saith inhabited the greater part of Asia some of them lived amongst the Saracens others had their owne proper countries as in Africa Nubia and a great part of Aethiopia and all the regions unto India containing as they report more then 40 kingdomes These Christians were converted by St. Matthew and other Apostolike men to the faith of Christ The Jacobites now are dispersed in the cities of Mesopotamia Babylonia and Syria and of other places for their Ecclesiasticall government they are subiect to a Patriarch of their owne whose patriarchall Church is in the monastery of Saphran neere to the City Merdin in the North parts of Mesopotamia but hee keepeth residence in Caramite the ancient Metropolis of Mesopot amia Eutichae errores uno cum suo authore condemnant qui duas naturas in â—nâ—m confundebat at ipsi contrâ— haâ—c opinionem asserunt duas in Christo naturas esse unitas unamque factam naturâ—m personatam de duab us natur is non personatis sine mixtione tamen aut confusione apud Tho a Iesu de conuer lib 7 par 1. cap. 14. These Iacobites as Leonard Bishop of Sidon visiter to Pope Greg the 13th in the East regions doe condemne Eutiches and his error who confounded the two natures of Christ And they affirme two naturs to be united in Christ one personated nature to be made of the two natures not personated without mixtion or confusion They renounce Eutiches and honor Dioscorus The Maronites THE Maronites are found in Alepo Damascus Tripoli of Syria and Cyprus Mirae not Episco lib 1 cap. 19. but their maine habitation is in the Mountaine of Lebanus which conteineth in circuite aboue 700 miles and is possessed only by the Maronits who for that privileidge namely Tho. a Iesu lib. 7. pâ—â— 1. cap. 22. de convers omni gâ—nt to keepe themselues free from the mixture of the Mahometans pay the Turke large Tribute The Patriarch of the Maronites hath under his iurisdiction 8 or 9 Bishops and keepeth residence for the most part in Lebanus keeping ever the name of Peter Their Patriarch hath lately communion with the Pope as before Boter rel pa. 3. lib. 2 de maronitis sonoda minima natione Christina dâ—orieâ—te but with some reservation Boterus writeth that the are the least Cristian Nation of the East whether Maronites inhabiting Damascus Alepo Cyprus and other places have also Communion with the Pope or no I doe not find Christians under the Patriarch of Musall falsely called Nestorians THese Christians inhabit mingled with Mahometans and Pagans a great part of the Orient for besides the countries of Babjlon Assyria and Mesopotamia Parthia and Media wherein very many of them are found Brerwood pag. 139 enquir These Christians are scattered farre and wide in the East both Northerly in Cataya and Southerly to India Boter relat par 3 lib. 2. de Nestorâ— So that in Marcus Paulus Venetus his historie of the East Regions and others we find mentioned of them and of no sort of Christians but them in very many parts and provinces of Tartaria as namely in Cassar Samarchan Carcham Chinchitalas Tangut Cariam Mangi Tenduc c. In so much that beyond the River Tigris Eastward there is not any other sort of Christians to be found for ought I have read except the Portugales and the Convents made by them in Indâ—a and the late Migration of the Armenians into Perfia Vitriac histor Orient cap. 77. pag 149. hi nestoriam cum Iacobinis longe plures esse dieuntur quam latini vel graeci the Cardinall Vitriacus a man well experienced in some parts of the orient hath left registred that these Christians with the Iacobites exceeded in multitude the Christians of the Greeke or Latine Churches About 400 yeeres agoe Bote loco citat The King of Tenduc a Christian ruled farr and wide in the Northeast part of Asia as having under his dominion besides Tenduc which was his owne native and peculiar kingdome All the neighboring Provinces which were at that time for a great part Christians but after that his Empire was brought to ruine and he subdued by Chinges a rebell of his owne Dominion and the first founder of the Tartarian Empire which happened about the yeere Marcus Paulus Venetus lib. 1. cap. 64 maior pars provintiae observat fidem Christianam et bi Christiani primas tenent in hac provincia 1190 the state of Christian religion became in short time altered in those parts for I finde in Marcus Paulus who lived within 50 yeares after Vitriacus and was a man of more experience in those parts then he as having spent 17 yeeres together in Tartaria and partly in the Emperors Court and partly in travelling over those regions about the Emperors affaires that except the Province of Tenduc 20 whereof Marcus Paulus confesseth the greater part to have professed the Christian religion at his being in Tartaria the rest of the Inhabitants being partly Mahometans and partly Idolators and Christians but a few Dico pauci comparatione priorum temporum non in se nam sunt nobis latinis multo plures compend cosmograp pag. 69 Postell writeth that they are but a few in comparison of former times not of themselues they being many more then the Latins are Borchardus who lived since Paulus Venetus hath left record that in some of those parts there were more Christians then Mahometans And he speaketh of his owne experience that in Cilicia and Armenia subiect to the Tartars that he found in a manner at the Inhabitants meere Christians William de Rubriquis also reports that these Christians inhabit fifteene Cities in Cathay and that they have a Bishop in the Citie Segin Gulielm us de Rubriquis lib. 27. cited by Parchas and that they have also a Patriarch in Balduc Thom. a Iesu lib. 7 par 1. cap. 4. pa. 358. de conv omn. gent. in Persia Thomas a Iesu also writeth that under one of these Patriarchs there are many Nations two and twenty Bishopricks sixe hundred Territories and more c. Their cheife Patriarch is the Patriarch of Musall Mirae notitia epis lib. 1 cap 16. in which Citie is recorded the Nestorians to reteine fifteene Temples and the Iacobites three which Citie was in times past Seleucia To the Bishop whereof was assigned the next Place of session in councell after the Bishop of Jerusalem which name and authority in those parts the Bishops of Musall now hath There is one Church of these Christians in the great Citie of Quinsay in China Paul Venet de regi orient lib. 2. cap. 64. Haiton King of Armenia was himselfe in Tartaria and hath wrtten a booke thereof and of the aid he had from the great Cam who was a Christian and of the taking of Mesopotamia Babylon and Syria by the Tartars from the Sasens In former time the heresie of Nestorius prevailed much in these parts of the world
of Sternberg and Coibus The County of Rapin and lately the three Dukedomes of Cleve Gulick and Berg of which the two former of them have either of them in circuite 130 miles There was an old estimate made of Germany by such as favoured the Papacy Sr. Ed. Sands loco citato supposeth the Pupasts to be sixt part that in the beginning of Ferdinand the Emperór there was not past on twelfth part of iâ—â— remaiding Catholickle There can no exact relation be made of we Protestants there at this day by reason of the daily alteratiomoaused by the wanesâ—â—â— Hungary preface to Brerw enquir In Hungary the Protestants dwell in great multitudes and some thinkle they maked agrâ—â—ter part especially being compared onely with such as are there addicted to the Romish superstition And in Transilvania in a manner the whole body of the inhabitants were protestants by the favour of Gabniell Batthorius Transilvania Preface to Mr. Brer inquir late their Prince who did expell all such as were of the Iesuitical faction For the Archduke of Austria's and the Archduke of Gratzs Countries Austria Nobiles fere omnes qui in subditos clientes Iudicia exercent exnumque nonnulli vitae necis habent potestatem movarum opinionum veneno infecti sunt Thesâ— Polit. apot 6. Bohemia A great part of the people and especially of the Nobility are that way affected In Austria freedome of Religion was granted by the Emperors Maxinullian and Matthias And in the Kingdome of Bohemia and some places thereto adioyning in which haue beene 32000 parishes or townes although the Ministers have beene lately expulsed and the King dome conquered yet the Protestants dwell in great numbers In the Kingdome of Polonia having under its dominion Polonia Preface to Brerwood before Polonia Lituania Livonia Podolia Rusâ—ia the lesle Volhinia Massovia Prussia which united as it were within one roundish inclosure are in circuite about 2600 miles and of no lesse space then Spaine and France laid together In this so large and ample Kingdome The Protestants in great numbers are diffused thorow all quarters thereof having in every Province their publique Churches and Congregations orderly severed and bounded with Diocesses from whence are sent some of the chiefest and most principall men of worth unto their generall Synods Of which within these few yeeres they have held five with great celebrity as at Sendomire Ann. 1570 Cracoria 1573. Petricove 1578. Woodislane 1583. and at Torune 1595. In Poland there are also 8 Russe or Greeke Bishopricks Mira de notit opiscop lib. 4. cap. 19. pag. 213. The Archbishop of Kiow is their Metropolitane They have also many Armenians who have a Bishop of their owne resident at Leopolis For the kingdome of France and the state of the Protestants there France Preface before named In the yeere 1622. I find this written viz. In this mighty Kingdome those as they usually stile them of the Religion besides the Castles and Forts that belong in a property to the Duke of Bullen the Duke of Rhoan the Count of Lavall the Duke of Trimovile Mounsier Chastillion the Marshall of Diguers the Duke Sally and others they are seased of above 70 townes having Garrisons of Souldiers governed by Nobles and Gentlemen of the Religion They have 800 Ministers retaining pensions out of the publique Finances and are so dispersed through the chiefe Provinces of the kingdome That in the Principality of Orange and Poictou almost all the inhabitants Of Gascony halfe In Languedoe Normandy and other Westerne Provinces a strong party professe the Religion Now howsoever the King hath taken Rochell and most of their Forts into his hands yet they still enioy their Churches and free libertie And have now many Churches or congregations at this day For the assurance of those of the reformed Religion see the Edict of Nantes enacted by Henry the Third confirmed by Henry the 4 and restablished by Lewis the thirteenth printed in London 1623. In Piemont Luooa and some other parts of Italy there are some Protestants Piemont c. and also in the Venetian territories And thus much of the countries inhabited by the Procestants The Papists inhabit SPaine containing the kingdomes of Castile Spaine Navarre Portugale Arragon Granda and some other Maginus which are all in compasse as Maginus writeth about 1893 common miles being somewhat more in compasse then the I le of great Britaine but not so well peopled Damiae a Goes Hispania p. 6.7.8 Damianus a Goes reckoneth in Spaine tenne Archbishoprickes and 48 Bishopricks Their revenues are very great as the Archbishop of Toledo hath 150000 ducats yeerly and about 100000 ducats more yeerely to bestow The Archbishop of Sevil 24000 c. Boterus reports that the Clergies revenue is inestimable The inhabitants of Spaine are detained in superstition by the vigilancy of the Inquisition their owne ignorance The Laity being debarred from reading the sacred Scriptures in the vulgar without speciall licence whereby they might come to the knowledge of the truth This country is much exhausted of people by reason or peopling the West Indies their daily warres And in Spaine are a sort of people caled Maurani who are said to have exceeded the true Christians in number S. E. Sands Relat sect 44. in some of the South parts Of these many thousands have beene lately banished France also is inhabited by Papists mingled with Protestants as before France Alotharingia extendit Caletum us qâ—spatio quasi 200 leucarum francica rum eiusque latitudo paulo minor est Imperiorum mundi Catalogus Rex Frauciâ— it is a country in a manner 200 French leagues square as Boterus writeth within which they reckon the Dukedomes of Burgondie Savoy Lorraine The signory of Geneva and Avignion the Pones countrey which doe not acknowledge the French command At this present France is divided into eight Provinces who are under eight Courts of Parliament The first is the Province of the I le of France wherein the Citie of Paris is scituated in which Citie the first court of Parliament resideth The second parliament is of Languadec residing in the citie of Tholouze The third of Guien in the Citie of Bordeaux The fourth is of Normandy in the Citie of Roan Boter relat numbers par 1. lib. 1. Francia qua itor de chi Arehivescovati pin di cento vescovati Pag. 19. The fist of Burgundy in the citie of Diieon The sixt of Daulphene in Grenoble The 7 of Province in Aix the eight of Britannie in Remes under these eight provinces all France is conteined In France there are 14 Archbishoprickes and above a 100 Bishoprickes Italie Italie The length of this region is about 1020 miles In breadth in some places 410 miles in other places 126 miles It containeth the Dukedomes of Millane Florence the territory of the Church of Rome the kingdome of Naples The common wealth of Genoway and part of
The Prince hearing this went a daies iourney with a great troupe of his Nobility and Clergie and brought the holy relique to Cachete And with great honour and celebrity placed it in the Church of holy and great Martyr St. George of Alberdall And used the Jesuits with all honour and respect and sent them great gifts which they refused saying that they had vowed povertie They also made a shew of great holinesse using much fasting and prayer Also they petitioned the Prince that they might live in some Monastery and haue the custodie of the holy relique which hee graunted them Now infinite miracles were wrought daily and great gifts and offrings they had out of all Iberia the sicke and infirme resorted to them Those that were past cure they told them that their sinnes were very great and needed long time of repentance and expiation and so they should returne to them againe for help in which time they often died to others of whom they had hope of recoverie they used meanes and attributed their health to the holy Relick and to the Bishop of Rome whom the most loving Jesus Christ had left his Vicar here on earth By this meanes they inticed many to the Romish religion and of the Nobility and had great hopes of the Prince himselfe who was much taken with their miracles the fame of which filled all Iberia But in the midst of all this letters came froÌ„ Moacla his mothers maid that she had the body of his Mother which he might ransome wherupon the Prince Teimurazes sent Ambassadors to the Persian and comming to an agreement with him had home his Mothers body with Moacla her maide and many Captiues which they manifestly knew to be her bodie by divers tokens and marks Whereupon the Prince being angrie commanded the Iesuits to prison but they were delivered at the intreatie of some of the Nobility a few daies after came two muleters out of Persia who reported that they travailed in the said Iesuits coÌ„pany when they cut of the dead mans head wch they thought to be a theife and carried home to their Inne and saw them anoint it with oyle and odors and this they declared to the Prince Teimurazes who commanded the head to be cast out and his mothers body to be buried This historie is written in Greeke by Gregorius Hieromonachus the Patriarcall exarch from Trapezunt 1626. and by this meanes the Iesuites had almost perverted the prince and Country of Georgia The Mengrellians THE Mengrellians inhabite Colohis which lyeth neere the Euxine Sea Brerw enq pag. 135. the people therof received the faith by the preaching of Saint Mathias The cheife Cities thereof are 1 Alvati 1 Phasis 3 Diosourias In which are many languages spoken by reason of the resort of abundance of Marchants of sundry kingdomes and many Interpreters to mediate betweene the people and the Governour They are under the obedience of the Patriarch of Constantinople The Circassians THE Circassians Idemibidem or Zychi as they were antiently caled are Christians of the Greek Communion and besides of the Patriarch of Constantinople his obedience These also liue by themselues as before under their owne Kings or Princes The Circassian Countrie extendeth it selfe on Meotis 500 miles and within land 200 miles the cheife Cities are Laeoppa and Cromuco The Russe CHristians which dwell in Asia are under the iurisdiction of the Patriarch of Mosco To wit the Christians in the kingdomes of Casan Astracan and in other places in Asia subiect to the Emperour of Muscovia The Christians of Asia the lesse DOe inhabite Phrygia Galatia Bithynia Pontus Lydia Caria Paphlagonia Licia Magnesia and all the Provinces in Asia the lesse mingled with Turkes except Cilicia and Isauria which are or have beene under the Iurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople The Armenians THe Armenian Christians are found in multitudes Brere enq pa. 170 in most Cities of great Trade But yet the native Regions of the Armenians and where they still are found in greatest number and their Religion is most supported is in Armenia the greater named since the Turks first possession of it Turcomania beyond Euphrates and Cilicia now termed Carmania Touching their Ecclesiasticall government Mirae not Epis li. 1. ca. 17. pa. 41. Bot rel vniv par 3. lib. 2. they acknowledge obedience without any further or higher dependance to two Patriarcks of their owne whom they terme Catholicks namely of the greater Armenia who at this present keepeth his residence in the Monasterie of Ecmeazin by the Citie of E van in Persia conv amâ— gent lib. 7. pa. 1. cap. 14. being translated thither by occasion of the late warres betweene the Persians and the Turks But his ancient seate was Sebastia the Metropolis of Armenia the greater The other Patriarch of Armenia the lesse anciently kept at Mitilene the Metropolis of that Province but now is resident in the City of Sis not far from Tarsus in Cilicia Cardinall Baronius writeth of 1000 Armenian Bishops Annatom 12. pag. 319. Sands relat p. 123 another of 300. The same Author relateth that he comming on a Sunday into one of their Congregations in the afternoone hee found on sitting in the midst of them in habit not differing from the rest reading on a Bible in the Chaldean tongue anon the Bishop entred in a veste of black with a staffe in his hand to whom they attributed much holinesse First he prayed and then he saying certaine Psalmes assisted by two or three after all sung ioyntly at interims praying to themselves resembling the Turks in the posture of their bodies often prostrations the Bishop excepted who erecting his hands stood all the while with his face to the Altar The service ended one after another did kisse his hands bestow their Almes he laying the other hand on their heads blessing them Lastly he prescribed succeeding fasts festivals Vpon the mountaines of Arrarat in Armenia Noahs Arke rested and from this countrey was the world repeopled Tradition Cathol pag. 2. Maiorem partem Asiae totius tractus orientalis inhabitabant Quidam inter Saraceno alij autem proprias absque infidelium consortio occuparunt regiones scilicet Nubiam magnam Aethiopiae partem omnes regiones usque in Indiam plusquam quadraginta regna 〈◊〉 asserunt continentes Omnes autem sunt Christiani a Beato Mattheo Apostoâ—o aliis a postolicis viris adfidem Christi conversi Iac Vitriac Cardinal histor orient cap. 76. Boter relat vnivers li. 2. part 3. de Giacobiti ecclesia Patriarchalis huius nationis in Mesopotamia extra civitatem moradim c. Thom. a Ieâ—u de The Iacobites or Dioscorians THese Christians are called Iacobites some say from Iacob the Patriarch of whose lineage they pretend to be others write that they were so called of Iacobus Syrus who was also called Zanzalus They are also called Dioscorians of Dioscorus Patriarch of Alexandria These Christians as Cardinall Vitriacus