gentrie for they alwayes can make best shift for themselves contribute no parcell hereof It hath a small River passing thorow the Country and falleth into Danubius neere unto Gallatz called Pruta the water whereof as also of Danubius is unwholsome to drinke for it causeth the body to swell In 1609. certaine English Gentlemen travelling 240. miles in this Country could meet but with nine Towns and Villages in all the way and yet for above a hundred miles space together the Grasse groweth at least one yard high and rotteth every yeare upon the ground for want of Cattell and manurance On the East it hath the black Sea on the West Podalia on the North the Tartars and on the South the Danubie and the Country of Bulgaria It payeth yearely unto the Great Turke by way of Tribute 3200. Chechini besides one thousand horses sent yearely unto Constantinople for a present from both these Princes of Moldavia and Valachia It also payeth tribute to the Polander but how much I cannot shew you Therin dwell many Armenians Iewes Hungarians Saxons and Ragusians who forestall the whole traffick in those parts bartering their Corne and Wine into Russia and Polonia and their Skins Wax Hony powdered Beefe Butter and Pulse into Constantinople The Malmesey likewise which is
twenty stations and the fourth last at Balsara in the Persian gulfe consisting of fifteene Gallies and these two last under the charges of the Beglerbegs of Balsara and Cairo In the time of Selâ—mus we reckoned one million and three hundred thirty three thousand Christian soules to live within his Dominions not accounting those that enjoyed freedome of conscience by privilege nor those that then were subject to the Aegyptian Sultan whom the said Selimus vanquished The Iewes likewise live dispersed over his whole Dominions in such infinite numbers that scarce no Towne nor Village but is very populously replenished with their families speaking divers languages and using the trade of Merchandize in royall and rich fashion A people scattered over the face of the earth hated by all men amongst whom they live yet of incredible patience as subjecting themselves to times and to whatsoever may advance their profit worldly wise and thriving wheresoever they set footing Men of indifferent statures and best complexions Those that live in Christendome are the relikes only of the tribes of Iuda and Benjamin the other ten some say are lost Others that they be in India or driven by Salmanasser into the extreme parts of the North. Their owne Country after the expulsion of the Aegyptian Sultans by Selimus at this day is adjoyned unto the Crowne of the Ottoman Empire being governed by divers Sanziacks all under the Bassa of Damasco It is now inhabited by Moores and Arabians Those possessing the vallies these the mountaines Of Turkes there be some few of Greekes many with other Christians of all sects and Nations especially of such as impute an adherent holinesse to the place Those Iewes that live here are not proprietors of any land therein but live as strangers and aliens and pay their duties to their Lords The Arabians are said to be descended from Ismael dwelling in tents and removing their aboads according to opportunity of prey or benefit of pasturage not worth the conquering nor can they be conquered retiring to places inaccessible for Armies A Nation from the beginning unmixed with others boasting of their Nobility and this day hating all mechanicall Sciences They hang about the skirts of the inhabited Countries and having robbed retire with wonderfull celerity They are of meane stature raw-boned tawny having feminine voices of a swift and noislesse pace being behinde you and upon you before you bee aware Their Religion if any Mahumetisme their Language extending as farre as their Religion Yet if any one of them undertake that conduct he will performe it faithfully not any of the Nation offering to molest you Then will they lead you by unknowne waies farther in foure dayes than a man can travell by Caravan in fourteene Persia. PErsia and the Persian glory hath beene often obscured First by the Arabians who to bury in oblivion the memory of former reputation enacted by Law according to the custome of Conquerours that the people should no more be called Persians but Saracens Secondly by the Tartarians led by Chingâ—s And lastly by Tamerlan and his followers But not long before the daies of our Ancestors by the vertue of Ismael Sophy of whose originall and fortunes for the better understanding of this History it will not bee amisse to discourse the King some might truly have beene said to have recovered its ancient splendour if the Turkish depredations upon the Natives had not through bloud and devastation inforced this Ismael to re-people the Country with Tartars Turcomans Courdines and the scumme of all Nations who though they live in a better Country yet doe they nothing resemble the ancient and noble descended Persians but at this day retaine the inheritance of their bad trecherous and vilde dispositions When Mahumet after the decease of his first wife who adopted him her heire by her riches and his new superstition had gotten him a name amongst the vulgar he married for his second wife Aissa the daughter of one Ahubacer a great rich man and of high authority in those quarters By this mans continuance and the friendship of Oman and Ottomar his kinsmen hee gathered together a great rabble of Arabians and partly by faire meanes and partly by colour of Religion he became Master of many bordering Territories and also about the same time gave Fatime his Daughter by his first Wife to Halie his Cousin and to him after his death all his earthly substance making him the head of his superstition with the title of Caliph Abubacer by whose countenance Mahumet became gracious taking in ill part the preferment of the young man by the aide of Omar and Ottomar whose desires wholly built upon hope of succession by reason of the old mans yeares and for kindred sake were inclined rather to see Abubacer than Halie to bee their Caliph beganne openly to resist Halie and to spoile him and his wife Fatime of all the substance which was left them by the Uncle Abubacer died Omar and Ottomar succeeded Omar was slaine by a slave Ottomar in a private quarrell after whose death Halie succeeded Against him rose Mavie who accusing him as accessary to the death of Ottomar his Lord caused him to be slain neere Caffa a City within two daies journey of Babylon where likewise he lieth buried The place is called to this day Massadel that is the house of Halie After his decease the Inhabitants of Caffa proclaimed Ossan the son of Fatime Caliph but him likewise Mavie opposed and flew by poison Then was he absolute Caliph and after him his sonne Iazit Ossan left behinde him twelve sonnes one whereof was called Mahumet Mahadin The Moores say he never died but that hee shall returne againe to convert the world and therefore they keepe alwaies ready in the Mosque of Massadella a horse gallantly furnished where in their foppery they affirme that this worlds conversion shall first begin Upon these differents of Halie Abubacer Omar Ottomar and Mavie have mighty factions of armes and opinions arisen amongst the sectaries of this new superstition The Persians labour to prove Halie true Caliph by the last Will of Mahumet the Arabians stand as stifly to the three first When from the yeare of our Lord God 1258. to the yeare 1363. the Moores had no Caliph Mustapha Mumbala the last Caliph being slaine by Alcu King of the Tartarians a certaine Nobleman in Persia named Sophi Lord of Ardevel deriving his pedegree from Halie by Musa Ceresin his Nephew and one of the twelve sonnes of Ossan in memory of whom he altered the forme of the Turbant by his vertue and valour won great credit and estimation to his new faction To him succeeded Adar the sonne of Guine to whom Assembeg a powerfull Prince in Syria and Persia gave his daughter in marriage But his sonne Iacob-beg fearing the power and estimation of Adar caused him to be slaine and delivered his two sons Ismael and Soliman to his Captaine Amanzar willing him to cast them in prison in Zaliga a Castle in