Cartographica Neerlandica Map Text for Ortelius Map No. 011


Texts 2 (the first text is translated from the 1588 Spanish, 1589 German, 1592 Latin, 1595 Latin, 1601 Latin, 1602 German, 1602 Spanish, 1603 Latin, 1606 English, 1608/1612 Italian, 1609/1612/1641 Spanish and 1609/1612 Latin edition; the second text from the 1587 French, 1598 Dutch and 1598 French editions)

11.1.{1588S{The New World,
{only 1606E{commonly called
AMERICA}1606E only}

11.2. That this entire Hemisphere or half globe (which is called America, and with regard to its large size The New world) should lie concealed from our ancestors until the year of Christ 1492, at which time Christopher Columbus from Genoa first discovered it, is a matter surpassing the measure of human admiration. For considering on the one hand the diligence of ancient cartographers in describing the World, and the commodious opportunities of most large Empires to search for new Regions, on the other hand the insatiable avarice of mankind, leaving nothing unattempted to attain Gold and Silver, with which these regions abound incredibly, I have often wondered how it could have remained hidden from our World so long. There are some who suppose that this continent was described by Plato under the name Atlantis. {1595L, but not in 1602G{Personally, I think that Plutarchus, speaking of the image of a face on the body of the Moon refers to it under the name of a Main continent}1595L, but not in 1602G}. {1588S, 1589G, 1592L, 1602G, 1602S & 1609/1612/1641S only{and Marinæus Siculus in his Spanish Chronicle that this region in this gold mine an old coin of gold was found, with the image on it of Emperor Augustus which was sent for verification by Mr. Ioannes Rufus, archbishop of Constans, to the Pope}1589G, 1592L, 1602G, 1602S & 1609/1612/1641S only}. Some think that Seneca, in a fit of Poetical fury, predicted the discovery of it in the following Prophetic verses {1606E only{in the very end of the 2nd Act. of Medea:}1606E only}

11.3. Venient annis
11.4. Secula feris, quibus Oceanus
11.5. Vincula rerum laxet & ingens
11.6. <next column> Pateat tellus, Typhisque novos
11.7. Detegat Orbes,
11.8. Nec fit terris ultima Thyle

11.9. {1606E only{which reads in English:
11.10. Long from now the years will come,
11.11. When the Ocean shall dissolve
11.12. Nature's fixed bonds and bars.
11.13. Then huge lands shall appear,
11.14. Typhis shall then detect
11.15. New worlds, nor shall Thyle
11.16. Then restrict the paths of men}1606E only}.
<{1588S, 1589G, 1602G, 1602S, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S give the same translation in their languages}1588S, 1589G, 1602G, 1602S & 1609/1612/1641S}>
11.17. Also those Sibyllin verses which, (as Iacobus Navarchus writes {1588S, 1589G, 1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1602G, 1602S, 1603L, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S{in the year 1505}1588S, 1589G, 1592L, 1595L, 1601L, 1602G, 1602S, 1603L, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S}, were found at the foot of the promontory of the Moon (commonly called Rochan de Sinna) upon the ocean floor, engraved upon a square pillar, in the time of Don Emmanuel, King of Portugal, more or less like this:

11.18. Volventur saxa literis & ordine rectis
11.19. Cùm videas Occidens Orientis opes.
11.20. <next column but not in 1588S, 1592L, 1602G, 1602S & 1608/1612I> Ganges, Indus, Tagus, erit mirabile visu,
11.21. Merces commutabit suas uterque sibi.

11.22. {1606E only{which reads in English:

11.23. The stone with mystical letters shall be rolled
11.24. When West the treasures of the East shall see.
11.25. The Portuguese and Indians (a thing admired)
11.26. Shall transport their merchandise, desired by either part}1606E only}.
<{1588S, 1589G, 1602G, 1602S, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S{have a translation in their languages}1588S, 1589G, 1602G, 1602S, 1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S}>.
11.27. It seems that these verses are not ancient, but written in our times, nor part of Sibylles prophecies, but imitations. I was informed, {1588S, 1592L and later except 1602G{(regarding the second edition of my Theatrum)}1588S, 1592L and later except 1602G} by Cæsar Orlando, a lawyer from Rome, through his letters about some printed works by Gaspar Varrerius, in which I have also read this. And later, I found it confirmed {1601L{by Amil Resende in his Antiquities of Portugal, namely}1601L} that in the time of Don Emmanuel, King of Portugal, a certain Hermes Caiado of that country caused them to be engraved and buried in the earth. And when he suspected that the marble began to deteriorate because of the moisture in the ground, pretending some cause to celebrate, he invited his friends to his country house near where this feigned prophecy lay hidden. When all are set to start eating, in comes his Bailiff with the news that his Labourers have by chance dug up a stone engraved with letters.
11.28. They all run to it immediately, read it, admire it, praise it, and are ready to adore it, &c. See how skilful Caiado was in deluding his friends. {1595L but not in 1602G, 1602S & 1609/1612/1641S{Marinæus Siculus in his Chronicle of Spain writes that an ancient coin was found in some Gold mine with Augustus Cæsar's image on it, and to be quite sure about this, it was sent by {1595L, 1601L, 1603L & 1608/1612I only{Ioannes Rufus}1595L, 1601L, 1603L & 1608/1612I only}, the Archbishop of Constance, to the pope. I think that it was lost there by the same family that first found it}1595L, but not in 1602G, 1602S & 1609/1612/1641S}. {1601L{Iosephus Acosta in his book De Natura novi orbis <about the nature of the new world>, endeavours by many reasons to prove that this part of America was originally inhabited by certain Indians, who were pushed there by tempestuous weather over the South sea, which they now call Mare del Zur <Pacific>.
11.29. But to me it seems more probable, on the basis of the history of the two Zeni, gentlemen of Venice (which I have written about before on the Table <map> of the South Sea, and before that on the map of Scandia) that this New world was reached a long time ago by some islanders from Europe, notably from Groenland, Iceland and Friesland. This because they were much closer to America than the Indians, nor separated (as appears from the Map) by an ocean so huge and so difficult for the Indians to navigate}1601L}. {1601L, 1603L, 1606E & 1608/1612I but not in 1609/1612/1641S{Also, from what else can the word Norumbega, (the name of the Northern region of America) be derived than from Norway, signifying a Northern country, to which a colony has been transferred in former times?}1601L, 1603L, 1606E & 1608/1612I, but not in 1609/1612/1641S}. {1601L{The reasons why I think that the main Ocean was never sailed by the ancient Navigators are given in my book Thesaurus Geographicus when speaking of OPHIR}1601L}.
11.30. This whole part of the world, (except for the Northern tract, of which the coasts have not yet been explored) has in recent times been circumnavigated. From North to South, it stretches in the form of two Peninsulas or Demi-isles, connected by a very narrow Isthmos or neck-land. The Northern part of the two contains New Spain, the province of Mexico, {not in 1602G{the country of Florida and New-found-land}not in 1602G}. The Southern part, (which the Spaniards call Terra firma) contains Peru and Brasil. Those who are studious in Geography may read descriptions of all those regions in Lævinus Apollonius, in {only in 1606E{the Decads of}1606E only} Peter Martyr {not in 1606E{of Milan}not in 1606E} and in Maximilianus Transylvanus, who wrote this all in Latin. {1588S, 1592L and later except 1602G{For our purpose, there are also many useful observations in the Epistles by the Iesuits}1588S, 1592L and later except 1602G}, {1595L, not in 1602G{and in Maffeius history of the Indies}1595L, not in 1602G}. Postellus announces discussions of Atlantic {1606E has instead{West Indies}1606E instead} matters, and so does Fredericus Furius Cæriolanus.

11.31. The authors that follow have all specifically written about America, but all in their native language, for the most part Spanish, but more than half of them have been translated into Italian.

11.32. PETRVS CIECVS LEGIONENSIS,
11.33. GONSALVVS FERNANDVS OVIEDVS,
11.34. {not in 1608/1612I{FERNANDVS CORTESIVS}not in 1608/1612I},
11.35. PETRVS ALVARADVS,
11.36. DIEGVS GODOYVS,
11.37. ALVARES NUNNIVS,
11.38. NUNNIVS GVSMANNVS, <next column in 1588S, 1602G & 1602S:>
11.39. FRANCISCVS VLLAVS,
11.40. FRANCISCVS VASQVEZ,
11.41. ANTONIVS MENDOZA, <next column in 1589G, 1592L, 1595L, 1601L & 1603L:>
11.42. FRATER MARCVS NIZZENSIS,<next column in 1608/1612I:>
11.43. FERNANDVS ALARCHONIVS,
11.44. FRANCISCVS XERESIVS,
11.45. IOANNES VERAZZANVS, <next column in 1588S, 1602G & 1602S:>
11.46. AMERICVS VESPVTIVS,{1608/1612I only{the last two both from Fiorenze}1608/1612I only}
11.47. FRANCISCVS LOPES DE GOMARA,
11.48. HIERONYMVS BENSONIVS, {not in 1588S, 1589G, 1592L, 1595L, 1602G, 1602S & 1609/1612/1641S{in Italian}not in 1588S, 1589G, 1592L, 1595L, 1602G, 1602S & 1609/1612/1641S}.
11.49. IACOBVS CARTIER &
11.50. ANDREAS THEVETVS, wrote in French.
11.51. IOANNES STADENSIS, in Dutch}1588S}.
11.52. {1606E only{Various of these authors, and many that have written since, have been translated into English in the third volume of M. Hakluyt's English voyages}1606E only}.

<The text of the 1587 French, 1598 Dutch and 1598 French editions differ considerably from that given above. For that reason, I present a separate translation below>.

11.53. {1587F{New World.

11.54. That this half of the entire World (which is called America) should lie concealed from our ancestors until the year of Christ 1492, at which time Christopher Columbus first discovered it, is a matter surpassing the measure of human admiration. For considering on the one hand the diligence of ancient cartographers in describing the World, as we see in Ptolemæus, Strabo, Plinius, Mela and others, and the commodious opportunities of most large Empires such as those of the Greek and Romans) to search for new Regions, on the other hand the insatiable avarice of mankind, leaving nothing unattempted to attain Gold, with which these regions abound incredibly, I have often wondered how it could have remained hidden from our World so long.
11.55. There are some who suppose that this continent was described by Plato under the name Atlantis. Some think that Seneca predicted the discovery of it in the following Prophetic verses in his Tragedies

11.56. Long from now the years will come,
11.57. When the Ocean shall dissolve
11.58. Nature's fixed bonds and bars.
11.59. Then huge lands shall appear,
11.60. And we shall then detect
11.61. New worlds, nor shall Iceland
11.62. Then be the end of the World.

11.63. Also those Sibyllin verses which, (as Iacobus Navarchus writes) in the year 1505, were found in Portugal at Rochan de Sinna upon the ocean floor, engraved upon a square pillar, in the time of Don Emmanuel, King of Portugal, more or less like this:

11.64. The stone with perfect letters shall be read
11.65. When West the treasures of the East shall see.
11.66. The Ganges, Indus and Tagus, (a thing admired)
11.67. Shall offer to each other their merchandise.

11.68. {not in 1587F & 1598F{It seems that these verses are not ancient, but written in our times, I was informed about, (regarding the second edition of my Theatrum in Latin) by Cæsar Orlandius, through his letters about some printed works by Gaspar Varrenus, in which I have also read this.
11.69. How in the time of Emmanuel, King of Portugal, a certain Hermes Caradus of that country caused them to be engraved and buried in the earth. And when he expected that the marble began to deteriorate because of the moisture in the ground, pretending some cause to celebrate, he invited his friends to his country house near where this feigned prophecy lay hidden. When all were sitting down, in comes his Bailiff with the news that his Labourers have by chance dug up a stone engraved with some letters.
11.70. They all run to it immediately, read it, admire it, praise it, and are ready to adore it, &c. See how skilful he was in deluding his friends}not in 1587F & 1598F}. Marinæus Siculus writes that in these new lands an ancient coin was found with Augustus' image on it. And to prove that this was true, he said it had been sent to the Pope by Iohannes Rufius, Bishop of Cosentia which should demonstrate that it was known in Augustus' time. I prefer think that it was lost there by some Spaniard who in our own time came there, and that it was thus found back. But let anyone believe what he likes.
11.71. This whole part of the world, (except for the Northern tract, of which the coasts have not yet been explored) has in recent times been circumnavigated. From North to South, it stretches in the form of two Peninsulas, connected by a very narrow neck-land. The Northern part of the two contains New Spain, Florida, New-found-land and some other areas. The Southern part contains Peru and Brasil &c.
11.72. The islands belonging to this America are Spagniola, now called St. Domingo, Cuba and others, of which there are many there. Further the Asores and others near Terra Nova <= New Found-Land>. This entire land, as far as it is known, is under the governance of the King of Spain, except Brazil, which belongs to the King of Portugal, and Terra Nova, which belongs to the French. These lands abound with Gold to such an extent, that it can hardly be believed, and therefore I must adduce here three {1598D has instead{some}1598D instead} pieces of evidence from which it is clear that I speak the truth.
11.73. In the first place because Gemma Frisius on his World map says that in Collao, situated in Peru, there was a house of which the walls and ceiling were entirely made of gold. Also, Girava writes that in a region of Peru called Anzerma the soldiers are armoured from head to toe in golden harnasses, as we do with iron.
11.74. In the same Peru the Spanish, as they have put on record, their horses, which arrived shod with iron, had no choice but to shod them with golden hooves. But this is no wonder, if it is true what Giraua writes, that in Quito there is a mine where more gold than Earth is dug up.
11.75. In summary, these are rich and fertile lands. Among other things they have provided so much sugar to our countries, that now you find it in every kitchen, to be consumed by gluttonous people, whereas in former days it could only be obtained in pharmacies, for the benefit of the sick only. But (which should not be omitted) these lands when the Spanish first came had a total lack of useful animals to assist people, because there were no elephants, camels, horses, mules, asses, or other animals that can carry loads or give milk, except for one animal which the Spanish call the sheep of Peru, which we once saw in Mechelen. It has the size of a donkey and the shape of a camel, but somewhat more reddish}1587F} © Marcel van den Broecke ©.

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