A prospect of the most famous parts of the vvorld Viz. Asia, 3 Affrica, 5 Europe, 7 America. 9 With these kingdomes therein contained. Grecia, 11 Roman Empire, 13 Germanie, 15 Bohemia, 17 France, 19 Belgia, 21 Spaine, 23 Italie, 25 Hungarie, 27 Denmarke, 29 Poland, 31 Persia, 33 Turkish Empire, 35 Kingdome of China, 37 Tartaria, 39 Sommer Ilands, 41 Civill Warres, in England, Wales, and Ireland. You shall find placed in the beginning of the second booke marked with these [3 asterisks in triangle formation] and (5) together with all the provinces, counties, and shires, contained in that large theator of Great Brittaines empire. / Performed by John Speed.

¶ The Description of SPAINE.

IN our Division of Europe, we placed her Regions as they lay from the first Meridian of Longitude in the Azores, and so on towards Asia Eastward. We will not here vary the course which was there proposed; and that gave Spaine the precedency, as lying most Westward into the Atlanticke Ocean. And indeed she puts forward as well upon her tearmes of Antiquitie, as order of place. For if her plea may be heard, she derives her being from Tubal, the grand∣child of Noah, and would be one of the first Nations of the se∣cond world. Likely enough those parts might be inhabited by his Progenie, but I doubt whether so soone after the Flood, as himselfe lived, and as some would have it, who suppose that he then kept Cattell, and named the Province Taraconensis, from the Hebrew Taraco, a possession of Heards. This and other the like improbable Relations passe of her originall. Which as we may not accept for truths, so we have no roome here to confute them for lies. We must be content rather to omit those former ages, which give us no light but by fables; and begin with the af∣faires of Spaine, which come within the compasse of our known and approved Stories. As for the exploits of Hercules, of Gerion, and Cacus, and the rest; questionlesse, they had some ground from truth it selfe, if we knew how to search it forth& and here was their residence, men twelve hundred yeares by compute before the Romans or Carthaginians enjoyed it. But by reason that the passage of those times, was delivered onely in vaine fictions, we can warrant nothing for certaine till the Syrians there planted themselves in the Ile of Gades: and of them little, till the Carthaginians were called in to aid them against the di∣sturbance of ill neighbours, when once they were mingled with so flourishing a Nation, they wanted not Writers to record their actions, and sundry turnes of Fortune.

(2) The next Inhabitants there of Spaine after the Syrians, and indeed the first which afford us any Story worth observing, were the Carthaginians: and the first cause of their entrance, was to defend the Ilanders of Cales: but when they had once got firme footing, and sucked the sweetnesse, they were not to be removed by the easie tearme of friendship: but there kept hold, till a people stronger then themselves dispossessed them. The attempt was made by Scipio and the Roman forces; but they withstood their assault with so resolved a courage, and so strong a hand, that it might oft-times be questioned Vter po∣pulus alteri esset pariturus? and so held play almost 200. yeares, and could not be fully subdued into the forme of a Pro∣vince, till the Reigne of Augustus Caesar, yet after they were held to it till Honorius.

(3) About his sixt yeare was there a second Invasion made by the Vandales, and soone after by the Gothes, which bare sway for above 300. yeares. The last King was Rodoricus, who lost both himselfe and Kingdome for a rape committed upon the Daughter of Iulian a noble Gentleman, and at that time Embas∣sadour with the Moores in Africa. When the Father had under∣stood of his Daughters unworthy injurie, he brought backe his revenge with him 30000. Horse, and 180000. Foot of Moores and Sarazens, which discomfited the King, overthrew all the resistance which he could make, and bespread the Country with their Forces, where they and their posteritie stood firme, till within the memory of some which yet live.

(4) This change of State was before prophecied, and concea∣led in a large Chest within a part of the Palace, which both the last King and his Predecessors were forewarned not to discover. But the hope of an inestimable treasure made him transgresse: and when he had entred, there appeared nothing but the Por∣tractures of Armed Moores, with a presage annexed, that when that part of the Palace should be forced open, such enemies should ruine Spaine. It is now at last but one people, but yet re∣tains the mixture of those many Nations which have heretofore possest it, Goths, Sarazens, and Iews, who were partly banisht hi∣ther by Hadrian the Emperour, and partly sent hither by Vlider Vbit the Caliph after the Moores conquest.

(5) In all this Discourse touching the beginning and settling of the State of Spaine it appeares not, from whence she derives her severall names of Iberia, Hesperia, & Hispania. It seemes they are more ancient then the entrance of the Carthaginians, and therefore they allow us no certaine Story, nor other reason in∣deed, more then a likely Conjecture: and in some scarce that. Her first name of Iberia was given by her ancients from a River that runs almost through the middle of the Countrey; So saith Maginus, and relies upon Pliny and Iustin for his Authours. O∣thers give it rather to the Iberi, the ancient people of Asia that came in under Panus from toward Syria, & possest it before the Carthaginians. Her second name admits as much question. Some fetch it from Hesperus the brother of Atlas, and their twelfth King from Tubal. Others beyond the Moone from the Eve∣ning starre, because it is situate upon the West of Europe. The last Hispania is supposed from one Hispanus or Hispalus, who raigned in those parts, and was the third in the account of some from Tubal: or else from Hispalis now Seril: rather we may take it from the fore-mentioned Panus, Captaine of the Iberians, by the prefixion of an S, for so the Greeks give it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and since by their owne addition and corruption it is made Espania, Hi∣spania.

(6) Her whole compasse is reckoned to be 1893. English miles: and her bounds are Seas on every side, unlesse on the East towards France, from which she is severed by the Pir••naan Mountains. On the West he Atlantick Ocean, on the North the Cantabrick, and on the South the Fretum Herculeum, and other parts of the Mediterraneum, which divide her from Africa. Her Rivers of note are specially, (1) Minius or Mingo. (2) Dorio now Duerus. (3) Tagus now Taio, famous for her golden sands. () Betis or Guadilquiver. (5) Iberus now Ebro, and (6) Ana or Guadiana, which in one place glides under ground for fifteene miles together, and gives the Spaniard an occasion (as he will catch at any) to bragge that they have ten thousand Cattle daily feeding upon one bridge. Yet give them their owne sense, the truth may be questioned. For they have not such plenty of meat, as they have of sauce.

(7) It yeelds indeed abundance of Oranges, Lemons, Ca∣pers, Dates, Sugar, Oyle, Honie, Licorish, Raisins, Saffron, Rice, excellent Sacks, and other Wines. And in some places, Sheepe, Goats, and swift Horses. It hath beene heretofore noted for rich Mines, in so much that Hannibal received daily 3000. from one Mine in Spaine. The number is not answerable in propor∣tion to other Regions of Europe. Their Cities not so great, nor so many. The reason may be, because indeed their women are not so fertile to multiply among themselves, and their usage of strangers so uncivill, that very few of other Countries seate themselves there, as in France, England, and Germany. And yet they have of late times sent many Colonies abroad into both Indies.

(8) They are extreamely proud, and the silliest of them pre∣tend to a great portion of wisdome, which they would seeme to expresse in a kinde of reserved state, and silent gravitie, when perhaps their wit will scarce serve them to speake sense. But if once their mouthes be got too open, they esteeme their breath too precious to be spent upon any other subject then their owne glorious actions. They are most unjust neglectors of other Nati∣ons, aud impudent vaine flatterers of themselves. Superstitious beyond any other people: which indeed commonly attends those which affect to be accounted religious, rather then to be so. For how can hearty devotion stand wih cruelty, lechery, pride, Idolatry, and those other Gothish, Moorish, Iewish, Heathenish conditions of which they still savour.

(9) Yet it hath yeelded heretofore men very famous for their severall endowments, both of wit and religion. The Apostle himselfe expresseth a great desire to see Spaine, as hoping to doe much good among those which had entertained the name of Christ. Osius a learned Bishop in the time of Constantine the Great: And Pac••anus mentioned by S. Hierome, Isidore, Fulgen∣tius, Arias Montanus, Tostatus and Masius, were all Spaniards: Seneca, Quintilian the Orator (Lumen Romanae eloquentia, as Val∣la styles him) Martialis, Lucan, Silius, & Pomponius Mela were Spaniards, Traian the Emperour, Theodosius, Ferdinand the Ca∣tholike, and Charles the Emperour were Spaniards. To this day it breeds good Souldiers, slow, but sure, and successfull in their Conquests. Yet such as prevaile more by art then valour. Their continuall scarcitie of victualls inureth them to hunger and o∣ther hardnesse, which oft-times wearieth out their enemie, and makes him yeeld at least to their patience, if not to their strength.

(10) She hath beene subject to many divisions, according to the humour of those that have beene her Lords. The first of note was made by the Romans in Citeriorem, which lay neerest to their Territories, and Vlteriorem, which was all the extent, beyond the River Iberus ad fretum usque Herculeum. The second was by them too, in Baeticum the whole tract beyond the River Ana Southward. (2) Lusitanium Northward, toward the Can∣tabricke Ocean, and (3) Tarraconensem Eastward joyning upon

[illustration] map of Spain

[illustration]

SPAINE Newly described, with many adictions, both in the attires of the people & the setuations of their cheifest Cityest by Iohn. Speed. 1626

France. When the Moores injoyed it, they rent it into twelve parcells, a multitude of petty royalties. Arragon, Catalonia, Va∣lentia, Castile, Toledo, ••••ay, Leon, Gallicea, Murcia, Navarre, Corduba, and Portugall. And these yet retain the name of King∣domes, but their government was long agoe recovered into the hands of five, which bare the titles of Castile, Arragon, Granada, Navarre, and Portugall. It was of latter times contracted into the three Kingdomes of Arragon Castile, and Portugall, but is in the power of one King, called the Catholicke King of Spaine. We stand to this last division as most proper for our times, and best befitting my briefe Discourse. Give me leave to adde the Ilands which lye neere to each Kingdome.

(11) The present state of Arragon comprehends three of those Kingdomes, as it was scattered by the Moores and Sara∣zens. (1) Arragon it selfe, which lyeth on the South of Navarre, on the East of Castile, on the North of Valentia, and the West of Catalonia. The ancient Inhabitants were the Iaccetani, Lucenses, and Celtiberi: her chief City Caesar Augusta. (2) Catalonia: It lyeth betwixt Arragon and the Pyrenaean hills. It is supposed a mixt name from Gothi and Alani, people which heretofore possest it after the Vandales had lost their hold. The Region is but barren; yet it hath in it many Cities, The chiefe Terra cona, which gave name to the whole Province, called by the Romans, Terraconenses. (3) Valentia, which on the East is touched with the Mediterraneum, on the north with Castile, on the south with the Kingdome of Murcia. It is reported for the most pleasant and fruitfull Region in all Spaine, it hath her name from her chief Citie, and as Maginus relates, admits as yet of 22. thousand Fa∣milies of Moores. In this is the Vniversitie where S^t. Dominicke, father of the Dominicans studied. And the old Saguntum be∣sieged by Hannibal now Morvedre.

(12) The state of Castile as now it stands, comprehends all the rest of those scattered governments, as were possest by the Moores, Portugall onely excepted. And first Castil it selfe, both the old which joyns with Arragon on the East of Portugall, and the West of Navarre; and the new which toucheth her upon the South. The first abounds not much with fruits, but yet it breeds many Cattell. The Metropolis is Burgos▪ and the other chiefe are Salamanca, an Vniversitie, and Valadelit once the seat of the Kings of Spaine. Now Castile abounds more with Come: is wa∣tered with the river Tagus and Ana: and in this stands the Kings chiefe Cities, Madrid and Toledo, which was heretofore a pro∣prietarie of it selfe. The rest that belong to Castile are a Toledo how ever now but a City of new Castile, yet in the division, her Territories spread themselves over a large compasse. The City is in the middest of Spaine. It was the seat of the Gothish Kings, and successively of the Moorish Princes: now of the Archbishops, who exceed in revenews any other Prelate in the world, except the Pope. Here hath sate eighteene Nationall Councels in the time of the Gothish Kings. 3.

(13) Biscay, heretofore Cantabria on the North of old Castile toward the Ocean, it was the last people which yeelded to the Romans, and after to the Moores. A Mountainous Countrey, but affords excellent Timber for Ships, and good Iron. Her Ci∣ties are S^t. Sebastian, Fonteralia, and Bilbao, which stands but two miles from the Sea, and is noted for excellent Blades: some have been tried by the English upon their owne Crests. 4.

(14) Leon heretofore Austria, on the East hath Biscay, on the West Gallicia, on the North the Cantabricke Ocean, and on the South old Castile. The Region is reported to yeeld plenty of Gold, Vermilion, red Leade, and other Colours, else she is barren, her Inhabitants not many, and those live most upon Hunting and Fishing. It is the title of the eldest Sonne of Castile, as Wales is to our Prince of England. Her chiefe City is Oveido, which bare part with her in the name of a Kingdome; and in∣deed was the Title of the first Christian King after the Moores Conquest. 5.

(15) Gallicia, on the East joyns upon Leon, on the West it is bounded with the Atlanticke Ocean, on the North with the Cantabricke, and on the south with the River Mingo. It breeds Iennets in abundance, in so much that they have beene Poeti∣cally faigned to be conceived by the winde. Niger writes that here hath been an incredible plenty of Gold, Leade, and Silver. That the Rivers are full of a mixt earth, and that the Plough could scarce wagge for clods of golden Ore. There appeares now no such matter. The principall Cities are Saint Iago, where S^t. Iames the Apostle lyeth buried, his Reliques kept, worship∣ped, and visited by Pilgrims. And the other of note especially with us is Corugna, an excellent Port for Ships, and mentioned oft in our warres with the Spaniards by the name of the Groyne. Here likewise is the Promontorie Nerius, called by our Mari∣ners Capo de finis terrae.

(16) Murcia, on the North hath new Castile; on the South and East the Spanish Seas. It is not much peopled, but yet is fa∣mous for severall Commodities, especially pure earthen vessels, and fine Silke. Heretofore it enriched the Romans with a daily supply of 25000. Drachmae of Silver. Her chiefe places are Ali∣cante, whence our Alicant Wines come, and new Carthage oft commended by our Travellers, for her large and safe Haven, and lastly, Murcia, a Town which gives name to the whole Region.

(17) Navare lyeth close to the Pirenaean Hills, and as Ma∣ginus gives it, is inclosed with Mountaines: and so it is North and East, on the West it hath the River Ebro, and on the South Arragon. The Vascones are said to have lived here, who afterward placed themselves in France, and keepe there their name to this day of Vascones, corruptly Gascoignes. The chiefe Townes are Pampelme, the Metropolis, and Viana the title of the Navarran Prince. Maginus sets the Revenue annuall of this Kingdome at 100000. Duckets.

(18) Corduba, now a Citie onely, heretofore a Kingdome and included. Andaluzia, Granada, and Estr••madura. Equalized almost the whole Province wh••ch the Romans in their second di∣vision called Baetica. Andaluzia hath lost but one letter of her name since she was possest by the Vandales. From them she was first called Vandalicia: since Andalicia, corruptly, Andaluzia. It lyeth on the West of Granada, and is a very fertile Countrey. In this Region is the chiefe Citie Corduba, whence we receive our Cordavan Leather. The second of note is Sevill: the Me∣tropolitane of Andaluzia, and the fortunate Ilands, esteemed the goodliest Citie in all Spaine, and though (as Corduba) it was not honoured with the title of a Kingdome, yet it honoured a King∣dome with her title in the opinion of some, which derive Hi∣spania from her former appellation Hispalis. From this shoare they lanch forth toward the Indies, and from hence they send their Sevill Oranges. The Arch-bishop of Sevill is second to Toledo, as well in Revenewes as degree. Neere to Andaluzia is the Iland of Gades, by w^ch the Carthaginians entred into Spaine. Since it is called Cadis, and commonly Cales. The English have had their turne in the possession of that Ile. Now againe fortune hath cast it upon the Spaniard. On the very South edge of this Region stands one of Hercules Pillars, which answers to the o∣ther Promontory in Mauritania: The Sea betwixt both is called Fretum Herculeum, and Straights of Gibralter. The second Pro∣vince of Corduba was Granada, on the East of Andaluzia the West of Murcia, and South of new Castile toward the Spanish Seas. It hath been farre more fertile then now it is: yet it still reserves a shew of her former beauty, affords as excellent Sugar, Silke, and Wines. The principall Towns of note are, Granada and Malaga: the first for Stockins, and the other for good Sacks. The third Province of Corduba Estrem••dura lyeth on the South of Castile, and is watred through the middle with the River A∣na. And in this stands the City Merida, once a Roman Colonie, and named by them Augusta Emerita, from the Inhabitants which were there planted by Augustus, and culled out of his ancient tryed Souldiers.

(19) Portugall is the third Kingdome in our last division of Spaine, and it may well be esteemed one of her largest Territo∣ries: For it runnes along by the Atlantick Ocean, from the bor¦ders of Gallicea, as Andaluzia; on the North it is limited with the River Mingo, on the South with part of the Mediterraneum, on the West with the Atlantick & on the East with the Castiles Andaluzia and Estremadura. Her name some derive à portu Gal∣lorum, Maginus rather à portu Cale a Haven of that name which was much frequented by Fishermen; It is almost the same por∣tion of Spaine which was heretofore Lusitania, and her people were esteemed the most valiant, crafty and agile Souldiers of the whole Region; yet now they are held to be simple ad proverbiū usque. But it is their neighbour Spaniards censure, who indeed have over-reached them in cunning, and brought them under the subjectiō of their Catholicke King, which were before a free State of themselves, and carried with them another Kingdome of the Algarbi, which stands in her very South, and shews the Cape of S^t. Vincent into the Atlanticke Ocean: Give them their due they are excellent Sea-men, and the best alive to atchieve adventurous actions: For they added to their Dominions many Territories of Africa, Asia, and America, could they have been so fortunate as to have kept their Kingdomes and themselves out of the reach of the cogging Spaniard.

(20) The Countrey affords not much Corne, but fruit reason∣able store, and Mines of severall metalls, Allum, Marble, good Silkes, &c. The chief City is Lisbone, in Latine Vlyssipona, suppo∣sed to have been built by Vlysses. And from hence they set sayle towards the East Indies, to Aethiopia, Brasile, &c. In so much that this very City yeelds more revenew then the rest of the whole Kingdom. Another eminent place of this Region is the Metro∣polis and Academia of Conimbria, called before Mouda. And this briefly is the whole Continent of Spaine, but doth not terminate the Spanish Dominions, which commands as well the Ilands which lye neere in the Atlanticke and Mediterraneum, as many other parts of the world besides interminate with other Regi∣ons. The Kingdome of Naples in Italy, Dutchy of Myleine, Iles of Sicily and Sardinia, the Canaries, Townes and Castles and Havens in Barbarie; In the West Indies, Mexico, Peru, Brasile, large portion in the East.

(21) The Ilands neere Spaine in the Atlanticke chiefly the Tarsarae. In the Mediterraneum are the Baleares, and those are two principall, Maiorica commonly called Mallorca, and Minorica commonly Menorca. Other lesse Ilands are Drago∣nera, Cabrera, Pyttussae, Erisa, Vedrau, Conirello, Dragomago, and Scombraria.