Batman vppon Bartholome his booke De proprietatibus rerum, newly corrected, enlarged and amended: with such additions as are requisite, vnto euery seuerall booke: taken foorth of the most approued authors, the like heretofore not translated in English. Profitable for all estates, as well for the benefite of the mind as the bodie. 1582.

Of Europe.

EUrope, whereof it tooke this name, or who hath béene the Authour of the name, it is not yet knowen: vnlesse we say it took the name of Europa Tyria, as sayth Herodotus, in his fourth booke.

Plynie nameth this the nurse of a peo∣ple conquerour of all Nations, and the goodlyest lande in the worlde: sometime compared to Asia and Africa, not in great¦nesse, but in manhood. It is certaine, that forasmuch as Europa is well inhabited, it is not much inferiour to any of them both, in abundance of people. The Nor∣therly and Westerly side héereof, is wa∣shed with the Occean: the South side, is seuered from Africa, with Mare Medi∣terraneum (the middle earth sea). After∣ward towards the East (as Glarean te∣stifieth) Europe is diuided from Asia, with the sea Egeam (now called Archi∣pelagus) with the sea Euxinum, (at this daye called Mare maggiore) with y^e ma∣reys Meotide, (at this daye called, Mare delle Zabacobe) with the riuer Tanais, (commonly called Don) and with Ist∣mus, which from the fountaines wher∣of, lyeth strayght North and by this meanes, it hath the forme of Apeni in∣sulae, or a lande lyke an Ilande, an maye be séene in the Map. The head héereof is Rome, sometime the conquerour of all the world.

The Countreys thereof, as we call them at this daye, are Spaine, Fraunce, Germany, Italy, Slauonia, Grecia, Hun∣garia, Polonia, with Lithuania, Mosco∣uia, or more significately Russia, and that Peni Insula, whereon standeth Norue∣gia, Suedia, and Gothia. Of the Ilands thereof, first presents it selfe Englande, Ireland, Grenland, Friseland, placed in the Occean sea. In the middle lande sea, she hath Citilia, Sardinia, Corsica, Can∣dia, Maideira, Minorica, Corphu, Negro∣pont, and other meaner Ilandes. The names and scituations of euery which, the Map doth vnfolde.

This our Europe hath besides the Romane Empire ouer the whole earth,* 1.1 28. Kingdomes, besides if thou adde vn∣to them the 14. which Damianos Agoi∣es doth recken in Spaine alone, being Kingdomes in generall, that haue recei∣ued the Christian Religion: which is fertill beyond measure, hauing a natural temperature, and aire calme inough, not to be accounted inferiour to any other, in plants of all kinde of graine, wine, and trées, but to be compared to the best re∣gions. So pleasant, and beautified with goodly Cities, Townes, and Uillages, that albeit she be lesse in forme, than o∣ther parts of the Earth: yet she is coun∣ted the better, and alwayes hath bene so accepted, for mens manhoode of all aun∣cient writers most of all renowned, as wel for the Empire of the Macedonians, as especiallye for the might of the Ro∣manes, the commendation thereof maye be séene in Strabo, which hath very well set hir foorth in his third book, and in the seauenth booke following. Looke also in∣to other Geographers, of the later & most approued Writers: among other, which haue gone about to describe Europe, are Volateranus, Sebastian Munster, Do∣minic

Niger, George Rithaymerus, in their Geographies, but peculiarly Pius the 11. Christopherus, and Ancelmus Cellae.

Cherubinus stella, Ioannes Herba∣ceus, & George Meyer, hath put in wri∣ting manye iourneyes, almost over all Europe, and haue noted the distaunces of places. The same hath William Gra∣••arolus, done in the ende of his booke, which is intituled, De regimme iter a∣gentium, The Regiment of wayfaring men. Thus much foorth of Ottelius.

Notes

• * 1.1

  When Rome sur∣ceased to be the o∣uercōmer of the vvorld, by svvord & violence: then shee practised to subdue more do∣miniōs bi superstici∣ous Here∣sie ma∣king hie chiefe ca∣pitain the former Tiranie.