The discouery of a new world or A description of the South Indies Hetherto vnknowne by an English Mercury.

Eat-allia, or Gluttonia. CHAP. 1.

EAt-allia, is in forme triangulare, like the Greeke letter Delta, which bea∣reth this forme: [Δ] It isd as broad as long, and resembleth the figure of the old Aegypt; being full of high skie tow∣ring hills, and yet so fertile, that the very Birds (that flock thether from all places to feed) if they stay but one three mo∣neths at the mangery this soile affords them, are so ladened with the luggage of their owne fatned bodies, that they cannot possibly get wing so high as to ouer-toppe one of the meaner moun∣taines, but become sworne inhabitants of this fatte countrie all their liues af∣ter. Fatte? why your Italian Ortolano, or Beccafico is but carrion to them. No. they are rarely fedde. This may seeme a fiction, but hee that hath seene the workes of nature in Scotland, where the leaues that fall from certaine trees, lying but a while to rotte, become

a goodly kinde of fowle calledf Bar∣nacles, (which are a kinde of wild-geese) or in Scythia, where (as an honorable embassador of ours hath giuen an appro∣ued testimonie) there are certaine crea∣tures grow out of the earth in the shapes ofg Lambes, which being fast ioyned vnto the stalke they grow vpon, do not∣withstanding eate vp all the grasse about them: he (I say) that hath assurance of these rare effects, cannot but assent vnto mine assertions as most authenticall. But (to leaue digressions, and to returne to our purpose) The fishes of the Eat-allian shores (and fish they haue in great a∣boundance) are naturally so rauenous and greedy, that (whether they pertake of the nature of the nation, or likeh Nero's Turbut, presage their honorable Sepultures) you can no sooner cast out your angle-hooke amongst them, but immediatly, (like the soules in Lucian about Charons boate, or Cole-miners about the Rope when the candles burn∣ing blew tels the dampe commeth) you shall haue hundreds about the line, some

hanging on the hooke, and some on the string besides it, such is their pleasure to goe to the pot, such their delight to march in pompe from the dresser. Be∣sides, the land hath diuerse good hauens, but they serue for harbour to no ship but such as comes fraught with good fare, and is laden with delicious viands. If any parcell of their fraight haue taken Salt-water, or bee otherwise offensiue to the iudgment of thei maister of the cu∣stome-house, it commeth not a shore by any meanes. The soyle beares no tree that beares no fruite: Ashes, Oakes, Willowes, & such fruitlesse fill-roomes, such saw I none, for none were there to be seene. But all the hedges (and so it is also in Drink-allia) were stuck thick with Hops: and surely in my conceit, thek westerne English and the Lumbards had this custome (at first) from the Drink-alls.

This territory of old, was (vnlesse their chronicles do mistake) vnder the gouer∣ment of the Thriuingers (inhabitants of l Thriuingois (a nation lying a good way further into the maine land) for

their Annales report, how in the dayes of old Saturne, the Thriuonian Princes bare sway ouer all this continent, and had their principall seate in that part now called Eat-allia, and that because the men of those times liued most part vp∣on Garlick (called in Latine Allium) therefore was this region called Allia: but forreine inuasions ensuing, and those antient worthies being hereby chased from their places of soueraigntie, the conditions of the people grew to a great alteration, & to proportionate the name of the country to the natures of the in∣habitants, they added Eate vnto the an∣cient name, Allia, & so from that change, it beareth the name of Eat-allia vnto this present.

Notes

• d

  And so are most of you Belly gods, the inhabitants thereof.
• f

  Hector Boetius, Hol∣lingshead, &c.
• g

  The Dukes of Muscouie haue the skins of these crea∣tures kept for their ovvne vses: they grovv in Hor∣da zauolh a plaine in Scy∣thia, and are called the skins of Sa∣marchand. Of this lambe you may read in Scaliger, Excercit. 59. cardan. Baro Heberstin. & Libau. tract de agno vege∣tab.
• h

  Iunenal. Satyr. 4.
• i

  Whose name vvhen I vvas there, vvas Sir Spati∣ous Mouth.
• k

  Shrop∣shire & Wor∣cestershire.
• l

  Onely Foo¦liana lyeth betvveene Tenter-belly and Thriuin∣gois: for if men vvere not fooles they vvould follovv thrift and flie luxurie.