little was by them brought and put into a pond or standing water in the Iland of S. Domingo a little after the conquest thereof by the Spaniards Being in which fresh water in short space hee encreased to such greatnes that hee became bigger then any horse and withall so familiar that calling him by a name which they had giuen him he would come ashore and receaue at theyr handes such thinges as they brought him to eate as though he had beene some tame domesticall beast The boyes among other sportes and pastimes they vsed with him woulde sometimes gette vp vppon his bace and hee swimme all ouer the Lake with them without euer dooing harme or once dyuing vnder the water with any one of thē One day certaine Spanyards comming to see him one of them smote him with a pyke staffe which he had in his hand from which time forward hee knewe the Spanyards so vvell by theyr garments that if any one had beene therby when the other people called him hee woulde not come ashore otherwise still continuing with those of the Country his vvonted familiaritie Hauing thus remained in this Lake a long space the water vpon a tyme through an extreamitie of raine rose so high that the one side of the Lake ouerflowed and brake into the Sea from which time forward he was seen no more Thys is written by the Gouernour of the fortresse of that Iland in a Chronicle which he made Leauing them therefore now I will briefely speake of certaine notable Fish coasts from the West of Ireland forwards winding about towardes the North For it is a thing notorious that many Kingdoms Regions Prouinces haue their prouisions of Fish frō thence of which our Spaine can giue good testimonie the great commodity considered that it receaueth yeerely thereby To beginne therefore the farther forth this way that you goe the greater plenty you shall finde of fishe many of those Prouinces vsing no other trade forraine Merchants bringing into them other necessary thinges in exchange thereof The chiefest store whereof is founde on the Coast of Bothnia which deuideth it selfe into three Prouinces East West and North-Bothnia The last whereof is different farre from the other two for it is a plaine Champaine Land seated as it were in a Valley betweene great and high Mountaines The ayre thereof is so wholesome the Climat so fauourable that it may be well termed one of the most pleasant and delightfull places of the world for it is neither hote nor cold but of so iust a temperature that it seemeth a thing incredible the Countries lying about it beeing so rigorously cold couered with Snow congealed with a continuall Ise. The fields of themselues produce all pleasant varietie of hearbes and fruites The woods and trees are replenished with Birdes whose sweet charmes melodious tunes breedeth incredible delectation to the hearers but wherein the greatest excellencie and blessing of this Land consisteth is that amongst so great a quantitie of Beasts and Fowles of which the Hilles Woods Fieldes and Valleyes are full it breedeth not nourisheth or maintaineth not any one that is harmefull or venemous neyther doe such kindes of Fishes as are in the Sea hurtfull approach theyr shoares which otherwise abound with Fishes of all sorts so that it is in the fishers handes to take as many and as few as they list The cause of which plentie is as they say that diuers forts of Fishes flying the colde come flocking in multitudes into these temperate waters Neyther bapneth this onely on theyr Sea-shoare but in theyr Lakes Riuers within the Land also which swarme as thicke with fishes great and little of diuers kindes as they can hold The enhabitants liue very long neuer or sildome feeling any infirmity which surely may serue for an argument seeing it is so approouedly knowne to be true to confirme that which is written concerning the vpper Byarmya which though it be seated in the midst of vntemperate cold countries couered and frozen with continuall Snow and Ice yet is it selfe so temperate and vnder so fauourable a Climate and constellation that truly the Authors may well call it as they doe a happy and blessed soile whose people hauing within thēselues all things necessary for the sustentation of humaine life are so hidden sequestred from other parts of the world hauing of themselues euery thing so aboundantly that they haue no need to traffique or conuerse with forraine Regions And this I take to be the cause that we haue no better knowledge of some people that liue vppon the Hyperbores who though they liue not with such pollicy as we doe it is because the plenty of all thinges giueth them no occasion to sharpe their wits or to be carefull for any thing so that they leade a simple and rustique life without curiosity deuoyd of all kind of trouble care or trauaile whereas those who liue in Countries where for their substentation maintenance it behooueth them to seeke needefull prouisions in forraine Landes what with care of auoiding dangers well dispatching their affaires and daily practising with diuers dispositions of men they cannot but becom industrious pollitique and cautelous And hence came it that in the Kingdome of China there was a Law and statute prohibiting and defending those that went to seeke other Countries euermore to returne into the same accounting them vnworthy to liue in so pleasant and fertile a soile that willingly forsooke the same in searching an other But returning to our purpose in this North Bothnya which is beyond Norway is taken incredible store of fish which they carry some fresh some salted to a Citty called Torna situated in manner of an Iland betweene two great Riuers that discende out of the Septentrionall mountaines where they hold their Fayre and Staple many and diuers Nations resorting thither who in exchange of theyr fish accommodate them with such other prouisions as their Country wanteth so that they care not to labour or till their grounds which if at any time they doe the fertillity thereof is such that there is no Country in the worlde able to exceede the same The people is so iust that they know not howe to offende or offer iniurie to any man they obserue with such integrity the Christian fayth that they haue him in horrour and destentation that committeth a mortall sinne They are enemies of vice and louers and embracers of vertue and truth They correct and chasten with all seuerity and rigour those that are offendours insomuch that though a thing bee lost in the streete or field no man dareth take it vp till the owner come himselfe There are also other Prouinces maintayned in a manner wholely by fishing as that of Laponia in the vvhich are manie Lakes both great and little infinitelie replenished with all sorts of excellent fishes and that of Fylandia which is very neere or to say better vnder the Pole The
Beleeue me the vertues of the water are no lesse then theyrs for as the herbes sucke and draw theyr propertie and vertue out of the earth which nourisheth and produceth them yeelding moisture and sustenaunce to their rootes so likewise the water draweth to it selfe the propertie of the earth minerals through which it passeth participating with thē of their vertues which beeing so deepe in earth are frō vs hidden vnknown But I know not whether the vertue of a Spring which Aristotle writeth to be in Sycilia in the Country of the Palisciens proceede of thys cause for the misterie which it contayneth is farre greater and so sayth Nicholaus Leonicus that it is a thing verie hardly credible for he affirmeth the propertie thereof to be such that who so taketh a solemne oath and the same oath be written in Tables and cast with certaine solemnities into the Fountaine If the oath contained therein be true the Tables remaine floating aloft vpon the water but if it be false they sink incontinently downe to the bottome And he which tooke the same is burned presently in the place and conuerted into ashes not without damage many times of those that were present They called this the holy Fountaine and appointed the charge and custody thereof to Priests which suffered no man to sweare vnlesse that hee first put in sureties that hee would content him selfe to passe by this triall LV. I rather thinke that Aristotle and those that wrote heereof were deceaued then otherwise because we heare not at this present that there is any such Fountaine knowne in Sicilia if there had beene in times past any of such force and vertue the memory thereof would be farre more rife and famous then it is BER Let vs neuer trouble our selues with the triall heereof for in this sort we may say the like of all those others which we haue not seen AN. The selfe same Nicolaus Leonicus writeth of another Fountaine in the Country of the Elyans nere to the Riuer Citheros into the which all the water that ranne there out degorged There stood by this Fountaine a sacred house the which they constantly affirmed to haue beene the habitation of foure Nimphs Caliphera Sinalasis Pegaea and Iasis All manner of diseased persons that bathed them selues in this Fountaine came there out whole and sound The like is written of two other Riuers the one in Italy called Alteno and the other called Alfeno in Arcadia But of no lesse wonder then all the before rehearsed is that which is vvritten of the Lake in Scithia in the Country of the Dyarbes neere to the Citty Teos the which besides the meruailous plenty of fish in which it aboundeth hath a property most admirable for in calme and warme weather there apeareth aboue the vvater great aboundance of a kind of liquor like vnto oyle which the inhabitants in Baotes made for the same purpose skimme off from the vvater and apply the same to their vses finding it to be as good and profitable as though it were very oyle in deede There is likewise in the Prouince of Lycia nere a Citty called Pataras a Fountaine the vvater that floweth from which looketh as though it were mingled with blood The cause whereof as the Country men say is through one Telephus who washing therein his wounds it hath euer since retained the colour of blood But the likeliest is that it passeth through some veine of red clay or coloured earth vvith the which mixing it selfe it commeth forth stained with that colour the Author hereof is Nicolaus Leonicus And Athenaeus Naucratites sayeth that in an Iland of the Cyclades called Tenaeus there is a Fountaine whose water will agree by no means to be mingled with vvine alwayes howsoeuer it be mingled or poured with vvine into any vessell it remaineth by it selfe a part so that it is to be taken vp as pure vnmedled as when it was poured forth yea though all possible diligence were vsed to ioyne and mingle them LV. There be a great many that would be glad that all water were of this condition by no means brooking the mixture therof with wine as a thing that keepes them somtimes sober against their wils AN. You say truth but leauing them with their fault which is none of the least but one of the greatest foulest that may be in any man pretending to beare honour or reputation I say there is in the Iland of Cuba according to the relation of many which haue seene the same a Fountaine which poureth forth a thick liquor like vnto Tarre which is of such force that they cauke and pitch their ships withall in such sort that they remaine as firme dight against the entry of water as though they were trimmed with the best sort of Pitch that we doe heere vse in these parts BER I haue heard say that there is in the same Iland a great Valley the stones that are found in which are all so round as if they had by Art euery one beene fashioned in the same forme LV. Perchaunce Nature hath so framed them for some effect of the which wee are ignorant seeing that few or none of her workes are without some secrete mistery and as well may these stones serue to some vse as the liquor of that Fountaine but let vs heerewith not trouble Signior Anthonio from prosecuting his discourse AN. Solinus discoursing of the Iland of Cerdonia saieth that it containeth many wholsome vvaters Springs amongst the rest one whose water healeth all infirmity of the eyes withall serueth for a discouery of theeues for whosoeuer by oath denieth the theft which he hath cōmitted in washing him selfe with that water loseth incontinent his fight if so be that his oath be true his eye siight is therby quickned made more sharp liuely but whosoeuer obstinately persisteth in denying his fault remaineth blind for euer But of this Fountaine there is now no notice at all for I haue beene long resident in that Iland during which time I neuer heard any such matter Many the like vnto these are written of by diuers Authors the which for their vncertainty I wil not weary my self in rehearsing only I wil tell you of a Lake which is in the Spanish Iland called S. Domingo in a mountaine very high vninhabited The Spaniards hauing conquered that Country found round about this mountaine no habitation of people through the cause of a hideous noise which was therein continually heard amazing making deafe the hearers therof the hiden cause secret mistery wherof no man being able to comprehend three Spaniards resolutly deliberated to goe vp into the height thereof to discouer if it were possible the occasion whence this continuall roaring proceeded so that prouiding them selues of all things necessary for the difficulty ragged sharpnes of the way being ful of craggy rocks shruby trees bushes
may be gathered that put the case that Paradise stood towards any part of the East yet could not the same be far off frō the Citties of Ierusalem Tyre because he nameth iointly together Charam Heden being a thing most manifest that Charam is a Prouince in Chaldae or Mesopotamia which appeareth by the words of Genesis saying God took thē out of Vra Prouince of the Chaldaeans that they might go to Canaan they cam euen to Charam these are euident reasons to proue that Paradise stood in that Coūtry that if as yet it be it standeth there it maketh the better with this opinion because the two Riuers Tygris Euphrates bath and water that Prouince Besides we may suppose that the Arke of Noe during the 40. dayes of the flood while it floted vpō the water being so great huge built so monstrous as appeareth by the holy scripture to no other end then that it should not sink made no very long voyage which staying setling it selfe on the mountaines of Armenia is a token that Noes biding was not farre from thence of the other side it is certaine that his habitation was not far off from that part where Paradice was which by consequence could not be farre off from Armenia vpon which these prouinces before rehearsed doe border and that the Country where Paradice stood was enhabited appeareth by these words of S. Chrisostome Before the flood saith he men knew the place where Paradice stood the way to goe vnto the same But after the deluge they found thēselues out of the knowledge thereof neyther could Noe or any of his Successors remēber or find out the place where it had beene And seeing that Chrisostom saith that it was neuer afterwards knowne neither can we know if it still remained or if it were dissolued for standing in part where notice might haue been had thereof LV. Indeed if Paradice should be in a place so neere vnto vs how were it possible that no man should haue knowledge thereof or at the least of the place where it might stand AN. To this answereth Eugubinus that granting his former opiniō to be true or that Paradice was planted in a flat ground or at least not so high as other Doctors affirme then certainly it was destroyed by the waters of the flood God through our offences not permitting a thing so notable of so great perfection to remaine amongst vs in the world LV. It seemeth not vnto me that Eugubinus hath reason to gainsay the opinion of so many Doctors agreeing all in one Strabo being both a Historiographer and a Diuine writeth that the sword with which God placed the Seraphin at the gate of Paradice was called Versatilis which is as much to say as turning because it could turn back as it did when it gaue place of entry to Elias Enoch though the same be otherwise vnderstood of Nicolaus de Lyra who saith that Torrida Zona is the firy sword which the Seraphin held whose exceeding furious heate defended that passage frō all men liuing But this is out of date seeing the industry of this our age hath found the same to be passable BE. I dare not determinatly affirme whether Elias cam out of terestrial Paradice or any other place when he was speaking with Christ at his transfiguration for it is generally held as a thing most certain indubitable that Elias where so euer he be is in body and soule AN. Truly there are for the maintenance of each of these opinions so many reasons that it is best not to trouble our wits withall but to leaue the censure of thē to wiser men greater Doctors then we are only one thing remaineth the which truly if it were in my power I would not permit that so many fables shold be set forth divulged as there are as that which is written in the life of S. Amasus that hee stoode so many yeeres at the gates thereof and also in a treatise of S. Patricks Purgatory where it is written that a Gentleman entring in passed through the same into earthly Paradice for in such matters no man ought to be so hardy as to affirme any thing but that which is knowne to be true and approoued LV. In good sooth you haue great reason but now seeing you haue sayde as much as may be about the situation of Paradice goe forward with that of the Riuers which come from thence a matter vnlesse I be deceaued of no lesse difficulty then the before rehearsed AN. I assure you it is such that I should haue been glad if you had ouerslipped it doubting least I shall be vnable to satisfie your expectation for as Eugubinus sayeth there is so great and so intricate a difficulty heerein that he is hardly able to vnwinde him selfe there out whom of force in this matter I must follow for as for the other Authors which write heereof it seemeth that they stay at the halfe carere without reaching to the end of the course To begin therefore it is sayd in Genesis that there issued a Riuer out of Paradice deuiding it selfe into foure parts the which were Gion Fison Tygris and Euphrates But seeing the difficulty of the seate and place of paradice cannot clearely be determined much lesse can this be of the foure Riuers which issue thence especially knowing at this present that their Springs and risings are in diuers different parts of the world yet for all this sifting and bolting out the truth we will approach as neere it as we may This Riuer which deuided it selfe into foure first issued out of the place of delights which was according to Eugubinus the Prouince of Heden and from thence entered to inundate Paradice whence comming forth it made this deuision It is manifest that the first part therof called Gion is the same which we now call Ganges for this is it which watreth the land of Heuylath The second Riuer Fyson is without all doubt that which wee now call Nilus seeing there is no other which watereth and compasseth about the Land of Aethiopia as the text it selfe sayeth As for Tygris Euphrates they retaine yet their selfe same first names and runne along the Country of the Assirians and of these two last it may be sayde that they rise or at the least that the first Land which they water is the same which according to that before alleaged may be called the prouince of Heden BER These two Riuers are by all Cosmographers described to haue their risings in the Mountaine Taurus in Armenia and it is true that they vvater the prouince of the Assirians but theyr rysing and beginning is farre from thence as saith Strabo by these words Euphrates and Tygris rise in the Mountaine Taurus and compassing about Mesapotamia ioyne themselues together by Babylon and from thence goe to enter into the Persian Sea the spring of Euphrates is on the North side of
Generall flood it should be destroyed and ouerthrowne the selfe same consideration may serue for this of the Riuers not without proofes very euident and agreeable to reason for if it were destroyed with the Flood euen as it pleased God to permit the vndooing thereof so would hee also ordayne that all signes and markes of the same shoulde cease to the end that the peoples dwelling in the prouinces and borders thereabout shoulde haue no knowledge at all thereof that it should be no longer necessary for the Cherubin to remaine in garde thereof with a fierie Sworde as till that time hee had done But before wee come to handle the principall causes you shall vnderstande that there are some who holde opinion that all these foure Riuers rise neere the Land of Heden and come to ioyne in the same Leauing therefore a part Tygris and Euphrates because that of them seemeth in a manner verified as for Ganges the course therof is not so contrarie but that it may well meete where the other riuers doe and that any inconuenience eyther of lownes or highnes of the earth might bee sufficient to diuert or to cause the same to runne where it now doth But this is an argument that neyther concludeth nor carrieth any reason withall As for the Riuer Nilus they goe another way to worke saying that it is not the same which in the holy Scripture is called Fison for there are two Ethiopias say they the one in Affrica which is watred with Nilus the other in the West Indies in Asia beginning from the coast of Arabia folowing along the coast of the Ocean sea towards the East the which may be vnderstood by the holy Scriptures who call those of the Lande of Madian neere to Palestina Ethiopians Sephora also that was wife to Moises beeing natiue of that region was called Ethiopesse And with this agreeth a Glosse written in the margen of Caetano his discourse vppon thys matter by Anthonio de Fonseca a Frier of Portugall and a man very learned so that Fison may well be some Riuer of these which watereth this Country first discending by the Lande of Heden comming from the same to enter into the Ocean as Tygris and Euphrates and many other deepe riuers doe in the same maner may it be coniectured that Gion should bee some one of these riuers the one and the other through antiquity hauing lost theyr names and that it is not knowne because it cannot perfectly be prooued whether of these two Ethiopias is meant by the holy Scripture Aueneza saith it is a thing notorious that the Riuer Gion was not far from the Land of Israell according to that which is written in the third booke of Kings Thou shalt carry it into Gion although there be other Authors that vnderstande not Gion to be a Riuer but to be the Lake Siloe or else a Spring so called If that Gion were Ganges it is manifest that it runneth not so neere vnto Israel as it is heere said S. Isidore entreating of this matter sayeth that the Riuer called Araxes commeth out of Paradise which opinion is also maintained by Albertus Magnus Procopius writeth of another Riuer called Narsinus whose streame issueth from thence neere to the Riuer Euphrates some thinke that these are Gion and Fison though at this time their waters runne not through the same Lands These are the opinions of Ecclesiasticall Doctors labouring to discusse and sift out the truth of this secret But leauing them all I will tell you my opinion partly agreeing with Eugubinus and his followers that when it pleased God to drowne the whole worlde in time of the Patriarch Noe with a vniuersall flood mounting according to the sacred Text fifteene cubits in height aboue all the mountaines of the earth the same must of necessity make and vnmake change alter and ouerturne many things raysing valleyes abating mountaines altering the Deserts discouering many parts of the earth vnseene before and couering drowning many Citties and Regions which from thence forth remained vnder the water ouerwhelmed in the Sea or couered with Ponds and Lakes as we know that which without the flood happened to Sodome and Gomorrha with the rest which after they were burnt did sinke with them And we see oftentimes in the swelling and ouerflowing of great Riuers whole Countries drowned and made like vnto a Sea yea and sometimes mighty Riuers to lose their wonted passage and turne and change their course another way farre different from the first If I say the violent impetuosity of one onely riuer suffice to worke these effects What shall we then thinke was able to doe the incomparable fury and terrible swinging rage of the generall and vniuersall flood In the which as the same Text sayth all the Fountaines and Springs of the earth were broken vp by their bottomes and all the Conduits of heauen were opened that there might want no water eyther aboue or beneath If then the Springs so brake vp it could not be but that some of them were changed and passed into other places different from those in which they were before theyr streames scouring along through contrary wayes and veines of the earth In like manner might it happen to those which entered into terestriall Paradise issued forth to water those Lands named in the holy Text which eyther through the falling downe of huge mountaines and rocky hills or filling vp of lowe valleyes might be constrained to turne their streames farre differently to their former course or else by the permission and will of GOD which would haue vs to be ignorant of this secrete they changed their Springs and issues by hiding and shutting them selues in the bowels of the earth and running through the same many thousand miles and at last came to rush forth in other parts farre distant from those where they were before neyther passed they onely vnder a great quantity of Lands enhabited and vninhabited but the very Sea also whom they hold for mother Spring whence they proceede hideth them vnder her to the ende that they might returne to issue foorth where they were not knowne or if through some cause they were it should be vnto our greater admiration and meruaile as now it is Neyther wonder you at all if the generall flood wrought so great a mutation in the world for there haue not wanted graue men who affirme that the whole world before the time of the flood was plaine and leuell without any hill or valley at all and that by the waters thereof were made the diuersities of high and lowe places and the seperation of Ilands from firme Land And if these reasons suffice not let euery man thinke heerein what shall best agree with his owne fancy for in a mistery so doubtfull and secrete we may as well misse as hit and so S. Augustine thinking this to be a secret which God would not haue knowne but reserues it to himselfe saith that no
so strange which for the true proofe and vnderstanding whereof were necessary to be seene with our eyes for confirmation whereof though there be many most sufficient reasons and proofes yet I haue not reade heerein any Author which auoucheth his own knowledge and sight whereas me thinkes if these Regions were so short as by this computation of degrees the Authors seeme to make them there should not haue wanted curious men to discouer the particularities of them howe great so euer the difficulty or danger had beene in doing the same which if they had done they should perchaunce haue found many things farre otherwise then they deemed at least touching some particularities of which some later Writers vaunt to haue in part experience of which seeing we our selues are able to giue no assured testimony of sight I thinke it best that we leaue them to those whose curious industry wil omit no paine to attaine vnto the perfect searching out of things so worthy to be known and seeing the Auncients which went sifting out these matters confesse that from the same Land came Virgins to bring their first fruits to the temple of Apollo in Delos belike there was then some known way the passage betweene nothing so difficill as it nowe seemeth vnto vs which beeing to vs vnknowne and the manner howe to trauaile and passe through those cold Regions beset with deepe Snow thicke Ice wide Riuers painefull high Hils fearefull low Valleyes vnaccessible Desarts and all kinds of cruell wild Beasts we leaue them vnuoyaged not seeking any way whereby we may penetrate into them and attaine the cognition of their particulers in a manner concealed and hidden from vs of which though some fewe of the hether parts thereof were knowne by relation of some painefull and industrious men who affirmed that they had seene them yet the greatest part was by coniectures considerations and probable argumentes though the curiosity of our times hath passed a little farther because as I haue sayde they are eye-witnesses of part of that which wee haue discouered of as I will tell you straight but all shall be little to giue vs such perfect and particuler knowledge of this part of the worlde that we may discourse thereof as of the others which we know Some Authors will haue this Land to be in Asia others in Europe but in whether it be the matter is not great alwayes if it be in Europe then is Europe not so little a part of the earth as they make it of vvhich if they will set the limits there as the Auncients say it finished then must these Regions before time vndiscouered be another nevve part of the world and so they should make foure parts therof or fiue with that which is newly discouered thereof in the West Indies BER I vvonder not much if men haue not so good notice of those partes of which wee haue discoursed neere the one and neere the other Pole and of that vvhich runneth out by the Coast of the North towardes the West because besides the great sharpnes and rigour of the cold we haue no cōuersation at all with the enhabitants of those parts nor they with vs neither is there any cause to mooue eyther them or vs thereunto vnlesse it be the curiositie of some that thirst after the vniuersal knowledge of all things in the world as did Marcus Paulus Venetus who for this cause only trauailed so great a part of the worlde as any man that euer I heard of till this day Truth it is that some Kings and Princes through couetous desire of enlarging their dominions as you shall hereafter vnderstand haue entered so far as they could conquering into these parts which they found neyther ouer all enhabited neyther yet so desert but that it was in manie places and the greater part therof peopled and not so far one from another but that they had knowledge conuersation traffique together And as in these Countries and Prouinces of ours we finde one soyle plaine temperate and pleasant and another quite contrary sharpe barren and vnfruitfull subiect to boystrous winds harsh ayres and continuall snow wherewith some mountaines are all the yeere long couered so that no man will frame in them his habitation So likewise in these extreame Regions of the North no doubt but there are some parts of them vninhabited as those which Pliny Soline and the before remembred Authors terme condemned of Nature yet there want not wayes and compasses in cyrcling about them to discouer that which is enhabited on the other side and though with difficultie yet in fine Nature would not leaue to prouide an open way to the end that this Land should not remaine perpetually hidden and vnknown LV. I remember I haue seene in Paulus Iouius in a chapter which hee made of Cosmography abbreuiated in the beginning of his History these words speaking of the Kingdomes of Denmarke and Norway and the Landes beyond them Of the Nature saith he of these Lands of the peoples that liue beyond them called Pigmaei Ictiophagi which are those that liue by fishes now newly discouered in whose Country by a certaine order of the Heauen of that constellation the dayes and nights are equall which I will make mention in their place AN. Mee thinkes there are many that touch this matter promising to write largely thereof without doing it and if they doe it it is euen as they list themselues because there is no man to controle them and as for Paulus Iouius himselfe all that he wrote of this Country was by the relation of a Muscouian Embassadour in Rome In one place hee saith that the Muscouites border vpon the Tartaryans and that towards the North they are accounted the vtmost dwellers of the worlde and that towardes the West they confine with the Danske Sea And in another place the Muscouites sayth he who are seated betweene Polonia and Tartaria confine with the Ryphaean mountaines enhabite towards the Septentryon in the vtmost bounds of Europe and Asia extending themselues ouer the Lakes of the Riuer Tanays euē to the Hyperborean mountaines and that part of the Ocean which they call the Frozen Sea These are his wordes in which truly he hath little reason for the vtmost Land that the Muscouites possesse is where the day and night continue 3. months long a peece so that they cannot be called the last enhabitants of the earth for those whose day and night is of sixe months are farder North and neerer the Pole then they so that in fine as I sayd before touching these matters which cannot be seene without such difficultie those that entreat of them goe by gesse coniecturing thereat by the probabilitie of reasons considerations LU. As I imagine this countrey must be very great where the daies are so long in encreasing and decreasing and more if there be on the other side of the North before you come at the Sea so much other land of force it
notorious as are these mountaines being situated in a Country of Christians or at least confining there-vpon for the Country where the Auncients desribing them is nowe called Muscouia hardly can they write truly of other thinges which are farther off and in Countries of which we haue not so great knowledge as wee haue of this But turning to that which we entreated of I say that those thinges can hardly be verified which are written by the Auncients concerning these Northern Lands not so much for the small notice we haue of them as for that the names are altered of Kingdoms Prouinces Citties mountaines and Riuers in such sort that it is hard to know which is the one and which is the other for you shall scarcely finde any one that retaineth his olde name and though by signes and coniectures wee hit right vpon some of thē yet it is impossible but that we should erre in many in taking one for another the experience wherof we may see here in our owne Country of Spayne the principall townes of which are by Ptolomie and Plinie vvhich write particulerly of them called by names to vs now vtterlie vnknowne neyther doe we vnderstand which is which they are so altred changed So fareth it with the auncient Geography which though there be many that do practise vnderstand according to the antique yet if you aske them many things according to that now in vre with the moderns so are things in these our times altered and innouated they cannot yeeld you a reason thereof if they doe it shall be such that thereout will result greater doubts But leauing this I will as touching the Lands of which we entreate conclude with that which some Historiographers of our time haue made mention namely Iohan. Magnus Gothus Albertus Cranzius Iohan. Saxo Polonius Muscouita and chiefely Olaus Magnus Archbishop of Vpsala of whō we haue made heere before often mention who in a Chronicle of those lands of the North the particularities of them though beeing borne and brought vp in those Regions should seeme to haue great knowledge of such thinges as are in the same yet is he meruailous briefe cōcerning that which is vnder the same Pole He saith that there is a Prouince called Byarmia whose Orizon is the Equinoctiall circle it selfe and as this circle deuideth the heauen in the midst so vvhen the Sunne declineth to this part of the Pole the day is halfe a yeere long and when he turneth to decline on the side of the other Pole he causeth the contrary effect the night enduring as much This Prouince of Byarmya deuideth it selfe into two parts the one high and the other low in the lower are many hills perpetually couered with Snow neuer feeling any warmth yet in the valleys below there are many Woods and Fields full of hearbes and pastures and in them great aboundance of wild Beasts and high swelling Riuers as well through the Springs whence they rise as through the Snow that tumbleth downe from the hills In the higher Byarmya he saith there are strange and admirable nouelties to enter into which there is not any knowne way for the passages are all closed vp to attempt through which hee termeth it a danger and difficulty insuperable so that no man can come to haue knowledge thereof without the greatest ieopardy that may possibly be deuised or imagined For the greater part of the way is continually couered with deepe Snow by no meanes passable vnlesse it be vpon Beasts like vnto Stags called Rangifery so abounding in those Regions that many doe nourish and tame them Their lightnes though it seeme incredible is such that they runne vpon the frozen Snow vnto the top of high hills downe againe into the deepe Valleyes Iohn Saxon saith that there was a King of Swethland called Hatherus who being aduertised that there dwelt in a Valley betweene those mountaines a Satire called Memingus that possessed infinite riches with many other resolute men in his company all mounted vpon Rangifers domesticall Onagres made a Roade into his Valley and returned laden with rich and inestimable spoiles BER Was he a right Satire indeede or else a man so called AN. The Author explaneth it not but by that which he saith a little after that in that Country are many Satires Faunes we may gather that hee was a right Satire and that the Satires are men of reason and not vnreasonable creatures according to our disputation the other day and in a Country full of such nouelties such a thing as this is not to be wondred at But returning to our commenced purpose I say that this superiour Byarmya of which Olaus Magnus speaketh to vs so vnknowne by all likelyhoode should be that blessed soile mentioned by Pliny Soline Pomponius Mela whose Clymate is so temperate whose ayre so wholesome and whose enhabitants doe liue so long that they willingly receaue death by casting themselues into the Sea of which Land being so meruailous and being as it seemeth seated on the farther side of the Pole the properties are not so particulerly knowne and so he saith that there are many strange people nouelties and wonders But leauing this comming to the lower Olaus saith that the Valleyes thereof if they were sowed are very apt and ready to bring foorth fruite but the enhabitants doe not giue themselues to tillage because the fieldes and Forrests are replenished with Beasts the Riuers with Fishes so that with hunting and fishing they maintaine their lyues hauing no vse of bread neyther scarcely knowledge thereof When they are at warre or difference with any of their neighbours they sildom vse Armes for they are so great Negromancers Enchaunters that with wordes onely when they list they will make it raine thunder and lighten so impetuously as though heauen and earth should goe together and with their Witchcraftes and Charmes they binde and entangle men in such sort that they bereaue them of all power to doe them any harme yea and many times of their sences also and lyues making them to dye mad Iohn Saxon writeth that there was once a King of Denmarke called Rogumer who purposing to subdue the Byarmyans went against them with a mighty and puissant Army which they vnderstanding had recourse to no other defence then to their Enchantments raising such terrible tempests winds and waters that through the violent fury thereof the Riuers ouerflowed and became vnpassable vpon which of a sodaine they caused such an vnkindly heat that the King and all his Army were fryed almost to death so that the same was farre more greeuous to suffer then the cold and through the distemperature and corruption thereof there ensued such a mortality that the King was forced to returne but he knowing that this happened not through the nature of the Land but through coniuration and sorcerie came vpon them another time so sodainly that hee was amongst them
it freeze and become more hard and cleare vsing the same in certaine warlike pastimes they haue in steede of a Castell of lyme or stone one troupe entereth there-into to defende the same and another bideth without to besiege assault or surprize it and this in most solemne sort with all engines stratagems and manners of vvarfare great prices being ordained for those that shall obtayne the conquest besides the tryumph wherein the conquerours doe glory ouer the vanquished Who so amongst them is found to be fearefull or not forward in executing that which he is commaunded is by his companions stuft full of Snow vnder his garments and somtimes tumbled starke naked in great heapes of the same enuring them therby better to abide hardnes another time These Septentrionall Lands haue many Lakes and standing waters of great largenes som of the which are a hundred miles long These are at somtimes so frozen that they trauaile ouer them both a foote and horsebacke In the Countries of East and Westgothland there are Lakes vpon which great troupes of horsmen meete and runne for wagers their horses are in such sort shod that they sildome slide or fall in time of warre they skirmish often vpon these frozen Lakes yea and sometimes fight maine battailes vpon them At sundry seasons they hold vpoÌ„ them also certaine Faires to which there resorteth a great concourse of strange Nations the beginning of which custome was ordained as saith Iohn Archbishoppe of Vpsala Predicessour to Olaus by a Queene of Swethland called Disa who being a woman of great wisedome commaunded her Subiects on a certaine yeere in which her dominions were afflicted with extreame dearth scarsity of graines to goe vnto the bordering Regions carrying with them such merchandize as their Country yeelded and to bring with them in exchange thereof Corne and graine withall to publish franchize to all such as should bring thither any victual to be sold where-vpon many strangers repairing thither at such time and season as the Lake was frozen she appointed them that place for holding of their Faire from which time till this day that custome hath continued Northward of these Regions there are many great and meruailous Lakes such as scarcely the like are to be found in any other part of the world that is peopled of which leauing apart one that is neere the Pole is called the white Lake which is in maner an other Caspian Sea yeelding great commodities of fowle and fish to the adioyning Prouinces part of the same reaching out euen to the Muscouites There are in the Regions of Bothnia Lakes of 300. 400. miles long where there is such quantity of fish taken that if they could conueniently be carried about they would serue for prouision to halfe the world Thereby also are many other notable Lakes of which the three most famous are as the Authors write Vener Meler and Veher Vener containeth in length 130. miles which are about 44. leagues as much in breadth within it it hath sundry Ilands well peopled with Citties Townes and Fortresses Churches and Monasteries for all those three Lakes are in Country of Christians though we haue heere little notice of them Into this Lake enter 24. deepe Riuers all which haue but one only issue which maketh so terrible a noyse amongst certayne Rocks falling from one to another that it is heard by night six or seauen leagues of making deafe those that dwell neere there abouts so that it is sayd there are certaine little Villages and Cottages thereby the enhabitants of which are all deafe They call the issue of these Riuers in their Country language Frolletta which is as much to say as the deuils head The second Lake called Meler is betweene Gothland and Swethland hath in the shore thereof many mynerals of mettals both of siluer and others the treasures gathered out of which enricheth greatly the Kinges of those Countries The third also called Veher aboundeth in mines on the North side thereof The waters thereof are so pure cleare that casting there-into an egge or a white stone you may see it lye in the bottome though it be very deep as well as though there were no water betweene Within this Lake are many peopled Ilands in one of which wherin are two great Parish Churches Olaus writeth that there happened a thing very meruailous and strange There liued in this Iland saith hee a man called Catyllus so famous in the Art of Negromancie that in the whole worlde his like was scarcely to be found Hee had a Scholler called Gilbertus whom hee had in that wicked Science so deepely instructed that hee dared so farre presume as to contend with him being his Maister yea and in som things seeme to surpasse him at which shamelesse ingratitude of his Catyllus taking great indignation as alwayes Maisters vse to reserue vnto themselues certaine secrete points with onely wordes and charmes without other band fetter or prison he bound him in an instant both body hands and feete in such sort that he could not wag himselfe in which plight he conuayed him into a deepe Caue vnder one of the Churches of the same Iland where he remaineth till this day according to the common opinion is alwayes liuing Thither vsed darly to resort many not only of that Country people but strangers also to see him and to demaund questions of him They entred with many Torches and Lanternes and with a clew of threed of which they fasten one end to the dore whereat they enter vnwiding the same still as they goe for the better assurance of finding their way out the Caue being full of many deepe pits crooked turnings and corners But at length because the moisture dampish cold thereof with a lothsome stench besides anoyed so much those that entred that some of them came out halfe dead they made a law that on greeuous paine none of the Countrimen should froÌ„ that time forward resort nor enter into that Caue neither giue counsaile aide or assistance to strangers which for curiosities sake shold atempt the same LV. This is without doubt the worke of the deuil who the same Gilbertê° dying perchance presently entered into his putrified stinking carkasse abusing the people aunswered to their demands For though the force of enchauntments be great yet can they not preserue life any longer then the time fixed appointed by God AN. You haue reason and in truth it seemeth that the deuill is there more lose and at greater liberty then in other parts so that som wil say the principall habitation of deuils to be in the North according to the authority of holy Scripture All euill shal come discouer it selfe from the Aquilon Zachary Chap. 2. crieth ho ho flie from the land of the Aquilon howbeit that these authorties are vnderstoode coÌ„monly in that Antichrist shal come from those parts whose like was neuer in persecuting the people of
earth A great ignorance of the ancient Commendador is a Knight of some crosse as that of Malta or S. Iames. Antypodes S. Austins opinion touching Antypodes Lactantius Firmianus opinion Pliny touching the same Who are the right Antypodes Perioscaei Amphioscaei Ethoroscaei The whole world is enhabitable The Polar Zones enhabited * Ireland Ptolome ignorant in many countries nowe knowne Plin lib. 4 Cap. 12. The happy soyle of the Hyperborians Solinus touching the Hyperboreans Pom. Mela touching the Hyperboreans The signification of Pterophoras and Hyperbore * 〈…〉 Iacobus Ziglerus of the Northerne parts Nature hath prouided a remedy to euery mischiefe Thule is the same which we now call Iseland The prouinces of Pilapia and Vilapia Pigmees The Bachiler Encisus concerning the length of the dayes and nights towards the Poles The diuersity of the rysing and setting of the sun between vs and those that lyue neere or vnder the Poles An example whereby it is proued that it can neuer be very dark vnder the Poles What thys Word Orizon signifieth Whether all those parts be enhabited or no. Pyla Pylanter Euge Velanter Wild Beasts like vnto white Beares which digge vp the Ice with their nailes A league is three miles Pigmaei Ictiophagi * Island The Prouince of Agonagora Lande yet vnknowne 1650. leagues of the world yet vndiscouered The answer of a boy of Seuilla The shippe called Victoria compassed the world round about Indians driuen by storme into the Norths Sea Fictions of Sylenus to King Mydas out of Aelianus The Citty of Machino The Citty of Euaesus Meropes Anostum The Riuer of delight The Riuer of griefe Iohan Zyglerus Sigismund Herberstain The names of the most part of Prouinces and Regions are changed The Prouince of Byarmya deuided into two parts Wild Beasts like vnto Stags called Rangeferi Hatherus King of Swethland Wild Asses The lower Byarmya In steede of Armes they vse Enchantments Rogumer King of Denmark Finmarchia or Finlande Nature hath ordained a remedy against all inconueniences Things to which men are accustomed becom naturall vnto theÌ„ in time Custome is another nature Adams hill There is nowe no known part of the world out of which the worshipping of auncien feyned Gods is not banished A North North Westerne wind The Snowe on the mouÌ„taines neere the South-pole is blewish of colour like vnto the Skie The song of the Nightingale exceedeth that of all other birdes in sweetnes Birds vnderstand the cal one of another It is written of Apollonius Tyaneê° that he vnderstood the singing of Birdes A pretty iest Birdes or Beasts haue no vse of reason at all The disagreement of writers touching the description situation of Countries Diuersity of writers touching the Scithians Sundry Gyants of wonderfull force puissance North North-westerne wind The strange violence of the tempests in the Northern countries Certaine warlike pastimes that their young men vse Troupes of horsemen skirmishing and fighting vpon frozen Lakes Disa queene of Swethland The white Lake The Lake Vener The Lake Meler Zhe Lake Veher A strange History of a Negromancer The force of enchantments cannot any longer prolong life then the time by God fixed appointed The deuils haue greater liberty in the Northerne Lands theÌ„ in other parts Henry King of Swethland a famous Negromancer Reyner King of Denmark Agaberta a notable Sorceresse Grace of Norway Ifrotus K. of Gothland slaine by a Witch Hollerus a Negromancer Othinus by his Enchantments restored the K of Denmark to the Crowne A mountain that seemeth to be inhabited of deuills A strange noyse heard in certaine mountaines of Angernamia Vincentius in his Speculo historiali Charibdis The strange propertie of a Caue in the Cittie of Viurgo The ayre somtime inclosed within the frozen lakes in seeking vent maketh a terrible thuÌ„dring and noyse The strange propertie of the lake Vether in thawing A notable chance that hapned to a Gentleman vpon thys Lake by which he saued his lyfe Custome is another nature Tauerns and victualing houses built vpon the sea A strange inuention to slide vpon the Ise. I haue seene in Brabant and 〈◊〉 the Noble meÌ„ vse these kinde of slids very cunously made and gilded they call them Trinâ—aus These are in manner like those aboue said which they call 〈◊〉 The maner of their trauailing vpoÌ„ the Snow Rangifer is a Beast in maner like vnto a Stagge The great coÌ„modities that those Country people receaue of the Rangifers Beasts called Onagri The strange iealousie of the Onagres in Affrica 3. Sorts of Wolues in the Northeren Regions The Neurians doe at somtimes of the yeere transforme themselues into vvolues How the Duke of Muscouia dealt with an Enchanter Howe three young men destroyed a number of vvolues that greatly annoyed the towne wher they lyued Of a man that disfigused himselfe like vnto a Wolfe and did many cruelties in the kingdoÌ„â— of Galicia in Spaine A strange property of their Hares Beastes called Gulones The maner of taking the Gulones Tygers Furre of Martres Lynces The Rams of Gothland Weathers whose taile weyed weyed more theÌ„ one of their quarters A kinde of fish called Monster Henry Falchendor Archbishop of Nydrosia Another kinde of fishes called Fisiters A strange miracle Two sorts of Whales A Whale of admirable greatnes The fish called Orca is enemy to the Whale A strange thing written of the Whale A moÌ„strous fish taken in a Riuer of Germany A fish called Monoceros A fish called Serra which is as much to say as saw in English Another called Xifia Rayas Rosmarus The maner of taking him Sundry fishes like to Horses Oxen c. Dolphins A strangt tale of a Dolphin in S. Domingo Bothnia deuided into 3. prouinces The excellencie of the Climat of North Bothnia It nourisheth no venemous or hurtful beast Byarmya superiour A strange Law in the Kingdome of Chinay Filandia Newcastle belonging to the King of Swethen A strange property of the fish Treuius Rainebirds Snowbirds Faulcons of diuers sorts I take this to be that which wee call heere an Ospray of which I haue seene diuers Sea-Crowes Plateae Duckes Ducks bred of the leaues of a tree in Scotland Geese A Towne in Scotlande that receaueth great commoditie through Duckes Serpents Aspes Hyssers Amphisbosna Serpents that haue a King A huge and terrible Serpent in the prouince of Borgia Sundry cruell Serpents in India A kinde of Trees that in the extremity of the colde Regions retaine all the yeere long their greenenesse Many Christian Regions The magnificent tytles of the Emperour of Russia A Nation called Finns that are in warre with the Muscouites A great part of the world vndiscouered A most tyrannous act of the Duke of Muscouia Tierra del Labrador The Land of Bacallaos Fynland coÌ„uerted to the Christian Fayth The deuotion of the North people
thy walls and in this manner encreased thy goodlines and beauty BER Perchaunce those Pigmees of which Ezechiell maketh mention was some Nation of little men but not so little as those which wee speake of for Pigmee in Hebrew is as much to say as a man of little stature for if these Pigmees were such as those Authors write they must needes enioy long life seeing they voyaged so farre vsing traffique by Sea bringing vnto vs such commodities as theyr Country yeeldeth and carrying backe such of ours as are necessarie for them so that I account it a matter vnpossible that men whose space of lyues is so short should traffique with such carefull industrie in the farre Countries of Siry and Iury. LU. Your opinion is not without reason but in the ende heerein we cannot stedfastly affirme any thing for trueth so that it is best that wee leaue it euen so contenting our selues with that which hath beene vpon this matter alleadged seeing we haue not as yet ended our discourse of monsters I say therefore that Ctesias affirmeth that beeing with Alexander in India hee sawe aboue 130000. men together hauing all heads like dogges and vsing no other speech but barking BER I would rather call these dogges with two feete or else some other two footed beasts such as there is a kinde of great Apes of the which I haue seene one with a doggs face but standing vpright on his feete each part of him had the shape of a man or so little difference that at the first any man might be deceaued and so perchaunce might Ctesias and the rest of those which saw them seeing they could not affirme vvhether they had the vse of reason vvhereby they might be held for men and not brute beasts AN. Both the one and the other may be but leauing this they write that there are certaine men dwelling on the hill Milo hauing on each foote eight toes which turne all backward and that they are of incredible swiftnes Others that are borne vvith theyr haire hoary gray vvhich as they waxe olde becommeth blacke To be short if I should rehearse the infinite number of such like as are reported I should neuer make an ende for you canne scarcely come to any manne vvhich will not tell you one vvoonder or other vvhich hee hath seene One vvill tell you of an Evve that brought foorth a Lyon vvhich as Elian sayeth happened in the Countrey of the Coosians in the time of the tiranny of Nicippus Another vvill tell you of a Sovve that farowed a Pygge resembling an Elephant vvhich happened not long since in this Tovvne vvherein vvee dwell so that euery one will tell you a new thing and for my part I will not beleeue but that they are true because we see euery day new secrets of nature discouered the world is so great that we cannot knowe in the one part what is done in the other If it were not for this it were vnpossible to write the number of them neither were any booke how great so euer able to containe them But for the proofe of the rest I will tell you of one strange people found out in the world Mine author is Iohanes Bohemus a Dutch man in his booke entituled the manners and customes of all Nations who though he declareth not the time wherein it happened nor what the person was that found them out yet he writeth it so familierly that it seemeth he was some man meruailous well knowne in his Country but because you shall not thinke that I enhaunce the matter with wordes of mine owne I will repeate those selfe same which he vsed in the which haue patience if I be somwhat long Iambolo sayth he a man from his childhood wel brought vp after that his Father died vsed the trade of Merchandize who voyaging towards Arabia to buy spices and costly perfumes the ship wherein he went was taken by certaine Rouers which made him with another of the prisoners Cow-heard and keeper of their cattell with which as he went one morning to the pasture hee and his companion were taken by certaine Aethiopians and caried into Aethiopia to a Citty situate on the Sea whose custome was from long and auncient time to cleanse that place and others of the Country there abouts according to the aunswere of an Oracle of theirs in sending at certaine seasons two men beeing strangers to the Iland which they call Fortunat whose enhabitants liue in great and blessed happines If these two went thither and returned againe it prognosticated to that Country great felicity but if they returned through feare of the long way or tempest of the Sea many troubles should happen to that Country and those which so returned were slaine and torne in peeces The Aethiopians had a little boate fit for two men to rule into the which they put victuals enough for sixe moneths beseeching them with all instance to direct the Provv of their boate according to the commaundement of the Oracle towards the South to the end they might arriue in that Iland where those fortunate men liued promising them great rewardes if after theyr arriuall they returned backe threatning to pull them in peeces if they should before through feare returne to any coast of that Country because theyr feare should be the occasion of many miseries to that Land and as in so returning they should shewe themselues most wicked and cruell so should they at theyr hands expect all crueltie possible to bee imagined Iambolo and his companion beeing put into the boate with these conditions the Ethiopians remained on the shore celebrating theyr holie ceremonies and inuoking theyr Gods to guide prosperously thys little ship and to graunt it after the voyage finished safe returne Who sayling continuallie 4. months passing many dangerous tempests at last wearied with so discomfortable a voyage arriued at the Iland wherto they were directed which was round and in compasse about 5000. stadyes approching to the shore some of the inhabitants came to receiue them in a little Skiffe others stoode on the shoare wondering at the strangenes of theyr habite and attyre but in fine all receiued them most curteously communicating with thē such thinges as they had The men of this Iland are not in body and manners like vnto ours though in forme and figure they resemble vs for they are foure cubites higher and theyr boanes are like sinewes which they double writhe each way they are passing nimble and withall so strong that whatsoeuer they take in theyr handes there is no possible force able to take it from them They are hairie but the same is so polished and delicate that not so much as any one haire standeth out of order Theyr faces most beautifull theyr bodies well featured the entry of theyr eares far larger then ours The chiefest thing wherein they differ from vs is theyr tongues which haue a singuler particularitie giuen thē
furiously sallied dooing great hurt and damage in the Country killing and wounding the passengers and destroying the fruits laboured grounds Ixion seeing that the people hereby endamaged exclaimed vpoÌ„ him resoluing to take some order for the destruction of these Bulls made it be proclaimed that he would giue rich rewards great recompences to who so euer should kil any of them There were at that time in a Citty called Nephele certaine young men of great courage which were taught instructed by those of the same towne to breake tame horses to mount vpon their backs sometimes assailing and sometimes flying as neede required These vndertooke this enterpise to destroy these Bulls and through the aduantage of their horses the vertue of theyr own courage slew tooke daily so many of them that at last they cleared deliuered the Country of this anoyance Ixion accomplished his promise so that these young men remained not only rich but mighty formidable through the aduantage they had of other meÌ„ with this vse redines of their horses neuer till that time seen or known before They retained still the name of Centaures which signifieth wounders of Bulls They grew at last into such haughtines pride that they neither esteemed the King nor any man else doing what they list them selues so that beeing one day inuited to a certaine mariage in the towne of Larissa being wel tipled they determined to rauish the dames and Ladies there assembled which they barbarously accomplished rising of a sodaine and taking the Gentlewomen behind them on their horses riding away with theÌ„ for which cause the wars began betweene them the Lapiths for so were the men of that Country called The Centaures gathering theÌ„selues to the mountains by night came down to rob spoile stil sauing theÌ„selues throgh the swiftnes of their horses Those of the Countries there about which neuer til that time had seen any horsman thought that the maÌ„ the horse had ben all one because the town whence they issued to make their warres was called Nephele which is as much to say as a cloud the fable was inuented saying that the Centaures discended out of the clouds Ouid in his Meramorphosis entreateth hereof say that it was at the mariage of Perithous with Hypodameya daughter to Ixion he nameth also many of the Centaures by whoÌ„ this tumult was committed but the pure truth is that which Eginius writeth LV. It is no meruaile if the people in those dayes were so deceaued hauing neuer before seen horses broken tamed nor men sitting on their backs the strange nouelty whereof they could not otherwise vnderstand for proofe wherof we know that in the Ilands of the vvest-Indies the Indians when they first saw the Spaniards mounted vpon horses thought sure that the man and the horse had beene all one creature the feare conceaued through which amazement was cause that in many places they rendered themselues with more facillity then they would haue done if they had knowne the trueth thereof But withall you must vnderstand that the Auncients called old men also Centaures that were Tutors of noble mens Sonnes and so was Chiron called the maister of Achilles through which name diuers being deceaued painted him forth halfe like a man halfe like a horse BER I was much troubled with this matter of Centaures wherefore I am glad that you haue made me vnderstand so much therof but withall I would that Signior Anthonio would tell vs what his opinion is of Sea men for diuers affirme that there are such and that they want nothing but reason so like are they in all proportions to bee accounted perfect men as wee are AN. It is true indeede there are many graue sincere writers which affirme that there is in the Sea a kind of fish which they call Tritons bearing in each point the shape humane the female sort thereof they call Nereydes of which Pero Mexias in his Forrest writeth a particuler Chapter alleadging Pliny which sayeth that those of the Citty of Lisboa aduertised Tiberius Caesar how that they had found one of those men in a Caue neere to the Sea making musick with the shell of a fish but he forgot an other no lesse strange which the same Author telleth in these very wordes My witnesses are men renowned in the order of Knighthood that on the Ocean Sea neere to Calays they saw come into their shippe about night time a Sea man whose shape without any difference at all was humaine he was so great and wayed so heauy that the boate began to sinke on that side where hee stoode and if hee had stayed any thing longer it had been drowned Theodore Gaze also alleadged by Alexander of Alexandria writeth that in his time one of these Sea men or rather men fishes accustomed to hide him selfe in a Caue vnder a Spring by the Sea side in Epirus where young maydens vsed to fetch their water of which seeing any one comming alone rising vp hee caught her in his armes and carried her into the Sea so that hauing in this sort carried away diuers the enhabitants being aduertised thereof set such grins for him that at last they tooke him kept him some dayes They offered him meat but he refused to eate and so at length beeing in an element contrary to his nature died The same Alexander speaketh of another Sea-monster which Bonifacius Neapolitanê° a man of great authority certified him that he saw brought out of Mauritania into Spain whose face was like a man some-what aged his beard haire curled and glistring his complexion and colour in a manner blew in all his members proportioned like a man though his stature were somewhat greater the onely difference vvas that he had certaine finnes with the which as it seemed he diuided the water as he swamme LVD It seemeth by this which you haue sayd of these monsters that there should be in them a kinde of reason seeing the one entred by night into the Shyp with intention to doe it damage and the other vsed such craft in his embuscades to entrappe those women AN. They are some likelihoods though they conclude not for as we see that there are heere on earth some beastes vvith more vigorous instinct of nature then others and neerer approching to the counterfaiting gestures of men as for example Apes and such like so is there also in this point difference among the Fishes of the Sea as the Dolphins vvhich are more warie and cautelous then the others as well in doing damage as in auoyding danger for Nature hath giuen all things a naturall and generall inclination to ayde help theÌ„selues withall Olaus Magnus handleth very copiously thys matter of Tritons or Sea-men of which in the Northerne Seas he sayth there is great abundance and that it is true that they vse to come into little Shyps of which with their weight
and that he name giuen vnto him of Aethiopia was but through error because the people would haue it to be so Iohannes Teuronicus in his book of the rites customes of Nations is as well deceaued also in this matter as the rest following the cōmon opinion that he of Aethiopia in Afrique should be Prester Iohn the other hauing raigned beene subdued in the end of Asia where as I said the great Cham or Tartare holdeth his Empire signeury who as it is thought is one of the puissantest mightiest monarches of the world so he entituleth himselfe King of Kings Lord of Lords This matter though otherwise well knowne and verified is also confirmed by Marcus Paulus Venetus who was along time resident in Townes Citties of his Empire and by an English Knight likewise called Iohn Mandeuile who seruing him in his warrs receaued his wages pention BER You haue great reason in all this which you haue said and now I call to memory that the Aethiopians beganne to receaue the faith of S. Phillip the Deacon and afterwards by the preaching of S. Mathew the Apostle and therefore they vaunt them selues to be the first Christians that were in the world in community But leauing these there is a prouince of Christians in Asia called Georgia the which say they were so called because they were conuerted by S. George but I rather take it to be the ancient proper name of the Prouince These Georgists are also called Yuori they haue their Embassadours alwaies in the Court of the Sophie I knowe not whether they pay him tribute or no their Country is very colde and full of Mountaines Those also of Colchos are christians now called by an other name Mengrels There is another kind of people called Albanes who maintaine the Christian religion There is another country of Christians who are called Iacobits on the Mountaine Sinay there are other christians named Maromites And all the coast of India is inhabited of christians from the entry of the Red-Sea where the citty of Aden standeth to the citties of Ormur Dia Malaca and frō thence forward to the kingdoms of Iapon China which are verie great mighty and hereabouts border many other Kingdoms citties Ilands as Zamora Taprobana Zeilan Borney and the Iles of Molucco whence the spice cōmeth with many other Regions great little where dwell infinit numbers of Christians as well Portugals as other which through their good example haue conuerted themselues to the Christian faith the like is hoped that those wil doe which liue vnder the subiection of the great Cham seeing they drawe so neere vnto it which should be a great augmentation of christianitie so that by this meanes Christianitie goeth as it were compassing round about the whole world The christianitie of the Armenians is notorious to all men in the greater of which they are in a manner all christians and in the lesser the greatest part There are likewise christians in Sury in Egypt where as yet remaine sundry signes of ancient christianity in many other parts though in respect of their farre distance from hence we haue no plaine and perticuler knowledge of them I haue read in the chronicles of Portugall that vvhen the Ilands of Catatora were founde out the enhabitants were all christians in their beliefe though God wot passing ignorant in the misteries of the same for they onely worshipped the Crosse because they said that God the redeemer of mankind died vpon the same as for the rest they held a few precepts the chiefest of which was to obserue the law of Nature They called themselues by the names of the Apostles and other Saints whereby it may be thought that some good christian man had arriued in that Iland and conuerted thē to the faith through whose death or departure from thence they remained so smally endoctrined in that Beliefe through the which they should worke their saluation As for the christianity of the West Indies new discouered world we al know it hold it for a thing most assured that asmuch as is shall be discouered will embrace the Catholick faith because that people easily discouereth the error of their Idols and false gods knowing him whom they serued to be the verie deuill himselfe for some of them were of the same beliefe as those of India Maior of whom I spake before who held him in solemne reuerence with sacrifice temples But since the christians arriuall in those parts now they see the dreadful state of damnation wherin they stood withall the deuils authority daily decaying for he speaketh nor appeareth now no more vnto thē as he was wont to doe there come daily such mighty numbers of them with such sorrowfull contrition repentance to receiue the Christian faith that it is wonderfull in which after they are once throughly instructed they perseuer with such ardent charity zeale and perfection that trulie I am ashamed to say how far they doe excell vs of vvhom they receaued it LVD At one thing I do much vvonder and that is how the christianity of these Indies remaineth so cleere without Heresies considering the foule contagious infection that is here amongst vs no doubt but diuers haue gone out of these parts thither that haue not beene of the soundest in Religion but it seemeth that God hath layde his hand vpon that Country for the preseruation of the same to the end he may be there honored serued BE. Wee haue vnderstood that Christendom is far greater then we thought it had been if we all could agree in one vnitie of acknowledging obeying the Catholique Church and couer our selfe vnder the blessed protection thereof not as many doe who beare only the name of Christians but are indeed children of damnation following other fantasticall Churches professing new haereticall doctrines I pray God that wee may liue to be all liuely members of one true and Catholique Church the Spouse of Christ that we may one day see the prophecie fulfilled Et erit vnum Ouile vnus Pastor and there shal be one flold one Sheepheard LV. That wee may see say you this were to promise your selfe a longer life then those of whō we yesterday made mention considering the diuersitie of supersticions factious Sectes wherewith the world is infected AN. Say not so for whē soeuer it shall please God to touch the harts of all those in the world with his mercifull hands he can in one yeere yea in one month day houre or moment so illuminate lighten not only all haereticall Christians but also Turkes Moores Pagans and Iewes and all erronious Sectes ouer the whole world that they may see and repent their owne error reconcile themselues into the bosome of our holy Mother the Catholique Church to th' end the prophecies you haue said may take effect but let vs not looke
feele anguish and payne And if you be desirous to see many particularities and the seuerall opinions of diuers learned Authors read Caelius Rodiginus in his second Booke De Antiquis Lectionibus where hee discourseth copiously thereof But now for not digressing frō the principall let vs come to that which they call Phantasma the vvhich hath his beginning in the fantasie which is a vertue in Man called by an other name Imaginatiue and because thys vertue beeing mooued worketh in such sort that it causeth in it selfe the thinges feigned and imagined to seem present though in truth they are not Wee say also that the thinges which vanish away so soone as we haue seene them are fantasies seeming to vs that wee deceaue our selues and that we sawe them not but that they were onely represented in our fansie But thys is in such sort that sometimes we trulie see them indeed and other times our imagination fansie so present them to our view that they deceaue vs and wee vnderstand not whether they were things seene or imagined and therefore as I thinke comes it that wee call the thinges which we really see Visions and others which are fantasticated and represented in the fantasie Fancies vvhether of which this was that hapned in Fuentes de Ropell I know not but sure I am that it was as true as strange neither is the place so farre distant beeing onely two miles hence but that you may by infinite witnesses be thorowly resolued of the veritie thereof There lyued about 30. yeeres since a Gentleman of good account called Anthonio Costilla who of the vvhich I my selfe can giue good witnesse was one of the valiantest hardiest men of all the Country for I haue beene present at some broyles byckerings of his in which I haue seen him acquite himselfe with incredible courage and valour Insomuch that beeing somewhat haughtie and suffering no man to ouercrowe him he had many enemies thereabouts which caused him wheresoeuer he went to goe alwayes well prouided so that one day riding from his owne house to a place called Uilla Nueua hauing vnder him a good Ginet and a strong Launce in his hand when he had doone his businesse the night cōming on and the same very darke he lept a horse back and put himselfe on his way homeward comming to the end of the Village where stoode a Chappell in the forepart or portall of which there was a lettice window within the same a Lampe burning thinking that it shoulde not be wel done to passe any further without saying his prayers hee drewe neere vnto the same saying his deuotions a horseback where whiles hee so remained looking into the Chappell hee savve three visions like Ghostes issue out of the middest thereof seeming to come out from vnder the ground to touch the height of the roufe with their heads As he had beheld them awhile the haire of his head began to stand an end so that being somewhat affrighted he turned his horse bridle and rode away but he had no sooner lyfted vp his eyes when hee sawe the three visions going together a little space before him seeming as it were to beare him company so that commending himselfe to God blessing him selfe many times he turned his horse spurring him from one side to another but wheresoeuer hee turned they were alwaies before his eyes vvhereupon seeing that he coulde not be rid of them putting spurres to his horse he ranne at them as hard as he could with his Launce but it seemed that the visions went and mooued themselues according to the same compasse wherein hee guided his horse for if he went they went if he ranne they ranne if he stood still they stood still alwaies keeping one euen distance from him so that hee was perforce constrained to haue them in his company till hee came to his owne house before which there was a great court or yard opening the gate of which after hee was lighted of his horse as he entred he found the same visions before him and in this manner came hee to the doore of a lodging where his wife was at which knocking and beeing let in the visions vanished away but hee remained so dismayed and changed in his colour that his wife thinking hee had receaued some wounde or mishap by his enemies often asked him the cause of this his deadly countenaunce alteration and seeing that he would not reueale the same vnto her she sent for a friende of his that dwelt thereby a man of good qualitie and of singuler learning and integritie of life who presently comming and finding him in that perplexity importuned him vvith such instance that at last he recounted vnto him the particularity of each thing that had hapned He being a very discrete man making no exterior shewe of vvonder or amazement bad him be of good courage and shake off that dismaiment with many other comfortable perswasions causing him to goe to supper and from thence brought him to his bedde in which leauing him layd with light burning by him he vvent forth because he would haue him take his rest and sleep but hee was scarcely gone out of his chamber when Anthonio Costilla began with a loud skrietch to cry out for help wherevpon he with the rest entring into the chamber and demaunding the cause of this outcry he told them that hee was no sooner left alone but that the three visions came to him againe and made him blind with throwing dust vpon his eyes which they had scraped out of the ground which in trueth thed found it to be so from that time forward therefore they neuer left him vnaccompanied but all profited nothing for the seauenth day without hauing had Ague or any other accident he departed out of this world LV. If there were present heere any Phisition hee would not leaue to affirme and maintaine that this proceeded of some melancholly humor ruling in him with such force that he seemed really to behold that which was represented in his fantasie BER The same also may wel be for many times it seemeth that we see things which in deed we doe not being deceaued through the force of our imagination and perchance this of those visions may be the like who being once represented in the imagination of fancie had force to work those effects and the humor which caused the same encreasing through amazement and feare might at last procure death yet for all this I will not leaue to beleeue but that these visions were some Spirits who taking those bodies of ayre earth water or fire or mingling for that effect any of those Elements together came to put so great amazement in this man that the same was cause of his death AN. In all things which by certaine knowledge cannot be throughly approoued there neuer want diuers and contrary opinions so that in this diuersity of iudgements I would rather impute it to the worke of Spirits then to any
and ho through pure feare made her to confesse it but on such condition that hee should forgiue her and neuer disclose word thereof to anie man liuing therupon reuealing vnto him all the secret misteries of her wicked and damnable science which her husband hearing began to enter into a great desire to see the manner of theyr meetings whereupon beeing agreed to goe together the selfe same night after shee had craued leaue of sathan to admit her husband they both anoynted them selues and were carryed to the wicked assembly and place of their execrable and pestiferous delights The man after hauing gazed about him awhile diligently beheld all that passed sate himselfe downe at a table with the rest furnished with sundry and diuers sorts of daintie meates to the eye seeming delicate and good but in proofe of a very sowre and vnpleasant tast of which when he had prooued diuers finding them all to be of a most vnfauorie relish he began to call for salt because there was none at all vpon the table but seeing the bringing of the same delayd he began to be more importunat in crauing it at last one of the deuils to please him set a salt-seller on the table but hee beeing vnmindfull of his vviues admonishment which vvas that hee shoulde there in no wise speake any word that vvere good holie seeing the salt come at last after so long calling for God blesse vs quoth he I thought it would neuer haue come which word he had no sooner spoken but all that euer was there vanished away with a most terrible noyse tempest leauing him for a great while in a traunce out of which so soone as he came to himselfe recouering his spirits sence hee founde himselfe naked in a field amongst certaine hilles where walking vp and downe in great sadnes and anguish of spirit so soone as the day came hee met with certaine Sheepheards o whom demaunding what country the same vvas he perceiued by theyr aunswere that he was aboue a hundred miles from his owne house to which with much a doe making the best shift he could at last he returned and made relation of all this which you haue heard before the Inquisitors whereupon his wife and diuers others whō he accused were apprehended arraigned found guihie and burnt AN. I am gladde that you were put in minde to recite this history which truly is very strange though I haue often reade and heard of the like for that which concerneth this kind of people is no new matter but very auncient Many very old Authours write much of them and of Witches Negromancers and Enchaunters no lesse pestilent and pernitious to humaine kinde then these others sith leauing to be men they became to be deuils in their works of which sort there haue beene very many famous or rather infamous in the world as Zoroastes Lucius Apuleius Apolonius Tyaneus and many others of whom there is now no knowledge or memory because Historiographers haue not vouchsafed to write of thē as men not worthy to be commended to the posterity as for this our time the number of them is the more the pitty too great which though they professe the faith of Christ yet they are not ashamed to confederate themselues with the deuill and to doe their works in the name of Belzebub as the Pharisies sayd of our Sauiour and for a small contentment in this worlde make no account of the perdition of theyr soules though for the greatest part also they neuer enioy heere any great prosperity or euer come to any good successe for commonly their confederate the deuill bringeth them to a shamefull end procuring the discouery of their wickednes and so consequently punishment for the same which if one amongst twenty here escapeth yet in the other world he is assured perpetually to fry in the fire of hell But leauing these let vs now come to another sort of them who handle the matter in such sort that they wil scarcely be knowne what they are these are Charmers the which as it seemeth haue a perticuler gift of God to heale the biting of mad dogs to preserue people cattell from being endomaged by them These as they say are known in that they haue the wheele of S. Katherin in the roof of their mouth or in som other part of their body who thogh in my iudgement it cannot be denied but that they doe great help in such like things yet to heare their prayers coniurations grosse clownish phrases would moue a man to laughter though they to whō they vse them seeme to recouer therby their health AN. This is a strange people but truly this gift or vertue of theirs is much to be doubted of seeing for the most part as Frier Franciscus de Victoria saith they are base forlorne people of ill example in their life somtimes such as boast make their vaunts of more thē they can accomplish and I haue heard that some of them wil creepe into a red hot Ouen without danger of burning BE. I cannot think that any man hath particuler grace to doe this but rather that he doth it by the help in the name of the deuil LV. No doubt but many of them doe so though there are also som to whom God hath imparted particuler graces and vertues as those of whom Pliny writeth alleaging the authority of Crates Pergamenus that there is in Hellespont a kind of men called Ophrogens who with only touching heale the wounds made by serpents vpon which imposition of their hands they presently purge cast out auoid all the poyson venom with which they are infected and Varro saith that in the same Country there are men which with their spettle heale the biting of Serpents and it may be that these were all one people Isigonus and Nimphodorus affirme that there is in Affrica a certaine people whose sight causeth all those things to perrish vpon which it is intentiuely fixed so that the very trees wither and the children die there-with The selfe same Isigonus sayeth that in the Country of the Tribals and Ilyrians there is a certaine kind of people which in beholding any one with frowning eyes if they detaine their sight any while vpon them doe cause them to die and Solinus writeth the like of certayne vvomen among the Scythians Pirrhus King of Epyrotes as Plutarch testifieth in his lyfe had such vertue in the greate toe of his right foote that vvho so euer had a sore mouth if hee touched him there-with was helped presentlie and some Authors vvrite that hee healed also many other infirmities there-vvith As for the King of Fraunce it is a thing notorious to all menne that hee hath a particuler grace and vertue in healing the Lamparones or Kinges Euill and it may bee that as GOD hath imparted these graces to many and sundry kindes of people so also may hee endue some of these menne of vvhich wee
only extended to the attaining of some meane office sufficient for his maintenance contrary to his expectation the Pope made him some Cardinall or great Prelate so that wee may very well terme him Fortunate the like may be said of one that going with Horses or Oxen to tyl a peece of ground turneth vp a stone by Chaunce vnder which he findeth hidden some great treasure and there-with enricheth himselfe This mans intention and purpose was to tyll that ground and not to seeke for any treasure in finding of which we may say that he was fauoured of Fortune But because the examples of such thinges as haue truly indeede passed may be better vnderstoode we may say that the Emperour Claudius was very fortunate because Caligula being slaine and hee also fearing to be killed in that fury and vprore of the people for that he was his neere kindsman as hee peeped out of a corner of the house wherein he lay hidden to see how the world went was espied of a Souldiour who knowing him and running towards him Claudius cast himselfe downe at his feete humbly beseeching him to saue his life in which his miserable desperation the Souldiour bad him be of good courage and voide of feare saluting him by the name of Emperour and presently being brought foorth before the other Souldiours he was established and confirmed in his Predicessours roome so that heerein was Fortune fauourable vnto him for his peeping out of the corner wherein he lurked quaking for feare vvas with purpose to discouer if the coast were cleare and to saue his life it happened thereby accidentally vnto him that he was chosen and elected Emperour The like may be vnderstood in matters of aduersity as if one goe to the Court with purpose to serue the King and by his seruice to obtaine such fauour at his hands that he may thereby come to be rewarded with some rich estate or dignity and it falleth out so vnhappily with him that hee come in a quarrell to kill a man and thereby to loose all his substance wee may say that Fortune was aduerse and contrary vnto him or if a man walking wiâ—h his friend in the streete a tyle fall from the house and breake his head hee may iustly say that his Fortune was ill for both the one and the other happened by accident and not according to the purpose and meaning which they had And if you would haue an example contrary to this former see but what happened to Caligula the Predicessour of Claudius who going out of his house to solace himselfe in the Towne and to see certaine youthfull tryumphs and pastimes of yong Gentlemen of Rome was murdered by some that had conspired his death The purpose hee had was to recreate himselfe and to see those pastimes or rather as Suetonius Tranquillus sayeth to digest his last nights supper hauing his stomacke somwhat ouercharged and it happened accidentallie vnto him when he thought least thereof that he was slaine so that his Fortune may well be termed aduerse and contrary These matters also we may in generall call Chaunce because they chaunced without any such purpose meaning or intention and likewise Fortune because they happened to men hauing reason vnderstanding to make choise of one thing from another but if a Grayhound running after a Hare or any other Beast coursing vp and downe the fieldes should strike his foote vpon a thorne and become lame this cannot be properly called Fortune but Chaunce LU. Afore you passe any farther I would faine know why you say that these accidents are not to be termed Fortune in vnreasonable Creatures grounding your selfe therein because they haue not reason or vnderstanding to make election of one thing from another seeing in many Beasts wee see by experience many times the contrary as for example the Grayhound in seeing the Hare hath vnderstanding to follow her and meaning to catch her and I haue seene some that if theyr Maisters bee not present carry them vp and downe in theyr mouthes till they finde him besides the setting dogge when he seeth the Patriches standeth still and some make a signe to their Maisters with theyr foote to the ende that hee should shoote at them which they could neuer doe vnlesse they had an vnderstanding and purpose to haue those Patriches killed Besides what shall we say of those thinges which the Elephant doth vnderstanding obeying and executing those thinges which his Gouernour commaundeth him Marke also well the prankes and dooings of Apes and you shall finde in them so strange an imitation of man that they seeme by signes to manifest that they want nothing but speech and therefore me thinks that the definition of Fortune of which you spake may as well be applied to these Beastes as that of Chaunce seeing they haue such vse of vnderstanding AN. I confesse all that which you haue sayde to bee true marry that which is in these Beasts is not nor may not be called reason or vnderstanding but an instinct of Nature which moueth and leadeth them to doe that which they doe for all Beasts are not created for one effect but as their effects are diuers so are also their conditions and instincts hauing causes that carry with them perpetually a certaine limitted order agreement and this opinion is by all the Philosophers confirmed particulerly Aristotle in his third booke De Anima and all those that glosse vpon his text affirmeth that the brute Beastes are led and guided by a naturall instinction and appetite without hauing any reason or vnderstanding at all in those things which they doe LV. Your aunswer hath not so satisfied me but that I remaine as yet in some part doubtfull for howe can it be that the Elephant should so behaue himselfe in battaile fighting and carrying a Tower of Armed men vpon his backe wholy ruling and directing himselfe by his commaunders voyce vnlesse he were endued with vnderstanding for the commaundement is no sooner out of his Gouernors mouth but he presently executeth the same Besides we see that Beares in many things which they doe seeme not to be without the vse of vnderstanding they wrestle with men without hurting them they leap daunce conformably to the sound that is made vnto them the experience of this we haue all seene I particulerly haue seene one play vpon a Flute which though he could not distinguish the notes by measure yet he made a cleare distinct sound but all this is nothing in respect of that which we see done by dogs They aunswer to their names when they are called in all dangers they accompany assist their Maisters neither want they a kinde of pride presumption and disdaine as Solinus writeth of those which are bred in the Country of Albania who are so passing fierce and cruell that as he saith two of them were presented by a King of that country to great Alexander wheÌ„ he passed thereby towards
all that vvhich is forthward betweene these two Prouinces the Sea Northward Of Scithia hee sayth the same in his seauenth Table of Asia that on the North-side it hath vnknowne Lande in his third Table that all that part of the Mountaynes towardes the North is vndiscouered and in comming to India to the kingdome of Chyna hee hath no knowledge at all of that which is thence forwarde to the East where is so great a multitude and diuersitie of Countries Prouinces and Kingdoms as in a manner remaineth behind on this side yet truly there was neuer any man equall vnto Ptolomie in that which he knew and all both Auncients and Moderns doe follovve him as the truest Geographer though hee were many tymes deceaued as in saying that the Indian Sea is wholy closed and separated from the Ocean it beeing afterwards founde that from the Cape of Bona Speranza to Calycut there is more then a thousand leagues of water the which according to his opinion should be enuironed with firme land Strabo also in his seauenth booke saith that the same Region which turneth towards the Aquylon pertayneth to the Ocean sea for they are sufficiently known who take their beginning from the rising of the riuer of Rheyne forth to the riuer of Albis of which the most famous are the Sugambij the Cymbri but the stripe that reacheth out on the other side of the riuer Albis to vs is wholy vndiscouered vnknowne and a little farther Those saith he which will goe to the rysing of the Riuer Boristhenes to those parts from whence the winde Boreas commeth all those Regions are manifest by the Clymes and Paraleils but what Countries people those are which are on the other side of Almania and in what sort they are placed which are nowe called Bastarni as many doe suppose or Intermedij or Lasigae or Raxaili or others that vse the couerings of Wagons for the roofes of theyr houses I cannot easily say neither whetheir their country extendeth it selfe to the Ocean or whether through the extreame cold it be vnenhabitable or whether there be anie other linage of men between the sea those Almaines which are towards the part of the Ponyent By these authorities you may vnderstande that Strabo though hee were so great a Cosmographer had no knowledge of all those Countries which are on the other side of Almaine towards the Septentryon or North-pole But you must vnderstand that they made Almaine extende it selfe much farther then we now adayes doe bringing within the limits thereof all those Countries euen vnto Scithia in which seeing Strabo was ignorant it is not much if the other Cosmographers were ignorant of that which is vnder the vtmost Zone it selfe As for Strabo he confesseth not only his ignorance in those parts but also in speaking of the Getes There are saith he certaine mountaines which reach Northward euen to the Tyrregetes to the knowledge of whose bounds ends we cannot attaine the ignorance of which hath made vs admit many fables that are reported of the Hiperbores and Ryphaean mountaines But let vs leaue these men yea and Pytheas Marsiliensis also with his lyes which he wrote of the Ocean Sea and if Sophocles saide any thing in his tragicall verses of Oricia that she was carried of the wind Boreas ouer the whole Sea and transported to the vtmost bounds of the whole world to the fountaines of the Night to the height of the Heauen and to the old Garden of Apollo let vs leaue him also and come to the trueth of that which is in deede knowne in this our age BER Strabo hath cleerely giuen to vnderstand in these speeches the small knowledge he had of those Countries which are towards the North and of the other side of the Hiperborean and Ryphaean mountaines which being included in the vtmost Zone where as you say vnknowne to all the Auncients but I wonder at nothing more then that the vvorld hauing dured so many yeeres before them there was neuer any that could attaine to the light and cleare certainty thereof AN. There hath not wanted some which in som sort though doubtingly haue roued therat as Pliny who though he denied as I said a little before the vtmost Zones to be enhabited yet comming to speake of the mountaines of Rypheus hee discouereth the contrary of that which hee had saide before turning to vse these wordes The Arimasps being past there are straight at hand the Ryphaean mountaines and a Country through the continuall falling of snow like feathers called Pterophoros the which is a part of the world condemned of Nature beeing seated in a place of obscurity darknes we cannot place these mountains any where then in the very rigour of Nature it selfe and in the very seate and bowels of the Aquilon on the other side of the Aquilon liueth if we wil beleeue it a verie happy people whom they call Hyperboreans whose life they say lasteth many yeres and of whom are reported many fabulous miracles it is thought that there are the vtmost barres of the world and the farthest compasse of the starres it is 6. months light with them one only day of the Sun contrary not as som ignorantly say from the Winter Equinoctiall to the Autumne only once a yere doth the sunne rise vnto them in the Solstitio and only once a yere set in the Winter Their region is warme of a wholsome temprature without any noysome ayres the mountaines woods serue them for houses they worship their gods in troupes ioyntly flocking together there is neuer amongst them any discord debate sicknes or infirmity Death neuer ouertaketh them til being through olde age weary of liuing they throw themselues from the top of some high Rock down headlong into the sea this they account the happiest sepulchre that may be Some writers haue placed thē in the first part of Asia and not of Europe because there are some in situation likenes resembling them called Attacori others haue placed them in the midst betweene either Sunne which is Sun-setting of the Antypodes and the rising thereof with vs which can by no way be so beeing so great and huge a sea between Those who place them there where they haue but one day in the yere continuing sixe months say that they sow their corne in the morning and reape it at midday and that when the Sunne forsaketh them they gather the fruit of their trees and during the space of theyr night they hide thēselues in Caues This people is not to be doubted of seeing so many Authors haue written that they were wont to sende their first fruites to the Temple of Apollo in Delos vvhom they cheefely adored All this is out of Plinie who as you see discourseth confessing and denying for one while he sayth if we will beleeue it making it ambiguous and then presentlie he turneth to say that it is not to be doubted of LVD I alwayes vnderstood
he bringeth for example the aboundance of mettals minerals of siluer which grow in Swethland and Norway being Countries exceedingly colde whence hee maketh an argument that the heauens are not so vntemperate in those parts or any others how cold so euer but that they may be enhabited yea and in such sort that men liue there very long in great health and strength as by experience of those Countries we finde it to be true which could not be vnlesse the heauen were temperate and fauourable in correcting that domage which by the cold might be caused Afterwards handling this matter a little more at large he turneth to say I write not this to the end you should thinke that those who goe thither out of Aethiopia or Aegipt should agree so well with that climate as those which are naturall of the same for vndoubtedly they would hardly endure the cold and be in great danger of their liues vvhich may be considered by those of the Land of Babilon for those of them which went towards the North did not by and by penetrate into the vtmost bounds of the earth in those parts but seated them selues in the middle thereof and as they enured themselues to suffer the colds so by little little they pearced farther in cōming in time to be so accustomed to the cold that they endured the Snow and Ice as well as the hote Countries doe the continuall heat parching of the Sunne and if there be perchaunce in those parts any thing ouersharp rigorous Nature hath amended the same with other helps for on the Sea shore she hath ordained Caues that runne vnder the mountains where the fiercer that the cold is the greater is the heate warmenes that gathereth it selfe therein and Landward shee hath made Valleyes contrary to the North wherein they might harbor shroud themselues against the cold as for their Cattell and wild Beastes she hath cloathed them with such thicke skins that the nipping of the cold can no whit at al anoy them therfore those furres of those parts are more precious then those of warmer Countries BER We haue well vnderstoode all these authorities and opinions but we vnderstand not what you will inferre by them AN. It is easily vnderstood if you looke vnto that which we at the beginning discoursed as touching the opinion of all auncient Authors Geographers who thought that the two vtmost Zones of the Poles were not enhabitable through their extreame cold whereas by that which I haue said and wil heereafter say the contrary appeareth And so we will goe on verifying that our Europe is not so little or the least part of the earth as many will haue it to be seeing we know not the ends thereof of one side extending it selfe following the whole Coast of the Sea seeming to guide it towards the Occident then giuing a turne to the Septentrion by another way passing and trauersing the Riphaean mountaines following the same Land which reacheth euen to the Septentrion it selfe or vnder the North-pole LV. That Coast which you say goeth towards the Occident as I haue heard say is not nauigable because of the frozen Sea which hindereth the passage of the ships AN. There is a great Coast of the Sea which for the same reason you giue according to many of the Cosmographers is not nauigable and of this the Auncients yeeld not so good reason neither haue they so good experience thereof as the Moderns haue though Gemma Frigius a very graue Author be very short in handling this matter for comming to speake of the Prouinces of Curlandia and Liuonia hee sayth that they are the last of Sarmatia and that Liuonia stretcheth towards the Septentrion cōmeth to ioyne it selfe with the Hiperboreans whose peoples are Parigitae and Carcotae which goe following that part of the Septentrion that passeth on the other side of Circulus Articus that they are great and wide Regions most extremely cold and that the men which enhabit them are of a strong constitution of body very faire of cōplexion but somwhat grosse of vnderstanding and that there are places of ice so hard frosen that great troups of horsmen may therevpon make their fights encounters whereto they vse the winter more then the somer that like vnto these Countries are those of Escarmia Dacia and a little farther speaking of the Prouince of Swethland which he calleth Gotia Occidentalis because there is another called Meridionalis of Norway which stretcheth it self by the Coast of the Occident towardes the Iland of Thule and ioyneth it selfe with Groneland he saith that without the circle Artick are the prouinces of Pilapia Vilapiae the coldest countries of the world because they reach vnto the very North-pole in which their day cōtinueth the space of a whole month that those parts are not till this day throughly discouered because the enhabitants of them are most wicked cruell and persecute Christians within their limits and that euill Spirits doe there present themselues many times before the eyes of men in bodies formed of ayre with a fearefull and terrible aspect and afterwards he saith that in those Countries towards the Occident it is said though their place and seate be vncertaine that the Pigmees doe enhabite men of a cubite high the trueth whereof is vncertaine but only that a ship of leather through the violence of the winds being driuen on the shore was taken with many of these Pigmees in it All this you must vnderstand he saith in speaking of that Coast which as I sayde goeth out Westward for from thence all that which turneth compassing about the Land towards the East passing the vtmost Zone euen till it come to meete with ours is vnknown neither hath any ship made that voyage neither is there any Nation that can giue vs notice thereof the reason is because of the frozen Sea of which you spake through which that Coast is by no meanes nauigable whereof Gemma Frigius maketh no mention in this place neither afterwards also whē he commeth to speake of the Scithians where hee saith that in the farthest Scithia which extendeth it selfe farre beyond the Hiperboreans there are many Nations whom he nameth by their names without comming in one part or other to the Sea-coast in sort that heereby may be inferred that hee left much Land in those parts for vndiscouered and vnknowne and in his Map which cannot be denied to be one of the best and surest that hath beene hetherto made by any man comming to the Country of Swethland he setteth the same simply with an Epitaph saying That of those Septentrial Lands he will there-after more particulerly entreate and so sayeth Iohn Andraeas Valuasor in his LU. It seemeth vnto me that in this matter they cannot so agree one with another but that they must differ and discord in many points because the most of them or in a
Sea of the North though being frozen the greatest part of the yeare yet that the same at such time as the Sunne mounteth high and their day of such length should through the heate of the Sunne thaw and become nauigable and so in that season the Indians might be driuen through the same with a tempest all which though it be so yet the people assuredly knowing that the same Sea freezeth in such sort euery yeere will not dare or aduenture to saile therein or to make any voyage on that side so that we come not to the knowledge of such thinges as are in that Sea and Land vnlesse wee will beleeue the fictions that Sylenus told to King Mydas LV. Of all friendship tell vs them I pray you for in so diffuse a matter any man may lye by authority without controlement BER That which I will tell you is out of Theopompus alleaged by Aelianus in his book De varia Historia This Sylenus saith he was the Sonne of a Nimph and accounted as inferiour to the Gods but as superiour vnto men who in one communication among many others that hee had with King Mydas discoursed vnto him that out of this Land or world in which wee liue called commonly Asia Affrique and Europe whom he termeth Ilands enuironed rounde about with the Ocean there is another Land so great that it is infinite and without measure in the same are bred Beastes and Fowles of admirable hugenes and the men which dwell therein are twise so great as we are and their life twice as long They haue many and goodly Citties in which they liue by reason hauing lawes quite contrary vnto ours among their Citties there are two that exceede the rest in greatnes in customes no whit at all resembling for the one is called Machino which signifieth warlike and the other Euaesus which signifieth pittifull the enhabitants of which are alwayes in continuall peace and plentifully abounding in great quantity of riches in whose Prouince the fruites of the earth are gathered without being sowed or planted They are alwayes free from infirmities spending their whole time in mirth pleasure and solace they maintaine iustice so inuiolably that many times the immortall Gods disdaine not to vse their friendship and company but on the contrary the enhabitants of Machino are altogether warlike continually in Armes and Warre seeking to subdue the bordering Nations This people doth dominate and commaund ouer many other proud Citties and mighty Prouinces The Cittizens of this Towne are at least 200000. in number they sildome die of infirmity but in the Warres wounded with stones and great staues Iron nor steele hurtes them not for they haue none Siluer gold they possesse in such quantity that they esteeme lesse therof then we doe of Copper Once as he said they determined to come conquer these Ilands of ours and hauing past the Ocean with many thousandes of men and comming to the Hiperborean mountaines hearing there vnderstanding that our people were so ill obseruers of Religion and of so wicked manners they disdained to passe any farther accounting it an vnwoorthy thing to meddle with so corrupt a people and so they returned backe againe He added heere-vnto many other meruailous things as that there were in other Prouinces thereof certaine people called Meropes who enhabited many and great Citties within the bounds of whose Country there was a place called Anostum which worde signifieth a place whence there is no returne this Country saith he is not cleare and light neither yet altogether darke but betweene both through the same runne two Riuers the one of delight the other of greefe vppon the shore both of the one and the other are planted trees about the bignes of Poplar-trees those that are on the banks of the Riuer of griefe bring forth a fruite of the same nature quality causing him that eateth thereof to spend the whole time of his life in sad and melancholly dumps bitter teares perpetuall weeping The fruite of those that grow on the banks of the other Riuer haue a contrary effect and vertue yeelding to the eater thereof a blessed course of life abounding in all ioy recreation and pleasure without any one moment of sadnes When they are in yeeres by little and little they waxe young againe recouering their former vigour and force and thence they turne still backward euen to their first infancie becomming little babes againe then they die LV. These things were very strange if they were true but be howe they will they carry some smell of that of which we entreated concerning the Land which is on the other side of the Riphaean and Hiperborean mountaines seeing he saith that determining to conquer this our world which he calleth Ilands they returned backe after they came to those mountaines and so it is to be vnderstoode that they came from the other part of the North-pole as for that Land which he saith to be so tenebrous obscure it may be the same which as we sayd hath continuall obscurity and is a condemned part of the world I doe not wonder at all if amongst the other works of Nature she made this part of the earth with so strange properties I meane not that which Silenus spake but the other by vs entreated of before the ayre of which by reason of som constellation or other thing we comprehend not is so troubled that it is not onely vninhabitable but also not to be passed through wherby the secreets therein contained remaine concealed though perchance on the other side therof the time temperature may be such and so contrary that it may excell these very Countries wherein we now liue AN. You haue reason for without doubt the Land which is in those parts vndiscouered must be very great and containe in it many things of admiration vtterly vnknowne to vs But comming now to particularize somewhat more of that which is now in these our times known discouered I wil tell you what some very new moderne Authors doe say thereof and principallie Iohn Zygler whom I alleadged before who in person visited viewed some part of these Septentrionall Countries though hee passed neither the Hiperborean neyther the Riphaean mountains who meruaileth greatly at that which sundry Authors haue left written of these parts for he found many things so different and contrary that theirs conformed in no one poynt with the truth as well touching the situation of mountaynes and heads of Riuers as the sundry properties and qualities of the Regions and Prouinces for hee sayeth that he was in that part where they all affirme the mountaines Ryphaeus to be and hee found there no mountaynes at all neyther in a great space of Lande round about it but all a plaine and leuell Country the selfe same is affirmed by Sigismund Herberstain in his voyage so that if they erre in the seate of a thing so common and
God LV. Remember you not what Esay saith in his 14. Cha. speaking to Lucifer It was thou saith he that saidst in thy hart I wil mount vp into heauen put my chaire vpon the starrs and seate my selfe on the hill of the testament in the sides and corners of the wind Circius or Aquilon BE. These authorities haue many interpretations but howsoeuer it be sure it is that there is in these Northerne parts an infinite number of Sorcerers Witches Enchaunters and Negromancers AN. Those of the Prouinces of Biarmia Scrifinia Finland with many other bordering Regions doe as the cōmon fame goeth for the most part all exercise Negromancie chiefly those of Filandia and Laponia which they vaunt to haue learned of Zorastes To such as sailed to their country for traffiques sake and had the wind contrary at their departure they vsed to sell for mony or merchandize such so cōmodious wind as they themselues desired They vsed to knit in a cord three knots of which vndoing the one there followed presently a moderate wind out of what Coast so euer they desired vndoing the second the wind began to bluster somwhat more furiously but vpon the losing of the third there arose such raging stormes and tempests that the shippes miscaried oftentimes and were drowned And therfore such strangers as traffiqued thither procured to entertaine friendship with them imagining their happy and vnhappy successe the raging and calmenes of the Sea to be at their pleasure and disposition for in this the deuils were to them in great subiection and obedience Besides when any man desired to know news frō forraine parts there were amongst thē diuers that would vndertake to giue them true aduertisements of such things as they required to know being wel paid for their paines They enclosed thēselues into a chamber taking with them their wiues or som other person whō they especially trusted then smiting vpon a figure of mettall which they kept made in fashion of a Toade or Serpent after whispering some words making certaine signes they fell downe groueling on the ground in a traunce most straightly charging and enioyning him or her that stoode by to take great heed that no flye vermine or beast should touch them while they so continued Returning to themselues they aunswered to such thinges as they were enquired of so truly that they were neuer found to be false in any one point And this they publiquely vsed till they receaued the faith of our Sauior Christ since which if they vse the same it is with great secrecie and most seuerely punished if it be knowne There are as yet in certaine Prouinces that confine vpon them and are somewhat neerer vnto vs many notable Negromancers famous by the writing of many Authors Amongst the rest there was euen almost in our time Henry king of Swethland who had the deuils so ready and obedient at his commaundement that he caused presently the wind to turne and change into what part so euer hee pointed with his cap in so much that of the common people he was called by no other name then Windy Bonet He had a Sonne in lawe called Reyner King of Denmarke who conquered on the Sea coast many Countries by force of Armes neuer at any time hauing contrary wind when hee went to Seaward beeing therein by his Father in law alwayes assisted to whom hee succeeded afterwards also in the Kingdome of Swethland Many write of a woman called Agaberta daughter of a Gyant in those Septentrionall Lands whose name was Vagonostus that she was so skilfull in Negromancie that she sildome suffered her selfe to be seene in her proper figure somtimes she would resemble an old withered wrinkled Crone sometimes a most beautifull and goodly Mayden somtimes she would seeme so feeble and faint and yellow of colour as though shee had beene consumed with a long and languishing Ague another time she would be so high that her head should seeme to reach vnto the clouds changing when she listed with such facility her shape as did Vrgand the vnknown of which old fables make such mention the strange force of her enchauntments was such that she could darken the Sun Moone Starres leuell high Mountaines and make plaine champaine of sauage Deserts pull trees vp by the rootes and dry vp running Riuers with many the like as though shee had had all the deuills of hell ready at a beck to fulfill her commaundements The like is written of an other called Grace of Norway Yffrotus the mighty King of Gothland and Swethland walking for recreation along the Sea-shore was runne at by a Cow and hurt with her hornes in such sort that hee died presently vpon the same afterward it came to be knowne and proued that the same Cowe was a Witch disguised in that forme which for some griefe conceaued against the King had vsed that reuenge vpon him There was one called Hollerus so incredibly surpassing the rest in this detestable Science that the common people supposed him to be more then a mortall man honoured him as a God though at length they founde theyr error for notwithstanding his fained immortalitie his heade was cut off and his body torne in peeces by his enemies for commonly the deuill though hee helpe them for a while yet euer in the end he leaueth them in the myre Othinus which was held for one of the greatest Negromancers that euer was brought Hadignus king of Denmark to his kingdom out of farre Countries into which he was banished on horsebacke or rather on the deuils backe behind him through thicke and thinne yea and ouer the Sea it selfe bringing it by his Enchauntments so to passe that the King was receaued established in his gouernment afterwardes in a battaile against Haruinus King of Norway he caused such a clowdie showre of hayle to strike on the face of his enemies that not enduring the violence thereof and beeing on the other side furiously charged by the Danes they turned theyr backs were discomfited But it were time lost to entreate any farder of this people beeing the deuils disciples dwelling and dailie dealing so familiarly with them There are amongst them often seene visions and Spirits deluding those that trauaile appearing to them in likenes of some of theyr knowne friends and suddainly vanishing away so that the deuill seemeth to haue in those Septentrionall Countries greater dominion more libertie then in other parts LV. I remember that I haue read a certaine Author which among many strange and wonderfull thinges wryteth that there is in a certaine part of these Lands a mountaine enuironed round about with the Sea vnlesse it be of one side where it hath onely a very narrow and little entry so that it seemeth in manner to be an Iland the toppe thereof is couered with trees so thicke and high that a farre of they seeme to touch the Clowdes There is within the same
greatest part of this Prouince obeyeth the King of Swethen vvho hath in the frontyers thereof one of the best and strongest Castels in the worlde called Newcastle which is situated vppon a high Rocke accessible onely of one side and that with great difficulty At the foote of this Rocke runneth a great and deepe Riuer in such sort that in some places it is hard to sound any bottome the waters of which and all the fishes therein are so blacke that it is therefore called the blacke Riuer it discendeth from the Aquilonar mountaynes commeth along through such desert and craggie Landes that no manne knoweth where the head thereof riseth onely it is thought that it commeth out of Lacus Albus waxing black by reason of the soile through which it commeth There is in this Riuer great aboundance of Salmons and of other fishes of such excellent relish and pleasing tast that there can in no part of the world be found any better They serue not onely for prouision to the Country it selfe but are carried thence into many farre places Amongst the rest there is found a fish called Treuius which in the Winter is blacke and in the Sommer white whose meruailous property is such that binding him fast with a corde and letting him downe into the bottome of a Riuer if there be any gold in the sands thereof the same cleaueth fast to his skin which how great soeuer the peeces be fall not off from him till they be taken off so that some vse no other occupation to winne theyr lyuing with then this It is sayde for an assured certainty that sometimes there is openly seene a man goe in the middle of the streame playing most sweetely vppon an Instrument like a trebble Viall which at such time as men beholde him with greatest delight of a sodaine sinketh downe into the water There are also often heard vppon the shore Trumpets Drummes and other loud Instruments without seeing those that sound them vvhich when it happeneth they holde the same for a signe or presage of some harme or disastre that is to ensue to some principall person of the gard of this Fortresse which they haue often found true by experience But leauing to speake of the great plenty of fish which is in these Countries Now I will come to say somewhat of the Birdes and Fovvles which are in these parts of which there are many kinds farre differing from those which we haue heere among the rest some as great or rather greater then Patridges whose feathers are diuersified with beautifull colours chiefely white blacke and yellow called Raynbirds because towardes rayne they cry otherwise holding continually their peace It is held for a certainty that they liue by the ayre for being very fatte they are neuer seene eate at any time neyther when they kill them doe they finde any sustenance at all in theyr belly or mawe Theyr flesh is of a very sauourie taste and much esteemed There are other Birdes found on the high and rough mountaynes such as are for the most part continually couered with Snowe somewhat bigger then Thrushes which are in the Sommer white and all the Winter long blacke Their feete neuer change culour which is a most perfect yellovv They sleepe and shroude themselues for the most part alwayes in trees But when they see any Hawke or Fowle that lyueth by pray they choppe dovvne into the Snovve fluttering the same ouer them with theyr vvinges in such sort that they leaue no part of them vndiscouered preseruing thereby theyr lyfe Of all other Fovvles they are hardlyest taken they hide themselues so artificially in the Snow and therefore they call them Snow-birds Of Falcons there is passing great store ouer all these Northerne Countries and of many sorts At such time as the day lasteth the whole Sommer long in those Regions neere the Pole fewe or none remaine in the bordering Lands but flie all thither returning thence againe when the night commeth about Amongst these there are certaine white which pray both on fowles and fishes which Riuers for their pleasure doe reclaime taking with them both fish and fowle Their two feete are of sundry and seuerall fashions the one with long sharpe talents with which they seaze their pray the other like vnto a Goose the talents whereof are nothing so long The Rauens in these Lands are so great and harmfull that they kill not onely Hares and Fawnes but also Lambs and Pigs of which they make so great spoile and destruction that there are Lawes made by the which there is a reward appointed to such as shall kill them so much for the head of euery one About the Sea shore and Lakes there are many which they call Sea-Crowes and of diuers kindes some are great and haue sawes in their beakes in manner of teeth with which they sheare the fishes asunder Their principal foode is Eeles which if they be not very great they swallow in whole and many times slice them out againe behind afore they be fully dead There is an other sort of them somvvhat lesse otherwise of small difference which in seauen dayes make their nests and lay their egges and in other seauen dayes hatch their young-ones There are other Birdes called Plateae which are alwaies houering also ouer Lakes Ponds they haue mortall warres with the Crowes and with all other fowles that liue by fish of which if they see any haue in his beake or talent any pray they make him let it goe or otherwise they kill him for they haue of them a great aduantage through the sharpnes of their beake and talents Of Ducks wilde tame there is such infinite abundance in these prouinces that they couer the Lakes and waters no other foule being any thing neere in so great quantity especially where there are any veynes of warme water which keepe the Lakes longer without freezing where when they doe freeze yet the Ise is so thin that it may easily be broken They are of diuers colours and sizes otherwise all of one making Certaine Authors which write of these Countries affirme that one kinde of these Duckes is of those which are bred of the leaues of certaine trees in Scotland which falling into the water take life as in manner aboue saide becomming first a worme then getting winges and feathers at last flying vp into the ayre Olaus saith that he hath seene Scottish authors which affirme that these trees are principally in the Ilandes called Orcades They affirme also that there are Geese bredde and engendred in the same manner betweene whom and the other there is great difference both in colour many other particularities And seeing this wonder is by the testimonie of so many Authors confirmed I see no reason but that vvee may well beleeue it without offending and that also vvhich they write of a towne in the vtmost parts Northward of that Kingdome
present at a spectacle so fearefull horrible cruell And if this Monster were not in such a desert place farre of from those parts which are by the people enhabited hee were able to dispeople and bring to desolation the vvhole Country for yet as it is those that are neerest liue in great feare and dread of him LVD Truly I remember not that euer I heard of a more terrible and cruell Serpent and therefore I much wonder why the people of that Countrey doe not seeke some remedy to deliuer themselues of so miserable a feare and scourge as he is vnto theÌ„ AN. Neuer thinke but that they haue done their best though perchance it hath little auailed them BE. Their only remedy must come froÌ„ God which is that time shal end his life to doe which the force of man suffiseth not As for my part I wonder not at all that there should be a serpent so great fierce as this is for both Plinie Strabo alleaging Megasthenes write of Serpents in India which are so great that they deuoure a Stag or an Oxe whole in at once Pliny also by authoritie of Metrodorê° saith that there are some so huge that they reach the birdes which flie in the ayre in time of the Emperor Regulus there was one found about the shores of the Riuer Bragada 120. foote long to destroy which there was a whole Army of men sette in order as though they had gone to assault a mightie Citty AN. But nowe turning to our former discourse I say it is a thing strange and meruailous that in so great an extremity of cold as that of the North there should breede so many venemous Serpents the number of which is so great that the people is with them miserably afflicted especially the Sheepheards whose trade of life being most in the open field meet with them oftenest and therfore they neuer goe vnprouided of necessary remedies to apply presently when neede requireth But being wearied with matter so full of contagion and poyson I will passe forward and come vnto their trees whose kinds and qualities are diuers rowing in that extreamity of cold Snow and Ice to such an exceeding height and greatnes that there are no better found in the world to make ships and maine masts of then they are But seeing they are smally different from ours I will spend no time in describing theyr particularities onely I will tell you of one called Betulnye which is in growth very great and tall and all the yeere long continually greene without casting his leafe for which cause of the common people he is called the holy Tree not vnderstanding his vertue and property which is so hote that in despite of the cold hee retaineth alwayes his greenenes and verdure so that many Serpents make their nests and dens vnder his rootes through the warmenesse and heate of the which they defend themselues against the rigorous sharpnes of the colde which all the other trees not enduring as they shoote forth their leaues fruites in the Sommer so shed they them againe in the Winter returning to their naked barenes The like also doe all their hearbes and plants of which many are such as we haue commonly heere and many farre different of vs neither knowne nor vsed BER I am of opinion that in these Lands there are generally all such kinds of thinges as are in others excepting alwayes the difference of the soyles the quality of which maketh some better some worse and of greater and lesser vertue in their kinds and operations But let vs detaine our selues no longer about thinges of so small importance I pray you therefore tell vs if that be true of which we reasoned the other day that is if all these Prouinces and Lands are enhabited of Christians for if it be so I wonder we should haue heere no more particular knowledge and notice of a matter so important AN. Make no doubt at all of that which I haue tolde you for all those of the Kingdome of Norway which is very great and contayneth many mighty Prouinces and those of Dacia Bothnia Elfinguia Laponia Lituania Escamia Filandia Escandia Gronland Island Gothland Westgothland Swethland Sueue and Denmarke with many other Septentrionall Regions and Prouinces euen to the Hiperbores amongst which also are sundry of those that the great Duke of Muscouia and Emperour of the Russians possesseth all these I say are vnder the banner and fayth of our Sauiour Iesus Christ though differently For some follow the Church of Rome others obserue the ceremonies of the Greek church cleauing wholy there-vnto others of them followe the Catholique Church but ioyntly there-withall certaine errors that are there spread abroade LV. But leauing this till an other time and returning to our former purpose I pray you tell me if the Emperour of Russia be so great a Monarch as heere it is sayd he is AN. No doubt but he is so great and mighty that there are fewe or no Princes of Christendome besides equall vnto him in gouernment and signeury of manie Kingdomes Prouinces Lands and Countries as partly may be vnderstoode by his tytles in a Letter which he wrote to Pope Clement the seauenth the beginning of which was as followeth The great Lord Basilius by the grace of God Emperour and Lord of all Russia great Duke of Blodemaria of Muscouia of Nouogradia of Plescouia of Finolenia of Yfferia of Iugoria of Perminea of Verchia of Valgaria Lord and great Prince of the neather Nonogradia of Cernigonia of Razania of Volothecia of Rozeuia of Belchia of Boschouia of Iraslauia of Beloceria of Vdoria of Obdoria of Condinia c. This Letter was written in the Citty of Muscouia which is his principall seate and from which the whole Country taketh his name in the yeere of our Lorde 1537. LU. Are all these Kingdomes Lands and Prouinces which you haue named enhabited with Christians AN. It is to be supposed that they are though I cannot affirme the same for a certainty for perchaunce hee hath gotten some of them by conquest the people of which may yet remaine in their idolatry as for the law of Mahomet it is there of small force Yet for all this this Duke or Emperour or what you list to call him being so mighty a Prince as he is there is notwithstanding a Prouince and Nation of people called Finnes which liue in a manner vnder the Pole so valiant and stoute in Armes that they hold him at a bay yea and sometimes enter into his Country with fire and sword making great conquests vppon him BER So that the neerest Nation to them that liue vnder the North-pole is that of the Russians Muscouites AN. You say true it is so indeede of one side marry on the other side is Bothnia Fynland and some others which are vnder the very Pole but on that side of Russia and Muscouia the old Cosmographers for far that they went reached not
beyond the same and in all their Maps Cards if you mark them wel they set them vtmost next the North or if they doe set any other it is without name But the Modernes as I haue said goe farther describing Countries both of one side the other yet for all that as I vnderstand there is a great part of the world there-abouts as yet vndiscouered as well in the higher Biarmia which is on the other side of the Pole as in the Land which extendeth it self towards the west wheeling fetching a compasse about to the Septentrion from thence againe pointing vp towards the East which way these Muscouites trauaile with their merchandize passing out of their owne bounds among the Tartarians The principall wares they carry are Furres of sundry sorts of which some are very precious These Muscouits are a crafty people cautelous deceitful of smal honor in maintaining their word promise but aboue all other most cruel Albertus Krantzius writeth that an Embassador being sent out of Italy to the duke of Muscouia was by him cōmanded to be put to death because at the time of doing his Embassage he kept his head couered but the pore Embassador aleaging the custom of his country the preheminence of Embassadors § were sent frō mighty Princes the tirant answered him that as for him he meant not to abollish so goodly an vsage to cōfirme the which he caused presently his hatte to be nailed fast to his head with mighty long yron nailes so that he fell downe dead in the place LU. Seeing you giue so good notice of these Northerne Lands I pray you tell me what Countries or Prouinces those are which are of late discouered and with which our Merchants doe traffique and conuerse as that which they call Tierra del Labrador the Land of Bacallaos and another Country thereby latelier found out whence commeth such aboundance of fish AN. To tell you truth I know not my selfe but that which I imagine and holde for certaine is that they are some parts or corners in the Sea of those Septentrionall Prouinces of which wee haue spoken which those that goe hence through ignorance doe terme by new names As for Tierra del Labrador it is not yet throughly discouered whither it be firme Land marry the most part and to which I giue greatest credite affirme that is an Iland The same beeing so farre Westward that by all likelihood the Septentrional people had little knowledge thereof Those which haue beene there say that the enhabitants doe liue after a barbarous and sauage manner But in fine you must vnderstand that it is in a manner vnpossible throughly and exactly to know the distinct particularity of the Regions that are in those parts not so much for the impossibility of discouering them as for the diuersity of the names of the Prouinces Countries Kingdomes Ilands Hils and Riuers which are euery day changed and diuersly in different names termed by such seuerall Nations as finde them whose languages differing each of them speaketh and writeth of them by such names as they themselues haue imposed vnto them insomuch that sometimes when we speake all of one Country yet through the diuersity of names we imagine the one to be distant from the other many miles And hence commeth so great a confusion that though we know these Countries to be amongst those North and West Regions of which we haue spoken yet we vnderstand not which of them they are and in like maner of those of the East For as some Cosmographers giue them one name and some another those that come after them interpret thereof euery one as he pleaseth yea and many times differ in the very principall poynts and of this is the varietie of the worlde cause for euen as euery yeere the trees plants and hearbes sprout forth in one season their leaues and fruites in another do fade wither and decay and then the next yeere renewe againe and euen as of men one dies and another is borne and the like of all other worldly creatures beastes fowles and fishes so doth it happen and fall out in the verie names of things which with time also doe change alter and loose their selues leauing one and taking another Take for example the olde Cosmographers which doe most particularly entreate of Spayne the Prouinces Citties and particularities thereof as Ptolome and Plinie and you shall not find sixe names conforming and agreeing to those which we now vse and perchance within a thousand yeeres if the world last so long they will haue lost these which they nowe haue and taken others For without doubt as the worlde hath such an vnstable varying so it will not leese the same vntill it come to be ended and dissolued Neither onely in this but in the Languages also I warrant you there will be in tract of time such alteration and change For though at this present it seemeth that we speake in Castile the most pure and polished speech that may be yet those that shall come some space of yeeres after vs will speake the same so differently that such things as are written in this our time will seeme vnto them as barbarous as doth vnto vs the olde prose which we finde in stories of auncient time For there is no thirtie or forty yeres but there are diuers and sundry words worne out of vse and forsaken and others new inuented and had in price vvhich though they be not good yet vse maketh them to seeme so as in all other things it vsually happeneth that onelie custome is sufficient to make that which is euill seeme good and that which is good seeme euill BER There is nothing more true and manifest then this which you say But returning to our former discourse I pray you make mee vnderstande if those which doe border next vpon the frontires of these Septentrionall Lands that doe professe the faith of Christ are Idolaters or no for if they be so in my iudgement it were an easie matter the grossenes of their beleefe cōsidered to perswade and conuert them to the Christian fayth AN. You haue great reason for in truth they are with farre greater facilitie conuerted then the other Countries that are infected poysoned with the false and damnable sect of Mahomet and so Henry King of Swetheland and Henry Bishop of Vpsala being moued with a godly charitable and vertuous zeale to extend and amplifie the Christian religion in those parts vsed such diligence that they conuerted thereunto the Prouince of Finland which is the fardest that is knowen Northward and where the dayes and nights doe each of them endure full sixe months apeece the enhabitants of which are prooued so good Christians and people of so great charitie and hospitalitie that the chiefest exercise wherein they busie and employ themselues is in dooing good workes the like also as I sayd doe those of Bothnia who haue in euery parrish a Priest as
Sorcerers Hags 84 Opinions of Destenie 101 104. Opinions of the Hiperboreans fo 119. Ophrogeus 88. P. Palmesters 107. Paradise 43 46. Pallas Euanders Sonne 22. Pariardes 24. Pirrhus 8. Pigmies 13 14 120 125. Pigmie what it signifieth 15. Phanaces 11. Phantasma 65. Phaenix 44. Physon 48. Pictorius 24. Planets 105. Pope Marcellus 105. Port Vizantine 10. Prester Iohn 55. Prosperous Fortune 93. R. Rangiferi 129 144. Riuers 42. Riuers of paradise 48. Riuer of greefe 127. Riuer of delight ibid. Robin-good-fellowes 78. Rosmarus 149. Rounceualls 22. S. Satires 12. 73. Sanches Garcia 8. S. Christopher 22. Saludadores 88. Scipio Affricanus first called Caesar 8. Sirboti 23. S. Thomas 55. 56. S. Andrew 72. Soule 105. Spirits 61 62 63. 64. 77. Stryges 84. Strength 21. Suillus Rufus Stones 41. T. Terrestriall Paradise 47. 52. Thalestris 14. Three principal erroneous acts 52 The beginning of Prester Iohn 56 The loue of dogs 96 97. The white Lake 137. The Lake Meler ibid. Tigris 48. Tongues deuided 17. Thule 44. 120. 125. Tritormo 20. Tritons 28. 30. Tyresias 34. V. Versatilis the Seraphins sword 48. Vipers 110. Vener a Lake 141. Vether a Lake 137. Vnderstanding 98. Vse of naturall Magique lawfull fol. 76. W. Water 37. Women of Aegipt 5. Women changed to men 34. 35. Wise men 36. Wild Asses 129. Witches 75. 80. World 23. 52. 115. Whales 148. Weathers 147. Wolfes 145. Y. Yuorie 57. Z. Zona Torrida 46. 48. 115. Zones fiue 113. Zuna 54. FINIS The colde more tolerable then the heate The Philosophers definition of Nature Leuinê° LeÌ„nius definition of Nature Natura naturans Natura naturata Many examples of meÌ„ like one to the other The likenes of Artemon to Antiochus Caius Bibius like to PoÌ„pey Diuers Romaines one like to another Don Rodrigo Girdon and his brother The strange likenes of two men A thing notable of two daughters and a sonne borne all at a burthen The answer of a young man to Augustus Caesar The womeÌ„ of Egipt meruailous fruitfull A woman deliuered of 7. children at once another of 9. A woman deliuered of 4. children all liuing Hermophrodites Two womeÌ„ deliuered at once of fiue sons a peece A Lady of Spaine deliuered of six sonnes 70. Proportioned children at one burden A gentlewoman of Almaigne deliuered of a 150. children The monstrous and strange child birth of the Lady Margaret of Holland The dangerous chyldebirth of women in the kingdom of Naples Hee Goates hauing milk in their teats How long a woman may goe great with child What Hermophrodites are Two Hermophrodites burned The Androgins are all Hermophrodites The linage of Agrippas Nero borne with his feet forward Scipio Affrican called Caesar quiae Caesus ex vtero The strange birth of Don Sanches Garcia king of Nauarre The like of Diego Osorio Children borne toothed Hercules borne with three rowes of teeth The face of a child newe borne couered with long haire A vvench hauing haire vppon the chine of her backe like brisles of a Boare A woman deliuered of an Elephant Sundry strange and monstrous childbirthes Lumpes of flesh called by the PhisitioÌ„s moles Nature forceth her alwayes to do the best The wonderful force of imagination A blacke child borne of white Parents The strange opiration of Nature in the Poet Vizantine A childe couered with hayre The place is called Petroe sancta A wonderfull Monster borne in Germany A wonderful monster A most strange stoie of a Frier Sundrie strange and monstrous formes of men Monosceli Phanaces Sundry diuers shapes of men in the Country of Georgia Arimaspes In what places of the world the monsters are written to be Satyres are men and creatures reasonable The shape of Satyres Meetings of the Satyres Satyres Faunes Egipanes Men with tailes like horses Three Ilands of Satyres Men with tayles like Foxes A race of men hauing all tayles A strange story of a Pilgrima A man with two heads Two children froÌ„ the nauill down ward ioyned in one Two chyldren ioyned backe to backe Pigmees Amazons Thalestris Qu. of the Amazons The Amazons cam to the warres of Troy Pedro Mexias The country stature story description of the Pigmees Theyr fight with the Cranes Ouid. Aristotle Solinus Pomponius Mela. Gemafrisius A shippe of Pigmees driuen on the shore of Norway The relation of Pigafeta in his voyage to the Indies with Magellan Pigmees are men endued with the vse of reason Ezechiel 27. Pigmee in Hebrew signifieth a little man Ctesias 130000. men together with heads like dogs An Ape with a dogs head Men with eight toes Men borne with gray haire which in old age waxeth blacke An Ewe brought forth a Lyon and a Sowe an Elephant Iohanes Bohemus The story of a miraculous Iland found out by Iambolo Iohanes Bohemus Cap. 26. Men whose bones are like sinewes Men with deuided tongues which speâ—â— two purposes at once Bread made of white seede These men vse 28. letters At 150. yeres they kil theÌ„selues A most strange kind of beast They abhor artificiall dressing of meates Theyr sobrietie Their apparrell Theyr exercise Alexander de Alexandria cap. 25. lib. 2. de diebê° Genialibus 4000. Ilands discouered by the Portugales Tritamio a Fencer of exceeding strength The lyke strength of his Sonne being a man of Armes vnder Pompey The miserable end of Milo who liuing was so renowned for his strength The miraculous force of Tritormo Ligdamus the Siracusan hauing his bones massiue and whole within A Gentleman in a certaine infirmity forbidden to drinke remained all his life time euer after without drinking Pero Pardo de Riba de Neyra griped his enemy to death betweene his armes Sundry that abstained long from drinke A man that neuer drank in his life The greatnes of strength consisteth not in the bignes of body Pusion and Secundila x. foote long a peece Orestes was 7. cubits long A bodie found of 33. cubits The miraculous leÌ„gth of the carkas of Antheus The Sepulchre of Pallas sonne to Euander The strange admirable stature of a Giant The bone of a Gyant to which his body being proportioned must be 40. foote long Heereof I take it it comes that seeing a great woman wee say shee is a Rounceuall Iosephus lib. quinto de antiquitatibus A man of Calabria of a meruailous tall and big stature Golyas the Gyant The longer the world lasteth the lesser are the people in stature People among the Ethiopians called Sirboti of 8. cubites in height Wherein the long life of man consisteth The men of Aetolia liue long People of the prouince Pandora The Citty Acroton buâ—lded on the top of the mountaine Atos. There bloweth no wind at all on the top of the hill Olympus Macrobians Men neuer die of sicknes in the Iland Meroe Pictorius liued 300. yeeres Diuers and different coÌ„putation of yeres by the Auncient Nestor liues 300. yeere The Abbesse of MoÌ„uiedro turned to be young again Two men that in theyr old age became youÌ„g againe A man in India that was
340. yeeres old had foure times renued his age A Moore in the Citty of Vengala 300. yeeres olde The lawes both of Gētiles and Moores permitteth to take manie wiues A man that had liued 340. yeres The long life of those that liue on the other side of the Mountaines Hyperbores Cornelius Tacitus writeth that in Illiria a man called Dondomio liued 500. yeeres Long life not to be desired Centauri vel Sagitarij The History of the Centaures Those of Nephele first learned to ride horses The cause of the warrs betweene the Lapiths the Centaures The Indians thoght that the man and the horse had been all one creature Chiron the Tutor of Achilles Tritons or Sea men Nereides A strange History of a Sea man A Sea man brought out of Mauritania into Spaine The Dolphins more cautelous then other Fishes A race of men in Galicia discended of a Triton Reasons refuting the former storie of men called Marini An answere to those refutations A most strange and admirable History of a Virgine deflowred by a Beare The most wonderfull History of a woman begotten with child by an Ape A strange history of the first inhabitation of the Kingdoms of Pegu Sian Mermaids A mermayd driuen a shore on the Sea-coast Tyresias the Theban Prophet The daughter of Casin changed into a man The like of a woman in Argos The like of a woman in the Citty of Caeta A gentlemans daugh ter of Portugall changed her sex The like of a woman called Phaetula The like of a Husbandmans wife in Spaine Strange things not to be told but before such as are learned and wise The cause of the diuersitie of the taste properties of waters The Fountaine of Epirus The Fountaine Eleusidis Iacobs Wel in Sichar The Lake Silias Sundry Springs of different natures in a valley of Iury neer Macherunte The most strange nature propertie of the herbe Baharas The vertue thereof A Spring in Sycilia most admirable A Fountaine in the Country of the Elyans The Fountaines Alteno Alfeno A Lake 〈◊〉 in Scithia A Fountaine in Licia Water of the Fountaine Tenaeus that will by no meanes be mingled with wine A Fountaine in the Iland of Cuba Stones in a Valley of the same Iland all round A strange Fountaine in the Iland of Cerdonia A Lake on the top of a mountaine in the I le of S. Domingo Two Fountaines in Spaine of strange effect A Fountaine in Sauoy breeding stones of great vertue A strange stone in the Earle of Beneuenta his Garden These Fouls are in English called Barnakles The Author is heerin deceaued for these are 2. seuerall stories both very true The strange fruite of a tree in the citty of Ambrosia A strange tree mentioned in Pigafetas relation to the Pope Certaine riuers of incredible greatnesse found out in the West Indyes Aristotles opiniō of the source of Riuers The opinion of Anaximander his followers The surest opinion cōfirmed by Scripture What the word of Paradice generally taken signifieth The Philosophers opinions concerning Paradice Where the Gentiles supposed the Elisian fields to be Thule is thought to be the same which is now called Iseland Plato The Phaenix renueth of her owne ashes Lactantius Firmianus discourse of Paradice S. Iohn Damascenes opinion of Paradise Venerable Bedes opinion Strabo the Theologians opinion Origens opinion These opinions refuted by S. Thomas Scotus Heauen taken for the regiō of the ayre in many places of Scripture Suidas a greek Author Arrianus a Greeke Historiographer The strange aduenture happening to Hanno a Carthagenian Captaine Nicolaus de lyra Ioha de Pechan Opinions of Caetanus Eugubinus touching terestriall Paradice S. Chrisost. The Seraphin with the fiery sword placed before Paradise Fables touching Paradice The foure Riuers that issue out of Paradice The rysing of the riuers Tygris and Euphrates The sources of Ganges and Nylus The mountaine Emodos The mountaine of the Moone The Riuers that come frō Paradise hide themselues in the hollowes of the earth The Riuer Alpheus Sundry Riuers that hiding themselues vnder the earth come to rise out in newe springs The Gulfe called Mare magnum Encisus touching Paradise Some hold opinion that Nilus is not the same w t is in the holy Scripture called Fison The Authors conclusion concerning the foure Riuers The opinion of som who thought the world to be plaine and leuel before the time of the vniuersall flood Three principall sects of Erronius Religions in the world The originall of Idols The olde philosophers in theyr secret conceit detested the adoration of the feyned Gods The cause why the gētiles adore the deuill The Mahometists will neither hear nor answer any man in disputation against theyr religion Many learned Authors that vnrip lay open the beastly absurdities of Mahomets Secte The wise learned men amongst thē what shewe soeuer they make in publique do in secret detest his abusions Mahomets confession touching our Sauiour Iesus Christ our blessed Lady the Gospell and our Christian Beleefe The slauery and seruitude which the Iewes haue endured since the deniall of our Sauiour the true Messias is an euident argument to confute their obstinate blindnes The name of Prester Iohn is rightly Belulgian An egregious fiction of the Papists The place where Saint Thomas the Apostle died The Church holdeth that S. Thomas was slayne with a knife by an idolatrous Priest The beginning of the name and authority of Prester Iohn Prester Iohn is not hee which is in Aethiopia but he who was in the East Indies conquered by the great Chā though the other be now throgh error so called A Prouince of Christians called Georgia Sundry Prouinces kingdoms and Ilands of Christians Christianity goeth compassing roūd about the whole world The deuill speaketh nor appeareth no more to those Gentiles that begin to embrace the Christian fayth The newe conuerted Countries cleer without heresie A man that could by no meanes endure the sight of a Rat. A Noble man that if you shut by night any doore of the house wold be ready to throw him selfe out at the window A strange melancholly humor of a Gentlewoman which by reason discretion she violently suppressed Illusions and apparitions of Spirits do chiefly proceede of the deuill Democrites would by no meanes beleeue that there were any deuils The olde philosophers opinon touching those that were possessed with Spirits Lemures et Lamiae The fabulus fictiō of the old Phylosophers Daemonia Whether Lucifer and those other Angels that offended w t him fell altogether into Hell or no. Sixe degees of Spirits The deuils haue seuerall and sundry offices A strange story written in the book called The Hammer of Witches The office function of the thirde degree of Spirits The deuils malice against vs proceedeth onely of enuie The deuils though of different kindes yet in malice desire to doe euill are all alike Euery man hath a good Angell and a bad attendant vpon him Genium Hominis