A Geographical Description of All the Countries in the Known World, Part 1 · Subpart 158
Italy described.
This Country abounds with Rice, Silks, Velvets, Sattins, Taffaties, Grograms, Rash, Fustians, Gold Wire, Allom, Glasses, &c. The chief Rivers in it are, 1. Poe, which riseth out of the Alps, and running through Lombardy, emptieth it self into the Adriatique Sea. 2. Rubicon. 3. Tyber.
Italy is usually divided into six parts; but the principalities thereof are ten; as
1. The Kingdome of Naples, having the land of the Church on one side, and the Sea on all others. Its in compasse one thousand four hundred sixty and eight miles: It abounds with Mines of divers Mettals, and the choisest Wines: The chiefest Provinces in it are, 1. Terra di Lavoro, formerly Campania, wherein the chiefest Cities are, 1. Cajeta, seated on the Sea side. 2. Naples the Metropolis, and a beautiful City containing seven miles in compasse: In this City, the French, or Neapolitan disease was first known in Christendome: It stands on the Sea shore, and is fortified with four Castles. 3. Capua, which emasculated the valor of Hanibals souldiers. 4. Cuma, nigh to which is the Lake Avernus, the stink whereof poisons birds that flye over it. 5. Baiae, famous for the Baths. 6. Nola. 7. Puteoli. 8. Misenum, nigh unto which is the Hill Vesuvius, that casteth forth flames of fire, and in the reign of Titus it cast forth such abundance of smoak, and ashes, as darkned the Sun, and overwhelmed two Cities.
2. Abruzzo, whereof the chief Towns are, 1. Aquilea. 2. Beneventum. 3. Aquino, where Thomas Aquinas was born. 4. Sulmo, Ovids birth-place.
3. Calabria inferior, whose chief Cities are, 1. Peste, where Roses blossom thrice in a year. 2. Salernum, famous for the study of Physick. 3. Consensia. 4. Regium. 5. Locris.
4. Calabria Superior, wherein the chief Towns are, 1. Tarentum, 2. Crotona. 3. Polycastrum. 4. Amicle. 5. Sybaris. 6. St. Severine.
5. Terra di Otranto, wherein the chief Cities are, 1. Brundusium, one of the best Havens in the world. 2. Hydruntum, now Otranto. 3. Gallipolis.
6. Puglia, the Cities whereof are, 1. Manfredonia. 2. Cannae, where Hanibal slew of the Romans forty two thousand and seven hundred, and had hee followed that victory hee had been Master of Rome. In this Country is the Hill Gargalus, or Mount St. Angelo, one hundred and twenty miles in compasse, strengthened both by nature, and Art: it abounds with cattel: The people in these two Provinces are troubled with a Tarantula, which is only cured by Musick.
2. The land of the Church, which North and South is extended from the Adriatick to the Tuscan Seas; the East bounds are Axafenus and Trontus, which divide it from Naples: North-West its bounded with the Rivers Poe, and Fiore, which divide it from the Venetians; and South-West with Pisseo, which parts it from the Florentines: The Provinces hereof are,
1. Romandiola extending from Rubicon East, to the Venetians on the West: from the Appenine Hills South, to Padus, and the Adriatique on the North. The chief Cities are, 1. Bononia, the principal University in Italy, where the civil Laws are much studied, seated on the River Aposa. 2. Rimana, formerly Ariminum, on the mouth of the River Rubicon. 3. Cervia, on the Adriatique Sea, where great store of salt is made. 4. Ferrara, whose territories stretch in length one hundred and sixty miles, and in breadth fifty, wherein are contained the brave Cities of Modena, and Rhegium: Ferrara the chief-City is seated on the bank of Poe, a broad, deep, and swift River, which guards it on the one side, and on the other its fortified with strong walls, and a large moat. In the midst of the City is a large Green, into which there open on all sides nineteen streets, most of them half a mile long, and so even, that the ends of them may bee easily seen. The whole compasse is five miles. 5. Ravenna.
2. Marcha Anconitana, environed with Romagna, the Appennine, Naples, and the Adriatique: The chief Towns are, 1. Ancona, seated on the Hill Cimmerius, and it is an Haven Town. 2. Ascoli the fair. 3. Firmo the strong. 4. Macerata. 5. Adria, which gave the name to the neighbouring Sea. 6. Narma. 7. Humona. 8. Loretto, famous for the Pilgrimages made thither.
3. The Dukedome of Spoleto, is situate under the Appennine Hills. The chief Cities are, 1. Spoleto. 2. Ovietto, seated on a very high Rock, where is a Church very lightsome, and yet the Windows are made of Alabaster in stead of Glasse. 3. Perugia. 4. Asis. In this Country is the Lake of Perugia, thirty miles in compasse. Near which Hanibal slew Flaminius with fifteen thousand of his Romane souldiers.
4. St. Peters Patrimony, containing Campagna di Roma (formerly Latium) and part of Hetruria. The chief Cities are, 1. Alba. 2. Ostia, at the mouth of Tyber. 3. Antrum. 4. Tybur. 5. Praen…ste. 6. Ardea. 7. Gabii. 8. Veii: a large and rich City. 9. Tivolis. 10. Rome, seated on the River Tyber, enlarged with the receit of two and forty Rivers, and is distant from the sea fifteen miles. See old Rome described afterwards. The Roman Empire was extended from the Irish Seas in the West, to the River Euphrates in the East, three thousand miles: and from Danubius in the North, to Mount Atlas in the South, two hundred miles. The revenues of the Empire were estimated to amount to one hundred and fifty millions of crowns per annum. But Rome as now, is but eleven miles in compasse, within which also there is much wast ground: The inhabitants are about two hundred thousand, two parts whereof are Clergie men, and Curtesans, the latter being seldome under forty thousand, which pay to the Pope thirty thousand Duckats per annum. The principal buildings are the Church of St. Peter: The Castle of St. Angelo, an impregnable fortresse: The Popes Palace called Belvidere: And the Vatican Library.
3. The Common-Wealth of Venice hath many territories belonging to it, the length whereof is above one thousand miles, but the breadth far lesse. For the City of Venice it self, see the description of it afterwards. The chief Provinces belonging to it are,
1. Marca Trevigiana, having on the South the River Poe, on the West the Dutchy of Millaine, on the East Frivli, and the Gulph of Venice, and on the North Tirol: The chief City is Treviso, 2. Padua, where an University was setled Anno Christi 1220. famous for Physicians, and their Garden of Simples. See the description of it afterwards. 3. Vincenza. 4. Brescia; the second City for bigness and beauty in all Lombardy: Her territories are in length one hundred, in breadth fifty miles. 5. Verona, seated on the Athesis. It boasteth of an Amphitheater, able to contain eighty t…ousand people: Her territories are threescore and five miles in length, and forty in breadth. 6. Briscello. 7. Bergamo. 8. Este. 9. Crema, a strong Fort against the Millanois.
2. Frivli, formerly called Forum Julii; Its environed with Istria, the Alps, Trevigiana, and the Adriatique: Its in length fifty miles, and the breadth no lesse. The chief Cities are, 1. Aquilegia, seated on the Natisco. 2. Treist close to the Sea. 3. Gorritia. 4. Palma, excellently fortified. 5. Cividad di Austria.
3. Istria environed with the Sea, Frivli, and Carniola: Its in compass two hundred miles, the air very unwholesome: The chief Towns are, 1. Cape d' Istria, or Justinople. 2. Pola. 3. Parenza. 4. Portula. 5. Rubinum. 6. Monsona.
The Polity whereby this Common-wealth hath so long subsisted is an Aristocracie: wherein, 1. They exempt their Citizens from the wars, and hire others in their places, so that by their death the Common-wealth sustains the lesse losse. 2. They entertain some forreign Prince for their General, whom, when the wars are ended, they presently discard, by which means they avoid factions, and servitude, which were like to happen if they should imploy any of their own people, who by his vertue, and valour might win the hearts of the souldiers, and so make himself their Prince. 3. Their Laws suffer not the younger sons of their Nobility and Gentry to marry, least the number increasing should diminish the dignity, yet they allow them unlawful pleasures, and for their sakes permit publick Stewes.
4. The Dukedome of Florence containing the greater part of Tuscany: Its parted from Genoa on the West by the Magra, and the strong Town Sarezana: From Romagna, and Ancona on the North by the Appennine Hills: On the East by the Pisseo, and on the South by the Tyrrhene Seas. The chief Cities are, 1. Florence seated nigh to the confluence of Arnus, and Chianus: See the description of it afterwards. Charles the Arch-Duke was wont to say, that it was a City to bee seen on Holy dayes only. 2. Pisa, a brave and strong City. 3. Sienna, in whose territories are Orbitello, Pienza, Soana, and six and twenty other walled Towns. 4. Pistoya, where began the factions of the Guelphs, and Gibbilines. 5. Massa, famous for her Quarries of white Marble. 6. Volaterra. 7. Arrezzo. 8. Cortona, seated under the Appennine. 9. Carara. 10. Borgo San Sepulchro. 11. Ligorne, a famous Haven seated at the mouth of the River Arnus. The whole length of this Dukdome is two hundred and sixty miles, the breadth not much lesse. The people are great Merchants.
5. The Dukedome of Millaine, which hath on the East Mantua and Parma: on the South Liguria: on the North Trevigiana, and on the West Piedmont: It stands wholly in Lombardy, the Garden of Italy. The chief Cities are, 1. Pavia, on the River Ticinus, an University. 2. Lodi. 3. Alexandria, a place of great strength. 4. Cremona, famous for her high Tower. 5. Como, seated on a Lake so named. 6. Millaine, honoured with an University: See this stately City described afterwards.
The Dukedome of Mantua bounded on the East with Romagna, on the West with Millaine, on the North with Trevigiana, and on the South with Parma, and Placentia. To this belongs the Dukedome of Mountferrat, situated on the South-East part of Piedmont, the chief Cities whereof are, 1. Alba. 2. Casala St. Vas. 3. Nicaea, or Niza; and 4. Isola. The chief Cities of Mantua are, 1. Mirabella. 2. Lucera. 3. Capriana. 4. Modena. 5. Reggio. 6. Cuneto. 7. Mantua, a very strong Town, environed on three sides with a water that is three quarters of a mile broad, and on the fourth with a wall.
7. The Dukedome of Urbin which lies in the midst of the Papal territories having the Adriatique on the North, the Appennine on the South, Romagna on the West, and Marca Anconitana on the East. In it are two hundred Castles, and seven Cities, the chief whereof are, 1. Urbin, at the foot of the Appennine, 2. Belforto, 3. Pisauro, a good Haven, 4. Cabo, 5. Fano, Sea Towns also.
8. The Principality of Parma, and Placentia, which hath on the North Mantua, on the South the Appennine, on the West Millain, & on the East Modena. Here are made those excellent Cheeses called Parmesans. Parma is seated on the little River Pirina, and Placentia on the Po. To this principallity belongs also Mirandula, with her Territories, where was born that famous Scholler, John Picus Mirandula.
9. The Common-wealth of Genoa, containing Liguria, which hath on the East the River Varus, on the West the River Magra, which parts it from Tuscany, on the North the Appennine, and on the South the Ligurian Seas: Its in compasse fourscore miles, but not so much in breadth. The people are much given to Usury, whence one said merrily, that in Christendome there were neither Schollers enough, nor Gentlemen enough, nor Jews enough, and being answered that there were of all these rather too great plenty than any scarcity: He replyed, That if there were Schollers enough, there would not bee so many double, and treble beneficed men; and if there were Gentlemen enough, so many Pesants would not be ranked amongst the Gentry; and if there were Jews enough, so many Christians would not professe Usury. The chief Towns are, 1. Ceva. 2. Finaly. 3. Noli. 4. Sarazena. 5. Genoa. in compasse eight miles: the building for the two first stories are built of Marble, curiously wrought, but by the Law they are forbidden to use marble any higher. It hath a very spacious Haven, well fortified, where ships may ride in safety.
10. The state of Luca, which is situated in Tuscany: the City is three miles in compass, the Territories eighty miles, in which they can raise three thousand horse, and fifteen thousand foot upon occasion. And thus I have done with Italy, and come to the description of the chief Cities in it.