salt The woods breed vp Hogges and Kine in great plentie the riuers sometimes yeeld graines of gold It containes six colonies or townes of Spaniards the principall whereof called Sant Jago is the seat of a Bishop But Hauana is the chiefe mart and hauen towne of all the Isle Two wonderfull things Gonsaluo de Ouiedo describes in this Isle one a valley extended betweene two mountaines some three Spanish miles in length the Ancients would haue named it as in Gallia Narbonensi now called Prouence The stony field which bringeth forth round stones in so great abundance that a man may lade whole shippes with them being by nature framed so exactly round that no Turner can amend them The other is a mountaine not farre from the sea whereout issueth a kind of Bitumen or Pitch in so great a quantity that it runnes into the sea and there floats farre and wide according as it is carried by the waues or windes This Pitch they say is very commodious for the calcking and braying of ships HISPANIOLA lies to the East of Cuba This Isle by the first inhabitants was called Quisquaeia afterwards Haiti and Cipanga likewise But the Spaniards name it Hispaniola and of the principall city San Domingo The compasse hereof is 350 leagues It is an Isle rich in Sugar and it hath many Gold-mines It is very strange that is reported concerning a little flie very common in this Island called by the inhabitants Cucujo and as big almost as one of the ioynts of a mans finger hauing foure wings two very thin and the other two greater and harder wherewith the thin ones are couered This shineth in the night as glowe-wormes doe with vs. The force of this light is not only in his eyes sparckling like fire but also in his sides so that by lifting vp his wings he shines more flying than when he lies still By the naturall curtesie of this little creature all their chambers they say are so lightsome euen in the darkest nights that a man may reade and write very plainly without the helpe of any other light This light of theirs is augmented by their number so that many will giue a greater light than a few Whoso des res a larger description of these Islands let him reade the history of the New world written by Jerome Benzo Peter Martyr his Decads of Islands lately discouered and other writers of America CVLIACANAE AMERICAE REGIONIS DESCRIPTIO Sciat lector Auctorem Anonÿmum qui hanc Culiacanam regionem et has insulas perlustrauit et descripsit regionum longitudines non ut Ptolemaeus alijque solent à Fortunatis insulis versus Orientem sumsisse sed a Tole to Hispanie vmbilico Occidentem ex eclÿpsibus ab ipsomet obseruaris deprae hendisse HISPANIOLAE CVBAE ALIARVMQVE INSVLARVM CIRCVMIACIENTIVM DELINEATIO PERV THe Spaniards diuide the South part of America into fiue regions namely The golden Castilia Popaian Perú Chili and Brasil Perú in times past before the Spaniards comming thither was much larger vnder the gouernment of the Ingas than at this present as Giraua and others write Now they confine it with Quito on the North and with Puerto de Plata on the South It was thus named from a riuer hauen named Perú At this present they diuide it according to the situation thereof into three parts into Sierras Andes and Plaines The plaine countrey they call that which lieth next the sea Sierras are the mountaines and Andes a region beyond the mountaines toward the East The head-head-city of this countrey of Perú is Lima otherwise called La ciadad de les Reges where the Kings seat and the Chancerie of the whole Kingdome remaines Also it is the sea of an Archbishop who vnder his iurisdiction hath these Bishopricks following Quito Cusco Guamanga Arequipa Paz Plata Trugillo Guanuco Chacapoia Puerto viejo Guajaquil Popajan Charchi S. Michael and S. Francis That this is the richest of golde of all the countreys in the world besides many other these few arguments do euidently demonstrate Francis Xeres writeth that in Cusco there were houses whose pauement walles roofes were couered quite ouer with plates of golde Giraua reports that the inhabitants of the prouince Ancerna go to warres all armed in gold from head to foot their habergions their brest-plates their leg thigh harnesse consist wholly of gold The same authour affirmes that out of certeine gold-mines neere Quito is digged more gold than earth Those that haue written the storie of King Atabalipa do agree in this that he offered so much golde to the Spaniards for his ransome as the roome wherein he was prisoner would containe It was two and twenty foot long and seuenteene foot broad this he offered to fill so high as he could reach vpon the wall with his longest finger or if they thought better marke also the infinite quantitie of siluer in this region he offered to fill it twise with siluer euen to the very roofe It is also recorded that the Spaniards at their first entrance vpon this countrey shod their horses with gold and siluer shoes PERVVIAE AVRIFERAE REGIONIS TYPVS Didaro Mendezio auctore LA FLORIDA Auctore Hieron Chiaues Cum Priuilegio GVASTECAN Reg. FLORIDA THis is part of North America It is called by the name of Florida in regard of the feast of Easter which the Spaniards call Pascha Florida because vpon that very day in the yeere of our Lord 1512 it was as I reade in Giraua vnder the conduct of Iohn Ponce of Leon first of all coasted and discouered Theuet like himselfe writes that it was so called because it was all greene and flourishing By the inhabitants it was named Iaquasa The French haue more than once attempted to plant a colony here but hitherto they were neuer able in regard of the Spaniards ill will who oft expelled them from thence It is inhabited by a sauage forlorne and beastly people They liue vpon spiders ants lizards serpents and other venimous and creeping things The region is very fruitfull and rich of gold Concerning this country Iames Cole my nephew from the mouth of an eie-witnesse as he saith writes vnto me as followeth The inhabitants are of a brownish colour but the Kings wiues are blacke by a kind of arte The King hath power to giue or rather to sell wiues to such as are desirous to marrie A married woman being taken in adultery she is for her incontinency from morning till night bound with her backe to a tree her armes and legs stretched abroad and sometimes she is beaten with rods Their women within three houres after they are deliuered of childe carry forth their infants and wash them in the riuer They haue no hatchets nor spades but of stone In stead of ploughes they haue certaine woodden pickaxes wherewith they open the ground and sowe a kinde of graine commonly called Turkish or Ginny-wheat whereof they haue yeerely two or three crops They haue also Pheasants c. They sowe in
trusted rather to their swords of steele than walles of stone it was notable for the pleasantnesse of the place only commendable now for his antiquitie hauing a most goodly prospect round about aboue are the woods of Beech beneath are the fertile hilles of Vines c. The late Dukes of Wirtemberg for many ages past held their Court in this tower taking from thence their name their stocke and their armes as is to euery man very apparent There are which thinke that the Dukes of Wirtemberg haue had their ofspring from the Tuscans or Rhaetians others from the French Whether of these opinions are more probable I much regard not for in a thing altogether vncertaine I affirme nothing constantly It is certaine that they were strangers whether they came first forth of Italie or from France that as yet is not certainly knowen c. Thus farre Iohn Pede WIRTENBERG DVCATVS Accurata descriptio In qua omnia eius Opida Monasteria pagi nemora flumina et riuuli alicuius nominis diligentissimè exprimuntur Auctore Georgio Gadnero Cum Priuilegio Imp. Regiae M. 1579. The Precinct of SWITZERLAND THey which diuided the Empire of Germany into certeine Bands or Circles Kreis they commonly call them they made Switzerland the fourth in order now in all they record tenne it is certaine as approued histories do mention that at first Switzerland was a Kingdome but afterward reduced vnto a Dukedome Notwithstanding at this day there is none of the Princes of Germanie which is graced with the title of Duke of Switzerland for it is now diuided amongst many Princes One part hath accrued by lot of inheritance vnto the house of Austrich the duke of Wirtemberg enioyeth the greatest part in it there are many free cities and such as do belong vnto the crowne of the Empire many are subiect vnto the Duke of Bauiere There is none of the old writers which doth not make report of this Nation as of the most noble and ancientest of all Germany It is cleere out of Ptolemey Strabo and other authours that heretofore they were seated vpon the riuer Sweue and Albis But now at this day it is the vtmost prouince of all Germany for it abbutteth vpon the Alpes It is bounded by Bayern Frankenland and Alsatia or Elsas on euery side round about In olde time this countrey was called Alemanie of the lake Lemanus vulgarly now called Lac de Losanne or Lac de Geneue the Germans call it Ienfferlee as some thinke The countrey as Iohn Auban in that worthy worke of his De moribus gentium describeth it is partly champian partly hilly The soile is fruitfull of which there is no part which lieth vntilled excepting that which Lakes Mountaines or Woods do possesse In it are many woods and therefore the nation is giuen much to hunting and hawking they haue abundance of corne and great store of cattell The whole prouince by reason of the holsomnesse of the aire is euery where replenished with goodly cities villages castles and bulwarks strongly fortified aswell by nature as arte About the mountaines it yeeldeth iron siluer and other mettals The nation is populous stout audacious and warlike and therefore Plutarch calleth it The most excellent nation of all the Germans Whose renowme is recorded to be such and so to be enlarged that for valour and feats of armes it seemeth to haue deserued the Empire of the whole world which indeed it hath most gloriously for the space of somewhat more than an hundred yeeres enioyed Thus farre out of Iohn Auban where thou mayest at large see the customes and maner of life of this nation Augusta Vindelicorum Augspurg vpon the riuer Lech and Vlm vpon Donaw are the most famous cities of this prouince at this day There are also Campodun Memmingen Werd Nordling and others of which thou mayest reade in Munster Donaw the greatest riuer of all Europe here taketh his beginning and passeth thorow the middest of the countrey This riuer laden with threescore streames which Cuspinian according to the report of Collimitius describeth by name and order emptieth it selfe into Pontus Euxinus the Greeks now call it Maurothalassa the Italians Marmaiore the Turkes as Busbequius affirmeth Cara-denis that is The blacke-sea by six huge mouthes Euery one of which mouthes are so great and the streame so violent as Pliny saith that you shall obserue the sea to be ouer-mastered and driuen backe the space of fortie miles and so farre the water to be perceiued to be sweet Of this countrey and his people and first inhabitants see the ancient Geographers and of the latter writers Iohn Auban of Bohemia Munster and Irenicus who affirmeth that Naucler hath penned certaine books only of this argument and that Berno a certaine Abbat hath written many volumes of this nation In the vpper part of this Map you see a little prouince cōmonly called Kreichgey Dauid Chytraeus hath described it in a seuerall treatise The territorie of BASELL THis Map conteineth that coast in which long since the Rauraci and the Cis Iurani did inhabit as also the Waste of Heluetia The Rauraci in time past according to the opinion of most men were contained betweene the riuers of Rhein Byrsa and Ar and those mountaines which from Iurassus doe reach hither At this day it is for the most part vnder the iurisdiction of Basell In it as yet is there a village vpon the Rein distant a Dutch mile from Basell called Augst sometime the chiefe citie of this nation and was called Augusta Rauracorum but now it is become a base village notwithstanding many apparent signes of decayed buildings which as yet do testifie his antiquitie we haue seene to remaine and be yet extant there The country is rough full of many cragged rocks and euery where shadowed with thicke woods yet is very well inhabited and manured so that euen in the mountaines besides the goodly pastures for cattell of which it is greatly stored it beareth plentifully very good wine and corne Sequani CisIurani did long since reach from the mountaine Iura euen vnto the banke of the riuer Rhein Now this part is called Sungow and the Higher Elsas and is subiect for the most part vnto the Dukes of Austrich Brisgow and Blacke-wood commonly called Swartz-wald possesse the other banke of the Rein. Here the waste or wildernesse of Heluetia is placed by Ptolemey Brisgow is very well replenished with cities and villages and is very rich in corne The common people for the most part liue vpon Vintage The iurisdiction and gouernment of this countrey is diuided betweene the Archdukes of Austrich and the Marquesses of Bath Of this shire thou mayest see many things in Munster Christian Vrstise in a peculiar treatise hath most exactly described the citie of Basell In like maner Aeneas Syluius afterward called Pope Pius II. BASILIENSIS TERRITORII DES CRIPTIO NOVA Auctore Sebastiano Munstero Miliaria Germanica duarū horarū itineris Circulus siue Liga SVEVIAVE Vulgo Schwa
Perinthij made it a free corporation and endowed it with many large and ample priuiledges After him as Themistius Euphrada in his sixth oration testifieth Theodosius the Great did beautifie it with diuerse gorgeous and costly buildings Moreouer Iustinian the Emperour as Procopius an eie-witnesse affirmeth adorned it with many most faire and beautifull workes of curious Architecture But especially he graced it by that glorious worke of that stately temple of Santa Sophia which he repaired being a little before burnt downe and vtterly defaced by fire and of it bestowed such cost that the Emperour himselfe as Glycas witnesseth boldly said that in this edifice he had exceeded euen glorious king Salomon in that his building Which worke of his as P. Diaconus writeth of it did so much excell all other buildings that in the whole world beside there was not to be found another that might in any respect be compared vnto it Whereupon Corippus thus speak th of this Church Iam Solomoniaci sileat descriptio templi Cedant cunctorum miracula nota locorum That stately worke of Salomon great Iudahs glorious king May now be still and bragge no more The greatest woonders of the world may well giue place to this No eie hath seene the like before Consta Manasses calleth it Orbis ornamentum The glorie of the world which he verily beleeueth the very Seraphim themselues did reuerence and adore But if any one be desirous to know the fashion and modell of this building let him haue recourse to Procopius his first booke of Edifices Of this church Paulus Lyrus Florus wrote a treatise in heroike or hexameter verse as Agathias in his fifth booke testifieth So that it might seeme that there was nothing more that might be wished for the further beautifying of this city Sozomen doubted not boldly to affirme That Constantinople both for multitude of men and store of wealth and money by all mens ioint consent did farre excell euen great Rome it selfe Moreouer Nazianzen writeth That Constantinople for beauty and brauerie did as much excell all other cities of the world beside as the highest heauens in glory do exceed the lowest elements Whereupon of some it was graced with these proud titles VRBS AETERNAE VRBS REGIA NOVA SECVNDA ROMA The eternall City The Emperiall City New Rome and Another Rome In the praising and tax of the chiefe cities of the Romane Empire this city in a Councell there held was placed in the second degree but in former times as Egesippus testifieth it possessed only the third place Zosimus writeth that there is no other city whatsoeuer whether you respect the large compasse and circuite of the wals or great felicity of it euery way that may iustly be compared vnto it The buildings of it are so close and neere together and the houses and streets are so pestered and thronged that whether a man keepe home or walke abroad he shall be so crowded and thrust that scarcely he might go without danger by reason of the huge throng of men and infinite of multitude of cattle alwaies passing to and fro in the same He that desireth to know all the glorious ornaments and woonderfull things worthy of obseruation to be seene in this city let him read George Cedren his historie of the life of Theodosius the Great Where he doth not onelie receite them all and reckon them vp curiously but also he doth most artificially describe them and paint them out in their true colours This city was taken in the yeere of Christ 1453. by Mahomet the first of that name Emperour of the Turkes who at this daie do yet possesse it Manie other things pertaining to the beautie and magnificence of this city are to be seene in the booke of Records of both the Empires and in Procopius his first booke De Aedificijs Of the originall and famous buildings of this city read George Codinus for no man hath handled that argument better than he But of the later writers Petrus Gyllius hath most exactly and learnedly described the same Of the Thracians this one thing in this place I cannot omit namely That in former times they bore a great sway in forren countries and were great Lords out of their owne natiue soile For they conquered and had vnder them a great part of Asia which is situate ouer against them and caused it after their name to be called THRACIA ASIATICA yea and toward the South beyond the bounds of their owne country vpon the Aegean sea where Pausanias described THRACIA CARIA they had long since placed their colonies This prouince Porphyrogenneta calleth THRACESIVM Xenophon doubted not to call this kingdome the greatest of all other between the Ionian sea and Pontus Euxinus Moreouer Strabo maketh mention of a certaine nation dwelling aboue Armenia which were called Thraces Seraperae To this Thracia is annexed a Chersonesus or Neckland which thereupon was sirnamed THRACIA CHERSONESVS Suidas calleth it CHERSONESVS HELEESPONTIACA of the sea Hellespontus neere neighbour vnto it It is also named PALLENE of Halicarnasseus and Stephanus who moreouer addeth that it was inhabited of the Crusaei Xenophon saith it was a most rich soile and fertile of all manner of things whatsoeuer and withall affirmeth that in it were eleuen or twelue great and goodly townes But wee out of all ancient Historians haue much exceeded this number as the Mappe doth sufficiently approue This Neckland or Chersonesus belonged sometime to Marcus Agrippa after whose decease as Dion reporteth it fell vnto Augustus Caesar He that desireth out of ancient writers a more ample description of Thracia let him read Wolfangus Lazius his Histories of Greece Item the fifth booke of Agathias a Grecian borne A strange thing it is that William Brussius writeth of this Chersonesus that by no manner of meanes or diligence vines can be made to grow heere in any great abundance GRAECIA OR HELLAS THat country which the Latines call GRAECIA Greece of the Greekes themselues generally was named HELLAS yet the out-borders of it are not the same according to euery mans description and limitation That was truly and most anciently called Greece which Ptolemey Pliny and Mela name ACHAIA in which Athens the first and most flourishing Vniuersity of the World and most renowmed citie of these parts was seated Heere Iupiter himselfe as Athenaeus witnesseth kept his Court. It is a free city as Pliny calleth it and needeth as he saith no further commendations so famous and honourable it is and euer hath been beyond all measure or conceipt of man Yet it is manifest not only out of the writers of the common sort of Historiographers but also euen out of Strabo himselfe the prince of Geographers that many countries are comprehended vnder the name of Graecia or Hellas as namely Macedonia Epirus Peloponnesus and those other prouinces and shires conteined vnder these names so that all Greece as it is generally taken is on three sides bounded with the Ionian Aegean Archipelago and the Libyan
and according to the testimony of Peter Quirini Christopher Fiorouanti and Nicolas Michele who in this our Ocean suffered that horrible shipwracke which we reade of in the Italian volumes witnesse also Lewis Cadamosta who in his Epistles written about the yeere 1454 affirmes this city of Bruges to be a Mart inferiour to none else in all the North parts of the world Wherefore that the citizens of Bruges receiued the vs◠of the sea-compasse from the Italians and out of Italian translated the names of the winds into their owne language and that from them the other nations before mentioned borrowed this knowledge I see not well how it may be denied Of the nature and admirable vertue of the loadstone you may reade many notable things in Liuius Sanutus his description of Africa printed in Italian at Venice The isles or Salomon which in this table you see described about Noua Guinea were not long since discouered by Oliuer Mendanio after he had conducted his fleet out of the part of Lima in Perú had sailed ouer this huge Ocean as I find recorded in Iosephus Acosta his 1. book 17. chapter De natura nouiorbis MARIS PACIFICI quod vulgò Mar del Zur cum regionibus circumiacentibus insusisue in eodem passim sparsis novissima descriptio SPE ET METV GENIO ET INGENIO NOBILI DN NICOLAO ROCCOXIO PATRICIO ANTVERPIENSI EIVSDEMQVE VRBIS SENATORI Abrahamus Ortelius Regiae M t s geographus lub merito dedicabat 1589. NEVV SPAINE THis Prouince was about the yeere 1518 forcibly subdued to the Spanish gouernment vnder the command and conduct of Fernando Corlez who with the great slaughter of his owne people but farre greater of the inhabitants fighting for their liberty conquered the same It is a region rich of siluer and golde for it hath very many riuers yeelding sands or graines of perfect gold Vpon the coast of this countrey are many commodious fishings for pearle Salt lakes here are diuers the water whereof through the heat of the Sunne is conuerted into excellent salt Here is great abundance of Cassia fistula and a kind of fruit in the Mexican language called Cacao somewhat resembling an Almond which is with them very highly esteemed for hereof they make a kinde of drinke to their owne taste most delicate The seas and riuers belonging to this countrey abound mightily with fish Their riuers also breed Crocodiles whose flesh is food to the inhabitants In these places this creature is for the most part aboue twenty foot long It is a countrey very mountainous and beset here and there with most lofty and cragged rocks So great is the diuersity of languages in these regions that one cannot vnderstand another without an Interpreter The principall Colonies to be seene in this Table which in New Spaine haue been planted by the Spaniards are first Compostella the seat of a Bishop and of one of the Kings counsels Colima by another name called the city of the Purification Guadalajara a towne most famous and head of the Kingdome of New Gallicia Mechoacan a Bishops sea also Sacatula the city of Angels a mother-towne and a Bishoprick Mexico a Kingly city or rather Queene of all the cities in the New world situate vpon the banke of a lake or rather of a fenne yea the very ground-plot of this city is so fenny that you cannot come thither nor depart thence but ouer bridges and cawseys The lake adioyning is salt being six leagues long and fiue broad Fishes it hath none but very small ones which more aptly may be called wormes than fishes of whose putrefaction which is there caused by the heat of Summer the aire is sometimes so infected that it is most vnholesome dwelling there yet is it as much frequented with inhabitants and merchants as any mart-towne in Europe It is a large city for in compasse it containeth about three leagues The other lake adioining to this is fresh water and very plentifull of fish wherein also stand many townes There are likewise a great number vpon the banks of either lake In this city as Ierome Giraua reporteth there was by Pope Paul the third established the seat of an Archbishop in the yeere 1547. This citie was taken by the Spaniards 140 yeeres after the first foundation thereof Montezuma at the same time being King the ninth in number A wonder how in so few yeeres it should grow to such largenesse and magnificence The nature situation and customes of this citie and of the territory adiacent who desires more perfectly to know may reade the relations of Fernando Cortez Extant they are in the volume intituled Nouus orbis and in the volume of Nauigations printed at Venice in Italian but especially John Gonsaluo who in his little booke of China hath a most large description of this region You haue also many notable discourses hereof in the third Volume of M. Hakluyts English voyages HISPANIAE NOVAE SIVAE MAGNAE RECENS ET VERA DESCRIPTIO 1579. Lectori Partium longitudinis huius tabulae inituum non fumitur Ptolemaico more ab infulis Canarijs versus Oriente sed à Toletano Hispaniensis meridiano Occidentem versus Notularum circa Mexico explanatio a. Escalpucoleo b. Tucuba c. Istapalapa d. Ximaloaca e. Teutitlan f. Gucytitlan g. Mexicalcingo h. Culiacan i. Catlavaca k. Nicsquique l. Cinarantepec m. Xiquicpico n. Ocellotepec o. Vcicilapa p. Mimiapa q. Tecaÿuca r. Chalcontengo s. Tapalcapan t. Tisquiquiac u. Xilocingo x. Chiconantla y. Techcistlan z. Caltoca The Prouince of CVLIACAN THis Prouince of CVLIACAN is part of the kingdome of New Galicia It was discouered vnder the gouernment of Charles the fifth in the yeere 1530. In this region is one only colonie of Spaniards called The towne of S. Michael Villages here are very many built by the inhabitants all which before the Spaniards arriuall were at their owne libertie yeelding obedience to no King or Gouernour The region is indifferently furnished with things necessary Out of the mountaines is digged great abundance of siluer The inhabitants are addicted to war and robbery They that dwell vpon the coast employ most of their time in fishing but the vplandish people liue by hunting They goe naked couering only their priuities with a piece of Cotton They haue many languages They lodge for the most part in the open aire They are a most beggerly nation CVBA and HISPANIOLA THis Island of Cuba is so called by the naturall inhabitants but by the Spaniards Fernandina and Joanna and as Peter Martyr reports Alpha and Omega In length it extendeth East and West 300 Spanish leagues containing in bredth fifteene and in some places twenty of the said leagues The land is very mountainous but rich of gold and excellent copper Madder which the Apothecaries because it is very apt to die wooll and leather call Diers-madder is heere found in great abundance It is in all places beautified with thicke woods with riuers and pooles of fresh water albeit there are lakes naturally
well be deemed inuincible and the most puissant of nations As touching their bodies they are verie healthfull and want nothing Nor is there any nation that I know gouerned by better lawes Thus much and more concerning this people and countrey who list may reade in the same authour Deutschlanndt GERMANIAE TYPVS Per Franciscum Hogenbergium conciunatus Anno partae salutis M.D.LXXVI vbiorum Coloniae Cum Gratia et Priuilegio Magnifico Nobili ac Praecellentj viro ac Domino D. Constantino a Lÿskirchen florentissimae Agrippinensis Reipub. Confuli Seniori Franciscus Hogenbergius nuncupat GERMANIE on this side RHENE commonly called THE NETHERLANDS or THE LOW COVNTRIES THis Table representeth not all the Lower Germanie but only that part which King Philip sonne to Charles the fifth challenged by right of inheritance And it conteineth these 17. Prouinces the Dukedomes of Brabant Limburgh Lutzenburg and Guelders the Earledomes of Flanders Artois Henault Holland Zeland Namur Zutfen the Marquesat of the sacred Empire the Signiories of Frisland Mechlin Vtreight Ouerissell and Groemingen Regions as ciuill and as well manured as any in the world wherein according to Guicciardin are to the number of 208. cities fortified with walles rampiers or ditches and villages with churches aboue 6300 besides a great number of hamlets castles and forts And this tract beginning from the East maretine part at the riuer Amisus commonly Eems the bound hereof towards the Ocean hath these bordering Princes the Earle of East Friez the Bishop of Munster the Duke of Cleue the Archbishops of Colen and Triers and the French King along the Southwesterne shore as farre as the riuer Aa the extreame Westerne bound of these Prouinces The aire though it may seeme ouer-moist is notwithstanding most healthfull and agreeable to the constitution and digestion of the inhabitants who are heere very long liued especially in Kempenland the Northermost part of Brabant It is euery where watered with riuers and sufficiently adorned with woods and groues either for pastime of hunting or beautifull prospect Mountaines it hath none saue only about Lutzenburg Namur and in Henault where it riseth in some places into hilles It aboundeth with corne and fruits of all sorts and medicinable herbs Here also groweth great plentie of that graine which commonly is called Buckwey but the people corruptly pronounce it Bockwey as if you would say The Beech-herbe for the seed or graine albeit lesse in forme is three-square altogether like the nut of the Beech. So as it may truely be called Beech-mast or if you will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whether this simple were knowen of ancient times let Herbalists enquire Howbeit in some sandie places which the inhabitants in regard of abundance of heath or linge call Heath-ground as in Kempenland the North part of Brabant it growes not in such plentie But this kinde of heath yeeldes such excellent feed for cattell as by the confession of neighbour-countries their flesh is as pleasant and delectable to a mans taste as any other This region I suppose that Plinie in his 17. booke and 4. chapter most truely describeth when he saith What better feed than the pastures of Germanie And yet vnder a thin flag you haue immediatly a mould of barren sand It breedeth no creatures hurtfull to mankinde All the foresaid regions the greatest part of strangers most ignorantly mistaking part for the whole call by the name of Flanders and the inhabitants Flemings whereas Flanders is but a part only and but one Prouince of the seuenteene as in the Table you may plainly see These therefore are in as great an error as if a man to signifie Spaine should name Castilia Andaluzia or any other particular Prouince or speaking of Italie should mention Tuscan or Calabria c. or discoursing of the whole kingdome of France should nominate only Normandy or Bretaigne c. and so should imagine himselfe to haue spoken of all Spaine all Italie or all France These regions Iohn Goropius Becanus in his Becceselanis hath most learnedly described as likewise Peter Diuaeus of Louaine and Hubert Thomas of Liege Iohannes Caluetus Stella a Spaniard writ in his owne language a Iournall of King Philips progresse thorow all these Prouinces wherein you shall finde many particulars worth the reading that giue great light to the knowledge of these countries and cities But whoso desires to haue more full and absolute instructions of these places let him peruse Guicciardin and he will then thinke that he hath not read of these Prouinces but seene them with his eyes Lately also Dauid Chitraeus in his Saxon historie hath written both largely and learnedly of the same argument Whereas the inhabitants in most places speake both the Dutch and French languages and the countrey for traffique and other occasions is frequented by Spaniards and strangers of sundry nations hence it is that diuers cities townes and riuers are called by more names than one for euery man calles them according to his owne language by a name much differing from the proper name vsed by the inhabitants The ignorance of which multiplicitie of names hath made some authours otherwise not to be discommended to fall into intolerable errours and amongst the residue Dominicus Niger in his Geographie who puts downe Anuersa in stead of Tarauanna and Antorpia which notwithstanding in the copie printed by Henrick Peterson he corruptly calles Antropicia he placeth vpon the banke of Tabuda thirty leagues from Tarauanna whereas all men know that Antorpia and Anuersa signifie one and the same citie of Antwerpe Likewise Machelen and Malines Leodium and Liege Nouiomagum and Nieumeghen Traiectum on the Maese and Trait for which he falsly writes Trecia he supposeth to be two seuerall townes ech couple whereas in very deed they signifie but one The citie Raremutium also he most grosly affirmeth to be called Liege and in another place he will needs haue the same Raremutium to be named Rhamon but by his description I coniecture that he meanes by his Raremutium and Rhamon nothing els but the towne of Ruermond So Rhenen a citie of Guelders standing on the banke of the riuer Rhene in regard of the affinitie of name he takes to be all one with the Bishopricke of Rhemes in the Prouince of Champaigne in France But being vtterly vnacquainted with the state of our countries his errors may seeme the more pardonable Howbeit lest others studious in Geography should fall into the like absurdities I thought good to annex vnto this page the coÌ„mon synonymas or sundry names of certaine particular places Antwerpen in Low Dutch in Latine Antuerpia and Andouerpia in High Dutch Antorff whereof in Latine they call it also Antorpia the Italians terme it Anuersa the Spaniards and French men Enberes and Anuers Aken in Dutch in French Aix and in Latine Aquisgranum Hertoghenbosche in Frâ—â—ch Boissedue and in Latine Silua ducalu Loeuen in Latine called Lâ—uanium and in French Louuain Lisle in High Dutch Kijsel in Latine Insula Liege in
all Italie Neere vnto this lake is the territorie of Rosella called of Virgill Rosaea rura velini Velino's fields bedecked with roses sweet of all Italie the most fertile which fertilitie was such as Varro witnesseth that a rod being left in it ouer night the next day it might not be seene for grasse and therefore it is called Sumen Italiae The sweet bread of Italie In former ages they haue reported that the plaine of Stellate was the goodliest and best soile of all Italie but now as Blondus saith the places about Bonony and Mutina do far surpasse the rest Sabellicus according to the common report of the common people attributeth these epithets vnto the chiefe cities of Italie Venice the rich Millane the great Genua the proud Florence the faire Bonony the fertile Rauenna the olde Rome the holie and Naples the noble But the commendation of this country set out by Plinie with as great a maiesty of words as that countrey doth excell the rest of the countreys of the world I cannot but I must needs before I passe from it set downe in this place by way of digression for so he speaketh of it in his third booke and fift chapter ITALIE the nurse and mother of all nations chosen by the prouidence of God to adde a lustre to the very heauens themselues to vnite dispersed kingdomes to temper and mollifie their rude and vnciuill maners to draw the dissonant barbarous and sauage languages of so many diuers people by the entercourse of one refined speech to a conference and parley to teach ciuilitie to men and briefly to make this one a common countrey for all the nations of the world But what shall I say more Such is the excellencie of all places that any man shall come vnto such is the maiestie of all things and of all people which do possesse it The citie of Rome which in it seemeth only to excell and to be a worthy face for so glorious a necke with what words or eloquence may I expresse it How beautifull is the countenance of Campania by it selfe how great and many are the glorious pleasures and delights of the same That it is manifest that in this one place nature hath shewed all her skill in a worke wherein she meant especially to delight And now indeed such is the vitall and continuall holsomnesse of the temperate aire such fertile plaines and champian grounds such sunny banks such harmlesse forests such coole and shady groues such fruitfull and bountifull kinds of woods such fertility of corne vines annd oliues such goodly flocks of sheepe such fat beeues so many lakes such store of riuers and fountaines euery where watering and bedrenching it so many seas hauens or ports as it were bosomes of the land euery where open and ready to entertaine and receiue the traffique of all lands and it selfe running into the sea as it were willingly offering it selfe and earnestly desiring to helpe and succour mortall men distressed in the same I doe omit to speake of the fine wits natures and maners of the people of the same as also of the seuerall nations ouercome by it partly by valour and partly by humanity The Graecians themselues a nation exceeding prodigall of their owne praise and glory haue iudged so of it calling a great part of it Magna Graecia Great Greece Of the ancient writers Caius Sempronius Marcus Cato Polybius in his second booke but most exactly Strabo as he doth all things els haue described this countrey Of the latter historiographers Blondus Iohannes Annius Viterbiensis in his commentaries vpon Berosus and other authors imprinted together with him Pontanus in his first booke of the famous acts of King Alphonsus Volaterrane Sabellicus Bernardus Saccus and Dominicus Niger but most exactly Leander Gaudentius Merula hath most excellently described Gallia Cisalpina which indeed is not the least part of Italie ITALIAE NOVISSIMA DESCRIPTIO AVCTORE IACOBO CASTALDO PEDEMONTANO FORVM IVLII FORVLY or FRIVLY THe originall of the name of Forum Iulij Leander saith diuers writers haue diuersly sought and censured Some doe thinke it so called of Iulius Caesar Blondus seemeth to affirme it to haue tooke his name of the citie Forum Iulij Antiquities do testifie that this region hath beene called Aquilegia of Aquilegium his chiefe or metropolitane city Lastly it is certaine that it is called Patria of the Venetians which name as yet also it reteineth to this day Blondus saith that it was long since called Liburnia but from whence when or for what cause it was so called he sheweth not The first that had here ought to doe were the Euganei Veneti Troiani Galli and after those the Romans vnder whom it did continually persist so long as the fortune and maiestie of the Roman Empire did stand sound and whole which at last declining it came into the hands and iurisdiction of the barbarous nations which oppressed Italie especially the Lombards and so remained vnto the time of Charles the great After that the gouernment thereof was in the power of the Patriarch of Aquileia vntill at length the Venetians desirous to enlarge their territories on this side reduced it wholly vnder their iurisdiction who at this day possesse it The situation of the region is thus It beginneth from a plaine abbuttant vpon the sea and so by a little and little encreasing first it riseth vp in little hilles and then into very high mountaines which almost on euery side so enclose his borders that this plaine enuironed about with the toppes of mountaines as with a wall sheweth like a Theater it is open but at one narrow straight by the which as by a gate ferrying ouer the riuer Sontio from Taruisio it may only be entred The other borders of it the Alpes on euery side doe limit and therefore not to be come vnto but by the sea-ports or valleys of the mountaines or els ouer their tops It hath vpon the sea-coasts very many hauens In this most goodly countrey are large champians watered with many pleasant streames and those fields exceeding fertile for it aboundeth with vines yeelding a kinde of wine which Plinie reckoneth and commendeth for the best and calleth it Vinum Pucinum of the place The mountaines of this countrey are very rich almost of all sorts of mettals to wit of Iron Lead Tinne Brasse Quicke-siluer Siluer and Golde They haue also Marble white blacke and party-coloured Pretious stones as Carneols Berylls c. and crystall Here are all sorts of fruits and apples of a most excellent taste Woods both for fuell timber and hunting most stately pleasant and beautifull meddowes and pastures most excellent pasturage for cattell The aire is temperate The fields of themselues doe abound with all things necessary for the vse of man as also for pleasure and delight The people of this countrey are most apt not only vnto all artes and liberall sciences but also for all merchandise and such other trades of life The most famous cities in it
also two sorts of Priests the one sort go in white with their heads shauen and liue by begging as our Friars do the other goeth in blacke wearing their haire long and dwell by themselues as our Priests vse to do heere in Europe Neither of them may marrie yet they liue very wantonly and licentiously Thus farre out of Scalantus It will not be amisse to these to adde some things out of others Iohn Barry in his Asian Decades giueth out that this king hath vnder him fifteen very great and large countries which they call Gouernments And moreouer he addeth that this King alone doth farre surpasse all the rest of the Princes of Asia round about him and that his yearely renenews do exceed all the riches and wealth of all Europe For handy-craft trades and occupations they do excell all men liuing their works are so finely and cunningly made that one would iudge them to haue been framed by nature and not by art and industrie of man At the city Nimpo which others call Liampo he saith it hath been obserued that some of the Portugals in the space of three moneths haue bought and shipped away 166000. pounds of silke Odoardus Barbosa writeth that the people are very kind and humane and go apparelled much like the Dutchmen whom also they do much resemble in pronunciation and maner of speech Those cleare and transparent vessels or dishes as white as the drift snow which amongst vs are of such great estimation are heere made in this maner They mingle certaine cochle-shels eg-shels other things together which they knead make into a paste This paste they hide in the earth where they let it li for the space of fourescore or an hundred yeares before they stirre it or looke to it again leauing it as a great inheritance or pretious iewell vnto their heires That paste they vse which their grandfathers or great grandfathers haue laied vp for them And they do obserue duely by an ancient custome that he which taketh away the old paste do put new presently in his place Antony Pigafetta calleth this King the most mighty Prince of the whole world He saith that his palace or house where he keepeth his Court is enclosed with 7. wals and that he hath alwaies 10000. souldiers for his gard continually there attendant vpon him and that 70. crowned Kings do homage vnto him and are subiect to his gouernment and command The same authour affirmeth that Muske is from hence transported into diuers parts of the world Andrew Corsalis he likewise saith that the greatest store of Rheubarbe and Pearle that is brought hither to vs in Europe doth come from hence In the Iesuites Epistles lately set forth in print many things well worth the obseruation are heere and there set downe of this country That of Ptolemey these people were called SINAE the situation doth plainly proue neither doth the name yet retained much differ from that For the Spaniards and Portugals do write it Ch na yet they pronounce it Sina Of the situation and nature of this country the behauiours and maners of the people you may read in a worke of Iohn Gonsalis set forth of this argument Of the same also read the letters of the Iesuites afore mentioned and Ferdâ—nando Lopez but especially the sixth booke of Maffeius de rebus Indicis Lastly the nienth chapter of the ninth booke of the first part of the choice Library of Posseuinus The Ile IAPAN OR IAPONIA IOhn Peter Maffey in the twelfth booke of his history of India doth thus write of this iland They are especially three greater ilands with many other smaller round about them disioined one from another by very narrow straits or armes of the sea that are called by the name of IAPAN or Iaponia The first and the greatest is diuided into three and fifty signiories or kingdomes the head and chiefe city of this is Meaco whereof this whole iland taketh his name The second is named Ximen and conteineth nine kingdomes the more famous cities of the kingdome of Bungo are Vosuqui and Funay The third iland is called Xicocum it conteineth not aboue foure kingdomes or signiories it is beautified with the goodly city Tonsa Tosa he calleth it of the same name with the kingdome Thus the regiments or kingdomes of Iapan are in all generally sixty and six beside diuers other iurisdictions which cannot iustly be called kingdomes The length of the whole maine land is as they say almost two hundred leagues the breadth is nothing so much for in some places it is not aboue tenne leagues broad at the most it is not aboue thirty leagues ouer Of the compasse there is nothing certainly written that I know of It runneth out from the South toward the North from the thirty degree of latitude almost to the thirty and eight Vpon the East it is opposite to New-Spaâ—ne remote from it not aboue 150. leagues Vpon the North it hath the Scythians or Tartarians and other such people exceeding rude and barbarous On the West lieth China Sinarum regno in some place neerer in some place further off according to the diuers windings and bendings of the shore for from the city Liampo which is the vttermost bound of China toward the West vnto Gotum Ogoto I thinke which is the first Iland of all Iapan that offereth it selfe to the view of those which saile from thence hitherward is not aboue threescore leagues but from Amacan a mart town in the West where the Portugals for the most part do altogether vse to trade vnto the same Gotum the cutte is 297. leagues ouer On the South neere hand it hath naught but the vast and wide Ocean further off certaine lands and countries not yet descried or knowne out of which the report goeth that certaine sailours came once by chance vnto Iapan and neuer put off from thence any more to returne backe to their natiue soile The country for the most part is full of snow all the yeare long bleake and cold and therefore not very fertile In September they cut downe their rise in some places they reap their wheat in May for this generally is the vsuall food throughout the whole country yet they make no bread of it as we vse heere in Europe but a kind of pudding or pappe which they eat in stead of bread The temperature of the aire is very kind and wholesome their fresh waters are passing good they haue also some bathes or springs of hot waters of soueraigne vertues in Physicke as some do constantly report High and steep mountaines they haue many heere and there but two are especially famous the one of which whose name I know not doth continually burne and cast out flames of fire as Aetna in Sicilia was wont to do and as Hecla in Island now vsually doth at certaine times In the toppe of this mountaine the Diuell enclosed in a white clowd sheweth himselfe to certaine men after that for deuotions sake they haue long
before namely the furnace or hearth the panne or kettle with the trefeet the tunnell the drinking cuppes or earthen pots the spoones and the boxes wherein they keep the hearb and the powder made of the same These things they set little lesse store by than we do heere in Europe by rings beset with pretious stones or bracelets of the best and most orient pearles Their houses for the most part are framed of timber to auoid the danger of earth-quakes which heere are very frequent and often although that some haue their houses very artificially and stately built from the foundation vpward of a very faire kind of stone They haue many goodly Churches and Monasteries both of men and women very rich and sumptuous The language of all these ilands is one and the same but so diuers and manifold and of such different dialects that it may not vniustly be said to be many For they haue of one and the same thing diuers and sundrie names of which some are vsed in scorne and bad sense others in good sense and honourable vsage other phrases and words are vsed by the Nobility others by the common people others are spoken by the men others by the women Moreouer they speake otherwise than they write and in their writing there is a great variety for they write their priuate letters vnto their friends one way and bookes and such like another way They haue diuers bookes very fairely written both in verse and in prose Againe their letters are such as in one and the same character they do expresse and signifie sometime one word sometime two or more Lastly the Iaponian language is of indifferent iudges preferred before the Latine either in respect of the elegancy and smoothnesse of pronunciation or copy and variety of the same therefore it requireth both great time and labour to learne it They are a very warlike people and much giuen to follow that kind of life the chiefe men of dignitie which haue the command of the kingdome and gouernment of the same they generally call Tonos although amongst those there are also certaine degrees as there are amongst our Nobility Princes Dukes Marquesses Earles and Barons Another sort of men there are amongst them which haue the charge and managing of matters of their Church these are shauen all ouer both head and beard these may neuer marrie but do vow perpetuall chastity There are diuers and sundrie sects of these religious persons amongst them some there are which after the maner of the Knights of the Rhodes do iointly professe armes and religion together but they are generally called by one name Bonzij They haue in many places diuers great schooles such as we call Vniuersities The third state or sort of people amongst them are the citizens and other degrees of gentry next vnto these are the retalers hucksters factours and shop-keepers with artificers and handiecraft-men of diuers occupations very ingenious and skilfull in their trades They haue many kinds of armours and warlike weapons made of sundrie makings and excellent temper They haue also the vse of Printing with letters and stamps not much vnlike our maner inuented and practised heere in Europe The last sort and state of people in these ilands are the husbandmen and labourers Generally it is a very subtile wittie and wise Nation and of singular endowments and good parts of nature both for acute iudgement aptnesse of learning and excellency of memorie It is no shame or reproach to any to be accounted poore Slaunderous and railing speeches theeuing robberies and that vngodlie kind of rash othes and swearing with all kind of dicing and gaming they do vtterly abhorre and detest Any offendours against the Law of what degree soeuer are punished by no lesse punishment than banishment confiscation of goods or death Those which are to be executed are for the most part beheaded suddenlie before they are aware Notwithstanding it is the maner in some places to cary such as are taken for robberies in a certaine kind of carre round about the city in the face of all the people and to hang them vp without the wals of the towne In the seruice of God which is the chiefe point of iustice and vertue they do miserably erre and swarue from the right tract Their guides and great masters of religion to informe the rest are those which I say they name Bonzij Amongst their saints which they worship the chiefe are those which they call Amida and Xaca other idols they haue of lesse estimation and note amongst them whom they pray vnto for health recouery in sickenesse children money other things belonging to the body these they call Camis All Iaponia or the people of that name were subiect in time past vnto one Emperour whom they called Vo or Dair this was his title of honour and dignity vntill such time as he growen effeminate and giuen to pleasures and ease became to be scorned and contemned by the Lieutenants and Nobility especially of the Cubi for so they called the two chiefest Princes vnto whom the gouernment of the country was committed of which afterward the one did kill the other therefore the Lieutenants of the seuerall shires with the military men hauing for a time endured such a carpet Knight by and by began to loath his gouernment and at last wholly shaking off the yoke of subiection seised euery man into his owne hand the prouince ouer which he was set as gouernour vnder the Emperour so at an instant that vnited body and maine Empire of so large command was shattered as it were into many parts and pieces yet so as notwithstanding a kind of soueraigne authority doth euen to this day remaine in the Dair of distributing and giuing the titles of honour to the Nobility which eftsoones are altered according to the diuersity of the degrees and are designed by certaine notes and badges The chiefe and most mightie of all the Princes of Iaponia is he that gat either by force or policy Meacum and the best kingdomes neere to the same which they generally by one name do vulgarly call Tensa Those places were lately possessed by Nubunanga that tyrant which I spake of before this King being slaine by treason about two yeares before and his children murdered or banished one Faxiba a chiefe captaine of the rebels by force and violence stepped into his regall throne and tooke vpon him to sway the scepter of that kingdome The honour and credit of the first entrance of this Iland certaine Portugals do challenge and take vnto themselues but I do rather giue credit to Antonio Gaualno who reporteth in that booke which he wrote of the descries of the New-found world that Antonâ—o Mota Francisco Zeimoro and Antonio Pexoto in their iourney as they sailed from the city Dodra in Sion to passe for China they were caried by a contrary wind to the Ilands of the Iaponians about two and forty yeares before that time All this we haue extracted out
Genes 13. signifieth an heap It stood ouer against Bethel Saint Hierome labouring to expresse the Hebrew letter Ain writeth it Hagai and saith that in his time 〈◊〉 parua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a small heap of rubbish HEBRON Whâ—n Abraham returned out of Aegypt after his long Peregrination seeking a new resting place leaueth Bethel and trauelleth vnto Hebron Hebron oft mentioned in diuers places of Holy Scripture had many more ancient names Of which one was Cariath-arbe that is Tetrapolis Foure cities For antiquity diuided the principall and Metropolitane cities into foure parts wardes we would call them The first was the court of the Prince where also the Counsell the Nobility and Princes did keep The second was for the souldiers and military men The third was reserued for the husbandmen In the Fourth the artificers and tradesmen dwelt There also was the vale of Mamre so called of an Ammonite who possessed it Gen. 14. and made a league with Abraham Heere three guests who went to destroy Sodom and Gomorrhe were interteined of Abraham There Abraham buried Sara his wife Gen. 23. And therefore some thinke it was called Ciriath-arbe that is tetrapolis the city of 4 great men for that heere were buried 4. Patriarkes Adam Abraham Isaac and Iacob Gen. 25.35.49 IABOC the riuer Iaboc that is of emptinesse or scattering or wrestling The things done heere and the histories recorded are agreeable to the etymologie and reason of the name for heere Iacob wrestled with the Angell and therefore he was after that named Israel that is a Prince of God or preuailing with God But the place where he wrestled Iacob called Penuel that is seeing God or the face of God IERICHO Some do expound it his moone others his mon'ths or his smell We do approue the later exposition of smelling rather than either of the two former and that for the pleasant and fragrant smell which partly issued from the gardens and orchyeards of the rare and soueraigne Balsam a plant only growing in this place and partly from the Palmetrees which heere do grow in greater abundance than any where else in the world beside And therefore in the 34. of Deut. it is called the City of Palme trees IERVSALEM that is The vision of peace It enclosed two mountaines vpon the which it stood the name of the one was Sion vpon the which stood the castle or palace of Dauid Now Sion signifieth a watch tower a beacon The name of the other was Moria vpon which the temple of Salomon was built For the very name also doth shew that the fathers in old time did sacrifice in that place And Abraham lead his sonne Isaac to sacrifice him to the Lord to this mountaine As concerning the etymologie of mor-iah we are contented with that deriuation of Abraham who nameth it God shall see Therefore let this be receiued that mor-iah signifieth the beholding or the demonstration of God Yet other etymologies and deriuations are not altogether from the purpose and to be reiected as these the illumination of God or the feare of God IORDANIS A famous riuer running through the middest of the country arising out of the foot of the mount Libanus It hath two fountaines or heads like vnto our riuer of Thames one called by the name of Ior which name in the Hebrew tongue signifieth a brooke the other by the name of Dan. These meeting and running together in one channell they are called by one name Iordan compound of the names of the seuerall heads MACHANAIM that is two camps Gen. 23. These are the campes of God as Iacob himselfe nameth this place For as he returned out of Mesopotamia by Gilead the Angels of God met him Whereupon he called this place Mahanaim the tents or camp of God that is the presence and gard or garrison of the Lord. NAIM a city so called of the pleasant situation of it as seemeth by the etymologie of the word for Nahim signifieth pleasant delightsome Our Sauiour Christ going from Capernaum entreth into Naim and in the very gate and entrance of the city he raiseth the only sonne of a widdow from death to life and so turneth the heauinesse and mourning of the mother into ioy and gladnesse SALEM was the dwelling place of Melchisedecke Iosephus saith that it was that towne which afterward was named Ierusalem Neither will I oppose my selfe against this opinion receiued by so many great and learned men But there was another Salem which afterward was called Sichem as is left recorded in the 33. chapter of Gen. as we haue touched before Thou seest therefore how Abraham Loth Melchisedecke who was the same with Sem the sonne of Noe dwelt not farre one from another SAMARIA the keeper of God Obserue heere that our Authour mistooke the name of a man for the name of a place For Samariah 1. Chronic. 12.5 was one of Dauids friends that went with him when he fled from the presence of Saul or else one of the sonnes of Harim of the number of those that had maried strange wiues as is manifest out of 1. Esdr 10.32 when as the city was named in the Hebrew tongue not Samaria but Shomrom This city was the seat of the Kings of Israel the Metropolitane of the tenne tribes where their princes vsually kept their court It was battered and laid leuell with the ground by Hyrcanus the high Priest of the Iewes This afterward being reedified againe by Herod the sonne of Antipater was called for the honour of Augustus Caesar by a Greeke name Sebaste that is AVGVSTA Heere Philip whose consorts and fellow helpers were Peter and Iohn first preached the Gospell Actor 8.5 Samaria is spoken of 3. king 18.19 and 4. king 6.7.10.17 SAREPTA a melting house a refining or clensing house For the Sidonians which first inuented the maner of making of glasse heere first erected and built their furnaces or glasse houses In the time of that great famine which raged and was spread all ouer Iudaea Elias by the prouidence and commandement of God was sent vnto a widdow of Sarepta whom he together with her sonne preserued from famine and death 3. King 18. Moreouer in the 15. chapter of S. Matth. there is mention made of the Chanaanite woman that besought Christ to heale her daughter SICHEM or Sechem Gen. 12. Thither Abraham went presently after he came from Charram in Mesopotamia Sichem stood in that part of the country which afterward was allotted to the tribe of Ephraim neere the famous mount Garizim and not farre from whence not many yeares after the city Samaria was built The word Shecem signifieth a shoulder and the city peraduenture was so named of the situation neere the mount Garizim But the name also of the sonne of Hemor was Shecem of whom some thinke this place was so called This towne is oft spoken of in the holy Scriptures In the last chapter of Iosua it is expresly written that the bones of Ioseph were buried in this place
VRBS The city of Mars by the Poët Martiall MATER CIVITATVM The mother of cities the Metropolitan city by Ennodius MATER DVCVM The mother of famous generals by Claudian MATER DIGNITATVM The mother of honour and dignity by Cassiodor MATER ELOQVENTIAE The mother of eloquence by the same authour MATER MVNDI The mother of the world by Rutilius MATER OMNIVM VRBIVM The mother of all cities the metropolitan city by Dionysius Afer and Eustathius MATER REGVM The mother of kings by Claudian MAXIMA RERVM The greatest of all things to be seene vnder heauen by Virgil the Poet MVNDI MIRACVLVM The miracle of the world by Cassiodore MVNDI TOTIVS TEMPLVM The temple of the whole world by Ammianus Marcellinus NVMINIS INSTAR Like an heauen goddesse by Lucane OFFICINA ORBIS The shoppe of the whole world by Seneca ORBIS CAPVT The head of the world by Ouid ORNATA SENATORIBVS Beautified with graue senatours by Cassiodore PATRIA COMMVNIS The common countrey by Modestine PATRIA GENTIVM The countrey and natiue soile of all nations by Pliny PATRIA LIBERTATIS The countrey of liberty by Sidonius POTENS The mighty by Horace Ausonius Paulinus and Ouid PRAEPOTENS The puissant by Nazuius PRIMA TERRARVM The principall of all lands by Paulinus PRIMA INTER VRBES The chiefe city of the world by Ausonius PRINCEPS VRBIVM The principall city by Horace PVLCHERRIMA The most beautifull by Virgil PVLCHERRIMA RERVM The most goodly and beautifullest thing in the world by the same Poët PVLCHRA The beautifull by Athenaeus and Ouid QVIRINI VRBS Quirinus citie by Ouid REGIA The palace by Horace REGINA The Queene by Athenaeus and Ammianus Marcellinus REGINA PVLCHERRIMA MVNDI The most beautifull Queene or Princesse of the world by Rutilius REGINA RERVM The Queene of all things by Eunapius REGINA TERRARVM The Queene of all lands by Ammianus and Nazarius REGINA VRBIVM The Queene of all cities by Athenaeus ROMVLEA Romulus his citie by Ouid SACERDOTII FONS The fountaine and author of Priesthood in the Code of Iustinian SACRA The holy city by Ausonius Mamertinus Aethicus and in some ancient marble SACRATISSIMA VRBS The most sacred and holy city in Iustinians Code SATVRNIA Saturnes city by Ouid SEDES TOTO MIRABILIS ORBE A seat which all men in the world do much admire by Cassiodore SEPTEMGEMINA by Statius SVPERBA The proud and stately by Ausonius TEMPLVM BELLICOSI MARTIS The temple of warlike Mars by Plutarch TEMPLVM LATISSIMVM OMNIVM VIRTVTVM The most large and spacious temple of all heauenly virtues by Cassiodore TEMPLVM MVNDI The common temple of the world by Ammianus Marcellinus TROIVGENA An impe of Troy by Liuy TVRBIDA The foule and filthy city by Iuuenall and Persius VALLATA The well defenced city by Silius Italicus VENERABILIS The reuerend and honourable city by Ammianus VERTEX MVNDI The top or center of the world by Sidonius VICTRIX The conqueresse by Ouid VICTVRA CVM SAE CVLIS A city that shall stand as long as the world endureth by Ammian VIRTVTVM LAR The seat where virtue dwelleth by Ammianus VRANOPOLIS The heauenly city by Athenaeus These and diuers other praises and commendations thou mayest obserue in sundry good authours of this city Cui par est nihil nihil secundum To which nothing is equall or that may be compared vnto it as Martiall speaketh of it Et Qua nihil in terris complectitur altius aether A statelier thing than which in all the world The glorious sunne hath neuer seene as Claudian writeth And as Martianus testifieth It was the head of all Nations for munition and holy men so long as it stood in the prime equalling euen the glory of heauen it selfe whose walles as Olympiodorus in his Collections hath according to the suruey and measure of Ammon the Geometer at what time the Gothes first ouerran and sacked the same were found to be one and twenty miles about Flauius Vopiscus writeth that Aurelianus the Emperour did so much enlarge this city that the walles of it were well neere fifty miles in compasse Of Arpinum Cicero the famous oratours natiue soile for that it is conteined in this Map I can not but write what Volateranus hath noted of it namely that in their ensignes or banners they do beare these three letters M. T. C. being the first letters of the name and syrname of that famous oratour Marcus Tullius Cicero as is supposed Of the Circaeian mount for that it is seuerally described in this Table I thinke it not amisse to make a peculiar description of the same apart by it selfe CIRCAEIVS MONS Now MONTE CIRCELLO PLiny and Pomponius Mela call this mountaine CIRCEIVM MONTEM Strabo and Ptolemey CIRCAEVM but an ancient inscription in this same place calleth it CIRCAEVM denominated as ancient writers affirme of Circes the famous sorceresse who sometime dwelt here as they verily beleeued Whereupon Mela and Solinus as also Ouid himselfe nameth it Circes domum Circes house Item Appollonius in like maner calleth it Circes habitacle Ae AE AE portum with three diphthongs as Seruius obserueth in Virgil the Aeaean hauen It was so called as the same Grammarian writeth of a contemptuous word vsed by those which passed by that way which they vttered in contempt of those her witchcrafts sorceries whereby she turned men into swine practised in this place This was long since an iland and inuironed round with the ocean sea but now by continuance of time it is ioyned to the continent as Solinus testifieth The like doth Pliny affirme of it It was sayth he sometime inclosed round with the maine sea as Homer seemeth to thinke but now it standeth vpon the firme land But was not Homer deceiued surely so Procopius in the first booke of his Gothica seemeth to thinke Of the mountaine Circeius sayth he where they report Vlysses had conference with the enchantresse Circe as I thinke they speake many things that are not true except that peraduenture one might say that this mountaine was therefore an iland for that it shooteth out an huge way into the vast ocean c. And although that Homer heere hath Theophrastus in his history of Plants and Seruius in his Commentaries vpon Virgils Aeneides vpon his side as Patrons of fabulous antiquity yet that I should rather leane vnto Procopius the opinion of the learned M. Isaac Casaubon who in those his laborious Commentaries vpon the Geography of Strabo hath obserued that oft times amongst the best Geographers Ilands and Promontories are confounded and one put for another so that that which one authour termeth a promontory another calleth by the name of an I le or a neckland Therefore I do willingly preferre the description of Strabo of this place before those descriptions of any other authours whatsoeuer as more true and probable From Antium sayth he two hundred foure score and ten furlongs is situate mount Circello Circaeum an hill inuironed partly with the sea and partly with