The decades of the newe worlde or west India conteynyng the nauigations and conquestes of the Spanyardes, with the particular description of the moste ryche and large landes and ilandes lately founde in the west ocean perteynyng to the inheritaunce of the kinges of Spayne. ... Wrytten in the Latine tounge by Peter Martyr of Angleria, and translated into Englysshe by Rycharde Eden.

¶ An opinion that Europa, Africa, and Asia, are Ilandes: and of certeyne nauiga∣tions abowt the same.

THe anciente wryters diuided this owre worlde into Asia, Africa, and Europa, by the ryuer Ta∣nais as Isocrates declareth in his Panegyri∣co. Afterwarde they diuided Asia and Africa by the ••urnynges and course of the ryuer Ni∣lus, thowghe the same had byn better by the sea Bermeto (that is) the redde sea, which almoste trauerseth and passeth throwgh the lande from the Ocean to the sea Me¦diterraneum which diuideth Europa and Asia. But Berosus the Caldean, sayth that Noe gaue names to Africa, Asia, and Europa: and gaue them to his sonnes, Cham, Sem, and Ia∣fet: also that he sayled by the sea Mediterraneum ten yeres. In fine we nowe conclude that the three sayde prouinces oc∣cupy this mydlande of the worlde. All in gene••all say that Asia is greater then any of the other, and in maner as bygge as they both. Albeit Herodotus in his Melpomene, scorneth them that make Europe and Asia equall: affirmynge that Eu¦rope in longitude is equal to Asia and Afrike: and that it pas¦seeh them in latitude, wherin he speaketh not greatly owt of square. But to speake more of this elswhere, not pertey∣nynge to the matter wee haue in hande, I say that Homerus one of the most ancient wryters, sayth that the world which is diuided into Asia, Africa, and Europa, is an Ilande as re¦herseth Pomponius Mela in his thyrde booke. Strabo in the fyrst boke of his Geographie, sayth that the earth which is inhabited, is an Ilande enuironed with the Ocean. H••gi∣nius also, and Solinus, confirmed this sentence, Althowghe Solinus doo erre in mystakinge the names of the seas, suppo¦synge that the Caspian sea was parte of the Ocean, beinge rather lyke vnto the sea Mediterraneum so named bycause it is in the mydlande as is the Caspian sea withowt participa∣cion of the great Ocean. Strabo wryteth that in the tyme of Tolomeus Euergetes, one Eudoxus sayled three or foure tymes from Caliz to India: And that the guides of the redde sea (cauled the goulfe of Arabie or Bermeio) presented to the same kynge Tolomeus, an Indian whome he brought frome

thense. Kynge Iuba also prooued this nauigation from Ca∣liz to India as wryteth Solinus. Whereby it appeareth that the nauigation to India by the Ocean was then wel knowen and frequented, althowgh not so much as at this present, the same beinge neyther then or nowe a thynge of gret difficultie or trauayle by the coastes of hotte regions. But to sayle from India to Caliz by the other parte of the north by a clyme and regions of extreme coulde, shulde bee doubtlesse a difficult and daungerous thynge, wherof is no memory amonge the owlde autours sauynge onely of one shyppe as Plinie and Mela doo wryte, rehersynge the testimony of Cornelius Nepos who af¦firmed that the kynge of Suema presented to Quintus Mete∣lus Cele•• Lieuetenaunt of Fraunce, certeyne Indians dryuen by tempest into the sea of Germanie: if the same were not of the lande of Laborador or Bacallaos, and they deceaued in theyr coloure. For sum say that lykewyse in the dayes of the Emperoure Fredericus Barbarossa, certeyne Indians were browght in a Canoa from the citie of Lubec in Germanie. Fur¦thermore pope Eneas Syluius wryteth that the Sarmation sea, is as certeyne as the Scythian, Germanian, or Indian sea. Nowe also there is great knowleage and experience how the nauigations and passage may be attempted by Norway•• and other north regions vnder the same north, and to folow that coaste to the sou••h sea of Sur and keepe that course by the tracte of China. Olanus Gothus the archbysshop of Up¦salia and borne in Gothlande, hath wrytten muche of these north regions and nauigations by the north sea. In the trace of this vyage by the north sea, are the Ilandes of Islande and Gruntlande, althowgh there is doubte whether Grunt∣lande be an Ilande or parte of the firme lande. It is, xl. lea∣ques, from Lapponia, and sumwhat more frome Finmarchia a lande of Scandinauia in Europe. The people of Gruntland are stronge men and of coomly stature. They sayle with smaul shippes or barkes couered close aboue with lether or beastes hydes for feare of the coulde and fysshes. Gruntlande as sum say, is fyftie leaques from the north parte of the firme lande of the West Indies by the lande of Laborador. But it is not yet knowen whether this land be continent or adherent with Gruntlande, or if there bee any streyght of sea betwene thē. If all bee one firme lande adioynynge by any parte, then the

two great partes of the world seeme to ioyne togyther abowt the north pole or vnder it, or beneth it, forasmuch as it is not past fortie or fiftie leaques frō Finmarche to Grun••lan•••• wher¦by it may appere that althowgh there be any suchstraight of ••idynge them, yet are they neyghbours & not farre in sunder. Furthermore from the land of Laborador by thaccompt of the pilottes, is abowte foure hundreth leaques to ••aial, one of the Ilandes of Azores, otherwyse cauled the Ilandes of So¦ria lyinge in the West Ocean ouer ageynst Spayne. Also by their accompte the lande of Laborador is abowte fiue hun∣dreth leaques from Irland, and sixe hundreth from Spayne.

Notes

• Noe gaue names to Africa, A••ia, and Europa.
• A••ia.
• Europe.
• The hole earth is an Ilande.
• The Caspi∣an sea.
• Caliz is a ryuer.
• ••auigations from the red sea to East India.
• The vyage to India by the no••th seas.
• The hystorye of Comelius Nepos.
• Note this.
• Indians in Lubec.
• The Sarma∣••••an sea.
• ••lande.
• Gruntlande.
• Lapponia.
• Finmarchia.
• Gruntlande.
• The distance from Grunt∣land to the lande of La∣borador.
• of the streight if it be.
• The Ilande•• of Soua, or Azores.
• From labora∣dor to Irland.