that Gordius who knit the knot called for the intricatenesse thereof Nodus Gordianus Gordius knot and when it could not bee untied was cut in sunder by Alexander the Great supposing that it should bee his fortune for the loosing of it so to bee the Conquerour and King of Asia as by a prophecie of the same Gordius had beene before spoken Yet North-ward from Phrygia lyeth the Countrey of Bythinia Bythinia which was sometimes a Kingdome where Prusias raigned that had so much to doe with the Romanes In this Countrey standeth the Citie Nicea Citie of Nice where the first Generall Councell was held against Arius the Heretike by Constantine the Great thereof called the Nicene Councell Here standeth also Chalcedon where the fourth Generall Councell was held by the Emperour Martianus Chalcedon against the Heretike Nestorius From Bythinia Eastward on the Northside of Asia the lesse standeth the Countrey of Paphlagonia Paphlagonia where was the Citie built by Pompey the Great called by his name Pompeiopolis On the South of Paphlagonia toward the Iland of Asia Minor Pompeiopolis did stand the Countrey of Galatia whereunto Saint Paul wrote his Epistle to the Galathians Galatia 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 Lycaonia Lycaonia And from thence yet more South bordering upon Pamphilia which touches the Mediterranean Sea lyeth Pisidia Pisidia concerning which countries we finde oftentimes mention made in such Stories as doe touch Asia the lesse From these Southerne parts if we returne backe againe unto the North and East of Asia Major The kingdome of Pontus lyeth the Kingdome of Pontus confining upon that which is named Pontus Euxinus In this Pontus did raigne Mithridates Mithridates who in his younger dayes had travelled over the greatest part of Asia and is reported to have beene so skilfull that hee could well speake more than twentie Languages His hatred was ever great towards the Romanes against whom when hee 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 tenne thousand of the Romanes carrying their intendment so close that it was revealed by none till the execution was done Pompey brought Mithridates to distresse Pompey the Great was the man who distressed this Mithridates and brought him to that extremity that hee would gladly have poysoned himselfe but could not in as much as his stomack had beene used so before unto that kinde of Triacle which by reason of his inventing of unto this day is called Alithridate which is made of a kinde of poyson allayed that no venome would easily work upon him Southward from this Pontus standeth the old Kingdome of Cappadocia 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 Armenia Minor 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 Silicia and Asia the lesse Syria bounded lyeth Syria a part whereof was called Palaestina having on the East Mesopotamia on the South Arabia on the West Tyre and Sydon and the end of the Mediterranean Sea The people of this Syria were in times past called the Aramites Their ancient names In their language is the translation of the new Testament called Syriacke Citie of Antioch In this Countrey standeth Antioch which was sometimes one of the ancient Patriarchs Seas and is a Citie of reckoning unto this day Here also standeth now the Citie of Aleppo Aleppo which is a famous Mart Towne for the Merchandizing of the Persians and others of the East and for the Turks and such Countries as be adjoyning Here standeth also Tripolis Tripolis The South part of Syria lying downe toward Aegypt and Arabia was the place where the Children of Israel died well being a Country of small quantity not 200 Jtalian miles in length it was so fruitfull flowing with Milke and Honey as the Scripture calleth it that it did mayntayne above thirty Kings and their people Thirty Kings before the comming of the Children of Israel out of Aegypt and was sufficient afterwards to relieve the incredible number of the twelve Tribes of Israel It is noted of this Countrey Note that whereas by the goodnesse of the Climate wherein it stood and the fertilitie of the Soyle but especially by the blessing of God it was the most fruitfull Land that was in the World Now our Travellers by experience doe finde the Countrey in respect of the fruitfulnesse to be changed God 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 beene in former Ages the Earth as it were growing olde which is an Argument of the dissolution to come by the day of Iudgement The River Iordan Through this Countrey doth runne the River Iordan which hath heretofore beene famous for the fruitfulnesse of the trees standing thereupon and for the mildnesse of the Ayre so that as Iosephus writeth when Snow hath been in other places of the Land about the River it hath beene so calme that men did goe in single thinne linnen garments In this Countrey standeth the Lake The Lake Asphaltites called Lacus Asphaltites because of a kinde of slime called Bitumen or Asphaltum which daily it doth cast up being of force to joyne stones exceeding fast in building And into this Lake doth the River Iordan run Mare Mortuum This Lake is it which is called Mare Mortuum a Sea because it is salt and Mortuum or Dead for that no living thing is therein The water thereof is so thicke that few things will sinke therein in so much that Iosephus saith that an Oxe having all his legges bound will not sinke into that water The nature of this Lake as it was supposed was turned into this quality when God did destroy Sodome and Gomorrah and the Cities adjoyning with fire and Brimstone from Heaven for Sodome and the other Cities did stand neere unto Iordan and to this Mare Mortuum for the destruction of whom all that Coast to this day is a witnesse the Earth smelling of Brimstone being desolate and yeelding no Fruit saving Apples which grow with a faire shew to the eye like other Fruit but as soone as they are touched doe turne presently to soot or ashes as besides Josephus Solinus doth witnesse in his 48 Chapter Twelve Tribet of Israel The Land of Palestina had for its Inhabitants all the Twelve Tribes of
that which Saint Augustine in his Booke De doctrina Christiana doth of his owne knowledge report that in a Citie of that Countrey was this brutish custome that once in the yeare for certaine dayes the Inhabitants of the place did assemble themselves into wide and large fields A brutish custome used in this Country and there divided themselves each from other so that perhaps the Fathers were on one fide and the children or brothers 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. Austine telleth that he detesting the bruitishnesse thereof did make a most eloquent and elaborate Oration or Sermon unto them whereby he did prevaile with those of the Citie where hee was that they gave over that foolish and rude exercise Yet Leo Affricanus who lived a hundred yeares since and in his owne person travelled over the greatest part of Africke doth write in his description of Africke that in one place of the kingdome of Fez the like barbarous custome is yet retained Of the other Countries of Africke lying neere the Sea FRom beyond the hill Atlas major unto the South of Africke is nothing almost in Antiquity worthy the reading and those things which are written for the most part are sables For towards the South part of Africke as well as towards the North parts of Europe and Asia be supposed to be * Men of strange shapes 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 writ that Booke which is counted Saint Augustines ad fratres in Eremo and who would gladly father upon Saint Augustine the erecting of the Augustine Fryers doth say that he saw travelling downe from Hippo Southward in Africa But as the Asse in Aesope which was clothed in the Lyons skin did by his long cares shew himselfe to be an Asse and not a Lyon So this foolish fellow by his lying doth shew himselfe to bee 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 within the Zonatorrida are not onely blackish like the Moores but are exceeding blacke And therfore as in old time by an excellency some of them are called Nigritae so at this day they are named * Negros Negros as then whom no men are blacker Secondly the inhabitants of all these parts which border on the Sea-coast even unto Caput bonae spei have beene Gentiles * adoring Images and foolish shapes for their Gods Their Religion neither hearing of Christ nor beleeving on Mahumet til such time as the Portugals comming among them have professed Christ for themselves but have wonne few of the people to embrace their religion The Portugals have bere settled themselves * Thirdly that the Portugalls passing along Africa to the East-Indies have setled themselves in many places of those Countries building Castles and Townes for their owne safety and to keepe the people in subjection to their great commodity One of the first Countries famous beyond Morocco is * The countrey of Guinea Guinea which we call Ginnle 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 Sierta Liona at which place as commonly all Travellers doe touch that doe passe that way for fresh water and other ship provision our English-men have found * Their Commodities for trade trafficke into the parts of this Countrey where their greatest commodity is Gold and Elephants teeth of both which there is good store Beyond that toward the South not farre from the Equinoctiall lyeth the * The kingdome of Congo Kingdome of Congo commonly called Mani-congo Where the Portugals at their first arrivall finding the people to be Heathens without God did induce them to a profession of Christ and to bee 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 * Their Religion Gentilisme Beyond Mani-congo so farre 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 Portugall did discover and so called it because he had there good hope that the Land did turne to the North and that following the course thereof hee might be brought to Arabia and Persia but especially to Calecut in India Which course when himselfe and other of his Countrey-men after him did follow they found on the Coast up towards Arabia the Kingdome of * The three Kingdomes of Mosambique Melinda Magadazo c. Mosambique Melinda Magadazo and other whose people were all Gentiles and now are in League with the Portugales who have built divers Holds for their safety Of which Countries and manners of the people he that listeth to read may find much in the Historie of Osorius and Petrus Maffaeus but there is no matter of any great importance Beyond the Cape toward the North before you come to Mosambique betweene the Rivers of Cuama and Sancto Spirito lies the * The kingdome of Monomotapa Kingdome of Monomotapa where the Portugales also have arrived and so much was done there by the preaching of Gonsalvo de Sylva a Iesuite that the King and Queene of that Countrey with many others were converted from * Their Religion Gentilisme to Christianity and baptized But certaine Mahumetans incensing the King thereof afterwards against the Portugales made him to revolt from his Religion and to put to death this Iesuite and divers others which Fact of his the Portugals assaying 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 ayre There are also other Kingdomes in this part of Africke of whom we know little besides their names and site in generall as * The kingdome of Adel c. Adel Monomugi Angola and therefore it shall be sufficient to have named them in a word Of Abissines and the Empire of Prestor Iohn IN the In-land of Africke * The Situation of the Empire of Prester Iohn lyeth a very large Countrey extending it selfe on the East to some part of the Red Sea on the South to the kingdome of Melinda and a great way farther on the North to Aegypt on the West to Manicongo The people whereof are called Abissini and it selfe the dominion of him whom wee commonly call in English Prester Iohn but in Latine some terme him Pretiosus Iohannes but the most part Presbyter Iohannes writing of him
being kindely intreated of the natives who much desire them to come and make some plantation amongst them hoping by them to be defended against the Spaniards whom they * They hate the Spaniard and love the English greatly hate and feare When Sir Walter Raleigh came to Guiana he overthrew the Spaniards that were in Trinidado and tooke Bereo their Captaine or Generall prisoner he loosed and set at liberty foure or five Kings of the people of that Countrey that Bereo kept in chains and sent them home to their owne which deed of his did winne him the hearts of that people and make them much to favour our English at this day Divers also of that Country which amongst them are men of note have beene brought over into England and here living many yeares are by our men brought home to their owne Countrey whose reports and knowledge of our Nation is a cause that they have beene well intreated of these Guianians and much desired to plant themselves among them * A strange Storie Our men that travelled to Guiana amongst other things most memorable did report and in writing delivered to the world that neere unto Guiana and not far from those places where themselves were there were men without heads which seemed to maintaine the opinion to be true which in old time was conceived by the Historians and Philosophers that there were Acephali whose eyes were in their breasts and the rest of their face there also situated and this our English travellers have reported to be so ordinarily confidently 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 appeare that the matter is but fabulous in respect of the truth of Gods creating of them and that the opinion of such strange shapes monsters as were said to be in old time that is men with heads like Dogs some with eares downe 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 Iohn Mandevill of late age fondly hath seemed to give credit and authority thereunto yea and long since he who tooke upon him the name of Saint Augustine in writing that counterfeit Booke Ad fratres in Eremo It is fit that the certainty of the matter concerning these in Peru should be knowne and that is that in Quinbaia and some other parts of Peru the men are borne as in other places and yet by devises which they have after the birth of Children when their bones and grisbles and other parts are yet tender and fit to be fashioned they doe crush downe the heads of the Children unto the breasts and shoulders and doe with frames of wood and other such devises keepe them there that in time they grow continuate to the upper part of the trunk of the body and so seeme to have no necks or heads And againe some other of them thinking that the shape of the head is very decent if it bee long and erect after the fashion of a Sugar-loafe doe frame some other to that forme by such wooden Instruments as they have for that purpose and by binding and swathing them doe 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 * Their strange devises to take fowles There be in some parts of Peru people which have a strange device for the catching of divers sorts of Fowles wherein they especially desire to take such as have their feathers of pyed 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 Cloakes or as Gownes long to the ground and those their greatest Nobles doe weare 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 amisse to specifie that in the Sea which is the Ocean lying betwixt Europe and America there be * Divers flying fishes divers flying Fishes yet whose wings are not feathers but a thin kinde of skin like the wings of a Bat or Reare-mouse and these living sometimes in the water and flying sometimes in the ayre are well accepted in neither place for below either ravenous Fishes are ready to devoure them or above the Sea-Fowles are continually beating at them Some of the Spaniards desirous to see how farre this Land of Peru did goe towards the South travelled downe till at length they found the Lands end and a little straight or narrow Sea which did runne from the mayne Ocean toward Africke into the South Sea One * Magellanus Straits Magellanus was he that found this Straight and although it be dangerous passed through it so that of his name it is called Fretum Magellanicum or Magellane Straights And this is the way whereby the Spaniards do passe to the backside of Peru and Hispania Nova and whosoever will compasse the whole World as some of our English men have done hee must of necessity for any thing that is yet knowne passe through this narrow Straight Ferdinandus Magellanus having a great mind to travell and being very desirous to goe unto the Malucco Islands by some other way then by the backside of Africke if it might be did in the yeere 1520 set forth from Sivill in Spain with five ships and travelled toward the West Indies and went so farre toward the South as that he came to the lands end wher he holding his course in a narrow passage towards the West for the space of divers dayes did at the length peaceably passe through the Straights and came into a great Sea which some after his name doe call Mare Magellanicum some others Mare pacificum because of the great calmnesse quietnes of the waters there but most commonly it is termed the * The So th Sea South Sea the length whereof hee passed in the space of three Moneths and twenty dayes and came unto the Moluocos * The Moluccoâ—s where being set upon by the East Indian people himself and many of his company were slaine and yet one of his Ships as the Spaniards doe write called Victoria did get away from those Moluccoes and returning by the Cape Bonae Spei on the South side of Africke came safe unto Spaine * Magellanus the first that ever compassed the World So that it may be truely said that if not Magellanus yet some of his company were the first that did ever compasse the World through all the degrees of longitude Johannes Lyrius in the end of his Booke De Navigatione in Brasiliam doth tell that Sir Francis Drake of England when he passed thorow Magellane straits
and so to the Molucco Ilands then homeward from the East by Africke did in a devise give the Globe of the Earth with this word or motto Primus me circumdedisti which is not simply to be understood that never any had gone round the World before him but that never any of fame for Magellane himselfe was slaine as before is noted or else he did doubt of the truth of that narration that the Ship called Victoria did returne with safety into Spaine The Maps which were made at first concerning America Peru did so describe the Westerne part of Peru as if when a man had passed Magellane Straits and did intend to come upwards towards Nova Hispania on the further side he must have borne much West by reason that the Land did shoot out with a very great Promontory and bending that way But our Englishmen which went with Sir Francis Drake did by their owne experience certainely finde that the Land from the uttermost end of the Straits on Peru side did goe up towards the South directly without bending to the West and that is the cause wherefore 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 travaile that way and discovered more and more and by that meanes they have found out divers Ilands not knowne in former Ages as two for example sake a good distance from the Moluccoes which because * Insulae Latronum they be inhabited by men which do steale not only each from other but doe pilfer away all things that they can from such strangers as doe land thereabouts they are called Insulae Latronum They have also descryed some other neere unto the East Indies which they now tearme * Jnsulae Solomonis Insulae Solomonis But the most renowned of all are those of whom the name is given * Philippinae Philippina in remembrance of Philip the Second King of Spaine at whose cost they were discovered * Their Richâ—s 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 Ilands descryed by Magellanus himselfe which he called * Insulas infortunatas Insulas infortunatas as being of quality contrary to the Canaries which are tearmed the fortunate Islands for when hee passing thorow the South Sea and meaning to come to the Moluccoes where hee was slaine did land in these Ilands thinking there to have furnished himself with victuals and fresh water hee found the whole places to be barren and not inhabited Of the Countreys that lie about the two Poles HAving laid downe in some measure the description of the olde known World Asia Africa and Europe with the Islands adjoyning unto them and also of America which by some hath the title of New-found-world it shall not be amisse briefly to say something 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 thought of When Magellanus was come downe to the Southerne end of Peru he found on the further side of the Straits a maine and huge land lying towards the South-Pole which some of his name called since * Regio Magellanica Regio Magellanica and that so much the rather because he touched upon it againe before he came to the Moluccoes Since his time the Portugales travelling towards Calecut and the East Indies there have some of them bin driven by tempest so far as to that which many now call the South Continent and so divers of sundry Nations have there by occasion touched upon it It is found therefore by experience for to goe along all the degrees of longitude and as in some places it is certainely discovered to come up so high towards the North as to the Tropicke of Capricorne so it is conjectured that towards the South it goeth as farre as to the Pole The ground whereof is that never any man did perceive the Sea did passe thorow any part thereof nay there is not any great River which hath yet beene described to come out of it 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 unlesse it should be such a one as hath no entercourse with the Ocean which to imagine is uncertaine therefore it is supposed that it commeth whole out into the Land to the Antarticke Pole which if it should be granted it must needs be acknowledged withall that this space of Earth is so huge as that it equalleth in greatnesse not only Asia Europe and Africa but almost America being joyned unto them Things memorable in this Countrey are yet reported to be very few only in the East part of it over against the Moluccoes some have written that there bee very waste countries and wildernesses but we find not so much as mention whether any do inhabit there or no. And over against the promontory of Africke which is called Caput bonae spei there is a Countrey which the Portugals called * Psittacorum Regio Psittacorum regio because of the abundant store of Parrots which they found there Neere to the Magellane straits in this South part of the world is that land the Spaniards call Terra del fuego * Terra del fuego those also which have touch'd at it in other places have given to some parts of it these names Boach Eucach Maletur but we have no perfect description of it nor any knowledge how or by whom it is inhabited * A description of the people About this place the said Portugals did at one time saile along for the space of 2000. Miles and yet found no end of the land And in this place they reported that they saw inhabitants which were very faire and fat people and did goe naked which is the more to be observed because we scant read in any writer that there hath bin seen any people at all upon the South-coast More towards the East not far from the Moluccoes there is one part of this countrey as some suppose although some doubt whether that be an Iland or no which commeth up so high towards the north as the very Aequinoctial line and this is commonly called * Nova Guinea Nova Guinea because it lieth in the same climate and is of no other temperature then Guinea in Africke is I have heard a great Mathematician in England finde fault both with Ortelius and Mercatâ—r and all our late Makers of Maps because in describing this Continent they make no mention of any Cities
noble citie which is now the principall Bulwarke of Christendome against the Turke from whence Solyman was repelled by Ferdinandus King of Hungary in the time of the Emperour Charles the fift It was in this countrey that Richard the first King of England in his returne from the Holy land was taken prisoner by the Archduke of Austria and so put to a grievous ransome There were lately divers brothers of the Emperour Rodolphus the second which were al called by the name of Archdukes of Austria Archdukes of Austria according to the maner of the Germans who give the titles of the Fathers nobility to all the children The names of them were Mathias Ernestus the youngest Albertus who for a good space held by dispensation from the Pope the Archbishopricke of Toledo in Spaine although he were no Priest and had then also the title of Cardinall of Austria was imploied for Viceroy of Portugall by Philip the 2 King of Spaine but after the death of the Duke of Parma hee was sent as Lievtenant generall governor of the Low-Countries for the K. of Spaine where since he hath attained to the marriage of the Infanta Isabella Eugenia Clara eldest daughter to K. Philip the second and last King of Spaine and by her hath hee the stile of Duke of Burgundy although peaceably he cannot enjoy a great part of that Country Thorow both Austria and Hungary doth runne the mighty river Danubius as thorow Germany doth run the Rheine The River of Rhine whereon groweth Vinum Rhenanum commonly called Rhenish wine Of Greece Thracia and the Countries neer adjoyning Situation of Dacia ON the South side of Hungary and South-east lieth a Countrey of Europe called in old time Dacia which is large and wide comprehending in it Transylvania Walachia Transylvania Walachia Moldavia Servia Moldavia Servia Of which little is famous save that the men are warlike and can hardly be brought to obedience They have lately bin under the K. of Hungary These Countries of Transylvania Walachia and Moldavia have certaine Monarchs of their owne whom they call by the name of Vognode which do rule their countries with indifferent mediocrity while they have the sway in their own hands but confining upon the Turk they are many times oppressed overcome by him so that often they are his tributaries yet by the wildnesse of the country uncertaine disposition of the Rulers and their people he never hath any hand long over them but sometimes they maintaine warre against him have slaine downe some of his Bassaes comming with a great Army against them by which occasion it falleth out that hee is glad now and then to enter confederacy with them so doubtfull a kinde of regiment is that which now adaies is in those Countries The river Danubius doth divide this Dacia from Mysia commonly called Bulgaria and Russia which lyeth on the South from Danubius and is severed from Graecia by the mountaine Haemus The mountaine Haemus This mountaine is that whereof they reported in times past though but falsly that who so stood on the top thereof might see the sea foure severall wayes to wit East West North and South under pretence of trying which conclusion not Philip Alexanders Father but a latter Philip King of Macedonia did goe up to that hill when in truth his meaning was secretly to meet with others there with whom hee might joyne himselfe against the Romans which was shortly the overthrow of that kingdome It should seeme that about this mountaine it is very cold by reason of that jest which Athenaeus reporteth Stratonicus to have uttered concerning that hill when he said that for eight moneths in the yeare it was very cold and for other four it was Winter Graecia bounded From Haemus toward the South lyeth Graecia bounded on the West by the Adriatike sea on the East by the Thracian sea and Mare Aegeum on the South by the maine Mediterranean sea This contained in old time foure speciall parts Peloponnesus Achaia Macedonia and Epirus Adjoyning whereunto was Illiricum Peloponnesus Moreah which is now called Moreah in the South part of Graecia being Peninsula or almost an Iland for that it is joyned by a little strait called Istmos unto the rest of Graecia Herein stood Sparta Sâ—â—â—ssus and Helicon and the ancient state of Lacedemon the lawes thereof were made by Licurgus by the due observation of which Tullie could say in his time that the title of Sparta in Lacedemon had continued in the same meanes and behaviour for the space of 700. yeares This Sparta was it which so often made warre against the Athenians and this and Athens were called the two edges of Graecia Neere the Jsthmos or Straits stood the famous City of Corinth Corinth which was in old time called the Key of Greece and whither S. Paul wrote two of his Epistles Aeneas Sylvius in his Cosmographicall Treatise De Europa cap. 22. saith that the Straits which divide Moreah from the rest of Graecia are in bredth but five miles and that divers Kings Princes did go about to digge away the earth that they might make it to be an Iland He nameth King Demetrius Julius Caesar Caius Caligula Domitius Nero of all whom hee doth note that they not onely failed of their purpose but that they came to violent and unnaturall deaths From the Isthmos which is the end of Peloponnesus or Moreah beginneth Achaia Achaia and spreadeth it selfe North-wards but a little way unto the Hill Othris which is the bounds betweene Achaia and Macedonia but East and West much more largely as Eastward even unto the Island Euboea Euboea with a great Promontory and Westward bounding unto Epirus The Inhabitants of this place were they which properly are called Achivi which word is so oft used by Virgil Here toward the East part stood Boetia upon the Sea-coast Boetia looking South-ward toward Moreah was Athens Athens which was famous for the Lawes of Solon for the warres against Sparta and many other Cities of Graecia and for an Vniversity of learned men which long continued there Pernassus and Helicon In this part of Greece stood Pernassus and Helicon so much talked of by Poets and Phocis and Thebes and briefly all the Cities wherof Livie speaking doth terme by the name of Achai or Vrbes Achaeorum The third Province of Graecia called Epirus Epyrus lyeth Westward from Achaia and extends it selfe for a good space that way but toward the North and South it is but narrow lying along the Sea-coast and looking South-ward on the Islands of Conegra and Cephalonia This was the Country wherein Olympias wife unto Philip of Macedonia and Mother unto Alexander the Great was born This was also the Kingdome of that noble Pyrrhus which made such great warres against the Romanes and in our later age it was made renowned by the valiant Scanderbeg who was so great a scourge
Northern parts of America they finde some tokens of civility and Christian Religion but especially they doe meet with some words of the Welch Language as that a bird with a white head should be called Pengwinn and other such like yet because we have no invincible certaintie hereof and if any thing were done it was only in the Northerne and worse parts and the entercourse betwixt Wales and those parts in the space of divers hundred yeares was not continued but quite silenced wee may goe forward with that opinion that these Westerne Jndies were no way knowne to former ages God therefore remembring the Prophecie of his Sonne that the Gospell of the Kingdome should before the day of judgement bee preached in all coasts and quarters of the World and in his mercy intending to free the people or at the least some few of them from the bondage of Satan who did detaine them in blockish ignorance and from their Idolatrous service unto certaine vile spirits whom they call their Zemes Their Religion and most obsequiously did adore them raised up the spirit of a man worthy of perpetuall memory one * Columbus the first discoverer of America Christophorus Columbus borne at Genua in Italy to set his mind to the Discovery of a new World who finding by that compasse of the old knowne World that there must needs be a much more mighty space to the which the Sunne by his daily motion did compasse about then that which was already known and discovered and conceiving that this huge quantity might as wel be land as Sea he could never satisfie himselfe till that he might attempt to make proofe of the verity thereof Being therefore himselfe a private man and of more vertue then Nobility after his reasons and demonstrations laid downe whereby hee might induce men that it was no vaine thing which hee went about hee went unto many of the Princes of Christendome and among others to Henry the seventh King of England desiring to bee furnished with shipping and men fit for such a Navigation but these men refusing him partly because they gave no credit to his Narration and partly lest they should bee derided by their neighbour Princes if by this Genoe-stranger they should be cousened but especially for that they were unwilling to sustaine the charges of shipping at last hee betooke himselfe unto the Court of Ferdinandus and Elizabeth King and Queene of Castile where also at the first hee found but small entertainment yet persisting in his purpose without wearinesse and with great importunity it pleased God to move the mind of Elizabeth the Queene to deale with her husband to furnish forth two Ships for the discovery onely and not for conquest whereupon * In the yeare 149. America discovered by Columbus Columbus in the yeare one thousand foure hundred ninetie and two accompanied with his brother Bartholomeus Columbus and many Spaniards sayled farre to the West for the space of threescore dayes and more with the great indignation and often mutinies of his company fearing that by reason of their long distance from home they should never returne againe insomuch that the Generall after many perswasions of them to goe forward was at length enforced to crave but three dayes wherein if they saw not the Land hee promised to returne and God did so blesse him to the end that his voyage mighâ— not prove in vaine that in that space one of his Companie did espie fire which was a certainâ— Argument that they were neere to the Land as it fell out indeed The first Land whereunto they came was an Iland called by the Inhabitants * The Iland Haity Haity but in remembrance of Spaine from whence heâ— came hee termed it Hispaniola and finding it to bee a Countrey full of pleasure * The riobes of the Countrey and having in it abundance of Gold and Pearle hee proceeded further and discovered another bigge Ile which is called * The Iland Cuba Cuba of the which being very glad with great treasure hee returned unto Spaine bringing joyfull newes of his happy successe When Columbus did adventure to restraine the time of their expectation within the compasse of three dayes engaging himselfe to returne if in that space they saw no Land there bee some write that hee limited himselfe not at all adventures but that bee did by his eye discerne a difference in the colour of the Clouds which did arise out of the West from those which formerly hee had seene which Clouds did argue by the clearenesse of them that they did not arise immediately out of the Sea but that they had passed over some good space of the Land and thereby grew clearer and clearer not having in them any new or late risen vapours but this is but conjecturall * The pride of the Spaniard labouring to abscure the same of Columbus The Spaniards who are by nature a people proud have since the death of Columbus laboured to obscure his fame envying that an Italian or stranger should be reported to bee the first discoverer of those parts And therefore have in their writings since given forth that there was a Spaniard which had first beene there and that Columbus meeting with his Cardes and Descriptions did but pursue his enterprize and assume the glory to himselfe But this fable of theirs doth savour of the same spirit wherewithall many of them in his life time did reproach him that it was no matter of importance to finde out these Countries but that if that hee had not done it many other might and would Which being spoken to Columbus at a solemne Dinner hee called for an Egge and willed all the Guestâ—one after another to set it up on end Which when they could not doe he gently bruising the one end of it did make it flat and so set it up by imitation whereof each of the other did the same whereby hee mildely did reprove their envy towards him and shewed how easie it was to doe that which a man had seene done before To go forward therefore Columbus being returned to Castile after his welcome to the Princes was made Great Admirall of Spaine and with a new Fleete of more Ships was sent to search further which hee accordingly did and quickly found the mayne Land not farre from the Tropick of Cancer Which part of the Countrey in honour of Spaine hee called * Hispania nova Hispania nova in respect whereof at this day the King of Spaine doth entitle himselfe Hispaniarum Rex Some there bee which write that Columbus did not discover further than the Islands and that hee spent the greatest part of his former labours in coasting Cuba and Hispaniola to see whether they were Ilands or a Continent that some other in the meane time did thrust themselves forward and descryed the firme Land Among whom * Of whom this Countrey had its name Americus Vespucius was the chiefe of whose name a great