the other smoothe with a plaine webbe There are other Birdes which they call Marinetae lesse than a Blackbird being short like a Starling yet differing from him by the whitenesse of the belly and the blacknesse of the back It is a wonderfull thing which was reported concerning these Birdes for if when they are dead they be kept in a dry place they will not putrifie or corrupt and being placed among garments and other things it will preserve them from moathes That which is more worthy of admiration is that if being dead they be hanged up in some drie place they will every yeare renew and change their feathers as if they were alive Ireland contayneth all kindes of wilde beasts It hath Harts that are so fat that they can hardly runne and by how much they are lesser in body by so much the larger are their hornes There are great store of Bores many Hares c. but the bodies of all the wilde beasts and birds are lesser here than in other places It hath many Badgers and Weesils It hath few or no Goates fallow Deere Hedghogs Moles but infinite store of Mice It hath also Wolves and Foxes But enough of these things I returne to other matters Heretofore Ireland was ruled by many Earles now it is subject to England and is governed by the Kings Substitute who is called the Lord Deputie It came to be under the dominion IRELAND IRLANDIA of the Kings of England about the yeare 1175 at which time Roderick King of Connaught stiled himselfe King of all Ireland and striving to subject the whole Kingdome to himselfe waged continuall warre with the other Earles by whose sedition it came to passe that the other Earles of their owne accord and without any effusion of blood did put themselves under the obedience of Henry the second King of England from whom all the Kings of England were called Lords of Ireland untill the time of Henry the eigth who by the Nobles of Ireland was declared King of Ireland because the name of Lord grew hatefull to some seditious people There are foure speciall Cities in this Island First Dublin the Metropolis or Mother-Citie of Ireland being the royall Archiepiscopall Seat giving name to a County The next in dignity is Waterford the third Limbrick the fourth Corke There are many other very great Townes of which wee will speake more largely in the particular Descriptions of Ireland This Country hath many Lakes and standing waters among which there is a Lake in Vlster twenty miles distant from the Lake Erne of which wee will speake more largely hereafter There is a little Lake beyond the Citie Armack in which if you stick a Speare up some moneths that part which stuck in the mudde will bee iron that which is in the water stony and that which is out of the water will remaine wood There is also the Lake Erne which is thirty miles long and fifteene miles broad being compassed about with thick woods and so full of Fish that the Fisher-men often breake their nets by taking too many at one time This Island is divided and watered with many faire Rivers whose names are these Avenliffe running through Dublin Boandus through Methe Banna through Vltonia Linuâ— through Connack and Moadus through Kenel cunillia Slicheia and Samaira Besides Modarnus and Furnus through Keneleonia and many other But of all the Rivers of Ireland the River Synnenus is the chiefe both for the breadth and length of its course and for the plenty of Fish which is in it But in generall the Rivers and Lakes are full of fish bred in them This Countrie is unequall and mountainous soft and waterish you shall finde Lakes and standing waters on the top of the Mountaines The Mountaines abound with Cattell the woods with wilde beasts Solinus writeth thus concerning the Sea which floweth between Ireland and England The Sea betweene Ireland and England is rough and unquiet all the yeare and is scarce navigable but in some part of the Summer But hee erres for it is quiet enough unlesse it bee stirred up with windes And not onely in Summer but also in Winter passengers doe sayle to and fro All the Sea shores doe abound sufficiently with Fish Ireland hath in all three and thirty Counties and foure Archbishops The Bishop of Armach Primate of all Ireland the Bishop of Dublin the Bishops of Cassil and Toam and these foure have nine and twenty Suffragans or Vicegorents Ireland from the manners of the Inhabitants is divided into two parts For those who refuse to obey the Lawes and live more uncivilly are called Irishrie and commonly Wild Irish But those who are willing to obey the Lawes and appeare before the Judges are called the English-Irish and their Country the English Pale they speake English naturally and uncorruptly yet they understand Irish in regard of their daily commerce with the Irish-men The Irish-men have some certaine Lords under whose command the most of them are but they live under the jurisdiction of the English but counterfeitly and as long as the English Souldiers doe waste their Territories yet they appoint Sessions to be kept at certaine times and places to restraine and punish robberies and theft committed by night There those that are accused if they be convicted have certaine Arbitratours to judge of the cause whom they call Brehoni these are all of one familie and although they have no knowledge in the Law yet for their wisdome honestie of life they are accounted divine Their warre is partly on horsback and partly on foote The Gentrie have horses well managed so that without any advantage they will mount them in their armour and taking a Javelin or dart of great weight by the middle they will throw or brandish it against their enemie with much ease Among the footmen some are Souldiers in Cassocks very strong whom they call Galeglacii having Cuttle-axes as sharpe as razors and they are the chiefe strength of the Irish warres The next are Footmen wearing a light armour with swords in their hands and these are called Karnes and they thinke a man is not dead untill they have cut off his head In the third place are footmen whom they call Daltines who going unarmed attend upon the horsmen The footmen as well as horsmen as oft as they come to fight with their enemies doe crie with a great voyce Pharro Pharro and they use a Bagpipe in stead of a Trumpet The Irish doe fare sumptuously and magnificently for though they have no delicate dishes nor great service in their banquets yet their Tables according to the season of the yeare are well furnished with Beefe and Porke and other meate In their Feasts they lye upon Beds the first place at the Table belongs to the Mother of the Family who weares a long Gowne or Mantell reaching to her ancles often dyed and also sleeved THE SECOND TABLE OF IRELAND IN WHICH
strangers to all civilitie do eate and feed upon the raw flesh of beasts and fishes They are cloathed with the skins of wild beasts taken in hunting and they eate raw hearbes like beasts Their Tents are covered with Whales skinnes the cold being continually very sharpe in these parts They use Dogges which are like unto our Wolves and having yoked them together they do make them draw things over the ice Their weapons are Bowes and Arrowes and slings There is no wood there but much Deere The men do not plough the ground as beeing content with that it bringeth forth of its own accord they live by hunting their drinke is the warme blood of wild beasts or else ice water there are no Rivers nor Springs because the violence of the cold doth so shut up the Earth that springs of water cannot breake forth The men are very laborious strong hunters and cunning fowlers they use a certaine kinde of boate made of leather wherein one man can but sit who maketh use but of one Oare his right hand holding his bow wherewith hee shoots at the birds The like hath beene seene in England Davises Bay also was so called from Iohn Davis an Englishman who in the yeare 1585. and the two following yeares did search along the Coasts of America or rather the Southerne Coasts of Greenland from the 53. Degree to the 75. to finde out a passage that way unto China Concerning the foure Euripideas in the table those things which you see are taken out of the Register booke of Iames Cnoxen Buscoducensis who doth report that a certaine English Minorite Frier of Oxford being a Mathematician did describe the Countries lying neare unto the Pole and measured them with his Astrolabe in this following shape as Mercator hath gathered them out of Iames Cnoxeus Booke Hee saith that these foure Seas are carried with such violence to the Innermost Gulfe that ships being once entred can never be driven backe againe with any winde and that there is never so great a winde as that it can drive about a wind-mill But these things are as true as Lucians fables seeing they who have viewed these places in which those seas are said to be do finde no such Euripi or swift flowing Seas at all namely the Hollanders who have discovered the Sea even to the 81. Degree of Latitude But concerning the habitation of the Northerne people let us heare Iulius Scaliger in his 37. Exercitation where he thus speaking concerning a voiage from the Northerne Sea towards China There are saith hee divers arguments brought by divers men on both sides and it is diversly judged of whether it be possible to saile by that Sea But these are ours They would have us to saile from the mouth of the River Duvina all along that Countrie which encompasses all Scythia even to the East corner in which winding course wee are to change the Northerne wind for the Westerne But those which speake thus it is certaine they do not know the nature of this Sea nor of the Windes and Coast For the West and East windes are so rare in this Sea that they are almost scarce knowne But so many North windes are there here that it seemes Nature hath committed the government of these parts unto them alone There are many foards blinde and muddle In winter which continueth ten moneths the superficies or upper part of the Sea is as hard as any pavement In Summer there are continuall mists which in the afternoone as fast as one is expelled another rises Besides the Ice is very dangerous the great pieces whereof floting up and downe are like moving Islands running one amongst another It is certaine that by the late Navigations of the Hollanders in the yeare 1594. and in the two following yeares it was hoped that wee might saile out of the Northerne Sea to the Eastern parts of the World But very difficultly in regard of the Ice and long winter nights William Barentson did denie that it was possible to saile by the Bay of Nassovia to China not onely for the Ice but also because hee found by divers observations that it was not a Sea but a Bay and especially because hee found there was no Tide nor Ebbe and yet hee was in great hope that a way might be found out by the most Northerne part of Nova Zembla But seeing there are every day new voyages made to discover the passage that way to China experience will teach them at last whether it can be done or not It is manifest that our ships have sailed even to the 81. Degree of Northerne Latitude and yet found the Sea open but yet afterward at the 76. Degree they have beene hindred with great pieces of ice and the night comming on so that they could proceed no further The Sunne left them the 4. of November in the yeare 1596 and was seene again the 24. of Ianuary in the following yeare all which time these valiant Argonantes for so I may call them hid themselves in a little shed which they built up in Nova Zembla untill the 14. of Iune For though the voyage of the Argonantes is made so famous by posteritie yet if it be compared with this it will seeme but a toy for who hath beene for the space of 13. Moneths separated from the societie of men before the Hollanders who wanting all necessaries and enduring extremitie of cold did even under the 76. Degree of Latitude build themselves houses to receive them and defend them from the violence of the weather in which they lay buried and covered over with deepe snow almost ten whole moneths I conceale that which they suffered in returning being compell'd to leave their ships and betake themselves to their boate I omit to speake of the cruell fierce and great Beares and Sea-Monsters with which they oftentimes were enforced to fight All which troubles labours and difficulties they most valiantly by the protection and favour of the Divine power did overcome ISELAND ISELAND is the greatest of all those Ilands in the Westerne Ocean which are subject to the Kings of Norwey it takes this name from the cold wherewith it is partly frozen It is also called Suelandia from the Snow Also Gardartsholme that is the Iland of Gardart The most doe suppose this to bee that Thule mentioned by the Ancients which also Ptolemie doeth call Thule the middle whereof he placeth in the 30. Degree of Latitude and 63. of Longitude Solinus placeth it five dayes and nights sayle from the Orcades An Island the most famous of all other with Poets when by this as being the farthest part of the World they would intimate any thing farre distant Whence Virgil saith Tibi serviat ultima Thule may the farthest Thule serve thee But Sinesius doubteth whether there were ever any Thule and Giraldus writeth that it was never seene and the more Learned are doubtfull in their opinions The most doe affirme as wee said that Iseland
and so transported to other Nations Heere are many Hils on which flocks of sheep doe graze which are esteemed not onely for their flesh which is very sweete and pleasant but also for the finenesse of their wooll and these flocks of sheepe doe prosper and increase through the wholsomnesse of the Ayre and goodnesse of the Soyle as also by reason of the scarcitie of trees on the Hils and the freenesse of the whole Countrie from Wolves This Countrie aboundeth with all kinde of Cattell living Creatures except Asses Mules Camels Elephants and a few other There are no where better or fiercer Mastiffes no where greater store of Crowes or greater plenty of Kites that prey upon young Chickens than here The Romans did command the better part of Brittaine almost five hundred yeares namely from the time of Caius Iulius Caesar to the time of Theodosius the younger when the Legions and Garrisons of Rome being called to defend France they left the Isle of Brittaine whereby it came to passe that the Southerne parts thereof were invaded by the Picts and Scots whose violence when the Brittaines could no longer sustaine they called the Saxones out of Germanie men accustomed to warre for their Ayde These Saxons assisted them in the beginning but afterward being allured with the temperature of the Ayre or perswaded by the friendship and familiarity of the Picts or stirred up by their owne treacherous mindes they made a league with the Picts against the Brittaines and having driven out their Hosts they themselves possessed their places England containeth many Cities and faire Townes among which the chiefe are London Yorke Canterbury Bristoll Glocester Shrewsbury Winchester Bathe Cambridge Oxford Norwich Sandwich with many other which wee will delineate in our particular Descriptions The chiefe Rivers are Thames Humber Trent Ouse and Severne of which in their places The Ocean which washeth this Isle doth abound with plenty of all kindes of Fish among which is the Pike which with the Inhabitants is in great esteem so that some times they take him out of moorish Lakes into fish-ponds where after hee hath scoured himselfe being fed with Eeles and little fishes hee growes wonderfull fat Moreover there are no where more delicate Oysters or greater plenty of them than heere The especiall Havens of England are these first Davernas commonly called Dover which is the farthest part of the Countie of Kent it is fortified with a Castle seated on a Hill and well furnished with all kinde of Armour secondly Muntsbay of a great breadth in Cornewall where there is a safe harbour for ships There is also Volemouth or Falemouth Torbay South-hampton and many others The King of England hath supreame power and acknowledgeth no superiour but God his Subjects are either the Laiety or the Clergie the Laiety are either Nobles or Commons The Nobles are either of the greater ranke as Dukes Marquesses Earles Vicounts Barons and Bannerets who have these Titles by inheritance or else are conferr'd upon them by the King for their vertues The lesser Nobles are Baronets Knights Esquires and those which commonly are called Gentlemen the Gentlemen are those who are honoured by their birth or those whose vertue or fortune doe lift them up and distinguish them from the meaner sort of men The Citizens or Burgesses are those who in their severall Cities doe beare publick Offices and have their places in the Parliaments of England The Yeomen are those whom the Law calleth legall men and doe receive out of the Lands which they hold at the least forty shillings yearely The Tradesmen ENGLAND ANGLIA are those who worke for wages or hire All England is divided into nine and thirty Shires and these Shires are divided into Hundreds and Tithings In each of these Counties is one man placed called the Kings Praefect or Lievtenant whose office is to take care for the security of the Common-wealth in times of danger and every yeare there is one chosen whom they call the Sheriffe that is the Provost of the Shire who may bee rightly called the Questor of the Countie or Province For it is his office to collect publick money to distraine for trespasses and to bring the money into the Exchequer to assist the Judges to execute their commands to empannell the Jurie who are to enquire concerning matters of fact bring in their verdict to the Judges for the Judges in England are Judges of the Right not of the Fact to bring the condemned to execution to decide of thēselves small controversies But in great matters those Judges do administer right whom they call Itinerarie Judges Judges of Assise who twice every year do visite most of these Shires to determine and end matters of difference and also to give judgement upon Prisoners For asmuch as concernes Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction England hath now two Provinces and also two Archbishops the Archb. of Canterbury Primate of all England and the Archb. of Yorke Under these are seven and twenty Bishops two twenty under Canterbury and the other five under Yorke The Tribunals or Courts of Justice in England are of three sorts for some are Spirituall some Temporall and one mixt which they call the Parliament consisting of the three Orders of England and it representeth the body of the whole Kingdome This Parliament the King cals and appoints according to his pleasure Hee hath the chiefe authority in making confirming abrogating and interpreting of Lawes and in all things that belong to the good of the Common-wealth The temporall Courts are two-fold namely of Law and of equity The Courts of Law are the Kings Bench the Starre-Chamber the Common Pleas the Exchequer the Court of Wards and Liveries the Court of the Admiraltie and Assises wee omit others which are obscure The Kings Bench is so called because the King is wont to sit in it and it handleth Pleas of the Crowne The Starre-Chamber or rather the Court of the Kings Counsell is that in which criminall matters are handled as perjuries impostures deceits and the like The Common Pleas is so called because common pleas are tried there betweene the Subjects by the Law of England which they call the Common Law The Exchequer deriveth its name from a foure square Table covered with a Chequer-Cloth at which the Barons sit in it all causes are heard which belong to the Exchequer The Court of Wards hath his name from Wards whose causes it handleth The Admirals Court handleth Sea-matters Those which wee call the Assises are held twice in a yeare in most Shires in which two Judges of Assise appointed for it with the Justices of peace doe enquire and determine of civill and criminall matters The Courts of Equity are the Chancerie the Court of Requests and the Councell in the Marshes of Wales The Chancerie draweth its name from the Chancellour who sitteth there This Court gives judgement according to equitie and the extreame rigour of the Law is thereby
Sussex It is unlevell yet plainest toward the West and shaded with woods on the East it is raised with high hills The chiefe Citie is Durovernum which Ptolemie calls Darvernum and in English is called Canterbury There are also the Townes of Dover anciently called Durbis and by the Saxons Dufra Hith or Hide Rumney anciently called Rumenal Sandwich or Sondwic Gravesend c. The Rivers are Thames Darent Medway anciently called Medwege Stoure called by Bede Wantsome c. Sussex toward the South bordereth upon the Brittish Ocean and that part of the Country which is toward the Sea is full of high white hills which because they consist of a fat kinde of Chalke are very fruitfull the middle of it hath goodly meddowes pastures fields and many pleasant groves The hither part hath many woods and it hath many veines of Iron The Townes here are Chichester or rightly Cissanceaster so called from one Cissa a Saxon that built it Arundal so called because it stands upon the River Arun and other It hath many Rivers and 312 Parishes THE SEVENTH TABLE OF ENGLAND CONTAINETH THESE FOVRE ILANDS which belong to England Anglesey Wight Gersey and Garnsey THe seventh and last Table of England containeth these foure Islands which belong to England the former two whereof namely Anglesey and Wight do lye neare the English shoare the latter Garsey neare the French shoare The first is Anglesey which the Brittaines call Mon Tirmon and Ynis Dowyl that is the darke Island the Saxons call it Moneza being divided by a slender Bay from the Brittish Continent It is a brave Island and the ancient seat of the Druides the length whereof 22 English miles the breadth 17 and the whole compasse of it 60 miles This Island although Giraldus saith it was in his time drie stonie unpleasant and deformed yet now it is delectable and being tilled yeeldeth so much wheat that it is commonly called the Mother of Wales It hath milstones and in some places aluminous earth out of which they have lately begun to make Alum It is also rich in cattell It was first subjected to the Romane Empire by Paulinus Suetonius and Iulius Agricola as Camden out of Tacitus a learned Writer Many yeares after being conquered by the English it came to be called Anglesey as it were the English Island Camden addeth that when the Romane Empire in Brittaine began to decrease the Scots crept out of Ireland into this Island For besides the hills which are entrenched round and called the Irish cottages there is a place which the Irish call Y◠Hericy Guidil where being lead by their Captain Sirigi they gave the Brittaines a great overthrow as it is mentioned in the booke of Triads Neither hath this Island beene invaded by the English but likewise by the Norwegians For in the yeare 1000. The navie of Aethelred sailing about it did wast it in hostile manner Afterward two Norman Hughs one Earle of Cheshire the other of Shropshire did most grievously afflict it and built the Castle Aber-Lienioc to restraine the Inhabitants but Magnus a Norwegian arriving at this Island kild Hugh Earle of Cheshire with an arrow and having tooke bootie on the Island departed Afterward also the English often attempted it untill Edward the first reduced it into his power Heretofore it had 363 Villages and at this day it is full of Inhabitants but the chiefe Towne is Bellus Mariscus commonly called Beaumarish which Edward the first built in the East part of that Island in a moorish place and in regard of the Situation he gave it this name and fortified it with a Castle The second Towne to this is Newburge in Welch Ressur because it was THE SEVENTH TABLE OF ENGLAND ANGLESEY INS WIGHT ol Vectis INS GARNESEY INS IARSEY much troubled with the sands which were continually cast upon it Here is also Aberfraw heretofore the chiefe Citie of Wales Also the holy Promontorie which the English call Holyhead the Inhabitants call it Caer Guby from Kibius a holy man who was Scholler to Hilarius Pictavensis The Inhabitants are very rich and strong and they use the Brittish language having no skill in English albeit they together with the rest of Wales have beene subject to the Kings of England these three hundred yeares Now followeth Vecta or Vectis the Isle of Wight which the Brittains call Guith It is broken off frō the Continent of Brittaine by so small an Euripus running betweene called heretofore Solent that it seemeth to cleave unto it and hence that Brittish name Guith which signifies a separation seemes to be derived even as Sicilie being divided from Italie tooke his name as learned Iulius Scaliger pleaseth to derive it à secando that is from cutting From this vicinitie of situation and affinitie of the name wee may conjecture that this Vecta was that Icta which when the Sea Flow'd did seeme an Island but when it Ebd againe the shoare being almost drie the ancient Brittaines were wont to carrie Tinne thither in Carts to be transported thence into France I suppose it cannot be that Mictis of Pliny which joyneth close to Vecta because out of that there came white lead and in this saith Camden there is no mettall veine so farre as I know This Island betweene East and West lyeth twentie miles in length in an ovall figure the breadth thereof in the middle where it is broadest is twelve miles over the one side lyeth toward the North the other toward the South It hath a fruitfull soyle and very profitable to the husbandman so that it exporteth and sendeth forth divers commodities it is every where full of Cunnies Hares Partridges and Pheasants it hath also a Forrest and two Parkes full of Deere for hunting Through the middle of this Island there runneth a long ridge of hils on which flockes of sheepe securely graze whose fleeces are held to be the best wooll except that of Lemster and Cotteswold and therefore being chiefly bought up by Clothiers the Inhabitants do make a great gaine and commoditie thereby The Northerne part hath greene medowes fields and woods the Southerne part is all corne-fields enclosed every where with ditches and hedges At either end the Sea on the North side doth so penetrate and winde into it that it maketh almost two Islands and the Inhabitants do call them Islands namely that which looketh toward the West the Fresh-water Isle that which lyeth toward the East Binbrydge Isle Vespasian serving under the Emperour Claudius did first reduce this Island to the obedience of the Romans as Suetonius writeth in the life of Vespasian The first Saxon that made it his owne was Cerdicius which gave it to Stuffa and Whitgarus who carried away the Brittish Inhabitants to Caresbrok and put them to death afterward Wolpherus being of the Mercians brought Vecta or Wight under his power and gave it to Edelwalch King of
the South Saxons After that Caedwalla King of the West Saxons the aforesaid Edwalch being slaine and Arnaldus Governour of the Island being made away adjoyned it to his territories But see more concerning these things in Camden The Inhabitants by nature are warlike bold and forward and the Souldiers very stout In Bedes time there were thought to be in this Island a thousand and two hundred families but now it hath sixe and thirtie Townes besides Villages and Castles The chiefest Townes are New-port the chiefe Market-towne of the Island heretofore called Medena and Novus Burgus de Meden from whence the whole Countrie is divided into East-Meden and West-Meden according as it lyeth East or West Also Brading Newton Yarmouth which have their Majors and do send up their Burgesses to the Parliaments of England This Yarmouth and another also called Sharpnore have Castles which together with the Fort Worsteys doe defend the coast on the West side Over against which scarce two miles off standeth the Fort Hurst on a little tongue of ground in Hampshire Here is also the Towne Quarre where a litle Monasterie was built in the yeare 1132 for vailed Virgins or close Nunnes and Gods Hill where I. Worseley founded a Schoole for the nurture of children Here is situate Westcow and Eastcow now ruinated which Henry the eight built in the very jawes and entrance of New-port And on the East is Sandham a Castle fortified with great Ordinance as the rest are beside the fortifications of nature for it is encompassed about with ragged cliffes underneath which are hidden rocks As these two Islands lye neare to the English shoare somewhat more toward the West some Islands do appeare in the Sea neare to France and yet belong to England among which are Gerzey and Garnzey and first Gerzey called Caesarea by Antoninus lyeth neare to Normandie or the shoare of Lexobii whom our Brittaines do call Lettaw that is dwellers on the shoare or coasters this word Caesarea the Frenchmen have contracted into Gersey even as Caesaris Burgus a towne in Normandie is by them contractly called Cherburgh and Caesar Augusta a Towne in Spaine is by the Spaniards called Saraggosa Into this Island condemned men were heretofore banished for the Bishop of Lyons was banished hither Papirius Massonius calleth it the Isle of Constantine shoare because it lyeth over against the ancient citie of Constantia which Ammianus thinketh was heretofore called Castra Constantia and in former times Muritonium This Island is about 20 miles in compasse being defended by rockes and such sands as are dangerous to sea-men The earth is sufficiently fertile abounding with divers fruits and with flockes of cattell it hath many sheepe and most of them such as have foure hornes is beautified with so many greene Orchards and Gardens and those so fruitfull that the Inhabitants make a kinde of drinke of apples which they call Sisera and the English Side◠therewith but in regard they have little fuell instead of wood they use Sea weeds by them called Vraic which seemes to be that sea-grasse which Pliny mentions and they grow so plentifully on these rocks that they seeme a farre of to be thicke woods These being dryed in the Sun and after burnt for fuell they make use of the ashes for manuring their fields and making them fruitfull This Island is likewise full of Villages having twelve Parishes It is fortified with a strong Castle seated on the hill Montorguel and hee that governes it for the English is also governour of the whole Island Twentie miles hence towards the West is another Island which Antoninus named Sarnia the English at this day call it Garnsey lying from East to West in the forme of a harpe it is not to be compared either for largenesse or populusnesse with the aforesaid Gersey for it hath onely tenne Parishes Yet in this it is to be preferred before it because it hath no venemous thing in it beside it is more fortified by nature as being encompassed on every side with broken cliffes among which the Smyris an hard and rough stone is found which the English call an Emrall with which Jewellers do cut their stones and Glaziers do cut their glasse This Island also as the former hath greene Gardens and Orchards planted with divers trees whence for the most part the Inhabitants use the drinke made of apples called Cider as the Gersey people doe in regard of the convenience of an Haven and the traffique of Merchants it is more famous than Gersey For on the farthest part toward the East on the Southerne side it hath a Haven like an halfe Moone neare which is seated the Towne of Saint Peter being one long narrow streete full of warlike provision and frequented much with Merchants when warres begin in other places The entrance into the Haven is fortified on either side with Castles on the left hand is an anciēt Castle on the right hand another which they call Cornet seated on a high rock environed with the Sea The Inhabitants of either Isle are originally either Normans or Brittaines and do speake French In both Islands they use that which they call Vraic instead of fuell or pit-coales digged in England both of them have great store of fish These Islands with other adjacent and lying neare unto them did heretofore belong to Normandie but when Henry the first had overthrowne his brother Robert in the yeare of Christ 1108 he adjoyned Normandie these Islands to the Kingdome of England since which time they have continued in faithfull obedience to England although the French banishing King Iohn possessed Normandie and Henry the third sold his right in Normandie and yeelded up the possession of Aquitaine in consideration of a certaine summe of money 'T is true that the French in the raigne of Henry the fourth did hold Garnsey but by the industrie of Richard Harleston Valectus de Carona as they then called him they were driven out in reward whereof the King did conferre and bestow upon him the government of the Island and Castle And let so much suffice to have beene spoken concerning these foure Islands and also concerning England both in generall and particular NORWEY AND SVVETH-LAND The first and second Kingdome of the North part of the World BRITTAINE being described as faithfully as wee could that Northerne part of the world now followeth in our method which the Ancients did call Scandia and Scandinavia Pliny calleth it the Nurser of Nations and the receptacle of people of a great stature That part which is neerest to the farthest Northerne shore of Germanie is distinguished at this time into the three Kingdomes of Norwey Swethland and Denmarke Norwey or Norwegia commeth in the first place to be viewed The Etymologie whereof is easie to be knowne for it is so called from Nord which signifieth the North and Weg which signifies a way as if wee should say the Northway
after a certaine victory obtaind against them were all slaine at this Towne who could not pronounce the name thereof for they pronouâ—ced it â—equeny in stead of Pequigny The Geographers that describe 〈◊〉 doe note that Veromandois doth containe under it the Territories of â—issenois Laâ—nnâ—is and â—artencis and the Cities Nâ—yon and S. Quintins The City of Soissâ—ns is subject to Themes the chiefe City of Calaa Belgica and was honoured by Caesar with the title of a Royall City It was in the power of the Romanes but was taken from them by Cladoveus after whose decease his Sonnes restored it to that former honour which it enjoyed in Caesars time The Inhabitants are a warlike people In this City in the raigne of Philip Augustus there was a Consell held by the Clergie of England and France for that the King of England having thrust the Bishops out of their Seates had kept the Churches goods in his owne hands for 6. yeeres and afterward had banisht the Bishops into Franâ—e In this Couâ—sell he had excommuâ—ication and warres denounced against him as an enemy to the Church upon which he was overcome in Battell and all his auxiliary Forces which he had out of Planders were overthrowne the Suessâ—nes among the rest behaving themselves very valiantly against him The Temple and Monastery of the blessed Virgin in the City Soissâ—ms was built by Ebroynus the Tyrant who was Master of the Palace of â—rauce The Bishops of Soissons from Sixtus to Mathew Paris were 79. The Country of Laonois so called from the City Laon which iâ— situated betweene the Rivers Ayne and Oysa on a Hill and â—gisbertus saith that â—lâ—doveus in the yeere 500. did honour this City with a Dukedome and a Bishoprick Hee constituted Genebaldus to bee the first Bishop thereof and after him unto Iohannes Buâ—â—erius there are reckoned 72. Bishops It is also a Bayliwick under which are these Cities Soissons Noviomagus or Noyon S. Quintins Ribuaria or Ribemont Câ—uâ—y Chauâ—y Guise Perona Mondidier and Roia Next adjacent unto Laon is â—â—mpendium called by the French Compiegne and by others Parâ—pâ—â—is from Carolus Calvus who in the yeere 896. did enlarge and fortifie it like Constantinople erecting there also a Monastery to Saint Cornelius The Church of Compiegne and the Monastery of the Dominicans and Franciscans were built by S. Ludovicus King of France The Metropolis of Tartenois is Fera commonly called La Fere being a City well fortified and commodiously seated at the confluence and meeting of the Rivers Oysa and Serva and having a strong Castle Concerning the Cities Noyon and S. Quintins there is enough spoken in the Description of a former Table So much therefore concerning true Picardie There are divers parts of the lower Picardie called Le Basse As Sancterra Pontium Bolonesium Guâ—naeum and Oyum. Sancterra or Sancterre lyeth betweene Mons S. Desiderij Perona Roye and Nesla Mons S. Desiderij or Mondidier is a strong Place or Hold. Perona is situated at the River Somona here Herebert Earle of Veromandois kept Chaâ—les the Simple King of France Captive where he died and left the Kingdome much troubled Roye is a faire Towne fortified with a Castle Antoninus calleth it Caesaremagnus as also the Itinerary Tables â—essa is a strong Fortresse as many other places are in this part of the Kingdome In Sancterra have many famous men beene borne and the ancient Lords thereof being Marquesses formerly joyned in affinity and allyed to the Family of the Courtneys which descended from the Kings of France Pontium or in French Le Conté Ponthieu is so named from the great company of Bridges and Marishes which discharge and empty themselves into the Sea neere to S. Valeri The chiefe Towne of the County is Abatisvilla commonly called Abbeville neere the River Oyse being a Bailiwick and the Seate of a President from whence Causes and Suites in Law are brought to Paris The other Townes are Crâ—toy Rua Treport and S. Richeri besides Cressiacum or the little Towne of Cressi famous for the slaughter of 36000. Frenchmen under the conduct of Philip of Valots in the yeere 1346. This Country also doth containe two other under it to wit the Counties of Mâ—â—streul and S. Paul some thinke the former was so called quasi Mâ—rs Reguis that is the Royall Mountaine but others imagine it to bee so named from a Monster which had his dwelling house here Lower Picardie containeth the County of Bononia commanly call'd Coâ—â—â— de Boleigne and the County of Guisne of which we will speake in the Description of Bononia The chiefe Rivers of Picardie are Somona neere to which lye the Towne Ambianum or Amiens and Abbe-Villa Oyse or Esia Scaldis Escault or Sceldt and those which are commonly call'd Aâ—â—â— and Scarpe I come to their manners The Picardians are of a good disposition well set courteous Officious valiant and prone to anger whence they are called hot heads they are so soone assuredly given and addicted to wine so that a man can hardly obtaine any thing of them unlesse he will beare them company in drinking Yet they agree so well among themselves that if you offend one of them all the rest will be your enemies The Nobles are warlike and doe most of all delight in military affaires So much concerning Picardy CAMPANIA THE STATE ECCLESIASTICK Here is the Archbishop of Rhemes under whom are eight suffragan Bishops as the Bishop of Laon a Duke and Peere of France the Bishop of Chalon an Earle and Peere of France the Bishop of Suesson the Bishop of Terwaen whose Seate was translated to Boulogne the Bishop of Amiens the Bishop of Noviomagum or Noion an Earle and Peere of France the Bishop of Senlis and the Bishop of Beauvais an Earle and Peere of France Here is also the Archbishop of Sens under whom are seven Bishops to wit the Bishop of Paris of Chartres of Orleans of Nivers of Auxerre of Trois en Champaigne and of Meaux CAMPANIA CAMPANIA called in French Comté de Champaigne is derived as I have said before if we shall beleeve Graegorius â—uronensis from the great and spacious Field wherof it consisteth For it is a very plaine and Champion Country The Territories of Brie Burgundie Carolois and Lotharingia doe encompasse it on every side The Tricasses Lingones the Râ—mi the Catalaunians the Meldae the Senones and others who are now worne out of memory were heretofore seated in this Country The Tricasses nominated in Plinies chiefest Bookes Ptolemy calls Trikasstoi and Ammianus Tricassini as also in certaine Panegyricks and in the Inscription of an ancient Stone Hericus calleth the Trecae in the life of S. Germane and others call them by contraction Tresses Their City is called Tricassium and commonly Trois en Champaigne Those which Caesar Pliny and others doe call Lingâ—nes Ptolemy calls Doâ—gones and the same Pliny Faederati That Province which containes their City which is Langres is now called La Duché Patre and
into the Haven Edward the fifth King of England tooke it the day before the Nones of August 11. moneths after that cruell Battell fought against Philip the sixth King of France neere to Cressy in the yeere 1347. which Paulus Aemilius lib. 9. lively delineateth The English did possesse it 211. yeeres for Philippus Bonus a Burgundian did in vaine besiege it in the yeere 1431. his Flandrians forsaking him and did keepe it as the English were wont to say as the Key of France the Duke of Guises afterward tooke it and the Frenchmen regain'd it in the yeere 1558. in the moneth of February In the mid-way betweene Calis and Bononia towards the Mediterranean Sea is Teroane which still retaineth that name although Charles the fifth passed it and call it Terrennerbereâ— Antenâ—â—â—â— nameth it Tervanna or Tarvenna the Itinerary Tables Tervanna and Ptolemy Tarvanna Bovillus affirmeth that some doe call it Tarubaâ—um Tâ—â—themius in his History of France mentioneth the Terrabaniaâ—â— BOVLONGNE· BOLONIA Some call it Tervana as it were Terra-vana in regard of the meanenesse of the Territory In the Register of the Provinces where the Cities of Belgia are reckoned up it is called the City of the Morinneans that is l' Evesché de Teroane In the Inscription of an ancient Stone which in former time was found in Gilderland it is called the Morineans Colony The Territory of Oyana or Terre de Oye doth reach even to Dunkerk a Towne of Flanders There are also beside Oya some other smal Towns I returne now to Boulogne which is watered with stremes and Rivulets which running by the Towne Arque and S. Audomare doe come to Graveling Not farre from thence is the Bay of Scales flowing even to the Castle of Ardera There are also two other Rivulets namely one in Marquisia the other in Bolonia There is also the River Hantia or Hesdin which doth impart his name to the Towne Hesdin There is also in this Country the Moorish streames of the Pontinians and the River Cauchia Some of these Rivers doe make Lakes and Fish-pits which are full of Fish and are denominated from the neighbouring Townes as those which they call in French le Vivier d' Hames d' Andre d' Arbres All this Country toward the Sea is environd with sundry Hills and in the inner part thereof there are those Hills which they call in French les Mons de S. Ingelvert and les Mons de neuf Castel and Dannes All the Country is interlaced with many Woods as the Woods les Bois de Surene Celles c. The Inhabitants are accounted to be froward and too much conceited of themselves ANIOV THE DVKEDOME OF ANDEGAVIA The Dukedome of Anjou containeth Counties Baronnies and Seigniories as Câ—aon 1856. 4743 c. which I have not yet found out nor can distinguish these foure Counties Maine Vendosme Beaufort and La Val doe hold of it by Homage and Fealty THE IVRISDICTION The Praesidiall Seate of the whole Kingdome is Angiers under which are these particular Juridicall Seates Angiers Samur Bauge 1945. 4725. and Beaufort en Valleé 1940. 4716. The State Ecclesiastick Angiers hath one Bishop of Andegauja who is subject to the Archbishop of Turone The Meridians are placed according to the Proportion of the 47. and 15. Parallels to the greatest Circle The Dukedome of ANIOU THE Dukedome of Anjou followes in our Method or la Ducké d' Anjou C. Caesar calleth the people of this Province Andes and Pliny nameth them Andegavi It beginneth at the Village Towne Chousay and endeth betweene Moncontour and Herrant where the Territory of the Picts beginneth lying South of it on the East the Turonians and Vindocinians doe border on it on the North the County commonly called Maine and lâ— Val and lastly on the West it joyneth to Brittaine The Country is more fruitfull and pleasant than large having every where Hills planted with Vines and Valleies crowned with greene Woods flourishing Meddowes excellent Pastures for Cattell Here are good white Wines commonly called Vins d' Aniou In briefe this Country doth afford all things necessary for life In some parts also of this Province they digge forth those blue kind of Stones with which being cleft in pieces they do slate their Churches and Houses to keep off the weather and in French they call them Ardoises King iâ—ecâ—â—us after the Earle Paul was slaine got the City of Indegâ—â—â—a and left it to his Posterity who were Kings of France among whom â—arolus Calvus gave the higher part of the Province to Iorquatus retaining still the Royalty thereof to himselfe and the lower part to Eudâ—â— Earle of Paris whose Nephew Hugo magnus by his Brother Rupert Earle of Andegavia and Duke of Celtica gave it to Fulco the Nephew of Iorquatuâ— After Fulco there succeeded in order Fulco the 2. and Gotefridus commonly called Grisgonella Fulco the 3. Gotâ—fridus the 2. Fulco the 4. Fulco the 5. who was King of Hierusalem after Baldwin whose Daughter he being a Widdower had married and lastly Godfridus Barvatus the 6. who was married to Machtildis the Daughter of Henry the first King of England His Sonnes were Henry who was the second King of England of that name and Gotefridus the sixth and William were Earles of Anjou whom when their Brother the King had overcome by warre and droven them out of their Country his eldest Sonnes did succeed him in the Kingdome of England and Gotefridus the 8. in the County of Anjou The Unckle â—ohn King of England did wage warre against the Earle Arthur the Sonne of Gotefrid and Duke of Bâ—ittaine by the Mothers side Arthur had now done Homage and Fealty to Philip Augustus King of France for his Principality which he had of him by whose instigation leaving to take away Picardy from his Unckle the King and having passed his Army over the River and Ligoris the King comming upon him on a sudden tooke him prisoner and brought him to â—otomagum where not long after he was put to death The Mother of Arthur Constantia by name the Daughter and Heire of Conan Prince of Brittaine did accuse King Iohn of Parricide before the King of France aforesaid who being summoned and not appearing the Peares of France did condemne him of parricide and those Provinces which he had in France they confiscated to the King which sentence the King exâ—cuting he tooke Anjou into his owne hands and left iâ— to his Sonne Ludovick the 8 King of France After whom succeeded his Son Ludovick the 9. surnamed the Holy who granted this Province to his Brother Charles by right After him followed Charles the 2. who marrying hâ—s Daughter Clemeâ—tia to Charles Valesius he gave this Province with her for her Dowry After whom succeeded Philip Valesius the Sonne and after him his Nephew Iohn who gave the greatest part of this Country which was honourd with the Title of a Dukedome in the yeere 1350. to his Sonne Ludovick After him there follow'd in a
afterward it became the Seate of an Archbishop on which these Bishopricks doe depend Santonensis Pictaviensis Lussonensis Mallacensis Petragoricensis Serlacensit Condomiensis Agimensis And as this City is large so it is beautified with divers Churches for there are two Collegiate Churches one of which is Metropolitan 12. Parish Churches 8. Frieries one Nunnery and a Colledge of Jesuites There is a faire Church-yard of S. Severine without Iupiters Gate neere the Amphitheater which is worthy to bee seene both because it is more ancient then the rest in which S. Amandus and S Severinus were buried and divers other Monuments are shewed and also because there hollow stones laide on Sepulchers which are full of water or empty according to the increase or decrease of the Moone Many Knights are here interr'd who were slaine in the time of Charles the great by the treachery of Ganelen The University is an Ornament unto it the Professors whereof doe instruct Youth in all Arts and Sciences In which both heretofore and of late Tiberius Victor and Minervius a Rhetorician whom D. Ieromimus mentioneth in his Chronicle and maketh another Quintilian And Attius Celphidius whom Ammianus Marcellinus calleth a vehement Orator were Latine and Greeke Professors And also Pomponius Maximus Hirculanus and many others of whom Ausonius maketh a Catalogue with severall Eulogies The most noted in our age were Andr. Goveanus Ioannes Gelâ—da M. Ant. Muretus Ioannes Costanus Georg. Buchanan Nicolaus Grachius Withelmus Guerentaeus and of late Elias Vinetus a learned man and a light to his Country This University had many priviledges honors and liberties granted unto it by the Princes of Aquitaine the Kings of France and the Popes of Rome and at last it was beautified by the Aquitaine Colledge from whence many learned men as Lights of France have successively come forth But let vs speake somewhat of the Parliament which is the ancientest seate of Justice in France whither the Burdigalians the Valatensians the Aginnensians the Condomiensians the Armeniacensians the Cardurcians the Lenâ—ovicensians the Petrocorensians the Angelismensians the Santons and Ruxellensians have recourse by way of suite But afterward the Provinces of Armenium of Santome of Ruxelles and the greatest part of Cadurcium did withdraw themselves and came to the Parliament of Paris and Tolouse But when King Ludovick had granted Aquitania which was now circumscribed with new bounds to his Brother Charles to hold of him by Fealty the Parliament was translated to the Picts but after Charles his decease in the yeere 1472. and all Aquitaine returning to Ludovick it was brought back againe and not long after Charles the 8. by his Edict dared in the 〈…〉 it to consist of three Preâ—â—dents and â—â— Counsellors 〈…〉 in the yeere 1519. in the moneth of oâ— May added to the 〈◊〉 D. â—ie of new Counsellors to judge of criminall matters which they call â—ornell But when by sedition the Parliament in the yeere 1â—4â— was chaâ—gâ—d againe King Henry the 2. restored the former ample dignity of the Senate to Buâ—digala and received the Citizens iâ— to â—avour Here the Prefect of the Province of Aquiâ—aine hath his 〈◊〉 who is called the Marshall and also the Admirall There is also in the same City a Colledge of Qâ—estors or Auditors of accounts The govâ—rnment of the Common-wealth of Burdeaux as it is at this day began in the raigne of Henry King of England who in the yeere 117â— granted that the Citizens should freely decree a Prince of the Senate whom they call the Maior of the City but at first the Maiorâ— held thâ—ir office continually and â—id yeerely chuse a Substitute out of the sworne men whom in his absence was to be Governour of the Colledge of sworne men Henry the 2. did change this custome so that the Maiors office should not be perpetuall but for two yeeres After him the sworne men as they call them should succeede Who being fifty at the beginning were reduced to 24 and in the yeare 1378. they were contracted to 12. according to the number of the parts of the Citie But at last they came to be sixe and those to rule two yeares so that three were changed every yeare and they continued in their Mairoalty for two whole yeares To this Colledge of the Maior and the swornemen there were added 30. chosened Citizens to assist them in counsell above three hundred more were added if a matter of consequence were handled It hath a fruitfull Soile for Wines which is transported from thence into other parrs of Europe the praise whereof is celebrated by the ancients as also Pliny and Columâ—lla and it hath abundance of all other necessaries Besides it hath convenient Rivers the greatest whereof are Garumna and Dordona There are many Townes subject to Burdeaus as these neere to the Sea Esparâ—um or Caput S. Mariae in which place Ptolemy seateth Nevioparrum which is now not to be knowne also the Fane of Maâ—arium Laâ—mâ—nt Carbonaria also Liburrium which is a pretty small Towne sâ—arcâ—laâ— the mouth of Dâ—rdona and others But it is most famous because Iuâ—â—nius was borne here who celebrateth the praise of his Country in these verses My too long silence I doe now condemne That thee O Countrie fam'd for witty men And for thy pleasant Rivers and thy Wine And Senate art not here amongst the prime Mentiond by mee as if thou wert a small Citie and didst deserve no praise at all Burdigala is my native Country where The mild ayre makes the earth much fruite to beare The Spring is long the Winter short belowe The leavy Mountaines shadowed Rivers flowe Whose hasty course doe imitate the Seas Then the wayes within and houses you may please To admire and that the streetes doe still retaine Though they are large and broade their former name And yet through the Citie a fresh streame doth glide Which when the Ocean filleth with his tide You shall behold when as the Sea doth come How by the Ships which ride there it doth runne THE COVNTY OF PERTICA THE Country of Pertica confineth on the Carnutensians and dependeth also on their diocesse and hath beene a long time a famous County First it came by marriage to the familie of the Druides and afterward to the Alenconians For Robert a Frensh man Earle of the Druides marryed the widdow of Rotrocus Earle of Pertica who was slaine at the seige of the Castle of Rotomagum After him Robert Alenconius the sonne of Charles and brother to Phillip Valesius who died without issue being slaine in the Battell of Crâ—ssy in the yeare 1346. was Earle of Perâ—â—ca It is divided into two parts the lower which is called Peâ—â—tica Goveti is as it were inserted into Carnutum the head Towne whereof is Nogâ—ntum of Rotrocus which in the yeare 1428. was taken by the Earle rf Salisbury an Englsh man and all that were found in it were hangd But afterward in the yeare 1449. Charles the 7. recoverd it againe This Towne is called Nâ—gentum
keeping their owne names and so they fall in two divided streames into the River Lovesteâ—num where they doe encircle the Bomelian Island and so joyne together againe and losing their ancient name they are called by the name of Merova and so gliding by Worcomium and Gorcomium they come at last unto Dort and there making the Island of Iselmond it is called Mosa and so retayning still the same name having glided by Roterdame and Vlaerdinga it entereth into the Sea about the Brill with such a violent current that for a long way together it preserveth his water fresh and sweete And Sturgions delighting in this sweete fresh water are allured to come up the River and so are easily taken which doth not happen to other Rivers because they entring the Sea with a quiet gentle streame their water presently becomes salt as Seyne Iberus Thames and many other great Rivers On the contrary Eridanus Tiber Rhodanus Garumna and other Rivers which runne into the Sea with greater violence doe in like manner as Mosa allure and entice the Sturgeons to come up into them but not in so great Plentie Besides the Sturgions which are taken in the Rivers Mosa and Rhene are greater and more pleasant in taste than those in the Mediterranean Sea They are of a silver shining colour of a great bignesse There are some taken which do waigh above 400 pound Guicciardine doth report that he saw in the Market at Antwerp a Sturgeon of 420 pound waight that it was above 12 feete of Antwerp long and on another day in the morning he saw 70. Sturgeons together the least of which was above five foote long This fish is first seene in Holland Zeland and Friesland in the Moneth of Aprill and it is found three moneths together or longer during which time great store of them are taken And from hence transported into other Countries especially into England being salted up and so kept from putrifying also at other times all the yeere through they take lesser sturgeon which are delicate in taste Out of this being enticed by the freshwater they come up into the mouth of the River Mosa in which there are very fatte Salmones Trouts which are taken here all the yeere long also Lampreys Mulletts Congers and other kinds of excellent fish which here for brevitie sake I omit But this is wonderfull that those fish are bad if they be taken in the Sea but very good and fat when they enter into fresh water Besides this River doth naturally breed besides other fish Trouts Lampries some greater some les but more delicate in taste Schaldis which Ptolemie calls Thahuda the Low countriemen Schelt the French Escault doth rise in Veromanduum neere Saint Martines Abby as they call it where it gently slideth betweene Castellet and Beau-revior two French Fortifications so runneth to Cameracum thence going toward the Country of Hannonia it watreth the noble Citty of Valence and afterward growing navigable having received the River Hania it glideth by the Condatum and afterward being enlarged by the receipt of the River Scarpa it vieweth S. Amandum and so bending Northward toward Tornacum it glideth by Aldenarda and the famous Cittie Gandauum where it receiveth the Rivers Lâ—sa and Lâ—via and other streames From thence with many windings and Maeander-like turnings it runneth forward to Teneremunda and there having received the River Tenera flowing on the right hand it goeth toward Rupelmunda and there it receiveth Rupela and a little after Dâ—la and being now growne bigger it by and by washeth the walls of Antwerp and maketh a faire Haven or Harbour for shippes before the Towne afterward having runne a little further it parteth it selfe into two channells and so divideth Brabant and Flanders from Zeland for on the left hand it windeth and bendeth Southward and so runneth by the shores and borders of Flanders and is called by another name de Hont from the barking noyse thereof from whence it passeth by Zuytbeveland and Walachria into the Westerne Ocean on the right hand leaving Brabant it keepeth one continuall course in his old channell by the Island of Scaldia and so with a violent current runnes into the Sea Moreover the tyde followeth up into this River even to Gandauum which is thirty miles from the mouth of it if you count them by the winding course of the bankes There doe come up into this River Sturgeons Salmones Troutes great Lampreys Turbotts Congers Cuckow fishes Mullets Crabs Lobsters Sardins and many most delicate fish which come up out of the Sea into Scaldis and doe there feede and cast their spawne so that for two or three monethes betweene the Spring and the Summer besides the greater fish there is taken so great a number of small Frie that many men doe live by them Also many Sea Dogfishes and Porpoises doe come up this River which two land of fishes doe not cast forth any spawne but doe bring forth their young ones perfectly formed The Dogfishes doe bring forth their young on the Land and doe suckle them with their dugges untill they are growne to a good bignesse Moreover this River without the helpe of the Sea doth yeeld divers kindes of fish all the yeere long of which these are the chiefe Pikes Barbells Tenches Carpes and Breames of an unusuall bignesse so that they doe sometimes weigh 20 pound also Gudgeons and many other kindes of fish both great and small Also divers kindes of Eeles and Crabbes and in the mouth of the River there are some Oysters which come thither out of the Sea And therefore this River for multitude of fish and variety is not inferiour not onely to any River of France but also of all Europe Aa riseth neere Teroana and so bending towards Caesia it slideth by the Church of Saint Audomare and so comming to Griveling neere which in the yeere 1558 that famous battell was fought betweene the Burgundians and the French it doth discharge it selfe into the Brittish Sea Lisa commonly called de Leye riseth in Artesia in the Towne Lisburg which taketh his name from this River neere Teroana and having viewed Aria Armenteria Wervicum and Meenen and from thence cutting through the middle of Cortracum and Gandauum it mingleth it selfe with Scaldis it hath abundance of very good fish Sambra commonly called Sambre which Caesar calleth Sabris doth rise in Hannonia neere the Towne Novion and so having view'd the Townes which are commonly called Landrecy Sassene Barlaymont Mabeuge Merne and Cassele at last it glideth by Namarcum and so discharges it selfe into Mosa and is full of delicate fish Dela riseth in Brabant neere the Village Towne Tila and so bending Northward it runneth to Waveta and afterward it floweth by Louanium which is three miles distant from thence and so keeping on his course for three miles and afterward bending Westward it embraceth Mechlinia with many spreading armes and afterward foure miles from Rupâ—limunda being now growne very bigge it falleth into Scaldis The
like a Calfe his tongue is cloven into two parts his teeth are like Sawes and his hinder feete like the tayles of Fishes it hath a small tayle which is coverd with skinne and haire It hath feete like a Whelpe and it is as hairy as a Goate and it hath a hayrie skin full of black and white spots as Isodorus witnesseth Isidorus calleth the Sea Calfe Boâ—pin from the greatnesse of his eyes because they are like Oxe eyes Albertus writeth that he hath shining eyes Aristotle saith that he hath no eares but hollow holes to heare withall Pliny saith that it doth give suck to her young ones It is hard to be kill'd unlesse it be strooke on the temples of the Head For all the body of it is fleshy as Pliny and Aristotle doe write They breed on the Land and engender like Dogges It roareth aloud when it sleepeth and it sleepeth alwayes on the Land But the Sea which we come into after we have passed these Straites Magellan called the Pacifick Sea because hee had there for the most part a faire calme winde or else in regard of the vast spaciousnesse of the Sea hee was not troubled with any whirle windes now Mariners doe commonly call it Mar del Zur or the Southerne Sea This Sea albeit it were unknowne to the ancients yet it had a name for Pliny and Orosius call it the Orientall or Easterne Sea Ptolemy falsely calls it the great Bay when he should have call'd it rather the great Sea For it is the greatest Sea in the World Paulus Wenetus describeth it by the name of the Sea â—in and Haithomus Armenus whom Ortelius otherwheres calleth Antonius Curchinus calleth it the Sea Cathai And though ancient Writers doe name it yet it was not well knowne or discoverd before Ferdinand Magellan sayled thorow it Vascus Nunnius in the yeere 1513. had a view of it from the Coast of Peruvia But Magillan in the yeere of Christ 1520. having passed the Straites which we described before archieved an Herculean enterprize in discovering this Sea which whether any Ship had sayld on before it is uncertaine Those that have described the new World doe say that this Sea is deepest about the unfortunate Ilands which are now knowne by the name of Tuberones and St. Peters Ilands and that it hath Pearles on the Coast of Peruvia and that there are in it 7440. Ilands so that some doe not undeservedly call the Westerne part of it the Archipelagus because this is full of Ilands like the Aegean Sea which containe the Ciclades the Sporades and many other scattering Ilands and it is commonly call'd the Italian Archipelagus Francis Vlloa and Antonius Pigiafelta doe relate that there groweth in the Sea a certaine kinde of Hearbe which is 14. or 1â— Cabits high and that it groweth about the Sea 4. or 5. Cubits high so that it seemeth not to grow in the Sea but in a greene Meddow I with Ortelius doe suppose this to be that which Pliny and Antigonus doe mention out of Megasthenes namely that all the Easterne Ocean or Indian Sea is coverd with Woods And that place in Aristotle is agreeable hereunto who writeth that the Phoenicians who inhabited Gadyra when they had sayled beyond Hercules Pillars arrived at certaine Countries which were full of weedes and Reedes Polibius writeth that the Sea which washeth Portugall hath Oakes in it Adde to this that which Theophrastus hath 4. Histor Plantar Cap. 7.8 9. and that which Aelianus hath 13. Animal cap. 3. and Arrianus concerning the Indies also Strabo 16. and Plin. 11. cap. 103. and the same 6. cap. 22. 13. cap. 25. Plutarch in his naturall Questions and concerning the face of the Moone But of these things enough The Southerne people are of a lowe stature but the Northerne people are of a great large stature so that they are commonly 11. or 13. foote high they are of a white colour as our Northerne people but have such loude horrible voices so that it is more like the lowing of an Oxe or the braying of an Elephant than a humane sound And they are so agill and nimble that they will out-runne and overtake Deere so that they are hardly wounded with a Musket shot unlesse they goe in troopes together or at unawares And this is an Argument of their strength the one of them will take up an Hogshead of Wine and bring it a Ship-boord and 3. or foure will hale a Ship from the shoare which 30. of our men can hardly doe The cause of their whitenesse and largenesse of stature is attributed to the coldnesse and humidity or moistnesse of the Country because the Country being alwaies loaden with Snow maketh it continuall Winter It is a very barbarous and cruell Nation and hath no knowledge of humanity but are onely ledde by the instinct of nature like beasts to any object that is before them But the Southerne people are thought to be more inhumane who living under the Anâ—arrick Circle are voide of all humanity When they would shew a stranger some token of friendship or goodwill which they doe very seldome among their Songs and Dances they cast dust upon their Heads or if they see others doe it they esteeme it as a rare complement of friendship When they goe to Warre they chuse a Captaine unto whom they are all obedient the most of them are so cunning and skilfull in their Bowes that they will hit whatsoever they ayme at and when an Arrow sticketh in a Planck of a Ship it can hardly be pulled forth againe They have great Bowes and they make their Bowstrings of wilde beasts guts and as bigge as ones Thumb they are armed also with great woodden swords and they use the sling with which they will hit any thing they ayme at within their reach And thus they defend their liberty though to no purpose for no man will take the paines to goe unto those cold Countries and there to fight with these bloody Giants for no reward The Inhabitants doe clothe themselves with the skins of wilde beasts and Sea-wolves which they hunt every day There are also Estriches with whose feathers they adorne and deck themselves and they make holes thorow their faces in which they put a greene kinde of Marble they get their food and cloathing by hunting And they desire to take Sea-wolves not so much for their flesh as for their skinnes for they have found by often experience that their flesh is hard and unsavory There are also great store of Whales with the bones thereof they build them Cottages In the first entrance into the Magellan Sea there is a new Castle which Philip the second King of Spaine commanded to be built there for the defence of these â—traites in the yeere 1582. after that Francis Dâ—ake an English Knight having passed these Straites came into the Paciffick Sea and sayled even to Quivira to finde a passage by the Northerne Straites into England But the cold was
so intolerable that when he came to 62. degrees of Altitude in the yeere 1581. on the Noâ—es of June he turn'd his course toward the Aequinoctiall and having spoiled Iava his Ship call'd the Victory having sayled by Asia and all the Coast of Affrick returned againe into England After him Thomas Candish did deserve the same praise who kept the same course and with wonderfull speed and celerity sayled round about the whole world And so much shall suffice concerning the Straites of Magellane and the fourth part of the world America The discovery whereof all Writers of our age doe worthily attribute to Christopher Columbus For he first found it out and made it knowne to the Christian World and did communicate the use thereof in the yeere 1492. He that desires a larger explication of these matters let him have recourse to Laevinus Apollonius Peter Martyr of Mediolaâ—um Maximilianus Transilvanus who have written thereof in Latine also the Jesuites Epistles and Maffeius concerning the Indies and others FINIS NEW ENGLAND The most remarqueable parts thus 〈◊〉 by the high and mighty Prince 〈◊〉 nowe King of great Britaine HONY SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE THE PORTRAICTUER OF CAPTAYNE IOHN SMITH ADMIRâ—◠〈◊〉 NEW ENGLAND These are the Lines that shew thy Face but those That shew thy Grace and Glory brighter bee Thy Faire-Discoueries and Fowle-Overthrowes Of Salvages much Civilliz'd by thee Best shew thy Spirit and to it Glory Wyn So thou art Brasse without but Golde within If so in Brasse too soft smiths Acts to beare I fix thy Fame to make Brasse steele out weare Thine as thou art Virtues John Dauies Heref He that desyres to know more of the Estate of new England let him read a new Book of the prospecte of new England ther he shall haue Satisfaction Observed and described by Captayn John Smith 1634. TO * Omne tulit punctum qui vnscuit utile dulci. Hor. de Arte poetica * Heere the figures goe taâ—â—â— but I follow them as the pages are misfigured * Câ—lum non animum mutant qui tranâ— mare currunt Horat. The name by whom why given a Lactantius lib. 5. Institut cap. 24. derideth those that say the Heaven is Sphericall * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot de Caelo lib â— cap. 3. b So called froÌ„ the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. haâ—â—to â—um c So named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adverso â—abitare d So stiled from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. d. adversa vestigia figentes The compasse of the Earth e The circumference accoâ—ding to this account is 540â— Germane miles or 21600. Italian miles The qualitie of the Earth f The outmost end whereof is called a Cape g So called quasi Paenè Insula h Chersonesus is a compound word of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. d. Insula deserta aut inculta i This Seasome Writers call Mare magnum others Mare internum â—ustathius calls it Mare Hesserium and because of France Spaine Germanie Brittaine c. it is toward the East the Spaniards call it Mar de Levante 1. The East Sea although in holy Scripture it bee called Mare Occidentalâ— as being West froÌ„ Hierusalem k The Ocean is so called from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Selinus affirmeth and hath beene called Mare Atlanticum or the Atlanticke Seâ—â—s it is evident in Tullies Semnium Scip. where it is said that every Country that is inhabited is compassed about with the Atlanticke Sea which we call the Ocean l This Streight is by diverse diversly called sometime Fretum Hereuleum Plinie lib. 3. cap. 5. calleth it Fretum Gaditanum Avienus Herculis vâ—am and Herma Strabo Pietum columnarum Livie Fretum Oceani Florus Ostium Oceani Ausonius Fretum Iberum c. m This Streight deriveth its name from one Magellanus a Spaniard who first discovered it about the yeare of our Lord 1520. The commodities of the Sea n And therfore by some called Iapetia Europe whence so called o Whence also called Tyria vid. Herod l. 4. p Vid. O vid. l. 3. Metamorph. q Hâ—ylin in his Geographie pag 29. derides this derivation with Oh the wit of man r Latitude is the distance of a place North or South from the Aeâ—uator or middle of the World Å¿ Longitude is the distance of any place East and West from the chiefe Meridian and is measured by the Degrees of the Aequator Moderne Geographers place the first Meridian not as the Ancients in the Canaries or â—â—rtunate Iâ—lands but in the Iland of S. Michael one of the 9. Azores in the Atlantick Sea t A Clime is a space of the Earth comprehended between thâ—eâ— Parallels lesser innominne Circles which compasse the Earth from â—â—st to West Climes serve to distinguish the length of dayes in all places in the first 24. from the Aequator both North and South every one lengthens the day halfe an houre afterward they encrease by Weekes and Moneths till it comes to the length of halfe a yeare u See Ortelius in his Theatrum orbis terrarum The temperatenesse of the Aire The fertility of the Soyle The governmeÌ„t of the Ancients and their successours w See Ortelius in his booke before cited The Lakes and Rivers The Seas The publique private workes The Lawes Institutions x It is observable that there is no part of Europe whether Continent or Island that hath not long since beene Christened The company of Senators The Vniversities y Who number it no lesse then â—8 The manners of the people The name by whom why given z And a privativum a The Tropicks are two nominate Circles that be Parallel to the Aequator froÌ„ which the Northerne Tropicke called the Tropicke of Cancer is distant 23. degrees â— 2 and the Southerne called the Tropick of Capricorne as much b So called from Cham the sonne of Noah who inhabited this Country See Psal 105.23 c So stiled because when the Sunne is under that Aequinoctiall Circle in the Heaven which answers to this on the Earth the daies and nights be of one length 〈…〉 d 〈◊〉 Habassia 〈◊〉 the higher Aethiopia The 〈◊〉 e O RIâ—e of India who stealeth into the Crocodiles mouth when he gâ—p thâ— and aâ—â—ng his bowels killeth him f Hence came the old proverbe Africa semper aliquid apportat monstâ—i The Division g Barcha now called but that it was anâ—ly called Barca is evident â—on of Virgil when hee saith Lateque 〈…〉 h Abusively so called but rightly Preste Iohan or Gyam which in the Aethiopian tongue signifies Great or Mightie Prince i So called froÌ„ the rednesse of the sands The Lakes Rivers Mountaines k So called froÌ„ Atlas in times past â— K. of the Moores whom the Poets same to have beene Metamorphosed into this Mountaine this hill is now called Anchisa the inhabitants that dwell about it