in the heavenâ— Baronius who records this Letter An o 755. numb 17. was it seems pretty well perswaded by it that the Pope and Peter were all one For in his Exhortation or Paraeneses to the State of Venice being then upon differences with Pope Paul the fifth he stileth him in plain terms thus Paulus idemque Petrus vicem Christi agens in terris i.e. Paul who is also Peter and Christs Vicegerenâ— But leaving these imaginary clames and challenges of S. Peters privileges though they did really advance the reputation of that See in the darker times two things there were which did exceedingly conduce to the improvement of their power in the more knowing and discerning times of Christianity Of which the principall was the Orthodoxie of the Bishops or Popes of Rome their eminent and sincere profession of the Faith of Christ when almost all the other Churches were either torn in pieces by the fury of Schism or wasted and subverted by the fraud of Heresie In which regard Appeals were frequently made to the Church of Rome as a more competent Judge of the truth of Doctrine the communion of it much desired by all true Christians and a repair thither for relief and shelter in the times of trouble made by the Orthodox Professors under persecution And of these times and this condition of that Church we are to understand such passages of the Antient Writers as magnifie the Faith of the Church of Rome and set it above all the batteries and assaults of Heresie Such is that passage of S. â—yprian Romanos esse ad quos perfidia non potest habere accessum lib. 1. ep 3. and that of Hierome Romanam fidem i. e. Romanorum fidem Apostolica voce Laudatam ejusmodi praestigias non recipere in Apol. cont Ruffin and many others of that kind Which passages it were as foolish and ridiculous to apply to all following times the condition of that Church being different from what then it was as to accommodate all those Eulogies and commendations to the present Citie of Rome which the Orators and Panegyrists of the elder times have hyperbolically ascribed to old Rome in her greatest glories The next was the fixation of the Popes in the Metropolis or Imperiall City which drawing to it such a multitude of suters and attendants from all parts the world could not but add much to the power and reputation of those Prelates who had the happiness and honour to be resident there and thereby opportunity to gain more Disciples to solve more doubts of conscience and decide more controversies than any other could expect And so we are to understand that passage in S. Irenaeus in which he saith Ad hanâ— Ecclesiam propter potentiorem Principalitatem necesse est omnem convenire Ecclesiam i.e. eos qui sunt undique Ecclesias And so they did as long as Rome enjoyed the honour of a more potent Principality than other Cities But when that more potent Principality failed to be at Rome by the removall of the Imperiall See first to Constantinople and afterwards unto Ravenna then did the Bishops of Constantinople and Ravenna dispute with those of Rome for Superiority the S. at of Religion most commonly following the seat of the Empire And in this clame the Patriarch or Bishop of Constantinople prevailed so far that with the permission of Mauritius the Emperor he took upon him the title of Universall Patriarch Gregory the Great of whom it is said that he was the worst Bishop of all that went before him and the best of all that came after him was at that time Bishop of Rome Who sharply inveighed as well against the Emperor as thâ— Patriarch of Constantinople for this Title and plainly maintained that whosoever called himself Universall Bishop was the fore-runner of Antichrist As for himself it is probable that he took the title of Servus servorum Dei more in opposition to him of Constantinople than with an intent to be so truly To which though those of Rome reply that Gregory did not absolutely condemn this Title but only blamed John the Constantinoplitan Patriarch for assuming to himself that attribute which properly belonged to the See of Rome yet this cannot be For then we should either in the old Bulls of the former Popes find mention of this Title or else Pope Gregory would have assumed it to himself that the world might take notice whereto of right it did belong But Boniface who next but one succeeded Gregory having further aims applied himself to Phocas that bloody Tyrant who having murdered the Emperor Mauritius his wife and children and thereby got the generall hatred of all the good Subjects of the Empire the better to assure himself of Italie which he feared was ready to revolt declared this Boniface to be the Oecumenicall Bishop and Head of the Church To such a good beginning such a gracious Patron do the Popes stand indebted for that power and Empire which now they challenge to themselves over all the Church Now as the Bishop of Constantinople and Ravenna did challenge a priority or precedency of the Popes of Rome by reason that they were respectively honoured with the Seat Imperiall so were there divers other Bishops as Antioch Alexandria Carthage Millain which clamed an equality with them and would by no means yeeld them any superiority For triall of whose clame we must look back on somewhat which hath been said before where it was shewn that the Roman Empire was divided into fourteen Dioceses each Diocese being subdivided into severall Provinces each Province comprehending many severall Cities then that in every of those Ciâ—ies where the Romans had their Defensores the Christians also had a Bishop in the Metropolis of each Province which commonly was the seat of the Roman President the Christians had their Metropolitan and that in each principall City of each severall Diocese wherein the Vicar of that Diocese had fixed his dwelling there did the Christians place a Primate And this was done according to that famous Maxim of Optatus Respublica non est in Eâ—clesia sed Ecclesia est in Republica that the Church is in the Common-wealth and not the Common-wealth in the Church Upon which foundation the Fathers in the Councill of Chalcedon raised this superstructure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that the honours of the Church should be accommodated unto those in the State So that according to this Platform the Primates of the Church were of equall power each of them limited and restrained to his proper Sphere out of the which if he presumed once to act he moved irregularly and in his Excentricks And for those Primates I shall give you once for all this generall Muster that is to say the Patriarch or Pope of Rome for the Diocese or Prefecture of that City the Primate or Arch-bishop of Millain for the Diocese of Italie of Sirmium for that of Illyricum of Lyons for that of France of York for Britain of
appertaining unto those Idolatries as much esteemed of but more sumpeuous than those of Delphos The Grove about ten miles in circuit environed round with Cypresses and other trees so tall and close to one another that they suffered not the Sunne to enter in his greatest heats the ground perpetually covered with the choisest Tapestry of nature watered with many a pleasant stream derived from the Castalian founteins as it was given out and yielding the most excellent fruits both for taste and tincture to which the wind and air participating the sweetness of the place did adde a most delightfull influence A place devised for pleasure but abused to lust he being held unworthy of the name of a man who transformed not himself unto a Beast or trod on this unholy ground without his Curtezan insomuch as they which had a care of their good names did forbear to haunt it A fuller discription of it he that lists to see may find in the first Book and 18. chapter of Sozomens Ecclesiasicall History who is copious in it The Temple said to have been built by Seleucus also renowned for the Oracle there given by which Adrian was foretold of his being Emperour and therefore much resorted to by Julian the Apostata for that purpose also But the body of Babylas the Martyr and Bishop of Antioch being removed thither by the command of his Brother Galius then created Coesar by Constantius the Devil and his Oracles were both frighted away as the devill did himself confess to Julian Who being desirous to learn here the success of his intended expedition into Persia received this Answer that no Oracle could be given as long as those divine bones were so neer the Shrine Nor was it long after before the Idol and the Temple were consumed by a fire from Heaven as was avowed by those who observed the fall of it though Julian did impure it to the innocent Christians and in revenge caused many of their Churches to be burned to ashes 20. Anitoch situate in that part hereof which is called Casiotis first built oâ— began rather by Antigonus when Lord of Asia by whom named Antigonia but finished and enlarged by Seleucus after he had overthrown and slain him at the battell of Issus by the Jewes or Hebrew 's once called Reblatha Built neer the place and partly out of the ruines of an antient City in the second Book of Kings called Râ—blah in the Land of Hamath Hamath the Great in the sixt of Amos by Josephus and the Syrians Reblata Memorable in those daies for the Tragedies of Jehoahaz and Sedechias Kings of Judah the first of which was here deprived of his Crown and Liberty by Pharaoh Neco King of Egypt 2 Kings 23. 33. the other of his eyes and Children by the command of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon as was said before In following times it was by some Greek writers called Epidaphne from the neerness of it to that Grove as afterwards in the times of Chrictianity by the name of Theopolis or the City of God either from the many miracles there done in the Primitive times or from the great improvement which the Christian faith did here receive where the Disciples first obtained the name of Christians The Royall seat for many Ages of the Kings of Syria and in the flourish and best fortune of the Roman Empire the ordinary residence of the Praefect or Governour of the Eastern Provinces next of the Praefectus Praetorio Orientis who had not only the superintendency over the Diocese of the Orient though that large enough but also of the Dioceses of Egypt Asia Pontus Thrace extending so his Jurisdiction into all the parts of the then known World Honoured also with the residence of many of the Roman Emperours especially of Verus and Valens who spent here the greatest part of their times and from the first dawning of the Gospel with the Seat of the Patriarck A title of such eminency in all times of the Church the second in Accompt to the See of Rome till Constantinople being made the Imperiall City got precedence of it that there are at this time no less than four great Prelates which pretend unto it that is to say the true Patriarck governing the Christians of those parts whom they call Syrians or Melchites the Psâ—ndo-Patriarcks of the Jacobite and Maronite Sectaries both which for the greater credit to their Schism doe assume this title and finally a titular Patriarck nominated by the Pope who since the time that the Western Christians were possessed of these Eastern Countries hath assumed a power unto himself of nominating Patriarks for Alexandria Hierusalem and this City of Antioch The City seated on both sides of the River Orontis about twelve miles distant from the shores of the Mediterranean the River Parfar passing on the South-side of it By Art and Nature fortified even to admiration compassed with a double wall the outward most of which was stone the other of brick with four hundred and sixty Towers in the walls and an impregnable Castle at the East-end thereof and on the other side defended with high broken Mountains whereunto was adjoyning a deep Lake comming cut of the River Parfar before mentioned Adorned in former times with many sumptuous Palaces and magnificent Temples answerable to the reputation of so great a City till taken by the Saracâ—ns and after by the Turks and Mamalucks men careless of all State and beauty in their fairest Cities it began to grow into decay Recovered by the Western Christians from the power of the Turks after a siege of seven moneths June 3. Anno 1098. confirmed in their possession by a great and memorable Victory got in the very sight hereof within few daies after June 28. obtained against Corbanas Lieutenant to the Persian Sultan in which with the loss of four thousand and two hundred of their own they slew a hundred thousand of the Enemy The Town and territory given by the Conquerours to Bohemund a noble Norman and Prince of Tarentum who by practising with one Pyrâ—hus who had the command of one of the chief Towers thereof afterwards called Saint Georges Tower was secretly let into the City and so made way for all the rest Bohemund thus made the Prince or as some say King of Antioch left it to Bohemund his sonne about ten years after succeeded in this principate by Tancred and Roger Princes of great renown in those holy wars which last unfortunately slain by the Turks not far from Aleppo in the year 1120. Baldwin the second having revenged his death by a signall victory joyned this estate to the Kingdome of Hierusalem Betrayed about sixty years after this that is to say in the year 1188. it came into the power of Saladine the victorious King of Egypt and Damascus and therewithall no fewer than five and twenty Cities which depended on the fortunes of it the glories of this famous City so declining after this last Tragedy but whether laid desolate of
the ALPINE Provinces FRANCE SPAIN and BRITAIN with the ILES thereof BY PETER HEYLYN Florus in Prooem l. 1. Populus Romanus à Rege Romulo ad Caesarem Augustum ita latè per orbem terrarum arma circumtulit ut quires ejus legunt non unius Populi sed generis humani facta discant Velleius Patercul Hist Quemadmodum Urbium Imperiorumque ita Gentium nunc floret fortuna nunc senscit nunc interit LONDON Printed by W. W. for Henry Seile over against St. Dunstans Church in Fleetstreet 1652. EUROPAE Descriptio Nova Impensis HENRICI SEILE Ro Vaugsian sculp 1652 COSMOGRAPHIE The First Book Containing the CHOROGRAPIE and HISTORIE of ITALIE the ALPINE Provinces FRANCE SPAIN and BRITAIN with the ILES thereof OF THE WORLD And first of EVROPE OF the Creation of the World by Almighty God and the Plantations of the same by the sonnes of Men sufficient hath been spoken already We are to look upon it now as perfected and peopled in all parts thereof but all those parts united into one Compositum called therefore by the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the Summa totalis and generall comprehension of all things existent In which respect called by the Latins Universum a name of multitude but of a multitude united Universi qui in uno loco versi say the old Grammarians The great body of the World like the body of man though it have many parts and members is but one body only A body of so perfect and exact a form of so compleat a Symmetrie in respect of the particular parts and all those parts so beautified and adorned by the God of Nature that from the elegancy and beauties of it it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Grecians and Mundus by the Latins both names deckiring the Composure of it to be full of Ornament and all those Ornaments conducting mankind to the knowledge of God For as the Christian Advocate reasoneth very strongly As he which comes into an house and seeth all things in it ordered in a beautifull and comely order utrisque praeesse crederet Dominum c. Must needs conceive both that the house had some wise Lord and Master who had so contrived it and that such Lord and Master of it was of more worth and excellencie than the house and furniture So saith he whosoever doth observe the most eminent beauties of the Heaven and Earth most needs conceive there is some great and more glorious power who did first create it disposing of all things therein in such excellent manner This contemplation together with the notions of a Deitie which naturally are ingrafted in â— the soul of man hath trained up all men in the practice of some Religion though few comparatively so happy as to be practised in the true For though the knowledge and worship of the true God by reason of some accessions in America and the Indies be more generally diffused than in former times yet is the least part of the World possessed by them who make profession of that Worship For dividing the whole World into 30 parts it hath been found by such as have laboured in this search that 19 of them are inhabited by Idolaters who either know no God at all or worship stocks and stones for Gods even the work of mens hands Of the 11 parts which are remaining fix are possessed by Jews Turks and Saracens who though they have the knowledge of God that made them yet abnegating or not worshipping the Lord that bought them they have no part nor portion in the true Religion Then for the five which are behind two are conceived to be of the Greek Communion the other three being divided betwixt â—hose of the Church of Rome and such as otherwise differing in some opinions pass generally by the name of Protestant or Reformed Churches Which as it sheweth how small a portion of the World is possessed by Christiaus who only though not all of them have reason to pretend to the true Religion So doth it shew I note this only by the way how falsly those of Rome make Multitude of Professors to be a sign of the True Church and then conceive themselves to be such a multitude as corresponds unto that sign Faultie alike both in the Position and the Application For if the multitude of Professors be a sign of the Church the true Church should be found rather amongst the Heathens or Mahumetans than amongst the Christians or if they do restrain their meaning as I hope they do to those who make profession of the Christian faith those of the Greek Communion possessing two whole parts of five will be found more numerous than the members of the Church of Rome though possibly of less esteem in the eye of the World So infinitely vain was that Brag of Bellarmine though otherwise more modest than the rest the Jesuits affirming positively and expresly Romanam Ecclesiam universam plane orbeâ— possidere â— e. That the Church of Rome is fully of as large a latitude as the World it self This I have noted by the way intending to take a more speciall noticeâ— of the state of Religion in the severall Provinces of the World to which now I hasten premising first this scheme of those severall parts into which it doth now stand divided THe WORLD is divided into two parts Unknown or not fully discovered and is divided commonly into Borealis and Australis the last taking up the whole Southern Continent the other lying on the North of Europe and America whereof we shall say somewhat at the end of this Work Known either Antiently as Europe Asia Africa Lately as America Europe is joyned to Asia by that space of earth which is between the heads of Tanais and Duina Asia is joyned to Africk by the Egyptian Isthmus America is divided as most conjecture from all of them Europe is separated from Asia by a line drawn from the Bay of St. Nicolas to the head of Tanais from thence by that River it self all the length of his course then by Palus Moeotis the Euxine Sea the Thracian Bosphorus the Propontis the Hellespont and the Aegean Asia is parted from Africk by the Red-Sea or Gulf of Arabia And Africa from Europe by the Mediterranean Africa is greater than Europe Asia than Africk and America than Asia They which have entertained a fancy of resembling every Countrie to things more obvious to the sight and understanding have likened Europe to a Dragon the head of which they make to be Spain the two wings Italy and Denmark In like manner they have been curiously impertinent in resembling France to a Lozenge or Rhomboides Belgium to a Lyon Britain to an Ax Ireland to an Egge Peloponnesus to a Plantane leaf Spain to an Ox hide spread on the ground Italy which indeed holdeth best proportion to a mans Leg with divers the like phantasmes of a capricious brain these Countries no more resembling
course of this work 3 Wieper or Wypra so called of the River on which it standeth 4 Quernfurt 5 Rotenburg 6 Alstad 7 Helderung bought of the Earls of Houstein Some who delineate the Pedegree of these Earls of Mansfield fetch it as high as from one of King Arthurs Knights of the Round Table born at Mansfield in Nottinghamshire who setling himself in Germany gave that name to his house a Military Originall and very suitable to such an active and warlike Family But those which doe not soar so high fetch them no further then from Burchard the fift Earl of Quernfort and Burgrave of Magdeburg who following Frederick Barbarossa into the Holy Land deceased at Antioch anno 1189. His Nephew Burchard by a sonne of the same name was the first of this Family that had the title of Earl of Mansfield about the yeer 1250. continued ever since unto his Posterity but under some acknowledgments to the Electors of Saxony Of these the most eminent were Voldradus one of the Councell of Estate to the Emperour Sigismund anno 1411. a great improver of the Patrimony of the Earls hereof 2 John-George Lord Deputy or Lieutenant of Saxony under Duke Augustus 3 Peter-Ernest Governour of Luxembourg under Charles the fift and Philip the second by whom much exercised and employed in their wars with France 4 Albert a constant friend of Luthers and a faithfull follower of John-Frederick the deprived Electour in whose quarrell being outed of his estate he retired to Magdeberg which he most gallantly defended against the Emperour And 5 Ernestus Nephew of that Albert by his son John so famous for the war which he maintained in most parts of Germany against Ferdinand the second in behalf of Frederick Prince Elector Palatine and the States of Bohemia with so great constancy and courage East of the Earldome of Mansfield lyeth the Principate of ANHALT much shaded if not too much overgrown with woods parts of the old Hercinian forrest whence it had the name Hol in Dutch signifying a wood or forrest and the Princes of this house created to this dignity by the stile of Principes Harciniae in Anhalt Chief townes of it are 1 Bernberg the Dynastie and usuall title of this house before they were created Princes of Anhalt 2 Ballenstede part of the antient Patrimony of the first Princes hereof 3 Dessaw the birth-place of some and the buriall-place of others of this Family beautified with a strong Castle built by Prince Albert the second anno 1341. 4 Servest the usuall place of the Princes residence 5 Coeten a well fortified place in vain besieged by the joynt forces of the Arch-bishop of Magdeburg and the Earl of Schwartzenwold We went as high as the Round Table for the Earls of Mansfield but we must goe as high as the Ark for the Princes of Anhalt some fetching them from Askenaz the son of Gomer and nephew of Japhet from whom and no other this Aseanian Family for by that name it is called are to fetch their Pedegree But to content our selves with more sober thoughts certain it is that this Family is of the old Saxon race setled in these parts by Theodorik King of Mets or Austrasia who gave the Towns of Ascandt and Ballenstede with the lands adjoyning to one Bernwald or Bernthobald a noble Saxon anno 524. From which town and Castle of Ascandt afterwards rased to the ground by Pepin King of the French anno 747. most probable it is that they took their name From this Bernwald or Bernthobald by a long line of Princes descended Albert the seventh of Anhalt surnamed Vrsus created Marquesse of Brandenburg by the Emperour Frederick Barbarossa anno 1152. the Father of that Barnard who by the Munificence and bounty of the same Emperour was created Duke of Saxony in the roome of Duke Henry surnamed the Lion anno 1180. becoming so the Stemme of the two greatest Princes in all the Empire Henry the second son of this Barnard was by the same Emperour not long after made Prince of Anhalt the first of all this ancient and illustrious Family which had been honoured with that title continuing in his race to this very day the two Electorates of Saxony and Brandenbourg being mean while translated unto other Families The most considerable of which Princes though all men of Eminence were 1 Rodolph Generall of the forces of the Emperour Maximilian the first against the Venetians whom he twice overcame in battell 2 George the Divine a great Reformer of the Church by his diligent preaching whose Sermons and other Tractates learned for the times he lived in are still extant 3 Christian born in the yeer 1568. Commander of the Forces of Frederick Prince Elector Palatine in the wars of Bohemia North of the Principality of Anhalt lyeth the Bishoprick of MAGDEBVRG so called of Magdeburg the chief City by some called Meydburg and Meydenburg whence by a Greek name Parthenopolis and Virginopolis by a mungrell word made of Greek and Latine A City seated on the Elb divided into three parts but all strongly fortified begirt with high walls deep ditches and almost unconquerable Bulwarks yet very beautifull withall before the last desolation of it of elegant buildings fair streets and magnificent Temples Built in the form of a Crescent by the Emperour Otho the first the founder of it who having translated hither the Archiepiscopall See for the greater honour of the place built the Cathedrall of Saint Maurice where his wife lies buried anno 948. testified by the inscription to be daughter of Edmund King of England A town which hath long flourished in a great deal of glory and tasted of as much affliction as any other in Germany For refusing to receive the Interim it was out-lawed by the Emperour Charles the fifth and given to him that could first take it It was first hereupon attempted by the Duke of Meglenberg but he was in a Camisado taken Prisoner his Army routed his Nobles made captive and 260 horse brought into the City Next it was besieged by Duke Maurice of Saxonie who on honourable termes was after a long siege received into it anno 1550. when it had stood on his own guard the space of three yeers Which long opposition of one town taught the German Princes what constancy could doe it held up the coals of Rebellion in Germany and indeed proved to be the fire which burned the Emperours Trophies For here Duke Maurice coming acquainted with Baron Hedeck hatched that confederacy by which not long after this great Emperour was driven out of Germany At last it yeilded to Duke Maurice under the protection of whose successours it hath since enjoyed a long course of felicity till the yeer 1631 in which most miserably burnt and sacked by the Earl of Tilly of whom it is observed that after that fact he never prospered being shortly after totally routed at the battell of Leipsick and wounded to the death not long after that neer the River
Finland on the East side thereof and 6 the Swedish Islands where it mingleth with the rest of the Baltick 1. GOTHLAND GOTHLAND is bounded on the East with the Bodner Sea on the West with the Mountains which divide it from Norwey and so much of Denmark as lies in the same continent with it on the North with Sweden on the south with the sea Baltick So called either from the Gothes whose originall Countrey it is commonly affirmed to be or quasi goot landt from the goodnesse and fertility of the soyl Gâ—ot landia quae Germanice Terra bona sonat as Maginus out of Munster hath it the soylâ— being very fruitfull for corne and cattell affording plenty of Mines with great store of fish and generally a better conditioned Countrey then any of the rest of these Northern Regions It is divided commonly into Ostrogoth or East Gothland Westergoth divided from the former by the great lake of Werâ—t spoken of before and South Gothland subdivided into Smalandia Tuiscia and Verendia Chief townes whereof in Ostrogoth are 1 Lincopen a Bishops See 2 Lodusâ— adorned with a very fair Haven in Westergoth 3 Scara on the lake Weret a Bishops See also 4 Elseburg on the Western sea betwixt Denmark and Norwey a place of consequence and flankerd with two very strong Castles in the parts adjoining the one called Croneberg and the other Goldberg 5 Tragualle remarkable for iron workes occasioned by the mines adjoining And finally in South Gothland there is 6 Vexim or Vâ—xio another of the Episcopall Sees 7 Walburg a reasonable fair Town with a strong Castle 8 Rottenby and 9 Elchâ—lm in Verendia neer the confines of Denmark 10 Colmar a noted and well traded Port on the Baltick Sea beautified with a Castle not inferiour to that of Millain and so well fortified throughout that at the taking of it by Christiern the fourth of Denmark anno 1611 there were found mounted on the Workes 108 brasse peeces of Ordinance six men of war to guard the Haven with all manner of Ammunition in proportion to them The first Inhabitants of these south parts of Scandia are commonly affirmed to have beene the GOTHES whom Jornandes in his Book de Rebus Gâ—ticis makes to have issued out of this countrey and to plant themselves on the north bankes of the Ister nere the Euxine sea some time before the Trojan war ascribing to them whatsoever is reported in old writers of the antient Scythians as their encounter with Vexoris or Sesostris the King of Egypt the Act and achievements of the Amazons their congresse with Alexander the Great in his Persian war and the like to these In which Jornandes being himself a Goth is no more to be credited then Geofrie of Monmouth a Welchman in the storie of Brute and his successours to whom he doth ascribe the taking and sack of Rome under the conduct of Brennus whom he makes to be the brother of Belinus a King of Britain Most probable it is that they were originally a Dutch or German people part of the great Nation of the Suevi called by Tacitus the Gothones inhabiting in his time as it is conceived in the land of Prussia Who finding their own countrey too narrow for them might passe over the Baltick into the next adjoining Regions and not well liking that cold clime might afterwards in some good numbers goe to seek new dwellings and at left seat themselves on the bankes of Ister where Jornandes found them That they were Dutch originally besides the generall name of the Gothones or Gothes and those of Ostrogothes and Wisigothes into which they were afterwards divided the particular names of Alaric Theodorick Riccared the names of their Kings and Captains seem to me to evidence That they were once seated in this Countrie doth appeare as plainly 1 by the name of Gothland here still remaining 2 by the title of Rex Gothorum which the Kings of Swethland keep in the Royall style and 3 by some inscriptions in antient unknown Characters engraven on the rocks neere Scara in the Continent and Wisby in the Isle of Gothland supposed by learned men to be some monument of that people And finally that their fixt dwellings when first known by this name amongst the Romans was on the north side of the Ister is evident by the testimony of all antient Writers from the time of Antonius Caracalla with whom they had some tumultuarie skirmishes in his way towards Persia till their violent irruption into Italie and the Western Provinces most famous in this intervall for a great fight with Decius the Roman Emperour whom they overcame and slew in battell anno 253. In the time of Valens and Volentinian the Roman Emperours a quarrell being grown amongst them managed by Phritigernes and Athanaricus the leaders of the opposite factions Phritigernes over throwne in fight 〈◊〉 recourse to Valens from whom he received such succours that giving his adversary another day it he obtained the victory Whereupon Phritigeâ—nes and his partie received the Gospell but intermixt and corrupt with the leaven of Arianism by the practise of Valens who sent them none but Arian teachers to whom and their faction in the Church he was wholly addicted Afterwards the whole Nation being driven over the Ister by the barbarous Huns they obtained of Valens the out parts of Thrace for an habitation on condition they should serve under the pay of the Emperour and become Christians the cause that Arianism overspread the whole Nation generally which had before infected but one partie onely Vlphilas a devout and learned man was their first Bishop who for their better edification in the way of godlinesse invented the Gothick Characters and translated the Scriptures into that language in the studie whereof they so well profited that many of them in the time of their first conversion suffered death for it at the hands of Athanaricus and were counted Martyrs Burdned by Valens and denyed their accustomed pay they harasse and depopulate the rest of Thrace marching towards Constantinople en countred in the way by Valens whom they overcame and killed after all his favours Vanquished by Theodosius the succeeding Emperour in many battels they became good neighbours inlarging their bounds with his leave and license as far as Pannonia and grown into such estimation with him that Ricimir and Franita two of that Nation did obtaine the Consulship not to say any thing of that exorbitant power and favour which Gainas had attained unto in the Court it selfe Made insolent by so great honours and apt to pick quarrels with their Patrons they invaded Italy in two great bodies consisting of no fewer then 200000 fighting men the first whereof under the conduct of Rhadaguisus was discomfited and cut in pieces by Stilico Lieutenant to Honorius the Western Emperour at Fesulae in the straits of the Appennone the other by his treachery permitted to passe sacked Rome and subdued the most part of Italy under the leading of Alaricus
hath before been noted Nor are the common people excluded onely out of these elections but have no place nor vote in the Counsell of State or in any of the Generall Diets the first consisting onely of the Prelates Palatines Chastellans and principall Officers spoken of before the nominating of which pertaineth to the King alone the other aggregated of all persons of those severall Orders and the Delegates of each Province and principall City sent thither for the rest of the Nobility whom they represent Yet notwithstanding this exclusion of the Commons from this Common-Counsell they there concludes of all matters of publick interesse not properly determinable by the great Counsell or Counâ—ell of State in which perhaps especially in the case of taxes the Commons may be more concerned then any other The Forces of this Kingdome or Common-wealth relate unto Land-service onely For though they have a large Sea coast upon the Baltick yet the Danes Swedes and Hanse-townes having got the start of them keep them from doing much at Sea And for Land-forces they consist of Horse especially whereof they are able to raise eightscore thousand that is to say 100000 out of Poland and 60 or 70000 out of Lituania of which one halfe at least are thought to be fit for action And this seemes probable enough in regard of those great bodies of Horse which Stephen and Sigismund the third had against the Moâ—covite whereof the one had 40000 and the other 30000 besides draught horses very well appointed But for their Foot they are not at so good a passe their Infanterie beâ—ng for the most part Germans or Hungarians whom they hire for money of which two Nations king Stephen in his enterprise upon Livonia had no lesse then 16000 to convey his Ordinance Upon confidence of this great number of Horse and their readinesse to serve upon all occasions the Polanders bear themselves so high that they neither fear the power of a forein Enemie nor regard the fortifying of their Towns or the building of Fortresses on their Frontires boasting that they are able to defend their countrey without such helps against any Nation whatsoever and trusting more to a Castle of bones as was courageously said by Savage an English Gentleman then to a Castle of stones And for the raising of these Horse the Gentlemen of the Countrey are bound by their tenure like the Turkes Timariots not onely to serve in person for defence of the Realm but to maintaine a certain number of Horse in continuall readinesse especially in those parts which lie next the Tartar where their numbers are exceeding great and with whom many times they join to afflict and harasse their own countrey though in pay against them Of these some serve in the manner of our men of armes some like unto our light horse others like the Tartars And these they call commonly by the name of Cosacques or Adventurers a race of men trained up to steal wast and depopulate wheresoever they come having little but their swords to live by a murderous and wicked people chiefly in their drunkennesse and that not onely towards strangers but their naturall Countreymen The cause of that sedition which for some yeares past hath more depopulated and distracted that flourishing kingdome then all the Armies of the Turkes As for the Revenues of this king they are computed at 600000 Crowns per annum drawn chiefly out of Salt and some Mines of Silver the profits arising from the Demeasnes of the Crown being for the most part given away in pensions and gratuities to the Palatines Chastellans and other great men of the Realm to make them the more pliant to his desires Most of which sum is put up yearly in his Coffers or expended in the purchase of estates for his younger sons his daughters being marryed at the publick charge and the expenses of his houshold defrayed by the Lituanians and most part of Poland for the time that he remains amongst them Nor doe the wars at any time exhaust his Treasure in which case by decree of the Diâ—ts he is inabled to lay impositions and taxes upon the people levied in the way of Excise or upon their lands which doe amount to such a sum that by means hereof king Stephen maintained war three yeares against the Moscovite without expending any thing of his own Revenue Chief Orders of Knighthood in this kingdome are 1 The Marian or Dutch Knights instituted under the wals of Acon or Ptolemais in the Holy land in a Church whereof dedicated to the blessed Virgin their Order was first allowed from thence called Equites Mariani The institution was in the year 1190. The first great Master Henry Walpot The Christians being beaten out of Syria they first removed to Venice and from thence to Marpurg in Hassia where and in some other parts of Germanie they were endowed with fair Revenues from which named Equites Teutonici or the Dutch Knights sent into Prussia by the Emperour Frederick the second anno 1239. or called in as some say by the Moscovite against the Prussians they fixed their seat at Mariemberg under Sigefride the second Great Master anno 1340. or thereabouts In the time of Ludovicus the 18 Great Master they were forced to submit to Casimir the fourth of Poland anno 1450. the occasion of the long war betwixt them and the Polanders continuing all the time of Albert of Brandenbourg the 24 and last Great Master in this Countrey who surrendered his order as before said to Sigismund the first by whom he was created the first Duke of Prussia Such of the Knights as disrelished this action retired into Germanie where they chose one Walter Croneberg master of the Order the title afterwards conferred upon Maximilian one of the younger sons of Maxmilian the second but the Order sensibly decaying and all this time of little estimation in the world 2 Of the Portylaine or Sword-bearers Ensiferi in Latine confirmed by Pope Innocent the third by whom sent into Livonia to defend the Preachers of the Gospell against the Infidels at the first conversion of that countrey Being too weak to effect that businesse they united themselves with the Dutch Knights by the Popes authority and in stead of Knights of the sword were called Knights of the Crosse Separated from it in the time of Vnivus their Great Master anno 1541. the Dutch Knights being then dispossessed of Prussia and these inclining wholly to the opinions of Luther they a while subsisted of themselves what became of them afterwards and how the Order was extinguished hath been shewen already in Livonia The Armes of this kingdome are quarterly 1 Gules an Eagle Argent crowned and Armed Or for the Realm of Poland and 2 Gules a Chevalier armed Cap a pea advancing his sword Argent mounted on a barbed Courser of the second for the Dukedome of Lituania There are in the whole Realm of Poland Of the Romish Church Archbishops 3. Bishops 19. Of the Greek Church
Antioch whose jurisdiction contained all Syria Armenia Cilicia and the Isle of Cyprus and whatsoever else was within the Diocese of the Orient And 4 of Constantinople to whose charge were committed all the other Provinces of the Greek Church as Greece Russia Dacia Sclavonia part of Poland and all the Islands in the Adriatick Ionian and Aegean Seas together with all Asia Minor and the Isles thereof except only the Provinces of Cilicia and Isauria and the Countries lying on both sides of Pontus Euxinus and Palus Maeotis The reasons of the large increase of whose Jurisdiction confined at first within the Diocese of Thrace were 1 The reputation of being seated in the Imperiall Citie which drew after it by a Decree of the Councell of Chalcedon all the Provinces of Asia Minor Cilicia and Isauria excepted only 2 The voluntary submission of the Grecians upon their separation of the Church of Rome by which all Greece Macedon Epirus the Isle of Crete and all the Islands in the Aegean and Ionian Seas which formerly had no superior but their own Primate the Archbishop of Thessalonica became subject unto them 3 The diligence of the Patriarchs hereof in converting by his Suffragan Bishops and other Ministers the Russians Bulgarians and Sclavonians to the faith of Christ which made those poeple to look upon Constantinople as their Mother-Church And 4 the pietie and care of the later Patriarchs in supplying with new Pastors and Ministers those parts and Provinces of the West which being conquered by the Turk had been forsaken by their old Clergie and left like sheep without a shepheard And yet this Church though thus extended and enlarged in the outward members is very much straitned and impaired at home the Country being thinly peopled and many of those people trained up from their infancie in the Mahometan Law So that it is a greater wonder that there should be any remainders of Christianitie left amongst them then that the open Professors of it should be so few the tyrannie of the Turks on the one side and the temptations of preferment upon the other being rightly pondered For who could look to find 20 Churches of Christians in Constantinople the seat and ordinarie residence of the Turkish Emperours or that in Salonichi or Thessalonica there should be 30 Christian Churches and but three Turkish Mosquits that the Primate of this Salonichi should have under him 10 sufâ—ragan Bishops whereof he of Philippi hath no fewer then 150 Churches under his Jurisdiction or finally that under the Metropolitans of Athens or Corinth there should be as many So mercifull hath God dealt with this luxurious and perfidious people as not to take away their Candlestick though he hath darkened and obscured the light hereof As for the Fathers of this Church anciently and at this present held in most esteem they were no other then such as had been Bishops of the greater Sees that is to say 1 S. Chrysostome first a Reader of Antioch afterwards Patriarch of Constantinople 2 Basil and the two Gregories 3 Nyssen and 4 Nazianzen all in Asia Minor this last of Constantinople also 5 6 The two Cyrils the one Patriarch of Alexandria the other of Hierusalem 7 Epiphanius Bishop of Salamis in the Isle of Cyprus 8 Theodoret Bishop of Cyrus c. men of renown and precious memorie amongst them to this very day From whose writings if they deviate in any materiall point of doctrine it is in that of the Procession of the Holy Ghost which they grant to be per Filium but not a Filio And though Clichthoraeus Lombard and other moderate men of the Church of Rome doe grant the difference to be rather in modo explicandi quam in ipsa re and that the Clause a Filioque was added by the Romanists to the ancient Creeds the Grecians not being privie nor consenting to it yet so uncharitable is that Church towards these poore men languishing under the tyrannie of Turkish thraldome as to persecute them with reproach and scorn brand them for Schismaticks and Apostates and solemnly to anathematize them in Bulla Coenae every Maundie Thursday And it is a very hard measure to adde and anathematize too as is right well observed by the late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury in his notable discourse against the Jesuite Other particular Tenets in which the Greek Church differeth from the Romish and Reformed as in some points it doth from both have been already specified in our Description of Russia the Churches of the Greeks and Moscovites differeing in no materiall points but 1 the manner of distributing the Sacrament 2 the exacting of marriage by the Moscovite in the partie admitted unto Orders 3 the frequent admiting of divorces upon light occasions and 4 finally in being lesse strict in observing the Lent before Easter then in any of the other three For whereas the Grecians account it a damnable sin to eat flesh or fish which hath bloud in it in any of their other Lents or times of abstinence they have in both Churches four in all in that before Easâ—er which of all reason ought to be kept most punctually the Laitie eat all sorts of fish without any exception the bloud of some of which as the Cuttle by name is held to be a delicate food and in great request The Language they spake was of their own of which there were four Dialects viz. 1 the Attick 2 the Dorick 3 the Aeolick 4 the Ionick besides the common phrase of speech most in use among them A language of great fame for the liberall Arts but more for so great a part of the holy Scripture first delivered in it and for the lofty sound significant expressions genuine suavitie and happie composition of words so excelling all others that even in the flourishing of the Roman Empire it so much overtopped the Latine that the Histories of Rome it self as of Polybius Appian Dion Cassius were written in it It was once also the generall language of Anatolia some parts of Italie Provence in France and almost all the Islands of the Mediterranean But now partly by the mutilation of some words and contraction of others partly by confusion of the true sound of Vowels Diphthongs and Consonants and the translating of the Accents and finally by the admixture of forein Nations it is not only fallen from its naturall elegancie but from its largenesse of extent For it is now shut up within the limits of Greece and the Sea-coasts of the lesser Asia opposite unto it and there not only much corrupted but almost quite devoured by the Turkish and Sclavonian tongues but specially by that which they call Franco a Mungrel language composed of Italian French and some Spanish words used as the ordinarie speech for commerce and intercourse betwixt Christians Jews Turks and the Greeks themselves who doe not understand and much lesse speak the true genuine Greek So that although they still retain for ordinarie dayes S. Chrysostoms Liturgie and that of S.
called from Antigonus a King of Macedon the first founder of it 2 Xilopolis 3 Terpillus 4 Physco 5 Assorus all mentioned by Ptolemie but not else observable 6 Apollonia for distinction sake called Apollonia Mygdoniae to difference it from Apollonia in Albania then a part of Macedon famous for the studies of Augustus Caesar who here learnt the Greek tongue For Amphaxitis there was 7 Arethusa 8 Stagira now called Nicalidi renowned for the birth of Aristotle hence named Stagirites 9 Thessalonica situate on the bottome of Sinus Thermaicus now called the Bay of Salonichi by the name of the town Anciently the Metropolis or head Citie of Macedon the seat of the Praefectus Praetoria for Illyricum after the removall thereof from Sirmium as also of the Primate of the Greek Church who resided here To the people of this Citie did S. Paul write two of his Epistles continuing in great power and credit till the fall of the Consiantinopolitan Empire into the hands of the Latines at which time it was bestowed first on Boniface Marquesse of Moniferrat the new King of Thessalie after whose death it fell unto the State of Venice who held it till the year 1432. when forced by Amurath the 2. to become Turkish Which notwithstanding it still preserves the reputation of a beautifull and wealthy Citie inhabited by rich Merchants who drive here a great trade especially for the commodities of the Indies for beauty riches and magnificence little inferiour unto Naples and though the Turks and Jews make the greatest number of Inhabitants yet here are reckoned 30 Churches for the use of Christians As for the Jews they swarm here in such great abundance that in this Citie and that of Constantinople only there are reckoned 160000 of them but generally hated and contemned by all sorts of people 10 Syderocaspae of old called Chrysites remarkable for its mines of gold and silver so beneficiall to the Turk that he receiveth hence monthly 18000 and sometimes 30000 crowns de claro Next for Chalcidice there was 11 Panormus a Port town 12 Stratonice in the Peninsula of Mount Athos 13 Athos or Athosa in the same Peninsula with a Promontorie of the same name nigh which it stood 14 Acanthus now called Eryssa on the Bay of the Holy Mountain And finally in Paraxia we have 15 Ampelus 16 Torone giving name to the Bay adjoining called anciently Sinus Toronicus now Golfo di Aiomama 17 Cassandria on the Sea â—ide so called from C assander King of Macedon who repaired and beautified it being before named Potidea 18 Derris 19 Merillus 20 Pallene situate in the Chersonese or Demy-Island called Petalene and by some Petalia formerly consecrated to the Muses but before that infamous for the war which the Giants are sabled to have made here against the Gods at what time it was called Phlegra the fields adjoyning Campi Phlegraei in which this great battell is supposed to be fought The occasion of the Fable was as both Theagenes and Eudoxus do expound the same that the Inhabitants hereof in those elder times being men of a most impious and insolent life got the name of Giants whom when Hercules endeavoured to subdue and reduce to reason it happened that there fell a great tempest of thunder and lightning by which they were constrained to flee and submit themselves Hence the report that those Giants made war against the Gods Others have placed these Phlegraean fields in Thessalie and perhaps more probably Certain I am that some place nearer to the hils of Pelion Ossa and Olympus doth agree best with it if at least Ovid were not out in his narration who makes those Mountains to be heaped upon one another for their better reaching to the skies and fighting upon even ground as the saying is For thus that Poet Affectasse ferunt regnum coeleste Gigantes Altaque congestos struxisse ad sydera Montes At pater omnipotens misso perfregit Olympum Fulmine excussit subjectum Pelion Ossae Which may be Englished in these words The Giants once the Throne of heaven affected And hils on hils unto the Stars erected Till Jove with thunder high Olympus brake And Pelion did from under Ossa take But from those Fables to proceed to more reall stories this Country was first peopled by Cittâ—m the son of Javan passing over out of Asia Minor in memorie whereof here was not only a town called Cuium spoken of by Liviel 42. but the whole land of Macedon is in the book of Maccabees called the land of Keium Maccab. 1. v. 1. and the inhabitants hereof called Citims in the 8 chapter of the same book v. 5. spreading in tract of time from one Sea to the other from the Aegean to the Adriatick some Colonies of them passed from hence to Italie and first inhabited that Countrie as hath there been said Such as continued in these parts divided into severall tribes as in all parts else became in time to be united in the name of Macedons a people not much taken notice of in the former times living a poor and painfull life Goatherds and Shepherds for the most part scarceable to defend their own Mountains from the next invader much lesse to dream of conquering either Greece or Persia And therefore Alexander told them and not much unfitly though by him spoke in passion and to their disgrace that his father Philip had first made them Gentlemen For Philip having learned the Eudiments of war under Epaminondas being then an Hostage with the Thebans and by that means acquainted with the temper and state of Greece not only freed his own Kingdome from the Ilâ—yrians Thracians and other barbarous Nations who had gained upon it but taking advantage of the factions raised amongst the Grecians which he knew how to feed and cherish for his own improvement brought them at first wholly to rely upon him and after to be subject to him Insomuch that never any Monarchy had a swifter growth nor a more speedy dissolution there passing not ful 40 years from the first of Philip to the last of Alexander in which space it was both begun perfected and broke to pieces For the foundation being laid in murder perjurie and treason as at first it was was never likely to be blessed with a long continuance The KINGS of MACEDON A. M. 3155 1 Caranaus 28 3183 2 Coenus 12 3195 3 Tirimas 38 32â—3 4 Perdiceas 51 3284 5 Argaeus 38 3322 6 Philippus 38 3360 7 Europus 26 3386 8 Alcetas 29 3415 9 Amintas 50 3465 10 Alexander 43 3508 11 Perdiceas II. 28 3536 12 Archelaus 24. 3560 13 Orestes 5 3563 14 Archelaus II. 4 3567 15 Paâ—sanias 1 3568 16 Amintas II. 6 3574 17 Argaeus II. 357d 18 Amintas III. 19 3594 19 Alexander II. 1 3595 20 Alorites 4 3599 21 Perdiccas III 6 3605 22 Philip II. 24 3629 23 Alexander the Great Of these 23 Kings only six are famous viz. Caranaus the first King originally of Argos of the race of Hercules
Cureta by a Syncope or abbreviation from the Curetes the first in habitants hereof who together with the Corybantes and Telechini were the Priests of Cybele the principall goddesse of this Island and they so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from their tonsure or shaving of the head A custome much in use amongst the Priests of some of the Pagan Deities and possibly enough from them transmitted to the Church of Rome And to this Etymologie I do rather incline then either to derive the name from Crete the son of Jupiter and the Nymph Idea or from Grete the daughter of Hesperus though both these have their Authors also Nor dare I to reject the conceit of Bochartus who fetching the Etymons of most people from the Punick language or Originall will have the Cretans to be descended from the Cerehites a Nation of the Philistins well known in Scripture the word Cereth being abbreviated into Creth from which into Crete and Cretans is no difficult passage But in my mind his conjecture is better then his proof For though it may begranted without inconvenience that the chief arms of the Philisins were their Bow and Arrows as appears 1 Sam. 31. 3. and that the Cretans anciently were expert at those weapons also yet this concludes no more that the Cretans are of the race of the Philistins then that almost all Nations else had the same Originall the Bow and Arrows being the ordinary weapons of most people formerly till custome and experience trained them up to others of a later date as he himselfe acknowledgeth in many places of his excellent and elaborate tractates In reference to the heavenly bodies it is situate under the beginning of the fourth Clorate so that the longest day in Summer is no more then 14 hours and a quarter And in relation to the earth set in the middle of the Sea at so even a distance from Europe Asia and Africk as if naturally designed to be what Aristotle hath pleased to call it the Lady and Misiris of the Sea For it is distant from Peloponnesus an hundred miles as many from Asia the lesse and not above 150 from the thores of Africk So verifying that of Virgil Crete Jovis magni medio jacet insula Ponto Joves birth-place Crete a fruitfull land In the middle of the Sea doth stand It is in length 270. in breadth 50 miles in compasse about 590. The soil is very fruitfull especially of wines which we call Muscadels of which they transport yearly 12000 Buts together with Sugar-Candie Gums Honey Sugar Olives Dates Apples Orenges Lemmons Raisons Melons Citrons Pomegranats Yet as other Countries of the like hot nature it is not a little deficient in corn the most or greatest part of which is yearly brought hither from Peloponnesus The Island is very populous insomuch that it is thought that upon any sudden occasion the Signeury of Venice can raise in it 60000 men able to bear arms The people have formerly been good sea-faring men a vertue commaculated with many vices which they yet retain as envie malice and lying to which last so infinitely addicted that an horrible lye was called proverbially Cretense mendacium This fault was aimed at by the Poet Epirnemdes a native of this Island whose words thus cited by S. Paul in that to Titus cap. 1. v. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Cretans alwayes lyers are Unrulie beasts of labour spare To which this Proverb may be added viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say There are three Nations whose names begin with the letter K worse then any others viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Cappadocians Cretans and Cilicians though some I know apply this Proverb to the Cities of Corinth Capua and Carthage beginning all with the same letter and all conceived to be very dangerous to the State of Rome At this day they are sick of their old diseases as great Lyers and as idle as ever formerly covetous withall and very subtile impatient of labour and not caring to learn any science perfectly only well practised in shooting to which accustomed from their youth and therein thought more expert then the Turks themselves The language generally spoken is the Greek tongue though the Gentleman and Merchant by reason of their dependence on the State of Venice speak Italian also Both languages used also in divine offices the people being generally of the Communion of the Church of Greece but the Latine service used also in many places since the subjection of this Island to the Venetians Converted first unto the faith by S. Paul the Apostle who having planted the Gospel of life amongst them left the watering of it unto Titus whom he made Bishop of this Isle recommending unto him the care of the Churches there with power of Ordination and Eoclesiaticall censure as appears clearly by the Text. Which power that it belonged to Titus as Bishop and not their Evangelist only is attirmed expresly not only by the subscription of the said Epistle where he is plainly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Bishop of the Church of the Cretians but by the concurrent testimonies of Euseb Eccl Hist l. 3. c 4 S. Ambr. in praefa◠Ep. ad Tit. S. Hieron in Tit. c. 1. v. 5. and in his tract de Scriptor Ecclesiasticis Theodoret cited by Oecumen in praefat ad Ep. Tit. Oecumenius himself in Tit. 1. and finally by Theophylact in his preface to the same Epistle All which in plain terms call him Bishop and the Bishop of Crete according to that sense and meaning of the word Episcopus as it was used in their times distinct from Presbyter The Church hereof whilest wholly under the Greek Patriarchs was governed by four Archbishops and 21 Bishops but since the subjection of this Island to the State of Fence there is but one Archbishop which is he of Candie the chief Citie and eight Bishops only besides the titular Patriarch of Constantinople who hath here his residence some Prelate of the Latine Church having been alwayes honoured with that emptie title ever since the recoverie of that Citie from the Western Christians Famous was this Island amongst the Ancients for many things memorized both by the Poets and old Hastonians For here reigned Saturn in the first ages of the World father of Jupiter born here and secretly nursed in the hill called Ida. For seeing that by the compact betwixt Saturn and his brother Titan Eaturn was to enjoy the Kingdom for his own life only but all his male children to be murdered as soon as born Jupiter by the care of his mother Cybele was conveyed away and secretly nursed in Mount Ida as before was said the crying of the Infant being drowned by the noise of loud-sounding Cymbals purposely used by his Rockers to avoid discovery Whence afterwards the Corytantes or Pricsts of Cybele used in her sacrifices the like musicall instruments continually sounding and withall shaking of their heads like Fidlers in an antick and
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
Ponticks Region The Countrey naturally rich and in those parts hereof which lie next the Bosphorus opposite to Constaxtinople so plentifully enriched with fruitfull hills and pleasant orchards when kept by the more curious Christian that it was thought not to be inferiour to the so much celebrated Tempe now robbed of all those former beauties by the carclessenesse of the Turks who affect neither art not sumptuositie in their retirements and delights Chiese Rivers hereof are Phillis 2. Sang trius now called Sangri both falling into the Euxine Sea this last arising from Mount Dindymus in the furthest parts of Phrygia Major and making two long reaches in his journey hither 3. Aseanius which rising also in Phrygia Major but more neer the borders of this Countrey falleth into the Propontis making the Bay called Sinus Ascanius Which with a lake in the same Countrey called Lacus Ascanius doth plainely manifest that the Bithynians are derived from Askenaz the Sonne of Gomer and grand-son of Japhet The principal Townes hereof are 1. Seutari over against the Haven of Constantinople called antiently Chrysupolis for that there the Persians received their tribute from the other Cities of all these parts of Asia Minor An ample Town well garrisoned within and surrounded round about with most pleasant Orchards and honoured with the neighbourhood of a Royall Seraglio Not far off is a Tower called the Murder-Power serving both for a Fort and watch-tower and being furnished for defence with twenty pieces of Ordnance 2. Caleedon on the same shore also a Colonie of the Megarenses called blinde by the Oracle for neglecting Byzantium and choosing the lesse convenie it place for their habitation And yet did Constantine the Great resolve upon the same place also for his Regall Citie but changed his resolutions on a kinde of miracle it being observed that when his workmen began to draw the plat-forme some Eagles conveyed away their lines to the other side of the Bosphorus and let them fall directly upon Byzemtium Memorable after that for the fourth Gener all Council there assembled by Command of the Emperour Martianus for repressing the heresie of Nestorius in which were five hundred and thirty Bishops now so decayed that it can onely shew some few of the ruines of it Scutari being risen on the fall thereof 3. Nicemedia so called from Nicomedes King of Bithynia the son of Zipes and grand child to that Bithynian King who so valiantly defended his own and his Countreys liberty against Calantus one of great Alexanders Captains by whom founded Sitaute on the top of an hill environed with a pleasant and delightfull Plain honoured with the leate and residence of many of the Roman Emperors when their affaires called them into the East before the building of Constantinople on that occasion made the Throne on which many of Gods Saints received the Crown of Martyrdome especially in the persecution under Dioclesiar In those tunes wealthy and of same now much decayed but notwithstanding well inhabited both by Greeks and Turks for the commodiousnesse of the fresh Springs which are thereabouts 4. Libussa betwixt Nicomedia and the River Ascanius memorable for the death and Sepulture of the famous Anmball who to prevent his being made Prisoner to the Romans when Prusius King of Bithynia intended unworthily to betray him here made away himself by poison 5. Prusa founded by another Prusiu whose name it beareth a large and wealthy City as most in Asia honoured for a long time with the residence of the Turkish Kings till the removall of their seat to Adrianople by Mahomet the first and still ennobled with the sepulture of the Princes of the Ottanan race except the Emperours themselves By the Turks called Bursu 6. Nicae or Nicaea by the Turks called Neichia but most commonly Isnichs situate caer the fennes of the River Ascanius occasioned by the frequent overslowings of that River by some affirmed to be the Metropolis of Bithynia but I think Nicomedia hath more right to claime that honour First named Antigonta from Antigonius the founder of it and afterwards Nicaea by the name of 〈◊〉 wife unto Lysimachus both of them Captaines of the Great Alexander which last had the happinesse to survive the overthrow of the former and was the longest liver of those great Commanders Sufficiently famous both in Ecclesiasticall and Civill story for the first generall Councill there holden by the appointment of Constantine the Great Anno 314. for settling the peace of the Church then miserably distracted by the Arian Heresie The number of Bishops there assembled no more then 318. yet of such high esteem for learning and piety that never Council hath been held in so great an Honour Here was also held the Councel by the Emperesse Irene for establishing the veneration of Images that passing by the name of the Nicene Councel the Acts thereof might be of greater reputation amongst ignorant men In which it was decreed by such doubtfull Atguments as Let us make man after our own Image once mainly insisted on by a Legate of the Eastern Churches that they should be reverenced and adored in as ample and religious manner as the blessed Trinity it self This City was also the Imperiall City of the Greek Emperours after the taking of Constantinople by the Westem Christians and there continued till the expulsion of the Lutines Under these Emperours of the GREEKS residing at NICE A. CH. 1200. 1. Theodorus Lascaris son in law to Alexius Angelus the Usurper upon the taking of Constantinople by the Latines passed over into Asia and fortifying the City of Nice made it the head City of his Kingdome conteining Bithyuia both the Phrygia's both the Mysia's Lydie Aeclis and Ionia 1223. 2 John surnamed Ducas the husband of Irene daughter of Theodore Lasearis succeeded his Father in law in the Empire to which he added Pontus most of the Isles of the Aegean and not a few places of importance in Theace it self 1256. 3. Theodorus II. the son of Ducas 1259. 4. John II. the son of Theodore the second an Infant of about six years old supplanted first and after cruelly deposed and deprived of right 1259. 5. Michael Palaeologus descended from the Imperiall family of the Conneni first took upon him as Protectour of the Infant-Empe our and afterwards as his assviate in the Empire in which confirmed by many fortunate successes as well against the Latixes as some Greek Usurpers in Tlessaly and Peliponesus especially the taking of Constantinople he deprived the young Emperour of his sight made himself sole Emperour and left it unto his posterity who held it with a great deal of trouble and continuall disquiets till the year 1452. when Conquered by Mahomet the Great as before was said But this recovery of Constantinople was the losse of Nice taken not long after the removall of the Imperiall seate by Sultan Ottonar Anno 1299. who presently thereupon took on himselfe the stile of King from which before he had bstained As for the
people of another race and of different fortunes till brought together under the command of the Babylonians In which regard we will treat severally of the natures of the soyl and people their originals government and successes till we have brought them into one hand and then continue their affaires as one joint estate But first we will survey the antient and present fortunes of Christianity and other Religions herein embraced or tolerated wherein the whole according to the bounds and limits before laid down is alike concerned And for Religions in this Countrey here is choise enough those namely of the Mahometan Christian Pagan and one compounded out of all which is that of the Drusians The Mahometan imbraced by the generality of the people throughout the whole and by all that be in any office or authority is only countenanced and approved of though the rest be tolerated The Pagan intertained onely in the mountainous Countreys bordering on Armenia inhabited by a people whom they call Curdi or the Curdenes supposed to be descended from the antient Parthians as being very expert in Bows and Arrows their most usual Armes A race of people who are said to worship alike both God and the Devil the one that they may receive benefits from him the other that he may not hurt them Se alios deos colere ut prosint aliosâ—ne noceant as Lactantius doth affirm of the antient Grecians But their principall devotions are addressed to the Devil only and that upon good reasons as themselves conceive For God they say is a good man and will do no body no harm but the Devill is a mischievous fellow and must be pleased with sacrifices that he do not hurt them And for the Drusians they are conceived to be the remainder of those Frankes by which name the Turks call all Western Christians who driven unto the mountains when they lost the soveraigâ—ty and possession of the Holy Land and defending themselves by the advantage of the place could never be wholly rooted out by the Turks contented at the length to afford them both peace and liberty of their religion But they have so forgot the Principles of that Religion that they retain nothing of it but baptism and not that generally neither accounting it lawful most unlawfully to many their own Daughters Sisters or Mothers and yet conform unto the Turks in their habit only wearing the white Turbant as the Turks do but abhorring Circumcision and indulging to themselves the liberty of wine by law forbidden to the Turks A people otherwise very warlike stout and resolute with great both constancy and courage resisting hitherto the Attempts of the Turkish Sultans The Countrey they possess environed with the confines of Joppa about Caesarea Palestinae betwixt the Rivers of Jordan and Orontes extending Eastwards as far as the plains of Damascus so that there is no part of Syria except Comagena unto which their habitations reach not But for the Christian Faith it was first preached here by some of the dispersed Brethren which fled from the rage of persecution in Phonice and the City of Antiochia amongst whom Saint Peter as he passed through all quarters Acts 931. is by the Fathers said to have been the Chief The Church more fully planted in it by Barnabas first after by Paul and Barnabas jointly Who spending there a whole year together inlarged the borders of the Church and gained much people as is said Acts 11. v. 19. c. insomuch that here the Disciples were first called Christians v. 26. Not called so accidentally as a thing of chance but on a serious consultation had amongst themselves and a devout invocation on the name of God to direct them in it The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in the Originall importeth somewhat of Oracular and Divine direction And certainly it standeth with reason that it should be so For if upon the giving of a name to John the Baptist there was not only a consultation had of the Friends and Mother but the dumb Father called to advise about it and if we use not to admit the poorest child of the parish into the congregation of Christs Church by the door of Baptism but by the joint invocation of the name of God for his blessings on it with how much more regard of Ceremony and Solemnity must we conceive that the whole body of Christâ— people were baptized into the name of Christians And there is some proof for it too besides probability and conjectures For Suidas and before him Johannes Antiochenus an old Cosmographer do expresly say that in the daies of Claudius Caesar ten years after the Ascension of our Lord and Saviour Euodius received Episcopal consecration and was made Patriarch of Antioch the Great in Syria succeeding immediately to St. Peter then addeth that at that time the Disciples were first called Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. Euodius their Bishop calling them to a Solemn Assembly and imposing this new name upon them whereas before they were called Nazarites and Galilaeans A people so hated by the Heathen that they ceased not to slander them from the first beginning For as concerning this Sect we know that it is every where spoken against said the Jews of Rome to the Apostle Acts 28. 22. Tacitus a Roman but a Gentile goes yet further with them calling them homines per flagitia invisos novissâ—m meritos exempla the calumny in his time being strong and generall that at their private meetings they devoured Infants and had carnall company with their Mothers and Sisters Which defamations notwithstanding they grew in few years to so great numbers that they were a terrour to their Enemies though grievously afflicted tortured and put to severall kindes of death under the ten Famous Persecutions raised against them by Nero Anno 67. 2. Domitian Anno 96. 3. Trajanus Anno 110. 4. Marcus Antonius Anno 167. 5. Severus Anno 195. 6. Maximinus Anno 237. 7. Decius Anno 250. 8. Valâ—rianus Anno 259. 9. Aurelianus Anno 278. 10. by Diocletianus Anno 293. All but this last especially so extremely raging that as Saint Hierome writech in one of his Epistles there were martyred 5000 for each day in the year except the first of January on which they used not to shed bloud But janguâ—s Martyrum semen Ecclesiae This little grain of Mustard-seed sowed by Gods own hand and watered by the blood of so many holy men grew so great a tree that the branches of it spred themselves over all the world and go such footing even in the Roman Army it self mea commonly not of the strictest kind of Religion that when Julisn the Apostata had vomited out his foul with Viciste tandem galilea they elected Jouiniar though a Christian for his Successor with this acclamation Christianionines sumus We are also Christians But see how the baptizing of Gods people by the name of Christians in the City of Antioch hath drawn me cut of
my way I return again both to the place and to the Authoe In whose evidence besides what doth concern the imposition of the name of Christian upon the body of the faithful we have a testimony for Saint Peters being Bishop of An lock the first Bishop thereof of the Church of the Jews therein as lest as is said positively by Eusebius in his Chronologie Saint Hierome in his Catalogue of Ecclesiasticall writers Saint Chrysostonze in his Homilie de Translatione Ignatii Theodoret Dialog 1. Saint Gregory Epistol lib. 6. cap. 37. and before any of them by Origen in his sixt Homily on Saint Luke With reference whereunto and in respect that Antioch was accompted alwaies the principal City of the East parts of the Roman Empire the Prefect of the East for the most part residing in it the Bishop hereof in the first Ages of Christianity had jurisdiction over all the Churches in the East as far as the bounds of that Empire did extend that way To which by Constantine the Great the Provinces of Cilicia and Isauria with those of Mesopotamus and Osroent were after added Containing fifteen Roman Provinces or the whole Diocese of the Orient And though by the substracting of the Churches of Palestine and the decay of Christianity in these parts by the conquests of the Turks and Saracens the jurisdiction of this Patriarch hath bin very much lessened yet William of Tyre who flourished in the year 1130. reciteth the names of 13 Archiepiscopal 21 Metropolitical and 127. Episcopal Sees yielding obedience in his time to the See of Antoch Since which that number is much diminished Mahometanism more and more increasing and Christianity divided into Sects and factions insomuch as of three forts of Christians living in these Countreys viz. the Maronites Jacobites and Melchites onely the Melchites are subordinate to the Church of Antioch the others having Patriarels of their own Religion And first for the Melchites who are indeed the true and proper Members of the Church of Antioch and the greatest body of Christians in all the East they are so named in way of scorn by the Jacobite and Maronite Schismatick separating without just cause from their communion The name derived from Malchi signifying in the Syriack language a King or Emperour because adhering to their Primate they followed the Canons and decisions of preceding Councils ratisied by authority of the Emperour Leo by whom subscription was required to the Acts thereof and were in that respect as we use to say of the Kings Religion Conform in points of doctrine to the Church of Greece but that they celebrate divine service as solemnly on the Saturday as upon the Sunday subject to their true and original Patriarch who since the destruction of Antioch doth reside in Damaseus and on no terms acknowledging the authority of the Popes of Rome Next for the Maronites they derive that name either from Marona one of the principall Villages where they first inhabited or from the Monasterie of S. Maron mentioned in the first Act of the Council of Consumople holden under Mennas the Monks of which called Maronites were the head of their Sect. Some points they hold in which they differ from all Orthodox Christians others in which they differ onely from the Church of Rome Of the first sort 1. That the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father onely without relation to the Sonne 2. That the Souls of men were created all together at the first beginning 3. That male Children are not be Baptized together but at severall times by one and one 4. That Herenques returning to the Church are to be re-baptized 5. That the Child is made unclean by the touch of his Mother till her purification and therefore not Baptizing Children till that time be past which after the birth of a Male Child must be forty daies of a Female eighty 6. That the Euchirist is to be given to Children presently after Baptism 7. That the fourth Mariage is utterly unlawfull 8. That the Father may dissolve the mariage of his Sonne or Daughter 9. That young men are not to be Ordeived Priests or Deacons except they be maried 10. That nothing Strangled or of blood may be eaten by Christians 11. That Women in their monethly courses are not to be admitted to the Eucharist of to comeinto the Church 12. And finally which was indeed their first discrimination from the Orthodox Christians that there was but one will and action in Christ the Fautors of which opinion had the name of Monothelies Of the last kind 1. That the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was to be administred in both kinds 2. and in Leavened bread 3. that bread to be broken to the Communicants and not each man to have his waser to himself according to the first Institution 4. Not reserving that Sacrament 5. not carrying any part of the confecrated Elements to sick persons in danger of death 6. That Aleriage is nothing inferiour to the single life 7. That no man entreth the Kingdome of Heaven till the General Judgement 8. That the Saturday or old Sabbath is not to be fasted 9. nor the Sacrament upon dates of fasting to be administred till the Evening They withdrew themselves from the See of Antioch and set up a Patriark of their own many ages since but the certain time thereof I find not conferring on him for the greater credit of their Schism the honourable title of the Patriarch of Antioch His name perpetually to be Peter as the undoubted Successour of that Apostle in the See thereof Dispersed about the spurres and branches of Mount Libanus where they have many Townships and seattered Villages of which four are reported to retain in their common speech the true antient Syriack that is to say 1. Eden a small village but a Bishops See by the Turks called Aechera 2. Hatchteth 3. Sherrie 4. Bolesa or Blousa little superiour to the rest in bigness or beauty but made the seat of their Patriarch when he comes amongst them At such time as the Western Christians were possessed of these parts they submitted to the Church of Rome but upon their expulsion by the Turks and Saracens they returned again to the obedience of their own Patriarch on whom they have ever since depended His residence for the most part at Tripolis a chief Town of Syria but when he came to visit his Churches and take an accompt of his Suffragan Bishops who are nine in number then at Blousa as is said before Won to the Papacy again by John Baptist a Jesuite in the time of Pope Gregory the thirteenth who sent them a Catechism from Rome printed in the Arabian language which is generally spoken by them for their instruction in the Rudiments of that Religion yet so that their Patriarch still retains his former power and the Priests still officiate by the old liturgies of those Churches in the Syriack tongue So that this reconciliation upon the matter is but a matter of complement on
accordingly Recovering once again both her riches and beauties she became a confederate of the Romans in the growth of their fortunes endued by them with the privileges of their City for her great fidelity Made in the best times of Christianity the Metropolitan See for the Province of Phoenicia the Bishop hereof having under him fourteen Suffragan Bishops Subjected to the Saracens in the year six hundred thirty and six and having groaned under that yoke for the space of fourhundred eighty and eight years was at the last regained by Guarâ—mund Patriarck of Hierusalem in the Reign of the second Baldwin the Venetians contributing their assistance in it Anno 1124. In vain attempted afterwards by victorious Saladine but finally brought under the Turkish thraldome Anno 1289. as it still continueth Now nothing but an heap of ruines but the very ruines of it of so fair a prospect as striketh both pity and amazement into the beholders shewing them an exemplary pattern of our humane frailty Subject at the present to the Emir or Prince of Sidon and beautified with a goodly and capacious Haven one of the best of the Levant but of no great trading 3. Sarepta by the Hebrews called Sarphath situate on the Sea-Coast betwixt Tyre and Sidon Memorable in holy writ for the miracle here performed by the Prophet Elijah in raising the poor Widows Sonne in Heathen writers for the purest Wines little inferiour unto those of Falernum in Italy or Chios in Greece Of which thus the Poet. Vina mihi non sunt Gazetica Chia Falerna Quaque Sareptano palmite missa bib as In English thus I have no Chian or Falernian wines Nor those of Gazas or Sarept as vines 4. Sidoâ— the antientest City of all Phoenicia and the most Nothern of all those which were assigned for the portion of the sonnes of Aser beyond which the Countrey of Phoenicia having been hitherto nothing but a bare Sea-coast beginneth to open towards the East in a fine rich vally having Libanus upon the North and the Anti-Libanus on the South once closed up from the rest of Syria with a very strong wall long since demolished It was so called from Zidon one of the sonnes of Canaan who first planted here not as some say from Sida the daughter of Belus once a King hereof this City being mentioned in the Book of Josuah when no such Belus was in being Situate in a fertile and delightful soyl defended with the Sea on one side and on the other by the Mountains lying betwixt it Libanus from whence descended those many Springs with which they watered and enriched their most pleasant Orchards The Inhabitants hereof are said to be the first makers of Christall Glass the materials of the work brought hither from the Sands of a River running not far from Ptolomais and onely made fusible in this City And from hence Solomon and Zorobabel had their principall workmen both for Stone and Timber in their severall buildings of the Temple The People hereof so flourishing in Arts and Trades that the Prophet Zechariah chap. 9. v. 2. calleth them the wise Sidonians A City which at severall times was both the Mother and Daughter of Tyre the Mother of it in the times of Heathenism Tyre being a Colony of this People and the Daughter of it when instructed in the Christian faith acknowledging the Church of Tyre for its mother-Mother-Church The City in those times very strong both by Art and Nature having on the North-side a Fort or Citadell mounted on an inaccessible Rock and invironed on all sides by the Sea which when it was brought under the command of the Western Christians was held by the Order of the Duch Knights and another on the South-side of the Port which the Templars guarded Won by the Turks with the rest of this Countrey from the Christians and ruined by those often interchanges of fortune it onely sheweth now some markes of the antient greatness the present Sidon standing somewhat West of the old and having little worth a particular description The Haven decayed or serving at the best for Gallies with a poor Block-house rather for shew than service the walls of no greater strength and as little beauty and the buildings ordinary but that the Mosque the Bannia of Bathes and the Cane for Merchants are somewhat fairer than the rest yet gives a title at this time to the Emir of Sidon one of the greatest Princes of all this Countrey of whom more hereafter 5. Berytus originally called Geris from Gergeâ—hi the fift Sonne of Canaan took this new name from Berith a Phoaenician Idol herein worshipped and now called Barutti Destroyed by Tryphon in the warres of the Syrians against the Jews it was re-edified by the Romans by whom made a Colonie and honoured with the name of Julia Felix Augustus giving it the Privileges of the City of Rome By Herod and Agrippa Kings of the Jews much adorned and beautified and of no mean esteem in the time of the Christians when made an Episcopall See under the Metropolitan of Tyre Being a place of no great strength nor aimed at by every new Invader it hath sped better than the rest of these Cities though stronger than this retaining still her being though not all her beauties well stored with merchandize and well frequented by the Merchant Nigh to this Town is a fair and fruitful Valley which they call Saint Georges in which there is a Castle and in that an Oratory of the same name also All sacred to Saint George the Martyr who hereabouts is fabled to have killed the Dragon and thereby delivered a Kings daughter but what Kings I know not nor they neither 6. Biblis sometimes the habitation of Hevi the fourth Sonne of Canaan and then called Hevaea afterwards made the Regal Seat of Cinyras Father and Grand father of Adonis by his Daughter Myrrha whereof we have already spoken when we were in Cyprus Of such esteem in the Primitive times of Christianity that it was made a Bishops See desolate and of no repute since it lost that honour and became thrall unto the Turks 7. Orthosia called also Antaradus because opposite to Aradus another old City of this tract but in after ages called Tortosa and by that name well known in the Histories of the Holy Warre undertaken by the Western Christians To whom it made such stout and notable resistance that though besieged on all sides with united forces the whole Army formerly divided sitting down before it yet after three monâ—ths hard siege they were fain to leave the Town behind them and content themselves with spoiling the adjoining Country 8. Tripolis seated in a tich and delightful plain more fruitful than can be imagined one of which fruits they called by the name of Amazza Franchi i.e. Kill-Frank because the Western Christians whom they call by the name of French died in great numbers by the intemperate eating of them A Valley which is said to have yielded yearly to the Counts
that City Situate in a pleasant and fruitful Soil of great importance in the wars of the Holy Land and giving name to the noble family of the Lords of Thorâ—â— one of which being Constable to King Baldwin the third lieth buried in the Chappel adjoyning to it a curious piece of workmanship and Dedicated by the name of the blessed Virgin 8. Belfort so named from the strength and beauty of it seated on the high grounds neer the River Naar and memorable for the great repulse which Saladine the Victorious King of the Turks received before it being forced to raise his siege with dishonour and loss on the comming of the Christian Armies Some other Forts here are of the same erection as 9. Montfort and 10. Mount-Royall or Castrum Regium belonging to the Dutch Knights of whom more hereafter and by them valiantly defended against the Infidels 3. The Tribe of ZABVLON was so called from Zabulon the tenth sonne of Jacob by his wife Leah of whom there mustered neer Mount Sinai 57400 able men and 65000. at their second muster when they came into Canaan Their territory lay on the South of Aser and Nephthalim and the North of Zabulon extending from the Lake of Tiberias to the Mediterranean Places of most observation in it 1. Jokneham the King whereof was slain by Josuah and the City given unto the Levites 2. Zabulon or the City of men a Sately and magnificent City till burnt to the ground by Cestius a Roman President 3. Cana-Minor so called to difference it from the other in the Tribe of Aser the birth-place of Nathaneel and as some say of Simon Zelotes memorable for the mariage at which our Saviour wrought his first miracle of turning water into wine Called in Saint Johns Gospel Cana of Galilee 4. Bersabe standing in the border betwixt both Galilees and therefore strongly fortified by Josephus against the Romans 5. Dothan where Ioseph found his brethren as they fed their flocks and where the Prophet Elisha strook blind the Syrians who besieged him in it 6. Bethsaida situate on the Sea of Galilee one of the ten Cities of Decapolis the birth-place of Peter Andrew and Philip but most renowned for the miracles and preaching of our Lord and Saviour 7. Nazareth now a small village seated in a vale betwixt two hills not far from Ptolemaâ—â— or Acon upon one of which two hills it was formerly built where still are to be seen the ruins of many Churches here founded by the Christians it being in the flourishing times of Christianity an Arch-Bishops See Of great esteem for being if not the birth-place yet the habitation of the Virgin Mary who was here saluted with those joyful tidings by an Angnl as she sate in her chamber Of which chamber it is said in the Popish legends that it was after the Virgins death had in great reverence by the Christians and remained in this Town till the Holy Land was subdued by the Turks and Saracens Anno 1291. Then most miraculously transported into Scalvonia but that place being unworthy of the Virgins Divine presence it was by the Angels carried over into the Sea-coast of Italy Anno 1294. That place also being infested with theeves and pyrats the Angels removed it to the little village of Loretto where her miracles were quickly divulged insomuch that Paul the 2. built a most stately Church over this Chamber and Xistus the fift made the Village a City And thus we have the beginning of our famous Lady of Leretto Here did our blessed Saviour spend a great part of his life before his Baptism from whence both he and his Disciples had for many years the name of Nazarites 8. Iotopata strongly seated on the top of a Mountain neer the Lake of Gtnnesareth fortified by Iosephus in the warre with the Romans but after a long siege taken by Vespasian and in it Iosephus the Historian chief Governour of the City and of both the Galilees 9. Tiberias raised out of the ground by Herod the Tetrarch and named thus in honour of Tiberius Caesar Situate in a fruitful soyl on the edge of the Lake which afterwards took the name of the Lake or Sea of Tiberias this City being held to be the greatest of the Lower Galilee and the Metropolis of the Decapolitan Region In this City it was that our Saviour CHRIST called Saint Matthew from the receipts of the Custome-house and neer unto it that he raised the daughter of Jairus 10. Bethulia more within the land seated on an high hill and of very great strength as appears by the story of Judith and Holofernes 11. Iapha a place of like strength but forced by Titus who in the fury of the storm slew in it above 15000. persons and carried away with him 2000 Prisoners 12. Sephoris or Sipphora the habitation of Ioachim and Anna the Parents of the blessed Virgin fortified with strong walls by Herod the Tetrarch who made it his Regal seat for the Lower Galilee Before that time it had been made by Gabinius one of the five Iuridical Resorts for the Palestinians after that notwithout great difficulty forced by Vespasian and is now nothing but a Castle known by The name of Zaphet or Saffet the ordinary Residence for the most part of the Turkish Sanziack who hath the Government of this Province and lately if not still of the Emirs of Sidon Faccardine the late Emir having been made the Sanziack of it before his falling off from the Turks Not farre off is Mount Tabor famous for the transfiguration of our Saviour for a sumptuous Chappel built on the top of the hill in memory of it by the Empresse Helen mother of Constantine the Great and for the Fountain of the brook Cheson which presently divided into two streams runneth Eastward with the one to the Sea of Tiberias and Westward with the other to the Mediterranean 4. The Tribe of ISSACHAR is so called from Issachar the ninth sonne of Jacob by his wife Leâ—â— of whom were found at the first muster 54400 fighting men and 64300 at the second muster Their lâ—t in the partition of the land amongst the Tribes fell betwixt Zabulon and the half Tribe of Manâ—â—ssâ—â— on this side Jordan North and South extending from that River to the Mid-land Sea A territory not so well replenished with strong and eminent Cities as was that before nor yielding so much matter of observation in the course of business Those of most note in it 1. Tarichaea on the side of the Lake about eight miles from Tiberias or great strength both by Art and Nature as witnessed the notable resistance which Vespasion found when he besieged it by whom taken with great difficulty and incredible slaughter 2. Câ—shion a City of the Levites 3. Remeth called also farmuth another Citie of the Lâ—vites where the hills of Gilboa take beginning and thence range as far as the Mediterranean Westward and the City of Jâ—zreâ—l towards the East 4. En-hadda neer which Saul being
Prophets as in our Saviours time with that of Mary the mother of John Mark mentioned acts 15. 37. converted to a Church by the Primitive Christians the Western part whereof was wholly taken up by the Palace of Herod a wicked but magnificent Prince for cost excessive and for strength invincible containing gardens groves fish-ponds places devised for pleasure besides those for exercise Fortified with three Towers at the Corners of it that on the South-East of the wall 50 Cubiâ—s high of excellent workmanship called Mariamnes Tower in memory of his beloved but insolent wife rashly murdered by him Opposite to which on the South-West corner stood the Tower of Phaseolus so called by the name of his brother 70 Cubits high and in form resembling that so much celebrated Aegyptian Phtros and on the North Wall on an high hill the Tower of Hippick exceeding both the rest in height by 14 Cubits and having on the top two Spires in memory of the two Hippâ—er his very dear friends slain in his service by the wars 2. On the South-side stood that part which was called the Old City possessed if not built by the Iebu 〈◊〉 and therein both the Mountain and Fort of Sion but after called the City of David because taken by him who thereon built a strong and magnificent Castle the Royall Court and Mansion of the Kings succeding In the West part hereof stood the Tower of David a double Palace built by Herod the one part whereof he named Agrippa and the other Coesar composed of Marble and every where enterlaid with gold and not far off the house of Annas and Caiaphas to which the Conspirators led our Saviour to receive his tryall 3. That which was called the Lower City because it had more in it of the Valley was also called the Daughter of Sion because built after it in majesty and greatness did exceed the Mother For therein upon Mount Moriah stood the Temple of Solomon whereof more anon and betwixt it and Mount Zion on another hill the Palace which he built for his Wife the Daughter of Aegypt and that which he founded for himself from which by an high Bridge he had a way unto the Temple West hereof on a losty rock overlooking the City stood the Royall Palace of the Princes of the Maccaboeans re-edified and dwelt in by King Agripoa though of Herod race and not far off the Theater of Herods building adorned with admirall pictures expressing the many victories and triumphs of Augustus Coesar In this part also stood Mount Aâ—ra and on that once a Citadell built by Antiochus King of Syria but razed by Simon one of the Maccaboean Brothers because it overtopped the Temple the house of Helena Queen of Adiabâ—ne who converted from Paganism to Indaism had here her dwelling and here died and finally Herods Amphitheatre capacious enough to contain 80000 people whom he entertained sometime with such shews and spectacles as were in use amongst the Romans And in this part also on an high and craggy rock not far from the Temple stood the Tower of Baris whereon the same Herod built a strong and impregnable Citadell in honour of Marc. Antonie whose Creature he first was called by the name of Antonius having a fair and large Tower at every corner two of them 50. Cubits high and the other 70. afterwards garrisoned by the Romans for fear the Jews presuming on the strengen of the Temple might take occasion to rebel 4. As for the New City which lay North to the City of Herod it was once a Suburb onely unto all the rest inhabited by none but mechanicall persons and the meanest trades-men but after incompassed by Agrippa with a wall of 25 Cubits high and fortified with ninety Turrets The whole City fenced with a wonderfull circumvallation on all parts thereof having a Ditch cut out of the main Rock as Iosephus an eye-witness writeth sixty foot deep and no less than two hundred and fifty foot in bredth First built say some by Melghisedech the King of Salem by the Jebusites themselves say others by whomsoever built called at first Jebusalem afterwards Jerusalem with the change of one letter only inlarged in time when made the Royall seat of the house of David to the Magnificence and greatness before described â—â— it attained unto the compass of sixty furlongs or seven miles and an half Unconquered for the first four hundred years after the entrance of the Children of Israel and when David attempted it the people presumed so much on the strength of the place that they told him in the way of scorn that the blâ—nd and the lame which they had amongst them as the Text is generally expounded should defend it against him But as I think the late learned Mr. Gregory of Christ-church in Oxon hath found out a more likely meaning of the Text than this who telleth us that the Jubesites by the blind and lame as they knew well the Israeliâ—es called blind and lame did understand those Tutelar Idols on whose protection they relied as the 〈◊〉 did on their Palladium for defence thereof and then the meaning must be this those Gods whom you of Israel call blind and lame shall defend our Walls Why else should David say had they meant it literally that his soul hated the lame and the blind 2. Sam. 5. 8. or why should the People of Israel be so uncharitable as to say that the blind and lame should not come into the House or Temple of God were it meant no otherwise But notwithstanding these vain hopes the Town was carried under the conduct of Joab that fortunate and couragious leader and made the Royal seat of the Kings of Judah Proceed we now unto the Temple built by Solomon in providing the materials whereof there were in Lebanon 30000 workmen which wrought by the ten thousand every moneth 70000 Labourers which carried burdens 80000 Quarry-men that hewed stones in the Mountains and of Officers and Overseers of the work no lesse then 3300 men The description of this Stately Fabrick we have in the first of Kings cap. 6. 7. In the year of the world 2350 it was destroyed by Nabuchadzezzar at the taking of Hierusalem rebuilt again after the return from the Captivity but with such opposition of the Samaritans that the Workmen were fain to hold their Tooles in one hand and their swords in the other to repulse if need were those malicious enemies But yet this Temple was not answerable to the magnificence of the former so that the Prophet Haggi had good occasion to say to the People cap. 2. ver 3. Who is lâ—ft among you that saw this house in her first glory is it not in your eyes as nothing in comparison of it Nor fell it short thereof onely in the outward structure but some inward Additaments For it wanted 1. The Pot of Mannah which the Lord commanded Moses to lay up before the Testimony for a Memorial Exod. 16. 32. c. 2. The
fift on what day soever for on that he came into the world in that he took K. Francis Prisoner at the battel of Pavâ—e and on the same received the Imperial Crown But to return unto the Temple we find that on the Sabbath or Saturday it was taken by Pampey on the same by Herod and on that also by Titus But goe we forwards to Hierusalem as now it standeth it lay in rubbish and unbuilt after the destruction of it by Titus till repaired by Adrian and then the Temple not so much as thought of till out of an ungodly policy in the Reign of Julian that Politick Enemy of the Church who to diminish the infinite number of Christians by the increase of the Jews began again to build this Temple But no sooner were the foundations laid but a terrible Earth-quake cast them up again and fire from Heaven consumed the Tools of the Workmen together with the Stones Timber and other materials As for the City it self after the desolation in it which was made by Titus it was re-edified by the Emperour Aelius Adrianus who named it Aelia drave thence the Jews and gave it to the Christians But this new City was not built in the place of the old For within this Mount Calvary is comprehended which was not in the Old before As on the other side a great part of Mount Sion part of the City of Herod and the Soyl where the New City stood are left out of this the ruines of the other still remaining visible to shew the antient greatness and magnificence of it To look upon it then as it stands at present it is now onely famous for the Temple of the Sepulchre built by Helena whom most report to have been daughter to Corlus a British King Mother to Constantine the great Much a doe had the good Lady to find the place where the LORDS body had been laid for the Jews and Heathens had raised great hillocks on the place and built there a Temple of Venus This Temple being plucked down and the earth dâ—gged away she found the three Crosses whereon our blessed Saviour and the two Theeves had suffered To know which of these was the right Cross they were all carried to a woman who had been long visited with sickness and now lay at the point of death The Crosses of the two Theeves did the weak woman no good but as soon as they laid on her the Cross on which the Lord died she leaped up and was restored to her former health This Temple of the Sepuâ—chre even at the first building was highly reverenced and esteemed by the Christians of these parts and even untill our daies it is much resorted to both by Pilgrims from all the parts of the Romish Church who fondly and superstitiously hope to merit by their journey and also by divers Gentlemen of the reformed Churches who travell hitherward partly for curiosity partly for love to the antiquity of the place and partly because their generous spirits imitate the heaven and delight in motion Whosoever is admitted to the sight of this Sepulchre payeth nine crowns to the Turkish Officers so that this â—ribute onely is worth to the Grand Signeur eighty thousand Duckats yearly The other building generally very mean and poor if not contemptible Built of flint stones Low and but one rock high flat on the tops for men to walk on and fenced with battlements of a yard in hight to preserve them from falling the under-rooms no better than vaults where they repose themselves in the heat of the day Some houses neer the Temple of Solomon and the Palace of Herod adorned with Arches toward the Street where the passenger may walk dry in a showr of rain but not many such nor any thing but the ruins left of the antient buildings The whole circuit of it reduced to two or three miles and yet to those which take a survey thereof from some hills adjoining where the ruines are not well discerned from the standing edifices it affordeth to the eye no unpleasing prospect And as the place is such is the people inhabited for the most part by Artizans of the meanest quality gathered together of the scumme of divers Nations the greatest part consisting of Moores and Arabians a few poor Christians of all the Orientall Sects which dwell there for devotion and some Turks who for the profit which they make of Christians are content to stay in it Insomuch that when Robert Duke of Normandy being then not cured of his wounds and was carried into this City on the backs of some of this rascal people he called to a Gentleman of his who was going for England and bad him say that he saw Duke Robert carried into Heaven on the backs of devils Come we now to the Tribe of LEVI though indeed not reckoned for a Tribe because not planted close together as the other were nor had whole Provinces to themselves but mingled and dispersed amongst the rest of the people having forty eight Cities assigned them for their habitation proportionably taken out of the other Tribes So was it ordered by the Lord partly that they being set apart for his Service might be at hand in every place to instruct the People and partly to fulfill the Prophecy which he had spoken by Jacob who had fore-signified to Levi at the time of his death that he should be divided in Jacob and scattered in Israel The like fortune he had prophesied of Simeon also of the accomplishment whereof so far as it refered to him and the dispersion of his Tribe we have spoken before Now to make up the number of the twelve Tribes Joseph was divided into Ephraim and Manasses and the Levites were reckoned to belong unto that Tribe within whose territorie that City which they dwelt in stood Their maintenance was from the tenths or tithes the first fruits offerings and Sacrifices of the People and as it is in the eighteenth of Joshua v. the seventeenth The Priesthood of the Lord was their inheritance There were of them four kinds 1. Punies or Tirones which from their childhood till the five and twentieth year of their age learned the duty of their offices 2. Graduates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which having spent four years in the study of the Law were able to answer and oppose in it 3. Licenciates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which did actually exercise the Priestly function And 4. Doctors Rabbins they use to call them who were the highest in degree For maintenance of whom they had as before is said the Tithes first fruits and offerings of all the rest of the People besides the 48 Cities assigned for their habitation which last with the severall territories appertaining to them extending every way for the space of two thousand Cubits seems to have been a greater proportion of it self than any of the other Tribes with reference to the small number of the Levites had in their possessions Then for the Tithes
out of whose long commerce with them both nations lost their proper languanes and fell upon a third made out of both which was called the Syriack Of this we spake before when we were in Syria and Palestine And this is now the naturall language of this Countrey and its neighbour Assyria but with a little mixture of the Greek and Arabick not vulgarly spoken elsewhere for ought I can find but used by many others in their sacred offices by whom not commonly understood For in this language all the Sects of the Eastern Christians do officiate their publick Liturgies that is to say the Nstorians Jacobites Marâ—nites for I reckon not the Melchites who use the Greek Liturgie amongst the Sectaries The like do also the Indians or Christians of Saint Thomas the Cophties or Christians of Aegypt and the poor remainder of Christians in the Isle of Zocatara an Island on the coast of Asrick Used to those Liturges when that language was more understood amongst them though now worn out of Vulgar knowledge by the overspreading of the Arabick Tartarian and Turkish Conquests In which the Prelates of these Churches have fallen into the great errour of the Church of Rome and without taking notice of the alterations hapning in the Vulgar tongues of those severall nations which are united under them into one opinion keep up a language in their Liturgies which they understand not as if the capacities of the people could be sooner raised to the understanding of an unknown language than the publick Liturgies be fitted unto their capacities The antient piety of the Church and the modern languages of Gods people are not inconsistent though out of private ends some have taught us otherwise But I fear this errour as some others will not be so easily remedied as reprehended From the tongâ—e in which they celebrate the Divine Offices of their Religion pass we to the Religion it self whose Sacred Offices are so celebrated The Christian faith was first preached in this Countrey by Saint Peter of whose being in Babylon the chief City hereof himself assureth us in the last words almost of his First Epistle and other busines he had none here but to preach the Gospel Much persecuted by the Persians who were then possessed of all these parts it prevailed at last Christianity growing up the faster for the cutting down The Patriarchall See originally planted in Salencia successour unto Babylon in repute and greatness if not also in name the Bishop whereof by order of the Nicene Councill had the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction of these parts with the name of Catholique and the next place in Sâ—ssiom at all publick assemblies of the Church next after the Patriarch of Hierusalem And besides this the Indians or Christians of Saint Thomas acknowledge him for their Primate or Metropolitan as they did afterwards in his right the Patriarch of Muzal At this present here are some remainders of Christianity part of them Jacobites but the most Nestorians of whom more anon Of the chief Rivers hereof we have spoke already and Mountains there are none to hinder us in our passage forwards So that without more delay we may take a view of their principall places And in the first place we meet with Babel in the Hebrew signifying confusion famous for the confusion of languages which here hapned For immediately after the Universal deluge Nimrod the sonne of Chus the sonne of Cham perswaded the people to secure themselves from the like after-claps by building some stupendious Edifice which might resist the fury of a second deluge This Counsel was generally imbracod Heber onely and his Family as tradition goeth contradicting such an unlawful attempt The major part prevailing the Tower began to rear a head of Majesty 5146 paces from the ground having its basis and circumference equal to the height The passage to go up went winding about the outside and was of an exceeding great breadth there being not only room for horses carts and the like means of carriage to meet and turn but lodging also for man and beast and as Verstegan reporteth grass and corn-fields for their nourishment But God beholding from an high this fond attempt sent amongst them who before were of one Language a confusion of tongues which hindred the proceeding of this building one being not able to understand what his fellow called for 2. Babylon on the Bank of Euphrates the antientest City in the World on this side of the flood first built by Nimrod in the place destinated to the raising of the Tower of Babel and by him made the Seat of his Kingdome afterwards beautified and enlarged by Semiramis the wife of Ninus one of his Successors and finally much increased both in bulk and beauty by Nabuchadnezzar who therefore arrogated to himself the whole glory of it saying in his pride is not this the great Babel that I have builded Dan. 4. 30. A City of great fame and state accompted one of the worlds nine wonders and deservedly too The compass of the walls 365 furlongs or 46. miles according to the number of the dayes in the year in height 50. Cubits and of so great breadth that carts and carriages might meet on the top of them finished in one year by the hands of 200000 workmen employed dayly in it Situate on both sides of Euphrates over which there was a sumptuous bridge and at each end of that bridge a magnificent Palace and beautified also with the Temple of the Idol Bel and famous for the Pensile Gardens made with great charge and born up with most stately Arches In a word so great and vast it was that Aristotle saith that it ought rather to be called a Countrey than a City adding withall that when the Town was taken it was three dayes before the furthest parts of the Town could take notice of it Which taking of the Town must be understood of the surprize thereof by the Medes and Persians and not of the taking of it by the Macedanians as Pet. Ramus as great a Clerk as he was in his marginal notes upon the Politicks of that Author hath most vainly told us Which whether it were that there were Gates at the end of every street which made it be so long in taking or that the Babylonians were not wakened from their drunken feast in the time whereof it was surprized I determine not Revolting in the time of Semiramis the news came to her as she was ordering her hair whereupon leaving her head half-drest she went and besieged it never ordering the rest of her hair till she had recovered it How it fell into the hands of Cyrus we learn out of Xenophons Cyri-paideia which was in this manner The River Euphrates ran quite thorow the Town round about whose banks the politick Prince cut many and deep channels into which when the Babylonians were securely merry at a general feast he suddenly drained and emptied the River conveying his own forces into the Town all along the dry
hominum mitissimi the most meek or patient of the world especially compared with those of the same Religion the Turks and Tartars Not haters of learning as the Turks But studious many of them in Physick and Astrology most of the better sort much delighted in Poetry which they give their minds to For the most part addicted to hospitality magnificent in expence Lordly in their complements fantastical in their Apparell maintainers of Nobility and desirous of peace Such as apply themselves to Trades and Mechanick arts prove excellent in the making of Silkes and Cloth of Gold those which betake themselves to warre proving very good Souldiers as the Turks have found unto their cost who by their long warres against them have got nothing but blows The women said to be neat and cleanly truly loving gorgeous in Attire and delightfull in the sequestrations of pleasure Their Religion at the first was Paganism wherein directed principally by their Priests or Magi men of a strict austere life forbidding outward ornaments and the use of gold making the ground their bed and the Herbs their food their whole time spent in offering to the Gods the prayers and sacrifices of the people as if they onely might be heard or else in divinations and foretelling of things to come from whence the names of Magick and Magician are derived unto us Studious in the knowledge of God and nature and therefore called by Suidas not onely Philosoâ—â—hi Lovers of wisdome but Philothei the Lovers of God Of such esteem that as Cicero telleth us the Persian Kings were not admitted to the Throne till they were trained up in the discipline of the Magi and of such power and intimacy in the Royall Court that one of those Magi on the death of Cambyses possessed himself of the Persian Monarchy In a word such as the Druides were to the Galls and Britans the Gymnosophists or Brachmans to the antient Indians and the Chaldaeans in the Empire of Babylon the same if not of greater sway in affairs of moment were the Persian Magi. And Persians they must be if Magi none but the Natives of that Countrey being to be admitted of that Society though by a Metaphor applied to the Professors of the same Arts though of other Countries as those which came from the East to worship Christ are by Saint Matthew called Magi Mat. 2. 1. though they came from Arabia The people then were Gentiles as to their Religion and besides other Gods which the Gentiles worshipped they were great Idolaters of the Fire which they offered sacrifice unto in time of peace and carried it with them as their Tutelar Deitie in the time of warre At what time especially if the King were there in person it was born in the very front of their Army attended on by their Priests and followed by a train of boyes all clothed in Scarlet to the number of 365. according to the number of the daies of the year In this equipage with a great deal of pomp besides did Darius set forwards to fight with Alexander at the battell of Issus in Cilicia A superstition derived from them to the Medes and Assyriaâ—s their next-neighbouring Nations and not extinguished to this day in some parts of this Countrey in which many of these Fire-worshippers are still remaining But from a God it grew in time to be a Gentlemanvshar and to attend on Kings and persons of greatest eminence used to be born before the Emperors of Rome as a point of State Insomuch that Commodus though fallen out with his Sister Lncilla permitted her notwithstanding to enjoy her Seat in the publique Theatre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and fire to be born before her as in former times as we are told by Hexodian The Christian faith was first planted in the Provinces of the Persian Kingdome by Saint Thomas the Apostle and held in all points answerable to those of the Catholick Church till Sapores to despight the Emperour Heraclius a right Orthodox Prince commanded that all the Christians in his Dominions should conform themselves to the opinions and tendries of the Nestorian Sect by that means universally spread over all these Provinces With whom here live now intermingled some Armenian Christians who with their Patriarch removed hither when their own Countrey was made the seat of a long and miserable war betwixt the Persian and the Turk but found not here so safe a dwelling as they did expect 1200 of them being slain by Abas the late Persian Sultan on a suspicion that they went about to reconcile themselves to the Pope of Rome whom he held to be more inclinable to the Turk than to him in the year 1609. Which notwithstanding so miserable a condition do these Christians live in he suffered two Convents of Augustine and Carmelite Friers to be setled at the same time even in Spaw-hawn it self and many Jesuites to live peaceably up and down the Countrey which serve for little else than to give intelligence Here are also many Jews dispersed over all the Provinces of this Empire allowed their Synagogues and publick places of assembly But the Religion publickly authorized and countenanced is that of Mahomet imposed on this Countrey by the Saracens when by them subdued differing in some points from the Turks especially about the true Successour of that fals Seducer of which more anon the cause of the long wars betwixt those nations As for the Persian language it is very antient supposed to be as old as the Confusion at Babell some words whereof by Daniel and Ezra which lived in the Persian Court have been made use of in some parts of the holy Scripture A tongue which still hath left some remainders of it in the language of the modern Persian as those of judgement in this tongue have delivered to us notwithstanding so long tract of time and the conquest of this Countrey by the Greeks Arabians Turks and Tartars Not spoken onely in this Countrey nor limitted within the Provinces of the Persian Empire but used also in the Court and Camp of the Great Mongul and some parts of Zagathay and where not vulgar unto all studied and understood by persons of more eminent sort as the Latine by the Gentry of these western parts Insomuch as he that hath this Language may travell over all the East without an Interpreter Rivers here are but few as before was said and those few not navigable by consequence of little note or estimation The principall of those that be are 1. Eulaeus the chief River of Susiaua emptying it self into Sinus Persicus a River of so pure a stream that the great Persian Kings would drink of no other water 2. Ochus in Bactria a River of the greater note amongst the Antients because it was navigable opening with a fair Channel into the Caspian Sea to which it hastneth from Mount Taurus and so doth also 3. Oxus in Margiana a fatall bound to these great neighbours A River which the Persians have seldome passed
Desarts which are in it and is called also Asiatica to difference it from Preâ—opensis which is wholly in Europe or because it taketh up the whole Continent of Sarmatia Asiatica according to the bounds thereof laid down by Ptolomy except some part hereof incorporated to the Russian Empire The Countrey of it self sufficiently fruitful if well mannured and were it in the hands of a laborious and industrious people would yield large increase as appears by the ill husbandry of the Tartars who sow nothing on it but Mill and Puateum grains unknown to us and that without giving it any â—llage receive very plentiful returns of both But the Tartar being a Nation that hateth Agriculture and laugheth at Christian for living on the tops of Reeds so they call our bread neglect all that which is not of a rank pasture for their Herds and Cattell moving from one place to another as the grass faileth them which maketh it so full of Desarts and so empty of Towns as to deserve the name of Tartarta Deserta The people or Inhabitants of it are of severall sorts derived from three severall Originalls and disposed of in three severall parts 1. The Samoyede dwelling towards the Northern Ocean who are wholly Idolaters 2. the Circassians bordering on the Euxine for the most part Christians and 3. the Tartars planted betwixt both being all Mahometans These again subdivided into severall Tribes which they call their Hordes of which the most considerable are 1. the Nagaian Tartars 2. the Zavalhanses 3. the Thumenenses 4. the Kirgessi besides the Hordes or Kingdomes of Casan and Astrachan added unto the Empire of Russia where described already and others of inferiour note not here considerable But before we come to speak of these people in their severall places we must first look upon the whole Countrey as presented to us under the name of Sarmatia Asiatica bounded by Ptolomy as before save that it did extend more Westwards and was unknown to him in the Northern parts of it now possessed by the Moscovite So populous in the time of that Author that he giveth us the names of fourty severall Nations which did then inhabit it and of about as many Towns of good estimation Of which there are few or none remaining and for the names of some of the principall of them we shall have them presently Rivers of most note in it 1. Marabius 2. Rhombitus the Greater and 3. the Less 4. Auticus 5. Theophanius 6. Psathis 7 Thesyris 8. Corax and 9. Vardanes all of them falling into the Euxine and Moeotick Fennes 10. Udonis 11. Alnuta and 12. Rha paying their tributes to the Caspian or Hrrcanian Sea Of these the principall is Rha by the modern Latines called Volgo by the Tartars Edi rising in Russia not far from the City of Mosco where we have described it Most memorable besides the seventy mouths or Channels wherewith it openeth into the Caspian for a medicinable and wholesome root growing on both sides thereof which the Physicians call Rha by the name of the River and for distinctions sake Rha Pontick to difference it from Rhubarb or Rha Barbarum as of a different nature from it this last being purgative and the other more apt to bind 13. Ob a River unknown to Ptolomy rising out of the lake of Kitay a Lake in bigness like the Sea and full of many little Ilands most of them inhabited Which River at its first parting from this Lake is said to be of 8 miles breadth and growing still bigger and bigger emptieth it self at last in the Northern Ocean the present boundary betwixt the Russian and the people in the North of this Countrey Principall Mountains of this part 1. Corax giving name unto the River issuing out of it 2. Montes Hippici extended towards the Caspian Sea 3. Montes Ceraunii lying in the furthest parts hereof then known unto my Author to the North and East 4. Caucasus or Caucasii Montes extended from the Euxine to the Cuspian Seas and parting Sarmatia Asiatica from Colchis Iberia and Albania A chain of hills of which Aristotle saith acumine latitudine omnium maximi c. that for height and breadth they are the greatest of the East the tops whereof are lightned by the Sun-beams in midnight till almost day-break when it is dark-night in the valleys beneath Not passable for horse or foot except they creep along by the Euxine shore but at one place onely called Sarmatiae Pylae or the Gates of Sarmatia by others named Caucasie Portae from the hills adjoining Situate in the 81 degree of Latitude and not far from the Caspian Sea but that so intricate and narrow that very small force may keep it against strong Armies So carefully did Almighty God in his heavenly Providence shut up this fierce and barbarous people from the rest of Mankind by such unfordable Waters and impassable Mountains not to be freed out of their prison till he thought good to use them as the executioners of his wrath and vengeance for the punishment of sinful and impenitent Nations This said we will consider those particular Nations which before we named and are now possessed of it in their several places 1. Opposite to the Precoâ—enses lie the CIRCASSIANS extended from the Cimmerian Bosphorus and the Fennes of Maeotis towards the Eastern shores of the Euxine Sea for the space of 500 miles and reaching 200 miles towards the North. The name imposed on them by the Tartars whereas before they were called by Pliny Zigae by some writers Zychi conceived to be the Zinchi of Ptolomy The Countrie very fitly seated for trade and merchandise as having a fair and large Sea-coast with many Rivers opening into it nine of those spoken of before passing thorow these tracts and not a few capacious Baies and commodious Havens Of which the principall were Sinus Cerceticus or the Bay of Cercetis Syndi and Bata two known Havens and specified by my Author with the adjunct of Portus But these conveniences not much looked after by the present Inhabitants who are more inclined to the warres than to trades or merchandise A stout and military people trained to their weapons from their child-hood and sold as soon as trained to it by unnaturall Parents For from these parts did the Mamalucks of Egypt fetch their first Originall from hence supply themselves with a perpetuall Seminary of slaves and Souldiers raised by degrees unto the highest dignities of that slavish Empire And from these parts the Persian Sophies are supplied with their Cozzel-Bassas disciplined and instructed by them like the Turkish Janizaries The Christian faith was here planted in the year 860 or thereabouts by the Ministry of Cyrill or Chiarill and Methodius employed in that service by the Patriarch of Constantinople In which respect their Churches are of the Greek Communion conform thereto in rites and doctrine and of the jurisdiction of that Patriarch but differing from them very much in matters practicall For it is ordinary
censure that so I neither may impose any thing on the Readers belief nor defraud him any thing conducible to his contentation The Countrey to report no more of it than it doth deserve enjoyeth an exact temperature of the air two Summers or one as long as two and a double encrease blest with all things which are either necessary to the life of man or of convenience and delight particularly with mines of Gold and Silver and with precious stones with spices of all sorts and Civets with the best medicinable drugs metals of all kinds except Copper and Lead abundance of all sorts of Cattel except horses Somewhat defective also in Wheat and Vines that so this Countrey might be beholding unto others as well as others to this Famed also for abundance of Camels Apes Dragons Serpents Rhinocerots Elephants These last more savouring of reason and human ingenuity or else more tractable and docile than any brute Creature whatsoever Of this we have a fair instance in the story of the Acts of Alexander The Elephant which King Porus sate on finding his Master strong and lusly rushed boldly into the thickest of the Enemies Army but when he once perceived him to be faint and weary he withdrew himself out of the battell kneeled down and into his own trunk received all the Arrows which were directed at his master The greatness of the Creature makes it yet more admirable that either he should have soul enough of his own to actuate so vast a body or being of such strength and bigness should submit himself to the instructions of another some of these Indian Elephants as Aelianus hath affirmed being nine Cubits high and as many long and in breadth or thickness about five Cubits Nor doth the Sea afford less plenty or variety than we find on shore yielding abundance of the richest and fairest Pearls huge sholes of fish and amongst them the Whale or great Leviathan exceeding the proportion of that land-monster the Elephant For though the ordinary dimension of the Whale be but 36 Cubits in length and eight in thickness yet Nearchus in Arianus is said to have measured one in these Indian Seas which was of the length of 50 Cubits and of breadth proportionable not to say any thing of that incredible report of Plinie who speaketh of some Indian Whales which were nine hundred and threescore Foot or four Acres long The people are of five sorts and as many Religions that is to say the Naturall Indians derived from the Original Inhabitants of it 2. Moors or Arabians who more than two hundred years ago possessed themselves of some Sea-Towns driving the Natives up higher into the Countrey 3. Jews scattered and dispersed as in other places into all parts of it 4. Tartars in those parts and Provinces which are under the Great Mongul and 5. Portugueze who have many Colonies and Factories in the Ports and Islands but brag as if they had made a conquest of all the Countrey Which notwithstanding considering that the Naturall Indians are by far the greatest number we must relate to them only in the Character which is made of this people Affirmed to be tall of stature strong of body and of complexion inclining to that of the Negroes of manners Civill and ingenuous free from fraud in their dealings and exact keepers of their words The Common sort but meanly clad for the most part naked content with no more covering than to hide their shame But those of greater estates and fortunes as they have amongst them many antient and Noble families observe a majesty in both Sexes both in their Attendants and Apparel sweetning the last with oils and perfumes and adorning themselves with Jewels Pearls and other Ornaments befitting They eat no flesh but live on Barley Rice Milk Honey and other things without life The Wâ—meâ— not of much fairer complexion than the men yet of lovely countenances wear their hair long and loose but covered with a thin vail of Calicut Lawn Their ears hung with many rings so great and heavy that they are torn and stretched to much disproportion their noses also ringed and behung with Jewels according to their estate and quality Servilely obsequious to their husbands whose affections they divide amongst them without jarre or jealousy the men allowed here as in all the East the use of many wives whom they buy of their parents for a yoke of Oxen and may mary as often as they list In which they have too great a privilege above the women who after the decease of their common husband do either burn in the same flame with him or else are forced to doom themselves to perpetuall Widow-Hood But of this we may speak more hereafter when we come to the particulars The Christian faith was first planted in these Countries by Saint Thomas from whom the remainders of Christianity take denomination and unto whom the Records and Miniments of that Church do ascribe their conversion For in one of their Treviaries written in the Chaldaean tongue and translated into Latine by Father John Maria Campaâ—â— a Jesuite we find it thus Per D. Thomam evanuit error Idololatriae ab Indis c. i. e. By Saint Thomas the errors of Idolatry vanquished out of the Indies by Saint Thomas they received the Sacrament of Baptism and the Adoption of Sonnes by Saint Thomas they believed and confessed the Father the Son and Holy-Ghost by Saint Thomas they kept the faith received of one God And finally by Saint Thomas the splendour of saying doctrine did appear to all India His body as they say inâ—ombed in the City of Maliapar upon the Coast of Choromandâ—ll the truth of which tradition I dispute not here But this plantation of the Gospel by the hand of Saint Thomas was not universal over all the Countrey but in some parts and Provinces only or else was forced to give ground a while to prevailing Heathenism For in the reign of Constantine we read how the Indians living on the further-side of the Rive Ganges for so I understand the Indi interiores of my Author were converted to the Faith byrâ— the ministery of one Frumentius of the City of Tyrâ—â— who having spent the greatest part of his time amongst them was employed in that service and consecrated the first Bishop for those Churches by the great Athanasius of Alexandria But being the foundation of this building was laid by Saint Thomas the remainder of Christians here being ascribe the whole work to him called therefore Christians of Saint Thomas Governed originally by their own Bishops subordinate to an Archbishop of their own also residing at Augamale fifteen miles from Cochin one of the chief Cities of this Countrey who for long time acknowledged obedience to the Patriarch of Musal by the name of the Patriarch of Babylon as by these Christians of India he is still termed The number of these Christians computed at 15 or 16 thousand families or at 70000 persons in the accompt of others
with these half Christians not to baptize their children till eight years old to hear divine service standing without their Churches into which they very seldome enter especially the Gentlemen till the 40th or as some say the 60th year of their age dividing the whole course of their life betwixt God and the Devil in dedicating their youth unto theft and Robbery their old Age when they can no longer commit those villanies to the difficult business of repentance Places of most observation amongst the Antients 1. Cimmerium a Town and Promontory so called from the Cimmerii once the chief people of these parts of whom more anon situate on the very shore of the Bosphorus from hence denominated 2. Phanagoria in old times a well-traded Empory situate on a litle Iland raised out of the Sea by the care and industry of the Greeks who had here a Factory 3. Apathurgus by Pliny called Apaturum memorable for a Temple of Venus surnamed Apaturia which name she gave unto this place because saith Strabo when the Giants assaulted her she craved help of Hercules who slew them all one after another 4. Gerusa by Ptolomy honoured with the title of Civitas the Gargaza of Diodorus now called Saint Georges 5. Oenuntia neer the mouth of the River Thesyris 6. Araza more within the land which with 7. Ampsacis hath the name of a City also The name of their chief Havens we have seen before But few of these or any other mentioned by the antient Authors being now visible in their ruins the chief of those which are now extant are 1. Locoppa 2. Conioco but of no great note The people antiently though divided into the severall Tribes of the Thyrsagetae Zigae Turcae the Hunnes Avares and Moeotae all noted Nations besides the Coaxtrae Zinchi Tyrambae Pselii and others as obscure as they were better known by the name of Cimmerians in which those several tribes concentred Descended in the right of that common originall from Gomer the sonne of Japhet first planted in the mountainous places of Albania his posterity known by the name of Gomerii afterwards Cimmerii left there a memorial of themselves in the mountains called Cimmerini But that Country proving both too barren and too narrow for them some of them passed into Phrygia Major where they built the City Cimmeris not unknown to Pliny in whose time it was extant and others in some tract of time keeping the Euxine on their left hand fixed themselves in these parts here giving name to the Town and Promontory Cimmerion to the Cimmerian Besphorus and generally to all the people descended of them From these particularly as the stout and valiant Nation of the Cimbri do derive their Pedegree so from these and the children of Mesech Magog and Tubal the Sarmatians both of Europe and Asia the Moscovites and perhaps the Scythians are to fetch their Originall all of them great and puisant Nations and all involved promiscuously in the name of the Scythians Renowned for no other action more than the memorable expedition which they made into Media in the Greater and Lydia in the Lesser Asia the Cimmerians by themselves alone or by them as principall the rest of these Sarmatians in a body together as a Scythian People Distressed with want or to disburden their small Countrey of superfluous multitudes these Cimmerii in the time of Nabulassar or Salmanassar King of Assyria communicating their design with the rest of the Scythians to enlarge their quarters holding along the course of the Euxine Sea and passing thorow the Countrey of Colchis first seized on some parts of Pont us and Paphlagonia Where having fortified the Promontory on which Sinope was after built and leaving there their carriages and the weakest of their train with sufficient guards they marched into Lydia reputed as it was indeed for a wealthy Region There they possessed themselves of Sardis the royall City and after of the rest of the Countrey or the most part of it Ardis the sonne of Giges who then reigned in Lydia not being able to withstand them Both besides being wearied with long warre and grown more pliant by degrees unto one another as in like case betwixt the Saxons and the Danes it proved no difficult matter for Halyattes the grand-child of Ardis to compound the business assigning to the Cimmerians all those parts of his dominions which lay beyond the River Halys and setling his Lydians in the rest By this transaction there were so good correspondences betwixt the Nations that when Cyaxares King of the Medes invaded the Countrey of these Cimmerians under colour of the invasion which the Seythians had made in Media Halyattes did espouse the quarrell and appeared in their aid In following times growing into confidence of one another and mixt in mariages and blood they became one people or at least passed not under the accompt of strangers or the name of Aliens Such end had this most notable expedition of these Cimmerians not much remembred after this for the like undertakings Yet here they held their own though in other names governed by many petit Princes but all associated with Mithridates against the Romans that King being so great amongst them that his sonne Machares having maried into some of their families was made King of Bosphorus But Machares having made his peace with Lucullus the Romans never looked this way Nor hear we much of them in succeeding times till the invasion of the Tartars by whom subdued they acknowledged at first the Great Cham for their Soveraign Lord whose power declining they have successively been subject to the Crim-Tartar the Turk and Moscovite but most commonly to the Crim-Tartar as their neerest neighbour and most able to hurt them And him they furnish on command with 50000 horse for the Grand Signeurs service yet so that they supply the Persian with his Cozzel-Bassas and sometimes serve under him for pay as they do under any which will entertain them Governed like the Suissers by their severall Commonalties yet so that every Commonalâ—y hath some principall man which the Switzers have not whom they call Morseys that is Dukes to direct and order them 2. Betwixt these and the River Volga dwell the ZAVOLHENSES one of the greatest Hords or Tribes of all the Tartars and therefore called Horda Magna Of these the Crims or Precopenses were a Castling onely proceeding out of this great Swarm or Nest of Hornetts though afterwards they became their masters Of the Countrey or the People we say nothing here having sufficiently spoken of both already Their chief Town hath the name of Bo'gar situate on the River Volga and from thence so named Volgar and Bolgar differing but litle in Orthographie and not much in sound This Countrey as I take it by the situation should be that which Ptolomy calleth Mithridat is Regio whether so called in honour of him by the Princes of the neighbouring Cimmerians with whom he had contracted alliance or that he had made any