A Brief Description of the Whole World, Part 27
Of the Northern Ilands.
THE Ilands that do lye in the North, a…e in number almost infinite: the chiefe of them only shall be briefly touched. Very farre to the North in the same Climate also with Sweden, that is, under the circle Articke, lyeth an Iland called in old time Thule, which was then supposed to be the farthest part of the world North ward, and therefore is called by Virgil, Utima Thule. The Countrey is cold, the people barbarous, and yielde h… li… tleTheir commodities. commodity, saving Hawkes; in some part of the yeare there is no night at all. Unto this land divers of our English Nation do yearely travel, and do bring from thence good store of fish, but especially our deepest and thickest Ling, which are therefore called Isl nd …ings.
It hath pleased God, that in theseTheir Religion. latter times, the Gospell is there preached, and the people are instracted in Christianity, having also the knowledge of good Learning, which is brought about by the meanes of the King of Sweden, unto whom that Iland is now subject.
There is lately written by one of that Nation, a pretty Treatise in Latine, which describeth the manner of that Countrey; and it is to be seen in the first Tome of Master Hackluits Voyage.
Southward from thence, lyeth Frizeland, called in Latine Frizlandia; Frizeland.whereas the Frizeland joyning to Germany, is in Latine called Frizia.
On the coast of Germany, one of the seventeene Provinces, is calledZealand, in it standeth Flushen & Middleburge. Zealand, which continueth in it divers Ilands; in whom little is famous, saving that in one of them is Flishen o… Flushen, a Town of war, and Middleburge is another, a place …f good Mart.
Livinus Limnius, and some of the low Germans, be of opinion, …hat this City was fi…t built by Metellus the Roman; and that which now is called Middl…burge, was at the first termed Metolli Burgum.
The States of the Low-Countries, do hold this Province against the King of Spain These Ilands have been much troubled of late with inundation of water.
The Iland that lyeth most West of any Fame is Ireland, which hadIreland. in it heretofore many Kings of their own; but the whole land is now annexed to the Crowne of England. The people naturally are rude and superstitious; the Country good and fruitfull, but that for want of tillage in divers places, they suffer it to grow into boggs and deserts. *A rare & admirable Note.It is true of this Countrey (which Solinus writeth of some other) that Serpents and Adders do not breed there; and in the Irish timber, of certaine experience, no Spiders web is ever found.
The most renowned Island inOf Britain the world is Albion, or Britania, which hath heretofore contained in it many severall Kingdomes; but especially in the time of the Saxons. It hath now in it two Kingdomes, England and Scotland, wherinFour languages there spoken. are four several languages; that is, the English, (which the civill Scots do barbarously speake) the Welch tongue (which is the language of the old Britains;) the Cornish (which is the proper speech of Cornewall;) and the Irish (which is spoken by those Scots which live on the West part of Scotland) neer unto Ireland. The commodities and pleasures of England are well known unto us, and many of them are expressed in this verse:
Anglia, Mons, Pons, Fons, Ecclesia, Foemina, Lana.
England is stor'd with Bridges, Hils, and Wooll;
With Churches, Wels, and Women beautifull.
The ancient inhabitants of this land, were the Britaines, whichTheir originall. were afterward driven into a corner of the Countrey, now called Wales; and it is not to be doubted, but at first this Countrey was peopled from the continent of France, or thereabout, when the sons of Noah had spread themselves from the East to the West part of the world. It is not strange to see why the people of that Nation do labour to fetch their pedigree from one Brutus, whom they report to come from Troy; because the original of that truth began by Galfridus Monumentensis, above 500. yeares agone, and his book containeth great shew of truth, but was noted by Nubringensis, or some author of his time, to be meerly fabulous: Besides that, many of our English Nation have taxed the saying of them, who would attribute the name of Brittannia unto Brutus, and Cornubia to Corynaeus: Aeneas Sylvius. Epist. 1. 3. hath thought good to confirm it, saying; The English people (saith he) do report, that after Troy was overthrown, one Brutus came unto them, from whom their Kings do fetch their pedigrees: Which matter there are no more Historians that deliver, besides a certaine English man, which had some learning in him, who willing to aequall the blood of those Iflanders unto the Roman stock and generosity, did affirm and say, that concerning Brutus, which Livy and Salust (being both deceived) did report of Aeneas.
We do find in ancient Records and Stories of this Island, that since the first possessions which theThe Bri… taines five times conquered. First by t…e Romans. Britains had here, it was over-run and conquered five several times. The Romans were the first that did attempt upon it, under the conduct of Julius Caesar, who did onelyonly discover it, and frighted the inhabitants with the name of the Romans, but was not able to sarre to prevaile upon it, as any way to possesse it; yet his successours afterwards did by little and little, so gain on the Country, that they had almost all of it; which is now called England; and did make a great ditch or trench, from the East to the West sea, between their dominion here, and Scotland. Divers of the Emperours were here in person, as Alexander, Severus, who is reputed to be buried at York. Here also was Constantius, father unto Constantine the Great, who from hence married Helena a woman of this Land, who was afterward mother to the renowned Constantine. But when the Romans had their Empire much weakned, partly by their owne discords, and partly by that decay which the irruptions of the Gothes and Vandals, and such like invaders did bring upon them, they were forced to retire their legions from thence, and so leaving the Countrey naked, the Scots, and certaine people called the Pictes, did breake in, who most miserably wasted and spoiled the Country. Then were the Inhabitants (as some of our Authors write) put to that choise, that either they must stand it out and be slaine, or give ground, till they came to the sea, and so be drowned.
Of these Pictes, who were theSecondly, the Pictes who used to paint, or pounse their faces. second over-runners of this Land; some do write, that they did use to cut and pounse their flesh, and lay on colours, which did make them the more terrible to be seen with the cuts of their flesh. But certaine it is, that they had their name for painting themselves, which was a common thing in Brittaine in Caesars time, as he reporteth in his Commentaries, the men colouring their faces with Glastone or Ode, that they might seem the more dreadfull, when they were to joyn battell.
To meet with the cruelty and oppression of these Barbars, theThirdly▪ the Saxons. Saxons were in the third place by some of the Land called in, who finding the sweetnesse of the soile and commodiousnesse of the Countrey every way, did repaire hither by great troops, and so seated themselves here, that there were at once of them seven several Kingdomes, and Kings within the Compasse of England.
These Saxons did beare themselves with much more temperance and placability towards those few of the Countrey that remained, then the Pictes, had done: but yet growing to contention, one of their Kings with another, partly about the bounds of their territories, and partly about other quarrels, they had many great battels each with other.
In the time of these, ReligionTheir religion and devotion. and Devotion, was much embraced, and divers Monasteries, and rich Religious houses were founded by them partly for pennance which they would do, and partly otherwise; because they thought it too meritorious: insomuch, that King Edgar alone, is recorded to have built above foure severall Monasteries. And some other of their Kings were in their ignorance so devoted, that they gave over their Crownes, and in superstition did goe to Rome, there to lead the lives of private men.
These seven Kingdomes in the end, did grow all into one; and then the fourth and most grievous scourge and conquest of this Kingdome, came in the Danes; whoFourthly the Danes. Lording it here divers yeares, were at last expelled; and then William Duke of Normandy, pretending that he had right thereunto by the promise of adoption, or some other conveiance from Harald, did with his Normans passe over into this Land, and obtained a great victory in Sussex, at a place which he caused in remembrance thereof to be called Battell, and built an Abby there, by the name of Battell Abby. He took on him to winne the whole by conquest, and did beare himselfe indeed like a Conquerour: For he seised all into his hands, gave out Barons, Lordships, and Mannors from himself: reversed the former Lawes, and Customes, and instituted here the manners and orders of his own Country; which have proceeded on and been by little and little bettered; so that the honourable government is established which we now see at this day.
It is supposed, that the faith of Christ was first brought into this land in the days of the Apostles by Joseph of Arimathea, Simon, Zelotes, and some other of that time: but without doubt not long after it was found here; which appeareth by the testimony of Tertullian, who lived within lesse then 200. yeares after Christ; And there are records to shew, that in the daies of Eleutherius, one of the ancient B shopsKing Lucius the first that here received Baptism & the Gospel. of Rome, King Lucius received here both Baptisme and the Gospel; insomuch that it is fabulous vanity to say, that Austin the Monk was the first that here planted the Christian Faith; for he lived 600. yeares after Christ, in the time of Gregory the great Bishop of Rome: before which time Gildas is (upon great reason) thought to have lived here; of whom there is no doubt, but that he was a learned Christian: Yea, and that may be perceived by that which Beda hath in his Ecclesiasticall story, concerning the comming in of Austin the Monk, that the Christian Religion had been planted here before, but that the purity of it in many places was much decaied; and also that many people in the Island were yet Infidels: For the conversion of whom, as also for the reforming of the other, Austine was sent hither, where he behaved himselfe so proudly, that the best of the Christians which were here, did mislike him. In him was erected the Archbishoprick of Canterbury, which amongst old writers, is still termed Dorobarnia: The Archbishops do reckon their succession by number from this Austine.
The reason whereof Gregorie Note.the great is reported to have such care for the conversion of the Ethnicks in Britaine, was because certain boyes which were brought him out of this Countrey; which being very goodly of countenance (as our Country children are therein inferior to no Nation in the world) he asked them what country-men they were; and it was replyed that they were Angli; he said they were not unfitly so called, for they were Angli tanquam▪ Angeli, nam vultum habent Angelorum. And demanding further, of what Province they were in this Island; it was returned that they were called Deires: which caused him again to repeat that word, & to say that it was great pitty, but that by being taught the Gospel they should be saved de ira Dei.
England hath since the time of the Conquest, grown more and more in riches; insomuch that now more then 300. years since, in the time of King Henry the third, it was an ordinary speech, that for wealth, this Countrey was Puteus inexhaustus, aNo Country like England. Well that could not be drawn dry. Which conceit the King himself, as Matthew Paris writeth, did often suggest un…o the Pope; who there upon took advantage, abusing the simplicity of the King, to suck out inellimable summes of money, to the intolerable grievance of both the Clergy & Temporalty. And among other things to bring about his purpose, the Pope did perswade the King, that he would invest his young son in the Kingdome of Apulia▪ which did contain a great part of all Naples; and for that purpose had from thence many thousands, besides infinite summes which the King was forced to pay for interest to the Popes Italian Usurers.
Since that time it hath pleased God more and more to blesse this Land, but never more plentifully then in the daies of our late, and now raigning Soveraigne, whose raigne continuing long in peace, hath peopled the Land with abundance of inhabitants: hath storedThe riches of the countrey. it with Shipping, Armour, and Munition, hath fortified it many waies, hath encreased the trafficke with the Turk and Muscovite, and many parts of the earth farre distant from us, hath much bettered it with building, and enriched it with Gold and Silver, that it is now (by wise men) supposed, that there is more Plate within the Kingdome, then there was Silver when her Majesty came to the Crowne. Some Writers of former times, yea, and those of our owne Countrey too, have reported that in England have been Mynes of Gold, or at the least some gold taken out of other Mynes: which report hath in it no credit, in as much as the Country standeth too cold, neither hath it sufficient force of the Sun to concoct and digest that metall. But truth it is that our Chronicles do witnesse, that some silver hath been taken up in the Southerne parts, as in the Tin-mines of Devonshire and Cornwall, and such is sometimes found now; but the virtue thereof is so thin, that by that time it is tried and perfectly fined it doth hardly quit the cost: notwithstanding, Lead, Iron, and such basers metals, be here in good plenty
The same reason which hindreth gold ore from being in these parts, that is to say, the cold of the climate, doth also hinder that there is no wine, whose grapes grow here. For although we have grapes, which in the hotter and warm summers do prove good, but yet many times are nipped in the frost before they be ripe, yet notwithstanding they never come to that concocted maturity as to make sweet and pleasant wine; yet some have laboured to bring this about, and therefore have planted vineyards, to their great cost and trouble, helping and aiding the soil by the uttermost diligence they could; but in the end it hath proved to very little purpose.
The most rich commodity which our Land hath naturally growing, is Wooll, for the which it is renownedThe rich commodity of wooll. over a great part of the Earth. For our Clothes are sent into Turkie, Venice, Italy, Barbary, yea as farre as China of late, besires Moscovie, Denmarke, and other Northerne Nations: for the which we have exchange of much other Merchandize necessary for us here▪ besides that, the use of this Wooll doth in several labours set many thousands of our people in worke at home, which might otherwise be idle.
Amongst the CommendationsBridges. of England, as appeareth in the place before named, is the store of good Bridges: whereof the most famous are London Bridge, and that at Rochester. In divers places here, there be also Rivers of goodRivers. Name, but the greatest glory doth rest in three: the Thames, called in Latine of Tame and Isis, Tamesis: Servene called Sabrina: and Trent, which is commonly reputed to have his name of trente the French word, signifying thirty, which some have expounded to be so given, because thirty several Rivers do run into the same: And some other do take it to be so call'd, because there be thirty several sorts of fishes in that water to be found, the names whereof do appear in certain old verses recited by Master Camden, in his booke of the Description of England.
One of the honourable commendations which are reputed to be in this Realme, is the fairnesse of ourFaire and large Churches. greater and larger Churches, which as it doth yet appear in those which we call Cathedrall Churches, many of them being of very goodly and sumptuous buildings; so in times past it was more to be seen, when the Abbies, and those which were called religious houses, did flourish; whereof there were a very great number in this Kingdome, which did eate up much of the wealth of the Land; but especially those which lived there, giving themselves to much filthiness, and divers sorts of uncleannesse, did so draw downe the vengeance of God upon those places, that they were not only dissolved, but almost utterly defaced by King Henry the eighth. There are two Archbishopricks, and 24 other Bishopricks2. Archbishopricks, and 24. other Bishopricks. within England and Wales.
It was a tradition among old writers, that Britaine did breed no Wolves in it, neither would they live here; but the report was fabulous, in as much as our Chronicles do write▪ that there were here such store of them, that the Kings were enforced to lay it as an imposition upon the Kings of Wales, who were not able to pay much mony for tribute, that they should yearly bring in certaine hundreds of Wolves; by which meanes they were at the length quite rid from Wolves.
The Country of Wales had in times past a King of it self; yea, and sometimes two, the one of NorthWales, and the other of SouthWales, between which people at this day there is no great good affection: But the Kings of England did by little and little so gain upon them, that they subdued the whole Country unto themselves; and in the end King Henry the 8. intending thereby to benefit this Realme and them, did divide the Country into Shires, appointed there his Judices Itinerantes, or Judges of the circuit to ride; and by Act of Parliament, made them capable of any preferment in England, as well as other Subjects. When the first newes was brought to Rome, that Julius Caesar had attempted upon Britain, Trully in the elegance of his wit (as appeareth in one of his Epistles) did make a flout at it, saying, That there was no gain to be gotten by it. For gold here was none, nor any other commodity to be had, unlesse it were by slaves, whom he thought that his friend to whom he wrote, would not look to be brought up in learning or Musick. But if Tully wereNote. alive at this day, he would say, that the case is much altered, in as much as in our Nation is sweetness of behavior, abundance of learning, Musick, & all the liberal Acts, goodly, buildings sumptuous apparel, rich fare, and whatsoever else may be truly boasted to be in any Country near ad joining.
The Northern part of Britaine isOf Scotland. Scotland, which is a Kingdome of it self, and hath been so from very ancient time, without any such conquest, or maine transmutation of State, as hath been in other Countries. It is compassed about with the sea on all sides, saving where it joyneth upon England: and it is generally divided into two parts, the one whereof is called the Highland, and the other the Low-land.
The Low-land is the most civill part of the Realm, wherein religion is more orderly established, and yieldeth reasonable subjection unto the King, but the other part called the High-land, which lyeth further … the North, or else bendeth towards Ireland, is more rude and savage, and whither the King hath not so good accesse, by reason of Rocks and mountaines, as to bring the Noblemen, which inhabite there to such due conformity of Religion, or otherwise, as he would.
This Countrey generally is moreScotland very poor in formertimes▪ poor then England, or the most part of the Kingdomes of Europe: but yet of late yeares the wealth thereof is much encreased by reason of their great traffick to al the parts of Christendome; yea unto Spain it self, which hath of late years been denied to the English, and some other Nations: and yet unto this day they have not any ships but for Merchandize; neither hath the King in his whole Dominion any vessel called A man of war. Some that have travelled into the Northerne parts of Scotland, do report, that in the Solstitium aestivele, they have scant any night, and that which is, is not above two houres, being rather a d mnesse then a darknesse. The language of the Countrey is in the Lowland a kind of barbarous English. But towards Ireland side, they speak Irish: which is the true reasonThe reason why it is said that in Britain are foure languages. whereof it is reported, that in Britain there are four languages spoken that is, Irish in part of Scotland, English for the greatest part, Welch in Wales, Cornish in Cornwall.
In the confines between the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland, which are commonly called the Borders, there lye divers out-laws and unruly people; which beingBorderers great robbers and stealers. subject to neither Prince by their good wits, but so far as they list; do exercise great robberies and stealing of cattell from them that dwell therabout: and yet the Princes of both Realmes, for the better preservation of Peace and Justice, do appoint certain Warders on each side, who have power even by Martiall Law to represse all enormities.
The Queen of England had onLord Warden of the Marches. her side three: whereof one is called the Lord Warden of the East Marches, the other of the west Marches, the third, the Warden of the middle Marches, who with all their power cannot so order things, but that by reason of the outrages thereabouts committed, the borders are much unpeopled; whiles such as desire to be civill, do not like to live in so dangerous a place.
It hath been wondred at by many that are wise, how it could be, that whereas so many Countries, having in them divers Kingdomes and Regiments, did all in the end come to the dominion of one (as appeareth at this day in Spaine, where were wont to be divers Kings, and so in times past in England, where the seven Kingdomes of the Saxons didNote. grow all into one) yet that England and Scotland, being continuate within one Iland, could never till now be reduced to one Monarchy; whereof in reason the French may be thought to have been the greatest hindrance. For they having felt so much smart by the Armes of England alone; insomuch that sometimes all that whole Country almost hath been over run and possessed by the English, have thought that it would be impossible that they should resist the force of them, if both their Kingdoms were united & joined into one.
The Custome theresore of the Kings of France in former times was, that by their gold, they did bird unto them the Kings and Nobility of Scotland, and by that means the Kings of England were no sooner attempting any thing upon France, but the Scots by and by would envade England: Whereupon the Proverb amongst our people grew, That he who will France win, must A Proverbwith Scotland first begin.
And these French-men continuingThe policy of the French. their policy▪ did with infinite rewards breake off the Marriage which was intended and agreed upon between King Edward the sixth, and Mary the late unfortunate Queen of Scotland, drawing her rather to be married with the Dolphin of France, who was son to King Henry the second: and afterward himself reigned by the name of King Francis the second: But this was so ill taken by the English, that they sought revenge upon Scotland, and … them a great overthrow in that … which was called Musselborough Musselborough field. The barbarousnesse of the Scots in former timesfield.
The people of this Country were in times past … barbarous, that they did not refuse … flesh: which, as S. Hierom doth … of them, he himsel… saw some of … to do in France, and the … hereof went so far, that Chrysostome in one place doth allude to such a matter.
There be many little Islands adjoining unto the great Island Bri tain: as at the very North point ofThe Orcades the people barbarous. Scotland the Orcades, which are in number above thirty, the chiefe whereof is named Orkney, whereof the people are barbarous.
On the West side of Scotland towards Ireland, lie the Islands called Hebrides, in number 4. where inhabite the people ordinarily called the Red-shankes. Not farre fromThe Redshankes. thence is the Isle Mona, commonly is called the Isle of Man, the peculiarThe Isle of Man. jurisdiction of the Earls of Darby, with homage notwithstanding reserved to the Crowne of England.
On the North part of Wales, is the Island of Anglisey, which is reputedThe Isle of Anglisey. a distinct Shire.
Towards France side, on the South part of England, is the Isle of Wight, The Isle of Wight.in Latine called Victis: which is a good hold in the narrow seas against the French. More neer France are the Isles of Gernsey and Jernsey, The Isles of Gernsey & Jernsey.where they speak French, and are under the Crown of England. There are also many other, but of small account: As the Isles of Thanet and Sheppy, on the side of Kent, the Sorlings or Sull…y, at the end of Cornwall, in number (as it is said) 145. Caldey, Lunday, and the Flatholns, with others in the mouth ofDivers other Ilands Severn: Holy-farn, Cocket, Ilands on the side of Northumberland. And thus much of Great Britaine, and the Islands thereunto adjoining.