Chronicles (1 of 6): The Description of BritaineHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles (1 of 6): The Description of Britaine
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603
Furthermore, whereas our describers of the earth haue made
it such in their descriptions, as hath reached litle or nothing into
the peaceable sea without the Antartike circle: it is now found by
Theuet and others, that it extendeth it selfe northwards into that
trace, by no small number of leagues, euen in maner to the Equator, in
so much that the westerlie part thereof from America, is supposed to
reach northward so far from the Antartike article, as Africa dooth
southwards from the tropike of Cancer, which is no small portion of
ground; & I maruell why not obserued by such as heretofore haue
written of the same. But they excuse themselues by the ingratitude of
the Portingals and Spaniards, who haue of purpose concealed manie
things found out in their trauell, least they should séeme to open a
gap by dooing otherwise, for strangers to enter into their conquests.
As for those Ilands also which lie in the peaceable sea, scattered
here and there, as Iaua the greater, the lesser Sumatra, Iapan,
Burneo, &c: with a number of other, I refer them still unto Asia, as
before, so as they be without the compasse of 90. degrees eastward
from the line of longitude, & not aboue 180. as I doo the Ile of S.
Laurence, and a number of other vnto Africa within the said
proportion, wishing so little alteration as I may: and yet not
yeelding vnto any confusion, whereby the truth of the diuision should
hereafter be impeached.
And whereas by Virgil (speaking of our Iland) saith;
Et penitùs toto diuisos orbe Britannos,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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