THE THEATRE OF THE WHOLE WORLD : SET FORTH BY THAT Excellent Geographer Abraham Ortelius .

LONDON , Printed by IOHN NORTON , Printer to the Kings most excellent Maiestie in Hebrew , Greeke , and Latine . 1606.

TO THE MOST HIGH , MOST MIGHTY , AND MOST HAPPY PRINCE , IAMES BY THE GRACE OF GOD , KING OF GREAT BRITAINE , FRANCE AND IRELAND , DEFENDER OF THE FAITH , &c. IOHN NORTON HIS MAIESTIES MOST HVMBLE AND FAITHFVLL SERVANT CONSECRATETH THESE IMMORTALL LABOVRS OF ABRAHAM OR TELIVS , TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH .

THe stocke of the ORTELS flourished not long since , and liued in good state and credit at Auspurg in Bayern , ( Augustam vindelicorum , the Latines called it . ) From that family came WILLIAM ORTELL , who about the yere of our Lord 1460 left his natiue country , and seated himselfe in Antwerpe , ( at that time one of the famousest Mart-townes of the world ) where he did many notable things worthily deseruing great commendation : among which that is most memorable , that of his owne proper cost and charges he caused a goodly crosse of free stone to be set vp without the Emperours gate , in that place where the malefactours are vsually woont to be executed and put to death . Beneath this crosse , at the base or foot of the same , stood Mary and Iohn , and beside them , a little farther off , hung the two theeues ; the one vpon the right hand and the other vpon the left , vpon their seuerall gibbets . This William died vpon the seuenth day of Ianuary in the yeere of our Lord God 1511 , and was buried in the cloisters of the Franciscane Friers in Antwerpe , leauing his sonne LEONARD ORTELL sole Executor , and heire , not only of his goods and substance , but also of his vertues and good qualities : For they report that he was a man so deuout and religious , that it was an hard matter to finde him from his booke , serious meditation on heauenly matters . This Leonard maried ANNA HERWAYERS , and by her had issue two daughters , and one some named ABRAHAM , ( whose life we heere purpose to describe ) borne vpon the second day of Aprill , in the yeere of our Lord God 1527. Hee was euen in his child-hood of singular towardnesse , great capacity and passing quicke conceit , and , that which is very strange in youth , hee was neuer giuen to the reading of any trifles or idle vanities . Wherefore his father purposing to make him a scholar , began first himselfe to instruct him priuatly at home in his owne house in the Latine and Greeke tongues : ( For the old man was very learned in both these languages . ) But see how these good purposes were soon crossed by the vntimely death of his most louing and kinde father ! who departing this life , in the yeere of Christ 1535 , left this his sonne to be further informed and taught abroade by strange schoolemasters , whose care and diligence to profit him , whatsoeuer their learning were , was nothing so great and painfull : notwithstanding euen vnder these he made such profit in the Artes and liberall Sciences , that he was not much inferiour to the best of his degree and time : For , as I said before , no vaine pleasure , or trifles , pastimes ( which commonly are the ouerthrow of many yongue men ) could euer with-draw him from his setled purpose , or alienate his minde from his booke . Yet his greatest delight and commendation consisted in the knowledge of the Mathematicall sciences , which for the most part he studied and practised without an instructor , or teacher , atteining , only by his owne paines and industrie , to the great admiration of others , euen to the vnderstanding of the greatest and deepest mysteries of the same . In the thirtieth yeare of his age , hauing many great matters in his head , and loathing to liue idly at home in his owne natiue country , he began to entertaine a conceipt of trauelling into diuers and sundry forreine parts and countries of the world . To Frankford vpon the Main , by reason of the great Marts or Faires , there held at two seuerall times euery yere , he went very often . In the yeere of our Lord 1575 , he went with Iohn Viuian of Valence , a Marchant , but a great louer of learning , and Hierome Scoliers of Antwerp , to Leige , Trier ; Tungren and Mentz : of which iourney and peregrination of theirs , there is at this day a booke of his exstant in print , wherein he hath learnedly described the particulars obserued by them . In the yeere of Christ 1577 , with Immanuël Demetrius of Antwerpe , hee trauelled beyond the Seas , into England and Ireland . Italy , that nource of great wits , that worker of strange woonders , that mother of reuerend antiquities and ancient monuments , hee visited thrise . The third time that he went thither , which was in the yeere 1578 , he went in company of George Houfnayle of Antwerp , who was so excellent a painter that he was greatly esteemed and beloued of the illustrious princes , Albert and William , Dukes of Bayern : of Ferdinand , Duke of Austrich ; yea and of Rudolphus himselfe , at that time Emperour of the Germanes . But this his consort , to the great greefe of his friends and such as loued his singular qualities , left his life at Prage in Bohemia , vpon the thirteenth of Ianuary in the yeere of our Lord , 1600. This man was woorthy of longer life , if the Fates would respect men for their great parts and excellent vertues . But so it is , that Death , like as the sythe in Haruest , cutteth downe , without distinction , aswell the yongue as old . There was nothing either in Germanie or in France , that was woorth the seeing , that this our authour had not seene and viewed with a censorious and iudicious eie . At length , hauing ouercome so many tedious and toilsome trauels , he returned againe to Antwerpe his natiue soile . There and then he began to apply himselfe to benefit succedent ages , to write of those countries by him viewed and seene , to set out in Charts and Mappes diuers places both of Sea and Land vnknowen to former ages , to describe the tracts and coasts of the East and West , South and North neuer spoken of nor touched by Ptolemey , Pliny , Strabo , Mela or any other historiographer whatsoeuer : and lastly to bend all his forces to the framing of that his THEATER , which now is beheld and read with such admiration and applause of all men : in which worke of his he was so generally well liked and approued of all , that Philip the Second , that renowmed King of Spaine , graced him with the honour and title of The Kings Cosmographer . He wrot also his GEOGRAPHICALL TREASVRE , a very learned and pleasant worke , in which the ancient names or appellations , ( yea and oft times the new , by which they are now called and knowen at this day , ) of Mountaines , Hils , Promontories , Woods , Ilands , Hauens , People , Cities , Townes , Villages , Seas , Baies , Creekes , Straights , Riuers , &c. are at one view instantly to be seene . Moreouer , out of ancient coines , for the benefit and delight of such as are louers and studious of antiquities , he set out The HEADS OF THE GODS AND GODDESSES , which afterward were illustrated with an historicall narration or discourse done by Francis Sweert the yonger . In the yeere of Christ 1596 , he set forth THE IMAGE OF THE GOLDEN WORLD , that is , A treatise describing the life , Maners , Customes , Rites and Religion of the ancient Germans , collected and gathered out of diuers and sundry old writers of both languages . By these his labours and trauels he hath gotten and purchased vnto himselfe an immortall name and credit amongst the learned of all sorts . In company he was of an excellent discreete cariage , passing courteous , merry and pleasant . Such was his singular humanity , that it was strange to see how he did winne and retaine the loue and fauour of all men wheresoeuer he became . His enemies he chose rather to ouercome with kindnesse , or to contemne them then to reuenge himselfe of their malice . He did so much hate vice , euen in his owne kindred , that he rather reuerenced vertue in his enemies and strangers . Vaine questions , and subtill disputations of diuinity , or matters of religion , as dangerous and pernicious , hee did alwaies greatly detest and abhorre . A deepe in-sight and sound iudgment in any kinde of matter , he preferred before glosing eloquence and quaint termes . Present aduersity and daungers he alwaies endured with more patience then feare of such as were comming on and neere at hand : and those which were bitter , more easily then such as were doubtfull and vncertaine of euent . He was a man which in his life time did set as little by himselfe as any man could : For he neuer set his minde much vpon the wealth of this world , or ought of those things in the same , hauing alwaies in memory that his learned poesie CONTEMNO ET ORNO , MENTE , MANV , I scorne and trimme , with minde , with hand . For surely this man was led with some heauenly spirit , which did so with-draw his minde from those earthly cogitations , that he neuer tooke any thing in his life more vnkindly then when he was drawne from his bookes , which he alwaies preferred before all other things in the world beside . These great learned men following were his familiar friends , and such as he did greatly loue and reuerence . In Spain Benedictus Arias Montanus , that great linguist and graue Diuine ; and the reuerend father Andrew Schotte , borne in Antwerp , a learned Iesuite . In Italy , Fuluius Vrsinus , Franciscus Superantius , and Iohannes Sambucus . In Germany , Gerard Mercator , that famous Cosmographer , Iames Monaw , Marke Velser , Ioachim Chamberlin , Ionas Grutterus of Antwerp , and Arnold Milius . In France , Petrus Pithoeus , and others . In the Low-countries , Iustus Lipsius , Laeuinus Tormencius , Nicolaus Rockoxius , Cornelius Prunius , Balthasar Robianus , Ludouicus Perezius , Iohannes Brantius a ciuillian , recorder to the state of Antwerp , Iohannes Bochius , secretarie to the same city , Francis Raphalengius , Christopher Plantine , Iohn Moret , Philip Gally , Otho Venius that famous painter , and Francis Sweert the yonger . In England , Humfrey Lloyd , the only learned courtiour of his time , and William Camden , now Clarenceux , the painfull and iudicious antiquary of our land . With all these and many other he was familiarly acquainted . To these he wrot often , and from these he often receiued most kinde and louing letters . He was a great student of antiquities , and searcher out of rare and ancient things . He had at home in his house , Images , Statues , Coines of Gold , Siluer and copper both of the Greeks , Romans and others : Shelfishes brought from India and our Antipodes : Marble of all kinde of colours : Torteises shelles of such wonderfull bignesse , that tenne men , sitting round in a circle , might eate meat out of them at once : Others againe so little and narrow , that they were skarce so bigge as a pinnes head . His Library was so maruellously well stored with all sort of Bookes , that his house might iustly haue beene termed , A shoppe of all manner of good learning , vnto which men flocked from diuers places , like as in former times they did to Plato's Academy , or Aristotle's Lyceum . This Ernest and Albert , returning conquerour from the battaill at Hulsten , with other great Princes , and men of all sorts , came in troops to see and behold . While he was thus busied , and hauing now liued aboue threeskore and eleuen yeeres , he fell sicke in Iune in the yeere of our Lord 1598 , and growing euery day worse and worse , at length , he yeelded to nature and died vpon the 28 day of the same moneth . The Physicians affirmed that he died of an vlcer of the reines , which Hippocrates writeth will hardly euer be cured in old men . He was of stature tall and slender ; the haire of his head and beard was of a yealow colour . His eies were gray , and his forehead broad . He was very courteous and affable . In serious businesses he was very graue and sober , but without any shew of arrogant disdaine : in mirth and iesting he was as pleasant , yet with that moderation , that all was guided by the rules of Christian piety and modesty . This deceased bachelour , Anna Ortell , a virgine his sister , who liued not long after this her brother Abraham , ( for she died in the yeere of Grace 1600 ) caused to be buried and intombed in Saint Michaëls , the Abby of the Praemonstratenses in Antwerp . He might well want the honour of a gorgeous and costly tombe , who by the generall consent of all men , had for his rare and singular vertues deserued an euerlasting fame and reputation . Francis Sweert , the yonger , gathered together the mournefull verses of those poets and friends of his , which did bewaile his death , set them foorth , and dedicated them to the State and citizens of Antwerp . Iustus Lipsius , at the instant request of his heires , and for a perpetuall memoriall of their constant loue and friendship wrote that Epitaph which is in capitall letters ingrauen vpon his tombe .

SEeing , that as I thinke , there is no man , gentle Reader , but knoweth what , and how great profit the knowledge of Histories doth bring to those which are serious students therein ; I doe verily beleeue and perswade myselfe , that there is almost no man , be it that he haue made neuer so little an entrance into the same , and touched them neuer so lightly , that is ignorant how necessary , for the vnderstanding of them aright , the knowledge of GEOGRAPHY is , which , in that respect therefore is of some , and not without iust cause called The eye of History . For thou shalt meet with many things in the reading of Histories , ( I will not say , almost all ) which , except thou haue the knowledge of the countreys and places mentioned in them , cannot onely not bee well conceiued and vnderstood , but also oft-times they are cleane mistaken and otherwise vnderstood then they ought to bee : which thing commeth to passe in many discourses : but especially in the expeditions and voyages of great Kings , Captaines and Emperours : in the diuers and sundry shiftings of Nations from one place to another : and in the traueils and peregrinations of famous men , made into sundry countreys . But seeing that this is a matter which euen experience it selfe doeth teach vs to be true , there is no reason why I should stand long vpon the proofe of the same . This so necessary a knowledge of Geography , as many worthy and learned men haue testified , may very easily be learn'd out of Geographicall Chartes or Mappes . And when we haue acquainted our selues somewhat with the vse of these Tables or Mappes , or haue attained thereby to some reasonable knowledge of Geography , whatsoeuer we shall read , these Chartes being placed , as it were certaine glasses before our eyes , will the longer be kept in memory , and make the deeper impression in vs : by which meanes it commeth to passe , that now we do seeme to perceiue some fruit of that which we haue read . I omit here , that the reading of Histories doeth both seeme to be much more pleasant , and in deed so it is , when the Mappe being layed before our eyes , we may behold things done , or places where they were done , as if they were at this time present and in doing . For how much we are holpen , when as in the Holy Scripture , we read of the iourney of the Israëlites , which they made from Egypt , through the Red sea , and that same huge Wildernesse , into the Land of promise , when as looking vpon the Mappe of Palestina , we doe almost aswell see it as if we were there , I thinke any student in Diuinitie , or that History hath oft made triall . Which things being so , how much those which are students and louers of Histories are combred , hindred and stayd , yea , & many times , euen while they are in their race and continued course , drawne backe , it is an easie matter to conceiue , when either the description of all countreys cannot be gotten , or if they may be gotten , they are dearer then that euery mans money will reach and attaine vnto especially those that are but poore , or none of the wealthiest . For there are many that are much delighted with Geography or Chorography , and especially with Mappes or Tables contayning the plotts and descriptions of Countreys , such as there are many now adayes extant and euery where to be sold : But because that either they haue not that , that should buy them : or if they haue so much as they are worth , yet they will not lay it out , they neglect them , neither do they any way satisfie themselues . Others there are who when they haue that which will buy them , would very willingly lay out the money , were it not that by reason of the narrownesse of the roomes and places , broad and large Mappes cannot so be opened or spread , that euery thing in them may easily and well be seene and discern'd . For , that I may speake that which is the trueth , those great and large Geographicall Maps or Chartes , which are folded or rowl'd vp , are not so commodious : nor , when any thing is peraduenture read in them , so easie to be look'd vpon . And he that will in order hang them all along vpon a wall , had need haue not only a very large & wide house , but euen a Princes gallery or spacious Theater . This I hauing oft made triall of , I began to bethinke my selfe , what meanes might be found to redresse these discommodities , which I haue spoken of , and either to make them somewhat lesse , or , if possibly it might bee , to take them all cleane away . And at length me thought it might be done by that meanes which we haue obserued and set downe in this our booke , to which I earnestly wish that euery student would affoord a place in his Library , amongst the rest of his bookes .

But that thou mayest the better vnderstand , what it is that wee haue done in this our Theater , and what it is that thou must exspect and looke for in the same ; I thinke it not amisse in few wordes briefly here to declare vnto thee . First my purpose was to represent vnto thy view whatsoeuer heretofore thou had'st , or new hast , in any Geographical or Chorographicall Chartes here and there lately or long since set out that euer came to my handes , or were possibly to bee gotten for loue or money . Of all countreys whose descriptions are set out in Geographicall Tables , we haue selected one ( for of some there are diuers ) which in our iudgement seemed to bee the best and most exact : Which , notwithstanding that it were , by the first draught of the Authour somewhat large and broad , we haue brought into that small forme , as might agree with this our worke , and that the whole Mappe might be contein'd in one leafe : or , which sometime thou shalt obserue we haue done , as thou may'st see , that in one leafe many might bee contein'd and expressed : yet so as nothing , no neuer so small a thing , is either omitted or altered that was to bee found in the greater : except it be this , which oftentimes thou shalt finde , that the names of places and other things , which in the first Copies could hardly be read , in these our Mappes we haue so expressed , that they may perfectly be read of any man . And sometime , where occasion did serue , or need require , and the place would permit , vnto the moderne and vsuall names of certaine places , wee haue added the ancient names mentioned by old writers , but now vulgarly vnknowne . Which , as we doubt not , we haue done with the good-leaue and liking of the Authours themselues : so I hope it will be a thing very well pleasing to all such as are readers and students of old Histories and Antiquities . In those Mappes , which haue their Authours names written vpon them , we haue , as I said , altered nothing at all , excepting two or three of the Marine tracts of the Low-countreys , which the Sea hath much changed since the time that their descriptions were first set foorth : As for examples sake , in Flaunders , ouer against Zeland , not farre from the towne Wateruliet , where by the goodnesse and great benefit of Almighty God , long after that the description of this Countrey was first set out , the Maine-land was much enlarged and had gotten an aduantage of the Sea : wee there haue altered the forme of that Mappe , according as the place is found to be at this day . The description of which plot of ground we obteined of Master Marke Laurine , the Lord and owner thereof , a braue gentleman , greatly renowmed both for the noble stocke from whence hee is descended , as also for his wisdome and great experience . But in other Mappes , which had no name of the Authour subscribed vnto them , we were somewhat more bold : for in these , in some places , at our discretion , where we thought good , wee haue altered some-things , some-things we haue put out , and otherwhere , if it seemed to be necessary , we haue put in . Of some Countreys also , that we might , as much as in vs did lye , make vp our iust number and fill vp our ranke , we haue made some Mappes of our owne , that there might as few Mappes be wanting as possibly might be . In the abridgement and bringing of those Mappes , which had as I said the names of the Authours added vnto them into a lesser forme , we haue vsed that faithfulnesse and diligence , that we hope to deserue thankes not onely of the Reader , but also euen of the Authours themselues , or at least we haue dealt so in them , that no man need be asham'd of these of ours whatsoeuer they be ; yea he may aswell acknowledge and take this little one of ours , for his owne , as that greater one first set out by himselfe . For wee haue endeuoured to the vttermost of our power in this our worke , if it were possible , to deserue thankes of the Authours , if not , yet by no meanes to displease them : Not to follow or imitate that bad custome of some men in these our dayes , who , that they may seeme to the world to set foorth some new thing , doe nothing els but alter the workes and labours of other men , and oftentimes , out of those which are good , to select that which is not good , and to sell it commonly for the best : Sometimes by adding something at their pleasure , and in some places againe taking out and detracting something and withall either by concealing the right Authors names , or setting to their owne , or feyning a name of some one or other , they thinke to please the vulgar sort with nouelties , that that their worke may sell the better ; and they may rake money together they care not how : For we were not mooued to vndertake this labour by any couetous desire of getting much by it , but euen of a willing and forward minde that wee had to helpe and further those that had a loue and affection to these studies , not any whit respecting the gayning of any vaine glory and commendation by other mens labours . For what need we to make new Mappes , when as the old Mappes of other men , now extant , would serue our turne ? Some there are peraduenture , which will looke to finde in this our Theater more descriptions of particular Countreys , ( for euery man naturally , for the loue that he beareth to his natiue soile , would , I doubt not , wish that it were here seuerally described amongst the rest : ) but let them know , that those which are here missing , are not left out and omitted , either by our negligence , or for that we were lothe to be at that cost and charges : but because that either we neuer saw any such , or at leastwayes for that there neuer came any such to our hands . If there be any man , which either hath any such , or knoweth where there may be had , him we would earnestly entreate , that he would be the meanes to helpe vs vnto them , assuredly promising him , that we will , at our owne cost and charges , not without great thankes to him , and a most honourable mention of his name , cause them to be cut and imprinted apart and by themselues , that hereafter they may be inserted into this our Booke , either in their owne place , elsewhere , as any man shall like best .

Of the Order also by vs here obserued in the placing of these our Mappes , I thinke it not amisse , gentle Reader , to speake a word or two , and to acquaint thee with our purpose : that if peraduenture there be any man , which doeth thinke that they ought to haue bene placed otherwise , we may either satisfie him , if we may , or els excuse our selues , which is all , I thinke , that can be looked for at our hands . First of all , we present vnto thy view an Vniuersall Mappe of the whole world : Then , the foure quarters or principall parts of the same ; to wit , Europe , Asia , Africa , and America : in this following dame Nature , in which alwayes before the parts can be , the whole , whereof they be the parts , must of necessitie first be . Next after these we haue put the seuerall and particular Countreys of these parts , beginning at the West part of the world , in this following Ptolemey the Prince of Geographers , and almost all others that haue written of this argument : And so the Prouinces and particular countreys of America do first put foorth and shew themselues : next to these do follow the Brittish Iles , after them Spaine , and then France . From hence we passe to Germany : whose Countreys being after our maner diligently surueyed , from Heluetia or Switzerland we passed ouer the Mountaines into Italy , which is the next countrey vnto it Eastward , purposing also to view all the Prouinces thereof seuerally . From thence we crossed the Sea and sayl'd into Greece . Whereupon going into Slauonia , we surueyed all the Countreys seuerally which do vulgarly speake the Slauonian tongue , ( to wit , Hungary , Transsyluania , Polonia , Scandia , and Russia . ) Thus hauing finished Europe , we come vnto the Isthmus or Straight land , which is betweene the head of the Riuer Tanais and the North sea , which is in deed the bound of Europe and Asia : from it we step into Asia . Which , after we haue a while beheld , we left , and so passed into Africa , by the Streights , or narrow piece of the Mainland , which runneth betweene the Bay of Arabia , and the gulfe of Damiata , ( Sirbonis lacus ) made by the ouerflowing of the Midland-sea . From thence passing through Egypt and Barbary wee came vnto the Streights of Gibraltar , which we crossed , and at length came home againe to our owne natiue countrey from whence we first set foote ; like vnto a trauailer or a Pilgrime , which hath viewed and trauailed through many and sundry seuerall Nations and Countreys , passing out of one into another , orderly as they lay and were situate one by another , ouerskipping none , at last returneth safely and ioyfully from whence he first set foorth .

Thus farre of the Mappes themselues : Now let vs speake a word or two of the backside of the same . Because we thought it would be a thing nothing pleasing to the Reader or Beholder , to see the backesides of the leaues altogether bare and empty we determined there to make a certaine briefe and short declaration and Historicall discourse of euery Mappe , in the same maner and order as we said we obserued in the Mappes themselues ; omitting nor concealing any mans name , that we had occasion to vse . Moreouer to these also we haue added a Table of the names of all the Authours , that euer wee knew or had ; out of which , those that are so disposed , may fetch a more ample and larger discourse and description of the seuerall Countreys handled by them . Wherefore the students of Geography shall haue here , in the Authours thus named in order , and in the Catalogue of the Authours of the Geographicall Tables or Mappes , which we haue set before this our worke , and lastly in these Tables themselues , a certaine shoppe , as it were , furnished with all kinde of instruments necessarily required in such like businesse : out of which , if peraduenture there may seeme any thing wanting , in his iudgement , either to the finishing of any Booke of that argument , or more fuller descriptions of any Countreys whatsoeuer , very easily , or in deed without any labour at all he may see , from whence it may by and by be fetched .

These things they are which I thought good to admonish the Reader of . It remaineth now , that wee doe entreate euery man , to take this our labour and entertaine it , with no other minde then it was by vs both begunne and finished , and at length set out and Imprinted . Farewell , and wish well to Francis Hogenberg , Ferdinand , and Ambrose Arsen , by whose skilfull hands and extraordinary great paines and diligence almost all these Mappes were engrauen and cut .