Sardinia

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

SARDINIA. (Book Sardinia) SARDINIA was so named from Sardus the Sonne of Hercules. Timaeus called it Sandaliotin, because it resembleth the shape of a shooe-soale. Mirsilus and Chrysippus called it Icha•sa, because it is like the soale of the foote. Which Manilius intimateth when hee saith.

Sardiniam in Lybico signant vestigia plantae.

It is now called Sardegna. On the East the Tyrrhene Sea doth beate upon it, on the South the Affricke, on the West the Sardian; on the North the Sea that floweth betweene it and Corsica. This Iland hath an ungentle ayre: and therefore Q. F. doth admonish M. Cicero to have a care of his health, and to remember that although hee were now in health, yet hee was in Sardinia: and in his Epistles hee saith that one Tigellius a Sardinian was a man more pestilent and contagious than his Country. All the Iland aboundeth with fruite, Wheate, Wine, Mines of Silver, Cattell, and all things necessary. There are such store of Horses, that many runne wilde, and have no owners; they are lesser than ours, but full of mettall, strong and nimble. It affoordeth much Hunting, so that the Country people doe live onely by it. For this Country hath abundance of Boares, Harts, Does, and another kinde of Beast which they call Muflo, which we have described before in the description of Corsica. But Sardinia hath no Wolves, nor any other harmefull beast, nor Serpent, and therefore Silius saith.

Serpentum tellus pura, ac viduata Veneno,Sed tristis coelo, ac multa vitiata palude. This Country is from poysond Serpents free,But many noysome Marshes in it bee.

But the Soligunda in Sardinia is as offensive and hurtfull as Serpents are in other Countries. It is a little creature like a Spider. L.S. calleth it Solifuga, because it shunneth the day-light. It liveth much in the Silver Mines, for this soyle is very rich in Silver Oare. It creepeth closely along, and if any one sitt upon it unawares, it infecteth him. There is also a strange Sardinian Hearb, which Pausanias saith, is like unto Parsly: which if it bee eaten, it doth contract and draw together the Visage and mouth, so that they dye as it were laughing. Strabo writeth that the Spaniards make poison of it, which being drunke, doth dispatch them without any paine, and hence grew the Proverb Sardonius risus, or the Sardinian laughter. The chiefe Citty of Sardinia is Calaris, commonly called Cagler. It is situate on a Mountaine neere the Sea, looking toward Affrick, and it hath a faire Haven. This Citty is adorned with many priviledges: it createth Con••l•▪ who have power to punish delinquents without authority from the King: and it hath power with the peoples consent to make new lawes. In this Citty the reliuqes of S. Augustine were kept, untill Heliprandus King of the Langbards did translate them to Papia. In this Citty the viceroy of Sardinia resideth, together with many Barons, Earles, and divers rich men. Mela and Pliny doe make mention of the Citty Sulchitana. There are now also the Citties Oristagnum, which is a Metropolitan Citty, situate on a Plaine, not farre from the Sea. It was heretofore called the Country of trees, but now it is called the Marquiship of Oristagnum. There is also the Citty Sassaris which hath a pleasant soyle watered with many Springs, & abounding with divers sorts of fruites, but it is weakely fortified. Algher is a new small Citty, but yet populous and strong, and adorned with many faire aedifices and buildings: the inhabitants whereof are almost all Tarraconians. Sardinia hath also other Citties, and Townes, which for brevitie sake wee omit. It hath many pleasant Rivers which are not deepe, so that in sommer time you may passe over the bards. There are many Magistrates in Sardinia. The chiefe is the Viceroy, who hath al the Kings authority: and according to their ancient lawes none but a Spaniard can beare this office. The King doth assigne and appoint him one assistant, who is Doctor of both Lawes, whom they call there the Regent. Moreover hee hath other Counsellors, who dispose and order all matters, and this Court is called the Kings audience. Heretofore it was a priviledge of the Kingdome that no man could beare this office longer than three yeres, and then another succeedeth in his place. But now one continueth in that office as long as the King pleaseth. Concerning the manners and dispositions of the Sadinians: they are strong of body, and inured to labour, except it be some few who are given to effeminacy and wantonesse. Many of them doe keepe Cattell, and are contented with poore fare and water. Those that dwell in the Townes and Villages, doe live peaceably and quietly together. They love strangers, and doe use them kindly. They live from hand to mouth, and goe in a poore habbit. And which is strange, there is not one Artificer in all the Iland, that can make either Swords, Daggers or other weapons, so that they fetch them out of Spaine and Italy. Mercator mentioneth these Bishops. The Archbishop Claritanensis, under whom are these Bishops, Sulcitanus or Sulciensis, Doliensis, Suellensis. The Archbishop Turitanus, under whome are these Bishops, Sorrensis, Plotanensis, Ampuriensis, Gifacensis, or Girardensis, Castrensis, Othanensis, or Othricensis, Bosanensis, or Bossa. The Archbishop Alborensis, under whom are the Bishops of Vssellensis. S. Iustia, Terra Alba, Civitatensis, and Gastelliensis are excepted.

1682. Cosmography and geography in two parts by Richard Blome.

The Island of SARDINIA; or SARDAGNE, is seated not far from Sicily; it is in length about 150 miles, and 90 in breadth; not so fertil as Sicily, yet it abounds in Corn and Cattle, but is deficient in Oil, and other Commodities. It is now subject to the Spaniard, and is divided into two parts, viz. Cape Logodori, and Cape Cagliari; Its chief places are, 1. Cagliari, seated opposite to Africa, having a commodious Haven, which makes it to be well frequented by Merchants. The City is adorned with goodly Buildings, fair Temples, and magnificent Turrets, being the Seat of the Spanish Vice-Roy, as also the See of an Archbishop. 2. Bosa, likewise the See of an Archbishop. 3. Oristagni, and 4. Sassary, both places of good account. Its People are of a mean Stature, are very great Hunters, great Pains-takers, no lovers of the Spaniards, not much addicted to Learning, and in matters of Religion not over strict.