A Brief Description of the Whole World, Part 34 – Part 35
Of the Countries that lie about the two Poles.
HAving laid down in some measure the description of the old known world, Asia Africa, and Europe, with the Islands adjoyning unto them; & also of Americk▪ which by some hath the title of New found World: it shall not be amiss briefly to say some thing of a fift and sixt part of the Earth: the one lying neer the South Pole, and the other neer the North: which are places that in former times were not known, nor though of.
When Magellanus came down toRegio M… gellanica. the Southern end of Peru, he found on the further side of the … main and hugh Land lying towards the South Pole, which some have of his name called since Regio Magellanica, and that so much the rather, because he touched upon it again before he came to the Moluccoes.
Since his time the Portugals trading towards Calec… and the EastIndies, there hath some of them been driven by tempest so far as to that which many now call the South Continent; and so divers of sundery Nations have there by occasion touched upon it.
It is found therefore by experience, for to go along all the degrees of longitude, and as in some places it is certainly discovered to come up so high towards the North, as to the Tropicke of Capricorn; so it is conjectured, that towards the South it goeth as far as to the Pole. The ground whereof is, that never any man did perceive the Sea did passe through any part thereof, nay, there is not any great river which hath yet been described to come out o… i… into the Ocean: whereupon it is concluded, that since somewhat must fill up the Globe of the Earth, from the first appearing of this land unto the very Pole: and that cannot be any Sea, unless it should be such a one as hath no entercourse with the Ocean (which to imagine is uncertain) therefore it is supposed that it commeth whole out into the land to the Antartick Pole: which if it should be granted, it must needs be acknowledged withal, that this space of earth is so huge, as that it equalleth in greatness not only Asia, Europe, and Africa, but almost America being joyned unto them.
Things memorable in this country, are reported to be very few: only in the East part of it, over against the Moluccoes, some have written that there be very waste Countries & wildernesses; but we find not so much as mention whether any do inhabite there or no. And over against the Promontory of Africk; which is called Caput bonae spei, there is a country which the Portugals called P sittacorum Psittacorum regio.regio, because of the abundant store of Parrets, which they found there.
Neer to the Magellane straits, in this south part of the world, is that land the Spaniards callTerra delfuego: Terra del fuego.those also which have toucht at it in other places, have given to some parts of it these names, Beach, Lucath, & Maletur, but we have no perfect description of it, nor any knowledge how or by whom it is inhabited.
About this place the said Portugals A description of the people.did at one time saile along for the space of 2000. miles, and yet found no end in the land. And in this place they reported that they saw inhabitants, which were very fair and fat people, and did go naked: which is the more to be observed, because we scant read in any writer, that there hath been seen any▪ people at all upon the South coast.
More towards the East, not far from the Muluccoes, there is one part of this Country, as some suppose, although some doubt whether that be an Island or no, which commeth up so high▪ towards the North, as the very Aequinoctial line, and thisMov… Guinea. is commonly called Nova Guinea, because it lieth in the same Climate, and is of no other temperature then Guinea in Africk is.
I have heard a great Mathematitian in England find fault both with Ortelius and Mercator, and all our late makers of Maps, because in describing this Continent, they make no mention of any Cities, Kingdoms, or Common-wealth which are seated and placed there: whereof he seemed in confidence of words to avouch that there be a great many, and that it is as good a Countrey asNote. almost any in the world: But the arguments why he gathered it to be so he did not deliver; and yet notwithstanding it may be most probably conjectured, that the Creator of the world would not have framed so huge a masse of Earth, but that he would in his wisdome appoint some reasonable creatures to have their habitation there.
Concerning those places which may be supposed to lie neer unto the Northern Pole, there hath in times past something been written, which for the particularity thereof might carry some shew of truth, if it be not throughly lookt into. It is therefore by an old tradition delivered, and by some written also, that there was a Friar of Oxford, who took on him to travel into those parts which are under the very Pole: which he did partly by Negromancy (wherein he was much skilled) and partly again by taking advantage of the frozen times, by meanes whereof he might travell upon the Ice even so as himself pleased: It is said therefore of him, thàt he was directly under the Pole, and that there he found a very huge and blackrock, which is commonlyNigra Rupes. called Nigra rupes, and that the said rock being divers miles in circuit, is compassed round about with the Sea; which Sea being the breadth of some miles over, doth run out into the more large Ocean by four severall Currents, which is as much to say, as that a good pretty way distant from the Nigra Rupes, there are foure several lands of reasonable quantity: and being scituated round about the rock, although with some good distance, are severed each from other by the sea running between them, and making them all foure to be Islands almost of equall bignesse. But there is no certainty of this report, and therefore our best Mathematicians in this latter age have omitted it.
Our travellers of later years have adventured so far, to their great danger in those cold and frozen countries, that they have descried Groinland, Groin-landwhich lieth as far, or beyond the circle Artick: but whether it go so far out as unto the Pole, they cannot say: which is also to be afirmed of the Northern parts of America, called by some Estote-land; for the opening whereof our English-men have taken great pains, as may easily appeare by the …ew …lobes and Maps, in which all the Capes, Sounds and Furlongs, are called by English names. Their purpose was in attempting this voyage, to have found out a passage to China and Cathaio, by the North parts of America: but by the snows which fell in August and September, as also by the incredible Ice there, after many hazards of their lives, they were forc…d to return, not knowing whether there be any current in the Sea, that might lead to the East-Indies, or how far the Land doth reach Northward.
In like sor…, some of our English Merchants, to their great charges, set forth …eets to descry the Seas towards the East: yet going by the North, and there have found many unknown countries; as Nova Zembla, Nova Zembla, S Hugh Willonghbies land.Sir Hugh Willoughbies land, and other m…re: but of certain what is very near unto the Pole they could never find. They have also so far prevailed, as to reach one half of the way toward Cathaio by the North, going Eastward: insomuch that by the River Ob, and by the Bay of St. Nicholas they bring the Merchandize downwards into Russia: But whether the sea do go throughout, even to the fatherest Eastern parts; or whether some great Promontory do stretch out of the main Continent unto the very Pole, they cannot yet attain to know. These things therefore must be left uncertain, to further discoveries in fature ages.
UNIVERSITIES.
In England.
1 Oxford
2 Cambridge.
Universities in Spaine.
1 Toledo, latitude 40. 10. longitude 16. 40.
2 Sivill, lat …7. …0. long. 14. 20
3 Valencia lat 39. 55. long. 21. 10
4 Granada, lat, 37. …0 long. 17. 1…
5 S Jago▪ lat. …0. 5 long. 15. 40.
6 Valindolid, lat …2 5. long 15. 45.
7 Alcalade Henaros, lat. 40. 55. long. 17. 30
8 Salamanca, lat. 14. 10. long. 24 4
9 Caragoca, lat, 4… 22 long. 22. 20
10 Signenc…, lat, …4. 35. 20. long. 18. …0.
11 Lerida, lat. 42 20 long 18. 10
12 Huesca, lat. 12 50. long. 2…. 20
13 Lisbon lat. 38. 50. long 0 50
14 Coimbra, lat 40. long. 11. 2….
15 Ebora, lat. 37, 38 long. 20
In the Isle Majorica.
1 Majorica.
In Polonia.
1 C…acovia.
2 Posne.
In Prussia.
1 Koningsberg
In Lituania.
1 Wild
In France.
1 Paris, lat 48. …0. long …3
2 Poictiers, lat. 46. 10 long 1…. 1….
3 Lyons, lat. 44. 30 long. …5. 40
4 Angers, lat. 47. 25. long 18. 10
5 Avignon, lat. 42. 30 long. 25 50
6 Orleans, lat. 47. 10 long. …2
7 … lat. 46. 20 long. 22. 10
8 Cacn, lat 40. 45. long 1…. 20
9 Reims, lat 48, 30 long. 25, 25
10 Burdeaux, lat 44, 30, long 17. 50
11 Tolouse, lat 43, 5, long 20 30.
12 Nismo, lat 42, 30, long, 25
13 Montpelie…. lat. 42, long 24, 30
14 Bisant…n. lat. 46, 3…, long. 27, 48
15 Lole, lat, 46, 10, long 27
In Italy.
1 Rome, lat 41, 20, long, 38
2 Venice, lat, 44, 50, long, 37
3 Padna, lat, 44, 45, long, 32, 10
4 Bononia, lat, 43, 33, long, 35, 50
5 Ferrara, lat, 44, long, …6
6 Millan, lat 44, 40, long, 33
7 Pavia lat, 44, long. 33, 5
8 Turin, lat, 43, 45, long, 31 30
9 Florence, lat, 42 35, long, 35, 50
10 Pisa, lat, 42, 40, long, 35
11 Sienna, lat, 42, 20, long, 36, 15
12 Modena, lat, 13, 50, long, 35, 40
In Bohe…a.
1 Prague
In Germany.
1 Collen, lat. 51, long. 30
2 Basil, lat. 47, 40, long. 31
3 Alents, lat 50 long. 31
4 Witzburg, lat. 50
5 Triers, lat. 49, 50
6 Heidleberg, lat 49. 25, long 33
7 Tubinge, lat. 49, 50
8 Ingolsted, lat 49, …0
9 Erfurt, lat. 50
10 Leistgige, lat 51, 10
11 Wittenberg. lat. 51, 50
12 Frankford in Oder. 51, 10
13 Rostoch, lat 53 40
14 Grislwald lat 53, 10
15 Friburg. lat. 48
16 Marburg, lat. 50, 40
17 Viena, lat 43 40
18 Diling in Suitzerland neate D…yaw.
In Germania Inferiori.
1 Lovain, lat. 50, long. 23
2 Doway, lat 50, 30, long. 29
3 Liege, lat 50 30, long 29
4 Leiden, lat 5…, 10, long. 27, 20
In Denmarke.
Copenhagen, lat. 56, 50, long 34, 30
In Moravi….
1 Olmues
In Scotland.
1 Saint Andrews
2 Abe…don
Of England.
| In England are contained S…ires | 52 |
| Bishopricks | 26 |
| Castles | 186 |
| Rivers | 555 |
| Chases. | 13 |
| Forrests | 68 |
| Parkes | 781 |
| Clties | 25 |
| Parish-Churches | 9725 |
| Bridges. | 956 |
FINIS.
End of the text · Archbishop George Abbot, A Brief Description of the Whole World (1664)