A Geographical Description of All the Countries in the Known World, Part 1 · Subpart 152 – Subpart 154
A more particular description of the Kingdomes, and Countries contained in the continent of Europe. Spain Described.
Spain was seized upon by the Sweves, Goths, and Vandals, Anno Christi ▪ 168. who remained in possession thereof more than four hundred years, till their King Rodrigues, with almost all his Nobility, was defeated by the Saracens, who were brought in by a certain Earl in revenge of the dishonour of his daughter, whom the King had ravished. These Saracens maintained themselves there, above seven hundred years, as well against the French, as the Spaniards themselves, who endeavoured to expell them. It was formerly divided into twelve Kingdomes, which were all reduced to one by Ferdinand, and Isabel Anno Christi 1474, except that of Portugal, which was subjugated by Philip the second, and peaceably possessed by him, and his heirs, till the year 1640 as above. It was in the reign of the aforesaid Ferdinand, that the Indies and many other Islands were found out, the riches whereof hath much augmented the potency of Spain, and made her to aspire to the Monarchy of the world.
The chief Rivers in Spain are 1. Tagus, formerly famous for his golden sands: It riseth in the mountain of Seira Molina, running by the City of Toledo, and then smoothly gliding by the walls of Lisbon in Portugal, it pays his tribute to the Western Ocean. 2. Ana (now Guadiana) which rising about the same place, afterwards runs underground for the space of fifteen miles, as our Mole in Surrey doth. 3. Baetis (now Guadalquiver) 4. Duerus, that runneth from its head in the hills of B…iscay, Westward: 5. Iberus, which having his head in the same Mountains, runs Eastward almost four hundred miles, of which two hundred is navigable.
The chief hills are 1. Aurentius Saltus, stretching from the Pyrenean Mountains towards Portugall. 2. Siera Morena, declining from the middest of Spain towards the straits of Gibraltar. 3. Seira Nevada, which crosses the Kingdome of Granata from East to West: steep hills, amongst which the people speak the Arabick tongue perfectly.
Whilst the Saracen Moors possessed Spain, they divided it into twelve Principallities, as
1. Leon and Oviedo, having on the East Biscay, on the South Castile, on the North the Ocean, on the West Gallicia: It yeildeth little, yet swift horses called Hobbies. The chief Towns are 1. Aviles on the sea side. 2. Palenza. 3. Oviedo. 4. Astorga. 5. Leon.
2. Navarre, having on the East the Pyrenean mountains, on the West Iberus, on the North Biscay, and on the South Aragon. The chief Cities are 1. Victoria. 2. Viana. 3. Sanguessa. 4. Pampelune, the Metrotropolis of the Country, Anno Christi. 1512. in the reign of Queen Katherine, who was married to John of Albert: the King of Spain raising an Army under pretence of rooting out the Moors, suddenly surprized this Kingdome, unprovided for resistance, and keeps it till this day, though the French have often attempted the recovery of it.
3 Corduba, comprehending Andaluzia, Granada, and Estremadura.
Andaluzia, is the richest, and fruitfullest Country in all Spain: the chief Towns are, 1. Corduba, the Metropolitan, whence comes our true Cordovan Leather, made of the skins of a Sardinian Beast. Neer this City is a wood thirty miles long, consisting all of Olive trees. 2. Marchena, where are the best Jennets in all Spain. 3. Medina Sidonia, the Duke whereof was General of the Armado in eighty eight. 4. Lucar di Barameda, an haven Town. 5. Xeres, a haven Town also, whence come our Xeres Sack, commonly called Sherry-Sacks. 6. Tariffa, seated at the end of the Promontory towards Affrick. 7. Sevil, the fairest City in all Spain, in compasse six miles, environed with beautiful walls, and adorned with many magnificent buildings of Palaces, Churches, and Monasteries, and hath under its jurisdiction twenty thousand small Villages: Its also divided into two parts by the River Baetis, yet both are joyned together by a beautifull and stately Bridge. Hence come our Sevil Oranges, and from hence goeth the Indian Fleet.
Analuzia in Spain, as well for plenty of all blessings of the Earth, as for the pleasures, and delights of the fields, is a meer terrestrial Paradise. The horses which shee produceth are so swift in course, that they seem (according to the Proverb) to be engendred by the Wind. Spain feeds an infinite number of Sheep, especially in Castile, where is made most excellent Cloath, and the wooll for the superlative finenesse thereof, is transported into other Countries: In other parts it is barren, through the lazinesse of the people (as some think) who love much better to put their hands to the Sword than to the plough. The people are melancholy and cholerick: sober, and content with a little, spending more upon the back than upon the belly: They are very ambitious, and good Souldiers, knowing as well how to use a victory, as to gain it; and are more exactly observant of Discipline than any other Nation in the world. The Kingdome is hereditary, and for want of an heir male it falls to the distaff.
Granada, which is bounded with Murcia on the East, Andaluzia on the West, Castile on the North, and the Mediterranean Sea on the South. The chief Cities are 1. Granata, a neat and stately Town, the houses being all built of freestone with curious workmanship: It hath many wholsome Springs about it, and is fenced about with a strong wall, in which are twelve Gates, and one hundred and thirty Turrets. 2. Alamia, famous for her Baths. 3. Malaga, whence comes our Malaga sacks. 4. Almeria, a great Port-Town. 5. Osuna.
1. Estremedura, watered with the River Batis: the chief Cities are 1. Merida. 2. Guadalo…nal, famous for her Mines of Gold and Silver.
4. Gallicia, a very mountainous Country: In it the chief Cities are, 1. Compostella, in which is an University. 2. Baiona, at the mouth of Minius. 3. Coronna, called the Groine, a place often spoken of in our wars with Spain in Queen Elizabeths time.
5. Biscaie, having Navarre on the East, Old Castile on the South, Leon on the West, and the Cantabrian Ocean on the North. The chief Cities are, 1. Tholosa. 2. St. Sebastian. 3. Fontaraby. 4. Bilbo. It abounds with good Wines, store of cattel, and the best sword-blades: Its mountainous, and woody; out of the hills arise one hundred and fifty Rivers, of which Iberus and Duerus are the chief. It yeelds plenty of Iron, and good Timber for ships. They admit no Bishops amongst them; and the women at all meetings drink first.
6. Toledo, the chief City is of the same name, standing upon the River Tagus, beautified with many Palaces of rare and admirable architecture, and fortified with good walls, on which stand one hundred and fifty Towers: its seated almost in the midst of Spain, and is well inhabited by Noble men for pleasure, by Merchants for profit, and by souldiers, it being garrisoned. The Arch-Bishop hereof is the chief Prelate of Spain, President usually of the Inquisition, whose revenues amount to three hundred thousand Crowns per annum. It hath in it an University. 2. The next City is Calatrava, on the River Ana. 3. Talbora, on the River Tagus, a very neat City.
7. Murcia, The chief Cities whereof are, 1. Alicante, whence comes our true Ali…ant Wine, made of the juice of Mulberries growing here in great plenty. Murcia, on the River Segourg. 3. Cartagena, a brave haven upon the Mediterranean Sea.
8. Castile, bounded on the East with Navarre, Arragon, and Toledo: on the West with Portugal, on the North with Asturias, and on the South with Andaluzia, and Granada. Its now divided into the new, and old: the Old is on the North side, wherein the chief Cities are, 1. Soria. 2. Segovia, famous for Wooll, and cloathing 3. Validolid, a neat Town, and an University. 4. Avila. 5. Burgos. 6. Salamanca; the chiefest University in Spain.
New-Castile is on the South of the old: The chief Cities are, 1. Madrid, the Kings seat, and the most populous City in all Spain, though it bee seated in a barren Country. 2. Alcara de Henares, formerly Complutum, an University. 3. Alcantara. 4. Signeuca, a small Academy. 5. Cuenca, nigh to which is the Escurial, or Monastery of St. Lawrence, built by King Philip the second. A building of that magnificence, that no building, either in times past, or present is comparable to it. The Front towards the VVest is adorned with three stately Gates, the middlemost whereof leadeth into a very sumptuous Temple; and into a Monastery wherein are one hundred and fifty Monks, of the order of St. Jerom, and a Colledge. That on the right hand openeth into divers offices belonging to the Monastery: That on the left into Schools, and out-houses belonging to the Colledge. At the four corners are four Turrets of excellent workmanship, and for height Majestical: towards the North is the Kings Palace: On the South part are diverse beautiful, and sumptuous Galleries. And on the East side, sundry Gardens, and walks very pleasing, and delightful. It contains in all eleven several Quadrangles, every one Cloistered about.
Portugal described.
9. Portugal hath on the North the River Minius: On the South the River Ana: On the VVest the Ocean: and on the East Castile: formerly it was called Lusitania. The air is very healthful: the Country for the most part is hilly, and bare of Corn: But it abounds with Hony, VVine, Oil, Allom, Fruits, Fish, white-Marble, Salt, &c. Its in compasse eight hundred seventy and nine miles: the length three hundred and twenty: the breadth threescore: the most firtile part is about Conimbria: The people are excellent Mariners, and happy in forreign discoveries. The Rivers, great and small, are near two hundred: the greatest is Minius, full of red Lead, and its navigable one hundred miles. The chiefest Cities are, 1. Lisbon upon Tagus, famous for traffick: Its seven miles in compasse, containing above twenty thousand houses of neat and elegant building: Its walled about, wherein towards the Sea are two and twenty Gates, and towards the land sixteen: on the walls stand threescore and seven Turrets. 2. Miranda. 3. Braga. 4. Conimbra, a famous University. 5. Porto. At the Southern part of Portugal is the Cape of St. Vincent. After the overthrow of King Sebastian in the battel in Africk, where three Kings fell in one day, there were divers pretenders to the Crown of Portugal, and amongst the rest Philip the second, King of Spain was one, who made a shew that their titles should bee lawfully debated, yet in the mean time hee sent an Army under the Duke de Alva, seized on it by force, and so kept it, till within these few years the Portugals drave out the Spaniards (as was aforesaid) on a sudden, and made the Duke of Bragance, one of the family of the former pretenders, King: who keeps it till this day. The King of Spain by the losse of it hath lost one of the fairest Diamonds in this Crown; having therewith lost the East Indies, and Brasile in the West.
10. Valentia, The chiefest City is of the same name, situated near the mouth of the River Guadalander; In it is an University, &c. there is nothing of note in this Country.
11. Catalonia, which hath Iberus on the South, Arragon on the West, the Sea on the East, and the Pyrenian mountains on the North; the chief Cities are, 1. Gironne. 2. Barcelona on the Sea, a Town of good strength. 3. Perpignan.
12. Arragon, is bounded with Catalonia on the East, Castile on the West, Navarre on the North, and Valentia on the South: the River Iberus runs through the midst of this Country. The chief Cities are, 1. Lerida, an University on the River Cinga, &c. there is nothing else of note.
The Pyrenean Hills described.
The Pyrenean Mountains stand as a natural boundary between the two great Monarchs of France, and Spain: they run in a ridge from Sea to Sea, the Cantabrian Ocean fiercely beating on the West, and the Mediterranean gently washing the East ends of them. The highest of them is called Canus, because it hath for the most part a white cap of Snow upon it, on the top whereof in a clear day, a man may see both the Seas. The French side of these mountains is naked, and barren, the Spanish very fruitful, and adorned with trees.