Relations of the most famous kingdomes and common-wealths thorowout the world discoursing of their situations, religions, languages, manners, customes, strengths, greatnesse, and policies. Translated out of the best Italian impression of Boterus. And since the last edition by R.I. now once againe inlarged according to moderne observation; with addition of new estates and countries. Wherein many of the oversights both of the author and translator, are amended. And unto which, a mappe of the whole world, with a table of the countries, are now newly added.

Of the Constitutions, Complexions, and Natures of the Northerne man.

GEnerally, both in the North, in the South, as also in the Middle, you shall observe great difference both of fashion and qua∣litie, occasioned (no question) through the intermingled resort from both Ex∣tremes. But in the Extremes you shall see. no such apparant diversitie. For the assured token of a Scy∣thians countenance is, his reddish eye like those of the Owle, which also doe dazle at the sight of the light. Such eyes (saith Plutarch) haue the Cimbrians, and such at this day the Danes. The Germanes and the Brittish have them not so fierie, but rather grey, intermixed with a bright blacknesse, most resembling the colour of water. And this bright-shining colour (saith Aristotle) argueth heat: but blacke (the colour of the Southerne people) betokeneth want thereof. The grey eye (and such is theirs who inha∣bite betweene both) is sharpest of sight, seldome troubled with dimnesse; and according to Aristotle, denoteth good qualities: the Red, crueltie and austeritie, as Plinie and Plutarch observed of Sylla, Caro, and Augustus.

The bloud also of the Scythian is full of small strings, such as are discernable in the goare of Bulls and Boares, and betokeneth strength and courage. The people of the South haue their bloud thinne and fluent, like to that of the Hare and Hart, and denoteth feare. Whereupon it may be conjectured, that those Nations which are spread from the fortieth degree to the seventie five Northward, are hot within: but the people of the South, what they borrow from the Sunne, that they want in themselves; the inward heat being dispersed and drawne into the outward parts by the vehemencie of the outward heat: A reason why

in frosty weather our minds and joynts are couragious and strong: in heat, idle, and lazie; and so our appetites and digestion more vehement in Winter than in Summer, (espe∣cially if the Northerne winds be stirring.) The Southerne winds effect the contrary in all living creatures (saith Ari∣stotle) as may daily be observed amongst the English, the Germans, and the French, travelling into Italy and Spaine: where if they live not sparingly, they fall into surfets; wit∣nesse Philip Duke of Austria, living in Spaine after his Germane gourmandizing fashion.

Againe, the Spaniards, who in their owne Countries live most niggardly, in our parts of the world prove better tren∣cher-men than the natives. And this experiment falleth not out true in men onely, but also in beasts, which (as herds∣men affirme) being driven towards the South, fall away and lose flesh: but if they feed towards the North, they prosper and wax fat. Which I the rather beleeve, for that Leo Afer writeth, that throughout all Afrike you shall almost see no herds of Cattell, nor Horse, few flocks of Sheepe, and scarce any milke at all. On the other side, the goodly droves of the English, the Germans, and the Scy∣thians, are celebrated of all writers: not because their pa∣stures are better, or sweeter than those of the South, (by the censure of Plinie) but for the nature and temperature of the Heavens, and the Ayre.

And as the Northerne man by nature is hot and moist, (the Elements of fecunditie) so there is no question, but that of all people they are, and have beene, the most popu∣lous. For from the Goths, the Scythians, the Germans, and the Scandians, not onely vast desarts, and goodly Cities have beene founded, and inhabited, but from their loynes also have Colonies beene derived thorowout all Europe. Well therefore might Methodius, and P. Diaconus resemble their Armies to swarmes of Bees. And most true it is, that Iornandes and Olaus terme the North, the Store-house of mankinde; because from thence the Goths, the Gepidae, the Hunnes, the Cimbrians, the Lombards, the Alani, the Bur∣gundians,

the Normans, the Picts, the Heruli, the Swevi∣ans, the Slavi, the Swizzers, and the Russians have not denied to fetch their pedigrees.

Which maketh me to muse, upon what reasons Hippo∣crates could build to say, That the Northerne Nations were unapt for generation, causa frigiditatis; whereas the conjectures of heat and moisture, argued in their hot and fervent breathings, proceeding from the stomacke, and more apparant in Winter than in Summer, are not so effe∣ctually verified in any people, as in the inhabitants of the North. The true motives, I say, of promptnesse to genera∣tion, and not of sensuall concupiscence, as Aristotle also would have us to imagine: A vice more proper to the Southerne man: performance to the Northerne man.

Which indifferent limitation, was (without doubt) al∣lotted to either climate by the handy-worke of God; that those who were of sufficiencie for generation, should not greatly be addicted to pleasures; & the residue which wan∣ted of that measure of heat and moisture, should delight in wantonnesse, to raise their appetites; without the which, they would neither propagate their issue, nor by inter-mar∣riages maintaine humane societie.

And that this inward heat also maketh the people of the North more couragious, taller, and stronger, than the Na∣tions of the South, is apparantly discernable, not in our parts onely (by the operation of nature) but also in the peo∣ple dwelling beyond the Tropike of Capricorne: where the more they decline from the Aequator, the more they spread in stature and tallnesse. For the land of the Pentagones (of some termed Giants) is situated under the same latitude that Germanie is.

Which assertions holding true, it is no wonder that this strong and couragious people, the Scythians, have from the beginning cruelly invaded the South, erecting therein ma∣ny goodly Trophies: whereas from the South hath scarce ever beene attempted a journey worth speaking of, to the indammagement of the North.

The Assyrians vanquished the Caldeans: the Medes, the Assyrians: the Greeks, the Persians; the Parthians, the Greekes: the Romans, the Carthaginians: the Goths, the Romans: the Turks, the Arabians: the Tartars, the Turkes: and beyond Danubius, the Romans were ever un∣willing to attempt. Indeed Trajan erected an admirable bridge of stone over that River; for it had twentie arches, the rumes whereof (by report) are to be seene at this day. But after that the same Trajan perceived, that those Nati∣ons were neither easily beaten, nor being beaten, would or could away with subjection, he commanded the bridge to be broken. Semblably, the English have given the French, and Spanish, many famous overthrowes, especially to the French in France it selfe, even to the hazard of their State; and yet never could either of both the Nations, at any time, (though often attempted) set sure footing in England.

These inrodes of the aforesaid barbarous Nations, I would not reiterate, but that in them (to mine understan∣ding) the grievous threats of Ezechiel, Ieremie, Esay, and the rest of the Prophets, That from the North should arise warres, footmen, horsemen, and the ruine of kingdomes; have beene, in, and by them accomplished: and most pro∣perly ought to bee referred to that fore-divided partition, which stretcheth from the five and fortieth degree, to the fiftieth and five, where Biarmia is situated. For those which dwell beyond (being either none, or very few) are dried up (to use Hippocrates his terme) with as vehement cold, as the people living under the Tropikes are with heat: Not by reason of their inward heat, (as Aristotle in his Meteors dreamed) but by the rigour of the cold, piercing their bo∣dies, and wasting their humours; unto which humours, the Northerne people are generally subject. A manifest signe whereof, is their immoderate drinking, which in the Saxons, and the inhabitants of the Baltike Sea, could never yet be moderated by time, nor statutes. And that these hu∣mours cause the body to spread, let the Monsters of the Sea resolve our doubts, who grow to that immensive vastnesse,

above all other living creatures, propter humiditatis copian••.

But (as I take it) this overmuch moisture in the Nor∣therne people, turneth them often into many grievous in∣conveniences. For if you observe any of those Nations to travell towards the South, or to make warres in hot Coun∣tries, you shall finde them to faint and perish through im∣moderate sweating: as Plutarch, in the life of Marius, ob∣served in the Rhewmatike bodies of the Cimbrians: And as experience manifesteth in the Horse, who being by na∣ture hot and moist, liveth barely in Aethiopia, and liketh well in Scythia; whereas on the contrary, the Asse, being cold and drie, is lustie, and of good service in Afrike; in Europe, poore and base; in Scythia, not to be found.

And what now we have spoken of the strength and cou∣rage of men, is observed also to be true of horses. The Tur∣kish and Barbary horses, are like their Masters, rather well limbd and well spirited, than for labour or long journeyes. The Spanish Iennet, like the men of his nation, quickly proves good for a souldier, both best, when best caparisond. The Hungarian is a fierce assailant, and his horse must bee lookt too for feare of running away with the Coach. The high and low Dutch are bigge boned, but foggie people, and the Germane horse is not to travell above thirtie miles a day; that nation admires a poore English Hackney. The Tartar is a stubbed squat fellow, hard bred, and such are their horses. And so for our English.