Text: the vernacular 1587 French edition is just shorter than the scientific Latin and German editions, but hardly different. Therefore, only one translation is provided, obtained and translated from the 1584 Latin third Additamentum, 1584 third German Additamentum, 1584 Latin, 1585 French 3rd Additamentum, 1587 French, 1588 Spanish and 1592 Latin edition. Note the last sentence of §29.8 where Ortelius makes the controversial remark that Philip the Second and his inquisition leave the Mohammedan community in Valencia untouched, which he soon removed from the text.)
29.1. {1584L3Add{The kingdom of VALENCIA.
29.2. {not in 1585F3Add, 1587F{Ptolemæus calls the people inhabiting this part of Spain Tarraconensis Heditani. Plinius names the region Edetania. It seems that in Strabo they are called Sidetani, and in Livius Sedetani. Plinius also calls the people Sedetani, and the region Sidetania, but he means people different from these, as appears from his third book and third chapter. In this area of Editania is the city of Valencia {1588S only{or Leria}1588S only}, albeit that Ptolemæus attributes this name to the Contestani (1588S only{who are the Concenteyna}1588S only}, a nation in the vicinity}not in 1585F3Add & 1587F}.{1585F3Add & 1587F instead{This country has as its capital Valencia}1585F3Add & 1587F instead}. After this city, as its capital, the whole region receives its name, and it contains what the ancients called Hedetania, Contestania and part of Ilercaonia. This province acquired the title of a kingdom around the year of our Lord 788, as you may read in Pedro de Medina and [in] Pedro Antonio Beuthero.
29.3. It is located at the Mediterranean sea, and is refreshed by the river Turia, a river so called by Sallustius, Priscianus and Vibius. Pomponius Mela calls it Durias, and Plinius Turium [Turio]. Now they call it Guetalabiar, which is an Arabic name given to it by the Moors, meaning as much as pure, clear water. It is a river not very deep, but with regard to its ever flourishing banks, bedecked with roses and various [other] kinds of flowers, exceedingly pleasant. It is on both sides, from its very source to its mouth naturally covered with beautiful and shady woods, very lovely to behold. Everywhere you may see the withy, the plane, the pine tree and other trees which never lose their leaves {1592L only{so that Claudianus writes about it as the river Duria, fragrant with flowers and roses}1592L only}.
29.4. There is also the river Sucro, which by a new name they call Xucar. Two hills there are here among the rest, one called Mariola [not on map], and the other Penna golosa [not on map], {not in 1588S{that is the rocks of the eager, {1584G3Add only{this may be translated into Latin as Rupem cupedinariam, [eager rock], but in German den begierigen Felsen, [eager rock]}1584G3Add only, not in 1588S} to which from other places gather many herbalists and physicians. For upon these hills grow a great many rare plants and herbs. They also have a silver mine here at a place called Buriol [on map: Borriol], on the road from Valencia to Tortosa. In a place called Aioder [not on map] certain stones are found that are interlaced with veins of gold.
29.5. At Cape Finistrat [not on map] there are iron mines and so there are at Iabea [not on map]. Near Segorbia [not on map] there are still remnants of a quarry from where marble is said to have been transported to Rome. In Picacent [on map: Picaña] they dig alabaster, alum, ochre, lime and plaster, all in great quantities. But the greatest riches of this country consist of earthen vessels which they call porcelains, {not in 1585F3Add & 1587F{which may perhaps be the same as what ancient writers call murrhina [agate]}not in 1585F3Add & 1587F}. These are made in various places of this kingdom so cunningly and with such art that the best porcelain in Italy (which in all countries is esteemed so highly) can hardly be preferred to them.
29.6. Among the cities of this kingdom, Valencia is the most important one, and the see of a bishop, who, as Marinæus Siculus and Damião de Góis report, has a yearly income of 13,000 {1588S has instead{30,000}1588S instead} ducats. {1592L{This city is of such splendour that the Spanish have a saying which goes : Barcelona the Rich, Cæsaraugusta the Abundant, and Valencia the Beautiful}1592L}. {Not in 1585F3Add & 1587F{Plinius calls it a colony of the Romans. He says that it is three thousand strides distant from the sea. That this city in ancient times was called Roma by Romus, the king of Spain is reported by Annius on the basis of Manethon, and by Beutherus in his Annals. Let they take the responsibility for this.
29.7. In an ancient inscription it is called Colonia Julia Valentia. It retained the name of Rome, adds the same Beutherius, until the Romans subdued it. They, having enlarged and beautified it, called it Valencia, which also means Rome}not in 1585F3Add & 1587F}. A council was held here in the year of our Lord 466. It is a city of venerable antiquity, where even to this day many ancient marble [monuments] with inscriptions by the Romans engraved on them, have survived, some of which are referred to by Beutherius just mentioned, and by Ambrosio Morales}1587F & 1588S end here}.
29.8. The territory of this city is mostly inhabited by a people descending from the Moors, retaining to the present day the Arabic language and Mohammedan religion of their forefathers, which I learned from the most worthy and famous man Frederico Furius Cæriolanus, born in Valencia}1592L ends here}. {1584L3Add, 1584L, 1584G3Add & 1585F3Add only{The king and his inquisition turn a blind eye to this}1584G3Add, 1584L, 1584G3Add & 1585F3Add only}.