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.

IRELAND, AS IT VVAS, AND IS INHABITED, THE SITE AND COMMODITIES OF THE 1LAND DESCRIBED AND DECLARED.

* 1.1THE Traditions of time have deli∣vered unto us divers names, where∣by this famous Island is recorded to have been called: yet none of more faire probabilitie, then that of Or∣pheus, Aristotle, and Claudian, by whom it is named Ierna: by Iuve∣nall and Mela called Inverna: by Diodorus Siculus,* 1.2 Iris: by Martian of Heraclea, Ioyepnia: by Eustachius, Oyernia, and Bernia: by the native Inhabitants, Erya: by the Britaines, Yuerdon: the Welsh-bards in their Ballads, Triuolas Totidanan, and Banno: and by the English, Ireland. But from whence these diversities were derived, arise many opinions. Doubtlesse it is, that Hibernia, Inver∣na and Overnia, came from Ierna, spoken of by Orpheus and Aristotle;* 1.3 and the same Ierna, as also Iris, Iuerdhon, and Ire∣land, and Erin, the terme that the Inhabitants now use. From this Erin therefore (a word proper to the Nation) the originall is most likely to be deduced.

(2) Some derive Hibernia from Hiberno tempore, that is, from the Winter season; some from Hiberus a Spaniard; some from a Duke named Irnalph;* 1.4 some againe from the ancient River Iberus, and some from Hiere, an Irish word, which signifieth the West, or a westerne coast, whence E∣rin may also seeme to fetch the derivation: for it lyeth fur∣thest Westward of any Region in all Europe. As also for that the River running in the most remote West part of this I∣land, is in Ptolemy called Iernus: like as the furthest western Promontory in Spaine,* 1.5 from whence our Irish men came, is by Strabo called Ierne, and the River next unto it, by Mela, Ierna:* 1.6 yea, and Spaine it selfe, for the Westerne situation, is called Hesperia: the West-Cape of Africke, Hesperium; and in Germany, Westrich and Westphanlen from their posi∣tion have their names.* 1.7 Postelius (a man that rather followed his owne fancy, then the judgement of others) fetcheth the originall of Ireland from the Hebrewes, as if Irin should be as much as Iurin, that is, the Iewes land: which opinion I hold no better,* 1.8 then those that would have it from the Winter-like stormes, although upon every winde the ayre is cold there.

* 1.9(3) Festus Avienus, in that little book which he inti∣tuled Orae maritimae, calleth Ireland, Sacram Insulam, that is, the holy Iland: to which opinion the people are soone drawne, by reason of the many Saints that the Iland is said to produce,* 1.10 and the blessed soyle that affords no venemous creatures to retaine life. It is thought that Plutarch meant Ireland by his Ogygia, for her great antiquitie; and of latter times by Isidore and Bede it was called Scotia,* 1.11 of those Scots that inhabited it: and that thence the name of Scotland, to∣gether with the Scots themselves, came into Britaine.

(4) For largenesse and circuit, in times past, this Iland challenged the third place in ranke of all the Iles of the then knowne world:* 1.12 for thus have Geographers left us, that the Indian Taproban for greatnesse was the first, the Ile of Bri∣taine the next, and this of Ireland the third: and for that cause doth Ptolemy call it the little Britaine. But howsoever Stra∣bo hath extended the breadth, as broad as the length, and o∣thers have formed it in shape like an egge, yet latter dimen∣sions have found it far otherwise, twice longer then broad, and may be compared to the forelegge of a Beare, if the Si∣mile breed no offence.* 1.13 Whose East side hath on it that tem∣pestuous Sea that cutteth her channell betwixt England and this Ireland: the West is washed with the westerne Ocean; the North with the Deucaledonian; and the South with the Verginian Sea.

* 1.14(5) The ayre of this Iland is delectable and wholesome, though neither so cleare nor subtile as is ours of England, which (as Mela saith) is nothing favourable for the ripen∣ing of Corne:* 1.15 but so gratefull to the ground, that it causeth grasse to grow abundantly,* 1.16 not onely fresh and long, but withall very sweet for all Cattle, and in winter is more subject to winde then snow: and that I may use the words of Giraldus,* 1.17 It is of all Countries most temperate, neither for∣cing the Inhabitants to seek shade from the frying heat of Can∣cer, nor the chilling cold of Capricorn to drive them to the fire, but at all seasons most milde, betwixt a sufferable cold, and gentle warme heat.

(6) The soyle (saith Cambreusis) is uneven,* 1.18 wooddy, wilde, waterish and boggie, so full of Loghs and Meeres, that great ponds of water are found upon the high Moun∣taines. These indeed make the places somewhat dangerous unto all new commers, by breeding of rheums,* 1.19 dysenteries and fluxes, whose usuall remedie is Vskebah, a wholesome Aqua vitae, that drieth more, and enflameth lesse, then many other hot confections.

(7) The commodities of this Kingdome chiefly consist in Cattle,* 1.20 whose feed is so sweet and so ranke, that they will soone graze to a surfeit, if they may be suffered to feed as they will.* 1.21 Their sheepe are many, but beare not the best wooll, which twice are shorne within one yeare. Of these they make Mantles,* 1.22 Caddowes, and Coverlets, vented from thence into forraine Countries. Their Hobbies likewise are of great esteeme,* 1.23 and are answerable to the Iennets of Spaine. Bees there are in such abundance, that hony is found in holes of old trees,* 1.24 and in re••ts of the rocks. No annoy∣ance of hurtfull Snake or venemous creatures; and to speake all in a word, nothing wanting for profit or pleasure: for so much doth Giraldus affirme, in saying, that Nature had cast into this Westerne Kingdome of Zephyrus a more gracious eye then was ordinary.

(8) Touching the originall peopling of this faire Iland, if you will beleeve their records,* 1.25 they make Antiquitie it selfe but young unto themselves, affirming the damsell Caesarea, and niece unto Noah, to have found it out before the Floud; and that three hundred yeares after; when Ia∣phets posteritie tooke into these West-parts of the world, one Bartholanus of his Progeny, a Scythian by birth, encou∣raged by the late successe of Nimrod (who now had intru∣ded upon the Monarchy of Syria) wandred so farre West,* 1.26 that Fortune at last cast him and his people upon the coast of Ireland. There he setled with his three sonnes, Languin∣na, Salanus,* 1.27 and Ruthurgus, who searching through every creeke and corner of the land, left their owne names by three notable places, Languini, Stragrus, and Mount Salan∣ga, which the revolution of times hath since called by other names, as S. Domincke-hill, Ruthurgi, and Stagnum. Vnder the government of these three sonnes, and their off-spring, this Land was kept about three hundred yeares; at which time there arrived also in Ireland a Giant-like kinde of peo∣ple of Nimrods race,* 1.28 who in bodily shape exceeded the pro∣portion of usuall men, using their strength to winne sove∣raignties, and to oppresse with rapine and violence. These growing to numbers, accounted it necessary to prevent dominion, lest the curse of slavery (prophecied by Noah) should light upon them: to prevent the which, they set up a King of their owne; then quarrels bred daily, either par∣ties purposing to hold their interest by their swords: a∣gainst whom, lastly a battle was fought, and an infinite company of Giants slaine; when also died most of those of the posteritie of Iapheth, leaving them of Cham Lords of the Iland.

(9) Whereupon Nemethus a Scythian, with his foure sonnes,* 1.29 arrived in Ireland, and by strong hand seated themselves among these Giants; where for two hun∣dred and sixty yeares they kept, but then no longer able to hold out against them, they left their standings, and de∣parted the Land.

(10) Soone after, the five sonnes of Dela, descended from the said Nemethus,* 1.30 came into these coasts, and with manly prowesse drove these miscreants out of Ireland, whereby the seede of Cham was utterly expelled, and these of Iapheth divided the Land into five parts, where∣of they became themselves Kings: but falling at variance, gave advantage unto others, among whom the Britaines set in a foote.

(11) But to make this Iland more famous, certaine Hi∣storians have fetched their Kings from most uncertain Re∣cords, as namely from Gaothel the Grecian,* 1.31 and Scota, (the daughter of King Pharaoh, and nourisher of Moses) his wife: who at that time, when Israel were in Egypt, with a

[illustration] map of Ireland

THE KINGDOME OF IRLAND Devided into severall Provinces, and thē againe devided into Counties Newly described.

Colony, came into Spain, and after into Ireland, where he was made King,* 1.32 and in honour of his Queene, the land na∣med Scotia, from whom also the Inhabitants tooke name: his posteriti•• increasing in the parts of Spaine, where first they had seated,* 1.33 in processe of time sought further adven∣tures under the foure so••nes of Milesius King of Spaine, whose names were Hibernus, Hermion, Euer, and Erimon.

(12) These, by the direction, sufferance, and assistance of Gurguntius, King of the Britaines, after that Ireland had beene very much dispeopled by a contagious Pestilence, seated themselves, and from the eldest, Hibernus, called the Island Hibernia, as some are of opinion: these divided the whole into five Provinces,* 1.34 famously known by the names of Mounster, Leinster, Connaught, Vlster, and Meath in their midst: and from these the present Irish repute themselves to come. Yet surely, as I make no question, but that this Island became inhabited even of old time, when mankind againe over-spread the face of the earth, so doubt I not, but that our Britains passed thereinto themselves, such infinite num∣ber of words in the Irish language yet in use,* 1.35 such ancient names of Waters, Isles, Mountaines, and Places, meerely British words, yet remaining, and the testimony of Tacitus, who saith, that their manners were fashioned to the Bri∣taines, inforceth so much; and Ptolemie before him, calleth that Island by the name of Little Britaine: all which shew a former interest for Ireland, then that which by conquest un∣der Henry the second was made.

* 1.36(13) That it ever was subject to the Romanes, is doubt∣full, though Agricola did wish it, and Tacitus held most ne∣cessary: yea, and in the division of their Empire, Ireland, with Britaine and Thule, fell unto Constantine the sonne of Constantine the great; yet their manners unreclaimed, and barbarisme retained long after those dayes, doe witnesse no such civilitie sowne, to be in that plot. But when Romes great Empire beganne to grow lesse, the Scots or Scythians grew mighty in Ireland:* 1.37 and as Or••sius writeth, that Island was wholly inhabited by the Scottish Nation in the daies of Honorius and Arcadius, the Emperours: whose warres and slaughter, Claudian doth lightly touch in this his Verse.

Scotorum cumulos flevit glacialis Ierne. The frozen Ireland wept to see, her Scots all slaine on heapes to be.

(14) As these for the most part, by the testimonie of Ninius,* 1.38 were the ancient Inhabitants, so by other ancient Writers, their customes and manners are thus set forth: Strabo saith, The Inhabitants of Ireland are more rude then the Britaines, they feed upon the flesh of men, yea, and think it a point of worth to eat their dead parents: want ōly they accompa∣ny with Women, making no difference of other mens wives, their owne sisters, nor of their naturall mothers: but of these things (saith he) we have no certain witnesse of sufficient credit. Pom∣ponius Mela recordeth,* 1.39 that the Irish are uncivill, ignorant of vertues, and void of Religion. And Solinus affirmeth, that af∣ter victory they drink the bloud of the slain, and be smeare their own faces therewith; so given to warre, that the mother at the birth of a man-child, feedeth the first meat into her infants mouth, upon the point of her husbands sword, and with hea∣thenish imprecations, wisheth that it may die no otherwise then in warre, or by sword.

(15) But from these ancient and barbarous manners, let us come to the conditions of their middle time; whom Giraldus Cambrensis describeth as followeth:* 1.40 The Irish (saith he) are a strong and bold people, martiall and prodigall in war, nimble stout, and haughtie of heart; carelesse of life but greedy of glory; courteous to strangers, constant in love, light of be∣lief, impatient of iniury, given to fleshly lusts, and in enmity im∣placable. At the baptizing of their infants, their manner was, not to dip their right armes into the water,* 1.41 that so (as they thought) they might give a more deep and incurable blow; never calling them by the names of their Parents whilest they lived together, but at their death took it upon them. Their women nursed not the children they bare; and they that nursed others, did affect and love them much more then their owne.

* 1.42(16) So much were they given to fantasti∣call conceits, that they held it very ominous to give their neighbours fire upon May-day: to eat an odde egge, endangered the death of their horse: and before they cast in their seed, they send salt into the field: to hang up the shels in the roofe, was a preservative of the chickens from the kite: to set up greene boughes at their doores in the Moneth of May, increased their kines milke: and to spit upon Cattle, the held it good against Witchery, whereof Ireland was full.

* 1.43(17) Superstitious Idolatry among the wild Irish was common, yeelding divine honour unto the Moone after the change, unto whom they both bowed their knees, and made supplications; and with a loud voice would thus speake un∣to that Planet:* 1.44 We pray thee leave us in as good estate as thou found'st us. Wolves they did make their Godsips, terming them Charl Christ, and so thought themselves preserved from their hurts: the hoofes of dead horses they accounted and held sacred: about childrens necks the hung the begin∣ning of Saint Iohns Gospel, a crooked naile of an horse∣shooe, or a peece of a Wolves skinne; and both the sucking-child and nurse were girt with girdles finely platted of wo∣mens haire: so far they wandred into the wayes of errour, in making these armes the strength of their healths.

(18) Their wives were many,* 1.45 by reason of divorce∣ments, and their maids married at twelve yeares of age, whose customes were to send their lovers, bracelets plat∣ted, and curiously wrought of their owne haire, so farre fol∣lowing Venus in the knots of these allurements.* 1.46 The men wore linnen shirts exceeding large, stained with Saffron, the sleeves wide, and hanging to their knees, strait and short trusses plated thick in the skirts, their breeches close to the thighes, a short skeine hanging point downe before, and a mantle most times cast over their heads.* 1.47 The women wore their haire platted in curious manner, hanging downe their backs and shoulders, from under solden wreathes of sine linnen, rolled about their heads, rather loading the wearer then delighting the beholder: for as the one was most seem∣ly, so the other was unsightly: their necks were hung with chains and carkaneths, their armes wreathed with many bracelets, and over their side-garments the shagge-rugge mantles purfled with a deepe Fringe of divers colour••: both sexes accounting idlenesse their onely libertie, and ease their greatest riches.

(19) In warres they were forward,* 1.48 and fought with Battle-axes, whose bearers were called Galloglasses, the com∣mon souldier but lightly armed, who served with darts and sharpe skeines; their Trumpet was a Bag-pipe, and word for encounter, Pharroh; which at the first onset with great acclamation they uttered,* 1.49 and he that did not, was taken in∣to the ayre, and carried into the vale of Kerry, where trans∣formed (as they did beleeve) he remained untill he was hunted with hounds from thence to his home.

(20) For the dying and dead they hired women to mourne,* 1.50 who expostulated with the sick, why he would die; and dead, at his Funerall such outcries were made, such clapping of hands, such howlings and gestures, that one would thinke their sorrowes unrecoverable, holding the opinion of Pythagoras for the soules departed.

(21) Their diet in necessitie was slender,* 1.51 feeding upon water-cresses roots, mushromes, shamrogh, butter tempe∣red with oat-meale, milke, whey, yea, and raw flesh, the bloud being crushed out: their use was also to let their kine bloud, which standing a while, and coming to a jelly, with butter they did eate, as a very good dish.

(22) That the Gospel of Christ should be preached in Ireland by Iames the Apostle,* 1.52 I will not affirme, though Vincentius hath said it:* 1.53 neither will I, with the Scots, bring the Islands conversion from a Christian woman, who (as their Historians doe avouch) first instructed the Queene, and the Queene her husband, and he againe his Subjects, till all became Christians. But most true it is that the Scots first received the doctrine of Christ in this Kingdom of Ire∣land; for thus writeth Prosper:* 1.54 Coelestine Pope of Rome sent his Archdeacon Palladius into Britain to withstand the Pela∣gian heresie, who at one time did drive out these enemies of grace,* 1.55 and ordained a Bishop among the Scots, Wherby that bar∣barous Nation embraced Christianity.* 1.56 Yet Ninius reporteth, that Palladius did nothing in neither, being taken away by untimely death: but that S. Patricke, borne at Eiburne in Cluedsdale, the son of Calphurus, by the sister of S. Martin, was the first Apostle for Ireland, who sowed his heavenly seede with such plentifull increase, that the soyle it selfe shortly was called Sanctorum patria,* 1.57 the Country of Saints: for whose Sepulchre after his death rose as great variance, as was for Homer among them of Greece:* 1.58 they of Downe challenged his grave to be with them, upon certaine verses▪ written on a Tombe, which ascribes Patricke, Briget and Columbe to be buried therein: they of Armagh lay claime by the warrant of S. Bernard, who saith, that Patricke in his life time there ruled, and after death there rested. Glascenbury in England by ancient records will have his body interred with them; and Scotland avoucheth his birth to be at Glasco, and bones to rest at Kirk Patricke with them: of such reve∣rend esteeme was this Irish Apostle.

(23) This Patricke in his youth had been taken captive by the Irish Pirats,* 1.59 and for sixe years continuance served Mac∣buain as his slave, and keeper of his swine: in which dejected condition, so desirous he was of the Lands salvation: that in his dreames he thought the infants unborne cried unto him for Baptisme; and redeeming himselfe thence for a piece of gold found in the field, which a swine had turned up, in his aged years came back againe into Ireland, preached the Go∣spel, converted the people, and lastly became Arch-bishop of Armagh. Of whose mi••••cles and Purgatorie, I leave o∣thers to speake; that are m••re credulous in the one, and have better leisure to relate the other, and will shew thee Ireland as now it is, first in generall, and then in parts.

Notes

• * 1.1

  How Ireland hath been na∣med in times past.
• * 1.2

  The divers names of Ire∣land.
• * 1.3

  Orpheus. Aristotle.
• * 1.4

  Eulogi••m.
• * 1.5

  Ptol Geogr. c. 1.
• * 1.6

  Ireland a We∣sterne Island.
• * 1.7

  In his publike readings in Paris upon Pomponius Mela.
• * 1.8

  Vaine con∣jectures.
• * 1.9

  Festus Avienus, in his Orae ma∣ritimae.
• * 1.10

  No ven••mous Beasts in Ire∣land.
• * 1.11

  Ireland called Scotia.
• * 1.12

  Ireland the third Iland for largenesse in the world. The forme of Ireland.
• * 1.13

  The bounds.
• * 1.14

  The ayre.
• * 1.15

  Pompon. Mela.
• * 1.16

  The plenty.
• * 1.17

  Giral. Cambre.
• * 1.18

  The soyle.
• * 1.19

  The danger.
• * 1.20

  Commodities.
• * 1.21

  Pompon. Mela.
• * 1.22

  Mantles.
• * 1.23

  Horses.
• * 1.24

  Bees.
• * 1.25

  The ancient Inhabitants.
• * 1.26

  Bartholanus one of Noahs progenie.
• * 1.27

  His three sons, Languinna, Salanus, Ruthurgus.
• * 1.28

  Giants of the stock of Nim∣rod.
• * 1.29

  Starius. Garbancles. Anuinus. Fergusius.
• * 1.30

  Gandius. Geuandius. S••gandus. Rutheranius. Slanius.
• * 1.31

  The fable of Gaothel and Scota.
• * 1.32

  Hector Boctius.
• * 1.33

  Hibernus. Hermion. Euer. Erimon.
• * 1.34

  Ireland divided into five Pro∣vinces.
• * 1.35

  Irish & British word•• agree. Tacit. in vita Agricolae.
• * 1.36

  Ireland never subject to the Romanes.
• * 1.37

  Or••sius.
• * 1.38

  The manners and customes of the wilde Irish. Strabo.
• * 1.39

  Mela lib. 3. Soli. cap. 24.
• * 1.40

  Giraldus Cam.
• * 1.41

  The mortall disposition of the Irish.
• * 1.42

  The fantasti∣call conceits of the Irish.
• * 1.43

  Superstitious of the Irish.
• * 1.44

  Their grosse Idolatry.
• * 1.45

  Many wives.
• * 1.46

  The attire of the men.
• * 1.47

  The attire of the women.
• * 1.48

  Their manner in Warre.
• * 1.49

  Their ridicu∣lous conceits.
• * 1.50

  Their excessive mourning for their dead.
• * 1.51

  Their diet.
• * 1.52

  Christianitie in Ireland.
• * 1.53

  Vincentius li. 3. cap. 7.
• * 1.54

  Pro. Aquitanus.
• * 1.55

  An. D. 431.
• * 1.56

  Ninius.
• * 1.57

  Henricus Anti∣siodorenfis.
• * 1.58

  Strife for Pa∣trickes bones.
• * 1.59

  The life of S. Patricke.