The pike or high Hill of Tenarise, is after Theuets measure foure and fiftie miles.Tho∣mas
Byam,
a friend of mine, told me, that he hath seene it eight and forty leagues in∣to
the Sea, in cleare weather. Here before the conquest were seuen Kings, which
with their people dwelt in Caues. Their buriall was, to be set vpon his feet naked in a
Caue, propped against the wall: and if he were a man of authority, he had a staffe in his
hand, and a vessell of Milke standing by him. I haue seene, saith Nichols, three hun∣dred
of these corpses together, the flesh dried vp, the body light as Parchment. I my
selfe saw two of those bodies in London.
Canaria, Tenerif, and Palma, haue one Bishop, who hath twelue thousand Du∣cats
reuennue: which place was not long since possessed by Melchior
Canus, a
great Writer in defence of the falling Babylon. They pay to the King fiftie thousand
Ducats. Hierro, or the Iland of yron, is by the multitudes of Authors
affirmed to
haue in it no fresh water, but what falleth from the leaues of a certaine Tree, which
is alwaies greene, and couered with cloudes, and vnder-neath the same is a Cisterne
to receiue the water, for the vse both of Men and Beasts, throughout that Iland: a
whole wood of such Trees we mentioned in Saint Thomas Iland, which yeeld from
their dropping leaues Rills of water downe all sides of the Hill, where they grow. In
this Iland here is but one: and that very ancient. It is in seuen and twentie degrees.
This, and Gomera, and Lancarota, are in the handes of priuate men.
Madera standeth in two and thirtie degrees, it is the greatest of all the Atlantike
Iles
. It was discouered by one Macham an English man: who arriued there by
tempest, Anno 1344. together with a Woman, whom hee there buried, and on her
Tombe did write his comming, and the cause thereof, with his and her names, and
was occasion to the King of Spaine to discouer that and the Canaries. It was called
Madera, of the wildernesses of Trees there growing; Here is a City called Fouchal.
The Ile containeth in compasse a hun∣dred and fortie miles. The woods
which gaue
name to the Iland were fiered, and burnt so furiously, that the people for a time were
forced to goe some space into the Sea, from the violent heat, which caused such fat∣nesse
to the soile, that at first it yeelded threescore fold: since, halfe so much. The ex∣cellent
Wines were of Vines, first brought from Candie. They bring forth more
grapes (saith he) then leaues, and clusters of two, three, and foure
spannes long.
At first, the Pidgeons suffered themselues to bee taken, not knowing, and therefore
not fearing a man.
Fortie miles to the Ile of Madera is the Ile of Puerto, or Porto Santo, called of all
Saints day, in which it was first discouered, Anno 1428. It was taken by Sir Amias
Preston, 1596. Here are such store of Conies, bred of one shee-Conie, brought hi∣ther
great with yong, that the Ilanders were out of hope almost to withstand and a∣mend
their damages by them sustayned. A litle Iland, neare to this, breedeth nothing
else. And now we can accompany our Portugalls no further. A word of that which
remayneth.
Within the Streights are no great Ilands belonging to Africa. Pennon, or the Rock
against Velles de Gumera, the Ile of Gerbi, and some others. Malta, is the most famous,
where in old time was the Temple of Iuno. spoiled by
Verres, supposed to be that
Melita, where Paul suffered
shipwrack: although there be an other Melita in the A∣driatike
Sea, ••eare to Dalmatia: Polybius
calls it Melytusa, as Volateranus
writeth.
Ptolomie and Cicero name Melita, now called Malta, in this Ile of Malta. Some
a∣scribe
Pauls shipwrack to Melita in the Adriatike, neare to Dalmatia, whom Beza
learnedly confuteth: and proueth it to be that Malta, which now the Knights hold a∣gainst
the Turke: whose valour in successe, in resisting that mightie Aduersarie
Curio,
and Io. Antonius Viperanus, in their books of that Argument, Knolles in his Turkish Hi∣storie,
Ri. Carre, and others, reiate at large. It was 1565. That which deceiueth
those men in Malta, is the name of the Adriatike Sea, which now is giuen to the Gulfe
of Venice, but then, as Beza and Aretius shew out of Strabo.lib. 3. was giuen to the
Ionian Sea also, and further Southwards, Where Malta standeth: and Ortelius out of
Ouid, and others, proueth the same.