Sorsaparilla Turmerick Snakes-Root c. What chiefly deserves the Epithet of Rare in Carolina is a certain Herb which goes by the Name of the Country and remarkable for its long red Root which draws upon Paper good red Lines but answers not in Dying Archbishopricks Bishopricks Universities None The Natives of this Country being naturally Men of good Courage and for a long time at Wars among themselves are mightily diminish'd in their Number by what they were But those remaining are generally Persons of a good agreeable Temper and maintain a firm Friendship with our Colony The English here residing are the same in Manners with those here in England The Natives have a particular Jargon of their own which sounds very harsh to the Ear and seems to Strangers extreamly hard if not impossible to be acquir'd The English use their own Language King Charles II. having granted Carolina by Letters-Patent in Propriety to George Duke of Albemarle Edward Earl of Clarendon c. by those Letters the Laws of England were to be always in force in this Country only the Lords Proprietors are impower'd together with the Consent of the Inhabitants to make or repeal such By-Laws as shall from time to time be thought expedient for the better governing of the whole Colony The English here residing are of many and different Perswasions in Matters of Religion there being a Liberty of Conscience allow'd by the very Constitution of their Government The Natives have as yet no reveal'd Knowledge of the True God but follow the vain Imaginations of their own Minds however they are said to acknowledge one Supreme Being whom they Worship under the Name of Okee and to him their Priests do frequently Sacrifice but they believe that he takes no care of Human Affairs committing them to lesser Deities They acknowledge also a Transmigration of Souls and a Future State of Happiness after this Life SCET. V. Concerning Terra Arctica UNDER the Title of Terra Arctica we comprehend all those Northern Countries lying either intirely or mostly within the Arctick Polar Circle The chief of which are these following viz. Greenland Nova Zembla New Denmark Spitsberge Terra de Jesso New North Wales Of these we know little more as yet than their bare Names I am very sensible That in treating of them yea and that individual Part of the Earth exactly under the North Pole some Writers are pleas'd to speak as particularly as if they were discoursing of the Fifty two Counties of England But leaving such Gentlemen to divert themselves with their own Chimera's and leaving these Countries to the better Discovery of Future Ages I pass on to the various Divisions of South America chusing rather to say nothing of the aforesaid unknown Countries than to relate things of them that are satisfactory neither to my self nor the Reader being willing to have due regard to that excellent Saying of the Roman Orator Quam bellum est velle confiteri potius nescire guod Nescias quam ista effutientem nauseare atque ipsum sibi displicere Cic. de Nat. Deor. Lib. 1. Now followeth SECT VI. Concerning Terra Firma  d. m. Situated between 297 30 of Long. It s greatest Length from E to W. is about 1260 Miles 330 00 between 03 20 of Latit Breadth from S. to N. is about 480 Miles 11 30 Being divided into East the River Orinoque call'd Guiana West the River Orinoque term'd Castello del Oro. East comprehands the Provinces of Caribana Chief Town Moreshego N. to S. Guiana Manboa West comprehends the Provinces of Panama or Terra Firma Panama From W. to E. Carthagena Idem St Martha Idem Rio de la hacha Idem Venezula Idem Andaluzia Comane Paria Maluregvara From E. to W. Granada St. Fe de Bagota Popayan St. Fe de Antiochia THIS Country discover'd by the Spaniards and Conquer'd Anno 15 14. is term'd by the Italians Terra Firma by the Spaniards Tierra Firma by the French Terre Ferme by the Germans Het vast Land and by the English Terra Firma so call'd by the Discoverers thereof as being one Part of the Firm Land or Main Continent at which the Spaniards first touch'd in their Western Discoveries The Air of this Country is extreamly hot yet generally accounted very wholesome save in the Northmost Parts adjacent to the Isthmus of Panama where the Ground is full of Lakes and Marishes which by their ascending Vapours do render the Air very gross and consequently less wholesome to breath in The opposite Place of the Globe to Terra Firma is that part of the East-Indian Ocean lying between 107 and 150 Degrees of Longitude with 3 Degrees of North and 11 Degrees of Southern Latitude This Country lying mostly in the first North Climate is said to be blessed with an excellent Soil producing great plenty of Corn and Fruits where duly manur'd It mightily abounds in Venison Fish and Fowl A great part of it is planted with Cotton and others are very productive of Sugars and Tobacco Here are also very considerable Mines of Gold Silver Brass c. many precious Stones and in several places good fishing of Pearls The longest Day in the Northmost Part of this Country is 12 Hours ½ the shortest in the Southmost is 12 Hours or thereabouts and the Nights proportionably The chief Commodities of this Country are Gold Silver and other Metals Balsam Rozin Gums Long Pepper Emeralds Saphires Jasper c. Upon the Coast of Terra Firma nigh Surinam is frequently seen and sometimes taken that Fish usually call'd by Mariners the Old Wife but otherways the Square Acarauna so term'd from his Figure being almost a compleat Quadratum 2. In several Parts of Guiana are certain Trees call'd Totock remarkable for their Fruit which is of so great a bulk and withal so hard that People can't with safety walk among 'em when the Fruit is ripe being in danger every moment to have their Brains knockt out 3. In one of the Branches of Orenoque River is such a hideous Cataract that the Water falling down makes as loud a Noise as if a thousand Bells were knock'd one against another Vid. Heylin's Cosmog last Edition page 1086. 4. On the top of a high Mountain call'd Cowob is a considerable Lake according to the Report of the Natives and that well-stockt with most sorts of Fishes 5 In some Rivers of Guiana is a certain little Fish about the bigness of a Smelt and remarkable for having four Eyes two on each side one above the other and in Swiming 't is observ'd to keep the uppermost two above and the other two under Water 6. In the Island of Trinidado near the Coast of Terra Firma is a remarkable Fountain of Pitch which boileth out of the Earth in great abundance and is exported thence to various places in these Parts of the World 7. Near C. Brea on the Continent is another Fountain of Pitchy Substance much us'd
Country it lying in the 9th 10th 11th and 12th Northern Climates is not very fruitful but yet where less fertile in Corn that disadvantage is recompens'd with tollerable Pasturage It s numerous Lakes are very well stor'd with various kinds of Fishes Its Mountains are generally covered over with Trees and several of them lin'd with considerable Mines of Silver Tin Brass and Iron The longest Day in the Northmost part of this Country is about two Months the Sun being so long without setting when near the Summer Solstice The shortest in the Southmost is about 6 Hours 1 â— and the Nights proportionably The Chief Commodities of this Country are Metals Ox-hides Goat-skins Buck-skins and costly Furs Pine trees Fir-trees Oales Tallow Tar Honey and such like The Chief Rarities of this Country may be reckon'd two Publick Clocks of admirable Workmanship one belonging to the Cathedral Church of Upsal the other to that of St. Laurence in Lunden especially the latter which suppos'd to be the Work of Casper Bartholinus shews not only the Day Hour and Minute but also all the remarkable Motions of the Coelestial Bodies with all Festivals both fixt and moveable and several other pleasant Curiosities To these add that famous Slimy Lake in the Southern Part of Gothland which burns such things as are put into it As also a certain Stone found in several Parts of Sueden which being of a Yellow Colour intermixt with several Streaks of white as if compos'd of Gold and Silver affords both Sulphur Vitriol Alium and Minium Some write of a Lake in Lapland which hath as many Islands in it as there are Days in the Year Archbishopricks belonging to Sueden are Two viz. those of Upsal Riga Bishopricks in this Kingdom are Eight viz. those of Wâ—steras Strergnes Wexioc Lunden Lindkaeping Scaren Abo. Wiburg Universities established here are Two viz. those of Upsal Abo. The Swedes for the most part are Men of big and strong Bodies Men whose very Constitution doth fit them to be Soldiers but generally they weaken Nature by extravagant excess in Drinking Their Gentry are much given to Hospitality very Affable and Civil to Strangers and many of them become considerable Proficients in several Arts and Sciences The Commons are generally esteem'd good Mechanicks but lookt upon by all as too much addicted to Laziness in point of improving their Country by not cutting down many unnecessary Forests and improving that Ground to better advantage The Swedes speak a Dialect of the Teutonic which is somewhat different from that us'd in Denmark and Upper Germany Persons of Quality understand and speak the High-German Language in its Native purity The Finlanders have a peculiar Gibberish of their own For a Specimen of the Swedish Tongue we shall here subjoin the Lord's Prayer in that Language intending to observe the same Method in treating of all other Languages in Europe Their Pater-Noster runs thus Fadher war som est i himlem helghat warde tiett namyn till komme titt ricke skee tin wilie sa comi himmelen sa ock pa jordenne wart dagliha brod giffosz i dagh och forlat osz wara skuld sa som ock wforlate them osz skyldighe aro Och in leedh osz ickei frestelse uthan frels oszi fra ondo Amen The Kingdom of Swedeland having suffered various turns of Fortune being frequently disturb'd by the Adjacent Nations at last got rid of them all and becoming terrible to others spread it self over a considerable Part of its Neighbours Territories At present 't is subject unto and govern'd by its own Monarch who since the last Age is not only Hereditary but by the late turn of Affairs in his Country hath also attained unto and now exerciseth such a Power over the Subject that the same is really astonishing to any considering Person who looks back unto the State of that Kingdom only a few Years ago He is stil'd King of the Swedes Goths and Vandals Grand Prince of Finland Duke of Estonia and Carelia and Lord of Ingria c. The different Orders in this Realm are Six viz. Princes of the Blood the Nobility Clergy Soldiery Merchantry and Commonalty These by their Representatives being assembled in Parliament make four different Houses viz. that of the Nobility where the Grand Marshal presides 2. That of the Clergy where the Archbishop of Upsal presides 3. That of the Burgesses where one of the Consuls of Stockholm presides And lastly That of the Knights of the Shirâ— where one of their own Number elected by themselves presides Chief Courts establisht in this Kingdom are these Five viz. 1 That commonly call'd the King's Chamber design'd for the Decision of all Cases happening between the Nobility Senators or any of the Publick Officers and here the King is at least ought to sit as President 2 The Court Martial in which all Matters relating to War are determin'd and here the Grand Marshal of the Army is President 3. The Court of Chancery in which Edicts Mandates Commissions and such like are made out in the King's Name and here the Chancellour of the Kingdom is President 4 The Court of Admiralty in which all business relating to Maritime Affairs are transacted and here the High Admiral is President Lastly The Court of Exchequer in which all Matters concerning the Publick Revenue are manag'd and here the Grand Treasurer is President The King of Sweden bears quarterly In the First and fourth Azure three Crowns Or two in Chief and one in Base for Swedeland In the second and third Barry Argent and Azure a Lyon Or Crown'd Gules for Finland Over all quatterly in the first and fourth Sable a Lyon Or crown'd arm'd and langued Gules for the Palatinate of the Rhine In the second and third Lozenges Bendwise of twenty one pieces Argent and Azure for Bavaria For the Crest a Crown Royal adorn'd with eight Flowers and clos'd by as many Demi-Circles terminating in a Mond Or. The Supporters are two Lyons Or Crown'd of the same And his Motto is in these words Dominus Protector Meus Lutheranism is the establisht Religion of this Country being universally profess'd by all Orders and Degrees of Men except in Livonia where is a considerable Number of Papists intermixt and Lapland many of whose Inhabitants are mear Heathens usually worshipping the Sun Fire Serpents and the like and that ever since the Days of the Reformation which was happily effected in this Kingdom by Gustavus the First upon his Accession to the Swedish Crown since which time their Religion hath not been disturb'd from abroad but once and since that Disturbance never distracted at home by Non-Conformity for Persons of all Ranks adhering to the Tenets of Luther give constant attendance on Divine Service and joyn in the same manner of Worship Christianity was first planted in this Kingdom by the care and diligence of Ansgarius Archbishop of Breme the Apostle General of the North. §. 2. DENMARK THis
the Country The Air of this Country is very Cold particularly towards the North where Snow and Ice are usual for three Quarters of the Year but in the Southmost Provinces they have very scorching Heats in the Summer for the Space of six Weeks The opposite Place of the Globe to Moscovia is that part of the vast Pacifick Ocean between 220 and 290 Degrees of Longitude with 45 and 71 Degrees of South Latitude The Soil of this Country it lying in the 8 9 10 11 12 c. Northern Climate is very different according to the different Situation of its Parts Here are many Plains but generally full of Marishes Towards the North are vast Forests and even where the Ground is clear'd of Wood 't is for the most part very Barren and so extremely Cold that what they sow doth seldom come to due Perfection In the Southwest parts towards Poland the Soil is tolerably good the Ground there producing several sorts of Grain in great abundance and 't is reported by many that their Corn is ready for reaping about two Months after it is sown The longest Day in the Northmost Part of this Country is above two Months the Sun not setting for that time when near the Summer Solstice the shortest in the Southmost is about 9 Hours ¼ and the Nights proportionably The Chief Commodities of this Country are Furs Sables Martins Wax Honey Tallow Train-Oyl Caviere Hemp Flax Slad Iron c. As one of the Chief Rarities of this Country we may reckon that strange sort of Melon found in or near to Astracan Casan and Samara Some of the Natives term it Boranetz i. e. The Little Lamb others Zoophyton which signifies the Animal Plant. The first Title would seem most proper because in Figure it resembles a Lamb and such is its vegetable Heat that according to the vulgar manner of expression it Consumes and Eats up all the Grass or other Herbs within its reach As the Fruit doth ripen the Stalk decays and is covered with a downy Substance which being carefully taken off and dress'd is us'd by some instead of Furs for Lining of Vests To this we may add that Church in Moscow call'd Hierusalem which seem'd to John Basilides 1. then Czar such a stately Pile of Building that he caus'd put out the Eyes of the Architect that he might never contrive at least behold its fellow Ecclesiasticks in Moscovia are One Patriach Four Metropolitans Seven Archbishops and several Bishops The Patriarch is he of Moscow residing in the same City Metropolitans are those of Novogorodskoi and Welikoluskoi Rostoufskoi and Harostauskoi Casanskoi and Sunatskoi Sarskoi and Pondoskoi Archbishopricks are those of Wolodgskoi and Weliko Premskoi Resanskoi and Moromskoi Susdalskoi and Turruskoi Twerskoi and Cassinskoi Sibirskoi and Tobolskoi Astrachansckoi and Terskoi Pleskouskoi and Sborskoi As to the exact Number and Names of Bishopricks in this Country the same is but uncertain at best Here we can hardly expect the Seats of the Muses where the Liberal Arts and Sciences have been so long banisht and the Studying of them inhibited by Publick Authority The Moscovites Men of a vigorous and healthful Constitution are generally reckon'd a rude deceitful and ignorant sort of People much addicted to excessive Drinking as also unlawful and beastly Pleasures And so fond of Ignorance have they hitherto been that 't was lookt upon as almost a piacular Crime for any of them to apply himself to a search after Knowledge But things are now mightily alter'd in this Point and that by the Encouragement of his present Czarish Majesty who gives leave to his Nobility to acquire the Liberal Arts and Sciences particularly the Mathematicks and to acquaint themselves with Foreign Countries and Languages And that the Learned Languages Greek and Latin may be no longer strangers in this Country he hath already erected Publick Schools in Moscow for the teaching of them By which means it is to be hop'd That the Brutish Temper and Stupidity of this People may be much reform'd in some time And whereas the present Emperor hath already visited some of the best Nations of Europe purposely to improve himself in Warlike Affairs both by Sea and Land especially the former and since this Undertaking is so uncommon that the Mascovitish Story can't afford a Parallel 't is also to be hop'd that the Effects thereof will be equally astonishing and that in humbling if not crushing both Turks and Tertars his disturbing Neighbours and professed Enemies to the Cross of Christ The Language us'd in this Country is a Dialect of the Sclavonian but so corrupted and blended with other Languages that 't is hardly understood by those who speak the pure Sclavonian which nevertheless is still us'd by the Russians in their Divine Service Pater Noster which I find only in a corrupt Dialect of their Tongue runs thus Aisameidhen joke oleah tainahissa Pyhetta olkon siun wakakuta si olkohon siun tharosi kwinâ— tainahissa ayn man palla Meidhen jokopai wen leipa anna mâ—hâ—llen tanapaiwâ—na ja anna meidem syndia Kwin moe annama meidin vostachan rickoillen ja âle sata meita kin sauxen mutta paasta 〈◊〉 paasta This great Body is under its own Prince who assumeth the Title of Cear which in the Russian Language signifies Emperor yet more commonly he 's term'd the Great Duke He 's an Hereditary Monarch and his Government truly Desuotical The Lives and Fortunes of his Subjects are wholly at his disposal and the greatest Knez or Lord within his Dominions doth acknowledge himself his Galop or Slave Yea be not only exerciseth an uncontroulable Power over his slavish Subjects but also pretends to a kind of Omniscience among them and hath so succeeded in this bold Pretence that the main Body of the People doth really believe that their Great Duke knoweth all things To support which Opinion The Moscovitish Emperors have industriously endeavour'd to keep their People in gross Ignorance and for that end have hitherto banish'd out of their Domions the Liberal Arts and Sciences and forbid the studying of them under the severest Penalties But the present Czar by his proceedings already hinted at would seem to rectify that gross Abuse He suffers none of his Nobles to retire from Court without his Special Permission and seldom or never to visit Foreign Countries till these our own Days no nor so much as to talk with Foreigners at home The Publick Affairs are chiefly manag'd by his Great Council call'd Dumnoy Boyaren consisting of the Principal Noblemen of the Empire Here also are divers other Councils or rather Chambers and Courts of Judicatory to which belong their respective Business and each of these hath its peculiar President they 're in number Six whereof the first is appointed for Ambassadors and Foreign Negotiations The second for managing of Military Affairs The third for the Publick Revenues of the Empire The fourth for encouraging of
Huesca Universities in this Kingdom are those of Sevil Alcala de Henares Huesca Gaudia Granada Saragossa Barcelona Compostella Siguenza Tudela Murcia Toledo Valencia Ossuna Tarragona Valladolid Lerida Ona Baeza Salamanca The truest Character of the Spaniard I any where find is that of Dr. Heylin's which in the main runs thus The Spaniards are a sort of People of a swarthy Complexion black Hair and of good Proportion of a Majestick Gate and Deportment grave and serious in their Carriages in Offices of Piety very Devout not to say Superstitious Obedient and Faithful to their King Patient in Adversity not prone to alter their Resolutions nor Apparel in War too deliberate Arts they esteem dishonourable universally given to Laziness much addicted to Women unreasonably Jealous of their Wives and by Nature extreamly Proud Of all the living Tongues that are deriv'd from the Latin the Spanish comes nearest to the Original though no Country has been more harrast by the Irruption of Barbarous Nations Yet they have borrowed several Words from the Goths and Mores especially the latter The best Spanish is generally esteem'd that spoken in New-Castile and in Valentia and Catalonia 't is most corrupted Their Pater Noster runs thus Padre nuestro que estas en los Gielos Santificado sea tu Nembre Venza a nos tu Regno hagase tu Volantad assi en la tierra como en el Cielo El pan nuestro de cadadia da nos lo oy y perdona nos nuestras deudas assi como nos otros perdonamos à nuestros deudores y no nos dexes caer en tentation mas libra nos del mal Amen This great Body did formerly comprehend no less than fourteen different Kingdoms which being at length reduc'd to three viz. Those of Arragon Castile and Portugal the two former were united Anno 1474. by Marriage of Ferdinand of Arragon with Isabel Heiress of Castile and Portugal afterwards added by Conquest Anno 1578. But it Revolting of which afterwards the whole Continent of Spain excluding Portugal is at present subjected to one Sovereign term'd his Catholick Majesty whose Government is Monarchical and Crown Hereditary The Dominions of which Prince are so far extended that the Sun never sets upon them all and as his Territories are very numerous so also are the Titles which he commonly assumeth being stil'd King of Castile Leon Arragen Sicily Naples Jerusalem Portugal Navarr Granada Toledo Valleâ—ia Gallâ—ia Majorca Seville Sardignia Gordova Corsica Murcia Jaen Algarve Algâ—â—ire Gibralter The Canaries East and West Indies Arch Duke of Austria Duke of Burgundy Brabant and Milan Count of Flanders Tirol and Barcelona Lord of Biscay and Mechelin c. The numerous Cities and Provinces of Spain are ruled by particular Governors appointed by his Catholick Majesty as also the Dutchy of Milan the Kingdoms of Naples Sicily Sardignia c and the various Parts of his vast Possessions in the East and West Indies are govern'd by their respective Vice Roys who are generally very severe in exacting of the Subject what possibly they can during their short Regency which is commonly limited to three Years the King appointing others in their room that he may gratify as many of his Grandees as may be with all conveniency there being still a great number of them at Court as Candidates for a Government For the better management of Publick Affairs in all the Spanish Dominions there are establisht in this Kingdom no less than fifteen different Councils viz. that call'd The Council of State 2 The Council Royal or that of Castile 3 That of War 4. The Council of Arragon 5 That of Italy 6 The Council of the Indies 7. That of the Orders 8 The Council of the Treasury 9. That of the Chamber 10 The Council of the Crosade 11 That of Discharges 12 The Council of Inquisition 13. That of Navarr 14 The Council of Conscience And lastly that call'd The Council of Policy The King of Spain bears Quarterly The first Quarter Counter-quarter'd in the first and fourth Gules a Castle tripple-tower'd Azure each with three Battlements Or purâ—led Sable for Castile In the second and third Argent a Lion passant Gules Crown'd Langued and Arm'd Or for Leon. In the second great Quarter Or four Pallets Gules for Arragon Party Or four Pallets also Gules betwixt two Flanches Argent charg'd with as many Eagles Sable member'd beak'd and crown'd Azure for Sicily These two great Quarters grafted in Base Argent a Pomegranete Verte stalk'd and leav'd of the same open d and seeded Gules for Granada Over all Argent five Escucheons Azure plac'd cross-wise each charg'd with as many Baeants in Saltier of the first for Portugal The Shield bordered Gules with seven Towers Or for Algarve In the third Quarter Gules a Fesse Argent for Austria Coupie and supported by Ancient Burgundy which is Bendy of six Pieces Or and Azure border'd Gules In the fourth great Quarter Azure Semè of Flower de Luces Or with a border Compony Argent and Gules for Modern Burgundy coupè Or supported Sable a Lion Or for Brabant These two great Quarters charg'd with an Escucheon Or a Lion Sable and langued Gules for Flanders Partly Or an Eagle Sable for Antwerp the Capital City of the Marquisate of the Holy Empire For Crest a Crown Or rais'd with eight Diadems or Semi-circles terminating in a Mond Or. The Collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece encompasses the Shield on the sides of which stand the two Pillars of Hercules on each side one with this Morto Plus ultra The Spaniards are very punctual followers of and close adherers to the Church of Rome and that in her grossest Errors and Corruptions â—â—â—ing up their Religion on the Pope's Authority and are therein so tenacious that the King suffers none to live in his Dominions who profess not their belief of the Doctrine of the Roman Church For whose Care or rather Bigottry in this matter the Pope hath conferr'd upon him the Title of his Catholick Majesty All other Professions are expell'd by that Antichristian Tyranny of the Bloody Inquisition at first devised and set up by Pâ—dâ—e Goasales de Mendeza Archbishop of Toledo and that against such Converted Jews and Moors as return'd again to their Superstition but of late it hath been chiefly turn'd upon those and others of the Protestant Communion So industrious are the Ecclesiasticks in this Country to keep up the whole Body of the People in the thickest Mist of Ignorance and so little is this Nation enclin'd of themselves to make any enquiries after Knowledge that considering these things upon one hand and the Terror of the Inquisition on the other in case of such Enquiries especially if they have the least tendency to Innovation in Points of Faith we cannot reasonably expect a Reformation of Religion in this Country unless the Hand of Providence shall interpose in a wonderful manner Christianity was planted here according to the old