I shall not determine but it seems to me that such a quantity of water issueth by these Springs that perhaps all these causes and many more will hardly be sufficient considering that some particular Rivers v. g. Volga vents saith Varenius as much water in one year as the magnitude of the whole Earth amounts to Or if not one as some think they demonstrate yet three or four or as many as flow into the Caspian Sea discharge so much water as cannot well be imagined except we acknowledge a circulation of water not only by being rarified into vapours and condensed again but also in the bowels of the earth To the conceiving whereof perhaps it may somewhat conduce to be informed of the contents of this great Globe at least so much of it as is already discovered by the Miners and Well-diggers tho not to any considerable depth i. e. of a very few fathoms As the Air is the place of the generation of those we call Meteors and the Water of Fowls especially Fishes so is this Earthly Globe of Stones Minerals Salts Bitumens Petroleums and divers sorts of earths And they say that as far as they have digged they find it to consist of several sorts or measures of earth stones c. many times thinly spread one over another yet none of them perfectly circular but from the superficies of the Earth whither in some place or other they reach they dip or slope the further they go still descending deeper as if a line drawn down upon their superfices were part of a Spiral line And this for the great benefit of mankind that the same place may be supplied with variety of soils Thro which measures descend from the superficies of the Earth seams like veins in an animal body which convey the Rain-water that falls upon the Earth and therefore in our Quarries of stone these seams are fill'd with a very thin fine earth for the easier descent of the water neither is this descent in a streight line but one line begins at some small distance from the ending of the upper that more parts of the Earth may be water'd and fertilized by it not only to the production of Plants c. but also of Minerals Stones Coals c. in the very Earth it self And why may not also in great Rains part of this water descend lower to the gravel as well as into the Coal-pits Lead-Mines c. Methinks therefore we may probably say 1. That all those Springs which arise near the bottoms of hills and all such as diminish much in dry weather come from Rain-water or melted Snow 2. Such as arise in plains of which there are not many are furnished with the water in the gravel which is supplied either out of the great Abysse if it be not the Abysse it self not unknown as it seems to Seneca Nimis saith he ille oculis permittit qui non credit esse in abscondito terrae sinus maris vasti or out of the Sea discharging it self by this means into the bowels of the Earth 3. From this water also are supplied the Wells and Pits which in some Countries afford all the water they use many of which also approach nearer the surface of the Earth in summer then winter the greater heat of the Sun forcing them higher 4. That it is not necessary that Salt-springs should bring that tincture from the Sea in wider channels or pipes because that there are great Mines of Salts of divers kinds generated in the Earth the solution of which may very well impregnate the water But these are not so much to our purpose but must be left to their particular Countries where they arise It is most certain that the most wise Creator made all things in number weight and measure which proportions tho we do not understand yet we must needs admire him who in the beginning established such a never-failing harmony Whether this Globe of Earth grow or not Of the growing of the Earth is not much material to our purpose for neither the growth or diminishing of it can be so great as to alter the usual measures or distances Yet it may be rationally said that in low soft and boggy places it doth grow not only by the winds and rain carrying down somewhat still into those parts but also by the grass weeds and fog which by the rain being flatted and beaten down in winter do the next Spring send forth new shoots from the old roots which in tract of time do raise the ground And this seems to be the reason why in such earths we oftentimes find trees which being cut down in those places where they formerly grew and not carried away in good time are at length grown over and cover'd with those weeds and herbs In the bottom of a turff-pit for this matter is not earth but turff they found not long ago a small parcel of Coins upon an heap perhaps they had been tied up in some matter that was putrified of Edward IV. as I judg by the face and this was about eighteen foot deep Which gives us some conjecture how long at most that turff was a growing i. e. eighteen foot in two hundred years by the way also there were a few years ago in the Forest of Dean after the Miners had wrought over a great cinder-heap found divers Coins of Brass fresh as when first minted of Tetricus and some other of those Tyrants about the year 260 which gives some hint by whom and at what time those Iron-mines were wrought Neither doth the dust or small parts of Earth washed or blown from higher places considerably diminish them or fill up the Valleys for then would they also thicken and in time fill up also the Sea which seems to have been the opinion of Polybius who conceived that because he saw the Black or Euxin-Sea in his time to be so muddy and thick it would in time by still thickning become firm land But the Lord of Busbeque in his Ambassy to the Grand Seignior about eighteen hundred years after Polybius found it exactly in the same condition as Polybius had described it The superficies of the Earth is not equally nor perfectly round The figure of the Earth yet are not the extuberances so great or considerable as to hinder the whole Globe to be accounted round the greatest height of the highest mountain making an insensible difference in the computation of the Diameter of the whole Earth Now there is a rising or swelling of the Earth which commonly begins by the Sea-shore and encreaseth the further it reacheth in the Continent besides that of the particular mountains which seems to have been so order'd to make room for the Sea and waters Yet were not all mountains made at or near the birth of the world Some have been even in our memory cast up by Earthquakes as Monte Novo in the Kingdom of Naples near Pozzuolo Others by the winds heaping up the Sands together
Carolus II. D. G. Mag Brit Fran Hiber Rex ct R. White Sculpsit THE ENGLISH ATLAS Volume I. CONTAINING A DESCRIPTION OF THE Places next the North-Pole AS ALSO OF Muscovy Poland Sweden Denmark And their several Dependances WITH A General Introduction to Geography and a Large Index containing the Longitudes and Latitudes of all the particular Places thereby directing the Reader to find them readily in the several Maps OXFORD Printed at the THEATER for MOSES PITT at the Angel in St. Pauls-Church-Yard London MDCLXXX TO THE KING THE Reasons why I presume to prefix Your Majesty's Name to this Work tho perhaps not sufficient to justifie my boldness yet I hope may be so considerable as to obtain my pardon This seems in many respects to be a new Undertaking and the greatest for Charge and Hazard that hath ever in this nature been adventur'd upon by any of Your Subjects and therefore stands in need of more then ordinary Patronage and Encouragement which I cannot rationally hope from any other For Your Majesty doth not only understand and delight in these Knowledges but have been also at great Expences to promote direct and assist further Discoveries And except care be taken to preserve what is already found out all the Advantage that should arise from the Dangers of the Seaman and the Bounty of the Prince will determine with the Expedition and the next Age is to begin again as if no advance had bin acquir'd I add also That if other Princes had bin as industrious as Your Majesty and Your Subjects who to omit smaller particulars first Discover'd the greatest part of all the Northern Regions of Europe Asia and America and first Compass'd the World this Atlas would have bin more satisfactory and the Science better completed The reproch also of the sloth negligence or what worse of Mankind that in so many thousand years know not as yet the few Leagues of their own habitation would have bin avoided However as there is in this Work care taken to reduce into one body all that is hitherto known of the habitable Earth and secure it from Oblivion So I hope it may perpetuate the memory of Your Majesty's Patronage and testifie the Duty of Your Majesty's most Obedient and Loyal Subject MOSES PITT THE PROPOSALS FOR Printing the English Atlas THAT whereas Moses Pitt of London Bookseller being Encouraged by His Most Sacred Majesty his Royal Highness the Duke of York his Higness Prince Rupert both the Universities the Royal Society and divers others the Nobility Gentry and Learned men of this Nation to undertake the Printing of an Accurate Description of the World and resolving to proceed with all convenient diligence for the more effectual carrying on thereof makes these following Offers I. He the said Moses Pitt having the advantage of making use of divers Plates already Grav'd but more especially of those of Janssons Atlas doth design by renewing and regulating divers of them and by adding many new Plates together with new Descriptions throughout to Print a compleat Collection of Maps Tables or Delineations of the Heavens Earth and Seas with their several parts divisions and names ancient and modern in such manner that all the Maps shall have the same situation of North and South and all things shall be as exactly and particularly describ'd as can be done by the help of all the Maps and Delineations already extant in Print and of as many others as can be procured of several things and places formerly but imperfectly described as also of divers late and new discoveries of parts heretofore unknown or not taken notice of as yet in any Maps II. To every Map shall be adjoined an explanation of the most observable matters and histories of the places therein contained wherein is intended that this Work shall exceed all that have preceded as also an Alphabetical Index to be added at the end of each Volume with directions for the speedy finding them in their respective Maps III. He will Print the whole Work in as good Paper and Character as any of those already Printed by Bleau Jansson Sanson or any other IV. Whereas the Atlas's of Bleau and Jansson are usually comprehended in Eleven Volumes in Folio in all the Languages hitherto It is intended that this Atlas in the English Tongue shall be printed in Eleven Volumes likewise each Volume to be sold to the Subscribers at the rate of Forty shillings in Quires But if those Gentlemen that are concerned in the management of it shall think fit to contrive it in fewer Volumes it shall still be at the rate of Forty shillings a Volume and each Volume both in number of Maps and Descriptions shall not consist of less then fifty-five sheet Maps and fifty-five printed sheets of Tables and Descriptions one with the other according to the judgment of the Directors V. He doth also promise to deliver to the Subscribers the several Volumes as they shall be compleated and finished they paying their Forty shillings at the time of their subscribing which is to be before the four and twentieth day of July 1678 Forty shillings more at the delivery of the First Volume Forty shillings at the delivery of the Second Volume and the same sum to be paid upon delivery of each of the other Volumes successively only the two last to be deliver'd at twenty shillings a Volume for which several sums aforesaid the said Moses Pitt will give his Receipt under his own Hand and Seal with two Witnesses thereunto with an engagement to deliver to the Subscribers or their Assigns at his Shop in St. Pauls Church-yard they making good their Subscriptions the several Volumes as they shall be printed according to the plain meaning of these Proposals VI. No Volume shall be sold singly to any Gentleman whatever except the Subscribers by the Bookseller Moses Pitt under Five and fifty shillings in Quires neither shall any Volume be deliver'd to any person whatsoever before all the Subscribers have theirs provided they send for them within one month after notice given in the Gazette of the finishing of every Volume VII The first Volume begins with the North-Pole and the places and Countries next unto it before which is to be added an Introduction to Geography such as shall be advised by the persons after-named together with a Map of the Terrestrial Globe and Maps of the greater Divisions or Parts of the Earth This Volume is intended to be compleated before the four and twentieth day of the next ensuing March. The next Volume designed is that which contains the Low Countries and West part of Germany where hath lately been and still is the scene of the greatest actions now on foot intended to be compleated within six months after the said four and twentieth day of March The said time proportionably allow'd for the compleating of all the rest unless it be judged necessary by the Directors that a longer time be allow'd for some of the Volumes VIII Whosoever
Esq Benjamin Woodroff D. D. Canon of Ch. Ch. Oxon Sr. Peter VVyche Lady VVymondesold of Putney Tho. VVyndham Esq Grome of the Bed-chamber John VVyvell Minister by Rochester RICHARD Ld. Arch Bp. of York ROBERT Earl of Yarmouth Robert Yard Esq John Yardley M. D. Col. Med. Lond. S. Hon. Tho. Yate D. D. Principal of Brazen-Nose Coll. Oxon James Young Esq Robert Young Canon of VVindsor ORBIS TERRARUM NOVA ET ACCURATISSIMA TABULA Auctore IOANNE à LOON HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE Serenissimo Potentissimoque Domino Domino CAROLO SECUNDO Magnae Britanniae Franciae et Hiberniae Reg Defensor Fidei Hanc tabulam totius Orbis D. D. D. 〈…〉 NOVA TOTIUS TERRARUM ORBIS GEOGRAPHICA AC HYDROGRAPHICA TABULA To the Right Reverend Father in God JOHN by divine permission LD. BISHOP of OXON this Mapp is humbly Dedicated Johannes Jansonius à waesberge and Moses Pitt and Steven Swart SEPTEM PLANETA LUNA ♋ ☽ MERCURIUS ♊ ☿ VENUS ♎ ♉ SOL ♌ ☉ MARS ♈ ♂ IUPITER ♠♃ SATURNUS ♑ ♄ QUATUOR ELEMENTAE IGNIS AER AQUA TERRA QUATUOR ANNI TEMPESTATES VER ♈ ♉ ♊ AESTAS ♋ ♌ ♠AUTUMNUS ♎ ♠♠HYEMS ♑ ♒ ♓ SEPTEM MIRABILIA MUNDI MURUS BABYLONIAE COLOSSUS PYRAMIDES MAUSOLEUM DIANAE TEMPLUM IUPITER OLYMPICUS PHAROS AMERICA SEPTENTRIONALISM TERRA AUSTRALIS INCOGNITA THE INTRODUCTION COSMOGRAPHY is a general description of the whole World The Intention of the whole Work consisting of Heaven and Earth of both which an account is intended to be given in this Atlas that of the Heavens is reserv'd to a peculiar Volume It being as we conceive of greater necessity that we begin with that of the Earth And first of this great Globe in general the description whereof belongs to Geography as that of particular Regions and Countries is called Chorography which is contained in their peculiar Maps Nor shall we omit such Topographical descriptions or the knowledg of lesser places as Cities Rivers Mountains c. where advantage may be to the Reader Now this Globe which we call of the Earth consisteth of Land and Water or Seas the description of those is properly nam'd Hydrography which sets forth the superficies of the Seas and mouths of greater Rivers the Havens Rocks Shallows Creeks and such other considerations as concern Navigation to this also an entire Volume in this Edition of an Atlas is designed And because that of ancient times the divisions and boundaries of Kingdoms and Countries were very much divers from those at present to avoid confusion which must needs happen by treating in the same place of things so different it is thought necessary to reserve the ancient Geography to a particular Tome to be put forth with the rest in its due time Thus you have an account of what is intended in the Edition of this Great Work But it is first necessary to explain such terms and lay such general grounds as are of use thro all the Volumes which is the subject of this Preface or Introduction First then it is to be noted Of the Globe of the Earth that the Earth and Water make but one body the figure whereof is round and therefore is best and most naturally represented by those we call Globes tho Maps also or plain Figures if carefully drawn are sufficiently exact This proposition tho it might be supposed rationally enough as now granted by all learned men yet may it be evidently proved both from Celestial and Terrestrial appearances whereof an account and reason may easily be given by this figure and not by any other The Sun and the Stars rise sooner to them who live Eastwardly then they do to us which could not be if the whole face of the Earth were plain 2. To those who live more or less Northward the Pole is more or less elevated for those inhabitants of Iseland Lapland c. who live about a thousand miles more Northward then we do see the Pole-star fifteen degrees higher then we can And those who travel hence towards those Countries do find that this variation is made gradually altering about a degree and a half at the end of every hundred miles which could not be except the body on which they moved were Spherical 3. The Shadow which the Earth casteth upon the Moon when she is partially eclipsed is seen to be circular and therefore the body which causes it must be so too To these we may add that many Propositions in Astronomy Geography and Navigation are founded on this supposition and when they are applyed to use they prove true and succeed according to expectation which certainly they would not always do if the very foundation upon which they are built were unsound The same also is proved by plain sense and experiment as well as by reason and consequence for we perceive that Ships which loose from their Harbours in calm weather disappear gradually first their Hulks then their Sails and after a few miles their highest Masts the natural convexity of the water interposing betwixt them and our sight Several also of our Country-men and Neighbours have sailed round about this Globe loosing hence Westwardly and returning again fromwards the East From which and other Navigations we may conclude not only that naturally no part of the Ocean is higher then another but also that we may sail from any part to any part of the superficies of the Ocean and that every Continent hath Sea about it and is indeed but a greater Island The controversie about the situation of this Globe whether it stand still in the midst Of the situation of the Earth and as it were center of the world as the ancients generally opined or whether it move upon its own axis and about the Sun as the center besides that it is not so much to our purpose in this as in the Volume of the Heavens the Maps and Descriptions being the same in both ways and that the learned are not come to any issue in it nor have we any thing to add to the common and vulgar probable arguments only we shall omit The parts of this Globe are naturally separated one from another by Seas ledges of Mountains Rivers Desarts and the like Which are very opportune for the distinction of Nations Kingdoms and Governments In the beginning of the Creation Of the Waters in this Globe the Waters being lighter then the Earth accordingly overspread and compassed it to some considerable height but whether there was in the beginning a greater quantity of Earth or Water created is an undeterminable curiosity On the third day the Almighty Creator separated them by causing the Waters to sink into the deep and open cavities of the Earth where by the height and strength of the shores they are restrained as in a Vessel from returning to overflow and drown the dry land But if the shores be weak as many times it happeneth the water breaketh thro and overwhelmeth so much of the
dry land till it meet with an obstacle strong enough to coerce it From hence some do imagine that the Mountains and Valleys were then also formed the Earth being before equal and smooth which is very probable in as much as the Scripture saith that the dry land then first appeared Others also imagine that the height of the highest Mountains equals the depth of the deepest Seas Which indeed may be so but is not evidently deduced from what hath been hitherto observed It is more considerable what Olearius mentions that examining with an instrument the height of the waters of the Caspian Sea he found them level with the top of the bordering Mountains p. 142 of his Travels where he makes no doubt but that the Sea is higher then the Land His experiment supposing it truly made if not to be solved by the greatness of the refraction I know not what to say to it as neither can I resolve Whether the Earth be in the center or middle of the whole world The place of the Earth and that all heavy bodies descend to it as their proper place which is the reason of its stability and unmoveableness tho it seem to hang in the air Or as others think that heavy things descend to the Earth as by a magnetical virtue drawn to it from such a distance But this opinion declares not how the Earth keeps its place in the Air. Or as others say that the Earth is but a shell of no great thickness perhaps of three or four miles and within it is quite hollow by which means the weight is so inconsiderable that it is susteined in the Air as lighter bodies are in the Water and that this cavity is the place of punishment for wicked Angels and men The parts of the Ocean receive different names The parts of the Ocean according to their greatness or their shoes Fretum a Strait is a narrow Sea contain'd between two opposite but not much distant shores and giving opportunity of passing from one Sea to another as the Straits of Gibralter of Magellan Davis the Sound in Denmark c. Sinus a Bay is a part of the Sea running up into the Land and almost encompassed by the shore If but a little one 't is called a Creek if large a Gulf. And in these are Havens or stations for Ships as Roads are in the open Sea but defended from some winds The vast body of the Sea is called the Ocean and the Sea is ordinarily called some lesser part of it let into the Land by a Strait as the Mediterranean Baltick Sea c. A Lake is a large collection of waters enclosed within land some of which have no known or visible communication with any Sea as the Mare Caspium Lacus Asphaltites or Dead Sea Others have Rivers running from them or thro them as the Lacus Lemanus Benacus c. Rivers are made up by Brooks these by Springs Of Springs and Fountains So that their originals are from these Springs but whence that water comes which supplies so many Springs is somewhat dubious 1. Some imagine great caverns in the Earth which being very cold condense the air into drops of water and those being collected make a Spring It is true indeed that all or most of the famous Caves as Ooky-hole c. in this Country have Rivers in them of considerable bigness but those seem not to be there generated but to cross only the passage And in others such as that famous Cave sometimes serving for the quartering of an Army call'd Cavola de Custoza near Vicenza there are in many places continual droppings but whether from coagulated air or vapours or from water draining thro the Earth I know not There are also little Pools made by such droppings and some also that have fish in them but very many such must go to the making up one small Spring 2. Others attribute it to the great abysse mentioned in the Holy Scriptures and doubtless he that made the world best knows the frame and constitution of it if that be his meaning as that very learned man Mr. Lydyat thinks he hath proved There seems indeed to be water in all or most places within the Earth but not in every place at an equal depth Which water runs along in that bed or vein of gravel which lies sometimes higher and sometimes lower Below this I never heard that any one hath digged nor do I think it hardly possible to dig under it Whence this water proceeds i. e. whether from the Sea or Rain or concreated in it is hard to affirm only the Well-diggers do observe that in this gravel also there is a current or stream of the water Why this gravel lies unequally high and how the water ascends in it is a difficult question which some solve by saying that 't is contained in the gravel as the blood in the veins of an humane body and moves with the like vital motion others imagine that because the gravel is an opener mass of bodies not closely contiguous together the water runs in them and is forced into higher places by some other causes as by the motion of the Sea violently impelling it in those narrow and crooked passages but these being only conjectures we must not enlarge too much upon them 3. Most men think that all Springs proceed from the Sea-water dulcified by percolation thro the gravel or other convenient passages of the Earth The difficulty that oppresseth this is that it is not easie to imagine how the Sea-water should rise to the tops of mountains yet even there are often found Sea-plants naturally growing which perswade many men of the truth of that opinion tho they cannot justifie the manner And there are also divers Lakes upon the highest hills amongst the Alps as particularly upon Splugen which notwithstanding the top of the water be frozen in winter yet do Trouts and other fish live very well in them which perswade the inhabitants that there is communication betwixt those Lakes and other fresh waters 4. Others are of opinion that the water that furnishes Springs is that of Rain or Snow which comes from the clouds and consists either of drops of Rains or of smaller Dew-drops whereof many together make Rain And these Clouds hanging commonly upon the hills furnish them chiefly with moisture which being reserved in Cisterns or sometimes in mosses break or spring forth where they find the easiest passage Sometimes the summity of the hill is either a Lake or a Bog and keeps the water as in a Pond lined with Clay till it come to such a height as it overflows And this is the reason both of the continuance of Springs and why there are so few in Plains because the Rain-water that falleth there goes down by the seams of the Earth so deep that it cannot spring up again nor are there mountains so near as to supply them from their Caverns Whether any or all of these opinions are false
which they say happens frequently in the great and sandy Desarts But these are very few and I suppose as easily blown asunder as brought together However these deserve here no particular consideration This rising of the Earth in large Continents is doubtless very great tho none either have or will ever be at the trouble and charge to measure it yet some estimation may be made by the length and swiftness of Rivers It is commonly said that a Ship is not able to sail against that stream whose declivity is one pace in an hundred yet some declivity there must be and as they say seldom is it less then one in five hundred Suppose then the Nile which runs in the greatest Continent Africk which we know in the world it disembogues into the Mediterranean Sea in 31 deg of Northerly Latitude and ariseth out of the Lake Zaire which is in 10 deg or as some say 14 of Southerly Latitude in all 41 deg which comes to about 2460 miles English if running streight but because of its bendings it may be well estimated 3000 miles which allowing two foot to a mile comes to six thousand feet if it move with as slow a motion as can be but considering that it is a swift River the mud not setling till it come to the Sea and hath in it divers great Cataracts the Lake of Zaire must needs be much higher then the mouth of Nilus But the height of mountains is more certainly and easily known and divers of them have been measured as one of the highest hills betwixt Yorkshire and Lancashire Pendle-hill if I be not mis-informed was not found to exceed half a mile in perpendicular height Olympus somewhat above a mile and some others as El Pico in the Isle of Teneriffe yet higher But the certainty we know not The manner of measuring and calculating is thus which is much easier in such a mountain as Teneriff or Pendle-hill being one peak or top standing in a plain then in those Juga or ledges of mountains which run thro and divide most of the great Continents of the world whereof the highest may be still higher then the other Let b c d represent a mountain whose height a c is thus found Take two stations in a straight line from it the first at b not far from the foot the other at e a considerable distance from it from each of these stations take the angles at the top b c a e c a then out of 90 subduct b c a the remainder is the angle c b a which also being subducted from 90 the remainder is the angle c b e. Therefore in the triangle c b e we have one side e b viz. the distance of the two stations which must be exactly measured and all the angles for c e b is the complement of the other two to 180 then say As the sine of the angle e c b is to the side e b So is the sine of the angle c e b to b c. Having then in the rectangular triangle b c a one side b c and all the angles for a b c is the complement of b c a to 90 say then As the Radius is to the sine of b c a So is b c to c a the height By the Quadrat Divide 10000 by the number of parts cut at each station then say As the difference of the Quotients is to the distance betwixt the statitions So is 100 to the height This great Globe is not only divided into Land and Water Divisions of the Earth but many other ways in respect to them As some are Continents which are great parts of Land without any Sea Islands are small parts encompassed by water Peninsula or Chersonesus is a part of Land which would be called an Island were it not for an Isthmus or neck of land which joins it to the Continent A Mountain or Rock jutting out into the Sea is called a Promontory Cape or Headland Again the Ancients divided all they knew of the Earth into three parts Europe Asia and Africa of each of these in their several places but another Hemisphere having been lately discovered there is commonly added to these America as the fourth part Others also name two more the Lands under the North and South Poles which indeed were not comprehended in the former division yet because we know not whether there be Land or only Sea as under the North Pole seems to be it is not expedient to account them distinct parts till better discovered Our Mariners that went with design to pass under or near the North Pole in their search of a passage to China and arrived as far as 82 deg of Latitude found nothing but some few Islands the rest as they could see being in the midst of Summer nothing but Ice Some do imagine that the three parts of the habitable world received their division from the three Sons of Noah and C ham indeed obtained Africa but Japhet dwelt in the Tents or habitations of Shem tho in process of time his posterity seems to have peopled the greatest part of Europe The reason of the names we despair of knowing they having been forgotten even in Herodotus's time there is no hopes now of retrieving them See the discourse concerning the Map of Europe Lastly the parts of the Land before-mentioned The particular observations in the descriptions are very opportune for the separating and distinguishing Countries Nations and Governments The knowledge and consideration whereof is the chiefest and most useful design of this whole Work and all others of the like nature For it little conduceth to know places unless we be also informed of what is contained what actions performed and what concerns our selves may have in them In those therefore we shall consider the names situation bounds of each Country as also what Cities Havens Towns Forts likewise what Mountains Valleys Caves Fountains and other such remarkable and to us and our Country unusual things as nature it self hath formed To which shall be added the condition and quality of the soil and its productions in order to the discovering what in every place abounds and what therein may be communicated to other Countries or what may probably be carried to them in order to trade In every Nation also account shall be given of their original Language Manners Religion Employments c. that if any art or science useful to society be there eminent it may be transferred into our own Country Much more considerable are their Governments Civil and Military their Magistrates Laws Assemblies Courts Rewards and Punishments and such like Neither must we omit the manner of educating their youth in arts liberal and mechanick taught in their Schools Universities Monasteries Shops also and the like Their manner of providing for their poor of all sorts either in Hospitals or Workhouses Lastly it will be expected that we give an account of the History or actions and successes of each
Nation of their Princes remarkable actions c. And these heads take in the sum of what is endeavoured as the principal intention in this Work Of the Artificial Division of the Earth and what 〈◊〉 depends hereupon THE Supreme Celestial Sphere tho it has really no lines at all described upon it yet 〈◊〉 the benefit of our conceptions and expressiâ—â—â— is supposed to be divided into several parts 〈◊〉 imaginary Circles which Artists have given â—â—â—gs and names unto The Planes of these â—â—â—cles being continued down to the inferior â—â—â—s and Earth are conceived to divide them 〈◊〉 into the like parts The chiefest of these 〈◊〉 eight four great ones which divide the â—â—â—vens and Earth into two equal parts and â—â—nany lesser which divide them unequally The â—â—at ones are the Horizon Meridian Equator and 〈◊〉 Zodiac The two former of which are vaâ—â—â—le differing according to places the two â—â—â—er are fixt and the same in all places The â—â—â—â—r ones are the two Tropics one of Cancer 〈◊〉 other of Capricorn with the two Polar â—â—â—les one the Arctic or Northern the other the â—â—â—rctic or Southern These and all Circles 〈◊〉 divided into 360 parts or Degrees each of which Degrees is again subdivided into 60 Minutes these again into 60 Seconds c. The Horizon so call'd because it terminates our sight is that great Circle in the Heavens Horizon which divides the superior and visible from the inferior and invisible Hemisphere as in the Scheme hh The two points every way 90 Degrees distant from it are its Poles Z. N. The superior of which being exactly over our heads is our Zenith or Vertical point the inferior which is diametrically opposite to it our Nadir So that our Horizon varieth tho not sensibly every step that we move The Circles drawn from one of its Poles to the other and cutting it at right angles are Azimuths Those lesser ones parallel to it are Almicanters It is usually distinguish'd into Rational which exactly divides the Heavens into two equal parts because its center is the same with that of the Earth and Sensible which divides them unequally because its center is at our eye But the Earth having no sensible magnitude in respect of the superior Orbs the distinction in respect of them is useless and impertinent â—his Line intersecting the Horizon at right â—â—â—es is the foundation of its partition into 〈◊〉 oasts call'd the Points of the Compass from â—â—â—nce the Winds receive their denomination For 〈◊〉 Line extended between the two intersections 〈◊〉 the Meridian Line points North and South 〈◊〉 her intersecting it at right angles points East 〈◊〉 West which four are the Cardinal Winds 〈◊〉 distance betwixt each of these being equally â—â—â—ded gives four more each of these 8 being â—â—â—n divided gives 16 these again so divided 〈◊〉 which are distant from one another 11 deg â—â—â—min and thus named North. North and by East North North East North East by North North East North East and by East East North East East and by North South South and by West South South West South West by South South West South West and by West West South West West and by South East East and by South East South East South East and by East South East South East by South South South East South and by East West West and by North West North West North West by West North West North West by North North North West North and by West Some have subdivided each of these into two parts and reckon'd 64 but that division is generally rejected as being too nice for use The Line extended betwixt each of these and its opposite is that which Mariners call a Rumb described by the Ship following the direction of the Needle so that if it sail towards any of the Cardinal points it describes an are of a circle if towards any other a spiral line The Equator is a great Circle Equator drawn at an equal distance from both Poles of the World EE It is so called because when the Sun enters into it as it doth about the tenth of March and thirteenth of September it makes the days and nights equal in all places of the world The Zodiac is a great Circle Zodiac which cutteth the Equator obliquely into two equal parts EcE its greatest declination or distance from it is about 23 deg 30 min. 'T is so call'd from the 12 Signs that are in it Aries Taurus c. each of which contains 30 deg because that is the twelfth part of 360. The beginning of Aries and Libra are the Equinoctial points and the Meridian drawn thro them is the Equinoctial Colure PEP as that thro the beginning of Cancer and Capricorn is the Solstitial PcP The Tropic of Cancer is a lesser Circle Tropics described by that point of the Zodiac which is most distant from the Equator bcb In this the Sun moveth when it it has obtain'd its utmost Northern declination which is about June 11. The Tropic of Capricorn is that answerable to it on the other side of the Equator wherein the Sun moveth when it has attain'd to its utmost Southern declination dd which is about Dec. 12. The Arctic and Antarctic Circles Polar Circles are those little ones so far distant from the Poles of the World as the Tropics are from the Equator aa and ee because they are described by the Poles of the Zodiac which are distant from those of the World 23 deg 30 min. Besides these four we may imagine innumerable other little Circles parallel to the Equator such as in Globes and Maps are drawn every 10 deg for the more ready observation of the Latitude of places as in the Scheme 10 10 20 20 c. These 4 less Circles divide the Earth into 5 parts Zones which are call'd Zones But this partition was of more note amongst the Ancients then now it is tho it could never be of any considerable use for to describe the situation of a Country only by saying that it was in such or such a Zone is too wide a direction to find it out The two Frigid ones comprehended within the Polar Circles they thought unhabitable by reason of their extreme cold and darkness as also they did the Torrid one betwixt the Tropics by reason of its excevssie heat So that the two Temperate ones betwixt the Polar Circles and the Tropics are only left to be inhabited But these mistakes have long since by the improvement of Navigation and Merchandizing been discovered for even in the midst of the Torrid Zone under the Equator are now well known to lye Ethiopia Sumatra and many Islands as populous and fruitful as any in the Temperate ones Nor are they so much hotter then we as they are nearer the Sun because the length of their nights being always about twelve hours the frequency of their rain and the briskness and constancy of their wind
that alone but to observe any two or more of them in the same place and with as much exactness as the present circumstances can well afford For when some cannot others may be seen and errors committed in the observations and calculations of one may be found out and corrected when compared with anothers By such different observations frequently made and compared with one another which most Pilots can in some measure do they will not only promote their own art and safety but very signally contribute to the perfection of Geography In order to which it would be highly advantageous if any true lover of Arts would take care that these following particulars may be put into practise 1. That the Longitude of some great merchandizing City suppose London be exactly computed by diligent and skilful Astronomers from the observations of the same Eclipse there and at the Peak of Teneriff or by what other methods they shall judge most accurate 2. That Ephemerides be carefully calculated for the Meridian of that City shewing the moment of time when all the forementioned Celestial appearances happen there 3. That the Merchants and other Mariners be prevailed with especially when they go any unusual voyage to take with them these Ephemerides and to note continually when they are in foreign parts what difference they observe betwixt any of the appearances there and in their Tables And at their return that they communicate them to such promoters of Learning who shall be ready to receive and improve them The reason why the appearances of no other of the Planets besides the Moon and Jupiters Satellites can be serviceable to discover Longitudes is because the proper motions of all the rest are so slow that the quickest of them seems to continue in the very same point above half an hour and so how exact soever the observation be it may occasion the mistake of seven or eight degrees whereas every Longitude should if it were possible be computed within as few minutes Many other methods have been invented to solve this difficulty whereof some are too erroneous to be mentioned others too nice to be practised Some Artists have undertaken to make Clocks to go so exactly that being set to the just time of day at any known place they shall go true to a minute for many days and so being carried to an unknown one will shew the hour at the place where it was set which being compared with the hour taken by the Sun or Stars at the present place will as before give the difference of their Longitudes But such Clocks as these have never yet been made that we have heard of tho of late the Art is arrived to so great a perfection that it seems scarce capable of any farther improvement Others also have observed that the spots in some of the Planets and consequently their bodies themselves move regularly round their own axis as Jupiter doth in less then ten hours hence they collect that if the time and manner of these spots appearance were calculated for any known Meridian and then observed at another their difference in Longitude may hereby be found out as well as by any of the foregoing methods But besides many other difficulties which attend this observation it cannot be made without the assistance of better Telescopes then are ordinarily to be had To reduce the degrees of Longitude and Latitude and of all other Circles described on the Earth to English miles or any other known measures 't is necessary that we first know how many of them answer to one degree which being agreed upon it will be easie to compute not only the distance in miles betwixt two particular places whose Longitude and Latitude is given but also all the dimensions of the whole Earth Our English miles are derived originally from the length of Barly-corns 3 of which are an inch 12 inches a foot sixteen feet and an half a perch 40 perch a furlong 8 furlongs that is 1760 yards a mile by statute And the opinion most commonly received is that about 60 of these are answerable to a degree in any great Circle on the Earth and one of them to a minute If so then 60 multiplied by 360 or 21600 miles is the greatest Circuit It s Diameter is 6872. The superficies is 148435200 square miles The solid content is 169921796242 cubic miles When two places differ only in Latitude the degrees of the Meridian intercepted betwixt them multiplied by 60 gives their distance in miles If they differ in Longitude only and are both under the Equator their difference in degrees is likewise to be multiplied by 60. But when they are distant from the Equator the Parallel under which they are is less and so fewer miles equal a degree in it The number of them in any degree of Latitude betwixt the Equator and the Poles is found out by this proportion As the Radius is to the sine complement of the Latitude So is 60 to a fourth which is the number of miles answering to a degree of Longitude under that Parallel By this rule the following table is calculated to each degree of Latitude shewing the number of miles and sixtieth parts answering to a degree in their several Parallels  English Lat. Mil. Min. Equator 60 00 1 59 56 2 59 55 3 59 52 4 59 50 5 59 46 6 59 40 7 59 37 8 59 24 9 59 10 10 59 4 11 58 52 12 58 40 13 58 28 14 58 12 15 58 00 16 57 40 17 57 20 18 57 4 19 56 44 20 56 24 21 56 00 22 55 36 23 55 12 24 54 48 25 54 24 26 54 00 27 53 28 28 53 00 29 52 28 30 51 56 31 51 24 32 50 52 33 50 20 34 49 44 35 49 8 36 48 32 37 47 56 38 47 16 39 46 36 40 46 00 41 45 16 42 44 36 43 43 52 44 43 8 45 42 24 46 41 40 47 41 0 48 40 8 49 39 20 50 38 32 51 37 44 52 37 00 53 36 8 54 35 26 55 34 24 56 33 32 57 32 40 58 31 48 59 31 00 60 30 00 61 29 4 62 28 8 63 27 12 64 26 16 65 25 20 66 24 24 67 23 28 68 22 32 69 21 32 70 20 32 71 19 32 72 18 32 73 17 32 74 16 32 75 15 32 76 14 32 77 13 32 78 12 32 79 11 28 80 10 24 81 9 20 82 8 20 83 7 20 84 6 12 85 5 12 86 4 12 87 3 12 88 2 4 89 1 4 90  0 When places differ both in Longitude and Latitude the distance betwixt them is also found out by two operations in Trigonometry whereby an oblique angl'd spherical Triangle is resolv'd having two sides and the angle intercepted given to find out the other side for in the present case the complements of the Latitudes are the two sides the angle made by them at the Pole is the difference of the Longitudes and the
by the weeds Fowls are here in great abundance and variety Fowls Our men have seen those they call Bassgeese or such as once a year come to breed in the Bass a famous rock or Island near Edinburgh The natives also have a very great art and dexterity in making and setting snares and springes to catch them which they do chiefly for their skins and feathers Two or three of our men with their guns killed in one day fifteen hundred and found them worse tasted but better clothed than those of the same kind in these countries they could not eat them till flayed their skins being very thick tough and more cover'd with feathers which also were not easily plucked off which is the reason that the natives dress their skins as they do those of beasts and Seals and make garments of them using them to all purposes like other furrs with the feathers outward in summer inward in winter which is also observed in all other cold countries as well as Groneland All persons Of the North-light that have been there give a wonderful and strange account of a certain northlight as they call it not easily conceived by them who have not seen it It appears usually about the time of the new Moon and tho only in the north yet doth it enlighten the whole country sometimes also Norway Iseland and even these regions of ours as Gassendus vita Piresk exercit In Doctorem Flud saith himself observed and at large describes Nor should I much doubt to affirm that it is that which is sometimes seen in England and especially in the northern parts call'd Streaming It is said to be like a great pillar or beam of fire yet darting out rays and streams every way moving also from place to place and leaving behind it a mist or cloud continuing also till the Sun-beams hide it The country seems to be inhabited by divers nations Division of the Country differing in habit manners and language Those whom James Hall found and brought with him differed much from those with whom Gotske Lindenaw had to do That part which the Norwegians are said to have anciently possessed was an inconsiderable part of that whole country and they found several nations there besides themselves govern'd by several Kings tho they write not that they had wars one with another but only against them Our late discoverers in 66 deg 50 min. found a country which the natives as they could understand them called Secanunga who also said that they had a great King carried upon mens shoulders and they called him Cachico But more particulars than these I find not The inhabitants are generally of a low stature Inhabitants black hair flat nos'd broad fac'd lips turned up and of a ripe Olive colour some of them also quite black Their women for their greater ornament doubtless stain their faces in blew and sometimes in black streaks which colour they let into the skin by pricking it with a sharp bone that it will never be taken nor worn out In all things they resemble the Samoieds and Laplanders They are very active and strong yet could some of our English run swifter and leap farther than any of them but they were hard enough for any of ours at wrastling They are also very couragious and sometimes desperate for rather than be taken by our men they would throw themselves down the rocks and mountains Extreamly thievish treacherous and revengeful they proved nor could any kindness or fair dealing win them but as true Barbarians never omitted any opportunity of fulfilling their desires they would steal when they saw the Mariners look upon them After they had been well used and treated at their tables they would shoot at sling stones wound and kill our men if they could Yet are they apprehensive enough and quickly conceive yours and express their own meaning If they had not seen what was asked them they winked or cover'd their eyes if they understood not stopt their ears and the like They delight exceedingly in musick to which they would keep time both with their voice hands and feet wonderful also affectionate one to another and to their country In one voyage there went a Danish Mariner with black hair flat nos'd and other tho not very exact resemblances of a Gronelander as soon as they saw him they came about him kissed him hung upon him and shewed to him all possible demonstrations of kindness and affection And those who were in Denmark never enjoy'd themselves nor had any content but continually pined away and languish'd with discontent for their condition and love of their country Their religion such as it is seems to be unto the Sun for when our people invited them to conversation bartering c. they held up their hands towards the Sun and cried Yotan nor would they come near us till our men had done the like But John Munck and divers others having gone farther into the country found images such as we make of Devils with horns beaks claws cloven feet c. very ill made Altars also and quantities of bones of beasts as of Deer Foxes Dogs and the like near unto them They seem also as all Idolaters given to inchantments and sorceries Our men have seen them lying flat upon the earth and muttering their prayers or charms into the ground worshipping the Devil whose proper habitation they conceive to be under them In some diseases they tye a stick to a great stone to which they pay their devotions and if they can lift it up easily and lightly they think their prayers are heard and recovery granted In winter they retire from the Sea-side unto the warmer valleys where they have their houses and towns which are commonly caves at the foot of an hill round like an oven close to one another and passages in the inner parts from one to another their doors which are low and round open to the south and they dig trenches also to draw away the water that falls or drains from the hill The entrance and some part of their house stands without the cave which they frame very handsomly and commodiously of the ribs of Whales join'd artificially at the top and cover'd with Seals-skins They raise also one part of their floor higher than another which they strow with moss to sleep upon But in their fishing time they have tents which they remove from place to place in their larger Boats They set up four poles and cover them with skins which serves very well in summer when fishing is done they return with them to their houses Their manner of bartering is to make two heaps one of such things as they desire the other of what they would part with and they cease not to take away from the one or other till the trade is ballanced The chiefest things of ours which they valued were knives needles little pieces of iron looking-glasses c. for these they would sell their bows and arrows
them are Simbeyska-gora Arbuchim but of the greatest part the names are unknown The river Adrobe enters Volga in 53 deg 48 min. as doth the river Vssa not much lower A little beyond in a great plain is a sandy hill call'd Sariol-Kurgan which they say was the burial of a Tartar Emperor and seven Kings there slain and made by the Soldiers carrying sand and earth in their helmets Three hundred and fifty versts below Casan is Samara a large City upon a river so called three versts from the banks of Volga tho it do not wholly join with the great stream till fifteen versts lower and over against it on the right hand fall in also the rivers Ascula and Lisran Below Samara an hundred and fifteen leagues is the mountain of the Donski Cosacks who from hence usually robbed the boats that came down the Volga below this the river Zagra joins the Volga and not far thence the river is so shallow that the Cosacks ford it and lurking in the sledgy and bushy Islands of the river rob and spoil securely These people do very much mischief to the Russes and the Emperor to repress the inrodes of them and the Tartars hath built divers Cities and Forts giving them to be inhabited only by soldiers one is Soratof in 52 deg 12 min. chiefly against the Kolmuck-Tartars whose country begins here and reaches to the Caspian Sea a very deformed barbarous and cruel sort of people great man-stealers and enemies both to Russes Cosacks and chiefly the Nagai-Tartars Czaritza Tsornojar and divers others were built for the same reason An hundred and fifty versts below Saratof on the left hand of Volga is the river Ruslana and over against that the mountain of Vrakufs-Karul where they say a Tartarian Prince called Vrak was killed by the Cosacks near to which is the river and mountain called Camaschinka near whereto Stenko Radzin was born the river rises out of the torrent of Iloba and falls into the Don. The Cosacks bring over land their boats upon four wheels thence into the Volga where they exercise their piracies and plunderings The river Bolloclea is ninety versts below Camuschinka and near that about 48 deg 51 min. is the shortest distance betwixt the Volga and Don which is about seven leagues In 49 deg 42 min. is Tzaritza three hundred and fifty versts from Soratof From thence to Astracan is only heaths and barren grounds below lies the Isle of Zerpinske over against which a little river rises out of the Don but so little that it will hardly bear a small boat Massa in his Map for in others it is not to be found calls it Kamous falls into the Volga Near to this place also was begun a trench large enough to convey Vessels from Don to the Volga and it is expressd in divers Maps but it was given over for the Nagai and the other Tartars fearing not without reason that it would be a means to bring the Turk upon them as the Muscovite also did they joined all together and not only disturbed the work but also beat the army of the Crim-Tartar consisting of 80000 together with 20000 Turks and 3000 Janisaries Below that on the same side the river Wesowi and thirty versts from that Wolodinerski Vtsga empty themselves into the Volga The country all hereabouts and down as far as Astracan is very plentiful in Liquorice Thence the river descends to Tzormegar a little City inhabited only by a garrison against the Cosacks who there used to rob and particularly defeated a great convoy of fifteen hundred Muscovites for the river being there very swift they suffer'd the soldiers to go first and then setting upon the Merchants killed seven or eight hundred of them and carried away all the goods before the convoy could come up to help them The next considerable place is Astracan a great City in an Island made by two branches of the Volga and called Dolgoi It was anciently the Metropolis of the Nagai-Tartars and built by one of their Kings called Astra-chan it lies in 46 deg 22 min. and the needle varies westward 13 deg 40 min. others say that it lies in 47 deg 9 min. yet is the winter which lasts but two months so cold that the river is frozen hard enough to bear sleds The Island is sandy and barren except some gardens cultivated by the richer Citizens The country also thereabout is marshy and desart yet do the inhabitants make a great profit by their salt which the Sun bakes upon the top of the water about a finger thick the inhabitants cast it up into great heaps and transport it to other countries The river also is mightily stored with fish and there is great plenty of fowls of all sorts They have great store of most excellent fruits and particularly grapes This City was ann 1554 taken from the Tartars by Ivan Vasilowich who sending his army in small parties and several ways arrived at the Town before he was expected or the enemies provided to receive him presently encouraging his men by promising them the plunder of the Town Aug. 1. he took it by storm where he spared none that would not be baptized Having re-peopled it with Muscovites he encompassed it with a stone-wall and other fortifications Michael Federowitz afterwards added another part to it so that the circuit of it at present is 8000 Geometrical feet defended by 500 pieces of Ordnance nine Regiments each containing 500 Musqueteers two Weywods c. The situation of it invites Merchants thither from all parts even from the Indies so that the customs tho very low amount to 25000 crowns per ann The inhabitants of the country Tartars of Crim and Nagaia are not permitted to live in the City as neither to build Cities or fortifie Towns But for the most part they live in huts of reed or cane like to our hen-coops which in cold weather they cover with a course cloth the summer they spend in rambling up and down to find pasture for their cattel in winter time retireing under Astracan for their security against the Calmuk and Jaick Tartars The Grand Tzar lends them arms which they restore at such a time they pay no tribute but are obliged to serve him in his wars which they do very willingly in hope of prey They have their own Princes Commanders and Judges but some of their chief Murza's are always kept as hostages at Moskow If any one desire to know what these Cosacks be Of the Cosacks that have caused all this noise and trouble in the world tho we shall treat more largely of them when we come to the Vkrain yet it will not be amiss to give here some general account of them Authors differ much concerning the reason of their name some say that they are so called from Cosa which in the Polish language signifies a Goat But I find that in the Circassian and other Tartar languages Cosac signifies a Soldier perhaps as Cimber in
and many other superstitions they seem to have borrowed from the Romans who came into this country under the conduct of Palaemon Hence they used to burn their dead expecting saith Cajalowicz part I. Hist Lithv lib. 5. p. 140. a resurrection out of the ashes at the coming of a strange God to judge the whole earth from the top of one of their mountains From these Idolatrous practises they were first converted to Christianity by Vladislaus Jagello their Great Duke who A. D. 1386 upon his marriage with Hedvig Queen of Poland turned Christian and was baptized at Cracow by John Bishop of that See He is said to have been a very pious and zealous Prince and exceeding diligent in bringing over the whole Dukedom of Lithvania to the Christian religion At the first he met with no small opposition but when the King had cut down their tall trees the Temples of their Heathenish Gods and no mischief befell him the people begun to think their Idols would never take this affront if able to revenge themselves and therefore they were resolved to listen to their Princes advice Whereupon the King immediately built a Cathedral and founded a Bishoprick at Vilna and the Queen furnished seven parish Churches in the neighbourhood with Chalices vestments and all other necessaries for divine service The Russians at that time as most of them are still were members of the Greek Church so that the King thought good to forbid marriage with a Russ that would not conform to the Church of Rome At this day many Lithvanians are of the Greek Church tho more of the Roman In Vilna and several other great Towns vast numbers of the Inhabitants are Lutherans The whole Dukedom is divided into ten Palatinates the Metropolis and chief of which is Vilna The next is the Palatinate of Troki 3. Minsko 4. Novogrod 5. Breste 6. Volhinia 7. Kiow 8. Miecislaw 9. Vitebsk 10. Poloxko Vilna called by the Inhabitants Vilensski by the Germans die Wilde has its name from the river upon which 't is seated The houses are generally low and mean all of wood excepting only in some streets where Merchants of other nations that resort hither for trade have built themselves more then ordinary gentile ones of stone Most of the Churches are of stone some of wood The suburbs are not built here as at other Cities in Europe but round the walls in a confused and disorderly manner every man placing his house which is nothing else but a wooden booth where he pleases The citizens are exceeding poor and idle slaves to their Nobles and their belly They are taken notice of for great lovers of onions and garlick which kind of diet help'd by their smoaky houses blinds half of them before they arrive at any considerable age Their excessive intemperance in drinking breeds continual quarrels among them If a stranger be kill'd in any such broil the murderer pays only sixteen dollars as a mulct If a Lithvanian be slain and the murderer fly 't is usual to preserve the dead corps embalmed till they can apprehend the fugitive whom they cannot condemn without shewing him the carcase of him he slew There is not one public hospital in the whole City though it stands in more need of such a provision then any place in Europe if we might judge by the swarms of beggars every street affords The only peice of neat building is the Monastery of Bernardine Monks all of hewn stone The Moscovian company of Merchants have also a considerably handsome structure built for a repository of Furrs Ermines and other rich merchandise brought from Mosco The great Dukes Palace has nothing of note in it but the armory which is admirably furnished with all sorts of arms and armour considering that Lithvania it self affords no mines of brass or iron About two English miles from Vilna the great Duke has another Palace called from its situation Wersupa that is near the water built by Sigismund King of Poland all of wood and beautifyed with a Park and pleasant orchards and gardens The rest of the Cities of Lithvania have little in them observable save that they give titles to Palatines and Dukes What numbers there are of these last may be easily guess'd by what is reported of Vitoldus once Great Duke That he had no less then fifty Dukes at once in his army Samogitia THis country has its name from its situation which is low and wet Samogitz in the language of the inhabitants signifying a marshy ground Whence the Moscovite calls it Samotzkasemla It is bounded on the North with Liefland on the East and South with the great Dukedom of Lithvania on the West with the Baltic sea and some parts of Prussia A great part of the country is continually overflown with rivers and Lakes unpassable but in a frost The rest of it is full of woods which afford good store of hony purer and better then any in Lithvania or Liefland The inhabitants differ little from the Lithvanians either in manners habit or language They are sottishly ignorant grosly superstitious and easy to be imposed upon They use no plough in tilling their ground but dig it up with spades or sticks as it is usual in some parts of Moscovy When one of their governours having observed how far his countrymen were outdone in their husbandry by other nations endeavoured to teach them the art of plowing it chanced that for two years after their crop was not so rich as formerly it had been whereupon the people attributing the miscarriage to the new device grew so enraged that the governour was glad to decry the experiment for fear of an insurrection When Vladislaus Jagello had converted the greatest part of Lithvania he endeavoured to bring the Samogitians to the Christian faith In pursuance of this resolution he goes himself into this country and burning up their hallowed groves and destroying the serpents and other creatures they worshipped with threats and promises made them vow to abandon their former Idolatry and worship the true God And for fear that when his back was turn'd they might relapse into their former heathenism he founded a Bishoprick at Mzdniki endowing it with a revenue sufficient for the maintenance of a Bishop and twelve Prebends who were to officiate at so many parish Churches in and about the City Howbeit the good King was not so successful in his undertaking nor his successours so vigilant in the prosecution of his designs but that to this day many poor ignorant Idolaters may be found in the desart parts of this country These like the Lithvanians spoken of before worship a four footed serpent about three hands long called in their tongue Givosit Without one of these houshold gods you shall scarce find a family If any mischief befalls them they think 't is because the little deity has not been well attended Another piece of heathenish superstition is still retain'd by the Rusticks in the following manner About the latter end of
conceive the unreasonable dimensions of some of our Northern forefathers We cannot imagine Stature that such big bon'd fellows as these should be cocker'd in the Cradle or nursed with that tenderness which the formal luxury of our Age requires And accordingly the foremention'd Authors say that their women seldom or never made use of a Midwife but every one made shift to deliver her self and as soon as her short travel was over return'd unconcernedly to her employment As soon as ever the child was born the mother dip'd it all over in-cold water to harden it Some Commentators think Virgil understood the Germans in that Distich of his Durum a stirpe genus Natos ad flumina primum Deferimus saevoque gelu duramus undis Tho others fancy that he rather speaks of the Spartans But however Sidonius speaks downright of the ancient Dutch-men Excipit hic natos glacies matris ab alvo Artus infantum molles nec Cimbrica durat Frideric Tileman an ingenious German writer rejects the opinion of Julian Nonnus and others who report that the reason of casting young children into the Rhine of which custom we have said something before was to try by their swimming or sinking whether they were lawfully begotten or bastards He allows of the story but thinks the design was rather to inure their infants to cold and to teach them courage Ortelius says they used to place the infant on a Shield and so commit it to the River Upon the first discovery of the innermost parts of Germany to the Romans Clothes the inhabitants wore little or no clothes the young people used to go stark naked the elder sort were all men and women alike habited but both sexes so meanly clad that their wild beasts skins their Coats being seldom made of better stuff reached no lower then their Navels and never cover'd their nakedness Some of the better sort wore little short Woollen Mantles in which such as were descended of a noble Family had their Coats of Arms wrought in colours and sometimes in Gold or Silver But such pieces of gallantry were I suppose first brought in amongst them upon their acquaintance with the Romans Others had a kind of Suit and Coat all of one piece which reached as far as the middle of their legs but wanted Sleeves Such as to this day are worn in the Highlands of Scotland and some parts of Schwaben Those that wore Shoes for the common people used no such thing but went barefoot had a kind of Sandals made of a Badgers-skin or other rough untann'd Leather The Nobility and rich Yeomanry had small Bracelets of Gold about their Arms and Rings on their Fingers They had seldom any other Bed then the Earth Beds which sometimes they strew'd with Hay or the Leaves of Trees The more fashionable sort lay upon the Skins of Dogs Wolves or Bears And from this custom the Germans still retain the word Barenhauter or Bearskinner as a nick-name of as great reproach and contumely as can be put upon any man which seems at first to have signified as much as a lazy loytering fellow that never stirr'd from off his Bears-skin Tho the German Cookery be doubtless much different from what it was in former days Diet. yet their Victuals seems to have been almost the same in all Ages We find the Ancients fed upon Bread wild and tame Flesh of all sorts especially Pork Butter Fruits c. They drank Water Milk and Beer which last Cluverius tells us was a drink peculiar and almost natural to the Germans Some indeed that liv'd on the borders of Gallia drank Wine but this was only of late years For they were utter strangers to that sort of liquor before the Emperor Probus taught them to plant Vines Julius Cesar says of the ancient Schwabes Vinum ad se omnino importari non sinunt quod ea re ad laborem ferendum remollescere homines atque effoeminari arbitrantur i. e. They will not suffer any man to import Wine into their Country looking upon that liquor as a thing which strangely weakens and effeminates those that drink it In their public Feasts and Entertainments they used a great deal of freedom and jollity Feasts No man was to bring his Wife to any of these Revels nor his Son before the twentieth year of his age They sat commonly on the ground in a semicircle for the convenience of the Waiters The chief Man or Master of the Feast sat in the middle and the next honourable places were on his right and left hand If any man wanted a stomach answerable to his allowance of victuals 't was ordinary to pouch his Commons till the morrow They had never more then one Knife in a Family which hung in a certain constant place where any Guest could fetch it when he had met with a morsel too tough for his teeth for otherwise if possible they devour'd their meat without cutting The Commonalty seldom or never married more then one wife Marriages but the Princes and Nobility who were able to maintain more had the liberty to marry as many as they pleased Tacitus gives this account of the Rites and Solemnities used in their Marriages Dotem non uxor marito sed uxori maritus offert Intersunt parentes propinqui munera probant munera non ad delicias muliebres quaesita nec quibus nova nupta comatur sed boves frenatum equum scutum cum framea gladioque In haec munera uxor accipitur atque invicem ipsa armorum aliquid viroaffert c. i. e. It is here a fashion for the man to give his wife and not the woman her husband a portion The Relations of both parties are present to examine and approve of the Dowry which does not consist of such trinkets as young woers use to present to their Mistresses or Brides make use of in their wedding-dress but some Oxen a bridled Horse a Shield Spear and Sword These the new married woman receives from her Bridegroom to whom she again presents some sort of weapons c. And how inviolably they kept their marriage-vows the same Historian can inform us Septa pudicitia agunt nullis spectaculorum illecebris nullis conviviorum irritationibus corruptae And in another place Severa illic matrimonia And again Paucissima in tam numerosa gente adulteria Where this Italian seems strangely surprized with the admirable chastity of so populous a Nation and wonders at the more then ordinary strait-lac'd modesty of their Matrons which would not suffer them to indulge themselves the pleasure of seeing a Play or dancing with a friend at a Wake The very name of Germans War as before explain'd would testifie that they were a warlike people tho nothing of their valiant exploits were to be met with upon record But Florus can tell us in what a consternation the Roman Soldiers were when they first thought of giving Battel to the Germans
Hludovicus Rex missis quibusdam fidelibus suis sine bello compressit acceptisque obsidibus nonnullis muneribus non paucis eos sub pristinum redegit servitium I have been the more punctual in alledging these Authorities because I find the Polish writers obstinately deny that the Silesians had in these days any other Lords then the Princes of Poland Only Vincentius Kadlubko in the second Book of his Polish Chronicle seems to allow of the foremention'd German Relations when he says that Boleslaus I. annex'd Seleucia Prussia Russia Moravia and Bohemia to the Territories of his predecessors which intimates thus much that formerly Seleucia or Silesia was under the dominion of some other Prince In the year 1042 the Emperor Henry III. gave a grant of Silesia to Bretislaus Duke of Bohemia who resign'd it up to the Polanders on condition they should for ever pay out of it a yearly tribute to the Princes of Bohemia Afterterwards Henry IV. at a Diet held at Mentz A. D. 1086 gave power to Vrati-slaus King of Bohemia to invade Silesia Lusatia and the whole Kingdom of Poland and to subject them to his own Government as is testified by Cosmas Pragensis who was himself present at the Diet. This Cromer cannot deny but only in the height of his passion asserts that neither the Emperor Henry nor King Vratislaus had ever any thing to do with a foot of Land in any of these Territories This Assignment of Silesia occasion'd wars betwixt the Bohemians and Polanders the later whereof we have reason to believe were Conquerors since we read that the Silesians remain'd still subject to Boleslaus III. King of Poland This King's Son Vladislaus II. being banish'd by his Brothers whom his Father had left Coheirs with him of the Kingdom out of Poland fled to the Emperor Conrad III. whose Successor Frideric I. forced King Boleslaus IV. to resign all Silesia to this exil'd Brother and his Heirs for ever Vladislaus left behind him three Sons Boleslaus Mieczislaus and Conrad who were joint-Dukes of Silesia but paid some small homage and acknowledgment to the Kings of Poland The flocking in of the Germans into Silesia with Vladislaus and his Sons and their setling themselves in this Dukedom bred a great deal of bad blood betwixt this Nation and the Polanders Insomuch that the Kings of Poland would seldom call any of the Dukes of Silesia to the General Assemblies or the Princes and Nobility of that Kingdom nor were they ever admitted to succeed to the Crown tho before the Kingdom came to be Elective they had often the justest Title to it John King of Bohemia and Son to the Emperor Henry VII was a zealous promoter of these dissentions managing them so well to his own advantage that at last he became Lord of Silesia by an agreement made with Casimir the Great King of Poland However by this Treaty the whole Dukedom was not made over to him for Bernhard Duke of Sweidnitz still acknowledg'd the Supremacy of the Polish Kings as Stanislaus Lubienski proves out of several ancient Records of that Nation Afterwards Casimir the Great recover'd by force of Arms the Town and Territories of Wschovia contrary says Curaeus to the Articles of the Treaty sign'd by him and the foremention'd John King of Bohemia and by vertue of this Conquest or rather outrage committed by the said Casimir's Soldiers in the year 1343 the Kings of Poland have kept actual possession of Wschovia to this day In the reign of Casimir Jagellonides IV. John Duke of Oswiecieme ventur'd upon an affront given him to invade Poland and to lay waste several Towns and Villages in that Kingdom The Polanders to make themselves satisfaction for this injury march'd into this Duke's Territories and laid in ashes the whole Country before them until Duke John was forc'd to compound the business upon condition that he should for a certain sum of money resign to the King of Poland his whole Right and Title to the Town and Fort of Oswieciem By which means that City was cut off from the King of Bohemia's Dominions in the year 1454. About the same time the Dukes of Ratibor and Sessine made over the Dukedom of Sever to the Bishop of Cracow whose Successors are Lords of it to this day Some other small Tracts of Land in the Dukedom of Silesia do still belong to certain Abbies and other Religious Houses in the Kingdom of Poland but all the most noted Provinces except the Dukedom of Crossen of which in its place are reckon'd Dependances on the Crown of Bohemia upon which score the Emperor of Germany stiles himself Duke of Silesia This Great Dukedom is commonly divided into the Upper and Lower Silesia Diviâ—â— in the former whereof are contain'd the Cities and Territories of Jagerndorf Troppau Teschen Ratibor and Oppelen and in the later the Towns and Dukedoms of Grotkau and Neisse Brieg Bresslau Oelss Munsterberg Schweidnitz Javer Lignitz Glogau Sagan and Crossen Another division of it is into the Polish and German Silesia whereof the first contains all the Tract of Land beyond the Northern banks of the Oder and the later that on the Southern All along the Coasts of Bohemia there are vastly high Mountains which separate that Kingdom from the Dukedom of Bohemia Soil the most remarkable of which are the Montes Sudetes or Risen-bergen whereof the Reader may expect a larger account in the description of Bohemia Within the limits of Silesia the four chief Mountains are 1. Zottenberg or Zobtenberg call'd by Latin Authors Mons Zotensis Zabothus and sometimes Silensis or Silentius 'T is usually by the neighbourhood being about two German miles distant from Schweidnitz call'd the Silesian Wethercock for by the top of this Mountain they pretend to guess what weather they are to expect the next morning On the top are still to be seen the ruins of an old Castle storm'd and demolish'd by the Citizens of Breslaw in the year 1471 because it had been for several years the Harbour and Refuge of a great company of Robbers who here kept their Rendezvous and daily infested the Vicenage Out of this hill the Silesians dig a delicate dark-green Marble 2. Gratsberg or Grodisberg in the Dukedom of Lignitz on the top whereof Duke Frideric the first built a fair Castle which is since turn'd into a Watch-Tower 3. Spitsberg another Beacon-hill not far from the former 4. Georgenberg in the Dukedom of Schweidnitz famous for the Strigische Erde or Terra Sigillata which is a sort of hard Earth with several white yellow and red strokes or veins in it 'T was first discover'd by an excellent Chymist John Montanus Physitian at Strigaw and by him made use of as an antidote against all manner of poison and a soveraign medicine for a great many diseases which he cured with a great deal of facility The secret he kept for some years to himself but at last for the benefit of his Country and all mankind publish'd a