but vpon reason: for thei surely thought that all thinges well done, muste
niedes be profitable to mannes life. To punishe the offendours, and to
helpe the oppressed, thoughte thei the best waie to auoide mischiefes. But
to buye of the punishmente for money or fauour, that thought thei to be the
very confusion of the commune welfare. Wherefore thei chase out of the
chief cities (as Heliopole, Memphis, and Thebes) the worthiest men, to be
as Lordes chief Iustice, or Presidentes of Iudgementes, so that their
Iustice benche did sieme to giue place, neither to the Areopagites of the
Athenienses, ne yet to the Senate of the Lacedemonians that many a daie
after theim ware instituted. Aftre what tyme these chief Iustices ware
assembled (thirtie in nombre) thei chase out one that was Chauncellour of
the whole: and when he failed, the citie appoincted another in his place.
All these had their liuynges of the kyng: but the Chauncellour more
honorably then the rest. He bare alwaie about his necke a tablette, hangyng
on a chaine of golde, and sette full of sundrie precious stones, whiche
thei called Veritie and Truthe. The courte beyng set and begunne, and the
tablet of Truthe by the Chauncellour laied furthe, and theight bookes of
their lawes (for so many had thei) brought furth into the middes emong
them: it was the maner for the plaintife to putte into writyng the whole
circumstance of his case, and the maner of the wrong doone vnto him, or how
muche he estemed himself to be endamaged thereby. And a time was giuen to
the defendant to write answere again to euery poinct, and either to deny
that he did it, or elles to alledge that he rightfully did it, or elles to
abate the estimate of the damage or wrong. Then had thei another daie
appointed, to saie finally for them selues. At the whiche daie when the
parties on bothe sides ware herd, and the iudges had conferred their
opinions, the Chauncellour of the Iudges gaue sentence by pointyng with the
tablet of Veritie, toward the parte that semed to be true. This was the
maner of their iudgementes.
And forasmuche as we are fallen into mencion of their iudgementes, it shall
not be vnfyttyng with myne enterprise, to write also the aunciente Lawes of
the Egiptians, that it maie be knowen how muche they passe, bothe in ordre
of thynges, and profite.
Fyrst to be periured was headyng: for they thought it a double offence. One
in regarde of conscience not kept toward God, and an other in gyuynge
occasion to destroy credite among men, whiche is the chiefest bonde of
their felowship. If any wayfarying man shuld espy a man sette vppon with
thieues, or otherwyse to be wronged, and dyd not to his power succour and
ayde hym, he was gyltie of death. If he ware not able to succour and to
reskewe hym, then was he bounde to vtter the thieues, and to prosecute the
matter to enditement. And he that so dyd not, was punyshed with a certayne
nombre of stripes, and was kept thre days without meate. He that shuld
accuse any man wrongfully, if he fortuned afterward to be broughte into
iudgement, he suffered the punishement ordeyned for false accusers. All the
Egyptians ware compelled to brynge euery man their names to the chiefe
Iustices, and the facultie or science wherby they liued. In the which
behalfe if any man lyed, or lyued with vnlaufull meanes, he felle into
penalitie of death. If any man willyngly had slaine any man free or bond,
the lawes condemned hym to die, not regardynge the state of the man, but
the malicious pourpose of the diede. Wherby they made men afrayd to doe
mischief, and death beynge executed for the death of a bondman, the free
myght goe in more sauftie. For the fathers that slewe their chyldren, there
was no punyshement of death appoynted, but an iniunction that they shoulde
stande thre daies and thre nyghtes togither at the graue of the deade,
accompanied with a common warde of the people to see the thyng done.
Neyther dyd it sieme them iuste, that he that gaue life to the childe,
should lose his life for the childes death, but rather be put to continual
sorowe, and to be pyned with the repentance of the diede, that other myght
ther by the withdrawen from the like wyckednes. But for the chyld that
kylled either father or mother, they deuised this kynd of synguler torment.
They thruste hym through with riedes sharpned for the nones, in euery ioynt
all ouer his body, and caused hym quicke to be throwen vpon a heape of
Thornes, and so to bee burned. Iudgyng that there could not be a greater
wickednes emong men, then to take awaie the life, from one that had giuen
life vnto hym. If any woman with child ware condempned to dye, thei abode
the tyme of her deliueraunce nowithstandyng: for that thei iudged it farre
from all equitie, that the gilteles should dye together with the giltie. Or
that ii. should be punished, where but one had offended. Who so had in
battaille or warre, withdrawen hymself from his bande, forsaken his place
in the arraie, or not obeied his capitaigne: was not condempned to dye, but
suffred for his punishemente a notable reproche, of all punishementes the
woorste, and more greuous then death. Who so had disclosed any secret to
the ennemie, the Lawe commaunded his tongue to be cutte out of his heade.
And who so clipped the coigne or countrefacted it, or chaunged the stampe
or diminisshed the weighte: or in lettres and writinges, shoulde adde any
thing, by entrelinyng, or otherwise: or should guelde out any thyng, or
bryng a forged euidence, Obligacion or Bille, bothe his handes ware cutte
of. That suche parte of the bodie as had offended, mighte for euer beare
the punishemente therof: and the residue takyng warnyng by his ensample,
might shonne the like.
There ware also sharpe punishementes constitute, in offences concernyng
women. For he that had defloured a free woman, had his membres cutte of,
because in one offence, he had committed thre no small wickednesses. That
is to saie, wrong, made the woman an whore, and broughte in a doubte the
laufulnes of her issue. But thei that ware taken in adulterie, bothe partes
byeng agreed, the man was whipped with a thousand stripes by tale: and the
woman had her nose cut of, wherwith beside the shame she had, the whole
beautie of her face was disgraced, and disfigured.
The Lawes that apperteigned to the trade and occupieng of men, one with
another: ware made (as thei saie) by one Bocchorides. It is commaunded in
them, that if money haue bene lent any manne without writyng, vppon credite
of his woorde: if the borrower deny it, he should be put to his othe, to
the whiche the creditour muste stande. For thei so muche estiemed an othe,
that thei thoughte no man so wicked, as wilfully to abuse it. And again,
because he that was noted to sweare very often, lost vtterly his credite,
and name: many menne affirme, that for the regard of their honesties, it
happened very seldome, that any man came to his othe. Their Lawe maker
also, iudging that vertue was the engendrer of credite, thought it good by
good ordres to accustome men to good liuyng and honestie, vpon feare to
sieme vnworthie of all reputacion. He thought it also to be against
conscience, that he that without an othe had borowed, should not nowe for
his own, be beleued with an othe. The forfect for non paiment of the lone,
mought not bee aboue the double of the somme that was borowed. And paiement
was made onely of the goodes of the borower, the body was not arrestable.
For the Lawemaker thought it conueniente, that onely the gooddes should bee
subdite to the debte, and the bodies (whose seruice was required bothe in
peace and in warre) subiecte to the citie. It was not thoughte to bee
Iustice, that the manne of warre, whiche hasardeth his bodie for the
sauftie of his countrie, should for an enterest of lone, bee throwen into
prisone. The whiche lawe, Solon siemeth to haue translated to the
Athenienses, vndre the name of the lawe Sisarea, decreyng that the body of
no citezein, should for any maner of enterest be emprisoned.
[Footnote: It may interest readers to see how much the knowledge of Africa
had extended in 150 years. Cluverius, in his "Introductio in Geographiam."
1659, says:--
_Summa Africa descriptio_.
Asiæ exiguo Isthmo annectitur maxima Orbis terrarum peninsula Africa, tria
millia et triginta circiter mill German. ambitu complectens. Isthmi
intercapedo est mill. xxv. Pleraque Africæ inculta, et aut arenis
sterilibus obducta, aut ob sitim coeli terrarumque deserta sunt, aut
infestantur multo ac malefico genere animalium; in universum vasta est
magis quam frequens. Quædam tamen partes eximie fertiles. Græcis Libya
dicitur, à Libya Epaphi filii Iovis filia: Africam autem ab Afro Libys
Herculis filio dictam volunt. Maria eam cingunt, qua Sol oritur Rubrum, qua
medius dies Æthiopicum, qua occidit Sol Atlanticum; ab Septemtrionibus
Internum, Africum seu Libycum dictum, qua eam alluit. Longitudo summa
computatur ab Herculis freto ad promontorium Bonæ Spei mill. DCC. Latitudo
inter duo promontoria, Hesperium, vulgo _C. Verde_, et Aromata, quod est
juxta fauces Arabici sinus, vulgo nunc _Coarda fui_, mill. DL. Terra ipsa,
nisi qua interno mari accedit, obscure veteribus nota. Vltra autem Nili
fontes ac montes Lunæ prorsus incognita.
Regiones atque gentes in quas divisa fuit quondam, sunt, Ægyptus,
Cyrenaïca, Africa Minor, seu proprie dicta, Troglodytæ, Garamantes,
Numidia, Mauritania, Gaetulia, Libya interior, Arabia Troglodytica et
Æthiopia.
CAP. II.
_Ægyptus_.
Prima Africæ Asiæque proxima est Ægyptus, quam veteres Geographi in Asiæ
regionibus computarunt. At posteriores, Arabico sinu, vt ante dictum, inter
Asiam Africamque termino constituto, Africæ eam contribuerunt.
Nomen traxit ab Ægypto Danai fratre; ante Aëria dicta. Terminatur à
Septemtrione suo mari, id est, Ægyptio, ab Ortu Arabia Petræa et dicto
sinu; a Meridie Æthiopia, ab Occasu Cyrenaïca. Longa est a Pelusíaco Nilí
ostio ad Catabathmum opidum milliar. CL. Lata à Nili ostiis, ad opidum
Metacompsum Nilo adpositum, nunc _Conzo_, mill. c.
Divisa fuit generatim in Superiorem, quæ in Meridiem vergit, et Inferiorem,
quæ mari interno alluitur. Superiorem rursus Nilus dividebat in Libycam,
qua Occidentem, et Arabicam, qua Orientem spectat. Hinc populi Arabægyptii,
illinc Libyægyptii, dicti. Inferioris pars est Marcotis, sive Marmarica,
vltima versus Occidentem Cyrenaïcæ contermina. Speciatim vero universa
Ægyptus in complures præfecturas descripta erat, quas Græco vocabulo Nomos
vocarunt.
_De urbibus Ægypti_.
Ægyptus super ceteram antiquitatis gloriam, viginti millia urbium sibi
Amase regnante habitata quondam prætulit; postea quoque sub Romano imperio
multis, etiamsi ignobilibus, frequens.
Clarissima omnium fuit Alexandria, caput Ægypti totiusque Africæ, post
deletam Carthaginem prima; ab Alexandro Magno condita; postea in tantam
aucta multitudinem atque frequentiam, uti uni tantum Romæ cederet. Secunda
ab hac Diospolis, sive Thebae cognomine Ægyptiæ; quas centum portas
habuisse ferunt; sive, at alii ajunt, centum aulas, totidem olim Principum
domos; solitasque singulas, ubi negotium exegerat, ducenos armatos milites
effundere. Deinde Memphis, regia quondam: juxta quam pyramides, regum
sepulchra. Turres sunt fastigiatæ, ultra celsitudinem omnnem, quæ fieri
manu possit; itaque mensuram umbrarum egressæ, nullas habent umbras, regum
pecuniæ otiosa ac stulta ostentatio. Reliquæ urbes sunt, Syene, Sais,
Bubastis, Elephantis, Tentyris, Arsinoe et Abydus, Memnonis olim regia;
postea Osiris fano inclyta: et Arabiæ contermina, claritatis magnæ
Heliopolis, id est, Solis urbs. In Marmarica vicus fuit Apis, nobilis
religione Ægypti locus. Fuit et Labyrinthus nullo addito ligno
exædificatus, domos mille et regias duodecim perpetuo parietis ambitu
amplexus, marmore exstructus et tectus, unum in se descensum habens, intus
pene innumerabiles vias, multis ambagibus huc et illuc remeantibus.
CAP. III.
_De incolis Ægypti ac Nilo flumine; item de Libya exteriore_.
Ipsi Ægyptii, hominum vetustissimos se prædicantes, cum Scythis de gentis
antiquitate olim contenderunt. Antiquissimos esse post Syros, vel ipsa
sacra Scriptura attestatur. Disciplinarum complurium inventores rerumque
divinarum ac siderum peritissimi dicti sunt, quare ad eos Dædalus,
Melampus, Pythagoras, Homerus et alii complures eruditionis causa profecti.
Sub regibus esse jam inde ab initio rerum consueverunt, modo suis, modo
Æthiopibus; dein Persis ac Macedonibus; moxque iterum suis, donec Romani,
Augusto debellante, in provinciam redegerunt Ægyptum. Post hoc Saraceni eam
occuparunt: quibus successit Sultanorum inclytum nomen, ex Circassis
Tartarorum gente ortum. Postremi Turcæ ann. M DXVI invaserunt, qui etiam
nunc tenent.
_Nilus_.
Sed de Nilo hoc loco pauca quædam retulisse haud abs re fuerit. Terra ipsa
Ægyptus expers imbrium mire tamen fertilis, et hominum aliorumque
perfoecunda generatrix. Nilus id efficit, amnium in internum mare
permeantium maximus. Hic in Africæ desertis, montibus Lunæ ortus, haud
statim Nilus est, et primum ingentem lacum Nilidem, qui nunc _Zaire_ et
_Zembre_ dicitur, CXX. milliar. German. permeans, cum diu simplex sævusque
receptis dextera magnis aquis descendit, Astapus cognominatus, quod
Æthiopum lingua significat aquam è tenebris profluentem, circa Meroen,
Insularum, quas innumeras lateque patentes spargit, clarissimam, lævo alveo
Astabores dictus est, hoc est, ramus aquæ venientis è tenebris; dextero
veto Astusapes, quod latentis significationem adjicit, nec ante, quam ubi
rursum coit, Nilua dictus est. Inde partim asper, partimnavigia patiens;
mox præcipiti cursu progressus, inter occursantes scopulos non fluere
immenso fragore creditur, sed ruere. Postea lenis, et fractis aquis
domitaque violentia, et spatio fessus, tandem ad [Greek: Delta] opidum per
omnem Ægyptum vagus et dispersus, septem ingentibus ostiis in mare Ægytium
se evomit. Bis in anno, certis diebus auctu magno per totam spatiatus
Ægyptum, foecundus innatat terris. Causas hujus incrementi varias
prodidere; sed maxime probabiles duas: Etefiarum eo tempore ex adverso
flantium repercussum, ultro in ora acto mari: aut imbres Æthiopiæ æstivos,
iisdem Etesiis nubila illò ferentibus ex reliquo orbe. Idem amnis unus
omnium nullas expirat auras.
_Libya exterior_.
Cæterum à tergo Ægypti versus Meridiem, juxta sinistram Nili ripam, Libya
est exterior ad Æthiopiam extensa: nunc est _Elfocat_ desertum et _Gaoga_.
CAP. IV.
_Cyrenaïca, Africa Minor, Libyæ deserta, Troglodytæ et Garmantes_.
Ægypto annexa est Cyrenaïca regio, Ammonis oraculo maxime clara, nuunc
Barchanæ provinciæ dimidia pars Orientalis, eadem Pentapolitana dicta, à
quinque insignium urbium numero, quæ Berænice, Arsinoe, Ptolemais,
Apollonia, et ipsa Cyrene, unde regioni nomen. Græci hanc condiderunt, ex
Thera insula. Ægæi maris profecti. Ipsi Cyrenenses privata sorte inter
Ægyptios ac Poenos diu egerunt; dein cum Carthaginiensibus de agrorum
finibus magnum ac diuturnum bellum gesserunt. Mox Carthagine deleta, et
ipsi cum reliqua Africa Romano Imperio cesserunt. Posthinc solum eorum
Sultanis, tandem Turcis.
_Africa Minor_.
Sequitur Africa Minor sive proprie dicta. Terminatur à Septemtrione Africo
pelago, ab Ortu sinu magnæ Syrtis, à Meridie montium perpetuis jugis;
quibus à Libyæ desertis et Gætulis discernitur; ab Occasu Tusca amne.
Continet hodie Tunetanum regnum.
Fluvii in ea clari Cinyphus, Triton, Tritonidem paludem trahens: Catada, ad
Carthaginem se devolvens, et Bagradas omnium maximas ad Vticam, ac
Tuscaterminus Africæ Minoris.
Populorum varia nomina. Clarissimi Nasamones, extra Africam propriam etiam
Cyrenaïcæ et Marmaricæ contermini; quos antea Mesammones Græci
adpellaverunt, ab argumento loci, medios inter arenas sitos, et ab his
sublati Psylli, quorum corpori ingenitum fuit virus exitiale serpentibus,
ut cujus odore vel fugarent vel sopirent eas: et supra Carthaginem
Libyphoenices, iidem et Poeni à Phoenice Tyro profecti, Duce Eliza sive
Didone, quæ Carthaginem condidit.
Vrbium celeberrimæ Lepris magna, quæ et Neapolis, Abrotonum, Taphræ, Capsa,
Thysdrus, Thapsus, Leptis parva, Rhuspina, Adrumetum, Clupea, Turres,
Vthina et Carthago, Romæ æmula, terrarum cupida, opulentissima quondam
totius Africæ, antequam Romani tribus bellis devictam deleverunt. Vtica
Catonis, qui inde Vticensis, morte nobilis.
_Libya deserta, Troglodytæ et Garamantes_.
Ab Africæ minoris tergo versus Austrum Libyæ deserta fuerunt; ultraque
Troglodytæ, nunc _Berdoa_ desertum. Hos tegit ab Austro Ater mons, et trans
eum Garamantes populi clari, nunc _Borno_ regnum. Caput gentis fuit Garama,
quam hodieque eodem nomine exstare tradunt. Debris inclyta affuso fonte,
cujus aquæ ex coelesti quidem vertigine mutant qualitatem, at controversa
siderum disciplina; quidpe qui friget calore, calet frigore; à medio
scilicet die ad noctem mediam aquis ferventibus, totidemque horis ad medium
diem rigentíbus.
Cæterum et Troglodytas et Garmantas olim Romanorum arma superaverunt.
CAP. V.
_Numidia et Mauritania_.
_Numidia_.
A Tusca amne usque ad Ampsagam fluvium litori Africo praetenditur Numidia,
Masinissæ Regis nomine maxime clara, nunc Tremisenum regnum eodem
porrigitur situ. Gens ipsa Numidae, ante Nomades à Græcis adpellati, à
permutandis pabulis, mapalia sua plaustris circumferentes, ut nunc
Tattarorum fert mos.
Fluviorum celeberrimus est Rubricatus. Vrbes quam plurimæ, nobilesque; sed
Cirtha eminens; Sittianorum, postquam Romani tenuere, colonia dicta:
quondam Iubæ et Syphacis domus, cum foret opulentissima. Dein sequuntur
Cullu, Ruscicade, Bulla regia, Tacatua, Hippo regius, Sicca, Tabrachæ: Hanc
quoque regionem debellatam in provinciæ formam redegerunt Romani.
_Mauritania_.
Vltima ad Occasum est Mauritania; in qua praecipua gens Maurorum, unde
nomen regioni. Hos Graeci Maurusios dixerunt. Terminantur à Meridie Atlante
minori, quo submoventur à Gaetulis: qui et ipsi postea oppressis et
exstinctis Maurusiis Mauritaniae majorem partem occuparunt: ab Occasu est
Oceanus Atlanticus, à Septemtrione fretum Herculis et mare internum; Ab
Ortu primo Mulucham habuit flumen, quod Mauros à Numidis discernebat; at
quum ea Numidiae pars, quae est inter Ampsagam et Mulucham, Mauritaniae
adjiceretur, finis huic constitutus est Ampsaga. Continet hodie tria regna:
Darense, Fezense et Maurocitanum. Dividebatur autem olim Malva flumine in
Caesariensem quae Numidiam contingit, et Tingitanam quae Oceano
perfunditur. Regna fuere ad C. Caesarem usque Imperatorem, qui in duas
divisit provincias.
_Cæsariensis_.
Caesariensis provincia, quam nunc totam _Dara_ regnum obsidet, antea Bocchi
regnum adpellata fuit. Partem tamen inter Malvam et Mulucham Massaesylornm
gens tenuit. Caput provinciae Iulia Caesarea, aliquando ignobilis, cum Iol
esset; postea quia Iubae regia, illustris facta. Reliqua opida sunt
Cartenna, Saldae, Opidum novum, Rusazus, Ruscurium, Rusconia, Tipasa,
Tubusuptus et Tucca, impositum mari ac flumini Ampsagae.
_Tingitana_.
Tingitana provincia, quam nunc duo regna _Fez_ et _Morocco_ occupant, ab
urbe Tingi, quae nunc vulgo _Tanger_, cognomen accepit, ante Bogudiana
dicta à Rege Bogud. Opida in ea, Tingi modo dictum, caput provinciae, ab
Anteeo conditum; Iulia Constantia, Zilis, Volubilia et Lixus, vel
fabulosissime ab antiquis narrata. Ibi quidpe regia Antaei, certamenque cum
Hercule, et Hesperidum horti.
CAP. VI.
_Gætuli, Atlas mons, Libya interior et Æthiopia_.
_Gætuli_.
A tergo Mauritaniarum Africaeque Minoris Gaetulorum gens, et ipsa quoque
Romanorum armis debellata, longe lateque incoluit, quidpe quae hodie
occupat quicquid terrarum à _Lempta_ opido ad Oceanum usque, spatio mill.
Germanicorum CCCL protenditur. Hoc spatio nunc est _Biledulgerit_
provinciae major pars, ubi _Targa_ regnum, et quatuor deserta, _Lempta,
Zuenziga, Zanhaga, Hair_.
_Atlas Mons_.
Gaetulos à Meridie claudit mons Atlas, totius Africae vel fabulosissimus. E
mediis hunc arenis in coelum usque attolli prodiderunt celebrati auctores,
asperum, squalentem, qua vergat ad litora Oceani, cui cognomen imposuit:
eundem opacum nemorosumque, et scatebris fontium riguum; qua spectat
Africam, fructibus omnium generum sponte ita subnascentibus, ut nunqnam
satietas voluptatibus desit. Incolarum neminem interdiu cerni: silere omnia
haud alio quam solitudinum horrore. Eundemque noctibus micare crebris
ignibus, Ægipanum Satyrorumque lascivia impleri, tibiarum ac fistulae cantu
tympanorumque et cymbalorum sonitu strepere.
_Libya interior_.
Vltra Atlantem Libya est interior ad Nigrum usque flumen, vastarum
solitudinum, nunc desertum _Sarra_ dicta.
_Æthiopia et Troglodytica_.
Iam vero quicquid ultra Nigrum flumen est et Ægyptum, versus utrumque mare
Atlanticum Rubrumque, Æthiopes tenuerunt, gens omnium Africae terrae
amplissima, extra Africam à vetustissimis Geographorum posita. Ab Æthiope
Vulcani filio cognominati; vel, ut alii, ab nigro vultus corporisque
colore; [Greek: aithops] quidpe significat nigrum.
Divisa fuit Æthiopia in varia Æthiopum genera; quorum Ptolemaeus innumera
tradit nomina. At clarissimi omnium fuere Nigritae; à Nigro flumine dicti;
et Nubiorum gens magna, unde hodieque vastissima regio dicitur _Nubia_. Ea
autem Æthiopiae pars quae Nilo utrimque adjacet, Æthiopia dicitur sub
Ægypto; atque in ea ad Nili paludes seu lacus Cinnamomifera regio. At totum
sinus Arabici laevum larus Arabes tenuere Troglodytae, unde regio ipsa
Troglodytica.
CAP. VII.
_De incolis universæ Africæ novaque ejus descriptione; ac primum de Ægypto_
Qvinam mortales Ægyptum antiquitus incoluerint, ante dictum set. Reliqua
Africae versus Occasum mari adjacentia tenuerunt populi commemorati.
Advenae autem primi fuere Phoenicum coloni aliique ex Asia atque Ægypto
profecti. Postea paruit Romanis; mox Græcis Imperatoribus totum hoc
terrarum spatium. Deinde Vandalis, Saracenis, Arabibus. Nunc partem tenet
Turca, partem Serifus, quem vocant; partem reges alii, partem denique
Hispaniarum Rex.
At Æthiopes à suo solo neque recesserunt, neque in id alios colonos
receperunt; id longinquitas effecit regionis immensaeque intercedentium
desertorum vastitates.
Sed enarrata Africae antiquitate, res postulat, uti novam etiam ejus
descriptionem subjiciamus.
Dividitur nunc universa in septem potissimum partes sive regiones, quarum
nomina sunt haec: Ægyptus, _Barbaria, Biledulgerid, Sarra_ desertum,
Nigritæ, Æthiopia Interior, sive Superior, quod Abissinorum imperium, et
Æthiopia Exterior sive Inferior.
_Ægyptus_.
Ægypti (quam Turca obtinet) caput nunc est Cairum, vulgo _Alcair_,
Chaldaeis Alchabyr, urbs magnitudine stupenda, Emporium celeberrimum,
Circassiorum Ægypti Sultanoram quondam regia. Prope est _Materea_ hortus
balsami fructibus consitus, quod uni terrae Iudaeae quondam concessum,
hodie nisi in hoc loco, nusquam colitur.
Vltra Nilum pyramides visuntur stupendae altitudinis, ut ante memoravimus.
Secunda claritate à Cairo est Alexandria, splendida quondam atque
opulentissima civitas, nunc crebris bellis destructa atque concisa,
celeberrimum Christianis mercatoribus praebet emporium. Nobile exinde est
cum arce opidum _Raschitt_, quod Europaei _Rosettam_ vocant. _Damiata_,
olim Pelusium, Ptolemaei Geographi incunabulis insigne est.
CAP. VIII.
_Barbaria_.
Ægypto continuatur nobilissima totius Africae regio Barbaria; in sex partes
divisa, quarum una est provincia Barcana, quinque reliquae sunt regna,
Tunetanum, Tremisenum, Fessanum, Maurocanum et Darense.
_Barcana regio_.
Inter Ægyptum et Tunetanum regnum litori praetenditor Barcana regio, à
Barce antiqua urbe cognominata, soli asperitate pariter ac siccitate
sterilis.
_Regnum Tunetanum_.