Thesaurarium mathematicae, or, The treasury of mathematicks containing variety of usefull practices in arithmetick, geometry, trigonometry, astronomy, geography, navigation and surveying ... to which is annexed a table of 10000 logarithms, log-sines, and log-tangents / by John Taylor.

ASIA. * 1.1

ASIA the second part of the World is bounded on the North with the Northern Ocean; South, with the Red Sea; East, with the East Indian Ocean; and on the West with the Flood Tunais. It is bigger than EUROPE, or AFRICA, and is far more rich, Viz. in Pre∣tious Stones, and Spices, and hath been renown∣ed by the first and second Monarchs of the World. Here Man was Created, placed in Eden, seduced by Satan, and redeemed by our Blessed Saviour. In it was done most of the History mentioned in the Old Testament. It hath been Ruled by the Kings of China, of Persia, the Great Turk, and the Emperour of Rushia, and contains these Provinces. Viz. Anatolia, Cyprus, Syria, Palestine, Arabia, Chal∣dea, Assyria, Mesopotamia, Turcomania, Media, Persia, Tartaria, China, India and the Oriental Isles.

Anatolia is bounded West with the Thracian∣Bosphorus, Helespont and the Aegean Seas; East with Euphrates; North with the Black Sea; and South with the Rhodian, Lydian and Pam∣phylian Seas. Its length is 630, and breadth 210 miles; the Air is sound, the Soil fruitfull, but in some places desolate: it is inhabited by Greeks and Turks. It hath these Cities of note. Viz. Anatolia, Bruce, Chiontai, Augoure, Trebi∣sond, Sattalie: and Rivers are Alie, Jordan, Eu∣phrates, and Tygris.

Syprus is bounded all round with the Syrian and Sicilian Seas; whose length is 200, and compass 550 miles. It is stored with plenty of* 1.2 all things, so that it wanteth no help of other Nations. Its Commodity is Wine, Oyl, Corn, Sugar, Cotton, Honey, &c. for which plenty of all things 'twas Consecrated to Venus, as Ovid saith:

Festa dies Veneris, tota celeberrima Cypro, Venerat; Ipsa suis aderat Venus aurea festis.

The People are Warlike, Strong and Nimble, and very hospitable to Strangers Their Arms are Quarterly. 1. Argent, a Cross, Patent, be∣twixt 4 Crosses Or. 2. Cross-wise of 8 pieces Argent, and Azure, supporting a Lion Passant, Azure Crown'd Or. 3. A Lion Gules. 4 Argent a Lion Gules: they are of the Popish Religion, and have 2 Archbishops and 6 Bishops.

Syria is bounded East with Euphrates; West with the Mediterranean Seas; North with Cili∣cia; and South with Palestine and Arabia. Its length is 525 miles, and breadth 470. They are inhabited by Mahometans, Christians, and Pagans. They are a stout and warlike people. In this Countrey there are said to be Sheep whose Tails weigh some 30, and some 40 pounds; the People are also gluttenous; it is almost overrun by the Turks: Its most famous Cities are Aleppo, Te, Tripoly and Damal.

Palestine is bounded West with the Mediter∣ranean Seas; East with the Arabian Desarts; North with the Anti-Libianus; and South with Arabia. The Inhabitants are of a middle stature,

strong constitution, yet a stiffe necked and mur∣muring People and Idolaters. In this is the Land of Canaan, and the famous City Hierusalem, tho'* 1.3 now a Den of Idolatrous Mahometans. It abounds with all good things.

Arabia is bounded East with Chaldea and the Gulph of Persia; West with Palestine, Aegypt, and the Red Sea; North with Euphrates; and South with the Southern Ocean. The Inhabitants are Mahometans. Job's Habitation was here. It yields Frankincense, Pretious Stones, &c. It is now under the Great Turk's Sceptre. The most famous Cities are Herac, Ava, Medina, and Mectar: and it hath the famous River Cayban.

Chaldea is bounded East with Susiana; West with Arabia Deserta; North with Mesopotamia; and South with the Persian Bay. The Country is exceeding fruitfull; in it is supposed to have been the Garden of Eden; they were great Southsayers, and therefore flouted by the Sa∣tyrist. —

Chaldeis sed major erit fiducia, quicquid Dixerit Astrologus, credent à fonte relatum Ammonis, &c.

The Inhabitants are stout and valiant; they are Mahometans. Here Julian the Apostate breathed his Soul out to Satan, in these dying words, — Vicisti tandem Galileae: the chief Cities are Babylon, Bagdad, Balfora, and Sippa∣rum, with the famous River Fazze.

Assyria is bounded East with Media; West with Mesopotamia; South with Susiana; and North with Turcomania and Chaldea. This is a

very plain and level Countrey, and very fruit∣full, having good Rivers: the Natives are brave stout Warriours, formal in their Habit.* 1.4 It is under the Turk's command, and governed by one of his Bassa's; who is able to bring into the Field at any time 100000 Souldiers: here are also a Sect of the Nestorians, and fifteen Christian Churches: its most famous Cities are Calach, Cittace, and Arbela.

Mesopotamia is bounded East with the River Tigris; West with Euphrates; North with Mount Taurus; and South with Chaldea, and Arabia Desertae. It aboundeth with all good things necessary for the life of Man; they are Mahometans, and a people unable to defend themselves but by the assistance of their Neigh∣bours: It belongs to the Mahometan Empire. Its chief Cities are Edessa, and Cologenbar. I shall not describe Mount Taurus, because it is of no moment.

Turcomana is bounded East with Media and Mare Caspium; West with the Euxine Seas, Cap∣padocia, and Armenia major; North with Tar∣taria; and South with Mesopotamia and Assyria. It is a very mountainous Countrey; the people are handsome, stout and brave Warriours: the Women are good Archers. It hath Gold and Silver Mines: It yields Grain, Fruit and Wine; and in Colchis (a part thereof, and in Assyria) they sell their Children: The Arms are the Half Moon Or. It is inhabited by Mahometans, and under the Turkish Empire. Its chief Cities are Musol, Bagded, Batfora, Sanatopdy, and Derbent; with the famous River Arais.

Media is bounded East with Parthia; West with Aremenia; North with Mare Caspium; and South with Persia. The Countrey is of a* 1.5 large extent and very different, even to a Mi∣racle, for in the North part it is cold and bar∣ren, their Bread is dryed Almonds, and Drink the Juice of Herbs and Fruits. Their Food is Venison, and other Wild Beasts, which they catch by hunting. And in the South side the Country is of a rich Soil, plentifull in Corn, Wine, &c. They have been brave Warriours, and it was a custom with them to poyson their Arrows, in an Oyl called Oleum Mediacum: they are Mahometans.

Persia is bounded East with India; West with Media, Assyria, and Chaldea; North with Tar∣taria; and South with the Southern Ocean. This is a mighty rich Countrey governed by the Sophy, the people are strong and valiant, and though Mahometans, yet they War with the Turks for the Mahometan Religion in ex∣pounding the Alcoran. From hence comes Be∣zoars and other pretious Stones, Pearls, and Silk Works. It hath these famous Cities with Media: Viz Taurus, Gorgia, Cogsolama, Hysphan, Erat, Sus, Schiras, and Ormutz: and these Ri∣vers Tiriditiri, and Bendimuz.

Tartary bounded East with China, the Orien∣tal Ocean, and the Straits of Anian; West with Russia and Podolia; North with the Frozen Oce∣an; and South with China. Now the Tartari∣ans are divided into certain Collonies, and differ in manners and Trade of Living, and are Men of a Square Stature, broad Faces, and look a Sq••int; they are hardy and valiant; they will

eat either Horse-flesh or Man's Flesh. They drink Blood and Mares-milk; their Habit is very homely; they are some Mahometans, and* 1.6 some Pagans; their chief Commodity is rich Furrs, and they are governed by the great Cham of Tartary, and hath these famous Cities, viz. Zahasp, Samarcanda, Thibet, Cambalu and Tatur; and Rivers famous are Joniscoy, Oby, Chezel and Albiamu.

China is bounded East with the Oriental Oce∣an; West with India and Cathay; North with Altay and the Eastern Tartaries; and South with Canchin-China. It hath 591 Provinces, 1593 Walled Towns, 1154 Castles, 4200 unwalled Towns, and such an infinite Number of Villa∣ges, that the whole Countrey seems as one Town. It is reported that the Prince can bring into the Field 300000 Foot and 200000 Horse. The Land is fruitfull in Grain, full of wild and tame Beasts, it yields Silk, Pretious Stones, Gold, Copper, &c. The People are ingenious and great Artists, Witness their Wagon made to sail over the Land driven by the Wind: and Historians tells us, that the Art of Printing and of making Guns, is more Ancient with them than with us. They are Idolaters and worship the Sun, Moon and Stars, also they worship the Devil himself, that he may not hurt them. And it hath these most famous Cities, viz. Pa∣guin, Quinjay, Caneun, Macao, Mancian and Magaia, with the great River Quinam.

India is bounded East with the Oriental Ocean, and part of China; West with the Persi∣an Empire; North with Mount Taurus; and South with the Indian Ocean. This Countrey hath an

Exact temperature of Air; two Summers and a double encrease, blest with all things neces∣sary for the Life of Man. It hath Mines of* 1.7 Gold and Silver, Pretious Stones, Spices, and Me∣dicinal Druggs, abundance of Cattle, and Cam∣mels, Apes, Dragons, Serpents, also multitude of Elephants; a Creature of a vast Bigness, some of which are said to be nine Cubits high, and as many long, and five Cubits thick. It is a Creature of wonderfull Sence: for 'tis repor∣ted of the Elephant on which King Phorus sate in the Warrs of Alexander, finding his Master strong and lusty, rushed boldly into the thick∣est of the Enemies Army: But when he once perceived him to be faint and weary, he with∣drew himself out of the Battel, kneel'd down, and into his own Trunck received all the Ar∣rows, directed at his Master. It also is of a most prodigious strength, for it is reported to carry a Wooden Tower on his Back, with thirty fight∣ing men besides the Indian that Rules him. The Sea yields variety of Pearls and Fish; here is also the Leviathan or Whale, of which Pliny says there are some of 960 Foot long; here is the Rhinoceros also found: (such as hath of late been publickly shewed at the Bell∣savage Inn on Ludgate-hill in London) a deadly and cruel Enemy to the Elephant, for though he be less, yet he will whet his horn against the Rocks, and then therewith strive to rip up the Elephants Belly, and is by many Natu∣ralists supposed to be the Unicorn, for all the parts of his Body, especially his Horn, is a soveraign Antidote against Poyson. This Coun∣trey is inhabited by Indians, Moors, Arabians,

Jews, Tartars and Portugeze. The Natives are Tawny, tall and strong, and very punctual to their word. They eat no Fish nor Flesh, but* 1.8 live on things without life; being Pythagoreans. It is also reported that when the Husband dies, and is burning on the Funeral Pile, that then the Wife leaps into the Fire, and so the li∣ving and the dead burn together, which made the Poet say —

Et certamen habent lethi, quae viva sequatur, Conjugium; pudor est non licuisse mori. Ardent victrices, & praebent pectora flammae, Imponuntque suis ora perusta viris.

In India these are the chief Cities, viz. A∣medabur, Cambaia, Gouro, Diu, Bengala, Pangab, Agra, Goa, Calicut, Visnagor, Pegu, Arracan, Malaca, Camboge, and Faefo. The fairest Ri∣vers are Indus, Ganges and Mecon.

The Oriental Islands are these, viz. 1. Japan, 2. The Phillepinae Isles, 3. The Maluccose, 4. Bantam, 5. The Selebes, 6. Borneo, 7. The Isles of Java, 8. Sumatra, 9. Zeiland, and other lesser Isles of which we shall not treat.

1. Japan is a rich Island abounding with Gold: So that Paulus Ventius saith, that in his time the King's Palace was covered therewith. It is a Mountainous Countrey, a healthfull Air; here the Wheat is ripe in May. It's full of Woods of tall Cedars, abundance of Beasts, Wild and Tame; and also Fowls. The Inhabitants are strong, and witty, and have but one Language. They are Christians, and Idolaters, and the chief Cities are these, viz. Bungo, Meaco and Sacay.

The Phillipine Isles are in Number 40, called so in honour to Philip II. King of Spain, and are now inhabited by the Natives, and Spani∣ards,* 1.9 they are in a good Air and stored with rich Commodities; and in them are these Ci∣ties, Lusor, Manille, and Mindanao.

The Moluccoes Islands are many in Number, their Commodity is Cinnamon, (which grows in whole Woods; it is the Bark of a Tree, stript and laid in the Sun till it looks red; and in three years time the Tree receives his Bark again.) Ginger, Nutmegs, Mastick, Aloes, Pepper and Cloves: now the Clove groweth on a Tree like a Bay Tree; yielding blossoms first white, then green, and at last red and hard, and then are Cloves. In it is also found the Bird of Paradice, and no where else, which for the strangeness and fairness of Feathers exceeds all the Birds in the World. The People are Pagans. Here is a Mountain of a prodigious height, above the Clouds, and agreeing to the Element of Fire, which it seems to mount unto, through Flames, wherewith, a dreadfull Thunder, and a dark Smoak it sends forth continually.

The Isles of Bantam are in Number seven, one of which is continually burning, the Inha∣bi••ants are Barbarous, Weak of Bodies, Slothfull, Dull, and lying most confusedly together, with∣out Rule, and are Mahometans. Its Commodi∣ties are Nutmegs, and both the yellow and white Saunderses. Now the Nutmeg grows on a Tree like a Peach Tree, the innermost part of whose Fruit is the Nutmeg, and is covered over with a Coat which ripe is called Mace; they yield their Fruit thrice in the Year, to wit, at April, August and December.

The Selebes are a Number of Isles full of Bar∣barous People, and Man-Eaters, they have a∣bundance of strange Birds: It yields Sugar,* 1.10 Cocanuts, Cloves, Oranges, &c. In some of these Isles they make Bread of the Pith, and Drink of the Juice of the Tree called Sagu: It hath these chief Towns, viz. Senderem and Macassar.

Borneo lieth West of the Celebes, and is in compass 2200 Miles, the Countrey yields As∣ses, Oxen, Herbs of Cattle and Horses. It yields Camphire, Agarick, and Mines of Adamants: They think the Sun and Moon to be Husband and Wife, and the Stars their Children, they re∣verently salute the Sun at his first rising. Their Affairs of State they Treat of in the Night, at which time the Councellor of State meets, and ascends some Tree, viewing the Heavens till the Moon ariseth, and then they go to their House of State. In it are these Towns, viz. Borneo, Taiopura, Tamaoratas, Malno and Saga∣dana. It is under the Government of the Kings of Borneo and Laus; the People are Idolaters.

Java Major, and Java Minor, are two I∣slands opposite to Borneo. They have plenty of Fruits, Grains, Beasts, Fish and Fowls, Gold and Pretious Stones. The Natives are of a middle Stature, broad faced and tawny, their Religion Mahometans, and they will eat their nearest of kin: the chief Town is Panarucan near a burning Hill, which in 1586 broke forth, and cast huge Stones into the City for three Days together, and destroyed much People. From the top of this vast high Mountain the Devil environed with a white and shining Cloud, doth sometimes shew himself unto his Worship∣pers, which live about those Hills.

Sumatra lieth North of Java Major, betwixt it and the straits of Sincapura, its length is 900 Miles, and breadth 200; it is full of Fenns* 1.11 and Rivers, with thick Woods, and hath a very hot Air; it is not fruitfull in Grain. Its Com∣modities are Ginger, Pepper, Agarick, Cassia, Wax, Honey, Silk, Cotten, Iron, Tinn and Sul∣phur. It hath also Mines of Gold, and is sup∣posed to be Solomon's Ophyr. The King's Furni∣ture of his House, and Trapping for his Ele∣phants was beaten Gold, and he intituleth himself King of the Golden Mountains. Here is the notable Mountain Balalvanus, said to burn continually; out of which or not far off do a∣rise two Fountains, the one is said to run pure Oyle, and the other Balsamum Sumatra; the People are Mahometans. The chief City and Seat of the King is Achen, beautifyed with the Royal Pallace, to which you pass through se∣ven Gates one after another, with green Courts betwixt the two outermost; which are guard∣ed with Women, that are expert at their Weapons, and use both Sword and Guns with great dexterity, and are the only Guard the King hath for his Person. The Government is Absolute and Arbitrary, merely at the King's pleasure.

Zeiland lies West of Sumatra, it is a good Soyl, and yields these Commodities, viz. Cin∣namon, Oranges, Lemmons, most delicate fruit, Gold, Silver and Pretious Stones, it's full of wild and tame Beasts, Fish and Fowls, yet destitute of the Vine: the People are strong and tall, given to Ease and Pleasure, and are in general Maho∣metans. The chief Towns are Candia, Ventane,

and Janasipata. They have Fish-shells passing currant for money, there are other lesser Isles which we do for brevity sake omit, and thus* 1.12 we have done with the description of the second part of the World called ASIA.

Notes

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  Asia.
• * 1.2

  Asia.
• * 1.3

  Asia.
• * 1.4

  Asia.
• * 1.5

  Asia.
• * 1.6

  Asia.
• * 1.7

  Asia.
• * 1.8

  Asia.
• * 1.9

  Asia.
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  Asia.
• * 1.11

  Asia.
• * 1.12

  Asia.