necessary habitation as for strength and safety Now that the World was throughly peopled before the Flood seems clear to me by that great and universall Deluge which God was pleased to bring upon the Face of all the earth For what need all the Earth be buried in that Sea of waters if all the Earth had not been peopled and all the people of it guiltie of oppression in the sight of God Besides it is expresly said in the Holy Scripture that in the time of Abraham who lived about 350 years after the Flood in the largest Accompt and not 300 in the shortest there were Kings of Egypt and of the Philistims Kings of the Canaanites of Shinaar Elasar Ellan and of the Nations who questionlesse had their Lands well peopled that both Chaldea and Mesopotamia in the time of Abraham had their severall Cities as Vr in the one and Haran or Charan in the other and that Damascus the chief Citie of Syria was then founded also Not to say any thing of the building of Babel Erech Accad and Chalneh in the land of Shinar or Babylonia nor of the building of Ninive Resan Rehoboth and Chalah in the land of Assyria mention whereof is made in the 10 of Genesis And it is found in good and credible Authors that Ninus the third Assyrian Monarch who lived before the birth of Abraham having subdued the Kings of Media and Armenia invaded Bactria with an Army of 1700000 Foot and 200000 Horse aud 10600 armed Charlots and was encountred by Zoroaster the King thereof with an Army of four hundred thousand The credibility whereof if it were disputed might be affirmed from the like numerous Army brought by Xerxes against the Greeks though in times long after following And if we will give credit unto Diodorus Sioulus who voucheth â—tesias for his Author Semiramis the Wife of Ninus invaded India with an Army of three Millions of men and upwards and yet was over-matched and slain by an Indian King If then within the space of 400 years we find the Eastern parts to be so well planted so many Kings possessed of their Regall Thrones and many of them able to impress such infinite Armies Why may we not conclude that in the course of 1656 years for so long it was from the Creation to the Flood the whole World was inhabited and planted in all parts thereof especially considering the long lives of men amounting to 800 or 900 years and consequently the long time they had to apply themselves to the Act of Generation And though I have no certain ground for it in the Book of God yet I am apt enough to be of Mercators opinion who placing the 16 Dynasty of the Kings of Egypt where Eusebius begins to calculate the Egytian times at the first planting of that Country by the Sons of Noah reckoneth the former fifteen to have been before the Flood and to reach very neer the times of the first Creation That Misraim the Son of Ham was possessed of Egypt within two hundred years after the Flood is a truth undoubted Nor see I any cause to doubt but that in the like space of time from the first Creation it might be planted also by the sons of Adam considering as we ought to do that in the infancy of the World when the bodies of men were most perfect and of greatest vigour they observed no degree of Kindred or Consanguinity nor tied themselves so strictly to one woman as they should have done And for the names of all the Kings of those severall Dynasties either they might be left engraven upon Pillars such as that of Seth or upon Altars of stone as in those of Ioppa or Misraim might have them by tradition from the hands of Noah and so deliver them by tale unto his posteritie the Egyptians being generally very good Heralds and standing very much on their own Antiquitie And if this may be said of Egypt as for my part I see no reason but it may then may the like be said of all Countries else that they had their severall Kings and Rulers and set forms of Government The Fathers of Families in those times having the command and soveraignty over all that descended of them Nor make I any question of it but they had severall Languages and forms of Speech at least as to the Dialect and pronunciation although the Radicals of the Language might remain the same But being there are no Remainders of this first Plantation unless we will give credit to some Iewish Fablers who tell us of some Giants who saved themselves upon Mount Sion or that of Masius Damascenus who speaks of some that saved themselves on an high Hill called Baris in some part of Armenia I shall the less insist upon it Nor had I stood so long upon these first Ages which Moses passeth over with so short a Narrative but that it is affirmed by Pererius a right learned Jesuit that neither Egypt nor Assyria nor the rest of the World was planted and inhabited before the Flood and that upon no stronger reason for ought I can find but that it is affirmed in the last words of the tenth of Genesis That by these that is to say by the posteritie of the Sons of Noah were the Nations divided in the Earth after the Flood Out of which words he thus concludeth Quo significatur talem divisionem non fuisse ante diluviuâ— By which it doth appear saith he that in the times before the Flood was no such division 'T is true that this division of the world by the Sonnes of Noah hath the best evidence in Scripture because there is expresse Text for it which is not for the first Plantations But looking on the great increase of mankind before the flood that saying of Berosus will prove tantamont to a Text of Scripture Ad comparandas novas sedes necessitatem compulisse that they were driven then by necessity to seek new dwellings the necessity of providing victualls for themselves and their families being as strong a motive unto such dispersions as the Confusion of Tongues was afterwards The difference is that that which such necessity would have done in long tract of time the confusion of Tongues did in an instant not onely making those proud Builders to give over the finishing of the Tower which they had begun but to unite themselves with such whose language came most neer to that which themselves were masters of It was high time no question to desist from this proud attempt when the Labourer understood not what the Workman called for but brought him things quite contrary to his expectation But because some Plantations had no reference to the Confusion of Tongues but were made before it or on the sending out of such Colonies as were neerest to the place where the Ark did rest I think it not amiss to resolve that question touching the resting of the Ark on which the Plantations of the East have so great dependance
is of different natures the parts adjoyning to the Weser being desert and barren those towards the Earldomes of Mark and Bergen mountainous and full of woods the Bishoprick of Bremen except towards the Elb full of dry sands heaths and unfruitfull thickets like the wilde parts of Windsor Forrest betwixt Stanes and Fernham In other parts exceeding plentifull of corn and of excellent pasturage stored with great plenty of wilde fruits and by reason of the many woods abundance of Akorns with infinite herds of swine which they breed up with those naturall helps of so good a relish that a Gammon of Wesiphalian Bacon is reckoned for a principall dish at a great mans Table The old inhabitants hereof were the Chauci Majores about Bremen the Chanani Angrivarii and Bructeri inhabiting about Munster Osuaburg and so towards the land of Colen and part of the Cherusci before spoken of taking up those parts which lie nearest unto Brunswick and Lunenbourg All of them vanquished by Drusus the son-in-law of Augusius but soon restored to their former liberty by the great overthrow given by the Cherusci and their associates to Quintilius Varus Afterwards uniting into one name with the French they expulsed the Romans out of Gaul leaving their forsaken and ill-inhabited seats to be taken up by the Saxons with whom the remainders of them did incorporate themselves both in name and nation Of that great body it continued a considerable Member both when a Kingdome and a Dukedome till the proscription and deprivation of Duke Henry the Lyon at what time the parts beyond the Weser were usurped by Barnard Bishop of Paderborn those betwixt the Weser and the Rhene by Philip Archbishop of Colen whose successours still hold the title of Dukes of Westphalen the Bishopricks of Breme Munster Paderborn and Mindaw having been formerly endowed with goodly territories had some accrewments also out of this Estate every one catching hold of that which lay nearest to him But not to make too many subdivisions of it we will divide it onely into these two parts VVestphalen specially so called and 2 the Bishoprick of Bremen In VVESTPHALEN specially so called which is that part hereof which lyeth next to Cleveland the places of most observation are 1 Geseke a town of good repute 2 Brala a village of great beauty 3 Arusberg and 4 Fredeborch honoured with the title of Prefectures 5 VVadenborch 6 Homberg lording it over fair and spacious territories All which with two Lordships and eight Prefectures more dispersed in the Dukedome of Engern and County of Surland belong unto the Bishop of Colen the titulary Duke of VVestphalen and Angrivaria Engern as he stiles himself 7 Mountabour perhaps Mont-Tabor seated in that part hereof which is called VVesterwald a town of consequence belonging to the Elector of Triers 8 Rhenen 9 Schamlat and 10 Beekem reasonable good towns all of the Bishoprick of Munster 11 Munster it self famous for the Treaty and conclusions made upon that treaty for the peace of Germany seated upon the River Ems and so called from a Monastery here founded by Charles the great which gave beginning to the Town supposed to be that Mediolanium which Ptolemy placeth in this tract a beautifull and well fortified City and the See of a Bishop who is also the Temporall Lord of it Famous for the wofull Tragedies here acted by a lawlesse crew of Anabaptists who chose themselves a King that famous Taylor John of Leiden whom they called King of Sion as they named the City New Jerusalem proclaimed a community both of goods and women cut off the heads of all that opposed their doings and after many fanatick and desperate actions by the care and industry of the Bishop and his confederates brought to condigne punishment The Story is to be seen at large in Sleidan and some modern pamphlets wherein as in a Mirrour we may plainly see the face of the present times 12 Osnaburg first built as some say by Julius Caesar as others by the Earls of Engern but neither so ancient as the one nor of so late a standing as the others make it here being an Episcopall See founded by Charles the Great who gave it all the priviledges of an Vniversity Liberally endowed at the first erection of the same and since so well improved both in Power and Patrimony that an alternate succession in it by the Dukes of Brunswick hath been concluded on in the Treaty of Munster as a fit compensation for the Bishoprick of Halberstad otherwise disposed of by that Treaty of late enjoyed wholly by that Family 13 Quakenberg on the River Hase 14 VVarendorp and 15 VVildshusen towns of that Bishoprick 16 Paderborn an Episcopall See also founded by Charles the Great at the first conversion of the Saxons more ancient then strong yet more strong then beautifull 17 Ringelenstein and 18 Ossendorf belonging to the Bishop of Paderborn 19 Minden upon the VVeser another of the Episcopall Sees founded by Charles the Great and by him liberally endowed with a goodly Patrimony converted to lay-uses since the Reformation under colour of Administration of the goods of the Bishoprick and now by the conclusions at Munster setled for ever on the Electors of Brandenbourg with the title of Prince of Minden 20 Rintelin a strong town conveniently seated on the Weser not far from Minden to the Bishop whereof it doth belong Hitherto one would think that Westphalen had formerly been a part of Saint Peters Patrimony belonging wholly to the Clergy but there are some Free Cities and secular Princes which have shares therein as 1 VVarburg a neat town but seated on an uneven piece of ground neer the River Dimula a town which tradeth much in good Ale brewed here and sold in all parts of the Country heretofore a County of it self under the Earls hereof now governed in the nature of a Free Estate and reckoned an Imperiall City 2 Brakel accompted of as Imperiall also 3 Hervâ—rden a town of good strength and note governed by its own Lawes and Magistrates under the protection of Colen 4 Lemgow belonging heretofore to the Earls of Lippe but by them so well priviledged and enfranchised that now it governeth it self as a Free Estate Here is also 5 The town and County of Ravensburg belonging anciently to the Dukes of Cleve and now in the rights of that house to the Elector of Brandenbourg As also 6 the Town and County of Lippe lying on the west side of the VVeser the Pedegree of the Earls whereof some fetch from that Sp. Manlius who defended the Roman Capitol against the Gauâ—s they might as well derive it from the Geese which preserved that Capitol others with greater modestie look no higher for it then to the times of Charls the Great one of the noble Families of the antient Saxons Some other Lords and Earls here are but these most considerable all of them Homagers of the Empire but their acknowledgments hereof little more then titular though not
room furnished and adorned herewith Here was born Galen the famous Physican living very healthfully to the age of 140 yearsthis health preserved to so great age by these means specially 1. Never eating or drinking his fill 2. Never eating any thing that was rawe 3. Alwates carrying about him some sweet perfumes Finally this was one of the seven Churches to which Saint John writ his Revelation For though it were originally a City of Mysia yet being near unto the borders of Lydia it was reckoned as a City of the Lydian Asia within the limits whereof those seven Chareche were all comprehended As for the Kings hereof which flourished here for some ages in such wealth and splendour they came but from a poor and obscure original The first of them one Sphiletaerus an Eunuch belonging to Antigonus one of the Great Alexanders greatest Captaines and after his death to Lysimachus King of Thrace by whem trusted with his money and accompts Fearing the furie of his Master then grown old and tyrannous he seized on the Castle of Pergamus and therein on 90000 talents which he offered with his service unto Seleucus the first King of Syria But both Lysimachus and Seleucus dying shortly after he kept the money to himself and reigned in this City as an absolute King leaving the Kingdome at his death to his Brother Eumenes no better man then a poor Carter till raised by the fortunes of this Eunuch Eumenes furnished with money though of no great territory was able by the Gaules and other Mercinaries not only to preserve himself against the Syrian Kings who laid claim to his City but also to enlarge his bounds as he saw occasion But the main improvement of this Kingdome happ'ned in the dales of Eumenes the second the sonne of Attalus the brother and Successour of this Eumenes who being useful to the Romans in their warres against Philip of Macedon and Antiochus the Great King of Swir was liberally rewarded by them with the Provinces of Lydia Phrygia Aeolis Ionia Troas and both the Mysia's which they had taken from Antiochus in the end of that warre The rest of the affaires hereof till it fell in fine unto the Romans taken here in this short Catalogue of The Kings of Pergamus A. M. 3668. 1. Philetaerus the first King of Pergamus of whom before 20. 3688. 2. Eumenes Brother or as some say the Brothers sonne of Philetaerus vanquished Antiochus sirnamed Hierax in a fight neer Sardis and awed Seleucus Callinicus both Kings of Syria 22. 3710. 3. Autalus Brother of Eumenes restored Ariarathes the Cappadocian to his Kingdome and discomsited the Gaules compelling them to keep themselves within the Countrey since named Galatia A Confederate of the Romans and by them much courted 3754. 4. Eumenes II. Sonne of Attalus gratified by the Romans with the spoiles of Antiochus He was an hereditary Enemie to the Kingdome of Macedon which he laboured the Romans to destroy as in fine they did and thereby finding no more use of these Pergamon Kings began to grow to lesse liking with them 3782. 5. Attalus II. Brother of Eumenes to whom the Kingdome was offered by the Romans in the life of his Brother then lesse gracious with them but he most gallantly refused it to the great indignation of the Roman Senate 3792. 6. Fumene III. Brother of Attalus the second and Tutor or Pâ—otectour to his Nephew Attalus in whose minority he governed the estate as King 3813. 7. Attalus III. Sonne of Attalus the second succeeded on the death of his Uncle Eumenes and having held the Kingdome but five years onely deceased without issue bequeathed it by his last Will unto the Romans But before the Romans had possession of so great a Legacy Aristonicus the base Sonne of Eumenes made himself master of Mindus Colophon Samos and many other Towns and estates hereof Against whom the Romans making warre were aided by the greatest part of the Asian Kings not seeing their own danger and destruction to draw neer unto them by letting such a potent neighbour come amongst them to undo them all But the Romans got little by this warre though they had the better of it For being now made masters of the riches and sweets of Asia they took with them their vices also growing thereby to great riot and unparallelled luxurie which overcame the rigour and severity of their former discipline and made them apt for faction and those bloody quarrels which proved the ruine of their State So truly was it said by Justine Sic Asia facta Romanorum cum opibus suis vitia quoque sua Roman transmisit This Kingdome taking it in the largest extent thereof being thus subdued and setled as a Roman Province had the name of Asia according to the name of the Greater Concinent by Pâ—oâ—omie and others called Asiapropria continuing under the subjection of the Roman Emperours till the translating of the Imperiall seat unto Constantinople as after that unto the Emperours of the East till conquered piece-meal by the Turks of the Selznccian family Which being ended in the person of Aladine the second those parts hereof which lay next Troas made up the Kingdome of Carasan or Carasa-Illi as those which had been laid to the Greater Phrygia made up the Ardintant both of them swallowed up long since by the Ottoman Kings the Accessories running the same fortune as the Principalls did 11. ASIA SPECIALIVS DICTA BEsides the Proper Asia spoken of before containing all the Provinces of the Pergamon Kingdome there was one part hereof which antiently had the name of Asia before it was communicated to the greater Continent or this whole Peninsula This for distinctions sake the Romans called the PROCONSULAR ASIA because committed to the government of one of their Proconsuls who had his residence in Ephesus the principall City of this Province together with the Consular Hellespont and the Province of the Isles of Asia This we have spoken of before as also how the Countrey lying about Ephesus had more especially the name of Asia then any other so specially that Erasmus thereupon inferreth that by Asia in the New Testament but more peculiarly in the Acts is meant that part of Asia in which Ephesus standeth This being agreed on for the name we shall bound it on the East with Lydia whereof it was antiently a part on the West with the Aegean Sea on the North with Mysia and on the South with Caria And having so bounded it we shall divide it into the two Regions of AEOLIS and IONIA that of Aeolis lying on the North towards Mysix as Ionia doth upon the South towards Caria possessed both of them by Greek Nations and of them so named Principall Towns in AEOLIS are 1. Acarnea over against the Isle of Lesbos the Royall seat sometimes of the Tyrant Hermias who being once a Scholler of Aristotles but unworthy of so good a Master seized on this City and here committed so great cruelties that at last he was taken
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
nor the sonne of Julius But leaving Joseph to the singularity of his own conceits we find nothing done by the Assyrians or Chalaeans after this subjection which might denote them to have been once the Lords of so great an Empire Successively inslaved by the Medes Persians and Macedonians then by the Persians again afterwards by the Saracens next by the Turks a third time by the Persians once again by the Turks of the Ottoman Family unto whom now subject never endeavouring to assert in the way of war or opposition either their antient reputation or their native liberties but suffering themselves to be won lost fought for and again recovered by their quarrelsome Masters as if they had no title to their own Countrey but were born to follow the fortunes of all pretenders The reason of which is principally to be ascribed to the form of Government used amongst the Persians which was so Despoticall and absolute if not tyrannicall that they held all the people conquered by them in the nature of slaves not suffering any to grow great in a state of inheritance or to enjoy any place of power and profit under them in the conquered Provinces but at the pleasure of the Prince as it is now used amongst the Turks of the Ottoman Empire By means whereof the great men having no alliances amongst themselves and as few dependants amongst the people were never able to take head against the Conqueror but in the fall of the present Prince fell together with him it being a good rule of Machiavet that where the antient Nobility is in good regard linked in alliances with themselves and well respected by the common and inferiour people there it is difficult for the Invader though a Conqueror to win a Countrey and harder to keep it being conquered But on the other side where Nobility is quite worn out the Prince doth hold his Subjects in the nature of slaves there both the Conquest will be easie and soon assured For to what purpose should the Subjects resist the Conqueror or stand any longer to their King than he stands to himself when they are sure the Conqueror can lay upon them no heavyer burdens than they were accustomed to before and have withal a flattering hope that their new Masters may be gentler to them than their former were It fares with them no otherwise than with Aesops Ass which refused to make the opportunity of an escape from the hands of the enemie by which he was taken because he knew it was not possible they should lay more load upon his back than his old Master made him bear To which condition the Chaldeans and Assyrians being brought by the Persians and never accustomed to the tast of a better fortune have followed the same successes as the Persians did falling together with them from one hand to another the particular accompt of whose estate we shall find in Persia taking this onely for the close that when Solyman the Magnificent had discomfited Tamas King of Persia and taken the great City of Bagdat Caramit Merdin and the rest both in Assyria Chaldaea and Mesopotamia submitted to him without any resistance and received his Garrisons And for a confirmation of his estate he received at the hand of the Caliph of Babylon who by an old Prerogative had the nomination or confirmation at the least of the Kings of Assyria and the Sultans of Aegypt the Royall Ornaments and Ensignes Anno 1534. incorporating by that means those Regions into his estates and making them Provinces of his Empire in which he left a Beglerbeg at Bagdat to command in chief and divers Sanziacks in their severall and respective Provinces And though the Persian Kings have since taken and are still possessed of some places of importance in them yet I account them in regard of the said investiture and the long possession following on it for Provinces of the Turkish Empire as I do Media of the Persian though Tauris and some other peeces of it be possessed by the Turks OF MOUNT-TAURUS MOVNT-TAVRVS is a constant and continuall Ridge of hils which extend from the Mediterranean to the Indian Seas running thorow the whole length of Asia from West to East and dividing it as the Aequator doth the Globe into North and South It was called Taurus from the word Tur or Taur which in the Syriack and Chaldaean signifieth a mountain the common name of all high mountains being made peculiar unto this by reason of its greatness and continued length yet so that it had other names also in some parts thereof according to the Regions and Nations by which it passed and on which it bordered The course where of is thus set down by Sir Walter Ralegh premising onely that it beginneth in the Province of Lycia a Region of Asia Minor neer the Mediterranean These Mountains saith he which sunder Cilicia from the rest of Asia the less on the North thereof are called Taurus and where they part it from Comagena a Province of Syria they are called Amanus On the East side of the River Euphrates which forceth it self a way thorow it it sometimes resumeth the name of Taurus as in Ptolomies three first Tables of Asia and sometimes taketh the name of Niphates as in the fourth retaining that uncertain appellation so long as they bound Armenia from Mesopotamia After the River Tigris hath also cut them asunder they continue the name of Niphates altogether untill they separate Assyria and Media but then they call themselves Coatras although between the upper and lower Media they appear not alwaies but are seen discontinued and broke in pieces such parts of it as are found in the midle of that Countrey being called Orontes those which lie more towards the East being named Coronus out of the Southern parts whereof issueth the River of Bagradus which divideth the antient Persia from Caramania Continuing further East-ward by the name of Coronus they give unto the Parthians and Hyrcanians their proper Countries and afterwards change themselves into the Mountains of Seripht out of which riseth the River Margus And now beginning to draw towards the end of their course they first make themselves the South border of Bactria and are then known by the name of Paropamisns and after take unto themselves the name of Caucasus where the famous Rivers Indus Hydaspis and Zaradrus have their first beginnings In this point do they hold their heads exceeding high to equal the Mountains of Imaus whom they encounter within the 35 36. 37. Degrees of Latitude and the 140 Degree of Longitude known by no other name than this till finally they terminate their course in the Indian Seas So farre and to this purpose that noble Gentleman It may be added hereunto that though the antient Writers could trace the course of this Mountain no further than the meeting of it with Imaus yet later observations follow it to the wall of China the parts beyond Caucasus being now known by the
Chaldaea into Canâ—â—n A. M. 2021. Fifthly from their deliverance out of Egypt A. M. 2453. Sixthly from the first yeer of Jubilee A. M. 2499. Seventhly from the building of Solomons Temple An. 2932. And lastly from the Captivity of Babylon An. 3357. That which they had common with other Nations was the Aera or Epoche of the Victory of the Greeks which took beginning on the first Victory which Seleucus had against Antigonus which was in A. M. 3637. an Accompt much used by the Jews Chaldaeans Syrians and other Nations of the East But the Chaldaeans also had their own Epoche or Accompt apart reckoning their time from the first yeer of Nabonassar Salmanassar he is called in Scripture which being 438. yeers before this of Seleucus must fall in A. M. 3201. Next for the Grecians they reckoned a long while by Olympiaeies the first of which is placed in the yeer of the World 3174. of which more hereafter But this Accompt perishing under the Constantinopolitans they reckoned after by Indictions an Accompt devised by Justinian every Indiction containing 15. yeers the first beginning A. Ch. 513. which amongst Chronologers is still used The Romans reckoned first from the foundation of their City which was A. M. 3213 and afterwards from the sixteenth yeer of Augustus his Empire being that which properly is called the Roman Aera A. M. 3936. An Accompt used by the Spaniards where it first began till the Reign of Pedro the fourth of Aragon who abrogated it in his Dominions An Ch. 1350. followed therein by John the first of Castile An. 1383. and at last by the King of Portugal also 1415. The Christians generally do reckon from the Birth of CHRIST but this they did not use till the yeer 600. following in the mean time the Accompt of the Empire And finally the Mahometans beginning their Hegira for so they call the time of their Computation from the flight of their Prophet Mahomet from Mecca when he was driven thence by the Phylarchae which hapned A. Ch. 617. Of these we shall make use generally but of two alone those namely of the Worlds Creation and our Saviours Birth and of the building of Rome and the flight of Mahomet in things that do relate to those severall States Next for Geographie we will first define it and after explicate such terms or second notions as are not obvious to the understanding of every Reader First for the definition of it it is said by Ptolomie to be a description of the whole Earth or the whole Earth imitated by writing and delineation with all other things generally annexed unto it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is commonly but corruptly read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as his own words are In which we look not on the Earth simply as it is an Element for so it belongeth to Philosophy but as it is a Sphaericall body proportionably composed of Earth and Water and so it is the subject of Geography First for the Earth which is the first part of this body it is affirmed by the best Writers to be 21600. miles in compass which is demonstrable enough For being there are in every of the greater Circles 360. degrees every degree being reckoned at 60. miles let 360. be multiplied by 60. and the Product will be 21600. as before is said So that if it were possible to make a path round about the Earth an able Footman going constantly 24. miles a day would compass it in 900. days The Earth is divided In respect of men into the right hand and the left In respect of it self into parts Reall and Imaginary To Poets which turn their Faces towards the Fortunate Islands so memorized and chanted by them the which are situated in the West the North is the right hand and the South the left To the Augures of old and in our days to Priests and Men in holy Orders who usually in their Sacrifices and divine Oblations conâ—veâ—t themselves unto the East the South is the right hand and the North the left To Astronomers who turn their faces towards the South because that way the motions of the Planets may be best observed the West is the right hand and the East the left Finally to Geographers who by reason they have so much to do with the Elevation of the Pole do turn their faces towards the North the East is the right hand and the West the left The Reall parts of the Earth are divided commonly into Continents Ilands A Continent is a great quantity of Land not separated by any Sea from the rest of the World as the whole Continent of Europe Asia Africa or the Continents of France Spain Germany An Iland is a part of the Earth environed round about with some Sea or other as the Isle of Britain with the Ocean the Isle of Sicilie with the Mediterranean and therefore in Latine it is called Insula because it is situate in Salo as some derive it Touching the Continent I have nothing in general to inlarge til we come to the particular Chorography description of them But for Ilands leaving the disquisition of their being or not being before the Flood there are four causes to which they may be thought to owe their Originall 1. An Earthquake which works two waies towards their production First when by it one part of a Countrey is forcibly torne away from the other and so Eubâ—â—â— was divided from the rest of Attica And Secondly when some vehement wind or vapour being shut up in such parts of the Earth as be under the Sea raiseth the Earth above the Water whereunto the Originall of most of those Ilands which are far remote from any part of the Continent is probably to be referred 2. Great Rivers at their entry into the Sea carry with them abundance of gravell dirt and weeds which if the Sea be not the more working will in time settle to an Iland So the Corn which Tarquinius sowed in the Campus Martius being cut down by the people and cast into Tiber setled together and made the Holy Iland So the River Achelous caused the Echinades as anon we shall more at large declare 3. The Sea violently beating on some small Isthmus weareth it thorough and turneth the Peniusula into a compleat Isle Thus was Sicilie divided from Italie Cyprus from Syria England from France and Wight from the rest of England And 4. sometimes as it eateth and worketh on some places so it voluntarily leaveth and abandoneth others which in sometime grow to be Ilands and firm land under foot So it is thought the Isles of Zeland have been once part of the main Sea and Verstegan proveth it because that the Husbandmen in tilling and manuring the ground finde sometimes Anchors here and there fixt but very often the bones of huge and great fishes which could by no other accident come thither To these kinde of Ilands Pythagoras in Ovid alluding
no following Plantations from other Couutries were ever able to alter it Some Companies of Attica led by Iolaus came and setled here where they built Olbion and Agryllis leaving a memory of Iolaus their Captain in some places which remained in the time of Pausanias called Iolaia and taking to themselves for his sake the name of Iolatonses And after the destruction of Troy some of that scattered Nation came and planted in some voyd parts of the Iland kept to themselves the name of Ilienses and by that name are mentioned both by Plinie and Livie But neither of these Nations did attempt the change of the name because not of ability to suppress or out-power the Natives Nor could the Carthaginians do it though a more puissant Nation than the former were and such as by the neerness of their habitation Sardinia being distant but 160 miles from Africk had all advantags to make as at last they did a full Conquest of it building therein the Cities of Charmis Chalaris and â—ulchi and holding it untill it was unjustly extorted from them by the Romans at the end of the first Punick War at what time Carthage was in danger to be ruined by the revolt of her own Mercenaries and so not able to resist But of the name and first Plantations of this Iland we have said enough Let us now look upon the place in which it is reported that there is neither Wolf nor Serpent neither venomous nor hurtfull Beast but the Fox onely and a little Creature like a Spider which will by no means endure the light of the Sun except held by violence Some Pooles it hath and those very plentifull of Fish but generally so destitute of River-water that they are fain to keep the rain which falls in Winter for their use in Summer By means whereof and for that there is no passage for the Northern Winds being obstructed by the high Mountains near Cape Lugudoni the Air is generally unhealthy if not pestilentiall Insomuch that Tally writing to his Brother Quintus being then in this Iland adviseth him to remember as in point of health that he was in Sardinia and speaking of Tigellius a Sardinian born saith of him that he was more pestllent than the Country which bred him The soyl is very fertile in respect of Corsica but barren if compared with Sicil which yet may rather be imputed to the want of good manuring in the Husbandman than any naturall defect in the soyl it self Well stored with all sorts of Cattel as appears plainly by that plenty of Cheefe and Hides which are sent hence yearly into Italy and other places The Horses hereof hot head-strong and hard to be broken but will last long The Bullocks naturally amble so that the Countrey-man rideth them as familiarly as they do in Spain on Mules and Asses Here is also the Bâ—ast called Mufâ—ones or Muscriones found in Corsica also but in no other part of Europe somewhat resembling a Stag but of so strong an hide that it is used by the Italians in stead of Armour Of the skins of which carried to Cordova in Spain and there dressed is made the right Cordovan Leather Finally here is an Herb of which if one eat it is sayd that he will dye with laughter Whence came the Proverb Risus Sardonicus The truth of which report I shall not dispute though it be by others more prebably conjectured that the Herb being of a poysonous nature causeth men to dy with such a Convulsion or attraction of Sinews that they seem to grin or laugh at the time of their death The people are small of stature of complexion inclining unto swarthiness and that either by reason of the heat of the Sun or more probably from their African extraction their behaviour much participating of that people also So slothfull in the times of the Romans that they were grown into a Proverb and a Law made to compell them to work but now esteemed a very painfull and laborious Nation Much given to hunting and so prone to Rebellion that the Spaniard permitteth no Cutler to live among them yet peaceable amongst themselves and in some measure courteous unto Strangers also Their language a corrupt Catalonian their diet on meats common and gross their apparell in the Towns especially that of the women gorgeous in the Villages sordid In matters of Religion they are little curious That which they make most shew of is according to the Rites and Doctrines of the Church of Rome which both their neighbourhood to the Pope and their subjection to the Spaniard have imposed upon them But in their practise of it they are loose enough going to Mass on Sundays and Saints days which done they fall to dancing in the middest of the Church singing in the mean times songs too immodest for an Ale-house Nay it is thought that their Clergy it self is the most rude ignorant and illiterate of any people in Christendom saying their Masses rather by rote than reason and utterly unable to give any accompt of their Religion It is divided commonly into two parts viz. Cape Lugudore towards Corsica and Cape Cagliari towards Africk the first the least and withall mountainous and barren the last the larger levell and by much more frutifull Chief Cities of the whole 1. Calaris first built by the Carthaginians and situate in that point of the Iland which lieth neerest to Africk which from hence took the name of Cape Cagliari by which it is at this day called A City of such fame when it was first taken by Gracchus for the use of the Romans that it is called by Florus Urbs Urbium and was destroyed by the said Gracchus the better to disable the Natives from rebelling against the Conquerors Being new built again in more setled times it was a second time destroyed by the Saracens and finally re-built and beautified by the Pisans at such time as they were Masters of this part of the Iland Very well fortified by Nature as seated on the top of an hill and hath under it a spacious and goodly Haven much frequented by Merchants The Town if self adorned with a beautifull Temple being the See of an Arch-bishop many fair Turrets and the constant residence of the Vice-Roy from whose authority it is exempt by especiall privilege as to the legall Government of it and ordered by a Common Councell of its own Citizens 2. Bossa on the West side of the Iland another Arch-episcopall See 3. S. Reparata on the North looking towards Corsica 4. Aquilastro on the Western shores 5. Sassari a Town of consequence where they have an Aqueduct twelve miles long reaching from thence unto S. Gaivius 6. Alghes-Bosa a good Town situate in a wholesome air and a fertile soyl and having a fair Haven of six miles in length in which the ships of Genoa and Catalonia do most commonly ride 7. Orestagne a large Town but very ill peopled by reason of a bad air which proceeds from the Fens
Corn Wine and most delicate fruits and happily enriched with Meadows and most excellent Pastures which yeeld a notable increase of Cheese and Butter And in the Countrey about Sion they discovered in the year 1544 a Fountain of Salt and have also many hot Bathes and medicinall waters very wholsom Of Springs and River-water they are very destitute having scarce any but what they fetch from the Rhosne vvith a great deal both of charge and trouble the common people using snow-water for the most part for domestick uses which made one pleasantly observe that they pay there dearer for their water than they do for their Wine Cattell they have sufficient to serve their turn and amongst others a wild Buck equall to a Stag in bigness footed like a Goat and horned like a fallow Deer leaping with vvonderfull agility from one precipice to another and so not easily caught but in Summer time for then the heat of that season makes him blind It is divided into the Upper and the Lower Wallisland the Upper lying towards the Mountain de Furcken in the very bottom of the Valley and the Lower stretching out to the Town of Saint Maurice which is at the opening of the same the length of both said to be five ordinary daies journey but the bredth not answerable The Upper Wallisland containeth the seven Resorts of 1 Sion or Sedune 2 Leuck 3 Brig 4 Nies 5 Rawren 6 Sider 7 Gombes in which are reckoned thirty Parishes the Lower comprehending the six Resorts of 1 Gurdis 2 Ardoa 3 Sallien 4 Martinacht 5 Jutremont and 6 Saint Maurice in which are 24 Parishes The people in both parts said to be courteous towards strangers but very rough and churlish towards one another The severall Resorts before mentioned are named according to the names of their principall Towns which according to their reckoning are thirteen in number The chief of which are 1 Sedunum Sittim or Sion a Bishops See suffragan to the Metropolitan of Tarentuise the chief of all this little Country of no great beauty in it self but neat and gallant in respect of the Towns about it Situate in a Plain on the River of Rhosne under a Mountain of tvvo tops on the one of which being the lower is seated the Cathedrall Church and the Canons houses and on the other looking downwards with a dreadfull precipice a very strong Castle the dwelling place of the Bishop in the heats of Summer which being built upon an hill of so great an height and of so hazardous an ascent is impossible almost to be took by force the sharpness of the Rocks keeping it from the danger of assaults and the highness of the hill from the reach of Gun-shot 2 Marchinacht by Caesar called Octodurus and Civitas Valensium by Antoninus remarkable for its antiquity only 3 Saint Maurice or Saint Morits antiently Augaunum the Key of the whole Country but in Winter especially vvhen all the other passages are so frozen up that there is no other entrance but by the Bridge at this Town vvhich for that cause is very well manned and fortified to avoyd surprisall and therefore also chosen for the seat of the Governour of the Lower Wallisland This Country now called Wallisland is in most Latin Writers called by the name of Valesia but corruptly as I think for Valensia as the Dutch or English name for Wallinsland which name I should conceive it took from the Valenses the old inhabitants of this valley of vvhom Octodusus now called Marchinacht is by Antoninus made to be the Metropolis or principall City It was made subject to the Romans by Julius Caesar at such time as the Helvetians were conquered by him and falling with the Western parts of the Roman Empire unto Charles the great was by him given to Theodulus Bishop of Sion An. 805. Under his successors they continue to this very day but so as that the Deputies of the seven Resorts have not only voyces with the Canons in his Election but being chosen and invested into the place they joyn with him also in the Diets for choosing Magistrates redressing grievances and determining matters of the State The Lower Wallisland obeyeth the upper made subject by long War and the chance of Victory and hath no sway at all in the publick Government but takes for Law that which their Governours agree of The same Religion is in both being that of Rome For maintainance whereof they combined themselves with the seven Popish Cantons of Switzerland An. 1572 or thereabouts as also for their mutuall defence and preservation against Forein Enemies and keeping amitie and concord amongst one another 5. SWITZERLAND NExt unto Wallisland lyeth the Country of the SWITZERS having on the East the Grisons and some part of Tirol in Germany on the West the Mountain Jour and the Lake of Geneve which parts it from Savoy and Burgundy on the North Suevia or Scwaben another Province also of the upper Germany and on the South Wallisland and the Alpes which border on the Dukedom of Millain The whole Country heretofore divided into three parts onely that is to say 1 Azgow so called from the River Aaz whose chief Town was Lucern 2 Wislispurgergow so called from Wiflispurg an old Town thereof the chief City whereof is Bern. And 3 Zurichgow so named from Zurich both formerly and at this present the Town of most note in all this Tract but since the falling off of these Countries from the house of Austria divided into many Cantons and other members of which more anon It is wholly in a manner over-grown with craggy Mountains but such as for the most part have grassie tops and in their bottoms afford rich Meadows and nourishing pastures which breed them a great stock of Cattell their greatest wealth And in some places yeelds plenty of very good Wines and a fair increase of Corn also if care and industry be not wanting on the Husband-mans part but neither in so great abundance as to serve all necessary uses which want they doe supply from their neighbouring Countries And though it stand upon as high ground as any in Christendom yet is no place more stored with Rivers and capacious Lakes vvhich doe not onely yeeld them great aboundance of Fish but serve the people very vvell in the vvay of Traffick to disperse their severall Commodities from one Canton to another Of which the principall are Bodensee and the Lake of Cell made by the Rhene Genser see or the Lake of Geneve by the Rhosne Walldstet see and the Lake of Lucern made by the Russe Namonburger and Bieter sees by the Orbe and Zurich see by the River of Limat or Limachus It is in length two hundred and forty miles an hundred and eighty in bredth conceived to be the highest Countrey in Europe as before is sayd the Rivers which do issue from it running thorow all quarters of the same as Rhene thorough France and Belgium North Po thorough Italie to the South
who after joyned with them in the same confederacy It hath no City nor Town of note The principall of those that be are 1 â—â—anter the place sometimes of the Generall Diets for these Leagues 2 Diserntis where is a very rich Monastery 3 Saint Bernardino situate at the foot of the Mountain Vogel 4 Masox sometimes an Earldom giving name to the Valley of Masoxer-tal 5 Galanckter whence the vale so named inhabited by none but Basket-makers 6 Ruffla situate on the River Muesa near Belinzano on the skirts of Italie 2 The second League is Liga Cadi Dio or the League of the house of God so called because it was the proper Patrimony of the Bishop and Church of Chur and may be called the middle League as being situate between the Upper League on the West and the Lower League upon the East It is the greatest of the three containing twenty one Resorts or Commonalties of which nine lie on this side the tops of the Mountains towards Germany the rest tovvards Italie and yet two onely speak the Dutch the others a corrupt Italian The places of most note are 1 Tintzen the Tinnetio of Antoninus seated amongst high and inaccessible Mountains betvvixt Chur and the Valley of Bergel 2 Mur called Murus by the same Antoninus in the valley of Bergel a Valley extending from the head of the River Maira tovvards Chiavenna one of the. Italian Praefectures 3 Stalla called Bevio by the Italians because the vvay doth in that place divide it self 4 S. Jacomo in the valley of Compoltschin called Travasede by Antoninuâ— 5 Sinnada in the valley of Engadin And 6 Chur by some Coira but more truly Curia so called from the long stay that Constantine the great made here vvith his Court and Army in a War intended against the Germans built aftervvards by some part of his forces vvhich continued here An. 357 about half a Dutch mile from the meeting of the two streams of the Rhene in form triangular the buildings indifferent in themselves but not uniform with one another High on a Hill in one corner of it standeth the Close and therein the Cathedrall Church a stately Edifice but more in accompt of the Natives who have seen no fairer than it is with strangers and near the Church the Bishops Palace and the houses of the Canons all well built and handsomly adorned The Bishop of this City and of all the Country of these Leagues for they received their Bishop and the Faith together An. 489. acknowledgeth the Arch-bishop of Mentz for their Metropolitan is reckoned for a Prince of the Empire and the rightfull Lord both of this City and the whole League but on the introduction of the Reformed Religion which they had from the Switzers and Genevians the Citizens withdrew themselves from their obedience to the Bishop and govern the City in the manner of a Free-state So far conformable to him for their own preservation that as the Bishop and his Canons vvith the rest of this League upon occasion of the wrongs done them by the house of Austria Lords of the neighbouring Tirol joyned in confederacy with the seven first Cantons of the Switzers which was in the year 1498 So did the Citizens of Chur after they had withdrawn themselves from the command of their Bishops concur with them at last in that mutuall League 3 The third League of these Grisons is the Lower League called also Liga Ditture or the League of the ten Jurisdictions situate close upon Tirol in the North-East part of the whole Country Of all the ten two only vvhich are those of Malans and Meienfeld obey the joynt commands of the three Leagues of the Grisons the other eight being subject to the Arch-Duke of Austria under whom they are suffered to enjoy their antient privileges for fear of uniting with the Switzers which hitherto they have not done Only they did unite together in one common League An. 1436 conditioning their mutuall defence against all Enemies preservation of their peace and maintainance of their privileges reserving notwithstanding their obedience to their naturall Lords In which respect and by reason of the interess and society which they have with the rest of the Grisons they are in friendship with the Swisse but in no confederacy City or Walled-town they have none The chief of those they have are 1 Castels the seat of the Governour for the Arch-Duke of Austria 2 Malans and 3 Meienseld both bordering upon the Rhene 4 Tanaas giving name to the first and greatest of the ten Jurisdictions the chief Town of this League in which are held the Generall Diets for the same and vvhere are kept the Miniments and Records which concern their Privileges In this League is the Mountain called Rhaetico-mons by Pomponius Mela but now Prettigower-berg because it is at the end of the valley vvhich the Dutch call Prettigow 4 As for the Italian Praefectures they are eight in number and were given unto the Grisons by Maximilian Sforze Duke of Millain An. 1513. at such time as he gave the like present to the Cantons of Switzerland Of these the first is called Plurs so called from the chief Tovvn of the same name in Latin Plura once seated in a plain at the foot of the Alpes near the River Maira the chief of sundry villages lying in the same bottom now nothing but a deep and bottomless Gulf. For on the 26 of August 1617 an huge Rock falling from the top of the Mountains overwhelmed the Town killed in the twinckling of an eye 1500 people and left no sign or ruin of a Town there standing but in the place thereof a great Lake of some two miles length 2 Chiarama situate in a pleasant vallie so called neer the River Maira and ten Italian miles from the Lake of Come Antoninus calleth it Clavenna and the Dutch Clevener-tal or the valley of Cleven more near unto the antient name 3 The Valtoline Vallis Telina in the Latine a pleasant Valley extending threescore miles in length from the head of the River Aada unto the fall thereof in the Lake of Come the Wines whereof are much commended and frequently transported on this side the Alpes It is divided into six Praefectures according to the names of the principall Towns The chief whereof are 1 Bormio seated near the head of the River Aada 2 Teio the chief Fortress of the whole Valley 3 Sondrio the chief Town and the seat of the Governour or Leiuetenant Generall of the whole Country This Valley lying opportunely for the passage of the King of Spains Forces out of Millain into Germany by the practices and treasons of Rodolfus Planta one of the natives of it and of the Romish Religion was delivered to the Duke of Feria being then Governour of Millain An. 1622 the whole Country brought under the obedience of that King Chur it self forced and taken by them and the Religion of Rome setled in all parts thereof But two years after by the joynt Forces
affected to his House whose Government he took upon him discharged of all subjection and subordination to the Caliphs or Mahometum Emperours and making it an absolute Kingdom of it self In his Race it continued without any fractions or subdivisions till the time of Hâ—â—â—n the 2d the tenth King of these Spanish Moores after whose death distracted amongst many petit Tyrants till they were all brought under by the Moores of Africk of which more anon In the mean time take here the Catalogue of the Kings of these Moores of Spain called commonly from Corduba their Royal Seat The Kings of Corduba A. C. 757. 1 Abderamen 30. 787. 2 Hizen 7. 794. 3 Halt Hatan 25. 819. 4 Abderamen II. 20. 839. 5 Mahomet 35. 874. 6 Almudix 2. 876. 7 Abdalla 13. 889. 8 Abderamen III. 50. 939. 9 Hali-Hatan 17. 956. 10 Hizen II. 33. 989. 11 Zulcimen 4. 993. 12 Mahomet II. 8. 1001. 13 Hali. 2. 1003. 14 Cacin 4. 1007. 15 Hiaâ—a 1007. 16 Abderamen IV. 1. 1008. 17 Mahomet III. 1. 1010. 18 Hizen III. 1. 1011. 19 Ioar 3. 1014. 20 Mahomet IV. the last King of the Moores in Corduba before the second Conquest of these parts of Spain by the Moores of Africa Concerning which we are to know that after the great Victory obtained at â—lâ—vâ—gio against Abderamen the 2d by Râ—ymir King of Leon Anno 826. the power and reputatiâ—n of the Spaâ—iâ—h Moores began to decline brought utterly to nothing by the sloath and negligence of Hâ—zâ—n the 2d after a long and unprofitable Reign deposed by Zulcimen who succeeded But the Moores not easily brooking the command of a new Vsurper fell into many Fractions and Divisions amongst themselves every great man seizing on some part of the Kingdom which he retained unto himself with the name of King from whence we have a King of Sevill another of Toledo a third of Cordova the names of which last only doe occurre in the former Catalogue And 't was a sign the Kingdom was in the expiring when so many Kings succeeded in so few yeers after one another there passing from the deposing of Hizen the 2d to the beginning of Mahomet the 4th not above 34 yeers in all during which time we find no fewer than ten Kiugs The often change of Princes and short lives of Kings are the apparent signs of a ruâ—â—ous â—tate approaching very neer to its expiration as may be seen by the short lives and Reigns of the last Western Emperours nine of them hardly Reigning 20 yeers as also of the Kings of the Gothes in Italy of which the six last held the Throne no longer than the nine Western Emperours had done before them But to proceed Mahomet the last King of this first Rank having left the stage we find no good Constat of his Successors in the kingdom of Corduba made inconsiderable by the withdrawing so many Provinces from the body of it the pride and insolencie of whch Roytelets and petit Tyrants forced them at last to call unto their aid the Kings or Miramomolines of Morocco by whom themselves and all the rest of their Corrivals were in fine subdued Vnder seven Princes of Morocco the Spanish Moores continued subject about 120 yeers that is to say from the first coming in of Ioseph Telephin the Miramamoline Anno 1091 unto the going out of Mahomet surnamed the Green Anno 12â—4 during which time the affairs of the Moores in Spain were so well conducted that they lost nothing to the Christians but Extremadura taken from them by Alfonso the 2d in the accompt of Castile the 7th in the accompt of Leon Anno 1147 and the Citie of Lisbon taken from them in the same yeer also by Alfonso the first King of Portugal But Nahomet the Green being vanquished in the great fight at Sierra Morena by the joynt Forces of the confederated Christians left off all further care of the Moores in Spain after his going thence distracted once again into many Kingdoms all of them swallowed up in a little time by the Kings of Castile Aragon and Portugal And amongst them the kingdom of Corduba not able to stand long on this new Foundation was ruinated and brought under the command of the Castilians by their King Ferdinand the 2d Anno 1236. Since that time there is no more mention of the kingdom of Corduba The Arms whereof were Or a Lyon Gules armed and crowned of the first a Border Azure charged with 8 Towers Argent 7 GRANADA GRANADA is bounded on the West with Andalusia on the East with Murcia and the Mediterranean on the North with New Castile on the South with the Mediterranean only So called from Granada the chief Citie and Seat Royal of it It is in length 200 miles 100 miles in breadth and about 700 miles in compass The North part of the Countrey plain the South parts over-spread with the Alpuxarras and other spurres and branches of the Orospeda In the time of the Moores wonderfully well inhabited and full of all sorts of commodities the Hils planted with Vines and Fruits the Plains and Vallies swelling with Corn and Gardens since their expulsion neither much peopled nor very fruitfull for want of men to dress and manure the Land The principal Cities of it are 1 Granada situate on two Hils divided by a Valley thorow which runneth the River Darien consisting of four severall parts called Alhambâ—e Sierre de sol Granada and Antequerula the two first standing on the Hils the two last in the Valley the whole containing in the time of the Moorish kingdom about 200000 of fouls Fenced with strong wals fortified with 130 Turrets and replenished with abundance of wholsome and pleasant Springs the whole Circuit being about seven miles The Merchants and Gentry of the best sort doe dwell in that part which is called Granada the houses of which are for the most part built of free stone with delicate and artificiall Masonrie shewing great magnificence Herein standeth the Cathedral Church a work of admirable structure of Figure round as having sometimes been a Mahomâ—tane Mosquit Here is also the place which they call Alcazar representing a little Town the which are ten Gates In the Aâ—hambre is the Palace of the Moorish Kings covered with Gold indented with Moisaical work and which by reason of the structure and multitude of Fountains which are about it may be put amongst the Wonders of the World having withall a goodly prospect over all the Town lying under it upon the East a spacious Champian towards the North and the snowie tops of Sierra Nevade towards the South This Citie is the ordinarie Parliament and Court of Iustice for all the Southern parts of Spain as Valladolit is for the Northern Madrid which is the highest Court having jurisdiction over and receiving Appeals from both A Town first raiâ—ed out of the ruines of Illiberis situate not far off on the Hill Elvire much mentioned in the stories of Rome and Carthage In
runneth through the whole Countrie and in antient times was called Suevus supposed by some and not improbably either to give name to the Suevians or to take it from them that potent Nation inhabiting originally betwixt this and the Elb. 6 Trabeli upon the Nisse Cotthuse upon the Spre or Suevus which together with some part of the Lower Lusatia belongs unto the Marquesses of Brandenbourg The first Inhabitants hereof are by some supposed and but supposed to be the Sonones of Tacitus in the partition of these parts of Germany amongst the Selaves made subject to the Winithi or Venedi the greatest and most spreading Nation of all these People When and by whom first made a Marquisate I am not able to say for certain but sure I am it hath beene very much given to the change of Masters It had first a Marquesse of its own Conrade the Marquesse hereof who dyed in the yeare 1156. being by the Emperour Henry the fift made Marquesse of Misnia added it unto that Estate remaining for some time united to it After being seized on by the Poles it was sold by Frederick the second Marquesse and Electour of Brandenbourg who keeping Coâ—thouse and some other Townes bordering next upon him in his own possession surrendered the rest on composition to George King of Bohemia claiming it from a Grant made by Henry the fourth to Vratislaus the first Bohemian King anno 1087. A grant on which no possession followed unlesse it were the Homage and acknowledgement of the Princes of it holding it afterwards of that Crown as the Lord in chief Thus have we brought these four Provinces into the power and Possession of the Kings of Bohemia remaining still distinct in their Laws and Governments as severall limbs of the great body of the Sclaves made up into one Estate though joined together in the person of one supreme Governour who is severally admitted and acknowledged by each Province distinctly for it selfe and not by any one of them in the name of the rest Out of all which so laid together there may be raised the summe of three millions of Crowns yearly for the Kings Revenues towards the defrayment of all charges The Armes of this Kingdom are Mars a Lyon with a forked tail Luna crowned Sol. Which Arms were first given by Frederick Barbarossa to Vladislaus the third made by him King of Bohemia in regard of the good service hee had done him at the siege of Millain And though Vladislaus was deposed by the States of that Kingdome because never formally and legally elected by them yet his successours keep those Armes to this very day 14. BRANDENBOVR The Marquisate of BRANDENBOVRG is bounded on the East with the Kingdome of Poland on the West with Mecklenbourg and the Dukedome of Lunebourg on the North with Pomerania and on the South with Misnia Lusatia and Silesia so called from Brandenbourg the chief Town of it and because once the Marches of the Empire against the Sclaves divided afterwards into the Old the New and the Middle Marches according as they were extended further towards Poland by little and little as the Emperours were able to get ground of those potent people The Countrey containeth in length from East to West 60 Dutch or 240 Italian miles and is of correspondent breadth the whole compasse making up 540 miles of the last accompt Within which tract are comprehended 55 Cities or walled Townes 80 Townes of trade Mark-stecken or Market Townes as they commonly call them 38 Castles or Mansion-houses of Noblemen 17 Monasteries and 10 Parkes well stored with beasts of game the Countrey otherwise considering the extent thereof but thinly inhabited nor well provided of necessaries excepting corn of which these North-East Countreys afford very great plenty 1 ALTEMARK or the OLD MARCK so called because the antient Marches of the Empire against the Sclaves lyeth betwixt Lawenbourg and the Elb with which it is bounded on the East Chief Townes thereof 1 Tangermond on the Elb where it receives the River Tonagra or Augra honoured sometimes with the Residence of Charles the fourth 2 Stendall the chief of these Old Marches 3 Soltwedel divided into two Townes the old and the new 4 Gurdeleben fortified with the strong Castle of Eishimpe 5 Osterberg 6 Senhunâ—en said by some but falsely to be so called from the Senones whom they would make the old Inhabitants of this Country by all good Writers made to be originally a Gallick Nation 7 Werb of which little memorable In the MIDDLE-MARCHES or VPPER MARCH lying betwixt the Elb and the River Odera the Towns of most note are 1 Butzaw a Commendatarie of the Templars in former times 2 Spandaw upon the Spre a well fortified peece 3 Oderburg called so from that River on which it is situate remarkable for a strong Castle built by Marquesse Albert the second at which all passengers by water are to pay their Toll 4 Brandenbourg on the River Havel a Bishops See the Seat of the Lords Marchers in former times taking name from hence By some said to be built by Brennus Captain of the Gaules more truely by one Brando a Prince of the Franconians anno Ch. 140. 5 Frankefort for distinction sake named ad Oderam on which River situate the soil about it being so plentifully stored with Corn and Wines that it is not easie to affirm whether Bacchus or Ceres bee most enamoured of it It was made an Vniversitie by Marquesse Joachim anno 1506. and is also a flourishing and famous Emporie though not comparable to that of the other Franckefort seated on the Meine 6 Berlin the ordinary Residence of the Marquesse situate on the River Spre or Suevus which rising in Lusatia falleth into the Albis 7 Havelbourg on the River Havel a Bishops See who acknowledgeth the Archbishop of Magdebourg for his Metropolitan 3. In the NEWMARCK extending from Odera to the borders of Poland and called so because last conquered and added to the account of the German Empire there is Custrine a very strong and defensible town seated on the two Rivers Warts and Odera fortified with great charge by John sonne of Marquesse Joachim and by him intended for his seat 2 Sunnerberg and 3 Landsberg both upon the Waâ—t 4 Soldin in former times the chief of this Marck 5 Berlinch or New Berlin and 6 Falkenberg a strong town and fortified with as strong a Castle towards Pomerania The first inhabitants of this Country were the Varini and Naithones part of the great nation of the Suevians and after them the Helvoldi Wilini Beirani and other Tribes of the Winithi the greatest nation of the Sclaves who possessed themselves of it But Brandenbourg being wonne from them by the Emperour Henry the first anno 920. at what time the Gospell was first preached amongst them the Country hereabouts was given by him to Sigifride Earl of Ringelheim eldest sonne of Theodorick the second Earl of Oldenburg a valiant Gentleman with the title of Marquesse or
is not to be meant of any but the Lydian Asian whereof Ephesus at that time was the principal City So also Acts XIX V. 22. 26. 31. and chapter XX. V. 18. Finally for the Proconsular Asia which together with Hellespont and the Islet made up a Government apart exempt from the command of the Vicarus or Lieutenant of the Asian Diocesse it contained onely Aeolis and Ionia with the South part of Lydia or the Countreys lying about Ephesus So witnesseth St. Hierome for the Christian writers where he affirmes that although all the whole Peninsula have the name of the Lesser Asia Specialiter ubi Ephesus Civitas est Asia Vocatur yet more particularly the parts adjoining unto Ephesus have the name of Asia And this appeareth by the distribution of the Provinces before laid down where Lydia is reckoned for a Province of the Asian Diocese distinct from the Proconsular Asia which we now insist on So having cleered our way in regard of the name proceed we next unto the Regions or place thus named according to the notion in the largest latitude extending from the Hellespont to the River Euphrates and from the Euxine Sea to the Mediterranean By which account it reacheth from the 51. to the 72. degree of Longitude and from the 36. to the 45. degree of Latitude the length hereof from the Hellespont to the River Euphrates being estimated at 630. miles the breadth from Sinus Issicus in Cilicia to the City of Trabezond at 210. As for the situation of it in reference to the Heavenly bodies it lieth almost in the same position with Italy extending from the middle Parallel of the fourth Clime to the middle Parallell of the sixt so that the longest summer day in the Southern parts is about fourteen hours and a halfe and one hour longer in those parts which ly most towards the North. The temperature of the aire is exceeding sound and the soile generally exceeding fruitfull abounding in most excellent pastures and antiently very plentiful of all fruites both for use and pleasure as still it would be were it cultivated as in former times Once very populous and replenished with goodly Cities now in a manner waste and desolate lamenting the destruction of 4000. Townes some of them destroyed by Earthquakes quakes the falling sicknesse of most great Cities in the East but most by warre and have little now to boast of but the comodiousnesse of the Havens which are very many though most of them but meanly traded as in a Countrey ill manured and of little manufactures The people antiently especially those of Greek original and the nations bordering on the Euxine were very warlike and industrious the rest especially the Lydians and those of the greater Phrygia as idle and effiminate wholly addicted to their pleasures All of them at this time affected with the same disease insomuch that the larkge unlesse compelled thereto by extreame necessities never inroll their Children in the number of santatres The greatest part of them generally professe the Christian faith but overpowered by 〈◊〉 which is here most prevalent all followers of the Church of Greece and subject all except those of 〈◊〉 and Ciliers to the Patriarch of Constantinople And as they are of the Communion of that Church so they retaine the Greek liturgies for Sacred Offices not so well understood amongst them in former times when it was more generally spoken there then it is at the present now over-topped in most places by the 〈◊〉 and Sclavons tongues And though in former times by reason of the many Greek Colonies planted in this Countrey the Conquest of it by Alexander the Great and the subjection of it to the Syrian Kings of the Maccdon race that language became generally understood amongst them in somuch as three of the Greek Dialects vix the Dorick the Iontar and the Aeiolick were spoken here yet did it never so prevaile as to become the Vulgar language of the People or to extinguish any of the Vulgar tongues For it is said of Mubridues King of Pentus that he understood two and twenty languages without any Interpreter which were no other then the languages of so many Nations subject to himselfe whose Dominion was contained for the most part within Asia Minor Principall Mountains of this Countrey are Hermione in Pontus Argaeus in Capoadocia Ida in the Lesser Phrygia Clympus in Mysis Tmolus in Lydic Amamus in Cilicia and finally Antetaurus and Scordisous in Armenia Minor Out of which for the most part flowe the chief Rivers hereof that is to say 1. Iris now Casilmach 2. Thermodor 3. Halis now Ottomangruch 4. Parthenius now Dilop 5. Sangarius now Sangre all of them falling into the Euxine Sea 6. Ascanius 7. Rhyndacus 8. Aesapus and 9. Granicus passing into the Propontis 10. Simoeis 11. Scamander called also Xanthus ending their short course in the Hellespont 12. Caicus 13. Hermus 14. Caystrus and 15. Maeander loosing themselves in the Aegean 16. Calbis 17. Xanthus called also Lycus 18. Limyrus 19. Cataractes dischannelling into the Medetirranian and 20. Melas adding to the waters of the great River Euphraues Of most of which we shall speak more particularly in their several places In reference to the State of Rome it contained the whole Diocesse of Pontue except Armenia the Greater the Asian Diocesse intirely without any exception and the peculiar jurisdiction of the Proconsull of Asia together with the Provinces of Isuria and Cilicia parts of the Diocesse of the East But because the names of many of those Provinces were of new invention and some of them of as short continuance we will consider it according as it stood divided antiently and before the Romans had made any conquests in it into the Provinces of 1. Bithynia 2. Pontis 3. Paphlagonia 4. Galatia 5. Cappadocia 6. Armenia Minor which together with Armenia Major made up though in other names the Ponâ—â—â—â— 7. Phrygia Minor 8. Phrygia Major 9. Mysia the Greater and the Lesser 10. AEelus 〈◊〉 11. Lydia 12. Caria 13. Lycia 14. Lycgonia 15. Pisidia 16. Pamphilia 17. the Province of the Rhodes all comprehended under the command of the Vicarius and Proconsul of Asia 18. Isauria 19. Cilicia parts of the Diocese of the East as before was said 1. BITHYNIA BITHYNIA is bounded on the east with Pontus and the River Sangarius on the west with part of the Euxius the Thracian Bosphorus and part of the Propontis on the North wholly with the Euxine and on the South with Mysia and Phrygia Minor Formerly called Bebrycia afterwards Mygdonia and at last Bithynia and that as some say from Bithynius once a King hereof more probably from the Thrns a people of Thrace who passed over the Bosthorus and subdued it called therefore by some writers Thracia Asiarica So witnesseth the Poet Claudian saying Thyni Thraces erant quae nunc Bithynia Fertur By Justin the Historian it is called by the name of Metapontus by reason of its neighbourhood to the Euxme and the
strange successes of which house from the first rising of it to these present times shall be deferred till we come unto Turcomania from whence this Nation first attempted and atchieved the conquest of Persia and which only of all their large possessions doth retain any thing of their name In the mean time we will survey the Islands of this Lesser Asia and so procceed to their possessions in the Greater as they ly before us 19. The Province of the ASIAN ISLES THe Province of the ASIAN ISLES comprehendeth all the Islands in Asia Minor from the mouth of the Hellespont to the Rhodes reckoning that for one united first into a Province by the Emperour Vespasian next reckoned as a part of the Asian Diocese and afterwards together with the Province of the Hellespont and that of Asia properly and specially so called making up the peculiar or exempt jutisdiction of the Proconsul of Asia Those of most consideration are 1. Tenedos 2. Lesbos 3. Chios 4. Samos 5. Coos 6. Icaria 7. Patmos 8. Claros 9. Caparthos 10. Rhodes Others of less note having nothing memorable but their names are scarce worth the naming 1. TENEDOS is situate at the mouth of the Hellestont overagainst the noted Promontory called of old Sigeum but now Cape Janizarie a Promontory of Troas or the Lesser Phrygia from which distant not above five miles The Isle it self in circuit no more then ten swelling with a round Mountain towards the North in other parts levell in both producing as good wines as the best of Greece It took name as the generall tradition was from Tenes the Son of Cycnus King of a little City in the Lesser Phrygia who being falsly accused by his Step-dame for solliciting her to that incestuous mixture which she had violently importuned and he as piously refused was by the command of his Father put into a chest exposed to the mercy of the Sea and here miraculously preserved Here for a time he is said to reign with great commendation for his justice and after wards going to the aid of the Trojans to have been slain by the hand of Achilles of whom therefore it was not lawful to make mention in any of the Sacrifices offered in the Temple hereof But Bochartus casting off all this as an old wives fable will have it so called from Tin-edum a Phoenician word signifying Red clay which the Potters made use of in their earthen vessels A town it had of the same name with the Island in which a Temple sacred to Apollo Sminthius and 2. another called Asterion situate neer a little River well stored with Crab-fish whose shells were made in the form of an Axot Hatcher From which Town as the Islanders have in some Authors the name of Asterii so from the other circumstance they are said to have had the stamp of an Hatchet on their coin or money Memorable for an old custome observed amongst them which was that at the back of the Judge there alwaies stood a man with an Ax advanced as well to terrifie the Witnesses from giving false evidence to the Judge as the Judge from pronouncing a false sentence upon the evidence Whence the Proverb Tenedia Securis More memorable for the finall destruction of Troy which was plotted here the Grecians withdrawing their forces hither as if gone in earnest but from hence setting sail again to surprise the Town when they saw their plot had took effect And so I leave it with that Character which the Poet gives it Est in conspectu Tenedos notissima famâ Insula divesopum Priami dum Regna menebant Nunc tantum finus statio male-sida carinis In English thus In sight of Troy an Island stands well known Call'd Tenedos rich and of great renown Whilest Priams Kingdome flourished now they say Grown a poor Road for ships an unsafe Bay 2. LESBOS the largest of these Asian Isles is distant from the main land of Troas about seven miles 168 in compass reckoned the seventh in bigness of the Mediterranean which Aristotle in his Book de Mundo ranketh in this Order following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say The most considerable of these are Sicilie Sardinia Corsica Crete Euboea Cyprus and Lesbos And though both Seylax in his Periplus a nameless Poet in Eustathius Diodorus Siculus Strabo and others of the Antients vary in ordering of the rest according as their information or fancies led them yet Leshos comes in the seventh place constantly without change at all Upon which ground Bochartus will have it called Lesbos from Esburith a Phoenician word signifying seven contracted first to Esbu by leaving out the last syllable of it and then by changing bu to bos and prefixing L to the beginning Far enough fet and were it but as dearly bought would be good for Ladies this Island being reckoned in the seventh place for no other reason but because it lay furthest off and most North from Sicilie from whence they ordered their accompt and not any mystery in the name thereof It had then the name from Lesbos the Chief City of it as that from Lesbus the Son of Lapythus who maried Methymna the Daughter of Macarius Prince hereof from which Macarius it had sometimes the name of Macaria as that of Mitylene by which it is now commonly called from Mitylene another of the daughters of the said Macarius And that the memory of the whole family might be preserved in this Island Methymna also had a City called by her name one of the principal of the Countrey The Countrey towards the Westand South reported to be mountainous and somewhat barren the rest level and fruitful plentiful of excellent corn and abounding in delicious wines compared by Athenaeus to Ambrosia the liquor of the Gods as the Poets fable affording also plenty of sheep and store of horses these last couragious and strong though but low of Stature More memorable for the eminent persons which it hath produced as 1. Sappho an Heroick woman whose invention was the Sapphick verse and therefore called the tenth Muse 2. Pittacus one of the seven Wisemen of Greece 3. Theophraitus that notable Physician and Philosopher 4. Alcaus the successour of Orpheus in the excellecy of Lyricall poesie and 5. Arion the Musician who was so perfect on his Harp that being cast into the Sea playing on that instrument a Dolphin took him on his back and wasted him safe as far as Corinth where he related the whole story unto Periander attested by the Mariners who had thrown him overboard And though this be by some rejected as a poetical fiction yet past all doubt the man was not only an excellent Musician but an eminent Poet the first inventor of Tragedies a chief Lyrick and the Author of the verse called Dithyrambick Principal Towns herein 1. Lesbos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whom saith Stephanus the whole Island had the name of Lesbos 2. Methymna so named from Methymna one of the daughters of Macarius spoken
of Tripolis no lesse than 200000 Crowns As for the Town it standeth about two miles from the Sea at the foot of Mount Libanus so called because built by the joint purses of three Cities that is to say Tyrus Sidon and Aradus Of no great note among the Romans for ought I can find till made one of the Episcopal Sees belonging to the Arch-Bishop of Tyre in the Primitive times But thriving by degrees it grew to principal Accompt by the time that the Western Christians warred in the Holy Land when conquered by them it was made one of the Tetrarchies or Capital Cities for the four Quarters of their Empire which were Hierusalem for Palestins Edessa for Comagena or Mesopotamia Autioch for Syria and this for Phoenicia Committed at the first taking of it to the custody of Raymond Earl of Tholouse in France whose posterity whilest i◠lasted had from hence the title of Earles of Tripoli A City which I know not by what good hap hath sped better than any of those parts retaining still as much in strength and beauty as ever it had if not grown greater by the ruine of all the rest Situate two miles from the Sea as before is said but not above half a mile from the Haven which lieth upon the West side of it compassed with a wall and fortified with seven Towers of which the fourth is commonly called the Tower of Love because built by an Italian Merchant who was found in bed with a Turkish Woman for which he had forfeited his life if not thus redeemed it Before the Haven is an ill-neighbouring bank of sand which every day groweth greater and neerer to it by which in time there is a Prophecy which faith it shall qui◠be choaked On both sides of it many store-houses for the Merchant to stow his goods in and shops to sell them the way from thence unto the City having on both sides very pleasant Gardens The Town it self stretched out in length from South to North is situate as before was said at the foot of Libanus conveying a Brook into the Streets and many pleasant springs into the chief of their gardens in which and in those towards the Haven and on other sides of the Town the Inhabitants keep great store of Silk-Worms selling their Silks raw unto the Italians and buying them again of them in the Stuff or Manufacture The buildings generally low and the Streets but narrow except that leading towards Aleppo which is fair and open Over the Brook at the East-side of the City are built two Bridges and on the South-side a strong Castle mounted on an hill built by the French when they had the custody hereof now garrisoned for the Grand Signeur with 200 Janizaries At this time it is looked on as the Metropolis or chief City of Phoenicia honoured with the residence of the Patriarch of the Maronites for the most part dwelling in this Town and enriched with a great part of the Trade of Scanderone or Alexandretta removed hither some fourty years ago by the Turks appointment that Haven lying unfenced and more open to Pirates That the Phoenicians were descended of the Sonnes of Canaan hath been proved already And being descendants of that stock they were at the first governed like them by the Chiefs of their families whom they honoured as most Nations did which the title of Kings But most of the Canaanitish Kings being over come and slain by Josuah Agenor a stout and prudent man one of those many Kings which commanded in those parts of the Conntrey seeing how impossible it was to resist that enemy borrowed some and from Aegypt where he had his breeding to make good the Sea-coasts of his Countrey in which the Philistims who interposed upon those coasts betwixt him and Aegypt concurred also with him By which assistance and by the fortifying of Zidon Tyre and Ace or Ptolomais which were all the Cities of this Countrey that were then in being he did not only preserve his own estate from the present danger but lest it so assured to the Kings succeeding that neither Solomen nor David nor any of the Kings of Israel durst attempt upon them To Agenor succeeded his Sonne Phoenix Cadmus his elder brother going into 〈◊〉 in search of his Sister Europa ravished by Jupiter where he built Thebes and therein reigned 〈◊〉 his death from whom as some conceive this Countrey had the name of Phoenicia And though I have declared my self for another reason of this name which I like much better yet I shall rather yield to thus or to any other than to that of Bochartus who will have it derived from Ben-Anak or the Sonnes of 〈◊〉 as if the old Phoenicians were such Giantly men which much first be contracted in Beanac◠then by the Grecians turned into Pheanac and at last into Phoenix Such farre-fetched and extorted Originations never please my fancy who had much rather hearken to the old received opinions touching the first Originals of names and nations where there is not very pregnant reason to perswade me otherwise than strain my self so farre for a new invention or hearken unto those that do But for what cause soever they were named Phoenicians certain it is they were a very active and industrious people trading in the most parts of the Mediterranean and planting Colonies in many Thebes and Sephyra in Boeotia 〈◊〉 in Italy Gades in Spain Utica Leptis Carthage in Africk were of their foundation Nay if we may beleeve Bochartus there was no Iland or Sea-coast in the Mediterranean or on the Cantabrian Gallick or British Ocean wherein they did not keep some factory or erect some Colony What Kings succeeded Phoenix in a constant and continued course I can no where find Most like it is they were not under the command of any one Prince and that besides the Kings of Sidon where Agenor reigned there were some others who called themselves Kings of Phoenicia also as well as they Of which sort were Cyniras Paphus and Pygmalion who had their Regal Seat at Biblis and lorded it over a good part of Cyprus as did also Belus who gave some part of that Isle to Teucer as is said before There is also found mention of one Phasis a Phoenician King at such time as the Grecians conquered Troy After him none till the subjugation of this Countrey by the Babylonians Tetramnestus Tennes and Strato mentioned in succeeding times being Tributaries to the Persian and no absolute Princes Whether it were that the Phoenicians were made subject to the Kings of Tyre or that the Kings thereof did nothing to preserve their memory I am not able to determine Certain it is that the Kings of Tyre came in short time to be of very great repute and to possesse themselves of the coasts of Syria and Phoenicia and a great part of Cyprus whereby and by the benefit of their trade and shipping they grew rich and powerfull and of great consideration in affairs 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
but reigning in their severall parts Of which Demetrius intending to disseize his brother was himself vanquished and forced to fly into Parthia leaving the whole Kingdome unto Philip. During which warres amongst themselves Syria was invaded and in part conquered by Aret as King of the Arabians and Alexander King of the Jews 3884. 21. Tigranes King of Armenia during these dissentions was by the Syrians chosen King that by his power they might be freed from the Jews and Arabians the most puissant Prince that had reigned in Syria since the time of Antiochus the Great as being King of Syria by election of Armenia by succession of Media by conquest But ingaging himself with Mithridates whose daughter he had maryed against the Romans was vanquished by Lucullus who with the loss of five Romans onely and the wounds of an hundred is reported to have slain of his Enemies above a 100000 men Finally being again broken and vanquished by Lucullus he yielded himself to Pompey who being appointed Lucullus successour deprived him of the honour of ending that warre and retaining to himself Armenia only he left all Syria to the Romans having reigned eighteen years And though Antiochus Comagenus the Sonne of Eusebes petitioned Pompey for a restitution to the Throne of his Anâ—estours yet it would not be granted Pompey replying that he would not trust the Countrey into such weak hands as were not able to defend it against the Arabians Parthians and the like Invaders and so reduced it presently to the form of a Province The government of this Countrey under these new Lords was accompted to be one of the greatest honours of the Empire the Prefect hereof having almost regall jurisdiction over all the regions on this side Euphrates with a super-intendency over Egypt Niger the concurrent of Severus was Praefect here and on the strength hereof presumed on that competition So also was Cassius Syrus who being a Native of this Countrey and well-beloved by reason of his moderate and plausible demeanour had almost tumbled M. Antonius out of his Throne On this occasion it was enacted by the Senate that no man hereafter should have any militer or legale command in the Province where he was born Left perhaps supported by the naturall propension of the people to one of their own Nation and heartned by the powerableness of his Friends he might appropriate that to himself which was common to the Senate and people of Rome But this was when it was entire and passed but for one Province only Phoenicia being also taken into the accompt which made the Antiochians so proud and insolent that Adrian in his time intended to subduct Phoenicia from it netot civitatum Metropolis Antiochia diceretur faith Gallcanus that Antioch might not be the chief of so many Cities But what he lived not to accomplish was performed by Constantine By whom Phonicia was not only taken off but Syria itself divided into four distinct Provinces as was shewed before each of them having its Metropolis or Mother City but all subordinate to the command of the Comes or Praefect of the East as he to the command of the Praefectus Praetorio Orientis the greatest Officer of the Empire of whom we have often spoke already For the defence hereof aswell against all Forrein invasions as the insurrections of the Natives a wavering and inconstant People the Romans kept here in continuall pay four Legions with their Aids and other Additaments For so many Mutianus had here in the time of Galba and by the strength and reputation of those Forces was able to transfer the Empire upon Vespasian And though the Constantinopolitan Emperours to whose share it fell in the division of the Empire rather increased than diminished any part of this strength yet when the fat all time was come and that Empire was in the Declination the Saracens under the conduct of Haumar their third Caliph an 636. possessed themselves of it Heraclius then reigning in Constantinople And it continued in their power till Trangrolipix the Turk having conquered Persia and the Provinces on that side of Euphrates passed over the River into Syria and made himself Master of a great part of that also A quarrell falling out betwixt him and his neerest Kins-men and thereby a great stop made in their further progress was thus composed by the mediation of the Calivh of Babylon in the time of Axan his Successour To Cutlu Muses was assigned a convenient Army to be by him employed against the Christians with Regal power over the Provinces by him gained without relation or subordination to the Persian Sultans of whose successes and affairs hath been spoke elsewhere To Melech and Ducat two others of his discontented Kins-men but all of the same Selzuccian family he gave the fair Cities of Aleppo and Damascus and those parts of Syria with whatsoever they could conquer from the Caliph of Aegypt who then held all Phoenicia and the Sea-coasts of Palestine to be held in see and vassalage of the Crown of Persia To these two brethren then we are to refer the beginning of the Turkish Kingdome in Syria who with their Successors by reason that here they held their residence caused themselves to be called The Turkish Kings of Damascus 1075. 1. Melech and Ducat the first Turkish Kings of Damascus by the gift of Axan the second Sultan of the Turks in Persia added to their dominions all the rest of Syria together with Cilicia and some neighbouring Provinces in the Lesser Asia 2. Sultan of Damascus at such time as the Christians of the West won the Holy Land against whom he notably defended the City and Territories of Damascus and in a set Battel discomfited and flew Roger the Norman Prince of Antioch 1146. 3. Noradine the Sonne of Sanguin Generall of the Armies and Sonne-in-Law to the former King succeeded him in the estate A noble Prince memorable amongst other things for a gallant answer made to his Commanders when they perswaded him to take the advantage on the death of Baldwin the third and to invade Hierusalem whilst the Christians were busie in solemnizing his Funerals Not so faith he Compassion and regard is to be had of the just sorrow of those Christians who have lost such a King as could not be equalled in the world 1175. 4. Melechsala Sonne of Noradine contemned by reason of his youth by his Nobles and Souldiery who made choice of Saladine for their King by whom dispossessed first and after vanquished 1176. 5. Saladine the Turkish Sultan of Egypt having vanquished the Persians or Parthians coming under the conduct of Cacobed Uncle to Melechsia to restore that Prince to his Estate remained King of Damascus and by the puistance of his Armies recovered from the Christians all Syria and the Holy Land with the City of Hierusalem 1199. 6. Eladel or El-Aphzal the eldest Sonne of Saladine suceeded in the Realm of Damascus which he exchanged for that of Egypt with his Brother Elaziz 7. Elaziz
not far off the Mountain where Abdia the Steward of Ahab hid the hundred Prophets whom he preserved against the fury of Iezabel finally to this City it was that S. Paul was conveyed by the command of Lysias to save him from the Iews who lay in wait to destroy him 2. The Tribe of EPHRAIM was so called from Ephraim the second and youngest sonne of Joseph of whom were mustered in the Desarts 45000 fighting men and 32500 in the Land of Canaan where their lot fell betwixt this half Tribe of Manasses on the North and the Tribes of Dan and Benjamin upon the South extending from the River Jordan to the Mediterranean Places of most consideration 1. Sâ—râ—n on the Mediterranean to the South of Antipuris mentioned Acts 9. 35. and giving name unto that fruitfull valley which reacheth from Caesarea Palestinae as far as Joppa 2. Lydda upon the same shores where Saint Peter virtute Christi non sua cured Aeneas of the Palsey By the Gentiles it was called Dâ—ospolis or the City of Jupiter but by the Christians in the time of the holy wars it had the name of the St. Georges partly from a Magnificent Temple which the Emperour Justinian there errected to the honour of that blessed Mâ—rtyr but principally from an opinion which they had amongst them that he suffered martyrdome in that place An opinion founded on mistakes first of a Cenoâ—aphium or an empty Monument errected in this City to preserve his memory for the grave in which he was interred the other in taking the word Passio used in the Marâ—â—yrologies for the place of his suffering which is meant onely of the story or celebration But howsoever they intituled it by the name of Saint Georges as was said before and made it on that accompt also an Episcopall See 3. Ramatha or Aâ—amathea a City of the Levites supposed to be the dwelling of Joseph who begged of Pilate the bodie of CHRIST 4. Helon or Aâ—alon a City of the Levites also 5. Themnath-Chares given by the Israelites to Iosuah who enlarged the same and made it a strong and goodly City honoured with the sepulchre of that brave Commander one of the nine Worthies of the World and afterwards made one of the Prefectures of Judaea by the name of Thamnitica 6. Adasa or Adarsâ— where Iudas Maccabaeus with 3000 Iews overthrew the Army of Nicanor 7. Ieâ—eti called otherwise Pelethi which gave name and birth unto the Pâ—lethites part of Davids guard under the governance of Benaiah 8. Silo situate on the top of a lofty mountain the receptacle of the Ark till taken and carryed thence by the Philistims 9. Michmas the habitation of Jonathan one of the Maccabaean Brethren situate in the middle way from Samaria to Hierusalem now called Byra 10. Nâ—â—oth where Saul prophesied 11. Bethoron a City of the Levites beautified by Solomon but made more famous by the great and notable overthrow which Judas Maccabaeus here gave to Lysias 12. Pirhatlon on the Mountain Amaleâ— the City of Abdon the Judge of Israel 13. Siâ—heâ— called also Sichor the habitation in the old times of Sichem the father of that Hamor who deâ—lâ—ured Dâ—na the daughter of Jacob the City for that cause destroyed by Simeon and Levi repaired again and afterward by Abimelech levelled with the ground a third time re-edified by Ieroboam the Sonne of Nâ—baâ— and a third time ruined by the Kings of Damascus yet notwithstanding these blowes it was of good esteem in the time of our Saviour who abode in it two daies and converted many Memorable for Iacobs Well which was very neer it more for its neighbourhood to Mount Garizam where the blessings were to be read to the people of which see Deut. 11. 27. and Ios 8. 23. and where afterwards was built a magnificent Temple for the use of the Samaritan Nation at the cost and charge of Sâ—â—bâ—â—â— a great Prince amongst them Who having marryed his Daughter to Manasses brother of Iaddus the Priest of the Iews and fearing he would put her away to avoid the sentence of excommunication which he was involved in for that match promised him that if he would retain her he would build a Tample answerable unto that of Hierusalem and make him the Hiâ—â—h Priest thereof which was doâ—e accordingly But this Temple had not stood above 200 hundred years when destroyed by Hyroâ—â—â—â— the Mâ—cabaeâ—n the place remaining notwithstanding a place of worship as appeareth Ioh. 4. 20 As for the City of Sichem or Sichor it was by the Grecians called Neâ—â—olis afterwards made a Colony by the Emperour Vespasian who caused it to be called Flâ—â—â—â— Caesarea of which Colony was that renowned Iustin Martyr 14. Samaria the Metropolis of the Kingdome of Israel founded by Omri one of the Kings thereof on the top of the Mountain Samrom which overlooketh all the bottom as far as the Se-coast whence it had the name A stately and magnificent City conjectured by Brochardus who had traced the antient ruins of it to be bigger than Hierusalem Destroyed by the Assyrians when they carryed away the Ten Tribes but afterwards repaired again and again beaten to the ground by the Sonnes of Hyranus above-mentioned But Herod the Great who was pleased with the situation of it did a-again re-edifie it in more stately manner than before as appeareth by the great store of goodly Marble pillars and other carved stones in great abundance found amongst the rubbish and having rebuilt it to has mind inclosed it with a strong wall and beautifyed it with a goodly Temple in honour of Augustus Caesar whom the Greeks call Sebastos he caused it to be called Sebaste Memorable after this new erection for the Sepulchre of Iohn Baptist and being made the Metropolis of Palestin Secundâ— by consequence an Arch-Bihops See now nothing but a few Cottages filled with Grecian Monkes Nor were the Samaritans themselves so called from this their principall City less subject to the vicissitudes and change of fortune than the City was Descended for the most part from the Assyians and such other Nations as were sent thither to fill up the empty places of the Captive Tribes but called Cuâ—â—â—ans by the Jewes either because most of them were of Cuth a Region of Persia as Josephus telleth us which is now called Chuzestan or else by way of scorn for Chusites as being of the posterity of the accursed Cham by Chus his sonne Having imbraced the Law of Moses they began to think better of the Jews than the other Nations but fitted their affections to the change of times it being the observation of the said Iosephus that as often as the Iews were in any prosperity then they called them Cousins and would be of the same Nation with them but when their fortunes were on the declining hand then they were strangers which came thither out of forrain Nations and no kin at all Nor doth he wrong them in that Character For when Alexander the Great had granted the Iews
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
unto Edom whom he overcame and put Garrisons into all their Cities and the Edomites became his servants Governed from thenceforth by a Deputy or Vice-Roy as is said before till the time of Joram the Son of Jehosophat King of Judah in whose Reign they revolted as before was said Never regained to that Crown and but twice endeavoured that so the word of God might be all in all Onely the Simeonites in the reign of Hezekiah wanting pasture for their cattel and room for themselves seized on the parts which lay neerest to them destroyed the inhabitants thereof and dwelt in their habitations because there was pasture for their flocks 1. Chron. 4. 39. Provoked wherewith and with the natural Antipathy which was between them No people were more mischievously bent against Judah than these Edomites were no men so forward of themselves to assist Nabuchadonosor against Hierusalem none that so vehemently cryed Down with it down unto the ground none half so ready to set fire to the holy Temple But they got little by this service to the Babylonians their own thraldome following close upon that of Judah with whom made fellow-subjects to the Chaldaeans as afterwards to the Persians and Kings of Syria of the race of Seleucus In the declining of that house subdued by Hyrcanus the Son of Simon the fourth of the Maccabaean Princes by whom they were compelled to be Circumcised and to receive the Law of Moses not onely reckoned after that as a Province of the Jewish Kingdome but as naturall Jews Which notwithstanding and that the setting of that Crown on the head of Herod and his house being originally Idumaenus might in all reason have extinguished their inveterate malice yet was their hatred of that Nation as great as ever Forgetting therefore how they had been rewatded by the Babylonians they would needs aid the Romans against them also putting themselves into Hierusalem when besieged by Titus onely of purpose to betray it joyning with the seditious there doing more mischief in the City than the enemy had done without and finally setting fire to the second Temple as they had done unto the first Subjected afterwards by the Romans they followed the same fortune with the rest of Palestine Having thus gon through with the story of those neighbouring Nations which encompassed Canaan it will be seasonable to look on the affairs of the Canaanites first and after of the house of Jacob who possessed their Countrey First for the Canaanites they descended from Canaan the son of Cham who with his eleven sons were here setled immediatly after the confusion at Babel Of those twelve taking in the Father five planted in Phoenicia and the coasts of Syria that is to say Sidon Harki Arvadi Semari and Hamathi the other seven in those parts which we now call Palestine though not all of that the Edomites Moabites Midianites Ammonites and Ituraeans being Occupants or Tenants with them And of those seven came those seven Nations which by Gods appointment were totally to be rooted out viz. the Canaanites the Amorites the Hittites the Iebusites the Hivites the Gergeshites and the Perizites But from which of the sons of Canaan these last descended is not yet agreed on unless perhaps they were descended of the Sinites not otherwise reckoned in this muster and got the name of Perizites on some new occasion Governed at first by the Chiefest of their severall Families with the names of Kings the number of which increased as their Families were subdivided into smaller branches insomuch as Iosuah found 31 Kings of the Cannanites onely besides what might descend from those who were setled in Phoenicia and the borders of Syria The most potent of those Nations were the Amorites the Iebusites and the Chanaanites properly so called Of which the Amorites had not onely inlarged their borders beyond Iordan but in the reigns of Og and Sihon ruling at the same time in their severall parts had thrust the Ituraeans Ammonites and Moabites out of most of their Countries and so restored the same again to the race of the Emmims and Zanzummims of which they were who had been dispossessed thereof by the Sons of Lot These vanquished in the time of Moses and their habitations assigned over to the Tribes of Reuben Gad and the one half-tribe of Manasses The Canaanites properly so called as they were the first which fought with the house of Iacob so they were the last of all these people that contended with them They first fought with them under the conduct of Arad their King who thinking it more safe and prudent to encounter the Enemy in an other mans Countrey than to expect them in his own gave battell unto Moses in the Desarts of Moab and having cut off some of the out-parts of his Army and taken a few Prisoners he went home again But Iabin under whom they made their second onset went to work more resolutely and taking a time when the iniquities of that People cried loud for vengeance so prevailed against them that he tyrannized over them for the space of 20 years After which time his Army being discomfited by Baraâ— in the time of Debora Sisera his great Captain slain by Iael the wife of Heber the Kenite and most of his Cities taken and possessed by the Israelites he perished himself in the close of that war for it is said that they prevailed against Iabin the King of Canaan till they had destroyed him Judg. 4. 24. As for the Iebusites they were grown so formidable at the time of the comming of the Hebrews to the rest of their neighbours that their King Adonibezek bragged that he had cut off the thumbs and great toes of 70 Kings and made them eat the crums which fell under his table But being vanquished by Iudah he was served in the same kind himself by Iudah and Simeon and carried to Hicrusalem where he died the whole Countrey of the Iebusites and the City of Hierusalem it self the fortress of Mount Zion excepted onely being made a prey unto the Victor And though the Iebusites held that fortess till the time of David yet being they were onely on the defensive side and made no open war against those of Israel I reckon the Canaanites as the last which did contend with them for the chief command The Canaanites thus conquered and for the most part worn out of the Countrey the Israelites succeeded in their possessions according to the promise of God made to Abraham renewed to Isaac and confirmed to Iacob Governed after the death of Moses and Josuah by the Congregation of the Elders as appears by many passages in the book of Iudg. the Iudges as the Scripture calleth them not being the ordinary Magistrates but raised up occasionally by God for some speciall purpose according to the exigence of their affairs Carrying in this a likeness unto the Dictators in the State of Rome So that the Government at the first was an Aristocratie though to say truth it rather
the Pyrenees where they staid themselves giving the name of Iberus to the chief River there and of Iberia to the Countrey Of which more before Such of them as remained behind continued an unconquered people under the government of their own Kings till the time of Tigranes King of Armenioe By whom invited to his aid against the Romans they came in accordingly and in his fall discomfited by Lucullus in three severall battells were fain to stand upon their guard as well as they could first holding fair with Pompey who succeeded Lucullus in his charge But breaking out again on a new temptation they were incountred by him In which battel 9000 of their men being slain and 10000 taken they were constrained to sue for peace not otherwise to be obtained till Artaces the King of these Iberians gave his sonnes for Pledges After this Feudataries to the Roman and Grecian Emperours till the fatall inundation of the Saracens had so weakned that Empire that the Kings hereof acknowledged no more subjection to those of Constantinople till Constantinople it self became the Imperiall seat of the Ottoman Family in whose quarrels with the Persian Sophies this Countrey began to suffer a new invasion some Towns and Forts of it being taken by Solyman in his march or passage against Tamas Afterwards in the time of Amurath the third who set his mind most eagerly on the warre with Persia a great part of it was subdued by Mustapha the Turkish Generall who inviting the widow Princess and her two sonnes to come to his tent sent the young Princes to Constantinople and by that means had opportunity to assure his purchases And though the Persians did their best to assist the Georgians yet proved they but a kind of miserable comforters as much punishing or plaguing this poor Countrey with their aides as the Turks by their armies So that now it stands divided betwixt the Grand Signeur and its naturall Princes the Georgian Princes holding the greatest part but the Turks being in possession of the strongest holds kept by them under colour of securing their way to Persia for which this Countrey is indeed but unhappily seated 4. ALBANIA ALBANIA is bounded on the East with the Caspian Sea on the West with Iberia on the North with the Caucasian Monntains on the South with the Moschici So named from the Albani who did once inhabit it and of late called Sairia but reckoned in these last ages as a part of Georgia The Countrey of so rich a soil that without the least labour of the husbandman the Earth doth naturally and liberally afford herstore and where it is but once sown will yield two or three reapings But being ill husbands on it in former times they occasioned Strabo to give them this note for a remembrance That they needed not the use of the Sea who knew no better how to make use of the Land The people antiently so simple that they could not reckon above an hundred ignotant of weights measures and the use of money Old age they had in high esteem but held it utterly unlawfull to make speech of the dead And of these Pliny doth report that they were gray-headed from their very youth and could see as well by night as by day the verity of which last may be somewhat questionable But withall they are assirmed to have been a stout and couragious people strong bodies patient of toil and labour as they are at this day And well the men may be couragious and stout where the women are so truely masculine Of whom it is affirmed by Authors of undoubted credit that they were excercised in Armes and martiall feats as if descended lineally from the antient Amazons whom Plutarch placeth in this tract reporting some of them to be aiding to these Albanians in their war with Pompey which possibly might be no other than some the more noble Albanian Dames Principall Rivers of this Countrey 1. Soana giving name to the Soani one of the Nations of these parts mentioned by Pliny 2. Coesius 3. Gerrus 4. Albanus whence perhaps the name of Albani came unto this people 5. Cyrus by Plutarch called Cyrnus spoken of in Armenia Major but more properly belonging to this Countrey because herein it hath its spring and the greatest part of its course also For rising out of the Mountain Caucasus which shuts up this Province on the North it passeth thorow the middest of it till it come to the borders of Armenia where it beginneth to bend more towards the East and having received into its Channel all the former Rivers besides many others of less note falleth with twelve mouths into the Caspian or Hyrcanian Sea Mountaines of note here are not any but what are common unto them with other Nations the Montes Moschici on the South and Caucasus upon the North being rather common boundaries betwixt severall nations than peculiar unto any one though from the last the Iberians and these Albanians be in some writers called Caucasioe Gentes Cities and Towns I find many in it but little of them more than their very names 1. Chabala by Pliny called Cabalaca and honoured with the Character of Insignior Albamoe urbs the most noted City of this Countrey 2. Albana so called from the River Albanus upon which it was seated 3. Teleba 4. Namechia 5. Thelbis 6. Getarra neer unto the influx of the River Cyrus How these are called or whether any thing be remaining of them I am not able to say The chief now being and worthy to be so accounted is the City of Derbent situate neer the Caspian Sea from which to Teflis a City spoken of before remain the foundations of a high and thick wall affirmed to have been built by Alexander the Great to defend these parts against the irruptions of the Northen unconquered nations The Town environed with two walls and so defended by difficult and narrow passages of the rocks that it is not easily accessible but taken for all that by Mustapha the Turkish General Anno 1587 and made the ordinary residence of a Turkish Bassa Conceived to be the Caucasiae Portae of the Antients which Pliy honoureth with the title of ingens naturae miraculum by Egesippus for the strenght of it called Portoe Ferrea with reference to which by the Turks called Demir-can the word signifying in their language a gate of iron The other places of this tract are either of no accompt and estimation or else are specified before amongst the Cities and good Towns of the Georgians of whose Country this is now a part yet we may add 2. Subran upon the borders of Media 3. Sancta Maria north of Derbent both of them on or neer the banks of the Caspian Sea The first Inhabitants of this Countrey seem to have been of the plantation of Gether the Sonne of Aram and Nephew of Joephet whose memory was long preserved in the City of Getara before-mentioned So called by him or some of his posterity in remembrance
〈◊〉 another Kingdome of this Tract frontire upon Cauchâ—-China beyond 〈◊〉 so called from 〈◊〉 the chief Town of it The Country rich by reason that it may be drowned and dried up again when the people will full of good pastures by that means and those well stored with Sheep Goats Swine Deer and other Cattel though the people neither kill nor eat them But on the contrary build Hospitals for them in which when lame and old they are kept till they die Yet many times they eat their money and I cannot blame them their small money being Almonds 3. GOVREN a kind of Desart or unpeopled Country joyneth close to this In which are few Villages grass longer than a man and therein many Buffes Tigers and other wild Basts none wilder than the Theeves who frequent the wildernesses In this Tract also are the Kingdoms of RAME and RECON joining upon Zagâ—thâ—â— or endining towards it possessed by the Mongul Tartars from the time of Tamerlane if not before but Fendataries to the Kings of Châ—bul or Arachosie who commanded in the North-East of Persâ—â— and these North parts of India and from those places drew his Army or the greatest part of it when called unto the aid of Gâ—lgee the King of Mâ—ndâ—o Here is also the Kingdome of TIPPVRA naturally fenced with hills and mountains and by that means hitherto defended against the Mongul Tartarâ— their bad neighbours with whom they have continuall warres But of these Northern Kingdomes lying towards Tartary there is but little to besaid and that little of no certain knowledge those parts being hitherto so untravelled that they may pass in the Accompt of a Terra Incâ—gnita 11. PATANAW PATANE or PATANAW is bounded on the North with the Realms of 〈◊〉 on the East with Ganges on the West with Oristan and on the South with the Kingdome and Gulf of Bengala So called from Pataâ—e the chief City of it There is another Kingdome of thâ—â— name in the further India but whether it were so called because a Colony of this or from some resemblances in the nature of the severall Countries or from the signification of the word in the Indian language I am not able to determine Certain I am that though they have the same name yet they are under several Governments and situate in farre distant places no other wise agreeing than in some resemblances as Holland in the Low-Countries doth with Holland in Lincolâ—shire The Country yieldeth veins of Gold which they dig out of the pits and wash away the earth from it in great Bolls The people tall and of slender making many of them old great Praters and as great dissemblers The women so bedecked with silver and copper especially about the feet that they are not able to endure a shooe Both Sexes use much washing in the open Rivers and that too intermâ—xt together in their naturall nakedness especially such as live neer the banks of the River Jemenae esteemed more holy than the rest which from Agra passing thorow this Country falleth into Ganges Chief Towns hereof 1. Patane a large town and a long one built with very broad streets but the houses very mean and poor made at the best of earth and hurdles and thatched over head The Metropolis of this Kingdom because the antientest and that which gives the name unto it 2. Bannaras a great Town on Ganges to which the Gentiles from remote Countries use to come in pilgrimage to bath themselves in the holy waters of that River The Country betwixt this and Patanaw very fair and flourishing and beautified upon the Rode with handsome Villages 3. Siripur the chief Seat of one of the old Princes of this Country not yet subdued by the Great Mongu's 4. Ciandecan on the bottom of the Gulf of Bengala the Seat of another of their Kings One of which memorable for a trick put upon the Jesuâ—es when blamed by them for the worship of so many Pagâ—des as contrary both to the law of God and nature For causing them to rehearse the Decalogue he told them that he did offead no more against those commandements in worshiping so many Pagodes than they themselves in worshipping so many Saints 5. 〈◊〉 a fair City for a City of Moores once part of Patanaw since ascribed to Bengala The people of this Country properly called Pataneaâ—â— but corruptly Parthians wâ—re once of great command and power in these parts of India Lords for a time of a great part of the Kingdom of Bengala into which driven by Baburxa the Mongul Tartar the Father of Emanpaxda and Grand-father of Eâ—hebar Their last King being slain in that war twelve of â—heir chief Princes joined in an Aristocraty and warring upon Emanpaxda had the better of him After this their Successors attempted Oristan and added that also to their Estate But they could not long make good their fortunes subdued by Ethebar the Mongul and made subject to him Three of them viz. the Prince of Siripur the King of 〈◊〉 and he whom they call Mausadalion retain as yet for ought I can learn unto the contrary as well their antient Paganism as their natural liberty The other nine together with Mahometanism have vassailâ—d themselves to the great Mongul now the Lord Paramount of the Country 12. BENGALA BENGALA is bounded on the North with Patanaw on the East with the Kingdoms of Pegu on the South and West with the Gulf of Bengala So called from Bengala the chief City of it It containeth in length on the Gulf and River 360 miles and as much in breadth into the Land A Countrey stored with all things necessary to the life of man great plenty of Wheat Rice Sugar Ginger and Long-Pepper Such aboundance of Silk Cotton and of Flesh and Fish that it is impossible that any Countrey should exceed it in those commodities And which crowns all blest with so temperate and sweet an air that it draws thither people of all sorts to inhabit it Here is also amongst other rarities a Tree called Moses which beareth so delicate a fruit that the Jews and Mâ—hometans who live here affirm it to be the fruit which made Adam to sin The natural Inhabitants for the most part are of white complexion like the Europaeans subtil of wit and of a courteous disposition well skill'd in dealing in the world much given to traffick and intelligent in the way of Merchandize if not somewhat deceitful Noâ— ignorant of other Arts but with some imattering in Philosophy Physick and Astrology Stately and delicate both in their Diet and Apparell not naked as in others of these Indian Provinces but clothed in a shirt or smock reaching to their feet with some upper Garment over that The women of an ill name for their unchastity though Adultery be punished with cutting off of their noses Neat if not curious and too costly in this one custom that they never seeth meat twice in the same Pot but for every boyling buy a new one In Religion
the shores adjoyning and receiving withall the Law of Mahomet they began to cast off all subjection to the Kings of Siam to whom the sonne and Successor of Pâ—ramisera had submitted his new-raised kingdom and became their Homager Incensed wherewith the Sâ—amite about the year 1500 sent out a Navy of 200 Sail to distress it by Sea and an Army of 30000 men and 400 Elephants to besiege it by land But before he was able to effect any thing hindred by Tempests and the insolencies of some of his Souldiers the Portugals in the year 1511 under the conduct of Albuquerque had possessed themselves of it who built there a Fortress and a Church And though Alodâ—nus the sonne of the expelled King whose name was Mahomet endeavoured the regaining of his Estate and that the Saracens Hollanders and the kings of For and Achen two neighbouring Princes envying the great fortunes of the Portugals have severally and successively laboured to deprive them of it yet they still keep it in defiance of all opposition which hath been hitherto made against them 2. North unto that of Malaca lieth the kingdome of YOR IOR or IOHOR so called of Jor or Johor the chief City of it Inhabited for the most part by Moores or Saracens Mahometanism by their means prevailing on the Natives of the Country also A Kingdom of no great extent but of so much power that joining his Land-forces with the Navy of the King of Achen he besieged Malaca and built a Royall Fort before it in which when taken by Paul de Lima by the defeat of this king were found 900 pieces of brass Ordnance After this picking a quarrel with the king of Pahan he burnt his houses barns provisions and the Suburbs of the City it self but in the course of his affairs was interrupted by the King of Achen one of the Kings in the Isle of Sumatra his old confederate who after 29 daies siege took the City of Jor. What afterwards became of this king or kingdom I am not able to resolve In former times it did acknowlege him of Siam for the Lord in chief 3. More North-ward yet lieth the kingdome of PATANE denominated from Patane the chief City of it but different from Patane in the other India as Cleveland in York-shire from Cleveland in Germany or Holland in the Low-Countries from Holland in Lincoln hire as hath been fully shewn before The City made of wood and Reed but artificially wrought and composed together the Mesquit onely most of the people being Mahometans is built of brick The Chinois make a great part of the Inhabitants of it insomuch that in this small City there are spoke three languages viz. the Chinese used by that people the Malayan or language of Malaca which is that of the Natives and the Siam to the King whereof this small Crown is Feudatary Built of such light stuff and combustible matter it must needs be in great danger of fire and was most miserably burnt in the year 1613 by some Javan Slaves in revenge of the death of some of their Fellows at which time the whole City was consumed with fire the Mesquit the Queens Court and some few houses excepted onely The Country governed of late years by Queens who have been very kind to the English and Hollanders granting them leave to erect their Factories in Patane Not memorable for any great exploit by them performed but that a late Queen a little before that dismall fire offended with the King of Pan or Pahan who had maried her Sister and reigned in a little Iland not farre off she sent against him a Fleet of 70 Sail and 4000 men by which compelled to correspond with her desires he brought his Queen and her children with him to make up the breach 4. The Kingdom of SIAM strictly and specially so called is situate on the main-land the rest before described being in the Chersonese betwixt Camboia on the East Pegu on the West the kingdome of Muantay on the North and the main Ocean on the South The chief Cities of it 1. Socotai memorable for a temple made wholly of mettall 80. spans in height raised by one of the Kings it being the custome of this Country that every king at his first coming to the Crown is to build a Temple which he adorneth with high Sâ—eples and many Idols 2. Quedoa renowned for the best Pepper and for that cause very much frequented by forreign Merchants 3. Tavay upon the Sea-coast where it joineth to Pegu. Whence measuring along the shores till we come to Champa before mentioned being all within the Dominions of the king of Siam not reckoning the Chersonese into this Accompt we have a Seacoastof the length of 600 Leagues 4. Lugor upon the sea-side also neer that little Isthmus which joineth the Cherson se to the land from whence to Malaca is 600 miles sail all along the coast 5. Calantan the head City of a little kingdome but subject to the Crown of Siam 6. Siam the chief City of this part of the kingdome which it giveth this name to A goodly City and very commodiously seated on the River Menam for trade and merchandise So populous and frequented by forreign nations that besides the natives here are said to be thirty thousand housholds of Arabians The Houses of it high built by reason of the Annual deluge during which time they live in the Upper rooms and unto every house a boat for the use of the familie Those of the poorer sort dwell in little sheds made of reed and timber which they remove from place to place for the best convenience of their markets And yet so strong that being besiged by the Tanguan Conqueror then king of Pegu Anno 1567 with an Army of fourteen hundred thousand fighting men for the space of 20 moneths together it resolutely held good against him not gained at last by force but treason one of the Gates being set open to him in the dead time of the right and by that means the City taken The people hereof are thought to be inclining to Christianity but hitherto so ill instructed in the principles of it that they maintain amongst many other strange opinions that after the end of 2000 years from what time I know not the world shall be consumed with fire and that under the ashes of it shall remain two egs out of which shall come one man and one woman who shall people the world anew 5. MVANTAY the last of these Kingdomes lieth betwixt Jangoma and Siam memorable for nothing more then the City of Odia or Vdiâ— the principal of all the Kingdomes of Siam and the usual residence of those Kings Situate on the banks of the River Caâ—pumo and containing in it 400000 Inhabitants of which 50000 are trained to the warres and in continual reâ—diness for prelent service For though this King be Lord of nine several Kingdomes yet he useth none of them in his wars but the naturall Siamites and those of
which can make himself Lord of Coquinai which are the five Realms about Meaco is called Prince of Tenza and esteemed Soveraign of the rest Which height of dignity Nabunanga before mentioned in his time attained to after him Faxiba and since him Taicosuma that sovereignty being now in a likely way to become hereditary For Faxiba having brought under his command most of these small Kingdoms transported the vanquished Kings and the chief of their Nobles out of one Countrey into another to the end that being removed out of their own Realms and amongst strange subjects they should remain without means to revolt against him A mercifull and prudent course Having reduced into his power at least 50 of these petit Kingdoms he divided the greatest part of the conquered territories amongst his own faithfull friends and followers binding them to supply him with certain numbers of men upon all occasions By which and other politick courses he so setled himself in those estates that Taicosuma his sonne succeeded without opposition who had he lived would have abolished the vain title of the Dairi or took it to himself as he had the power sollicited thereto by the King of 〈◊〉 But dying in or about the year 1607. Fereâ—sama his son succeeded and may be still alive for ought I can learn What the Revenues of this King are it is hard to say I guess them to be very great in regard he maketh two millions of Crowns yearly of the very Rice which he reserveth to himself from his own demeasns The store of Gold and pretious stones which these Islands yield being wholly his must needs adde much unto his Coffers And for his power it is said that Faxiba was able to raise so good an Army out of the estates demised by him to his faithful followers that he resolved once on the conquest of China and to that end had caused timber to be felled for 2000 vessels for the transporting of his Army And had he lived a little longer t is probable enough he might have shaken that great Kingdome the 〈◊〉 being so much the better Souldiers that a small party of them would defeat a good Army of 〈◊〉 The fear whereof made the King of China after his decease correspond so fairly with his Successour Adjoining to Japan betwixt it and China lyeth the Iland of COREA extended in length from North to South the people whereof being distressed by the Japonites called in the Chinese by whom delivered from their Enemies and restored to liberty as before was noted 2. PHILIPPINAE South of Japan lieth a great frie of Islands which are now called PHILIPPINAE in honour of Philip the second King of Spain in whose time discovered by Legaspi a Spanish Captain 〈◊〉 1564. Strangely mistaken by Mercator for the Barussae of Ptolomy those being placed by him in the bottom of the Gulf of Bengalâ— five degrees South of the Aequator these sicuate on the East of China â—â— 13 or 14 degrees of Northern Latitude those being only five in number these reckoned at above ten thousand The Air in all of them generally very mild and temperate especially in the midland parts that on the shores somewhat inclining unto heat The soil abundantly fruitful of all commodities both for necessity and delights that is to say Rice Pulse Wax Honey Sugar Canes many pleasant fruits the fairest Figges of all the world plenty of fish variety of Birds and Beasts as well wild as tame great store of Cotton Wooll some Mines of Gold and of other mettals great abundance Of all these Islands there are only fourty in possession of the King of Spain belonging properly to Aâ—ia but by him placed under the Government of New Spain in America because discovered by 〈◊〉 at the instigation or procurement of Don Lewis de Velasco who was then Vice-Roy of that Province In these 40 Ilands there are thought to be at the least a million of people subject to that Crown many of which have been converted by the Friers and Jesuites unto Christianity Of these the principal in account are 1. LVSSON affirmed to contain in compass 1000 miles beautifyed by the Spaniards with a fair City seated on a commodious Haven which they call Manilla in which resides the Deputy or Lieutenant Governor for all these Ilands and the bishop of the Philippines for ordering all affairs of those Churches II. MINDANAO 380 Leagues in compass in which are many good Towns as 1. 〈◊〉 2. Pavados 3 Subut 4. Dapiro and some others III. TANDAIR more fruitful than any of the rest and of good extent 160 Leagues in circuit more specially called Philippina because first discovered and so named IV. PALOHAN as much mistaken by Mercator for the Bazacata of Ptolomy These with the rest subject in former times to the Kings of China till they did voluntarily abandon them and confine their Empire within the Continent On this relinquishment the people fell into Civâ—â— warres every man getting what he could for himself and the stronger preying on the weaker which factions and divisions gave great help to the Spaniard in the conquest of those few which are under their power Ilands of more importance to the Spaniards than is commonly thought and therefore furnished by them at their first plantations with Bulls Kine Horses and Mares which before they wanted and do now reasonably abound with For besides the abundance of victuals and some plenty of Gold which they find therein the situation is very fit to subdue the rest of the neighbouring Ilands to settle the commerce betwixt China and Mexico to bring on a continual trade betwixt the Ilands of this Sea and those of America and finally to prevent the Moors or Arabians from planting their Mahometanism any further Eastwards Not far from these on the South of Japan bending towards the west is another great heap of Rocks and Ilands Some of them rich in Gold and furnished with very choise fruits and other necessaries and peopled with a stout and warlike breed of men well skilled in Archerie The chief whereof have the names of 1. Lequin Major 2. Lequin Minor 3. Hermosa 4. Reix Magos c. of which little memorable And not far off those called 5. Ciumbabon in which is said to be a Plantanimal or sensible tree and 6. Matban unfortunately remarkable for the death of Magellanus slain there in a battel with the Natives 3. The Isles of BANDAN THe Isles of BANDAN are in number seven that is to say 1. Mira 2. Rosalargium 3. Aâ—â— 4. Rom 5. Nerra 6 Ganuape the least of all continually burning and for that cause deserted of its inhabitants and 7. Bandan bigger than any of the rest and therefore giving name to all Situate South of the Philippines in the seventh degree of Southern Latitude More fruitful of Nutmegs than any other of all these parts for which cause never without the concourse of forein Merchants from Java Malaca and China and of late times from these Northern Countreys
furlongs 50 fathom deep in the midst whereof were two Pyramides 50 fathoms above the water and as much beneath it the Fish of this Lake for one fix moneths in the year said to be worth twenty of their pounds a day to the Kings Exchequer for the other six each day a Talent 4. The Lakes called Amari into which the Trench or River called Ptolomaeus doth discharge its waters conveyed from thence into the Red-Sea The whole divided antiently into two parts only 1. That called Delta betwixt the two extreme branches of the River Nilus the form of which letter it resembleth to him who standing on the Sea-shore could take a view of it 2. That called Thebais from Thebe the principal City of it comprehending all the rest of the course of that River shut up on both sides with the Mountains spoken of before But this Division leaving out all those parts hereof which lie on the East-side towards the Arabian Golfs and on the West as far as to the borders of Libya Marmarica the Macedonians laying it all together divided it into 18 Cantreds or Districts by them called Nomi increased in the time of Ptolomie the Geographer to 46. Ortelius out of divers Authors hath found 20 more When conquered by the Romans and made a Diocese of the Empire it was divided into four Provinces not reckoning Marmarica and Cyrene into the accompt that is to say 1. Aegyptus specially so called containing all the Delta and the District or Nomus of Mareotica bordering on Marmarica 2. Augustanica so called from Augustus Caesar on the East of the Delta betwixt it and Arabia Petraea 3. Arcadia so called from the Emperor Arcadius in whose time it was taken out of Thebais lying on both sides of the River from the Delta to the City of Antinous 4. Thebais extending on both sides of the River from the borders of Libya Marmarica to the Red-Sea as the other doth unto Aethiopia Divided otherwise by some into Superiorem reaching from Aethiopia to the City of Antinous Mediam stretching thence to the point of the Delta and Inferiorem which comprehendeth all the rest But at this time that part hereof which lieth on the South and East of Caire is called Saud or Salud honoured heretofore with the dwelling of the antient Pharaohs because nearest unto Aethiopia their most puissant neighbour 2. That betwixt Caire Rosetta and Alexandria hath the name of Errifia wherein the Ptolomaean Princes did most reside because most convenient for receiving supplies of men from the States of Greece And finally that from Caire to Tenese and Damiata is now called Maremna in which the Turks and Mamalucks made the seat of their Empire because more neighbouring to the Christians whom they stood in fear of as likewise to invade them upon that side In the whole Country there was reckoned in the time of Amasis the 2d. no fewer then 20000 Cities but if the Towns and Villages be not reckoned in I should much doubt of the accompt By Diodorus Siculus it is said that there were 3000 in his time but Ortelius on a diligent search finds 300 only Those of most note in the Province of Augustanica 1. Pelusium the most Eastern City of Egypt towards Idumaea situate on the most Eastern channel of Nilus called hence Pelusiacum by Ammianus said to be the work of Peleus the Father of Achilles commanded by the Gods to purge himself in the Lake adjoyning for the murder of his brother Phocus Accounted for the chief door of Egypt towards the Land as Pharos was to those who came thither by Sea the Metropolis of the Province of Augustanica the birth-place of Ptolomie the Geographer and the Episcopal See of S. Isidore sirnamed Pelusiotes whose eloquent and pious Epistles are still extant Out of the ruines hereof if not the same under another title arose 2. Damiata memorable for the often Sieges laid unto it by the Christian Armies for none more then that under John de Brenne the titulary King of Jerusalem and the Princes of Europe An. 1220. During which being of 18 moneths continuance the Famine and the Pestilence so extremely raged that the Town in a manner was dispeopled before the Besiegers knew any thing of their condition till in the end two venturous Souldiers admiring the silence and solitude of so great a City in a Bravado scaled the walls but found no man to make resistance the next day the whole Army entred where they found in every house and every corner of the streets whole heaps of dead bodies none to give them burial A lamentable and ruthful spectacle 3. Heros or Civitas Heroum in the Arabian Isthmus at the very bottom of the Golf remarkable for the first interview betwixt Jacob and Joseph after his coming into Egypt 4. Heliopolis or the City of the Sun now called Betsames in the Scriptures On of which Potiphar the Father of Asenath whom Pharaoh married unto Ioseph was priest or Prince as is said Gen. 41. 45. Given as Iosephus telleth us for an habitation to the sons of Iacob by consequence one of the chief Cities of the Land Rameses or Goshen and memorable in times succeeding for a publike Temple built for the Iewes with the consent of Ptolomie sirnamed Philadelphus by Onias the High-Priest then dispossessed of his authority and office by the power of Antiochus a Temple much esteemed by the Hellinists or Grecizing Iews and though Schismatical at the best in its first original yet not Schismatical and Idolatrous as was that of Mount Garizim 5. Bubustis somwhat more North then Heliopolis by some of the Antients called Avaris by the Scriptures Pibeseth another City of that tract now better known by the name of Zioth supposed to be the same which the Notitia calleth Castra Iudaeorum memorable in times of Paganisme for a famous Temple of Diana 6. Arsinoe on the shore of the Red Sea so called in honour of Arsinoe sister of Philadelphus and wife to Lysimachus King of Thrace afterwards called Cleopatris in honour of Queen Cleopatra now better known by the name of Sues Of great commerce and trading in the time of the Ptolomies Now almost abandoned and would be utterly deserted were it not made the station of the Turkish Gallies that command the Gulfe which being framed at Caire of such Timber as is brought thither by sea from the Woods of Cilicia and sometimes from the Shores of the Euxine Sea are again taken in peeces carried from Caire unto this City on the backs of Camels and here joyned together Conceived to be the same which in former times was called Baal Zephon of which see Exod. 14. 9. the last incamping-place of the Tribes of Israel who from hence passed through the Red Sea as upon dry land 7. Gleba Rubra by the Greeks called Hiera Bolus and sometimes Erythra Bolus also more neer the Latine the redness of the soyl giving name unto it situate on the River or Trench of Tralan more memorable for a
houses not above five and twenty shops one Temple all the rest a ruine So truly said the antient Poet Sic patet exemplis Oppida posse mori Thus by examples do we see That Towns may die as well as we Of note at the present 1. Tunis supposed to be the Themisa or Thunisa of Ptolomie of small accompt till the last destruction of Carthage by whose fall it rose Situate not far from the ruines of that famous City in compass about five miles and in that compass said to contain 10000 housholds Of great traffick and well frequented by the Merchants of forrein nations chiefly from Genoa and Venice Remarkable in the Story of the Holy Wars for the sieges and successes of two of our English Princes that namely of King Edward the first in his fathers life time and that of Henry the fourth then but Earl of Darby by both which though the last served only under the command of the French the City was compelled to a Composition Lewis the 9. commonly called S. Lewis dying at the first siege of it 2. Goletta a strong Fort built for defence of the Haven of Tunis in a Demy-Iland divided from the main Land by two narrow passages but so that it commands them both Taken but not without extreme difficulty by Charles 5. Ann. 1535. together with the Turkish Navy riding in the Lake fast by it but again recovered by the Turks about 40 years after Ann 1574. 3. Cairoan built by Hucba who first conquered Africk for the Saracens in a sandie Desart about 100 miles from Tunis and 36 from any part of the Sea to secure himself from any invasion which the commodiousness of the Sea might bring upon him Adorned by the first founder of it with an admirable Temple raised on Pillars of Marble who placed also in it a College of Priests and made it the chief Residence of his posterity for the space of 170 years who reigned here under the great Caliphs as the Sultans of Africk Destroyed by the Arabians in the 424 year of their Hegira but regained from them by the King of Morocco and still of such esteem amongst these Mahometans that their chief men are brought thither to be buried from all parts of the Country hoping by the prayers of those Priests to find a shorter way to Heaven then in other places 4 More Westward yet lies the Province named CONST ANTINA so called from Constantina the chief City of it Extended from the Lake Hipponites now named Guaditharbar to Constantine a Mountain bordering on Bugia which I conceive to be the same with Mons Audus in Ptolomie The soil hereof said to be very rich and fruitful both for Corn and Cattel yielding abundance of Fruits and great store of Butter Rubricatus by Orosius called Ordalio now Ludog the chief River of it Principal Cities of this Province 1. Tabraca on the East and 2. Hippo Regius on the Western bank of Rubricatus both Roman Colonies but this last most famous in being the Episcopal See of renowned S. Augustine 3. Bona the birth-place of that Father built by the Romans about an hundred miles from the Sea but situate in a large Plain containing 40 miles in length 25 in breadth so rich and fertile that the Town flourisheth to this day adorned with a sumptuous Mosque and never without the company of Merchants coming from Genoa Tunes and the Isle of Zerby for their Fruits and Butter 4. Thuburnica another Colonie of the Romans 5. Sicca Veneria another Town of the same nature by Solinus called Veneria only and by Pliny Sicca 6. Culcua another of the Roman Colonies by the Moors now called Cucutina but Constantina by the Latines and most Nations else Now the chief City of this Province situate near a Mountain of the same name near the edge of Bugia An antient City but containing still 8000 families many sumptuous buildings amongst which a large Temple two Colleges and three or four Monasteries frequently visited by the Merchant every Trade having here its peculiar Street their chief commodities Wooll Cloth Silks Oyl and some sorts of Fruits which they exchange for Dates or Slaves who are here good merchandise The City for the most part fenced about with high craggy rocks and where those want with strong wals of a great height and most exquisite workmanship declaring the antiquity of it A further argument whereof may be a fair Triumphal Arch not far from the City and some Hot Bathes after the manner of the Romans 5. Most Westward lieth the Province of BVGIA extended from Mount Constantine to the River Ampsaga now called Chollo or Sef-Gemar which with so much of Constantina as lieth on the West-side of Rubricatus made up that Province which the Romans called by the name of Numidia The length hereof 150 miles on the Mediterranean the breadth not above half so much Narrower then Mauritania as is said by Pliny sed ditior magis culta but the richer of the two and the better peopled The Country of a sat soil plentiful both in fruits and corn but most fit for pasturage to which the people were so addicted that many of them cared not for building Houses instead whereof they used the Hold of a Ship with the Keel turned upwards but removed from one place to another as their Pastures failed them From thence called Nomades by the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to feed or grase The people of good mettal swift of foot and well skilled in horsmanship but better in the onset and to give a charge then in standing to it such as the wild Arabians are now said to be Chief Towns hereof besides Thuburnica Culcua Bona Hippo spoken of before belonging to Numidia though not to Bugia 1. Bugia built by the Romans on the side of a lofty Mountain looking into the Sea by some conceived to have been the Thebuaca of Ptolomy now the chief City of this Province adorned with many sumptuous Mosques some Monasteries and Colleges for Students in the Law of Mahomet and many fair Hospitals for relief of the Poor Fenced also with a strong Castle Secured by the strength whereof and growing rich by the fruitfulness of the situation the Citizens began to grow proud and wanton working much mischief to the Spaniards by their Gallies which they had at sea till taught more modesty by Peter of Navar a Spanish Captain A. 1508. by whom the Town was taken and the people plundered 2. Chollo upon the Sea-side the Chollops Magnus as I take it of Ptolomie reported for a wealthie City 3. Nicaus seated towards Mount Atlas in a pleasant and delightful country which though interspersed with many hils yet being those hils are clothed with woods yield them good store of Goats and Horses and feed the Vallies with fresh springs which do issue from them they rather adde then detract any thing from the pleasures of it 4. Madaura by some called Madurus the birth-place of Apuleius 5. Thunudromum another of
for the fire and timber for building the body of the Tree being strait and high and towards the top diversified into many branches A Country far too good for so bad a people For they as Travellers report and most Writers testifie are treacherous inhospitable ignorant both of â— rayers and Festivals destitute of the distinction of time into years and moneths not knowing any proper names for the dayes of the week nor able to reckon above ten naked except their privities which they cover with Cotton Idolaters in the midland parts Mahometans upon the shores Commendable only for their hate to Polygamie and restraining themselves to one wife the defiling of the marriage bed severely punished but otherwise so eager upon copulation that their Boyes at the age of twelve years and the Girls at ten think they stay too long if they keep their Virginities any longer some of them like Quartilla in Pâ—tronius Arbiter begin so early ut nunquam meminerint se Virgines fuisse that they remember not the time when they lost their Maidenheads Of colour they are black and of strong composition their breasts and faces cut and pinkt to appear more beautiful Much given unto the wars well armed according to their Country manner and exceeding good Archers Amongst them there are some white people said to come from China It hath in it many fair Rivers but their names I find not and at the mouths of those Rivers some convenient Havens into which they admit the sorrein Merchants but suffer none to come on land which the Merchant hath no cause to be sorry for finding himself not safe on shipboard from their treacherous practises So that we can give but small Account of their Towns and Cities except it be the bare recital of their names as viz. 1. S. Augustines on a fair Bay in the South-west point as 2 Gangomar in the North-east of it 3 Antabosta 4 Point-Antogil 5 Santo-Jacobo 6 Matatana 7 Angoda 8 Herendo 9 Andro-arco and 10 Roma or New-Rome so entituled by some zealous Romanist in hope to have it thought that the Popes of Rome have got some footing in this Iland This Iland known but very imperfectly in the time of Marcus Paulus Venetus who telleth us many strange things of it but none more strange then that of the Bird called Ruck of such incredible strength bigness that it could snatch up an Elephant as easily as a Kite doth a Chicken Discovered by the Portugals in the year 1506. as before was said and since frequented by the English and Holland Merchants by whom we are informed no further touching the Estate and Affairs thereof but that it is divided into four parts under so many Kings each of them in continual wars against one another but well enough agreed to defend themselves against the coming in of Strangers yet as some say they would be well enough content with an English Plantation either in love to our Nation whom they acknowledge to be more courteous then the Portugals and not so covetous as the Dutch or else by the strength of our Shipping and the reputation of our interesse in it to keep off all others 4. MOHELIA 5. MAVRITIVS Iland ADjoyning to Madagascar and as it were attending on it I find divers Ilands some on the North-west some directly East On the North-west we have 1 Meottey 2 Chamroe 3 Mohelia and 4 Joanna Iland on the East 5 the Iland of Mauritius and 6 Englands Forest Of these Mauritius is the greatest but Mohelia the best inhabited 4. MOHELIA situate on the North-west of Madagascar is about 20 miles in length and 16 in breadth abounding in Goats Hens Coconuts Limons Orenges Pom-Citrons Pulse Sugar-Canes store of Fish taken on the shores and other necessaries The People of complexion black of composition large and strong couragious affable lesse treacherous then their neighbours of Madagascar Of the same Language and Religion with those of Arabia from whence they seem to have descended but by reason of their commerce and intercourse with the Portugals they speak that tongue also The Women of the like complexion to amend which and seem more lovely they pink their arms and faces in several shapes Both sexes no otherwise apparalled then their natural garments with some Plantane Leaves about their middle to hide their shame Their Religion that of Mahomet as before is said their Priests in great esteem amongst them so their Temples also which they keep clean and neatly matted not suffering any man to enter with his shooes on his feet Their chief Town Merianguea at the West end of the Isle strong and well-garrison'd Heretofore under the command of one King alone of late divided into two Principalities one of the last Kings leaving two daughters the one married to a Native the other to an Arabian Lord. 5. Larger then this on the East of Madagascar is the Isle of MAVRITIVS so called by the Hollanders in honour of Maurice Prince of Orange in whose time they first set footing in it but by the Portugals called De Cerne and by some Cygnaea In compass about 100 miles well stored with Beeves Hogs Goats most sorts of Fish and liberally endowed with all the blessings of Nature sweet Waters most delicious Fruits Woods fit for any use both of food and building plenty of Ebonie of all colours but the best coal-black Yet altogether destitute of humane Inhabitants insomuch as we may say of this as the Poet of the World before Man was made Sanctius his Animal mentisque capacius altae Deerat adhuc quod dominari in caetera posset Which may be Englished in these words But yet the Chief with Supreme power possest Was wanting he that should command the rest 6. S. HELENS 7. The Isles of ASCENTION 6. AS destitute of Inhabitants as the Isle of Mauritius is that of S. HELEN on the West side of the Cape of Good Hope in the 16 Degree of Southernly Latitude no other Iland interposing betwixt Madagascar and it except those of Don Alvarez and of Tristram de Acugna neer the Cape it self but of so little note as not worth the naming The Iland very high and hilly and mounting from the Sea with so steep an ascent that the Mariners have amongst them a merry saying that A man may choose whether he will break his heart going up or his neck coming down It was thus called because discovered by the Portugals on S. Helens day not then inhabited nor since the King of Spain suffering none to dwell there because it had been made an unlawful receptacle for uncustomed Goods whereby he lost exceedingly both in power and profit Stored by the Portugals at the first Discovery with Goats Hogs Hens and other Creatures as also with Figs Limons Orenges and the like Fruits which there thrive exceedingly and grow all the year long Intended by them for a Stage in their going and coming to and from the Indies in which they might refresh themselves and