A briefe description of the whole world. Wherein is particularly described all the monarchies, empires and kingdomes of the same, with their academies. As also their severall titles and situations thereunto adioyning. Written by the most Reverend Father in God, George, late Arch-bishop of Canterbury.

Of the East Indies.

ON the Southside of China, toward the Molucco I∣lands, and the Indian Sea, lyeth the great Country of India, extending it selfe from the South part of the Continent, by the space of many thousand miles Westward, unto the River Indus, which is the greatest River in all the Countrey, except Ganges, one of the greatest Rivers in the World; which lyeth in the East part of the same Indies.

This is that Countrey so famous in ancient time, for the great riches thereof, for the multitude of peo∣ple, for the conquest of Bacchus o∣ver it: for the passage thither of Alexander the Great, throughout all the length of Asia; for his adven∣turing to goe into the South Ocean with so mighty a Navy, which few or none had ever attempted

before him. And certainly thither it was that Salomon did send once in three yeeres for his Gold and o∣ther rich Merchandise: for the Scripture saith, that hee sent his Fleet from Ezion-geber, which stood upon the mouth of the Red Sea, and it was the directest passage which hee had unto the Easterne Indies; whereas if his purpose had been to send to Peru, as some lately have imagined, his course had been thorow the Mediterranean Sea, and the Straits of Gibraltar.

This Countrey had in ancient time, many absolute Kingdomes and Provinces: as in the time of Alexander, Porus, Taxiles, and di∣vers others. In it were many Phi∣losophers, and men of great Lear∣ning whom they called Gymnoso∣phistae, of whom was Calanus, who burnt himselfe before Alexander.

The men of the South part of India are blacke, and therefore are called men of Jnde. The Cattell of all sorts that are bred there, are of incredible bignesse, in respect of

other Countries, as their Elephants, Apes, Monkies, Emêts, and other.

The riches hereof have beene very great, with abundance of Gold, insomuch that the Promon∣tory, which is now called Mala∣cha, was in times past named Aurea Chersonesus. The commoditie of Spice is exceeding great that comes from thence.

The Portugals were the first, which by their long Navigations beyond the Equinoctiall, and the farthermost part of Africk, have of late yeeres discovered these Countries to Christendome: as heretofore to the use of the King of Portugall, so now of the King of Spaine, who is reputed owner of them.

The Portugals did finde divers Kingdomes at their first arrivall in those parts, as the Kingdome of Calecut, the Kingdome of Cam∣baia, the Kingdome of Cananor, the Kingdome of Cochin, and very many other, with the Kings where∣of they first entring League and

Trafficke, and having leave given to build Castles for their defence, they have since by policie encroched in∣to their hands a great part of the Countrey which lyeth neere unto the Sea-coast, and are mighty now, for the space of many thousand miles together. The K. of Spain hath there a Vice-roy, whose residence is commonly in the Imperiall Citie called God. They doe every yeare send home great store of rich com∣modities into Spain.

The people of the Country when the Portugals came first thither, were for the most part Gentiles, beleeving in no one God: yea, at this day there are divers of them who doe adore the Sunne as their God, and every morning at the ri∣sing thereof, doe use very supersti∣tious Ceremonies, which our Mer∣chants, who doe trade to Aleppo, doe oftentimes see; for divers of these Jndians do come thither with Merchandize. But the Saracens, who reverence the Prophet Mahomet, from the Bayes or Gulphes of Per∣sia

and Arabia, doe trafficke much thither, so that Mahomet was knowne among them: but in one Town called Granganor, they found certain Christians dissenting in ma∣ny things from the Church of Rome, and rather agreeing with the Pro∣testants, which Christians had re∣ceived (by succession) their Reli∣gion, from the time of Thomas the Apostle; by whom (as it is recor∣ded in the ancient Ecclesiasticall History) part of India was con∣verted.

In this Countrey of Jndia are many great and potent Kings and Kingdomes, which had beene alto∣ther unknown and unheard of in our part of the World, but that we were beholding to the Portugals for their Discovery; and before their Navigation thither, by the back∣side of Africk, to some relations that wee had from the Venetians, who traded and travelled thither by Land out of Turkie. The names of these Kings and Kingdomes are these; The King of Biarme, the

great Mogol, the King of Narsing, Pegu, Siam. the forenamed King of Calecut, and others.

Notes

• Th•• situa∣tion of the Indies.
• In Jndia are many Kingdomes.
• Their Cattle very big
• Their riches.
• The Partu∣gals first discovered the Indies
• Four King∣doms by the Portugals discovered.
• Chief City God.
• The Indians Religion.
• S•••• King∣domes.