Egypt let us look after his sonne Ludim whom he sent out to people Aethiopia the next Country to him For that this Ludim was the Father of those Ethiopians many good reasons are alleged First from the Texts of Esatah cap 66. 19. and Jer. 469. where Lud is said to be very skilfull in drawing the bow which agrees punctually with the Character given unto the Ethiopians by Strabo Herodotus Dâ—odorus Siculus and others of the antient Writers Secondly from the joyning of the children or people of Ludim with those of Phul in the place of Esaiah before cited which Phul may very probably be the Citie which the Graecians call Philae situate not far from Syâ—ne on the very borders of Ethiopia and antiently inhabited both by the Ethiopians and Egyptians as Strabo and some others of the Antients witness Thirdly from the conjunction of the children of Lud or Ludim with those of Chus on the Gulf of Arabia and those of Phut or Lybians on the other side of Mount Atlas both next neighbours to them as in Ezek 30. ver 5. and that of Jer. above mentioned where our English very strangely rendereth Ludim by the name of Lydians which dwell too far off both from Chush and Phut to be joyned together in one action But of this more than enough already the Arguments being so strong and also most demonstrative I go on therefore to the next onely observing by the way that the Ethiopians mentioned in those Texts of our English Bibles are not these of Asrica but the Chusites of Arabia Felix our Translators alwaies rendring Chus by Ethiopia The Anamim who come next I know not where to find or in what place to look for them unless they were the same with the Amantes of Solinus and the Hammanientes of Plinie a people seated on the sea-side men the greater Syrtis to which the neighbourhood of the Lehabim may give some countenance who seem to be the same with the people of Libya a Province seated betwixt Egypt and Cyrenaica and were called Libyaegyptii by the old Geographers to difference them from the inhabitants of the greater Lybia whereof more hereafter For the Napthtuhim I am also at a loss unless we find them somewhere in Cyrenaica and that some remnant of the name be in Aptuchi fanum which occurs in Ptolomie But for the Pathrusin I think no question need be made but that they were the people of that Province of Egypt which in divers places of the Scripture is called Pathros as Esay 11. 11. Jer. 44. 1. Ezek. 29. 14. and seems to be that part of Egypt which is called Thebais where Ptolomie placeth Pathyris an In-land Town not far from Thebâ— And Pathuris the Greek or Septuagint term that which in the Hebrew is called Pathros Hitherto wee have found the Nations which descended from the sonnes of Misraim in Egypt and the Countries adjoyning to it And there or there abouts wee are to looke for Cophtorim and Casluhim the two sonnes remaining I know there hath been great paines taken to find the Casluhim in Colchis and the Cophtorim in Cappadocia or Pontus not far from Trabezond where notwithstanding there is no tract of the names remaining But this being so far off from Egypt in and neer which both Misraim himself and all the rest of his sonnes were planted I can by no means yeeld unto it though to conteut such Learned men as would fain have it so I think it possible enough that some of the Egyptians in succeeding times moved with the same of that great wealth which Colchis was supposed to yeeld to some Adventurers might leave their native soyl to inhabit there And therefore I think rather with the learned Junius that the Casluhim were first planted in the Region of Cassiotis not far from Dumiâ—â—a a chief town of Egypt which retains somewhat of the name and so doth Coptus an old Citie of Egypt of the name of Cophtorim Or if it did not as it doth why the name of Cophti which at this day is given to the Christians of Egypt may not be thought to have its first rise from Cophtorim rather than that they are so called quasi Aegopthti corruptly for Aegyptii I must needs say I am not satisfied Besides it being cleer in Scripture that the Casluhim and Cophtorim dwelt neer together and that the Philistims are said to descend from Casluhim if Casluhim should go for Colchia and Cophtorim for Cappadocia we must first carry them I know not how far off from the rest of their Brethren against the method of all Plantations and then bring the Philistims back again from Colchis to find a â—welling on the borders of the land of Egypt from whence their Ancestors and Allies were so far remote Whereas by setling these two Naions amongst the rest of their Brethren the journey of the Philistims unto Canaan and fetling themselves in the possessions of the Avim a 〈◊〉 people whom they had subdued Deut. 2. 25. is both easie and naturall But before we follow these Philistimâ— further in their new Plantation amongst the Caâ—â—nites we will first see what became of Phut the third sonne of Cham. And if we guide our selves in this Labyrinth by the clew of Antiquitie we shall find him setled West of his Brother Misraim and so to the Atlantick Ocean the Lake of Tritonis parting their dominions Some Relicts of the name there were in the time of Josephus who telleth us of a River of Mauritania which in his time retained the name of Phut Plinie makes mention of it also Ptoloâ—â—â— takes notice of a River in those parts called Pthuth which comes very neer it And so doth Isidore Origen l. 9. 2. But St. Hierome in my mind puts it out of doubt whose words I shall put down and so leave Africa Phut Librae à quo Mauritania fluviâ—s usque ad praesens Phut dicitur omnisque circa eum Regio Phutensis cujus reâ— multi Scriptores tam Graeci quam Latini testes sunt Where we have not onely a River but a Province of the name of Phut and many antient Writers both Greek and Latin called to witness it And now we should proceed to Canaan and his sonnes eleven in all being the fourth and last branch of the house of Cham. But being they all kept together in or neer the land of Canaan we shall sind them there or meet with them in such Plantations and Colonies as they sent abroad under the title of Phoenicians And therefore go we next to Japhet whose Tents God promised to enlarge as indeed he did spreading his branches over Europe the lesseâ— Asia and a great part of the greater also To him were born seven sonnes in all that is to say Gomer and Magog Maedai and Javan Tubal Mesech and Thyras Of which the Issue of two onely are upon record viz. Aschenaz Riphath and Togarma the sonnes of Gomer Elisha Tarshish Kittâ—â— and Dodanim the sonnes of Javan And first for Gomer and his
Divine Providence by sending the birds called Gaives amongst them did not provide a remedy for so great a mischief The greatest defect hereof is the want of water which notwithstanding they have very rich pastures the people are conceived to be the simplest or most void of craft of any in Italie perhaps because they have so little commerce with their own Countrey-men and so much with Strangers The chief Towns are 1. Lecci Aletium in Latine a rich Town well built and very well peopled 2. Castro a Sea Town but not well fenced by art or nature which hath made it very often a prey to the Turks 3. Gallipolis a Town built on so craggy a Rock that it is conceived to be unconquerable 4. Brundusium the head Town of the Salentini once glorying in the most capacious Haven in all the World from whence there was continuall passage into Dalmatâ—a Epyrus Macedon and the rest of Greece Here was it that Pompey took ship to flie from Caesar and Caesar took shipping also to pursue after him when to incourage the Pilot who was afraid of the storm he cryed out Caesarum vehis fortunam ejus It was first built by the 〈◊〉 under the conduct of one Diomedes and called Brontesion which in the Mesapian Tongue siynifieth the horn or head of a Stag which it much resembleth from whence the Latines gave it the name of Brundusium At this day it is but a mean Town the Haven of it being so châ—ked that a Gally can very hardly enter 5. Hydruntum a very antient Town and yet still reasonably well peopled having a strong Castle upon a Rock for its defence and a capacious poâ—â— for Traffick It is now called Otranto and is still a place of such importance that the taking of it by Mahomet the great An. 14â—1 put all Italie into such a fear that Rome was quite abandoned not well inhabited again till the expulsion of the Turkâ— in the next year following 6 PUGLIA is bounded on the East with Terra di Otranto on the West with Abruzzo on the North with the Adriatick Sea on the South with Calabria It contains the whole Country called of old Apulia from whence the Puglia of the Italians and the Ponâ—lle of the French 〈◊〉 to be derived It is divided by Leander into Apulia Peucetia and Apulia Daunia the reason of which names I am unresolved of That of Peucetia some derive from Peucetius the Brother of Oenotrus which may be probable enough this being the first Country at which Oenotrus touched when he brought his people into Italie Bochartus a great Enemy to all Traditions will have it called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that great plenty of Pitch which these Countries yeeld as that word â—ignifieth in the Greek But as for that of Daunâ—a I have yet found no more probable conjecture of it than that it should be called thus of Daunus the sonne of Danae by Pilumnus once the King of this Country it being reported in the Legends of those elder times that Danae being delivered of Perseus whom she had by Jupiter was by her Father the King Acrisius exposed to the mercy of the Seas by which she was wafted with her young sonne to the coasts of this Province here taken up by a poor Fisher and by him carried to the Court where the King became so enamoured of her that he took her to Wife and by her was Father to this Daunus But Daunus had not long enjoyed it on the death of his Father when either by force or composition he was fain to leave it to Diomedes King of Aetolia who at the end of the Troâ—an War wherein he was a principall Actor hearing of the libidinous courses of his Wife Aegâ—ale abhorred the thought of living with her and so came with his people to this Country where he fixt his dwelling and built the City of Argyripa whereof more anon But as for Daunus though he was not able to keep the possession of this Country yet he bequeathed his name unto it and afterwards withdrawing into Latium with such of his subjects as were willing to follow his Adventures he became there the chief or head of the Rutuli and built among them the Town of Ardea his chief seat at the comming of Aeneas into Italie betwixt whom and Turnus the sonne of this Daunus grew that deadly fewd so celebrated in the Works of Virgil. To proceed now in the description of this Province in the full latitude thereof it comprehended also the Salentini and other the inhabitants of the land of Otranto for by no other names than those of Apulia and Calabria was all the East part of Italie held by the Constantinopolitans and by those names was it transferred on Otho the third of Germany on his Mariage with Theophania as before is sayd But take it in the present bounds and acception of it and it containeth the three Provinces of Bari the Capitanate and Pouille the plain according to the subdivision made by King Alsonsus Pouille comprehending the greatest part of Apulia Daunia the rest thereof which is only the command of the Hill Garganus or the Mount St. Angelo being called the Capitanate and Bari comprehending all Peucetia The people both of this Province and the land of Otranto though in other things agreeing with the rest of this Kingdom have a disease peculiar only to themselves occasioned by the biting of a little Serpent whiah they call a Tarantula not curable There are in the whole besides the Villages and Towns unfortified 126 Castles or walled places and 13 Cities The principall of which are 1 Manfredonia built and fortified by Manfred the bastard King of Naples and Cicilie the better to assure these parts of his Kingdom a stately and magnificent City and the seat of the Arch-Bishop of Sipont having a very safe harbour for Ships and an impregnable Citadel for defence thereof 2 Barlette reckoned one of the 4 most noted Cities of Italie the other three being Crema in Lombardy Prato in Tuscany and Fabrianum now called Fabiano in Marca Anconitana 3 Bitontum an Arch-Bishops See one of which was a famous stickler in the Councill of Trent 4 Asculum or Ascoli the Title of a Duke called by the Antients Asculum Satrianum to difference it from another of the same name in Anconitana 5. Tranum an antient City better built than peopled for want of a commodious Haven 6. Bari a fair City well inhabited and seated in a very fruitfull soyl which gives name to one part of the Country as it is now divided Here stood in former times the poor Village of Cannae ignobilis Apuliae vicus as it is in Florus sed quae magnitudine cladis emersit but such a one as afterwards grew famous for the great victory which Annibal there got against Paulus Aemilius and Terentius Varro the Romon Consulls of whose Army he slew 42700. men upon the place Which Victory had he husbanded as he should have done he
and Irene these two last Provinces only were assigned to the Constant inopolitans the rest to Charles and his Successors both outed of their severall parts by the prevailing Saracens under the conduct of Sabba and other successive 〈◊〉 These partly dispossessed by the Emperour Otho the first and his Almain forces and they again expelled by the Greeks and Saracens joyning together against them as a common Enemy who afterwards held bitter wars against one another for the sole command During these wâ—rs it happened that one Drangot a Gentleman of Normandy having in the presence of Duke Robert the Father of William the Conqueror slain one Repostel a Gentleman of like quality to avoid the justice of the Prince and the practices of Repostels kindred fled into this Countrey attended by such of his followers as either did depend upon his fortunes or had been medlers in the Fray Where being come the Duke of Benevent Vicegerent to the Eastern Emperor took them into pay Their entertainment being bruited in Normandy and a report raised withall that the Greeks hearkened after men of valour and action caused many private Gentlemen to pass over the Alpes and there to hew themselves out a more prosperous fortune than formerly they had injoyed The fortunate success of which last Adventurers drew thither also Tancred the Lord of Hauteville who with his twelve sonnes came into Apulia Ao. 1008. and in short time not only drove the Saracens thence but the Grecâ—ans also as men that had broke Covenant with them in the division of the Bootie For William the sonne of Tancred combining with Melorco Governour of Apulâ—a for the Greek Emperour and with the Princes of Capua and Salerâ— men of power and honour for the conquest of Sicil which the Saracens then wholly held agreed amongst themselves to divide the places conquered by them into four equall parts one for each Adventurer But when the Saracens were driven out Melorco having new supplies sent him out of Greece seized on the possession of the whole Island in the Emperors name Which injury William cunningly dissembled till Melorco's Forces were dispersed and then he suddenly set upon him first took the City of Melsi and after by degrees most of the other Towns and places which the Greeks held in Italie of which both he and his Successors kept possession by the Title of Dukes of Calabria only Of these though all of eminent vertue there were two besides this William of speciall fame 1. Robert Guâ—scard the third sonne of Tancred the most valiant Captain of his time and chief establisher of the Normans power in Italie to which he added in conclusion the Isle of Sicil together with the citie of Naples it self and all the Lands which lie betwixt it and Rome 2. Bohemund the eldest sonne of this Robert who going with Godfrey of Bovillon and others of the Western Christians to the Holy Land was for his signall merits invested with the Kingdom of Antioch inherited by his children after his decease But to proceed this Guiscard at his death but not without some wrong to the children of his Brother William whom he had dispossessed of all by the Popes Authority gave Sicil with the title of Earl to his sonne Rogero and his estates in Italy to his other sonne William who going to Constantinople to mary with the Emperors daughter was outed of his part by his brother Roger made not long after by the Pope the first King of this Familie The Kings of Naples of the Norman Line 1125. 1 Roger Earl of Sicil created by Pope Anacletus 2d. King of both the Sicilies at the Town of Benevent which City in requitall of so great a favour he restored again unto the Church from which it had been taken after the first Donation of it by the German Emperors 24. 1149. 2 William the sonne of Roger who to assure himself of his Kingdoms was content to take them as a gift from the hands of Pope Adrian the 4th to be holden for ever in Fee of the Church of Rome 21. 1170. 3 William II. sonne of the former William who left a daughter called Constance who became a Nun. 26. 1196. 4 Tancred the base sonne of William the 2d. excluded his Sister from the Crown but was sententially deposed by Pope Celestine the 3d. who had an aim to get the Kingdom for himself But when he saw that Tancred was too strong for him out of meer spight to be defeated of his purpose he called in the Germans the antient Enemies of his See and gave the Lady Constance then almost fifty yeers of age in mariage unto Henry the 6th 2. The German Line 1198. 5 Henry the sixt of that name Emperor and Duke of Schwaben succeeded on his mariage with the Lady Constance 4. 1202. 6 Frederick sonne of the Emperor Henry and Queen Constance crowned at the age of three yeers afterwards Emperor by the name of Frederick the 2d. He had to wife the daughter of John di Brenn the titulary King of Hierusalem of which the Kings of Naples have ever since had the title of Kings and in the rights of this Kingdom the Kings of Spain 125â— 7 Conrade the sonne of Frederick King of Naples and Sicil as also Emperour and Duke of Snevia or Schwaben poisoned as it was conceived by his base brother Manfred 4. 1254. 8 Munfroy or Manfred base sonne of Frederick and Duke of Benevent first governed the Kingdom as Protector unto Conradine the sonne of Conrade but after took it to himself against the will of Pope Urban the 4th who being weary of the Germans called in Charles Duke of Anjou and Earl of Provence brother to Lewis the 10th of France it being usuall with the Popes as Machiavel very well observeth to call new men into Italie and stir up new wars for their own ambition not suffering any to possess that long which themselves through their weakness could not hold and practising the over-throw of those very men whom themselves had raised to power and greatness The French Line 1261. 9 Charles Earl of Anjou and Provence overcame King Manfred and was after crowned by Pope Urban the 4th who conditioned with him that neither he nor his Successors should assume the Empire and that they should pay fifty thousand Crowns per annum as a Rent to the Church This Charles did also vanquish Conradine the sonne of Conrade the last of the royall house of Suevia whom he caused to be beheaded at Naples After which bloody Act neither he nor any of his posterity did either quietly or long injoy these Kingdoms For in his own time Peter King of Aragon clamed the Kingdom of Naples in right of Constance his wife the daughter of Manfred betwixt whom and Charles a single combat was appointed to be fought in Bourdeaux before King Edward the first of England to decide the Controversie But whilest Charles there expected him he seized on Sicil Ao. 1281. This Charles reigned three and twenty
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
the Lombards the foundation of the houses of Free-stone the rest of Bricks built with Arched Cloysters towards the street under which one may walk dry in the greatest rain A City honoured with many Palaces of the neighbouring Nobles the chief University of Italy and the retiring place of the Popes The Civill Law is much studied here insomuch that from hence proceeded the famous Clvilians Johannes Andreas Azâ— Bartolus and Socinâ—s I believe they have built Castles in the air which ascribe the founding of this University to Theodosius the 2d. The Charter of this foundation dated Ano. 423. is an idle and foolish thing For there it is said that at the institution there were present Gualter Earl of Poictiers Embassador for the King of England and Baldwin Earl of Flanders for the King of France when at that time neither those Earldoms or those Kingdoms were in rerum natura It is fituate on the river Aposa and was by former Writers called Felsina Neer unto this Town in a Demy-Iland called Forcelli was that meeting between Augustus Antony and Lepidus wherein they agreed on the Triumvirate dividing the Empire and City of Rome among themselves Which combination was confirmed by the ensuing Proscription wherein that they might be revenged on Cicero Lepidus proscribed his Brother Antonius his Uncle 2. Rimini antiently called Ariminum seated on the mouth of the River Rubicon which in those times divided Italie from Gaule upon the bank whereof neer unto this Town there was an old Marble Pillar having on it a Latine Inscription to this purpose viz. Leave here thy Colours and lay down thine Arms and pass not with thy Forces beyond the Rubicon whosoever goeth against this command let him be held an Enemy to the people of ROME Which Rule when Caesar had transgressed and surprized this City he so frighted Pompey and his faction that they abandoned Italie and Rome it self and withdrew themselves into Epirus It is said that Caesar dreamed the night before that he carnally knew his own Mother whereby the South-sayers gathered that he should be Lord of Rome which was the common Mother of them all Which dream and severall prodigies happening at the same time with it did so incourage him in his enterprize that he is said at the passing over Rubicon to have said these words Eamus quo nos Divâ—m monita c. Let us go whether the sins of our Enemies and the prodigies of the Gods do call us In memory of which venturous but fortunate action he caused a monument to be erected in this City with his name and Titles It was antiently a Roman Colony and in the bustles happening betwixt the Pope and the Emperor was seized on by the Malatesti as Bononia was by the Bentivoli two potent Families of these parts who held them in defiance of the Powers of Rome till they were reduced again unto the Church by Pope Julio the second 3. Cervia on the Adriatick Sea where there is made so much Salt that they furnish therewith all their neighbours of Marca Anconitana and a great part of Lombardie the Pope receiving for his Customes of this one commoditie no less than 60000. Crowns per annum 4. Furlii called of old Forum Livii one of the Towns belonging properly to the Exarchate of Ravenna seated in a very pleasant air and a fruitfull soyl betwixt two fresh streams of which the one is called Ronchus and the other Montonus 5. Faventia now called Faenza on the banks of Anemus a calm gentle River an antient City but well peopled much benesited by the Flax which groweth in the adjoyning fields and the Earthen Vessells which they vend to most parts of Italie It was first given unto the Popes by Desiderius the last King of the Lombards whom they but sorrily requited for so great a curtesie 6. Sarsina an old City seated at the foot of the Apennine the birth place of Plautus the Comaedian 7. Imola antiently called Forum Cornelii and 8. Cesena Cities both of them of no small Antiquity but this last the fairer built the better peopled and the more strongly fortified 9. Ravenna once beautified with one of the fairest Havens in the world and for that cause made the Road of one of the two Navies which Augustus kept always manned to command the whole Empire of Rome the other riding at Misenus in Campania This of Ravenna being in the upper Sea awed and defended Dalmatia Greece Crete Cyprus Asia c. the other at Misenus in the lower Sea protected and kept under France Spain Africk Aegypt Syria c. The walls of this City are said to have been built or repaired by Tiberius Caesar the whole Citie to have been much beautified by Theodoricus King of the Gothes who built here a most stately and magnificent Palace the ruins whereof are still easily discernable The private buildings are but mean the publick ones are of a grave but stately structure Of which the principall heretofore was the Church of S. Maries the Round whose roof was of one entire stone and honoured with the rich Sepulchre of the said King Theodorick which the souldiers in the sack of this City by the French pulled down together with the Church it self onely to get the Jewells and Medalls of it The principall at the present is the Church of S. Vitalis the pavement whereof is all of Marble and the walls all covered with precious stones of many sorts but unpolished as they were taken out of Mines which sheweth as well the magnificence as Antiquity of it The Patriarchs of this City in regard it was so long the Regall and Imperiall Seat have heretofore contended for precedency with the Popes themselves this City having been antiently the Metropolis of the Province called Flaminia afterwards honoured with the Seat of the Emperor Honorius and his successors next of the Gothish Kings then of the Exarchs and last of its Patriarchs And it was chosen for this purpose because of the plentifull Territory since covered with water and the conveniency of the Haven at this day choaked though lately by expence of a great deal of treasure the Fens about the City have been very much drained and the Bogs in some places turned to fruitfull Fields to the great benefit hereof both for health and pleasure As for the Exarchs who had their residence in this City they were no other than the Vice-Roys or Lieutenants of the Eastern Emperors Concerning which we are to know that the Kingdom of the Gothes in Italie was no sooner destroyed by Narses but the Lombards entred To give a stop to whose successes and preserve so much unto the Empire as was not already conquered by them it was thought good by Justine the second to send thither an Imperiall Officer of principall command and note whom he honoured with the title of Exarch His residence setled at Ravenna as standing most commodiously to hinder the incursions of the barbarous Nations and withall to receive such aids
the Emperors not born in Rome as after him there were few born in it The soyl about it is of so different and strange a nature that it is said to be made dirty by the Sun and Winds and dusty by Rain the City is well-peopled and a Bishops See seated upon a very steep and craggy Hill not far from the River Nar now Negro from which perhaps it took the name A City given unto the Church of Rome by Luitprandus King of the Lombards of which the Popes of Rome having got possession never left practising till they had got into their power all the rest of the Country Little is famous else in the whole Region of Umbria but that in the Western part thereof is the Lake called Lacus Vademodius neer to Ameria now called Amelia a town of the Dukedom where Dolobella overthrew such of the Galls as had escaped the sword of Camillus Ne quis extaret in ea gente saith the Historian qui incensam à se Roman gloriaretur a former slaughter being made by Camillus on the banks of Aniene the Eastern limits of these Umbri 5 S. PETERS PATRIMONIE properly and specially so called is that part of Tuscanie which appertains unto the Church bounded upon the East with Tiber which divides it from Latiuns or Compagna di Roma on the West with the River Piseo which falleth into the Sea near the Mountain of Argentario and parteth it from the estate of the Duke of Florence on the North with the Apennine on the South with the Tuscan or Tyrrhenian Sea It took this new name presently on the donation of the Countess Mathildis who gave it for ever unto the Church An. 110. Paschal the second sitting in the Chair of Rome to be the Patrimonie of S. Peter and his successors in that See A Country not inferiour unto any in It tlie for the fertility of the soyl but for the most part of an unhealthy Air by reason of the frequent overflowings of Tiber and the thick woods which hinder that the winds cannot purge and clense it The principall Cities and places of most observation are 1 Periglia formerly called Perusia a famous Town in which Augustus besieged L. Antonius the brother and Fulvia the wife of M. Antony the Triunivir who when they had in vain attempted to seduce Rome from his party repaired to this Citie which also at the last yeelded to the more fortunate Emperor who afterwards having much adorned and beautified it caused it to be called Augusta but it returned not long after to its antient name It is seated very pleasantly on the banks of Tiber not far from the Apennine in a very rich and fruitfull soyl well built both for the publick and private structures a Bishops See and made an University An. 1090. In the distractions of Italie betwixt the Emperours and the Popes this City was seized on by the Baillons who held it as Vicars of the Church The Oddies an opposite Faction to them having got together a strong party of Malecontents so suddenly entred one night into the City that the Baillons began to fly nor was there any thing to hinder them from being masters of the Palace but the chain which was drawn cross the gate One of the souldiers going about to cut this chain and wanting room to wield his arm cryed a loud Give back which words being heard but not well understood by those furthest off put them to their heels and the foremost which thought they fled not for nothing ran-way too So the City was saved 2 Orvieto seated on so high a Rock that it is no small terrour to look down from the top of it into the vallies beneath in which there is a Church of a wondrous lightness and yet the windows of the same if we may credit Adrianus who reports it are made of Albaster in stead of Glass 3 Viteâ—bo famous for the long residence of the Popes at such time as they were affronted by the Roman Senators 4 Civita Vecchia called antiently Centumcellae the only usefull Haven that belongeth to Rome which being ruined by the Saracens was rebuilt by the Popes new named and â—ortified with a very strong Castle for the defence of their Shipping 5 Porto seated on the mouth of Tiber over against Ostia but cannot make one good Haven betwixt them both a Bishops See and one of the seven Cardinals which is alwaies assistant to the Pope 6 Farnese the antient seat and Patrimony of the Farnesis now Dukes of Parma 7 Bracciano which gives the title of a Duke to a branch of the Ursins a well-known Family of those parts 8 Baechano neer the last in sound although not in site compassed round about with Hils in the form of a Theatre having a fair Lake in the middest out of which runneth the River Cremera neer which the Fabii were slain Here was in this Country also the City of the Veii of great wealth and power in a War against which managed for the most part by the aforesayd Fabii 306 of them were slain in a day onely one little child of them being left at home who restored the House and was the Ancestor of that Fabius Maximus who preserved Italie in the Wars with Annibal Of which great slaughter thus faith Ovid Veientibus Arvis Ter centum Fabii ter cecidere duo On the Veientine plain Three hundred and six Fabii were slain This City of the Veii was at last after a ten years siege taken by Furius Camillus and by him levelled with the earth because he found that the common people of Rome had a mind to leave their own City and inhabit here Here is also that fatall River of Allia nigh unto which Brennus and his Galls being drawn into Italie by the sweet tast of the Italian wines slaughtered the Romans The Roman Army consisted of 40000 Souldiers most of them being raw and unexperienced The Galls were not more in number but were naturally of a fierce and haâ—dy courage and withall so big-boned that it seemeth they were born to be the terrour of mankind and the ruin of Cities Having wonne the day the Barbarians march towards Rome forsaken of its chiefest strength the Capitoll only being manned by Manlius which also they had mastered if the geese had not been more vigilant than the Watch. When they had failed of this enterprize they began a treaty with the Fathers of the Town agreeing with them for a thousand pound weight of Gold to forsake the City But before the delivery of this mony they were assaulted and vanquished by Camillus who for this is called Romes second Founder The overthrow at Allia and the vanquishment of the Fabii hapned in one day though in diver years which was therefore by the old Romans put among the unfortunate daies they never on that day attempting any business of importance The like custom whether on superstition or fear of ill luck is used by many Christians and especially on Childermas day
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
all Germany within the Rhene together with the Belgick Provinces before described the Counties of Flanders and Artois excepted only the Kingdome of Germany taking up the rest For by Ludovicus Pius the son of Charles the great Empire of his Father was parcelled out into many members as Italie France Burgundie Lorrain and Germany distributed amongst his sons and nephews with the title of Kings By means whereof the Kingdomes of Germany and Lorrain united in the person of Lewis the Ancient in little time were alien'd from the house of Charles and left off to be French possessed by the great Princes of Lorrain Saxonie Schwaben and Bavaria by whom dismembred into many principalities and inferiour states all passing under the accompt and name of the Dutch or Germans The Kings and Emperours of which here follow The KINGS and EMPEROURS of GERMANIE Anno Chr. 801 1 Charles the Great Emp. K. of France and Germanie 815 2 Ludovicus Pius King of France Germanie and Emperour of the Romans 841 3 Lewis surnamed the Ancient second son of Ludovious Pius King of Germanie to which anno 876. he united that of Lorrain also 4 Charles the Grosse son of Lewis the Ancient reigned joyntly with Caroloman and Lewis his elder Brethren after their deaths sole King of Germany Anno 880. he succeeded Ludovicus vitus Baâ—bus in the title of Emperour continued unto his Successours and during the minoritie of Charls the Simple by a faction of the French Nobility was chosen King of France the whole estate of Charls the Great becoming once again united in the person of one Soveraign Prince 891 5 Arnulph the naturall son of Caroloman the brother of Charls King of Germanie and Emp. 903 6 Lewis or Ludovicus IV. Lewis the brother of Charls and Caroloman being reckoned for one King of Germanie and Emperour 913 7 Conrade the son of Conrade the brother of Lewis the 4. the last Prince of the issue of Charls the Great After whose death the Francones and Saxons seeing Charls the Simple King of France overlaid by the Normans took that advantage to transferre the Empire to themselves and they made choice of Henry Duke of Saxony to be their Emperour A worthy Prince by whom some Nations of the Sclaves the Hungarians and part of Lorrain were subdued or added to the Empire 920 6 Henricus surnamed Auceps or the Fowler Duke of Saxonie 12. 938 9 Otho surnamed the Great the son of Henry Emperour and King of Italie 36. 974 10 Otho II. son of Otho the first Emperour and King of Italie 10. 984 11 Otho III. son of Otho the 2. Duke of Saxonie and the last of that house which had the title of Emperour and King of Italie After whose death all right of succession being disclaimed the Emperours became Elective but for the most part wholly ingrossed or Monopolized since the Failer of the house of Saxonie by the Dukes of Franconia Suevia Bavaria and Austria notwithstanding the libertie or freedom of Election pretended to by the Electors The businesse first projected in the Court of Rome to make the Emperours lesse powerfull and distract the Germans whom they feared into sides and factions confirmed by a decree of Pope Gregory the fifth being a Native of that Country The Electors only six in number that is to say 1. The Archbishop of Mentz Chancellour of the Empire 2. The Archbishop of Colen Chancellour of Italie 3. The Archbishop of Triers Chancellour of France 4. The Count Palatine of the Rhene Arch-Sewer 5. The Duke of Saxonie Lord Marshall And 6. The Marquesse of Brandâ—nburg Lord Chamberlain Upon equalitie of voices the Duke but now King of Bohemia was to come in for the 7. who by Office was to be Cup-bearer at the Coronation For upon Coronation dayes or dayes of like solemnitie these Offices are performed only and then performed in this manner Before the Palace gate standeth an heap of Oats so high that it reacheth to the brest of the horse on which the Duke of Saxonie rideth bearing in his hand a silver wand and a silver measure both which together weigh 200 marks then sitting still upon his horse he filleth up the measure with oates sticketh his wand in the Remainder delivereth the measure of Oats to some of his servants which stand next him and so attendeth the Emperour into the Court. The Emperour being entred and sate down at the Table the three spirituall Electors standing orderly together say Grace before him Then cometh the Marquesse of Brandenburg on horse-back also with a silver basin in his hand full of water the basin of the weight of 12 marks of silver and a fine clean towell on his arm which alighting down he holdeth forth unto the Emperour Then comes the Count Palatine of the Rhene mounted on his horse with four silver Platters full of meat every one of the weight of three marks which alighting also he carrieth and setteth down upon the table And finally the Duke or King of Bohemia on horse-back as the others were with a Napkin on his Arm and a covered cup of the weight of 12 marks entreth the Great-hall alighteth from his horse and giveth the cup unto the Emperour to drink But we must know that these services are seldome or never especially of late times performed by the Electours in person It is enough if they send their Embassadours to do it or substitute some one or other of the Emperours Court to perform it for them The election is usually holden at Francfort on Maenus whither the Electours or their deputies come upon the day appointed by the Bishop of Ments whose office it is to assemble the Princes In their passage into Francfort they are guarded by every Prince through whose territories they passe Their attendants must not exceed the number of 200 horse-men whereof 50 only must be armed When they are all met they goe to 8. Bartholomews Church where after Masse said the spiritual Electors laying their hands on their breast and the temporall on the book shal swear to choose a fit temporall head for the people of Christendom If in the space of 30 days they have not agreed then must they eat nothing but bread and water nor by any means go out of the citie til the greater part have agreed on a man who shall forthwith be acknowledged King of the Romans The Election being finished the partie chosen the inauguration was anciently holden 1. at Aken in Gulick where the new elected Emperor received the silver crown for Germany 2. at Millain where he received his iron crown for Lombardie 3. at Rome where he received the golden crown for the Empire But those journeys unto Rome and Millain have been long laid by the Emperours holding their Election to be strong enough to make good their Title to that honour being meerly titular The form of which Election the priviledges of the Princes Electours and other fundamentall constitutions of the German Empire we find summed up in the
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
set purpose or destroyed by the injury of time I am not able to declare that it is grown the sepulchre of what once it was and lieth buried in its own sad ruines hardly preserving the repute of a forry village Such is the instability of all worldly glories Some other Towns there are in this part of Syria but not to be remembred the same day with Antioch Of which the most observable is 21. Albaria distant two daies march from Antioch remembred in the Warres of the Holy Land As for the story of this Province as a State distinct we find it had a King of its own called the King of Hamath the Kingdome of Toi or Tou before remembred who together with the King of Arphac commanded in this part of Syria and the Isles adjoining Vassalls in time succeeding to the Kings of Tyre who lorded it over all the Sea-coasts hereof and consequently had great influence on the Inlands also And it continned in this State till the Assrrian Kings began to turn their forces Westward when added to that Empire by Tiglath Phileser after the subversion of the Kingdome of Damascus or by Salmanassar after the destruction of that of Israel The proud but dreadful vaunt which Senacherih the Successour of those mighty Monarchs made to Hezekiah viz. Where are the Kings of Hamath and Arphad shews clearly that those Kingdomes had been conquered not long before and therefore needs by Salmanasser or Tiglâ—â—h Philâ—sâ—r Afterwards in the struglings betwixt the Babylonians and Egyptians for the chief command it was a while at the devotions of the Kings of Egypt it being at Reblatha in this Province that Jehoahaz King of Judah was put into bonds by the command of Pharoah Neco as was said before But Neco being long after vanquished by Nebuchadnezzer King of Babylon it returned again unto that Crown and after the same fortunes with the rest of Syria 3. COMAGENA COMAGENA is bounded on the East with the River Euphrates by which parted from Mesopotamia on the West with the Mounteins called Amamus which divide it from Calicia on the North with Taurus by which separated from Armenia Minor on the South with Palmyrâ—ne Called also Euphratensis and Euphratesia when a Roman Province by reason of its situation bordering on that River The reason of the name I find not amongst my Authors but find that many learned men conceive it to be that part of Syria which the Scriptures call Syria Maacha mention whereof is made 1 Chron. cap. 19. v. 6. gainsayed by others because they find a place called Maacha in the Tribe of Manasses but with no great reason as I take it For being it is joined in the 2 of Chron. 19. v. 6. above mentioned in the same action with Mesopotamia and Syria Sobah and not so only but placed between them in the method of that holy pen-man I dare not think but that they were all very neer neighbours and ranked according to the natural situation of them Which agreeth very well with the site of this Camagâ—na having Mesopotamia on the East and Aram-Sobah on the South Nor is it any stronger proof unto the contrary that Maacha is a Town of the Tribe of Manasses then if a man should say that there is no such Province as Mansfield in High Germany because there is a Town of that name in England or no such place as Savoy among the Alpes because there is an house of that name in London As for the people hereof besides what they have common with the rest of the Syrians they were of old much given unto Divinations and for that cause derided thus in the sixt Satyr of Juvâ—nal Spondet amatorem tenerum vel divit is orbi Testamentum ingens calidae pulmone columboe Tractato Armenius vel Comagenus Aruspex Pectora pullorum rimabitur exta Catelli Interdum pueri Faciet quod deferat ipse Thus Englished by my honoured friend Sir Robert Stapylton A childless rich mans Legacy or young love Are found i'th'lights of a warm ttembling Dove By Comagene Sooth-Sayers they look into A dead Chicks brest the same th' Armenians do They view the entrails of a dog and reach A childs perhaps They do it and then peach Chief places of this part 1. Samosata the Metropolis or head City of it when a Roman Province situate neer the banks of Euphrates over which it had a bridge for passage into Mesopotamia Unfortunate for being the birth-place of Lucian that profane Scoffer of Christianity though otherwise a man of a quick wit and great abilities as also of Paulus Samosatenus Patriarch of Antioch condemned of Here sie in a Councill holden in his own City Anno 273 by the great and most learned Bishops of that Age there assembled together for teaching that our Saviour was no other then a natural man but neither God nor the Sonne of God as the Scriptures testify 2. Germanicia by some called Germanicopolis on the other side of the Countrey neer the Mountain Amamus no lesse unfortunate than the former in being the birth-place of Nestorius Patriarch of Constantinople who troubling the peace of the Church with Heterodoxie and impertinent nicities about the blessed Mother of Christ as also about the nature and person of Christ himself was thereupon condemned of Heresie in the Council of Ephesus Anno 435. In former times called Adata or as some write Adapa but took this new name from Germanicus Casar in honour of whom it was made a Roman Colony by Augustus testified by this Inscription extant in Onuphrius viz. COLONIA JULIA GERMANICIA SACRA AUGUSTA FELIX 3. Singa so called from the River upon which it is situate 4. Antiochia penes Taurum so called because seated at the foot of that Mountain to difference it from the other of this name in Syria 5. Pinara one of the chief Cities of that part which is called Pieria 6. Doliche a small Town but made an Episcopall See in the best times of the Church as appeareth by the Acts of the Councills of Antioch and Constantinople in which there is some mention of the Bishops of it 7. Aleppo now the Principall of all the Countrey supposed by some to be the Sepharvaim mentioned 2 Kings 17. 24. It was thus called as some say from Halep which in the language of those parts signifieth milk afforded liberally by the rich pastures round about it as others more improbably from Aleph the first letter of the Greek Alphabet because the first in estimation of the Cities of Syria Most probably from Alepius Leiutenant here in the time of Julian the Apostata who did here many notable exploits and amongst others in or neer the ruins of some old Town of these parts not yet agreed on in case it be not Sepharvaim before mentioned advanced this City Situate on the banks of the River Singas which rising out of the hill Piâ—rius with many windings and turnings runneth thorough Comagena and there falleth into Euphrates Destroyed by Haalon
amongst those I reckon 1. Gerra 2. Elere 3. Nelaxa 4. Adrama all named by Ptolomy and all placed by him in the Longitude of 70 degrees or upwards more towards the East than well agreeth with the position of this Countrey or any part of Belying more towards the West than Trachonitis though to that part of Ituraea by him ascribed Hither also I refer the City of 5. Tishbe the Countrey of old Tobit and the Prophet Elias 6. Tob where Jophes lived in exile when oppreffed by his Brethren till the necessities of his Countrey called him to the publick government and 7. Hippus at the foot of those Mountains reckoned amongst the Cities of Coele-Syria 2. BATANEA is that part of Ituraea which antiently made up the best and greatest part of the Kingdome of Basan whence it had this name the changing of S to T as Assyria into Attyria and the like being usuall among the Greeks But that Kingdome being brought to an end by Moses it was given to the half tribe of Manasses so called of Manasses the Sonne of Joseph of whom there were found at the first muster neer Mount Sinai 32200 men able to bear armes which though consumed in the Desarts yet were they of such a swift increase that there were found 52700 fighting men of them when rhey passed over Jordan Their Territory on that side of the River streching from Jaboc on the South to the Realm of Gessur on the North and from the mountains unto Jordan East and West was exceeding fertile repenished withall sorts of Cattel and adorned with the goodliest Woods in that part of the World the Oakes of Basan being celebrated in the Holy Scriptures It had in it 60. fenced Cities when first conquered by those of this Tribe The principall of which 1. Pella formerly called Butis but being rebuilt by Seleucus the Great King of Syria was by him called Pella with reference to a City of that name in Macedon the birth-place of Alexander to whom Seleucus owed his greatness and whole estate Destroyed by Alexander Jannaeus King of the Jews because not willing to admit of the Law of Moses it was afterwards restored by Pompey to its former lustre Memorable in Church-story for the Admonition or premonishment given by a voice from Heaven to the Christians dwelling at Hierusalem to remove thence and dwell at Pella that so they might escape that destruction which the Roman Army under Titus was to bring upon it 2. Edrey the Seat-Royall of the Kings of Basan 3. Carnaim on the banks of Jaboc taken by Judas Maccabaeus who set fire on the Temple of the Idols there and burnt therein all such as sled thither for sanctuary 4. Ephror a strong City upon Jordan taken and burnt by the same Judas Maccabaeus for refusing to give a passage to his Army 5. Jabesh Gilead more neer unto the Mountains whence it had that Adjunct memorable in the Scriptures for the siege of Nabas King of the Ammonites the raising of that siege by Saul and the gratitude of the People towards him again in taking down imbalming and intombing the bodies of him and his Sonnes which the Philistims had most delpitefully hanged on the walls of Bethsan 6. Astaroth a City of great note in the Elder times the seat of the Rephaims a Giantlike race of men of whom descended Og of Basan from whence the Countrey adjoining had the name of the Land of giantâ— Astaroth the Godess of the Sidonians had here her worshippers 7. Gaulon sometimes possessed by Og of Basan and afterwards made one of the Cities of Refuge of such esteem in the times of the Greeks and Romans that the North part of Basanitis or Batanea was called Gaulonitis divided into Superior and Inferior so often mentioned by Josephus And of this City or Countrey was that Judas of Galâ—lee spoken of in the sift of the Acts the Founder of the Gaulonites or Anti-Herodians 8. Gamala in the Lower Gaulonitis so called because the Hill upon which it stood was fashioned like the back of a Camel invincibly situate strengthned both by Art and Nature and at the last with so great difficulty and hazard of Vespasians person stormed by Titus that the Romans in the heat of the execution spared neither Women nor Children insomuch that all the Inhabitants perished except some few Women which had hid themselves 9. Gadara after ten moneths siege taken and destroyed by Alexander Jannaeus King of the lews repaired by Pompey and by Gabinius made one of the five feats of Justice for the whole Countrey of Palestine the other four being Hierusalem Iericho Hamath and Sephorah 10. Gerasa or Gergesa the Chief City of the Gergesites the people whereof on the loss of their Swine intreated our Saviour to depart out of their costs as Saint Matthew hath it Saint Luke and Saint Mark ascribe it to the People of Gadara not that the Cities were both one or the Evangelists at ods in the Relation but because they were two neighbouring Cities and their fields lay in Common pour cause de vicinage as our Lawyers phrase it and so the storie might be common to both alike 11. Hippus not far from the River Iordan so called from a Garrison of Horse there placed by Herod not from the Mountain Hippus as some suppose which is too far off to have any influence upon it 12. Iulias built by Philip the Tetrarch of Ituraea in the Southern border of his estate in imitation of the like work of Herod the Tetrarch of Galilee and Peraea to ingratiate himself with Iulia the wife of Tiberius Caesar 13. Abel by Iosephus called Abel Maacha for distinctions sake where Sheba that Grand Rebell being besieged by Ioab and the City brought into some danger had his head cut off and thrown over the wall at the perswasion of a wife woman of the Town So the rebellion ended and the City was saved North of Basanitis or Batanea lieth the Kingdome of GESSVR by a latter name called AVRANITIS from Hauran a chief City of it mentioned by the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 16. 18. A Kingdome spoken of by Moses as the Northern bound of the Half Tribe of Manasses on that side of Iordan Deut. 4. 14. by Iosuah as the Northern border of the Kingdome of Basar chap 12. 5 but reckoned as a part of Syria because held by the Aramites 2 Sam. 15. 8. A Kingdome though of no great territorie yet of some consideration in the eye of the World David esteeming the alliance of the Kings hereof of some use unto him and therefore marying Maacha the daughter of Tolmui King of Gessur by whom he had Absolom and Tamar And to this King it was that Absolom fled on the killing of Amnon abiding here three years as the storie telleth us Conterminus to this or at least not very much distant from it was the petit Kingdome of Isk-â—ob which sent 12000. men to the aid of the Ammonites against David and not far off but more
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
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
Patriarch of the Armenians at their first separarion from the See of Constantinople the Metropolis at that time of all Armenia so named in honour of Augustus whom the Greeks call Sebastos But of late divested of that dignity the Patriarchall See by reason of the fierce wars raging in this Countrey betwixt the Persians and the Turks being removed to the Monastery of Ecmeazin neer the City of Ervan in Persia in the dominions of which King these Armenian Christians live in great abundance by the name of Jelphelins 3. Tigraneceria beautified and inlarged if not first founded by Tigranes above-mentioned by whom replenished with people of severall Nations whose Countries he had taken from them and enriched in a manner with the wealth of all his Kingdome there being no Armenian either Prince or Paisant who sent not somewhat towards the adorning of it But taken by Lucullus without great resistance those severall Nations not agreeing amongst themselves and therein besides other Treasure no less than 8000 Talents in ready money The City situate neer a River which Tacitus calleth Nicesorius 4. Arsamosata by Pliny called Arsimote on the banks of Euphrates 5. Cholna so called in memory of Hul or Chul the sonne of Aram one of the first Planters of this Countrey 6. Baraza by the Emperor Leo much enlarged and beautified dignified with the new name of Leontopolis and for a while made the Metropolis of the Province 7. Arsâ—rata by Strabo called Arxata 8. Theodosiopolis built on the foundation of some of the more antient Cities by the Emperor Theodosius and of him thus named 9 Colonia the strongest and most defensible City hereof when possessed by the Romans 10. Clamassun a strong Town on the banks of Euphrates taken by Selimus the first in his way towards Persia and therewith livery and seisin of the rest of this Countrey since wholly conquered by his Successors 12. Chars not far from the same River also supposed to be the Chorsa of Ptolomy of which not long since the ruins onely but in three weeks so repaired and fortified by the Turks Anno 1579. that it is thought to be impregnable 13. Thespia giving name of old to the Lake Thespitis and to the Region called Thespites but now not in being 14. Arminig now of greatest name and esteemed the Metropolis of this Countrie situate in that part of the Lake of Vaslan the Martiana palus of the antient writers which lieth next to this Countrey and by that well fortified the onely City of Armenia possessed by the Persians who are the Lords of all that Lake of which more hereafter 15. Van both for natural situation and the works of art accompted by the Turks for their strongest Bulwark in these parts against the Persians and for that cause well garrisoned and as well munitioned This Countrey was first planted by Hul or Chul the sonne of Aram and by Mesech one of the sonnes of Japhet who with their families or Colonies possessed the same the one leaving the remainder of his name in the Montes Moschici the other in the Town called Cholna and the Region called Colthene by Ptolomy Cholobatene by Stephanus Advanced to the honour of a Kingdome assoon as any that of Babel excepted Ninus the third from Nimrod finding Barzanes King hereof whom he forced to acknowledge his superiority and to aid him in his warres against Zoroaster the King of Bactria Kings of most note in times succeeding for we have no constant Cata legue of them were 1. Araxes who being warred on by the Persians was promised victory by the Oracle on the sacrifice of his two fair daughters Willing to satisfie the Gods and yet spare his children he sacrificed two of the daughters of Musalcus a noble man of this Countrey by whom in revenge hereof his own daughters were slain and himself so closely followed that swiming the River then called Helmns he was therein drowned and thereby gave unto that River the name of Araxes 2. Artaxa the founder of the great City Artaxata spoken of before 3. Tigranes the most mightie King that ever reigned in Armenia to which he added by his prowess Galatia and a great part of Cilicia in Asia Minor the whole Countreys of Media Syria and Phoenicia But siding with Mithridates whose daughter he had maryed against the Romans he was by Lucullus overthrown in two grea battels and outed of the greatest part of his dominions Hearing that Pompey had succeeded Lucullus in command of the Army and trusting more unto his goodness than a wiseman would he put himself into his power by whom condemned in a great sum of money for the charge of the war and stripped of all the rest of his estates he was suffered to enjoy Armenta Major Syria being made a Province Sophene given to Ariobarzanes King of Cappadocia Media left unto it self and the lesser Armenia conferred on one of his Sonnes who being found guilty of some practice with the King of Parthia was carryed Prisoner unto Rome and his Countrey brought into the form of a Province 4. Artavasdes circumvented by Mar. Antonie who led him Prisoner to Rome but catenis i.e. quid honori ejus deesset aureis as the Historian tells us of him it was in chaines of Gold for his greater honour giving Armenia to one of the sonnes of Cleopatra And though 5. Artaxias recovered his Fathers Kingdome yet he and his Successors held it but as Vassals of the Roman Empire the Senate after that confirming and sometimes nominating the Armeni in Kings Continuing in this estate till the time of Trajan it was by him reduced to the form of a Province made after that a part of the Pontick Diocese who adding Mesopotamia also unto his dominions make Tigris the Eastern border of his Empire which Augustus thought fit to limit with the banks of Euphrates But long it held not in that form being governed by its own Kings as it was before Trajans time in the reign of Constantius Julian and the Emperors following whom they acknowledged and revered as their Lords in chief till the time of Justinian the second he began his Empire Anno 687. when subdued by the Saracens Recovered by that Emperour but soon lost again it continued subject to the Saracens till the breaking in of the Turks Anno 844. of whom more anon The greatest part of the Turks emptying themselves into Persit and other Countreys which they took from the Eastern Emperors the Christians of Armenia began to take heart again and to have Kings of their own by whom governed till again subdued by Occadan or Hoccata sonne of Cingis the first Cham of the Fartars Nor did the Tartars make so absolute a conquest of it as to extinguish either Christianity or the race of the Kings Haithon surnamed Armentus reigning after this and going in person to Mangu the great Cham of Tartarie Anno 1257. And in our own Chronicles in the reign of King Richard the second we find mention of one Leon an
Thebans against the Phocians brought all that Country in a manner under his command The Romans by aiding the Sicilians against the Carthaginians possessed themselves of that flourishing Island by assisting the Hedui against the Sequani mastered France by succouring Androgeus against Cassibelan seised on Britain by siding with the Aetolians against Perseus united to their Empire all the Kingdom of Macedon and by the same course what not In after-ages the Britains called in the Saxons and were by them thâ—st out of all the Irish called in the English by whom they were in process of time totally subdued and the Indians called in the Mogul-Tartars who now Lord it over them These forrein supplies are invited or let into a Country commonly in four cases First when some one man upon discontent or desire of revenge openeth them a way to a Country upon which motives Narses invited the Lombards into Italy and Count Julian brought the Moors into Spain the one to be revenged on the Empresse Sophia who had despitefully reviled him the other to revenge himself on King Rodorick who had ravished his daughter Secondly when a weaker Faction makes way for them to maintain their cause against a stronger On which ground the Duke of Burgundy being oppressed by the faction of Orleans made way for Henry the fifth to passe into France and the Leaguers drew the Spaniards in to hold up their declining cause against Henry the 4th Thirdly when an ambitious Prince makes use of a forrein power to usurp upon the rights of another man And for that cause Ludowick Sforze perswaded Charles the 8. to undertake the Conquest of the Realm of Naples that by the countenance of his Arms he might appropriate to himself the Dukedom of Millain Fourthly when a King overburthened by a forrein or domestick force which he is not able to resist requires the help of a forrein friend in which case Plus à medico quam a morbo mali the Physick proves many times worse then the Disease for thus the Kings of Naples of the house of Aragon being in danger of the French drew in the Aids of Ferdinand the Catholique the Cousin-German once removed of the King then being And the Caliphs of Egypt not able to withstand the forces of Almericus craved aid of the Turks by which meane both those kingdoms were made a prey to their forrein friends and by avoiding Scylla fled into Charybdis Nay many times it so happeneth that these forrein succours joyn in design with those against whom they were called and divide the conquered State between them And so we find that the Burgundians being called by Stilico into Gaul to prevent the breaking in of the Franks or French joyned with them in a common league against the Romans whom they dispossessed at last of all that Country Onely amongst so many examples to this purpose we find the Low-Country-men to have prospered by these forrein aids who by the assistance of the English ransomed themselves from that yoke of bondage which was intended to be put upon them by the King of Spain This I acknowledge to be true and look upon it as a great Argument of the integrity and honesty of the English Nation although it be as true withall that the English never had such an Army there as to be able to subdue them But give me such another instance I will quit the cause for the same Low-Country-men found it otherwise with the Duke of Anjou Brother to Henry the 3. of France whom they created Duke of Brabant and their Governour-Generall permitting him to bring in as many of the French as either his authority or their own monies were able to raise who was no sooner setled in that command but he made it his chief business to seize upon their strongest Holds and to be a more absolute Prince amongst them then ever the Spaniards or Burgundians had been before So that I think I may conclude that these forrein Succours are the last to be tryed and the least to be trusted of any remedies in State But it 's now more then time to return to the Mamalucks and in them to The third Dynastie of the Egyptian Kings or the Race of the Mamalucks A. Ch. 1255. 1 Turquimeneius who being promoted to the kingdom released King Lewis whom Melechsala his predecessor had taken prisoner but performed not half of the conditions agreed upon 2 Clothes by some called Elmutahaz taking advantage of the miseries of the Turks then distressed by the Tartars seised on the greatest part of Syria and Palestine 1260. 3 Bandocader perfected the begunconquests of Clothes and took from the Christians the strong City of Antioch carrying on his Armies as far as Armenia where he did much spoil 4 Melechsait or Melechsares restored the power of the Mamalucks in Syria and Palestine where it had been much impaired by Edward the son of Henry the 3. of England and Henry Duke of Mecklenburgh c. 1289. 5 Elpis or Alphix recovered from the dissenting Christians the strong Cities of Tripolis Berytus Tyre and Sidon all which he razed to the ground that they might not be any more serviceable to the affairs of the Christians 1291. 6 Araphus or Eustrephus by birth a German released Henry Duke of Mecklebourg after he had been prisoner 26 years He rooted the Christians out of Syria took Ptolomais the last Town they there held and so razed it that he made it fit to be ploughed 7 Melechnesar when he was Lieutenant to Arapbus was discomfited by Cassanes a great Prince of the Tartars with the loss of 40000 Egyptians but Cassanes being departed he recovered again all Syria and destroyed Hierusalem for which service he was afterward made Sultan of Egypt 8 Melechadel whom I suppose to be that Sultan that governed Egypt when Tamberlane with unresistable violence conquered it but of this I am not certain neither can I meet with any constant and continued series which I dare relie on of his successors in this kingdom till I come to 9 Melechella or Melechnaser who in the year 1423. subdued the Isle of Cyprus and made the Kings thereof to be from thenceforth Tributaries to the Mamaluck Sultans 1465. 10 Cathbeyus who much reformed the State of Egypt and was a professed enemy of Bajazet 2. the 8 th King of the Ottomans 1498. 11 Mahomet the son of Cathbeyus deposed by the Mamalucks for fear the kingdom might by him be made hereditary it being against their usual custome that the son should succeed his father in the name and privileges of a Mamaluck 1499. 12 Campson Chiarsesius succeeded on the deposing of Mahomet 13 Zanballat who dethroned Campson and not long after was deposed by 1500. 14 Tonombeius outed of his Estate by the joynt-consent of the Mamalucks so to make way for Campson Gaurus 1501. 15 Campson II. sirnamed Gaurus reformed the disordered and factious estate both of Court and Country and for the space of 16 years governed very prosperously But siding
THe Kingdom of TVNIS in Latine called Regnum Tunctanum hath on the East Cyrene on the West the Kingdom of Algeirs or Tremesin on the North the Mediterranean on the South Mount Atlas So called from Tunis the chief City of it The Country towards the East barren and destitute of water but in the Western parts sufficiently plentiful of Corn and other fruits and generally well set with Trees The people more patient of labour then the rest of Barbary and for that cause perhaps more healthy but questionlesse of so good constitution that they live commonly to great Age unlesse a violent death prevent them and are not much afraid of sickness or much troubled with it It contains in it the two whole Provinces of Africa Propria or Africa Minor as some call it and the Numidia of the Romans called since Numidia Antiqua to difference it from the present Numidia lying on the other side of Mount Atlas The principal Mountains of which Countries besides those spoken of already were 1 Audas 2 Buzara 3 Cinna 4 Dios or the Hils of Jupiter 5 Gillius by some named Gigion and 6 those called Thizibi Rivers of most esteem with them though not much with others besides those mentioned before 1 Ampsaga now called Collo and by some Sat Gemar which divideth this Kingdom from that of Tremesen 2 Catuda 3 Cyniphus issuing from the hils called Zuchabarus and falling into the Sea not far from Tripolis Besides which there were some great Lakes the chief whereof 1 Hipponites near Mount Cinna 2 the Lake of Pallas or that called Palus Tritonia where Minerva was said to have shewed herself the Inventress of Spining and of Oyle and for that much worshipped by this People 3 Sylura another great Lake but not so famous as the former because not honoured by a Goddesse The whole divided by the Romans into these four parts viz. 1. Africa specially so called lying on the Sea from the River Ampsaga to the Lesser Syrtis 2. Tripolitana from the Lesser Syrtis to the Greater 3. Numidia lying on the West of Zeugitana or Africa Propria and 4. Byzacena so called from Byzacium or Byzacina a chief City of it the territory whereof so extremely fruitful that 400 Ears of corn were sent to Rome in the time of Augustus and 360 in the time of Domitius Nero growing on one stalk But this Division being long since worn out of memory it is divided at the present into the Provinces of 1. Ezzab 2. Tripolis 3. Tunis 4 Constantina 5. Bugia 1. EZZAB is that part of this Kingdom which lieth next to Cyrene A small Region and not very fruitful yet the Inhabitants hereof are conceived to be rich the richer in regard they are free from tributes their wealth not rising from the commodities of their own Country which affordeth them little else besides Dates and Olives but from such merchandise which they buy of the Venetians and sell to the Numidians The richest those of Mesrata a little Province of this Tract which lieth near the Sea Towns it hath some but none of note the chief of which 1. Mesurata 2. Sibeca both upon the Sea of which the first gives name unto that little Province spoken of before Of more note in the former times was Philoeni Villa situate on the Greater Syrtis near the Promontory then called Hippi but now Cabo de Surta memorable for the adjoyning Altars called Phileni Arae erected by the Carthaginians upon this occasion Some controversies being grown betwixt those of Carthage and Cyrene about their bounds it was agreed that two men at a set houre should be sent out of each City towards the other and where they met there to be fixed the Meer-stone of their several Territories The Phileni two brothers nominated for Carthage were so quick of foot that they had goten a good way into the Country of the Cyrenenses before they were met wherewith the Cyreneans much enraged put to them this choice either to go so much back again or to die in the place This last accepted by the Phileni who preferred the common good of their Country before their own for preservation of whose name and honour to succeeding Ages the grateful Carthaginians did erect these Altars 2. West of the Province of Ezzab lieth that of TRIPOLIS which together with Ezzab made that Province which the Romans called Tripolitana Not much more fruitful then the other except in Barley but more commodiously seated in regard of the Sea which is here more safe for navigation the former lying wholly on the greater Syrtis Chief Towns hereof 1. Leptis Magna so called to distinguish it from another but of lesse note and therefore called Leptis Parva situate in the now Province of Tunis A town of so great wealth and trade that it was worth a Talent daily to the Carthaginians 2. Euphranta called also Pyrgos Euphranta from some strong Tower in it on the Western-bank of the greater Syrtis 3. Cinsterna on the Eastern side of the River Cyniphus 4. Cabis the utmost City of this Province westward the same which Ptolomie cals Tacapa situate at the fall of the River Triton into the lesser Syrtis 5. Sabratha and 6. Heva not else observable but that together with Leptis Magna they made up that one City which the Romans called from thence Tripolis 7. Tripolis founded by the Romans and by them peopled with Colonies from those three Cities before mentioned A City of great name and riches till destroyed by the Saracens By whom rebuilt adorned with many fair Temples Colleges and Hospitals and flourishing in much wealth and lustre it became a Kingdom of it self but subject to the Kings of Tunis till taken by the Genoes with a Fleet of 20 sail and by them sold to the King of Fesse Recovered not long after by the King of Tunis it came once more to have a King of its own till by the valour of Peter of Navar it was conquered for Ferdinand the Catholique the first Monarch of Spain whose Nephew Charles the 5. conferred it on the Knights of S. John of Hierusalem then expelled from Rhodes whom the Turks under Sinan Basa General of Selimus the second dispossessed by force An. 1551. since that the ordinary Residence of the Turkish Begterbeg for these African Provinces and made an usual retreat for Pyrats who infest these Seas and do much mischief to the Coasts of Sicil Italy and others of the Christian Countries 3. The Province of TVNIS lying Westward to that of Tripolis taketh up so much of this Kingdom as antiently contained the Province of Byzacena and so much of the Roman Africk as lieth on the East of the River called Guadilharbar the Hipponites Lacus of the Antient writers The Country antiently so fruitful that it yielded usually an increase of an hundred and fifty fold For proof of which besides the testimony of approved Authors the wonderfull if not prodigious Ears of Corn which before we heard of may serve sufficiently
Lacus quos si quis faucibus hausit Aut furit aut patitur mirum gravitate soporem Which may be paraphrased in these words Who doth not know the Aethiopian Lake Of which whoever drinks his thirst to slake Either grows mad or doth his soul oppress With an unheard of heavy drowsiness To look upon the State as it stood in the former times we finde in it besides the Lakes and Rivers before mentioned three capacious Bayes that is to say Sinus Adulicus 2 Sinus Avalites and 3 Sinus Barbaricus the two last neighboured by the now Countries of Aden and Quiloa Havens of note and Rodes for shipping there were five in all viz 1 Bathus or the deep Haven 2 Dioscorum Portus or the Haven of Castor and Pollux 3 Theon Soterum or the Haven of the Saviour-Gods 4 Portus Evangeliorum Gospel Port or the Port of good News And 5 Serapionis the Port of Serapion with a Promontory of the same name neer adjoyning to it For other Promontories which in so long a tract of Sea must needs be many the principal were 1 Basium 2 Mnemium 3 Dimetris 4 Aspis 5 Ara Amoris 6 Colobon 7 the Promontory of Saturn 8 Mosylon with a noted Empory of the same name 9 Aromata neer another well frequented Empory of the same name also and 10 that of Noticornu Then for the Towns of greatest Trading besides those last mentioned we have 1 Avalites 2 Malao 3 Mundi 4 Cube and 5 Acane in the Bay of Avalites 6 Opone in the Bay of Barbaria 7 Essina on the South of the Aequinoctial Then for their Cities we have amongst many others the names of 1 Epitherias by Ptolomy called Ptolemais Ferarum 2 Adulis and 3 Avalites giving names unto their several Bays 4 Rapta the Metropolis of that part of this Country which was called Barbaria lying along the shores of the Sinus Barbaricus which as it taketh name from the River Raptus upon which it is situate so they do both agree in communicating it to the Promontory called Raptum 5 Meroe the chief City of the Isle so called 6 Sabath in the Bay of Adutis which possibly might be some Colony of the Sabaeans in Arabia Felix 7 Coloe by Plinie called Tolen not far from the great Luke so named 8 Cambusis by Ptolomie called Cambysi Aerarium from some treasures laid up here by Cambyses the Persian in his invasion of this Country 9 Auxumi the chief City of the Auxumites a most potent people of these parts and the Seat Royal of the old Aethiopian Kings 10 Napata as Ptolomy but by most others called Tanape of old the residence of the Aethiopian Emperours sacked and ruined by Petronius president of Egypt For when Candace the Predecessour I believe of her whose Eunuch was baptized by Philip had ransacked and wasted Egypt with fire and sword Petronius Lieutenant to Augustus drave them home harried the whole Country put this City to the spoyle and to prevent the like inrodes fortified the Frontires of his Province Philae upon the borders of Egypt garrisoned by the Romans till the time of Dioclesian and by him abandoned Of some of these and others not here mentioned we may have opportunity to speak more hereafter in the survey of some of these particular Provinces into which this Country stands divided at this present time And for the Provinces comprehended at this time within the bounds and limits of this Aethiopia as before laid down they are said to make up 70 Kingdoms most of them subject to the Abassine Emperor the principal of which are 1 Guagere 2 Tigremaon 3 Angote 4 Amgata 5 Damut 6 Goijami 7 Bagamedrum 8 Barnagassum 8 Adel 9 Adea 10 Dancali 11 Dobas 12 Fatigar 13 Xoa 14 Barus Concerning which I must premise that I finde the Relations of them to be very imperfect many times disagreeing sometimes false So that I must profess my self to be less satisfied in the description of this Country then in any of the rest which have gone before Such as it is I here present it to the Reader 1. GVAGERE GVAGERE containeth only the Island of Meroe an Iland of much note and fame amongst the Ancients made by the confluences of Nilus and Astaborus the two chief Rivers of this Country The length hereof 350 miles the breadth 125. abundantly plentifull of Gold Silver Brass Iron Ivory Precious stones and an excellent kinde of Mineral Salt Well stored with most sorts of beasts both tame and wilde and of the last sort with Lyons Leopards Rhinocerots Elephants and Dragons The People are of the same nature and complexion with the rest Mahometans by Religion and the professed Enemies of the Abassine Emperour against whom they do not only defend themselves by the advantages and benefit of their situation but confederating with the Turks and Arabians fall many times with great forces into his Dominions It is said by Plinie of the Inhabitants of this Iland that twice a year viz. When the Sun is in the 16th degree of Taurus and the 14th of Leo they have the Sun so perpendicular above their heads that he casts no shadow More anciently memorable for their long lives then their great exploits attaining ordinarily to 120 years of Age and therefore called Macrobii by the old Greek Writers The women said to be of such great brests in the former times that they did suckle their children over their shoulders as some women are now said to do neer the Cape of good Hope the dug being bigger then the childe Of which thus Juvenal In Meroe crasso majorem Infante mamillam In Meroe the Mothers pap Is bigger then the childe in lap The Principal Cities hereof 1 Meroe which gave that name unto the Iland but took the same from Meroe a sister of Cambyses King of Persia or as Eusebius saith from Merida the mother of Chenephris a King of Egypt Josephus telleth us that in former times it had been called by the name of Saba on authority of whose mistake it hath been made the Regal City of that Queen of Sheba the Queen of Egypt and Aethiopia as Joseph calleth her who came to Solomon An opinion so received amongst these Ilanders that the name of Meroe being laid by they have restored the name of Saba to this City as of greater eminence The City said by some to contain about 5000 houses great and sumptuous the streets thereof to be large and spacious with Galleries on each side before the doors of their houses where men walk safe from all extremities of heat or rain Beautified with four chief Gates besides others of inferiour note built of Alabaster and Jasper wrought with Antique works the doors belonging to those Gates of Cedar curiously wrought the wayes which lead unto them for the space of two Leagues beset with Palms Orange-trees Cedars Cypresses and others no less usefull both for shade and fruit In the place where the four streets going from these Gates do cross each other a