The estates, empires, & principallities of the world Represented by ye description of countries, maners of inhabitants, riches of prouinces, forces, gouernment, religion; and the princes that haue gouerned in euery estate. With the begin[n]ing of all militarie and religious orders. Translated out of French by Edw: Grimstone, sargeant at armes.

¶ Qualitie of the countrie. [ A]

[ IIII] THis realme brings forth all things needefull for the life of man, and also for Phi∣sicke and delights in so great aboundance, as it doth furnish other countries: and a∣mong other things they breed very goodly horses, whereof the king hath foure races, and many noble men doe also breed them. These horses may not be transported out of the countrie, but by permission from the king of Spaine, or his vice-roy, which is hard∣ly granted. But aboue all, there is great aboundance of Corne, Wine, Oyle, Silke and all kinds of fruits. The countrie of Rheggium, & many places of Calabria beare sugars. The land of Labour hath wine and wheat in aboundance, and is wonderfull delightfull. [ B] There are about Poussolle many springs of phisichall waters, and bathes of diuers ver∣tues. There is to be seen a field ful of Sulphure, inuironed with a high rock which burns continually, from whence they drawe and burne Alume. There is to be seene the moun∣taine of Astrune, with a Grotte or Caue which hath three miles compasse on the top, and doth by little & little grow straighter towards the bottome, like vnto the Amphithe∣atre, there you may see a little riuer runne through the middest: there are bathes to sweat in, and a hole which no man may approch vnto without danger of death. The aire in the countrie of Otranto is very good, and yet it is much subiect to leprosie, the which growes as some thinke, for that they eate too much hogges flesh and dried figges, which is the ordinarie meate of the poore people. The superficies of the soile seemes rough [ C] and stony, but being broken vp with the plough they find it good ground, and although there be but little water, yet there are goodly pastures, which yeeld wheat, barley, oats, oliues, excellent Melons, Asses, and Moiles which are much esteemed. There breeds in this countrie a beast which they call Tarantela, whose poison is expelled by singing and the sound of instruments: The which Gellius writes, according to the authoritie of Theophrastus, of some other beasts. The Chersidres or Adders do also breed in this countrie, and it receiues more hurt from Grashoppers, than any part of Italie, for that they leaue nothing where they passe, but deuoure the corne that is ripe in one night; yet it seemes that nature hath prouided for this inconuenience, by the meanes of certaine birdes they call Gauies which doe persecute these beastes. The countrie is also much [ D] spoiled with haile which doth in a manner annoie it euerie yeare. There they here thun∣der in winter, as they doe in sommer in the land of Labour. The countrie about the towne of Otranto hath a verie temperate aire, as it doth appeare by the Baie trees, Mir∣tles, Oliue trees and Cedars which growe there. The rockes which doe inuiron it to∣wards the Sea are so brittle, as the Sea hath wasted and eaten away almost foure score paces in lesse than a hundred yeare. But Brindes hath a bad aire, for that, as there is no∣thing that doth better an aire more than a multitude of inhabitants (for that they drie vp moorish places by tillage, they cut vp thicke woods, and purge the bad aire with fire, and find the good with their high buildings) so there is nothing worse than solita∣rines in great townes, for that they are not onely depriued of the aforesaid thinges, but [ E] the houses themselues and the ruines are retreats of corruption, witnes Aquilea, Rome, Rauenna, Alexandria in Egipt and Bagadet as some saie. As for Pouille though the soile seeme barren, yet is it good in effect, and feeds much cattell. Abruzzo is the coldest part in the realme. In the principallitie, S. Seuerin is famous for the good wine it beares. Neere to Amalphi, and on this side the rocks, there are goodly valleis, with ma∣ny fountaines, and springs of water, from whence flowe certaine small brookes with a pleasant murmur. This countrie hath great abundance of Pomegranets, Leymons, Oran∣ges, Oliues, Peares, Plums, Cherries and such like fruit: It abounds also in wine, and doth not onely please the tast, but also the smell and sight, by the Mirtle trees, Baies, Box, Iasmin, Iuie, Rosemarie, Roses, and other plants which grow there. The soile about Ga∣lerna [ F] beares many Citrons, Leymons, Oranges, Pomegranets, and all kinde of fruit. Ba∣silicate is in a manner all mountaines, and therefore much subiect to theft and robbing: Roses come twice a yeare neere vnto Pesta. Calabria beares wheat, barley, wine of many

[ A] sorts, oliues, figges, sugar, honie, salt, gold, siluer, some woole, cotton and saffron. It abounds so with silke, as there is as much made as in all the rest of Italie. There is also great aboun∣dance of flax and hempe, and Manna doth also fall there from heauen. Neere vnto the Sea shore, and within the countrie there are many goodly Gardens to bee seene full of Citron trees, Leimons, Oranges and other trees. As for the Islands; that of Ischia, hath store of good wines and aboundance of fruits, and also great quantitie of Sulphure and Alume, in which there are also bathes▪ That of Proside, casts fier, and hath hot bathes. That of Capre wants wheat, but it abounds in flesh, fish, and fowle.