Resgate and de la Merced The military orders of the Crosse. The maner of their civill government The King His stile of Catholique His dominions and revenues A short censure of the present Spanish greatnes The parts or countries of Spaine THE bounds hereof are vpon the North-east the Pyrenaean Mountaines deviding it from France and from the rest of the Continent of Europe surrounded vpon the other sides with the deepe and spacious Ocean vpon the North with the sea Cantabrique with the Atlantique vpon the West and vpon the South with the Straights of Gibraltar the sea Mediterranean Mariana accompteth the circumference of the whole to bee 2816 Italian miles measuring along the course of the Pyrenaean Mountaines from Cabo de Creux vpon the Mediterranean vnto the towne of Fuentarabia 320 miles to Cabo Finisterre along the shore of the sea Cantabrique 536 miles from that Promontorie vnto the towne of Gibraltar 895 miles and from thence returning againe to Cabo de Creux bending still with the creekes and windings of the sea 1065 miles The greatest length hereof he reckneth at 800 miles and the breadth at 560 of the same miles It is seated in the Southerne halfe part of the Temperate Zone lying betwxt the. 4. 24 60 and 19½ degrees of Longitude for such are the distances of the Promontories Finisterre and de Creux from the first Meridian drawne by the Azores Ilands whose two Meridians make about a full houres difference of the Suns first rising betwixt about the 36 and 44½ degrees of Northerne latitude or from the 30 minute South of the 11 or middle paralel of the 4 clime vnto about the 30 mi warie and descreet withall not carried with that rash and headlong fury esteemed by others valour ouercomming rather with temporizing deepe reach and policy then by maine force and violence If we would haue him in a word described he almost is whatsoeuer almost is not the Frenchman The Languages spoken hereby are 1. the Castillian or vulgar Spanish common to the whole Nation 2. that of Portugals as are the people mixed of the Castillian and French 3. that of the Catalonians and inhabitants of the kingdome of Valentia which is not much vnlike vnto the French spoken in Languedoc 4. the Basquish proper to the Biscians and people of Guipuscoa a language purely barbarous not refined with the mixture of more elegant tongues and thought to be the auncient Spanish spoken here before the Conquest of the Romans Heere likewise was in vse the auncient Moorish retayned by the Moriscos but of late yeares banished from hence with the people The auncient religion hereof was that common to all the Gentiles worshipping many false and absurd gods The first that preached here the holy Gospell was the Apostle S. Paul according to S. Chrysostome Theodoret sundry other of the auncient fathers That he had an intent to make a journey into Spaine we plainely gather from the the 15 chap. to the Romans That hee went or was hindred in his purpose detayned prisoner at Rome by Nero nothing is certaine After Isidore and the generall voyce of the Spaniards but without more auncient authority S. Iames the son of Zebedee otherwise is said to haue beene the first the supposed founder of Nuestra Senora del Pilar a Church yet extant at Saragoça accompanied with Saint Peter the Apostle of Ebora S. Cecilius of Eliberis S. Euphrasius of Illiturgis S. Secundus of Abula with others whose names I omit for that they agree not about their number Concerning S t Iames the tradition goeth that after his Martyrdome at Hierusalem slaine by Herod his dead body should from thence bee convayed hither to Iria Flavia in Galitia thence to Compostella where it should be enterred but in what place that it was not knowne vntill the yeare 796 when it should be first found out by Theodomyrus bishop of Iria although saith my Authour the reasons are not set downe why a graue then discouered should containe the corps of that blessed Apostle Such notwithstanding was the credulous devotion of those times that presently a Church was erected herevnto by Alfonsus surnamed the Chast then king of Leon famous afterwards through the Christian world for the continuall pilgrimages thither made from all parts and enriched with liberall endowments and priviledges It was some 50 yeares afterwards and since the yeare 846 and their great victorie at Clavigio vnder king Ramir the first obtained against the Moores and as then firmely was beleeued by the visible presence and aide hereof that the Castillians for the Portugalls and Aragonians with the English and Genowayes acknowledge S t George for their Patron haue beene still accustomed in their fights and encounters to call vpon S. Iago as their guardian and protectour their signe word of Battaill To returne to our purpose from these and such like beginnings Christianity here dayly grew and more and more prospered in the first age of the Primitiue Church encreasing through affliction by the holy bloud of slaine Martyrs In the happy raigne of Constantine the Great Gentilisme put downe Religion was first authorized here as in the other Provinces of the Roman Empire by publique commaund a small truce was granted to the Church Heresie Gentilisme and Persecution freshly reviuing againe in the raignes of the next Emperours Constantius and Iulianus These tempestuous times ouerpast by the fauour of God the Sun of the Gospel againe gloriously breaks out in a calme and cleare sky here freely shineth during the raignes of the after succeeding most Christian Catholique Emperours of the West In the raigne of the Emperour Honorius swarme in hither the barbarous Nations by whom Religion suffers a second Eclipse Of these the Alans were Gentiles but whose out-rage lasted not long shortly after their first comming ouer-throwne and rooted out by the Gothes The Vandals also Gentiles at the time of their first entrance by their after commerce and acquaintance with the Gothes vnder their king Gensericus turned Arrian Christians departing not long after into Afrique The Suevians at the first likewise were Gentiles Vnder their third king Receiarius about the yeare 448 they receiued the Christian Catholique faith which shortly after being subdued restored again by the Gothes sweyed with the greatnes of that Nation vnder their king Remismundus they changed for their Arrian heresie In the raigne of Theodomyrus after an apostacy of aboue one hundred yeares they returned againe vnto the Catholique beliefe wherein they continued vntill the extirpation of their kingdome name by the Gothes in Andeca their last king The Gothes were Arrians from their first entrance into the Roman Provinces corrupted by Valens Emperour of the East In continuance of time becomming Lord of the whole Spaine the rest of the barbarous nations the Romans subdued they subiected all this continent vnder that foule heresy Vnder their King Ricaredus about the yeare 588 reiecting the Arrian they
warres or more honourable and gainefull conquests Towards the waine of the Romans Empire they are named the Scots the occasion or reason hereof we finde not subduing the neighbouring Picts and Caledonians and giuing the name of Scotland to the Northern part of the Brittish Continent Leauing there this new affected name they lastly resume and returne here vnto their first and more wonted name of Irish. Their gouerment anciently was vnder many petty kings or tyrants In the raigne of king Henry the second occasioned through the quarrels hereof they are first made subiect to the English whose princes were stiled Lords of Ireland King Henry the eight by the good likeing of the natiues first assumed the title of King continued euer since in his successours More lately they were distinguished into the Irish and the English Pales or the Wild and Civill Irish whereof these obeyed the English lawes the other were let loose to their barbarous customes and liuing The happy successe of the last warres against Tir-oën and the wisdome and zeale of King Iames of happy memory put an end to this diuision the country being now every where planted with ciuill inhabitants and the whole reduced to an English Province The lawes whereby the people are governed are their Acts of Parliament and the Municipall or Common Lawes of England executed by the Lord Deputy or Vice-roy for the king Presidents Iudges Sheriffs other English names of Magistrates Their Religion which only is allowed is the Reformed or Protestant yet where the pretended Catholique or Roman doth more prevaile amongst the vulgar through their discontent or an inbred and rooted superstition Their Cleargie are Archbishops Bishops and Inferiour rankes whose Primate is Armagh and first Apostle S. Patricius or Patrick in the yeare 432 and the raigne of the Emperour Valentinian the third a Scot or Irishman after my author nephew to S. Martin Bishop of Tours and Disciple to S. German The Religious of this nation Monkes of an ancient institution haue been no lesse deseruing then their neighbours of Great Brittaine chast and holy Seminaries of pietie and religion during the Primitiue times of the English French and Dutch Churches but who passing vnder the generall name of the Scots for both then were thus called are oftentimes mistaken by their readers for the Scots of the Continent The country is divided into 5 greater names or Provinces petty kingdomes sometimes of the Irish Vlster Leinster Meth. Conaght Mounster VLSTER BOunded vpon the East North and West with the Ocean and vpon the South with Leinster Meth and Conaght The country is large the soil good deepe pasturages but otherwise vntill the English last plantation lesse fruitfull through the sloathfulnesse of the wild natiues overgrowne with vast and thicke woods bogs lakes and marishes Chiefe townes are Knocfergus in Antrim within a spacious bay Vinderius of Ptolemie a garrison towne and a commodious Port neere to Cantire and Scotland Vpon the same Easterne shore and in Louth Carlingford Dundalk Tredah at the mouth of the riuer Boine a faire and populous towne the next to Leinster Within Armagh neere to the river Kalin an Archbishops sea the Primate of the kingdome The Province containeth ten shires or counties Louth Cavon Fermanagh encompassing the great Lake Erne Monaghan Armagh Down Antrim Colran Tir-oen and Tir conell or Donegall The ancient inhabitants were the Darnij Voluntij Robognij and Erdini of Ptolemy LEINSTER EXtended along the Irish Ocean from Tredah Vlster and the river Boine vnto the Neure and Mounster vpon the South and bounded towards the West with Meth and the riuer Shaâ—on from Canaght The soile is fruitfull better manured and lesse encombred with woods the inhabitants more civill descended for a great part from the English and conforming to their habit and custome of living Chiefe townes are Dublin Eblana of Ptolemie vpon the Ocean at the fall of the river Liff Libnius of Ptolemy an Archbishops sea and the seat of the Lord Deputy or Viceroy of the kingdome rich strong populous and beautified with faire buildings Without standeth a College consecrated to the Muses and the name of the holy Trinitie a small Vniversitie founded by Queene Elizabeth of happy memory Weisford Menapia of Ptolemie at the mouth of the Slane the river Modona of the same author the first place in Ireland subdued by the English and peopled with their Colonies Within the land Kildare a Bishops sea Kilkenny vpon the river Neure the best towne of all the inland parts The whole containeth 7 divisions or shires Dublin Weisford Kildare Kings-Countie Queenes countie or the Lease Caterlogh and Kilkenny The ancient inhabitants were the Menapij Cauci Blanij and Brigantes of Ptolemy METH SEated in the middle of the Iland betwixt Leinster Conaught and Vlster It containeth East-Meth West-Meth and the countie of Longford Towns here are Trim in East-Meth vpon the river Boyne and Molingar in West-Meth The ancient inhabitants were part of the Blanij of Ptolemy CONAGHT BOunded vpon the West with the Irish Ocean vpon the North with Vlster and vpon the East and South with Meth Leinster and Mounster by the great river Shanon Senus of Ptolemie arising out of the mountaines of Letrim and after a long course hauing made sundry great lakes by the way falling into the Westerne Ocean some 60 miles below Limerick In the North hereof rise Curlew Mountaines fatall to the English by their slaughter and overthrow during the late Irish warres It containeth 6 shires or Counties Letrim Roscoman Slego Maio Galway and Twomund The chiefe towne and the third citty of the kingdome is Galway a Bishops sea a faire rich and well frequented Port neere vnto the fall of the great lake or river Corbes into the Westerne Ocean The ancient inhabitants were the Gangani Auteri and Nagnatae of Ptolemie MOVNSTER BOunded vpon the South-East and West with the Ocean and vpon the North with Leinster and the river Shanon from Conaght divided amongst 6 Counties Limerick Tipperarie Corck Waterford Desmond and Kerry Chiefe townes are Limerick in an Iland encompassed with the riuer Shanon a Bishops sea and a well traded Empory Waterford a rich Port and the second citty of the kingdome vpon the river Suire Corck a Bishops sea Kinsale a walled towne and a commodious Port at the mouth of the river Bany The ancient inhabitants were the Velibori Vodiae Vterni and Coriondi of Ptolemie Other more noted Ilands of Great Brittaine are 1 those of Orkney 2 those of Schetland lying in 63 degrees of Latitude 3 the Westerne Ilands belonging to the Crowne of Scotland 5 Subject to the English Crowne Man 6 Those of Silly 7 Wight and Holy Iland c. THE FIFTH BOOKE COntayning the present bounds situation and quality of Spaine The Inhabitants Their manners languages and religion The institution power and courts of their Inquisition The number and order of their Bishops The Religious del
West-Freislandt The wet and moorish ground about it affordeth rich pasturages but is altogither vnfit for corne Franicker a schoole or petty Vniversity Bolswaerdt OOSTER-GOE COntaining the Sea-coast betwixt Wester-goe and the country of Groningen Townes here are Lieward or Leewarden the court presidial chancerie and chiefe towne of the proper West-Freislant rich faire and strongly fortified Doccum neere vnto Groninger-landt ZEVEN-WOLDEN COntaining the woodland part towards the South-East and Ouer-ysel It hath not any towne of note THE TERRITORY OF GRONINGEN THis is the most Easterne part of West-Freislandt contained betwixt Ooster-goe and the river Eems or Oost-Freislandt Townes here are Dam neere vnto the Eems and Oost-Frislandt Groeningen the chiefe towne giving the name to the province The towne is of great state large rich and strongly fortified There are contained in the whole West-Freislandt 12. walled townes and some 490 Villages The more auncient inhabitants were the Frisij Maiores of Ptolemy Of these 8 provinces South-Holland Vtrecht on the hither side of the Rhijn with Bommeler-Weert Maes-Wael and Betuwe in Gelderlandt appertaine vnto Gaule Belgick North-Hollandt Veluwe of Gelderlandt Zutphen Over-ysel West-Freislandt and Groningerlandt belong vnto Germany the midle chanell of the Rhijn aunciently parting those two mighty prouinces In bignes pleasure and goodnes of soile they are inferiour to those of the Princes but in trade populousnes wealth strength and number of shipping they much surpasse the other In a manner all their townes stand vpon the Ocean vpon great nauigable riuers creeks or inlets of the sea or amongst deepe vnpassable marishes waters wherby through their strength of shipping never being able sully to be besieged and victualls munition and men being hereby easily conueyed vnto them they are become invincible against the most potent enimies not easily to be mastered vnlesse by their disvnion and the dominion of the sea taken from them Their gouerment since that they shoake of the Spanish yoake hath beene vnder the particular states of each prouince a third part of Gelderlandt and Zutphen excepted where stand the townes of Ruremond Guelders Venlo Watchtendonc Strale and Grol remaining yet subiect to the Arch-dutchesse not vnited into any one entire body of common-wealth and but onely for their better defence confederate together in a more strict league whose delegates resident for the most part at the Hage in Hollandt are called the States Generall Their lawes are their severall municipall lawes customes and priuiledges together with the ciuill or Roman law Their religion which onely publikely is allowed is the reformed following or allowing the doctrine of Caluin Their language is the Dutch DENMARCK THE bounds hereof are vpon the South the river Eydore parting it from Holstein the kingdome of the Germans vpon the West the German Ocean vpon the East the Sea Balticke or the Ooster-sche and vpon the North the kingdomes of Norwey and Swethen It lyeth betwixt the 55 45 60 and 59 5 60 degrees of Northerne Latitude The length betwixt North and South is 265 Italian miles the breadth some 200 of the same miles The more ancient inhabitants were the Sigulones Subalingij Cobandi Chali Phundusij Charudes and Cimbri of Ptolemie and Tacitus inhabiting the necke of land named by Ptolemy from that more famous nation the Cimbrian Chersonese now the 2 Iutlandts the Teutoni of Mela inhabiting the Iland Codanonia now Zeland and the Sitones or Sueones of Tacitus for we cannot out of his description certainely distinguish whether inhabiting the parts hereof lying in the Continent of Scandia now Hallandt Schonen and Bleking These ancient names towards the waine of the Roman Empire worne out and extinguished we read in Beda of the Angli and Vitae inhabiting the Cimbrian Chersonese whereof these later possessed the more Northern parts the former after the same author were seated betwixt the Vitae and the Saxons From the Vitae the Cimbrian Chersonese now beareth the name of Iutlandt The name of the Angli is yet preserved here in the Dukedome of Scleswijck in the towne or name of Angelen In the raigne of the Emperour Valentinian the third these two nations remouing with the Saxons into the Iland of Great Brittaine not long after in the raignes of Theodoric French King of Austrasia and of Anastasius Emperour of the East we lastly finde here the Danes more certainely named thus as hath beene related from the bay Codanus whose Ilands and neighbouring Continent they inhabited Iornandes who liued in the raigne of the Emperour Iustinian the first placeth these in the Continent of Scanzia or Scandia Vnder their Prince Godfrey in the raigne of the Emperour Charles the Great we finde them enlarged Southwards vnto the river Eydore dividing from them the Saxons or Dutch as they remaine at this present From this nation the country hath since beene called Denmarck famous a long time for armes and their great and many victories atchieved abroad themselues never conquered by foraine power Lords sometimes of England and Swethen and at this day of the large kingdome of Norwey and of all the navigations and Ilands situated towards the Pole Arcticke and the North. The religion hereof which is publikely allowed is only the Protestant or Confession of Augspurg first converted to Christianity by S. Ansgarius Bishop of Bremen the generall Apostle of these Northerne parts in the raignes of king Eric the second and of Lewis the Godly Emperour of the West and reformed to the Orthodox tenent by the authority of king Fredericke the first The Ecclesiasticall affaires are directed by the Arch-bishop of Lunden and six other Bishops of Rotschilt Odensee Ripen Wiborch Arhusen and Sleswijck The state is monarchicall the eldest sonne most commonly succeeding vnto the father yet where the states doe chalenge a right of chusing None of the nobility exceede the dignitie of Knights conferred by the free grace of the Prince The titles of Dukes Marqueses Earles Vicounts and Barons are not heard of vnlesse amongst the issue royall The kingdome for the better distribution of iustice containeth 184 Prefectures or juridicall resorts which they call Herets It lyeth partly in the continent of Germany and partly in the maine land of Scandia and in the Ilands of the Sundt betwixt these containing fiue more generall parts or names of Iutlandt the Ilands of the Sundt Halland Schonen and Bleking IVTLANDT COntaining the neck of land in the continent of Germany called by Ptolemie the Cimbrian Chersonese It hath vpon the West and North the German Ocean vpon the East the Sundt and vpon the South the riuer Eydore parting it from Holstein and the German Empire It is diuided into the North and the South Iutlands South Iutland hath beene otherwise named the Dukedome of Iutlandt likewise the Dukedome of Sleswijck from the towne of Sleswijck about the yeare 1280 in the person of Waldemar severed from the kingdome by Eric to be
OF THE STATE OF EVROPE XIIII Bookes CONTAINING THE HISTORIE AND RELATION OF THE MANY PROVINCES HEREOF Continued out of approved Authours BY GABRIEL RICHARDSON BATCHELOVR in Divinitie and FELLOW of BRASEN-NOSE College in Oxford OXFORD Printed for HENRY CRIPPS An. Dom. 1627. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD IOHN Lord Bishop of LINCOLNE one of his Maiesties most Honourable Privie Councell and Visitour of Brasen-Nose Colledge in OXFORD Right Reverend and my Honourable good Lord THE certaine hopes that Bishop Smith our Founder of blessed memory conceaues in his Statutes of all his successours for the protection of his College giues me the meanest of that Societie some heart to present these my first and weake labours to your Honours Patronage But more bold I am vpon your imbred and vnderived pronenesse to the advancement of Scholasticall indeavours whereof both the Vniversities Colleges Schooles Libraries enriched by your magnificent hand are daily and pregnant arguments This enlarging of the bowels of compassion towards learning in these later and straighter times as it is a miracle for the rarenesse so ought we all of vs both to powre out our praiers to God for such ample dispensers of this goodnes to men as also our vtmost labours with all thankfull acknowledgment to preserue their memories And if my selfe shal cast a mite into this treasurie pardon Right Honourable a boldnesse that proceeds out of an amazed esteeme of this your owne and vnimitable quality as from a most humble devotion to your everlasting honour and happinesse Your Lordships most humble devoted GABRIEL RICHARDSON OF THE STATE OF EVROPE THE FIRST BOOKE COntayning a generall survey of EVROPE and of the Iland of Great Britaine with the present bounds situation and quality of England The Inhabitants Their description languages and affaires of religion vnto our times The Bishops and Cleargie The civill gouernment The King His title of Defendour of the Faith The Nobles Gentrie and Commons The great victories and Conquests of the English Their no lesse disgraces and losses abroad by meanes of their quarrells and dissentions The devision of the Kingdome into Shires Tithings and Hundreds The ranke and number of the Shires EVROPE THe vniversall Globe of the Earth our moderne better experienced times haue found distinguished into fiue greater devisions whervnto all the rest belong are parts the New-found Lands of America and Magellanica detected by late discoueries and those of Asia Africa and Europe lying in one Continent and onely known vnto ancient ages Of these the least but most noble part is Europe the seate of Christianity and of the Church of God and the nurse of victorious and famous nations the glorious Conquerours of the World wherein banished from all other countryes mastered by tyrannie basenes ignorance and barbarisme religion civility arts knowledge libertie and valour at this day rest confined the subiect of this discourse The Etymologie hereof is altogether vncertaine The more exact bounds are vpon the North the Frozen Seas of Lapland and Norwey vpon the West the Vergiuian and Atlantique Oceans vpon the South the Straights of Gibraltar and the Sea Mediterranean from Africa and vpon the East from Asia the Archi-pelago the Seas Maggiore and Zabache the riuer Don and a line continued from thence vnto the White Sea or Baye of S. Nicholas It is situated betwixt the 36 and 71 1 2 degrees of Northerne latitude and the 5 and 59 degrees of Longitude accompting from the Meridian by the Azores The longest day at the towne of Gibraltar in Spaine which is the most Southerne point containeth about 14 houres and a quarter At Wardhuis the point most Northerly the greatest continuance of the Sunne aboue the Horizon lasteth 2 whole moneths 22 dayes some 7 houres It containeth the distinct Provinces and names of Spaine France Germanie the Low-Countries Switzerland Denmarke Norwey Sweathland Prussen Leifland Poland Lithuania Podolia part of the Tartars and Russes Hungarie Transsylvania Walachia Moldavia Bulgaria Bosna Servia Rascia Windish-land Italy and Greece seated in the maine land and of Ilands lying in the Ocean beside some lesser those of Island Freisland Great Brittaine Ireland Cadiz Mallorca Menorca Sardinia Corsica Sicilie and Candia with those many of the Archi-pelago devided amongst 9 greater Monarchs the Emperours of the Romans or Germans Russes and Turkes and the Kings of Great Brittaine France Spaine Denmarke Sweathland Poland together with the free Common-wealths and inferiour Princes of the Netherlands Italy the Switzers and Grisons Ptolemie in his 2 Booke sorteth these into the c more Westerne and the more Easterne Provinces whose methode I haue here obserued In the more Westerne devision he comprehendeth the Brittish Ilands Iberia or Spaine Celto-galatia or Gaule Germany Rhaetia Vindelicia Noricum Pannonia Illyris and Dalmatia contayning now the Kingdomes of Great Brittaine and Ireland Spaine France Germany the Switzers Netherland Denmarke Norwey Sweathland Hungary Windischland Krabbaten Bosna Contado di Zara Dalmatia Albania with their Ilands whose descriptions state and sundry fortunes follow in order GREAT BRITAINE THE Country hath beene thus distinguished from Britaine in France in regard of the lesser extension thereof named the Lesser Britaine It is a famous Iland seated in the Ocean to the North-west of the Continent of Europe some 30 Italian miles where the passage is the narrowest from France or the next maine land the Great Iland as Aristides calleth it another world after Solinus the Worke of sporting Nature after Mercator made more gracefully to adorne the Vniverse the glory of Ilands the Queene and mistresse of the seas and the beauty of the West The bounds are vpon the West part of the Westerne Ocean with S. George his Channell from Ireland vpon the North the open and spacious Northerne seas vpon the East the German Ocean from Denmarke Germany and the Netherlands and vpon the South the English Channell from France The figure hereof is Triangular or Three-square whose Basis might be the Sea-coast towards France It lyeth in the Northern halfe-part of the temperate Zone extended from the 16⅚ vnto the 21 degree of Longitude accompted from the first Meridian by the Azores Ilands and from the 50⅙ degree vnto the 60½ of Northerne Latitude or from beyond the 18 Paralel or the beginning of the eight Clime vnto beyond the 27 Paralel or beginning of the 13 Clime The longest day at the Lizard point in Cornwall the most Southerly part contayneth about 16 houres and a quarter At Straithy head in Scotland which is the point lying farthest to the North the same containeth 18 houres and 3 quarters The length of the Iland from South to North after this accompt is some 620 Italian miles The greatest Breadth betwixt East and West according to a right line is about 250 of the same miles Camden reckoneth 320 miles bending with the crookes and turnings of the Sea-coast The whole circumference he accompteth at 1836 miles A Paralel drawne ouer the middle
and Wardhuys named thus from such Castles royall wherein their governours reside Townes of better note are Congel a towne of merchandising vpon the Sundt or sea Balticke opposite to Schagen in Denmarcke Anslo Hammar Staffanger Bishops seas Bergen the chiefe towne of the country seated amongst high mountaines at the bottome of a nauigable and deepe arme or creeke of the maine Ocean named Carmesunt a Bishops sea and a noted port much resorted vnto by forrainers bringing in corne meale bread beere wine and Aqua vitae to supply the want that way of the country and transporting from hence fish furres and wood with London Bruges in the Lowe Countries and Novogrod in Russia one of the foure chiefe Staple townes of the Dutch Hanse marchants The inhabitants in regard hereof are a mixed people compounded of the natiues Dutch and other strangers The meaner sort of houses after the rude fashion of the Country are couered with sods or turfes of earth West of the towne standeth Bergenhuys one of the fiue castles royall the seat of the governour of the Province thus named Trundtheim an Archbishops sea beautified with a faire Cathedrall Church dedicated to S. Olave The towne otherwise is meane Ward-huys within the circle Artick in the Iland Ward from whence it hath beene thus called a meane castle with a little towne adjoyning in the summer time for in the winter by reason of the extremity of the cold and the long darknesse and absence of the Sunne it is not well habitable the seat of the governour for these more cold and frozen parts The Pole Articke is here elevated 71½ degrees The longest continuance of the sunne aboue the Horizon lasteth two whole months three weekes one day and some 7 houres the farthest point North-wards of Norwey the continent of Europe THE ILANDS OF NORWEY VNto the Crowne of Norwey belong Islandt Freislandt and Groenlandt Ilands situated in the wide Ocean held now in this right by the kings of Denmarke ISLANDT LYing vnder the Circle Articke and containing 100 German miles in length and about 60 in breadth The country is cold rockie mountainous barren and ill inhabited yeelding not any corne neither trees except the Iuniper In regard hereof the common people eate bread made of stockfish in steed of houses built with timber dwell in cells cauernes digged in the bottomes of their rocks mountaines Through the benefit notwithstanding of the sea and the accesse of strangers they haue brought vnto them corne meale bread wine beare iron tinne mony timber wood and all other commodities which they need whereof the richer sort make vse The sea coasts are better stored with inhabitants through the advantage of their trade with forrainers and of their fishing the chiefe reuenue of the Ilanders The natiue profits the Land affordeth are flesh of beeues and mutton butter skinnes of wild beasts horses haukes a course kinde of cloath they call Watman and brimstone It containeth foure main divisions named from their situations West fiordung Auslending a fiordung Norlending a fiordung and Sundlending a fiordung signifying the Westerne Easterne Northerne and Southerne quarters The only places of note are Halar in the Northerne part of the Iland Schalholt in the Southerne Bishops seas having petty schooles wherein the Latine tongue is taught whereof each containeth 24 schollers maintained by the Bishops Bestede a castle the seat of the gouernour for the king of Denmarck The more eminent mountaines are Hecla feareful with apparitions of dead men nourishing the opinion of Popish Purgatory Helga that of the Crosse Aethna-like flaming with fires Not farre from Hecla brimstone is digged in great abundance sent into forraine parts The inhabitants are originally Norvegians thought first to haue ariued here about the yeare 1000 driuen out of their country by king Harold sirnamed with the faire locks Wee heare not of them notwithstanding vntill the time of Adelbert Bishop of Bremen whom they should send vnto desiring Preachers and Ministers of the Gospell whereby they might be instructed deceasing about the yeare 1070. Their religion is the confession of Augspurg or that of the Danes gouerned by two Bishops of Halar Schalholt before mentioned brought vp in the Vniversitie of Copen-hagen Their language is the Danish or an old corrupt Dutch Most authors place here Thyle of Tacitus and the ancients Ortelius iudgeth this rather to be Norway Others Schetland neere the Orcades It wanteth altogether probabilitie that the Romans by whom sailing about Great Bretaigne that Iland should be first discouered aduanced ever thus farre Northwards FREISLANDT STanding vpon the Southwest of Islandt vnknowne to the ancients and bigger in quantitie then Ireland like Islandt cold barren and without corne and fruits The principall towne is of the same name with the Iland The inhabitants liue most vpon fish got in their sea their chiefe food and truck with forrainers They obey the kings of Denmarck GROENLANDT NAmed thus from the greenenesse thereof affording good pasturage in Summer as are the other two Ilands from their Ice and Frosts It is seated betwixt the 65 and 77 degrees of Northerne Latitude and lieth for the greatest part within the Circle Articke and Frigid Zone large and of great extent much resorted vnto by the English and Dutch nations fishing there for Whales Here is a monastery of Predicant Friers seated in the North-East part of the Iland not farre from a flaming or burning mountaine vpon hot scalding springs whose waters serue the Monastery as a stoue and to boyle the meat of the order The gardens hereof a thing miraculous in such a latitude in regard of this heat qualifying the naturall temper of the ayre flourish all the yeare long with hearbs and sweet smelling flowers The neighbouring Ocean also by meanes hereof never freezeth affording great plenty of fowle and fish for the reliefe of the Monkes and bordering Ilanders Here is likewise Alba situated not farre from the Monastery Other habitations either are not or not hitherto knowne the Iland not being yet fully discouered All places where the marriners touch yeeld Deere white beares plenty of wood cast vpon the shore The kings of Denmarck challenge the right hereof SVVEATHLAND BOunded vpon the South with Denmarcke the sea Balticke and Leifland vpon the West with Norwey vpon the North with Myrmanskoy More or the Frozen sea and vpon the East with the dominions of the Great Duke of Muscovia The country is large extended aboue a thousand miles in length betwixt the Balticke and the Frozen seas full of mountaines and vast woods yet well inhabited and firtill for these Northerne parts Lapland and the regions lying within the Circle Arcticke almost excepted which yeeld no corne or any other fruits as doe all lands else of that miserable and cold Latitude No place affordeth greater plenty of minerals especially of brasse whence infinite store of great ordinance are made It hath many great lakes and rivers but in regard