that for the fourth part Our Mercator doth distinguish this Globe of the Earth into three Continents hee calleth that the first which the Ancients divided into three parts the second that which we now call America the third the Southerne or Magellanicke land But we will divide the whole Globe into five patts Europe Africke Asia America and the Southerne Land EVROPE EUROPE though it be least of all yet with the chiefe Delineators of the terrestriall Globe we will describe it in the first place either for the excellencie of the soyle or the company of the inhabitants or in regard of their famous acts who have hitherto possessed it Pliny calleth it the Nurse of a People conquering all Nations and the most beautifull part of the Earth besides though other parts be greater and larger yet they are lesse inhabited and therefore for these and other causes wee may justly begin first with Europe which was the most noble inheritance of Iaphet who being Noahs eldest sonne enlarged his Territories even to the Land of his brethren Sem and Cham so much concerning the order in the next place we must shew the Etymologie of the name Herodotus noteth that the originall of this name was not knowne some say it was called so from one Europa a Tyrian the daughter of Agenor King of the Phoenicians of whom it is an ancient fable that Jupiter having transformed himselfe into a Bull and having set her on his backe carried her from Sydon into Creete or Cyprus Others rejecting fables do thinke she was carried away in a ship built in the forme of a Bull Others say it was a ship which had the protection of Iupiter and the image of a Bull upon it Palephatus of Creete writeth that it was a ship called the Bull which brought away from the Tyrian Countrie Europa the Kings daughter as captive with other maids Some do suppose that it was a militarie Legion which among other Ensignes had one Standard with the figure of a Bull in it Some say it was so called in regard of the beautie of this Region which may be compar'd to a Virgine carried away for the love of her beautie And some not unlikely have said that it was called so from Europus who as it is left to memory had heretofore a Kingdome in this part of the World Becanus beeing unwilling to be persuaded that Europe hath a Greeke name seeing the Cimmerians did inhabit it before the Greekes the former had a different Language from the latter thinketh that it was so called from the excellencie of the people For the monasyllable VER being pronoūced by the dipthong signifies some great and excellent thing and HOP doth denote a multitude of men The Asiaticans do generally at this day call the Europeans Frankimen the Turkes call those of the Romish Religion Franki and those Romei who are addicted to the Greeke Religion The Abyssines in Africke which divers Records do testifie do call us Alfrangues and the Christians Countrie Frankia So much for the Name the Situation and Quantitie followes concerning which it is to be held that Ptolomy and other Ancient Writers did place Europe betweene the 4. 9. Climes between the 11. and 21. Parallels betweene the Degrees of Latitude 36. and 54. and of Longitude 17. and 61. but in our age seeing the Declination of the Sunne as it is observed is changed and many places are added to this our Europe for they have now discovered to the 72. Degrees of Latitude EVROPE EUROPA toward the North a further description of Climes and Parallels hath beene devised so that Europe is situated betweene the 4 th and 18 th Climats and betweene the Parallels 11. and 36. Lastly betweene the degrees of Latitude 36. and 72. but almost betweene the degrees of Longitude 17. 71. If it be considered from the Promontorie of Spaine which is called at this day Cabo S. Vincentij even to a right line drawne from the head of the River Tanais to the Northerne Ocean but the shortest Longitude is betweene the 17 th and 58. degrees counting it from the same Promontorie of Spaine even to Malea a Promontorie of Peloponesus and excluding the Islands of the Aegean Sea which may bee reckoned as part of Europe so that the most Southerne parts of Europe are in the 36. degree of Latitude as the Mountaine Calpe in Spaine one of Hercules Pillars the Southerne Promontory of Sicilie heretofore called Odyssia and the head of Peloponnesus or Morea anciently Taenaria and now Cabo Maini in which places the longest day is 14. houres and 30. minutes But the most Northerne limits of it are in the 71 degree and a halfe as the Promontory of Scandia the farthest Land Northward now called Wardhuys where the longest day is 2. moneths 22. dayes and 7. houres Moreover we make account that a line drawne straight forward from the head of Tanais to the Northerne Ocean is the Easterne limite of Europe following the common account For ancient Writers doe not agree concerning the Easterne boundes of Europe Aristotle Plato Herodotus and others who are of their opinion doe divide Europe from Asia by the River or Isthmus of Phasis which is betweene the Euxine and Caspian Sea Dionysius Arrianus Diodorus Polybius Iornandes doe divide it by the River Tanais Abraham Ortelius makes the bounds of Europe toward the East to bee the Aegean Sea the Euxine Sea the Maeoticke Lake the River Tanais and the Isthmus which lyeth straight forward from the head Springs thereof towards the North and others make other bounds Ptolomaeus doth part Europe from Asia by the same River of Tanais and a line drawne from the head thereof toward the Northerne Sea Now wee subscribing unto him with other most skilfull Geographers and descending from the Line and River of Tanais towards the South let us with others place the Easterne bounds thereof in the Maeoticke Lake the Cimmerian Bosphorus the Euxine Sea the Thracian Bosphorus the Propontis and the Aegean Sea even to the Mediterranean Sea which parts it from Africke Southward on the West the great and wide Ocean beates upon it Lastly on the North it is encompassed with the Northerne Sea Strabo doth attribute to it the forme of a Dragon of which Spaine doth represent the head France the necke Germany the body Italie and the Cimbrian Chersonesus the right and left winges For the most part it enjoyes a temperate Aire and milde Weather Whence Europe is every where inhabited although very incommodiously and hardly in those places which are beyond the 60 th degree of Latitude in regard of cold And it doth not onely farre excell the other parts of the World in the wonderfull temperatenesse of the Climate temper pleasantnesse and great company of the inhabitants but also in the abundance of Fruits Trees Plants all kinde of living Creatures Mettals and in the plentie of all other things which are necessarie to sustaine
Aequinoctiall and it doth contain all the littorall part of Africk and beyond the Aequinoctiall even to the Straits of Arabia The Regions thereof are five first the Country of Ajana in which are the Kingdomes Del and Adea Magaduzzum Secondly the Countrie of Zanguibara the Kingdomes whereof are Melinda Mombazza Quiloa Mozambique Manoemuci Cephala Manomotapa Torra and Butua the Kingdome of Cafria and Manicong in which there are sixe Provinces Sunde Pango Songo Bamba Barra Pemba to which are added the Kingdomes of Angola Loangi Anzichi There are some very great Lakes in Africke which seeme rather to be Seas thē Lakes of which the chiefest is Zembre which is fifty miles in compasse out of it there flow the Rivers Nilus Zaire and Cuama Besides this part of the VVorld hath great Rivers as Nilus Niger Senaga Cambra Zaire Cuama the River called the River of the Holy Ghost all which by their overflowing do wonderfully water it make it fruitfull It hath many great mountains amongst which the chiefe is Atlas who rising out of the vast sands lifteth up his high head above the clouds so that the top thereof cannot be seene The inhabitants call it the Pillar of Heaven It beginneth from the VVest where it gives the name to the Atlanticke Sea and from thence by a continued winding ridge it extendeth it selfe towards the East towards the borders of Egypt it is round rugged steepe and unpassable by reason of steepe rockes also wooddy and watered with the breaking forth of springs The top of this Mountaine is covered even in the Summer with deepe snow yea sometime the backe thereof if the North wind be sharpe is covered with a snow deeper then the highest tree whereby both men and cattell do perish There is another very high mountaine called Sierra Liona whose top is alwaies hid with clouds from whence a terrible noise is heard at Sea so that it is called the Mountaine of Lions The Mountaines also of the Moone much renowned by the Ancients are here placed under the Tropicke of Capricorne they are very rugged of an incredible heigth and inhabited by wild people and neere them there are such low and deepe valleies that it may seeme that the Center of the Earth is there Lastly there are the Mountaines Cantaberes in the Kingdome of Angola verie rich in silver mines and other which wee will mention in our particular Descriptions The chiefe Islands about Africke are these In the Atlanticke Ocean there is the Isle called Portus Sancti or the Isle of the Holy Port Madera the Canarie Islands and Caput Viride or the Greene Cape The Isle of the Holy Port was so called from the discoverers who having failed thither with much danger and difficultie would have this place so called in memory thereof The compasse of it is about fifteene miles Madera tooke his name from the great plenty of trees that grew here The circuit of it is about an hundred and forty miles The Canaries were so called from the multitude of dogges that were found there they were called by the Ancients the Fortunate Islands Pliny doth mention sixe Ombrio Innonia the greater and lesser Capraria Navaria and Canaria Ptolomie calls them Aprosuum Hera or Autolala Pluitalia Casperias Canaria and Centuria and doth place them all almost in a right Line towards the North. Cadamustus maketh ten seaven tilled three desert the names of those that are manured are the Islands of Fracta Lancea Magna Sors Grand-Canarea Teneriffa Gomera Palma and Ferro Cape Verde or the greene Cape is planted with greene Trees and from hence it hath that name The Isles thereof toward the West doe lie in the midst of the Ocean as the Islands of S. Anthony S. Vincent S. Lucia S. Nicholas the Island of Salt Bonavista Maggio or May Saint Iames and the Island called Insula del fuego In the Aethiopian Ocean are the Islands called Insula Principis and Saint Thomas his Island Behinde the Promontory called Caput Bonae spei or the Cape of good Hope there are other Islands but none inhabited except the Island of Saint Laurence ASIA ASIA succeeds Africke in my division This name was allotted it from the Nymph Asia as Varro witnesseth of whom and Iapetus Prometheus was borne Others say it was so called either of Asius the sonne of Atys or from Asius the Philosopher who gave the Palladium of Troy to the custodie of the Citie for which that they might gratifie him his whole dominions which before was called Epirus they called Asia And from hence afterward as from the more noble part all the whole tract of Land began to bee called Asia Moreover as Lybia doth both signifie a third part of the World and a part of this part So it is observed that Asia doth signifie both the whole Continent and that part which is hem'd in with the Mountaine Taurus wherein doe dwell the Lydians the Carians the Lycaonians Paphlagonians Ionians Aeolians and others which part for distinction sake is commonly called Asia the Lesse the Turkes call it Natolia There is saith Varro Lib. 4. an Asia which is distinguisht from Europe in which is Syria and there is an Asia which is called the former part of Asia in which is Ionia and our Province But all Asia is called in the Holy Scriptures Semia It is almost wholly situated in the Northerne part of the World from the Aequinoctiall Circle to the 80 th degree of Northerne Latitude except some Ilands pertaining to Asia some whereof are stretched out beyond the Aequator Southward Hence arises a great difference through all Asia in the length of the artificiall dayes For in the last Parallel which is drawne not farre from the Aequinoctiall the longest day is almost twelve houres About the middle of Asia the longest day is fifteene houres and in the most Northerne Parallel their light continually endureth almost for foure whole Moneths in Summer According to the Longitude Asia is stretched forth from the Meridian of 52. degrees even to the Meridian of 196. according to some but if we follow the description of Mercator the most Westerne Meridian thereof passeth through the 57 th degree neare to the furthest Westerne part of Asia the Lesse and the most Easterne Meridian through the 178 th degree On the North it hath the Scythian Sea on the South the Indian on the East the Easterne Sea on the West the Bay of Arabia or the red Sea the Mediterranean and Euxine Seas And as in the higher part it cleaveth to Europe so in the Southerne part it is joyned to Africke by an Isthmus yet Pliny and Strabo with some others doe stretch out Asia even to Nilus and doe reckon all Egypt to Asia In Asia the face of the skie is both pleasant and wholesome the Aire milde and temperate Yet all Asia doth not feele this temperatenesse for the right hand and left hand parts thereof
besides these which have great store of excellent Fish as Trowts Salmons Perches Lampreys Barbels and others and those Rivers have gold veines in them The chiefe Woods and Mountaines beyond Danubius beginning from Austria and Moravia Lazius reckneth to bee Tarchzal in Greeke Carpatus which was heretofore so called from the Minerals in it it stretcheth and extendeth it selfe thorow the Counties Turocensis Arnensis Liproviensis Cappusiensis Gewineriensis and Sariensis which the Inhabitants call by divers names as den Vatter den Munch den Wurtgarten den Schnepberg The second River is Matran which is planted with Vines neere Agria The third and greatest of all is Erdel There are many other Rivers which for brevitie sake I omit and so conclude Germany ITALIE IN VVHICH THESE Countries are contained Lombardie The Dukedome of Venice Liguria the Dukedome of Genua The Dukedome of Friulum Istria The Country of Romandiola The Dukedome of Thusany The Dukedome of Spoleto The Marquiship of Anconitana Latium now called Campagna di Roma Abruzzo Aprutium Samnites Terra di Lavoro Campagna felice a Principality Apulia the Kingdome of Daunia piana Lucania Basilicata Princip Terra di Barri Apulio Peucetia Terra di Otranto Regnum Calabria superior Regnum Magna Graecia Brutij Calabria inferior The Kingdome of Naples doth containe a great part of these Countries Because I know but a few Counties and Sigeionries in Italie and Greece and seeing their names and places cannot bee assign'd in Tables in regard of the imperfection of Tables therefore I will describe but a few of them For every Student may set downe those which hee shall finde It would affoord us a faire prospect into matters of Policy if the Nobility of severall Kingdomes and their Offices Places and Lordships were knowne Which if every one would performe in his owne Country hee should deserve much praise ITALIE· ITALIA ITALIE· GERMANIE was described before both in generall and speciall and now having viewed the former I doe enter into Italy which as Pliny saith Lib. Natur. Hist cap. 20. is a Country sacred to the gods the most happiest in all Europe the Mother of Plenty the Mistris of Policy the Princesse of Nations and the Queene of the World It had heretofore divers names Dionysius Halicarnassaeus Lib. 1. of Roman Antiquities writeth that the native people did call this noble Country Saturnia and the Graecians did call it Hesperia Ausonia and Oenotria and that at last in Hercules time it began to be called Italy It was called Saturnia from King Saturne But it seemeth that this appellation did not appertaine to all Italy but to a part of it which was also called Latium Hyginus would have it called Hesperia from Hesperus who fled from his Brother Atlas and Macrobius from Hesperus the Evening Starre in Latine call'd Vesperugo which is seene alwayes in the West It was call'd Ausonia from Auson They call'd it Oenotria from the goodnesse of the Wine or from Oenotrus King of the Sabines It was called Italy from Italus whom Aristotle maketh to be King of Oenotria But Festus saith Lib. 9. Italiam dictam quod magnos Italos hoc est Boves habeat vitulos enim Italos esse dictos That is Italy was so called because it hath great Italy that is Oxen for Calves are called Itali Timaeus fabulously reporteth that it was so called from the Oxe Italus one of Geryons Heard which being droven away by Hercules did swim over the Sicilian Bay and in the Tyrrhene language a Bull is called Italus And the same Dionysius Halic Lib. Antiq. Rom. saith that it was heretofore called Vitalia if we may beleeve Hellanicus Other ancient appellations of Italy which belong rather to the parts thereof than to the whole Country we omit Strabo and Ptolemy doe make Italy a Peninsula beeing encompassed on three sides with the higher Sea the lower Sea and the Jonian Sea on the fourth side it hath the Alpes for towards the West it hath the Italian Alpes which the ancients did distinguish by peculiar names as the Sea Alpes the Cortians the Grajans and the Rhetians which lye Northward even to the River Arsia and containeth the Poenine and the Julian Alpes and so it runneth Northward by the Hadriatick Sea even to the Jonian Bay which is over against it Eastward and lastly Southward and Westward it is beaten with the Mediterranian Sea as also the Tyrrhene and Ligustian Shores and the Hadrian Sea washeth the Southerne part where Forum Iulij and Histria lyeth The length from Augusta Praetoria to Brutium even to the Promontory or Leuâ—opetra is 755. miles the greatest breadth is 475. miles the middlemost breadth is 130. the least breadth is 72. The whole compasse of Italy according to Castaldus is 2550. miles Those which have measur'd it more exactly doe make it to be 2250. and those who have measured it most exactly doe reckon it to bee not above 2240. Eustathius doe liken Italy to an Ivie leafe Pliny Solinus and others doe resemble it to an Oke leafe because it is longer then broad bending his head on the left hand and so endeth in the figure of an Amazonian Brestplate The latter Writers doe more conveniently compare it to a mans thigh the skin whereof lyeth over against the lower Sea the Calfe over against the higher Sea and all the foote is washed with the Jonian Sea The heele doth looke toward Epirum the sole of the foote is the Tarrentine Bay the more fleshy parts doe make the Promontories Zephyrius Carcinus and Bruttium the toes are turned toward Sicily the knee is in the Populonian Promontory the hippe and upper part of the thigh doe touch the Alpes I have spoken of the name and quantity of Italy the quality followeth which alwaies ariseth from the Situation of a Country If any one will take a diligent account of it he shall finde that according to the Longitude the most Westerne Meridian doth fall upon the 29. degree and the most Easterne Meridian the 43. degree It is 7. degrees in Latitude for the most Southerne Parallel is 28. degrees distant from the Aequator and the most Northward 46. and so he shall finde that Italy is in the fifth and sixth Climats and all the Parallels between eleven and sixteene in which space of Land the day differeth one houre For the longest day of Summer in the Southerne Parallel is 14. houres long with three fifths but in the Northerne Parallel it is 15. houres long with three fifths Italy having such a Situation and having the Alpes running thorow it which passe length-wayes thorow the middle of Italy on both sides especially on the South side have faire fruitfull Fields Hills lying by them and therefore it is no marvell that all the times and seasons of the yeere are so temperate and that it is so fruitfull especially in some places The Country is very temperate and very plentifull and hath good store of Corne being not chargeable in tilling but very gainefull to the Husbandman The
strangers to all civilitie do eate and feed upon the raw flesh of beasts and fishes They are cloathed with the skins of wild beasts taken in hunting and they eate raw hearbes like beasts Their Tents are covered with Whales skinnes the cold being continually very sharpe in these parts They use Dogges which are like unto our Wolves and having yoked them together they do make them draw things over the ice Their weapons are Bowes and Arrowes and slings There is no wood there but much Deere The men do not plough the ground as beeing content with that it bringeth forth of its own accord they live by hunting their drinke is the warme blood of wild beasts or else ice water there are no Rivers nor Springs because the violence of the cold doth so shut up the Earth that springs of water cannot breake forth The men are very laborious strong hunters and cunning fowlers they use a certaine kinde of boate made of leather wherein one man can but sit who maketh use but of one Oare his right hand holding his bow wherewith hee shoots at the birds The like hath beene seene in England Davises Bay also was so called from Iohn Davis an Englishman who in the yeare 1585. and the two following yeares did search along the Coasts of America or rather the Southerne Coasts of Greenland from the 53. Degree to the 75. to finde out a passage that way unto China Concerning the foure Euripideas in the table those things which you see are taken out of the Register booke of Iames Cnoxen Buscoducensis who doth report that a certaine English Minorite Frier of Oxford being a Mathematician did describe the Countries lying neare unto the Pole and measured them with his Astrolabe in this following shape as Mercator hath gathered them out of Iames Cnoxeus Booke Hee saith that these foure Seas are carried with such violence to the Innermost Gulfe that ships being once entred can never be driven backe againe with any winde and that there is never so great a winde as that it can drive about a wind-mill But these things are as true as Lucians fables seeing they who have viewed these places in which those seas are said to be do finde no such Euripi or swift flowing Seas at all namely the Hollanders who have discovered the Sea even to the 81. Degree of Latitude But concerning the habitation of the Northerne people let us heare Iulius Scaliger in his 37. Exercitation where he thus speaking concerning a voiage from the Northerne Sea towards China There are saith hee divers arguments brought by divers men on both sides and it is diversly judged of whether it be possible to saile by that Sea But these are ours They would have us to saile from the mouth of the River Duvina all along that Countrie which encompasses all Scythia even to the East corner in which winding course wee are to change the Northerne wind for the Westerne But those which speake thus it is certaine they do not know the nature of this Sea nor of the Windes and Coast For the West and East windes are so rare in this Sea that they are almost scarce knowne But so many North windes are there here that it seemes Nature hath committed the government of these parts unto them alone There are many foards blinde and muddle In winter which continueth ten moneths the superficies or upper part of the Sea is as hard as any pavement In Summer there are continuall mists which in the afternoone as fast as one is expelled another rises Besides the Ice is very dangerous the great pieces whereof floting up and downe are like moving Islands running one amongst another It is certaine that by the late Navigations of the Hollanders in the yeare 1594. and in the two following yeares it was hoped that wee might saile out of the Northerne Sea to the Eastern parts of the World But very difficultly in regard of the Ice and long winter nights William Barentson did denie that it was possible to saile by the Bay of Nassovia to China not onely for the Ice but also because hee found by divers observations that it was not a Sea but a Bay and especially because hee found there was no Tide nor Ebbe and yet hee was in great hope that a way might be found out by the most Northerne part of Nova Zembla But seeing there are every day new voyages made to discover the passage that way to China experience will teach them at last whether it can be done or not It is manifest that our ships have sailed even to the 81. Degree of Northerne Latitude and yet found the Sea open but yet afterward at the 76. Degree they have beene hindred with great pieces of ice and the night comming on so that they could proceed no further The Sunne left them the 4. of November in the yeare 1596 and was seene again the 24. of Ianuary in the following yeare all which time these valiant Argonantes for so I may call them hid themselves in a little shed which they built up in Nova Zembla untill the 14. of Iune For though the voyage of the Argonantes is made so famous by posteritie yet if it be compared with this it will seeme but a toy for who hath beene for the space of 13. Moneths separated from the societie of men before the Hollanders who wanting all necessaries and enduring extremitie of cold did even under the 76. Degree of Latitude build themselves houses to receive them and defend them from the violence of the weather in which they lay buried and covered over with deepe snow almost ten whole moneths I conceale that which they suffered in returning being compell'd to leave their ships and betake themselves to their boate I omit to speake of the cruell fierce and great Beares and Sea-Monsters with which they oftentimes were enforced to fight All which troubles labours and difficulties they most valiantly by the protection and favour of the Divine power did overcome ISELAND ISELAND is the greatest of all those Ilands in the Westerne Ocean which are subject to the Kings of Norwey it takes this name from the cold wherewith it is partly frozen It is also called Suelandia from the Snow Also Gardartsholme that is the Iland of Gardart The most doe suppose this to bee that Thule mentioned by the Ancients which also Ptolemie doeth call Thule the middle whereof he placeth in the 30. Degree of Latitude and 63. of Longitude Solinus placeth it five dayes and nights sayle from the Orcades An Island the most famous of all other with Poets when by this as being the farthest part of the World they would intimate any thing farre distant Whence Virgil saith Tibi serviat ultima Thule may the farthest Thule serve thee But Sinesius doubteth whether there were ever any Thule and Giraldus writeth that it was never seene and the more Learned are doubtfull in their opinions The most doe affirme as wee said that Iseland
Iohn Major doth also call one of these Zeland being fiftie miles in length Moreover the Inhabitants of these Iles doe make a very strong drinke by putting store of Barley in it and are the greatest drinkers of all others yet Boetius witnesseth that he never saw any of them drunke or deprived of sense The next to these are the Ilands called the Hebrides in number foure and forty which Beda calleth Maevaniae Ethicus Betoricae Insulae Giraldus calls them the Incades and Leucades the Scots the Westerne Iles Ptolomie with Pliny and Solinus calleth them Ebudae Pliny writeth that there are thirty of them but Ptolomie reckons onely five The first is Ricina which Pliny calles Rinea and Antoninus Ridunas but now it is called Racline which is a little Iland just against Ireland The next is Epedium now called Ila an I le as Camden witnesseth very large and having very fruitfull plaines betweene this and Scotland lyeth Iona which Beda calleth Hy and Hu being plaine ground in which there is an Episcopall See in the Towne Sodore whence all the Ilands were called Sodorenses it is famous because here lie buried many Kings of Scotland Then there is another which Ptolomie calleth Maleos now Mula which Pliny mentioneth when he saith that Mella of all the rest is more then 25 miles over The Easterne Hebuda now called Skie is stretched along by the Scotch shoare and the Westerne Hebuda lying more towards the West is now called Lewes of which Maccloyd is Governour and in the ancient book of Mannia it is called Lodhuys being mountainous stony little manured but yet the greatest from which Eust is parted by a little Euripus or flowing Sea betweene them The test except Hyrrha are of no note as being rockie unpassable and having no greene things growing in them The Ilands of Man and Wight doe follow of which see those things that are spoken in the seaventh Table of England THE KINGDOME OF IRELAND THE Island of Ireland followeth which Orpheus Aristotle and Claudiâ—n doe call Ierna Iuvenal and Mela Iuvernia Diodorus Siculus Iris Eustatius Vernia and Bernia the Inhabitants Erin the Brittains Yverdhon and the English call it Ireland Divers opinions as in obscure matters doe arise concerning the originall of these names Some would have it called Hibernia from Hiberus a Spanish Captaine who first possessed it and peopled it some say from the River Iberus because the Inhabitants thereof did first inhabite this Island some ab hiberno tempore from the winter season because it enclines towards the West the Author of the Eulogue from Irnalphus a Captaine It was called without doubt Hibernia and Iuverna from Ierna which Orpheus and Aristotle mention but that Ierna together with Iris Yverdhon and Ireland did proceede from the word Erin used by the Inhabitants therefore the Etymologie is to bee drawne from the word Erin Here Camden affirmes that hee knowes not what to conjecture unlesse saith hee it bee derived from Hiere an Irish word which with them signifies the West whence Erin seemes to bee drawne being as much to say as the Westerne Countrie This Island is stretched forth from the South Northward in an ovall forme not twenty dayes sayle as Philemon in Ptolemie delivers but onely 400. miles and is scarce 200. miles broad On the East it hath Brittaine from which it is parted by the Irish Sea which is one dayes sayle On the North where the Deucaledon Ocean which Ptolemie cals the Northern breakes in it hath Iseland On the South it looketh towards Spaine The Ayre of this Island is very wholsome the Climate very gentle warme and temperate for the Inhabitants neither by the heate of Summer are enforced to seeke shadie places nor yet by cold to sit by the fire yet the seedes in regard of the moistnesse of Autumne doe seldome come to maturitie and ripenesse Hence Mela writeth that it hath no good Ayre for ripening of seedes yet in the wholsomnesse and cleernesse of the Ayre it doth farre exceede Brittaine Here are never any Earthquakes and you shall scarce heare thunder once in a yeare The Countrie is a fat soyle and hath great plentie of fruits yet it hath greater plenty of pasturage than fruits and of grasse than graine For here their wheate is very small so that it can hardly bee winnowed or cleansed with a fanne What the Spring produceth the Summer cherisheth but it can hardly bee gathered in regard they have too much raine in Harvest time for this Island hath windes and raine very often But as Mela saith it is so full of pleasant sweete grasse that when the Cattell have fed some part of the day if they bee not restrained and kept from grazing they will endanger the bursting of themselves Which also Solinus witnesseth concerning this Island Hence it proceedes that there are infinite numbers of Cattell which are the Inhabitants chiefe riches and many flocks of Sheepe which they sheare twice a yeare They have excellent Horses called Hobbies which are not pac'd like others but doe amble very gently No creeping thing nor Serpent liveth here nor also in Crete and Serpents being often brought hither out of Brittaine as soone as they came neere the Land and smell'd the Ayre they died Beda witnesseth that he hath seene some who have beene stung with Serpents that have drunk the leaves of Bookes brought out of Ireland in a Potion and straight-way the force of the poyson was allayde and the swelling of the body went downe againe Ireland hath greater store of Faulcons and Hawkes than other Countries And here Eagles are as common as Kites in some places Besides here is so great a number of Cranes that you shall often see a hundred in a company together In the North part also there are abundance of Swannes but there are few Storkes through the whole Island and those black There are few Partriges and Pheasants but no Pies nor Nightingales Here is such great store of Bees that they doe not onely breede in hives but also in hollow trees and in the cavernes of the earth Giraldus also writeth a strange thing concerning a kinde of Birde commonly called a Barnacle that out of certain pieces of wood floating up and down in the Sea there comes out first a kinde of Gumme which afterward growes into a hard substance within which little Creatures are generated which first have life and afterward have bils feathers and wings with which they doe flye in the Ayre or swim in the water and in this manner and no other this Creature is generated This Giraldus doth testifie that hee hath seene some of them halfe formed which as soone as they came to perfection did flie as well as the rest There are also many birds of a twofold shape as he witnesseth which they call Aurifrisij lesser than an Eagle and bigger than a Hawke whom Nature to delight her selfe hath framed with one foote armed with tallents sharpe and open
hath his Seat at Armach hath these Suffraganes and substitutes under him with the Bishop of Maeth and Deren Ardach or Apde Kilmore Clogher Doune Coner Klancknos Raboo or Ropo and Dromoore For the keeping of the Inhabitants of this Country and Province in order it was fortified with six and fiftie Castles there are also nine Market Townes in it And it is divided into the Hithermost and Furthermost The Hithermost hath three Counties Louth Downe and Antrimme The Farthermost hath seven Monahon Tiroen Armack Colrane Donergall Fermanagh and Cavon Connacia is the second part of Ireland some call it Connachtia the English call it Connagh and the Irish Connaghti it is bounded on the East with part of Lagenia on the North with part of Vltonia on the West it is beaten with the Westerne Ocean and on the South it is environed with part of Momonia or Munster which is inclosed with the River Sineo or Shennin and lyeth over against the Kingdome of Spaine The Figure of it is long and at either end both Northward and Southward it is very narrow but towards the middle it growes longer on either side It is an hundred and sixe and twentie miles long from the River Shennin in the South to Engi Kelling in the North the greatest breadth is about foure-score miles from Tromer the Easterne bound to Barrag-Bay the Westerne limit The whole circuit and compasse of it is about foure hundred miles The Aire in this Region is not so pure and cleare as in the other Provinces of Ireland by reason of some wet places bearing grasse which are called in regard of their softnesse Bogges being dangerous and sending out many thicke vapours The chiefe Citie of this Province being the third Citie of note in Ireland is Galway in Irish Gallive Built in the forme of a Towre having a Bishops See in it and being famous for the frequent resort of merchants thither and also profitable to the Inhabitants by the conveniencie of the Haven which is beneath it and by the easie exportation of Merchandise not far from hence on the Westerne sidely the Islands which are called Arran of which many things are fabled as if they were the Isles of the living in which no man could either die or be subject to death The Province of Connaught at this time is fortified with foureteen Castles it hath nine Market Towns it is divided into sixe Counties or Shires in this manner the Countie of Clare of Galway of Mago of Slego of Letrimme and of Roscomen Media is the third part of Ireland which in their Countrie speech they call Mijh the English Methe Giraldus Midia and Media perhaps because it is in the very middle of the Island For the Castle Killaire in these parts which Ptolemie seemes to call Laberus is in the middle of Ireland as the name Killair doth denote The Countrie reacheth from the Irish Sea even to the River Shennin which river parts it from Connacia It hath a wholsome and delightfull aire It is fruitfull in corne pasturage and flocks abounding with Flesh-meate Butter Cheese Milke and the like and in regard of the multitude of people the strength of faire Castles and Townes and the peace arising from thence it is commonly called the Chamber of Ireland Here is the Towne Pontana which is commonly called Drogheda a faire Town and having a convenient Haven for Ships to ride in But there are some who thinke that the middle part of this Towne on the other side the River is in Vltonia There are also these Townes in Media Molingar Four Delvyn Trimme Kelleâ— Navan Aboy Dulek and Scrin THE THIRD TABLE OF IRELAND IN WHICH ARE MOMONJA AND THE REMAINDER OF LAGENIA AND CONNACH CONNACIA is the second part of Ireland some call it Connachtia the English Connach and the Irish Connachty It lyeth toward the West and is bounded with the River Sen the River Banna and the Ocean This the Auteri and Nagnatae in the time of Ptolomie did inhabite But there is so neare an affinitie betweene these two wordes Nagnatae and Connaghty that they seeme one to bee derived from the other unlesse we suppose that the word Connaghty did arise from the Haven Nagnatae which Ptolomy mentions and from thence the Country got this name For a Haven is called in their native speech Cuon to which if you adde Nagnata it will not bee much different in sound from Connaghty The Country as it is in some places fruitfull and pleasant so in some wet places covered o're with grasse and by reason of their softnesse called Bogs it is very dangerous as other parts of the Island are and full of darke and thicke woods But the Coasts having many Bayes and navigable in-lets doth as it were invite and stirre up the inhabitants to imploy themselves in navigation yet sloath is so sweet unto them that they had rather begge from doore to doore then seeke to keepe themselves from Poverty by honest labour It is reported in the Irish Histories that Turlogus O-mor O-conor was sole Governour of this Country and that hee divided it betweene his two sonnes Cabelus and Brienus But when the English came into Ireland Rodericke did governe it and called himselfe King of Ireland but he being afraid of the English warres not trying the chance or fortune of the field put himselfe under obedience to Henry the Second King of England Who after revolting from his faith given Miles Cogane was the first English-man who did attempt but in vaine to get Connachtia Afterward William the sonne of Adelme whose posterity were called in Irish Bourki Gilbert de Clare Earle of Glocester and William de Bermingham chiefe men in England did subject this Country and brought it to civilitie But Bourke or de Burgo and his Posterity were a long time stiled and called Lords of Connach governing this Province together with Vltonia in great peace and tranquillitie and did receive great revenewes out of it untill the onely daughter of Richard de Burgo being sole inheretrix of Connachtia and Vltonia was married to Lionell Duke of Clarence the sonne of King Edward the third But he living for the most part in England and his successors the Mortimers did neglect their Patrimonie the Bourks being their kinsemen to whom they had committed the overseeing of those Lands making use of the absence of the Lords and the troublesome times in England contemned the authority of the Lawes entring into league with the Irish and making marriages with them and got all Connachtia to themselves and by degrees degenerating having left off the English habit they followed the Irish manners It is at this day divided into sixe Counties Clare Letrimme Galwey Resecomin Maio and Sligo There are in it the Baron of Atterith the Baron of Clare and others Here is also Galloway a Towne much frequented by forrain Merchants It is reported that an Outlandish Merchant who
which the most renowned for the studie of good Arts is Fanum Andraeae or Andrews Chappell which the ancient Scots did call Fanum Reguli and the Picts Rigmud In the middle of the Countrie is Cuprum or Cuper whither those of Fife do come to have their causes tryed on that side where it toucheth Iernia there stands Abreneth the ancient Pallace of the Picts Here Ierna runneth into Taus But Taus runneth foure and twentie miles having broken out of the Lake Taus which is in Braid Albin and is the greatest River in Scotland This River bending toward the mountaine Grampius doth touch Atholia a fertile Region placed in the wooddie Countrie of Grampius Beneath Atholia Caledon is seated on the right-hand bank of the River Taus an old Towne which onely retaineth a name common-called Duncaldene that is Hasell-trees For the Hasell trees spreading themselves all over and covering the fields thereabout with their shadie boughs gave occasion of that name both to the Towne and people These Caledones or people of Caledon being once reckoned among the chief Brittaines did make up one part of the Kingdome of the Picts For Ammianus Marcellinus divideth them into the Caledones and Vecturiones but of their names there is scarce any memorie left at this day Twelve miles beneath Caledon lyes the Countrie of Perth on the same right-hand banke On the left-hand banke beneath Atholia is Gour looking toward the East renowned for corne-fields and beneath this againe is Angusia stretched out betweene Taus and Eske this the ancient Scots did call Aeneia Some suppose it to be called Horestia or according to the English speech Forrest In it is the Citie Cuprum which Boethius to gratifie his Country ambitiously calleth Dei Donum the gift of God but I suppose the ancient name was Taodunum from Dunus that is an Hill situate by Taus at the foot whereof there is a Towne Beyond Taus the next foureteene miles off on the same banke is Abreneth otherwise called Obrinca After this Countrie is the Red Promontorie very conspicuous The River Eske called the Southerne cutting through the midst thereof the other Northerne Eske divideth it from Mernia It is for the most part a THE THIRD TABLE OF SCOTLAND SCOTIAE tabula III. plaine field countrie untill Grampius meeting with it beneath Fordune and Dunotrum the Earle Marshalls castle it somewhat remitteth its height and soe bendeth downe into the Sea Beyond it towards the North is the mouth of the River Deva commonly called Dea or Dee and about a mile distant from it the River Don by the one is Aberdon famous for the Salmon-fishing by the other another Aberdon which hath a Bishops Seat and Publike Schooles flourishing by the studies of all Liberall Arts. I finde in ancient monuments that the Hithermost was called Aberdea but now these Townes are called the old and new Aberdon From this strait Foreland betweene these two Rivers beginneth Marria which by little and little enlarging it selfe runneth 60. miles in length even to Badenacke or Badgenoth This Countrie extends it selfe in one continued â—â—dge and doth send forth divers great Rivers into either Sea â—â—â—bria doth border on Badenacke being somewhat enclined toward the Deucalidon Sea and is as plentifull as any Countrie in Scotland with all Sea and Land-commoditie For it hath good corne and pasturage and is pleasant as well in regard of the shadie woods as coole streames and fountaines It hath so great plentie of fish that it is not inferiour to any part of the whole Kingdome For beside the plentie of river fish the Sea storeth it for breaking in upon the plaine ground and there being kept in with high bankes it spreads it selfe abroad in manner of a great Lake whence it is called in their countrie speech Abria that is a standing water They give also the same name to the neighbour Countrie Northward next to Marria is Buchania or Buguhan divided from it by the river Don. This of all the Countries of Scotland doth stretch it selfe farthest into the Germane Sea It is happie in pasturage and the increase of sheepe and is sufficiently furnished with all things necessarie for mans life The rivers thereof do abound with Salmons Yet that kinde of fish is not found in the river Raira There is on the bankes of this river a Cave the nature whereof is not to be omitted which is that water distilling drop by drop out of the hollow arch thereof these drops are straightway turned into little Pyramides of stone and if it should not be clensed by the industrie of men it would quickly fill up the cave even to the top Beyond Buchania towards the North are two small Countries Boina and Ainia which lye by the river Spaea or Spey that separateth them from Moravia Spaea riseth on the back-side of Badenach aforesaid and a good way distant from its fountaine is that Lake whence Iutea breaketh forth and â—owleth it selfe into the Westerne Sea They report that at the mouth thereof there was a famous Towne named from the river Emmorluteum the truth is whether you consider the nature of the Countrie round about it or the conveniencie of Navigation and transportation it is a place very fit to be a Towne of traffique And the ancient Kings induced thereunto by the opportunitie of the seat for many ages dwelt in the Castle Evon which now many are falsly persuaded was Stephanodunum For the ruines of that Castle are yet seene in Lorna Moravia followes from beyond Spaea even to Nessus heretofore it is thought it was called Varar Betweene those two rivers the German Ocean as it were driving backe the Land into the West floweth in by a great Bay and straightneth the largenesse of it The whole Countrie round about doth abound with Corne and Hay and is one of the chiefe of the whole Kingdome both for pleasantnesse and encrease of fruits It hath two memorable Townes Fâ—gina neare the River Lâ—x which yet retaineth its ancient name and Nessus neare the River Neâ—â—us This River floweth foure and twentie miles in length from the Lake Nessus The water is almost alwaies warme it is never so cold that it â—â—eeâ—eth And in the extremitie of winter pieces of ice carried into it are quickly dissolved by the warmth of the water Beyond the Lake Nessus toward the West the Continent is stretched forth but eight miles in length â—o that the Seas are readie to meete and to make an Island of the remainder of Scotland That part of Scotland which lyeth beyond Nessus and this strait of Land North and West is wont to be divided into foure Provinces First beyond the mouth of Nessus where it drowneth it selfe in the German Ocean is the Countrie Rossia running out with high Promontories into the Sea which the name it selfe sheweth For Roâ— signifies in the Scottish speech a Promontorie It is longer then broad For it is extended from the German Sea to the Peâ—â—alidon where it
of shot scaling Ladders underminings and all manner of engines which could bee invented or used And on the besieged side you might have seene men women and children with great courage of minde sustaine the furious assaults of their enemies and with constancie and cheerfulnesse repaire the ruines of the wals keepe down those that would have ascended up drive back their enemies to their trenches pursue them and at last fight it out for the most part with good successe Moreover you might have beheld them wearying the besiegers with daily sallying out upon them and lastly subsisting after nine assaults in which though their enemies did fight valiantly yet they were enforced to retire with great losse At length the Ambassadours of Polonia comming the 15 of Iune that they might bring with them Henry Duke of Anjou whom the States of the Kingdome had chosen for King God used this as a meanes to free Rochelle being now exhausted and drawne drie of Corne and being weakned in warlike fortifications besides the losse of many thousand men for now the King by Articles of peace confirmed by his royall solemne edicts did grant that Rochelle Montalban Nemansum and other Cities which did defend themselves should bee free to use their owne Religion such an event had this grievous siege which endured almost for seven moneths In which time more than twentie thousand men perished in conflicts sallies besieges by wounds hunger and sicknesse Rochelle is a constant Seate for presidiall Senatours and other Lawyers The other Cities Townes of note in Santonia are commonly called S. â—ean d' Angely Ponts or Pont l' Oubleze Blaye Taillebourg Borbesieux Brovage and Iosac S. Iean d' Angely otherwise called Angeliacum and S. Ioannes de Angeria is a new Citie although it be one of the speciallest and greatest of all Santonia It renewed its name from an Abbey which was built in that place to the honour of S. Iohn the Baptist the foundation whereof happened to be in the reigne of King Pipin who kept his Court in the Pallace of Angeria neere the River commonly called Boutonne in the Countrie of Alnia for hither as they say came certaine Monkes out of the Holy Land who brought with them the head of S. Iohn Baptist by whose comming the King obtained a famous victorie over his enemies and therefore in remembrance thereof hee built in that place where was the Pallace of Angeria the Abbey of Saint Iohn there placing religious men and endowing them with great revenues that they might there devote themselves to the service of God now by this meanes people flocking thither and building round about the Abbey by degrees it began to be a Citie as it is now at this day and was called by the name of S. Iohn All these things happened about the yeare of our Lord seven hundred sixtie eight while Pipin waged warre against Gaifer King of Aquitania whom hee overcame as it may bee read in the Historie of the Foundation of this Abbey This Citie the Duke of Andegavium or Aniou did besiege in the yeare 1569 and it was yeelded to him after 50 dayes siege the King granting the Citizens thâ—se conditions That they should march forth of the Citie with their Armour Horses and Colours displayed Santonia raiseth great store of money by its Corne which the Spaniards every yeare doe transport from thence or Merchants which fell it unto them And the Citie of Rochelle is very rich in regard of its neerenesse to the Sea and especially because of the traffick of the English and Dutch whose shipping doe often arrive there AQVITANIA AQVITANIA whose Southerne part is delineated in this Table some would have so called from the waters wherewith it doth abound and some derive it from the Towne Aquis or Aqs. It was extended according to Ptolemie from the Pyrenaean Mountaines even to Liger But now as Ortelius witnesseth from the River Garumna to the Ocean and the Pyrenaean Hils Towards the North-West it hath the Ocean which is called the Aquitanick Bay on the West Spaine on the North Gallia Lugdunensis and on the South Gallia Narbonensis In it according to Mercators account there are five Dukedomes twentie Counties and sixe Seigniories The Dukedomes are Vasconia or Guienna Avernia the Countrie of Engoulesme Berrie and Turonia Vasconia or Guienna being situated neere the Sea betweene Bayon and Burdeaux yeeldeth great store of wine which is transported from thence into other parts of Europe The chiefe Citie in it is Burdigala or Burdeaux the other Cities as Nerac Condom Mirande Nogerat Orthes Bazes and Dax are of no great note yet Dax is famous for her hot Fountaines Salt-pits and Iron-mettle Burdigala so called by Ptolemie is situated in a marsh which the overflowing of Garumna maketh and is adorned both with a Parliament and an University in which the Professours of all Arts and Sciences doe instruct Youth Avernia or the Dutchie of Avergne is partly a plaine and partly a mountainous Countrie It hath on the East Forest on the South Languedock on the West Quercy Perigort and Lemosin and on the North Berry and Bourbon Avernia is two-fold the Higher and the Lower The Higher which is called Le hault pays d' Avergne and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Avernia hath one prime Citie in it called S. Flour being seated on a high Rock the other Townes are commonly called Orillac Carlatum Muratum Buillons le Puy c. There is also in it the Territorie and Bayliwick of Beaucaire The Lower is rich and very fertile being full of excellent Wine Fruit Honey Saffron Cattell Wooll Medowes and Woods The Metropolis of it is Clarimontium commonly called Clermont It is proude of her Castle and is a Bishops Seate The other Cities or Townes are 13 in number of which Rion Monferrat and Isoire doe excell the rest Engoulesme on the North joyneth to Poictou on the West to Santonia on the South to Perigort and on the East to Lemosin It hath abundance of very good Wine fruit and Hempe The Metropolis of it is Inculisma now called Engoulesme being an ancient Citie It is seated on a hill which hangeth over the River Charente in a remote place from the Kings high way The lesser Towns are those which are commonly called Marton Chasteau Neuff Blaisac Chabannes Confollant Cuffec Aigres Gourville la Roche-Foucault Marveil Lanzac Villebois Momberon and Bouteville Concerning the Countrie of Berry wee will speake in a Table by it selfe Turonia commonly called Touraine beginneth somewhat beyond the Citie Amboise towards Belsia and endeth at the towne which is commonly called la Chapelle Blanche AQVITANIA AQUITANIA being subject in spirituall matters to the Bishops of Anjou and Chousai For they appoint and set downe limits betweene the Turonians and Andigavians The sweetnesse of the Ayre doth make this pleasant country more delightfull so that it is called the Garden and Orchard of France It is fruitfull in Wine and
together with the Iudges chosen by the same assembly judgeth of controversies doth lay mulcts and fines upon offenders The second confaederacy is called the house of God or der Gotthuss bunt in regard of the Bishopricke and Colledge of Curiense it hath 21. conventions or partnerships in it which are sometimes contracted into eleaven greater The Citty Curia is the head of this confaederacie and hath a speciall Commonwealth not unlike unto Tigurinum After them the chiefe partnerships are Ingadinus and Bregalianus in whose Territories are the heads of the Rivers Athesis and Oenus The third confaederacie hath 10 Iurisdictions the first whereof is Davosian so called from the Towne Davosium in which is the Court for this confaederacie and the Assises for all the jurisdictions are held The second is the Belfortian jurisdiction the third the Barponensian the fourth the Praelonganian the fifth of S. Peter the sixth the Coenobrensian in the Rhetian Valley the seaventh the Castellanean the eighth the Aceriensian the ninth the Malantiensian the 10 the Maievillâ—nsian But these 3 confaederacies have 50 jurisdictions of which one Common-wealth is framed For albeit the most of them have meetings of their owne and also Magistrates Lawes or rather customes and power to judge of civill and criminall matters yet the Senate of the three confaederacies hath the greatest power and authoritie And sometimes they haue entred into other confaederacies notwithstanding this perpetuall confaederacie In the yeare 1419. the Bishop and the Curiensian Colledge made a league with the Tigurinians for 51. yeares having formerly entred into societie with the Glaronians The Rhaetians also of the higher confaederacie did a long time joyne themselves with the Vrians and the confaederates of the house of God did joyne themselves in perpetuall league with the 7 Cantons as they call them of the Helvetians He that desireth to know more concerning these matters let him have recourse to Sprecherus his Rhaetia and Egidius Scudius his Rhaetia and Simlers Helvetia I will onely adde that the length of Rhaetia at this day if it be taken from the South unto the North is about 15 Rhaetian or Germaine miles accounting 8000 paces to every mile the breadth of it from the East to the West is thirteene miles or there abouts THE RHETIANS Novv called the GRISONES RHAETIA Karte vand ' Grisons ende veltolina A DESCRIPTION of the Low COVNTRIES BEing now to describe that part of France which belongeth to the King of Spaine I will follow that order which I have observed in the description of France The Index of the Tables of the Low Countries 1. The Low Countries in generall 2. Flanders 3. The Easterne part 4. Brabant 5. Holland 6. Zeland 7. Gelderland 8. Zutphania 9. Vltrajcitum 10. Mechlinia 11. Groâ—niâ—ga 12. Transisulania 13. Artesia 14. Hannoma 15. Namurcum 16. Lutzenburg 17. Limburgh THE DESCRIPTION OF THE LOVV COVNTERIES INFERIOR GERMANIA It hath also great plenty of Ew trees which is a poysonous tree but excellent Bowes are made of them Of the juyce thereof a poyson is made with which Caesar reporteth that Cattivalcus king of the Eburonians did make away himselfe There is also another kind of tree which is not found any where else which is like a white Poplar the inhabitants doe call it in the plurall number Abeelen There is great store of them in Brabant which serve for divers uses especially at Bruxels The Low Countriemen may prayse the goodnesse of their soyle for bringing up of Cattell For Oxen horses sheepe and great heards of cattell are bred there And especially great strong horses fit for service in the warres There are also the best Oxen especially in Holland and Friesland where an Oxe often waigheth a thousand and two hundred pound waight Ludovicke Guicciardine an Italian unto whom our Country is much beholding for making an accurate and true description thereof saith that the Earle of Mechlin had an Oxe given him which weighed two thousand five hundred and eight and twentie pound which he caused afterward to be painted in his Pallace The Kine have loose great Vdders and full of milke For in some parts of Holland in Summer time they will give foure and forty Pints of milke I passe by many other things least I should bee tedious For hunting they have abundance of Does Harts Goates Boares Badgers Hares and Conies and other games besides And for Hawking they have Hernes Kites Vultures Partridges Phesants Turtle Doves Starlings Thrushes Storkes Duckes Geese Woodcockes or Snipes which Nemesianus describeth thus Praeda est facilis amaena Scolopax Corpore non Paphijs avibus majore videbis Illa sub aggeribus primis qua proluit humor Pascitur exiguos sectans obsonia vermes At non illa oculis quibus est obtusior et si Sint nimium grandes sed acutus naribus instat Impresso in terram rostri mucrone sequaces Vermiculos trahit atque gulae dat praemia vili The Woodcocke is easie to ensnare Their bodies no bigger than Doves are And by some watry ditches side Feeding on wormes he doth abide Not by his eyes though they be great But by his bill he finds his meate Thrusting his bill into the ground Where when he a worme hath found He drawes him forth and so doth live By that foode which the earth doth give They have also Affricke Hens and great plenty of other Hens But enough of these things let us now proceede to other matters It is worth your knowledge to know how the Provinces of the low Countries were united and grew to be one body and how it fell to Charles the fifth and his sonne Philip. Ludovicke Malanus Earle and Lord of Flanders Nivernia Rastella Salina Antuerp and Mechlin and after his Mothers death Earle of Burgundie and Artesia marryed Margaret daughter to Iohn Duke of Brabant by which marriage he came to be Duke of Brabant Limburg and Lotaringia By his wife he had one onely daughter who was the inheritrix to her fathers Lands who in the yeare 1369. at Gandave married Philip Valesius Duke of Burgundie who for his singular Valour was surnamed the Bold He lived 70 yeares and dyed at Halla neere to Bruxells in the yeere of Christ 1404. He left these children behind him Iohn Antony and Philip Valesius Catharine Mary and Margaret All of them did encrease their Patrimonie by marriage Catharine married Lupoldus Duke of Austria Mary married Amedees Duke of Sabaudia Margaret married the Earle of Holland and Hannonia Antonius Vaselius was made by his father Duke of Brabant Lotaringia and Limburg he married Elizabeth Dutchesse of Lutzenburg by whom he had these sonnes Iohn who married Iacoba Countesse of Holland and Philip both Dukes of Brabant Antonius and his younger brother Philip Valesius were slaine in the French warres neere Teroana in the yeare 1415. Antonius his sonnes dying afterward without issue left their Vncle Iohn Valesius their heyre and Iohn Valesius who was called the Vndanted being the elder brother succeeded his
how well ordered it is and how cleane it is kept in which without doubt it doth excell all the Nations of the World But the Low Countriemen are too much given to the Vice of drinking in which they take great delight so that oftentimes they never give over drinking day nor night and thereby besides other inconveniences they do much wrong their bodyes and witts and without doubt it is oftentimes the cause of their untimely death according to that of Propertius Vino forma perit vino corrumpitur aetas Wine maketh beautie fade And strength by Wine is decay'd And they themselves doe know it and confesse it and condemne themselves for it but in vaine for the evill custome doth prevaile over them Albeit they may be partly excused For seeing the ayre is alwayes moyst and melancholy they have no other meanes whereby to cure their hatefull and unwholsome Melancholy which Horace seemeth to intimate saying Vino pellite curas that is With wine drive cares away Which haunt us every day But it were to be wished that they would observe that noble saying of Terence Ne quid nimis Doe nothing too much which now the civiller sort doe begin to observe The inhabitants doe goe in good apparrell and are well complexioned Lastly they use much trading and traffique in which they are very skilfull And all the Low Countries for the most part doth subsist by Merchandising and Maechanicke Arts. THE COVNTIE OF FLANDERS FLanders although it be not of any great antiquitie yet no reason can be given for the name of it Some derive it from a Cittie of that name situated there where Ardenburg is now Others derive it from Flandbertus the sonne of Blesinda who was sister to Clodion King of France Flandbertus lived in the yeare of Christ 445. Some suppose that this Countrey was so named from Flandrina the wife of Lydericke the first Earle thereof Some derive it a flatu and fluctibus that is from the winde and waves which in regard of the neere Vicinitie of the Ocean doe beate upon this Countrie So that even to the yeare 1340. it was a caution used in selling or conveying of land that if the Sea broake into it within ten yeares afterward the contract and bargaine should be then voyde and of none effect The bounds of it now are on the South Artesia with Hannonia part of Picardie on the East Hannonia Brabant on the North the Ocean with Honta or the mouth of Scaldis which parteth Flanders from Zeland on the West the Brittish Ocean or Germaine Sea It is three dayes journey in length namely from Scaldis on the other side of Antwerp even to the new ditch which is 30 miles The breadth of it is twenty miles The ayre of the Country is temperate the soyle fertile especially that part which is neere the Ocean and France There are faire Meddowes which may appeare from hence in regard that Horse-riders doe yearely bring Colts out of other neghbour Countries into Franders which through the goodnesse of the pasture and sweetnesse of the ayre being leane before doe quickely grow fat and plumpe It breedeth also diverse sorts of tame Cattell very pleasant and delicate in taste and also an incredible sort of wilde beasts There are also divers kindes of fowles as Pheasants Partridges Peacockes Hernes and Storkes The inhabitants of this Country were heretofore so addicted to warre that they never scarsely lived quietly or peaceably so that their armies have invaded Syria and the holy Land and Hierusalem There are 30 walled Citties in Flanders Gandauum Bruges Ypra Insula Duacum Tornacum Cortracum Aldenarda Alostum Hulsta Teneramunda Birsletum Newporte Sluse Dunkerck Graveling Burburg Dammum Dixmuda Furna Ardenburgum Ninova Berga Gerardmontium Castâ—llum Donza Orchianum Lanoyum Axella and Ostend Besides these there are also free Townes which are not inferiour unto Citties neither for nobilitie or Priviledges nor magnificent structures or populousnesse as Bella Poperinga Hondtscota Eccloa Gistella Middleburrough and twenty others There are in all 1556 villages so that it is a usuall Proverbe that Flanders doth exceed all the Countries in the world and when the Spaniards came into this province with King Phillip they thought that all Flanders was but one Cittie It is now divided into three parts the Dutch the French and the Imperiall part The chiefe is Gandavum which was built by C. Iulius Caesar when he stayed in Morinium it is called in Dutch Gendt the Italians call it Guanto the French Gand. It is situate foure miles from the Sea and is watered with foure pleasant Rivers For Scaldis commeth to it out of Hannonia Lisa out of Artesia Livia out of the Haven or Sluce and Moero from the Ambactae It is ten miles distant from Antwerpe and as many from Bruxells Mechlin and Middleburrough The compasse of it within the walls is 45640 Romaine feete that is seaven Italian miles It hath 26. Islands and two hundred and eight Bridges and foure water mills And an infinite number of hand-mills And an hundred wind mills It hath five and fifty Churches and five Abbies The Citizens of this Citty are famous for Nobility wealth and courage Here the Emperour Charles the fifth was borne It also brought forth these learned men Iudocus Badius Iohannes Cornarius Laevinus Brechtus and the other Lavinus Torrentius Baldvinus Ronsaeus Vtenhovious and many others There are two and fiftie kindes of trades in this Cittie And seaven and twenty sorts of Weavers which were first instituted by the Earle Baldwin the sonne of Arnold the Great in the yeere 865. Brugae or Brugges taketh its name either from the many bridges belonging to it or from the bridge Brug-stocke neere Oldenburg and Ardenburg out of the ruines of which Cittie eight hundred yeeres before the Castell of Brugges was first built it is situated three miles from the Sea in a plaine place The compasse of it within the wall 26600 Romane feete that is foure Italian Miles and an halfe It is the pleasantest Cittie not onely in all Flanders but also in all the Low Countries it hath threescore Churches the chiefe and fairest whereof is Saint Domatians Church which was heretofore consecrated to the blessed Virgin it was built by Lidericke the first Earle of Flanders in the yeere 621. There are threescore and eight kindes of trades in it Ypra is so called from the little River Ypra that floweth by it commonly called Yperen it was built in the yeere 1060. The foundation of this Citty is sayd to be of Lead and that in regard of the many leaden pipes which doe convey water through the whole Cittie And these are the chiefe Citties The Havens follow Sluce is named from the Catarracts or falling of waters which the Flandrians doe call Sluys it is a Sea Towne it hath a great Haven wherein fifty ships may conveniently ride Over against it is the Isle Cadsant where George Cassander was borne Ostend is situated neere the
as a god in their Country the sonne of Tuiscon Asinius Quadratus a faithfull historian doth affirme that the Almaines were so called as it were a people collected and gathered from all Nations which spread themselves all over this Country who did not as it seemes looke exactly into the signification of the word for he should have called them Almaines because they were all men and warriours They that derive Alemanie from the Lake Lemann would have Germany so called from a Lake without the limits thereof in Sabaudia unlesse some doe take the Acronian Lake for the Lake Leman on either bank whereof the Almaines did inhabit as Ammianus reporteth Lib. 15. And though some do promiscuously make Germanie Almany al one yet it is observed that they were two distinct Countries Spartianus in the life of Marius saith Omnis Alemannia omnisque Germania cum caeteris quae adjacent gentibus that is All Almany and Germany with the other adjacent countries Flavius Vopiscus saith in the lif of Probus Testes sunt Franci inuijs strati paludibus testes Germani Alemanni longe a Rheni semoti littoribus that is The Frenchmen are witnesses who dwell in the Low grounds the Germaines are witnesses and the Almaines who are farre off from the shoares of Rhene I omit other testimonies least I should be tedious Some also doe call it Teutonia from Teuto a certaine Captaine thereof some thinke that the Teutons who are called in their owne Countrie speech Teutche and by the Italians Tedaschi and by others Teutons were so called from Thuisto otherwise Thuisco whom they beleeve was the Sonne of Noah Tacitus maketh mention heereof Celebrant carminibus antiquis quod unum apud illos memoriae Annalium genus est Thuistonem deum terra editum filium Mannum originem gentis conditoresque that is they celebrate in auncient verses which kinde of Annalls they doe onely use That Thuisto an earthy God and his sonne Mannus were the first founders of this Nation Strabo placeth them in Noricum some suppose that they were the Agrippine Colonie and that the place was therefore called Teutsch The inhabitants doe now call it Teutschlandt and strangers Almany The Sclavonians doe call it Nimiecha and the Graecâ—ans doe â—ow call it â—lamags and the Turkes Alaman But enough concerning the Etymologie and various appellations of Germanie now I come to the situation or quantitie thereof Besides authors doe not agree in designing and setting downe the limits of Germanie The auncients doe bounder Germany with the Rhene Danubâ—us the Ocean the River Taâ—â—â—s and the Euxine Sea The latter writers as Strabo Ptolomie Mâ—la Plinnie and many other Greeke and Latine writers doe bounder it with the River Rhene and Vestula Tacitus writeth that the mountaines or a mutuall distrust one of another doth rather separate the Germaines from the Sarmatians and Dacians than Visâ—ula All those Countries which use the Germaine speech or dialect are reckoned now as parts of Germany And therefore it stretcheth beyond those bounds which Ptolemie gives it and beyond Danubâ—us contayning Riâ—â—â—a â—â—ndelâ—â—a the higher Pannonia and beyond â—lyâ—a even to the Tridentine bounds Also beyond the Rhene Germaâ—â— did containe these Romaine Colonies and garrisons Constantia Augusta Raurâ—â—corum Argentina Nemetes Vangiones Moâ—unâ—â—aâ—â—â— Corfiâ—â—â—â—a Bonna the Agrippinâ— Colonie and other places even unto the Sea For as Ambrosius witnesseth 11 Hexamer Rhâ—â—â— was heretofore the limmit of the Romaine Empire and that on the French bancke thereof the Romaine Praâ—sidents did alwayes lye in garriâ—on against the Germaineâ— partly that they might restraine that exâ—â—â—sâ—ons and partly that they might make inroads upon them and partly that they might receive those Germaines that revolted to them And this is the Reason that on one of the banckes of Rhene there are many old 〈◊〉 but none on the other which may also be observed on the bancke of Danubiuâ— Helvetia also is reckoned now as a part of Geâ—manâ—â— the Prutenians beyond Vistula so that the bounds thereof are now much larger than those which Ptolemie attributes to it for on the Wâ—sâ—â—â— stretcheth beyond the Rhene even to Piccardiâ— and Burgundie which are parts of France on the South toward Danuviâ—â— even to the Alpes On the East beyond even to Spruâ—â—and the Northerne limit is the Ocean There are many chiefe parts of Germanie which shall be here described with the lesser subject or adjacent countries The Kingdomes are Bohemia the Palatinate and the Kingdome of Poland though it hath a different language and is not contained in the Register of the Empire yet because it is situate within the bounds of auncient Germanie which is the River Vistulâ— therefore we place it among the tables of Germanie Also we joyne the Kingdome of Hungerie to Germanie which is situate without the limmits of auncient Germanie and in regard it hath yeelded many famous Emperours and hath dominion over many Countries situate within the Empire There are also the Dukedome of Saxonie the Archdukedome of Austria Also the Dukedomes of Holst of Mâ—â—â—lenburg Pomeren Lunenburg Lawenburg Brunswijck Meissen Schasen Moravia Cleve Berge Franconia or Easterne France Bavaria Wirtenberg and the Countie of Suevia the Palatinate of Bavaria the Landgravials of Hessen Duringen and of the higher and lower Alsatia The Marckgraniate Electorship of Brandenburg and of Baden the Counties of Embdem Oldenburg Benthem Lip Diepholt Huy Mansfelt Anholt Stolberg Tirol and Livonia which is reckoned among the Provinces of Germany but because it lyeth within Sarmatia it is there described The situation being declared the qualitie of the soyle followeth which ariseth chiefely from the climate and position thereof in respect of the heavens Germany is under the sixt seaventh and eighth climates betweene the fourtie seaventh and fiftie five degrees of Latitude and the twentie fourth and forty sixth degrees of Longitude The longest day in sommer in the Southerne parallel is fifteene houres long and an halfe in the Northerne Parallel it is seaventeene houres long and a quarter and albeit Cornelius Tacitus saith that Germany is in a cold sharpe climate and Seneca reporteth that it is alwayes winter in Germanie yet it hath a temperate ayre which though it bee somewhat cold yet it is healthfull and wholesome The soyle yeeldeth Barly Wheate Rye Mill Oates and other kindes of corne and pulse The fields and Meddowes are fruitfull and the soyle is every where very fertile and yeeldeth great stoare of Corne. Germanie also hath rich Mines of Silver Brasse Iron Lead and other mettals and in some places of gold so that for mettalls it is inferiour to no Countrie There are also many excellent Salt pitts Plinnie also saith the Cadmian stones the Callais the Crystall the Onyx the Topaz and the Adamant are found in Germanie Also the hearbes Heere are a thousand delightfull gardens and Villages and Orchards full of Apples What should I mention the wines which are of an excellent taste and colour Truely there are excellent wines every where but yet in
Strangers the Calabrians are inhospitable the Lucensians faithfull the Senensians loving the Venetians faire-spoken the Patavinians hard the Mediolanians unwary the Ferrarians sharpe the Mantuans flatterers the Placentians severe the Picenians troublesome the Neapolitans bountifull the Florentines profuse and prodigall the Astensians benevolent the Spoletanes rude and rustick the Verronians studious the Papiensians wife the Genoaes in hospitable the Parmensians inconstant the Mutinensians tedious in speech the Novocomians inhumane Lastly the Italians are much given to merchandizing And the same Manuscript sheweth their dispositions in trading and commerce namely the Florentines are crafty the Genoaes tolerable the Mediotanians plaine and open the Lucensians faithfull the Venetians stately and wary THE FIRST TABLE OF LOMBARDY IN VVHICH THE VVESTERNE Alpine part thereof is described and also Valesia which is commonly called Wallis Sedunum is a Bishoprick of Valesia 260.4534 it is subject to Tarentasia also the Archbishoprick of Sabaudia and Augusta likewise 296.454 HItherto wee have described Italie in generall now wee come to describe the severall parts thereof in particular Some have devided Italie divers wayes Augustus as Pliny witnesseth hath devided it into 11. Countries Strabo doth part it into eight Others into more but we omitting them will follow the devision and method which Mercator hath propounded unto us And the first is the Table of Lombardy in which the Westerne part thereof together with Valesia is described It is now Euphoniae gratia or for the sound sake call'd Lombardie in stead of Langbardia which was so called from the Langbardians who came hither out of Germany in the raigne of the Emperour Iustinian who for many yeeres together were seated on both bankes of the River Po. It was called heretofore Gallia Cisalpina Gallia was inhabited by the Frenchmen the Boyans the Senonians the Insubrians the Cenomanians and others who inhabited all that part which is between the foot of the Alpes the River That Rubicon was called Cis-Alpina because it was on this side the Alpes as the ancient Italians and the Romane Writers doe report and the other was that which was inhabited beyond the Alpes This Cis Alpina where it is most Northward and lyeth neerest to the Mountaines Pliny calls Sub Alpina and Caesar calleth it the higher France for the causes before mentioned Ausonius calleth it ancient France Appian calleth it Italia Gallica or Galatiken the Register Booke of the Provinces calleth it the Mediterranean Italie not because it lyeth in the Mediterranean Sea but because it lyeth in the inward part of the Country it is encompassed on the North West and South with the Alpes and the Apennine on the East with the Hadriatick Sea Polybius and Pliâ—y THE FIRST TABLE OF LOMBARDY Lombardiae alpestris pars occidentalis cuÌ„ Valesia doe make this Country to have a Triangular forme the top whereof is the Alpes and yet Plutarch in Camillus witnesseth that it is watered with many Rivers Sidonius speaketh elegantly of this Country Campi adeo culti uberes intercedunt de Pado loquitur ut satis constet haud temerè alios repiriri aut natura feraciores aut rebus necessarijs ad hominum vitam instructiores that is The Fields are so rich and fruitfull that doe lye on either side for he speaketh of Padus so that there are none more fertill or that affoord more necessaries for the sustentation of mans life Sigonius afterward addeth that the Ligurians and Etrurians were the ancient Princes thereof afterward the Frenchmen and lastly the Romanes after whom the Gothes succeeded and the Romanes againe after the Gothes and after the Romanes the Langbards as we may see in Sabellicus Lib. Hist Venetae 1. Decade 4. Strabo Pliny and others doe make Gallia Cis Alpina toward the West twofold either Cis-Padana commonly called Lombardia di qua dal Po or Trans-Padana della dal Po because the one is on the hither side the other beyond Po. But here we describe the Westerne part of the Alpine Lumbardy which doth containe a great part of Lombardy Trans-Padana This Country although it be Mountainous and in some places wooddy yet it is enriched with divers naturall gifts for the Valleys and Champion grounds are of a fruitfull soyle having abundance of Corne Wine and other fruits And Hills which beare excellent Vines In the Woods also and the Mountaines there is good hunting of wild beasts Here are many Citties and Townes as Mediolanum Cremâ— Bergomum Comum Clavenna Luganum c. which may be seene in the Table It hath also more great Lakes than any other parts of Italy among which is that which Pliny and Strabo call Verbanus which the Italians in regard it is greater than the rest doe call Lago majore and the Germanes Lang see Strabo maketh the length of it 300. furlongs and the breadth of it 30. furlongs It is so deepe in most places that it seemes to have no bottome It doth breed excellent Fish especially large Trouts and great Pikes also Perches and others The Lake which Virgil and others call Laris Lacus and Paul Diaconus and Antonius doe call Comacenus from the adjacent Citty the Italians doe now call it Lago di Como and the Germanes Chumer-see it is greater than Benacus and almost equall to Verbanus Strabo writeth that the length of it is 300. furlongs and the breadth 30. furlongs But moderne Writers doe measure it otherwise It runneth Northward unto the South but somewhat bending Eastward But betweene Verbanum and Larium there are some lesser Lakes As the Lakes Luganus Gaviratius Monatius and others These Rivers also doe water this Country Ticinus Adava Serius Tosa Bremba and many others There are also divers Mountaines as Lucumonis Mons commonly called Lucmannier Gothards Mountaine and the greater Alpes of Lepontium also the Rhetian Alpes and many others But so much hitherto now it remaines that we should entreat of Valesia in the other part of this Table VALESIA I Have not yet found whence the name of Valesia is derived which they call Wallis or Walisser Landt But it is supposed that it commeth from the Latine word Vallis which signifies a Vale or from Valeria a Castle of the Citty Sedune Valesia hath on the North the Bernatians Lucernatians and Helvetians on the South the Cottian and Lepontian Alpes on the East the high Rhetian Alpes on the West the Graecian Alpes and the Lake Lemman The length of it from West to East is 5. dayes journey but the breadth is very narrow but that it is somewhat broader neere to Octodurum and Sedunum This Country although it be encompassed with high Mountaines and sharpe Rockes which for the most part are a Germane mile high and many of them are cover'd with continuall Ice and Snow yet it wanteth nothing for the sustentation of mans life for it hath good store of Corne Wine and other kindes of fruits it hath Wheat Barly Oates Beanes Pease Fetches and Mill. Wine beginneth to grow among the Brigentian Dioecese among the Mountaines and
3 keepe 4 and reverence 5 Wickednesse 1 peace 2 faults 3 lawes 4 and good mens 5 innocence There are many inscriptions upon Marble and many Elogies of Statues and divers Epitaphs both in the Churches the Bishops Palace and also in all parts of the Citty and the Territories thereof The Inhabitants are wealthy neate Noble subtile and witty It flourisheth now for riches so that it is usually called Vrbis Venetae Sponsa the Citty of Venice his Bride It received the Christian faith from D. Appollinaris Bishop of Ravenna And it is a Bishoprick Of which Scaliger thus Quae pingues scatebras specula despectat ab alta Postulat Imperij Brixia magna vices Caelum hilarum Frons laeta urbi gens nescia fraudis Atque modum ignorat divitis uber agri Si regeret patrias animas concordibus oras Tunc poterat Dominis ipsa jubere suis Great Brixia that from a Hill doth view Those fruitfull springs which doe the ground bedew Complaines of change of government the ayre Is pleasant and the Citty is most faire The people are ignorant in all deceit The richnesse of the soyle is very great And if dew concord could be here maintain'd Those who are now her Lords she might command There is also in this Territory the Towne Quintianum situate 20. miles from Brixia Southward neere the River Ollius Also Reggiate Bottesino Vtele Novalara with many others it hath also the Lake Beâ—acum so called from a Towne the ruines whereof are still remaining Catullus calls it Lydius from the Lydians that is the Tyrrhenians who as fame reporteth did sometime inhabit the Country neere unto it it is called in Italian Lago di Garda and in the Germane speech Gard-se from the Castle which is seated on the East banke thereof This Lake as Alexius Vgonius writeth to Cardinall Pole doth excell all others for good fish it is environd with pleasant Hills and Springs doe every where breake forth here there are woods and greene Medowes Vines Olives Maple-trees Bay-trees and Cedars and Townes full of all provision doe encompasse it round about so that it wanteth nothing either for delight and pleasure or for use and profit There is also another Lake called Sebinus or Sevinus now it is called Lago d'Iseo from the Castle Iseus which is on the banke thereof This receaveth the River Ollus on the North and casteth it forth againe on the South Lastly there is also betweene Sebinum and Benacum the Lake Idrinus commonly called Lago d'Idro or Idro Lago It was so named from the Castle Idrus Some suppose it was so called from the Hydra which Hercules slew here it hath abundance of fish It dischargeth it selfe into Idrinus by divers streames the lesser Lakes are those which are called in their Country speech Lago Cap. Lago Ruâ—cone and others The River Mella or Mela doth cut thorow the middle of this Territory It still retaineth the name of Mella even untill this day But yet it doth not runne by the Citty as we may see but by the Precincts thereof The little Rivulet which glideth by the Citty is now called Garza The Dukedome of MEDIOLANUM THe Dukedome of Mediolanum is 300. miles in compasse The soyle is very fertile and fruitfull Livie Florus and Polybius doe report that this Country with the most of the Transpadane Citties did yeeld themselves to the power of the Romanes and became a Province Marcellus and Cn. Scipio being Consuls And it is manifest that some of the latter Emperours allured by the conveniency of the place did make this Citty their seate of Residence as Nerva Trajane Hadriâ—n Maximinian Philip Constantine Constantius Iovianus Valentes Valentinian and Theodosius Trajane built a Palace here which still retaineth that name But when the power of the Caesars grew weake this Citty was wasted and spoyled by the incursions and inrodes of the Barbarians as the Gothes Hunnes and Langbards Whom when Charles the great had droven out of Italy this Country did put it safe under the protection of the Kings of France afterward of the Germane Emâ—â—rours The most of which were yeerely crowned here with an Iron Crowne in the ancient and famous Church of Saint Ambrose as Leâ—nder proveth by severall examples At length under the raigne of the Emperours Frederick the first and the second against whom it continually rebelled it had new Lords which were the Vicounts Gaâ—â—atâ—â— who afterward in the yeere 1394. were created Dukes by the Emperour Wenceslaus Afterward they had the Dukes of Sfortia by the suffrage and consent of the Citizens and by the authority of the Romane Empire which the Galeatians could never obtaine But their Line being extinguished the Emperour Charles the fifth was their Successor who passed over this Principallity to the Kings of Spaine his Successours The chiefe Citty is called by all Latine Writers Mediolanum Polybius Strabo Ptolemy doe call it Mediolanium and Mediolana the Italians doe now call it Milano the Germanes Mey-landt Mediolanum was built by the French Insubrians as Livy Trogus and others doe report who comming into Italie under the conduct of their Captaine Bellovesus and having expulsed the Tuscians they founded a Citty here in the yeere as some doe reckon before the birth of Christ 339. and as others recken 380. Howsoever it is most ancient Isaac Causabone Lib. 4. and Strabo doe thinke that it was so named from Mediolanium a Citty of the Santones in France Some say that it is derived from a Germane word as it were May-landt from the greene fields which are as fresh and pleasant as the fields are in the Moneth of May or else it is called Midlandt because it is the middle and Navell as Iovius sheweth of Insubrit being enclosed with the River Ticinus or lastly it is called Maegde-landt or Meydel-landt that is the Virgin Country from Minerva who had a Temple there which was heretofore consecrate to our Saviour afterward to the blessed Virgin and now to Saint Tecla Mediolanum is situate betweene Ticinus and Abdua not farre from the Alpes having a temperate ayre and climate It is thought to be one of the greatest Citties of Europe and it flourisheth for wealth and merchandizing it hath faire buildings great Churches and wide large streets and it is well fortified with Walls Bulwarks and an Armory which doe take up a great space of ground It hath large Suburbs some of which may compare with great Citties being ditched and walled about as the Citty is next to the Church which is call Domus being fairely and magnificently built there is Saint Laurences great Church which was built upon the ruines of Hercules Temple There are also in it seven high channelled Pillars curiously wrought There is also the strongest Castle which is in this part of the world and it is called Porta Iovia it is impregnable and the fairest in all Europe There is in the Suburbs an Hospitall for Strangers or for the sicke by the way of Bernomatius the foundation whereof
Law for us They love and reverence Saints but make no Invocation unto them They doe much honour Mary the Mother of Christ but yet they doe not worship her nor implore her helpe The Clergie and the Priests are permitted to many as well as the Lay-people And they punish all kinde of Lust and Fornication They have a Patriarke who is President of all their Churches who is a man of approoved honesty grave well learned and ancient in yeeres whose Office it is to keepe the Clergie in concord and union to defend the Ecclesiastick Discipline and to excommunicate rebellious persons The Election and choosing of Bishops and other Ecclesiasticall persons belongeth onely to the King GVINEA VVITH THE ILANDS OF St. THOMAS OF THE Prince and the Good-yeere THE Kingdome of Guinea is in that Country where the Ganginean Aethiopians are whom Orosius and Ethicus doe mention as Ortelius witnesseth The Inhabitants doe call it Ghinui It is the Blackmoores Country The Blackmoores are called the Inhabitants of the Black River which floweth thorow the middle of the Country and like Nilus doth fertilize the Fields round about it This River doth increase as Nilus doth in the moneth of June 40. dayes together all which time you may goe by Boate into Countries neere unto it And the Earth is so dunged with mudde and slime so that it yeeldeth a great increase About the River there are large Plaines but no Mountaines or Hills There are also many woods in the which there are Elephants There are also many Lakes which are caused by the overflowing of the River Niger The Ayre is wholesome in so much that those who are sicke of the Spanish disease if they come unto that Country doe certainely recover their health and grow well These Blackmoores have a divers kinde of speech according to the Soyle and Climate Their religion is also diverse In the Mediterranean parts they are Christians Mahumetans and Heathens But those that dwell by the Sea Coast doe worship Idols There are three Kings of the Blackmoores Tombuti Borni and Gaogae The Gualatians also have a King of their owne They are all Cole-black The Kingdome of Guinea is seated betweene Gualata Tembutum and Melli and it reacheth from the River Niger to the Aethiopian Ocean The Ayre of Guinea is not agreeable to our bodies both in regard of the untemperatenesse of the Climate and by reason of the raine both which doe breed putrifaction and Wormes But it hath abundance of Barley Rice Cotton Gold Ivory also Sheepe and Hens There is also a kinde of Spice which casteth like Pepper which the Portugals call Melegneta And another Spice as strong againe as Calicut Pepper which the aforesaid Portugals doe call Pimiente del Rabo which it is unlawfull to sell lâ—st they should thereby bring downe the price of common Pepper It hath no fruit but Dates and the Inhabitants are faine to fetch them out of Numidia or Gualata They have great store of Elephants and Apes and Birdes especially Peacocks and Ash-colour Popinjays or Parroâ—s And they have certaine small Birds which doe curiously â—â—ild themselves a nest which hangeth in the boughes of the Trees Thâ—â— have neither Castle Towne nor Citty But they have one great Village in which the Princes Priests Doctors and Merchants doe dwell the others live scatteringly here and there About Caput Lupi Conzalui the Inhabitants doe adore the Sunne the Moone and the Earth upon which to spet they account it a hâ—inous offence They doe out and launce their flesh and afterward they paint it with a certaine coloured Oyntment which they thinke to bee very comely but to us it seemeth a fearefull spectacle When they salute their Prince they fall downe upon their knees and clap their hands together but in common salutations they cry Fuiâ— Futâ— Fuiâ— They doe not drinke all Dinner time but when they have din'd they drinke water or wine that commeth out of the Date Tree But yet this Date Tree doth not beare Dates but is a Tree different from it which sendeth forth a kinde of Juyce at all times of the yeere They cut the body of the Tree and receive the bleeding juyce which distilleth from it into a Vessell and drinke it till they are drunke for it is a liquor that is purer than any Wine it is of an ashie colour and they call it Mignolum This Tree will yeeld but two or three measures in one day This Tree beareth Olives the Oyle whereof hath a threefold vertue it smelleth like a Violet tasteth like an Olive and if it bee powr'd or laide upon meate it dyeth it like Saffron The men and women doe both goe bare-headed some have Hats made of barkes of Trees or of the Indian Nut. Some of them doe bore holes thorow their upper Lippe and their Noses and doe weare pieces of Ivory in them and doe thinke it becomes them very well And some doe weare Ivory and Fishes Shells in their Noses and Lippes They make their Aprons of the Barkes and rindes of Trees and with them they hide and cover their secret parts also they weare the skins of Apes and Monkies which are fastned together with a little Bell. They paint one eye red and the other blue The richer sort of women doe weare great Rings of Iron Copper or Tinne upon their Thighes And they delight very much in their foolish ill-favoured barbarousnesse Their Gold coyne hath no Inscription on it and they use Iron money upon ordinary occasions and for petty matters The Iland of S. THOMAS THE Iland of S. Thomas is next to be described which the Portugals discoverd on S. Thomas day and upon this occasion they called it the Iland of S. Thomas It is situate under the Aequator being almost round The Diameter of it is 60. miles When this Iland was discoverd it was full of great Trees whose boughes did grow upward It hath never any plague the Ayre is warme and wholesome but few Christians doe live here to 50. yeeres of age so that it would be a wonder to see one there with a white beard But the native Inhabitants doe live untill they be an hundred yeeres old The dayes and nights are alwaies equall In the Moneths of March and GVINEA GVINEA IS THOMAE September they have many great showres of raine which doe moisten the ground but in the other moneths the fruits are watered and refresht with the dew that falls upon them This Iland hath a stiffe clommy soile of a red duskish colour It doth not beare Corne Vines or any Tree that hath stone fruit but it beareth Mellons Cowcumbers Gourds Figges and great store of Ginger and especially Sugar for which they doe bring in Wine Cheese Corne Hides and other necessaries But this traffick hath ceased since that certaine wormes began to eate the rootes of the Sugar-canes so that now scarce 6. Ships doe goe from thence loaded with Sugar It hath also great store of Millet Rice
that there are two Rivers in this Iland Cerus and Neleus which are of divers natures For if beasts drinke out of one of them their haire groweth white but if they drinke of the water of the other River their hide and haire groweth black There is an arme of the Sea which Livie calleth the Euborian Bay which is a violent Sea and floweth and ebbâ—th 7. times by day and 7. times by night with such a violent course that no Ship can sayle against it There is also the Mountaine â—aphaâ—â—us famous for the Shipwrack of the Graecians as they returned from Trâ—y and for the death of Paâ—amedes at Troy the Sonne of Eâ—ripides Nâ—â—plius King of the Eubaean Iland CERIGO PTOLEMIE calls it Cythera Pliny heretofore called it Porpyris and â—uâ—â—a hius calleth it Pâ—rphyrusa from the great store of Porphirie Marbles which iâ— in the Mountaines It is now called Cerigâ—â—â— is thâ— first Iland of the Aegaean Sea on the West over-against the Laâ—onick 〈◊〉 It 〈◊〉 it from the shoare of Peloponnesus 5. miles and it is 60. miles in compaâ—se It hath a Towne of the same name and many Havens which are not safe and secure for there are many Rocks which lye scatteringly round about this Iland RHODES· THERE remaineth in this Table the Iland of Rhodes This as Pliny witnesseth was heretofore called Ophtusa Asteria Aethraea Trinâ—â—hia Corimbia Aâ—abiria and Macarta It is distant from the continent of Asia 20. miles The compasse of it is 140. miles It hath a temperate and gentle Ayre and it was consecrate to the Sunne because there is no day wherein the Sunne doth not shine upon it The soyle is fruitfull and the Meddowes fertile and it hath great store of fruit Trees of which many are alwayes greene It hath now but one strong Citty of the same name which is situate in the Easterne part of the Iland partly on a steepe Hill and partly on the Sea Coast It hath a faire and safe Haven and it is well fortified with a double Wall thirteene high Towers five Castles and other Forts and Bulwarkes And it hath an University which heretofore was as famous as that at Massils Athens Alexandria and â—arsus and it had a brazen Colossus of the Sunne which was seventy Cubits high which after it had stood 56. yeeres it was throwne downe by an Earthquake and when it lay on the ground it was a wonderfull sight to behold For a man of a good stature could not fathome or embrace his Thumb And the Fingers were greater than most Statues and when it was broke his Belly did gape like a great Cave This Colossus was making twelve yeeres and three hundred Talents of Brasse went to the making of it and within there were great stones layd that might make the worke stand firme The Sultan laded 700. Camels with the Brasse of this Statue THE KINGDOME OF PERSIA OR THE EMPIRE OF THE SOPHI THE Persian or Sophian Empire as it was renowned heretofore so now also it is very famous The Inhabitants are Persians They are called also Ayami or Azamij from the Kingdome of Azamia which some thinke was heretofore called Assyria they were called Persians from Persides and Cheselbas from the red Cap or Hatt which they used to weare They were called Sophians from Prince Sophos The Kingdome of Persia is situate betweene the Turkish Empire the Tartarians the Zagatheans the Kingdome of Cambaia and betweene the Hircanian or Caspian Sea and the Persian Bay It hath thereof on the East the Indies and the Kingdome of Cambaja from which it is separated and parted by the Mountaines and Desarts on the North are the Tartars neere the River Albianus or Oxus the rest is enclosed with the Caspian Sea on the West are the Turkes neere the River Tigris and the Lake Giocho on the South it is washed with the Persian Bay and the Indian Sea which is a large space of ground for it containeth 38. degrees of longitude from the East to the West And from the South to the North 20. degrees Concerning the temper of the ayre of Persia Q. Curtius Lib. 5. writeth thus There is no whole-sommer Country in all Asia for the ayre is temperate here a continued shady Mountaine doth qualifie the heate thereof and there it is joyned to the Sea which doth cherish it with a temperate warmth But this Country is not all of one quality nor of one soyle That part which lyeth toward the Persian Bay in regard it is watered with Rivers and also that part toward the Caspian Sea having pleasant Rivers a milde gentle Ayre are both happy and fruitfull and doe yeeld all kindes of fruits and doe breed all kindes of living creatures It hath abundance of Wheate Barley Millet and the like Graine and also Mettals and Pretious Stones and Paulus Venetus witnesseth that it hath great plenty of Wine The other parts are desolate by reason of the heate and drynesse Moreover the Persians were at first an obscure Nation but they grew famous afterward by their King Cyrus who having gotten the Empire Media and Lydia joyned it to Persia and so having conquerd Asia and subdued all the East he left it a faire and flourishing Kingdome Cambyses succeeded his Father who added Aegypt to the Empire after whom Persia continued in one Estate untill Daâ—ius raigned who being conquerd by Alexaâ—der of Macedâ—n lost his life together with his Kingdome It was governed by Kings 230. yeeres as Q. Curtius affirmeth Lib. 4. and the Prophet Ieremiah doth assent unto him at the 9. Chapter of Daniel But now the Persian Empire which is subject to the great â—ophy is accounted one of the most potent Empires of all the East which though it were sometimes oppressed by the Sarazens and sometimes by the Tartars yet it grew up againe in the raigne of King Ismael The Countries which are subject to the Persian Empire are these Media Assyria Susiana Mesopotamia Persis Parthia Hyrcania Margâ—aâ—a Bactriana Parâ—pamissus Aria Drangiana Gedrosia and Carmania Media is now called Servan which is situate betweene Persia and the Hyrcanian Sea it hath on the East Hyrcania and Parthia on the West the greater Armenia and Assyria It is devided into the greater or the Southerne and the Northerne Atropatia The latter is colder and therefore lesse inhabited The chiefe Citty is Smâ—chia there are moreover these Citties Derbâ—nt Ere 's Sechi and Giavot The greater is more inhabited it hath also the Citty Tauris which is placed at the foote of Oâ—ontis being 8. dayes journey distant from the Caspian Sea The compasse of it is almost 16. miles in which it is supposed that there are 200000. Citizens The Ancients did call it Eâ—batana where the Kings of Persia doe dwell in Summer In the same Country there are Turcomian â—aru Susâ—an Nassiva Ardavil and Marant Assyria which is now called Arzerum hath on the East Media on the West Mesopotamia on the North Armenia on the South â—usiana It had
namely India on this side Ganges and India beyond Ganges It is thought that the latter is called in the sacred Scriptures Hevila or as some write Havilah or Evilath and the former Seria But wee reade in Marius that the Inhabitants doe call it Macyn or Magin others that follow Mercator doe call it Mangi and China Iohn Barrius affirmeth that the Inhabitants doe call the former â—ndostan It is the largest Country of all the world Pomponius writeth that a ship may sayle 60. dayes and nights along the coast of it But it is bounderd according to Pliny and Strabo on the West with the River Indus which divideth Persia from India on the North is the Mountaine Taurus on the East it is encompassed with the Easterne Ocean on the South with the Indian Ocean The Country hath a wholsome gentle ayre yet it is so great that it hath a different climate in many places for in some places it is hott namely toward the Aequator and in other places temperate enough and rather cold towards the North. But the Countrey it selfe in generall both for the Situation the ayre and the fertility of the Soyle doth farre exceede other parts of the world Here new Starres doe rise and set and here are two Harvests in a yeare and two Summers and the Winter is in the middle betweene them and the Estesian or East windes doe coole and qualifie the heate Although this Countrey for the most part hath no Wheate yet it yeeldeth plenty of Pulse and other graines and especially of Barley and Rice It doth also bring forth divers other fruits as Pepper Franckincense Myrrhe Ginger and in the most Southerne parts Cinnamon Spicknard and other Aromaticks and sweet spices as Arabia and AEthiopia There are also Honey or Sugar Canes Besides it hath many Druggs and rootes of trees some of which are wholsome and some hurtfull What should I speake of their Mettalls stones and Mineralls For there is great store of gold and silver in the Countrey as also of Brasse Iron and Copper as Diadorus witnesseth But Plinny saith that it hath neither Brasse nor Leade but instead thereof Precious stones and Pearles which the Sea casteth up upon the shoare For it hath abundance of Berills Adamants Carbuncles and Pearles Here is silke enough to furnish all the world Here are greater beasts than in others parts of the world as Oxen Cammels Lions Dogs and Elephants There are great store of Elephants And great Dragons in the Wildernesse that are as bigge as Elephants and doe fight continually with them And Dogs as fierce as Lions And great store of Serpents which the Inhabitants doe roast and eate and a kind of THE EAST INDIES· INDIA Orientalis Ants which they eate with Pepper as we doe Crabfishes Here are white Apes and Cameleons which were heretofore thought to live by aire Moreover there are divers sorts of Birds not knowne to other Nations besides great store of Hens Pheasants and Partridges and also Parrets of divers colours Plinny writeth thus of the Indies The Indians alone of all nations were never droven out of their Countrey they had from Bacchus to Alexander the great 153. Kings in 6402. yeares and 3. monethes And Strabo writeth that never any but Bacchus Hercules and Alexander got the victory against them although Cirus and Sâ—miramiâ— assailed them often But leaving these matters let us passe to the Citties The companions of Alexander the great doe write that there were 5000. Townes in that part of India which they conquer'd and every one as bigge as Co whence you may easily collect the vast largenesse of this Countrey The chiefe Citty is Calechut which is the famous Mart of all the East There are also other Citttes as Cambaja Decâ—n Batticalla Canonor and many others There are also many great Lakes In the history of Alexander there is a mention made of a Lake which hath great old wood in it here Alexanders army was like to perish for thirst But the greatest Lake of all is Chiamy which is 400. Miles in compasse and is 600 Miles distant from the Sea Hence many chiefe Rivers doe issue the next unto this Lake is â—incuthay and others Here are many great Rivers It is reported that Alexander the great did sayle every day 600. Furlongs in the River Indus yet he could but sayle over it in 5. moneths and odde dayes and yet it is lesser than Ganges It riseth out of the Mountaine Caâ—sasus which is called Paropamissus and now Naugocrot and so having runne 900. miles it dischargeth it selfe into the Southerne or Indian Ocean In which compasse of ground it receiveth 20. Rivers but the famousest are Hydaspes which bringeth 4. others with it and Cantabra which bringeth three with it Some say that the Rivers Ganges doe issue from unknowne Springs as Nilus and that it watereth the Country round about as Nilus doth some say that it riseth out of the Scythian Mountaines and that 19. Rivers doe runne into it Some say that the Springs thereof doe breake forth with great violence and so rowling down thorow the Rocks it runneth first thorow the Plaines and from thence glideth gently forward and that it is 8. miles broad in the narrowest part of it and in other places 100. Furlongs broad and is no where lesse then 20. yards deepe This River in the Scriptures is called Phison But now Geographers doe seeke for it For some suppose it is that River which floweth into the Bay of Bengala perhaps in regard of the affinity betweene their names for the Inhabitants doe call it Guengua But our Mercator sheweth by good probable reasons that Ganges is that River which is called Rio de Cantaon Next to these Rivers there are the Rivers Mandona Chaberis Ava Campumo Menam Menon and many others Megasthenes reporteth that there are 60. Rivers in the Indies many of which doe overflow their bankes in the Summer like Nilus which is the chiefe cause of the fruitfulnesse and fertility of this Country It is said that Ganges hath Crocodiles as well as Nilus also Dolphins and Eeles 30. foote long as Pliny witnesseth Moreover the chiefest part of the East-Indies lieth over against the Southerne or Indian Ocean by the Shore or Sea Coast which although for the most part it hath Havens yet in many places it is so environd with Ilands Rocks and Sands that it is dangerous sayling that way Solinus saith that the Indian Seas have Whales as bigge as 4. Acres of ground There is also a kinde of Fish called a Whirle-poole which are very great and will lift themselves above the Hatches of a Ship and will so spout Sea-water out of their spouts that the waight of it falling downe againe is ready to overset Ships Here are many Mountaines so that it would bee troublesome to reckon them many of which have no greene things on them Imaus Emodus Parâ—pamissus doe joyne together being parts of Caucasus The Woods in the Indies as Solinus
barbarous use They esteeme not of Gold but goe naked for the most part they are much addicted to Hunting and doe make their Bread of Maiz. The toppes of the Mountaines for the most part of the yeere are white with Snow but yet they are full of Gold Brasse and Lead This Country also hath Cattell and divers wilde beasts as Tigers Lions and the like it hath abundance also of Citterus and Mellons The Province Popajana is annexed and joyned to this which from the North to the South is 220. leagues in length but the most part of it is barren and unhabited and therefore it bringeth forth little Corne but yet it is rich in Gold It hath no peculiar Governour but the Vice-roy of the Kingdome because the most of the Courts of this Citty are subject to the Quito The chiefe Citty is called after the name of the Province being situate two degrees from the Line it hath a temperate constant climate the day and nights are all the yeere equall it hath seldome any raine but it is often troubled with Lightning and Thunder The soyle affordeth two Harvests of Corne every yeere and this Country breedeth great store of Cattell The Inhabitants are courteous the Citty is adorned with a Cathedrall Church and a Monastery of Friers It hath a great Jurisdiction and many Townes round about are subject unto it The Gold which is gotten here is accounted purer than other Gold Not farre from hence the most famous Rivers in this Country doe rise which are called la Magdalena and la Martha which doe water all the Country THE DESCRIPTION OF THE FIRME LAND TERRA FIRMA et NOVUM REGNUM GRANATENSE et POPAIAN THE DESCRIPTION OF PERVVIA PERUVIA is the noblest Country of all the New World it is now devided into three parts namely the Plaine the Mountaines and the Andes The Plaine of Peruvia reacheth 500. leagues by the Sea-coast and is 10. or 15. leagues broad but this part is sandy and full of desarts and for the most part barren for it hath no Springs nor Lakes neither is it watered with any showers but as it is moistned with a kinde of humour or dew which the Inhabitants call Garva But yet there are greene fruitfull meddowes which lye by the bankes of the Rivers which in the Winter time doe overflow them which maketh them yeeld both store of Cotton and all kinde of Corne. The Inhabitants of this Country are poore living under Trees and among Reedes and doe feed on Fish and raw flesh The mountainous is extended in a long space of ground some hundred leagues from the North to the South These Mountaines are very cold neither doe they beare any Trees so that the Inhabitants are faine to burne a kinde of pitchie Turfe Here are Lions Wolves black Beares Goates and a kinde of beast like a Cammell of the Wooll whereof they make Cotton Garments in the Valleys of these Mountaines there liveth a populous Nation who are more witty and civill than the former The Andes also are Mountaines which runne along with a continued ridge without any Valleys and they are chiefly two commonly call'd Cordeleras which are almost 1000. leagues long and equally distant one from another in which there are great store of Goates wilde Sheepe Apes and Parrots the soyle also is very fruitfull and doth yeeld all kinde of Pulse and divers Sallet hearbs And especially there is the hearbe Coca of which there are many fabulous reports whose leaves are like a Shrub which the Graecians call Rhus the Latines call it Tanners hearb which as it is found by experience if it be carryed in ones mouth it takes away the appetite from meate and drinke but it encreaseth valour and strength There is a Vice-roy that governeth all this Province under whose jurisdiction are the Chilenses also Salomons Ilands and toward the West the Country of the Silver River It hath three Seats of Judgement Quito Limam and Las Charcas The first whereof Quito doth containe more Countries as Pogaya Quixos Cavelas Iuan de Salinas Pocomoros and it is 24. leagues in length neere the Aequinoctiall Line even to the Seate of Justice at Lima. Many poisonous hearbes THE DESCRIPTION OF PERVVIA· PERV doe grow in this Country and they doe get Gold out of the Cordillerian Mountaines but afterward it was prohibited they doe also digge Salt-peter from thence The second Seate of Judgement is at Lima which reacheth from the North Southward from the 6. degree of Altitude to the 16. or 17. and so runneth forward 120. leagues The chiefe Citty hereof is Lima built in a Plaine 2. leagues from the Southerne Sea by a River which is a small streame in Summer but in Winter it hath store of water The third Provinciall Seate of Judgement is at a place call'd Charcas it is situate in 17. degrees of latitude by the River Lambopulla and it containeth many Regions and Countries which are amply describ'd in Authors A DESCRIPTION OF THE SVMMER ILANDS VVHICH THEY CALL BERMVDAS WEE have mentioned these Ilands in our former descriptions but now seeing they have gotten a peculiar table of their owne it will not be impertinent to adde this narration thereunto Authors doe report that the chiefest of these Ilands is small and lowe but that it groweth somewhat bigger in the middle There are great store of Birds in it but it is subject to stormes and tempests and it hath great store of Cedar Trees and Hogges Some Englishmen suffring shipwrack neere unto it planted a Colony there in a Semicircular forme and called it after their Captaines name Summers Colony But afterward when the English had got the Kings Letters Patents to erect a Company for the governing these Ilands they sent in the yeere 1612. to the aforesaid Ilands 60. men with Captaine Richard Mone and so the Colony or Plantation began to encrease The Captaine lived in these parts three yeeres and raised every where many Forts and Defences and furnisht them with Ordnance that the Colony might the better defend it selfe from any invasion of the enemy After Captaine Mone there succeeded Captaine Tuckher who caused many Trees which were brought out of the West-Indies to be planted there and the Country to be devided among the Colony that every one might have a greater care of his owne part After whom Captaine Butler with 4. Ships and 5. hundred men sayled thither and so all the Country was replenisht with Inhabitants On the East side Warwicks Forte was built on the North-West Sands Fort on the Prormontory toward Affrick Danes-fort Also two Fortresses were raised in a small Iland the one called Cavendish Fort the other Pagets Fort. There is also an Iland which lyeth to the South which is called Coupers I le At the Promontory call'd Gurnets head there is Pembrooks Fort. A little farther Westward there is Nonsuch a little Iland and Moores Iland with a Fort. The next is Charles his Fort and more to the North is Kings Castle
Voyage made Westward wee have spoken other wheres He on the 24. of August when the winde stood faire weighed Anchor out of S. Iulians Bay where he had laine a long time being not vexed so much with windes and high Seas as the civell dissentions of the Castellanians and Portugals After hee sayled some dayes Southward hee came to the Promontory of the holy Crosse Here one of his Ships runne a shore but the Men Ordnance and fraight was saved Afterward when he observed that the shore did bend a little from the South Eastward hee began to bee in hope of reaching the Straites And on the 26. of November this narrow passage was discover'd into which Magellan with foure other Ships entred Here they thought good to stay in a certaine Bay and to send 3. Ships before to â—ound the passage and to make discovery One of the Ships in which was Alvarus Meschita having past thorow stood out to Sea againe and so directing their course Northward it was brought first to Aethiopia and afterward to Spaine and 8. moneths after they had left their company Alvarus was brought before Charles King of Castile as a Captive The third Ship made report that it was a straite narrow Sea by observing the flowing and ebbing of the Sea It was the Moneth of November and the night was five houres long the shore on the right hand and the left or the Starbord and Larbord shore was very solitary and no creature to be seene but that on the left side they saw a great fire And this was the cause why they called that Country Terra del Fuego and they supposed that the Inhabitants had discoverd them Magellan having left 2. Ships in this manner he furnished the other according as was fitt for the present occasion and discovering all as he went two and twenty dayes after he entred the Bay or Straite he was brought into another Sea which for the quiet peaceablenesse thereof he called Mar del Zur or Mare Pâ—cificum that is the peaceable Sea But this Straite being environd on every side with high Rocks is 120. miles long or according to others 76. miles the breadth of it is not equall and very different for sometimes it is 2. or 3. miles broad and sometimes 10. or 5. and where it is narrowest it is a mile broad The Northerne Sea on the East side is carried betweene the Straites of either land 70. miles and more where it mingleth with the Southerne Sea on the West side winding thorow those Promontories it meeteth with the Northerne Sea where their Waves meete very violently and with a great noise so that all the Sea is coverd with froth The Southerne Sea doth flow and ebbe more gently for the Westerne part of the Bay being very deepe and broaderâ— affordeth a quieter passage to the Sea when it floweth But the Easterne part of the Straites is full of Flats and Sands and many Ilands which causeth the raging and troublesomenesse of the Seas on either Shore there are high trees Moreover when Magellan had layne halfe a yeere in these Southerne parts hee viewed and discoverd nothing but the shoares but the innermost parts of the Country remained unknowne but yet it is manifest that that part which lyeth Southward is most of it a Mountainous Woodly Country and hath Snow continuall upon it Some say blue Snow hath beene found here which I leave to others judgement Magellan called this Southerne Land del Fugo from the fire or fires for when he discoverd these Straites he saw no mortall creature but he often beheld in the night time many great fires as we said before on the left hand But the Southerne Land on the West side doth looke toward both the Iavas Summatra and the Molucco's on the East it hath Affrick and the Aethiopian Ocean on the North it hath the Straites of the Magellan Bay and the Land of the Patagons The Country on either shore is barren and unfruitful but yet it hath great strange unknowne Trees Here are at all times great store of Pinguines Cormorants and Sea-calfes For the Pinguines come hither in the moneth of September and doe hatch their young ones in October In the Moneth of Aprill they flie to the Sea and after they are gone there commeth great store of Cormorants They are called Pinguines apirguedine from their fatnesse the old one doe weigh 13.14 or 16. pounds the younger 8. or 12. pound They are black on the backe and white on the belly and they have a Milke white circle round about their neck Their backs are like the Sea Calves and as thicke as a Hogge which you cannot pierce with a Speare Their Bill is bigger than a Crowes bill but not crooked Their necke is thicke and short Their bodies are as bigge as a fat Goose but not so broad They have no wings in stead whereof they have two pinnions coverd with feathers which hang downe like wings which doe make them swim wonderfull fast They live by Fish for they are Water-Fowle They goe straite upright with those pinnions hanging downe They have black feete like Geese but not so broad If any pursue them they will cry with a voyce like a man Mergus or the Cormorant is so called by Varro Lib. 4. concerning the Latine tongue because mergendo se in aquam captat escam he getteth his food by diving into the water unto whom Ovid in his Metamor Lib. 11. concerning Aesacus the sonne of Priam doth assent where he singeth thus THE STRAITES OF MAGELLAN· FRETUM Magellani Aequor amaâ— nomenque manet quia mergitur illi Hee loves the Sea and keepes that name Because he dives into the same And though divers kindes of Water-fowle doe the same yet the ancient Latines did call this kinde of Bird onely Mergus or a Cormorant which the Greekes doe call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Italians Corvo Marino the Germanes Tuâ—her and the English doe call a Cormorant Turner an Englishman saith that this Bird is as bigge as a Goose of a browne colour having a long Bill and crooked in the end flat footed heavie bodyed the shape of her body when she standeth upright is like a Bird sitting Pliny writeth that she buildeth her Nest in Trees but Aristotle saith upon the Sea Rocks Ovid calleth that Bird which hath long legges and a great throat a Cormorant for he saith Longa internodia crurum Longa manet cervix caput est a corpore longe His Thighs and Neck both long are His Head is from his body farre The Cormorants contrary to all other Birds have their feete under their tayle so that when they stand on the ground they beare their breasts strait upright as men doe as the Author of the Booke of naturall matters writeth Pliny calleth Phoca Phooke and the Sea-calfe Albertus also calleth it the Sea Wolfe and otherwhiles the Sea Dog the Germanes call Ein meer Kalb and the English call it a Seale It doth Bay
so intolerable that when he came to 62. degrees of Altitude in the yeere 1581. on the Noâ—es of June he turn'd his course toward the Aequinoctiall and having spoiled Iava his Ship call'd the Victory having sayled by Asia and all the Coast of Affrick returned againe into England After him Thomas Candish did deserve the same praise who kept the same course and with wonderfull speed and celerity sayled round about the whole world And so much shall suffice concerning the Straites of Magellane and the fourth part of the world America The discovery whereof all Writers of our age doe worthily attribute to Christopher Columbus For he first found it out and made it knowne to the Christian World and did communicate the use thereof in the yeere 1492. He that desires a larger explication of these matters let him have recourse to Laevinus Apollonius Peter Martyr of Mediolaâ—um Maximilianus Transilvanus who have written thereof in Latine also the Jesuites Epistles and Maffeius concerning the Indies and others FINIS NEW ENGLAND The most remarqueable parts thus 〈◊〉 by the high and mighty Prince 〈◊〉 nowe King of great Britaine HONY SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE THE PORTRAICTUER OF CAPTAYNE IOHN SMITH ADMIRâ—◠〈◊〉 NEW ENGLAND These are the Lines that shew thy Face but those That shew thy Grace and Glory brighter bee Thy Faire-Discoueries and Fowle-Overthrowes Of Salvages much Civilliz'd by thee Best shew thy Spirit and to it Glory Wyn So thou art Brasse without but Golde within If so in Brasse too soft smiths Acts to beare I fix thy Fame to make Brasse steele out weare Thine as thou art Virtues John Dauies Heref He that desyres to know more of the Estate of new England let him read a new Book of the prospecte of new England ther he shall haue Satisfaction Observed and described by Captayn John Smith 1634. TO * Omne tulit punctum qui vnscuit utile dulci. Hor. de Arte poetica * Heere the figures goe taâ—â—â— but I follow them as the pages are misfigured * Câ—lum non animum mutant qui tranâ— mare currunt Horat. The name by whom why given a Lactantius lib. 5. Institut cap. 24. derideth those that say the Heaven is Sphericall * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot de Caelo lib â— cap. 3. b So called froÌ„ the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. haâ—â—to â—um c So named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adverso â—abitare d So stiled from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. d. adversa vestigia figentes The compasse of the Earth e The circumference accoâ—ding to this account is 540â— Germane miles or 21600. Italian miles The qualitie of the Earth f The outmost end whereof is called a Cape g So called quasi Paenè Insula h Chersonesus is a compound word of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. d. Insula deserta aut inculta i This Seasome Writers call Mare magnum others Mare internum â—ustathius calls it Mare Hesserium and because of France Spaine Germanie Brittaine c. it is toward the East the Spaniards call it Mar de Levante 1. The East Sea although in holy Scripture it bee called Mare Occidentalâ— as being West froÌ„ Hierusalem k The Ocean is so called from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Selinus affirmeth and hath beene called Mare Atlanticum or the Atlanticke Seâ—â—s it is evident in Tullies Semnium Scip. where it is said that every Country that is inhabited is compassed about with the Atlanticke Sea which we call the Ocean l This Streight is by diverse diversly called sometime Fretum Hereuleum Plinie lib. 3. cap. 5. calleth it Fretum Gaditanum Avienus Herculis vâ—am and Herma Strabo Pietum columnarum Livie Fretum Oceani Florus Ostium Oceani Ausonius Fretum Iberum c. m This Streight deriveth its name from one Magellanus a Spaniard who first discovered it about the yeare of our Lord 1520. The commodities of the Sea n And therfore by some called Iapetia Europe whence so called o Whence also called Tyria vid. Herod l. 4. p Vid. O vid. l. 3. Metamorph. q Hâ—ylin in his Geographie pag 29. derides this derivation with Oh the wit of man r Latitude is the distance of a place North or South from the Aeâ—uator or middle of the World Å¿ Longitude is the distance of any place East and West from the chiefe Meridian and is measured by the Degrees of the Aequator Moderne Geographers place the first Meridian not as the Ancients in the Canaries or â—â—rtunate Iâ—lands but in the Iland of S. Michael one of the 9. Azores in the Atlantick Sea t A Clime is a space of the Earth comprehended between thâ—eâ— Parallels lesser innominne Circles which compasse the Earth from â—â—st to West Climes serve to distinguish the length of dayes in all places in the first 24. from the Aequator both North and South every one lengthens the day halfe an houre afterward they encrease by Weekes and Moneths till it comes to the length of halfe a yeare u See Ortelius in his Theatrum orbis terrarum The temperatenesse of the Aire The fertility of the Soyle The governmeÌ„t of the Ancients and their successours w See Ortelius in his booke before cited The Lakes and Rivers The Seas The publique private workes The Lawes Institutions x It is observable that there is no part of Europe whether Continent or Island that hath not long since beene Christened The company of Senators The Vniversities y Who number it no lesse then â—8 The manners of the people The name by whom why given z And a privativum a The Tropicks are two nominate Circles that be Parallel to the Aequator froÌ„ which the Northerne Tropicke called the Tropicke of Cancer is distant 23. degrees â— 2 and the Southerne called the Tropick of Capricorne as much b So called from Cham the sonne of Noah who inhabited this Country See Psal 105.23 c So stiled because when the Sunne is under that Aequinoctiall Circle in the Heaven which answers to this on the Earth the daies and nights be of one length 〈…〉 d 〈◊〉 Habassia 〈◊〉 the higher Aethiopia The 〈◊〉 e O RIâ—e of India who stealeth into the Crocodiles mouth when he gâ—p thâ— and aâ—â—ng his bowels killeth him f Hence came the old proverbe Africa semper aliquid apportat monstâ—i The Division g Barcha now called but that it was anâ—ly called Barca is evident â—on of Virgil when hee saith Lateque 〈…〉 h Abusively so called but rightly Preste Iohan or Gyam which in the Aethiopian tongue signifies Great or Mightie Prince i So called froÌ„ the rednesse of the sands The Lakes Rivers Mountaines k So called froÌ„ Atlas in times past â— K. of the Moores whom the Poets same to have beene Metamorphosed into this Mountaine this hill is now called Anchisa the inhabitants that dwell about it