ruled this cittie the rule thereof is stil continued in that famile The territories of Siena Perugia are in this epitome perticularly described The cittie of Luca albeit within the boundes of Tuscane is a free cittie state by it self Viterbo lieth not farr from monte Fiascone which yeildeth the moste excellent wyne of all Italy Pisa is situated somwhat neere the sea not far from the hauen of Linorno TVSCANE THE KINGDOME of NAPLES AT the farthest southeast end of Italy lieth this kingdome of Naples the limits whereof are in the west the riuer Trâ—ntâ— in the north the Adritatyk sea the sea of Sicilia in the south and the Ionish sea in the east And herein are enclosed besydes a parte of Latium 8 of the goodliest regions of Italy as namely Terra di Lauora Basilicata Calabria inferiore Calabria superiore Terra d Otranto Terra de Barri Puglia Piana and Abrazzo The country generally is mountanous yet are there also plaine euen fieldes faire riuers it is very fruteful yeilding aboundance of all necessaries it hath also faire hauens as Gaeta Taranto Naples and Brindiso If we look into the histories of former ages wee shal not see any knowne kingdome in the world that hath seemed more vnforunate then this hauing bene as it were the very butte whereat fortune hath shot her sharpest-hedded arrowes heer haue the Romanes the Gothes the Lougebards the Greekes the Saracius the Normannes the Frenchmen Spagniards at seuerall tymes had their seueral dominations It is at this present vnder the comaund of Philip the 3. King of Spaine who hath there his vice-roy for the gouerning thereof The noble cittie of Naples which lendeth that name to the whole kingdome is situate on the sea syde at the foote of pleasant hilles it is great spatious inhabited with the nobilitie of the whole realme who haue herein their goodly palaces gardens so pleasant it is without the cittie by reason of the fyne walkes odoriferous trees that it seemeth an imitation of Paradise Eight miles from this cittie lieth the mount Somma of old called Veseuium accompted though now it hath left burning among the burning mountaines of the world heere Plinie the curious searcher of natural causes shewed himself too curius when of the fyre he was consumed THE KINGDOME of NAPLES ABRVZZO THis territorie lieth on the north east syde vpon the gulf of Venice other wise the Adriatyk sea and the other sydes are limitted with the riuers Tronto Salino the Apenyne hilles From whence the name Abruzzo cometh is vncertaine through the difference of opinions thereof This prouince is somwhat colder then the others of Italy it yeildeth much saffron though not so good as that of England nowrisheth great store of cattel It hath sundry high steepe mountaines that which is called Mounte Maiella is alwayes couered with snow Monte de la Virgine is very famous for the faire Church of the B. Virgin which is builded vpon the highest parte thereof The chief cittie is Aquila but of no antiquitie Beneuento is very old was first called Malenentum as both Plinie Liuius do witnes because the wynd was there so forceible that a man fitting on horseback was thereby throwne to the ground Ortano is a place exceeding ancient and there the ships out of Epirus Dalmatia do arryue with comodities for the faire or mart of Lanciano which lieth 4 myles from the sea is a towne of trafike Sulmo is wel knowne through the famous poet Ouid who heere was borne as himself doth tel vs. Ascoli is by Leander accompted among the chief townes of Abruzzo was the birth-place of Ventidius Bassus who of poore yea contemptible race himself beeing but a mule-keeper was by the Romaines made Consul a comaunder of the world of whose rising from so low estate to such greatnes the poet Iuuenal maketh memorie Aquino where S. Thomas the great diuine philosopher was borne is also in this territorie sundry other townes citties of name ABRVZZO SICILIA THis Iland kingdome lieth in the Mediteraneum sea at the north-northeast end thereof it is neere vnto the southeast end of Italy It is of diuers authors holden to haue bin continent with Italy that the force of the sea hath broken through deuyded it It is a fertile country but moste of all abounding incorne where with sundry partes of Italy from thence are serued The whole I le is deuyded in 3 partes the first is called Valle di Demona herein is the cittie of Catania more famous heretofore then at this present In this valley lieth Mount Aetna knowne through the world for the flaming syte thereof it was in opinion confirmed that the stuf or matter where through this fyre was caused was wholy consumed that therefore the fyre was ceassed but in the yeare 1536 the flame againe burst foorth to the great terror and annoyance of the inhabitants there abouts The cittie of Messino is also in this parte hauing a comodibus hauen neere thereunto is the dangerous Caribdis as much feared by sea as Aetna by land but the danger is now farr lesse then of old by reason that the hollow places on the land syde beeing stopped the sea yeildeth not such violence smalle botes may pas ouer there as ouer a calme riuer The second parte of the I le is Valle di Mazzara and in it is the cittie of Palermo therein the vice-Roy for the King of Spaine with moste of the Nobilitie resideth there is a plaine or spatious place where Constanza Normanna was deliuered of Frederyk the second vnder a pauilion vvould so bee deliuered not in any hovvs because it should not so be said that her chyld-bearing vvas vncertaine or by stelth this she did for that she vvas past the ordinary yeares of conception The third parte is Valle di Noto heerin lieth the ancient cittie of Syracusa famous heretofore through the infamous tyrants thereof It is at this present much decayed SICILIA SARDINIA THis I le lieth in the Midland or Mediterraneum sea hauing Tunes in Africa ouer against it on the south syde the I le of Corsica on the north The ayre of this country is not held very pleasing espetialy in somer That syde which lieth towards Corsica is hilly but that which is towards Africa is more plaine euen It yeildeth much corne good wyne Oliue trees it hath great store but no oyle is there made Many horses are there bred there are also wyld horses which are lesse then the other of lesse accompt Heer moreouer is bred a certaine heast called Musions which in other places is not found the skin heare thereof is lyke vnto that of the hert the hornes wreathing turned lyke vnto the hornes of a ram it is lesse in bignes then a hert it feedeth liueth vpon high mountaines and the
also sheep whose tailes are of incredible greatnes conteyne 5 or 6 yea 8 or 9 pound of flesh A certaine beast there is which is called Hyena which draweth dead bodies out of the graues vnto his den and their feedeth on them it is about the bignes of a wolf the people of the country are of opinion that these beastes do vnderstand their speech espetialy when they go about to catche them These people are generally held to be very crafty fals deceatful NATOLIA EGIPT THis ritch ancient kingdome hath on the north syde thereof the Midland sea on the east the desert of Sues the northerne end of the Red sea on the south the countrie of Nubia on the west the land of Barcha In this country of Egipt it raineth not but the riuer of Nyle ouerflowing it at sundry tymes doth make it of great fertilitie in the said riuer is a piller of marble whereon are made certaine markes of the height that the water doth arise vnto when the yeare wil prooue plentiful The riuer is deep great ships may pas on it the great serpent called the Crocodile liueth heere and eateth both men horse the fish of the riuer The greatest cittie is called Cairo or Alcaire it is meruelous great of great welth Not far from hence are the moste wonderful Pyramides vpon the greatest whereof as Plinie writerh 2060 men did continually woork for the space of 20 yeares they are buylded foure square from the foot vnto the top do stil grow sloping lesse lesse a man standing on the top for there is some space to stand or go shooting a bolt out of a crosbow the bolt in falling downe wil light on the same Pyramide which argueth the greatenes of the space it carieth beneath at the foot which greatnes also apeereth in that it neuer yeildeth any shadow from it These Pyramides haue bene buylt by the ancient kinges of Egipt to serue for their sepulchres these sepulchres the Egiptians vsed for the conseruation of their dead bodies which euen at this present are found vnrotten the flesh of them is called Mummia caried thence into other countries to bee vsed in medicyne The 2 principall sea-hauens of Egipt are Alexandria Damiata EGIPT THE porte of CARTHAGE THe countrie enuyroning the gulf of Golette otherwise called Sinus Cartha ginensis hauing at the south end thereof the cittie of Tunis is now after the name of that cittie called the kingdome of Tunis It lieth on the northsyde on the Midland sea almost directly ouer against Sardinia on the west it extendeth to Algiers eastward to Mesurata all along on the southsyde it hath the mountaines that seperate Barbarie from Biledulgerid This kingdome conteyneth 5 prouinces to wit Bugia Constantine the iurisdiction of the cittie of Tunis Tripoli and Ezzab On the west syde of thesaid Gulf are the ruynes of an aquaduct of the Ancient cittie of Carthage whereof but some sew ruynes els are left behynde to testify that once so famous a cittie hath flowrished in that place some number of howses village-lyke to that it hath bin about 25 shops of marchants are now there to bee found This cittie of Carthage is a true glasse wherein the incertitude of this vaine world may bee seene that no glorie on earth can haue euerlasting durance THE porte of CARTHAGE ABISSINE or the EMPYRE of PRESTER-IOHN THe great King comannder of all Aethiopia sundry other kingdomes countries is called of Christians Proster Iohn of the moores Arictabassi of his owne people Acegue that is Emperor His dominions are limited on the southsyde with the Mountaines Lamae on the west with the kingdome of Congo the riuer Nyger c. on the north with Nubia Bugia that confyne vpon Egipt on the east with the Red sea Synus Barbaricus The country generaly is very fruteful albeit there bee litle corne yet is there other grayne other good frutes not found in Europe vineyards they haue but no olyue trees yet make they oyle of an herbe called Gena Of hony and wax they haue meruelous great store They haue al sortes of great beastes as Elephants Lions Camels horses red-deere kyen gotes c. they are much endamaged by great multitudes of grashopers Good mynes of metals they haue but not theskil to make vse of them They haue 2 somers 2 winters which are not greatly denyded by heat or cold but by rainy faire wheather The people are of a kynde of tawny colour vnseene in notable scyences without knowlege of Phisick They haue no coyned mony but vse peces or wedges of gold by waight They are Christians but hold many grosse errors both men and women are circumsised they are Christened at 40 dayes old They haue a book which is deuyded in 8 partes which they beleeue the Apostles to haue written before their departure from Ierusalem Mōnasteries they haue many both of men women wherein they do liue stricktly but it is lawfull for lay men to haue 2 or 3 wyues at once deuorcements are also allowed The Emperor affirmeth him self to be descended from the lyne of King Dauid he hath no one setled place of residence but remoueth from one prouince to another dwelleth in tents It is said hee is not of the colour of his people but of a whyter fairer skin He may surely bee accompted one of the greatest princes of the world is esteemed able to bring to the feld a million of men 500 elephants a great nomber of horses camels ABISSINE or the EMPYRE of PRESTER-IOHN BARBARIE ON the northsyde of Africa all along by the Mediteraneum sea oueragainst the south partes of Spaine France Italy lieth this country of Barbarie al along on the southsyde thereof are certaine woodie mountaines that deuyde it from Biledulgerid in these hilles are great store of wyld beastes This country of Barbarie is held the best moste fruteful parte of Africa conteyneth 4. kingdomes or rather in deed prouinces to wit Maroco Fez Telesine and Tunis The inhabitants are of a duscish colour are called Barbarians of the woord Barbara which in the Arabee tongue signifieth grumbling because their speech soundeth in the eares of the Arabians as no perfect or cleere pronunced speech but as a kynde of grumbling they were first Idolaters afterward conuerted to the faith of Christ yet at the length they came to Mahometisme wherein they yet continew are for the most parte subiects or tributaries to the Turck except some few places which are in the possession of the King of Spaine BARBARIE FESSE and MAROCCO AT the west end of Barbarie are thease 2 kingdomes of Fesse Marocco that of fesse lieth of the twaine more toward the north the Mediteraneum sea that of Marrocco more inward toward the south The realme of Fesse taketh name of
FRANCONIA FRanconia in the Germaine tongue vulgarly called Franckenland hath on the southsyde Bauaria on the west the riuer of Rhene Bohemia on the east Hassia Thuringia on the north Out of this prouince according to the opinion of many very good authors came Faramond with his Francks or Franc-men so called because they were a free people thereof since called French-men into Galia which therevpon came to lose that ancient name to be called France of some authors Francia Occidentalis or vvest-france because this country of Franconia is called Francia Orientalis that is East-france Adriauns Iunius notwithstanding holdeth a paradox that the Franckes that went out of Germanie to inhabite Galia did dwel much lower vpon the east syde of the Rhene The most famous citie of Franconia is Franckford where 2 very famous faires or martes are holden euery yeare the one about midlent the other in the middest of September The Emperor Charles the fowrth ordained Franckford for the place of the Emperors election All Skirm-masters to wit masters of defense through all Germany must come to this citie bee here allowed so to bee yf by the burgers which are notable fensers they are found to deserue tht name The Bishop of VVirtsberg is duke of Franconia The country is pleasant fruteful hauing store of vineyardes About the citie of Bamberg groweth so great aboundance of Licoris that it is transported thence with cartloades FRANCONIA VVIRTENBERG THe dukedome of VVirtenberg in tyme past an earldome doth ioyne westward vpon the marquisdome of Baden northward vpon the territories of the Paisgraue of the Rhene east southward vpon Svveuia It is very fertile hath many faire townes thorpes the principall cittie is called Stutgard there the Duke keepeth his court There are such fruteful vineyards about this cittie that the people haue a prouerb that yf the grapes of Stutgard were not gathered the cittie would bee drowned in wyne Next vnto this is the cittie of Tubing which hath an vniuersitie the which was founded by the Earle Euerard in the yeare 1147. At the townes of VViltbad Zil there are hotte bathes and at Gipping there is a fountaine which yeildeth water of a fyne tartish sauor which the inhabitants in their tongue do call Saurbrun which is in english sower-bourne or sower-water and beeing dronck it serueth for a remedy against diuers diseases The castle of VVirtenberg whereof the country taketh name is situate vpon the pleasant riuer of Neccar on the sydes whereof groweth a very good kynde of wyne wel knowne in Germaine by the name of Neccar-vvyne VVIRTENBERG TIROL THis earldome of Tirol conteyneth a parte of the Alpes that deuyde Germany Italy hauing on the northerne syde Bauaria on the southern syde Italy The chief cities hereof are Inspruck Bolzan Tirol Trent Brixia Bruneck and Schvvatz This country is very ritch in mynes and notwithstanding the hillynesse thereof yet hath it sufficient of all thinges for humaine sustenance About three Germaine myles from the cittie of Trent lieth a mountaine called Nausberg which is in length 12 Germaine myles and 3 in bredth Rodulph the sonne of Albert Duke of Austria annexed by mariage this earldome vnto his other possessions the same beeing also confirmed by the last wil restament of the fore-going heyre possessor thereof TIROL SVITZERLAND SVitzerland called in Latin Heluetia hath on the southsyde Lombardy on the west syde Sauoy on the north the county of Burgundy on the east the county of Tyrol This people hauing taken all gouernment from the Nobillitie deuyded the country into 13 partes or Cantons the magistrates of each chief towne of these cantons do gouerne the whole canton there vnto belonging The 13 cantons are these Zurick Berne Lucerne Vri Suits Vndervvalden Zug Glaris Basel Fribourg Soleurre Shafhouse and Appenzel besydes these they are confederate with certaine other iurisdictions This country of Suitzerland is held to bee the highest land in all Christendome very probably for the exceeding high mountaines thereof from whence the riuers of Rhene Danubius Po Sone Rhosue descending do seek their passages through lower regions hold their courses diuers wayes as the Danubie eastward the Rhene northward the Po southeast the Sone Rhosue westward which z riuers lastly ioyning in one do turne southerly fall into the sea at Marcels It hath many great lakes one of them beeing vpon a high hil is not knowne to haue any issue foorth nor by any chanels coming to it to bee augmented There groweth very good corne wyne such store of cattel is there nowrished that oxen are sent thence to serue other prouinces both of Italy Germany SVITZERLAND ITALIE ITalie beginning in the northwest at the foot of the Alpes which deuydeit from Germany and France extendeth it felf betwene the Mediteraneum and the Adriatyk sea toward the foutheast in the forme of a mannes arme This famous countryes praise would rather requyre a large volume then so brief a description as a page of paper wil admit The sweetnes of the ayre the goodnes of the earth the fruteful vynes olyue trees the plenty of cattel the sweete riuers lakes fountaines the sea hauens about it what praise deserue they not There are in Italy very many faire ancient citties amongst the which the chiefest is the maiestical cittie of Rome whose glory both antiquitie power hath highly renowmed ouer all the world The principall citties of Italie are comonly thus praised Rome for holynesse Naples for noblenesse Florence for fairenesse Bononia for fatnesse of the soile Rauenna for oldnesse Venice for ritchnesse Milan for greatnesse and Genua for statelynesse c. The people of Italy are generally very ingenious excelling in all excellent artes sciences ITALIE FRIVLI FRiuli called in latin Forum Iulij lieth at the vpper end of the Adriatyksea or gulf of Venice and not farr from the cittie of Venice on the east syde it hath Istria on the north the hilles called Lapides westward a parte of the Alpes on the south the aforesaid sea This country hath serued for the dore entrance of sorrow affliction to it self the adioyning countries for that the Batbarians in tymes past did here make their aryuall It is on the one syde plaine euen but afterward it riseth higher higher groweth steep vp vnto the high neyghbouring mountaines it hath notwithstanding fruteful feilds faire vineyards much wood both for fuel and maintenance of chase In the mountaines are mynes of all mettals as namely Iron Lead Tin Quicksiluer Siluer Gold There is also passing faire whyte marble taken our of the quarreyes moreouer Christal Beril other stones of price are there found This country was subiect vnto the Romans so long as their gratnes endured afterward it was subdued by the Longobards gouerned by dukes and now lastly it belongeth vnto the Venetians who accompt them-selues
the ancient owners The chief citie is Aquilea somtyme ritch famous but since obscured through the greatnes neerenesse of the cittie of Venice FRIVLI ISTRIA IStria is almoste a peninsula it is situate on the vpper end of the gulf of Venice or the Adriatik sea hauing the said sea on all sydes saue on the north for there it is ioyned with the continent of Croatia with the high mountaines thereof it is limitted In this prouince are sundry cities the chief whereof are Caâ—od'istria otherwise called Instinopolis Parenzo and Pola the later beeing famous both for the antiquitie thereof the comodiousnes of the hauen It is said to haue bene builded by those of Colebe from whence the inhabitants of this country wil seeme to bee descended the great antiquitie in deed appeereth by certaine Arckes and Towers yet remayning By Attila King of the Hunnes this cittie as many other was sore spoyled About Cauod'istria the country is very fruteful it bringeth foorth wyne oyle hath good meddowes for the nouriture of cattel it hath also good salt The high hil called Monte Maggior which to the shipmen at sea doth giue the first shew of this country is frequented by the apothecaries seekers of simples for the excellent herbes here growing whereof some bee very rare as els where scarsly or not at all to bee found ISTRIA ZARA and ZEBENICO THe territorie of Zara and Zebenico lying on the northeast syde of the Adriatyk sea otherwise called the gulf of Venice is almost an I le but by ioyning with the continent on the northsyde it is a peninsula Zara was somtyme called Iadera it was a citie where soldiers resided strong foreseene of all necessary thinges which was the cause of their often resisting the venetians in fyne their owne subduing In this citie among other antiquities there lieth the body of S. Simeon which as saith Peeter Martyr of Angleria doth yet remaine whole intyre and that hee wondred that a dead body should so long remaine whole vncorrupted which neither with Mirrhe or any ointment hath bene conserued The citie of Zebenico was of old tyme called Sic it is not of that greatnesse or fame that Zara is of which is a faire wel built citie wel situated for the comoditie of the sea ZARA and ZEBENICO THE DVKEDOME OF MILAN THis moste pleasant parte of goodly Lombardy confyneth eastward with the territories of Parma and Cremona westward with Piemont Southward with the mountaines of Svvitzerland The citie of Milan is the chief of all the citties of this duchie hath bene euen the balle of fortune to bee tossed transposed to from somany commaunders This cittie is very great the buildings high beautifull the citizens excelling in all artes and sciences The Demo or great churche is maruelous faire beeing within without adorned with goodly imagery of whyte marble The castle of Milan is held to bee the chiefest place of strength of all christendome Many other notable cities are in this duchie scarsly is their any one towne or cittie to bee found where the memorie of warr either at it or neere about it doth not yet remaine The countrie is very euen hauing euery where fyne brooks of cleere water passing through it as also some principall riuers whereof the Po is the chief which beginning at mount Vesulus endeth in the Adriatyk sea The soile is exceeding fruteful aboundant in all thinges as corne wyne flesh fish all sortes of excellent frutes THE DVKEDOME of MILAN PIEMONT THis countrie is wholy on the west syde partly on the north south sydes ioyned vnto the Alpes and is the first plaine euen ground that beginneth at the foote of those mountaines therefore rightly hath the name of Piemont westward it ioyneth vnto the state of Milan is accompted as a parte of Lombardy It is a very pleasant fruteful soyle yeilding good corne wyne aboundance of other necessary thinges for humaine sustenance The chief cittie is called Turin called heretofore Augusta Taurinorum it is very faire beautifyed with goodly buyldings conteyning both the court of the Prince who also is duke of Sauoy the court of Parlament and the vniuersitie There are besydes this cittie sundry other fyne townes strong castles many villages About a quarter of an Italian myle from the cittie of Turin runneth the famous riuer of Po. which in tymes past was called Padus Eridonus PIEMONT THE TERRITORIE of ROOME THis territorie of Roome long tyme since called Latium is by diuers authors diuersly limitted but Leander beginneth it on the east syde with the riuer Liris westward with the Tiber Anien noorthward with the Appenynes This prouince hath bin the beginning of the greatnes of Italy the place that hath brought foorth and fostered the greatest princes of the world The region is fruteful watered with sundry riuers diuers citties it hath but the cittie of Roome not only of this territorie but of all the citties of the world hath atchieued the greatest reputation It was first builded by Romulus in the yeare before the birth of Christe 751. It hath conteyned within it 7 hilles and the circuit thereof as saith Plinie was 20 myles the cittie suburbes had 24 gates There were also 734 towres about it in them were the garrisons loged Now in our tyme is the ciruit of the cittie only 13 myles it hath some 365 towres Through the diuers destructions of this cittie it hath bin mightely altered the very forme fassion thereof wholy changed as also the number of hilles which in tyme of the heathen Emperors were named reconed to bee in old Roome yet the riuer of Tiber as of old doth stil hold his course through this cittie There are now to bee seene many moste goodly Pallaces faire Churches old ruynes the which ruynes do yet carry in them a certaine maiesticall shew of that glorie which in tymes past hath bene in this place The residence of the Pope is in this cittie his chief Pallace aioyneth vnto the great Church of S. Peeter Besydes all the Churches monasteries in Rome ther are more hospitalles places where all sortes of sick diseased persons are relieued then in any other cittie in all christendome THE TERRITORIE of ROOME THE TERRITORIE of SIENA THis territore is accompted within the limits of Tuscane howbeit lying at the east end thereof hauing on the southsyde the Mediteraneum sea The soile is pleasant fertile yeilding corne wyne oyle other frutes The places towards the sea coast comonly called Maremma are not held so good by reason of the ilnes of the ayre are therefore the lesse inhabited The cittie of Siena whereof the territory taketh name is very ancient and vnto Plinie Tacitus Ptolomey was not vnknowne Not only the gentlemen but the gentlewomen also of this cittie are very studious more then
He endued the monasteries which he founded with competent landes renenues the churches with vessels of gold siluor faire hanginges goodly paintinges ornaments c. His sonne after his death perusing his bookes of accompts did fynd that there was scarsly found any one citizen that was not one way or other in his debt And notwithstanding his great opulence he did not in his porte or apparel beare himself otherwise then the other citizens neither maried hee his children or kin folks but among his neighbours fellow citizens Thus much I thought good to ad in this place by occasion of this faire cittie of Florence which is so ancient that the name thereof was not vnknowne to Tacitus Procopius Agathias other ancient authors Touching the soile countrie becauseit is alredy spoken of in this epitome in the description of Tuscane it is heer omitted THE SIGNIORIE of FLORENCE APVLIA APulia otherwise called Terra di Otranto is the furthest east end of Italy enuyroned with the sea saue where it ioyneth vnto Terra di Barri aprocheth vnto Calabria It seemeth one of the moste temperate partes of the world Corne frute all sortes of pot-herbes medicinal herbes are heer most excellent The oates may bee compard vnto barley the barley vnto wheat of other countries But the countrie with thease extraordinarie good comodities is not exempt from incomodities as extraordinarie euil for the foile doth heer bring foorth the serpent Tarantola whose venim is cured by instrumental music Here are also certaine water-serpents and gras-wormes that poison and destroy the thinges which they touch Tarentum in tymes past was a towne of this prouince situated betwene 2 armes of the sea thought impregnable Calliopolis standeth vpon a promontorie stretching out into the sea with so narrow a passage vnto it in some places that 2 cartes cannot pas together in front Hydruntum which hath a good hauen is thought to haue bin in tymes past the Metropolitaine cittie of all this Peninsula Brindezi is also a good comodious hauen-towne the hauen whereof is chained vp euery night with 2 chaynes of Iron fastened vnto the rockes that are on either syde APVLIA ISLAND IN the north sea south from Groneland lieth the I le of Iseland so called because immediately beyond it the Icie sea is accompted to begin In this I le in somer when the Sun is in the Tropyk of Cancer there is no night contrariwise in winter no day The countrie is all ful of high hilles stony iockes the people do make themselues dwellinges in the rock sydes some do buyld themselues cabins of the bones of whales other fishes Townes villages are scarse among them not a tree is to bee found in the country neither haue they corne growing there but the valeys are so aboundant in grasse that they are faine to keep vp their cattel from ouermuch eating thinking they would els die of to great fatnesse They haue wonderful aboundance of fish much of it they do dry so make it stockfish The I le is deuyded into fowre partes those according to the foure quarters of the world east west north south They are subiect vnto the King of Denmark who yearly sendeth them a gouernor There Bishop who is of the Lutheran religion they haue in great reuerence They delight exceedingly in songes of the valiant actes of their fore fathers and euery where in the stony rockes the doughty deedes of their predecessors are grauen carued Sundry of their hilles are so high that they are alwayes couered with snow yea somtymes the snow may bee seene on the top of the hil when the foot of it burneth in flame of these the hil Hecla is the chief it lieth on the west syde of the I le There are also 2 other burning hilles the one is called Crosberg the other Helga and neer vnto mount Hecla are heard diuers hideous and strange noises ISLAND IAPPONIA BEyond the furthest continent eastward of all Asia ouer against China lierh the I le of Iapponia or Iapan it conteyneth in length about 400 english myles in bredth in some places but 20 where it is largest not aboue 60. It is deuyded into 3 partes the first whereof conteyneth 2 kingdomes to wit of Miace Amaguco In the second part are also 2 kingdomes whereof Bungi the principal of al is one Figen is another The third parte is deuyded into fowre prouinces lieth betwene the other two partes and in the kingdomes aforesaid are many seuerall gouernments The I le is hilly somwhat cold rather vnfruteful then fruteful in diuers places Howbeit in some places they gather in their graine in the moneth of May and their rice in the moneth of September they make no bread of their corne but a kynde of potage They haue neither eyle not butter beastes they haue both wyld tame but they eat the flesh of the wyld rather then of the tame they haue a kynde of auersion from much seeding on flesh therefore their greatest sustenance is ryce herbes fish they also eat the fat of fish serueth them in steed of oyle or butter Two mountaines in this I le exceed all the other the one in wonderful heigth reatching aboue the cloudes the other in casting foorth flaming fyre Many of these people haue of late yeares through the preaching of the Iesuits receaued the Christian faith howbeit not al for fome do yet continew in paganisme haue a custome diuers tymes to kil their new borne children thereby to auoyd the trouble charge of bringing them vp IAPPONIA ROMANIA THe region which now is named Romania the ancients called Thrace It is the furthest southeast parte of Europe and hath on the east syde the sea now called Mare Magiore of old Pontus Fuxinus On the southsyde it hath the sea called Archipelago on the west it hath Bulgaria c. on the north Syrfia vvalachia c. In this region lieth the ancient famous cittie of Constantinople of old called Byzantium of the Turks that now possesse it corruptly called Stambol the countrie lying about this cittie the Turks do call Galatie neere vnto this said cittie is a litle towne called Galata but more modernly Pera of old tyme Cornu-Byzantium This countrie of Thrace or Romania is neither of good soile nor good ayre but cold and barren except towards the sea syde The principall citties thereof are Abdera Apollonia Phinopolis Philippopolis Nicopolis Hadrianopolis Selybria Debeltus Heraclea Lysmachia the chief of all the aforesaid cittie of Constantinople called Byzantium of Byza the founder thereof afterward Constantinople after Constantyne the Emperor of whome it also receaued new honor new augmentation ROMANIA THE TABLE VNTO THE ADDITION LImagne 1 Champagne 2 Touraine 3 The territorie of Blois 4 Maine 5 Languedoc 6 The I le of France 7 Daulphiney 8 The Signorie of Florence 9 Apulia 10 Island 11 Iaponia 12 Romania 13 Typis Henrici Svvingenij