to his estate 8. Mango Cham to whom Haiton an Armenian Prince and the chief Compiler of the Tartarian History went for ayd against the Caliph of Bagdt By whose perswasion the said Mango Cham is said to have been christned with all his houshold and many nobles of both sexes 9. Cublay Cham the sonne of Mango 10. Tamor Cham the Nephew of Cablay by his sonne Cingis 11. Demâ—r Cham the great Cham of Cathay in the year 1540 or thereabouts What the names of the Chams are who have since reigned we cannot learn nor what memorable acts have been done among them The great distance of Countries and difficulty of the journey have hindred further discoveries For the great Cham and his next neighbour the King of China will neither suffer any of their subjects to travell abroad nor permit any foreiners to view their dominions or enter into them unless either Embassadours or Merchants and those but sparingly and under very great restraints to avoid all giving of intelligence touching their affairs The government is tyrannicall the great Cham being Lord of all and in his tongue besides which they have almost no laws consisteth the power of life or death He is called by the simple vulgar the shadow of spirits and sonne of the immortall God and by himself is reputed to be the Monarch of the whole world For this cause every day assoon as he hath dined he causeth his trumpets to be sounded by that sign giving leave to the other Kings and Princes of the earth to go to dinner A fine dream of universal Monarchy At the death of the Cham the seven chief Princes assemble to crown his sonne whom they place on a black coarse cloth telling him if he reign well heaven shall be his reward if ill he shall not have so much as a corner of that black cloth to rest his body on then they put the crown on his head and kissing his feet swear unto him fealty and homage And at the funerall of these great Monarchs they use to kill some of his guard-Soudiers whereof he hath 12000 in continuall pay saying unto them Itâ— domino nostro seâ—vâ—â—e in â—â—ia vita Paulus Venetus reporteth that at the obsequies of Manâ—o Cham no fewer than 10000 were slain on this occasion There Chams are for the most part severe justicers and punish almost every small fact with sudden death but theft especially Insomuch that a man in Cambalu taking a paâ—l of milk from a womans head and beginning to drink thereof upon the womans out-cry was apprehended and cut a sunder with a sword so that the blood and the milk came out together Nor are Adultery or lying punished with less than death and so ordained to be by the lawes of Cingis their first Emperour a wiser man than possibly could be expected from so rude a Countrey and of so little breeding in the knowledge of books or business the Tartars being utterly without the use of letters till the conquest of the Huyri a Cathaian nation but of Christian faith What forces the Great Chams in the height of their power were able to draw into the field may be conjectured at by the Army of Tamerlaâ—e consisting of 1200000 horse and foot as was said before And looking on them as confined within Cathar we shall find them not inferiour to the greatest Princes For Cublaâ— Cham long after the division of this great estate which was made by Tamerlane had in the field against Naian his Unkle and one Caidu who had then rebelled an Army of 100000 foot and 360000 horse there being 500000 horse on the other side Which made almost a million of men in both Armies And this is probable enough if report be true touching the Chams of Zagathay and those of â—urchestan before reduced under the obedience of the other of which the first is said to have been able to raise 300000 horse and the last an hundred thousand more For standing forces he maintaiâ—s 12000 horse distributed amongst four Captains for the guard of his person besides which he hath great forces in every Province and within four miles of every City ready to come upon a call if occasion be so that he need not fear any outward invasion and much less any homebred rebellions Of the Revenues of the Cham I can make no estimate but may conclude them to be what he list himself he being the absolute Lord of all the Subject without any thing he can call his own But that which ordinarily doth accrew unto him is the tenth of wooll Silk hemp coâ— and Cattel Then doth he draw into his own hands all the gold and silver which is brought into the Countrey which he causeth to be melted and preserved in his treasurie imposing on his people instead of money in some places Cockle-shels in others a black coin made of the bark of trees with his stamp upon it And besides this hath to himself the whole trade of Pearl-fishing which no body upon pain of death dare fish for but by leave from him So that his Treasury is conceived to be very rich though his Annual in-come be uncertain or not certainly known And so much for Tartary OF CHINA CHINA is bounded on the East with the Orientall Ocean on the West with India on the North with Tartary from which separared by a continued chain of hills part of those of Ararat and where that chain is broken off or interrupted with a great wall extended 400 Leagues in length built as they say by Tzaintzon the 117th King hereof and on the South partly with Cauâ—hin-China a Province of India partly with the Ocean It was called antiently Sine or Sinarum Regio by which name it is still called at the present by our modern Lâ—â—inistâ— and from whence that of China seems to be derived By Paulus Venetâ—s called Mangi by the neighbouring Countries Sanglai by the natives Taine and Taybinâ—o which last signifies no other than a Realm or by way of excellence the Realm By the Arabians it is called Tzinin and the inhabitants call themselves by the name of â—angis It is said to contain in circuit 69516 Dâ—ez of China measure which reduced to our Europaean measure will make a compass in the whole of 3000 Leagues the length thereof extended from the borders of India to Colâ—m one of the Northern Provinces of this Continent 1800 Leagues But they that say so speak at randome For besides that 1800 Leagues in length must needs carry a greater compass than 3000 Leagues they make it by this reckoning to be bigger than Europe which I think no sober man will granâ— And answerable to this vast compass it is said also to contain no fewer than 15. Provinces every one of which is made to be of a greater Continenâ—â—han the greatest Realm we know in Europe Yet not a Continent of wast ground or full of unhabitable Desarâ—s as in other places but full of goodly Towns and Cities The names of which
824. 17 Ludecan 826. 18 Withlas overcome in fight as were his two Predecessors by Egbert King of West-Sex became his tributary 839. 19 Berthulf 852. 20 Burdred a Substituted King of the West-Saxons and the last King of the Mercians the short reign of his six Predecessors portending that fatall period to be neer at hand After whose death Anno 886 this Kingdome for some few yeers tyrannized over by the Danes was united by King Alured to the English Monarchie Such was the Order and Succession of the Saxon Kings during the Hettarchie or division of it into seven Kingdoms continuing separate distinct till the prevailing fortune of the West-Saxons brought them all together into one by the name of England But so that they were subject for the most part unto one alone who was entituled Rex Gentis Anglorum those which were stronger than the rest giving the Law unto them in their severall turnes and are these that follow The Monarchs of the English-Saxons in the time of the Heptarchie A. Ch. 455. 1 Hengist King of Kent who first brought the Saxons into Britain 481. 2 Ella the first King of the South-Saxons 495. 3 Cerdie the first King of the West-Saxons 534. 4 Kenrick King of the VVest-Saxons 561. 5 Cheuline or Celingus King of the VVest-Saxons 562. 6 Ethelbert King of Kent the first Christian King of the Saxons 616. 7 Redwald King of the East-Angles 617. 8 Edwin King of Northumberland 634. 9 Oswald King of Northumberland 643. 10 Oswy King of Northumberland 659. 11 Wulfhere King of Mercia 675. 12 Etheldred King of Mercia 704. 13 Kenred K. of Mercia 709. 14 Chelred K. of Mercia 716. 15 Ethelbald K. of Mercia 758. 16 Offa the Great K. of the Mercians 794. 17 Egfride K. of Mercia 796. 18 Kenwolf K. of Mercia 800. 19 Egbert the Sonne of Alomond K. of the West Saxons vvho having vanquished all the rest of the Saxon Kings and added most of their Estates unto his own caused the whole united Body to be called Engel-lond or England in a Parliament or Counsell held at Winchester Anno 8â—9 being the 19th yeer of his Reign over the West-Saxons and by that name was then crowned in the presence of his Nobles and the rest of his Subjects leaving it unto the rest of his Successors But before we come to the recitall of their names we are to take notice of the Danes the next considerable Actors on the Stage of England vvho in the time of this Egbert first invaded the Countrey and after exercised the patience of his Posterity till in fine they got the kingdom to themselves Of the Originall and first Succcesses of this people vve shall speak more at large vvhen we come to Denmark Suffice it here to knovv that having taken up the void Rooms of the Iuites and English in the Cimbrick Chersonese they thought it not amiss to follovv them into Britain also making a Discovery of some part of the Coasts thereof vvith three Ships only Anno 787 being the first yeer of Bithric the Father of Egbert King of the West-Saxons Which having done and prepared themselves for the undertaking in the time of Egbert they invaded Northumberland the Isle of Shepey in Kent and the Coasts of Wales not without much difficulty driven out by him In the Reign of the three Kings succeeding having vanquished the Northumbrians East-Angles and a part of the Mercians they erected in those kingdoms many petit Tyrannies By Alfred first stopped in their Career by Edward the Elder outed of the East-Angles and by Athelstan of Northumberland also the Danes for some time after being subject to the English Government mixing in mariages and alliance and incorporate with them By the valour and good Fortune of Swain their King they recovered their power again in England and in the person of Canutus obtained the kingdom who having impolitickly sent back his Danes into their Countries as if a kingdom got by force could be held by favour opened a way to their execlusion from the Crown which hapned within seven yeers after his decease Which said we come to the Successious of The Kings of England of the Saxon Race 819. 1 Egbert the last King of the West-Saxons and the first of England 18. 837. 2 Thelwolf the Eldest Sonne of Egbert 20. 857. 3 Ethelbald the Eldest Sonne of Ethelwolf 1. 858. 4 Ethelbert the Brother of Ethelbald 5. 863. 5 Ethefred the Brother of the two former Kings the third Sonne of Ethelwolf and as much molested by the Danes as his Brethren were 10. 873. 6 Alfriae the fourth Sonne of Ethelwolf who totally united the Saxon Heptarchie into one Estate vanquished the Danes whom he made subject to his commands though he could not expell them he divided England into shires and restored the Vniversity of Oxon. 900. 7 Edward surnamed the Elder the Sonne of Alfride who recovered the East-Angles from the power of the Danes whom he shut up in Northumberland 24. 924. 8 Athelstan the Sonne of Edward who subdued the Britans of Cumberland and Cornwall and compelled the Danes to submit themselves to the English Government In his time lived S. Guy of Warwick 16. 940. 9 Edmund the Brother of Athelstan by whom the Danes of Northumberland were brought under obedience and the kingdom of the â—ritans in Cumberland utterly subverted 946. 10 Edred the Brother of Edmund and Athelstan so fortunate against the Danes that he compelled them to be christned 9. 955. 11 Edwy the Sonne of Edmund 959. 12 Edgar the Brother of Edwy surnamed the Peaceable the most absolute Monâ—rch of England since the time of the Saxons by whom the tribute of money imposed by Athelstan on the Wâ—lch was exchanged into a tribute of Wolves 16. 975. 13 Edward II. Sonne of Edgar treacherously murdered by his Stepdame to make way for Ethelred her Sonne hence surnamed the Martyr 3. 978. 14 Ethelred the younger Sonne of Edgar and half Brother of Edward enjoyed the Crown unquietly which he got unjustly Oppressed and broken by the Danes he was fain to buy his peace of them at the yeerly tribute of 10000 pounds inhanced to 48000 pounds within short time after which monies were raised upon the subjects by the name of Danegelt Weary of these exactions he plotted warily with his Subjects to kill all the Danes as they slept in their beds which accordingly was put in execution on S. Brâ—ces night Novemb. 12. Anno 1012. To revenge this out-rage and dishonour Swaine King of Denmark with a sayl of 350 ships came into England the fear whereof compelled Ethelred a weak and impuissant Prince to fly into Normandy leaving his poor Subjects to the mercy of the Danish Tyrant who miserably plagued them till his death To whom succeeded his Sonne Cnute Canutus a more temperate Prince who maugre Ethelred now returned or his Sonne Edmund Ironside a most valiant King did in the end possess himself of the whole Kingdom 1016 15 Edmund II. surnamed Ironside
or more for each severall Province according to the condition and capacitie of those which are chosen to reside at the Hague there to consult of the affairs which concern the publick but so that be they more or lesse out of every Province they make amongst them but one suffrage when any thing is to be put unto the Vote And these they call the States Generall first because a collected body out of all the Provinces and secondly because they are not properly to deal in any matters of particular concernment which are determinable absolutely by the States Provinciall but only in such things as concern the generall good of the whole Estate as treating with Ambassadours making war and peace c. For their assistance in the which there is a Councel of State made up of the Governours and some eminent men of every Province in which the Ambassadour of England as long as we held Flushing and the other Cautionarie Towns had his voice or suffrage by whose advice they dispose of all things which concern the publick But so that if any difficultie do appear in the businesse they conclude nothing till they have the approbation and consent of the particular Cities and Provinces for which they are chosen to whom they are accomptable for their administration and by whom revocable whensoever they please The Revenue of this Estate doubtlesse is exceeding great the Armie which they keep in continuall entertainment consisting of no lesse then 30000 men which they can draw into the field leaving the Forts and Towns very well provided yet so well paid that we never read of any mutinie amongst them for want thereof The whole charge with the entertainment of Captains and superiour Officers is said to amount to 500000 l. per annum raised on the people by Excise laid upon all commodities and many taxes of like nature so insupportable in themselves and amongst men which would be thought to live in a free State that should the Spaniard or any Prince in Christendome lay but half so much upon their Subjects it would occasion a Revolt So that whereas one of the first causes of their falling off from the King of Spain was to free themselves from taxes and impositions illegally as they said inforced upon them they have drawn upon themselves more arbitrarie and illegall payments then any Nation in the World So little have they got by the change of government Touching their power at Sea we have spoke alreadie All I shall now adde to it is by way of instance which is that in the year 1587. the King of Denmark on pretence of some displeasure arrested 608 ships of theirs of all sorts at one time in the Sound and that the next year after they set out upon very short warning an hundred good men of war to join with England against the invincible Armada which then threatned both To conclude there is nothing wanting to these Countries wherewith the God of all blessings doth enrich a Nation but a gracious Prince unitie of Religion and a quiet Government which if it pleased the Almighty to confer upon them they would surpasse all neighbouring States in treasure potencie content and all worldly happinesse There are in these Countries Archbishops 3. Bishops 15. Universities 7. Viz. Lovain Doway Leige Leyden Harderwick Franeker Groyning And thus much of Belgium OF GERMANIE GERMANIE is bounded on the East with Prussia Poland and Hungarie on the West with France Switzerland and Belgium on the North with the Baltick Seas and some part of Denmark on the South with the Alps which part it from Italy By which accompt the modern Germanie much differeth from that described by Tacitus and others of the Roman writers that comprehending the three Kingdoms of Denmark Norway and Sweden with so much of the Kingdom of Poland as lieth on this side of the River Vistula but bounded on the East with the Rhene and on the South with the Danow the modern Germanie containing on the further banks of those Rivers 5 whole Roman Provinces that is to say Noricum Ripense and Mediterraneum Rhoetia secunda Belgica and Germania prima with some parts of Rhoetia prima and Germania secunda but terminated with the Danes and the Baltick Sea It was first called thus by the Romans as some conceive who seeing the people both in customs speech and course of life so like those of Gallia called them the Germanes to the Gaules the word Germanus in the Latine signifying a Brother of the whole bloud as our Lawyers phrase it that is to say a brother both by father and mother those which have the same mother but divers fathers being called Fratres uterini And of this minde is Strabo who speaking of the great resemblance which was betwixt these Nations in manners speech customs and way of life concludes it thus that the Romans did with very good reason call them Germans cum fratres eos Gallorum hoc nomine vellent ostendere intending to signifie by that name that they were the brethren of the Gaules But this is to be understood of those people only which dwelt next to Gaule and not of all the Nations which inhabited in this vaste Continent according to the ancient extent thereof it being very well observed by Tacitus that Germanie was at first Nationis non Gentis nomen the name of some of the Nations only not of all the Country the name in processe of time spreading over all that large tract of ground and those scattered Nations which were either conquered by them or incorporate with them Others will have the name to be meerly Dutch deriving it from Ger which signifieth all and the word man signifying in that language as in ours whence also they derive the name of Almans by which they would imply that the Almans or Germans are a very warlike Nation a people that have in them nihil nisi virile nothing not worthie of a man Bocartus somewhat near to this telling us that Ger in the antient Gallick did signifie as much as Guerre in the modern French would have them at their first coming over the Rhene to be called Germans by the Gaules that is to say men of war or Gens d' Armes in the present French by reason of the great and many victories obtained by them The like diversity I find for the name of Almans For though some gave them the name of Almans from the same originall from whence they fetch the name of Germans as was said before yet others as probably conjecture that they had that name because they consisted of so many severall Nations coming out of the North and North-east hither that they seemed to be an Hotch-poth of all sorts of men kneaded into one name and Nation which is the conceit of Asinius Quadratus But for my part I doe conceive supposing the name of Almans to be Dutch originally that the whole Country was not called Almain till such time as the Princes of the
abandoned the title of King only and used that of Prince or Duke 1003 20 Boleslaus III. son of Vladislaus 1140 21 Vladislaus II. son of Boleslaus the third outed by his Brethren and at last estated in Silesia united formerly to Poland from the time of Lechus 1146 22 Boleslaus IV. brother of Vladislaus the second 1174 23 Miecislaus III. brother of Boleslaus and Vladislaus deposed by his brother Casimir 1178 24 Casimir II. brother of the three last Princes 1195 25 Lescus V. son of Casimir the second deposed by Miecislaus the third 1203 26 Vladislaus III. son of Miecislaus the third deposed by Lescus the fift who again seised on the Estate 1243 27 Boleslaus V. surnamed Pudicus 1280 28 Lescus VI. surnamed Niger the adopted son of Boleslaus and his Cousen German once removed after whose death anno 1289. the estate being distracted into many fations was for some time without a Prince setled at last on 1295 29 Primislaus surnamed Postbumus who againe assumed the name of King continued ever since by his successours 1296 30 Vladislaus surnamed Locticus brother of Lescus Niger outed by Wenceslaus King of Bohemia anno 1300. after whose death anno 1306. he resumed the estate 1333 31 Casimir III. surnamed the Great son of Vladislaus the fourth the first establisher of the kingdom after all those troublesd yed without issue 1371 32 Lewis king of Hungary son of Charles King of Hungary by Elizabeth the sister of Casimir 1383 33 Heduigis the youngest daughter of Lewis her elder sister Mary succeeding in the Realm of Hungary chosen Queen of Poland marryed to Jagello Duke of Lituania Christened and called Vladislaus the fift 1386 34 Valdislaus V. Duke of Lituania elected King upon his marriage with Queene Heduigis 1435 35 Vladislaus VI. son of Jagello or Vladislaus the fift by Sephia daughter of the Duke of Kiovia He was King of Hungary also slaine at the battell of Varna by Amurath the second King of the Turkes without issue 1447 36 Casimir IV. brother of Vladislaus first brought the Knights of Prussia under his command Knight of the order of Garter 1493 37 John Albert the second sonne of Casimir his elder Brother Vladislaus being pretermitted on his accepting of the Crowns of Hungarie and Bohemia 1502 38 Alexander the third son of Casimir 1507 39 Sigismund the fourth sonne of Casimir his elder Brethren dying without issue suppressed the Order of the Dutch Knights in Prussia and added part thereof unto his estate 1548 40 Sigismund II. surnamed Augustus the last of the male issue of Jagello 1574 41 Henry Duke of Aniou son of Henry the second French King chosen on the death of Sigismund Augustus the onely Stranger to the bloud in all this Catalogue On the death of his brother Charles the ninth he departed secretly into France where he succeeded by the name of Henry the third 1579 42 Stephen Bathor Vaivod of Transylvania having marryed Anne sister of Sigismund the second is elected King he united Livonia to the Crown and had a great hand upon the Moscovite 1587 43 Sigismund III. son of John King of Swethland and Catharine his wife another of the sisters of Sigismund the second King of Poland and Sweden He valiautly opposed Osman the Great Turke invading his Dominions with an Army 300000. 1633 44 Vladislaus VII eldest son of Sigismund the third after whose death the kingdom was extremely embroyled by factions especially by the mutinous and seditious Cosaques not fully setled by the election of 1648 45 Casimir V. Brother of Vladislaus the seventh now king of Poland anno 1648. The Government of this kingdome is nothing lesse then Monarchicall For though the first Dukes hereof were absolute Princes and ruled after a Despoticall manner having power not onely of the estates of their subjects but of life and death without formalities of Law yet when they once became elective they lost much of that power which decayed so by little and little that at the last the King is counted little better then a Royall shadow Stat magni nominis umbra in the Poets language A diminution which began first in the times of Lewis of Hungarie and Jagello of Lituania who to gaine the succession to the kingdome contrary to Law the one for his daughter the other for his sonne departed with many of their Royalties and Prerogatives to buy the voices of the Nobility Since which time the Nobilitie in all their elections have so limited and restrained the Kings authority and enlarged their own that without their consent in Counsell he may neither make war nor treat of peace nor impose taxes nor alienate any of his Demeanes nor do any thing of importance which concernes the Publick in so much as Boterus a great Statesman doth expressely say that the Government of Poland doth rather seem an Aristoratie then a Monarchie a Common-wealth rather then a Kingdome Besides the King not onely takes a solemn Oath at his Coronation to confirme all the rights and Priviledges which have been granted to the Subject by his Predecessours but addes this clause quod si Sacramentum meum violavero incolae Regni nullam nobis obedientiam praestare tenebuntur that if he violate this Oath his Subjects shall not be obliged to yeeld him any obedience Which as Bodinus well observeth doth rather savour of the condition of a Prince of the Senate then of the Majestie of a King respected accordingly by the great ones who looke not on him as their King but their elder Brother or perhaps not that and reckon his Decrees but of three dayes lasting Which notwithstanding the King once chosen and inthroned hath sole power in many things without consulting with the Senate as viz. in assembling Diets choosing the secular Counsellers disposing absolutely of his Vassals and the Revenues of the Crown to what use he pleaseth being â—ole Judge of the Nobility in Criminall causes which is a strong bridle to raine them in with By which and either uniting himself unto the Clergy or the well-forming of his party amongst the Noâ—â—lity hee may doe many things not allowable in strictnesse of Law the power and influence which he hath in the publick Government being proportionable to the strength of his wit and Brain And here it is to be observed that none but the Clergie and Nobilitie have any suffrage in the election of the King that is to say the 26 Palatines and 60 Chastellans with the four Marshals and some others of the principall Officers of State in behalf of the Nobility and the Archbâ—shops and Bishops in the name of the Clergie but of the Commons none at all Which is the reason why there is so much care taken to preserve the priviledges of the two first Orders without obtaining any immuties for reliefe of the third most miserably oppressed on all sides rather as Bondmen then Tenants in respect of their Lords and not so much subjects as plain slaves in regard of the King whereof somewhat
King of Macedonia Anicius the Praetor is sent with a sufficient Army to make an end of that work Who used such diligence therein that Scordra the chief town of the Kingdome was taken and the King himselfe together with his wife and children made Prisoners by consequence the whole war ended antequam geri Romae nunciaretur before they knew at Rome that it was begun The Liburnians after this became quiet subjects the whole Countrey on taking of the Gentius being made a Province of the Romans anno V. C. 586. employed at Rome in many servile offices as before was said but them the Dalmatians began to cast off the yoke But Dalminium their chiefe City being first sacked by Martius Figulus and after by Nasica before mentioned they continued quiet and obedient till the time of Augustus Caesar when they againe rebelled at the instigation of one Batto a man very potent with the people who having ten years together maintained the liberty of his countrey at last broken and wearied by the forces of Germanicus and Tiberius he submitted himselfe unto the two Generals who asking the reason of his revolt were answered because the Romans sent not shepheards to keep but wolves to devoure their flockes Thus finally conquered it continued a Roman Province till the coming of Odoacer into Italy who brought it under his command as the Gothes also did having vanquished him and thereby made themselves Masters of Italy and the rest of his purchases But the kingdome of the Gothes being brought to an end by the good fortune of Justinian and the valour of Belisarius and Narses two of his Commanders but very ill requited by him Illyricum became a part of the Eastern Empire continuing under the power of the Grecian Emperours till the time of Phocas that bloudy Tyrant when made a prey unto the Sclaves Of these though we have spoken before in severall places as their fortunes and affaires have led us yet being this is the onely countrey which preserves their name we will here speake more exactly of them then we have done hitherto especially as to their manners name and first Originall and finally of their successes in this countrey And first for their Originall I take it for a thing past question that they were no other then naturall Sarmatians inhabiting on the North of the River Ister uniting themselves under this name in their undertakings and attempts on the Eastern Empire as the many Nations of Germany tooke the name of Frankes and Almans in their actions and achievements against the Western But why they took this name rather then another is not yet agreed on Some fetch the originall of it from Slowo which in the Sclavonian tongue signifieth a Speech or word because they were all of one common language others from Slawa signifying in that language Fame or Glory in regard of that great fame and honour which they had achieved by their successes on the Empire But when I finde a potent Nation of the Winithi Winuli or Vendi a Sarmatian people called Sclavini by Jornandes possessed in his time of the further shores of the River Ister opposite to Illyricum and Thrace and by that name wasting and forraging these Provinces and other parts of that Empire in the time of Justinian as we read in Procopius that they did I see no reason why wee should looke further for the name of Sclaves then from these Sclavini For having in the time of Phocâ— subdued this Countrey and called it Sclavinia or Sclavonia after their own name by that and other fortunate successes on the Eastern Empire and the honour they had thereby gotten they might very well induce the rest of the scattered tribes of the Sarmatians to unite together with them both in name and action and try their fortunes in the conquest of the West of Europe as these had done already on the East parts of it In which designe they sped so well that they became Masters of almost all those countreys which lie betwixt the River Vistula and the Euxine Sea the Adriatick and the Baltick communicating their language unto all the Provinces and Nations conquered by them and to most their manners rites and customs Their Government at first by Kings but so that the succession seldom held in a Race or Family and those that had the Throne did not long enjoy it For having a Law amongst themselves that hee who killed a Tyrant should succeed in his place they had few Kings whom some or other would not vote to be a Tyrant and then dispatch him out of the way that a greater Tyrant then himselfe as it commonly happeneth in such cases might possesse the Power Insomuch that they had a new king almost every year none of them for the space of an hundred yeares dying naturall deaths and all that while the People as it needs must be most miserably torn in peâ—ces by intestine wars Not cured of this distemper till the severall Tribes and Nations of them as Poles Moravians Bohemians these here and those of other Countries had their severall Princes succeeding one another in a Regular way Their Religion Gentilism at the first for being originally Heathens they worshipped such Gods as others of the Gentiles did Jessan for Jupiter Ladon for Pluto Marzim for Mars Zievane for Venus and Nian for Diana They had also a Goddesse called Pagode to whom they prayed for fair weather and a temperate Air. To their children they used to give no name till they began to grow great and then conducted them to the Temple of their Gods where they cut off their first hair and offered it as a pledge of their future service at which solemnity they called together their friends and kinsfolk to make merry with bankets dancing singing and all kinde of sports offering in sacrifice an Hog and wine mixed with honey somewhat like Metheglin But to returne unto the story the Sclaves thus setled in this countrey since called Sclavonia continued absolute Masters of it under the Title of Kings of Croatia and Dalmatia till the yeare 970. when growing unsufferable by their frequent Piracies and having ravished or surprized a company of Venetian Ladies they forced that State as the Liburnians did the Romans to make warre upon them Which ended in the losse of Lezina and Curzela two of their best Islands and almost all the Sea townes on the Coast of the Adriatick possessed for the most part since that time by the State of Venice a tribute also of 100 Barrels of Wine and a present to the Duke of 3000 Coney-skins being laid upon them Petro Vrseola being then Duke of Venice and Marcomir king of the Sclavonians Afterwards Zelamirus the last king dying without issue bequeathed the kingdome to his wife and she as freely to her brother Ladislaus king of Hungarie surnamed the Saint the right hereof accrewing by this means to the kings of Hungary but the possession of a great part of it remaining to the State of
the 2. King of Argos the Founder of it but afterwards beautified and inlarged by Lacedaemon the second King of this Countrie it took that name also promiscuously known by both in the best Authors One of the Eyes of Greece and a most famous Commonwealth but at first governed by Kings as most of the Greek Cities in ancient times Tyndarus the father of Castor and Pollux was once King hereof after whose death and the death of the said famous brethren Menelaus was admitted King of Sparta or Lacedaemon in right of Helena his wife their sister And though Nicostratus and Magapenthes sons of Menelaus by another venter succeeded after his decease yet the Spartans soon rejected them and received Orestes the son of Agamemnon to be their King marrying him to Hermione the daughter of Menelaus and Helena and consequently the neece of Tyndarus Tisamenes the son of Orestes and Hermione succeeded next in whose time the Heraclidae or posteritie of Hercules returned into Greece under the conduct of Temenus Ctesiphon and Aristodemus sons of Aristomachus whereof the first possessed himselfe by force of Arms of the Citie of Argos the second of Messene and the third conquered the Citie and State of Sparta which dying very shortly afterâ— he left unto his two sons Eurysthenes and Procles the roots of the two Royall families which jointly and in common governed the affairs of Sparta first absolutely as Soveraign Prinees without any controll afterwards at the direction of the Senate and finally under the command and check of those popular Officers whom they called the Ephori But because these Spartan Kings in each severall period were for the most part men of action and often mentioned in the Histories of the elder times I will first make a Catalogue of them and then subjoin such observations and remembrances as I think most pertinent The KINGS of SPARTA Of the first Familie A. M. 1 Eurotas the first King of Sparta who gave name to the River Eurotas 2 Lacedaemon brother of Eurotas from whom the Citie of Sparta was called Lacedaemon 3 Amyclas son of Lacedaemon the founder of Amyclae a Laconian Citie 4 Argalus son of Amyclas 5 Cynorta son of Argalus 6 Oebalus sonne of Cynorta from whom a part of this Country had the name of Oebalia 7 Hippocoon son of Oebalus 2700 8 Tyndarus brother of Hippocoon in whose life he was King of Oebalia only 9 Castor and Pollux sons of Tyndarus famous among the Argonautes 2740 10 Menelaus and Helena his wife the daughter of Tyndarus whose Rape occasioned the destruction of Troy 2770 11 Nicostratus and Megapenthes sons of Menelaus by a former wife 12 Orestes and Hermione his wife daughter of Helena and Menelaus 13 Tisamenes son of Orestes and Hermione who being outed of Sparta by the Heraâ—lidae reigned in Achaia and left his Kingdom there unto his posteritie The KINGS of SPARTA Of the race of HERACLIDAE 1 Aristodemus the first King of the Race of Hercules left the Kingdom jointly to his two sons A. M.   A. M.   2848 1 Eurysthenes 2848 1 Procles 2890 2 Agis from whom this line were called Agidae  2 Euripon from whom this line were called Eurypontidae 2891 3 Echestratus  3 Prytanis 2926 4 Labetas  4 Eunomus 2963 5 Dryssus  5 Polydectes 2992 6 Agesilaus 3076 6 Charilaus 3046 7 Archelaus 3140 7 Nicandrus 3096 8 Teleclus 3176 8 Theopompus 3136 9 Alcumenes  9 Archidamus 3173 10 Polydorus  10 Zeuxidamus  11 Eurycrates  11 Anaxidamus  12 Anaxandrus  12 Archidamus II.  13 Eurycrates II.  13 Agasicles  14 Leonidas  14 Ariston  15 Anaxandrides  15 Demaratus  16 Cleomenes 3447 16 Leotychides  17 Leonidas II. 3478 17 Archidamus 3470 18 Plistarchus 3520 18 Agis 3471 19 Plisionax 3547 19 Agesilaus 3539 20 Pausanias 3588 20 Archidamus IV. 3553 21 Agesipolis 3611 21 Agis II. 3567 22 Cleombrotus  22 Eudamidas 3576 23 Agesipolis II.  23 Archidamus V. 3577 24 Cleomenes II.  24 Eudamidas II. 3611 25 Arius 3700 25 Agis III. 3655 26 Acrotatus  26 Eurydamidas the last King of the line of the Eurypoutidoe slain by Cleomenes the last of the other line also  27 Arius II.     28 Leonidas III.     29 Celombrotus II.    3714 30 Cleomenes III. the last of the line of the Agidoe who having slain Eurydamidas the son of Agis the 3. substituted his own brother Epiclides in his place But being himself shortly alter vanquisted by Antigonus of Macedonia and forced to flie his Country with his wife and children the Government of the Heraelidae ended after it had continued here for the space of 900 years or thereabouts    Under these Kings the Government at first was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plutarch termeth it sufficiently Monarchicall if it were not more Under Eunomus the fourth King of the second house the people finding the reins of Government let loose began to mutinie and grow too head-strong To bridle whom and to restrain the Kings withall should they prove exorbitant Lycurgus the Protector of Charilaus the sixth King of that house did ordain the Senate committing to them the supreme power in matters civill and leaving to the Kings the ordering of all militarie and sacred businesse To curb the insolencies of this Senate who quickly found their own strength Theopompus the eighth King of that house with the consent of Polydorus the tenth King of the other instituted a new Magistracie chosen out of the Common-People whom they called the Ephori which grew in fine to such an height of pride and tyrannie as not only to controll the Senators but to censure fine imprison depose and mutually to kill their Kings as the spirit of sedition moved them So that the State of Lacedoemon was at first a Monarchie under Kings then an Aristocratie under the command of the Senate next a Democratie under the Ephori and finally by those popular Officers made so plain a Tyrannie that Aristotle and Plato two great Common-wealths-men who died before they had embrued their hands in the blood of their Kings call it in plain terms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a most absolute tyrannie What think you would these men have called it had they lived to see Leonidas the 3. deposed and Agis the third of that name also most barbarously murdered by these popular Villains But being the foundation of this Common-wealth was first laid and the good Laws and politique Constitutions by which it did so long subsist in great power and splendour established by the wit and power of Lycurgus as before was said we are to know concerning him that he was the son of Eunomus the fourth King of the second house slain in a popular tumult by the common people Who finding by this Essay that the people were become too head-strong for the Kings to govern
in site and the true type or Figure of the old English Puritan opposite to the Papist in things fit and decent though made ridiculous many times by that opposition In other things they do much resemble those of China if not the more ceremonious of the two washing their infant-children in the neerest River as soon as born and putting off their shooes when they go to meat The people have but one Language but that so intermingled with the words of others nations that it seems rather to be many languages than one They have long used the Art of printing which probably enough they might have from China the Characters whereof are a kind of Brachygraphy and signifie not only letters but some whole words also In matter of Religion Gentiles adoring antiently the Sun Moon and the Stars of Heaven and giving divine honour to wild beasts and the Stags of the Forrests but specially worshiping some of their deceased Priests and Princes by the names of Fotoques and 〈◊〉 the first of which they use to pray for goods of the other world and to the last for Temporall blessings Theâ—â— Priests they call by the name of Bonzes setled in goodly Convenâ—s and endowed with very large Revenues who though divided into eleven different if not contrary Sects do well enough agree in denying the providence of God and the immortality of the soul Of late times by the care and diligence of the 〈◊〉 Christianity hath begun to take footing here whether with such a large increase as their letters called Epistolae Japanicae have been pleased to tell us I am somewhat doubtfull They tell us there of some Kings of these Ilands whom they have converted and baptized that within 50 miles of 〈◊〉 they had 50 Churches 200 at the least in all that in the year 1587 the number of their Converts was two hundred thousand Of this if the one half be but true we have great cause to praise God for it and to give them the commendation of their pains and industry not letting pass the memory of the first 〈◊〉 who was Father Xavier one of the first foundation of this Society employed in this 〈◊〉 by Ignâ—tâ—â—s the first founder of it who landed here about the year 1556. Rivers of note I find not any though the Iland be generally well-watered more memorable for two mountains in it than for all the Rivers One of which called Figâ—noiama is said to transcend the clouds in height the other but without a name useth to cast forth dreadfull flames like Stcilian Aetna on the top whereof the Devill environed with a white and shining cloud doth sometimes shew himself unto such of his 〈◊〉 as live about this hill an abstemious life like the antient Hermits Chief Cities of the whole Ilands 1. Meaco seated in Japan and the chief of that Iland formerly 21 miles in compass but now by reason of their warrs scarce a third part of it The ordinary residence of the 〈◊〉 or three principall Magistrates which sway the affairs of all these Ilands oâ— whom the first entituled 〈◊〉 hath the chief care in sacred matters the 2d named Voo doth preside in Civill and the third called 〈◊〉 manageth the concernments of Peace and Warre At this time it is used for the common Eâ—pâ—â—y of the trade of 〈◊〉 that people not permitting Merchants to come amongst them but bringing to this place their merchandise as the common Staple where they are sure to meet with Chapmen to buy it of them 2. Ossacay a great and renowned City conceived to be the richest in all the East of so great trade that every ordinary merchant is said to be worth 30000 Crowns 3. 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 at the foot of the chill so called and about nine miles from Meaco An University of the Bâ—nzeâ— for whose convenience and study one of the Kings of Japan is said to have founded in this Town and about that mountain 3800 Convents and to endow it with the third part of the Revenues of the Kingdom of Vorn These Colleges or Convents now reduced to 800 onely but still the Vniversity of such same and credit that they give not the command or government of it unto any but the Kings sonne or his neerest kinsman 4. Banoâ—m another of their Vniversities where they give degrees affirmed to be as big as Paris 5. Bongo the chief of all that Province in which the Jesuites have a College the Japonues learn the Portugal language and the Europaeans that of Japan 6. Coia the sepulture of their Princes or of some part of them it being antiently ordained that if their whole bodies be not here interred they must at least send one of their teeth 7. Fiongo about 18. leagues from Meaco the subject of many great misfortunes Destroyed in part by Nabunanga one of the Kings of this Iland who lived Anno 1550 that which he left terribly shattered by an Earth-quake Anno 1596. most of the ruins of it since consumed by fire 8. Amangasaqui five leagues from the Sea 9. Surungo as big as London with the Suburbs 10 Edâ—o a much fairer than that and the chief Seat of one of their Kings 11. Firando a seat-Royall also of some other King where in the year 1613. there was a Faâ—tory established for the English Merchants 12. Ochinofamanus one of their most noted Havens 13. Tosa or 〈◊〉 giving name to one of the Ilands These Ilands utterly unknown to the Antients were first discovered by Antonio Mota a Portugal in the year 1542. I know Mercator taketh it for the Aureâ— Chersonesus spoken of by Ptolomy and I cannot choose but wonder at it The situation of it so far distant from that of the Chersonese that either Mercator must be grossely out in his conjecture or Ptolomy as much mistaken in his informations which no man hitherto can justly accuse him of But passing by the improbability of Mercators fancy we are to know that in former times these Ilands were subject to one Prince whom they obeyed and reverenced with great affection which government continued as themselves report 1600 years in great State and Majesty But in the end the Dairi so they call their King addicting himself wholly unto pleasures and laying the burden of Government upon other mens shoulders his Deputies or inferiour Officers usurped Regaâ— power plumed themselves with Eagles feathers used in their stiles the name of Jucatas or Kings and in a word left nothing but the name of Dairi to their Lord and Soveraign His issue to this day do enjoy that title and but little else the Princes bordering on Meacâ— once his Royall seat hardly allowing him sufficient means to find himself victuall and Apparell but otherwise befooling him with as glorious titles as if he were possessed still of his antient power Onely they let him execute the place of an Harald in giving Arms and selling dignities and honours which brings him in the greatest profit he hath to trust to Of all these Kings he
Now indigent and so unprovided of all Grain for the use of their families that they are fain to furnish themselves out of other places the People not daring to manure or sow their land for fear of the Arabians who ever and anon fall into these parts and spoil what they meet with Places of most note in it in the elder times 1. Adrumetum or Adrumystus now called Machometta once a Roman Colony and the Metropolis of the Province of Byzacena by consequence in the times of Christianity an Archbishops See walled and repaired by the Emperor Justinian and by his command called Justiniana 2. Zama the incamping place of Annibal before his battel with Scipio 3. Nadagora memorable for the great battel betwixt the two renowned Generals of Rome and Carthage not parallel'd since their own times nor in those before them In which the great Controversie between those Cities being to be tried the fortune of the day fell unto the Romans For though Annibal shewed his singular judgment in ordering his Souldiers as Scipio could not but acknowledge yet being far the weaker in horse and by an Order of the Senate of Carthage to fight in a place of disadvantage he could do no marvels the Romans with the losse of no more then 1500 of their own men killing 20000 of the Carthaginians in the fight and chase 4. Salera the first place took by Scipio after the landing of his Army 5. Vtica a Tyrian Colony beautified with an Haven capable of the greatest ships much spoke of in the wars of Carthage and memorable for the death of Cato hence sirnamed Vtican who here slew himself for fear of falling into the hands of Caesar It is now called Biserta 6. Byzacium seated in liberal and fruitful soils as was shewn before whence the Province had the name of Byzacena 7. Ruspinum made by Caesar the seat of his war in Africk against the sons and faction of Pompey as memorable in the times succeeding for being the Epiâ—copal See of S. Fulgentius 8. Thystrus remarkable for the Tragedie of the Gordiani Of which the Father in this City was saluted Emperor by the Souldiers in hatred to Maximinus then their Emperor whose Procurator they had slain in a tumult but his party being discomfited by Capellianus whom Maximinus sent against him and his son killed in the defeat upon the hearing of the news he here hanged himself 9. Hippagreta on a great Lake betwixt Carthage and Vtica once of the Towns which held out longest for the Mercinaries in their desperate Rebellion against the Carthaginians by which the Estate of that great City was in danger of ruine at the end of the first Punick war 10. CARTHAGE once the Lady and Mistresse of Africk situate in the bottom of a safe and capacious Bay the entrances whereof were very strongly fortified both by art and nature Environed with the Sea except upon one side only where joyned unto the Land by a narrow Isthmus about two miles and an half in breadth In compasse 24 miles but measuring by the outward wall it was 45. For without the wall of the City it self there were three wals more betwixt each of which there were three or four Streets with Vaults under ground of 30 foot deep wherein they had place for 300 Elephants and all their Fodder with Stables over them for 4000 Horse and all their Provender and Lodging in those Out-streets for the Riders of the said Horse and for 20000 Foot besides which never came within the City to annoy or pester it On the South side stood the Castle called Byrsa which took up two miles and an half in compasse first built by Dido on that ground which she obtained of the Libyans when she got leave to buy only so much land of them as she could compasse round about with an Oxes hide In that the sumptuous Temple of their antient Deities Juno Apollo Aesculapius Belus On the West-side a standing Pool made of the Sea-water let into it by so narrow a passage that there was but 70 foot open for the Sea to enter On which they had a stately Arsenal with their Ships and Gallies riding by it Of the foundation and affairs of this mighty City we have spoke already The Government of it first by Kings those absolute enough at first afterwards limited by the Senate and finally made meerly titulary by the power of the People which unproportionable mixture is much condemned by Aristotle in the 2. of his Politicks Their Territories before the second Punick war when they were at the greatest extended on the Sea-coasts of the Mediterranean from the Greater Syrtis to the Streits and so unto the River Iberus for the space of 2000 miles in length their Revenues answerable and readily brought in by reason of their infinite trading Which made the Roman people think themselves unsafe whilst this City stood Resolved on the destruction of it they sent against it L. Martius and M. Manlius their two Consuls with a puissant Army to whom the Carthaginians willingly delivered up their Arms and Shipping contracting only for the preservation of the City it self which was faithfully promised But when they had withall given up the sons of their principal men to be sent to Rome for Pledges of their future loyaltie they were told that a City consisted not in wals but in lawes and government These with the Corporation should remain as formerly the Town to be removed ten miles further off where there was no Sea to thrive and grow rich upon Enraged herewith it was resolved to abide the utmost but they wanted necessaries for resistance That want supplied for want of Iron to make Arms with Gold and Silver the Houses pulled down to furnish them with timber to build a Navy and noble Ladies cutting off the hair of their heads to make Ropes and Cordage 25000 Women listed to defend the wals But the fatal moment being come a second Scipio is sent thither to dispatch the work by whom at last the Town was taken and for 17 dayes together consumed with fire the Queen and multitudes of the People burning themselves in the Temple of Aesculapius because they would not fall into the hands of the Romans Reedified by Iulius Caesar and made a Colonie it recovered some part of her former lustre but so that her chief glory was rather to be sought for in her antient then her present fortunes Populi Romani Colonia olim Imperii ejus pertinax amula priorum excidio rerum quam ope prasentium clarior was her character in the times of Pomponius Mela. But in this last Estate accompted for the Metropolis of the Diocese of Africk the Residence of the Vicarius or Lieutenant-General and the See of the chief Primate of the African Churches who had 164 Bishops under him in that one Province wherein Carthage stood Destroyed in the succeeding times by the Vandals and after that by the Saracens it is at last reduced to nothing but a few scattered
Fez begun in the person of Idris of the blood of Mahomet by Hali and his daughter Fatima who persecuted by the opposite faction fled into Mauritania where he grew into such reputation that in short time he got both swords into his hands Dying about the 185 year of the Hegira he left his power unto his son of the same name with his father the first founder of Fesse Opposite whereunto on the other side of the water one of his sons but his name I find not built another City which in time grew into emulation with it and raising by that means a faction in the house of Idris gave opportunity to Joseph the son of Teifin or Telephine of the house of Luntune then famous for bridling the Arabians and founding the City of Morocco to suppress that family who killing the Princes of that line and 30000 of their subjects brake down the wals which parted the two Cities from one another united them by bridges and so made them one Drawn into Spain by the diffention of the Saracens there amongst themselves he added all which they held in that kingdom unto his dominions held by his successors as long as they were able to hold Morocco the Catalogue of which Princes called the house or family of the Almoravides with that of the Race of the Almohades is this which followeth The Kings or Miramomolims of Morocco 1 Teifin or Telephine the first of the Almoravides that reigned in Africk 2 Joseph sirnamed Telephinus the son of Teifin founded Morocco subdued the Kingdom of Fesse and added the Estate of the Moors in Spain unto his Dominions 3 Hali the son of Joseph 4 Albo-Halis the son of Hali supposed to be the publisher of the Works now extant in the name of Avicenne compiled at his command by some of the most learned Arabian Doctors vanquished and slain by 5 Abdelmon or Abdel-Mumen the first of the Almohades of obscure parentage but raised to so great power by the practises of Almohad a jugling Prophet of those times that he overthrew the king and obtained the kingdom of the Almoravides both in Spain and Africk An. 1150. to which he also added the Realm of Tunis and Cairoan 6 Joseph II. or Aben-Joseph the son of Abdelmon 7 Jacob or Aben-Jacob sirnamed Almansor a puissant and prudent Prince of whom much before son of Joseph II. 8 Mahomet sirnamed Enaser or the Green the brother of Almansor Discomfited by the Christians of Spain at the battel of Sier-Morena An. 1214. lost his dominions there being slain in this battel 200000 of the Moors as some Writers say who adde that the Spaniards for two dayes to-gether burnt no other fewel but the Pikes Lances and Arrows of their slaughtered Enemies yet could not consume the one half of them 9 Caid Arrax Nephew of Mahomet Enaser by his son Buxaf slain at the siege of Tremezezir a Castle of Tremesin which was held against him 10 Almorcada a kinsman of Caid Arrax outed of his estate and slain by Budebuz of the same house of the Almohades 11 Budebuz the last of the house of the Almohades setled in this Estate by the aid and valour of Jacob Aben Joseph the new King of Fesse but dealing faithlesly and ungratefully with him he was warred on by the said Jacob Ben Joseph vanquished and slain in battel the soveraignty by that means translated unto those of the Marine family An. 1270. or thereabouts But before I do proceed further with this Marine family I must again look back upon Mahomet Enaser whom I conceive the putation of the time being so agreeable to be the Admiralius Murmelius mentioned by Matthew Paris to whom our king John An. 1214. is said to have sent such a degenerous and unchristian Embassage Which strange name of Admiralius Murmelius was by that good Writer unhappily stumbled at instead of Miramomolim which also is corrupted from Amir Elmumenim that is to say Princeps Fidelium an Attribute which the great kings of the Saracen-Moors did much affect and retained it long time amongst them The story this King John being overlaid by his Barons wars and the invasions of the French sent Ambassadors to this great Prince then ruling over a great part of Spain and Barbary for aid against them offering to hold his kingdom of him and to receive withall the Law of Mahomet The Moor exceedingly offended at it told the Ambassadors that he had lately read the book of Pauls Epistles which he liked so well that were he now to choose a Religion he would have imbraced Christianity before any other But every man saith he ought to die in his own Religion the greatest thing which he disliked in that Apostle being as he said the changing of the Faith in which he was born This said he called unto him Robert of London Clark one of the Ambassadors a man ill chose for such an Errand if the tale be true of whom he demanded the form of the English Government the situation and wealth of the Country the manners of the people the life and person of the king in which being satisfied he grew into such a dislike of that King that ever after he abhorred the mention of him This is the substance of the story in Matthew Paris But you must know he was a Monk to which brood of men King John was held for a mortal Enemy and therefore this Relation not to passe for Gospel But whatsoever opinion King John might have of the power of this King to whom t is possible enough he might send for aide certain it is that he was grown so low in his Reputation after the loss of that great battell in Siera Morena that not onely the Spanish Moors withdrew their obedience from him as a Prince unable to support them but those of Africk did revolt also from the Crown of Morocco extreamly weakned by that blow after his decease For Comoranca Aben Zein of the house of Abdaluad seized upon Tremesen in the time of Caid Arrax his Successour as Bucar Aben Merin of the noble Marine Family descended from a Christian stock did the like at Fez. Setled in his estate by the vanquishment of Almorcada the Miramomolim he left it to Hiaja his son under the governance and protection of a Brother of his called Jacob Ben Joseph But the young Prince dying shortly after left his new Kingdom to his Uncle who aiding Budebuz before mentioned dispossed Almorcada of the Realm of Morocco and afterwards having just cause of quarrell against this Budebuz invaded his Dominions overcame and slew him and once again transferred the Imperial seat from Morocco to Fez. In him began the Empire of the Marine Family who held their Residence in Fez as the first seat of their power Morocco being Governed by an under-King the rest of the Provinces of that Kingdom Cantonned into several States the Sea-coasts in some tract of time being gained by the Portugals And in his line but with great confusions the Royall
mountainous places of those Countreys 13. Jazygian on the North side of Hungarie betwixt Danubius and Tibiscus and 14. Tartarian in the Taurica Chersonesus and other Europaean parts of that barbarous people And this shall serve for Europe in the generall notion Descend we now to the particular Kingdoms Regions and Ilands of it beginning first of all with Italie contrary to the usage of most Geographers who commonly begin with Spain or Ireland as being the furthest Countreys Westward and consequently neerest to the first Meridian from whence the Longitude was reckoned Which we shall do by reason of that great influence which the Romans had in most parts of Europe and many parts of the World besides in matters as well Civill as Ecclesiasticall which much depended on the power of that Empire formerly and on the usurpations of that Church in the later days OF ITALIE ITALIE once the Empress of the greatest part of the then known World is compassed with the Adriatick Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas except it be towards France and Germany from which it is parted by the Alpes so that it is in a manner a Peninsula or Demy-Iland But more particularly it hath on the East the lower part of the Adriatick and the Ionian Sea by which it is divided from Greece on the West the River Varus and some part of the Alpes by which it is parted from France on the North in some parts the Alpes which divide it from Germanie and on the other parts the Adriatick which divides it from Dalmatia and on the South the Tyrrhenian or Tuscan Seas by which it is separated from the main land of Africa It containeth in length from Augusta Praetoria now called Aost at the foot of the Alpes unto Otranto in the most Eastern point of the Kingdom of Naples 1020. miles in bredth from the River Varo which parts it from Province to the mouth of the River Arsia in Friuly where it is broadest 410. miles about Otranti where it is narrowest not above 25. miles and in the middle parts from the mouth of Pescara in the Adriatick or Upper Sea to the mouth of Tiber in the Tuscan or Lower Sea 126. miles The whole compass by Sea reckoning in the windings and turnings of the shore comes to 3038. miles which added to the 410. miles which it hath by land make up in all 34.48 miles But if the Coast on each side be reckoned by a straight Line then it falls very short of this proportion amounting in the totall as Castaldo computes it to no more then 2550. miles The whole Countrey lieth under the fifth and sixth Climates of the Northern temperate Zone which it wholly taketh up so that the longest day in the most Northern parts is 15. hours and three fift parts of an hour the longest in the Southern parts falling short a full hour and no more of that length But these dimensions must be understood of Italy in the present latitude and extent thereof and not as it was called and counted of in the times of the Romans neither in the growth nor flourishing fortunes of that State The bounds of Italy on the West and North-Western parts being then the River Rubicon which runneth into the Adriatick not far from Ravenna and the River Arno which runneth into the Tyrrhenian Seas by the Port of Ligorn All that lay Westwards toward the Alpes as it was possessed by the Gaules so had it also the name of Gallia and for dictinctions sake of Gallia Cis-Alpina and Togata whereof we shall speak more when we come to Lombardie And it continued though a Province of the Roman Empire distinct from Italie untill the Empire of Augustus who dividing Italie for the better Government thereof into eleven Provinces or Regions divided Gallia-Cisalpina into severall parts whereof more anon and reckoned them as Provinces or Members of the Body of Italie The names hereof so bounded as before are said to have been very many according to the severall Nations which were antiently of most power and authority in it or to the severall fancies of the Name-giver whereof some being the names onely of particular Provinces were by a Metanimy taken for and applyed to the whole Of this last sort to omit others of less note were Latium and Ausonia the Ausones being a people dwelling about Cales a town of Campania and Latium that particular Province which lieth on the East of Tiber so called as most Writers are of opinion à latendo from hiding because Saturn being driven from Crete by Jupiter hic latebat abditus did here live concealed Latiumque vocari Maluit his quoniam latuisset tutus in Oris as the Poet hath it Nor was this Virgils fancy onely but a Tradition generall followed and allowed of by the greatest Writers as by Europius and Herodian and by Minutius Felix also though Varroâ— pretending to more than ordinary knowledge in Antiquity would have it called Latium quod lateat inter praecipitia Alpium Apennini as Servius in his notes on Virgil because it lieth hidden as it were under the praecipices of the Alpes and Apenine hills which cannot possibly be said of Italy properly and antiently so called no part whereof came neer the Alpes The more generall names of the whole Countrey were 1. Hesperia from Hesperus the sonne of Atlas as the Poets say or rather as Macrobius is of opinion from Hesperus the Evening Star as being seated Westward in regard of Greece 2. Oenotria either from the abundance and excellency of the wines wine being called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Grecians or as most think from Oenotrus an Arcadian King one of the first Planters of the Countrey And 3. Italia the name at first of that part of this Continent which was after called Calabria as shall there be evidenced and by degrees communicated to the rest of the Countrey So named from Italus a cheif Commander of some Nations that setled here Of these three thus the Poet Virgil. Est loâ—us Hesperiam Grâ—â—i cognâ—â—ine dicuâ— Terra antiqua yet 〈◊〉 armis atque ubere glâ—ba Oenotrii coluâ—re viri 〈◊〉 Faâ—â— minores Italiam diâ—cisce ducis de 〈◊〉 Gentem Which may be Englished in thâ—se words That Which the Greeks Hosperia call'd a place Great both in Arms and Wealth first planted was By the Oeâ—otrians since if Fame not lie Was from their Chief-â—ains name call'd Italie Who and from whence this Italus was we shall see ere long Mean time we will take notice of those honourary Attributes which have been given unto this Countrey so denominated from him by Aethieus called Regina Mundi the Queen or Empress of the World By Mamertinus one of the old Panegyrists Gentium Dominâ—â— the Mistress of Nâ—tions by others Paradison Mundi the terrestriall Paradise But what need more be said than is spoken by Pliniâ— who hath adorned Italie with this following Paâ—egyrick Italia terrarum 〈◊〉 aluâ—â—a â—adem parens 〈◊〉 Deûm electa quae Coelum ipsum
out the Emperor and altered the Government of the City as to them seemed good suddenly they became Enemies to him and the Popes received more injuries at their hands than at any other Christian Princes and that even in those days when the Censures of the Popes made all the West of the wold to tremble yet even then did the people of Rome rebell and both the Popes and the People studied for nothing so much as how one of them might overthrow the Authority and Estimation of the other But for the method and degrees by which the Popes ascended to their temporall greatness take here an extract of the Story collected out of the best Authors by the most reverend Father in God the late Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury in his learned and laborious work against Fisher the Jesuit The Pope saith he being chosen antiently by the Clergie and people of Rome used always to receive from the Emperors hands a ratification of that choyce insomuch that about the yeer 579. when all Italie was on fire with the Lombards and Pelagius the second constrained through the necessity of the times to enter upon the Popedom without 〈◊〉 Emperors leave S. Gregorie then a Deacon was shortly after sent in an Embassie to excuse it But when the Lombards grew so great in Italic and the Empire was so infested with the Saracens and such changes happened in all parts of the world as that neither for the present the Homage of the Pope was usefull to the Emperor nor the Protection of the Emperor available for the Pope by this means was the Bishop of Rome left to play his own game by himself A thing which as it pleased him well enough so both he and his Successors made great advantage by it For being grown to that eminence by the favour of the Emperors and the greatness of that City and place of his abode he then found himself the more free the greater the Tempest was that beat upon the other And then first he set himself to alienate the hearts of the Italians from the Emperor in which he did prevail so far that Theophylact the Exarch coming into Italie was opposed by the Souldiers who wished better to the Pope than to the Emperor and the Emperors own Governor was fain to be defended from his own Souldiers by the power of the Pope who had gotten interest in them against their own Master Next he opposed himself against him and about the yeer 710. Pope Constantine the first did openly affrone Philippicus the Emperor in defence of Images as Onuphrius telleth us After him Gregory the 2d. and 3d. took up his example and did the like by Leo Isaurus By this time the Lombards began to pinch very close and to vex on all sides not only Italie but Rome too This drives the Pope to seek a new Patron and very fitly he meets with Charles Martel in France that famous Warrier against the Saracens Him he imployeth in defence of the Church against the Lombards and the Address seems very advisedly taken it proved so fortunate to them both For in short time it dissolved the Kingdom of the Lombards having then stood two hundred and four yeers which was the Popes security and it brought the Crown of France into the House of Charles and shortly after the Western Empire And now began the Popes to be great indeed For by the bounty of Pepyn the sonne of Charles that which was taken by him from the Lombards was given to the Pope that is to say the Exarchate and all that lay betwixt the Apennine and the River of Po. So that now he became a Temporall Prince But when Charles the great had set up the Western Empire then he resumed the Antient and Originall power to govern the Church to call Councills and to order Papall Elections And this power continued for a time in his posterity for Gregory the seventh was confirmed in the Popedom by the sanre Henry the fourth whom he afterwards deposed And it might have continued longer if the succeeding Emperors had had Abilities enough to secure or vindicate their own Rights But the Pope keeping a strong Counsell about him and meeting with some weak Princes and those oft-times distracted with great and dangerous wars grew stronger til he got the better yet was it carried in succeeding times with great changes of fortune and different success the Emperor sometimes plucking from the Pope and the Pope from the Emperor winning and losing ground as their spirits abilities aids and opportunities were till at last the Pope setled himself on the grounds laid by Gregory the seventh in that great power which he now useth in and over these parts of the Christian World A power first exercised saith he in another place by this Pope Gregorie the seventh and made too good upon the Emperor Henry the fourth as by Pope Adrian the fourth Alexander the third with some others upon Frederick Barbarossa And others of the Emperors were alike served when they did not submit And for this I hope his Holiness was not to be blamed For if the Emperor kept the Pope under for divers yeers together against all reason the Popes as Bellarmine affirms being never subject to the Emperor and wanting force to stand on his own Prerogative I hope the Pope having now got power enough may keep the Emperors under-foot and not suffer them any more to start before him Having thus a little glanced at the means by which the great power of the Church of Rome was first obtained let us next consider of those Policies by which this Papall Monarchy hath been so long upheld in esteem and credit We may divide them into three heads 1. Those by which they have insinuated and screwed themselves into the affections and affairs of the greatest Princes 2. Those by which already they have and by which they will hereafter be able to secure their estate And 3ly those by which they keep the people in obedeence and ignorance 1. Concerning the first First the Donation of severall Kingdoms to them which have no right nor title but by these Grants of the Pope cannot but bind them fast to uphold that power without which they could lay no clame to that which they are possessed of Of which sort was the Confirmation of the Kingdom of France to the House of Pepin of Naples to the House of Schwaben and Anjou of Navarre to the Spaniards 2. The readiness of their Ministers to kill such as resist them cannot but necessitate Princes to seek their friendship and hold fair with them especially since by a Writ of Excommunication they can arm the Subjects against their Soveraign and without the charge of leavying one souldier either destroy him utterly or bring him to conformity The frequent wars raised by them against the Emperors of Germany and that against King John in England by these Papall fulminations onely the poisoning of the said King John by a Monk of Swinestead and
in his Robes his gravity and outward parts and the respect given him by the people would think no Prince could be more absolute and supreme But look upon him in the exercise and powers of Government and he is nothing in the wold but an empty Title For notwithstanding that he injoyeth so great a dignity yet hath he a full power in nothing not being able to determine in any point without the presence of his Counsellors being six in number who always sit with him and dispatch affairs both publick and private as namely giving audience to Ambassadors from Forrain States receiving Letters from their own Ministers granting of Privileges and the like in which the Duke can do just nothing if four at least of these Counsellors be not present with him And yet these Counsellors without him may conclude of any thing Nay he is so restrained in all things to the power of the Senate and to three Officers called the Capi that he may not go out of the Town without their consent and by them is prescribed an Order in his own Apparell So that he is but little better than a Prisoner when within the City and a Traytor if he stir abroad at the best 〈◊〉 honourable Servant And his Revenue is as little as his Authority as being allowed out of the common Treasury no more than 40000. Ducats a yeer towards his expence and entertainment As for the Soveraignty of the State that resides wholly in the Senate but representatively in the Duke the six Counsellers and the three Heads or Presidents of the Forty which are those Officers as I take it whom they call the Capi. The Senate or Great Counsell consist of all the Gentlemen of Venice above five and twenty years of age which may amount unto the number of 2500. though seldom half that number do assemble at once by reason of their severall imployments in affairs of the Common-wealth in other places who usually do meet together every Sunday morning and on the mornings of other Festivalls where they choose Magistrates and distribute Governments and order matters of the State But because such great Bodies move but slowly and are not very capable of trust and secrecie they parcell thâ—â— greâ—â— Counsell into lesser Members whereof the principall are the Pregadi and the Counsell of â—en That of the Pregadi consisteth of 120. in which they treat of and determine matters of the greatest importance and therein conclude commonly of such principall points as formerly have been proposed and treated of in the great Assembly And in this Counsell besides the 120. before mentioned the Duke the six Counsellors and the Counsell of Ten and all such as have born any publick Office have their voyce or suffrage This is that Counsell which properly and more specially is called the Senate in which nothing is to be concluded or passed into Acts except four of the six Counsellors be present at them and that sixty at the least of the whole number give their suffrage to it Then for the Counsell of Ten their power is universall over all affairs such as the other Counsels may not meddle with as to conclude of war or peace to put in execution what they think most necessary for the benefit of the Common-wealth and other things of like weight and moment which if they were first treated of in the Generall Counsell or Assembly and after in that of the Pregadi as they ought to be in common course could not be possibly managed with such speed and secrecie as the exigencies of the State require And in this Counsell with the Prince and his six Assistants the Supreme Majesty of the State doth reside especially Some other Officers there are and those of great authority and reputation as the Procurators of S. Mark which have the charge of the publick Treasures and the Aâ—ogadori or Tribunes as one might call them of the people being three in all one of which must be always present in all consultations lest any thing should pass to the prejudice and infringement of the Privileges of the common-people For the whole body of the City consisteth either of the Gentlemen or of Artificers and Commons These last are the descendants and progeny of such as came to settle here when the State was sixed invited to dwell here and to follow their occupations by severall Privileges and Immunities which were offered to them and these they neither admit into any of their Counsells nor into any of the Offices of Trust and Power except it be two that namely of the Chancellor and the principall Secretaries which pertain only to the people The other are the issue or descendants of those who first laid the foundation of their City and Common-wealth and these they have in such respect and so high esteem that to make any Stranger how great and eminent soever a Gentleman of the City is the greatest honour they can bestow and not bestowed but upon the best deserver Henry the 3d. of France taking this City in his way out of Poland thought himself graced with this attribute which they are very dainty and sparing of it being the highest honour which they vouchsafe to impart to such Commanders of their own and Ambassadors of other Princes as have well deserved it And that this honour may be kept up to the very height and their Nobility not grow too cheap by being too numerous neither the younger sonnes of these Gentlemen within the City or of the Noblemen in the Countrey are permitted to marry But otherwise they suffer them to satisfie their lusts with too much impunity and for their sakes allow of Stews as an evill not to be voided on the former grounds Now as Otho in Tacitus said to the Pretorian Souldiers Princeps è Senatu oritur Senatus è vobis so out of these Gentlemen are chosen the Senators out of them the Duke His election by Contarenus is described in this manner In the vacancy of the place all the Gentry above thirty years of age are assembled So many as meet cast their names into a pot and in another are just so many balls of which thirty only are gilt Then a child draweth for each till the thirty gilt ones be drawn for which thirty the child draweth again the second time out of another pot that hath only nine gilt balls The nine so drawn nominate forty out of which forty are twelve again selected by the same kind of lot These twelve nominate five and twenty out of which five and twenty are nine again by lot set apart These nine nominate five and forty who are by lot again reduced unto eleven These eleven choose forty one of the best and chiefest of the Senators who after an oath taken severally to choose whom they judge worthiest write in a scroll every one whom he best liketh The scrolls are mingled together and then drawn the fitness of the persons then drawn is discussed and he that hath most voyces
the Danish word Oâ—la it is questionless in it self and without that commixture which some are accused to use with it a very wholesome drink howsoever it pleased a Poet in the time of Henry the 3d thus to descant on it Nescio quid monstrum Stygiae conforme paludi Cervisiam pleriq vocant nil spâ—ssius illa Dum bibitur nil clarius est dum mingitur ergo Constat quod multas faeces in ventre relinquit In English thus Of this strange drink so like the Stygiaâ— lake Men call it Ale I know not what to make Folk drink it thick and piss it very thin Therefore much Dregs must needs remain within Now to conclude this generall discourse concerning England there goes a tale that Henry the 7th whose breeding had been low and private being once pressed by some of his Counsell to pursue his title unto France returned this Answer that France indeed was a flourishing and gallane Kingdom but England in his mind was as fine a Seat for a Countrey Gentleman as any could be found in Europe Having staid thus long in taking a Survey of the Countrie it self together with the chief commodities and pleasures of it and amongst them of the Women also as the method of the old Verse led me on it is now time that we should look upon the men And they are commonly of a comely feature gracious countenance for the most part gray-ey'd pleasant beautifull bountifull courteous and much resembling the Italians in habit and pronunciation In matters of war as we have already proved they are both able to endure and resolute to undertake the hardest enterprises in peace quiet and not quarrelsome in advice or counsell sound and speedy Finally they are active hearty and chearfull And yet I have met with some Gentlemen who upon the strength of a little travell in France have grown so un Englished and so affected or besotted rather on the French Nation that they affirm the English in respect of the French to be an heavy dull and Phlegmatick People of no dispatch no mettle no conceit no audacity and I know not what not A vanity meriting rather my pity than my anger Perhaps in viâ—ifying their own Nation they had consulted with Iulius Scaliger who in the 16 chap. of his 3d Book De re Poetica giveth of the two most noble Nations English and Scotish this base and unmanly Character Goshi belluae Scoti non minùs Angli perfidi inflati feri contemptores stolidi amentes inertes iâ—hospitales immanes His bolt you see is soon shot and so you may happily guess at the Quality of the Archer A man indeed of an able learning but of his own worth so highly conceited that if his too much learning made him not mad yet it made him to be too peremptory and arrogant To revenge a Nationall disgrace on a Personall is an ignoble victory Besides Socrates resolution in the like kind in my opinion was very judicious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If an Ass kick us we must not put him in the Court. To confute his censure in every point would be to him too great an honour and for me too a great labour it being a task which of it self would require a Volume The best is many shoulders make the burthen light and other Nations are as deeply engaged in this quarrell against that proud Man as ours for so maliciously hath he there taxed all other people that that Chapter might more properly have been placed among his Hypercriticks How the English and Germans which of all Nations are thought most given to their bellies do agree and differ in this point the same Scaliger hath thus shewed in one of his Epigrams Tres sunt Convivae Germanus Flander et Anglus Dic quis edat mâ—lius quis meliusve bibat Non comedis Germane b bis tu non bibâ—s Angle Sed comedis comedis Flandre bibisque benè Dutch Flemmings English are your only guests Say which of all doth eat or drink it best Th' English love most to eat the Dutch to swill Onely the Flemming eates and drinks his fill Thus was it in his time with the English Nation though since I fear we have borrowed too much of the Dutch and learnt a great deal more than needs of the Flemming also The Nobility of this Countrie is not of so much unlimited Power as they are to the prejudice of the State in other Countries the name of Dâ—kes Earlâ— and Marquestes being meeâ—ly 〈◊〉 whereas in other places they have some absolute some mixt government so that upon any 〈◊〉 diâ—taste they will stand on their own gnard and slight the Power of their 〈◊〉 And on the other side the Commonalty enjoy a multitude of Privileges above all other Nations 〈◊〉 being most free from Taxes and burdenous Impositions but what they take upon themselves by their own consent They have twice in a yeer a laudable custome no where else to be seen justice administred even at their own doores by the Itinerary Iudges of the Kingdom an Order first instituted by King Henry the 2d They dwell together with Gentlemen in Villages and Townes which makes them favour of civility and good manners and live in sarre greater reputation than the 〈◊〉 in Italy Spain France or Germany being able to entertain a stranger honestly diet him plentifully and lodge him neatly The Clergy was once of very great riches as appeareth by that Bill preferred to King 〈◊〉 the 5th against the temporall revenues of the Church in which it was suggested that they were able to main am 15 Earls 1500 Knights 6000 men of Arms more than 1000 Alms-houses and yet the King might cleerly put up 20000 l. per Anâ—um into his Exchequer How true this was I cannot say But aâ—ter this King Henry the 8th took his Opportunities to pare away the excrâ—seencies of it demolishing the Monasteries and Religious Houses and paring off the superstuities of Bâ—shopricks and Cathedrall Churches in which he found not a few followers amongst the Ministers and great Officers of State and Court in the time of King Edward the 6th and Queen Elizabeth Yet left they not the Clergie so poor and naked or destitute of the encouragements and rewards of learning but that they have been still the objects of a covetous envy that which the former Harpies left them being thought too much though for abilities of learning I dare boldly say it not to be parallelled in the word For besides 5439 Paro-Benefices being no Impropriations and besides the Vicarages most of which exceed the competency beyond Seas there were left in England at the time of the Reformation under Queen Elizabeth 21 Bishopricks taking those of Walâ—s into the reckoning 26 Deaneries â—0 Archdeacoâ—â—ies and 544 Dignities and Prebends most of which places of fair revenue And as for the maintenance of Priests Monks and Friers before the Reformation there were reckoned 90 Colleges besides those in the Vniversities 110 Hospitalls 3374 Chanteries and
and untractable People The Government of this Country since the first Conquest by the English hath been most commonly by one Supreme Officer who is sometimes called the 〈…〉 most generally the Lord Deputy of Ireland than whom no Vice-Roy in all 〈◊〉 hath greater power or 〈◊〉 nearer the Majesty of a King in his Train and State For his assistance â—e hath a Privie Councell attending on him though resident for the most part at Duâ—lin and in emergencies or cases of more difficult nature proceedeth many times in an arbitrary way without formalities of Law And for their Laws which are the standing Rule of all civil Government they owe their being and original to the English Parliaments For in the reign of â—ing Henry the 7th Sir â—â—award Pâ—ynâ—ngs then Lord Deputy caused an Act to pass in the Irish Parliament whereby all laws 〈◊〉 Statutes which were made in England before that time were to be entertained and 〈◊〉 in force as the Laws of Ireland On which foundation they have raised many Superstructures both of Law and Government enacted in their own Parliaments summoned by the Lord Deputy at the Kings appointment in which by an other Statute made in the time of the said Poynings the people are inabled to make Laws for their own good Governance conditioned they were first transmitted to the Court of England to be considered oâ— by the King before they were Voted to in either of the houses of the Irish Parliaments Which Laws commmonly called Pâ—ynings Laws have hitherto continued in force amongst them though the last much stomaked and repined at not only as a badge of their Subjection to the Crown of England but as a Curb or Martingall to hold them in Yet notwithstabding these good Laws and the ample power of their Commission the Lord Deputies could never absolutely subdue the Iland or bring the People to any civill course of life the Fathers inflicting a heavy curse on all their posterity if ever they should sow Corn build houses or Learn the English tongue To this indisposition of the Irish themselves let us adde the defects of the Kings of England and Irish Deputies in matters of civill policie as I find them particularized by Sir John Davies in his worthy and piâ—hy discourse of this Subject I will only glean a few of them First then saith he a barbarous Country is like a field overgrown with wees which must first be well broken with the Plough and then immediately Sown with good and profitable seed so must a wild and uncivill people be first broken and Ploughed up by War and then presently Sown with the seed of good Laws and discipline lest the weeds revive in the one and ill manners in the other Here then was the first defect in our English Kings not to tame and take down the Stomacks and pride of this people though either civill or forrein wars perhaps occasioned this neglect and also the Irish Deputies who at such times as the people upon a small discomfiture were crest-faln neglected the so keeping of them by severity of discipline The second oversight concerneth particularly our Kings who gave such large possessions and regalities unto the first Conquerours that the people knew no Authority in a manner above their own immediate Lords Thirdly the Laws of England were not indifferently communicated to all the Irishrie but to some particular Families and Provinces only insomuch as there were but five great Lords of the Naturall Irish who had the benefit and protection of the Laws of England that is to say O Neale in Vlster O Connobâ—r in Connaught Mac Morrough in Lemster O Malaghlia in Meth O Brian in Twomâ—nd known by the name of Quâ—nque Sanguines in some old Records By means whereof the rest of the people being in the condition of Out-laws or at the best of Aliens had no incouragement either to build or plant or manure their Land or to behave themselves as Subjectâ— A fourth defect was more particularly in the Deputies or Lords Lieâ—tenants who having made good and wholsome Laws against the barbarous customes of the Common people and the merciless oppressions of the Lords never put any of them in execution as if they had been made for terror not for reformation Fiftly Adde unto these which Sir John Dâ—vies hath omitted the little care which was too often taken by the Kings of England in the choice of their Dâ—puties sometimes conferring that high Office as a Court-preferment without Relation unto the merits of the person and sometimes sending men of weak or broken fortunes who attended more their own profit than their Masters service and were more bent to fleece than to feed this Flock Siâ—thâ—y And yet besides there Errours of the Kings and Deputies in point of Government there was another and as great in the 〈◊〉 themselves who building all their Forts and Castles in the open Countries abandoned the Woods and Bogs and other Fastnesses to the naturall Irish the strength whereof not only animated them to Rebell upon all occasions but served too fitly to continue them in their antient 〈◊〉 In these terms of wildness and non-subjection stood Ireland till the latter end of Queen Elizabeths reign at what time the Rebellion of Hugh O Neal Earl of Vir Oen had ingaged almost all the Irishrie in that desperate Action which ending in the overthrow of that ingratefull Rebel and all his partizâ—ns not only crushed the overmuch powerablenesse of the Irish Nobility but made the finall and full conquest of the whole Nation So true it is that Every Pebellion when it is supprest doth make the Prince stronger and the Subjects weaker Ireland thus broken and ploughed up that glorious Queen died a victor over all her enemies and left the Sowing of it unto her successor King Iames who omitted no part of a skilfull Seedsman 1 Then there was an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Act of Oblivion made whereby all the offences against the Crown were remitted if by such a limited day the people would sue out their Pardons and by the same Act all the Irishrie were manumitted from the servitude of their Lords and received into the Kings immediat protection 2ly The whole kingdom was divided into Shires and Judges it inerant appointed to circuit them whereby it hath followed that the exactions of the Lords are said aside the behaviour of the people is narrowly looked into the passages before unknown unto our Souldiers are laid open by our Vnder-Sheriffes and Bayliffs and the common people seeing the benefit and security they enjoy by the English Laws and loth to plead alwayes by an Interpreter begin to set their children to School for the learning of the English tongue 3ly The Irish were not rooted out as in the first plantation in Lemster and the English onely estated in their rooms but were onely removed from the woods bogs and mountains into the plain and open countrey that being like wild trees transplanted they might grow the
son of Albert. 1417 25 Jaquelme only daughter of Earl William the sixt first marryed to John the 4. Duke of Brabant the son of Anthony of Burgogne from whom divorced under colour of Consanguinity she was marryed after to Humfrey Duke of Glocester and then to Frank of Borjelles a private Gentleman being unworthily handled by Duke John of Burgundie surrendred her estates to Duke Philip the Good 26 Philip the Good Duke of Burgundie son of John Duke of Burgundie and of the Lady Margaret sister of Earl William the sixt and daughter of Albert Earls of Hainalt Holland c. succeeded on the resignation of the Lady Jaqueline his Cousin Germain transporting these Estates to the house of Burgundie 15. VTRECHT 16. OVER-YSSELL The Bishoprick of VTRECT I mean the temporall jurisdiction and estate thereof contained once all that tract of ground which now makes up the Provinces of Vtrecht Over-Yssell and Groining But Groining was long since dismembred Vtrecht and Over-Yssell remaining parts thereof till the yea◠1528. when added to the rest of the Belgick Provinces by Charles the fift VTRECHT hath on the East Guelderland on the West North and South environed with Holland The Countrey very fruitfull much dryer then Holland and so fitter for all sorts of grain It containeth 70. villages and five walled Towns that is to say 1. Wick at Duersteed situate on the middle Channell of the Rhene where it diverteth into the Leck well built and fortified anciently with a good Castle supposed to be the Batavoducun spoken of by Tacitus the mansion at that time of the second Legion 2. Rhenen upon the same branch or Channell whence it hath the name about which is digged abundance of turfe for fewell 3. Amesfort on the River Ems called in Latine Amisus a fair Town and well peopled 4. Montfort upon the Yssell pleasantly seated and of great strength as being anciently a frontier Town against the Hollanders 5. Vtrecht situate on the middle Channell of the Rhene first called Antonina from one of the Antonines of Rome but Dagobert King of France gave it the name of Trajectum or Vltrajectum we now call it Vtrecht because there was at that time the common Ferry over the River The town large beautifull and very sumptuously built having in it many goodly Churches of which five were anciently Collegiate besides two famous Monasteries of noble women such as those spoken of elsewhere the private houses well contrived most of them having goodly cellars vaulted with wonderfull art and skill to which the people may resort in all times of danger Sometimes the Seat-Royall of Radbold King of the Frisons then of the Bishops honoured of old with a Juridicall resort for the parts adjoyning and now the principall of this Province A city so miraculously seated amongst walled Towns that a man may go from hence in one day to any one of 50. walled Towns or Cities thence equally distant or to any one of 26. Towns to dinner and come home to bed OVER-YSSELL in Latine Transisulana so named from its situation beyond the Yssell is bounded on the East with Westphalen on the West with the Zuider-Zee on the North with West-Friseland on the South with Guelderland The countrey very plain and without hils but wet and moorish affording excellent good pasturage and not defective in corn Divided into three parts that is to say Tuent confining upon Wesiphalen Ysselland on the River Yssell and Drent beyond the River Vecht in all which are contained 11. Towns and 100. Villages The principall of which are 1. Deventer on the River Yssell strong and well fortified and withall beautifull and well peopled an Hanse town and the chief of all this Province first taken for the States by the Earl of 〈◊〉 then Governour of those countries for Queen Elizabeth anno 1586. treacherously reyeelded to the Spaniard by Sir William Stanley but in the year 1590. again recovered by the States 2. Swoll standing on a little River which runs into the Vidre anciently fortified with a double ditch and very strong ramparts an Hanse town as is also 3. Campen situate on the left shore and fall of the Yssell into the Zuider-zee a fair and large town and of very great strength by reason of those in accessible marishes amongst which it is situate These three are in that part hereof which is called Ysselland and by some Saland by whom erroneously supposed to be the countrey of the ancient Salii In that part hereof which is called Tuent we have the Towns of 4. Oldensel 5 Enschede 6. Delden 7. Almeloo of which little memorable And in that of Drent the Town and Castle of Vallenhoven standing upon the Zuider-zee well served with all sorts of victuals for which cause made the ordinary residence of the Governour and supreme Councell for the whole Province The ancient inhabitants of these two Provinces were some parts of the Batavi and Frisii minores for that of Vtrecht the Bructeri and as some say the Salii in Over-yssell both Provinces belonging anciently to the Episcopall See of Vtrecht founded by Dagobert King of France who endowed it with great lands and territories the first Bishop being Willibald an Englishman who converted these parts to Christianity His Successours grew to so great power that they were able to bring 40000. men into the field and with great courage did maintain their estate and patrimony against the incroaching Earls of Holland But at the last having continued for the space of 900. years Henry of Bavaria Bishop hereof being extremely distressed with war by the Duke of Gueldres and driven out of the City of Vtrecht by his own subjects perhaps upon some humour of Reformation alienated all the temporalties of his Bishoprick to Charles the fift anno 1527. And the next year the Imperialists by one of the factions were let into Vtrecht at what time both the Estates of the Countrey and Pope Clement the 7. confirmed the Alienation made by the Bishop After which solemne Acts of theirs the Emperour caused himself to be invested in this estate by the States of the Empire for Vtrecht was of old an Imperiall Fief and for the better Government and administration of it divided it into two Provinces as it still coutinueth But what this Bishop lost in power his Successours not long after gained in title the Bishop of Vtrecht being made an Archbishop or Metropolitane anno 1561. but by reason of the change of Religion which was then working and the falling off of these Countries which soon afther followed he had but little joy in his new preferment 17. GVELDERLAND 18. ZUTPHEN and 19. GROINING The Dukedome of Guelderland at such time as it was first taken in by Charles the fift contained under it the Dutchy of Guelders properly and specially so called the Earldome of Zutphen and the Town and Seigneurie of Groining held by distinct titles and governed ever since their union with the Belgick Provinces as distinct Estates GVELDERLAND I
right of Margaret his wife but after a long and bloudy war forced to go without it 1508 22 Ludovicus IV. son of Philip. 1544 23 Frederick II. brother of Lewis the fift who first introduced the Reformed Religion into the Palatinate 1556 24 Otho-Henry son of Rupertus the Brother of Frederick and Lewis the last of the direct line of this house of Bavaria 1559 25 Frederick III. Duke of Simmeren descended from Stephen Palatine of Zweybruck or Bipont younger son of the Emperour Rupert succeeded on the decease of Otho-Henry without issue 1576 26 Ludovicus V. son of Frederick the third a munificent benefactour to the University of Heidelberg 1483 27 Frederick IV. son of Lewis the fift married Ludoriea or Loise daughter of William and sister of Maurice Princes of Orange 1610 28 Frederick V. married the Princesse Elizabeth daughter of James King of Great Britain In danger of being proscribed for demolishing the works of Vdenheim he accepted the Crown of Bohemia but worsted at the battle of Prague and warred upon by the Bavarian and the Spaniard he lost both that and his own native Estates and Dignities of which deprived by Ferdinand the prevailing Emperour the Lower Palatinate being assigned over to the King of Spain the Vpper Palatinate with the Electorall dignity to the Duke of Bavaria Restored to the possession of the most part of his Country by the power of the Swedes he dyed at Mentz November 19. 1632. 1632 29 Charles Ludovick the heir both of his Fathers Estates and misfortunes too not yet admitted to his honours contrary to the fundamentall constitutions of the Empire by which the sons of the Electours and other Princes are not involved in the guilt of their Fathers offences but in fair hopes to be restored thereto in part by the Pacifications made at Munster this present year 1648. which I pray God to prosper for the peace of afflicted Christendome The Religion of this Country hath much varied since the first Reformation established by Frederick the second according to the forme and doctrine of the Confession of Auspurg the doctrine and discipline of Calvin being introduced by Frederick the third the Lutherans formes restored again by Lewis or Ludovick the fift after his death exchanged by Frederick the fourth for that of Calvin as more conducing to the ends of some needy Statists who could not otherwise raise their fortunes then by invading the Tithes and Glebe and other poor remainders of the Churches Patrimony Of which the Clergie being universally deprived throughout this Country and reduced to miserable short stipends by the name of a Competency became so contemptible and neglected by all sorts of men that at the last the Church of the Palatinate was in the same condition with the Church of Israel under the reign of Ieroboam when Priests were made out of the meanest of the people And for the Government of their Churches though moulded to the Genevian plat-form as neer as might be yet were those Princes loath to leave too much power in the hands of the Elderships and therefore did appoint some superiour officers to have an eye on them whom they called Inspectores Praepositos their power being much the same with that of the particular Superintendent amongst the Lutherans and over them a standing Consistory consisting of three Ministers and as many Counsellers of State of the Princes nominating who in his name were to take care of all things which concerned the Church A temperament for which they were beholding to Erastus a Doctour of Physick in the University of Heidelberg who made this Pill to purge Presbytery of some Popish humours which secretly lay hid in the body of it But this whole modell is now changed and the Religion of the Church of Rome restored in most parts of the Country since the conquest of it by the Spaniard none being publickly authorized and allowed but that But to return again to the Civill State and the Concernments of these Princes The Palsgrave hath many prerogatives above the Electours of either sort He taketh place of the Duke of Saxony and Marquesse of Brandenburg because Henry the Palatine was descended of Charles the great for which cause he is also in the vacancy of the Empire Governour of the Western parts of Germany in which office he had power to alienate or give offices to take fealty and homage of the subjects and which is most to fit in the Imperiall Courts and give judgment of the Emperour himself And look whatsoever shall in the vacancy of the Empire be by the Palatines enacted that the new Emperours are bound by Oath to confirme and ratifie The Revenues of these Princes were conceived to be about 100000 l. per annum nor could they be supposed at lesse the silver Mines about Amberg onely in the upper Palatinate yeelding 60000 Crownes a yeer and the passage of one Bridge over the Rhene about 20000 Crowns more besides the demeasne Lands and the Lands of the Church incorporated since the Reformation into their Estate The Armes hereof are Diamond a Lyon Topace Armed and Crowned Ruby 4. ALSATIA ALSATIA or ELSATS as the Dutch call it is bounded on the East with the Rhene which parteth it from the Marquisate of Baden and some part of Schwaben on the West with the Mountain Vauge or Vogesus which separateth it from Lorrain on the North with the Palatinate on the South where it groweth very narrow with a point of Switzerland A Country for the pleasantnesse and fertilitie of it inferiour to none in Germanie called therefore Elsats as some think quast Edelsats that is to say a noble Seat derived more probably by others from the river Ill the only River of note in all this tract and called so quasi Ill-sats the seat or situation on the River Ill. It is divided generally into the Lower and higher to which the Countrie called Sungow may come in for a third The LOWER ALSATIA is that which bordereth on the Palatinate so called because further off from the Mountains and down the water in respect of the course of the Rhene A Countrie so aboundantly fruitfull in wine and corn with which it furnisheth some parts of Germaâ—y and not a few of the neighbour Countries that it is generally called Germaniae nutrix or the 〈◊〉 of Germanie by Winphelegius the Epitome or Abstract of it Chief towns therein are 1 Strasburg so called from the multitude of Streets the Dutch call them Strats anciently Argentoratum and then Argentina from the Roman Exchequer or Receipt here kept in the time of their greatnesse or from some Mines of silver which were found about it A stately rich and populous Citie well storâ—d with publick garners and cellars of wine against times of dearth Situate on the two Rivers Ill and Brusch where they both fall into the Rhene by which and by the helps of Art very strongly fortified designed from the first foundation for a Town of war this being another of
a quarter but in the parts extremely North they have no night for two whole months three weeks one day and some seven hours over as on the other side no day for the like quantitie of time when the Sun is most remote from them in the other Tropick The air hereof by consequence must be sharp and bitter even in the very warmest places Of which and of the nature of the soile wee shall speak more punctually in the Description and Survey of the severall parts The Inhabitants generally are of good stature clear of complexion well coloured for the most part healthfull and long-lived for though they eat and drink beyond measure they have good digestions In manners very severe craftie and provident in the managing of their Affairs but proud withall and as the Historian said of another person omnium quae dixerant fecerantve ostentatores great Vaunters of whatsoever they do or say highly opinionated of their own actions and peremptorie in maintaining their own opinions Religious observers of their words and contracts and strict in executing justice especially in punishing of Theeves and Pirats Such of them as do follow the wars prove reasonable good Souldiers both by Sea and I and but fitter for the Sea then field-service the Magistrate wise rather by experience then studie though they love learning and easily attain all languages which they give their minds to the old men covetous the young men thriftie and the Merchant ambitious the Nobilitie and Gentrie are generally of as antient families as most in Christendom here being some of those houses still remaining which were present at the pacification made betwixt Charls the Crâ—at and Hemingus King of the Danes and which addes much unto their honour they keep their blâ—ud unmixt from marriages with the Vulgar sort and reckon it for an high disgrace to change their Arms or make any addition thereunto The women are fair discreet and comteous and know well how to govern their housholds exceeding fruitfull in bearing Children but delivered of them with great difficultie Both Sâ—xes speake the Dutch or German common but with some difference in the pronunciation to all the Northern Nations in Norwey and Swethland The Christian faith was first preached to those of Holstein the next neighbouring Countrey unto Germany by S. Aâ—garius Bishop of Bremen the generall Apostle of those Northern parts in the yeare 826. Lewis the Godly then being Emperour of the West In whose time Harald King of Denmark being expulsed his Kingdomes by the sonnes of Godfrey or Gottriâ—â—s was baptized at Mentz with a great number of that people which attended on him by the hands of Ebbo Archbishop of Rhemes employed by the Emperour in that service the conversion of the whole Nation following not long after by the power and diligence of the Emperour Otho the first assisted by the Ministery of one Poppo the first Bishop of Arthusen Sueno or Swain then reigning amongst the Danes The Norwegians came not in till after converted in the reign of Olaus the third anno 1055 or thereabouts the English assisting in the work and the good King so zealous in it that hee was canonized a Saint after his decease Relapsing for the most part to their antient Gentilisme they were finally regained unto Christianity by the means of Pope Adrian the fourth an English man about the yeare 1156. before his assuming of the Popedom called Nicolaus Breakspeare But by whomsoever first converted the Popes of Rome would needs pretend some power and jurisdiction over them which when they began to exercise with too much authority Waldemar the third is said to have returned this answer Naturam habemus a deo Regnum a subditis Divitias a Parentibus Religionem a Romana Ecclesia quam si nobis invides renunciamus per praesentes that is to say We hold our life from God our Crown from our subjects our Riches from our Ancestors our Religion from the Church of Rome which if we envy us we do here remit it by these presents But this renunciation though then threatened was not made till afterwards when the whole masse of Popery was abolished by King Frederick the first using therein the Ministery of John Bugenhage a Divine of Pomeren by whom reformed according to the doctrine of the Luthoran Churches As for the Government of the Church since that Reformation it continueth as before it was by Archbishops and Bishops in number as before but much abridged of their Revenues and a great part of their power For Frederick though he found it necessary to remove the old Bishops not one of which would be perswaded to the change of Religion yet he substituted others in their places allowing them a convenient maintenance with a power of Presidence in al Church-Assemblies where they are to take the advice of other Presbyters along with them and out of such Assemblies to receive complaints to provide remedie against scandals and to order all matters as peculiar Inspectors which concerne the Church So that in all the Kings Dominions there are two Archbishops and thirteen Bishops that is to say the Archbishop of Londen the Bishops of Roschilt Odensee Ripen Wiborch Arthâ—son Sleswick and Hadersleue for the Kingdome of Denmark the Archbishop of Nidrosiâ— the Bishops of Bergen Anslo Stuffanger and Hammar for the Realm of Norwey and the Bishops of Holor and Schulhel for the Isle of Iseland the Churches of Holstein formerly under the Bishops of Hamburg and Lubeck being governed by Super-intendents as the rest of the Lutherans The whole body of the estate as appears by this confifteth chiefly of three members viz. 1 the Dukedome of Holstein containing Wagerland Ditmarsh Stormaria and Holstein specially so called 2 the Kingdome of Denmark comprehending both Juitlands part of Scandio and the Hemodes or Baltick Islands and 3 the Kingdom of Norwey consisting of Norwey it self and the Islands of the Northern Ocean Which parts we shall survey in order as before laid downe premising first a word or two of the Cimbrick Chersonese in which the Dukedome of Holstein and the two Iâ—â—â—lands are contained The CIMBRICK CHERSONESE The CIMBRICK CHERSONESE hath on the East the Baltick Sea on the West the main German Ocean on the North the narrow Strait of Fretum which they call the Sunde on the South-west the great river of Albis on the South-east the small River of Trave betwixt which is the neck or Iâ—thmus which unites it to Germante I know that some contract it into narrower bounds and limit it upon the South with the river Eydore but I have drawn it down to the Eâ—ve and the Trave which give it more resemblance to the Chersonese or Demy-Island then the other doth diffenting in this point from the common opinion It had the name of Chersonesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a terra insula it being the same with a Peninsula in the Latine of which name there were five most famous that is to say 1 〈◊〉 in Greece
Country divers of them came over hither in the following times incorporating with the Dardanians or bordering neer them insomuch as Tacitus for the most part joins them both together either as the same or a neighbouring Nation first vanquished and added to the Roman Empire by Cn. Curio Scribonius immediately upon the end of the civil wars raised by Spartacus the Fencers or Gladiatores the Mysians or the Moefi being broken at the same time also an V. C. 681. As for the Moesi being the last and greatest of these Nations they were most probably a Colonie of the Mysians of the lesser Asia antiently called Mysi and the Country Mysia as those Asians were and as those Europeans are by the Greek writers generally and by Florus and some others amongst the Latines though after for distinction sake Tacitus Pliny Virgil and generally most Latine Authours give them the name of Moesâ— A fierce and savage people they were held to be Barbari barbarorum as my Authour calleth them more barbarous then commonly the Barbarâ—ans were but for all that subdued by M. Licinius Crassus in the time of Augustus Caesar who overcame them in two battels and after vanquished the Bastarnae and their King Deldo who hee killed in fight the Countrey reckoned after that as a Roman Province Continuing in this estate till the fall of the Eastern Empire it was subjected by the Sclavi or Sarmatians of Europe and in the division of the spoile fell unto the Sorabi a Sclavonian people contractedly called Sorbi and at last Serbi Servi and the Countrey Servia Reduced againe to the obedience of the Eastern Emperours by Basilius Porphyrogenitus an Ch. 1000. or thereabouts more absolutely conquered by John and Manuel Coâ—nenus two of his successours but so as they were suffered to live under their owne Princes whom they called Despots Homagers to the Empire and depending on it First set on by the Turkes in the time of Lazarus the Despot from whom Amurath the first tooke the towne of Nissa being the chief of all this Countrey provoked thereto by the great forces which the Servians and Bulgarians had raised against him for the siege of Adrianople And though Lazarus terrified with this losse made his peace with Amurath yet after he brake out againe into open war in which he was overcome and slaine in the plaines of Cossova whereof more anon To Lazaruâ— succeeded Stephen who quietly enjoyed his Dominions here the Turkes being in the mean time embroyled in warre amongst themselves by the sonnes of Baiazet But that difference being once composed and Mahomet absolutely setled in his Fathers throne the Turks begun again to pursue this quarrell which George the son of Stephen compounded with Amurath the second son of Mahomet paying the Turk an yearly tribute and giving him his daughter Mary for a wife or Concubine But this alliance did not so well unite their affections though George did many ill Offices in regard thereof to his Christiun neighbours nor so well settle his estate but that Amurath in fine dispossessed him first of Rascia and afterwards of Servia also for letting Huniades escape whom hee had in his power And though Amurath was necessitated to restore Servia again upon the peace made with Vladislaus the King of Hungary yet Mahomet the Great on the death of George soone possessed himselfe of it For Lazarus the youngest of Georges sonnes having deprived Stephen and George his elder Brethren whose eyes Amurath had before put out to make them uncapable of the Government of the principality compelled them to seek to Mahomet for aid But dying whilest these matters were in agitation his widow put her selfe and her three sonnes Peter John and Martin under the protection of the Hungarians and by that meanes but with much trouble and many difficulties the blinde Brethren still solliciting the Turkes against her held the State a while till the people finding no assurance in that kinde of government and weary of the dayly harmes they received from the Turkes yeelded themselves absolutely to the power of Mahomet about the yeare 1460. continuing ever since a Province of the Turkish Empire 6 BULGARIA BVLGARIA is bounded on the East with the Euxine Sea on the West with Servia on the North with the River Danow which is here called Ister on the South with Thrace Called formerly by the name of Mysia inferior as lying lower then the other on the course of that River as Servia lying up the water was called Mysia superior Afterwards it was reckoned of as a part of Dacia and in that notion was the Birth-place of Galerius one of the Cesars in the Empire of Diocletian born in this countrey neere the borders of Thrace not far from the City of Sardica who therefore in the Martyrologies of the middle times was called by the name of Dacianus Finally it took this name from the Bulgars a Seythian people who in the yeare 566. possessed themselves of it The Countrey for the most part full of sharp and rugged hills branches of the great Mountaine Haemus which divides it from Thrace and spred themselves over all this Province in somuch that even the midlands of it are rough and stony and though the lower parts have some plains and valleys yet are they generally full of Woods and Deserts the most unpleasant and least peopled part of both the Dacias The Inhabitants hereof in some conformity to the countrey are patient of all toll and labour and not easily tired but nothing is more troublesome then their conversation more full of courage then of valour their courage not proceeding by the rules of reason but issuing onely out of brutishnesse or a naturall fiercenesse Places of most note in it are 1 Axium or Axiopolis on the bankes of Danubius which from this town begins to take the name of Ister It is now called Colonamich of no great fame otherwise 2 Dinogetia by Antonine called Dinigutia now Drimago situate also on the Ister opposite to the influxe of Hierasus and the town of Galatz 3 Mesembria situate on the Euxine and still retaining the old name in Strabo by some errour of the Transcribers called Menebria 4 Marcianopolis on the Ister or Danubius also built by Trajan in honour of Marcia his sister whence it had the name in vain besieged by the Gothes at their first irruptions on this countrey and afterwards much mentioned in the stories of that warlike people for many bickerings and some great battels they had neere it with the Emperour Claudius in one of which overthrowne by him wich a mighty slaughter 5 Nicopolis by the Turkes called Nigebol built by the same Trajan on the Danow at the fall of the River Iatre at his returne from the conquest of Dacia whence the occasion of the name the word Nicopolis signifying the City of Victorie sufficiently memorable for the founder of it more for the many great battels fought neer unto it whereof two the principall The first that of
they hold neither correspondency nor Communion Nor want there many Christian Churches in the Empire of Persia nor in those of Tartarie and the Indies antiently planted in those Countreys besides the late increase thereof in the Eastern Islands by the diligent preaching of the Jâ—suites and some late Factories there setled by the English and Hollanders of all which I shall write in place convenient In reference to the Roman Empire whose Dominion did not often extend beyound the River Euphrates this Continent conteined onely three Dioceses or Juridicall Circuits that is to say the Diocese of Pontus Asia properly so called and the Ortentall which with the Dioceses of Thrace and Egypt were under the command of the Praefecâ—us Praetorio Orient is the greatest Officer of power and jurisdiction next to the Emporours themselves in the Roman Monarchie And these three Dioceses conteined in them to the number of thirty seven Provinces viz. the Provinces of Bithynnia 2. Helenopontus 3. Pontus Polemoniacus 4 Galatia Primâ— 5. Galatta Salutaris 6. Honorius 7. Paphlagonia 8. Cappadocia prima 9. Cappa 〈◊〉 10. Armema prima and 11. Armenia secunda conteined in the Diocese of Pontuâ— and governed by the Vicarius or Lieutenant thereof II. the Provinces of Pamphylia 2. Lycia 3. Carâ—â— 4. 〈◊〉 5. Lycaonâ—a 6. Lydâ—a 7. Phrygia Pacatiana 8. Phrygia Salutaris 9. Asia specially so called 10. Hellespont and 11. the Isles of Anatolia making up the Diocese of Asia whereof the three last were governed by a peculiar Officer called the Proconsul of Asia the others by the ordinary Lieutenant or Vicarâ—us III. The Provinces of Isauria 2. Cilicia prima 3. Cilicia secunda 4. Cyprus 5. Phanices 6. Phâ—â—nices Labani 7. Syria 8. Syria Salutaris 9. Palestina prima 10. Palestina secunda 11. Palestina Salutaris 12. Euphratensis 13. Osroene 14. Mesopotamia and 15. Arabia constituting the Diocese of the Orient under the Comes Orientis The rest of Asia subject unto the Parthâ—â— or Persian Kings besides those of India and of many Regions and Countreys not then discovered was never conquered by the Romanâ— and therefore not within the compasse of this distribution At this time Aâ—ia stands divided amongst nine great Monarchs that is to say the Turke commanding all these parts and Provinces which antiently belonged to the Roman Empire 2. The Persian ruling in all the Provinces beyond Euphrateâ— possessed by the Persian Kings in the time of Alexander the great or the 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 in the times of the Romans 3. The Great Cham of Tartarie commanding eve all the North part of Asia anâ—iently known by the name of Seythia 4. The King of China governing in that large and populous Countrey 5. The King of Barma whose dominion comprehends all or the greatest part of India beyond the River of Ganges and the Great Mogor whose Empire is extended over all India on this side of that River And some there be who in the descriptions of this great Continent follow this division But for our parts for the better understanding of the Greek and the Roman stories and the estate of the Assyrian Babylonian and Persian Monarchies to which the holy Scriptures do so much relate we shall consider it as divided into the Regions of 1. Anatolia or Asia Minor 2. Cyprus 3. Syria 4. Paâ—â—â—â— 5. Arabia 6. Chaldaea 7. Assyria 8. Mesopotamia 9. Turconanian 10. Media 11. Perâ—â— 12. Tartaria 13. China 14. India and 15. the Oriental Islands ANATOLIA or ASIA MINOR ANATOLIA or ASIA MINOR is bounded on the East with the River Euphrates by which parted from the greater Asia on the West with the Thracian Bosphorus Propontis Hellespont and the Aegean Sea by which parted from Europe on the North with Pontus Euxinus called also the Blak Sea and Alare Maggiore and on the South by the Rhodiar Lydian and Pamphylian Seas several parts of the Mediterranean So that this it is a demi-Island or Peninsula environed on all sides with waters excepting a small Isthmus or neck of land extending from the head of Euphrates to the Euxine Sea by which joined to the rest of Asia It was antiently called Asia Minor to difference it from the residue of this great Continent afterwards Anatoli◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the more Eastward situation of it in respect of Greece and now Natolia by the Turks with little deviation from the former name But here it is to be observed that as this Lesser Asia was a part of the greater and the Diocese of Asia a part of Asia the Lesse so was Asia properly specially so called but a part only of the Asian Diocese the Lydian Asia a part of Asia properly so called and the Proconsular Asia but a part of that The limits of Asia the Lesse and the several Provinces conteined in the Asian Diocese have bin shewn already And as for that part hereof which had the name of Asia properly and especially so called it contained only the two Phrygia's both the Mysia's Aeolis Ionia Lydia and Caria which falling unto the Romans by the last Will and Testament of Attalus the last King of Pergamus were by them made into one Province and called Asia after the name of the whole Continent this being as it were the earnest-penny to make sure the rest So witnesseth Strabe where he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 13. And for the Lydian Asia that contained onely so much of the Roman or proper Asia as antiently did belong to Lydia that is to say Lydia it self together with Aeolis and Ionia and some parts of the Greater Mysia adjoining to it Which as it had originally the name of Asia from Asia a chief City of it neer the foot of mount Tmolw which both Suidas and the Great Etymologist have taken notice of before that name became to be communicated to the Greater Continent so it reteined that name to it selfe in several distinct both from the Greater and the Lesser Asia as also from the Asia propria of Ptolomie and others of the antient writers And of this Asia only is it which the Scriptures speake both in the Book of the Acts and the Revelation the seven Churches mentioned in the one being found in this Lydian Asia and the passages in the other concerning Asia not to be understood of any but of this alone For whereas it is said Acts XVI That when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the Region of Galatia and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the Word in Asia after they were come to Mysia they assayed to go into Bithynia and came down to Troas most clear it is that neither Galatia nor Bithynia though Regions of the Lesser Asia nor Phrygia Mysia or Troas all Regions of the Proper Asia were any part of that Asia which the Scripture speaks of So also where it is affirmed that upon St. Pauls preaching and disputing for two years in Ephesiâ— all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Acts XIX V. 10. It
the Mountain called Masigrum the Massycites of Plinie 9. Podalea the chief Town of Mylias as 11. OEnoanda is of OEbalia two little Regions in this Countrey The Lycians were in former times a puissant people extending their power upon the Seas as far as Italy Subjected to the Persian not without great difficulty the people with such obstinacy defending their liberty that some of them being besieged by Harpagus Licutenant unto Cyrus the first Persian Monarch they first burnt their wives children servants and riches in a common fire and then made a furious sally upon the Enemy by whom put all unto the sword To Alexoender in his march this way towards Persia they submitted without any resistance After whose death they fell with the rest of these parts into the hands of Seleucus On the defeat of Antiochus at the battel of Magnesia it was given to the Rhodians for their assistance in that warre but governed as a free estate by a Common Council of fourteen Senators elected out of their principall Cities over whom was one chief President or Prince of the Senate whom they called by the name of Lyciarchus In these remained the sole power of imposing taxes making warre and peace appointing Justiciaries and inferiour Magistrates and all things appertaining to the publick government A shadow of which power they retained when brought under the Romans and a shadow onely the Supreme power being no longer in the Senate of Lycia but in that of Rome Nor had their Lyciarchus any thing but an empty name and the vain privilege or ordering and disposing the publique games wherein by his office he presided When made a Province of the Empier it had the same fortune as the others had till it fell into the power of the Turks after the death of the second Aladine made a part of the Kingdome of Caramania of which more anon 15. LYCAONIA LYCAONIA is bounded on the East with Armenia Minor from which parted by a branch of the Mountain Taurus on the West with the Greater Phrygia on the North with Cappadocia and on the South with Pisidia So called from the Lycaones a people of Lycia or from the Lycaonians Inhabitants of Lycaonia a Town of Phrygia Major who inlarging themselves into these parts gave this name unto it Either of which I should prefer before their conceit who derive it from Lycaon King of Arcadia dispossessed by Jupiter of that Kingdome or think that Lycaon was a King of this Countrey and not of that Places of most note herein 1. Iconium now Cogni the Metropolis hereof when a Roman Province a place of great strength and consequence situated advantagiously in the Mountains for defence and sarety and therefore chosen for the seat of the Turkish Kings in Lesser Asia at such time as they were most distressed by the Western Christians who under the command and presence of the Emperour Conrade did in vain besiege it forced to depart thence with great loss both of men and honour Afterwards made the Seat-Royall of the Aladine Kings the former race being extingnished by the Tartars and finally of the Kings of the house of Caraman whose Kingdome called the Kingdome of Caramania contained all the South-parts of the Lesser Asia that is to say part of the Province of Caria all Lycia Pamphylia Isauria Cilicia Pisidia and this Lycaonia 2. Lystraâ— the birth place of Timothy the Evangelist where Paul and Barnab as having miraculously healed a Cripple were adored as Gods and not long after on the instigation of some Jews which came down from Antioch and Iconium most despitefully treated Paul being stoned into the bargain though it pleased God to raise him to life again Acts 14. v. 19 20. Such was the divine pleasure of Almighty God that he that did consent to the stoning of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr and took charge of the Cloaths of his Executioners should suffer in the same kind wherein he had-trespassed and feel some smart remembrance of his former Actions 3. Derbe honoured by the preaching of the said Apostles 4. Laranda so called by Ptolomy and still preserving its old name the second place for reputation next unto Iconium 5. Adopissus 6. Paralais 7. Canna 8. Caratha with others named by Ptolomy but not els observable Nor indeed were the Lycaonians themselves from whomsoever they descended of any great note or observation in the former times subject to Cappadocia when it was a Kingdome and reckoned as part of it in the time of Ptolomy when made a Province of the Empire Dismembred from it by some of the following Emperours either to create new Offices and preferments for some Court-favourite or to satisfie the ambition of some Prelates aspiring to the dignity of a Metropolitan it was made a Province of it self Tom from the Empire by the Turks it was at first a member of the Selzuccian Kingdome as afterwards of the Caramanian Which last founded by Caraman a great Prince of the Turks on the death of Aladine the second the last King of the Selzuccian Family was a great eye-sore unto those of the house of Ottoman from the time of Amurath the first who first warred upon it to the reign of Boejazet the second who in fine subverted it Anno 1486. as shall be shewn hereafter when we come to Cicilia the last of the Provinces of that Kingdome in the course of this work 16. PISIDIA PISIDIA hath on the East Armenia Minor on the West some parts of Lycia and Phrygia Maâ—or on the North Lycaonia on the South Pamphylia and some part of Cilicia from which parted by the main body of Mount Taurus So called from the Pisidoe the Inhabirants of it but the reason of their name I find not amongst my Authors The Countrey small but furnished with great plenty of all provisions as appeareth by that passage of Livie where speaking of the expedition of Marlius unto these parts he telleth us that he came into the fields of Sagalassa one of the Cities hereof being of a rich soyl and plentifull of all manner of fruit Indeventume est saith he in agrum Sagallassarum uberem fertilemque omni genere frugum But this to be understood onely of the plains and champain the mountainous parts hereof being like others of that nature poor and barren Towns of most observation in ir 1. Antioch the Metropolis hereof when a Province of the Roman Empire called for distictions sake Antiochia Pisidioe mention of which is made Acts 4. and of the Jews Synagogue therein honoured by Saint Pauls preaching the summe of whose divine Sermon is there repeated Built by Seleucus the first King of Syria of the Macedon race and by him so called in honour of his Father Antiochus 2. Seleucia the foundation of the same Seleucus called also to distinguish it from others of that name Seleucia Pisidioe 3. Lysinnia on the borders hereof towards Phrygia 4. Selge a Colonie of the Lacedemonians 5. Sagalassa situate in the most fruitfull part of all this
nor the sonne of Julius But leaving Joseph to the singularity of his own conceits we find nothing done by the Assyrians or Chalaeans after this subjection which might denote them to have been once the Lords of so great an Empire Successively inslaved by the Medes Persians and Macedonians then by the Persians again afterwards by the Saracens next by the Turks a third time by the Persians once again by the Turks of the Ottoman Family unto whom now subject never endeavouring to assert in the way of war or opposition either their antient reputation or their native liberties but suffering themselves to be won lost fought for and again recovered by their quarrelsome Masters as if they had no title to their own Countrey but were born to follow the fortunes of all pretenders The reason of which is principally to be ascribed to the form of Government used amongst the Persians which was so Despoticall and absolute if not tyrannicall that they held all the people conquered by them in the nature of slaves not suffering any to grow great in a state of inheritance or to enjoy any place of power and profit under them in the conquered Provinces but at the pleasure of the Prince as it is now used amongst the Turks of the Ottoman Empire By means whereof the great men having no alliances amongst themselves and as few dependants amongst the people were never able to take head against the Conqueror but in the fall of the present Prince fell together with him it being a good rule of Machiavet that where the antient Nobility is in good regard linked in alliances with themselves and well respected by the common and inferiour people there it is difficult for the Invader though a Conqueror to win a Countrey and harder to keep it being conquered But on the other side where Nobility is quite worn out the Prince doth hold his Subjects in the nature of slaves there both the Conquest will be easie and soon assured For to what purpose should the Subjects resist the Conqueror or stand any longer to their King than he stands to himself when they are sure the Conqueror can lay upon them no heavyer burdens than they were accustomed to before and have withal a flattering hope that their new Masters may be gentler to them than their former were It fares with them no otherwise than with Aesops Ass which refused to make the opportunity of an escape from the hands of the enemie by which he was taken because he knew it was not possible they should lay more load upon his back than his old Master made him bear To which condition the Chaldeans and Assyrians being brought by the Persians and never accustomed to the tast of a better fortune have followed the same successes as the Persians did falling together with them from one hand to another the particular accompt of whose estate we shall find in Persia taking this onely for the close that when Solyman the Magnificent had discomfited Tamas King of Persia and taken the great City of Bagdat Caramit Merdin and the rest both in Assyria Chaldaea and Mesopotamia submitted to him without any resistance and received his Garrisons And for a confirmation of his estate he received at the hand of the Caliph of Babylon who by an old Prerogative had the nomination or confirmation at the least of the Kings of Assyria and the Sultans of Aegypt the Royall Ornaments and Ensignes Anno 1534. incorporating by that means those Regions into his estates and making them Provinces of his Empire in which he left a Beglerbeg at Bagdat to command in chief and divers Sanziacks in their severall and respective Provinces And though the Persian Kings have since taken and are still possessed of some places of importance in them yet I account them in regard of the said investiture and the long possession following on it for Provinces of the Turkish Empire as I do Media of the Persian though Tauris and some other peeces of it be possessed by the Turks OF MOUNT-TAURUS MOVNT-TAVRVS is a constant and continuall Ridge of hils which extend from the Mediterranean to the Indian Seas running thorow the whole length of Asia from West to East and dividing it as the Aequator doth the Globe into North and South It was called Taurus from the word Tur or Taur which in the Syriack and Chaldaean signifieth a mountain the common name of all high mountains being made peculiar unto this by reason of its greatness and continued length yet so that it had other names also in some parts thereof according to the Regions and Nations by which it passed and on which it bordered The course where of is thus set down by Sir Walter Ralegh premising onely that it beginneth in the Province of Lycia a Region of Asia Minor neer the Mediterranean These Mountains saith he which sunder Cilicia from the rest of Asia the less on the North thereof are called Taurus and where they part it from Comagena a Province of Syria they are called Amanus On the East side of the River Euphrates which forceth it self a way thorow it it sometimes resumeth the name of Taurus as in Ptolomies three first Tables of Asia and sometimes taketh the name of Niphates as in the fourth retaining that uncertain appellation so long as they bound Armenia from Mesopotamia After the River Tigris hath also cut them asunder they continue the name of Niphates altogether untill they separate Assyria and Media but then they call themselves Coatras although between the upper and lower Media they appear not alwaies but are seen discontinued and broke in pieces such parts of it as are found in the midle of that Countrey being called Orontes those which lie more towards the East being named Coronus out of the Southern parts whereof issueth the River of Bagradus which divideth the antient Persia from Caramania Continuing further East-ward by the name of Coronus they give unto the Parthians and Hyrcanians their proper Countries and afterwards change themselves into the Mountains of Seripht out of which riseth the River Margus And now beginning to draw towards the end of their course they first make themselves the South border of Bactria and are then known by the name of Paropamisns and after take unto themselves the name of Caucasus where the famous Rivers Indus Hydaspis and Zaradrus have their first beginnings In this point do they hold their heads exceeding high to equal the Mountains of Imaus whom they encounter within the 35 36. 37. Degrees of Latitude and the 140 Degree of Longitude known by no other name than this till finally they terminate their course in the Indian Seas So farre and to this purpose that noble Gentleman It may be added hereunto that though the antient Writers could trace the course of this Mountain no further than the meeting of it with Imaus yet later observations follow it to the wall of China the parts beyond Caucasus being now known by the
hominum mitissimi the most meek or patient of the world especially compared with those of the same Religion the Turks and Tartars Not haters of learning as the Turks But studious many of them in Physick and Astrology most of the better sort much delighted in Poetry which they give their minds to For the most part addicted to hospitality magnificent in expence Lordly in their complements fantastical in their Apparell maintainers of Nobility and desirous of peace Such as apply themselves to Trades and Mechanick arts prove excellent in the making of Silkes and Cloth of Gold those which betake themselves to warre proving very good Souldiers as the Turks have found unto their cost who by their long warres against them have got nothing but blows The women said to be neat and cleanly truly loving gorgeous in Attire and delightfull in the sequestrations of pleasure Their Religion at the first was Paganism wherein directed principally by their Priests or Magi men of a strict austere life forbidding outward ornaments and the use of gold making the ground their bed and the Herbs their food their whole time spent in offering to the Gods the prayers and sacrifices of the people as if they onely might be heard or else in divinations and foretelling of things to come from whence the names of Magick and Magician are derived unto us Studious in the knowledge of God and nature and therefore called by Suidas not onely Philosoâ—â—hi Lovers of wisdome but Philothei the Lovers of God Of such esteem that as Cicero telleth us the Persian Kings were not admitted to the Throne till they were trained up in the discipline of the Magi and of such power and intimacy in the Royall Court that one of those Magi on the death of Cambyses possessed himself of the Persian Monarchy In a word such as the Druides were to the Galls and Britans the Gymnosophists or Brachmans to the antient Indians and the Chaldaeans in the Empire of Babylon the same if not of greater sway in affairs of moment were the Persian Magi. And Persians they must be if Magi none but the Natives of that Countrey being to be admitted of that Society though by a Metaphor applied to the Professors of the same Arts though of other Countries as those which came from the East to worship Christ are by Saint Matthew called Magi Mat. 2. 1. though they came from Arabia The people then were Gentiles as to their Religion and besides other Gods which the Gentiles worshipped they were great Idolaters of the Fire which they offered sacrifice unto in time of peace and carried it with them as their Tutelar Deitie in the time of warre At what time especially if the King were there in person it was born in the very front of their Army attended on by their Priests and followed by a train of boyes all clothed in Scarlet to the number of 365. according to the number of the daies of the year In this equipage with a great deal of pomp besides did Darius set forwards to fight with Alexander at the battell of Issus in Cilicia A superstition derived from them to the Medes and Assyriaâ—s their next-neighbouring Nations and not extinguished to this day in some parts of this Countrey in which many of these Fire-worshippers are still remaining But from a God it grew in time to be a Gentlemanvshar and to attend on Kings and persons of greatest eminence used to be born before the Emperors of Rome as a point of State Insomuch that Commodus though fallen out with his Sister Lncilla permitted her notwithstanding to enjoy her Seat in the publique Theatre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and fire to be born before her as in former times as we are told by Hexodian The Christian faith was first planted in the Provinces of the Persian Kingdome by Saint Thomas the Apostle and held in all points answerable to those of the Catholick Church till Sapores to despight the Emperour Heraclius a right Orthodox Prince commanded that all the Christians in his Dominions should conform themselves to the opinions and tendries of the Nestorian Sect by that means universally spread over all these Provinces With whom here live now intermingled some Armenian Christians who with their Patriarch removed hither when their own Countrey was made the seat of a long and miserable war betwixt the Persian and the Turk but found not here so safe a dwelling as they did expect 1200 of them being slain by Abas the late Persian Sultan on a suspicion that they went about to reconcile themselves to the Pope of Rome whom he held to be more inclinable to the Turk than to him in the year 1609. Which notwithstanding so miserable a condition do these Christians live in he suffered two Convents of Augustine and Carmelite Friers to be setled at the same time even in Spaw-hawn it self and many Jesuites to live peaceably up and down the Countrey which serve for little else than to give intelligence Here are also many Jews dispersed over all the Provinces of this Empire allowed their Synagogues and publick places of assembly But the Religion publickly authorized and countenanced is that of Mahomet imposed on this Countrey by the Saracens when by them subdued differing in some points from the Turks especially about the true Successour of that fals Seducer of which more anon the cause of the long wars betwixt those nations As for the Persian language it is very antient supposed to be as old as the Confusion at Babell some words whereof by Daniel and Ezra which lived in the Persian Court have been made use of in some parts of the holy Scripture A tongue which still hath left some remainders of it in the language of the modern Persian as those of judgement in this tongue have delivered to us notwithstanding so long tract of time and the conquest of this Countrey by the Greeks Arabians Turks and Tartars Not spoken onely in this Countrey nor limitted within the Provinces of the Persian Empire but used also in the Court and Camp of the Great Mongul and some parts of Zagathay and where not vulgar unto all studied and understood by persons of more eminent sort as the Latine by the Gentry of these western parts Insomuch as he that hath this Language may travell over all the East without an Interpreter Rivers here are but few as before was said and those few not navigable by consequence of little note or estimation The principall of those that be are 1. Eulaeus the chief River of Susiaua emptying it self into Sinus Persicus a River of so pure a stream that the great Persian Kings would drink of no other water 2. Ochus in Bactria a River of the greater note amongst the Antients because it was navigable opening with a fair Channel into the Caspian Sea to which it hastneth from Mount Taurus and so doth also 3. Oxus in Margiana a fatall bound to these great neighbours A River which the Persians have seldome passed
to their ears and strew it on his Sepulchre and cannot marry again till their hair be grown long enough to cover their shoulders Hermophrodites are here also in great plenty whom they use as beasts to carry their luggage and put them to all kinde of drudgery They have all a gross belief of the souls immortality but are otherwise Idolaters Mountains this Country hath not many as being generally plain and level the chiefest those called Apalatei before mentioned supposed by the Inhabitants to be rich in Mines of Gold Rivers of most note 1 Rio Secco 2 Rio Grande 3 Serraevahi the two first named so by the Spaniards and the last by the Natives 4 Garunna 5 Ligeis 6 Axona 7 Sequana and 8 Charente so called by the French according to the names of the best Rivers in France both French and Spaniards having severally and successively the possession of it Here are also 9 Rio de Flores or the River of Flowers 10 Rio de Neives or the River of Snow and 11 Rio de Spirito Santo or the River of the Holy Ghost all of them falling into the Bay of Mexico A particular description of these Rivers their rise course and greatness I finde not in any of my Authors Only Mercator telleth us of a twelfth River called Porto Riale reckoned the chiefest of this Country the mouth whereof is three miles broad where it openeth into the Sea betwixt two Promontories the one towards the West and the other pointing to the North. Some of these Rivers are affirmed to be haunted with Crocodiles a creature dangerous alike both by Land and VVater The Country not so well discovered and planted hitherto as to be divided into Provinces is commonly distributed into several Tribes as were all Nations of the VVorld at their first Discovery The principal of these they reckon the Quevenes Marianes Canagadi Camoni Avavares and Malicones the Susolas Quitones and other names not usual unto us of Europe though these more passable then many which have gone before mollified perhaps by the French and Spaniards and not presented to us in their natural roughness all governed by their Paracoussi or several Chiefs and those at deadly Fewds and continual Wars with one another Some have adventured on the names of particular Provinces as Panuca Avanares Abarduosia Joguazia Apalchia Anthia Samovia Colas but they acquaint us neither with their site nor bounds except it be that Panuca lyeth on the borders of Hispania Nova beyond the large and spacious Bay of the Holy Ghost and Calos neer the Cape called Cape di Florida Others distinguish it by the names of the several Roytelets which varying with the change of the person makes that division to be very variable and uncertain also But it is generally agreed that the Peninsula which pointeth on the Isle of Cuba hath the name of Tegesta or Florida specially so called the name of Florida being first given by John Ponce unto this part only though afterwards communicated unto all the rest of this Country A Demy-Iland stretching in length from the South to the North 100 Leagues in breadth where broadest 30 Leagues and in some places 20 only Well known by the Cape of Martyrs looking into the Isle of Cuba the River of the holy Ghost and three goodly Bays the chief whereof that entituled to S. Joseph all opening into the Gulf of Mexico or the Bay of New Spain The whole environed about save where it is joyned unto the Continent with Bars of sands and scattered Ilands which serve unto it as the out-works to some notable Fortress Chief Towns hereof 1 S. Helens on or neer a Promontory so named where this Country bordereth on Virginia once fortified and possessed by the Spaniard but not long since abandoned 2 Fort de Charles Arx Carolina in the Latine built by the French upon the Banks of the River Maio and so called in honour of Charles the ninth in whose time the Conquest of this Country was undertaken but ruined by the Spaniard in the VVar between them 3 Port Royal a well frequented Haven on the Mouth of the River of that name but whether there be any Town now remaining I am not able to say More in the Land for these lie all upon the Borders towards Virginia Apalche supposed to be a place of great consideration and in regard of the opinion which was had of the wealth thereof but found to be a small Town of but 40 Cottages and therefore first attempted and took in by the Spaniard in their invasion of this Countrey under Pamphilus of Narvaes An. 1528. recovered by the Natives after his departure 5 Ante an open Burrough nine days journey from Apalche where the Salvages gave the Spaniards a sharp encounter and slew many of them but being vanquished at the last they forsook the Town of it self not tenable 6 Ocalis an unwalled Town but consisting of 600 Sheds for I dare hardly call them Houses the chief of the Kingdom of Acuera 7 Osachile the chief Seat of the King so called and 8 Vitacuchus a Burrough of 200 Cottages the principal of the Kingdom of Vitacuchus both taken by the Spaniards at the same time also 9 S. Matthews on the Eastern shore of the Demi-Iland above mentioned possessed and fortified by the Spaniard 10 S. Augustines on the same shore but more South then the other situate at the mouth of a small River so named fortified by the Spaniard with many a strong Castle but for all that taken by Sir Francis Drake An. 1485. there being found in the Fort of S. John in which the strength of the Town consisted 18 brass pieces and 20000 Florents in ready money for the pay of the Garrison Repaired afterwards more strongly then ever formerly The Spaniards have also Garrisons in two other places of this Country viz. S. Philip and S. Jago but I cannot say distinctly in what part they are The Government of this Country is of one kinde only though managed by several persons the Supream power residing in the Chiefs of their several Tribes at such continual enmity with one another that they very seldom Joyn together in any Counsels wherein the publick is concerned So that the Spaniards may affirm of the present Floridans as the Romans did of the ancient Britans Nec quicquam adversus Validissimas gentes utilius nobis fuit quam quod in commune non consulebant The not communicating of their Counsells hastned on their bondage Yet in the Government of these Chiefs there was somewhat of the Parliamentary way used with us in Europe For as in all matters of concernment those Chiefs advised with their Counsell so if it were a business which concerned the publike their Priests and others of most note for gravity and wisdom were admitted to the Consultation But being severally too weak for a strong Invader and never joyned together to defend themselves they made themselves an easie prey to the French and Spaniards Et sic dum singuli
7 the â—rinobantes of Midlesex and Essex where London called afterwards Augusta Trinobantum and Camalâ—dunum the first Roman Colonie now called Maldon the Seat Royall of Cunabelinus King of the Trinobantes in the time of the Romans 8 The Catieuchlani dwelling in the Counties of Buckingham Bedford and Hartford whose Towns of most importance were Magivintum now called Dunstable and Verulamium neer S. Albans the strongest Hold the Britains had in their wars with Caesar 9 The Iceni living in the Counties of Suffolk Norfolk Huntington and Cambridge their principall Cities being Villa Fastini now S. Edmundsburâ— â—ito magus now Thetford Durolis now Godmanchester and Camboritum or Cambridge 10 Câ—ritani who took up the whole Counties of Lincoln Leicester Rutland Nottingham Northampton and Darby principall Towns of which were Lâ—ndum now Lincoln Râ—ugo where now is Leicester Guusenxae not far from Stamford now called Bridge-Castertâ—n Agelâ—cis now Litleborough a small Village neer Newark upon Trent Triâ—ontium now Tâ—rcester not far from Northampton 11 the Brigantes the greatest Nation of the Iland filling all Yorkeshire the Bishoprick of Durham Cumberland Westmerland and the Countie Palatine of Laneacter in a word all the North of England except Northumberland the dwelling of the 12 Oltadiâ—â— whose chief Town was Bremenium thought now to be Riâ—chester in Ruadisdaâ—e Principall places of which large and potent Nation were Isaurium now Alâ—borrow in the North Riding Eboracum or York in the West Riding and Pâ—tuariâ— thought to be Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire Vinovium where now is Binchâ—ster in the Bishoprick Epâ—acum now Pap-Castle in Cumberland Caelatum now 〈◊〉 Castle in Westmorland and Rhtgodunum now Rible-Chester in the County Palatine of Lancaster 13 The Cornavii seated in the Counties of Chester Saloâ— Worcester Stafford and Warwick whose principall Towns were Denvania or Legiovicesima Victâ—ix now West-Chester Uriconium now Wroxâ—â—er an ignoble village Pennocrucium now Penkridge not far from Stafford Brannogenium now Worcester Manduessedum now Manchester on the River Anker 14 And last of all the Dobuni of Oxford and Glocestershires principall places of the which were Dorcinia now Dorchester seven miles from Oxford and Corinium or Cyrencester neer the head of the Thames Such Nations as are comprehended under the name of Wales and Scotland shall be remembred when we come to speak of those Countries These and the rest of Wales and Scotland as far as the Romans did proceed being once subdued Britain became a Member of the Roman Empire yet so that many of the Tribes had their own Kings and were suffered to govern by their own Lawes it being a known custome amongst the Romans as we find in Tacitus habere servitutis instrumenta Reges to permit Kings sometimes in the conquered Countries making them instrumentall to the peoples bondage And it is said of Lucius Verus the Roman Emperour that having put an end to the Parthian war Regna Regibus Provincias Comitibus suis regendas dedisse he gave those Kingdoms he had conquered to be ruled by Kings the Provinces to be governed by Proviniciall Earles Kings of which kind were Codigunus and Pratusagus spoken of by Tacitus Lucius before-mentioned the first Christian King and Coilus the Father of Helena Mother of Constantine the great But as afterward in the Heptarchie of the Saxons that King who over-ruled the rest and was of most power and estimation was called the Monarch of the English so probable enough it is that he amongst the British Kings who was in most credit with the Romans or of most power amongst his neighbours might be permitted to assume the Title of King of Britain The Catalogue of whom from Cassibelane to Constantine I have here subjoyned according to the tenor of the British Historie The Kings of Britain after the coming in of the Romans A. Ch. 1 Cassibelane King of the Trinobantes Commander of the Britans in the war against Julius Caesar 2 Theomantius 3 Cymbeline 4 Guiderius 45. 5 Arviragus by Hector Boetius called Pratusagus in whose times Britain was subdued by Aulus Plautius sent hither from the Emperour Claudius 73. 6 Marius 125. 7 Coilus the supposed Founder of Colchester 180. 8 LUCIUS the first Christian King of Britain and of all the World who dying without issue left the Roman Emperour his Heir 207. 9 Severus Emperour of Rome and King of Britain 211. 10 Bassianus Caracalla Sonne of Severus Emperour of Rome after his Father who lost the Kingdom of Britain to 218. 11 Carausius a Native of the Iland who rebelling against Caracalla obtained the Kingdom for himself 225. 12 Alectus 232. 13 Aesclepiodorus 260. 14 Cotlus II. the Father of Helena 289. 15 Constantius Emperour of Rome in right of Helena his Wife succeeded on the death of Coâ—lus the 2d 16 Constantine the great the Sonne of Helena and Constantius who added his Estates in Britain to the Roman Monarchie But to proceed Britain being thus made a Member of the Roman Empire it was at first divided into three Provinces onely that is to say Britannia prima so called because first subdued containing all the Countries on the South side of the Thames and those inhabited by the Trinâ—bantes Iceni Cattieuchlani whose Metropolis or chief City was London 2 Britannia Secunda comprising all the Nations on the further side of the Severn whose chief City was Caer-Leon upon Usk in the County of Monmouth and 3 Maxima Caesariensis including all the rest to the Northern border whereof the Metropolis was York each Province having severall Cities 28 in all Accordingly the Church conforming to the Plat-form of the Civill State there were appointed for the Government hereof eight and twenty Bishops residing in those severall Cities three of the which residing in the principall Cities were honoured with the Title of Metropolitans and a superiority over all the Bishops of their severall and respective Provinces And in this state it stood till the time of Constantine who in his new moulding of the Empire altered the bounds and enlarged the number of the Provinces adding two more unto and out of the former viz. Valentia conteining all the Country from the Frith of Solway and the Picts wall on the South to the Friths of Edenburgh and Dunbritton North and Flavia Caesariensis comprehending all between Thames and Humber the rest betwixt the Humber and the bounds of Valentia continuing under the old name of Maxima Caesariensis though now made less than any of the other four The number of the Provinces being thus enlarged he making the whole a full and complete Diocese of the Roman Empire whereas Spain had Tingitana added to it as before was shewn subordinate as Spain was also to the Praefectus Praetorio Galliarum and governed by his Vicarius or Lieutenant Generall By which division or rather subdivision of the Roman Provinces there was no other alteration made in the Ecclesiasticall government but that the British Church became more absolute and independent than it was before and had a Primate of
its own as each Diocese had residing in the same Citie with the Vicar or Lieutenant Generall which was then at York of as great power and jurisdiction in the Isle of Britain as any Patriarch of Alexandria Rome or Antioch in their severall Patriarchates The Metropolitans were no more than before they were It being ordered by a Canon of the Councill of Chalcedon that their number should not be augmented by any alteration made of the Roman Provinces As for the Forces which the Romans kept here in continuall pay as well to keep their Coasts and Frontires against the Enemy as for retayning of the Natives in their due obedience they came in all if Panciroll be not mistaken in his reckoning to 23000 Foot and 2000 Horse three Legions keeping here their constant and continuall Residence that is to say the sixt Legion surnamed Victrix at York the 20th Legion surnamed also Victrix at West-Chester and the second Legion sometimes at Isca Danmoniorum which we now call Exeter sometimes at Isca Siluâ—um which is now Caer-Leon upon Usk Which Legions with their Aides and Cohorts may well make up the number spoken of before Of so high estimaton was this Iland in the State of Rome Yet could not all these Forces so preserve the Countrie from forrein Enemies but that in the declining of the Roman Empire the Saxons made great spoyles on the coasts thereof as did the Scots and Picts on the Northern borders against all which the Romans held out well enough and made good their ground till the recalling of the Legions out of Britain for defence of Italy it self then wasted and destroyed by the barbarous nations Which hapned in or about the yeer of Christ 407 and some 470 yeers from the first invasion Honorius being at that time the Roman Emperour and Victorinuâ— the last Governour for the Empire in the Isle of Britain For though the noble Aetiuâ— on the Petition and complaint of the slaughtered people unmercifully butchered by the Scots and Picts sent some small forces to assist them against those Enemies yet were they presently called back for defence of Gaul against the Hunnes breaking in upon it out of Italie And then the wretched Britains hopeless of all help from Rome and being unable by their own strength to repell the Enemy by reason of their long ease and disuse of Arms applied themselves to Aldroenus King of Armorica in France called Little Britain a Prince extracted from the same stock for relief and succour whose Brother Constantine according to the British storie passing over with a competent Army and having valiantly repulsed the barbarous people was crowned King of Britain the first of a new race of Kings which swayed the Scepter with much trouble and continual conflicts either against the Scots or Saxons till they were finally subdued and shut up in Wales Those of most observation in the course of storie were 1 Constantine the first King and the restorer of the Countrie to Peace and quiet traiterously murdered by a Pict 2 Vortiger E. of the Gevilles now Cornwall Protector of Constantius the Sonne of Constantine taken out of a Monastery after whose death wherein he was conceived to have had an hand he got the Kingdom to himself but being unable to defend it against the Enemy and make his title also good against the other children of Constantine first called in the Saxons 3 Vortimer eldest Sonne of Vâ—rtiger who overthrew the Saâ—ons in many battels but in the midst of his successes was poysoned by Rowena a Saxon Lady second Wife of Vortiger 4 Arthur one of the Worlds nine Worthies of whom the Moâ—kish writers and other Lâ—gendaries report so many idle and impossible actions Doubtless he was a Prince of most perfect vertue a great Preserver of his Countrie from approaching ruine and worthy of the pen of an able Panegyrist by whom his brave atchievements might have come entire unto us without the intermixture of those feats of Chivalry affabulated to him and his Kuights of the Round-table For by the overstraining of some Monkish Writers Geofry of Monmouth and the rest they have given too just occasion to posterity to suspect that vertue which they intended to advance and filled us with as much ignorance of the story as admiration of the persons But this hath not been the ill hap of King Arthur and his Nobles onely Charlemagne and the Twelve Peers of France men of great vertue and renown suffering as deeply in the same kind by the solly of the French Romances It is affirmed of this Arthur but how true I know not that he began the custome of celebrating the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour for the twelve dayes following with such pastimes and sports as are or have been used of late by the Lords of Misrule in some Gentlemens houses an Institution which the Scotish Writers of those times much blame perhaps not unjustly it being a time more sit for our devotions than such rude disports But to proceed King Arthur dying left the Crown to 5 Constantine the Sonne of Cador Duke of Cornwall his neerest kinsman slain by Aâ—relius Conanuâ— his own Nephew who succeeded after him which fraction did so weaken the distressed Britans that they were forced to withdraw themselves beyond the Severn as 6 Careticus or Caradoc by the joynt forces of the Saxons to charge the plain Countries beyond the Severn for the safer but more fruitless Mountains Of the rest till Cadwaâ—lader there is little left of any certainty but their names only which are thus ranked in the second race of The Kings of Britain after the withdrawing of the Romans A. C. 433. 1 Constantine 10. 443. 2 Constantius 3. 446. 3 Vortiger 18. 464. 4 Vortimer his Sonne 7. 471. 5 Vortiger again 10. 481. 6 Aurelius Ambrosius 19. 500. 7 Uter Pendragon 6. 506. 8 Arthur 36. 542. 9 Constantine II. 4. 546. 10 Aurel. Conanus 30. 576. 11 Vortipor 4. 580. 12 Malgo. 6. 586. 13 Caneticus or Caradoc 27. 613. 14 Cadwan 22. 635. 15 Cadwallan 43. 687. 16 Cadwallader the last King of the Briâ—ans who on a superstitious zeal travelled in pilgrimage to Rome there to receive the habit of a Religious Order from the hands of Pope Sergius where he died not long after Anno 689. After whose death his Successors were no longer called Kings of Britain but Kings or Princes of Wales And there we shall be sure to find them And so the Britans leave the Stage and the Saxons enter a great and potent Nation amongst the Germans but greater by the aggregation of many people under their name and service than in themselves the Jutes and Angles joyning with them and passing in Accompt as the same one Nation Their Countries different as their names untill this Conjunction but neighbouring neer enough to unite together the Angles dwelling at the first in that part of the Cimbrian Chersonese which we now call Sleswick where still the Town called Angoleâ— doth preserve