Of the interchangeable course, or variety of things in the whole world and the concurrence of armes and learning, thorough the first and famousest nations: from the beginning of ciuility, and memory of man, to this present. Moreouer, whether it be true or no, that there can be nothing sayd, which hath not bin said heretofore: and that we ought by our owne inuentions to augment the doctrine of the auncients; not contenting our selues with translations, expositions, corrections, and abridgments of their writings. Written in French by Loys le Roy called Regius: and translated into English by R.A.
Leroy, Louis, d. 1577., Ashley, Robert, 1565-1641.

A COMPARISON OF NAVIGATIONS, and discoueries of Countries, Peregrinations, and voya∣ges by land.

HOmer and Orpheus haue songe in their verses how all the habitable earth is enuironed with the Ocean as an Isle. And the Cosmographers affirme that the earth and water make but one globe; which hath bin wholly compassed in our time, in three yeres, by the nauigation of MAGEL∣LAN and his fellowes. In ancient time the North was sailed by the comman∣dement of AVGVSTVS, as far as the Baltick sea; and Borussia, where the Am∣ber groweth. Now the ENGLISHMEN, and the NORMANS go easily into Moscouia, passing the sea of Y ce, at such time as it is vnfrozen.

Touching the innermost, and farthest part of the North, the Auncients knew no farther then the riuer of Tanais, diuiding Asia from Europe: At this day all is knowen euen to the Pole; and the most part reduced to the Chri∣stian religion by the SVEVIANS, and MOSCOVITES. Which on the other side was knowen by the MACEDONIAN armes, during the raigne of Seleucus and Antiochus from the Indian sea vnto the Caspian. And about the Caspian sea were discouered many bankes, as towardes the East was visited a great part of the south sea by the victories of ALEX∣ANDER the great. HANNO also a riche Carthaginian Lord sayled from Gibraltar into the Arabian sea, behinde Africke: hauing set downe his voyage in writing. In our time the Castilians haue sayled beyonde the Ca∣naries, and bearing towardes the West, passed vnto our Perieces, which they haue subdued to the Crowne of Spaine, with many Cities and large countries full of golde, and other good things by them discouered. And the Portugales going towards the south beyond the Capricorne haue come to our Anteces, prouing all the middle Zone to be inhabited; that is to say, all that space of ground which is vnder the Zodiack betweene the two tropicks a∣gainst the opinion of Aristotle, and the auncient Poets. Afterwards they tra∣uersed toward the Indies, and went to our Antipodes obtayning a dominion ouer them. Moreouer Paulus Venetus, Ludouicus Romanus, Franciscus, Aluarez, Ioannes Leo, and others trauailing by land thorough all the coastes thereof, haue giuen vs knowledge of infinite Mediterranean or midland coū∣tries, which were not knowen before. In such sort that we may truely affirme that the world is wholy manifested, at this day, and all mankind entierly kno∣wen: for now all men may communicate one to another their commodities, and supply their mutual wants; as inhabiting all the selfe same citie, and com∣mon wealth of the world.