AFRICA.

IN most parts she hath scarce plenty sufficient to maintain Inhabitants, and where there is, we shall meet with multitudes of Ravening Beasts, or other horrible Monsters, enough to devour both it and us: In a word, There is no Region of the World so great an Enemy to Mans Commerce; there is such scarcity of water, that no Creature almost could live, had not Nature provided thereafter, that the greater part of them endures not drink in the very midst of Summer: And if (as sometimes they be enforced by such as take them) they suddenly perish. Thus we see how God gives a property [Page 7] to each place, that may make up her defects, least it should be left as well by Beasts as Men.

Their Land is full of sandy Desarts, which lye open to the winds and storms, and oftentimes are thrown up into Bil­lows like Waves of the Sea, and indeed are no less dangerous. Strabo writes, that Cambyses his Army was thus hazarded; a foolish Nation in Africa, as they march­ed towards the South, to revenge them­selves upon the Winds for drying up their Rivers, were overwhelmed with Sand, and so dyed in their Graves. It is also full of a venemous kind of Ser­pent, that in some places they dare not dress their Lands unless they first fence their legs with Boots against the sting: Other wild Creatures there are, which range about, and possesse to themselves a great portion of this Countrey, and make it a Wilderness of Lyons, Leo­pards, Elephants; and in some places Crocodiles, Hyena's, Basilisks, and in­deed Monsters without either number [Page 8] or name: Africa as it is reported, is full of danger to the Inhabitants, more dye by Beasts than by diseases.

But among all these Inconveniences, Commodities are found of good worth, and the very evils yield at last their be­nefit, both to their own Country and o­ther parts of the world: The Elephant a docible Creature and exceeding useful for Battel; The Camel which affords much riches to the Arabian; The Bar­bary Horse, which we our selves com­mend; The Ram that besides his flesh gives twenty pound of wool from his ve­ry tail; The Bull, painful and able to do the best service in their Tillage: And so most of their worst, alive or dead yield us their Medicinal parts, which the world could not well want.

In one of the Divisions of Africa, which is Fesse that hath a City in it with seven hundred Churches, and one of them a Mile and a half in compass. In Morocho is a Castle of great fame, for the Globes of pure Gold that stands up­on [Page 9] the top of it, and weighing 130000. Barbary Duckats.

The Land of Negro is full of Gold and Silver, and other commodities, but the Inhabitants most barbarous; they draw their Original from Chus, and have entertained all Religions that came in their way; first their own, then the Jews, the Mahumetans, and some of them the Christian; For the most part they live not as if Reason guided their Actions.

Bornaum, a Country where the people have no proper Names, no Wives pe­culiar, and therefore no Children which they call their own.

Aethiopia superiour, it is governed by one of the mightiest Emperors in the World, called by us Presbyter John, he hath under him seventy Kings, which have their several Laws and Customs, Among these the Province of Dobas hath one, that no man marry till he hath killed twelve Christians; Their Religi­on is mixt, Christians they have, but [Page 10] yet differ from us, for they Circumcise both sects; their Oath is by the life of their King, whom they never see but at Christmas, Easter and Holy-Rood; Their Commodities are Oranges, Lemmons, Cittrons, Barley, Sugar, Hony.

Aethiopia inferior, the Government of this Region is under five Kings, where­of Monomolopa is one, In which is report­ed to be three thousand Mines of Gold; Here there lives a kind of Amazons as valiant as men, their King is served in great pomp, and hath a guard of 200. Mastives. Cafraria is another Kingdom whose people live in the Woods with­out Laws like brutes. And here stands the Cape of good Hope, about which the Sea is alwaies rough and dangerous; It hath been especially so to the Spaniard, it is their own note, insomuch, that one was very angry with God, that he suffered the English Hereticks to pass it so easily over, and not give his good Catholicks the like speed. In the Kingdom of Manicongo whose Inhabi­tants [Page 11] are in some parts Anthropophagi, and have shambles of Mens flesh, as we have for Meat, they kill their own Children in the birth, to avoid the trouble of breeding them, and preserve their Nation with stolen Brats from their Neighbouring Countries.

Aegypt is another part of the African continent, the places of Note are Caire, and Alexandria, the first was heretofore Memphis, some say Babylon, whither the Virgin fled to escape Herod's Tyran­ny intended to our Saviour, and blush not to shew the very Cave where she had hid her Babe. In a Desart about forty miles distant stand the Pyramides, esteemed rightly one of the seven Wonders of the World. Alexandria was a magnifi­cent City, and was famous for the rarest Library in the world; to the Inhabitants of this Country we owe the Invention of Astrology, Physick, Writing on Paper, their Kings names were Pharaoh toward the begining; Now what the Turk pleaseth.

EƲROPE.

EUrope bears the Name of the most happiest Country in the World, both for plenty of Corn, Plants, Fruits, for Rivers and Fountains of ad­mirable vertues; For beauty as well of Cities, Castles, and Houses, as Men and Women of excellent Feature▪ For the Study of Arts, for the science in Reli­gion, and what ever else God hath pleased to bless his Church with from the beginning.

She wants nothing but what she may well spare, Wild-Beasts which cause Desarts in the parts where they breed; hot spices which fit not our temper, and rather corrupt our manners, than mend our dyet, precious jewels and the like, which have brought in a degree of vain and useless pride, not known before by our predecessors: Yet of Gold, Sil­ver, [Page 13] and other commodious metals, she hath her portion, and in brief is of a very prosperous temper, yet of so strange va­riety, that it is admirable to think that there is no place in this quarter, but is fit for any man to live in; Insomuch as every Country is Inhabited, as is con­firmed by our latter Travellers, though heretofore it hath been questi­oned by reason of the extream cold to­ward the Pole.

In Hungaria is the Country of Soli­ense where the Earth sends forth such a stench, that it poysoneth the very Birds which flye over it.

An Island in Danubius exceeding fer­tile, and so indeed is the whole Coun­try; The people are generally strong, but barbarous, their Daughters portions are only a new attyre, and their Sons e­qually Inherit without priviledge of Birth-right; The Emperour of Germany and the Turk share it betwixt them.

Muscovia, The whole Region is sub­ject to the Emperour of Russia: A vast [Page 14] Territory and as wild a Government, for the people are very base, conten­tious, ignorant, and sottishly supersti­tious; they bury their dead upright, with a staffe in hand, a penny in his purse, and a Letter to St. Nicholas to procure him entrance into Heaven.

AMERICA.

AMERICA admits of all variety almost, either of plenty or want; Admirable for the fertility of soyl, then again as barren, here tem­perate, there scorching hot, elsewhere as extream cold; Some Regions watered with dainty Rivers, others again infested with perpetual Drowth▪ Some Plains, some Hills, some Woods, some Mines, and what not in some tract or other, yet nothing almost common to the whole, but Barbarism of Manners, I­dolatry in Religion, and Sottish Igno­rance, [Page 15] such as hardly distinguisheth them from Bruits, else they would not have taken reasonable Men to be immortal Gods, as at first they did, yet what ei­ther God was, or Immortality, they knew no more than instinct of Nature gave them; they had heard of some place or other (God knows where) be­hind some Hill, where the blessed resi­ded after death: And from thence they supposed the Spaniard came at their first Arrival, but it was not long before the Tyrants cudgelled their simplicity, and by their cruelty appeared to them rather Devils from Hell, than Saints from Hea­ven.

Yet still the Inland-Countryes retain for the most part their Inbred blindness, and worship the Sun, Moon and Stars, and they have their other Spirits, which they call their Zemes, and Adore them in Images made of Cotton-Wool, which oft-times by the delusion of Satan seem to move, and utter an hide­ous noise, that works in these poor [Page 16] Idolaters a great awe, least they should harm them.

The rest of their Customs are answer­able to their Religion, beastly; they go naked, and are very lustful people without distinction of Sex; In many places they are Anthropophagy, and prey upon each other like Wolves, they la­bour not much to sustain themselves, but are rather content to take what the Earth can yield without Tillage.

Nova Hispania, or Mexicana propria is the largest Province; It was first pos­sessed by the Spaniard 1518. But it cost them much blood to intitle their Kings Hispaniarum reges. It is an excellent Country, full of all variety almost in e­very kinde usual with us, and exceeds in rarities full of wonder. There is one Tree which they dress like our Vine, and order it so, that it yields them al­most all useful necessaries. The leaves serve them instead of Paper, and of the Vine-bark, they make Flax Mantles, Matts, Shoes, Girdle and Cordage.

[Page 17] Peninsula Peruviana, is the South tract of America, from North to South there runs a continued course of high Mountains, whose tops the very Fowls of the Air cannot reach by flight; And from thence descend many admirable Rivers, among which Maragn [...] and Ar­genteus are most famous, the one for his extent, and the other for his plenty of Silver, The Country is exceeding rich, but the people differ not much from the worst of Beasts; They devour Mans flesh, filthy worms, and what else comes in their way.

Near to the North-west of Peru, was an admirable atchievment performed by our valiant Country-man John Ox­enham, who by the direction of Moors skilled in the Country, went to the Land of Pearls, and took from the Spa­niards an incredible weight of Gold and Silver.

Cartagena a fruitful Countrey which did yield (when time was) to our still Renowned Sr. Francis Drake, store of [Page 18] prize, and 240. pieces of Ordinance.

Peru a very rich Countrey, abound­eth with Gold and Silver, little esteem­ed among the Inhabitants: For by re­port the Spaniard ordinarily shoed their Horses with Gold. The Inhabitants are strange Idolaters, and worship a black Sheep, Serpents, and other ugly Crea­tures.

Brasile. The Inhabitants are rude, live for the most part in the bodies of Trees, the people are covered with natural hair, cruel lascivious, false and what not; In this Region is an hearb called Viva, which if you touch it, it will shut up, as a Daisie in the Night, and will not open till the party that injured it be out of sight.

Chile, on the North of Peru; it is there extream cold, insomuch that many are frozen to death, and harden­ed like Marble; The Rivers are fed with Snow that falls from the tops of the high Mountains.

GREECE.

GReece, She had once the prehe­minence of Rome in glory, as the precedence in time; For to say truth, she was the wisest of any people that were not inlightened with the know­ledge of that great Mistery; She set a pattern for Government to all her suc­ceeding ages, and (in brief) she was the Mistress almost of all Sciences: Some there are which (in a strict ac­count) will except none but the Mathe­maticks, but now the poor wretches suf­fer by the Turks, under whom to this day they are, and are scarce permit­ted by that great tyrant, means of learn­ing to know the name for which they suffer.

And besides the base mis-usage of the mis-believing Turk, the very Natives themselves are fallen from the noble disposition of their Predecessors into an incredible sottishness, and those which [Page 20] before reckoned the rest of the Earth barbarous in comparison to their Politick Common-wealth, are now themselves sunk below the envy of the meanest Nation, and become the most misera­ble object of pity living upon the earth; indeed, they may hardly be said to live: They are lazy beyond belief; and igno­rant almost beyond recovery; for they have now no means to bring their Chil­dren either to learning or manners: Not an Academy in all Greece, their car­riage generally uncivil, their feasts rio­tous, and their mirth debaucht; Their Wives are well favoured, and so indeed they must be, for they use them no longer as their Wives than they continue to their liking, when they once fade, they are put to the house of drudgery: Their language is the same as hereto­fore, but rudely corrupted, they have no habit almost proper, but those which serve the Turk wear their fashion, the rest which are under the Venetian, ob­serve them in their Apparel, for they [Page 21] are Slaves to both in their whole course.

Yet they retain still a shew of the Christian Religion, which was here first settled by Timothy to whom St. Paul wrote two Epistles, and was af­ter in the primitive times, professed by diverse learned and Reverend Divines of their own Nation, which are with us received as Authentick Fathers of the Church; St. Chrysostome, Basil, &c.

Thrace. Part of this Province was here­tofore perswaded, that their Ancesters did not at all dye, neither should they, but passe only out of this world into ano­ther, to their supposed God Zalmoxis, once a Scholer of Pythagoras, who when he had perswaded them into this Re­ligion, seemed wonderfully to vanish out of their sight, and appeared not any more, but left them fully possest that he was the Deity, which must after a time entertain them: And this they expected with that great joy that as oft as one dyed, instead of mourning, they set forth Games and Feasts to congratu­late [Page 22] his freedome from the troubles of this earthly condition, and the Wife only, whom he loved best (for they had many) was thought worthy to be killed by her best friends at her Hus­bands Grave, that she might bear him company in the other World, the rest bewailed their neglect, and the residue of their life was to them as a disgrace. When a Child was born, neighbours were called to bemoan his entrance into a multitude of calamities, and in course they reckoned up, what he was to passe before he could go to their God Zal­moxis, for they acknowledged no other, but blasphemed and shot Arrows against the Heavens as oft as they heard it Thunder.

They will not admit, that their Government should become hereditary, neither must their King be a Father of any Children; If the King offend, he shall not escape their Laws even to death, ye [...] no man may set a hand to his Execution, but by a common desertion he is allow­ed [Page 23] no necessaries to live, and therefore must needs dye.

GERMANY.

THey are a most ingenious people, famous beyond any others in Eu­rope, unless Belgia, for the invention of many notable and useful Engines: The Gun and gun-powder was first brought to light by one Bertholdus Swart a Fran­ciscan, which hath almost put by the use of any other Warlick Instrument, in those parts of the World where the pra­ctice is perfectly understood.

The Government of this Germany is Emperial. The right descends not by succession, the power of choice was con­ferred by Pope Gregory the tenth, upon seven German Princes, three spiritual, and four temporal: These are the Arch-Bishop of Mentz, Chancellour of the Empire through Germany; Arch-Bishop of Cullen, Chancellour of the Empire through Italy; Arch-Bishop of Triers, [Page 24] Chancellour of the Empire through France. The temporal are, the King of Bohemia, who hath the casting voice, on­ly in case of equality among the other six, His Office is to be chief Cup-Bearer at the great Solemnity: Next him the Count Palatine of the Rhene, Arch Sewer to the Emperour; Duke of Saxony, Lord Marshal and Mar­quesse of Brandenburg chief Chamber­lain. Each of these perform his own Office in person, upon the day of In­auguration. The Duke of Saxony bears the Sword, the Count Palatine places his meat on the Table, the King of Bohe­mia bears his Cup, and delivers it him to drink: Marquesse of Brandenburg serveth him water to wash, and the three Bishops bless his meat; He receiveth three Crowns before he is fully settled into the Majesty of the Empire. The first is of Silver, for Germany: the second of Iron, for Lumbardy; and the third of Gold, for the Empire: The last is set on at Rome, for to this day it pre­tends [Page 25] to the Name of the Roman Em­pire, and gives the title of Casar, Ro­mani Imperii Imperat [...]r.

East- Frizeland; One of the chief Towns of this Region, is West-Phalia; It is most famous for Swine, and ex­cellent Bacon, which is esteemed with us, one of the greatest dainties to com­mend a Feast.

In Cullen, It is a received tradition among the Inhabitants, that the bodies of the Wise-men which came from the East to worship Christ, are here Inter­red.

In Cleveland is a City called Aken, where the Emperour receives his Sil­ver Crown from Germany, and doth great worship to a Clout, which they take to be our Saviours Mantle in which he was wrapped.

BOHEMIA.

THe scituation of this Kingdom is almost in the midst of Germany, [Page 26] there is a Forrest called by the Name of Hercinian Forrest, held in the Romans time, to be nine daies journey in breadth, and in length at least forty.

The River Albi [...] which hath his ri­sing in the Hercinian Wood, (if we will believe Report) there is often found in the Sands, lumps of pure Gold, which need no other refining, and very pre­cious shells of great value, the water supplies that only defect which is to be found in their Land, the earth gives good corn, and their pastures breed as good cattel, there is Woods good store which harbour multitudes of Wild-Beasts, among the rest there is a wild Beast which they call Lomi▪ Armed by Nature with a strange defence against the Hounds which follow her, for they say she hath a kind of bladder hanging under her jaws, which in the Hunting she fills with a scalding hot water, and casts it upon the Dogs with that nimble­ness that they are not able to avoid or pursue her, but oft times have their ve­ry [Page 27] hair fall off as from a drest Pig.

There is a story passeth of one Zisca a Bohemian Captain (in the difference of the Hussites against the Pope) that when he had won so many Battels, as his very name began to be a terrour to the Foe, he was not content to be fear­ed alive, but bethought himself how he might speak louder when he was dead; And therefore will'd his Souldiers, that they would flea him, and make a Drum of his skin, which he was perswaded, should ever beat victory before them, as oft as he was heard (though in a dead sound) by the enemy, whom he had so often crushed, while he was yet living.

A wicked couzenage of Picardus, who possest great multitudes of these silly people, with an opinion, that he could recall them to that perfect state in which Adam was Created; placed them in an Island for that purpose, which he called Paradise, caused them to walk naked, and named his Sect A­damites: [Page 28] Horrible sins were committed under that pretence, promiscuous Whoredom, and Incest at their very Di­vine Service.

FRANCE.

IN so great a multitude, we must look to find as much variety of Customs and Dispositions. It was the report of Caesar long since, and seconded by late Authours, that the French for the most part are of a fiery spirit for the first on­set in any Action, but will soon Flag; They desire change of Fortunes, and passe not greatly whether to better or worse: Their Women very Jocund, of a voluble tongue, and as free of their speech, Complemental to strangers, and win more by their wit than their beauty, one and tother are great enticers of mens affections: Their Nobility have been reported to be liberal, but I sup­pose that fashion is now worn out, for so it hath been noted in diverse, which [Page 29] respect their purse more than their ho­nour, and let pass the Service and De­serts of worthy persons unrewarded, as if their gracious acceptance were a sufficient return of thanks for any Office a man can do them: They are practised to this garbe by their Peasantry▪ whom they reckon but as slaves, and command as their proper Servants, which the poor snakes take as a favour and are glad to be employed by their betters, that by their protection they may stand free from the injury of their equals. For the meanest of them are cruel, and af­fect to oppresse their adversary, either by open violence or suit in Law, though to their own Ruine. They are very rea­dy to take Arms, and serve in defence of King and Country, they need no more Press than the stroke of Drum, but are as rash in their atchievements; they will not wait upon Councel, but run as far on, as upon their strength they may, and when they find that fails, they will as soon give ground.

[Page 30] Aquitania. In this Province was fought the great Battel betwixt our Black Prince and John of France; where, with eight thousand he vanquished forty thousand, took the King Prisoner and his son Philip, 70 Earls, 50 Barons, and 1 [...]000 Gentlemen.

Normandy; where our William the Conqueror was Duke. It was lost from his Successors in the time of King John: Her chief Cities are Roan, and Cane, memorable for the Siege of our English Henry the Fifth, and Verveille, Besieged by Philip the second of France, in the time of our Richard the First. Which when the King heard as he sate in his Pallace at Westminster (it is said) he sware he would never turn his back to France, till he had his revenge; and to make good his Oath, brake through the Walls, and justly performed his threat upon the Besieger.

The Low-Countries.

The People are very thrifty, painful, and ingenuous in the invention of many pretty things, which draw many other Nations to them for traffique, and they lye as fit for it. They have the name for the first Authors of the Compass, Clock, and Printing: They are excel­lent Artificers, for working of Pictures in Glass, for laying Colours in Oyl, for Tapestry and other Hangings; in brief, for any oeconomical commodity, either for use or Ornament: And in their own private families excel any other people.

In the Dukedom of Lutzenburg, Luick the chief City of the University; Me­morable for this one story, above any other in Christendome, That at one time there studied nine Kings sons, twen­ty four Dukes sons, twenty nine Earls Sons, &c.

Geldria. The Province stands on the East of Brabant, and North of Lumburg; [Page 32] It is a very fertile soil, especially if it be well tilled, Her Pastures are excellent, insomuch that they feed up their Cattel to an incredible bigness and weight, a re­port passeth of one Bull which weighed 3200 pound. It was killed at Antwerp 1570.

Hague a Village, yet the fairest in Chri­stendome, and seat of the States Coun­cel. The report lyeth upon this Pro­vince, of Margaret Sister to the Earl of Floris, that she brought at one birth 36 [...] children, all living till they were Christ­ned.

Spain.

A memorable story of King Rodericus▪ who lost both himself and Kingdome for a Rape committed upon the Daughter of Julian a noble Gentleman, and at that time Ambassador with the Moors in Africa. When the Father had under­stood of his Daughters unworthy injury, he brought back his Revenge with him [Page 33] 30000 Horse, and 180000 Foot, of Moores and Sarazens, which discomfited the King, overthrew all the resistance which he could make, and bespread the Country with their Forces, where they and their Posterity stood firm, till with­in the Memory of some living 1630.

This change of State was before pro­phesied, and concealed in a large Chest within that part of the Pallace, which both the last King and his Predecessors were fore-warned not to discover: But the hope of an inestimable Treasure made him transgress: and when he had entred, there appeared nothing but the portractures of Armed Moores, with a presage annexed, that when that part of the Pallace should be forced open, such Enemies should ruin Spain.

The River Guadiana, which in one place glides under Ground for 15 Miles together, and gives the Spaniard an oc­casion (as he will catch at any) to brag that they have 10000 Cattel daily feed­ing upon one Bridge; yet give them [Page 34] their own sense, the truth may be que­stioned: For they have not such plenty of Meat, as they have of Sauce.

It yields indeeds abundance of Oran­ges, Limons, Capers, Dates, Sugar, Oil, Honey, Liquorish, Raisons, Saffron, Rice, excellent Sacks, and other Wines, and in some places Sheep, Goats, and swift Horses.

They are extreamly proud, and the silliest of them pretend to a great porti­on of Wisdom, which they would seem to express in a kind of reserved State, and silent Gravity; when perhaps their wit will scarce serve them to speak sense: But if once their Mouths be got too o­pen, they esteem their breath too preci­ous to be spent upon any other subject, than their own glorious actions. They are most unjust neglectors of other Na­tions, and impudent vain flatterers of themselves, superstitious beyond any o­ther people.

In the City Saint Jago, in the Island of Gallicia, was St. James the Apostle [Page 35] buryed, his Reliques kept, Worshipped, and visited by Pilgrims.

ITALY.

MEmorable, for Rhea a Virgin which was cloystered up into the Temple of Vesta, by her Uncle A­mulius Silvius, that she might not bring forth an Heir to endanger his Title. Notwithstanding means was found, so that she conceived at once two Children by Mars, and was delivered among her Sisters Vestals. For this her self (as the censure was upon such Delinquents) was buryed alive, her Boys exposed to be destroyed.

Italy is a happy Soil, pleasant and Fer­tile, at all times moderate Weather, and healthful Air, full of Variety; as Rice, Silks, Velvets, Sattins, Taffaties, Grograms, Rash, Fustians, Gold-wyer, Armour, Allom, Glasses, &c. The Rich are very Rich, for Wealth will come with much labour in great abundance: [Page 36] but the Poor are extream poor, for they are most of them very idle.

Rome retains a 11 Miles round, and 200000 Inhabitants; a great part Fry­ers, and such odd idle fellows, which pretend to Religion for want of other means to live, Cloyster themselves up to a single life, only to avoid the charge of Incumbrances of Marriage, not to se­parate themselves from the World or desires of the Flesh; for among them they maintain commonly 40000 Curte­zans in good Custom, and so Rich, that they are able to pay 30000 Duckets yearly to the Pope. The buildings in which they most glory in, are the Church of St. Peter, the Castle of St. Angelo, the Vaticane Library, and the Popes Pallace. The truth is, their Pride is enough to attire the Whore of Baby­lon, as there can hardly be any other meant than Rome, She sits upon the Beast with seven Heads, for she was built up­on seven Hills, was ruled first by seven Kings, and hath been since subject to [Page 37] seven several forms of Government.

HUNGARY.

HEre are many▪ Waters of excel­lent Vertue, whereof some turn Wood into Iron, others Iron into Brass; some very Medicinal for sundry Disea­ses, others again so pestiferous, that they kill the Creature which doth but taste them. The like is reported of an Hiatus in the Ground, unaccessable by any but the fowls of the Air, and those fall sud­daily dead with the stench which ascends from it.

It is hard to believe what most Geo­graphers report of her Fertility: That she yields Corn thrice in one year, al­most without any Tillage or care of the Husband-man. Fruit of all kinds in great abundance, and Grapes which make an excellent, wholsome, and rich Wine; It breeds Cattel in such plenty, that this one Country, besides store of her own Inhabitants, sends Sheep and [Page 38] Oxen into Forrain Nations which lye about her, and might say they suffice to feed all Europe with Flesh. Venison is not here any dainties, Does, Hares, Harts, Goats, Boars, &c. are every Mans Meat, and the Game common, as well to the Boors as Gentry. And so for Phesant, Partridge, Black-birds, Pige­ons, most Fowl, wild and tame.

The Earth is inricht with variety of Mines, which yields her plenty of Iron, Steel, Copper, Silver and Gold, Lead she hath not, and scarce at all any Tin.

DENMARK.

THe people are valiant and War­like, strong of body, and big boned, and of a terrible countenane; ambitious of a glorious death, rather than a sluggish idle life.

Such incredible plenty of Herring (near the Isle of Scunia) that (say they) are scarce able by main strength of Oars to Row out of the Harbour. Here are [Page 39] furniture for War both by Sea and Land, Armour, Masts, Cables, Steel, Saddles, &c.

POLAND.

IT is well-nigh past belief which is re­ported of their Multitudes of Bees, such as yield more Honey and Wax, then the people can find room for; they need here neither Art, nor care of the good Huswife to order their Hives, but naturally are their own Guardians, and provide so diligently for their own safety within the bulks of Trees; that they easily pass over the hardest winter without hurt.

The Polanders have a good mind to Religion, but cannot fasten upon any one to their liking; and therefore they will try all Christians, they have been ever since the year 965. but from that time they have scarce slipt any Error, Schism, or Heresie, which hath crept in­to the Church. Here are Jesuits, and [Page 40] other of the Romish Sects. Here are Lutherans, and Calvinists, and Arians▪ Anabaptists, and Antirinitarians, none allowed, but all tollerated: And in­deed Poland had the Seniority of Am­sterdam, for that old saying; that if a Man had lost his Religion, here he might find it. They have one ancient Custom in their Churches, when the Gospel is Reading, the Nobility and Gentry un­sheath their Swords; and stand as it were prepared to defend it with their lives a­gainst any which dare violate it.

In Samognia near to Livonia, a people there which is called the Peasants, who are most of them gross Idolaters: and are oftimes met in their Woods with horrid Visions, and are strangely coze­ned by the Devil, with a belief that they can Prophesie. The silly blasphemers nourish in their House a poor Snake (like themselves) gathered out of some Ditch, and call it their God Ziemenike. Their greatest Commodity is of Honey, which they gather ready made to their [Page 41] hands in their hollow Trees.

PERSIA.

FOr want of lawful Heirs to Camby­ses their second King, their Prin­ces consulted to salute him; whose Horse first neighed at a set meeting up­on the Court Green before the Sun-risin. Darius Histaspes was one, and by the subtilty of his Horse-keeper car­ryed the Crown; for the night before in the same ground, he had coupled a Mare with the Horse his Master should ride, which when the lustful▪ Steed mis­sed, the next Morning being full of spi­rit, no sooner had he set footing upon the place, but with much eagerness he snuffed and neighed after his Mare, and gave the quue to the other Princes to Proclaim Darius King of the Pesiians. This was he whom the Scriptures call Ahasuerus, he was Hesters Husband.

The ancient Persians Customs were most of them Superstitious, but they [Page 42] held nothing almost in so great reve­rence as Water: It might not lawfully be soiled, so much as with a foul hand; but to piss, or cast rubbish, or a dead Carkase into their Rivers, was a kind of Sacriledge. They had many Wives, and more Concubines; for they were exceeding desirous of increase, and great Rewards were appointed by their King himself, for him that could most aug­ment the number of his Subjects in one year. They seldom entred into any Consultation of State, till they had well armed themselves with drink; for then they thought they should be most free to speak what they most thought. To spit or laugh before their Prince, was a Crime well-nigh unpardonable: Some say that they bury not their dead, but cast them forth to be devoured by wilde Beasts, and thought him most happy which was soonest torn to mammocks: the rest their friends bewailed, as such who had lived impurely, and were therefore by this sign declared wor­thy [Page 43] of Hell only, without any Redemp­tion.

In Assyria, now Arzeram stands the most famous City Ninive, near the River Tigris, containing full three score Miles in compass; they had a Custom to sell their Virgins, which were fair and most desired, and tender the price into the common Treasury. The homelier sort were placed in Marriage with that Mo­ney, to those which would accept of them for gain at least, if not for Beau­ty.

Bermudas ISLAND.

THis Island having been formerly shunned by Travellers as most dangerous, and seldom seen by any, ex­cept against their Wills, reputed to be rather a hold and habitation of Devils, then any fit place for men to abide in; was discovered by Sir John Gates, and Sir George Sommers in the year 1609. they found there in great abundance.

[Page 44] Fish, Fowl, Hogs, and other things for sustenance of Man: but no people, nor any kind of Cattel; Sir John, and Sir George having with them 150 Men, abode there nine Months: Most of these Men afterwards returning for England, and making it known to the Virginia. Company, obtained a Char­ter from His Majesty, and so hold it. In Mr. Richard Moor the Governours time, he having spent three years of his Government, for the most part Forti­fying the Country, &c. A wonderful annoyance fell out by silly Rats: These Rats coming at the first out of a Ship, few in number, increased in the space of two years or less so exceedingly, that they filled not only those places where they were first Landed. But swimming from place to place, spread themselves into all parts of the Country: Inso­much, that there was no Island, though severed by the Sea from all other Lands, and many Miles distant from the Isles where the Rats had their Original, [Page 45] but was pestred with them. They had their nests almost in every Tree, and in all places their Burrows in the ground (like Connies) to harbour in; They spared not the Fruits of Plants or Trees, neither the Plants themselves, but eat them up. When we had set our Corn, they would commonly come by troops the night following, or so soon as it be­gan to grow, and dig it up again. If by diligent watching any of it were preser­ved till it came to earing, it should then very hardly scape them; yea, it was a very difficult matter after they had it in their Houses, to save it from them; for they became noy some even to the per­sons of Men. They used all diligence for the destroyng of them, nourishing many Cats wild and tame for that pur­pose; they used Ratsbane, and many times set fire on the Woods, so as the fire might run half a Mile or more be­fore it were extinct. Every Man in the Country was enjoyned to set twelve traps, and some of their own accord set [Page 46] near a hundred, which they visited twice or thrice in a night; they trained up their Dogs to hunt them, wherein they grew so expert, that a good Dog in two of three hours space, would kill forty or fifty Rats: and other means they used to destroy them, but could not prevail, finding them still to increase against them, and continued with them till almost to the end of Captain Tuckers time (who was then Governour) but towards the end of his time it pleased God (by what means it is not well known) to take them away; Captain Tucker succeeded Mr. Moor Gover­nour, arriving in May 1616. insomuch that Wild Cats and many Dogs that lived on them were famished: Some have attri­buted this destruction of them to the encrease of Wild Cats, some to one thing, some to another; though none could positively conclude this, or that. It remaineth then, as we know God doth sometimes effect his will without subor­dinate and secondary causes, and some­times [Page 47] against them: So we need not doubt but that in the speedy increase and spreading of these Vermine, as also in the preservation of so many of them by such weak means as they then en­joyed, and especially in the suddain re­moval of this great annoyance there was joyned with, and besides the ordinary and manifest means, a more immediate and secret work of God.

In the Sommer Islands.

THere is the Tortoys, which they call a Turckle, which having some affinity and resemblance with Fishes, Beasts, and Fowls; They are in the shape of their body like a Crab-fish, and have four fins, they are as great as three or four men can carry, the upper part of them is covered with a great shell, which they call a Galley patch, weighing about half a hundred weight, the Flesh that cleaveth to the inside of this being Roasted against the Fier, is [Page 48] excellent Meat, almost like the Marrow of Beef, but the shell it self harder then horn; she hath also a shell on her belly not so hard, but being boyled it beco­meth soft, like the sinews or gristle of Beef, and good Meat. These live in the Sea, spending the Spring time, and part of Sommer about these Islands, but the residue of the year, is not known where. They are like to Fowl in respect of smallness, and fashion of their heads and necks, which are wrinckled like a Tur­kies, but white, and not so sharp Billed. They also breed their young of Eggs which th [...]y lay. They resemble Beasts, in that their flesh is like Veal, but more hard and solid, and they feed always up­on grass growing at the bottom of the water; neither can they abide any lon­ger under water then they hold their breath, which the old ones will do long, but the young ones being chased to and fro, cannot continue two Minutes with­out coming up to breathe. Shortly after their first coming in, the Male and Fe­male [Page 49] couple, which is there called Coot­ing; this they continue some three days together, during which time, they will scarce separate though a Boat come to them, nor hardly when they are smit­ten. Not long after, the she Turckle comes up by night upon some sandy Bay, and further up then the water u­seth to flow, she digs a hole with her Fin in the sand some two foot deep, and there coming up several nights lays her Eggs; some half a bushel (which are a­bout the bigness of a Hens Egg, and round as a Ball, and [...]ch time covers them with sand very curiously, so that a Man shall hardly find the place. These Eggs (as it seems) are afterwards hatch­ed by the heat of the Sun, and then by the providence of God (the means as yet unknown) are brought out of the Earth; for they could never perceive that she returns any more to them, and yet in likelihood they remain not long in the Earth after they are hatched, be­cause (as is before said) they cannot live [Page 50] without breathing. Sometimes is seen the young ones no bigger then a Mans hand, which some Fish will devour. They grow slowly, and seem to have a very long life; they'l sleep on the top of the Water, and were wont to sleep often on the Land, till the Country was peopled; they will also live out of the Water some three weeks, and that without Meat, but mourn and pine a­way, they are very witty. Being on the Land turned upon their backs, they can no more without some help or advan­tage recover themselves, by which means when they come on shore to lay their Eggs, they are easily taken, as al­so they are when they are Cooting. But otherwise they take them for the most part by night, making a great light in a Boat, to which they will some­times swim, and seldom shun; so that a Man standing ready with a staffe in his hand, at one end of which he hath a Soc­ket, wherein is an Iron less then a Mans finger, four-square and sharp, with a [Page 51] line fastned to it, he striketh this Iron in­to the upper shell of the Turckle, it strikes so fast, that after she hath a lit­tle tyred her self by swimming to and fro she is taken by it. They will live, the head being cut off four and twenty hours, so that if you cut the flesh with a knife, or touch it, it will tremble and shrink away. There is no meat will keep longer either fresh or salt.

Out of the Description of Great Britain, these Stories following are Remarkable and Pleasant.

BRitain seated in the Ocean, hath her praises in honourable Eulo­gies: That Britain is the Seas High Admiral, and the Fortunate Island, whose Air is more temperate then France; whose Soil bringeth forth all Grain in abundance, whose Seas pro­duce Orient Pearl, whose Fields are the [Page 52] seat of a Summer Queen; her wildest parts free from wild Beasts, and her chief City worthily named Augusta: So as we may truly say with the Psal­mist, Our Lives are fallen in pleasant places; Yea, we have a fair Inheri­tance.

Out of Scotlands General Description.

THis Nations Original by some hath been derived from Scota, the sup­posed Daughter of the Egyptian King Pharaoh, that nourished Moses, who having marryed Gaithelus, the son of Ce­crops (the Founder of Athens) who first seating in Spain, passed thence into Ire­land, and lastly into Scotland, where his Wife Scota gave name to the Nation.

[Page 107] In this Country is the dark Wood Caledonia, famous for the Wild White Bulls that therein were bred, whose Manes were Lion-like, thick and curled, of nature fierce and cruel, and so hateful to Mankind, that they abhorred whatso­ever was by them handled or breathed upon; but because the flesh was plea­sant and dainty to the mouth, the whole race of them is extinguished.

It is Admirable, the report that is gi­ven of this Country, as to the plenty of Cattel, Fish and Fowl there abiding, fish so plentiful, that men in some places (for delight) on Horse-back hunt Sal­mons with Spears, and a certain Fowl, which some call Soland-Geese, spread­ing so thick in the Air, that they even darken the Suns-light; of whose flesh, feathers and Oil, the Inhabitants in some parts make great use and gain; yea, and even of fishes brought by them, abundant provision for Diet; as also of the sticks (brought to make their Nests) plentiful provision for fewel.

[Page 108] With these of Wonders, might be spoken of the Natures of those two fa­mous Loughs, Lomand and Nessa, the latter whereof never freezeth in Win­ter, though never so extream, and the Waters of the other most raging in the fairest and calmest weather, wherein also floteth an Island that removeth from place to place, as the wind forceth her spongeous and unfastned body. In Buquhan upon the banks of Ratra is a Well, whose trickling drops turn (in Piramidy wise) into hard stone, and ano­ther near Edenbrough that floteth with Bitumen. In Dee and Done, besides the admired plenty of Salmons, is found a Shell-fish, called the Horse-Muscle, where Pearls are engendred most preci­ous for Physick, and some of them so Orient, that they give no place to the choicest.

The Western Islands lying scattered in the Deucalidonia Sea, were anciently ruled by a King of their own, whose maintenance was out of their common [Page 109] Coffers, and the Regal Authority never continued in lineal succession; for (to prevent that) their Kings were not per­mitted to have Wives of their own, but might by their Laws accompany with other mens, as the like Law was in the other parts of Scotland, that the Virgi­nity of all new Wives, should be the Land-Lords prey, till King Malcolme enacted, that half a Mark should be paid for Redemption.

More North, lie the Isles of Shet­land, where as Tzetzes fableth, the Souls of good men are ferryed into those Elizian Fields that ever grow green, but their fictions intended only that the ver­tuous Souls of the dead passed the ut­termost bounds of earthly abode, and attained to an over-pleasing repose, and ever flourishing happiness; which whe­ther they borrowed from the Descripti­on of Paradise, (taken both for a fair Garden, and the Souls happy rest) is hard to define.

Out of the Description of Ireland.

THe Manners and Customs of the Wild Irish are thus set forth by Strabo. The Inhabitants (saith he) of Ireland are more rude then the Britains, they feed upon the flesh of men; yea, and think it a point of worth to eat their dead Parents, wantonly they accompa­ny with Women, making no difference of other mens wives, their own Sisters, nor of their natural Mothers; but of these things (saith he) we have no cer­tain witness of sufficient credit. Pompo­nius Mela recordeth, that the Irish are uncivil, ignorant of Vertues, and void of Religion. And Solinus affirmeth, that after Victory they drink the bloud of the slain, and besmear their own Faces therewith, so given to War, that the mother at the birth of a man-child, feed­eth the first meat into her Infants mouth upon the point of her Husbands sword, [Page 111] and with heathenish imprecations, wish­eth that it may dye no otherwise then in War, or by sword.

But from these ancient and barbarous manners, we will come to the conditi­ons of their middle time, whom Giral­dus Cambrensis describeth as followeth. The Irish (saith he) are a strong and bold people, Martial and Prodigal in War; nimble, stout and haughty of heart; care­less of life, but greedy of glory; courte­ous to strangers, constant in Love, light of belief, impatient of injury, given to fleshly lusts, and in enmity implacable. At the baptizing of their Infants, their manner was, not to dip their right arms into the water, that so (as they thought) they might give a more deep and un­curable blow, never calling them by the name of their Parents whilest they li­ved together, but at their death took it upon them: Their Women nursed not their Children they bare, and they that nursed others, did affect and love them much more than their own.

[Page 112] So much were they given to Fanta­stical conceits, that they held it very o­minous to give their Neighbours Fire upon May-day, to eat an odd Egg; endangered the death of their Horse▪ And before they cast in their seed, they sent salt into the field; to hang up the shells in the roof, was a preservative of the Chickens from the Kite; to set up green boughs at their doors in the month of May, increased their Kines Milk, and to spit upon Cattel, they held it good against Witchery, whereof Ire­land was full.

Superstitious Idolatry among the Wild Irish was common, yielding di­vine honour unto the Moon after the change, unto whom they both bowed their knees, and made supplications, and with a Loud Voice would thus speak unto that Planet, We pray thee leave us in as good Estate as thou foundst us. Wolves they did make as their God-sis, terming them Chari Christ, and so thought themselves preserved from their [Page 113] hurts, the hoofs of dead Horses they accounted and held Sacred: About childrens necks they hung the beginning of St. Johns Gospel, a crooked nail of an Horse shooe, or a piece of a wolves-skin, and both the sucking Child and Nurse were girt with Girdles finely plated with Womans hair; so far they wandred in­to the ways of errour, in making these arms the strength of their healths.

Their Wives were many, by reason of Divorcements, and their Maids marry­ed at twelve years of Age, whose Cu­stoms were to send to their lovers, brace­lets plated, and curiously wrought of their own hair, so far following Venus in the knots of these allurements. The men wore Linnen shirts exceedingly large, stained with Saffron, the sleeves wide, and hanging to their knees, strait and short Trusses plated thick in the skirts, their Breeches close to the thighs, a short skeine hanging point down be­fore, and a Mantle most times cast over their heads. The women wore their [Page 114] hair plated in curious manner, hanging down their backs and shoulders from un­der foulden wreaths of fine Linnen, roll­ed about their heads, rather loding the wearer then delighting the beholder; for as the one was most seemly, so the other was unsightly, their necks was hung with Chains and Carkaneths, their Arms wreathed with many Bracelets, and over their side garments the Shag Rug Mantles, purfled with a deep fringe of divers colours, both Sexes ac­counting idleness their only liberty, and ease their greatest riches.

In War [...] they were forward, and fought with Battle-axes, whose bearers were called Galloglasses, the common souldier, but lightly armed, who served with darts and sharp skeines, their Trum­pet was a Bag-pipe, and word for en­counter Pharroh, which at the first On­set with great acclamation they uttered, and he that did not, was taken into the Air, and carryed into the Vale of Kerry, where transformed (as they did believe) [Page 115] he remained until he was hunted with hounds from thence to his home.

For the dying and dead, they hired Women to mourn, who expostulated with the sick, why he would die▪ and dead, at his Funeral such out-crys were made, such clapping of hands, such howlings, and gestures, that one would think their sorrows unrecoverable, hold­ing the opinion of Pythagoras for their souls departed.

Their Diet in necessity was slender, feeding upon Water-cresses, Roots, Mushrooms, Shamroh, Butter temper­ed with Oatmeal, Milk, Whey; yea, and raw fish, the bloud being crushed out; their use was also to let their Kine bloud, which standing a while, and co­ming to Jelly, with Butter they did eat as a very good dish.

Out of the Description of the Civil Wars fought in England, Wales, and Ire­land.

FRance felt the heavy hands of Ed­ward and Henry our English Kings, when the one of them at Poictiers took Prisoners John King of France, and Philip Sirnamed the hardy, his son; the other ( Henry the fifth at Azincourt in a bloudy battel took and slew four thousand Princes, Nobles, Knights and Esquires, even all the flower of France, as their own writers have declared. And at Paris the Crown of France was set up­on Henry the 6 th. his Head, homage done unto him by the French, that Kingdom made subject, and their Flower deluces quartered with our Lions of England.

An enterprize remaining fresh in Me­mory, of Philip date King of Spain, against our Dread Soveraign Queen Elizabeth, [Page 117] in the year 1588. attempting by his in­vincible Navy as he thought, and so termed, under the Conduct of the Duke of Medina Celi, which with great Pride and Cruelty was intended against us, arrived on our Coasts to Englands Invasion and Subversion, had yet never­theless, here in the narrow Seas, the one part of his Fleet discomfited, taken, and drowned, and the other part forced to their great shame, in poor Estate, to make a fearful and miserable flight a­bout the Coast of Ireland homeward, so that of 158 great ships furnished for War, came to their own Coast of Spain but few; and those so torn and beaten by the English Canons, that it was thought they were unserviceable for ever, and eleven of their Ensigns or Banners prepared for Triumph and Pride in Conquest, were contrariwise to their dishonour shewed at Pauls Cross, and in other places of this Realm.

Out of the Description of the Turkish EMPIRE.

WE will take notice of their Re­ligion, how it is a meer Cou­zenage thrust upon the filly people by the impious subtilty of one Mahomet, whose story is well worth our know­ledge, and may cause us to commiserate the desperate Estate of those ignorant, yet perverse and bloudy Antichristi­ans.

His place of Birth is questioned, whe­ther he were a Cirenick, an Arabian, or Persian, it is not yet fully decided; cer­tain enough it is he was of base Parents, his Father (some say) a Worshipper of Devils, and his Mother a faithless Jew, betwixt them they sent into the World a pernicious deceiver (which none but two such Religions could have made up.) In the year 597. when he had been for a while thus instructed by his [Page 119] distracted Parents, poverty and hope to improve his Fortunes, perswaded him from his Native soil, to live for another while among true professed Christians, where he received so much knowledge of the Word, and light of the Gospel, as to pervert it to his destruction, and ruine of many Millions of souls.

In his first adventurous travels a­broad, he fell into the hands of thee­vish Saracens, which sold him to a Jew­ish Merchant, and he imployed him to drive his Camels through Egypt, Syria, Palestine, and other forrain Countries, where he still gathered farther instru­ctions of that truth which he intended to abuse. His wickedness first brake forth into fraud, open Theft and Ra­pine, and other sins of highest rank, in which he continued and seduced others, till the death of his Master, and after marryed his Aged, but rich Mistress.

He had means now to act his malicious purposes, and wealth to countenance his exceeding Pride, which would not be [Page 120] satisfied with a lower Ambition, then to be called a Prophet of God. This he began to practice, by the Counsel of one Sergius a Monk, who being cast out for Heresie from Constantinople, betook himself into Arabia, and joyned in with Mahomet to make up this mischief per­fect: see now their Juggling. There wanted no craft betwixt them, to make use of his worst actions to gull the sim­ple. For when by his debaucht drinking and gluttony, he was fallen into an Epi­lepsie, and in his fits lay (Bear like) gro­velling and foaming upon the Earth, as one without sense; he pretended an Exta-like swoon, wherein his soul was wrapped from his body, in which he con­verst with Gabriel an Angel from Hea­ven. To make this familiarity with God the more to be believed, he had bred up a Dove to take her meat from his ear, which he most blasphemously professed to be the Holy Ghost, who in such times and in that shape infused the prophesies which he was to preach. Lastly, what [Page 121] they in their wicked fancies had concei­ved, and meant to propagate, they di­gested into a Volume, and called it the Alcoran.

For this too they had a trick, that it might seem to have been sent from Heaven into the hands of Mahomet; and to this purpose he had himself fed up a tame Bull, which by custom became so familliar, that no sooner he heard the voice of his Master, but he would straight run, cast the head in his lap, and use his wanton dalliance as with a Fel­low. Betwixt the horns of this Bull, had he fastned the Alcoran, and conveyed him into a by-place, near where he had assembled the Multitude at a set time, to expect a wonderful Miracle from Heaven that might confirm his Prophe­cy. The Scene thus ordered, on the sudden he lift up his voice, and made a loud cry, which no sooner the beast heard, but he brake his way through the Press, over-turned many of the Specta­tors, which now stood at a gaze, and [Page 122] gently laid his horns and book in the bo­som of this false couzener, which he with much ceremony, and feigned Reverence received, and in their presence opening the Volume, began to interpret the chief of their Laws, which for hereafter they were to observe.

Circumcision he allowed, and with the old Law forbad Swines flesh, that he might with more ease lead on such as were Jewish; he suffered him­self to be baptized by Sergius, that the Christian too might have in some mea­sure his content: Moses and our Savi­our he denyed not to be great Pro­phets, but that neither party might e­mulate the greater observance of other, and indeed especially that his own might seem new, and yet take place from both, he changed the circumsion of the Jews from the eighth day, and multiplyes baptism, which can be con­ferred but once for all, upon the true believer. For the like reason of diffe­rence with other Nations and Sects, he [Page 123] left both the Jews Sabbath, and diem Christianorum Dominicum, and com­mands his holy ceremonies to be cele­brated on the Friday; for so it was, whent he Bull bestowed on him his Al­caran. Before they enter the Temple, they wash all the unclean parts of their bodies, and then to prayer, which must be performed five times in a day with their face toward the South. They have a Months fast too once every year, but it is observed only for the day, for they may, when the Sun is down, redeem it with what gluttony they please; Wine is forbidden, only for a shew that he might not seem to have loved that which (he was guilty to himself) had brought him into his Epileptical fits. Briefly, what he knew would best agree with the brutish desires of the people, that he took order should be confirmed by his Laws, four or five Wives to eve­ry Husband, and as many Concubines as they could maintain. For their bliss af­ter life, he proposed no invisible de­lights [Page 124] which over reacht their under­standing, but proportioned to each of their sensual thoughts. And promised to those which would keep his Law a Paradise of all kinds of pleasure, which they themselves most affected, to the covetous wealth, to the ambitious Ho­nours, to the gluttenous Meats, to the Virgins rich attire, and embraces of An­gels, the poor souls were never so fitted; and when he had thus for a long time discoursed over his Alcoran, he took a yoak from Sergius, and put it upon the Bulls neck; for it was fore-told by an Inscription brought by his door, that whosoever could yoke the Bull, it should be a sign to declare the man, as one sent from God, to govern his peo­ple.

This huddle of Miracles put the Ga­zers beyond all pause, so that in an in­stant they cryed him up King, and held his companion in Reputation of a minor Prophet, called themselves Musulmanni; true believers, which the Turk still af­fects, [Page 125] rather than his right name of Turk, which imports banishment, and unpraids him the disgrace of his Original.

And now he hath past the difficulty of his attempt, an easie matter to draw on Millions of followers, such as would like that Religion best which baulkt not their pleasures; yet at last he met with an end answerable to his beginning, for he was poysoned by some of his own Fa­mily.

He had long before prophesied, that he should be wonderfully conveyed to Heaven, and to make good his Fraud, had framed an Iron Chest for his Sepul­chre, which he purposed should have been held up by force of a Load-stone placed in the top of the Temple, and by this means have appeared to the behol­der to hang in the Air without any sup­port. But this trick (it seems) was pre­vented by death, yet they expected still his ascent to Heaven, till he stank upon Earth, so that at last they were forced to convey him into his Iron Coffin, [Page 126] which remains to this day in Mecha a City of Persia, and is visited by the Turks, as the Sepulcher of our Saviour at Jerusalem by Pilgrim-Christians.

China.

THis Kingdom is in the utmost bounds Eastward of the East India, and therefore lyes farthest remote from Christendom; the Chinoyse do much exceed us for ample Cities, and multi­tude of Inhabitants: It is now a vast Empire, and without doubt, as they are infinitely populous, so they are propor­tionably Rich, beyond any other Na­tion of the World. Their principal Commodities are Silks and Sugars; yet besides these, they send forth Wool, Cotton, Olives, Metals, Rhu­barb, Honey, Purslain dishes, Camphire, Ginger, Pepper, &c. Musk, Salt great store.

The men are in their several imploy­ments infinitely laborious, and ingenu­ous: [Page 127] it is very rare to see any of them in a strange Country, nor will they easily admit a stranger far into theirs; they are addicted much to Manual Arts, for they have excellent practick Wits, and indeed for that go beyond any other Nation: Much quarrel hath been about the invention of Guns and Printing, which several people have been ambi­tious to take to themselves, as the Master-piece of Mans wit; but with­out doubt they were both used here, long before any of Europe pretended to the knowledge of either. In their wri­tings, they make not their Lines from the Right hand to the left, as the He­brews, nor from the left to the right as we do, but from the top to the bottom of the page, and use all one Character through the whole Kingdom. Their special skill, which we much admire, but cannot imitate, is in making the Pur­slain dishes white as very Snow, and transparent as Glass, formed up only of Cockles found in the Sea-shore, mixt [Page 128] with Egg shells, but lye buryed in the Earth many years before they come to perfection, and are seldom took up by the same Artificer, which kneads them, but are left as a portion to some of his Posterity.

When they travel over the Plains, they use a kind of Coach, yet not drawn with Horses or other Beast, but driven with the Wind under-sail as a Bark on the Sea, which the people are as perfect to guide which way they please, as the Mariner is to direct his course unto any Coast whither he is bound; as they sail upon Land, as if it were Sea; so they dwell as frequent upon the Sea, as if it were Land; for they have an incredible number of ships and Boats, which are in many places ranked like streets upon the Waters, and filled with Inhabitants, such as are here born, live, traffick, mar­ry, and die. Mr. Purchas Reports that upon one River from Nanquin to Pa­quin, they are thus ordered for three hundred leagues. No mar [...]l then, if [Page 129] their number exceed any part proportio­nable of the whole Earth, since their Land is not sufficient, but is forced to borrow room out of the Sea, for their habitation. Yet are they all governed by one Monarch, whom they call the Lord of the World, and Son to the Sun. In matters of State they are very Politick, in Peace wary, and in War Va­liant, crafty and excellent Engineers.

Their Laws are for the most part just, and severely executed, especially against idle drones which set not a hand to ad­vance their State, or maintain them­selves; they will not cherish the very blind by Alms, since without eyes a man may be fit for some corporal im­ployment; but to the maimed and lame, they deny not a charitable main­tenance; the Son is bound to exercise his Parents occupation, so that no pre­tense almost is left for Wonderers: and briefly, as far as humane Laws can pro­vide, all other vain occasions, for mis­expence of time are taken off; for [Page 130] within the Cities no stews are allow'd, or lewd persons to withdraw them, Adul­tery is punished with death, but yet they have liberty to take many Wives, one they keep at home, the rest are disposed of abroad, where they best please. Their Marriages they chiefly solemnize at the New Moon, and for the most part in March, which begins their year.

For their Religion, they are Gentiles, but have a confused knowledge of God, Heaven, and the Creation: When they would decipher their great God, they express him by the first Letter in their Alphabet, and in their Devotions; they worship him as their chief (but not on­ly) preserver, for they have their pray­ers to the Sun, Moon, Stars, and to the Devil himself, that he would not hurt them. Their Priests are distinguished into the black and White Friers as we call them, for they much resemble Fri­ers in their course of life, some are cloath­ed in White, their heads shorn, and their Victuals in common; others in [Page 131] black, long hair, and live apart, neither are marryed, but both take their liberty to live obscurely, as the debauchest swaggerers.

The chief of the Cities is Paquin, where the King hath his continual Resi­dence, his Pallace here is compassed with a Triple wall, carrys the bulk and face of a fair Town, for indeed his re­tinue are no fewer then might well peo­ple a large City, among the rest he hath 16000 Eunuchs daily attending, such as their own Parents have emascul'd in their Infancy, to make them capable of this Court preferment. The seat Imperial was heretofore at Nanquin, where still remains a Golden testimony of her past glory. It is a fair City thirty miles in compass, seated nine leagues from the Sea upon a fair Navigable River, where there Rides commonly at least 10000. of the Kings ships, besides Merchants; it hath three brick walls, the streets are six miles in length, of a proportionable breadth, and trimly paved.

[Page 132] The Metropolis is Quinsay or Suntien, the largest City in the world; for it contains 100 miles in compass, it is seat­ed in a low and Fenny ground, is subject to floods, and hath been forced in very many places, to erect bridges for free passage from one street to another; there are in all 12000. built of stone, and most of them so high, that a good ship may strike under them with full sail, each of them hath its ten for a night guard. The Inhabitants of this City live luxuriously, especially their Women, who are much more comely then their men; yet all of them almost eat both Horse and Dogs flesh. Toward the South part of the City, there is a great lake about 24 miles in circuit, in the midst stand two Islands, whither the chief Nobilty repair and invite their friends to Solemnize their Marriage, and have in each a stately Pallace erected, furnished sufficiently with all fitting Or­naments for a Wedding jollity. In ma­ny parts of the City there are publick [Page 133] places of Receipt; for such as sustain any misfortune by fire, there they may lodge their Goods safe upon a suddain casualty, till they can make better pro­vision.

In each Province the Cities stand so thick, and are so populous, that they all seem to be as one, one as well for their continued building almost as their fa­shion of building; for they all observe the same form, and dispose their streets alike, two broad, crossing each other in the middle in so strait a line, that the eye may reach clean from one end to the other.

The Revenues of the whole Empire and number of Inhabitants, are not easily to be reckoned. Yet this in brief, he hath subject under him 70 Crowned Kings, gathers up yearly 120 Millions of Crowns, stirs not into the field without 300000 foot, and 200000 horse.

Out of the Description of the Kingdom of TARTARY.

THese Tartaryans, for brutish Cu­stoms, were grown odious to the more civil parts of the World, and as ( Herod in his fourth Book of Histories delivers) were wont to sing their Pa­rents to the Grave, invite their best Friends to Feast with their Fathers flesh, and use his Scull, as a cup to drink in at their lascivious banquets. Who more the Axiaca, who quenched their thirst with the bloud of him, whom they first slew, as it gushed warm from his wounds; who more foolish proud than the Agathyrst, who were used to mend their beauty by a deformed paint­ing, and ugly staining of their bodies with motly colours.

You shall have here their Character, which is given by most that describe them, to have ill fashioned bodies, an­swerable [Page 135] to their rude minds, fit houses for so unclean guests.

Their Stature is different. The most part have large shoulders, a broad face, with a crooked nose, deformed counte­nance, swarthy colour, hollow eyes, hai­ry and untrimmed beard, and head close shaved. Their speech is boisterous, and clamorous, their noise in singing, like the yell of Wolves, and endurance of hun­ger, thirst, heat, cold and watching e­quals them (in strength of body) to the most able beast, for it exceeds the com­mon power of a man. Their lust is with­out Law, for they except no kindred, but their own Mothers, Daughters, and Sisters. No species, for they mix with beasts; nor sex, for they are unsatiate Sodomites; and yet take liberty for as many Wives which they can maintain, which (contrary to our civil courses) they buy of their Parents, instead of recei­ving Dowries. Their meat is the raw flesh of horses, without regard how they were killed, or what diseases they dyed; [Page 136] sometimes they suck bloud from the li­ving, to appease their hunger and thirst, if (in a journey) they be distressed for want of food.

Cities they have but few, nor hou­ses other then moveable Tents made of Beasts skins, which they pitch up by great multitudes in the form of a Town, and those are called hordes: when the Grass is once eaten bare, and the ground yields not meat for their Cattel, they trudge with bag and baggage to another quarter, and so in course they wander through the vast Desarts unsetled, and indeed impatient to be setled, or rather imprisoned (as they take it) within any bounded compass, having the wide world to roam in: Their chief Arms are Bow and Arrows, which they use most on Horse-back, for their most speedy flight, and have them commonly strong­ly poysoned, for the more sure mischief to the foe; their stratagems are down­right fraud, and breach of truce, for they keep no faith with an Enemy, regard [Page 137] not any compact made upon terms of peace, but follow their own sense, and commit what out-rages they can with least danger to themselves.

Their Religion is answerable to their vile customs; Some are Pagans, others Mahometans, yet will not be called Turks, but Bersemany, and their chief Priest Seyd, whom they reverence more then their Maker, and admit none shall touch his hand but their Kings; and these too with an humble gesture, their Dukes aspire not above his knee, nor the Nobles higher then his feet, the rest are happy if they can but reach at his garment, his Horse, his any thing; so simple are they in their superstition. And thus have they continued either Atheists or false Idolaters, ever since the first entrance upon this Kingdom in the year 1187. Before they were not esteemed a Nation at all, but wild peo­ple, without Law or reason almost, who lived in the open fields, and conversed with no other then their own heards of Cattel.

[Page 138] They cease not to commit continual Murthers and Rapines upon the Coun­tries adjoyning, with an inveterate hate to such as profess the Name of Christ, insomuch, that they have engaged themselves to pay yearly three hundred Christians, as tribute to the great Turk, which number they draw out of Polonia, Russia, Tituania, Walachia, and part of Muscovia.