A New Description of the World, Section 1 · Account of region 3
A Description of the Kingdom of Portugal.
THIS Kingdom was in the time of the Roman Conquests accounted a Province of Spain, but since, been a Kingdom of about Five hundred years standing, bounded on the North, with the River Minio, and Ava, which parts it from Gallicia; on the East with the two Castles, and Estremadure; on the South, with Algarve; and on the West, with the Atlantick Ocean; and was anciently called Lusitania, deriving its present Name from Porto, a Haven Town, scituate in the mouth of the River Dueras, the usual Landing place of the Gauls; and thence corruptly called Portugal, or the Gauls Port; and is accounted to be in length, from North to South, about Six score Leagues, running along the Sea-Coast; and consequently, not answerable in breadth, in which it disproportions, as in some places Twenty five, some Thirty, and in other Fifty Leagues.
This Kingdom, especially of late years, has made its self famously known throughout the World, by its Discoveries, and Trafficks, in Navigation; so that no Trading part of the Universe, has escaped its Knowledge. As for the Provinces attributed to Portugal, they are principally Six, which are as many General Governments, Inter-Dueras, and Minho, Tralos-Montes, Beyra, Estremadure, Aleuteio, and the Kingdom of Algarue; and of these, Inter-Dueras, and Minho, are the most noted, as being exceeding Fruitful, and well Peopled, that for Eighteen Leagues in length, and Twelve in bredth, it possesses One hundred and thirty Monasteries, One Thousand four hundred and sixty Parishes, Five Thousand Fountains, or Springs of Water, Two hundred Stone-Bridges, and Six Sea Ports: The chief City in these Parts, is Porto, called by the English Port à Port, from its delightful Scituation, and the Advantage of the Commodities of the Country, there in abundance found; this place contains Four thousand Houses, and is much traded to by divers Nations; the next to this is Braga, famed for the many Councils held there.
Tralos Montes, is a part of this Kingdom, stored with Rich Mines, and in it is found the City of Braganca, the Capital of the Dukedom of that Title, besides which there are Towns of lesser note, and the Princes who are derived from this Title usually reside at Villa-Viciosa, being now in Possession of the Crown; and had before their coming to it, a Prerogative, beyond the Grandees of Spain, to sit in publick under the Royal Canopie of the Spanish Kings; Beyra another part of this Kingdom is exceeding fertile, producing store of Millet, Rye, Apples, Chestnuts, Catle, Corn, &c. And in it is scituate the Famous City of Coimbra, noted for its University, and the See of a Bishop, &c. Estremadure abounds in Wines, Oyls, Salt, and Honey, gathered from Citron Flowers; and in it is seated Lisbon the Principal City of the Kingdom, upon five little rising Hills; on the Right bank of the River Tagus, or Taio, and Arch-Bishops See, the usual Residence of the Kings of Portugal, and a City of great Trade, having the Advantage of the Ebing and Flowing of the Sea, as being but Five Miles from it, held to contain Thirty two Parishes, Three hundred fifty Streets, Eleven thousand Houses, and One hundred sixty thousand Inhabitants; the Compas computed to be near Seven Miles accounting the Subburbs, and was once the greatest Emporium of Europe. Santarim, a place much in Request for the abundance of Olives, that grow about it; insomuch, that the Natives boast, but how truly, I know not, that they could make a River, as big as the Tagus of their Oyl: Setuba, an other Town in this Tract, is accommodated with one of the best Havens in the Kingdom, being no less than Thirty Miles long, and Three broad, abounding with Salt-Pits, and Wine, which bring a great Revenue into the Kings Coffers. Alenteio, extreamly abounds with Corn, insomuch, that it is held to be the Grainery of the Kingdom, and has in it the City of Elvara, the second to that of Lisbon, near which, the Portuguez won a considerable Victory against the Spaniards in 1663. And next this, Elvas claims Place, for the many Sieges it has held out against the Spaniard, and the plenty of Oyls the Neighbourhoods produce, &c. Ourique is the place, near to which was fought the Famous Battle, which occasioned the proclaiming the King of Portugal of the House of Braganca, Portelegar, is a Bishops See. Algarve, though little in extent, has the Title of a Kingdom, and was re-united to the Crown by the Marriage of Alphonse the Third, with Beatrice of Castile, abounding in Eggs, Almonds, Olives, Wines, Corn. Cattle, &c. And for the Chief Towns, they are Tavila, Faro, Silves, and Lagos.
The Natives of this Kingdom, are very frugal, yet live in much plenty, the Earth producing every where abundance: Nor did their Navigation in former days, less conduce to their Support and Grandeur; being held the first Europeans that publickly Trafficked into the remote parts of the World, to bring it to any considerable Perfection. The People are generally straight Limbed, and well proportioned, very soft skinned, but somewhat inclined to swarthiness, by reason of the heat in those parts; the Air is very healthy, and the Country for the most part Hilly, though few of note.
The Roman Catholick Religion, is only publickly professed. There are three Arch-Bishopricks, viz. at Lisbon, Braga, and Elvora; and Ten Bishopricks. They have Parliaments as occasion requires it, held at Lisbon and Porto, and Twenty seven places have their Generalities; and the Revenues of the Kingdom is held to be about Ten Millions of Livers, not accounting their Collonies in the East-Indies: And although Portugal was seized on by the King of Spain, after the fatal Battle of Alcazar in Affrick, and the Death of King Henry, who Succeeded Sabastian, slain by the Moors; it revolted in the year, 1640. And is governed by a King of its own, as a separate Kingdom from Spain, and thus much for Portugal,