of the situation of Utrecht in the Low-Countries Utrecht in the Low-Countries is so situated that one may go to what Town hee please of fifty that lye round about it in one day And in a Summers day if one go early from Utrecht he may dine at any one of twenty six Towns where he pleaseth and return to his own house to Supper Idem p. 200. Trajan built a Bridge over the River Ister or Danow containing twenty Arches each Arch being one hundred and fifty foot high sixty thick and one hundred and seventy foot distant one from another So that the whole length of it was four thousand seven hundred and seventy feet which was almost a mile long The River was very deep and swift and the bottome not firm ground neither could the stream be diverted any other way all which made the work farre more difficult and admirable Ancus Martius the fourth King of Rome built a woodden Bridge over the River Tybur yet without nails or pins so that in times of war it might be taken down Afterwards Aemilius the Consul built it of stone And Lastly Antoninus Pius the Emperor built it of Marble FINIS Soli Deo Gloria A TABLE OF THE Principal things contained IN THE Geographical part of this Book A General description of Asia Page 1. A more particular description of it Page 3. Cappadocia described Page 3. Galatia described Page 3. Pontus and Bithinia described Page 3. Paphlagonia described Page 4. Asia propria described Page 4. Phrygia major described Page 4. Phrygia minor described Page 4. Jonia described Page 5. Doris described Page 5. Pamphilia described Page 5. Armenia minor described Page 5. Canaan described Page 5. Galilee described Page 6. Samaria described Page 7. Syria described Page 12. Persian Empire described Page 14. Armenia major described Page 22. Media described Page 23. Parthia described Page 24. Hircania described Page 24. Arabia described Page 24. Tartaria described Page 25. Cyprus described Page 27. Rhodes described Page 28. Malabar described Page 28. Zeilan described Page 29. Coromandel described Page 30. Socotera described Page 31. Narsinga described Page 32. Malacca described Page 33. Siam described Page 33. Pegu described Page 35. Sumatra described Page 36. Java major described Page 36. Celebes Islands described Page 37. Molucco Islands Bandaneza's Islands Borneo Japan Page 37. China described Page 38. Industan described Page 43. Bengala described Page 49. Cambaia described Page 50. Philippine Islands described Page 50. Mauritius Island described Page 51. A general description of Affrica Page 51. Affrican Islands described Page 54. A more particular description of Affrica Page 54. Egypt described Page 54. Barbary described Page 61. Tunis described Page 62. Algier described Page 62. Fesse and Morocco described Page 63. Numidia and Libia described Page 65. Land of Negroes described Page 66. Country of the Mandingos described Page 67. Aethiopia inferior described Page 69. Aian described Zandzibar described Cafraria described Page 69. Cape of Good Hope described Page 69. Sofala described Page 71. Monomopata described Page 71. Congo or Manicongo described Page 71. Loango described Page 72. Aethiopia superior described Page 73. Islands in the Red-sea described Page 76. Madagascar described Page 77. Mohelia described Page 78. St. Hellens Island described Page 78. St. Thomas Island described Page 78. Princes Island described Page 79. Cape verde described Page 79. Maio Island described Page 79. Canary Islands described Page 80. Malta described Page 87.80 A general Description of Europe Page 81. The Islands in Europe described Page 84. Samothracia described Lemnos described Page 84. Lesbos described Chios described Euboea described Sporades described Cyclades described Crete described Page 85. Cythera described Strophades described Zant. described Echidnades described Cephalenia described Corfu described Scicily described Page 86. Corsica described Sardinia described Page 87. Majorca described Minorca described Cales described Page 88. England described Page 88. Wales described Page 106. Scotland described Page 106. Ireland described Page 108. Isle of Man described Page 111. Azores Islands described Page 111. Spain described Page 112. Portugal described Page 115. Pirenean Mountaines described Page 116. France described Page 116. The Alps described Page 121. Italy described Page 121. The Roman Triumphs described Page 129. Belgia or the Netherlands described Page 138. Germany described Page 142. Switzerland described Page 144. Bohemia described Page 146. Denmark described Page 148. Norway described Page 149. Swethland described Page 150. Muscovy described Page 151. The State of the Emperor described Page 153. The Permians and Samoeds described Page 154. Lapland described Page 154. Poland described Page 155. Hungary described Page 157. Dacia described Page 157. Sclavonia described Page 158. Greece described Page 158. Peloponesus described Page 159. Achaia described Page 160. Epirus described Albania described Macedonia described Thessaly described Page 161. Migdonia described Thracia described Page 162. The Turkish Empire described Page 166. America described Page 169. Mexico or New Spain described Page 171. Quivira described Nova Albion described Florida described Virginia described Page 172. Florida more fully described Page 173. Peruana and the Countryes therein described Page 174. Magellanick Streights described Page 180. American Islands described Page 180. Jamica described Cuba described Bermudae described Page 182. Hispaniola described Page 183. Newfound-land described Page 184. New-Scotland described Page 185. Groenland described Page 185. Spaniards cruelty to the poor Indians Page 186. Examples of the wonderful works of God in the Creatures Page 191. Of strange Stones Page 191. A moving hill Page 192. ex 8. Merlins Cave Page 192. ex 9. Earth turning wood into stone Page 192. ex 10. Wood and stones with Lozenges in them Page 193. ex 13. Stones with stars in them Page 193. ex 14.17 Burning Mountains Page 193. ex 15. Of a City petrified Page 193. Of strange Trees Hearbs Plants and Gums Page 194. Of strange Fountains Rivers and Waters Page 202. Of strange Fishes Page 207. Of strange Fowls and Birds Page 212. Of strange Beasts and Serpents Page 215. Of strange costly and stupendious works done by the Art of Man Page 221. The chiefest Cities in the World mentioned and described Cities in Asia NIce where the Council was held Page 3. Nicomedia Page 3. Apamia now Bursa Page 3· Chalcedon where a Council was held Page 3. Troy described Page 4· Cyzicus Page 4· Halicarnassus Page 5· The Chief Cities in Canaan Page 6· Hierusalem described Page 7. Nineve described Page 10. Babylon described Page 10. Tower of Babylon described Page 12. Bagdat described Page 12. Antioch described Damascus described Aleppo described Tripolis described Page 13. Scandaroon now Alexandretta Page 14. Lar described Page 15. Shyraz described Page 16. Persepolis described Spahawn described Page 17. Casbine described Page 20. Tauris described Derbent described Hyspaan described Page 21. Casan described Page 22. Callecut described Page 29. Negapatan described Page 30. Goa described Amadavar described Page 31. Ormus described Bisnagar described Mesulipatan described Page
Semiramis also built in the same City a stately Temple which shee dedicated to Cush or Jupiter Belus four square each side containing two Furlongs or a thousand paces with thick Towering walls entred by four gates of polished brasse In the midst was a solid Tower of the height and thicknesse of a Furlong upon this another and so each higher than another being eight in number reaching far above the middle Region of the Air In the highest Tower was a Chappel and therein a fair bed covered and a Table of gold in the top of this Chappel shee placed three golden Statues One of Jupiter forty foot long weighing a thousand Talents each Talent containing sixty three pounds and almost ten ounces Another of Ops weighing as much sitting in a golden Throne at her feet two Lions and hard by huge Serpents of silver each of thirty Talents The third Image was of Juno standing in weight eight hundred Talents To all which was a common Table of gold forty foot long and twelve broad weighing fifty Talents There were also two standing Cups of thirty Talents and two Vessels for perfume of the like weight besides three other Vessels of gold weighing twelve hundred Talents all which the Persian Kings after their conquest of it took away Herod Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon with its Rarities described Nebuchadnezzar after hee came to it having conquered all the neighbouring Nations enriched this Temple of Belus with their spoils and added a new City to the old without the same which hee compassed about with three walls and made in them stately gates and neer his Fathers Palace hee built another more stately wherein hee raised stone works like unto Mountains which hee planted with all manner of trees Hee made also Pensile Gardens one of the VVorlds VVonders born upon arches four square each square containing four hundred foot filled above vvith earth vvherein grevv all sorts of trees and plants the arches vvere built one upon another in convenient height still increasing as they ascended the highest vvhich bate the vvalls vvere fifty Cubits high Hee made also Aquaeducts for the vvatering of this Garden Hee erected also an Image of gold in the plain of Dura sixty Cubits high and six broad These stately buildings made him so to boast Is not this great Babel that I have built for the house of the Kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty Herod The Tower of Babylon Described About one hundred and thirty years after Noahs comming out of the Ark his posterity being affrighted with the late Flood under Nimrod they intended to raise up such a pile as should secure them from a second deluge and admirable it is to consider what multitudes of men there were in the world in so short a space there being but eight persons that came out of the Ark and now this building was carried on by five hundred thousand men the Basis of it was nine miles in compass and in a few years they raised it above five thousand paces into the sky and had proceeded farther but that God by confounding their Languages despersed them over the whole face of the Earth Herb. Trav. The Country about Babylon hath been the fruitfullest in the VVorld yeilding ordinarily two hundred and in some places three hundred increase the blades of the VVheat and Barley are about four fingers broad They cut their Corn twice in the year and depasture it a third time or else it would bee nothing but blade Pur. Pilgri p. 59. The City of Bagdat Described Bagdat is raised out of the ruines of old Babylon it s in circuit above three miles containing fifteen thousand families it s watered by Tygris somewhat broader than the Thames it hath a bridge over it made upon thirty long boates chained together made to open and shut at pleasure The Mosque stands at the West end large round and pleasantly raised of white freestone The Pallace joyns to the market its large but low The Coha-house is a house of good fellowship where every evening they assemble to drink a certain Stygian Liquor a black thick bitter potion brewed out of Bunum berries of great repute because it provokes lust and purges melancholly The Buzzar is square and comely the gardens are sweet and lovely Syria Described Syria bounds Northward upon Cilicia and part of Cappadocia by Mount Amanus on the South upon Judea and part of Arabia-Petraea On the East upon Arabia Deserta and Euphrates and on the West upon the Syrian Sea This Country is thought to have been the habitation of our first parents before the Flood and of Noah and the better part of his Family after Hierapolis was the chief City where was a Temple built in the midst of the City compassed with a double wall The Porch looking Northward was almost a hundred fathoms high the Temple it self was three hundred fathoms at the top whereof stood Images of Priapus which was their God whom they served with filthy and godlesse vices The Temple within shined with gold and the Roof was wholly of the same mettall It yeilded so fragrant a smell that the garments of those that came into it retained the sent long after within it was a Quire where stood the Images of Jupiter supported with Bulls and of Juno sitting upon a Lyon with a Scepter in one hand and a distaffe in the other adorned with many Jewels and amongst the rest on her head one called the Lamp yeilding light in the night season Not far from the City was a lake two hundred fathoms deep wherein was preserved sacred Fishes and in the middest thereof an Altar of stone crowned always with garlands and burning with Odours Antioch another City in Syria was built by Seleucus and was sometimes the Seat Royall of the Syrian Kings and afterwards it was the third City in the Roman Empire the third seat of the Christian Patriarks and the first place where the Disciples were called Christians but now it s a Sepulchre to it self being left but a small village Damascus another Regal City was fair and great every side containing fifteen miles by it ran the River Pharphar that watered their gardens but Abana entered into the City and by Conduits was carried into their private houses both of them adding both pleasure and Profit to the inhabitants which made Naaman prefer them before all the Waters of Israel In it was a Synagogue of the Ismalites a stately building wherein was a wall of glasse distinguished by three hundred sixty and five holes in each of which was a Dial with twelve Degrees answering to the hours of the day within it were bathes and costly buildings so rich of gold and silver as seemed incredible it had forty great Porches in the circuit of it wherein nine thousand Lamps all of gold and silver hanged from the roof of them It was ca1led the Palace of Benhadad Aleppo is now the chiefest City in Syria wherein this is very remarkable that
after the Indian mode are narrow and nasty the buildings in general are spacious and comely T is watered with a delicious stream the Gardens are filled with sweet and eye-pleasing flowers the whole Isle abounds with Grass Corn Groves Cattel fruits and many other sense-ravishing delights wherein there are above twenty Villages The field peeces here are above three hundred the Palaces are strong of good stone furnished within with rich Arras and painting and the Churches beautiful and comely Herb. Travels The City of Amadavar described Amadavar is the Metropolis of Cambaya or Guzurat watered by a sweet River and circled by a beautiful strong stone wall of six miles compass well and orderly adorned with many pretty Towers and twelve Posterns The streets are many indifferently large and comely most shops abound with Aromatick Gums perfumes and spices as also with Silks Cottons Calicoes and choice of Indian and China rarities owned and sold by the fair spoken but crafty Bannians The Market-place is rich and uniform the Castle strong large and moated about The houses in general are built of Sun-dryed Bricks low large and tarrassed The Island of Socotora described Socotora is an Island in the mouth of the Red-Sea a little Island but pleasant and abounding with good things one part rising into wholesome Hills other parts falling into fruitful dales all places garnished with spreading trees sweet Grass fragrant flowers and rich Corn hath store of Olives Aloes Sempervive Sanguis Draconum Cocoes Dates Pistachoes Orenges Pomegranats Pomecitrons Lemons Melons Suger-Canes c. It abounds with fish foul and flesh Here are Civet-Cats The inhabitans are black they are Christians by profession their Churches are built in the form of a Cross kept sweet and neat without seats and images they have a Patriarch whom they reverence and duly pay their Tithes to the Clergie their feasts and fasts like ours Age is much regarded humility commanded and commended second marriages are not allowed except they had no Children by the first have their Sacraments wrap the dead in clean linnen and so bury them without lamentation Ormus described Ormus is situated in the Persian Gulph a miserable and forlorn City and Isle at this day though not many years since it was the bravest place in all the Orient If all the world were made into a Ring Ormus the Gem and grace thereto should bring The whole Island is a Sulphurious Earth which together with the heat of the Sun from May to September makes it almost intollerable so that their custome is to sleep in beds of water all day naked the City had a fair Buzzar many Churches Monasteries brave Magazeens stately houses and as gallant a Castle as any was in the East The whole Isle exceeds not fifteen miles in compass and is the most barren place in the World neither affording Tree nor spring of good water yet from the advantagious standing the industrious Portugal made it the staple and glory of the world till in the year 1622. the English joyning with the Persians made it a ruinous heap as it continues till this day Narsinga Described Narsinga is famous all over Asia it s confined by Mallabar Gulcunda Bengala and the Ocean the King is very rich and powerfull in men arms and ammunition His Countrey full of all things requisite for use and pleasure Hath many fair Towns strong Forts pleasant fields and choicest Minerals abounding in Rivers hills dales Cattel Corn Fruits c. The Temples have in them many rich and Massy Idols of ugly shape as best pleaseth the Devil for his service and devotion Bisnagar is the second City in Narsinga for grandeure and bravery being circled with a wall of four miles compass and as well fortified well built and wealthy It is much frequented by our European ships and Junks from all parts of India Few strangers come thither but they are invited by the King who delights to shew them his fine cloathes being set thick with stones and Gems of infinite value hee hath for his guard a thousand Pensioners Hee affects Polygamy and therefore stiles himself The Husband of a thousand women who at his death makes his flaming grave their consuming Sepulcher Mesulipatan is seated neer the Bengalan Ocean The Town hath little beauty not many years since a raging mortality and Famine having well nigh depopulated it The fields and gardens are parched by the Sun from March to July the four next months are disturbed with wind and incessant rains only from November to March they have kindly weather The English have here a residence where they trafick for Calicoes Rice c. Malacca described Malacca is a Peninsula whence abundance of gold is carried into Pegu Siam Borneo and Sumatra It s judged to bee part of the Ophir whence Solomon fetched his gold Malacca the Royal City obeyes now the Siam Monarchy being conquered by the King thereof Anno Christi 1508. by the help of the Portugals at which time they gat an incredible Mass of Treasure three thousand peeces of great Ordinance and so much minted coin that the King of Portugals part came to two hundred and fifty thousand Ryals of eight The City is above three miles long but narrow built upon the banks of a pleasant River as broad as our Thames A rivolet of sweeter water runnes through the Town over which is raised a strong stone bridge the buildings are generally low and but meanly furnished though they want no gold to purchase better The streets and fields shew many delightful Arbours and choice fruits with Corn Sugar and Durapen trees preferred before gold and silver Patania Described Patania stands between those two famous Ports of Malacca and Siam the Town is strong and defended by twelve great brass guns whereof one is a Basilisco of twenty six foot long The People are black and go almost naked they delight much in eating Bettle and Opium they usually eat in plates of Gold they are very hospitable to strangers and the better sort of them blush not to proffer their daughters and neeces to be their bed-fellows during their stay there Adultery they punish sharpely Fornication lightly they delight much in wine Rack Rice Fruites c. Siam Described Siam is a powerful and wealthy Kingdom The King hath under him many Countries watered by Ganges he usually goes to war with a thousand Elephants and two hundred thousand men The Inhabitants are black and almost naked As a badge of devotion they gird their middles with a peece of Leather and carry an umbrella in their hands to lenefy the flaming Sun they are great Idolaters worshiping gods in the shape of Prtapus or Pan They have Groves and Altars whereon they offer flesh fruit and flowers their Tallapois or Priests are great Conjurers and much esteemed by the People Here are abundance of Diamonds Chrysolites Onix-stones Magnets Bezars with Lignum aloes Benjamin Cotton and mines of Gold Silver Iron Copper c. Victuals and other Commodities are
very cheap But it s most memorable in the Cabriz or blood-stone here generated The Riches of the King of Pegu. The King of Pegu in the East-Indies for people dominions gold silver and precious stones far exceeds the power of the great Turk This King hath diverse Treasuries full of Riches Hee is Lord also of the Mines of Rubies Saphires and Spinels Near unto his Royal Palace there is an inestimable Treasure whereof hee makes no account for it stands in such a place as every one may see it It is a great Court walled about with stone with two gates which stand alwayes open and within this Court are four guilded houses covered with lead and in each of them are Idols of a very great value In the first there is the Image of a man of gold very great and on his head a Crown of gold set with most rare Rubies and Saphires and round about him are four little Children of gold In the second there is the statue of a man of silver sitting on heaps of money whose stature in height as he sits is higher than the roof of an house I measured one of his feet saith mine Author and it was as long as all my body with a Crown on his head like the first In the third there is a statue of Brasse of the same bignesse with the like Crown on his head In the fourth there is a statue as big as the other of Gansa which is the mettal they make their mony of which is copper and lead mingled together this also hath a Crown on his head like the first They have many Idol-houses which they call Pagods all the tops whereof are covered with leaf gold and some of them are covered with gold from the top to the bottome and once in ten years they guild them a new This King stiles himself King of the white Elephants and when hee rides abroad four white Elephants are led before him vested with gold having their teeth inclosed in sheathes wrought with Jewels Hee keepeth above four hundred tame Elephants and hath many wild ones in the Woods which they can catch at their pleasure The City of Pegu described Pegu is a very great strong and fair City and very populous It s made square with very fair walls and a great Trench round about it full of water wherein are many Crocodiles It hath twenty fair Gates made of stone on every side five Gates there are upon the walls many Turrets guilded with gold very fair the streets are as streight as a line from one Gate to another and so broad that twelve men may ride abreast in them On both sides at every mans door there grows a Palmer tree which yeilds a pleasing shadow so that a man may walk in the shade all day long their houses are covered with Tiles The Kings house is in the midst of the City walled and trenched about the buildings within are very curious and sumptuously guilded having costly workmanship on the front which is also fairly guilt The house wherein his Idol stands is covered with tiles of silver and all the walls are guilt with gold Not far from this City there is an Idol-house of a wonderfull bigness and all guilt from the top to the bottome unto which adjoyneth an house for their Tallipoies or Priests to preach in It is five and fifty paces long and hath three walks in it and between them four great Pillars guilded The house it self is guilded with gold within and without and round about it are very fair houses for Pilgrims to lodge in and many goodly houses for their Priests which are full of Images of men and women all covered with gold Sir Walter Raughly in his History of the World proves by many probable arguments that this was the Ophir from whence Solomon fetched his gold and Ivory Pur. Pil. This Kingdome of Pegu is bounded by Siam Ganges and the Ocean and is Commandresse of many Islands as Monim Barongo Nogomallo Cocos c. It is a Kingdome full of all earthly delights and blessings of nature as gold silver lead and Iron Also Smaragds Topaz Rubies Saphires Garnats Emeralds Espinels and Cats eyes As also of Rice long Pepper Sugar Benoin Musk Gum-Lack Cotton Calicoes and what else a reasonable man can desire Their habit is thin and fine they wear no beards they dye their teeth black because Dogs teeth are white they cut and pink their flesh as a mark of bravery The King of Pegu on festival dayes rides abroad in his triumphant Chariot all guilded which is drawn by sixteen goodly horses His Chariot is high with a rich Canopy over it About and behinde it go twenty of his Nobles each of them having a rope in his hand that is fastened to the Chariot to hold it upright from falling The King sitteth in the midst of the Chariot and about him stand four of his Nobles that are in greatest favour c. Hee hath one Principal wife and at least three hundred Concubines Every day hee sits to hear the suits of his Subjects in this manner Hee sits on an high seat in his great Hall and under him sit his Nobles and they which desire audience come and set them down before him at forty paces distance holding up their supplications in one hand and in the other a present according to the weightiness of the matter then come the Secretaries take their petitions and read them before the King and if hee grants their requests hee sends one to take their present otherwise not but never speaks to them himself The Noble and simple are all apparelled alike for the fashion only differing in the finenesse of the cloth which is of Bombast First they have a shirt of white Bombast then another painted cloth which they binde up betwixt their legs and on their heads they wrap an other cloth in fashion of a Miter they go all barefooted all sorts of women wear a smock that reacheth to their middle and from thence downward they wear a cloth open before so that they cannot go but they discover natures secrets which they say was invented to keep men from sin against nature they go also barefooted having their arms adorned with hoopes of gold and Jewels and their fingers full of precious rings Sumatra described Sumatra is that famous Isle formerly called Trapabone It s six hundred miles long and two hundred and forty broad It s rich in gold fruits and precious stones but miserably overspread with ignorance and superstition the Inhabitants worshiping Cats Rats Dogs yea and the Devil himself both sexes go for the most part naked The soil is good where the Rivers water it but barren where the veins of gold are found There are many good inland Towns but the Ports are best known as Aken Aru Daru c. but especially Passaman where is most store of gold the Rivers abound in Fish and Crocodiles which Creature is a wonder in nature comming from a little
of it no considerable party opposing them in their peaceable possession as you may read more fully in a book called Bellum Tartaricum The City of Quinsay described Quinsay was formerly the Regal City of China situated abuut the heart of the Country and yet not far from the Sea In it were to bee found so many delights that it seemed an earthly Paradise It was one hundred miles in compasse for the streets and channels thereof were very wide and the Market-places very large It had on the one side a clear lake of fresh water and on the other a great River which entring into many places of the City carryed away all the filth and occasioned a good air There were store both of Carts and Barks to carry necessaries It had in it twelve thousand Bridges great and small those on the chiefest Channels being so high that ships might passe under them On the other side of the City was a great Trench forty miles long large and full of water from the River which served both to receive the overflowings of the River and as a fence to that side of the City the earth that was taken out being laid as a bank or hill on the inside There are ten chief Market-places besides infinite others along the streets all of them square the square being half a mile on each side and from the fore part of them runs a principal street forty paces wide reaching from one end of the City to the other with many Bridges traversing of it and at the end of every four miles is such a Market-place There is also a large channel running over against the street behinde the Market-places on the banks whereof are erected store-houses of stone where Merchants out of all Countries laid up their Commodities being commodious to the Markets In each of the Market-places three dayes in a week was a concourse of forty or fifty thousand persons which brought in whatsoever was requisite for the life of man besides beasts and fowls of game Then followed the Butchers rows of Beef Veal Kid and Lamb Besides there were all sorts of Herbs and fruits and amongst them huge Pears weighing ten pound a peece and very fragrant Peaches yellow and white very delicate Every day from the Ocean which is but five and twenty miles off is brought up abundance of fish besides what the Lake and River yeeld All the Market-places are encompassed with high and fair houses and underneath are shops of Artificers and all sorts of Merchandises Spices Jewels Pearls Rice-wine c. Many streets answer one another in those Market-places wherein are many Bathes both of cold and hot waters and people wash every day before they eat any thing At the end of each Market-place is a Palace where Magistrates determine all controversies which happen amongst Merchants and others There are twelve Principal trades each of which have one thousand shops and yee shall see in every shop ten twenty thirty or forty men at work under one Master The Masters themselves work not but stand richly apparreled and their wives with Jewels inestimable their houses are well ordered and richly adorned with Pictures and other stupendious costs About the Lake are many fair buildings and great Palaces of the Nobles and chief men and Temples of their Idols and Monasteries of many Monks In the middest of the Lake are two Islands upon each of which is a Palace with incredible numbers of rooms whither they resort upon occasions of marriages or other feasts where are provisions of Vessels Nappery and other things kept in common for such purposes In the Lake also are Boats and Barges for pleasure adorned with fair seats and Tables and other provision for banquets covered over head within they are neatly painted and have windows to open and shut at pleasure Nor can any thing in the World seem more pleasant than from the Lake to have such a prospect the City so fully presenting it self to the eye with so many Temples Monasterys Palaces Gardens with high trees Barges People c. For their manner is to work one part of the day and the other part to spend in solace with their friends or with women on the Lake or in riding in Chariots up and down the City All the streets are paved with stone as are all the high wayes in China The principal street of Quinsay is paved ten paces on each side and in the midst it 's well gravelled with passages for the water which keeps it alwayes clean There are also multitudes of Chariots accommodated with cloathes and cushions of Silk for six persons in each of them and in them the inhabitants solace themselves in the streets or go to Gardens provided on purpose for their pleasure This City contains about sixteen hundred thousand housholds and together with the Country adjoyning yeelded to the King sixteen millions and eight hundred thousand Ducats of gold yearly besides six millions and four hundred thousand Ducats for the customes of salt Pur. Pil. v. 3. p. 98. The Great Mogols Empire described The Great Mogols Country is called Indusâ—an which for spaciousness abundance of brave Towns numberlesse inhabitants infinit treasure mines food and all sort of Merchandise exceeds all Kings and Potentates in the Mahomitan World This vast Monarchy extends from East to West two thousand six hundred miles From North to South one thousand four hundred miles It s in circuit five thousand It is bounded with the Bengalan Gulph and Indian Ocean On the South with Decan and Mallaber North and North West with Tartary and Persia It contains thirty seven large Provinces thirty great Cities three thousand walled Towns His revenues are very great He hath in continual pay three hundred thousand Horse and keeps two thousand Elephants at a vast charge his Treasurer yearly issuing out above forty millions of Crowns The names of the Provinces are 1. Candahor The chief City is of the same name It lies Northward and confines upon Persia. 2. Cabul The chief City is of the same name It lyes in the North West part and confines upon Tartary 3. Multan The chief City is of the same name On the West it joyns with Persia. 4. Hajacan It hath no great City It s bounded Eastward with the famous River of Indus and Westward with Persia. 5. Buckor The chief City is Buckor-succor Indus runs through it and much inriches it 6. Tatta The chief City is of the same name The River Indus maketh many fruitful and pleasant Islands in it the chief arm of it falls into the Sea at Synde a place famous for curious handy crafts 7. Sorat The chief City is Janagar It s a little Province but rich bounded with the Ocean on the South 8. Jeselmeere The chief City is of the same name 9. Attack The chief City is of the same name It lyeth on the Eastside of Indus 10. Peniab It 's seated 〈◊〉 five Rivers which all fall into Indus It s a great and very fruitful Province
and inriched more by trade from China seventy of these Islands are subjects or friends to the Spaniards their intestine divisions making an easy way to the Spanish Conquest They worshiped the Sun and Moon Now they have amongst them many Monasteries of Friers and Jesuites But the wicked lives of the Spaniards makes the Inhabitants abhor their Religion They carve and cut their skins in sundry fashions and devises all over their body The Island of Mauritius described The Island of Mauritius lies within the torrid Zone about one hundred Leagues from Madegascar It abounds with all good things requisite for mans use The land is high and mountainous the shape somewhat round in circuit about one hundred miles every where sweet and flourishing having an healthful air and the blooming fragrant trees abating the heat of the Sun besides the gentle Breezes moderating the weather There are delicious Rivers which make the Earth fruitful Infinite store of lofty spreading trees green all the year their boughs being never unapparrelled of their Summer livery The ground is ever spread with natures choicest Tapestry the mirthful Sun ever re-inforcing a continued vigor and activity Of the trees some are good for timber others for food all for use Here is store of Box and of Ebony of all sorts black white red and yellow the tree is high small and streight and the wood of such esteem that many ships come yearly to it to load with Ebony besides which there are Coquo trees Pines Ashes Cypresses c. As also store of rare fruits birds and fowl Hawks of all kinds Bats as big as Gos-hawks Passo-Flemingos Herons Geese and many others good in their flesh and excellent in their feathers Fish there are plenty as the Cow-fish Dolphins Abicores Cavalloes VVhale Porpice Grampasse Mullet Bream Trout Tench Soles Flounders Tortoises Eeles Sharks Pikes Crabs Lobsters Oysters Cuttle-fish Rock-fish and other strange fishes some like Hedg-hogs some like Cats others with bristles c. This Isle also affords Goats Hogs Beeves and land Tortoises so big that two men may sit on one of them and shee will go away with them Africa described in General Africa is divided on the North from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea On the South it runs on a point to the Cape of Good Hope and is bounded with the vast Ocean called there the Aethiopick Sea On the East with the Red-Sea and on the VVest with the Atlantick Ocean called Mare del Nort so that her longitude and latitude contains about four thousand and two hundred English miles It s much lesse than Asia and far bigger than Europe In most parts it s very barren and therefore hath no great plenty of Inhabitants It s full of sandy desarts which lying open to the winds and storms are often moved like to the waves of the Sea by which means Cambysis with his Army was much hazarded It s full of venemous Serpents which much endanger the Inhabitants besides other ravenous beasts which ranging about possesse themselves of a great part of this Country and make it a VVildernesse of Lions Leopards Elephants and in some places Crocodiles Hyena's Basilisks and Monsters without number and name for when for want of water Creatures of all kinds at sometimes of the year come to those few rivolets that bee to quench their thirst the Males promiscuously forcing the Females of every species that comes next him produceth this variety of forms Salust reports that there dye more of the people by beasts than by diseases And in the tracts of Barbary the Inhabitants every tenth fifteenth or five and twentieth year are visited with a Plague and with the French disease in such violence that few recover except they remove into Numidia or the land of Negros the very air whereof is an excellent Antidote against those diseases Their commodities are Elephants Camels Barbary-hoâ—ses Rams with great tails weighing above twenty pound c. Africa is divided into seven parts Barbary or Mauritania Numidia Lybia The land of Blacks Aethiopia superior Aethiopia inferior and Egypt besides the Islands Barbary hath on the North the Mediterranean Sea on the VVest the Atlantick on the South the mountain Atlas and on the East Egypt The Inhabitants are crafty covetous ambitious jealous of their VVives their Country yeelds Orenges Dates Olives Figs and a kinde of Goat whose hair makes a stuff as fine as Silk It contains in it the Kingdomes of Tunnis Algier Fess and Morocho Tunnis is famous for the chief City of the same name five miles in compasse and Carthage two and twenty miles in circuit that contended so long with Rome for the Monarchy of the world and Utica memorable for Catoes death there Algier contains in it a strong harbor for Turkish Pirates before the chief Town whereof the Emperor Charles the fifth received a mighty losse of ships Horses Ordinance and men Fess hath in it a City with seven hundred Churches one of which is a mile and an half in compasse Morocho where the chief City of the same name hath a Church larger than that of Fess and thereon a Tower so high that from thence may bee discerned the toâ— of the Mountains Azaci which are at one hundred and thirty miles distance Here is also a Castle famous for Globes of pure gold that stand on the top of it weighing one hundred and thirty thousand Barbary Duckeâ—â— Numidia the second part of Africa hath on the East Egypt on the VVest the Atlantick Ocean on the North the Mountain Atlas and on the South the desarts of Lybia It s called also the Region of Dates from the abundance that grows there The Inhabitants are very wicked stay in a place but till they have eaten down the grasse Hence there are but few Cities and those in some places three hundred miles distant Lybia on the East is bounded with Nilus on the West with the Atlantick on the North with Numidia and on the South with the Country of the Blacks It s so dry that a traveller can scarce meet with any water in seven dayes journey the Inhabitants live without any Law almost so much as that of nature The Land of Blacks or Negroes hath on the West the Atlantick on the East Aethiopia superior on the North Lybia and on the South the Kingdome of Manicongo The River Niger runs through it almost as famous as Nilus for her overflowing It yeelds store of gold silver Ivory and other commodities It hath in it four Kingdomes Tombuâ—o infinitly rich Bornaum where the people have no names proper no wives peculiar all therefore no children which they call their own Gonga the King whereof hath no estate but from his subjects as hee spends it And Gualatum a very poor Country Of this Land of Negroes one makes these verses 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
revenues whereof amount to two hundred thousand peices of gold called Saraffi The Suburbs are very large wherein also are many stately buildings especially a Colledge being of a wonderful height and great strength Besides many other Palaces Colledges and Temples Here they have great store of poultry For in certain Ovens built upon sundry lofts they put abundance of Eggs which Ovens being kept in a moderate heat will in seven days hatch all those eggs into chickens P. Pil. There are in it eighteen thousand streets It is so populous that its reputed in very good health if there dye but a thousand a day or thirty hundred thousand in a year I mean when the Plague which comes once in seven years is amongst them Heil In one of the streets are about threescore Cooks shops then follow othâ—r shops wherein are to bee sold delicate waters and drinks made of all kinds of fruits which are kept charily in fine vessels next to these are shops where diverse confections of honey and Sugar like to ours in Europe are to bee sold Then follow the Fruiterers shops who have out-Landish fruits out of Syria as Quinces Pomgranats c. Next to them are shops wherein they sell Eggs Cheese and Pancakes fryed with Oyle Next is a street wherein all manner of Artificers dwell Then there are diverse ranks of Drapers shops In the first rank they sell excellent fine linnen fine cloth of Cotton and cloth called Mosal of a marvellous breadth and finenesse whereof the greatest persons make shirts and scarfs to wear upon their Tulipants Then are Mercers shops wherein they sell Silks Damask Cloth of Gold and Velvet brought out of Italy The next are woollen Drapers with all sorts of European cloth next of all are store of Chamblets to bee sold. At the gate of Zuaila dwell great store of Artificers Next to the forenamed Burse is a street of shops where are all kind of Perfumes as Civet Musk Ambergreece c. Next follows the street of Paper Merchants with most excellent smooth Paper There are also to bee sold pretious stones and Jewels of great value which the Brokers carry from shop to shop Then come you to the Gold-Smiths street inhabited mostly by Jews who deal in rich commodities Then are there Upholsters and Brokers who sell apparel and rich furniture at the second hand as Cloaks Coats Nappery c. It hath many large Suburbs as that of Bed Zuaila containing about twelve thousand Families being a mile and an half in length The Suburb called Gemâ—li Tailon adorned with a most admirable Palace and sumptuous Temple where also dwell great store of Merchants and Artificers The Suburb called Bell Elloch containing neer three thousand Families inhabited by Merchants and Artizans of diverse sorts there is also a great Palace and a stately Colledge Here are many stage-players and such as teach Camels Asses and Dogs to dance very delightful to behold The Suburb Bulach upon the Bank of Nilus containes four thousand Families here are many Artificers and Merchants especially such as sell Corn Oyle Sugar c. It s also full of stately Temples Colledges and Hospitalls under this Suburb you may sometimes see above a thousand Barks upon the River The Suburb of Caresa contains about two thousand Families Here are many Sepulchers built with high and stately vaults and Arches adorned within with diverse Emblems and colours the pavement spread with sumptuous and rich Carpets The Inhabitants of Cairo in the Winter time wear garments of cloth lined with Cotton In the summer they wear fine shirts over which some have linnen garments curiously wrought with silk others wear Chamblet and great Turbants on their heads covered with cloth of India The women go in costly attire having on their foreheads frontlets and about their necks chains of Pearl on their heads they wear a sharp and slender Bonnet about a span high very pretious and rich their Gowns are of woollen cloth with strait sleeves curiously imbroidered with needle work over which they cast veils of excellent fine cloth of India their faces are covered with a black scarff on their feet they wear fine shooes or Pantoffles c. The City of Alexandria described The great City of Alexandria was founded by Alexander the great not without the advise of most famous and skilful Architects upon a beautiful point of land stretching into the Mediterranean Sea being distant forty miles Westward from Nilus It was most sumptuously and strongly built four square with four Gates for entrance One on the East-side towards Nilus Another on the South towards the Lake of Buchaira the third Westward towards the Desert of Barca and the fourth towards the Haven Neer unto the City walls are two other gates which are divided asunder by a fair walk and a most impregnable Castle which stands upon the Wharf in which Port the best ships out of these parts of the World ride Here the Christians pay a tenth of all their wares whereas the Mahometans pay but a twentieth part At this time that part of the City that lyes towards Cairo is best inhabited and furnished with Merchandize and so is the other part that lies next to the Haven under each house in the City is a great vaulted Cistern built upon mighty Pillars and Arches whereinto at the overflowing of Nilus the water is conveyed under the City walls by a most artificiall Sluce that stands without them The City stands in a sandy Desert so that its destitute of Gardens Vines and Corn but what is brought from places at forty miles distance The City of Rosetto Described Rosetto was built by a Slave to one of the Mahometan Governours upon the Eastern bank of Nilus three miles from the Mediterranean Sea and not far from the place where Nilus emptieth it self into the sea In it is a stately Bath-stove having fountains both of cold and hot water belonging thereunto The City of Thebe Described Thebe at this present contains but about three hundred Families â— but the buildings are very stately and sumptuous It abounds with Corn Rice and Sugar with a certain fruit of a most excellent tast called Muse It hath in it great store of Merchants and Artificers The Countrey about it abounds with Date-trees which grow so thick that a man cannot see the City till hee comes neer the Walls Here grow also store of Grapes Figs and Peaches Over against the City the River of Nilus makes an Isle which standing high brings forth all sorts of fruits but Olives The City of Chanca described The great City of Chanca is about six miles from Cairo at the very entrance into the Desert through which is the way to Mount Sinai It s replenished with most stately houses Temples and Colledges All the fields between Cairo and it are full of Dates From Chanca to Mount Sinai are one hundred and forty miles in all which way there is no habitation Through this City lye the two main roads one leading to Syria
stained with Hierogliphical Characters The Linnen being pulled off the bodies appear solid uncorrupt and perfect in all their dimensions whereof the musculous parts are of a brown colour hard as stone-pitch and hath in Physick the like operation only more soveraign To keep these from putrefactions they drew the brains out at the nostrils with an Iron instrument replenishing the head with preservative spices then cutting up the belly with an Aethiopian stone they took forth the bowels cleansed the inside with Wine and so stuffing it with a composition of Myrrhe Cassia and other odours they closed it up again The like the poorer sort effected with Bitumen fetched from the Lake of Asphaltites in Jury whereby they have been preserved till this day having lyen there for about three thousand years The Lake of Maeris described Maeris one of the Egyptian Kings undertook and finished that most admirable Lake which for greatnesse and colour is like a Sea It s about six hundred furlongs from the City of Memphis the circumference of it contains M.M.M.DC. furlongs the depth of it is fifty fathom or three hundred feet many myriads of men were imployed for many years about it The benefit of it to the Egyptians and the wisdome of the King cannot bee sufficiently commended For seeing the rising of Nilus is not alwayes alike and the Country is more fruitful by the moderatenesse thereof Hee digged this Lake to receive the superfluity of the water that neither by the greatnesse of the inundation it should cause Marshes or by the scarcity of water the earth should not yeeld her strength hee therefore cut a ditch from the River to this Lake fourscore furlongs long and three hundred feet in breadth by which sometimes receiving in and sometimes diverting the River hee gave at his pleasure a sufficient quantity of water to the husbandmen After the Kings name it s called the Lake of Maeris In the midst of this Lake hee built a Sepulchre and two Pyramids each of them of an hundred fathoms high placing upon them two Marble statues sitting on a Throne one representing himself the other his wife seeking hereby to make his memory immortal The revenews which came by the fish of this Lake hee gave to his wife to buy her unguents and ornaments which was so great that it amounted to a Talent a day For it was mightily replenished with fish of twenty sorts so that very many were continually imployed in catching and salting of them Diod. Sion Herod Barbary described Barbary hath on the East Cyrenaica on the West the Atlantick Ocean On the North the Mediterranean Sea and on the South the Mountain Atlas It s now usually divided into the Kingdomes of Tunnis Algiers Fess and Morocco It produceth Figs Olives Dates Sugar and horses excellent for shape and service The men are comely of feature of a duskish colour stately of gate implacable in hatred laborious and treacherous The women are rich in Jewels beautiful in blacknesse and have delicate soft skins The Kingdome of Tunis described Tunis hath on the East Cyrenaica and on the VVest Algier It containeth all that which the Ancients called Numidia antiqua The soil is fertile especially the Western part The Inhabitants are healthful seldome vexed with any sicknesse it s divided commonly into five parts 1 Ezzab in the East having many Towns and Regions in it 2 Tripolis where the chief City is of the same name and where the Great Turk hath a Bassa or Vice-Roy It s at this day a receptacle of Pyrats that rove and rob in those Seas Anno Christi 1551. It was wonne from the Knights of Malta by Sinan Bassa 3 Tunis where the chief City of the same name standeth near to the ruines of Carthage It hath in it about ten thousand housholds and many Temples and especially one of singular beauty and greatnesse Cairoan also hath been a famous City six and thirty miles from the Sea and one hundred from Tunis where is an admirable Temple built upon Pillars of Marble 4 Constantina having the chief City of the same name wherein aâ— eight thousand families and many sumptuous buildings a great Temple and two Colledges 5 Bugia which for one hundred and fifty miles space extends it self by the Sea side to the River Major the Principal City is called Bugia sometimes adorned with Temples Hospitals Monasteries and Colledges of students in the Mahometan Law There is also in Bugia Necotus a very pleasant City and Chollo very rich In this Country also is seated Bona formerly called Hippo where St. Augustine was Bishop The Kingdome of Algier described Algier formerly called Mauritania Caesariensis is bounded on the East with Tunis on the VVest with Fess and Morocco It hath in it five Principal Cities 1 Hubeda 2 Tegdenit 3 Guagido 4 Telesine which sometimes contained sixteen thousand families and is adorned with many beautiful Temples and hath in it five dainty Colledges curiously wrought with Mosaick work And 5 Algier The City of Algier described Algier is seated on the Mediterranean Sea upon the side of an hill whereby one house hinders not the prospect of another It s in fashion like a Bow the old Town is in compasse three thousand four hundred paces the Island wherein it stands is walled about except that part which is open to the Port and City where lately they have erected a five cornered Tower to secure both It s well strengthened with Turrets Fortresses and Bulworks without the Wall is a ditch of sixteen paces broad without the Town there are three Castles the Streets are generally narrow and in the Winter Dirty The Houses toward the street are dark but being inwardly built with square Cloisters it makes them light the roofs being flat serve them for galleries and Prospect In the middest is a well but the water brackish they use no chimnies but make fires in Panns The Kings Palace and great mens houses have spacious Courts with specious Pillars about and many by-rooms spread with Mats and Carpets their Custome being to put off their shooes when they enter Their houshold furniture is generally mean their common lodging is upon a Mat or Carpet upon the ground Pelts are their Nappery water their drink Rice with pulse their meat c. five Cisterns without the City supply them with water fetched in upon the shoulders of their slaves There are seven fair Mosques five Colledges of Janizaries where six hundred of them live together in one house One Hospital four fair Baths whereof two for washing with hot and cold water paved with Marble Two Royall Porches one of thirty six foot square with columes for the Janizaries and the other is before the Palace within the Walls are neer thirteen thousand houses many of them containing thirty Families and some more There are in all above one hundred Mosques besides the Oratories of Hermites Sixty two Baths fourscore and six Schools wherein children learn to read and write and a few others for
describes the people out of Epimenides The Cretians are lyers evil beasts slowbellies It s famous for three things 1. They have no venemous Creature there 2. If a woman bite a man hard hee never recovers again 3. There is an herb called Alimos which if one chaw in his mouth hee shall feel no hunger that day It was once called Hecatompolis because it had in it a hundred Cities It is in the Venetians hands The Jonian Isles described Cythera is in compasse threescore miles It was formerly called Porphyris from the abundance of that sort of Marble called Porphyrie which the Mountains yeeld The Strophades are two Islands wherein there is nothing remarkable but a spring of fresh water in one of them which hath his fountain in Peloponesus above five miles distant which passing under the Sea ariseth there Zacinthus now Zant is threescore miles in compasse It s wonderfully stored with Wine Oil and Currans of which last ordinarily they make yearly one hundred and fifty thousand Chekins for their own Coffers besides eighteen thousand Dolars which they pay for custome to the State of Venice when the English first traded thither the inhabitants were very poor and when the English bought so many Currans of them they asked our Merchants whether they dyed cloaths or fed their Swine with them which uses themselves put them to but now they know better and grow rich by the trade This Island is much troubled with earthquakes commonly once a week whereupon they build their houses low The chief City is Zant not big the streets rugged and uneven and the houses low for the cause aforesaid Over the Town-hall door in this City is this Distich inscribed Hic locus odit amat punit conservat honorat nequitiam pacem crimina jura probos The Echinades Islands are five in number being but like Rocks and are famous for nothing but for the famous battel of Lepanto fought near them betwixt the Turks and the Christians Cephalenia is in compasse one hundred sixty and six miles and contains two hundred Towns the chiefest commodities it yeelds are Wheat Hony Currans Powder for dying Scarlet Oil and Wooll c. Corcyra now Corfu is neer Epyrus in length four and fifty miles in breadth four and twenty Its seated in the midst of the Venetians Lordships by Sea The chief City is Corfu where the Turks have received sundry repulses It s very fruitful in Hony Wax Wine Oil c. The Adriatick Isles have nothing of note in them and therefore I proceed to the Mediterranean Isles the principall whereof is 1 Scicily in compasse seven hundred miles The people are ingenuous eloquent and pleasant but very unconstant and talkative The soil is incredibly fruitful in Wine Oil Hony Saffron Sugar Salt in Mines of Gold Silver Allom having also Agates and Emeraulds with such abundance of Corn that it was called The Granary of the Romane Empire In this Country is the Hill Hybla so famous for Bees and Hony and Aetna which continually sendeth forth flames of fire Here was once the famous City of Siracuse two and twenty miles in compasse but now Palermo is the seat of the Spanish Vice-Roy In this Island lived those two great Tyrants Dionysius the elder and Dionysius the younger who were so odious for their cruelty that all the people hated and continually cursed them only one old woman prayed for the life of the latter and being asked the reason shee answered that shee knew his Grand-Father to bee very bad and when at the prayers of the people hee was taken away his son succeeded that proved far worse than his Father and after their curses had prevailed also for the removal of him came this present Tyrant worse than either for whose life shee was resolved to pray least after his decease the Devil himself should come amongst them Malta is in compasse about threescore miles It s seated on a Rock over which the earth is not above three foot thick yet have they abundance of Pomegranats Citrons Orenges and other excellent fruit there is also great store of Cotton-Wooll whâ—ch they sow as wee do Corn In the Acts this Island is called Melita It consists of four Cities and threescore Villages It was by Charles the fifth given to the Knights of the Rhodes newly expelled by the Great Turk they are a thousand in number whereof five hundred must bee alwayes resident in the Island the others upon summons must make their appearance None are admitted into their order unlesse they bring a testimony of their Gentry for six descents But some make this Island to belong to Africk where you may see more of it 3 Corsica is just against Greece in the Ligurian Sea and is in length one hundred and twenty miles in breadth threescore and ten the whole circuit being three hundred twenty and five It s a fine Country yeelds excellent Dogs for game good horses fierce Mastiffs and a beast called Musoli found no where in Europe but here and in Sardinia horned like Rams and skinned like Stags of incredible hardnesse It produceth the best VVines Oil Figs Raisons and Hony but bitter and unwholesome It abounds also with Allom Box-trees Iron-Mines c. It s under the Government of Genoa The people are churlish stubborn poor and illiterate 4 Sardinia which is seven miles distant from Corsica It contains in length one hundred and fourscore miles in breadth fourscore and ten in circuit five hundred and threescore It abounds in Corn and Cattel but wants Oil. Their Bulls do naturally amble and therefore the Country Peasants usually ride upon them Here is the Beast Musoli of whose skins carryed to Corduba and there dressed is made our true Cordovan Leather The Inhabitants are little of stature and prone to Rebellion and therefore the Spaniard suffers neither Smith nor Cutler to live there The chief City is Calearis just opposite to Africk having a goodly haven much frequented by Merchants and is the seat of the Spanish Vice-Roy The Baleans Islands described The chief of these Islands are 1. Majorca about threescore miles distant from Spain and is three hundred miles in compasse the chief Cities are Majorca wherein is an university and Palma 2. Minorca distant from the former nine miles and is in circuit one hundred and fifty miles the inhabitants are effeminate the soil for the most part fruitful Nigh to these are two lesser Islands 1. Ebuisa one hundred miles in circuit the chief commodity in it is salt 2. Olhiusa threescore and ten miles about The men and women in both of them are excellent swimmers The lesser Islands scattered up and down have nothing in them remarkable but only in one of them called Ischia is a fountain so hot that in a short time it will boil any flesh or fish put into it Somewhat without the mouth of the Straits of Gibralter is the Island of Gades or Cales in length thirteen miles Anno Christi 1596. it was suddenly taken by
the wars or by other casualties were undone where their provision is so bountious that it can hardly bee matched in Europe the very house and appurtenances cost him thirteen thousand pound besides which hee endowed it with five manners in Essex two in Lincolnshire eight in VVilt-shire together with near four thousand acres of rich pasture ground in that County Two in Cambridge-shire beside his lands in Hackney-Marsh and Tottenham in the County of Middlesex and with all and singular the VVoods Reversions Presentations and Rights of him the said Thomas Sutton in any of the aforesaid Mannors over and above hee gave five thousand pound to make additions to his Hospital and for some other charitable uses And to the Treasury of the house to defend their right if need were one thousand pound besides some other gifts Wee may in the next place take notice how commodiously London is supplied with water conveyed by pipes under ground from excellent springs some of them at a remote distance besides the New-River water brought twenty miles from Chadwel and Amwel in Hartford-shire to the North side of the City near Islington where a large Cistern is made to receive it This work was undertaken by Mr. Hugh Middleton and begun February twenty Anno Christi 1608. and in five years space was fully accomplished by reason of the inequality of the ground the Trench in some places descended full thirty foot In others it was mounted over Vallies in a Trough born up with wooden Arches some fixed deep in the ground others rising in height above three and twenty foot Another convenience of water was devised by Peter Maurice a Dutchman who by means of a wheel brings water out of the Thames into a great part of the City Of the beauty and excelleny of this City one made these verses Along Thames banks outstretched far the City London lies Resembling much her Mother Troy aloft shee lifts her eyes VVhile on a gentle rising hill shee beareth towards East A City pleasant for her site in aire and soil much blest Religious and populous and hence shee looks on high And well deserves for to bee called the Britans Britany For learning new Lutetia Ormus for trade and wealth A second Rome for valiant men Chrysae for plate and health Salisbury described In VViltshire the City of Salisbury was built about the year 1218. at which time Richard Poor the Bishop purposing first to begin with the house of God in a most delectable place began to found a most stately and beautiful Minster which with an exceeding high spired steeple and double crosse Isles on both sides hee with great cost finished forty years after viz. one thousand two hundred fifty and eight concerning which Church Daniel Rogers made verses thus in English VVonders to tell how many dayes in one whole year there been So many windows in that Church ' men say are to bee seen So many Pillars made by Art of Marble there appear As houres do flit and flie away throughout the running year So many Gates do entrance give as months one year do make A thing well known for truth though most it for a wonder take A Cloister it hath besides on the South side for largenesse and fine workmanship inferiour to none whereunto adjoyned the Bishops Palace and on the other side an high bell-Tower passing strong standing by it self apart from the Minster Through the City there are Rills and sewers of water in every street It is passing well inhabited and frequented plentiful of all things especially of fish adorned with a very stately Market-place wherein standeth their common Hall of Timber-work a very beautiful building Camb. Brit. Bristow described The City of Bristow hath the River Avon passing through the midst of it It stands partly in Sommerset and partly in Gloucester-shire But is of it self a County incorporate It is situate somewhat high between Avon and the little River Frome sometimes it was invironed with a double wall it is so beautified with buildings publick and private that it fully answers the name of Bright-stow It hath common sewers or sinks so made to run under the ground for the conveyance and washing away of all filth that it is very cleanly and wholsome whereupon there is no use here of Carts it is excellently furnished with all things necessary for mans life so populous and well inhabited that next after London and York it may justly challenge the chiefest place of all the Cities in England It hath a very commodious Haven which admitteth Ships under sail into the very bosome of the City on the Southside Radcliffe by a stone Bridge with houses on each hand built upon it which makes it more like a street than a Bridge is joyned to the City It hath Hospitals in every quarter thereof for the benefit of the poor and fair Churches The most beautiful of all which is St. Maries of Radcliff without the walls into which there is a most stately ascent up many stairs large withal and finely and curiously wrought with an arched roof of stone over the head artificially embowed a steeple also of an exceeding height which was founded by one VVilliam Cannings an Alderman of the City Hard by there is another Church called the Temple the Tower whereof when the Bell rings shaketh to and fro whereby it hath cloven it self from the rest of the building There is also St. Stephens Church The Tower steeple whereof being of a mighty height was most sumptuously and artificially built by one Shipward alias Barstable a Citizen and Merchant On the East and North side it s fenced with the River Frome which gently falling into the Avon maketh a dainty harbour for ships with a convenient wharf called the Kay under which between Avon and Frome there is a plain set round about with trees yeelding a most pleasant walk On the South East there is a large and strong Castle for the defence of the City Beyond the River Frome which hath a Bridge over it there ariseth an high hill from which is a fair and goodly prospect of the City and haven upon the top of this Hill where it spreads into a plain shadowed with a double row of trees is an handsome School This City is further beautified with many stately buildings amongst the rest is the Cathedral Church c. Neer unto this City is an high Cliffe by the Avons side called St. Vincents Rock very full of Diamonds which are not much set by because of the plenty of them They are of a bright and transparent colour matching if not passing the Indian Diamonds in hardnesse only they are inferior to them Nature hath framed them four or six pointed with smooth sides as if cut by a Lapidary There is another Rock also on the West side full of Diamonds which by a wonderful work of nature are enclosed as young ones within the bowels of hollow and reddish flints There are within this City and suburbs
twenty fair Churches whereof eighteen are parish Churches there is no dunghill in all the City nor a sink that comes from any house into the street but all is conveyed under ground they carry all upon sleads and bring no Carts into the City The water at the Kay sometimes ebbs and flows forty foot in height Four miles below it the Avon falls into the Severn the Bridge is half as long as London bridge and yet hath but four Arches in it The City of Wells Described Neer unto Mendip hills which are rich in Lead-Mines stands the City of Wells so named from the springs or wells that boil up there which for the multitude of Inhabitants for fair and stately buildings is worthy to bee regarded A goodly Church it hath and a Colledge founded by King Ina. Neer unto the Church there is a spring called St. Andrews well from whence comes such a confluence of water as by and by makes a swift brook The Church is throughout very beautifull but the frontispice thereof in the West end is most excellent for it riseth up from the foot to the top all of Imagery in curious and antike wise wrought of stone carved and embowed very artificially The City of Bath Described This City is seated low in a plain environed round about with hills almost of one height out of which certain rills of fresh water flow continually to the great commodity of the Citizens within the City there bubble and boil up in three several places hot springs of water of a Sea colour sending up from them thin vapours and a kind of a strong sent withall by reason that the water is drilled and strained through veines of Brimstone and a clammy kind of earth called Bitumen These springs are very medicinal and of great vertue to cure bodies overcharged and benummed with corrupt humors by their heat causing much sweat Of all these the Cross-Bath is of the most mild and temperate nature having twelve seats of stone in the sides of it and is inclosed within a wall A second distant from this not fully two hundred foot is much hotter thence called the Hot-Bath adjoyning to which is a Spittle or Lazar-house built by Reginald Bishop of Bath for the relief of poor diseased persons The third and greatest is called the Kings-Bath walled also round about and fitted with thirty two seates of Arched work The City is fortified with walls wherein are set certain Antique Images and Roman inscriptions and hath in it a fair and large Cathedral Church The City of Excester in Devonshire Described The City of Excester stands upon the River Ex whence it receives its name It is pleasantly seated upon the gentle ascent of an hill The Walls of it which were first built by King Athelstone are in a manner round only towards the Ex it rangeth almost in a strait line having six gates for entrance and many watch-Towers interposed betwixt whose compass containeth above one thousand and five hundred paces or a mile and an half having Suburbs running out a great way on each side In it there are fifteen Parish Churches and in the highest part thereof neer the East Gate standeth a Castle called Rugemont commanding the whole City and territory about it and hath a very pleasant prospect into the Sea In the East quarter of the City stands the Cathedral Church having many fair houses round about it By reason of some Wears the River is so stopped up that no vessels can come neerer the City than Topsham which is three miles off The soil about it is but barren yet by reason of the statlinesse of the place the riches of the Inhabitants and the frequent concourse of strangers all kinds of commodities are there so plentiful that a man can ask for no necessary but he may have it The City of Winchester Described In the County of Hamtshire is the City of Winchester situated in a fruitful and pleasant place being a valley under hills having a River on the East and a Castle on the VVest the circuit of her Walls are well neer two English miles containing one thousand eight hundred and eighty paces through which open six gates for entrance In this City are seven Churches besides the Minster which is seated about the middest of it and built very sumptuously The City of Chichester in the County of Sussex Described The City of Chichester is walled about in a circular round form The Lavant a pretty riveret running hard by it on the VVest and South sides Four gates it hath opening to the four quarters of the world from whence the streets lead directly and crosse themselves in the middest where the market is kept and where Bishop Robert Read erected a fair market house of stone supported with pillars round about it Between the West and South Gates stands the Cathedral Church not very great but handsome and neat having a spire steeple of stone rising a very great height The City of Canterbury in Kent Described Canterbury is a very Ancient and famous City in Kent much renowned both for the situation and great fertility of the soil adjoyning as also for the walls enclosing it round about By reason likewise of the Rivers watering it and commodiousnesse of the woods there about besides the vicinity of the Sea yeilding store of Fish to serve it And though it was sore shaken in the Danish warres and consumed in a great part sundry times by fire yet rose it up always again more beautifull than it was before The Cathedral is raised aloft neer the heart of the City with great Majesty and stateliness The City of Rochester Described In the same County is the City of Rochester seated in a bottome fortified on the one side with a Marsh the river Medway and weak walls It is now stretched out with large Suburbs on the East West and South sides The Cathedral Church was built by Bishop Gundulph a Norman Anno Christi 1080. neer unto it stands an old ruinous Castle fortified formerly both by art and situation At the end of the City there is a very goodly Bridge of stone excellently Arched built by Sir Robert Knowls at the end whereof Sir John Cobham erected a Chappel and the bridge is daintily coped with Iron bars under which the River Medway swelling with a violent and swift stream makes a loud roaring noise The City of Glocester Described The City of Glocester is a very fine and beautiful City both for the number of Churches and buildings therein It lyeth stretched out in length over the Severn and on that side where it is not guarded by the River it hath in some places a strong wall for defence The Cathedral Church is a stately building with an exceeding high and fair steeple In an Arch of this Church there is a wall built in the form of a semicircle full of corners with such an Artificial devise that if a man speak with never so low a voice at the one
part thereof and another lay his ear to the other which is a good way off he may easily hear every sillable The City of Oxford Described Where the River Cherwel meets with Isis and pleasant Ilets lye dispersed by the sundry disseverings of waters there this famous City and University of Oxford sheweth it self aloft in a champion plain from whence Religion and learning have been spread into all the parts of England A fair and goodly City it is whether wee respect the seemly beauty of private houses or the stately magnificence of publick buildings together with the wholsome situation and pleasant prospect thereof For the hills beset with woods do so environ the plain that as on the one side they exclude the pestilent Southwind and the tempestuous West-wind on the other so they let in the clearing East-wind only and the North-East-wind with all which frees it from all corruption whence sometimes it was called Bellositum The City of Eli Described The City of Eli is situate in the middest of great and large Fens and was formerly famous for the reputed holinesse of the Nuns there residing and for a stately Monastery so rich that the Abbot thereof not long after VVilliam the Conquerors time laid up every year in his own Coffers a thousand and four hundred pounds King Henry the first made it a Bishops Sea promoting thereto one Hervey who sought by all means to advance the dignity of his Church For which end hee obtained of the King that it might bee Toll-free hee made a way also from Exing to Eli through the Fens of six miles in length and the Monks growing rich the Cathedrall Church being much decayed through age they by little and little built it and brought it to the ample statelinesse which now it hath A Lanthorn it hath at the very top thereof just over the Quire supported by eight Pillars and raised upon them right Artificially built by John Hothum the Bishop and under the Church towards the North stands St. Maries chappel a singular fine peece of work built by Simon Montacutâ— Bishop The City it self is not much to bee accounted of either for beauty or resort of people to it as having an unwholsome air by reason of the Fens round about it The City of Lincoln Described The City of Lincoln is large and well inhabited and frequented It stands upon the side of an hill where the River VVitham bends his course Eastward and being divided with three small channels watereth the Lower part of the City In the highest part of the City the Cathedral is erected a stately structure being built through out not only most sumptuously but with rare and singular workmanship most beautiously especially the forefront at the West end which in a sort ravisheth and allureth the eyes of all that judiciously view it very ancient this City is and hath been farre larger and more populous It hath in it fifty Parish Churches whereof at this day there remain only fifteen besides the Minster The City of Norwich in Northfolk described Norwich is situated upon the River Yare the form of it is somewhat long being from South to North a mile and an half long and in breadth about half so much drawing it self in by little and little in the Southend making in a manner a sharp point compassed it is about with strong walls beautified with many Turrets orderly placed and twelve gates only it is not walled on the East side where the River after it hath with many windings in and out watered the North part of the City having four Bridges for passage over it is a sufficient defence with his deep channel and high steep banks It flourisheth with wealth plenty of inhabitants great resort of strangers fair buildings and hath in it about thirty Parish Churches on the East side of it stands a very fair Cathedral Church near unto the Castle built upon a very high hill which was compassed about with an exceeding deep ditch In the midst of the City near the Market-place is a very fair Town-house which on Market-dayes is plentifully furnished with all things necessary for mans life The Netherlanders being driven away by the Duke d' Alva's cruelty repairing hither in great numbers brought in the making of Sayes Bayes and other stuffe to the great gain of the Citizens Anno Christi 1583. the Citizens conveyed water out of the River in pipes by an artificial instrument into the highest parts of the City The City of Coventry in Warwickshire described Coventry is a City very commodiously seated large sweet and neat fortified with very strong walls which are about three miles in compasse through which are thirteen gates for enterance most of them very stately and strongly built besides eighteen other Towers in several parts of the wall for defence A little River called Shirburn runs through the City which is beautified with many fair and goodly houses amongst which there rise up on high two Churches of rare workmanship St. Michaels and Trinity standing one hard by another with stately spire steeples of a very great height In the midst of the City is the Market-place called the Cross-cheaping and therein a Crosse or Pillar of stone of most exquisite and admirable workmanship there is also a very fair Grammer-school and a neat Library at the end of it with convenient habitations for the Master and Usher near unto it is VVel-street and therein a very large fountain that continually sends forth great plenty of excellent water The City had very large suburbs belonging to it especially in the East and West ends most whereof were broken down in our late Civil wars and a large Trench made on the outside of the walls The City of Worcester described Under the City of Worcester runs the Severn with a slow pace as admiring and wondring at the City as it passeth by and truly worthy it is of admiration whether you respect the antiquity or the beauty thereof It stands in a place rising somewhat with a gentle ascent by the Rivers side that hath a fair Bridge with a Tower over it It is well and strongly walled and the inhabitants are much inriched by the trade of cloathing It is one thousand six hundred and fifty paces about the walls through which seven Gates give entrance with five other VVatch Towers for defence there are in it divers Churches besides the Cathedral which is seated on the South side of the City and is a passing fair and stately building adorned with the Tombs and Monuments of King John Prince Arthur diverse of the Beauchamps c. The City of Lichfield in Staffordshire described Lichfield is a very ancient City known unto Bede by the name of Lichidfield i. e. the field of dead bodies by reason of a number of Christians there martyred in the bloody persecution under the Emperor Dioclesian This City is low seated of a good largenesse and fair withal divided into two parts by a shallow pool of clear water which
from the sea fifteen miles See old Rome described afterwards The Roman Empire was extended from the Irish Seas in the West to the River Euphrates in the East three thousand miles and from Danubius in the North to Mount Atlas in the South two hundred miles The revenues of the Empire were estimated to amount to one hundred and fifty millions of crowns per annum But Rome as now is but eleven miles in compasse within which also there is much wast ground The inhabitants are about two hundred thousand two parts whereof are Clergie men and Curtesans the latter being seldome under forty thousand which pay to the Pope thirty thousand Duckats per annum The principal buildings are the Church of St. Peter The Castle of St. Angelo an impregnable fortresse The Popes Palace called Belvidere And the Vatican Library 3. The Common-Wealth of Venice hath many territories belonging to it the length whereof is above one thousand miles but the breadth far lesse For the City of Venice it self see the description of it afterwards The chief Provinces belonging to it are 1. Marca Trevigiana having on the South the River Poe on the West the Dutchy of Millaine on the East Frivli and the Gulph of Venice and on the North Tirol The chief City is Treviso 2. Padua where an University was setled Anno Christi 1220. famous for Physicians and their Garden of Simples See the description of it afterwards 3. Vincenza 4. Brescia the second City for bigness and beauty in all Lombardy Her territories are in length one hundred in breadth fifty miles 5. Verona seated on the Athesis It boasteth of an Amphitheater able to contain eighty tâ—ousand people Her territories are threescore and five miles in length and forty in breadth 6. Briscello 7. Bergamo 8. Este. 9. Crema a strong Fort against the Millanois 2. Frivli formerly called Forum Julii It s environed with Istria the Alps Trevigiana and the Adriatique It s in length fifty miles and the breadth no lesse The chief Cities are 1. Aquilegia seated on the Natisco 2. Treist close to the Sea 3. Gorritia 4. Palma excellently fortified 5. Cividad di Austria 3. Istria environed with the Sea Frivli and Carniola It s in compass two hundred miles the air very unwholesome The chief Towns are 1. Cape d' Istria or Justinople 2. Pola 3. Parenza 4. Portula 5. Rubinum 6. Monsona The Polity whereby this Common-wealth hath so long subsisted is an Aristocracie wherein 1. They exempt their Citizens from the wars and hire others in their places so that by their death the Common-wealth sustains the lesse losse 2. They entertain some forreign Prince for their General whom when the wars are ended they presently discard by which means they avoid factions and servitude which were like to happen if they should imploy any of their own people who by his vertue and valour might win the hearts of the souldiers and so make himself their Prince 3. Their Laws suffer not the younger sons of their Nobility and Gentry to marry least the number increasing should diminish the dignity yet they allow them unlawful pleasures and for their sakes permit publick Stewes 4. The Dukedome of Florence containing the greater part of Tuscany It s parted from Genoa on the West by the Magra and the strong Town Sarezana From Romagna and Ancona on the North by the Appennine Hills On the East by the Pisseo and on the South by the Tyrrhene Seas The chief Cities are 1. Florence seated nigh to the confluence of Arnus and Chianus See the description of it afterwards Charles the Arch-Duke was wont to say that it was a City to bee seen on Holy dayes only 2. Pisa a brave and strong City 3. Sienna in whose territories are Orbitello Pienza Soana and six and twenty other walled Towns 4. Pistoya where began the factions of the Guelphs and Gibbilines 5. Massa famous for her Quarries of white Marble 6. Volaterra 7. Arrezzo 8. Cortona seated under the Appennine 9. Carara 10. Borgo San Sepulchro 11. Ligorne a famous Haven seated at the mouth of the River Arnus The whole length of this Dukdome is two hundred and sixty miles the breadth not much lesse The people are great Merchants 5. The Dukedome of Millaine which hath on the East Mantua and Parma on the South Liguria on the North Trevigiana and on the West Piedmont It stands wholly in Lombardy the Garden of Italy The chief Cities are 1. Pavia on the River Ticinus an University 2. Lodi 3. Alexandria a place of great strength 4. Cremona famous for her high Tower 5. Como seated on a Lake so named 6. Millaine honoured with an University See this stately City described afterwards The Dukedome of Mantua bounded on the East with Romagna on the West with Millaine on the North with Trevigiana and on the South with Parma and Placentia To this belongs the Dukedome of Mountferrat situated on the South-East part of Piedmont the chief Cities whereof are 1. Alba. 2. Casala St. Vas. 3. Nicaea or Niza and 4. Isola The chief Cities of Mantua are 1. Mirabella 2. Lucera 3. Capriana 4. Modena 5. Reggio 6. Cuneto 7. Mantua a very strong Town environed on three sides with a water that is three quarters of a mile broad and on the fourth with a wall 7. The Dukedome of Urbin which lies in the midst of the Papal territories having the Adriatique on the North the Appennine on the South Romagna on the West and Marca Anconitana on the East In it are two hundred Castles and seven Cities the chief whereof are 1. Urbin at the foot of the Appennine 2. Belforto 3. Pisauro a good Haven 4. Cabo 5. Fano Sea Towns also 8. The Principality of Parma and Placentia which hath on the North Mantua on the South the Appennine on the West Millain on the East Modena Here are made those excellent Cheeses called Parmesans Parma is seated on the little River Pirina and Placentia on the Po. To this principallity belongs also Mirandula with her Territories where was born that famous Scholler John Picus Mirandula 9. The Common-wealth of Genoa containing Liguria which hath on the East the River Varus on the West the River Magra which parts it from Tuscany on the North the Appennine and on the South the Ligurian Seas It s in compasse fourscore miles but not so much in breadth The people are much given to Usury whence one said merrily that in Christendome there were neither Schollers enough nor Gentlemen enough nor Jews enough and being answered that there were of all these rather too great plenty than any scarcity He replyed That if there were Schollers enough there would not bee so many double and treble beneficed men and if there were Gentlemen enough so many Pesants would not be ranked amongst the Gentry and if there were Jews enough so many Christians would not professe Usury The chief Towns are 1. Ceva 2. Finaly 3. Noli 4. Sarazena 5. Genoa in compasse eight
another being about twenty and five foot broad It was made of hard flinty stones hewen and laid so close together yet without any morter or claspes of Iron that it seemed all of onestone the stones were three four and five feet square nine hundred years after it was made the stones were not one whit dis-joynted or broken ever and anon on the sides were stones whereon persons might sit or lay their burdens or get on horseback and at every miles end high stones or pillars were raised whereon were engraven the number of the miles Likewise there were many Monuments on both sides with witty inscriptions or pretty inventions on them yeelding both matter of mirth and seriousness to the travellers There were fourteen saith Pliny twenty saith P. Victor Aquaeducts in Rome the chiefest of which was the Claudian began by Caligula and finished by Claudius so big as a man might ride on horseback in it brought forty miles to the City in a level through the Mountains and over the Vallies as high as the highest hill in the City seven millions and a half were spent in making it There were besides in the City one thousand three hundred fifty two Lakes or great receptacles of water for common use The Cloacae or common sewers were made by Tarquinius Priscus they were so wide that a Cart loaden with Hay might passe along them viz. sixteen foot wide and as many high There were seven chief armes from the seven hills besides several smaller from other parts which ran into the main Channel Notwithstanding all the weight of building upon them and several earthquakes they remained firm almost eight hundred years And at one time when they were out of repair there were a thousand talents spent in repairing of them There was an infinite number of Statues or Images in every part of the City costly for their matter and curious for their workmanship some Authors say that there were near as many of them as there were living people in the City some of them were of polished Marble infinite of brass some of Ivory some of Silver and some of Gold Domitian the Emperour commanded that no statues should bee made for him in the Capitol but such as were all of silver or all gold solid and not hollow each of them weighing at least an hundred pound weight Commodus the Emperor had a statue made for him of gold that weighed a thousand pound weight Together with a Bull and a Cow of the same mettal as if hee had been the founder of the City Hee had also in the Market-place a Pillar erected and his Statue made upon it of a thousand five hundred pounds weight of silver Their statues of brass were most of them guilt and so were many of their statues of silver Some of them were of a Colossaean bigness others mounted on horse-back and in several postures and habits For the preserving of all which from hurt there was one who was called Comes or an Earl whose office it was continually to walk up and down in the night attended with many souldiers that none might wrong them and besides it was death for any man to do it Lipsius de Mag. Rom. Imperii Rome was for her beauty and bravery called Aurea and Aeterna and the Romanes thought that the Monarchy of the World was tyed to them with chains of Adamant But God hath confuted their golden dreams by breaking their Empire and given up their City six several times in one hundred thirty and nine years space into the hands of Barbarians who exercised therein all kinde of cruelty besides it is observed that Rome since it became Papal was never besieged by any enemy but it was taken Sybil long since prophesied Tota eris in cineres quasi nunquam Roma fuisses The manner of the Romane Triumphs and particularly that of Palus Aemylius after the conquest of Perseus King of Macedon First the people having set up sundry scaffolds as well in the lists and field called Circos where the games and races of horses and Charrets used to bee as also about the Market-place and in all the streets through which the Triumph should pass they all presented themselves in their best gowns to see the magnificence and state thereof All the Temples of the Gods were set wide open hanged full of Garlands of flowers and all perfumed within Through all the quarters of the City were set many Sergeants and other officers with tipstaves to order the stragling people and to keep them from pestring the streets or hindring the triumph which lasted three dayes The first day was scant sufficient to see the passing by of the Images Tables Pictures and Statues of a wonderful bignesse all wonne and gotten of their enemies and now drawn upon two hundred and fifty Charrets The second day there were carried upon a great number of Carts all the fairest and richest Armor of the Macedonians as well of Copper as of Iron and Steele all glistering bright being newly furbished and artificially laid in order Fair Burganets upon Targets Habergions and Corslets upon greaves Round Targets of the Cretans and Javelins of the Thracians and arrows amongst the armed pikes All bound so trimly one to another that one hitting against another as they were drawn made such a sound and noise as was fearful to hear After these Carts there followed three thousand men which carried the ready mony in seven hundred and fifty Vessels which weighed about three Talents a peece each of them carried by four men Others carried great bowles cups and goblets of silver and other pots to drink in beautiful to behold as well for their bignesse as for the great and singular embossed work about them The third day early in the morning the Trumpets sounded the brave alarum they give at an assault after whom followed one hundred and twenty goodly fat Oxen with their horns guilt and garlands of flowers and nosegaies about their heads and by them went many young men with aprons of needle-work about their middles who led them to the Sacrifice and with them young boyes that carried goodly Basons of gold and silver to receive and sprinkle the blood of the Sacrifices about After these followed all those that carryed all coins of gold and Basons and Vessels each of them weighing three Talents Then was carryed the great holy cup which Aemylius had caused to bee made of massy gold set full of precious stones weighing ten Talents for an offering to the gods Next to them went they which carryed Plate made and wrought after Antick fashions and the admirable cups of the ancient Kings of Macedon as the cup called Antigonus and another Seleucus and to bee brief all the whole cup-broad of plate of gold and silver of King Perseus and next them came the Kings Charriot with his Armour and his royal Crown upon the same A little after followed the Kings Children whom they led prisoners with the train of their School Masters and
of English Jesuits There are in it many goodly Gardens Mountaines Valleys Medows c. 2. Bruxels of the same bigness and the Dukes seat but for pleasure profit uniform buildings and elegancy thereof far beyond Lovain 3. Bergen ap some famous for the notable resistance it made to Spinola Anno Christi 1622. 4. Bolduc 5. Tilmont 6. Mastriecht 7. Breda the seat of the Prince of Orange 5. The Marquisat of the Empire is contained in Brabant the chief City is Antwerp in circuit seven miles In it are eight principal channels cut out of the Scheld on which the Town is seated the biggest of them being able to contain one hundred ships Before the Civil warres it was a place of wonderful great Trading but now the Hollanders have so blocked up the Haven that the traffick is removed to Amsterdam 6. Flanders is divided into the Imperiall Gallick and Teutonick Flanders The last of these is divided from the other two by the River Ley. The chief Towns in it are 1. Gaunt whose wall is seven miles round The Rivers Scheld and Ley run through it and make in it twenty six Islands conjoyned with ninety eight bridges 2. Burgiâ— situated on a fair and deep channel made by Art which much advantageth it 3. Ypres a very strong Town standing on a River of the same name 4. Winnocks-Berg 5. Grauling on the sea side a strong Fort. 6. Oudenard The four principal Ports of Flanders are 1. Dunkirk 2. Scluse at the mouth of the channel of Bruges having a fair Haven able to contain five hundred good ships It s in the hand of the States 3. Newport where was fought that famous Battle between the Spaniards and States 4. Ostend which held out a siedg of three years and three months against the Arch-Duke Imperiall Flanders is parted from Brabant by the River Dender from the Gallick Flanders by the River Scheld about Oudenard The chief Towns are 1. Alost on the Dender 2. Dendermond 3. Hulst 4. Axelle 5. Rupelmond The Gallick Flanders is severed from the Teutonick by the River Ley from the Imperiall by the Scheld The chief Towns are 1. Lisle 2. Doway where is an University 3. Orchies 4. Armentiers 5. St. Amand. 6. Turnay In all Flanders there are thirty five Towns and one thousand one hundred seventy and eight Villages It s in length ninety six miles in breadth much lesse It s bounded with Brabant on the East Picardy on the West the Sea on the North and Artoys on the South 7. Artoys which hath on the East Heinalt on the West Picardy on the North Flanders and on the South Champaigne It contains seven hundred fifty and four villages and twelve walled Towns whereof the chief are 1. Arras whence comes our Arras hangings 2. Ayre 3. Pernes 4. St. Omer a good Haven 5. Lilliers 6. Le-Cluse The frontier Towns are 1. Hedinfert against Picardy 2. St. Paul 8. Heinalt bounded on the East with Limbourg on the West with Flanders on the North with Brabant and on the South with Champaigne The length of it is sixty miles and the breadth fourty eight It contains nine hundred and fifty Villages and twenty four Towns the chief whereof are 1. Mons a strong and rich City 2. Valenciennes seated on the Scheld 3. Conde 4. Bavays 5. Landrecy on the River Sambre 6. Mariembourgh 7. Engien 8. Reulx 9. Avennes On the South part of Heinalt is the Town and territory of Cambray 9. Namurce which hath on the East Limbourg on the VVest Heinalt on the North Brabant and on the South Luxenburg In this Country are many Coals which are kindled with Water and quenched with Oil. It contains one hundred and eighty villages and four Towns 1. Namurce seated where Sicambris falls into Meuse 2. Charlemont 3. Valencourt 4. Bovines It s a fruitful Country enriched with Mines of Jasper and all sorts of Marble and abounding with Iron The Inhabitants are good souldiers 10. Zutphen is a Town in Gelderland an ancient Earldom seated on the River Ysell a strong place in the siege whereof that mirror of Chivalry Sir Philip Sidney lost his life 11. Holland is a woody Country having on the East Utrecht on the West and North the Sea and on the South the Meuse It s in circuit one hundred and eighty miles no part whereof is distant from the Sea three hours journey It containes four hundred villages and three and twenty Towns whereof the chief are 1. Dort where the National Synod was held against the Arminians Anno Christi 1618. 2. Harlem where Printing was invented 3. Leiden a famous University Which City consists of forty one Islands passed partly by Boats and partly by Bridges whereof there are one hundred forty and five and of them one hundred and four built with stone 4. Delft 5. Alkmer 6. Rotterodam 7. Horn. 8. Enchusen 9. Amsterdam a very fair Haven Town the men are good Sea-men the women very industrious there is scarce a boy of four years old but can earn his own meat It yeilds Butter Cheese c. The chief Village is the Hage having in it two thousand housholds 12 Zealand consisteth of seven Islands and in them three hundred Towns The first Island is Walcheren and in it the chief towns are 1. Midlebourg 2. Flushing an excellent Haven and of great strength Nigh unto it is the Fort Ramekins and the Brill 3. Vere The next Island is South Beverland whose chief Town is Tergowse The third is Schoven its chief Town Sixixee 4. Tolen whose chief Town is Tertolen c. In all this Countrey are eight Cities and one hundred and two Villages the soil is fruitful but they have neither wood nor fresh water 13. West-Freizland which hath on the East Groyning on the South Overyssel on the other sides the Sea It contains three hundred forty and five Villages and eleven Towns the chief are 1. Lewarden 2. Harlingem a sea Town 3. Zwichen 4. Doceum 5. Franeker an University 14. Utrecht is bounded on the East with Gelderland on the other three sides with Holland It contains seventy Villages and five Towns as 1. Rhenen 2. Wick de Duerstede 3. Amesford 4. Monfoort 5. Utrecht just in the middest 15. Overyssel is bounded on the North with Freizland and Groning on the South with Gelderland on the East with Westphalia on the West with the sea It contains one hundred and one Villages and eleven Towns the chief whereof are 1. Swall 2. Campene 3. Deventer basely betrayed to the Spaniards by Sir William Stanley 4. Steinwick 5. Hasselt 6. Oldezel 7. Handerberg 8. Delden 16. Machlin which is a Town in Brabant which Anno Christi 1546. was much defaced by fireing of eight hundred barrels of Gunpowder Besides the Town it contains nine Villages It s a fair and strong Town being daintily seated amidst the waters of the River Dele so that it may bee drowned on all sides 17. Groyning which is a Town of VVest-Friezland containing under her command
Moravia on the West with Franconia on the North with Misnia and Lusatia and on the South with Bavaria and is encompassed with the Hercynian Forrest The whole Kingdome is in compasse five hundred and fifty miles in which are contained seven hundred and eighty Cities walled Towns and Castles and thirty two thousand Villages they use the Sclavonian Language The soil is fruitful enriched with Mines of all sorts but Gold Here are many Forrests and in some of them a beast called Loris having under its neck a bladder of scalding water with which when shee is hunted shee so tormenteth the Dogs that shee easily escapeth them The chief Cities are 1. Prague in the middest of the Countrey seated on the River Mulda It consists of four several towns each of them having their several Magistrates Laws and Customes the principal is called the Old Town adorned with many fair buildings a spacious Market place and a stately Senate-house the second is called the New-town separated from the other by a deep and wide ditch the third is called the Little-town divided from the Old by the River Mulda and joined to it by a beautiful Bridge consisting of twenty four Arches In this Town is the hill Rachine on whose sides are many stately houses of the Nobles and on the top a magnificent Palace for the Kings the fourth is that of the Jews who have in it five Synagogues and live after their own Laws The second City is Egra seated on the River Eger on the borders towards Franconia 3. Budwus towards Austria 4. Melmukle on the river Albis 5. Weldaw 6. Pilsen Silesia is bounded with Bohemia on the West Brandenburg on the North Poland on the South and Hungary and Moravia on the East It s in length two hundred and forty miles and fourscore in breadth and is equally divided by the river Oder the chief towns are 1. Preslaw or Uratislavia 2. Jagundorfe 3. Glats 4. Oppolen 5. Glogaw 6. Olderberg all seated on the River Oder Lusatia which hath on the East and North Silesia on the West Brandenburg and on the South Silesia the chief Cities are Gorlits and Trabel on the river Nisse Spemberg and Gotthuse on the River Spe and lastly Bautsen Moravia which hath on the North and East Silesia on the West Brandenburg and on the South Austria and Hungary It abounds with Corn and hath much Myrrh and Frankincense which contrary to the usuall manner grow immediately out of the Earth not from trees the chief towns are 1. Brinne 2. Olmutz an University 3. Terebitz 4. Jasa c. 11. Brandenburg which hath on the East Poland on the West Saxony on the North Pomerania and on the South Lusatia It s in compass five hundred and twenty miles in which are contained fifty Cities and sixty four walled towns the chief are 1. Brandenburg 2. Frankfurt upon Oder an University seated in a fruitful soil abounding with Corn and Wine 3. Berlin where the Prince keeps his Court seated on the River Spre 4. Havelburg to this belongs part of Prussia called Ducal with the Dukedomes of Cleve Juliers and Berg c. So that in largenesse of territories they exceed the Dukes of Saxony but not in revenues 12. Pomerania and Meclemburg The first is bounded on the East wirh the River Vistula on the VVest with Meclemburg on the North with the Baltick sea and on the South with Brandenburg the chief towns are 1. Stetin the Princes seat and an University 2. Wolgast 3. VVallin 4. Gripswald an University 5. Newtrepton a Sea Town Meclenburg or Megalopolis stands on the West of Pomeren the chief towns whereof are 1. Malchaw 2. Sternberg 3. VVismar 4. Rostock an University On the West hereof stands the fair Hans-Town of Lubeck and about ten miles from it Hamborough On the further side of the River is Stoade where the English house is to sell their wares 13. Saxony which hath on the East Lusatia and Brandenburgh On the West Hassia On the North Brunswick and on the South Franconia and Bohemia It contains the Countries of Thuringia Misnia Voitland and Saxony The chief Cities in Thuringia are 1. Erdford a great City 2. Iene an University of Physicians 3. Smalcald 4. Hale 5. VVeimar The whole Country is in length one hundred and twenty miles and about as much in breadth and yet it contains two thousand Villages and twelve Earledoms Misnia environed with Bohemia Voitland Thuringia and Saxony the chief Towns whereof are 1. Dresden on the River Albis the Dukes seat and principal Magazine 2. Lipsique an University 3. Rochlits 4. Mulburg Voitland is a little Country South of Misnia whose chief Towns are 1. Olnits 2. VVerde 3. Cronach 4. Culmbach 5. Hoffe Saxony lies on the North of Thuringia and Misnia The chief Cities are 1. Magdeburg formerly Parthenopolis 2. VVorlits seated on the Albie 3. Helderick 4. VVittenberg the seat of the Duke and an University where Luther lived within the bounds of Saxony are the two small Principalities of Anhalt and Mansfield 14. Brunswick and Luneburg which have on the East Brandenberg On the West Westphalia On the North Denmark And on the South Saxony and Hassia The River Ems runs through this Country and the chief Cities are 1. Brunswick 2. Wolfohaiton where the Duke keeps his Court Halberstade 4. Lunebourg 5. Cella 5. Hassia which hath Saxony on the East Franconia on the South Westphalia on the West and North The chief Towns are 1. Dormestad 2. Marpurg an University 3. Geysen 4. Dries 5. Frankenburg 6. Cassels In this Country is the VVederaw containing the Counties of Nassaw and Hannaw and the free City of Friburg In the County of Nassaw are 1. Dillingbourg 2. Nassaw 3. Catzenelbagen and 4. Herborne an University where Piscator and Alstedius were Professors Denmark described Denmark contains the Cimbrick Chersoness part of Scandia and the Islands of the Baltick Sea The Chersoness is in length one hundred twenty miles and in breadth fourscore wherein are contained eight and twenty Cities and twenty Royal Castles or Palaces The cheif Provinces are 1. Holstein whose chief Cities are Nyemunster and Brumsted 2. Ditmars whose chief Cities are Meldory where they cover their houses with Copper and Mance 3. Sleswick whose chief Cities are Goterpe and Londen a Haven Town 4. Iuitland whereof the chief towns are Rincopen Nicopen Hol and Arhausen The Islands are five and thirty whereof the principal are 1. Senland or Zeland in length threescore and four in breadth two and fifty miles containing seven strong Castles and about thirteen Cities the chief being 1. Coppenhagen an University 2. Elsennour on the Sea side where they that pass the Sound pay their customes This Sound is in breadth three miles and is commanded by the Castles of Elsenbourg on Scandia side and Cronburg in this Island 3. Roschilt The second Island is Fuinen 3. Bornholme 4. Fimera wherein Ticho Brahe built his artificial Tower in which are rare Mathematical Instruments That part of
Scandia which belongs to Denmark is divided into three Provinces 1. Hallandia 2. Scania in length threescore and twelve miles in breadth eight and forty the pleasantest and fruitfullest Country in all Denmark and having Seas abounding with Herrings 3. Blicker where is Colmar a strong Fortress against the Swedes The Province of Scania reaches up to Sweden and Juâ—land to Holstein The Kingdome is elective and the principal strength of it consists in good and stately ships not only for the defence of the Islands but of that most important passage of the Sound which is a streight separating Scania from Zeland and is of huge advantage by reason of the infinite number of ships which pass through it into the Baltick Sea and come from all the Havens of that Sea back into the Ocean The Noble men are much inclined to the wars zealous for their Rights and Liberties and make no alliance by marriage with the common people they refuse Ecclesiastical honours as below their condition The Gentlemen are all equal and as it were of one family there being neither Earl nor Baron only the Officers of the Crown and Counsellers of the Kingdome have the preheminence Norway described Norway is bounded on the North with Lapland on the East with the Doâ—rine Mountains which part it from Swethlâ—nd on the other parts with the Sea It s in length one thousand and three hundred miles in breadth not half so much It s much troubled with certain little Beasts called Lemmers about the bigness of a field-mouse which like Locusts devoure every green thing on the earth and at a certain time die in heaps and with their stench poison the air so that the people are long after troubled with the Jaundies and a giddinesse in the head but these beasts come not often The soil is barren and the common people live on dryed fish in stead of bread The chief Commodities are stock-fish butter rich furrs train Oile pitch masts cables deal-boards c. Towns here are few and the houses are miserably poor their cheif towns are 1. Nidrosia 2. Bergen an ancient mart town 3. Asloia 4. Staffanger On the North and West of it lieth Finmark a great and populous Province both of them are subject to Denmark The chief towns in Finmark are 1. Saman 2. Hielso both sea towns 3. Wardhouse a place of much trading Swethland Described Swethland hath on the East Muscovy on the West the Dofrine hills on the North the frozen Seas and on the South the Baltick Sea which doth not ebb and flow This Sea begins at the Sound and interlaceth Denmark Swethland Germany and Poland extending to Livonia and Lituania This Countrey with the Provinces of Lapland Scricfinia and Barmia is bigger than France and Italy joyned together The soil is fruitful the aire healthfull so that many of the Inhabitants live to one hundred and thirty and some to one hundred and forty years old It yeilds Mines of Lead Copper and Silver Buck-skines Goat-skines Oxen Tallow Tar costly Furrs c. The chief Provinces are 1. Lapland which is divided into two parts whereof the Eastern part belongs to the great Duke of Mosco the western containing Lapland properly so called and Scricfinia belong to Swethland they have store of rich Furrs but use not many and are good Archers 2. Bodia lying on the South of Scricfinia the chief towns whereof are 1. Virtis 2. Vista 3. Helsinga 3. Finland which hath the Baltick sea on the South It s a very fruitfull and populous Countrey containing one thousand four hundred thirty and three Parishes wherein are a thousand Families in some of them the chief towns are 1. Albo. 2. Name a strong place c. 4. Sweden which hath on the East Sinus Bodicus on the West the Dofrine Hills on the North Lapland and on the South Gothland For the most part it is a fruitful Countrey the chief Cities are 1. Upsale 2. Nicopia a sea town 3. Coperdole famous for its abundance of Brasse 5. Gothland which is the best and richest Province of the North It s divided into the Island and the Continent The Island of Gothland is seated in the Baltick sea being in length eighteen miles and but five broad the chief Town is Wisbich The continent of Gothland joyns to Denmark and hath in it the great Lake Weret which receiving into it twenty and four Rivers empties it self at one mouth with such an hideous noise that it is commonly called the Devills head The chief Cities are 1. Stockholm 2. Lodusia 3. Walburg 4. Colmar famous for its impregnable Castle Sweden is the biggest of all the Northern Kingdomes the Regall City whereof is Stockholm a town with the suburbs of great distent there are in it many huge Mountains Rocks and Forrests where are sometimes seen and hard strange illusions and phancies as likewise in the water which are very terrible both to men and horses that pass that way The Swedes are good souldiers both by sea and Land of a strong complexion and fit to indure hardship and labour the Nobility is very milde and frank loves learning and Languages especially the Latine and French they travel much abroad are dextrous at exercises and seek learned company they heartily love one another out of their own Country hide the vices of their compatriots and stand much for the honour of their Nation Muscovy Described Muscovy hath on the East Tartary on the West Livonia Lituania and part of Sweden on the North the frozen Ocean and on the South the Caspian sea and lake of Meotis It is in length from East to West three thousand and three hundred miles in breadth three thousand sixty and five The women love their husbands best that beat them most they use the Sclavonian Language and in their Religion follow the Greek Churches the Northren parts are so cold that the people do not only line their cloaths but their houses with Furrs the chief Commodities are rich Furs Flax Hemp Oil Honey Wax Canvasses Nuts c. It hath many great rivers as 1. Tanais which emptieth it self into Palus Meotis 2. Duina running into the Scythian seas 3. Boristhenes or Neiper running into the Euxine sea 4. Onega running into the Baltick sea 5. Volga which at seventy mouths empties it self into the Caspian sea The chief Provinces are 1. Novograd having a City of the same name on the Baltick sea a place of great trading 2. Plescovia whose chief town is Plescow it is in length three hundred and thirty miles and one hundred and thirty in breadth 3. Volodomire a fruitful Country where usually one bushel of Corn returns twenty and sometimes five and twenty the chief town is of the same name 4. Rhezan very plentiful in Corn Hony Fish Fowl c. 5. Severia a great Province upon the lake of Maeotis 6. Smolensco whose chief City is of the same name 7. Rescovy 8. Rostowia 9. Corelia 10. Permia where are abundance of stags 11. Condora 12. Petzora 13.
The Kingdome of Casan and Citraham 14. Muscovia whose chief City is Mosco The City of Mosco Described Mosco the Regal City in Russia is almost round and bigger it is than London environed with three strong walls circling the one within the other and having many streets lying betwixt them The inmost wall and the buildings within it being fenced and watered with the River Moschua that runneth close by it is all accounted the Emperors Castle The number of houses as they were formerly reckoned amounted to forty one thousand and five hundred The streets of this City instead of paving are planked with great Firr trees planed and laid even together and very close the one to the other The houses are of Timber without Lime and stone built very close and warm of Fir trees which are fastened together with notches at each corner and betwixt the Timber they thrust in Moss to keep out the air which makes them very warm The greatest danger is their aptnesse to take fire which being once kindled is hardly quenched and hereby much hurt hath been done and the City miserably defaced sundry times The whole Countrey of Russia in the Winter lyeth under snow a yard or two thick but greater in the Northern parts from the beginning of November to the end of March in which time the Air is oft so sharp that water thrown upward congeales into Ice before it comes to the ground If you hold a pewter dish in your hand it will freeze so fast to it as that it will pull off the skin at parting divers in the Markets are killed with the extremity of cold Travellers are brought into towns sitting dead and stiff in their sleds some loose their Noses some their Ears Fingers Toes c. which are frozen off and yet in the Summer you shall see a new face on the Countrey the woods which mostly are Firr and Birch so fresh and sweet the Pastures and Medows so green and well grown such variety of Flowers such melody of the Birds especially of Nightingales that you cannot travel in a more pleasant Country The Summer is hotter than with us in England For Fruits they have Apples Pears Plums Cherries red and black Deens like Muskmelons but more sweet and pleasant Cucumbers Gourds Straberries Hurtleberries c. Wheat Rie Barley Oats Pease c. Their cheif Commodities are Furrs of all sorts as black Foxes Sables Lufernes dun Foxes Martrons Gurnstales or Armines Minever Beaver Walverines a great water Rat whose skin smels like Musk Squirrels grey and red foxes white and red as also Wax Honey Tallow Hides of Beeves and Buffs Train Oile Caviare Hemp Flax Salt Tar Salt-Peter Brimstone Iron Muscovy slate Fallow Deer Roe-bucks and Goats great store For Fowl they have Eagles Hawks of all kinds swans tame and wild Storks Cranes Fesants white Partridges c. For fresh water fish they have Carp Pike Pearch Tench Roach as also Bellouga of four or five ells long Sturgion Severiga Sterledy which four sorts breed in Volga and of all their Roes they make Caviare c. The streets in their Cities and Towns instead of paving are planked with Firr trees planed and laid even together Their chief Cities are Mosco Novograd Rostove Volodomire Plesco Smolensco Jaruslave Perislave Nisnovograd Vologda Ustiuck Colmigroe Casan Astracan Cargapolia and Columna It s governed by an Emperour or great Duke with most absolute authority after the manner of the Eastern Countries though it lye very near the North. The Muscovites follow the Greek Religion under a Patriarch though yet it bee mingled with very many superstitions which are not like to bee amended because the Great Duke suffers none of his subjects to travel and see other Countries They are much tormented by the Turks and Tartars They have waged great wars with the Poles and Swedes but with many losses A Description of the state and magnificence of the Emperour of Russia Sir Thomas Smith being sent Ambassador from King James to Boris Emperour of Russia Anno Christi 1604. one of his company thus relates their entertainment When saith hee wee entrâ—d the presence wee beheld the excellent Majesty of a mighty Emperour seated in a chair of gold richly embroidered with Persian stuffe In his right hand hee held a golden Scepter had a Crown of pure gold upon his head a coller of rich stones and Pearles about his neck his outward garments of Crimson Velvet embroidered very fair with Pearles precious Stones and Gold On his rightâ—hand stood a very fair Globe of beaten Gold or a Pyramis with a Cross on it Nigh that stood a fair Bason and Ewre which the Emperour used daily Close by him on another Throne sate the Prince in an outward Garment like his Fathers but not so rich with an high black Fox cap on his head worth there five hundred pound having a golden staffe in his hand On the Emperours right hand stood two gallant Noble men in cloath of silver high black Fox Caps with great long gold chains hanging to their feet with Poleaxes of gold on their shoulders and on the left hand of the Prince stood two other such but their Poleaxes were of silver round about on benches sate the Council and Nobility in golden and Persian Coats and high black Fox Caps to the number of two hundred the ground being covered with cloath of Arras After dinner saith hee again wee were led to have audience through many Chambers to a very fair and rich room where was infinite store of massie plate of all sorts where wee again viewed the Emperour and Prince seated under two Chairs of state each having a scul of Pearl upon their heads In the midst of the room stood a great Pillar round about which for a great height stood wonderful great peeces of Plate very curiously wrought with Beasts Fishes and Fowles besides other ordinary peeces of serviceable Plate The Emperour at dinner was served in rare dishes of silver but most of Massie gold c. Sic transit gloria mundi Pur. Pil. v. 3. p. 748. The Permians and Samoeds described The Permians lie North from Russia and are now subject to the Emperor thereof they have broad and flat faces like the Tartars from whom probably they had their original they live by hunting and trading with their Furrs The Samoeds live more towards the North Sea they are very brutish eating all manner of raw flesh even to the very carrion that lyeth in the ditch they are also subject to the Russees they acknowledge one God but represent him by such creatures as they have most good by and therefore they worship the Sun the Ollen the Losh c. They are clad in Seals-skins with the hairy side outward that reaches as low as the knees with their breeches and stockings of the same both men and women they are all black-haired and beardlesse the women are known from the men by a lock of hair hanging down by their ears they are ever
on the East Laconia on the VVest Elis and Messina on the North Achaia propria and on the South the sea The chief Cities are 1. Psophis 2. Mantinia 3. Megalopolis And 4. Phialia here was the Lake Stymphalus and the River Styx whose water for the ill tast was called the Water of hell this Countrey was fit for pasturage and grazing 4. Laconia which is bounded on the East and South with the sea on the North with Argolis and on the West with Arcadia the chief Cities are 1. Lacedaemon once a most flourishing Commonwealth 2. Leuctra on the sea side 3. Thalana nigh unto the Lake Lerna and Mount Tenarus and 4. Selassia 5. Argolis which is bounded on the East and North with the sea on the VVest with Achaia propria and on the South with Laconia the chief Cities are 1. Argos 2. Micene 3. Nemaea 4. Epidaurus and 5. Nauplia 6. Achaia propria which hath on the South Elis Arcadia and Argolis on all other parts the sea The chief Cities are 1. Corinth at the foot of the Acro-Corinthian hills neer to the fountain Pyrene this City was formerly strengthened with a Castle which standing on the said Hills was called Acro-Corinthus and was impregnable Here lived Lais that famous strumpet that exacted ten thousand Drachmas for a nights lodging It s now called Crato and is a place of small note 2. Patras 3. Scycion now Vasilico and 4. Dimea The Country of Achaia described Achaia is bounded on the East with the Aegean Sea On the West with Epirus On the North with Thessaly and on the South with Peloponesus and the Sea thereof It s divided into seven Provinces 1. Attica 2. Megaris 3. Boeotia 4. Phocis 5. Aetolia 6. Doris and 7. Locris 1. Attica which hath on the West Megaris and on all other parts the Sea the soil is barren yet by the industry of the Inhabitants was made fruitful their current mony was stamped with an Oxe whence grew that saying of corrupt Lawyers Bos in lingua The chief Cities are 1. Athens once famous all the world over 2. Marathron where Mâ—ltiades overthrew the huge Army of Darius 3. Piraea the Haven Town to Athens and 4. Panormus 2. Maegaris which hath on the East Attica on the West Sinus Corinthiacus on the North Boeotia and on the South the Istmus The chief Cities are 1. Megara now Megra and 2. Eleusis 3. Boeotia which is bounded on the East with Attica on the West with Phocis on the North with the River Cephisus and on the South with Megaris and the Sea The chief Cities are 1. Thebes on the River Cephisus 2. Daulis 3. Platea 4. Leuctra where Epaminondas gave that great overthrow to the Lacedemonians 5. Ascra the birth-place of Hesiod 6. Cheronea the birth-place of Plutarch 7. Orchomenon In this Country are the streights of Thermopylae where Leonidas with three hundred Spartans slew twenty thousand of Xerxes his Army and were themselves all slain 4. Phocis which hath on the East Boeotia on the West Locris and Doris on the North the Rivers Cephisus and on the South Sinus Corinthiacus Here is Mount Helicon consecrated to the Muses Mount Citheron and Pernassus whose two-fold top kissed the clouds The cheif Cities are 1. Cyrra 2. Crissa 3. Anticyra on the Sea side where grew Eloborum that cured the Phrensie 4. Elladia 5. Pytho or Pythia seated in the heart of Greece Here the Amphictyons kept their Court. They were men selected out of the twelve principal Cities in Greece and had power to decide all controversies and to enact Lawes for the common good 6. Delphos where was the Temple of Apollo the most famous Oracle of the Heathens 5. Locris which hath on the East Aetolia on the North Doris and on the other parts the Sea The chief Cities are 1. Naupactum now called Lepanto where was that famous battel between the Turks and Christians 2. Ematia 6. Aetolia which is bounded on the East with Locris on the West with Epirus on the North with Doris and on the South with the Gulph of Lepanto Here is the Forrest of Caledon where Meleager slew the wild Boar and the Rivers Evenus and Achilous The chief Cities are 1. Chalcis 2. Olenus 3. Plurona and 4. Thirmum 7. Doris which hath on the East Boeota on the West Epirus on the South the Sea and on the North the Hill Oeta The chief Cities are 1. Amphissa 2. Libra and 3. Citinum Epirus described Epirus is bounded on the East with Achaia on the North with Macedonia and on the other parts with the Sea Here is the Mount Pindus sacred to Apollo and the Muses and the Acroceraunian Hills Here are also the Rivers Acheron and Cocytus for their colour and taste called the Rivers of Hell The Eastern part of this Country is called Acarnania the Western Chaonia The chief Cities are 1. Antigonia 2. Cassiope 3. Toronia These in the Western part and in the other 1. Nicopolis 2. Ambracia now Larta 3. Leucas 4. Anactorium and 5. Actium nigh to the Sea of Lepanto where Augustus and Anthony fought for the Empire of the world This Country was once called Molossia Here that famous Scanderbeg was King as also of Albania Albania described Albania hath on the East Macedonia on the West the Adriatick Sea On the North Sclavonia and on the South Epirus The chief Cities are 1. Albanopolis 2. Sfetigrade 3. Durazzo formerly called Dyrachium 4. Croya under whose walls Amurath lost his life Macedonia described Macedonia hath on the East Migdonia on the West Albania on the North Misia superior and on the South Epirus and Achaia The chief Cities are 1. Scydra or Scodra 2. Andaristus 3. Aedessa 4. Eribaea 5. Pidna upon the mouth of the River Alaicmon 6. Pella on the same shore and 7. Syderocaspae famous for her gold and silver Mines Thessaly described On the Southern part of Macedonia is Thessalia planted It s a fruitful and pleasant Country Here is the Hill Olympus upon which were the Olympick games as running with Chariots and on foot wrestling fighting with Whirlebats c. The reward of the Conquerors was only a Garland of Palm and yet highly esteemed by them Here also are the Hills Pelion and Ossa and betwixt Olympus and Ossa was that delectable Valley called Tempe five miles long and six broad so beautified with natures riches that it was accounted the Garden of the Muses The chief Cities are 1. Tricca 2. Lamia 3. Demetrias 4. Larissa both upon the Pelasgick Bay 5. Pharsalis nigh unto which was that great battel fought between Caesar and Pompey for the Monarchie of the world And 6. Pherae Migdonia described Migdonia is bounded on the East and South with the Aegean Sea on the West with Macedonia and on the North with Thracia Here is the Hill Athos which is threescore and fifteen miles in compass three dayes journey in height and casts a shadow as far as Lemnos which is forty miles off The chief Cities are 1. Stagira
not knowing of his Brothers imprisonment because hee heard nothing from him thought that his suit was rejected and thereupon addressed himself to the King of Spain who after many delayes furnished him with two ships only for discovery with this small assistance hee sailed in the Ocean more than threescore dayes without discovery of any land so that his discontented Spaniards began to mutiny absolutely resolving to go no further Columbus did all that hee could to pacifie and incourage them but when nothing would prevail hee was fain to ingage himself to them that if land was not discovered within three dayes hee would steer his course back again At the end of which time one of the company discryed fire an evident sign of land which they took possession of Anno Christi 1492. and Columbus in honour of the Spaniards called it Hispaniola after which hee discovered Cuba and so with much treasure and greater content hee returned into Spain and after two other voyages hee sickned and dyed and was buried at Sivil This Columbus being on a time at supper with some of the great Spanish Dons in the Court they took occasion to speak very sleightly of his Indian discoveries as if it was such a small matter which might have been performed by any man Hee hearing them called for an Egge and when hee had it desired them to try if any of them could make it stand an end upon their trenchers they all tryed and by indeavouring equally to poise it laboured to make it stand but could not then did Columbus take it and knocking it down pretty hard crackt the end which caused it to stand upright at this they all laughed saying that every fool could do so Yea saith hee and now I have made a discovery of that new world every one can go thither c. VVhen the Spaniards first arrived in those parts they found the Inhabitants naked unacquainted with husbandry making their bread of Cassavy roots worshiping the Devils whom they called Zemes in remembrance of whom they had certain Images made of Cotton-wool like to our Childrens babies To these they did great reverence as supposing the spirit of their Zemes to bee in them and the Devil to blind them the more would sometimes make these Puppets move and make a noise they stood also in great fear of them for if they did not fulfil his will the Devil would execute vengeance upon some of the Children of these poor deluded souls They thought the Christians to bee immortal wondring at the Masts Sails and tacklings of their ships and to try whether they were immortal or no having taken some straglers they held their heads under water till they were strangled which made them change their opinions They esteemed gold and silver no more than dross yet for the colours sake adorned themselves therewith as they did with shells feathers and the like The Spaniards after their coming amongst them behaved themselves very cruelly killing them like sheep and forcing them like beasts to labour in their Mines to carry their burthens and to do all manner of drudgery which caused them so to hate them that one Haythney a noble man amongst them being perswaded to bee baptised with the promise of Heaven for his reward asked whither the Spaniards went when they dyed and when answer was made that they went to Heaven hee renounced his intended Baptisme protesting that hee had rather go to Hell with the unbaptised than to live in Heaven with so cruel a people In some places there was such abundance of gold that in some Mines they found more gold than earth which the Indians exchanged greedily for Hammers Knives Axes Hatchets and such tools of Iron for before they were fain to make their Canows or Boats plain without of the body of a great tree which they made hollow with the force of fire Columbus having thus happily begun this noble enterprize hee was seconded by Americus Vesputio a Florentine from whom unjustly it was called America To him succeeded John Cabot imployed by our King Henry the seventh Ferdinando Magellane first found out the South passage called the streights of Magellane by which hee compassed the world and was afterwards followed by our Drake and Candish and the Dutch Nandernoort since which time another Dutchman called Le Maire found out a more Southerly passage into the South Sea called Le Maires Streights by which hee also compassed the world America is divided into two parts Mexicana and Peruana Mexicana is the Northern tract containing the Provinces of Mexico Quivira Nicaragua Jucutan Florida Virginia Norembega New-France New-England c. Mexico is now called New-Spain in which is that excellent tree called Mete which they plant and dress as wee do our Vines yeelding so many sorts of commodities For when they bee tender they make of them Conserves Paper Flax Mantles Mats Shooes Girdles and Cordage On the leaves grow prickles so hard and sharp that they use them in stead of sawes From the root of the tree comes a juice like unto syrup which if you seeth it will become Hony if you purifie it it will become Sugar you may also make Wine and Vineger of it The rind rosted cureth hurts and sores and from the top boughs is such a Gum which is an excellent antidote against poison It abounds also with many golden sanded Rivers wherein are Crocodiles which the natives eat It hath Mines of gold and a mountain burning like Aetna It s bounded on the East with Jucutan and the Gulph of Mexico on the West with California on the South with Peruana and the Northern limits are not known It was very populous before the arrival of the Spaniards who in seventeen years slew six millions of them roasting some plucking out the eyes cutting off the arms of others and casting them alive to bee devoured of dogs and wild beasts Mechuacan one of the Provinces of New-Spain abounds with Mulberry trees Silk Hony Wax black Amber and great plenty of Fish the Inhabitants are tall strong active and speak a copious language Mexico hath in it a City of the same name in compass six miles consisting of six thousand houses of Spaniards and sixty thousand of Indians It s situate on Lakes and Islands like Venice every where interlaced with pleasant currents of fresh and Sea waters The plain wherein the Town standeth is seventy leagues in compass environed with high hills on the tops of which Snow lyeth continually The Lake on whose banks the City lyeth is fifty miles in compass the banks whereof are adorned with pleasant Towns and houses and on the Lake are fifty thousand wherreyes plying continually Nigh to this City is the Gulph of Mexico whose current is so swift and heady that ships cannot pass directly to and fro but are compelled to bear either much North or much South It s nine hundred miles in compass and hath two Ports one between the farthest part of Jucatan and the Isle of Cuba at
and comely When the King dieth they bury him with solemnity and upon his grave they set the cup wherein hee was wont to drink and about it they stick many Arrows for six months certain women are appointed to bewail his death His house and goods they burn together They sow or set their Corn as in Virginia and have two seeds times and two harnests their meat is Venisons Fish and Crocodiles dried in the smoak for preservation Peruana Described The other part of this new World is called Peruana being in compasse seventeen thousand miles comprehending in it Golden Castile Guiana Peru Brisile and Chili The first is so called from the abundance of gold in it lying in the Northern parts of Peruana and part of the Istmus which is but seventeen miles broad between sea and sea It s admirably stored with silver Spices Pearls and medicinal herbs and is divided into the Provinces of Castella del oro Nova Andaluzia Nova Granata and Carthagena Castella del Oro is in the very Istmus an unhealthful Countrey the chief Cities are Nombre de dios on the East and Panama on the West side Through which two places comes all the traffique between Spain and Peru. The commodities from Peru being unladen at Panama in the South sea and thence carried by land to Nombre de dios in the North sea and thence shiped to Spain In Guiana is the great River Orenoque which is Navigable with ships of burthen for one thousand miles and with Boats and Pinnasses almost two thousand more It was discovered by Sir Walter Rawleigh and the River Margnon called the River of the Amazons which is Navigable almost six thousand miles and towards the sea two hundred miles broad Peru lieth under the Aequinoctial line and stretcheth for the space of eight hundred leagues upon six hundred whereof viz. from Atacama to Tumbez it never rainethâ— and yet it is as fruitful a land for all sorts of necessaries for the life of man as is in the world On the West frontire is a mighty ridg of high Mountains that are always covered with Snow from whence issue great store of Rivers into the South sea with the water whereof being led by sluces and channels they moisten their vineyards and Corn fields which makes them exceeding fruitful Besides Mines of gold and silver there are mines of Copper and Tin there is also abundance of Salt-peter and Brimstone It is now well replenished with horses kine sheep goats and Wheat The Fortresse of Cusco Described One of the Incas of Peru built a fort that may rather seem the work of Devils than of men especially considering that these Indians had neither Iron nor steel to work and cut the stones with nor Cart nor Oxen to draw them yet was this Fort built with stones that seemed Rocks rather than stones drawn by strength of men with great Cables and that through uneven ways in rough mountains many of them being brought from places that were ten twelve and some fifteen Leagues off especially that stone which the Indians called VVearied which was brought fifteen Leagues and over a great river in the way The most of them came five Leagues off these stones they joined so close together in the building that the joynts could scarcely bee discerned which required often lifting up and setting down neither could they make Cranes or any kind of Engines to help them therein neither had they square or Rule to direct their work Instead of mortar they used a kinde of Clay that held faster This Fortresse was built on an hill on the North side of the City of Cusco the hill was so steep on one side that that way it could not bee assaulted and therefore one wall served on that side which was two hundred fathoms long On the other sides they made three walls one without another each being above two hundred fathoms and were made in the fashion of an half Moon in which there were stones admirably great each wall had in the middest one gate which was covered over with one entire stone each wall stood thirty foot distant from the other and at the top of them the battlements were above a yard high Within those walls there were three strong forts the middlemost was round which had in it a Conduit of very good water brought under ground from far The walls were all adorned with gold and silver and had Images of beasts birds and Plants enchased therein which served instead of Tapestry the other two Forts were square and they had passages under ground from one to another artificially made with Labarinthian windings and turnings inextricable but by a thread They drew their great stones with great Cables To draw the stone which they called Wearied they had twenty thousand Indians the one half before the other behind and yet in one uneven passage it crushed three or four thousand of them to death This proved so unweildy that they never laid it in the building Pur. Pil. v. 4. p. 1478. Another of the Incas to shew his magnificence caused a chain of gold to bee made which was seven hundred foot long and every link as big as a mans wrist two hundred Indians could but lift it Caxamalca another City in Peru is four miles in circuit entered by two gates on the one side stands a great Palace walled about having within it a great Court planted with trees this they call The house of the Sun whom they worship putting off their shooes when they enter into it in this City there are two thousand houses the streets are as strait as a line the walls are strong built of stone about three fathoms high within there are fair fountains of water In the middest is a very fair street walled about having before it a fortress of stone On one side of this street was the Palace of the â—nâ—as or Emperor with lodgings and Gardens the houses were all painted with diverse colours and in one room were two great Fountains adorned with plates of Gold one of them was so hot that a man cannot endure his hand in it the other was cold Atabalipa was Emperour when the Spaniards took it from whom they presently got fifty thousand Pezoes of gold each of them being worth one ducat and two Carolines and seven thousand Marks of silver besides many Emeralds The Spaniards asked Atabalipa what he would give them for his ransome Hee told them that hee would fill that room with Gold to a mark that was higher than a tall man could reach by a span the room being five and twenty foot long and fifteen foot broad Then they asked him how much silver hee would give besides Hee answered as much as ten thousand Indians could carry in vessels of silver of diverse sorts The Spaniards went to Cusco to receive part of it where they found a Temple of the Sun covered with plates of gold as also many pots and vessels of gold yea there was such store
in one of the most populous Regions in the World saith Casas there remain not above four or five thousand persons Cortes used to have four Kings to wait upon him hee burned sixty Kings their children looking on Another Spaniard cast four of their Kings to bee devoured by his dogs In New-Spain from the year 1518 to 1530. within the compasse of four hundred and eighty miles about Mexico they destroyed above four millions of people by fire and sword besides those that dyed by miserable servitude and drudgery In the Province of Naco and Honduras in the space of eleven years two millions of men perished by the same ways In Guatimala in sixteen years space were destroied five millions of souls Alvarado who was the instrument of this destruction dyed by the fall of his horse and had his City of Guatimala destroyed and overwhelmed by a threefold deluge of Earth water and stones In his expeditions he forced the Indians by ten or twenty thousand at a time to go with him allowing them no other sustenance but the flesh of their slain enemys keeping in his Army Shambles of mans flesh In Panuco and Xalisco they exercised the like cruelties One of the Spaniards forced eight thousand of the Indians to wall about his Garden and suffered them all to perish with Famine In Machuachan they tortured the King that came forth to meet them that they might extort gold from him they set his feet in the stocks and put fire thereto binding his hands to a Post behind him and then had a boy standing by that basted his roasted feet with Oil Another stood with a Cross-bow bent against his breast and a third stood with Dogs ready to devour him by these tortures hee dyed They forced the Indians to bring them their gods hoping they had been of gold but when their golden hopes failed they forced them to redeem them again with Gold Yea where the Fryers had forced the Indians to cast away their gods the Spaniards brought more from other places to sell them In the Province of St. Martha they laid utterly waste and desolate four hundred and fifty miles of land by destroying the Inhabitants The like they did in the Kingdome of Venezula where they destroyed four or five millions Besides they carried of them Captive out of the Continent into the Islands a million of People They spared no sort of persons plucked the Children from the breasts to quarter them to their dogs tortured Kings with new devices borrowed either from the Inquisition or from hell they used to cut off the Noses and hands of men and women that lived peaceably with them they sold Fathers Mothers Children asunder into diverse places and to diverse persons never to meet again they used to ly with the women that being with child they might yeild them the more mony in their sale The Spanish Priests used to devote them with Curses to the Devil and taught them vices by their evil practises and examples insomuch as one said Hee would perswade the King of Spain to send no more Priests into America They teach them Usury Lying Swearing Blasphemy A Caciques son that was towardly in his youth and proved after dissolute being asked the reason of it said since I was a Christian I have learned to swear several sorts of Oaths to Dice to Lye to swagger and now I want nothing but a Concubine to make mee a compleat Christian This made them to say that of all Gods the Christians God was the worst which had such bad servants and to wish for their own gods again of whom they never received so much hurt as from the Christians A Christian said one of them is one that impiously demands Maiz Honey Silk Raiment an Indian woman to lye with they call for gold and silver are idle and will not work are Gamesters Dicers wicked Blasphemers Backbiters Quarrellers c. And taking a peece of Gold hee said Loe this is the Christians God For this they kill us and one another for this they play blaspheme curse steal and do all manner of villanies In Peru they had publike places of torture whereinto they might put a thousand of the miserable Creatures at once by exquisite tortures to force them to a confession of their hidden treasures such as escaped these used to hang themselves in the Mountains and their wives by them and their little children at their feet By Dogs at Land they worried them and in their Pearl fishings exposed them to the ravenous Sharks in the seas by fire and sword consuming twenty millions of people since the Jesuits went amongst them These and infinite more have been the cruelties which the cruel Spaniards have exercised upon the poor naked innocent people Our Author a Papist that relates these things least any should think that hee wrote too much protests that they were a thousand times worse than hee had set down the Reading whereof might astonish the sence of the Reader amaze his Reason exceed his faith and fill his heart with horror and uncouth passions It is no marvel that God follows such bloody beasts with his vengeance as lately hee hath done if the relation be true which cometh from the mouths of some of themselves lately taken by some of our Frigots upon the Coast of Spain as they came out of these Countryes whereof the Narrative follows The Marquesse of Baydex now taken by our Fleet neer Cadiz upon examination saith that above five months since there happened in Lima a fearfull Earthquake and a most miraculous rain of fire in Peru insomuch that the whole City of Lima is swallowed up and destroyed as also the City of Calao in which places there perished above eleven thousand Spaniards and through the wonderful distinguishing hand of God not above one hundred Indians In the City of Lima the King of Spain hath lost by the Earthquake one hundred Millions of silver ready wrought up Also the famous Mines of Potozi where they had their greatest quantities of silver are destroyed in a wonderfull manner so that the hill is not to be seen but all is plain nor is there any further possibility of having gold or silver in Peru Some of the Spaniards themselves acknowledge that this judgement is justly befaln them for their cruelty to the poor Indians who crying to God for vengeance have pulled down this visible hand of God upon them Lima and Potosi Described In Lima no houses are covered on the tops because it never rains and is a hot Countrey no City in India is richer Over the top of the Mountain of Potosi there always hangs a cloud even in the clearest day The hill riseth in the form of a Pyramis being three Leagues high environed with cold air at the foot of it standeth the fair City of Potosi within six leagues about grows no grasse Corn nor wood the entrance and Mine works are so dangerous that few that go in return again The metal lies above two
strange nature that the one half of it doth never freeze in the coldest winter Descrip. of Scotl. In Lenox is a great Loch or Meere called Loch-Lowmond in length twenty four miles and eight in breadth wherin are three strange things First Excellent good Fish without any fins Secondly a floating Island whereon many Kine feed And thirdly Tempestuous waves rageing without winds yea in the greatest calms Desc. of Scotl. There is a certain Island called Lounda in the Kingdome of Congo wherein is no fresh water being a very sandy ground but if you dig but the depth of two or three hand breadthes you shall find sweet water the best in all those Countryes and which is most strange when the Ocean ebbeth this water grows brackish but when it flows to the top it is most sweet P. Pil. v. 2. p. 989. Not far from Casbine the Regal City in Persia is a fountain of a strange and wonderful nature out of which there continually springeth and issueth a marvellous quantity of black Oil which serveth in all parts of Persia to burn in their houses and is usually carried all over the Countrey upon Kine and Asses whereof you may often meet three or four hundred in company P. Pil. v. 2. p. 1431. About three days journey from old Babylon is a Town called Ait and neer unto that is a valley of pitch very marvellous to behold wherin are many Springs throwing out abundantly a kind of black substance like unto Tar and Pitch which serveth all the Country thereabout to make staunch their barques with and boats every one of which springs makes a noise like to a Smith's Forge in puffing and blowing out the matter which never ceaseth day nor night and the noise is hard a mile off the Moors call it Hell-mouth P. Pil. v. 2. p. 1437. Clitumnus is a River in Italy which makes all the Oxen that drink of it white Fulk Meteor Lib. 4 The River Melas in Boeotia makes all the Sheep that drink of it black Plin. The Fountain of Jupiter Hammon is cold in the day time and hot at midnight The Fountain of the Sun hath its water extream cold and sweet at noon and boiling hot and bitter at midnight Plin. lib. 2. c. 103. Augustine There is a River in Palestine called the Sabbatical River which runs with a violent and swift stream all the week but every Sabbath it remains dry Joseph de Bel. Jud. l. 7. c. 24. Some question the truth of this In Idumaea is a fountain called the Fountain of Job which for one quarter of the year is troubled and muddy the next quarter bloody the third green and the fourth clear Isiod The River Astaces in the Isle of Pontus uses sometimes to over flow the fields after which whatsoever sheep or milch Cattel feed thereon give black milk Plin. l. 2. c. 103. Furius Camillus being Censor in Rome the Lake Albanus being environed with Mountains on every side in the time of Autumn when other Lakes and Rivers were almost dry the waters of this Lake after a wondrous manner began to swell and rise upwards till at last they were equall with the tops of the Mountains and after a while they brake thorow one of those Mountains overflowing and bearing all down before them till they emptied themselves into the Sea Plut. The River d ee in Merionneth shire in Wales though it run through Pimble-Meer yet it remaineth intire and mingles not its streams with the waters of the Lake Cam. Brit. Ana a River in Spain burieth it self in the earth and runneth under ground fifteen miles together whereupon the Spaniards brag that they have a bridge whereon ten thousand Cattel feed daily Pliny tells us of a fountain called Dodon which always decreaseth from midnight till noon and encreaseth from noon till midnight Hee also tells us of certain Fountains in an Island neer Italy which always increase and decrease according to the ebbing and flowing of the sea Aristotle writeth of a Well in Sicilie whose water is so sharp that the Inhabitants use it instead of Vinegar In Bohemia neer to the City of Bilen is a Well of such excellent water that the Inhabitants use to drink of it in a morning instead of burnt wine Dr. Fulk In Paphlagonia is a Well which hath the taste of wine and it makes men drunk which drink of it whence Du Bartas Salonian Fountain and thou Andrian Spring Out of what Cellars do you daily bring The oyl and wine that you abound with so O Earth do these within thine entrals grow c. Aelian mentioneth a Fountain in Boeotia neer to Thebes which makes horses run mad if they drink of it Pliny mentioneth a water in Sclavonia which is extream cold and yet if a man throw his cloath cloak upon it it is presently set on fire Other waters there are which discolour the fleeces of the sheep which drink of them whence Du Bartas Cerona Xanth and Cephisus do make The thirsty flocks that of their waters take Black red and white Add neer the crimson deep Th' Arabian Fountain maketh crimson sheep And again What should I of th' Illyrian Fountain tell What shall I say of the Dodonean Well Whereof the first sets any cloathes on fire Th' other doth quench who but will this admire A burning Torch and when the same is quenched Lights it again if it again be drenched In the Province of Dara in Lybia there is a certain River which sometimes so overfloweth the banks that it is like a sea yet in the Summer it is so shallow that any one may passe over it on foot If it overflow about the beginning of Aprill it brings great plenty to the whole region if not there follows great scarcity of Corn. Pur. Pil. v. 2. p. 823. In the Kingdome of Tunis neer unto the City El-Hamma is a hot River which by diverse Channels is carried through the City the water of it being so hot that few can endure to go into it yet having set it to cool a whole day the people drink of it Idem p. 821. In Africa there is a River called Margania and by it a salt spring which turns all the wood is thrown into it into hard stone Idem p. 1547. The River Meander is famous for its six hundred windings and turning in and out whence that of the Poet. Quique recurvatis ludit Maeander in undis Maeander plays his watry pranks within his crooked winding banks Groenland in the Hyperborean Sea was discovered Anno Christi 1380. it hath in it the Monastery of St. Thomas situate in the North-East part thereof at the foot of a Mountain where there is a River so hot that they use to boil their meat in it and it serves for other such purposes as fire doth with us Isac Chron. p. 275. The River Hypanis in Scythia every day brings forth little bladders out of which come certain flies which are thus bred in the morning are fledge at
other are above four yards Its mouth and teeth resemble a Portcullis it hath a long small tail and it is rather to be wondred at than to be eaten In Le Maires voyage about the world a certain fish or Sea monster with an horn struck against the ship with such violence that shook it whereupon the Master looking overboard saw the sea all bloody but knew not what should be the cause till coming into Port Desire where they cleansed and trimmed their ship they found seven foot under water a Horn sticking in the ship for bignesse and fashion like an Elephants tooth yet not hollow but all solid of hard bone which had pierced through three double planks and was entred into a rib of the ship it stuck about half a foot deep in the ship and by great force was broken off which caused that great monster to bleed so much as discoloured the water Pur. Pil. v. 1. p. 90. The Mannaty is a strange fish resembling a Cow Her face is like a Buffalo's her eyes small and round having hard gums instead of teeth they feed much on the shore which makes them taste like flesh of veal their intrails differ little from a Cows their bodies are commonly three yards long and one broad they swim slowly wanting fins in the place wherof they have two things like paps which are their stilts when they creep on shore to graze where they sleep long sucking in the cool air they cannot keep under water above half an hour The stone generated in their head is most esteemed being soveraign against choller adust the stone collick and dissenteryes if beaten small infused in wine and drunk fasting Herb. Trav. p. 26. See more afterwards The Carvel comes of the foam of the sea every where floating upon the surface of the Ocean of a round form throwing abroad her strings like so many lines which shee can spread at pleasure therewith angling for small fishes which shee catches at leisure you may call her a sea Spider for when shee sees her webb too weak she can blow an infectious breath foming death or such a sting as if she had borrowed it from a Scorpion Idem In the East-Indies is a trade wind which they call a Briese or Monson which blows West all April May June July August and part of September and East the rest of the year Only on the East of Sumatra it blows five months East and five months West and the other two variable This is well known to our East-Indy Merchants The Torpedo is a Fish like a Bream but somewhat thicker some Marriners having one of them in a net went to take it forth but one of them presently cryed out that hee had lost the use of his hands and armes another that was bare legged putting his foot to it lost the sence of his leg but after a while their feeling returned again whereupon calling their Cook they bade him to take and dresse it who laying both his hands thereon made grievous moan that hee felt not his hands but when its dead it produceth no such effect but is good meat Pur. Pil. p. 1568. About Jamica in the West-Indies is a Fish called a Manati which is of a strange shape and nature It brings forth her young ones alive and nourisheth them with Milk from her teates feeding upon grass in the fields but lives for the most part in the water the hinder parts of it are like unto a Cow and it eats like veal Idem v. 3. p. 930. In Brasile are Oxe-fishes which are very good meat For head hair skin cheeks and tongue they are like Oxen their eyes small with lids to open and shut which no other fish hath It breatheth and therefore cannot bee long under water Instead of fore-feet it hath two arms of a cubit long with two round hands and on them five fingers close together with nails like a mans Under these arms the female hath paps wherewith she nourisheth her young she brings forth but one at once It hath no fins but the tail which is also round and close their bones are all massie and white like Ivory of this Fish they make great store of sweet Oil they feed most upon the land Idem v. 4. p. 1313. In Sir Francis Drakes voyage about the world when they came to the Island of Celebes which is wholly overgrown with wood amongst the Trees night by night they saw infinite swarms of fiery wormes flying in the air their bodies no bigger than of our English Flyes which made such a shew and gave such a light as if every twig or tree had been a burning candle In which place also were great store of Bats as big as large Hens Pur. Pil. v. 1. p. 56. In Captain Saris his voyage to Bantam about midnight they fell into the strangest and fearfullest water that ever any of them had seen the water giving such a glaring light about the ship that they could discern letters in a book thereby whereas a little before it was so dark that they could discern nothing This made them fear that it had been the breach of sunken ground But finding that they had failed half an hour in it and saw no alteration they perceived at length that it was a multitude of Cuttle-fish that made this fearful shew Pur. Pil. p. 352. CHAP. V. The wonderful works of God in the Creatures Of strange Fowls and Birds IN one of the Scottish Islands there is a rare kinde of Fowl unknown to other Countrys called Colca little lesse than a Goose They come thither every year in the spring hatch and nourish their young ones About which time they cast all their feathers and become stark naked all their bodies over and then they get themselves to the Sea and are no more seen till the next spring Their feathers have no quill as other feathers have but are all like unto Down wherein is no hardness Descr. of Scot. In the North Seas of Scotland are great loggs of Timber found in which are ingendred after a marvellous manner a sort of Geese called Claik-geese and they do hang by the beak till they are grown to perfection and then they receive life and fall off they are many times found and kept in admiration for their rare manner of Generation They are very fat and delicious to bee eaten Idem Some question the truth hereof Storks are so careful of their parents that when they grow old and so are unable to help themselves the young ones feed them and when in passing the Sea their wings fail them the young ones will take them on their backs and carry them over And this is remarkable about them The Town of Delph in the Low-Countries is so seated for the breeding and feeding of these Birds that it is hard to see an house wherein they do not build In this Town upon the third of May Anno Christi 1536. a great fire happened when the young Storks were grown pretty big
and the other to Arabia They have no water but what remains in certain channels after the inundation of Nilus In the other Cities there is nothing remarkable The Egyptian Pyramids Described In Egypt are diverse stupendious structures called Pyramids the greatest whereof is situated on the top of a rocky hill which riseth above the plain about an hundred feet with a gentle and easy ascent the height of the situation adding beauty to the work and the solidity of the rock giving the superstructure a permanent and stable support each side of this Pyramid is six hundred ninety three feet according to the English Standard so that the whole Basis contains four hundred eighty thousand two hundred and fourty nine square feet or eleven English acres of ground The height is the same with the breadth viz. six hundred ninety three feet The ascent to the top is contrived in this manner From all the sides without the ascent is by degrees the lowermost step or degree is about four foot in height and three in breadth which running about the Pyramid in a level makes on every side of it a long but narrow walk the second row is like the first retiring inward from the first three feet and so runs about the Pyramid In the same manner is the third row placed above the second and so in order the rest like so many stairs rising one above another to the top which contains about nine foot square The degrees by which men ascend are not all of an equal depth for some are about four foot others scarcely three and the higher they ascend the more they diminish both in breadth and thicknesse so that a right line extended from any part of the Basis to the top will equally touch the outward angle of every degree These are all made of Massie and polished stones hewn out of the Arabian Mountains which bound the upper part of Egypt being so vast that the breadth and depth of every step is one single and intire stone so that in most of them is contained thirty feet of stone The number of these steps is two hundred and seven On the North side ascending thirty eight feet upon an artificial bank of earth there is a square and narrow passage leading into the inside of this Pyramid containing in length ninety two feet and an half The structure of it hath been the labour of an exquisite hand as appears by the smoothnesse and evennesse of the work and by the close knitting of the joynts it is now an habitation for great ugly batts of about a foot long At the end of this entrance you must climb up a massy stone eight or nine foot in height where you enter into a Gallery the pavement consisting of smooth and polished white Marble the breadth is about five foot and the height the like the length of this Gallery is an hundred and ten feet At the end whereof begins a second Gallery a very stately peece of work and not inferiour either in respect of the curiousity of Art or richnesse of materials to the most sumptuous or magnificent buildings It s divided from the former by a wall at the end whereof is a Well about three feet in the diameter the sides whereof are lined with white Marble it s eighty six cubits in depth hewn through the Rock on which the Pyramid stands Beyond the Well about fifteen foot is a square passage the stones whereof are exceeding massie and exquisitely joyned which contains one hundred and ten feet at the end whereof is an arched Vault or little Chamber the length about twenty feet the breadth seventeen the height about fifteen The length of this second Gallery before mentioned is one hundred fifty and four feet of white and polished Marble both roof walls and bottome the joynts are so well knit that they are scarce discernable The height of this Gallery is twenty six feet the breadth six feet bounded on both sides with two banks like benches of polished Marble At the end of this Gallery you enter into a square hole which brings you into a little room lined with rich and speckled Thebaick Marble out of which through another passage being all of Thebaick Marble most exquisitely cut you land at the North end of a very sumptuous and well proportioned room wherein Art seems to contend with Nature the curious work not being inferiour to the rich materials It stands in the heart or center of the Pyramid equidistant from all the sides and in the midst between the Basis and the top The floor sides and roof are all made of vast and exquisite tables of Thebaick Marble from the top to the bottome are but six ranges of stone all of an equal height The stones which cover this room are of a strange and stupendious length like so many huge beams lying flat and traversing the room and bearing up that infinite weight and Masse of the Pyramid above Of these there are nine which cover the roof the length of this room is thirty four English feet the breadth somewhat above seventeen feet the height nineteen feet and a half In the midst of this glorious room stands the Tomb of Cheops of one peece of Marble hollow within and sounding like a bell but empty For saith Diodorus although the Egyptian Kings intended these for their Sepulchres yet it happened that they were not buried therein For the people being exasperated against them by reason of the toilsomenesse of these works and for their cruelty and oppression threatned to tear in peeces their dead bodies and with ignominy to throw them out of their Sepulchres wherefore theâ— commanded their friends when they were dead to bury them in some obscure place The Tomb is cut smooth and plain without any sculpture and ingraving The outsides contain in length seven foot three inches and a half In depth its three foot and almost four inches and the same in breadth The hollow part within is something more than six foot long the depth is somewhat above two feet whereby it appears that mens bodies are now as big as they were three thousand years ago For it is almost so long since this Tomb was made This Pyramid was twenty years in making and yet there were three hundred threescore and six thousand men continually working about it who only in Radishes Garlick and Onions are said to have consumed eighteen hundred Talents Collected out of Mr. Greaves a curious observer of it The Egyptian Mummi's described Not far from this Pyramid in Egypt are the Mummi's which were the graves of the ancient Egyptians into which are discents not unlike to the narrow mouthes of Wells some near ten fathomes deep leading into long vaults hewn out of the Rock with pillars of the same Between every Arch lie the Corpses ranked one by another of all sizes which are innumerable shrowded in a number of folds of Linnen and swathed with bands of the same the breasts of divers being