that notable Statesman and Historian Guicciardine doth describe as followeth The name saith he of this wild and uncivill Nation hath got great honour by their concord and glory by Arms. For being fierce by nature inured to War and exact keepers of Milltary discipline they have not onely defended their own Country but have won much praise in forein parts which doubtless had been greater if they had sought to inlarge their own Empire and not for wages to inlarge the Empire of others and if nobly they had propounded unto themselves any other ends than he gain of mony by the love whereof being made abject they have lost the opportunity of becomming fearfull to Italy For since they never came out of their confines but as mercenarie men they have had no publick fruit of their Victories but by their covetousness have become intollerable in their exactions where they overcame and in their demands with other men yea at home froward and obstinate in their conclusions as well as in following their commands under whose pay they serve in War Their chief men have pensions of severall Princes to favour them in their publick meetings and so private profit being preferred before the good of the publick they are apt to be corrupted and fall at discord amongst themselves with great lessening of the reputation which they had gotten amongst strangers So he relating the affairs of the year 1511 which the following issue of affairs hath fully verified As for the Government of this State it is meerly popular and that not only in the particular Cantons but the aggregate body of their Counsell the Gentry and Nobility being either rooted up in those long Wars which were betwixt them and their Vassals justly provoked by those intollerable pressures and exactions which they layd upon them or else worn out of memory and observation for want of sway and suffrage in the Counsels of the Common-wealth Only in Schaffehausen Basib and Zurich are some Gentry left not capable of any place or suffrage in the Senate of the said Cantons from which they are excluded by the common people because they joyned not with them in their first revolt unless they waive their Gentry and be enrolled amongst the number of Plebeians The rest they have it seemeth in so poor esteem that Porters and Mechanicks of the meanest Trades in all occasions of War are numbred with and amongst these Gentlemen making up one society onely and joyning with them in electing the Master of their company who is one of the Senate But because that every Canton hath its proper Magistrates but more or fewer according as it is in greatness or in the number of its severall Resorts or sub-divisions it will not be amiss to shew what number of Resorts are in every Canton that is to say in Underwalden only two in Switz six in Uren ten in Zug five in Glaris or Glarona fifteen in Apenzel six in Lucern seven in Solothurn no more than one in Frâ—burg ninteen in Basil and Schaffhausen but one a peece the Cantons there and in Solothurn reaching but little further than the Towns themselves in that of Znrich thirty one and thirty in that of Bern in all one hundred forty and eight Of these consists the body of this Common-wealth In ordering whereof every particular Canton hath its proper Magistrate chosen by the commonalty of that Canton whom they call the Wuaman together with a standing Counsell assistant to him chosen out of the people for the directing and disposing of their ovvn affairs which meet and sit in the chief Town or Village of that District But if the cause concern the Publick then every Canton sendeth one or more Commissioners to the generall Diets where they determine of the business which they meet about according to the major part of the Votes the Commissioners of every Canton having one Vote only though many may be sent from each to adde the greater weight to their consultations The place of meeting is most commonly at the Town of Baden in respect of the commodity of the Inns and houses the pleasant situation and famous Medicinall Bathes and because it is seated in the very center of Switzerland and subject to the eight first Cantons And here they do determine of War Peace and Leagues of making Laws of sending receiving and answering Ambassadors of Governments and distributing the publick Offices and finally of difficult causes and Appeales referred unto the judgement of the great Counsell In which the City of Zurich chief of the Cantons hath the first place not by antiquity but dignity and of old custom hath the greatest authority of calling together this Great Counsell signifying by Letters to each Canton the cause time and place of meeting yet so that if any Canton think it for the publick good to have an extraordinary meeting of their Commissioners they write to them of Zurich to appoint the same That which the greater number do resolve upon is without delay put in execution The Forces of these Suisse consist altogether of Foot Horse being found unserviceable in theâ—e Mountainous Countries And of these Foot Boterns reckoneth that they are able to raise sixscore thousand Which possibly may be true enough if it be understood of all that be able to bear Arms. For otherwise de facto the greatest Army that ever they brought into the field consisted but of one and thirty thousand men which was that wherewith they aided the confederate States of Italie against the French and restored Maximilian Sforze to the Dukedom of Millain Their ordinary standing Forces are conceived to be sixteen or seventeen thousand which they may bring into the field leaving their Towns and Forts well furnished And for their Revenue it is not like to be very great considering the poverty of their Country and their want of traffick with other Nations That which is ordinaery and in common ariseth out of the Annuall pensions which they receive from Forein States the profits arising out of their Dutch and Italian Praefectures the Impost layd on Wines sold in Taverns and Corn used by Bakers and the rents of a dissolved Monasterie called Kings field or Conings field because many Kings and Queens have been cloystered there amounting to forty thousand Guldens yearly Which Monastery was built in the year 1380 in memory and honour of the Emperor Albertus slain by his Nephew at Santback not far from Basil Their extraordinary doth consist of spoyles that be gotten in the War which if it be managed in common are divided in common but if by two or three of the Cantons onely the rest can claim no share in the booty gotten But this is only in relation to the Switzers themselves For otherwise taking in the Confederate States as well without as within the bounds of that Country they are able to raise fifty or threescore thousand men that is to say the Switzers themselves seventeen thousand the Grisons ten thousand those of Wallisland six thousand
the Nephew of Cham from whence this Nation in the Scripture have the name of Ludim A nation not much taken notice of in the first Ages of time but by an Errour of Josephus who giving too much credit to some Talmudical Tales or willing to advance the reputation of the Jews to the highest pitch telleth us a story how the Aethiopians invaded and endangered Egypt how they were beaten back by Moses the City of Meroe besieged and taken by him or rather delivered to his hands by Tharbis the daughter of the King who had fallen in love with him and on the betraying of the City was married to him All this not only questioned but rejected by discerning men as a Jewish Fable that hath no ground to stand upon in true Antiquity With little better fortune and as little truth do the Aethiopians tell the story of their own Original By whom we are informed that Chus the son of Cham first reigned in this Aethiopia to whom succeeded his son Regma and next after Dedan that from the death of Dedan till the reign of Aruch the certain time whereof they tell not the People lived in Caves and holes digged under the ground as did the Troglodites an ancient Nation of this Country in the times long after that Arac first built the City of Aruma and by that pattern taught them the use of Towns and Cities But the main part of the Legend is the story of Maqueda a Queen hereof and the fourth from Aruch whom they will have to be the Queen of Sheba famous in both Testaments for the Royal Visit which she bestowed upon Solomon Of whom they tell us that being got with childe by Solomon when she was in his Court she was delivered of a Son whom she caused to be called Melech or Melilech and at the age of 20 years to be sent to his Father By whom instructed in the Law and circumcised and called by the name of David he was returned into his Country with Azarias the son of Zadok the Priest who had stollen the two Tables of the Law and carried them with him into Aethiopia where the old Queen resigned the Empire to her son His Successors afterwards called David till Indion as they call him the Eunuch of Queen Candace returning home baptized the young Prince by the name of Philip. This is the substance of the Legend as related by them in their own Chronicles but we know that they are no Gospel That Chus planted in Arabia hath been shewn already as also what absurdities must needs arise from supposing the Land of Chus to be this Aethiopia Therefore most probable it is that this Countrey was first peopled by the children of Ludim as before was said To whom the Abassenes coming out of Arabia Felix might be after added and in some tract of time be of such great power as to put their name upon the Countrey For that the Abassenes were originally an Arabian People appeareth by Stephanus one of the old Chorographers who out of Vranius An ancienter Author then himself hath told us this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Another Stephanus and he a very learned Grammarian and Lexicographer hath as he thinks decided the controversie by making Sheba the son of Chus the Progenitor of the Arabians and Sheba the son of Regma the Father of the Aethiopians and for this cause hath fitted us with this pretty Criticism that Sheba when it is written with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samech must be rendred AEthiopia and Arabia when writ with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shin But this by no means will be found to agree the controversie it being evidently clear that both Sheba the son of Chus and Sheba the son of Regma were originally setled in Arabia as there hath been shewn though I deny not but that some of the Posterity of Chus in those elder time before the coming over of the Abasine nations might either out of too much populosity or desire of change cross over the Arabian Gulf and take up such parts of this Countrey as the Ludims had not fully peopled with whom conjunct at last both in name and government And as for Maynedu supposing that to be her name she was doubtless Queen of the Sabaeans in Arabia Felix not of the Aethiopians in the waste of Africk For besides the longsomness of the way too much for a Woman and a Queen to travel it is very probable that the Son of Solomon by this Lady would never have suffered Egypt to have layen in quiet whilest Sesac the King thereof made war upon Rehoboam the Son of Solomon also and so by consequence his half Brother But to leave these uncertain Fables the first action of moment which we meet with in unquestioned Story touching these Aethiopians is that which hapned betwixt them and Cambyses the Persian Monarch who having by force of Arms united Egypt to Persia conceived it to be worth his labour to unite Ethiopia unto Aegypt also Upon this Resolution he sent Ambassadors to that King to search into the passages of his Country and discover his strengths and by them sent a Tun of wine some Bracelets a Purple habit and a Box of sweet ointments to present him with Which Presents being tendred to him he looked upon the Unguents and the Purple Robe as too slight and effeminate the Bracelets he conceived to be bonds or fetters and openly laught at them as too weak to hold in a Prisoner but with the Wine he was very well pleased and sorrowed that his Country yielded no such liquour But understanding well enough what this visit aimed at he gave the Ambassadors at their parting amongst other gifts an Aethiopian Bow of great length and strength requiring them to tell their Master that untill every Persian could bend that Bow the Aethiopian Bows being a foot longer then the Persian as before was noted it would be no safe warring upon his Dominions and that he had good cause to thank the Gods for giving the Aethiopians so contented mindes as not to think of conquering their Neighbours kingdoms Lying far off and parted from Egypt by vast mountains we finde then not looked after by the Macedonians Nor had the Romans medled with them had they not been provoked by Candace the Queen hereof during the Empire of Augustus who having made a War on Egypt was by Petronius Governour of that Province brought to such conformity that she was fain to sue for peace and to purchase it with the loss of some part of her Country To keep them quiet for the future Philae an Aethiopian City but on the borders of Egypt is made a Garrison by the Romans and the seat of their Deputy for these parts held by them till the Empire of Dicclesian and by him abandoned because the charge of keeping it did exceed the profit After this growing into power and reputation the Aethopian Kings were reckoned of as friends to the Roman Empire in so much as Justinian sent
Blais and Champagne and by him given together with the Earldom of Blais to Theobald or Thibâ—uld his Eldest Sonne his second Sonne named Stephen succeeding in Champagne who in the year 1043 was vanquished and slain by Charles Martell Earl of Anjou and this Province seized on by the Victor who afterwards made Tours his ordinarie Seat and Residence Part of which Earldom it continued till the seizure of Anjou and all the rest of the English Provinces in France on the sentence passed upon King Iohn After which time dismembred from it it was conferred on Iohn the fourth Sonne of King Charles the sixth with the stile and title of Duke of Tourein and he deceasing without Issue it was bestowed with the same title on Charles the eldest Sonne of Lewis Duke of Orleans in the life of his Father the same who afterwards suceeding in the Dukedom of Orleans was taken Prisoner by the English at the Battle of Agincourt kept Prisoner 25 years in England and finally was the Father of King Lewis the 12th 3 On the North side of Anjou betwixt it and Normandie lieth the Province of MAINE The chief Towns whereof are 1 Mans Cenomanensium Civitas in Antoninus by Ptolomie called Vindinum seated on the meeting of Huine and Sartre the principall of the Province and a Bishops See most memorable in the elder times for giving the title of an Earl to that famous Rowland the Sisters Sonne of Charlemaâ—gne one of the Twelve Peers of France the Subject of many notable Poems under the name of Orlando Inamorato Orlando Furioso besides many of the old Romances who was Earl of Mans. 2 Mayenne on the banks of a river of the same name Meduana in Latine the title of the second branch of the House of Guise 1 famous for Charles Duke of Mayenne who held out for the Lâ—ague against Henry the 4th A Prince not to be equalled in the Art of War onely unfortunate in employing it in so ill a cause 3 Vitrun upon the edge of Breagne of which little memorable 4 La Val not far from the head of the River Mayenne of note for giving both name and title to the Earls of Laval an antient Familie allied unto the houses of Vendosme Bretagne Anjou and others of the best of France Few else of any note in this Countie which once subsisting of its self under its own naturall Lords and Princes was at last united to the Earldom of Anjou by the mariage of the Lady Guiburge Daughter and Heir of Helie the last Earl hereof to Eoulk Earl of Anjou Anno 1083. or thereabouts the Fortunes of which great Estate it hath alwayes followed But as for Anjou it self the principall part of this goodly Patrimonie it was by Charles the Bald conferred on Robert a Satâ—n Prince for his valour shewn against the Normans Anno 870. Which Robert was Father of Eudes King of France Richard Duke of Burgundie and Robert who succeeded in the Earldom of Anjou Competitor with Charles the Simple for the Crown it self as the next Heir to his Brother Eudes who died King thereof Slain in the pursute of this great quarrell he left this Earldom with the title of Earl of Paris and his pretensions to the Crown unto Hugh his Sonne surnamed the Great who to make good his claim to the Crown against Lewis the 4th Sonne of Charles the Simple conferred the Earldom of Anjou and the Countrie of Gastinois on Geofrie surnamed Ghrysogonelle a renowned Warriour and a great stickler in his cause in whose race it continued neer 300 years How the two Counties of Main and Tourein were joyned to it hath been shewn before Geofrie the Sonne of Foulk the 3d maried Maude Daughter to Henry the first of England and Widow of Henry the 4th Emperour from whom proceeded Henry the second King of England and Earl of Anjou But Iohn his Sonne forfeiting his Estates in France as the French pretended Anjou returned unto the Crown and afterwards was conferred by King Lewis the 9th on his Brother Charles who in right of Beatrix his Wife was Earl of Provence and by Pope Urban the 4th was made King of Naples and Sicilie Afterwards it was made a Dukedom by King Charles the fifth in the person of Lewis of France his second Brother to whom this fair Estate was given as second Sonne of King Iohn of France the Sonne of Phâ—lip de Valois and consequently the next Heir to Charles de Valois the last Earl hereof the King his Brother yeelding up all his right unto him Finally it returned again unto the Crown in the time of Lewis the 11th The Earls and Dukes hereof having been vested with the Diadems of severall Countries follow in this Order The Earls of Anjou of the Line of Saxonie 870. 1 Robert of Saxonie the first Earl of Anjou 875. 2 Robert II. Competitour for the Crown of France with Charles the Simple as Brother of Eudes the last King 922. 3 Hugh the great Lord of Gastiâ—ois Earl of Paris Constable of France and Father of Hugh Capet 926. 4 Geofrie â—hrysogonelle by the Donation of Hugh the great whose partie he had followed in the War of France with great fidelitie and courage 938. 5 Foulk Earl of Anjou the Sonne of Geofrie 987. 6 Geofrie II. surnamed Martell for his great valour 1047. 7 Geofrie III. Nephew of Geofrie 2. by one of his Sisters 1075. 8 Foulk II. Brother of Geofrie 3. gave Gastinois which was his proper inheritance to King Philip the first that by his help he might recover the Earldom of Anjou from his part wherein he was excluded by his Brother Geofrie 1080. 9 Geofrie IV. Sonne of Foulk 2. 1083. 10 Foulk III. Brother of Geofrie King of Hierusalem in the right of Melisend his Wife 1143. 11 Geofrieâ— V. surnamed Plantagenet 1150. 12 Henry the II. King of England Sonne of Earl Geofrie and Maud his Wife Daughter of King Henry the first 1162 13 Geofrie VI. third Son of King Henry the 2d made Earl of Anjou on his mariage with Constance the Heir of Bretagne 1186. 14 Arthur Sonne of Geofrie and Constance 1202. 15 Iohn King of England succeeded on the death of Arthur dispossed of his Estates in France by Philip Augustus immediately on the death of Arthur Earls and Dukes of Anjou of the Line of France 1262. 1 Charles Brother of King Lewis the 9th Earl of Anjou and Provence King of Naples and Sicilia c. 1315. 2 Charles of Valois Sonne of Philip the 3d Earl of Anjou in right of his Wife Neece of the former Charles by his Sonne and Heir of the same name the Father of Philip de Valois French King 1318. 3 Lewis of Valois the second Sonne of Charles died without Issue Anno 1325. 1376. 4 Lewis of France the 2d Sonne of King Iohn the Sonne of Philip de Valois created the first Duke of Anjou by King Charles his Brother and adopted by Queen Ioan of Naples King of Naples Sicil and
are 1 La Butte du Mont. 2 St. John de Mons 3 St. Hilarie 4 St. Martins the largest and strongest of them all from whence the whole Island hath sometimes been called St. Martins After the taking of this Town by Lewis the 13th Anno 1622. The Duke of Soubize then commanding in it for those of Rochell it was very well fortified and since made unfortunately famous for the defeat of the English Forces under the command of George Duke of Buckingham sent thither to recover the Town and Island on the instigation of Soubize who before had lost it Anno 1627. 3 IARSEY by Antonine called Caesarea is situate about ten miles from the Coast of Normandie within the view and prospect of the Church of Constance part of which Diocese it was in length conteining 11 miles 6 in bredth and in circuit about 33. It is generally very fruitfull of Corn whereof they have not onely enough for themselves but some over-plus to barter at St. Malos with the Spanish Merchants and of an Air not very much disposed to diseases unless it be an Ague in the end of Harvest which they call Les Settembers The Countrie stands much upon inclosures the hedges of the grounds well stored with Apples and those Apples making store of Sider which is their ordinary drink watered with many pleasant rivulets and good store of Fish-ponds yeelding a Carp for tast and largeness inferiour unto none in Europe except those of Gâ—rnsey which generally are somewhat bigger but not better relished The people for the most part more inclinable to husbandrie than to trades or merchandise and therein differing very much from those of Gernsey who are more for merchandize than tillage It containeth in it 12 Parishes or Villages having Churches in them besides the Mansions of the Sergneurs and chief men of the Countrie The principall is St. Hâ—laries where is the Cohu or Court of Iustice for all the Iland It is about the bigness of an ordinary market Town in England situate on the edge of a little Bay fortified on the one side with a small Block-house called Mount St. Aubin but on that side which is next the Town with a very strong Castle called Fort Elizabeth situate upon craggie Rocks and encompassed with two arms of the Sea so named from Qu. Elizabeth who built it to assure the Island against the French and furnished it with 30 peece of Ordnance and all other necessaries There is also on the East side opposite to the Citie of Constance high mounted on steep and craggie Rocks the strong Castle of Mont-Orgueil of great Antiquity repaired by King Henry the fifth now furnished with 40 peece of Cannon and made the ordinarie residence of the Governours for the Kings of England 4 On the North-west of Iarsey lieth the Iland of GERNSEY called Sarnia by Antoninus in form Triangular each side of nine miles in length The Countrie of as rich a soyl as the other of Iaâ—sey but not so well cultivated and manured the poorer people here being more given to manufactures especially to the knitting of Stockins and Wast-coats and the rich to merchandize many of which are Masters of good stout Barks with which they traffick into England and other places The whole Island conteining ten Villages with Churches the Principall of which St. Peters Port a very neat and well-built Town with a safe Peer for the benefit of Merchants and the securing of the Haven capable of handsom Barks a Market Town beautified with a very fair Church and honoured with the Plaiderie or Court of Iustâ—ce Opposite whereto in a little Islet standeth the Castle of Cornet taking up the whole circuit and dimensions of it environed on all sides with the Sea having one entrance onely and that very narrow well fortified with works of Art and furnished with no less than 80 peeces of Ordnance for defence of the Island but chiefly to command the adjoyning Harbour capable of 500 as good ships as any sail on the Ocean A peece of great importance to the Realm of England and might prove utterly destructive of the trade hereof if in the hands of any Nation that were strong in shipping For that cause made the Ordinarie Seat of the English Governours though of late times not so much honoured with the presence of those Governours as a place of that Consequence ought to be Pertaining unto Gernsey are two little Islets the one called let-how the Governours Park wherein are some few Fallow Deer and good plentie of Conies the other named Arme some three miles in compass a dwelling heretofore of Franciscan Friers now not inhabited but by Phesants of which amongst the shrubs and bushes there is very good store 5 ALDERNEY by Antonine called Arica by the French Aurigni and Aurney is situate over against the Cape of the Lexobii in the Dukedom of Normandie which the Mariners at this day call the Hagge distant from which but six miles onely Besides many dwelling houses scattered up and down there is one pretty Town or Village of the same name with the Iland consisting of about an hundred Families and having not far off an Harbour made in the fashion of a Semi-Circle which they call La Crabbie The whole about 8 miles in compass of very difficult access by reason of the high rocks and precipices which encompass it on every side and with a small force easily defensible if thought worth attempting 6 And so is also SARK the adjoyning Iland being in compass six miles not known by any speciall name unto the Antients and to say truth not peopled till the fift year of Queen Elizabeth who then granted it in Fee-farm to Helier de Carteret the â—igneur of St. Oen in the Isle of Iarsey who from thence planted it and made Estates out of it to severall Occupants so that it may contain now about 50 Housholds Before which time it served only for a Common or Beasts-pasture to those of Gernsey save that there was an Hermitage and a little Chappel for the use of such as the solitariness of the place invited to those retirements These two last Ilands are subject to the Governour of Gernsey all four to the Crown of England holden in right of the Dukedom of Normandie to which they antiently belonged and of which now the sole remainders in the power of the English Attempted often by the French the two first I mean since they seized on Normandie but alwayes with repulse and loss the people being very affectionate to the English Government under which they enjoy very ample Privileges which from the French they could not hope for Their Language is the Norman-French though the better sort of them speak the English also their Law the Grand Customaire of Normandie attempered and applied to the use of this people in their sutes and business by the Bailifs and Chief Iusticiers of the two chief Ilands Their Religion for the main is that of the Reformed Churches the Government in
deficient in Water as not good for Pasturage So that we may affirm thereof as of the Figs in the Prophet Jâ—râ—mie where it is good no Countrie better where bad and barren few so inconvenient and not any worse â—ut this defect of outward beautie and Commodities is recompensed by those within affording great plenty of Mines hoth of Steel and Iron and some Mines of Silver of which last so abundant in preceding times that it was never free from the Rovers of all Nations and it is said of Anâ—iâ—al that out of one Mine onely in the Conntrie of the Turdetanâ— now part of Andaluzia he received 3000 pound weight daily for long time together The principall Commodities which they vend in other Countries are Wines Oyl Sugars Metals Rice Silk Liquoras a fine sort of Wâ—oll Cork Rosin Limmons Raisins Orenges and fruits of the like nature In Corn which is the staff of life they are so deâ—ective that they receive the greatest part of what they spend from Italy Sicily and France Their Cattle neither fair nor many the Countrie not being able to breed them so that their Diet is on Salads and fruits of the Earth every Gentleman being limited what Flesh he shall buy for himself and his Familie which if he send for to the Butcher or the Poulterer by the smallest child able to doe the Errand for him he is sure not to be defrauded in price or quality And yet they talk as highly of their gallant fare as if they surfeited with the plenty of all provisions handsomly checked in that â—ond humour by that worthy Soldier Sir Roger Williams Of whom it is said that hearing once a Spaniâ—rd thus foolishly bragging of his Country salads he gave him this answer You have indeed good sawce in Spain but we have dainâ—y Beefs Veals and Muttons to eat with that sawce and as God made beasts to live upon the grass of the earth so he made men to live upon them And it is observ'd that if a Spaniard have a Capon or the like good dish to his supper you shall find all the â—eathers scattered before his door by the next morning And as it is in private houses so for travelling also the Innes and Vents of this Countrey are very ill provided insomuch that most men that would not go supperless to sleep carry their provision at their saddle bowes and men of worth their bedding also So poor and mean is the entertainment in these places Here lived in antient times the Gyants Geryon and Cacus which were quell'd by Hercules and in the flourishing of the Roman Empire Senâ—câ— the Tragoedian and the Philosopher of the same name a man of that happy memory that he could repeat 2000 names in the same order that they were rehearâ—ed as also Quintâ—lian the Oratour Lucan and Martial excellent in their kindes and Pomponius Mâ—l the Geographer In the middle times Fulgentius and Isidore Bishop of Seviâ—l and in our Fathers dayes Aâ—ias Montanus famous for his Edition of the holy Bible Masâ—â— a learned Commentator Osorius well seen in the Latine elegancies and beâ—ore all as well in industrie as time osta us Bishop of Avila a man so copious and industrious in his writings that it is thought he writ more sheets than he lived dayes But oâ— late times we find but few of their Works which have passed the Mountains the Latine which they write being very coarse and favouring too much of the School-man wherein their excellency consists and therefore they set out their Works most commonly in their own tongue onely The Chieâ— for Soldieâ—y amongst them were formerly 〈◊〉 who held out so long against the Romans Trajan and Thâ—odoâ—ius both Râ—man Emperours 〈◊〉 the second King of the Gothes the victorious Conquerour of the 〈◊〉 Bernardo del Carpiâ— and Cid Ruis Diâ—z famous for their atchievements against the Moors and in late times Gonsalvo the Great Captain who subdued Naples Ferdinand Duke of Alva who conquered Portugall c. The Christian Faith if we may beleeve the old Spanish Tradition was first here planted by S. James the Apostle within four yeers after the death of our Redeemer To which tradition though they held very constant a long time together yet of late dayes Baronius and other learned men of the Church of Rome doe most deservedly reject it That St. Paul had a purpose of coming hither is evident in his 15th Chapter to the Romans and that he did come hither accordingly is positively affirmed by S. Chrysostom Theodoret and divers others of the Fathers which was in Anno 61 as Bâ—ronius thinketh Nor did St. Peter want his part in this great service but joyned with St. Paul though not in the journey yet in the sending of Bishops and other Presbyters to second the beginnings made by that Apostle For it is said expresly in the Martyrologies that Câ—â—siphon Torquatus Secundus Cecilius Judaletius Hesychius and Euphrasius being at Rome ordained Bishops by the two Aâ—ostles ad praedicandum verbum Dei in Hispanias directi were dispatched into Spain to preach the Gospell Bishops most likely of those Cities where they suffered death the names of which occurre in the Martyrologie Vnder the Empire of the Gothes the faith of CHRâ—ST which at their coming hither they found right and Orthodox was defiled with Arianism not ejurated till the year 588. when that whole Nation did submit to more Catholique tendries Since that they have been punctuall followers of the Church of Rome and that too in the very errours and corruptions of it taking up their Religion on the Popes autority and therein so tenacious or pertinacious that the King doth suffer none to live in his Dominions which profess not the Roman-Catholique Religion of which they have been since the times of Luther such avowed Patrons that one of the late Popes being sick and hearing divers men to moan his approching end uttered some words to this effect My life said he can nothing benefit the Church but prâ—y for the prâ—sperity of the King of Spain as its chief Supporter And though he spoke these words of King Pâ—ilip the 2d yet they hold good in his Successors ever since being esteemed the greatest Patrons and Protectors of the Catholick Cause Which is indeed the proper interess of this King For seeing that they have framed to themselves an hope of the Western Monarchy and finding no fitter means of inlarging their own Temporall than by concurring with the Pope in upholding his Spirituall Empire they have linked themselves most fast to that See To which end they have taken upon them to be the Executioners of the Popes Excommunications by which Office Ferdinand the Catholique surprized Navarre not without hope of working the like effect in some course of time on the rest of the interdicted Estates of Europe as may be seen by the eager following of the French War against Henry the 4th till he had reconciled himself to the Church of Rome and the like War managed
because he compelled the Moores to be baptized banished the Iewes and in part converted the Americans unto Christianity or because having united Castile to his Dominions surprized the Kingdom of Navarre and subdued that of Granada he was in a manner the Catholique or genenerall King of all Spain The last reason seemeth to sway most in the restauration of this attribute in that when it was granted or confirmed on Ferdinand by Pope Alexander the sixt the King of Portugal exceedingly stomached at it quando Ferdinandus imperio universam Hispaniam saith Mariana non obtineret ejus tum non exigua parte penes Reges alios It seems Emanuel could not think himself a King of Portugal if the title of the Catholick King did belong to Ferdinand Wherein he was of the same mind as was Gregory the Great who when Iohn of Constantinople had assumed to himself the title of the Occumenicall or Catholique Bishop advised all Bishops of the World to oppose that arrogancie and that upon the self-same reason Nam si ille est Catholicus vos non estiâ— Episcopi for it Iohn were the Catholick Bishop they were none at all But upon what consideration soever it was first re-granted it hath been ever since assumed by his Posterity to whose Crown as hereditarie and in common use as the most Christian King to France the Defender of the Faith to England And yet there was some further reason why the Spaniard might affect the title of Catholick King his Empire being Catholick in regard of extent though not of Orthodoxie of doctrines as reaching not over all Spain onely but over a very great part of the World besides For in right of the Crown of Castile he possesseth the Towns of Mellila and Oran the Haven of Masalquivir the Rock of Velez and the Canarie Ilands in Africk the Continent and Ilands of all America except Brasil and some plantations in the North of the English Hollanders and a few poor French In the rights of the Kingdom of Aragon he enjoyeth the Realms of Naples Sicil and Sardinia with many Ilands interspersed in the Mediterranean and in right of the house of Burgundie the Counties of Burgundie and Charolois the greatest part of Belgium with a title unto all the rest besides the great Dukedom of Millain the Havens of Telamon and Plombino and many other peeces of importance in Italie held by investiture from the Empire To which if those Estates be added which accrewed to Philip the second by the Crown of Portugal we have the Towns of Ceuta Targier and Maragon in Barbarie the Fortresses of Arguen and S. George in Guinea the Ilands of Azores Madera Cape Verd S. Thomas Del Principle on this side of the Cape and of Mosambique on the other in Asia all the Sea-coast almost from the Gulf of Persia unto China and many strong holds in the Moluccoes Bantan Zeilan and other Ilands and finally in America the large Country of Brasil extending in length 1500 miles An Empire of extent enough to appropriate to these Monarchs the stile of Catholick The Monarchs of Spain A. Ch. 1478. 1 Ferdinand K. of Aragon Sicily Sardinia Majorca Valentia Earl of Catalogue surprised Navarre and conquered the Realm of Naples Isabel Q. of Castile Leon Gallicia Toledo Murcia Lady of Biscay conquered Granada and discovered America 1504. 2 Joane Princess of Castile Granada Leon c. and of Aragon Navarre Sicily c. Philip Archduke of Austria Lord of Belgium 1516. 3 Charles King of Castile Aragon Naples c. Archduke of Austria Duke of Millain Burgundy Brabant c. Earl of Catalogue Flanders Holland c Lord of Biscay Friâ—zland Iltreict c. and Emperour of the Germans He added the Realms of Mexico and Peru the Dukedoms of Geldeâ—land and Millain the Earldom of â—utphen and the Signeuries of Utrecht Over-Yssell and Growing unto his Estates A Prince of that magnanimity and puissance that had not Francis the first in time opposed him he had even swallowed all Europe He was also for a time of great strength and reputation in â—unis and other parts of Africa disposing Kingdomes at his pleasure but the Turk broke his power there and being hunted also out of â—â—ermany he resigned all his kingdoms and died private 42. 1558. 4 Philip II. of more ambition but less prosperity than his Father fortunate onely in his attempt on the kingdom of Portugal but that sufficiently balanced by his ill successes in the Netherlands and against the English For the Hollanders and their Consederates drove him out of eight of his Belgic Provinces the English overthrew his Invincible Armada intercepted his Plate-Fleets and by awing the Ocean had almost impoverished him And though he held for a time an hard hand upon France in hope to have gotten that Crown by the help of the Leaguers yet upon casting up his Accompts he found that himself was the greatest Loser by that undertaking So zealous in the cause of the Romiâ—h Church that it was thought that his eldest Sonne Charles was put to death with his consent in the Inquisition-house for seeming savourably inclined to the Low-Country 〈◊〉 as the 〈◊〉 called them These four great Kings were all of the Order of the â—arrer but neither of the two that followed 1598. 5 Philip III. Finding his Estate almost destroyed by his Fathers long and chargeable Warres first made peace with England and then concluded a Truce for twelve years with the States of the Netherlands which done he totally banished all the Moores out of Spain and was a great stickler in the Warres of Germany 1621. 6 Philip IV. Sonne of Philip the 3d got into his power all the Lower â—aluinate but lost the whole Realm of Portugal and the Province of Catalonia with many of his best Towns in Flanders Artots and Brabant and some Ports in Italy not yet recovered to that Crown from the power of the French This Empire consisting of so many severall Kingdoms united into one Body may seem to be invincible Yet had Queen Elizabeth followed the counsell of her men of Warre she might have broken it in pieces With 4000 men she might have taken away his 〈◊〉 from him without whose gold the Low-Country Army which is his very best could not be paid and by consequence must needs have been dissolved Nay Sir Walter Ralegh in the Epilogue of his most excellent History of the World plainly affirmeth that with the charge of 200000 l continued but for two years or three at the most the Sâ—aniardâ— might not only have been perswaded to live in peace but that all their swelling and overflowing streams might be brought back to their naturall channels and old banks Their own proverb saith the Lion is not so fierce as he is painted yet the Americans tremble at his name it 's true and it is well observed by that great Politiâ—ian 〈◊〉 that things wcich seem 〈◊〉 and are not are more feared farâ—e off than 〈◊〉 at hand Nor is this judgement
more flat and levell and therefore fortified with the two Castles of the Cowes and Sandham There is also the Castle of Yarmouth in the West parts of the Iland and that of Garesbrook in the middest but more towards the North in which last there is said to be Armour for 5000 men and in each Village of which here are 33 besides many Market Towns a peece of Ordnance Yet do not all these Arms and Castles adde so much to the strength of it as the naturall courage of the People warlike and stout and trained unto the postures of Warre from their very Childhood The Soil hereof abundantly answereth the pains of the Husbandman so plentifull of Corn and all the fruits of a good pasturage that they have not only enough for themselves but furnish the markets of Southampton and Portsmouth but the last especially with the greatest part of the Wheat Flesh Cheese and Butter which is spent amongst them Insomuch as the Soldiers of Portsmouth presuming on the strength of the Town have been used to say That if they had the Isle of WIGHT to their friend and the Seat open they cared not for all the World besides Their Sheep here of so fine a fleece that the Wooll hereof hath the second place of esteem next to that of Lemster in the Countie of Hereford and precedencie of that of Cotswald Their chief Towns 1 Yarmouth on the North-west of the Iland seated on a convenient Haven which is said to have some resemblance to that of Rochell and that Haven defended with a Castle 2 Brading another Market-Town 3 Newton an antient Burrough and privileged with sending Burgesses to the English Parliament 4 Gaersbrook a large Town and neighboured with an Antient Castle 5 Newport now the chief of all the Isle called in times past Medena afterwards Novus Burgus de Medena at last Newport Seated upon an Arm of the Sea capable of Ships of lesser burden to the very key and by that means populous well traded and inhabited by a civill and wealthy People The Iland first subdued to the Romans by the valour of Vespasian afterwards Emperour of Rome in the time of Claudius Extorted from the Britans by Cerdick King of the West-Saxons and by him given to Stuffa and Whitgar two of that Nation who had almost rooted out the old Inhabitants It was the last Countrey of the Saxons which received the Gospell and then upon compulsion too forced to it by the power as well as the perswasion of Cedwalla the West-Saxon King Took from the English in the time of the Norman Conquerour by William Fitz-Osborn Earl of Hereford who thereupon was made the first Lord thereof From whose Family by the gift of Henry the second it passed to that of Redvars or Rivers de Ripariis then Earles of Devonshire and on the failing of that House returned to the Crown in the reign of Edward the first Never so much ennobled as by Henry the sixth who bearing a great affection to Henry Beauchamp Earl of Warwick in the 23 of his reign crowned him King of Wight Anno 1445. Which title ended with his life about two yeers after IX THANET is a little Iland in the North-East of Kent not far from Sandwich environed on three parts with the Sea into which it shooteth with a large Promontâ—rie called the North-Fore-land the Cantium of the antient Writers towards the West severed from the Main-land of Kent by the River Stoure which is here called Yeâ—â—â—de Called by Solinus Athanatos in some Copies Thanatos from whence the Saxons had their Thanet Famous as in other things so in these particulars that it was the place which the Saxons landed at when they first came into Britain the first Lâ—verie and Seizâ—n which they had of the whole Kingdom conferred upon them by the improvident bounâ—ie of Voâ—tger to whose aid called in and the landing place of Augustine the Monk when he brought the Gospell to the Saxons The whole about 8 miles in length and four in bredth was reckoned to contein in those times 600 Families now very populous for the bigness and plentifull of all commodities necessary but of corn especially The People gnerally are a kind of 〈◊〉 able to get their livings both by Sea and Land well skilled as well in steering of a ship at Sea as in holding the Plough upon Land and in both industrious Of most note in it 1 Stonar a Port-Town the usuall landing place of the Saxons more memorable for the Sepulchre of Vorâ—â—mer King of the Britans who having vanquished the Sâ—xons in many battels and finally driven them out of the Iland desired to be here interred on a concert that his dead Corps would fright them from Landing any more upon these Coasts And this perhaps he did in imitation of Scipio African who having had a fortunate hand against those of Carthage gave order to have his Tomb placed towards Africk to fright the Carthagiâ—â—ans from the Coasts of Italiâ— M. SUNDERLAND is an Iland onely at an high-water when environed on all sides with the Sea at other times joyned unto the Land or of an easie passage from the one to the other pulled by some tempest or by the working of the Sea from the rest of the Land whence the name of Sunderland Situate in the North-East part of the Bishoprick of Durcham over against the influx of the River Were Rich in its inexhaustible mines of Coal and for that cause seldom without the company of forein Merchants yet not to have been here remembred but that it hath been thought worthy by our Soveraign Lord King Charles the second Monarch of Great Britain to conferre the title of Earl to the two Noble Families of the Scropes and Spencers the first in the 3d yeer of his reign Anno 1627 the second in the 18th Anno 1642. XI THE HOLY ILAND lieth upon the Coast of Northumberland not far from Barwick stretched out in length from East to West with a narrow point unto the Land from thence growing broader like a wedge fortified with a strong Castle and of great safety but more famous for what it hath been than for what it is In the dawning of Christianity amongst the Northumbers made a Bishops See by S. Aidanius one of the first Apostles of that potent Nation Selected for this dignitie by that Godly man for the Solitude and privacie of it which made it thought more fit and proper for Devotion The name then Linâ—isfarâ— but the Religious lives of so many pious Bishops Monks and others of the Clergy as did there inhabit gained it the name of Holy Iland The See continued there 353 years that is to say from the yeer 637 to 990 under 22 Bishops hence called Bishops of Lindisfarn then removed to Durham the insolencies of the Danes who then raged terribly on those coasts compelling them to abandon that religious solitude Thus have we taken a survey of the British Ilands and shewn by what meanes
the righteous God may so direct your mind that you may joyfully imbrace the Message I send presenting to you the means of exalting the Majesty of God and your own Reward amongst men The Regal power allotted to us makes us common Servants to our Creator then of those People whom we govern So that observing the duties we owe to God we deliver blessings to the World in providing for the publike good of our States we magnifie the honour of God like the Celestial Bodies which though they have much veneration yet serve only to the benefit of the World It is the Excellencie of our Office to be Instruments whereby happiness is delivered unto the Nations Pardon me Sir this is not to instruct for I know I speak to one of a more cleer and quick sight then my-self but I speak this because God hath pleased to grant me a happy Victory over some part of those Rebellious Pirats that have so long molested the peaceful Trade of Europe and hath presented further occasion to root out the generation of those who have been so pernicious to the good of our Nations I mean since it hath pleased God to be so auspicious to our beginnings in the Conquest of Salla that we might joyn and proceed in hope of like success in the war against Tunis Algier and other places Dens and Receptacles for the inhumane villanies of those who abhor Rule and Government Herein whilest we interrupt the corruption of malignant Spirits of the World we shall glorifie the great God and perform a Duty that will shine as glorious as the Sun and Moon which all the Earth may see and reverence A work that shall ascend as sweet as the perfume of the most precious Odours in the nostrils of the Lord A work gratefull and happy to men A work whose memory shall be reverenced so long as there shall be any that delight to hear the Actions of Heroick and magnanimous Spirits that shall last as long as there be any remaining amongst men that love and honour the piety and vertue of Noble minds This Action I here willingly present to You whose piety and vertues equal the greatness of your power that we who are Servants to the Great and mighty GOD may hand in hand triumph in the glory which this Action presents unto us Now because the Ilands which you govern have been ever famous for the unconquered strength of their Shipping I have sent this my trusty Servant and Ambassador to know whether in your Princely wisdome you shall think fit to assist me with such Forces by Sea as shall be answerable to those I provide by Land which if you please to grant I doubt not but the Lord of Hosts will protect and assist those that fight in so glorious a Cause Nor ought you to think this strange that I who much reverence the Peace and accord of Nations should exhort to a VVar. Your great Prophet CHRIST JESUS was the Lion of the Tribe of JUDAH as well as the Lord and Giver of Peace which may signifie unto you that he which is a lover and maintainer of Peace must always appear with the terror of his Sword and wading through Seas of blood must arrive to Tranquillity This made JAMES your Father of glorious memory so happily renowned amongst all Nations It was the noble fame of your Princely vertues which resounds to the utmost corners of the Earth that perswaded me to invite you to partake of that Blessing wherein I boast my self most happy I wish God may heap the riches of his blessings on you increase your happiness with your dayes and hereafter perpetuate the greatness of your Name in all Ages Such was the Letter of that King whose motion in all probability might have took effect had not the Troubles which not long after brake out in Scotland put off the design And therefore laying by the thoughts of his future purposes let us take a view of the Revenues and Forces of this mighty Empire before the late distractions made it less considerable And first-for the Revenues of it the Xeriffs are the absolute Lords of the whole Estate and of his Subjects goods and bodies The tenth and first-fruits of all sorts of Fruits Corn and Cattel he demands of course though many times contented in the name of the first-fruits with one in twenty The fifth part of a Ducat he receiveth for every Acre of Land throughout his Dominions the other four parts for every Fire and as much for every Head whether male or female which is above fifteen years of age In Merchandise he receiveth of every Native two in the hundred of an Alien ten and hath a large Impost also upon every Mill. When any of his greater Officers or Judges die he is sole Heir of all their Goods and yet advanceth great sums by the sale of those Offices And in the levying of such Taxes as are extraordinary he useth to demand more then he means to take that the People finding him content to abate somwhat of his Due may think themselves to be fairly dealt with As for their Forces it is evident in matter of Fact that Abdulla the first at the siege of Mazagon a Town held by the Portugals An. 1562. had no less then 200000 men and that Abdel-Melech at the battel of Alcazar Guez against king Sebastian had 40000 Horse and 80000 Foot besides Voluntaries and wild Arabians it being supposed that he might have raised 30000 Horse more notwithstanding the strong party which was made against him had he thought it necessary It is said also that Abdalla kept in constant pay 60000 Horse of which 15000 were quartered in the Realm of Sus 25000 in Morocco and the other in 20000 in the kingdom of Fesse out of which he called 5000 of the best and ablest for the guard of his person well mounted and as richly furnished Besides these he hath bodies of Horse in continual readiness maintained according to the manner of the Turks Timariots and by Pensions given amongst the Chiefs of the Arabians who live like Outlaws in the mountains and up and down in the skirts of of his Country is furnished at his need with supplies from them Well stored with Ammunition also there being 46 Quintals of Gunâ—powder laid up monethly in his famous Arsenal at Morocco and yet not able to stay long not above 3 months upon any action in regard that all his Souldiers live on his daily allowance which maketh them when his Provisions are consumed to dissolve and scatter THE ISLES OF BARBARY THe ISLES of BARBARY which make up the fifth and last part thereof are situate neer the African shores of the Mediterranean assigned by Ptolomy to the Province of Africa Propria In number sixteen 1 Hydras 2 Calathe 3 Dracontias now called Chelbi 4 Aegymnus by Strabo called Aeginarus and now Guietta 5 Larunesia now Mollium 6 Lapedusa now Lampedosa 7 Mesyrus 8 Pontia 9 Gaia all of little note 10 Insula
Inhabited by three sorts of men first natural Spaniards of which here are accompâ—ed 400 Families 2. The Mestizos begotten by the Spaniard upon the Natives and 3 Mulatos born of the Spaniards and the Negroes of which two last here are thought to be many thousands Not far off is a great Lake called Ytupuam in the midst whereof an huge Rock above 100 Fathom high above the water 5 Cividad Real by the Spaniards called also Ontiveros by the Natives Guayra 80 Leagues North from the Town of Assumption situate on the banks of the River Parana in a fruitfull soyl but a sickly Air for which cause and the frequent insurrections of the Savages but meanly peopled 6 S. Anne on the banks of the same River Parana 7 S. Salvador on a River of the same name Besides these there are up the River above Assumption three noted Ports 8 Puerto de Guaybiamo 9 Puerto de la Candelaria and 10 Puerto de Los Reyes but whether Towns or only Havens on that River for dispersing and bartering their Commodities I am not able to say The last save one memorable for the defeat of John de Ayolas and the death of 80 of his men by the hands of the Savages 2. TVCVMAN lieth on the West of Rio de la Plata extending towards the confines of Chile thorow which they make their way unto Mare del Zur as thorow the Province of Rio de la Plata unto Mare del Nort the exact bounds hereof to the North and South not yet resolved on The Country for so 〈◊〉 hereof as lieth towards Chile well manured and fruitfull that towards Magellanica barren 〈◊〉 and not well discovered no veins of Gold or Silver in it though situate in a temperate and agreeable Air. Watered by the two Rivers of 1. Salado so called from the brackishness and â—altness of its and 2 Del Estero spoken of before so named because sometimes it breaketh out of his banks The Inhabitants now civilized both in manners and habit in both which they conform to the garb of the Spaniards Chief Towns hereof 1 S. Jago del Estero on the banks of that River by the natural Inhabitants called Varco the principal of this small Province honoured with a Bishops See and the seat of the Governour and distant about 180 Leagues from Buenos Airez 2 S. Michael de Tucuman seated at the foot of a rockie mountain but near a very fruitful soyl both for Corn and Pasturage distant 28 Leagues from S. Jago 3 Talavera or Nuestra Sennora de Talavera but by the Natives called Esteco situate on the River Salado before mentioned in a fruitful soyl and inhabited by an industrious People grown wealthy by their Manufactures of Cotton-woolls which grow hereabouts in great abundance with which they drive a great trade at the Mines of Potosi from hence distant but 140 Leagues 4 Corduba in a convenient piâ—ce for trade as being equally distant from S. Juan ae la Frontera in the Praefecture of Chile and S. Foy in Rio de la Plata 50 Leagues from each and seated in a Rode from Peru unto Buenos Aires much travelled consequently by those who go from Peru to Brasil or Spain 5 New London and 6 New Cordura built at such time as Garsius de Mendoza son of the Marquess of Cannete and Vice Roy of Peru was Governour of this Province but both abandoned not long after Besides these 7 Morata 8 Chocinoca 9 Sococha 10 Calabinda Townships belonging to the Natives 3. SCRVX DE SIERRA is the name of a little Territory lying towards Peru on the North of the River Guapay and in the Country of the Chiquitos and Cheriguanaes two Tribes of the Savages by some accounted to Peru because under the Juridical Resort of Charâ—os but so far distant from the neerest bounds of that Province 100 Spanish leagues at least that I think fitter to accompt it to the Province of Paraguay betwixt the banks of which River and that of Guapay it is wholly seated The soil abundantly productive of Maize and Wines plenty of most sorts of American fruits which I can give no English name to a kind of Palm of whose trunk they make great store of meal of good taste and nourishment But neither soil nor Air agreeable to the fruits of Europe which ripen slowly and soon die So destitute of Rivers that the Inhabitants were fain to make use of Rain water preserved in pits the cause of no small wants and of many great murders the people either dying for thirst or killing one another for some water to quench it Chief Towns hereof 1 Sancta Crux situate at the foot of a great Mountain whence the name of the Province but situate in open field inlarging it self into many Plains and thirsty Vallies neighboured by a Brook or Torrent breaking from the Rocks which four leagues from the town is become a Pond and plentifully doth supply the town with Fish 2 Baranca 60 leagues from the Mines of Potosi 3 Tomina 4. Lagunilla and 5 Tarixa three Forts erected for defence of this Province against the incursions and Alarms of the Cherignanaes 6 Neyva Riâ—ja once a Colonie of the Spaniards but sacked and diâ—peopled by the Cherignanaes when the Count of Neyva was Vice-Roy of Peru at what time Nuflo de Chaves who in the year 1548. first discovered those parts was treacherously slain by one of the Savages The principal Nations of this Country when first known to the Spaniards were the Quirandies Timbues and Carcares the Chanes Chiminei Guaranyes the Guayacurves Cacoves Guaxarapi c. on both sides of the River of Plata the Tucumanes Juries and Diagnitas in the Cantred of Tucuman more Northward where the Spaniards have as yet no hold the Chunesses Xaquesses Xacoaes and the Xarayes great and powerfull Nations hitherto unconquered The first discovery of this Country ascribed to John Dias de Solis a Spanish Adventurer who in the year 1515. passing up the River to the Latitude of 34 Degrees and 40 minutes and unadvisedly landing with too small a power was there unfortunately slain The design after prosecuted by Sebastian Cabot An 1526. who sailed against the stream as high as the River Parana at the reception of which the great River called till then by the name of Paraguay begins to be called De la Plata Here built he the Fortress called Fort Cabot and 30 leagues more up the River that called S. Anne both long since ruined where Diego Garcias a Portugal found him in the year next following In the year 1535. the business was resumed by Pedro de Mendoza who built the Town of Buenos Ayres and sent John de Aiolas to discover Northwards of whose unhappy end we have heard before Not fully setled till the year 1540. when Alvares Nonnez commonly called Cabesa de Vacca made a more full discovery of it and planted Colonies of Spaniards in convenient places Nothing since done for the further planting of the Country
Prâ—testanâ— where first so called and why l. 2 56. the whole story of them 105 106. the causes of the great increase of their Doctrines 106. their principal oversight 107. Pâ—â—lipicks given by Tullâ— for the name of his Orations against M. Antony l. 2 235. Pasiphae how far the Fable of her may be thought historicall lib. 2. 262. Parchment in Latine Perganâ—â—na where invented first l. 3. 21. Phryges sero sapiunt a Proverb and the occasion of it lib. 3. 17. Proselytes what amongst the 〈◊〉 l. 3. 71. the several sorts of them and to what obliged b. 〈◊〉 whence they had theâ— name lib. 3. â—1 Their 〈◊〉 and authority amongst he people 72. 〈◊〉 of the Jews provided of a liberal maintenance l. 3. 96. who they were whom they called the Chief Priests 73 of the High Priest and when made a Saleable 〈◊〉 73. how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were High Priests at the same time ibid. Their power and succession after the Captivity l. 3. 104. 〈◊〉 who and why so called l. 3. 87. 〈◊〉 how many and why so named l. 3. 95. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alluded to 〈◊〉 14 what and where it was lib. 3. 95. 〈◊〉 where it was indeed lib. 3. 127. the severall fancies and opinions touching that particular ibid. Prometheus why feigned to be tortured by a Vulâ—ur l. 3. 170. Pyramâ—des of 〈◊〉 their vast greatness by whom built and why l. 4. 7. 〈◊〉 where first invented and why so called l. 4. 9. 〈◊〉 where first invented and by whom l. 2. 22. how much abused in these later times lib. 3. 207. Palmes antiently used as a sign of Victory l. 4. 4. Set by the Christians in Church-yards and for what reason ibid. of the rare nature of the Tree l. 4. 50. Pâ—gâ—neys whereâ—◠〈◊〉 dwel l. 4. 57. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name of the King of 〈◊〉 l. 3. 202 〈◊〉 ascribed by Scaliger to the Abassine Emp. ib. The ground of the mistake and right name of that Prince l. 4. 70. Pigritia the name of a strange Creature in 〈◊〉 l. 4. Pelleneaa vestâ—s a By-word and the meaning of it l. 2. 219. Pluto why fancied by the Poets for the God of Hell l. 2. 237. R RIvers their use and condâ—â—ons requisite for 〈…〉 l. 1. 27. the banks of great River how defensible l. 3. 19. 〈…〉 the meaning and occasion of it l. 1. 162. 〈◊〉 naturally ingraffed in the heart of man l. 1. 31. how it standdeth in relation to the parts of the World 31. 32. Rome of what circuit in her glory l. 1. 85. the number of its inhabitants ib. the extent of her Dominions 47. once made a Godess and by whom l. 3. 24. Her Revenues computed at 150. millions of Crowns l. 1. 47. Her Empire subverted by Constantine and how 48. Roman Emperours the succession of them l. 1. 45. cut off by violent deaths till the time of Constantine 46. and the cause thereof ib. their negligence and degenerate sloth 48. Rex Romanorum what he is l. 2. 47. by whom and for what cause ordained Rhene the fountain and course thereof l. 2. 6. 42. the several branches by which it falleth into the Ocean l. 2. 6. Rhodian Laws the Rule in former times of all marine causes l. 3. 49. and for how long they so continued ibid. Red Sea from whence it had the name lib. 3. 120. how far extended by that name ibid. l. 4. 83. Rhabard or Rhubard where it groweth and the vertues of it l. 3. 190. 202. Retiredness from the Vulgar eye used by divers Princes lib. 4. 71. Regma the son of Chus first planted on the shores of the Persian Gulf l. 1. 13 l. 3. 119. Riphath the sonne of Gomer found in Paphlagonia lib. I. 15. Rhamnusia why given for an adjunct unto Nemesis and what Nemesis was l. 2. 229. S SEla the sonne of Arphaxad in what parts setled l. 1. 10. l. 3. 163. Sheba Sabta and Sabteca the sonnes of Chus all planted in Arabia Felix and there the founders of the puissant nation of the Sabaeans lib. 1. 13. lib. 3. 119. Sabaeans of Arabia the Desert from what root they came lib. 3. 113. Seba the sonne of Jocktan planted upon the River Indus or the Golden Chersonese l. 1. 12. l. 3. 238. Schola Salerm by whom writ and to whom dedicated lib. 1. 57. Siculae Gerrae l. 1. 68. Vesperi Siculi 74. Siculi Tyranni 73. three By-words and the meaning of them Sardonicus risus a Proverb and the meaning of it l. 1. 75. Salique Law what it truely is l. 1. 149. not so antient as the French pretend ib. nor at all regarded by them but to serve the turns of some Usurpers ibid. the inconveniences and injustice of it ib. Seminaries for the English by whom first erected and where lib. 1. 158. Sterling-money why so called l. 1. 199. Spaniards from whence they do descend l. 1. 212 by whom converted to the Faith 210. The dependence of the Popes on the Crown thereof ibid. their aim at the fift Monarchy ib. the greatness of their Empire 252. and the weakness of it 253. their crueltie towards the Americans l. 4. 100. c. Spa medicinable waters where and for what most usefull l. 2. 17. Souldiers and great Commanders unfortunate for the most part and why l. 2. 229. Scanacrbeg his life and story l. 2. 241. what became of his body ib. 194. Scots why so called l 1. 296. their proceedings in the Reformation 298. their Kingdome held in vassallage to the Crown of England 105 106. Salmacida spolia a Proverb and the meaning of it l. 3. 25. Streights of Mountains not to be abandoned by the Defendants l. 3. 30. the losing of such Passes of what fatal consequence 19. Syriack language what it was and of what ingredients l. 3. 51. 72. when first made vulgar to the Jews ib. Syrian Godess what she was l. 2. 58. her magnificent Temple ib. the deceits and jugling of her Priests ib. Syrorum multaolera Syri contra Phoenices two Proverbs and the meaning of them 3. 58. Seleucus a great builder l. 3. 59. his strange rise and fortunes 68. Saduces whence they had their name l. 3. 7l their opinions and dogmata ib. Scribes what they were when instituted l. 3. 72. and of what authority 73. Samaritans what they were l. 3. 81. Their Religion Tenets and Sects 85 86. how hated by the Jews and why 86. 88. Simeon the sonne of Jacob how dispersed in Israel as his father prophesied l. 3. 90. Solomons Porch mentioned Joh. 10. 3. where and what it was 94. Sclaves or Sclavonians whence so called l. 2. 298. Their affairs and story ib. given as a name to Bondmen and on what occasion 191. Saracens why so called l. 3. 111. 114. their Character in formertimes 114. they resort to Mahomet 124. Their successes victories and Caliphs 125. c. Scythians their original antiquity and achievements l. 3. 197. Their expedition into Media l. 3. 196. and success in Lydia 191. Soo
Chaldaea into Canâ—â—n A. M. 2021. Fifthly from their deliverance out of Egypt A. M. 2453. Sixthly from the first yeer of Jubilee A. M. 2499. Seventhly from the building of Solomons Temple An. 2932. And lastly from the Captivity of Babylon An. 3357. That which they had common with other Nations was the Aera or Epoche of the Victory of the Greeks which took beginning on the first Victory which Seleucus had against Antigonus which was in A. M. 3637. an Accompt much used by the Jews Chaldaeans Syrians and other Nations of the East But the Chaldaeans also had their own Epoche or Accompt apart reckoning their time from the first yeer of Nabonassar Salmanassar he is called in Scripture which being 438. yeers before this of Seleucus must fall in A. M. 3201. Next for the Grecians they reckoned a long while by Olympiaeies the first of which is placed in the yeer of the World 3174. of which more hereafter But this Accompt perishing under the Constantinopolitans they reckoned after by Indictions an Accompt devised by Justinian every Indiction containing 15. yeers the first beginning A. Ch. 513. which amongst Chronologers is still used The Romans reckoned first from the foundation of their City which was A. M. 3213 and afterwards from the sixteenth yeer of Augustus his Empire being that which properly is called the Roman Aera A. M. 3936. An Accompt used by the Spaniards where it first began till the Reign of Pedro the fourth of Aragon who abrogated it in his Dominions An Ch. 1350. followed therein by John the first of Castile An. 1383. and at last by the King of Portugal also 1415. The Christians generally do reckon from the Birth of CHRIST but this they did not use till the yeer 600. following in the mean time the Accompt of the Empire And finally the Mahometans beginning their Hegira for so they call the time of their Computation from the flight of their Prophet Mahomet from Mecca when he was driven thence by the Phylarchae which hapned A. Ch. 617. Of these we shall make use generally but of two alone those namely of the Worlds Creation and our Saviours Birth and of the building of Rome and the flight of Mahomet in things that do relate to those severall States Next for Geographie we will first define it and after explicate such terms or second notions as are not obvious to the understanding of every Reader First for the definition of it it is said by Ptolomie to be a description of the whole Earth or the whole Earth imitated by writing and delineation with all other things generally annexed unto it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is commonly but corruptly read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as his own words are In which we look not on the Earth simply as it is an Element for so it belongeth to Philosophy but as it is a Sphaericall body proportionably composed of Earth and Water and so it is the subject of Geography First for the Earth which is the first part of this body it is affirmed by the best Writers to be 21600. miles in compass which is demonstrable enough For being there are in every of the greater Circles 360. degrees every degree being reckoned at 60. miles let 360. be multiplied by 60. and the Product will be 21600. as before is said So that if it were possible to make a path round about the Earth an able Footman going constantly 24. miles a day would compass it in 900. days The Earth is divided In respect of men into the right hand and the left In respect of it self into parts Reall and Imaginary To Poets which turn their Faces towards the Fortunate Islands so memorized and chanted by them the which are situated in the West the North is the right hand and the South the left To the Augures of old and in our days to Priests and Men in holy Orders who usually in their Sacrifices and divine Oblations conâ—veâ—t themselves unto the East the South is the right hand and the North the left To Astronomers who turn their faces towards the South because that way the motions of the Planets may be best observed the West is the right hand and the East the left Finally to Geographers who by reason they have so much to do with the Elevation of the Pole do turn their faces towards the North the East is the right hand and the West the left The Reall parts of the Earth are divided commonly into Continents Ilands A Continent is a great quantity of Land not separated by any Sea from the rest of the World as the whole Continent of Europe Asia Africa or the Continents of France Spain Germany An Iland is a part of the Earth environed round about with some Sea or other as the Isle of Britain with the Ocean the Isle of Sicilie with the Mediterranean and therefore in Latine it is called Insula because it is situate in Salo as some derive it Touching the Continent I have nothing in general to inlarge til we come to the particular Chorography description of them But for Ilands leaving the disquisition of their being or not being before the Flood there are four causes to which they may be thought to owe their Originall 1. An Earthquake which works two waies towards their production First when by it one part of a Countrey is forcibly torne away from the other and so Eubâ—â—â— was divided from the rest of Attica And Secondly when some vehement wind or vapour being shut up in such parts of the Earth as be under the Sea raiseth the Earth above the Water whereunto the Originall of most of those Ilands which are far remote from any part of the Continent is probably to be referred 2. Great Rivers at their entry into the Sea carry with them abundance of gravell dirt and weeds which if the Sea be not the more working will in time settle to an Iland So the Corn which Tarquinius sowed in the Campus Martius being cut down by the people and cast into Tiber setled together and made the Holy Iland So the River Achelous caused the Echinades as anon we shall more at large declare 3. The Sea violently beating on some small Isthmus weareth it thorough and turneth the Peniusula into a compleat Isle Thus was Sicilie divided from Italie Cyprus from Syria England from France and Wight from the rest of England And 4. sometimes as it eateth and worketh on some places so it voluntarily leaveth and abandoneth others which in sometime grow to be Ilands and firm land under foot So it is thought the Isles of Zeland have been once part of the main Sea and Verstegan proveth it because that the Husbandmen in tilling and manuring the ground finde sometimes Anchors here and there fixt but very often the bones of huge and great fishes which could by no other accident come thither To these kinde of Ilands Pythagoras in Ovid alluding
complaint first to the Duke of Bohemia and after to Pope Zacharie An. 745. by whom the poor Bishop unfortunate onely in being learned in such a time of ignorance was condemned of Heresie But Boniface might the rather be excused in regard that many of his betters fell also on the self-same error For venerable Bede a man whose books Arch-B Boniface was not worthy to carry esteemeth the opinion touching the Antipodes to be no better than a Fable Neque enim Antipodarum ullatenus est fabulis accommodanduâ— assensuâ— in his Book de Ratione temporum cap. 32. And yet the marvell is the less considering that he lived in the darker times of the Church when the state of learning was in its declination when S. Augustine and Lactantius and some others of the Antient Writers who lived when learning was at the very height condemn this point of the Antipodes for an incredible ridiculous Fable whose words I could put down at large did I think it necessary So that we of these Ages have very good cause to use the words of the late L. Verulam to congratulate the present times in that the World in 〈…〉 can be given but the height of the water above the land Thirdly so such as land on the shore the Sea seems to swell into the form of a round hill till it puts a bound upon our sight Now that the Sea hovering thus over and above the Earth doth not over-whelm â—◠〈◊〉 he â—â—criâ—â—ed only to his Power and Providence who hath made the Waters to stand on the heap who hath set them abound that they shall not pass nor turn again to cover the Earth The other as longing rather to Philosophers than this present Arguemnt The Sea of Water is divided into 1. Oceanus 2. Mare 3. Frâ—â—â—â—â— 4. Sinus 5. Lacus 6. Flumina Of which and other Waters thus saith Ovid in his Metamorphoâ—is Which may be Englished to this purpose He spread the Seas which then he did command To swell with winds and compass round the land To those he adds Springs Ponds and Lakes immense And Rivers which their winding Borders fence Of these not few Earth's thirsty jaws devour The rest their streams into the Ocean pour When in that liquid Plain with freer Wave The foamie Cliffs instead of Banks they 〈◊〉 And first 〈◊〉 the Ocean is that generall Collection of all waters which â—â—compasseth the Earth on every side A point which Ovid hath determined right enough but 〈◊〉 aâ— by Herodâ—â—â— in the former times who counted it a 〈…〉 for any man to 〈◊〉 or write that the Earth was round or encompassed about with the main Ocean But modern Navigations have found that to be true which he held ridiculous and which the 〈◊〉 learned in those times knew rather by conjecture than by demonstration Nor were those Ages so acquainted with those ebbs and flowings of the Ocean and all those other Seas and Rivers which have intercourse with it as the meanest Saylor at the present The natural causes of the which seeming so full of difficultie to the best of the Antiâ—â—s Experience hath taught us to ascribe wholly to the Moon at whose Full and Prime the Tides are ever highest and the Sea 〈◊〉 furious For as soon as the Moon cometh forth from under our 〈◊〉 the Sea 〈◊〉 to swell and floweth towards the East as it were to wait upon her or bear her company 〈…〉 come unto the height of our Meridean after which till her setting or Western fall the Sea abateth or decreaseth which we call the Ebb. And when she passeth out of our 〈◊〉 towards the Antipodes the Ocean begins to swell till the height of Midnight and coming towards our Hemisphere doth again abate In brief from the New Moon till the first quarter the Sea decreaseth from the first quarter to the full it is said to spring from the full to the last quarter it is said to â—â—pe and from the last quarter to the 〈◊〉 it springs again As for the uncertainty of the Tides varying every day it is not so perplexed and intricate but that they which live on the Banks or Shores thereof know well when to look for it the next days Tide coming for the most part one hour 10. minutes after the time it hapned on the day fore-going 2. Mare the Sea is a part of the main Ocean to which 〈◊〉 cannot come but through some 〈◊〉 or Streight as Mâ—re 〈◊〉 And it 〈◊〉 name First either from the adjacent shore as More 〈◊〉 from the City of 〈…〉 from the Coast of Tusâ—â—nie Or Secondly from the first Discoverer as 〈…〉 from 〈◊〉 who first â—ound it Or Thirdly from some remarkable Accident as Mare 〈…〉 from the drowning of 〈◊〉 the son of Dedalus 3. 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 is a part of the Ocean penned within narrow bounds and opening a way into some Sea or out of some Sea into the Ocean as the Streight of â—â—llespont Gibrather 〈…〉 c. 4. 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 is a Sea contained within a crooked or circling shoâ—e wherewith it is almost environed as 〈…〉 c. and this is sometimes called a Gulf as the Gulf of 〈◊〉 5. 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 is a 〈◊〉 bodie or collection of waters which hath no visible intercouse with the Sea or influx into it as the Lake of Thrasymene in Italie the Lacus Asphaltites or the Dead Sea in the Land of Canaan And of this kinde properly is the Mare Caspium though by reason of the greatness of it it is called a Sea 6. Flumina or Fluvius is a water-course continually running whereby it differeth from Stagnum or a standing Pool issuing from some Spring or Lake and emptying it self into some part of the Sea or some other great River the mouth or out-let of which is called Ostium Tiberinaque longe Ostia as the Poet hath it These are conceived in the Earth and derive both their birth and continuall sustenance from the Air which piercing the open chinks or Chasma's of the Earth and congealed by the extreme cold of that Element dissolves into water as we see the Air in winter-nights to be melted into a pearly dew sticking on our glass-windows and being grown to some quantity will like Annibal in the Alpes either finde a way or make a way to vent its superfluity Which beginning is seconded by the Ocean which running thorough the hidden passages of the Earth joyneth it self with this aeriall vapour and continueth the begun current This Sea-water though in it self of a salt and brackish savour yet passing through divers windings and turnings of the Earth is deprived of all unpleasantnets and by how much the spring-heads of Rivers are remote from the Sea by so much usually are their waters affected with a delightfull relish Rivers having thus entred themselves into a good course are never without the assistance of neighbouring springs and waters by whose addition they augment their streams till they dischannel themselves into the Sea Now there is of Rivers a
their thoughts are working and hearkning after action do commonly imploy them in some service far from home that there they may both vent their Anger and employ their Courage For let them stay at home to confirm their practises and grow at last into a Faction the State will suffer in it if it be not ruined We cannot have a fairer instance of this truth than the proceeding of our fift Henry and of the times next following Whose forein Wars kept us all quiet here at home wasted those humours and consumed those fiery spirits which afterwards the wars being ended inflamed the Kingdom 29 But his main work was to content the Souldiers and to make them sure Some of which he dispersed as before I sayd all about Italy in 〈◊〉 Colonies as well for the defence of the Countrey as for their more speedy reassembly if need should require Abroad amongst the Provinces were maintained upon the common charge 23 Legions with their ayds besides 10000 of his Guard and those which were appointed for the bridling and safety of the City As to all of them he shewed an excellent thankfulness for their faithfull services So in particular to Agrippa and to one other whose name the Histories of that Age have not remembred This latter had valiantly behaved himself at the battell of Actium and being summoned to appear before the Lords of the Senate in a matter which concerned his life cryed to AUGUSTUS for succour who assigned him an Advocate The poor fellow not contented with this favour baring his breast and shewing him the marks of many wounds These quoth he have I received AUGUSTUS in thy service never supplying my place by a Deputy Which sayd the Emperor descending to the Bar pleaded the Souldiers cause and won it Never did Soveraign Prince or any that command in Chief lose any thing by being bountifull of favours to their men of War For this act quickly spreading it self over all the Provinces did so indeer him to the Military men that they all thought their services well recompensed in that his graciousness to that one man And now were they so far given over to him that the honours conferred on Agrippa could not increase their love well it might their admiration Agrippa was of a mean and common Pareâ—â—age but supplying the defects of his Birth with the perfections of his Mind he became very potent with AUGUSTUS who not only made him Consul but his companion in the Tribunition authority and Provest of the City So many titles were now heaped on him that Mâ—â—nus perswaded the Prince to give him his Daughter Julia to Wife affirming it impossible for Agrippa to live safe considering how open new Creatures ly to the attempts of Malitious men unless he were ingrassed into the Royall stem of the Caesars On which cause questionless for the stronger establishment of his new honours Seâ—amâ— afterward attempted but not with the like success the like matth with Livia Tiberius Daughter-in-Law 30 The Senate People and Men of War thus severally reduced to a Mediocrity of power and â—ontent The next labour is to alter the old and establish a new Government of the City it self To effect which he dashed all former Laws by which the Allies and Confederates of the State were made free Denizens of the Town That he conceived to be a way to draw che whole Empire into one City and by the monstrous growth and increase of that to make poor the rest Therefore this Privilege he communicated unto a few only partly that in the times of dearth the City might not so much feel the want of sustenance and partly that so antient an honour might not be disesteemed but principally left Rome replenished with so huge a multitude of stirring and unruly spirits should grow too headstrong to be governed in due order The greatest and most populous Cities as they are pronest unto faction and sedition so is the danger greatest both in it self and the example if they should revolt This provident course notwithstanding there were in Rome men more than enough and among them not a few malecontents and murmurers at the present state such as contemned the Consuls and hated the Prince To keep these in compass AUGUSTUS it being impossible for him to be still resident at Rome and dangerous to be absent constituted a Provost of the City for the most part chosen out of the Senators assigning him a strength of 6000 men called Milites Urbani or the City-souldiers To him he gave absolute and Royal authority both in the Town and Territory near adjoyning during his own absence To him were appeals brought from the other Magistrates and finally to his Tribunall were referred all causes of importance not in Rome only but the greatest part of Italy Mesalla was the first Provost but proof being had of his insufficiency the charge was committed to Agrippa who did not only setle and confirm the City but did the best he could to free the adjoyning parts of Italy from Theeves and Robbers and stopped the courses of many other troublers of the present State And yet he could not with that power either so speedily or so thorowly reform all those mischiefs which in the late unsetled times were become predominant as he did desire 31 It is recorded that in the Civill wars of Marius and Sylla one Pontius Telesinus of the Marian Faction told his Generall that he did well to scoure the Country but Italy would never want Wolves as long as Rome was so sit a Forrest and so near to retire unto The like might have been spoken to Agrippa That he did well to clear the common Rodes and Passages but Italie would never want Theeves whilst Rome was so good a place of Refuge For though he did as far as humane industry could extend endeavour a generall Reformation both within the City and without yet neither could he remedy nor foresee all mischiefs Still were there many and those great disorders committed in the night season when as no eye but that to which no darkness is an obstacle could discern the Malefactors For in the first Proscription many men used to walk the streets well weaponed pretending only their own safety but indeed it was to make their best advantage of such men as they met either in unfrequented lanes and Passages or travelling as their occasions did direct them in the Night To repress therfore the foul insolencies of these Sword-men AVGVSTVS did ordain a Watch consisting of 7000 Freemen their Captain being a Gentleman of Rome In the day time the Guard of the Town was committed to the Provost and his Citie souldiers These Vigils resting in their standing Camps In the night season one part took their stations in the most suspitious places of the City another in perpetuall motion traversed the streets the rest lying in the Corps du Guarde to relieve their companions By which means he not only remedied the present disorders but preserved the City from
by D. Frederick of Galeazzo Malateste for thirteen hundred Florins of gold 5. Cabo or Cagli on the Sea 6. S. Leon a good Town and the chief of the Country of Montfeltre which is a limb of this Dukedom 7. Eugubium or Augubio of which nothing famous or remarkable Of the Castles the principall are Marivola and the Rock of S. Leon which were the last that held good for Duke Guidos Baldo against Caesar Borgia Duke of Valentinoys sonne to Pope Alexander the sixt and the first which did return again under his obedience For which cause when he fled the second time from the said Borgia he dismantled all his other Castles as being more likely to admit than resist the Invader and these two last being very well fortified he left to keep possession of the Countrey for him Here is also within the limits of this Estate the Dukedom of CAMERINE an antient and well peopled Town of a strong naturall situation amongst the hills an Estate holden of the Church by the noble Family of di Varena till the time of Pope Paul the third when Julia di Varena the heir hereof conveyed it by Mariage unto Guido Ubaldi Duke of Urbin But the Pope pretending an Escheat for want of heirs males made himself Master of it by force of Arms and gave it to his sonne Piero Farnesi whom afterwards with the consent of the College of Cardinalls he made Duke of Parma and setled Camerine on the Church as it still continues In the time of Conradin the last Duke of Schwaben Urbine was first subdued by the Earls of Montfeltre whose Successors increasing in power added the Town and Territory of Eugubio to it And in the bustles betwixt Lewis of Bavaria the Emperor and Pope Clement the sixt Ano. 1345. Gelasso di Montfeltre held it by no other Title but as the Emperors Vicegerent This Family injoyed it till the yeer 1444. by the Title onely of Earls of Montfeltre and Lords of Urbine when Frederick Ubaldi for his singular and surpassing valour was by Pope Eugenius the fourth created the first Duke hereof A man of such repute for all gallant qualities that he was by King Henry the sixt made Knight of the Garter in recompence of which high honour the English to this day injoy many privileges in these Dominions Guido Ubaldi this Dukes sonne lost his Estate to Caesar Borgia after whose death he did recover it again by the power and favour of Pope Julio the second to whom succeeded Francisco Maria di Rovero his sisters sonne in whose Family it still continues as will appear by this ensuing Catalogue of The Dukes of Urbine 1 Frederick Ubaldi of the antient Family de Monte feltro the first Duke of Urbine and one of the Knights of the honourable Order of the Garter 2 Ghido Ubaldi sonne of Frederick for a while outed of this Dukedom by Caesar Borgia He was Knight also of the Garter 3 Francisco Maria de la Rovero sisters sonne and next heir to Guido Ubaldi was in his own right Lord of Senogallia and had Pisaâ—ro from the Pope in reward of his many services done unto the Church disseized for a while by Pope Leo the tenth 4 Lawrence de Medices Father of Catharine di Medices the French Queen and of Alexander the first Duke of Florence was for a while made Duke of Urbine by Pope Leo the tenth being of that Family but lost it shortly after to Duke Francisco who after the death of Pope Leo recovered his Estates again and died possessed of the Dukedom Guido Ubaldi II. sonne of Duke Francisco 6 Francisco Maria II. sonne of Guido the second The Revenues of this Dukedom are said to be 100000 Crowns per annum but might be raised to a greater sirm did not the Duke prefer the love and ease of his Subjects before the filling of his own coffers He is able to raise 1200. good Souldiers out of his Estate and more his people would supply if he had occasion The Arms hereof Azure a Tower Argent environed with Flower de Lyces Or. Here are in this Dukedom Arch-bishops 10. Bishops 3. The Seigneury of VENICE WEst of the Lands of the Church from Romandiola to the Alpes lie the Italian Provinces of the State of VENICE that is to say Marca Trevigiana Friuli Histria and some Ilands in the Golf neer the City it self Besides which it containeth a great part of Dalmatia together with the Ilands Candie Corfu Cephalonia Zant Ithaca Cithera and certain others of less note The length of their Dominions both by Sea and Land extending above a thousand miles but the breadth not answerable The nature of the soyl and the principall Rivers which refresh it we shall see anon in the description of the Provinces before mentioned according to which Provinces and the chief Cities of them the Character of the people is best taken it being said proverbially by the Italians that the Venetians themselves are stately crafty and greedy the Veronians studious and faithfull the Paduans fierce the Vincentians eager on Revenge those of Friulâ— gratefull and inconstant those of Histria neither long-livers nor of very great courage That in the conduct of a war those of Venice bring silver those of Treviso swords that the Brescians are fit to dig in trenches those of Bergomo to lay Ambushes those of Padua to manage Horses And of the women it is said that those of Crema are deceitfull those of Venice insolent those of Venice insolent those of Vincentia constant those of Verona gracious those of Treviso jealous those of Brescia diligent and the Bergomasques crafty But not to dally longer in these Proverbiall Characters certain it is that the Venetians themselves do affect a great deal of gravitie in their actions speak very little at the Table very severe where they have authority and many times in the excess And yet such is the constant temper of their Government and their impartiality in doing Justice that they are very wel obeyed and generally well beloved of all their subjects notwithstanding the heavy pressures which are layd upon them is wel in Italie as without Esteemed in former times good souldiers both by Sea and Land maintaining wars continually with the Turks in Palestine the Emperors of Constantinople in Greece it self the Genoese by sea and their neighbours of Italie in this Continent But of late times they have more studied to preserve than inlarge their Dominions and that too by rather expence of mony than the loss of blood and by wit rather than by valour So fortunate in this last kind of practice that Machiavel observed of them in his time that whatsoever they lost by War they recovered by Treatie A pregnant evidence whereof we shall see anon To proceed now to the description of such of the Provinces and Estates of this Common-wealth as pass under the accompt of Italie they are as before was said 1. Marca Trevigiana 2. Friuli 3. Histria 4. the Italian
they yeeld unto the Prince in the way of Revenue and what Forces he is able to raise out of his Estates I cannot positively determine But by the Tribute formerly payd unto the Popes for the City of Mutina and the rich territory of both Towns and the great Revenues of the Dukes of Ferrara I conceive they cannot yeeld less than 100000 Crowns of yearly in-come The Armes of this Duke the same with those of Ferrara before blazoned The Dukedom of PARMA THe Dukedom of PARMA hath on the North the Dukedoms of Millain and Mantua from which it is parted by the Po on the South the Apennine which divideth it from Liguria on the East the Country of Modena on the West Montferrat situate as Modena is in Lombardia Cispadana and much of the same nature both for soyl and air and other the commodities of those parts of Italie The principall Cities of it are 1 Parma an antient City and made a Colony of the Romans at the end of the second Punick War as Mutina and Aquileia at the same time were It is seated on a small River of the same name which runneth almost thorough the middest of it beautified with very handsome buildings and peopled by a race of ingenious men whether they do be take themselves unto Arts or Arms. The grounds about this City are of excellent pasturage and yeeld great plenty of the Cheese which is called Parmesan 2 Placentia seated on the Po one of the first Colonies which the Romans planted amongst the Cisalpine Galls and famous for the resistance which it made both to Annibal and Asdrubal who severally in vain besieged it made afterwards the Metropolis of the Province of Aemilia yet nothing the less beautifull for so great an age The fields adjoyning have the same commendation with those of Parma for most excellent Cheese but go beyond for Salt-pits and Mines of Iron which the other wanteth 3 Mirandula a proper Town built in the time of Constans the sonne of Constantine the Great the Patrimony of the noble Family of the Pici of which was Picus de Mirandula that renowned Scholar but held by them as Feudataries to the Dukes of Parma 4 Briscello called antiently Brixellum not far from the chief City Parma of no great note at the present time but memorable in the Roman story for the death of the Emperor Otho who here killed himself For hearing here that his Forces were overthrown by Valens and Cecina Commanders of the Forces of Vitellius then his Competitor for the Empire he rather chose to fall by his own sword than that the Romans should be forced for his sake to renew the war And this he did with so much honour to himself that many of his souldiers slew themselves at his Funerall Pile not out of consciousness of crime on for fear of punishment but to testifie their affections to him and to follow such a brave example as was layd before them So as we may truly say of him as he is sayd by Tacitus to have sayd of himself viz. Alii diutius imperium tenuerunt nemo tam fortiter resiquit 5 Monticella in the middle way almost between Parma and Plancentia and opponte unto Cremona a chief Town of the Dutchy of Millain from which parted by the River Po. These Towns as others in these parts have been partakers of the diversities of fortune as being after the declining of the Western Empire some times under the Venetians most times under the Millanoys and at last couquered by the Popes in the confusions and distractions of the Dukedom of Millain under the two last Princes of the house of Sforza By Paul the 3 d being of the house of the Farnesis the Cities of Parma and Placentia with their Appendixes were given unto his son Petro Aluigi or Petrus Aloysius as the Latins call him with the title of Duke An o 1549. The Signeurie of Camerine which he had lately taken from the Dukes of Urbin being given in recompence to the Church This Petro being a man of most vicious life had amongst other villanies committed an unspeakable violence on the person of Cosâ—â—us Chirius the Bishop of Janum and soon after poysoned him For which most detestable fact he received no other chastisement of his Father than this Haec vitia me non coÌ„monstratore didicit that he was sure he had not learnt those vices by his example But going on in these wicked courses he was slain at last by Count John Aguzzola and Placentia after a short siege yeelded to Ferdinand Gonzaga Vice-Roy in Millain for the Emperor Charles the fifth conceived to be privy to the murder Octavian the sonne of Petro Luigi hearing what had hapned fortified himself in Parma as well as he could but being hated by the new Pope and distrustfull not without good cause of the Emperors purposes he had quite lost it if Henry the second of France had not taken him into his protection For the Emperor Charles fully determined notwithstanding that Octavian had maried his base daughter to have made himself Lord of the Town and the French King was loth to see so great a strength added to the Emperors possessions in Italie When the war had now lasted four years Philip the second which succeeded Charles considering how necessary it was for his affairs in Italie to have this Octavian his friend restored unto him again this Plaisance or Placentia and so withdrew him from the French faction An. 1557. Yet because he would be sure to keep his house in a perpetuall dependance on Spain he restored it not absolutely at the present but held the Citadell thereof with a Spanish Garrison till the year 1583 when in regard of the good services which Alexander Prince of Parma had done him in his Wars against the Hollanders and others of the revolted Provinces he caused it to be surrendred into the hands of his Father Octavian By which and by his setling upon this house the Town and Territory of Novara in the Dukedom of Millam and other personall favours which they have conferred on the Princes of it the Kings of Spain seem to have given some satisfaction to this house for stepping betwixt them and the Kingdom of Portugal to which they might have made such a probable title as would have troubled his Estate had they stood upon it The Dukes of Parma 1549 1 Petro Luigi Farnesis sonne to Paul the third made by the Pope his Father the first Duke of Parma 1550 2 Octavian Farnesis sonne to Petro Lewis maryed Margaret base daughter to Charles the fift afterwards Governess of the Netherlands 3 Alexander sonne of Octavian and Margaret of Austria one of the most renowned Souldiers of his time Governour of the Netherlands for King Philip the 2d. 1592 4 Rainutio Farnesis sonne of Alexander and Mary of Portugal eldest daughter of Edward sonne to King Emanuel one of the competitors for that Crown 5 Edoardo Farnesis sonne of Rannutio Of the Revennes and
Corn Wine and most delicate fruits and happily enriched with Meadows and most excellent Pastures which yeeld a notable increase of Cheese and Butter And in the Countrey about Sion they discovered in the year 1544 a Fountain of Salt and have also many hot Bathes and medicinall waters very wholsom Of Springs and River-water they are very destitute having scarce any but what they fetch from the Rhosne vvith a great deal both of charge and trouble the common people using snow-water for the most part for domestick uses which made one pleasantly observe that they pay there dearer for their water than they do for their Wine Cattell they have sufficient to serve their turn and amongst others a wild Buck equall to a Stag in bigness footed like a Goat and horned like a fallow Deer leaping with vvonderfull agility from one precipice to another and so not easily caught but in Summer time for then the heat of that season makes him blind It is divided into the Upper and the Lower Wallisland the Upper lying towards the Mountain de Furcken in the very bottom of the Valley and the Lower stretching out to the Town of Saint Maurice which is at the opening of the same the length of both said to be five ordinary daies journey but the bredth not answerable The Upper Wallisland containeth the seven Resorts of 1 Sion or Sedune 2 Leuck 3 Brig 4 Nies 5 Rawren 6 Sider 7 Gombes in which are reckoned thirty Parishes the Lower comprehending the six Resorts of 1 Gurdis 2 Ardoa 3 Sallien 4 Martinacht 5 Jutremont and 6 Saint Maurice in which are 24 Parishes The people in both parts said to be courteous towards strangers but very rough and churlish towards one another The severall Resorts before mentioned are named according to the names of their principall Towns which according to their reckoning are thirteen in number The chief of which are 1 Sedunum Sittim or Sion a Bishops See suffragan to the Metropolitan of Tarentuise the chief of all this little Country of no great beauty in it self but neat and gallant in respect of the Towns about it Situate in a Plain on the River of Rhosne under a Mountain of tvvo tops on the one of which being the lower is seated the Cathedrall Church and the Canons houses and on the other looking downwards with a dreadfull precipice a very strong Castle the dwelling place of the Bishop in the heats of Summer which being built upon an hill of so great an height and of so hazardous an ascent is impossible almost to be took by force the sharpness of the Rocks keeping it from the danger of assaults and the highness of the hill from the reach of Gun-shot 2 Marchinacht by Caesar called Octodurus and Civitas Valensium by Antoninus remarkable for its antiquity only 3 Saint Maurice or Saint Morits antiently Augaunum the Key of the whole Country but in Winter especially vvhen all the other passages are so frozen up that there is no other entrance but by the Bridge at this Town vvhich for that cause is very well manned and fortified to avoyd surprisall and therefore also chosen for the seat of the Governour of the Lower Wallisland This Country now called Wallisland is in most Latin Writers called by the name of Valesia but corruptly as I think for Valensia as the Dutch or English name for Wallinsland which name I should conceive it took from the Valenses the old inhabitants of this valley of vvhom Octodusus now called Marchinacht is by Antoninus made to be the Metropolis or principall City It was made subject to the Romans by Julius Caesar at such time as the Helvetians were conquered by him and falling with the Western parts of the Roman Empire unto Charles the great was by him given to Theodulus Bishop of Sion An. 805. Under his successors they continue to this very day but so as that the Deputies of the seven Resorts have not only voyces with the Canons in his Election but being chosen and invested into the place they joyn with him also in the Diets for choosing Magistrates redressing grievances and determining matters of the State The Lower Wallisland obeyeth the upper made subject by long War and the chance of Victory and hath no sway at all in the publick Government but takes for Law that which their Governours agree of The same Religion is in both being that of Rome For maintainance whereof they combined themselves with the seven Popish Cantons of Switzerland An. 1572 or thereabouts as also for their mutuall defence and preservation against Forein Enemies and keeping amitie and concord amongst one another 5. SWITZERLAND NExt unto Wallisland lyeth the Country of the SWITZERS having on the East the Grisons and some part of Tirol in Germany on the West the Mountain Jour and the Lake of Geneve which parts it from Savoy and Burgundy on the North Suevia or Scwaben another Province also of the upper Germany and on the South Wallisland and the Alpes which border on the Dukedom of Millain The whole Country heretofore divided into three parts onely that is to say 1 Azgow so called from the River Aaz whose chief Town was Lucern 2 Wislispurgergow so called from Wiflispurg an old Town thereof the chief City whereof is Bern. And 3 Zurichgow so named from Zurich both formerly and at this present the Town of most note in all this Tract but since the falling off of these Countries from the house of Austria divided into many Cantons and other members of which more anon It is wholly in a manner over-grown with craggy Mountains but such as for the most part have grassie tops and in their bottoms afford rich Meadows and nourishing pastures which breed them a great stock of Cattell their greatest wealth And in some places yeelds plenty of very good Wines and a fair increase of Corn also if care and industry be not wanting on the Husband-mans part but neither in so great abundance as to serve all necessary uses which want they doe supply from their neighbouring Countries And though it stand upon as high ground as any in Christendom yet is no place more stored with Rivers and capacious Lakes vvhich doe not onely yeeld them great aboundance of Fish but serve the people very vvell in the vvay of Traffick to disperse their severall Commodities from one Canton to another Of which the principall are Bodensee and the Lake of Cell made by the Rhene Genser see or the Lake of Geneve by the Rhosne Walldstet see and the Lake of Lucern made by the Russe Namonburger and Bieter sees by the Orbe and Zurich see by the River of Limat or Limachus It is in length two hundred and forty miles an hundred and eighty in bredth conceived to be the highest Countrey in Europe as before is sayd the Rivers which do issue from it running thorow all quarters of the same as Rhene thorough France and Belgium North Po thorough Italie to the South
Rappenswill to Uren Swits Underwald Glaris and Turgow unto the ten first Cantons Belinzano to the three first only and all the rest of the Italian Praefectures to the Cantons generally excepting Apenzell which was entred into the confederacy when these Praefectures were given unto the Switzers by Maximilian Sforza Duke of Millain which was in An. 1513 some moneths before the taking in of Apenzel to the rest of the Cantons Such is the number of the Cantons Praefectures and States confederate amongst all vvhich there are few Towns or Cities of any note there being no City nor walled Town in the Cantons of Swits Uren Underwalden Glaris Apenzel nor in any of the States confederate situate amongst the Switzers but Saint Gall onely nor in any of the Praefectures but that of Baden So that the places worthy of consideration are not like to be many Of those that are the principall are 1 Zurich a large City and a renowned University situate on both sides of the River Limat where it issueth out of the Lake called Zurich-See It had antiently two Monasteries in it in one of which Huldericus Zuinglius was a Canon slain near this Town in the battell spoken of before An. 1531. now giving name to the most honourable of the Cantons to which belongeth the autority of summoning the generall Diets as of those also of the Protestants the Legates thereof presiding in both Assemblies 2 Friburg situate on the River Sana on the declivity of an uneven and rocky hill founded by Bertold the fourth Duke of Zuringen 3 Solothurn the Solothurum of Antoninus on the River of Aar famous for the Martyrdom of S. Ursus and his 66 Theban Souldiers in the time of the Emperour Dioclesian A Town of great Antiquity but not so old by far as the people make it who would have it to be built in the time of Abraham 4 Basil so called either of a Basilisk slain at the building of the City or of the German word Pasel signifying a path or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying Kingly It was built An. 382 and is famous for an University founded by Pins the second Anno 1459. It was made a Canton An. 1501 and is honoured with the Sepulchers of Oecolampadius Erasmus Pontanus Glarienus and Hottoman the famous Civilian In this City An. 1431. vvas hold that notable Councill wherein though the Papall authority was then at the height it was decreed that a generall Councill was above the Pope What was then enacted was immediately put in practise the Councill deposing Pope Eugenius the fourth and placing in his room Amadeus Duke of Savoy afterward called Felix the fourth who having held the See nine years in a time of Schism did willingly in order to the peace of Christendom resign the Popedom to Nicolas to fift who had before been chosen by the opposite Faction The City is great rich and populous sometimes a Town Imperiall still a Bishops See the Bishop being subject to the Arch-Bishop of Besanson in the County of Burgundie seated upon the River Rhene where it receiveth Weis and Byrsa two lesser brooks by which it is divided into the greater Basil lying towards France and the lesser lying towards Germany 5 Lucern situate on both sides of the Russe where it issueth out of the Lake of Lucern so called from Lucerna i. e. the Lantern which was placed here on an high Tower to give light to Water-men in the night A City well traded and frequented by strangers because the ordinary road from Germany into Italie passing from hence thorow the Country of the Grisons and in regard that the Diets for the Popish Cantons which heretofore were held at Uren are removed hither Not far from this Town is the Mountain called Pilates hill of Pontius Pilate whose ghost as the common people are made to beleeve doth walk once a year on the banks of this Lake in his Judges Robes And to be sure the fiction shall not be confuted they adde that whosoever seeth him shall die that year 6 Bern compassed almost round with the River Aar and taking up the whole extent of a little mountain the houses of free-stone neatly and uniformly built A Town which gives name to the largest and most potent of all the Cantons and one of the first which did embrace the Reformation and the first of all which purged it self of Images those excellent Instruments of Superstition and Idolatry defaced here in a popular tumult An. 1548. 7 Lausanna in the Canton of Bern a Bishops See Suffragan to the Arch-Bishop of Besanson seated on the banks of the Lake of Lemane and compassed with mountains alwaies covered with snow which open themselves on the East side onely which is towards Italie 8 Schaffhausen the only Town of all the Cantons which lyeth on the other side of the Rhene of right belonging unto Suevia or Scawben a Province of Germany and reckoned as a part thereof before it was incorporated into this Confederacy Next for the Praefectures and confederate States they have not many Towns of note excepting Rotwell and Mulhusen two Imperiall Cities which properly belong to another place Of those which be the principall amongst the Confederates lying within the bounds of this Country is the Town of Saint Gall Sengall as they corruptly call it an Imperiall City situate amongst the Mountains near the Boden-Zee A rich populous and well-governed Town taking name from the Monastery of S. Gall a famous Scot and the Apostle of those parts An. 630 or thereabouts the Abbat of which having great possessions in this tract before Apenzell and this Town revolted from him was a Prince of the Empire The Anabaptists were once very prevalent here insomuch that one of them cut off his brothers head in the presence of his Father and Mother and sayd according to the humor of that sect who boast much of dreams visions and Enthusiasms that God commanded him so to doe The principal amongst the Praefectures is the Town of Baden or to difference it from Baden a Marquisate in Germany the Upper Baden seated on a little Mountain near the River Limat almost in the middle of the Countrey and for that cause the place of meeting for the Councell of Estate of all the Confederates It taketh name from the Bathes here being two of which onely are publick the rest in private houses conscious as it is thought to much lasciviousness For whereas it is said of Adrian that Lavacra pro sexibus separavit here men and women promiscuously Bath together and which is worst in private where as Munster telleth us Cernunt viri uxores tractari cernunt cum alienis loqui quidem solam cum solo and yet are not any of them disturbed with jealousie These Bathes are much frequented yet not so much for health as pleasure Their chiefest vertue is the quickning power they have upon barren women But as the Frier use to send men whose wives are fruitless in pilgrimage to Saint
the Cantabrian Mountains by which parted from Guipuscoa and on the South with the River Aragon or Arga by which divided from that Kingdom It was called at first the Kingdom of Sobrarbre from a Town of that name situate in the most inaccessible part of the Pyrenees and therefore chose by Garcia Ximines the first King hereof for the seat of his Kingdom as most defensible against the fury of the Moores Afterwards it took the name of Navarre either from Navois signifying a plain and champagn Countrie first used by Inigo Arista the sixth King who having taken Pampelune abandoned the hill Countries and betook himself unto the Plains or from Navarriere the chief of the three parts into which that Citie was divided not only at the taking thereof but a long time after The Countrie though environed on all sides with mighty Mountains yet of it self is said to be reasonably fruitfull well watered and for the most part plain and level as before is said It taketh up some parts of both sides of the Pyrenees the Spanish side being fertile and adorned with trees the French side generally very bare and naked That on the Spanish side and on the summits of the Mountains now possessed by the Spaniard is called High Navarre that on the French side now called Base or Low Navarre estimated at a sixth part of the whole Kingdom is enjoyed by the French incorporated by King Lewis the 13. to the Realm of France Anno 1620. Places of most importance in Base Navarre 1. S. Palai formerly the place of Iudicature for this part of the Kingdom but in the year 1620. removed to Pau in the Principality of Bearn both Bearn and Base Navarre which had before been governed as distinct Estates from the Realm of France being then incorporate to that Crown 2. Navarreux a Town of great importance seven Leagues from Pan well fortified and as well munitioned King Lewis the 13. finding in it at his coming thither Anno 1620. no fewer then 45 Cannons all mounted besides 40 Culverins and smaler Peeces with Powder Buller and Victuals answerable thereunto 3. Pâ—ed de Port or S. Iohn de Pied de Port bordering on the edge of France against which formerly a Peece of especiall strength 4. Roncevallis or Roncâ—vaux situate in the most pleasant Countrie of all Navarre in the entrance of a small but delightfull Valley famous for the great battel fought neer unto it in the streights or entrances of the Mountains leading to this Valley betwixt the French under Charlemagne and a great Army of Moores and natural Spaniards confederate together in defence of their common Liberty In which battel by the treachery of Gavelon 40000 of the French were slain aud amongst them Rowland Earl of Mans the Nephew of Charles and others of the Peers of France of whom so many Fables are reported in the old Romances the first Author of which Fables passeth under the name of Archb. â—urpin said to be one of those twelve Peers who taking on him to record the Acts of Charles the Great hath interlaced his Storie with a number of ridiculous vanities by means whereof the noble Acts of that puissant Emperour and his gallant Followers are much obscured and blemished by those very pens which in the times succeeding did employ themselves to advance the same Of special note in High Navarre 1. Victoria first built or rather reedified by Sancho the 4th King of Navarre Anno 1180. by whom thus named in memory of some victory obtained thereabouts against the Castilians as in like case there had been many Towns built by the Greeks and Romans by the name of Nicopolis or the Citie of Victorie which we shall meet withall hereafter Situate in the place of the antient Vellica but graced with the privileges and name of a Citie by Iohn the 2d of Castile after it came under the command of that Crown Anno 1432. A Town belonging properly to the little Province of Olava and the chief thereof which Province being wholly in and amongst the Cantabrian Mountains was of old a member of Navarre but being extorted from it Anno 1200 by Alphonso the 2d of Castile it was in the year 133â— incorporated into that Crown as a part thereof as were some other Towns and members of this Kingdom also won by the Castilians 2 Viane the title of the eldest Sonne of Naevarre who was called Prince of Viane advanced unto this â—honout by King Charles the 3d Anno 1421. in imitation of the like custom in Castle were the eldest Sonne was called Prince of the Asturiaâ— but not less memorable for the death of Caesar Borgia slain neer unto it in an ambush after all his wanderings and interchangeableness of fortunes For being sonne of Pope Alexander the sixth by birth a Spaniard he was by his Father made a Cardinal but relinquishing that Title by Charles the eighth of France created Duke of Valeatinois in the Province of Daulphine during his Fathers life he had reduced under his obedience divers of the Estates which antiently had belonged to the Church of Rome but after his decease imprisoned by Pope Iulio the second who was jealous not without good cause of his plots and practices From Rome he stole unto Gonsalvo then Vice-Roy of Naples for Ferdinando the Catholique who notwithstanding his safe conduct sent him prisoner to Spain but breaking prison desperarely sliding down a window he came at last into this kingdom and was here slain in an Ambuscado as before was said So many times was Machiavels great Politician over-reached by Bookmen and Souldiers 3 Sobrarbre in the most inaccessible parts of the Pyrenees for that cause made the first seat of the Kings of Navarre entituled from thence the Kings of Subrarbre Made afterwards a distinct Kingdom from Navarre by Saâ—châ— the great who gave it to Gonsales his youngest Sonne after whose death not having issue it was seized on by Don Raymâ—r the first King of Aragon and made a Member of that Crown 4 Sanguessâ— a Town of a large territorie and jurisdiction privileged with a Suffrage in the Convention of Estates and a strong Fortress on the borders towards Aragon for which cause formerly aimed at by the Kings thereof who have had it sometimes in their hands 5 Pampelun in the Champagn Country on the banks of the River Arga the Metropolis of this Kingdom and the seat Royall of its Kings since the Conquest of it from the Moores by Inigo Arista the sixt King of Navarre Of old divided into three parts that is to say Bourg Peuplement and Navarriere each having severall Officers and Iurisdictions the cause of many quarrels and much blood amongst them till all united into one body and reduced under the command of one chief Magistrate by King Charles the third An antient Town first built by Pompey at the end of his wars against Seâ—toâ—ius in memory of whom called Pompeiopolis by our modern Lâ—â—inists but Pampeloa more neer unto the present name
designe which was then in hand fortified strongly by the Bishop But this new Fortification being begun in a time of peace gave great occasion of distrust to the neighbouring Princes who interposed with Frederick the fift then Prince Elector of whom held in chief to cause the Bishop to desist from the finishing of it Which when he refused to doe pleading a Placard from the Emperour Matthias to compleat the work the Prince Electour with the rest of the Confederates beat it down by force for this contempt cited to Spires the Imperiall Chamber in which it was also resolved to proceed suddenly and severely to their condemnation One of the chief motives which occasioned that unfortunate Prince to entertain the offer of the Crown of Bohemia and consequently a chief cause of the German wars In managing whereof this town was thought so commodious that Marquis Spinola caused the works to be raised again made it the strongest hold in all those Countries and caused it to be called by the name of Philipsberg 3. Rotenberg originally belonging to the Bishops of Spires but of late times possessed by the Princes Palatine Others of lesser slote I forbear to mention The first Inhabitants of this Country on the French side of the Rhene were the Nemetes and Vangiones spoken of before on the other side the Intuergi First conquered by the Romans and from them conquered by the French of whose Empire it remained a part till dismembred from it at the erection of the Kingdome of Lorrain in the fall whereof it was annexed to the Empire of Germany By little and little got into the hands of the Princes Palatine who being originally Officers of the Emperours houshold such as the Maires of the Palace to the French Kings at the first institution had first the honour of Counts Palatine bestowed upon them and afterwards the place of an Electour in the choice of the Emperour But where their Estate then lay where they fixed their dwelling and what provinces or people they had subject to them a nullo inveni scriptum I could never find any good Record to build on saith the learned Munster their habitation and possession in and of these parts acquired for the most part by Armes and Money not being above 450 years standing at the utmost Likely it is they had their residence for the most part in the Emperours Palace living upon their rents as other great officers of Court in these later times the dignity and authority of so great a place seeming sufficient to content them but called Count Palatines of the Rhene because their Jurisdiction and Authority lay most especially in those parts of the Empire which were towards that River Afterwards on the marriage of Otho the second of that name Duke of Bavaria with Gertrude the daughter of Henry the Elector Palatine this office with the Electorall dignity fell into that house possessed at that time of those parts of 〈◊〉 which not long after on the dividing of that estate betwixt Rodolphus and Ludoâ—â—ous the son of â—udovick the 2. Electour Palatine and Duke of Bavaria made up this Palatinate A State which suddenly received a great augmentation partly by the care and good husbandry of Rupertus Emperour and Electour Palatine partly by the weaknesse and ambition of Wenceslaus Emperour and King of Bohemia and partly by the valour of Frederick the Prince Electour Of these the first bought in the townes of Winheim Ladeberg and Scriessen with the Castle of Stralnberg with their lands and territories The second gave unto the Palatines for their voices in his election three strong towns of the Empire viz. Keisars Lauterne Ingelheim and Openkeim and the last took in battle anno 1452. the Earl of Wirtenberg the Marquesse of Baden the Bishop of Spires and the Archbishop of Mentz and ransomed them on what condition he pleased More particularly the Earl of Wirtenberg for it was not yet erected into a Dukedome payed for his ransome 100000 Florens the Bishop of Mentz redeemed himself for 450000 Florens The Bishop of Spires gave for his liberty the towns of Rottenberg and Wersaw and the Marquesse of Baden yeelded up in lieu of his freedome the Country of Spanheim of which Cruitznack is a part the towns of Besiken and Binheim the right which he pretended to Eppingen a town over against Gemersheim and his royalties between this Gemersheim and Selts a town of Alsatia in fishing and hunting So having brought these Princes unto their Estate let us next take a view of those who have successively enjoyed both the State and Title as far as we can goe by the light of Story ELECTORS Palatine of the RHENE A. Ch. 1. Henry Count of Palatine in the time of Otho the third by whom ordained to be one of the six Electors 2 Sigefride the sonne of Adelheild wife of this Henry the Electour by a former husband 3 Ezeline and Conrade sonnes of Sigefride 4 Ludoifus son to Ezeline 5 Conrade Elector Palatine in the time of Henry the fift 6 Frederick sonne to Frederick Duke of Schawben Nephew to the Emperour Conrade the third 7 Henry II. surnamed the Lyon Duke of Saxonie and Bavaria 1195 8 Henry III. sonne of Henry the Lyon and husband of Clementia daughter of Conrade Duke of Schawben and Elector Palatine 9 Henry IV. sonne of Henry the third in the life of his Father the last Elector Palatine of the nomination and appointment of the Emperour the dignity from hence forwards becoming hereditary 10 Otho Duke of Bavaria of that name the second Electour Palatine of the Rhene in right of Gertrude his wife sister and next heir of Henry the fourth whom he succeeded in the Electorall dignity confirmed therein by the Emperour Frederick the second 1269 11 Ludovicus Electour Palatine and Duke of Bavaria the son of Otho 1294 12 Rodolphus the eldest son of Lewis or Ludovicus succeeded his Father in the Palatinate and Electorall dignity Northgoia or the Palatinate of Bavaria being added to his part to make even the scale his younger brother Ludovicus succeeding in Bavaria 1315 13 Adolphus surnamed the Simple resigned the Electorall dignity to his brother Rodolphus as the fitter man to undertake it 1327 14 Rodolphus II. on the resignation of Adolphus 1337 15 Rupertus the brother of Rodolphus the second founder of the University of Heidelberg anno 1346. 1385 16 Rupertus II. sonne of Adolfus the Simple 1398 17 Rupertus III. elected Emperour in the place of Wenceslaus King of Bohemia anno 1406 made Knight of the Garter by King Henry the fourth 1410 18 Ludovious II. surnamed Caecus and Barbatus married Blanch daughter to King Henry the fourth of England 1439 19 Ludâ—vicus III. son of Lewis the second 1451 20 Frederick brother of Ludovicus during the minority of Philip his said brothers sonne succeeded in the Electorall dignity and added much to that Estate by his personall vertue 1478 21 Philip the sonne of Lewis the third pretended to the Dukedome of Bavaria in
picking a quarrell with him for receiving the Monsieur his brother and the marriage of the Monsieur with the Lady Margaret the Dukes sister deprived him of the Dutchy of Bar and falling into Lorrain with a puissant Army at such time as the Swedes were there compelled him to put into his hands the City of Nancie and by consequence all the rest of his Estates Septemb. 1633. since which time the Duke hath never been restored thereto for ought I can hear nor hath any thing left him in it but the Town of La Mothe if that together with a good cause many hearts and an invincible courage The Armes of Lorrain are Or a Bend Gules charged with 3 Larks Argent But herein I finde Bara an old Herald to differ from Paradine the most exact Genealogist of the French nation For Bara chargeth the Bend not with 3 Allovettes Larks as Paradine doth but with 3 Allerions which are in Blazon small Birds wanting beaks feet and legs Of this last opinion is the most worthy Antiquary Camden Clarencieux who withall telleth us that when Godfrey of Bulloigne was at the siege of Hierusalom shooting at S. Davids tower there he broached three feetlesse birds called Allerions upon his arrow and thereupon assumed this armes The revenues of the Prince are 700000 Crowns whereof 200000 arise from the customes of the salt made in his Countrey and the other 500000 from his Coronet lands He is an absolute Prince and giveth for his device an armed hand comming as it were from Heaven and grasping a naked sword to shew that he holdeth his estate by no other tenure then God and his sword the only hope at this time of the present Duke For though he be accompted a Prince of the Empire and his Dukedome reckoned for a part of the fift Circle thereof which is called the Circle of the Rhene yet he neither comes unto the Diets nor holds himself bound by any of the orders and decrees which are made therein as the rest of the great Princes of Germanie his neighbourhood to the French formerly securing his estate against any force the Empire durst bring against him for those neglects 6. SVEVIA or SCHWABEN The Dukedome of SVEVIA or SCHWABEN according to the ancient limits and extent thereof was bounded on the North with Frankenland and the Lower Palatinate on the South with the Switzerland and the Alpes of Tirol on the East with the River Lech parting it from Bavaria and on the West with the Rhene dividing it from Sungow and both Alsatia's But now the Dukedome of Wirtenberg the Marquisate of Baden and other lesser estates being taken out of it it is contracted and restrained within narrower bounds having on the East Bavaâ—ia on the West the Dukedome of Wirtenberg and so much of the Rhene as serveth to divide it from Sungow and the Vpper Elsats on the North Franconia or Frankenland and on the South a little of the Rhene with some part of the Switzers The Countrey for the most part mountainous and hilly overspred with some spurs of the Alpes and the Woods of Nigra Sylva or Swartzenwald recompensed notwithstanding with great plenty of springs and Rivers and amongst them the Neccar and the renowned Danubius which do issue from them which makes the Vales hereof to be very fruitfull sufficiently stored with all necessary provisions Nor are the woods and mountains so unprofitable but that besides the great plenty of fewell and the pleasures of hunting they doe afford some Mines of iron and other metals The people in regard of their mountainous situation more fierce and warlike then the rest of the Germans and so accompted of by Plutarch in former times industrious in severall Trades and Manufactures especially in the weaving of linnen Cloth which is made here in great abundance and who by reason they have so much in them of the South are supra modum in Venerem proni as Aubanus tels me at least more given to Venus then the other of the Germans are the women also being said to be very forwards in this kinde as tractable and easie as the men could wish them The whole is generally divided into the Hegow lying next to the lake of Constance the Algow extending to Bavaria Brisgow upon the West of the River Rhene and North-Schwaben on the northern side of Danubius Principall Cities in the HEGOW are 1. Lindaw situate like an Iland in the Lake of Constance encompassed almost with the waters thereof but joyned to it with a Causey of 290 paces long one of the Free or Imperiall Cities made so for money by the Emperour Frederick Barbarossa anno 1166. 2. Buchorn and 3. Vberlingen on the same lake both Imperiall also 4. Scaff-haussen seated on both sides of the Rhene not farre from the efflux thereof out of the lake Cell so called from a town of that name belonging to the Archdukes of Ausiria but anciently by the name of Lacus Venetus and near those dreadfull fals or Cataracts of that River no lesse then 50 cubits downwards with great noyse and violence For which cause all vessels that go down the Rhene are fain to unlade themselves and by Carts to carry their goods to this Town where they imbark them again Which as it yeeldeth great benefit unto the Town by tols and imposts so doth it alwayes keep it stored with abundance of Barks and other vessels whence it hath the name of Scaff-haussen that is to say the house of Skiffes or the Town of Ship-boats The Town conveniently seated amongst rich pastures and sweet groves on both sides of the River not without some pleasant hills and those well planted with vines near adjoyning to it Imperiall but now a Canton of the Switzers as hath there been shewn 5. Arbon upon the lake it self the Arbor Fâ—lix of Strabo belonging to the Bishop of Constance 6. Merspurg the ordinary seat and residence of the Bishop of Constance Lord of the most part of this Tract on the same lake also 7. Constance it self situate on both sides of the Rhene where it issueth out of the lake called from hence the Lake of Constance but by the Dutch Boden-zee from the Castle of Bodmin by Plinie and other Ancients Lacus Acronius and Brigantinus made by the confluence of the Rhene and some other Rivers falling out of Switzerland The Town Imperiall an Episcopall See and a flourishing Emporie Famous for the Councell here holden anno 1414. of great renown as well for the multitude and quality of the people which were there assembled as for the importance of the matters which were therein handled The people of most note there assembled were Sigismund the Emperour 4 Patriarchs 29 Cardinals 346 Archbishops and Bishops 564 Abbats and Doctors 10000 secular Princes and noble men 450 Common Harlots 1600 Barbers and 320 Minstrels and Jesters The businesse there handled was first the pacifying of a Schisme in the Church there being at that time three Popes or rather Anti-Popes Gregory
beatissimum autem Archiepiscopum Constantinopoleos Novae Romae secundum habere locum that is to say that the Pope of Rome should have the first place in all Generall Councels and the Bishop of Constantinople or New Rome should have the second Encouraged wherewith and with the countenance and favor of the Emperor Mauritius John Patriarch of Constantinople in the time of Gregory the Great took to himself the title of Vniversal or Oecumenical Bishop the Pastor Generall as it were of the Church of CHRIST And though Pope Boniface by the grant of that bloody Tyrant PHOCAS got that title from him yet the Patriarchs of Constantinople made good their ground never submitting either themselves or their Churches to the Popes Authority for that cause specially accounted by the Church of Rome for Schismaticks accordingly reviled and persecuted with all kind of indignities How it succeeded with these Patriarchs in the times ensuing and by what means their jurisdiction was extended over all Greece Muscovie part of Poland and many other Churches in the North and East hath been said already Certain it is the constant residence of the Emperours from the time of Constantine gave great ground unto of whom I should here adde the names but that I must first summe up the affairs of Thrace before the building of this mighty and predominant City and take a brief view of the rest of those Provinces which we have comprehended under the name of Greece Concerning which we are to know that the antient Inhabitants of it had the names of Strimonii Bardi Doloâ—gi Sapaei Saii and some others united by most writers in the name of Thracians Governed at first by the Kings or Princes of their severall Tribes as most Nations else distinguished from the common people as in other pompes so most especially by their Gods which their Kings had to themselves apart and were not to be worshipped by the best of their Subjects These not agreeing well together for the common good gave the Athenians Spartans Thebans and other Nations of the Greeks a good opportunity to invade their Country to seize on the Sea-townes thereof and plant Colonies in them the Country in those times being meanly peopled and consequently giving that advantage unto the Grecians as the Indies in these later times have to the Spaniards Portugueze English Hollanders and all other Adventurers Such of them as lay next to Macedon proving bad neighbours here unto upon all occasions at last provoked Philip the Father of Alexander to put in for a share who being chosen Arbitrator betwixt two competitors for that Kingdome drawn at last into fewer hands came not unto the Councell with such poor attendants as Justice and Piety but with a great and puissant Army wherewith having vanquished and sâ—ain the two Pretenders he pronounced sentence for himself and made Thrace his own compelling the Inhabitants to pay him the tenth part of their Revenue for his yearly Tribute After the death of Alexander this Country was seized on by Lysimachus as his part of the spoil who here built the City Lysimachia from hence invading Dacia Macedon and the neighbouring Regions and he being dead the Thracians now accustomed to a forrein yoak were either Subjects or at least Tributaâ—ies to the Macedonians Aiding them in their warres against the Romans they incurred the displeasure of that people who having setled their affairs in other places and repulsed the Cimbri thought it fit time to call the Thracians to accompt for their former Actions but sped so ill in the attempt that Porcius Cato lost his whole Army in the onset cunningly intercepted in their woods and fastnesses Didius the Praetor coming in whilst the Thracians were busie in the chase gave them such a stop that he deserved a Triumph for it and the Victory more easie to Metellus who succeeded Cato in that charge and triumphed also over them as also did Lucullus on another Victory A. U. C. 680. Broken with so many ill successes they were finally subdued by Piso in the time of Augustus becoming so obsequious to that fortunate Prince that Rhitemalces a great and puissant â—ing hereof aided him with a strength of Horse against the Pannonians and Illyrians who had then rebelled Afterwards made a Province of the Roman Empire in Constantines new modell it became a Diocese under the Proefecius Proefetorio Orientis Thrace it self being cast into four Provinces that is to say Thrace specially so called Hamimontum Rhodope and Europa Scythia and the Lower Moesia spoken of before being added to it of which the Presidents of Rhodope and Haemimontum were not to be appealed from to the praefectus Praetorio as the others were but onely to the Praefect of Constantinople the Imperiall City But as Alfonsus King of Castile surnamed the Wise was once heard to say never the Wiser for so saying That had he stood at the elbow of Almighty God when he made the World he would have shewed him how some things might be better ordered so give me leave to play the fool and to say this here that had I stood at Constantines elbow I would have counselled him to lay the Diocese of Thrace to the Praefecture of Illyricum who had originally onely the Dioceses of Macedon and Illyricum under his command and not have placed it under the Praefect of the East who had both Asias and all Aegypt under his Authority For being that there lay Appeals from the Vicars of Lieutenants of the severall Dioceses to their severall and respective Prefects how great a trouble must it be to the subjects of Thrace on every occasion of Appeal to post to Antioch there to complain unto the Prefect of the Orient when Sirmium and Thessalonica the ordinary residences of the Praefectus Praetorio for Illyrirum were so hard at hand But Constantine was an absolute Prince and might doe what he listed He had not else removed his seat so farre towards the East and left the western parts of the Empire open to the barbarous people out of a fancy onely to preserve the Eastern For that it was a fancy onely the event did shew the Persians for all this prevailing more then ever formerly and Thrace it self though honoured with the Imperiall City and planted with so many Roman Colonies so ill inhabited that a great part thereof lay wast and desert many Ages after Insomuch as the Goths being by the Hunnes driven over the Danow where by the Emperour Valens plainted in this Country the Emperour having a designe to use them in his following warres where not contented with the portion allotted to them they bid fair for all wasting the whole Province taking divers townes and endangering Constantinople it self from whence not driven Valens himself being killed in the warre against them but by the coming of some Saracens to the aid of the Citizens Nor could the residence of the Emperours so protect this Country but that it was continually harassed and depopulated by the Sclaves Bulgarians Rosses
Paphlagâ—nia by reason of his dangerous and ambitious practises after his death pretending to reform the State came unto Constantinople first made Protector afterwards consort in the Empire with young Alexius Whom having barbarously slain and got the Empire to himselfe he was not long after cruelly torne in pieces in a popular tumult 1185 62 Isaacius Angelus a noble man of Constantinople and of the same Comnenian race designed to death by Andronicus was in a popular election proclaimed his successour deposed by Alexius his own brother and his eyes put out 1195 63 Alexius Angelus deprived his brother and excluded his Nephew from the Empire but it held not long 64 Alexius Angelus II. son of Isaac Angelus who being unjustly thrust out of his Empire by his uncle Alexius had recourse to Philip the Western Emperour whose daughter Mary he had marryed who so prevailed with Pope Innocent the 3. that the armie prepared for the Holy Land was employed to restore him On the approach whereof Alexius the Usurper fled Alexius the young Emperour is seated in his fathers throne and not long after slain by Alexius Dueas In revenge whereof the Latines assault and win Constantinople make themselves Masters of the Empire and divide it amongst them alotting to the Venetians Candie many good towns of Pâ—loponnesus and most of the Islands to Boniface Marquesse of Montferrat the Kingdom of Thessalie to others of the Adventurers other liberall shares and finally to Baldwin Earl of Flanders the main body of the Empire with the title of Emperour EMPEROURS of the LATINES in CONSTANTINOPLE 1200 65 Baldwin Earl of Flanders first Emperour of the Latines reigning in Constantinople taken in fight by John King of Bulgaria coming to aid the Greeks and sent prisoner to Ternova where he was cruelly put to death 1202 66 Henry the brother of Baldwin repulsed the Bulgarians out of Greece and dyed a Conquerour 1215 67 Peter Count of Auxerre in France son in law of Henry cunningly entrapped by Theodorus Angelus a great Prince in Epirus whom he had besieged in Dyrrachium But of an Enemy being perswaded to become his ghest was there murdered by him 1220 68 Robert the son of Peter having seen the miserable usage of his beautifull Emperesse whom a young Burgundian formerly contracted to her had most despitefully mangled cutting off both her nose and ears dyed of hearts grief as he was coming back from Rome whither his melancholy had carried him to consult the Pope in his affairs 1227 69 Baldwin II. son of Robert by a former wife under the protection of John de Brenne the titularie King of Hierusalem succeeded in his fathers throne which having held for the space of 33 years he was forced to leave it the Citie of Constantinople being regained by the Greeks and the poor Prince compelled to sue in vain for succours to the French Venetians and other Princes of the West The EMPIRE restored unto the GREEKS 1260 70 Michael VIII surnamed Palaeologus extracted from the Comnenian Emperours Emperour of the Greeks in the Citie of Nice most fortunately recovered Constantinople the town being taken by a partie of 50 men secretly put into it by some Country labourers under the ruines of a mine Present in person at the Councell of Lyons at the perswasion of the Pope he admitted the Latine Ceremonies into the Churches of Greece for which greatly hated by his subjects and denyed the honour of Christian buriall 1283 71 Andronicus II. vexed with unnaturall wars by his Nephew Andronicus who rebelled against him 1328 72 Andronicus III. first partner with his grandfather afterwards sole Emperour 1541 73 John Palaeologus son of Andronicus the 3. in whose minoritie Contacuzenus his Protectour usurped the Empire and held it sometimes from him and sometimes with him till the year 1357. and then retired unto a Monasterie leaving the Empire unto John during whose reign the Turks first planted themselves in Europe 1484 74 Andronicus IV. the son of Johanmes Palaeologus 1387 75 Emanuel Palaeologus the son of the said John and brother of Andronicus the 4. in whose time Bajazet the sixt King of the Turks did besiege Constantinople but found such notable resistance that he could not force it 1417 76 John II. son of Andronicus the 4. 1420 77 John III. son of Emanuel Palaeologus in person at the Councell of Florence for reconciling of the Churches in hope thereby to get some aid from the Western Christians but it would not be 1444 78 Constantinus Palaeologus the brother of John the 3. In whose time the famous Citie of Constanitinople was taken by Mahomet the Great 1452. the miserable Emperour who had in vain gone from door to door to beg or borrow money to pay his souldiers which the Turks found in great abundance when they took the Citie being lamentably trod to death in the throng Now concerning this Empire of the Greeks we may observe some fatal contrarieties in one and the same name as first that Philip the father of Alexander laid the first foundation of the Macedonian Monarchie and Philip the father of Perseus ruined it Secondly that Baldwin was the first and Baldwin the last Emperour of the Latines in Consiantinople Thirdly that this town was built by a Constantine the son of Helena a Gregory being Patriarch and was lost by a Constantine the son of a Helena a Gregory being Patriarch also And fourthly the Turks have a Prophecie that as it was won by a Mahomet so it shall be lost by a Mahomet So Augusius was the first established Emperour of Rome and Augustulus the last Darius the son of Hystaspes the restorer and Darius the son of Arsamis the overthrower of the Persian Monarchie A like note I shall anon tell you of Hierusalem In the mean time I will present you with a fatall observation of the letter H as I find it thus versed in Albions England Not superstitiously I speak but H this letter still Hath been observed ominous to Englands good or ill First Hercules Hesione and Helen were the cause Of war to Troy Aeneas seed becoming so outlawes Humbor the Hunn with forein arms did first the Brutes invade Helen to Romes imperiall Throne the British Crown conveyd Hengist and Horsus first did plant the Saxons in this Isle Hungar and Hubba first brought Danes that swayed here long while At Harold had the Saxon end at Hardie-Cnute the Dane Henries the first and second did restore the English raign Fourth Henry first for Lancaster did Englands Crown obtain Seventh Henry jarring Lancaster and Yorke unites in peace Henry the eight did happily Romes irreligion cease A strange and ominous letter every mutation in our State being as it were ushered by it What were the Revenues of this Empire since the division of it into the East and West I could never yet learn That they were exceeding great may appear by three circumstances 1 Zonaras reporteth that the Emperour Basilius had in his treasury 200000 talents of gold besides infinite
so often mentioned by the Poets especially in their Amatoria as Coa puellis Vestis in Tibullus Indue me Cois in Propertius Sive eâ—â—t in Cois saith the Poet Ovid. So in others also too many and too long to be added here I passe to 9. CARPATHOS situate on the South of Caria in the Mediterranean from this Iland called here abouts the Carpathtan Sea A rugged and unpleasing soil full of difficult mountains but those mountains stored with quarries of most excellent Marble In circuit about 60 miles extending more in length than breadth Heretofore beautified with four Cities and thence named Tetrapolis But three of the four Cities are long since perished that of Carpathos being still remaining and still the principall of the Iland both now called Scarpanto Some other Towns it hath all along the shore and every one of them furnished with some Port or Haven but small and for the most part very unsafe Situate in the midle as it were betwixt Crete and Rhodes it hath continued hitherto in the possession of the State of Vâ—nice if not taken from them very lately to whom being given with other of the Ilands of these Grecian Seas at the taking of Constantinople by the Western forces it hath the fortune or felicity to continue theirs when almost all the residue were subdued by the Turks The people Greek of the communion of that Church notwithstanding their subjection to a State of Italy 10. RHODES situate in the Rhodian or Carpathian Sea lyeth over against the coast of Lyria in Asia Minor from which distant about 20 miles Formerly called Ophiusa Asteria Aethroea Trinachia Poeessa Corymbia Atabyria and at last Macaria it settled finally and fortunately in the name of Rhodes So named by the Grecians from the abundance of Roses which the soil produceth Rhodos in that language signifying a Rose the Isle of Roses as it were but as the Poets say of Rhoda a Nymph of these Seas here deflowred by Apollo or rather of Rhoda one of the daughters of Apollo begat on Venus For so one of them thus declareth Insula dicta Rhodos de Sole et Cypride nata est Rhoda from whom this Isle took name Of Venus and Apollo came The Iland 140 miles in compass enriched with a most temperate air and a fertile soyl producing finuts in very great plenty full of excellent pastures adorned with trees which alwaies do continue greeâ—â— and in a word so blest with the gists nature that it gave occasion to the fable of those Golden Shewers which were once said to have fallen upon it The wines hereof so excellent and so rich of tast that by the Romans they were used in their second courses or reserved for the sacrifices of the Gods as too good for mortaâ—ls as affirmed by Virgil in the Georâ—icks The cause of which perpetual flourishing and continuall spring is to be ascribed to the powerful influences of the Sun so dearly cherishing this Island or so much in love with it that it is constantly affirmed that no day passeth wherein he shineth not clearly on it be the air in all other places never so much over-cast with Clouds or obscured by mists Fained for that cause to have been naturally a meer Marish altogether unhabitable if not covered with waters till loved by Phoebus anstcrected above the waves by his vigorous influences Of the People we shall speak anon Look we in the mean time on the places of most observation 1. Lindun now Lindo a pety Town but formerly of more esteem of note in those times for the Temple consecrated to Minerva by Danaus King of Egypt landing here when he fled out of that Kingdome As also for the birth of Cares the Architect of the huge Collossus whereof more presently but specially for the nativity of Cleobulus one of the seven wise men of Greece the other six being Solon of Athâ—nâ— Pertander of Corinth Chilo of Sparta Bias of Priene Thales of Miletum and Pittacus of Mitylene Seven men of whom the Grecians most immensely bragged as if the World could neither afford them equals or an equall number for which derided handsomely by Lactanitius an old Christian writer who scoffe 's their paucity and calleth it a miserable and calamitous age in quo septom Soli fuerunt qui hominum vocabula mererentur in which there were no more than seven who deserved to be accompted men 2. Rhodes antiently as now the chief City of it the Iland from hence taking name and formerly as well as in later times depending on the fortunes and strength hereof No place in elder times held superiour to it for the convenency of the Haven magnificent buildings delightfull Orchards and other excellencies Situate on the East part of the Isle on the declining of an hill and neer the Sea where it enjoyeth a safe and commodious Haven treble walled fortified with thirteen Turrets and five strong Bulwarks besides divers Sconces and other out-works this Town and Famagusta in the Isle of Cyprus being conceived to be the two strongest holds in the Turkish Empire In former times one of the principall Universities of the Roman Empire this Rhodes Marseiles Tarsus Athens and Alexandria being reckoned the old Academies of the Monarchy And to this Town as a most noted place of Study Tiberius afterwards Emperour did withdraw himself when Augustus had declared his two Nephewes Lucius and Caius for his Heires pretending onely a desire to improve himself in the waies of literature whereas the true cause was his envy at their preferment Honoured in those times with that huge Collossus one of the seven wonders of the World made by Chares of Lindum before mentioned Composed of Brass in height seventy Cubits every finger of it being as great as an ordinary man and consecrated to the Sun as the proper Deity of the Iland Twelve years in making and having stood but sixty six years was pulled down in an instant by an Earthquake which terribly shook the whole Iland The Rhodians being forbid by an Oracle to erect it again or possibly pretending such an Oracle to save that charge yet held the brass and other materials of it in a manner sacred Not medled with nor sacriligiously purloined till Mnavias the Generall of Osmen the Mahometan Caliph finding in himself no such scruple of conscience after he had subdued this Iland made a prey hereof loading nine hundred Camels with the very brass of it From this Colossus was the Iland sometimes called Colossa and the People Collossians not those Colossians as some have very vainly thought to whom Sain Paul writ his Epistle those being of Colosse a Town of the Greater Phrigya as hath there been noted Here was also in this City antiently a Temple of Bacchus enriched with many presents both of Greeks and Romans of both which People the Rhodians were then held in a fair esteem but the God and the good Wines in greater Towns of less note are 3. Villanova 4. Russicare and some others but
permitted all things unto their disposing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and promised to doe nothing without their advice And this she did by the direction of King Alexander her dying Husband whose Government as he found by too sad experience had in many things proved unsuccessfull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he had put some scorâ—cs upon them and otherwise offended that prevailing faction A faction so predominant amongst the People saith the same Josephus Antiqu. lib. 19. cap. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that whatsoever they pleased to spread abroad either of the High Priest or the King himself how false and scandalous soever it was received for truth without more dispute or any enquire made into it 4. But of the Pharisees enough of the Scribes anon Proceed we now to the Herodians and the Gaulonites whom I look not on as either the Authors or Promoters of any Sect of Religion in the Jewish Church but as the names of two opposite factions in the Civil State The first were such who depending upon Herods fortune as he did on the pleasure of the Roman Emperours sollicited the paying of tribute to the Romans and earnestly pressed upon that point that Herod might be thereby the more indeered to his Masters of Rome and they to him Upon this ground nick-named Herodians by the people as men that more endeavoured the greatness and estate of Herod than the prosperity and liberty of their native Countrey And possible enough it is that some amongst them seeing the magnificence of Herods palace and experimentally knowing his prowess might fancy him to be the Messiah so long looked for and thereby own this name with a better title than the others did Opposite unto these were those called the Gaulonites we may call the one the Court-faction the other the faction of the Countrey or Common-people so named from one Judas a Gaulonite as Josephus calleth him from the place of his birth a Galilaean as Gamaliel calleth him Acts 5. 37. from the place of his abode or habitation By him the Jews were practised with to deny this tribute telling them that it was a manifest token of their fervitude and that they ought to know no Lord but the Lord of Heaven drawing them finally on this ground into open armes in which action he and his adherents perished and were brought to nothing Most of his followers were of Galilee though he had some disciples in Hierusalem and Samaria also and of these Galilaeans were those poor men whose bloud Pilate is said to mingle with their Sacrifices Luke 13. 1. The language of this people by them called the Hebrew was naturally and originally the same which Abraham found in the land of Canâ—â—an at his comming thither as hath been shewn before when we were in Phamâ—ia Used by them constantly till their subjugation by the Babylonians when being led captive to that Countrey and conforming themselves to the speech and dialect of it they came at last to speak a kind of broken language neither true Chaldaean nor good Hebrew but one made of both Chaldee as to the main body of it but Hebrew as to the Affixes points and Conjugations being the same with that which we now call the Syriack And at their comming home after seventy years had so far lost the knowledge of their Mother-tongue that they were not able to understand the words of the Holy Scripture when Ezra read it in their hearing insomuch that he was forced to employ some learned in that tongue to expound it to them To this the Scribes so often mentioned in the New Testament must refer their originall there being no such Office heard of till the time of Ezra though long before that time the Law had ordinarily been read unto them in the feast of Tabernacles For this cause they were called Scribes of the Law Ezra 7. 6. Doctors of the Law Luke 5. 17. and simply by the name of Lawyers Luke 7. 30. as men whose office was to expound the Law and make it intelligible to the people These people we may resemble to the Canonists in the Church of Rome or the Divinity Reader in some School or College and grew to so great estimation in the Jewish State that it was hard to say at last whether the Pharisees or they were the better men For what the Pharisees gained on the common people by pretence of sanctity these got more justifiably by their zeal to the written word which they endeavoured to preserve from the common dangers both of corruption and contempt And though I look on those men especially as the name of a function not a Sect yet being they held so close to the Pharisees and concurred with them in most of their superstitions as appeareth Mat. 23. I consider them as a strong and potent faction of great authority and influence in affaires of moment For matters of Religion the people of this land were privileged above all others had they had the grace to make good use of it the Law being given to them by God the Father the Gospel preached amongst them by God the Sonne and that Gospel countenanced and confirmed before their eyes by the miraculous operations of the Holy Ghost The Government of that Church in the time of the Law by a subordination of Priests and Levites to their several heads the Priests divided by King David into 24. ranks or Classes each Classis serving in their turnes at the holy Temple the chiefs or Heads of which several Classes made but that body of men which are called Principes Sacerdotum or chief Priests so often mentioned in the writings of the holy Evangelists Over all which there was one supreme whom they called Summum Sacerdotem or the High-Priest descended lineally from Aaron till the Romans out of averice and reason of State made the office saleable And because possibly the High-Priest might be under some pollution and so uncapable by law to perform his Office he had his Suffragan or Sagan to discharge it for him Of which sort was Zephaniah the Sagan or second Priest to Semiah mentioned Ierem. 52. 24. And of this sort is Annas thought by some to have been to Caiaphas and for that cause the title of High-Priest to be given to both Luke 3. 2. though others think that Annas was High-Priest in right and the other in fact the one being desposed by the Romans and the other super-induced into the place In time of Christianity they were governed as in other Churches by a subordination of Priests to Bishops the first said to be Saint Iames the Sonne of Alphaeus commonly called the Lords Brother affirmed by Ignatius Scholar to the Apostles in his Epistle ad Trallianos by Egesippus who lived in the Apostles times as Saint Hierome and Eusebius cite him as also by Clemâ—ns of Alexandria cited by Eusebius hist 1. 7. c. 14. by Cyrill of Hierusalem Catechism 4. and 14. Epiphanius Haeres 78. n. 7. Saint Ambrose
the instigation of Lais that infamous strumpet as in revenge for so many Cities of the Greeks which the Persians formerly had burnt in the Grecian warres And though Alexander in his sober sense did repent him of it and gave order that it should be re-edisied yet did it never rise to its former height the Conquerour dying shortly after and that purpose with him So ruined in the age of Qu. Curtius who lived in the time of Claudius Caesar that he prosesseth vestigium ejus non inveniri nisi Araxes amnis ostendert that no footsteps of it had been found if not shewn and pointed out by the River Araxes on whose banks it stood But by the fall thereof rose 8. Shyras now the chief City of this Province situate in a fair large plain hemmed about with mountains under one of which it is plealantly seated in compass about nine miles well built and beautified with fair Gardens and magnificent Mosques two of which larger than the rest are made more eminent by the addition of two Spires or Sceeples covered with a painting of Gold and Azure the fabricks for the most part of Mosaick work as light almost by night as day by reason of a thousand Lamps burning nightly in them A City as is said by a modern Traveller which for good wine pretty women peasant fruits and a gallan People may hold comparison with the best in Pâ—rsia 9. Moyown on the North-east of Shyras delightfully situate amongst woods and fruitfull pastures and blessed not onely with good wine but wholesome waters of which last few parts of Persia have much cause to brag 10. Bamaraw on the Southwest of Shyras towards Carmania chiefly remarkable for the ruines of an antient Castle situate on the top of a losty mountain 11. Goyaam a Town of a thousand houses 12. Berry of no great bigness but of most esteem by reason of a fair Mosque a School for the Arabick tongue and the Sepulchre of one of their false Prophets of which the Persians besides Mahomet and Mortis-Ali do acknowledge many The first Inhabitants here were of the posterity of Elam the sonne of Sem and such who under his conduct were setled here called from hence Elamites in the usual stile of holy Scriptures by the Greeks and Latines Elymaei who spreading themselves into Susiana and by degrees also into other Provinces became so considerable that the name of Elamite and Elam were of great renown having a language to themselves distinct from that of the Medes and Parthians as is appatent Act. 2. and comprehending under that appellation the adjoining Regions as appears plainly in the eighth of the Prophet Damel where Susa is said to be in the Province of Elam How the name was changed into that of Persia hath been shewn before Such as continued in this Province divided into the Tribes of the Mesabatee Rapsit Hippophagi Suzaei Megores and Stabaei were at first under the command of their own Princes onely amongst which Cherdolaomer is of greatest fame who having the conduct of some Advertureâ—rs of this nation associated himself with Amramphel the leader of some Assyrian Troops and by the name of the Kings of Elam and Assyria invaded Palestine subdued the City of Sodom took Lot prisoner and in the end were overthrown by the forces of Abraham Of no note after this expedition till the time of Perses the Father of Achaemenes who being Provinciall Governour of these Countreys under Sardanapalus joined with Arbaces and Belochus in the war against him and by the victory got for himself the dominion over those estates which he had formerly ruled for the Assyrians with reference to the Kings of Media as the Supreme Lords whose Successours till the time of Cyrus take in order thus The Kings of Persis 1. Perses from whom perhaps the name of Persis may be more properly derived than either from Perseus the sonne of Danae or the sonne of that Perseus by Andromeda 2. Achaemenes from whom the Persians had the name of Achaementi and the succeeding Kings were called Achaemenides 3. Cambyses in some places of Herodotus called also Darius 4. Cyrus from whose second sonne named Teispeus descended that Darius the sonne of Hystaspis one of the seven Persian Princes who got the Kingdom on the expiration of the present line and the extirpation of the Magi of which more hereafter 5. Cambyses II. the sonne of Cyrus 6. Cyrus II surnamed the Great sonne of Cambyses and Mandane the daughter of Astyagos King of Media who joining with Cyaxares or Darius Medus overthrew the Babylonian Empire and translated thereby the Supreme power to the Medes and Persians Of which more hereafter CARMANIA CARMANIA is bounded on the East with Gedrosia and some part of Aria on the West with part of Persis and the Gulf of Persia from hence called also by the name of Sinus Carmanicus on the North with Parthia and on the South with the main Indian Ocean So called from the Carmani a chief People of it but the reason of that name I sind not It is now generally called Chyrman those parts of it which lie next to Parthia which Ptolomy calleth Carmania Deserta being now named Mingia and by some Dulcinde The Countrey for the most part barren and but ill inhabited That part which Ptolomy calleth Carmania Deserta being truly such a wilderness or very Desart having in it neither Town nor village but some scattered houses and those but ill provided of food and necessaries full of unprofitable sands destitute of water and of a very hot and unhealthy air And though the other part hereof which lieth towards the Ocean hath a Sea coast of above 200 leagues in length and many Rivers emptying themselves into it yet are they not the richer by it the shores being full of rocks and the Rivers small so that they neither have good Port nor safe coming to it The best commodities here of besides their Manufactures are Dates Myrrhe Arsenic some few mines of silver more of brass and iron and good store of Alabaster In which regard the Inhabitants hereof were antiently called Ichihyophagi because they lived wholly upon fish the Countrey yielding little else for the life of man Carmani sine veste ac frage sine pecore ac sedibus piscium cute se velant carne vescuntur praeter capita toto corpore hirsuti The Carmans saith Pomponius Mela have neither fruits nor rayment nor house not cattel but cloth themselves with the skins and feed themselves with the flesh of fishes hairie not onely in their heads but over all their bodies also Where by the way Ammianus Marcellinus must be out in his informations who telleth us of these very Carmans that their Countrey though far less than that of Arabia Felix and far more obscure was as well replenished with Rivers and for fertility of soil not inferior to it But we must understand the one of the best parts of Carmania the other of Deserta onely Amongst the
Kingdomes Divided at present and long since into those of 1. Cononor 2. Calecut 3. Granganor 4. Chochin 5. Cai-Colam 6. Coulan and 7. Travancor 1. CONONOR joineth to Canara extending Southward on the shore about 20 miles where is bordereth on the Kingdome of Calicut The chief Cities of which 1. Cononor giving name to the whole Kingdom well built and beautified with a very fair Haven not more safe than spacious capacious of the greatest vessels and for that cause much frequented by forein Merchants but specially by the Portugals who for the assuring of their trade have here a Citadel erected and well garrisoned with the Kings consent 2. Cota not far from Cangeraco the border betwixt this and Canara 3. Peripatan on the confines of Calicute 4. Marabia 5. Tramopatan 6. Main intermediate Towns but not much observable 2. CALICVTE South from Cononor extending on the Sea-shore 25 Leagues and situate in the most pleasant and fruitfull part of all Malabar Chief Towns whereof 1. Pandaram on the skirts of Cononor 2. Tanor a retiring place of the Kings 3. Patangale 4 Chatua on the borders of Cranganor 5. Chale a strong peece once in the hands of the Portugueze but in the year 1601 recovered by the King of Calicute who had besieged it with an Army of 90000 men 6. Capacote the Haven to Calicute 7. Calicute the chief City of the Kingdom to which it gives name in length upon the Sea three miles and a mile in breadth containing about 6000 houses but standing some of them far asunder mean and low-built few of them exceeding the height of a man on horse-back the soil being so hollow and full of water that it is not capable of the foundation of an heavier building for that cause unwalled Insomuch that Merchants houses are here valued but at 20. Crowns those of the common sort at no more than ten Which notwithstanding of great trading and much frequented by Arabians Persians Syrians Indians yea the very Tartars these last from the furthest parts of Cathaâ— 6000 miles distant The common Staple in those times of all Indian Merchandise till distracted into severall Ports by the power of the Portugaâ—s who being more industrious and better Architects have forced a foundation on the shore for a very strong Castle by which they do command the Haven and receive custome of all Merchandise going in and out The inconvenience whereof being found by the King of Calicute he besieged it with 100000 men and though the Portugals held it out a whole winter together yet in the end they were fain to quit it but first den olished it to the ground that it might not be made usefull to those of Calicute A City of exceeding wealth and of no less wantonness the men here using to change wives with one another to confirm their Amities the women spending their whole time in adorning themselves with Rings and Jewels about their ears necks legs arms and upon their brests though going naked for the most part one would think that a little dressing might suffice them If covered it is onely with a smock of Calicut a kind of linnen cloth here made and from hence so called and that not used but by those of the better sort 3. CRANGANOR lieth on the South of Calicute a small Kingdom and affording little worth the speaking of but that a great part of the Inhaâ—itants of it are of those old Christians whom they call Christians of Saint Thomas Cranganor the chief City which gives name to the whole assumed to be so full of them that they amount unto the number of 70000 vexed and exposed to publique scorn both by the Idâ—laters and Mahometans amongst whom they live The City rich commodiously built for trade at the mouth of a River which watering with his crooked streams the most part of the Country makes it fat and flourishing 4. COCHIN more South than Cranganor extended on the shore for the space of 40. Leagues and therein many Christians of the first plantation besides some converts made of later times by the Jesuâ—tes Towns of most note herein 1. Augamale the Arch-Bishops Sce of those antient Christians fifteen miles from Cochin 2. Cochin a Bishops See but of later erection and the chief City of this Kingdome which takes name from hence Situate on the mouth or out-let of the River Mangat by which almost encompassed like a Demy-Iland Of great trade in regard of its Haven very safe and spacious as also by the friendship of the Portugal Nation By whose power and favor they have not onely freed themselves from the King of Calicute to whom before they did acknowledge some subjection but drawn from thence a great part of the trafick also this King permitting them to erect a Castle on the Haven to secure their trade which the other on good reasons of State forced them to destroy The King hereof in some respect superiour unto him of Calicute when a Vassal to him this King being the Pipe or Cheif Bishop as it were of all the Bramines for which cause reverenced by all the Kings of Malabar as the Pope by many Princes of these Western parts who look upon him as the head of their superstitâ—or no pay him many Annuall duties 5. CAI-COLAM is on the South of Cochin with which agreeing both in the temper of the Air and the fertility of the Earth which notwithstanding the King hereof is not so rich as his other neighbours Here live also mary of the old Christians taking name from Saint Thomas but those so destitute of Priests and Ministers to instruct them in the Principles of Christianity that once in three years there came some formerly from the Patriarch of Muzall in Assyria to baptize their children Better I hope provided for in these later daies since their embosoming and reconcilement to the Church of Rome Their chief Town of the same name with the Country hath a very fair Haven in the fashion of a Semi-Circle well traded till destroyed by the Portugals but since that re-edified Of less note there are many both Towns and Villages but such as do deserve here no particular mention 6. COVLAN upon the South of Cai-Colam extended 20. Leagues more Southwards upon the Shores is said to be destitute of corn but plentifull of pepper and most sorts of spices So stored with Horses and sit Riders to serve upon them that the King hereof keeps 20000 Horse in continuall readiness either for invasion or Defence This Kingdome as the rest before takes name from the chief City of it which is called Coulan 24. miles from Cochin and once a member of this Kingdome of great resort by forein Merchants by reason of the fair and commodious Haven In former times the ordinary Seat of the Cobritin or chief Priest of the Bramines till removed to Cochin and held to be the Metropolis or mother City of all Malabar the rest being thought to be but Colontes of this Both in the City and the
in the elder times the greatest those of Jason Vlysses and Alexander with the Fleets of Solomon and the Egyptian Kings Of these Jason and his companions say led in the ship called Argo through the Euxine Sea and part of the Mediterranean Vlysses through the Mediterranean only small gullets if compared with the Ocean Alexander's journey so famoused and accounted then so hazardous was but sayling down the River Indus and four-hundred surlongs into the Ocean and for the Fleets of Solomon and the Kings of Egypt it is very apparant that they went with great leisure and crawled close by the shore-side otherwise it had been impossible to have consumed three whole years in going from Ezion-Geber into India and returnning again which was the usual time of these voyages as appeareth in 1 King 10. 22. After the fall of the Roman Monarchy the most potent States by Sea in the Mediterranean were the Genoese and Venetians in the Ocean the English and the Hans-towns neither of which ever attempted any great discoveries But in the year 1300. one Flavio of Malphi in the Realm of Naples found out the Compass or Pixis Nautica consisting of 8 winds only the four principal and four collateral And not long after the people of Bruges and Antwerp perfected that excellent invention adding 24 other subordinate winds or points By means of this excellent Instrument and with all by the good success of Columbus the Portugals Eastward the Spaniards Westward and the English Northwards have made many glorious and fortunate Expeditions which had been utterly impossible to have been performed and had been foolishly undertaken when that help was wanting I know there hath been much pains taken by some learned men to prove the use of the Mariners Compass to be far more antient then is now commonly pretended Fuller a very learned and industrious man but better skilled in the Hebrew tongue then the Philologie of the Greeks and Latines will have it known to Solomon and by him taught unto the Tyrians and Phaenicians the most famous Sea-men of old times but he brings no Argument of weight to make good the cause Nor is it possible that such an excellent invention so beneficial to the common good of all mankind should have been forgotten and discontinued for the use of more then 2000 years if ever the Tyrians and Phoenicians had been masters of it who could not possibly conceal it had they been so minded from the Common-Mariners or they not have communicated it for gain or desire of glory to the Greeks and Romans under whom successively they lived As little moment do I find in some other Arguments as that the Lapis Heraclius of the Antient writers or the Versoria of Plautus should be by them intended of the Mariners Compass For plainly the Versoria of Plautus is no other then that peece of tackle which our Mariners now call the Belin by which they use to turn their Sails and fit them to the change of every wind And so much doth appear by the Poet himself in the Comedie which he cals Mercator saying Hinc ventus nunc secundus est cape modo Versoriam So called from Verso to turn often or from Versum the first Supine of Verto whence Velum vertere is a common phrase amongst the Latines used for the shifting of the Sail as the wind doth vary As for the Load stone it is called indeed Heraclius Lapis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Greeks not because Hercules Tyrius whom the Phoenicians invocated when they were at Sea had first found out the vertue of it as our Fuller thinketh but because first found neer Heraclea a City of Lydia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Hesychius the old Grammarian Called for the same reason Magnes by the writers both Greek and Latine because first found in the Territory of Magnesia a City of Lydia also whereof Heraclea was a part So Suidas telleth us for the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heraclium Lapidem quidam Magnesiam reddiderunt quia Heraclea pars est Magnesiae Called for the very same reason Lydius Lapis also and by them known only as a touch stone Thus old Lucretius for the Latines Quem Magneta vocant patrio de nomine Graii Magnetum quia sit patriis de finibus ortus Which Stone the Greeks do Magnes name Because it from Magnesia came But I have rambled further then I did intend drawn by the vertue of the Load-stone too much out of my way It is time now to return again into America where the Spaniards at their first Arrival found the People without all manner of Apparel nought skilled in Agriculture making their bread either of a Plant called Maize or a kind of Root called Jucca a Root wherein is a venemous liquor not inferior to the most deadly poisons but having first queezed out this juice and after dryed and prepared the Root they made their Bread of it They worshipped Devilish Spirits whom they called Zemes in remembrance of whom they kept certain Images made of Cotton wooll like our Childrens Babies to which they did great reverence as supposing the Spirit of the Zemes to be in them and to blind them the more the Devil would cause these Puppets to seem to move and to make a noise They stood also in so great fear of them that they durst not displease them for if their wils were not fulfilled the Devil strait executed vengeance upon some of their Children so holding this infatuated People in perpetual thraldom So ignorant they were of all things which they had not seen that they thought the Christians to be immortal wondring exceedingly at the Sails Masts and Tacklings of their Ships themselves knowing no Ships or other Vessels but huge Troughs made of some great bodied tree But this opinion of the Christians immortality in the sense they meant it did not long continue for having taken some of them they held their heads under the water till they had quite choaked them by which they knew them to be mortal like other men Quite destitute of all good learning they reckoned their time by a confused observation of the course of the Moon and strangely admired to see the Spaniards know the health and affairs of one another only by reading of a Letter Of a plain and honest nature for the most part they were found to be Loving and kind in their entertainments and apt to do good offices both private and publike accordâ—ng to their understandings encouraged thereunto by an opinion which they had that beyond some certain hills but they knew not where those which lived honestly and justly or offered up their lives in defence of their Country should find a place of everlasting peace and happiness So natural is the knowledge of the Souls immortality and of some Ubi for the future reception of it that we find some tract or other of it in most barbarous Nations And as for Gold and Silver which the new come Christians
Church in Holland that notorious Separatist and after made a pattern to the rest of these Churches each absolute and Independent in it self without subordination unto any Superior For my part I behold Episcopacie as the Primitive Government of the Church of Christ but if there were no other Pretenders to it then Presbyterie and Independencie I should as soon look for the â—cepter and shrone of Christ as they please to phrase it in the Co-ordination of New England as in the Presbyteries of Geneva or the Kirk of Scotland 3 Bristow upon the Seaside also but more North then Plimouth 4 Barstaple so called with reference to a noted Sea town of that name in Devonshire as 5 Boston with like reference to as noted a Sea port in Lincolnshire 6 Quillipiack on the Bay of Massachusets a Town of an old name but a new plantation This part of Virginia first discovered by Captain Gosnold An 1602. and the next year more perfectly surveyed by some of Bristol was by King James An. 1606. granted unto a certain Corporation of Knights Gentlemen and Merchants to be planted and disposed of for the publike Sir John Popham then Chief Justice of the Common Pleas being one of the Chief also in that Commission By his encouragement and principally at his charge a Colonie was sent thither An. 1607. under the Presidencie of Captain George Popham and Ralegh Gilbert who built the Fortress of S. George at the mouth of Sagahadoc But the President dying the next year and not long after him the Chief-Justice also the Colonie despairing of good success returned home again Successlesly again attempted An. 1614. the Vndertakers were resolved to make further trial of their fortune and in the year 1616 sent our eight ships more but it never setled into form till the year 1620. when by the building of New Plimouth and some encouragements sent thence to bring others on it grew in very short time to so swift a growth that no Plantation for the time ever went beyond it The growth of old Rome and New England had the like foundation both Sanctuaries Ad quae turba omnis ex finitimis gentibus novarum rerum cupida confluxit as Livy telleth us of the one resorted to by such of the neighbouring Nations as longed for innovations in Church and State 2. NOVVM BELGIVM or NIEVW NEDERLANDT hath on the North-east New-England on the South-west Virginia specially so called So named from the Netherlanders who began their plantation in it An. 1614. the Country being then void and consequently open to the next Pretender according to that Maxime in the Civil laws Quae nullius sunt in bonis dantur occupanti And yet they had some better title then a bare Intrusion having bought Hudsons Cards and Maps and otherwise contented him for the charge and pains of his Discovery An. 1609. Of which more anon This part of the Country extended from the 38. Degree and an half to the 41. 15. of a good temperature both of Aire and soil fruitfull of those things which the Earth brought forth of its own accord abundance of wilde Grapes and Nuts Trees of great height and bulk for shipping plenty of Herbage store of Plants the effects of nature and where the People did their part such increase of Maize a Plant of which they make their Bread as shewed their care and industry to be well bestowed Since the planting of the Hollanders there abundantly well furnished within their command with Wheat and other sorts of Grain as also of Flax Hemp and such other Commodities as were brought hither out of Europe The Woods replenished with Deer and the Plains with Fowl the Rivers not inferiour to any in Sturgeons Salmons and other the best sortâ— of Fish which can swim in the water The People though divided into many Nations and of different Languages are much of the same disposition with the other Savages Clad in Beasts skins for the most part without certain dwellings dwelling toegether many Families of them under one poor roof made of Poles meeting at the top and covered with the bark of Trees Their houshold stuff a Tabacco Pipe a wooden dish and an Hatchet made of a broad flint their weapons Bow and Arrows but their Arrows made or headed with the bones of fishes Their Religion Idolatry or worse their chief God the Devil whom they worship under the name of Menetto but with less pomp and Ceremony then is used in Africk Of manners fearfull and suspicious not without good cause wonderfull greedy of revenge but if well used tractable and obedient unto their Superiours fickle but very faithfull unto those who trust them conceived to be inclinable to the Christian Faith if they had fallen into the hands and command of those who had studied godliness more then gain Rivers of note they have not many That want supplyed by many large and capacious Bays all along the Coast the principal of those that be 1 Manhattes by some called Nassovius but by the Dutch commonly Noordt Rivier which falleth into the Sea at May Port so called by Cornelius May the Master of a Ship of Holland at their first Plantation another channel of it which from the noise thereof they call Hell-gate emptying it self against an Iland called the Isle of Nuts The River about 15 or 16. Fathom deep at the mouth thereof affordeth a safe Road for shipping but of difficult entrance 2 Zuid Rivier so called because more Southerly then the other as fair as that but hitherto not so well discovered Towns here are few either of the old or New Plantations The Natural Inhabitants live together in Tribes many Families of those Tribes under one Roof as before was said but those Families so remote from one another that their Habitations are not capable of the name of a Town and hardly of a scattered Village Nor do I finde that either the Hollanders or the English who now divide the whole among them are much given to building The title of the Dutch being subject unto some disputes and the Possession of the English not confirmed and setled Hudson an Englishman had spent some time in the Discovery of this Country and given his name to one of the Rivers of it With him the Hollanders An. 1609. as before is said compounded for his Charts and Maps and whatsoever he could challenge in the right and success of that his Voyage But they were hardly warm in their new habitations when Sir Samuel Argal. Governour of Virginia specially so called having dispossessed the French of that part of Canada now called Nova Scotia An. 1613. disputed the possession with them alledging that Hudson under whose sale they claimed that Country being an Englishman and licensed to discover those Northern parts by the King of England could not alienate or dismember it being but a part or Province of Virginia from the Crown thereof Hereupon the Dutch Governour submits himself and his Plantation to his Majesty of England and
a fair Cathedral Anno 1544. situate neer a large Lake said to be bigger then that of Mexico which doth not only afford the City great store of Fish but yeildeth them the opportunity of severall pleasures which they take in Boats upon the Water The Lake and Citie by the Natives called Gnayangareo 4 S. Michaels in the way from Mexico from which distant about 40 Leagues to the silver Mines of Zacatecas First built by Lewis de Velasco then Vice-Roy of Mexico to defend the People of this Province from the Chichamechas a barbarous and hitherto an unconquered People who terribly molest the Nations upon whom they border 5 S. Philips built at the same time by the said Velasco 6 Conception de Salaya seventeen Leagues from Valladolit 35 from Mexico of the foundation of Martin Enriquez the Vice-Roy An. 1570. to be a Stage for Travellers in their journeys Northwards 7 Guaxanato bordering on Panuco and not far from S. Jago de Los Valles rich in Mines of Silver Then on the Sea we have 8 Acatlan on the borders of New Gallicia two miles from the Ocean A Town of not above 30 houses with a little Church but neighboured by a large and safe Road for shipping by the Spaniards called Malacca which makes it seldom without the company of Saylers 9 Natividad or Portus Nativitatis a noted and convenient Haven from whence they commonly set sail to the Philippine Ilands pillaged and burnt by Captain Cavendish in his Circumnavigation of the VVorld 10 S. Jago or S. Jago de Buena Speranza a little on the South of Natividad the shores whereof are said to be full of Pearls 11 Colima ten Leagues from the Sea but more South then the other built in the year 1522 by Gonsalvo de Sandovall 12 Zacatula by the Spaniards called Conception situate on the Banks of a large but nameless River which rising about the City of Tlascala passeth by this Town and thence with two open mouths runneth into the Sea This Province at the coming of the Spaniards hither was a distinct Kingdom of it self not subject nor subordinate to the Kings of Mexico as were most of the Princes of these parts the Frontires of the Kingdom fenced with stakes of wood like a Palizado to hinder any sudden incuision of the Mexican Forces The last King called Tangayvan Bimbicha submitted of his own accord to Cortez An. 1522. and willingly offred himself to Baptism But the Spaniards were not pleased with either because deprived thereby of the spoil of the Country But at last Nonnez de Guzman then President of the Courts of Justice in Mexico picked a quarrell with him accused him falsly as is said by the very Spaniards of some practises against his King burnt him alive with most barbarous and unheard of cruelty and so confiscated his estate 3. Mexicana is bounded on the East with the Golf of New Spain on the VVest with Mechuachan on the North with Panuco and some part of Nova Gallicia on the South with Tlascala and part of the Southern Sea so called from Mexico the chief City not of this Province only but of all America It is in breadth from North to South measuring by the Bay of Mexico 130 Leagues thence growing narrower in the midland parts hardly above sixty and on the shores of Mare del Zur not above seventeen The length hereof extendeth from one Sea to the other that is to say from the point of Lobos in the Province of Papantla on the Golf of Mexico to the Haven of Acapulco on the Southern Ocean but the determinate number of miles I do nowhere finde But measuring it from 17 degrees and an half of Latitude unto the 22. and allowing something for the slope we may conclude it to be much of the length as it is breadth that is to say about 130 Leagues The Country is inferiour to Peru in the plenty and purity of Gold and Silver but far exceeding it both in the Mechanical and ingenious Arts which are here professed and in the abundance of fruits and cattel of which last here is such store that many a private man hath 40000 Kine and Oxen to himself 〈◊〉 is here also in great plenty that only which is drawn out of the Lake whereon Mexico standeth being reported worth 20000 Crowns yeerly to the Kings Exchequer The People for the most part wittie and industrious full of valour and courage good Handicrafts-men if they stoop so low as to Trades and Manufactures rich Merchants if they give themselves to more gainfull traffick And hardy Souldiers if trained up and employed in service Their ancient Arms were Slings and Arrows since the coming of the Spaniards practised on the Harcubuize In a word what was said before of New Spain in general as to the soil and People of it is most appliable to this Chief Rivers hereof 1 Los Yopes which parteth this Province from that of Tlascala 2 Citala and 3 Mitla both running Eastward towards the Gulf. 4 Papagaio in the way from Mexico to Acapulco with a fair bridge over it 5 Las Balsas of a violent course and in bigness equal unto Tagus in Spain passable only by a bridge made of Raâ—ts and Reeds not very strongly joyned together 6. The River of S. Francis both large and swift but in some parts fordable Mountains of note I finde not any which require a more particular consideration and so pass them over Towns of most note in it 1 Mexico the seat of an Archbishop and of the Spanish Vice-Roy who hath the power to make Laws and Ordinances to give directions and determine controversies unless it be in such great causes which are thought fit to be referred to the Councel of Spain This City was first situate in the Lakes and Ilands like Venice everywhere interlaced with the pleasant currents of fresh and sea-waters and carrying a face of more civil government then any of America though nothing if compared with Europe But the Town being destroyed by Cortez it was built afterwards on the firm Land on the Edge of the Lake and bordering on a large and spacious Plain The Plain on which it bordereth is said to be 70 Leagues in compass environed with high hills on the tops whereof the snow lyeth continually In the middle of which â—lain are two great Lakes the least of them fourty miles in circuit the one Salt and the other fresh each of them alternately ebbing and flowing up into the other On the Banks of the Salt Lake standeth the City of Mexico with many other goodly Towns and stately houses on which Lake also 50000 Wherries are continually plying The Town in compass six miles and containeth 6000 houses of Spaniards and 60000 of Indians It is a by-word that at Mexico there are four fair things viz. The Women the Apparell the Horses and the Streets Here is also a â—rinting-house an Vniversity and a Mint the Cathedral Church ten Convents of Nuns several houses of Jesuits Dominicans Franciscans