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 Kingdome of TARTARY.

SCYTHARVM gens semper anti∣quissima It was a judged case (long since) betwixt the Aegyptian and In∣habitant of this Countrey. Yet were not the Scythians the first, which pos∣sest it: At least it was the first name by which they were knowne. For, before the entrance of Scythes the supposed sonne of Hercules, we find here a peo∣ple which derive their pedegree from Magog, the son of Iapheth, & were called Magogins in remembrance of their antique foun∣der. To this purpose Iunius and other learned interpret terram Magogin in the 38. of Ezech. 2. and Revel. 20.8. and so in sun∣dry places else-where of divine Scripture, take it for other land, then that, which was after profane Writers, called Scythia, and Sarmatia, and now Tartaria; though perhaps these have not all had still the same bounds, from the beginning; for what any one Kingdome upon the earth hath? All states have had their course to rise and fall, to be impaired or inlarged, at pleasure of the most High, who disposeth of Empires as seemes best in his wisdome.

(2) Of the Magogins, we have not much story; yet they have left their name behind them, which is now corrupted into Mau∣gol, as most imagine. While the Scythae bare rule, they infested their neighbours without mercy or equitie: and practised their rapines, as farre almost, as they could find a subject to work on. In so much that they gave name to all the rude and inhumane Nations, both of Asia and Europe, North of Danubius: which for their crueltie were much feared, and for brutish Customes growne odious to the more civill parts of the world.

(3) Tollite Barbarûm mores; was meant of these by the Poet, and well it might. For who could be more barbarous then the Essedons, which lived here by the Palus Maeotis, and as (Herod: in his fourth Booke of Histories delivers) were wont to sing their Parents to the grave, invite their best friends, to feast with their fathers flesh, and use his scull, as a Cup to drinke in, at their lascivious banquets. Who more then the Axiacae? who quenched their thirst with the bloud of him, whom they first slew, as it gushed warme from his wounds. Who more foolish proud then the Agathyrsi? Who, as God and nature had come short in their making up, were used to mend their beautie by a deformed painting, and ugly staining of their bodies with mot∣ly colours. Our Picts are supposed by some to have had hence their originall.

(4) It were too much to recite here the other scattered Na∣tions, which over-spread the earth: for she was, as most style her, the officina generis humani: and sent forth swarmes of her brood, which soone fastned themselves, where ever they set footing. For they were strong of body, bold and heady, beyond the rule of valour: distinguisht not right from wrong in their quarrels, but reckoned justly their owne, what ever they could claspe by force of Armes. And this they all practised almost without dif∣ference of sex, unlesse in this, that their women were most war∣like: witnesse that incomparable story of Tomyris, who cut off the Persian Cyrus and 200000. more of his souldiers at one en∣counter, and cast his head into a cauldron of blood, with this upbraide, for the slaughter of her sonne Pergapises: Satiate san∣guine, quem sitisti. Nor was she the single one, that put off the weaknesse of her sex to take Armes. For here lived those pro∣fessed Amazons, which admitted no man into their Campes, but at set times of necessitie, to preserve their race: yet were they a terror to the world, vext a great part of Asia the lesse, and built the renowned Ephesus, Smyrna, Cuma. Magnesia, &c.

(5) These had their time. The Gothes or G••tae succeeded, and were inheritors as well of their mischievous customes, as ill∣got possessions: for which they purchased them the name of Polonei, among their neighbours, theeves and destroyers: such as were no lesse grievous to them then their predecessours. Doubtlesse a curse of perpetuall tyranny lies upon their wicked Empire. For when next the Tartars came on, the state it selfe was not much bettered, nor the innocent which lay neere any whit more secured.

(6) These last have beene supposed to be the remnant of those ten Tribes which were led captive by Salmanassar. How likely the reasons are I will not dispute. But surely, if so, they must have retained some knowledge of the true God, at least some precepts of civilitie from their fore-fathers, though never so long since. For what people can we reade of in stories, which have at any time beene inlightned with the truth, and yet after∣ward fallen into that grosse barbarisme, which is now found among the Tartarians? See their Character, which (as they are by most described) deales impartially; gives them ill fashioned bodies, answerable to their rude minds, fit houses for so unclean guests.

(7) Their stature is different. The most part have large shoulders, a broad face, with a crooked nose, deformed counte∣nance, swarty colour, hollow eyes, hairy and untrimmed beard, and head close shaved. Their speech is boystrous, and clamo∣rous: their noyse, in singing, like the yell of Wolves; and endu∣rance of hunger, thirst, heat, cold, and watching equalls them, (in strength of body) to the most able beast, for it exceeds the common power of a man. Their lust is without Law. For they except no kindred, but their owne mothers, daughters, and sisters: No Species, for they mixe with beasts; No sex, for they are insatiate Sodomites: and yet take liberty for as many wives, as the can maintaine; which (contrary to our civill courses) they buy of their Parents, in stead of receiving dowries. Their meate is the raw flesh of horses without regard how they were killed, or of what diseases they died: sometimes they suck bloud from the living, to appease their hunger and thirst, if (in a jour∣ney) they be distressed for want of food.

(8) Cities they have but few, nor houses, other then movea∣ble tents, made of beasts skinnes, which they pitch up by great multitudes, in the forme of a towne, and those are called hordes: when the grasse is once eaten bare, and the ground yeelds not meate for their Cattle, they trudge with bagge and baggage to another quarter: and so in course they wander through the vast Deserts, unsettled, and indeed impatient to be settled, or rather imprisoned (as they take it) within any one bounded compasse, having the wide world to roame in. Their chiefe Armes are Bow and Arrowes, which they use most on horse-backe, for their more speedy flight: and have them commonly strongly poysoned, for the more sure mischiefe to the foe. Their strata∣gems are down-right fraud, and breach of truth; for they keepe no faith with an enemie, regard not any compact made upon termes of peace; but follow their owne sense, and commit what outrages they can with least danger to themselves.

(9) Their Religion is answerable to their vile customes: Some are Pagans, others Mahumetanes, yet will not be called Turks but Bersemanni, and their chiefe Priest Seyd, whom they reverence more then their Maker; and admit that none should touch his hand, but their Kings, and these too with an humble gesture: their Dukes aspire not above his knee, nor their No∣bles higher then his feete: the rest are happy, if they can but reach at his garment, his horse, his any-thing, so simple are they in their superstition: and thus have they continued either A∣theists or false Idolaters, ever since their first entrance upon this Kingdome in the yeare 1187. Before, they were not esteemed a Nation at all, but wilde people, without law or reason almost, who lived in the open fields, and conversed with no other then their own Heards of Cattle.

(10) Their first King was one Chinchis, a man of low birth but high spirit, impatient of that slavish condition to which he was bred: he brake forth at last, and drew more by his example, into the thoughts of better fortunes: which he ceased not to prosecute, till he had made good his purpose, and not onely

[illustration] map of Tartary

A NEWE MAPE OF TARTARY augmented by. Iohn. Speede. and are to be sold in pops head Alley by George Humble. Anno. 1626.

settled himselfe in the throne, but inlarged the dominion of the Tartars, through a great part of Asia and Europe, which had scarce before heard of any such people. His first forces he im∣ployed upon Tenduch and Argon, bounded with the Easterne Seas, both of them were then Provinces governed by Vncham, or Presbyter Iohn. Soone after they got ground in Sarmatia A∣siatica, followed their blow u••on Russia, Hungaria, and Polonia; fetcht in the Kingdomes of China, Mein, and Bengala, and left many out-reaches to their successours, which have not kept in∣tire to this day, as being not able to match so many potent adver∣saries, as they have from every quarter of their Kingdome.

(11) The limits are now on the North the Scythian Ocean, on the West the Muscovian Empire, Sarmatia Europaea, & mare Caspium: on the South Mount Caucasus, the Kingdome of Per∣sia, and part of India: and on the East partly the Easterne Seas, and partly the Kingdome of China. Thus divided she containes five Provinces. (1) Tartaria minor. (2) Asiatica. (3) An∣tiqua. (4) Zagathai intra Imaum. (5) Cathai, extra Imaum.

(12) Tartaria minor is called likewise Horda Precopensium, a sort of Tartars which have their name from one Citie Precops, but inhabit all those plaines which lye round about the Pontus Euxinus, or Mare Magor, and Palus Maeotis, including the whole Taurica Chersonesus, so that she extends her limits from the banks of the River Boristhenes, as far as Tanais. Her chiefe Province is the Chersonesus, a Peninsula seventie miles in com∣passe, which tooke the name of Taurica from Osyris, who (they say) first plowed this land with a yoke of Bulls. It was invaded by one Vlanus, from whom the Inhabitants of this whole Regi∣on were sometimes called Vlani, as they were after Crym Tar∣tars, from that city Crym, once the Kings seat of this Peninsula, though it stood not within her limits: For her principall Towne was (1) Theodosia now Caffa, where there was heretofore a Co∣lony of Genoaes, till they were dispossest by Mahomet the eighth Emperour of the Turks: (2) Eupatoria: (3) Parthenium, &c. The other Townes of this Tartaria Precopensis, which stand without the Chersonesus, are Oczacon, which this people tooke from the Dukes of Lituania, and Tanas, which stands in the ut∣most part of this Tartaria, above the mouth of the River Tanais, some three miles distant. It is called by the Inhabitant Azac, and is a place of great traffique, & free accesse from many neigh∣bouring Nations. Neare this South-ward, beginnes the Palus Maeotis, reacheth as farre as the Taurica Chersonesus, betwixt which & the main land, is the Bosphorus Cimmerius; and on their South banks flowes their Pontus Euxinus, which runnes into the Propontis, but returnes not. This Sea is in some places so deepe, that the water appeares at top black, and was therefore called Mare nigrum. It might be thought, that the people li∣ving so near the civill parts of Christendome, were better man∣nered, then the Asiatike Tartars; But their stubborne rudenesse takes in foule scorne to be taught by any other Nation: and therefore stands stifly to their old course of life, in woods, and wilde fields, and cease not to commit continuall murders and ra∣pines upon the Countries adjoyning, with an inveterate hate to such, as professe the Name of Christ; in so much, that they have engaged themselves to pay yearly three hundred Christians, as tribute to the great Turk; which number they draw out of Po∣lonia, Russia, Lituania, Walachia, and part of Moscovia.

(13) Asiatica or Tartaria deserta et Moscoritica differs not much from the ancient Sarmatia Asiatica, which in Ptolemies descriptions is bounded on the West, with the River Tanais and Palus Maeotis, on the East, with Scythia intra Imaum, on the North with the Montes Hyperborei, and on the South with the mountains Coran & Caucasus. The Inhabitants live in Hordes as the rest do, which remove often, & direct their wandring course by observing the Pole-starre. In this too their Hordes have di∣visions, and are known by severall names: The chiefe is Zaucll which for the most part lies betwixt the rivers Volga, & Laych, and in regard it is as it were the mother-Hord to the rest, it was called magna Horda, and her Emperour Vlacham, magnus domi∣nus; for so he was, and had full power of a Prince, till they were subdued by the Precopenses in the yeare one thousand five hun∣dred sixe, and after by Basilius Duke of Moscoria. Next to this are the Casanenses, which have their chiefe Citie Casan, upon the River Volga, near the confines of Moscoria. It was once an in∣tire government to it selfe, but in the yeare one thousand five hundred fifty one, after many victories and revolts, it was fully and irrecoverably vanquisht, and made an addition to the Duke of Moscoria's title. The Inhabitants here are somewhat more in∣genuous then the Precopenses: they till their ground, and in some places build houses, and practise Merchandise with the Turks and Moscorites. Not much unlike to these are the Astrachanen∣ses, situate toward the mare Capium, and have their name from their rich Metropolis Astrachan, twenty Italian miles distant from the mouth of Volga; both they and it, were subdued in the yeare one thousand foure hundred ninety foure, by the Duke of Moscoria. Besides these there are many other wilde Hordes of Tartars; Of the Nohaicenses, Thumenenses, Schibaschienses, Casachienses, As••nichanenses, Baschirdi, Kirgessi, Molgamozani. These last strange Idolaters of the Sun and a piece of a red clout, hung up before them upon a pole. They live in Caves, and feed for the most part upon such creatures as creep upon the ground: some of them are Anthropophagi. And hereabouts is the great lake called Kytay.

(14) Tartaria antiqua, the ancient seat of the Tartars, and Kingdome of Magog, when both the first Inhabitant was placed by the sonne of Iapheth, and when these last Tartars entred, under the command of Chinchis. It was the utmost portiō of the Tartarian Empire, to the frozen Seas on her North, the Scythian on the East, and the mare de Annian: for it containes many di∣sperst Hordes, all (almost) subject to the great Cham of Cathai. In the most Northerne tract, which strikes into the Sea beyond the polar circle dwell the Dani, Neptalitae, Mecriti, &c. more Southward the Kingdome of Tabor, and the vast desert Carae∣coranum, and the mount Altay, the place of buriall for the Tar∣tarian Emperours. Toward the East Seas and neer the Promon∣tory of Tabin, are the Regions of Arzaret, (which some thinke to be the very place first possest by the remnant of the ten cap∣tive Tribes,) and Annian, and Argon, and Tenduch, and Mongal, and many other, whose people live after the antique manner in tents moveable, some few Cities they have, poorely built, and as rudely customed. Among other incivilities they have this fashion, to prostitute their wives and sisters to such guests, as they would entertaine most friendly; and when it was once for∣bad by their great Cham, they recovered it againe with much suite, and solemne protestation, that they had not thrived since it was laid aside. The ground brings forth good store of especi∣all good Rhubarbe.

(15) Zagathai, the same with Scythia intra Imaum, and is bounded upon the West with the mare Caspium, upon the East with the desert as farre as Lop: upon the North with the River Iaxartus, and upon the South with the Mount Caucasus. It hath the name from their Prince, brother to their great Cham, and containes in it these severall Provinces: (1) Zagatai, where Tamberlane was borne, and first bare rule in the Citie Sarma∣chand, a place enricht by his victories, and memorable for the death of Clytus, slaine by Alexander in his drunken fury. The seate of the Governour is in Bochara, another Towne of the best note here. (2) Bactria now Cocazzan, the Inhabitants were led by Bessus, which slew Darius, and the first King was Zoro∣astes, in the time of Ninus the Assyrian, and twice tried the for∣tune of warre with him, but was at last vanquished, and his Kingdome made a Province to the Monarchie: In severall ages it hath beene tossed into the hands of divers States, among the rest, the Romanes had it once in their possession, at which time, the Inhabitāts received knowledge of the truth from the mouth of Saint Thomas: but have lost it since by the tyranny of the Sa∣racens and Tartars. (3) Sogdiana on the North of Bactria where Gropolis stood, built for a Fort against the Scythians, and stand∣ing to the time of Alexander, who battered it to the ground. (4) Margiana, and (5) Turchestan, East of the Mare Caspium, and was the seat of the Turks before they brake into Armenia.

(16) Cathaie, the same with Scythia extra Imaum, and is the Empire of the great Cham of the Tartars, and true progenie of Chinchis. It is compassed almost with mountaines, and deserts▪ and is divided from China, onely by a great wall on the South. The soyle is exceeding fertile, and the people farre more civill, then in the other parts of Tartaria. Her Provinces are (1) Ca∣thaie, which is supposed to be the antique seate of the Seres: and is therefore called Regio Serica: For it sends forth excellent Silkes, Stuffes, and Chamlets, and other rare Commodities, which equalize her (at least in her owne esteeme) to the best parts of Europe. Her Metropolis is Cambelu, twenty-eight miles in compasse, besides the suburbs, built foure-square by the River Polysangus, and enricht from India, China, and other Regions, with all sorts of Merchandise. Here their great Cham lives, but is buried at the Mount Altay, and is conveyed thither by a strong guard, which kils all they meet in the way, and commands them to serve their Lord in the other world: Maginus reports from Marcus Polus, that while he was in Cathaie, tenne thousand persons lost their lives upon one such occasion. (2) Tangut, which (they say) had the Art of Printing many hundred yeares before it was knowne among us. (3) Camul. (4) Tanifu. (5) Tebet, not much differing either from themselves, or the other parts of Tartaria, which belong to the Kingdome of Cathaie.