Of the Northeast Frostie Seas, and Kyngdomes lying THAT WAY, DECLARED BY THE DUKE OF MOSCOUIA, HIS AMBASSADOUR, TO A LEARNED GENTLEMAN OF ITALIE, NAMED GALEATIUS BUTRIGA- RIUS: LIKEWISE THE VIAGES OF THAT WORTHYE OLD MAN, SEBASTIAN CABOTE, SOMETYMES GOVERNOUR OF THE COMPANIE OF THE MER- CHANTES OF CATHAY, IN THE CITIE OF LONDON.
The Romane Empyre.
It is doubtlesse a marueilous thyng to consyder what changes and alterations were caused in all the Romane Empyre by the Gothes and Vandales, and other Barbarians into Italy. For by their inuations were extinguyshed all artes and sciences, and all trades of Merchandies that were vsed in dyuers partes of the worlde.
Four hundred yeeres of ignoraunce.
East India well knowen in olde time.
Strabo.
The desolation and ignoraunce whiche insued hereof, continued as it were a cloude of perpetuall darknesse among men for the space of foure hundred yeeres and more, insomuche that none durst aduenture to goe any whyther out of theyr owne natiue countreys: wheras before the incursions of the sayde barbarians, when the Romane Empyre floryshed, they myght safely passe the seas to all partes of East India, whiche was at that tyme as well knowen and frequented, as it is nowe by the nauigations of the Portugales. And that this is true, it is manifest by that whiche Strabo wrytteth, who was in the tyme of Augustus and Tiberius.
The great rychesse of Egypt.
For speakyng of the greatnesse and ryches of the citie of Alexandria in Egypt (gouerned then as a prouince of the Romanes), he wrytteth thus: — This onely place of Egypt is apte to receyue all thynges that come by sea, by reason of the commoditie of the hauen, and lykewyse all suche thynges
