Cureta by a Syncope or abbreviation from the Curetes the first in habitants hereof who together with the Corybantes and Telechini were the Priests of Cybele the principall goddesse of this Island and they so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from their tonsure or shaving of the head A custome much in use amongst the Priests of some of the Pagan Deities and possibly enough from them transmitted to the Church of Rome And to this Etymologie I do rather incline then either to derive the name from Crete the son of Jupiter and the Nymph Idea or from Grete the daughter of Hesperus though both these have their Authors also Nor dare I to reject the conceit of Bochartus who fetching the Etymons of most people from the Punick language or Originall will have the Cretans to be descended from the Cerehites a Nation of the Philistins well known in Scripture the word Cereth being abbreviated into Creth from which into Crete and Cretans is no difficult passage But in my mind his conjecture is better then his proof For though it may begranted without inconvenience that the chief arms of the Philisins were their Bow and Arrows as appears 1 Sam. 31. 3. and that the Cretans anciently were expert at those weapons also yet this concludes no more that the Cretans are of the race of the Philistins then that almost all Nations else had the same Originall the Bow and Arrows being the ordinary weapons of most people formerly till custome and experience trained them up to others of a later date as he himselfe acknowledgeth in many places of his excellent and elaborate tractates In reference to the heavenly bodies it is situate under the beginning of the fourth Clorate so that the longest day in Summer is no more then 14 hours and a quarter And in relation to the earth set in the middle of the Sea at so even a distance from Europe Asia and Africk as if naturally designed to be what Aristotle hath pleased to call it the Lady and Misiris of the Sea For it is distant from Peloponnesus an hundred miles as many from Asia the lesse and not above 150 from the thores of Africk So verifying that of Virgil Crete Jovis magni medio jacet insula Ponto Joves birth-place Crete a fruitfull land In the middle of the Sea doth stand It is in length 270. in breadth 50 miles in compasse about 590. The soil is very fruitfull especially of wines which we call Muscadels of which they transport yearly 12000 Buts together with Sugar-Candie Gums Honey Sugar Olives Dates Apples Orenges Lemmons Raisons Melons Citrons Pomegranats Yet as other Countries of the like hot nature it is not a little deficient in corn the most or greatest part of which is yearly brought hither from Peloponnesus The Island is very populous insomuch that it is thought that upon any sudden occasion the Signeury of Venice can raise in it 60000 men able to bear arms The people have formerly been good sea-faring men a vertue commaculated with many vices which they yet retain as envie malice and lying to which last so infinitely addicted that an horrible lye was called proverbially Cretense mendacium This fault was aimed at by the Poet Epirnemdes a native of this Island whose words thus cited by S. Paul in that to Titus cap. 1. v. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Cretans alwayes lyers are Unrulie beasts of labour spare To which this Proverb may be added viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say There are three Nations whose names begin with the letter K worse then any others viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Cappadocians Cretans and Cilicians though some I know apply this Proverb to the Cities of Corinth Capua and Carthage beginning all with the same letter and all conceived to be very dangerous to the State of Rome At this day they are sick of their old diseases as great Lyers and as idle as ever formerly covetous withall and very subtile impatient of labour and not caring to learn any science perfectly only well practised in shooting to which accustomed from their youth and therein thought more expert then the Turks themselves The language generally spoken is the Greek tongue though the Gentleman and Merchant by reason of their dependence on the State of Venice speak Italian also Both languages used also in divine offices the people being generally of the Communion of the Church of Greece but the Latine service used also in many places since the subjection of this Island to the Venetians Converted first unto the faith by S. Paul the Apostle who having planted the Gospel of life amongst them left the watering of it unto Titus whom he made Bishop of this Isle recommending unto him the care of the Churches there with power of Ordination and Eoclesiaticall censure as appears clearly by the Text. Which power that it belonged to Titus as Bishop and not their Evangelist only is attirmed expresly not only by the subscription of the said Epistle where he is plainly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Bishop of the Church of the Cretians but by the concurrent testimonies of Euseb Eccl Hist l. 3. c 4 S. Ambr. in praefa◠Ep. ad Tit. S. Hieron in Tit. c. 1. v. 5. and in his tract de Scriptor Ecclesiasticis Theodoret cited by Oecumen in praefat ad Ep. Tit. Oecumenius himself in Tit. 1. and finally by Theophylact in his preface to the same Epistle All which in plain terms call him Bishop and the Bishop of Crete according to that sense and meaning of the word Episcopus as it was used in their times distinct from Presbyter The Church hereof whilest wholly under the Greek Patriarchs was governed by four Archbishops and 21 Bishops but since the subjection of this Island to the State of Fence there is but one Archbishop which is he of Candie the chief Citie and eight Bishops only besides the titular Patriarch of Constantinople who hath here his residence some Prelate of the Latine Church having been alwayes honoured with that emptie title ever since the recoverie of that Citie from the Western Christians Famous was this Island amongst the Ancients for many things memorized both by the Poets and old Hastonians For here reigned Saturn in the first ages of the World father of Jupiter born here and secretly nursed in the hill called Ida. For seeing that by the compact betwixt Saturn and his brother Titan Eaturn was to enjoy the Kingdom for his own life only but all his male children to be murdered as soon as born Jupiter by the care of his mother Cybele was conveyed away and secretly nursed in Mount Ida as before was said the crying of the Infant being drowned by the noise of loud-sounding Cymbals purposely used by his Rockers to avoid discovery Whence afterwards the Corytantes or Pricsts of Cybele used in her sacrifices the like musicall instruments continually sounding and withall shaking of their heads like Fidlers in an antick and
the first Apostle of this People but a yeer before The Bishops of Wurtzburg by this grant were possessed hereof as long as any of the house of Charls the Great did possesse the Empire But his posterity failing in the person of Conrade anno 910. Otho the first who next but one succeeded Conrade invested Conrade husband to Luitgardis his daughter with this Country giving him withall the title of Duke of Francony Four Princes of this house possessed it that is to say this Conrade surnamed Salicus and after him three Henries father son and nephew successively enjoying the Imperiall dignity by the name of Henry the third fourth and fift This Henry the last Prince of the male line of Conrade dying without issue Franconia fell to Frederick Barbarossa Duke of Schwaben as next heir to Henry by the Lady Agnes his Sister married to Frederick the Antient Duke of Schwaben the grand-father of Barbarossa But that house being also extinct in the person of Conradine anno 1268. and no one heir pretending to the rights thereof the Bishops of Wurtzburg challenged it on the former grant content to let some great ones have a part of the spoil that he and his successours might enjoy the rest By means whereof it came to be divided betwixt the Bishops of Wurtzburg Bamberg Mentz the Electour Palatine of the Rhene for antiently the Palatinate and the Bishoprick of Mentz were but parts of Frankenland the Marquesse of Onolsbach the Earls of Swartzenberg Henneberg and Hohenloe and as many of the Free or Imperiall Cities as are seated in it Thus every one did gather sticks when the great Oak fell the title of Duke of Francony remaining notwithstanding to the Bishops of Wurtzburg 1. WVRTZBVRB the Metropolis of Franconia the seat and residence of the Bishop who is Titulary Duke hereof is situate on the Mein or Moenus in a pleasant plain environed with Meadowes gardens and fruitfull mountains and very well fenced with walls trenches bulwarks and other Arts of modern fortification well peopled and for the most part handsomely and neatly built Passing over the Bridge built of free stone on many large and spacious Arches you come unto a fair and pompous though ancient Castle the ordinary dwelling of the Bishop and yet so strong that the many vain attempts of the Boores and Citizens apt to pick quarrells with their Prince made it thought impregnable to which the situation of it on the top of an hill added some advantage but it proved â—erwise when besieged by the King of Sweden anno 1631. who after a short but stout resistance took it by assault Other townes of most note which belong to the Bishops of Wurtzburg are 2 Forchein where it is said that Pontius Pilate was born 3 Gemand at the meeting of the Meine and the Sal or Sala 4 Chronac 5 Staphelstein 6 Hockstad of which little memorable But to return unto the Bishop as chief Lord of all he is called in the refined Latine of these times Herbipolitanus but commonly Wurtziburgensis differing in sound but not in sense For Wurtzburg is no other then a town of Worts situate amongst plants and gardens as before is said and Herbipolis made up out of severall languages doth signifie no more then a City of Herbs By whom the Episcopall See was here first erected and how the Bishops hereof came to be intituled unto their Estates hath been shewn already The manner how the new Bishop is admitted and the old interred may be worth our knowledge On the decease of the former Bishop the Lord Elect attended with a great train of horse is to make his entrance Assoone as coming within the Gates he alights off his horse and putteth off his robes and being attired in a poor and despicable habit begirt about with a rope bare-headed also bare-footed he is conducted by the Earls of Henneberg Custel Wortheim and Reineck to S. Saviours Church being his Cathedrall The Dean and Canons there meeting him ask him what he would have to which he modestly replyeth that though unworthy he is come to discharge the office unto which he is called Then the Dean thus I admit thee in the name of this whole Chapter committing to thy care this Church of Saint Saviours and the Dukedome thereunto belonging in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost Which done he putteth on his Episcopall habi â—yeth Masse and from thence passeth to his Castle where he gives entertainment to all the Company The living Bishop thus invested proceed we next unto the buriall of the dead whose body being embowelled is kept in the Chappell of the Castle his heart preserved in a vessell of glasse The next day he is carried to the Monastery of Saint James holding a Crozier Staffe in his right hand and a sword in his left buried with which the next day after in the Church of S. Saviour As for the Revenues of the Bishop they must needs be great the Bishop hereof in the time of Charles the fift compounding for his peace with Albert Marquesse of Brandenbourg at the price of 220000 Crownes in ready money and entring into bond to pay all his debts which amounted to 350000 Crownes in ready money and entring into bond to pay all his debts which amounted to 350000 Crowns more by which we may partly guess at the richnesse of his Exchequer and partly at the greatness of his Intrado 2. The second great Lord of Franconie is the Bishop of BAMBERG a City seated on the Mein not far from Wurtzburg the little River Regnite falling there into it supposed by Mercator to be the Granionarium of Ptolemy and to have took this new name from the hill Baba so called from Baba daughter of Otho Duke of Saxon and wâ—â—e of Aâ—bert 〈◊〉 Earl hereof upon which it is situate the right name being Babemberg remember that Bâ—g in Dutch signifieth an Hill and contractedly Bamberg A City delectably seated amongst mountaines and pleasant gardens and in a soil exceeding fruitfull of all necessaries and yeelding Liquorice in great plenty the birth-place of Joachimus Camerarius one of the great lights of Germany and a See Episcopall the Bishop of which is exempt from the power of his Metropolitan subject immediately to the Pope and Lord of many fair towns and territories in this Countrey but much diminished since the time of Charles the fift the Bishop thereof then being giving to Marquesse Albert above mentioned for a cessation from arms anno 1530. no lesse then 60 of his Lordships most of which fall unto the share of the Marquesse of Onaldsbach besides the tutelage or Guardianship of his Wards and Clients Of those which are remaining in the hands of the Bishops the principall are 1 Gragingliac 2 Schleistat 3. The third great Lord to be considered is the Marquesse of Onaldsbach or Ansbach who is Master of no small part of this Countrey but his Estate as those of the other German Princes confused and intermixt with
Toledo for Spain and of Carthage for Africk Then for the East parts of the Empire there was the Patriach of Alexandria for the Diocese of Egypt of Antioch for that of the Orient the Primate or Arch-bishop of Ephesus for the Diocese of Asia of Nicomedia for that of Pontus of Bizantium or Constantinople for that of Thrace of Thessalonica for the Diocese of Greece and of Justiniana prima for that of Dacia Amongst all which was a mutuall correspondence and Co-ordination for the generall Government of the Church maintained by Letters of intercourse which they called Literas Format as and Communicatorias but no subordination and much less subjection unto one another as doth appear most evidently by the Canons of the Councill of Nice assigning to the three great Patriarchs their peculiar bounds according to the custom of the former times As for the Diocese or Patriarchate of the Popes of Rome it contained in it those ten Provinces which were immediately subject to the Prefect or Provost of that City an Officer instituted first by Augustus Caesar that is to say the Provinces of Tuscia and Umbria Picenum Suburbicarium Campania Apulia and Calabria Valeria Samnium Lucania and the Brutii in the main land of Italie and the three Ilands of Sicilie Corsica and Sardinia In which regard I mean as to the immediate Government of those Provinces by the Praefect of the City of Rome as they are called Regiones Suburbicariae by Ruffinus an Italian Writer so antiently the Pope himself was called Urbicus or the City-Bishop as appears plainly by Optatus who calleth Pope Zepherinus Zepherinus Urbicus But the Popes were not long content with that allotment growing up daily by a steddy and constant watchfulness upon all occasions to increase the Grandour of that See and taking to themselves the honor to be Vindices Canonum the strict and punctuall preservers of the antient Discipline which took extremely well with all sorts of people Till in the end from being Vindices Canonum they came to be Interpreters and at last the Rulers or rather the Over-rulers of the Canons and from chief Labourers in the Vineyard they became the Landlords which was the honor aimed at and at last obtained by the foresaid Boniface whom that cruell and butcherly Tyrant Phocas made the Head of the Church the sixty sixt Bishop and first Pope of Rome the Latine word Papa coming from the old Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a Father A Title at the first common unto other Bishops as is evident to any one who hath read the Fathers but after this appropriated unto those of Rome Of these Popes their Succession and times of Government our Chronologers are very uncertain not one of them that ever I had the luck to see agreeing exactly with another The reasons whereof as I conceive are 1. The frequent Vacancies and 2. the many Schisms which have happened in it and 3. the Anti-Popes in them created the Writers of those times accounting him onely among the Popes to whose faction they were most devoted This Catalogue ensuing I have collected principally out of the Tables of Helvicus Freigius Bellarmine and Onuphrius whose differences I have reconciled as well as possibly I could premonishing the Reader that where the number of yeers which every Pope is found to sit in the Papall Chair make not up the full number from his first admission to the coming in of his Successor it must be understood of some Schism or Vacancy hapning in the Intervall by which the tale is to be made up And for the difficulties which occur amongst the Antients in the first Succession some placing of them thus Linus Cletus Clemens some Linus Clemens Cletus and finally some others putting the Clemens first I know no better way to compose the same than to affirm as many of the Fathers do that S. Peter and S. Paul were Co-Founders of the Church in Rome S. Peter of the Church of the Circumcision and S. Paul of the Gentiles each of them being Bishop of the Church of his own foundation and then to draw down the Succession in this manner following The Bishops of Rome A. Ch. 44 1 S. Peter Bishop of the Churches of the Circumcision 70 2 Cletus or Anacletus Successor to S. Peter in the Churches of the Circumcision 23 59 1 S. Paul Bishop of the Churches of the Gentiles 70 2 Linus Successor to S. Paul in the Church of the Gentiles 11. 81 3 Clemens having succeeded Linus first in the Church of the Gentiles did after An. 93. succeed Cletus also in the Church of the Jews reckoned by some the next Successor to S Peter because the next who after him had the charge of the whole the Church of the Gentiles not being founded or not distinguished from the other till some years after Peters coming 103 4 Anacletus 9 112 5 Evaristus 9 121 6 Alexander 10 m. 5 d. 131 7 Sixtus 10 142 8 Telesphorus 12 154 9 Hyginus 4 158 10 Pius 9 167 11 Ancetus 8 m. 9 175 12 Soter 4 179 13 Eleutherius 15 194 14 Victor 9 203 15 Zepherinus 18 221 16 Calistus 5 226 17 Urbanus 6 m. 7 d. 233 18 Pontianus 5 238 19 Antherus 1 239 20 Fabianus 14 253 21 Cornelius 2 255 22 Lucius 1 m. 8 256 23 Stephanus 3 m. 3. 260 24 Sixtus or Xistus II. 2 262 25 Dionysius 10 272 26 Felix 2 m. 5 d. 775 27 Eutychanus 8 283 28 Caius 13 296 29 Marcellinus 8 304 30 Marcellus 5 309 31 Eusebius 2 311 32 Miltiades 3 314 33 Silvester 22 336 34 Marcus m. 8 337 35 Julius 15 m. 5 352 36 Liberius 15 cui vivo Felix suffectus 367 37 Damasus 18 385 38 Syricius 13 398 39 Anastasius 4 402 40 Innocentius 15 417 41 Zosimus 1 m. 4 419 42 Bonifacius 5 424 43 Celestinus 8 m. 5 432 44 Sixtus III. 8 440 45 Levo magn 21 461 46 Hilarius 6 m. 10 468 47 Simplicius 15 m. 5 483 48 Felix III. 9 492 49 Gelasius 4 497 50 Anastasius II. 2 499 51 Symmachus 15 514 52 Hormisda 9 523 53 Jannes 2 m 9. d. 526 54 Felix IV. 4 530 55 Bonifaâ—ius II. 1. 532 56 Joannes II. 3 535 57 Agapetus 1 536 58 Silverius 1 537 59 Vigilius 18 555 60 Pelagius 5 560 61 Joannes III. 13 573 62 Benedictus 4 578 63 Pelagius II. 12 590 64 Gregorius Mag. 14 609 65 Sabinianus 1 the last of the Roman Bishops not having that arrogant Title or Universall Bishop or head of the Church The Popes of Rome challenging a Supremacy over all the Church 606 1 Bonifacius III. 3 607 2 Bonifacius IV. 8 615 3 Deus-dedit 3 618 4 Bonifacius V. 5 m. 10 624 5 Honorius 13 637 6 Severinus 2 639 7 Joannes IV. 2 641 8 Theodorus 7 m. 5 649 9 Martinus 6 654 10 Eugenius 2. m. 9 657 11 Vitalianus 14 671 12 A-Deo-datus 5 677 13 Domnus 1 m. 5 d. 679 14 Agatho 4 683 15 Leo
League contracted by the people of any validity vvithout his privity and allowance and finally the Keyes of the Town presented to him as often as he pleased to lodge there as once for instance to Duke Charles the third comming thither with Beatrix his Wife a daughter of Portugall And in this state it stood till the year 1528 the Bishop being all this vvhile their immediate Lord and having jus gladii alias civilis jurisdictionis partes as Calvin himself confesseth in an Epistle to Cardinal Sadolet But in that year Religion being then altered in the Canton of Bern near adjoyning to them Viret and Farellus did endeavour it in Geneva also But finding that the Bishop and his Clergy did not like their doings they screwed themselves into the people and by their ayd in a popular tumult compelled the Bishop and his Clergy to abandon the Town And though the Bishop made them many fair overtures out of an hope to be restored to his Estate yet would they never hearken to him nor admit of him any more being once thrust out Nor did they only in that tumult alter the Doctrin and Orders of the Church before established but changed the Government of the State also disclaming all allegiance both to Duke and Bishop and standing on their own Liberty as a Free-Commonwealth And though all this was done by Viret and Farellus before Calvins comming to that City which was not till the year 1536 yet being come suffragio meo comprobavi as he saith himself no man was forwarder than he to approve the Action But Calvin being come amongst them made their Divinity Reader and one of the ordinary Preachers he first negotiated with them to abjure the Papacie and never more admit their Bishop to which he found a cheerful and unanimous consent in all the people Then finding that no Ecclesiasticall discipline was in use amongst them he dealt with them to admit of one of his own composing which at last he obtained also but with very great difficulty and got it ratified by the Senate July the 20th 1537. The next year after the people weary of this new yoke and he and his Colleagues Farellut and Coraldus as resolute to hold them to it they were all three banished the Town in a popular humor and with like levitie sued to to return again to which he would by no means yeeld except they would oblige themselves by a solemn Oath to admit of such a form of Discipline as he with the advice of the other Ministers should prescribe unto them This being condescended to by that fickle multitude he returns in triumph to Geneva September the thirteenth 1541 and got his new Discipline established on the twentieth of November following The sum of the device was this All Ministers to be equall amongst themselves two Lay-men to be super-added unto every Minister the Minister to continue for term of life the Lay-Elders to be annually chosen these being met together to be called the Presbyterie and to have power of Ordination Censures Absolution and whatsoever else was acted by the Bishop formerly Hitherto it related to Geneva only which being but one City and a small one too was not capable of more than one Presbyterie The names and notions of Classicall Provinciall and Nationall Assemblies came not in till afterwards as it got ground in Kingdoms and larger Provinces This Platform though of purpose framed to content the people yet since the Lay-officers were to be but annuall and after subject to the lash like other Mortals it gave but sorry satisfaction unto wiser men And being built withall on a false foundation was for a long time hardly able to stand alone and fain at twelve years end to borrow a support from Zurich and others of the Protestant Cantons whom Calvin earnestly sollicited to allow his project against which one Perinus and some principall Citizens had begun to spurn And so we have the true beginning of the Genevian Discipline begotten in Rebellion born in Sedition and nursed up by Faction Being born into the World by the means aforesayd some other helps it had to make it acceptable and approved of in other Churches As first the great content it gave to the common people to see themselves intrusted with the weightiest matters of Religion and thereby an equalitie with if not by reason of their number being two for one a superiority above their Ministers Next the great reputation which Calvin for his diligence in Writing and Preaching had attained unto made all his Dictates as authentick amongst some Divines as ever the Popes Ipse dixit in the Church of Rome Whereby it came to pass in a little time that only those Churches which embraced the Doctrines and Discipline authorised by Calvin were called the Reformed Churches those in high Germany and elswhere which adhered to Luther being generally called by no other name than the Lutherans or the Lutheran Churches as not reformed enough from the dregs of Rome Then comes in his endeavours to promote that Platform in all other Churches which he had calculated for the Meridian of Geneva only commending it to Gasper Olevianus Minister of the Church of Triers as appearby his Letters dated April the twelf 1560 congratulating the reception of it in the Churches of Poland as appeareth by others of his Letters And for the last help comes in Beza who not content to recommend it as convenient for the use of the Church beyond which Calvin did not go imposed it as a matter necessary upon all the Churches so necessary ut ab ea recedere non magis liceat quam ab ipsius Religionis placit is that it was utterly as unlawfull to recede from this as from the most materiall points of the Christian Faith So he Epist 83. By means whereof their followers in most of the Reformed Churches drove on so furiously that rather than their Discipline should not be admitted and the Episcopall Government destroied in all the Churches of CHRIST they were resolved to depose Kings ruin Kingdoms and to subvert the fundamentall constitutions of all civill States And hereunto their own Ambition gave them spur enough affecting the supremacy in their severall Parishes that they themselves might Lord it over Gods inheritance under pretence of setting CHRIST upon his Throne Upon which love to the preheminence they did not only prate against the Bishops with malitious words as Diotrephes for the same reason did against the Apostles but not therewith content neither would they themselves receive them nor permit them that would casting them out of the Church with reproach and infamy Which proud ambition in the ordinary Parochiall Minister was cunningly fomented by some great persons and many Lay-Patrons in all places who underhand aimed at a further end the one to raise themselves great fortunes out of Bishops Lands the other to keep those Tythes themselves to which by the Law they only were to nominate some deserving Person Such were the helps
this Island being the seat Royall of the French in Gallâ—a gave name to all the residue of it as they made it theirs A Countrey generally so fruitfull and delectable except in Gastinois that the very hills thereof are equall to the vallies in most places of Europe but the Vale of Monâ—morâ—ncie wherein Paris standeth scarce to be fellowed in the Word An Argument whereof may be that when the Dukes of Berry Burgundie and their Confederates besieged that City with an Armie of 100000 men neither the Assailants without nor the Citizens within found any scarcitie of victuals and yet the Citizens besides Souldiers were reckoned at â—â—0000 It was formerly part of the Province of Belgica secunda and Lugdunensis quarta the chief Inhabitants thereof being the 〈◊〉 the Bellovaci and the Silvanectes and is now divided into four parts that is to say the Dukedom of Valois 2 Gastinois 3 Heurepoix and that which is properly called the Isâ—e of France by some the Prevoste or County of Paris 1 The Dukedom or Countie of VALOIS lieth towards Picardie the principall Cities of it called Senlis in Latin Silvanectum a Bishops See 2 Compeigne Compendium seated on the River Oise a retâ—ing plâ—ce of the French Kings for hunting and other Countrey pleasures 3 Beauvois the chief City of the Bâ—llâ—vaci by ` Ptolomic called Caesaromagus a fair large well-traded Town and a See Episcopall the Bishop whereof is one of the twelve Peers of France Philip one of the Bishops here in times foregoing a militarie man and one that had much damnified the English Borders was fortunately taken by King Richard the first The Pope being made acquainted with his Imprisonment but not the cause of it wrote in his behalf unto the King as for an Ecclesiasticall person and one of his beloved Sonnes The King returned unto the Pope the Armour which the Bishop was taken in and these words engraven on the same Vide an haec sit tunica filii tui vel non being the words which Jacobs children spake unto him when they presented him with the Coat of their brother Joseph Which the Pope viewing swore That it was rather the Coat of a Sonne of Mars than a Sonne of the Church and so left him wholly to the Kings pleasure 4 Clermont a Town of good note in the Countie Beauvoisia memorable for giving the title of Earl of Clermont to Râ—bert the fifth Sonne of the King St. Lewis before his mariage with the Daughter and Heir of Bourbon and afterwards to the Eldest Sonnes of that Princely Familie 5 Luzarch a Town belonging to the Count of Soissons 6 Brenonville 7. St. Loup on the Confines of Pirardie so called from a Monastery dedicated to S. Luviu Bishop of Troys in Champagne sent into Britain with Germanus to suppress the Pelagian Heresies which then were beginning But of this part of France nothing more observable than that it gave denomination to the Royall Familie of the French Kings 13 in number from hence entituled de Valois beginning in Philip de Valois Anno 1328. and ending in Henry the third Anno 1589. As for the Earls hereof from whom that Adjunct or denomination had it's first Original the first who had the title of Earl of Valois was Charles the second Sonne of Philip the third in right of his Wife Earl of Anjou also After whose death it descended upon Philip de Valois his Eldest Sonne who carried the Crown of France from our Edward the third On whose assuming of the Crown it fell to Lewis his second Brother and he deceasing without issue Anno 1391. to Lewis Duke of Orleans Sonne of Charles the fifth amongst the titles of which house it lay dormant till the expiring of that Line in King Lewis the twelfth and lately given unto a Sonne of the now Duke of Orleans Vncle to King Lewis the fourteenth at this present reigning I onely adde that Charles the first Earl of this Family as he was the Sonne of Philip the third Brother of Philip the fourth surnamed the Fair and Father of Philip de Valois So was he Vncle to Lewis Hutin Philip the Long and Charles the Fair all in their order Kings of France In which regard it was said of him that he was Sonne Brother Father and Vncle of Kings yet no King himself 2 The second part of this Province is called HEVREPOIX beginning at the little bridge of Paris on the River of Sein and going up along the River as far as the River of Verine which divides it from Gastinois The chief Towns of it are 1. Charenton three miles from Paris where the French Protestants of that City have their Church for Religious exercises it being not permitted them to hold their Assemblies in any walled Cities or Garrison Towns for fear of any sudden surprize which so great a multitude might easily make Which Church or Temple as they call it being burnt down by the hot-headed Parisians on the news of the Duke of Mayennes death slain at the siege of Montalban Anno 1622. was presently reedified by the Command of the Duke of Mom-bazon then Governour of the Isle of France at the charge of the State to let those of the Reformed party understand that it was their disobedience and not their Religion which caused the King to arm against them 2 Corbeil seated on the Confluence of Sein and Essons 3. Moret which gives the Title of an Earl to one of the naturall Sonnes of Henry the fourth begotten on the Daughter and Heir of the former Earl 4. Melun by Caesar called Melodunum the principal of this Heurepoix and the seat of the Baylif for this Tract Here is also in this part the Royall Palace of Fountain-bel-eau so called from the many fair Springs and Fountains amongst which it standeth but otherwise seated in a solitary and woodie Country fit for hunting only and for that cause much visited by the French Kings in their times of leisure and beautified with so much cost by King Henry the fourth that it is absolutely the stateliest and most magnificent pile of building in all France 3 GASTINOYS the most drie and baren part of this Province but rich enough if compared with other places lieth between Paris and the Countrie of Orleanoys The chief places of it are 1. Estampes in the middle way betwixt Paris and Orleans on the very edge of it towards La Beausse a fair large Town having in it five Churches and one of them a College of Chanoins with the ruines of an antient Castle which together with the Walls and demolished Fortifications of it shew it to have been of great importance in the former times Given with the title of an Earl by Charles Duke of Orleans then Lord hereof to Richard the third Sonne of Iohn of Montfort Duke of Bretagne in mariage with his Sister the Lady Margusrite from which mariage issued Francis Earl of Estampes the last Duke of Bretagne 2. Montleherry Famous for the battle
of in succeeding times at the will of the Emperours and given from one family unto another as their fancies served them Not fixed in any house till it came to Henry the sonne of Engelbert President or Prefect of Histria in which family it continued under this Henry and his brother Englebert Vlric the first Henry the second Herman and Vlrick the second the last Prince hereof who being old and without children sold his estate herein to Ostocar King of Bohemia and Duke of Austria by whom these Countries were surrendred unto Rodolphus of Habspurg on the conclusion of the peace which was made between them And though Rodolphus gave Carinthia to Mainard Earl of Tirol in right of whose daughter Elizabeth Albert the sonne of Rodolph was possessed of Austria on the death of Henry the sonne of Mainard without issue male it fell according to the contract unto Albert the Short eldest sonne of Albert and Grandchild of Rodolphus continuing ever since in that family though not alwayes in the chief house of the Dukes of Austria TIROLIS is bounded on the East with Friuly and Marca Trevigiana on the West with the Grisons and some part of Switzerland on the North with Bavaria and the South with Lombardie Extended over the greatest part of the Alpes Rhaeticae and some part of the Juliae yet intermixt with many rich and fruitfull valleys those specially which lye on the bankes of the Inn and the River of Adise Nor are the hils so void of profit unto the Inhabitants but that they afford good store of metals digged out of them especially of Brasse and Silver which last have yeelded to the Archduke 230000 Crowns yearly Towns of most note 1 Oenipus or Inspruch seated on the Inn or Oenus which gave denomination to the second branch of the house of Austria descended from Ferdinand the second sonne of the Emperour Ferdinand the house of Gratz issuing from Charles the third sonne of that Emperour Most memorable for the hasty flight of Charles the fift upon the news that Duke Maurice whom he had lately made Electour of Saxonie was coming against him with his Forces which so terrified him that he fled away by torch-light with some few of his followers the residue of his Court most of which were persons of great eminency trudging in the dark on foot with the Black Guard and the Skullerie the Town being many times the Residence of the Dukes of Austria who have here a very Royall and magnificent Palace And to say truth the town deserveth to be so honoured amongst pleasant Meadows spacious cornfields and shady mountaines sweetly seated the houses fairly built of stone enriched by the Courts of Judicature here setled for all the Countrey and provided of a gallant Armorie 2 Trent Tridentum it is called in Latine situate in the confines of Germany and Italy for which cause the Inhabitants speak both languages Built on the bankes of the River Athesis or Adice honoured with an Episcopall See but made more famous by the Councell which was there begun by Pope Paul the third anno 1545. against the Lutherans For 22 yeares together before their meeting dashed by one Pope and intimated by another advanced by Charles the fift upon worldly Policies and for as worldly policies retarded by the Court of Rome for 18 years after this first Convention of it at sundry times assembled suspended and dissolved And finally when fixed here seriously by Pope Pius the fourth anno 1562. managed with so much art and cunning by the Papall partie that nothing was determined among the Prelates but what had formerly been resolved on in the Roman Conclave and certified accordingly by especiall Posts occasioning that most bitter jest of one of the Hungarians Bishops who was present at it that the Holy Ghost was sent unto them in a Cloak-bag from Rome The effects of which Councell so artificially carryed on by the strength of wit I cannot better describe then in the words of the History of it which are as followeth This Councell desired and procured by godly men to re-unite the Church which began to be divided hath so established the Schism and made the parties so obstinate that the discords are irreconcileable And being managed by Princes for Reformation of Ecclesiasticall Discipline hath caused the greatest deformation that ever was since Christianity did begin and hoped for by the Bishops themselves to regain the Episcopall Authority for the most part usurped by the Pope hath made them lose it altogether bringing them into greater servitude On the contrary feared and avoided by the See of Rome as a potent meanes to moderate the exorbitant power thereof mounted from small beginnings by divers degrees to an unlimitted excesse it hath so established and confirmed the same over that part which remained subject unto it that it was never so great nor soundly rooted So far the words of the History The next of note is 3 Falkenstein remarkable for mines of Brasse as 4 Hal upon the Inn for Salt-witches and 5 Schwas for the richer mines of Silver 6. Malk near the head of the River Atâ—esis 7 Pollen upon the borders of Italy by the people whereof called Folgiano and Bolsano 8 Tirol an ancient Castle the first seat of the Earls or Governours hereof and giving name for that reason to the Country adjoyning The Earls hereof were at the first no other then Provinciall Officers when made Proprietaries I am yet to seek The first of whom we have any certainty was Mainard Earl of Tirol and Goritz who dyed in the yeer 1258 leaving his Earldomes to that Mainard who by Rodolfus Habspurgensis was enfeoffed with the Dukedome of Karnten But Henry the sonne of this last Mainard dying without issue male his daughter Margaret by the consent of all her people setled her estate therein on the sonnes of Albert called the Short continuing ever since in the house of Austria though sometimes made the portion and inheritance of the younger Princes By Ferdinand the first it was given in Apennage to his 2 d son Ferdinand surnamed of Inspruch for that reason who by marrying with Philippina a Burgers daughter of Augsburg so displeased his Brethren that to buy his peace of them and enjoy his own content with her it was finally agreed upon amongst them all that Tirol should not descend upon his Children of that venter In pursuance whereof after his decease Tirol fell to the house of Gratz his eldest son Charles being made Marquesse of Burgh and Andrew his youngest Cardinall of Brixia The Armes of these Earls when distinct from the house of Austria were Argent an Eagle Sable membred Or. Those of Carinthia united for a time unto them as before was noted being Argent three Lions Leopards Sable Thus have we seen by what means all these Provinces belonging unto severall Lords became united and incorporated into one estate Besides which there was added to it by Rodolph of Habspurg all the Vpper Elsats the
in Gal. 1. Saint Chrysost on the last of Saint Iohus Gospel Saint Hierome in his Catalogue of Ecelesiastical writers Saint Augustine cont Crescon 1. 2. cap. 37. to whom there may be added the joint consent of 289. Prelates assembled in the sixth General Council holden at Constantinople affirming Iames the Lords Brother to be the first Bishop of Hierusalem all of them with the Fathers before mentioned taking the word Bishop in that sense in which it generally passed for the times they lived in His Successors subject at the first to the Bishop of Caesarea as their Metropolitan though privileged in their own Diocese with the rights of Patriarchs as appears evidently by the Acts of the Nicene Council But afterwards for the greater honour of the Holy City wherein our Saviour wrought the work of our Redemption it was ordained at Chalcedor that the Bishop of Hieruâ—alem should have as well the jurisdiction as the name of a Patriarch the three Palestines for Constantine had before divided it into so many Provinces being subducted from the power of the See of Antioch to make up this Patriarchate So stood it in the elder times but now by the incroachment of Mahometanism the Christian faith is so obscured and the beauties of it so Ecclipsed that were it not for some Sects of Christians dwelling in Mount Sinai and about Hierusalem it might be said without any manifest untruth to be quite exstinguished But to look back upon the Countrey it cannot be described more fully and significantly than Moses hath done it to our hands in the 8. of Deut. Where it is said to be a land of Brooks and Waters of Fountains and depths that spring out of the Vallies and Hills a Land of Wheat and Barly and Vines and Fig-trees and Pomgranatis of Oyl-olive and Honey a Land wherein was bread without scarceness a Land whose stones were as Iron and out of whose Hills one might dig brass An ample commendation and yet in some sort short of the fertility of this flourishing Countrey which did not onely consist in the choice and plenty but the perpetuity of its fruits it being on record in the Epistles of the Emperour Julian surnamed the Apostate that the Fig-trees and other fruit-trees herein were seldome or never without fruits the old not fully falling off till the new come on which his report if true as certainly he did not love our Saviour so well as to flatter the Countrey for his sake we have then an answer to the difficulty which hath so much perplexed all Commentators of former times and that is why our Saviour should curse the Fig-tree for not bearing fruit when the Text saith that the time of fruits was not yet come Mar. 14. 13. For though the time for new fruits was not come as yet it being then but early Spring yet our Saviour being hungry might expect to find some of the old and failing of his expectation lay that curse upon it Nor is this solution of the doubt discountenanced rather much confirmed by the Character and condition of the Countrey as it stands at present naturally adorned with beautiful mountains and luxurious vallies the rocks affording excellent waters and the Air never pinched with colds nor scorched with heats though either by the negligence of the Inhabitants or some curse laid upon the land far short of that fertility with which once it flourished Yet still Figs Olives Pomgranates Palm-trees are here very frequently to be seen somestore of Wine with Oranges and the Apple of Paradice which they preserve upon the trees all the year long which agrees very well with that of Julian spoken of before well furnished with Honey and Sugar-canes as also with Goats Swine Hares Quailes and Partriges but pestred so in many places with rats and mice that if it were not for certain Birds which feed upon them it were not possible for the people to have any Harvest Balm they had antiently not now Nor any Nuts Peares Plums or Cherries but what are brought hither from Damascus Principal Rivers of this Countrey are 1. Chison the Chorsaeus of Ptolomy which riseth out of Mount Tabor in Galilee and falleth into the Mediterranean Sea not farre from Mount Carmel in Phoenicia 2. Cedron a Torrent rather than a River passing betwixt Hierusalem and the Mount of Olives but more remarkable for many notable actions than many others of a greater both name and course For over this Brook did David pass when he fled from Absolom and over this our Saviour the Sence of David passed when he went to his passion On the banks hereof did Asa the King of Judah burn his mothers Idols 1 Kings 15. as Josiah did the vessels which were made for Baal 2 Kings 23. 3. Zared and 4. Napthea which arising out of the hils of the tribe of Iudah have their fall into the Mediterranean 5. Arnon which hath its spring in the hills so called and endeth its course in the Mare Mortuum 6. labâ—â— oft mentioned in the Scriptures which issuing out of the Mountains of Galaad and 7. Hermon which springing from the hills so named lose themselves in Jordan 8. Iordan so called from for and Dan two neighbouring fountains out of which he seemes to take his source though they do also fetch their spring from Phiala a round deep well at the foot of Anti-Libanus about twenti-four miles from these fountains into which he maketh his way like a Mole under ground A River of more same than length breadth or depth running from North to South almost in a strait line to the Dead Seâ— only where he endeth his course not navigably deep nor above ten yards in breadth where broadest shadowed on both sides with Poplars Tamariâ—k-trees and reeds of many several sorts of some of which the Arabians make darts and lavelâ— nes of others Arows and some again they fashion into pens to write with Passing along it maketh two Lakes the one in the Vpper Galilce by the antients called Samachonitis dry for the most part in the Summer and then covered with shrubs and sedge not mentioned in the Holy Scriptures the other in the Lower Galiles about a hundred furlongs in length and about fourty in breadth called the Sea of Galilee from the Countrey the Lake of Tiberias from a City of that name on the banks thereof and for the like cause called also the Lake of Genezareth And it is to be observed that the River passeth thorow this Lake with so swift a course that it preserves it self distinct from the waters of it both in tast and colour as is affirmed of Nilus for a long space in the Mediterranean and other great Rivers in their falls Finally having run thorow the plains of Hiericho it finisheth its course at last in the Mare Mortuum or Dead Sea Honoured with the name of a Sea because salt and large seventy miles long and sixteen broad furnishing with salt the whole land of Iewrie but called the Dead Sea
on the South Altay on the West and North the main Scythick Ocean on the East the Streights of Anian by which parted from America So called because the first habitation of the Tartars who from this den or Jail made their first eruptions and have since over-grown so much of Asia The Countrey cold and comfortless as lying under the Polar Circle and in part beyond it not fit for any but for such as can live no where else yet heretofore a receptacle of many Christians though those of the Nestorian Sect who here enjoyed that liberty of their Religion which the Persians and Saâ—â—â—enâ— denyed them in more pleasing Countries It containeth many Regions some not considerable Those of most note are 1. Thebet 2. Tabor 3. Tenduâ— 4. Bargu 5. Anian and 6. Tartar 1. THEBET a fenny Region and full of woods rich in Corall which they find on the Sea-shore and use it instead of money So named from the chief City of it the ordinary Seat of the Abassi or Pope of this Idolatrous people much reverenced and having in his power the disposing of all Offices which concern the service of their Idols They have also some good store of Musk and abundance of wild beasts which are bred in their Forrests But no beasts wilder than the people who in times past if not at the present also used to bury their Parents in their own bowels and to make drinking cups of their skuls for fear lest in the midst of their jollity they should forget their Progenitors Yet not more barbarous than immodest it being contrary to their custome to take a wife that is a Virgin And therefore the Mothers use to prostitute their daughters to the Merchant-Strangers who having had their pleasure of them gratify them with a Jewell or some other present which they wear on their wedding day she being the most acceptable Bride to her husband who bringeth the greatest Dowry with her of those base rewards It contained once eight petit Kingdomes Homagers to the Kings of Tenduc with many Cities but now laid desolate by the Tartar 2. â—ABOR once a distinct Kingdome also One of the Kings whereof in the year 1540. came to the Courts of Charles the fift and Francis the first where he found Princely entertainment But upon proof that he was a Factor for the Jews and secretly solicited many uato that Religion by the command of Charles he was burnt at Mantua 3. TENDVâ— a populous Kingdome of it self but greater in name and power the Kings hereof commanding all these North-East parts as far as the borders of Cathay Christian in Religion till the Conquest of it by the Tartars though according to the Nestorian tendries but now Mahometan â—or the most part with some remainders and but few of Christianity Divided into many large and spacious Provinces as Chinâ—hintales Cerguth Egrigaia Cercham others of less note so called according to the names of their principâ—ll Towns or having some Towns in them of the name of the Provinces Those of most note in Tenduc It self 1. Coras the ordinary sepulture of the Kings of Tenduc before it was subdued by the Tartars and since that also 2. Caâ—acoras where Cingis was first honoured with the Title of King The Kings hereof bearing the port of Kings and the office of Priests were antiently called by the name of Presbyter Johannes or Prester John a title now erroniously conferred by some on the Emperour of the Abassines or Aethiopians in Asrick Concerning which it is a wonder that Joseph Scaliger a man of such infinite reading should be so deceived and by the authority of his judgement deceive so many For finding that there was a Presbyter Johannes in the North of Asia and hearing vulgarly that title given unto him in Africk he fell upon a fancie that this Aâ—assine Emperour was formerly of so great power as to extend his empire over India and the North of Asia and in this last for the assurance of his conquests to hold his residence A monstrous and undefensible fancy For besides that all histories even those of the Aâ—â—ssines themselves are silent in it how improbable is it that a King reigning in the heart of Aâ—â—â—k should subdue the most remote parts of Asia and there keep his Court so many great States and most puissant Nations being interposed or that so memorable an exploit should be buried in silence and found in no record but in Scaligers head Besides it is well known and generally granted that the Presbyter John of Asia was by Sect a Nestorim but he that is so called in Africk of the Sect of the Jacâ—bites and further that the Christians of Aethiopâ—â— are circumcised which never was reported of those of Asia Letting this pass therefore as an unwarrantable and ill-grounded fancy we are to know that formerly this Province of Tenduc was under the old Kings of Cathay till the time of Cin-Cham the King thereof After whose death a certain Nestortâ—n shepheard that is to say the master of great flocks of sheep being Governour of the Yaymans a People of Tenduc took to himself the title of king of Tenduc whom they called by the name of Prâ—â—st John or Prince John the same word in their language as in the Hebrâ—â— signifieth both Priest and Prince Dying he bequeathed his estate and flocks to his brother Unt-â—ham commonly called in one word Uncham a greater sheep-master than he whose flocks ranged over all the past ures of the Moâ—es or Monguls and Tartars though dwelling fourteen daies journey off whom he had in subjection the title of Priest John or Presbyter Johannes going along with the dignity and Royall estate And though afterwards this Uncham was subdued by the Tartars yet his posterity for long time were suffered to enjoy the title of Kings and Presbyters but Vassals and Homagers to the Great Cham the Great Chams in regard of their nobility and royall parentage bestowing their daughters on them in marriage as is said by William de Rubraquis who travelled in these Countries Anno 1253. the King hereof being then named George the fourth from Uncham but commonly called Presbyter Johannes as his Fathers were 4. BARGV on the extreme North-west bordering on both those sides the cold Scythick Ocean situate under the North-starre of the same nature both for the soyl and people as that of the Tartars And 5. ANIAN on the North-East opposite unto it giving name unto the Streightâ— of Aâ—iaâ— lying betwixt Tartarie and America which Streights the Tartars and some other of these Northern nations are thought to have passed over and to plant that Countrey 6. TARTAR so called of the great River Tartar the principall of this Northern Tract and giving name unto the Tartars this being their Originall Countrey where they lived like beasts having neither faith nor letters nor habitation nor the use of Arms nor any reputation amongst their neighbours In matter of Religion the worst sort of gentiles worshipping the Sunne Moon
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are the very words of my Author 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isidor in the second Chapter of his book above mentioned ascribeth it to Aquila the Libertus or freed man of this Moecenas and to Tertius Persannius and Philargius who added to this invention Yet had all they their chief light in it from Tullius Tito a freed-man of Cicero's who had undertaken and compassed it in the Prepositions but went no further At the last it was perfected by Seneca who brought this Art into order and method the whole volume of his contractions consisting of 5000 words Deinde Seneca contracto omnium digestóque aucto numero opus effecit in quinque millia But now I make haste to take a survey of these Egyptians as they stand at the present much differing from the ingenuity and abilities of their Predecessors For such as have observed the nature of the Modern Egyptians affirm them to have much degenerated from the worth of their Ancestors prone to innovations devoted to luxury cowardly cruel addicted naturally to cavill and to detract from whatsoever is good and eminent In their dealing with other men more observant then faithfull of a wit much inclining to craftiness and very eager on their profit Of person of a mean stature tawnie of complexion and spare of body but active and quick of foot Such as inhabit in the Cities apply themselves to merchandise grow rich by Trading reasonably well habited and not much differing from the Turks in their dress and Fashion Those in the Country who betake themselves to Husbandry affirmed to be a savage and nasty People crusted over with dirt and stinking of smoak sit company for none but those of their own condition Nothing now left amongst them of the Arts of their Ancestors but an affectation which they have unto Divinations to Fortune-telling great pretenders by which and by some cheating-tricks in which very well practised great numbers of them wander from one place to another and so get their livelyhood occasioning the vagabonds and straglers of other Nations who pretend unto the same false Arts to assume their names The whole body of the Inhabitants now an Hochpot or medley of many Nations Moors Arabians Turks the natural Egyptian making up the least part of the reckoning The Women of the same complexion with the men but well formed and featured did they not too much affect a seeming corpulency which if they cannot get in flesh they will have in cloaths Very fruitfull in child bearing and quick of dispatch when they are in labour some of them having three or four children at a Birth those that are born in the eighth moneth living to good Age and not in danger of death as in other Countries Such of them as dwell in Cities cover their faces with black Cypres bespotted with red their armes and ancles garnished with bracelets and hoops of gold silver or some other Mettal Those in the Country for a vail use some dirty clout having holes onely for their eyes which little is too much to see and abstain from loathing Both in the City and the Country contrary to the custom in all places else the women use to make water standing and the men couring on their knees The old Egyptians were so eminent in Arts and Learning that from them Pythagoras and Democritus learnt their Philosophy Lycurgus Solon and Plato their Forms of Government Orpheus and Homer their Poetical fictions of the Gods Particularly here â—lourished Aristarchus that famous and learned Grammariâ—n 2. Herodian a diligent Student and searcher into curious â—rts 3. Ammonius the Master of Plotinus 4. Didymus surnamed Chalcenteros for his indefatigable industry in several Sciences 5. Manethon an old Historian of whom we have nothing but some fragments 6. Appianus an Historian of a later date whose works are extant 7. Didymus the Grammarian 8. Cl. Ptolomaeus the Geographer 9 Achilles Statius the Poet 10. And before all the profound Philosopher Mercurius â—â—â—named Trismegistus And after their conversion to the faith of Christ 1. Pantaenus the first Reader of Divinitiâ— in the Schools of Alexandria 2. Origen and 3. Clemens Alexandrinus both skâ—lled in the universality of Learning 4. Dionysius 5. Athanasius and 6. Cyril all three Bishops of Alexandria and the glories of their severall times Now nothing but ignorance and Barbarism to be found amongst them The Christian faith was first here planted by S. Mark whom all Antiquity maketh the first Bishop of Alexandria His successors till the time of Heraclus and Dionysius chosen continually out of the Presbyterie or Cathedral Clergie afterwards out of the Clergie at large Their Jurisdiction setled by a â—anon of the Council of Nice over all the Churches in the whole Diocese of Egypt taking the word Diocese in the Civil notion containing Libya Pentapolis and Egypt specially so called to which though Epiphanius addes Thebais Maraeotica and Ammoniaca yet he addes nothing in effect Thebais and Maraeotica being parts of Egypt as Ammoniaca was of Libya Afterwards the Aethiopian or Abassine Churches became subject to this Patriarch also and do acknowledge to this day some relation to him By the coming in of the Saracens and the subâ—ugation of this Country Christianity fell here into great decay languishing so sensibly since those times especially since the conquest of it by the Turks that whereas Brochardus in his time reckoned three hundred thousand Christians in the last estimate which was made of them they were found to be but fifty thousand This small remainder of them commonly called Cophti either from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scindo because they retained the use of Circumcision with their Christianity or from Coptus a chief Town in Egypt in which many of them did reside or finally by abbreviation from Aegopâ—to corrupted from Aegyptii their own National name They are all Jacobites in Sect from whom they differ notwithstanding in some particulars in some from all other Christian Churches in many from the Church of Rome The points most proper to them 1. Using Circumcision with their Baptism but rather as a National then Religious custome though in that sense also laid aside as is said by some by the perswasion of some Legates from the Pope of Rome in a Synod held in Caire An. 1583. 2. Conferring all sacred Orders under the Priesthood on Infants immediately after haptism their Parents till they come to sixteen years of age performing what they promised in their behalf viz. Chastitie fasting on Wednesday and Friday and the four Lents of the year 3. Reputing Baptism not to be of any efficacie except ministred by the Priest in the open Church in what extremity soever 4. And yet not baptizing any Children till the sortieth day though they die in the interim 5. Giving to Infants the Sacrament of the Eucharist assoon as Christened 6. Contracting marriages even in the second Degree of Consanguinitie without dispensation 7. Observing not the Lords day nor any
Punick or old African the antient languages of the Country the Punick spoken in all places where antiently the Carthaginians were of any power the African whatsoever it was in the parts of Mauritania not subject to them Of the Latine there is no remainder which though it was the Language of the Roman Colonies yet never could it spread so far as to extinguish or suppresse the old natural tongues and in the Colonies themselves so much degenerated in short time so barbarously and imperfectly spoken that a Sister of the Emperor Severus who lived in Leptic a Roman Colonie coming to Rome to see her Brother spoke it so incongruously that the Emperor was ashamed to hear it And though the Sermons of S. Augustine an African Bishop were preached in Latine because preached in Hippo his Episcopal See which was then a Colonie of the Romans yet he confesseth that he was sometimes fain to use such words as were not Latine to be the better understood of his Congregation The Christian faith was first planted in that part hereof which was called Africa Propria by Epaenetus one of the 70 Disciples by Dorotheus in his Synopsis affirmed to be the first Bishop of Carthage In Mauritania by S. Simon the Apostle sirnamed Zelotes Metaphrastes addeth that S. Simon Peter preached here also when by the Decree of Claudius Caesar he was forced from Rome and at his going hence left Crescens his Disciple to promote the work But by whomsoever planted first it found good increase and was so propagated in short time over all this Country that in the year 250. or before there were in it above 90 Bishops for so many were assembled in the Synod of Labesitum and in the year 398. when the faction of the Donatists was of greatest power we find no sewer then 214 Catholick Bishops met together in the Councel of Carthage Which as it is an argument of the great increase of Christianity in those parts of Africa so it shewes also that the Church was in ill condition so overpower'd by the violence of that mighty faction who had at least 270 Bishops of their own opinion that the Orthodox party was necessitated to increase the number of Bishops for fear of being over-balanced by the contrary side if ever the difference should come to be examined in a publike meeting These Bishops ranked into six Classes according to the number of the African Provinces the Bishops of each Province subject to their own Metropolitan who in this Diocese contrary to the usage of all other Churches had the name of Primates but all of them subordinate to the Primate of Carthage originally invested with Patriarchal jurisdiction over all these parts Latius fusa est nostra Provincia Habet enim Numidiam Mauritanias duas sibi cohaerentes are S. Cyprians words Which shew that Leo Africanus was a better Geographer then an Historian or Divine He would not else have told us in such positive terms that those of Barbary remained in their old Idolatrie till 250 years before Mahomets birth at what time they received the Gospel and not before But the good man mistook the reviving of the Orthodox faith in the time of Justinian after it had been long suppressed by the Vandals of the Arian faction who at one time banished hence 300 Catholike Bishops for the first planting of the Gospel Otherwise not to be excused But after this Reviver it held not long when suppressed by the Saracens and so suppressed that except it be in some few Towns possessed by the King of Spain and the Crown of Portugal there is no tract of Christianity to be discerned in all this Country Mahometism being elswhere universally imbraced amongst them Amongst the men of most note for Souldiery which have been born in this Country we may reckon Amilcar the Carthaginian and his three sons 2. Annibal 3. Asdrubal and 4. Mago men hardly to be parallel'd in any Ages 5. Masinissa King of the Numidians one of their Cotemporaries and in the following times 6. Septimius Severus the Roman Emperour Amongst those addicted to the Muses those of most note 1. Terence 2. Apuleius But for Divines no Region in the world afforded men of more eminent note nor better deserving of the Church 1. Tertullian 2. Cyprian 3. Inlius Africanus 3. Arnobius 4. Lactantius 5. Victorinus Afer 6. Optatus Melevitanus 7. Victor Vticensis and above all 8. the most learned and divine S. Augustine a man of such admirable abilities and indefatigable industry so constant a Defender of all Orthodox doctrines against the Hereticks of those times that he deservedly got the name of Malleus Haereticorum Principal Mountains of this Country besides Mount Atlas of which hereafter by it self 1. Phocra 2. Heptadelphus and 3. Atlas minor in Mauritania Tingitana 4. Cinnaba 5. Garas 6. Madethubadus and 7. those called Gariphi in Caesariensis 8. Thambes 9. Mampsarus 10. Vsaletus and 11. Zuchabarus in Africa Propria Of which and others we may speak more if occasion be in our description of the Provinces in which they are And for the Rivers of most note though none of any long course in so narrow a Country we have in Tingitana 1. Sala falling into the Atlantick out of Atlas minor 2. another of the same name and the same exit also but far more to the North towards the Streit of Gibraltar 3. Mosocath mollified by Salust the Historian into Mulucha and by him placed betwixt the Numidians and the Moors 4. Malva the boundarie at this day betwixt the Kingdoms of Fesse and Algiers 5. Phthuth of more same then any of which more anon in Caesariensis 6. Nasabath 7. Sisaris and 8. Sorbetes in Africa Propria or the Kingdom of Tunes 8. Rubicatus which rising out of Mount Thambes falleth into the Mediterranean near Hippo Regius 9. Triton which issuing out of the hill called Vsaletus and making the great Fen called Tritonia Palus endeth its course also in the Mediterranean and finally 10. Bagradas the greatest in all this tract which rising out of Mount Atlas first runneth towards the East and then receiving from the hill called Mampsarus the addition of another Stream passeth directly Northward to the City of Vtica and there ends his course Having thus laid together the chief Metes and Land marks I should now proceed to the description of the several Provinces hereof as in other places But because each part almost hath had for these later times its particular History and that it is divided at the present into several Government and under the command of several Princes I will here lay down so much of the Storie of it as concerns the whole before such division and afterwards pursue the Historie and Chorographie of the several parts And for the whole we are to know that this Country was first peopled by Pâ—ut the third son of Cham who leaving his brother Mizraim well setled in the Land of Egypt passed towards the West and leaving Lehabim his nephew betwixt