appoint The Officers of State are eight in number viz. the Lord High-Chancellor Lord High-Treasurer Lord-President of the Council Lord Secretary of State Lord Treasurer-Deputy Lord Register Lord-Advocate and Lord Justice Clerk The Administration of Justice in Civil Affairs is lodg'd in the Lords of the Session who are Fifteen in number whereof One is President and to those are join'd some Noblemen under the Name of extraordinary Lords of the Session This Court is esteemed one of the most August and Learned Judicatories in Europe From it there lies no Appeal but to the Parliament which is now made up of the Peers the Commissioners of Counties and those of Free Burroughs The King's Person is always represented in Parliament by some Nobleman who bears the Title of Lord High-Commissioner The Distribution of Justice in Criminal Matters is commited to the Court of Justice which is compos'd of the Lord Justice General the Lord Justice Clerk and five or six other Lords of the Session who in this Bench are call'd Commissioners of Justiciary Over and above these two Supreme Courts of Justice there are a great many Subordinate Judicatories both for Civil and Criminal Affairs through the Kingdom as Sheriff Courts Courts of Regality and the like The Royal Arms of this Kingdom together with those of England and Ireland as they compose the Ensigns Armorial of the Monarch of Great Britain shall be particularly express'd when we come to England The Inhabitants of this Country excepting a few who still adhere to the Church of Rome and an inconsiderable number of Quakers are all of the Reform'd Religion yet with considerable Variation among themselves in some private Opinions and various Points of Church Discipline However the numerous Professors thereof are very sincere in their Principles and do generally practise conformable to their Professions No Christian Society in the World doth excel them for their exact Observation of the Sabbath day and few can equal them for their singular Strictness and Impartiality in punishing Scandals But lamentable are their Distractions of late in Matters relating to Ecclesiastical Polity and how fatal such Heats and Divisions both in this and the Neighbouring Kingdom may prove at last is alas but too well known to all thinking Persons among us The smallest Privateer belonging either to Brest or S. Malo's may easily Attack Board and Sink the Royal Britannia her self if she chance only to Spring a Leak under Water when her whole Crew are at Blows between Decks The Christian Faith according to the best Accounts was planted in this Country during the Reign of Dioclesian for by reason of that violent Persecution he rais'd in the Church many Christians are said to have fled from the Continent into the Isle of Great Britain and particularly as an Ancient Author expresly testifieth into that Part thereof In quam Romana Arma nunquam penetrârunt which without all doubt is Scotland especially the Northern Parts of that Country they being still possess'd by the Scots and never subject to the Roman Power St Rule or Regulus is said to have brought over with him the Arm or as some affirm the Lig of St. Andrew the Apostle and to have buried it in that place where now the City of St. Andrews stands These first Propagators of Christianity seem to have been a kind of Monks who afterwards by the beneficence of the first Christian Kings of Scotland came into the Seats and Possessions of the Pagan Druides a sort of Religious Votaries to the Heathen Gods and had their principal Residence or rather Monasteries in the Islands of Man and Jona and passed under the Name of Culdees ENGLAND bu Rob t. Morden ENGLAND  d. m. Situated between 12 00 of Long. its greatest Length from N. to S. is about 320 Miles 20 00 between 50 00 of Latit Breadth from E. to W. is about 290 Miles 55 50 Being divided into Six Circuits viz. Western Circuit Chief Town Salisbury Oxford Circuit Oxford Home Circuit Canterbury Northfolk Circuit Norwich Midland Circuit Lincoln North Circuit York Western-Circuit contains Cornwall Chief Town Launceston W. to E. Devonshire Exeter Dorsetshire Dorchester Hampshire Winchester Sommâ—rsetshire Bristol N. of Dorsetshire Wiltshire Salisbury Oxford Circuit contains Barkshire Redding N. of Hampshire Oxfordshire Oxford E. to W. Glocestershire Glocester Monmouthshire Monmouth Herefordshire Hereford S. to N. E. Worcestershire Worcester Staffordshire Stafford Shropshire Shrewsbury W. of Staffordshire Home-Circuit contains Essex Colchester E. to W. Hartfordshire Hartford Kent Canterbury E. to W. Surry Southwark Sussex Chichester South of Surry 〈◊〉 Norfolk-Circuit contains Norfolk Norwich E. to S. W. Suffolk Ipswich Cambridgeshire Cambridge Huntingtonshire Huntington Bedfordshire Bedford Buckinghamshire Buckingham Midland Circuit contains Lincolnshire Chief Town Lincoln E. to W. Nottinghamshire Nottingham Derbyshire Derby Rutlandshire Okeham E. to W. Leicestershire Leicester Warwickshire Warwick Northamptonshire Northampton S. of Leicestershire Warwickshire North. Circuit contains Yorkshire York S. to N. Durham Idem Northumberland Newcastle Lancashire Lancaster S. to N. Westmorland Appleby Cumberland Carlisle To England we here subjoin the Principality of Wales divided into Four Circuits each Circuit comprehending Three Counties vix 1. Those of Denbighshire Chief Town Denbigh N. to S. Flintshire St. Asaph Montgomeryshire Montgomery 2. Those of Anglesey Beaumaris N. to S. E. Carnarvenshire Carnarven Mâ—rionethshire Harlech 3. Those of Cardiganshire Cardigan N. to S. Carmarthènshire Carmarthen Pembrokeshire Pembrook 4. Those of Radnorshire Radnor N. to S. W. Brecknokshire Brecknock Glamorganshire Cardiff Besides the Six Circuits of England containing Thirty eight Counties and these Four of Wales comprehending Twelve there remain as yet two Counties unmentioned and which are not ordinarily reduc'd to any of these Circuits viz. Middlesex and Cheshire the first because of its Vicinity to London and the other as being a County-Palatine having its own Judges and Counsellors peculiar to it self These Two Counties with the Thirty eight abovemention'd in England and Twelve in Wales make Fifty two in all But since England and Wales are Two distinct Sovereignties one being a Kingdom and the other a Principality we shall seperately Treat of them both Therefore ENGLAND THIS Country the Ancient Anglia which with the rest of the Island made up the Renown'd Britannia or Albion is term'd by the Italians Inghilterra by the Spaniards Inglatierra by the French Angleterre by the Germans Engel-land and by the Natives England which Name is deriv'd from the Angles a People of Lower Saxony who Conquer'd the greatest Part of this Country and divided the same into Seven different Kingdoms But Egbert descended from the Angles having united this divided Nation and being the first Monarch of England after the Saxon Heptarchy ordered by special Edict above 800 Years after the Incarnation that the whole Kingdom should be term'd Engle-lond which Title in process of time hath turn'd into the present Name of England The Air of this Country is far more Mild Sweet and Temperate than
pure French will best appear by their Pater Noster which runs thus Nos peer qui êt au Cieux sanctifie soi te Nom Adveen ton Rejam ta Volonté se fait en terre comme es Cieux Donne noy ajord ' huy no pain quotidien pardonne no det comme no pardonnon a nos detteux ne no indu en tentation mais delivre nos des maux Ansi soit il This Countrey viz. all those Provinces belonging to the Spaniard before the late War and now restor'd doth acknowledge his Catholick Majesty as Supream Lord who Rules the same by his Substitute styl'd Governour-General of the Netherlands Which Post is at present enjoy'd by his Electoral Highness Duke of Bavaria and now made Hereditary to him since Anno 1692. For his Assistance he is allow'd three Councils viz. 1. The Council of State in which are transacted the weightiest Affairs such as relate to Peace and War Leagues and Alliances c. 2. The Privy-Council which determineth the Limits of Provinces publisheth Edicts and decideth Matters brought thither by Appeal from other Courts of Judicature 3. The Council of Finances to whom belongeth the Care and Management of the Royal Revenue and Taxes supervising the Accounts of Receivers and proportioning the Expence or Charge of the War To Levy Money and to Enact new Laws is the Business of the Convention of the Estates consisting of the Nobility principal Persons of the Clergy and Deputies of the chief Cities who ordinarily Assemble at Bruxels when call'd by the Governour-General For the better maintaining the Peace through all the Provinces and taking due Care of the Standing Forces each Province hath a particular Governour appointed in Subordination to the Governour-General And for an Universal Administration of Justice every Province hath its peculiar Provost and over all is appointed one Grand Provost whose Power in Criminal Matters is reckon'd very great See Spain The Religion predominant in all the Provinces of the Netherlands before the dawning of that happy day of our Reformation was intirely the Doctrine of the Roman Church But the Errors and Absurdities of that Doctrine being openly expos'd to the World by our wise Reformers the King of Spain to hinder a farther Progress in that matter set up the most severe and barbarous Court of Inquisition which occasion'd no small Disturbance and at last a bloody War that ended in a total Alienation of the Seven United Provinces the other Ten still remaining in the Profession of the Romish Religion as at this day and that in its grossest Errors Christianity was planted in this Country about the same time with the United Provinces §. 3. UPPER GERMANY THis Country containing only a part of Ancient Germany as also a little of Gaul Illyricum with some of Old Italy is term'd by the Italians Alta Allemagna by the Spaniards Aleâ—â—nia alâ—a by the French Haute Allemagne by the Germans Overteutschland and by the English Germany Why so call'd is much Controverted by our Modern Criticks some German Authors being willing to derive its Etymology from words in their own Language as â—â—or-mannen i. e. very much Men. Others from Geren signifying to Gather because the Germans seem'd to be an 〈◊〉 of many Nations others from Gar and Man to denote that they were a Warlike People Some tho' with little ground would fain allow it an Hebrew Derivation But the most probable Opinion of all is that the Inhabitants of this Country were called Germani by the Romans either because they were a sincere and honest sort of People or thereby to denote that they were Brothers to their Neighbours the Gaules The Air of this Country differeth considerably according to the Situation of the various Parts of this large Continent Towards the North it 's generally very Cold but in the Southmost Provinces it 's of the same Temper as in those places of France which lie under the same Parallels The opposite Place of the Globe to Germany is that part of the vast Pacifick Ocean between 215 and 225 Degrees of Longitude with 45 and 55 Degrees of South Latitude The Soil of this Country it lying in the 8th 9th 10th and 11th North Climate is very different according to the Situation of its different Parts In the Southern Circles as also those in the middle part of the Continent particularly the Upper and Lower Rhine there is hardly any Country in the World can excel them for plenty of Fruits Corn and Wine but towards the North namely the two Saxonies and Westphalia the Soil is not near so fertile especially in Wine Grapes never coming to full perfection there however as for Corn and Pasturage they are abundantly furnisht with them and the whole Country in the main is tollerably pleasant healthful and profitable abounding not only with all things necessary but also with many of the Comforts of human Life The longest Day in the North-most Part is about 17 Hours ¼ The shortest in the South-most 8 Hours ½ and the Nights proportionably The chief Commodities of this Country are Corn Metals Allom Salt Wine Flesh Linnen Quicksilver Armours and Iron Works c. What Things do mostly merit the Epithet of Rare and Curious in this vast Country are reducible to these following Heads viz. 1. Some very observable Springs as That near Geesbach in Alsace whose Top is covered with a foul fat Oily substance ordinarily us'd by the Peasants thereabouts as common Wheel Grease Another near Paterborn in Westphalia call'd Methorn which hath three Streams very different from one another both in Colour Tast and Qualities and a Third in the Diocess of Paterborn observable in that it loseth it self twice every 24 Hours returning always back at the Interval of 6 Hours and that with such Violence as to drive three Mills not far from its Source Here also are many Salt Springs particularly That near Lunenburg in the D. of Lunenburg another at Hall in Upper Saxony and a third at Saltzwedel in the Marquisate of Brandenburg To these we may add a vast multitude of Springs whose Waters are highly priz'd both for Purging and Bathing especially the latter as particularly Those at Stugart in Wirtenburg Those at Aix le Chapelle in Westphalia and those in the Marquisate of Baden from whence the whole Country derives its Name 2. Some strange kind of Lakes particularly that in Carniola call'd the Zirchnitzer-Sea in length about two German miles and one broad Observable for its many subterraneous Caves and Passages into which both the Water and Fishes of the Lake do yearly retire in the month of June and return again about September As also another in Suabia the Nature of whose Waters is such that they actually singe Fishing-Nets when sunk to the bottom 3. Remarkable Caves particularly that near Blackenburg in Lower Saxony commonly call'd Buman's Hole of which none hath yet found the End tho' many have travell'd a vast way into it
whose Top are four Apples of solid pure Gold which all together weigh seven hundred Pounds weight and in another Court of the said Palace is a prodigious high Tower so contriv'd that the Emperor can mount up to the Top of it on Horse-back 5. In the City of Fez is that famous Mosque call'd Caruven which is said to be almost half a Mile in Circuit and furnisht with thirty Gates of a prodigious bigness It hath above three hundred Cisterns to wash in before they go to Prayers and in it are upwards of nine hundred Lamps which are commonly lighted and burn every Night 6 Over a certain River call'd Sabu as it runs between two Hills term'd Beni-jasga and Silego is a remarkable Bridge or rather a ready way of passing from one side of the River to the other and that by the help of two large Stakes fixt fast in the Ground on either side one between which are extended two strong Ropes and to one of them is ty'd a kind of a big Basket able to contain ten Men into which the Passengers being entred and pulling one of the Ropes which runs by a Pulley they waft themselves over much sooner than we Europeans can pass either by Bridge or Boat Vid. Dapper 's late Description of Africa Archbishopricks Bishopricks Universities None The Barbarians thus Characteriz'd of old by Herodian Mauri inquâ—t ills Genus sunt hominum suapte naturâ coedit avidissimum nihilque non facile audens despèratis sinâ—les contemptu scilices mortis periculorum are now a People that 's generally very Inconstant Crafty and Unfaithful Active of Body Impatient of Labour and Covetous of Honour Some of 'em â—re Studious in Matters of their Law and others are enclin'd to the Liberal Sciences especially Philosophy and the Mathematicks The Inhabitants of Sallee Tripoli and Algiers are mightily given to Pyracy and many of the Moroccos are much addicted to Merchandizing Dispers'd through all these Countries are the Arabs who especially in Barca exercise their common Trade of robbing and molesting Travellers on the Highway In most of the Sea-Port Towns and over all the Countries bordering on the Sea the prevailing Language is Arabesque or corrupt Arabick In the City of Morocco and several other Places they still retain their Ancient Language or rather a corrupt Dialect of the old African The trading People especially in their Dealing with Strangers do use a certain Jargon compounded chiefly of Spanish and Portugueze not unlike to the Lingua Franca among the Turks This large Country comprehending several Kingdoms and Provinces is chiefly under the Great Turk and Emperor of Morocco To the latter belong the Kingdoms of Morocco and Fez and to him are ascrib'd or rather he assumeth the following Titles viz. Emperor of Africa King of Morocco Fez Sus and Taffalet Lord of Gago Dara and Guinea and Great Xeriff of Mahomet The other Kingdoms or Provinces of this Country are mostly subject to the Great Turk and are govern'd by his particular Bassa's set over 'em only Tunis and Algiers two considerable Commonwealths or rather distinct Kingdoms though each of 'em hath their respective Bassa appointed by the Grand Signior yet they 're so eager in maintaining their Liberties and Priviledges that those Bassa's are little more than meer Cyphers For in the former of these the Inhabitants have a Power of chusing their own Governor or Captain term'd the Dey who Rules the Kingdom Constitutes Cadi's and passeth Sentence in all Affairs whether Civil or Criminal The Divan of Tunis is compos'd of one Aga one Chaya twelve Odabachi twenty four Bouloubachi two Secretaries and four Chiaoux who judge in all Matters after they have heard the Sentiment of the Dey who may accept or reject their Advice as he thinks fit As for Aegiers The Government thereof is lodg'd in the Hands of the Army particularly the Officers of the Janizaries of whom the Council of State is compos'd and of it the Aga of the Janizaries is President It 's true the Grand Signior keeps always in this Place a Bassa with the Title of Vice-Roy but he 's at best but a meer Shadow for he may not so much as enter the great Divan unless invited by the whole Council and when admitted he hath but one single Voice and can only advise in Matters Besides these two Potent Republicks of this Country there 's another viz. That of Tripolt but it is intirely subject to the Grand Signior who governs the same by a particular Bassa sent from the Ottoman Court and renew'd every third Year He is honour'd with the Standart of Tunis and the Title of Beglerbeg The chief Independent Potentate in these Countries being the Emperor of Fez and Morocco he bears for Arms Three Wheels Argent As for the rest of Barbary Vid Turky in Europe page 182. The establisht Religion of this Country is Mahometanism but the Inhabitants of Morocco differ from other Mahometans in several considerable Points particularly those maintain'd by the Followers of Hamet the first of the present Race of the Morocco Emperors who was at first a kind of Monk and quitting his Retirement A. C. 1514. began publickly to Preach to the People that the Doctrine of Hali and Omar and other Interpreters of the Law was only Humane Traditions besides several other things of that Nature which occasion'd such Animosities between other Turks and the Morocco's that a Turkish Slave with them is no whit better treated than a Christian There are also many Persons in and about Algiers who likeways differ from other Mahometans in divers Particulars Some of 'em maintain that to fast seven or eight Months doth merit Eternal Happiness That Idiots are the Elect of God That Sins against Nature are Virtues That the Marabouts among 'em are inspir'd by the Devil and yet they account it an honourable thing to be defil'd by one of ' em These and many other such ridiculous Follies do they believe and avouch The Christian Faith was first planted in this Country by some of the seventy Disciples and St. Simon the Apostle Sirnam'd Zelotis SECT III. Concerning Bildulgerid  d. m. Situated between 02 00 of Long. It s greatest Length from W to E. is about 2040 Miles 55 00 between 22 30 of Latit Breadth from N. to S. is about 300 Miles 32 40 Bildulgerid comprehends the Provinces of Tesset Chief Town Idem From W. to E. Dara Idem Segelmess Idem Tegorarin Idem Zeb Teulachar Bildulgerid prop. so call'd Caphesa Desart of Barca None considerable THIS Country the Ancient Numidia is term'd by the Italians Spaniards French Germans and English Bildulgerid so call'd from the vast numbers of Dates it produceth the Name in the Arabick Tongue signifying a Date The Air of this Country is very hot but generally esteem'd abundantly wholesome to breath in The opposite Place of the Globe to Bildulgerid is that part of Mare de'l Zur and More Pacificum lying between 182
oock wy vergeven onse schuldenaren Ende en lept ons niet in versoeckinge â—naer verlost on s van den boosen Amen The seven Provinces of Holland being under a Democratical Government are as it were several Commonwealths each Province being a distinct State yea and every City having an independent Power within it self to judge of all causes whether Civil or Criminal and to inflict even Capital Punishments But all joyning together make up one Republick the most considerable in the World which Republick is govern'd by the Assembly of the States-General consisting of Seven Voices each Province having One To this Assembly whose place of Meeting is ordinarily at the Hague belongeth the Power of making War or Peace receiving and dispatching of Ambassadors inspecting into the Condition of Frontier Towns and Assigning what Summs of Money must be levied for the publick Service Matters are not determin'd here in this Assembly by Plurality of Voices but all the Provinces must come to an unanimous Consent and each Representative returning to his respective Province must propose the Matter in a Provincial Assembly consisting of Deputies from all Cities of that Province which Deputies must also return and receive the Consent of their Principals otherways nothing can be concluded In this Assembly of the States-General the seven Provinces have still given their Voices in order following viz. Guelders and Zutphen first because Guelders is the eldest and her Plenipotentiaries did first propose the Union then Holland 3dly Zeland 4thly Utrecht 5thly Friesland 6thly Over-Yssel and lastly Groningen Assistant to this Assembly is the Council of State compos'd of twelve Persons whereof Guelderland sends 2 Holland 3 Zealand 2 Utrecht 2 Friexland 1 Over-Yssel 1 and Groningen 1 whose business is to deliberate Previously upon those Matters which are to be brought before the States-General as also to state the Expence for the succeeding Year and to propose Ways and Means how to Levy the same Subservient to this Council is the Chamber of Accounts compos'd of two Deputies from each Province whose Office it is to examin the publick Accounts and dispose of the Finances And whensoever the States do Order the fitting out a Fleet the Care of the same and Ordering of all Marine Affairs do rely upon the Council of the Admiralty to which are Subordinate five Colledges in the three Maritime Provinces viz. Holland Zealand and Friezland who take Care to execute all Orders of that Council according as they are sent to them from time to time The Ensigns Armorial of the Seven United Provinces or States of Holland are Or a Lion Gules holding with one Paw a Cutleas and with the other a Bundle of seven Arrows closely bound together in allusion to the seven Confederate Provinces with the following Motto Concordiâ res parvae crescunt No Country in Europe can boast of more Religions and yet perhaps no part of Christendom may be truly said to be less Religious than this is Here indeed we may see all Sects and Parties in the open Profession of their respective Tenets all Professions being tolerated for Tradings sake and yet that which the Apostle St. James chap. 1. v. 27. calls the pure and undefiled Religion before God and the Father is as little if not less known here than in any Christian Country whatsoever That publickly profess'd and generally receiv'd is the Reform'd Religion according to the Tenets of Judicious Calvin Christianity was first planted in this Country about the same time with Upper Germany of which afterwards §. 2. FLANDERS THis Country the ancient Gallia Belgica it term'd by the Italians Flandra by the Spaniards Flandes by the French Flandres by the Germans Flandern and by the English Flanders so call'd as some imagin from Flamdebert Nephew to Clodion the 2d King of France who flourisht about the beginning of the fifth Century But others are willing rather to derive it from Flandrina Wife to Liderick the 2d who was Prince of Bun and Grand Forester of Flanders and govern'd it according to the Orders of Charlemaigne and Lewis Debonnaire The Air of these various Provinces is generally esteem'd indifferent healthful yet the Moistness of the Soil doth frequently occasion thick Fogs in the Winter which would prove very prejudicial to the Inhabitants did not dry Easterly Winds from the main Continent purify the Air and occasion hard Frosts for several Months The opposite Place of the Globe to Flanders is that Part of the vast Pacifick Ocean between 205 and 210 Degrees of Longitude with 49 and 51 Degrees of South Latitude The Soil of this Country it lying in the 9th Northern Climate is not the same in all Parts being in some considerably better than others but yet good in all So fertile is it in Grain Roots and many sorts of Fruits that 't is hardly to be parallel'd by any Spot of Ground in the same Climate In the Counties of Hannonia and Namur as likewise in the Bishoprick of Liege are found some Mines of Iron and Lead with Quarties of Marble and several Pits of excellent Coal The Length of the Days and Nights is the same as in the North of France and South of England The chief Commodities of this Country being the Product of their Manufactures are Tapestries Worsted-Stuffs Linnen Cloth Wrought Silks Camblets Lace c. Near to St. Omers is a large Lake in which are divers floating Islands most of them inhabited and moveable by Ropes ty'd to strong Poles fixt fast in the Ground and in one of them is a Church with a Monastery of the Order of St. Bernard At Tongres 10 Miles North-West from Liege are to be seen some Monuments of ancient Temples and other Buildings erected by the Romans In the stately Cathedral of Antwerp dedicated to the Blessed Virgin are no less than 66 different Chappels At Ghent is a Tower call'd Belfart in which hangs a Bell nam'd Roland which weighs 11000 Pounds Remarkable is the Sounding-Gallery in Brussels which repeats an Echo 15 times and Spaa or Spaw a Village in the B. of Liege is famous all the World over for its curious Springs of Medicinal Waters Arch-Bishopricks in this Country are those of Malines Cambray Bishopricks in this Country are those of Liege Antwerp Gaunt Bruges Ypres Ruremond Bois le Duc. Arras Tournay S. Omers Namur Universities in this Country are those of Louvaine Doway Liege The Inhabitants of these various Provinces being for the most part a mixture of Spanish French and Dutch their Character in general will be best learn'd by considering the respective Characters of these three Nations which may be seen in their proper places and comparing them one with another The Language vulgarly us'd in Flanders is that call'd the Waloon excepting those Provinces which border on Holland where the Dutch prevails which is a corrupt French with an intermixture of several Dutch and many Spanish words How it differeth from the
Huesca Universities in this Kingdom are those of Sevil Alcala de Henares Huesca Gaudia Granada Saragossa Barcelona Compostella Siguenza Tudela Murcia Toledo Valencia Ossuna Tarragona Valladolid Lerida Ona Baeza Salamanca The truest Character of the Spaniard I any where find is that of Dr. Heylin's which in the main runs thus The Spaniards are a sort of People of a swarthy Complexion black Hair and of good Proportion of a Majestick Gate and Deportment grave and serious in their Carriages in Offices of Piety very Devout not to say Superstitious Obedient and Faithful to their King Patient in Adversity not prone to alter their Resolutions nor Apparel in War too deliberate Arts they esteem dishonourable universally given to Laziness much addicted to Women unreasonably Jealous of their Wives and by Nature extreamly Proud Of all the living Tongues that are deriv'd from the Latin the Spanish comes nearest to the Original though no Country has been more harrast by the Irruption of Barbarous Nations Yet they have borrowed several Words from the Goths and Mores especially the latter The best Spanish is generally esteem'd that spoken in New-Castile and in Valentia and Catalonia 't is most corrupted Their Pater Noster runs thus Padre nuestro que estas en los Gielos Santificado sea tu Nembre Venza a nos tu Regno hagase tu Volantad assi en la tierra como en el Cielo El pan nuestro de cadadia da nos lo oy y perdona nos nuestras deudas assi como nos otros perdonamos à nuestros deudores y no nos dexes caer en tentation mas libra nos del mal Amen This great Body did formerly comprehend no less than fourteen different Kingdoms which being at length reduc'd to three viz. Those of Arragon Castile and Portugal the two former were united Anno 1474. by Marriage of Ferdinand of Arragon with Isabel Heiress of Castile and Portugal afterwards added by Conquest Anno 1578. But it Revolting of which afterwards the whole Continent of Spain excluding Portugal is at present subjected to one Sovereign term'd his Catholick Majesty whose Government is Monarchical and Crown Hereditary The Dominions of which Prince are so far extended that the Sun never sets upon them all and as his Territories are very numerous so also are the Titles which he commonly assumeth being stil'd King of Castile Leon Arragen Sicily Naples Jerusalem Portugal Navarr Granada Toledo Valleâ—ia Gallâ—ia Majorca Seville Sardignia Gordova Corsica Murcia Jaen Algarve Algâ—â—ire Gibralter The Canaries East and West Indies Arch Duke of Austria Duke of Burgundy Brabant and Milan Count of Flanders Tirol and Barcelona Lord of Biscay and Mechelin c. The numerous Cities and Provinces of Spain are ruled by particular Governors appointed by his Catholick Majesty as also the Dutchy of Milan the Kingdoms of Naples Sicily Sardignia c and the various Parts of his vast Possessions in the East and West Indies are govern'd by their respective Vice Roys who are generally very severe in exacting of the Subject what possibly they can during their short Regency which is commonly limited to three Years the King appointing others in their room that he may gratify as many of his Grandees as may be with all conveniency there being still a great number of them at Court as Candidates for a Government For the better management of Publick Affairs in all the Spanish Dominions there are establisht in this Kingdom no less than fifteen different Councils viz. that call'd The Council of State 2 The Council Royal or that of Castile 3 That of War 4. The Council of Arragon 5 That of Italy 6 The Council of the Indies 7. That of the Orders 8 The Council of the Treasury 9. That of the Chamber 10 The Council of the Crosade 11 That of Discharges 12 The Council of Inquisition 13. That of Navarr 14 The Council of Conscience And lastly that call'd The Council of Policy The King of Spain bears Quarterly The first Quarter Counter-quarter'd in the first and fourth Gules a Castle tripple-tower'd Azure each with three Battlements Or purâ—led Sable for Castile In the second and third Argent a Lion passant Gules Crown'd Langued and Arm'd Or for Leon. In the second great Quarter Or four Pallets Gules for Arragon Party Or four Pallets also Gules betwixt two Flanches Argent charg'd with as many Eagles Sable member'd beak'd and crown'd Azure for Sicily These two great Quarters grafted in Base Argent a Pomegranete Verte stalk'd and leav'd of the same open d and seeded Gules for Granada Over all Argent five Escucheons Azure plac'd cross-wise each charg'd with as many Baeants in Saltier of the first for Portugal The Shield bordered Gules with seven Towers Or for Algarve In the third Quarter Gules a Fesse Argent for Austria Coupie and supported by Ancient Burgundy which is Bendy of six Pieces Or and Azure border'd Gules In the fourth great Quarter Azure Semè of Flower de Luces Or with a border Compony Argent and Gules for Modern Burgundy coupè Or supported Sable a Lion Or for Brabant These two great Quarters charg'd with an Escucheon Or a Lion Sable and langued Gules for Flanders Partly Or an Eagle Sable for Antwerp the Capital City of the Marquisate of the Holy Empire For Crest a Crown Or rais'd with eight Diadems or Semi-circles terminating in a Mond Or. The Collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece encompasses the Shield on the sides of which stand the two Pillars of Hercules on each side one with this Morto Plus ultra The Spaniards are very punctual followers of and close adherers to the Church of Rome and that in her grossest Errors and Corruptions â—â—â—ing up their Religion on the Pope's Authority and are therein so tenacious that the King suffers none to live in his Dominions who profess not their belief of the Doctrine of the Roman Church For whose Care or rather Bigottry in this matter the Pope hath conferr'd upon him the Title of his Catholick Majesty All other Professions are expell'd by that Antichristian Tyranny of the Bloody Inquisition at first devised and set up by Pâ—dâ—e Goasales de Mendeza Archbishop of Toledo and that against such Converted Jews and Moors as return'd again to their Superstition but of late it hath been chiefly turn'd upon those and others of the Protestant Communion So industrious are the Ecclesiasticks in this Country to keep up the whole Body of the People in the thickest Mist of Ignorance and so little is this Nation enclin'd of themselves to make any enquiries after Knowledge that considering these things upon one hand and the Terror of the Inquisition on the other in case of such Enquiries especially if they have the least tendency to Innovation in Points of Faith we cannot reasonably expect a Reformation of Religion in this Country unless the Hand of Providence shall interpose in a wonderful manner Christianity was planted here according to the old
People are mightily stain'd by many notorious Vices which reign among them particularly those of Revenge and Lust Jealousy and Swearing to all of which they 're so excessively given that even a modest Narrative would seem incredible As for the Female Sex a vulgar Saying goes of them that they 're Magpies at the Doors Saints in the Church Goats in the Garden Devils in the House Angels in the Streets and Syrenes at the Windows The present Language of Italy is a Dialect of the Latin which was the Ancient Language of this Country Almost every Province and City hath its peculiar Idiom but that of Tuscany is reckon'd the purest and best polisht of all others and is that which Persons of Quality and Learning usually speak Pater-Noster in Italian runs thus Padre nostro che sci ne Cielo sia sanctificato il tuo nome venga il tuo Regno sia fatta la tua volonta st come in ciclo cosi encora in terra Dacci hogli il nostro pane cotidiano é rimettiâ—i i nostri debiti si come encor noigli remettiano a i nostri dâ—bitori E non ci indurre in tentatione ma liberaci dal male Amen The Government of Italy can't be duly considered without looking back unto the Chief Divisions of that Country abovemention'd there being so many different Sovereignties therein independent on one another and not subjected to one Head The whole being therefore divided into Upper Middle and Lower according to the aforesaid Analysis I. The Upper or Lombardy being again divided into one Principality five Dutchies two Republicks and one Bishoprick That one Principality viz Piedmont is under the Duke of Savoy The five Dutchies viz. those of Montferrat Milan Parma Modena and Mantua are under several Sovereigns For Montferrat is partly under the Duke of Savoy and partly under the French King Milan is under the King of Spain for which he is dependent on the Emperor Parma is mostly under its own Duke who is feudatary to the Pope paying yearly ten thousand Crowns Modena is under its own Duke who is dependent on the Emperor And Mantua is mostly under its own Duke who is feudatary to the Emperor The two Republicks being those of Venice and Genoa of whom particularly afterwards are govern'd by their Senare and Magigistrates The one Bishoprick being that of Trent is subject to the House of Austria II. The Middle Part being divided into the Land of the Church the Dukedom of Tuscany and the Republicks of Luca and St. Marino The Land of the Church or St. Peter's Patrimony is for the most part in the Hands of the Pope and rul'd by several Governors set over its various Divisions who are generally not a little severe upon the Subject His Holiness the Pope by Virtue of the Jurisdiction of the Roman See is both Temporal and Spiritual Sovereign thereof and is commonly stil'd by Roman Catholicks the Chief Ecclesiastick of all Christendom the Patriarch of Rome and the West the Primate and Supream Governor of Italy the Metrapolitan of those Bishops Suffragan to the See of Rome and Bishop of the most famous St. John of Lateran The Dukedom of Tuscany is for the most part under its own Duke except the Towns of Siena for which he is Tributary to Spain and Orbitellio which belongeth also to the Spaniard This Duke is esteem'd the Richest and most Powerful of all the Italian Princes but his manner of Government is generally reckon'd too pressing and uneasy to the Subject The Towns and Republicks of Luca and St. Marino are govern'd by their own Magistrates as free States But of them afterwards III. The Lower Part of Italy being the Kingdom of Naples is subject to the Spaniard for which he is Homager to the Pope and accordingly sends his Holiness yearly a White Horse and 7000 Ducats by way of acknowledgment It is govern'd by a Vice-Roy appointed and sent thither by his Catholick Majesty who is usually one of the Chief Grandees of Spain and is commonly renew'd every thrid Year These Vice-Roys as in most other of the Spanish Governments during their short Regency do industriously endeavour to lose no time in filling their own Coffers and that by most grievous Exactions on the poor Subject So severe indeed are the Spaniards upon the Neapolitans that the King's Officers are commonly said to suck in the Dutchy of Milan and to Fleece in the Island of Sicily but to Fley off the very Skin in the Kingdom of Naples so that the People of this Country which is one of the best in Europe are most miserably harrass'd by these hungry and rapacious Vultures Besides these Princes in Italy abovemention'd there are several others who are under the Protection of some higher Power particular that of the Emperor the Pope or the King of Spain To the Government of Italy we may add the four following Republicks viz. those of Venice Genoua Luca. St. Marino I. Venice This Republick is under an Aristocratical Government the Sovereignty of the State being lodg'd in the Nobility or certain number of Families enroll'd in the Golden Book call'd the Register of the Venetian Nobles Their Chief Officer is the Duke or Doge whose Authority is a meer Chimera and he no better than a Sovereign Shadow Precedency being all he can justly claim above the other Magistrates Here are establisht Five Principal Councils viz. 1 That term'd the Grand Council comprehending the whole Body of the Nobility by whom are elected all Magistrates and enacted all Laws which they judge convenient for the Publick Good 2 That term'd the Pregadi commonly call'd the Senate of Venice consisting of above an hundred Persons who determine Matters of the highest Importance as those relating to Peace or War Leagues and Alliances 3 The College consisting of Twenty four Lords whose Office is to give Audience to Ambassadors and to report their Demands to the Senate which alone hath Power to return Answers 4 The Council of Ten consisting of Ten Noblemen whose Office it is to hear and decide all Criminal Matters This Court whose Jurisdiction is extraordinary great is yearly renew'd and Three of these Noblemen call'd the Capi or Inquisitors of State are chosen Monthly to which Triumvirate is assign'd such a Power in judging of Criminals that their definitive Sentence teacheth the chiefest Nobleman of the State as well as the meanest Artificer if they are unanimous in their Voices otherways all the Ten are consulted with II Genoua is under an Aristocratical Government very like to that of Venice for its Principal Magistrate hath the Name or Title of Duke but continueth only for two Years to whom there are Assistant eight Principal Officers who with the Duke are call'd the Seigniory which in Matters of the greatest Importance is also subordinate to the Grand Council consisting of Four hundred Persons all Gentlemen of the City which Council with the Seigniory do constitute the whole Body of the Commonwealth This State is much
more famous for what it hath been than for what it is being now on the decaying hand At present it's subject unto several Sovereigns various Places within its Territories belonging to the Dukes of Savoy and Tuscany some free and others lately taken by the French III. Luca being a small Free Commonwealth enclos'd within the Territories of the Grand Duke of Tuscany is under the Government of one Principal Magistrate call'd the Gonfalonier changeable every second Month assisted by nine Counsellors nam'd Anziani whom they also change every six Months during which time they live in the Palace or Common-Hall and Superior to them is the Grand Council which consisteth of about Two hundred and forty Noblemen who being equally divided into two Bodies take their turns every half Year This State is under the Protection of the Emperor of Germany and payeth him yearly Homage accordingly IV. St. Marino a little but flourishing Republick in the Dukedom of Urbine which still maintains its Previleges and is govern'd by its own Magistrates who are under the Protection of the Pope The whole Territory of this small Commonwealth is but one Mountain about three Miles long and ten round consisting of about five thousand Inhabitants who boast of their State being a Free Republick about a thousand Years It being too tedious to express the Ensigns Armorial of all the Sovereign Princes and States in this Country and too superficial to mention those of one only we shall therefore as a â—he Medium nominate the Chief Sovereignties of Italy viz. the Popâ—â—â—om the Dukedom of Tuscany and the Republicks of Venice and Genoua and affix to each of these their peculiar Arms. Therefore 1. His Holiness the Pope as Sovereign Prince over the Land of the Church or Papal Dominions bears for his Escutcheon Gules consisting of a long Cape or Head-piece Or surmounted with a Cross pearl'd and garnish'd with three Royal Crowns together with the two Keys of St. Peter placed in Saltier 2. The Arms of Tuscany are Or five Roundles Gules two two and one and one in Chief Azure charged with three Flower-de-Luces Or. 3. Those of Venice are Azure a Lion winged Sejant Or holding under one of his Paws a Book covered Argent Lastly Those of Genoua are Argent a Cross Gules with a Crown clos'd by reason of the Island of Corsica belonging to it which bears the Title of Kingdom and for Supporters are two Griffins Or. My unavoidable Prolixity in handling the various Heads contain'd in the foregoing Paragraphs doth call upon me to attone for the same by a desirable Brevity in treating of this Head now before us All therefore I shall say upon it is That the Italians as to their Religion are Zealous Professors of the Doctrine of the Roman Church even in her grossest Errors and Superstitions and that either out of Fear of the Barbarous Inquisition or in Reference to their Ghostly Father the Pope or chiefly by being industriously kept in woful Ignorance of the Protestant Doctrine of which they are taught many false and monstiuous things The Jews are here tollerated the Publick Exercise of their Religion and at Rome there 's a Weekly Sermon for their Conversion at which one of each Family is bound to be present The Christian Faith was first preached here by St. Peter who went thither in or about the beginning of the Reign of the Emperor Claudius as is generally testifi'd by some Ancient Writers of good Account TURKY in EUROPE by R. Morden SECT VIII Concerning Turky in Europe  d. m.  Miles Situated between 36 00 of Long. its greatest Length is about 770. 53 00 between 36 30 of Latit Breadth is about 660. 49 20 Turky in Europe being divided into two Classes North the Danuube South North comprehends Hungary Chief Town Buda W. to E. Transilvania Hermanstat Valachia Tergowick Moldavia Saczow Little Tartary Crim South comprehends Romania Constantinople E. to W. Bulgaria Sophia Servia Belgrade Bosnia Bosna Seraio Sclavonia Possega Croatia Wihitz W. to S. E. Dalmatia Spalatro Greece Saloniki Of all these in Order Hungary divided into Upper North Chief Towns in Upper are Praesburge W. to S. E. upon the Danuube Newhawsel Pest Colocza Esperies N. to S. upon the Teyssa Caschaw Tokay Agria Zolnock Segedin Zatmar N. to S. on the E. of Teyssa Debreczen Great Waradin Gyulla Timesware Lower South in Lower are Raab W. to S. E. on the Danuube Gran Buda Kanischa W. to E. upon the Drave Siget Quinque Ecclesiae Stul Weissenburge aliter Alba Regalis upon Zarwiza In Transilvania The Chief Towns are Clausenburge S. to N. upon the Samos Burgles Newmark N. to S. upon the Maresh Wissenburge Hermanstat upon the Alauta In Valachia The Chief Towns are Tergvoick From N. to S. Buchorest In Moldavia The Chief Towns are Soczow From W. to E. Jazy Romani Wiwar Southward In Little Tartary The Chief Towns are Nigropoli From N. to S. Kaffa In Romania The Chief Towns are Constantinople From E. to W. Adrinople Philippipoli aliter Philiba In Bulgaria The Chief Towns are Sophia From S. to N. Silistria Nigopoli In Servia The Chief Towns are Scopia From S. to N. Guistandil Viddin Nissa From S. to N. W. upon the Marâ—wa Jagodna Belgrade From N. to S. Bracco Prisren In Bosnia The Chief Towns are Bosna-Seraio From E. to W. Jaycza Bomiahich Southward In Sclavonia The Chief Towns are Possega From W. to E. Peter-Waradin Esseck upon the Drave In Croatia The Chief Towns are Wihitsch From S. to N. Dubiza Carâ—lstat Westward In Dalmatia The Chief Towns are Nona From W. to S. E. Zara Sebenico Spalatro Narenza Ragusi Scodrant Cattaro Lastly Greece by the Turk's Rumelia comprehends the following Divisions Viz. Macedonia By the Moderns Idem Northward Albania Arnaut Thessalia Janna In the Middle Epirus Idem Achaia Livadia Peloponesus Morea lying Southward of all The Chief Towns of Macedonia are Contessa N. E. to S. W. Saloniki Zeucria Florina Cogni Albania are Scutari N. to S. Alessio Croia Durazzo Vallona Thessalia are Larissa E. to W. Tricala â—anna Epirus are Canina N. to S. Chimera Butrinto Prevesa Larta Achaia are Lepanto W. to E. Castri olim Delphi Attâ—es olim Athenae Maraton Stives olim Thebae Morea are Corinto Nigh the Sea-Coast all round the Peninsula Napoli-di-Romania Maluasia Colochina Coron Navarino Chiarenza Patrasso THIS vast Complex Body comprehending these various Countries above-mention'd and the most remarkable of 'em being Hungary Greece and Little Tartary We shall first treat of these Three separately and then conjunctly of all the rest under the General Title of the The Danubian Provinces Therefore §. 1. HUNGARY THIS Country containing a Part of Pannonia with some of Ancient Germany and Dacia is term'd by the Italians Ungharia by the Spaniards Hungria by the French Hungrie by the Germans Ungern and by the English Hungary so call'd from the Ancient Inhabitants the Hunni or Huns. The Air of this Country is generally esteem'd very
commonly goes now by the Name of Watling-street And in Teviotdale are some Vestigia of Roman Encampments and another Military-way vulgarly term'd the Ruggid Cawsway 2. In the Stewarty of Strathern are visible Tracts of several Roman Camps especially that at Ardoch 3 In Sterlingshire are divers Marks of the famous Roman Wall now commonly call'd Graham's Dyke which was extended over the Isthmus between the Rivers of Forth and Clyde Its Form and Manner of Building will best appear by a Draught thereof for which Vid. Camden's Britainnia late Edition page 959. 4. In Sterlingshire were likeways found some Inscriptions upon Stones relating to the Roman Wall particularly Two one whereof is now at Calder and informs us that the Legio secunda Augusta built the said Wall upwards of three Miles and another in the E. Marshal's House at Dunnotyr which hints that a Party of the Legio vicesima victrix continued it for three Miles more As for the Inscriptions themselves Vid. Cambd. page 920 and 1101. 5. Hard by the Tract of the aforesaid Wall in Sterlingshire are yet to be seen two pretty Mounts term'd by the Ancients Duni pacis as also the Remains of an Ancient Building in form of a Pyramide now call'd by the Vulgar Arthur's Oven which many reckon to have been a Temple of the God Terminus 6. Near Pasley and Renfrew are the Vestigia of a large Roman Camp the Fosses and Dykes about the Praetorium being still visible Here is also to be seen a remarkable Spring which regularly Ebbs and Flows with the Sea 7. Nigh to the City of Edenburgh is a noted Spring commonly call'd the Oily-Well the Surface of its Waters being cover'd with a kind of Oyl or Bitumen which is frequently us'd with good Success in curing Scabs and Pains proceeding from Cold. 8. Near the same City is another Fountain which goes by the Name of the Routing-Well because it usually makes a Noise before a Storm 9. Near Brechin in Aagus where the Danes receiv'd a mighty overthrow is a high Stone erected over their General 's Grave call'd Camus-Cross with another about ten Miles distance both of 'em having antique Letters and Figures upon them 10. At Slains in Aberdeenshire is a remarkable petrifying Cave commonly call'd the Dropping Cave where Water ouzing through a spungy porous Rock on the Top doth quickly consolidate after it falls in drops to the bottom 11. Near Kilross in Murray is to be seen an Obelisk of one Stone set up as a Monument of a Fight between King Malcolm Son of Keneth and Sueno the Dane 12. On the Lord Lovet's Lands in Straherrich is a Lake which never freezeth all over before the Month of February but after that time one Nights Frost will do it There 's also another call'd Lough-Monar belonging to the late Sir George Mackenzy just of the same Nature with the former and a third at Glencanigh in Strathglash which never wants Ice upon the middle Part of it even in the hottest Day of Summer 13. Towards the Northwest Part of Murray is the famous Lough-Ness which never freezeth but retaineth its natural Heat even in the extreamest Cold of Winter 14. In Lennox is Lough Lomond which is every whit as famous among the Vulgar not only for its Floating-Island but also as having Fish without Fins and being frequenly Tempestuous in a Calm 15. In divers Parts of Scotland are some noted Mineral Springs particularly those at Kinghorn and Balgrigy in Fife as also Aberdeen and Peterhead in Aberdeenshire several of which come little short of the famous Spaw-Water in the Bishoprick of Liege Lastly In most Counties of this Kingdom are many Circular Stone Monuments being a company of prodigious long Stones set on end in the Ground and that commonly in form of a Circle which are probably conjectur'd to have been either Funeral Monuments or Places of Publick Worship in times of the Ancient Druides or both Archbishopricks in this Kingdom are Two viz. those of St. Andrews Glascow Bishopricks in this Kingdom are Twelve viz. those of Edenburgh Murray Ross Galloway Dunkeld Brichen Cathness Argile Aberdeen Dumblain Orkney The Isles Universities of this Kingdom are Four viz. those of St. Adrews Edenburgh Aberdeen Glascow The Scots for the most part are an Active Prudent and Religious sort of People Many abominable Vices too common in other Countries are not so much as speculatively known among them They generally abhor all kinds of Excess in Drinking and effeminate Delicacy in Diet chusing rather to improve the Mind than pamper the Body Many of them make as great Advances in all Parts of ingenious and solid Learning as any Nation in Europe And as for their singular Fidelity although slanderously spoken of by some 'tis abundantly well-known and experienced abroad for an undoubted Demonstration thereof is publickly given to the whole World in that a Neighbouring Prince and his Predecessors for almost three hundred Years have committed the immediate Care of their Royal Persons to them without ever having the least Cause to repent or real Ground to change The Language commonly spoken in the North and North-West of this Country is a Dialect of the Irish corruptedly call'd Erse a Specimen of which shall be given when we come to Ireland In all other Parts of the Kingdom they use the English Tongue but that with considerable difference of Pronounciation in different Counties and all disagreeing with that in England except the Town of Inverness whose Inhabitants are the only People who come nearest to the true English however the Gentry and Persons of good Education usually speak English though not with the same Accent as in England yet according to its true Propriety and their manner of Writing is much the same The vulgar Language commonly call'd Broad Scotch is indeed a very corrupt sort of English and hath a great Tincture of several Foreign Tongues particularly the High German Low Dutch and French especially the last a great many words still in use among the Commonality being Originally from that Language For a Specimen of which Tongue Pater-Noster in it runs thus Ure Fader whilk art in Heven hallued bee thy Neme thy Kingdoom cumm thy Wull be doon inn Erth az it s doon inn Heven Geé uss this day ure daily Breed an forgee uss ure Sinns az we forgee them that Sinn against uss and leed uss nae intoo temtacion batt delyver uss frae evil Ameen This Kingdom hath hitherto had the good fortune to enjoy an Hereditary limited Monarchy though many times the immediate Heir or next in Blood hath been set a side and another more remote hath mounted the Throne Since its Union with England both Kingdoms are under one King who is stil'd the Monarch of Great Britain The Government of this Kingdom is chiefly manag'd by a Council of State or Privy Council consisting of those call'd properly Officers of State and others of the Nobility and Gentry whom the King pleaseth to
Vultures Their manner of Living is commonly in Tents in the open Fields which they remove from place to place according to the time of the Year and conveniency of Grazing Many of 'em make excellent Soldiers being not only willing and able to endure great Fatigues but also very dexterous and daring in time of Engagement When they seem many times to fly before their Enemies they 'll unexpectedly send back a dreadful Shower of Arrows in the Faces of their Pursuers and frequently turning about do give them a violent Charge and all without the least disorder When their great Cham dies 't is reportd That many of his chief Officers are immediately kill'd and interred with him that they may also attend him as they imagine in the other World according to their respective Posts here The Language us'd by the Asiatick Tartars is not much different from the Tartaresque spoken by those of Crim Tartary a Specimen of which is already given in Europe and both have a great Affinity with the Turkish The vast Body of Tartary is said to be subject to several Princes who are wholly accountable in their Government to one Sovereign who is commonly term'd the Great Cham whose Government is most Tyrannical and Crown hereditary The Lives and Goods of his People are altogether in his Power His Subjects stile him the Sun and Shadow of the Immortal God and render him a kind of Adoration never speaking unto him Face to Face but falling down upon their Knees with their Faces towards the Ground He looks upon himself as the Monarch of the whole World and from that vain Opinion is reported to cause his Trumpets to sound every Day after Dinner pretending thereby to give leave to all other Kings and Princes of the Earth to Dine For the better management of Publick Affairs he 's said to appoint two Councils each consisting of twelve Persons the wisest and best experienced of any that he can pitch upon of which one doth constantly attend the Affairs of State and the other those which relate to the War Yet after all this mighty Cham is lookt upon by some Judicious Persons as a meer Chimera and those strange Relations concerning him though hitherto current are thought to have a near Affinity unto the Legenda Aurea of the Roman Church The most receiv'd Opinion about the Arms of the Great Cham is that as Emperor of Tartary he bears Or an Owl Sable But what as King of China see the following Section The Inhabitants of this Country are partly Pagan partly Mahometan and partly Christian Paganism doth chiefly prevail in the Northmost Parts the People being generally gross Idolaters in those places In the Southern Provinces they 're for the most part followers of Mahomet's Doctrine especially since the Year 1246. And towards the Caspian Sea are found a considerable number of Jews thought by some to be the Off-spring of the ten Tribes led away Captive by Salmanasser Those of the Christian Religion overgrown of late by Nestorianism are scatter'd up and down in several Parts of this vast Country but most numerous in Cathay and the City of Cambalu The Christian Faith was first planted in this Country as is generally believ'd by the Labours of St. Andrew and St. Philip two of the Apostles SECT II. Concerning China  d. m. Situated between 118 00 of Long. It s greatest Length from N. E. to S. W is about 1380 Miles 141 00 between 20 30 of Latit Breadth from N. to S. is about 1260 Miles 41 10 China contains Sixteen Provinces Viz. 6 North Leaotung Chief Town Leaoyang E. to W. Xantung Chinan Peking Idem aliter Xuntien Xansi Taiyven Honau Kaijung Xensi Sigan 10 South Nanking Id. alit Kiangnan E. to W Chekiang Haugchew Kiangsi Nanchang Fokien Focheu Huquang Unchang Quantung Quancheu Suchuen Chingtu Queicheu Queiyang Quansi Quilin Junnan Idem THIS Country thought by most Geographers to be the Ancient Sinae mention'd by Ptolomy is term'd by the French la Chine and by the Italians Spaniards Germans and English China so call'd according to the best Conjecture from one of its Ancient Monarchs nam'd Cina who is said to have liv'd about fifty Years before the Nativity of our Blessed Saviour Many other Names it hath had since that time for when the Government falls from one Family to another the first Prince of that Name is said to give a new Name to the whole Country the latest of which Modern Names are Tamin signifying the Kingdom of Brightness and Chuinque i. e. The Kingdom of the Middle the Chineses imagining that the Earth is Square and that their Country is situated exactly in the middle of it The Air of this Country is generally very Temperate save only towards the North where 't is sometimes intollerably Cold and that because of several Mountains of a prodigious height whose Tops are ordinarily cover'd with Snow The opposite Place to China is the South part of Brasil together with the East of Paraguay This Country it lying in the 4th 5th 6th North Climate is for the most part of a very rich and fertil Soil insomuch that its Inhabitants in several places are said to have two and sometimes three Harvests in a Year It abounds with Corn Wine and all kinds of Fruits Its Lakes and Rivers are very well furnisht with Fish and some afford various kinds of Pearls and Bezoar of great value Its Mountains are richly lin'd with several Mines of Gold and Silver Its Plains are extraordinary fit for Pasturage And its pleasant Forests are every where stor'd with all sorts of Venison In a word the whole Country in general is esteem'd one of the best in the World The longest Day in the Northmost Parts is about 14 Hours ¾ the shortest in the Southmost is about 10 Hours ¾ and the Nights proportionable The Commodities of this Country are Gold Silver Precious Stone Quicksilver Porcelline Dishes Silks Cottons Rhubarb Sugar Camphire Musk Ginger China-Wood c. Peculiar to this Country is a short Tree with a round Head and very thick which in respect of its Fruit may bear the Name of the Tallow Tree for at a certain Season of the Year 't is full of Fruit containing divers Kernels about the bigness of a small Nut which Kernels have all the Qualities of Tallow being the very same both as to Colour Smell and Consistency and by mixing a little Oyl with them do make as good burning Candles as Europeans usually make of pure Tallow it self 2 Here is a large Mountain full of terrible Caverns in one of which is a Lake of such a nature that if a Stone be thrown into it presently there 's heard a hideous noise as of a frightful Clip of Thunder and sometimes there ariseth a gross Mist which immediately dissolves into Water 3. In the City of Peking is a prodigious big Bell weighing 120000 Pounds surpassing the noted Bell of Erfurd in Upper
Saxony by 94600 Pounds In Dimension 't is eleven foot Diameter forty in Circuit and twelve High 4 In Nanking is another of eleven foot High and seven in Diamiter and weighing 50000 Pounds which also surpasseth the Bell of Erfurd weighing only 25400 Pounds yet hitherto suppos'd the greatest in the World by almost double its weight 5. In China are several Vulcano's particularly that Mountain call'd Lincsung which vomits out Fire and Ashes so furiously as frequently to raise some hideous Tempests in the Air. 6. Here are some Rivers whose Waters are cold at the top but warm beneath as also several remarkable Fountains which send forth so hot a Steam that People usually boil Meat over them 7. In this Country are several Lakes remarkable for changing Copper into Iron or making it just of the like resemblance as also for causing Storms when any thing is thrown into them 8. In the Island Haman there is said to be Water uncertain whether in Lake River or Fountain of such a strange quality that it petrifies some sort of Fishes when they unfortunately chance to enter into it 9. Many are those Triumphal Arches to be seen in most of the noted Cities of this Empire erected in Honour of such Persons as have either done some signal pieces of Service to the State or have been conspicuous in their times for their singular Knowledge 10. In this Country are several remarkable Bridges particularly that over a a River call'd Sâ—ffruny which reaches from one Mountain to another being Four hundred Cubits long and Five hundred high and all but one Arch whence 't is call'd by Travellers Pons volans Here likewise is another of Six hundred and sixty Perches in length and one and a half broad standing upon Three hundred Pillars without any Arches Lastly In China are many very observable Plants Animals and Fossils especially the last among which is the Asbestos But for a particular Account of ' em Vid. Kircherus's China Illustrata Archbishopricks Bishopricks Universities are hardly to be expected her however this Country according to the Testimony of Popish Missionaries is furnisht with some of these Pekin Nanquin and Macao having each of 'em a particular Bishop nominated by the King of Portugal and the other Provinces are under the Jurisdiction of three Apostolical Vicars Under which Ecclesiastical Superiors there are by their Relations above Two hundred Churches or Private Chappels dedicated to the True God The Chinois Persons for the most part of a fair Complexion short Nosed black Eyed and of very thin Beards are great Lovers of Sciences and generally esteem'd a very ingenious sort of People They 're said to have had the use of Printing and Guns long before either of 'em was known in Europe Many of 'em are great Proficients in several Parts of the Mathematicks especially Arithmetick Geometry and Astronomy and so conceited are they of their own Knowledge in these things and so mean are their Thoughts of others that 't is generally reported of 'em that speaking of themselves they commonly say That they have two Eyes the Europeans one and the rest of the World none at all They who wholly apply themselves to the study of Sciences and make such proficiency in them as to become Doctors to others are distinguish'd by their long Nails suffering 'em sometimes to grow as long as their Fingers that being esteem'd a singular Characteristick of a profound Scholar and a differencing mark between them and Mechanicks The Language of the Chinois is extremely difficult to be acquir'd by Strangers and differeth from all others both as to its Nature Pronunciation and way of Writing 1. It s Nature They use no Alphabet as Europeans do and are astonish'd to hear that by Twenty four Letters we can express our Thoughts and fill Libraries with Books In lieu of an Alphabet they formerly us'd Hieroglyphicks setting down the Images of things for the things themselves but this being extreamly tedious and likeways defective there being no such Resemblances of pure Abstracts they then made Characters to signify Words numbring them according to the number of Words they needed to express their Idea's which Characters arise to such a prodigious multitude that not only Strangers but even the Natives themselves sind it a very difficult matter to acquire an intimate acquaintance with them all 2. It s Pronounciation Although all the Original Terms of this Tongue are Three hundred and thirty three yet such is their peculiar way of pronouncing them that the same Term admits of various and even contrary Significations according to the various Accent in pronouncing of it And of these Accenrs there are five applicable to every Term which extremely augments the difficulty of either speaking or understanding this Tongue to perfection besides the Pronunciation thereof is accompanied with such variety of Motions of the Hand that a mute Person can speak almost intelligibly by his Fingers And as to the Manner of Writing they differ from all other Nations for whereas Christians write from the Left hand to the Right and the Jews from the Right to the Left they usually make their Lines from the top of the Page down to the bottom This Great Kingdom was formerly under its own particular King or Emperor but of late over-run and conquer'd by the Tartars to whom it 's at present subject acknowledging due Allegiance to the Great Cham whose Government is as Despotical as any of the Oriental Monarchs for he hath full Power over the Lives of his Subjects the Princes of the Blood not excepted His bare Word is the Law and his Commands admit of no delay nor neglect He is seldom seen and never spoke with but upon the Knees Upon his Death-bed he may choose his Successor out of what Family he pleaseth For the better managing the great Affairs of this mighty Empire he 's assisted by two Sovereign Councils one Extraordinary compos'd of Princes of the Blood only and the other Ordinary which besides the Princes doth consist of several Ministers of State call'd Colaos But over and above these two Councils there are at Pekin six Sovereign Courts whose Authority extend over all the Empire and to each of 'em belong different Matters viz. 1. Is that Court call'd Lupou which presides over all the Mandarins and confers upon or takes from them their Offices 2. Hoâ—pou which looks after the Publick Treasury and takes care of raising the Taxes 3. Lipou which inspects into Ancient Customs and to it is committed the care of Religion Sciences and Foreign Affairs 4. Pimpou which hath charge of the Soldiery and other Officers 5. Himpou which enquires and passes Sentence in all Criminal Matters Lastly Compou which looks after all Publick Buildings as the Emperor's Palaces and such like In each of these Courts the Emperor hath one who may be term'd a Private Censor it being his business to observe all that passeth and to acquaint him faithfully therewith which makes all Persons