A BRIEFE DESCRIPTION OF THE WHOLE WORLD Wherein is particularly described all the Monarchies Empires and Kingdomes of the same with their ACADEMIES As also their severall Titles and Situations thereunto adjoyning Written by the Most Reverend Father in God GEORGE late Arch-bishop of Canterbury LONDON Printed by T. H. and are to sold by Wil. Sheares at the signe of the Harrow in Brittains Burse 1636. A BRIEFE DISCRIPTION of the whole WORLD Written by the Right Reverend Father in GOD. George Abbott Late Archbishop of Canterbury COSMOGRAPHIA 〈…〉 Will Marshall Sculpsit Printed for Will Sheares at the Harrow in Britaines by 1636. A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE whole World THE Globe of the Earth doth either shew the Sea or Land Of the Seas The Sea generall is called by the name of Ocean which coasteth all the World and taketh his name in speciall either of the place neer which it commeth as Oceanus Britannicus The diver â—â—s names giuen to the Seas and the reason why Mare Germanicum Sinus Persicus Mare Atlanticum of the hill Atlas in the West part of Africk or of the finder out as Fretum Magellanicum or of some other accident as the Red Sea because the sand is red Mare Mediterraneum because it runneth betweene the lands of Europe and Africk Mare Jcarium because Icarus was drowned there or the like There be some few Seas which have no intercourse with the Ocean as Mare mortuum neer Palestina Mare Caspium sive Hircanum not farre from Armenia and such a one is said to be in the North part of America Of the Straits or Narrow Seas The Straits or narrow Seas are noted in the Latine by the name of Fretum as Fretum Britannicum the English narrow Seas Fretum Herculeum the Straits between Barbarie and Spain Fretum Magellanicum c. Of the Earth The Earth is either Ilands which are those which are wholly compassed by the Sea as Britanâ—ia Sicilia Corsica or the Continent which is called in the English The firme Land in the Latin Continens The old known firme Land was contained onely in Asia Europe and Africa Europe is divided from Africa by the Mediterranean Sea from Asia by the River Tanais whereby appeareth that the North parts of Asia Europe in old time were but little known and discovered Africa is divided from Europe by â—he Mediterrean Sea from Asia by â—he River Nilus and so Asia by â—anais and Nilus is severed from Europe and Africk Of Spain TO say nothing of England and Ireland the most Western Country of Europe is Spain How Spain is bounded which is bounded on the South with the Mediterranean on the West with the Atlantick on the North with Oceanus Cantabricus or the Spanish Seas on the East with France from which it is severed with certain Mountains called Montes Pyrenei or the Pyrenay hils If wee should enquire into the times that were before the comming of the Carthaginians and Romanes into Spaine wee shall finde nothing but that which is either fabulous or neere to fables The Originall names of the CouÌ„tâ—ey of Spain here it was first called Iberia ab Ibero slumine afterwards Hispania ab Hispano wee may take as a tradition but their Gargoris their Habis their Geryon exceed beliefe of any but those that will take all reports on trust It is certaine that the Syrians planted a Colony there in the Isle of Gades corruptly now called Cadiz or Cales These troubled by their Neighbours desired aid of the Carthaginians a flourishing neighbour commonwealth descended of the Syrians as well as themselves who sent first to defend the Gaditanes against their neighbours afterwards heartned on by their successe in their first Expedition these Cathaginians Carthaginians sent to defend the Gaditanes successively sent thither three Captains Hamilcar Hasdrubal and Hannibal who for the most part subdued the Province and held it till by Scipio's and the Romane Forces they were dispossessed of it Yet for many years after the fortunes of the Romanes stucke as it were in the subduing of that Province so that from the time of the second Punick War untill the time of Augustus they had businesse made them in that Countrey continually neither could they till then bring it peaceably into the forme of a Province Spain once a Province of the Roman Empire It continued a Province of the Romane Empire untill the time of Honorius the Emperour in whose dayes the Vandalls came inâ—o it conquering and making it theirs then the Gothes the Vandalls either driven out or called over into Africke entring erected there a Kingdome which flourished for many yeeres Saracens Mâ—â—â—es erâ—cted it a Kingdome till by the comming of the Saracens and Moores their Kingdome was broken who setling themselves in Spaine erected a Kingdome changed the names of many places and Rivers and gave them new names such as they retaine to this day and continued for the space of some hundred of years mighty in that Countrey till they were first subdued by Ferdinand They were utterâ—y expelled by Philip the Third afterwards and that now lately utterly expelled by Philip the Third After the comming in of these Africans in this Countrey there were many Kingdomes as the Kingdome of Portugall toward the West the Kingdom of Granado toward the South the Kingdome of Navarre and Arragon toward the East and the Kingdome of Castile in the middle of the Land but the whole Dominion is now under the King of Spain Spain in former 〈◊〉 12 sevâ—â—all Kingdomes As Damianus a Goes doth write in that Treatise intituled Hispaniâ— there were in times past twelve several Kingdomes in Spain which hee nameth thus Castellae antiquae novae Leonis Aragoniae Portugalliae Navarâ—ae Granatae Valentiae Toleti Galitiae Algarbiorum Murtiae Cordubae which is not to be wondred at since in England a farre lesse Country there were in the time of the Saxons seven severall Kingdomes and Monarchies In the best Mappes of Spaine the Armes of these severall Kingdomes do yet distinctly appeare where for the Armes of Leons is given a Lion which manifestly argueth that whereas by some it is called Regnum Legionis that name is false for it is Leonis sutable thereunto for the Armes of Castile is given a Castle which was the cause that Iohn of Gaunt sonne to Edward the Third King of England did quarter with the Armes of England the Castle and the Lion as having maried Constance daughter to Peter King of Castile and at this day the first and chiefe Coat of the King of Spain is a Castle quartered with a Lion in remembrance of the two Kingdomes of Castile and Leons In Corduba as in times past it was called standeth Andoluzia neere unto which is the Island called properly Gades but since by deprivation of the word Cadiz and commonly Cales which was lately surprized by the English The Kingdome of Granada Granada â—oo yeeres possessed by the Moores Saracens which
lyeth neerest to the Mediterranean was by the space of seven hundred yeers possessed by the Moores and Saracens who do confesse the Religion of Mahumet the reason whereof Rodericus Toletanus in the third Book of his Story doth shew to be this Rodericus Toletanus that whereas the Saracens after Mahumets time had spred themselves all along Africk even unto the Western part of Barbary a King of Spaine called Rodericus employed in an Embassage to them one Iulian a Nobleman of his who by his wise demeanour procured much reputation amongst the Moores but in the time of his service the King Rodericus destoured the Daughter of the said Iulian which the Father tooke in such indignation that hee procured those Saracens to come over into Spaine that so he might be revenged on his King but when those barbarous people had once set foot in there they could never be remooved untill the time of Ferdinando and Elizabeth King and Queen of Spain about a hundred yeeres since The Authour before named writeth that before the comming of those Moores into Spaine the King Rodericus would needs open a part of a Palace which had been shut long before and had by discent from hand to hand beene forbidden to be entred by any yet the King supposing there had beene great treasure therein broke into it but found nothing there saving in a great Chest the pictures of men who resembled the proportion Attire and Armour of the Moores and a Prophecie joyned therewithall A strange and unexpected prophecie that at that time when the Pallace should be entred such a people as was there resembled should invade and spoile Spaine which fell out accordingly The Spaniards that now are be a very mixt people descended of the Gothes which in former times possessed that Land and of those Saracens and Iews which are the basest people of the World Portugall added to the Kingdome of Spain The Kingdome of Portugall did contain under it Regnum Algarbiorum but both of them are now annexed unto Castile by the cunning of the King of Spaine Philip the Second who tooke the advantage after the death of Sebastian who was slaine in Barbary in the Yeere 1578. Then after him raigned Henry who sometimes was Cardinall and Vncle to Sebastian in whose time although shew was made that it should be lawfully debated unto whom the Crowne of Portugall did belong yet Philip meaning to make sure work did not so much respect the right as by main force invaded and since to the great griefe of the Portugals hath kept it The chiefe City of Portugall is Lisbone Lisbone the chief City of Portugall called in Latine Olysippo from whence those Navigations were advanced by which the Portugals discovered so much of their South part of Africk of the East Indies possessed by them to this day The City from whence the Castilians do set forth their ships to the West Indies is Sevill Sevill called in Latine Hispalis Another great City in Spain is Toledo Toledo where the Archbishopricke is the richest spirituall dignity of Christendome the Papacy onely excepted The magnificent greatnes of Spain and Portugall In the time of Damianus à Goes there were reckoned to be in Spain foure Archbishoprickes of great worth three other inferiour and forty Bishopricks as also in Portugall three Archbishoprickes and eight Bishopricks Hee reckoneth up also in Spaine besides the great Officers of the Crown 17 Dukes 41 Marquesses 87 Earles or CouÌ„ts 9 Viscounts as also in Portugall besides the Officers of the Crown six Dukes 4 Marquesses nineteen Earles and one Vicount In Spaine he saith are seven Vniversities The Country is but dry and so consequently barren in comparison of some other places What commodities it doth yeeld it may be seen in the Treatise of Damianus a Goes which hee calleth his Hispania Not onely this great and large Countrey heretofore divided into so many Kingdomes is now under one absolute King but that King also is Lord of many other Territories as namely of the Kingdome of Naples in Italy and the Dutchy of Millaine of the Isles of Sicily Sardinia Majorque Minorque Evisa In the mid-land Sea of the Ilands of the Canaries in the Atlantique besides divers strong Towns and goodly Havens in Barbary within without the Straits On the back side of Africk he commands much on the Frontiery besides the Islands adjoyning to the mayn Land In the Western Indies he hath Mexico Peru Brasil large Territories with the Islands of the South the North Sea And Philip the Second getting Portugall as a Dowry to that forc't Marriage got also all the dependances of that Crown in Africke the East Indies and the Atlantique Sea the Towns of Barbary and the East Indies willingly submitting themselves unto him but the Terceras hee wonne by force at the first and second Expedition so if we consider the huge tract of ground that is under this Kings Dominion The Empery of the Kingdome of Spain the greatâ—st in the Christian World wee will say that the Empery of the King of Spain is in that respect the largest that now is or ever was in the World Of France France how bounded THE next Countrey is France which is bounded on the West with the Pyrenie hils on the North with the English Seas on the East with Germany on the South-east with the Alpe-hils on the Southwest with the Mediterranean Sea The Kingdome of France is for one entire thing France oâ—â— of the most absolute kingdomes of the World one of the most rich and absolute Monarchies of the World having both on the North and South side the Sea standing very convenient for profit of Navigation and the land it selfe being ordinarily very fruitfull The consideration wherof caused Francis the first King of France to compare this Kingdome alone to all the Dominions and Seigniories of Charles the fifth Emperour for when the Herauld of the sayd Charles bidding Defiance to King Francis did give his Majestie the title of Emperour of Germany King of Castile Arragon Naples Sicilie c. Francis commanded his Herauld to call him so often King of France as the other had Titles by all his Countryes implying that France alone was of as much strength and worth as all the Countries which the other had Concerning this Argument see the warlike and politike Discourses of Monsieur de la Nove. He who writeth the Commentaries of Religion and state of France doth shew that when there had beene of late in France in the dayes of Francis the second and Charles the ninth three Civill warres which had much ruinated the glory and beauty of that Kingdome Civil wars in France when a little before the great Massacre in the yeare one thousand five hundred seventy two there had beene peace in that Country scant full two yeares yet so great is the riches and happinesse of that Kingdome that in that short time
Barbarie hath in old time beene called Mauritania which was divided into two parts the East part whereof next to Africa minor was called by the Romanes Mauritania Caesariensis as the other was called Mauritania Tingitana In Mauritania Caesariensi was the Countrey of Numidia the people whereof were used in the Warres of the Carthaginians as Light-horsmen and for all nimble services were very active In the East part of this Countrey standing in the Sea was that famous Citie of Carthage Carthage a famous City supposed to be built by Dido who came from Tyrus This City was it which for the space of some hundred yeares contended with Rome for the Empire of the World In the Romane Histories are recorded the great Warres which the people of Rome had with the City of Carthage In the first warre of the three the contention was for the Iles of Cicilia Corsica and Sardinia when the victory fell to the Romans and the Carthaginians were glad to redeeme their peace with the leaving of those Ilands The second warre was begun by Hannibal who brake the League and after he had taken some part of Spain from the Romanes and sacked Saguntum a Citie of their Friends came first over the Pyrenay hils to France then over the Alpes to Italy where hee overthrew the Romanes in three great Battels and much endangered their estate hee continued in Italy with his Army sixteene yeares till Scipio attempting on Carthage forced Hannibal to returne to rescue his owne Countrey There was Hannibal overthrowne and his City put to a great pension by Scipio who for his victory there was named Africanus In the third Warre because the people of Carthage still brake the League their City was razed to the very ground by the earnest and continuall counsell of Cato the Elder fearing evermore so dangerous a Neighbour though Scipio Nasica counselled to the contrary fearing lest if the dread of that enemy were taken away the Romans would grow either to idlenesse or civill dissention which after they did It is reported of Cato that hee never spake his judgement of any thing in the Senate but his conclusion was thus Thus I think for this matter and withall that Carthage is to be razed down And Scipio Nasica would reply in his conclusion Thus I thinke for this matter and withall that Carthage is not to bee razed down Livie reporteth that the way whereby Cato prevayled that Carthage should be razed downe was this while the question was very hot hee bringeth into the Senâ—te house greene Figges and let the Senatours understand that the same day three weeks those Figges were growing in Carthage Town wherby hee made manifest unto them that it was possible that an Army might be conveyed from Carthage to Rome in so short a time as that they would not be able on a suddaine to resist and so Rome might be surprized whereby they all concluded that it was no safety for their City to have a bad Neighbour so neer unto them In this Countrey toward the West not farre from Carthage stood Vtica whereof the younger Cato was tearmed Cato Vticensis because hee killed himselfe there in the civill warres betwixt Caesar and Pompey because he would not come within the hands of his enemy Caesar Not farre from thence westward standeth Hippo which was the City where S. Augustine was Bishop This whole Countrey at this day is called the Kingdome of Tunis the King whereof is a kinde of stipendary unto the Turke the people that inhabit there are generally Saracens and doe professe Mahumet Some doe write that Tunis standeth in the very place where olde Carthage was which is not so but is situated very neere unto the old ruines of the other Against the king of Tunis Charles the fift had some of his warres by Sea Of Mauritania Tingitana THe other part of Barbary that lyeth along the Mediterranean farthest into the West was called in old time Mauritania Tingitana The people of which Countrey were those which almost in al the old Histories were called by the name of Mauri Those of the other Mauritania being rather termed Numidae Into the North-west part therof did Hercules come and there did set up one of his pillars which answereth to the other in Spain they both being at the straits of Gilbralter in times past called Fretum HerculeuÌ„ On the South part thereof lay the * The kingdome of Bocchus kingdom of Bocchus which in the time of Marius had so much to doe with the Romans In the west part of this Mauritania standeth the Hill called Atlas minor Atlas minor Atlas major on the South part is the great Hill called Atlas major whereof the maine Ocean which lyeth betweene Mauritania and America is called Mare Atlanticum This hill is so high that unto those who stood on the bottome of it it seemed to touch heaven with his shoulders This Countrey hath beene long inhabited by the Saracens who from thence finding it to be but a short passage into Spaine did goe over now seven hundred yeares agoe and possessed there the Kingdome of Granado on the South side of Spaine till they were thence expelled by Ferdinandus and Elizabeth or Isabel King and Queene of Castile In this Countrey since that time have the Spaniards taken some Cities and Holds and so also have the Portugals which by the divers event of victory have often beene lost and won by them Here it was that the Emperour Charles the Fift had divers of his great Warres against the Moores as well as in the Kingdome of Tunis For the assistance of one who claymed to bee King of a part of this Countrey did Sebastian the King of Portugale goe with all his power into Africa in the Yeare 1578. where unadvisedly bearing himselfe hee was slaine together with two other the same day who claymed to be Kings so that there it was that the Battell was fought whereof it was said that * Three Kings slaine in one day at the battle of Aleazar three Kings died in one day which battell is called the battell of Aleazar and was the ruine of the Kingdome of Portugale and the cause of the uniting it to the Crowne of Spaine Astrologers did suppose that the blazing Starre which appeared the Yeare before did signifie that ill event This whole Countrey doth maintaine in it besides some Imperiall Government two absolute Kingdomes * The kingdome of Fezâ— the one of Fezza or Fez which lyeth on the North part toward the Mediterranean and Spain the other is the Kingdome of * The kingdome of Morocco Morroco which lyeth from above the Hill Atlas minor to the South and West part of Mauritania These are both Saracens as be also their people holding true League with the Turke and with some other Christian Princes a League onely for Traffick and Merchandize It may be doubted whether it was in this Mauritania Tingitana or rather but neere unto it in Mauritania Caesariensi
in the World which lyeth in the East part of the same Indies This is that Countrey so famous in ancient time for the great riches thereof for the multitude of people for the conquest of Bacchus over it for the passage thither of Alexander the Great throughout all the length of Asia for his adventuring to goe into the South Ocean with so mighty a Navy which few or none had ever attempted before him And certainly thither it was that Salomon did send once in three yeeres for his Gold and other rich Merchandise for the Scripture saith that hee sent his Fleet from Ezion-geber which stood upon the mouth of the Red Sea and it was the directest passage which hee had unto the Easterne Indies whereas if his purpose had been to send to Peru as some lately have imagined his course had been thorow the Mediterranean Sea and the Straits of Gibraltar This Countrey had in ancient time In Jndia are many Kingdomes many absolute Kingdomes and Provinces as in the time of Alexander Porus Taxiles and divers others In it were many Philosophers and men of great Learning whom they called Gymnosophistae of whom was Calanus who burnt himselfe before Alexander The men of the South part of India are blacke Their Cattle very big and therefore are called men of Jnde The Cattell of all sorts that are bred there are of incredible bignesse in respect of other Countries as their Elephants Apes Monkies Emêts and other Their riches The riches hereof have beene very great with abundance of Gold insomuch that the Promontory which is now called Malacha was in times past named Aurea Chersonesus The commoditie of Spice is exceeding great that comes from thence The Partugals first discovered the Indies The Portugals were the first which by their long Navigations beyond the Equinoctiall and the farthermost part of Africk have of late yeeres discovered these Countries to Christendome as heretofore to the use of the King of Portugall so now of the King of Spaine who is reputed owner of them Four Kingdoms by the Portugals discovered The Portugals did finde divers Kingdomes at their first arrivall in those parts as the Kingdome of Calecut the Kingdome of Cambaia the Kingdome of Cananor the Kingdome of Cochin and very many other with the Kings whereof they first entring League and Trafficke and having leave given to build Castles for their defence they have since by policie encroched into their hands a great part of the Countrey which lyeth neere unto the Sea-coast and are mighty now for the space of many thousand miles together The K. of Spain hath there a Vice-roy whose residence is commonly in the Imperiall Citie called God Chief City God They doe every yeare send home great store of rich commodities into Spain The Indians Religion The people of the Country when the Portugals came first thither were for the most part Gentiles beleeving in no one God yea at this day there are divers of them who doe adore the Sunne as their God and every morning at the rising thereof doe use very superstitious Ceremonies which our Merchants who doe trade to Aleppo doe oftentimes see for divers of these Jndians do come thither with Merchandize But the Saracens who reverence the Prophet Mahomet from the Bayes or Gulphes of Persia and Arabia doe trafficke much thither so that Mahomet was knowne among them but in one Town called Granganor they found certain Christians dissenting in many things from the Church of Rome and rather agreeing with the Protestants which Christians had received by succession their Religion from the time of Thomas the Apostle by whom as it is recorded in the ancient Ecclesiasticall History part of India was converted In this Countrey of Jndia are many great and potent Kings and Kingdomes which had beene altother unknown and unheard of in our part of the World but that we were beholding to the Portugals for their Discovery and before their Navigation thither by the backside of Africk to some relations that wee had from the Venetians who traded and travelled thither by Land out of Turkie The names of these Kings and Kingdomes are these The King of Biarme the great Mogol Sâ—â— Kingdomes the King of Narsing Pegu Siam the forenamed King of Calecut and others Of Persia Situation of Persia THere be divers Countries betweene India and Persia but they are not Famous Persia is a large Country which lyeth farre West from India it hath on the North Assyria and Media on the West Syria and the Holy land but next unto it Mesopotamia on the South the mayn Ocean which entreth in notwithstanding by a Bay called Sinus Persicus This is that Countrey which in ancient time was so renowned for the great riches and Empire thereof These were they who tooke from the Assyrians the Monarchie and did set up in their Country the second great Empire which began under Cyrus continued unto that Darius who was overthrowne by Alexander the Great In this countrey raigned the great Kings Cyrus The g eat and famous Kings of Persia Cambises Darius the Son of Histaspes the great Xerxes Artaxerxes and many others which in prophane writings are famous for their wars against the Scythians Aegyptians and Graecians in the Scripture for the delivery of the Iewes from Babylon by Cyrus for the building of the second Temple at Jerusalem and for many things which are mentioned of them in the Prophecie of Daniel The people of this Nation although they were in former times very riotous by reason of their great wealth yet after they had lost their Monarchy by the Macedonians Persians great Souldiers they have growne great Souldiers and therefore as they did ever strongly defend themselves against the old Romanes so in the time of Constantine and the other Emperours they were fearefull neighbours to the Romane government and of late time they have strongly opposed themselves against the Turkes ever making their party good with them And yet notwithstanding in the dayes of Amurath the third father to Mahomet the Turke now raigning the Turke had a great hand upon the Persian going so farre with his Army as that hee tooke the strong Citie Tauris standing within the Persian dominions neere unto the Caspian Sea but this losse was to bee attributed partly to the great dissentions which were among the Persians themselves and partly to the multitude of the Turke his Souldiers who by fresh supply did over-beare the Persian although hee slew downe many thousands of them They fight commonly on horseback are govern'd as in time past by a King so now by an absolute ruler Sophy of Persia and a mighty Prince whom they tear me the Shaw or Sophy of Persia Hee hath many Countries small Kings in Assyria Media and the countries adjoyning which are tributaries Among other the Sophies of Persia about a hundred years since there was one of great power called Ismael the
that which Saint Augustine in his Booke De doctrina Christiana doth of his owne knowledge report that in a Citie of that Countrey was this brutish custome that once in the yeare for certaine dayes the Inhabitants of the place did assemble themselves into wide and large fields A brutish custome used in this Country and there divided themselves each from other so that perhaps the Fathers were on one fide and the children or brothers on the other and did throw stones with such violence that many were hurt and divers killed with the fury of that assault But S. Austine telleth that he detesting the bruitishnesse thereof did make a most eloquent and elaborate Oration or Sermon unto them whereby he did prevaile with those of the Citie where hee was that they gave over that foolish and rude exercise Yet Leo Affricanus who lived a hundred yeares since and in his owne person travelled over the greatest part of Africke doth write in his description of Africke that in one place of the kingdome of Fez the like barbarous custome is yet retained Of the other Countries of Africke lying neere the Sea FRom beyond the hill Atlas major unto the South of Africke is nothing almost in Antiquity worthy the reading and those things which are written for the most part are sables For towards the South part of Africke as well as towards the North parts of Europe and Asia be supposed to be * Men of strange shapes men of strange shapes as some with Dogs heads some without heads and some with one foot alone which was very huge and such like which that counterfeit Fryer who writ that Booke which is counted Saint Augustines ad fratres in Eremo and who would gladly father upon Saint Augustine the erecting of the Augustine Fryers doth say that he saw travelling downe from Hippo Southward in Africa But as the Asse in Aesope which was clothed in the Lyons skin did by his long cares shew himselfe to be an Asse and not a Lyon So this foolish fellow by his lying doth shew himselfe to bee a counterfeit and not Saint Augustine In the new Writers there are some few things to be observed as first that all the people in generall to the South lying within the Zonatorrida are not onely blackish like the Moores but are exceeding blacke And therfore as in old time by an excellency some of them are called Nigritae so at this day they are named * Negros Negros as then whom no men are blacker Secondly the inhabitants of all these parts which border on the Sea-coast even unto Caput bonae spei have beene Gentiles * adoring Images and foolish shapes for their Gods Their Religion neither hearing of Christ nor beleeving on Mahumet til such time as the Portugals comming among them have professed Christ for themselves but have wonne few of the people to embrace their religion The Portugals have bere settled themselves * Thirdly that the Portugalls passing along Africa to the East-Indies have setled themselves in many places of those Countries building Castles and Townes for their owne safety and to keepe the people in subjection to their great commodity One of the first Countries famous beyond Morocco is * The countrey of Guinea Guinea which we call Ginnle within the compasse whereof lyeth the Cape called the Cape Verde and the other the Cape of the three points and the Towne and Castle named Sierta Liona at which place as commonly all Travellers doe touch that doe passe that way for fresh water and other ship provision our English-men have found * Their Commodities for trade trafficke into the parts of this Countrey where their greatest commodity is Gold and Elephants teeth of both which there is good store Beyond that toward the South not farre from the Equinoctiall lyeth the * The kingdome of Congo Kingdome of Congo commonly called Mani-congo Where the Portugals at their first arrivall finding the people to be Heathens without God did induce them to a profession of Christ and to bee baptized in great abundance allowing of the principles of Religion untill such time as the Priest did teach them to lead their lives according to their profession which the most part of them in no case enduring they returned back again to their * Their Religion Gentilisme Beyond Mani-congo so farre to the South as almost ten degrees beyond the Tropicke of Capricorne lyeth the Lands end which is a Promontory now called Caput bonae spei which Vascus Gama the Portugall did discover and so called it because he had there good hope that the Land did turne to the North and that following the course thereof hee might be brought to Arabia and Persia but especially to Calecut in India Which course when himselfe and other of his Countrey-men after him did follow they found on the Coast up towards Arabia the Kingdome of * The three Kingdomes of Mosambique Melinda Magadazo c. Mosambique Melinda Magadazo and other whose people were all Gentiles and now are in League with the Portugales who have built divers Holds for their safety Of which Countries and manners of the people he that listeth to read may find much in the Historie of Osorius and Petrus Maffaeus but there is no matter of any great importance Beyond the Cape toward the North before you come to Mosambique betweene the Rivers of Cuama and Sancto Spirito lies the * The kingdome of Monomotapa Kingdome of Monomotapa where the Portugales also have arrived and so much was done there by the preaching of Gonsalvo de Sylva a Iesuite that the King and Queene of that Countrey with many others were converted from * Their Religion Gentilisme to Christianity and baptized But certaine Mahumetans incensing the King thereof afterwards against the Portugales made him to revolt from his Religion and to put to death this Iesuite and divers others which Fact of his the Portugals assaying to revenge with an Army sent for out of Portugall they profited little against him but were themselves consumed by the discommodities of the Countrey and the distemperature of the ayre There are also other Kingdomes in this part of Africke of whom we know little besides their names and site in generall as * The kingdome of Adel c. Adel Monomugi Angola and therefore it shall be sufficient to have named them in a word Of Abissines and the Empire of Prestor Iohn IN the In-land of Africke * The Situation of the Empire of Prester Iohn lyeth a very large Countrey extending it selfe on the East to some part of the Red Sea on the South to the kingdome of Melinda and a great way farther on the North to Aegypt on the West to Manicongo The people whereof are called Abissini and it selfe the dominion of him whom wee commonly call in English Prester Iohn but in Latine some terme him Pretiosus Iohannes but the most part Presbyter Iohannes writing of him
ground and therefore howsoever they brought home some store of earth which they supposed to bee Oare and of shining stones yet when it came to the tryall it prooved to be nothing worth but verified the Proverbe All is not gold that glisters In very many parts of these Northerne Countries of America there is very fit and opportune fishing some pretty way within the Sea and therefore divers Nations of Europe doe yearely send Fishers thither with shipping and great store of salt where when they have taken fish and dryed it and salted it at the land they bring it home into Christendome and utter it commonly by the name of New-found-land-fish The fish of New-found land The English about the yeare 1570 did adventure farre for to open the North parts of America and sayled as farre as the very Circle Articke hoping to have found a passage by the North to the Molluccoes and to China which hitherto neither by the North of Asia nor by the North of America could be effected by them by reason of the very great Colde and Ice in the Climate The rest of the Island being a hugh space of Earth hath not hitherto by any Christian to any purpose beene discovered but by those neere the Sea-coast it may be gathered that they all which doe there inhabite are men rude and uncivill without the knowledge of God Yet on the North-west part of America some of our Englishmen going through the Straights of Magellan and passing towards the North by Hispania Nova have touched on a Countrey where they have found good entertainment and the King thereof yeelded himselfe to the subjection of the Queen of England whereupon they termed it * Nova Albion Nova Albion Sir Francis Drake who toucht upon that Countrey and for some pretty time had his abode there doth report in his Voyage that the Countrey is very good yeelding much store of divers Fruits delightfull both to the eye and taste and that the people are apt enough by hospitality to yeeld favour and entertainment to strangers but it is added withall that they are marveilously addicted to Witch-craft and adoration of Devils from which they could not be perswaded to abstaine even in the very presence of our Countrey-men Of Peru and Brasile The Portugales discovery of Brasile WHen the Portugals had first begun the Navigation by Africke into the East Indies some of theÌ„ intending to have held their course East-ward unto Caput bonae spei were driven so farre West-ward by Tempest that they landed in a large and great Countrey which by a generall name is called Brasilia where they began to enter Traffick and with Townes and Castles to plant themselves before that the Spaniard had discovered Peru which is the South part of America So that at this day whatsoever the King of Spaine hath in Brasilia it is in the right of the Crowne of Portugall Wee may read in Guicciardine how when the Spaniards towards the West and the Portugales towards the East had descryed many New-found-lands there grew great contention betweene them what should be appropriated unto the one and what might be seized on by the other therefore for the better establishing of peace amongst them they had both recourse unto Alexander the sixt who was Pope in the yeare 1492. and somewhat before and after and hee taking on him after the proud manner of the Bishops of Rome to dispose of it which belonged not unto him did set down an order betweene them which was that all the degrees of Longitude being 360 in the Globe being divided into two parts the Spaniards should take one and the Portugals the other so that in this division they were to begin in those degrees under which some of Peru standeth from the which they counting forwards towards the East did allow Brasilia and 180 degrees to the Portugals Eastward and so from Brasilia Westward to the Spaniards as many so that hee had in his portion all America except Brasilia A large Country and much inbaâ—ited This Countrey is large having in it many people and severall Kingdomes which are not all possessed by the Portugals but so that other Christians as namely the Frenchmen being driven out of their Countrey for Religion have set foote in there though afterwards againe they have abandoned it What the Portugals doe at this day in Brasilia I know not but it is likely now that whatsoever there is held by the Christians is reputed to be under the Spaniards as many other parts of Brasile promiscuously are yet certaine it is that now almost 40. yeares since some of the French-men which professed sincere religion and could not then be suffered quietly to live in France did provide certain shipping and under the conduct of one Villagagno a Knight of Malta but their owne Country-man did goe thither and continued there by the space of one yeare having Ministers and Preachers amongst them and the exercise of the word Sacraments but after by the evil counsell of some of the chiefe Rulers of France which were addicted unto the Pope the heart of Villagagno was drawn away insomuch that he contumeliously using the Pastors and chiefe of that Company did force them to retire into France so that the habitation there was then utterly relinquished and hath not since been continued by any of the French There is a learned man one Iohannes Lyreus who was in their voyage and hath written a Tract called Navigatio in Brasiliam which is very well worth the reading not onely to see what did befall him and his Company but what the manners of that people with whom they did converse The Inhabitants here are men also utterly unlearned but men more ingenious than the common sort of the Americans goodly of body and straight of proportion going alwayes naked reasonable good Warriours after their Countrey fashion using to fat such enemies as they take in the Warres that afterwards they may devoure them which they may devoure them which they doe with great pleasure For divers of the people of those Quarters as the Caribees and the Cannibals and almost all are eaters of mans flesh * The abundance o Brasile wood In this Countrey groweth abundance of that wood which since is brought into Europe to die red colours and is of the place whence it commeth called Brasil Wood the Trees whereof are exceeding great The people of Brasil where Lyrius and his fellowes lived are called by the name of Tauvoupinambaltii by description of whose qualities many things may be learned concerning the rest of the Inhabitants neere thereabout First then they have no letters among them and yet seeme to bee very capable of any good understanding as appeared by the speech of some of them reproving the Frenchmen for their great greedinesse and covetousnesse of gaine when they would take so much paines as to come from another end of the World to get Commodities there * Their Religion Their