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 the TVRKISH EMPIRE.

THE Turke is admired for nothing more, then his sudden advancement to so great an Empire. For before these last three hundred and odde years, we must seek this people (which is become now a terrour to the whole world) lurking in the by-corners of Asia, like runnagates and theeves, as indeed they were; such as so infested their neighbours, with rapines and murders, as that neither injoyed their owne lives freely, nor possest more wealth, then they could maintaine with the sword.

(2) The great Osmand was the first which redeemed them from obscuritie: his predecessors were scarce mentioned as a Na∣tion worth story; and therefore it is not easie to give their true originall, or set justly the place of earth, from whence they sprang. There are which say from the Caspian Mountaines: and that in the time of the Macedonian Basilius they served the Saracens, in their Indian warres, but turned the victory to their owne advantage: for when they had once tried their strength, and found their Forces sufficient in behalfe of others, they be∣thought themselves at last, to use them for their owne advance∣ment: and to that purpose, turned head first upon their pay∣masters, out of whose spoiles they raised incredible Armies, which over-spread all Asia to the very Euxine sea. Others again conjecture, that they were a Scythian people; and the rather for that they made their way into these parts, through Pontus and Cappadocia, and so on, as it were in a direct course from Scythia. The truth is, the customes of both are not much unlike, their habit very neere, and their warres waged, with the same wea∣pons and discipline.

(3) But admit their first attempt upon the Saracens: yet were they againe scattered by their civill dissentions, lived as before, and could not be recollected into a Nation, till Othoman tooke upon him to be their Leader in the yeare 1300. a man of as low birth and fortunes as the meanest, but had a tumultuous spirit, and an able wit to weild it; which put him upon this great acti∣on, to conquer the world, and suffered him not to rest in it, till he had seated himselfe in an Empire, which his progenie en∣joy to this day. He beganne with a rascall crue, of such as were led on by want, and seemed rather to beare Armes in defence of their privie thefts, then with intent to invade an enemy: for he appeared not at first as an open warriour, but wrought his spoyles by stratagems, and slights, and clandestine excursions, upon such as were unprovided for resistance; possest himselfe of mountains and woods, as lay most convenient for his lurking practises, and whither he might retire safe, if at any time he were pursued.

(4) By these meanes he was content for a while, to increase his wealth and power, which soone grew to that eminencie, as in few yeares, he durst meet a strong enemy to the face; buckle with him upon his owne ground, for his possessions: and at last, so prevailed, where ever he set footing, that he scarce stept back till he claspt into his owne government, Pontus and Cappadocia, Galatia and Bythinia, Pamphylia and Lycia, Ionia and Phrygia, and all Asia minor to the Greeke Seas: to which his successours have in latter times added many other Countries of Asia, Africa, and Europe: so that it is now become the most potent and ty∣rannicall Empire of the world.

(5) The first seat of state was at Prussia in Bithynia, from thence it was removed to Hadrianopolis; and at last to Constanti∣nople, a Citie of Greece in the Province of Romania. His Palace is called the Seraglio, is built in the most eminent part of the town, containes three miles in circuit within the walls, and surpasseth all other Courts under heaven for Majestie, and number of buil∣dings, for pleasurable gardens, sweet fountaines, and rich fur∣niture. The Emperour himselfe hath for his common Guard, foure thousand footmen, the sonnes of tributary Christians, which are called Ianizaries, and their Captaine Agu, besides tenne thousand others, dispersed under severall Commanders through diverse parts of the Empire: and fifteene thousand horse-men in ordinary pay. In these numbers, I reckon not those multitudes of Timariotae, which are assigned to severall of the Turkish states: and deliver yearly incredible sums of money into his Treasurie. As his wealth is great: so is his life luxu∣rious: fifteene hundred women are cloystered up for his plea∣sure, and out of them one hundred and fiftie culled as choyce for his dayly lust: so Maginus. The offices within the Court are most performed by Eunuches, such as (he will be sure) shall not partake with him in his unsatiate, and brutish pleasures.

(6) The Ministers of state are (1) Mufsti, who interprets their Law, and layes open their Alcoran, with the like authority, as the Pope among the Roman-Catholikes. (2) Cadilescheri, who are the supreme Iudges, to determine of their causes controver∣sed; and these are three: the one for Europe, whose residency is in Romania: another for Asia in Natolia; and a third set up by Se∣limus the first, to judge such differences as are brought to him from Aegypt, Syria, Arabia, and part of Armenia. These Cadi∣lescheri have under them peculiar Iudges of every Province, which are called Cadi, and are chosen at their pleasure, but con∣firmed by the Emperour himselfe. (3) The third ranke are the Vizer bassa, their Emperours Councell; their chiefe is Vezir-Azem, a man of great power through all the dominions of the Turke: and for the most part, present at his treaties of state. (4) The fourth order are the Beglerbegs, whose office answers al∣most to our Generals, and as the Iudges were, so are these pla∣ced in the three severall quarters of the Empire: one in Greece for Europe: a second in Anatolia for Asia: and the third is an ad∣mirall of the Seas, and commands those parts, which are left by the other two: all of equall respect and place with the Vizer-bassae. Those of inferiour ranke, and petty imployments in the Common-wealth are almost innumerable, many of them not natives, but apostate Christians, and in conditions, differ as the Countries from whence they first sprang.

(7) The multitude, I meane the borne-Turks savour still of their barbarous ancestors, and carry the markes in their fore∣heads, and limmes of Scythians and Tartars. They are for the most part broad-faced, strong-boned, well proportioned, dull and heavie headed, of grosse understanding, idlely disposed, and yet greedy of wealth, luxurious in their diet, and beastly in their lustfull affections, without distinction of kindred or sexe, base minded, slaves to themselves, and their superiours in their owne Countrey: yet ignorantly proud, and contemptuous of other Na∣tions, which they take in foule scorne, should be compared with their lubberly Inhabitant. They passe not to cousen a Christian in their course of traffique: nor doe they thinke they are bound to keep promise unlesse it make for their advantage. The grea∣test praise they have by due desert, is their strict obedience to the discipline of warre: no sedition, no tumult, no chat in their Campe or March, in so much that oft times many thousands on a sudden surprise their enemies, unwares, with so very little noyse, as not to be heard in their approach. No difficultie can be commanded, which they are not ready to performe, without a∣ny respect at all had to the danger; be it passe to Rivers, toppe Mountaines, scale Walls, stand Centinell: In briefe, they care not to eate or sleepe in warre, but at full leisure: and are the truest military men upon earth.

(8) No great marvaile then, if wi•••• so great multitudes, so well ordered, they daily improve their Empire upon the Christi∣ans, who are not so zealous in defence of their true faith, as these mis-beleevers, bold and foole-hardy to uphold their false god. But the truth is, their superstitious credulitie of fate, which they think hath immutably prefixed every mans houre for life or death, which he can neither deferre nor hasten, makes them fearelesse to incurre dangers, and carelesse for their owne se∣curitie.

[illustration] map of the Turkish Empire

THE TURKISH EMPIRE. Newly Augmented by. Iohn. Speed. 1626.

(9) Divers Schooles they have, where their chiefe study is the imperiall lawes; from thence some are preferred to secular, some to ecclesiastick offices. Their Religion is a meere couse∣nage, thrust upon the silly people by the impious subtiltie of one Mahomest, whose story is well worth our knowledge, and may cause us to commiserate the desperate state of those ignorant, yet perverse and bloudy Antichristians.

(10) His place of birth is questioned, whether he were a Cy∣renaike, an Arabian, or Persian, it is not yet fully decided: certain enough he was of base parents; his father (some say) a worship∣per of Devils, and his mother a faithlesse Iew. Betwixt them they sent into the world a pernicious deceiver (which none but two such Religions could have made up) in the yeare five hun∣dred ninetie seven. When he had beene for a while thus instru∣cted by his distracted parents, poverty and hope to improve his fortunes, perswaded him from his native soyle, to live for ano∣ther while among true professed Christians, where he received so much knowledge of the Word, and light of the Gospel, as to pervert it to his destruction, and ruine of many millions of soules.

(11) In his first adventurous travailes abroad, he fell into the hands of theevish Saracens, which sold him to a Iewish Mer∣chant; and he imployed him to drive his Cammels through Aegypt, Syria, Palestine, and other forreine Countries, where he still gathered farther instructions of that truth which he in∣tended to abuse. His wickednesse first brake forth into fraud, open theft and rapine, and other sinnes of highest ranke; in which he continued and seduced others, till the death of his Master, and after married his aged but rich Mistresse.

(12) He had meanes now to act his malicious purposes, and wealth to countenance his exceeding pride, which would not be satisfied with a lower ambition, then to be called a Prophet of God. This he began to practise, by the counsell of one Sergius a Monk, who being cast out for heresie from Constantinople, be∣tooke himselfe into Arabia, and joyned in with Mahomet to make up this mischiefe perfect; see now their juggling. There wanted not craft betwixt them, to make use of his worst actions to gull the simple: For when by his debaucht drinking and glut∣tonie, he was fallen into an Epilepsie, and in his sits lay Beare-like groveling, and foaming upon the earth, as one without sense: he pretended an extatike swone, wherein his soule was wrapped from his body, while he converst with Gabriel an An∣gel from heaven. To make this familiaritie with God the more to be beleeved: he had bred up a Dove to take her meat from his eare, which he most blasphemously professed to be the holy Ghost, who at such times and in that shape infused the Prophe∣cies which he was to preach. Lastly, what they in their wicked fancies had conceived, and meant to propagate, they digested in∣to a volume, and called it the Alcoran.

(13) For this too they had a trick, that it might seeme to have beene sent from heaven into the hands of Mahomet: and to this purpose he had himselfe fed up a tame Bull, which by cu∣stome became so familiar, that no sooner he heard the voyce of his Master, but he would straight runne, cast the head in his lap, and use his wanton dalliance as with a fellow. Betwixt the hornes of this Bull, had he fastened the Alcoran, and conveyed him into a by-place, neer where he had assembled the multitude at a set time, to expect a wonderfull miracle from heaven, that might confirme his Prophecie. The scene thus ordered, on the sudden he lift up his voyce, and made a loud cry, which no sooner the Beast heard, but he brake his way through the prease, overturned many of the spectators, which now stood at a gaze, and gently laid his hornes and Booke in the bosome of this false couzener: which he with much ceremonie, and feigned reve∣rence, received, and in their presence opening the volume be∣ganne to interpret chiefe of their Laws, which for hereafter they were to observe.

(14) Circumcision he allowed, and with the old Law for∣bad swines flesh, that he might with more ease lead on such as were Iewish: he suffered himselfe to be baptized by Sergius, that the Christian too might have in some measure his content: Mo∣ses and our Saviour he denied not to be great Prophets; but that neither ••••rty might emulate the greater observance of other: and indeed especially that his owne might seeme new and yet take place from both, he changed the Circumcision of the Iews from the eight day, and multiplies Baptisme, which can be con∣ferred but once for all, upon the true beleever. For the like rea∣son of difference with other Nations and Sects, he left both the Iews Sabbath, and diem Christianorum Dominicum, & commands his holy ceremonies to be celebrated on the friday; for so it was, when the Bull bestowed on him his Alcoran. Before they enter the Temple, they wash all the uncleane parts of their bodies, and then to prayer, which must be performed five times in a day, with their face toward the South. They have a moneths fast too once every yeare, but it is observed onely for the day; for they may, when the Sunne is downe, redeeme it with what gluttony they please: wine is forbidden, onely for a shew that he might not seeme to have loved that, which (as he was guilty to him∣selfe) had brought him into his epilepticall fits. Briefly, what he knew would best agree with the brutish desires of the people, that he tooke order should be confirmed by his Lawes: foure or five wives to every husband, and as many Concubines as they could maintaine. For their blisse after life, he proposed no invi∣sible delights which over-reacht their understanding, but pro∣portioned to each of their sensuall thoughts, and promised to those which would keepe his Law a Paradise of all kindes of pleasure, which they themselves most affected. To the covetous, wealth; to the ambitious, honours; to the gluttenous, meats; to the virgins, rich attire, and embraces of Angels; the poore soules were never so fitted; and when he had thus for a long time, discoursed over his Alcoran, he took a yoake from Sergius, and put it upon the Bulls necke: for it was foretold by an in∣scription brought by his doore, that whosoever could yoake the Bull, it should be a signe to declare the man, as one sent from God, to govern his people.

(15) This huddle of miracles put the gazers beyond all pause, so that in an instant they cried him up King, and held his com∣panion in reputation of a minor Prophet; called themselves Musulmanni, true beleevers, which the Turke still affects, rather then his right name of Turke, which imports banishment, and upbraids him with the disgrace of his originall.

(16) And now he hath past the difficultie of his attempt, an easie matter to draw on millions of followers, such as would like that Religion best which baulkt not their pleasures; yet at last he met with an end answerable to his beginning: for he was poysoned by some of his owne Family.

(17) He had long before Prophecied, that he should be won∣derfully conveyed to heaven▪ and to make good this fraud, had framed an iron Chest for his Sepulchre, which he purposed should have beene held up by force of a Load-stone, placed in the toppe of the Temple, and by this meanes have appeared to the beholder to hang in the ayre without any support: But this trick (in seemes) was prevented by death; yet they expected still his ascent to heaven, till he stanke upon earth: so that at last they were forced to convey him into his iron Coffin, which re∣mains to this day in Mecha a Citie of Persia, and is visited by the Turks, as the Sepulchre of our Saviour at Ierusalem by pil∣grim-Christians.

(18) I tooke leave here to supply the roome with the Cu∣stomes and Religion of the Turks, which in course of our for∣mer method, was due to the division of the Empire and her se∣verall Provinces: But I suppose, I have the lesse trespassed, in regard that most of them have already had their place and de∣scription in each of their particular Kingdomes, to which they did formerly belong. It will be sufficient here to name them, with reference to the Mappe, where you have them delivered more at large.

(19) In Europe it runnes along the Sea-coast of the Adria∣tick bay, from the land of Epidaurus, now Raguss, and so about the Aegean Sea, and Propontis, and a great part of the Euxine to the city Theodosia in the Taurica Chersonesus, which is now cal∣led Caffa. In the Mediterranean from Iavarimum in Hungary, to Constantinople in Greece. The severall Provinces of this compasse are (1) a great part of Hungary, Bosnia, Servia, Rascia, Bulgaria, Walachia, and Transylvania, &c. in the description of Hungary. (2) Graesia and her Provinces, Thracia, Macedonia, Epirus, A∣chaia, Peloponnesus, with the Ilands of the Aegean, &c. in the de∣scription of Greece. (3) A part of Sclavonia.

(20) In Africa almost all the Sea-coasts from the City Bellis de Comera to the Arabike bay: In this stands Algeires Tunis, Tri∣polis, all Aegypt, Fesse, Marolum, &c. in the African descri∣ption.

(21) In Asia Natolia, the Iland of Cyprus, all Syria, Palestine, Iudaea, Caelosyria, Phaenicia, Babylonia, Arabia Triplex, Turco∣mannia, and Georgia. Mesopotamia, and part of Media. And these belong to the description of Asia.