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.

¶ The Qualitie of the Countrie.

[ E] THis countrie of Brasil is so called of a red wood which grows there aboundantly, the which they transport into Europe for the vse of dying: but by the first discouerer it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the land of the holie Crosse, for that he had erected a Crosse there. This 〈◊〉〈◊〉 good and wholesome, by reason of the hills and valleis, and the pleasing winds 〈…〉〈…〉 there: yet for that it is something moist, it is more fauourable to old than you•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••ons. Along the coast two houres before noone there are certaine fresh winds which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from the South, the which doth much good to the inhabitants. At Sea they 〈…〉〈…〉 ••••••rly winds which raigne halfe the yeare, and they of the North the other 〈…〉〈…〉 ••••••son whereof the nauigation is in a manner equally diuided. They doe [] 〈…〉〈…〉 ••••••ously from Lisbone to Brasil in September, October, and vnto March; 〈…〉〈…〉 by diuers waies at all seasons. The countrie is full of mountaines, riuers, 〈…〉〈…〉▪ distinguished into plaines and hills, alwaies pleasant and greene, with many 〈…〉〈…〉 ••••arie••ie of creatures which are vnknowne to vs of Europe. Among the plants, 〈…〉〈…〉 Co••iba, whose barke being cut casts forth a balme; the which euen the

bea•••• know, for finding themselues bitten with serpents, and other beasts, they haue re∣course [ A] vnto this remedie; so as many of these plants are in a manner without barke. The Cedar is also an ordinarie tree there (as also in new Spaine, and at Barlouent) and there [] a••e many other kinds of incorruptible wood: They make boats of the barke of a tree, able to containe fiue and tw••ntie persons, or more. The cucumbers and melons of Europe grow exceeding fai••e and good there. Among the beasts, there is the Talusie, which the Spaniard•• 〈…〉〈…〉, of the bignesse of a hog, all couered in a manner with scales; out of the which he puts forth and pulls backe his head like the Tortoise. The Cerigons haue two purs••s vnder their bellies, where they carrie their young ones, and hide them when the•• ••••e in any dau••ger, and that necessitie doth presse them: They do also find of [ B] these beas•••• in the Islands of the Molucques. There is a deformed kind of beast as big as a fo••, which the Por••ugals all Paresse, it is so slow of pace, as it will scarce go a stones cast in four••h 〈…〉〈…〉 blowes, nor ••awning, cause him to mend his pace. The 〈…〉〈…〉 but his nailes are exceeding long: He ••eeds of ants, and 〈…〉〈…〉 ••ith his nailes, he thrusts in his tongue, and drawes it forth full: 〈…〉〈…〉; and so thicke with haire, as he hides his whole bodie vnder it. The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 called Antes haue something resembling to ••••les, but they are not so big: they haue the nether lip like vnto a Trumpet, round eares, and a short ••aile: they rest in the day, and feed in the night. The Haute or Gay is a little beast, like vnto a Cat, which was neuer seene to eat or drinke. The diuersitie of birds and fishes both in the sea and fresh [ C] waters is incredible. In the countrie neere vnto S. Sebastian, whear doth neither grow nor ripen altogether, for when as one eare doth graine, another doth bloome, and when as one grows yellow, another is greene. Before I leaue my discourse of the quali∣tie of Brasil, I will tell you that of la••e yeares, about the Baye of all Saints, one slue a monster of a huge greatnesse, and horrible aspect: it had the face of an Ape, the feet of a Lion, and all the rest of a man, the neck•• yellow, and sparkling eyes, and to speake in a word, it was so hideous, as the souldier which flew it with his piece, fell downe dead.