aire waters and great varietie of wines and fruites likened now by some to Paradise or the garden of God In this Italy which was heretofore one intire gouernement in the florishing estate of the Romanes are now many absolute States and princedomes by the great policie of the Bishop of Rome who thought it the best way to make himselfe great to weaken the Empire So he hath not onely driuen the Emperour out of all Italie into Germanie but hath diminished his Maiestie in both by making so many petie gouernments which hold themselues soueraigne rulers without relation to any other As there are many States in Italie so one of the chiefest are the Venicians called Resp Venetorum or the State of Venice because they are not gouerned by any one but by their Senate gentlemen although they haue a duke with whose stampe their money is coyned and in whose name all their executions of iustice are done But this duke is euery way limited by the State This Citie of Venice standeth in an Aestuarium or shallow of earth in the North-part of the Adriatike sea so safely that it is held inuincible There is in it but one streete of firme land into the other the sea doth flow at euerie tide They haue beene a great and rich State not onely possessing much in Italie as Padua their Vniuersitie and other things which nowe they doe but a great part of Illyricum and many rich Ilands in the Med. as Candie called commonly Creta Cyprus Zacynthus and other The impouerishing of their state hath partly beene by the encroching of the Turke but especially By the decaying of that trafique which they had to Alexandria in Aegypt for their spices and other riches of Persia Arabia and the East Indies Since the course of the Portugals to those Easterne countries hath beene by sea by the backeside of Africa Here standeth the Citle of Florence a renowmed Citie of Lombardie which is gouerned by a Duke an absolute Prince This Dukedome is in the familie of the Medices from whom came Katherine de Medices the wife of Henrie the 2. King of France lately so well knowne by the name of Queene mother In this Lombardie standeth also the Dukedome of Millaine a most rich and pleasant thing which sometime had beene gouerned by a Duke of their owne but of late hath beene possessed by the Spaniard and sometime by the French and is now in the gouernment and possession of the king of Spaine A good part of Italie is vnder the Bishop of Rome which commoÌ„ly is called the land of the Church where the Pope is a Prince absolute not onely spirituall as else-where hee claimeth but also temporall making lawes requiring tribute raising souldiers and executing iustice as a Monarche In the South part of Italie lieth the kingdome of Naples which is a countrie very rich and full of all kind of pleasure aboundant in Nobilitie whereof commeth to bee said that prouerbe Naples for Nobilitie Rome for religion Millaine for beautie Florence for policie and Venice for riches This was heretofore ruled by a king 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—r owne till the time of Ioane Queene of Naples who â—y deede of gift did first graunt that kingdome to the Kings of Aragon in Spaine and afterward by will with a reuocation of the former grauÌ„t did bequeath it to the house of Anioy in France Since which time the kingdome of Naples hath sometimes beene in the hand of the Spaniard sometimes possessed by the French and is now vnder the King of Spaine vnto this is annexed also the Dukedome of Calabria There be moreouer in Italie many other Prince-domes and States as the Dukedome of Ferrara the Dukedome of Mantua the Dukedome of Vrbine the Dukedome of Parma Placentia the State of Luca the State of Genua commonly called the Genowaies which are gouerned by their Senate but haue a Duke as they haue at Venice There bee also some other by which meanes the glory and strength of Italy is decayed De Dania Suecia Noruegia AS Italie lieth on the Southside of Germanie so Denmarke lieth on the North into the middle of which land the sea breaketh in by a place called the Sound The Imposte of which passage bringeth great riches as an ordinarie tribute to the King of Denmarke this is a kingdome and ruled by an absolute gouernour On the North and East side of Denmarke lieth Suecia commonly called Sweden or Swethen which is also a kingdome of it selfe Where the King professeth himselfe to bee Rex Suecorum Gothorum Vandalorum Wherby we may know that the Gothes and Vandales which in times past did waste Italie and other Nations of Christendome did come out of this country On the Northside and West of Sweden lieth Noruegia or Norway which is at this day vnder the gouernement of the King of Denmarke although heretofore it hath beene a free kingdome of it selfe Within the Sounde on the East part of the sea lieth Dantzicke where are three townes of Hanse-men confederates and allies vnto the King of Denmarke There is no great thing to be noted in these countries but that from Denmarke commeth much come to the supply of other parts of Christendome and that from all these countries is brought great furniture for warre or for shipping As masts cables steele fadles armour gunpowder the like And that in the seas adioyning to these parts there are fishes of much more monstrous shape then else-where are to be found The people of these countries are by their profession Lutherans for religion De Russia siue Moscouia ON the East side of Sweden beginneth the dominion of the Emperour of Russia although Russia or Moscouia it self doth lie some what more into the East which is a great and mightie Monarchie extending it selfe euen from Lapland and Finmarke many a thousand mile in length vnto the Caspian sea so that it containeth in it a great part of Europe and much of Asia also The gouernour there calleth himselfe Emperour of Russia great Duke of Mosconia with many other titles of Princedomes and Cities whose dominion was very much enlarged by the Emperour not long since dead whome in Russie they call Iâ—an VasilIwich in the Latine Iohannes Basilides who raigning long and being fortunate in warre did very much enlarge this mightie dominion The people of this countrie are rude and vnlearned very superstitious a kinde of Christians but rather following the Greeke Church Their buildings is most of wood euen in their chiefe Citie of Mosco insomuch that the Tartars wholy in the North-east of them breaking oft into their countries euen vnto the very Citie of Mosco doe set fire on their Cities which by reason of their woodden buildings are quickly destroyed The passage by sea into this countrie which was wont to be through the Sound and so afterward by land was first discouered by the English who with great danger of the frozen seas did first aduenture to saile so far North as to compasse Lapland Finmarke
A BRIEFE DESCRIPTION OF THE whole worlde WHEREIN ARE PARticularly described all the Monarchies Empires and kingdomes of the same with their seuerall titles and situations thereunto adioyning AT LONDON Printed by T. Iudson for Iohn Browne and are to be sould at the signe of the Bible in Fleete-streete 1599. A BRIEFE DESCRIPTION OF THE WHOLE WORLD THe globe of the earth doth eyther shewe the sea or land The sea generall is called by the name of the OCEAN which coasteth all the world and taketh his name in speciall eyther of the place neere which it commeth as Oceanus Britannicus Mare Germanicus Sinus Persicus Mare Atlanticum of the hill Atlas in the West-part of Africke or of the finder out as Fretum Magelanicum or of some other accident as the Red sea because the sand is red Mare Mediterraneum because it runneth betweene the landes of Europe and Afrike Mare Icarium because Icarus was drowned there or the like There be some few seas which haue no entercourse with the OCEAN as Mare mortuum neare Palestina Mare Caspium siue Hircanum not farre from Armenia and such a one is said to be in the North part of America The Straites or narrow seas are noted in the Latine by the name of Fretum as Fretum Britanicum the English narrowe seas Fretum Herculeum the straightes betweene Barbarie and Spaine Fretum Magellanicum c. The earth is either Ilands which are those that are wholy compassed by the sea as Britannia Sicilia Corsica or the continent which is called in the English the firme lande in the Latine Continent The olde knowne firme land was conteined onely in Asia Europe and Africa Europe is deuided from Africa by the Mediterran sea and from Asia by the riuer Tanais whereby appeareth that the North-partes of Asia and of Europe in olde time were but little knowne and discouered Africa is deuided from Europe by the Mediterran sea from Asia by the riuer Nilus and so Asia by Tanais and Nilus is seuered from Europe and Afrike De Hispania TO say nothing of England and Ireland the most westerne countrie of Europe is Spaine which is boūded on the South wth the Mediterran sea on the West with the Atlantike on the North with the Oceanus Cantabricus or the Spanish seas on the East with France from which it is seuered with certaine mountaines called Montes Pyrenei or the Pyrenei hills In this countrie heretofore there were many kingdoms as the kingdome of Portingale toward the West the kingdome of Granada toward the South the kingdome of Nauarre and Aragon towarde the East and the kingdome of Castile in the middle of the land but the whole dominion is now vnder the king of Spaine De Gallia THe next countrie is France which is bounded on the West with the Pyrenei hills on the North with the English seas on the East with Germanie on the South-east with the Alpe-hilles on the South-west with the Mediterran sea This was in auncient time deuided into three partes Aquitania which is toward the West Celtica toward the North and West and Belgica which is toward the North. Belgica is some times called Gallia inferior and sometime Germania inferior but we call it commonly by the name of the Lowe countries the gouernement where of at this day is not at all vnder France but Gallia Celtica and Aquitania are vnder the French king France hath many petie gouernements that doe border vpon it as the Duke of Sauoie the State of the Switzers the Dukedome of Loraine the Burgundians or Wallons against all which the King is forted to keepe his frontier townes There is nothing more famous in this kingdome then the Salike lawe whereby it is prouided that no woman nor the heire of her as in her right shall enioy the crowne of France a but it goeth alwayes to the heire male The Switzers are a people called in olde time Heluetij who haue no Noblemen or Gentlemen among them but onely the citizens of their townes the yearely officers whereof and their councill doe gouerne their State De Germania THe next countrie vnto France on the East-side is Germanie which is bounded on the West with France and the Lowe countries on the North with Denmarke and the Danish seas on the East with Prussia Polonia and Hungarie on the South-east with Istris and Illyricum on the South with the Alpe-hilles with Italy The gouernour generall of this countrie is balled the Emperour of Germanie who is chosen by three spirituall princes the Archbishop of Colen called Coloniensis the Archbishop of Ments called Moguntinus and the Archbishop of Triers called Treuereusis and three temporal princes the Duke of Saxonie the Marques of Brandeburg and the Countie Palantine of Rhine which if they cannot agree as to make a Maior parte in their election then the king of Boheme hath also a voyce whereof it commeth to to be saide that there bee seuen Princes electors of the Empire There is not that free libertie of choosing the Emperour out of any countrie as was heretofore But the election is tyed within one hundred yeares vnto the house of Austria and at this day of of them the king of Bohemia is Emperour who is called Rodulphus 2. Bohemia is a kingdome in the middle of Germanie which is compassed rounde with a mightie wood called Silua Hirciniae The chiefe citie thereof is called Prage In Germanie all are at a kinde of commaundement of the Emperour but most of the Princes otherwise take on them as absolute gouernours in their dominion So that they haue libertie of religion they make lawes they raise souldiers they stampe money with their owne coyne as absolute princes So doth the Duke of Saxonie the Archbishop and the rest There are also free States and cities which haue the same authoritie as Argentine Frankford and other De Italia ON the South-side of the Alpes and Germanie lyeth Italie stretching it selfe out in length towarde the South and East It hath on the South-side the Iland Sicilia on the East that part of the Med. which is called Mare Adriaticum or Mare superum which seuereth Italie from Graecia on the West side that part of the Med. which is called Mare Tyrrhenum or Mare inferum and by some Mare Ligusticum This countrie for the figure thereof is by some likened vnto a long leafe of a tree it hath in the middle of it which goeth all in length a mightie mountaine named Mons Aperminus which is likened to the Spina or ridge-bone of the backe out of this hill spring diuers Riuers which runne on both sides of it into the Adriatike and Tyrrhene or Tuscane seas The North parte of this Italie is that which in auncient time was called Gallia Comata or Gallia Cisalpina Gallia inhabited then by the French-men It is now called Longobardia or Lombardie wherein stand many rich gouernements as the Dukedome of Millaine of Mantua of Florence and others It is for the pleasantnesse thereof in respect of the soile
past were called Insulae Baleares for that the people oft then did vse both for their delight and armour Slings which they continually almost carried aboute them And whereunto as Plinie writeth they did traine vp their children from their yoâ—â—â—â—st yeares Not giuing them any meate till they had from some Post or Beame cast it downe with a sling Of these were those Funditories or Sling-casters which the Carthaginians and Spaniards did vse in their warres against the Romanes The lesser of these which lieth most West was called in olde time Minorica and at this day Minorica The bigger which lieth more East was called Maiorica and now Maiorica They are both vnder the dominion of the King of Spaine More Eastward in the sea called Mare Inferum or Tyrrhenum lieth the Iland of Corsica ouer against Genua and direct Southward from thence lyeth the great Iland Sardinia Forthe quiet possessing of which two the warres were oftentimes reuiued betweene the olde Carthaginians and the Romanes For these two Ilands lie in the middle very fitly For both these are also at this day vnder the King of Spaine And were the same which latelie the Cardinall of Lourain would perswade the old king of Nauarre in France that if hee woulde leaue his religion and become a Papist the Spanish king should yeeld him either Sardinia or at the loast Corsica in recompence of Pampilona and the rest of the kingdome of Nauarre which the Spaniards by force did detaine from him Farther yet to the East at the verie poynt of the South-part of Italy lieth the great Iland of Sicilia which some haue supposed to haue beene heretofore a part of the continent but by an earth-quake and inundation of water to haue bin rent off and so made an Ileland The figure of this Country is Triquetra or triangle three-square There was also great contention for the Countrie betweene the Carthaginians and the Romanes but the Romanes obtayned it and had from thence exceeding store of corne yearelie whereupon Cicilie was called Horreum P. Romani Here stoode the goodly citie called Siracusa which was destroyed and sacked by Marcellus the Romane This was in times past a kingdom where the two tyrants the elder and the yonger Dionisius did reigne where Hiero also that great friend to the Romanes did remaine It was afterward made a prouince and gouerned by a Praetor or Deputie of the Romanes whereof Verres was one so inueighed against by Tullie It grew afterwards to be a kingdome againe insomuch that Tancredus was King of Cicilia who went to the taking of Ierusalem with Richard the second king of England Here was likewise Phalaris the tyrant so famous king of Agrigentum This Countrey is now also vnder the King of Spaine who among other titles calleth himselfe king of both the Cicilies reckoning this Iland for one and that part of Italie for another which is nowe called Calabria and was in the Romane hystories named Maegna Graecia There is nothing more renowmed in all Cicilia either with the newe or olde writers then the mountaine Aetna which beeing on the out-side ofteÌ„ couered with snow yet by a sulphurie or brimstonie water doth continuallie burne within yea so that whereas it was supposed in the ages last before vs that the matter beeing consumed the fire had ceased twise in our age it hath broke foorth againe to the intollerable losse of all the Countrie adioyning the ashes thereof destroying townes and fruites which were within the compasse of manie myles about This is that place whither Empedocles threwe himselfe that hee might bee reputed a God This is it whereof Virgill doth make his tract called Aenea which the Poets did report to be the shop of Vulcan where the Cyclops did frame the thunderbolts for Iupiter and to conclude this is it which some of our grosse Papists haue not feared to imagine to be the place of Purgatorie Not farre South from Cicilie lieth the little Iland called in old time Melite whence those dogs come which were so much desired vnder the name of Canes Melitenses This is the countrie where S. Paul was cast vp after his shipwracke in his iourney to Rome where the Viper hanged on his hand and did not hurt him This Countrie is now called Malta and is one of the places most renowmed in the worlde for the repelling of the Turkes when Soliman the Emperour of them did send agaynst it a most mightie armie It was then defended by those who are called the knights of Malta which by sea doe great spoile to the gallies of the Turke that passe that way Neare vnto Graecia and Peloponnesus on the West-side toward Italie is the I le Corcyra nowe tearmed Corfue and not far South from that is Cephalonia and from thence South is Zant called by Virgill Nemorisa Zazinthus all which Ilands haue beene heretofore vnder the Venetians but are now vnder the Turke In Zazinthus our English marchants haue an house of abode for their trafique Southeast from Morea lieth the great Iland Creta where Minos sometime did raigne so famous for his seueritie This countrie was then called Hecatompolis as hauing in it an hundred townes and cities The Turkes haue wonne this also long since from the Venetians it is now called Candie from whence commeth our ordinarie sugar of Candie Betweene Creta and Peloponnesus lieth Cythera where was the fine Temple of Venus who thereof by the Poets is called Cytherea The Ilandes are many which doe lie in the sea called Mare Aegeum from the bottome of Greece vnto the top of the Hellispont as all the Cyclades Euboea the great Iland Samos and Chios so Scyro where Achilles was borne and was king of that countrie There was also Lesbos Lemnos Metilene and Ithaca where Vlisses was king and Andros whether Themistocles was sent by the AtheniaÌ„s for tribute of which places something may be read in the olde historie of the Greekes Diuers of these did striue that Homer was borne in them but of certaintie many of those kinges which Homer saith came with Agamemnon to the siege of Troye were kings but of these small Ilands Eastward from thence not farre from some parte of Natolia or Asia the lesse is the Iland Rhodus the friendship of the inhabitants whereof was in auntient time very much desired by the Princes that had to doe that way So that Alexander first and the Romaines afterwardes did embrace their league Here was that huge and mightie image of the Sunne which was Cholossus Rhodius This countrie was long defended by those who were called the Knightes of the Rhodes against the power of the Turke and it was a great bulwarke to defend Christendome till that in the yeare one thousand fiue hundred twentie and two Solimon the great Turke did winne it from the Christians by force From thence Southward is the I le of Carpathus but in the farther end of the East parte of the Mediterraneum is Cyprus which about 300. yeares since was a kingdome did