not the least cause why hee resigned the Empire to his Brother Ferdinando The manner of Germany is that the Title of Nobility which is in the Father The titles of their Nobility commonly is imparted to all the sonnes so that every Sonne of a Duke of Saxony is called Duke of Saxony and every Childe of the Count of Mansfield is honoured by the name of Count or Countesse of Mansfield but in the eldest House the chiefe livelihood doth remayne for keeping upright the dignity of the Family Free States and Cities There are also free States and Cities which have the same authority as Argentine Frankeford and other This is to be noted of the Germanes that they may boast this above other more Westernly Nations of Europe A note worthy of observation that they are an unmixed Nation for whereas the Lombards and Gothes at severall times have set downe in Italy and mixed themselves with the people thereof the Gothes Vandals and Saracens in Spaine the Francks in Gaule or France and the Normans also the Saxons Angles Danes and Normans in Great Brittaine they have beene free from such inundation and mixture yea many of the people that have inflicted and inhabited these other Nations have come from thence so that therein Germany hath an advantage of these other Nations that have been subject hereunto Of Italie ON the South side of the Alpes and Germany lyeth Jtaly Situation of Italy stretching it selfe out at length toward the South East It hath on the Southside the Iland of Sicilia on the East that part of the Mediterranean which is called Mare Adriaticum or Mare superum which severeth Italy from Graecia on the Westside that part of the Mediterranean which is called Mare Tyrrhenum or Mare Inferum and the upper or more Northerne part of it neere Liguria Mare Ligusticum This Country for the figure therof is by some likened unto a long leafe of a tree It hath in the middle of it which goeth all in length a mighty Mountain named Mons Apenuinus which is likened unto the Spina or Ridge-bone of the backe Out of this Hill springeth divers Rivers which run on both sides of it into the Adriatick and Tyrrhene or Tuscane Seas As in other Countries so in Italy in times past there were divers severall people and severall Provinces Jtaly divided into foure parts like our Shires in England and so there be at this day but the mayn division of Italy is properly into â—oure parts as in our age we do account it The first Lombardy which â—yeth to the North. The second Tuscane which boundeth toward â—he Mediterranean Sea which way Corsica the Iland lyeth The third is â—he Land of the Church which is the Territory of the Bishop of Rome â—nd containeth in it that which is â—alled Romania The fourth is Naâ—les and in this division now is all â—taly comprehended The North part of this Italy is that which in ancient time was called Gallia Togata or Gallia Cisalpina â—nhabited then by Frenchmen It is â—ow called Longobardia or Lomâ—ardy wherein stand many rich GovernmeÌ„ts vernmeÌ„ts as the Dukedom of Millain of Mantua of Florence and other It is for the pleasantnesse therof in respect of the soyle ayre waters and great variety of wines and fruits Lombardy the Garden of God likened now by some to Paradice or the Garden of God In this Italy which was heretofore one entire government in the flourishing estate of the Romans are now many absolute States and Princedomes by the great policy oâ— the Bishop of Rome The policy of the Bishops of Rome who thoughâ— it the best way to make himself great to weaken the Empire So hâ— hath not onely driven the Emperouâ— out of all Joaly into Germany buâ— hath diminished his Majesty iâ— both by making so many petty governments which hold themselueâ— soveraigne Rulers without relatioâ— to any other The States of Venice As there are many States in Italy so one of the chiefest are the Venetians called Resp Venetorum or thâ— State of Venice because they are noâ—â— governed by any one but by theâ— Senate Gentlemen although they have a Duke with whose stampe their mony is coyned and in whose name all their executions of Iustice are done But this Duke is every way limited by the State City of Venice This City of Venice which joyneth to a corner of Lombardy standeth in Aestuarium or shallow of earth in the North part of the Adriaticke Sea so safely that it is held invincible There is in it but one street of firme Land into the other the Sea doth flow at every tide They have been a great rich State not onely â—ossessing much in Italy as Padua their Vniversity and other things which still they do but a great part of Illiricum many rich Ilands in the Mediterraneum as Candy called commonly Creta Cyprus Zazinâ—hus and other But Cyprus was taken from them a â—ittle before that fight at Sea wherin Don Iohn of Austria together with â—he Venetians had so renowned a viâ—tory against the Turk at the fight â—eer Lepanto The Venetians impoverished The impoverishing of their State hath partly bin by the incroching of the Turk but especially by the decaying of that traffique which they had to Alexandria in Egypt for their Spices and other riches of Persia Arabia and the East Indies since the course of the Portugals to those Eastern Countries hath been by Sea by the backside of Africa These Venetians which in time past were great warriours do now altogether decline enmity or hostility with all other Princes adjoyning and therfore by all means do take uâ— quarrels and cease controversies bâ— wisdome and patience temporizinâ— with the Turk the King of Spain and the Emperour who are mosâ— like to offend them The manner of their governmenâ— and the excellent course which theâ— have in chusing their Duke is written by Contarenus The excelleney of their government and some otheâ— of their Countrymen When theâ— do make any warres they seldomâ— send forth any General of their own but entertaine some Prince of Italy who is renowned for the warres In Lombardy standeth Millain In Lombardy standeth also the Dukedom of Millain a most rich pleasant thing which sometime had beene governed by a Duke of their own but of late hath been possessed by the Spaniard sometime by the French and is now in the government possession of the K. of Spain Tuscany Flo ence In Tuscany the chiefe City and Commander of all the rest is Florence where is supposed to be the best language of Italy called the vulgar Italian and the most circumspect policy of all the governments of Christendome which hath much bin increased since the time of Machiavel who was Secretary or Recorder to that State This was in times past a free City but of late by the policy of the Family of the Medices it is brought under the subjection
A BRIEFE DESCRIPTION OF THE WHOLE WORLD Wherein is particularly described all the Monarchies Empires and Kingdomes of the same with their ACADEMIES As also their severall Titles and Situations thereunto adjoyning Written by the Most Reverend Father in God GEORGE late Arch-bishop of Canterbury LONDON Printed by T. H. and are to sold by Wil. Sheares at the signe of the Harrow in Brittains Burse 1636. A BRIEFE DISCRIPTION of the whole WORLD Written by the Right Reverend Father in GOD. George Abbott Late Archbishop of Canterbury COSMOGRAPHIA 〈…〉 Will Marshall Sculpsit Printed for Will Sheares at the Harrow in Britaines by 1636. A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE whole World THE Globe of the Earth doth either shew the Sea or Land Of the Seas The Sea generall is called by the name of Ocean which coasteth all the World and taketh his name in speciall either of the place neer which it commeth as Oceanus Britannicus The diver â—â—s names giuen to the Seas and the reason why Mare Germanicum Sinus Persicus Mare Atlanticum of the hill Atlas in the West part of Africk or of the finder out as Fretum Magellanicum or of some other accident as the Red Sea because the sand is red Mare Mediterraneum because it runneth betweene the lands of Europe and Africk Mare Jcarium because Icarus was drowned there or the like There be some few Seas which have no intercourse with the Ocean as Mare mortuum neer Palestina Mare Caspium sive Hircanum not farre from Armenia and such a one is said to be in the North part of America Of the Straits or Narrow Seas The Straits or narrow Seas are noted in the Latine by the name of Fretum as Fretum Britannicum the English narrow Seas Fretum Herculeum the Straits between Barbarie and Spain Fretum Magellanicum c. Of the Earth The Earth is either Ilands which are those which are wholly compassed by the Sea as Britanâ—ia Sicilia Corsica or the Continent which is called in the English The firme Land in the Latin Continens The old known firme Land was contained onely in Asia Europe and Africa Europe is divided from Africa by the Mediterranean Sea from Asia by the River Tanais whereby appeareth that the North parts of Asia Europe in old time were but little known and discovered Africa is divided from Europe by â—he Mediterrean Sea from Asia by â—he River Nilus and so Asia by â—anais and Nilus is severed from Europe and Africk Of Spain TO say nothing of England and Ireland the most Western Country of Europe is Spain How Spain is bounded which is bounded on the South with the Mediterranean on the West with the Atlantick on the North with Oceanus Cantabricus or the Spanish Seas on the East with France from which it is severed with certain Mountains called Montes Pyrenei or the Pyrenay hils If wee should enquire into the times that were before the comming of the Carthaginians and Romanes into Spaine wee shall finde nothing but that which is either fabulous or neere to fables The Originall names of the CouÌ„tâ—ey of Spain here it was first called Iberia ab Ibero slumine afterwards Hispania ab Hispano wee may take as a tradition but their Gargoris their Habis their Geryon exceed beliefe of any but those that will take all reports on trust It is certaine that the Syrians planted a Colony there in the Isle of Gades corruptly now called Cadiz or Cales These troubled by their Neighbours desired aid of the Carthaginians a flourishing neighbour commonwealth descended of the Syrians as well as themselves who sent first to defend the Gaditanes against their neighbours afterwards heartned on by their successe in their first Expedition these Cathaginians Carthaginians sent to defend the Gaditanes successively sent thither three Captains Hamilcar Hasdrubal and Hannibal who for the most part subdued the Province and held it till by Scipio's and the Romane Forces they were dispossessed of it Yet for many years after the fortunes of the Romanes stucke as it were in the subduing of that Province so that from the time of the second Punick War untill the time of Augustus they had businesse made them in that Countrey continually neither could they till then bring it peaceably into the forme of a Province Spain once a Province of the Roman Empire It continued a Province of the Romane Empire untill the time of Honorius the Emperour in whose dayes the Vandalls came inâ—o it conquering and making it theirs then the Gothes the Vandalls either driven out or called over into Africke entring erected there a Kingdome which flourished for many yeeres Saracens Mâ—â—â—es erâ—cted it a Kingdome till by the comming of the Saracens and Moores their Kingdome was broken who setling themselves in Spaine erected a Kingdome changed the names of many places and Rivers and gave them new names such as they retaine to this day and continued for the space of some hundred of years mighty in that Countrey till they were first subdued by Ferdinand They were utterâ—y expelled by Philip the Third afterwards and that now lately utterly expelled by Philip the Third After the comming in of these Africans in this Countrey there were many Kingdomes as the Kingdome of Portugall toward the West the Kingdom of Granado toward the South the Kingdome of Navarre and Arragon toward the East and the Kingdome of Castile in the middle of the Land but the whole Dominion is now under the King of Spain Spain in former 〈◊〉 12 sevâ—â—all Kingdomes As Damianus a Goes doth write in that Treatise intituled Hispaniâ— there were in times past twelve several Kingdomes in Spain which hee nameth thus Castellae antiquae novae Leonis Aragoniae Portugalliae Navarâ—ae Granatae Valentiae Toleti Galitiae Algarbiorum Murtiae Cordubae which is not to be wondred at since in England a farre lesse Country there were in the time of the Saxons seven severall Kingdomes and Monarchies In the best Mappes of Spaine the Armes of these severall Kingdomes do yet distinctly appeare where for the Armes of Leons is given a Lion which manifestly argueth that whereas by some it is called Regnum Legionis that name is false for it is Leonis sutable thereunto for the Armes of Castile is given a Castle which was the cause that Iohn of Gaunt sonne to Edward the Third King of England did quarter with the Armes of England the Castle and the Lion as having maried Constance daughter to Peter King of Castile and at this day the first and chiefe Coat of the King of Spain is a Castle quartered with a Lion in remembrance of the two Kingdomes of Castile and Leons In Corduba as in times past it was called standeth Andoluzia neere unto which is the Island called properly Gades but since by deprivation of the word Cadiz and commonly Cales which was lately surprized by the English The Kingdome of Granada Granada â—oo yeeres possessed by the Moores Saracens which
hee and not Architas which made the Dove of which it is written that it was so equally poysed that being throwne up into the ayre it would hover or flutter there and in a good space not fall downe This was in times past * Sicily once a kingdome 2 Famous Tyrants in it a Kingdome where the two Tyrants the elder and the younger Dionysius did raigne where Gelo also that great friend to the Romanes did remaine It was afterward made a Province and governed by the Praetor or Deputy of the Romanes whereof Verres was one who was so inveighed against by Tully It grew afterward to be a Kingdome againe in so much that Tancredus was King of Sicily which entertained our Richard the first when with Philip the King of France he went to the Conquest of the Holy Land Here was likewise * The tyrant Phalaris The tyrannies of Sicily were very famous Phalaris the Tyrant so famous King of Agrigentum The tyrannies which were used in Sicilie were in times past so famous that they grew into a Proverbe as Invidia Siculs non invenere Tyranni tormentum majus but they who were the causes of all did oftentimes speed very ill themselves as appeareth by the elder Dionysius who being driven out of his Dominion did flee into Italy and was glad there to teach Children that so hee might supply his necessity His sonne grew more tyrannous than the father and stood so farre in feare of his owne people that many times hee caused himselfe to bee shut up in a Tower and his Guard to keepe the doore that no body might come at him hee durst not trust his Barbour to shave or clip him * Note that cruelty is alwayes attended with feare for feare of cutting of his throat but that which was done hee caused his Daughter to doe who with the thinne inner skinne of Walnuts being set on fire is said to have taken off the haire of his face This was hee whose felicity when Damocles a Flatterer did seeme marveilously to admire Damocles the flatterer hee caused him to bee set one day at Dinner in his Royall Seate with dainty Fare before him Plate rich Hangings Musique and all other matters of delight but withall a naked Sword which was onely tyed with a single haire of a Horses Mane to be hanged directly over him the feare whereof did so feare the Flatterer lest it should fall upon him that hee continually looked upwards and about him and tooke no joy of that which was before him whereby Dionysius did evidently teach him that the State of some Princes howsoever it seeme glorious yet it doth bring little contentment unto themselves by reason of the continuall dangers which hang over them It is reported of this man that when all the people of his Countrey did for his cruelty continually curse him there was one Woman which daily did goe to the Churches and prayed the Gods to lengthen his life wherewithall when Dionysius was acquainted marvelling himselfe at the reason of it he sent for her and asked what good thing hee had done unto her that shee was so carefull evermore to pray for him Note â—ow the poore woman prayed soy this Tyrant But the woman answered that it was not for love but for feare that shee begged these things of the Gods For said shee I am an old woman I doe remember when your Grandfather lived who being very hard unto his people was much maligned by them and they prayed that they might be rid of him which falling out afterward your Father came in place and hee was worse than the former which when the Subjects could not endure they prayed also that hee might die hoping that the next would bee better Then came your selfe in place who have much exceeded the cruelty of your father And whereas others wish that you were gone also trusting for amendment in the next I that have lived so long see that things grow worse and worse doe pray that you may continue because that if we should have one that should succeed you if he walke in the steps of his Predecessors he must needs bee as bad as the Divell himselfe for none else in tyranny can goe beyond you * A good note for all inventers of â—ortures and cruelty and likewise for time flatterers Phalaris of Agrigentum was hee who proposed rewards unto him who invented new torments which caused Perillus to make a Bull of Brasse into the which if offenders should bee put and fire should bee set under then it would make them roare like a Bull But when upon the terrour thereof none would so offend as to deserve that torment Phalaris tooke Perillus the Author thereof and to try the experience put him into it whereby Perillus lost his life This Countrey is now also under the King of Spaine who among other titles was wont to call himselfe King of both Sicilies reckoning this Iland for one and that part of Italy for another which is now called Calabria and was in the Romane Histories named Magna Graecia There is nothing more renowned in all Cicilia either with new or old Writers than the * The Mountaine Aetna Mountaine Aetna which being on the out side oft covered with snow yet by a sulphurous or brimstony matter doth continually burne within yea so that whereas it was supposed in the ages last before us that the matter being consumed the sire had ceased twice in our age it hath broke forth againe to the incredible losse of all the Countrey adjoyning the ashes thereof destroying vines and fruits which were within the compasse of many miles about Agatheas in his History doth tel that in his owne time there was an incredible deale of ashes which did fall about Constantinople and the places neere adjoyning in so much that the ground was covered with the same which he reputeth to have been brought from the Hill in Sicily But Bodin in his Method Hist doth reprove this as a fable which can have no shew of truth by reason of the great distance of the place notwithstanding it is certaine that sometimes when it doth strongly breake out the Fields and Vineyards and all the fruits within the compasse of some miles are much hurt therewithall * The reason of the fire in the mountaine of Aetna The reason of this Fire was laid downe by Iustine in his fourth Booke and is since approved both by Historians and Philosophers which is that within the ground there is great store of Sulphure and brimstony matter which having once fire in it is apt to keepe it And whereas all the whole Countrey is full of chinks and chaps and hollownesse within the ground the matter which entreth there doth minister substance to the continuance of that flame as wee see that water cast on coales in the Smiths Forge doth make them burne more fervently and then into the Chinkes and Chaps the Winde doth also enter which
Barbarie hath in old time beene called Mauritania which was divided into two parts the East part whereof next to Africa minor was called by the Romanes Mauritania Caesariensis as the other was called Mauritania Tingitana In Mauritania Caesariensi was the Countrey of Numidia the people whereof were used in the Warres of the Carthaginians as Light-horsmen and for all nimble services were very active In the East part of this Countrey standing in the Sea was that famous Citie of Carthage Carthage a famous City supposed to be built by Dido who came from Tyrus This City was it which for the space of some hundred yeares contended with Rome for the Empire of the World In the Romane Histories are recorded the great Warres which the people of Rome had with the City of Carthage In the first warre of the three the contention was for the Iles of Cicilia Corsica and Sardinia when the victory fell to the Romans and the Carthaginians were glad to redeeme their peace with the leaving of those Ilands The second warre was begun by Hannibal who brake the League and after he had taken some part of Spain from the Romanes and sacked Saguntum a Citie of their Friends came first over the Pyrenay hils to France then over the Alpes to Italy where hee overthrew the Romanes in three great Battels and much endangered their estate hee continued in Italy with his Army sixteene yeares till Scipio attempting on Carthage forced Hannibal to returne to rescue his owne Countrey There was Hannibal overthrowne and his City put to a great pension by Scipio who for his victory there was named Africanus In the third Warre because the people of Carthage still brake the League their City was razed to the very ground by the earnest and continuall counsell of Cato the Elder fearing evermore so dangerous a Neighbour though Scipio Nasica counselled to the contrary fearing lest if the dread of that enemy were taken away the Romans would grow either to idlenesse or civill dissention which after they did It is reported of Cato that hee never spake his judgement of any thing in the Senate but his conclusion was thus Thus I think for this matter and withall that Carthage is to be razed down And Scipio Nasica would reply in his conclusion Thus I thinke for this matter and withall that Carthage is not to bee razed down Livie reporteth that the way whereby Cato prevayled that Carthage should be razed downe was this while the question was very hot hee bringeth into the Senâ—te house greene Figges and let the Senatours understand that the same day three weeks those Figges were growing in Carthage Town wherby hee made manifest unto them that it was possible that an Army might be conveyed from Carthage to Rome in so short a time as that they would not be able on a suddaine to resist and so Rome might be surprized whereby they all concluded that it was no safety for their City to have a bad Neighbour so neer unto them In this Countrey toward the West not farre from Carthage stood Vtica whereof the younger Cato was tearmed Cato Vticensis because hee killed himselfe there in the civill warres betwixt Caesar and Pompey because he would not come within the hands of his enemy Caesar Not farre from thence westward standeth Hippo which was the City where S. Augustine was Bishop This whole Countrey at this day is called the Kingdome of Tunis the King whereof is a kinde of stipendary unto the Turke the people that inhabit there are generally Saracens and doe professe Mahumet Some doe write that Tunis standeth in the very place where olde Carthage was which is not so but is situated very neere unto the old ruines of the other Against the king of Tunis Charles the fift had some of his warres by Sea Of Mauritania Tingitana THe other part of Barbary that lyeth along the Mediterranean farthest into the West was called in old time Mauritania Tingitana The people of which Countrey were those which almost in al the old Histories were called by the name of Mauri Those of the other Mauritania being rather termed Numidae Into the North-west part therof did Hercules come and there did set up one of his pillars which answereth to the other in Spain they both being at the straits of Gilbralter in times past called Fretum HerculeuÌ„ On the South part thereof lay the * The kingdome of Bocchus kingdom of Bocchus which in the time of Marius had so much to doe with the Romans In the west part of this Mauritania standeth the Hill called Atlas minor Atlas minor Atlas major on the South part is the great Hill called Atlas major whereof the maine Ocean which lyeth betweene Mauritania and America is called Mare Atlanticum This hill is so high that unto those who stood on the bottome of it it seemed to touch heaven with his shoulders This Countrey hath beene long inhabited by the Saracens who from thence finding it to be but a short passage into Spaine did goe over now seven hundred yeares agoe and possessed there the Kingdome of Granado on the South side of Spaine till they were thence expelled by Ferdinandus and Elizabeth or Isabel King and Queene of Castile In this Countrey since that time have the Spaniards taken some Cities and Holds and so also have the Portugals which by the divers event of victory have often beene lost and won by them Here it was that the Emperour Charles the Fift had divers of his great Warres against the Moores as well as in the Kingdome of Tunis For the assistance of one who claymed to bee King of a part of this Countrey did Sebastian the King of Portugale goe with all his power into Africa in the Yeare 1578. where unadvisedly bearing himselfe hee was slaine together with two other the same day who claymed to be Kings so that there it was that the Battell was fought whereof it was said that * Three Kings slaine in one day at the battle of Aleazar three Kings died in one day which battell is called the battell of Aleazar and was the ruine of the Kingdome of Portugale and the cause of the uniting it to the Crowne of Spaine Astrologers did suppose that the blazing Starre which appeared the Yeare before did signifie that ill event This whole Countrey doth maintaine in it besides some Imperiall Government two absolute Kingdomes * The kingdome of Fezâ— the one of Fezza or Fez which lyeth on the North part toward the Mediterranean and Spain the other is the Kingdome of * The kingdome of Morocco Morroco which lyeth from above the Hill Atlas minor to the South and West part of Mauritania These are both Saracens as be also their people holding true League with the Turke and with some other Christian Princes a League onely for Traffick and Merchandize It may be doubted whether it was in this Mauritania Tingitana or rather but neere unto it in Mauritania Caesariensi
of their Governour * Their beastly basâ—â—esse Besides that they are men immoderately given to the lust of the Flesh making no conscience even at home even to get Bastards in their young dayes and reputing it no infamy unto them to frequent Harlots and Brothel-houses but when they are abroad especially in Warlike Services they are very outragious impudently and openly deflowring mens wives and daughters It may easily then be guessed what disorder they kept in the West Indies where the Countries are hot and the Women were not able to resist their insolencies and how they did tyrannize over the poore unarmed people making them to drudge for them not onely like slaves but bruit beasts which grosse oversight of theirs was at the first so apparant that all of good mindes did complaine thereof as appeareth by Peter Martyr himselfe who in his Writing to the Pope and other Princes doth much deplore the ill usage of them who in name were Christians towards those simple Infidels And certainly it caused many of them to * Note their 1 â—â—maâ—ity blaspheme the Name of GOD and of Christ and to renounce their Baptisme whereunto they were either forced or intreated when they measured the God of the Christians by the actions of his Servants whom they found to be Blasphemers and Swearers riotous and great Drunkards ravenous tyrannous and Oppressours unsatiable covetous Fornicators beyond measure given to incredible Wantonnesse and exercising even among themselves all kinde of envy contention murthers poysonings and all sort of inhumane behaviour Not long after the arrivall of the Spaniards there The Fryers complaint of their cruelty there were certaine Fryers and religious men who mooved with some zeale to draw the people there to the Christian Faith did travell into those parts that so they might spread abroad the Gospell of Christ and when they came there beholding the intemperance of their Countrymen which turned many away from the profession of Religion they were much mooved in their hearts and some of them by Writings and some other of them by travelling personally backe againe into Spaine did informe the King and his Court how dishonourable a thing it was to the Name of Christ that the poore people should be so abused and how improbable it was that those courses being continued any of them would hardly embrace the Faith The earnest Petition of these caused Charles the Fift the Emperour and the King of Spaine by his Edict and open Proclamation published in the West Indies to give liberty unto the Inhabitants and Naturals of the place that they should be in the state of Freemen and not of bond * Note but his Subjects were so inured proudly to domineere over them that this did little amend the condition of the people Since these dayes notwithstanding the blind zeale of the Spaniards hath beene such as that the Kings have beene at some cost and other men also have beene at great charge to erect divers Monasteries and Religious Houses there and many have taken the paines to go out of Europe as they think for Christs sake to reside as Monkes and Fryers in America There be established some Bishoprickes there and other Governments Ecclesiasticall and the Masse is there published and Latine Service according to the custome of the Church of Rome labouring to roote out their infidelitie but mingling the Christian Religion with much Popish Superstition By reason that the Countrey is exceeding rich and fruitfull the Spaniards with great desire did spread themselves towards the North where they found some more resistance although nothing in comparison of Wariours but the greatest of their labour was to conquer the Kingdome of Mexico * Mexico described which Mexico is a Citie very great and as populous almost as any in the World standing in the middest of a great Marsh or Fen. The Conquerour of this was Ferdinandus Cortesius so much renowned in Spaine unto this day If there were any thing at all in these West Indies which might sauour of civility or any orderly kind of government it was in the Kingdome of Mexico where it appeared unto the Spaniards that there is a certaine setled state which was kept within compasse by some decrees and customes of their owne and which was able to make some resistance as it may be termed if it be compared with the other Inhabitants of America although little if it bee conferred with the courses of Christendome But the policie of the Spaniards was that by private meanes they came to understand of a King that confined neere unto Mexico who as hee was of good strength so was hee of exceeding malice towards these his Borderers and by his Forces and intelligence Ferdinandus Cortesius and his Company came to have their will upon Mexico * A great Lake In this Countrey there standeth a very great Lake which at the one end is very large and almost round but towards the other end doth contract it selfe againe into a narrow roome and then spreadeth wide againe and round onely about the third part of the compasse of the greater end In the lesser of the two there are set some Houses in foure or five severall places which represent our Villages but in the greater part of the Lake standeth Mexico it selfe being a Citie built of Bricke to a good and elegant proportion where the water issueth into divers streets of it as it is in Venice and from some part whereof there are divers Bridges unto the mayne Land made also of Bricke but from the other sides men doe come by Boats wherof there is abundant store continually going in that Lake The Writers do record that there is to be found in this Citie abundance of all kind of Provision but especially Fruits and other delightfull things which are brought in from other parts of the Country * Mexico the chiefe City of all those quarters This was the chiefe City of all those quarters before the arrivall of the Spaniards there and in subjection thereunto were many large Provinces extending themselves every way so that the King of this place was a Prince of great estate and accordingly thereunto the Spaniards at this day have made it their chiefe and Royall Citie where the King keepeth his Viceroy of Mexico for the West Jndies as hee hath his Vice-roy at Goa for the East Indies but from thence have all the parts of America but especially that which they call Hispania nova their directions and hence they fetch their Lawes Ordinances and Determinations unlesse it be such great causes as are thought fit to bee referred to the Councell of Spain The Gulph of Mexico The Sea which confineth neerest unto this City is called the Gulph of Mexico where as in divers other Bayes or Gulphes the Streame or Current is such that Shippes cannot passe directly to and fro but especially out of the Gulph but they are forced to take their course either high to the North or