Written in the 17th century, Heylyn's masterpiece offers a sweeping overview of the world as it was then known. He explores everything from geography and politics to theology and natural history, using his keen powers of observation and erudition to illuminate a vast array of topics. The book is a fascinating window into an earlier era and a reminder that, despite all the changes that have taken place since then, the fundamental questions and concerns of human life remain the same. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.