but to returne againe like to the wilde Irish so that no man was sure when he had obtained any victorie ouer them These were the people that gaue the great ouerthrow to that rich Marcus Crassus of Rome who by reason his couetousnesse intending more to his getting of gold then to the guiding of his armie was slaine himselfe many thousands of the Romanos The Parthians with exprobration of his thirst after mony powring molten gold into his mouth after he was dead Against these the great Lucullus fought many battailes but the Romanes were neuer able to bring them quite in subiection On the West-side of Parthia the Mare Caspium being on the North. Armenia on the West and Persia on the South Here lieth that country which in times past was called Media but now Shiruan or Seruan which is at this day gouerned by many inferiour Kings and Princes which are tributaries and do owe subiection to the Sophy of Persia So that he is the soueraigne Lord of all Media as our English men haue founde who passing through the dominion of the Emperour of Russia haue crossed the Mare Caspium and mâ—rchandised with the inhabitants of this Media This Nation in former time was verie famous for the Medes were they that remoued the Empire from the Assirians vnto them which as in themselues it was nor great So when by Cyrus it was loyned by the Persians it was verie mightie and called by the name of the Empire of the Medes and Persians Here it was that Afryages reigned the grandfather of Cyrus and Darius of the Medes the chiefe citie of this kingdome was called Ecbatana as the chiefe citie of Persia is Babylon De Armenia Assyria ON the West side of the Mare Caspium and of Media lieth a countrie called by a generall name Armenia which is by some distinctlie deuided into three partes the North part whereof being but little is called Georgia the middle part Turcomania and the thirde part by the proper name of Armenia by which a man may see the reason of difference in diuers writers Some saying that the countrie whence the Turkes first came was Armenia some say Turcomania and some Georgia the truth being that out of one or all these countries they be discended These Turkes are supposed to be the issue of them whome Alexander the great did shut vp within certaine mountaines neare to the Mare Caspium There is this one thing Memorable in Armenia that after the great floud the Arke of Noah did rest it selfe on the mountaines of Armenia whereas Iosephus witnesseth it is to be seene yet to this day The hils wheron it rested are called by some Noe montes The people of this Nation haue retained among them the Christian faith as it is thought from the time of the Apostles but at this day it is spotted with many absurdities On the South parte of Armenia bending towarde the East lieth the countrie of Assyria which is bounded on the West with Mesopotamia This country was that land wherin the first Monarchie war setled which began vnder Ninus which the Scripture calleth Nimrod liuing not long after Noahs floud And it ended in Sardanapalus continuing for the space of a thousand and three hundred yeares The King of this countrie was Senacharib of whom we reade in the booke of Kings and here raigned Nabuchadnezzer who tooke Ierusalem and led the Iewes away prisoners vnto Babylon In this countrie is the swift riuer Tygris neare vnto the which was Paradise vpon this riuer stoode the great cittie Niniuie called by prophane writers Ninus which was almost of incredible bignes and exceeding populous but the nearnesse of the riuer and maruailous fruitfulnes of the soile which Herodotus writeth did returne their corne sometimes two sometimes three hundred folde and did yeelde sufficiencie for to maintaine it This citie for a long time was the imperiall feat of the Monarchie but being destroyed as God foretolde it should be by the Chaldeans the residence of the king was afterwards remoued vnto Babylon a great citie in Chaldea first built by Semiramis De Chaldaea Next vnto Assyria lieth Chaldaea hauing on the East side Assyria on the West Syria or Palestina on the North Armenia on the South the desart of Arabia This countrie is often called by the name of Mesopotamia which name it hath because it lieth in the middle of two great riuers Tygris and Euphrates it is called also by the name of Babilonia which word of it selfe properly taken doth signifie only that part of the countrie which standeth about Babylon The chiefe citie hereof was Babylon the ruines whereof doe remaine to this day It was a rich and most pleasant citie for all kind of delight and was the imperiall citie of the Assyrians where Nabuchadnessar and other their great kings did lie It was to this citie that the children of Israel were caried captiues which thereof was called the captiuitie of Babylon The kings of Persia did also keepe their residence here it was built vpon the riuer Euphrates some part of it standeth on the one side and some on the other hauing so the foundresse Semiramis the wife of Ninus It is supposed by Diuines that in this Mesopotamia between the riuer Tygris Euphrates Paradice did stand this was the country wherin Abraham the Patriarke was borne vnto the which the Romanes could very hardly extend their dominion For they had much to do to get any such gouernment of any thing beyond the riuer Euphrates From this people it is thought that the wise men came which brought presents vnto Christ by the guiding of a starre For as in India and all the Eastern parts so especially in this countrie their Noble men and Priestes and verie manie people doe giue themselues to all Artes of diuination Here were the great Southsayers Enchaunters and wise men as they call them here the first Astrologians which are so descibed and derided in the Scripture and agaynst the inhabitants of Babylon and Chaldaea were the lawes of the Romanes made against deuining Mathematicians who in Tullie de Diuinatione Cornelius Tacitus as also in the lawes of the Emperours are ordinary called by the name of Chaldeans and in deede from these and from the Egytians is supposed to haue sprung the first knowledge of Astronomie De Asia minori ON the North-west side of Mesopotamia lieth that countrie which is now called Nitolia but in times past Asia minor hauing on the North-side Pontus Euxinus on the West the Hellespont and on the South the maine Mare Mediterraneum In the auncient writers both of the Graecians and of the Romanes this is oftentimes called by the single name of Asia because it was best knowne vnto them and they were not so much acquainted with the farther places of Asia the great This countrie in generall for the fruitfulnesse of the land standing in so temperate a Climate and for the conueniencie of the Sea euery way and so many good hauens hath
Scrikfinia and Biarmia and so passing to the East by Noua Zimbla halfe the way almost to Cathaio haue entred the riuer called Duina by which they disperse themselues for marchandize both by water land into the most parts of the dominioÌ„ of the Emperour This Empire is at this day one of the greatest dominions in the world both for compasse of grounde and for multitude of men sauing that it lyeth far North and so yeeldeth not pleasure or good trafique with many other of the best nations De Prusia Polonia IN Europe on the East and North corner of Germany lyeth a countrie called Prussia in Latine most times Borussia in English Pruthen or Sprusa of whome little is famous sauing that they be gouerned by one in a kinde of order of religion whome they call the Grand-master and that they are a meanes to keepe the Moscouite the Turke from some other partes of Christendome On the East-side of Germanie betweene Russia Germanie lyeth Polonia or Poland which is a kingdome differing from other of Europe because the king there is chosen by election by some of the Princes neare adioyning as was lately Henry the third King of France These elections oftentimes doe make great factions there so that intaking partes they grow often there into ciuill warre The king of Polonia is almost continually in warre either with the Moscouite who lyeth in the East and North-east of him or with the Turke who lyeth on the South and South-east and sometimes also with the Princes of Germanie whereupon the Poles doe commonly desire to chuse warriors to their King In this countrie are none but Christians but so that libertie of all religions is permitted insomuch that there be Papists Colleges of Iesuites both of Lutherans and Caluinistes opinions Anabaptists Artians and diuers others This is that countrie which in times past was called Sarmatia the chiefe citie whereof is named Cracouia De Hungaria Austria ON the South-side of Germanie lyeth Hungarie called in the Latine Pannonia which haue bene heretofore deuided into Pannonia superior and Pannonia inferiore it is an absolute kingdome and hath heretofore bene ritch and populous The Christians that doe liue there haue among them diuers sortes of religions as in Poland The kingdome hath bene a great obstacle against the Tuckes comming into Christendome but especially in the time of Iohannes Huniades who did mightily with many great victories repulse the Turke Here standeth Buda which was heretofore a great fortresse of Christendome But the glory of this kingdome is almost vtterly decayed by reason that the Turke who partly by policle and partly by force doth now possesse the greatest parte of it So that the people are fled from thence and the Christians which remaine there are in miserable seruitude Notwithstanding some part of Pannonia superior doth yet belong to Christendome That corner of Germanie which lieth neerest to Hungarie is called Austria which is an Archdukedome FroÌ„ which house are come many of the Princes of Germany and of other parts of Europe so that the Crowne imperiall of Germanie is now tied to some one of this house In this countrie standeth Vienna that noble citie which is now the principall bulwarke of all Christendome against the Turke from whence Soliman was repelled by Ferdinandus King of Hungarie in the time of the Emperour Charles the fift It was in this country that Richard the first king of England in his returne from the holy land was taken prisoner by the Archduke of Austria and so put to a grieuous raunsome The Archduke that now is by the King of Spaine is appointed in the place of the Duke of Parma as gouernour of the low countries Through both Austria and Hungarie doth runne the mightie riuer Danubius as through Germanie doth runne the Rhene whereon groweth Vinum Rhenâ—â—um commonly called Rhenish wine De Graecia ON the South-side of Hungarie and South-east lyeth a countrie of Europe called in old time Dacia which is large and wide comprehending in it Transyluania Valachia Moldauia and Seruia Of which little is famous saue that the men are warlike and can hardly be brought to obedience They haue lately bin vnder the King of Hungarie The riuer Danubius doth diuide this Dacia from Mysia commonly called Bulgaria which lieth on the South from Danubius and is seuered from Graecia by the mountaine Hamus From Hamus towards the South lieth Graecia bounded on the West by the Adriatike sea on the East by the Thracian sâ—â— and Mare Aegeum on the South by the maine Mediteran sea This contained in old time foure speciall parts Peloponnesus Achaia Macedonia and Epirus Peloponnesus which is now called Morea is the South part of Graecia being Paeninsula or almost an Iland for that it is ioyned by a litle straight called Isthmos vnto the rest of Gracia Herein stood Sparta and the auncient state of Lacedaemon On the Isthmos or straight stood the famous citie of Corinth which was in old time called the key of Greece On the West side of Graecia next to Peloponnesus stood the kingdom of Macedonia so famous vnder Philip for conquering al Graecia and vnder Alexander for vanquishing almost al the Easterne world and for taking of the Monarchy from the Persians and remouing it to the Macedonians On the North-side of Macedonia being the North-west from Graecia stood the little kingdome of Epirus where raigned Scanderbeg which was in his time so great a scourge to the Turke The rest of Graecia was called Achaia hauing on the North and East part thereof Thracia on the North Haemus the hill on the West Macedonia and Epirus on the South Peloponnesus on the East those seas which diuide Asia the lesse from Graecia In this part stood Thessalonica to the which S. Paule wrote his Epistle and Athens and Thebes and all the Cities of Boetia and the Cities of the Achai Argos Elis and many other Macedonia is by the best Writers and by auncient description rather sound to stand on the North-side of Achaia neere to the hill Hamus and to Thracia though some in ignorance haue taught the contrarie In this countrie of Graecia were in auncient time manie Kingdoms and States as at this day there are in Italie as the Macedonians the kingdome of Epyrus the State of Athens the gouernment of Sparta the citie of Thebes and very many other places in so much that almost euery towne had a peculiar gouernmeÌ„t But now it is all vnder one Monarchy From Graecia in olde time did almost all famous things come These were they that made the warre against Troy that resisted Xerxes the mightie king of Persia that had the famous Law-makers as Solon in Athens and Licurgus in Lacedaemon that tooke away the Monarchie from the Persians that brought forth the famous Captaines as Themistocles Miltiades Alexander and many other that were the authours of ciuilitie vnto the Westerne nations and to some in the East as Asia the lesse that gaue to
beene reputed alwayes a verie commodious and pleasurefull countrie It is wholie at this day vnder the Turke The mountaine Taurus goeth along from the West vnto the East part of it The greatnesse of it is such that it hath comprehended many kingdomes and great prouinces beside cities of great fame On the South-east part thereof neare Palaestina lyeth Cilicia the chiefe citie thereof is Tarsus the countrie of Saint Paul the place whither Salomon sent for great store of his golde and prouision for the Temple whither Ionas also fled when he should haue gone to Niniue In the straites of this Cilicia neere to the mountaine Taurus did Alexander giue the great ouerthrowe in person to Darius in the ioyning of their first battaile Westward from Cilicia lyeth the prouince called Pamphilia wherein standeth the citie Saeleucia built by Seleucus one of the foure great successors of Alexander the great On the West of this Pamphilia extending it selfe euen to the sea is Lydia where reigned sometime Croesus who was so renowmed for his aboundant riches Herein standeth as a sea-towne Halicarnassus the countrie of Herodotus and of Dionysius who wrote the Romane Historie which cittie was sometimes a kingdome as in the time of Xerxes to whose aide against the Graecians did goe Artimisia the Queene of Halicarnasse and here raigned Ada another Queene in the time of Alexander the great Vpon the sea-coast Northward from Lydia standeth diuers of those cities vnto the which Iohn in his Reuellation did write his seuen Epistles as Smyrna Pergamus Sardis and Ephesus but other of them as Laodicia Philadelphia Thiatira doe stand more in the inland Sardis was a citie of great pleasure and profite which is that place the winning whereof by the Greekes did so displease one of the kings of Persia that he caused it euerie day at dinner to be remembred vnto him that the Graecians had taken Sardis and that he must not cease till he had recouered it againe Ephesus was one of the most famous cities of the worlde the greatest glorie whereof did arise by reason of the most magnificent Temple of Diana which was at Ephesus to the building whereof all Asia the lesse did verie bountifully contribute It is reported to haue beene two hundred yeeres in building and at seuen seuerall times as otherwise so especiallie by lightning to haue bin set on fire but the final destruction of it was by a base person named Herostratus who of purpose set it on fire to make himselfe famous More Northward toward the Sea-coast lyeth Phrygia which was the countrie from whence the Goddesse called Bona Dea or Pessinuntia and Cybile was brought to Rome In this countrie liued Gordius who knit that knot that Alexander cut hoping thereby to obtaine as an oracle had foretolde the whole kingdome of Asia In this countrie stoode Troy the siege whereof by the Graecians is made so famous by the Poetrie of Homer and of Virgil. Yet Northwarde from Phrygia lyeth the Countrie of Bithynia which was sometimes a kingdome where Prusias raigned that had so much to doe with the Romanes In this countrie standeth the citie Nicea where the first generall Councel was held against Arrius the Heretike by Constantine the great thereof called the Nicene Councell Here standeth also Chalcedon where the fourth general Councell was held by the Emperour Martianus against the heretike Nestorius From Bithynia East-ward on the North-side of Asia the lesse standeth the countrie of Paphlagonia where was the citie built by Pompey the great called of his name Pompeiopolis From thence Eastward ioining to Armenia is the kingdome of Capadocia which bordereth on Armenia Northward from thence near to the sea called Pontus Euxinus lieth the kingdome of Mithridates which was called Pontus This Mithridates had long warres with the Romanes whose subiects he caused to be slaine all in one night throughout Asia the lesse He was afterward ouerthrowne by Pempey the great Romane By him was inuented that preseruatiue against poison which of his name is called Mithridate There were also in Asia the lesse some other small countries as Galatia Lycia Caria and some other De Syria Palaestina SOuthward from Cilicia and Asia the lesse lieth Syria called Palaestina hauing on the East Mesopotamia on the South Arabia on the West Tire and Sidon and the end of the Mediterran sea The people of this Syria were in times past called the Aramites In their language is the translation of the new Testament called the Syriacke In this countrie standeth Antioch which was sometimes one of the famous Patriarks seas and is a citie of reckoning vnto this day Here also standeth now the Citie of Aleppo which is a famous Mart towne for the Marchandizing of the Persians and other of the East and for the Turkes and such countries as bee adioyning Here standeth also Tripolis The South part of Syria lying downe toward Aegypt and Arabia was the place where the children of Israel did dwel beeing a countrie but of small quantitie not in length two hundren Italian miles yet was so fruitfull flowing with milk and honie as the scripture calleth it that both it did maintaine aboue thirtie kings and their people before the comming of the children of Israel out of Egypt and also was sufficient afterwarde to relieue the incredible number of the twelue tribes of Israel It was noted of this countrie that whereas by the goodnesse of the Climate wherein it stoode and the fertilitie of the soile but especially by the blessing of God it was the most fruitfull land that was in the world nowe our trauailers by experience doe finde the countrie in respect of the fruitfulnesse to bee changed God cursing the land together with the Iewes the inhabitants of it It is obserued also for all the Easterne parts that they are not so fertile as they haue beene in former ages The earth as it were growing olde which is an argument of the dissolution to come by the day of iudgement Through this countrie doth runne the riuer Iordan which hath heretofore beene famous for the fruitfulnesse of the trees standing thereupon and for the mildnesse of the aire so that as Iosephus writeth when snow hath layen in other places of the land about the riuer it hath bin so calme that men did goe in single thinne linnen garments In this countrie standeth the Lake called Lacus Asphaltites because of a kinde of slime or Bytumen which dayly it doth cast vp being of force to ioyne stones exceeding fast in building This Lake is it which is called Mare mortuum a Sea because it is salt and dead for that no liuing thing is therein the water whereof is so thicke that fewe thinges will sinke therein insomuch that Iosephus saith that an Oxe hauing all his legges bound will not sinke in that water The nature of this lake was turned into this qualitie when God did destroy Sodome and Gomorra and the citties adioyning with fire and brimstone from heauen for Sodom and
whereas in deed they came of Hagar the hand maid of Sara Abrahams wife and therefore should of her be called Ismaelites or Hagarens because they would not seeme to be come of a bond woman and from him whom they suppose a bastard they terme themselues Sarazens as comming from Sara they are called by some writers Arabians in stead of Sarazens their name beeing drawne from their first countrie In the countrie of Arabia standeth a citie called Mecha which is the place where Mahomet was buried and in remembrance of him there is built a great Temple vnto the which the Turkes and Sarazens doe yearlie goe on pilgrimage as some Christians do to the Holie land For they account Mahomet to be the greatest Prophet that euer came into the world saying that there were three great Prophets Moses Christ and Mahomet and as the doctrine of Moses was bettered by Christ so is the doctrine of Christ amended by Mahomet In this respect as we reckon the computation of our yeares from the incarnation of Christ so the Sarazens account theirs from the time of Mahomet The Turkes whose fame began now about two hundred yeares since haue imbraced the opinions and the religion of the Sarazens concerning Mahomet On the West-side of Arabia betweene that and Egypt lieth the gulfe called of the country Sinus Arabicus by some Mare Erythreum but commonly the red Sea not of one Erythrus as some suppose but because the sand and bankes there-about are in colour red This is that sea through the which by Moses the people of Israel were led when they fled out of Egypt from Pharao God causing by his power the waters to stand on both sides of them which they passed through as on drie land This is that sea through the which the spices of the East Indies were in times past brought to Alexandria in Aegypt and from thence dispersed into Christendome by the Venetians which spices and Apothicarie drugs are found to be far worse then before time they were by reason of the great moisture which they take on the water by the long nauigation of the Portingales by the backe part of Africa This is that sea through the which Salomon did send for his golde and other precious marchandise vnto the East Indies and not to the West Indies as some lately haue disputed Whereout the vanitie of that opinion may appeare that America and the West Indies were knowne in the time of Salomon for if he had sent thither his course had beene along the Med. and through the straights of Gibraltar commonly called Fretum Herculeum between Spaine and Barbarie But the Scripture telleth that the nauie which Salomon sent forth was built at Eseon Gabar which there also is said to stand on the red sea so his course might be East-ward or South-ward not West-ward In the desert of Arabia is the Mount Horeb which by some is supposed to bee the same that is called the Mount Sina where manie thinke it was that Abraham shoulde haue offered vp his sonne Isaac but it is certaine that it was the place where God in the Wildernesse did giue vnto the people of Israel his law of the ten commaundements with thundering lightning and earth-quake in most fearefull manner De Africa Egypto FRom Arabia and Palastina toward the West lyeth Africa hauing on the North-side from the one end of it to the other the Mediter sea The greatest part of which countrie although it hath beene gessed at by writers in former time yet because of the great heate of it lying for the most parte vnder the Zona Torrida and for the Wildernesses therein it was in former times supposed by manie not to bee much inhabited but of certaintie by all verie little discouered till the Portingales of late beganne their nauigation on the backe-side of Africa to the East Indies So exact a description is not therefore to bee looked for as hath beene of Asia and Eurupa Ioyned to the Holy land by a little Isthmos is the countrie of Aegypt which is a land most fruitfull as any almost in the world although in these daies it doth not answere to the felicitie of former time This is it which in the time of Ioseph did relieue Canaan with corne and the familie of Iacob which did so multiplie in the land of Aegypt that they were growne to an huge multitude when God by Moses did deliuer them from thence This countrie did yeeld exceeding aboundance of corne vnto the citie of Rome whereupon Aegypt as well as Cicilia was commonly called Horreum populi Romani It is obserued from all antiquitie that almost neuer any raine did fall in the land of Egypt whereupon the raining with thunder lightning and fire running on the ground was so much the more strange when God plagued Pharao in the dayes of Moses But the flowing of the riuer Nilus ouer all the countrie their cities onely and some fewe hils excepted doth so water the earth that it bringeth foorth fruit abundantly The flowing of which riuer yearly is one of the greatest miracles of the world no man being able to yeeld a sufficient and assured reason thereof although in Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus many probable causes and opinions are assigned thereof It is noted of this riuer if in ordinarie places it doe flow vnder the height of fifteene cubites that for want of moysture the yeare is not fruitfull and if it do flow aboue seuenteene cubites that there is like to bee a dearth by reason of the aboundance of the moysture the water lying longer on the land then the inhabitants do desire In Egypt hath learning bin very auncient But especially the knowledge of Astronomie and Mathematicks whereof before the time of Tullie their Priests would report that they had the discent for 1500. yeares exactly recorded with obseruation Astrologicall which as it is a fable vnlesse they doe reckon their yeares by the Moone as some suppose they did euery moneth for a yeare so it doth argue knowledge to haue bene among them very antient their Priestes had among them a kinde of writing and of describing thinges by picture which they did call their Hieroglyphica This in times past was a kingdome and by the Kinges thereof were built those great Pyramides which were held to be one of the seuen wonders of the world being mightie huge buildings erected of exceeding height for the magnificence of their founders There is part of two or three of them remaining vnto this day In Aegipt did stand the great Citie Memphis which is at this day called Cairo one of the most famous Cities of the East Here did Alexander build that Citie which vnto this day is of his name called Alexandria bing now the greatest Citie of merchandize in all Aegipt of which Ammiamus Marcellinus doth obserue that there is neuer any day or almost hath euer bene but that once in that day the Sun hath bene seene to shine ouer Alexandria This Citie was one
prerogatiue of the Bishop of Rome It is thought that they haue retayned christianitie euen from the time of our Sauiour being supposed to bee conuerted by the Chamberlaine of Candace the Queene of Aethiopia who was instructed concerning Christ by Phillip the Euang. in the Actes of the Apostes Euseb in his Ecclesiasticall storie doth make mention of this But they doe to this day retaine Circumcision whereof the reason may be that the Eunuch their conuerter not hauing any further conference with the Apostle nor any else for him did receiue the ceremonies of the Church vnperfectly retaining Circumcision which among the Iewes was not abolished when he had conference with Phillip Within the dominion of Prester Iohn are the mountaines commonly called Lune montes where is the first well-spring and arising of the riuer Nylus which riuer running violently along this countrie and sometimes hastely increasing by the melting of much snow from the mountaines would ouer-run and drowne a great parte of Aegipt but that it is slaked by many ponds dams sluces which are within the dominion of Prester Iohn And in respect hereof for the maintenance of these the Princes of Aegipt haue paid vnto the gouernor of Abissines a great tribute time out of minde which of late the great Turke supposing to bee a custome needelesse did denye till the people of the Abissines by commaundement of their Prince did breake downe their dammes and drowning Aegipt did inforce the Turke to continue his paye and to giue much money for the newe making of them very earnestly to his great charge desiring a peace There be other Countries in Africa as Agisimbae Libiae interior Nubia and other of whome nothing is famous But this may be said of Africa in generall that it bringeth forth store of all sortes of wilde beastes as Elephants Lyons Panthers Tigers and the like yea according to the Prouerbe Africa sempor aliquid apportet noui Oftentimes newe and strange shapes of beastes are brought forth there The reason whereof is that the countrie being hot and full of wildernesses which haue in them little water the beastes of all sortes are inforced to meete at those fewe warring places that be where oftentimes contrarie kindes haue coniunction the one with the other so that there ariseth newe kindes or species which taketh parte of both Such a one is the Leopard begotten of the Lyon and the beast called Dardus somewhat resembling either of them And thus fat of Africa De Insulis septentrionalibus THe Ilands that doe lie in the North are in number almost infinite the chiefe of them onely shall be briefely touched Very farre to the North in the same clymate almost with Sweden that is vnder the very circle arctick lyeth Ireland called in olde time Thule which was then supposed to be the farthest parte of the worlde Northward and and therefore is called by Virgill Vltima Thule the countrie is colde the people barbarous and it yeeldeth little commoditie sauing Hankes in some parte of the yeare there is no night at all Southward from thence lyeth Frizeland called in Latine Frizelandia whereas the Frizeland ioyning to Germanie is in Latine called Frizia On the coast of Germanie one of the seuenteene prouinces is called Zeland which containeth in it diuers Ilandes in whome little is famous sauing that in one of them is Vlishing or Firshing a towne of warre and at Middleburg in an other a place of good marte The States of the lowe-Lowe-countries doe holde this prouince vnited against the King of Spaine These Ilands haue bene much troubled of late with inundation of waters The Iland that lyeth most West of any fanie is Ireland which had in it heretofore many kings of their owne but the whole land is now annexed vnto the crowne of England The people naturally rude and superstitious the countrie good and fruitefull but that for want of tillage in diuers pleces they suffer it to growe into bogges and desertes That is true of this countrie which Solmus writeth of some other that serpents and adders doe not breede here and in the Irish timber of certaine experience no spiders webbe is euer founde The most renowned Iland in the worlde is Albion or Britannia which hath heretofore contained in it many seuerall kingdomes but especially in the time of the Saxons It hath now in it the two kingdoms of England and Scotland wherein are forue seuerall languages that is the English which the ciuill Scots doe barbarously speake the Welsh tongue which is the language of the olde Britaines the Cornish which is the proper speech of Cornewall and the Irish which is spoken by those Scots which liue on the West parte of Scotland neare vnto Ireland The commodities of England and pleasures are well knowne vnto vs and many of them may be expressed in this verse Anglia Mons Pons Fons Ecclesia foemina lana This countrie which in olde time was inhabited by the Britaines was entered vpon by the Romaines first vnder Iulius Caesar and was long by them kept in subiection but it was an error in them when they wrote that England would breede nor keepe no Wolfe It was afterwarde ouerrunne and possessed by the Saxons of whome 7. kings at once did raigne here After that the Danes out of Denmarke did inuade it and much molest it And lastly vnder the leading of their Duke William the Normans did conquere it and established that gouernement which to this day doth continue And from whome as from the Conquerour our ordinarie computation is deriued The Scots were in times past a most barbarous people of whome Saint Ierome reporteth that he sawe some of them in his time in France to feede on mans flesh They were neuer wholy conquered by the Romaines There be very many little Ilandes adioyning vnto the great Iland Britanie As at the very North-point of Scotland the Orchades which are in number aboue 30. The chiefe whereof is named Orkney where the people are barbarous On the West-side of Scotland towardes Ireland lye the Ilandes called Hebreides where inhabite the people ordinarily tearmed the Redshankes Not farre from thence is the I le Mona commonly called The I le of Man The peculiar iurisdiction of the Earles of Darbie with homage notwithstanding reserued vnto the crowne of England On the North-part of Wales is the Iland of Anglesey which is reputed a distinct shiere towardes France side on the South part of England is the I le of Wight in Latine called Vectis which is a good holde in the narrowe seas against the French More neare Fraunce are the Iles of Garnesey and Iernesey where they speake French and are vnder the crowne of England There be also many other but of small accompt De Insulis in Mari Mediterraneum THere be many Ilandes in the Mediterran renowmed in the olde writers but the chiefe of them onely shall be touched From the pillers of Hercules going Eastwarde are two Ilands not farre from Spaine which in times
A BRIEFE DESCRIPTION OF THE whole worlde WHEREIN ARE PARticularly described all the Monarchies Empires and kingdomes of the same with their seuerall titles and situations thereunto adioyning AT LONDON Printed by T. Iudson for Iohn Browne and are to be sould at the signe of the Bible in Fleete-streete 1599. A BRIEFE DESCRIPTION OF THE WHOLE WORLD THe globe of the earth doth eyther shewe the sea or land The sea generall is called by the name of the OCEAN which coasteth all the world and taketh his name in speciall eyther of the place neere which it commeth as Oceanus Britannicus Mare Germanicus Sinus Persicus Mare Atlanticum of the hill Atlas in the West-part of Africke or of the finder out as Fretum Magelanicum or of some other accident as the Red sea because the sand is red Mare Mediterraneum because it runneth betweene the landes of Europe and Afrike Mare Icarium because Icarus was drowned there or the like There be some few seas which haue no entercourse with the OCEAN as Mare mortuum neare Palestina Mare Caspium siue Hircanum not farre from Armenia and such a one is said to be in the North part of America The Straites or narrow seas are noted in the Latine by the name of Fretum as Fretum Britanicum the English narrowe seas Fretum Herculeum the straightes betweene Barbarie and Spaine Fretum Magellanicum c. The earth is either Ilands which are those that are wholy compassed by the sea as Britannia Sicilia Corsica or the continent which is called in the English the firme lande in the Latine Continent The olde knowne firme land was conteined onely in Asia Europe and Africa Europe is deuided from Africa by the Mediterran sea and from Asia by the riuer Tanais whereby appeareth that the North-partes of Asia and of Europe in olde time were but little knowne and discouered Africa is deuided from Europe by the Mediterran sea from Asia by the riuer Nilus and so Asia by Tanais and Nilus is seuered from Europe and Afrike De Hispania TO say nothing of England and Ireland the most westerne countrie of Europe is Spaine which is boūded on the South wth the Mediterran sea on the West with the Atlantike on the North with the Oceanus Cantabricus or the Spanish seas on the East with France from which it is seuered with certaine mountaines called Montes Pyrenei or the Pyrenei hills In this countrie heretofore there were many kingdoms as the kingdome of Portingale toward the West the kingdome of Granada toward the South the kingdome of Nauarre and Aragon towarde the East and the kingdome of Castile in the middle of the land but the whole dominion is now vnder the king of Spaine De Gallia THe next countrie is France which is bounded on the West with the Pyrenei hills on the North with the English seas on the East with Germanie on the South-east with the Alpe-hilles on the South-west with the Mediterran sea This was in auncient time deuided into three partes Aquitania which is toward the West Celtica toward the North and West and Belgica which is toward the North. Belgica is some times called Gallia inferior and sometime Germania inferior but we call it commonly by the name of the Lowe countries the gouernement where of at this day is not at all vnder France but Gallia Celtica and Aquitania are vnder the French king France hath many petie gouernements that doe border vpon it as the Duke of Sauoie the State of the Switzers the Dukedome of Loraine the Burgundians or Wallons against all which the King is forted to keepe his frontier townes There is nothing more famous in this kingdome then the Salike lawe whereby it is prouided that no woman nor the heire of her as in her right shall enioy the crowne of France a but it goeth alwayes to the heire male The Switzers are a people called in olde time Heluetij who haue no Noblemen or Gentlemen among them but onely the citizens of their townes the yearely officers whereof and their councill doe gouerne their State De Germania THe next countrie vnto France on the East-side is Germanie which is bounded on the West with France and the Lowe countries on the North with Denmarke and the Danish seas on the East with Prussia Polonia and Hungarie on the South-east with Istris and Illyricum on the South with the Alpe-hilles with Italy The gouernour generall of this countrie is balled the Emperour of Germanie who is chosen by three spirituall princes the Archbishop of Colen called Coloniensis the Archbishop of Ments called Moguntinus and the Archbishop of Triers called Treuereusis and three temporal princes the Duke of Saxonie the Marques of Brandeburg and the Countie Palantine of Rhine which if they cannot agree as to make a Maior parte in their election then the king of Boheme hath also a voyce whereof it commeth to to be saide that there bee seuen Princes electors of the Empire There is not that free libertie of choosing the Emperour out of any countrie as was heretofore But the election is tyed within one hundred yeares vnto the house of Austria and at this day of of them the king of Bohemia is Emperour who is called Rodulphus 2. Bohemia is a kingdome in the middle of Germanie which is compassed rounde with a mightie wood called Silua Hirciniae The chiefe citie thereof is called Prage In Germanie all are at a kinde of commaundement of the Emperour but most of the Princes otherwise take on them as absolute gouernours in their dominion So that they haue libertie of religion they make lawes they raise souldiers they stampe money with their owne coyne as absolute princes So doth the Duke of Saxonie the Archbishop and the rest There are also free States and cities which haue the same authoritie as Argentine Frankford and other De Italia ON the South-side of the Alpes and Germanie lyeth Italie stretching it selfe out in length towarde the South and East It hath on the South-side the Iland Sicilia on the East that part of the Med. which is called Mare Adriaticum or Mare superum which seuereth Italie from Graecia on the West side that part of the Med. which is called Mare Tyrrhenum or Mare inferum and by some Mare Ligusticum This countrie for the figure thereof is by some likened vnto a long leafe of a tree it hath in the middle of it which goeth all in length a mightie mountaine named Mons Aperminus which is likened to the Spina or ridge-bone of the backe out of this hill spring diuers Riuers which runne on both sides of it into the Adriatike and Tyrrhene or Tuscane seas The North parte of this Italie is that which in auncient time was called Gallia Comata or Gallia Cisalpina Gallia inhabited then by the French-men It is now called Longobardia or Lombardie wherein stand many rich gouernements as the Dukedome of Millaine of Mantua of Florence and others It is for the pleasantnesse thereof in respect of the soile
aire waters and great varietie of wines and fruites likened now by some to Paradise or the garden of God In this Italy which was heretofore one intire gouernement in the florishing estate of the Romanes are now many absolute States and princedomes by the great policie of the Bishop of Rome who thought it the best way to make himselfe great to weaken the Empire So he hath not onely driuen the Emperour out of all Italie into Germanie but hath diminished his Maiestie in both by making so many petie gouernments which hold themselues soueraigne rulers without relation to any other As there are many States in Italie so one of the chiefest are the Venicians called Resp Venetorum or the State of Venice because they are not gouerned by any one but by their Senate gentlemen although they haue a duke with whose stampe their money is coyned and in whose name all their executions of iustice are done But this duke is euery way limited by the State This Citie of Venice standeth in an Aestuarium or shallow of earth in the North-part of the Adriatike sea so safely that it is held inuincible There is in it but one streete of firme land into the other the sea doth flow at euerie tide They haue beene a great and rich State not onely possessing much in Italie as Padua their Vniuersitie and other things which nowe they doe but a great part of Illyricum and many rich Ilands in the Med. as Candie called commonly Creta Cyprus Zacynthus and other The impouerishing of their state hath partly beene by the encroching of the Turke but especially By the decaying of that trafique which they had to Alexandria in Aegypt for their spices and other riches of Persia Arabia and the East Indies Since the course of the Portugals to those Easterne countries hath beene by sea by the backeside of Africa Here standeth the Citle of Florence a renowmed Citie of Lombardie which is gouerned by a Duke an absolute Prince This Dukedome is in the familie of the Medices from whom came Katherine de Medices the wife of Henrie the 2. King of France lately so well knowne by the name of Queene mother In this Lombardie standeth also the Dukedome of Millaine a most rich and pleasant thing which sometime had beene gouerned by a Duke of their owne but of late hath beene possessed by the Spaniard and sometime by the French and is now in the gouernment and possession of the king of Spaine A good part of Italie is vnder the Bishop of Rome which commoÌ„ly is called the land of the Church where the Pope is a Prince absolute not onely spirituall as else-where hee claimeth but also temporall making lawes requiring tribute raising souldiers and executing iustice as a Monarche In the South part of Italie lieth the kingdome of Naples which is a countrie very rich and full of all kind of pleasure aboundant in Nobilitie whereof commeth to bee said that prouerbe Naples for Nobilitie Rome for religion Millaine for beautie Florence for policie and Venice for riches This was heretofore ruled by a king 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—r owne till the time of Ioane Queene of Naples who â—y deede of gift did first graunt that kingdome to the Kings of Aragon in Spaine and afterward by will with a reuocation of the former grauÌ„t did bequeath it to the house of Anioy in France Since which time the kingdome of Naples hath sometimes beene in the hand of the Spaniard sometimes possessed by the French and is now vnder the King of Spaine vnto this is annexed also the Dukedome of Calabria There be moreouer in Italie many other Prince-domes and States as the Dukedome of Ferrara the Dukedome of Mantua the Dukedome of Vrbine the Dukedome of Parma Placentia the State of Luca the State of Genua commonly called the Genowaies which are gouerned by their Senate but haue a Duke as they haue at Venice There bee also some other by which meanes the glory and strength of Italy is decayed De Dania Suecia Noruegia AS Italie lieth on the Southside of Germanie so Denmarke lieth on the North into the middle of which land the sea breaketh in by a place called the Sound The Imposte of which passage bringeth great riches as an ordinarie tribute to the King of Denmarke this is a kingdome and ruled by an absolute gouernour On the North and East side of Denmarke lieth Suecia commonly called Sweden or Swethen which is also a kingdome of it selfe Where the King professeth himselfe to bee Rex Suecorum Gothorum Vandalorum Wherby we may know that the Gothes and Vandales which in times past did waste Italie and other Nations of Christendome did come out of this country On the Northside and West of Sweden lieth Noruegia or Norway which is at this day vnder the gouernement of the King of Denmarke although heretofore it hath beene a free kingdome of it selfe Within the Sounde on the East part of the sea lieth Dantzicke where are three townes of Hanse-men confederates and allies vnto the King of Denmarke There is no great thing to be noted in these countries but that from Denmarke commeth much come to the supply of other parts of Christendome and that from all these countries is brought great furniture for warre or for shipping As masts cables steele fadles armour gunpowder the like And that in the seas adioyning to these parts there are fishes of much more monstrous shape then else-where are to be found The people of these countries are by their profession Lutherans for religion De Russia siue Moscouia ON the East side of Sweden beginneth the dominion of the Emperour of Russia although Russia or Moscouia it self doth lie some what more into the East which is a great and mightie Monarchie extending it selfe euen from Lapland and Finmarke many a thousand mile in length vnto the Caspian sea so that it containeth in it a great part of Europe and much of Asia also The gouernour there calleth himselfe Emperour of Russia great Duke of Mosconia with many other titles of Princedomes and Cities whose dominion was very much enlarged by the Emperour not long since dead whome in Russie they call Iâ—an VasilIwich in the Latine Iohannes Basilides who raigning long and being fortunate in warre did very much enlarge this mightie dominion The people of this countrie are rude and vnlearned very superstitious a kinde of Christians but rather following the Greeke Church Their buildings is most of wood euen in their chiefe Citie of Mosco insomuch that the Tartars wholy in the North-east of them breaking oft into their countries euen vnto the very Citie of Mosco doe set fire on their Cities which by reason of their woodden buildings are quickly destroyed The passage by sea into this countrie which was wont to be through the Sound and so afterward by land was first discouered by the English who with great danger of the frozen seas did first aduenture to saile so far North as to compasse Lapland Finmarke
Italie and to the Romanes the first light of learning because from them arose the first Poets as Homer Hesiodus Sophocles and diuerse other the great Philosophers namely Socrates Plato Aristotle and all the Sects of the Academicks Stoicks Peripateticks Epicureans and almost all their schollers the great Oratours Demosthenes and Eschines and in one worde the Mathematiks excepted which came rather from the Caldeans and the Egyptians the whole flower of Artes and good learning On the North east part of Graecia standeth Thracia which though heretofore it hath beene distinguished yet now it is accounted as the chiefe part of Greece Heere on the edge of the sea-coast verie neete vnto Asia standeth the citie called Bizantium but since Constantinople because Constantine the great did new build it and made it an imperiall citie This was the chiefe residence of the Emperour of Graecia sometimes called new Rome and the glorie of the East where the generell Councell was once assembled and one of the seas of the Patriarkes who was called the Patriarke of Constantinople But by the great discord of the Christians all Graecia and this City is fallen into the hands of the Turke who nowe maketh it his place of imperiall abode It was wonne in the time of Constantine the last Emperour so that by Constantine it obtained his honour and by Constantine it lost it In this citie lieth resident with the Turke an Embassador or Agent for the Queene of England The Christians that doe liue now in Gracia are in miserable seruitude vnto the Turke They disagree in many things from the doctrine of the Church of Rome De Mari Europam Asiam interiacente IT is saide before that on the North-part betweene Asia and Europe the riuer Tanais doth runne as a bounde of them both This riuer runneth into a Lake called Maeotis palus which bordereth on the confines of Scythia or Tartaria This Maeotis doth disburden it selfe into a wide sea called Pontus Euxinus At the mouth of this sea is a verie great straight knowne by the name of Thracius Bosphorus where the breadth of the sea is not aboue one mile seuering Asia and Europe On the side of Europe standeth Constantinople on the side of Asia a Citie called Pera which for the nearenesse is by some reckoned a part of Constantinople After this straight the sea openeth it selfe more large towarde the South and is called by the name of Propontus But then it goo weth again into another straight which they write to bee in bredth about two miles This is called Hellespontus hauing on the one side Abidus in Asia and on the other side Cestus on the side of Europe This is that place where Xerxes the great King of Persia did make his bridge ouer the sea so much renowmed in auncient hystories which was not impossible by reason of the narrownesse the foundation of his bridge being rested on ships Here also may appeare the reason of that storie of Leander and Hero which Leander is reported for the loue of her to haue oftentimes swoom ouer the sea till at last he was drowned From this strait Southward the sea groweth more wide and is called afterwardes by the name of Mare aegeâ—â—â— and so discendeth vnto the full Mediterran De Asia primo de Tartaria ON the North-side of Asia ioyning vnto the dominion of the Emperour of Russia is Tartaria in auntient time called Scythia the bounds whereof did then extend themselues into a good parte of Europe and thereof was called Scythia Europhaea but the greatest parte of it lyeth in Asia A mightie large countrie extending it selfe from the North to the vttermost sea On the East to the dominion of the great Cham or Prince of Cathaio on the South downe to the Mare Caspiâ—m The Tartarians which nowe inhabite it are men of great stature rude of behauiour no Christians but Gentiles neither doe they acknowledge Mahomet They haue sewe or no Cities among them but after the manner of the olde Seythians doe liue in wildernesses lying vnder their cartes and following their droaues of cattell by the milke whereof they doe nourish themselues They sowe no come at all because they abide not long in any one place but taking their direction from the North-pole-starre they remooue from one coast of their countrie vnto an other The countrie is populous and the men are great warriors sighting alwayes on horsebacke with their bowe and arrowes and a short sworde They haue among them infinite store of horses whereof they sell many vnto the countries adioyning Their ordinarie foode in their warres is horseflesh which they vse to eate rawe being chased a little by hanging at their saddle They haue great warres with the countries adioyning but especially with the Moscouite and sometimes with the Turke From hence came Tamberlano who brought seuen hundreth thousands of the Tartarians at once into the fielde wherein he distressed and tooke prisoner Baiazet the great Turke whome he afterwardes forced to feede as a dogge vnder his table They haue now among them many princes and gouernours as those haue one whome they call the Crim Tartars and those haue another which are the Tartars of Nagaia and so diuers other The English haue laboured to their great expences to finde out the way by the North Seas of Tartaria to goe into Cathaio and China But by reason of the frozen seas they haue not yet preuailed Although it be now reported that the Flemmings haue discouered that passage which is like to be to the great benefite of the Northeme partes of Christendome De Cathaio China NExt beyond Tartaria on the North-east parte of Asia lyeth a great countrye called Kathaie or Kathaia the boundes whereof extend themselues on the North and East to the vttermost seas and on the South to China The people are not much learned but more ciuill then the Tartars and haue good and ordinarie trafique with the countries adioyning This countrie hath in it many Kings which are tributaries and doe owe obedience vnto one whome they call the great Cham or Cane of Kathaia who is the chiefe gouernour of all the land and esteemed for multitude of people and largenesse of Dominion to be one of the great Princes of the world but his name is the lesse famous for that he lyeth so farre distant from the best nations and the passage vnto his countrie is so daungerous eyther for the perils of the seas or for the long space by land his chiefe imperiall Citie is called Cambalu On the South-side of Kathaie and East parte of Asia next to the sea lyeth China The people whereof Osorius describeth by the name of Sine and calleth their countrie Sinarunt regio This is a fruitfull countrie and yeeldeth great store of ritch commodities as almost any countrye in the worlde It containeth in it very many seuerall kingdomes which are absolute Princes in their States The chiefe cittie in this countrie is called Quinsay and is described to be of
incredible greatnesse Such a citie as were wont to bee in anntient time in the East as Babylon Nilus and other This countrie was first discouered by the late nauigation of the Portugals into the East Indies The people of China are learned almost in all Artes very skilfull workemen in curious fine workes of all sortes so that no countrie yeeldeth more precious marchandize then the workemanship of them They are great souldiers very politique and craftie and in respecte thereof contemning the wits of other vsing a Prouerbe that all Nations doe see but with one eye but that themselues haue two Petrus Mathaeus historiographer to the King of Spaine for the Easterne Indies doth reporte of them that they haue had from very auntient time among them these two things which we holde to be the miracles of Christendome and but lately inuented The one is the vse of guns for their warres the other is printing which they vse not as we do writing from the left hand vnto the right or as the Hebrewes and Sirians from the right hand vnto the left but downeward directly so their lines at the top to begin againe De India orientali ON the South-side of China toward the Molucco Ilands and the Indian sea lyeth the great countrie of India extending it selfe from the South-east part of the continent by the space of many thousand miles west-ward vnto the riuer Indus which is the greatest riuer in all that countrie except Ganges one of the greatest riuers in the world which lyeth in the East-part of the same Indies This is that countrie so famous in ancient time for the great riches therof for the multitude of people for the conquest of Bacchus ouer it for the passage thither of Alexander the great through all the length of Asia for his aduenturing to goe into the South Ocean with so mightie a Nauie which fewe or none had euer attempted before him This countrie had in auncient time many absolute kingdomes and princes as in the time of Alexander Porus Taxiles and diuers others In it were many Phylosophers and men of great learning whome they called Gymnesophistae of whome was Calanus who burnt himselfe afore Alexander The men of the South-parte of India are blacke and therefore are called men of Inde The cattle of all sortes that are bred there are of incredible bignes in respect of other countries as their Elephants Apes Munkies and such like The riches hereof hath bene very great with aboundance of golde insomuch that the Promontorie which is now called Malachâ— was in times past named Aurea Chersonesus The commoditie of spice is exceeding great that commeth from thence The Portingales were the first which by their long nauigations beyond the Equinoctial and the farthermost parte of Africa haue of late yeares discouered these countries of India As heretofore of the King of Portingale so now of the King of Spaine who is reputed owner of them The Portingales did finde diuers small kingdomes at their first arriuall in those partes as the king of Calicut froÌ„ whence commeth our Calicut linnen the king of Cambaia the king of Cananor the king of Cochin and vâ—ry many other with whome they first entring league for trafique and hauing leaue giuen to build Castles for their defence they haue since by policie encroched into their handes a great parte of the countrie which lyeth neare vnto the sea-coast and are mightie now for the space of many thousand miles together The king of Spaine hath there a vice-roy whose residence is commonly in the Imperiall citie called Goa They doe euery yeare send home great store of riche commodities into Spaine The people of the countrie when the Portingales came first thither were for the most part Gentiles beleeuing no one God But the Saracens who reuerence the Prophet Mahomet from the baies or gulfes of Persia and Arabia did trafique much thither so that Mahomet was known among them But in one towne called Crangarior they founde diuers Christians diffenting in many things from the Church of Rome and rather agreeing with the Protestants which Christians had reteined by successe their religion from the time of Thomas the Apostle by whom it is recorded by the auncient Ecclesiastical historie part of India was conuerted De Persia THere be diuers countries betweene India and Persia but they are not famous Persia is a large countrie which lieth farre West from India it hath on the North Assyria and Media on the West Syria and the Holyland but next vnto it Mesopotamie on the South the maine Ocean which entereth in notwithstanding by a bay called Sinus Persicus This is that countrie which in auncient time was so renowmed for the great riches and Empire thereof These were they who took from the Assyrians the Monarchies and did set vp in their countrie the second great Empire which beganne vnder Cyrus and continued vnto Darius who was ouerthrowne by Alexander the great In this Countrie raigned the great Kings Cyrus Canibises Darius the sonne of Histaspes the great Xerxes Artaxerxes and many other which in prophane writinges are famous for their warres against the Scythians Aegyptians and Graecians and in the Scripture for the deliuerie of the Iewes from Babylon by Cyrus for building of the second Temple at Ierusalem and for manie things which are mencioned of them in the Prophecie of Daniel The people of this nation although they were in former times very riotous by reason of their great wealth yet after that they lost their Monarchy by the Macedonians they haue growne great souldiers and therefore as they euer did strongly defend themselues against the Romanes so in the time of Constantine and the other Emperours they were fearfull neighbours to the Romane gouernment And of late time they haue strongly opposed then selues agaynst the Turkes euer making their partie good with them They fight commonlie on horse-back are gouerned as in times past by a King so nowe by an absolute ruler and mightie Prince whom they tearme the Shawe or Sophie of Persia He hath many countries and small Kings in Assyria and Media and the countries adioyning tributaries The Persians are all at this day Sarazens in religion beleeuing on Mahomet but as Papists and protestants do diffor in opinion concerning the same Christ so do the Turkes and Persians about their Mahomet the one pursuing the other as heretikes with most deadly hatred In so much that there be in this respect almost continuall warres betweene the Turkes and the Persians De Parthia Media ON the North-east side of Persia lieth that countrie which in old time was called Paerthia but now named Arach of whose great warres with the Medians or Armenians or Romanes in Tacitus and ancient histories are true The countrie boundeth on Media by the West which was in auncient time very full of people whose fight as it is very much on hors-backe so the maner of them continually was for to giue an onset and then to runne their wayes
the other cities did stand neare vnto Iordan and to the Mare mortuum for the destruction of whome all that coast to this day is a witnes the earth smelling of brimstone being desolate and yeelding no fruite sauing apples and such which growing with a faire shewe to the eye lyke other fruite assone as they are touched turne presently to ashes as besides Iosephus Solinus doth witnes The land of Palaestina had for inhabitants all the twelue tribes of Israell which were vnder one kingdome till the time of Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon But then were they deuided into two kingdomes ten tribes being called Israel and two being called Iuda whose chiefe Citie was called Ierusalem Then the tribes after much Idolatrie were caried prisoners into Assyria and the kingdome dissolued other people being placed in their roome in Samaria and the countrie adioyning The other two tribes were properly called the Iewes their land Iudaea which continued long after in Ierusalem and thereabout till the captiuitie of Babylon where they liued for 70. yeares They were afterward restored but liued without glory till the comming of Christ But since his time for a curse vpon them and their children for putting Christ to death they are scattered vpon the face of the earth as runnagates without certaine countrie King Priest or Prophet In their chiefe Citie Ierusalem was the Temple of God first most gloriously built by Salomon and afterwarde destroyed by Nabuchadnezzer By the commaundement of Cyrus King of Persia was a second Temple built much more base then the former for besides the pouertie and smalnesse of it there wanted fiue thinges which were in the former as the Iewes write First the Arke of the couenant Secondly the pot of Manna Thirdly the rod of Aron Fourthly the two tables of the lawe written by the finger of God and fiftly the fire for the sacrifice which came downe from heauen Herod the great an Edomite stranger hauing gotten the kingdome contrary to the lawe of Moses and knowing the people to be offended therewithall to procure their fauour did build a third Temple much more glorious then the second which was that Temple wherein our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles did teach The Citie of Ierusalem was twise taken and vtterly laid desolate first by Nabuchadnezzer at the captiuitie of Babylon and secondly after the death of Christ by Vespatian the Romaine who first began the siege and by his sonne Titus who was afterward Emperour of Rome who brought such horrible desolation on that Citie and the people thereof by sire sworde and famine that the lyke hath not bin read in any historie He did afterward put thousands of them on some one day to be deuoured by the beastes which was a cruell custome of the Romaine magnificence After this destruction the land of Iudaea and the ruines of Ierusalem were possessed by some of the people adioyning till that aboute 600. yeares since the Sarazens did inuade it for the expelling of whome from thence diuers Frenchmen and other Christians vnder the leading of Godfrey of Bullen did assemble themselues thinking it a great shame that the Holy land as they called it the Citie of Ierusalem and the place of the sepulchre of Christ should be in the hands of the Infidels This Godfrey ruled in Ierusalem by the name of a Duke but his successors after him for the space of sixe score yeares called themselues Kings of Ierusalem aboute which time Saladine who called himselfe King of Aegypt and Asia the lesse did win it from the Ch istians for the recouery whereof Richard the first King of England together with the French King and the King of Cicilia did goe in person with their armies to Ierusalem but although they wonne many thinges from the infidels yet the ende was that the Sarazens did retaine the Holy land The whole countrie and citie of Ierusalem are now in the dominion of the Turke who notwithstanding for a great tribute doeth suffer many Christians to abide there There are therefore nowe two or more monasteries and religious houses where Friers doe abide and make a good commoditie by shewing of the sepulchre of Christ and other monuments vnto such Christian pilgrims as doe vse superstitiously to goe in pilgrimage to the Holy land The King of Spaine calleth himselfe at this day King of Ierusalem De Arabia NExt vnto the Holy land lyeth the great countrie of Arabia hauing on the North-parte Palestina and Mesepotamia on the East the gulfe of Persia on the South the maine Ocean of India or Aethiopia on the West Aegipt and the great bay called Sinus Arabicus or the redde sea This countrie is deuided into three partes the North parte whereof is called Arabia deserta the South parte which is the greatest is named Arabia Foelix and in the middle betweene both which for the aboundance of Rockes and Stones is called Arabia Petrea or Petrosa The deserte of Arabia is that place in which God after the deliuery of the Israelites from Egypt by passing through the red sea did keepe his people vnder Moses for fortie yeares because of their rebellion feeding them in the meane time with Manna from heauen sometime with water miraculously drawne out of drie rockes for the country hath verie little water almost no trees and is vtterly vnfit for tillage or corne There are no townes nor inhabitants in all this desert in Arabia Petrosa are some but not many Arabia Foelix for fruitfulnes of the ground and conuenient standing euerie way towarde the sea is one of the best countries of the world but the principall cause why it is called Foelix is for that it yeeldeth many things in aboundance which in other parts of the world are not to be had as Frankincense especially the most precious balmes myrhe and many other both fruits and spices and it yeeldeth withall store of some precious stones This is that countrie wherein Mahomet wes borne who being of meane parentage was brought vp in his youth in the trade of merchandise but afterward ioyning himselfe with theeues and robbers his life was to rob such marchants as passed through Arabia and to this purpose hauing gotten togither many of his owne countrimen he had afterwardes a whole legion or more out of the Romane souldiours who being offended with Heraclius the Romane Emperour for want of their pay ioined themselues to him so that at length hee had a great armie wherewith hee spoyled the countrie adioyning To maintaine his credit authoritie with his owne men he fained that he had conference with the holy Ghost at such time as he was troubled with the falling sicknes and accordingly he ordained a new religion consisting partly of Iewish ceremonies and partly of Christian doctrine and some other things of his owne inuention that hee might inueagle both Iewes and Christians and yet by his own fancy distinguish his followers from both The booke of his religion is called the Alcoran The people which were his Sectaries
of the foure principall seas and remaineth so at this time This countrie was gouerned by a King as long agone as almost any in the worlde Here raigned Amasis who made those good lawes spoken of by Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus in whose writings the antient customes of the Aegiptians are worthie to be read After Alexanders time Ptolomeus one of his captaines had this kingdome of whome all his successors were called Ptolomeis as before time all their Kings were called Pharao They continued long friendes and in league with the people of Rome till the time of Iulius Caesar but afterward they were as subiects to the Romaines till the Empire did decaye When they had withdrawne themselues from the Romaine gouernement they set vp a Prince of their owne whome they tearmed the Sultan or Souldan of Aegipt of whome about 400. yeares sinee Saladine was one But when the race of these was out the Mamalukes who were the garde of the Sultan as the Ianisaries to the Turke appointed a Prince at their pleasure till that nowe aboute an 100. yeares agone or lesse the Turke possessed himselfe with sole gouernement of the countrie so that at this day Aegipt is wholy vnder the Turke There be Christians that now liue in Aegipt for their tribute vnto the Turke as they doe now in Graecia De Cyrene Africa minori ON the West-side of Aegipt lying along the Mediterran is a countrie which is called in olde time Cyrene wherein did stand that Oracle which was so famous in the time of Alexander the great called by the name of the Temple or Oracle of Iupiter Hammon whither when Alexander did repaire as to aske counsell of himselfe and his successe the Priests being before taught what they should say did flatteringly professe him to be the sonne of a God and that he was to be adored so that as the Oracle of Delphos and some other were plaine delusions of Satan who did raigne in that darke time of ignorance so this of Iupiter Hammon may be well supposed to bee nothing else but a cousinage of the Priestes In this countrie and all neare aboute where the Oracle stoode are very great wildernesses where did appeare to Alexander for foure dayes iourney neither Grasse Tree Water Man Bird nor Beast but onely a deep kinde of sand so that he was inforced to carry water with him for himselfe and his company and all other prouision on Camels backs At this day this countrie hath lost his olde name and is reckoned as a parte of Aegipt and lyeth vnder the Turke Westward from hence along the Mediterran lyeth the countrie which in auntient time was called Afried minor for as in Asia one part aboue another was by an excellencie called Asia or Asia the lesse so this parte of Afrike was termed by the Romaines sometimes Africa simply sometimes Afica the lesse In this countrie did stand that place so famous mentioned by Salust vnder the neme of Phileni Arae which was the bound in that time betweene Africa and Cyrene On the Notth and East parte hereof in the sea neare vnto the shore was that quicke-sand which in times past did destroy so many shippes and was called Syrtis Magna as also on the North and West parte was the other sand called Syrtis parua Some part of this countrie was heretofore vnder the Sultane of Egypt whose dominion did extend it selfe so far to the West there it was deuided frō the kingdome of Tunis but it is now wholy vnder the Turke and is commonly reputed as a parte of Barbarie For now by the generall name from the confines of Cyrene vnto the West as farre as Hercules his pillars all the whole space is called Barbarie though it conteine in it diuers kingdomes as Tunis Fessa and Marocco De Mauritania Caesariensi AParte of that countrie which by a generall name is called at this day Barbary hath in olde time bin called Mauritania which was deuided into two partes the East part whereof next to Africa minor was called by the Romaines Mauritania Caesariensis as the other was called Mauritania Tingitana In Mauritania Caesariensis was the countrie of Numidia the people whereof were vsed in the warres of the Carthaginians as light-horse men and for nimble seruices very actiue In the East-parte of this countrie standing in the Sea was that amous Citie of Carthage supposed to be built by Dido who came from Tyrus This Citie was it which for the space of some hundreth yeares contended with Rome for the Empire of the worlde In the Romaine histories are recorded three great warres which the people of Rome had with the Citie of Carthage In the first of the three their contention was for the Iles of Cicilia Corsica and Sardinia when the victorie fell to the Romaines and the Carthaginians were glad to redeeme their peace with the leauing of those Ilands The second warre was begunne by Hannibal who brake the league and after he had taken some parte of Spaine from the Romaines and sacked Saguntum a citie of their friendes came first ouer the Pyrenie hills to France then ouer the Alpes to Italie where he ouerthrew the Romaines in three great battailes and much endaungered their state he continued in Italie with his armie sixteene yeares till Scipio attempting on Carthage forced Hannibal to returne to rescue his owne countrie There was Hannibal ouerthrowne and his Citie put to a great pension by Scipio who for his victorie there was named Africanus In the third warre because the people of Cartharge still brake their leage their Citie was razed to the very grounde by the earnest and continuall sure of Cato the elder fearing euermore so dangerous a neighbour though Scipio Nasica counselled to the contrarie fearing least if the dread of that enemie were taken away the Romanes would grow eyther to idlenes or to ciuill dissension which after they did It is reported of Cato that he neuer spake his iudgement of any thing in the Senate but his conclusion was thus Thus I thinke for this matter and withall that Carthage is to be razed downe And Scipio Nasica would reply in his conclusion Thus I thinke of this matter and withall that Carthage is not to be razed downe In this countrie towards the West not far from Carthage stood Vtica whereof the younger Cato was termed Cato Vticensis because hee killed himselfe there in the ciuill warres betweene Pompey and Caesar because he would not come within the handes of his enemie Caesar Not farre from thence Westwarde standeth Hippon which was the Citie where S. Austen was Bishop This whole countrie at this day is called the kingdome of Tunis the king whereof is a kinde of Stipendarie vnto the great Turke The people that inhabit there are generally Sarazens and do professe Mahomets religion De Mauritania Tingitana THe other part of Barbarie that lieth along the Mediterran farthest into the west was called in olde time Manritania Tingitana The people of which countrie were those
which almost in all olde hystories were called by the name of Mauri Those of the other Mauritania being rather termed Namidae Into the Northwest part hereof did Hercules come and there did set vp one of his pillars which aunswereth to the other in Spaine at the straights of Gibraltar in times past called Fretum Herculeum On the South part hereof lay the kingdome of Bocchus which in the time of Marius had so much to doe with the Romanes In the Westpart of this Mauritania standeth the hill called Atlas minor and on the South part is the great hill called Atlas maior whereof the maine Ocean which lieth betweene Mauritania and America is called Mare Atlanticum This hill is so high that vnto those who stoode on the bottome of it it seemed to touch heauen with his top whereupon grew that fable of the Poets that Atlas was a giant who helde vp heauen with his shoulders This countrie hath beene long inhabited by the Sarazens who from thence finding it to be but a short passage into Spain did go ouer now seuen hundred yeers agone and possessed there the kingdome of Granado on the South-side of Spaine till they were thence expelled by Ferdinandus and Elizabeth or Isabell King and Queene of Castile In this countrie since that time haue the Spaniards taken some cities and holdes and so also haue the Portingales which by the diuers euent of victorie haue often beene lost and wonne by them Here it was that the Emperou Charles the fift had diuerse of his great warres agaynst the Moores as well as in the kingdome of Timis For the assistance of one who claimed to bee King of a part of this Countrie did Sebastian the king of Portingale goe with all his power into Africa in the yeare 1578. where vnaduisedly bearing himselfe hee was slaine togither with two other dying that day who claymed to bee Kings so that there it was that the battaile was sought whereof it is said that three kings dyed in one day which battaile was the ruine of the kingdome of Portingale and the cause of the vniting of a to the Crowne of Spaine Astrolegers did suppose that the blaging Starre which appeared the yeare before did signifie that ill euent This whole countrie doth containe in it besides some imperiall gouernment two absolute kingdomes the one the kingdome of Eezza or Fes which lieth on the North-part toward the Mediter and Spaine the other is the kingdome of Marocco which lieth from about the hill Atlas minor to the South and West part of Mauritania These are both Sarazens as be also their people holding true league with the Turke and with some other Christian Princes a league onely for trefique or Marchandise De reliquis Africae regionbius maritimis FRom beyond the hils Atlas maior vnto the South of Africa is nothing almost in antiquitie worthy the reading and those things which are written for the most part are fables In the new Writers there are some few things to be obferued As first that all the people in generall to the South lying within the Zona torrida are not onely blackish like the Moores but are exceedingly blacke And therefore as in olde time by an excellencie some of them were called Nigrita so that to this day they are named Negros as then whome no men are blacker Secondly that the inhabitants of all these parts which border or the sea coast euen vnto Caput bonae spei haue beene Gentiles adoring Images and foolish shapes for their gods neither hearing of Christ nor beleeuing on Mahomet till such time as Portingales cōming in among them haue professed Christ for themselues but haue wonne fewe of the people to imbrace their religion Thirdly that the Portingales passing along Africa vnto the East Indies haue fetled themselues in many places of those countries building Castles and townes for their owne safetie and to keepe the people in subiection to their great commoditie One of the first countries famous beyond Marocco is Guinea which we call Ginnie within the compasse whereof lieth the cape called Cape Verde and the other the Cape of the three points and the towne and Castle named Sierra Liona at which places commonly all trauailers doe touch that doe passe that way for fresh water and other shippe-prouision Our English men haue founde trafique into the partes of this countrie where their greatest commoditie as golde and Elephants teeth of both which there is very good store Beyond that toward the South not farre from the equinoctiall line lyeth the kingdome of Congo commonlie called Manicongo Where the Portingales at their first arriuall finding the people to bee heathens without God did induce them to a profession of Iesus Christ and to bee baptized in great aboundance allowing of the principles of religion vntill such time as the Priests did teach them to leade their liues according vnto their profession which the most part of them in no case enduring they returned backe againe vnto their Gentilisme Beyond Manicongo so farre to the South as almost ten degrees beyonde the tropicke of Capricorne lyeth the landes ende which is a promontorie now called by the name of Caput bone spei which Vascus Gama the Portingale did discouer and so called it because hee had there good hope that the land did turne to the North and that following the course thereof he might bee brought to Arabia and Persia but especially to Calicut in India Which course when himselfe and other of his countrimen after him did follow they founde on the coast vp towarde Arabia the kingdome of Mozambique Melinde Magadaxa and other whose people were all Gentiles and now are in league with the Portingales who haue built diuerse holdes for their safetie of which Countries and manners of the people he that listeth to reade may finde much in the hystories of Osorius and Petrus Maffeus But there is no matter of any great importance De Abissina imperio Presbyteri Iohannis IN the inland of Africa lyeth a verie large Countrie extending it selfe on the East to some part of the redde sea on the South to the kingdome of Melinde and a great way farther on the North vnto Egypt on the West vnto Manicorgo the people whereof are called Abissini and it selfe the dominion of him whom wee commonly call in English Prester Iohn but in Latine some tearme him Preciosus Iohannes because of his riches but in the most part Presbiter Iohannes writing of him that as he is a prince absolute so he hath also a Priestlike or Patriarchall function iurisdiction among them This is a very mightie prince and reputed to be one of the greatest Emperours of the worlde What was knowne of this countrie in former time was knowne vnder the name of Aethiopia but the voyages of the Portingales in these late dayes haue best described it The people therefore are Christians as is also their prince but differing in many thinges from the West Church and in no sorte acknowledging any supreme
past were called Insulae Baleares for that the people oft then did vse both for their delight and armour Slings which they continually almost carried aboute them And whereunto as Plinie writeth they did traine vp their children from their yoâ—â—â—â—st yeares Not giuing them any meate till they had from some Post or Beame cast it downe with a sling Of these were those Funditories or Sling-casters which the Carthaginians and Spaniards did vse in their warres against the Romanes The lesser of these which lieth most West was called in olde time Minorica and at this day Minorica The bigger which lieth more East was called Maiorica and now Maiorica They are both vnder the dominion of the King of Spaine More Eastward in the sea called Mare Inferum or Tyrrhenum lieth the Iland of Corsica ouer against Genua and direct Southward from thence lyeth the great Iland Sardinia Forthe quiet possessing of which two the warres were oftentimes reuiued betweene the olde Carthaginians and the Romanes For these two Ilands lie in the middle very fitly For both these are also at this day vnder the King of Spaine And were the same which latelie the Cardinall of Lourain would perswade the old king of Nauarre in France that if hee woulde leaue his religion and become a Papist the Spanish king should yeeld him either Sardinia or at the loast Corsica in recompence of Pampilona and the rest of the kingdome of Nauarre which the Spaniards by force did detaine from him Farther yet to the East at the verie poynt of the South-part of Italy lieth the great Iland of Sicilia which some haue supposed to haue beene heretofore a part of the continent but by an earth-quake and inundation of water to haue bin rent off and so made an Ileland The figure of this Country is Triquetra or triangle three-square There was also great contention for the Countrie betweene the Carthaginians and the Romanes but the Romanes obtayned it and had from thence exceeding store of corne yearelie whereupon Cicilie was called Horreum P. Romani Here stoode the goodly citie called Siracusa which was destroyed and sacked by Marcellus the Romane This was in times past a kingdom where the two tyrants the elder and the yonger Dionisius did reigne where Hiero also that great friend to the Romanes did remaine It was afterward made a prouince and gouerned by a Praetor or Deputie of the Romanes whereof Verres was one so inueighed against by Tullie It grew afterwards to be a kingdome againe insomuch that Tancredus was King of Cicilia who went to the taking of Ierusalem with Richard the second king of England Here was likewise Phalaris the tyrant so famous king of Agrigentum This Countrey is now also vnder the King of Spaine who among other titles calleth himselfe king of both the Cicilies reckoning this Iland for one and that part of Italie for another which is nowe called Calabria and was in the Romane hystories named Maegna Graecia There is nothing more renowmed in all Cicilia either with the newe or olde writers then the mountaine Aetna which beeing on the out-side ofteÌ„ couered with snow yet by a sulphurie or brimstonie water doth continuallie burne within yea so that whereas it was supposed in the ages last before vs that the matter beeing consumed the fire had ceased twise in our age it hath broke foorth againe to the intollerable losse of all the Countrie adioyning the ashes thereof destroying townes and fruites which were within the compasse of manie myles about This is that place whither Empedocles threwe himselfe that hee might bee reputed a God This is it whereof Virgill doth make his tract called Aenea which the Poets did report to be the shop of Vulcan where the Cyclops did frame the thunderbolts for Iupiter and to conclude this is it which some of our grosse Papists haue not feared to imagine to be the place of Purgatorie Not farre South from Cicilie lieth the little Iland called in old time Melite whence those dogs come which were so much desired vnder the name of Canes Melitenses This is the countrie where S. Paul was cast vp after his shipwracke in his iourney to Rome where the Viper hanged on his hand and did not hurt him This Countrie is now called Malta and is one of the places most renowmed in the worlde for the repelling of the Turkes when Soliman the Emperour of them did send agaynst it a most mightie armie It was then defended by those who are called the knights of Malta which by sea doe great spoile to the gallies of the Turke that passe that way Neare vnto Graecia and Peloponnesus on the West-side toward Italie is the I le Corcyra nowe tearmed Corfue and not far South from that is Cephalonia and from thence South is Zant called by Virgill Nemorisa Zazinthus all which Ilands haue beene heretofore vnder the Venetians but are now vnder the Turke In Zazinthus our English marchants haue an house of abode for their trafique Southeast from Morea lieth the great Iland Creta where Minos sometime did raigne so famous for his seueritie This countrie was then called Hecatompolis as hauing in it an hundred townes and cities The Turkes haue wonne this also long since from the Venetians it is now called Candie from whence commeth our ordinarie sugar of Candie Betweene Creta and Peloponnesus lieth Cythera where was the fine Temple of Venus who thereof by the Poets is called Cytherea The Ilandes are many which doe lie in the sea called Mare Aegeum from the bottome of Greece vnto the top of the Hellispont as all the Cyclades Euboea the great Iland Samos and Chios so Scyro where Achilles was borne and was king of that countrie There was also Lesbos Lemnos Metilene and Ithaca where Vlisses was king and Andros whether Themistocles was sent by the AtheniaÌ„s for tribute of which places something may be read in the olde historie of the Greekes Diuers of these did striue that Homer was borne in them but of certaintie many of those kinges which Homer saith came with Agamemnon to the siege of Troye were kings but of these small Ilands Eastward from thence not farre from some parte of Natolia or Asia the lesse is the Iland Rhodus the friendship of the inhabitants whereof was in auntient time very much desired by the Princes that had to doe that way So that Alexander first and the Romaines afterwardes did embrace their league Here was that huge and mightie image of the Sunne which was Cholossus Rhodius This countrie was long defended by those who were called the Knightes of the Rhodes against the power of the Turke and it was a great bulwarke to defend Christendome till that in the yeare one thousand fiue hundred twentie and two Solimon the great Turke did winne it from the Christians by force From thence Southward is the I le of Carpathus but in the farther end of the East parte of the Mediterraneum is Cyprus which about 300. yeares since was a kingdome did
afforde great aide to the Christians that went to conquer the Holy land but it is now vnder the Turke The chiefe Citie thereof is Famagusta which is an Archbishoppes sea for Christians for their tribute doe yet liue there In this countrey in olde time was Venus much honoured and thereof it was called Cypria as also Paphia because shee had a Temple in a Citie there called Paphos Neare vnto Siria stood the Iland Tirus against the pride whereof the Prophets doe so much speake This was a rich citie for merchandise and nauigation in olde time and is the place from whence Dido and the builders of Carthage did come The destruction of it is most famous by Alexander the greate Of the rest of the small Ilandes wee doe say nothing De insulis in Mare Indico THe Ilandes are very many that doe lie in the seas adioyning to the East Indies but the most famous among them shall be touched Among the olde writers as especially appeareth by Solinis was well knowne that which was then called Taprobana which lieth vnder the Equinoctiall line It was in that time a Maonarchy where the Kings raigned not by succession but by election and if any of them did grow intollerable he was deposed and inforced to die with withdrawing from him all things necessary This is nowe called Sumatra and hath in it diuers Kings Not far frō thence lye Eastward the two Ilandes called Iaua maior and Iaua minor which were also known to the olde writers they haue also in them diuers Kings as in generall may be noted that all the East part either in the continent or in the Iland haue very many small Kinges and kingdomes From thence yet more East lieth a great number of Iles which are now called the Moluccoes which are places as rich for their quantity as anie in the world From these it is that the Spaniards haue yearely so greate quantitie of all kindes of spice neither is there any place of all the East Indies that do more richly furnish home their caractes then do these Moluccoes Some of these Ilandes the Spaniards haue gotte into their owne possession with the Kings of some other they haue league and a third sorte vtterly detest them More North-ward ouer against China lieth a greate Iland called Iapona or Iapan the people whereof are much of the same nature with the men of China This countrey was first discouered by the Iesuites who in a blinde zeale haue trauailed vnto the farthest partes of the worlde to winne men to their religion this Ilande is thought to bee very rich The rest that bee either neare vnto Asia or vnto Africa because there is little written of them we passe ouer De Insulis in Mari Atlantico THere bee many Ilands which lie West-ward from Africa and from Europe as those which are called the Gorgades that lie in the same climate with Guinea which are foure in number but not inhabited by men but they are full of Goates North-ward from thence in the same clymate with the South-parte of Marocco lie those which are called Canariae or the fortunate Ilandes which are seuen in nomber being most fruitfull and very pleasant and therefore called by that name This is famous in them that it hath pleased all Cosmographers to make their Meridiane to be the first poynte where they doe beginne to reckon the computation of their longitude and vnto them after three hundred and threescore degrees to returne againe From these Ilandes it is that those strong and pleasant sackes which are called Canari wines are brought and from thence are fetched those which they call Canarie Birdes these Ilandes are vnder the Crowne of Spaine More Northward from thence lye these Ilandes which are called Azotes insulae being sixe or seuen in number of which Tercera is one of the chiefe of whome the rest by some are called the Terceraes which are farre inferiour in fruitfulnesse vnto the Canaries these were first vnder the Crowne of Portugale and one of them was the last which was kept out from the King of Spaine by the Prior don Antonio who now calleth himselfe King of Portugale but the Spaniard at the last tooke this Tercera from him and doeth possesse all these Ilandes tagether with the rest of the dominion which did belong to the Portingale De America siue Orbe nouo ALthough some dispute out of Plato and the olde writers that there was not onely a gesse but a kinde of knowledge in auntient time that besides Europia Asia and Africa there was another large countrey lying to the West yet he that shall aduisedly vse the coniectures made therevpon may see that there is nothing of sufficiencie to enforce any such knowledge but that all antiquitie was vtterly ignorant of the newe founde countries towarde the West whereunto this one argument most forcible may giue credite that at the first ariuing of the Spaniards there they founde in those partes nothing shewing trafique or knowledge of any other Nation but the people naked vnciuill some of them deuourers of mans flesh ignorant of shipping without all kinde of learning hauing no remembrance of historie or writing among them neuer hauing heard of any such religion as in other places of the world is knowne but being vtterly ignorant of Scripture or Christ or Moyses or any God neither hauing among them any token of crosse Church Temple or deuotion agreeing with other Nations God therefore remembring the prophecie of his sonne that the Gospell of the kingdome should before the day of iudgement be preached in all coastes and quarters of the worlde and in his mercie intending to free the people or at the least some fewe of them from the bondage of Sathan who did detaine them in blockish ignoraunce and from their Idolatrous seruice vnto certaine vile spirites whome they called their Zemes and most obsequiously did adore them and raised vp the spirit of a man worthie of perpetuall memorie one Christophorus Columbus borne at Genua in Italie to set his minde to the discouery of a new worlde Who finding by that compasse of the olde knowne worlde that there must needes bee a much more mightie space which the sun by his dayly motiō did compasse aboute then that which was alreadie knowne and discouered and conceiuing that this huge quantitie might as well by land as sea could neuer satisfie himselfe till that hee might attempt to make proofe of the veritie thereof Being therefore himselfe a priuate man and of more vertue then abilitie After his reasons and demonstrations layd downe whereby hee might enduce men that it was no vaine thing which he went about Hee went vnto many of the Princes of Christendome and among other vnto Henrie the seuenth then King of England desiring to bee furnished with shipping and men fitte for such a nauigation But these men refusing him parly because they gaue no credite vnto his newe narration and partly least they should be derided by their neighbour Princes
if by this Genoway stranger they should be cousoned but especiallie for that they were vnwilling to sustaine the charges of shipping At last hee betaketh himselfe vnto the court of Ferdinandus and Elizabeth King and Queene of Castile where also at the first hee sound but colde entertainment yet persisting in his purpose without wearinesse and with great importunitie it pleased God to moue the minde of Elizabeth the Queene to deale with her husbande to furnish him foorth two shippes for the discouerie onely and not for conquest Whereupon Columbus in the yeare 1492. accompanied with his brother Bartholomeus Columbus and manie Spaniards sayled farre to the West for the space of three score dayes and more with the great indignation and often mutinies of his companie fearing that by reason of their long distance from home they should neuer returne againe In so much that the generall after many perswasions of them to goe forwarde was at length enforced to craue but three dayes wherein if they sawe not land he promised to returne and God did so blesse him to the end that this voyage might not prooue in vaine that in that space one of his companie did espie fire which was a certaine arguments that they were neare to the land as it sell out in deede The first land whereunto they came was an Iland called by the enhabitants Haity But in remembrance of Spaine from whence he came he tearmed it Hispaniola and finding it to bee a countrie full of pleasure and hauing in it aboundaunce of gold and pearle he proceeded farther and discouered another bigge I le which is called Cuba of the which beeing verie glad with great treasure hee returned into Spaine bringing ioyfull newes of his happie successe The Spaniards who by nature are a people proude haue since the death of Columbus laboured to obscure his fame enuying that an Italian or stranger should be reported to be the first discouerer of those parts and therefore haue in their writings since giuen forth that there was a Spaniard which had first beene there and that Columbus meeting with his cards and descriptions did but pursue his enterprise and assume the glorie to himselfe But this fable of theirs doth sauour of the same spirite wherewithall many of them in his life time did reproach him that it was no matter of importance to find out these countries but that if he had not done it many other might and would which being spoken to Columbus at a solemne dinner he called for an egge and willed all the guests one after another to set it vp on end which when they could not do he gently bruising the one ende of it did make it flat and so set it vp by imitation whereof each of the other did the same whereby he mildlie did reproach their enuie toward him and shewed how easie it was to do that which a man had seene done before him To go forward therefore Columbus being returned to Castile after his welcome to the Princes was made great Admirall of Spaine and with a new fleete of more shippes was sent to search farther which he accordingly did and quickly found the maine land not farre off from the Tropicke of Cancer which part of the countrie in honour of Spaine hee called Hispania noua and in respect whereof at this day the King of Spaine doth entitle himselfe Hispaniaram Rex They found the people both of the maine land and Ilandes verie exceeding in number naked without cloathes or armour sowing no corne but making their breade of a kinde of roote which they call Maies Men most ignorant of all kinde of learning admiring the Christians as if they had beene sent downe from heauen and thinking them to be immortall wondering at their Shippes and the tackeling thereof for they had no shippes of their owne but bigge troughes which they call their Canoaes beeing made hollowe of the bodie of one Tree with the sharpe bones of fishes for iron or such like instruments they haue none The Spaniardes did here finde the people to bee most simple without fraude giuing them kinde entertainement according to their best manner exchanging for kniues glasses and such like toyes great aboundance of golde and pearle The desire whereof caused the Spaniards to seeke farther into the countries but the tyrannie and couetousnesse of the Spariards was such in taking from them their goods in deflouring their wiues and daughters but especially in forcing them to labour in their golde mines without measure as if they had beene beasts that the people detesting them and the name of Christians for their sakes did some of them kill themselues and the mothers destroyed their children in their bellies that they might not be borne to serue so hatefull a Nation and some of them did in warre conspire against them so that by slaughter and otherwise the people of the countrie are almost all wasted nowe within an hundred yeeres beeing before many millions those which remaine are as slaues and the Spaniards almost onely doe inhabit those parts By reason that the countrie is exceeding rich and fruitfull the Spaniards with great desire did spreade themselues toward the North where they founde more resistance although nothing in comparison of warriours but the greattest of their labour was for to conquere the kingdome of Mexico which Mexico is a Citie verie great and populous as almost any in the worlde standing in the midst of a great marish or fenne The conquerour of this was Ferdinandus Cortesius so much renowmed in Spaine vnto this day In the sea coastes of all this Noua Hispania the Kings of Spaine haue built many townes and Castles and therein haue erected diuerse fornaces and forges for the trying and sining of their golde De partibus Americae versus Septentrionem THe rumour of the discouerie of these partes beeing blowne ouer Christendome and the great quantitie of the land together with the fruitfulnesse thereof being reported abroad some other Nation did enterprise to set foot therein as namely the Frenchmen who sent certaine ships vnto a part of this counttie lying North from Hispania noua some fewe degrees without the Tropicke of Cancer into which when they had ariued because of the cōtinuall greennesse of the ground and trees as if it had beene a perpetuall spring they called it Florida where after some fewe of them had for a time setled themselues the Spaniards tooke notice of it and being vnwilling to endure any such neighbours they came suddainlie on them and most cruelly slue them all without taking any ransome yet the Spaniards for want of men are not able to inhabit that countries but leaue it to the olde people The Englishmen also desirous by nauigation to adde something vnto their owne countrie as before time they had trauailed toward the farthest North part of America so lately finding that part which lieth betweene Florida and Noua Francia was not inhabited by any Christians and was a land verie fruitfull and fit to
plant in they sent thither two seuerall times two seuerall companies as Colonies to inhabit that part which in remembrance of the virginity of their Queene they named Virginia But this voyage beeing interprised on the charge of priuate men and not thorowlie being followed by the State the possession of this Virginia is nowe discontinued and the countrie at this present left to the old inhabitants Northward from thence on the sea-coast lieth Norombega which is the South-parte of that which the Frenchmen did without disturbance of any Christian for a time possesse For the French-men did discouer a large part of America on toward the circle Arctick and did build there some townes and named it of their owne countrie Noua Francia The Enlish-men about the yeare 1570. did aduenture farre for to open the North partes of America and sayled as farre as the very circle Arcticke hoping for to haue found a passage by the North to the Moluccos and to China which hitherto neither by the North of Asia nor by the North of America could bee effected by them by reason of the verie great colde and yse in that clymate The rest of the inland beeing an huge space of earth hath not hitherto by any Christian to any purpose beene discouered but by those neare the sea-coasts it may bee gathered that they all which doe there inhabite are men rude and vnciuill without knowledge of God Yet on the North-west part of America some of our English-men going through the straightes of Magellan and passing toward the North by Hispania noua haue touched on a Countrie where they found good entertainement the King thereof yeelding himselfe to the subiection of the Queene of England whervpon they tearmed it Noua Albion De Peru Brasilia WHen the Portingales had first begun their nauigation by Africa vnto the East Indies some of them intending to haue helde their course Eastwarde vnto Caput bone spei were driuen so farre West-ward by tempest that they landed in a large and great countrey which by a generall name is called Brasilia where they began to enter trafique and with Townes and Castles to plant themselues before that the Spaniardes had discouered Peru which is the South parte of America So that at this day whatsoeuer the King of Spaine hath in Brasilia it is in right of the crowne of Portingale The countrie is large hauing in it many people and seuerall kingdomes which are not all possessed by the Portingals but so that other Christians as namely the Frenchmen being driuen out of their countrie for religion haue set footing there though afterwardes againe they haue abandoned it The inhabitants hereof are men also vtterly vnlearned but men more ingenious then the common sorte of the Americans goodly of bodie and straight of proportion going alwayes naked reasonable good warriours after their countrie fashion vsing to fat such enemies as they take in the warres that afterwardes they may deuoure them which they doe with great pleasure For diuers of the people of these quarters as the Caribles and the Canibals are all eaters of mans flesh In this countrie groweth aboundance of that wood which since is brought into Europe for to dye red colours and is of the place whence it commeth called Brazil-wood the trees whereof are exceeding great After that the Spaniardes had for a time possessed Hispania noua for the desire of gold and pearle some of them trauelled towardes the South And as by water they found that sea Westward from Peru which is alwayes very calme and is by them called the South-sea as the other wherein Cuba standeth is termed the North-sea so by land they founde that huge mightie countrie which is named Peru wherein the people are for the most parte very barbarous and without God men of great stature yea some of them farre higher then the ordinarie sorte of men in France vsing to shoote strongly with bowes made of fishe bones and most cruell people to their enemies Among these the Spaniards partly by force but especially by perfidious treason did get infinite summes of golde and pearle wherein being allured and hoping for more by reason that a great parte hereof lyeth vnder the Zona Torrida They haue heare and there scatteringly vpon the sea-coastes set vp some Townes and Castles but are not able to possesse almost any thing of the land neither haue they as yet discouered the inwarde partes thereof Some of these Spaniardes desirous for to see how farre this land of Peru did goe towardes the South trauelled downe till at length they founde the landes end and a little straight or narrowe sea which did runne from the maine Ocean towardes Africa into the South sea One magelanus was he that found this straight and although it be dangerous passed thorowe it so that of his name it is called Fretum Magelanicum or Magelanes straightes And this is the way whereby as the Spaniards doe passe to the backside of Peru and Hispania noza so whosoeuer will compasse the whole worlde as some of our English haue done He must of necessitie for any thing that is yet knowne passe thorowe this narrowe straight Magellanus did finde on the other side towards the Pole the maine continent which also the Portingales in their voyages to the East Indies haue sometimes bene driuen vnto whereof nothing is discouered but that in one place they did see aboundance of Parats and greater then ordinarie whereof they did call it Psittacorum regio This is thought to be a mightie huge countrie conteyning in compasse all the degrees of longitude in the continent thereof and is supposed to goe vnto the South pole By reason that no sea is yet founde to breake in or breake through the same There be also described by some of our late writers certaine great Landes towardes the North-pole And our English-men in their Nauigations haue touched Gronland but the nature of them and whether they be such and so many as is reported is not certainely knowne FINIS