A New Description of the World, Section 1 · Account of region 2
The Discription of the Kingdom of Spain, in its Provinces, &c.
SPain is acknowledged the most Western part of Europe, formerly called by the Greeks Iberia and Hsperia enviornd on every side by the Sea, except towards France; from which it is parted only by the Pyreenian Mountains: The Seas that bound it are the Cantabrian on the North, the Atlantick Ocean on the West, and the Straights of Gibraltar, on the South; on the East with the Mediterranian; the Pyreenians bearing only to the North East, and is formed by Strabo, in the shape of an Oxes Hide; containing as well Portugal as Spain, Scituated in the most Southern part of the Northern Temperate Zone; so that the longest day exceeds not 15 hours, accounted 760 miles in length, and 600 in bredth.
As for the Original of this People in Relation to their possessing the Country, Authors differ; for some will have them to be of the Progeny of Tubal Son of Japhat, as being the decendants of the Iberij who entred the Kingdom under Pannus: Others that they are derived from the Celtae, a powerful people decended from Alchenaz, who first peopling it, called the whole Country Celtiberia; but more certain it is, that the Phoenicians failing from Tyre, planted Collonies here, and after them the Rhodians; nor did the Carthagenians fail in a manner to subdue it, till being worsted in the second Punick War, it became Tributary to the Romans, who devided it into 3 Provinces, viz. Boetica, Lusitanica and Terraconensis; the …irst of these containing the Kingdoms of Andeluzia and Granata; part of New Castile and Estremadure, Inhabited by the Turdulie Eastward, and by the Celti towards the West; Lusitania contained Portugal, and part of Old and New Castile, and the remaining part was comprehended in Terragon; and again they laid it into two parts, comprehending the two first Provinces in one; and so it remained till the time of Honorius the Emperor, when Gundericus King of the Vandels, broke in and over-run it with a numerous Army, Anno 400; but had not well settled themselves before the Goths Invaded, it and drove the new possessors into Affrica; and in the year 720. under the conduct of Musa and Tarrif, who were invited in by Julian, with a great Army of Moors and Saracens entred warring upon the Goths and after a Battle of seven days became Victorious dividing the Countrey amongst them; so that at last it fell into 12 divisions, viz. Leon Oviedo, Navarre, Corduba, Gallicta, Bisca, Tolledo, Murica, Castile, Portugal, Valentia, Catalonia and Aragon; and so they stand at this day: wherefore I proceed to speak of them in their order and due places.
Leon had heretofore the Name of Austria, and is a very pleasant Country, yielding Mines of precious Mettal, some Gold, Red Lead, and Vermillion, though otherwise not very fruitful, as being some-what Mountainous, yet gives Title to the Eldest Son of Castile, notwithstanding few Towns of note are found in it.
Navarr is a Kingdom of great Antiquity, bounded on the East, with the Pyreenian Mountains, on the West with Iberius, North Biscay, and South Aragon; being a Campaign Country, not subject to Woods, or Inclosures, yet abounds with Trees in the nature of Hedg-rows, considerably fruitful, and has for Its chief Cities, Victoria, Sanguessij, Viana, and Pampelune, Garisoned as the chief defence of the Spaniards, against the Incursions of the French in time of War, who's King, though wanting the Possession, has the Title of that Kingdom, the Revenues whereof has been estimated at One hundred Thousand Duckets.
Corduba, is a very fruitful Province, accounted and judged, (as it is) the richest in all Spain, abounding in Cordivant Skins, Mallago, Sherry, Oranges, Cattle, Fish, Corn, great store of Fowl; and has in it divers fair Cities; as 1st, Corduba the Principal from which it takes its Name. 2d. Xeres. 3d. Sevil. 4th. Granada. 5th. Mallaga. 6th. Almeria. 7th. Guadalcanal, where the rich Mines are found.
Galicia, is a Country very Mountainous, many of which cannot be passed without great difficulty, and others by reason of their Craggyness, held not passible; yet in this Province are found the Cities of Compostella, the Seat of an Arch-Bishop, called St. Jago, in Honour of St. James the Apostle, whom they impute to be buryed here; Bajonna a place very pleasant for its Scituation, and Corronna, or Groynne. This Country is held the Principal in Spain, for the breed of Jennets; and here is found the Promontory Nerius, formerly held to be the Ne plus ultra.
Bisca, makes a Famons Bay into the Ocean, yet many times proves dangerous to Sailers; and although the Country is Mountainous, yet it has many pleasant Valleys, and is adorned with Cities, and Towns of note, as St. Sebastian, Tholosa, Fonterabia, Bilboa, &c. And from the Mountains of this Country, the Rivers that water the greatest part of Spain have their Springs, being accounted no less than One hundred and fifty; and great store of Timber for Shipping is found in those parts, with some Iron Mines, &c.
Toledo, a part of New Castile, takes its name from the principal City, scituate on the banks of Tagus or Taio, exceeding pleasant, and is ordinarily the Residence of the Nobility, and of Merchants that Trade in these Parts; being the See of an Arch-Bishop, who is above the rest of the Bishops of that Kingdom, his Revenue being accounted Three hundred thousand Crowns; and here the Kings of the Goths and Moors held their Courts: there are likewise found the Cities of Calatrava and Talboia, one scituate on the Ava, and the other on the Tagus.
Murica, contains the City Murica, the Town of Alicant, and New Carthage, being a Country very plentiful, though thinly peopled; and hence come the Alicant wines and curious Earthen Vessels, with much fine silks: Nor did the Romans in their Conquest for some time reap a less benefit than Twenty five thousand drams of Silver a week, from this Country only.
Castile Old and New contain the Towns of Soria, Segovia, Valodolid, Salamanca, a University, &c. Madrid the Kings Principal Seat; Alcala and Alcaltura, most of them very pleasantly scituate, as being posited in the heart of the Kingdom of Spain, abounding with Corn, Fruits, and Cattle; and the latter watered with the River Tagus and Ava, which much inrich the Country. As for Portugal it is now a separate Kingdom, wherefore I intend to speak of it in its due place, as more proper in a work of this Nature.
The Principal Rivers appropiated to Spain, are the Tagus or Taio, the Duero or Duerius, the Guiadiana or Anas, which for a good space Ingulfs it self, and runs under ground, giving the Spaniards Occasion to boast, that they have one of the fairest Bridges, in the World, on which Ten thousand Cattle feed, and over which an Army with extended Wings may March; the other Rivers of note are Gualdahquiver, and the Ebro, called by Strabo, Baetis, and Iberus. As fot the Mountains they are distinguished into six great Ridges, continued knit together, whereof the lesser are but parts, the chief of which are the Pyreenians that extend from the Cantabrian▪ Ocean to the Mediterranian Sea.
As for the People of Spain, they are swarthy of Complexion, black-Hair, and of a good Proportion, stately in their Actions, and grave of Deportment, very serious in their Carriage, and Offices, much addicted to Religion, and very Observant and Faithful to their Prince, not prone to alter their Determination, but patient in Adversity, in War they are very Deliberate and Cautious, not much regarding Arts, but adict themselves much to Women, and are generally very much conceited of themselves; As for the Women they carry themselves very sober and discreet, and are tolerably handsome: Those that are marryed are in great Subjection to their Husbands, and extream loving; though the men are naturally Jealous. In matters of Religion, they are Roman Catholicks, only there are some Churches of Toledo, where the Mus-Arabick Office is used. As for the Language, it is not all the same, for in some parts, it has a mixture of French, in others much of the Moorish, and in some again the Gothish Arabick, but generally and vulgarly, the Old Spanish is used, which has much Affinity with the Latin; and as for the Civil and Imperial Laws used amongst them, they are intermixed with many Customs of the Goths, and the King governs his Provinces by Vice-Roys, or Ministers of State; and though this Couutry is not very fruitful in Corn and Cattle, yet it generally abounds in Wines, Oyls, Sugars, Rice, Silk, Liquoras, Honey, Wax, Saffron, Anniseeds, Rosin, Almonds, Oranges, Lemmons, Cakes, Soap, Anchovies, Soda, Barrilla, Shumack, Wool, Lamb-Skins, Tobacco, besides the great Treasures of Gold and Silver that comes from America, from whence it is conjectured since the first discovery, that above Fifteen hundred thirty six Millions of Gold has been brought into Spain.
As for the Buildings, they are every where more solid and durable, than stately and magnificent, unless at Sevil; in Relation to which, the Spaniards usually say, he that has not been at Sevil, has seen no stately Building. As for Apparrel, they affect rather Gravity than Gaudiness; and their Diet is as sparing, consisting for the most part of Herbs, made into Pottage, with minced Meats and Salads; though there is scarcely a Mechanick in any noted Town, but when he goes abroad, has his Cloak on, and his Rapier by his side, and walks in as much State as the greatest Don in the Kingdom.