A description of the island and city of Candia by E.G., Serjeant at Arms. E. G., Serjeant at Arms. 1668 Approx. 11 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-IV TIFF page image. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A41360 Wing G10 ESTC R11426 13791629 ocm 13791629 101855 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A41360) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 101855) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 454:32) A description of the island and city of Candia by E.G., Serjeant at Arms. E. G., Serjeant at Arms. 1 sheet ([1] p.) : map. Sold by John Overton at the White Horse in Little Britain ..., [London?] : 1668. Caption title. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Crete (Greece) -- Description and travel. Hērakleion (Greece) -- Description and travel. Broadsides -- England -- London -- 17th century 2006-10 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2006-10 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-11 Jonathan Blaney Sampled and proofread 2006-11 Jonathan Blaney Text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLAND AND CITY OF CANDIA . By E. G. Serjeant at Arms. This Table sheweth wheareabout and how this Iland Candia lyeth betwixt Europe & Asia and the Venetian & Turke THE Commonweal of Venice , for the Greatness , Nobility , Riches , goodly Pallaces , Scituation , and other good parts , is admirable among all the Towns of Europe ; the scituation thereof being so commodious for all things , as it may be held rather a Divine than a humane work . And although many Commonweals have exceeded it in greatness of Empire , in multitudes of people , and in state ; yet there was never any Town so strangely scituated nor so securely : But not to detain you here , we shall proceed to give you a short account of the Island of Creta or of Candia . The Island of Creta ( anciently so called , or of Candia , as we now call it ) hath in length , from East to West about sixty French Leagues , and not above sixteen Leagues in breadth , it is about a hundred and twenty Leagues in circuit , going about by Sea : Upon the West it hath the Adriatick Sea , to the North that which carries the name of the Cretish Sea , to the South the Lybick , and to the East the Carpathien , as Ptolimey , describes it . It was famous in old time for that it had an hundred Towns , and therefore the Greek Poet called it Hecatompolis : The scituation is more Easternly than that of the Countrey of Morea , lying betwixt the Counties of Artica and that of Cyren , in Africa , being but two dayes journey by Sea from either Province at this day , according to Belonus : There are but three Towns of note in this Island , that is , Candia ( in old time Matium ) the chief of this Island , whereof it takes her name , then Canea sometimes Sidon and Rhetinno ; it hath a port which is not very commodious , but those of Cania and Candia are very safe ; in this Island are the Rivers of Melipotame , Scasin , Cladile , Episidome , Giffo , and Divotro , towards the North Populiar , towards the West Lymans , and to the South the Mountains of note are Ida called by the inhabitants Philloriti Luci , which Pliny calls Cadussi , and at this day Madure , and Dacte , which they call Setrie . This Island seems to be made to command all Greece , for that it lies not far from Peloponnesus , and may command all the Sea towards Greece , it was sold to the Venetians by the Marquis of Montserrat in the year , 1194. This Island of Candia , although it be hilly , yet it hath many Valleys that are fruitful , and yield much , for that they are watered with many Fountains , Brooks , and Rivers : Moreover , there is abundance of excellent Wine , which they of the Countrey call Malmsey , they have store of Milk and Honey , and sufficient of flesh , so as they anciently did call it , the happy Island : There grows the goodliest Cypress Trees that can be seen ; and all other kinds of Timber fit for the building of Ships . There is not any hurtful or venemous Beasts except Phalanges , which are like unto Spiders , but in ●andia they are not dangerous . It abounds also in wild Goats , fallow Deer , and Ysards , or Chamo● , but there are few wild Bores , unless it be about Can●a , there are also Bouceslains called by the Latines Ibex , they have long Horns like unto a wild Goat , and are not much bigger , yet they have as much flesh as a Stag , the hair is fallow and short , but they carry a great black Beard ; sometimes they take them , when they are very little , to breed them up amongst their troops of Goats , and to have of their race , as well for their beauty as for the taste of their flesh , his Horns are very great in respect of his Body , but he is so nimble as he out-runs any Stag , neither can the dogs follow him by the scent , for that he will wind the Huntsmen about a hundred paces off , so as when they would take him , they tie tame Goats upon the passages of the Mountain , were the Bouceslaine smelling them , he goes unto them , and staying there , the Huntsmen have opportunity to strike him , but if the wound be not mortal , although the Dart be poyson'd and remains in his Body , yet he cures himself eating the Herb , which the Simplist calls Dixamum , the which is good against poison , as Dioscordies saith , for that the only scent of it kills Serpents and other venomous Beasts . This Island did flourish in former times , when as her King did hold all Greece in awe , the Cretoies were held the best Archers in the World , they invented the Pyrick Daunce , in the time of their King Cydon , they were all armed when as they danced , and it hath been so continued in this Island , as the Pesants daunce on Holy-dayes in the hottest time of Summer , not caring for any shadow , and with their Arms , that is to say , a Bow , a Sheaf of Arrows , and a Sword , as if without it they could have no good grace in dancing : The most famous Nations among the Grecians have taken their Laws from the Candiots , as Plato doth witness , especially the Laced●monians , took their practice from them , they had one which did injoyn that all their children should be bred up in publick , to the end that the poor having the like breeding to the rich , they shall have no cause to envy them . And it was also ordained by the Laws , that to inure their children not to fear any thing , but to bear all things with patience , they should be accustomed to Arms ; and to make them contemn heat , cold , hunger , and thirst , they should carry a Bow and Arrows in dancing , and their apparel should be sit for War , all the Candiots were forced to marry , being of age , and then they were dismiss'd from the company of young men : they did not presently conduct their Wives home to their Houses , but they attended until they wer●●ble to manage the affairs of a Houshold , and Kinsfolks married indifferently one with another . There was a Law , that if the brother did marry his sister , he should make her a Dowry of half his Patrimony : To ravish a Maid was more esteemed , than if he had obtained his desire with free consent . In the end , Candiots leaving their ancient Discipline , became Pirats , having been always powerful at Sea , and had carried themselves so valiantly , as they had vanquished them of Attica , and led Arms fortunately into Sicily . The Inhabitants of Candia are by nature apt and ready to do evil : the Ancients give them the title of Lyers : They are subtil and courteous , and do hardly endure labour , neither do they learn any Art or Science perfectly : It is true , that at this day , as Belonus saith , they do practice from their Youth , according to their ancient custom , to shoot , wherein they excel even the Turks themselves , and they are active and valiant at Sea , as much as they have been in former times . This City of Candia is exceeding strong , both by Art and Scituation ; The Turks being possest of the whole Island and Master of the field , attempted to win the Metropolis Candia also . Therefore Anno 1648. he besieged it , and after many furious onsets , being still beaten , at last he was forced to give over , but raised another Town or new Candia at three miles distance , which is the place of the Grand Visiers Residence , by which means the City is blockt up by Land ; and now again the last year 1667. and this present 1668. he lyeth before it , using all the extremities possible to win it , and that he might the better effect it , the grand Visier has demolished the afore mentioned Town that they built , called new Candia , that so his Souldiers might be the more resolute in the siege , having no place for their retreat . This Candia is a large and famous City , scituated on a Plain by the Sea side , having a goodly Haven for Ships , and a fair Arsenal with 36. Gallies , it is very populous and rich , inhabited partly by Venetians , and partly by the natural Candians , it is exceeding strong , and in Peace-time daily guarded with 2000. Souldiers . The Women wear breeches as men do , and boots after the same manner , and their upper Coats no longer then the middle of their Thighs ; The better sort of people go after the Venetian fashion . Canea is the second City of this Realm , exceeding populous , well walled and fortified , equallizing any strength in Europe , it hath a large Castle , where a Venetian Sub-Governour doth reside ; Then is Retimo , this hath no Wall but a Castle . The fourth is , Sithia also head of a Province . The Island of it self is inaccessible for ships , but in these four Cities , and some few other places well gauarded to hinder it . The Principal Commodities of this Island , are the Excellent Wines , especially the Maluasy , and the best Sugar in the World , which we commonly call Sugar-Candy , then Cypress wood , of which there are vast Mountains full , which they use for all things , Joyners and Carpenters work , Timber for buildings , Masts for Gallies , the rest for fuel . As for variety & plenty of all sorts of excellent rare fruits , it doth surpass all other adjacent Islands , especially the Valley of Suda , a second Paradise ; the Grain is brought from other parts ; Of wild and hurtful beasts , as Lions , Bears , Wolves , &c. there is none ; neither any venomous Vermine , yet there is a sort of Serpents , but their sting not hurtful , on the contrary their women are said to be so venemous , that being angry , if they scratch or bite a man , and setch bloud , without present remedy he must die . The Natives are of the Grecian Church , except the Venetians and strangers . Anno 1645. The Turk unepectedly in Peace-time picking quarrel , landed 60000 men , and presently besieged Canea , and before the Venetians could provide for defence , he took that , and the whole Island , except the City of Candia , two or three other Forts , among whose is that of Suda , whose Haven or Bay may receive at once above tw● thousand Ships and Gallies , the rest is all lost . Sold by John Overton at the White Horse in Little Britain where you may have the best choise of all sorts of Pictures , Copy-books , and Maps , Large and Small , 1668.