Of Spain.

TO say nothing of Eng­land and Ireland, the most Western Country of Europe, is Spain, How Spain is bounded. which is bounded on the South with the Mediterranean, on the West with the Atlantick on the North with Oceanus Cantabricus, or the Spanish Seas, on the East with France, from which it is seve­red with certain Mountains, called Montes Pyrenei, or the Pyrenay hils.

If wee should enquire into the times that were before the com­ming of the Carthaginians and Ro­manes into Spaine, wee shall finde nothing but that which is either fa­bulous, or neere to fables:The Origi­nall names of the Coū ­t [...]ey of Spain. here it was first called Iberia, ab Ibero slu­mine, afterwards Hispania, ab Hispano, wee may take as a tradi­tion; but their Gargoris, their Habis, their Geryon exceed beliefe of any, but those that will take all reports on trust. It is certaine that the Syrians planted a Colony there in the Isle of Gades, corruptly now called Cadiz, or Cales: These troubled by their Neighbours desi­red aid of the Carthaginians, a flou­rishing neighbour commonwealth, descended of the Syrians, as well as themselves, who sent first to defend the Gaditanes against their neighbours, afterwards heartned on by their successe in their first Expe­dition; these Cathaginians, Carthagini­ans sent to defend the Gaditanes. succes­sively sent thither three Captains, Hamilcar, Hasdrubal and Hannibal, [Page 5]who for the most part subdued the Province, and held it, till by Scipio's and the Romane Forces, they were dispossessed of it: Yet for many years after, the fortunes of the Ro­manes stucke as it were in the sub­duing of that Province, so that from the time of the second Punick War, untill the time of Augustus, they had businesse made them in that Countrey continually, neither could they till then bring it peaceably into the forme of a Province.Spain once a Province of the Ro­man Empire

It continued a Province of the Romane Empire untill the time of Honorius the Emperour in whose dayes the Vandalls came in [...]o it, conquering and making it theirs; then the Gothes (the Ʋandalls ei­ther driven out, or called over into Africke) entring, erected there a Kingdome, which flourished for many yeeres,Saracens & M [...]es e­r [...]cted it a Kingdome. till by the comming of the Saracens and Moores, their Kingdome was broken, who set­ling themselves in Spaine, erected a Kingdome, changed the names of [Page 6]many places and Rivers, and gave them new names, such as they re­taine to this day, and continued for the space of some hundred of years mighty in that Countrey, till they were first subdued by Ferdinand: They were utter [...]y expelled by Philip the Third. afterwards, and that now lately utterly expelled by Philip the Third.

After the comming in of these Africans, in this Countrey there were many Kingdomes, as the Kingdome of Portugall toward the West; the Kingdom of Granado to­ward the South; the Kingdome of Navarre and Arragon, toward the East; and the Kingdome of Castile in the middle of the Land: but the whole Dominion is now under the King of Spain. Spain in for­mer [...] 12 sev [...]all Kingdomes.

As Damianus a Goes doth write in that Treatise intituled, Hispani [...], there were in times past twelve several Kingdomes in Spain, which hee nameth thus: Castellae antiquae & novae, Leonis Aragoniae, Por­tugalliae, Navar [...]ae, Granatae, Va­lentiae, [Page 7]Toleti, Galitiae, Algar­biorum, Murtiae, Cordubae: which is not to be wondred at, since in England, a farre lesse Country, there were in the time of the Saxons se­ven severall Kingdomes and Mo­narchies.

In the best Mappes of Spaine, the Armes of these severall Kingdomes do yet distinctly appeare: where for the Armes of Leons is given a Lion; which manifestly argueth, that whereas by some it is called Regnum Legionis, that name is false, for it is Leonis, sutable thereunto: for the Armes of Castile is given a Castle, which was the cause that Iohn of Gaunt, sonne to Edward the Third King of England, did quarter with the Armes of England the Castle and the Lion, as having maried Constance daughter to Peter King of Castile; and at this day the first and chiefe Coat of the King of Spain, is a Castle quartered with a Lion, in remembrance of the two Kingdomes of Castile and Leons.

In Corduba (as in times past it was called) standeth Andoluzia, neere unto which is the Island cal­led properly Gades, but since, by de­privation of the word, Cadiz, and commonly Cales, which was late­ly surprized by the English. The Kingdome of Granada, Granada [...]oo yeeres possessed by the Moores & Saracens which lyeth neerest to the Mediterranean, was by the space of seven hundred yeers possessed by the Moores and Sara­cens, who do confesse the Religion of Mahumet: the reason whereof Rodericus Toletanus in the third Book of his Story doth shew to be this;Rodericus Toletanus that whereas the Saracens af­ter Mahumets time, had spred themselves all along Africk, even unto the Western part of Barbary, a King of Spaine called Rodericus, employed (in an Embassage to them) one Iulian, a Nobleman of his, who by his wise demeanour, procured much reputation amongst the Moores; but in the time of his service, the King Rodericus destou­red the Daughter of the said Iulian; [Page 9]which the Father tooke in such in­dignation, that hee procured those Saracens to come over into Spaine, that so he might be revenged on his King; but when those barbarous people had once set foot in there, they could never be remooved, un­till the time of Ferdinando and E­lizabeth, King and Queen of Spain, about a hundred yeeres since. The Authour before named writeth, that before the comming of those Moores into Spaine the King Rode­ricus would needs open a part of a Palace, which had been shut long before, and had by discent from hand to hand beene forbidden to be entred by any: yet the King sup­posing there had beene great trea­sure therein, broke into it, but found nothing there, saving in a great Chest, the pictures of men, who resembled the proportion, At­tire, and Armour of the Moores, and a Prophecie joyned therewith­all,A strange and unex­pected pro­phecie. that at that time, when the Pallace should be entred, such a [Page 10]people as was there resembled, should invade and spoile Spaine; which fell out accordingly.

The Spaniards that now are, be a very mixt people, descended of the Gothes, which in former times possessed that Land, and of those Saracens and Iews, which are the basest people of the World.

Portugall added to the Kingdome of Spain.The Kingdome of Portugall did contain under it Regnum Algar­biorum, but both of them are now annexed unto Castile by the cun­ning of the King of Spaine, Philip the Second, who tooke the advan­tage after the death of Sebastian, who was slaine in Barbary, in the Yeere 1578. Then after him raig­ned Henry, who sometimes was Cardinall, and Vncle to Sebastian; in whose time, although shew was made that it should be lawfully de­bated, unto whom the Crowne of Portugall did belong, yet Philip meaning to make sure work, did not so much respect the right, as by main force invaded, and since (to the great griefe of the Portugals) [Page 11]hath kept it. The chiefe City of Por­tugall is Lisbone, Lisbone the chief City of Portugall. called in Latine Olysippo, from whence those Navi­gations were advanced, by which the Portugals discovered so much of their South part of Africk, & of the East Indies, possessed by them to this day. The City from whence the Castilians do set forth their ships to the West Indies, is Sevill, Sevill. called in Latine Hispalis. Another great City in Spain is Toledo, Toledo. where the Archbishopricke is the richest spiri­tuall dignity of Christendome, the Papacy onely excepted.

The mag­nificent greatnes of Spain and Portugall.In the time of Damianus à Goes, there were reckoned to be in Spain, foure Archbishoprickes of great worth, three other inferiour, and forty Bishopricks; as also in Portu­gall, three Archbishoprickes, and eight Bishopricks. Hee reckoneth up also in Spaine (besides the great Officers of the Crown) 17 Dukes, 41 Marquesses, 87 Earles or Coūts, & 9 Viscounts: as also in Portugall (besides the Officers of the Crown) six Dukes, 4 Marquesses, nineteen [Page 12]Earles, and one Vicount. In Spaine he saith are seven Vniversities. The Country is but dry, and so conse­quently barren, in comparison of some other places. What commodi­ties it doth yeeld, it may be seen in the Treatise of Damianus a Goes, which hee calleth his Hispa­nia.

Not onely this great and large Countrey heretofore divided into so many Kingdomes, is now under one absolute King, but that King also is Lord of many other Terri­tories: as namely, of the King­dome of Naples in Italy, and the Dutchy of Millaine, of the Isles of Sicily, Sardinia, Majorque, Minor­que, Evisa, In the mid-land Sea; of the Ilands of the Canaries in the Atlantique, besides divers strong Towns and goodly Havens in Bar­bary, within & without the Straits. On the back side of Africk he com­mands much on the Frontiery, be­sides the Islands adjoyning to the mayn Land. In the Western Indies [Page 13]he hath Mexico, Peru, Brasil, large Territories, with the Islands of the South, & the North Sea. And Philip the Second getting Portugall as a Dowry to that forc't Marriage, got also all the dependances of that Crown in Africke, the East Indies, and the Atlantique Sea, the Towns of Barbary and the East Indies willingly submitting themselves un­to him, but the Terceras hee wonne by force at the first and second Ex­pedition: so if we consider the huge tract of ground that is under this Kings Dominion,The Empe­ry of the Kingdome of Spain the great [...]st in the Chri­stian World. wee will say that the Empery of the King of Spain is in that respect the largest that now is, or ever was in the World.

Of France.

France how bounded.THE next Countrey is France, which is bounded on the West with the Pyrenie hils, on the North with the English Seas, on the East with Germany, on the South-east with the Alpe-hils, on the South­west with the Mediterranean Sea.

The Kingdome of France is for one entire thing,France, o [...] of the most absolute kingdomes of the World. one of the most rich and absolute Monarchies of the World, having both on the North and South side, the Sea stan­ding very convenient for profit of Navigation, and the land it selfe be­ing ordinarily very fruitfull. The consideration wherof caused Fran­cis the first King of France, to com­pare this Kingdome alone, to all the Dominions and Seigniories of Charles the fifth Emperour: for when the Herauld of the sayd Charles, bidding Defiance to King [Page 15] Francis, did give his Majestie the title of Emperour of Germany, King of Castile, Arragon, Naples, Sici­lie, &c. Francis commanded his Herauld to call him so often King of France, as the other had Titles by all his Countryes; implying that France alone was of as much strength and worth, as all the Countries which the other had.

Concerning this Argument, see the warlike and politike Discour­ses of Monsieur de la Nove. He who writeth the Commentaries of Re­ligion, and state of France, doth shew, that when there had beene of late in France, in the dayes of Francis the second, and Charles the ninth, three Civill warres, which had much ruinated the glo­ry and beauty of that Kingdome,Civil wars in France. when a little before the great Mas­sacre in the yeare one thousand five hundred seventy two, there had beene peace in that Country scant full two yeares, yet so great is the riches and happinesse of that [Page 16]Kingdome, that in that short time, all things were renewed and repai­red againe, as if there had never beene any such desolation.

Revenue of the Crowne of France exceeding great.The Revenue of the Crowne of France is exceeding great, by rea­son of the Taxes and Impositions, which through the whole King­dome are layd upon the subjects: for their Sizes and Toules doe ex­ceed all Imposts and tributes of all the Princes of Christendome; in as much as there are few things there used, but the King hath a commo­dity issuing out of them; and not onely from matters of Luxury, as in other States, but from such things as be of necessity, as Flesh, Wood, Salt, &c. It is supposed at this day, that there be in the King­dome thirty thousand men, who are Vnder-officers, and make a good part of their living by gathe­ring of the Kings tribute: This is much increased no doubt in these latter times: but yet of old it was in so great measure, which caused [Page 17]that speech of Maximilian the Em­perour, as Iohannes Aventinus wit­nesseth de Bello Turcico, who said, that the Emperour of Germany was Rex Regum, meaning that his Prin­ces were so great men; The King of Spaine was Rex hominum, be­cause his people would obey their Prince in any reasonable modera­tion; The King of England was Rex Diabolorum, because the sub­jects had there divers times depri­ved their Kings of their Crownes and dignitie: But the King of France was Rex asinorum, in as much as his people did beare very heavy burthens of taxes and impo­sitions.In France the offices of Iustice bought and sold. In this Kingdome of France is one great miserie to the subjects, that the places and offices of Iustice are ordinarily bought and sold, the beginning whereof was this: Lewis the 12. who was called a Father of the Country, began to pay the debts of his predecessour Charles the 7. (which were very great) and intending to recover unto France [Page 18]the Dukedome of Millaine, and minding not to burden his people further than was need, thought it a good course to set at sale all the Offices of the Crowne; but with the places of Iustice he did not meddle. But his successors after him tooke occasion also to make great profit of them, witnesse the Author, contra Machiavel. lib. 1. cap. 1. By the customes of that Countrey,The Cu­stome of France for mustering and pres­sing Soul­diers. the King of France hath not that abso­lute power to muster and presse out Souldiers, as in England, and some other places of Christendome the Princes have: But the manner is, when the King will set forward a­ny Military Service, he sendeth a­broad his Edicts, or causeth in Ci­ties and good Townes, the Drum to be strucken up, and whosoever will voluntarily follow, he is enrol­led. Notwithstanding he wanteth few Souldiers, because the Noble and Gentlemen of France, doe hold it their dutie, and highest ho­nour, both to attend the King unto [Page 19]the warres, and to beare their own charges yearely for many moneths. The person of the King of France hath in former time beene reputed so sacred, that Guicciardine saith of them, that their people have regarded them in that respect of devotion, as if they had beene de mi-gods. And Machiavel in his Questions upon Livie, saith, that they doted so upon their Kings, that they thought every thing did be­come them which they did, and that nothing could be more dis­gracefull, than to give any intima­tion, that such or such a thing was not well done by their King. But this opinion is now much decayed; the Princes of the bloud are in the next ranke under the King him­selfe.

Paris the chiefe City of France.There be many and very rich goodly Cities in France, but the chiefest of all is Paris, called Lute­tia, quasi Luto sita, as some have merrily spoken: which place is especially honoured, first by the [Page 20]presence of the King, most com­monly keeping Court and residence there; secondly, by the great store of goodly houses, whereof part be­long to Noble men, and part are houses of Religion; thirdly, by the Vniversity which is incomparably the greatest, most ancient, and best filled of all France: fourthly, in that it is the chiefe Parliament City of that Kingdome, without the ratifi­cation of which Parliament at Pa­ris, Edicts and Proclamations com­ming from the King, are not held authenticall; fiftly, by the great traf­fique of all kinde of Merchandize, which is used in that place.

The Parliament Cities in France, are places where their Termes are kept, and in severall provinces are 7. unto which the causes of inferi­our Courts within their distinct Provinces, may be brought by ap­peale; but the Parliament of Paris hath that prerogative, that appeales from all Courts of the Kingdome, doe lie there. That which we call [Page 21]our Parliament in England, is a­mongst them tearmed Conventus Ordinum, or the States.

The king­dome of France di­vided into three parts. France in ancient time (as Casar reporteth in the first of his Com­mentaries) was divided into three parts; Aquitania, which was to­wards the West; Celtica, towards the North and West; and Belgica which is towards the North. Belgi­um is sometime called Gallia inferi­or, and sometimes Germania inferi­or, but wee commonly call it the Low-Countries: the governement whereof at this day, is not at all un­der France, but Gallia Celtica, and Aquitania, are under the French King.

Gaules, the anci­ent inhabi­tants of France.The ancient inhabitants of this Countrey, were the Gaules, who possessed not onely all that we now call France, being the greatest part of that the Romans called Gallia Transalpina, but also a good part of Italy, which they call Gallia Cisal­pina, a people whose beginnings are unknowne: this of them is certaine, [Page 22]that they were a Nation of valour; for they not onely sackt Rome, but also carried their conquering armes into Greece, where they sate down, and were called by the name of Gallogrecians, or Galathians.

Some report also that they en­tred into Spaine, and subdued and inhabited that part which was cal­led Lusitania, now Portugallia; but howsoever their former victo­ries and greatnesse, they were by Julius Caesar subdued, and made a province of the people of Rome, and so continued under the Roman Empire till about foure hundred yeares after Christ, when in the ru­ine and dismembring of the Roman Empire, the French invaded Gaule, and erected a Monarchie, which hath continued to this day in the succession of sixty foure Kings, of three severall races; that is to say, the Merovingians, Carolovingians, and Capevingians, about twelve hundred yeares, and now flouri­sheth under Lewis the 13. the now [Page 23]raigning King of France.

Although the French have done many things worthily out of their owne Countrey, in the East against the Saracens, although they have for a while held Sicily, the King­dome of Naples, and the Dutchy of Millaine, yet it hath been observed of them, that they could never make good their footing beyōd the Alps, France one of the strongest kingdomes in all Eu­rope. or in other forraigne Regions, how­beit in it selfe France is one of the strongest kingdomes in all Europe at this day.

That which wee commonly call the Low-Countries, Of the Low Coun­tries, con­taining 17 severall Provinces. containeth se­venteene severall Provinces, wher­of the most part have severall Titles and Governours, as the Dukedome of Brabant, the Earledome of Flan­ders, &c. Of which the inheritance at severall times did fall on Daugh­ters, who being married unto the Heyre of some of the other Provin­ces, did in the end bring the whole Country into one entire governe­ment, which was commonly called [Page 24]by the name of the Dukedome of Burgundy; and yet so, that in the uniting of them together, it was by composition agreed, that the seve­rall Provinces should retaine their severall ancient lawes and liberties, which is the reason yeelded, why some of those Provinces in our age thinke themselves freed from obe­dience unto the King of Spaine, Note. un­to whom by inheritance they did descend, because he hath violated their liberties, to the keeping wher­of, at the first composition, he was bound. When this whole Country did belong unto the Crowne of France, the Dukedome of Burgun­dy was bestowed by Philip de Valois, King of France, unto Iohn de Valois a yonger sonne of his, from whom by descent it came at last to Charles the Bold, otherwise Proud, Duke of Burgundy, who left one onely daughter, and she was marri­ed to Maximilian the Emperour, of the house of Austria, from whom the inheritance descended unto [Page 25] Charles the fifth, Emperour, who yeelding it over to his sonne Philip the second, did charge him to in­treat that people well; which he forgetting to doe, under pretence of rooting out the profession of Re­ligion, did intangle himselfe, and all that Country with a very long, bloudy, and wearisome warre.

The riches of the States in Generall.There is no part of Europe, which for the quantity of the ground, doth yeeld so much riches and commo­dity, as the Low-Countries doe, be­sides their infinite store of shipping, wherein they exceede any Prince of Christendome. They were in time past accounted a very heavy dull people, and unfit for the wars, but their continuall combating with the Spaniards, hath made them now very ingenuous, full of action, and managers of great cau­ses appertaining to fights,The names of the 17. Provinces. either by Sea or Land. The 17. Provinces are these; Brabant, Gelderland, Ar­tois, Valencois, Luxenburg, Flaun­ders, Henault, Lile, Namurce, Hol­land, [Page 26]Zeland, Tornabum, Tornace­tium, Mechlin, Ʋtrecht, and the East and West Freezeland.

France hath many petty govern­ments that doe border upon it; as the Dukedome of Savoy, the State of the Switzers, the Dukedome of Loraine, the Burgundians, or Wal­loons, against all which, the King is forced to keep his frontier Towns.

The Salike Law.There is nothing more famous in this kingdome, than the Salique Law, whereby it is provided, that no woman, nor the heire of her (as in her right) shall injoy the Crown of France, but it goeth alwayes to the heire male.

The author of the Commentaries against Machiavel, reputeth it a great blessing of God, that they have the Salique law in France; and that not so much (saith he) because women by the infirmity of their sex are unfit to governe, for there­in many men who have enjoyed kingdomes, have been, and are very defective: but because by that [Page 27]meanes the Crowne of France is never indangered by marriage of a forraigner, to come under the subje­ction of a stranger. And this is the opinion of Philip de Comines, in the 8. Booke of his Commentaries. This Law is very ancient among them, so that it cannot certainly be defined when it was enacted: but by vertue therof,By this law E [...]w the 3. King of England, was put by the Crowne of France. Edward the third King of England, and his Heyres were cut off from inheriting the Crowne of France, whereunto by marriage of a daughter hee was heire in generall. And by reason of this Law, Henry the fourth, late King of France, rather injoyed that Dominion, than the Sonne of the Duke of Loraine, who was neerer of bloud by descending from the Elder daughter of King Henry the second.

The Swit­zers government.The Switzers are a people called in old time Helvetij, who have no Noblemen, or Gentlemen among them, but onely the Citizens of their Townes, the yearely Officers [Page 28]whereof, and their Councell, do go­verne their State.

23 Cities or Cantons in Switzer­land.There are in Switzerland, 23 Ci­ties or Townes, which they call their Canton; although some ra­ther thinke that name properly doth signifie the Rulers of those townes; and of them some doe re­taine to this day the Romish Religi­on, but some others have embraced the Gospell. The Countrey where they live, is not very fertile, and be­ing far from any Seas, they have no vent for their people, but by send­ing them forth as hired Souldiers, which for their pay doe fight often­times in Italy and France and some­times in Germany. Geneva. Neare unto one part of them, standeth Geneva, which is challenged by the Duke of Savoy, to have heretofore belonged to his Dominion; but they pretend themselves to be a free City; and by the helpe of Protestant Princes, but especially by some of the Hel­vetians, doe so maintaine it. In this place there is a rare Law, that if [Page 29]any malefactor,A rare and excellent Law. who hath fled out of his owne Country, be convinced of any grievous crime, he suffereth there, as if he were in his owne Countrey: which they are forced to doe, because their Cities would be full of all sorts of Runnagates, in as much as they stand on the Con­fines of divers Princes and States.

Of Germany.

THe next Countrey unto France on the East side, is Germany, Germany how bounded. which is boun­ded on the West with France, and the Low-Countries; on the North with Denmarke, and the Danish Seas; on the East with Prus­sia, Polonia, and Hungary; on the South East, with Istria and Jllyri­cum; on the South with the Alpe­hils, and with Italy.

The Governour generall of this [Page 30]Country,The Emp­rour go­vernour of Germany. Who be the 7. Electors. is called the Emperour of Germany, who is chosen by three spirituall Princes; the Archbishop of Colen, called Coloniensis, the Arch­bishop of Ments, called Mogunti­nus, and the Archbishop of Trevers, called Treverensis; and three tem­porall Princes, the Duke of Saxony, the Marquesse of Brandenburge, and the Count Palatine of Rhene: which if they cannot agree, as to make a Major part in their Election, then thè King of Bohemia hath also a voyce, whereof it commeth to be sayd, that there be seven Princes E­lectors of the Empire.

His manner of Election.The manner of the choise of the Emperour, was established by a de­cree, which is commonly called Bulla aurea, which was made by Charles the 4. Emperour of Ger­many, and King of Bohemia, wherin he doth set downe all the circum­stances of the Election of the Em­perour, and appointeth the King of Bohemia to be Sacri Imperij, Archi­pincerna, which is the Cup-bearer;

The 3. Bishops of Colen, Ments, and Trevers, to bee the Archchan­cellours of the three severall parts of the Empire; the Count Palatine of the Rhene, to be Sacri Imperij Archidapifer, which should have the setting on of the first dish, the Duke of Saxony, to be Sacri imperij Archimariscallus, whose office is to beare the sword; and the Marquesse of Brandenburg, to be Sacri Imperij Archi-Camerarius, or great Cham­berlaine; all which offices they sup­ply on the day of the Emperours Coronation.

The Empire went some­times by succession, and some­times by election.It appeares by all the Romane Stories, that in times past the Em­pire went sometimes by succession, as unto the sons of Constantine, and Theodosius, sometimes by election, and that either of the Senate, or of the Souldiers, who oftentimes also in mutiny did elect men unworthy, yet such as fitted their purpose: But now of late, the Electors do choose some Prince of Christendome, who hath otherwise a Dominion of his [Page 32]owne, which may helpe to back out the Empire, and therein of late hath appeared the great cunning of that which we call The house of Au­stria, whose greatest title within this 300. yeares, was to be a meane Count of a meane place, namely, the County of Haspurg. But since that time, they have so planted and strengthened themselves, that there have beene seven or eight Empe­rours lately of that family; but the Empire is not tyed unto them, as may appeare by the possibility, which the Duke of Saxony, and Francis the great King of France, had to ascend to that dignity.

When Charles the fift was cho­sen Emperour, one of the meanes whereby the possession hath beene continued to that house, hath beene the electing of some one to bee Rex Romanorum, whilest another of his Family was Emperour, which Charles the fift effected in his life time for his brother Ferdinandus, who after succeeded him;Ferdinand Emperour. and that [Page 33]hath been the attempt of Albertus late Cardinall, and now Archduke of Austria, that he might be establi­shed in the hope of the Empire, du­ring the life of his brother Rodolphus the Second, now Emperour and King of Bohemia: Rex Romanorum is he, who is farre already invested in title to the Empire, so that upon the death, resignation, or depo­sition of the then being Emperour, he is immediatly to succeed.

Hee who is now Emperour of Germanie, is called Caesar, or Ro­mani Imperij Imperator, Caesar, or Romans Imperij Imperator. but very improperly, in as much as the case is farre different from that which was when the Romane Empire did flourish: for then the Territories thereof were very great, all under the regiment of one man, unlesse it pleased him to associate to himselfe some other.The Empire divided by Theodosius. But Theodosius did di­vide the Empire into two Sove­raignties, which were called the East and West Empires, and made Constantinople to be the chiefe Seat of Arcadias, one of his Sonnes, and [Page 34] Rome to be the principall Citie of Honorius the other; which We­sterne Empire continued in his glo­ry but a while; for the Gothes and Lombards, and other barbarous people, did both over-run it, and as good as extinguish it; in the which case it continued to the dayes of Charles the Great, who revived it againe: but although there was some shew of Dominion belonging unto him in Italy, yet his principall residence was in France, and his Successours after him re­moved it into Germany: A great po­licy in the Bishops of Rome. so that pro­perly he is now to be called Impera­tor Germanorum. It was a great policy of the Bishops of Rome, that the Emperour was wrought to leave Jtaly, and keepe himself in Germany: for the Popes did not like to have a strong Neighbour so neer, who might at his pleasure chastise or depose them, if hee saw good. And the cunning of those Popes was such also, that they weakned the State of the Emperour excee­ding much in Germany, by giving [Page 35]great exemptions to the Princes thereof,Munsters complaint. in so much that Munster rightly complaineth.

The Emperour beareth the Spread-Eagle with two heads, noting the East and West Empire: (but saith hee) one of the heads is quite pulled off; and so be almost all the Fea­thers; and in the other Head, al­though life remayneth, yet there is little spirit or vigour.

Surius in his Commentaries of the yeare 1530 reporteth, that to the Emperour of Germany belong­eth three Crownes: the one of Silver, which intendeth the King­dome of Germany; the second of Iron, which is for the Kingdome of Lombardy, and the third of Gold,Most of the Princes of Germany take on them as absolute Governours which is for the Sacred Romane Empire.

In Germany all are at a kinde of commandement of the Emperour: but most of the Princes otherwise take on them as absolute Gover­nours in their Dominions: so that they have liberty of Religion; they [Page 36]do make Lawes, they do raise soul­diers, they doe stampe money with their owne Pictures as absolute Princes: so doth the Duke of Saxony, the Archbishop of Colen, & the rest.

The Princes of Germany came to that great strength of theirs, by meanes of a base and inferiour man,How they came by that great strength. who aspiring to the Empire (wher­of hee was unworthy) was con­tent to release unto the Princes al­most all kinde of their service and dutie; so that their subjection since that time, is little more than Ti­tulary, yeelding onely very small maintenance to the Empire, either in Tribute, Souldiers, or otherwise: and albeit sometimes they refuse not to come by themselves, or their Agents, to the Diets and Par­liaments holden by the Emperour, yet that is as much for the safeguard of themselves from the invasion of the Turke, who is not farre from them, as for any other respect; and the pay which they allow in such cases is rather held by them to be a [Page 37]contribution, than any impositiō to be admitted by duty: and yet there is extant a Book where the particu­lars are mentioned, how the Prin­ces and free Cities are bound to maintaine upon their owne charge three thousand eight hundred forty two Horses, and sixteene thousand two hundred Foot, for the service of the Emperour, when he shall see cause; but how small a triffle is that in respect of the strength of so huge a Countrey?

The Princes themselves are so strong many of them, that they dare encounter with any who op­pugne them, insomuch that whereas Charles the Fift, was doubtlesse the greatest Emperour that had beene from the dayes of Charles the Great; yet the Duke of Saxony, The strēgth of the Prin­ces of Ger­many. and the Lantsgrave of Hassia, with some few Cities which were con­federate with them, did dare to oppose themselves against the said Charles; and entring the field with him, did oftentimes put him to [Page 38]great inconveniences: yea, it is supposed by some, that howsoever hee had a hand upon these two, yet his inability to match the ruffling of some of those Princes, was not the least cause, why hee resigned the Empire to his Brother Ferdi­nando.

The manner of Germany is, that the Title of Nobility which is in the Father,The titles of their Nobi­lity. commonly is imparted to all the sonnes: so that every Sonne of a Duke of Saxony, is cal­led Duke of Saxony; and every Childe of the Count of Mans­field, is honoured by the name of Count or Countesse of Mans­field: but in the eldest House the chiefe livelihood doth remayne, for keeping upright the dignity of the Family.

Free States and Cities.There are also free States and Cities, which have the same au­thority, as Argentine, Frankeford, and other.

This is to be noted of the Ger­manes, that they may boast this a­bove [Page 39]other more Westernly Nati­ons of Europe, A note worthy of observation. that they are an un­mixed Nation: for whereas the Lombards and Gothes at severall times have set downe in Italy, and mixed themselves with the people thereof; the Gothes, Ʋandals, and Saracens in Spaine, the Francks in Gaule, or France, and the Normans also; the Saxons, Angles, Danes, and Normans in Great Brittaine; they have beene free from such inunda­tion and mixture; yea, many of the people that have inflicted and inha­bited these other Nations have come from thence, so that therein Germany hath an advantage of these other Nations that have been subject hereunto.

Of Italie.

ON the South side of the Alpes and Germany lyeth Jtaly, Situation of Italy. stretching it selfe out at length toward the South & East. It hath on the Southside, the Iland of Sicilia; on the East, that part of the Mediterranean, which is called Mare Adriaticum, or Ma­re superum, which severeth Italy from Graecia: on the Westside that part of the Mediterranean, which is called Mare Tyrrhenum, or Mare Inferum; and the upper or more Northerne part of it neere Liguria, Mare Ligusticum.

This Country for the figure ther­of, is by some likened unto a long leafe of a tree. It hath in the mid­dle of it, which goeth all in length a mighty Mountain, named Mons Apenuinus, which is likened unto the Spina, or Ridge-bone of the backe. Out of this Hill springeth [Page 41]divers Rivers, which run on both sides of it, into the Adriatick, and Tyrrhene or Tuscane Seas.

As in other Countries, so in Italy in times past, there were divers se­verall people, and severall Provin­ces,Jtaly divi­ded into foure parts. like our Shires in England, and so there be at this day: but the mayn division of Italy is properly into [...]oure parts, as in our age we do ac­count it. The first Lombardy, which [...]yeth to the North. The second Tuscane, which boundeth toward [...]he Mediterranean Sea, which way Corsica the Iland lyeth. The third is [...]he Land of the Church, which is the Territory of the Bishop of Rome, [...]nd containeth in it that which is [...]alled Romania; The fourth is Na­ [...]les; and in this division now is all [...]taly comprehended.

The North part of this Italy is that, which in ancient time was called Gallia Togata, or Gallia Cisalpina, [...]nhabited then by Frenchmen. It is [...]ow called Longobardia, or Lom­ [...]ardy, wherein stand many rich Go­vernmēts, [Page 42]vernmēts, as the Dukedom of Mil­lain, of Mantua, of Florence, and o­ther. It is for the pleasantnesse ther­of, in respect of the soyle, ayre, wa­ters, and great variety of wines, and fruits,Lombardy the Garden of God. likened now by some to Pa­radice, or the Garden of God.

In this Italy, which was hereto­fore one entire government, in the flourishing estate of the Romans, are now many absolute States and Princedomes, by the great policy o [...] the Bishop of Rome, The policy of the Bi­shops of Rome. who though [...] it the best way to make himself great, to weaken the Empire. So h [...] hath not onely driven the Emperou [...] out of all Joaly into Germany, bu [...] hath diminished his Majesty i [...] both, by making so many petty go­vernments, which hold themselue [...] soveraigne Rulers, without relatio [...] to any other.

The States of Venice.As there are many States in Italy so one of the chiefest are the Veneti­ans, called Resp. Venetorum, or th [...] State of Venice, because they are no [...] governed by any one, but by the [...] [Page 43]Senate & Gentlemen, although they have a Duke with whose stampe their mony is coyned, and in whose name all their executions of Iustice are done. But this Duke is every way limited by the State.

City of Ve­nice.This City of Venice, which joyneth to a corner of Lombardy, standeth in Aestuarium, or shallow of earth, in the North part of the Adriaticke Sea, so safely, that it is held invinci­ble. There is in it but one street of firme Land; into the other, the Sea doth flow at every tide. They have been a great & rich State, not onely [...]ossessing much in Italy, as Padua their Vniversity, and other things which still they do, but a great part of Illiricum, & many rich Ilands in the Mediterraneum, as Candy called commonly Creta, Cyprus, Zazin­ [...]hus, and other.

But Cyprus was taken from them a [...]ittle before that fight at Sea, wherin Don Iohn of Austria, together with [...]he Venetians, had so renowned a vi­ [...]tory against the Turk, at the fight [...]eer Lepanto.

The Ʋene­tians impo­verished.The impoverishing of their State hath partly bin by the incroching of the Turk, but especially by the de­caying of that traffique which they had to Alexandria in Egypt for their Spices, and other riches of Persia, Arabia, and the East Indies, since the course of the Portugals to those Eastern Countries hath been by Sea by the backside of Africa.

These Venetians, which in time past were great warriours, do now altogether decline enmity or hostili­ty with all other Princes adjoyning and therfore by all means do take u [...] quarrels, and cease controversies b [...] wisdome and patience, temporizin [...] with the Turk, the King of Spain and the Emperour, who are mos [...] like to offend them.

The manner of their governmen [...] and the excellent course which the [...] have in chusing their Duke, is writ­ten by Contarenus, The excel­leney of their go­vernment. and some othe [...] of their Countrymen. When the [...] do make any warres, they seldom [...] send forth any General of their own [Page 45]but entertaine some Prince of Ita­ly, who is renowned for the warres.

In Lombar­dy standeth Millain.In Lombardy standeth also the Dukedom of Millain, a most rich & pleasant thing, which sometime had beene governed by a Duke of their own, but of late hath been possessed by the Spaniard, & sometime by the French, and is now in the govern­ment & possession of the K. of Spain.

Tuscany. Flo ence.In Tuscany, the chiefe City, and Commander of all the rest, is Flo­rence, where is supposed to be the best language of Italy, called the vulgar Italian, and the most circum­spect policy of all the governments of Christendome, which hath much bin increased since the time of Ma­chiavel, who was Secretary or Re­corder to that State. This was in times past a free City, but of late by the policy of the Family of the Me­dices, it is brought under the subje­ction of a Duke, which raigneth as an absosute Prince; and by little and little, hath so incroched on his own Citizens and Neighbours round a­bout [Page 46]him, that hee hath gotten to be called (and that not unworthily) Magnus Dux Hetruriae, or the great Duke of Tuscany. The great Duke of Tuscany. A great part of the rising of the Family of the Medi­ces, which are now Dukes of Flo­rence, may be ascribed to the cun­ning carriage of themselves; but it hath been much advanced forward by their felicitie, in having two Popes together of that house, which were Leo the Tenth, and Clement the Seventh, who by all means la­boured to stablish the government of their Country upon their kindred; and it made not the least accesse thereunto, that affinity was contra­cted by them with the Kings of France, when Katherine de Medi­ces, Neece to Pope Clement the Se­venth, was married to the younger sonne of Francis the first, whose el­der brother dying, that younger came to be King of France, by the name of Henry the Second: for as in the time of her Husband she layd the foundation of her aspiring, so after [Page 47]the death of the sayd husband, when she bare the name of the Queene Mother. This Queen Mother sway­ed all at her pleasure in France du­ring the successive raigne of her three sonnes, Francis the Second, Charles the ninth, and Henry the third: in all which time, no doubt, she promoted Florence and the Flo­rentines to her uttermost.

A great part of Italy un­der the Bi­shop of Rome.A good part of Italy is under the Bishop of Rome, which is common­ly called, The land of the Church; where the Pope is a Prince absolute, not only spirituall as elsewhere hee claymeth, but also temporall, ma­king Lawes, requiring Tribute, rai­sing Souldiers, & executing Iustice as a Monarch.

The Bishops of Rome do pretend, that Constantine the Great did be­stow upon them the City of Rome, together with divers other Cities and Towns, neere adjoyning, and the Demeans of them all to be as the Patrimony of Saint Peter, as many times they do tearme it. But Lau­rentius [Page 48]Valla, in his set Treatise of this argument, hath displayed the falshood of that pretence; and in truth, the greatnesse of the Popes hath risen first by Phocas, who kil­ling his Master the Emperour of Rome, The manner of the rising of the Popes great­nesse. and being favoured by the Bishop of that Sea, and so aspiring himself to the Empire, did in recom­pence thereof, suffer the Bishop of Rome to be proclaimed Vniversall Bishop; and of likelihood gave unto him somewhat to maintain his e­state. And afterward King Pipin of France, and Charles the Great his sonne, getting (by means of the said Bishop) the Kingdome of France, and the one of them to the Empire, did bestow good possessions upon the Papacy; and since that time the Popes have had so much wit, as by destruction of the Princes of Italy, by encroaching on the favour of o­thers, the great Monarchs of Eu­rope, and by their warres and other devices, to keepe and increase that Land of the Church, which in our [Page 49]time is well inlarged by the policy of Clement the Eighth, late Pope, who hath procured that the Duke­dome of Ferrara, is or shalbe short­ly added to his Dominion.

Rome the chief resi­dency of the Pope.The chief residence of the Bishop of Rome, is Rome it selfe, which was first founded by Romulus, and after­wards so increased by others, who succeeded him, that it was built up­on seven hils, & hath had only raign­ing in it seven Kings; and hath been ruled by seven severall sorts of chief government: that is, Kings, Consuls, Decem-viri, Tribunes of the people, Dictators, Emperours, and Popes.

They first incroached on the neighbours about them in Italy, af­terwards on all Italy, Sicily, & some of the Ilands, till at length it proved to be the Lady and chief Mistresse of the world: whose incredible wealth and greatnes in men, treasure, ship­ping, and armour, was so huge, that it did even sink under the wealth of it self. Wherupon after divers civill wars, as between Marius and Sylla, [Page 50]Pompey and Caesar, with others, it was at length revoked unto one ab­solute and Imperiall government. The Majesty wherof notwithstand­ing was afterward somewhat im­payred by the building of Constan­tinople, which was erected, or ra­ther inlarged by Constantine. the Great, and called Nova Roma. But when the division was made of the East and West Empire, it received a greater blow, yet the main over­throw of it was, when the Gothes and Vandals entred Italy, sacked it, and possessed it at their own plea­sure; so that it was (for a time) al­most quite forsaken, and had no in­habitants, till the Bishops of Rome did make means to gather together some to people it againe: and since those times, a good part of the old building upon the Hils, hath beene quite decayed & ruinated, and that Rome which now may be called (in comparison of the old) new Romes is built on a lower ground, where the place was, which in times past [Page 51]was termed Campus Martius, very neer unto Tyber the River, which too well appeareth by the sudden inundation of that Tyber; destroy­ing and spoyling, men, cattell, and houses, as very lately to their great losse was experimented.

The Bishops of Rome, as some­times for their pleasure or profit, they do withdraw themselves unto Bologna, or some other Townes of Italy: so the time was when they removed their court unto Avignon a City in France, standing neer the Mediterranean soa, and not far from Marsiles in Province, where conti­nuing for the space of seventy yeers, they so afflicted the Citie of Rome, for lack of resort (which is very great when the Pope is there) that the Italians to this day do remem­ber that time by the name of the Captivity of Babylon, which conti­nued (as appeareth by the Scripture) for seventy yeeres. Who so looketh on the description laid down by the Holy Ghost in the Revelation shall [Page 52]see, that the Whore of Babylon there mentioned, can be understood of no place, but the Citie of Rome.

In the South part of Italy lyeth the Kingdome of Naples, which is a Country very rich,Nap'es lyeth in the South part of Italy. and full of all kind of pleasure, abundant in Nobi­lity; whereof commeth to be said that Proverb, Naples for Nobilitie, Rome for Religion, Millain for Beauty, Florence for Policie, and Ve­nice for Riches.

This was heretofore ruled by a King of their own, till the time of Ioane Queene of Naples, who by deed of gift, did first grant that Kingdom to the Kings of Arragon in Spain; and afterward by will, with a revocation of the former Grant, did bequeath it to the house of Anjoy in France. Since which time the Kingdome of Naples hath sometimes been in the hands of the Spaniard, somtimes possessed by the French, and is now under the King of Spain: The Duke­dome of Ca­labria. unto this is annexed also the Dukedome of Calabria.

This Kingdome of Naples lyeth so neere to some part of Graecia, which is now in possession of the Turke, that it may justly be feared, lest at some time or other, the said Turke should make an invasion thereunto, as indeed hee hath offered divers times, and sometimes hath landed men to the great terrour of all Italy: but for the preventing of that mis­chiefe, the King of Spain is inforced to keep a good Fleet of Gallies con­tinually at Otranto, where is the neerest passage from Italie, into Greece. I his part of Italie was it which in times past was named Magna Graecia, but in later ages it hath been unproperly called one of the Sicilies, which was reprooved long since by Aeneas Sylvius, in his twelfth Epistle; and yet till of late time, the Kings of Spain have been tearmed Kings of both the Sicilies.

Divers Prince­domes and States of Italy.There be moreover in Jtaly many other Princedomes and States, as the Dukedom of Ferrara, the Duke­dome of Mantua, the Dukedome [Page 54]of Ʋrbine, the Dukedome of Par­ma and Placentia, the State of Luca, the State of Genua, commonly cal­led the Genowayes, which are go­verned by their Senate, but have a Duke as they have at Venice. There be also some other, by which means the glory and strength of Italy is decayed.

Of Denmarke, Sweden, and Norway.

AS Italy lyeth on the South side of Germany, Denmars situation. so Den­mark lieth on the North; into the middle of which Land, the Sea breaketh in by a place called the Sound. The Impost of which passage bringeth great rich­es, as an ordinary tribute unto the King of Denmark. This is a King­dome, and ruled by an absolute Go­vernour.

On the North and East side of Denmarke, Sweden. lyeth Suezia, commonly [Page 55]called Sweden, or Swethen; which is also a Kingdome of it self: Where the King professeth himselfe to be Rex Suecorum, Gothorum & Vanda­lorum: Wherby we may know that the Gothes and Ʋandals, which in times past did waste Jtaly, and other Nations of Christendom, did come out of this Country.

This whole Country which con­taineth in it Norvegia, Suezia, and some part of Denmarke, is Peninsu­la, being very much compassed a­bout with the Sea: and this is it, which in Olaus Magnus & Joannes Magnus, is termed Archiepiscopus Vpsalensis, as also in some of the more ancient Writers, is called Scā ­dinavia: on the North and West side of Sweden, lyeth Norvegia, Norvegia, or Norway. or Norway, which is at this day under the government of the King of Denmarke, although heretofore it hath been a free Kingdome of it self.

Beyond Norway toward Russia, on the Northern Sea lyeth Scrichi­via, beyond that Biarmia, then Hap­ia, or Hapland, Hapland. a poore and cold [Page 56]Countrey, neere Sinus Boddicus: whereof there is little to be spoken, but that it is said to be subject to the great Knez or Duke of Muscovie. But of these afterwards.

Within the Sound, on the East part of the Sea,Dantzike. lyeth Dantzike, a­bout which are the Townes of the Haustmen, Confederates and Allies unto the King of Denmarke.

These are very rich towns, by rea­son of Merchandize which downe the rivers they receive out of Polo­nia, and transport into other parts of Christendome, through the Sound of the King of Denmarke. They live as free people, keeping amity & en­tercourse with the Kings of Sweden and Denmark, and with the Empe­rour of Germany: but within these late yeers, Steven Bacour, the King of Polon, doth challenge them to be members of his Crown and Digni­ty, and by warre forced them to ca­pitulate with him.

There is no great thing to be no­ted in these Countries; but that from Denmarke commeth much [Page 57]corne, to the supply of other parts of Christendome; and that from all these Countries, is brought great furniture for warre, or for shipping;Riches of Denmarke. as Masts, Cables, Steele, Saddles, Ar­mour, Gunpowder, and the like: And that in the seas adjoyning to these parts, there are fishes of much more monstrous shape than else­where are to be found. The people of those Countries are by their pro­fession Lutherans for Religion.Their Re­ligion.

Of Russia, or Moscovia.

Russia situate.ON the East side of Sweden, beginneth the Dominion of the Emperor of Russia, although Russia, or Mos­covia it selfe, doe lie somewhat more into the East, which is a great and mighty Monarchy, ex­tending it selfe even from Lapland and Finmarke, many thousand miles in length, unto the Caspian sea: so that it containeth in it a great part [Page 58]of Europe, and much of Asia also.

Emperour of Russia.The governour there, calleth himselfe Emperour of Russia, Great Duke of Moscovia, with many o­ther titles of princedomes and Ci­ties, whose Dominion was very much inlarged by the Emperour not long since dead, whom in Rus­sia they call Iuan Vasiliwich, in the Latine, Iohannes Basilides, who raigning long, and being fortunate in warre, did very much inlarge this mighty Dominion.

This man as in his younger daies he was very fortunate, and added very much unto the glory of his ancestors, winning something from the Tartars, and something from the Christians in Livonia, Litua­nia, and other confines of his coun­trey: so in his latter age growing more unweldy and lesse beloved of his subjects, hee proved as unfortu­nate, whereby it came to passe, that Stephen Bacour King of Polone, had a very great hand of him, winning from him large Provinces, which [Page 59]he before had conquered. Gregory the thirteenth, Bishop of Rome, thinking by his intreaty for peace betweene those two Princes, to have woon the whole Russian Mo­narchy to the subjection and ac­knowledgment of the Papacy,Possevinus a Iesuite sent by the Pope to the Emperour. sent Robertus Possevinus, a Iesuite, (but yet a great States-man) as his agent to take up controversies, betweene the Muscovite, and the King of Po­lone, who prevailed so farre, as that he drew them to tolerable conditi­ons, for both parties; but when he began to exhort him to the accep­ting of the Romish faith, the Em­perour being therefore informed by the English Ambassadors (who he very much favoured, for his Lady, and Mistresse, Queene Elizabeths sake) that the Bishop of Rome was a proud Prelate, and would exercise his pretended authority so far, as to make Kings and Princes hold his stirrop, yea to kisse his very feet, he utterly and with much scorne reje­cted all obedience to him. Where­unto, [Page 60]when Possevinus did reply,A fine ex­cuse for the Popes pride that the Princes of Europe indeed in acknowledgement of their subje­ction to him, as the Vicar of Christ, and successour of S. Peter, did offer him that service, as to kisse his feet, but that the Pope remembring him­selfe to be a mortall man, did not take that honour as due unto him­selfe, but did use to have on his Pan­tophle the Crucifixe, or Picture of Christ, hanging upon the Crosse, and that in truth he would have the reverence done thereunto: the Em­perour did grow into an exceeding rage, reputing his pride to bee so much the greater, when he would put the Crucifixe upon his shooe;The Empe­rours rage against the Pope. in as much as the Russians doe hold, that so holy a thing as that is highly prophaned, if any resemblance of it be worne but above the girdle.

Possevinus, in a treatise written of his Embassage into that Coun­trey, where hee discourseth this whole matter,Possevinus feare of the Emperour. confesseth, that hee was much afraid, lest the Emperour [Page 61]would have strucken him, and bea­ten out his braines with a shrewd staffe which then hee had in his hands, & did ordinarily carry with him: and he had the more reason so to feare, because that Prince was such a tyrant, that he had not onely slaine, and with cruell torture put to death very many of his subjects, and Nobility before, shewing himselfe more brutishly cruel to them, than ever Nero and Caligula were a­mong the Romans; but he had with his owne hands, and with the same staffe, upon a small occasion of an­ger, killed his eldest sonne, who should have succeeded him in his whole Empire.

The people of this countrey, are rude and unlearned,Chiefe people rude and unlear­ned. so that there is very little or no knowledge a­mongst them of any liberall or in­genuous Art; yea their very Priests & Monks (wherof they have many) are almost unlettered, so that they can hardly do any thing more than reade their ordinary service: And [Page 62]the rest of the people are, by reason of their ignorant education, dull and uncapable of any high under­standing; but very superstitious, ha­ving many ceremonies, and Idola­trous Solemnities; as the consecra­ting of their Rivers, by their Patri­arch at one time of the yeare, when they thinke themselves much san­ctified by the receiving of those hal­lowed waters; yea, and they bathe their Horses and Cattell in them; and also the burying of most of their people with a paire of Shooes on their feet, as supposing that they have a long journey to goe, and a letter in their hand to S. Nicholas, whom they reverence as a speciall Saint, and thinke that he may give them entertainement, for their rea­dier admission into heaven.

The Muscovites generally have received the Christian Faith; but yet so, that rather they doe hold of the Greeke, Difference betweene the Greeke and Latin Church. and the Easterne, then of the Westerne Roman Church.

The doctrines wherin the Greek [Page 63]Church differs from the Latine, are these: First they hold that the holy Ghost proceeds from the Father a­lone, and not from the Sonne. Se­condly, that the Bishop of Rome is not the universall Bishop. Thirdly, that there is no Purgation. Fourth­ly their Priests doe marry; and fift­ly they doe differ in divers of their ceremonies, as in having foure Lents in the yeere, whereof they doe call our Lent, their great Lent.

At the time of the Councell of Florence, There was some shew made by the Agents of the Greeke Church, that they would have joy­ned in opinion with the Latines: but when they returned home, their Countrey-men would in no sort assent thereunto.

In the Northerne parts of the do­minion of the Emperour of Russia, which have lately been joyned un­to his territories, as specially Lap­land, Biarmia, and thereabouts,The people of Lapland very hea­thenish. there are people so rude and heathe­nish, that (as Olaus Magnus wri­teth [Page 64]of them) looke whatsoever living thing they doe see in the morning at their going out of their doors, yea, if it be a Bird, or a worm, or some such other creeping thing, they doe yeeld a divine Worship, & Reverence thereunto for all that day, as if it were some inferiour God. Damianus a Goes hath written a pretty Treatise describing the manners of those Lappians: The greatest part of the Country of Rus­sia is in the winter so exceeding cold,The extra­ordnary sharpnesse of the weather in winter. that both the Rivers are frozen over, the Land covered with snow, and such is the sharpenesse of the Ayre, that if any goe abroad bare faced, it causeth their flesh in a short time to rot, which befalleth to the fingers and toes of divers of them: therefore for a great part of winter, they live in Stoues and Hot-houses: and if they be occasioned to goe a­broad, they use many Furs; whereof there is great plenty in that Coun­try, as also wood to make fire: but yet in the summer time, the face of [Page 65]the soyle, & the ayre is very strange­ly altered, insomuch that the Coun­try seemeth hot, the Birds sing very merrily, & the trees; grasse, & corn, in a short space do appeare so cheer­fully, greene, and pleasant, that it is scant to be beleeved, but of them which have seene it.

Their building is most of wood, even in their chiefe citie of Mosco, Their buildings of wood. insomuch, that the Tartars (who lie in the North-east of them) brea­king oft into their countries, even unto the very Mosco, doe set fire on their Cities, which by reason of their woodden buildings, are quick­ly destroyed.

Their go­vernment.The maner of government which of late yeers hath bin used in Russia, is very barbarous, & little lesse than tyrannous: for the Emperour that last was, did suffer his people to be kept in great servility, & permitted the Rulers & chiefe Officers at their pleasures, to pill & ransack the com­mon sort; but to no other end, but that himselfe might take occasion [Page 66](when he thought good) to call thē in question for their misdemeanor, and so fill his own coffers with flee­cing of them: which was the same course the old Roman Emperor did use, calling the deputies of the Pro­vinces by the name of Spunges, whose property is to sucke up wa­ter, but when it is full, then it selfe is crushed, and yeeldeth forth liquor for the behalfe of another.

The passage by Sea into this country.The passage by Sea into this coun­try, which was wont to be through the Sound, and so afterward by land was first discovered by the English; who with great danger of the fro­zen seas, did first adventure to sayle so far North, as to compasse Lapland, Finmark, Scricfinia & Biarmia, and so passing to the East by Noua Zem­bla, half the way almost to Cathaio, have entred the River called Ob, by which they disperse themselves for merchandize both by water and land, into the most parts of the Do­minion of the Emperour of Russia.

The first attempt.The first attempt which was made [Page 67]by the English, for the entrance of Moscovia, by the North Seas, was in the dayes of King Edw. the 6. at which time the Merchants of Lon­don procuring leave of the King, did send forth Sir Hugh Willoby, with shipping and men, who went so far toward the North, that he coasted the corner of Scricfinia, & Biarmia, and so turned toward the East: but the weather proved so extream, the snowing so great, & the freezing of the water so vehement, that his ship was set fast in the Ice; and there he & his people were frozen to death, and the next yeer some other com­ming from England, found both the Ship and their bodies in it, & a per­fect remembrance in writing of all things which they had done & dis­covered; where amongst the rest, mētion was made of a Land which they had touched, which to this day [...]s known by the name of Sir Hugh Villobies Land. Sir Hugh Willobies Land. The Merchants of London did not desist to pursue this discovery, but have so far prevailed, that they have reached one halfe [Page 68]of the way, toward the East part of Chyna, and Cathaio; but the whole passage is not yet opened.

This Em­pire one of the greatest to the world.This Empire is at this day, one of the greatest dominiōs in the world, both for compasse of ground, & for multitude of men; saving that it ly­eth far North, and so yeeldeth not pleasure or good traffique, with ma­ny other of the best situated nations.

Among other things which doe argue the magnificence of the Em­perour of Russia, this one is recor­ded by many, who have travelled into those parts, that when the great Duke is disposed to sit in his magnificence, besides great store of Iewels, and abundance of massie plate both of gold and silver, which is openly shewed in his hall, there doe sit as his Princes, and great Nobles, cloathed in very rich and sumptuous attyre, divers men, ancient for their yeares, very seem­ly of countenance, and grave, with white long beards, which is a goodly shew, besides the rich state of the thing. But Olaus Magnus, [Page 69]man well experienced in those Northerne parts, doth say, (how truely I cannot tell) that the man­ner of their sitting is a notable fraud and cunning of the Russian; in as­much as they are not men of any worth, but ordinary Citizens of the gravest, and seemliest counte­nance, which against such a solem­nity, are picked out of Mosco, and other places adjoyning, and have robes put on them, which are not their owne, but taken out of the Emperours Wardrope.

Of Spruce and Poland.

Prussia bow situated.IN Europe, on the East and North corner of Germany, lyeth a Countrey called Prus­sia, in Latine most times Borus­sia in English, Pruthen, or Spruce, of whom little is famous, saving that they were governed by one, in a kinde of order of Religion, whom they call the Grand-Master: and that they are a meanes to keepe the [Page 70] Moscovite, & the Turke from some other parts of Christendome.

This countrey is now growne to be a Dukedome, & the Duke there­of doth admit traffique with our English, who going beyond the Hants townes, doe touch upon his countrey; & amongst other things, doe bring from thence a kinde of leather, which was wont to be used in Ierkins, and called by the name of Spruce-Leather-Jerkins. Spruce Leather.

On the East side of Germany, be­tweene Russia and Germany, lyeth Polonia, Polands Situation. or Poland, which is a king­dome differing from others in Eu­rope; because the King there is cho­sen by Election out of some of the Princes neere adjoyning, as lately Henry the third, King of France. These Elections oftentimes doe make great factions there; so that in taking parts, they grow often there into civill warre.

The King of Polonia is almost continually in warre, either with the Moscovite, who lyeth in the East and North-east of him; or with [Page 71]the Turke, who lyeth on the South and South-east, and sometimes also with the Princes of Germany; whereupon the Poles do common­ly desire to choose warriours to their King.

In this Countrey are none but Christians: but so,Their di­vers Reli­gions. that liberty of all Religion is permitted, insomuch, that there be Papists, Colledges of Jesuites, both of Lutherans and Calvinists in opinions, Anabaptists, Arrians, and divers others.

They hate the IesuitesBut of late yeares, there hath bin made earnest motions in their Par­liaments, that their Colledges of Iesuites should bee dissolved, and they banished out of that King­dome, as of late they were from France. The reason of it is, because that under colour of Religion, they doe secretly deale in State causes, and many times sow seditions, and some of them have given counsell to murther Princes: and whereso­ever they be, they are the onely in­telligencers for the Pope: besides that, many of the Papists (but espe­cially [Page 72]all their Friers and orders of Religion) doe hate and envy them: first, for that they take upon them with such pride to be called Iesuites, as if none had to doe with Iesus but they, and are more inward with Princes than the rest are. Se­condly, because many of them are more learned than common Monks and Fryers. And thirdly, because they professe more strictly and se­verely, than others doe, the Capu­chins onely excepted.

Their chiefe Citie Cracovia.This is that Countrey, which in times past was called Sarmatia, the chiefe Citie whereof is named Cra­covia.

Of Hungaria and Austria.

Hungaria situated.ON the South-East side of Germany, lyeth Hungaria, called in the Latine, Pan­nonia, which hath beene heretofore divided into Pannonia superior, & Pannonia inferior: it is an absolute Kingdome, and hath beene [Page 73]heretofore rich and populous. The Christians that doe live there, have among them divers sorts of Religi­on, as in Poland.

This Kingdome hath bin a great obstacle against the Turkes com­ming into Christendome; but espe­cially in the time of Iohan. Hunia­des, who did mightily, with many great victories repulse the Turke. Here standeth Bunda, which was heretofore a great Fortresse of Christendome:Bunda: but the glory of this kingdome is almost utterly de­caied, by reason that the Turke, who partly by policy, & partly by force, doth now possesse the greatest part of it; So that the people are fled from thence, and the Christians which remaine there, are in misera­ble servitude: Notwithstanding some part of Pannonia inferior, doth yet belong to Christendome.

The Turks for the space of these forty or fifty yeares last past, have kept continuall garrisons, and many times great Armies in that part of Hungary, which yet remaineth [Page 74]Christned; yea, and sometimes the great Turks themselves have come thither in person with huge hosts, accounting it a matter of their Re­ligion, not onely to destroy as ma­ny Christians as they can, but also to win their land; by the reve­nues whereof they may maintaine some Religious house, which they think themselves in custome bound to erect: but so, that the maintay­ning thereof is by the Sword to be wonne out of the hands of some of those whom they hold enemies to them.

Hungary is become the onely Cockpit of the world, where the Turkes doe strive to gaine, and the Christians at the charge of the Em­perour of Germany (who entituleth himselfe King of Hungary) doe la­bour to repulse them: and few Summers doe passe, but that some­thing is either wonne or lost, by ei­ther party.

The corner of Germany which lyeth neerest to Hungary, or Panno­nia inferior, Austria. is called Austria, or Pan­nonia [Page 75]superior, which is an Arch­dukedome. From which house (be­ing of late much sprung) come ma­ny of the Princes of Germany, and of other parts of Europe: so that the Crown imperiall of Germany, hath lately oft befallen to some one of this house.

In this Country standeth Vienna, Ʋienna. that noble citie, which is now the principall Bulwarke of Christen­dome against the Turke; from whence Solyman was repelled by Ferdinandus King of Hungary, in the time of the Emperour Charles the fift. It was in this countrey, that Richard the first, King of England, in his returne from the Holy land, was taken prisoner by the Arch­duke of Austria, and so put to a grievous ransome.

There were lately divers bro­thers of the Emperour Rodolphus the second, which were al called by the name of Archdukes of Austria, Archdukes of Austria. according to the maner of the Ger­mans, who give the titles of the Fa­thers nobility to all the children. [Page 76]The names of them were Mathias, Ernestus, & the youngest Albertus, who for a good space held by dis­pensation from the Pope, the Arch­bishopricke of Toledo in Spaine al­though he were no Priest, and had then also the title of Cardinall of Austria, & was imploied for Vice­roy of Portugall, by Philip the 2, King of Spaine: but after the death of the Duke of Parma, hee was sent as Lievtenant generall, & governor of the Low-Countries for the K. of Spaine, where since he hath attained to the marriage of the Infanta Isa­bella Eugenia Clara, eldest daugh­ter to K. Philip the second, and last King of Spaine, and by her hath hee the stile of Duke of Burgundy, al­though peaceably he cannot enjoy a great part of that Country.

Thorow both Austria and Hun­gary doth runne the mighty river Danubius, as thorow Germany doth run the Rheine, The River of Rhine. whereon groweth Vinum Rhenanum, commonly cal­led Rhenish wine.

Of Greece, Thracia, and the Countries neer adjoyning.

Situation of Dacia.ON the South side of Hun­gary, and South-east, lieth a Countrey of Europe, cal­led in old time Dacia, which is large and wide, compre­hending in it Transylvania, Wala­chia, Transylva­nia, Walachia. Moldavia, Servia. Moldavia, & Servia. Of which little is famous, save that the men are warlike, and can hardly be brought to obedience. They have lately bin under the K. of Hungary.

These Countries of Transylva­nia, Walachia, and Moldavia, have certaine Monarchs of their owne, whom they call by the name of Vognode, which do rule their coun­tries with indifferent mediocrity, while they have the sway in their own hands, but confining upon the Turk, they are many times oppres­sed, & overcome by him, so that of­ten they are his tributaries: yet by the wildnesse of the country, & un­certaine disposition of the Rulers [Page 78]and their people, he never hath any hand long over them, but some­times they maintaine warre against him, & have slaine downe some of his Bassaes, comming with a great Army against them; by which oc­casion it falleth out, that hee is glad now and then to enter confederacy with them: so doubtfull a kinde of regiment is that, which now adaies is in those Countries.

The river Danubius doth divide this Dacia from Mysia, commonly called Bulgaria, and Russia, which lyeth on the South from Danubius, and is severed from Graecia by the mountaine Haemus. The moun­taine Haemus.

This mountaine is that, whereof they reported in times past though but falsly, that who so stood on the top thereof, might see the sea foure severall wayes, to wit, East, West, North and South: under pretence of trying which conclusion, (not Philip Alexanders Father, but a lat­ter Philip, King of Macedonia) did goe up to that hill, when in truth his meaning was secretly to meet [Page 79]with others there, with whom hee might joyne himselfe against the Romans, which was shortly the o­verthrow of that kingdome. It should seeme, that about this mountaine, it is very cold, by reason of that jest which Athenaeus repor­teth Stratonicus to have uttered concerning that hill, when he said, that for eight moneths in the yeare it was very cold, and for other four, it was Winter.

Graecia bounded.From Haemus toward the South, lyeth Graecia, bounded on the West by the Adriatike sea, on the East by the Thracian sea, and Mare Aege­um; on the South by the maine Mediterranean sea. This contai­ned in old time foure speciall parts, Peloponnesus, Achaia, Macedonia, and Epirus.

Adjoyning whereunto was Illiri­cum Peloponnesus, Moreah which is now called Moreah, in the South part of Graecia, being Peninsula, or almost an Iland, for that it is joyned by a little strait called Istmos, unto the rest of Graecia. Herein stood Spar­ta, S [...]ssus and Helicon [Page 80]and the ancient state of Lacede­mon; the lawes thereof were made by Licurgus; by the due observati­on of which, Tullie could say in his time, that the title of Sparta in La­cedemon, had continued in the same meanes and behaviour for the space of 700. yeares.

This Sparta was it which so of­ten made warre against the Atheni­ans, and this and Athens were cal­led the two edges of Graecia.

Neere the Jsthmos, or Straits, stood the famous City of Corinth, Corinth. which was in old time called the Key of Greece, and whither S. Paul wrote two of his Epistles.

Aeneas Sylvius in his Cosmogra­phicall Treatise, De Europa, cap. 22. saith, that the Straits which divide Moreah from the rest of Graecia, are in bredth but five miles; and that divers Kings & Princes did go about to digge away the earth, that they might make it to be an Iland: He nameth King Demetrius, Julius Caesar, Caius Caligula, & Domitius Nero; of all whom hee doth note, [Page 81]that they not onely failed of their purpose, but that they came to vio­lent and unnaturall deaths.

From the Isthmos, which is the end of Peloponnesus, or Moreah, be­ginneth Achaia, Achaia. and spreadeth it selfe North-wards but a little way, unto the Hill Othris, which is the bounds betweene Achaia and Ma­cedonia: but East and West much more largely, as Eastward even un­to the Island Euboea, Euboea. with a great Promontory, and Westward boun­ding unto Epirus.

The Inhabitants of this place, were they which properly are called A­chivi; which word is so oft used by Ʋirgil. Here toward the East part stood Boetia, & upon the Sea-coast,Boetia. looking South-ward toward Mo­reah, was Athens, Athens. which was fa­mous for the Lawes of Solon, for the warres against Sparta, and many o­ther Cities of Graecia; and for an V­niversity of learned men, which long continued there.

Pernassus and HeliconIn this part of Greece, stood Per­nassus and Helicon, so much tal­ked [Page 82]of by Poets, and Phocis, and Thebes, and briefly all the Cities wherof Livie speaking, doth terme by the name of Achai, or Vrbes A­chaeorum.

The third Province of Graecia, cal­led Epirus, Epyrus. lyeth Westward from Achaia, and extends it selfe for a good space that way; but toward the North and South it is but nar­row lying along the Sea-coast, and looking South-ward on the Islands of Conegra, and Cephalonia. This was the Country wherein Olympias wife unto Philip of Macedonia, and Mother unto Alexander the Great, was born. This was also the King­dome of that noble Pyrrhus, which made such great warres against the Romanes; and in our later age it was made renowned by the vali­ant Scanderbeg, who was so great a scourge unto the Turk, whose life is so excellently written by Marti­nus Partesius. From the East part of Epirus Northward, lyeth a Coun­try, which was never noted by any famous name; but as it should seeme [Page 83]was sometime under Epirus, from which it lyeth Northward; some­times under Macedonia, from which it lyeth Westward; and sometimes under Illyris, or Dalma­tia, from which it lyeth Southward; and it may be that there was in old time divers free Cities there.Illyricum, Illyri­cum which confineth upon Graecia toward the North and West, neere unto the top of the Adriatick Sea, and not farre from Venice, is for a good part of it at this day under the Venetians.

The fourth and greatest part of old Graecia was Macedonia, Macedonia. which is falsly by the Maps of the Romane Empire, placed on the Westside of Graecia; for in truth it lyeth on the Eastside, looking toward Asia the lesser, being bounded on the Eastside by the Sea called Mare Aegeum, on the Southside by Achaia, and the Hill Othris, and part of Epirus: and on the Westside, by certaine great Mountains; but on the North by the Hill Haemus.

This was the Kingdome so famous [Page 84]in times past for Philip and Alex­ander his sonne, who conquered the whole World, and caused the name of the third Empire to be attributed unto this place. Here stood the Hill Athos, whereof part was digged downe by the army of Xerxes the great King of Persia, who warred against the Grecians. Here was the Hill Olympus, the City of Philippi where the Philippians dwelt, to whom Saint Paul wrote. Here was Ampollonia, Amphipolis, Edessa, Pel­la, Thessalonica and Berea: yea, and the whole Countrey of Thessalia, lay on the Southside of this part of Greece.

In this Countrey of Graecia, were in ancient time many Kingdomes and States, as at this day there are in Italy; as the Macedonians, the Kingdome of Epirus, the State of Athens, the government of Sparta, the City of Thebes, and very many other places; insomuch that almost every Town had a peculiar govern­ment: But now it is all under one Monarchy.

Many fa­mous things from GreciaFrom Graecia (in old time) did almost all famous things come. These were they that made the war against Troy; that resisted Xerxes the mighty King of Persia, that had the Famous Law-makers, as Solon in Athens, Famous Lawes. and Lycurgus in Lacede­mon; that took away the Monarchy from the Persians; that brought forth the Famous Captaines,Famous Captains. as Themistocles, Miltiades, Alexan­der, and many other that were the Authours of civilitie unto the We­stern Nations, and to some in the East, as Asia the lesse: that gave to Italy and to the Romanes the first light of learning: because from them arose the first Poets, as Homer, The first Poets. He­siodus, Sophocles, and divers other. The great Philosophers, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and all the Sects of the Academicks, Stoicks, Peripate­ticks, Epicureans, and almost all their Scholars.The great Orators. The great Oratours De­mosthenes, and Eschines; and in one word (the Mathematicks excepted, which came rather from the Chal­deans and the Egyptians) the whole [Page 86]flower of Arts and good Learning.

On the Northeast part of Graecia standeth Thracia, Thracia. which though heretofore it hath beene distingui­shed, yet now it is accounted as the chiefe part of Greece. Heere on the edge of the Sea-coast very neer unto Asia, Constanti­nople. standeth the City called Bi­zantium, but since Constantinople; because Constantine the Great did new build it, and made it an Impe­riall City. This was the chiefe resi­dence of the Emperour of Graecia, sometimes called New Rome, and the glory of the East; where the Ge­nerall Councel was once assembled; and one of the Seas of the Patriarks, who was called the Patriark of Cō ­stantinople. But by the great discord of the Christians, all Graecia, and this Citie, are fallen into the hands of the Turke, who now maketh it his place of Imperiall aboad. It was wonne in the time of Constantine the last Emperour; so that by Constantine it obtained his honour, and by Con­stantine it lost it. In this City lyeth resident with the Turke, an Ambas­sadour, [Page 87]or Agent for the King of England.

The Christians that do live now in Graecia, are in miserable servitude unto the Turke. They disagree in many things from the doctrine of the Church of Rome.

Of Cathaie, and China.

NExt beyond Tartaria, on the Northeast part of A­sia, lyeth a great Countrey called Cathaie; Situation of Cathaie. the bounds whereof extend themselves on the North and East, to the utter most Seas; and on the South to China, The people are not much learned, but more civil than the Tartars; and have good and ordinary trafficke with the Countries adjoyning.

This Countrey hath in it many Kings, which are tributaries, and do owe obedience unto one, whom they call the great Cham, The Great Can of Cathaie. or Can of Cathaie, who is the chiefe Gover­nour of all the Land, and esteemed for multitude of people and large­nesse of Dominion, to be one of the greatest Princes of the World: but his name is the lesse famous, [Page 95]for that hee lyeth so farre distant from the best Nations, and the pas­sage into his Countrey is so dange­rous, either for the perils of the Sea, or for the long space by Land. His chiefe Imperiall Citie is called Cam­balu. On the South side of Cathaie, Cambalu the chiese Citie of China. and East part of Asia, next to the Sea, lyeth China: and the people thereof, Osorius describeth by the name of Sina, and calleth their Countrey Sinarum Regio. A very rich Countrey. This is a fruitfull Countrey, and yeeldeth as great store of rich Commodities, as almost any Countrey in the World. It containeth in it very many se­verall Kingdomes, which are abso­lute Princes in their Seats. The chief Citie in this Countrey is called Quinsay, Quinsay the chiefe Citie. and is described to be of incredible greatnesse, as were wont to be the ancient Cities in the East, as Babylon, Ninivie, and o­thers.

This Countrey was first disco­vered by the late Navigation of the Portugalls into the East In­dies.

The people skilfull in Arts.The people of China are lear­ned almost in all Arts, very skil­full Worke-men in curious fine works of all sorts, so that no Coun­trey yeeldeth more precious Mer­chandize, than the workmanship of them. They are great Souldiers, very politicke and crafty, and in respect thereof contemning the wits of others, using a Proverbe, That all other Nations doe see but with one eye, Their Pro­verbe. but they themselves with two.

Petrus Maffaeus, Historiogra­pher to the King of Spaine for the Easterne Indies, doth report of them, that they have had from very ancient time among them these two things, which wee hold to be the Miracles of Christendome, and but lately invented: The one is the use of Gunnes for the Warres,Two rare wonders invented in China, Guns, and Printing. and the other is Printing; which they use not as wee doe, writing from the left hand unto the right; or as the Hebrewes and Syrians, from the right hand unto the left: but directly downeward, and so [Page 97]their lines at the top doe beginne a­gaine.

Of the East Indies.

ON the Southside of China, toward the Molucco I­lands, and the Indian Sea, lyeth the great Country of India, extending it selfe from the South part of the Continent,Th [...] situa­tion of the Indies. by the space of many thousand miles Westward, unto the River Indus, which is the greatest River in all the Countrey, except Ganges, one of the greatest Rivers in the World; which lyeth in the East part of the same Indies.

This is that Countrey so famous in ancient time, for the great riches thereof, for the multitude of peo­ple, for the conquest of Bacchus o­ver it: for the passage thither of Alexander the Great, throughout all the length of Asia; for his adven­turing to goe into the South Ocean with so mighty a Navy, which few or none had ever attempted [Page 98]before him. And certainly thither it was that Salomon did send once in three yeeres for his Gold and o­ther rich Merchandise: for the Scripture saith, that hee sent his Fleet from Ezion-geber, which stood upon the mouth of the Red Sea, and it was the directest passage which hee had unto the Easterne Indies; whereas if his purpose had been to send to Peru, as some lately have imagined, his course had been thorow the Mediterranean Sea, and the Straits of Gibraltar.

This Countrey had in ancient time,In Jndia are many Kingdomes. many absolute Kingdomes and Provinces: as in the time of Alexander, Porus, Taxiles, and di­vers others. In it were many Phi­losophers, and men of great Lear­ning whom they called Gymnoso­phistae, of whom was Calanus, who burnt himselfe before Alexander.

The men of the South part of India are blacke,Their Cattle very big and therefore are called men of Jnde. The Cattell of all sorts that are bred there, are of incredible bignesse, in respect of [Page 99]other Countries, as their Elephants, Apes, Monkies, Emêts, and other.

Their riches.The riches hereof have beene very great, with abundance of Gold, insomuch that the Promon­tory, which is now called Mala­cha, was in times past named Aurea Chersonesus. The commoditie of Spice is exceeding great that comes from thence.

The Partu­gals first discovered the IndiesThe Portugals were the first, which by their long Navigations beyond the Equinoctiall, and the farthermost part of Africk, have of late yeeres discovered these Countries to Christendome: as heretofore to the use of the King of Portugall, so now of the King of Spaine, who is reputed owner of them.

Four King­doms by the Portugals discovered.The Portugals did finde divers Kingdomes at their first arrivall in those parts, as the Kingdome of Calecut, the Kingdome of Cam­baia, the Kingdome of Cananor, the Kingdome of Cochin, and very many other, with the Kings where­of they first entring League and [Page 100]Trafficke, and having leave given to build Castles for their defence, they have since by policie encroched in­to their hands a great part of the Countrey which lyeth neere unto the Sea-coast, and are mighty now, for the space of many thousand miles together. The K. of Spain hath there a Vice-roy, whose residence is commonly in the Imperiall Citie called God. Chief City God. They doe every yeare send home great store of rich com­modities into Spain.

The Indians Religion.The people of the Country when the Portugals came first thither, were for the most part Gentiles, beleeving in no one God: yea, at this day there are divers of them who doe adore the Sunne as their God, and every morning at the ri­sing thereof, doe use very supersti­tious Ceremonies, which our Mer­chants, who doe trade to Aleppo, doe oftentimes see; for divers of these Jndians do come thither with Merchandize. But the Saracens, who reverence the Prophet Mahomet, from the Bayes or Gulphes of Per­sia [Page 101]and Arabia, doe trafficke much thither, so that Mahomet was knowne among them: but in one Town called Granganor, they found certain Christians dissenting in ma­ny things from the Church of Rome, and rather agreeing with the Pro­testants, which Christians had re­ceived (by succession) their Reli­gion, from the time of Thomas the Apostle; by whom (as it is recor­ded in the ancient Ecclesiasticall History) part of India was con­verted.

In this Countrey of Jndia are many great and potent Kings and Kingdomes, which had beene alto­ther unknown and unheard of in our part of the World, but that we were beholding to the Portugals for their Discovery; and before their Navigation thither, by the back­side of Africk, to some relations that wee had from the Venetians, who traded and travelled thither by Land out of Turkie. The names of these Kings and Kingdomes are these; The King of Biarme, the [Page 102]great Mogol, S [...] King­domes. the King of Narsing, Pegu, Siam. the forenamed King of Calecut, and others.

Of Persia.

Situation of Persia. THere be divers Countries betweene India and Per­sia; but they are not Fa­mous. Persia is a large Country, which lyeth farre West from India: it hath on the North Assyria and Media, on the West Syria and the Holy land, but next unto it Mesopotamia: on the South the mayn Ocean, which entreth in notwithstanding by a Bay called Sinus Persicus.

This is that Countrey, which in ancient time was so renowned for the great riches, and Empire there­of. These were they who tooke from the Assyrians the Monarchie, and did set up in their Country the second great Empire, which began under Cyrus, & continued unto that [Page 103] Darius, who was overthrowne by Alexander the Great. In this coun­trey raigned the great Kings, Cyrus, The g eat and fa­mous Kings of Persia. Cambises, Darius the Son of His­taspes, the great Xerxes, Artaxer­xes, and many others; which in pro­phane writings are famous for their wars against the Scythians, Aegyp­tians, and Graecians, & in the Scrip­ture, for the delivery of the Iewes from Babylon by Cyrus, for the buil­ding of the second Temple at Jeru­salem, and for many things which are mentioned of them in the Pro­phecie of Daniel.

The people of this Nation, al­though they were in former times very riotous, by reason of their great wealth; yet after they had lost their Monarchy by the Macedo­nians, Persians great Souldiers. they have growne great Souldiers: and therefore as they did ever strongly defend themselves a­gainst the old Romanes; so in the time of Constantine, and the o­ther Emperours, they were feare­full neighbours to the Romane go­vernment: and of late time, [Page 104]they have strongly opposed them­selves against the Turkes, ever ma­king their party good with them. And yet notwithstanding, in the dayes of Amurath the third, father to Mahomet the Turke now raig­ning, the Turke had a great hand upon the Persian; going so farre with his Army, as that hee tooke the strong Citie Tauris stan­ding within the Persian domini­ons, neere unto the Caspian Sea, but this losse was to bee attributed, partly to the great dissentions which were among the Persians themselves, and partly to the mul­titude of the Turke his Souldiers, who by fresh supply did over­beare the Persian, although hee slew downe many thousands of them.

They fight commonly on horse­back, & are govern'd as in time past by a King, so now by an absolute ru­ler,Sophy of Persia. and a mighty Prince, whom they tear me the Shaw, or Sophy of Persia. Hee hath many Countries, & small Kings in Assyria, & Media, [Page 105]and the countries adjoyning, which are tributaries.

Among other the Sophies of Persia, about a hundred years since, there was one of great power, cal­led Ismael the Persian, who procu­red unto himselfe great fame by his many & valorous attempts against the Turke. Surius in his Commen­taries, writing upon him, saith, that upon some fond conceit, the Iewes were strongly of opinion, that hee was that Messias whom unto this day they expect; and therefore hoped that he should have beene their deliverer and ad­vancer: But he addeth in his report, that it fell out so cleane contrary, that there was no man who more vexed and grieved them, than that Ismael did.

Their Re­ligion.The Persians are all at this day Sarazens in Religion, beleeving in Mahomet: but as Papists and Pro­testants doe differ in opinion, con­cerning the same Christ, so doe the Turks & Persians about their Ma­homet: the one pursuing the other, [Page 106]as Heretikes, with most deadly ha­tred, in so much that there is, in this respect, almost continuall war betweene the Turke and the Per­sians.

Of Parthia, and Media.

Situation of Parthia.ON the North-East side of Persia, lyeth that Country which in old time was called Parthia, but now named Arach; of whom, those great warres of the Romanes with the Medians or Armenians, in Taci­tus, and ancient Histories are true.

This Country boundeth on Me­dia by the West, and it was in anci­ent time veryful of people: whose fight as it was very much on horse­backe,Their manner of fight. so the manner of them con­tinually was for to give an onset, and then to returne their wayes, even to returne againe like to the Wilde Irish; so that no man was sure when he had obtained any victory over them.

Great wars of the Par­thians against the Romanes.These were the people that gave the great overthrow to that rich Marcus Crassus of Rome, who by reason of his covetousnesse (inten­ding more to his getting of gold, than to the guiding of his army) was slaine himselfe, and many thousands of the Romanes: The Parthians with exprobation of his thirst after money, poured moulten gold into his mouth after he was dead. Against these, the great Lucullus fought ma­ny battels; but the Romanes were never able to bring them quite to subjection.

Media how situ­ated.On the West-side of Parthia, (having the Mare Caspium on the North, Armenia on the West, and Persia on the South) lyeth that Country which in time past was called Media, but now Shirvan or Sarvan; which is at this day go­verned by many inferiour Kings and Princes, which are tributaries, and doe owe subjection to the So­phy of Persia. So that hee is the Soveraigne Lord of all Media, as our English-men have found, who [Page 108]passing through the dominion of the Emperour of Russia, have cros­sed the Mare Caspium, and mer­chandized with the inhabitants of this Media.

A famous Nation.This Nation in former times was very famous; for the Medes were they that removed the Empire from the Assyrians unto them: which as in themselves it was not great, yet when by Cyrus it was joyned to that of the Persians, it was very mighty, and was called by the name of the Empire of the Medes and Persians. Here it was that Astyages raigned, the Grand­father of Cyrus and Darius of the Medes.

The chiefe City of Media.The chiefe City of this King­dome was called Ecbatana, as the chiefe City of Persia, was Baby­lon.

It is to bee observed of the Kings of Media, that in the Summer time they did use to retire themselves Northward unto Ecbatana, for avoyding of the heate; but in the winter time they came downe [Page 109]more South unto Susis, which as it seemeth was a warmer place: but by this meanes they were both ta­ken for Imperiall Cities, and chiefe residences of the Kings of Media; which being knowne; takes away some confusion in old Stories. The like custome was afterward used also by the Kings of Persia.

Of Armenia and Assyria.

Situation of ArmeniaON the West-side of the Mare Caspium; & of Me­dia, lieth a Countrey cal­led by a generall name, Armenia; which by some is distinct­ly divided into three parts: the North part whereof being but lit­tle,Divided into three parts. is called Georgia; the middle part Turcomania; the third part, by the proper name of Armenia. By which a man may see the reason of difference in divers writers: Some saying, that the countrey whence the Turkes first came, was [Page 110] Armenia, some saying Turcomania, and some Georgia; the truth being, that out of one, or all these Coun­tries they did descend. These Turks are supposed to bee the issue o [...] them whom Alexander the Great did shut up within certaine Moun­taines neere to the Mare Caspi­um.

A memo­rable Note.There is this one thing memo­rable in Armenia, that after the great Floud, the Arke of Noah did rest it selfe on the Mountaines o [...] Armenia, where, (as Josephus wit­nesseth) it is to be seene yet to this day; the hills whereon it resteth, are called by some Noae Montes.

Armenians Christians.The people of this Nation, have retained amongst them the Christi­an Faith, as it is thought, from the time of the Apostles; but at this day it is spotted with many absurdi­ties.

Bathing of their chil­dren.Among other Errours which the Church of Armenia hath bin no­ted to hold, this is one, that they did bathe their children, waving them up and downe in flames of [Page 111]fire, and repute that to bee a neces­sary circumstance of Baptisme: Which errour ariseth by mistaking that place of Iohn the Baptist, where he saith, That he that came after him (meaning Christ) should bap­tize them with the holy Ghost, and with fire. In which place the word doth not signifie materiall fire, but expresseth the lively and purging operation of the Spirit, like to the nature of fire.

On the South part of Armenia, bending towards the East, lyeth the Country of Assyria, Assyria bounded. which is boun­ded on the West with Mesopota­mia. This Country was that Land wherein the first Monarchy was setled, which began under Ninus, whom the Scripture calleth Nim­rod, living not long after Noahs Flood, and it ended in Sardanapalus continuing a thousand and three hundred yeares.

The King of this Countrey was Senacherib, Kings of Assyria. of whom wee reade in the Booke of the Kings; and here reigned Nebuchadnezzar, [Page 112]who tooke Ierusalem, and led the Iewes away prisoners unto Baby­lon.

In this Countrey, is the swift Ri­ver Tygris, The swift river Ty­gris. The City Ninivee. neere unto the which was Paradice: Vpon this River stood the great City Ninivee, cal­led by prophane writers, Ninus; which was almost of incredible bignesse, and exceeding populous, by the neerenesse of the River, and marvellous fruitfulnesse of the soile, which, as Herodotus writeth, did returne their Corne sometime two hundred, and sometimes three hun­dred fold, and did yeeld sufficiency for to maintaine it. This Citie for a long time was the Imperiall Seat of the Monarchy; but being destroy­ed, (as God foretold it should be, by the Chaldeans) the residence of the King was afterwards removed unto Babylon, a great City in Chal­dea, first built by Semiramis.

Of Chaldea.

Situation of Chaldea.NExt unto Assyria, lyeth Chaldea, having on the East side Assyria; on the West, Syria, or Palesti [...]a; on the North, Armenia; on the South, the desart of Arabia;

This Countrey is often called by the name of Mesopotamia, which name it hath, because it lyeth in the middle of two great Rivers, Tygris and Euphrates. It is called also by the name of Babylonia, which word of it selfe properly taken, doth signi­fie onely that part of the Coun­trey which standeth about Baby­lon.

Babylon the chiefe City of Chaldea.The chiefe City whereof was Babylon, whose ruines doe remaine unto this day. It was a rich and most pleasant City for all kinde of delight; and was in the later time of that Monarchy, the Imperiall City of the Assyrians, where Nebu­chadnezzar and other their great Kings did lye.

It was to this city that the chil­dren of Israel were carried captives, which thereof was called the Cap­tivity of Babylon.

The Kings of Persia also did keep their residence here, it was buil [...] upon the River Euphrates, some part of it standing on the one side and some part on the other, having for it's foundresse, Semiramis, the wife of Ninus.

Ammianus Marsellinus repor­teth one thing of this Countrey wherein the admirable power o [...] God doth appeare;The admi­rable power of God in preserving the people. for he writeth that in these parts are a huge num­ber of Lyons, which were like e­nough to devoure up both men and beasts throughout the Countrey but withall hee saith, that by rea­son of the store of water and mudde thereof, there doe bree [...] yearely an innumerable company o [...] Gnats, whose property is to fly unto the eye of the Lyon, as being a bright and orient thing; wher [...] byting and stinging the Lyon, he teareth so fiercely with his clawes [Page 115]that he putteth out his owne eyes, and by that meanes many are drowned in the Rivers, others starve for want of prey, and many the more easily killed by the Inha­bitants.

It is supposed by Divines, that in this Mesopotamia, betweene the River Tygris and Euphrates, Paradise did stand.Note. This was the Countrey wherein Abraham the Patriarch was borne: unto which the Romanes could very hardly ex­tend their dominion: For they had much to doe to get the go­vernement of any thing beyond the River Euphrates. From this people it is thought the wise-men came which brought presents to Christ, by the guiding of the Starre.

For as in India, and all the Ea­sterne parts, so especially in this Countrey, their Noblemen, and Priests, and very many people, doe give themselves to all Arts of Di­vination. Here were the great Southsayers, Enchanters, and Wise [Page 116]men, as they call them. Here were the first Astrologians,Here were the first Astrologi­ans. which are so described, and derided in the Scrip­ture: and against the Inhabitants of Babylon and Chaldea were the Lawes of the Romanes made, which are against divining Mathematici­ans, who in Tullie [...] Divinatione & Cornelius Tacitus, as also in the Lawes of the Emperours, are ordi­narily collected by the name of Chaldeans: and indeed from these, and from the Aegyptians, is suppo­sed to have sprung the first know­ledge of Astronomy.

It is thought that a great reason whereof these Chaldeans were ex­pert in the laudable knowledge o [...] Astronomy, was partly because th [...] Countrey is so plaine, that being without hils, they might more ful­ly and easily discover the whole fac [...] of the Heaven, and partly, because the old Fathers which lived so long not onely before, but in some good part also after the Floud of Noah did dwell in, or neere to these parts and they by observation of their [Page 117]owne, did finde out, and discover many things of the heavenly Bo­dies, which they delivered as from hand to hand to their posteritie: But as corruption doth staine the best things, so in processe of time, the true Astronomie was defiled with superstitious Rules of Astrologie (which caused the Prophets Isaiah, and Ieremiah, so bitterly to inveigh against them,) And then, in their fabulositie they would report, that they had in their Records, Obser­vations for five and twenty thou­sand yeares, which must needs be a very great untruth, unlesse wee will qualifie it as some have done, ex­pounding their yeares not of the Revolution of the sunne but of the Moone, whose course is ended in the space of a moneth.

Of Asia the lesse.

ON the North-West side of Mesopotamia, lyeth that Countrey which is now called Natolia, but in times past, Asia minor, having on the North side Pontus Euxinus, Situation of Asia the lesse. on the West, the Hellespont, and on the South, the maine Mare Mediterra­neum. In the ancient writings both of the Graecians, and of the Ro­manes, this is oftentimes called by the single name of Asia, because it was best knowne unto them, and they were not so much acquainted with the farther places of Asia the Great.

Richnesse of the Countrey.This Countrey in generall, for the fruitfulnesse of the Land, stan­ding in so temperate a Climate, and for the conveniencie of the Sea every way, and so many good Havens, hath beene reputed alwaies a very commodious and pleasure­full Countrey. It is wholly at this day under the Turke. The Moun­taine [Page 119] Taurus goeth along from the West unto the East part of it.

The greatnesse of this Countrey is such, that it hath comprehended many Kingdomes and large Pro­vinces, besides Cities of great fame. On the South-east part thereof, neere to Palestina, lyeth Cilicia; Cilicia. The city Tarsus. the chiefe Citie whereof is Tarsus, the Countrey of Saint Paul; the place whither Salomon sent for great store of his Gold, and provisi­on for the Temple, whither Ionas also fled, when he should have gone to Niniveh.

In the straits of this Cilicia, neere to the Mountaine Taurus, Alexander his over­throw of Darius. did A­lexander give a great overthrow in person to Darius, in the joyning of their first battaile.

This place seemes to have beene very fortunate for great fights; in as much as there also neere un­to the straits, was the battaile fought out betweene Severus the Emperour and Niger; who being Governour of the Romanes of Sy­ria, would needs have aspired to [Page 120]the Empire, but in a battaile which was very hardly fought out, he was overthrowne in the straits of Ci­licia.

In the very corner where Cili­cia is joyned unto the upper part of Syria, is a little Bay, which in times past was named Sinus J sicus, neere unto which Alexander built one of his Cities, which he called by his owne name.The City of Alexandria But howsoever in times past it was named Alexan­dria, it is now by the Venetians and other Christians, called Alexandret­ta; as who should say, little Alexan­dria, in comparison of the other. In Aegypt the Turkes doe call it Scandar [...]nd, and it is a petty Haven, where our Merchants do land most of their goods, which are after­wards by Camels carried up to A­leppo. At this day the Citie is so de­cayed, that there bee onely a few houses there.

Westward from Cilicia lieth the Province called Pamphilia; Pamphilia The City of Seleuchus. where­in stands the Citie Seleucia, built by Seleuchus, one of the foure [Page 121]great successors of Alexander the Great.

On the West of this Pamphilia, standeth Lycia; Lycia. & more West from thence confining upon the Ile of Rhodes, is Caria; Caria. one of the sea­townes whereof is Halicarnassus, which was the Countrey of Here­dotus, who is one of the most anci­ent Historians that is extant of the Gentiles, and who dedicated his nine Bookes to the honour of the Muses.

Here also was that Dionysius borne, who is called commonly Di­onysius Halicarnassus, one of the Writers of the Romane Story, for the first three hundred yeares after Rome was built.

The whole countrey of Caria is sometimes signified by the name of this Halicarnassus, Halicar­nassus. although it was but one Citie; and thereupon Artemisia, who in the dayes of Xerxes came to aid him against the Gracians, and behaved her selfe so manfully in a great fight at sea, whē Xerxes stood by as a coward, is in­tituled [Page 122]by the name not of Queene of Caria, but of Halicarnassus. Al­so in the dayes of Alexander the Great, there was another Queene, named Ada; who also is honoured by the title of Queene of Halicar­nassus.

Wee have thus farre described those Cities of Asia the lesse, which doe lie from that part that joyneth unto Syria, along the Sea coast Westward; but being indeed the Southerne part of Asia minor.

Now upwards towards the North,Ionia. standeth Ionia, where those did dwell, who had like to have joyned with Xerxes, in the great battell at Sea; but that Themistocles by a policie did winne them from him, to take part with the Graci­ans. Diodorus Siculus writeth, that the Athenians, who professed to be of kin to those Ionians, were on a time marveilous importunate with them, that they should leave their owne countrey, & come and dwell with them: which when the Ioni­ans, hardly, but yet at length did ac­cept, [Page 123]the Athenians had no place to put them in, and so they returned with great disgrace to them both.

A little within the Land, lying North and East from Jonium, Lydia. was Lydia, which sometimes was the Kingdome of Croesus, who was re­puted so rich a King; when hee was in his prosperity, making best of his happinesse, hee was told by So­lon, that no man could reckon upon felicity so long as he lived, because there might be great mutability of Fortune, which he after ward found true: For he was taken prisoner by Cyrus, Croesus overthrown by Cyrus. who was once minded to have put him to death; but hea­ring him report the advertisement of Solon formerly given to him, hee was moved to thinke that it might bee his owne case, and so tooke pitty on him, and spared his life.

These Lydians being inhibited af­terward by Cyrus, to use any ar­mour, did give themselves to bathes and stewes, and other such effeminate things.

Vpon the sea-coast in Ionia, stan­deth the Citie Ephesus, Ephesus. which was one of the seven cities, unto which Iohn in his Revelation did write his seven Epistles: and Saint Paul also directed his Epistle to the Ephesians unto the Church which was in this place.

This was one of the most renow­ned Cities of Asia the lesse; but the Fame thereof did most arise from the Temple of Diana, which was there built,The Tem­ple of Dia­na. and was reputed for the magnificence thereof, one of the se­ven Wonders of the world. This Temple was said to be two hundred yeares in building, and was burnt seven severall times, whereof the most part was by lightning, and the finall destruction thereof came by a base person, called Herostratus; who to purchase himselfe some fame, did set it on fire.

This was the place of which it is said in the Acts of the Apo­stles, that all Asia, and the whole world, doe worship this Diana.

Tullie reporteth, De natura De­orum, that Timaeus being asked the reason why the Temple of Diana was on fire that night when Alex­ander the Great was born, gave that jest thereof, that the Mistresse of it was from home; because she being the Goddesse of Midwives, did that night waite upon Olympias the Mother of Alexander the Great, who was brought to bed in Mace­donia.

City of Smirna.Another of the seven Cities un­to which John did write, is Smir­na, standing also in Ionia, upon the Sea cost, but somewhat more North than Ephesus; which is the place where Polycarpus was Bi­shop, who sometimes had beene Schollar unto Iohn the Evange­list,Polycarpus, schollar to S. Iohn the Evangelist. and living till hee was of great age, was at last put to death for Christs sake, when before hee had beene moved by the Governour of the Countrey to deny his Sa­viour, and to burne Incense to an Idoll: But hee answered, that fourescore and sixe yeares hee had [Page 126]served Christ Iesus, and in all that time he had never done him harm: and therefore now in his old age hee would not beginne to deny him.

The third Citie unto which the Epistle is directed in the Apoca­lyps, City of Sardis. which standeth within the Land in Lydia, as is de­scribed by the best Writers; and it was a Citie both of great pleasure and profit unto the Kings in whose Dominion it stood: which may bee gathered hereby, that when once the Graecians had wonne it, Darius Histaspis, or Xerxes, who were Kings of Persia, did give charge, that every day at dinner, one speaking aloud, should re­member him, that the Graecians had taken Sardis; which inten­ded, that hee never was in quiet, till it might bee recovered a­gaine.

Foure Cities of vote.There stood also in the In-land, Philadelphia, Thyatira, Laodicea, and most of all to the North, Per­gamus: which were the other [Page 127]foure Cities unto which Saint Iohn the Evangelist did direct his Epi­stle.

Going upward from Ionium to the North, there lyeth on the Sea­coast a little countrey,Aeolis. called Aeolis: and beyond that, although not up­on the Sea, the two Provinces cal­led Mysia Major, and Mysia Mi­nor; which in times past,Mysia ma­jor, and Mysia minor. were so base and contemptible, that the peo­ple thereof were used in speech as a Proverbe, that if a man would de­scribe one meaner than the mea­nest, it was said, he was Mysiorum postremus.

On the West part of Mysia ma­jor, did lye the Countrey called Troas, The City of Troy. wherein stood Jlium, and the City of Troy, against which, as both Virgil and Homer have writ­ten, the Graecians did continue their Siege for the space of tenne yeares, by reason that Paris had stollen away Helena, the wife of Menelaus, who was King of Spar­ta.

Eastward both from Troas and [Page 128] Mysia major, a good space within the land, was the Countrey called Phrygia, Phrygia. where the Goddesse which was called Bona Dea, or Pessinuntia, or Cybele, the Mother of the old Gods, had her first abi­ding, and from thence (as Herodian writeth,) was brought to Rome, as implying that good Fortune should follow her thither.

In this Countrey lived that Gordius, who knit the knot called for the intricatenesse thereof, Nodus Gordianus; Gordius knot. and when it could not bee untied, was cut in sunder by Alexander the Great, supposing that it should bee his fortune, for the loosing of it so, to bee the Conquerour, and King of Asia, as by a prophecie of the same Gordius had beene before spo­ken.

Yet North-ward from Phrygia, lyeth the Countrey of Bythinia; Bythinia. which was sometimes a King­dome, where Prusias raigned, that had so much to doe with the Ro­manes.

In this Countrey standeth the Citie Nicea, Citie of Nice. where the first Gene­rall Councell was held against Ari­us the Heretike, by Constantine the Great, thereof called the Nicene Councell. Here standeth also Chal­cedon, where the fourth. Generall Councell was held by the Empe­rour Martianus, Chalcedon. against the Here­tike Nestorius.

From Bythinia Eastward, on the Northside of Asia the lesse, stan­deth the Countrey of Paphlago­nia, Paphlago­nia. where was the Citie built by Pompey the Great, called by his name, Pompeiopolis. On the South of Paphlagonia, toward the Iland of Asia Minor, Pompeio­polis. did stand the Countrey of Galatia, whereunto Saint Paul wrote his Epistle to the Galathians. Galatia. And this also was one of those Countries where the Iewes were dispersed, unto which Saint Peter wrote his first Epistle; as also unto them which were in Pontus, Cappadocia, and Bythinia; from whence Southward lyeth the Province termed Lycaonia: Lycaonia; And [Page 130]from thence yet more South, bor­dering upon Pamphilia, which touches the Mediterranean Sea, ly­eth Pisidia, Pisidia. concerning which countries we finde oftentimes men­tion made in such Stories as doe touch Asia the lesse.

From these Southerne parts, if we returne backe againe unto the North and East of Asia Major, The king­dome of Pontus. lyeth the Kingdome of Pontus, confining upon that which is na­med Pontus Euxinus. In this Pon­tus did raigne Mithridates, Mithrida­tes. who in his younger dayes had travelled over the greatest part of Asia, and is reported to have beene so skilfull, that hee could well speake more than twentie Languages. His hatred was ever great towards the Romanes, against whom; when hee meant first to put his malice in practise, he so combined with the Naturals of those parts, that in one night they slew more than three­score and tenne thousand of the Romanes, carrying their intend­ment so close, that it was revealed [Page 131]by none, till the execution was done.

Pompey brought Mithrida­tes to di­stresse. Pompey the Great, was the man who distressed this Mithridates, and brought him to that extremity, that hee would gladly have poysoned himselfe, but could not; in as much as his stomack had beene used so be­fore unto that kinde of Triacle, (which by reason of his inventing of, unto this day is called Alithri­date) which is made of a kinde of poyson allayed, that no venome would easily work upon him.

Southward from this Pontus standeth the old Kingdome of Cap­padocia, Cappadocia. which in times past was observed to have many men in it, but little money: Whence Horace saith: Mancipiis locuples eget aris Cappadocum Rex.

Armenia Minor.Eastward from this Cappadocia, as also from Pontus, is Armenia Mi­nor; whereof the things memorable, are described in the other Armenia. And thus much touching Asia the lesse.

Of Syria, and Palestina, or the Holy Land.

SOuthward from Silicia, and Asia the lesse, Syria boun­ded. lyeth Syria; a part whereof was called Palaestina: having on the East Mesopotamia, on the South A­rabia, on the West Tyre and Sydon, and the end of the Mediterranean Sea.

The people of this Syria were in times past called the Aramites. Their anci­ent names. In their language is the translation of the new Testament called Sy­riacke.

Citie of Antioch.In this Countrey standeth An­tioch, which was sometimes one of the ancient Patriarchs Seas, and is a Citie of reckoning unto this day. Here also standeth now the Citie of Aleppo, Aleppo. which is a famous Mart Towne for the Merchandizing of the Persians, and others of the East, and for the Turks, and such Coun­tries as be adjoyning. Here stand­eth also Tripolis. Tripolis.

The South part of Syria lying downe toward Aegypt and Arabia, was the place where the Children of Israel died well, being a Country of small quantity, not 200 Jtalian miles in length: it was so fruitfull flowing with Milke and Honey, (as the Scripture calleth it) that it did mayntayne above thirty Kings and their people,Thirty Kings. before the com­ming of the Children of Israel out of Aegypt, and was sufficient af­terwards to relieve the incredible number of the twelve Tribes of Israel.

It is noted of this Countrey,Note. that whereas by the goodnesse of the Climate wherein it stood, and the fertilitie of the Soyle, (but e­specially by the blessing of God) it was the most fruitfull Land that was in the World: Now our Travellers by experience doe finde the Countrey, in respect of the fruitfulnesse, to be changed, God cursing the Land together with the Iewes, the Inhabitants of it. It is observed also for all the [Page 134]Easterne parts, that they are not so fertile as they have beene in former Ages, the Earth (as it were) growing olde, which is an Argument of the dissolution to come by the day of Iudge­ment.

The River Iordan.Through this Countrey doth runne the River Iordan, which hath heretofore beene famous for the fruitfulnesse of the trees standing thereupon, and for the mildnesse of the Ayre, so that (as Iosephus writeth) when Snow hath been in other places of the Land, about the River it hath beene so calme, that men did goe in single thinne linnen garments.

In this Countrey standeth the Lake,The Lake Asphaltites. called Lacus Asphaltites, be­cause of a kinde of slime called Bi­tumen, or Asphaltum, which daily it doth cast up, being of force to joyne stones exceeding fast in buil­ding: And into this Lake doth the River Iordan run.

Mare Mor­tuum.This Lake is it which is called Mare Mortuum, a Sea, because [Page 135]it is salt; and Mortuum, or Dead, for that no living thing is there­in. The water thereof is so thicke, that few things will sinke therein, in so much that Iosephus, saith that an Oxe having all his legges bound, will not sinke into that water.

The nature of this Lake (as it was supposed) was turned into this quality, when God did de­stroy Sodome and Gomorrah, and the Cities adjoyning, with fire and Brimstone from Heaven: for Sodome and the other Cities did stand neere unto Iordan, and to this Mare Mortuum: for the de­struction of whom all that Coast to this day is a witnesse, the Earth smelling of Brimstone, being de­solate, and yeelding no Fruit sa­ving Apples, which grow with a faire shew to the eye, like other Fruit; but as soone as they are touched, doe turne presently to soot or ashes, as besides Josephus, Soli­nus doth witnesse in his 48 Chap­ter.

Twelve Tribet of Israel.The Land of Palestina had for its Inhabitants, all the Twelve Tribes of Israel, which were un­der one Kingdome, till the time of Rehoboam the Sonne of Solomon; But then were they divided into two Kingdomes, ten Tribes being called Israel, and two Iudah, whose chiefe Citie was called Ieru­salem. Jerusalem.

Twelve Tribes di­vided.The ten Tribes, after much I­dolatry, were carried prisoners un­to Assyria, and the Kingdome dis­solved, other people being placed in their roome in Samaria, and the Country adjoyning.

The other two Tribes were properly called the Iewes, and their Land Iudaea; The Iewes. which continued long after in Ierusalem, and therea­bout, till the Captivity of Baby­lon, where they lived for seven­tie yeares. They were afterward restored, but lived without glo­ry, till the comming of Christ: But since that time for a curse upon them and their children, for putting Christ to death, they are [Page 137]scattered upon the face of the Earth, as Runnagates, without certaine Countrey, King, Priest, or Prophet.

In their chiefe City Jerusalem. was the Temple of God, first most gloriously built by Salomon; and afterward destroyed by Nebuchad­nezzar. Jerusalem destroyed. By the commandement of Cyrus King of Persia, was a second Temple built, much more base than the former. For besides the poverty, and smalnesse of it, there wanted five things which were in the former, as the Iewes write:Note. First, the Arke of the Covenant: Secondly, the pot of Manna: Thirdly, the Rodde of Aaron: Fourthly, the two Tables of the Law, written by the finger of God: And fiftly, the fire of the Sacrifice, which came downe from Heaven. Herod the Great, an Edo­mite stranger, having gotten the Kingdome, contrary to the Law of Moses, and knowing the people to be offended therewithall, to pro­cure their favour, did build a third [Page 138]Temple, wherein our Saviour Ie­sus Christ and his Apostles did teach.

The City of Jerusalem was twice taken, and utterly laid deso­late;Ierusalem twice de­stroyed. 1 By Ne­buchadnez­zar. 2 By Ve­spasian. first, by Nebuchadnezzar, at the Captivitie of Babylon: and se­condly, after the death of Christ, by Vespasian the Romane (who first began the warres) and by his Sonne Titus, who was afterward Empe­rour of Rome, who brought such horrible desolation on that Citie, and the people thereof, by Fire, Sword, and Famine, that the like hath not beene read in any History. Hee did afterwards put thousands of them (on some one day) to be de­voured of the Beasts, which was a cruel Custome of the Romanes mag­nificence.

Although Numbers and Times be not superstitiously to be obser­ved (as many foolish imagine) yet it is a matter in this place, not un­worthy the noting, which Iosephus reporteth in his seventh Booke and tenth Chapter, de Bello Iudaico, [Page 139]that the very same day whereon the Temple was set on fire by the Ba­bylonians, was the day whereon the second Temple was set on fire by the Romanes, and that was upon the tenth day of August.

After this destruction, the Land of Iudaea, and the ruines of Ierusalem, were possessed by some of the peo­ple adjoyning, till that about sixe hundred yeares since, the Saracens did invade it: for expelling of whom from thence, divers Frenchmen and other Christians, under the leading of Godfrey of Bullen, did assemble themselves, thinking it a great shame, that the Holy Land (as they called it) the Citie of Jerusalem, and the place of the Sepulchre of Christ, should bee in the hands of Infidels.

This Godfrey ruled in Ierusalem, by the name of a Duke: but his suc­cessours after him, for the space of 87 yeares called themselves Kings of Ierusalem: About which time, Saladine (who called himselfe King of Aegypt and Asia the lesse) did [Page 140]winne it from the Christians. For the recovery wherof, Richard the first King of England, together with the French King, and the King of Sicilia, did goe in person with their Armies to Ierusalem; but although they wonne many things from the Infidels, yet the end was, that the Saracens did retaine the Holy Land.

Roger Hoveden, in the life of Henry the Second, King of Eng­land, doth give this memorable note, that at that time when the Citie of Ierusalem and Antioch were taken out of the hand of the Pagans by the meanes of Godfrey of Bullen, and other of his Com­pany, the Pope of Rome that then was, was called Vrbanus; the Pa­triarch of Ierusalem, Heraclius; and the Romane Emperour, Frede­ricke; and at the same time when the said Ierusalem was recovered againe by Saladine, the Pope [...] name was Vrbanus, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Heraclius, and the Roman Emperour Frederick.

Ierusalem in the Turkes Do­minions.The whole Countrey and Citie of Ierusalem, are now in the Domi­nion of the Turke, who notwith­standing for a great Tribute doth suffer many Christians to abide there.

There are now therefore two or more Monasteries, and Religious Houses, where Friers do abide, and make a good commoditie of shew­ing the Sepulchre of Christ, and o­ther Monuments unto such Christi­an Pilgrimes as do use superstitious­ly to go in Pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

The King of Spaine was wont to call himselfe King of Ierusalem.

Of Arabia.

Arabia bounded,NExt unto the Holy Land, lyeth the great Country of Arabia, having on the North part Palaestina and Mesopotamia; on the East side, the Gulph of Persia; on the South, [Page 142]the mayne Ocean of India or Ae­thiopia: on the West Aegypt, and the great Bay, called Sinus Arabi­cus, or the Red Sea.

This Countrey is divided into three parts: the North part where­of is called Arabia Deserta, Arabia di­vided into three parts. the South part which is the greatest, is named Arabia Foelix: and the middle between both that (which for the abundance of Rockes and Stones) is called Arabia Petrea, or Petrosa.

Of the De­sart of A­rabia.The Desart of Arabia, is that place in the which God after the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt, by passing thorow the Red Sea, did keepe his people under Moses for forty yeares, because of their rebellion; feeding them in the mean time with Manna from Heaven; and sometimes with wa­ter miraculously drawne out of dry Rockes: For the Countrey hath very little water, almost no Trees, and is utterly unfit for Tillage or Corn.

There are no Townes nor inha­bitants [Page 143]of this Desart: in Arabia Petrosa are some, but not many.

Arabia Foelix for Fruitfulnesse of ground, and convenient standing every way toward the Sea, is one of the best Countries of the World: and the principall cause why it is called Foelix, is for that it yeeldeth many things in abun­dance, which in other parts of the World are not to be had; as Fran­kincense especially, the most pre­cious Balmes, Mirrhe, and many other both Fruits and Spices, and yeeldeth withall store of some pre­cious stones.

When Alexander the Great was young, after the manner of the Macedonians, hee was to put In­cense upon an Altar; and powring on great store of Frankincense, one of the Nobilitie of his Coun­trey told him, that hee was too prodigall of that sweet perfume; and that hee should make spare, untill hee had conquered the Land wherein the Frankincense did grow: But when Alexander after­ward [Page 144]had taken Arabia, and had possession thereof, hee sent a Ship load of Frankincense to the Noble man, and bad him serve the Gods plentifully, and not offer Incense miserably.

Mahumet born in Arabia.This is that Countrey wherein Mahumet was borne, who being of meane parentage, was brought up in his youth in the trade of Mer­chandize; but afterward joyning himselfe with Theeves and Rob­bers, his life was to rob such Mer­chants as passed thorow Arabia; and to this purpose having gotten toge­ther many of his own Countrimen, hee had afterward a whole Legion or more of the Romane Souldiers, who being offended with Hera­clius the Romane Emperour for want of their pay, joyned them­selves to him; so that at length hee had a great Army, where with hee spoyled the Countries adjoyning: And this was about the yeare of Christ six hundred.

To maintaine his credit and au­thority with his own men, hee fai­ned [Page 145]that hee had conference with the Holy Ghost at such times as hee was troubled with the Falling sick­nesse: and accordingly he ordained a new Religion, consisting partly of Iewish Ceremonies, and partly of Christian Doctrine, and some other things of his own invention, that he might inveagle both Iewes and Christians, and yet by his owne fancie distinguish his own Follow­ers from both.

The Booke of his Religion is called the Alcoran. The Turkes Alcaron. the people which were his Sectaries (where­as indeed they came of Hagar, the Hand-maid of Sarah, Abrahams wife, and therefore should of her be called Ishmaelites, or Hagarens) because they would not seeme to come of a Bond-woman, and from him whom they suppose a Bastard, they terme themselves Saracens, as comming from Sarah; they are called by some Writers, Arabians, instead of Saracens, their name being drawn from their first Coun­trey.

The Turkes Religion. Mahumet did take something of his doctrine both from the Iewes and Christians: as that there is but on God; that there is a life eter­nall in another World; and the ten Commandements, which they doe admit and beleeve: but from the Jewes alone, the false Prophet did borrow divers things, as that all his males should bee circumcised, that they should eate no Swines­flesh; that they should oftentimes bathe, purge and wash themselves; which divers of their people, which are more religious than the ordinary sort, doe five times in the day, and therefore they have neere to their Churches and Houses of Devotion, divers Baths; whereinto when they have entred and washed themselves, they doe perswade themselves that they are as cleere from sinne, as they were the first day they were born.

The City Mecha.In this Countrey of Arabia, stan­deth a Citie called Mecha, where is the place where Mahumet was bu­ried, and in remembrance of him [Page 147]there is builded a great Temple, unto which the Turkes and Sara­cens yearely goe on Pilgrimage, (as some Christians doe to the Holy Land:) For they account Mahumet to be the greatest Pro­phet that ever came into the World; saying, that there were three great Prophets, Moses, Christ, and Mahumet: and a the doctrine of Moses was bettered by Christ, so the Doctrine of Christ is amended by Mahumet. In this respect, as we reckon the computa­tion of our yeares from the Incar­nation of Christ, so the Saracens account their from the time of Mahumet.

The Turks, The Turkes biginning and their Religion. whose Fame began now about 300 yeares since, have imbraced the opinions and religion of the Saracens, concerning Ma­humet. Some of our Christians doe report, that Medina a Citie stan­ding three dayes journey from Me­cha, is the place where Mahumet was buried, and that by order from himselfe, his body was put into an [Page 148]Iron Coffin, which being carried into a Temple, the roofe or vault whereof was made of Adamant, or perhaps of the Loadstone, is attract­ed unto the top of the vault, & there hangeth, being supported by no­thing. But there is no certainty of this Narration.

This false Prophet (as Lodovicus Vives, de veritate fidei, doth write) being desirous in some sort to imi­tate Christ Iesus, who foretold that hee should rise againe within the space of 3 dayes, did give out that himselfe should rise againe, but hee appointed a larger time, that was after 800 yeeres,The blas­phemous prophecie of Mahumet. and yet that time also is expired, but wee heare no newes of the resurrection of Ma­humet. As the Devill hath ever some device to blinde the eyes of unbe­leevers, so hee hath suffered it to be reported, and credited among the Turkes, that as Moses did allude to the comming of Christ, so Christ did foretell somewhat of the ap­pearing of Mahumet. Whereupon it is ordinarily received among [Page 149]them, that when Christ, in S. Johns Gospel, did say, That although hee departed, he would send them a Com­forter, it was added in the Text, and that shall be Mahumet: But that the Christians in malice to them, have raced out those words.

Their owne Bookes doe mention that Mahumet (while hee lived) was much given to lasciviousnesse,Mahumet a lasciviou [...]s person. and all uncleannesse of body, even with very beasts; and his followers are so senslesse, that in imitation of him they thinke no such wicked­nesse to be unlawfull: For they are utterly unlearned, and most receive whatsoever is delivered unto them out of the Alcoran, Mahumet ha­ving made it a matter of death to dispute, sift, or call in question any thing which is written in his Law.

On the Westside of Arabia, betweene that and Aegypt, lyeth the Gulph called of the Country Si­nus Arabicus; by some, Mare Ery­thraeum, but commonly the Red Sea, The Red Sea. not of one Erythrus as some suppose, [Page 150]but because the Land and bankes thereabout are (in colour) red. This is that Sea, through the which (by Moses) the people of Israel were led, when they fled out of Egypt from Pharaoh; God causing by his power, the waters to stand on both sides of them, that they passed through as on dry Land.

This is that Sea, through which the Spices of the East Indies were in times past brought to Alexan­dria in Egypt, and from thence dispersed into Christendome by the Venetians: which Spices, and Apothecaries drugs are found to be farre worse than before time they were, by reason of the great moy­sture which they take on the wa­ter, by reason of the long Navigati­on of the Portugales by the back part of Africa.

This is that Sea, through the which Salomon did send for his Gold, and other precious Merchan­dize unto the East Indies, and not to the West Indies, as some lately have disputed. Whereout the va­nity. [Page 151]of that opinion may appeare that America and the West Indies were knowne in the time of Salo­mon. For if he had sent thither, his course had beene along the Medi­terranean, and through the straits of Gibralter, commonly called Fre­tum Herculeum, betweene Spaine and Barbary: But the Scripture telleth, that the Navy which Salo­mon sent forth, was built at Ezion-Geber which is there also said to stand on the Red Sea. So his course might be Eastward, or Southward, and not Westward.

Mount Horeb.In the Desart of Arabia is the Mount Horeb, which by some is supposed to be the same that is cal­led Mount Sina, where many think it was that Abraham should have offered up his Sonne Isaac. But this is certaine, that it was the place where God in the Wildernesse did give unto the people of Israel his Law of the ten Commandements, in Thundring, Lightning, and great Earth-quake, in most fearfull man­ner.

Of Cyrene and Africke the lesse.

ON the West side of Ae­gypt, lying along the Me­diterranean, The Coun­trey of Cyrene. is a Country which was called in old time, Cyrene; wherein did stand that Oracle which was so famous in the time of Alexander the Great, called by the name of the Temple or Oracle of Jupiter Hammon, whi­ther when Alexander did repaire, as to take counsell of himselfe, and his successe, the Priests being be­fore taught what they should say, did flatteringly professe him to bee the Sonne of God, and that he was to be adored: So that as the Ora­cle of Delphos, and some other [Page 164]were plaine delusions of Sathan, who did raigne in that darke time of ignorance: so this of Iupiter Hammon, may be well supposed to be nothing else, but a cousenage of the Priests.

In this Countrey, and all neere about where the Oracle stood, are very great Wildernesses: where did appear to Alexander for foure daies journey, neither Grasse, Tree, Wa­ter, Man, Bird, nor Beast, but onely a deepe kinde of sand: so that hee was enforced to carry water with him for himselfe and his company (and all other provision) on Cam­mels backs.

At this day, this Countrey hath lost his old name, and is reckoned as a part of Aegypt, and lyeth under the Turke.

In dry Countries, as in Africa, and the Wildernesse of Arabia, they have much use of Cammels. First, because they can carry a huge burthen of water and other provi­sion: Secondly, because that them­selves will goe a long time without [Page 165]drinke, travelling (as Solinus wri­teth) foure dayes together without it; but then drinking excessively, and that especially of muddy and puddle water: And thirdly, because that in an extremity, those that tra­vell with them doe let them bloud in a veine, and sucke out the bloud; whereby as the owner is much re­lieved, so the Camell is little the worse.

Westward from this Countrey, along the Mediterranean, lieth that which in ancient time was called Africa minor: for as in Asia one part above another was by an excel­lency called Asia, or Asia the lesse: so this part of Africke, was ter­med by the Romanes, sometimes Africa simply, sometime Africa the lesse.

In this Countrey did stand that place so famous, mentioned by Sa­lust, under the name of Philleno­rum arae: which was the bound in that time, betweene Africke and Cyrene.

On the North and East part [Page 166]hereof, in the Sea neere unto the shore, was that Quick-sand, which in times past did destroy so many ships, and was called Syrtis magna: as also on the North and West part, was the other sand called Syrtis par­va. Some part of this Countrey was heretofore under the Sultan of Egypt, whose dominion did ex­tend it self so farre to the West and there was diuided from the King­dome of Tunis: but it is now whol­ly under the Turk, and is common­ly reputed as a part of Barbary. For now, by a generall name from the confines of Cyrene unto the West, as farre as Hercules Piller, is called Barbary; though it containe in it di­vers Kingdomes, as Tunis, Fessa, and Morocco.

Of Mauritania Caesariensi.

A Part of that country, which by a generall name is cal­led at this day Barbarie, hath in old time beene cal­led Mauritania, which was divi­ded [Page 167]into two parts: the East part whereof next to Africa minor, was called by the Romanes Mauritania Caesariensis, as the other was called Mauritania Tingitana. In Mauri­tania Caesariensi was the Countrey of Numidia, the people whereof were used in the Warres of the Car­thaginians, as Light-horsmen, and for all nimble services were very active.

In the East part of this Coun­trey standing in the Sea, was that famous Citie of Carthage, Carthage a famous City supposed to be built by Dido, who came from Tyrus.

This City was it, which for the space of some hundred yeares con­tended with Rome, for the Empire of the World. In the Romane Histo­ries are recorded the great Warres which the people of Rome had with the City of Carthage.

In the first warre of the three, the contention was for the Iles of Cici­lia, Corsica, and Sardinia: when the victory fell to the Romans, and the Carthaginians were glad to re­deeme [Page 168]their peace with the leaving of those Ilands.

The second warre was begun by Hannibal, who brake the League, and after he had taken some part of Spain from the Romanes, and sac­ked Saguntum, a Citie of their Friends, came first over the Pyrenay hils to France, then over the Alpes to Italy, where hee overthrew the Romanes in three great Battels, and much endangered their estate: hee continued in Italy with his Ar­my sixteene yeares, till Scipio at­tempting on Carthage, forced Han­nibal to returne to rescue his owne Countrey. There was Hannibal overthrowne, and his City put to a great pension by Scipio, who for his victory there was named Afri­canus.

In the third Warre (because the people of Carthage still brake the League) their City was razed to the very ground by the earnest and continuall counsell of Cato the Elder, fearing evermore so dange­rous a Neighbour, though Scipio [Page 169]Nasica counselled to the contrary: fearing lest if the dread of that e­nemy were taken away, the Romans would grow either to idlenesse, or civill dissention; which after they did. It is reported of Cato, that hee never spake his judgement of any thing in the Senate, but his conclu­sion was thus: Thus I think for this matter, and withall that Carthage is to be razed down. And Scipio Nasica would reply in his conclusion: Thus I thinke for this matter, and withall that Carthage is not to bee razed down.

Livie reporteth, that the way whereby Cato prevayled that Car­thage should be razed downe, was this; while the question was very hot, hee bringeth into the Sen [...]te house greene Figges, and let the Se­natours understand, that the same day three weeks, those Figges were growing in Carthage Town: wher­by hee made manifest unto them, that it was possible that an Army might be conveyed from Carthage to Rome in so short a time as that [Page 170]they would not be able (on a sud­daine) to resist, and so Rome might be surprized: whereby they all con­cluded, that it was no safety for their City to have a bad Neighbour so neer unto them.

In this Countrey toward the West, not farre from Carthage, stood Vtica, whereof the younger Cato was tearmed Cato Ʋticensis, because hee killed himselfe there in the civill warres betwixt Caesar and Pompey, because he would not come within the hands of his enemy Cae­sar.

Not farre from thence westward, standeth Hippo, which was the Ci­ty where S. Augustine was Bishop.

This whole Countrey (at this day) is called the Kingdome of Tu­nis; the King whereof, is a kinde of stipendary unto the Turke: the people that inhabit there are gene­rally Saracens, and doe professe Mahumet.

Some doe write that Tunis stan­deth in the very place where olde Carthage was; which is not so, but [Page 171]is situated very neere unto the old ruines of the other. Against the king of Tunis, Charles the fift had some of his warres by Sea.

Of Mauritania Tingitana.

THe other part of Barbary that lyeth along the Medi­terranean, farthest into the West, was called in old time, Mauritania Tingitana. The people of which Countrey were those which almost in al the old Hi­stories were called by the name of Mauri: Those of the other Mauri­tania being rather termed Numidae.

Into the North-west part therof, did Hercules come, and there did set up one of his pillars, which answe­reth to the other in Spain, they both being at the straits of Gilbralter, in times past called Fretum Herculeū. On the South part thereof, lay theThe kingdome of Bocchus kingdom of Bocchus, which in the time of Marius, had so much to doe with the Romans. In the west part of [Page 172]this Mauritania standeth the Hill called Atlas minor, Atlas mi­nor. Atlas ma­jor. & on the South part, is the great Hill called Atlas major; whereof the maine Ocean which lyeth betweene Mauritania and America, is called Mare Atlan­ticum. This hill is so high, that unto those who stood on the bottome of it, it seemed to touch heaven with his shoulders.

This Countrey hath beene long inhabited by the Saracens; who from thence finding it to be but a short passage into Spaine, did goe over (now seven hundred yeares agoe) and possessed there the King­dome of Granado, on the South side of Spaine, till they were thence expelled by Ferdinandus and Eli­zabeth, or Isabel, King and Queene of Castile. In this Countrey since that time, have the Spaniards ta­ken some Cities and Holds; and so also have the Portugals: which by the divers event of victory, have often beene lost and won by them.

Here it was that the Emperour [Page 173] Charles the Fift, had divers of his great Warres against the Moores, as well as in the Kingdome of Tunis. For the assistance of one, who clay­med to bee King of a part of this Countrey, did Sebastian the King of Portugale goe with all his power into Africa, in the Yeare 1578. where unadvisedly bearing him­selfe, hee was slaine together with two other, the same day, who clay­med to be Kings: so that there it was that the Battell was fought, whereof it was said, thatThree Kings slaine in one day at the bat­tle of Alea­zar. three Kings died in one day, which bat­tell is called the battell of Aleazar, and was the ruine of the Kingdome of Portugale, and the cause of the uniting it to the Crowne of Spaine. Astrologers did suppose, that the blazing Starre which appeared the Yeare before, did signifie that ill event.

This whole Countrey doth main­taine in it, besides some Imperiall Government, two absolute King­domes:The king­dome of Fez [...] ▪ the one of Fezza or Fez, which lyeth on the North part to­ward [Page 174]the Mediterranean and Spain: the other is the Kingdome ofThe king­dome of Morocco. Morroco, which lyeth from a­bove the Hill Atlas minor, to the South and West part of Maurita­nia. These are both Saracens, as be also their people; holding true League with the Turke, and with some other Christian Princes; a League onely for Traffick and Mer­chandize.

It may be doubted whether it was in this Mauritania Tingitana, or rather but neere unto it, in Mau­ritania Caesariensi, that which Saint Augustine in his Booke De doctri­na Christiana, doth of his owne knowledge report, that in a Citie of that Countrey was this brutish custome, that once in the yeare (for certaine dayes) the Inhabitants of the place did assemble themselves into wide and large fields,A brutish custome used in this Country. and there divided themselves each from o­ther, so that perhaps the Fathers were on one fide, and the children or brothers on the other; and did throw stones with such violence [Page 175]that many were hurt, and divers killed with the fury of that assault.

But S. Austine telleth, that he de­testing the bruitishnesse thereof, did make a most eloquent and elabo­rate Oration or Sermon unto them: whereby he did prevaile with those of the Citie where hee was, that they gave over that foolish and rude exercise: Yet Leo Affricanus, who lived a hundred yeares since, and in his owne person travelled over the greatest part of Africke, doth write in his description of Africke, that in one place of the kingdome of Fez, the like barbarous custome is yet re­tained.

Of the other Countries of Africke, lying neere the Sea.

FRom beyond the hill Atlas major, unto the South of Africke, is nothing (almost in Antiquity) worthy the reading: and those things which are written (for the most part) are sables: For towards the South part [Page 176]of Africke, as well as towards the North parts of Europe and Asia, be supposed to beMen of strange shapes. men of strange shapes, as some with Dogs heads, some without heads, and some with one foot alone, which was very huge, and such like; which that counterfeit Fryer, (who writ that Booke which is counted Saint Augustines, ad fratres in Eremo; and who would gladly father upon Saint Augustine the erecting of the Augustine Fryers) doth say, that he saw travelling downe from Hippo, Southward in Africa: But as the Asse in Aesope, which was clothed in the Lyons skin, did by his long cares shew himselfe to be an Asse, and not a Lyon: So this foolish fel­low, by his lying, doth shew him­selfe to bee a counterfeit, and not Saint Augustine.

In the new Writers there are some few things to be observed: as first, that all the people in generall to the South, lying within the Zo­natorrida, are not onely blackish, like the Moores, but are exceeding [Page 177]blacke. And therfore as in old time, by an excellency, some of them are called Nigritae, so at this day they are namedNegros. Negros, as then whom no men are blacker.

Secondly, the inhabitants of all these parts which border on the Sea-coast, even unto Caput bonae spei, have beene Gentiles, * adoring I­mages and foolish shapes for their Gods,Their Re­ligion. neither hearing of Christ, nor beleeving on Mahumet, til such time as the Portugals comming a­mong them, have professed Christ for themselves, but have wonne few of the people to embrace their religion.

The Portu­gals have bere settled themselves.* Thirdly, that the Portugalls passing along Africa to the East-Indies, have setled themselves in many places of those Countries, building Castles and Townes for their owne safety, and to keepe the people in subjection, to their great commodity.

One of the first Countries fa­mous beyond Morocco, isThe coun­trey of Guinea. Guinea, which we call Ginnle, within the [Page 178]compasse whereof, lyeth the Cape, called the Cape Verde, and the o­ther, the Cape of the three points: and the Towne and Castle named Sierta Liona, at which place (as commonly all Travellers doe touch that doe passe that way for fresh water, and other ship provision) our English-men have foundTheir Commodi­ties for trade. traf­ficke into the parts of this Coun­trey, where their greatest commo­dity is Gold, and Elephants teeth; of both which there is good store.

Beyond that, toward the South, not farre from the Equinoctiall, ly­eth theThe kingdome of Congo. Kingdome of Congo, com­monly called Mani-congo. Where the Portugals at their first arrivall finding the people to be Heathens, without God, did induce them to a profession of Christ, and to bee baptized in great abundance, allow­ing of the principles of Religion, untill such time as the Priest did teach them to lead their lives according to their profession; which the most part of them in [Page 179]no case enduring, they returned back again to theirTheir Religion. Gentilisme.

Beyond Mani-congo so farre to the South as almost ten degrees beyond the Tropicke of Capri­corne, lyeth the Lands end; which is a Promontory, now called Ca­put bonae spei, which Vascus Gama the Portugall did discover, and so called it, because he had there good hope that the Land did turne to the North; and that following the course thereof hee might be brought to Arabia and Persia, but especially to Calecut in India. Which course, when himselfe, and other of his Countrey-men after him did follow, they found on the Coast up towards Arabia, the King­dome ofThe three Kingdomes of Mosam­bique, Me­linda, Ma­gadazo, &c. Mosambique, Melin­da, Magadazo, and other; whose people were all Gentiles, and now are in League with the Portugales, who have built divers Holds for their safety. Of which Countries, and manners of the people, he that listeth to read, may find much in the Historie of Osorius, and Petrus [Page 180]Maffaeus; but there is no matter of any great importance.

Beyond the Cape toward the North, before you come to Mo­sambique, betweene the Rivers of Cuama and Sancto Spirito, lies theThe king­dome of Monomota­pa. Kingdome of Monomotapa, where the Portugales also have arrived, and so much was done there by the preaching of Gonsalvo de Sylva, a Iesuite, that the King and Queene of that Countrey with many others were converted fromTheir Religion. Gentilisme to Christianity and baptized: But certaine Mahumetans incensing the King thereof afterwards against the Portugales, made him to re­volt from his Religion, and to put to death this Iesuite and divers o­thers: which Fact of his, the Portugals assaying to revenge with an Army sent for out of Portugall they profited little against him, but were themselves consumed by the discommodities of the Coun­trey, and the distemperature of the ayre.

There are also other Kingdomes [Page 181]in this part of Africke, of whom we know little besides their names and site in generall, asThe kingdome of Adel, &c. Adel, Monomu­gi, Angola, and therefore it shall be sufficient to have named them in a word.

Of Abissines, and the Empire of Prestor Iohn.

IN the In-land of Africke, The Situ­ation of the Empire of Prester Iohn. ly­eth a very large Countrey, ex­tending it selfe on the East to some part of the Red Sea, on the South to the kingdome of Melinda, and a great way farther, on the North to Aegypt; on the West to Manicongo. The people whereof are called Abissini; and it selfe the dominion of him, whom wee commonly call in Eng­lish Prester Iohn; but in Latine some terme him Pretiosus Iohannes, but the most part, Presbyter Iohannes, writing of him. As hee is a Prince absolute, so hee hath also a Priest­like or Patriarchall function and ju­risdiction among them.One of the greatest in the world. This is a [Page 182]very mighty Prince, and reputed to bee one of the greatest Emperours in the world.

What was knowne of this coun­trey in former time, was knowne under the name of Aethiopia, but the voyages of the Portugalls in these late dayes have best descri­bed it. The people thereof are Christians,Their Religion. as is also their Prince; but differing in many things from the West Church; and in no sort ac­knowledging any supreme prero­gative of the Bishop of Rome. It is thought that they have retained Christianity even from the time of our Saviour, being supposed to bee converted by the Chamberlaine of Candace, the Queene of Aethiopia, who was instructed concerning Christ, by Philip the Evangelist, in the Actes of the Apostles. Euse­bius in his Ecclesiasticall story doth make mention of this. But they doe to this day retaine Circumci­sion: whereof the reason may be, that the E [...]nuch (their Converter) not having any further conference [Page 183]with the Apostle, nor any else with him, did receive the Cere­monies of the Church imperfectly, retayning Circumcision: which among the Iewes was not aboli­shed, when he had conference with Philip.

Within the dominion of Prester John, are the Mountains commonly calledLunae montes. Lunae montes: where is the first wel-spring and rising of the river Nilus. Yet there are that fetch the head of this River out of a cer­taine great Lake toward the South, called Zembre: out of which to­ward the West runnes the River of Zaire, into the Kingdome of Moni-congo; The River of Zuama or Cuama, towards the South, to the Kingdome of Monomotapa, or Benomotapa, as this River Nilus towards the North, through the Kingdome of the Abissines to Aegypt, which River running violently along this Countrey, and sometimes hastily increasing by the melting of much Snow from the Mountaynes, would over-runne [Page 184]and drowne a great part of Aegypt, but that it is slaked by many Ponds, Dammes, and Sluces, which are within the Dominion of Prester Iohn. And in respect hereof, for the maintenance of these, the Prin­ces of Aegypt have paid unto the Governour of theThe A­bissines drowned Egypt. Abissines a great Tribute time out of minde: which of late the great Turke sup­posing it to be a custome needlesse, did deny; till the people of the Abissins by commandement of their Prince, did breake downe their Dammes, and drowning Aegypt did enforce the Turke to continue his pay, and to give much mony for the new making of them, very ear­nestly to his great charge, desiring a peace.

In this Countrey also of Prester Iohn, is the rising of the Famous RiverThe Ri­ver Nigar. Nigar, supposed to have in it the most and the best precious stones of any River in the World, which rising likewise out of a great Lake out of that Mount, after it hath runne a good space hideth it [Page 185]selfe for the space of sixty miles un­der ground, then appearing againe after it hath runne somewhat fur­ther makes a great Lake, and againe after a great Tract, another; and at last after a long course, fals at Cape Verde, into the Atlantick Sea.

Ortelius in his larger Mappes de­scribes it falling into the Sea, like Nilus in Egypt, with seven streames or Ostia: but those that travell these parts say, that there are only some Bayes, but there is no River in those parts running into the Sea, but Senega.

There bee other Countries in A­fricke, Countrie 3 more in Africk. as Agisimba, Lybia, interi­or, Nubia, and others, of whom nothing is Famous: but this may be said of Africke in generall, that it bringeth forth store of all sorts of wild Beasts, as Elephants, Lions, Panthers, Tygres, and the like: yea, according to the Proverbe, Africa semper aliquid apportat no­vi; Oftentimes new andStrange shapes of wild beasts. strange shapes of wilde beasts are brought forth there; the reason whereof [Page 186]is, that the Countrey being very hot, and full of Wildernesses, which have in them little water, the Beasts of all sorts being enforced to meet at those few watering places that bee, where oftentimes contrary kinds have conjunction the one with the other: so that there ariseth a new king of Species which taketh part of both. Such a one is the Leo­pard, begotten of the Lion, and the Beast called Pardus, and somewhat resembling either of them. And thus farre of Africk.

Of the Northerne Ilands.

THe Ilands that do lie in the North are in nūber almost infinite: the chief of them onely shall bee briefly touched. Very farre to the North in the same Climate almost with Sweden, that is, under the Circle Articke, lyeth an Iland called in old timeThule. Thule, which was then [Page 187]supposed to be the farthest part of the world North-ward, & therfore is called by Ʋirgil, Vltima Thule. The Countrey is cold, the people barbarous, and yeeldeth littleTheir commodi­ties. com­modity, saving Hawkes; in some part of the yeare, there is no night at all. Vnto this land divers of our English Nation doe yearely travell, and doe bring from thence good store of Fish, but especially our dee­pest and thickest Ling, which are therefore called Island-Lings.

It hath pleased God,Their Religion. that in these latter times, the Gospell is there preached, and the people are in­structed in Christianity, having also the knowledge of good Lear­ning, which is brought about by the meanes of the King of Sweden, unto whom that Iland is now sub­ject.

There is lately written by one of of that Nation a pretty Treatise in Latine, which describeth the man­ner of that Countrey; and it is to be seene in the first Tome of master Hackluits Voyages.

Southward from thence, lyethFrizeland Frizeland, called in Latine Friz­landia; whereas the Frizeland joy­ning to Germany, is in Latine called Frizia.

On the coast of Germany, one of the seventeene Provinces is calledZealand, in it stan­deth Flu­shen and Middle­burge. Zealand, which containeth in it divers Ilands; in whom little is fa­mous, saving that in one of them is Flishen, or Flushen, a towne of war, and Middleburge is another, a place of good Mart.

Levinus Lemnius, and some of the low Germanes, bee of opinion, that this Citie first was built by Metellus the Romane; and that which now is called Middleburge, was at the first termed Metelli Bur­gum.

The States of the Low-countries, doe hold this Province against the King of Spaine. These Ilands have beene much troubled of late with inundation of water.

The Iland that lyeth most West of any fame, isIreland. Ireland, which had in it heretofore many Kings of [Page 189]their owne: but the whole Land is now annexed to the Crowne of England. The people naturally are rude and superstitious, the Coun­trey good and fruitfull, but that for want of tillage in divers places, they suffer it to grow into Bogges and Desarts.A rare and admira­ble Note. It is true of this Countrey (which Solinus) writeth of some other) that Serpents and Adders doe not breed there; and in the Irish Timber, of certaine ex­perience, no Spiders webbe is ever found.

Of Bri­taine.The most renowned Iland in the world is Albion, or Britannia, which hath heretofore contained in it many severall Kingdomes; but especially in the time of the Saxon. It hath now in it two Kingdomes, England and Scotland, wherein areFoure languag [...]s there spo­ken. foure severall Lan­guages; that is, the English (which the civill Scots doe barbarously speake) the Welsh tongue (which is the Language of the old Bri­taines;) the Cornish, (which is the proper speech of Cornewall,) and [Page 190]the Irish, (which is spoken by those Scots which live on the west part of Scotland, neere unto Jreland.) The commodities and pleasures of England are well knowne unto us, and many of them are expressed in this Verse:

Their originall.The ancient inhabitants of this Land were the Britaines, which were afterward driven into a cor­ner of the Countrey, now called Wales; and it is not to be doubted, but at the first this Countrey was peopled from the continent of France, or thereabout, when the sonnes of Noah had spread them­selves from the East to the West part of the World. It is not strange to see why the people of that Nati­on doe labour to fetch their pedi­gree [Page 191]from one Brutus, whom they report to come from Troy; because the originall of that Truth began by Galfriaus Monumetensis, above five hundred yeares agone, and his Booke contayneth great shew of Truth, but was noted by Nu­bringensis, or some Authour of his time, to be meerely fabulous: Be­sides that, many of our English Nation have taxed the saying of them, who would attribute the name of Britannia unto Brutus, and Cornubia to Corynaeus, Aenaeas Sylvius, Epist. 1.3. hath thought good to confirme it, saying. The English people (saith hee) doe re­port, that after Troy was over­throwne, one Brutus came unto them, from whom their Kings doe fetch their Pedegrees; which mat­ter there are no more Historians that deliver, besides a certain Eng­lish man, which had some learning in him, who willing to equall the bloud of those Islanders unto the Romane stocke and generositie, did affirme and say that concerning [Page 192] Brutus, which Livie and Salust (being both deceived) did report of Aeneas.

Wee doe finde in ancient Re­cords and Stories of this Island, that since the first possessions which the Brittaines had heere, it was over-runne, andThe Brittains five times con­quered. conquered five severall times.First, by the Romans. The Ro­manes were the first that did at­tempt upon it, under the conduct of Julius Caesar, who did onely discover it, and frighted the Inha­bitants with the name of the Ro­manes, but was not able so farre to prevaile upon it, as any way to possesse it: yet his Successours af­terwards did by little and little, so gaine on the Countrey, that they had almost all of it, which is now called England; and did make a great Ditch or Trench from the East to the West Sea, betweene their Dominion here, and Scotland. Divers of the Emperours were here in person, as Alexander Seve­rus, who is reputed to be buried at Yorke. Here also was Constantius [Page 193]Father unto Constantine the Great; who from hence married Helena a woman of this Land, who was afterwards Mother to the renow­ned Constantine. But when the Romanes had their Empire much weakned, partly by their owne discords, and partly by that decay which the irruptions of the Gothes and Vandales, and such like invaders did bring upon them, they were forced to retire their Legions from thence, and so leaving the Countrey naked; the Scots, and certaine people called the Tictes, did breake in, who most miserably' wasted and spoyled the Countrey. Then were the Inhabitants (as some of our Authours write) put to that choice, that either they must stand it out and be slaine, or give ground, till they came to the Sea, and so be drowned.

Of theseSecondly, the P [...]cts, who used to print or p [...]un [...]e their [...] Pictes, who were the second over-runners of this Iland, some doe write, that they did use to cut and pounse their flesh, and lay on colours, which did make [Page 194]them the more terrible to be seene, with the cuts of their flesh. But certaine it is, that they had their name for painting thēselves, which was a common thing in Brittaine in Caesars time, as he reporteth in his Commentaries, the men colouring their faces with Glastone, or Ode, that they might seeme the more dreadfull, when they were to joyne battaile.

To meete with the cruelty and oppression of these Barbars, theThirdly, the Saxon. Saxons were in the third place by some of the Land called in, who finding the sweetnesse of the soyle, and commodiousnesse of the Coun­trey every way, did repaire hither by great troupes, and so seated themselves here, that there were at once of them seven severall King­domes and Kings within the com­passe of England.

These Saxons did beare them­selves with much more tempe­rance and placability towards those few of the Countrey that remay­ned, than the Picts had done: but [Page 195]yet growing to contention, one of their Kings with another, partly a­bout the bounds of their territories, and partly about other quarrels, they had many great battels each with other.

In the time of these,Their Religion and devo­tion. Religion and Devotion was much embra­ced, and divers Monasteries, and rich Religious houses were founded by them, partly for penance which they would doe, and partly other­wise; because they thought it to be meritorious: in so much that King Edgar alone, is recorded to have built above foure severall Monaste­ries. And some other of their Kings, were in their ignorance so devo­ted, that they gave over their Crownes, and in superstition did goe to Rome, there to leade the lives of private men.

These seven Kingdomes in the end, did grow all into one; and then the fourth and most grievous scourge and conquest of this king­dome came in, theFourthly, the Danes. Danes, who [Page 196]Lording here divers yeares, were at last expelled; and then William Duke of Normandy, pretending that hee had right thereunto, by the pro­mise of adoption, or some other conveyance from Herald, did with his Normans passe over into this Land, and obtained a great victory in Sussex, at a place which he cau­sed in remēbrance therof to be cal­led Battell, and built an Abby there, by the name of Battell Abby. Hee tooke on him to winne the whole by Conquest, and did beare him­selfe indeed like a Conquerour: For hee seised all into his hands, gave out Barons, Lordships, and Mannours from himselfe; reversed the former Lawes and Customes, and instituted here the manners and orders of his owne Countrey; which have proceeded on, and beene by little and little bettered; so that the honourable government is established, which wee now see at this day.

It is supposed, that the Faith of [Page 197] The re­ligion ve y ancient which they n [...]w pro­fesse. Christ was first brought into this Land in the dayes of the Apostles, by Ioseph of Arimathaea, Simon Zelotes, and some other of that time: but without doubt not long after it was found here; which appeareth by the Testimony of Tertullian, who lived within lesse then two hundred yeares after Christ: And there are Records to shew, that in the dayes of Eleuthe­rius, one of the ancient Bishops of Rome, K. Lucius he first, that here received Baptisme and the Gospel. King Lucius received here both Baptisme and the Gospel: in so much that it is fabulous vanity to say, that Augustine the Monk was the first that here planted the Chri­stian Faith: For hee lived six hun­dred yeares after Christ, in the time of Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome: before which time, Gil­das is (upon great reason) thought to have lived here: of whom there is no doubt, but that hee was a learned Christian: Yea, and that may bee perceived by that which Beda hath in his Ecclesiasticall Story concerning the comming in [Page 198]of Augustine the Monke, that the Christian Religion had beene plan­ted here before, but that the puri­tie of it in many places was much decayed, and also that many people in the Iland were yet Infidels: For the conversion of whom, as also for the reforming of the other, Austine was sent hither, where hee behaved himselfe so proudly, that the best of the Christians which were here did mislike him. In him was erected the Arch-bishopricke of Canterbury, which amongst old Writers is still termed Dorebernia, the Archbishops doe reckon their succession by number, from this Augustine.

Note. The reason wherefore Gregory the great is reported to have such care for the conversion of the Eth­nicks in Brittaine, was because cer­taine young Boyes were brought him out of this Countrey; which being very goodly of countenance (as our Countrey Children are therein inferiour to no Nation in the World) hee asked them [Page 199]what Countrey-men they were; and it was replyed, that they were Angli, he said they were not unfit­ly so called, for they were Angli, tanquam Ange [...]i, Nam vultum ha­bent Angelorum. And demanding further, of what Province they were in this Iland; it was returned that they were called Deires, which caused him againe to repeate that word, and to say, that it was great pitty, but that by being taught the Gospell, they should be saved de ira Dei.

England hath since the time of the Conquest, growne more and more in riches, insomuch that now more then 300, yeares since,No coun­trey like England. in the time of King Henry the third, it was an ordinary speech, that for wealth, this Countrey was Puteus inexhaustus, a Well that could not be drawne dry. Which conceit the King himselfe, as Ma­thew Paris writeth, did often sug­gest unto the Pope; who thereup­on tooke advantage, abusing the [Page 200]simplicity of the King, to sucke out inestimable summes of money, to the intolerable grievance of both the Clergie and Temporality. And among other things, to bring about his purpose, the Pope did perswade the King, that he would invest his young Sonne in the Kingdome of Apulia; which did containe a great part of all Naples; and for that pur­pose had from thence many thou­sands, besides infinite summes which the King was forced to pay for interest to the Popes Italian Vsurers.

Since that time it hath pleased God more and more to blesse this Land, but never more plentifully than in the dayes of our late, and now raigning Soveraigne, whose raigne continuing long in peace, hath peopled the Land with abun­dance of inhabitants,The Riches of the Coun­trey. hath sto­red it with Shipping, Armour, and Munition, hath fortified it many wayes, hath increased the trafficke with the Turke and Mus­covite, [Page 201]and many parts of the earth farre distant from us, hath much bettered it with building, and en­riched it with Gold and Silver, that it is now (by wise men) supposed, that there is more Plate within the Kingdome, then there was Silver when her Majesty came to the Crown. Some Writers of former times, yea, and those of our owne Country too, have reported, that in England have been Mynes of Gold, or at the least some Gold taken out of other Mynes: which report hath in it no credit, in as much as the Countrey standeth too cold, nei­ther hath it sufficient force of the Sunne, to concoct and digest that Mettall. But truth it is that our Chronicles doe witnesse, that some Silver hath beene taken up in the Southerne parts, as in the Tinne-Mynes of Devonshire and Corne­wall, and such is sometimes found now, but the vertue thereof is so thinne, that by that time it is tryed and perfectly fined, it doth hardly [Page 202]quit the cost: notwithstanding' Lead, Iron, and such baser mettals, be here in good plenty.

The same reason which hindreth gold ore from being in these parts, that is to say, the cold of the cli­mate, doth also hinder that there is no wine, whose Grapes grow here. For although wee have Grapes, which in the hotter and warme Summers doe prove good, but yet many times are nipped with the frost before they be ripe, yet not­withstanding they never come to that concocted maturity as to make sweet and pleasant wine; yet some have laboured to bring this about, therefore have planted vineyards to their great cost and trouble, hel­ping and ayding the soyle by the uttermost diligence they could; but in the end it hath proved to very lit­tle purpose.

The most rich commodity which our Land hath naturally growing, isThe rich commodity of Wooll. Wooll, for the which it is re­nowned over a great part of the Earth. For our Clothes are sent into [Page 203] Turkie, Venice, Italy, Barbary, yea, as far as China of late, besides Mus­covy, Denmark, and other Northern Nations; for the which we have ex­change of much other Merchandize necessary for us here; besides that, the use of this wooll doth in severall labours set many thousands of our people in worke at home, which might otherwise be idle.

Bridges. Amongst the Commendations of England, as appeareth in the place before named, is the store of good Bridges: whereof the most famous are London Bridge, and that at Rochester. In divers places here, there bee also Rivers of good Name, but the greatest glory doth rest in three:Rivers. the Thames, called in Latine of Tame and Isis, Tamesis: Severne, called Sabrina: and Trent, which is commonly reputed to have his name of trente the French word, signifying thirty, which some have expounded to be so gi­ven, because thirty severall Rivers doe run into the same: And some [Page 204]other doe take it to bee so called because there bee thirty severall sorts of Fishes in that water to bee found; the names whereof doe ap­peare in certain old Verses recited by Master Camden, in his Booke of the Description of England.

One of the honourable com­mendations which are reputed to bee in this Realme, is theFair and large Chur­ches. faire­nesse of our greater and larger Churches, which as it doth yet appeare in those which wee call Cathedrall Churches, many of them being of very goodly and sumptuous buildings; so in times past it was more to be seene when the Abbeyes, and those which were called Religious Houses, did flourish; whereof there were a ve­ry great number in this Kingdome, which did eate up much of the wealth of the Land; but especially those which lived there, giving themselves to much filthinesse, and divers sorts of uncleannesse, did so draw downe the vengeance of [Page 205]God upon those places, that they were not only dissolved, but almost utterly defaced by King Henry the eight.1. Archbi­shopricks, and 24. other Bisho­pricks. There are here two Archbi­shoprickes, and twenty foure other Bishoprickes within England and Wales.

It was a tradition among old Writers, that Britaine did breed no Wolves in it, neither would they live here: but the report was fabu­lous, in as much as our Chronicles do write, that there were here such store of them, that the Kings were enforced to lay it as an imposition upon the Kings of Wales, who were not able to pay much money for tribute, that they should bring in yearely certaine hundreds of Wolves; by which meanes they were at the length quite rid from Wolves.

* The Countrey of Wales had in times past a King of it selfe, yea,Of Wales. and sometimes two, the one of North Wales, and the other of South-wales; betweene which people at this day, there is no great [Page 206]good affection: But the Kings of England did by little and little so gaine upon them, that they subdued the whole Countrey unto them­selves; and in the end King Henry the eight, intending thereby to be­nefit this Realme and them, did divide the Countrey into Shires, appointed there his Iudices itine­rantes, or Iudges of the circuite to ride, and by Act of Parliament, made them capable of any prefer­ment in England, as well as other Subjects. When the first news was brought to Rome that Iulius Caesar had attempted upon Britaine, Tully in the elegance of his wit (as appea­reth in one of his Epistles) did make a flowt at it; saying that there was no gaine to bee gotten by it. For gold here was none, nor any other commodity to bee had, unlesse it were by slaves, whom he thought that his friend to whom he wrote, would not looke to be brought up in learning or Musicke.Note. But if Tully were alive at this day, hee would say, that the case is much alte­red, [Page 207]in as much as in our Na­tion, is sweetnesse of behavi­our, abundance of Learning, Mu­sicke, and all the liberall Artes, goodly Buildings, sumptuous Ap­parell, rich Fare, and whatsoever else may bee truely boasted to bee in any Countrey neere adjoy­ning.

Of Scot­land. The Northerne part of Brit­taine is Scotland, which is a King­dome of it selfe, and hath beene so from very ancient time, without any such Conquest, or mayne trans­mutation of State, as hath beene in other Countries. It is compassed about with the Sea on all sides sa­ving where it joyneth upon Eng­land; and it is generally divided into two parts, the one whereof is called the Hye-land, and the other the Low-land.

The Low-land is the most 'civill part of the Realme, wherin religion is more orderly established, and yeeldeth reasonable subjection unto the King: but the other part called the Hye-land, which lyeth further to [Page 208]the North, or else bendeth towards Ireland, is more rude and savage: and whether the King hath not so good accesse, by reason of Rockes and Mountaynes, as to bring the Noblemen which inhabite there, to such due Conformity of Re­ligion, or otherwise, as hee would.

This Countrey generally is moreScotland very poo [...]e in former times. poore than England, or the most part of the Kingdomes of Europe: but yet of late yeares, the wealth thereof is much increased by rea­son of their great trafficke to all the parts of Christendome: yea, unto Spaine it selfe, which hath of late yeares beene denied to the English and some other Nations, and yet unto this day they have not any Shippes, but for Merchan­dize: neither hath the King in his whole Dominion, any vessell called A man of Warre. Some that have travelled into the Northerne parts of Scotland, doe report, that in the Solstitium aestivale, they have scant any night, and that which is, is not [Page 209]above two houres, being rather a dimnesse than a darknesse. The lan­guage of the Countrey is in the Lowland, a kind of barbarous Eng­lish. But towards Ireland side, they speake Irish: Thereason why it is said that in Brittain are soure lan­guages. which is the true reason whereof it is reported, that in Brittaine, there are foure Langua­ges spoken, that is Irish in part of Scotland, English for the greatest part, Welsh in Wales, and Cornish in Cornwall.

In the Confines between the two Kingdomes of England and Scot­land, which are commonly called theBorderers great Rob­b [...]s and Stealers. Borders, there lie divers Out­lawes and unruly people, which as being subject to neither Prince by their good wils, but so farre as they list, do exercise great robberies, and stealing of Cattell from them that dwell thereabout: and yet the Prin­ces of both Realmes, for the better preservation of Peace and Iustice, doe appoint certaine Warders on each side, who have power, euen by Martiall Law to represse all e­normities.

The Queene of England had on her side three: whereof one is called theLord Warden of the Mar­ches. Lord Warden of the East Marches, the other of the West Marches, the third, the Warden of the middle Marches, who with all their power cannot so order things, but that by reason of the out-rages thereabouts com­mitted, the borders are much un­peopled; whiles such as desire to be civill, do not like to live in so dange­rous a place.

It hath beene wondred at by many that are wise, how it could bee that whereas so many Coun­tries, having in them divers King­domes and Regiments, did all in the end come to the Dominion of one (as appeareth at this day in Spaine, where were wont to bee divers Kings, and so in times past in England, where the seven King­domes of the Saxons did grow all into one) yet that England and Scotland, Note. being continuate within one Iland, could never till now bee reduced to one Monarchy; whereof [Page 211]in reason the French may bee thought to have beene the greatest hinderance. For they having felt so much smart by the Armes of England alone, in so much that sometime all that whole Countrey almost hath beene over-runne and possessed by the English, have thought that it would bee impos­sible that they should resist the force of them, if both their Kingdomes were united and joyned into one.

The Custome therefore of the Kings of France in former times was, that by their Gold they did binde unto them the Kings and No­bility of Scotland, and by that meanes, the Kings of England were no sooner attempting any thing upon France, but the Scots by and by would invade England: Where­upon theA Pro­verbe. Proverbe amongst our people grew, That hee who will France winne, must with Scotland first begin.

The policie of the French. And these Frenchmen conti­nuing their policie, did with infinite [Page 212]rewards breake off the Marriage which was intended and agreed upon betweene King Edward the sixt, and Mary the late unfortunate Queene of Scotland, drawing her rather to bee married with the Dolphine of France, who was Sonne to King Henry the second, and afterward himselfe raigned by the name of King Francis the se­cond: But this was so ill taken by the English, that they sought re­venge upon Scotland, and gave them a great overthrow in that bat­tell which was calledMussel­borough field. Musselbo­rough-field.

The people of this Countrey were in times past soThe barbarous­nesse of these Scots in former times. barbarous, that they did not refuse to eate mans flesh: which as Saint Hierome doth witnesse of them, hee him­selfe saw some of them to doe in France, and the fame thereof went so farre, that Chrysostome in one place doth allude to such a mat­ter.

There bee many little Ilands ad­joyning unto the great Iland Bri­taine; [Page 213]as at the very North point of Scotland theThe Or­cades, the people barbarous. Orcades, which are in number above thirty. The chiefe whereof is named Orkney: whereof the people are barba­rous.

On the West-side of Scotland to­wards Ireland, lye the Ilands called Hebrides, in number forty foure, where inhabite the people ordina­rily called theThe Red-shankes. Red-shankes. Not farre from thence, is the Ile Mona, commonly called theThe Ile of Man. Ile of Man, the peculiar jurisdiction of the Earles of Darby, with homage not­withstanding reserved to the Crowne of England.

On the North part of Wales, is the Iland ofThe Ile of Anglesey. Anglesey, which is reputed a distinct Shire.

Towards France side on the South part of England is the Ile ofThe Ile of Wight. Wight, in Latine called Vectis: which is a good hold in the nar­row Seas against the French More neere France are the Iles ofThe Iles of Gerne­sey and Iernesey. Ger­nesey and Iernesey, where they speake French, and are under the [Page 214]Crowne of England. There are also many other, but of small account. As the Iles of Teanet, and Sheppy on the side of Kent, the Sorlings or Sully at the end of Cornewall, in number as it is said 145. Caldey, Lunday, and the Flatholnes, withDivers other Ilands. others in the mouth of Severne, Holy-farne, Cocket Ilands on the side of Northumberland. And thus much of Great Britaine, and the Ilands thereunto adjoyning.

Of the Ilands in the Mediterrane­an Sea.

THere be many Ilāds in the Mediterranean, renow­ned in all the old Writers [...] but the chiefe of them onely shall bee touched. From the Pillars of Hercules going East­ward, are two Ilands not far from Spaine, which in times past were calledIusulae Baleares. Insulae Baleares, for that [Page 215]the people of them did use (both for their delight and Armour) Slings, which they continually (almost) carried about with them: and whereunto, as Pliny writeth, they did traine up their Children from their youngest yeares, not giving them any meat, till they had from some post or beame cast it downe with a Sling. Of these were those Fonditors, or Sling-casters, which the Carthaginians and Spaniards did use in their Warres against the Romanes. The lesser of these, which lyeth most West, was called in old time Minorica: The bigger, which lyeth more East, was cal­led Majorica, and now Minorica and Majorica, they are both under the Dominion of the King of Spaine.

More Eastward in the Sea, cal­led Mare Inferum, or Tyrrhenum, lyeth the Island ofThe Iland of Corsica. Corsica, over against Genua: and direct South­ward from thence lyeth the greatThe Iland of Sardinia. Island Sardinia. For the [Page 216]quiet possession of which two, the warres were often revived be­tweene the old Carthaginians and the Romanes; for these two Islands lye in the middle very fitly.

The Iland of Corsica is subject to the State of Genua, whither the Genoes doe transport things out of the Mayne, and are ruled by their Governours, as the Ʋenetians doe Candie.

This Iland is but barren, either in respect of some other that lye neere unto it, or of the Countrey of Italy; but yet yeeldeth profit, ease, and honour unto the States of Genua, which have little land beside it.

The Island of Sardinia also is no way so fruitfull as Sicily, but it is under the Government of the King of Spain, and was the same which was promised to Anthony the King of Navarre, Note. Father to Henry the Fourth King of France, in recompence of Pamplona, and the rest of the Kingdome of Na­varre [Page 217]then, and now detained from him and his heires, by the Spaniard. But this was the device onely of the Cardinall of Lorraine, who intending to draw him to Papistry, and to order his politicke purposes, did make shew of this, which was no way meant by the Spani­ard.

Further to the East, at the very point of the South part of Jtaly, lyeth the greatThe Iland of Sicilia. Iland Sicilia, which some have supposed to have beene heretofore a part of the Continent: but by an Earth-quake and inundation of water to have beene rent off, and so made an Iland. The figure of this Coun­trey is Triquetra, triangled or three square.

Iustin in his fourth Booke, doth seeme to suspect that Sicily was in times past fastned unto Italy. But Seneca, in Consolatione ad Martian. Cap. 97. doth say plainly, that it was sometimes a peece of the Con­tinent.

There was also a great conten­tion [Page 218]for this Countrey, betweene the Carthaginians and the Ro­manes: but the Romanes obtained it, and had from thence exceeding store of Corne yearely: where­upon Sicily was called Horreum Pop. Rom. Here stood the goodlyThe Citie Syracusa. Note. City called Syracusa, which was destroyed and sacked by Mar­cellus the Romane. When (as Livie writeth of him) hee being resol­ved to set on fire that Citie, which was then one of the goodliest pla­ces of the World, could not chuse but break forth into teares, to see how vaine and transitory the glory of worldly things is here.

At that time livedArchime­des the fa­mous En­gine-maker. Archimedes, who was a most admirable ingeni­ous Engine-maker for all kinde of Fortifications: of whom it is said, that by burning Glasses which hee made, he did set on fire divers ships which the Romanes had lying in the Haven.

When the Citie was taken, hee was making plots, and drawing [Page 219]figures on the ground, for to pre­vent the assaults of the Romanes, and being unknowne, he was slaine by some of the Souldiers, which did breake in upon him. Some thinke that it was hee, and not Architas which made the Dove, of which it is written that it was so equally poysed, that being throwne up into the ayre, it would hover or flutter there, and in a good space not fall downe.

This was in times pastSicily once a kingdome. 2 Famous Tyrants in it. a King­dome, where the two Tyrants, the elder and the younger Dionysius did raigne, where Gelo also, that great friend to the Romanes did re­maine.

It was afterward made a Pro­vince, and governed by the Praetor or Deputy of the Romanes: where­of Verres was one, who was so in­veighed against by Tully.

It grew afterward to be a King­dome againe, in so much that Tan­credus was King of Sicily, which entertained our Richard the first, when with Philip, the King of [Page 220] France, he went to the Conquest of the Holy Land. Here was likewiseThe ty­rant Pha­laris. The tyran­nies of Sicily were very fa­mous. Phalaris the Tyrant so famous, King of Agrigentum.

The tyrannies which were used in Sicilie, were in times past so fa­mous, that they grew into a Pro­verbe; as, Invidia Siculs non inve­nere Tyranni, tormentum majus; but they who were the causes of all, did oftentimes speed very ill themselves, as appeareth by the elder Dionysius, who being driven out of his Dominion, did flee into Italy, and was glad there to teach Children, that so hee might supply his necessity. His sonne grew more tyrannous than the father, and stood so farre in feare of his owne people, that many times hee caused himselfe to bee shut up in a Tower, and his Guard to keepe the doore, that no body might come at him: hee durst not trust his Barbour to shave or clip him,Note, that cruel­ty is al­wayes at­tended with feare. for feare of cutting of his throat: but that which was done, hee caused his Daughter to doe, who [Page 221]with the thinne inner skinne of Walnuts being set on fire, is said to have taken off the haire of his face.

This was hee, whose felicity when Damocles a Flatterer did seeme marveilously to admire,Damocles the flatte­rer. hee caused him to bee set one day at Dinner in his Royall Seate, with dainty Fare before him, Plate, rich Hangings, Musique, and all other matters of delight; but withall a naked Sword, which was onely tyed with a single haire of a Horses Mane, to be hanged directly over him; the feare whereof did so feare the Flatterer, lest it should fall upon him, that hee continually looked upwards and about him, and tooke no joy of that which was before him: whereby Diony­sius did evidently teach him, that the State of some Princes, howso­ever it seeme glorious, yet it doth bring little contentment unto themselves, by reason of the con­tinuall dangers which hang over them.

It is reported of this man, that when all the people of his Coun­trey did for his cruelty continually curse him, there was one Woman which daily did goe to the Churches, and prayed the Gods to lengthen his life: wherewithall when Dionysius was acquainted, marvelling himselfe at the reason of it, he sent for her, and asked what good thing hee had done unto her, that shee was so carefull evermore to pray for him?Note [...]ow the poore woman prayed soy this Tyrant. But the woman answered, that it was not for love, but for feare that shee begged these things of the Gods: For (said shee) I am an old woman, I doe remember when your Grandfather lived, who being very hard unto his people, was much maligned by them, and they prayed that they might be rid of him: which falling out, afterward your Father came in place, and hee was worse than the former: which when the Subjects could not endure, they prayed also that hee might die, hoping that the next would bee [Page 223]better: Then came your selfe in place, who have much exceeded the cruelty of your father: And whereas others wish that you were gone also, trusting for amendment in the next, I that have lived so long, & see that things grow worse and worse, doe pray that you may continue, because that if we should have one that should succeed you, if he walke in the steps of his Pre­decessors, he must needs bee as bad as the Divell himselfe; for none else in tyranny can goe beyond you.

A good note for all inventers of [...]ortures and cruelty, and like­wise for time flat­terers. Phalaris of Agrigentum, was hee who proposed rewards unto him who invented new torments, which caused Perillus to make a Bull of Brasse, into the which if offenders should bee put, and fire should bee set under, then it would make them roare like a Bull: But when upon the terrour thereof none would so offend (as to deserve that torment) Phalaris tooke Perillus, the Author thereof, and to try the experience, put [Page 224]him into it, whereby Perillus lost his life.

This Countrey is now also under the King of Spaine, who among o­ther titles, was wont to call him­selfe King of both Sicilies, recko­ning this Iland for one, and that part of Italy for another, which is now called Calabria, and was in the Romane Histories named Magna Graecia.

There is nothing more renow­ned in all Cicilia, either with new or old Writers, than theThe Mountaine Aetna. Moun­taine Aetna, which being on the out side oft covered with snow, yet by a sulphurous or brimstony mat­ter, doth continually burne within: yea, so that whereas it was suppo­sed in the ages last before us, that the matter being consumed, the sire had ceased; twice in our age it hath broke forth againe, to the incre­dible losse of all the Countrey ad­joyning, the ashes thereof destroy­ing vines and fruits, which were within the compasse of many miles about.

Agatheas in his History doth tel, that in his owne time there was an incredible deale of ashes which did fall about Constantinople, and the places neere adjoyning, in so much that the ground was cove­red with the same; which he repu­teth to have been brought from the Hill in Sicily. But Bodin, in his Method. Hist. doth reprove this as a fable, which can have no shew of truth, by reason of the great di­stance of the place: notwithstan­ding it is certaine, that sometimes when it doth strongly breake out, the Fields and Vineyards, and all the fruits within the compasse of some miles are much hurt there­withall.

The rea­son of the fire in the mountaine of Aetna. The reason of this Fire was laid downe by Iustine in his fourth Booke; and is since approved both by Historians and Philosophers: which is, that within the ground, there is great store of Sulphure and brimstony matter, which having once fire in it, is apt to keepe it. And whereas all the whole Coun­trey [Page 226]is full of chinks and chaps, and hollownesse within the ground, the matter which entreth there, doth minister substance to the con­tinuance of that flame: as wee see that water cast on coales in the Smiths Forge doth make them burne more fervently: and then into the Chinkes and Chaps, the Winde doth also enter, which by blow­ing and whifling, doth both cause the fire never to extinguish, and sometimes (according unto the strength of the blast) doth make flames breake out, either more or lesse.

There are in the Hill Aetna, two principall places which are like un­to two Furnaces, with Tunnels on the top of them, where divers times, (but especially in the Eve­ning and Night) the flame doth ap­peare, mounting upwards; and it is so strong, that oftentimes it brings up with it burnt and scor­ching stones, and peeces of hard substances, which seemes to bee rent out of some Rocke, to the [Page 227]great terrour and danger of any that doe come neere.

This is that place whither Em­pedocles threw himselfe,Note. that hee might be reported a God.

This is it whereof Ʋirgil doth make his Tract called Aetna: which the Poets did report to bee the Shop of Vulcan, where Cyclo­pes did frame the Thunderbolts for Iupiter.

And to conclude, that is it, which some of our grosse Papists have not feared to imagine to be the place of Purgatory. As they have beene so foolish to thinke, that there is also another place called the Mount Veda in Jseland, where soules have another Purgatory to bee pu­nished in; but there by colde, which Surius in his Commentaries is so absurdly grosse as to report and allow.

The Pa­pists Purga­tory is the fiery Aetna. The Papists have show for their Purgatory in Aetna, out of that Book which is commonly cal­led by the name of the Dialogues of Gregory the Great: For in that [Page 228]Booke there are divers things to that purpose. But our best Writers of late, have discovered that that same Treatise is a counterfeit, being made by a later Pope Gregory, and not by the first of that name, or­dinarily called Gregorius Mag­nus: who although hee have in his Workes divers things tend­ing to Superstition, yet hee was never so absurde as to write things so unprobable, foolish, and groun­ded upon so bare reports as these were.

Such another Hill as the Moun­taine of Aetna is, was in time past Vesuvius, a Hill in Campania, which is part of Italy; but this never had the like continuance as that of Aetna, although in the time of Pliny, the fire did breake forth there, and so strongly, as that the elder Pliny, who spent all his time in discovering? the secrets of Na­ture, pressing neere to behold it, was stifeled with the flame, smoke, or ashes, so that heeThe d [...]ath of Pliny the elder. died in the place, as is most excellently descri­bed [Page 229]in the Booke of his Epistles by his Nephew the younger Pli­nie.

Not farre from Sicily, on the South lyeth the little Ile called in old time Melita: whence those Dogs come which are so much desi­red under the names of Canes Meli­tenses.

Note. This is the place where Saint Paul was cast up after his ship­wrack in his journey to Rome, where the Viper hanged on his hand, and did not hurt him.

This Countrey is now calledMalta the onely place for repelling the Turks. Malta, & is one of the places most renowned in the world for repel­ling of the Turkes: When Soli­man the Emperour of them did send against it a most mighty Army, it was then defended by them, who are called the Knights of Malta, which by Sea doe great spoyle to the Gallies of the Turke that passe that way.

There were in times past divers Orders of Knights, and men that had vowed themselves to adven­ture [Page 230]their lives and whole state, for the maintenance of Christs Reli­gion, and some places of the Earth, against the Infidels and Sa­racens.

The most ancient of all those, were called theThe socie­ty of the Knights Templers. Templers, who were a great corporation or socie­tie, consisting of divers Gentle­men, younger brothers for the most part, out of all the Realmes of Christendome: Their chiefe charge was to defend the Citie of Ierusalem, and the Reliques or re­mainder of the Temple there, and Sepulcher of Christ: for the pre­servation of which places, toge­ther with the rest of the Holy Land, they had given unto them, and purchased for their money, very rich and ample possessions in England, France, Spaine, Jtaly, and other places of Europe, in so much that in the dayes of Mathew Paris, hee reporteth that they had under them many thousands of Man­nours.

They had also in every kingdom [Page 231](where their Order was permit­ted) a great and ample house, where some chiefe of their company did lye, who received the Rents with­in that Kingdome, and caused the money to bee transported into the Holy Land, and other Ordinances to be made and executed belonging unto their Order: of which houses, the Temple that is now in London was a chiefe one; which had in f rmer times belonged to the Iews, but was afterwards translated to that use, when the Holy Land was quite taken by Saladine, and could never be recovered into the hands of the Christians since the Societie of these Templers ceased:The Pope and the King of France, con­spiring their ruine. the Pope and the King of France conspiring their ruine, and their Lands were dispersed into divers mens hands.

In the same time when the Templers were in their strength, there was another sort called theHospital­lers. Hospitallers, whose condition and employment was very like unto the other, both of them [Page 232]fighting for the preservation of Pa­lest na.

Wee reade that sometimes these two companies had great jarres be­tweene themselves, whereby grew much hinderance to the Warres a­gainst the Infidels.

All these were accounted as Or­ders of Religion, and therefore it was forbidden them at any time to marry, without dispensation from the Pope; because not being en­tangled to Wife and Children, they might be more resolute to adven­ture their lives.

After them grew up the order of theThe Knights of Rhodes. Knights of Rhodes, who since they could not live in the Holy Land, yet would abide as neere unto it as possible they might; and therefore partly to preserve Pilgrimes which should goe to visit the Sepulchre of Christ, and partly to infest the Turkes and Saracens: but especi­ally to keepe the Enemies of Christ's Faith from encroaching further upon Christendome: which [Page 233]most earnestly they did, and doe desire: they placed themselves in the Ilands of Rhodes, where daily doing great scath unto the Turke, Solyman the great Warriour could not endure them, but with a mighty Army so over-laid them, that hee wonne the Island from them.

The Knights of Malta.After the losse of Rhodes, the Island of Malta was given unto these Knights by Charles the Fift Emperour; whereupon they are now called the Knights of Malta; for the great Master after hee came from Rhodes, went into Candy, and from thence into Sicily, and so into Jtaly, from thence hee made a Voyage into England, and then into France, and lastly into Savoy, from whence hee departed with the Religion into this Island, and there they continue and behave themselves as in the former Iland; and offering no violence unto Christians, they much hinder the courses of the Turks from Graecia and Asia, and of the other Sara­cens [Page 234]from Fez and Morocco. They are very valiant men, fit to doe great service, either by Land or Sea, as appeared when Soly­man did thinke to have surprised them and their Iland: the descrip­tion of which warre is diligently laid downe by Caelius secundus Curio, in a Treatise dedicated to Elizabeth Queene of Eng­land.

There hath beene divers other Orders of Knights, yea, and some of them reputed to bee a kinde of Religion in Portugall, France, Eng­land, Burgundy, and some other places of Christendome; but be­cause their service hath not beene employed purposely, as these which are before mentioned, wee doe not touch them in this place.

Neere unto Graecia and Pelopon­nesus, on the West side towards Italy, is the Jle of Corcyra, now termedThe Iles Corfu. Corfu; and not farre South from that, isCephale­nia. Cephalenia; and from thence South isZon. Zon, called by Ʋirgill, Nemorosa Zacynthus; al [...] [Page 235]which Ilands are at this day under the Ʋenetians.

The greatestThe commodi­ties of the countrey. commodity which that Countrey doth yeeld, are Currans, which are gathered of a kinde of small Grapes; and for the making whereof, they com­monly one time every summer, for the space of three weekes, haue a continuall drought, day and night, in which time, the Currans are laid abroad in the open ayre, and may not be taken in; insomuch, that if the season doe continue hot and dry, their Merchandize is very good; but if there fall any raine untill the time be expired of their full drying, the Currans are not good, but doe mould and change their colour to be somewhat white, like meale. The state of Venice, under whom this Iland is, doth make a great commodity of the im­post, or taxation, which is laid upon this Merchandize, calling the Tri­bute which is paid for them, theThe Impost laid on this Iland, called the Revenue of S. Marke. Revenue of S. Marke: for unto that Saint is the Citie of Venice [Page 236]dedicated, and they hold him fo [...] their Patron.

In this Iland (besides the Mer­chants who repaire thither) are di­vers Italians, who be there in Ga­rison for the Ʋenetians, in one spe­ciall Castle, which commandeth the whole Iland.

There are also divers Fryers [...] that Nation, who performe unto their Countrey-men such exer­cises of Religion as are conveni­ent.

They will not suffer any of our Merchants to have Christian burial among them, unlesse at his death he be confessed after the Romish fa­shion: whereupon some have been forced to convey over some [...] their dead bodies into Morea (which is not farre distant) to be buried there among the Greekes and after their fashion.

The naturall Inhabitants [...] Zant, the Inhabitants Greekes. Zant, and Greekes, both by Language and Religion, and observ [...] all fashions of the Greekish Church in whose words (being now muc [...] [Page 237]corrupted and depraved) there may yet be found some tokens and re­mainders of the old, pure, and un­corrupted Greeke.

There are in this Countrey great store of Swine kept, whereof the Inhabitants doe feed, and carry them into Morea; but the Turkes there (by their Mahumetane pro­fession) will taste no Swines flesh.

In Zacynthus our English Mer­chants have an House of abode for their traffick. South-east from Mo­rea lieth the great IlandCreta. Creta, where Minos sometimes did raign, so famous for his severity.

This Countrey was then called Hecatompolis, as having in it an hun­dred Townes and Cities.

Here stood theThe Labyrinth of Dedalus. Labyrinth, which was the worke of Dedalus, who conveighed the house so by the manifold turnings, infinitenesse of Pillars and Doores, that it was impossible to finde the way; yet Theseus (by the helpe of Ariadne the Daughter of King Minos) [Page 238]taking a bottome of threed, and tying the one end at the first doore, did enter and slay the Mi­notaur, which was kept there, and afterwards returned safe out a­gaine.

The most noted lyers. The ancient Inhabitants of this Countrey, were such noted lyers, that beside the Proverbes which were made of them, as Cretense mendacium, & Cretisan­dum est cum Cretensibus, the Apo­stle Paul in his Epistle to Titus, who was left there by him as Bi­shop of that Iland, doth cite a verse out of the Heathen Poet Epimenides, that the Cretians are ever lyers, evill beasts, and slow bellies.

The Iland Candie. This Iland is in our dayes, called Candy, being the place from whence our Sugar of Candy is brought. It is under the Ʋenetians, and reputed a part of their Seig­niory: Although the Turke, when they had taken Cyprus, did thinke also to have surprised it: but that it pleased GOD by the [Page 239]meanes of Don Iohn of Austria, in the behalfe of his brother the King of Spaine, and the Venetians, to give the Turke that great over­throw at Sea, in the fight neere unto Lepanto. Yet since that time (no doubt) the Turkes have a greedy eye upon the Island of Can­dy.

Betweene Creta and Peloponne­sus, lyethCithera where was the fine Temple of Venus. Cithera. There was the fine Temple of Venus, who thereof by the Poets, is called Citheraea. The Islands are many, which lie in the Sea called Mare Aegeum, from the bottome of Greece, unto the top of the Helle­spont, as all the Cyclads, Euboia, and the great Island Samos, and Chios; [...]o Scyros where Achilles was borne, and was King of that Countrey: There is also Lesbos andDivers small Ilands. Cemnos, Mytelene, and Ithaca where Vlysses was King, and An­drose, whither Themistocles was sent by the Athenians for Tribute, as Plutarch layeth downe the History:Note. Themistocles did tell [Page 240]them that hee came to demand Tri­bute, or some great Imposition upon them, being accompanied with two Goddesses, the one was (Eloquence) to perswade them; and the other (Violence) to enforce them. Whereunto the Andraeans made answere, that they had on their side two Goddesses as strong, whereof the one was (Necessitie) whereby they had it not; and the other was (Impossibility) whereby they could not part with that which they never possessed. Of these places, something may bee read in the olde History of the Greekes. Divers of these did strive that Homer was borne in them; but of certaine, many of those Kings which Homer saith came with A­gamemnon to the siege of Troy, were Kings but of those small I­lands.

Eastward from thence, not farre from some part of Natolia, or Asia the lesser, is theThe Iland of Rhodes. Iland of Rhodes, the friendship of the Inhabi­tants whereof was in ancient time [Page 241]very much defired by the Princes that had to do that way: so that A­lexander first, and the Romanes afterwards, did embrace their league.

Here was that huge and mighty Image of the Sunne, which was cal­led Colossus Rhodius.

This Countrey was long defen­ded by those who were called the Knights of Rhodes, against the power of the Turke, and it was a great Bulwark to defend Christen­dome, till that in the yeare one thousand five hundred twenty and one, Solyman the Great Turke, did winne it from the Christians by force.

From thence South-ward is the IleThe Ile Carphathus. Carphathus: but in the farthest end of the East part of the Medi­terranean, isThe Ile of Cyprus. Cyprus, which about three hundred yeares since, was a Kingdome, and did afford great ayde unto the Christians that went to conquer the Holy-Land; but it is now under the Turke. The [Page 242]chiefe City thereof isThe Citie of Famogu­sta. Famogusta, which is an Archbishops Sea: for Christians, for their Tribute, doe yet live there. In this Countrey in old time was Venus much honored, and therfore she was called Cypria, as also Paphia, because shee had a Temple in a Citie there calledThe Citie Paphos. Pa­phos.

The Iland Tyrus.Neere unto Syria stood the Iland Tyrus: against the pride whereof, the Prophets doe much speake: this was a rich Citie for Merchandize and Navigation in old time; and is the place from whence Dido, and the builders of Carthage did come.

The destruction of it is most fa­mous by Alexander the Great. Of the rest of the small Ilands wee doe say nothing.

Of the Ilands in the Jndian Sea.

THe Ilands are very many that doe lie in the Seas ad­joyning to the East-In­dies; but the most famous among them shall only be touched. Among old Writers, as especially appeareth by Solinus, was well knowne that which was then cal­led Taprobana, which lieth neere the Aequinoctiall Line. It was in that time a Monarchy, where the Kings raigned not by succession, but by election: and if any of them did grow intolerable, hee was deposed and enforced to die, by withdrawing from him all things necessary. This is now cal­ledThe Iland of Sumatra. Sumatra, and hath in it divers Kings.

Not farre from thence lie East­ward the two Ilands calledTwo Jlands, Iava ma­jor and Iava minor Java­major, * Java-minor; which were all knowne to the old Wri­ters, [Page 244]as in generall may bee noted, that all the East-part either in the Continent, or in the Ilands, have very many small Kings and King­domes.

From whence yet more East, lieth a great number of Iles, which are now called theThe I­lands of Moluccoes, the great Riches which the King of Spaine re­ceives from hence yearly Moluccoes, which are places as rich for their quantity as any in the World; from these it is that the Spaniards have yearely so great quantity of all kindes of Spice, neither is there any place of all the East-Indies, that doth more richly furnish home their Carrects, then doe these Moluccoes.

The Ilands which are called by that name are by some of our Writers accounted to bee at least foure and twentie or five and twentie; and some of them which are the bigger, have in them two or three Kings a peece: and some of them which are lesse, are either the severall Dominion of severall Kings, or else two or three of them doe belong to some one [Page 245]Prince.Note. When Sir Francis Drake did compasse the whole World, hee came neere unto these, but did not touch at any of them; but Master Candish taking at large a journey, was in one or more of them, where hee found the people to bee intelligent and subtill, and the Kings of the Countrey to take upon them as great state as might be convenient for such petty Princes.

Some of these Islands the Spa­niards in right of the Portugals have got into their owne possessi­on, with the Kings of some other they have leagued; and a third sort utterly detest them. More North-ward over against China, lyeth a Countrey consisting of a great many Islands called Iapona, ofThe Iland of Iapan. Iapan, the people whereof are much of the same nature with the men of China: this Countrey was first discovered by the Jesuites, who in a blinde zeale have travelled into the farthest parts of the World to winne men [Page 246]to their Religion. This Iland is thought to be very rich.

About the parts of Iapan, there are divers people, whose most or­dinary habitation is at the Sea, and doe never come into the Land, but onely for their necessities, or to fur­nish themselves with new vessels, wherein they may abide; but lying not farre from the Land, they have Ducks, and other Fowles swimming about them, which sometimes they take into their Boats and Ships, and in such sort doe breed them, to the mainte­nance of them and their Chil­dren.

Into this Iapan of late dayes have our English also sayled, as into other parts, of the East-Indies, and there erected a Fa­ctory.

The rest that be either neere un­to Asia or Africa, because there is little written of them, wee passe over,Div [...]rs smal Iionds onely named. onely naming them, as the Philippina, Borreo, Bandara: as also on the side of Africke, the Island [Page 247]of Saint Laurence, called by the In­habitants Madagascar, Sumatra, and other of lesse note: And yet we doe finde in Solinus and Plinie, but especially in Pomponius Mela, that it was knowne in old time, that there were many Ilands neere unto the East-Indies, which as it might bee first discovered by the trafficking of the Ilanders into the Continent; so no doubt that Na­vie which Alexander sent out to Jndia to descry and coast thorow the Easterne Seas, did give much light thereunto, partly by that which themselves did see, and part­ly by those things which they heard in such places, or of such persons as they met with in their travell.

Of the Ilands in the Atlanticke Sea.

THere bee many Ilands which be westward from Africa, and from Europe: as those which are called theIland of Gorgades. Gorgades, that lie in the same climate with Guinea, which are foure in number, not inhabited by men, but they are full of Goates. Peter Martyr in his first Decade, the sixt Booke, saith that the Ad­mirall Colonus, in the yeare of Christ 1498 sailing to Hispaniola with eight Ships, came to the IleThe Ile Madera. Madera, from whence sending directly the rest of his Ships to the East-Indies, hee in one Ship with deckes and two Carayels sayled to the Equinoctiall, betweene which and the Ile Madera, in the middest way, lie thirteene Ilands of the Portugals, in old time calledHesperi­des. Hes­perides, now Cabonerde, two dayes sayling distant from the inner parts of Ethi [...]pe: one whereof is called. [Page 249] Bona­vista. Bonavista, North-ward from thence, in the same climate with the South part of Morocco, lie those which are calledCanariae Ilands. Canariae, or the fortunate Ilands, which are seven in number: being most fruitfull and very pleasant, and therefore called by that name, Fortunatae insulae, This is famous in them, that it hath pleased all Cosmographers to make their Meridian to bee their first point where they doe beginne to reckon the computa­tion of their Longitude, and unto them after three hundred and threescore Degrees to returne againe.

From these Ilands it is, that those strong and pleasant Sacks, which are calledFrom hence the best Canary Sack [...]s. Canary Wines are brought; and from thence are fet­ched those that they call Canary Birds. These Ilands are under the Crowne of Spaine: The heat of the Countrey is very great, and therefore fitter for concoction; but besides that, the soyle of it selfe is accommodated thereunto, [Page 250]and by reason of them, both these Ilands doe bring forth a Grape, which is sweeter in taste then any other Grape, and hath that pro­pertie with it, that the Wine which is made thereof, doth not fume into the head, like other Sacke, but doth helpe the stomacke, and exer­cise the force of it there. The slips of their Vines have beene brought into Spaine and some o­ther places of Europe, but they have not sorted to the same pur­pose, as they doe in their native Countrey.

There doe grow also in these Iles,From hence great store of Sugar-canes▪ good store of Sugar-canes, which yeelde plentifully that kinde of commoditie unto Spaine, either for Marmalets (wherein they much delight) or for other u­ses.

Peter Martyr in the beginning of his Decades, which hee hath written De Orbe novo, doth parti­cularly touch the names, and some other things of these Ilands.

On the backe-side of Africa [Page 251]also just under the Aequinoctiall, is theThe Ile of S. Thomas. Ile of Saint Thomas, inhabited by the Portugals; which Island was taken in the latter time of Queene Elizabeth by the Dutch: it is reported that in the middest of this Island is an Hill, (and over that a continuall Cloud, wherewith the whole Island is watered, (such a like thing as this is reported of theThe Ile of Cloves. Isle of Cloves:) The ayre of this Island is unwholsome, and there is hardly seene any Portugall or stran­ger that comes to dwell there, which lives till hee be above fortie yeares of age.

More Northward from Africke lie those Islands which are calledThe Ilands of Azores. Azores Insulae, being sixe or se­ven in number: of which Tercera is one of the chiefe, of whom, the rest by some are called Terce­ras, which are farre inferiour in fruitfulnesse unto the Canaries, These were first under the Crowne of Portugall, and one of them was the last which was kept out from the King of Spaine, by the [Page 252]Prior Don Antonio, who afterward called himselfe King of Portugall; but the Spaniard at last tooke this Tercera from him, and doth possesse all these Islands, toge­ther with the rest of the Domini­on, which did belong to the Por­tugals.

Hee who list to see the unad­vised proceedings of Don Antonio, both in parting with Lisbon, Note the unadvised­nesse of Don Antonio. and the rest of Portugall, as also in lo­sing these Islands which last of all held out for him, let him read Co­nestagio of the uniting of Portu­gall to the Crown of Castile. But these Azores have in times past yeelded much Oade, which there­upon in England was called Jsland Oade; but now they are the place where the Spaniards do commonly touch, and take in fresh water, both going and comming to and from America, finding that to passe directly without turning on either hand towards America is very hard, by reason of the strong cur­rent of the water from the Gulph [Page 253]of Mexico, and so forward to the East: and therefore they are enforced either to goe lower to the South, and so to water in some part of Guinea, or thereabout, or else to keepe up as high as these Ilands.

Of the parts of America towards the North.

THe rumour of the disco­very of these parts being blowne over Christen­dome, and the great quantitie of the Land together with the fruitfulnesse thereof, being reported abroad, some other nations did enterprize to set foote therein; as namely the French­men, who sent certaine Shippes to a part of this Countrey, lying North from Hispania nova some few de­grees, without the Tropicke of Cancer; into which when they [Page 297]had arrived, because of the continu­all greenenesse of the ground and Trees: (as if it had beene a perpetu­all spring) they call itAnd na­med it Florida. Florida: where after some few of them had for a time setled themselves, the Spaniards tooke notice of it, and being unwilling to endure any such neighbours, they came suddenly on them, and most cruelly slew them all, without taking any ran­some. And the French in revenge of this deed of the Spaniards, came in againe afterwards into this Countrey, and slew those that were the slayers of their Countrey men. Yet the Spaniards, for want of men, are not able to inhabite that Countrey, but leave it to the old people.

The French had built in Florida upon theThe Ri­ver Mayo. River of Mayo, where they were visited by our Sir Iohn Hawkins, a Fort which they called Fort Carolin, and had rea­sonably assured themselves for their defence against the Natives: but some malicious spirits amongst [Page 298]them fled to the Spaniards, with whom they returned againe into Florida to the murther and over­throw of their owne Countrey­men.

Hee who list to see both the at­tempt of the French-men for the in­habiting of that part, and the usage of the Spaniards towards them; let him reade the Expedition into Florida, which is the end of Ben­zo his Storie concerning the New found World; and there hee shall finde both the covetous and insati­able nature of the Spaniards; who would not endure the French neere unto them, although there was Land sufficient, and much to spare for both of them; also their perfi­diousnesse in breaking of Oathes and Promises, and theirNote the Spaniards unchristian cruelty. unchristi­an cruelty, whereby they massacred all.

The Spaniards also to the num­ber of three hundred Foote, and two hundred Horse under the con­duct of Ferdinando de Soto, entred [Page 299] Florida, about the yeare of the Lord 1550, and there conquered a thousand miles wide and large, and after foure or five yeares continu­ance in that Countrey, betooke themselves again from thence, and went to New Spaine, landing at Panuc in Shippes and Vessels that they had built in Florida. And in all that time notwithstanding many conflicts with the Natives, and di­vers discommodities and wants which they sustained in the Coun­trey, they lost but two hundred men.

After this departure of the Spa­niards out of Florida, brought thither by Ferdinando de Soto, who died in the Countrey; after the de­feat of the French, and their re­venge againe taken on the Spani­ards, the King of Spaine sent thi­ther some small Forces to take pos­session of the Countrey, and set downe there: for no other end as it is thought, but to keepe out o­ther Nations from entring there: the one halfe whereof set downe [Page 300]on the River of Saint Augustine, and the other halfe a dozen leagues from thence, to the Northward, at a place by them called Saint Hele­na.

In the yeare 1586. asSir Fran­cis Drakes Ʋoyage. Sir Francis Drake came coasting along from Cartagena, a Citie in the mayne Land to which hee put over, and tooke it after hee de­parted from Sancto Domingo, when the mortality that was a­mongst our English had made them to give over their Enterprize, to goe with Nombre de Dios, and so over Land to Pannaenia, there to have stricken the stroake for the Treasure: hee was on the Coast of Florida, in the height of thirtie, our men described on the shoare a place built l [...]ke a Beacon, which was made for men to discover to Sea-ward: so comming to the Shore, they marched along the Rivers side, till they came to a Fort built all of whole Trees, which the Spaniards called the Fort of Saint Iohn, where the [Page 301]King entertained halfe his Forces that hee then had in the Countrey, which were a hundred and fifty Souldiers: the like number being at Saint Helena, all of them under the governement of Petro Melendez, Nephew to the Admirall Melen­dez, that a fifteene or sixteene years before had beene to bring with our English in the Bay of Mexico; this Fort our English tooke, and not farre from thence the Towne also of Saint Augustine upon the same River, where resolving to under­take also the Enterprize of Saint He­lena, when they came to the Ha­vens mouth, where they should en­ter, they durst not for the dange­rous shols: wherefore they for­sooke the place, coasting along to Virgina, where they tooke in Ma­ster Ralph Lane and his Company, and so came into England, as you shall heare when wee speake of Virginia.

In these Northerne parts of A­merica, but especially within the maine Continent, some have writ­ten [Page 302](but how truely I cannot tell) that there is a Sea, which hath no entercourse at all with the Ocean: so that if there be any third place beside the Mare Caspium, and the Mare Mortuum in Palestina, which retaineth in it selfe great salt­nesse, and yet mingleth not with other Seas, it is in these Coun­tries.

There is also in new Spaine, a great salt Lake, as bigge or bigger then the dead Sea of Palestine, in the midst of which stands the great City of Tenustitan, or Mexico, the Mistris or imperiall City of those parts: and on the bankes or sides of that Lake; many other Cities also beside, which though they are but little in comparison of the greatnesse of Tenustitan, yet of themselves are great. This Tenusti­tan is supposed to consist of sixty thousand houses, as you may reade in the third Chapter of the fifth of the Decades: and this City standing in the midst and centre of this salt Lake, goe which way you [Page 303]will from the Continent to the Citie, it is at least a league and an halfe or two leagues, on the Lake unto it: some of the other Cities are said to be thirty, some of fortie thousand Houses: the names of these areFoure Cities more in America. Mesiqual­cingo, Coluacana, Wichilabasco, Iztapalapa, and others: the Lake though it bee in the middest of the Land, hath his fluxus & refluxus, his ebbing and flowing like the Sea, and yet seventy leagues distant from the Sea.

But certaine it is, that towards the South of these parts which is the Northerne part of Hispania nova, above Mexico, thereThe bur­ning Hill in America. is a burning Hill, which oftentimes breaketh out into flames, as Vesu­vius in Campania, did in the time of the elder Plinie, and as Aetna hath done many Ages since and be­fore.

Peter Martyr in the fift of his Decads saith, that eight leagues from Tenustitan or Mexico, as [Page 304] Ferdinando Cortes went thither from the Chiurute Calezthere, is a Hill called of the Inhabitants Pope­catepeque, as much as to say, a smo­kie Mountaine, at the top whereof there is a hole of a League and a halfe wide, out of which are castA strange fire. fire and stones, with Whirle­windes; and that the thicknesse of the ashes lying about the Hill is very great. It is reported also else­where of this Hill, that the flames and ashes thereof oft times destroy the fields and Gardens thereabouts. When Cortes went by it, he sen­ten Spaniards, with Guides of the Countrey, to see and make report thereof unto him: two of which ten venturing further then the rest, saw the mouth of this fiery Gulph at the Hils top, and had they not happily soone returned towards their Fellowes, and sheltred them­selves under a Rock on the side of the Hill, such a multitude of stones were cast out with the flame, that by no meanes they could have esca­ped.

Of Virgi­nia, the first plan­tation. The Englishmen also, desirous by Navigation to adde some thing unto their owne Countrey, as be­fore time they had travelled to­ward the farthest North part of America; so lately finding that part which lyeth betweene Florida and Nova Francia was not inhabi­ted by any Christians, and was a Land fruitfull and fit to plant in: they sent thither two severall times, two severall Companies, as Colonies to inhabite that part, which in remembrance of the Vir­ginitie of their Queene, they called Virginia. But this Voyage being enterprized upon by private men, and being not throughly followed by the State, the possession of this Virginia, for that time was discon­tinued, and the Countrey left to the old Inhabitans.

The second plantation. I here was some English peo­ple, who after they had understood the calmnesse of the Climate, and goodnesse of the foyle, did upon the instigation of some Gentle­men of England, voluntarily offer [Page 306]themselves, even with their Wives and Children, to goe into those parts to inhabit; but when the most of them came there (upon some occasions) they returned home againe the first time, which caused that the second yeare, there was a great company transported thither, who were provided of many necessaries, and continued there over a whole Winter, under the guiding of Master Lane: but not finding any sustenance in the Country (which could well brooke with their nature) and being too meanely provided of Corne and Victuals from England they had like to have perished with Famine; and therefore thought themselves happy, when Sir Francis Drake, comming that way from the Westerne Indies, would take them into his Ships, and bring them home into their Native Country. Yet some there were of those English, which being left be­hind, ranged up and downe the Countrey (and hovering about the [Page 307]Sea coast) made meanes at last (af­ter their induring much misery) by some Christian Shippes to bee brought backe againe into Eng­land.

While they were there inhabi­ting, there were some children borne, and baptized in those parts, and they might well have endured the Countrey, if they might have had such strength as to keepe off the inhabitants from troubling them in tilling the ground, and reaping such Corne as they would have sowed.

The third plan­tation. Againe, in the dayes of our now raigning Soveraigne, in the yeere of our Lord, 1606. the English planted themselves in Vir­ginia, under the degrees 37, 38, 39. where they doe to this day con­tinue, and have built three Towns and Forts, as namely Iames-Towne and Henrico; Fort Henricke, and Fort Charles, with others, which they hold and inhabite; sure re­treats for them against the force of the natives, and reasonably [Page 308]secured places against any power that may come against them by Sea.

In the same height, but a good distance from the coast of Ʋirginia, lyeth the Iland called by the Spani­ards, La Bermuda, but by our Eng­lish, theOf the Summer Ilands. Summer Ilands, which of late is inhabited also by our Coun­trey-men.

North-ward from them on the coast, lyeth Norumbega, which is the South-part of that which the French-men did, without distur­bance of any Christian, for a time possesse. For the French-men did discover a large part of America, to­wards the Circle Articke, and did build there some Townes, and na­med it of their owne Countrey, Nova Francia.

As our English-men have adven­tured very farre for the discovery of new found Lands: so with very great labour and diligence they at­tempted to open something higher than Nova Francia: and therefore with some Shippes they did passe [Page 309]thither, and entred upon the Land, from whence they brought some of the people, whose countenance was very tawny, and duskie; which commeth not by any heate, but the great cold of the Climate, chilling and pricking them: but the dige­stion and stomacke of these peo­ple is very good, in so much that like unto the Tartars & some other Northerne Nation, their feeding was (for the most part) upon raw meate, their manners otherwise be­ing barbarous, and sutable to their Diet.

They had little leatherne Boats, wherein they would fish neere the brinckes of the Sea, and at their pleasure would carry them from place to place on their backes.

Notwithstanding, all their paines there taken, it was a great errour and ignorance in our men, when they supposed that they should finde good store of Gold-mines in those quarters: for the Countrey is so cold, that it is not possible to find there any full concoction of [Page 310]the sunne, to breed and worke such a mettall within the ground; and therefore howsoever they brought home some store of earth, which they supposed to bee Oare, and of shining stones, yet when it came to the tryall, it prooved to be nothing worth, but verified the Proverbe, All is not gold that gli­sters.

In very many parts of these Northerne Countries of America, there is very fit and opportune fi­shing, some pretty way within the Sea, and therefore divers Nations of Europe, doe yearely send Fishers thither, with shipping and great store of salt: where when they have taken fish and dryed it, and salted it at the land, they bring it home into Christendome, and utter it commonly by the name of New-found-land-fish. The fish of New-found land.

The English about the yeare 1570 did adventure farre for to open the North parts of America, and say­led as farre as the very Circle Ar­ticke, hoping to have found a [Page 311]passage by the North to the Mol­luccoes, and to China, which hither­to, neither by the North of Asia, nor by the North of America, could be effected by them, by reason of the very great Colde and Ice in the Climate.

The rest of the Island (being a hugh space of Earth) hath not hi­therto, by any Christian, to any purpose beene discovered but by those neere the Sea-coast it may be gathered, that they all which doe there inhabite, are men rude and uncivill, without the knowledge of God. Yet on the North-west part of America, some of our Englishmen going through the Straights of Magellan, and passing towards the North, by Hispania Nova, have touched on a Countrey, where they have found good en­tertainment, and the King thereof yeelded himselfe to the subjection of the Queen of England: where­upon they termed itNova Albion. Nova Al­bion.

Sir Francis Drake, who toucht [Page 312]upon that Countrey, and for some pretty time had his abode there, doth report in his Voyage, that the Countrey is very good, yeelding much store of divers Fruits, de­lightfull both to the eye and taste: and that the people are apt enough by hospitality to yeeld favour and entertainment to strangers: but it is added withall, that they are mar­veilously addicted to Witch-craft, and adoration of Devils; from which they could not be perswaded to abstaine, even in the very pre­sence of our Countrey-men.