Pilgrimage, Book 1 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
A Geographicall Narration of the whole Earth in generall, and more particularly of ASIA.
WE hauehave all this time beene viewing one Nation, which alone was knowne in the Earth, vntill confusion of Language caused diuision of Lands; and hauehave taken notice of the Heads and Authors of those Peoples and Nations, that from that time were scattered ouer the World, and after setled in their proper Habitations. Wee hauehave not followed the opinion of some, both of the aAugustin. Hierom. Arrzobius. Epiphan. Broughton &c.Antients, and later Writers, in defining the number of Nations and Languages through the World, reckoned by them 72. For who seeth not, that Moses in that tenth of Genesis is most carefull to describe the posteritie and bounds of Canaan, which GOD had giuen to Israel, which it were absurd to thinke in so small a territorie to be of so many (that is, eleuen) seuerall Languages? And how many Nations were founded after that by Abrahams posteritie (not to mention so many other Fountaines of Peoples) by the sonnes of Hagar, and Ketura, and Esau the sonne of Isaac? Neither could the World so suddenly be peopled: and of that, which then was peopled, Moses writing a Historie of and for the Church, so farre mentioneth the Affaires and Nations of the world, as it was meet for the Church (and specially that Church of the Israelites) to know, according as it was likely they should hauehave then, or after, more or lesse to doe with them. bExcerpta barbaro-Latina apud los. Scalig. EusebiumAfricanus hath reckoned the 72 by name. But how easie were it in these dayes to set downe 72 more, of differing Nations, both in Region and Language; and how little of the World was then knowne, shall presently be shewed. Besides, it may be a question, whether diuers of those, there mentioned, did not speake the same Language (as in Chaldaea, Syria, and Canaan) cGibbins in Gen. 11.with some diuersitie of a Dialect, a little more then in our Northerne, Westerne, and Southerne English: Which may appeare, both by the pilgrimages of the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, in those parts (which had needed new interpreters, by that rule, in eueryevery two or three daies trauell, except themselues had beene almost miraculoussy skilful in Languages) and by the Chaldaean & Syrian Monuments & Books, which some obserue to come nigh to the Hebrew. 'D.Willet in Dan.c. 1. q. 25. reproueth Philo's opinion, That the Chalde and Hebrew was all one, because Dantel. an Hebrew, was set to learne the Chalde: or that the Syrian & Chalde, according to Mercerus opinion, was the same: yet grants, that in the first times the Syrian & Chalde litle differed. Perhaps it was with these three Languages, as with the Frankes dSee Wolfgang. Laz. de m…ggentium, lib. 3. Beat. Rhenanus, R. Verstegans Ant.q.Language, when they first seated thēselues in Gallia, & that which is now called *The olde French and our old English are very like; both (in their original) Dutch.French; or the Saxon & the present English: for there were no lesse mutations and transmutations, by times & warres, in those parts thē in these. It seemeth therefore probable, that at the first diuision of Languages, they that most disagreed, did furthest separate thēselues, & they that spake either the same, or neere in likenesse to the same speech, obserued the same neighborhood of Nation, as of speech; which, the names and words of the Phenician, Syrian, Persian, Arabian, and Aegyptian Languages, testifie. The diuision of Tongues was about a hundred yeares after the Floud, An. Mundi 1757. as Caluisius and Buntingus accompt.
Now that wee hauehave spoken of the first Authors of the principall and first Nations, let vsus suruey their Lands and Inheritance, which GOD gaue vntounto them, which was the habitable Earth. This Earth, together with the Waters, make one-Globe and huge Ball, resting on it selfe, supported by the Almightie hand of GOD, to the roundnesse whereof, the high Mountaines, in comparison of the whole, can be small impediments, and are but as a few motes or dust sticking to a ball. Possidonius, Eratosthenes, Hipparchus, Plinie, Ptolomey, and others, skilfull in Geographie, hauehave endeuoured by Art to finde out the true quantitie hereof: and although there appeare difference in their summes, yet that is imputed rather to the diuersitie of their furlongs, which some reckoned longer then others, then to their differing opinions. But neuer had they so certaine intelligence of the quantitie of the Earth, as in our times, by the Nauigations of eF. MagellanesSpaniards, fF. Drake. T. Cauend …sh….English, and gOliuer Noort.Dutch, round about the same, is giuen vsus; Art and Experience consulting, and conspiring together, to perfect the Science of Geographie. For whereas the Ancients diuided the World into three parts, Asia, Africa, and Europe, and yet neither knew the East and North parts of Asia, nor the South of Africa, nor the most Northerly parts of Europe: not onelyonly these three are by Land and Sea farre more fully discouered, but also hA. Maginus Geog.three other parts, no lesse (if not much greater) then the former, are added to them; namely, America Mexicana, and America Peruviana, and Terra Australis, or the Land lying toward the South pole. As for the seuenth part, which some reckon vnderunder the North Pole, because we hauehave no relation but iMercat. Tab. Vniuersal.from a Magician, a Frier of Oxford, called Nicholas de Linna, which might with as good conscience lye to vsus, as by ArtMagicke take view of those Parts (otherwise it is not certainely knowne, whether it be ioyning to Asia, or whether it be Land or Sea) I therefore leaue it out in this diuision.
Europe is diuided from Africke by the Mediterranean Sea; from Asia by the Aegean and Euxine, Maeotis, Tanais, and a line from the fountaines thereof Northwards: on the North and West parts washed with the Ocean; which running by the straits of Gibraltar, floweth along the Coasts of Africke to the Cape of Good Hope, and thence passeth all alongst on the East side thereof into the Arabian Gulfe, where, by a Necke of Land, it is encountred: This Necke, the Mediterranean, and Ocean, doe limit the bounds of Africa: The rest of the old World is Asia. America Mexicana, or North, and the South called Peruviana, are seuered by the narrow Straits of Dariene, in other places compassed by the Sea: The South Continent is verie little knowne, and containeth the rest of the World, not bounded in the former limits. But in their particular places wee shall heare of each of them more fully.
It cannot be without some great worke of God, thus in the old and decrepit Age of the World, to let it hauehave more perfect knowledge of it selfe; which wee hope, and pray, may be for the further enlargement of the Kingdome of CHRIST IESVS, and propagation of his Gospell. And, as in former times, in those thendiscouered Parts, the Iewes were scattered, some violently, some willingly, through Asia, Africa, and Europe, to vsher the Gospell into those Parts, and make way for that which the most of themselues reiected: who knoweth, whether in the secret dispensation of Diuine Prouidence, which is a co-worker in euerie worke, able euen out of euill to bring good, the Donations of Popes, the Nauigations of Papists, the preaching of Friers and Iesuites may be fore-runners of a further and truer manifestation of the Gospell, to the new-found Nations? For euen alreadie it is one good steppe of an Atheist and Infidell to become a Proselyte, although with some soyle: and againe, the Iesuites there cannot play the States-men, as in these parts, yea kIesuitarum Epistole. Thus did Fr. K…uier, and the rest of them.(themselues in their relations being witnesses) they rather take the Euangelicall courses of those, which here they count heretikes, & by laying open mens sinne through the fall, and diuine iustice, onelyonly by Christ satisfied, doe beat downe infidelitie with diligent Catechisings: although vponupon that golden foundation they build afterward their owne Hay and Stubble, with their racke of Confession, and rabble of Ceremonies, and (the most dangerous to new Conuerts) an exchanged Polytheisme in worshipping of Saints, Images, and the Host. But if God shall once shew merciemercy to Spaine, to make them truly Catholike, and, as a diuine Inquisitor, condemne that deuillish Inquisition to perpetuall exile, how great a window may be that means be opened vntounto this new World for their conuersion and reformation? And why may not the English Expedition and Plantation in Virginia, and the Nauigations of other Protestants, helpe this way, if men respected not their owne Pride, Ambition and Couetousnesse, more then the truth and glorie of God? But he that by Fishers conuerted the old World, and turned the wisdome of the World into foolishnesse, subdued Scepters by preaching the Crosse, yea, by suffering it in himselfe and in his members: is able of those stones to raise vp children to Abraham, and that by the mouth of Babes and Snoklings, by weakest meanes, when it pleaseth him. Let vsus therefore pray the Lord of the Haruest to send forth Labourers into these wide and spacious fields ripe thereunto.
But to returne to our parts of the World, whence this meditation hath withdrawne me. The ancient lLege Ortelii Aevi …teris descrip. & Maris pacifici.Geographers were ignorant of a great part of that threefold diuision: as appeareth by their owne Writings. The vse of the Loadstone, found out by Iohn Go…a of Melsi, an Italian (or, as mP. Bellonii obseru. l. 2. c. 16.Bellonius obserueth, by one Flanius, but Albertus Magnus was the first that writ of the nature of it) was a great and necessarie helpe to further Discoueries, especially after that Henry, sonne of Iohn the first, King of Portugall, nBarr. dec. 1. l. 1. Asia Osorius de Reb. Ema. l. 1. Maffus, l. I. Hist. Ind. Dam.… Goes de mor. Aethiopum. Got. Arthus Hist. India.began to make voyages of discouerie vponupon the Coast of Africa, and Iohn the second seconded that Enterprise, and vsed the helpe of Mathematicians, Roderigo and Ioseph his Physicians, and Martin Bohemus, by whome the Astrolabe was applyed to the Art of Nauigation, and benefit of the Mariner, before vsed onelyonly in Astronomie. This Iohn also sent men of purpose into Arabia and Aethiopia, and other Countries of the East, to learne further knowledge thereof. From these beginnings, daily encreasing, hath Nauigation (first in Portugall, and by degrees in other Europaean Nations) by the helpe of Astronomicall rules growne to her present perfection, and by it, Geographie. And if the longitude of places might as easily be found out as the latitude, which our countreyman Master Linton made oComplement of the Art of Nau.promise of, wee should yet grow to better knowledge in those Sciences, and of the World by them. Moreouer, as the Expedition of Alexander, and those flourishing, Monarchies in Asia, brought some knowledge thereof to the Auncients: So the Histories of later times, but specially the great Trauels by Land of Marcus Panlus, Odoricus, Will. de Rubruquis, Ioannes de Plano Carpini, our Countreyman Mandeuile, and others, before this skill of Nauigation, hauehave giuen much light to the knowledge of the in-land Countries of Asia, which we are first to speake of.
As for the Circles, the Aequinoctiall, which parteth the Globe in the middest, the Tropickes of Cancer and Capricorne 23. degrees and a halfe from either side of the Aequinoctiall, the Arctike and Antarctike Circles 23. degrees and a halfe from the North and South Poles, or not much differing (which are vsually set in Mappes with red or double lines, for distinction:) The Meridians, which are Circles passing ouer our heads, in what part of the World soeuer we be, and also through both the Poles: the Horizon, which diuideth the vpper halfe of the World which wee see, from the nether halfe which wee see not: the Paralels of Latitude, which the old Cosmographers make (sayth Blundeuile) but 21, from the Aequinoctiall to the North, and as many on the other side toward the South, but now the *P. Merula.Moderne make them vp 39: The Climes or Climates, which are the spaces betwixt two Paralels: Also the tearmes of Poles, which are two, the Arctike, and the Antarctike; and the Axletree of the World (a right line imagined to passe from the one to the other, through the Centre of the Earth:) the Degrees, containing 60. myles (or after Cornelius de Iuddis, 68095 ¼ paces, which is a greater summe then the former) into 90 of which degrees eueryevery fourth part of the world is diuided, and amount in the whole to 360. Also the Geographicall tearmes of Littus, Fretum, Insula, Sinus, Continens, Promontorium, Isthmus, that is, Shores, Straites, Islands, Bayes, Continent, Capes, or Head-lands, Neckes of Land, and such like: All these (I say) and other things of like nature, needfull to this kinde of knowledge, the studious shall finde in those Authors which teach the Principles of Astronomie and Geographie, as Master Blundeuile, and others.
My intent is not to teach Geographie, but to bestow on the studious of Geographie, a Historie of the World, so to giuegive him meat vntounto his bones, and vse vntounto his Theorie or Speculation, whereby both that skill may be confirmed, and a further and more excellent obtained. Geographie without Historie seemeth a carkasse without life and motion: Historie without Geographie moueth, but in mouing wandreth as a vagrant, without certaine habitation. And whereas Time and Place are twinnes and vnseparable companions, in the chiefe Histories to set downe the true time of chiefe Accidents, will adde much light to both; a great taske in one Countrey: but to take vp the whole World on my shoulder, which hauehave not the strength either of Atlas or Hercules to beare it; and in the whole to obserue the description of Places, order of Times, and the Historie of Actions and Accidents, especially Religions (olli robur & aes triplex, thrice happie hee that could happily atchieue it) I confesse beyond my abilitie exactly to performe; but with the wisest, I hope that the haughtinesse of the Attempt, in a thing so full of varietie and hardnesse, shall rather purchase pardon to my slippes, then blame for my rashnesse. And how can I but often slip, that make a perambulation ouer the World, that see with others eyes, that tell of matters past so many Ages before I had a being? Yet such is the necessity of such a Historie, either thus, or not at all. But as neere as I can, I purpose to follow the best euidence, and to propound the Truth: my fault (where it is worst) shall be rather mendacia dicere, then mentiri, and yet the Tales-man shall be set by the Tale, the Authors name annexed to his Historie, to shield me from that imputation.
And first we must begin with ASIA, to which the first place is due, as being the place of the first Men, first Religion, first Cities, Empires, Arts: where the most things mentioned in Scripture, were done; the place where Paradise was seated; the Arke rested; the Law was giuen; and whence the Gospell proceeded: the Place which did beare Him in his flesh, that by his Word beareth vp all things.
Asia (after pA Maginus, … At…r. Iud. … Abr. Ortel. & alij.some) is so called of Asia, the daughter of Oceanus and Thetis; which was wife to Iapetus mother of Prometheus: Others fetch this name from Asius the sonne of Manaeus; both with like certaintie and credit. It is greater then Europe and Africa: yea, the Islands thereof are larger, if they were put together, then all Europe. It is compassed with the Easterne, Indian, and Scythian, Oceans, on three parts: on the West it hath the Arabian Gulfe, that necke of Land which diuideth it from Africa, the Mediterranean, Aegean, Pontike Seas, the Lake Maeotis, Tanais, with an imagined line from thence to the Bay of S. Nicholas. Some make it yet larger, and make Nilus to diuide it from Africa, but with lesse reason. Taurus diuideth it in the middest: On the North side is that which is called Asia interior: on the South is Asia exterior. More vnequall is that diuision into Asia the greater and the lesse, this being lesse indeed, then that it should sustaine a member in that diuision. Io. Barrius diuideth it into nine parts, Ortelius into fiue, Maginus into seuen, which are these: First, That part of Tartaria betwixt Muscouia, the Northerne Ocean, the Riuer Ob, and the Lake Kytai, and a line thence drawne to the Caspian Sea, and that Isthmus which is betwixt that and the Pontike Sea: secondly, the great Chams Countrey, from thence to the Easterne Sea, betweene the frozen Sea and the Caspian: thirdly, That which is subiect to the Turke, all from Sarmatia & Tartaria Southwards, betweene Tigris and the Mediterrannean Sea: fourthly, The Persian Kingdome, betweene the Turke, Tartar, India, and the Red Sea: fifthly, India, within and beyond Ganges, from Indus to Cantan: sixtly, The Kingdome of China: seuenthly, The Islands. These diuisions are not so exact as may be wished, because of that varietie and vncertaintie in those Kingdomes. Many things doth Asia yeeld, not elsewhere to be had; Myrrhe, Frankincense, Cinnamon, Cloues, Nutmegs, Mace, Pepper, Muske, and other like, besides the chiefest Iewels. It hath also minerals of all sorts: It nourisheth Elephants, Camels, and many other Beasts, Serpents, Fowles, wild and tame, as in the ensuing discourse, in their due places, shall appeare; yet doth it not nourish such monstrous shapes of men as fabulous Antiquitie fained. It brought forth that Monster of irreligion, Mahomet; whose Sect, in diuers Sects, it fostereth with long continuance of manifold Superstitions. It hath now those great Empires of the Turk, Persian, Mogore, Cathayan, Chinois: it had sometimes the Parthian, and before that, the Persian, Median, Assyrian, Scythian: and first (as it seemeth) before them all, the Babylonian Empire vnderunder Nimrod, which is therefore in the next place to be spoken of.