Baleares

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

Baleares, Islands of the Mediterranean Sea, near the Coast of Valencia in Spain, known now by the Names of Majorca and Minorca. The first, which is towards the East, is 120 Miles in circuit; its principal Towns in old time were Palma and Pollentia, now Majorca and Puglienza. The other is less by the half. This Name is derived from the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies to Dart or Throw, because the Inhabitants of these Islands were very expert at the Dart and Sling. Florus says, they accustomed their Children to these Exercises from their very Infancy, and that a Child was not to have his Breakfast untill he did beat it down from some high Place where the Mother put it. They lived in Dens under Ground, and wore Skins, as a Defence from Cold in Winter, and in Summer they went quite naked. They used to rub themselves all over with an Ointment made of a certain Gum and Hogs Grease; they did not know what Gold or Silver was; they were very greedy of Wine, though they had none in their Island. As for their Women, when they Married, they lay first with all their own Kindred, before they came to Bed to their Husbands. When they listed themselves for the Army, they required no other Pay but Women and Wine, and did freely give four Men in exchange for one Woman. They did not burn their Dead, but beat their Bodies to pieces with Sticks, and put them into Urns, which they cover'd with Stones. When they went to the War, they carried no other Arms but a Dart and three Slings, whereof they carried one in their Hand, hung another about their Necks, and girded themselves with the third. Pliny, in his 8th Book, Chap. 55. says, that in former times there was such a prodigious Number of Rabbits in this Island, that the Inhabitants were forced to beg Help of Augustus to clear their Land of them. Alphonsus of Aragon made himself Master of these Islands in 1344, and killed his Kinsman, who was Sovereign of it, in Battle. Mariana.