MERCATORS Geographicall Historie , fitly Emblematiz'd by the Sunne , hath with refulgent rayes illuminated the Transmarine World . But now rising up in our Criticall Horizon , it feares the Eclipse of Envie , and therefore desires your worthy and learned Patronage , that being free'd from such interposing shaddowes , it may shine forth as the Meridian Sunne . Your great , and good Fame , inviting and encouraging strangers to boldnesse , is my Apologie for this Dedication . For since the world is so much obliged to your Vertue , Learning , and upright Integrity , it will appeare a iust gratitude to devote this Cosmographicall World to so favorable a Moecenas . The Translator in the performance , and Dedication , is enforced to ayme at an inferior Object ; and to descend beneath his owne descent and Birth , which improved in the Vniversitie of Oxford , flattered him with hope of a kinder Fortune . But modest ingenuitie permits not a larger Character of himselfe , and the Brevitie of few words is most intelligible to the judicious . The worke in the Originall was written by a famous learned Cosmographer , and a great light of his time Mercator , whose labours are here humbly presented , & his ashes sleeping in their Vrne ( if they could be sensible of joy ) would rejoyce in so worthie a Patron . Let the Authors , and your owne worthinesse mitigate my presumption , that J whose life hath beene all Tristia , have presumed to offer up the whole World at so high an Altar . Pardon this double Ambition , and be pleased to accept this Sacrifice , from the hand of the most humble Sacrificer ,

IT is an Argument of worthinesse , to love worth in others , and vertue you know consisteth in action ; so that Gentlemen should be alwayes doing some worthy deede , or patronizing that which is done . If you therefore consider the worthinesse of the Author or Worke , you will joyne your helping hands to support Atlas groaning under the burthen of the world . Mercator drew these Descriptions of the Integrall parts of the World in Latine , but now they are drawne forth in English colours , which are but changeable accidents , for the reall substance of Mercators World remaineth the same in that manner as he fashioned it . But of late with great care , cost , and fidelitie , these Descriptions have beene converted into English with new additions and much enlarged , that the benefit thereof might have a larger extent , for bonum quò communius eò melius , Good becomes better when it is communicable to all . And besides , seeing personall travells in these tempestuous times , cannot be attempted with any safety , here you may in the quiet shade of your Studdies travell at home . If therefore a worke that is Bonum , utile & jucundum , good , profitable , and pleasant , may deserve your favour , TO Hic labor , hoc opus est , this is it . So that as Alexander grieved that there was but one World for him to conquer , so you will be sorry that there was but one World for Mercator to describe . Enjoy therefore that which is both good in it selfe , and was undertaken for your good , and benefit . Valete .

THat many sollid and urgent reasons did enduce them , who among the liberall Disciplines which without controversie are very profitable to mans life , doe give the first place to the noble Art of Geographie , they shall best know and discerne , who shall consider both the excellencie , and pleasure , as also the incredible profit of this Art . For , as concerning the dignitie and excellencie thereof , it doth not intreate of meane matters of small moment , as brute beasts , the fruits of the Earth , pretious stones , mettalls , and other workes of nature , the handling whereof no reasonable man will contemne ; but it presenteth to our sight the whole Globe of the Earth as it were in a Mirrour or Looking-glasse , and doth shew the beautie and ornaments of the whole Fabricke of the world , and containeth all things in her ample and spacious bosome , and like the vaste Sea , it doth not onely open and lay forth the hidden and remote Islands , but also all other Countries . To omit the neere affinitie which this noble Science hath with Astronomie , which mounting above the earth doth contemplate the Heavens .

Moreover , if men as often as they heare some relation of this or that Country , of any strange unknowne people , or of any rare and unusuall Creature , or of the continuall burning of the Mountaine Aetna , also of divers Islands lying here and there in the great Ocean , and also of Salvage Nations , some whereof goe naked without cloathes , others feede on mans flesh , and the like matters ; or doe reade the wonderfull histories of the East and West Indies , ( in which there are many things which doe rather seeme fabulous than true ) doe apprehend them with such great admiration , and give such earnest attention thereunto , out of the desire which they have to heare such novelties ; how much more may the curious Readers delight in this worke , which , as we said before , doth containe and represent the whole Globe of the Earth , with all the Countries , Kingdomes , Dominions , Woods , Mountaines , Valleys , Rivers , Lakes , People , Citties and innumerable Townes thereof , with the Seas flowing about it : all which any one may here view on dry land , without endangering his body or goods ; and in this travell his friends shall not be sollicitous or take care for him in his absence , or earnestly desire his returne . Besides , in this peregrination or travell he shall want no delight that may drive away the tediousnesse of the journey ; for while he fixeth his eyes on severall Countries and places , he shall straight way behold the speciall gifts and peculiar excellencie of every Country , and observe a wonderfull variety therein , which are very delightfull to the mind , for as the Proverbe saith , A good merry companion is as a Coach upon the way .

But they shall chiefely discerne the great and manifold benefits of this Art of Geography , who in their eye-travell , and viewing of severall Countryes , shall consider the scituation and disposition of Countries ; the Customes , observations , lawes , and manners of the Inhabitants , and shall afterwards traffique , and send commodities to severall places , or resolve to study the liberall Arts ; seeing no Poet , nor Historian can be well read with profit , nor be conveniently expounded or declared by any Interpreter or Commentator , without the helpe and knowledge of this most Noble Science . I omit here to mention how absurd and unfit it is , that he who hath no skill nor knowledge in these matters , should give his opinion and judgement in the publicke assembly or councell of the Common-wealth , when consultation is held about the discovery of some unknowne Country , or in time of warre concerning the bounds and confines of any Province .

But Princes and Noble men ought chiefely to bestow great paines in studdying this most excellent Art , in regard it may be very usefull unto them in undertaking journies and voyages when occasion requireth , as also at home for fortifying the Frontiers of their owne Territories , or the directing and conducting of any warlike expedition . For that irrecoverable dangers have ensued when an army hath beene led through places unknowne both to the souldiers and Captaine , both Livy and many other Historiographers have abundantly testified by cleere and manifest examples .

And moreover , as it is very necessary , profitable and pleasant to know all Countries , Kingdomes , Dominions , and Provinces , with their scituation , disposition , and qualities ; so in like manner the severall Seas , Rivers , Lakes , and memorable waters thereof , ought to be considered exactly in these times , when voyages are so frequently made , unto knowne and unknowne Countries , so that not any one will continually reside at home , and abstaine from making discoveries both by Sea and Land . So that Polidore Virgils complaint is now vaine , who in the fifteenth chapter of the third Booke concerning the Invention of Matters , doth condemne mankind of too much rashnesse , and madnesse , in regard he cannot bridle his affections and desires with reason : and though God hath given him the Earth , being a firme and immovable element , abundantly producing all things necessary and convenient for mans life , yet he being not content therewith , hath made a Scrutiny and search into the starres , the heavens , and the vaste Seas . To the same purpose Horace sung formerly , in his first Booke , and third Ode : He had a heart of Oake or Brasse , Who did lanch forth a brittle ship , to passe At first through the rough Seas , And did not feare , when he set forth The Affrick wind striving with the North wind , &c.

And a little after in the same place : No sort of death he sure did feare That saw the Monsters swimming there , And could behold them with drye eyes With the swelling Sea and rockes which in it lyes .

And afterward he addeth ; In vaine did God divide the land from the unsociable Seas , If impious ships can sayle unto forbidden Ports when they doe please . But mankind bold still to adventure doth on forbidden mischiefe enter &c.

And hereunto Propertius in his third Booke doth allude , in that Elegie wherein he be wayleth Petus his Shipwracke , where he singeth thus : Goe crooked shippes , of death the fatall cause , Which on himselfe man with his owne hand drawes ▪ Vnto the earth , wee added have the Seas , That the miseries of misfortunes may increase .

And a little after : Nature to ensnare the covetous man , Doth let him sayle upon the Ocean .

But these reasons are not able to discourage any one , but rather to quicken their industry , greedily to take any occasion to know , view and discover divers Countries both neerehand and remote ; partly by undertaking long voyages : and those that cannot conveniently travell , may gather the knowledge of all Countries out of Bookes and exact descriptions . And truely that studdy is irreproveable , so that it ought rather to be accounted laudible , profitable , pleasant and necessary . For Strabo in the first Book of his Geography saith rightly , that man ought to live on the Sea as well as on the land , and that God made him equally an Inhabitant and Lord thereof Therefore they deserve great praise , who have laboured in this Art , as Abraham Or●elius , Daniel Cellarius , Anthony Maginus , Paul Merula , Peter Bertius and others : but especially that most learned Mathematician Gerard Mercator , although he were prevented by death , so that he could not finish his Geographicall worke , intituled Atlas . But Iodocus Hondy did supply this defect , adding not onely those Tables which were wanting to make the worke perfect , but also accurate descriptions thereof , by the labour and studdy of Peter Montane . This worke we doe publish againe in this new Edition , being accurately reuised , and purged from many grosse errours ; and the studious Reader shall finde that the enlargement of this Booke is not to be contemn'd , being set forth with divers additions , and some new Tables added , as he may see in the descriptions of England , Ireland , Spaine , Friesland , Groonland , Vltrajectum , and other Countries , that shall compare this Edition with the former . Therefore Curteous Reader , enjoy these our new labours , favour them , and Farewell .

PTolomie and we in this booke , doe make the Longitude to be a segment of the Aequator , or Aequinoctiall Circle , comprehended with the Meridian of that place , and the Meridian of the Fortunate Islands : for from these Islands the beginning of Longitude is taken .

Some doe not begin the Longitude from the Fortunate Islands ( which are now called the Canaries ) but from the Flandrian Islands , which are now called the Azores , because the needle of the compasse doth point there directly toward the North. But the superficies of the Globe contayneth in Longitude 360 degrees .

The Latitude is the Arch or Segment of any place betweene the Aequinoctiall and Parralell which is drawne through the verticall point of the same place , and it is alwayes to the elevation of the Pole .

Latitude is twofold , either Northerne , or Southerne , and there are reckoned from the Aequinoctiall to either Pole 90 degrees of Latitude .

We have noted the degrees of Longitude and Latitude on the sides of all the Tables , and for the most part , the degrees of Latitude on the toppe and bottome , and of Longitude on the right and left hand , except when some Country is to be described that is more extended betweene the South and North.

The severall degrees both of Longitude and Latitude , according to the capacitie of the place , are sometimes divided into 60 , sometimes into 〈…〉 . parts , which are called minutes , and we have noted the degrees with greater Arithmeticall figures , and the minutes with lesser for difference sake .

If one would finde out the Longitude and Latitude of any place , where the Meridian Parralells are , by taking with a paire of compasses the distance thereof from the side of the Table , and afterward by applying the compasses to the other side . If thou takest the distance from the East side , the compasses being turned from that side to the North side , will shew the degree and minute of Longitude . If thou hast the distance from the North-side , turne thy compasses from thence to the East side , and it will shew the Latitude . But if the Meridians be not Parralells , the Latitude of a place is found in the same manner , but in the Vniversall Tables where the Parralells are circular , the distance of a place being taken from the next side , will shew the same on the East side . But the Longitude is to bee taken with a thred or Ruler , layd upon the place and turned untill it doe point out on the Northerne and Southerne side , the same minute of the same degree , and wheresoever it be , that is the Longitude of the place .

WE have added scales of Miles to all the Tables , by which thou mayst easily finde out the distance of all places in this mannner .

Take a paire of Compasses , and open them untill the 2 feete doe touch the extreame points of the places given , then appy them without any alteration to the scale of miles , and the numerall figures noted thereon will give the distance .

But if the Distance of places doth exceede the length of the Scale , then with thy compasses thou shalt take the length of the Scale , and thou shalt turne the Compasses from one place to another , as farre as the distance of places will permit , and then reckon the miles together . But because the length of miles in all Countryes is unknowne , thou shalt more certainely take the distance of places with thy Compasses , and apply the Compasses without variation to the degrees of Latitude , which will give the true distance , by multiplying them by the Miles of the knowne Country .

But the Miles doe differ much in divers Countries , and therefore I will here insert their difference in the chief Countryes .

The first figures directing to the Descriptions , The second to the Mappes .