Egypt Odours from Arabia come From India Gums rich Drugs and Ivorie From Syria Mummie black red Ebonie From burning Chus from Peru Pearls and Gold From Russia Furs to keep the rich from cold From Florence Silks from Spain Fruit Saffron Sacks From Danemark Amber Cordage Firs and Flax. From France and Flanders Linnen Woad and Wine From Holland Hops Horse from the banks of Rhine From England Wooll All lands as God distributes To the Worlds treasure pay their sundry tributes This as Dn-Bartas speaks of the present times so questionless the same or the like Commerce held good in the first Ages of the Worlds Creation God furnishing all Countries from the first beginning with some Staple-commodities for the benefit of themselves and others for the maintaining of that entercourse between Nation and Nation which makes them link the closer in the bonds of Amitie And to this end also serve those severall Manufactures wherewith some Countries do abound in respect of others but looked on in the present Book as the works of men And of this kind also are there severall Polities and forms of Government For though all Magistracy in it self be from God originally and that the Monarchicall form comes neerest to the Government used by God himself yet being that some Polities are meerly but humane inventions and that even Monarchy it self is founded on the consent of men explicitely or implicitely required unto it All Government or Magistracie is called an Ordinance of man in holy Scripture 1 Pet. 11. v. 13. But those particular Works of men which are the most considerable part of our present subject are Castles Towns and Cities of most eminent note which thrive and prosper in the World according as they do partake of those Conveniencies which conduce most to their Magnificence and Greatness Of these Boterus gives us many relation being had to the time he lived in but of those many we shall touch upon the principall onely passing by those of lesser note as pleasantness of Site fruitfulness of Soyl salubritie of Air and such like obvious Observations First then there is required to the Magnificence and Splendour of Cities a Navigable River or some such easie passage by Sea which will bring thither a continual concourse and trade of Merchants as at Venice London Amsterdam Secondly some Staple-Manufactures or Commodities which will draw the like resort of Merchants though the conveniencie of Sea or Rivers invite them not as in Nurenberg in Germany a dry Town but mightily Traded Thirdly the Palace of the Prince For ubi Imperator ibi Roma where the Court is there will be a continuall confluence of Nobles Gentry Merchants and all sorts of Trades And by this means Madrid not long since a poor beggerly Village is grown the most populous Citie in all Spain Fourthly the Residence of the Nobility beautifieth a Citie with stately and magnificent Buildings which makes the Cities of Italy so much excell ours in England their Nobles dwelling in the Cities and ours for the most part in their Countrie-houses Fifthly the Seats or Tribunals of Justice on which both Advocates and Clients are to give attendance as in the Parliamentary Cities in France and Spires in Germany Sixtly Universities and Schools of Learning to which the Youth from all parts are to make resort which hath been long the chief cause of the flourishing of Oxford Cambridge Bononia in Italy and other Cities of good note beyond the Seas Seventhly Immunity from Tolls and Taxes most men being most desirous to inhabit there where their In-come will be greatest their Privileges largest and their Disbursements least So Naples Florence Venice having been desolated by Plagues were again suddainly re-peopled by granting large Immunities to all comers-in And last of all the opinion of Sanctitie either for the Reliques of Saints or some noted Shrines or the residence of some Famons man or the Seat of Religion is not the least Adamant which draws people to it to the great enriching of some Cities And of this Rome it self can give us two most pregnant evidences the one in reference to the Popes and these latter times that famous Town not otherwise subsisting now than by the constant residence of the Popes and Cardinals whose absence while the Papall Sea was kept at Avignon had made it over-grown with Briars and Brambles and buried it almost in its own sad ruins The other in the person of Titus Livius the Historian to see which man there came so many from the Coasts of France and Spam that Saint Hierome elegantly saith Quos ad suis contemplationem Roma non traxerat unius hujus hominis fama perduxit qui jam nrbem tantam ingressi aliud extra Urbem quaererent Such are the causes of the Greatness and Magnificence of Cities when they are once built none of all which might possibly be looked at by the first builders of Cities I mean by Cain before the Flood and by Nimrod after it who aimed more at the love of Empire and self-preservation than at the generall good of Mankind or the particular wealth of those amongst whom they lived Of Cain it is affirmed expresly in the Book of God That being possessed with this fear that every one that found him would lay hands upon him and slay him in revenge of the blood of Abel He builded a Citie and called it by the name of his son Enoch Gen. 4. 17. Builded a Citie For what reason To fortifie and secure himself against all revenge as the Text doth intimate or thereby to oppresse his Neighbours as Iosephus witnesseth Neither was thiâ— the onely Citie of the first Ages though none but this be mentioned in the Book of God And that which the Scripture saith of Jubal that he was the Father of such as dwell in Tents and of such as have Cattell that is to say he was the first of those which lived upon Pasturage and followed their cartell up and down with their moveable Tents not having any certain home or habitations as the wild Arabs now and the ancient Nomades Is proof sufficient that the residue of all Mankind lived a more civill kind of life in their Towns and Villages And if Pomponius Mela be of any credit as in these things I think he is he will inform us that the Citie of Ioppa was built before the Flood that the King thereof was named Cepha and that his name and the name of his Brother Phineas together with the Grounds and Principles of their Religion were found graven upon certain Altars of stone But whether this be so or not certain it is that as well Canaan in the West whereon Ioppa stood as the Land of Nod on the East side of Paradise where Cain built his Citie were peopled long before the Flood and so were most of the other parts of the World besides And if well peopled in all or most parts thereof no doubt but they had Villages and Towns yea and Cities too as well for
morrow after this overthrow he was condemned to lose his Head but pardoned at last on condition that he should ransomlesse set free Marquesse Albert of Brandenbourg renounce his dignity of the Electorship resigne up all his inheritance with the like harsh Articles It was also urged that he should alter his Religion but that he so constantly denyed that it was omitted For his after maintenance there were rendred back unto him the towns of Weymar and Goth from the former of which his Posterity are now called Dukes of Saxon-Weymar After this Victory the Emperour fraudulently intrapped the Lantgrave then marched he against the Cities in all which he prevailed restored the Masse and drave them to hard composition for their liberties It was thought that in this war the Emperour got 1600000 Crowns and 500 peeces of Ordinance The Imprisonment of the Lantgrave contrary to the Emperours promise was the chief thing which overthrew his good fortune For Duke Maurice having pawned his word and given unto the Lantgraves children his Bond for the safe return of their Father found himself much wronged and grieved therefore consulting with Baron Hedeck he entred league with the French King associated himself with Marquesse Albert of Brandenbourg suddenly surprised Auspurg and by the terrour which his haste brought with it forced the Emperour to flie from Inspruch and the Fathers to break up the Councell of Trent The Emperour now brought low easily hearkned to an honourable Composition which not long after was concluded the Cities recovering their Priviledges free passage being given to the Reformation and all things else reduced to the same state they were in before the wars the restoring of John-Frederick to his Dukedom and Electorship excepted only So did this Duke Maurice both overthrow the liberty of his Country and restore it so was the work of Reformation by his means depressed by the same again revived and established stronger then ever Thus we see that of the Poet verified Vel nemo vel qui mihi vulnera fecit Solus Achillaeo tollere more potest None but the man which did his Country wound Achilles-like could heal and make it sound It is observed by some that the deprivation of John Frederick and the advancement of Maurice fell out very happily for the confirming of the Reformation then contended for First in regard of John Frederick whose Christian patience and Magnanimity during the whole time of his imprisonment added great reputation to the cause for which he he suffered 2 In respect of Duke Maurice who was a man of far greater parts to advance the work and every way as zealous in pursuance of it as the other was And 3 In relation to the children of the deprived Duke men not to be relied on in a matter of such weight and moment insomuch as it was said of him after his decease Quod filios reliquerit sui dissimillimos But to return unto my story The doctrine of Luther thus setled in Germany and being so agreeable to the Word of God was quickly propagated over all Christendome the reasons of which next unto the Almighty power of the most High may be principally six 1 The diligence and assiduity of preaching in City and Village 2 The publishing of books of Piety and Christian Religian 3 The translations of the Scriptures into the vulgar languages whereby the simple might discern good from bad the muddy doctrine of Rome from the clear water of life 4 The education of youth especially in Catechismes which contained the whole body of Christian religion which once well planted in their mindes was irradicable 5 The continuall offers of disputations with the adverse party in a publick audience which being denyed gave assurance of the truth and soundnesse of the one side as of the falshood and weaknesse of the other 6 Their compiling of Martyrologies and Histories of the Church which cannot but work an admirable confirmation of Faith and constancy in the hearers and readers There is one only policy wanting namely the calling of a generall Synod to compose the differences of the reformed Church about the Sacrament and Predestination which would certainly strengthen their own cause and weaken the enemies whose chief hopes are that the present disagreements will arme party against party to their own destruction But God grant that their hopes may be frustrated and we will say with the Poet Haemanus Trojam erigent Parvas habet spes Troja si tales habet Shall these small jarres restore the ruin'd Pope Small hope he hath if this be all his hope But it is time we should proceed to the story of Saxony the ancient inhabitants of which tract were the Longobardi or Lombards of Magdeburg and part of the Cherusci about Mansteld and Wirtenberg Overcome by the prevailing Saxons they became part of their name and Country which in the full extent thereof was once far greater then now it is containing all the Countries betwixt the Rhene and the River Eydore in the Cimbrick Chersonesse and from the River Saltza to the German and Baltick Oceans These said by some to be a People of Asia and there called the Sacae who finding that small territory now a part of Persia too narrow for them forsook their Country and at last fixed themselves in the Cimbrick Chersonesse where they first took the names of Pasaeasons or Sac-sons that is to say the â—ons of the Sacae The improbality of this we have there disputed Omitting therefore that and the like Originations of them I conceive them for my part to be naturall Germans some tribe of that most populous and potent people of the Suevi but for the reason of the name let every man enjoy the pleasure of his own opinion Certain I am that in Ptolemies time they were possessed of those parts beyond the Elb thence extended to the Eydore part of which tract is now known by the name of Holstein and were accounted in that time to be no new-comers Afterwards as they grew in number they inlarged their quarters and passing over the Elb in the time of the latter Roman Emperours possessed themselves of the void places which were left by the French then busied in the conquest of more fruitfull Countries communicating their name to all the Nations which they overcame as the French had formerly done before them So that in fine they took up the now Dukedomes of Holstein Lunenbourg and Brunswick the Bishopricks of Bremen Verda Hildersheim Halberstad and Magdeburg the old Marches of Brandenbourg the Earldome of Mansfield Wesiphalen both Friselands Overyssell with as much of Guelderland and Holland as lay on that side of the Rhene By which account the present Electorall Family hath not one foot of the old Saxony in their possession the seat and Patrimony of the Electors being removed into other Countries upon the alterations and changes which have hapned in that estate the name and title of Saxony being given to the Country about Wittenberg for no
1 Elis which gives name to the whole Province So called from Elisha the son of Javan and grand-child of Japhet who fixt himself in these parts of this Countrie where he built this Citie calling it by his own name as his posteritie in honour of him did the Isles adjoynig mentioned in the Propher Ezekiel by the name of the Isles of Elisha Ch. 27. v. 7. Nigh to this Citie runneth the River Alpheus of which we have spoken in 〈◊〉 and in this Citie reigned the King Augeas the cleansing of whose Stable is accompted one of the wonders or twelve labours performed by Hercules 2 Olympia famous for the Statue of Jupiter Olympiâ—as one of the 7 wonders being in height 60 cubits composed by that excellent workman Phidias of gold and ivory In honour of this Jupiter were the Olympick games instituted by Hercules and celebrated on the Plains of this Citie A. M. 2757. The exercises in them were for the most part bodily as running in Chariots running on foot wrastling fighting with the whorlbats and the like But so that there repaired thither also Orators Poets and Musicians and all that thought themselves excellent in any laudable qualitie to make triall of their severall abilities the very Cryers who proclaimed the Victories contending which should cry loudest and best play his part The rewards given to the Vâ—ctor were only Garlands of Palm or such slight remembrances and yet the Greeks no lesse esteem'd that small sign of conquest and honour then the Romans did their most magnificent triumphs those which were Conquerors herein being met by all the principall men of the Citie in which or under which they lived and a passage broken in the main wals thereof for their reception as if the ordinarie Gates were not capable of so high an honour or able to afford them entrance Insomuch that when Diagoras had seen his three sons crowned for their severall victories a friend of his came to him with this gratulation Morere Diagoras nunquam enim in Coelum ascensuruses that is to say Die now Diagoâ—as for thou shalt never goe to Heaven as if no greater happinesse could befall the man either in this life or that to come then that which he enjoyed already The Judges and Presidents of these Games were some of the Citizens of Elis deputed to it highly commended for their justice and integrity in pronouncing who best deserved without partialitie Of these thus Horaâ—e in his Odes Sunt quos Curriculo pulverem Olympicum Collegisse juvat metaque fervidis Evitata rotis Palmaque nobilis Terrarum Dominos evehit ad Deos. Quos Elea domum reducit Palma coelestes That is to say Some in Olympick dust take pride Their Chariots and themselves to hide Whom the shunn'd mark and Palm so priz'd Like to the Gods hath eterniz'd Such as like heavenly wights do come With an Elean Garland home But to proceed after the death of Hercules these games were discontinued for 430 years at which time one Iphitus warned so to doe by the Oracle of Apollo renewed them causing them to be solemnly exercised every fourth year from which custom Olympias is sometimes taken for the space of 4 years as cuincue annorum Olympiades for 20 years Varro reckoneth the times before the floud to be obscure those before the Olympiads and after the floud to be falulous but those that followed these Olympiads to be Historicall These Olympiads were of long time even from the resâ—auration of them by Iphitus untill the reign of the Emperour Theodosius the Grecian Epoche by which they reckoned their accompt the first of them being placed in the year of the world 3174. before the building of Rome 24 years the last in the 440 year after Christs nativity According to which reckoning this accompt continued for the space of 1214 years the memorie of which remains though the name of Olympia be not found in Peloponnesus the town at this day called by the name of Sconri 3 Pisa whose people followed Nestor to the wars of Troy and in their return were by tempest driven to the coasts of Italie where they built the Citie Pisa in Tuscanie 4 Tornese a new Town or the new name of some ancient City from whence the adjoyning Promontorie of old called Chilonites is now called Cabo di Tornese 3 MESSENIA hath on the East Arcadia on the North Elis on the South and West the Sea It takes its name from the Metropolis Messene situate on Sinus Messeniacus now called Golfo di Conro 2 Pylos where Nestor was King now called Novarino a desolate and poor village not worth the noting Of which thus Ovid speaking in the name of Penelope Nos Pylon antiqui Neleia Nestoris arva Misimus incerta est reddita fama Pylo To Pylon aged Nesiors seat we sent But could not hear from thence how matters went 3 Medon or Methone seated in the most southern part of this Peninsula from whence unto the Isthmus which joineth it to the rest of Greece are reckoned 175 Italian miles the ordinarie residence of the Turkish Zanziack who hath the government of this whole Province of Morea under the Beglerbeg of Greece 4 Corone or Coron the chief town on the Bay of Messene called from hence Golf di Coron and the last which held out against the Turks for the State of Venice once Lords of all the Sea-coasts of Peloponnesus 5 Cyparissi now called Arcudia from whence the Bay adjoyning hath the name of Golfo di Arcudia Here is also the Promontorie called of old Coryphusium now Calo Zanchio The people of this small Province had once a great sway in the whole Peninsula At first confederate with the Spartans in so strict a league that they mutually sent young Virgins to one another for their publick sacrifices but afterwards Corrivals with them for the Supreme power The Spartans at the last getting the upper hand of them oppressed them with a miserable servitude The occasion this In the confines of this Countrie stood a Temple of Diana common alike to the Messenians Spartans and Dores It happened that some Spartan Virgins were by the Messenians here ravished which abuse the Spartans pretended to be the ground of their warre the true reason indeed being their covetousnesse of the sole Empire This warre broke out three severall times The first continued 20 years in which space the Lacedaemonians fearing their absence would hinder the supply of young children in the Citie sent a company of their ablest young men home to accompany their wives Their off-spring were called Parthenii who coming to full growth abandoned Sparta sailed into Italie and there built Tarenâ—um The second being of 23 years continuance was raised and maintained by Aristomenes one of the chief men of the Messenians in which they prospered â—il Aristoâ—rates King of Arcadia one of their confederates revolted to side with Lacedaemon Then began they to decline and Aristomenes was thrice taken prisoner still miraculously escaping His last imprisonment was
sonnes that is to say Cush Mizraim Phut and Canaan of which onely Phut the third Sonne hath no issue assigned him To Chush the eldest Sonne were born Seba and Havilah and Sabtah Nimrod Sabtecha and Raamah who was the Father of Sheba and Dedan And unto Mizraim the second Sonne were born Ludim and Amamim Lebabim Naphtuhim Paâ—hrusim Caphtorim and Casluhim who was the Father of Philistim Of Canaan and his issue we shall speak hereafter In the mean time we will dispose of these first branches of the stock of Cham beginning first with Chus the eldest and so descending to the rest of this first Line And first for Chush though it be generally said both by the Greek and Jewish Writers that he was the Father of the Aethiopians in the heart of Africa yet upon better search he is found to have gone no further than Arabia possessing himself of a good part of that which is called Petraea and some part of Arabia Felix For whereas Zipora the wife of Moses was daughter unto Jethro the Priest or Prince of Madian Exod. 2. v. 16. c. and yet is called an Aethiopian woman in the 12. of Num. v. 1. it must needs be that by Aethiopian in the last place must be meant an Arabian for Madian doubtless was a City of Arabia neer unto the Red Sea as is apparent by Josephus for the Jewes Ptolomie for the Grecians and S. Hierome for the Latine Writers But we shall canvass this more throughly in its proper place the strength of reason serving for a supplement of that one main defect which is that there is no remainder of the name of Chus in any of the Cities Promontories Hills or Rivers of all that Countrey by which his planting there might be made more evident Seba the eldest Sonne of Chus sets himself down on the shores of the Red Sea as neer his Father as he could becoming the Originall of the great and wealthy Nation of the Sabaeans the so much celebrated City of Saba memorable for abundance of the best Frankincense being their Metropolis or head City A Nation seated in the most Southern part of this Peninsula subject in Solomons time to that famous Lady called in the old Testament from her Country the Queen of Sheba and in the new Testament from the situation of it the Queen of the South the holy Spirit in both places giving her an ample and remarkable testimony For Havilah or Chavilah the second of the Sonnes of Chus most probable it is that he possessed himself of that part of Arabia which lay neerest unto Babylonia and that he gave name to that Land of Havilah which the River Pison is said to incompass Gen. 2. v. 2. Some footsteps of whose name remain in the Chaulotaei of Eratosthenes the Chaulasâ— of Festus Anicnus but more plainly in the Chavelei of Plinâ—e being all three but one people though thus diversly named and all of them planted towards the Persian Gulf and so to Babylon On the same shore of the Persian Gulf we are to look for Sabta the third sonne of Chus where Ptolomie informs us of a Citie called Saphta and of an Iland in the same Gulf called Sopththa also From whence in probabilitie some of this people might pass over into Persia on the other side of the Gulf and there give name to the Sabtaei which by the transposition of the letter T. are by Prolomie called the Stabaei That Nimrod the fourth sonne of Chus did first plant himself in Babylonia the Scripture is so plain and positive that nothing need be added to it Of Sabteca the fift sonne I confess I can find no tract in any of the antient Authors For why we should admit of so great a change as first of B. into M. and then of T. into D. which could not easily be done by very careless Transcribers and so finde Sabteca in Samydace a City or Country of the Carmanians on the Persian side of the Gulf I can see no reason And therefore rather chuse to mingle him and his posterity with the sonnes of Sabta and the children of his brother Regma all planted on the same shore of the Persian Gulf. For that Regma our English Bibles call him Raama was setled on the banks of the Bay of Persia hath so good authority that there is no dispute to be made of that Ptolomie placing there the City of Regma Regama it is called in the Latin Translation by which name it occurreth in Stephanus also in his Book De Urbibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Regma on the Persian Gulf as his words there are And not far thence we are to look for his sonne Sheba both being joyned together in the Book of God and both there said to busie and employ themselves in the trade of Merchandizing The Merchants of Shebah and Raamah saith the Text they were thy Merchants they occupied in thy Faâ—rs with chief of all Spices and with all precious Stones and Gold Ezek. 27. v. 22. So that the Nations of the Sabaeans though descended at the first from severall parents inhabited the lower parts of Arabia Felix from one Sea to the other as evidently appeareth by those words of Plinie where he informeth us most truly that the Sabaeans or Arabian people well known for their abundance of Frankincense ad utraque maria porrectis gentibus habitare had spread themselves over all the Country even from the Red Sea to the Gulf of Persia Finally in the same tract we find Dedan the other sonne of Regma and the last of all the sonnes of Chus there being on the mouth of the Persian Gulf but on the Arabian coast thereof not onely a City but a Province called by the name of Dedan which both Ortelius and some other late Geographers do take notice of And more than so the Prophet Ezekiel joyns him with his brother Sheba and makes them both to follow the same trade of Merchandise The men of Dedan were thy Merchants chap. 27. 15. Sheba and Dedan and the Merchants of Tarshish chap. 38. 13. They brought thee hornes of Ivorie and Ebonie saith the Prophet in the former Text. The head of the next house of the race of Cham was Mizraim the second sonne of whom it is generally affirmed that leaving his elder brother Chus and his posteritie in the rich and delectable Countries of Arabia Felix and the next parts to Babylonia or the land of 〈◊〉 he went with his own sonnes and his Brother Phut into Africa and there planted Egypt Oâ—th there is no question amongst the Learned though all the tracts and footstepâ— of 〈◊〉 be quite worn out unless any thing of it were preserved in the word Mesori by which the Aegyptians antiently called the first Moneth in the year or in that of Mesre by which name the Arabians call Egypt to this day But being Egypt is called Misraim in the Hebrew Bibles that onely is sufficient without further evidence And therefore leaving him in
generall name of Iones and there is very good ground for the assertion considering that the Greek Translators of the Bible instead of Javan read Jovan and that all those who elswhere ordinarily are called Iones are by Homer one of the anâ—ientest of the Greeks named Jaones Now Javan and Jaon sound so like each other that one may very well conclude that they were the same A name not onely proper to the Athenians and their Colonies though probable enough first belonging to them of Attica but comprehending the â—oeotians and Achaans also yea and extending also into Macedonia as appears Dan. 8. 21. where Alexander the Great in the Hebrew is called King of Javan which we English Graecia Nor do we much dif-joyn Javan from the rest of that stock by carrying him cross the seas into another part of the World for he might go along with Gomer in his second Plantation And leaving him well setled in the greater Phrygia and his sonne Askâ—naz in the lesser might then with very little trouble and no improbalitie at all pass over the Hâ—llespont and plant himself in Attica called at first Ionia saith Plutarch in the life of Theseus Or if any one notwithstanding conceive this for too great a leap and will rather think with Hecataeus that the Iones came ouâ— of Asia into Greece as Strabo cites him to that purpose I shall not much contend against that opinion so it be also granted on the other side that Javan not having room enough on the shores of Asia passed over into Greece as a land unoccupied With Javan went Elisha his eldest fonne the Father of the Aeoles or Aeolians on the Asian side as Josephus hath it and the founder of Elis in Peloponnesus and planter of the Gracian Isles which by the Prophet Ezekiel 27. 7. are called the Isles of Elisha And it agreeâ— exceeding well with the Isles of Greece which by the Prophet is affirmed of the Isles of Elisha namely that the inhabitants thereof did trade to Tyre with Blow and Purple in which some of the Grecian Isles were such excellent Artizans that Carpathus had the name of Porphyris and Cithera was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely from the abundance of Purple which they had amongst them Not to say any thing of Coos Nisyrus and Gyarus and some other of the Cyclades renowned in good Authors for that commoditie A shorter journey but withall a far shorter Territory fell to the lot of Tarshish the second sonne whom Javan when he travelled further upon new discoveries left setled in Calicia a Province of the lesser Asia where either he or some of his Posteritie in honour of him built the City of Tarsus the principall City of that Province For that Tarshish in those early daies should go into Spain and there build Tartessus I take to be a strange if not idle Romance that Town being built by the Phoenicians many ages after without relation unto Tarshish or his memory either What Voyages or Plantations those of Cilicia or Tarsus made in times succeeding as I no where finde so is not materiall to my present purpose which principally is to settle the sonnes of Noah in their first habitations On therefore unto Cittim the third sonne of Javan whom Josephus settleth first in the Isle of Cyprus where he finds a Citie called Câ—tium the birth-place of Zâ—no the Stoick thence surnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Josephus is herein followed by St. Hierome in his Notes on Genesis in whose time as Pintus telleth us in his Comment on Ezekiel the Town of Citium was still standing so do Eastathins in his Hexameron and divers others The Author of the Book of Maccabees sets him further off giving the name of Cittim unto Macedonia After that saith the Author Alexander the son of Philip went forth of the land of Cethim and slew Darius King of the Persians and Medes cap. 1. v. 1. And after in the 18. Chapter of the same Book verse 5. Perseus King of Macedon is called King of the Citims But this doth no way contradict that of his first planting in Cyprus where it is very probable that he made his dwelling for a time by reason of the neighbourhood of his brother Tarshish Ciliâ—in and the Citie of Tarsus lying neer unto it But finding in time that Island to be too small for his people and that the other parts both of Greece and Asia were taken up already by the first Adventurers he might finally fix himself or some of his posteritie in Macedonia as a spare place which no body could lay claim unto That either he or any of his sonnes planted first in Italae which I see Bochartus would fain have were against the method of Plantations and he must give them wings to fly that conveyeth them thither when as yet Mankind was not taught the use of shipping or not accustomed at least to make long voyages But that in course of time as the World grew fuller and that Greece was not able to contain its multitudes some of the race of Cittim might pass over into Italy the passage thither from some of the Ports of Greece being short and easie I am apt enough to beleeve and in its proper place shall declare my self for it Nor can I otherwise agree with him as concerning Dodanim whom against all right and reason he hath placed in Gaul making the River Rhodanus one of the principal of that Country to be named of him whom the Greeks mistaking the letter Daleth for that of Resh as indeed the letters are so like that one may very easily be mistook for the other most commonly present unto us by the name of Rhodanim Admitting which it is more proper in my mind to settle Rhodanim for a while in the Isle of Rhodes lying so neer the dwellings of his other brethren till wanting room for the increase of his posterity in so small an Island he might coast along the shores of Peloponnesus and fix himself finally in Epirus by his brother Elisha where in the Province of the Mollossians we shall finde a City called Dodona without any such mistake or change of letters as before is mentioned For that the three furthest parts of Europe in respect of Asia should be planted all at once by these sonnes of Javan is so incredible an imagination that he must have a very strong fancy or be of very light belief which can entertain it Finally as for Thyras the last sonne of Japhet having accompanied his brother Javan to the shores of Asia and seeing him passed over the seas to Greece he took the opportunity of the next streight of Fretum since called Thracius Bosphorus and fixed himself in Thrace which Country he gave name unto as most Writers testifie Nor want there such apparent footsteps of the name of Thyras besides the name of Thracia as some spell the word which may adde good autoritie to this generall testimony there being both a River and an
danger of Fire also Yea and secured himself from all Night-tumults which carried with them though but small more terror and affrightment than greater Commotions in the day Never till now were the common people Masters of their own both lives and substance And now was travell in the Night as safe though not so pleasant as at Noon 32 The People and City thus setled his next study is to keep the Provinces in a liking of the Change But little Rhetorique needed to win their liking who had long desired the present form of Government mistrusting the Peoples Regiment by reason of Noblemens factions Covetousness of Magistrates the Laws affording no security being swayed hither and thither by ambition and corruption These Provinces when he first took the Government he thus divided Asia Africa Numidia Betica Narbonensis Sicilia Corsica Sardinia all Greece Crete Cyprus Pontus and Bithynia being quiet and peaceable Provinces of known and faithfull obedience he assigned unto the Senate But the new conquered Regions such as had not disgested their loss of liberty with whom any Rebellion or War was to be feared he retained under his own command Such were Tarraconensis Lusitanica Lugdunensis Germany Belgica Aquitanica Syria Silicae Egypt Dalmatia Mysia Pannonia c. And this he did as he gave out to sustain the danger himself alone leaving unto the Senate all the sweets of ease but the truth was to keep them without Arms himself alwaies strong and in a readiness The notable effects of which Counsell did not discover themselves only by the establishment of the Empire in his own person during life and the continuance of it in the house of the Caesars though men of most prodigious Vices after his decease but in some of the Ages following also For when the Family of the Caesars was extinct in Nero the Imperiall Provinces being so strong and perceiving the Consular so weak assumed to themselves the creating and establishing of the following Princes Thus Galba was made Emperour by the Spanish and French Legions Vitellius by the German Vespatian by the Syrian and Panonnian The Consular Provinces never stirring either to prevent their attempts or to revenge them And when they adventured once to advance Gordian to the Throne all they could doe was but to betray the poor old man and all his Family to a tragick end And yet he did not so impropriate those Provinces to the Senate but that they also as well as those which he reserved unto himself were specified particularly in his private Register In which the better to manage the affairs of the Empire he had set down what Tributes every of them payed what Presents they sent in what Customs in theâ— were levyed That book also comprehended the wealth of the publike Treasury and necessary charge issuing out of it What number of Citizens and Allies there were in Arms What strength there was by Sea with all other circumstances concerning the extent strength riches and particulars of his estate William of Normandy did the like at his first entrance into England when he composed that Censuall Roll of all this Kingdom which we call Dooms-day Book or the Roll of Winton according unto which Taxations were imposed and Ayds exacted The greatest Princes have not thought it a disparagement to be good Husbands to know the riches of their Crowns and have an eye to their Intrado 32. Britain was left out of this Bead-Roll either because from hence there neither was much hope of profit nor much fear of hurt or els because being more desirous to keep than inlarge the Monarchy he thought it most expedient to confine it within the bounds appointed by Nature Danubius on the North Mount Atlas on the South Euphrates on the East and the main Ocean on the West did both bound his Empire and defend it Some Kingdoms have their limits laid out by Nature and those which have adventured to extend them further have found it fatall The Persians seldom did attempt to stretch their Territory beyond Oxus but they miscarried in the action And what was that poor River if compared unto the Ocean Many who loved action or expected preferment by the Wars incited him unto the conquest and plantation of these Countreys Affirming That the barbarous people were naturally bad Neighbours and though for the present not very strong nor well skilled in Arms yet might a weak Enemy in time gather great strength That he ought to pursue the War for his Father Julius sake who first shewed that Iland to the Romans that it yeelded both refuge and supply to the Malecontents of Gaul and Enemies in Germanie That he would lose the benefit of a wealthy Country stored with all manner of provision and the command of a valiant Nation born as it were unto the Wars That it was an Apostacy from honor to lye still and add nothing to the conquest of his Ancestors That he was in all equity bound as far as in him was to reduce to Civility from Barbraism so many proper and able men But to these motives he replyed That he had already refused to wage war with the Parthian a more dangerous neighbour and far wose enemy than the Britains That he had waste and desart ground enough in his own Dominions for many a large Plantation when he saw it needfull That he had constantly refused though with great facility he might to conquer any more of the barbaâ—ous Nations That as in the Natâ—rall body a surfet is more dangerous than fasting so in the Body Politike too much is more troublesom than a little That the Roman Monarchy had already exceeded the Persian and Macedonian and to extend it further was the next way to make it totter and fall by its own weight That he had learned in the Fable not to lose the substance by catching at the shadow And finally that many puissant Nations lay in and about Britany against whom Garrisons must be kept and he feared the Revenue would not quit the Cost And so the enterprize of Britain was quite laid aside 33. For the assurance of the Provinces already conquered he dispersed into them 23. Legions with their Ayds whose pay onely besides provision of Corn and Officers wages amounting to five Millions and an half of our English pounds and somewhat more were so suddenly paid unto the Armies that we read seldom in the Histories of that Empire of any Mutiny among the souldiers for want of pay An happiness whereof these ages have been little guilty For the amassing of this treasure and defraying of this charge AUGVSTVS made not use onely of his own revenue Wars which are undertaken and Souldiers that are levied for the Common safety ought in all reason to be maintained on the Common purse The Grandour and security of an Empire concerns in all respects as much the People as the Prince For which cause he erected an Exchequer in the Citie which was called Aerarium militare or the Souldiers Treasury whereto
Roman Provinces to the number of one hundred and twenty or thereabouts over every one of which he ordained a particular President that had his residence in the chief City of that Province Then he reduced these Provinces under fourteen Dioceses for so he called the greater distributions of his Empire seven of which were in the East parts thereof that is to say the Diocese of Egypt of the East of Asia of Pontus Thrace Dacia and Macedon and as many also in the West viz. the Praefecture of the City of Rome which I count for one the Diocese of Italie Africk and Illyricum of France Spain and Britain Finally instead of the Praefecti Praetorio which had the command of the Praetorians he ordained four for the four quarters of the Empire that is to say the Praefectus Praetorio Italiae under whom were the Dioceses of Italie Africk and Illyricum 2. Praefectus Praetorto Galliarum who had under him the Dioceses of France Spain and Britain 3. The Praefectus Praetorio Orientis who had command over the Dioceses of Egypt the Orient and the Asian the Pontick and Thracian Dioceses And 4 ly The Praefectus Praetorio Illyrici under whose super-intendence were the Dioceses of Macedon and Dacia only each of these Praefects having a Vicarius or Lieutenant in the severall Dioceses under his authority who fixed their residence in the head City of the Diocese And this I have the rather noted because of the Relation which the Politiâ— of the Christian Church had to this Division it being so ordered in the best and purest times thereof that in every City where the Emperors had an Officer whom they called Defensor Civitatis the Christiâ—ns should have a Bishop in every chief City of the Province a Metropolitan and over every Diocese an Arch-bishop or Primate from whom lay no Appeal unto any other And so far Constantine did well But he committed divers errors which did more prejudice the Empire than any thing that had been done by his Predecessors First in translating the Imperiall Seat from Rome to Byzantium by which transplantation the Empire lost much of its naturall vigour as we see by the experience of Plants and Flowers which being removed from the place of their naturall growth lose much of their vertue which was formerly in them On which reason Camillus would not suffer the Romans to remove their Seat unto the City of the Veii newly conquered by him but to prevent them in it set fire on the Town and so consumed it ut nunc Veios fuisse laboret Annalium fides as my Author hath it A second fault of this Constantine was the dividing of the Empire amongst others which only concerned himself For though it was quickly reunited in the person of Constantius his brethren dying without issue yet his example being followed by others the Empire was after torn into many pieces to the destruction of the whole 'T is true the former Emperors used sometimes to associate some partner with them but so that they did manage it as one sole Estate Constantine if I remember rightly being the first which parcelled it into severall Soveraignties each independent of the other The third fault of this Emperor was his removing the Legions and Colonies which lay before on the Northern Marches into the Eastern parts of his Dominions pretending to use them as a Bulwark against the Persians laying thereby those passages open at which not long after the barbarous Nations entred and subdued the West For though instead of these Colonies he planted Garrisons and Forts in convenient places yet these being filled with Souldiers for the most part out of other Countreys fought not as in defence of their native Soyl as the Colonies would and must have done but on the first onset of those Barbarians abandoned them to the will of the enemy So that Zosimus though in other of his reports about this Prince he bewraieth much malice doth call him not untruly the first Subverter of that flourishing Monarchy To these three we may add a fourth which concerns the Emperors in generall namely their stupid negligence and degenerate spirits which shewed it self most visibly in the last of The Western Emperors 1. Constans the sonne of Constantinus Magnus his brother Constantine being dead remainned sole Emperor of the West 2. Constantius the other of Constantines sonnes succeeded Constans in his part after his decease 3. Valentinian Emperor of the West his brother Valens ruling in Constantinople and the Eastern parts 4. Valentinian II. youngest sonne of the former Valentinian 5 Honorius the second sonne of Theodosius the Emperor in whose time Alarick the Gothe invaded Italie sacked Rome and made themselves Masters of the Countrey which afterwards they left in exchange for Spain 26. 6 Valentinian III. during whose time the Vandals seized upon Africk as they did on Italie and Rome also after his decease Murdered by Maximus a Roman whose wife he had trained unto the Court and ravished as shall be shewn hereafter on another occasion 7 Maximus having slain Valentinian the third succeded in the Empire but on the coming of the Vandals whom Eudoxia the wife of Valentinian who had some inkling of the manner of her husbands death had drawn into Italie he was stoned to death by his own souldiers 1. 8 Avitus chosen Emperor in a military tumult 9 Majoranus 4. 10 Severus 6. 11 Anthemius who at the end of five years was slain as were the three before him by Ricimer a Suevian born the chief Commander of the Armies who had an aim to get the Empire for himself but died as soon as he had vanquished and slain Anthomius 12 Olybrius an Emperor of four moneths only 13 Glycerius another of as little note As also was 14 Julius Nipos deposed by Orietes a noble Roman who gave the Empire to his sonne called at first Momillus but after his assuming the Imperiall title he was called as in contempt Augustulus 15 Augustulus the last of the Emperours who resided in Italie vanquished by Odoacer King of the Heruli and Turingians An omnious thing that as Augustus raised this Empire so an Augustulus should ruin it But though Augustulus lost the Empire yet Odoacer was not suffered to enjoy it long Zeno the Emperour of the East sending Theodorick King of the Gothes to expell him thence and to possess himself of Italie the reward of his valour And this the Emperor did the rather partly because the Gothes were Christians and in good terms of correspondency with him but principally to remove that active Nation somewhat further off who lay before too near the borders of his own Dominions And that he might dismiss them with the greater content and honour he made Theodorick a Patrician of the Roman Empire an honour first devised by the Emperour Constantine and of so high esteem from the first Institution that they who were dignified therewith were to have precedency
my self of these Furcae Caudinae and sport my self a while in the Plains of Calabria But I must note before I take my leave hereof that these two Provinces of Campania and Abruzzo make up the greatest richest and best peopled part of the Realm of Naples And therefore when the Kingdom was divided between the French and the Spaniards it was allotted to the French as having the priority both of claim and power The Provinces remaining although more in number yet are not comparable to these two for Wealth and Greatness and were assigned over to the Spaniard as lying most conveniently for the Realm of Sicilie Of these the first are the CALABRIAS so called from the Calabri an antient people of this tract which take up totally that Peninsula or Demi-Iland which lyeth at the South-East end of Italie near the Fare of Messana Amongst some of the Antient Writers the name Italie did extend no further than this Peninsula bounded by the two Bayes called Sinus Scilleticus and Sinus Lameticus because first peopled out of Greece or otherwise first known unto the old Writers of that Country For so saith Aristotle in his seventh Book of Politicks cap. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That part of Europe which is comprehended betwixt the Bay Scilleticus and Lameticus took the name of Italie and this Tradition he received as he there affirmeth from the best Antiquaries of that Country The like occurs in Dionysius Hallicarnasseus out of Antiochus Syracusanus a more antient Author the like in Strabo Lib. 6. But by what name soever it was called at first that of Calabria hath held longest and most constantly to it as being known by that name in the times of the Romans and so continuing to this day Ennius the old Poet being a native of this Country and so called by Ovid in his 3 d de Arte. Ennius emeruit Calabris in montibus hortos Old Ennias his Garden tills Among the steep Calabrian hils But leaving these matters of remote Antiquity let us behold the Country as it stands at the present and was the title of the eldest sonnes of the Kings of Naples who heretofore were called Dukes of Calabria divided of late times into inferior and superior in which distinct capacityes we shall look upon it Premising only by the way that this Country was the Title of the eldest sonnes of the Kings of Naples who were from hence called the Dukes of Calabria and that before it was subjected to those Kings it had a King of its own Holofernes whose daughter Flora was married unto Godfrey of Bovillon being King hereof An. 1098. 3 CALABRIA INFERIOR the habitation of the Brutii whom the Greek Writers generally call Bretti and their Country Brettania upon which ground some of our modern Criticks envying so great an honour to the I le of Great Britaine have transferred to this Province the birth of Constantine the first Christian Emperour These Brutii being first conquered by the Romans with the rest of Italie after the great defeat of Cannae took part with Carthage and was for a long time the retreat of Annibal whom the Romans had shut up in this corner It hath on the East a branch of the Adriatick Sea on the West that part of Campania which is called the Principate on the North Calabria superior and on the South the Tyrrhenian Seas and the streight of Messana A Country not much short in fruitfulness of the rest of the Kingdom and having the advantage of so much Sea is the better situate for Traffick At one extremity hereof is the Promontory called by Ptolomy Leuco-Petra now Cabo di Spartimento all along which especially in the moneth of May are taken yeerly great store of Tunnies a fish which much resembleth mans flesh which being barrelled up are sold to Mariners Here are two Rivers also of a very strange nature of which the one called Crathis makes a mans hair yellow and dies silk white the other named Busentus causeth both hair and silk to be black and swarthy The principall Cities of it are 1. Consensia an antient Town comprehending seven little hills and a Castle on the top of one of them which commandeth both the Town and the Countrey adjoyning It is built betwixt the said two Rivers and is still reasonably rich though not so wealthy now as in former times 2. Rhegium or Rhezo on the Sea shore opposite to Messana in the Isle of Sicilie which is supposed to have been broken off from the rest of Italie and that this Town had the name of Rhegium from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to break off or to tear asunder A Town in former times very well traded but left desolate in a manner since the yeer 1594. when it was fired by the Turks 3. Castrovillare seated upon the top of a very high Mountain 4. Belmont and 5. Altomont two very fair Towns whose names sufficiently express their pleasant and lofty situations 6. S. Euphemie from whence the Bay which antiently was called Sinus Lametinus or Lametirius is now called Golfâ— de S. Euphemie 7. Nicastro three miles from the Sea the same with Newcastle in Euglish On the West side of this Calabria and properly a part thereof standeth that mountainous Countrey which in the Subdivision of these Provinces by King Alfonsus was called the BASILICATE antiently the Seat of the Lucani A Countrey heretofore very unsafe for Travellers by reason of the difficult wayes and assured company of Theeves but now reduced to better order It containeth in it ninety three walled places and nine Towns or Cities the chief whereof are Possidonia or Pest a City situate in so clement and benign a Soyl that Roses grow there thrice a yeer 2. Poly Castrie on the Sea shore as the former is honoured with the Title of a Dukedom And 3. Dian or Dianum a more midland City neer which there is a valley twenty miles in length and four miles in bredth which for all manner of delights and fruitfulness yeelds to none in Naples 4. CALABRIA SUPERIOR called formerly Magna Graecia from many great and famous Cities founded there by the Graecians hath on the East the Adriatick on the West Campania from which it is divided by the Apennine and the River â—rathis on the North Sinus Tarentinus or the Gulf of Tarento and on the South and South-East Calabria inferior and Golfo de Chilaci of old called Sinus Scilleticus The principall Cities at this time are 1. Belcastro eight miles from the Sea where once stood Petilia 2. Bisignan the title of a Prince fortified with a very strong Castle and endowed with the best Revenues of any principality or other Nobleman of Title in all the Kingdom 3. Matera an Arch-Bishops See a rich Town and well peopled 4. Rosanum three miles from the Sea a well fortified City and situate in a very fruitfull and pleasant Soyl. 5. Altavilla which gives title also to a Prince 6. Terra Nova
no following Plantations from other Couutries were ever able to alter it Some Companies of Attica led by Iolaus came and setled here where they built Olbion and Agryllis leaving a memory of Iolaus their Captain in some places which remained in the time of Pausanias called Iolaia and taking to themselves for his sake the name of Iolatonses And after the destruction of Troy some of that scattered Nation came and planted in some voyd parts of the Iland kept to themselves the name of Ilienses and by that name are mentioned both by Plinie and Livie But neither of these Nations did attempt the change of the name because not of ability to suppress or out-power the Natives Nor could the Carthaginians do it though a more puissant Nation than the former were and such as by the neerness of their habitation Sardinia being distant but 160 miles from Africk had all advantags to make as at last they did a full Conquest of it building therein the Cities of Charmis Chalaris and â—ulchi and holding it untill it was unjustly extorted from them by the Romans at the end of the first Punick War at what time Carthage was in danger to be ruined by the revolt of her own Mercenaries and so not able to resist But of the name and first Plantations of this Iland we have said enough Let us now look upon the place in which it is reported that there is neither Wolf nor Serpent neither venomous nor hurtfull Beast but the Fox onely and a little Creature like a Spider which will by no means endure the light of the Sun except held by violence Some Pooles it hath and those very plentifull of Fish but generally so destitute of River-water that they are fain to keep the rain which falls in Winter for their use in Summer By means whereof and for that there is no passage for the Northern Winds being obstructed by the high Mountains near Cape Lugudoni the Air is generally unhealthy if not pestilentiall Insomuch that Tally writing to his Brother Quintus being then in this Iland adviseth him to remember as in point of health that he was in Sardinia and speaking of Tigellius a Sardinian born saith of him that he was more pestllent than the Country which bred him The soyl is very fertile in respect of Corsica but barren if compared with Sicil which yet may rather be imputed to the want of good manuring in the Husbandman than any naturall defect in the soyl it self Well stored with all sorts of Cattel as appears plainly by that plenty of Cheefe and Hides which are sent hence yearly into Italy and other places The Horses hereof hot head-strong and hard to be broken but will last long The Bullocks naturally amble so that the Countrey-man rideth them as familiarly as they do in Spain on Mules and Asses Here is also the Bâ—ast called Mufâ—ones or Muscriones found in Corsica also but in no other part of Europe somewhat resembling a Stag but of so strong an hide that it is used by the Italians in stead of Armour Of the skins of which carried to Cordova in Spain and there dressed is made the right Cordovan Leather Finally here is an Herb of which if one eat it is sayd that he will dye with laughter Whence came the Proverb Risus Sardonicus The truth of which report I shall not dispute though it be by others more prebably conjectured that the Herb being of a poysonous nature causeth men to dy with such a Convulsion or attraction of Sinews that they seem to grin or laugh at the time of their death The people are small of stature of complexion inclining unto swarthiness and that either by reason of the heat of the Sun or more probably from their African extraction their behaviour much participating of that people also So slothfull in the times of the Romans that they were grown into a Proverb and a Law made to compell them to work but now esteemed a very painfull and laborious Nation Much given to hunting and so prone to Rebellion that the Spaniard permitteth no Cutler to live among them yet peaceable amongst themselves and in some measure courteous unto Strangers also Their language a corrupt Catalonian their diet on meats common and gross their apparell in the Towns especially that of the women gorgeous in the Villages sordid In matters of Religion they are little curious That which they make most shew of is according to the Rites and Doctrines of the Church of Rome which both their neighbourhood to the Pope and their subjection to the Spaniard have imposed upon them But in their practise of it they are loose enough going to Mass on Sundays and Saints days which done they fall to dancing in the middest of the Church singing in the mean times songs too immodest for an Ale-house Nay it is thought that their Clergy it self is the most rude ignorant and illiterate of any people in Christendom saying their Masses rather by rote than reason and utterly unable to give any accompt of their Religion It is divided commonly into two parts viz. Cape Lugudore towards Corsica and Cape Cagliari towards Africk the first the least and withall mountainous and barren the last the larger levell and by much more frutifull Chief Cities of the whole 1. Calaris first built by the Carthaginians and situate in that point of the Iland which lieth neerest to Africk which from hence took the name of Cape Cagliari by which it is at this day called A City of such fame when it was first taken by Gracchus for the use of the Romans that it is called by Florus Urbs Urbium and was destroyed by the said Gracchus the better to disable the Natives from rebelling against the Conquerors Being new built again in more setled times it was a second time destroyed by the Saracens and finally re-built and beautified by the Pisans at such time as they were Masters of this part of the Iland Very well fortified by Nature as seated on the top of an hill and hath under it a spacious and goodly Haven much frequented by Merchants The Town if self adorned with a beautifull Temple being the See of an Arch-bishop many fair Turrets and the constant residence of the Vice-Roy from whose authority it is exempt by especiall privilege as to the legall Government of it and ordered by a Common Councell of its own Citizens 2. Bossa on the West side of the Iland another Arch-episcopall See 3. S. Reparata on the North looking towards Corsica 4. Aquilastro on the Western shores 5. Sassari a Town of consequence where they have an Aqueduct twelve miles long reaching from thence unto S. Gaivius 6. Alghes-Bosa a good Town situate in a wholesome air and a fertile soyl and having a fair Haven of six miles in length in which the ships of Genoa and Catalonia do most commonly ride 7. Orestagne a large Town but very ill peopled by reason of a bad air which proceeds from the Fens
from the Eastern parts as his occasions did require These Exarchs having divided Italie into many Governments appointed over each some supreme Commander dignified with the name of Dukes And even the City of Rome it self so far then was it from being subject to the Pope in Temporall matters had a chief Officer of this kinde accomptable to the Exaroâ— and subordinate to him whose Government was called the Roman Dukedom They which they kept unto themselves as their own peculiar contained the Cities of Ravenna Rbegium Mutina Bononia Classi Forli Fâ—â—limpoli Sarcino Parma and Placentia which ten Cities with the Territories belonging to them made up that District which properly was called the Exarchate of Ravenna much mentioned in the Histories of the middle times by reason of the continuall wars which they had with the Lombards but newly entred when this Magistracy had its first beginning The names of these Exarchs are as followeth The Exarchs of Ravenna A. C. 570. 1 Longinus 21. 591. 2 Smaragdus 4. 595. 3 Romanus Patricius 596. 4 Callinicus 13. 609. 5 Smaragdus 3. 612. 6 Joh. Lamigius 4. 616. 7 Elentherius 5. 621. 8 Isaacus Patricius 24. 645. 9 Theod. Calliopa 10. 655. 10 Olympius 2. 657. 11 Theod. Calliopa II. 30. 687. 12 Joh. Plotina 15. 702. 13 Theophilactus 25. 727. 14 Paulus 728. 15 Eutipenus 12. In the days of this Exarch Ravenna was taken from the Empire by Luitprandus King of the Lombards Ano. 740. but regained by Charles the Great and by him given to the Bishops of Ronne together with Anconitana and Spoleto as a requitall for the Kingdom of France confirmed unto King Pepin his Father by the consent and authority of the Popes The donation of this Exarchate to the Popes partly to blot out the memory of the Exarchs and partly to make the people obedient to those Prelates changed the name of the Countrey from Flaminia by which name it was formerly known to Romadâ—diola and now to Romagna Notwithstanding which Donation or Originall Grant the Popes injoyed not long the possession of it the Emperors of Germanie and their Vice-gerents in Italia wresting it by strong hand out of the possession of the Church and giving it to such as deserved well of them and were most likely or most able to uphold their Faction And so it stood till the last Popes conspiring with the French Kings Lewis the twelfth and Francis the first brought them into Italie and by their aids and by the censures of the Church so prevailed in fine that they extorted Ravenna and some other places out of the hands of the Venetians erected many petit Princes out of other Cities which they pretended to belong to S. Peters Patrimony and thereby got possession of all those Territories which lie betwixt the State of Venice and the Marches of Ancona 2. The Territory of FERRAARA lieth in the very skirts of Romandiola towards the Venetian extending one hundred and sixty miles in length and about fifty in breadth the soyl thereof exceeding rich but subject to the overflowings of the River Po which makes the air in many places to be somewhat unwholesome And though as well the former Dukes as the Popes who are now Lords hereof have been at great charge in raising high Banks and Ramparts to keep in the waters yet could not this resist the violence of the River falling from so high a Springs and seconded with so great Land-floods as sometimes it is but that it makes many breaches in them do they what they can The places of most note herein are 1. Graffignan in the borders of Tuscany neer the Apennine 2. Carpi a place of great importance seaâ—ed in the midst of this Dukedom belonging heretofore to the House of the Picâ— but partly by exchange made with Marcus Pieus partly for one hundred thousand Crowns in ready money given unto Lionel Pico once the Lords hereof it was by Charles the 5th incorporated into this estate 3. Commachia seated in the Marshes of the Adriatick from which the Princes of this Family of Este were at first called only Lords of Commachia a place which yeelded great profit to the former Dukes by the fishing of Eels 4. Saxole given by Duke Alphonso in exchange for Carpi Here is also the Territory and Lordship of the Polesine the cause of so many quarrells and contentions between the antient Dukes of Ferrara and the State of Vonice But the chief honor of this Dukedom it in the Capitall City that which denominates the whole Ferrara a City of five miles in compass so called from the Iron Mines which are about it commodiously seated on the River â—o which by reason of its breadth depth and violent swiftness of the current is a sufficient rampart to it on that side the other fides being fortified with a strong wall and a spacious mote In the middle of the City is a fair and spacious Market-place into which do open on all fides about twenty streets all of them half a mile in length and all so strait and evenly built that the furthest end of each of them may be easily seen Neer to this Market-place is a little Iland in which the former Dukes had a stately Palace called Belvedere from the fair prospect which it had or gave to the whole City and on the North side of the City a large Park for pleasure The other houses are for the most part built of fair Free-stone not joyning unto one another as in other Cities but at a pretty distance with neat Gardens between Ariosto the Author of that ingenious Poem called Orlando Furiosâ— and Hierome Savaniarolo the Propheticall Fâ—ier were both of them Natives of this place of which the first lieth here entombed the last for preaching against the Pope was burnt at Florence In the declining of the power and Empire of the Lombards this City together with Favenza was given by Desiderius their last King to the Church of Rome the better to oblige the Popes by so great a benefit But being taken from them by the Emperors of the House of Schwaben it was again recovered by the prowess of the Countess Mathildis Ano. 1107. who took it with many other Towns in Italie from the Emperor Henry the 4th and at her death conferred the same upon the Church The Popes once more possessed hereof and not able to hold it gave it in Fee for ever unto Azo of the House of Este a man of great sway in the affairs of Italie who valiantly had defended it against Ezelinus Vicegerent of Frederick the 2d. This was the first of this Family who had Ferrara in propriety His Ancestors being called before the Marquesses of Este and sometimes Marquesses of Ferrara but in title only as Governors hereof in behalf of the Popes of Rome Obizo the Grand-child of this first Azo obtained of Rodolfus the first who was willing to make what money he could of his lands in Italie the Cities of Regium and Modena
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
of the water and the Holy Iland consisting of three distinct parts or members Of these the least is that which they call La Isola but antiently the Holy Iland first made an Iland by the Corn Straw and other Goods of the Tarquins which the Senate not vouchsafing to convert to any publick or private use commanded to be flung into the River where it sunk and setled to an Iland and after called the Holy Iland from a Temple herein built unto Esculapius brought hither from Epidaurus in the shape of a Serpent This Iland is not above a quarter of a mile in length and hardly half so much in bredth but full of stately Churches and beautifull houses Next to this is that which they call Trastevere or Trans-Tiberina but of old Janiculo from the mountain of that name included in it called also Civitas Ravennatium or the City of the men of Ravenna of the Souldiers which Augustus kept at Ravenna against Antonius and after placed in this out-part of the City which by reason of the unwholsomeness of the air is inhabited onely by Artizans and poor people yet compassed about with walls except on that side next the water and adorned with many goodly Churches and some handsome buildings But the chief glory of the City conâ—isteth in that part of it which is called Il Borgo lying on the North side of the other but disjoyned from it compassed about with walls by Pope Leo the 4. and from thence called Civitas Lâ—onina For in this part there are 1 the Churcb of S. Peter which were it once finished would be one of the rarest buildings in all the World 2 The Castle of S. Angelo impregnable unless by Famin. 3 The Popes Palace called Belvidere which with the Gardens thereof was compassed about with a very high wall by Pope Nicolas the fift and had this name from the fair prospect which it hath in the same sence as Belvoir Castle here in England the Barony and Mansion of the Earls of Rutland A Palace of magnificence and receipt enough 4 The Library of the hill Vatican properly called the Palatine but more commonly the Vatican Library a Library was founded by Sixtus the 4th who not only stored it with the choicest books he could pick out of Europe but allowed also a large revenue for the perpetuall augmentation of it Bibliothecam Palatinam in Vaticano toto terrarum orbe celebrem advectis ex omni Europa libris construxit proventusque certos c. So Onuphrius When the Duke of Burbon sacked Rome An. 1527 it was much defaced and ransacked but by the succeeding Popes it hath been again recovered to its former fame and beauty Rome is now an University which was founded by Urban the fourth at whose request Thomas Aquinas professed here Pope Nicholas the fifth was a speciall Benefactor to the same and after him Leo the tenth who revived the Greek learning and language which were in these parts almost forgotten And finally to this place are brought all the treasures of those parts of Christendom subject to the Popes authority partly for the expence of strangers which do there remain on their severall pleasures or occasions and partly for the expeditions which are there obtained for the Investitures of Bishopricks and Buls of Benefices Indulgences and other matters of Court-holy-water and partly in the Pensions which are payd there to the Cardinals and other Ministers of those Kings and Princes which know best how to make their ends of the Popes Ambitions So that it may be truly sayd there came not more Tributes into Old Rome from the conquered Provinces than hath been bronght into the New from the subject Churches which have submitted to the power of the Roman Prelates and that they have as great command now under the pretence of Religion as ever they had formerly by force of Arms. So truly was it sayd by Prosper of Aquitane if my memory fayl not Roma caput mundi quicquid non possidit Armis Religione tenet This is to say What Rome subdu'd not with the Sword She holds by colour of the Word But yet there wants the Genius of the antient City the power and naturall courage of the old Inhabitants which held the same against the bravery and assaults of all Forein Enemies this City during the time of the antient Romans being never took but by the Galls but since Pontificall it hath been made a Prey to all Barbarous Nations and never was besieged by any that did not take it In a word the city of Rome as now it standeth is but the carcass of the old of which it retains nothing but the ruins and the cause of them her sins The Popes much brag of the foundation of their Church and the authority of S. Peter whose being there is indeed constantly attested by most antient Writers insomuch that Calvin though no friend to the Popes of Rome yet propter Scriptorum consensum in regard of the unanimous consent of the primitive times did not think fit to controvert it The silence of the Scriptures is a Negative Argument and concludes nothing to the contrary against so great a Cloud of unquestioned Witnesses as soberly and positively have affirmed the same And yet I would not have it thought by the captious Remanists that I conceive that it makes any thing at all for the Popes Supremacy because he siâ—s in Peters seat no more than it did make for Vibius Rufus as Dion doth relate the Story to attain Tullies eloquence or Caesars power because he maried Tullies widow and bought Caesars chair though the poor Gentleman did befool himself with this opinion that he should be Master of them both Of which see Lib. LVII And yet the Popes relie so much upon this fancy of being the direct heirs of S. Peter and all his preheminences that all things which they say or do must be entituled to S. Peter Their Throne must be S. Peters Chair their Church S. Peters Ship their Lands S. Peters Patrimony their Tributes and exactions must be called Peter-pence their Excommunications â—ulminated in S. Peters name and all their Buls and Faculties sealed Annulo Piscatoris with S. Peters Signet Nay they went so far at the last that Pope Steven not being contented to be Peters Successor did take upon him in plain terms to be Peter himself For being distressed by Astulphus King of the Lombards he sends for aid unto King Pepin in this following stile Petrus Apostolus JESU CHRISTI c. i.e. Peter the Apostle of JESUS CHRIST to you the most illustrious King Pepin and to all Bishops Abbots c. I the Apostle Peter whose adopted sonnes you are admonish you that you presently come and defend this City c. And doubt you not but trust assuredly that I my self as if I stood before you do thus exhort you c. and that I Peter the Apostle of God will at the last day yeeld you mutuall kindnesses and prepare you Tabernacles
think that it was denominated from Venetia which in the old Latin signifieth the seething or frothing of the sea VENETIA A maris exaestuatio est quae ad Littus veniat saith the old Glossarie upon Isidore out of Marcus Varro But the truth is that it was so called from the Veneti the old Inhabitants of the neighbouring Province of Friuli who to avoyd the fury of the barbarous Hunnes then threatning Italie abandoned the main land and built this City in the bogs and marishes of the sea adjoyning And that it might afford them the greater afetie they not onely built in the most inward part of the Adriatick sea commonly called the Gulf of Venice but in the midst of many Lakes of salt-water extending thirty miles in compass and having on the East the said Adriatick sea for the length of 550 miles betwixt which and the sayd Lakes there is a bank or causey which they call Il Lido made as it were by nature to defend the Ilands which lie in this Lake from the violent fury of the sea A Causey of 35 miles in length bending like a Bow and opening in seven places only which serve as well to keep the lakes always full of water as for the passage of Ships and Barks of smaller burden the bigger being compelled to lie at Anchor on the South side of the City near to a place called Malamocco and the Castles of Lio which are very well fortified and there must remain till they are brought in by skilfull Pilots who know the passages which by reason of the shifting of the sands change very often On the West and North sides it is compassed with very deep Marishes about five miles distant from the land and on the South with many Ilands in which are severall Churches and Monasteries like so many Forts which lie between it and those parts of Italie which are not under the obedience of the Commonwealth So that it is impossible to be taken but by an Army which can stretch 150 miles in compass It is built as before is sayd on 72 Ilands the principall of which are 1 Heraclea the first seat of the Duke of Venice from thence removed to Malamocco and the last to Rialto more famous at this time for being a Bishops See than the number of Citizens 2 Grado to which the Patriarchall See of Aquileia was removed by Pelagius the second about the year 580 making it thereby the Metropolitan of Friuli or the Country of Venice but from thence it hath been since removed to another of these Ilands called Castello Olindo 3 Rialto which is of most esteem and reputation so called quasi Rivo alto because the Marishes are there deeper than in other places or quasi Ripa alta because it lay higher above the waters than the other Ilands For which reasons that Iland getting reputation above the rest most of the Gentlemen setled their dwellings in the same and drew thither in the end the Dukes Palace also insomuch that in some antient writings the whole City hath been called Rialto many of the old Records being dated in such and such a year of the Rialto But as they did increase in numbers so were they fain to spread themselves from one Isle to another till in the end they built on all the Ilands which lay near together and might conveniently be joyned by Boats or Bridges By this Rialto runs the passage called the Grand Canale being in length about 1300 paces and some fortie in bredth adorned on both sides with stately and magnificent Palaces and covered with an incredible number of Boats called Gondolos very neatly built and veiled over with cloth so that the Passengers may go unseen and unknown without the molestation of sun wind or rain For publique buildings it hath in it 70 Parish Churches to each of which belongeth a Market-place and a Well 31 Cloysters of Monks 28 of Nuns besides Chappels and Almes-houses The principall Church of this City is that of S. Mark the Patron of their Commonwealth whose body they report to have been brought hither from Alexandria in Egypt and intombed herein Affirmed by some to be the richest and goodliest Church in all the World The building of Mosaick work of which work they boast themselves to have been the Authors A kind of work by the Grecians called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by the Latin Writers Musiva Musica and Musaica wrought out of stones or metaâ—s of divers colours unto the shape of Flowers Knots Birds Beastâ— and other fancies of the Workman yet done with such exactness of skill and judgement that it seemeth to be all one stone the work rather of Nature than Art A Church of admirable work both within and without compacted of most rare peeces of Marble Porphyrie and a rich stone which the Lapidaries called Ophitis because it is speckled like a snake adorned on the outside with 148 Pillars of Marble and eight of Porphyrie near the door besides 600 Marble pillars of a lesser size which carry up an open Gallery round about the Church from whence the Magistrates and others of the principall Citizens behold such Shews as are presented in the Market place adjoyning to it The Church in length not above 200 foot of Venice measure nor above 50 in bredth the roof thereof being of an Orbicular form lieth open at the very top where the light comes in there being no windows in all the Church as commonly the Churches in Italie are exceeding dark either to strike in the spectators a religious reverence or to make their Candles shew the better And for the inside of the Church the riches of it are so great the Images so glorious the furniture of the Altars so above comparison that all the treasures of the State may seem to be amassed in the decking of it And yet as goodly and as glorious as the Fabrick is it is still unfinished and as some think is kept unfinished on purpose partly to draw on other Benefactors to advance the work the benefit of whose liberality may be employed unto the use of the publick Treasury and partly lest the Revenues which are given already should be resumed by the Heirs of the deceased if the work were ended So infinitely doth the furniture of the Church exceed the sumptuousness and beauty of the Church it self Of other of the publick buildings the Counsell-house the Ducall Palace Monasteries Churches and the like though stately and magnificent structures I forbear to speak Nor shall I here say any thing of their private houses so large and beautified that here are said to be no fewer than 200 most of them on the Grand Canale able to entertain and lodge the best King in Christendom All I shall adde and so leave this City will be a word or two of their Arsâ—nall and publick Magazine In the first of which they have in readiness 200 Gallies with rooms for Cables Masts Sails Victuals and Ammunition of all sortt able
River Arno where it meeteth with Sâ—rchius did erect this Town In the distractions of the Empire it stood up for it self and grew so potent that at one time they waged war both with the Venetians and Genoese They were once Masters of Sardinia Corsica and the Baleares but finally being discomfited by the Genoese neer the Isle of Giglio by whom it was made free An o 1369 they submitted themselves to the protection of Charles the fourth Not long after it was taken by John Galeaze the first Duke of Millain An o 1404 by John Maria his sonne and successor sold unto the Florentines from whose command they freed themselves by a popular violence The Florentines upon this besieged them and brought them to such extremity of hunger that they were ready to be starved Yet such was the humanity of the Besiegers that when they entred the Town every man carryed victuals in his hand instead of weapous to beget as it were new life in that rebellious people This victory the â—lorentines got by the valor and conduct of Sir John Hawkwood whom the Italians call Giovanni di Aguto who being first a Taylor in Essex afterwards served Edward the third in his French Wars where he was knighted And when upon the peace concluded after the battell of Poictiers he wanted employment he entered with his Regiment into Italie and put himself into the pay of the Florentines then in war with this City who for his valor have honoured him with a fair Tomb and Monument When Charles the 8th went into Italie the Pisans again revolted and were not without much labour and great charges reduced to their former obedience As for the City it self it is almost as big as Florence this being five miles in compass and that but six but very short of it in the numbers of people Florence being sayd to contain 90000 souls Pisa not a third part of that proportion yet it hath very good advantages to make it populous that is to say the publick Arsenal for Shipping an University for Students and the See of an Archbishop the Cathedrall Church of which is a very beautifull peece of work the Gates thereof are brass and the Steepl of it of such artificiall and exquisite building that it sheweth as if it were always falling But the unwholsomness of the Air over-ballanceth all these fair advantages The next place of importance within the Territory of this City is the Town and Haven of Ligorn Livornum it is called in Latin seated upon the influx of the River Arno well fortified against the Genoese by whom the Works were once slighted An o 1297. Upon a reconciliation made between those States it returned again to its old Masters And when the Pisans were sold over to the Florentines by the Duke of Millain Thomas Fregosa Duke of Genoa seized upon this place and sold it also to the same Chapmen for 120000 Ducats By the care of Duke Cosmo and his two sonnes it is much improved in strength and beautie and so well fortified that it is thought to be one of the strongest Cities in Christendom Cities I say and not Castles the Castles of Stockholm in Sweden and that of Millain being held to be the strongest Forts in the World After this comes in 3 Peira Sancta on the West side of the Arnus a place of great consequence and strength one of the best peeces of the Pisans when a Free-estate against their old enemies the Genoese towards whom it standeth 4 Terraciola Eastward of Ligorn neighboured with a capacious Bay on the Mediterranean 5 Castellona an Episcopall See and 6 Porto Berrato bordering on the Signeury of Siena now nothing but a station for ships nor much used for that but heretofore beautified with one of the best Cities of the Tuscans called Populonia 3 The third Member of this Dukedom is the City and Territory of SIENA lying betwixt the Estate of Pisa and the land of the Church The City sayd to be built by Brennus who did there put his old sickly men to sojourn and called it Sena the Birth-place of Aeneas Sylvius called afterwards Pope Pius the second of Francis Picolominy after Pope Pius the third and of Sixtus hence surnamed Senensis the greatest Scholar of the three if not of all the age he lived in By Antonine in his Itinerarium called Senae Juliae to difference it perhaps from another of that name near the Adriatick called Sena Gallica Built neer the Spring or Fountain of the River Arbia now better known by the name of Treissa but built which makes the situation of it exceeding pleasant upon an high hill on which there is a Castle that commands the Town the streets thereof even and very plain centring in a large and spacious Market-place near to which is a very fair Palace used for a Senate-house in the Free-Commonwealth and on the South side near the walls the Cathedrall Church reputed to be one of the fairest in Italie having only one door into it to which there is an ascent by fair Marble stairs of which the Pavement is made also Having long held the Gibelline or Imperiall faction it bought its liberty at an easie rate of the Emperour Rodolphus the first After it fell into the hands of the Spaniards then of the French and finally was made over to Cosmo de Medices Duke of Florence by the King of Spain An o 1558 in consideration of the great charge he had been at to beat out â—he French and other services expected for the time to come Cosmo being thus invested in it deprived the people of their Arms altered the Government and was the first Prince who had the absolute command of it after the constitution of their Common-wealth neither the French nor Spaniards ruling here as Lords but onely as called in by their severall factions and suffered to have Garrisons in it of their own people by the agreement of their party And to say truth it stood with good reason of State that the Florentine should use all his wit to get this City and having got it use all meanes to assure it to him For besides that great accession which it made unto his Estate by adding thereunto the yearly income of a hundred and fifty thousand Ducats above all expences it was also to be carefully looked on as a Rivall which had long time stood in competition with it for the soveraign command of Tuscanie Besides there had been mighty animofities between the Cities the Florentine being always of the Guelfes and the Siennoys of the Gibelline faction A faction at last so generally distated in all Italie and so abhominable to the Popes that on an Ashwednesday when the Pope being to cast Ashes on the heads of the Cardinals was to have sayd Memento O homo quod cinis es in cinerem converteris according to the usage of the Church of Rome seeing a Gibelline amongst them he forgot himself and sayd thus unto him Memento O homo
who after joyned with them in the same confederacy It hath no City nor Town of note The principall of those that be are 1 â—â—anter the place sometimes of the Generall Diets for these Leagues 2 Diserntis where is a very rich Monastery 3 Saint Bernardino situate at the foot of the Mountain Vogel 4 Masox sometimes an Earldom giving name to the Valley of Masoxer-tal 5 Galanckter whence the vale so named inhabited by none but Basket-makers 6 Ruffla situate on the River Muesa near Belinzano on the skirts of Italie 2 The second League is Liga Cadi Dio or the League of the house of God so called because it was the proper Patrimony of the Bishop and Church of Chur and may be called the middle League as being situate between the Upper League on the West and the Lower League upon the East It is the greatest of the three containing twenty one Resorts or Commonalties of which nine lie on this side the tops of the Mountains towards Germany the rest tovvards Italie and yet two onely speak the Dutch the others a corrupt Italian The places of most note are 1 Tintzen the Tinnetio of Antoninus seated amongst high and inaccessible Mountains betvvixt Chur and the Valley of Bergel 2 Mur called Murus by the same Antoninus in the valley of Bergel a Valley extending from the head of the River Maira tovvards Chiavenna one of the. Italian Praefectures 3 Stalla called Bevio by the Italians because the vvay doth in that place divide it self 4 S. Jacomo in the valley of Compoltschin called Travasede by Antoninuâ— 5 Sinnada in the valley of Engadin And 6 Chur by some Coira but more truly Curia so called from the long stay that Constantine the great made here vvith his Court and Army in a War intended against the Germans built aftervvards by some part of his forces vvhich continued here An. 357 about half a Dutch mile from the meeting of the two streams of the Rhene in form triangular the buildings indifferent in themselves but not uniform with one another High on a Hill in one corner of it standeth the Close and therein the Cathedrall Church a stately Edifice but more in accompt of the Natives who have seen no fairer than it is with strangers and near the Church the Bishops Palace and the houses of the Canons all well built and handsomly adorned The Bishop of this City and of all the Country of these Leagues for they received their Bishop and the Faith together An. 489. acknowledgeth the Arch-bishop of Mentz for their Metropolitan is reckoned for a Prince of the Empire and the rightfull Lord both of this City and the whole League but on the introduction of the Reformed Religion which they had from the Switzers and Genevians the Citizens withdrew themselves from their obedience to the Bishop and govern the City in the manner of a Free-state So far conformable to him for their own preservation that as the Bishop and his Canons vvith the rest of this League upon occasion of the wrongs done them by the house of Austria Lords of the neighbouring Tirol joyned in confederacy with the seven first Cantons of the Switzers which was in the year 1498 So did the Citizens of Chur after they had withdrawn themselves from the command of their Bishops concur with them at last in that mutuall League 3 The third League of these Grisons is the Lower League called also Liga Ditture or the League of the ten Jurisdictions situate close upon Tirol in the North-East part of the whole Country Of all the ten two only vvhich are those of Malans and Meienfeld obey the joynt commands of the three Leagues of the Grisons the other eight being subject to the Arch-Duke of Austria under whom they are suffered to enjoy their antient privileges for fear of uniting with the Switzers which hitherto they have not done Only they did unite together in one common League An. 1436 conditioning their mutuall defence against all Enemies preservation of their peace and maintainance of their privileges reserving notwithstanding their obedience to their naturall Lords In which respect and by reason of the interess and society which they have with the rest of the Grisons they are in friendship with the Swisse but in no confederacy City or Walled-town they have none The chief of those they have are 1 Castels the seat of the Governour for the Arch-Duke of Austria 2 Malans and 3 Meienseld both bordering upon the Rhene 4 Tanaas giving name to the first and greatest of the ten Jurisdictions the chief Town of this League in which are held the Generall Diets for the same and vvhere are kept the Miniments and Records which concern their Privileges In this League is the Mountain called Rhaetico-mons by Pomponius Mela but now Prettigower-berg because it is at the end of the valley vvhich the Dutch call Prettigow 4 As for the Italian Praefectures they are eight in number and were given unto the Grisons by Maximilian Sforze Duke of Millain An. 1513. at such time as he gave the like present to the Cantons of Switzerland Of these the first is called Plurs so called from the chief Tovvn of the same name in Latin Plura once seated in a plain at the foot of the Alpes near the River Maira the chief of sundry villages lying in the same bottom now nothing but a deep and bottomless Gulf. For on the 26 of August 1617 an huge Rock falling from the top of the Mountains overwhelmed the Town killed in the twinckling of an eye 1500 people and left no sign or ruin of a Town there standing but in the place thereof a great Lake of some two miles length 2 Chiarama situate in a pleasant vallie so called neer the River Maira and ten Italian miles from the Lake of Come Antoninus calleth it Clavenna and the Dutch Clevener-tal or the valley of Cleven more near unto the antient name 3 The Valtoline Vallis Telina in the Latine a pleasant Valley extending threescore miles in length from the head of the River Aada unto the fall thereof in the Lake of Come the Wines whereof are much commended and frequently transported on this side the Alpes It is divided into six Praefectures according to the names of the principall Towns The chief whereof are 1 Bormio seated near the head of the River Aada 2 Teio the chief Fortress of the whole Valley 3 Sondrio the chief Town and the seat of the Governour or Leiuetenant Generall of the whole Country This Valley lying opportunely for the passage of the King of Spains Forces out of Millain into Germany by the practices and treasons of Rodolfus Planta one of the natives of it and of the Romish Religion was delivered to the Duke of Feria being then Governour of Millain An. 1622 the whole Country brought under the obedience of that King Chur it self forced and taken by them and the Religion of Rome setled in all parts thereof But two years after by the joynt Forces
unto Tarraconensis Of these three parts Baetica was in most esteem under the Romans insomuch that it contained 8 Roman 〈◊〉 8 Municipal Cities and 29 other Towns endued with the rights and privileges of the 〈◊〉 The reason thereof was that the people of this Countrie having been formerly broken by the 〈◊〉 with more quiet endured the yoke of the Romans whereas the rest for a lâ—ng time resisted the entrie and Empire of that prevailing Citie But to proceed to the assurs of Rome in Spain Sciâ—io Africanus laid the first foundation of the Roman Government in 〈◊〉 Countrey which building though undertaken by many excellent work-men was not 〈…〉 till the dayes of Augustus being almost 200 years since the first attempt â—e rooâ—ed 〈◊〉 â—â—rengthened it and made it a principal building in his Monarchical Citie For the 〈…〉 were exceeding valiant and resolute sometimes disgracing sometimes endangering the 〈◊〉 râ—putatâ—on insomuch that there were more Commanders lost in those wars than any â—ther At 〈◊〉 the Romans fought not with the Spaniards but with the Carthaginians in Spain then perished both the 〈◊〉 viz. the Father and the Vncle of Africanus Viriathus held war for 2â— years 〈◊〉 held out 15 the Astures remained unconquered till the time of 〈◊〉 aâ—d all resolutely maintained their particular liberties ut dijâ—dicari non poterat saith 〈◊〉 Hispanis an Romanis plus esset 〈◊〉 Râ—boris uter populus alteri pariturus foret Such manner of men were the antient Spaniards under Rome and Carthage the first people of the Continent of Europe excepting Italy on which the Râ—mans did begin to enlarge their Empire and the last that wholly were subdued and conquered by them But being conquered at thelast and brought under the form of a Province by Augustus â—aesaâ— it was governed by their Proconsuls Praetors and other Magistrates according to the division before-mentioned But â—oâ—stâ—ntiâ—e the Great in his new modelling of the Empire laying some part of Africâ— to it made it a Diocese of the Empire made subject to the Praefectus Praetorio for Gaul by whose Vicariâ—â— it was governed the whole being then divided into these seven Provinces viz. 1 Bâ—tica 2 Lusitania bounded as before 3 Gallicia containing the modern Gallicia Leou and Oviedo the greatest part of the Old Castile and so much of Portugal as lieth betwixt the two Rivers of Minio and Duero 4 Carthaginensis so called from the Citie of New Carthage comprehending New Castile Murcia and Valentia with part of the Old Castile Aragon and Andulusia 5 â—araconensis embracing all Biscay Navarre and Catalogâ—e with the greatest part of the Kingdom of Aragon 6 â—ingitaâ—a so called from Tingis now Tangier a Town of Africk on the opposite Coast in which are now the great Kingdoms of Fesse and Morocco And 7 the Province of the Hands containing Maâ—orca Minorca Ebusa and Frumentaria Of which seven Provinces the three first were Consularie governed by Pâ—oconsuâ—s the other four from their being under Presidents were called Presidiarie Being thus setled it continued a Roman Diocese till about the yeer 400 when it was subdued by Gundericus King of the Vandals of which People their beginning atchievements and finall Period we will speak more when we come to Afrâ—ck where they fixed themselves invited thereunto partly to eschew the ill neighbourhood of the Gothes who began to grow too potent for them and partly to satisfie the desires of Boniface Governour of that Province for the Emperour Valentinian the 3d against whom he had then rebelled and wanted such support to make good his action These being gon the Suevi and 〈◊〉 who entred with them could not long subsist but were finally broken by the Gothes and afterwards dispossessed of their Kingdoms also though suffered to remain in the Country still as shall be shewn hereafter in its proper place As for the Gothes of whom we shall speak more in Sweden and have alreadie made some mention when we were in Gaule having sacked Rome and wasted Italy under the conduct of Alaric they were bought out of that Country by the gift of Narbonensis in Gaule and so much of Tarraconensis in Spain as now makes up the Province of Catalogne the Composition being ratified by the mariage of Athaulfus the Successour of Alaric with Placidâ—a Sister to Honorius the Western Emperour Vallia or Wallia the Successor of Athaulfus having beaten the Aâ—ani out of Lusitania and Carthaginensis added those Provinces also unto his Estates and confined the Vandals within Baetica was the first of the Gothes which entituled himself King of the Gothes in Spain By their Agreement with the Romans they were to keep those Provinces for the use of the Empire which they did conquer and recover from the barbarous Nations but contrary to all Faith and the Articles of their Agreement having once beaten the Alani out of Lusitania by the prowess of Vallia and the Suevi out of Baetica under the conduct of Theodoric the Brother of Torismund they fell upon the Romans themselves whom â—â—riâ—us and his Successors by little and little dispossessed of all Spaine on this side of the Streights Tiâ—gitaâ—a held out longest as furthest off unfortunately attempted by Theudes the 9th King of the Gothes whose Souldiers being set upon by the Romans on the Lords day or Sunday refused to fight in their own defence and were so miserably defeated that there was never a man of them left to carry news of the overthrow So early did the Superstition of a Lords day Sabbath prevail upon this melancholick and devout people But what this Theudes could not doe was performed by Sâ—intilla who in the short time of his reign Anno 642. made the Conquest absolute Let us next look upon the Gothes as Lords of Spain and we shall find them to have been Christians in Religion and somewhat civilized by their long neighbourhood and conversation with the Grecians before they turned their Forces into the West Their company more desired in this respect than that of the Vandâ—ls who were not only Pagans but far more barbarous But these Gothes being for long time of the Arian Faction did grievously afflict and persecute the Orthodox Prelates continuing in this errour till the death of Leonigild or Leutigildis as some call him the last Patron and Assertor of it Their Government Monarchicall but the Kings Elective though for the most part they kept themselves to the Regall Family an Excommunication being laid on such by the fift Councill of Toâ—edo as went about to alter that established course Their Rule of Government was Customâ— and that not left in writing but committed to Memory and Traditionâ— written Laws being first made by King Eurâ—cus which the ensuing Princes confirmed and perfected What else concerneth them we shall find in the close of this Catalogue of The Kings of the Gothes in Spain A. C. 421. 1 Vallia 22. 443. 2 Theodoric 13. 456. 3 Thorismund 3. 459. 4 Theodoric II. 14. 473. 5 Henry or Euricus 18. 491.
capacities in the first and largest notion as unto the storie and affairs thereof till distracted by the Moores into many Kingdoms in the last and strictest as to the Chorographie and Description of it The Kingdom of CORDVBA as it stood when subdued by the Spaniards was bounded on the East with Murcia and the Mediterranean on the West with Portugal and the Ocean on the North with the Mountains of Sierra Morena and Castile and on the South with the Ocean the streights of Gibraltar and the Midland Seas so called from Corduba the chief Citie of it and the Seat Royal of their Kings It contained as before was said the Provinces of 1 Andalusia 2 Gades 3 Extremâ—dura and 4 Granada But because Granada had the fortune to continue a Kingdom when the rest were conquered we will consider it by it self and here proceed to the description of the other three 1 ANDALVSIA is bounded on the East with Granada on the West with the Atlantick Ocean and Algarve in Portugal on the North with Sierra Morena and Extremadura on the South with the Ocean the Streights and the Mediterranean By Plinie it is called Conventus Cordubensis from Corduba at that time the chief Citie of it and after Andalusia quasi Vandalusia from the Vandals who having won it from the Romans had for some time and till their expulsion into Africa possessed themselves of it This is the most rich and fertile Countrie of all Spain watered with the Rivers 1 Anas 2 Odier 3 Baetis and 4 Tenos which makes it flourish with a continuall greenness of Olives Vines and other Fruits of which the Hils though watred only with the dew of Heaven doe partake also in some measure The Air hereof by reason of its Southernly situation is exceeding hot in so much that their Corn there is ripe in Aprill but those excessive heats much moderated by those constant refreshings which the cool winds breathing from the North doe bestow upon it In which respect King Ferdinand the Catholick did use to say that it was best liviug in the Summer at Sevill one of the chief Cities of this Province by reason of these cool refreshings and in the winter times at Burgos in old Caestile which though situate more Northernly in a very sharp air had yet many notable defences against the cold The Principall Cities and Towns hereof are 1 Corduba seated at the foot of Sierra Morena on the left shore of Guadalquivir over-looking towards the South a spacious and fruitfull Plain the first Colonie planted in this Province by the Romans and the chief Citie of Baetica For a long time the seat of the Moorish Vice-Royes Leiutenants to the Great Caliph of the Saraeens after of its own kings of that Nation who built here for their Palace a magnificent Castle Reduced by Ferdinand of Castile it was restored unto the honour of an Episcopal See which antiently it had and doth now enjoy A Citie of great Circuit but of very few houses by reason of the multitude of Gardens in it Famous in former times for the birth of Lucan and both the Seneca's Duosque Senecas unicumque Lucanum Faecunda loquitur Corduba saith Martial Corduba glorying in her fruitfull field One Lucan and two Seneca's did yeed It is now vulgarly called Cordova and hence commeth our true Cordovan leather made of the skin of a Sardinian beast Neer unto this Citie is a Wood of 30 miles in length having nothing but Olive trees 2 â—aen a Bishops See remarkable for nothing more than that the Kings of Sâ—ain ever since the first Recoverie of it have stiled themselves Kings of Iaeu and use it to this day amongst the rest of their Titles it having been before that time the seat and title of some petit King amongst the Moores Not far hence stood the famous Town of Illiturgis by â—tolomiâ— Illurgis mentioned so often in the wars betwixt Rome and Carthage 3 Ossuna of most note for the Dukes hereof and a small Vniversity founded here Anno 1549. 4. Eccia on the River Cheâ—il of more esteem formerly than at the present by Ptolomie and Antoninus called Aâ—ygi by Pliniâ— Augusta Firma a Roman Colonie and one of the four Iuridicall Resâ—rts of Bâ—tica 5 Marcheâ—o situate on an Hill where is said to be the best breed of Gennets a swift race of Horses not of this Province alone but of all Spain the River Baetis as it was thought conveâ—ing some secret vertue into them Of this race was the Horse which Caesar so loved that he erected his statue when dead in the Temple of Venus and the antient Lusitaâ—i thought they were begotten by the wind 6 Xeres situate more within the Mid-lands towards the borders of Gâ—anada and therefore called Xeres de la Frontera the Asta of Ptolomie and Antonâ—nus famous for plenty of that wine which we call Xeres Sack but more for that great and fatall â—attel â—ought neer unto it betwixt K. Roderick and the Moores the loss of which drew along with it the loss of Spain 7 Medina Sidonia so called to distinguish it from a Town of Castile called Medina Coeli the Duke whereof was General of all the Forces both by Sea and Land intended for the Conquest of England Anno 1588. The Town called antiently Asinda and Asido Caesariana the Duke whereof is of the Family of the Guzmans and the greatest Prince for Revenue in all Spain his Intrado being estimated at 130000 Crowns per Annum 7 Algezire on the Sea side A Town of such strength and consequence that it held out a Siege of 19 moneths for the Moores of Africk against Alfonso the 5 of Castile to whom surrendred at the last upon Composition Anno 1343. Since which the Kings of Castile have stiled themselves Kings of Algezire not yet discontinued 8 Conâ—l a Town on the sea-coast beyond the Isle of Gades part of the Patrimonie of the D. of Medina Sidonia 9 Gibraltar a strong Town seated at the mouth of the Streights from hence denominated lying at the foot of the mountain of Calpe supposed to be one of Hercules Pillars the furthest point Southwards of all Europe 10 S. Lucar de Baramâ—da the Port-Town to Sevill situate at the mouth of the River Baetis or Guadalquivir where the Ships of that rich Citie ride either for a Wind to put to Sea or for a tide to carry them up the River as they come from America 11 Tariffa seated at the end of the Promontory which looks toward Afâ—ick and so called because Tariff Leader of the Moores into Spain here landed Not far from these last Towns in a little Iland made by two branches of the Baetis where it falleth into the Sea stood the famous 11 Tartessus celebrated in most antient Writers for the abundance of Silver which the mines of it did produce Which was so great that as we read in Aristotle's Book de Mirabilibus when the Tyrians or Phoenicians first came thither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that
Marble and some Mines of Silver c. The people are of a more plain and simple behaviour than the rest of Spain and if we beleeve the old Proverb none of the wisest For whereas the Spaniards are said to seem wise and yet to be Fools the French to seem Fools and yet to be wise the Italians both to seem wise and to be so the Portugals are affirmed to be neither wise indeed nor so much as to seem so But little different from which is the Spanish by-word which telleth us of the Portugals that they are Pocosâ—y Locos few and foolish which others varie with the addition of another part of their Character saying that they are Pocos Sotos y Devotos few and foolish but withall devout They have great animosities if it be not grown to an Antipathie against the Castilians for bereaving them of their Kingdom and Liberty though both of late recovered by them but when most Fools were counted for good Sea-faring men and happy in the discoverie of forrain Nations Rivers it hath of all sorts both great and small almost 200. Those of most note 1 Minius full of red Lead from hence called Minium by the Latines navigable with small Vessels 100 miles 2 Lethes now Lavada 3 Muliadas now Mondego 4 Tagus 5 Duerus and 6 Anas these three last common also to the rest of Spain Anat or Guadiana passing by Poriugal but for 7 Leagues only Tagus for 18 and Duero for 80. None of them navigable for any long space by ships of burden the Rivers of all Spain being generally swift of course restrained within narrow Channels banked on both sides with very steep Rocks which make them incommodious for Navigation Insomuch that it is reckoned for a great Prerogative of Tagus and the Realm of Portugal that this River is there navigable with great ships 15 or 20 miles within the Continent But here that want is somewhat tolerably supplied with 3 excellent Havens 1 That of Lisbon upon â—agus and 2 Porto on Duero to the North of Lisbon of which more anon 3 of Setaval South of Lisbon situate on a Golf of 20 miles in length and three in breadth a place of principal importance to those parts of the Realm Rivers however of great fame according to whose course the whole Countrey was divided by the Romans into Vlteriorem lying beyond Duero North-wards 2 Citeriorem on the South of Tagus and 3 Interamnem betwixt both Principal Cities of this part 1 Lisbon seated upon Tagus a famous Citie for traffick the Portugals in all their Navigations setting sayl from hence By the Latines called Olysippo and Vlyssiâ—po because as some say Vlysses built it coming hither in the course of his ten yeers travel a thing meerly fabulous it being no where found that Vlysses did ever see the Ocean But like enough it is that this Town being seated conveniently for Navigation and inhabited by Sea-faring meâ— might at the first be consecrated to the memory of so great a Traveller as Athens being a place of Lâ—arning was dedicated to Minerva whom the Greeks call Athenâ— It is in compass seven miles and containeth upwards of 30 Parishes and in them 20000 houses all of neat and elegant building Turrets and Towers it numbreth upon the wals about 76. Gates towards the Sea-shore 22. And towards the Continent situate upon five small Hils betwâ—xt which is a valley which runs down to the River on the highest Hill an ancient Castle not strong but by reason of the situation serving now only for a Prison for men of quality the entry of the River being defended by the Castle of Cascais and neerer to the Citie by the Fort of S. Iuâ—ians and the Rock of Belem munitioned with 20. Peeces of Ordinance This Citie heretofore was honoured with the Seat of the Kings since of the Vice-Roys an Arch-bishops See the Staple of commodities for all the Kingdom and thought to be more worth than the whole Realm besides said by some French Writers to be the best peopled Citie in Christendom next unto Paris aud by Bâ—tero an Italian made to be the 4th Mart Town of Europe the other three being â—onstantinople Paris Mosco in which they doe great wrong to London as populous and well-traded as the best them all 2 Santareâ— on the Tagus so called from S. Irenâ— a Nun of Tomar a Monasterie in which the old Kings of Portugal did use to be crowned here martyred by the Moores by Ptolomie called Scabaliscus then a Roman Colonie 3 Siâ—tra upon the main Aâ—â—lantick at the end of the huge Mountains called Montes Lunae whither by reason of the cool refreshings from the Sea and pleasure of the Woods adjoyning the Kings of Portugal used to retire in the heats of Summer 4 Conimbre on both sides the River Mondego pleasantly seated amongst Vineyards and Woods of Olives a Bishops See and an Vniversity the Masters whereof made the Commentarie on most part of Aristotle called from hence Schola Conimbricensis Then on the North of the River Duero betwixt that and Minio are 5. Braga by Ptolomâ—e called Bracaria Augusta reckoned by Antonine for one of the four chief Cities in Spain the Royal Seat when time was of the Suevian Kings and now the See of an Archbishop contending for the Primacie with him of Toledo 6 Porto the Haven of the Galls on the mouth of Duero 7 Miranda a Bishops See on the same River 8 Bragance the Duke whereof is so great a Prince that it is thought a third part of the people of Portugal are his Vassals and live on his Lands the later Dukes since the time of King Emanuel being withall of the Royal blood two steps of main advantage to the Regal Throne lately ascended and obtained by Iohn Duke of Bragance now called John the 4th And finally on the South of Tagus betwixt that and the Kingdom of Algarba there is 9 Ebora in the middest of a large and spacious Plain an Archbishops See and an Vniversitie this last of the foundation of King Henry the Cardinall 10 Portilegre a Bishops See 11 Olivenca on the Guadiana 12 Beâ—â— by Plinie called Paxâ—lulia 2 The Kingdom of ALGARVE lieth on the South of Portugal from which divided by a line drawn from Ascorin on the western Sea to Odechere a Castle on the Guadiana on the East bounded by Andaluzia on the West and South by the Main Atlantick This the most wild and desart part of all this Kingdom barren and drie peopled with few Towns nor those very populous hilly and Mountainous withall but yielding by the benefit of the Sea a great trade of fishing of Tunny specially whereof more caught upon this coast than in all the Kingdom The name it took from the Western situation of it for so the word Algarve signifieth in the Arabick tongue The utmost end of it called anciently Promâ—ntorium Sacrum now the Cape of S. Vincent because the Bones of S. Vincent religiouslly preserved by the Christians were
his neighbours His chief Townes 1 Onaldsbach or Ansbach the usuall residence of these Marquesses and the birth-place of most of their children 2 Hailbrun on the edge of Wirtenberg walled in about in the yeare 1085. and honoured with some publick Schools there founded by Marquesse George Frederick anno 1582. 3 Pleinfelt not far from Nuremberg Such places as they hold in Voiteland we shall meet with them there These Marquesses are of the puissant family of Brandenbourg by whom this fair estate was wrested from the Female heirs of Wolframius the last Lord hereof the first who did enjoy this Estate and Title being Marquesse George Frederick the sonne of Albert Marquesse and Elector of Brandenbourg called the Achilles of Germany the Father of Albert the first Duke of Prussia and of George the first Marquesse of Jagendorf and Grandfather of that Marquesse Albert who in the dayes of Charles the Fift so harassed this Countrey But his male-issue by Casimir his eldest sonne failing in that Albert anno 1557. it returned to the Electorall house and by Sigismund a late Electour was given to Joachim Ernestus one of his younger brethren who by the Princes of the Vnion for defence of the Palatinate was made chief Commander of their Forces anno 1620. A charge in which it was supposed that he carryed himself neither so faithfully nor so valiantly as he should have done being much condemned for suffering Spinola with his Army to passe by unfought with when hee had all advantages that could be wished for to impede his march the greatest part of the Palatinate being lost immediately upon that neglect and by degrees the rest of the Vnited Provinces either taken off from their engagement or ruined for adhering to it with too great a constancie To him succeeded his son Christian now possessed hereof As for the other secular Princes which have any considerable estates in this Countrey they are the Earls of Henneberg Hohenloe Rheineck Castell Wortheim Horpach and Swartzenbourg together with the Lords of Lemburg and Rheichisberg all of them named so from the chiefe town of their Estates and all those townes enriched with some suitable territorie Of these the Earles of Henneberg Rheineck Castell and Wortheim are Homagers to the Bishop of Wurtzburg and are to doe him service at his Inthronization the Earldome of Rheineck being now united to that of Hanow as was shewn before and that of Henneberg most famous in that one of the Earles hereof was Father of that incredible increase of children as many as there be dayes in the yeares produced at one birth by the Lady Margaret his wife sister of William Earle of Holland and King of the Romans A Family of as great Antiquity as most in Germany fetching their Pedegree as high as to Charles the Great without help of the Heralds But they of greatest power and parentage amongst them are the Earls of SCHWARTZENBVRG deriving themselves from one Witikindus of the house of Saxony who fighting for his Countrey against the French anno 779. was taken prisoner carried into France and there baptized at the perswasion of Lewis the Godly sonne of Charles the Great Witikindus his sonne and successour being baptized at the same time also by the name of Charles was the first Earl of Swartzenburg a Castle of his owne building on the edge of Turingia anno 796. whose posterity doe still hold the same but much improved in their Estates by marriages and other accrewments A race of Princes which have yeelded many of great influence in the affairs of Germany amongst them Gunther Earl of Schwartzenburg elected Emperour of the Romans against Charles the fourth by Rodolph Electour Palatine Ericus Duke of Saxony Ludovick Marquesse of Brandenburg and Henry Archbishop of Mentz By which last solemnly inaugurated at Aken or Aquisgrane anno 1349. But being unworthily poysoned by his Competitour though he dyed not of it yet he was made so weak and unfit for action that he was forced to surrender his pretentions to his mortall enemy receiving in compensation for his charges 22000 marks in silver and some towns in Turingia Of the Imperiall Cities which share amongst them the remainders of Frankenlandt the principall are 1 Frankford on the Meine so called from its situation on the River Meine to difference it from Frankford in the Countrey of Brandenburg Divided by the River into two parts joined together by a bridge of stone the lesser part situate on the right hand shore of the River being called Saxen-hausen the greater part properly called Frank-ford seated on the other both under one Magistrate and both together making up a fair rich populous and well traded town of great both riches and repute by reason of the famous Marts here held in the midst of Lent and September yearly and the Election of the Emperour or King of the Romans as occasion is The City of a round form compassed with a double wall beautified with some walkes without the town on the bankes of the River amongst Vineyards meadowes and sweet groves called thus as some say from Francus the sonne of Marcomie supposed to be the founder of it or a Francorum vado as the Ford of the Francks before the building of the bridge 2 Schweinfort on the Meine also in a fruitfull soil 3 Rotenburg on the River Tuber 4 Winsheim Here is also the town of 5 Koburg which belongeth to the house of Saxony and gives title unto some of the younger Princes of it called from hence Dukes of Saxen-koburg And hereto may be added 6 the fair City of Nurenburg conceived by most to be within the Vpper Palatinate but by the Emperor Maximilian made a member of the Circle of Franconie in regard most of the Estates and possessions of it lie within this Countrey Of which indeed they have so plentifull a share that when Maurice Electour of Saxony and his confederates had driven Charles the fift out of Germany Marquesse Albert before mentioned whose sword was his best Revenue picking a quarrell with this City burnt no lesse then an hundred Villages belonging to it 70 Manours and Farmhouses appertaining to the wealthier Citizens 3000 Acres of their Woods and after all this havock made of their estate compelled them to compound with him for 200000 Crownes in Money and six peeces of Ordinance But being the City it selfe seems rather to belong to the other Palatinate wee shall there meet with it Amongst these Prelates Princes and Imperiall Cities is the great Dukedome of Franconia at this time divided the title still remaining in the Bishop of Wurtzburg and some part of the Countrey but both the Countrey and the title of Duke of Francony not long since otherwise disposed of For the Swedes having taken Wurtzburg anno 1631. as before is said together with the City of Bamberg and all the Towns and Territories appertaining to them conferred them upon Bernard Duke of Saxon-Weymer with the style and title of Duke of Franconia Inaugurated therein in
divide it from Norway on the North with the great Frozen Ocean spoken of before on the South with Denmark Liefland and the Baltick Sea So called from the Sueci Suethans or Suâ—thidi and the word Land added for a termination of which more hereafter It is in length from Stockholm unto the borders of Lapland above a 1000 Italian miles and in breadth from Stockholm lying on the Bodner Sea to the borders of Denmark about twenty good dayes journey on horse-back insomuch as they which have travelled the length and breadth of it on this side of Lapland and the Gulf account it little lesse then all Italy and France together but taking in Lapland and the Provinces on the other side of the Gulf bigger then both by the quantity of 900 miles The situation of it in regard of the heavenly bodies is the same with Norway under the same Parallels and Degrees but of so different a temper both for soil and air as if disposed of under seveverall and long distant Climes For the Aire here is very pure but not so sharp and insupportable as it is in Norway though in some places where the Moores and Waters setle for want of care to open and cleanse the water-courses they have great fogges and mists which doe somewhat putrefie it And for the soil it is more fertile then any of the other Northern Provinces so that besides those necessaries which they keep for themselves they usually transport into other Countries store of Malt and Barley together with great quantities of Brasse Lead Steel Copper Iron the hides of Goats Bucks Oxen and costly surres They have also some Mines of Silver not mixt with any other metall plenty of fish in their Lakes and Rivers abundance of Pine-trees Firre Oaks both for ships and houses yeilding besides among the woods good store of Taâ—re and Honey and some other necessaries But hereof we shall speak more punctually in the severall Provinces The principall mountains of this Country are the Dofrine hils a vast and continuall ridge of mountaines which divide it from Norway And though they want not Rivers fit for common uses yet partly by reason of their great frosts and flakes of Ice partly by reason of the falling of trees which lie crosse their Channels they have not many Navigable or of any great fame The principall of such as be are 1 Meler at the mouth whereof stands the City of Stockholm 2 Lusen 3 Dalecarlie giving name to the Province so called or as denominated from it And of the Lakes whereof here are exceeding many that of most note is the lake of Werett which receiving it into 24 Rivers disburdneth it self at one mouth into the Baltick with such noise and fury that they call it commonly the Devils head The people are naturally strong and active provident patient and industrious hospitable towards strangers whom they entertain with great humanity so healthy that if they doe not shorten their dayes by excesse and riot they live commonly to 140 years of age and so laborious that a Begger is not seen amongst them exceeding apt to learn as well Tongues and Sciences as the Arts Mechanicall every man in a manner being his own Artificer without imploying Smith Mason Carpenter or any of other manuall trades very valiant both on foot and horse back which their long wars against the Danes and their late wars in Germany have given good proof of Their women are discreet and modest free from that intemperance which these Northern parts are subject to Both sexes use a corrupt â—utch common to all three Northerne kingdoms except in Finland and the Provinces on the other side of the Bodner sea where they partake somewhat of the Muscovite or Russian language The Christian Religion was first planted amongst them by the care and diligence of Ansgarius Archbishop of Brâ—me the Apostle general of the North corrupt with Popish superstitions it was reformed according to the Augustane Confession in the time of Gustavus Ericus the first of the present Royall familie sollicited thereunto by one Petre Neâ—icius a Lutheran Divine and Lawrence the Archdeacon of Strengnes but chiefly moved as others say by a desire to appropriate to himselfe the goods of the Church And this appeares to have had some strong influence upon him in it in that he presently seised upon what he pleased and made a Law that Bishops should enjoy no more then the King thought fit yet having pretty well lessened their â—evenues he was content they should remain as formerly both in power and number reserving to himselfe and his successours the nomination of the persons but so as the approbation of the Clergy in a kinde of election doth usually goe along with the Kings appointment The Bishops are in number seven that is to say 1 of Linâ—open containing in his Diocese 226 Parishes 2 of Vexime under whom are 210. 3 of Scara ruling over the same number of Churches 4 of Strengnes under whom are an hundred onely 5 of Aboe the greatest for extent of all as comprehending under it 500 Parishes 6 of Wiburg and 7 of Habsey whose Dioceses for the most part lye out of the bounds of Sweden in Muscovie Livonia and some other of the out parts of Poland all of them under the Archbishop of Vpsal as their Metropolitan whose Diocese extending into Lapland and Finmarch containeth 171 Parish Churches By which accompt there are in all the kingdome of Swethland but 1417 Parishes but many of them of a thousand or eight hundred families the people being dispersed in Forrests and other places where they have store of timber to build them houses and store of pasturage for their Cattell which is the reason why they have not so many great townes nor so well inhabited as is usuall in far lesser Countries As for the Authority of these Bishops they still retaine their voice in Parliament and with them so many of the inferiour Clergie as are from every Socken a certain number of Parishes like our Rurall Deaneries deputed to appeare there in the name of the Church the affaires whereof the Bishops do direct and order aswell in as out of publick meetings according to the Ecclesiasticall Constitutions formerly established and if any great occasion be they may either advise with their Consistorials or call a Diocesan Synod as they thinke most fit and therein make such Lawes and Canons as they conceive to be most proper for their owne edification The whole kingdom is divided into two parts the one lying on the East the other on the West side of the Bay or Gulf or Bodner called Sinus Bodicus in Latine being a large and spacious branch of the Baltick Sea extending from the most southernly point of Gothland as farre as to Lapland on the north According to which division we have the Provinces of 1 Gothland and 2 Sweden lying on the West side of the Gulfe 3 Lapland shutting it up upon the North 4 Bodia or Bodden and 5
live most by hunting wilde beasts whose flesh they eat and make good merchandise of their skins many of which they pay yearly to the great Duke in way of tribute who makes a good commodity of them selling them to the Merchant at excessive rates They have no corn of their own growth nor will they buy any elsewhere but in stead of bread eat the flesh of Stags dryed and prepared in the Sun speaking a language of their own different from the rest of the Russes and in stead of Horses and Oxen make use of great dogs and stags whom they train up to draw their sleds from one place to another There is good store of woods amongst them but they want Câ—dars and they have paid dearly for that want For John Vasiliwich meaning to pick a quarrell with them sent to them for certain loads of Cedar wood whereof he knew there grew none in their Countrey and upon word returned that they had no such wood hee fined them at 12060 Rubbles 14 RHEZAN a great and goodly Province is situate betwixt the River Tanais and that of 〈◊〉 the most fruitfull Countrey of all Russia and if report be true of the whole world also it being credibly affirmed that one graine of corn doth bring forth six eares the stalks hereof growing so thick that an horse can hardly passe through them or a Quaile flie out of them but with very much difficulty Here is also great plenty of fruits better then are to be found elsewhere in Russia together with good store of Honey fish fowl and other commodities besides Ermins Bevers and the like common in these Countries Chief Towns hereof are 1 Tulla famous for the fountain or spring head of the River Tanais which ariseth near it 2 Colluga well garrisoned for fear of the Crim â—aâ—ar 3 Corsna a Bishops See as is also 4 Rhezan the principall of the Province which it giveth name to seated upon the banks of the River Oâ—que A Country populous and well-planted affording to the Great Duke 15000 Boyares or Gentlemen which serve on horseback and betwixt 30 and 40000 foot 15 WIATHKA 16 CASAN 17 ASTRACHAN 15 Southeast of Rhezan beyond the banks of the River Kamme and about 150 Dutch miles from Mosco lyeth the Province called WIATHKA fennie and barren but well stored with fish and honey and wild beasts good plenty Heretofore subject to the Tartars and then the receptacle or retreat of all fugitive servants here very gladly entertained but the Tartarians being expulsed it was made subject by Basilius to the Dukes of Moscovie I do not read of any Towns which should be here which makes me think that they do stil retain so much of the Tartar with them as to live in Hoords and Companies without any fixt dwellings or at the best in scattered houses not hitherto united into Towns and Villages except it be the Town of Wiathka it self built since the subjection of it to the Moscovite and made a Garrison to defend these out-parts of this Empire against the incursions of the Tartars 16 CASAN a kingdome formerly of Tartaria Deserta lyeth on the Southeast of Wiathka the most Civill people of the Tartars but owing much of that civilitie to their conversation with the Moscovites though none of the civillest themselves tilling their lands and building houses where they may with safety For although the soil hereof be tolerably fruitfull and fit for habitation yet the Countrie for the most part is desolate and ill inhabited partly by reason of some vast deserts lying betwixt the Cities of Casan and Astrachan but principally in regard of the Crim Tartar who will not suffer the Moscovite to plant it with Colonies of his own people nor the Natives to live there in quiet except only in the Western parts where protected by Garrisons Chief Towns hereof are 1 Casan upon the River Volga which gives name to the Kingdom since the subjection of this people to the great Duke and their conversion to the faith made a Bishops See 2 Surick upon the River Sure in the middle of the vast deserts betwixt Casan and Astrachan built by Basilius the Great Duke for a stage or resting place for Merchants and Travellers that there they might repose themselves without fear of the Tartars The people hereof had once a King of their own as before was said the last of which named Chelealcesk submitted himself unto Basilius the Great Duke and became tributarie but afterwards revolting he was vanquished by John Vasiliwich anno 1553. and this kingdom thereupon united to the Empire of Russia the Emperours since that time writing themselves Czar Kasanski or King of Casan And possible enough it is that Basilius who first made it tributarie might from hence take the name of Basilius Casan according to the custome of the ancient Romans Under the Government hereof are the Czeremissi a people that live in great Forrests without any houses living for the most part of honey and the flesh of wild beasts with the skins of which they are apparelled Their language different from the rest swift of foot and very good Archers carrying their Bows in their hands continually and practising their children so timely in it that they give them nothing to eat after such an age untill they can hit a white which is set before them 17 ASTRACHAN lyeth also South-east of Casan more near unto the Caspian Seas parted from Casan by those deserts spoken of before but situate on the same branch of the River Volga which having run a course of 2000 Italian miles dischargeth it self into this Sea with no lesse then 70 mouths or channels It took this name from Astrachan the chief town hereof situate about 20 Italian miles from the fall of one of those 70 mouths or channels into the Caspian by the commodiousnesse whereof it is one of the best towns of trade in all these dominions the Armenian Merchants coming hither and bartering their silks and manufactures for the furs and other naturall commodities of the Russes or Moscovites A Kingdome formerly but a kingdome of lesse esteem then that of Casan conquered together with it by Basilius the Great Duke anno 1494 and by him made Christian But afterwards revolting they were more absolutely subdued by John Vasiliwich who brought into the field against them no sewer then 120000 horse and 20000 foot enough to over-run a farre greater Countrie and yet had hardly got the better but for the terrour of his great Ordnance which the others wanted Upon that victorie it was made a Member of the Empire of Russia the Emperour whereof hath since flyled himself the King of Astrachan 18 NOVOGORDIA INFERIOR 19 The MORDWITS But it is now time we return towards Europe out of which we have wandred up and down in the skirts of Asia in tracing out the severall Provinces of this Empire since our first crossing over the Bay of Grandvie or Saint Nicolas into the Countrie of Petzora
Souldiers 1608 13 Gabriel Battori of the familie of the former Princes succeeded by the favour of Achmet the Great Turk after whose death so welcome to his neighbours and subjects 1613 14 Bethlem Gabour by the same Achmet was made Prince of Transylvania a professed enemie of the house of Austria but one that with a great deal of noise did them little hurt 1630 15 Stephen Ragotzi on the death of Bethlem Gabour succeeded Prince by the power and favour of the Turks under whose Clitentele and protection he doth still enjoy it as his predecessours did before him against all pretentions of the Empire as on the other side defended by the Emperour and Crown of Poland from being made thrall unto the Turkes 2 MOLDAVIA MOLDAVIA is bounded on the East with the Sea on the West with Transylvania on the North with the River Niester the Tyras of Ptolemie and the Antients by which parted from Podolia a Province of POLAND and on the South with Walachia It is so called as some say quast Moetavia from its neernesse to the fens of Moeotis or rather from the Hunnes and other people of those fennes who possessed the same Others conceive that it was at first called Maurdavia i. e. nigrorum Davorum Regio the countrey of the black Davi for by the name of Davi were the Dacians called as we finde in Strabo and some others so named from their complexion or the colour of their Caps and other garments as Nigra Russta a neere neighbouring Province of the Realm of Poland on the like occasion But the more probable opinion as I take it is that it tooke this name from the River Moldava which runneth through it as the Moravians had that name from the River Morava The countrey is very fruitfull in corn wine grasse and wood but more used for pasturage then tillage by reason of the great want of people to manure the land by meanes whereof it affordeth great plenty of Beefe and Mutton whereby they supply some parts of Poland and the populous City of Constantinople And these they issue out in so great a number that the tenth penny exacted by the Prince or Vaivod in the way of Custome amounteth to 150000 Crownes per annum and yet the Clergy and the â—entry are diâ—charged of this impost But the maine trade of this Countrey is not driven by the Natives the Port-townes being â—ull of Armenians Jews Hungarians and Raguzian Merchants who forestall the Markets and barter all their corn and wine into Russia and Poland their skins wax honey powdered beefe Pulse and butter into Constantinople The countrey is in a manner round the Diameter each way being neere upon 300 English miles but so ill-inhabited by reason of the neighbourhood of the Turkes Tartars and Polonian Cosacks that certain English Gentlemen having in the yeare 1609. travelled at least 240 miles in the countrey could meet in all the way but nine townes and villages and for an hundred miles together the grasse so high that it rotted on the ground for want of Cattell to eat it and of men to order it So that we are not to expect in it many eminent Cities or townes of note though it afford two Archbishops and two Bishops Sees followers as all the rest of the people are of the traditions and doctrines of the Church of Greece The principall of those which be are 1 Occazoma or Zucconia the Vaivods seat 2 Fucciania 3 Fazeling of which little memorable 4 Kotjim a place of great strength on the borders of Poland by some called Cochina the ordinary magazeen of the countrey 5 Iassy commonly called Yas the chief Town for wealth and trade in all this Province 6 Bender Niester on the Euxine Sea 7 Polada neer the Danow 8 Bialograd or Bologrove situate on or neer the river Tyras now called a strong town against the Tartars and Polonians 9 Kele antiently called Achiâ—â—eia situate on the shores of the Euxine Sea for the most part compassed round with the waters of it and therefore said by Ptolemie to be an Island 10 Ac Germen of old called Asprocastron Moncastrum a very strong Town in the same coast also both taken by Baiazet the second Emperour of the Turkes anno 1485. But these three Towns are not so properly in Moldavia at least not in Moldavia properly so called as in a little Province called Bessarabia lying on the Euxine formerly counted part thereof till conquerred by the Turkes in the year aforesaid it became a member of that Empire A tract inhabited by the Bessâ— in the times of Ptolemie who being drivenout of their countrey by the Bulgarians setled themselves as some say in that part of Sclavonia which is now called Bosnia The whole Countrey following the fortune of Transylvania and the rest of Dacia till the coming of the Sclaves and Rosses was for a while accompted part of the Russian Empire till the dismembring of that Empire by the Tartars After which time it was sometimes Homager to the Polanders sometimes to the Hungarians according as the Vâ—ivods or Princes of it could finde best conditions By Mahomet the Great it was made Tributary to the Turkes but the Tribute at the first very light and easie not above 2000 Crownes per annum that mighty Emperour who aimed at more profitable conquests being loth to spend his Forces on so poore a purchase as the addition of this Province would have been unto him But Baiazet his son finding how fit it lay for the more absolute command of the Euxine Sea tooke in that part hereof which is called Bessarabia reducing it into the form of a Turkish Province anno 1485. as before was said imposing on the rest an increase of the former tribute and so left it unto the disposall of its naturall Princes After which time the Vaivods fearing to be made Vassals to the Turkes did many times rise in Armes against them aided therein sometimes by the Hungarians and sometimes by the Polander which last pretended to the Soveraignty and chiefage of it Bogdanus Vaivod hereof in the time of Selimus the second uniting himselfe more closely with the Pâ—loâ—ians became thereby suspected by the Turkish Tyrant who with a great power chaâ—ed him out of his countrey and gave the same unto one John a Moldavian born but bred up for the most part in the Turkish Court where he renounced his faith and was circumcised under the yeerly tribute of 60000 Crownes But John the new made Vaivod was no sooner setled but he returned again to his first Religion and for that cause grew lesse affected by the Turkesâ— Which being observed by the then Vaivod of Valachia he practised to obtain that dignity for his brother Peter offering to double the said tribute and to assist in subjugation of the Countrey The Turk accepting of these offers compounds an Army of 70000 Valachians 30000 Turkes and 3000 Hungarians with which they fall into Moldavia and were so gallantly received by
Antioch whose jurisdiction contained all Syria Armenia Cilicia and the Isle of Cyprus and whatsoever else was within the Diocese of the Orient And 4 of Constantinople to whose charge were committed all the other Provinces of the Greek Church as Greece Russia Dacia Sclavonia part of Poland and all the Islands in the Adriatick Ionian and Aegean Seas together with all Asia Minor and the Isles thereof except only the Provinces of Cilicia and Isauria and the Countries lying on both sides of Pontus Euxinus and Palus Maeotis The reasons of the large increase of whose Jurisdiction confined at first within the Diocese of Thrace were 1 The reputation of being seated in the Imperiall Citie which drew after it by a Decree of the Councell of Chalcedon all the Provinces of Asia Minor Cilicia and Isauria excepted only 2 The voluntary submission of the Grecians upon their separation of the Church of Rome by which all Greece Macedon Epirus the Isle of Crete and all the Islands in the Aegean and Ionian Seas which formerly had no superior but their own Primate the Archbishop of Thessalonica became subject unto them 3 The diligence of the Patriarchs hereof in converting by his Suffragan Bishops and other Ministers the Russians Bulgarians and Sclavonians to the faith of Christ which made those poeple to look upon Constantinople as their Mother-Church And 4 the pietie and care of the later Patriarchs in supplying with new Pastors and Ministers those parts and Provinces of the West which being conquered by the Turk had been forsaken by their old Clergie and left like sheep without a shepheard And yet this Church though thus extended and enlarged in the outward members is very much straitned and impaired at home the Country being thinly peopled and many of those people trained up from their infancie in the Mahometan Law So that it is a greater wonder that there should be any remainders of Christianitie left amongst them then that the open Professors of it should be so few the tyrannie of the Turks on the one side and the temptations of preferment upon the other being rightly pondered For who could look to find 20 Churches of Christians in Constantinople the seat and ordinarie residence of the Turkish Emperours or that in Salonichi or Thessalonica there should be 30 Christian Churches and but three Turkish Mosquits that the Primate of this Salonichi should have under him 10 sufâ—ragan Bishops whereof he of Philippi hath no fewer then 150 Churches under his Jurisdiction or finally that under the Metropolitans of Athens or Corinth there should be as many So mercifull hath God dealt with this luxurious and perfidious people as not to take away their Candlestick though he hath darkened and obscured the light hereof As for the Fathers of this Church anciently and at this present held in most esteem they were no other then such as had been Bishops of the greater Sees that is to say 1 S. Chrysostome first a Reader of Antioch afterwards Patriarch of Constantinople 2 Basil and the two Gregories 3 Nyssen and 4 Nazianzen all in Asia Minor this last of Constantinople also 5 6 The two Cyrils the one Patriarch of Alexandria the other of Hierusalem 7 Epiphanius Bishop of Salamis in the Isle of Cyprus 8 Theodoret Bishop of Cyrus c. men of renown and precious memorie amongst them to this very day From whose writings if they deviate in any materiall point of doctrine it is in that of the Procession of the Holy Ghost which they grant to be per Filium but not a Filio And though Clichthoraeus Lombard and other moderate men of the Church of Rome doe grant the difference to be rather in modo explicandi quam in ipsa re and that the Clause a Filioque was added by the Romanists to the ancient Creeds the Grecians not being privie nor consenting to it yet so uncharitable is that Church towards these poore men languishing under the tyrannie of Turkish thraldome as to persecute them with reproach and scorn brand them for Schismaticks and Apostates and solemnly to anathematize them in Bulla Coenae every Maundie Thursday And it is a very hard measure to adde and anathematize too as is right well observed by the late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury in his notable discourse against the Jesuite Other particular Tenets in which the Greek Church differeth from the Romish and Reformed as in some points it doth from both have been already specified in our Description of Russia the Churches of the Greeks and Moscovites differeing in no materiall points but 1 the manner of distributing the Sacrament 2 the exacting of marriage by the Moscovite in the partie admitted unto Orders 3 the frequent admiting of divorces upon light occasions and 4 finally in being lesse strict in observing the Lent before Easter then in any of the other three For whereas the Grecians account it a damnable sin to eat flesh or fish which hath bloud in it in any of their other Lents or times of abstinence they have in both Churches four in all in that before Easâ—er which of all reason ought to be kept most punctually the Laitie eat all sorts of fish without any exception the bloud of some of which as the Cuttle by name is held to be a delicate food and in great request The Language they spake was of their own of which there were four Dialects viz. 1 the Attick 2 the Dorick 3 the Aeolick 4 the Ionick besides the common phrase of speech most in use among them A language of great fame for the liberall Arts but more for so great a part of the holy Scripture first delivered in it and for the lofty sound significant expressions genuine suavitie and happie composition of words so excelling all others that even in the flourishing of the Roman Empire it so much overtopped the Latine that the Histories of Rome it self as of Polybius Appian Dion Cassius were written in it It was once also the generall language of Anatolia some parts of Italie Provence in France and almost all the Islands of the Mediterranean But now partly by the mutilation of some words and contraction of others partly by confusion of the true sound of Vowels Diphthongs and Consonants and the translating of the Accents and finally by the admixture of forein Nations it is not only fallen from its naturall elegancie but from its largenesse of extent For it is now shut up within the limits of Greece and the Sea-coasts of the lesser Asia opposite unto it and there not only much corrupted but almost quite devoured by the Turkish and Sclavonian tongues but specially by that which they call Franco a Mungrel language composed of Italian French and some Spanish words used as the ordinarie speech for commerce and intercourse betwixt Christians Jews Turks and the Greeks themselves who doe not understand and much lesse speak the true genuine Greek So that although they still retain for ordinarie dayes S. Chrysostoms Liturgie and that of S.
unlesse reduced to extreme bondage by their Kings which he wished not neither took the advantage of the minoritie of Charilaus to new mould the Government and what he could not doe by fair means to effect by Arms forcing this Charilaus though his Nephew when he came to age to flie for sanctuarie to the Temple of Juno Having ordained what Laws he pleased and setled such a form of government as himself best fancied the better to decline the envie of so great a change he got leave to travail binding the people by an oath to observe all his laws untill his return and being gone commanded at his death that his ashes should be cast into the Sea lest being carryed back to Sparta the people might conceive themselves released from their oath By means whereof his Laws continued in force near 700 years during which time that Common-wealth did flourish in all prosperity the particulars of which Institutions he that lists to see may finde them specified at large by Photareh in the life of Lycurgus Suffice it that the Discipline was so sharp and strict that many went into the wars for no other reason then on an hope to rid themselves from so hard a life and that Diogenes returning hence to the Citie of Athens gave out that he returned from men to women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And being asked in what part of Greece he had met with the compleatest men made answer that he could no where meet with men but that he had found some boyes amongst the Spartans A Cynicall and rugged answer but such as carryed a great deal of judgment in it the Spartans being more stout and resolute in all their actions and lesse effeminate in their lives then the rest of the Grecians But besides the strictnesse of the discipline under which they lived there was another thing which made them wish for wars abroad namely the little or no power which either the Kings or People had in civil matters and affairs of State entirely left to the disposing of the Senate and the power of the Ephori So that the Kings having by the laws the command of their armies were willing to engage in war upon all occasion and the common people as desircus to attend them in such employments as the Kings could wish Upon these grounds the war is made a trade amongst them beginning with the Helots a neighbouring people then with the rest of the Lacenians afterwards quarrelling the Messenians their old Confederates all which they severally subdued and made subject to them In the warre which Xerxes made against the City of Athens their King Leouid as the first of the elder house went forth to aid them slain at the straights of Thermopyloe courageously fighting for the liberty of Greece and when it was thought fit to set upon the Persian Fleet Eurybiades the Spartan Admirall did command in chief In pursuit of the this war against the Persians Pausanias and Agesilaus were of most renown the first in helping the Athenians to drive them out of Greece the other in making war upon them in their own Dominions Freed from the Persians they grow jealous of the State of Athens whom they looked on as their Rivals in point of Soveraignty and glory Hence the long warre betwixt these Cities called Bellam Peloponnesiacum managed for the most part in Peloponnesus from thence transferred into Sicil and at last ended in the taking of Athens the Government whereof they changed into an Aristocratie under 30 Magistrates of their own appointment commonly called the thirty tyrants Proud of this fortunate successe their next quarrell was with the Boeotians the conquered Athenians covertly and the Persians openly assisting the enemy Here their prosperity began to leave them For besides many small defeats Epaminondas the Theban so discomsited them at the overthrowes of Leuctres and Maxtinea that Sparta it selfe was in danger of utter ruine Not long after happened the Holy warre chiefly undertooke against the Phocians wherein also they made a party but this warre being ended by King Philip they scarce breathed more freedome than he gave air to But when Alexanders Captains fought for the Empire of their Master all these flourishing Republiques were either totally swallowed into or much defaced by the Kingdome of Macedon The Lacedoemonians held the chief strongth of a Town to consist in the valour of the people and therefore would never suffer Sparta to be walled till the times immediately following the death of Alexander the Great yet could not those fortifications then defend them from Antigonus Doson King of Macedon who having vanquished Cleomenes King of Sparta entred the Town and was the first man that ever was received into it as Conqueror So much different were the present Spartans from the valour and courage of their ancestours Cleomenes being forced to forsake his countrey and the race of the Heraclidoe failing in him they became a prey to Machanidus and Nabis two wicked Tyrants from whom they were no sooner freed but they were made subject in a manner to the power of Rome and in the end the Town so weak and inconsiderable that it was not able to resist the poorest enemy now a small Burrough called Misithra And so I leave them to the thoughts of their former glories having now nothing dseto boast of but the fame and memory of their actions in former times ARGOLIS so called from the chief City Argos is bounded on the South with Laconia on the West with Corinthia and Achaia Propria on the East and North with the Sea A territorie remarkable for a most excellent breed of Horses and from thence called Hippium Places of most importance in it 1 Argos founded by Argus the fourth King of this countrey and the chief of this Kingdome Memorable as for other things so 1 for the death of Pyrrhus King of Epirus who having forced his entry into it was here ignobly slaine after all his victories by the hands of an old woman throwing a Tyle at him from the top of an house 2 For the long race of the Kings hereof from Inachus the cotemporary of our Father Abraham anno 2003. unto Acrisius their last King Whose daughter Danae being shut up in a Tower of Brasse was deflowred by Jupiter to whom she bare the renowned Perseus so memorised in antient Poets But Perseus having by misfortune slain his Grandfather the old King Acrisius quitted the City of Argos as unlucky to him and transferred the Kingdome to Mycenae a City of his own foundation and so better fancied by means hereof the second City of esteem in this little Province Growing in small time unto so great riches that it got the name of dites Mycenoe as appeareth by Horace in whom the Horses of Argos and the wealth of Mycene are placed in one verse together Aptum dicis equis Argos ditesque Mycenas For horses Argos is of fame For wealth Mycenoe hath the name 3 Troezen situate on the Sinus Argolicus now
called Golfo di Engia the Royall seat of Pytheus the father of Theseus who was born herein from whence the Town in Ovid hath sometime the name of Pytheia Troezen and Theseus many times is called Troezenius Heros as Hercules had the name of Tyrinthius Heros from 4 Tyrinthia another City of this Province in which he was nursed 5 Nemea where Hercules slew the dreadfull Lyon which annoied this countrey In honour of which noble Act were instituted in time following the Nemean Games which continued of great same in Greece for many Ages The Exercises were running with swift horses whorlepats running on foot quoiting wrastling darting shooting Some have referred the originall of these Games to one Opheltes a Lacedemonian and in whose honour they conceive them instituted and others fetch it higher from the war of Thebes But this I take to be the more allowable opinion 6 Epidaurus on the Sea side famous for the Temple of Aesculapius and the cure of all sorts of diseases there so called from Epidaurus the sonne of Argus the founder of it Of the same name but of a different situation from that before mentioned in Laconia this being seated on the Bay called Golfo di Napoli this on that of Engia Once called Melissa and Aenera at that time an Island but by an Earthquake laid unto the continent now called Pigiada 7 Niuplia so called of Nauplius King of Euboea and father of Palamedes to whom it antiently belonged A station then as now for shipping in that regard called Nauplia Navale now Neapoli or Neapolis the richest and best traded in all this tract giving name unto a large and capacious Bay now called Golso di Napoli of old Sinus Argolicus into which the famous River Inachus having passed through the City of Argos doth disgorge it selfe so called from Inachus the Father of 10 and the originall and Progenitor of The KINGS of ARGOS and MYCENAE A. M. 2093 1 Inachus the supposed father of Io from whom the Grecians are sometimes called by the name of Inachii 2143 2 Phoroneus the son of Inachus and Melissa from whom the said Io hath the name of Phoronis in the Poet. 2223 3 Apis the son of Jupiter and Niobe the daughter of Phoroneus who leaving Greece went into Fgypt where he taught the people tillage and was there worshipped afterwards in the form of an Oxe 2238 4 Argus the son of Apis and the founder of Argos in whose time Agriculture was taken up amongst the Grecians from him called Argivi 2308 5 Criajus by some Peirajus the son of Argus 2363 6 Phorbas the sonne of Criajus in whose time Atlas and Prometheus are said to flourish 2397 7 Triopas the sonne of Phorbas and the brother of another Pherbas who planted himselfe in the Isle of Rhodes 2443 8 Crotopus 2464 9 Sthenelus outed of the Kingdom by 2475 10 Danaus the brother of Egyptus by whom driven out of Egypt he was made King of Argos by consent of the people the Father of those many daughters got with child by Hercules From him the Grecians are called often by the name of Danai 2525 11 Lynceus son of Egyptus the brother of Danaus 2556 12 Abas the son of Lynceus and Hypermnestra the daughter of Danaus 2566 13 Pretus the son of Abas 2606 14 Acrisius the brother of Pretus and the father of Danae foretold by Oracle that hee should be slaine by a son of that daughter shut her up in a brazen tower But Jupiter having corrupted the Guards with Go'd got the Ladies consent by whom he had Perseus so renowned amongst the Poets and Historians of those elder times 2637 15 Perseus the son of Jupiter and Danae exposed by his Grandfather to the Seas miraculously preserved and grown into great fame by his brave exploits restored Acrisius to his throne from which he had been deposed by his brother Pricus But after having ignorantly and unfortunately slain the said Acrisius he removed his seat unto Mycene where he reigned together with his son Sthenelus 1645 16 Eurystheus the son of Sthenelus much spoken of for the difficult taskes which at the instigation of Juno he imposed on Hercules his foster-child and the supposed son of Amphytryon his Cousen German 2688 17 Atreuus and Thyestes sons of Pelops on the failing of the line of Perseus succeeded in Argos and Mycenae infamous for their murders and adultery Thyestes abusing the bed of Atreus and Atreus seasting him with the body of his own son whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Proverb 2753 18 Agamemnon the son of Atreus Commander of the Greeks at the war of Troy in which action there ingaged 69 Kings of the Grecians wasted over with a Navy of 1224 ships killed at his coming home by Aegisthus his Cousen German 2768 19 Aegishus the son of Thyestes having defiled Clitemnestra the wife of Agamemnon in the time of his absence by her procurement murdered him at his coming home and usurped the Kingdome 2775 20 Orestes son of Agamemnon revenged his fathers death on Aegisthus and Clitemnestra his owne Mother After which falling mad and restored againe unto his wits hee married Hermione daughter of Menelaus and Helena by whom he had the kingdome of Sparta also 2803 21 Penthilus the son of Orestes and the last King of this line outed of his estate by the Dores and Heraclide who made themselves Masters of all Peloponnesus which they possessed untill the conquest of it by the Macodonians 7 CORINTHIA is a little Region lying towards the Isthmus or neck of land which joineth Pelopennesus to the rest of Greece betwixt Argolis and Achaia Propria It containeth onely the territory of the City of Corinth not large nor very fruitfull of those commodities which the rest of this Peninsula doth abound withall as being mountainous and hilly and by reason of the necernesse of the Sea full of craggy rocks The chief and indeed the onely Cities of note in it 1 Genchrea the navall Road or station of ships for Corinth mentioned Act. 19. 18. and Rom. 16. 1. in both Texts reckoned a distinct town from Corinth as indeed it was 2 Corinth it selfe is commodiously situate for the command of all Greece had not the Inhabitants been more given to Merchandise then unto the warres as being seated on the bottom of the neck or Isthmus the Jonian Sea upon the West and the Aegean on the West washing the wals thereof and giving it on each side a capacious Haven in which regard called by Horace bimaris Corinthus In compasse about eleven miles for strength impregnable for command as powerfull mastering both Seas on which it stood and cutting off all passage from one halfe of Greece to the other to which last end the Castle called Acrocorin-thus looking into both Seas served exceeding fitly and was therefore called one of the Fetters of Greece The City rich well traded and neatly built most houses beautified with handsome pillars from thence called Corinthian more memorable for the wealth of
the people and the conveniency of the situation then for any notable exploits performed by them or any great influence which they had on the States of Greece But in regard of the wealth greatnesse and situation accounted by the Romans one of the three Cities which they held capable of the Empire Carthage and Capua being the other two In this City lived the famous or infamous whore Thais who exacted 10000 Drachmas for a single nights lodging which made Demostbenes cry out Non emam tanti poenitore and occasioned the old By-word Non cuivis homini contingit adire Corinthum 'T is not for every mans availe Unto Corinth for to sayle Neer hereunto stood the Acrocorinthian mountaines at the foot whereof the City and on the top whereof the Castle called hence Acrocorinthus were seated out of which flowed the famous fountane named Pyrene of old consecrated to the Muses by Persius called Fons Caballinus because faigned by the antient Poets to have been made by the horse Pegasus dashing his foot against the rock And on the other side hereof in the very Isthmus were celebrated yearly the Isthmian games ordained by Ineseus in the honour of Neptune in imitation of the Olympick devised by Hercules in honour of Jupiter The exercises much the same and the reward no other then a Garland of Oaken bougbes yet drawing yearly a great report of people to them partly to exercise themselves and behold the spcits and partly to sacrifice to Neptune who had hard by a famous Temple As for the fortunes of this City it was at first called Ephyra at that time a small and obscure place but beautified and repaired by Corinthus the son of Pelops tooke the name of Corinth Governed by him and his posteritie till the coming of the Heraclidae into Peloponnesus at what time one Aletes of the race of Hercules possessed himself hereof with the name of King A. M. 2849. Twelve Princes of his line enjoyed it for the space of 220 yeares and upwards when the house sayling in the person of Automanes they were governed by temporary officers like the Archontes of Athens Continuing under this Government 124 years the City was seised on by one Cypselus A. M. 3294. who left it to his sonne Periander one of the seven wisemen of Greece counted a Tyrant in those times for no other reason then that he had suppressed the popular government after whose death an 3364. the City did recover its former liberty In the bustles betwixt Athens aud Lacedaemon and other the estates of Greece for the superiority it did little meddle the aim of this people being wealth not honour not interessed in any action of renown in all those times but in the sending of Timoleon to the aid of the Syracusans against the Tyrant Diomysius who did lord it over them Subdued together with the rest by the Kings of Macedon and with the rest restored to liberty by the power of Rome Under whom growing still more rich and withall more insolent they abused certain Roman Ambassadours But irasci populo Romano nemo sapienter potest as is said in Livie which the Corinthians found too true the City being besieged sacked and burnt unto the ground by Lucius Mummius a Roman Consul an V. C. 607. In the burning whereof there were consumed so many goodly Statuas of gold silver brasse and other metals that being melted into a Lump they made up by that fatal chance the so much estimated metal called Aes Corinthium more highly prized in Rome then Gold or Silver Repaired again it was of great esteem in the time of the Emperours converted by S. Paul to the Christian Faith and having flourished a long time in pride and pleasures decayed by little and little till it came to nothing and is now a small Burrough called Crato Having thus spoken of the severall Estates of Peloponnesus it resteth that we speak somewhat of the estate of the whole varied according to the fortunes of those particulars which had most influence on the same The affaires hereof a long while swayed by the Kings of Sicyon whence it had the name of Sicyonia restrained afterwards to the territories of that City onely But when the Kings of Argos came in place and power it depended much upon their pleasures from Apis the third king whereof if not rather from Apis the fourth King of Sicyon in the opinion of some Writers it was named Apia But Pelops the son of Tantalus King of Phrygia coming into Greece and marrying Hippodamia daughter of Oenomaus King of Elis became the most powerfull Prince of all this Peninsula taking from him the name of Peloponnesus The Kingdome of Mycene growing into power and credit had the next turn in swaying the affaires hereof for a certain season as after that the Dores and the Heraclide possessed at once of Argos Sporta Corinth and Messene The Spartans getting the prehemlnence over all the rest were the next who governed the affaires of it and they held it long having first conquered Laconia and subverted the estate of Messene by means whereof and by their fortunate successe against the Persians they became almost absolute in their commands without any Competitor But their power being broken by Pelopidas and Epaminondas in the Thehan war the petit States hereof began to take heart again stand upon their own legs as they did a while till the Kings of Macedon succeeding Alexander the Great brought them once more under and made them fellow-servants with their Spartan Masters In the confusions which ensued in Macedon amongst the Competitors for that Kingdome Patras and Dime two Cities of Achaia Propria first united themselves in a strong league of amity at such time as Pyrrbus first went into Italy into which confederacie the Cities of Tritaea and Pherae shortly after came and not long after that Aegira and the rest of Achaia Propria their affaires first governed by two Praetors with advice of the Senate as afterwards by one alone with the like advice of which Marcus Carinensis was the first and Aratus of Sicyonia the second The ground thus laid and the reputation of this new Commonwealth increasing by the vertue of Aratus the Epidaurians Troezenians Argives and Megarians became members of it maintaining gallantly the liberties of Pelotonnesus till finally mastered by the Romans the division of whose Empire it fell with all the rest of Greece to the Constantinopolitans and in the declining of their fortunes when the Latines got possession of the Imperiall City most of the Sea-coasts of it were alotted to the State of Venice the inland parts formerly parcelled out amongst many Princes whom they called Despots continuing as before they were till all together made a prey to the Turkish Tyrants Mahomet the Great and Bajazet the second by whom wholly conquered For howsoever Thomas and Demetrius Brethren of that unfortunate Prince Constantinus Palaologus had fled hither at the taking of Constantinople and were received and obeyed by
Romans losing but 14. 7 Orchomenâ—n no lesse memorable for another victorie obtained by the same L. Sylla against Dorilaus another of that Kings Commanders having an armie of 80000 men of which 20000 lost their lives that day After which victories when Sylla might easily have destroyed that King he suddenly patched a peace up with him that he might hasten unto Rome where Marius and Cinna had trodden his faction under foot preferring by that act the pursuit of his own private quarrels before that of his Countrie endangered more by Mithridates after his return then it had been formerly 8 Aulis a Port town on the shores of the Aegean Sea where the Grecians took shipping when they went to the war of Troy here making Oath never to give over the enterprize untill they had destroyed that Citie Concerning which thus she in Virgil Non ego cum Danais Trojanam excindere Gentem Aulide juravi That is to say I took no oath at Aulis to destroy As did the Greeks the Town and State of Troy But the chief Citie of this Country and such as had a speciall influence over all the rest was the Citie of Thebes situate on the banks of the River Cephisus where built by Cadmus the Phoenician after all his wandrings Famous in old times for the wars between Eteocles and Polynices the sons of the unfortunate Prince Oedipus and of his Mother and wife Jocasta The historie of which war is the most ancient piece of storie that we finde of all Greece the former times and writings containing nothing but fables little favouring of humanity and lesse of truth as of men changed into Monsters the adulteries of the Gods and the like In this town lived Pelopidas and Epaminondus who so crushed the Lacedemonians at the battell of Leuctra and Mantinea that they could never after re-obtain their former puissance This Common-wealth long flourished and at last being overburthened in the Phocian war was glad to submit it self to the protection of the Macedonians under the leading of King Philip who by this means first got footing in Greece into which afterwards he thrust his whole body Upon the death of Philip Thebes revolted from the Macedons but Alexander his successour quickly recovered it and to dishearten the Greeks in the like attempts he razed the Citie selling all the inhabitants of age and strength only Pindarus house he commanded to be left standing in honour of that learned Poet. At this sack of the town one of the Macedon souldiers entred the house of a principall woman named Timoclea ravished her and rifled her coffers but still demanding more treasure she shewed him a deep Well saying that there all her money was hidden The credulous villain stooping down to behold his prey she tumbled into the Well and over-whelmed with stones for which noble act the generous Prince not only dismissed her unhurt but most highly commended her It was after re-edified by Cassander and followed for the most part as the rest of the Boetians did the fortunes of Macedon Reduced at this time to the State of an ordinarie Burrough and called Scibes by the Turks 4 PHOCIS is bounded on the East with Baeotia on the West with Doris and Looris on the North with the River Cephisus and on the South with the Bay of Corinth A Country somewhat swelled with Mountains but those of eminent note in the elder times The chief whereof 1 Helicon 2 Citheron both consecrated to the Muses and both contending with Parnassus for height and bignesse 3 Parnassus of so great an height that in that great deluge in which most of these parts of Greece were over-whelmed with the waters Deucalion and Pyrrha saved themselves and many others on the top hereof for which and for its two summits reaching to the clouds of great renown amongst the Poets as in Ovid thus Mons ibi verticibus petit arduus astra duobus Nomine Parnassus superatque cacumine nubes Parnassus there with his two tops extends To the toucht stars and all the clouds transcends Places of most observation in it 1 Anticyra situate near the Sea and famous for the Helleborum there growing an herb very medicinall for the Phrenzie whence the Proverb Naviget Anticyras applyed to mad men 2 Pytho or Pythia said to be seated not only in the midle of Greece but of all the world Strabo relating how Jupiter desirous to know the exact middle of the earth let loose two Eagles one from the East and the other from the West which flying with an equall wing so we must conceive and meeting at this very place shewed it apparently to be the Navell of the World By reason of which convenient situation in the heart of Greece it was made a Sessions town for all the Grecians and honoured with the Court and generall Assemblie of the Amphictiones men chosen out of the prime Cities of Greece who had power to decide all Controversies and to make Lawes for the common good A Court first instituted by Acrisius as Strabo telleth us or as Halicarnasseus more probably by Amphictyon the son of Helles from whom they seeme to have their name The Commissioners from the severall Cities with reference to the places for which they served had the name of Pylagorae when assembled they were called the Amphictyones their meetings at the beginning of the Spring and Antumn Some instances concerning their authoritie will not be amisse In the time of Cimon the Cyrrhenians having by Piracie wronged the Thessalians were fined by this Councell And after that the Lacedemonians for surprizing Cadmea and the Phocians for ploughing up the Land of Cyrra which belonged to the Temple of Delphos were by them amerced and because they continued obstinate and paid not their amercements their Dominions were adjudged to be confiscate unto that Temple But they disobeying this Decree also spoiled the Temple it self for which war being proclaimed against them by the rest of the Grecians who by the assistance of Philip King of Macedon brought them to obedience the Councell was again assembled In which it was decreed that the Phocians should raze the wall of their Cities that they should pay the yearly tribute of 60 Talents that they should no more keep Horse and Arms till they had satisfied the Treasurie of the Temple nor any longer have a voice in those Conventions It was also then enacted that the lost suffrages of the Phocians should be vested in King Philip and his successours Kings of Macedon on whom they also did confer the perpetuall Presidentship and made them Princes of that Senate A Court to which the Sanhedrin of the 70 Elders among the Jewes and in our times the Diets of the Empire and the Assemblies of the Switzers carry most resemblance 3 Cyrrha on the Sea side the Port town to Delphos 4 Crissa so called from Crissaeus the son of Phoeus and grandchild of Aeacus situate on the edge of the Bay of Corinth called sometimes from hence Crissaeus
and crushed the Grecians beginning then to cast off the yoke of Macedon 12. 3745 10 Philip the son of Demetrius 42. 3787 11 Perjeus the son of Philip the last King of Macedon the subversion of which estate was first begun in the time of his Father who had not onely warred upon the Aetolians and others of the Greekes whom the Romans had taken into their protection but fided with Hannibal against them Upon which grounds they sent first Titus Qu. Flaminius one of their Consuls by whom Philip was vanquished at the battell of Cukos-cephalos and his Kingdome made tributary unto Rome After which picking a quarrell against Perseus also managed with variable successe by Licinius Martius and others of their Commanders they dispatched Paulus Aemilius with an Army into Macedon to bring him to absolute subjection Who sped so well that Macedon was made a Province of the Roman Empire and Perseus led captive unto Rome anno 3789. In which triumph besides the pomp of leading a Captive King in bonds Aemilius caused the ready money which he brought out of Greece to be carryed in 750 Vessels every vessell containing 3 Talents which made so infinite a summe that the Roman people were free for many years after from all taxes and impositions 3798 Macedon thus made a Province of the Roman Empire and afterwards divided into three parts or Provinces that is to say Macedonia Prima Macedonia Secunda or Salutaris and Prevalitana in the new modell of Constâ—â—â—ne became a Diocese the Diocese hereof containing the Provinces of Crete Achaia old and now Fpirus Macedonia Prima and the greatest part of Salutaris the residue of Salutaris and Prevalitana which makes up the Countrey now called Albania being laid to the Diocese of Dacia It continued part of the Eastern Empire till towards the last fatall dissolution of it though many times harassed and depopulated by the Sclavonians Bulgarians Rosses and others of the barbarous people at their severall invasions of it finally conquered by the Turkes first under the conduct of Bajazet their fourth king taking Nicopolis a town hereof bordering on Thrace and lying North of Sinus Strimenius now the Bay of Contesso and after under Amurath the second their fixt King making themselves masters of The ssalonica the chief City of it and therewith of all the countrey By reason of which many invasions and last desolation by the Turkes there is scarse one of all those many Cities before mentioned now of any eminence except Thessalonica onely the rest being miserably destroyed And for the Countrey it selfe it is governed by a Turkish Sanziack under the Beglerbeg of Greece his annual Revenew being but 8000 Crownes nor any thing else required of him then to maintaine 100 horse in ordinary pay for defence of his Province and to finde 400 Horse on extraordinary occasions as the Grand Signeur shall command him 7 THRACE THRACE hath on the East Pontus Euxinus Propontis and Hellespont on the West Macedon on the North the hill Hoemus on the South the Aegoean Sea and part of Macedon A very large and goodly Province extending 20 dayes journey in length 7 dayes journey in breadth and in relation to the heavens reaching unto the 44 degree of Northern latitude so that the longest day in summer is about 15 houres three quarters By severall men according to the times they lived in it hath been called by divers names by Stephanus Aria by Suidas Odryss by Lycephron Crestona by some writers Scythia by Josephus the Hebrew Thyras But generally it is called Thrace or Thracia and that as some say from Thrax the son of Mars as others from Thraca an Inchantresse more probably from the serity and barbarous condition of the first Inhabitants the name in the Originall Greek bearing that construction most likely from Thyras the son of Japbet who first planted here in memory of whom it did retaine the name of Thyras in the time of Josephus besides many other footsteps and remembrances of him in the name of many of their townes and some of their Princes of which we have already spoken in our generall Preface Finally by the Turkes it is called Romania either from the many Roman Colonies which were planted here or because Constantinople the chief City of it was antiently called Nova Roma and by that name it is now called in most modern Writers The Countrey generally is neither of a rich soyle nor a pleasant air the corn and other fruites by reason of the coldnesse of the Climate leisurely ripening the Vines yeelding more shade then juice and the trees for the most part more leaves then fruit yet in some parts there be many large and goodly plaines where they reape good store of corn but of Pulse especially and towards the Sea-side they have plenty of wine which Pliny much commended both for strength and goodnesse The people antiently were very bold and valiant and called by some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because every man was a law to himselfe So that it was truly said by Herodotus that if they had either beene all of one minde or under one King they had been invincible Of manners they were rude and savage somewhat neer to bruâ—ishnesse buying their wives and selling both their sonnes and daughters as in open market in which since imitated by the Turkes who possesse their Countrey The men were more courageous then comely wearing cloathes according to their conditions ragged and unseemly The marryed women were in love to their husbands so constant that they willingly sacrificed themselves at their funerals The Virgins were bestowed not by their own parents but the common Fathers of their Cities Such as brought neither beauty nor vertue for their dowry were put off according to their money most times sold as other cattell in the markets In matters of Religion they worshipped Mars Bacchus Diana Mercury as did other Gentiles swearing especially by the first from whom they bragged themselves to have been descended But their chiefe nationall deity was one Zamolxis sometimes a native of this Countrey who having been brought up under Pythogoras and returning home prescribed then good and wholesome Laws assuring them that if they did observe the same they should goe unto a place when they left this world in which they should enjoy all manner of pleasure and contentment By this means having gotten some opinion of adivinity amongst them he absented himselfe after was worshipped as their God Upon these principles when any one was born amongst them his Parents and other friends sitting round about him lamented bitterly his coming into the world ripping up all the miseries and afflictions whereto he was to be exposed in this present life and so deplored his condition as absolutely miserable and unhappy But on the contrary when any one chanced to dye they buryed him with all joy and alacrity highly rejoycing that by this means he was freed from the crosses and dysasters of this wretched World Expressed thus briefly after his
ridiculous manner Alluding whereunto thus the Poet Claudian Non te progenitum Cybeleius aere canâ—ro Lusiravit Corybas That is to say No Cybeleian Corybas that day That thou wast born did on his Cymbal play Here also lived Minos and Radamanthus whose lawes were after imitated in the prime Cities of Greece and who for their equitie on earth are fained by the Poets to be together with Aeaeus the Judges in Hell In this Iâ—land also lived the lewdly-lustfull Pasiphae wife of Minos who is fabled by the Poets if it be a fable to have doated on a white Bull who they say begat on her the Minotaure Daedalus having framed for her an artificiall cow into which she conveyed her self and by that means obtained her desire The table is thus expounded that Pasiphae was in love with Taurus one of Minos Secretaries whose company by the pandarisme of Daedalus she enjoying was delivered of two sons one called Minos the other Taurus And whereas it is said that the Minotaure was slain by Theseus like enough that the annuall tribute of 7 children which the Athenians paid to Minos was laid up in some prison Minos and Taurus being the keepers or jaylors As for the action of Pasiphae I think it not altogether impossible to be true considering how Domitian to verifie the old relation exhibited the like beastly spectacle in his amphitheatre at Rome for thus saith Martial Junctam Pasiphaen Dictaeo credite Tauro Vidimus accepit fabula prisâ—a fidem Nec se miretur Caesar longaeva vetustas Quicquid fama canit donat arena tibi The fable's prov'd a truth our eyes did see The Cretan Bull sport with Pasiphae What cause hath then antiquity to glory We saw it done she only heard the story Finally here was the so much celebrated Labyrinth made by Daedalus for the including and safe keeping of the Minotaurus so full of various windings and turnings that when any one was got to the end thereof it was impossible for him to come out but by the help of a clew of threed By this Minotaure half a man half-bull the children of the Athenians paid yearly to Minos in way of tribute are said to be murdered till killed by Theseus son of Aegeus King of Athens with whom Ariadne the daughter of Minos falling in love taught him a means to kill the Monster and gave him the clew of threed before spoken of to conduct him out again the morall or historie whereof hath been shewn before Nor must it be forgotten that Strabo the Geographer who flourished in the time of Tiberius Caesar was of Cretan parents though born in the Citie of Amasia in the Realm of â—ontus which addes unto this Island as much true renown as any of the fictions or stories be they which they will of the former times Things most observable at the present are these that follow I that it breeds no serpents nor venemous worm or ravenous or hurtfull creature so that their sheep graze very securely without any Shepheard 2 If a woman bite a man any thing hard he will hardly be cured of it which if true then the last part of the priviledge foregoing of breeding no hurtfull creature must needs be false 3 They have an hearb called Alimos which if one chew in his mouth hee shall feel no hunger for that day if Quade may be beleived who speakes it 4 Here is besides many other medicinall herbs that called Dictamum or Dictamnos of especiall virtue against poison either by way of prevention or present cure peculiar onely to this Island it affordeth great store of Laudanum a juice or gum forced with incredible labour out of a certaine tree Cisto of which the mountaines yeeld aboundance good to cause sleep if moderately and carefully taken but if not very well prepared and taken with moderation it brings the last sleep upon a man out of which not to be awakened till the sound of the last Trumpet raise him Chief Mountaines of it 1 Ida now Psiloriti situate in the midst of the Island begirt about with many fair and pleasant villages sheltred by it from the violence of winde and Sun the hill being so high that from the top hereof both sides of the Island may be easily seen Here Jupiter is said to have been secretly nursed from hence called Idaeus And at the bottom of it the Cretans use to shew some tracts of the antient Labyrinth being indeed no other then the ruines of some larger Quarry the Labyrinth made by Daedalus being so defaced in the time of Pliny that he knew not where to finde any ruins of it 2 Dicte now called Sethia in some places Lasti so high that all the winter long it is covered with snow yet all the sides thereof garnished with Cypresse trees a mountaine of such such same that the whole Island sometimes had the name of Dictaea the City Dictinna the Promontorie Dictynnaeâ—â—n and the Herb Dicâ—amnos all seeming to take name from hence 3 Leuci a long chaine of hils so named from the whitenesse of them now called De Marara and by some La Spachia Rivers of any eminence here are few or none The principall of those that be are 1 Melipotamus 2 Scasinus 3 Epicidnus and 4 Divotro towards the North 5 Populiar towards the East and 6 Limens towards the West none of them navigable or capable of Ships of burden scarse of little Barkes But that defect supplyed by the neighbouring Sea which affordeth many Creeks and Bayes some capacious Havens and great store of fish among which a kinde of bearded mullet reckoned among the delicacies of the antient Romans By the convenience of which Harbours their Fish-trade and the situation of it in the midst of the Sea the people antiently were esteemed so good Sea-faring men that when the people of those times did tax a man with any incredible report they used to say Cretensis nescit pelagus meaning thereby the matter to be as improbable as for one of Crete to be no Sayler In former times there were reckoned in this Island an hundred Cities thence called Hecatompolis of which about 40 were remaining in the time of Ptolemie for so many of their names he gives us Those of most note were 1 Gnossus the seat-royall or Court of Minos whence Ariadne the daughter of Minos had the name of Gnossis in former times called Ceratus from a little River of that name running not far off 2 Cydon or Cydonia a Midland City as the former memorable for an excellent kinde of Apple which the Latines called Poma Cydonia amongst whom they were in great request as they are at this day though by the name of Adams apples amongst the Turkes the most antient of all the Cities of Crete many of which were at first Colonies of this for which reason it was called commonly mater urbium 3 Eleuthera as Ptolemie Erythraea as the printed copies of Florus corruptly call it one of the first Cities taken here by the Romans
affirmed to have the faces of women but the talons of Vultures sent by the offended Gods as the fable goeth for the punishment of Phineus King of Arcadia who had put out the eyes of his sons by a former wife at the instigation of their Step-dame For which so plagued by these Harpies that he could set no meat on his table wheresoever he was but these ravenous creatures first devoured it and then bewrayed the dishes in which it was Much pitied by the Argonauts whom he had curteously entertained they sent Zethus and Calais the winged issue of Boreas and Orythia who drave them thence and having pursued them to those Islands turned back again whence the name of Strophades Under which fable was contained the sad condition of ignorant or unhappy Princes devoured by Flatterers Informers and false accusers by whom their name and Government was made distastfull till by good counsel they had purged their Courts of such ugly monsters concerning which Alphonsus King of Naples was used to say that these Harpyes had left the Strophades and dwelt at Rome They are inhabited onely by some few Greek Friers and in one of them there is a spring of fresh water which hath his fountaine in Peloponnesus and passing under the Sea ariseth here The Greek Priests are called Caloirs quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boni Sacerdotes About 30 in number they weare long hair never eat flesh and but seldome fish feeding usually on hearbes olives oyl and the like They never goe out of the Islands neither doe they on any occasion permit women to come amongst them They all labour for their sustenance some in tillage some in vineyards some in fishing so that among very many of of them three or foure onely can read But of these somewhat hath beene said elsewhere already 2 ZACINTHVS or Zant is 60 miles in compasse and distant from Peloponnesus 20 miles so called of Zacinthus son to Dardanus The countrey is wonderfully stored with oile wines currans of which last they made yearly 150000 Zechines for their own coffers and 48000 Dollars which they pay for custome to the signeurie of Venice They were a very poore people when the English used to traffique there first but now they grow rich and proud At our Merchants first frequenting the countrey they much marvelled to what end they bought so many currans and demanded whether they used to dye cloathes or fat hogges with them for so they themselves did but now they have learned a more profitable use of them Here are also very good salt-pits fresh water plenty but little or no wood and lesse Corn their ground being husbanded as the case stands with them to their better advantage but so that many times they are ready to starve if either the wind or the Sea prove crosse unto them and hinder them from fetching their provisions both of flesh and corn out of Peloponnesus In which respect they are faine to hold fair Quarter with the Turkes considering how easie it is for him to distresse them for want of victuals The Island is much troubled with earthquakes commonly once a week in regard whereof they build their houses very low and when they perceive them coming the Priests are to ring the Bells to stirre the people to prayers They have a custome here at weddings to invite many young men whom they call Compeeres of which every one giveth the Bride a Ring Which done it is accompted as detestable a sinne as Incest to accompany her in any carnall kinde and therefore they choose such to be their Compeeres who have formerly been suspected of too much familiarity with her The Island is very populous and well inhabited but the people of a spitefull and vindicative nature not to be reconciled if angred It containeth in it 48 Townes and Villages the chief whereof which passeth by the name of a city is called also Zant stretched out about the length of a mile on the foot of a mountaine but in breadth not answerable beautified with a faire and convenient Haven opening towards Greece safe from the danger of Pirats though not of windes capable of great fleets of shipping both for bulk and number and so frequented from all parts that he who hath a minde to goe out of it need not stay for a passage yet notwithstanding this great concourse and resort of strangers the Town is rather rich then well built or beautifull the streets hereof uneven and rugged and the buildings by reason of the often Earthquakes very low On the East side of it on a round steep Mountaine standeth a very strong Castle a little City of it selfe well garrisoned impregnably fortified and of a very difficult entrance which commandeth not the City and Harbour onely but a great part of the Sea adjoining Upon the wall thereof continually stands a watchman to descrie what shipping is at hand and hangeth out as many flags as he discovereth Vessels And over the doore of the Town-hall the better to instruct the Magistrares in their publick dutie it is said these verses are inscribed Hic locus 1 odit 2 amat 3 punit 4 conservat 5 honorat 1 Nequitiam 2 pacem 3 crimina 4 jura 5 probos Thus Englished by George Sandys whence I had the Latine This place doth 1 hate 2 love 3 punish 4 keep 5 requite 1 Voluptuous riot 2 peace 3 crimes 4 Laws 5 th' upright In matter of Religion the people being generally Greeks both in birth and language are for the most part of that Church also but some adhere unto the Latine each party having their own Bishop of which the Greek Bishop hath his Cathedrall in the Church of S. Nicolas near unto the Haven which it giveth name to and therein a Monastery of Caloires or Monkes of Basil the Latine Bishop hath his residence and Cathedrall within the Castle and therein a Convent of Franciscans The Jews have in this Town their Synagogue also but there are not many of them if not lately increased In civill matters they are subject to the State of Venice the Governour hereof whom they call the Providore having his residence in the Castle assisted by a Chancellour and two Counsellours all Gentlemen of Venice whom they change every third year The fortunes of this Island in former times and by what means it fell to the Venetians we shall shew anon The ECHINADES are certain little Islands or rather great rocks now called Curzolari famous for nothing but the great battell of Lepanto fought nigh them betwixt the Venetians and the Turkes the Turks having in their Navy 207 sayle of ships the Venetians and their confederates but 145 of all sorts But it pleased God to give the victory to the weakest the issue of it being such that the Turkâ—s lost 29000 men who were killed in the fight 39000 more which were taken prisoners 140 of their Gallies 400 peece of Ordinance and 200 Christian Captives which were then redeemed the Christians
Pontick Diocese lying within Anatolia or Asia Minor converted to the Christian faith by the two great Apostles of Jews and Gentles as appeareth by Saint Paul's Epistle to the Galatians and Saint Peter's to the Sâ—rangers dispersed in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynnta 7. ASIA PROPRIA COme we now to the ASIAN Diocese and first to that part thereof which Ptolomie and others for the reasons spoken of before call Asia Propria Antiently the most rich and flourishing part of all this 〈◊〉 and so affirmed to be by Tullie who telleth us that the tributes which the Romans had from other places hardly sufficed to defray the publick charges for defence thereof Asia vero tam opinia est sâ—rulâ—s ut ubert 〈◊〉 agrorum varictate fructuum magnitudine pastionis multitudine carum rerum quae exportentur facile omnibus terris antecellit But as for Asia saith he it is so fertile and so rich that for the fruitfulnesse of the fields variety of fruites largenesse of pasture-grounds and quantity of commodities which were brought from thence it very easily excelled all other Countreys The fortunes of the severall Provinces we shall see anon Brought under the command of the Persians they continued subject to that Crown for some generations but at last taken from them by the Grecions under the prosperous ensignes of victorious Alexander After whose decease the Empire being divided among his Captains Asia fell to the share of Antigonus whose sonne Demetrius seized on the Kingdome of Macedonia and left Asia to Seleucus Nicanor King of Syria and the East being also one of Alexander's heires The sixt from this Seleucus was Antiochus called the Great who waging warre with young Prolomy Philopaters King of Egâ—â—t committed by his father to the protection of the Romans and otherwise practâ—ing against their estate provoked the Sen ite of Rome to send Scipio sirnamed from his 〈◊〉 victories Aâ—â—aticus against him who compelled him to forsake Asia which the Romans presently took into their possions But finding it agreeable to the present estate of their Affaires the Kingdome of Macâ—denia standing in their way to make further use of Eumeneâ— King of Pergamus and the people of Rhodes who had been aiding to them in the former warre they gave unto Eumenes the Provinces of Lâ—caonia Phrygia Mysia Ionia Lydia Lycia and Caria to the Rhodians knowing full well that they could easily take them back again when they saw occasion More hereof in the story of the Kings of Pergamus on the decease of Artalus the last King thereof these Provinces returning fully to the power of the Romans It contained only after the accompt of Cicero the Provinces of Phrygia Mysia Caria Lydia as he reck oneth them up in his Oration for Flaccus computing the two Phrygia's for one Province only and comprehending Aeolis and Ionia under that of Lydia But for our more punctuall and particular proceeding in it we will consider it as divided into 1. Phrygia Minor 2. Phrygia Mayor 3. Mysia 4. Aeolis and Ionia or Asia more especially so called 5. Lydia and 6. Caria 8. PHRYGIA MINOR PHRYGIA MINOR is bounded on the East with Mysia interposing betwixt it and the Greater Phrygia on the West with the Hellespont on the North with the Proponis on the Sourh with the Aegean Sea Called Phrygia from Phryx a River in the Greater Phrygia or as some say from Phryxus the sonne of Athamas King of Thebes who flying from the treacherous snares of his Mother in law did here seat himself Minor was added to it to distinguish it from the other Phrygia which being the bigger of the two had the name of Major It was also called Phrygia Hellespontiaca from its situation on that Streit and Troas from Troas the chief City of it by which name it occurreth in the book of the Acts. It was called also Epictetus but the reason of the name I finde not except it came from the Epicteti a People dwelling on the East parts of Bithynnia and consequently neere this place Chief Rivers of it 1. Scamander on whose Bankes stood the renowned Citie of Troy honoured by Hesiod with the title of Divine Scamander in which the Virgins of this Countrey a litle before they were to be married used to bath themselves and to say these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Take O Scamander my Virginity Which opportunity Cimon an Athenian taking clapped a Coroner of Reeds upon his head like a River-god and so deflowred Callirhoe a noble Virgin then betrothed to another occasioning thereby the leaving off of this foolish custome It was also called Xanthus by the Poets Xanthúmque bibissent as in Virgil and watered a litle Region called Lycia of which more anon 2. Aesopus parting this litle Region from the Lesser Mysia the boundary of it on the North as the Promontory called Lectium is the furthest point of it towards the South 3. Simoeis now called Simores falling into the Hellespent not far from the Promontorie called Rhateuni memorable for the Statue and Sepulchre of A ax but rising out of Mount Ida an hill of this Region on which Paris being by his Father exposed to the fury of wild Beasts judged the controversy of the golden ball in favour of Venus respecting neither the great riches of Juno nor the divine wisdome of Pallas but transported with a sensuall delight fatall in the end to the whole Countrey Cities of most observation in it 1. Dardâ—num or ' Dardania the Town and Patrimony of Aeneas 2. Assus mentioned Acts 20. v. 13. by Plinie called Apollonia who telleth us that the earth about it is of such a nature that it will consume a dead body in fourty daies 3. Trajanopolis whose name declareth its founder 4. Sigaeum the Port-town to Troy neere a noted Promontory of the same name 5. Troy situate on the River Scamander the beauty and glory of the East called Ilium and Pergamus for the reason to be shewn anon A famons Town from the people whereof all Nations desâ—e to fetch their originall The beauty of it may be as some write yet seen in the ruines which with a kind of majesty entertain the beholder the walls of large circuit consisting of a black hard stone cut four-square some remnants of the Turrets which stood on the walls and the fragments of great Marble Tombes and monuments of curious workmanship But certainly these are not the ruines of that Ilium which was destroyed by the Grecians but 6. Troas or New Troy built some four miles from the situation of the old by Lysimachus one of Alexanders Captains who peopled it from the neighbouring Cities and called it Alexandria or Troas Alexandri in honour of Alexander the Great who begun the work but lived not to bring it to any perfection In following times called Troas onely and by that name mentioned Acts 20. v. 6. then the Metropolis of this Province now a ruine onely but every day made more ruinous
strange successes of which house from the first rising of it to these present times shall be deferred till we come unto Turcomania from whence this Nation first attempted and atchieved the conquest of Persia and which only of all their large possessions doth retain any thing of their name In the mean time we will survey the Islands of this Lesser Asia and so procceed to their possessions in the Greater as they ly before us 19. The Province of the ASIAN ISLES THe Province of the ASIAN ISLES comprehendeth all the Islands in Asia Minor from the mouth of the Hellespont to the Rhodes reckoning that for one united first into a Province by the Emperour Vespasian next reckoned as a part of the Asian Diocese and afterwards together with the Province of the Hellespont and that of Asia properly and specially so called making up the peculiar or exempt jutisdiction of the Proconsul of Asia Those of most consideration are 1. Tenedos 2. Lesbos 3. Chios 4. Samos 5. Coos 6. Icaria 7. Patmos 8. Claros 9. Caparthos 10. Rhodes Others of less note having nothing memorable but their names are scarce worth the naming 1. TENEDOS is situate at the mouth of the Hellestont overagainst the noted Promontory called of old Sigeum but now Cape Janizarie a Promontory of Troas or the Lesser Phrygia from which distant not above five miles The Isle it self in circuit no more then ten swelling with a round Mountain towards the North in other parts levell in both producing as good wines as the best of Greece It took name as the generall tradition was from Tenes the Son of Cycnus King of a little City in the Lesser Phrygia who being falsly accused by his Step-dame for solliciting her to that incestuous mixture which she had violently importuned and he as piously refused was by the command of his Father put into a chest exposed to the mercy of the Sea and here miraculously preserved Here for a time he is said to reign with great commendation for his justice and after wards going to the aid of the Trojans to have been slain by the hand of Achilles of whom therefore it was not lawful to make mention in any of the Sacrifices offered in the Temple hereof But Bochartus casting off all this as an old wives fable will have it so called from Tin-edum a Phoenician word signifying Red clay which the Potters made use of in their earthen vessels A town it had of the same name with the Island in which a Temple sacred to Apollo Sminthius and 2. another called Asterion situate neer a little River well stored with Crab-fish whose shells were made in the form of an Axot Hatcher From which Town as the Islanders have in some Authors the name of Asterii so from the other circumstance they are said to have had the stamp of an Hatchet on their coin or money Memorable for an old custome observed amongst them which was that at the back of the Judge there alwaies stood a man with an Ax advanced as well to terrifie the Witnesses from giving false evidence to the Judge as the Judge from pronouncing a false sentence upon the evidence Whence the Proverb Tenedia Securis More memorable for the finall destruction of Troy which was plotted here the Grecians withdrawing their forces hither as if gone in earnest but from hence setting sail again to surprise the Town when they saw their plot had took effect And so I leave it with that Character which the Poet gives it Est in conspectu Tenedos notissima famâ Insula divesopum Priami dum Regna menebant Nunc tantum finus statio male-sida carinis In English thus In sight of Troy an Island stands well known Call'd Tenedos rich and of great renown Whilest Priams Kingdome flourished now they say Grown a poor Road for ships an unsafe Bay 2. LESBOS the largest of these Asian Isles is distant from the main land of Troas about seven miles 168 in compass reckoned the seventh in bigness of the Mediterranean which Aristotle in his Book de Mundo ranketh in this Order following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say The most considerable of these are Sicilie Sardinia Corsica Crete Euboea Cyprus and Lesbos And though both Seylax in his Periplus a nameless Poet in Eustathius Diodorus Siculus Strabo and others of the Antients vary in ordering of the rest according as their information or fancies led them yet Leshos comes in the seventh place constantly without change at all Upon which ground Bochartus will have it called Lesbos from Esburith a Phoenician word signifying seven contracted first to Esbu by leaving out the last syllable of it and then by changing bu to bos and prefixing L to the beginning Far enough fet and were it but as dearly bought would be good for Ladies this Island being reckoned in the seventh place for no other reason but because it lay furthest off and most North from Sicilie from whence they ordered their accompt and not any mystery in the name thereof It had then the name from Lesbos the Chief City of it as that from Lesbus the Son of Lapythus who maried Methymna the Daughter of Macarius Prince hereof from which Macarius it had sometimes the name of Macaria as that of Mitylene by which it is now commonly called from Mitylene another of the daughters of the said Macarius And that the memory of the whole family might be preserved in this Island Methymna also had a City called by her name one of the principal of the Countrey The Countrey towards the Westand South reported to be mountainous and somewhat barren the rest level and fruitful plentiful of excellent corn and abounding in delicious wines compared by Athenaeus to Ambrosia the liquor of the Gods as the Poets fable affording also plenty of sheep and store of horses these last couragious and strong though but low of Stature More memorable for the eminent persons which it hath produced as 1. Sappho an Heroick woman whose invention was the Sapphick verse and therefore called the tenth Muse 2. Pittacus one of the seven Wisemen of Greece 3. Theophraitus that notable Physician and Philosopher 4. Alcaus the successour of Orpheus in the excellecy of Lyricall poesie and 5. Arion the Musician who was so perfect on his Harp that being cast into the Sea playing on that instrument a Dolphin took him on his back and wasted him safe as far as Corinth where he related the whole story unto Periander attested by the Mariners who had thrown him overboard And though this be by some rejected as a poetical fiction yet past all doubt the man was not only an excellent Musician but an eminent Poet the first inventor of Tragedies a chief Lyrick and the Author of the verse called Dithyrambick Principal Towns herein 1. Lesbos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whom saith Stephanus the whole Island had the name of Lesbos 2. Methymna so named from Methymna one of the daughters of Macarius spoken
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
the instigation of Lais that infamous strumpet as in revenge for so many Cities of the Greeks which the Persians formerly had burnt in the Grecian warres And though Alexander in his sober sense did repent him of it and gave order that it should be re-edisied yet did it never rise to its former height the Conquerour dying shortly after and that purpose with him So ruined in the age of Qu. Curtius who lived in the time of Claudius Caesar that he prosesseth vestigium ejus non inveniri nisi Araxes amnis ostendert that no footsteps of it had been found if not shewn and pointed out by the River Araxes on whose banks it stood But by the fall thereof rose 8. Shyras now the chief City of this Province situate in a fair large plain hemmed about with mountains under one of which it is plealantly seated in compass about nine miles well built and beautified with fair Gardens and magnificent Mosques two of which larger than the rest are made more eminent by the addition of two Spires or Sceeples covered with a painting of Gold and Azure the fabricks for the most part of Mosaick work as light almost by night as day by reason of a thousand Lamps burning nightly in them A City as is said by a modern Traveller which for good wine pretty women peasant fruits and a gallan People may hold comparison with the best in Pâ—rsia 9. Moyown on the North-east of Shyras delightfully situate amongst woods and fruitfull pastures and blessed not onely with good wine but wholesome waters of which last few parts of Persia have much cause to brag 10. Bamaraw on the Southwest of Shyras towards Carmania chiefly remarkable for the ruines of an antient Castle situate on the top of a losty mountain 11. Goyaam a Town of a thousand houses 12. Berry of no great bigness but of most esteem by reason of a fair Mosque a School for the Arabick tongue and the Sepulchre of one of their false Prophets of which the Persians besides Mahomet and Mortis-Ali do acknowledge many The first Inhabitants here were of the posterity of Elam the sonne of Sem and such who under his conduct were setled here called from hence Elamites in the usual stile of holy Scriptures by the Greeks and Latines Elymaei who spreading themselves into Susiana and by degrees also into other Provinces became so considerable that the name of Elamite and Elam were of great renown having a language to themselves distinct from that of the Medes and Parthians as is appatent Act. 2. and comprehending under that appellation the adjoining Regions as appears plainly in the eighth of the Prophet Damel where Susa is said to be in the Province of Elam How the name was changed into that of Persia hath been shewn before Such as continued in this Province divided into the Tribes of the Mesabatee Rapsit Hippophagi Suzaei Megores and Stabaei were at first under the command of their own Princes onely amongst which Cherdolaomer is of greatest fame who having the conduct of some Advertureâ—rs of this nation associated himself with Amramphel the leader of some Assyrian Troops and by the name of the Kings of Elam and Assyria invaded Palestine subdued the City of Sodom took Lot prisoner and in the end were overthrown by the forces of Abraham Of no note after this expedition till the time of Perses the Father of Achaemenes who being Provinciall Governour of these Countreys under Sardanapalus joined with Arbaces and Belochus in the war against him and by the victory got for himself the dominion over those estates which he had formerly ruled for the Assyrians with reference to the Kings of Media as the Supreme Lords whose Successours till the time of Cyrus take in order thus The Kings of Persis 1. Perses from whom perhaps the name of Persis may be more properly derived than either from Perseus the sonne of Danae or the sonne of that Perseus by Andromeda 2. Achaemenes from whom the Persians had the name of Achaementi and the succeeding Kings were called Achaemenides 3. Cambyses in some places of Herodotus called also Darius 4. Cyrus from whose second sonne named Teispeus descended that Darius the sonne of Hystaspis one of the seven Persian Princes who got the Kingdom on the expiration of the present line and the extirpation of the Magi of which more hereafter 5. Cambyses II. the sonne of Cyrus 6. Cyrus II surnamed the Great sonne of Cambyses and Mandane the daughter of Astyagos King of Media who joining with Cyaxares or Darius Medus overthrew the Babylonian Empire and translated thereby the Supreme power to the Medes and Persians Of which more hereafter CARMANIA CARMANIA is bounded on the East with Gedrosia and some part of Aria on the West with part of Persis and the Gulf of Persia from hence called also by the name of Sinus Carmanicus on the North with Parthia and on the South with the main Indian Ocean So called from the Carmani a chief People of it but the reason of that name I sind not It is now generally called Chyrman those parts of it which lie next to Parthia which Ptolomy calleth Carmania Deserta being now named Mingia and by some Dulcinde The Countrey for the most part barren and but ill inhabited That part which Ptolomy calleth Carmania Deserta being truly such a wilderness or very Desart having in it neither Town nor village but some scattered houses and those but ill provided of food and necessaries full of unprofitable sands destitute of water and of a very hot and unhealthy air And though the other part hereof which lieth towards the Ocean hath a Sea coast of above 200 leagues in length and many Rivers emptying themselves into it yet are they not the richer by it the shores being full of rocks and the Rivers small so that they neither have good Port nor safe coming to it The best commodities here of besides their Manufactures are Dates Myrrhe Arsenic some few mines of silver more of brass and iron and good store of Alabaster In which regard the Inhabitants hereof were antiently called Ichihyophagi because they lived wholly upon fish the Countrey yielding little else for the life of man Carmani sine veste ac frage sine pecore ac sedibus piscium cute se velant carne vescuntur praeter capita toto corpore hirsuti The Carmans saith Pomponius Mela have neither fruits nor rayment nor house not cattel but cloth themselves with the skins and feed themselves with the flesh of fishes hairie not onely in their heads but over all their bodies also Where by the way Ammianus Marcellinus must be out in his informations who telleth us of these very Carmans that their Countrey though far less than that of Arabia Felix and far more obscure was as well replenished with Rivers and for fertility of soil not inferior to it But we must understand the one of the best parts of Carmania the other of Deserta onely Amongst the
by Psamniticus the Aegyptian King who had heard of their comming and thought it best to entertain them on the way and not to bid them welcome at home to his greater cost Out-vying the Median as of the two the richer Prince he loaded them with gifts and treasure and so sent them back again into Media from whence they came where for many years they afflicted that people and the neighbouring Provinces doubling their tributes and using all kind of insolencies till in the end Cyâ—xares the sonne and Successour of Phraartes acquainting some of his most faithful subjects with his design caused the better part of them to be plentifully feasted made them druak and slew them recovering thereby the possession of his whole estate Afterwards imitated by the English in their Hock-tide slaughter Such of them as escaped this blow and were not willing to be subject to the Kings of Media as many of them were were suffered to return home by the same way they came where at their coming they found foul work made by their wives and their slaves the story whereof we had when we were in Russia After this we hear nothing of them in the stories of the Greeks and Romans unless those Amazon who attended their Queen Thalestris when she bestowed a visit on Alexander were rather of these Sarmarian Amazon than of those of Pontus and Thermodon as I think they were the neerness of their dwelling to Hyrcania in which place they found him inducing me to this opinion But possible enough it is though it be not certain that some of these Sarmatian tribes though by other names hearing of the successes of the Hunnes Avares and other barbarous nations which made havock of the Roman Empire might join themselves unto them and make up their numbers those nations being else two small to compound such Armies as by them were brought into the field against the Romans with out such like helps What their estate hath been since subdued by the Tartars hath been shewn already 3. ZAGATHAY ZAGATHAY is bounded on the East with the Mountain Imaus by which it is parted from Cathay on the North with the main Scythick or Frozen Ocean on the West with Tartaria Deserta from which separated by the River Soane and the Lake of Kitay and on the South with the Caspian Sea and the River Oxus by which divided from the Empire of Persia So called from Zigathay a brother of one of the Great Chams on whom it was conferred for his better maintenance the Scythia intra montem Imaum of the antient writers The Countrey spreading out so far on all sides as before appeareth comprehendeth all those Provinces and tracts of ground which angiently were called 1. the Countrey of the Sacae 2. Sogdiana 3. Zagathay specially so called 4. Turchestan included antiently in the name of Scythia intra montem Imaum and 5. the Terra incognita which Ptolomy makes to be the Northern boundarie of that part of Scythia By taking a survey of all which particulars we shall find the temper of the whole 1. SACAE or the Countrey of the Sacans is bounded on the East with the mountain Imaus on the West with Sogdiana on the North with Zagathay properly and specially so called on the South with the River Oxus by which parted from Bactria So called from the Sacae the Inhabitants of it but the reason of their name I find not The Countrey antiently either barren or ill manured full of vast Forests wide Desarts and the like unhabitable places Few or no Cities in it and not many villages civitates autem non habent as my Author hath it the people living for the most part in Caves or otherwise wandring up and down with their droves of cattel Called for that reason Nomades by some antient writers The name not proper to these onely but common to all those who followed the like roving life as the Sarmatians wild Arabians Saracens and the Inhabitants of Libya and Numidia in Africk Onely one fortified place they had which from the materials of it had the name of Turris Lapidea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek or the Castle of Stones Part hereof being peopled for the most part by Camels or travellable onely with those Creatures had the name of Camelorum Regio Divided it was antiently into many Tribes the Caratoe and Comari neer the River Jaxartes the Massagetae and Comedoe neer the hills called Ascatanas the Bylcae and Grynaei more within the Country All joined in one by the name of Sacae and by that name made a very fortunate Progress into Armoniae to which they had an easie passage by the Northern banks of the Caspian Sea and therein gave name unto the Province called Sacasena But proceeding into Cappadocia and there slain by the Persians in the middest of their Feastings they left there also some resemblance of their name in an annuall festivall called Sarea celebrated by the Persians in memoriall of their good success in the warre against them Such as stayd here being overcome by Cyrus the first Persian Monarch did so good service to that Prince that Amorges the King of these Sacoe is said to have rescued him from the hands of the Scythians by whom otherwise he had been slain or taken Prisoner In the declining of that Kingdome they were subdued by Alexander at the end of his Scythian and Sogdian warres who hereabouts by Cobortanes a noble Persian was presented with a Bevy of beautifull Ladies one of the which was that Barsine whom he made his wise and had by her that Hercules whom Polysperchon and his faction proclamed King of Macedon Not memorable in the following times for any thing which they did or suffered as they have been made by the opinion or mistake of others Who building Castles in the Air will needs derive the Saxons our famous Ancestors from this Originall as if they were called Saxons quasi Sac-sonnes or the sonnes of Sacae A fancy in my poor conceit of no ground at all For either the number of these Sacae when they left these parts must be great or little I little how can we conceive it possible they should force their way thorough those valiant Nations of both Sarmatias who to the last maintained their liberties and estate against the Romans If great enough to force their passage for stout and provident Nations use not to give passage to great Armies but they pay dear for it how can we think it possible they should be shut up in a corner of Germany betwixt the River Albis and the Cimbrick Chersonees The Saxons then whatsoever they were were no sonnes of the Sacae and what in likelihood they were hath been elsewhere shewn 2. SOGDIANA hath on the East the Sacoe on the North and West Zagathay specially so called on the South the River Oxus parting it from Margiana So called from a cha in of Mountains named Montes Sogdii being the chief of all this Countrey though of themselves a
Kingdomes Divided at present and long since into those of 1. Cononor 2. Calecut 3. Granganor 4. Chochin 5. Cai-Colam 6. Coulan and 7. Travancor 1. CONONOR joineth to Canara extending Southward on the shore about 20 miles where is bordereth on the Kingdome of Calicut The chief Cities of which 1. Cononor giving name to the whole Kingdom well built and beautified with a very fair Haven not more safe than spacious capacious of the greatest vessels and for that cause much frequented by forein Merchants but specially by the Portugals who for the assuring of their trade have here a Citadel erected and well garrisoned with the Kings consent 2. Cota not far from Cangeraco the border betwixt this and Canara 3. Peripatan on the confines of Calicute 4. Marabia 5. Tramopatan 6. Main intermediate Towns but not much observable 2. CALICVTE South from Cononor extending on the Sea-shore 25 Leagues and situate in the most pleasant and fruitfull part of all Malabar Chief Towns whereof 1. Pandaram on the skirts of Cononor 2. Tanor a retiring place of the Kings 3. Patangale 4 Chatua on the borders of Cranganor 5. Chale a strong peece once in the hands of the Portugueze but in the year 1601 recovered by the King of Calicute who had besieged it with an Army of 90000 men 6. Capacote the Haven to Calicute 7. Calicute the chief City of the Kingdom to which it gives name in length upon the Sea three miles and a mile in breadth containing about 6000 houses but standing some of them far asunder mean and low-built few of them exceeding the height of a man on horse-back the soil being so hollow and full of water that it is not capable of the foundation of an heavier building for that cause unwalled Insomuch that Merchants houses are here valued but at 20. Crowns those of the common sort at no more than ten Which notwithstanding of great trading and much frequented by Arabians Persians Syrians Indians yea the very Tartars these last from the furthest parts of Cathaâ— 6000 miles distant The common Staple in those times of all Indian Merchandise till distracted into severall Ports by the power of the Portugaâ—s who being more industrious and better Architects have forced a foundation on the shore for a very strong Castle by which they do command the Haven and receive custome of all Merchandise going in and out The inconvenience whereof being found by the King of Calicute he besieged it with 100000 men and though the Portugals held it out a whole winter together yet in the end they were fain to quit it but first den olished it to the ground that it might not be made usefull to those of Calicute A City of exceeding wealth and of no less wantonness the men here using to change wives with one another to confirm their Amities the women spending their whole time in adorning themselves with Rings and Jewels about their ears necks legs arms and upon their brests though going naked for the most part one would think that a little dressing might suffice them If covered it is onely with a smock of Calicut a kind of linnen cloth here made and from hence so called and that not used but by those of the better sort 3. CRANGANOR lieth on the South of Calicute a small Kingdom and affording little worth the speaking of but that a great part of the Inhaâ—itants of it are of those old Christians whom they call Christians of Saint Thomas Cranganor the chief City which gives name to the whole assumed to be so full of them that they amount unto the number of 70000 vexed and exposed to publique scorn both by the Idâ—laters and Mahometans amongst whom they live The City rich commodiously built for trade at the mouth of a River which watering with his crooked streams the most part of the Country makes it fat and flourishing 4. COCHIN more South than Cranganor extended on the shore for the space of 40. Leagues and therein many Christians of the first plantation besides some converts made of later times by the Jesuâ—tes Towns of most note herein 1. Augamale the Arch-Bishops Sce of those antient Christians fifteen miles from Cochin 2. Cochin a Bishops See but of later erection and the chief City of this Kingdome which takes name from hence Situate on the mouth or out-let of the River Mangat by which almost encompassed like a Demy-Iland Of great trade in regard of its Haven very safe and spacious as also by the friendship of the Portugal Nation By whose power and favor they have not onely freed themselves from the King of Calicute to whom before they did acknowledge some subjection but drawn from thence a great part of the trafick also this King permitting them to erect a Castle on the Haven to secure their trade which the other on good reasons of State forced them to destroy The King hereof in some respect superiour unto him of Calicute when a Vassal to him this King being the Pipe or Cheif Bishop as it were of all the Bramines for which cause reverenced by all the Kings of Malabar as the Pope by many Princes of these Western parts who look upon him as the head of their superstitâ—or no pay him many Annuall duties 5. CAI-COLAM is on the South of Cochin with which agreeing both in the temper of the Air and the fertility of the Earth which notwithstanding the King hereof is not so rich as his other neighbours Here live also mary of the old Christians taking name from Saint Thomas but those so destitute of Priests and Ministers to instruct them in the Principles of Christianity that once in three years there came some formerly from the Patriarch of Muzall in Assyria to baptize their children Better I hope provided for in these later daies since their embosoming and reconcilement to the Church of Rome Their chief Town of the same name with the Country hath a very fair Haven in the fashion of a Semi-Circle well traded till destroyed by the Portugals but since that re-edified Of less note there are many both Towns and Villages but such as do deserve here no particular mention 6. COVLAN upon the South of Cai-Colam extended 20. Leagues more Southwards upon the Shores is said to be destitute of corn but plentifull of pepper and most sorts of spices So stored with Horses and sit Riders to serve upon them that the King hereof keeps 20000 Horse in continuall readiness either for invasion or Defence This Kingdome as the rest before takes name from the chief City of it which is called Coulan 24. miles from Cochin and once a member of this Kingdome of great resort by forein Merchants by reason of the fair and commodious Haven In former times the ordinary Seat of the Cobritin or chief Priest of the Bramines till removed to Cochin and held to be the Metropolis or mother City of all Malabar the rest being thought to be but Colontes of this Both in the City and the
this City and the rest of his Subjects of Muantâ—y It is said that for the use of this City only being eated like Venice upon many little Ilands not bridged together there are no fewer than 200000 skiffes and shallops serving to wast the people from one place to another By means hereof of great strength and almost impregnable But being beleagured by the Tanguan or 〈◊〉 Conquerour with ten hundred thousand fighting men an Army bigge enough to have buryâ—d a greater City than this if every man had but cast a shovell full of earth upon it it was wonne at last The Government of these kings of Siam was absolute heretofore if not tyrannical he being sole Lord of all the land in his kingdomes which he either gave to his Nobles or Farmed out to Husbandmen during life or pleasure but never passed over unto any the right of Inheritance And these he grants unto his Subjects besides rents in money upon condition to mairtain a determinate number of horse Foot and Elephants thereby inabled without further charge unto the Subject to leavy 20000 Horse and 250000 Foot for present service besides far greater numbers out of the residue of his people if occasion be And for his ordinary Guard he was said to keep 6000 Souldiers and 200 Elephants of which beasts he is reported to have 30000 of which every tenth Elephant is trained up to the war By reason of so great a power he became Master of the Realms of Camboia and Champa held those of Mâ—lâ—ca Jâ—r Pahan and Patane as his Vassals and Tributaries with that of Jangoma and the Laos under his protection But when the fatal time was come and that his City of Siam was betrayed to the king of Pegu he poisoned himself upon the newes his sonne becoming Tributary to the Peguan Victor This sonne of his too much a Prince to be a Subject reuolted from a sonne of the Peguan a vicious and tyrannical King degenerating from the gallantries of so worthy a Father by whom he was besieged in Siam with 900000 fighting men Unable to resist this Army if he had presently declared such a resolution he entertained the king with Treaties and promises of delivering the City to him till the third moneth after which was March when ordinarily the River was to overflow all the Countrey for 120 miles about by which sudden and violent inundation and the sword together the Siamites waiting diligently for the opportunity there perished all of this great Army except 70 thousand After this blow the conquering Siamite Anno 1600 besieged and endangered the City of Pegu of which more annon and dying in the year 1605. left his estate unto his Brother Whose sonne succeeding settled a Factory in Siam of the English Merchants Anno 1612. and was in a fair way of obtaining the soveraignty of Pegu then destroyed and wasted if the violent and unresitable coming of the king of Barms had not crossed him in it to whom now subject with the rest of the Indian Princes on that side of the River 6. PEGV PEGV is bounded on the East with Jangoma and a part of Siam on the North with the kingdomes of Brama on the West and South with the kingdome and Golf of Bengala So called from Pegu the chief City as that is by the name of the River upon which it standeth Divided commonly into the kingdoms and estates of 1. Verma 2. Macin 3. Orrachan 4. Martavan and 5. Pegu specially so called 1. VERMA is the name of a small kingdome bordering upon Bengala and so denominated from Verma the chief Town thereof A kingdome which hath no Port or Haven at all and therefore wholly freed of Moores and Mahometans which can be said of no other of these Indian kingdoms The people black naked above the Waste and covered beneath it onely with a veil of Cotton in matter of Religion Gentiles and in wane right valiant This last apparent by the long and frequent warres which they had with the Peguans to whom made Tributary in conclusion but not fully conquered 2. MACIN so called from Macin the chief City thereof is another of these Peguans kingdoms Of small esteem but for the great quantity of the sweet-wood by the Latines called Lignum vitae by the natives Calamba so much in use for Funeralls and Bathes as was said before held also by the Indians for a Sovereign and unparallell'd Medicine against many dangerous diseases great quantities whereof are brought hence yearly by the Merchant One of the first kingdoms which was conquered by the king of Barma upon whom it bordereth in the beginning of his Fortunes 3. ORRACHAN or Arrachan lieth on the West of Macin and the South of Verma environed round with mountains and impassable woods Chief Towns thereof 1. Dia ga taken and destroyed by the Portugals in the quarrels betwixt them and the king of Arrachan Anno 1608. â— Sundiva situate in an Iland unto which it gives name fix leagues off from the continent of Bengala to which it formerly belonged Subdued by the Portugals Anno 1602. and from them taken by this king about two years after and made a member of his kingdom The Iland 30 leagues in compass very strong fruitfull and the Town well fortified 3. Arrachan the head City which gives name to all distant from the Sea 45 miles but seated on a large and capacious River The king and kingdom of no note till the ruins of Pegu to the Crown whereof it once pertained In the desolation of which State the king hereof combining with him of Tangu besieged the second Tanguan king in the Castle of Macan and had betwixt them the whole pillage of that wealthy City together with the possession of the best Towns of it After this victory he returned to Arrachan in triumph leading with him the white Elephant of the king of Pegu sumptuously adorned the brother and two sonnes of the Peguan following in the Pagâ—ant A solemn and magnificent entry The better to assure himself of his new dominions this king bestowed upon the Portugals the fort of Siriangh on the River of Pegu. For which favour ill-requited by the Portugals who had taken his sonne and put him to a grievous ransom they brake out into open warres In the pursuit whereof after many losses the king recovered from them the Isle of Sundiva and manning out a Fleet of 1200 sail of which 75 were of so great burden as to carry every one twelve peeces of Ordnance and in that fleet 30000 Souldiers 8000 hand-guns and 3500 greater peeces besieged the Fortress assisted in that action also by the king of Tangu And though he failed in his design yet like enough he had prevented the king of Avâ— who took it in the year 1613 as before is said had he not been outed in the mean time of his own kingdom by the king of Barma of whole great rise the conquering of the Realms of Macin and Arrachan were the first foundation 4. MARTAVAN the
Now indigent and so unprovided of all Grain for the use of their families that they are fain to furnish themselves out of other places the People not daring to manure or sow their land for fear of the Arabians who ever and anon fall into these parts and spoil what they meet with Places of most note in it in the elder times 1. Adrumetum or Adrumystus now called Machometta once a Roman Colony and the Metropolis of the Province of Byzacena by consequence in the times of Christianity an Archbishops See walled and repaired by the Emperor Justinian and by his command called Justiniana 2. Zama the incamping place of Annibal before his battel with Scipio 3. Nadagora memorable for the great battel betwixt the two renowned Generals of Rome and Carthage not parallel'd since their own times nor in those before them In which the great Controversie between those Cities being to be tried the fortune of the day fell unto the Romans For though Annibal shewed his singular judgment in ordering his Souldiers as Scipio could not but acknowledge yet being far the weaker in horse and by an Order of the Senate of Carthage to fight in a place of disadvantage he could do no marvels the Romans with the losse of no more then 1500 of their own men killing 20000 of the Carthaginians in the fight and chase 4. Salera the first place took by Scipio after the landing of his Army 5. Vtica a Tyrian Colony beautified with an Haven capable of the greatest ships much spoke of in the wars of Carthage and memorable for the death of Cato hence sirnamed Vtican who here slew himself for fear of falling into the hands of Caesar It is now called Biserta 6. Byzacium seated in liberal and fruitful soils as was shewn before whence the Province had the name of Byzacena 7. Ruspinum made by Caesar the seat of his war in Africk against the sons and faction of Pompey as memorable in the times succeeding for being the Epiâ—copal See of S. Fulgentius 8. Thystrus remarkable for the Tragedie of the Gordiani Of which the Father in this City was saluted Emperor by the Souldiers in hatred to Maximinus then their Emperor whose Procurator they had slain in a tumult but his party being discomfited by Capellianus whom Maximinus sent against him and his son killed in the defeat upon the hearing of the news he here hanged himself 9. Hippagreta on a great Lake betwixt Carthage and Vtica once of the Towns which held out longest for the Mercinaries in their desperate Rebellion against the Carthaginians by which the Estate of that great City was in danger of ruine at the end of the first Punick war 10. CARTHAGE once the Lady and Mistresse of Africk situate in the bottom of a safe and capacious Bay the entrances whereof were very strongly fortified both by art and nature Environed with the Sea except upon one side only where joyned unto the Land by a narrow Isthmus about two miles and an half in breadth In compasse 24 miles but measuring by the outward wall it was 45. For without the wall of the City it self there were three wals more betwixt each of which there were three or four Streets with Vaults under ground of 30 foot deep wherein they had place for 300 Elephants and all their Fodder with Stables over them for 4000 Horse and all their Provender and Lodging in those Out-streets for the Riders of the said Horse and for 20000 Foot besides which never came within the City to annoy or pester it On the South side stood the Castle called Byrsa which took up two miles and an half in compasse first built by Dido on that ground which she obtained of the Libyans when she got leave to buy only so much land of them as she could compasse round about with an Oxes hide In that the sumptuous Temple of their antient Deities Juno Apollo Aesculapius Belus On the West-side a standing Pool made of the Sea-water let into it by so narrow a passage that there was but 70 foot open for the Sea to enter On which they had a stately Arsenal with their Ships and Gallies riding by it Of the foundation and affairs of this mighty City we have spoke already The Government of it first by Kings those absolute enough at first afterwards limited by the Senate and finally made meerly titulary by the power of the People which unproportionable mixture is much condemned by Aristotle in the 2. of his Politicks Their Territories before the second Punick war when they were at the greatest extended on the Sea-coasts of the Mediterranean from the Greater Syrtis to the Streits and so unto the River Iberus for the space of 2000 miles in length their Revenues answerable and readily brought in by reason of their infinite trading Which made the Roman people think themselves unsafe whilst this City stood Resolved on the destruction of it they sent against it L. Martius and M. Manlius their two Consuls with a puissant Army to whom the Carthaginians willingly delivered up their Arms and Shipping contracting only for the preservation of the City it self which was faithfully promised But when they had withall given up the sons of their principal men to be sent to Rome for Pledges of their future loyaltie they were told that a City consisted not in wals but in lawes and government These with the Corporation should remain as formerly the Town to be removed ten miles further off where there was no Sea to thrive and grow rich upon Enraged herewith it was resolved to abide the utmost but they wanted necessaries for resistance That want supplied for want of Iron to make Arms with Gold and Silver the Houses pulled down to furnish them with timber to build a Navy and noble Ladies cutting off the hair of their heads to make Ropes and Cordage 25000 Women listed to defend the wals But the fatal moment being come a second Scipio is sent thither to dispatch the work by whom at last the Town was taken and for 17 dayes together consumed with fire the Queen and multitudes of the People burning themselves in the Temple of Aesculapius because they would not fall into the hands of the Romans Reedified by Iulius Caesar and made a Colonie it recovered some part of her former lustre but so that her chief glory was rather to be sought for in her antient then her present fortunes Populi Romani Colonia olim Imperii ejus pertinax amula priorum excidio rerum quam ope prasentium clarior was her character in the times of Pomponius Mela. But in this last Estate accompted for the Metropolis of the Diocese of Africk the Residence of the Vicarius or Lieutenant-General and the See of the chief Primate of the African Churches who had 164 Bishops under him in that one Province wherein Carthage stood Destroyed in the succeeding times by the Vandals and after that by the Saracens it is at last reduced to nothing but a few scattered
Time made more antiently the Kingdom of the Masaesyli one of the most powerful Nations in all this tract over whom reigned Syphax before mentioned called therefore by Strabo Masaesylilia with good propriety and corruptedly Massylia The Kingdom extended in length from East to West for the space of 380 miles but of breadth not answerable Is generally of the same nature as to the Soil and Air with the rest of Barbary sufficiently fruitful towards the Sea more barren and uncomfortable in the Southern parts But meanly peopled by reason of the continual spoils made by the Arabians who possess the Desarts and the Cities of it much wasted by continual wars Nor have the People any peculiar Character but what belongeth to others of these Africans also Places of most importance in it 1. Guagyda inconveniently seated as paying their accustomed tributes to the King of Tremesen their natural Prince and contribution to the Arabians who are here so numerous and powerful that the Kings themselves of this small kingdom were fain to buy their peace of them at excessive rates 2. Tigedent somtimes famous and abounding with men of learning now almost forsaken by reason of the ill neighbourhood of these Arabians 3. Tebocrit inhabited for the most part by Weavers 4. Bresch the Inhabitants whereof use to paint a black Crosse on their cheek and another on the palm of their hands the reason of which custom they are ignorant of but some conceive it to be a remembrance of their Christianity 5 Ned-Roma built as the people do pretend by the antient Romans as an Epitome or Abridgment of that mighty City to which it is said to have some resemblance and that imported by the name which signifieth in their language Like to Rome Perhaps the same which Ptolomy calleth Novum oppidum or the New-town then a Roman Colonie 6. Batha once a great City since decaied by wars 7. Oran a noted Haven on the Mediterranean said to contain no sewer then 10000 Families Powerful at Sea and much infesting with their Gallies the Coasts of Spain till taken for Ferdinand the Catholick by Peter of Navar A. 1506 since which time peopled possessed by the Spaniards In vain besieged by the Turks A. 1562. 8. Masalquivir a fair and capacious Haven on the same Sea also and taken by the said Peter of Navar about the same time 9. Haresgol in former times of much esteem amongst the Moors but being destroyed by the King or Sultan of Cairoan it bequeathed its greatness unto Tremesen which after grew into renown 10. Tremesen once adorned with many beautiful Mosques and five sumptuous Colleges curiously wrought with Mosuick work So populous that there were reckoned in it 16000 families and so well fortified that it held out seven years against Joseph the great King of Fesse not taken after that though they were very much weakned by Abulthasen or Albohacen his son successor under a siege of 30 moneths By those and the succeeding troubles it hath undergone exceedingly impaired both in strength and beauty More antient 11. Siga an African City and a Roman Colonie the retiring place of Syphax and Bocchus sometimes Kings of this Country 12. Arsenaria another Colonie of the Romans 13. Jol the seat-royal of king Bocchus after such time as this country was conferred upon him by the Romans on the taking of Jugurth called afterwards Casarea in honor of Augustus Caesar whose Feudatories the Kings hereof were then accounted or as some say in honor of Claudius Caesar by whom made a Colonie the Metropolis of it also when a Roman Province which from hence was called Caesariensis Situate in or near the place where Oran now stands which seemeth to have risen out of the ruines of it 14. Saldae a Roman Colonie also out of whose ruines rose Algiers 15. Algiers by the Arabians called Gezeir now the chief City of this Kingdom situate near the Sea in the form of a Triangle with an Haven to it but neither great nor safe from the north-winds which do much annoy it The buildings very beautiful the publike Innes Bathes and Mosques exceeding sumptuous every Trade having a several place or street by it self But that which is the greatest grace of it is the situation of the houses standing in even streets one above another upon the rising of a steep Hill so that the windows of one street or row of housing do all along overlook the tops of the other next beneath which yieldeth to the Sea a most pleasant prospect A City not so large as strong and not so strong as famous Famous for being the receptacle and retrait-place of the Turkish Pirats who domineer so infinitely over the Mediterranean to the great damage of the Merchants of all Nations that frequent those seas Famous also for the shipwrack which Charles the fifth here suffered who besieging this Town lost in the haven of it at one tempest besides an infinite number of Karvels and small Boats divers strong Gallies 140 ships a great many excellent peeces of Ordinance such a number of gallant Horses that in Spain the race of horses for service had like to have been lost for ever and above half his men It long enjoyed the benefit of proprietary princes but Homagers or Tributaries to the Kings of Tremesen till such time as Selimes and Mahomet faling out made the first and that an irreparable breach in the Government For Selimes to strengthen his side implored the aid of Hairaccius Barbarossa a noble Pirate who taking his best advantage slew the disjointed Brethren and setled himself in the kingdom which he had scarce made warm when he left it to Hairadine Barbarossa his brother An. 1514 This Hairadine drove the Spaniards out of Bugia and was so renowned for Martial prowesse that Solyman the magnificent made him Lord High-Admiral of his Fleet which office when to the prejudice of Christendome he had fortunately and for long time undergone he died lamented and made the Turk the heir of his kingdom the kingdom of Tremesen being made subject to the Turks much about that time 16. Tetuan and 17. Sargel situate Westward of Algiers Towns of Trade and Pyracie The old Inhabitants of this Kingdom when a Roman Province were the Herpiditani Taladusii Thalesssii Malchubii Maccurebi Chituae and others of as little note the most predominant Nation being the Masasyli over whom and in that over all the rest reigned Syphax spoken of before unfortunately famous for his tragical love to Sophonisba for whose sake siding with the Carthaginians against the Romans he was vanquished and sent prisoner to Rome His kingdom given to Masinissa King of the Numidians continued in his line till the death of Jugurth and then bestowed upon the Kings of Mauritania part of whose kingdom it was reckoned in the following times till made a Province of the Empire by the Emperor Clandius Won from the Romans by the Vandals and then by the Saracens it followed the fortunes of these last while they stood
of it fruitful withal of a kind of Plant used in dying Clothes which is hence called Mader and of Sugar Canes in such a wonderful manner that for a time the fifths of the Sugars herein made amounted yearly to 60000 Azzobes now not half so much The Isle wonderfully fruitful also of Honey Wax rich Fruits and the choicest Wines the Slips where of were brought from Candy bringing forth here more grapes then leaves and Clusters of two three and four spans long The Hils well stored with Goats the Plains with numerous Herds of Cattel the Woods with Peacocks Thrushes Pigeons these last so ignorant of the injury which Man might do them that at the first coming of the Portugals thither they would suffer themselves to be taken up but now have wit enough to keep out of danger The whole Iland in all parts well watered having besides many pleasant Springs eight handsome Riverets wherewith the Earth refresh'd and moistned yields the sweeter Herbage which otherwise by reason of the heat of the Air never very cool might not be so nourishing The chief City of it hath the name of Fouchial the See of an Archbishop and the Seat of Justice known to the Romans by the name of Junonis or Antolala as many learned men conceive and again forgotten it was of late times discovered by one Machan an English man who was cast upon it by a tempest An. 1344. who burying there his wife or some other woman which he had in his company writ on her tomb his name and coming thither with the cause thereof which gave the Portugals occasion to look further after it Desolate and unpeopled at the first discovery now exceeding populous and of no small advantage to the Crown of Portugal to which first united An. 1420. under the conduct of Prince Henry before mentioned 14. INSVLA PORTVS SANCTI or the Isle of HOLY-PORT is distant from Madera about 40 miles neighbouring the Coasts of Mauritania Tingitana and therefore probably conceived to be the Cerne of Ptolomie So called because discovered by some Portugal Mariners by the direction and encouragement of the said P. Henry on All-hallows day An. 1428. Desolate and unhabited at the first discovery but now very well peopled In compass about 15 miles well stored with Corn and Fruits great shoals of Fish upon their shores plenty enough of Beeves and Goats but such abundance of Conies bred of one Doe Coney brought thither when great with young that the Inhabitants were no less pestered with them in these later times then the Baleares were of old insomuch that they were out of hope to withstand the mischief or repair the damages sustained by them A little Iland not far off breedeth nothing else The chief Town of it Pâ—rto Santo or HolyPort seated on a convenient Rode but a sorry Haven was taken by Sir Amias Preston in our wars with Spain An. 1596. but being sacked and spoiled was again abandoned In former times called Cerne as before was said and reckoned for the most remote Colony which the Carthaginians or Phoenicians had in the Western Ocean beyond which they conceived the Sea to be unnavigable proved otherwise by Hanno's voyage choked with mud and weeds Called therefore Cerne ultima AEthiopum populos alit ultima Cerne by Festus Rufus and others of the Antient writers 15. THE HESPERIDES 15. THE HESPERIDES by Pliny and Pomponius Melae are said to be two in number situate in the Atlantick Seas but we find not where Much memorized and chanted by the Antient Poets for the giving a safe and pleasant habitation to the daughters of Atlas which they call by the name of Hesperides also the curious Gardens by them planted and the Golden Apples of it which were kept by a Dragon and took hence by Hercules But the Historians remove these Gardens out of the Sea into the main Land of Africk and fix them in Cyrene where already spoken of Which not withstanding it is granted that there were antiently some Ilands in the Atlantick Ocean noted by this name and said to be exceeding fruitful of their own accord and therefore probably the same which Plutarch in the Life of Sertorius calleth Insulae Atlantica and describes them thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They are saith he two Ilands parted by a narrow Streit of the Sea distant from the main land of Africk 10000 furlongs which in our accompt cometh to 1250 miles called also the Isles of Blessed Souls and the Fortunate Ilands They have rain there very seldom but a fine sweet Dew which makes the Earth exceeding fruitful both for tillage and planting fruits which sometimes grow without any care or labour of the husband-man sufficient by their plenty and sweetness to maintain the people much given to ease and hardly troubling themselves with any business The Air for the most part very temperate never extreme in any changes of the season the rigor of the Northern and Eastern winds being by so long a passage thither very much abated as on the other side the Western and South-Eastern winds do much refresh it with such Mists as they bring from the Sea to the great comfort of the people A place so generally sweet that the Barbarous people in it have a constant and approved opinion that these should be the Elysian Fields the seats of the blessed souls departed described by Homer with the report whereof Sertorius was so highly taken that he intended to have given over the pursuit of the Civil wars and there to spend the rest of his dayes in peace and happiness which he had done if the Cilicians men accustomed unto spoil and rapine had not took him off So far and to this purpose Plutarch But what these Ilands are and where now to be sound for in regard of their great distance from the Coast of Africk they cannot be the Fortunate Ilands spoken of before I cannot easily determine unless we should conjecture as Ortelius doth that they are the Ilands of Cuba and Hispaniola on the Coasts of America to the Storie and Chorographie whereof we are now to hasten And so much for the Isles of Africk A Table of the Longitude and Latitude of the principal Towns and Cities mentioned in this Part. A Long. Latit Agadez 39. 20. 25.30 Alexandria 67.0 31.20 Algiers 33.0 35.20 Amara 63.30 5.0 A. Angola 45.10 7. 0. A. Asna 66.30 25. Azamor 18.30 32.40 Arquin 11.10 20.20 Adrimetum   B Babel Mandel 80.01 12.50 Bagamedrum 62.36 6.0 Barca 62  Benin 41.0 7. 40. Bona 37.10 35.40 Borno 4430. 17.10 Brava 74.30 0.30 Budomel 10.20 1430. Bugia 34.30 35.10 Babylon Egypt   C Caire 67.30 30.0 Cyrene 53.30 32.0 Canaria 9.30 27.20 Carthage   Cirta   D Damlata 69.0 32.40 Damut 51.0 11.20 Dancall 65.0 17.30 Dara 66.50 12.0 Docono 78.20 12.30 F Fatigar 74.0 2.40 A. Feffe 21.50 32.50 Fierro 6.20 26.30 Forte ventura 11.0 28.0 Fouchial 8.10 31.30 G Gamba 64.49 17.30 A.
in the elder times the greatest those of Jason Vlysses and Alexander with the Fleets of Solomon and the Egyptian Kings Of these Jason and his companions say led in the ship called Argo through the Euxine Sea and part of the Mediterranean Vlysses through the Mediterranean only small gullets if compared with the Ocean Alexander's journey so famoused and accounted then so hazardous was but sayling down the River Indus and four-hundred surlongs into the Ocean and for the Fleets of Solomon and the Kings of Egypt it is very apparant that they went with great leisure and crawled close by the shore-side otherwise it had been impossible to have consumed three whole years in going from Ezion-Geber into India and returnning again which was the usual time of these voyages as appeareth in 1 King 10. 22. After the fall of the Roman Monarchy the most potent States by Sea in the Mediterranean were the Genoese and Venetians in the Ocean the English and the Hans-towns neither of which ever attempted any great discoveries But in the year 1300. one Flavio of Malphi in the Realm of Naples found out the Compass or Pixis Nautica consisting of 8 winds only the four principal and four collateral And not long after the people of Bruges and Antwerp perfected that excellent invention adding 24 other subordinate winds or points By means of this excellent Instrument and with all by the good success of Columbus the Portugals Eastward the Spaniards Westward and the English Northwards have made many glorious and fortunate Expeditions which had been utterly impossible to have been performed and had been foolishly undertaken when that help was wanting I know there hath been much pains taken by some learned men to prove the use of the Mariners Compass to be far more antient then is now commonly pretended Fuller a very learned and industrious man but better skilled in the Hebrew tongue then the Philologie of the Greeks and Latines will have it known to Solomon and by him taught unto the Tyrians and Phaenicians the most famous Sea-men of old times but he brings no Argument of weight to make good the cause Nor is it possible that such an excellent invention so beneficial to the common good of all mankind should have been forgotten and discontinued for the use of more then 2000 years if ever the Tyrians and Phoenicians had been masters of it who could not possibly conceal it had they been so minded from the Common-Mariners or they not have communicated it for gain or desire of glory to the Greeks and Romans under whom successively they lived As little moment do I find in some other Arguments as that the Lapis Heraclius of the Antient writers or the Versoria of Plautus should be by them intended of the Mariners Compass For plainly the Versoria of Plautus is no other then that peece of tackle which our Mariners now call the Belin by which they use to turn their Sails and fit them to the change of every wind And so much doth appear by the Poet himself in the Comedie which he cals Mercator saying Hinc ventus nunc secundus est cape modo Versoriam So called from Verso to turn often or from Versum the first Supine of Verto whence Velum vertere is a common phrase amongst the Latines used for the shifting of the Sail as the wind doth vary As for the Load stone it is called indeed Heraclius Lapis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Greeks not because Hercules Tyrius whom the Phoenicians invocated when they were at Sea had first found out the vertue of it as our Fuller thinketh but because first found neer Heraclea a City of Lydia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Hesychius the old Grammarian Called for the same reason Magnes by the writers both Greek and Latine because first found in the Territory of Magnesia a City of Lydia also whereof Heraclea was a part So Suidas telleth us for the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heraclium Lapidem quidam Magnesiam reddiderunt quia Heraclea pars est Magnesiae Called for the very same reason Lydius Lapis also and by them known only as a touch stone Thus old Lucretius for the Latines Quem Magneta vocant patrio de nomine Graii Magnetum quia sit patriis de finibus ortus Which Stone the Greeks do Magnes name Because it from Magnesia came But I have rambled further then I did intend drawn by the vertue of the Load-stone too much out of my way It is time now to return again into America where the Spaniards at their first Arrival found the People without all manner of Apparel nought skilled in Agriculture making their bread either of a Plant called Maize or a kind of Root called Jucca a Root wherein is a venemous liquor not inferior to the most deadly poisons but having first queezed out this juice and after dryed and prepared the Root they made their Bread of it They worshipped Devilish Spirits whom they called Zemes in remembrance of whom they kept certain Images made of Cotton wooll like our Childrens Babies to which they did great reverence as supposing the Spirit of the Zemes to be in them and to blind them the more the Devil would cause these Puppets to seem to move and to make a noise They stood also in so great fear of them that they durst not displease them for if their wils were not fulfilled the Devil strait executed vengeance upon some of their Children so holding this infatuated People in perpetual thraldom So ignorant they were of all things which they had not seen that they thought the Christians to be immortal wondring exceedingly at the Sails Masts and Tacklings of their Ships themselves knowing no Ships or other Vessels but huge Troughs made of some great bodied tree But this opinion of the Christians immortality in the sense they meant it did not long continue for having taken some of them they held their heads under the water till they had quite choaked them by which they knew them to be mortal like other men Quite destitute of all good learning they reckoned their time by a confused observation of the course of the Moon and strangely admired to see the Spaniards know the health and affairs of one another only by reading of a Letter Of a plain and honest nature for the most part they were found to be Loving and kind in their entertainments and apt to do good offices both private and publike accordâ—ng to their understandings encouraged thereunto by an opinion which they had that beyond some certain hills but they knew not where those which lived honestly and justly or offered up their lives in defence of their Country should find a place of everlasting peace and happiness So natural is the knowledge of the Souls immortality and of some Ubi for the future reception of it that we find some tract or other of it in most barbarous Nations And as for Gold and Silver which the new come Christians
that Grant confirmed by Guido Legat of Pope Benedict the ninth with the Popes consent Ano. 1304. Other improvements there were made by the following Princes according to the chance of war but none of theâ—â—ontinued constant in their possession but these three Cities and the Territories adjoyning to them As for this Family de Esto Familia Atestina it is called in Latine it took this name from Esto or Atesto a small Town in the Signeury of Venice conferred upon the Ancestors of this Azo by Charles the Great And for the chiefs or Princes of it they have been men of great authority and power in their severall times commanding sometimes the Venetian Armies and sometimes the Popes great favourers of learned men and advancers of learning insomuch that the Renaldo's and Rogero's of Este make up a great part of the Poems of Ariosto and Tasso two of the greatest wits of Italie and finally allied to many of the best Houses of Christendom The Catalogue of whom since they were made the hereditary Lords and Princes of this noble City I have here subjoyned The Dukes and Marquesses of Ferrara 1236. 1 Actius or Azo de Este the ninth of that name but first hereditary Marquess of Ferrara by the Grant of the Pope 1264. 2 Obizo the sixt of that name Grand-sonne to Azo by his sonne Rinaldo second Marquess of Ferrara 1293. 3 Azo the tenth of Este and II. of Ferrara sonne to Obizo 1308. 4 Francisco brother to Azo the 2d. after whose death Ano. 1312. Ferrara for a time was under the command of the Popes 1312. 5 Alobrandinus brother of Franciscus who had the Title to but not the possession of Ferrara 1315. 6 Reinoldo the 3d. of Este and the first of Ferrara recovered Ferrara from the Pope and cast out his Garrisons 1317. 1335. 7 Obizo II. brother of Reinaldo 1352. 8 Alabrandino II. sonne of Obizo 1361. 9 Nicolao the 2d. of Este and first of Ferrara brother of Alabrandino whose children being young he dispossessed of the Estate 1388. 10 Albertus brother of Nicolas the Founder of the University of Ferrara Ano. 1392. 1393. 11 Nicolas II. base sonne of Albertus 1441. 12 Leonellus the base sonne of Nicolas in the minority of his brother Hercules begot in lawfull Wedlock invaded the Estate and held it 1450. 13 Borsius another of the base sonnes of Nicolas 2d. succeeded Leonel in the Estate who being made Duke of Mutina by Frederick the 3d. was by Pope Paul created Duke of Ferrara also Ano. 1470. 1471. 14 Hercules the lawfull sonne of Nicolas the 2d. made Knight of the Garter by King Edward 4th 1505. 15 Alphonso the sonne of Hercules 1534. 16 Hercules II. sonne of Alphonso 1559. 17 Alphonso II. who dying without lawfull issue Ano. 1595. Pope Clement the 8th challenged this Estate in the right of the Church and partly by force partly by composition whereof we shall say more when we come to Modena united it for ever to the See of Rome The yeerly Revenues of this Dukedom were heretofore two hundred and fifty thousand Crowns now not so much worth unto the Pope by reason of the Alienation of Modena and Regio of which more hereafter The Arms of these Dukes which for the honour of this noble and illustrious Family and for the strangeness of the Coat I shall here put down were Palewise of three pieces 1. Partie per Fesse in the chief Or an Eagle displayed Sable membred langued and crowned Gules and in Base Azure three Flowers de Lys Or within a Border indented Or and Gules 2. Gules two keys in Saltier the one Or the other Argent charged in Fesse with an Eschocheon of pretence Azure supporting an Eagle of the third membred and crowned of the second over all in chief a Papall Crown Or garnished with sundry Gâ—ms Azure and Purple 3 The third as the first counter-placed Which Coat upon the failing of the house of Ferrara doth now belong to that of Modena and Reggio 2 MARCA ANCONITANA is bounded on the East with the River of Trontus or Dâ—uentus by which it is parted from Abruzzo on the West with the River Isaurus now Foglio which divides it from Româ—aâ—iola on the South with the Apennine Hills on the North with the Adriatick It was formerly the dwelling of the Picentes who possessed all these parts on the coast of the Adriatick from the River Bubicon on the East to that of Aufidus on the West For aiding the Tarentines their Allies in their war against Romo they were invaded and subdâ—ed by the Romans about five years before the first Punick war under the conduct of Sempronius at which time they were so great and multitudinous a nation that they were numbered to amount to 360000 which were then brought under the command and vassilage of the Roman Empire When Italie was divided into no more than eight Regions these Pâ—centes only made up one so did they also when divided into eleven Afterwards in the time of the Antonini they made up one of the sixteen Provinces into which Italie was divided by those Emperours and the same repute it held in the time of Constantine Picenum being alwayes one Asculum caput gentis as Florus calls it which was the head of their Nation being the Metropolis of the Province In the declining of the Empire it was first called Marcha Fâ—rmians from Firnio once a Roman Colony and at that time of most importance in the Country but by transferring the chief seat from Firmo to Ancona in the time of the Lombards it came to have the name of Anconitana The chief Rivers besides those named already which are only borderers are 1 Chientus 2 Sentinus and 3 Potentia all rising in the Apennine and passing with a swift course to the Adriatick The chief Towns 1 Ancona seated on the Hill Cimmerius shooting into the sea glorying in giving name to the Province and in her Haven built by Traâ—an the Emperor one of the fairest in the world not so much for capacity as the pleasantness and beauty of it the descents down unto the water being made of Marble and very delectable walking on all sides of it The City it self is begirt with hils on one of which Pope Clement the seventh built a very strong Castle An. 1532. under pretence of defending the Town against the Turks but indeed to keep the people in more full subjection who till that time did yearly chuse their own Magistrates and lived according to their own Laws like a Commonwealth 2 Recanati heretofore Aelia Recina seated upon the banks of the River Mulsio renowned for the great concourse of Merchants from all parts of Europe at her Annuall Marts and a vein of the most excellent Wines 3 Fâ—â—mo surnamed the Strong in former times of most esteem in all the Province which was hence called Marca Firmiana and to this day a place of great strength and consequence 4 Macerata now of most credit by reason that the Popes
Legate keeps his residence there and with him the Chancery for this Marquisate 5 Loretto called in Latin Lauretana a little City betwixt Recanati and the Sea well fortified against the Turkes and other Pirates who once spoyled the same and might be easily tempted thither on the like occasions The Church here being admirably rich and frequented by Pilgrims from all parts to pay their devotions unto our Lady of Loretto and behold her Miracles Concerning the removall of whose Chamber hither in our description of Palestine you shall meet with a very proper Legend 6 Ascoli surnamed the Fair seated at the influx of the River Druentus and on the furthest side of it towards Abruzzo and so the furthest City Eastwards of old called Asculum conquer'd by the Romans under the conduct of Sempronius A. V. C. 685. Nigh unto this City as Florus relateth was fought the second battell between C. Fabricius and the Romans on the one side and Pyrchus with the Epirots on the other wherein the Victory fell to the King having slain 6000 of his Enemies yet with such apparencie of valour and vertue in the Romans that he could not but break forth into this acclamation O quam facile esset orbem vincere aut mihi Romanis militibus ant me rege Romanis This Town also was the seat of the War called Bellum sociale raised by the people of Italie against the Romans Popeidius being both Author of the Rebellion and Captain They for a while sorely shaked the state of Rome but at last were vanquished and this Town by Strabo Pompeius forced and spoyled 7 Adria now not otherwise famous than that it gave denomination to the adjoyning Sea and the Emperor Adrian 8 Humana which last Town together with Ancona was given to Pope Zachary by Luit prandus King of the Lombards about the year 741. The succeeding Popes after the giving of this Inch took the whole Ell. Having surveyed the Provinces of the Church along the Adriatick we must next cross the Apennine which parts the Marches of Ancona from the Dâ—kedom of SPOLETO DUCATO SPOLETANO the Italians call it A Territory taking up the Western part of the Province of Umbria so called because being situate under the shade of the Apemine Hils it was Regio umbrosa Some give another reason of it and think that the Inhabitants were called Umbri quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as men that had escaped the Deluge because so antient a people that no body could tell the originall of them But whatsoever was the reason of the name they were a stout and valiant people and gave the first check to Annibals careere after his great Victory at Thrasymene repalsing him with loss and shame from the walls of Spoleto And for their Country which was this Region of Umbria being one of the eleven into which Italie was divided by Augustus Caesar It hath on the East the River of Anio or Aniene dividing it from the East parts of Latium on the West the Tiber on the North the Apennine on the South a reach or winding of the Tiber and the main body of Latium A Country it is of a mixâ— nature equally composed of very rough hils and yet most delectable vallies exceeding plentifull of all necessaries and much commended heretofore for the extraordinary foecunditie of the women The Wine hereof is much commended by Martial as the best of Italie De Spoletanis quae sunt cariosa lagenis Malueris quam si musta Falerna bibas That is to say If with Spoleto bottles once you meet Say that Falerno Must is no so sweet Here are said to have been once three hundred good Towns and Cities all destroyed by the Tuscans The principall of those now extant are 1 Spoletum built partly on the hill and partly on the lower ground the residence heretofore of one of the four Dukes of the Longobardians who governed as Vice-Roys or Lord Presidents of the remoter parts of that Kingdom from whence the Country round about it was called Ducato Spoletano It is still a Town of good esteem populous and of handsome building and hath a strong Fortress for defence thereof built upon the ruins of an old Amphitheatre to which men pass over a great bridge of stone upheld by 24 great pillars which joyns two Mountains together having between them a deep Vallie but narrow and without any water Theodorick the Goth built a fair Palace in this Citie rebuilt by Narses but since ruined 2 Eugubium now called Augubio seated on the foot of the Apennine in or near that place where antiently stood that City which Plinie calls Iuginium Ptolomie Isunium utterly subverted by the Gothes A Town well seated in a fruitfull and wealthy soyl and blessed with an industrious people 3 Nuceria in Plinies time called Alfatenia at the foot also of the Apennine the people of which in former times much traded in their wooden vessel 4 Assisium or Assise destroyed almost to nothing in the Civill Wars of Italie and only famous at this time in being the birth-place of S. Francis the founder of the Franciscans or Cordeliers as the French call them but we in England the Gray Friers 5 Citta de Castello antiently Tiphernum on the banks of Tiber. 6 Tudertum now called Todi seated near the Tiber on the declivitie of a rich and fruitfull hill The rest of Umbria towards the East not being within the compass of the Spoletane Dukedom but under the command of the Popes of Rome is by late Writers called SABINIA because the dwelling in times past of the antient Sabines but in the division of Italie made by Antoninus it was called Nursia and in that made by Constantine it was contained within the new Province of Valeria Reate being the Metropolis or head City of both A Territory of no great circuit but abundantly Fruitfull in Oyl or Olives Vines and Fig-trees watered with the River Farfarus which cutteth thorough the very middest of it and with the Lake called antiently Lacus Velinus now Lago di Pedeluco esteemed to be the Center or Navell of Italie by some antient Writers the waters of which are of such a nature that in short time they will cloth a peece of wood with a coat of stone and yet yeeldeth excellent Trouts and other good Fish The Towns and Cities of most note are 1 Reate now called Riete an antient City and the Metropolis heretofore of all this Tract as well when it was called Nursia as when it passed under the name of Valeria 2 Nursia a City no less antient seated amongst the Hils which for the most part are covered with snow from which Town being heretofore of more reputation the Province of Nursia spoken of in the Itinerarie of Antoninus took denomination 3 Magliano a pleasant and well-peopled Town at this time the principall of this Territory 4 Ocriculum built amongst many Fruitfull hils a mile from Tiber. 5 Narnia the Country and Birth-place of the Emperor Nerva the first of all
to inlarge their dominions but they received some notable overthrow at the hand of the Scythians and when the Tartars made over it under the conduct of Saba the Cham of Zagathay for the invasion of Persia they were shamefully beat back again by Hysmael Sophie Nor is it less memorable in old stories for the famous passage of Alexander over it in pursute of the murderers of Darius For having followed Bessus to the banks of this River and not knowing how to pass over his men there being neither ships upon it nor timber neer at hand to build them he caused a great number of bags and bladders to be stuffed with straw and so in 3 daies transported his Army So that I may truely say with his own Historian Unum id Consilium quod necessit as subjecerat iniit necessity is the best Author of fine inventions 4. Zioberis in Hyrcania which rising out of the same mountainous tract as the two last-mentioned after a long course above ground in the open light hideth himself again for the space of 38 miles and then breaketh out at a new fountain and falleth into 5. Rhadaga another chief River of those parts And this Alexander the Great found to be true by casting two Oxen into the River Zioberis which by the current of the stream were carryed under the ground and brought to light where the River had its rise again 6. Hidero by what name known unto the Antients I am not able to say but of great note amongst modern Travellers for the fall thereof into the Sea so steep and strong that the people are said to sacrifise or banket under the fall thereof the stream so violently shooting over their heads that it never wetteth them Mountains of most note are those which pass by the name of Tanrus which having left Media on the West passeth thorow the Northern Provinces of the Persian Empire dividing Parthia from Hyrcania and Paropamisus from Bactria and Aria from Margiana Known by the names of Coronus the Scriphian hills Paropamisus Caucasus whereof more as occasion serveth in their proper places It is divided into the particular Provinces of 1. Susiana 2. Persis 3. Carmania 4. Ormuz 5. Gedrosia 6. Drangiana 7. Aria 8. Parthia 9. Arachosia 10. Paropamisus 11. Hyrcania and 12. Margians Which we will severally survey in the Chorography and story till we have joined them altogether in the Persian Monarchy and then pursue the history as conjunct and fashioned into the body of one Empire 1. SVSIANA SVSIANA is bounded on the East with Persis on the West with Babylonia or Chaldea one the North with Assyria on the South with a branch of the River Tigris and some part of the Gulf of Persia It was so called quasi Cusiana or the Land of the Chusites from Chus the eldest sonne of Ham and the grandsonne of Noah by whose sonne Havilah it was first peopled and therefore called in Scripture the land of Havilah this being that land of Havilah which the River Pison is said to incompass in the Book of Genesis The difference betwixt them is that that land of Havilah lay on both sides of the River Euphrates which the Countrey of Susiana doth not and was the Eastern bound of the Ismaelites Amalekites and other Nations intermingled in those parts of Arabia For whereas Saul is said in the first of Sam. chap. 15. ver 7. to have smitten the Amalekites from Sur to Havilah that is say from the Red Sea to the gulf of Persia it must be understood of Havilah in the first extent but neither of Havilah in the East Indies so called from a sonne of Jocktan or of that part of Havilah which lay on the East side of Euphrates and is that Susiana in which now we are it being no where found that Saul was so great a Traveller as to see the Indies or of such puissance as to force a passage thorow the Countreys of the Chaldeans and Babylonians But the name of Havilah being lost that of Cusiana or Susiana did still remain preserved to this day in that of Chusestan by which now called The Countrey memorable in the Scriptures for Gold Bdellium and the Onyx-stone which doth abundantly set forth the richness and commodities of it Bdellium being a Tree for of the other two nothing need be said about the bigness of an Olive yielding a certain Gum very sweet to smell to but bitter of tast which in time hardneth to a Pearl as Eugubinus and Beroaldus have delivered to us Divided antiently into many particular Regions or at least known by severall names in its severall quarters For where it bordered upon Tigris it was called Melitene Cabandone where it touched upon Persis where it confined on the Elymeans it had the name of Cissia and neer the wall or Ditch called Fallum Pasini it was called Characene Watered besides Eulaeus and Tigris before spoken of with the Rivers Orontes and Masaeus with that branch of the River Tigris which Ptolomy called Basilius Curtius Pasi-Tigris and the Scriptures Pison Chief Cities hereof 1. Aracca spoken of by Ptolomy the same which the Scriptures call Erech and one of the four which Nimrod built in the first beginning of his Empire Gen. 11. Remembred by Tibullus for the fountains of Naphtah of which the Medians made their oyl spoken of before a bituminous liquor easily taking fire but not easily quenched Of which thus the Poet Audet Areccaeis aut unda perhospita Campis Where by unda perhospita he meaneth that bituminous liquor called Napthta issuing from the fields of Erech as the learned Salmasius hath observed in his notes on Solinus 2. Susa the Shusan of the book of Hester and Nehemiah honoured with the residence of the Persian Monarchs in winter as Ecbatana in summer Situate on the River Eulaeus by the Prophet Daniel called Ulai Built as some say by Memnon the sonne of Tithonus slain by the Thessalonians in the Trojan warres the walls whereof as Cassiodorus hath reported cemented with Gold But howsoever it was doubtless a magnificent City and of infinite wealth Alexander finding in it 50000 Talents of gold uncoined besides silver wedges and Jewels of inestimable value Memorable for the great feast here made by Ahasuerus of 180 dayes continuance for his Lords and Princes imitated by the Persian Sultans to this very day who with a Royal Feast of the like continuance do annually entertain their Nobles Now nothing but a ruine and perhaps not that 3. Elymais the chief City of the Elymaei by Ptolomy unless his Copies be corrupted mistakingly called Eldimaei Situate on the banks of Eulaeus also neer the border of Persis the Nation of the Elamites or Elymaei taking part of both Provinces Of great note antiently for a sumptuous Temple of Diant sacrilegiously ransacked by Antiochus of which see 1 Mac. 6. 2. and of such wealth by reason of the concourse of Pilgrims thither that Severus Sulpitius calleth it Oppidum opulentissimum a most opulent
City 4. Sela on the banks of Eulaeus also reckoned by Ammianus amongst the most eminent of this Province so named from Selah the sonne of Arphaxad who first planted there To whom the building of the City of Susa is ascribed by Eustathius in his Hexameron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are that Authors words perhaps more truly than to Memnon and unto whom the Original of the Cossaei whom Prolomy placeth in this tract is referred by Eusebius 5. Tarsianu another of the Cities mentioned by Ammianus who takes notice onely of the chiefest the same no doubt which Ptolomy calls Tariana and joynes next to Sela. 6. Agra upon the banks of Tigris not farre from Erech But there is litle left of these but what is to be found in the antient Writers now hardly visible in their Ruins The Towns of most note now remaining being 1. Jaaroone inhabited for the most part by Jewes of which here are no sewer than a thousand familes supposed to be the descendants of those whom Salmanassar transplanted out of the Kingdom of Israel 8. Saum 9. Casa of which litle mémorable The first Inhabitants hereof were the Chusites of the house of Havilah the sonne of Chus the Cossaei and the Susiani descended from Sala the sonne of Arphaxad and the Elymaei the posterity of Elam the sonne of Sem. Betwixt the two last Nations long and frequent warres till the Kings of Babylon or Assyria composed the differences by making both subject to their Empire After this nothing memorable in the story of it till the transplanting of the tem Tribes into the Regions of Assyria and the Cities of Media At which time as many of the Israelites were removed hither so many of this Nation were sent out with others to possess themselves of the void places of those Tribes Called Cutheans by the Jews because the most considerable number of them came from this Province called in the Scriptures Cush by Josephus Cutha and by him reckoned for a Region of Persia as indeed it was the time wherein he lived considered difference onely in the Dialect or form of speech that Countrey which the Hebrews called Chus being named Cuth by the Chaldaeans by the Persians Chuzestan that name continuing to this day 2. PERSIS PERSIS hath on the East Carmania on the West Susiana on the North Media and on the South some part of the Persian Bay or Sinus Persicus which took name from hence The reason of the name we have had before this being the predominant Province which in fine gave both name and law to the rest of this Empire It had antiently been called Cephene but now most commonly by the name of Ears or Farsishan more neer to Pharas the old name of it both in the Arabick and Hebrew Such parts hereof as lie towards the North are cold and hilly not apt to bear either fruit or com◠in any plenty Some Emeralds they find there but not very cleer Those parts which lie towards the Persian Gulf of as bad a nature though of different quality sandy and hot and beareth little fruit but Dates and few trees but Palm But betwixt both there lieth a rich and pleasant Countrey abounding with com fruit and cattell great store of Roses of Rose-water consequently wherewith and with those skins which we call commonly by the name of Cordovans from another occasion they use to furnish all the adjoining Provinces And to make up the Character of a happie Countrey to which nothing wanteth it is well stored with Lakes and Rivers the chief whereof are 1. Bagradas which divideth this Province from Carmania 2. Rhogomanes by some called Araxes now Bindimir on whose banks stood the renowned Persepolis 3. Orantes dividing Persis from Susiana where it falls into the Bay 4. Brisoana ending its course in the same Sea also Mountains of note I find not any but those which part this Region from Susiana not known by any speciall name for ought I can find but of sufficient note for the difficult passages out of one Countrey into the other called Pylae Persidis defended by Ariobarzanes a Noble Persian against Alexander the Great who was here very handsomely beaten and forced to save himself by a close retreat And though Alexander was shewed a By-path afterwards whereby he fell on Ariobarzanes ere he was aware yet he was taught by this hard lesson that if those who kept the straits of Cilicia and the banks of Tigris and Euphrates had made like resistance he had not bought the Persian Monarchy in so cheap a Market It was divided antiently into Paraticine bordering on Media 2. Mardiene joining on the Gulf or Bay of Persia 3. Misdia lying betwixt both Each of which with the severall nations intetmingled here as in other places had their severall Cities The chief whereof 1. Ausinza seated on the Bay betwixt the mouths of Bagradas and Brisoana 2. Jonacapolis on the same Bay also neer the influx of Rhogomanes or Araxes 3. Axima more within the land now called Lansilla 4. Marrasium 5. Obroatis or Orebatis as some Copies have it 6. Pasarracha in the Greek text of Ptolomy called Pasacgadt and Pasagrada by Qu. Curtius Memorable for the Sepulchre of Cyrus the first Persian Monarch Which violated by a Souldier of Alexanders in hope of finding some rich booty he met with nothing but this modest inscription Cyrus ego sum qui Persicum regnum consistui quicunque ades mortalium ne mihi tantillum telluris invideas qua corpus meum obtegitur The Sacrilegious Souldier though a Macedonian put to death by Alexander 7. Persepolis the chief City of this Province and of all the East called therefore Regia Orientis by Qu. Curtius situate neer the banks of the River Araxet and built for the most part of Cypress wood the walls of the houses being made of Marble digged out of an adjoining Mountain Affirmed by Diodorus Siculus who at large describes it to be the richest and goodliest City in all the world And well we may believe him for the richness of it Alexander finding here 120000 Talents in ready money for his own share after the Souldiers had made what spoil they listed of coin Plate Bullion Images of Gold and Silver and Jewells of unspeakable value But the chief beauty of it was the Royall Palace built on an hill environed with a treble wall the first of 16 Cubits height the second of thirty and third of sixty all of them of black polished marble with stately battlements and in the Circuit of the whole Palace an hundred Turrets which gave to the beholders far and neer a most goodly Prospect Nor was the inside of less beauty than the out-side of Majesty the Roofs thereof shining with Ivory silver gold and Amber and the Kings throne being wholly composed of Gold and the richest Pearls But rich and stately though it were and one of the greatest Ornaments of the Eastern world it was by Alexander in a drunked fit consumed with fire at