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 GRAECIA.

GREECE is divided from Italy, but by a short cut of the Adriaticke sea. Each is so placed in Contra-view of the o∣ther, as if she were ordered to over∣looke her neighbours actions. And so indeed there hath beene continually a mutuall emulation betwixt the two flourishing Nations, which have ei∣ther in turnes possest, or at once divided the Empire of our Christian world.

(2) How ever now she lieth dejected, and groanes under a miserable servitude: yet once she had as well the prehemi∣nence of Rome in glory, as the precedence in time. For to say truth, she was the wisest of any people, that were not inlight∣ned with the knowledge of that great mystery: she set a pat∣terne for government to all her succeeding ages; and (in briefe) she was the mistresse almost of all Sciences: some there are which (in a strict account) will accept none but the Mathema∣tikes: And yet too (though those without doubt owe their be∣ing to the Chaldeans and Aegyptians,) sure I am that even in them, she bred some of the most famous Artists that ever the world had, Euclide may be my proofe. In Philosophie Socrates, Plato, and our great Aristotle. In Oratory Demosthenes, Aes∣chines, and Isocrates. In Historiographic Xenophon, Thucidides, Plutarch and Herodotus. In Poesie Hesiod, Homer, Sophocles, and Aristophanes. In State-policy the wisest Solon of Athens, and Lycurgus of Lacedemonia: In Militarie affaires Themi∣stocles, Miltiades, and the great Alexander, and infinite o∣thers, which had all past their times, and Greece almost sunke in her luster, before the name of Rome was heard of almost in her Territories.

(3) She was at first but a small parcell of this quarter, till by her prowesse she grew on upon her neighbouring Coun∣tries, and enlarged her dominions through all Macedonia, Pelo∣ponnesus, Epirus, the Aegean Ilands and Thrace: and besides sent forth Colonies into other parts as well of Asia and Africa as of Europe, whereof some retaine the Greeke names to this day. Her selfe enjoyed the liberty for a long time which the first In∣habitants tooke to themselves, and felt not the burden of a tri∣butary nation, till the time of the Persian Cyrus. He first brought her under. After him Xerx••s and other of the Kings of Persia; which held it till it was recovered by Philip King of Macedonia; and from him it fell to Alexander the great, who first tooke up his Greeke Monarchie: and at his death in the division delivered this with the rest to his successors in the Kingdome of Macedo∣nia: and so it continued untill their last Perseus, in whose time it fell into the power of the Romans.

(4) But when that Empire too had its fate to be severed by Constantine the great into the East and West, the Greeks again put in for a part: and were for a time rulers of the East, till they were successively over-run by the Goths, Bulgarians, Saracens, and Turks, under whom to this day, the poore wretches suffer continuall persecution for the name of Christ: and are scarce per∣mitted by that great Tyrant, meanes of learning to know the Name, for which they suffer.

(5) This Religion was first called Helles from Hello the sonne of Deucalion and Pyrrha, and in after-times tooke the name of Graecia from Graecus the sonne of Cecrops: and King then of that part onely, which was called Attica: For when there were many States, which were ordered by their peculiar Princes: But when once they were all joyned into a Monarchie, the whole retained the name of that part which was accounted most famous: and the Inhabitants in their stories generally cal∣led Graecians, though sometimes by the like Synecdoche, A∣chaei, Achivi, Argivi, Danai, Delopes, Dores, Dryopes, Hellenes, Iones, Myrmidones, and Pelasgi.

(6) The bounds of Greece have beene severally set, as her government hath beene either enlarged by her owne valour, or impaired by a forraine enemy. But as she is now taken by Geographers, her marke on the East is the Aegean Sea: on the West the Adriaticke, which severs her from Italy: on the North the Mountaine Haemus, which is reported (though falsly) to be of such heighth, that from the toppe a man may descrie Seas foure severall wayes: and on the South the Mediterranean Io∣nium Seas.

(7) The Region thus limited was once as fertile, pleasant, and rich, as any part of the whole Continent: And by reason of her plenteous Rivers and commodious accesse for Shippes, from almost all Coasts, she could want no meanes to export her own overplus, or import forraine merchandize from all parts of the knowne world: If at this day it appeares not in that luster no marvaile.

Impius haec tam culta novalia miles habebat: Barbarus has segetes.

(8) And besides the base misusage of the mis-beleeving Turke, the very Natives themselves are fallen from the noble disposition of their predecessors into an incredible sottishnesse: and those which before reckoned the rest of the earth Barba∣rous in comparison to their polite Common-wealth, are now themselves sunk below the envie of the meanest Nation, and be∣come the most miserable object of pity living upon the earth. Indeed they may hardly be said to live, for that they take no far∣ther care then barely to live. They are lazy beyond beliefe, and ignorant almost beyond recovery: for they have now no means to bring their children either to learning or manners. Not an Academie in all Greece. Their carriage generally uncivill: their feasts riotous, and their mirth debaucht. Their Wives are well favoured, and so indeed they must be: for they use them no longer as their wives then they continue to their liking: when they once fade, they are put to the house-drudgerie. Their lan∣guage is the same as heretofore, but rudely corrupted, though (as Maginus reports) it differs not so much as the Italian from the pure Latine. The have no habite almost proper, but those which serve the Turke weare their fashion: the rest which are under the Venetian, observe them in their apparell: for they are slaves to both in their whole course.

(9) Yet they retaine still a shew of the Christian Religion, which was here first settled by Timothie, to whom Saint Paul wrote two Epistles, and was after in the Primitive times, pro∣fessed by divers learned and reverend Divines of their own Na∣tion, which are with us received as Authentike Fathers of the Church: Saint Chrysostome, Basile, the Gregories, Nisene, and Nazianz••n, were all Grecians.

The government Ecclesiasticall is in power of foure Patri∣arkes: (1) Of Constantinople; and his extends over all Greece, Moscovie, Sclavonia, Dacia, part of Poland, and all the Ilands of the Adriatike and Aegevn Seas: (2) Of Alexandria, and his o∣ver Aegypt and Arabia: (3) Of Ierusalem; and his over the Greekes in Palestine: (4) Of Antioch; and his over Syria, Ar∣menia, and Cilicia.

(10) The people of this Countrey were heretofore distin∣guished by their principall dialects. And those were the Attike Ionike, Dorike and A••olike. A fift there was which was called a mixt or common dialect. Each differed from other no more then we doe from our selves in severall parts of our Kingdome, But this division will hardly reach the limits, which bounds Greece according to our description: we will adhere rather to that of our moderne Geographers, which reckon to Greece, sixe Provinces. (1) Thrace. (2) Macedonia. (3) Albania. (4) Epi∣rus. (5) Achaia. (6) Peloponnesus. And (7) the Ilands.

(11) Thrace is the most Northerne tract of all Greece, and li∣eth on the South of the Mountaine Haemus, on the North of the Aegean Sea: on the West of the Pontus Euxinus, and East of Ma∣cedonia. It hath the name from the sharpenesse of the ayre: and

[illustration] map of Greece

[illustration]

Eλλαs GREECE Reuised by Iohn Speed and are to be sold by Geo: Humble 1626

Revised by Iohn Speed and are to be sold by Geo: Humble 1626

indeed it is very unpleasant for the most part, and too unnatu∣rall to its owne fruit, that it scarce ever ripens what it brings forth. The people are many, and those very strong, fierce, and heady: and most impatient of government or discipline: and by this meanes they have seldome had successe in their battels, whereas if they could have beene brought to a joynt force, it is said they would have been invincible.

(12) Part of this Nation was heretofore perswaded, that their ancestors did not at all die, neither should they; but passe onely out of this world into another to their supposed god Zal∣moxis, once a Scholler of Pythagoras, who when he had per∣swaded them unto this Religion, seemed wonderfully to vanish out of their sight, and appeared not any more: but left them ful∣ly possest that he was the Deity, which must after a time enter∣taine them. And this they expected with that great joy, that as oft as one died, in stead of mourning they set forth games and feasts to congratulate his freedome from the troubles of this earthly condition: and the wife onely, whom he loved best (for they had many) was thought worthy to be killed by her best friends at her husbands grave, that she might beare him company in the other world: the rest bewailed their neglect, and the residue of their life was to them as a disgrace. When a child was borne, neighbours were called to bemone his en∣trance into a multitude of calamities; and in course they rec∣koned up, what he was to passe before he could go to their god Zalmoxis: for they acknowledged no other: but blasphemed and shot arrowes against the heavens as oft as they heard it thunder.

(13) Their Kings, saith Quadus, are chose by suffrage: and those especially which are best knowne to be most milde; not young, nor yet a father of any children: for they will not by any meanes admit, that their government should become heredi∣tary. If the Prince himselfe offend, he shall not escape their laws even to death: yet no man may set a hand to his execution, but by a common desertion he is allowed no necessaries to live, and therefore must needs die. Here once raigned Polymnestor, which murdered Pryam's younger sonne Polydorus: And Tereus, and Diomedes, &c.

(14) This Province is now called Romenia, and takes that name from her chiefe City Constantinopolis or Roma nova; here∣tofore Bizantium, of great fame from her first building, and that sixe hundred threescore and three yeares before the Incarnati∣on: her founder Pausanias a Lacedemonian. She stands so com∣modiously and commands the Euxine Sea, the Propontis & Hel∣lespont; that there can hardly be any passage to or fro betwixt Europe and Asia in those parts, without her leave. And (likely enough) that for this cause Constantine the Great when he divi∣ded the Empire, chose this for his Easterne seat: and in the yeare three hundred fifteene enlarged it with magnificent buildings, and deckt her in the apparrell of old Rome: from whence he translated hither many ancient and costly monuments; and faine would have removed her name, but that his subjects out of their endeared affection to their Prince, would heare no other then Constantinopolis the Citie of Constantine. It is in compasse eighteene miles, containes commonly seventie thousand In∣habitants, though almost every third yeare she be visited with a great Pestilence. The other eminent Cities of Thrace are Abde∣ra, Nicopolis, Philopolis, Hadrianopolis, Traianopolis, Phinopolis, Pemithus, &c. The Chersonesus over against Troas in Asia, is called Saint George his Arme: and in it stands Sestos, where the love passed betwixt Leander and Hero.

(15) Macedonia is on the West of Thrace, East of Albania: North of Epirus and Achaia: and South of Misia superior. It had this name from Macedo grand-child to Deucalion, as Solinus gives him. The land is fertile and pleasant: rich with mines of gold and silver: and the qualities of the Inhabitants were hereto∣fore answerable. Their disposition noble and free: their lawes good, and those their owne: their attempts great, and their Kings valiant and victorious. The most renowned were Philip, and (the greatest one that ever the world knew) Alexander his son, which conquered the world, and set here the throne of the third Empire.

(16) There are many under-Provinces in Macedonia. The principall is Thessalia, and here stands Triaeca the Bishops Sea of Heliodorus, Authour of that excellent fiction of Theagines and Cariclaea; though he were too much wedded to a youthfull fa∣ble, when he chose rather to forgoe his charge, then disavow his worke. And here likewise is the Pharsalis, famous for the great Battell betwixt Caesar and Pompey. The other Provinces are Aemathia, Pieria, Pelasgia, Eshotis, & Phthiotis, which yeeld matter for many of their stories: and are famous for divers hills and Rivers often mentioned in our ancient Poets. The chiefe are Olympus, Pelion, and Ossa, with their delicious valley, Tempe, Pindus, Nymphaus, Athos, &c. The Rivers Axius and Erigonius. The chiefe Citie in the whole Region was (in Augustus his time) Thessalonica, now Salonike, comparable they say in state and merchandize to Naples in Italy.

(17) Albania is on the West of Macedonia, and East of the Adriaticke Sea: North of Epirus, and South of Sclavonia. Her chiefe Cities Albanopolis, and Duractinum, heretofore called Epidammum and Croya. The whole Countrey was inwaded by Amurath, and recovered by George Castriot or Scanderbeg, the terriblest enemy that ever the Turk had.

(18) Epirus in her name carries no more then a firme land, and is a part (as most esteeme it) of Albania, but indeed lies some what more Southward, then Albania propria: on the East she is divided from Achaia, by the River Achelous, and on the West is bounded with Montes Acroceraunii; on the South with the Ionian Sea. It was of old divided into Chaonia, which tooke her name from Chaon, the brother of Helenus: and Acarnania, which is now called Graecia the lesse. The Countrey was fertile and populous, but at this day lyes waste, and breeds better Cattell then men: especially Buls, Sheepe and Dogges of wonderfull bignesse: among the rest extraor∣dinary Mares, which from thence were called Epiroticae. It was the Kingdome of Py••rhus, and of late yeares was governed by George Castriot.

(19) Achaiae is upon the South of Thessalia, East of the River Achel••us: West of the Aegean Sea, and North of Peloponnesus. It containes many famous Provinces, the chiefe are (1) Attica, and her prime Citie was Athens now Setines: she had her first name from Minerva, whom they honoured as their peculiar goddesse: as being at that time accounted the best learned among the Heathens: and excelled as well in martiall affaires. In a word, they came short to none in wealth, State-policie and what else might make a people happy above expression: so Plinie sets her forth. The second Province is Doris, a tract neere Pernassus Mount, and mother to the most elegant Greeke Dialect. (3) Aetolia, and in this the City Calydon. (4) Lo∣cris, and Regio Opuntiorum, her chiefe Citie Naupactus, and the famous Lepanto. (5) Phocis, which can glory in nothing more then the Citie Delphi, where the Oracle of Apollo gave answer (for many yeares) to the silly Idolaters. (6) Beotia, and in this stood Thebes. (7) Megaris, her principall Citie Megara, and from hence was the Secta Megarica, of which Euclide was chiefe.

(20) Peloponnesus is a peninsula on the South of Graecia, and joyned to the rest by an Isthmus, which is not above five miles in bredth from one Sea to the other, in so much, that it hath been sometimes attempted to be digged through, and was begun by Nero: but the work was found not worth the charge and trou∣ble: It was fenced crosse with a strong wall and five Castles; which being once destroyed was the second time by many hands erected in five dayes, and called Hexamilium.

(21) This Peninsula is indeed the Fortresse of all Greece: and though it wants much of the ancient glory, which it might well vaunt in the time of Agamemnon, Menelaus, Aiax and the rest: yet is she not so much to be contemned as other parts of this ruinated Countrey, how ever the Turke is her master, and she is now called generally Morea.

(22) Her Provinces were (1) Corinthia neere the Isthmus, and is named from her chiefe Citie Corinthus: which being fired, melted sundry metals into a confused medly, and made up the Aes Corinthium, held more precious then any other, of its owne simple nature. (2) Argia, her Common-wealth was heretofore of great note, and her Citie Argos is at this day held pleasant and well seated. And in this likewise stood Epidamnus. (3) Laconia on the South of the Peninsula: her chief City was Lacedemonia, once Sparta: when Lycurgus gave his Lawes, and is now called Misithra. (4) Missevia, and her chiefe Cities are Messeve, Mothone, Corone, &c. (5) Elis. (6) Achaia propria: and here stood Aegina, and Aegium, and Pateras. (7) Arcadia once Pelasgia, in the Center almost of Peloponnesus, full of plea∣sant mountaines, fit for pastue: and is therefore made the Shep∣heards seene in our renowned Sir Philip Sidneis Poeticall story. Her principall Citie is Megalopolis.

(23) Thus have we passed the Continent of Greece, and want commeth onely to give my Reader a briefe Survey of the Ilands which lye round in the Adriatique, Mediterranean, Ionian and Aegean Seas. But by reason the compasse is so large, and the number so great▪ the little space which is left me, will scarce admit more then their bare names, which I will set downe, with reference to their next neighbouring Provinces, as I have described them in the Continent.

(24) First then neere Peloponnesus, and in the Ionian Sea, to∣ward Macedonia and Epirus, the chiefe are Aegina, Cythera, the Strophades, Zacynthus, Cephalonia, Ithaca, Echinades, Corcy∣ra or Corphin and Sapho, &c. In the Aegean Sea belonging to Greece, are the Cyclades and Sporades, and over against Thrace, Thassus, Samothracia, Imbrus, and Lemnon Vulcani. Neere Mace∣donia, Pepanthus, Scopelos, Scyathos, Scyros, Allonnesus, Cicinne∣thus, Dromus, Seraquinus. Neere Achaia is Euboea now Negro∣ponte a very large Iland: and not farre distant Andros, T••nos, De∣los, Rhene, Melos, and many others.