Volume 1

The great historical, geographical, genealogical and poetical dictionary; being a curious miscellany of sacred and prophane history. Containing, in short, the lives and most remarkable actions of the patriarchs, judges, and kings of the Jews; of the apostles, fathers, and doctors of the church; of popes, cardinals, bishops, &c. ... Together with the establishment and progress both of religious and military orders, and the lives of their founders. As also, the fabulous history of the heathen gods and heroes. The description of empires, kingdoms, commonwealths, provinces, cities, towns, islands, mountains ... The whole being full of remarks and curious enquiries, for the illustration of several difficulties in theology, history, chronology and geography. Collected from the best historians, chronologers, and lexicographers ... but more especially out of Lewis Morery, D.D. his eighth edition corrected and enlarged by Monsieur Le Clerc; in two volumes in folio. To which are added, by way of supplement, inter-mix'd throughout the alphabet, the lives, most remarkable actions, and writings of several illustrious families of our English, Scotch and Irish nobility, and gentry, and most famous men of all professions, arts and sciences: as also, an exact description of these kingdoms; with the most considerable occurrences that have happened to this present time / [Louis Moréri].

Louis Moréri

Date:: 1701

Credit: The great historical, geographical, genealogical and poetical dictionary; being a curious miscellany of sacred and prophane history. Containing, in short, the lives and most remarkable actions of the patriarchs, judges, and kings of the Jews; of the apostles, fathers, and doctors of the church; of popes, cardinals, bishops, &c. ... Together with the establishment and progress both of religious and military orders, and the lives of their founders. As also, the fabulous history of the heathen gods and heroes. The description of empires, kingdoms, commonwealths, provinces, cities, towns, islands, mountains ... The whole being full of remarks and curious enquiries, for the illustration of several difficulties in theology, history, chronology and geography. Collected from the best historians, chronologers, and lexicographers ... but more especially out of Lewis Morery, D.D. his eighth edition corrected and enlarged by Monsieur Le Clerc; in two volumes in folio. To which are added, by way of supplement, inter-mix'd throughout the alphabet, the lives, most remarkable actions, and writings of several illustrious families of our English, Scotch and Irish nobility, and gentry, and most famous men of all professions, arts and sciences: as also, an exact description of these kingdoms; with the most considerable occurrences that have happened to this present time / [Louis Moréri]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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fix broad, and I oo Fathoms deep in the middle. It lias two Illands called the Earroman Iflcs, which are certainly tlic love- licft Spots of Ground in the World j in one of them there is a noble Palace. This Lake difchargeth it felf into the River Tefine. LANGUEDOC, Lat. Occitama, a Province of Frartce, of very large extent. It is the W'efiern part of that vvliich tlie Ro¬ many called Gallia Narbonenps, and Braccata, called afterwards Gallia Gotbica, and the Earldom of Tholoufe. it lies along the Mediterranean, which, with Ronjftllon, bounds it on the South j on the North it has Auvergne, Rovergne, Querci and Lionnois *, on the Eaft it is bounded by the River Rhofnc, (which divides it from Daupkine and Provence y) on the Wefi it is feparated from Gaf- coigne, that is, from Arrnagnac, and the Land of Cotninge, by tlie Garonne. It is accounted one of the faireft, and mofi; coufide- rable Provinces of all France, and divided into Upper mA. Loreer ■, the one being the Weflern Part, the other the Ealtern, upon the Mediterranean. The former of thefc comprehends the Territory of Tholoufe, the Country of the Albigeois, or Albigenfes, the Difirift or Earldom of Lauragais, and the Earldom of Foix : The latter is divided into three Ridings, or Divifions, w;?;. of Narbonne, Be- fiers and Nifmes, together witli the Government which contains Gauvedan, the Fivarais and Velai, as is mentioned elfewliere. Languedoc is very fruitful in Corn, Fruits and Wine, and abounds with Venifon; fome Parts of it yield great ftore of Frankincenfe, Pitch, Cork, Marble, Jafper and Slates, and fome confiderable Mines ■, but it is peculiarly fruitful in Woad, an Herb ufed by- Dyers. It is watered with many fair Rivers, fome whereof dif- charge themlelves into the Mediterranean, and others mingle with the Garonne. The Inhabitants are naturally of a very live¬ ly, aftive and pregnant Temper, of which, the Great Men it hath produced are an inconteftable Proof. In the Vth. Century, the Goths began to fettle themfelves here, and fome think, it took its Name from them by corruption of Lant-Goth, i. e. The Country of the Goths-, tho’ others fuppofe this Name was de¬ rived from the Word Oc, which the Inhabitants ufe inllead of Oui f Ay or Tesj and that it was called Languedoc, q. d. Lan- gue d'oc, the Tongue or Language of Oc. The Goths made the City of Tholoufe the Capital of their Kingdom, vvhofe Bounds thev afterwards extended to the River Loire. The famous Ca- nal in Languedoc, made for a Communication between both the Seas, was begun in \666, but not finifh’d till i^8i. The length of this Canal is about Sixty four French Leagues, and Thirty Foot broad, by tire convenience of which, they may Sail in a Eleven Days, with great eafe and fecurity, from the Ocean to the Mediterranean, fy vice verfa. Memoirs du Temps. Charlemaign appointed Governors of this Province, who were called Earls of Tholoufe. See THOLOUSE. Catel. Hifl. des com. de Foul de Langue. Ifaac. Ponton. Itiner. Gall. Narbon. Pierre de Val. Sernai Hill. Albig. L A N 1 M DO V ER Y, a Market-Town of Perueth Hundred in the Norti Eafl Borders of Carmarthenfhire,i <,■] Miles from London. LANG ROST, a Market-Town in Venbighfhire, with a good Free-School, i6y Miles from London, I, A N S D O W N, upon the Borders of Wiltflme and Somerfet- flme, memorable for the Battle fought here in our late Civil- Wars, July r?. 1643. which was not, indeed, fo much a formal Fight, as a continued Skirmilh, the Ground not permitting to dilpute it otherwife, and neither Party got any confiderable Ad¬ vantage; but five Days after, the Parliament-Forces were vvorfted in P<.oundway-^ghX. L A N T H U, the Name of a Religious Seft in the Kingdom of Tonquin, bordering upon China, fo named from the Author of it, who was a Chinefe by Birth, and one of the moft famous and skilful Magicians that ever appeared in the Eafiern Parts of the World ; he got abundance of Difciplcs, who, to authorize the lies of their Mailer, perfuaded the People, That he was miracu- louflv born, that his Mother had Conceived him without lofing her Virginity, and that file had carried him in her Womb Seventy Years. This falfe Prophet taught his Difciples fome part of the Doftrine of Chacabaut but that which made him moft beloved of the People was, that he exhorted the Rich to build Hofpitals in all the Cities, where there were none before, and induced many great Men of the Kingdom to retire into thefe Hofpitals, in order to their ferving of the Sick, with feveral of the Bonder, who live there on the fame account. Tavernier. See LANCU. ^ ^ -zr . „ ^ ^ LANTRISSENT, a Market-Town of LantrijfentHtiaAred in the Parts of Glamorganfhire, 127 Miles from London. LANVILLING, a Market-Town of Mechavi-Hnadicd, in the N. Parts of Montgomeryfhire, 132 Miles from London. LANYDLOS, a Market-Town of Teic/J/y-Hundred, in the S.^oxdeti Montgomeryfhire, 131 Miles from L A N Z O, a Town of Piemont in Italy, fubjert to the Duke of Savoy; ’tis fituated on the River Stura, 10 Miles Eaft oiSufa and 14 N.W. of rwrin. LAO, or LAOS, a Kingdom of the Indies, bounded on the E. by the Kingdom of Tonquin, on the S. by the Kingdom of Camboja,on the W. by thofe of Siam and Pegu, and on the N. by that of Ava, and the Province U and Lu, and a certain People called Gnat, bordering upon China. It is wonderfully fecured by tire Mountains fliat furround it, as well as by the thick Fo- refis that grow at the bottom of thofe Mountains, and hedge in the whole Kingdom, with a plcafant and ufcful Enclofure. The great River Lao, which the Inhabitants call the Mother of Rivers, divides it felf into feveral Chanels, moff of which are Navigable, and make the Country exceeding Fruitful. This great River, which is wrong placed by the Ancient and Modern Geographers, arileth from a Morafs or Lake towards the North, on the top of the high Mountains of the Province Jumam, on the Frontiers of China, from whence it runs down like a Tor¬ rent, and being increafed by feveral Rivulets running into it, fome few Leagues from Lao, in the Latitude of 23 Degrees, it begins to carry Boats, and divides it felf into two great Rivtrs, whereof the one takes its courfe Weft ward through Pegu, and empties it felf in the Gulph of Bengala, the other fpreads it felf in feveral Branches through the Kingdom of Lao, and divides it from N. to S. into two great Provinces. This River never over¬ flows, by reafon of tlie height of its Banks. It is obfervable in this River, that if its Fifii follow its courfe as far as Cambaya, they die immediately, as do all thofe of Cambaya, when they get into the River Lao. ^lahtics of the Country. All the Country on the Eaft of this River is very Fruitful, it breeds large and ftrong Elephants, and very fair Unicorns. The Rice that grows here is incomparable, and of a different Smell and Tafle, from that which is the produdt of other Eallern Countries. The Trees of their Forefls are almofl incorruptible.. The Ground that is fown with Rice, immediately after Harvefl, exfudes a kind of Froth or Scum, which, being dried by the Sun, is turned to Salt, with which they drive a great Trade. The principal Commodities of the Kingdom are. Benzoin, Gum-lack, Ivory, Llnicorns-horns, and Musk, which they gather from a kind of Musk-deer, which the Chinefe call Te-Hiam. The Climate is more temperate and healthful than that of Tonquin, and it is a common thing to fee old Men of 100 and 120, as ftrong and vigorous here, as if they were but 50. The Chief City of the Kingdom, and Strength of it. The Capital City where the King keeps his Court, ftands in the midft of the Kingdom, in 18 Degrees of Latitude, and is cal¬ led Langione -, on one fide, it is fecured with deep Ditches and high Walls, and on the other, by the great River. The King’s Palace is of fo large an extent, that one would take it to be a City, and the Buildings of it are very fumptuous and magnifi¬ cent ; the Halls, Chambers and Appartments, are all made of incorruptible Wood, embellifhed within and without with ad¬ mirable Carv’d-works, and fo exquifitly and richly Gilt, that they feem rather to be cover’d with Plates, than Leaves of that Metal. The Lodgings of the King’s Wives, and of the Manda¬ rins, are all built of Brick, and richly furniflied ; for none but their Talapoins, or Idol-Priefls, are permitted to have their Houfes built of Free-ftonc. Perfons of Quality, inftead of Car¬ pets, make ufe of a kind of Mats moft curioufly wrought, with feveral forts of Figures. This Kingdom is fo well Peopled, that in a general Mufter, or Numbering of the People, there were found sooooo able to bear Arms; but they are not much Exer- cifed in war-like Difeipline, whereof one Reafon may be, the fecure and advantageous fituation of their Kingdom, which is all encompafted with high Mountains, and inaccelTible Preci¬ pices ; as alfo, becaufe the chief Strength they rely upon is, their Skill in Poifons, which they eaft into their Rivers to deftroy thofe that venture to invade them. The King of Tonquin, not long fince, invaded this Kingdom with a Potent Army, but find¬ ing the Waters poifoned, was forced to retire. Manners, Cufioms and Religion, of the Teople of LAO. The People of Lao are ingenious, and apt to learn, open- hearted, fincere and faithful. They make four Meals a Day, their common Food being Rice, Fifli, the Flelh of Buffalo’s, and feveral forts of Pulfe. They rarely eat any Fowl, and when they do, they roaft them. Feathers and all. They generally apply themfelves to Tilling of the Ground, and Filhing, wholly neg- lefting the Study of Arts and Science*. Robberies are very rare amongft them, and when they happen, the neareft Neighbours to the place, are bound to make good the Damage. But their Sorcerers frequently caufe great Diforders amongft them 5 for, by their Charms, they eaft thofe of the houfe into a deep fleep, and then rob them at their pleafure; and, ’tis reported, That they can make the Devil enter the Bodies of any they bear a grudge to, to torment them for a certain time. As to their Religion, they are Idolaters, and extreamly Superftitious; they offer no Sacrifices or Viftims to their Idols, but only Perfumes, or Incenfe, Flowers and Rice, which they fet upon their Altars. They believe the Tranfmigration of Souls, and hold fome other extravagant Tenets, according to the Doftrine of Xaca, the Author of their Law. Their Priefts or Doftors, called Talapoins, are, for the moft part. Magicians, and live together in Convents, which they may leave when they plcafe to Marry. Government

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