the moneths of May Iune and Iuly and reape within six weeks after Concerning this region reade the booke of Iaques Morguez le moine GVASTECAN THis also is a region of North America and part of New Spaine The inhabitants are poore Along the sea-coasts and the bancks of riuers they liue for the most part of fish but in the inland with Guinie-wheat which they call Maiz. Otherwise they are a people gentle enough The Spaniards haue planted two colonies here the one is called Panuco of the riuer that runneth by it and the other S. Iames of the vallies Not farre from Panuco neere the towne called Tamatao stands an hill with two fountaines vpon it one whereof disgorgeth blacke pitch and the other red which is scalding hot The BRITTISH Iles. THE EMPIRE OF GREAT BRITAIN included within the parallels 49. and 63. and the Meridians or longitudes 9. and 26. bounded vpon the South by France vpon the East by Germany vpon the North West by the Vast Ocean disioined from the rest of the maine land as High Admirall of the seas comprehendeth that Iland which at this day conteineth the kingdomes of England Scotland together with Ireland ouer against it Westward the circumiacent iles the Orchades Hebrides Man Anglesey Wight the Sorlings many others of lesse note and were generally of the old writers with one consent called BRITANNICAE INSVLAE The Brittish Ilands taking their denomination as seemeth from the greatest of them commander of the rest which indeed is properly called BRITANNIA Brittaine So named not of that fained Brutus the bloody parricide as the fabulous historian Geffrey of Monmouth against all reason authority truth of storie hath hitherto made the world beleeue nor of the Welch word Prydain or Prydcain as the learned Britaine Humfrey Lhoyd hath thought but of Brit a Celticke word which signifieth Painted For these people as Caesar and other old writers report vsed to paint their bodies and therefore were called of the Gaules their next neighbours BRITONES as those people of the same nation who to auoid the slauery and seruitude of the Romanes and withdrew themselues into the North parts from whom they continually molested their colonies heere were of them for the same reason in their language called PICTI The Greekes called it also ALBION not of Albion Neptunes sonne which sometime sweied the scepter heere as some haue most fabulously taught but of Alphiων the white cliffes vpon the sea coast which first offer themselues to the eie of those which to this our land saile hither from France and indeed the Welch poets call it Inis win that is as Orphaeus the most ancient poet of the Greeks doth interpret it Nesos leu caessa and Leucaios Chersos The white I le or The whiteland The first Inhabitants which seated themselues heere not long after the vniuersall Flood and Confusion of Babel came hither from France as by Neerenesse of place Likenesse of language Maners Gouernment Customes Name is by the learned Clarencieux Camden the onely light of our histories in that his thrise renowned Britannia euidently demonstrated For to this day the ancient Britans the Welchmen do call themselues CVMRI not Cambri as come from Gomer the sonne of Iapheth called of the Latines Cimber from whom are descended the Celtae or Gaules The Romanes a second nation vnder the conduct of Iulius Caesar about the yeare before the birth of CHRIST 54. entered Brittaine and planted their colonies in diuers and sundry places of this Iland The Scottes obseruing the Roman legions to grow weake and their Empire to decline thereupon tooke occasion first to seise vpon Ireland then about the yeare of CHRIST 446. great trouble arising in France the Emperours were constrained wholly to withdraw their forces from hence and to leaue the Brittaines naked and open to the furie of the Pictes their enemies From hence ensued a double mischiefe for first the vnquiet and turbulent Pictes thinking that now the onely opportunitie was offered them to accomplish their desires thought to make sure worke called in the Scottes out of Ireland combined themselues together against the poore disarmed Britans whereupon the Britans were constrained for safegard of their liues and liberties to call in about the yeare of CHRIST 440. the Angles Saxons and Iuites a warlike people inhabiting along the sea coast of Germany from the riuer of Rhein vnto Denmarke to aid them against their violent enemies The Normanes lead by William the Bastard their Duke tooke possession of Great Brittaine in the yeare 1066. The Vandalles Norweis and Danes who by their piracies and robberies a long time and oft greeuously vexed these Iles neuer seated their Colonies heere and therefore I passe them ouer with silence The forme of Brittaine is triangular like vnto that figure which the Geometers call Scalenum or as Nubiensis the Arabian saith to the head and necke of Alnaama the ostrich and therefore it may aswell as Sicilia be called TRINACRIA The three-cornered I le The ancient Geographers did hold it and that deseruedly to be the greatest Iland of the Maine Ocean wherefore Solinus saith it may well deserue the name of ANOTHER WORLD and Matthew Paris for the same cause calleth it THE QVEEN or Empresse of the Isles of the Ocean In respect of which large compasse it hath been in former ages diuided into many seuerall iurisdictions and kingdomes in the time of the Saxons England the South-east part into seuen and Wales into three Great Egbert in the yeare 800. reduced the Saxon heptarchy into a Monarchy The Irish Princes Nobles and Commons after the incarnation 1172. vnited their Pentarchy to the crowne of Egbert and swore alleageance to Henry the second King of England Edward the first to these did knit in the yeare after the birth of Christ 1282. the triple crowne of the Pety Kings of Wales In these our daies the eternall wisedome of the Great King of Heauen and Earth hath cast all these together with the crowne of Scotland into one massie Emperiall Diademe and placed it vpon the head of our dread soueraigne IAMES lineally descended from those mighty Monarches and shall we doubt not in time adde to these whatsoeuer from them vnto his Highnesse do belong BRITANNICAE INSVLAE or the Empire of Great Brittaine conteineth Ilands Greater and often mentioned in histories BRITANNIA diuided by the Romans into Superior the Higher conteining ANGLIA England CVMERIA Wales Inferior the Neather now called SCOTIA Scotland HIBERNIA Ireland vpon the West of Britaine Lesser yet famous belonging to England from it South Close to the shore of Brittaine VECTA Wight Vpon the coast of France CAESARIA Gersey SARNIA Gernsey And many other lesser West From the point of Cornwall SILLINAE Silly anno 145. In the middest betweene England Ireland and Scotland MONOEDA Man Wales MONA called of the English Anglesey of the Welch Tirmôn Scotland lying from it West HEBRIDES The West isles in number foure and fortie North ORCHADES Orkney-iles about
is about fiue and twentie English miles long and sixteene miles ouer euery mile containing one thousand and two hundred Geographicall pases Therefore it conteineth in compasse well neere threescore and twelue Italian miles For in some places it is not full sixteene miles ouer That which he speaketh of the scarsitie of wood here it is very true For Tacitus reporteth that the woods were cut downe and destroyed by the Romans an infinite number of the bodies of which as I haue shewed before couered with earth and hid within the ground are at this day by the countrey people found in sundry places of the I le And that there haue beene woods here within these foure hundred yeeres or thereabouts it is very manifest by our histories Of the barrennesse of this Iland I know not well what to say seeing that he is not ashamed to write that which all men do know to be most false For such is the fertilitie of this iland that our people vse to say prouerbially that Anglesey is the mother of Wales Mon mam Gymry Moreouer the inhabitants for their proportion and state of our countrey are verie wealthie and withall stout and valiant as appeareth out of the English Historiographers For the English men haue oft times assaulted this iland by sea and laboured to get the possession thereof but all in vaine For they haue been alwaies there slaine or put to the worst This Hugh Earle of Shrewsburie and Arundell there slaine can testifie to be true This also Henrie the naturall sonne of Henrie the First with many noble men with him there slaine can well testifie How true this is I can not tell but this I finde that two Hughs of the Norman blood the one Earle of Chester the other Earle of Shrewsburie did enter this iland greatly vexe the inhabitants and that they might the better retaine them in due obedience did build the castle at Aber Lhienioc and of these two Hugh Earle of Chester was indeed there slaine but how not in the entrance or assault of the I le but in the defence of it after he had gotten quiet possession of the same yet not by the Welsh men but by the Norweighians who vnder the conduct of Magnus their Generall landed heere slew many of the people robbed the countrey and departed with great spoile Of that Henrie I finde not one word in others What should I say more Polydore Virgils Mona distant from the coast of Britaine twentie fiue miles no whit bigger than this but much more barren and such as breedeth a weaker kinde of men descended from the Irish euen by the iudgement of Polydore himselfe doth now renounce the title of Mona But what other men also do thinke of this matter let vs heare in few words Ptolemey the Prince of Geographers vpon the East side of Ireland placeth foure ilands MONARINA or as other copies do reade Monaida MONA ADROS and LYMNOS The two latter are very well knowen vnto vs at this day for that indeed they doe still reteine those auncient names Adros of our countrey men is called Ynys ador that is as the words doe signifie The iland of birds Lymnos they now call Enlli which the English men call Bardesey that is as he would faine interpret it Insula Bardorum The Bardes iland But I doubt whether our Saxons did euer vnderstand what the Britons Bardi meant yet of this I am sure that the learned M. Camden in his Britannia is of another opinion Of the other two then the one must of necessity be our Mona the other Polydores Mona Monaria is by Ptolemey placed much farther Northward than Mona and Mona hee maketh to lie somewhat more Easterly than Monaria For this Monaria I meane or Monaoeda as Ptolemeyes copies vulgarly haue it lieth as he writeth from the Canaries Eastward 17 degrees and 40 minutes but vp so high into the North that the pole there is eleuated aboue the horizont 61 degrees and 30 minutes when as the other to wit Mona lieth from the Canaries but 15 degrees and from the North but 57 degrees and 40 minutes Polydores Mona leaneth both more toward the North and East than ours doth Therefore it is Ptolemeys Monaria that he speaketh of not Ptolemeys Mona And this our Mona shall still reteine that ancient name of Mona which Ptolemey gaue vnto it in his time This we haue collected out of forreine histories Now let vs come to our owne Writers who I thinke in a matter of names of places in their owne country and language ought rather to be beleeued than an Italian a meere stranger borne and brought vp beyond the seas farre from this our countrey But that these things may the better be vnderstood some few lines are here by the way to be inserted All men do know and confesse this to be true that the Britons before the entrance of the English or Saxons did possesse this whole iland vntill such time as being by them conquered and subdued they were forced to abandon the better part of the same leauing it to the possession of their enemies and to content themselues with the Western parts only And they being thus seated were called by the names of the places were they dwelt as for example those which possessed Cambria were named Cambri those which inhabited Cornouia were knowen and called by the name of the Cornouij Yet the English men did after the maner of the Dutch who name the French and Italians VVelsh call them all generally VVelshmen Adding for difference sake the names of the countries as it is manifest by those histories which yet are extant written in the Saxon tongue For those our Brits are in them called VValae and the Cornouij Cornwalae not as the vnlearned do thinke Cornugalliae Neither can I with silence ouerpasse that shamelesse impudencie of Polydore who braggeth that he was the first that euer found this out and committed the same to writing when it is most certeine that he stole this etymologie and reason why this our countrie was called Wales out of Syluester Giraldus But that I may returne vnto that where I left the Welshmen being thus cooped vp into a corner did notwithstanding reteine the ancient British tongue so that the Countries Cities Riuers Ilands and people of Britaine are by the Welshmen called by those names whereby they were knowen and called at such time as they possessed the whole For our countrey people such I meane as are borne and brought vp farre within the land do not know what the name of an English man doth meane but all the English they do generally terme Saisson that is Saxons for they haue no x England they call by the ancient name Lhoëger Wales Cambri Cornwall Corniw Scotland Alban Ireland Yuerdhon and indeed some old Writers do write the name of this iland not Hibernia but Iuernia as M. Camden sheweth at large in his Britannia So also we doe still call all the Cities of England by those names
which is from the head or fountaine of this riuer directly vnto the North Ocean it is diuided from Asia according to the opinion of Glarean And thus it beares the shape of a Peninsula which signifies a place of the earth almost disioyned and cut from the Continent and so well neere on euery side enuironed with waters as in the Table it selfe is manifest The head hereof Rome was whilome conqueresse of the earth The regions thereof as they are now called are Spaine France Germanie Italie Slauonia Greece Hungarie Poland with Lithuania Moscouia or more significantly Russia and that Peninsula which conteineth Norway Sweden and Gotland Among the Isles thereof the first place is due to Britany conteining England and Scotland then followes Ireland Groenland Frisland and Island all situate in the maine Ocean In the Mediterran sea it hath Sicilia Sardinia Corsica Candia Maiorica Minorica Corfu Negropont and others of lesse note the particular names and situations whereof are to be seene in the Table This our Europe besides the Roman Empire reuerenced of all the world hath in all if you adde those foureteene which Damianus à Goes reckens vp only in Spaine eight and twentie Christian Kingdomes whereby you may estimate the worthinesse of this region It is a place out of measure fruitfull and the naturall disposition of his aire is very temperate For all kindes of Graine for Wine and abundance of Woods it is inferior to none but comparable to the best of the others It is so pleasant and so beautified with stately Cities Townes and Villages that for the courage and valour of the people and seuerall nations although it be lesse in quantitie and circuit yet might it well be accounted and indeed of all ancient Writers hath it euer beene accounted superiour vnto the other parts of the World most renowmed also hath it beene both in regard of the Macedonian Empire and the great command and power of the Romans The praises thereof you may reade in Strabo who in his third booke and seuen bookes following hath most learnedly and excellently described it Peruse also other ancient Geographers Of late Writers amongst other things by the way Volateranus Sebastian Munster Dominicus Niger Georgius Rithaimerus in their Geographies haue endeuoured to paint it out in his colours But Pius the second Christopher Cella and Anselmus his brother haue described it a part and by it selfe Diuers Iournals ouer all Europe in a maner together with the distances of places haue beene committed to writing by Cherubin Stella John Herbacius and George Mayerus The like hath beene done by William Gratarolus in the end of his booke which is entitled De regimine iter agentium or A direction for trauellers AFRICA THis the Ancients haue diuersly distinguished but at this present it is diuided by Iohn Leo of Africa into foure chiefe parts Barbarie Numidia Libya and the Land of Negros BARBARIE which is accounted the best they circumscribe with the Atlantick Mediterranean seas with mount Atlas with the region of Barcha bordering vpon Aegypt NVMIDIA called by the inhabitants Biledulgerid and abounding with Dates for which cause the Arabians call it by no other name but the Date-bearing region is bounded Westward by the Atlantick Ocean Northward by mount Atlas it stretcheth East as farre as the citie Eloacat which is an hundred miles distant from Aegypt and the sandie Deserts of Libya embrace it on the South LIBYA the third part is named in the Arabian tongue Sarra which word signifies a Desert It beginnes East from Nilus and thence runneth West as farre as the Atlantick sea Numidia lies to the North of it and the Land of Negros to the South Now followeth the fourth part which they call NIGRITARVM terra either from the inhabitants which are of a blacke colour or from the riuer Niger that runneth thorow the countrey It is confined North by Libya South by the Aethiopick Ocean West by Gualata and East by the Kingdome of Gaoga And here we are to note that according to this their diuision all Africa is included within the Mediterran Atlantick and Aethiopick seas and the riuer Nilus wherefore Aegypt and Aethiopia are accounted parts of Asia which we notwithstanding thinke more properly to belong to Africa For the true Aethiopia containes at this day Presbyter Iohns Empire which by all late Writers is ascribed to Africa We therefore with Ptolemey iudge that it ought to be bounded by the Mediterran and Ocean seas rather than by any riuer whatsoeuer and so it hath the forme of a Peninsula being ioyned to Asia by an Isthmos or small neck-land which lies betweene the Mediterran sea and the gulfe of Arabia The South part hereof was vnknowen to our ancestours till the yeere 1497 whereas Vasco de Gama first doubling the Cape de buona speranza or of good hope and sailing about Africa came to Calicut in East India This Southern part by the Persians and Arabians is called Zanzibar At the foresayd Cape of good hope the inhabitants are exceeding blacke which we thought in no wise to omit because all men suppose the cause of blacknesse to be heat and the nearenesse of the Sunne wheras here the Sunne scorcheth no more than about the Streight of Magellan if we measure the heat of the place according to the position of the heauens and distance from the Equinoctiall line where notwithstanding the people are reported to be maruellous white But if we will needs ascribe this blacknesse to the scorching heat of the Sun let vs consider what makes the Spaniards and Italians looke so white whenas they are equally distant from the Equinoctiall with the inhabitants of the foresayd Cape namely the one towards the South and the other towards the North. Presbyter Iohns people are of a browne colour in Zeilan and Malabar the inhabitants are coale blacke yet all in one the same distance from the aequator and vnder the very same parallele of the heauens * And on the contrary why did Herodotus and Pindarus describe such as inhabited the same climate with themselues namely Colchis to be of a blacke colour and curled haire Herodotus in his Thalia makes the Indians blacke like the Aethiopians which the experience of our times confirmeth I know Herodotus will haue the cause hereof to be the seed of the parents which he sayth is not white as that of other people but blacke To whom Postellus also subscribeth and imputeth the originall of this blacknesse vnto Chams curse Against which opinion I haue nothing to allege Let the trueth of the matter rest vpon the authours credit But this a man may thinke more strange that in all America there were no blacke people found besides a few only in one place called by them Quareca What then is the efficient cause of this colour Is it the drinesse of the heauen or of the earth Is it perhaps some hidden propertie of the soile Or a kind of qualitie inherent to the nature of men
called S. Iohns-toun is the onely towne in Scotland that is walled about Of the wood Caledon whereof Ptolemey and other ancient writers haue recorded There is scarcely any mention to be found onely about the towne of Sterling there remaineth some shew of the name Thus farre of the kingdome of Scotland now it will not be amisse to speake somewhat of the ilands that lie round about the same and do belong vnto that crowne The HEBRIDES commonly called the West-iles both for bignesse and number do excell the rest Hector Boëthus saith that they be in number 43. But heere he reckoneth vp the I le of Man as one of them which is not subiect to the kingdome of Scotland but is vnder the allegeance of the King of England neither do I thinke that it was euer accounted of the ancients among the Hebrides The first of the Hebrides is Aran otherwise called Boëth then Hellaw and Rothes Not farre from these is Alize where are great plenty of Barnacles which they call Soland-geese The greatest of all and the most famous is Ile a fertile soile for corne and rich for veines of mettall Then Cumber and Mule Neere vnto these is Ione memorable for the tombs of Kings long since buried there Next vnto this is Lewis last of all is Hirth situate in the 43. degree of latitude Thus Boethus calleth them But Iohn Maior the Scot nameth them thus Argila Aranea Awyna Butha or Rothsaya and Leuisora In these ilands are those geese which they call Clakes Gyraldus calleth them Bernacles which Boëthus affirmeth to breed of the sea and of rotten wood and not to grow vpon trees as the common sort beleeue and haue published in their writings For if you shall cast saith he a peece of wood into that sea in continuance of time first wormes do breed within the wood which by little and little become to haue heads feet wings at the last being fledge and growen to their full growth to the bignes of a goose they attempt to flie and do somtimes swim and sometimes vse their wings as other Sea-foule do Beyond the Hebrides are the ORCHADES or the Orkeney iles of which the best is Pomona famous for the Bishops-sea a goodly Church and two strong castles One of these Iohn Maior calleth Zeland which is 50. miles in length In these grow no manner of trees nor any wheat and yet otherwise of all other sorts of graine they are very fertile It breedeth no serpent or venimous beast In Scotland they buy the barrell'd butter the inhabitants hauing abundance of Barley whereof they make a most strong kind of drinke and are very great drinkers yet as Boëthus saith you shall neuer see a drunken-man or madde man one bestraught or a naturall foole amongst them The same authour affirmeth the like of the inhabitants of the iles of Scetland but this is no wonder amongst them that drinke nought but water All the wealth and commodities of these Scetland-men consist in Stockfish and hides of beastes In the Hebrides they vse the Irish tongue in the iles of Orkeney they speake the Gottish language M. Iordanus in his mappe of Denmarke saith that the Orchades are subiect to the kingdome of Denmarke yet we know them to belong to Scotland vnder the title of a Dukedome But se what we haue written of this in the discourse to the mappe of Denmarke Of Scotland and of the ilands adioining thou maist read more at large in Hector Boëthus Iohn Maior and Iohn Lisley Scottish-men which haue written the histories of this their country SCOTIAE TABVLA Miliaria Scotica Cum Priuilegio Of ENGLAND THe South part of the Iland of Britaine is as we haue said before diuided into two parts That part which is toward the East abutting vpon the German Ocean is of the Angles a people of the Saxons which seated themselues there in their language called ANGLIA or England that is the Angles land The West part which is seuered from that other by the riuers Seuern and Dee and doth vse the ancient Brittish tongue is of the same Angles or Englishmen called WALLIA or Wales yet the Brittan or Welshman calleth himselfe Cumro and his country Cumria the English Saissons and their country Lhoëgria neither do they know or at least they will not acknowledge what England or an Englishman doth meane So great difference there is betweene the languages of the seuerall nations of this Iland All this South part England I meane and Wales hath their proper king vnto whom many Dukes Marquesses Earles Barons and great Noblemen are subiect and obedient It is a countrie at all times of the yeare most kind and temperate The Aire is thicke and so it is much subiect to windes clowdes and raine and therefore in regard of thicknesse of the aire it is neither opprest with too much heat or too much cold For it is found true by experience that although it be more Northerly than Brabant Flanders and other forrein countries yet heere the winter is neuer so bitter nor the frost so eger as in those parts It hath euerie where many hilles without wood and water which notwithstanding do bring forth very small and short grasse an excellent feed for sheepe and therefore infinite flockes of sheepe do bespread them which either by reason of the kindnesse of the aire or goodnesse of the soile do yeeld most soft wooll farre finer than those of other countries And for that this country breedeth neither woolues nor any rauenous beast you shall see in diuers places flocks of sheepe vpon the hilles and dales greene pastures commons fallowes and corne fields into which after the crop is off euery man by a certaine ancient custome doth put in his cattell in common to wander heere and there without a shepheard This indeed is that Golden fleece in which especially the riches of the inhabitants doth consist for an huge masse of gold and siluer is by Merchants which thither flocke from all quarters for such like wares yearly brought into the Iland and there doth continually rest for that it is by proclamation forbidden that no man may carry any money out of the Realme It aboundeth also with all sorts of cattell except asses mules camels and elephants There is in no place of the world greater and larger dogges nor better The soile is very fatte and fertile and naturally bringeth foorth beside all sorts of corne and pulse all maner of things onely the firre-tree and as Caesar saith the beech tree although that now it hath in diuerse places plenty of beeches The ay-green Bay tree doth in these Northren countries no where thriue better Such abundance of Rosemary heere doth grow in all places and that so high that they oft times do fence their gardens therewith Wine they haue none for the grapes seldome heere do ripen and is amongst them planted rather for shade and pleasure then for his fruit and profit There is in no country in Christendome more
Crowes than heere a kind of fowle very harmefull for it doth not onely spoile the ripe and standing corne but assoone as it is shotte they will stocke and digge it vp with their billes so that the husbandmen are faine at that time of the yeare to set Boies in the fields with bow and arrowes for they are not afraid of mens voices to skarre them away The Ocean or maine sea which beateth vpon the coast of this Iland aboundeth with all maner of Fish of which the Lucius or Pike as they commonly call it they esteeme as a deinty dish and therefore they oft take it out of fenny pooles and riuers and put it into their fishponds and weares where being purged and cleared from that muddy sauour feed with eeles and other little fishes he groweth exceeding fatte and of a holesome and pleasing tast This fish which is a very strange thing being brought aliue into the fishmarket to be sold they open his belly with a knife to shew how fatte he is if he be not sold yet of that wound he dieth not but the slitte being sewed vp and presently put into the pond amongst the slimie tenches it is by and by healed againe There are no where in all the world either more daintie Oisters or greater store It yeeldeth also Gold Siluer Copper and Iron although no great quantitie of either sort but of Lead and Tinne the Latines call that Plumbum nigrum this Plumbum album in their kind the best is heere found in great abundaunce and from thence is transported to forrein nations The people are tall of stature well fauoured and faire countenanced for the most part gray eied and as in maner of pronunciation they much resemble the Italian so in proportion and feature of body and maners they little or nothing differ from them They shape their apparell much-what after the French fashion The women most faire and beautifull do go very decently and comlily attired They feed most-what on flesh The drinke which they vse and do make of malt is indeed very good holesome and pleasant much sought after in the Low countries and therefore conueied thither in great abundance At their meales both dinners and suppers they fare well daintilie liberallie and are very merrie and pleasant In warre they are courageous and hardie good archers and cannot abide delaies and lingring and therefore when they ioine battell and come to blowes one part shall soone be vtterly ouerthrowne for the conqueror seiseth all into his hands They build no Castles yea those which their auncestours haue built in former ages and now are decaied ruinous and readie to fall they care not for the reedifying and vpholding of them Cities they haue and many faire townes goodly hamlets streets and villages The chiefe City mart-towne and imperiall seat of their Kinges is LONDON situate vpon the riuer of Thames ioined with a faire stone bridge of twenty piles very goodly arched Vpon this bridge are houses so built on ech side that it seemeth almost to be a continuall street not a bridge This of the nature of the soile temperature of the aire manners and behauiour of the people we haue for the most part gathered out of Polydore Virgill his historie of England for he hath very curiously there described this Iland In England these things are famous and worth the obseruation as this verse sheweth Mons fons pons ecclesia femina lana Of riuers and mountaines stone bridges and wooll Faire women and Churches England is full IRELAND is subiect to the crowne of England so are diuers other lesser iles as Wight Man Anglesey the ancient seat of the Druydes the Welshmen call it Tirmôn mam Gumry Man the mother of Wales the Latines this MONA that other MENAVIA and those which now we call the Sorlinges the Greeks called them CASSITERIDES Gernsey and Gersey with other small ilands about them although they be hard vpon the coast of France yet they do belong vnto England Humfrey Lhoyd hath so curiously described England together with the Antiquities thereof that others before him may iustlie seeme to be accused of great negligence Him did Alexander Neuill follow in his historie of the Rebellion in Norffolke which he intituleth Norwicus Daniel Rogers my kinsman hath written a booke of the maners lawes and customes of the ancient Brittans The same author is also about to write of the command and iurisdiction that the Romanes had in Brittaine ANGLIAE ET HIBERNIAE ACCVRATA DESCRIPTIO VETERIBVS ET RECENTIORIBVS NOMINIBVS ILLVS TRATA ET AD D. GVLIEL CAMDENI BRITANIAM ACCŌMODATA Nominibus Antiquis ★ vel praeponitur vel postponitur Ioannes Baptista Vrints Geographicarum tabularum calcographus excud Antuerpiae PROGENIES REGVM ANGLIAE AB GVILIELMI CONQVEST TEMPORIBVS VSQVE AD HVNC DIEM Anno Dn̄i 1605. SERMO. INVICTISSIMOQVE IACOBO MAGNAE BRITANNIAE FRANCIAE ET HIBERNIAE REGI IOANNES BAPTISTA VRINTS ANTVERPIANVS D. DEDICAT WALES THe discourse of this prouince we haue composed out of a certaine fragment of our singular good friend Humfrey Lhoyd which not long since wee caused Birkman to imprint for the benefit of those that are students of Geography CAMBRIA saith he the third part of Britaine is diuided from Lhoëgria or England if you please so to call it by the riuers Seuern and Dee otherwise it is on all parts confined with the Irish sea the Geographers commonly call it Oceanus Vergiuius it was so named as they dreame of Camber the third sonne of Brute The Welshmen call it Cymri the English Wales and the Latin WALLIA This part only of this whole Brittish iland doth stil enioy the most ancient inhabitants being indeed the true naturall Brittans and do yet retaine the Brittish tongue and cannot speake one word of English which is a language made especially of the misture of the Dutch and French tongues Wales they do at this time diuide into three prouinces Venedoth Powis-land and Dehenbarth Vnder Venedoth the ile Anglesey famous long since and accounted for the ancient seat of the Druides is conteined The inhabitants in course of life and fashion of apparell do follow the English and are an idle people not willing to labour or take pains bragging much of their gentilitie and do giue themselues rather to the seruice of Noblemen and to follow the court than to trades and occupations Heere hence it is that you shall find few Noblemen through out all England which hath not the greatest part of his followers seruants in which thing Englishmen do surpasse any other nation whatsoeuer Welshmen borne for being men that are fed with whitmeats or butter cheese they haue nimble able bodies fit for any maner of seruice Moreouer being men of haughty minds and in extreme penury and beggery challenging vnto themselues to be nobly descended they delight rather to go brauein apparell like vnto the Spaniard then to get goods or pamper their bellies and do soone learne courtlike behauiour and
therefore they are of the English Nobility for seruice preferred before the English Yet of late heere they haue vsed themselues to dwell in cities to learn occupations to trade as merchants to go to plough and to do any maner of businesse good for the common-wealth as well as the English nay in this thing they excell them that there is no man so poore amongst them but for a while will set his sonnes to schole to learne to write and read and those whom they find to be apt they send to the Vniuersities cause them for the most part to giue their minds to the study of the ciuill law Heere hence it is that the greater part of those which in this kingdome doe professe the Ciuill or Canon law are Welshmen borne You shall find also very few of the common and meaner sort of people but can read and write his owne language and after their fashion play vpon the Welsh harpe Now also they haue the Bible and common praier booke printed in their owne tongue a language as we said vsed of their ancestors and wholly different from the English And as in old time long since being a people as Tacitus reporteth impatient of the least wrongs that might be offered they were alwaies together by the eares and cutting one anothers throates so now for feare of law to which they are more obedient then any other nation they will wrangle and contend one with another as long as they are worth a groate These few obseruations we haue gleaned out of Lhoyd to whom we send the Reader that desireth more of the particulars of this country Syluester Gerrard a Welshman hath described VVales in a seuerall treatise Read also the Iournall of VVales Moreouer VVilliam of Newbery in the 5. chap. of his 2. booke hath many things of the nature of this country maners of the people To these you may adioine Polyd. Virg. those things which Robert Caenalis hath written in the summe of his 2. booke de re Gallica This Cymri or as the English call it VVales belongeth that we may heere by the way say something of this by an ancient decree to the King of Englands eldest sonne or daughter if he faile to the Kings heire I meane who is to succeed next after him and he is called assoone as he is born The Prince of VVales and that in the same sense as in Spaine and Portugall they call the Kings heire The Prince and in France The Dolphin Ieffrey of Monmouth writeth that in these parts of VVales neere the riuer of Seuern there is a poole which the country people call Linligune This saith he when the sea floweth into it enterteineth the waters like a bottomlesse gulfe and so drinketh vp the waues that it is neuer full nor euer runneth ouer But when the sea ebbeth the waters which before it had swallowed do swell like a mountaine which then do dash and run ouer the banks At which time if all the people of that shire should stand any thing neere the poole with their faces toward it so that the water shall but dash into their clothes and apparell they shall hard be able to auoid the danger but that they shal be drawne into the poole But if ones backe shal be toward it there is no danger at all although he should stand vpon the very edge of the same This is the story I haue nam'd the authour let him approue the truth of the same Of Mona the iland vpon the shore of this country thou hast the opinion of Humfrey Lhoyd in his epistle which we haue adioined to the end of this booke Of this also Iohn Leland in his Genethliacon of Edward Prince of VVales thus writeth This Iland saith hee being conquered by the English changed the name and was called Anglesey that is the iland of Englishmen Polydore Virgill a man of great reading and good iudgement in many matters is of another opinion Hee laboureth with all his forces to proue Menauia to be Mona If the name which yet it retaineth If the citie Caernaruon which is ouer against it vpon the maine do take his denomination from hence and is called Aruon for Ar-mon If that same very short cut ouer of which the Roman writers do speake If the nesse or promontorie Pen-mon that is as the word signifieth The head of Mon If the huge bodies of trees and rootes couered ouer with sand which daily are digged out of the shore of Tir-mon If the firre-trees of maruailous length which in squally grounds are heere and there found within the earth in this Iland do not sufficiently proue that that was anciently called Mona which now we call Anglesey I know not what to say more then that I haue read this in the 14. booke of Cornelius Tacitus his Annales Excisique luci saeuis superstitionibus sacri c. Felling the woods consecrated to superstitious seruices c. The same Leland in another place hath these verses of this Iland Insula Romanis Mona non incognita bellis Quondam terra ferax nemorum nunc indiga siluae Sed Venetis tantum cereali munere praestans Mater vt à vulgo Cambrorum iure vocetur c. Tyr-môn in former times thus witnesse writers old was full of stately woods but now li'th bleake and cold The soile is passing good of corne it yeeld'th such store That Welsh-mens nurse it 's call'd as we haue shew'd before c. CAMBRIAE TYPVS Auctore HVMFRE DO LHVYDO Denbigiense Cambrobritano Aliquod Regionum huius tractus synonyma prout Latinè Britannicè Anglicè etiemnum appellanture Cambria L. Cambrÿ B. Wales A. Venedotia L. Gwÿnedhia B. Northwales A. Demetia L. Dÿfet B. Westwales A. Ceretica L. Ceredigion B. Cardigan A. Pouisia L. Powijs B. Dehenbart B. Sutwales A. IRELAND IRELAND which the Greekes and Latines call HIBERNIA others IVERMA and IERNA the Irish themselues call Eryn From hence strangers taking it from the mouth of the English which pronounce e the second vowell with the same sound that other nations do sound i the third vowell haue made as it seemeth Irynlandt compounded as is apparent of the Irish Erin and the Saxon or Dutch Landt which afterward was contracted for more commodity of speach and roundnesse of pronunciation into Irland from whence the Latines framed IRLANDIA The first inhabitants which seated themselues in this Iland came hither as may be easily demonstrated from Brittaine or England not from Spaine as some most absurdly haue written For the abridgement of Strabo doth flatly call these ilanders Britaine 's and Diodorus Siculus saith that Irin is a part of Britaine wherefore it was iustly of all old writers called INSVLA BRITANNIA One of the Brittish iles About the yeare of CHRIST 400. in the daies of Honorius and Arcadius the Emperours at what time the Roman Empire began to decline the Scottes a second nation entered Ireland and planted themselues as Orosius writeth in the North parts whereupon it was
all France situate partly in a valley towards the riuer of Vienne and the towne and church of S. Stephen and partly on an hill towards the suburbe of S. Martiall The length farre surpasseth the bredth extending North and South It is strongly fortified with walles and ditches and abounds with water deriued from a notable Fountaine in the highest part of the citie which serues likewise both to water their horses and to clense their streets But the ruines of the ancient walles yet standing in the next Vineyards do plainly shew that the Citie in times past was much larger than at this present For first the Romans surprized it and afterwards the Gothes as witnesseth Sidonius Apollinaris when he hath reckoned vp all the cities of Aquitaigne sacked and destroyed by them The Francks also miserably afflicted it After them Charles Martell laid it waste And lastly the English made spoile thereof Notwithstanding at this time for the bignesse it is accounted one of the richest cities in the whole Kingdome being very well ordered and gouerned in regard of the Court of Parliament there as likewise the authoritie of the Vicount the Kings Eschequer and the assembly of the Consuls in Merchants affaires which they commonly call The Burse Thus much and more concerning this region writeth Belleforest Blaisois BLESIENSIS TERRITORII hanc tabulam describebat Ioannes Temporius Blesis anno Messiae nati 1592. epoche Christianae 1590. Mundi 5610. Le Blaisois contient en longitude d'Occident en Orient depuis S. Ouin iusques à Brinon 25 lieuez en latitude de l'Equateur vers le Nord depuis Chasteauroux iusques à Rabestan 40. lieues La cincture de la terre est divisee en 360. degrez a chascun degre donnons 25. lieues Toute la terre contient 9000. lieues LEMOVICVM TOTIVS ET CONFINIVM PROVINCIARVM QVANTVM AD DIOECESIM LEMOVICENSEM SPECTANT NOVISSIMA ET FIDISSIMA DESCRIPTIO Io. Fayanus M. L. describebat Homere Demosthene et Archimede ensemble Lymoges á nourry óu la Vertu sassemble Muret Dorat Fayen trois excellens Esprits Muret son Demosthene et Dorat son Homere Fayen son Archimede ayant sa ville Mere Sa Prouince et son Plan heureusement compris IOACHIN BLANCHON CALAIS and BOVLONGNE THis Cart conteineth the description of that North-western part of France which the English were masters of from the yere 1347. vntil the yere 1557. At what time the Duke of Guise Lieutenant for the French King tooke it by force of armes The townes of Calais Guisnes and Ardres the English from time to time haue furnished with able garisons And Calais hath heretofore beene the Staple for Woolles and other English commodities Concerning the tract of Boulongne thus saith Robert Caenalis in his 2. book and 3. Perioche De re Gallica Of Gessoriacum a port of the Morini I may well say with Meierus that it is now truely called Boulongne vpon the sea shore from whence there is a very short cut to Douer on the English coast But the Docke or place for building ships called Nauale Gessoriacum which Bilibaldus falsely affirmes to be Gaunt I thinke rather to be Castellum now named Cassell Some by another name call it Petressa and Scalas commonly Scales Moreouer by the situation of Boulongne one may easily coniecture whether it were Portus Iccius or no. Wherein that no man may doubt let vs learne this one thing out of Strabo That the sea between Portus Iccius and England was iust 320. stadia or furlongs ouer which make in all 40. miles But the later Maps containe betweene Boulongne and Douer 17. English which are longer than Italian miles and from Calais 18. Whereby it is manifest that from Boulongne to Douer it is but a very short cut wherefore Portus Gessoriacus the hauen and Nauale Gessoriacum the docke are not all one which docke whoso thinketh stood where Calais now stands I will not greatly contradict him Thus farre Caenalis This very place of Boulongne is described by Arnoldus Ferronius who continued the French history of Paulus Aemilius till his owne time in maner following There is saith he Base Boulongne and High Boulongne The base towne was vnwalled before the comming of the English There stands the church of S. Nicholas and a cloister of Franciscans the English sea beateth vpon this towne Neere vnto this Frierie which is not farre from the sea there is a very commodious place to passe for England It is distant from the higher Boulongne about 100. pases or somewhat more But Boulongne the higher is inuironed with most strong walles and with high ditches compassing the walles All this region is full of that sand which those that dwell on the coast call hot sand Whereupon they will haue the name of Boulongne to be deriued of the French word that signifies such kinde of sand notwithstanding we know it out of Ammianus Marcellinus to be an ancient name Thus much out of Ferronius Concerning these matters reade Diuaeus also VERMANDOIS THis Region which of olde the Veromandui inhabited still retaining the ancient name is at this present called Vermandois From hence the riuers of Some and Schelde fetch their originall Here in times past as Robert Caenalis witnesseth stood the city called Augusta Veromanduorum now raced all saue a Monasterie which remaineth This citie was the sea of a Bishop but vnder Medardus the Bishop thereof it was translated to Noion as Carolus Bouillus reporteth Howbeit the place yet holdeth the ancient name and is called Vermand-abbey Wherefore they seeme to be in an errour that thinke the towne of S. Quintins to haue beene Augusta Veromanduorum Concerning the people of this region reade Peter Diuaeus in his booke of the antiquities of Gallia Belgica CALETENSIVM ET BONONIENSIVM DITIONIS ACCVRATA DELINEATIO VEROMANDVORVM EORVMQVE CONFINIVM EXACTISSIMA DESCRIPT Iohanne Surhonio Auctore PICARDIE THe name of Picardie as all that write of France do affirme not to be ancient so the originall or deriuation thereof none of them can render Caenalis dares not say that it was so called of the Begardes Belleforest flatly denies it supposing the Picardes to be somewhat ancienter than the Begardes Some thinke that they were so named of the warlike weapon called the Pike which as they imagine was here first inuented Certaine it is that the prouince of Picardy was larger in times past for we reade that Artois with a part of Flanders as farre as the riuer Lis and the countie of Boulogne were all comprehended vnder the name of Picardy The region which is now properly called Picardy extends not so farre as the Map it selfe This Region is part of Gallia Belgica whilom inhabited by the Ambiani Bellouaci and Veromandui or as Ptolemey calles them Romandui The riuer Somme which some thinke to be Ptolemey his Phrudis refresheth the wole countrey and makes it most fertile of all kinde of graine and the townes and cities to abound with all necessaries for it yeeldeth such plentie of wheat as it is
and vnder-homage so that hitherto the Princes on both sides haue vsed this custom namely that Boulogne no more acknowledgeth Artois nor S. Paul Boulogne Howbeit about this point in the latter treaty of peace 1559. there was some variance wherefore the matter being referred to Commissioners remaines as yet vndecided the King of Spaine holding still possession It is commonly supposed that Calais the next port of the continent vnto England was by Caesar called Portus Iccius from whence he sailed out of France thither But if we more thorowly consider the matter we shall finde it to haue beene another Port namely the towne of Saint Omer which that it was of old an hauen and a most large inlet of the Ocean sea euen the high cliffes which in a maner enuironing the citie do plainly demonstrate besides infinit other arguments and reliques of antiquitie which though no man should affirme it do most euidently conuince that the territorie adiacent was in times past couered with sea the trueth whereof is till this day also confirmed by common and constant report Yea Sithieu the ancient name of the citie for who knowes not that the name of S. Omer is but new manifesteth the same As if it were deriued of Sinus Itthius or Iccius Also that the said haue was in the prouince of the Morini which Virgil and Lucan doe call the farthest people And that this is most true an attentiue Reader may by many arguments easily gather both out of Caesar his entrance and returne from England Neither can the space of thirtie miles or thereabout which he sayth the island is there distant from the maine hinder my beliefe in this point whenas the violence of the sea especially in so narrow a place may easily either adde or diminish Nor doth the distance of the sea there from the maine to the continent much differ Sufficeth thus much to haue beene said concerning Portus Iccius Whether we haue hit the trueth or no let others iudge Moreouer this Prouince hath three Bishopricks to wit Arras S. Omer and Boulogne one and twentie Abbeys and seuen Nunries besides many Couents and Hospitals It hath many riuers also the principall whereof are Lys Scarpe Aa Canche and Authy besides others that are nauigable Great is the number of villages and hamlets thorowout the whole prouince The soile is most fertile and abundant of all corne and especially of wheat Wherefore in the ancient French tongue some write it was called Atrech that is to say The land of bread Nor is it destitute of woods and groues especially towards the South and West The garments of the Atrebates or Artesians S. Ierome in his second booke against Iouinian noteth for precious Also the Artesian mantles Vopiscus celebrateth in the life of the Emperour Carinus Likewise the same Ierome and other authours affirme that in his time it rained wooll in this prouince This region as others also adioyning Guicciardin hath most notably described Artois ATREBATVM REGIONIS VERA DESCRIPTIO Johanne Surhonio Monteusi auctore Illustri ac amplissimo viro Domino Christophoro ab Assonleuille equiti aurato Domino ab Alteuilla R. M t s consiliario primario Ab. Ortelius in hanc formam compraehendebat et dedicabat Cum priuilegio Imp. et Regiea Maitis FLANDERS THe extreme part of Europe opposite to England and Scotland enuironed by France Germanie and the Ocean is called by the inhabitants The low countries or lower Germanie but the French and all strangers in a maner call it by the name of Flanders But in very deed Flanders hath not so great extension For albeit Flanders properly so called was larger in times past yet at this present it is bounded by Brabant Henault Artois and the Ocean sea This they diuide into three parts namely Flanders the Dutch the French and the Imperiall which last part because it neuer acknowledged any superior besides the Prince of Flanders they name also Flanders proprietarie The Dutch Flanders hath these cities Gant Bruges Yperen Cortrijck Oudenard with Pammele Newport Furnas Bergen Sluise Damme Bierflet Dixmud Cassel Dunkerke Greueling Burburch and Hulst The French Flanders L'isle Doway and Orchies And Flanders Imperiall or Proprietary Aelst Dendermond Geertsberg and Ninouen The principall riuers are Scheld Lys and Dender Most part of the region is pasture-ground especially towards the West it breedeth faire oxen and most excellent and warlike horses It abounds with butter and cheese and yeeldeth wheat in abundance The inhabitants are most of them merchants and of flax wherof they haue in Flanders great plenty excellent good and wooll which is brought them out of Spaine and England they make great quantity of linnen and woollen cloth which they disperse farre and wide This Prouince of Flanders hath 28. walled cities 1154 villages besides fortresses castles and noble mens houses Among which Gaunt is the greatest citie Whereof Erasmus of Roterdam in his Epistles writeth in maner following I am of opinion saith he if you looke all Christendome ouer you shall not finde a citie comparable to this either for largenesse and strength or for the ciuill gouernment and towardlinesse of the people So far Erasmus It containeth in compasse three Dutch miles It is watered by three riuers which diuide it into twenty inhabited isles For multitude and beauty of houses Bruges excelleth almost all the cities of the Netherlands so famous a mart in times past as saith Iacobus Marchantius by that meanes the name of Flanders obscured all the regions round about Yperen stands vpon the riuer of Yperlee very commodious for Fullers By clothing it grew in times past to an huge bignesse till the English and men of Gaunt besieging it cast downe the large suburbs and greatly diminished the same As it is sayd in a common prouerbe that Millan for a Dukedome excelles all Christendome so doth Flanders for an Earledome It hath certaine prerogatiues for the Prince thereof writes himselfe Earle of Flanders by the grace of God which clause is proper to the stile of Kings For it is giuen saith Meierus to no Duke Marques or Earle in Christendome but only to him of Flanders whenas all others vsually adde By the clemency or By the assistance of God c. He had in times past sundry officers peculiar to a King as namely his Chancellour his Master of the horse his Chamberlain and his Cupbearer also two Marshals and ten Peeres as in France The armes of this region in times past were a scutcheon Azure diuided by fiue Crosse-barres of golde with another small red scutcheon in the midst Now it is a blacke lion in a golden field which some are of opinion he tooke for his armes together with the other Netherlandish Princes when they set forth on their expedition towards Syria in the company of Philip of Elsas for at that time the princes of Flanders Louaine Holland Lutzenburg Limburg Brabant Zeland Frisland Henault c. changing their ancient armes assumed to themselues lions of diuers colours
ENGLAND In old writers there are but few records left of these Ilands Amongst the new writers Olaus Magnus Gothus Episcopus Vpsaliensis Albertus Crantzius Saxo Grammaticus Iacobus Zieglerus Sigismundus ab Herberstein in his commentaries of Moscouia haue described these countries And Nicolas Wimman hath set forth the nauigation of the Northren sea See also a little discourse of Antony and Nicolas Zenis two brethren of the ilands situate vnder the North pole together with the shipwracke of Peter Quirinus written by himselfe and Christophero Fiorauante as also by Nicholas Mighel in the Italian tongue There is also a discourse of these Northren parts written by Sebastian Cabato who in the yeare 1557. first sailed into these quarters But aboue all the history of Saxony lately written and set out by Dauid Chytraeus is not to be forgotten SEPTENTRIONALIVM REGIONVM DESCRIP ISLAND I Do find in the Ecclesiasticall history lately set forth and imprinted vnder the name of M. Adams That the people of this Iland came vnto Adelbert Bishop of Breme earnestly entreating him to appoint them some learned diuines that might be able to preach the Gospell and plant Christianity amongst them Neither do I thinke that there is any mention of this Nation in any other more ancient writer than he Although I must confesse that Sigebertus Gemblacensis hath left record that Great King Arthur about the yeare of Christ 470. subdued this iland and reduced the people to his obedience This I take as a fable not for any true history For I do certainly know that this was neuer written by Sigebert but shuffled in as many things els by some other For a very faire Manuscript copy of mine owne as also another in parchment of my friend haue it not Now this Adelbert died about the yeare after Christs incarnation 1070. And that the name Thule oft spoken of almost by all old writers aswell Poets and Historians as Geographers doth not pertaine to this Iland against the opinion well neere of all the learned men of our time but rather to Scone Scandia Peninsula a neck-land of Norway not only the authority of Procopius a graue discreet writer but also for that a note and remnant of that name yet remaineth to this day in Scone in that part which is opposite to the Orkeney iles namely in a place of Norway where the famous Mart of the Belgae is seated For amongst other shires of Norway there is one in this place which they call Tilemercke that is the March or shire of Tule The ilands also ouer against this shore which vulgarly are called Hetland and Shetland the seamen as I vnderstand out of England by the relation of my good friend M. W. Camden are commonly called Thylinsel whereby I conceiue that this Iland tooke the name from the next maine land opposite vnto it For what els is Thilensel but the iland of Thile This opinion of mine not only Pomponius Mela doth confirme who writeth that Thule was opposite to the sea coast of the Belgae he directly saith I say Belgarum not Britannorum littori the sea coast of Britaine where indeed Island is situate not Thule but also Ptolemey the prince of all Geographers and writers in that argument who placeth Thule vnder the 29. degree of Longitude and 63. of Latitude Which position and calculation of degrees doth exactly and precisely fall vpon Tilemarke And as for Island there is no man that hath looked with halfe an eie into Geographicall Mappes and Charts but doth know it to lie vnder the first degree of Longitude and the sixtieth degree of Latitude And I perswade my selfe euen Arngrimus Ionas himselfe an Islander borne in that his Treatise of Island where he saith that the latitude of this Iland is about 44. degrees and 45. minutes was much deceiued It is therefore as cleare as the noone day as he saith that Island is not the same that Thule was and the same Procopius saith that it is inhabited by thirteen Nations and gouerned by so many Kings and to be tenne times as great as Brittaine so that not without good cause Stephanus giueth it the title of Great when as it is certaine that Island is much lesse than Brittaine The same Procopius affirmeth that the Scritifinni a kind of people so called did inhabite Thule these Diaconus nameth Strictofinni and speaketh of them in Scandia as doth also Iornandes in his history notwithstanding he corruptly calleth them that I may note this by the way Crefennae Thus gentle Reader thou seest that which they name Scandia or Scone he calleth Thule and the same nation to this day dwelleth in the same Scandia called by the same name no whit corrupted For they are called vulgarly Scrickefinner and do dwell in Scandia and not in Island In Thule Procopius writeth that there be huge great woods in Island all the world knoweth there are none at all And so Isacius vpon Lycophron saith truly when he affirmeth that Thule is vpon the East of Brittaine not vpon the North as is Island Contrary to that which Strabo a most worthy and diligent Geographer by the sound iudgement of all the learned saith of it but from the relation as there he addeth of Pytheas a shamefull lying historiographer whose custome was as Diodorus Siculus in his second booke writeth to counterfait and coine fables so cunningly that ordinarily they passed for true stories This is that Thule which Tacitus reporteth when the Romane nauy sailed round about Brittaine was seen and viewed by them but not regarded and therefore not entered as is probable This could not be Island which is much farther off and out of kenning But this is enough in this place of Thule or Scandia We will addresse our selues to speake of Island an iland altogether vnknowen and not once named in any ancient writer ISLAND or the Frosen or Icie land which is all one was so named of the ice which lieth continually vpon his North side for there now beginneth the Frosen-sea as Crantzius writeth It was called SNELAND of the Snow which all the yeare long doth heere in some places continue Item GARDARSHOLM that is Garders ile so called as Arngrimus himselfe being an Islander borne writeth of one Gardar a man so named who first found it or inhabited the same This iland is an hundred Germane miles in length as commonly most writers do hold but the foresaid Arngrimus Ionas saith it is 144. miles long For the most part it is not inhabited but is wast and mountainous especially toward the North part by reason of the bitter blasts of the South winds which will not suffer as Olaus teacheth so much as any low shrubbe or bush once to put forth his head It is subiect to the king of Norway and so hath continued euer since the yeare of Christ 1260. at what time first the same Arngrime affirmeth they did their homage to that Crowne Whereupon the king of Denmarke euery yeare sendeth thither a Lieutenant by
fifth Section of the third Climate of his Geographicall garden imprinted in the Arabicke language at Rome in the yeare of our Lord 1592. The place saith he where Lot with his family dwelt the stinking sea and Zegor euen vp as high as Basan and Tiberias was called the Vale for that it was a plaine or bottome between two hils so low that all the other waters of this part of Soria do fall into it and are gathered thither And a little beneath in the same place he addeth All the brookes and springs do meet and stay in the lake of Zegor otherwise called the lake of Sodom and Gomorrha two cities where Lot and his family dwelt which God did cause to sinke and conuerted their place into a stinking lake otherwise named The Dead lake for that there is in it nothing that hath breath or life neither fish nor worme or any such thing as vsually is wont to liue or keepe in standing or running waters the water of this lake is hot and of a filthy stinking sauour yet vpon it are little boates in which they passe from place to place in these quarters and carry their prouision The length of this lake is 60. miles the breadth not aboue 12. miles Moreouer Aben Isaac who in like maner wrote in the Arabicke tongue a treatise of Geography certaine fragments of which I haue by me for which I am beholding as also for many other fauours to Master Edward Wright that learned Mathematician and singular louer of all maner literature thus speaketh of this place The sea Alzengie saith he is a very bad and dangerous sea for there is no liuing creature can liue in it by reason of the vnwholesomnesse and thicknesse of his waters which happeneth by reason that the sunne when it commeth ouer this sea draweth vp vnto it by the force of his heat the thinner and more subtill parts of the water which is in it and so doth leaue the thicke and more grosse parts behind which by that meanes also become very hot and salt so that no man may saile vpon this sea nor any beast or liuing creature liue neere it Item the sea Sauk as Aristotle speaketh of it which also is in these parts and doth reach vp as high as India and the parched Zone so I thinke the word Mantakah that is a girdle or belt which heere he vseth doth signifie that there is not in it any liuing creature at all of any sort whatsoeuer and therefore this sea is called The Dead sea because that whensoeuer any worme or such like falleth into it it mooueth no longer but swimmeth vpon the toppe of the water and when it is dead it putrifieth and then sinketh and falleth to the bottome yet when there falleth into it any stinking and corrupt thing it sinketh immediatly and swimmeth not vpon the water at all Thus farre out of Aben Isaac This sea is of Ptolemey called ASPHALTITES the lake Ashaltites of others Asphaltes of the bitumen which it doth yeeld in great plenty of the Iewes MARE PALAESTINORVM ORIENTALE SOLITVDINIS siue DESERTI the Sea of Palaestina the East Sea the Sea of the desert or wildernesse of the situation and position of it vnto the land of Iewry Item MARE SALIS the Salt-sea of the hot and fitish saltnesse of the same aboue other salt-waters which the Arabian iustifieth to be true Pausanias that ancient and famous historian of the Greekes and Iustine the abridger of the large volume of Trogus Pompeius call it MARE MORTVVM the Dead sea of the effect there is saith Iustine a lake in that country which by reason of his greatnesse and vnmoueablenesse of his waters is called the Dead sea for it is neither mooued with the wind the heauy and lumpish bitumen which swimmeth vpon the toppe of the water all the lake ouer resisting the violence of the greatest blasts neither is it saileable for that all things that are void of life do sinke to the bottome neither doth it sustaine any thing that is not besmered with bitumen to these both my Arabians do subscribe of Galen the Prince of Physitions it is called LACVS SODOMAEVS the Lake of Sodome for him Nubiensis doth stand who neuer nameth it Bahri a sea but Bahira a lake or standing poole yet contrariwise Isaac termeth it Bahri not Bahira and by this name it is generally knowen to all the Europeans Solinus calleth it TRISTEM SINVM the Sad-bay like as the gulfe of Milinde is of some named ASPERVM MARE the rough or boisterous sea like as Isaac my authour calleth this same lake Tzahhib the churlish and dangerous sea Iosephus in the tenth chapter of his first booke of the Antiquities of the Iewes saith that this place where now is the Dead-sea was before named the Vale of bitumen pits Strabo otherwise a most excellent Geographer and curious searcher out of the truth in these discourses falsly confoundeth this lake as I touched before with the Sirbon lake Why the Arabian should call it Zengie and Sawke I know not This we haue heere added partly out of the Geographicall treasury of Ortelius for the ease and benefite of the Reader least the diuersity of names might make him mistake the thing Hauing thus finished the Mappes of HOLY write It now remaineth that we do in like maner begin and go on forward with those of PROPHANE histories A draught and shadow of the ancient GEOGRAPHY THou hast gentle and curtuous Reader in this Mappe a draught a plot or patterne I might call it of the whole world but according to the description ruder Geography of the more ancient authours of those of middle age For this our globe of the earth was not then further knowen a wonderfull strange thing vntill in the daies of our fathers in the yeare 1492. Christofer Columbus a Genoway by the commandement of the king of Castile first discouered that part of the West which vnto this day had lien hid vnknowen After that the South part hitherto not heard of togther with the East part of Asia much spoken of but neuer before this time entered was descried by the Portugals That part which lieth toward the North we haue seen in this our age to haue been first found out by the English merchants and nauigatours a particular view and proofe of which thou maist see at large in that worthy worke of the English Nauigations composed with great industrie diligence and charge by my singular good friend Master Richard Hacluyt By him England still shall liue and the name of braue Englishmen shall neuer die The other countries which as yet do lie obscured within the frozen Zones and vnder both the Poles are left for succeding ages to find out Peraduenture ancient writers that liued many hundred yeares since haue named some country or some one place or other out of this our continent but they haue not written ought of the situation of the same as being indeed altogether vnknowen vnto them In
make cheese others are wholly ignorant of sowing planting grafting and of such other points of husbandrie In their cariage and conuersation they are as Diodorus Siculus speaketh of them plaine simple and vpright farre remote from the wily subtillies and crafty deuices of our men which liue more neere the Court. They fare basely and feed vpon grosse meats and are wholly estranged from wealth and gorgeous life and maintetenance and as Mela saith of them they are only rich in cattell and great lands and compasse of ground For they do not hold it lawfull to eat either hare henne or goose notwithstanding they keepe them as Caesar writeth for game and pastime Yet they haue a kind of geese heere which they call chenerotes bernacles which they esteeme for great dainties so that in England they haue not a daintier dish as Pliny testifieth They feed vpon milke and flesh meat as the same authour saith They lay their corne vp in their barnes in the eare of sheaffe vnthrashed from whence they fetch and thrash as much as shall serue them from day to day Of their temperate and sparing diet together with their patience in aduersity and affliction Dion in the life of Nero will teach thee That they did make their drinke which they called Curmi or as now they pronounce it Courow ale of barley Dioscorides that famous physition or industrious and painfull student and searcher out of the true nature of medicinall simples so many hundred yeeres hath left recorded Zonaras writeth that they did vse to make a kind of meat of which if any man should take but the quantity of a beane he should neither be an hungred or a thirst for a great time Beleeue him that list Of the same Britaines Herodian thus writeth they weare no kind of garment onely about their neckes they claspe a piece of iron thinking that to bee as great a iewell and signe of wealth as other barbarous nations do by gold Caesar saith that they be clad in skins and leather They vsed to haue tenne or twelue wiues common amongst a certaine company of them especially brothers with brothers and fathers with their sonnes were thus co-partners but if any of them were gotten with child whosoeuer got it it was accounted to be his who first maried her when she was a maide Thus Caesar in his time wrote of them That many of them had but one wife onely Eusebius in his seuenth booke de Praepar euangel hath giuen vs to vnderstand which also Clemens Alexandrinus in his 9 booke Recognitionum doth auerre Plutarch saith that they do ordinarily liue till they be an hundred and twenty yeares old They vse brasen money or iron rings made of a certaine weight and poise in steed of gold or siluer coines Pliny saith that they vsed to weare rings vpon their middle finger In Caesar I read that their houses did stand thicke and close together but as Strabo writeth they were for the most part made of reeds or timber They dwell in woodes like as we do in cities For they call that a towne when they haue with a banke or ditch enclosed or fortified a combersome wood whither they may flocke and resort to auoid the inuasion and assault of their enemies as Caesar in his commentaries doth giue vs to vnderstand and there as Strabo saith they make cabbines or cottages for themselues and stables for cattle such as may serue them for that present necessity Herodian calleth them a very warlike and bloudy nation They fight not only on horsebacke and foote but also with coches and waggons armed after the maner of the Gauls Couinos they call them whose axeltrees or linces were armed with hookes made somewhat like to the Welch bils now adaies vsed as Pomponius Mela affirmeth they vse likewise in their warres a great multitude of waines as Caesar Strabo and Diodorus do tell vs. They fight with huge great swords as Tacitus signifieth these swords Herodian saith hang close downe by their bare skinne only sheathed in a streight peece of leather Pomponius Mela writeth that they vsed to adorne the pommels of their swords with the teeth of certaine sea fish They know not what a brigandine iacke or head-peece meane these peeces of armour they neuer vse accounting them to be but a trouble and hinderance to them when they are to passe ouer any bogges or fennes For they vse to swimme runne through or to wade vp to the twist ouer those fennes and marishes and many times being bare-legged they spare neither thicke nor thinne yet afterward we learne out of Dion by the oration of Bunduica their queen that they were wont to arme themselues for defence with helmets habergions and greaus when they gaue the on-set vpon their enemies the same authour teacheth vs they vsed to make a great noise and to sing terrible and threatning songs They make warre manie times vpon small occasions and for wantonnesse and very often they inuade and annoy one another of set purpose especiallie for a desire of further command and couetousnesse of enlarging their possessions Tacitus moreouer affirmeth that they also go in the field vnder the leading and conduct of women for a manifest proofe of which he bringeth in in the foureteenth booke of his Annals Boudicea with her daughters Dion affirmeth the same but he calleth her Bunduica item Tacitus in the life of Iulius Agricola writeth her name Voadica Corpora inficiunt vltrò they purposedly staine and paint their bodies there is a very learned man who thinketh that for vltrò heere should be read nitro with saltpeter but wherefore or to what end they did it that is vncertaine Mela and Iornandes do thinke they did it for ornament and to set out themselues or that they might seeme more terrible vnto their enemies in time of sight as Caesar saith who ouermore addeth that they thus paint their bodies with wood Luteum he calleth it which will make a blew or skie-colour Others heere for Luteum do read Glastum on whose side Pliny seemeth to speake but that he affirmeth this only of the women where he writeth that the Britans wiues and women did vse to besmere all their body ouer with glastum woad an hearb like plantaine and to go starke naked to some certaine solemnities when they were to performe some rites and ceremonies in this imitating the Blackamoores But why I should not reteine the ancient reading which in Caesar was glasto for that which now they would haue luteo I see no reason seeing that out of a fr gment of a description of Britaine done by my good friend M. Humfrey Lhoyd I vnderstand that amongst the West Britans in the ancient Brittish tongue which they still speake euen to this very day by the word glas they vnderstand the blew or skie-colour as also by the same they signifie the hearb Isatis th t is woad which is very like the plantaine And that the men also did not onlie staine their bodies with some kind
the maine land was a monastery erected by S Columba where diuers of the kings of Scotland haue been buried beside the bishops sea in the village Sodore in whose diocesses all the rest were and therefore were of it called Insulae Sodorenses All the other beside Hirth are of small account as being nothing but rocks stones and craggie knols in which you shall scarce all the yere long finde a greene turffe The people in maners behauiour apparell and language do much resemble the Irish as those in the Orkney doe the Goths and Norweyans More of these see in Solinus and M. Camdens Britannia to whom we are beholding for this The I LE of MAN which Pliny calleth Monabia Orosius and Bede Menauia Gildas Eubonia the Welch Menaw they themselues Maning Caesar Mona and Ptolemey Monoëda that is as who say Mon-eitha Mon the father for a distinction from Anglesey which is also called Mon is midway between England and Ireland as Caesar in his fifth booke of the warres of France and Gyraldus Cambrensis report yet the people are more like in language and maners vnto the Irish men It is in length from South to North about 30. miles in breadth in some places it is 15. in other places where it is narrowest not aboue 7 or 8 miles ouer In Bedaes time it had but 300. families or housholds now it conteineth 17. parishes very populous and well inhabited It beareth great plenty of Hempe and Flax. The soile is reasonably fertile either for Corne or Grasse and therefore it yeerely yeeldeth both great plenty of Barly Wheat and Rie but especially of Oats whereof they for the most part make their bread maintaineth great store of cattel and many flocks of sheepe but that aswell the one as the other are lesse than they be in England They burne Seacole insteed of wood of which they haue none or very little Vpon the South coast lieth a small ile which they call The calfe of Man where there is such wonderfull plenty of sea fowles which they call Puffins and of those geese which we call Bernacles Clakes or Soland geese as none which haue not seene them will easily beleeue Thus farre of Mona described by Caesar the other Mona which Tacitus and Dion do speake of now followeth That which we now call ANGLESEY that is The English I le Tacitus and Dion as I said called Mona the Welchmen Mon Tir-mon Inis Dowyl that is The darke ile the Saxons Monege a very goodly and fruitfull iland the ancient seat of the Druides was brought in subiection vnder the Romane Empire by Paullinus Suetonius and Iulius Agricola about 46. yeeres after the birth of Christ It is very neere the coast of Britaine as Dion saith yea so neere that from the main by swimming ouer the flattes and shallow places Iulius Agricola as Tacitus witnesseth conueied in thither both horsemen and footmen to suppresse certaine rebels that held it against the Romans But of this iland there is in this our Theater a whole discourse written by Humfrey Lloyd a learned gentleman painfull student in the British stories Vpon the coast of Wales also lieth BERDSEY that is The birds Ile called of the Britans Enhly of Ptolemey Edry of Pliny Andros or Adros a plaine and champion country toward the West but in the East very hillie and mountainous Then GRESHOLME and STOCHOLME excellent pastorage passing pleasant by reason of the sweet smell of the wild Tyme which heere groweth euery where in great abundance Next to these is SCALMEY as fertile as any called of Pliny Silimnus of Ptolemey Limi and in the catalogue of Martyrs Lemeneia Insula In the mouth of Seuern lie the Holmes or as the Welchmen call them the Echni FLATHOLME and STEEPHOLME Reoric in Welch Item BARREY SILEY CALDEY and LONDEY small Ilands but very fertile Thirty or forty miles off West from the Cape of Cornewall which the seamen commonly call The lands end lie the SORLINGS or the SYLLY called by Sulpitius Seuerus Sillinae of Antonine Sigdeles of Solinus Silurae or Silurum Insulae the Grecians of their situation named them Hesperides the West iles and of their rich commoditie of Tinne Cassiteros which they yeeld Cassiterides the Stanneries but why Festus Auianus should name them Ostrimnides I know not They are in all 145. beside craggie rockes which are innumerable There are 10. of them which also Eustathius doth testifie S. Mary Annoth Agnes Sampson Silly Brefer Rusco or Triscraw S. Hellen S. Martine and Arthur with Minanwitham and Minuisisand greater and more famous then the rest for their rich veines of Tinne from whence as Pliny saith Medacritus first brought Lead or Tinne into Greece Many of them are good corne ground all of them infinite store of Conies Cranes Swannes Herons and other Sea-fowle These are those ilands as Solinus writeth which a tempestuous frith of two or three houres saile ouer doth part from the outmost end of Cornwall Danmoniorum ora whose inhabitants doe still obserue the ancient customes they keepe no faires or markets they care not for mony they giue and receiue such as one another haue neede of they rather regard more to get necessary things for exchange than those of high price and great valew they are very deuout in their religious seruices to their Gods and both women and men in like manner do hold themselues to be very skilfull in foretelling of things to come Vpon the coast of France ouer against Normandy are GERSEY Caesarea Antoninus calleth it a fertile soile good corne ground and reasonable pastorage it hath 12. parishes wel inhabited and very populous Item GARNSEY SERKE ALDERNEY ARME the QVASQVETS and others which although the ancients did neuer reckon amongst the number of the Brittish iles yet we know that they are now subiect to the crowne of England and euer haue beene since the yere of our Lord 1108. at what time they were by Henry the first annexed to this kingdome They are all in the diocesse and iurisdiction of the Bishop of Winchester Close to the shore of England is the I le of WIGHT Ptolemey calleth it Wictesis Pliny Suetonius Vectis the Panegyricus Eutropius Vecta Diodorus Icta all deriued from the Brittish word Guith which signifieth a deuision or separation for that it was once ioined as then they vulgarly held vnto the maine land like as Sicilia was to Italy It is 20. miles long 12. miles broad Vespasian first brought it vnder the obedience of the Romans in the raigne of the emperor Claudius as Suetonius writeth in the fourth chapter of his Vespasianus yet Eutropius affirmeth it to be done by Maximianus the emperor It is by the sea which entreth vp high within the land diuided into two prouinces Fresh-water ile and Binbridge I le In Bedaes time it conteined but 1200. families now it hath 36. parishes villages castles which do belong all to Hantshire and are of the diocesse Winchester The soile is
very fertile either for corne or cattel Beside many flocks of sheep of passing fine wool it is wonderfully stored with Conies Hares Patridges Phesants In the time of William the first William Fitz-osbern was intituled Lord of Wight and after that Henry Beauchamp Earle of Warwick was by King Henry the sixth crowned King of Wight See more of it in Diodorus Siculus and Beda The I le TENET lying hard to the coast of Kent of eight miles length fower miles breadth is a chalkie soile and passing good corne ground Solinus calleth it Thanatos or as some copies haue Athanatos thus he writeth of it The ile Thanatos Tenit washed by the French ocean disioined from England the main continent by a narrow frith is a very rich corne ground fat soile neither is it only good and kind to it selfe but also to other places for as in it no snake or venemous serpents do breed or liue so the earth dust caried from thence to what place of the world soeuer doth naturally kill such vermine Thus far Solinus then but that which he spake of it concerning Serpents we now in our daies know by experience to be false Neere to this is that shallow sandy place so dangerous to sea-men commonly called GOODVVINS SANDS an iland sometime the possession of Earle Goodwin which as our histories report did sinke in the yeere of our Lord 1097. This should seeme to be Toliapis of Ptolemey but that he placeth it neere to Essex or the Trinobantes when as this lieth a great deale more neere the Cantij Within the Thames mouth are yet other two ilands one vpon Kent side which now we call SHEPEY that is the I le of sheep but how it was called of the ancients we certainly know not The other vpon Essex side which Ptolemey in his time called CAVNA CONVENNOS or COVNOS such is the variety of copies is still called Conway It lieth so flat and low that it is sometime all ouerflowen excepting some little knols and hils whither the cattle do ordinarily flie in such like danger It feedeth yerely four thousand sheepe at the least whose flesh is of a most sweet and pleasant taste surpassing those of other places Thus hauing passed so many troublesome and dangerous seas and now being come within kenning of mine owne natiue country I thinke it not amisse to put into harbrough heere for awhile to rest our wearied limmes and purge vs from those brackish humours which in this tedious iourney we drunke in Thus farre then of the ilands described and named in this Mappe Yet there are certaine others mentioned in some authours of good note And Plutarch in the life of Demetrius giueth out that there are many ilands neere to Britain waste and desert whereof some he saith are dedicated to the gods and famous worthies Amongst these there is one in which he saith they report Saturne lulled a sleepe by Briareus is kept as prisoner in chaines he is bound I say with sleep in sted of a chaine and hath many Angels and demy-gods for seruants to wait and attend vpon him Whether this be that which that Auienus calleth Pelagia and affirmeth to be consecrated to Saturne I dare neither constantly affirme nor peremptorily deny Moreouer of these same thou maist read something worth the while as not altogether vnpleasant though doubtlesse meerly fabulous in the same Plutarch in his booke intituled De defectu Oraculorum of the ceasing of oracles as also in Isacius Tzetzes vpon Lycophron Artimedorus in Straboes Geography saith that there is an iland neere Britaine where they offer sacrifice to Ceres and Proserpina in the selfe same manner and with like ceremonies as they do in Samothrace Apollonius in his History of strange and wonderfull things affirmeth out of Cytinus Chius that there is a certaine Brittish ile not Britaine it selfe as M. Camden vnderstandeth him 400. furlongs in compasse where fruits doe grow without stones or kernels for you shall neither find a stone in the oliue nor kirnell in the grape which also happeneth not only to these 2 fruites but also to all other of those kinds But this is more like a feigned tale then a true story Moreouer Dionysius Afer nameth the NESIADES the seat and habitation of the Ammitae amongst the number of the Brittish iles but I would rather iudge these to be ilands vpon the coast of France than Brittish iles and that by the authority of Strabo If any man do desire to know these better let him repaire to the learned Claurencieux Camden my singular good friend who hath in that his Britannia a worthy worke composed by him with infinte paines and trauell so learnedly and diligently described and set downe their ancient forme customes maners places and cities together with those of later times and of these our daies that they rather seeme to be expressed to the eie in their true colours by the pencill of a skilfull painter then by the pen of a painfull student But some man may say this is written in the Latine tongue a language that I vnderstand not Be patient a while Thou shalt heare him speake shortly good English Of mine owne knowledge he is already put to schoole for that purpose into the country to the learned Philemon Holland If thou knowest him not that learned Doctor of Physicke who lately taught the great Philosopher Pliny of Como the renowmed Historian great Liuy of Padua two Italians that neuer could sound a word of ours before to speake English so plainly and well as neuer none better No stranger nay no man euer spake more properly none more eloquently When he beginneth I know it will not be long we ruder clownes will hold our peace But we cannot forget the worthy paines of the learned M. Verstegan who hath giuen vs good cause to remember him with thanks for that his Restitution of decaied intelligence in antiquities concerning the renowmed English Nation lately imprinted and dedicated to his most exellent Maiesty SPAINE HISPANIAE VETERIS DESCRIPTIO Ex conatibus Geographicis Abrah Ortelij Privilegio Imp. Reg. et Belgico ad decennium 1586. SVMMO THEOLOGO DNÌ„O D. BENEDICTO ARIAE MONTANO VIRO LINGVARVM COGNITIONE RERVM PERITIA ET VITAE INTEGRITATE MAGNO ABRAH ORTELIVS AMICITIAE ET OBSERVANTIAE ERGO DD. HISPANIAE LOCA ALIQVOT INCOGNITAE POSITIONIS POPVLI Aebisoci Aequefilici Allotrigae Amenionses Andologenses Arenates Axabricenses Babanouses Banienses Bursaonenses Bursavolenses Caesarobricenses Carausiae Cibilitani Cincenses Colorni Cortonenses Damenanitani Eilota Emanici Equaesi Fortunales Gessorienses Iadoni Idienses Ilumberitani Interanisenses Ispalenses Itani Karenses Leuni Melesses Onenses Oppidoni Oriâ—â—â— Pâ—suri Palatini Pleutauri Rucones Sacilernusi Segienses Solienses Talori Teari Iulienses Tuisi Velienses Vermenses Viaâ—ienuâ—â— Vilienses Volciani VRBES Abobrica Accabicus Adercon Adrobicus Agla Alea Aliconsis Alpasa Andâ—risippo Apetua Apiloâ—urium Arialdunum Asena Astenas Atetona Axatiara Axenium Baecor Baecyla Baetyca Belippo Besaro Biendium Brachyla Branae Brutobria Casaris Salutariensis
Caliabria Calucula Carabis Carbulo Careo Carruca Castax Castra gemina Castra vinaria Cedrippo Certima Cimbis Cinniana Cisembrium Colenda Colobona Coplanium Cotinas Crabalia Cusibi Danium Dia Dumium Eiscadia Erisane Fabreseense Gemella Gruâ—nus Helingas Hellenes Hippo Hippo Carausiarum Ibem Ilipa minor Ilipula Laus Illurco Ilucia Indica Ipasturgi Ituci Iulia cognomine Concordia Iul. Constantia Iul. Contributa Iul. Fidentia Iul. Restituta Lancia Transoudana Lenium Magala Malia Marcolica Massia Moron Merucra Nobilia Nuditanum Olitingi Olone Onoba Opsicella Osintigi Ossigi Ossigitania Oxthraca Sacvuna Saepona Saon Segeda Segestica Serippo Sicane Silpia Sitia Soricaria Soritia Tabeta Tarscium Transsucunus Tribola Turba Turobrica Tutia Velia Ventisponte Vergentum Vergium Vescelia Vesciveca Vesperies Victoria portuo Vrbicuà Vxena MONTES Sacer Ydrus FLVMINA Chalybs Silicense FONTES Tamarici et quaedam Antonini item Avieni Horum omnium situm quamvis ignorarem abesse tamen ab hac tabula iniquum putari In omni enim vetere historia veterem voco ad Caroli Magni usque tempora omnium huius regionis locorum vocabula exprimere valui ni fallor â—â—pressi Si quae autem doctori in en deesse videbuntur erunt fortassè horum querundam synonyma de quibus omnibus in nostro Thesaure geographico Without the limits of the maine land or continent of Spaine there is a part of this country called INSVLARIS or BALEARIVM that is The Spanish iles or the Baleares For this part of Spaine consisteth altogether of ilands The names of those which do lie in the Ocean or Maine sea are these GADES now Caliz IVNONIS insula GERYONIS monumentum S. Pedro a little ile betweene Caliz and the maine land LONDOBRIS ouer against Portugall now knowen by the name of Barlinguas CORTICATA AVNIOS DEORVM insulae peraduenture those which they now call Islas de Baiona and the faigned CASSITERIDES in this tract For these famous ilands are indeed those which our seamen call The Sorlings belonging to the crowne of England as we haue shewed before In the Midland sea are these following the two BALEARES the Greater and the Lesser MALLORCA and MENORCA the two PITYVSAE to wit EBVSVS now Yuica or as some terme it Ibissa and OPHIVSA SCOMBRARIA Cabo di Palos COLVBRARIA Moncolobrer CAPRARIA Cabrera TIQVADRA Coneiera PLVMBARIA PLANESIA and MAENARIA all of them except only the Baleares and Gades small ilands and of none account Gades was much renowmed and famous long since by meanes of the fables of Hercules and Geryon feigned by Poets to haue been acted heere as also for that the long liued king Arganthonius who was before his death 300. yeares old did sometime keepe his court heere The Baleares were much talked of by reason the Ilanders were counted good slingers best experienced and skilfull in that weapon called by the Romanes Funda But especially it was much spoken of by meanes of the great famine and dearth that there was caused by conies of which there was sometime in these Ilands such wonderfull store and abundance that old stories do testifie that the country people were forced to entreat of Augustus Caesar a military aid and band of men to helpe to destroy them keepe them from breeding and spreading any further Pliny compareth the winds of these Ilands with the best that are made of Italian grapes I do verily beleeue that Seruius vpon the 7. booke of Virgils Aeneids did mistake the matter when he writeth that Geryon did rule as king of the Baleares and the Pityusaes For all other writers do affirme that he reigned and kept his court about Gades Except in defence of Seruius one should alledge this saying of Trogus In parte Hispaniae quae ex insulis constat regnum penes Geryonem fuit that is In a part of Spaine which consisteth altogether of ilands Geryon swaied the scepter and ruled as soueraigne king But that he spake this of Gades and the iland not farre from it in the maine sea the wonderfull pastorage and rankenesse which he ascribeth to these is a sufficient argument and proofe which by no meanes may be verified of the Baleares Againe Solinus plainly testifieth for me that Bocchoris and not Geryon did reigne in the Baleares But his owne words may perhaps please thee better therefore listen thus he speaketh Bocchoris regnum Baleares fuerunt vsque ad euersionem Phrygum cuniculis animalibus quondam copiosae In capite Baeticae vbi extremus est NOTI ORBIS terminus insula à septingentis passibus separatur quam Tyrij à Rubro profecti mari ERYTHRAEAM Poeni sua lingua GADIR id est sepem nominarunt In hac Geryonem habitasse plurimis monumentis probatur tametsi quidam putent Herculem boues ex alia insula abduxisse quae Lusitaniam contuetur Thus rudely in English The Baleares where Bocchoris vntill the ouerthrow of the Phrygians raigned and held his court were sometime wonderfully full of Conies In the entrance and head of Baetica which is the outmost bound of the KNOVVEN WORLD there is an iland which is distant from the maine land threescore and tenne pases This the Tyrians come from the Redsea called ERYTHRAEA or The Red iland but the Poeni or Carthaginians in their language named it GADIR that is The hedge Heere Geryon did sometime dwell as monuments and antiquities do strongly prooue although some do thinke that Hercules did cary the Oxen from another iland which lieth ouer against Lusitania Thus farre Solinus Obserue heere that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gader in the ancient language of the Iewes and Giadir in the moderne tongue of the farre-conquering Arabians doth signifie an hedge enclosure or fence Beside these forenamed ilands knowen to the ancient and best writers Sextus Rufus Auienus reciteth others by these names OESTRYMNIDES ARCHALE POETANION AGONIDA CARTARE STRONGILE and LVNAE These because no man else doth seeme to know or take notice of peraduenture may be some of those which Pliny termeth mari vadoso paruas Small ilands or shelues in the shallow sea and are in number well neere twenty What if to these I should adioine CROMYVSA and MELVSSA certaine ilands vpon the coast of Spaine as Stephanus citeth out of Hecataeus his Cosmography Of TRANSFRETANA or TINGITANA Hispania that other part I meane of Spaine beyond the streights called Tingitania because it did only in name and vsurpation not indeed and of right belong to Spaine as also for that it is thus Pomponius Melawriteth of it Regio ignobilis vix quidquam illustre sortita paruis opidis habitatur parua flumina emittit solo quam viris melior segnitiae gentis obscura Abase country and hath scarce any good thing in it worth the speaking of It hath no famous cities but small ragged townes and villages The riuers which runne through it are very small and not nauigable yet the soile is better than the men For the slouththfulnesse and cowardice of the people hath made the country the more obscure I will speake nothing
PONTVS EVXINVS Aequor Iasonio pulsatum remige primum Ex conatibus geographicis Abrahami Ortelij Cum Priuilegio Imp. Reg. et Belgico Ad decennium 1590. THRACE VNder the name of THRACIA many and diuerse countries with sundry people are comprehended for except the Indies it is the greatest country of the world as Herodotus doth testifie for Pliny doth confine it by the riuer Ister Pontus Propontis the Aegean sea and the riuer Strymon Yea and Strabo in the first booke of his Geography according to the opinion of Homer extendeth it as farre that way as the riuer Peneus which riuer Ptolemey attributeth to Macedonia Marcellinus maketh the Scordisci to be a people of this country Appianus to these conioineth the Illyrians So also doth Mela vpon the West who moreouer vpon the South to it doth assigne the mount Athos Many of the ancient writers likewise doe make the peninsula or demy-iland Pallene a portion belonging to this country Yea if one may credit Eratosthenes the hill Olympus doth part Macedonia from Thrace And the Epitome of Strabo in his seuenth booke maketh yet a farre other description of the bounds of this region For in Strabo himselfe the description of Thracia is wholly missing This Epitome I say seuereth Thrace from Macedony by the mouth of the riuer Nessus Yea and indeed in succedent ages the compasse of this country was not much lesse for Ammianus Procopius Sextus Rufus and the booke of Records Notitiarum do diuide it into these sixe shires or prouinces Moesia the Second or Lower Scythia Europa peculiarly calling this part by the generall name of that quarter of the world wherein the whole did stand Rhodopa Haemimontus and Thracia properly and specially so called Heere hence it is that in Trebellius and Orosius there is mention made of the THRACIA'S in the plurall number Yet this our Mappe is not so farre extended toward the North. For we haue indeed followed the description of Ptolemey in butting and bounding it who seuereth it from other Northren countries by the mount Haemus And this true THRACIA we do thinke to haue beene so named of the inchanting Nymph Thraca as Eustathius out of Athenaeus teacheth vs hauing been in former times called PERCA And had beene also sometime as many do verily thinke knowne by the names of ARIA ODRYSA CRESTONIA and SCYTONIA Iosephus a most graue authour affirmeth that it was of the Iewes called THYRAS The abouenamed Ptolemey in it nameth these foureteene shires Dantheletica Sardica Vsdicefica Selletica Moedica Drosica Coeletica Sapaica Corpialica Coenica Bessica Bennica Samaica and Vrbana Plinie diuideth it into fifty or two and fifty as I remember Dalechampius hath Regiments Strategiae shirewickes I thinke they call them in some places of England Hundreds or Wapentakes I would call them This Thracia properly so called Ammianus likeneth vnto the halfe Moone or to a Theater whose higher part is enclosed with high and steep mountaines which do diuide this same country from Dacia The lower part openeth toward the Aegean sea Of the nature and quality of this country Virgil speaketh on this manner Terra procul vastis colitur Mauortia campis A martiall country li'th farre off vast champions it conteinth Plutarch teacheth vs that it hath in it many huge fennes and bogges and that it is diuided or crossed this way and that way by diuerse deep and dangerous riuers Pliny saith that the soile of Thracia is very fertile for all manner of corne and commendeth the wheat of the same for waight and heauinesse Item for goodnesse he affirmeth that this kinde of wheat possesseth the third place Athenaeus testifieth that it beareth some vines especially about Biblina which otherwise is called Oesyma Item Pliny highly commendeth Vinum Maroneum the wine of Marogna or Marolia as Lewnclawe calleth it Homer also affirmeth that the Achiui were wont by shippe to transport wines from Thace into Grecce Xenophon writeth that in the mount Pangeus there is a gold-mine and Strabo affirmeth the like to be about Philippi Heere also is the Thracian stone which is kindled by the water and quenched with oile as Pliny witnesseth But because no man of all the ancient writers hath better described this countrie than Pomponius Mela let vs heere him speake It is saith he a countrie that cannot much bragge either of the goodnesse of their soile or wholesomenesse of their aire nay indeed except it be in some place neere the sea coast it is barren cold and verie vnkinde to all things generally that are set sowne or laid into the same It seldome beareth any apple-trees or other fruit-trees yet vines do heere and there grow in diuers places but the grapes neuer ripen kindly or come to any perfection except in some places where the vine-dressers do by the leaues keepe the cold from them It is a countrey much more kinde to men yet they are none of the properest for they are very clownish vnhandsome and rough hewed fellowes but otherwise for number and hardinesse for they are many and those very vnciuill this nation farre surpasseth others neere adioining This latter also is auerred by Pausanias who affirmeth it to containe such wonderfull multitudes of men that if you shall except France Gallia it may for ought that I know in all likely-hood for multitude of men be preferred before any countrie in the world Item Herodotus saith that next after the Indies it is the greatest countrey of the whole earth Liuy calleth it a desperate and most fierce Nation and Solinus he saith that they are a verie stout and hardy people Sextus Rufus maketh them the most cruell and furious people that euer he saw or heard of which Florus well expresseth by this example when he writeth that certaine of them being taken by the Romanes and giued as the manner of captiises is did bite the fetters and manacles with their teeth and so themselues to haue sufficiently punished their owne barbarous cruelty and that there are of their parents euen from their cradle trained vp to this wild inhumane kinde of life Sidonius doth teach vs in these words Excipit hic natos glacies matris ab aluo Artus infantum molles nix cimbrica durat Pectore vixaliter quisquam sed ab vbere tractus Plus potat per vulnus equum sic lacte relicto Virtutem gens tota bibit Creuere parumper Mox pugnam ludunt iaculis hos suggerit illis Nutrix plaga iocos pueri venatibus apti Lustra feris vacuant rapto ditata iuuentus Iura colit gladij consummatámque senectam Non ferro finire pudet Tali ordine vitae Ciues Martis agunt So soone as infant heere is borne The thing they say is sure To frost and snow their tender limmes They presently inure Scarce one of many thousands heere Doth sucke the Nurces teate Warme blood of warlike horses heere For most part 's infants meat This diet mak'th them bold and hard And as they come to growth They
go Eastward looke by how much the aire is more subtile pure and thinne so much is it more fierce sharpe and piercing On the contrary the farther you go toward the South and West parts of the world by how much the aire is more thicke cloudy and foggy by so much it is more temperate kinde and healthfull For this countrey lying in the midst indifferently seated betweene frozen Island and parched Spaine and by that meanes getting a meane temperature betweene hot and cold aswell in respect of that temperature and holesomnesse of the aire is a most goodly fertile iland The champion fields do yeeld great store of corne the mountaines do feed many heards of cattell the woods affoord many Deere and other kind of wild beasts the lakes and riuers great variety and plenty of good fish Yet the soile of this iland is better for Pastorage than Arable-ground for Grasse than Corne. Multam fruges in Hibernia saith he plurimam in culmis minorem in granis spem promittunt Abundè satis campi vestiuntur horrea farciuntur sola verò granaria destituuntur Here their corne as long as it is in the grasse for Hibernia I read herba is maruellous good but much better it seemeth to be when it is shot vp and spindled only it faileth when it commeth to the threshing then it is seldome found to be casty In the field it maketh a goodly shew yea ordinarily it is as thicke as may stand vpon the ground their barnes are crammed full and mowed vp to the top only their garners are empty Thus farre Giraldus and because we haue handled the generall description of this iland in another place of this our worke we will conclude this discourse with a briefe description of some few of their cities and principall townes as we haue learned of that worthy gentleman Richard Stanihurst this countreyman bredde and borne DVBLIN situate vpon the riuer Liffe in the countie of Dublin the Metropolitan and chiefe citie not only of Leynster but also of all Ireland for goodly faire buildings multitude of people ciuility for sweet aire and situation doth as farre excell all the other cities of this I le as the lofty cypresse doth the lowest shrubs The Cathedrall church of S. Patricks was first founded by Iohn Cinim Archbishop of Dublin in the yere of our Lord God 1197. That great and goodly strong Castle was built by Henry Loundres Archbishop also of Dublin about the yere of our Lord 1220. This city is very ancient and was in Ptolemeys time as learned men thinke called Ciuitas Eblana The city Eblan The next city in order and dignity is WATERFORD a well gouerned towne and one that hath been alwaies faithfull to England It is very populous and ciuill and for that the hauen here is far better and more safe than that of Dublin much resorted vnto for trade and trafficke by merchants of forren countreys The streets of it are very narrow and darke Here no cutthroat-Iewish vsurer is permitted to vse his diuellish occupation that is as Cato sayd to kill men or to liue by the sweat of other mens browes The third is LIMMERICK which in regard of the goodly riuer Shenyn whereupon it is seated and standeth as also for the commodious situation of the same might iustly challenge the first place For this riuer is the greatest and goodliest of all Ireland whose depth and channell is such that notwithstanding the city standeth at the least threescore miles from the maine sea yet ships of great burden doe come vp euen to the towne walles besides that it is woonderfully stored with great variety of fresh fish King Iohn did like the situation of this city so well that he caused there a goodly castle and faire bridge to be built The last and least is CORCK situate vpon the riuer Leigh This hauen is one of the best in all Ireland and therefore the citizens are very wealthy and great merchants These three latter are all within the prouince of Mounster But if thou desirest a larger discourse of these particulars I wish thee to repaire to the foresayd authour Richard Stanihurst he shall satisfie thee to the full IRLANDIAE ACCVRATA DESCRIPTIO Auctore Baptista Boazio SERENISSIMO INVICTISSIMOQVE IACOBO MAGNAE BRITANNIAE FRANCIAE ET HIBERNIAE REGI IOANNES BAPTISTA VRINTS ANTVERPIANVS D. DEDICAT Ioannes Baptista Vrints Geographicarum tabularum calcographus excud Antuerpiae EXPOSITIO VERBORVM HIBERNICORVM Glyn Nemus Can Promontorium Caric Rupes Knoc Collis Slew Mons. B. vel Bale Vicus Kill Pagus Lough Lacus Enis Insula Mo. Monasterum Mc. Territorium filij Satrapae O Caput familiae ENGLAND OR The I le of GREAT BRITAIN as it stood about the time of the entrance of the Normans described by a Nubiensis the Arabian The second section of the seuenth Climate IN this second part of the seuenth Climate we comprehend a part of the b Ocean sea where c ENGLAND which is a very great iland in forme and fashion not much vnlike to a d Storkes head standeth apart from the rest of the world In this Iland there are many e populous Cities well inhabited steepe Hilles running Waters and goodly Champion grounds f Heere it is alwaies Winter The neerest of maine land vnto it is g Wady-shant in the prouince of Flanders Betweene this Iland and the Continent the passage is about h twelue miles ouer Amongst the cities of this I le which are in the outmost borders of it Westward and in the entrance of the narrowest place thereof is the citie i SIHSETER which is distant from the k sea twelue miles From this citie vnto the citie l GORHAM by the sea shore are threescore miles Item from the citie Sihseter vnto the outmost border of the iland Westward are m three hundred and fourescore miles From it also vnto the hauen n DARTERMOVTH are fourescore miles Then from thence vnto the o LANDS END called Cornwallia are an hundred miles From the citie Sihseter vnto the citie p SALEBVRES within the land Northward are threescore miles Item from the citie Gorham vnto the liberties of the citie q HANTONA which standeth vpon a Creeke that falleth into the sea are fiue and twentie miles off into this creeke there runneth from the East part thereof the riuer of r Wynseter From s WYNSETER vnto Salebures Westward are fortie miles From Hantona vnto the citie t SHORHAM are threescore miles This citie is neere the sea From it along by the sea coast vnto the city u HASTINGES are fifty miles From it following the shore Eastward vnto the citie w DVBRIS are seuenty miles This city is at the head of the x passage whereby they passe from England vnto the maine Continent on the other side ouer against it From the citie Dubris vnto the citie y LVNDRES vpland are forty miles This city standeth vpon a great riuer which falleth into the sea betweene the city Dubris and the city z GIARNMOVTH From which city Giarnmouth vnto the
city a TARGHIN are fourescore and ten miles This city Targhin riseth vp higher into the countrey about the space of ten miles From the city Targhin vnto the city b AGRIMES vpon the sea coast are fourescore miles From the city Giarnmouth aforesayd the sea bendeth all at once Northward in maner of a circle And from the citie Agrimes afore-named vnto the citie c EPHRADIK are fourescore miles This city is farre from the ocean sea hard vpon the borders of the iland of SCOTIA which is notwithstanding ioyned to the I le England From the citie Ephradik vnto the fall of the riuer of d VVyska are an hundred and forty miles e This WYSKA is a fortification vpon that riuer vp higher into the countrey from the sea twelue miles From the citie Agrimes before-mentioned vnto the city f NICOLA vpland are an hundred miles A g riuer diuideth this citie in the middest and runneth from it vnto the citie Agrimes and so vpon the South side of it falleth into the sea as we haue sayd before From Nicola an vpland citie vnto the city Ephradik are likewise fourescore and ten miles From thence vnto the citie h DVNELMA are fourescore miles Northward vpland and farre from the sea Betweene the coast of the Wild of Scotia vnto the coast of the I le i IRELAND are two dayes saile Westward From the coast of the I le England vnto the iland k DANAS but one dayes saile From the coast of Scotia Northward vnto the iland l ROSLANDA are three dayes saile From the coast of the I le Roslanda Eastward to the I le m ZANBAGA are twelue miles The length of the I le Roslanda is n foure hundred miles the bredth of it where it is broadest is but an hundred and fifty miles ANNOTATIONS by the Translatour vpon some particulars for the better helpe and direction of the Reader a THe Arabicke Geography imprinted at Rome in the yeere of our Lord 1592 set out by Baptist Raymund at the cost and charges of the most illustrious Prince Ferdinand Medices Graund Duke of Tuscane in Italie is but an Abridgement of a greater worke intitled _____ Nazahti'lmoshtak that is The pleasant garden as the authour himselfe in his Preface to that his worke doth plainly confesse which Abbreuiatour as he himselfe in the beginning of the fourth section of the first Climate testifieth was an African borne in Nubia For he there saith that in this Parallel there be two riuers called Nilus whereof the one which is vulgarly knowen by that name and is for difference sake called Nilus of Egypt runneth along by our countrey _____ Ardiana from South to North vpon whose banks almost all the cities both of Egypt and of the Iland are built and situate By many places of this his worke it is manifest that he was a Mussulman that is by profession a Mahometane He liued as I gather aboue fiue hundred yeeres since presently after the entrance of the Normans into England For at the second section of the fourth climate he writeth that when he wrote this his worke Roger was King of Sicilia but whether this Roger were Roger the father sonne of Tanchred the Norman who draue the Saracens from thence or Roger his sonne who in the yeere after Christs incarnation 1103 tooke vpon him the gouernment of that kingdome it is vncertaine and for ought I know not to be learned out of his words ANGLIAE REGNI FLORENTISSIMI NOVA DESCRIPTIO AVCTORE HVMFREDO LHVYD DENBYGIENSE Cum Priuilegio c _____ Alinkalaterra as the Spaniards Italians and French do call it that is England or The Angles land so named by Egbert king of the West-Saxons about the yere of our Lord 800 is of the three the greatest most fertile flourishing kingdome of this whole ile and therfore it is hereby this our authour in this place by a figure put for Great Britaine the part for the whole Neither is this any strange thing not vsed by any other for Raymundus Marlianus that adioyned those Alphabeticall descriptions of Cities Places Mountaines and Riuers to Caesars Commentaries doth put Angliam Insulam and Angliae Insulam The Ile England and The I le of England for Britanniam Britaine Such is the maruellous greatnesse of this Iland that when it was first descried by the Romans they thought it almost well woorthy the name of ALTERIVS ORBIS Another world And he that made the Panegyricke oration to Constantius writeth that Iulius Caesar who first discouered it to the Romans ALIVM se ORBEM TERRARVM scripserit reperisse tantae magnitudinis arbitratus vt non circumfusa Oceano sed complexa Oceanum videretur did write vnto his friends that he had found Another World supposing it to be of that wonderfull greatnesse that it could nor possibly be inuironed round on all sides of the sea but rather that it contrariwise did enclose the sea And for that it lieth so farre remote from the South like as Thule it was by poets and other ancient writers intituled Vltima Britannia Great Britaine the farthest part of the world Northward d _____ Alnaama In Auicen is a fowle called of the Latines Struthium an Ostrich as Gerardus Cremonensis his interpretour vnderstandeth the word and indeed the South part of the I le the sea falling in betweene Wales and Cornwall doth represent the necke and head of such a like fowle with the mouth gaping wide open Liuy and Fabius Rusticus did liken it Oblongae scutulae vel bipennt To aswingling stocke or sword which those vse that dresse hempe and flax to a twall or twibill a kinde of warlike weapon vsed in fight by some nations And indeed the whole iland being triangular triquetra they call it but of vnequall sides which kinde of figure the Geometers call Scalenum may also aswell as Sicilia be named TRINACRIA For from Taruisium a promontory or forland in Scotland now called Howburne all along by the shore vnto Belerium the cape of Cornwall are 812. miles from whence to Cantium The Forland of Kent are 320 miles from thence againe to Howburne in Scotland 704 miles So that by this account the circuit and compasse of Britaine is 1836 miles which commeth much short of that account of Pliny and is somewhat lesse than that of Caesar e The first inhabitants which seated themselues heere presently after the vniuersall floud in the dayes of Noe came hither from France as Necrenesse of place Likenesse of maners Gouernment Customes Name and Language doe very demonstratiuely prooue and euince And thereupon they call themselues Cumro as come from Gomer the sonne of Iapheth called of Historiographers Cimber from whom are descended the Celiae or ancient Gauls the inhabitants not only of France but generally of all the Northwest parts of Europe What thinke you then of that story of Brute Mary I thinke he wanted honesty that first inuented that fable and he wit that beleeueth it But Iohn Wheathamsted sometime Abbat of S. Albans a graue learned man and of good
iudgement shall speake for me Totus iste processus saith he de Bruto poëticus est potius quà m historicus opinatiuusque magis propter varias causas quà m realis That whole discourse of Brute is rather to be accounted as a fable and fiction forged in poets braine then a true history done and acted indeed Item William of Newbury a writer of good credit and one that liued at the same time with this Geffrey of Munmouth did accuse him to his face of forgery and challenged him for the same For first for the name of Britons they neuer knew what it meant vntill the entrance of the Romans and was then as harsh vnto these Cumbri as the name of Welchman is to them at this day which it is certeine diuers of the vpland people do not acknowledge nor vnderstand what it should meane Againe Ludouicus Vines Hadrianus Iunius Buchanan Polydore Virgil Bodine and other great men do all iointly confesse that there was neuer in the world any such man as this Brutus Moreouer That presently after the confusion at Babell in the infancy of the world when the iles of the Gentiles were diuided into their lands as the Scripture speaketh euery man after his tongue after their families in their nations that is That such men as by reason of difference and diuersity of language did separate themselues from such as they vnderstood not and therefore could not conuerse withall into their seuerall companies and hords did beare the name and denomination of their father and prince of that family it is very plaine and manifest but that any nation was named or called after the name of the chiefe leader and conductour of a colony I yet find not auouched by any good authour It is most certaine and without all controuersie true That diuers countries haue beene called by sundry names by forreners and strangers neuer knowen nor acknowledged of the nations themselues Do you thinke that the ancient inhabitants of Spaine did euer know what Hesperia meant None surely euer called that countrey by this name but the Graecians only Albion and Britannia doubtlesse were names as barbarous vnto these our Cumbri and neuer heard of before the entrance of the Romans There is no Colony although neuer so small and few but will reteine much of their owne countrey language either wholly vncorrupt or els manifestly to be distinguished by the phrase and proprietie of speech Those few Flemmings who their countrey being by the breaking in of the sea ouerflowen and drowned obteined of King Henrie the first a part of Penbrooke shire in Wales which the Welchmen call Rosse lying betweene two riuers not farre off from Milford hauen are they not to this day distinguished from their neighbours round about them by their speech and language And because their speech doth much resemble the English is not their countrey commonly called of those which inhabit neere vnto them Little England beyond Wales The like you shall obserue by the British colony which aboue eleuen hundred yeeres since tooke possession of that part of France which of them euer since hath beene knowen by the name of Britaine Of the colony of the Scots in Ireland and of the Irish in Scotland If any man will say that there is the like resemblance betweene the Welch tongue and the Greeke or Latine I will iustifie it that there is as great affinitie betweene the Welch and Arabicke and againe that these are as like the one to other as an apple is to an oister Moreouer this entrance of Brute was an absolute conquest the giants if there were euer any such being vtterly destroyed or quite chaced out of the land and therefore there is no reason to the contrary but they should haue for the space of seuen hundred yeeres kept their language from corruption as well as they haue done since being since the entrance of the Romans sixteene hundred yeeres and more The Latines or Greeks so prodigall alwayes in their owne commendation would doubtlesse not haue forgotten to record the setting forth of such a famous colony Could this affinity haue beene hid from Caesar would they not thinke you haue claimed kindred of the Romans Constans and Constantius Emperours of Rome were the first by the testimony of Iulius Firmicus that euer durst venture thorow these seas How then did this Brutus so many hundred yeeres before in such small barks so slightly built passe the same Aeneas they report of his many ships lost all but one before he could get home in the Midland sea which is nothing so dangerous and troublesome Can it be thought credible that such a warlike nation as these Troians hauing so lately got footing and seated themselues in so goodly a countrey as Italy would so suddenly remoue so farre off to a place vnknowen The Romans hauing such dangerous warres and such occasion to vse men and braue commanders would neuer haue suffered them in such troopes to passe out of their countrey If it had tooke the name of Brutus it should doubtlesse haue been called Brutania not Britannia as Caesar nameth it nor Bretania Pretanice or Pretanis as the Greeks do write it But list what Caesar sayth of this matter Britania pars interior sayth he ab ijs incolitur quos natos in insula ipsi memoria proditum dicunt Maritima pars ab ijs qui praedae ac belli inferendi causa ex Belgio transierant The inner part of the ile is inhabited of such people as were bred and borne there as they themselues do report from their ancestours The sea coast is possessed of such as haue come thither from Flanders and thereabout to robbe and spoile the countrey If this were all that was then knowen and that Gildas Sapiens and Venerabilis Beda knew nothing to the contrary how came this our authour so many hundred yeeres after them to the knowledge of this so absolute an history where not only persons places and actions are so distinctly set downe with their precise difference of time as if they had beene done but yesterday The historian for things done in his owne time or not long before is beleeued vpon his owne word but for such things as were done many ages before he was borne he must bring his author to iustifie his assertion If there had beene any such tradition commonly deliuered from man to man it would questionlesse haue beene intimated to Caesar Records can not be preserued but by writing and that knowledge came in with the Romans But if it be a question whether there were euer any such city as that Troy so much renowmed by meanes of that learned poëme of the famous Poët Homer what will become of the stories of Aeneas which if I mistake him not the great Historiographer Titus Liuius doth make a doubt of and of this our Brutus neuer patronaged by any great learned wise man I know that is improued by some and I thinke it may be demonstrated For further satisfaction I referre
houres in the yeare was at the same time begunne by Richard Bishop of Sarum in a most goodly plot of ground which vulgarly was called MERIFEILD and in fourty yeares with infinite cost and charges it was by him and others finished and brought to that perfection which it is at now at this day q SOVTH-HANTON we now call it built vpon an arme of the sea betweene two riuers is enclosed with a double ditch and a faire stone wall For the better defence of the Hauen Richard the Second caused a very goodly castle to be built all of free stone It is a passing fine city very populous rich and well frequented of Merchants Clausentum that ancient city mentioned by Antoninus and stood sometimes in that field which at this day is called Saint Maries was often spoiled and sacked by the Danes and at length in the time of Edward the Third was vtterly consumed and burnt downe to the ground by the French-men Of whose ruines this New city was built in a place much more better and commodious r This riuer peraduenture was anciently called WENT and thereof the citie Wentchester happily tooke the name like as the cite Colnchester in Essex was so called of the riuer Colne vpon Which it standeth s WINCHESTER A very auncient citie well knowen to the Romanes and is oft mentioned in old historians Afterward in time so the Saxon Heptarchie the West Saxon Kings ordinarily kept their court heere Straite after the entrance of the Normans and peraduenture somewhat before the Records for the whole land were here bestowed and laied vp It was once or twise much defaced by casualty of fire and oft spoiled and sacked by vnruly souldiers in time of ciuill warres but Edward the Third to salue these damages and hinderances of the citizens and townesmen placed heere THE STAPLE or marte for wooll and cloth At this time it is very populous and well inhabited The wals of this citie are about a mile and an halfe in compasse It hath six faire gates and very large Suburbes adioyning to euery one of them t SHORHAM an ancient Borough and hauen towne in Sussex first called as Master Camden writeth CIMENSHORE of Cimen the brother of Cissa who together with Aella their father landed a greater multitude of their Saxons But in continuance of time a greate part of that towne being eaten vp with the sea and the mouth of the hauen with beech and sand det vp of a goodly towne it is become a small village at this day knowen by the name of OLD SHOREHAM the decay of which gaue occasion of the building and name of another not farre off from it commonly called NEVV SHOREHAM u Heere Athelstane King of the West-Saxons who made a lawe that no man should be so hardy as to dare to coine money out of great townes priuiledged by the King for that purpuse erected a Minte for the coyning of his Siluer and other mettals by which means it became so famous that in the time of the Saxons it deserued the name of a city and was then called by them HASTINGACEASTER In a plaine before this towne that bloody battaill betweene William the bastard Duke of Normandy that cruell tyrant and Harold the vsurper sonne of Earle Goodwin was fought vpon the fourteenth day of October in the yeare of our Lord 1066. It is one of the cinque ports w DOVER before the entrance of the Saxons was called Dubris as Antoninus in his Iournal testifieth who nameth it Portus Dubris The haven Dubris Vpon that side next the sea that was sometime defended with a strong wall whereof some part is to be seene at this daie Victred King of Kent did heere erect a goodly Church which hee dedicated vnto Saint Martines The castle which standeth vpon the toppe of an exceding high cliffe and is thought to be the strongest holde of all England and therefore called by Matthew Paris Clauis repagulum Angliae The key and barre of England was begunne as is probable by the Romans yet not by Iulius Caesar as they would faine make men beleeue Vpon another rocke or cliffe ouer against this on the other side of the towne there was as seemeth a lanterne or watch-tower Pharus they call it opposite and answerable to that which the Romans had built at Bollein beyond the straights in Fraunce which afterward being decaied was repaired by Charles the Great and at this day is called by the French Tour d'order by the English THE OLD MAN OF BVLLEN x This is that famous passage traiectus from the Continent vnto this Iland by which Caesar and the Romans alwaies entred and had accesse hither For vntill the time of Constans and Constantine Emperours of Rome it was thought almost impossible to come hither from Rome with a nauy thorough the maine Ocean And since that long it was in time of Christianity by proclamation forbidden that whatsoeuer hee were borne within the alleageance of England that had a minde to goe beyond the seas for religion or pilgrimage it should not be lawfull for him to take shipping any where else but heere The Frenchmen vulgarly call it Le pas de Calais but the English call it The streights of Douer y London we now call it but of the French and Strangers it is commonly called Londres or Londra Yet Tacitus Ptolemey Antonine and Ammianus Marcellinus doe with one consent write it LONDINVM or LONGIDINVM so named of the Britons as is probable of Llong Ships and Dinas a Citie answerable to those places of Graecia Naupactus Naupactus Naustathino c. denominated of Ships It is doubtlesse a very ancient citie as Ammianus Marcellinus testifieth who twelue hundred yeares since called it Vetustum oppidum An ancient towne Yet Iulius Caesar neuer mentioneth it in all his writings Cornelius Tacitus who liued in the daies of Nero that bloody Emperour was the first if I be not deceiued that euer wrot of it calling it by the name of Oppidum copia negotiatorum commeatu maxime celebre A Towne very famous both for trafficke and great concourse of Marchants as also for victualls and all manner ot prouision whatsoeuer Nay he that made the Panegyricke oration to Constantius the Emperour and Marcellinus who liued after him giue it no better title Yet at this day it is An abridgement or breefe view of the whol iland The Imperiall seate of the Brittish iles Regumque Angliae camera and The chamber of the English Kings and therefore it may now iustly assume that title of AVGVSTA The roiall city which Ammianus so many hundred yeeres since gaue vnto it And being situate vpon the rising of a little hill in a most wholsome and healthfull aire in the middest of the richest countries of the land all a long vpon the North side of the Thames one of the goodliest riuers of Europe it is at this day as famous a Marte for all manner of trade and trafficke as any in the whole world beside The
iland MONA the ancient seat of the DRVIDES TO satisfie your request concerning the Name and situation of the I le MONA most learned Ortell and to set downe in writing what I haue obserued of that argument in the reading of ancient and moderne authours what I haue found by experience and trauell and what I haue gathered by the knowledge of the British tongue which to this day is spoken vulgarly by the inhabitants of this iland were but so much as I confesse is due to your kinde loue and manifold courtesies whereby you haue many wayes eternally bound me vnto you Notwithstanding in so doing I am sure to be seuerely censured of many condemned of some and generally to be subiect and opposed to the obloquy and scandalous speeches of the baser sort such I mean as haue no maner of learning or sound iudgement For a preiudicate opinion though neuer so false and absurd nay euen the grossest errors if they be once receiued and setled in the heart will hardly euer be remoued especially being patronaged and defended by the authority of Polydore Virgil a graue learned man and one that for those times was accounted very eloquent But by their leaue I may say That this man hath stuffed his Histories with many manifest errours mille mendis mendacijs with a thousand faults and falshoods which he fell into not only for that he wanted the knowledge of the British tongue which now the English after the maner of the Germans call Welsh that is Strange or Barbarous without which euen the very name of the iland can by no meanes be truely vnderstood But also either for that he neuer read the best of our Authours or els for that he bearing a proud splene and malice against the Britons whom the best and most honorable of all the Romane Emperours did loue and greatly esteeme little weighed their authority and haughtilie attributing too much to his owne neglected the better and followed the steps poore blinde man of one William Little little in name and little in estimation and credit as blinde a foole as himselfe But let this brasen faced diminisher of the Britons honour burst himselfe if he will and do what he can to the vttermost of his might and malice so long as Diodorus Siculus Dion Cassius twise Consul of Rome Herodian Plutarch Pausanias Ptolemey and Strabo are extant amongst the Greekes Caesars Commentaries Tacitus his Annals Eutropius Suetonius Orosius Aelius Spartianus Iulius Capitolinus Aelius Lampridius Flauius Vopiscus Aurelius Victor Ammianus Marcellinus Sextus Rufus The Panegyricks of Mamertinus and others Pliny Antonine Mela and Solinus amongst the Latines beside the Annals of the three Gildases Ninnius and diuers other very learned men written many hundred yeres since in the British tongue who before the comming of the English which our countreymen to this day call by their ancient name Saxons haue learnedly penned the histories of this their natiue countrey and beside Asserius Obbern Felix Monumetensis Henricus Huntingtonensis Malmesburiensis Annouillanus Iscanus Neccham Gyraldus Parisiensis Trenetus and infinite others which since those Saxons conquered that part of the iland which they call England but we reteining the old name Lhoëgria haue done the like Let I say this proud Italian burst himselfe and let him snarle at the worthy acts of the Britons while so many and such ancient authours do liue to sound the trumpe of their honour no impudent lying fellow shall euer be able with his calumnies to obscure the bright lusture of the Britons glory to impeach the honourable fame of their renowmed deeds spread abroad by such worthy men or to fasten the least infamy vpon them But now it is time to come to our proposed argument and to speake more particularly of MONA which Polydore Virgil taking vpon him more than he well might hath depriued of the ancient name and leauing it namelesse hath giuen both it and Menauia to the I le of Man as may thus be proued both out of the Greeke Latine and British writers as also out of the language which here to this day is spoken by the inhabitants It is apparent out of Caesar Tacitus and others that MONA was an iland very neere to the coast of Britaine betweene it and Ireland In which Sea there are but two beside the Hebrides that are of any note and bignesse Therefore it must needs follow that one of those two is that MONA which is so often mentioned in ancient histories Wherefore I thinke it not amisse to set downe before your eyes the position of them both and how they do lie from the coast of England other ilands round about them that by that meanes that which followeth may the better be vnderstood The first of these which Polydore calleth ANGLESEY is very neere to that part of Britaine which we call Cumry and the English Wales from which it is seuered by a very narrow frith or bay of the sea the countrey people call it Menai which ouer-against the middest of the iland is hardly a mile ouer Vpon the East side of this I le there is a very strong castle and a prety fine citie called Beaumarish Bellum mariscum both built by Edward the First King of England On the other side of the iland opposite to this city there is a maruellous conuenient place to take shipping for Ireland and therefore it is much for that purpose resorted vnto and frequented by the English They call it Holy-head but of the Welsh men it is called Caërgybi that is Gubchester or The citie of Kybi In this iland is Aberfraw which within these three or foure hundred yeeres was the chiefe seat where ordinarily the King of Northwales Gwynedia or as some barbarously write it Venedocia did reside and keepe his Court This iland for the bignesse of it mainteineth and breedeth much cattell and sheepe It yeerely yeeldeth such plentie of wheat that in respect of that fertility it is commonly called The mother of Wales They haue little wood here growing yet euery day the bodies of huge trees with their roots and sirre trees of a woonderfull length and bignesse are heere by the inhabitants found and digged out of the earth in diuers places in low grounds and champion fields The people speake the Welsh tongue and for the most part they do not vnderstand one word of English notwithstanding they haue for these three hūdred yeeres and more beene subiect as the rest of Wales hath beene to the Kings and Crowne of England But now let vs come to the other iland to which also Polydore Virgil hath not long since without any ground or good authoritie giuen the name of MONA That standeth in the middest of the maine sea distant from the neerest place of England at the least fiue and twentie miles It is almost as bigge as that other but it is farre more barren and waste and those men that are borne and bred there are weake and nothing so fit for
whereby they were sometime called before the entrance of the Saxons But let vs come againe to Mona Our countreymen and the inhabitants of this ile speaking now at this day the ancient British tongue doe know no other name of it than MON for so they all generally call it Polydore Virgil calleth it ANGLESEA that is The English ile I grant that this iland being subdued by the English men was beautified and graced with their name and that the English men do so call it I do not denie But I pray thee did the English men first descrie this iland was it neuer seene before or had it no name at all before their comming Hearest thou Polydore bethinke thy selfe thou mayest aswell say that England is not that land which was sometime called Britannia nor that was not Gallia which now we call France Nay which is a greater matter than this and more strange the inhabitants of this ile notwithstanding they be subiect to the crowne of England do neither know what England or an English man doth meane For an English man they call Sais but in the plurall number speaking of more than one Saisson and this their natiue countrey they name Mon. Moreouer that faire citie built vpon that arme of the sea or frith aboue mentioned on the other side ouer against the West part of this iland is called Caeraruon that is The citie vpon Mon For Caer in our language signifieth a walled towne Kir in Hebrew is a wall and Kartha in those Easterne tongues is a walled citie Ar is as much to say as Vpon and as for the v in the last syllable for m that is the proprietie of the language in some cases for in all words beginning with m in consequence of speech that letter after some certeine consonants is changed into v for which our nation doth alwayes vse f because that v with them is euermore a vowell So we call Wednesday Diem Mercurij Die Mercher but Wednesday night Nos Fercher Mary we call Mair but for our Ladies church we write and pronounce Lhanuair Neither is this citie only thus named but euen that whole tract of the continent of Britaine that runneth along by it is called Aruon that is Opposite or ouer against Mon. But let it be that this iland was not that Mona so oft mentioned by the ancients then ought Polydore for his credits sake haue found another name for it and not to haue left it wholly namelesse Now let vs come vnto the other which our countreymen do call MENAW and which all the inhabitants generall as also the English and Scots reteining the Welsh name but cutting it somewhat shorter MAN Therefore there is no man for ought I know beside this proud Italian and one Hector Boëthius a loud liar that euer called this iland by the name of Mona But leauing these demonstrable arguments which indeed do make this matter more cleere than the noone day let vs come vnto authorities and testimonies of learned men which in some cases are rather beleeued than any other arguments whatsoeuer by these I doubt not but the true and proper name shall be giuen to ech of these ilands and the controuersie decided without any maner of contradiction There is a piece of Gildas Britannus that ancient writer a man euery kinde of way learned at this day remaining in the Librarie of the illustrious Earle of Arundell the only learned Noble man of his time in which he hath these wordes England hath three ilands belonging to it Wight ouer against the Armoricanes or Bretaigne in France The second lieth in the middest of the sea betweene Ireland and England The Latine Historians doe call it Eubonia but vulgarly in our mother tongue we call it MANAW Thou hearest gentle Reader a naturall Welsh man speaking in the Welsh tongue For thus we call Polydore Virgils Mona in our natiue language euen at this day Moreouer the reuerend Beda that worthy Englishman famous thorow all Christendome in his dayes for all maner of literature and good learning in the ninth chapter of the second booke of his Historie writeth thus At which time also the people of Northumberland Nordan Humbri that is all that nation of the Angles which did inhabit vpon the North side of the riuer Humber with Edwin their king by the preaching of Paulinus of whom we haue spoken a little before was conuerted vnto the faith of Christ This king in taking of good successe for his enterteinment of the Gospel did grow so mightie in Christianitie and the kingdome of heauen and also had that command vpon the earth that he ruled which neuer any king of the English did before him from one end of Britaine to the other and was king not only of the English but also of all the shires and prouinces of the Britons Yea and he brought vnder his subiection as I haue shewed before the iles of Man insulae Menaniae Here I do thinke that for Menauiae it ought to be written Menauiae seeing that there is such small difference betweene an n and a u that they may easily be mistaken and one put for another Moreouer Henry Archdeacon of Huntingdon a worthy Historiographer who wrote about the yeere of our Lord 1140 one that followed Beda in many things almost foot for foot doth seeme also to correct this fault and cleere the doubt For he setting forth the great command and conquests of this Edwine King of the Northumbers brusteth out into these words Eduwyn the king of the Northumbers ruled ouer all Britaine not only ouer that part which was inhabited of the English but ouer that also which was possessed of the Britons Kent only excepted Moreouer he brought the I le Menauia which lieth between Ireland and Britaine and is commonly called MAN vnder the obedience of the Kings of England Here obserue that this English man did giue also to this iland which Polydore Virgil falsly calleth Mona the English name for it is commonly sayth he called Man by which name it is knowen called at this day of all the English Besides this also Ranulph of Chester in the foure and fortieth chapter of the first booke of his Polychronicon doth thus speake of those ilands which are neere neighbours vnto Britaine Britaine sayth he hath three ilands lying not farre off from it beside the Orkney iles which doe seeme to answer vnto the three principall parts of the same For WIGHT lieth hard vpon the coast of Loëgria which now is called England Anglia MONA which the English call Anglisea perteineth vnto Cambria that is to Wales But the I le EVBONIA which hath two other names Menauia and Mania lieth oueragainst Scotland These three Wight Man and Anglisea Vecta Mania Mona are almost all of one bignesse and conteining the like quantitie of ground Thus farre Ranulph of Chester The reason why Gildas and others haue called this iland Eubonia I take to be this because it was first inhabited of the same nation
but especially the Neck-land or Peninsula knowen vnto the old writers by these names Scandia Scandinauia Baltia and Basilia but to them neuer throughly discried which in regard of his greatnesse they haue called Another World and the Shoppe of men and as it were the scabberd from whence so many Nations haue been drawen But of the diuers names of this country read that which we haue written at the mappe of Island as also in our Treasury of Geography in the word BASILIA This Neckeland in this our age conteineth three kingdomes Norwey Swedland and Gotland with a part of the kingdome of Denmarke and many other prouinces as Bothny Finmarke Finland Lappland c. whose seuerall descriptions we will heere set downe out of Iames Ziegler NORVEGIA Norway if you would interpret it is as much to say as the Northren tract or Northren way This was sometime a most flourishing kingdome and comprehended Denmarke and Friesland with the circumiacent Ilands vntill such time as the kingdome was gouerned by an hereditary succession of kings Afterward the line failing in the time of vacancie by the consent of the Nobility it was decreed that the kings should be chosen by election At this day it is vnder the iurisdiction of the kings of Denmarke who do not only take the lawfull reuenews iustly due to the crowne but imposing intolerable exactions and by scraping and raking all commodities into their hands they conuey all the wealth of this country into Denmarke Neither is this aggreeuance alone but with all the disaduantage and condition of the place doth much hurt the subiects for all the hauens roads shipping are at the command of the king of Denmarke so that neither they may without his leaue vse the sea or transport their merchandise into forren countries This kingdome either for the temperature of the aire goodnesse of the soile or benefit of the sea is not of meane estimation and account This doth transport into other parts of Europe a fish which is a kind of codde slitte and spread vpon a post and so dried and hardened with the frost and cold and thereupon the Germanes call it Stockfish The best time of the yeare to catch them is in Ianuary when as the weather is coldest to drie them those which are taken when the weather is more mild they shrinke or rotte away and are not fit to be transported any whither All the sea coast of Norway is very calme and temperate the sea freeseth not the snow continueth not long SVECIA Sweden or Swedland is a kingdome rich of siluer copper lead iron corne and cattell Wonderfull plenty of fish is heere taken both in riuers lakes and creekes aswell as in the maine ocean Heere are many Deere and wild beasts Stockholme is the kings seat and chiefe mart towne a city fortified both by nature by art and industrie of the ingenious Architect It standeth in a fenne like Venice and thereof it took the name for that being situate in the waters it is built vpon piles which they call Stockes GOTHIA Gotland that is the Good land is subiect to the king of Sweden In it is the port and mart towne Calmar a great city Heere is a goodly Castle which for ingenious Architecture or Fortification as also for large compasse and content is not much inferiour to that of Millane in Italie Neere Tinguallen are mines of excellent iron Thus farre Ziegler Of DENMARKE and the BRITISH ILES we will speake nothing in this place seeing that we entreated of them at their proper and seuerall mappes In this chart there is described also ISLAND an Iland as famous as any other for strange miracles and secret works of nature Item GROENLAND another Iland knowen to very few Heere also is FRIESLAND a third iland altogether vnknowen to ancient writers neither is it once named of the latter Geographers or Hydrographers only Nicolao Zeno a Venetian who in the yeare of Christ 1380. tossed with many continuall bitter stormes in this sea at last rent and weather-beaten arriued in this I le This authour affirmeth that this iland is subiect to the king of Norway and to be greater then Ireland and that the chiefe towne is of the same name with the I le it selfe lastly that the country people do for the most part liue by fishing For in the hauen of this towne they catch such abundance of all sorts of fish that from thence they lade whole shippes and transport them into other ilands neere adioining The sea next to this iland vpon the West full of shelues and rocks as he writeth is of the inhabitants called Mare Icarium Icarus sea and an iland in it he saith is named ICARIA Of GROENLAND he writeth that the winter heere is 9. moneths long and all that time it neuer raineth nor the snow which falleth in the beginning of winter euer dissolueth vntill the latter end of the same But that is most wonderfull which he telleth of the Monastery of the order of Frier Predicants dedicated to the honour of S. Thomas in this Iland namely that there is not farre from it a mountaine which like vnto Aetna in Sicilia doth at certaine seasons burne and cast out huge flakes of fire and that there is in the same place a fountaine of hot or skalding waters wherewith not only all the chambers of this monastery are warmed in the maner of Stones and hot-houses but also all kind of meat and bread is sodden and dressed and with no other fire All the monastery is built of a kind of hollow light stone which the flames of that burning mountaine do cast forth For these burning stones being by nature somewhat fat and oily are solid and firme but being quenched with this water they become drie full of holes and light and the water wherewith they were quenched is turned into a clammy kind of stuffe like bitumen wherewith these stones are laied in steed of mortar when they are to vse them in building and thus they make a sure worke against the iniury of all weathers Their orchyeards also and gardens watered with this water are alwaies green and do flourish almost all the yeare long with all maner of flowres kinds of corne and fruits This Priory standeth vpon the sea shore and hath a reasonable capacious and large hauen into which the forenamed fountaine emptying his waters doth make it so warme that it neuer freeseth in the hardest and egerest froast that euer was knowen Whereupon heere is such abundance of fish which do flocke hither from more colde places that not only these Monkes but also the neighbours round about are furnished from hence with prouision of victuall These thinges amongst many others Zenus hath written of these Ilands who being made by Zichimnus king of certaine Ilands heere about high Admirall of his nauy discouered all these Northren coasts The ile FRIESLAND now againe in these our daies was descried by the Englishmen and was by them called by a new name WEST