that he knew nothing The third is Herodotus who writeth in the Ionick Dialect that is a kinde of Greeke differing a little in phrases and pronuntiation from the common-spoken as some farre scituate shires doe from the Court or mother-Citie of their Countrie in diuers points it agreeth with the French Plutarch dealeth somewhat too roughly with this worthy Historiographer in whose defence I will oppose the authoritie of a learned man of our time who in a certaine Preface of his saith of Herodotus Narrationes eius sunt disertae iudicationes expressae speciosae explicationes accuratae euidentes collectiones certae atqueplenae in his rerum gestarum hominum temporum fides accurata compertorum relatio dubiorum coniccturasagâ—x sabulosorum verecunda commemoratio miravbique simplicitas eximius quidam candor See the great praises and perfections of a graue Historiographer The fourth is Demosthenes the prince of Greeke Orators the very rule and square of all that endeuour to speake eloquently a man that leadeth other mens mindes as he list excellent in all his discourses which are extant the most of them and read to the great vse and prosit of those that know how to apply them 25. Then he of Anthonie and Catiline great foe That is Cicero surnamed the father of Eloquence he is the first and chiefe of those that grace and maintaine the Latine tongue He was extreamely hated of Marke Anthonie and Catiline both whom he hath also bitterly pursued and touched to the quicke as his Catilinarie and Philippicke Orations declare the often printing of his workes and learned mens continuall reading of them and borrowing thence the best graces of their writings doe proue his learning eloquence and plentie of speech to be such as the Poet here describeth The second is Caesar the most valiant of eloquent men and most eloquent of valiant men as may well appeare by his life in Plutarch and his Commontaries de bello Gallico by which worke he hath wrung the pen out of learned mens hands and in a manner discouraged them all from writing Histories because they see such perfection therein as they are not able to come neere The third is the Historiographer Salust we haue of his workes besides diuers Orations two Histories remaining Coniuratio Catilinae bellum Iugurthinum short they are but full of sentence and sinewes witnessing the ancient force and vigor of the Roman tongue The Reader may hereto adde the commendations of these three Authors as they are in many learned bookes of late writers here and there scattered As for those that thinke Cicero bableth without learning and that Caesar the Dictatour and first Emperour wrote not these Commentaries that beare his name and that Salust writeth a hard and forced stile because their accusations are false and they so farre out of the way I thinke them worthy none other answer than our Poets few verses here Of the fourth which is the Poet Virgil too much cannot be spoken his bookes of Georgickes and Aeneidos being such maruellous workes and so farre exceeding all other bookes of humanitic I speake not onely for the excellence of his verse but sure in the depth of his inuentions his iudgement his decence his modestie his grauitie and his state how much he doth outstrip and goe beyond all others may be seene not onely in euery booke of his but euen in euery verse wherein is contained a thousand thousand secrets and as it were the abridgement of all kinde of Arts and knowledge besides his proper tearmes his Epythites alway fit his metaphors and figures sow'n and sprinkled in their right places and his speech quite throughout eloquent and pure without any bodging or dawberie whatsoeuer The learned Caesar Scaliger among many others hath plainly and at large declared in his Art of Poetrie the excellency of this Author 26. Th'Italian For ornament of the Italian a language risen of the Roman or Latine he nameth three Poets and one Orator slipping diuers writers of historie and Secretaries that haue left diuers excellent workes Orations and Epistles among vs. The reason is I thinke because these foure containe in them all the graces of the others He nameth also the Tuscan tongue because of all the diuers Dialects of Italie the Luquish Milanish Geneuish and Venetian none are so pure and fine as the Florentine or Tuscan Iohn Boccace hath written long time agoe but a very fine and pure stile as his Decameron his Fiametta the Philocope The Laberinth and his other bookes witnesse that with the world are in so great request Francis Petrach hath written since and inuented goodly words and partly by his owne pregnant wit partly by imitation of the best Authors hath enriched the tongue with many graces he hath ventured also farre and made Sonets Chapters and Cantoes wonderfull curious Then Ludouico Ariosto of Ferara hath set forth a legend of Loue entituled Orlando furioso in verses sweet and meet famous throughout all Italie he is full of affections in his discourse and as delightfull as is possible by reason of the varietie of that fabulous matter he writeth of which he shadoweth so cunningly that the Reader is therewith often affected and mouâ—d as if it were a true storie or at least not altogether false Torquato Tasso is last of the foure in time of writing but in account as the Poet saith the first and chiefe he was the sonne of Bernardo Tasso that eloquent man whose excellent Epistles are in print This his sonne hath written in twenty bookes or Cantoes of stately verse a poeme the best of all Italians entituled Gierusalemme liberata all the graces and riches of the Greekes and Latines are there gathered together all wrought into it after the best manner so graue so short so learned so comely so liuely so stately as if it were the worke of another Virgil. There are also printed at Ferrara three volumnes of his workes containing other kindes of verse and all sorts of fine inuentions a Comedie a Tragedie diuers Dialogues and discourses in prose all are worth reading and all make good the iudgement that our Poet hath giuen of the Authour 27. The language Arabicke This language is comen of the Hebrew among other learned mens bookes that haue made this tongue of account we haue the workes of Aben Rois that is the sonne of Kings for Ben signifieth a sonne in Hebrew and the Arabians adde to the beginning this preposition A and sometime Al. This Aben Rois is the same that we commonly call Auerroës the Commentar a very excellent Philosopher He hath commented vpon most of Aristotle and is translated into Latine printed at Venice the worke doth shew the deepe reach and subtill braine of the man Auicen was a great Rhilosopher and Physitian as his writings also declare Gesner saith Auerroës was of Cordway and Auicen of Seuill and so I thinke but it appeareth by their workes that they were both Arabians and professed the superstition
of Mahomet As for Eldebag Iohannes Leo writeth of him in the fift booke of his description of Asticke This poet borne at Malaga in Grenade of great name thorough all the parts of Buggie and Thunes was very eloquent in the Arabian tongue and wonderfull sharpe in railing on those that did him hurt he made the men of Tebesse feele it in a Satyre he wrote against them the effect whereof is this that Nature knowing the Tebessians should be men of little worth and very swine would make no good thing grow about their Citie but Nuts The last to wit Ibnu-farid the French Commentar knoweth not what he was and I cannot learne 28. The Dutch For the Dutch or Almaine tongue hee setteth vs downe Michaell Beuther who very well hath translated the Latine Commentaries of Sleidan the next is Luther borne at Islebe as learned and eloquent a man as any was among the Diuines and Preachers of Germanie as all will confesse that haue read his workes in Dutch he Preached and read Diuinitie the space of many yeeres at Wytteberg in Saxony Then Gasper Peucer son in law to Phillip Melancibon an excellent Philosopher Mathematician and Phisitian as his workes declare And lastly Peter Beutricke Counceller to Duke Iohn Cosimer and chiefe dealer for him with diuers Princes lately deceased I could name you many more but I content my selfe as the poet hath done with these foure 29. Then Gueuare The Bookes of Anthony de Gueuare du Bosean de Grenade de Gracylace haue beene for the most part translated into Latine Italian and French but they are farre better in their Castilian which is the most pure Dialect of the Spanish tongue and wherein the men of learning and good nourtriture are wont ordinarily to write and speake And these foure the poet hath chosen for the most eloquent writers in this tongue yet nothing foredeeming diuers others that haue written well both in verse and prose as namely Osias whom but for his old Dialect he iudgeth as good an author as the other 30. The speech of English For ornament of the English tongue he nameth Sir Thomas Moore and Sir Nicholas Bacon both Lord Chauncellours the first of them was very learned in the Arts and tongues the second exceeding well seene in the common lawes of England and both very eloquent in their mother language As for Sir Philip Sidney he deserueth no lesse commendation then the poet hath giuen him Chaucer deserueth the like commendation here that Osias did among the Spanish Authors 31. But what new Sunne is this He maketh a digression in praise of the Queene of England who the space of seuen and thirty yeeres hath gouerned her Realme in great prosperitie so as during the troubles and ouerthrowes of other kingdomes about her herselfe and her people haue beene preserued from infinite dangers This famous Queene hath also the tougues here mentioned by the poet very par fit and at this day by the singular grace of God she is accounted the precious pearle of the North and very fortunate in all the warres she taketh in hand her happy successe and victories are euery way so memorable that they deserue to be written in a large historie and reuerenced of all posteritic 32. But what are these of France Clement Marot worthy to be admired for his time in regard of the ignorance and barbarisme that raigned in Europe many yeeres before him hath led the Muses ouer the Alpes and arrayed them after the French fashion as witnesseth among other his workes the translation of nine and fortie Psalmes of Dauid a worke that will continue in account as long as Yea and Nay are spoken euen to the worlds end Indeed he wanteth that Art and those fine deuices that some later Writers haue but euen in this want and these imperfections he hath done wonderous well and sheweth in his naturall vaine that if he had list he could haue beene excellent yea in some points and places he hath so done alreadie as the best of them all could haue done no better For translations wee haue Iacques Amiot who hath turned into French the Aethiopian Historie of Heliodorus seuen bookes of Diodorus Siculus and all Plutarch wherein he hath laboured to very good purpose and with happie successe I would to God he had set his hand also to Thucidides Xenophon and Seneca his stile is pure and naturall not affected not forced right good and true French Blase Viginere hath also translated many bookes as the Polonian History a part of Liuie Caesar Chalcondylas Philostratus three Dialogues of Friendship and the Psalmes in free verse all which I haue read ouer and againe yet doe I preferre Amiot before him Indeed I finde in Viginere a very ready stile and matter well chosen but the other I know not how me thinkes hath a better cariage of himselfe The Sâ—iour de Vauprinas in his French Librarie saith of all the foster-children of the Muses that were bred in France Viginere hath so written that as well for learning as for eloquence of speech he hath preuented all that shall come after him and as it were shut the gate against them See what a commendation here is I leaue the Reader to iudge of our opinions Our Poet stayeth in doubt but I haue beene bold to goe further I trust without any great offence in this consisteth not the good or bad state of France Concerning Poets he nameth Peter Ronsard who hath made himselfe rich with Greeke and Latine spoiles as his Treatises of Loue his Odes Elegies and Hymnes doe witnesse wherein a man may reade all sorts of verses and all kinde of matter sometimes in a low stile sometimes in a meane sometimes in a loftie stile For which the Poet calleth him Great Ronsard I will note here a notable speech of his After our Poets first Weeke was come forth in Print being asked his opinion of the worke he answered alluding to the title Mounsieur du Bartas hath done more in one weeke than I haue done in all my life time As for Philip de Mornay Lord of Plessie Marly his learned worke of the truth of Christian Religion honoured thus by the true title and written in good French with liuely reasons there gathered together moueth and draweth to his purpose that is to acknowledge the truth all that reade it with a heart desirous of peace and good The like may be said of his Discourse of Life and Death of his Treatise of the Church his Meditations and some Epistles and Demonstrations of his For all his Writings are strengthened with Arguments Inductions and proofes inuincible and all in a stile with grauitie and sweetnesse mixed well knit and well sounding and easie enough to those that are neuer so little acquainted with it The Poet hauing so liuely represented his Vision endeth his discoarse of Elequence and her most renowned sauourer in euery Language and so shut vp his sixt Booke Which is the second of the second day of
such as hurt him P. Marlyr of Millaine in the 8. booke of his 3. Decade tels great wonders of one that was tamed and made so familiar with a certaine Cassike or Lord of India that he would play and make sport like an Ape and sometimo would carry ten Indians at once on his backe and passe or ferry them in that wise from one side of a great Lake there to the other And for as much as hauing foure feet like a Sea-dog he liued on the land as well as in the water he would now and then wrestle with Indians and take meat at their hand but would in no wise be reconciled vnto the Christians there because one of them whom he knew it seems very strangely by his face and clothes had once strooke him with a lance though hurt him not by reason of his hard and thicke hyde Ouiede in the 13. booke and 10. chap. f his History describes one but not as a creature liuing both at Sea and Land nor yet foure-footed Howbeit he saith the name of Manat is giuen to this fish by the Spaniards because he hath as t' were manus duas two hands neere his head which doe serue him for fynnes to swim withall he tels further many things of singular note and that this Manat or Seabullocke is found about the Isle of Hispaniola As for other fishes here mentioned they shall be handled in another place hereafter but who so desires to know more of the history and nature of them let him reade Gesner Rondeletius Bellon So much out of the second day of the first weeke Now let vs goe on with this booke of the Arke 7 Good Noe. In the history of Moses Gen. 7. there are certaine points worthy noting to proue that the faithfull and holy Patriarck Noes heart failed him not though he saw then the Arke tossed vp and downe the boundlesse waters of this generall Flood though all the fountaines of the great deepe broke forth and the flood-gates of Heauen were opened so as the raine fell amaine and without ceasing vpon the face of the earth forty daies and forty nights together and the water swelled fiftie cubits aboue the highest of all hills The first is that he entred the Arke himselfe with his wife and children and their wiues also at the commandement of God The second is that after all the beasts paire by paire were also come in God himselfe shut the doore vpon them For this shewes that the holy Patriarke with a liuely faith obeyed the voice of God and vpon his only wise prouidence wholly rested And therefore good reason had the Poet to set downe such holy exercises as were likely to be vsed by Noe being now close prisoner as it were for the space of a whole yeare and ten daies as may be gathered by the 11. and 13. verses of the seauenth chapter of Genesis and by the 13. and 14. verses of the chapter following The summe of his discourse is grounded vpon consideration of the great mercy of God who neuer forgetteth his children and such as feare him and rest vpon his goodnesse This goodnesse and mercy well shewed it selfe vnto Noe and his among so many fearefull shapes of death while in the Arke they were so preserued aliue from the Deluge together with the whole seminarie of the world next to ensue The Almighty now held all creatures obedient vnto the Patriarke as he had before disposed them to come and range themselues by couples into the Arke where they were during this imprisonment to be fed and kept cleane Let the Reader duely consider how many wayes the faith patience and constancie of Noe was exercised in so waighty a charge and how needfull it was that God who had shut vp his seruant in this prison of wood should be there also with him from time to time to strengthen and make him rich in faith as hee was whereby he onercame all these dangers God therefore doubtlesse was the Patron of his ship the sterne Load starre Ancor and Hauen of this Arke sloating amid the waters now hurried after a strange manner To this purpose saith a learned Father Noah iactatur procellis nec meigitur serpentibus beslijs sociatur nec terretur ei serae colla submittunt alites famulantur It was the great mercy of God toward Noe that hee gaue him the skill and knowledge how to fit the seuerall places in the Arke for the creatures and their food as also that vnder one man and so few more as were saued with him he held in obedience so many beasts and for the most part one contrary to another that the men were not choâ—ked vp with this close ayre and ill sauour of excrements that amid so many fearefull apprehensions they were able to keepe life and soule together But the blessing of God is the stay and sure hold of all his children 8 But Cham. I will not speake here now of the questions arising about the time when began or how long continued the Flood nor curiously examine the Hebrew words lest these Annotations grow too long And the Poet hath chosen matter of more importance to be considered I haue said else-where that it graceth much a Poem where the certame truth appeares not there to stand vpon likelyhoods C ham shewed himselfe a profane wretch and a scosser straight after the Flood whereupon both he and his posteritie were accursed The Poet therefore with great probabilitie supposeth he could not long conceale and hold-in the poyson whereof his heart was full but began to vent and vomit it euen in the Arke Noe then a man endued with the feare of God was surely not silent the space of a whole yeare and ten dayes and his care was not employed altogether vpon the beast it must needs be therefore that he spent some time in teaching and comforting his familie C ham was certainly gracelesse and had no feeling of the Spirit and fitly then doth the Poet personate in him all that are profane striuers against the iudgements of God For whatsoeuer is here imputed vnto Cham may be gathered for likely by that which he and his posteritie did after the Deluge Noe who liued yet three hundâ—ed and fiftie yeares longer returned it seemes from the Armenian hills where the Arke staid into his own former habitation about Damascus where his fore-fathers were buried It is held for certaine that Sem also came againe thither and that his issue peopled the lands thence reaching toward the East the South Cham drew to the South West Iaphet to the North and West whereof reade yee the 10. chap. of Genesis C ham had one sonne called Cus whose posteritie inhabited a part of Arabia and that of Ethiopia which is vnder Egypt another called Mitsraim of whom came the Egyptians and another called Canaan father of the Cananites He had also Put a fourth sonne but of his posteritie Moses hath not a word Iosephus in the sixt chapter
the iawes of Hell The skarr'd inhabitants of that same floating Cell Who now a peace-offering deuoutly sacrifise And from his Alter make perfumes to Heau'n arise Of purer kinded beasts and therewithall let flie Zele-winged heartie prayers and thus aloud they crie 15. Here yet the damned Crew Before he goe-on he shewes what certaine profane wretches doe obiect who make doubt of this history concerning the Deluge because they cannot conceiue how it is possible that the Arke being but 300. cubits long and 50. broad and 30. high should liue it is the Sea-mans phrase so many moneths in so great a storme of wind raine and violence of waters with so heauy a charge and containe so many creatures together with their competent food and fodder sithence the greatest Gallion vpon the Sea hath hardly stoage for the nourishment of a Horse an Elephant a Cammell a Bull and a Rhinoceros the space of ten moneths The Poet hath diuers answers to this obiection First that the mungrell beasts of what sort soeuer since engendred as Mules Leopards and other like that Nature daily brings forth were not in the Arke And this may be gathered out of the very text of Moses who speaks of the simple and true kindes not the mingled or mungrell sort as all Expositors agree The second is that the Arke because it contained so many cubits geometricall was able to receiue of all the true and simple kinds wylde tame creeping flying both male and female This is briefly said but we will speake thereof a word more Moses hath recorded in the 6. chap. of Gen. ver 14. c. that God hauing a purpose to destroy the world said vnto Noe Make thee an Arke of Gopher-wood which is thought to be a sort of Pine or Cedar Thou shalt make cabins in the Arke and shalt pitch it inside and out with pitch And thus thou shalt make it The length thereof shall be 300 cubits and the breadth 50 cubits and the height 30 cubits a window shalt thou make in the Arke and in a cubit shalt thou finish it abone and thou shalt set a doore in the side thereof And thou shalt make it with a low second and third roome or storie The timber then of the Arke being of such a fast and sad wood not easily rotting was like to hold out and I imagine it was a kinde of Cedar such as Plinie nameth in the 15. chap. of his 13. booke saying Hanc quoque materiam siccatam mari duritie incorrupta spissari nec vllo modo vehementiùs 1. That this kinde of timber dryed with the Sea more then any wayes else growes so sad and hard that it cannot rot But sithence the Commentors vpon this place differ much in the interpretation of this word Gopher which in all the Old Testament is not found but here I leaue the Reader that will be exact and curious to search it out himselfe As for the rest it is not to be doubted but that Noe endowed with a great measure of the holy Spirit and with exquisite wisdome did herein euen to the full conceiue and execute the commandement of God So as the Arke that is the close or couered ship was surely made and finished according to the proportion set downe by Moses and that of choice well seasoned and most durable materials 100 yeare a preparing as may be gathered by comparing the 7. chap. and 6. verse with the 6.10 and the 5.32 of Genesis And for as much as the whole businesse was managed by the expresse ordinance of God who gaue a secret instinct to the beasts both cleane and vncleane to enter after Noe by payres into the Arke I conclude there was roome distinct and sufficient both for them and their prouisions Apelles an auncient Heretike and the disciple of a most vngodly Master called Marcion hauing presumptuously controuled the bookes of Moses gaue occasion to some of the Fathers and chiefly Origen among other points to treat of the capacitie and largenesse of Noes Arke wherein he accounts each cubit Geometricall the Quadrate whereof is as much as six other cubits And this I. Buteo a learned Mathematician of Daulphine very cunningly declares in a treatise purposely written of the Arke of Noe where he proues to the full whatsoeuer may be questioned concerning that admirable peece of Architecture and all the cabins that it had for the creatures and their seuerall prouisions Io. Goropius discourseth likewise hereof and at large in the second booke of his Antiquities entitled Gigantomachia inserting also some part of Buteo But to speake plainly if we take the cubit in common signification for a foot and a halfe and confider the different syze of men of that age from ours together with the length bredth and height of the Arke and three stages whereof the lowest was for the prouision the next for the foure-footed and creeping creatures and the vppermost for the birds with Noe and his familie and ouer all these a couering wee shall finde roome enough to lodge and place all according to the number in generall set downe by Moses to wit male and female of euery sort vncleane and seauen of the cleane male and female The Poet here speaking of the Geometricall cubit means a cubit solid that is in length bredth and height taken together There are that make the cubit two foot long and make difference betwixt the cubit legale as they call it and the cubit of a man glancing at that which is said Deut. 3. of the bed of Og king of Basan Looke what Arias Montanus saith in his Tubal Cain and Noah where he discourses of the measures and Architectures mentioned in holy Scripture and of the Arke These bookes are in the Volume which he calleth Apparatus ioyned to the great Bibles in Hebrue Greeke and Latine and printed at Antwerpe That which hath led these Atheists and profane wretches into errour is that they consider not that Noe and the men of that Age by reason of their higher stature had longer cubits and hard it is to giue a iust proportion of theirs vnto ours When Moses wrote certaine it is that mens bodies were abated of their bignesse yet that which he wrote was easily vnderstood of the Israelites who receiued these things by tradition and knew them as perfectly as if they saw them with their eyes The last argument here vsed by the Poet adoring the wisdome of Almighty God who made all things in number weight and measure is a reason of all reasons and altogether vnreasonable are they that reason to the contrary then beside reason were it to propound reason to them that haue lost the true vse of reason and will conceiue nothing but that which their owne mad and extrauagant reason soundeth in their eares But againe to the Text. Pere port-trident Pricre de Noé à Dieu Roy des vents dompte-mer Voy nous d'vn oeil benin O Dieu vueille calmer Les bouillons de tonire conduire au
his booke De ant quitate linguae Hebraicae there are many such Treatises set forth by diuers learned men whereout and of the bookes aforenamed may be gathered infinite proofes of that which the Poet hath touched in this second reason The third is that there liues no Nation vnder the cope of heauen but keepeth still some words of Hebrew in their speech First the Caldean Syrian Arabian Egyptian Persian Ethiopian and many other as the Gotthicke Troglodyticke Punicke are so deriued thence that they come as neere it as Italian to Latine some more some lesse Secondly the Greeke Latine and those others that are farthest off haue yet here and there some words that we must needes grant are sprong from the same fountaine a man may set downe a many of them but it were too long here to coate the examples Thirdly the roots of many words that are taken to be Greeke or some other tongue are found to be Hebrew as Franciscus Iunius hath plainly shewed in his learned oration Deliuguae Hebraea antiquitate praeslantia The fourth reason is that the doctrine of the old Testament which is the doctrine of the first and most ancient people of the world was not written but in Hebrew No man denieth that the people that came of Sem the sonne of Noe is the most ancient among these remained the Church of God and the Hebrew tongue God spake not but in the Hebrew tongue by the high Priest that wore the sacred Ephod and the breast-plate of iudgement whereon was set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vrim Thummim words signifying lights and perfections which some thinke was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or foure-letered name Iehoua contained within the brest-plate others say it was the rankes of those twelue precious stones there enchased that on them had ingrauen the names of the twelue tribes of Israel as if it were a repetition of that which Moses saith in the 17 18 19 and 20. verses of the 28. chapter of Exodus where he speaketh of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vrim Thummim in the 30. verse others hold they were certaine names others are of diuers other opinions Some late writers thinke those words were ingrauen in the breast-plate This is a secret the search whereof whether one dispute of the words or what they meant or what 's become of them c. is very painfull and needlesse for that now sithence the comming of Christ we ought to follow the truth it selfe and not stay vpon shadowes These words doubtlesse gaue to vnderstand that all light and perfection commeth of our Sauiour in whom all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily dwelleth in whom are hid all the treasures of vnderstanding knowledge who is the light of his Church that is made vnto vs of God his father wisedome iustice redemption and holinesse In all iudgements demands oracles and reuelations that were made by Vrim and Thummim as may be gathered out of the 27. chapter of Numbers the first booke of Samuel the 13. and 30. chapters and other places where aduise and counsell was asked of God and answere was made by the mouth of the high Priest there appeared a cleere light a sure truth and perfection all which in Christ is accomplished Now these demands and answers were propounded and rendred in the Hebrew tongue long time before any other language was vsed in the world For so soone after their scattering at Babel they could not well be incorporated into a common wealth and as for religion that was not kept but in the race of Sem as Moses plainly declareth all through the historie of Abraham Concerning the Prophets their dreames and visions God spake not they vnderstood not neither answered or taught they the Church but in the Hebrew that significant vnmingled holy chaste and heauenly tongue whereas others lispe and stammer-out vncertaine sounds and are infinite wayes defiled through the dishonest foolish erronious and vngodly discourses of their inuentours I except the bookes of the new Testament and all writings drawne from the cleere fountaines of holy Scripture besides the which there is nothing but vanitie filth wickednesse and vngodlinesse in the world Moreouer the Lord himselfe setteth downe his law to his people and writing it twise with his owne finger and speaking with his owne mouth to Moses and his other seruants in the Mount vsed the Hebrew tongue So did the Angels and Prophets and Iesus Christ spake the Syriacke a tongue so deriued of the Hebrew that they are very like as their Grammars declare The Apostles spake diuers tongues and wrote also according to the people and persons with whom they had to doe yet for all that in their bookes may be noted an infinite many of phrases borrowed of the Hebrew as the learned interpreters of the new Testament haue exactly shewed The fift and last reason set downe by the Poet is that the Hebrew words especially the proper names some are alledged for example and many other may be added are of great waight and importance for sometimes they lay open vnto vs the chiefe things that doe befall the person so named Nay further if a man would take the paines to change the order of letters hee may sinde in them many goodly mysteries The Greekes haue found the way and followed it in the interpretation of their proper names but they come farre short of the liuelihood and maiestie of the Hebrewes who begun the thing before them many hundred yeeres As for other tongues the most part of their proper names haue no meaning they are deuised at-all-auentures so are they right tokens of barbarisme Some tongues there are more happy and plentious than others in this behalfe but their interpretations are for the most part vncertaine especially if the Root thereof come not from or neere the Hebrew Herehence againe the curious reader may take occasion of a large commentarie I leaue it vnto him 13. Then doe I theesalute It is not without cause that the Poet straight vpon the former discourse vseth these words considering the excellency of the Hebrew tongue and that he setteth out in so few verses her wonderfull perfections each one of them requiring a large treatise and himselfe being vnable to shut vp so great matters in so few words For example sake let vs consider but very briefly those three points that the Poet here toucheth to wit that the two and twenty Hebrew letters are full of hidden sense that the proper names of persons Countries and Cities in this tongue are as much as abridgements of their life and deedes that the names of birds beasts and fishes containe the history of their natures howbeit since the fall of Adam the knowledge thereof is greatly darkened To make the Reader somewhat more desirous to enter mediation hereon I will set him downe some examples Concerning the mysteries of the Hebrew Letter-row Eusebius and S. Ierom in his Epistle ad Paul vrbic which is the 155. expoundeth them as I
venter and is desirous to enrich his mother-tongue decketh it bolâ—ly wâ—th that which he borroweth of others setteth forgotten words on foot againe inuenteth new words colouring and fashioning them according Thirdly time altereth a speech as we see it doth all things else that we might be forced thereby daily more and more to see and confesse that nothing is sure and stedfast vnder heauen and to beat downe also the vanitie of â—ans conceit who commonly vaunteth himselfe and taketh pride in such things as haue nothing constant in them but their owne vnconstancy 19. A courage bold This commeth too neere the second reason to be counted a fourth The French Commentar must pardon me I thinke rather the Poet hauing spoken of Writers Merchandise and Time the right and onely meanes whereby new words and phrases are first brought into a language here he sheweth vs how they are accepted for as before he touched in a word that the Courts dislike of old words bred their disuse so here he telleth vs plainly that the authoritie of him that deuiseth or vseth new words is cause of their acceptance which is afterward confirmed by vse Qâ—empenes arbitrium est vis norma loquendi as Horace writeth But forasmuch as vse without Art draweth a language head-long into Barbarisme and so out of request and Art without authoritie of Empire shutteth it vp in a narrow compasse he saith that the Hebrew Latine and Greeke had all these maintaining meanes whereby they haue continued â—o long and spred so farre abroad So beginneth he cunningly to make his passage from words and phrases vnto entire languages the better to come at length to that excellent discourse that followeth in the next Section vpon all the principall tongues now spoken or knowne in the world As for the Hebrew besides the perfections aboue mentioned he saith in it God hath reuealed his will and that it is the originall of the diuine Law both of great force to make the tongue farâ—e knowne and continue long it had further the Art and knowledge of high Priests and Prophets the wisedome and state of Salomon and was a long time vsed and accustomed to be spoke in the famous commonwealth of the Iewes But these because they belong not vnto that tongue onely but as well to the other two the Poet here leâ—ueth our The Greeke he saith in her bookes containeth at large all the liberall Sciences a great cause and most proper to the Greeke the rest as common to the others are let passe The Latine more graue and forcible then the Greeke that was a more neat and wanton tongue was aduanced and continued in request by the Romans force of armes whose Empire was the greatest and most warlike of all the rest and therefore is this cause here onely mentioned as most proper to the Latine tongue and the rest omitted These three tongues doe at this day farre surpasse all others but vngodlinesse and contempt of the true Diuinitie is cause why the Hebrew is not esteemed as it deserueth the more is it regarded of them that know it As for the Greeke that which is now commonly spoken is very grosse The pure and good Greeke is contained within the bookes of Plato Aristotle Zenophon Demosthenes Iscerates Homer Euripides Sophocles Plutarch Basil Nastanzen Chrysostome and many others The Latine after some ignorant and vnlearned men had gready embased it was refined and set on foot againe within these fourescore yeeres at what time there flourished many great and learned personages in Europe as Melancthon Erasmus Picus Myrand and others but they come short of that grace and liuelihood that the ancient Latine writers haue Cicero Caesar Liuie Virgill Horace and a number of others well enough knowne of whom as also of the most excellent authors in other tongues the Poet here goes about to entreat Traçant les derniers vers Le Poëte s'excuse reprend halaine pour entrer plus alaigrement au suiuant discours où il descrit poctiquement represente les langues principales ceux qui ont este plus excellens en icelles Songe du Poete comme à demi-las Du labour attrayant de la saincte Pallas Ie frappe bien souuent du menton ma paictrine Mes deux yeux arrousez d'vne humeur Ambrosine Se ferment peu à peu Ie pers le mouuement La plume de ma main coule tout bellement Dessus le lict cheri de rechefie m'allonge En dans le flot Lethal tous mes enuuis iâ— plonge I'y noye tous mes soins si ce n'est le desir De donner à la France vn vaile plaisir Car le tan sacré-sainct de l'amour qui m'emflamme Ne peut mesme en dormant laisser dormir mon ame Le Songe aux-aisles-d'or sortivers le Leuant Par son huis de cristal qui s'ouure vn peu deuant Que la porte duiour fantastique me guide En vn valou le ioux la nuict fresche-humide Le Ciel calme les Nords les chauds les frimas La pluye l'air serain ne sentresuyuent pas Le May tousioursy regne nuict iour Zephyre De Roses courronné mignardement souspire Par les bruyans rameaux d'vn bois qui doux-flairant Va ce champ porte-fleurs en ouale murant Instement au milieu de la plaine esmaillee Description du logis de l'Image d'Eloquence Se sleue vne grand ' Roche en piedestal taillee Et dessus sacorniche vn Collosse a' airain Qui tient vn clair brandon en sa senestre main En l'autre vn vase d'eau De sa langue doré Naissent mille chenons qui par toute la prée Subtils semblent trainer vn monde d'auditeurs Parl'or cille attachez plus encor parles coeurs Ases pieds le Sanglier gist sans baue sansrage Le Tygrey dort charmé l'Ours s'y desauuage Le proche mont sautelle lenceinte du bois Danse comme on diroit an doux air de savoix Piliers autour de l'image d'eloquence fâ—r lesquels sont les principales langues du mó de auec ceux qui les ont enrichies L'hebraique a pour principaux apuis Moyse De piliers façonnez par vne main subtile A la cariatique vn double peristile De l'Eloquence ceint l'Image rauisseur Hauts piliers qui fondâ—z sur vn plinthe bien seur Portent de quatre en quatre vne langue de celles Quece siecle sçauant couche au rang des plus belles Or entre les esprit qui fauoris des cieux Estançonnent icy la langue des Hebreux Celuy de quile front flambe comme vn Comete Orne-ciel donne-peur qui porte vne baguete Seche fleurie ensemble tient entre ses doigts Leregistre sacré des dixplus sainctes Loix Est la guide d'Isac l'autheur qui premiere ose Vouër à ses neueux ses vers sa prose Escrits
right nature of things in the right hand an Ewer because the speech of the wise dampeth and putteth out the flame of passions I might note hereof many examples but I leaue them for the diligent Reader to search meaning here to offer him but Annotations which I feare alreadie are growen too long The little chaines that come forth from the Images golden tongue and draw such a number of hearers by the eares and heart signifie the great power of a well framed speech the truth whereof appeareth chiefely in preaching the word in counsels of graue common-wealths-men and orations of good Magistrates and valiant Captaines In this manner did the ancient Frenchmen paint and set out their Hercules surnamed Ognius whereupon Alciat hath made a pretie Embleme it is the 180. expounded at large by Cl. Minos The summe of all is that Eloquence is to be preferred before force Our Poet aimeth at that description Further concerning the Bore the Tygre and the Beare lying tame at the feet of this Image it signifieth that a pleasant and learned speech appeaseth all angrie cruell and sauage men and cuen the maddest and most brutish people in the world it maketh the woods and hills to daunce and leape that is to say it moueth bendeth and instructeth very block-heads and such as are most hard of vnderstanding and this may be the meaning of those fained tales of Amphion Orpheus Arion and other like Lastly this Image is inuironed with a double ranke of pillers well and strongly grounded and vnder-pinned that beare vp in due proportion the nino languages following each by her owne chiefe authors and maintainers For euery pillar was wrought in fashion of a man and framed to the countenance of one of their best writers in a long gowne or stole And that is the meaning of the French à la Cariatide After the Carian right as Vitruuius writeth at large in the first Chapter of his first booke of Architecture This I note because the French Commenter lets it passe and it troubled my selfe to vnderstand it at the first 23. Among the blessed wits For chiefe props of the Hebrue tongue which he placeth in the fore-front of Eloquence as in euery regard it was meet whether we cofider the sweet grauitie the natural impliance the shortnes hautines liuelines of it or the sincerity holines light heauenly Maiestic he nameth first Moses because he is the most anciēt of those whose writings in this tongue are extant As for the book of the Prophesie of Henoch it was lost a long time agoe He describeth this holy Law-writer after an excellent manner as was requisite in a discourse of eloquence His face shineth like a blasing Star alluding to that in the Scripture that Moses comming downe frō the Mount where he had talked with God his face so shined that none was able to behold his countenance in so much as he was faine to weare a vaile ouer it the rest is very easie to be vnderstood especially of such as haue neuer so lightly turned ouer the history Now for the bookes of Moses they were written many hundred yeares before the Greekes were knowne who were not heard of in the world but a little before the reigne of Saul had but few workes in writing or none at all till after the time of Salomon as their owne Histories witnesse whosoeuer will take paines to turne them ouer Nay further all their knowledge came from the Aegyptians Phenicians and others who had leaned somewhat by conuersing with the Hebiues And to come againe to Moses he hath beene in maruellous account with insinite Heathen Writers If any haue lightly regarded or found fault with him it was either because they vnderstood him not at all or maliced him exceedingly which a man may easily finde in their writings The second Author of the Hebrue he counteth Dauid whose Psalmes he speaketh of much in few lines but little it is in comparison of their excellencie whereof many ancient and late Writers haue spoken notable things I will not heape them vp here assuring my selfe that all true Christians will grant me that the Book of Dauids Psalmes is as Saint Basil saith the Store-house and treasurie of all good learning for all men to come at and will confesse with Saint Ierome and Saint Chrysostome that nothing better becommeth a man be he Peasant or Crafts-man great or small than to sing vnto the Lord the praises and thankesgiuing in these excellent songs contained the very liuely and true Anatomies of a beleeuing soule O how cursed and abominable before God and his Church are those wicked ones that haue forbidden Christians the vnderstanding and vse of them and banished them out of Christendome that haue suffered allowed maintained commanded and commended vnto the people these shamefull and wanton Poesies these books of vanitie error and leasings which with their Authors deserue the fire not the quiet and peaceable persons that call vpon Iesus Christ and belecue stedfastly the life euerlasting The soule that feareth God will not take this my digression ill nor thinke it needlesse As for the vngodly let them spit at it if they will I regard them not The third Author and ornament of the Hebrue is reckoned Salomon in his Prouerbs the Booke of the Preacher and the Song of Songs bookes more besprinckled with golden words and notable sentences than his Crowne was with pretious stones and pearles embossed Happie is the man that taketh delight to marke and daily thinke vpon so profitable and necessary instructions The fourth is the Prophet Esay the sonne of Amos right such a one as the Poet hath described These foure hee thought sufficient to name because they haue most Writings extant and are withall exceeding cloquent as might easily be proued by particulars if I were to write a Commentary or a whole discourse thereof 24. The Greeke Homer his Illias and Odyssea containing 48. bookes is the most ancient Greeke Author we haue his inuentions are wonderfull his vaine naturall his verses smooth and full of Art and the more they are considered the greater grace they haue There is also in them a hidden sense and the very well-spring of all humane knowledge as may appeare by that infinite peeces of his poesies are cited in the bookes of ancient and late Phylosophers Geographers Historiographers and Orators as Plutarch and others witnesse The next to Homer is Plato not in time but in worthinesse he is called the diuine Phylosopher because he is so maruellous pure so high and lofty in all his disconrses the true scholler of him that professing himselfe to know but one thing namely that he knew nothing declared that he knew all things that might be learned in the world as touching the world For concerning the knowledge of saluation Plato and his maister both were ignorant and sith all other knowledge is nothing in comparison of that the more are we bound to God that haue it he said most truely
more then three moneths sayling The realme and citie of Malaca are described in the sixth booke of the Portugall historie chap. 18. It is neare the Equinoctiall aboue Taprobana so therefore Asia reacheth from the North-pole beyond the Equator The Isles from whence are brought buge masses of Cloues and Cassia are the Moluckes siue in number Tidor Terenat Motir Machian and Bachian beset with diuers other Isles and Islets vn ler and neere the Equator in the East which with their properties and manners of their inhabitants are well set downe in the 13. booke of the history of Portugall Chap. 8. Samotra whereon passes the night-equalling line or the Equator is the Isle Taprobana Southward ouer against Malaca it is aboue 450. leagues long and 120. broad I haue described it in the fist day of the first weeke see further the history of Portugall in the sixt booke the 18. chap. Zeilan is an Isle right against the Cape of Calecut aboue Taprebana toward the East it lies North and South in length about 125. leagues and in the broadest place is 75. ouer There are taken out of the sea great store of pearles very faire and brighte for the further description thereof see the 4. booke and 20 chapter of the history of Portugall Bisnagar is a kingdome lying betweene Decan and Narsingua the mountaines of Calecut and the sea called the great gulfe of Bengala It is rich in gold which is there found in riuers Looke the situation thereof in the Map of the East Indies and in the Asia of Ortelius and Cellarius The Pont-Eusine is now called the Maior or the Hacke Sea at the one end thereof toward the Midland-sea is Constantinople the Card-men call it by diuers names which Orteliu hath set downe in his Synonym By the Brother waues of those Chaldean streames is meant as I suppose the Persian sea whereinto Euphrates and Tygris both together empty being before ioined about Babylon now called Bagadet and so the Poet takes as much of the breadth of Asia at the West end as he doth at the East the one from Quinsay to Chiorze the other from the sea of Constantinople to the Persian Gulse Concerning the straight of Anion the Cardmen are not all of one opinion Mercator Ortelius Cellarius Theuet and others set downe plainly a good broad arme of Sea betwixt the North-east point of Asia and America But Vopelius ioynes Asia and this fourth part of the world together greatly enlarging Asia and cut tolling the other contrary to the opinion of the Authors aforesaid and many Spaniards that haue written of the new-found world the reasons that may be alledged in fauour of either side require a large Commentary Vopelius his opinion indeede cutteth off many doubts that arise about the enpeopling of America but Mercator and the others who are most commonly followed seeme to ground more vpon Geography and better to agree with the seas naturall sway and easie compassing the earth Arias Montanus in his booke intituled Phaleg where he treateth of the habitations of Noes posteritie setteth downe a Map according to Vopelius this booke of his bound in the volume called Apparatus is ioyned with the great Bibles of Antwerp But the Poet followeth Mercator Ortelius and the common opinion of the Cardmen of our time for Ptolome Strabo and Mela in their daies had not discouered so much Quinsay which the Poet cals Quinzit is a famous citie in the Northeast point of Asia about ten leagues from the sea built vpon peeres and arches in a marrish ground it is twenty leagues or one hundred miles about and by reason as well of the great Lake-waters there as also of the ebbe and slow of the sea it bath as M. P. Venet reports in the 64. chapter of his second booke 12000. bridges of stone the most renoumed bound-marke of all Asia and the greatest citie in the world if that be true But Theuet gainsaith it in the 27. chapter of the 12. booke of his Cosmography where he describes the Citie and Lake with the Riuer that causes the Lake to swell he saith it is not aboue foure leagues in compasse yet M. Paule affirmes he hath beene there Chiorze is another worthy part of Asia set downe here for a bound-marke because of the strange Buls there as great as Elephants with haire as smooth and soft as silke Howsoeuer now adaies that country is nothing so ciuill as others inhabited by the posterity of Cham and Iaphet yet the fruitfulnesse of the ground and great commodities there growing for maintainance of mans life declare it hath beene in times past one of the best portions of the children of Noe. 7. Ashur t' Assyriland Moses saith the sonnes of Sem were Elam Ashur Arphaxad Lud and Aram The Poet here in six verses hath noted out the first habitations of these fiue reseruing afterward about the 300. verse and so forth to shew their first second third and fourth out-going ouer the rest of Asia Concerning Ashur it may be gathered out of the 10. of Genesis verse the 11. that hauing sorted himselfe with the people that now began to feare Nimred and liking not to liue vnder that yoke went on further and in the Countrey after his name called Assyria built Niniuy which a long time remained one of the greatest Cities in the world as appeares by the prophesie of Ionas and other places of Scripture and Caleh and Resen not farre asunder which haue beene long agoe destroyed Elam that was the eldest seated himselfe by the riuer Euphrates neere the Persian Gulfe which now is called the Sea of Mesendin The Poet giues him a Princely title because the Monarchie began betime and long continued thereabouts where also reigneth still the Sophi a great Emperour and deadly enemy of the Turkes The Riuer Araxes is described by Ptolome in his third Map of Asia where he makes it spring from the soot of Pariard which some men take for the hill Taurus and so passing Scapene Soducene and Colthene to emptie into the Caspian sea These Countries are very rich and therefore the Poet cals them sat lands Lud hauing passed the Riuer composed of Tygris and Euphrates which straight after voids into the Golfe had Elam on the North the two Riuers ioyned and the Gulfe on the East and on the West the Marches of Seba which is the vpper part of Arabia The poet here allotteth him the Lydian fields if by Lydia be vnderstood that part of the lesser Asia called Meonia by Ptolome Herodote and Plinie Lud should haue wandered further then the other foure brothers Moses reports not any thing of his Colonies and his farre going may be the cause for according to the Poet he should haue coasted vp as farre as Aeolia and the Midland sea The seat of Aram is Mesopotamia to wit the Countries about Babylon and the mountaines of Armenia which were after called by the name of Taurus This also containeth Syria and the great Armenia
frozen alleyes Glide swiftly-teemed carres insted of winged gallies Vnto the Genoan Tyrrhene and prouence Seas With those of learned Greece and of Peoloponese Accoast the goodly shore of Asia the lesse The second paradise th'worlds chiefe happinesse And Tartarie the ground that reacheth from Amane Vnto the springs of Rha and pleasant bankes of Tane All those braue men at armes that France haue ouer-spred Of Gomers fruitfull seed themselues professe are bred And so the Germans are sometime hight Gomerites Of Tubal Spaniards came of Mosoch Moscouites Of Madai sprong the Medes of Magog Scythians Of Iauan rose the Greekes of Thyras Thracians 10. Now Japhet Moses reciting Genesis 9.27 how Noe blessed his two children sets downe two notable points the one concerning the great and many Countries which Iaphet and his posteritie should possesse the other of the fauour that God should shew them by lodging them in the tents of Sem that is by receiuing them at length into his Church which hath beene fulfilled in the calling of the Gentiles For the first point whereas he saith God enlarge Iaphet For so the Hebrew word signifieth although some translate it Persuade it is as much as if he had said Let Iaphet and his race possesse the Countries round about him farre and neere And this hath also beene accomplished in that so infinite a multitude of people hath issued out of the stocke of Iaphet and peopled Europe which though it appeare lesser then the other parts hath alwayes had more inhabitants and fewer void Countries The Poet hath set downe so perfect a description thereof as it needes no further to be opened if the Reader haue neuer so little beheld the Maps On the East it is parted from the greater Asia by the Maior Sea the Meotis Lake called by Ortelius the Zabach sea the Riuer Tane or Deu which voids into the Lake and the Spring-herds of Rha Edel or Volga running by Tartarie into the Caspian Sea and from Asia the lesse sometime the honour of the world exceeding rich as still it hath sufficient it is deuided by the Straight of Gallipoli sometime called Hellespont On the West it hath the Straight of Gibraltar the Spanish and Brittish Oceans on the North the Frozen Sea and on the South the Midland Sea which is diuersly called to wit the Sea of Marseil by the coast of Genes the Adriaticke about Athens and Morea and otherwise according to the places adioyning This goodly part of the world beside the Romaine Empire hath many great kingdomes full of people well set forth by the Card-men Daniell Cellarius accounts it in length from Lisbon to Constantinople about six hundred leagues Almaine and very neere as much in breadth from Scrifinie to Sicily 11 Gomer Moses reckeneth seuen sonnes of Iaphet Gen. 10.2 So doth here the Poet not standing much vpon the order of them to follow the verse of Gomer are come the Gomerites whom the Greekes called Galates and Gaules of them came the people that spoiled Delphos and then sate downe about Troas in Asia and were called Gaule-Greekes or Asian Galates who afterward seized a good part of Phrygia The Lord threatning by Ezechiel 38. Chapter Gog chiefe of the Princes of Mesech and Tubal saith he will destroy him with this Gomer and all his bands and the house of Togarmah of the North-quarters They that expound the Prophesie gather out of this place that the Gomerites were people bordering on the North of Asia and brought by the Kings of Syria and Asia to destroy the Iewes after their returne from Babylon They preased forth of Asia and enlarged their dominions greatly as hath beene said for they were a very warlike Nation Of them the Poet saith are come the Germanes so Melancthon affirmeth vpon Carion so doe others also and chiefly Goropius in his fift booke But there is great diuersitie in these outworne matters betweene the late and ancient Writers A diligent conference of places in the old Testament and the ancient Latine Greeke and Chaldean translations serue best for the purpose next a carefull examining of the best Greeke and Latine Histories but this requires a whole volume whereunto the searches of Goropius being so well handled might afford a man great helpe Concerning Tubal the Poet followes the opinion of Iosephus that he was Author of the Spanish which must be rightly vnderstood that is after a long tract of time For by the 38. and 39. of Ezechiel it seemes that the people issued from Tubal Mosoch which were neighbours dwelt neare Arabia and were gouerned or led to war by the Kings of Asia and Syria And in the 32. chap. where is mention made of the mourning that should be among the Nations for the King of Aegypt there are named among others Ashur Elam Mosoch and Tubal whereby it may be gathered they were of Asia As for their Colonies and outcreases into Spaine they are very darke and hardly proued Vasaeus indeed in his Chronicle of Spaine and Taraphe in his Historie and others that haue written of Spaine in diuers languages following Ioseph and Berose make Tubal first King of Spaine but sithence they declare not what time he came thither I leaue the Reader to consider of and search further into the matter Looke the historicall Library of N. Vignier the first part page 15. where he treateth of the people of Europe Magog as the Poet saith is father of the Scythians his first habitation and Colonie was in Coelesyria as may be gathered out of the fift booke and 23. chapter of Plinie and the 37 38 and 39. chapters of Ezechiel At this time the right Scythians are the Selauonians Moscouites and Tartarians who vaunt of their descent from Iaphet This might haue beene by tract of time but not so soone as the Poet in the sequele Melancthon in his first vpon Carion takes the prophecies against Gog and Magog to be meant especially of the Turkes whom he calleth by the name of Scythians and applieth also vnto them that which is written in the Reuelation And in the end of his second Booke he giues the name to all people that professe Mahomet I thinke my selfe that some while after Noes partition of the lands Magog and his people dwelt in Coelesyria or there abouts and thence by succession of time thrust vp into the higher Countries Now as the ancient people of God were much vexed and outraged by the Kings of Syria and Asia successours of Seleucus Nicanor and signified by the name of Gog who aiding the people of Magog Mosoch and Tubal their subiects greatly annoyed the Iewes then returned from Babylon so hath Satan in these later daies against the holy Citie the Church of God stirred vp againe Gog and Magog many Kings and Princes enemies to the Faith who haue conspired together and made a League to ouerthrow it vtterly but the Almightie in due time and season shall confound them Reade the 20. Chapter of the Reuelation and the 89. Sermon of
Bullinger thereupon As for Mosoch Ioseph saith of him are come the Cappadocians and for proofe thereof alledgeth a certaine Towne of their Country called Mazaca It may be gathered out of the 120. Psalme that Mesech or Mosoch was a neighbour people to Syria and Arabia which place the Chalde Paraphrast expounding vseth words of this import O wretch that I am for I haue beene a stranger among the Asians and dwelt in the Arabian tents The Poet considereth what might haue beene in continuance of time and how farre the mans posterity might haue stretched Madai sure was Author of the name of Medes whose Empire was very great in the higher Asia they destroyed the Chaldean Monarchie as may be noted out of Ierem. 51.11 Dan. 5.18 The Thracians Ioseph saith and the Poet are descended of Thyras Melancthou thinkes that of him are come the Russians but the Scripture speaketh not of his posteritie Plinie makes mention of a Riuer Tyra in the Russian or European Sarmatia Melancthon Goropius and others call it Nester Goropius in his seuenth Booke puts the Getes Daces and Bastarnes among the Thracians as all of one stocke and speaking almost the selfe-same tongue which also as he saith comes very neare the Cimbricke and Brabantish Iauan the fourth sonne of Iaphet gaue names to the Ionians who after with their neighbours were called Greekes and therefore the Latine Interpreter translating the place of Ezech. 27.19 for the Hebrue Iauan hath put Graecia so haue the seuenty put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the name of Greece for the same word As also in the 13. verse of the same Chapter and in the 19. of the 66. of Esay they both haue translated the Hebrue Jeuanim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graeci The Country of Athens hath in old time beene called Ionie as Plutarch saith in the life of Theseus and Strabo in his ninth Booke recites out of Hecataeus that the Ionians came out of Asia into Greece Now the Greekes as they were great discoursers they haue deuised a thousand tales of their first beginning but I let them passe because my notes are already waxen ouer long Ioy si-ie voulois ie ferois vne liste Discrete modestie du Poëte qui ayme mieux se taire que traiter de choses obscures cachees sous le voile de l'Antiquité De tous nos deuanciers marchannt sur la piste D'vn supposé Berose d'antres qui menteurs Abusent du loisir bonté des lecteurs Hardi i'entreprendrois de toutes les prouinces Nommer de pere en sils les plus antiques Princes Chanter de l'Vniuers les diuers peuplemens Et des moindres citez fouiller les fondemens Mais quoy ie ne veux pas abandonner ma voile Au premier vent qui souffle sans la clair estoile Qui luit sur touâ— les cieux temeraire ramer Sur les flos inconus de si lontaine mer Toute pleine d'escueils de Scilles profondes Où ne roulle pas moins de naufrages que d'ondes N'ayant autres Patrons que certains escriuains Forgeurs denoms de Roys autheurs decontes vains Qui sont tout à leur poste conuoiteux de gloire Sur vn pied de Ciron bastissent vne histoire He will not enter into matter farre out of knowledge Here if I were dispos'd vpon the ground to treade Of that suppos'd Berose abusing all that reade As he and others doe well might I let you see Of all our Ancestors a fained pedegree I boldly might assay of all the worlds Prouinces From father vnto sonne to name the former Princes To sing of all the world each peoples diuers lot And of the meanest to wâ—â—es to lay the grunsill-plot But what I meane not I as eu'ry wind shall blow To leaue the former course and rashly assay to row The bright Load-starre vnseene vpon the waues vnknow'n Of such an Ocean sea so full of rockes bestrow'n And Scyllaes glutton gulfes where tumbleth equall store Of shipwracks on the sands and billowes to the shore Not hauing other guide then writers such as faine The names of ancient Kings and romants tell vs vaine Who make all for themselues and gaping after glory On footing of a flie can frame a perfect story 12 Now. The like is seene in many bookes of late times and ancient that treat of the Kingdomes Countries and people of the world for many labour more to come neare Noes Arke and to finde there the foundation of their Townes and names of their first Princes then about other more certaine and sure grounds And they had rather forge names and deuise matter of their owne head than leaue to packe huge volumes full of tales witnessing the strange vanity of mans braine The Poet condemnes this foolish ambition and by good â—â—ght all the matter when it is at the best being very doubtfull and vnprofitâ—ble for man was placed on the earth to thinke rather on the seruice of God than so to trouble his head with curious out-search of his ancestors names 13 Of that suppos'ed Berose Who so desires to know that the Berose late printed is false supposed and cleane contrary to the right Chaldean cited often by Ioseph in his Antiquities against Apion let him reade the fourth booke of Goropius his Origines Antuerpianae And so let him thinke also of Manetho Metasthenes Fabius Pictor Sempronius Myrsilus Lesbius and others packt as they are into one volume by some one that thought to doe great matters by abusing so the Readers and holding them in amuse by false deuises from further search of the truth I will not here set downe the words of Goropius who at large discouers the forgednesse of this new Berose and his followers let it suffice to haue pointed at the place The true Berose was one of the Priests of Bel and at the commandement of Antiochus the third who succeeded Seleucus wrote three bookes of the Chaldean Historie so saith Tatianus Ioseph and Clemens Alexandrinus Some fragments of his we reade in Ioseph against Apion and they make flat against that other Berose published in our time Pourquoy la recerche de l'Antiquité est obscure coÌ„bien sont mal apuyez ceux qui sondent sur les etymologies allusions des mots L'allusion des mots n'est vn seur fondement Poury sur-maçonner vn ferme bastiment Veu que les monts plus hauts les riuieres plus belles Et les plus grandes mers changent bien qu'eternelles De nom à chaque coup que la posterité De celuy quibastit les murs d'vne cité N'en est point heritiere qu'ici nullerace En fief perpetuel ne possede vne place Ains qu'a ferme à louage ou par forme de prest Elle possede vn champ vn mont vne forest Et comme quand l'orage esmeut la mer profonde Migrations diuerses habitations des peuples Le flot chasse
there by reason of a noise is heard loud and passing mans power to make as it were the sound of many Cimbals These are his words Terret ingredientes sonitu Cimbalorum diuinitùs magno fragore crepitantium He sets downe also at large all other the pleasant delights of the place Concerning this musicke some thinke it a fable others ascribe it to a naturall cause as that the ayre entting by a natrow mouth into a vault of stone wide and very deepe soone growes thereby exceeding raw and so turnes into water then dropping still downe in many places and quantities somewhat proportionable vpon the sounding stone makes in those hollow rockie places a noyse as it were musicall Taure his lostie downes this great mountaine reacheth hence well toward Pisidia Westward and on the other side a great way into Asia as Ptolomee sheweth in his first table Meander a riuer arising out of the mountaines of Pelta and Totradium in Asia the lesse runneth thorow Hierapolis Pâ—sidia Licaonia Caria and other countries thereabouts into the Midland sea Illios or Troas Bithynia and the rest are higher toward Hellespont and the Maior sea 36. Then boldly passing ore He spake before of Illios which lies in low Phrigia vpon the shore of the Midland sea about the Sigean Peake and the riuer Sin Sis hard by the Straight of Gallipolie where Abydos on Asia-side standeth and Sestos on the side of Europe now he saith the second ouercrease of Semites past the Straight it being in breadth but the fourth part of a league as Bellon nuoucheth in the second booke and third chapter of his Singularities In times past there stood two towers one in Sest the other in Abyde in the tops whereof wont to be set great lights to waine the marrinets by night Looke what we haue noted vpon the word Phare in the first day of the first weeke verse 448. and what vpon the word Leander first weeke fift day 912. verse At this time Sest and Abyde are two Castles where the Turke hath Garrisons and are the very keyes of Turkie in that quarter so neare is Constantinople vnto them Strimon Hebre and Nest are three great riuers passing thorow Thrace which is now called Romania and â—alling into the Aegean sea called now by some Archipelago and by the Turkes the white sea Looke the ninth table of Europe in Ptolomee The Rhodopean dales Rhodope is a mountaine bounding Thrace in the dales thereof beside other Townes are Philippoli and Hadrianopoli Danubie or Donaw is the greatest riuer of all Europe springing out of Arnobe hill which Ptolomee and Mercator puts for a bound betweene the Sweues and Grisons this Riuer running thorow Almaine Austria Hungaria Slauonia and other countries with them interlaced receiueth into it aboue fifty great Riuers and little ones an infinite sort so emptieth by six great mouthes into the Maior sea Moldauia Valachia and Bulgaria are the countries neare about the fall of Danubie 37 Thrace These countries neare the Maior and Aegean Seas and the Thracian Bosphore thrust on the third ouercrease of people further West and Northward as the Poet very likely saith the Maps of Europe shew plainly the coasts he nameth for their chiefe seats But to shew how and when they changed and rechanged places and names of places driuing out one the other and remouing by diuers enterspaces it were the matter of a large booke 38 Now turning to the South He commeth now to handle the Colonies or ouercreases of Chams posteritie first in Arabia Phaenicia and Chananaea which was after called Iudea the site of these countries wee know well they are easie to be found in the generall Maps and those of Europe beside the particulars in Ptolomce and other late Writers as namely in the Theater of Ortelius When the Chamites had ouerbred Arabia and the countries South from Chaldaea which lies betwixt the Arabian and Persian Gulfes they went at the second remoue downe into Aegypt betwixt the red and Midland seas thirdly they entred Affrick and by little and little filled it The Poet points out many countries for better vnderstanding whereof wee must consider that Affrick the fourth part of the world knowne is diuided into foure parts Barbaria Numidia Lybia and the Land of Negroes Barbaria containeth all the North coast from Alexandria in Aegypt to the Straight of Gibraltar along by the Midland sea and is diuided into foure Kingdomes Maâ—oco Fessa Tremisen and Tunis containing vnder them 21. Prouinces Vnder the same Southward lieth Numidia called of the Arabians Biledulgerid and hauing but few places habitable Next below that is Lybia called Sarra as much to say as Desert a countrie exceeding hot marching athonside vpon the Land of Negroes that the last and greatest part of Affricke reacheth South and Eastward very farre In the further coast thereof is the countrie of Zaâ—zibar certaine kingdomes and deserts neare the Cape of good hope which is the vtmost and Southerest peake of all Affrick Corâ—ne is neare Aegypt The Punick Sea the Sea of Carthage put for the Midland that parteth Europe and Affrick asunder Fesse is the name of the chiefe Citie of that Realme in Barbarie Gogden a Prouince of the Negroes as are also Terminan Gago and Melli neare the same Argin lieth neare the White Cape Gusola is one of the seuen Prouinces of Maroco in Barbarie Dara a country in the North-west of Numidia not farre from Gusola Tembuto agreat countrie in the West part of the Negroes neare about the Riuer Niger So is Gualata but somewhat higher and right against the Greene Cape Mansara which I haue put in for the verse sake as I left out Aden it lies neare Melli vpon the lowest mouth of Niger By Aden that the French hath I take to be meant Hoden which is betwixt Argin and Gualata or somewhat lower The Wildeâ—nesse of Lybie is surnamed Sparkling because the sands there ouerchafed with a burning heat of the Sunne flye vp and dazle mens eyes Cane Guber Amasen Born Zegzeg Nubie Benim all are easie to be found in the Mappe neare about the Riuer Niger sauing Benim which is lower by the Gulfe Royall and Nubie higher toward Nilus Amasâ—n which I haue added is a great countrie neare the place where Niger diueth vnder the Earth From these quarters South and Eastward lies the great Ethiopia a countrie exceeding hot sandie and in many places vnhabitable because of the sands which by the wind are so moued and remoued oftentimes that they ouer-heate and choke-vp diuers great countries that might otherwise be dwelt in There the great Negus called Prester-Ian raigneth farre and neare His Realmes Prouinces Customes Lawes Religion and the manner of his peoples liuing are set forth at large by Franciscus Aluares is his Historie of Ethiopia that is ioyned with Iohannes Leo his description of Affrick 39 If thou desire to know Hitherto the Poet hath told vs how Asia Europe and Affricke were peopled by the successours of Noe. But he hath not
of late from out the tombe of Leath And giu'n it as it were a liuing by a death How was 't inhabited if long agone The first obiection how is' t Nor Persians nor Greeks nor Romans euer wist Or inkling heard thereof whose euer conquering hosts Haue spred abroad so farre and troad so many coasts Or if it were of late The second obiection how could it swarme so thicke In euery towne and haue such workes of stone and bricke As passe the tow'rs of Rome th'antike Egyptian Pyramis The King Mausolus tombe the wals of Queene Semiramis How thinke you then Answer negatiue by an Ironie belike these men fell from the skie All ready-shap'd as doe the srogges rebounding frie That ast'r a sulty day about the sun-set houre Are powred on the meads by some warme Aprill-showre And entertouch themselues and swarme amid the dust All or'e the gaping clists that former drought had brust Or grew of tender slips and were in earthly lap Instead of cradle nurst and had for milke the sap Or as the Musherome the Sowbread and the Blite Among the fatter clods they start vp in a night Or as the Dragons teeth sow'n by the Duke of Thebes They brauely sprong all-arm'd from-out the fertill glebes Indeede this mighty ground The first earnest answer ycleaped Americke Was not enhabited so soone as Affericke Nor as that learned soyle tow'r-bearing louing-right Which after Iupiter his deare-beloued hight Nor as that other part which from cold Bosphers head Doth reach the pearly morne at Titons saffran bed For they much more approach the diaprized ridges And faire-endented bankes of Tegil bursting-bridges From whence our ancestors discamp'd astonished And like to Partridges were all-to-scattered Then doth that newfound world whereto Columbus bore First vnder Ferdinand the Castill armes and lore Generall But there the baildings are so huge and brauely dight So differing the states the wealth so infinite That long agone it seemes some people thither came Although not all atonce nor all by way the same For some by cloudy drift of tempest raging-sore Percase with broken barks were cast vpon the shore Some others much auoid with famine plague and warre Particular Their ancient seats forsooke and sought them new so farre Some by some Captaine led who bare a searching minde With weary ships arriu'd vpon the Westerne Inde Or could not long ere this The second the Quinsay vessels finde A way by th'Anien straight from th' one to th' other Inde As short a cut it is Colonies according to the cond Answer noting by the way certaine meruailes of the countrie as that of Hellespont From Asia to Greece or that where-ore they wont Saile from the Spanish hill vnto the Realme of Fesse Or into Sicilie from out the hau'n of Resse So from the Wastes of Tolme and Quiuer where the kine Bring calues with weathers fleece with Camels bunchie chine And haire as Genets slicke they peopled Azasie Cosse Toua Caliquas Topira Terlichie And Florida the faire Auacal Hochilega The frosen Labour-lands Canada Norumbega They sow'd ath'other side the land of Xalisco Mechuacan Cusule and founded Mexico Like Venice o're a Lake and saw astonished The greenest budding trees become all withered As soone as euer touch'd and eke a mountaine found Vesevus-like enflam'd about Nicargua ground So passing forth along the straight of Panama Vpon the better hand they first Oucanama Then Quito then Cusco then Caxamalca built And in Peruuiland a country thorow-guilt They wondred at the Lake that waters Colochim All vnder-paued salt and fresh about the brim And at the springs of Chinke whose water strongly-good Makes pebble-stones of chalke and sandy stones of mood Then Chili they possest whose riuers cold and bright Run all the day apace and rest them all the night Quinteat Patagonie and all those lower seats Whereon the foamy bracke of Magellanus beats Vpon the left they spread along by Darien side Where Huo them refresh'd then in Vraba spide How Zenu's wealthie waves adowne to Neptune rould As bid as pullets egges the massie graines of gould A mount of Emeralds in Grenad saw they shine But on Cumana banks hoodwinked weare their eyne With shady night of mist so quickly from Cumane They on to Pary went Omagu and Caribane Then by Maragnon dwelt then entred fierce Bresile Then Plata's leauell fields where flowes another Nile Moreouer The third answer one may say that Picne by Grotland The land of Labour was by Brittish Iserland Replenished with men as eke by Terminan By Tombut and Melli the shore of Corican 40 But all this other world This is the first of the foresaid questions how it came to passe that the new world discouered in these latter times could be so replenished with people as the Spaniards who haue thereof written very much did finde it He speaketh of the West India which is called another world or the new world for the hugenesse thereof being more then 9300. leagues about as Gomara saith in his Indian Historie 1. book 12. chap. it is longer then all the other three parts of the world and two or three waies as broad as Asia and Europe laid together This quarter so great and full of kingdomes and people if it haue been long agone inhabited how hap saith our Poet the Perstans Greeks and Remans who vndertooke so many far voyages came neuer there nor once heard thereof For Ptolomee Strabo Mela and other ancient writers make no mention of it and if it were peopled but of late yeares he asketh how came so many people there so many great Cities and stately monuments as Gomara Benzo Cieque Ouiede Cortes and others write of Benzo and Barthelemi de las Casas doe report that in that little the Spaniards haue there gotten within these thirtie or fortie yeares they haue slaine aboue twentie millions of people vndone and brought to great distresse as many or more and wasted and vnpeopled twice as much ground as is contained in Europe and a part of Asia to that Neuerthelesse in many places and euen in Mexico New Spaine and Peru where they haue vsed all the crueltie wickednesse and villanie that mans heart or the deuils rage could imagine there are yet liuing many thousand Indians Concerning the ancient Monuments of this new world I will reckon at this time but one of them taken out of the fourth booke and 194. chapter of Gomara There are saith he in Peru two great high-wayes â—eaching the one thorow the hilles the other ouer the plaines from Quito to Cusco which is aboue fiue hundred leagues out-right a worke so great and chargeable that it is well worthy noting that ouer the plaines is 25. foot broad and walled on either side and hath little brookes running along in it with store of the trees called Molli planted on the bankes The other is of like breadth cutting thorow the rockes and filling vp the lower grounds with stone worke for they
are both of them leuell without mounting or descending any hill and straight without stopping at any lake or poole In a word whosoeuer hath seene either of them will say it is a worke farre surpassing all the great buildings and paued causies of the Romanes or the walles of Babylon built by Queene Semyramis or those most wonderfull Pyramides of Aegypt Guaynacapa a certaine King of the Indians who liued about an hundred yeares agoe caused these waies to be repaired and enlarged but he was not the first beginner of them as some would make vs beleeue for he could not haue finished them in all his life-time and the stone-worke semes to be much more ancient There are built vpon them a daies iourney asunder many goodly Pallaces called Tambos wherein the Court and armies of the Princes wont to lodge But Gomara saith our Spanyards haue by their ciuill warres vtterly destroyed these causies and cut them asunder in many places that they might not come one to another yea the Indians themselues haue broke off and seuered their parts in time of warre Now let vs heare the Poets answer 41 What then alas belike His first answer is that the people of the West-Indies fell not out of the ayre as many little frogs doe in a warme shower framed by the vertue of the Sunne of the dust or vapours arising out of the earth nor that they grew not out of the ground like roots or plants nor by any strange or vaine inchantment as of the Serpents teeth sowne by Cadmus the Poets faine grew souldiers in compleat harnesse But these they are men well-featured stout and long-liuing chiefly in the North and South-parts of the Country where both men and women in stature strength and continuance farre excell the people of Europe Asia and Affricke The commodities they haue for health their meat drinke and dwelling their ceremonies ciuill gouernment and other properties duly noted by the Historians make very good proofe of the Poets saying 42 Indeed this mightie ground This new-found world is called America of the name of Americus Vespusius a certaine famous Pilot of Florence one of the first discouerers of the Countrey not much more than an hundred yeares agoe His second answer is that this part of the world could not be so soone inhabited as the other three because it is discoasted further from the plaine of Sennaar for in Asia the plaine it selfe was And Arabia being peopled Affrick was very neare at hand and Europe from the lesser Asia is parted but with a narrow Phare whereas America is farre beyong all these which way soeuer we coast He calleth Europe a learned Soyle tower-bearing louing-right for the number of learned men and cunning Artisans of Kingdomes and States well gouerned and Fortresses that are there That after Iupiter his deare-beloued hight lo wit Europa that was the daughter of Agenor King of Phaenicia For the prophane Poets faine their great god being in loue with her to haue taken the shape of a Bull and on his backe to haue carried her ouer Hellespont and therefore the place where he first landed her was called by her name From this fable seemes to be drawne the name of Besphore which is as much to say as Bull-ferry Perhaps this Iupiter was some notable Pirate or Tyrant there-about raigning who in a Ship called the Bull stole away some young Lady and fled for safetie into Europe These words which from cold Bosphors head Doth reach the pearly dow of Tithons saffron bed set downe the length of Asia that is from the Bosphere of Thrace vnto the East-Ocean The Castile armes and lore that is the Spanish Religion and forces which Christopher Columbus brought first into America and there planted in the name of the Spanish King 43 But there the buildings The third answer is that the stately buildings infinite treasures and diuers gouernments that are there will witnesse that the country hath beene long inhabited although hard it is to learne how I haue already spoke of the great Causeyes of Peru. Now the sumptuousnesse of Themixtetan the great Citie of the Kingdome of Mexico and the Kings Pallaces of Peru such they are described by the Spaniards make further proofe of the Poets saying As for the vncountable wealth of the Indies it plainly appeares that aboue ten thousand millions of gold haue beene brought thence into Europe beside heapes of Rubies Emerauds and Pearle much wracked in the sea and much brought for a yearely tribute into Spaine Whereunto I will adde what Franciscus Lopes de Gomara saith concerning the vnualuable riches of Guainacapa the name signifieth young and rich the father of Antibalippa last King of Peru whom the Spaniards put to death All the furniture of his house table and kitchin saith he in the 120. chapter of his fourth booke were of gold and siluer and the meanest of siluer somewhat embased with copper for the more strength He had in his Wardrop Giant-like Images of gold liuely featured as also all kinde of beasts fowles trees herbes and flowers that the Land there beareth and all kinde of fishes that either the Sea there or any fresh water of his Kingdome breedeth in the said mettals well and proportianably resembled not so much as cords paniers troughes billets and other such implements but were so to conclude there was nothing in his Kingdome whereof he had not the counfeit in gold or siluer It is also said that the Kings of Peru called Ingaes haue a garden in a certaine Isle neare Puna where they delight themselues when they list take the Sea that hath in gold and siluer all herbes slowers and trees and other things whatsoeuer meet for a pleasant garden such a sumptuous deuice as neuer was heard-of or seene elsewhere Besides all this that King last but one had gathered into Cusco huge masses of gold and siluer vnfined which the Indians hid so secretly as the Spaniards could neuer come by it there was also in and about Cusco great store of picture-tables and tombes all of sine siluer worth some thirtie some fiftie some threescore thousand Ducats a peece also dining-tables vessels and Images a great number all of fine gold The Spaniards at the taking of Antibalippa found as good as 252000. pounds of siluer and of gold 1300265. pezoes euery pezo valued at a Ducat and a halse Besides the great golden table of Antibalippa worth nigh 40000. Crownes Now for all this great spoile that the Spaniards got and hauock that they made as well in Peru as other the Prouinces there-about yet the Indians as Benzo reports who stayed there with the Spaniards fourteene yeares and wrote in three bookes worthy reading that whole story they sticke not to say they haue yet more remaining than all that the Spaniards euer had And to make their meaning plainer they will take out of a great vessel ful of wheat one grain betwixt their singers say See you this the Viracochie so they call the
of Nicaragua is by Gomara described in his fist booke chap. 203. so are the other wonders which the Poet here notes in his fourth booke chap. 194. 47 Then Chili they possest Gomara in his fourth booke chap. 131. holds opinion that the men of Chili are the right Antipodes or Counter-walkers vnto Spaine and that the country there is of the same temper with Andaluzie This Chili lyeth on the shore of el Mar Pacisico so also doth Quintete which I haue put for Chinca both neere the Panagones or Giants whose country is full of people and hath certaine riuers that runne by day and stand by night some thinke because of the snowes which in the day time are melted by the Sunne and frozen by the Moone in the night but I take it rather to be some great secret and miracle of nature The cause why here I made exchange of Chinca was first for that the Poet had spoke before of the springs of Chink which I take for the same then because it is so diuerfly placed of the Card-men for Ortelius in his Map of the New World sets it aboue and Theuet beside Chili in either place it stands well to be taken for the Chink aforenamed but Mercator placeth it a great deale lower and on the contarry coast neere the riuer of Plata where indeed is a country called Chica that perhaps hath bred this error Lastly Quintete stands so right in way which the Poet followes from Chili to the Patagones that I thought it not amisse to take the same rather then the doubtfull Chinca By the somie Brack of Magellanus he meanes the Sea and Straight of Magellan close by terra Australis Gomara describeth it well in the beginning of the third booke of his Portugall Historie The Poet hath already shewed how people came first on the North America from the kingdome of Anian ouer the maine land to the Atlantick sea shore then on all the further coasts from Quiuir to the Magellan Straight along the Archipelago de San Lazaro Mar del Zur Pacifico and now hee takes the higher side on the left hand from the Land-Straight of Panama to the riuer of Plata which is not farre from the Magellan noting by the way the most note-worthy places of all this huge reach of ground represented as it is by our late writers in their generall and particular Maps of the New-found world Huo is a great sweat-water streame arising at Quillacingas that lieth vnder the Equator and running athwart the country called Caribage into the Sea at Garra Vraba is the country that lieth betwixt that riuer and Carthagene Concerning Zenu marke what Gomara saith thereof in his second booke and 69. chapter It is the name of a Riuer and Citie both and of a Hauen very large and sure The Citie is some 8. leagues from the Sea There is a great Mart for Salt and Fish Gold the inhabitants gather all about and when they set themselues to get much they lay sine-wrought nets in the riuer of Zenu and others and oftentimes they draw-vp graines of pure gold as big as eggs This country is not farre from the Straight of Darien In the said second booke chap. 72. He describes also Noua Grenada and the Mount of Emeraudes which is very high bare and peeld without any herbe or tree thereon growing and lyeth some fiue degrees on this side the Equator The Indians when they goe-about to get the stones first vse many enchauntments to know where the best veine is The first time the Spaniards came there they drew thence great and little 1800. very faire and of great price but for this commoditie the country is so barren that the people were faine to feed on Pismers till of late the Spanish couetousnesse hath made them know the value of their Mountaine Cumana is described in the foresaid booke chap. 79. in the end whereof Gomara saith the vapours of the riuer Cumana engender a certaine little mist or slime vpon mens eyes so as the people there are very pore-blind Parie is described in the 84 chapter of the said second booke Maragnon a Riuer which as Gomara saith 2 booke 87 chapter is threescore miles ouer It emprieth at the Cape of Alinde three degrees beyond the Aequator but springeth a great way further South by Tarama in Peru thence running Eastward it casteth only an Arme into the Amazon about Picora Which hath caused many the first writers of America to count from that place both but one riuer So also doth our Poet here otherwise he would haue msntioned first how the people passed the Amezon that other great streame now knowne by the name of Orenoque which riseth about Carangui and emptieth as Theuet saith 104. leagues aboue the mouth of Maragnon Bresile which the Spaniard discouered in the yeare 1504. is surnamed fierce because of the Canibales Caribes and other man-eating people there I. de Leri hath written very fully all the historie of his aduenture in part of the country where dwell the people called Toupinamboes The riuer of Plata the Indians call Paranagacuc which word importeth as much as a great water Gomara speaking thereof in the 89. chapter of his second booke saith In this riuer is found siluer pearles and other things of great price It containes in breadth 25. leagues making many Islands and swels like Nilus and about the selfe-same time It springeth first out of the mountaines of Peru and is after increased by the infall of many riuers for the country thereabout is leuell or slat whereof it seemes to haue receiued the name of Plate Thus the Poet guesseth at the manner of this new-found worlds empeopling by the coast of Asia Whereunto I will adde what Arias Mont that learned Spaniard hath written thereof in his booke entituled Phaleg He saith Ioktan the double pety-sonne of Sem that is whose double grandfather Sem was had thirteene sonnes which are named by Moses in the 10. of Genesis and some of them peopled the West Indies from the East That which Moses saith Genesis 10. chap. 30. vers concerning Sephar a mountaine of the East Arias applies to the great hills of Peru which the Spaniards call Andes they reach out further in length then any other in the world and neere them stands an ancient towne called Iuktan Moreouer there lies higher a neere-Isle betwixt Cuba and Mexico called Iukatas which may bee thought to resemble still the name of him that first brought people into the country To Ophir one of the sonnes of Ioktan Arias allots the land of Peru for as much as in the third chapter and six verse of the second booke of Chron. there is mention made of the gold of Paruaim To Iobab the country of Paria which is neere the Straight of Panama very â—iâ—h also in gold and pearle I haue said else-where that Arias Montanus tooke Asia to be all one main-land with America and knew no Anian Straight If that be true sure the
Reine serue Cartage Et l'autre par Martelpres de Tours martelé Espuisa de soldats tout le térroir bruslé How it was possible that Noe his three sonnes should increase as they did Well may I grant you then saith one perhaps ther 's naught In all this lower world but will at length be raught By mans ambition it makes a breach in hills It runneth dry by Sea among the raging Scylls And in despite of thirst it guides the Carauands Amids the drie Tolmish Arabick Numyd sands But yet he lewdly thinks it goes against all sense That one house beds but foure should breake so large a sense As t'ouerbreed the lands of Affrick Europe Ase And make the world appeare too narrow for the race What ere thou be 1. Answer if light thou reck th'Immortals hest That once againe the bond of sacred mariage blest And said Encrease and fill ◠Answer if thou profane denie That Iacobs little traine so thicke did multiplie On Pharoh's fruitfull ground that in foure hundred yeere The seuentie liuing soules fiue hundred thousand were Alas yet thinke at least 3. Answer how for in elder time The fruits they are ne grew not on so foggy slime As ours doe now nor was their meats with sawces dight Nor altered as yet with health-empairing slight Of gluttonating Cooks and for with murdring sword Of neigh bour enemies they seld were swept aboord And for their mightie limbes they dulled not by sloth Or want of exercise they wox in liuely groth And liu'd some hundred yeeres and in their latter daies With siluer-haired heads were able sons to raise So that Polygamie then taken for a right This world an ant-hill made of creatures bolt-vpright And many peopl ' arose in short time if thou marke From out the fruitfull raines of some one Patriarch Eu'n as a graine of wheat Two sit comparisons if all th' increase it yeelds Be often-times resow'd vpon some harty fields Will stuffe the barnes at length and colour mighty launes With yellow-stalked eares and as two fishes spaunes Cast in t ' a standing poole so fast breed vp and downe That aft'r a while they store the larders of a towne An example of late yeares And haue we not of late a certaine Elder knowne That with his fruitfull seed a village had o're-growne Of fiuescore houses big so blessed that he saw His sonnes and daughters knit by ord'r of mariage law The tree of parentage was ouershort and thin To branch-out proper names for their degrees of kin Another example Who knowes not that within three hundred yeeres and lesse A few Arabians did Lybie fill and presse With new inhabitants and taught Mahound in Fesse In Oran in Argier in Tunis Bugy and Tesse Now if they so increas'd that woon'd in Afferick That with an humor sharpe fretting melancholick Prouok'd are day and night and made more amorous Then able to beget for deed venerious The more enforc'd the lesse it is of force no doubt And inward doe they freize that most doe boyle without Imagine how the men who neerer to the Poule Behold the flaming wheeles of heau'nly chariots roule Doe wax and multiplie because they come but seeld And at well chosen times to Cithareas field And sith cold weather staies about the northen Beare O're all that rugged coast triumphing euery where The liuely heat reures into the bodies tower The North hath swarmed with people not the South And closer-trussed makes their seed of greater power And thence the Cimbrians Gaules Herules and Bulgares The Sweues Burgundians Circassians and Tartares Huns Lombards Tigurines Alanes and Estergoths Turks Vandalls Teutonicks Normans and Westergoths Haue ouerflow'd the lands and like to Grashoppers Destroy'd the fairer parts of all this Vniuerse Whereas the barren South in all those former daies Hath scarce been able enough two martiall bands to raise That could the North affright one vnder Haniball Who brought the Punick State both vnto rule and thrall Anoth'r impression made as far as Towers wall And there with Abderame was knockt by Charles the Maule 49 Well may I grant This is the second obiection against that hath beene said concerning the Colonies drawne from Noes three sonnes to wit that it is impossible so few housholds should in so short time fill so many countries as are in the world so thicke as now they swarme 50 Jf little thou regard The Poet answers at large and very exactly to the said obiection First out of the words of Moses Gen. 9. And God blessed Noe and his children and said vnto them Encrease and fill the earth This answer is right to the point and very sufficient to stop the mouthes of all curious questioners that at least beleeue the word and power of God Such is also the answer following 51 If thou profane deny He that beleeues the holy Scripture knowes well that in the space of foure hundred yeares the family of Iacob no more than seuentie persons encreased in Aegypt vnto the number of fiue hundred thousand besides women and children This is an argument from the lesse to the greater if in one little countrie a few so much encreased and that in the short space of 400. yeares how much more might all the people else in the world encrease in 4000. yeares But the prophane man will not beleeue the story he will say it is vnpossible I will make no miracle of it although the Scripture noteth how the people encreased maruellously and therefore vseth a word which signifieth to multiply or spawne like fishes But let him cast account as neare as he can not of excesse but the ordinarie encrease that might arise of seuentie persons in the space they were in Aegypt and before he come to two hundred fifty of the foure hundred he shall haue the number as Morneus noteth in his book Deveritate Chap. 26. 52 At least consider how This the third answer is also of great importance especially for Atheists because it relieth vpon naturall reason as namely that a purer sood and better health with peace strength rest long life and Polygamie which is the vse of many wiues made greatly for the encrease of mankinde in those former times Each point of this answer is of great waight and may perswade easily all that is written of the matter 53 Right so a graine of Wheat For confirmation of the foresaid arguments he bringeth in two fine comparisons and sit for the purpose The one drawne from a corne of Wheat the other from the spawne of two fishes Both so much the better in this case because they are of common things and such as we daily see before our eyes 54 Haue we not in our daies He confirmes his reasons further by a notable example of a certain man who liued to see a whole towne of no lesse then 100 houses peopled only with persons issued of himselfe and his so that there were no names in
be seene in Syria This doth Iosephus report vpon heare-say which the Poet termes an old Tradition or Cabala Thus Josephus thrusts-in many things among his Antiquities that haue no good ground but are taken vpon trust of the Caballists and Rabbins who neuer considering the maiestie and sufficiencie of holy Scripture thought to helpe out and adorne it with fillets and labels of their owne Many learned men thinke that Noe and his sonnes had the Arts well setled in their mindes and the Arke is a sufficient proofe of Noes skill in Arithmetike and Geometrie but the Reader may if he will ascribe the inuention to Noes predecessors so doth the Poet following the opinion of Iosephus For the rest he giues the whole discourse of Mathematikes to Heber and Phaleg because the earth being in their time diuided it was requisite that these Arts were knowne to be carried euery way for comfort and helpe of Colonies in peopling the world Cylinderwise it lay So I translate that is along the ground like a rouller supposing the waters had ouerthrowne it 3. Seth. Polidore Virgil in his first booke de Inuentoribus rerum chap. 14.17.18 19. speakes of the first finders-out of the liberall Sciences alledging the testimonie of diuers Authors But it came neuer into his minde to deriue all from the spring-head as here the Poet hath done who shewes with great probabilitie that Adam being endowed with excellent knowledge of hidden things concerning both great and little world taught it his sonne and schollar Seth and others that conuersed with him who also conueyed it ouer to their descendants And this was not hard to be done considering the long life of them all So the true Cabala of inheritance left to posteritie was the instruction which they receiued one from other by word of mouth and this might be so continued from father to sonne as it need not be graued in brick or stone But sithence the Poet was content to set-out the opinion of Iosephus rather then his owne I le say no more against it The meanes and order kept by Seths posteritie to continue the knowledge of the Mathematicks was not all of one sort though the Poet propounds but one which was very likely 4. Thus hauing said he went That is Heber Poets missing sometime the certaine truth are wont yet to stand-vpon that is likely wherefore this our Author hauing before spoke-of the pillar of stone which stood still vpright brings-in Heber opening the doore thereof by a sleight and finding therein a burning lampe or candle This secret of burning lamps of some vnquenchable stone or other matter of that nature hath beene vsed in the world long agoe and proued true by diuers ancient sepulchers found vnder the ground Selinus in his 12. chap. saith there is in Arcadia a certaine stone of the colour of Iron which once set a fire cannot be quenched and therefore is called Asbeslos which signifies as much Plutarch in the beginning of his booke De cessatione Oraculorum saith as much of the vnquenchable lampe in the Temple of Jupiter Hammon which was the most ancient and of most renowme among the Chamites who soone fell from the true Religion Plinie in the first chapter of his 19. booke tells also a great maruaile of a kinde of linnen cloth which consumes not in the fire I thinke the immediate successors of Adam and Noe had knowledge of many secrets in Nature which we now would thinke incredible impossible or altogether miraculous if we saw the experience thereof 5. As when a priuate man By an excellent comparison the Poet here describes the affection that Phaleg had to vnderstand these things and so makes way to his discourse of the Mathematike Arts which he faines to be sisters and one much like another because they are all composed as it were of numbers concords and proportions which by Addition Multiplication Substraction and Diuision doe bring forth great varietie of rare and dainty secrets 6. My sonne He shewes in few words the iust commendation of these Liberall Sciences called here Virgins because of their simplicitie and puritie Daughters of Heauen because they are placed in the vnderstanding the principall facultie of our soule which is from Heauen though the vnderstanding adorned with Mathematikes doe many times bring forth effects which depart farther and farther from their spring-head and so by little and little fall among the Mechanicks or Handycrafts He saith also further that these foure Sciences are the fairest which that one Spirit issuing from two that is the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne did euer beget or mans soule conceiue he speaks this only of such gifts as the Holy Ghost hath imparted vnto men for the maintenance of their societie For what were the life of man if it had neither number waight nor measure neither sight nor hearing well gouerned as needs it must be while it wants the Mathematikes whose due praise and profit ensuing with what other Arts depend thereon you may reade at large in the Prefaces before Euclideâ— especially in one of Christopher Clanius and another of our English Iohn Dee 7. She there The learned differ concerning the order and disposition of these foure Arts some set Geometrie in the first place Arithmeticke in the second Musicke in the third and Astronomie last Others cleane contrary Our Author hath followed the most receiued opinion Reade Scaliger against Cardan Exer. 321. The chiefe thing is to consider well the bounds and coherences of these Arts that we neither confound nor seuer them among themselues nor mingle them with others for this doing sometimes hath brought most dangerous errours both into Church and Common-wealth To proceed In this description which the Poet makes of Arithmetikes both habit and gesture we may see what is required to the right vnderstanding that abstract Arte now adayes farre out of the way or soyled with grosse materials 8. Vnitie In fortie verses or thereabouts the Poet hath set downe the grounds of infinite Arithmeticall secrets He that will search what the ancient and late Authors haue written shall finde matter enough for a good thicke booke I speake here but briefly so much as may serue for vnderstanding the text leauing the rest to a larger Commentarie First he calls Vnitie or One the root of all numbers because euery number great and small ariseth from One. Secondly he calls it also the root of Infinitie for the greatest numbers and such as vnto vs are vncountable or infinite what are they but multiplied Vnities Thirdly he tearmes Vnitie True friendships deare delight because the faithfull louer delights in one onely and seeks no more Fourthly The renowme of Harmonie which tends to one sweet consort of diuers voyces Fiftly The seed-plot of all that is because by one spice or kinde of man beast fish fowle c. was filled the whole world Sixtly he calls it the Aime of Polymnie I thinke by this he meanes the intent that all learned men
Of all that doe repent and will new life beginne The Fishes And these two Fishes they that with fiue loues of bread Blest of th'all-feeding Word aboue fiue thousand fed Of the Antartike Pole Orion But let the twinkling Ball now vpsidowne be rowlâ—d And with like curious eye the sotherne halfe behold O know you not the face of this fierce warlike wight That neere the shining Bull enlustres heau'n with light The sonne of Nun it is that worthy Ioshuah Eridanus The Dogs The Hare Argo Who dry ore Iordan went as on a sandy bay And did those Canan dogges from prey vnworthy scare And set his conquering foot vpon Loues hartlesse Hare Loe here that Argosie which all the world did saue And brauely now triumphs both ouer wind and waue Lo here the yellow plights of Moses brasen snake Hydra That shone in wildernesse all others sting to slake The Raveâ— The Gobles Lo here that happy Rav'n which did Elia feed Here Iosephs golden cup wherein he wont arreed His wondrous prophesies and here that heau'nly knight Which vnto Machabee appeared all in white The Centaure The wo'fe The Altar-slone His ang'r-enflamed launce so strooke this Pagan Woolfe With paine and bursten-rot athwart the belly-gulfe That on Gods Altar-stone prophaned many a yeere Now reeks a sweet perfume and Levies hallowed queere Sings ioyfull Psalms againe in Gods temple Idol-staind And th' Idumean Race this Crowne at length obtainde The southerne Crowne The southerne Fish The Whale To raigne in Israel Now here the Fish behold With tribute paid for him that was for sinners sold And here the gaping Whale whose ill-digesting maw Three daies a Prophets life held as empawn'd by law The Poet by this correction shews his pietie and learning While Heb'r all sings for me with Muse so bold new odd And strikes a string vntouchd and walks a path vntrod Thinke not ô Christen peopl ' I take all that he saith Concerning th'oast of heâ—u'n for articl ' of my faith Or that I ment set-vp old Zenoes schoole againe T'embound th' eternall God and so relinke the chaine Of Stoyck destinie or would of all to come As Caldeman arreed in books of heau'n the summe No nothing lesse I meane but only thought by grace Of such a new deuise as here I enterlace Refresh your weary minds that hauing past before So many a foamy flood such warre against the shore And hurly-burling rage of counterbuffed waue So many a ghastly Wylde a dyke a rock a caue You might set foot at length on some delightfull place Whereon the skie may shew for eu'r a louely face Where runs a siluer streame the wind blowes sweetly awhile And where to welcome you the ground-selfe seems to smile Oh who good Reader knowes but fuller may be done Hereaft'r of some so zeal'd this worke I first begon 42. Yea were it not This is the fourth reason wherein the Poet with commendable courage aduentures to blot out of memory the Greeke Latine and Arabian fables which with so many gybrish names had soyled as it were the face of heauen and makes Heber say that the names of Constellations on either side the Equator doe containe the mysteries of Holy Church First then hee speakes of the North-Pole-Starres and saith the Chariot which is commonly called Charles Waine is the same that carried vp to heauen the Prophet or Seer Elias 2. King 2. And Bootes is Elizeus there mentioned to with-hold first and then behold his Masters going away As for the other names of that kinde here following any Reader acquainted with the Bible may conceiue them at first and what the Poet meanes by them 43. While Heber sings The Poet now hee hath made Heber so largely discourse vpon the reasons of these shapes and names giuen by the Astronomers to the six Starres of both Poles and of the Zodiack he â—oynes thereto a notable correction thereof to auoid two extreames the one of Zeno the chiefe Stoicke and his followers who so tie the first cause which is God to the second that they hold all good or euill successe of our life vnauoydably to depend vpon the Starres Their opinion touching the necessity of Fate hath beene fully refuted by many famous men both old and new Writers but especially by Saint Auslen in his Bookes De Ciuitats Dei The other extremitie is that opinion of Iudiciall Astrologers who make our whole life from the beginning to the end liable to the vertue and influence of the heauens Those also haue beene refuted by diuers of our time especially by the learned John Picus Earle of Mirandula and by his Nephew Francis Picus in his Booke intituled De praenotione rerum Our Author shewes therefore that he vtterly disauoweth such opinions of the Stoicks and Astrologers whom he tearmeth Caldemen or Caldeans because Iudiciall Astrologic was in great vse among that people as may be gathered out of History but most out of the Bookes of the Prophets and Esay chiefely Chap. 52. at length he shewes the reason which I touched before why he brings in this new discourse namely to giue the Reader an acceptable pause of recreation and shew how much he desires that our posteritie may see Heauen cleansed of these Idolls which the Heathen by names giuen to the Starres pretend to haue place there Cest art du tout diuin donnant à tant d'imagee Non le nom des Payens ains des saincts personnages Continuation du descouurement des secrets de l'Astronomie par la declaration des principaux mots vsitez entre les Astronomes Discours sur les cieux des Planetes destinguez subtillement doctement par les Astronomes Mais allons retrouuer Heber dont le discours Enseigne à son Phalec des Planetes le cours Figuré dans l'acier qu'est-ce que Perigee Câ—ncentrique Eccentrique Epicycle Apogee Et de quelle façon Mars le seme-debats La Torche porte-iour la Cyprine aime-esbats Saturne Iupiter ont trois Spheres en vne Cinq le facond Mercure deux fois deux la Lune Car les diuins esprits dont nous tenons cest art Voyant leurs Feux errer or ' d'vne or ' d'autre part Tantost loin tantost pres du centre de Nature Pour bannir de là haut le vuide la rupture Et le brouillis des corps que leur desuoyement Causeroit dans les cieux couuerts du Firmament On t osé plus qu'humains des rouès eternelles Qui portent ces brandons faire plusieurs rouëlles Qui tousiours se baisant ne s'entreheurtent point Tant bien l'vn rond à l'autre est distinctements ioint Le bas est sous le haut qui recourbé l'â—â—ccolle Ainsi que le Marron porte vne taye molle Pour emmantellement la taye vn cuir tané Le cuir vn feutre espais picquant herisonné Puis il prend l'Astrebale ou la Sphere est reduite En forme toute plate