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A51275 Geography rectified, or, A description of the world in all its kingdoms, provinces, countries, islands, cities, towns, seas, rivers, bayes, capes, ports : their ancient and present names, inhabitants, situations, histories, customs, governments, &c. : as also their commodities, coins, weights, and measures, compared with those at London : illustrated with seventy six maps : the whole work performed according to the more accurate observations and discoveries of modern authors / by Robert Morden. Morden, Robert, d. 1703. 1688 (1688) Wing M2620; ESTC R39765 437,692 610

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May 28 they arrived at Greenland and met with eleven Sail of Dutch fishing in Hornfound whom they forced away and took from them all they caught and also the English that were in their Ships and made 1900 Tuns of Oyl and discovered Wy●hes Island in seventy nine Degrees There are some Discoveries of Land which cannot be said to belong to any of the four grand Divisions being separate 〈◊〉 Seas of vast extent viz. New Guinea towards the Equator so called because thought to be opposite to the African Guiny New Zelan● the Antipodes almost to ●ngland discovered first by Fernando de Quier but both of the East India Companies in Holland now pretend to it tho' they were but ill used when they attempted to settle themselves there About three hundred Leagues from it lies another Tract of Land called Antony Van Diemens Land discovered by the Dutch. The Land of Parrats if any such was part of Terra Australis incognita In the year 150● one Gonneuille a Frenchman sailed thither and was well entertained by a petty King called Arosea Who also brought away with him some of the Natives amongst the rest the Kings Son Essomeric of whose Race there are some yet in Normandy saith Du Val. New Holland is so highly esteemed by the Dutch that they have caused the Map thereof to be cut in the Stones of their Magnificent State-house though I could not afford one Map for it here It is a Tract of Land containing about 1600 Leagues Not far from Greenland lieth Cherry Island thirty Degrees to the North Eastwards whereof saith our Sea Waggoner is the Island of Nova Zembla and twenty Leagues to a Degree is the Scale made in the Chart so that thirty multiplied by twenty makes six hundred Leagues which is three hundred more than the true distance This also is certain that in all the Land Maps that I have seen it is laid down above one hundred and twenty and 50 Leagues Eastwards farther than it ought to be And I have the rather instanced in this particular for that I have reason to think that this was the chief cause of the misfortune of that venturous and worthy design of Captain Wood in his Attempt for a N. E. passage to China I cannot also but mention the Opinion of some who tell us that Nova Zembla is the Isle Carambice of the Antients from whence Men may go upon the Ice as far as Greenland and further so that its thought that the people that first inhabited America went over this way The Land of Jesso lies between Asia and America where they are separated by great and wide Arms of the Sea tho' others think they excur and meet almost together and by this way was America first peopled but utrum horum mavis accipe The Inhabitants of Jesso exchange their Fish their Tongues their Whales Oyl in the Cities of Japan which are next to them The Planks of their Barks are not nailed but sowed together with Ropes made of the Rinds of Cocos The Relations of the Dutch in the year 1643 tells us that part of the Country acknowledges the King of Japan and that the Governor who resides at M●zimay carries him every year Silver Feathers of sundry Colours and fine Furs Thus briefly have I described all the most known parts of the Earth but must leave that of the unknown to the discovery of future Ages only give me leave to say a word or two to our English Planters c. And I have done To advance an happy Plantation the Undertakers Planters and Place it self must contribute their Endeavors Let the Undertakers be Men of no shallow Heads nor narrow Fortunes such as will be contented with their present loss to be Benefactors to Posterity Let the Planters be Honest Skilful and Painful People for what hope is there that they who were Drones at home will be Bees abroad Let the Place be naturally strong or at leastwise capable of Fortification for though at first Planters are sufficiently fenced with their own Poverty yet when once they have got Wealth they must get Strength to defend it Islands are easily shut whereas Continents have their Doors ever open not to be bolted without great charges Let not the Towns where there is choice of Ground be built in places of a servil nature as being over-awed or commanded by some Hills about them Let it have some Staple Commodity to ballance Traffick with other Countries few Countries can stand alone the Luxury of our Age hath made superfluities necessary Let the Planters endeavor to be loved and feared of the Natives using Justice and Honesty being as naked in their dealings with the Natives as they are naked in their attire imbracing all occasions to convert them each Convert is a Conquest and it is more honour to overcome Paganism in one than to destroy a thousand Pagans for an extirpation of the Natives is rather a supplanting than planting a New Colony I am confident said Dr. Fuller long since that America is now grown Marriagable and hopes to get Christ for a Husband by the preaching of the Gospel I shall only add that no Nation hath spread her Sails for Traffick further than the English And that our Foreign Plantations upon the Asian African and American Continents are so many and so conveniently seated that no Christian Nation hath opportunity of piercing deeper into those vast Heathenish Islands than the English And yet can we say we have improved the Advantages God hath put into our hands to his glory and the propagation of his Gospel have we made so much as one solemn Mission of Pious and Learned Men to preach the glad Tidings of Salvation in Jesus Christ so much as to those ignorant Heathens and Idolaters that confine upon the English Pale yea or the poor Negros that are detained in cruel slavery in our own Plantations I cannot say what Glory and Advantage this would be to the English Nation Pardon me therefore Great Sirs the Proposal of his to your pious considerations whom it doth most concern For your faithful management of the opportunities intrusted to you for the Service of God and the enlargement of his Kingdom at home and abroad you may be assured will not only make an Accession of Renown and Honor to your selves and generous Families but bring in also eternal prosperity and Happiness from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ As I pray God it may Amen FINIS
integrating part of the Earth 2. Or of some one Region and so it is properly called Chorography 3. Or of some particular place in a Region or Country which is Topography According to the greater integrating parts thereof the Ancients divided the whole Earth into three great parts viz. Europe Asia and Africa to which is now added a fourth viz. America these are again divided into Provinces Countries Kingdoms c. And each of these are again subdivided into Earldoms Baronies Lordships c. These three kind or parts make up the perfect Subject of Geography Again every part and place of the Earth is considered in its self or according to its Adjuncts and so it is either Continent or Island A Continent is a great quantity of Land in which many great Kingdoms and Countries are conjoyned together and not separated one from another by any Sea as Europe Asia c. An Island is a part of the Earth compassed and environed round about with Water as Great Britain and Ireland These again are observable parts both of Continents and Islands viz. Peninsula Isthmus Promontorium Peninsula quasi pene Insula is a part of Land which being almost environed and encompassed round with Water is yet joyned to the firm Land by some little Isthmus as Africa is joyned to Asia or Morea to Greece An Isthmus is a narrow neck of Land betwixt two Seas joyning the Peninsula to the Continent as that of Darien in America or Corinth in Greece A Promontory is a high Hill or Mountain lying out as an elbow of Land into the Sea the utmost end of which is called a Cape as the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Verde The Adjuncts of a place are either such as respect the Earth it self or the Heavens Those that agree to a place in respect of the Earth are three in number viz. the Magnitude or Extent of a Country the Bounds or Limits the Quality The Magnitude comprehends the length and breadth of a place The Bounds of a Country is a Line terminating it round about distinguishing it from the bordering Lands or Waters The Quality of a place is the Natural Temper and Disposition thereof A Place in regard of the Heavens is either East West North or South Those places are properly East which lie in the Eastern Hemisphere terminated by the first Meridian or where the Sun riseth Those are West which lye Westerly of the said Meridian or towards the setting of the Sun. Those places are properly North which lie betwixt the Equator and Artick-Pole Those South which are betwixt the Equator and the Antartick Pole. The Ancients did also distinguish the Inhabitants of the Earth from the diversity of shadows of Bodies into three sorts viz. Periscii Heteroscii and Amphiscii the Inhabitants of the Frigid Zone if any such are were termed Periscii because the shadow of Bodies have there a Circular motion in 24 hours the Sun neither rising nor setting but in a greater portion of time The Inhabitants of the Temperate Zones they called Heteroscii because the Meridian shadows bend towards either Pole towards the North among those that dwell within the Tropick of Cancer and the Artick Circle towards the South amongst those that dwell within the Tropick of Capricorn and the Antartick Circle The Inhabitants of the Torrid Zone they called Amphiscii because the Noon or Mid-day shadow according to the time of Year doth sometimes fall towards the North sometimes towards the South when the Sun is in the Northern Signs it falleth towards the South and towards the North when in the Southern Signs And because of the different site of opposite Habitations the Ancients have divided the Inhabitants of the Earth into Periaeci Antaeci and Antipodes The Periaeci are such as live under the same parallel being equally distant from the Equator but in opposite points of the same parallel The Antaeci are such as have the same Meridian and parallel equally distant from the Equator but the one North and the other South The Antipodes are such as Inhabit two places of the Earth which are Diametrically opposite one to the other The Ancients did also divide the Earth into Climates and Parallels A Climate is a space of Earth comprehended betwixt any two places whose longest day differ in quantity half an hour A Parallel is a space of Earth wherein the days increase in length a quarter of an hour so that every Climate contains two Parallels These Climates and Parallels are not of equal quantity for the first is longer than the second and the second likewise greater than the third c. At the Latitude where the longest days are increased half an hour longer than at the Equator viz. longer than 12 hours The first Climate begins which is at the Latitude of 8 degrees 34 minutes and in the Latitude of 16 degrees 43 minutes where the days are increased an hour longer than at the Equator The second Climate begins and so onwards But because the Ancients and also Ptolomy supposed that part of the Earth which lies under the Equator to be inhabitable therefore they placed the first Climate at the Latitude of 12 degrees 43 minutes where the longest day is 12 hours ¾ long and the second Climate to begin at the Latitude of 20 degrees 34 minutes where the longest day is 13 hours and ¼ long c. 'T is needless indeed to take any more notice of them than thus much only that they that describe the Situation of places by Climes and Parallels had as good say nothing The Terraqueous Globe is but an Imaginary point compared to the vast expansion of the Universe though of it self of great Magnitude for Geographers divide it into 360 parts or degrees and each degree into 60 minutes which are so many Italian Miles so that the Circumference thereof is 21600 miles and the Diameter or Axis is 6875 miles and its Superficies in square miles is Reckoned to amount to 148510584 of the same measure 'T is a common Opinion that 5 of our English feet make a Geometrical pace 1000 of these paces make an Italian mile and 60 of these miles in any great Circle upon the Spherical surface of the Earth or Sea make a degree so that a degree of the Heavens contains upon the surface of the Earth according to this account 60 Italian miles 20 French or Dutch Leagues 15 German miles 17 ½ Spanish Leagues But according to several Experiments made the quantity of a degree is thus variously found to be By Albazard the Arabian 73 by Fernilius 68 by Withrordus 70 by Gassendus 73 by Picard 73 Italian miles and by Norwood 69 ½ English miles which is much as the same of 73 Italian miles and is the nearest measure yet found by these Experiments to answer to a degree of the Heavens so that the circumference of the Earth then is 26280 miles the Diameter 8365 and 184 parts Or supposing 1000 paces or 5000 English Feet to a mile then 73
such miles are exactly equal to a Degree I shall here note that no Country doth in all parts of its Territories make use of the same extent in measuring The Germans have their great little and ordinary miles the Leagues of France and Spain are of different lengths and so are the miles in our own Country The Earth as was said before is encompassed about with the Water which washing and surrounding the dry Land cuts out and shapes so many winding Bays Creeks and meandring Inlets and seems no where so much confined and penned as in the Straits of Magellan from whence again expatiating it spreads its self into two immense and almost boundless Oceans which give Terminaries to the four Regions of the Earth and extending it self round them all is but one continued Ocean The Water is either Ocean Seas Straits Creeks Lakes or Rivers The Ocean is a general Collection or Rendezvouz of all Waters The Sea is a part of the Ocean and is either exterior lying open to the shore as the British or Arabian Seas or interior lying within the Land to which you must pass through some Strait as the Mediterranean or Baltick Seas A Strait is a narrow part or Arm of the Ocean lying betwixt two Shores and opening a way into the Sea as the Straits of Gibralter the Hellespont c. A Creek is a small narrow part of the Sea that goeth up but a little way into the Land otherwise called a Bay a Station or Road for Ships A Lake is that which continually retains and keeps Water in it as the Lakes Nicurgua in America and Zaire in Africa A River is a small Branch of the Sea flowing into the Land courting the Banks whilst they their Arms display to embrace her silver waves Of the Names of the Ocean According to the four Quarters it had four Names From the East it was called the Eastern or Oriental Ocean from the West the Western or Occidental Ocean from the North the Northern or Septentrional and from the South the Southern or Meridional Ocean But besides these more general Names it hath other particular Appellations according to the Countries it boundeth upon and the Nature of the Sea As it lies extended towards the East it is called the Chinean Sea from the adjacent Country of China Towards the South 't is called Oceanus Indicus or the Indian Sea because upon it lies the Indians Where it touches the Coast of Persia it is called Mare Persicum So also Mare Arabicum from Arabia So towards the West is the Ethiopian Sea. Then the Atlantick Ocean from Atlas a Mountain or Promontory in Africa but more Westward near to America it is called by the Spaniards Mar del Nort and on the other side of America it is called Mar del Zur or Mare Pacificum Where it toucheth upon Spain it is called Oceanus Hispanicus by the English the Bay of Biscay The Sea between England and France is called the Channel between England and Ireland the Irish Sea Between England and Holland it is called by some the German or rather the British Ocean Beyond Scotland it is called Mare Caledonium higher towards the North it is called the Hyperborean or Frozen Sea more Eastward upon the Coast of Tartary the Tartarian Sea or Scythian Ocean c. The Names of the Inland Seas are 1. The Baltick Sea by the Dutch called the Oast Zee by the Inhabitants Die Belth lying between Denmark and Sweden the chief Entrance whereof is called the Sound 2. Pontus Euxinus or the Black Sea to which joyns Me●tis Palus now Mar de Zabacke The third is the Caspian or Hircanian Sea. The fourth is the Arabian Gulf Mare Erythaeum Mare Rubeum or the Red Sea. The fifth is the Persian Gulf or the Gulf de Elcatif The sixth is Mare Mediterraneum by the English the Straits by the Spaniards Mar de Levant the beginning or entrance of it is called the Straits of Gibralter rather Gibal-Tarif Now that all Places Cities Towns Seas Rivers Lakes c. may be readily found out upon the Globe or Map all Geographers do or should place them according to their Longitude and Latitude the use of which in the absolute sense is to make out the position of any Place in respect of the whole Globe or to shew the Scituation and distance of one place from and in respect of any other Longitude is the distance of a place from the first Meridian reckoned in the degrees of the Equator beginning by some at the Canaries by others at the Azores by reason of which Confusion I have made the Longitudes in this English Geography to begin from London and are reckoned Eastward and Westward according as they are situated from London on the top of the Map. And have also added the Longitude from the Tenerif round about the Globe of the Earth at the bottom of the Map as usually in the Dutch Maps that so you may by inspection only see the Truth or Error if you compare them with the Tables or Maps formerly Extant The Latitude of a place is the distance of the Equator from that place reckoned in the degrees of the great Meridian and is either North or South according as it lies between the North and South-Poles of the Equator EVROPE is divided into these Kingdoms or Estates   Cities Modern Cities Old. Northwards The Isles of Great Britain or England Scotland Wales and Ireland c. London Londinium Edinburgh Alata Castra Welshpool Trillinum Dublin Eblana Scandinavia contains the Kingdoms of Denmark Norway Sweden Copenhagen Haphnia Berghen Bergae Stockholm Holmia The several Kingdoms of Russia or Moscovia L'Arcangel Archangelopolis Moskow Moscha The Estates of the Kingdom of Poland Cracow and Cracovia Dantzick Gedanum In the Middle The Northern Estates of Turkie in Europe Tartaria Europa Walachia Moldavia Transilvania Hungaria Caffa Theodosia Tarvis Targoviscum Jassy Jassium Weissemburg Alba Julia Buda Sicambia The Empire of Germany Vienna Ala Flaviana The Estates or Republicks of Switzerland 7Vnited Provinces 10 Spanish Provinc Zurick Tigurium Amsterdam Amsterodamum Antwerpen Andoverpum Kingdom or 12 Gover. of France Paris Lutetia Southwards Kingdoms Principal of Spain Madrid Madritum The Kingdom of Portugal Lisbon Olysippo Estates of the Duke of Savoy c. Chambery Cameriacum Kingdoms and Estates in Italy Rome Roma The Kingdom and Isle of Sicily Messina Messana The Southern Estates of Turkie in Europe Sclavonia Croatia Dalmatia Ragusa Bosnia Servia Bulgaria Romania Zagrab Sisopa Vihitz Vihitza Zara Jadera Ragusa Epidaurus Bosna Serai Jayeza Belgrade Alba Graeca Sophia Sardica Constantinople Byzantium The Estates of Greece Athini Athaenae The Islands of Negropont Candia Sardinia c. Negropont Eubaea Candia Matium Cagliari Calaris Of Europe EVROPE by Robt. Morden EVROPE one of the four great Parts of the World is also the most considerable in Respect of the Beauty of her Kingdoms and Commonwealths the Politeness of her Inhabitants the Excellent Government of her Cities as also in Regard
Tuns of Plate and sixteen Bowls of Coyned Money so that they were forced to heave some over board Tumbes was the first Place the Spaniards setled in these parts after Panama Of GVYANA THis Country has by sundry Europeans been called the Savage Coast the Country of the Amazons El Dorado and Guyana But this last name which is Indian has put down all the rest Afterwards the continued resolutions of the French to settle themselves there together with the situation of the Country has occasioned it to be called by them Equinoctial France Orenoque bounds it to the West Amazonia to the Fast the North Sea to the North and the high Mountains to the South All which limits give it a Figure that is somewhat oval Orenoque or Raliana from Sir Walter Raleigh who in 1595 discovered it constrains the neighbouring Inhabitants by reason of its overflowing to lodge in the Trees The other Rivers of Guyana are Ess●qu●be Brebice Coret ne Boron Maruvine Surinam the entrance whereof is as large as the Sein at Horfleur Mawari Sinamari Caurora near to which great plenty of Tortoises breed Cayenna that makes an Island of the same Name Cauwo at the Mouth whereof lie great Mountains where they say there is a Mine of a Lapis Lazuli Aperwaque which is thought runs to the Lake Parime but it hath so many falls that its course is hardly known Via-poco Poumaron c. At the lower part of these Rivers and all along the Coast which is generally low and extends above two hundred and fifty Leagues in length several English French and Dutch Colonies have setled themselves Who having made the Indians sensible that they are not able to master their Lands alone dispute among themselves the possession of other Nations Rights The Country between Viapoco and the North Cape is not much coveted by the Europeans because it is very boggy The Country about the Lake Parima in the middle of Guyana acknowledge by report a Successor of Guainacapa of the House of Inca's of Peru and compose the true Kingdom of the Golden King. The remaining part towards the North is possessed by divers People which cannot of themselves make a Body of two hundred and fifty Men. They are all Idolaters and obey the antient Chiefs of their Families Some Relations affirm that there are Amazons in those parts or rather large-sided Women that wage War with much Skill and Valor insomuch that the Natives of the Isle of Arowen at the Mouth of Amazona have acquired that Name by reason of their long Hair The same Relations aver that there are some Nations where the Men exchange their Wives and where the Men always choose the most elderly as being more industrious and better experienced in Huswifry than the young ones The People of Guyana live long by reason of the good Air which they breath Their Country lies in the middle of the Torrid Zone but the Eastern Winds are very constant The Days and Nights are equal the later being very cool the dews falling in great abundance The Mountains are high and the Forests very thick so that it is never excessive hot nor excessive cold The Soil is very proper for the Tillage of Manioc others for the planting of Cotton others for Sugar and Tobacco others that yield Gums Wood Stones of divers sorts Parrots and Monkeys Besides that Hunting and Fishing are equally profitable and delightful Manoa near the Lake Parima the principal City of Guyana is call'd El Dorado by reason of the quantity of Gold which they say is there so great that the Inhabitants make their Weapons thereof and cloath their Bodies with it after they have rubb'd themselves with Oyl or Balsom So that this City may be accounted the richest in the World if there be such a one The Island of Cayenne the principal Colony of the French in those quarters is about sixteen or seventeen Leagues in compass five whereof shoot into the Sea the rest lie between the Arms of a River of the same name It encloses several high Hills which are manurable to the very tops and some Meadows for the fatting of Cattle St. Thomas is remarkable for the unhappy enterprise of that worthy Englishman Sir Walter Raleigh by whom Cumana was fired in his first return from Guyana And at St. Josephs a small City in the Isle Trinidado Sir W. Raleigh took the Spanish Governor Antonio Berio from whom he got the best account of those Parts and its Trade Of Castella Del Oro. GOlden Castile so called from the plenty of Gold the Castillians found there called also Terra Firma because one of the first parts of firm Land which the Spaniards touched at divided likewise into several Parts or Governments viz Panama Carthagena Sancta Martha Rio dela Hacha Venezucla Paria or New Andalousia Popajan and Granada The Government of Panama which particularly takes the name of Terra Firma is between the North and South Seas placed in the Isthmus which joyns the two parts of America together The Country is either low or miry or mountainous or barren its Air is very unhealthful subject to great Heats and Fogs It s chief Places are Panama seated on the Southern Sea-shore the Residence of the Governor a Bishops See and a Town through which the riches of Spain and Peru pass every year In December 1670 it was taken by the English and kept twenty eight days Panama is the Place whither they bring the Gold and Silver of Peru which they afterwards carry to Porto Belo a place of great strength fortified with two Castles which lies about sixteen or eighteen Leagues off upon the North Sea and raised upon the Ruins of Nombre de Dios which was forsaken for the badness of the Air and lying too open to the Invasions of the English This carriage is performed by great Rams called Vieuves which are the only Mules of the Country At Porto Belo they lade this Gold and Silver in the Ships that carry it to Spain In the way from Panama to Porto Belo you may if you please take the convenience of the River Chagra which comes within five Leagues of Panama and then you may go all the way by Water In the year 1668 the English plundred Porto Belo and got considerable sums of the Spaniards before they would surrender it again Cartagena affords soveraign Balsom little inferiour to that of Egypt Rosin and several sorts of Gums long Pepper Dragons-blood Emeraulds c. Formerly the Inhabitants had particular places whither they carried their Dead with their Gold their Chains and their costly Ornaments But the Spaniards to get this Wealth into their hands made those Relicks see the Sun again The City standing in a Peninsula had its name from the resemblance of its Port with that of Cartagena in Europe It is one of the best Cities in America for it contains above four thousand Spaniards about four thousand Negro's and is the usual Randevouz of the Fleets that are bound from
be Rich. A New Map of VIRGINIA By Rob t Morden NO sooner had Colonus alias Columbus made his prime discovery of the Western World when seconded by John Cabot a Venetian the Father of Sebastian Cabot in behalf by the incouragement and at the charges of Henry the Seventh King of England who in the year 1497 discovered all this Coast from the Cape of Florida in the South beyond New-found-land in the North as far as to the Latitude of 67 and half Causing the Sachims or Petit-Kings to turn Homagers to the King and Crown of England This discovery by the two Cabots Father and Son did first intitle he Crown of England to the right of that vast Tract of Land. This design was after seconded by Mr. Hare bringing thence certain of the said Petit-Kings who did homage to King Henry the Eight Rediscovered by the Direction and at the charge of Sir Walter Rawleigh Anno 1584 who sending Mr. Philip Amadas and Mr. Arthur Barlow did take possession thereof in Queen Elizabeths name in honor of whom he caused all the said Tract of Land to be called Virginia Some say it was so called by the Queen her self by the Natives called Apalchen but Virginia is now circumscribed by that space of Land that lies between mary-Mary-land which bounds it on the North and Carolina on the South New-England New-York New-Jersey Mary-land Carolina and Pensilvania have since been separated from it by particular Patents and made distinct Provinces of themselves The entrance by Sea into this Country is by the Mouth of the Bay of Chesapeac between Cape Henry and Cape Charles The chief Rivers of Virginia are 1. Powhatan now called James River on the West side of the mouth of the Bay of Chesapeac this River is at its entrance about three Miles wide and Navigable about one hundred and fifty Miles 2. Pamaunkee termed York River fourteen Miles Northward from James River Navigable now sixty or seventy Miles but with small Vessels about thirty or forty Miles farther 3. Rappahanoc antiently known by the name of Toppahanoc Navigable about one hundred and thirty Miles Besides these Navigable and more principal Rivers there are other smaller Rivers and of less note which fall into some or other of the forementioned Into Powhattan falls Apumatuc Southward Eastward Quyonycahanuc Nunsamund and Chesopeac Northward Chick●mabania Into Pamuunkee fall Poyankatank That part of the Country now planted by the English is divided into Nineteen Counties viz. On the Eastern Shore the Country of Northampton in Acomack on the Western Shore the Counties of Caratuck Lower-Norfolk Nansemund Isle of Wight Surry Warwick Henrico James Charles York New-Kent Glocester Middlesex Lancaster Northumberland Westmoreland Rappahanock and Hartford Of the few Towns hitherto erected in this Colony the chief is James Town the principal seat of the English and so denominated from and in honor of King James of Great Britain This Town is situated in a Peninsula on the North-side of James-River and hath in it many fair Houses whereof some are of Brick and at a little distant from the City is a fair Brick House called Green-Spring whe e the present Governor himself usually resides The other English Towns of most considerable note are only three viz. Henricopolis or Henry's Town situated about eighty Miles from James's City farther within Land Dales Gift so named from Sir Thomas Dale Deputy-Governor in the year 1610 at whose charges it was built and planted and Elizabeth's City containing several good Houses of Brick and Stone and lying on the same side of the River with James's City only nearer the mouth of the River Though English and other Foreign Coyns are not wholly wanting here upon several occasions yet the usual way of Traffick is by exchange of one Commodity for another but the general Standard by which all other Commodities receive their value is Tobacco which of all other Commodities this Country is capable of producing hath been hitherto the Subject of the Planters Industry of which there are two sorts one called Sweet-Scented the other called Oranoac which signifies as much as bright and large the first is of the greatest price the other more in quantity The Plantations that are judg'd to produce the best sort of Sweet-Scented are upon York River Of this Commodity of Tobacco there is so great a quantity planted in Virginia and imported from thence into England that the Custom and Excise paid for it in England yields the King about 50000 or 60000 Pound Sterling yearly for there are bound hither every year above one hundred and fifty Sail of Ships from England and other English Plantations merely for the taking off of this Commodity which they barter for Clothing Houshold-Stuff and all manner of Utensils and the only thing which lessens the value of it is the great quantity that is planted of it which if it were in less abundance it would be of much more esteem and yield far greater profit The Government of Virginia is by a Governor and Council deputed and authorized from time to time by the King of Great Britain the Legislative Power being in the Governor and a General Assembly which he calls to advise with and which consists of two Houses the upper House which is the Council it self and the lower which consists of chosen Bug●sses The chief Court of Judicature where all Civil and Criminal Causes are heard and determined and where the Governor and Council are Judges is called the Quarter-Court as being held every quarter of a year There are also Inferior Courts which are kept every Month in each of the forementioned Counties where matters not of the highest moment that is to say not relating to Life or Member or exceeding a certain limited value are tried and from whence in such Cases Appeals are made to the Quarter Courts There are likewise appointed by the Governor for the better administration of Justice in every respective Country Sheriffs Justices of Peace and other Officers of whom being deputed by the Governor to sit there these Country-Courts chiefly consist The Climate of Virginia is generally healthful and since the rectification of Diet and Lodging not disagreeable to English Bodies however at the first Plantation they were subject to a Distemper called a Seasoning though of late not frequent and much less mortal A Description of mary-Mary-Land mary-MAry-Land is a large and fertile Province lying between thirty eight Degrees and forty Degrees of North Latitude upon both sides of Cheasa-peak-Bay which is Navigable near two hundred Miles The Southerly Banks of the River Patow-meck divide it from Virginia on the South The Atlantick Ocean and Delaware Bay bounds it on the East Pensilvania on the North and the Meridian of the first Fountain of the River Patow-meck on the West This Province of Mary-Land his Majesty King Charles the First Anno 1632 granted by Patent to the Right Honourable Caecilius Calvert Lord Baltemore and to his Heirs and Assigns and by that Patent created him and
Gazete 1683 / 4. Balaguer Ballegarium in Seriptis Hisp by others Bergusia seated upon the River Segre and is famous for the Siege of the French 1645. Of the County of Roussillion ROussillion by the French is included betwixt two Branches of the Pyrenaean Mountains beginning at the Mountain Cano The one extending to Colibre and C. de Creux a Promontory that is the furthest point Eastwarst of Catalonia the other Branch running out unto Salsas This Country was pawned by John King of Arragon 1462. to Lewis the 11th of France for 300000 Crowns and restored to Ferdinand the Catholick by Charles the 8th 1493. that he might not be hindred in his Journey to Naples teste Botero Francis the first King of France partly to requite the Emperor Charles the 5th for the War he made in Provence and to get into his Hands Perpignan one of the Doors of Spain sent his Son Henry with an Army to force it An. 1542. but the Town was well fortified so bravely manned and so well stored that his Journey proved as dishonourable to the French as the Invasion of Provence and the Siege of Marselles had been to the Emperor Places of most Note are Perpignan Papirianum Perpinianum built out of the Ruins of Ruscinum An. 1068. by Guinard Earl of Rossillon seated in a pleasant Plain upon the River Thelis or Thetis a rich and flourishing Empory and a strong-hold against the French till the year 1642. Vide Nonium Marianum Colliure Colibre by the French Collioure Elleberri Mela Elliberis Plin. Iliberis Livi Illeris Ptol. Illyberis Strab. Elna by the French Elne Helena of the Ancients seated upon the River Tech once an Episcopal-See but in An. 1604. it was translated by Clement the 8th to Perpignan Cerat Ceretum near the River Tech was the meeting-place of the French and Spaniards Commissioners for regulating the limits and bounds of their Kingdoms An. 1660. Bellagardia is a strong place often taken and retaken by the French and Spaniards seated near the entrance of Pertus into Catalonia Sal Salsulae of Mela and Ant. taken by the French 1640. Between France and Spain are the Pyrenaei Montes which tieth Spain to the Continent The Cantabrian Ocean siercely beating on the West and the Mediterranean gently washing the East ends of them the highest part whereof is Mount Canus upon which in a clear Day may be seen both the Seas The French side of these Hills are said to be Naked and Barren the Spanish very fertile and adorned with Trees Here was Ronce Valles so famous for the Battel betwixt the French and the Moors in which Rowland Cousin to Charles the Great Oliver and others of the Peers of France were put to the Rout and 20000 of the French. The other Dominions of the King of Spain next to France are the Spanish Provinces or Flanders and the French County Conquered in part by the King of France In Italy the Dutchy of Milan Final Orbitello the Protection of Piombino and Porto Longone the Kingdoms of Naples Sicily and Sardinia c. In Africa Oran Marsal-quiver Mellilla Pennon de Velez Ceuta and the Isle Pantalarea all along the Coast of Barbary upon the Mediterranean Sea. To which we must add the Philipine Islands in Asia and the greatest part of the Islands and Continent in America Of Portugal A New Map of PORTVGAL by Rob. Morden POrtgual is a Kingdom of above five hundred years Erection in the Western part of Spain anciently called Lusitania taking the present Name from Porto a Haven-Town at the Mouth of the Dueras where the Gauls used to Land and therefore called Portus Gallorum and since Portugal or rather from Portus and Cale then a small Village not far from it of old Portus Calensis now Portugal The length of it from South to North is about six score Leagues The breadth thereof about 25 or 30 Leagues and in some places fifty It is scated upon the Ocean The experience of the Inhabitants in Navigation has caused their Kings to be known in all the four Quarters of the World where they have had many Kings their Vassals as also the convenience of bringing into Europe the most rare and precious Merchandizes of the East Their Conquests have extended above five thousand Leagues upon the Coast of Brazile and in the East-Indies their design being only Trade It is true that of late for several years they have not made any great Progress or farther Advantage by reason of their War with Spain and the great Garisons which they are forced to keep against the Hollander which has caused them to surrender some Places into the hands of the English upon the Royal Match between Portugal and England viz. Tangier and Bombay The Provinces of Portugal have all their particular Commodities they afford among other things store of Citrons and excellent Oranges They have some Mines for the Greeks and Romans sought in Portugal for that Wealth which the Portuguezes search for in the Indies They are so well Peopled especially toward the Sea that there are to be reckon'd above six hundred privileg'd Towns and above four thousand Parishes The Roman Catholick Religion is only professed there and those that are of the Race of the Jews are forc'd to baptize their Children There are three Arch-Bishopricks Lisbon Braga and Evora and ten Bishopricks the Arch-Bishops of Lisbon and Braga have each of them 200000 Livres Rent There are Inquisitions at Lisbon at Coimbra and at Evora and Parliaments at Lisbon and Porto places of general Receipt of the King's Revenue Twenty seven Places have their Generalities which are called Comarques or Almoxarifates The Order of Christ that resides at Tomar is the most considerable which they have The Kings are Grand Masters thereof for upon that Order depends all their Conquests from abroad The Knights wear a red Cross and a white one in the middle whereas the Knights of Avis wear a green Cross and those of St. James a red one who have their Residence at Palmella near to Setuval It is said that the Revenue of the Kingdom setting aside that of the Indies amounts to above ten Millions of Livres In the year 1640 this Kingdom revolted from the King of Spain and at that time it was an admirable thing to consider that a Secret of so great importance should be carri'd on with such an exact Secrecy among above two hundred Persons and for the space of a whole year The principal Motives to this Revolt was for that the King of Spain gave leave to others besides the Portugals to Traffick into the East-Indies together with the Tribute of the sixth part which the King caus'd to be published in the year 1636 whereby he exacted five per Cent. of all the Revenues and Merchandizes of the Kingdom It consists of six Provinces which are as many General Governments Entre-Douro and Minho Tralos-M●ntes Beyra E●trema dura Alen teio and the Kingdom of Algarve Entre-Douro and Minho is the most
though others pretend Bacchus to be the Founder of it and that from hence Nimrod and his Followers departed into the Vale Shyna● which lies between the Rivers of Iaxartes now Chesel and Oxus a Country of different soil and indifferent fertile but much augmented by the Industry of the Inhabitants who are the most ingenious of the Western Tartars lovers of Art and well skill'd in Manufactures and Trade The City of Sarmarchand the Marcanda of Ptol. Paracanda Strab. was both the Cradle and Grave to Tamerlan the Great who adorned it with an Academy as is also Bochar Bactria of old Bactra before that Zoroastes and Zoroaspa probably from Zoroaster their first King slain by Ninus A Town of great Trade where lived Avicen one of the most famous Philosophers and Physicians of the East there are also Balch and Badaschian on the Frontiers of Chorozan Sogdiana was a province subject to the Persians Here Cyrus built the old Cyroscata or Cyropolis which held out a long time and was almost fatal to the great Macedonian Conqueror but by him destroyed in revenge of so great a danger Not far from which that Infamous Regicide Bessus after his perfidious dealing with his Prince was apprehended and brought bound to Alexander who abhorring his sight ordered he should be delivered to Oxates the brother of Darius to be disposed of as he should think fit Here also was Alexandria Oxiana and Alexandria Ultima Tarquestan lies east from Usbeck and is subdivided into several Kingdoms of which the best known are Cascar or Hiachan Chialis or Turphan Chiartiam Cotam Thebet or Tenduc and Camul That of Cascar is the richest and is well stored with Rhubarbe That of Ciarthtam is the least and sandy but hath many Jaspers and other Stones Those of Cotam and Chialis have Corn Wine Flax and Hemp. Thebet or Tanguth is stored with Musk and Cinamon whose Kings were formerly called Un-Chan or Prester John a Title now erroneously conferred on the Abassine or Ethiopian Emperor in Africa for Presbyter John was chief of the Kingdom of Tanchut or Tanguth which the Tartars call Barantola the Sarazins Boratai and the Natives Lassa which is by the consent of all knowing persons seated in Asia next to the confines of the great Mogul amongst the Mountains of Caucasus and Imaus It was in the year 1248 when King Lewis was in the Island of Cyprus at Nicosia that Ambassadors from one of the Tartarian Princes whose Name was Ercalthay informed the King that the Great Cham of Tartary had about three years before been baptized having been converted by the Empress his Mother and Daughter of a King of the Indians She having always been a Christan and that their Master Prince Ercalthay who had also for a long time been a Christian was sent by the Great Cham with a potent Army against the Calife of Baldac an Enemy of the Christians The Name of Presbyter John denoteth some Christian Prince whose Dominions are placed by the consent of most knowing Persons not among the Ethiopians nor in any part of Africa as most suppose but in the Continent of Asia but in what part formerly 't was is not exactly known Some Authors say they were Kings of Cathay which is doubtful because 't is now discouered by modern Relations and Travels into those parts that all Cathy is but the Northern part of China But it is more than probable that besides that portion of Land there is another large part of the World conterminate on the north and west unto the Empire of China which in former Ages had the Name of Cathay and is the same with that of Thebet by some called Begargar c. as aforesaid which clearly appeareth by a Voyage of two Fathers from China to the Mogor who tell us that at We●ala a Castle at the end of Barentola the Great Lama or Priest did then reside and gave an account of their Christian Religion And to me it seems further confirmed by a Journy made into the Western Tartary Anno 1683. By the Emperor of China we have this account of those People In all the Western Tartary there is nothing to be found but Mountains Rocks and Vallies there are neither Cities Towns or Villages nor Houses The Inhabitants lodge under Tents in the open Fields which they remove from one Valley to another according as they find pasture They pass their Life either in Hunting or doing nothing As they neither Plow nor Sow so they make no Harvest They live upon Milk Cheese and Flesh and have a sort of Wine not much unlike our Aqua-Vitae with which they are often drunk In short they care for nothing from morning to night but to drink and eat like the Beasts and D●oves which they feed They are not without their Priests which they call Lamas for whom they have a singular veneration in which they differ from the Oriental Tartars the most part of whom have no Religion nor do they believe any God. This part of Tartary lies without the prodigious Wall of China for more than 300 Miles of which Wall saith our Author I can say without Hyperbolizing that the Seven Wonders of the World put together are not comparable to this Work. And all that Fame has spread concerning it among the Europeans is far short of what I myself have 〈◊〉 He also tells us that divers of the Petty Kings of the Western Tartary came from all sides for 300 Miles and some for 500 Miles together with their Wives and Children to salute the Emperor That this Country is divided into 48 Provinces and now tributary to the Emperor of China 〈…〉 which all Authors con●ound with a nonsuch Cathay 〈◊〉 divided into several parts of which I am able to say nothing in the way of Chorography nor much in History only I find that the King of Niulhan or Niuche called Xunchi conquered China at twelve years of Age with the Faithful assistance of his two Uncles a young Conqueror not only famous for his Success but also for the Moderation which he used to his newly subdued People And 't is certain that these Tartars know of no Cities or Towns beyond the wall of China therefore Cathay can be no other than the Northern part of China and Cambalu is Pekin and Quinzey answers to Hancheu The Northen Tartarie which is called the true ancient Tartarie is the coldest most untilled most barbarous and most unknown of all Some amongst them have their Kings others live by Hords or Commonalities As for their Names 't is easie to give what names Men please in parts wholly unknown But in the year 1682 the Emperor of China made a Voyage into the Eastern Tartary In this Journy saith the Father Verbiest who was the publisher of it we always went towards the North East from Pekin in all 1100 miles to the Province of Leao-tum the way being about 300 miles the Capital City whereof is Xin-Yam in the Latitude of 41 Degrees 56 Minutes a
wind and weather Niencheu Kincheu Chucheu Kinhoa Vencheu Ningpo and Xoahing all chief Cities and bravely adorned not far from Ningpo lies Liampo once much frequented by the Portugals The whole Province of Chekiang is every where cut through with Rivers Rivulets and murmuring streams some natural others artificial The chief River Che which gives name to the Country of which they tell us that annually upon the eighteenth day of the eighth Moon which is our October a prodigious Spring-tide happens roaring extreamly in its ascent beyond the loud murmur of Cataracts or Water-breaks and comes with a head high and strangely mounted above the Waters The Province of Nanking by the Tartars called Kiangnan is the second in honour in magnitude and fertility in all China It is divided into fourteen great Territories having Cities and Towns an hundred and ten Nanking or Kiangning being the Metropolis a City that if she did not exceed most Cities on the Earth in bigness and beauty yet she was inferior to few for her Pagodes her Temples her Porcelane Towers her Palaces and Triumphal Arches Fungiang Sucheu Sunkiang Leucheu Hoaigan Ganking Ningue Hoeicheu are also eminent Places and of great Note and Trade The Province of Quantung lies along upon the Sea-shore having many convenient Havens and Harbors It contains ten Counties and eighty great and small Cities Quancheu or Canton by the Portugals is the Metropolis and chief of the Province exceedingly beautified with Pagodes Palaces stately Structures and Triumphal Arches fortified with strong Walls Towers Bulwarks and Redoubts defended by five Castles Of the greatest Trade and the richest in the whole Kingdom The other great Cities are Xaocheu Hoeicheu Chaocheu Chacking Liencheu and Luicheu The Island of Ainan or Hainan is reckoned for the tenth County it lies in the Bay of Tunking separated from China by a Chanel of about five leagues broad where they fish for Pearls it chief City is Kiuncheu or Ingly fortified with strong Walls handsom Buildings and well seated for Trade and the whole Island produceth all Necessaries for human sustenance Southwards of Canton lie many small Islands in the Sea on one of which or rather a little Rock joyned to a great Island lieth the City Macao once possessed by the Portuguese so naturally fortified that 't is almost invincible being defended with two strong Castles against the attempts of an Enemy The Province of Quansi in Bigness plenty of Merchandise and pleasant Fields may compare with the rest It is divided into eleven great Countries which contain ninety eight Cities great and small the chief whereof is Quilia full of stately Structures other chief Cities are Gucheu Kingyang Cincheu Nunning Taping Chingan and others The Province of Quicheu is divided into eight Counties having great and small Cities to the number of eighty one of which Quiyang is the chief Chinyveng Tunying Liping are the next considerable The Province of Junnan though the last in place is not the least in extent and goodness viz. in the abundance of rich commodities 'T is divided into twelve Provinces contaning eighty seven Cities great and small besides thirteen Garisons The Metropolis Junnan boasts to be one of the best and greatest Cities in all China flourishing in Trade and Riches adorned with fair Structures and Temples Jungning Likiang Yaogan Tali Manhoa Kinghung and Lancand are other chief places In short they reckon in these Counties twelve hundred ninety nine Towns two hundred forty seven great Cities called Cheu and eleven hundred fifty two little Towns called Hien yet as big an ordinary City in Europe Martinius sets down thirteen hundred forty eight Towns whereof one hundred fifty nine are great called Cheu and the other Hien There are also great Garisons or Military Countries every one with lesser Garisons under their commands thirty seven in number also several Forts and Castles to the number of one hundred seventy six Besides these Towns and Fortresses China is very full of innumerable Villages and Hamlets so that it appears to be as one entire City Corea is divided into eight Territories On the North it joins to Nieuche in Tartary the South respects the Island Fungma or Quelpaerts on which in the year 1653 the Ship Sperwer of Batavia was Shipwracked and of sixty four men thirty six got to shore who suffered many extreamities and there found one of their Dutch Country men that had been prisoner twenty seven years The whole Country is exceeding populous full of Towns built after the Chinese manner whose Fashions Language Letters Religion and Government the Coreans follow It s chief City is Pinjang but by the aforesaid Dutch mens Relations Sioor was the Royal City from whence in the year 1666 in a Fishermans bark in ten days eight of them got to Gotto Island and from thence to Nengesaque on the Island Dysma The Isle Formosa once Paccand now under the Tartars abounds with Deer wild-Goats Hares Coneys Swine and Tygers the Woods with Pheasants and Pidgeons and the Ground produceth Rice Wheat Sugar Ginger Cinnamon Coco-Nuts and several other necessaries for human Sustenance Their chief practice or special Virtues are Theft Murder and Adultery but if any of the Women prove with Child before they are thirty seven years of Age when they are ready to be delivered the Midwife kneads it to death in the womb They Write Read and have Registers In Anno 1654 hapned a mighty Earthquake which continued seven weeks with little intermissions In December and January is generally the fairest Weather Their greatest Rains are in July and August The Mousons or stormy Seasons begin in October and continue till March which is called the Northern the other or Southern begins in May and holds till September Against the North-East part of Formosa lies a rich golden Mine surrounded by many Rocks from whence in August the Rains wash down great store of gold Oar not far from the Fort Kelang which the Dutch had in possession Taywan or Tayovan upon the Isle Formosa the utmost North-point being distant almost a league but the Southermost point within a Bow-shot of the Land it is about two leagues and an half in Length and a quarter in Breadth on the North-side upon a Sand-Hill stands the Fort Zelandia built by the Dutch 1632 under the Castle Westward lies another Fort guarded by two points of the Sea A Bow-shot distant lies a strong Outwork being the Key to the Castle called Utrecht Eastward from which stands the Town built by the Dutch On the other side on the main of Formosa stands the Fort and Village Sakkam well planted with Cannon but in the year 1661 Coxinga and his Associates being a crew of Rebels Chineses took both the Island of Formosa and Tayoven from the Dutch after a siege of ten Months where Coxinga found ten Tun of Gold forty pieces of Ordnance and other things to a great value Of JAPAN JAPONAE ac TERRAE IESSONIS Novissima Descriptio Robt. Morden THE Island of Japan
discover the admirable Secrets of this Science and to unfold the Aenigmas under which it lies hid Egypt is generally divided into four parts Thebais now Sahid or upper Egypt Bechria or Demesor otherwise middle Egypt Errif or the lower Egppt and the Coast of the Red-Sea Some make only two Divisions the Upper and the Lower following the course of Nile But at present Egypt is also divided into Twelve Caciefs Sangiacutes or Governments Jaques Albert reckons thirteen Kossuffs or Provincial Jurisdictions viz. Girgio or Sahid Manselout Benesuef Fiam Gize Bouhera or Baera Garbia Menousia Mansoura Kallioubich Minio Cherkeffi and Kattia But the Divan or Council of Gran Cairo will not allow Kattia to be numbred with the rest F. Vansleb tells us There are thirty six Caciefs or petty Governors Strabo of old divided it into thirty seven Parts by the Greeks called Monoi Ptolomy enlarged it to forty and Herodotus reduced it to twenty eight But thirty seven seems most agreeing to the mysterious Temple or Labyrinth on the South side of the City of Alexandria near the Lake Mereotis and adjoyning to the Sepurchers of King Meris and his Wife in the midst whereof were thirty seven Palaces belonging to the thirty seven Jurisdictions of Egypt whereof ten in Thebaes ten in Delta and seventeen in the middle Region unto which resorted the several Presidents who had there their particular Temples to celebrate the Festivals of their Gods. There were also fifteen Chapels containing each a Nemesis to advise of Matters of Importance concerning the General Welfare Among the Cities Caire is call'd the Great in respect of the advantages which it has above all the Cities of Africa It is three Leagues Lower and upon the opposite side to that place where stood the antient Memphis The Castle which is built upon the rising ground has the noblest prospect and enjoys the best Air in the World. It is one of the largest and most Magnificent and counted the strongest that ever was contrived But the last relation of 1627 says it hath lost much of its antient Splendor and it is not now of any strength It is not of Marble as some relate but beautifi'd with several pieces of Mosaic work In the Castle Gun-powder is made in two Rooms in each of which are twelve Pewter Morters with Iron Pestles to pound the Ingredients which receive their motion from a long Pole that answers to a B●am that stands in the middle of a Chamber which a Horse turns round The Water of Nile is convey'd thither by an Aqueduct of a hundred and fifty Arches The Inhabitants of Caire must needs be very numerous it being averr'd that in the year 1618 there dy d above six hundred thousand People of the Pestilence and yet there was no miss of the Inhabitants And our Author tells us That the Archbishop of Mount Sinai told him That the Plague of 1671 or 1672 had swept away 680000 poor Persons but of the richer sort scarce four hundred were dead In short they say it contains two hundred thousand Houses eighteen thousand considerable Streets and is in Compass about twenty five or thirty Leagues But then you must take in the Old as well the New Caire Festat Babylon Charaffat and the Boulac that joyns to it For the New Caire it self is not so big as Paris The People ride in the Streets upon Asses as we make use of Sedans not but there are Horses in Egypt but the Turks have introduc'd this Custom to preserve the Horses for themselves The Inhabitants of Caire make those fair Carpets which we call Turkie Carpets Five Miles South East of the Pyramids and two from the Nilus West stood the Regal City of Memphis the Strength and Glory of old Egypt where was the Temple of Apis and the sumptuous Temple of Vulcan Here stood the Fane of Venus and that of Serapis A City once adorned with a World of Antiquities but now the Ruins are almost ruinated Besides the Pyramids and the Mummies which are about six Leagues from Caire all Travellers are curious to see Josephs Well and his Granaries About two Leagues also from Caire is to be seen the Matarea Ma-Tarca or retiring place of the Virgin with a Fountain which together with that at Caire is the only Spring Water of Egypt But the Plant or Balm trees which bears the true Balsom and which was brought from the Holy Land by the care of Cleopatra and the permission of Antony is quite lost As also the Sycamore Tree which split in two to hide our Lord Jesus Christ and his most Holy Mother when the Soldiers of Herod persued them Sahid formerly Thebes Diospolis Heliopolis D. Siculo Solis Oppidum Plin. which had a hundred Gates was the Residence of the Egyptian Kings who afterwards remov'd to Alexandria thence to Memphis and lastly to Caire The Modern Relations call this City Gergio and make it the Residence of a Basha affirming that only the Province bears the Name of Sahid called Hecatompylos and in the Copt●es Dictionaries Antinoe and Thebes now Insine teste Vansleb Its Mountains and Islands are as great Curiosities as any in Egypt As also the Pillar of Marcus Aurelius and the Arch of Triumph and the Hieroglyphick Cave where the Colours of the Figures are very beautiful and lively during so many Ages passed Now Minio teste Sanson Alexandria Scanderic Turcis Arahibus Hebraeis No built by Alexander the Great was formerly one of the best Cities in all Africa next to Carthage where the Ptolomies and Cleopatra kept their Courts It was adorned with many stately Edifices the most famous whereof were the Serapian which for the curious Workmanship and stateliness of Building was not inferior to the Roman Capitol The Library of Ptolomy Philadelphus founded the year after the Creation of the World 3704 or by others 3●80 is said to contain 400000 or as others write 700000 Volumes The Obelisks full of Egyptian Hieroglyphicks of a vast bigness and of an intire Stone When this City was subject to the Romans it contributed to them more in one Month than Jerusalem in a whole year Formerly the Tower of Pharos stood not far from it one of the seven Wonders of the World. The Pillar of Pompey leans on one side occasioned by the Arabians digging and under-mining of it in searching for a great Treasury hid under it as they believe The City enjoys a small Trade to this day by reason of its two Ports or Havens and is the Seat of a Patriarch St. Mark and St. Catherine have render'd it famous in Ecclesiastical History and in the Deserts of St. Macarius where were reckon'd to be above three hundred Monasteries which lie to the West of it But now of all those Monasteries there are but two remarkable that of the Syrians and Amba Biscio● Damietta by the Arabians Damiat Tamiatis or Tamiathis teste Guilandino about eight Miles from the mouth of Nilus Next to Cairo it is the greatest most beautiful
The last Kings of Tombote were reported to have great store of Gold in Bars and Ingots The Kingdom of Gu●l●ta affords Millet Geneh●a is rich in Cotton In that of Agades stands a City indifferently well built Borno formerly the Country o● the Garaman●es is inhabited by a People that have all things in common every particular person acknowledging them for his Children which are most like 'em the most flat nos'd being acconuted the most beautiful They of Senega trade in Slaves Gold-dust Hides Gums and Civets The Negro's there are very strong and therefore bear a better price those of Guiny are good but not so strong for which reason they are usua ly put to work within doors 'T is the Proverb That he that would have good service from a Negro must give him little Meat keep him to hard Labor and beat him often To the South of Niger lie several little Kingdoms that of Melli with a City containing six thousand Houses Gago abounding in Gold. Z●●r●g considerable for its ●rade Z●nfara fertile in Corn. To reckon any more of their Towns would be as tedious as unnecessary as being neither well peopl'd nor of any Trade And indeed all these Kingdoms and People are so little known that 't is not worth the time and pains to speak more of them I shall only say That the Arabian Geographer tells Wonders of Ghana or Cano of its Greatness Riches and Trade of its King Government Palace c. But how far to be credited must be left to those who have been in those parts the Portugals and Hollanders having been the chief Traders on these Coasts Of GVINY Giny is a long Coast of Land contained between the Cape of Sirra Leone on the West and the River Camerones on the East containing about seven or eight hundred Leagues in length and not above one hundred or one hundred and fifty in breadth It is divided into three principal Parts called Maleguete Guiny and Benin Under the Name of Malaguete is contained all that Land between the Capes of Sirra Leona and Palm●s and is so called from the abundance of M●leguete a sort of Spice like Pepper but much stronger than that of India and of their Palm-trees they make Wine as strong as the best of ours Guiny extends from Cape Palmas to the River Voltas it is the largest and best known of all the three Parts its Coast from Cape Palmas to Cape three Punctas is called the Ivory Coast that which is beyond it is called the Cold Coast where are the Kingdoms of Sabou Foetu Accara and others The Kingdom of Benin which is the third Part hath more than two hundred and fifty Leagues in length Cape Formosa dividing it into two parts its principal City so called is esteemed the greatest and best built of any in Guiny the King thereof is said to keep five or six hundred Wives The whole Coast of Guiny is subject to such excessive heats that were it not for the Rains and the coolness of the Nights it would be altogether unhabitable It furnishes other Countries with Parrats Apes White Salt Elephants Teeth Hides Cotton Wax Ambergreefe Gold and Slaves The Natives are reputed to be presumptuous Thieves Idolaters and ver superstitious keeping their Festisoes day or Sabbath on the Thursday there is Saint George of the Mine built by the Portugals but now in the possession of the Hollander as also the Ports Nassau Cormentin and Axima To the English among others belongs Cape Corse and to the Danes Frederic's burgh The best City that belongs to the Negro's is Ardra toward the Coast in Benin 〈…〉 Govern'd by a King who sent an Embassador to Paris toward the end of the year 1670 for the settlement of a Trade The Baboons in Guiny do the Natives very great pieces of service For they fetch Water turn the Spit and wait at Table c. Nubia is three hundred Leagues in length and two hundred in breadth It preserves some remains of Christianism in the old Churches and in their Ceremonies of Baptism The Nubians are under a King who always keeps a Body of Horse upon the Frontiers of his Kingdom as having potent Enemies to his Neighbours the Ab●ssius and Turkish Historians credibly relates that an Army of one hundred thousand Horse was rais'd and lead against one of the Governors of Egypt by a King of Nubia Out of this Country the Merchants export Gold Civet Sandal-wood Ivory Arms and Cloath The Nubians trade chiefly with the Egyptians of Caire and other Cities of that Country They have a subtile and penetrating Poyson an ounce whereof is valued at a hundred Ducats Insomuch that one of the principal Revenues of the King is in the Duties which he receives for the Exportation of this Poyson They sell it to strangers upon condition they shall not make use of it within the Kingdom There grow Sugar-Canes in the Country but the Natives know not what to do with them There are among them a sort of Bereberes of the Musselman Religion who travel in Troops to Cairo where they put themselves into service and return again as soon as they have got ten or twelve Piasters together The Capital Cities are Nubia and Dancala near to Nile The rest so little known that it suffices to see their names in the Maps A Relation made in the year 16 7 tell us That the King of Dancala pays a Tribute in Linen Cloath to the King of the Abyssius Geography is in some measure beholding to this Country as being the place that gave birth to that famous Nubian Geographer Of ETHIOPIA Or HABESSINIA HABESSINIA Seu ABASSIA at ETHIOPIA By R. Morden So little of Truth hath been communicated to this part of the World concerning Ethiopia that having met with the Ethiopick History of Job Ludolfus which is the most exact Account extant I have been the larger in taking an Abstract of it 'T is seated as this Author tells us in Africa above Egypt beyond Nubia between the eighth and sixteenth Degree of North Latitude contrary to all our Maps extant which extends it self to the fourteenth or fifteenth Degree South Latitude So that the length of it from North to South is not more than four hundred and eighty Miles of sixty to a Degree but according to the old Maps it was more than one thousand eight hundred of the same Miles and the length of it is about six hundred Miles from the Red-Sea at the Port of Bailleur to the River Nilus at the farthest limits of Dembea Towards the North it joyns to the Kingdom of Fund or Sennar by the Portugals Fungi a part of the antient Nubia towards the Fast it was formerly bounded by the Red-Sea But now the Turks are Masters of Arkiko the Island Matzua and all that Coast only the Prince of Dancale who commands the Port of Baylur is a Friend to the Abessines But the King of Adel a Mahumetan upon the straits of Bab-elman dab the Dreadful Mouth
water'd with Rivers and Lakes full of Fish Pity it is that so noble an Island and so populous should continue so long uncivilized and corrupted with Mahumetism and Heathenism and estranged from God and Virtue and seated so advantageously for Traffick with all the World. They transport from thence Rice Hides Wax Gums Christal Steel Copper Ebony and Woods of several sorts Among the Natives there are both Blacks and Whites generally Strong Active and Couragious delighted with Sports and Novelties Hunting Hawking Fishing and Dancing are their Recreations Nature abhorring cruelty instructs them to punish●●●ther with Death Adultery with publick Shame These with Banishment Ignorant they are in Agriculture and Learning for to them Nil scire nihil Jucundius There are in Madagascar a great number of particular Lords who bear the Title of Rohandrians who are continually at War among themselves for their Cattle The English Portugals and Hollanders have sometimes set footing there The English in the Bay of St. Augustin and at Port del Gada The Portugals in the Bay of Gallions The Hollanders in the Bay of Antongil But since the erecting Fort Dauphine the French have assum'd to themselves all the Eastern and Southern part of the Isle Madagascar sits as Empress amongst many smaller Islands which do as it were inviron and defend her The Chief whereof are the Isle Burbon otherwise called Mascarenhas twenty five Leagues long and fourteen broad it belongs at this day wholly to the French. In this Island there is a Mountain that vomits Fire but the rest of the Land is the best and most pleasant in the World for the Waters are very wholesome and there are most of the Commodities which are in the Island of Madagascar This is also call'd by our Sea-men Englands Forest The other Islands are Mauritius or Cerne where the Variation was twenty four Degrees and nineteen Minutes teste Herbert An Island abounding with and capable of all things requisite for the necessary use of Man in circuit about one hundred English Miles The Air good the Soil luxuriant in Grass Herbs and Flowers replenished with Trees of several sorts especially with Ebony Cocos and the Palm Tree Saint Apolonia and others the Names and Situations whereof you may see in the Map. Nine Leagues from Madagascar lie the Sholes or Baixos d' India memorably dangerous for Shipwracks as are also John de Nova and Primero or St. Christopher upon the Baixos d' Pracel The Isles of Chumro are four viz. Chumro Motilla where the Variation was sixteen Degrees and twenty Minutes Joanna and Mayotta MALTHA by Rob. Morden MAltha seated almost in the middle of the Mediterranean was formerly call'd Melita from its plenty of Hony. It is said to belong to Africa as being nearer to that Coast than the Coast of Europe and for that the Maltesi partake more of the Customs and Manners of the Africans than of the Europeans The Island had formerly the same Lords as Sicily Now it is the Residence of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem under one Prince whom they call the Grand Master the Patron of the Order The Emperor Charles the Fifth gave it to the Knights who had no certain Residence after the loss of Rhodes having formerly resided at Jerusalem Margat Acra and Limisso in the Island of Cyprus The Order is compos'd of eight Languagues Provinc Auvergne France Italy Aragon England Germany and Castile The three Languages of France have three hundred Commanderies but the rest of the five altogether have no more The name of Knights was not in use at the beginning of the Institution being then call'd the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem The Soyl of the Island which is not above two Foot deep produces Cuminseed Anniseseed and Cotton Wool here is but little Corn and Wine so that Sicily supplies that defect The Island is not above twenty three Miles in length and twelve broad It is the best fortifi'd place in the World as being the Bulwark of Christendom there being above three hundred Canons mounted upon all her Fortresses The Roses of Maltha contend for sweetness with those of Paestam and the Hony with that of Hybla or Hymettus The Air is clear and healthful and the Inhabitants live long The New City Valetta is fortified with impregnable Walls and Bulworks There are also three other considerable Towns viz. the Isola or the Town Senglea with the Fort of St. Michael which for its stout resistance it made in 1565 against the Turks obtained the Name of Citta Invitta The other the Borgo del Castello a Mare guarded with the Castle St. Angelo for its Valor and Fidelity against the Ottoman Army 1569 was honoured with the Title of Citta Vittoriosa Lastly the Old City called Milita now Citta Notabile about the middle of the Island To which we may add about thirty or forty great Casales or Villages and twenty six Parish Churches the number of Inhabitants according to a Survey taken 1632 were 50112 of which about ¼ may be now accounted fighting Men. The number of Knights are said to be between two or three thousand And the number of Slaves about two thousand belonging to the Order besides three hundred to private Persons besides those in the Gallies The Great Master of the Order is now Prince and Chief Governor of the whole Island and the Island now is in a very flourishing condition so that few Subjects live more happily Gozo of old Gaulos a little Island near to Maltha affords Wheat and other Grain and the Grand Master is call'd Prince thereof It maintains about three thousand Persons and about five hundred Houses in the year 1565 the Turkish Armata most inhumanly wasted it and carried away six thousand Prisoners Between Maltha and Gozo lies a little Island called Comino H●phaestia of old guarded with a Fort opposite to that in Gozo And to the young Knights whose valor deserves reward he gives the Title of Prince of Forfolo which is a Rock not far from the Coast AMERICA AMERICA By R. Morden THIS fourth and last part of the World is call'd the New World new for its last discovery World for its greatness 't is likewise commonly but improperly termed America and often the West Indies what kind of Country it is and what it produceth we now do know in part but shall know better in future Ages This great part of the Earth was unknown to the Europeans until the year 1492 when it pleased Divine Providence God having promised that his Gospel should be preached to all Nations to stir up one Christopher Colon alias Columbus a Genoese who whether by considering the motion of the Sun he did persuade himself that there was another World to which that glorious Planet did Communicate both its Light and Heat when it went from us or whether he was informed of it from Alonso Zanches we know not certain it is this World he purposed to seek after and opening his design to the State of Genoa
narrowest part about one League over The Water deep no ground with forty fathom of Line At the Mouth of the entrance it was high Water at eight of Clock on the Full Moon and on the Change. The distance between the first and second Narrow is about ten Leagues and in breadth about six Leagues The second Narrow is about three Leagues in length and four or five Miles broad in which were Queen Elizabeths Island upon which were seen thirty Indians St. Georges Island St. Bartholomews Island c. About Port Famine the Hills are very high and covered with Snow but the Land towards the Water side was lower and full of good Timber Trees In Fortiscus Bay or Port Gallant Water floweth ten Foot and 't is high Water about ten of the Clock on the Full Moon About Cape Munday was observed sixteen or seventeen Degrees Variation and is about thirteen Leagues from Cape Desire The English went up Segars River by Boat about nine Miles and two by Land but could see no Inhabitants From Cape Blanko to the Lizard the difference of Longitude was found to be 60d 45 m 5 / 10 and Meridian distance eight hundred and forty Leagues The West Entrance of the Streights of Magellan is 5● d of South Lat. and the East Entrance lies in 52d 20 m The length is an hundred and ten Leagues The breadth in some places two Leagues in others not two Miles over and is famous for the passage of Magellan Drake Cavendish Oliver Van North Scouton c. There is another passage between the South Sea and the Atlantick Ocean call'd Fretum le Maire found out in the year 16●5 much more convenient than the former being about ten or twelve Leagues of length and breadth and then a large Sea formerly supposed to be Terra Australis or Terra Incognita That of Brewers discovered in the year 1643 hath the same advantages as that of La Maire CHILI and PARAGAY by Robt. Morden CHili bears the name of one of her Valleys though some say it is so called by reason of the cold weather in the Mountains which inviron it toward the North and East The difficulty of passing through these Mountains obliges the Spaniards to go by Sea when they have business at Chili They have possessed it ever since the year 1554 at which time they conquered it under one of the Almagres In some parts of this Country the Soil is so fertile and pleasant that no part of all America more resembles Europe It yields Ostriches Copper the finest Gold in the World and there are so many Mines that Chili is reckon'd but one plate of Gold which makes the King of Spain take more than ordinary care for its preservation So that it costs him more to defend that place than all the rest of America The cold is however so excessive that Almagre lost more Men and Horses by the Cold than by the Sword at the end of four Months after he invaded it the Inhabitants found some of his Horsemen that were dead and sate in a living posture as fresh as if they had but newly taken Horse Their Rivers run only in the day being frozen all the night long notwithstanding there are several Mountains that cast forth Fire The Spaniards have a Governor there who is under the Vice-Roy of Peru. The Savages being governed by their Captains The Arauques above all the rest made such a resistance that the Spaniards were forced to make a Peace with them in the year 1641. In all America there are no people more Valiant or more Warlike than those Arauques They know how to make Swords Muskets and Cuirasses as also how to range themselves in Battel to fight retreating to encamp to advantage to fortifie and to use Stratagems all which they learn by having seen but once They have often surpriz'd and ruin'd Cities massacred Garisons and demolished the Fortresses Araucho Puren and Tu-Capel In short an Arauque will not be afraid at any time to encounter a Spaniard St. Jago La Conceptio and Imperiale are the principal Cities of Chili La Conceptio is the Residence of the Governor by reason of the neighbourhood of the Arauques Valparaiso is an excellent Port for the City of Saint Jago Mocha five Leagues from the Continent is a little Island upon the Coast where the Ships oft-times take in fresh Water and whither many of the Inhabitants retired from the cruelty of the Spaniards La Sarena taken and fired by the Buccaniers It had seven Churches and one Chappel the Houses neatly furnished In the Gardens were Strawberries as big as Walnuts At Isle de Juan Fernandez in Latitude 3● d 40 m neither Fowl nor Fish At El Guasco the Bu●caniers got store of Sheep and Goats Lat. 28d 40m. Near Point St. Helena is a Rock which runneth into the Water for half a Mile distant about eight Leagues called Chanday where many Ships are lost Of Paraguay Rio de la Plata THE Name of P●ata is common to the Country and to a great River that waters it 't was given there ●nto in consideration of the Mines and the Silver which they first got from thence The Country is very pleasant and delightful for it abounds in Corn Vineyards Fruit-trees and Cattel in abundance Assumption is the chief Place in the Country where the Spaniard keeps a Garison near to which is a great Lake in the midst whereof is a great Rock said to be two Fathom above the Water The true Paraguay lies towards the head of the River that bears the same name which in our Language signifies the River of Feathers Parana lies along by the River side wherein there are Cataracts or falls of Water above a hundred Cubits high Buenos Aires is one of the best Colonies by reason of its Commerce with Brasil from whence it receives the Merchandizes of Europe Which is the reason that invites the Spaniards thither from Potosi to exchange their Ingots for such necessaries as they want notwithstanding the rigorous Prohibitions of their King whose duties are lost by that means Chaco is a fruitful Country interlaced with many Rivers The Tobares were about fifty thousand and a valiant People The Chiraguanes will not suffer the Spaniards to live amongst them In this Country grow great Trees of which the Natives make Boats all of a piece They mark out their High-ways by the sellings of their Trees and in regard these Trees are some black some green some red some yellow the Forests afford a pleasant prospect The Orochons are remarkable for the bigness of their Ears According to the relations of the year 1627. there are in Plata a more civiliz'd People and more capable to learn our Arts and our Religion than in all the other parts of America For they say that according to a Tradition delivered to their Fathers by Saint Thomas whom they call St. Sume certain Priests shall come into their Country and instruct them in the way of their Salvation Tu●uman
is a very ten perate Country interdivided with several Rivers which having water'd the Plains fall into the great River of Plata The Inhabitants are docible lovers of peace rather than War So that the Spanish Captain that subdu'd them had no great need of any considerable force for that purpose They have many Cities where they live under the Jurisdiction of the Caciques and their Wealth consists rather in Cattel than Mines The Spaniards have a Governor there and the principal City is St. Jago de Estero in the mid-way between Buenos Ayres and Potosi Then St. Miguel de Tucumen N. S. de Talevera on the River Salado Corduba on the Road from Bueyos Ayres and Potosi and from Sancta Fee to St Jago in Chili The Quirandies to the Meridional part partake apparently of the Scithian humor For they live in Huts that move upon Wheels and have always made great resistance against the Spaniards The Trapalandes the Juries and Diaquites are the most famous BRAZILE A New Decription by Robt. Morden BRasile was called the Country of the Holy Cross when it was first discovered which was in the year 1501 in the name of the King of Portugal it extends it self all along upon the North Sea toward the North and East with great Rocks near the Shore under Water the distances between which make several good Ports The bounds thereof towards the West are not known The Southern bounds are variously placed according to the wills of Portugals and the Spaniards for both the one and the other interpret according to their own sense the Regulation that was made in the year 1493 and both claim the possession of the River of Plata and the Molucca Islands making to that effect Geographical Maps to their own advantage By this Regulation Alexander the Sixth whom Sixtus the Fifth extols for one of the three greatest Popes of the Church invested Ferdinand King of Arragon and Isabel Queen of Castile his Wife in all the Lands to the West of an Imaginary Line drawn from one Pole to the other one hundred Leagues beyond the Isles of Azores That was discovered to the East of this Line was to belong to the King of Portugal the difficulty was to put it in execution for on the one side the Castillians began to count these hundred Leagues from the most Occidental part of the Azores and the Portugueses reckon'd from the most Oriental with a design to exchange the Deserts of America for the Possession of the wealthy Molucca's which were afterwards engaged to their King by the Emperor Charles the Fifth for three hundred and fifty thousand Duckers At length because these two Nations could no more agree in this particular than in many others the Portugals accounted Brasile all that which extends from the River Maranhaon to the River of Plata Southward and the Spaniards placed the Southern bounds thereof at Cape St. Vincents Though Brasile lie under the Torrid Zone nevertheless the Air is temperate and the Water the best in the World so that the People live often to the Age of an hundred and fifty years Besides Brasile the Country produces Amber Balsom Tobacco Train-Oil Cattle Sweet-meats above all things Sugar in abundance The neighbourhood of Plata gives the Portugueses great opportunities of sucking the Spaniards Silver from Peru. There are in Brasile living Creatures Trees Fruits and Roots not to be found any where else The Serpents Adders and Toads have Poison in them and therefore the Natives feed upon them The Plains are destin'd for Sugar the Hills for Wood the Valleys for Tobacco for Fruits and Mandroche which is a certain Root of which they make Bread. The most part of the Villages do not contain above an hundred or sixscore Houses The Coast of Brasil is divided into several Capitanies which belong at this day all to the Portugals The French had formerly something to do there but the Hollanders lost all their footing in the year 1654 their Wars with England not permitting them to send any relief and the Portugals being far more numerous than they Nevertheless in the year 16 2 the Portuga s treated with them to allow them some damages to preserve their friendship when they were to defend themselves against the Spaniards Among all the Capitanies Tamaraca is the most antient though the smallest Fernanbuco is esteemed the Terrestrial Par●●●se by reason of the beauty of its Soil Bahia de Todos los Santos contains the City of San Salvador the Residence of the Governor which was taken in 1624 by the Hollanders who got so much Plunder there that every Common Soldier had for his share above fifteen thousand Crowns But this good Fortune was the cause of their retreat and their retreat gave the Portugals opportunity to retake it The Capitanie of Rio Janeiro which the Savages call Ganabara is a great Rendevouz for Ships by means of a navigable River or rather an Arm of the Sea that runs up ten or twelve Leagues into the Land some seven or eight Leagues broad In the year 16●8 a Silver Mine was found in that Capitanie That of San Vincent contains Mines of Gold and Silver The City of Santos is able to harbor Vessels of four hundred Tuns in its Port in the year 1591 it was assaulted by Sir Thomas Cavendish The People of Brasil go naked for the most part and will cross great Rivers by the help of a Pannier and a Cord. The Chief are the Toupinambous Les Margajas Tapuyes and others who differ in Manners and Languages and are generally distinguished by the wearing of their hair They were more numerous before the coming of the Portugals but several Toupinambous to preserve their liberty crossed the great Deserts and went to live near the River Maranabon The Tapuyes are more difficult to be civilized than the Brasilians which inhabit the Aldees The Aldees are certain Villages which contain not above six or seven Houses but very large and able to contain five or six hundred Persons The most part of the Inhabitants of Brasil have so well defended themselves that notwithstanding the Wars they have had among themselves they have however hindred the Europeans from making any progress in the Conquest of their Lands And have also several times ruined the Plantations and Engines belonging the Sugar-works that are upon the Coast CASTILLA del Or GVIANA PERV The Country of the Amasones by Robt. Morden THE River Amazone is the greatest and swiftest River in America It begins at the foot of the Cordellier Mountains eight or ten Leagues from Quito● From its Springs to its approaches to the Sea is according to its course eleven or twelve hundred Leagues at its mouth it is fifty or sixty Leagues wide It is inhabited by abundance of People and receives an innumerable company of Rivers The Voyages of Texeira tells us that the Counties about the Amazone enjoy a temperate Air. That the Annual Inundations like to those of Nile the great quantity of Trees and
Forests that the pleasantness of their Fruits the Verdure of their Herbs and the beauty of their Flowers give refreshment and delights to the Inhabitants all the year long That 't is a Country fertile in Grains rich in Pastures full with Rivers and Lakes stored with delicate Fish and Tortoise that their Honey is Medicinal their Balm excellent for Wounds that they have inexhaustible quantities of Ebony and Brazil store of Cacoa and Tobacco plenty of Sugar Canes and Rocon for the dying of Scarlet besides Gold Silver and other Metals which are found there That they observed an hundred and fifty different Nations upon and about the Banks of the Amazone of which the Homagues are excellent for their Manufactures of Cotton Cloath The Corosipares for their Earthen Vessels The Sarines for their Joynery Work. The Topinamubes for their power As for the Amazonian Women from whence it is pretended this River took its name many and strange Relations have been writ of them All I can find of it is that when the Inhabitants were in Arms at the arrival of the Spaniards there were some Women so couragious as to be amongst them but never any Country of such and therefore as fabulous as those of whom the Greeks have formerly writ such wonders Of PERV PERV is a name so remarkable that under the same many times all the other parts of Southern America are comprehended It lies almost all under the Torrid Zone and yet it has not the qualities of the Countries in our Hemisphere that lie under the same Zone There are in it three sorts of Countries very different the one from the other the Plain the Hill and the Andes The Plain lies near the Sea nothing delightful being sandy and subject to Earthquakes The hilly Country consists of Vallies Hills and Mountains where it is very cool The Andes where it almost continually rains are very high Mountains yet fertile and well peopled The Plain is not above twelve Leagues broad the Hilly Country twenty and the Andes as broad as that So that under the name of Peru are comprehended more Lands than are subdued by the Spaniards The Spaniards have a Vice-Roy in that Country where they have particularly fortified Arica being the place where the Merchandises of Lima and the Wealth of Potosi are brought They invaded this Kingdom under Pizarro in the year 1525. But the Civil Wars that ensued hindred for some time the absolute Conquest of the Country The Indians that cannot defend themselves pay Tribute The King of Spain receives vast Treasures out of the Mines of Peru. For the principal Cities are full of it and the very Earth is oftentimes nothing but Gold and Silver So that Peru is certainly the richest Country in the World. And it reported that the Spaniards made above twenty Millions of Ducates of their first Voyage thither The Ways are so secure from Robbery that four Musqueteers serve for a Convoy for three or four thousand Ducates The Inca's were Hereditary Kings of Peru for above three hundred years before the Invasion of the Spaniards They had made there two High-ways the one along the Plain where it required an extraordinary Expence to settle the Sand the other over the Mountain where it was as necessary to fill up the Valleys These High-ways were every one of them five hundred Leagues in length and upon the Road stood Houses whither Travellers were carried and entertained by the Natives upon freecost The same Inca's had also reared Temples to the Sun to the Moon and to the Stars which they call Ladies attending the Moon to Lightning Thunder and Thunder-bolts and to the Rain-bow which they said executed the Sun's justice It is reported that their Polities were not unlike those of the Greeks and Romans that their Government was mild free and liberal And that they divided the Earth into three parts the first high the second low and the third under ground signifying Earth Heaven and Hell. Atabalippa who was one of those Kings said That the Pope was not a Wise Man to give away that which was none of his own and that for his part he had more reason to prefer the Divinity of the Sun than of a Man that was crucified He also threw away a Breviary which they presented because it spoke never a word of Christ of whom they told him it related great things This unfortunate Prince being defeated and taken by the Spaniards at Caxamalca offer'd for his liberty as much Gold as could be heaped up half way in a Hall seven and twenty foot long sixteen foot wide and proportionably high nevertheless they put him to death as a Traytor and a Tyrant It is not to be wondred that the Inca's had such vast store of Gold and Silver for they had framed in Gold all the Creatures and Plants imaginable in their Temples also they put great numbers of Statues of all pure Gold and adorn'd with precious Stones The Edifices were demolished by the Spaniards who expected to find Gold in the Materials and in the cement of the Stones though they got a prodigious Sum besides The Provinces of Peru are Quito Los Reyes Los Charcas and La Sierra Quito which produces much Gold Cotton and Physical Drugs has a City of the same Name the antient Residence of Inca Guaynacapa The Province de los Reyes contains the best Cities in the Country Lima and Cusco Lima is new and one of the best in all America though it contain not above six thousand Inhabitants There are also about four thousand Negroes but they keep them disarm'd for fear of revolting The great Trade of the Town the Residence of the Vice-Roy and the Archbishop make it the Capital City of Peru. Cal●ao a City and a Port two Leagues from Lima is able to receive and secure several Vessels Cusco built four hundred years before the Spaniards took it very well peopled because the King usually kept his Court and obliged the Lords of the Country to build them Houses and dwell in the City with their Children The Province de los Charcas contains the Cities of La Plata and Potosi which is the best inhabited place in all the West Indies for it is stored with all conveniencies and delights of this Life for which reason several People go to live there The Silver Mines in her Mountains are certainly the richest in the World and no way subject to the Water as the other Mines are The King of Spain had from thence a Million of Ducates formerly for his fifth but for some time since the Rent has fallen At the Island Perico was the Fight between the Buccaniers and Spaniards where the Buccaniers took five Ships the Buccaniers were but sixty eight Men the Spaniards two hundred and twenty eight At Gorgona Island the Buccaniers carreen'd At the Isle of Plate Sir F. Drake made the Dividend of that vast quantity of Plate which he took from the S. Armada which the Spaniards say was twelve score
with Springs and Rivers of fresh Water Cattle and Fowl are in great plenty and other Lakes and Rivers afford store of Fish Thascala or Los Angelos is a Country very plentiful both of Corn and Cattle full of rich Pastures well watered with Rivers and wonderfully stored with Maize which they make their Bread of Places of most note are first Thascala Situate on an easie ascent betwixt two Rivers encompassed with a large pleasant and fruitful plain said to be so populous before the arrival of the Spaniards that it could number above three hundred thousand Inhabitants Second Angelos a fair City distant from Mexico twenty two Leagues and thirty from Latera Cruz Thirdly La Vera Cruz built by the Cortez a place of great encourse situate near the Gulph from whence there is a through-fair to Mexico from whence it is distant about fifty two Leagues In May 83. about nine hundred or a thousand Privateers at Night landed and through the negligence of the Spanish Centinels surprised the Town and two Forts the one of twelve the other of eight Guns They plundered the Town for three days where they got a great deal of Plate Jewels c. and might also have taken the Castle which is seated about three quarters of a Miles into the Sea and hath thirty Guns mounted Saint John de Vlloa at Vlhua the most noted Port of this Province fenced with a Peer against the fury of the Winds and Sea defended naturally by Rocks and Quick-sands and by two Bulworks well fortified on both sides of his entrance Famous for that it was the first beginning of that great Conquest of the Valiant Cortez Here he first sunk the Ships that brought the Spaniards from Cuba to the intent they might think of nothing but Conquest and here five hundred Spaniards ventured against millions of Enemies and began the Conquest of the fourth part of the World. Xalappa de la Vera Cruz made a Bishops See in the year 1634 said to be worth ten thousand Duckets a year La Rinconada is a House or Inn which the Spaniards call Venla seated in a low Valley the hottest Place in all the Road to Mexico plentiful in Provisions and the sweetness and coolness of the Water is a great refreshment but the swarms of Gnats in the Night are most intolerable Segura de la Frontera was built by Cortez in his Wars with the Culhuacans and Tepeacaes Tlaxcallan a Common-wealth The Inhabitants whereof in one Battel against Cortez had 150000 fighting Men afterwards joyned with Cortez and were the chief Instruments of his unparallel'd Conquest being mortal Enemies to Monte●uma the Mexican Emperor and therefore are free from Tribute by the Kings of Spain Nixapa is a Town of eight hundred Inhabitants Spaniards and Indians where is a rich Cloister of Dominican Friers and one of the richest places in the County of Braxuca Tecoantepeque is a small and unfortified Harbor on Mar del Zur Aquatulco and Capa●ita are great Towns in a plain Country Taponapeque is a sweet and pleasant Town well stored with Flesh and Fish and Fowl. In this Province are said to be two hundred Towns one thousand Villages twenty five thousand Indians which are priviledged and exempted from all extraordinary Charge and Imposition because of their assisting Cortez in his Conquest of Mexico In the Valley of St. Paul was a Country Man possessed of forty thousand Sheep which were the product of two only which were brought him out of Spain Guaxaca is a Province of a healthful and a sweet Air of a fertile Soil not only in Corn but also in Fruit Cochineil Silk Cassia the Earth well stored with Mines of Gold Silver and other Metals and most of the Rivers stream down Sand-Gold It s chief places are Antequera a Bishoprick adorned with stately buildings and a Magnificent Cathedral Church Aquatul●o is a noted and convenient Port on Mar del Zur from whence is transported the Merchandise of Mexico to Peru plundered both by Drake and Cavendish in their Voyages about the World. Gage tells us that Guaxaca is a City and Bishops Seat fair and beautiful sixty Leagues from Mexico and consists of two thousand Inhabitants n t far from the Head of the great River Alvarado upon which are Zapote●as and St. Idlfonso That from thence they went to Antequera a great Town Tavasco or Tabasco is a Coast of one hundred Leagues between Gu●xaca and Jucatan of an excellent Soil abundant in Maiz and Cacao There are Vines Fig-trees Oranges and Citrons great quantity of Cattle and Fowl besides wild Beasts Apes and Squirrels The Spaniards have but one Colony here which is called Newstra a Signiora de la Victoria so called from the Victory Cortez gained 15 9. The first City in America that defended it self and suffered the Spaniards sword Jucatan is a Peninsula of about four hundred Leagues in compass Situate between the Gulph of Mexico and Honduras whose Cape Catoche is opposite to Cape Saint Anthony in the Island Cuba and distant from it forty odd Leagues In the middle of the Land are to be seen Scales and Shells of Sea Fish its chief Cities are Merida distant from the Sea on either side twelve Leagues the Seat of the Bishop and Governor adorned with great and antient Edifices of Stone with many Figures of Men cut in the Stones resembling those at Merida in Spain 2. Valladolid beautified with a fair Monastery of Franciscans 3. Campeach Situate on the Shore of the Gulph a fair City of about three thousand Houses which in Anno 1596 was surprised and pillaged by the English under the Command of Captain Parker who carried away the Governor and the riches of the City The Audience of Gaudalajara or Kingdom of New Galicia makes the most occident part of New Spain and contains the Provinces of Gaudalajara Xalisco Los Zacatecas Chiamettlan Culiacan and New Biscany The Air of Gaudalajara is temperate and serene except in Summer which is most troubled with Rain The Land rather mountainous than plain very fruitful well furnished with Mines of Silver Copper Lead and Margasites the Pastures are rich feeding abundance of Cattle they have Cittrons Oranges Figs Apples Pears Peaches Olive-trees whose Fruit is often destroyed by Ants as their Corn Maize and Pulse is by the Pies which though no bigger than Sparrows are so numerous that they destroy whole Crops Its Cities are Guadelajara the Residence of the Kings Treasurer dignified with the Courts of Judicature the See of a Bishop beautified with a fair Cathedral Church watered with many Fountains and little Torrents not far from the River Beranja In the Province of Xalisco the chief City is Compostella built by Guzman 1551. Situate in a Barren Country and bad Air. In the Province of Chiametlan is Saint Sebastian nigh to which are many rich Silver Mines The Province of Culiacan hath Saint Michael and that of Chinaloa Saint John where are rich Mines of Silver In Los Zicatecas are several famous
in the great Bay. It is the best prepared place to build Navies at easie rates at his Majesties pleasure since they are of late something more choice in their Timber then formerly they were and specially since Ship-Timber is so generally wanting in England and Ireland and the Eastland Oak as some say is so very spungy It carries the most aw and countenance and can best with a little incouragement defend it self against a Foreign assault and is most fit and ready to help and relieve His Majesties other Colonies if such a distress should happen And it is the grand Nursery that breeds and indeed that is found most proper to breed Men in great numbers of resolute bold and lasting courage and all other Creatures in like manner nearest unto those of old England in the World and their Men most fit for Navigation Merchandize or War by Sea or Land. A Description of New York NEw York contains all that Tract of Land which is seated between New England Virginia Mary-Land and the length of which Northward into the Country as it hath not been fully discovered so 't is not certainly known but in general it extends to the Banks of the great River Canada East and West its breadth is accounted two hundred Miles comprehending also that Tract of Land which is betwen Hudson's River and Delaware River called New Jarsey It s principal Rivers are Hudson's River toward the East Raritan River about the middle and Delaware River on the West its chiefest Islands are Long-Island Manahattens-Island and Staten-Island It was so called from his Royal Highness the Duke of York the Proprietor thereof by Grant from his Majesty Anno 1664. Who the same year grants and conveys out of it all that aforesaid Tract of Land and Premises which is between Hudson's River and Delaware River unto John Lord Berkley and Sir George Carteret jointly by the name of New Caesarea or New Jarsey So that New York now contains only that part of New England which the Dutch formerly seized and called it the New Netherland and Nova Belgia lying between Hudson ●s and Conecticut Rivers on the Continent with the Islands of Manahatten and Long-Island opposite thereunto Manahattens Island so called by the Indians it lyeth betwixt the Degrees of forty one and forty two North Latitude and is about fourteen Miles long and two broad whose chief place is New York seated upon the South end of the aforesaid Island having a small Arm of the Sea which divides it from Long Island on the Eastside of it which runs Eastward to New England and is Navigable though dangerous Hudson's River runs by New York Northward into the Country toward the Head of which is seated New Albany a place of great Trade with the Indians betwixt which and New York being above one hundred Miles is as good Corn-Land as the World affords enough to entertain hundreds of Families in the time of the Dutch-Government of those Parts At Sopers was kept a Garison but since the reducement of those parts under his Majesties Obedience by the care of the Honourable Colonel Nichol's Deputy to his Highness such a League of Peace was made and Friendship concluded betwixt that Colony and the Indians that they have not resisted or disturbed any Christians there in the setling or peaceable Possession of any Lands with that Government but every Man hath sate under his own Vine and hath peaceably reapt and enjoyed the Fruits of their own labors which God continue New York is built most of Brick and Stone and covered with red and black Tile and the Land being high it gives at a distance a pleasing Aspect to the Spectators The Inhabitants consist most of English and Dutch and have a considerable Trade with the Indians for Bevers Otter Raccoon skins with other Furs as also for Bear Deer and Elk Skins and are supplied with Venison and Fowl in the Winter and Fish in the Summer by the Indians which they buy at an easie rate and having the Country round about them they are continually furnished with all such Provisions as 〈◊〉 needful for the life of Man not only by the English and Dutch within their own but likewise by the Adjacent Colonies The Commodities vented from thence are Furs and Skins before-mentioned as likewise Tobacco made within the Colony as good as is usually made in Mary-land Also Horses Beef Pork Oyl Pease Wheat and the like Long Island the West end of which lies Southward of New York runs Eastward above one hundred Miles and is in some places eight in some twelve in some fourteen Miles broad it is inhabited from one end to the other On the West end are four or five Dutch Towns the rest being all English to the number of twelve besides Villages and Farm-houses The Island is most of it of a very good Soil and very natural for all sorts of English Grain which they sow and have very good increase of besides all other Fruits and Herbs common in England as also Tobacco Hemp Flax Pumpkins Melons c. There are several Navigable Rivers and Bays which put into the Northside of Long Island but upon the Southside which joyns to the Sea it is so fortified with Bars of Sands and sholes that it is a sufficient defence against any Enemy yet the Southside is not without Brooks and Rivulets which empty themselves into the Sea yea you shall scarce travel a Mile but you shall meet with one of them whose Christal Streams run so swift that they purge themselves of such stinking Mud and Filth which the standing or low-paced Streams of most Brooks and Rivers Westward of this Colony leave lying and are by the Suns exhalation dissipated the Air corrupted and many Fevers and other Distempers occasioned not incident to this Colony Neither do the Brooks and Rivulets premised give way to the Frost in Winter or Drought in Summer but keep their course throughout the year Towards the middle of Long Island lyeth a Plain sixteen Miles long and four broad upon which Plain grows very fine Grass that makes exceeding good Hay and is very good Pasture for the Sheep or other Cattel where you shall find neither stick nor stone to hinder the Horse Heels or endanger them in their Races and once a year the best Horses in the Island are brought hither to try their swiftness and the swiftest rewarded with a Silver Cup two being annually procured for that purpose There are two or three other small Plains of about a Mile square which are no small benefit to those Towns which enjoy them Upon the Southside of Long Island in the Winter lie store of Whales and Grampusses which the Inhabitants begin with small Boats to make a Trade catching to their no small benefit Also an innumerable multitude of Seals which make an excellent Oyl they lie all the Winter upon small broken Marshes and Beaches or Bars of Sand beforementioned and might be easily got were here some skilful Men would
undertake it Of Canada or Nova Francia CAnada so called from the River Canada which hath its Fountains in the undiscovered parts of this Western Tract sometimes inlarging it self into greater Lakes and presently contracted into a narrow Chanel with many great windings and falls having embosomed almost all the rest of the Rivers After a known Eastern course of near fifteen hundred Miles it empties it self into the great Bay of St. Lawrence over against the Isle of Assumption being at the Mouth thirty Leagues in breadth and one hundred and fifty fathom deep On the Northside whereof the French following the Tract of the said Cabot made a further discovery of the said Northern parts by the Name of Nova Francia The Country is full of Stags Bears Hares Martins and Foxes store of Conies Fowl and Fish not very fruitful or fit for Tillage the Air more cold than in other Countries of the same Latitude The chief places are Brest Quebeck and Taduosac a safe but small Haven The French Trade here for Bever Mouse-skins and Furs and are said to be about five thousand what discoveries have been made of late years of the Southern parts of this Country may be seen in the Map of Florida c. Nova Scotia COntains that part of Land which the French call Accadie or Cadie being so much of the main Land as lieth between the River Canada and the large Bay called Bay Francoise from the River of St. Croix upon the West to the Isle of Assumption on the East first discovered by Sebastian Cabot who setting sail from Bristol at the charge of King Henry the Seventh made a discovery of it unto the Latitude of sixty seven and a half Which being neglected after this the French planted on the North-side of the River Canada And after that Monsieur du Monts settled on part of that Land called Nova Scotia but in the year 1613 was outed by Sir Samuel Argal And in the year 1621 King James by Letters Patents made a donation of it to Sir William Alexander afterwards Lord Secretary of Scotland calling it Nova Scotia in pursuance of which Grant he in the year 1622 sent a Colony thither And I am informed that it was after by Acts of Parliament annexed to the Crown and Kingdom of Scotland however I think the French have now a Colony at Port Royal and are the only possessors of that Country Of Newfoundland THIS was first discovered by the two Cabots John and his Son S●bastian employed by King Henry the seventh 1497 the business laid aside was afterward revived by Thorn and Elliot two of Bristol who ascribed to themselves the discovery of it and animated King Henry unto the enterprise Anno 1527. In the mean time the French and Portugals resorted to it But the English would not relinquish their pretensions to the Primier Seisin and therefore in the year 1583 Sir Humphrey Gilbert took possession of it in the name of the Queen of England who being Shipwrack'd in his return the sending of a Colony was discontinued till the year 1608 when undertook by John Guy a Merchant of Bristol and in the year 1626 Sir George Calvert Knight then principal Secretary of State afterward Lord Baltimore obtained a Patent of part of Newfoundland which was erected into a Province and called Avalon where he caused a Plantation to be setled and a stately House and Fort to he built at Ferriland 'T is an Island for extent they say equalizing England from whence it is distant about five hundred and forty Leagues situate between the Degrees of forty five and fifty three Northern Latitude and is only severed from the Continent of America by an Arm of the Sea as England is from France It is famous for many excellent Bays and Harbors it hath great plenty of Fish Land and Water Fowl and is sufficiently stockt with Deers Hares Otters and Foxes which yield great Fur it affords stately Trees fit for Timber Masts Planks and other uses The Soil is esteemed fertile the Climate wholsom but the rigor of Winter and excessive Heats of Summer much detract from its praise Before the Island at the distance of twenty Leagues from the Raze lieth a long Bank or Ridge of Ground extending in length about two hundred and forty Leagues in breadth in the broadest place about five and twenty Leagues by Cabot called Bacalaos from the great multitude of Codfish which swarmed there so numerous that they hindred the passage of the Ships and is now called the Grand Bank where our Ships salt and dry their Fish There is no part of Newfoundland more happy for multiplicity of excellent Bays and Harbors than the Province of Avalon and there are vast quantities of Fish yearly caught by the English at Ferriland and at the Bay of Bulls though the whole Coast affords infinite plenty of Cod and Poor John which is grown to a setled Trade and were the English diligent to inspect the advantage of setling Plantations upon the Isle and raising Fortifications for the security of the place they might ingross the whole Fishery Of ICE-LAND ICe Land or the antient Thule supposed by some to be as large as Ireland Our English Masters who have fished there many years give this Account of it That the most Southerly part of it called Ingulf foot is in the Latitude of sixty four Degrees and twenty five Minutes And the most Northerly part is Rag-point in the Latitude of sixty six Degrees and five Minutes whereas our Maps as also the Great Atlas makes the Island above eighty eight Degrees of Nothern Latitude which gross mistake is refuted not only by Observation but also by the Suns continuance two hours above the Horizon in the middle of December in the most Northern part of the Island It is seated North Westerly from the North of Scotland viz. from the Start or Head Land of Orkney to the S. W. Head of Fero is fifty five Leagues and from thence to Ingulf-foot is eighty five Leagues more It hath four remarkable Mountains in it of which Hecla is the most famous which burns continually with a Blew Brimstone-like and most dreadful Flame vomiting up vast quantities of Brimstone and that when it burns with greatest vehemency it makes a terrible rumbling like the noise of loud Thunder and a fearful Crackling and Tearing that may be heard a great way off See more of this in Martineres Northern Voyage page 134. In the Philosophical Transaction Number 103 Dr. Paul Biornonius Resident informs us That it abounds with hot Springs of which some are so Hot that in a quarter of an hours time they will sufficiently boil a piece of Beef Arugreim Jonas tell us It was inhabited by the Norwegians Anno 874 afterwards by the Danes under whose Government and Religion it now is The Island is well peopled but they live only in the Vallies and towards the Sea-shore Their Dwellings are rather Caves than Houses The Inhabitants are said to be a Lusty
the Winter January the fifteenth they perceived so much Light as to read by it February the twelfth they saw the light of the Sun on the tops of the Mountains Those that wintered in Nova Zembla 1●9 in the seventy six Degree on October the twenty third saw the Sun not fully above the Earth After October the twenty fifth they saw the Sun no more till January the twenty fourth they saw the edge of the Sun above the Horizon These also tells us That in seventy four Degrees the Water was as green as Grass And that at Cherry or Bear Island in the seventy fourth Degree and thirteen Minutes the variation was thirteen Degrees The first we read of that searched for the North-West passage was Martin Frobisher in Anno 1576 with two Barks coming to the Latitude of sixty two De●rees sound a great Inlet of sixty Leagues in length and Main Land on both sides called by him Frobishers Strait He found there a certain Oar which he thought to be Gold and the next year made a Voyage to fetch a quantity of it but it prov'd but black Lead And upon Smiths Isle they found several Stones out of which they melted Gold but in very small quantities They found also a dead Fish of about twelve foot long in shape like a Porpoise having a Horn six foot long growing out of his Snout which is still kept at Winsor In 1583 Sir Humphry Gilbert went to the great River of Saint Lawrence in Canada took possession of the Country and setled a Fishing Trade here In 1585 Mr. John Davis was employed for search of the North-West passage The first Land he came to he called the Land of Desolation then he arrived in Gilberts Sound in the Latitude of sixty four Degrees and sixteen Minutes Thence they went to sixty six Degrees and forty Minutes to Mount Raleigh ●otnes Sound c. In 1586 he made a second Voyage to the same place found amongst the Natives some of Frobishers Oar as also Lapis Specularis Copper Oar as also black and red Copper and returned after search of many places with hopes of discovering the desired Passage So that in the year 1587 he made a third Voyage to seventy two Degrees and twelve Minutes where the Compass varied to eighty two Degrees Westward the Land he called London Coast and there they found an open Sea forty Leagues between Land and Land which he called Fretum Davis In the year 1610 Mr. Hudson proceeded one hundred Leagues further than any before had done and gave names to certain places viz. Desire-Provokes Isles of Godmercie Prince Henrys Cape King James Cape Queen Anns Cape c. but the Ice hindred him from going further and the mutiny of his Men from returning home In 1612 James Hall and with him William Baffin discovered Cockings Sound in the Latitude of sixty five Degrees and twenty Minutes which differ'd from London sixty Degrees and thirty Minutes where James Hall was killed in the Boat by a Native pretending to trade They saw Rocks of pure Stone finer and whiter then Alablaster and Angelica growing plentifully 1615 Baffin was sent again he found Fair-point to differ from London seventy four Degrees and five Minutes and found that there was no passage through Davis Strairs it being only a great Bay. 1626 Baffin went again And in Sir Thomas Smith's Sound their Compass varied fifty six Degrees Westward but finding no passage returned home ●●●l Willoughby 1553 in his discovery for North-East passage 〈◊〉 by a large Country by the Westside whereof he sailed for 〈◊〉 days together and therefore could not be a small Island as the Dutch make it We have nothing of the Voyage but those short Notes which were found lying upon his Table after his Death which was that in August the second they parted from Seynam August the four●●●●th they were one hundred and sixty Leagues North Easterly from Seynam that they continued sailing till September the fourteenth where they landed on a Country high Rocky and uninhabited from whence the Cold and Ice forced them to return more Southerly which they did till they came to Arzina a River in Lapland where the next Spring they were found all frozen to death in the Ship. 1556 Steven Burrows who searching a passage by the North-East unto the Indies arrived in ●●2 Degrees and twenty five Minutes of Longitude seventy six of Latitude and so sailed to eighty Degrees and eleven Minutes and thence to Nova Zembla 1580 Arthur Pet and Charles Jackman sailed all over those Seas And that no Nation but English frequented those Northern Seas till 1578 that a Dutch Ship came to Cola and a year or two after another to Saint Nicholas and that by the encouragement of an English Man that set himself against the Russia Company which was Incorporated in 1553. Afterwards the Dutch crept in more and more and in 1594 they employed Barents and others to find out a passage Barents separating from his Company sailed to the North East of Nova Zembla where he lost his Ship and himself died In the Latitude of seventy four Degrees and thirteen Minutes the variation of the Needle was thirteen Degrees which was at Cherry or Bear Island In 1608 Henry Hudson was sent forth to discover the North Pole who went to eighty two Degrees as did also Thomas Marmaduke of Hull 1612 who saw divers Islands beyond that And in the year 1610 the Company set out the Ship Amity Jonas Pool Commander for Whale fishing who fell upon the Land formerly discovered and called it Greenland and gave names to many of the eminent places viz. Horn-sound where they found a Unicorns Horn as they called it Ice-point Bel-point Black-point Lowns Island Cape Cold Ice-sound Knotty-point Fowl-sound Deer-sound And in Cross Road seventy nine Degrees and fifteen Minutes Latitude the Variation was eighteen Degrees and sixteen Minutes North-West he seised upon the Country to the use of his Masters by setting up a Red Cross and fastning a Writing to it there he made the first Oyl And in 1611 the Company sent out two Ships and six Barques to fish for Whales where the first Whale they killed yielded them twelve Tuns of Oyl In the year 1614 the English set out thirteen great Ship● and two Pinnaces well armed and the Dutch eighteen whereof four were Men of War. The English took possession of divers parts of the Country for the King setting up a Cross and the Kings Arms in Lead And the Dutch did the like afterwards in the same places for the Prince of Orange In the year 1615 the King of Denmark sent three Ships Men of War to demand Customs for Fishing upon this Island which was denied and the Island affirmed to belong to the King of England In the year 1616 the Company sent eight Sail of great Ships and this year discovered Edges Island In the year 1617 the English sent out fourteen Ships and two Pinnaces April 24 they set sail from Gravesend and