ZAHANRA
I suspect that the town now known as ORAN, or WAHRAN, is meant. It is on the N.
coast of Algeria, 209 m: W. of Algiers. It was taken for the Spaniards by Peter
of Navarre in 1509, and vainly besieged by the Moors in 1562. In Stucley
2461, "Aginer, Z., Seuta, Penon, Melilla" are mentioned as towns in N. Africa
still held by the K. of Portugal.
ZAIBRAS
In T. Heywood's I.K.M.B., Ricaldus
says that "the ships of Urcas, Z., Naples" will take part in the invasion of England
by the Spanish Armada.
ZAMA
A city in Numidia in N. Africa, 300 m. S.W. of Carthage. It is famous only for
the defeat there of Hannibal by Scipio 201 B.C. In Nabbes' Hannibal
iii. 5, Lelius says of Hannibal: "His camp's already pitched near Z."
ZANCLE
(i.e. the SICKLE). A name given to Messina (q.v.), from the shape of the harbour. Barnes, in Parthenophil Elegy ix. 28, says, "Zanclaean Charbid me devour!" where Charbid is a misprint for Charibd, i.e. Charybdis (q.v.).
ZANTE, or ZANT
The Greek Zacynthos, one of the Ionian Islands lying in the Ionian Sea off the
N.W. coast of the Peloponnesus. It is well wooded and fruitful and is particularly
noted for its currants. It was occupied by the Venetians in the 15th cent. and
held by them till 1797. In Jonson's Volpone
v. 2, it is suggested that Sir Politick should be shipped off "to Zant or to Aleppo."
In Chapman's Usher v. 4, Medice
says, "Of no country I, But born upon the seas, my mother passing 'Twixt Zant
and Venice." In B. & F. Pilgrimage
i. 1, Incubo suggests for supper "a fine piece of kid now, and fresh garlic, with
a sardine and Zant oil." In Marston's Mountebanks, Paradox exhibits a buskin which,
being dipped into water, "returneth full of wine of Chios, Palermo, or Zaunte."
See also ASANT.
ZANTHUS
See XANTHUS.
ZANZIBAR
An island off the E. coast of Africa, 800 m. N.W. of the N. point of Madagascar.
The name was extended to the adjacent sea-board from Mombasi to Quiloa. During
our period it was under the control of the Portuguese, who took possession of
it at the beginning of the 16th cent. In the 17th cent. it was added to the empire
of the Imams of Muscat. The last of the Imams was dethroned in 1870 and the dist.
was transferred to the Germans. In Marlowe's Tamb.
B. i. 3, Techelles claims to have marched from Egypt "to Z., The eastern part
of Afric, where I viewed The Ethiopian Sea, rivers, and lakes, But neither man
nor child in all the land." In Caesar's
Rev. i. 6, Caesar promises Cleopatra: "Thy rule shall stretch from unknown
Z."
ZAUNTE
See ZANTE.
ZEALAND
A province of Holland, lying between S. Holland and Belgium. It includes some
9 islands off the W. coast. A large part of the surface is below sea-level. The
principal towns are Middelberg and Flushing. In Larum
B. 1, a Burgher says, "The ships be of Z." In Dekker's Northward
iv. 2, Capt. Jerkins speaks of "all the Low Countries in Christendom, as Holland
and Z. and Netherland and Cleveland too." Gascoigne, in Dulce Bellum 99, says,
"I roamed have about In Zeeland, Holland, Waterland, and all." This was in the
war between the Netherlands and Spain in 1574, when Gascoigne was serving under
"the virtuous Prince of Orange." In Davenant's Cr.
Brother i. 1, Dorido says of Borachio: "He walks like a Z. stork." The White
Stork is common in the Netherlands and is regarded as a bringer of luck and a
symbol of conjugal fidelity.
ZIPH, WILDERNESS OF
The dist. round the city of Z., now Tell el Z., 4 m. S.E. of Hebron in the uplands
of Judah. David spent some time here whilst he was being pursued by Saul (see
I Samuel xxiii). In Peele's Bethsabe
ii. 3, David speaks of the blood of Saul and Jonathan "that from Gilboa ran In
channels through the wilderness of Z." This is absurd, for Z. is nearly 100 m.
from Gilboa.
ZIRICKSEE, or ZURUCHSEE
A vill. on the S. coast of the island of Schouwen, on the E. Scheldt, off the
coast of N. Brabant. Moryson, in Itin. i. 1, 49, says that this whole dist. was
"less than 200 years ago swallowed up of the sea, and, for witness of this calamity,
divers towers far distant the one from the other, appear in this sea." In Ford's
Trial i. 1, Futelli says that Fulgoso
is descended from Dame Fustibunga, "who, troubled long time with a strangury,
vented at last salt water so abundantly as drowned the land 'twixt Ziricksee and
Vere, where steeple tops are only seen."
ZOGDIANA
See SOGDIANA.
ZONA MUNDI
Probably the Ural, or Oural, Mtns. are intended, which run S. from the Arctic
Ocean to the high ground N. of the Sea of Aral and form the boundary between Europe
and Asia; or it may be another name for the ranges of Central Asia. In Marlowe's
Tamb. B. iv. 1, Amyras speaks of "the
lofty mts. of Z. M. That fill the midst of farthest Tartary."
ZORA
Now (in 1925) SURAN. A town on the N. side of Wady-es-Suran, opposite to Beth-shemesh, 14 m. W. of Jerusalem. It was the birthplace of Samson (Judges xiii. 2). In Milton's S. A. 181, the Chorus says, "We come, thy friends and neighbours not unknown, From Eshtaol and Z. 's fruitful vale."
ZULA
Probably GYULA is meant. It was a strongly fortified town in Hungary, on the Koros,
120 m. S.E. of Buda-Pesth and 130 due N. of the Danube. In Marlowe's Tamb.
B. ii. 1, Frederick says to Sigismund, "Your Majesty remembers, I am sure,
What cruel slaughter of our Christian bloods These heathenish Turks and Pagans
lately made Betwixt the city Z. and Danubius."
ZUTPHEN
A town in Holland in the province of Gelderland, on the Yssel, 55 m. E. of Amsterdam.
It was before Z. that Sir Philip Sidney was killed in 1586. In Barnavelt
iv. 5, a document is produced against Sir John at his trial "signed by the Governor
of Gilderland and Z."
ZWITZ
See SWITZERLAND.