constitution of bodye as men takinge either theire beginninge or béeinge of a matter most pure and simple vntill sutch time as by the chaunge of Ages whose propertie is to alter and to impayre al thinges the state of Man beganne to weaken yéeldinge his daies in number fewer then before Againe in that Age one thinge to them was very helpinge and profitable the whiche same to vs is very noysome and contrary whiche was the greate temperancy vsed in Drinkinge as well in quantitie as in qualitie also with the small chaunge and varietie of Meates for neither had they so many sortes or sundrie dishes as wée ne knewe they any or newe or dainty inuentions To eate Fleashe what it was before the generall Floudde was vnto Man altogeather vnknowen Further some hold for common most assured opinion that bothe Fruites and Hearbes without all comparison were in those daies of farre greater efficacie and vertue then any founde any where in this our latter Age for that they then sprange out of a new and fyned soyle and not of sutche as nowe it is worne wasted weryed and consumed For the Generall Inundation tooke from it his woorthe or fatnesse leauinge it in respecte infertile and barren restinge salte and vnsauery by the rage of the Sea whiche many wéekes flowed ouer it These reasons then are good and eche of them sufficient to conclude that it neither was so straung or marueilous but rather a thinge most agréeant vnto nature that men then lyued longer then in these daies presently Farther it maie be saide that whiche wée for an assured truthe holde that Adam well knewe the vertues of all Hearbes Plantes and Stoanes whiche also his Successours of him in sutche sorte learned that to the like perfection after them neuer any attained This then was graunted them of somme parte for the preseruation of their healthe for the continuance and protraction of their daies in this worlde who to expel the causes of diseases if any grewe on them only vsed to minister Simples abhorring our venemous compoundes of this Age whiche in place to purge and purifie mans bodye weaken and dispatche for the moste parte the poore patiente Againe in these aboue remembred firste yéeres both the life and healthe of man was propte and sustained by the course of the Heauens with the influence of the Starres and Planettes then farre more beneficiall then they presently nowe are for that then there neither had paste so many Aspectes Coniunctions Eclipses with other infinite Impression Celestiall whence nowe procéede so many chaunges variations alterations on the Earth and emonge the Elementes also in those daies principal occasion of healthe and continuance contrarye nowe in this our Age of all sickenesse and deathe But aboue all that that wée haue here alleaged or by reason haue any waye proued I nowe mainteine the many yéeres of these our Firste Fathers to haue procéeded of the only and inspeakeable prouidence of God whose Maiestye would their continuance shoulde be sutch and so longe and that these aboue remembred causes ayded mutually one the other to the only intente that of twoo persons might then increase many that the Earthe might be inhabited and mankinde increased Also farther consideringe that for as mutche as Man after the fludde liued not so longe as before God licensed that they should enter into the Arke and there saue them selues more Men and Woomen then him selfe in the beginning and at the first had Created to the only ende that the world might the sooner be inhabited S. Augustine of this matter writinge some thinge reporteth that our Forefathers hadde not only in health and many daies aduantage of vs but also in huge and greate statures of body as is euident remembred by many their boanes as well found in their Sepulchres and Graues as also at times vnder great Mountaines and Hilles in sutche sorte that some assuredly hold that thei were the boanes of such as liued before the Inundation The same S. Augustine affirmeth that being at Vtica a towne in Aphrike beholding there the boanes of a dead mans bodie amonge others founde there some of his Iawes so great and weighty that they well would haue poised an hundred of these in our Age. Notwithstanding though yet our life be short yet maie wée not for iuste cause any where complaine for that if wée abuse it in contempt of the Diuine Maiestie a rare benefite receiue we that thei to vs be so shortned for wée will now no longer acknowledge our God and yet if wée would as becometh vs in all feare to serue him a time sufficient hath he to that purpose lente vs for that the bountie of our Sauiour is so great and ready that he receiueth for Attonement sufficiente mans bowinge harte and humble spirite ¶ That the opinion of those that supposed the yeeres of the former Ages paste to haue benne more short then these of our time is false As also whiche was the firste Cittie of the worlde and finally that our Forefathers had more Children then these that are remembered to vs in the Scriptures Chap. 2. FOr that it appeared vnto some that the space of nine hundred yéeres in our firste Fathers séemed a thing altogether impossible lesse able to cōprise or receiue these aboue remembred reasons by vs alleaged the only and sole causes of that so longe a life And where as they durste not to denie the foresaide number of yéeres so plainely and openly specified and geuen vs out of holy Write they affirme that the yéeres of the first age were farre more shorter then these of our time so that the aduantage of longe life whiche is vnto them attributed so farre aboue vs is not so greate as it hathe benne supposed Somme others emonge them would also assure vs that one of our yéeres containeth tenne of that age past Also many others haue saide that eche course of the Moone yéelded vnto them one whole full and compleate yéere whiche it pleased them to tearme Annus Lunaris Others some also dreamed that thrée of our Monethes gaue to them a yéere so that this accoumptinge foure of theire yéeres lendeth vs iuste one and no more For that in this sorte as wel the Chaldeans as also the Arcadians parted theire yéeres as remembreth Lactantius M. Varro a moste learned Romaine in others many besides this matter was of the opinion that these Anni Lunares were to be numbred from the Coniunction of the Moone vntil the newe Moone againe whiche maie be the space of xxix dayes and certaine odde houres Pline in like māner reckeneth it fabulous that any in the first Age shoulde liue so many dayes affirminge that the Inhabitauntes of Arcadia so numbred theire yéeres as wée aboue haue remembred by the space onely of thrée Monethes without more There is also emonge vs Christians a certaine Booke of the Ages of the worlde written by Eliconiensis where he also séemeth to be of the saide minde and aduice
déede were none other then a sorte or kinde of bull rushes ordinarely growing in marshes adionyng to the riuer of Nile Of which sorte some others are founde in Siria nigh to the floodde Euphrates as recordeth Plinie hauyng the name as the others of papers little thinne leaues or skinnes haue they betwixt the rinde and the inner parts whiche finely taken or drawen out with the poincte of an Néelde trimde afterwarde with a certaine glue or paste made with meale tempered with boyled water and vineagar was in the ende made a good and perfect paper to write drawe or doo anything theron and by how muche the nigher you drewe the skinnes from the inwarde parte of this Rushe or Reede by so muche was it both better and more fine and so accordyng to the goodnesse or difference of theim thei also had diuers and different names Who so desireth here in more let hym reade Plinie And for as muche as this Réede Rushe or little trée was called paper the name is thence deriued of that paper vsed by vs this daie whiche is made of small péeces or shreedes of linnen clothe throwly wasted and worne to nothing Varro affirmeth that the first inuentiō to make paper of these little trées or rushes was in the tyme of Alexander the greate euen then when Alexandria was by hym firste founded How be it Plinie proueth it to bée more auncient by certaine bookes which Terence did to be digde out of the grounde whiche before had been Numa Pompilius his bookes kinge of Rome founde in the same Tombe where he was buried whose leaues were of the saide rushe whiche we aboue remembred And although Liuie haue otherwise written of this Toumbe affirming that there were two founde by L. Patilius yet be we of the minde that Numa was long before Alexander With Liuie here in accorde both Lactātius and Plutarche in the life of Numa Plinies opinion notwithstandyng is of most menne approued Some write that this worde Charta tooke his originall or denomination of a certaine Toune nigh vnto Tyre called Carta whence Dido altering the name called it afterwarde Carthage Our elders also wrote in tables weaxt thinne and well fined framyng there letters with sharpe and small punchions which theim selues then termed by the name of stiles Whence it cometh that wee nowe vsually saie that who so well inditeth writeth a good stile borrowyng the name of the instrumente that they then wrote with Also before the innention of paper where on we presently write the aunciente custome was all other fore vsed meanes seposed to write continuallie on Parchment onely made of shepe skinnes of whiche remembreth vs well Herodotus whose inuention Varro attributeth to the inhabitauntes of Pergama whose king then was Eumenes whence in latin it is called at this daie pergamenum in englishe parchement And wher as in latine it is also called Membrana it taketh as maie he thought the name of the inuentour Neuerthelesse in my iudgement men wrote on these skines longe before that tyme remembred by Varro specified in like sorte afterward by Plinie for that Iosephus writeth that the bookes of the Hebrues and sundrie others which were manie yeres before Eumenes were also writtē on these skinnes as aboue saied As also when he reciteth that Eleasar Prince of the Préestes sente the bookes of holie scripture vnto Ptolomie with the seuētie interpreters to the intent they for hym should translate theim from the hebrue into greke affirmyng that Ptolomie bothe straungely was amased and meruailed at the subtle ioyning of these skinnes or parchmentes together Whēce it is aperte that what so euer was written in any sort in parchmente was of longer and greater continuance then if it had béen doen in these rindes or leaues though in déede thei both were of more antiquitie then the first By meanes whereof this vse of Parchemente neither hath neither will bee at anye tyme againe leafte and since that paper againe whiche we daily now vse is so easie to make and in suche abundaunce that it both helpeth and profiteth all kinde of studentes But aboue all other thinges without cōparison we must confesse that the skill of printyng by the onely meanes of whiche suche heapes of bookes come of all sortes to our handes is amonge all other inuentions that ether be or earste haue been in what sorte so euer to be preferred whiche as is written was first of al inuented by an Almaine inhabitant of Magonce and hight Ihon Faust though Polidore otherwise surname hym Petra by whose accompt the first printyng of bookes was there in the yere of our redemption a thousand fower hundred fiftie and thrée And shortly afterwarde an other Almaine by name Cōradus practised this arte firste of all in Italie Howe be it Volateranus writeth that thei were twoo and both brothers which past thence into Italy beginnyng to printe in Rome in the yere of oure Lorde a thousande fower hundred sixtie and fiue The first bookes that were imprinted were sainct Augustines de ciuitate dei and the diuine institutions of Lactantius Firmianus After thys grewe there manie excellente personages as well in Germanie and Fraunce as also in Italie which besides their arte or skill in printyng were also perfectly and passyng well learned as Baldus Manucius Badus Colineus and Frobenius verie diligent and painefull in correction of the lettre with infinite others whose names to be shorte I leaue of to remember By meanes wherof many bookes in maner lost and hidded were at laste published to the inspekable profite commoditie of man whiche was in déede the chife cause of so many learned men as this daie are euerie where to be founde throughout all Christendome whiche before both seldome and with greate paine attained to this absolute knowledge and perfection in learnyng But admit here that it were not the first and principal cause yet am I of that minde that it assuredly is the greatest cause for that with lesse paine wee peruse nowe suche as are perfectly corrected findyng the others euerie where full of faultes blottes and errours committed for the most parte either by the lesse skil or little care of the writer but if any one were founde perhaps emong the others faultles neither was he to be had or to bée perused of all men so that good letters then florished not as thei now and this daie doe vniuersally euery where How be it since licence first was graunted by Princes to Printe all bookes fabulous wanton and fruitles farre better had it béen in this respect doubtles that the waie to printe had neuer béen to man yet or knowne or vnfolded For it destroieth and withdraweth from vertue the good minde principally of youth whiche noseled in these follies lesse affecteth or desireth the studie of better lessōs Leauing then to speak more of the commodities of printyng descende we to the next the practise of hand writing which also in my iudgement is this daie more perfecte more
as well serued as it was fittinge to that pourpose An other example reade wée of those that robbed and slewe the Poete Liuicus for as they oppreste him in wide and open fieldes farre from companye and out of all sighte he espied a companye of Cranes flyinge ouer his heade to whiche with lowde voice he spake these his last woordes O Cranes yée shal be witnesses of the wronge that is here donne mée After whose deathe this matter laye yet many dayes vnknowen till on a certaine time after it chaunced a solemne Conuente of people was made in the saide place emonge whom were also presente the twoo Murtherers of Liuicus whiche hearinge as before Cranes cryinge ouer them the one aduised his felowe thereof in laughter merily supposinge in the meane time not to haue bene perceiued of any Hearken companion beholde here the true witnesses of the blonde and deathe of Liuicus It chaunced that one nighe them hearing these woordes and not wel perceiuinge what they mighte signifie suspected foorthewith that whiche in déede was aduectisinge the Maiestrates of that whiche he had hearde To conclude theise twoo Roysters were incontinentely apprehended and accordinge to equitie Iustice was donne on them whiche happened by woordes paste them without aduise or regarde For this cause a man oughte principally to be ware of that whiche he will saye before it escape him with consideration also before whome and in what place Hecates a Greeke Oratoure was on a time reproued for that sittinge at a Bankette he woulde saâ—e nothinge Whiche vnderstoode by Archimidas answeared in this sorte for him Arte thou ignorante that one that can so well speake as he knoweth not also the time to kéepe silence Infinite examples out of diuers Histories might be borrowed of Times Daungers Infamations and Deathe in whiche by too mutch talke menne eftsoones haue bene entrapped Wherefore wée shoulde be circumspecte and wise that before wée doo our mouth open to speake wée well consider of it whether it maye be to vs preiudiciall or not The greate Cato surnamed Censorius was euen from his Cradle verye sober in woordes wherof at times reproued of many as one that obserued to austere silence saide I grieue not at all to be argued of Silence for that no man shall haue occasion to reproue me of my lyuinge for then and not before wil I breake into woordes when I haue learned to speake these thinges that maye not be concealed Isocrates in his Booke written to Demonichus saith That there are twoo times conueniente to speake in the one when to speake is in déede very necessary the other when one speaketh of these thinges he well knoweth Plutarche compareth those men that talke not knowinge wherof vnto voide and emptie Vessells whiche geue foorthe a greater noyse then these that are filled Plainely instructeth vs the Philosopher Zeno that for other cause none hath Nature lente vs twoo eares one tongue but only to speake fewe in bearinge and receiuinge mutch Horace aduiseth vs farre to flye their companies which pleasure mutche in many demaundes and questions for that they commonly be captious Ianglers Suetonius recoumpteth in confirmation of that that was also reported by others that the principall cause that moued Octauian so mutche to phantasie and fauour his Minion Mecaenas was that he was very secret and not prodigal of woordes Cicero affirmeth that Cato the Oratoure neuer woulde commit to Paper any his Orations saieinge That if it euer happened him to repent him of that he had saide yet that that he had written should not aggrauate his sorrowes for that he neuer might denie the thinge that his Pen should witnesse againste him But to the ende that arguinge here the lesse aduised and runninge tongues of others I séeme not to incurre the said errour my selfe I ende with the Ppilosopher without any more concludinge that it oftentimes repenteth mée to haue spoken but to haue helde my peace that I remember neuer ¶ Of the straunge opinion of the Aegyptians touchinge the tearme or ende of Mannes Life limitinge the same by the proportion of his harte Chap. 5. THat whiche I shall saie here will séeme vnto many very straunge and newe but vnto moste men fonde and ridiculous for that it is a thinge very difficill to be proued Wherefore neither will I binde my selfe to the probation thereof althoughe the authoritie of those that séeme to approue it shoulde either yéelde it a trothe or vnto a truthe sommethinge semblable and likinge Pline and Marcus Varro writinge of the time of Mannes Life affirme that the learned Aegyptians had founde out by experience that Man according to the order of nature could not lyue aboue an hundred yéeres and that if any reachte to a further or elder age it was by somme particulare influence force of the Starres a thinge in the woorkes of Nature verye straunge and marueilous Hence grounded they their foundation vpon the harte of man in whiche by often and common Anotomyes they founde and perceiued certaine marueilous Secretes For saide they when Man was of the age of one yéere then poised his harte onely twoo of their Drammes when be was twoo yéeres olde then poised it foure and so foorthe howe many yéeres so euer he liued by proportion still grewe his harte to be of like number of Drammes In sutche sorte that beinge ones fiftie yéeres olde Mannes harte shoulde wieghe then an hundred Drammes and from thence by like proportion still he looseth of his weight eche yéere twoo Drammes euen as before he increased So that at the ende of an hundred yéeres the Harte by continuall decrease is becomme nothinge so that consequently of necessitie Man then must die if before he be not preuented by somme accidentall occasion whiche bothe can and dooth commonly in suche manner abridge our dayes that very fewe of vs liue the one halfe to experiment this matter Though to somme this matter séeme straunge yet be wée assured that the Aegyptians helde it for certaine as plainely haue leafte vs the aboue remembred Authoures Of our time also Ludouicus Celius Rodianus alleaginge in like manner to that pourpose Dioscorides who remembreth thereof sommethinge emonge other many matters to whome also commeth Petrus Crinitus in his Booke of Honest Discipline Galiotus de Nargni in his Booke of Man as also in like sorte Cornelius Agrippa I was desirous to remember here all these Authours for that the matter mighte otherwise hardly be digested Nowe remaineth it to be déemed of as to the Reader it shal be liking And nowe that wée haue taken on vs to speake of Mans Harte and of the excellencies of that one little parte to the intente wée treate not of one pointe alone it shal be expediente that wée learne as recoumpteth to vs Aristotle that Mannes Harte lyeth lodged in the leafte side of his bodye but in other Creatures is founde euermore in the middle of theire breste whiche he
trées he founde an Oke halfe cliuen or sundred by force of Wedge and Bitle in whiche somme Wedge also was leaft then déepely fastened who incontinently desirous to perfecte the saide woorke laide handes on the trée righte againste the saide Wedge and with sutche force assayed to sunder it that it to him a little yéelded by meanes whereof the saide Wedge slipte out But immediately were it for so mighte it be that his force fayled him or that he lesse supposed any daunger in the matter he yéelded a little as though he would haue arested him by meanes whereof the Oke incontinently reioyned agayne bothe his handes faste lockte within the trée in sutch sorte that not being able thence to escape nor any man there passinge to healpe him in that daunger with payne and hunger died a prisoner miserable a fitte or fatte praye to the Wilde and Sauage beaste If the deathe of this Milo maie séeme to any man straunge no lesse straunge also was the Deathe of the Poete Eschilus for on a time goinge foorthe out of a certaine Towne in Sicile of pourpose onely to take the ayre and sunne him the weather then hauinge benne sommethinge sharpe and colde This poore vnfortunate man whose heade was eche where either balde or hearlesse after hauinge made somme litle shorte walke arested him on a Hil for his most aduantage in the Sunne where pruninge him selfe with open heade shininge an Egle by happe flewe ouer him in the ayre which hauing in her pawes a greate and heauie Tortois espyinge the glitteringe balde heade of the poore Poete Eschilus supposed it to haue benâ—e somme harde Stoane or Rocke wherefore lettinge fall her Tortois with minde theron to haue broken it for her present néede or dinner threw it so right that shée nothing failed of her desired marke but strake the sely Poete and sundred therewith his heade whence he fell downe suddainely deade a thinge right straunge and marueilous considerings he was then mounted euen to the toppe of the Hill assuringe him selfe that from aboue nothinge at all mighte gréeue him Baptista Fulgosius in a certaine pretye Booke of his written of examples remembreth emonge many other thinges the infortunate Death of Charles Kinge of Nauarre who being olde very sickly féelyng incesâ—ant insupportable paines créepinge and runninge through all the vaynes of his bodye to whiche that his disease his learned Phisitions coulde finde or frame none but this sole and onely remedie whiche was to folde him in a Shéete bedewed with Aqua Vitae which when it was sowed vp or stichte on euery side in defaulte of a Knife to cutte the thréede of one tooke in hande the Candle the flame whereof as soone as it had touched the Shéete sette all on fire suddainely in sutche sorte that before they coulde shape him any kinde of remedie the sicke Kinge was scorchte and burnte almoste to ashes Which was for his Vaynes and all other maladies his sole and laste remedie in this worlde The Deathe againe of Philemon mighte appeare to moste menne marueilous whiche beholdinge on a time an Asse eatinge Figges of from a Table brake into sutch and so extreame a laughter that he in that sorte there ended his life CoÌ„sider wée then if any where Man maye assure him of his beinge if Laughing and in iolitie Death gayne of him the maisterie Somme also affirme the same of Philistion a Poete Comicall as also of sundrie others who with extreame ioye made suddaine chaunge of life Emonge whom wée reade of Denis the Tyrante of Sicilia of Diagoras also and of that famous woorthy Romishe Matrone which beholding her Sonne returned whom shée supposed to haue benne slayne in Battaile with ioye in excesse fell straight into an Extasye whereof againe shée neuer after warde recouered The aduenture also of the Shéepehearde Cratis was in manner semblable rare and marueilons who beinge asléepe on a Mountain in the middle of his charge was slayne of a Maale Goate ielous of his mate with whiche Cratis moste abominably had subuerted the Lawes of Nature Whose strange happe deserued notwithstandinge Ludouicus Celius and Volateranus alleaginge also to that pourpose sundrye Greeke Authours in many confirme for assured truthe and veritie Infinite sutche others I leaue here to remember as Pope Bonifacius who throughe hunger onely miserably sterued in fowle and stinkinge Pryson The Archebishop of Magonce slayne and deuoured of a troupe of Rattes that eche where pursued him The Emperoure Decius of whome Emilius Victor reporteth that hauinge vanquished his enemies was founde deade drowned in a little small lake In manner semblable in our time died Lewes Kinge of Hungary and Sforce Father of that most famous Capitaine Duke Fraunces Sforce who bowynge him selfe somethinge to haue ayded his Page was as the other most miserably infortunately drowned Andrew Kinge of Prouace was by his owne Wife somme other Dames healpinge her as not to be boughte with price or Prayer in cruellest manner that thei might most dispitefully strangled The Emperoure Tiberius was also impoysoned of his wife Agripina Whence wée conclude that Kinges Princes and greate Personages are as well subiecte to these straunge deathes and infortunes as are any their poore Vassaules or subiectes although perhappes they make propte vp with swellinge and pompous pryde small reckeninge or accompte of these forepassed daungers ¶ What speache was vsed in the beginninge of the Worlde and how firste began the diuersitie of Languages Chap. 10. IN the firste Age or beginninge of the Worlde euen vntill the Fludde and many yéeres afterwarde men generally throughout had féelinge but of one Language al diuersitie then hidde and vnknowen manner of speakinge No man then spake with tongue or straunge or lesse familier no voice was from other in any thinge then different no newe deuise in speakinge was then knowen or thought on The diuersitie then firste or confusion of tongues the Mother of eche mischiefe cause of all annoye the sole Nurse of litigious and impacable debates was for mans sinne and pryde as a iuste scourge on him layde Moyses in the Historie of Genesis recordeth that Nemrod Nephewe to Noë by the lyne of Cain with others more lyke proude and of like ambitious nature were then borne when firste amonge men presumption and malice raigned without al reason At that time this Nemrod with his vnaduised companye determined togeather to frame or builde a Tower whiche from the Earth might reache to the face of Heauen it selfe Whiche thinge they onely did hauing in memory yet the late forepassed Fludde to escape the hande of God if he at any other time shoulde washe the Earth againe Iosephus in the first Booke of his Antiquities saithe that he from all partes had sutch syéedy healpe for the erection of his buildinges that in shorte time it grewe bothe marueilous prowde and pompous And againe he saithe that they layde the Fundations thereof so déepe and so broade that though it were of so incredible height as the Scriptures
three tymes in the daie and night chaungeth his taste or sauour to weete from sweete to bitter and from bitter to swéete againe Of an other water also in Iudea whiche continually in the Saboth daie is founde to be drie whiche Plinie assureth vs writyng also of an other fountaine emong the Garamantes whiche in the daie is euermore so swéete and colde that it is impossible for any manne to drinke of it and contrary in the night is againe so warme that it burneth his hande that presumeth to touche it and hath to name the fountaine or welle of the Sunne Of this fountaine haue writen as of a thing moste certain Arrianus Diodorus Siculus Quintus Curtius in his historie of Alexander Solinus and the Poete Lucretius who there of hath giuen a Philosophicall and naturall reason Besides these like straunge is the nature of the welle Eleusina whose water is verie freshe cleare and standyng how be it if any man plaie on an instrument swéete and musicall by it so nigh I meane that the water maie be supposed to heare it it forthwith beginneth in suche sorte to swell that it ouersloweth bothe banke and border as though it had some pleasure or secrete likyng in musike this reporteth Aristotle in his meruailes of nature Solinus also and the old Poete Ennius Vitrunius writeth of the riuer Chimera whose water in taste is verie delectable and pleasaunte but partyng into twoo troughes or twoo sundrie chanels the one continueth swéete still the other bitter and vnsauerie how bée it it maie bée supposed that he borroweth this alrered qualitie of the soile or ground onely through which he passeth and so that alteration is lesse to be meruailed at as also it maie bée thought that these diuers proprieties of these other waters also should not so muche amase and trouble vs if wee knewe the occasions and causes of their effectes The same ones againe make yet farther mention of an other streame hayung to name Silar whiche what so euer is caste into it conuerteth it straight into a stone or stonie substaunce In Ilirica there is a welle whose water is bothe swéete and pleasaunt but burneth what so euer is throwne into it in sort as if it were a perfecte fire There is in Epirus an other fountaine into whiche if ye putte a Torche lighted it extinguisheth but if you putte hym in not lighted he taketh fire thence and burneth from noone euer more he ebbeth as it were and in the ende waxeth drie but the night growyng on he growes againe with suche spede that at midnight he is full and beginneth to ouer run his banckes or limites An other fountaine is there also in Persia of whiche who so drinketh loseth incontinētly his téeth There are in Arcadia certaine springes whiche distill and droppe out of the sides of sunderie mountaines whose waters al are so excessiue cold that there is no kinde of vessell be it of golde siluer or any other mettall that is able in any wise to holde and kepe theim but breake them all with extremitie of coldnes onely the horne of an asse his foote excepted whiche cōtaineth and kéepeth theim as if it were any other common kinde of water Wée would hardly credite in this place that there are certaine riuers bothe greate and wide that sodainly passe doune entering into the boiles of the yearth whiche afterwarde brake out againe in places farre of and farre distante from thence if wee had not experience hereof and suche as maie not bee denied for example of some Vadiana in Spaine Tigris in Armenia whiche springeth in Mesopotamia Licus in Asia There are certaine springes also of freshe water whiche passyng into the sea runne wholie vpon the sea without any commixtion in any sorte with it of whiche there is one betwixte Sicilia and the Isle Enaria adioygnyng vnto Naples In Egipte it is euidente that it raineth not at all but that Nilus ouerflowyng the countrie moisteneth it naturally whence it giueth her fruite of all sortes aboundantly Twoo riuers are there also in Boecia in the one of whiche all shepe that are watered beare onely blacke wolle and besides that none other the other contrary cause theim that drinke thereof to beare white wolle onely In Arabia there is a welle at whiche as before what sheepe so euer water theim beare there wolle not as the others white or blacke but redde all Of all these waters hauyng suche straūge proprieties Aristotle disputeth at fulle and copiously The riuer Lincestis maketh hym drunke as sone as any wine that drinketh of hym In the Isle of Cea as recordeth Plinie there was a fountaiue of whiche who so dranke ones became forthwith stupide and insenseble of no more felyng or witte then an Asse In Thrace there is an other lake of whom who so drinketh or swimmeth in hym sterueth without more neuer to be recouered There is also in Pontus a riuer in whiche are founde certaine stones that will burne whiche also then take on fire when the winde is euer more greatest and by how muche the more thei be couered in the water so muche the better and soner burne thei Besides these diuers haue written of diuers other kindes of waters as of some that heale certaine griefes or maladies of whiche sorte there is one founde in Italie called Zize whiche remedieth or salueth all hurtes what so euer in the iye an other in Achaia of whiche if a woman with childe drinke she shall be assured of good and spéedie deliueraunce Others also there are that remedie many other infirmities as the stone the leprosie the feuers both tertian and quartain of which Theophrastus Plinie Vitruuius remēber vs In Mesopotamia also is founde an other riuer whose water if you smell to it is bothe pleasaunte and odoriferous Baptista Fulgotius in his recollection writeth that there is also a welle in Englande into whiche if you throwe any kinde of wood it will within the space of one yere bée conuerted into a stone He also faithfully confirmeth that whiche Albertus surnamed the greate in persone experimented in a certaine well in high Almaignie and Albertus writeth that he puttyng his hande into the water hauyng in it a bough that part that was vnder the water chaūged into a stone the other parte as before continuyng that it was The saied Fulgotius reporteth yet another matter as straunge of a welle also about whiche if happely you walke not vtteryng any worde or voice at all the water then continueth as before still and cleare but if you speake any thyng be it neuer so softe or little it then beginneth to rage and to trouble as to behold it were verie straunge and meruailous he notwithstandyng reporteth to haue experimented it in persone who while he attentiuely behelde it with silence found it as is aboue said bothe quiete and cleare but when he ones spake it then began to trouble as if one within of purpose with some instrument had laboured it In Fraūce also
letters of Moyses and that thei afterwarde imperted of their knowledge to the Phenicians whence after againe Cadmus past with them into Grece Artabanus noteth that this Mercurie whiche all agrée on to haue made the first profession of letters in Egipte was Moyses himself called of the Egiptians Mercurie Philon an Hebrue a man of greate aucthoritie saieth that the inuention of letters was yet againe more auncient who saieth that Adā was the first authour of theim in deede thei either were inuented by Adam or by his children or by them at the leaste of the first age before the generall fludde or inundation preserued by Noe and his successours euen vntill the tyme of Abraham and from hym againe vntil Moyses And thus is the iudgement or opinion of Sainct Augustine Whiche is verified by the aucthoritie of Iosephus saiyng that the nephewes of Adam sones of Seth aduaunced or erected two sumptuous pillers the one of stone the other of claie in whiche they wrote or ingraned all the sciences affirmyng that himselfe sawe one of theim in Syria We finde also that S. Iude the Appostle alleageth in a certaine Epistle of his the booke of Enoch whiche also liued before the fludde So that wee must not doubt but that Adam and his children whiche were so wise whiche also had experience of so many thinges were also they that firste founde out the vse of letters and that Noe which afterward was both lettered and learned carefully preserued theim in his Arke with hym howe be it after that in the confusion of tongues whiche happened at the erection of the Tower of Babilon it may be that the greatest parte of the worlde loste then and there the knowledge of the saied letters again which onely remained in the family of Heber of or from whom afterwarde descended the Hebrues who as wee fore saide neuer loste their firste and aunciente tongue Which as it is true so Sainct Augustine reporteth it in his booke aboue alleaged Eusebius also in his first booke of his preparation Euangelicall as also the greater part of the learned of our tyme Wherefore as well Philon as also these others whiche supposed Moyses to haue been the first father of letters were there in all to geather deceaued for that it is euident that these bookes and histories that were written by Moyses were not as they déeme the firste of all others ne yet before the auncient studie of Philosophie the sadde and sage saiynges also of the Grekes as proueth Sainct Augustine sufficiently in the same place Iosephus against the grammariā Apion Eusebius also and Iustinus martirs I conclude then that letters were first and before Moyses for that we finde it recorded that Moyses hymselfe learned the artes and sciences of the Egiptians which I well knowe not how he colde haue accomplished if they before had hadde no feelyng in letters although in déede it be manifest that they hadde certaine signes called literae hierogliphicae by meanes of whiche as is aboue saide euery of theym sufficientlye and well vnderstoode the other From Adam then drawe wee the originall of letters as also that Abraham was after skilled of theim in Siria whence it cometh that Plinie hath varied in his opinion whiche wée haue in fewe now to fore remembred It nedeth nothing in this place to searche the beginnyng or cause of the vsuall frame or proportion of our characters for that eche man maie facion theim as is to hym best seemyng as we daily see euery man alter at his pleasure adding signes some tymes in steede or place of letters as affirmeth S. Hierome in the prologue of his boke of lawes that when Esdras the greate scribe and doctour of the lawe newe wrote or drewe it out in to some better fourme hee founde there straunge and newe characters of letters whiche the Iewes after vsed euen in the tyme of sainct Hierome as they also doe euen at this presente daie whiche Hebrue letters haue a priuate proprietie incident to no other letters of any countrie or nation for the voice or name of euerie of theim geueth signification of some one thing or other The firste called Aleph signifieth discipline the seconde Beth signifieth a house Gymel an other letter fillyng vp or abundance Daleth tables or bookes the others also signifie and denote other thinges whiche all I leaue as also to be tedious Who so here in is curious and desireth to knowe more may reade Eusebius in his firste booke de preparatione Euangelica Where on our elders wrote before the inuention of Paper and with what kinde of instrument how Paper and Parchement were firste founde out Who first inuented the maner or skille of Printyng as also what inestimable profite thence riseth and in fine by what meane a blinde man maie write Chap. 2. SOme what haue we after a sorte spoken in the former chapiter of the inuention of letters it resteth nowe that we also searche on what matter our elders or first fathers wrote and although directly we shall not be able here of to discourse ne yet where on thei wrote before the general inundation in the first age for the matter is both doubtfull difficill to wéete whether thei had letters then in very déede ye or not though we haue past it as proued by the aucthoritie of Iosephus as also aided to that purpose with some other profe or reasons Notwithstanding according to the opinion of al men the first writers had no kinde or maner of Paper but wrote continually on the leaues of the Date tree whence came that worde of leaues of bookes vsed at this daie After this thei wrote againe on the rindes of trées but especially on those that most easely were drawen or taken from the trée as the Elme the Ashe the palme or Burche trée from which thei tooke the innermost rinde that I meane betwixte the cruste and the trée of whiche subtilly and finely polished thei framed and facioned all their bokes artificially conioigning and fastnyng theim together And for as muche as in that time these rindes were called by the latin men libri hence haue bokes held from the time to name this word libri though thei this day far differ in the matter as is euidēt Now after this againe an other waie was foūd to write in plates of leade very thinne and perfectly fined of whiche some curious and priuate persones made aswell pillers as also bookes in which thei regestred all publike and common actes Besides this they yet founde an other waie to write to wéete on Liuen cloth fined and polished with certaine coloures Here also is and in this place to bée noted that they then wrote not as wee nowe do with pennes but with Reades whiche in latine may bee called Calami which also some vse euen yet in this daie An other kind of Paper was yet founde againe whiche was made as it were of certaine little trées called as wee finde by the name of Papers which in
all menne so solemnized that they more carefully did with more reuerence and deuotion prepare to adorne to blisse and sanctifie that daie then they did any others that hadde any care to solemnize or beutifie his owne birth The giftes also that were presented vnto Virgil as well by Octauian Mecaenas and others were sutche and so riche as reporteth Seruius that he in shorte tyme was found to be worth no lesse then six thousande Sesterces in redie mony whiche with vs mounte to twoo hundred and fiftie thousande frenche Crounes he hadde in Rome a sumptuous and an honorable palais by meanes wherof â—uuinal in his seuenth Satyre accompted him for one of the richeste in that tyme On a daie this Poete in the presence of OctauiaÌ„ Liuia his wife mother to Marcellus vtteryng certeÌ„ verses of his AEneidos and drawyng to the ende where he with suche an excellent grace and comely maiestie had also some thinge saide of the aboue remembred Marcellus whiche lately before hadde then yelded to nature in suche sorte that the poore passionate and sorrowfull mother beganne to faint falling into an extasie not hearing the ende or last of his verses But after warde reuiued commyng againe to her selfe coÌ„maunded that for euery verse that she then had loast that ten Sesterces shoulde bee numbered forthwith vnto Virgil who after that she fainted pronounced by accompte iuste one and twentie for whiche all he receaued as was her commaundemente a rewarde mountyng to the value of fiue thousand Duckettes It is written that the people of Siracusa had certen Athenians prisoners which by hart had learned some verses out of the Greke poete Euripides which at tymes thei applied in talke as occasioÌ„ best serued theim by meanes wherof onely in th' onour of that Poete they infranchiste theim deliuered theim and sent theim home into their countrie Scipio Africanus carried euermore in warre with hym duryng his life the Image or purtraite of the learned Ennius and diyng ordained that it should be fastned on his tombe or sepulchre Silius Italicus a worthy poet was by meanes of Domician thrée tymes Consull in Rome which Mercial recordeth in an Epigramme thus beginnyng Augusto pia thura but what what honour the princes of our tyme haue dooen either to Polician Pontanus to Sannazar and suche others I neuer yet any where hearde any thing at all And againe to speake of others that liue yet presently as Ronsarde in France Belay and others Poetes lauriate and learned men of worthy memorie But some will saie they yet liue and therefore may be aduaunced of litle tyme and fewe yeres though of great wisedome and readyng whiche all might bee compared to these whiche longe since were of rare wisedome and grauitie Mithridates also to speake againe of our elders had Plato for his learnyng in suche admiration that desirous to haue his purtraite or Image caused eche wher to be sought one Silan to doe it for that for his excellencie he surpassed all others for in those daies it was accompted a singuler honour to haue in places publike the true purtraites of the learned neither was it lawfull to haue any of these tables or paintynges but of suche as had dooen some vertuous exploytes by their wisedome and learnyng commended to the posteritie For whiche cause the Athenians hadde the Image of Demosthenes with a subscription of suche and so muche honour as neuer to fore had been graunted to any it was thus of hym writen that if the puisance of Demosthenes hadde been suche as was his wisedome the Kyng of Macedonie had then neuer entered into Grece Iosephus the Iewe being brought to Rome prisoner and captiue amoÌ„g th 'others of Hierusalem had notwithstanding for that he had writen of the antiquitie of the Iewes hys Image erected among the others of Rome The Athenians straungely againe rauished with the singuler excellencie of Phalericus auditour and disciple of Theophrastus did his Image to be placed in thirtie partes of their Citie Now then if these men were in this sort honoured it can not be gainsaide but that they also receaued salaries equiualent to these their honors For as Athenes writeth in his ninth booke de Sinosophistis Aristotle for his booke de animalibus receaued of Alexander eight hundred talentes whiche might value of our monie four hundred and fower score thousande frenche Crounes or there aboute which also is verified by Plinie in his eight booke who reporteth that Alexander so muche desired to haue this woorke finished and ended that he sent many thousandes through out al Grece and Asia with his expresse letters and commaundementes that thei should as well be obaied as instructed in what so euer they sought concerning the vse nature manner and custome of beastes foules fishes and suche others to the intent they might be skilled in euerie their naturall proprieties and qualities to the intent they thereof might aduertise Aristotle If Homere the onely Phaenix of all the Greke Poetes had happelie liued in the daies of Alexander it is to be presumed that he would haue doen hym no lesse honour then to Aristotle for that on a tyme a certen little Cheaste beyng presented to him in whiche Darius had euer kepte his riche and sweete ointementes saied verie gladde that his hap was then to haue it that he woulde kéepe and preserue there in a farre more precious Oile and with the same coucheth Homeres bookes with in it with whiche he daily busied hymself continually readyng theim The Emperour Traian for his learning onely so muche honoured the philosopher Dion that when hee to recreate hymsef woulde passe in to the fieldes he did hym to be plaste by him in his owne proper Coache and so would enter with hym in to Rome in moste triumphant maner In these warres which the'mperour Octauian had in Egypt against M. Antonius heesaied that he had leafte to sacke and spoile Alexandria for the only honour and renoume of Alexander that builte it and of parte also of the Philosopher Arrias The saide Emperour also ordained Cornelius Gallus Tribune of the people only for that he was so excellente a Poete Snetonius in the life of Vespasian sheweth what rewardes in the olde tyme were lotted to the learned For though saieth he that this Emperour were noted of auarice yet fauoured hee notwithstandynge learned exercises and the lettered and gaue to euery the maisters or readers of the sciences suche annuall stipendes and grosse summes of monie that reducyng theim in to our monie accordyng to the computation of Beroaldus and Budeus eche receiued yerely twoo thousande and fiue hundred Ducketes By the testimonie of Plinie in his seuenth booke writyng of Isocrates a Greke Oratour is euident in what sorte learnyng was reuerenced for saieth he this Isocrates hauing spoken opeuly for a certain man in recompence forth with receaued twentie talentes mountyng to the summe of twelue thousande frenche Crounes It is also redde that the Emperour Antonius soonne to Seuerus gaue to Appian
so manie Duckettes of Golde as there were verses in a greate booke whiche he then had digested of the nature and proprietie of all kinde of fishes Themperour GratiaÌ„ oduertised that Ausonius the poete wrote a verse with no lesse good grace then assured facilitie called him to the honor of a consull immediatly then which none was greater sauing that of The'mperour DomiciaÌ„ also though he were otherwise accursed and impius inricht with greate rewardes the Poete Eustachius whom in the daie of his natiuitie euen in his most pompous and curious solemnitie he did to sitte at his owne proper table croâ—…yng hym with baie or lawrell where with poetes in those daies were principally honoured Seleyus Vasa a Poete lirique was imbrased of the Emperour Vespasian with curtuous and frendly wordes euery where intertained and in fine receaued of hym no lesse rewardes then the other aforesaide Arrian for his history compiled by hym in Greke of the famous oxploites of the renoumed Alexander as also that hee was otherwise well lettered was ordained Consull of Rome by Adrian Antoninus Nether were these men onely this honoured liuyng but in like sorte also after their death by the posteritie as is manifest in that Ptolome kyng of Egypt did to be erected both an Image and Temple nolesse sumptuous to Homer thaÌ„ to any other his goddes what so euer In Mantua also long after his death was erected an other to the poete Virgil. That excellent Horace though we lesse assure our serues of hys greate substaunce and wealth yet was he aduaunced to greate officies by Octauian the Emperour Here colde I remember you many other examples seruyng to thys purpose but I leaue to be tedious Now if any wil obiecte here that the fage Seneca was cruelly doen to death by the wretched Nero I answere he was a tyranne and did it therefore besides reason and that he liuyng was in Rome of greate worshippe and substaunce It is a true and auncient prouerbe honours make the learned and nourishe the sciences So finde we that in the daies of these Kynges and Emperours when they so fauoured the studious and lettered greate store was eche where founde of men wise and learned as when Octauian liued Claudius and Adrian Vespasian Antoninus Alexander and others And to speake of others that liued in these our daies as of the Emperonr Sigismonde Robert Kyng of Sicilia Nicholas the fifte Bishoppe of Rome Alphonsus and Mathias kinges of Naples Hungarie these also of the house of Medecis in Florence the slower of which house liueth this daie crouned in France followyng the steppes and vertues of his elders but especially of that good kyng Frauncis in whose tyme France so florished in learnyng that it iustly might haue béen saied an other Grece or Athens That lernyng is necessarie as well vnto Princes as also to all Capitaines that liue at any tymes in armes Chap. 8. I Mighte here remember many auncient histories besides the true and assured proofes that Princes in times paste were for the moste parte learned as that they also knewe that nothynge for fitte or good gouernemente was more necessarie then to taste or sauour in any sorte of good letters But for as much as these thinges are euident plaine and well knowen I will not dwell long or staie here much on theim We reade not withstandyng that Philippe Kyng of Madonie seyng Alexander to bee borne to hym Aristotle then in Athens he sent hym a letter to thys purpose notable recited by Plutarche and A. Gellius in whiche he yeldeth his humble thankes vnto the gods not so muche for that he hadde a sonne then borne as for that he was borne in the daies of Aristotle wheÌ„ce it is euen in these fewe euident howe muche this good prince affected and desired that his sonne should be fostered in all kinde of litrature to th' intent he might be suche a prince and capitaine as was his fathers desire he should and as he after proued whom as sone as he was of age fit for studie hée gaue hym as is saide Aristotle for maister whom presentlie he inrichte with greate and large salaries reedifiing also for the loue of this his sonne a houge and waist citie which he to fore had raced where he did to be builte for hym also a schole more sumptuous and gaie then earst had else béen sien Antigonus also king some tymes of Macedonie well knowyng how necessarie learnyng was for gouernmente tickled with the renoume of the famous Zeno a Philosopher moste excellent prince of the Stoikes desired beyoÌ„d measure to haue him at home with hym whiche thyng he straighte attempted by letters and ambassadours whiche letters Diogenes Laercius in this sorte remembreth Antigonus kyng to Zeno Philosopher gretyng I knowe well that in riches in the giftes of Fortune and in suche others like thynges of reputatioÌ„ I farre excell and passe thée euery waie how be it I gladly also confesse that thou again exceadest me in the true felicltie in the studies of the artes the sciences and Philosophie Wherefore my desire is that thou shouldest suggeourne here with me whiche thyng I beseche thée graunte and accorde me to the ende that I maie vse this thy desired coÌ„panie whiche doyng be thou assured that thou shalte not onely rule and maister me but also shalt order all others the Macedonians for who so well instructeth and ordereth well the Prince schooleth with bountie and vertue all his subiectes and that this is true wee commonly dooe sée that suche as is the kyng suche also are his vassaules and suche as is the capitaine suche continually are founde and séen to bee his souldiers These letters receiued by this venerable Philosopher he sorrowed that he could not by meanes of his greate age aunswere the expectation of this vertuous and good prince but sent hym of parte to contente hym with all twoo of his wiseste and beste learned scholers by whose industrie he profited bothe in vertue and learnyng Aristotle in like sorte whose auditour Alexander was for the space of fiue full yeres profited him his scholer in suche sort that he afterward proued a moste excellente and wise prince suche in deede and so perfecte as none was founde to hym comparable throughout the whole worlde Beyng in the middle of his armie he neuer would leaue or abandon his studie but with his sworde did to bee saied vnder his beddes heade Homers Iliades and other bookes whiche he vsually carried So that as appereth he made equall accoÌ„pte as well I meane of the studie of Philosophie and good letters as also of the conqueste of greate kyngdomes and countries And farther saieth Plutarche A. Gellius and Themistocles that he beyng busied aboute the conqueste of Asia was aduertised that Aristotle had published certaine bookes of naturall Philosophie the same in déede whiche he had painfully tofore redde to hym by meanes whereof he wrote to hym in effecte as followeth In very truthe Aristotle thou haste not
dooen well in makyng common these bookes of Philosophie by thee composed sor how in thine owne iudgement maie I now surpasse others if this now whiche thou some tymes didste teache me by thy meanes become common and well knowen vnto all men Knowe assuredly that I more affecte to ercell others in learning then in any the riches or kingdomes of the worlde Whiche thing as sone as it was ones vnderstoode of Aristotle he aunswered that his bookes whiche he then had printed were so intricate obscure and difficill that it was impossible for any man to profit by theim if hymself did not firste of all expounde and interprete them Pirrhus an excellente capitaine and kyng of the Epirotes whiche long liued in armes at deâ—â—aunce with the Romaines who also at tymes discomfited and vanquishte theim not onely busied hymself in the often readyng of the Sciences but also published certaine bookes of whiche some were written of the policies or preceptes of warre That whiche alsoin our tyme hath doen that worthie personage Gulielmus de Bellai seigniour of Langei What shall we also write of Iulius Caesar the firste Emperour and beste capitaine that euer ledde souldiar he no lesse profited in the studie of letters then of armes who firste was a studente before he would be a souldiar and after as occasion or tyme mighte serue hym would visite the schooles or Vniuersities of Poetes and marchyng still or trauaillyng would write or reade some thyng On a tyme beyng at Alexandria in Egipte the better to saue hym self beyng in mernailous daunger skilled in swimmyng committed hym self to the water through whiche he carried in one hande the bookes whiche he had written giuyng others to vnderstande that he no lesse helde theim deare to hym them his life hauyng no lesse care to saue the one then the other and what he had profited in the studie of good learnyng his commentaries whiche he hath lefte vs sufficiently witnes And not onely Caesar but all th' other Emperours verifie the same whiche we here haue reported whiche also were for the moste parte good capitaines and gouernors who also when so euer thei were inricht with children acquainted them straight and out of hand with their bookes prouidyng them excellente maisters and learned men out of Grece Very fewe knowe what men the twoo Catoes were how valiant in Martiall exploites what graue and wise Philosophers Censorinus the greate so vowed hymself to studie that what he was and how he profited his writynges yet dooe witnes he was an worthie Oratour and well skilled in histories vniuersally learned in all studies and scieÌ„ces the Greke tongue he beganne in his olde and stoopyng age The other surnamed Vticensis though he were in deede lesse subtile and sharpe witted yet soughte he to haue with hym suche as he could finde any where the beste learned emong whom he retained the Philosopher Antipater and so gaue hym self totally vnto his studie that as Cicero reporteth in his bookes de finibus he hardely might be drawen at any tyme from his papers in suche sorte that he neuer entered into the Senate without some booke to busie hym self if he happely might haue there so muche leasure Scipio Africanus that triumphed ouer Hanniball was so inamored with the study of good learnyng that he neuer lefte to haue the Poete Ennius with hym and after all his warres and triumphant victories gaue hymself moste earnestly to continuaunce of reading Hannibal his coÌ„petitor though he were in déede of Africa had not withstandyng his bookes in his tentes continually with hym neither would he in tyme of war intermit or leaue any tyme fitte for studie but in what place so euer he came yea though some daungers were imminent yet would he retain with hym still Silan and Sasilas all bothe Lacedomoniens by meanes whereof he became right learned in the Greke We haue also tofore saied that Denis the tyranne retained with hym the diuine Plato for maister and that he also helde with hym many others well learned Who after he was banished and chast out of his countrie one in derision boldly bourdyng with hym demaunded in what stéede his Philosophie sometyme learned of Plato now stoode hym To whom he answered that it very well then serued him patieÌ„tly to supporte and indure that his aduersitie Themistocles also that excellent capitaine had in armes and in studie like and equall pleasure he continually conferred with Anaxagoras the Milesian Epaminondas with these others capitaines of Grece were all very studious and eloquente Oratours Mithridates in all his warres whiche by the space of fourtie yeres he had continually with the Romaines neuer lefte or forsooke by meanes of any the force or furie of his enemies his wonted pain or labour in studie He also as the others had sunderie Philosophers with hym Octauian Augustus assigned to hymself certaine howers in the daie for his studie neither lefte he that his wonte in the tyme of warre leadyng with hym to that purpose sundrie excellent personages as Apollodorus of Pergama the Philosopher Asperarius Asimius Polion Valerius Messala Virgil Ouide and many suche others Before this Emperour was Lucius Lucullus a moste excellent and famous capitain whiche neuer lefte or abandoned in tyme of warre his studie and in tyme of peace gaue intertainment to greet troopes of the learned Paulus Emilius that subdued the kyng Persius besides that hym self was in good letters moste excellente did his paine to the vttereste that his children should be like hym so that at his incessant and moste earnest sute he obtained in the ende Metrodorus of the Athenians a maister to instructe and bryng vp his children But to what ende name I so many here by order Pompeius Q. Fabianus the greate M. Brutus Traianus Adrianus M. Antonius were all very studious whose bookes letters and orations yet ertante witnes what the men were of what iudgement and learnyng In fine therefore if I nothyng be deceiued fewe good capitaines euer were there that were not addicted to the studie of good letters How bee it twoo there were of whose learnyng wee nothyng canne finde or reade any where to weete Caius Marius and Marcus Marcellus Marcellus neuer the lesse as some recorde loued fauoured and defended eche where the learned so that wée maie presume that he also was lettered though in deede as is saied we no suche thyng haue yet founde written and yet of parte it well appereth that he throughly was not vnlearned by his wise defence of Archimedes at the sackyng of Siracusa although in déede he yet suffered not without the greate grief and sorrowe of Marcellus Let then the capitaines of this our age saie what them beste liketh and that to be wel lettered is a thing lesse necessarie but I to them will saie and to suche as that maintaine that thei obstinatly seke to couer their foule defaulte and ignoraunce Wee reade againe that oure elders in no respecte lesse estemed the bookes of the learned then the
Notwithstanding it appeareth moste euidently that the yéeres mentioned in the Holy Scriptures were none others then these of our time that if there were any kinde of difference sutche it was as was not almoste sensible Which thinge is very well proued by Iosephus as also by Lactantius Firmianus but yet more perfectly and more plainely by S. Augustine by whose authoritie and reasons easily may be confounded who so leaneth to the contrarye Touchinge the firste that eche Moone in that Age gaue them one full yéere accoumptinge euermore from the one Coniunction vnto the other it resteth an eroour moste open and euidente for that wée wel know that that conteineth not thirtie dayes full so that one hundred yéeres folowing this our accoumpte would mounte vnto aboue one thousand and twoo hundred of theirs of that time Whence it woulde folowe contrarye to the opinion of all that men in our Age nowe presently lyue longer then they did immediately after the Creation of the world for that neuer was there any man that liued one thousande and twoo hundred yéeres whiche nothinge surmounteth this Age of ours It also is apparente that somme emonge vs liue an hundred yéeres somme also thoughe rare it chaunce an hundred and twelue whiche woulde rise to more then a thousande and thrée hundred yéeres accoumpting them accordinge to the course of the Moone Like errour to this was not also theirs which affirmed tenne yéeres of the firste Age paste to be iuste one and no more of this our time For had that their opinion bene true then should men haue benne able in the acte of Generation at the Age of seuen eighte and tenne yéeres which squareth with no rule or parte of Philosophie For proofe whereof wée reade in Genesis that Seth the sonne of Adam begatte Enoch beinge then olde an hundred and fiue yéeres If then ten yéeres of that Age had answeared by iust proportion but vnto one of these oures it then shoulde followe that these of the firste Age at the Age of tenne yéeres and a halfe of this time present shoulde be stronge and able in the acte of Generation Cain also hauinge issue at thréescoare and tenne yéeres should haue also benne Father followinge our accompt at the ende of his first seuen yéeres yea and that whiche more is at a farre yonger Age if one of our yéeres had counterpeased twelue of the firste Age as diuerse haue not leafte lightly to surmise But wée shall more plainly yet vnfolde this their fowle faulte and by this reason weaken their inexcusable errour If their yéere were but the tenth or tweluth parte of oures then consequently must it follow that their yéere had not twelue Moneths or at least that their Moneth had but three daies whiche is false for that the sayde texte of the Scripture saithe that the generall Floudde began the seuentiene daye of the seconde Moneth whence wee euidenily learne that the moneths of that time where none other then are oures Concerninge the others whose opinion was that a yeere in the firste Age was but the fourth parte of one in this their yéere beinge the space of thrée moneths only is proued by the saide péece of Scripture to be in like manner false For in the same place is it readde that the Arke of Noë flottinge on the waters arrested it self the seuen and twentie daie of the seuenth Moneth whiche the waters fallen first staide it selfe in the Mountaines of Armenia Againe after is it written that the waters dayly diminished vntill the tenth Moneth and that in the firste daie of the saide moneth the toppes of highe Hilles and Mountaines eche where discouered them selues Whence nowe lie euident the errours of those whiche measured for their yéere the onely space of thrée Moneths for that mention is here made bothe of the seuenth and tenth Then may wée well learne that the auncient yéere had also twelue Moneths as haue in this laste Age semblably oures for that remembringe the tenth it mindeth lesse nothing then the ende or the last And as ill also may that be saide that their Moneth had but thrée daies onely for of the seuen and twentie daye of the Moneth plaine and expresse mention lieth open in the Texte But least of all may it be supposed that their daies had of length but twoo or thrée howers for that the same Texte againe reporteth that it raigned and the windowes of Heauen were opened by the full space of fourtie daies and fourtie nightes So now then is it euident that the daies were naturall of foure and twentie howres the Moneths and yéeres none other then are oures or at least very small and insensible was the difference Whiche thinge to that ende I onely haue spoken for that all men accompted the course of the Heauens as wée doo so that this order amonge the learned the Hebrewes I meane as well as the Egyptians hath benne reuerently eche where and alwaies obserued among whom Moyses the Historiographer was brought vp Author of those holy Bookes where these longe liues are recorded Now if wée would subscribe to the opinion of many who affirme the Hebrewes to haue measured their Moneths by the course of the Moone geuinge forth their yéere complete by the twelue Moneths Lunaries eche Moneth hauinge onely niene and twentie daies fouretene howres or at the least very litle more or lesse by meanes whereof the yéere might ende aboute twelue daies shorter then that whiche wée measure by the passage of the Sunne whiche is thrée hundreth thirty and fiue daies and sixe howres This difference notwithstandinge ne yet leaueth doubtfull or of any parte vncertaine the longe and great Age of our forepassed Fathers for a smal matter is it in niene hundred or a thousande yéeres to exempte twentie or thirtie for that the Monethes Lunaryes were not full thirtie dayes Hence then conclude wée by this authoritie certaine that the nine hundred and thirtie yéeres whiche Adam liued the nine hundred also of the others were sutch as were the hundred thrée scoare and fiuetiene of Abraham and sutch also as are the thrée scoare and tenne and foure scoare of of our time for the moste parte the extreame tearme ende of our lyues There is also one other and semblable consideration to be noted to this pourpose alleaged by S. Augustine Admitte saithe he that in the Scriptures no mention be made that Adam and his Posteritie had any other Children before these that are in the saide Scriptures remembred yet is it for a veritie assuredly to be mainteined that bothe before and after they had diuers and sundrye yea and that in theire tenderer Age also then is any where in holy Write in any wise specified Wherof to yéelde more sufficient proufe when it is saide that Caine had builte to him a Cittie the first of all others that euer was in this worlde of whiche Iosephus reporteth sayinge That it was bewtified with diuers Towers enuironed compast with