Kings in whose Dominion it stood which may be gathered hereby that when once the Grecians had wonne it Durius Histaspis or Xerxes who were Kings of Persia did give charge that every day at dinner one speaking aloud should remember him that the Grecians had taken Sardis which intended that he never was in quiet till it might bee recovered again There stood also in the In-land Philadelphia Thyatina Laodicea and most of all to the North Pergamus which were the other foure Cities unto which St John the Evangelist did direct his Epistle Going upward from Ionium to the North there lyeth on the Sea-coast a little Country called Eolis and beyond that although not upon the Sea the two Provinces called Mysia Major and Mysia Minor which in times past were so base and contemptible that the people thereof were used in speech as a proverb that if a man would describe one meaner then the meanest it was said he was Mysiorum postremus On the West part of Mysia major did lye the Countrey called Troas wherein stood Ilium and the City of Troy against which as both Virgil and Homer have written the Grecians did continue their siege for the space of tenne yeares by reason that Paris had stollen away Helena the wife of Menelaus who was King of Sparta Eastward both from Troas and Mysia major a good space within the land was the Countrey called Phrygia where the Goddesse which was called Bona Dea or Pessinuntia or Cybele the mother of the old gods had her first abiding and from thence as Herodiaâ—… wrteth was brought to Rome as implying that good fortune should follow her thither In this Countrey lived that Gondius who knit the â—…ot called for the intricatenesse thereof Nodus Gordianus and when it could not be untied was cut in sunder by Alexander the Greâ—…t supposing that it should bee his fortune for the loosing of it so to be the Conquerour and King of Asia as by a prophecy of the same Gordius had been before spoken Yet North-ward from Phrygia lyeth the Countrey of Bythinia which was sometimes a Kingdome where Perusias raigned that had so much to do with the Romanes In this Countrey standeth the City Nicea where the first General Councill was held against Arius the Hereticke by Constantine the Great thereof called the Nicene Councilâ—… Here standeth also Chalcedon where the fourth Generall Councill was held by the Emperour Marcianus against the Heretick Nestorius From Bythinia Eastward on the North side of Asia the lesse standeth the Countrey of Paphlagonia where was the City built by Pompey the Great called by his name Pompeiopolis On the South of Paphlagonia toward the Iland of Asiâ—… minor diâ—… stand the Countrey of Galatia whereunto Saint Paul wrote his Epistle to the Galathians And this also was one of those Countries where the Iewes were dispersed unto which Saint Peter wrote his first Epistle as also unto them which were in Pontus Cappadocia and Bythinia from whence Southward lyeth the Province termed Lyeaoni And from thence yet more South bordering upon Pamphylia which touches the Mediterranean sea lyeth Pisidia concerning which Countries we find oftentimes mention made in such stories as do touch Asia the lâ—…sse From these Sourthern parts if we returne back againe unto the North and East of Asia major lieth the Kingdome of Pontus confining upon that which is named Pontus Euxinus In this Pontus did reigne Mithridates who in his younger daies had travelled over the greatest part of Asia and is reported to have been so skilfull that he could well speak more then twenty Languages His hatred was ever great towards the Romans against whom when he meant first to put his malice in practise he so combined with the Naturals of those parts that in one night they slew more than threescore and ten thousand of the Romans carrying their intendment so close that it was revealed by none till the execution was done Pompey the Great was the man who distressed this Mithridates and brought him to that extremity that he would gladly have poisoned himselfe but could not in as much as his stomack had been used so before unto that kind of Treacle which by reason of his inventing of unto this day is called Mithridate which is made of a kinde of poyson allaied that no venome would easily work upon him Southward from this Pontus standeth the old Kingdome of Cappadocia which in times past was observed to have many men in it but little money Whence Horace saith Mancipiis locuples eget aris Cappadocum Rex Eastward from this Cappadocia as also from Pontus is Armenia minor whereof the things memorable are described in the other Armenia And thus much touching Asia the lesse Of Syria and Palestina or the Holy Land SOuthward from Cilicia and Asâ—…a the lesse lyeth Syria a part whereof was called Palestina having on the East Mesopotamia on the South Arabia on the west Tyre and Sidon and the end of the Mediterranean Sea The people of this Syria were in times past called the Ardmites In their language is the translâ—…ion of the New Testament called Syriacke In this Countrey standed Anâ—… which was sometimes one of the ancient 〈◊〉 See and is a City of reckoning unto this day Here also standeth now the City of Aleppo which is a famous Mâ—…rt Towne for the Merchandizing oâ—… the Persians and others of the Eâ—…st and for the Turks and such Countries as be adjoining Here standeth â—…th also Tripolis The South part of Syria lying downe toward Egypt and Arabia was the place where the Children of Israel did dwell being a Country of small quantity not 200. Italian miles in length it was so fruitfull flowing with Milke and Honey as the Scripture calleth it that it did maintaine above thirty Kings and their people before the comming of the children of Israel out of Egypt and was sufficient afterwards to relieve the incredible number of the twelve Tribes of Israel It is noted of this Countrey that whereas by the goodnesse of the Climate wherein it stood and the fertility of the soyle but especially by the blessing of God it was the most fruitfull Lâ—…nd that was in the World Now ouâ—… Travellers by experience do finde the Countrey in respect of the fruitfulnesse to be changed Gâ—…d cursing the Land together with the Iewes the Inhabitants of it It is observed also for all the Easterne parts that they are not so fertile as they have been in former Ages the Earth as it were growing old which is an Argument of the Dessolution to come by the day of Judgement Through this Countrey doth run the River Jordan which hath heretofore been famous for the fruitfulnesse of the trees standing thereupon and for the mildnesse of the Aire so that as Josephus writeth when snow hath been in other places of the
the one of Fezza or Fez which lyeth on the North part toward the Mediterranean and Spain the other is the Kingdome of Morocco which lyeth from above the hill Atlas minor to the South and West part of Mauritania These are both Saracens as be also their people holding true league with the Turke and with some other Christian Princes a league onely for Trafficke and Merchandize It may be doubted whether it was in this Mauritana Tingitana or rather but near unto it in Mauritania Caesoriensâ—… that which Saint Augustine in his book De doctrina Christiana doth of his own knowledge report that in a City of that Countrey was this brutish custome that once in the year for certaine dayes the Inhabitants of the place did assemble themselves into wide and large fields and there divided themselves each from other so that perhaps the Fathers were on one side and the children or brother on the other and did throw stones with such violence that many were hurt and divers killed with the fury of that assault But S. Augustine relleth that he deâ—…esting the brutishnesse thereof dâ—…d make a most eloquent and elaborate Oâ—…ation or Sermon unto them whereby he did prevaile with those of the City where he was that theâ—… give over that foolish and rude exercise Yet Leo Assâ—…icanus who lived about a hundred yeares since and in his owne person travelled over the greate part of Africke doth write in his description of Africke that in one place of the Kingdome of Fez this barba â—…us custome is yet retained Of the other Countries of Africke lying neare the Sea FRom beyond the hill Atlas major unto the South of Africke is nothing almost it Antiquity worthy the readiag and those things which are written for the most part are fables For towards the South parâ—… of Africke as well as towards the North part of Europe and Asia be supposed to be men of strange shapes as some with Dogs heads some without heads and some with one foot alone which was very huge and such like which that counterfeit Fryer who write that book which is counted Saint Augustines ad fraetres in Eremo and who would gladly father upon Saint Augustine the erecting of the Augustine Fryers doth say that he saw travelling down from Hippo Southward in Africa But as the Asse in Aesope which was cloathed in the Lyons skin did by his long ears shew himself to be an Ass and not a Lyon so this foolish fellow by his lying doth shew himself to be a counterfeit and not Saint Augustine In the new Writers there are some few things to be observed as first that all the people in generall to the South lying with the Zona Torrida are not onely blackish like the Moor but are exceeding blacke And therefore as in old time by an excellency some of them are called Nigritae so at this day they are named Negro's as then whom no men are blacker Secondly the Inhabitants of all these parts which border on the Sea coast even uâ—…to Caput bonae spei have been Gentiles adoring Images and foolish shapes for their Gods neither bearing of Christ nor beleeving on Mahomet till such time as the Portugals comming among them having professed Christ for themselves but have won few of the people to embrace their Religion Thirdly that the Portugals passing along Africa to the East Indies have setled themselves in many places of those Countries building Castles and Townes for their own safety and to keep the people in subjection to their great commodities One of the first Countries famous beyond Morocco is Guinea which we call Ginnie within the compasse whereof lyeth the Cape called the Cape Verde and the other the Cape of the three points and the Towne and Castle named Siâ—…rta Liâ—…na at which place as commonly all Travellers do touch that do pâ—…sse that way for fresh â—…er and â—…ther shâ—…p-provision â—…ur English men have found traâ—… icke into the parts of this Countrey where th iâ—… greatest commâ—…dity is Gold and Elephants teeth of both which there is good store Beyond that toward the South not â—…arre from the Equinoctiall lyeth the Kâ—…gdome of Congo com monly called Mani-congo Where the Portugals at their first arrivall finding the people to be Heathens without Gâ—…d did induce them to a profession of Christ and to be baptized in great abundance allowing of the principles of Religion untill such time as the Priest did teach them to lead their lives according to their profession which the most part of them in no case enduring they returned back again to their Gentilisme Beyond Mani-congo so fare to the South as almost ten degrees beyond the Tropicke of Capricorne lyeth the Lands end which is a promontory now called Caput bonae spei which Vascus Gama the Portugâ—…l did discover and so called it because he had there good hope that the Land did turn to the North and that following the course thâ—…reof hee might bee brought to Arabia and Persia but esâ—…ecially to Calecut in India Which course when himself and other oâ—… his Countrey-men after him did follow thâ—…y fouâ—…d on the coast up towards Arabia the Kingdome of Mosambique Melinda Magadazo and others whose people were all Gentiles and now are in league with the Portugals who have built divers holds for their safety Of which Countries and manners of the people he that listeth to read may finde much in the History of Oso 〈◊〉 and Petrus Maffaeus but there is no matter of any great importance Beyond the Cape toward the North before you come to Mosumbique between the Rivers of Cuama and Sancto Spirito lyes the Kingdome of Monomotapa where the Portugals also have arrived and so much was done there by the preaching of Gonsalvo de Silva a Jesuite that the King and Queen of that Countrey with many others were converted from Gentilisme to Christianiâ—…y and baptized But certaine Mahumetans incensing the King thereof afterwards against the Portugals made him to revolt from his Religion and to put to death this Jesuite and divers others Which fact of his the Portugals assaviâ—…g to revenge with an Army sent for out of Portugall they profited little against him but were themselves consumed by the discommodities of the Countrey and the distemperature of the aâ—…e There are also other Kingdomes sin this part of Africke of whom we know little besides their names and site in generall as Adel Monomugi Angola and therefore it shall be sufficient to have named them in a word Of Abissines and the Empire of Prester John IN the Inland of Africke lyeth a very large Countrey extending it self on the East to some part of the Red Sea on the South to the Kingdome of Molinda and a great way farther on the North to Egypt on the West to Manicongo The people whereof are called Abissini and it self the dominion of him whom we commonly call in English Prester John
of his Book De navigatione in Brasiliam doth tell that Sir Francis Drake of England when he passed through Magellane straights and so to the Molucco Ilands and then homeward from the East by Africk did in a device give the Globe of the earth with this word or Motto Primus mâ—…â—…ricumdedisti which is not simple to be understood that never any had gone round the world before him but that never any of fame for Magellane himself was slain as before is noted or else he did doubt of the truth of that narration that the Ship called Fictoria did return with safety into Spaine The Maps which were made at first concerning America and Peru did so describe the western part of Peru as if when a man had passed Magellane straits and did intend to come upward towards nova Hispania on the further side he must have born West by reason that the land did shoot out with a very great Promontory and bending that way But our English men which went with S. Francis Drake did by their own experience certainly find that the land from the uttermost end of the Straits on Peru side did go up towards the South directly without bending to the West and that is the cause whereof all the new Maps and Globes especially made by the English or by the Dutch who have taken their directions from our men are reformed according to this new observation When the Spaniards had once found an ordinary passage from the South Sea towards the Moluccoes they never ceased to travel that way and discovered more and more and by that means they had found out divers Islands not known in former ages as two for example sake a good distance from the Molucco's which because they be inhabited by men which do steal not only each from other but do pilfer away all things that they can from such strangers as do land there abouts they are called Insulae Latronum They have also descried some other neerer unto the East Indies which they now term Insulae Salomonis But the most renowned of all are those to whom the name is given Philippinae in remembrance of Philip the second King of Spaine at whose cost they were discovered These Philippinae are very rich and from thence is brought abundance of costly Spices and some other rich merchandize yea and Gold too There were also some other Islands descried by Magellanus himself which he called Insulas Infortunatas as being of quality contrary to the Canaries which are termed the Fortunate Islands For when he passing through the South sea and meaning to come to the Moluccoes where he was slain did land in these Islands thinking there to have furnished himself with victuals and fresh water he found the whole place to be Barren and not Inhabited Of the Countries that lie about the two Poles HAving laid down in some measure the description of the old known world Asia Africa and Europe with the Islands adjoyning unto them also of Americk which by some hath the title of New found World it shall not be amiss briefly to say some thing of a fift and sixt part of the Earth the one lying neer the South Pole and the other neer the North which are places that in former times were not known nor though of When Magellanus came down to the Southern end of Peru he found on the further side of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 main and hugh Land lying towards the South Pole which some have of his name called since Regio Magellanica and that so much the rather because he touched upon it again before he came to the Moluccoes Since his time the Portugals trading towards Calecâ—… and the East Indies there hath some of them been driven by tempest so far as to that which many now call the South Continent and so divers of sundery Nations have there by occasion touched upon it It is found therefore by experience for to go along all the degrees of longitude and as in some places it is certainly discovered to come up so high towards the North as to the Tropicke of Capricorn so it is conjectured that towards the South it goeth as far as to the Pole The ground whereof is that never any man did perceive the Sea did passe through any part thereof nay there is not any great river which hath yet been described to come out oâ—… iâ—… into the Ocean whereupon it is concluded that since somewhat must fill up the Globe of the Earth from the first appearing of this land unto the very Pole and that cannot be any Sea unless it should be such a one as hath no entercourse with the Ocean which to imagine is uncertain therefore it is supposed that it commeth whole out into the land to the Antartick Pole which if it should be granted it must needs be acknowledged withal that this space of earth is so huge as that it equalleth in greatness not only Asia Europe and Africa but almost America being joyned unto them Things memorable in this country are reported to be very few only in the East part of it over against the Moluccoes some have written that there be very waste Countries wildernesses but we find not so much as mention whether any do inhabite there or no. And over against the Promontory of Africk which is called Caput bonae spei there is a country which the Portugals called P sittacorum regio because of the abundant store of Parrets which they found there Neer to the Magellane straits in this south part of the world is that land the Spaniards call Terra delfuego those also which have toucht at it in other places have given to some parts of it these names Beach Lucath Maletur but we have no perfect description of it nor any knowledge how or by whom it is inhabited About this place the said Portugals did at one time saile along for the space of 2000. miles and yet found no end in the land And in this place they reported that they saw inhabitants which were very fair and fat people and did go naked which is the more to be observed because we scant read in any writer that there hath been seen any people at all upon the South coast More towards the East not far from the Muluccoes there is one part of this Country as some suppose although some doubt whether that be an Island or no which commeth up so high towards the North as the very Aequinoctial line and this is commonly called Nova Guinea because it lieth in the same Climate and is of no other temperature then Guinea in Africk is I have heard a great Mathematitian in England find fault both with Ortelius and Mercator and all our late makers of Maps because in describing this Continent they make no mention of any Cities Kingdoms or Common-wealth which are seated and placed there whereof he seemed in confidence of words to
if they were neer the Land The first oâ—… our Nation that sailed to Guiana and made report thereof unto us was S. Walter Raleigh who â—…ravelled far up into the country upon the river Orinoque after him one or two voyages thither did captain Kemish make and now lately captain Hâ—…recourt with others have visited â—…hat Country where our men conâ—…inued the space of 3. or 4. yearâ—… being kindly intreated of the natives who much desired them to come and make some plantation amongst them hoping by them to be defended against the Spaniards whom they greatly hate and fear When Sir Walter Raleigh come to Guiana â—…he overthrew the Spaniards that were in Trinidado and took Bereo their Captain or General prisoner he loosed and set at liberty four or five Kings of the people of that country that Bereo kept in chains and sent thâ—…m home to their own which deâ—…d of his did win him the hearts of the people them and make much to favour our English at this day Divers also of that country which â—…mongst them are men of note have been brought over into England here living many years are by our men brought home to their-own country whose reports and knowledge of our Nation is a cause that they have been wel entreated of these Guiancans and much desired to plant themselves amongst them Our men that travelled to Guiana amongst other things most memorable did report and in writing delivered to the world that near unto Guiana and not far from those place where themselves were there were men without heads which seemed to maintain the opinion to be true which in old time was conceived by the Historians and Philosophers that there were Acephali whose eies were in their breasts and the rest of their face there also scituated and this our English travellers have reported to be so ordinarily and 〈◊〉 mentioned unto them in those parts where they were that no sober man should any way doubt of the truth thereof Now because it may appear that the matter is but fabulous in respect of the truth of Gods creating of them and that the opinion of such strange shapes and monsters as were said to be in old time that is men with heads like Dogs some with eares down to their ankles others with one huge foot alone whereupon they did hop from place to place was not worthy to be credited although Sir John Mandevile of late age fondly hath seemed to give credit and authority thereunto yea and long since he who took upon him the name of S. Augustine in writing that counterfeit Book Ad frates in Ermo It is fit that the cerainty of the matter concerning these in Peru should be known that is that in Quinbaia and some other parts of Peru the men are borne as in other places yet by devises which they have after the birth of Children when their bones and gristles and other parts are yet tender and fit to be fashioned they do crush down the heads of the children unto the breasts and shoulders and do with frames of wood other such devices keep them there that in time they grew continuate to the upper part of the trunke of the body and so seem to have no necks or heads And again some other of them thinking that the shape of the head is very decent if it be long and erect after the fashion of a Sugar-loaf do frame some other to that form by such wooden instruments as they have for that purpose and by binding and swathing them to keep them so afterwards And that this is the custome of those people and that there is no other matter in it Petrus de Cieca who travelled almost all over Peru and is a grave and sober writer in his description of those Countries doth report There be in some parts of Peru people which have a strange device for the catching of divers sorts of fowls wherein they especially desire to take such as have their feathers of pâ—…ed orient and various colours and that not so much for the flesh of them which they may eate as for their feathers whereof they make garments either short as Cloaks or as Gowns long to the ground and those their greatest Nobles do wear being curiously wrought and by order as appeareth by some of them being brought into England And here by this mention of feathers it is not 〈◊〉 to specifie that in the sea which is the Ocean lying betwixt Europe America there be divers flying fishes yet whose wings are not feathers but a thin kind of skin like the wings of a Bat or Rearmouse and these living sometimes in the water and flying sometimes in the aire are well accepted in neither place for below either ravenous fishes are ready to devourt them or above the sea-fowls are continually beating at them Some of the Spaniards desirous to see how far this Land of Peru did go towards the South travelled down till at length they found the Lands end and a little strait or narrow Sea which did run from the main Ocean toward Africk into the South-sea One Magellanus was he that found this strait and although it be dangerous passed through it so that of his name it is called Fretum Magellanicum or Magellans straits And this is the way whereby the Spaniards do pass to the back-side of Peru and Hispania nova and whosoever will compass the whole world as some of our English men have done he must of necessity for any thing that is yet known passe through this narrow strait Ferdinandus Magellanus having a great mind to travel and being very desi rous to go unto the Molucco Islands by some other way than by the back side of Africk if it might be did in the year 1520 set forth from Sivill in Spain with five ships and travelled toward the West Indies went so far towards the South as that he came to the lands end where he holding his course in a narrow passage towards the West for the space of divers daies did at the length peaceably pass through the straights and came into a great sea which some after his name do call Mare Magellanicum some others Mare pacaficus because of the great calmness and quietness of the waters there but most comonly it is termed the South sea the length whereof he passed in the space of three months and 20. daies and came unto the Moluccoes where being set upon by the East Indian people himself and many of his company were slain yet one of his ships as the Spaniards do write called Victoria did get away from those Moluccoes and returning by the Cape Bonae spei on the South side of Africk came safe into Spain So that it may be truly said that if not Megellanus yet some of his company were the first that did ever compass the World through all the degrees of longitude Johannes Lyrius in the end