Texts: 2 (the first translation is from the 1570 Latin, 1571 Latin, 1573 Latin and 1575 Latin edition; the second translation comes from the 1571/1573 Dutch, the 1572/1573 German and the 1572/1574 French edition)
6.1. {1570L{ASIA
6.2. Asia separates itself from Europe through the river Tanais, and by a straight line drawn from the source of that river to the Bay of St. Nicolas {1571L & 1573L have instead{Granduicum}1571L & 1573L instead} in the Northern Ocean; but from Africa by the small piece of land or Isthmos between the Arab Gulf and the Mediterranean sea. The remainder of the continent is surrounded by the Ocean and by other seas.
6.3. The ancient geographers have divided it in various manners. But presently it may not be unreasonable to say that it is distributed over five parts, according to the great Empires by which it is governed. The first of these borders on Europe, and is subject to the great Duke of Moscovia, is bounded by the Frozen Sea, the river Ob, lake Kitaia, and a line drawn from there to the Caspian sea, and by the Isthmus, or stretch of land between the Caspian and the Black sea. The second one is that which yields obedience to the great Cham, Emperor of the Tartars, whose southern borders are the Caspian sea, the river Iaxartes, and mount Imaus; on the East and North it is bordered by the ocean, and westward it is bound by the dominions of the great Duke of Russia just mentioned. The third part, the area of the Ottomans contains whatever regions are situated within the reach of the Black sea, the Ægæan sea (now called Archipelago) the Mediterranean sea, the land of Egypt, the Arabian and Persian seas, the river Tigris, the Caspian sea, and the Isthmos or stretch of land between it and the Black sea. Under the fourth shall be comprised the Kingdom of Persia, now governed by the Sophies;
6.4. Westwards, it has the Turks, with whom the Persians mostly maintain continual warfare; northwards the Empire of the great Cham; eastwards it extends almost to the river Indus; and on the South it is restrained by the sea, at present called Indicum, but in former times Mare Rubrum, or Red Sea. Now, the fifth part takes up all that remains, which, in the past as well as in the present is called The Indies; it is neither governed by one King, as are the former, but by many petty Kings, almost every region having its particular Governor, some of whom are tributaries to the great Cham. And it is not to be omitted that all the sea coasts from the Arab gulf to the promontory of China, commonly called Cabo de Lampo, situated at 30 degrees of Northern Latitude, are in a way owned, or made tributaries, to the Portuguese.
6.5. Strabo has described Asia in six books, namely from book 11 onwards. Ptolemæus has described the same in his three books 5, 6 and 7, and likewise in 12 Geographical Maps, and he attributes 40 provinces to it. From the modern writers nobody has described all of it. Mr. Paulus Venetus, Lewes of Barthema, and Sr. Iohn Mandeville, (but this last author is full of fables) have written much about it as they found worthy of observation by travelling through the area. Read also the Epistle of Iacobus Navarca, a Jesuit.
6.6. I myself have likewise published a large Map describing Asia three years ago.}1570L}
<Since the texts of 1571/1573D, 1572/1573G & 1572/1574F are quite different from the one given above, a separate translation of these texts is given below>
6.9. {1571D{Asia.
6.10. In all writers this part of the world, next to Europa, has been very famous because of the Persian, Medan, Assyrian, and Babylonian Monarchs. And most importantly, a lot has been written about it in the Holy Script, since the Human Race was first created there, betrayed by the Devil and fallen, and resurrected by Jesus Christ. In summary, the entire history related in the Old Testament took place in this part of the World.
6.11. The ancient writers have divided this continent into many different parts, but nowadays it seems appropriate to divide it into five parts after the five Empires or Rulers which are the main ones. The first of which, adjacent to Europe, belongs to the Duke of Moscovy, confined by the Northern sea, the river Ob, lake Kytaia, and a line drawn from there to the Caspian sea, and the Isthmus or narrow piece of land which is found between this Caspian sea and Mar Maiore.
6.12. The second Empire is that ruled by the Great Cam, which borders to the first one on its West; in the South on the river Chesel, Mount Imaus and from there (described roughly) by a line going to the sea near Cabo de Lampo; in the East and the North it is bordered by the sea.
6.13. The third Empire is that held in tyranny by the Great Turk. It is located between Mar Magiore, the Archipelago, the Mediterranean, Egypt, the Red Sea, the Sea of the Persians, the river Tigris, the Caspian Sea, and the narrow piece of land between this Caspian Sea and Mar Magiore.
6.14. The fourth Empire is the Empire of the Persians, ruled by the Sophis, which in the West borders on the Turkish Empire just mentioned, in the North on the Empire of the Great Cam, in the East it extends nearly to the river Indus, and in the South on the Indian Sea.
6.15. The fifth part comprises the remainder, which is now known and has been known before as India. But this part is not governed by one ruler, as the others are, but by numerous different rulers, because each specific country here has its own specific lord, some of whom pay tribute to the Great Cam.
6.16. Also, it should not be forgotten that all ports or harbours and fortifications which border the sea from the Red Sea all the way to Cabo de Lampo (which you can find thirty degrees North of the Equator), are in the possession of the King of Portugal, or pay tribute to him.
6.17. To this continent of Asia also belong many large and rich Islands, among which are included, (going from West to East), excepting Cypers and Rhodes, which are situated in the Mediterranean, these are most noteworthy: Zeylan, which produces the best Cinnamon, Samotra, Java the large and the small one, Borneo, Celebes, Palohan, Mindanao, Gilolo and the Molucquen yielding cloves, and Japan, which will be described in detail, as also New Guinea, which, because it has not yet been explored, is not known to be an island or a part of of the continent of Magellanica}1571D} © Marcel van den Broecke ©.