Portugal

Sources from old books

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

PORTVGALL AND ALGARBIA. (Book Portugal)

HItherto wee have described Spaine in generall, now our Method requireth that wee should decipher it in particular and by parts. Wee said in our generall Description,* 1.1 that it was diversly divided. But wee will make a faithfull Description of the parts of Spaine, in such order as it is delineated by Hondius. Hee describeth it in sixe Tables in this order. In the first Portugall is described: in the second Biscay, Guipuscoa, and Legio: in the third the New and Old Castiles: in the fourth Andalusia, in which is the Countrey of Hispalis and Gades: in the fifth is Valentia: and in the sixth is Aragon, and Catalonia. Portugall which offers it selfe in the first place, was anciently called Lusitania, and M. Varro and Plinte doe affirme, that it received this name from Lusus the Sonne of Liber, and Lysa who was drunke with him: for it was called Lusitania, as it were, the Countrey of Lusus. Marcianus thinketh, it was called Lusitania from a River which is now called Tagus. Some suppose it was called Portugall à Portu Gallorum, which is as much to say, as the Frenchmens Haven. But Andraeas Resendius,* 1.2 whose opinion other learned men doe follow, doth observe, that the name of Portugall is derived â Portu Cale. This Countrie, if wee consider the breadth thereof from the South Northward, is greater than Old Lusitania, but if wee consider the length from the West Eastward, it is lesser. Portugall at this day runneth forth Northward, beyond the meeting of the two Rivers Minius and Avia even to the Towne Ribadania, seated on that banke of Avia which looketh toward Gallicia, and a straight line being drawne from thence Eastward, it reacheth even to Miranda, seated upon the River Durius, and from thence toward the South to the Mouth of the River Ana, on that side where it bordereth on Castile, Estremadura, and Andaluzia; on the Northwest it looketh toward the Atlantick Ocean, so that the whole compasse thereof is thought to bee 879 miles.* 1.3 This countrie hath an excellent sweete and temperate Ayre, and a cleere and fruitfull Cli¦mate. It aboundeth with Wine, Oyle, Oranges, Pome-citernes,* 1.4 Almonds, Honey and Waxe. The fruite of this Countrie doth excell that which growes in others neere unto it. And though the Inhabitants have not out of their fields sufficient store of corne, to sustaine them with foode, yet there is much transported thither out of France and Germanie. This Countrie doth breede many living creatures, especially great store of Horses, and those so swift of foote, that they imagin'd them to bee begotten by the winde.* 1.5 The Kingdome of Portugall began about the yeare 1100, for at that time it became a part of Spaine. Chronicles doe mention, that the first of the Line of the Kings of Portugall was Henry Duke of Lotharingia, Earle of Limburg, (a man of a great courage and ready of hand) who removing into Spaine, married Tyresia the Daughter of Alphonsus the sixth King of Castile and Legio, and tooke for a Dowrie that part of Gallicia and Lusitania which is now called Portugall, and which not long before, by his owne valour, hee recovered and got from the Saracens and Moores. Hee dying about the yeare 1112, there succeeded him his Sonne Alphonsus, who calling himselfe Dake of Portugall, was enstiled King thereof by his whole Armie, in the yeare 1139, having obtained a victory against Ismarius, and foure other Kings of the Siracens and Moores, leaving to posteritie five Scutcheons for their Armes, in remembrance of that atchievement. There succeeded him almost in a right line, Sanctius, Alphonsus the 2, Sanctius the 3, Alphonsus the 3, Dionysius who first began to usurpe the title of the King of the s 1.6 Algarbians, also Alphonsus the fourth, Peter, Ferdinand, Iohn, Edward, Alphonsus the fifth surnamed Africanus, Iohn the 2, Emanuel, Iohn the 3, Sebastian slaine in Africk, Henry the Cardinall, and Antonius who because hee was a Bastard was expell'd, Philip the second King of Spaine, Nephew to Emanuel by Isabel his eldest Daughter, and Father to Philip the 3, whose Sonne Philip the 4 doth now reigne. The Metropolis of Portugall is Olisippo, as it is called in the ancient faithfull copies of M. Varro, Pliny, Antoninus, and Mela. For in vulgar writings it is written sometimes Olysippo, and sometimes t 1.7 Vlysippo, and divers other wayes: now it is called Lisbone, or, as the Inhabitants doe pronounce it, Lisboa. It is a great Towne of traffique, abounding with riches, and it is a famous store-house of forraine commodities, which are brought thither out of Asia, Africk, and America. It hath a pleasant and commodious situation almost at the mouth of the River Tagus: it is now very large, being built on five Hils, and as many Vales or descents, but heretofore it was lesse, being seated onely on one hill as some doe report. On that side which is toward the Sea it hath two and twentie Gates, and on that side which is toward the Continent it hath sixteene. It hath threescore and seventeene watch-Towres upon the wals. The Parish-churches are twenty five, besides many Chappels and Churches belonging to the Monkes, the Anachorets, and the Nunnes. The Cities beyond Tagus doe acknowledge Lisbone to be the Mother-citie, as Ebora (called by Ptolemie Ebura, and now commonly Evora) Begia, commonly called Bega or Beia, and heretofore Pax Iulia, by Antoninus and Ptolemie Setubal, heretofore named (as Clusius supposeth) Salacia: Also Alcasar de sal in the Countrie of Algarbia, and Almada, which Ptolemie cals Caetobrix, and Antoninus Caetobriga. Beyond Tagus not farre from Lisbone Northward the Towne of Cascala is seated: and as you come a litle neerer to the Citie you meete with a litle Towne called Bethleem. There are also Leria, Tomar, and Guarda, all Townes of note. Not farre from Tomar lyeth Ceice, which Antoninus calleth Celium: Also Alanguera by the River Tagus, which Damianus à Goes being his owne native Towne thinketh to be so called, quasi Alankerke, (that is) the Temple of the Alanes: It was heretofore called Ierabrica, but now Coimbra, and it was heretofore the head Citie of the Kingdome of Portugall. There is also the Towne Viseum, commonly called Viseo, Plinie calleth it Vacca, but now it is called Ponte Fouga. The third Councell of Toledo doth mention Lameca commonly called Lamego. Lastly Braga which lyeth betweene the Rivers Durius and Minius, it is now so called, though Ptolemie calleth it Bracar Augusta, Antoninus Braccara Augusta, and Plinie Augusta Bracarum. It is reported, that it was built by the Gaules, surnamed Braccati, in the yeare before Christs birth 290, and the Romans having conquered it, gave it the surname of Augusta. It was heretofore so famous, that here were the seven great Assemblies or Parliaments, which were kept and held in the hithermost Spaine, so that foure and twentie Cities, as Plinie reporteth, did bring their suits and causes hither to have them tried.* 1.8 The Rivers of this Countrie are Anas and Guadiana, Tagus or Taio, Mondego or Monda, Durius or Duero, and Minius or Mino: two of these being famous, to wit, Tagus and Durius.) Portugall on the West and South looketh toward the Atlantick Ocean, which,* 1.9 besides fish which it yeeldeth in great abundance, doth afford many other commodities. This Countrey is indebted unto, and receiveth all her plenty from the Sea, which she acknowledgeth, in so much, that it may more worthily be called the golden Sea, than golden flowing Nilus, because by the helpe hereof they have commodities imported and brought in from all parts of the earth, so that it standeth in need of nothing; and againe those commodities wherewith it aboundeth, it exporteth by shipping to traffique with forraine Countries. There is also (besides the Havens which wee mentioned before) the Haven of Setubal,* 1.10 Dubal, or Tubal, which lieth Southward from Olisippo or Lisbone. Heere are few Mountaines, and those not very great, as namely those which the Inhabitants call Sierra de Monchiquo:* 1.11 de Chaldecatao, de Sordedas, called heretofore the Mountaines of the Moone, &c. And these, for the most part, are full of woods and thickets. There are also very great and thick woods, in which the Princes of Spaine are wont to hunt.* 1.12 In the litle Towne of Bethleëm, there is a Temple dedicated to the holy Virgin Mary, and built very costly: also the Monument of Emanuel King of Portugall, whiche hee appointed to bee built in his owne life-time, yet was it afterward enriched and beautified by Iohn the third the Sonne of Emanuel. There are moreover in that part of Portugall which lyeth betweene Tagus & Durius (as Vasaeus writeth) besides the Metropolitan Church of Bracara, the Cathedrall Church in Portugall, and five other Collegiate Churches, more than an hundred and thirty Monasteries, the most of which have most large revenues, and about 1460 Parish-Churches. In that part which belongeth to the Church of Bracara there are reckoned eight hundred Parish-Curches, whereby you may easily collect and know the fertility of this Countrie. I doe not mention the Hospitals for strangers, for the diseased, and for Orphanes,* 1.13 the Towre the faire houses, the pleasant gardens, and Universities which are in this Kingdome, as namely Ebora and u 1.14 Coimbra or Conimbrica; the first was lately instituted by Henry Cardinall of Portugall, and President of the same Citie; the other also was lately instituted by Iohn the second King of Portugall. The Portugals are the strongest of all the Spaniards, the quickest, the most nimble, and light of body, so that they can easily pursue or retire from the enemie. Their disposition is to be proud and selfe-conceited of themselves,* 1.15 and their owne affaires; and they say themselves, that they live by opinion and conceit, that is, they sustaine themselves more with that which they thinke themselves to be, than with that which they truly are.* 1.16 They are skilfull in sea-matters, and are famous for their Navigations to unkowne parts of the world, where they grow rich by trading and merchandizing.

Under Portugall at this time is the Kingdome of Algarbia.* 1.17 It taketh its name from the Arabick tongue, and doth signifie a happie and plentifull Field or Medow, in which are all things necessarie for traffique. A straight line drawne from the River Anas betweene the Rivers which are commonly called Vataon, and Carei-vas to the litle Towne Odeseiza,* 1.18 that is, from the East Westward, doth separate from Portugall this Kingdome of Algarbia, which is the least and unnoted'st Kingdome of all Spaine. There are carried hither out of divers parts of Spaine, downe the River Anas all sorts of Wines, Sacks, Bastards, Roman Wine, and others of the like sorts, which being shipped, are transported into France, the Low-Countries, and other parts. It hath in it the Townes of Balsa, (so called by Ptolemie, Plinie, Antoninus, and Pomponius Mela,* 1.19 but now Tavila, as Coquus supposeth) and Ossonoba, so called by Plinie & Antoninus; it is called also by Pliny Lusturia, by Ptolemy Ossonaba, by Pinetus Gibraleon, by Clusius Exuba, by Varrerius Estombar, as also by Moralis, and it is thought to bee the same which is now called Silvis or Selves. There was also in the same place neere the Holy Promontory the Citie which Pomponius calleth Lacobriga, the ruines whereof are yet to be seene neere the Sea-Towne Lagos, at a Village which is called in the Portugall language Lagoa, as Vasaeus writeth. Algarbia at the first was given in dowry by Alphonsus the 10 King of Legio or Leon, (as ancient Annals doe report) unto Alphonsus the third King of Portugall,* 1.20 when hee married his daughter Beatrice, which hee begate on a whore. Dionysius was derived from this marriage, who first of all began to usurpe the title of King of Algarbia. But thus much shall suffice concerning Portugall & Algarbia, I passe to the other parts of Spaine.