'Some years travels into divers parts of Africa, and Asia the great. Describing more particularly the empires of Persia and Industan: interwoven with such remarkable occurrences as hapned in those parts during these later times. As also, many other rich and famous kingdoms in the oriental India, with the isles adjacent. Severally relating their religion, language, customs and habit: as also proper observations concerning them.' [‎398] (421/448)

, 9 8
■Terctra is not famotifed for any thing more than for the defence it gave Prior
»oKio the titularv King of Fortmd againft the Spaniard, as may be read at large in
'ellados Treatlfe concerning the Union ofthofe two Crowns. is extraordinary high
land and furges in a peak or fpire like T^r#, fo far above the Clouds as thofe that
fail by find it oft invelloped with foggs, infomnchasthe top is feldom to be difcerned, fo
as its Motto may be, Caput inter mhiU condo: one of the higheft Iflands in the Vv orld
it is reputed • fome fnppofmg that it mounts full five miles into the middle Region. But
of more certainty it is, the circuit ofthelfle is difproportionate to its height •, for it
exceeds not ten miles compals. The higher Earth is for the moft part Sulphur, and fhews
many concave places whereout evaporates fmoak and flame which now and then belch
forth Brimftone. Notvvithftanding, in the Valleys below there are delightful fliades and
chil-cold Rivoletsdnto which when the Fire is vomited, thofe contrary Elements echo their
difcontent, not a little to the terror and amazement offuchas are unacquainted with
thofe rancounters; from this contrariety it is Ifuppofe, the,e Ifles are more fubjeft to
dreadful Earth-quakes than other places. Moft memorable was that about the year 155,1.
in Saint Michael'sIfland Xw/tfof mentions, which endured fhaking from the 26 day
unto the 12 day oCJumft to the extream affrightment of the Inhabitants, efpecially when
bv force thereof they perceived the Earth remove from place to place and
the belt Town it had turn topfie turvy; the Ships alfo that then rode at anchor in the
Bay trembled and quak't •, infomnch as the People verily thought Dooms-day was at hand,
and that the Fabrick of the Univerfe was disjointing. Earthquakes, fays
c 7 Meteor. proceed from watry vapors included within the bowels of the Earth, which
in feekina a pafl'age to its proper element by making a tomultary motion (hakes the Earth;
and 'tis oblerved that thefe concuflions happen oftneft in places within the temperate
Zone, in regard that in cold places exhalations are not fo much increafl: as they be in
hot, where the Vapors are fpent through excefs ofheat; chiefly where the Land is fandy,
out of which exhalations evaporate with eafe: contranly, as here, where the loyl is rocky
and mountainous,many hollow Caves are found ^ which being nil d with Vapors troubles
the fuperficies; and gives not over until it make an irruption. Another Miracle the Spa-
niards report for truth. How that the Ifle Com rofe out of the Sea, till then being far un
der water. That and Flares were difcovered by the Spaniard. But more certain it is that
in the year 88- they had them in fubjedion-, fuch time as the Earl of commanding
her late Maiefties Sea-force, to retaliate the landed in delpight of the Inhabi
tants and exercifed what hoftile Ads he thought needful; So as Flora and were
lackt to purpole ^ S« Adichdcl alio was given the Souldier as free plunde^after the Admiral
had for publick ufe firft fent thence aboard his Ship four hundred thoufand Ducates
and upwards in Plate, befides Merchandize of great value : fo well recruited was that
place, notwithftandingthe Noble Earl of Cumberland had examined it eight years before
when moft of the Weftern Hies fubmitted themjelveslikewife to his mercy. Fay all the year
following felt the EngUjh no lefs fmart upon the Spanifi account, which made the Inhabi
tants execrate the Catholick ambition. In the year 1597* was in like fort fharer in
that quarrel, when Sir Walter Raleigh made the Ille a prey unto the incenfed Englijh, the
Spaniard then not fo able as afterwards to requite what provocation was added further at
Orenoque in the Weft-Indies. I {hall but give this further remembrance, that at S. Michaels
the true Meridian is only found', for there the Needle (hews no variation either Eafterly
or Wefterly, contrary to what is obferved in other places: the reafon is inter Occulta
Natura, gueft at by many, but by none certainly difcovered: albeit, fome conjedure
it is occafioned by the magnetick vertue of the Earth which makes the variation more
or lefs according to the different fcituation of place or diftance from either Continent:
for where there is an equidiftancy, as in the mid-way 'twixt Afric and America, the
Needle is oft-times found to vary leaft, the two Continents equally attrading all along
that Meridian: but undoubtedly it is a fallacious conclufion, feeing the variation is fo
fmall at the Cape of Good Hope and other places contiguous to the African Continent.
Howbeit, the ancient Accounts of the firft Meridian,from whence Cofmographers aflume
their longitude in former Ages, by JPtolomy and others, were placed at the Fortunate
Illands, thole now called Canaria, and Cape Verde-, where is very little variation .• the
reft of the meridional lines are 180; and albeit drawn from N. to S. yet by the lame
Poles are terminated. ^ • 11 j 1
Leaving the the wind being fair and moderate we quickly entredthe Canta-
brian Seas, where- after a little time we were churlilhly entertained by loud winds that
fbon converted to a Storm of thrice four and twenty hours continuance *, during which
we took in our fail and lay a hull, toft fufficiently: but fo good were our Ships that the
great-