History and Description of the World not so choicely nor methodically handled as might be expected but yet may serve to refresh your memory after the tedious and ill way of other mighty Volumes It were a worthy employ for any that hath parts and leisure to go through with it in a more acute and accurate manner not emitting ought memorable to extract from those numerous Records of History all such short Memoirs as may tend either to instruction or delight And as he will thereby infinitely oblige both these whose way of Education may have less qualified them to distinguish the Stars in sailing on the vast Ocean of Story and those also whose confinement in time or coin may disenable them for such expensive ways of knowledge So shall he in particular find me the most acknowledging of all his Servants must esteem mine most happy faults that have been to him incentives of aspiring to the true glory of Writing better ERRATA PAge 1. line 4. dele utraque p. 4. l. 20. r. Ctesiphon p. 12. l. 2. r. happy p. 25. l. 4. dele from East Frizeland to Westphalia then r. Westphalia is most famous c. p. 31. l. 16. for of the r. and p. 32. l. 11. r. Earl Floris p. 41. l. 19. r. Persians p. 52. l. 5. r. Lines p. 57. l. 11. r. any p. 59. l. 12. r. third p. 60. l. 19. r. Shoals p. 67. r. not maly but maly p. 75. l. 13. r that p. 78. l. 6. r. injoyned ib. l. 21. r. and at p. 81. l. 4. r. rich p. 82. l. 7. dele of p. 83. l. 21. r. far from p. 84. l. 3. r. Isicles ib. l. 17. r. Lewelyn p. 91. l. 23 r. not wherein but where in in p. 93. l. 2. r. enricheth this ib. l. 14. r. Ruyters p. 100. l. 13. r. notwithstanding they p. 108. l. 12. in piramidy-wise r. pyramid-wise ib. l. 1. dele of and the comma after wonders p. 109. l. 12. r. Shotland ib. l. 19. r. ever pleasing p. 112. l. 23. r. Gods p. 114. l. 7. r. necks were p. 116. l. 9. r. Agincourt p. 118. l. 13. r. Cyrenaean p. 120. l. 16. r. Ecstatick p. 126. l. 2. r. of Arabia p. 129. l. 22. r. wanderers p. 134. l. 6. r. Herodian ib. l. 12. r. more barbarous then the Axiacan p. 147. l. 7. r. murtherer p. 149. l. 5. r. Savour p. 162. l. 11. r she please Other Literal escapes there are which the kind Reader may correct as he passes Memorable things Noted in the DESCRIPTION OF THE WORLD IN our Description of the World there are four parts into which the World is divided Europe Asia Africa America utraque We will begin first with Asia for in Asia did God himself speak his miraculous work of the Creation There was the Church first collected there was the Saviour of the world born Crucified and Raised again Indeed the greatest part of Divine History was there written and Acted There was the first Monarch and Monarchies of the World in Assyria Persia Babylonia Media The first people of the world received their being in Mesopotamia and the several tongues of the World their Original in Babylonia These are parts of Asia and were in the first ages blest with God's own holy Presence Exodus the third and the footing of Angels Exod. 14. However now it is left for her Infidelity to the punishment of a Prophetical Curse that long before passed upon her and is delivered up into the hands of Turks and Nations that Blaspheme the Creatour and therefore doth not flourish in that height as heretofore Now add together that this Region was at first the Paradise of the World and indeed still enjoyeth a fertile Soyl and temperate Air and that it exceeds in compass the two other parts of the old World to which she was the Mistress for Arts and Sciences Yet is it not at this day so well peopled in proportion as this little Europe which came many hundred years after for this we need search no further cause than God's just Anger Yet hath he not exercised upon her only by Miraculous and Immediate Punishment from Heaven but hath suffered as it were her own Creatures over which Man at the first had the Rule to turn head upon their Lords and possesse their Habitation for it is so over-run with wild-Beasts and cruel Serpents that in many places they live not without much danger In this though the Nation suffer for their Monstrous Irreligion Yet the Earth which did not offend reserves her place and abounds with many excellent commodities not else-where to be had Myrrhe Frankincense Cinamon Cloves Nutmegs Mace Pepper Musk Jewels of great esteem and Minerals of all sorts It breeds Elephants Camels and many other Beasts Serpents Fowl wild and tame and some have added such Monstrous shapes of men as passe all belief In Asia were the seven Churches which St. John mentioned in the Apocalips now scarce is it inhabited but toward the Sea-side and that by a base and abject people such as are both lazy in their life and odious Idolaters in their Religions for the most part Mahumetans Here Ephesus it self the Star of Asia that as well for her Religion as her miraculous Temple set the world at gaze upon her It was raised in the middle of the City Modelled out by Ctesifon but was 220. years in building and was ordered in such a ground that no Earth-quake should move it It was 425. foot long and 220. broad and 127. Pillars given by so many several Kings whereof twenty seven were most curiously graven all the rest of Marble polished In this City St. John the Evangelist is said to have gone down into his Grave alive there be who yet question his death Armenia minor which is one of the Provinces of Asia minor is by most thought to be the Land of Ararat where the Ark rested And there is great store of Oyl and excellent Wine Arabia Foelix in Asia major is accounted the fruitfullest Country in the World In this Arabia is the City Medina where Mahomet is Intombed in an Iron Chest supported only by a Roof of Adamant without other Art to keep it from falling to the ground Cyprus a place heretofore Consecrated to Venus to whom both Men and Women performed their Sacrifice naked till by the prayer of Barnabas the Apostle the Temple was ruined Trojus Reports that the Fathers of this Isle had wont to prostitute their Daughters to Mariners for money whereby to raise them a portion against they could get them Husbands but Christianity corrected those Barbarous Customs AFRICA IN most parts she hath scarce plenty sufficient to maintain Inhabitants and where there is we shall meet with multitudes of Ravening Beasts or other horrible Monsters enough to devour both it and us In a word There is no Region of the World so great an Enemy to Mans Commerce there is such scarcity of water that no Creature almost could live had not
the Son is bound to exercise his Parents occupation so that no pretense almost is left for Wonderers and briefly as far as humane Laws can provide all other vain occasions for mis-expence of time are taken off for within the Cities no stews are allow'd or lewd persons to withdraw them Adultery is punished with death but yet they have liberty to take many Wives one they keep at home the rest are disposed of abroad where they best please Their Marriages they chiefly solemnize at the New Moon and for the most part in March which begins their year For their Religion they are Gentiles but have a confused knowledge of God Heaven and the Creation When they would decipher their great God they express him by the first Letter in their Alphabet and in their Devotions they worship him as their chief but not only preserver for they have their prayers to the Sun Moon Stars and to the Devil himself that he would not hurt them Their Priests are distinguished into the black and White Friers as we call them for they much resemble Friers in their course of life some are cloathed in White their heads shorn and their Victuals in common others in black long hair and live apart neither are marryed but both take their liberty to live obscurely as the debauchest swaggerers The chief of the Cities is Paquin where the King hath his continual Residence his Pallace here is compassed with a Triple wall carrys the bulk and face of a fair Town for indeed his retinue are no fewer then might well people a large City among the rest he hath 16000 Eunuchs daily attending such as their own Parents have emascul'd in their Infancy to make them capable of this Court preferment The seat Imperial was heretofore at Nanquin where still remains a Golden testimony of her past glory It is a fair City thirty miles in compass seated nine leagues from the Sea upon a fair Navigable River where there Rides commonly at least 10000. of the Kings ships besides Merchants it hath three brick walls the streets are six miles in length of a proportionable breadth and trimly paved The Metropolis is Quinsay or Suntien the largest City in the world for it contains 100 miles in compass it is seated in a low and Fenny ground is subject to floods and hath been forced in very many places to erect bridges for free passage from one street to another there are in all 12000. built of stone and most of them so high that a good ship may strike under them with full sail each of them hath its ten for a night guard The Inhabitants of this City live luxuriously especially their Women who are much more comely then their men yet all of them almost eat both Horse and Dogs flesh Toward the South part of the City there is a great lake about 24 miles in circuit in the midst stand two Islands whither the chief Nobilty repair and invite their friends to Solemnize their Marriage and have in each a stately Pallace erected furnished sufficiently with all fitting Ornaments for a Wedding jollity In many parts of the City there are publick places of Receipt for such as sustain any misfortune by fire there they may lodge their Goods safe upon a suddain casualty till they can make better provision In each Province the Cities stand so thick and are so populous that they all seem to be as one one as well for their continued building almost as their fashion of building for they all observe the same form and dispose their streets alike two broad crossing each other in the middle in so strait a line that the eye may reach clean from one end to the other The Revenues of the whole Empire and number of Inhabitants are not easily to be reckoned Yet this in brief he hath subject under him 70 Crowned Kings gathers up yearly 120 Millions of Crowns stirs not into the field without 300000 foot and 200000 horse Out of the Description of the Kingdom of TARTARY THese Tartaryans for brutish Customs were grown odious to the more civil parts of the World and as Herod in his fourth Book of Histories delivers were wont to sing their Parents to the Grave invite their best Friends to Feast with their Fathers flesh and use his Scull as a cup to drink in at their lascivious banquets Who more the Axiaca who quenched their thirst with the bloud of him whom they first slew as it gushed warm from his wounds who more foolish proud than the Agathyrst who were used to mend their beauty by a deformed painting and ugly staining of their bodies with motly colours You shall have here their Character which is given by most that describe them to have ill fashioned bodies answerable to their rude minds fit houses for so unclean guests Their Stature is different The most part have large shoulders a broad face with a crooked nose deformed countenance swarthy colour hollow eyes hairy and untrimmed beard and head close shaved Their speech is boisterous and clamorous their noise in singing like the yell of Wolves and endurance of hunger thirst heat cold and watching equals them in strength of body to the most able beast for it exceeds the common power of a man Their lust is without Law for they except no kindred but their own Mothers Daughters and Sisters No species for they mix with beasts nor sex for they are unsatiate Sodomites and yet take liberty for as many Wives which they can maintain which contrary to our civil courses they buy of their Parents instead of receiving Dowries Their meat is the raw flesh of horses without regard how they were killed or what diseases they dyed sometimes they suck bloud from the living to appease their hunger and thirst if in a journey they be distressed for want of food Cities they have but few nor houses other then moveable Tents made of Beasts skins which they pitch up by great multitudes in the form of a Town and those are called hordes when the Grass is once eaten bare and the ground yields not meat for their Cattel they trudge with bag and baggage to another quarter and so in course they wander through the vast Desarts unsetled and indeed impatient to be setled or rather imprisoned as they take it within any bounded compass having the wide world to roam in Their chief Arms are Bow and Arrows which they use most on Horse-back for their most speedy flight and have them commonly strongly poysoned for the more sure mischief to the foe their stratagems are downright fraud and breach of truce for they keep no faith with an Enemy regard not any compact made upon terms of peace but follow their own sense and commit what out-rages they can with least danger to themselves Their Religion is answerable to their vile customs Some are Pagans others Mahometans yet will not be called Turks but Bersemany and their chief Priest Seyd whom they reverence more then their Maker and
then the hangman having a pan of Coals near him with red hot pincers nip'd of the nipple of one breast then he took a knife and gives him a slash or cut down the back on one side from the shoulder to the waste and presently gave him such another slash three inches from the first then on the top he cut the slashes into one and presently taking pincers took hold of the cross cut and tore him down like a Girse below the middle letting it hang down behind him like a belt after which he took his burning pincers and pluck'd off the tops of his fingers of one hand then passing to another place of the Town his other nipple was plucked off the other side of his back so cut and mangled which they call by the name of rimming his other fingers nip'd off then passing further all his Toes were nip'd off with the burning pincers after which he was inforced to come out of the Cart and go on foot up a steep hill to the Gallows where he was broken with a wheel alive one bone after another beginning at his leggs and ending with his neck and last of all quartered and laid on the Wheel on a high post till Crows Ravens or consuming time consume him This was the manner of both their executions but I speak of the greatest murther particularly because it is reported that all these torments never made him once to change countenance or to make any sign or action of grief to call to God for mercy or to intreat the people to pray for him but as if he had been a sensless stock or stone he did most scornfully and as it were in disdain abide it whilst the other Villain did cry rore and make lamentation calling upon God often The difference was not much in their lives and manner of their deaths but the odds may be great in their dying In the City of Prague is said to be of Churches and Chappels 150. I was there at four several sorts of divine exercise viz. at good Sermons with the Protestants at Mass with the Papists at a Lutherans preaching and at the Jews Synagogue three of which I saw and heard for curiosity and the other for Edification The Jews in Prague are in such great numbers that they are thought to be of Men Women and Children betwixt 50 or 60000. who do all live by Brokage and Usury upon the Christians and are very rich in Money and Jewels so that a man may see 10 or 12 together of them that are accounted worth 20 30 or 40000 l. a piece and yet the slaves go so miserably attired that 15 of them are not worth the hanging for their whole ward-ropes The City of Hamburgh The priviledges of their grand hang-man YOu must understand that this fellow is a Subsidy Hangman to whom our Tyburn Tatterdemallion or our Wapping winde-pipe stretcher is but a Raggamuffin not worth the hanging The priviledges of this Grand haulter-master are many as he hath the emptying of all the Vaults or draughts in the City which no doubt he gains some favour by Besides all Oxen Kine Horses Dogs or any such beasts if they dye themselves or if they be not like to live the hang man must knock them on the head and have their skins and whatsoever Inhabitant in his jurisdiction doth any of these things aforesaid himself is abhorred and accounted as a Villain without Redemption So that with hangings headings breakings pardoning and killing of Dogs flaying of Beasts emptying of Vaults and such privy Commodities his whole Revenue sometimes amounts to four or five hundred pounds a year And he is held in that regard and estimation that any man will converse and drink with nay sometimes the Lords of the Town will feast with him and it is accounted no impeachment to their honours for he is held in the rank of a Gentleman or a rank Gentleman and he scorns to be clad in the cast weeds of executed offenders no he goes to the Mercers and hath his Sattin his Velvet or what stuffe he pleases measured out by the Yard or the Ell with his Gold and Silver Lace his silk Stockings laced spangled Garters and Roses Hat and Feather with four or five brave Villains attending him in Livery Cloaks who have stipendary means from his ignominious bounty Their manner of executing Thieves and Murtherers upon the Wheel I shall name one for a president A Poor Carpenter dwelling in the Town who having stoln a Goose and plucking it within his doors a little Girl his Daughter-in-law went out of his house and left the door open by which means the owner of the Goose passing by espyed the wretched thief very diligently picking what he before had been stealing to whom the owner said Neighbour I now perceive which way my Geese use to go but I will have you in Question for them and so away he went the Caitiff being thus reproved grew desperate and his Child coming into his house ye young whore quoth he must ye leave my door open for folks to look in upon me and with that word he took a hatchet and with a cursed stroak he clove the Childs head for the which murther he was condemned and judged to be broken alive upon the wheel Upon the day of Execution about the hour of 12 at Noon the people of the Town in great multitudes flocked to the place of Execution which is half a mile English without the Gates the Prisoner came on foot with a Divine with him all the way exhorting him to repentance and because death should not terrifie him they had given him many Rowses and Carowses of Wine and Beer for it is a custom there to make such poor wretches drunk whereby they be made sensless either of Gods mercy or their own misery but being pray'd for by others they themselves may die resolutely or to be feared desperately But the Prisoner being come to the place of death he was by the Officers delivered to the hang-man who entring his strangling fortification with two grand hang-men more and their men to assist their Hamburghian brother in this great and weighty work the Prisoner mounted on a mount of Earth built high on purpose that the people about may see the execution a quarter of a mile round about four of the hang-mens men takes each of them a small halter and by the hands and the feet they hold the prisoner extended all abroad lying on his back then the Arch-hang-man or the great Master of this mighty business took up a wheel much about the bigness of one of the fore wheels of a Coach and first having put off his Doublet his Hat and being in his shirt as if he meant to play at Tennis he took the wheel and set it on the edge and turn'd it with one hand like a Top or Whirly-gig then he took it by the Spoaks and lifting it up with a mighty stroke he beat one of the poor wretches legs in
and his son Philip 70 Earls 50 Barons and 1â—000 Gentlemen Normandy where our William the Conqueror was Duke It was lost from his Successors in the time of King John Her chief Cities are Roan and Cane memorable for the Siege of our English Henry the Fifth and Verveille Besieged by Philip the second of France in the time of our Richard the First Which when the King heard as he sate in his Pallace at Westminster it is said he sware he would never turn his back to France till he had his revenge and to make good his Oath brake through the Walls and justly performed his threat upon the Besieger The Low-Countries The People are very thrifty painful and ingenuous in the invention of many pretty things which draw many other Nations to them for traffique and they lye as fit for it They have the name for the first Authors of the Compass Clock and Printing They are excellent Artificers for working of Pictures in Glass for laying Colours in Oyl for Tapestry and other Hangings in brief for any oeconomical commodity either for use or Ornament And in their own private families excel any other people In the Dukedom of Lutzenburg Luick the chief City of the University Memorable for this one story above any other in Christendome That at one time there studied nine Kings sons twenty four Dukes sons twenty nine Earls Sons c. Geldria The Province stands on the East of Brabant and North of Lumburg It is a very fertile soil especially if it be well tilled Her Pastures are excellent insomuch that they feed up their Cattel to an incredible bigness and weight a report passeth of one Bull which weighed 3200 pound It was killed at Antwerp 1570. Hague a Village yet the fairest in Christendome and seat of the States Councel The report lyeth upon this Province of Margaret Sister to the Earl of Floris that she brought at one birth 36â— children all living till they were Christned Spain A memorable story of King Rodericus who lost both himself and Kingdome for a Rape committed upon the Daughter of Julian a noble Gentleman and at that time Ambassador with the Moors in Africa When the Father had understood of his Daughters unworthy injury he brought back his Revenge with him 30000 Horse and 180000 Foot of Moores and Sarazens which discomfited the King overthrew all the resistance which he could make and bespread the Country with their Forces where they and their Posterity stood firm till within the Memory of some living 1630. This change of State was before prophesied and concealed in a large Chest within that part of the Pallace which both the last King and his Predecessors were fore-warned not to discover But the hope of an inestimable Treasure made him transgress and when he had entred there appeared nothing but the portractures of Armed Moores with a presage annexed that when that part of the Pallace should be forced open such Enemies should ruin Spain The River Guadiana which in one place glides under Ground for 15 Miles together and gives the Spaniard an occasion as he will catch at any to brag that they have 10000 Cattel daily feeding upon one Bridge yet give them their own sense the truth may be questioned For they have not such plenty of Meat as they have of Sauce It yields indeeds abundance of Oranges Limons Capers Dates Sugar Oil Honey Liquorish Raisons Saffron Rice excellent Sacks and other Wines and in some places Sheep Goats and swift Horses They are extreamly proud and the silliest of them pretend to a great portion of Wisdom which they would seem to express in a kind of reserved State and silent Gravity when perhaps their wit will scarce serve them to speak sense But if once their Mouths be got too open they esteem their breath too precious to be spent upon any other subject than their own glorious actions They are most unjust neglectors of other Nations and impudent vain flatterers of themselves superstitious beyond any other people In the City Saint Jago in the Island of Gallicia was St. James the Apostle buryed his Reliques kept Worshipped and visited by Pilgrims ITALY MEmorable for Rhea a Virgin which was cloystered up into the Temple of Vesta by her Uncle Amulius Silvius that she might not bring forth an Heir to endanger his Title Notwithstanding means was found so that she conceived at once two Children by Mars and was delivered among her Sisters Vestals For this her self as the censure was upon such Delinquents was buryed alive her Boys exposed to be destroyed Italy is a happy Soil pleasant and Fertile at all times moderate Weather and healthful Air full of Variety as Rice Silks Velvets Sattins Taffaties Grograms Rash Fustians Gold-wyer Armour Allom Glasses c. The Rich are very Rich for Wealth will come with much labour in great abundance but the Poor are extream poor for they are most of them very idle Rome retains a 11 Miles round and 200000 Inhabitants a great part Fryers and such odd idle fellows which pretend to Religion for want of other means to live Cloyster themselves up to a single life only to avoid the charge of Incumbrances of Marriage not to separate themselves from the World or desires of the Flesh for among them they maintain commonly 40000 Curtezans in good Custom and so Rich that they are able to pay 30000 Duckets yearly to the Pope The buildings in which they most glory in are the Church of St. Peter the Castle of St. Angelo the Vaticane Library and the Popes Pallace The truth is their Pride is enough to attire the Whore of Babylon as there can hardly be any other meant than Rome She sits upon the Beast with seven Heads for she was built upon seven Hills was ruled first by seven Kings and hath been since subject to seven several forms of Government HUNGARY HEre are many Waters of excellent Vertue whereof some turn Wood into Iron others Iron into Brass some very Medicinal for sundry Diseases others again so pestiferous that they kill the Creature which doth but taste them The like is reported of an Hiatus in the Ground unaccessable by any but the fowls of the Air and those fall suddaily dead with the stench which ascends from it It is hard to believe what most Geographers report of her Fertility That she yields Corn thrice in one year almost without any Tillage or care of the Husband-man Fruit of all kinds in great abundance and Grapes which make an excellent wholsome and rich Wine It breeds Cattel in such plenty that this one Country besides store of her own Inhabitants sends Sheep and Oxen into Forrain Nations which lye about her and might say they suffice to feed all Europe with Flesh Venison is not here any dainties Does Hares Harts Goats Boars c. are every Mans Meat and the Game common as well to the Boors as Gentry And so for Phesant Partridge Black-birds Pigeons most Fowl wild and tame The Earth
then you will be more sorrowful and less dainty poor Jerusalem had once Beauty Strength Riches spacious Buildings Authority and honour yet these availed them nothing wrong trode down right and Justice was quite forgotten which was their chiefest their greatest their only earthly good But now one little piece of bread they reckoned more upon then ever before they did of bags of Gold Scraps parings and fragments c. which your full sed Corps did usually fling away with them had been a ransom for a King the loathsome garbage which our dogs refuse had been amongst the Jews a dish of state Whilst within Famine plaid the Tyrant the Romans Army strived to win the Walls their Pioners and all their Engines were at work to batter and assault the Wall Now note Jerusalem had three strong stone Walls and long it was ere the Romans could get one but the dearth so spread and death of the sword as that in the streets the living trod upon the dead the Carkasses which the Seditious kill'd fill'd many great houses so that with the stinck of bodies putrefied there dyed a number numberless of people for burial they afforded none but where they fell they let them lye stink and rot yet very unsensible were they of the sad condition of each other by hundreds and thousands then did the souldiers throw their liveless Corpses over the Walls upon this and their dis-uniting the Romans had high advantages and could with more security batter and scale the Walls When the Romans saw their dismal fall from the Walls they told it to Titus which when he perceived he wept and lifted up his hands to Heaven and called on God to witness with him this These flanghters saith he were no thoughts of mine neither was it my fault Indeed those wretches that escaped from out of the City and came amongst their foes in my Army found both relief and pity if any of those that fled to my Army had by the Seditious been caught they had without remorse strook them dead But another misery I must unfold unto you many Jews had swallowed store of Gold which they supposed in their need should help them but from this treasure did their bane proceed the Gold was the cause that many of them perisht amongst them all one unhappy poor creature went privately to do the needs of Nature and in his dung he looked for his Gold where being by the straggling souldiers took they ript him up and searched his Maw to find what Gold or treasure there remained In this sort was many a Man and Woman ript and slain for the gain of Gold that the souldiers gaped for In some they found Gold in many none but had they Gold or not it was all one with them they were unbowelled and searched most barbarously whither they had any or no. But my story briefly to conclude Vespasians Souldiers had subdued the walls his triumphant banner was displayed and that in the midst of the streets at which the Jews were all dismayed and upon which they desperately did retire to the Temple which with ungodly hands they set on fire which noble Titus with great care intreated them they would spare Oh save the house quoth he and I will spare you for the Temple sake quench the fire put out the flame Oh let not after-times report that you have burnt the worlds unmatchable glory For your own sakes your wives and your childrens if from Vespasians hands you expect grace if from Vespasians hands you expect your lives oh save your Temple Titus doth command you to save the Temple The Jews heard of the mercy they might have had but with hearts hard they refused the offer they refused mercy and themselves regarded not but in their madness they burned consumed and confounded to the ground King Solomons great Temple that Temple which did cost thirty Millions was in a moment lost and consumed The blest Sanctum Sanctorum the holiest place often blessed with Johovahs sacred grace where as the Text saith were 22000 Oxen slain and 12000 sheep besides dyed at the same time for an oblation That house of God whose glorious fame made all the World to wonder was burnt and ransackt and laid level to the ground which when it was seen by Vespasian and young Titus they cry'd kill kill those wretched Jews spare not to kill use speedy and Marshal Law the Roman souldiers then fell on and spared none they slew while they were weary of slaying and had no respect to Age or Sex the streets were drowned in bloud and slaughtered-Carkases did swim in in bloud the ablest men that were saved they carryed away for slaves John Simon and Eleazer as they deserved were brought to violent ends Now from that time that the Romans began their siege until the City was won by Sedition by the Sword Fire and Famine were deprived of their lives eleven hundred thousand besides one hundred thousand were taken as beasts and sold for slaves and from the time it was first erected till the Romans had takeâ— it it stood as appears in Histories twenty one hundred seventy and nine years But before Gods vengeance was showred down upon them what strange prodigious Wonders did he shew as warnings how they should avoid their destruction and cause them to repent the wicked evils they had done 1. The Firmament shewed them a Comet like a fiery Sword 2. Divers nights the Temple and the Altar were environed with bright burning lights 3. In the midst of the Temple though una Cow did bear a Lamb. 4. No Bolts or Bars could restrain the Temple-gates but they would fly open of themselves 5. In the Air assembled Armed men and Chariots the pondrous Earth quaked affrighted and trembled 6. To this sense a voice cryed in the Temple the people cry'd oh let us from hence depart These supernatural accidents foretold some fearful Judgment was to come but toyes they were accounted to the Jews or scar-crow-bugbears to fright children with and not minding them nor no way by them being affrighted they did in Jerusalem securely revell they thought these signs were against their foes and not them But when war when death when spoil when ruine had storm'd them appear'd the place so desolate as none could have known there had been a City Thus Juda and thus Jerusalem fell which Christ did foretell and was now fulfill'd that all their joys they should be bereft off and that one stone should not be left to stand upon another FINIS THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOOK SHeweth that in Asia did God begin his marvellous work of Creation and there was the first Church Collected also the Saviour of the World born and slain In this Asia abounds Myrrhe Frankinsence Nutmegs Pepper c. and it breeds Elephants and many other Beasts and Serpents page 1. 2 3 4. In the City Medina in Arabia is Mahomet Intombed in an Iron Chest supported by Art from falling to the ground 5 A brief
Description of Africa in one of which Cities there is 700 Churches and a Castle whose Globes are pure Gold weighing 130000 Barbury Duckets in one Province they allow not a man to Marry till he hath killed twelve Christians where they also Circumcise Male and Female 6 7 8 9 10 A brief description of Europe wherein is plenty of Corn Plants Fruits Rivers and Fountains of admirable vertue 12 13 A brief description of America in which are that Worship Sun Moon and Stars and adore Images made of Cotton-Wool which by the delusion of Satan utters an Hideous noise which works on them a great awe In Peru doth Gold and Silver so abound that it 's reported they ordinarily shooed their Horses with Gold an Brassel men live for the most part in the Bodies of trees In this Region is an herb called Viva which if toucht will shut up and not open till the party that injured it be out of sight 14 15 16 17 18. A brief description of Greece wherein was first setled the Christian Religion by Timothy 20 21 A brief description of Germany and Bohemia In Cullen is received a Tradition amongst the Inhabitants that the bodies of the Wise-men which came from the East to Worship Christ are Interr'd in Acon they Worship a Clout which they take to be our Saviours Mantle in which he was wrapped 24 25 A brief description of France in one of which Provinces called Aquitania was fought the great Battel betwixt our Black Prince and John of France where with 8000 he conquered 40000 took the King and his son Philip prisoners 70 Earls 50 Barrons and 12000 Gentlemen 29 30 In the Dukedom Lutxenburge Quick is this Memorable story that at one time their studyed 9 Kings Sons 24. Dukes Sons 29 Earls Sons 31 A large description of a Tortoys from p. 47. to p. 51 A discription of Great Brittain in very Remarkable stories from p. 51. to p. 106 Amongst which is a notable story in Essex 1581. of an Army of Mice that so over-run the Marshes near unto South Minster that they shore the Grass to the very roots and in Suffolk was taken a fish in all parts like a man and kept in Orford Castle for six months after escaped and went to Sea again 68 69 In the year 1571. Masley-hill in the East of Hereford-shire removed travelling for three days together began upon the 7th of February at six of the clock at night and before 7 next morning had gone forty paces carrying with it sheep in the coots hedge rows and trees mounting to an hill of twelve fathoms high and there rested after three days travel 75 76 Under Knaves-brough in York-shire there is a Well called Dropping-Well of that vertue and efficacy that it turns Wood into Stones 87 A description of Scotland and Ireland 107 to 116 A description of the Spanish Invasion in Eighty eight 116 117 A description of the Turkish Empire their Religion and Manners with the rise of Mahomet from 118 to 126 A description of China and Tartary from 126 to 138 Rare Observations of a Gentleman in his travels to Bohemia 139 to 148 The priviledges of the Grand-hangman of Hamburgh with the manner of executing Thieves and Murderers the habit of their Women and how their men draw Carts and Carriages 148 to 165 The Lamentable Destruction of the Ancient and Memorable City of Jerusalem with the sore and terrible Famine while Grass Hay Barks Leaves of Trees Cats and Dogs c. with the dung of Fowls and Beasts was dainties to the distressed Jews 165 To the end FINIS This is within the compass of that one part which bears the name of Asia propria Captain Tucker succeeded Mr. Moor Governour arriving in May 1616.