Saxo Grammaticus and Albertus Crantzius calleth this Frisiam Eydorensem of the riuer Eider vpon which it bordereth and Frisiam Minorem the Lesser Friesland both of them making it a branch sprung from those ancient Frisij Cornelius Kempius in his description of Friesland diuideth the whole country into seuen Zelands that is marine shires you may terme them The first is vpon the West of the riuer Fleuus or Isel and now is called Waterlandt Then Westergoe as who would say The West-land The third Oestergoe that is The East-land These three he saith are commonly known and conteined vnder the name of WEST FRIESLAND The fourth is about the riuer Isel where the cities Dauenter Swool Hasselt Steenwijck and Wollenhoue are seated The fifth conteineth the liberties of Groeningen The sixt that part which they call East Friesland The seuenth is from the riuer Weser beyond Elbe euen vnto the little riuer Eyder Otherwise this country of the Frisij is vulgarly diuided into three parts East Friesland West Friesland and Middle Friesland which of some is called Groningen Ptolemey nameth three towns of the Frisij Manarmanis Phleum and Siatutanda Fleum Castellum in Tacitus is the same as I thinke that Phleum is in Ptolemey the same Tacitus also maketh mention of Cruptoricis stipendarij villa the Mannor of Cruptorix the stipendary Item the groue of Baduhenna where he greatly lamenteth that 900. Romans had their throats cut and where another supplie of 400. men after that they had a suspicion of treason did one kill another The same authour writeth that in his time Hercules pillars were heere still remaining The braue couragious minde of this nation and high conceit of their owne valour is manifest by the history of Verritus and Malorix two of their princes For these as Tacitus reporteth going to Rome and finding Nero the Emperour busied about other matters amongst other things which were vsually shewed to barbarous people they came into Pompeys theatre that they might behold the greatnesse of it While they sate idly there vpon the scaffolds for they were not caried away altogether with the sight of the pastimes as if they neuer had seen such before they question about the differences of estates what or who was a knight and where sate the Senatours they obserued some to sit in the Senatours rooms in a strange habit and demanding who they were after they heard that that honour was giuen to the Embassadours of those nations which for valour and amity with the Romans did excell others they cried out with a loud voice THERE ARE NO PEOPLE OF THE WORLD THAT FOR PROVVES AND FIDELITY DO GO BEFORE THE GERMANES and thereupon they left their places placed themselues in the Senatours roome and it was well taken of the beholders as a token of their ancient spirit and earnest emulation of vertue Nero made them both freemen of the city of Rome Pliny writeth in the third chapter of the fifth booke of his naturall historie that amongst the Frieslanders there groweth an hearb which they call Britannica hauing long blacke leaues and a blacke roote The iuice of this herb is pressed also out of the roote The flowres by a proper name they call Vibones which being gathered before any thunder is heard and eaten do wholly preserue a man from that danger This herb is not only good and medicinable for the sinews and diseases of the mouth but also against the Golne or Squinancy and biting of Serpents Whether this herb be at this day certainly knowne and by what name I desire to be informed of our learned Herbatists Whether that the inhabitants of this prouince be those same Frisij or whether happily they tooke their beginning and name from the Phrygians of Asia as some would haue it or from others of other places for Strabo acknowledgeth also certaine Phrygi in Illyria about the Ceraunian hilles I leaue to the learned to determine The idle fables of those men I cannot chose but laugh at which do thinke that these Frisij came into this country from Fresia a prouince of India If I were delighted with fables I had rather with Hanibald fetch the name of this people from their king Frisus the sonne of Clodio The writers of middle age especially the French do call them as I haue obserued Frisones by a name framed of the French word Frisons by which the Frenchmen at this day vulgarly do call the people of this prouince They retaine euen to this day the ancient name For they are commonly amongst themselues in their own language called Friesen by which name also they are known throughout all Germanie They were conuerted vnto Christianitie by S. Boniface Archbishop of Mentz at that same time when Zacharie was Pope of Rome There is a strange historie of Rabod Duke of Friesland who when he should by Baptisme haue beene consecrated and adopted into the number of Christs flocke he demanded to what place his Grandfathers and Great-grandfathers were gone before him and when he vnderstood that they were all gone to Hell he returned backe again saying that he had rather be with his ancestors Whether of this Rabod our word Rahoudt whereby in our Mother tongue we signifie a knaue and a wicked fellow were deriued I cannot tell Suffridus Petrus Frisius hath written generally of the Frisij in a seuerall and peculiar treatise dedicated wholly to this argument Cornelius Kempius and others haue done the like But Vbbo Emmius Frisius Gretensis of all hath done the same most learnedly Oost ende West vrieslandte beschryuinghe VTRIVSQVE FRISIORVM REGIONIS NOVISS DESCRIPTIO 1568. WEST FRIESLAND FRiesland at this day is by the riuer Eems diuided into West Friesland and East Friesland West Friesland whose description we heere do offer vnto thy view doth by a most ancient right chalenge vnto it selfe the name of Friesland and was alwaies esteemed the better For this country had his proper king vntill the daies of Charles the Great after whose death this prouince was diuersly vexed and suffered many greeuous storms of frowning fortunes ire although indeed before that time also it had often been assaulted and battered by the Danes and Norweies Yea and the raging Ocean a continuall and most noisome enemie of this countrie by ouerflowing beating vpon it tearing and rending his walls and banks hath much molested the same and yet it will not suffer it to be quiet Lastly how it hath of later daies been troubled by the Bishops of Vtrecht and Earles of Holland I thinke there is no man but doth well remember But at length in the daies of Charles the fifth a very peaceable prince it enioied peace and rest from all former troubles At this day they do diuide it into three parts Westergoe Oestergoe and Seuenwolden which againe are distinguished into 29. Gretanies as they vulgarly call them in their mother tongue Courts or principall places appointed for the executing of iustice Moreouer in this mappe there is described the territory of the renowmed
called by an vsuall prouerbe The Barne or Granarie of Paris It hath no vineyards which defect some thinke is rather to be imputed to the sloth of the inhabitants than to the intemperature either of the soile or of the climate The cities here of principall note are Amiens in Latine Ambianum famous both for antiquitie and the Episcopall sea It is enuironed around with the riuer Somme Wherefore some fondly thinke it to be named Ambianum ab ambitu aquarum because it is compassed with waters It is one of the strongest townes in all France The vulgar suppose it to haue beene built by the souldiers of Alexander the great Vnder the diocesse of Amiens is Abbeuile the name whereof is new as appeareth by the deriuation which in Latine is Abbatis villa that is The Abbats towne for out of an Abbey it increased at length to the greatnesse and forme of a citie It is now the head citie of the county Ponthieu which region is so called à multitudine pontium of the multitude of bridges because it is in diuers places pestered with Marshes and Fennes Picquenie stands in this prouince also built as the common sort imagine by one Pignon a principall souldier of Alexander the great Likewise in Vermandois you haue the towne of S. Quintins which many suppose to haue beene Augusta Veromanduorum being the ancient seat of the Earles of Vermandois and the head of that region Peronne so often spoiled in warres who can be ignorant of Guise also seemes to be a Fort against Lutzenburgh Hence the Guisian familie deriue their name Other cities there be of lesse moment as Corbie Roye Nelle Hen Cattelette Mondidier c. In a little French pamphlet intitled Chemins de France or the wayes of France Picardy is diuided into three parts The Lower The Higher and Picardy properly so called wherein are contained the Regions of Vermandois Retelois Tartenois and Tirasse Picardy properly so called is described in this our Table PICARDIAE Belgicae regionis descriptio Joanne Surhonio auctore Cum Imp. et Reg. priualegio decenn 1579 PROVENCE THat portion of France which ancient Writers called Narbonensem and Bracchatam Caesar and Plinie doe comprehend vnder the name of Prouincia part whereof is conteined within the riuers Rosne and Durance the Alpes the riuer Varo and the Mediterran sea the inhabitants as yet call by the name of PROVENCE Petrarch writes it was sometimes called Regnum Arelatense The middle-age writers call it Prouinciam Viennensem tertiam It bordereth West vpon Languedoc North vpon Daulphine East it is confined by Piemont and South by the Mediterran sea and the Isles Stoechades This euer was and now is accounted the most fertile region of France for Strabo saith it yeelds all sorts of fruits that Italie affoordeth If we may credit Belleforest it beareth sugar about the towne of Yeres Manna is here gathered as the same authour affirmeth The principall cities of this prouince are Massilia commonly Marseille which was the ancient Ionica Colonia of the Phocaean Greeks being as Caesar 5. Ciuil reports compassed by the sea on three sides and on the fourth side hauing a passage to the land Strabo writes that the hauen is in forme of a Theater and that within compasse thereof they haue docks for the building and a storehouse for the furnishing of ships Here was a temple of the Ephesian Diana and another of Apollo Delphicus The citizens were treble-tongued speaking Greeke Latine and French as S. Ierome reporteth out of Varro Of this citie reade more largely in the 43. booke of Trogus Pompeius and in a Panegyricke speech vttered before Constantine the great by Anonymus or one vnnamed The citie Arelatum commonly Arles vpon the riuer of Rhosne which by Ausonius is named Arelas or Gallula Roma as likewise double Arelas because as learned Vinetus obserueth it was heretofore by the said riuer diuided in twaine Now it may well be called single Arelas looking of a farre other shape and all situate vpon that side of the riuer which is towards Italie This Ammianus makes the renowme of many cities And Suetonius saith that heere was a Romane colonie planted by Tiberius the Emperor his father Procopius affirmes that it was heretofore the head citie of the Burgundians Next followes Aquae Sextiae so called saith Strabo because that very Sextius which subdued Salyes built this citie after his owne name and after the name of certaine hot bathes in the same place Now it is corruptly called Aix These bathes Strabo in his time supposeth to haue turned colde and so Robert Caenalis at this present affirmeth that they haue lost their ancient vertue The Parliament of the whole prouince is here resident Of this citie Gabriel Simeonius writeth that he neuer saw either a more pleasant place or a more courteous people Then haue you the citie Cabellio now called Cauaillon Tarascon retaining still the ancient name Carpentoracte commonly Carpentras Vasio now Voiton the same with Forum Vocontiorum as some thinke Taurentum and Telo Martius which some now interpret to be Toulon Forum Iulij now Frejus Olbia which perhaps is Yeres Antipolis Antibe Segusteron Cisteron Vintium Venze Glanatica Glandeues Dinia Digne Tecolata thought to be S. Maximines Grinicensis Grasse All famous for antiquitie Moreouer here is the towne of S. Baume situate vpon a craggie hill in which is a caue where the inhabitants hold opinion that Mary Magdalen did penance and ended her dayes Likewise at the mouth of Rhosne the reader may see on the one side the field called La Craux and on the other side La Camargo This last named they say is miraculously fertile of wheat And Belleforest thinks it to be called Camargo à castris Marij of the campe of Marius here pitched Whereas the other named La Craux is out of measure barren yeelding nought but stones for which cause it is by ancient Writers most aptly called Campus Lapideus or The stonie field The isles adiacent to this prouince are the Stoechades dispersed as Pomponius writeth from the shore of Liguria or Genoa as farre as Marseille Plinie makes them three in number naming ech And Strabo saith there are three of importance and two small ones not worthy to be mentioned About these isles growes most excellent Corrall as Plinie witnesseth which Belleforest reporteth still to continue In commendation of this prouince Petrus Quinqueranus Bishop of Sens hath written a peculiar volume On this side the riuer Durance this Region bordereth vpon that part of the Popes iurisdiction which is commonly called Conte de Venacin in Latine Comitatus Venuxinus and Veneticus wherein stands the Citie and Vniuersitie of Auignon which in times past was the Papall sea namely from Pope Clement the fift in the yeere 1300. till Gregorie the second for the space of 60. yeeres Petrarch then called it The French and Westerne Babylon Besides other notable things in this citie seuen there are seuen times told right worthy the admiration namely seuen Palaces
is such as it doth almost exceed the capacitie of mans witte no man need to wonder why in former times as well as now the Noblemen so much delighted to dwell heere This we haue taken out of Leander where manie other things may be read of who hath described the whole kingdome this Citie and the Liberties thereof very curiouslie that indeed it is not necessarie to send the Reader vnto any other Authour but Scipio Mazzella which in a seuerall and peculiar Treatise hath with extraordinarie paines and diligence set out in the Italian Tongue a description of this kingdome There is also in Print a little booke written by Alexander Andreas of the warre betweene Philippe King of Spaine and Paul the fourth Pope of Rome out of which the Reader which is not satisfied with this discourse of ours may heere and there picke out something concerning this kingdome worth the noting and not triuiall The booke is set out in the Italian tongue by Hieronymo Ruscello Iohn Baptista Caraffa Pontanus and Pandulfus Collenutius haue written the histories and chronicles of the kingdome of Naples in the which they in diuers places speake much of the situation of this country Gabriel Barry hath very curiously described Calabria his natiue country as Sanfelicius hath done Campania REGNI NEAPOLITANI VERISSIMA SECVNDVM ANTIQVORVM RECENTIORVM TRADITIONEM SCRIPTIO PYRRHO LIGORIO AV Cum priuilegio APVLIA now called PVGLIA or TERRA DI OTRANTO WE haue composed this discourse following of this countrey out of the treatise of Antony Galatey which he wrote of the situation of Iapigya now called Terra di Barri This country saith he in respect of his situation is seated in the most temperate place of the world Of diuers authours it hath beene diuersly called by sundry names Aristotle and Herodotus called it Iapygia others Peucetia others Mesapia others Magna Gracia Great Greece others Apulia others Calabria for that which now is called Calabria was anciently called Brutia The corne hearbs and fruits of this country are of the best The oats of this soile is as good as the barly of other countries and the barly as good as their wheat Melones of a most pleasing taste and Pome-citrons do euery where grow in great plenty Physick herbs of greater force then other where are here in all places very common The aire is very wholesome the soile is neither drie nor squally or moorish But these so great gifts and blessings of God are intermedled with some mischiefe and danger for heere nature doth breed a most venemous and pernicious kind of spider the Greeks do call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Phalangium and Araneus whose poisonous bite is onely cured by Musicke or Tabret and Pipe Heere is also the venimous serpent which the Greeks call Chersydros the Latines Natrix terrestris the Land snake we call it if I be not deceiued an Adder and heere is a kinde of Locust which hurt and mar all things they light vpon The cities of this country long since more famous were Tarentum now Taranto proudly seated between two seas exceedingly stored with fish in forme somewhat like a long Iland This city in all mens iudgement is inuincible Callipolis now Galipoli Pliny called it Anxa is a city situate in the end of a promontorie or forland shooting farre out into the sea but with such a narrow Isthmos or necke-land that in some places there is scarce so much as a cartway It is very strong and round beset with high cliffes from the maine land there is only one entrance in the which is a very strong Castell Hydruntum of them called Otranto is the chiefe city and which is somewhat more Metropolitan of the whole Peninsula or Demi-ile and that not without cause for whether you respect the antiquity of it the vertue and humanity of the citizens ioined with valour and great magnanimity it hath euer been of them accounted for a very famous and worthy city It hath a very good and capacious hauen but against the raging blasts of the North wind not so safe It was sometime very strong and defencible but now it lieth almost leuell with the ground The fields adioining are very fruitfull full of springs and alwaies green From hence Montes Cerauni certaine hills of Epirus now called Cimera and Canina may easily be descried Heere is the end of the Hadriaticke and Ionian seas as Pliny testifieth Brundusium now called Brindisi a famous city hath as notable a hauen as any in the world els where the inner hauen is enclosed with castles and an huge chaine the outer hauen is heere and there beset with rocks and small Ilands but his mouth is by Alphonsoes meanes so stopped and dette vp that there is no entrance but for little shippes and barges It hath beene in former time a very populous city now it is little inhabited These are the chiefe marine cities He that would know more particularly of the ancient names situation antiquities and priuate stories of the mid-land cities and townes we refer him to the learned discourse of Galatey written of this his natiue country to which if he please to adioine the description of Leander I perswade my selfe the thirstie Reader shall not know what els he may demand CALABRIA GAbriel Barrius Franciscanus hath very curiously described Calabria in fiue bookes which are imprinted at Rome with as little heedfull diligence Out of him we haue culled these particulars following CALABRIA saith he a country of Italie in forme and fashion not much vnlike a tongue lieth between the vpper and neather seas It beginneth at the neather sea the Greeks call it the Tyrrhen sea the Latines the Mediterran or Mid-land sea from the riuer Talao which runneth into the Bay of Policastro at the vpper sea the Ionian sea the Grecians terme it from the riuer Siris otherwise sometime called Senno and coasteth along vntill it come to the streights of Faro di Messano and the city Regio and so being diuided longwise by the mount Apennine heere they call it Aspro monte it endeth in two capes or promontories the one called Leucopetra of them Capo de Leocopetra the other Lacinium vulgarly of them called Cabo delle colonne or Cabo dell ' Alice Not only the plaines and champions but euen the hillie places like vnto Latium or Campania are well serued with water Whatsoeuer is necessary for the maintainance of mans life this country doth yeeld in great abundance it needeth no forraine commodities but is able to liue of it selfe Calabria generally is a good and a fertile soile it is not combred with Fennes Lakes or Bogges but is alwaies green affoording good pastorage for cattell and excellent ground for all sorts of graine The fountaines and brooks are many and those passing cleare and wholesome The sunnie hills and mountaines open to euery coole blast of wind are wonderfull fertile for corne vines and trees of diuers kinds whereof arise great profit to
map hath shewed abundantly who in it doth reckon vp beside the 18. naturall bathes which others haue written of 35. other first discouered by himselfe The same author also beside these baths doth make mention of 19. stoues or hot houses fumarolas they call them and 5. medicinall sands soueraigne in Physick for the drying vp of raw humours Of this fire heere in the bowels of the earth Aristotle in his booke of the Miracles of Nature affirmeth that heere are certaine stoues which do burne with fierie kind of force and exceeding feruent heate and yet neuer do burst out into flames But Elysius Pandulphus and Pontanus do report the contrary There is a place in this Iland Ischia about a mile from the city of the same name which of the raging fire that happened heere in the time of Charles II in the yeare 1301. is at this day called Cremate For heere the bowels of the earth cleauing in sunder by the flashing fire that flamed out a great part of it was so consumed that a small village being first burnt down was at the last vtterly swallowed vp And casting vp into the aire huge stones intermedled with smoke fire and dust which falling againe by their own force and violence scattered heere and there vpon the ground made a most fertile and pleasant iland wast and desolate This fire continued the space of two moneths so that many both men and beasts were by it destroied and many shipping themselues their goods forced to flie either to the ilands neere adioining or to the maine continent Yet this iland for many things is very fruitfull for in it there are excellent good wines and those of diuerse kinds as that which they call Greeks wine Latine Sorbinio and Cauda caballi It beareth good corn about S. Nicolas mount In it the Cedar the pomecitron and the Quince tree do grow euery where most plentifully Alume and Brimstone are found deep within the earth it hath had long since some veines of gold as Strabo and Elysius haue written and now hath as Iasolinus affirmeth About the hill commonly called Monte Ligoro there is great store of phesants hares conies and other wild beasts neere the cape of S. Nicolas they take much fish and withall find much Corall Not farre from thence is the hauen Ficus or Fichera where the water boileth so hot that in it flesh or fish are sodden in a short time and yet notwithstanding it is of a pleasant tast and very sauory There is a fountaine which they call Nitroli in which this is admirable that besides his great vertues for the cure of certaine diseases if you shall lay flax in it within three daies at the most it will make it as white as snow Whereupon the authour of this Table saith that this I le for bignesse good aire fertility of soile mines of mettall strong wines doth far surpasse the other 25. ilands which are in the bay of Naples Betweene the foreland called Acus the needle and that other named Cephalino there is a great caue or safe harborough for ships especially for pinnaces those lesser sorts of ships Heere it is like that Aeneas landed of which Ouid speaketh as also Pompey when as he sailed from Sicilia to Puteoli whereof Appian writeth in his 5. booke of Ciuill wars In this same Iland ouer against Cumae there is a lake in which there is continually great plenty of Sea-mews or Fenducks Larus or Fulica these are very gainfull and profitable to the inhabitants The words of Pliny speaking of this iland are worth the noting In the same saith he a whole town did sinke and at another time by an earthquake the firme land became a standing poole stagnum he calleth it although that the ancient printed copies for stagnum haue statinas in which place the learned Scaliger had rather read statiuas meaning standing waters The same Pliny hath left in record that if one heere shall cut down a Cedar tree yet it will shoot forth and bud againe Liuy saith that the Chalcidenses of Euboea did first inhabit this iland yet Strabo saith they were the Eretrienses But these also came from the I le Euboea I am of opinion that Athenaeus in his 9 booke although he nameth it not yet he meaneth this iland which he affirmeth he saw as he sailed from Dicaearchia vnto Naples inhabited by a few men but full of copies There is also neere vnto this Prochyta an iland so named not of Aeneas his nurse but because it was profusa ab Aenaria seuered from Aenaria or as Strabo in his 5. booke affirmeth from Pithecusae Notwithstanding in his I. booke he writeth that it was sundered from Miseno yet both may be true for aswell this as that by inundations and tempestuous storms were rent off from the maine land The poets same that Minas the giant lieth vnder this Iland as Typhon doth vnder Ischia Of which Horace in his 3. booke of Poems writeth to Calliope Andreas Baccius writeth thus of this ile It is a little ile saith he but very pleasant rich of mettals and hot bathes notwithstanding for the continuall fires which the continuall tides of the sea do kindle in it as Strabo writeth it neuer was much inhabited It retaineth still the ancient name for they now call it Procida Of this iland you may read more in Scipio Mazella in his additions vnto the tract of Elysius of the Bathes of Puteoli ISCHIA quae olim AENARIA Ab Aeneae classe hic appulsa sic nominata Nè mireris lector si Septentrionalem plagam non superiorem ut moris est sed contra inferiorem regionem spectare videas Id namque data opera fecimus Quo utilior magis necessaria atque amoenior Insulae pars verusque eius Situs in conspectu Caietae Cumarum Prochytae Baiarum Puteolorum et Neapolis obviam iret Omnia autem haec constant ratione Circini semper indubitata exceptis Mediterraneis locis circumvicinis Insulis Montium aliquot atque crematorum lapidum quantitatibus Quae tum situs tum ornatus perspectivae gratia ponuntur IVLIVS IASOLINVS DESCRIB CANDIA sometime called CRETA CReta which now they call Candia is bigger then Cyprus but lesser then Sicilia or Sardinia vnto which ilands only in the Mediterran sea it is inferiour Yet for worth and fertility it is equall to the best Ancient Historiographers do affirme that once it was famous for one hundred cities and therefore was called Hecatompolis In the time of Pliny it had not aboue forty At this day as P. Bellonius testifieth it hath not aboue three of any account that is Candy a colonie of the Venetians whereof the whole iland is now named Canea and Rhetimo The compasse of the iland is about 520. miles It is euery where full of mountaines and hils and therefore the inhabitants are much giuen to hunting There is in it neuer a riuer that is nauigable nor any venemous or hurtfull beast The excellent
that this is but a meere fable Moreouer Frisach a very ancient towne S. Lionhart Wolfsperg c. are townes also of this country In former times the Iapydes were thought to haue dwelt heere abouts The soueraignty and secular iurisdiction of this country doth belong vnto the Dukes of Austrich but as concerning Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction it partly belongeth to the Bishop of Salczburg and partly to the Patriarch of Aquileia as Paracelsus affirmeth in his forecited Chronicle But in the same place he hath a most ridiculous etymologie of the name of this prouince which he faineth to be fetched from the Latines namely that it should be named Carinthia as who would say Caritas intima Intire loue and affection As if the first inhabitants who seated themselues heere should haue been desirous to haue their country named by a name fetcht from a forrein nation and strange language not vnderstood of them The Reader not satisfied with this heere set downe by vs let him haue recourse vnto Sebastian Munster Sabellicus Pio II. c. I vnderstand also that one Iohn Saluian hath surueied this country whose description as yet I haue not seene Goritiae palatinatus The county palatine of Gorcz belonging to the Duke of Austrich is so named of Goercz the chiefe city of this country called of the Italians for it standeth in Italie beyond the Alpes Goricia of Ptolemey Iulium Carnicum as Leander thinketh Amasaeus as the same Leander saith gathereth by diuers antiquities heere found and remaining that Noteia sometime was seated heere about It is a towne situate at the mouth of the riuer Wipach formerly called Fluuius frigidus I meane where Wipach falleth into the riuer Natiso HISTRIA or ISTEREICH IT is almost a common thing generally as Pliny saith in his naturall historie that euery man describeth best and most curiously that country in which he was borne and brought vp And within a few lines after the same authour saith thus I will follow no one man altogether but as I shall find him in all points to speake most probably and consonant to the truth And therefore heere in this place the which I do almost euery where in these discourses vpon my Maps I haue determined amongst many others that haue described this prouince to offer to the view of the Reader a great description according to the capacity of the place of Lewis Verger that country man borne This man in the Cosmography of Munster saith that this Neckland or Demi-ile from the inner bay where Trieste now standeth hard vpon the shore vnto the S. Veit a towne situate in Fanatico vpon the riuer Fiume conteineth in length better then 200. miles The whole country is not very leuell and plaine yet the mountaines are neither very high steep nor barren but plentifully replenished with vines oliues and other fruit-trees corne pastures and cattell only in that part which bendeth toward the bay Golfo di Quernero sometime called Flanatico or Fanatico it hath a very high mountaine which they commonly call Monte maior This first presenteth it selfe to the eie of the seamen which saile hitherward in whose toppe there ariseth a very goodly spring of fresh-water It yeeldeth many rare hearbs and plants of singular vertues which do make Physitions farre dwellers from hence to resort hither in time of the yeare and with great toile and danger to clamber vp the same The riuers of Histria are three Fornio Naupertus and Arsia the first the country people call Risano the second Quieto the last Arsa which falleth into the bay Quernero or Fanatico and is now the vtmost bound of Italie The cities of Histria are Mugia Iustinopolis Isola Pitano or Piran as I thinke it is named in the mappe Pumago Hemonia Parenzo Osara Rubino Pola S. Veit all of them marine cities Pinguento Montana Portulae Grisignana Bullae S. Lorenzo Doi castelli S. Vincenzo Val Adignano Pamerano Albona Fianonae Petina Galigagna Coslaco and Pisino are vpland cities The most famous city of this whole country is Iustinopolis which they commonly call Capo d' Istria the head of Histria Pliny nameth it Aegida it standeth vpon a rocke in the sea farre remote from the continent vnto which it is ioined by a long bridge This city with many other is subiect vnto the Venetians the rest are vnder the gouernment of the Duke of Austrich c. Beside the ancient Geographers read also Leander Volaterran and Dom. Niger Cassiodore in his 12. booke Variar hath much of this prouince ZARA and SEBENICO ZARA we thinke sometime to haue been called Iadera and others do affirme that his territories anciently was called Liburnia SEBENICO is that which old writers called Sicum Both are marine cities situate vpon the Hadriaticke sea vnder the iurisdiction of the Venetians In that place where in this our mappe thou seest certaine ruines of old decaied buildings Dominicus Niger saith sometime did stand the city Essesia which now lieth leuell with the ground and the place at this day is called Beribir where Epigrammes in Latine and Greeke with many other monuments of antiquity are yet to be seen The authour of this mappe whose name we know not calleth the same Bergine Of this part of Illyria read the same Dom. Niger his sixth booke of Geography M. S. Cornelius Scepper sometime Embassadour of Ferdinand Emperour of Rome vnto Soliman the great Turke in his Iournall hath these wordes At Zara we saw the church of S. Io. de Maluasia so named for that the sailours of a hoy laden with Malmesy being in foule weather in danger of shipwracke vowed that if they escaped safe to land they would build a church whose mortar should be tempered with malmesy which was accordingly performed CARINTHIAE DVCATVS ET GORITIAE PALATINATVS WOLF LAZIO auctore Histriae tabula Petro Coppo descr ZARAE ET SEBENICI DESCRIPTIO HVNGARY HVngaria which it is certaine was so named of the Hunni or Hungari a people come out of Scythia which now inhabit it conteineth almost both the Pannonies the countries of the Iaziges and the Daci now comprehending Transsyluania VValachria and Moldauia On the South it beginneth at the riuer Dra on the North it is bounded by Sarmatia Europaea now called Polonia and Getia at this day named VValagria on the West it hath Austrich sometime the head of the Higher Pannonia vpon the East it is confined with Mysia which at this day they call Rhetia Donaw Danubius of all the riuers of Europe by farre the greatest runneth through the middest of it and so diuideth it into two parts the Heather and the Farder The HEATHER HVNGARIA is that which formerly were the Pannonies the Vpper and Neather this is seuered from the further Hungaria by the riuer Dra from Austrich and Bayern by the foote of the mount Caecius from Slauonia by Dra from Bosna and Rascia by Saw The head and chiefe cities of this part is Buda often they call it the imperiall seat of their kings Other townes of great account
fasted and pined themselues The other called Figenoiama ariseth vp certaine leagues aboue the cloudes The people do digge sundry sorts of mettals out of the bowels of the earth whereby they intice forren Nations to come from farre vnto their quarters Trees they haue both for pleasure and for profit or fruit not much vnlike ours heere in Europe yet there is one tree which doth much resemble the Palme-tree whose nature is very strange for as they affirme it is afraid of any maner of moisture and if so be by chance it happen to be wette it shrinketh together and as if it had been infected with the plague smitten or blasted it withereth and dieth immediately The helpe and meanes to recouer it againe is to plucke it vp by the roots and to drie it in the sunne then to lay it in a dry ditch or empty pit and to couer it all ouer either with the rust of iron beaten to powder or else with sand there after it is planted and set into the ground againe it groweth and buddeth as afore and so it flourisheth and becommeth as trimme and beautifull as euer it was the boughes also that fall off or are broken off if they be fastened with a naile vnto the stocke or body of the tree they will grow and ioine to the same aswell as if they had beene grafted into it Heere are euery where great store of Cedar trees of such height and thickenesse that hereof the carpenters make summers for houses pillars and columnes for stately buildings and the shipwrights masts for the talest and greatest shippes of burden that in those quarters they vsually make Sheep hogges hennes ducks geese and such other filthy kinds of liuing creatures they seldome or neuer keep at home about their houses if they please to eat flesh meat they only eat venison and such as they catch abroad in the wild fields The fields are bespread with many heards of cattell as kine and horses for seruice in the warres in the forrests woods and bushie grounds woolues conies bores stagges and other deere do wander vp and downe they haue plenty of phesants wild ducks stock-doues quailes and wild hennes fishes of diuers sorts but especially of riuer trouts or silares as some call them as also of sea troutes which is not vnlike that kind of fish which Ausonius nameth Alosa and Pliny Clupea or Clypea in the fifteenth chapter of his ninth booke this they set great store by and do account it for a dainty dish They know not what butter meaneth oile of oliues they haue none but they make a kind of artificiall oile of the Whales which they catch or are cast vp vpon this shore the common sort of people do vse most what boughs or sticks of pine-trees in some place straw and hawme in steed of candles If any one be tall or properly made he is not a little proud of it Many of them liue long and are strong and lusty euen to the last so that the most of them are fit for the warres till they be threescore yeares old They weare their beards short but in the rest of their haire they are very curious and haue diuers and sundry cuttes they shaue them not but plucke them off with pullesans or pinsers the Boies do bare their heads from the forehead euen vp to the crowne the baser sort of people and the clownes the one halfe of the same the gentlemen and noblemen almost all ouer onely leauing a few haires behind about the nape of the necke which they hold for a great disgrace if any man shall lay hand vpon or once offer to touch Hunger thirst heat cold labour and such like inconueniences that do much trouble other men they can well away withall and most patiently endure As soone as euer they be borne and come into the world although it be in the midde winter they be straight caried to a riuer to be washed being weaned and taken from the breast they are exercised in hunting and are kept apart in rough and craggy places farre from their mothers and nurces wings for they thinke that there is nothing that doth more effeminate the minds of men than too tender and delicate bringing vp They bespread and couer the floores of their houses with fine and neat mattes rising and swelling as matrices or flockebeds Vpon these laying a stone or blocket vnder their heads in steed of a pillow they sleep and take their rest and vpon the same kneeling vpon their knees and sitting vpon their legges they dine and suppe They are as neat and cleanly as those of China at their meat they do so cunningly put their meat into their mouthes with two little pricks or forkes that they neuer droppe or let ought fall beside nor need once to wipe their fingers They put off their shoes when they go to meat least they should soile their carpets by treading vpon them The poorer sort especially those that dwell vpon the sea do liue by herbs rise and fish the wealthier sort do set out their banquets richly and with great variety of dishes at euery messe ech mans trencher IAPONIAE INSVLAE DESCRIPTIO Ludoico Teisera auctore made of Cedar or Pine-wood of an handfull thicke is changed without table-clothes or napkins The meats when they are to be set vpon the table are built or laid vpon another informe of a steeple or pyramis bestrewed with gold and stucke and set out for a shew with branches of the Cypresse tree like as we vse to do with Rose-mary Many times whole fowles are brought to Noblemens tables with their bils and legs gilt all ouer They intertaine their friends and guests very kindlie and bountifullie They haue many orders and lawes of feasting and drinking which are performed very curiouslie with strange and exquisite ceremonies They haue no manner of wine nor vines amongst them A kind of artificiall wine they make and presse out of rise yet they are especially delighted more than with any other kind of liquor to drink water almost scalding hot putting it into the powder of an hearb which they call Chia it is a very wholesome hearb of soueraigne vertues this kind of drinke they vse often and are curious in the making of it so that many times Princes and Noblemen will dresse prepare and mingle it with their owne hands for an honour and grace vnto their friends and they haue certaine places in their houses assigned to this purpose in which there is a furnace or fire kindled at all times readie with a kettle of cast iron continually hanging ouer the same from hence they fetch drinke to entertaine their friends at their first comming to their house and for their farewell at their departure when their guests are to depart they shew them all their treasure and houshold-stuffe which they do especially esteeme which for the most part is nothing else but those vessels and instruments belonging to the making of the drinke which I spake of
ditch wall or rampart Yet it is apparant out of the description of this prouince done by Iohn Leo Africanus that there be diuers other cities beside these although they be not very strong For in his eighth booke of the description of Africke he reckoneth vp thirty and two beside certaine other villages which he describeth according to their name and situation Of Egypt thou maist read in the description of the Holy Land set forth by Brocard toward the latter end of the same as also in Bellonius Obseruations Guillandine and Niger Of Nilus read Goropius and Nugarola beside that which ancient writers haue written of it which thou shalt see in our Mappe of old Egypt The Hauen of CARTHAGE IT is not our purpose to describe CARTHAGE that famous city and next after Rome the only glory of the world which so long bearded the Romanes and stood out against all forren subiection but because we saw this his Bay to be set out in Italy in this forme I thought it would be a thing wel-pleasing the learned student of Geography to ioine the same also to this our worke together with this discourse of Paulus Iouius written of the same Such is the forme of the Bay of Carthage that the entrance into it is not to be descried by such as saile thitherward from the maine sea for that the cape Clupea called of old writers Mercuries Foreland or Fairenesse stretcheth out it selfe farre into the West and againe winding it selfe and bending inward maketh another cape sometimes called Apolloes Foreland now the sailours call it Zafranio From thence vnto the straits of Goletto it is redoubled in maner of an halfe moone and at the left hand of the city Rada Raba the chart hath famous for hot bathes of soueraigne vertue it leaueth the country Ouer against which are to be seene the ruines of old Carthage and the place where it stood Thus farre Iouius But the places neere adioining are described more particularly in Iohn Leo Africanus NATOLIAE QVAE OLIM ASIA MINOR NOVA DESCRIPTIO AEGYPTI RE CENTIOR DE SCRIPTIO CARTHAGINIS CELEBERRIMY SINVS TYPVS ETHIOPIA or ALHABAS The country of ABYSSINES or The Empire of PRESTER IOHN THe same whom we in Europe call Presbyter Iohn or Priest Iohn the Moores call ATICI ABASSI themselus that is the Abyssines or Ethiopians ACEGVE and NEGVZ that is Emperour and King for his proper name is arbitrarily giuen him as heere we vse in Europe at the discretion of the parents It seemeth also that at his coronation he changeth his name like as the Popes of Rome vse at this day to do and together with his crowne to take vnto him another proper appellation for he which in our remembrance possessed the throne and made a league of amity with the King of Portugall was called before his coronation Atani Tingal but after he had taken vpon him the Emperiall diademe he was named Dauid This Prester Iohn out of doubt in this our age is one of the greatest Monarches of the World whose kingdome lying between the two Tropickes reacheth from the Red-sea almost vnto the Ethiopian ocean and that we may somewhat more precisely set downe the bounds of this Empire for as much as we can gather out of the surueihgs of the same made and set forth by some learned men of our time it hath vpon the North Egypt which now is vnder the command of the Turke on the east it abutteth vpon the Red sea and Barbaricum sinum Pliny calleth it Troglodyticum sinum others Asperum mare the rough sea the seamen at this day vulgarly Golfo de Melinde on the South it is strongly by nature fensed and enclosed by Montes Lunae the mountaines of the Moone on the West it is confined by the kingdome of Nubia and the riuer Nilus These bounds do seeme to containe that prouince which old writers called Ethiopia beneath Egypt together with Troglodytis Cinnamomifera regio the country where in those daies Cinnamon grew most plentifull with part of the inner Libya These countries now are diuided into many smaller prouinces and are called by diuers and sundrie names as thou maist see in the Mappe These countrie people are at this day generally of all our moderne Historiographers called ABYSSINI or as themselues with the Arabians round about them pronounce the word Hhabas and with Al the Arabicke article or pronoune prefixed Alhabas as Beniamin reporteth and Abexim as Garcias ab Horto affirmeth all which wordes indeed originally are the same and do only differ either in sound or maner of writing for the Eastern Hheth a letter I meane proper to those nations and barbarous to vs borne in Europe the West part of the World is diuerslly expressed by diuers as they do well know which know ought in the Hebrew Arabicke Syrian and Ethiopicke languages sometimes by our single h sometime by the double hh otherwise by ch others do wholly omit it as not finding any letter in that language in which they write that is of that nature and power whereby they may truly expresse the same Again the last letter of the same word which the Hebrewes and Arabians call Schin is sometime expressed by sh sometime by ss or by the Spanish x which they sound almost like our sh and sometimes by s or z. For thus I find the word written often in the holy Scriptures translated into Arabicke and Habashi and Alhabassi Psalm 68.32 and 74.14 Item in Gen. 2.13 where Ardzi ' lhabas the land of Ethiopia is the same that Auicenna in the 283. chapter of the second tract of his second booke calleth B'ledi'lhhabashah the country of the Abyssines or as our fathers named it India Occidentalis the West Indies the interpetour Gerardus Cremonensis hath Terras alhabes Bellunensis hath Terras Indiae minoris the countries of the Abyssines or of the lesser India Heere also it is worth the obseruing that this word out of all doubt had his originall from the Hebrew שוכ Cush whereby they did long since call this nation and people as it is apparant out of Gen. 10.5 and 2.13 by the iudgement of all Interpreters Grammarians and Iewish Rabbines For the Hebrew ו or vaw which indeed and in his owne nature is the same with our w is pronounced of some nations in some cases like the Germane v or v consonant as they call it somewhat like the sound of b altogether the same with that pronunciation of the Hebrew Beth when it followeth a vowell as the modern Grammarians and Iewish Rabbines do now teach According to which custome it is not vnlikely but that this word שוכ which the Iewes sounded Cush some other nations might pronounce and vowell thus שוח chauash chabaas habas or Abyssi And indeed the Asians generally and they themselues as Ortelius citeth out of Iosephus do call themselues Chusaeos and as he reporteth from the relation of the reuerend B. Arias Montanus Hispalensis they are euen to this day of
of colour but also to marke them with diuers kinds of pictures and counterfeits of sundrie sorts of liuing creatures and to go naked least they should hide this their painting I read in Herodian Listen thou shalt heare Solinus speake the same wordes The countrie is partly possessed by a barbarous and wild people which euen from their childhood haue by certaine cutters men skilfull that way diuers images and pictures of liuing creatures drawen and raised vpon their skinne and so imprinted in their flesh that as they grow vnto mans estate these pictures together with the painters staines do wax bigger and bigger neither doth the wild people endure any thing more patiently and willingly than that their limbes by meanes of those deep cuts and slashes may so deepely drinke in these coloures that they may sticke long by them Amongst the Goddesses as I learne by Dion they worshipped Andates for so they call Victoriam victory who had a temple and sacred wood where they vsed to do sacrifice and performe their religious seruice and worship to her Beside her they had another which was called Adraste whether this were the same with Adrastia which some did take to be Nemesis the Goddesse of reuenge which the ancient Grecians Romans did worship I leaue to others to determin Caesar saith that in former times the Druides a kind of superstitious priests dwelt also amongst this people who affirmeth that their discipline and religion was first heere inuented and from hence caried beyond sea into France That they continued vntill the time of Vespasian the Emperour of Rome in Mona or Anglesey it is apparent out of the 14 booke of Cornelius Tacitus his Annals Frō them doubtlesse this nation had their knowledge of the state immortality of the soule after this life for this was the opinion of those Druides as Caesar and others haue written of them But of the Druides we will God willing speake more in our Old France or Gallia as it stood in Caesars time That the Britans did so greatly esteeme and wonderfully extoll the art Magicke and performe it with such strange ceremonies that it is to be thought that the Persians had it from hence I haue Pliny for my patron who mightily perswadeth me The forenamed Bunduica also doth seeme to iustifie the same who as soone as she had ended her oration vnto her army cast an hare out of her lappe by that meanes to gesse what the issue of that iourney would be which after that she was obserued to goe on forward all the company iointly gaue a ioifull shout and acclamation To sacrifice and offer the blood of their captiues vpon their altars and to seeke to know the will and pleasure of their Gods by the entrails of men as the Romans did by the bowels of beasts these people held it for a very lawfull thing Thus farre Tacitus and thus much of Albion now it remaineth that we in like manner say somewhat of Ireland HIBERNIA Or IRELAND VPon the West of Britaine in the vast ocean the Latines call it Oceanus Virginius that is as the Welch call it Norweridh or Farigi as the Irish pronounce the word lieth that goodly iland which all ancient writers generally haue called by one and the same name although euery one hath not written it alike an ordinary and vsuall thing in proper names translated into strange countries For Ptolemy and vulgarly all Geographers which follow him calleth it HIBERNIA Orpheus the most ancient Poet of the Greekes Aristotle the Prince of Philosophers and Claudian IERNA Iuuenall and Mela IVVERNA Diodorus Siculus IRIS Eustathius in his Commentaries vpon Dionysius Afer WERNIA 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and BERNIA the Welch-men or ancient Britans YVERDON the Irish themselues from whence all the rest were fetched ERIN whereof also the Saxons by adding the word Land signifying a countrey or prouince as their manner is haue framed IRELAND by which name it is not only knowen to the English but generally at this day it is so called of all Nations whatsoeuer Thus farre the learned Clarencieux who also thinketh it so to haue beene named by them of their Irish word Hiere which signifieth the West or Western coast or country Like as the Celtae whose language he proueth to be the same with this for the same reason and of the same word named Spaine Iberia which afterward the Greekes in their language interpreted Hesperia In Festus Auienus who wrote a booke intituled Orae maritimae the sea coast it is named INSVLA SACRA The Holy Iland who moreouer addeth that it is inhabited of the Hierni that is of the Irish-men Isacius in his Commentaries vpon Lycophron calleth it WEST BRITAINE Plutarch in his booke which he wrote Of the face in the sphere of the Moone calleth it OGVGIA but why we know not yet read him if you thinke it worth the while you shall heare many an old wiues tale The latter writers as S. Isidore and the reuerend Beda our countriman call it SCOTIA of the Scottes which seated themselues in the West part of this I le about the yeare of our Lord 310. from whence within a very few yeares after being called in by the Picts they came into Brittane and indeed Paulus Orosius Beda and Egeinhardus authors of good credit wrote that it was inhabited of the Scots It is in length from South to North 400. miles in breadth scarse 200. The soile and temperature of the aire as Tacitus affirmeth is not much vnlike that of England It breedeth no snake or serpent nor any venemous creature fowle and birds heere are not very plentifull and as for bees no man euer saw one in the whole country yea if so be that any man shall strew dust grauell or small stones brought from hence amongst the hiues the swarmes will presently forsake their combes as Solinus writeth Yet we know by experience that this is all false for such is the infinit number of bees in this country that they are not only to be found heere in hiues and bee-gardens but also abroad in the fields in hollow trees and holes of the ground The temperature of the aire saith Pomponius Mela is very vnkind and vnfit for the ripening of corne and graine but the soile is so good for grasse not only great and ranke but also sweet and wholesome that their heards and cattell do fill themselues in so short a time that if they be not driuen out of the pasture they will feed while they burst Solinus affirmeth the same but in fewer words Furthermore he calleth it an inhumane and vnciuill country by reason of the rude and harsh manners of the inhabitants And Pomponius Mela termeth the people a disordered and vnmannerly nation lesse acquainted with any sort of vertue then any other people whatsoeuer yet they may in some respect be said to be louers of vertue in regard that they are very religious and deuout Strabo saith that they are more rusticall and vnciuill then the