this Reason from the unhealthfulness of the Place which happened to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. by the varietie and constancie of the diseases which reigned among the People For besides the general distemperature of the air of Egypt which was calidus nocivus Joh. Leo African hot and hurtful as it is affirmed by * one that knew it well insomuch that a Plague at Grand Cairo could cut off twentie thousand in one daie besides I saie these more universal Conditions Philo intimateth from a particular Caus that there should bee a more usuall Mortalitie heer then elswhere and that was The Concours of all manner of living Creatures to â—his Place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And it is to bâ—â— conceived that the Autor meaneth by this not onely a multitude of Men but also that great varietie of strange Beasts and Fowls which were continually bred up about the Court in Alexandria mention whereof is made by Ptolomie the King in his Commentaries Lib. 12. which was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And these Creatures were transported from all parts of the world and there bred up not onely for their Raritie and the Kings Recreation but also to furnish his Table for so it seemeth by Ptolomie's words in that Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where hee noteth concerning those Phesants that were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the King of Egypt had of them not onely brought out of Media but also hatch'd at home in such a Number that his Table might bee served with them when hee pleased though wee may observ by the waie that these kinde of Birds in those daies were for the most part kept for the Eie rather then for the Bellie insomuch that Ptolomie the King in the book before cited professeth that hee never tasted of a Phesant in all his life whereupon Athenaeus observeth That if this noble King had liv'd in his daies wherein the Luxurie was such that everie man must have a Pheasant at his Table though hee had alreadie written 24. Books in this kinde yet hee saith that hee would surely have written one more purposely to note out this thing This by the waie becaus Philo saith that the Places within the Citie were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of all manner of Creatures And this howsoever urged by him onely for a greater Caus of Infection yet it may bee thought by som to have a further aim for the Egyptian beeing aware of this that the Jew was bound to make a distinction between clean and unclean beasts might apprehend it in the strictness and therefore carefully remove the Seniors from the verie sight of those things which were an abomination unto them But in this wee have but prevented the Curious and therefore if the Conjecture bee not sound enough it may bee the less regarded But more then what is urged by Philo for the ill disposition of the place may elswhere bee observed The Prophet Nachum saith that Alexandria is situate upon the waters not onely becaus the waters laie all about it but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that they were conveied into it under ground as Chimhi there hath it And the Arabian more plainly in the Nubian Geographie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the river Nile comming from the West runneth under the Arches of all their Houses The manner how this was don is set down by John Leo in his description of Africa Cuique ferè domui Civitatis ingens cisterna concamerata crassisque innitens fornicibus substructa est in quas exundans Nilus per Aquaeductum in planitie magno artificio constructum extra Alexandriam deductus sub eâ—us moenibus demittitur c. This artificial conveiance of the River though it bee otherwise acceptable to the Inhabitants yet it could not bee without som annoiance to the Air the Complexion whereof suffered much alteration by the noisom vapors which rose up out of the waters which in tract of time putrified in their Cisterns It is the experience of this John in the words following Cisternae porrò temporis successu turbidae ac coenosae redditae plurimis aestivo tempore languoribus occasionem praebent c. And the same Autor affordeth us yet another inconvenience to make us more sure of the Insalubritie of this Place And it ariseth by reason of certain little Gardens planted near to the Citie the fruits whereof were of such an ill Condition that the Inhabitants were thereby made subject to verie noxious Feavers and manie other diseases for so John reporteth in the Chapter aforesaid Juxta aquaeductum per quem Nilus in civitatem transmittitur exigui visuntur Horti sed quorum fructus ad maturitatem perventi accolas noxiis febribus aliisque morbis afficiunt c. These things considered the Reason was good why the Isle should bee chosen rather then the Citie to bee a Place for the Interpreters Thus much therefore wee are com to know upon good Autoritie that our Translation was made in the great Tower of the Isle Pharos near to Alexandria in Egypt wee go on to a more distinct designation of the Place the consideration whereof shall also discover unto us after what manner the thing was don FOr the Manner of the Translation The opinion of som is that the Seniors were assembled in one and the same place where they performed the work by comparing what was severally don by each of them and delivering up that for granted which could bee agreed upon by all This opinion hath received it's ground from the words of Aristaeas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And indeed the incouragement from hence for that waie seemeth to bee verie good the words themselvs beeing scarcely able to bear anie other construction then according to that which hath been said Nevertheless it is believed by others that they did the work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as John Zonaras hath i◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Each of them beeing in a several Room and when the work was finished they all met and compared together what everie Man had don and it was found that they differed nothing either in sens or manner of expression but agreed in all c. This later waie of the Storie however it may seem to exact upon our belief as making Report of more incredible circumstances yet it may bee taken up upon the greatest trust of Antiquitie having to alledg for it self the constant and most undeniable Testimonie of the Antients The Jews report it from an immemorial Tradition which their Talmudists deliver in the 10 Book of Soeder Moed in the Chap. Megillah Nikra which is the 3d. and fol. the 8. B. and the 9. A. where the text of the Talmud saith on this manner Talmud in Soed Moed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is There is no difference between the Sepharim and the Tephillim and Mezuzoth save onely that the Sepharim may bee written in anie Language but the
the first of the reign of Seleucus and 3638 of the World CHAP. XI Aera Dhilcarnian IS the same with the Alexandrea Graecorum and hath nothing proper but the Name which it self also is nothing but Alexander in other words as by the Arabick Geographer and otherwise 't is made known Dhilcarnain that is habentis duo cornua as Albumazer's Translator expresseth it So Alexander was called with relation to the Ram in Daniel's Vision as som divine but then they are fain to read it Ailcarnain not considering that it is not the word in Arabick as in Hebrew for a Ram the Arabians if they had meant thus would have said not Aiie but Hamelcarnain but let that pass for the word written in it's own language manifestly importeth no more then one that hath two horns So Alexander saith Christman might bee called either for that his Empire was bipartite into Asia and Syria which is not altogether so true or otherwise for that hee joined the East and West together with Conquests holding as it were the two Hornes of the World in his Victorious hands And this hee saith becaus as Hercules in the West so Alexander set up two Pillars for a non ultra to the Eastern World The Arabians themselvs saie more For though the more commonly known Historians of this Conqueror Q. Curtius and Arrian out of his Ptolomie and Aristobulus take no notice of Alexander's falling in the Western World Cedren excepted wheresoever hee had it yet the Arabick Geographer doubteth not to affirm that hee was the man by whose appointment and Design that Isthmos Gaditanes was cut out and the Atlantick Ocean let into the Mediterranean so making that Streight or Fretum therefore not to bee term'd Herculeum now called the Sreights of Gibralter or as it should bee Gebal Tarec that is Tarec's Hill so called saith the Arabick Geographer from Tarec the Son of Abdalla who having transported his Barbarians over the Streight secured his Army with the Natural fortification of that Place Geographus Arabs 1. par cl 4. But why Alezander should bee called Dhilcarnain or habens duo cornua Scaliger's reason is beyond exception and which Petavius himself could not choos but commend Alexander to rais himself a reputation of Divinitie suborned the Priest to entitle him the son of Corniger Ammon thenceforth the Cyrenians who had formerly used to express this Jupiter horned in their Coins transferred this honor to the Conqueror and so the reputed son as the Father was known by the name of Corniger which when it came to the Arabians was to bee said as here it is Dilcarnian CHAP. XII The Jews Aera ALexander the Great with his Grecian Armie marching towards Jerusalem with all intention of hostilitie the High Priests and Levites came forth to meet him all in their Holie Garments The King beholding this reverent Assemblie made an approch himself alone and drawing near to the High Priest fell down and worshipped The Captains wondring to see the son of Jupiter Ammon who had given command that all men should worship him himself to fall down to a Jew Parmenion drew near and made bold to ask him the question To whom Alexander 'T is not the Priest saith hee but his God whom I adore and who in his verie habit appeared unto mee long ago at Dius in Macedonia and encouraged mee in my undertakings for the Empire of Asia This don the King ascended the Temple where Sacrifice first don to God the prophecie of Daniel was brought forth the high Priest turning to that place which foretelleth of a mightie Prince of Graecia that was to conquer the Persians which the circumstances well agreeing the King readily applyed unto himself and so departed verie well pleased and full of hope leaving the People to their Antient peace Antiquitat Lib. 11. So their Historian Josephus and the Book Taanith Cap. 9. But it is added moreover by Abraham the Levite in his Cabala that the High Priest by waie of acknowledgment made faith to the King that all the children which should bee born that year to the holie Tribe should bee called by his Name and moreover that from the same Time they would henceforth compute their Minian Staros or Aera of Contracts c. fol. 3. CHAP. XIII Aera Dionysiana Philadelphi A Celestial year is such an one as kéepeth touch with the Sun the Months whereof begin at his entrance into the Signs precisely and especially serving for the Prognostication of the Seasons Such a kinde of year Dionysius an Astrologer in Egypt set up after the example of Metan and others as by Theon 't is noted upon Aratus The Aera whereof hee fixed in the first yeare of the famous Ptolomie surnamed Philadelph 'T is often cited in the Almagest which also giveth Testimonie that this Aera began in the 463 of Nabonassar's Thosh Ptolm lib. 10. C. 4. 5 Almagesti which was the fourth year of the 123 Olympiad answering to the 4429 of the Julian Period which was the 3665 of the world's Creätion The Cycle of the Sun was 5 and the Moon 2. But neither was this this year of Dionysius meerly coelestial 't was also civil as Scaliger discovereth yet of no greater use in Historie to reconcile one place in that golden book as the same Autor termeth it of Jesus the son of Sirach That wise man saith that in the 38 year when Evergetes was King hee came into Egypt c. but how could that bee saith Scaliger seeing this Ptolomie raigned but 26 years To saie as som do that hee meant the years of his own life Emendat Temp. lib. 5. or the life of Evergetes is rather to excuse the Autor then interpret him And therefore 't is to bee said that hee referreth to the Dionysian Account in the 38 whereof hee might com into Egypt in the time of Evergetes And therefore Petavius upon his Epiphanius first and again in his Doctrina Temporum had little reason to fall so foully upon the much more learned Autor of this and manie other admired Revelations CHAP. XIV Aera Hispanica JVlius Caesar in the fourth of his Dictatorship appointed his Mathematicians to the Correction of the Roman Year Dion lib. 11. which is the begining of the Julian Account The The 283 whereof Censorinus saith was the 1014 of Iphilus and that the 986 of Nabonassar Therefore the Julian Account began the 703 of Nabonassar which was the 4669 of the Julian Period and 3905 from the Worlds Creätion The Cycle of the Sun was 21 and the Moon 14. Seven Years after and 38 before the Nativitie of Christ the Spaniards beeing brought under the subjection of the Empire received also this form of year their Aera from that time forth bearing Date from hence which though it was the fifth of Augustus yet the Style went in the Dictators Name and so the King Alphonso would bee understood in his Tables when hee calleth this Term Aera Caesaris meaning the Dictator CHAP.
the Saints and the meanes whereby to purchase it The Gospell of the Kingdome as it is therefore so called Mat. 9.35 which compare with Luke the 16.16 This Inheritance was bequeathed to and equally divided betwixt the Jew and the Gentile in a Christian way of Gavealkin It was first offered to the Jew to take his Halfe but which the Jew refusing to doe the Apostles cast off the dust off their Shooes and turned to the Gentiles And so the Gentile like a good Ben Hamtsen or Sonne of violence tooke his owne share and the Jewes too CHAP. VI. Noah's Lent And the Raine was upon the Earth forty daies and 40 nights Gen. 7.12 During this time Noah and his Sonnes so I finde it in the Easterne Traditions kept a Solemne Fast taking meat but once a day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Catena Veterum praecipue Orientalium in Penâ—ateuâ—hum Arabiâ—e MS. in Arch Bibl. Bod. And Noah was the first who made the 40 dayes Holy or instituted the Quadragesimall Fast in the Arke Caten Arabica Cap. 24. If it be as the Tradition pretendeth to The Institution of Lent is ancienter then we tooke it for CHAP. VII Caeci Claudi And the Jebusite spake unto David saying Thou shalt not come up hither unlesse thou take away the Blind and the Lame saying with themselves David shall not come up hither And David said in that day Whosoever smiteth the Jebusite and recovereth to the Fort and smiteth the Lame and the Blind hated of Davids Soul Therefore they said The Blind and the Lame shall not come into the house 2 Sam. 5.6.8 So the Originall expresly To prepare for that meaning of the words which I intend to take upon me I shall insist a while upon some unobserved superstitions of the Ancients in the foundations and assurances of their Cities Forts c. 'T was a Rule the trembling Heathen went by to undertake nothing nothing anew especially inauspicato without some ominous performance we may call it what we please but they did it upon grounds throughly concern'd in experience and effect still attaining their end by what darke and secret wayes of cooperation soever brought to passe as undiscovered to themselves as us To the matter in hand the first was the propitiation of the place by reconciling the Genius with a respective Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. saith Hesychius Milesius concerning the foundation of Byzantium Like Ceremonies were performed by Alexander at the building of Alexandria Arrian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 52. as Arrian in the third booke of his Expedition Such are often remembred by Joannes Antiochenus and out of him repeated by the Fasti Siculi George Cedren and others But I chuse to instance a lesse knowne passage out of Abdilphaker in his Arabick History of the Foundation of Antioch When this was laid by Antiochus the King it happened that whatsoever the workemen dug up by day was againe throwne in by night and they were affrighted from the worke by a dreadfull Apparition The King call'd for the Astrologers and wisemen who after Sacrifice rightly performed discovered an appearance of Almarick or Mars Abdilphaker Arab. MS. in Arch. Laudin It was agreed therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that a magnificent Temple should bee erected to his name and his statue there set up and that the foundation of the City should be laid under his Ascendent ct Also an Anniversary of three dayes festivall was instituted c. and the Author saith that these things continued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill the Manifestation of Jesus the son of Mary Peace and the Prayer of God be upon him This Tradition of the Arabian includes another manner of the Ancients laying the foundation of their Metropolitan Cities under a certaine Configuration of the Heavens the most propitious that could be erected for the time being So Muazzus the Toppe of the Fatimaean family caused the City of Gran Cairo to be set up under the same Ascendent of Almarick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that as Mars had a coerâ—ive power in the superior world so the City might be Coactrix Orbis here below therefore the name of it was called Alchahira as the Note upon Elmacinus in the Tarich Mulstiminorum lib. 3. p. 227. Hali ad Carpum Pâ—ol ad verb 15. The Ascendent of a City saith Haly is that signe cujus ascensione quis incipit collocare primarium lapidem which riseth in the Horoscope at the laying of the first stone The Art of this is to be taken out of the first part of Apotelesmaticall Construction called by Ptolemie Catholicon Tetrabib 1. Where he appointeth his Astrologer in giving judgment of the Accidents of a City to take knowledge of the Sunne and Moones place in the Zodiaque which they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ptol. Tetrab l. 5.6.4 5. at the laying of the foundation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but especially of the Ascendent as the most principall Angle According to these Rules Tarucius Firmicus cast the Nativity of Rome and Vectius Valens an Astrologer of Antioch that of Constantinople the figure whereof is extant in a Greeke Manuscript in the Vatican The Horoscope was Cancer and the Astrologer judged by the appearences that the City should stand 702 years as the Vatican booke as Cedren and others 696. which if it be taken of those yeares Zonaras Annal. tom 3. in Constant Mag. p. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which the City flourished under a full state of discipline the Astrologer was not so much out as Glycas thinketh And moreover before the taking of the City by Mahomet the second a great Conjunction was observed under the Horoscope But in assigning the Ascendent of this City the Greekes and Arabians agree not Alkas Cyriac. Tab. Astron Arab MS. in Arch. Laudin Ben. Isaac Geograph Arab. MS. Ibid. nor the Arabians themselves For in the Tables of Alkas Constantinople is set under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Libra in Ben. Isaac's Geography under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Taurus and though the same place may have severall Horoscopes yet to so much variety it will be hard to reconcile the matter This Superstition hath been as commonly and more lately practised in the West At the instauration of Rome by Paul the third Gauricus drew the Figure of the Heavens Vincentius Campanatius observed the time by his Astrolabe toward the instant whereof he cryed out with a loud voice Ecce adest hora praecisa decima sexta fere completa Then immediately Ennius Verulanus the Cardinall laid the first stone The curious may see severall Nativities of Cities Forts and Castles with the Judgements given in Gauricus Junctin Garcaeus c. The Figure of the Old Lodging at Merton Colledge is yet to be seene in one of the Wardens Windowes John Chambers I set it not here down because it is already done by another in his Book against Judiciall Astrology These Catholical Nativities
the very same situation so that he that sits downe to cover his feet may have his face turned towards the North and South but by no meanes toward the West or East Talmud in Bera fol. 62. a. For however the Doctours Alphesi and others in contemplation of the Causes of this have sought out many inventions yet the reason of the last is the reason of the first Which the Glosse giveth to Beracoth c. 1. fol. 5. b. And it is That the uncomely Necessities of Nature or Matrimony might not fall into the Walke and Wayes of God whose Shecina or dwelling presence lyeth West and East c. The Lxx rendreth it Thou shalt not seeth a Lambe in his Mothers milke and so an ancient Arabicke Translation of that Thou shalt not dresse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lambe in the milke of his Mother The Persian Paraphrase is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Na Kosheani Bashache der shier madreau Thou shalt not kill a Kid in the milke of his Mother This reading seemes to suggest a ground for their interpretation who would have it to be thus That no man of Israel should seeth a Kid of the Goates or Lamb of the flock or any other youngling in the milke of the damme that is as some the damme with the young As in the case of a Birds nest others make it respect to their sacrifices that no man might bring a Kidde or Lambe c. to the Lords House before the eighth day for seaven dayes it was to be with the damme and then it might be brought to him Otherwise they say that however they might sacrifice any young thing even in the milke of the Mother for Samuel offered up a sucking Lambe or Lambe of the Milke because the Religion of the thing would beare it out yet in common eating it might not be that is they might not eat a Kid so long as it was with the damme or sucking Let it be taken notice of here that the Lxx and the Arabick Translation of that were not much out in translating the place Thou shalt not dresse a Lambe c. for Gedi signifieth a Kid of the sheep as well as the Goates And in Exodus you 'l finde a Lambe of the Goates as well as the Sheep Chap. 12.5 So that this cannot be depended on To referre it to the sacrificing of a Lambe or Kid before the eighth day will not be sense for this is otherwise forbidden before and in plainer words Seven dayes shall it be with the damme c. Exod. 22.30 And to make it concerned in their common eating as to forbid cruelty or put a restraint upon delicious feeding imposeth yet more absurdly upon the Law Isaack ben Solomon adopted sonne to one of the Kings of Arabia and a famous Physitian of his time in his booke of dyets translated out of the Arabick hath this consideration upon Goats flesh Sunt enim Lactentes sunt vicini suae nativitati sunt quoque juvenes decrepiti Isaac Iâ—dae diaetis partiâ—â—lar part 4. c. â— Carne Hircina Lactentes vero sunt caeteris animalibus in sapore nutrimento praestantiores Lac enim naturalem eis praestat humiditatem eorum complexio temperata est in calore humiditate absque sui corruptione Facilem ergo subtilem dant diaetam Et quo diutius lacte nutriuntur eo meliores ac teneriores erunt The Author saith that no flesh whatsoever can more exactly nourish then that of a sucking Kid or Kid of the Milke and moreover that the longer it is with the damme by so much it is the more excellent meat The same Author saith de Agnis Lactentibus of Lambes of the milke pessimum dant Sanguinem that they breed the worst blood and as bad as that of an old Goat Experience teacheth all this to be true And would you have it so then that the Lawgiver should forbid his people the worst of meats to restraine delicacy or the best of nourishments to avoid a cruelty And yet this is the case of the Text. But now to make way for that sense which the Prohibition indeed intendeth to I thinke fit to lay downe these grounds And they are such as will need to be taken better notice of by those that hereafter shall undertake to tell the meaning of Moses Law Know then from Him that â—new it best and first the most learned Maimon that the praecepts in the Law those of this kinde especially are still set downe with a reflex upon the Heathen Rites and not of those onely of simple Idolatry but most of all such as were complicated with Magicall and unreasonable Superstition Neither is the Respect of these Lawes so large and indistinct as to looke upon all the Heathen in Grosse but referring purposely to that neighbouring part of Paganisme professed by the Aegyptians Canaanites Chaldaeans and Amorites These Superstitions were termed by the Ancient Rabbines Viae Amorhaeorum the way of the Amorites that is wayes which the Jewes are bound to call Heresie Otherwise they were called Zabiorum or Zabaistarum Cultus i. e. The Easterne Idolatry These Rites the Zabii had written in many books a good part of which were translated into Arabick and these Maimon made use of as the Sepher Hattalesmaoth or booke of Telesmes Sepher Hasharah Sepher Tamtam Sepher Maaloth baggalgal Sepher Isaacâ— A booke of Isaacke the Zabiist of all the Rites and Customes of their Law But the booke of greatest account saith Maimon is the Sepher Avoda Henbattith or liber de Agriculture Aegyptiorum By this booke you may judge of the rest and of this by a strange passage quoted out of it in the Sepher Haccozri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. or as the Bookes of the Avoda Henbattith which make mention of some certaine names Ianboshar Tsagarith and Roani and they say that these men were before Adams time and that Ianboshar was Adams Tutor c. â—oâ—ri lib. 1. Out of these Zabian bookes this latter especially Maimon made good the greatest part of the Ceremoniall Law and which is more made it familiar too and reconcil'd the strangenesse of those precepts to any mans proportion of reason and beliefe Onely about the case of wine why God would have that used in sacrifice seeing that the Zabii did so too he confesseth himselfe to be very much troubled and not knowing how to referre it Yet he giveth a reason from some others that God with a Respect had to the 3 principall parts of man The Heart the Liver and the Braine would have his sacrifices be made up of three answerable things Flesh Wine and Musicke More part 3. c. 46. But in other cases the prohibition in the Law for the greater part lyes against some Rite or other of Magicall Idolatry So from this prohibition in the Law Levit. 19.19 Thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed nor thy vineyard Deut. 22.9 The Hebrew Doctours lawfully conclude that all divers kindes of
the forme of Goates Therefore the eating of Goates flesh was forbidden them Notwithstanding nay for that reason the Magicall use of Goates was Holy and religious The Magicall preparation of a Kid hath a plaine respect unto the Seirim or Goat-Devills But for the reasons of the manner they cannot be given for then it were not Magicall 'T is enough that such a thing was used in the way of the Amorites and therefore expressely forbidden to the people of God Also it may very well be thought that the People of God themselves some of them drew downe this Example of the Zabii into their owne practise Why not this as well as sacrificing to the Seirim or Devill-Goats Levit. 17.7 If the people of God did so that is seeth a Kid in the milke of the Damme to hasten the maturation of their Fruits then this was the reason why the Prohibition is so often repeated in the Law Maimon quoteth a like practise of the Zabii out of their booke Avoda Henbattith They purified certaine things which the booke nameth having observed when the Sunne was in this or that degree They performed some Magicall operations and so went away with this perswasion that whosoever should besprinkle a new planted Tree with this charme the Tree would fructifie in a shorter time then otherwise would have done This affordeth another likelihood for the Karraites Tradition of seething a Kid c. that this also was to be found in the Zabians bookes though the learned Maimon had not yet met with it CHAP. XX. James 4.13 14 15. Go to now ye that say To morrow we will goe into such a City and continue there a yeare and buy and sell and get gaine Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow For what is your life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away For that ye ought to say If the Lord will we shall live and doe this or that 1 Corinth 4.19 1 Pet 3.17 IT was a Custome among the Jewes especially and first to begin all things with God They undertooke nothing without this Holy and devout Parenthesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If God will They otherwise exprest it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the Name please or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the Name determine so And by the Name they meane the great one Jehovah It was a phrase of so common speech with them that they contracted it into an Abbreviation of their kinde which to avoid repetition at large useth a letter for a word The Abbreviation is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not onely a Phrase of the Jewes and Scripture but of all the men of the East You rarely meete with a booke written in the Arabick but beginneth Bismillahi In the name of God c. An Alcoran especially or any other booke of their Divinity And for the Alcoran it does not onely All or the whole Booke beginne so but every Surat or Chapter of that Scripture as they account it Not onely so but they make a common use of this very expression If God will Their words are and the Persians use the very same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si Deus voluerit or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the High or Almighty God will as Nassyr Eddyn in his Commentaries upon the Arabick Euclid at the end of his Preface to the tenth booke and elsewhere The Arabick Nubian Geographer beginneth his booke in the Name of the mercifull and compassionate God from whom is helpe And in the end of his Preface he saith the same thing in more words Quapropter potentissimi ac summi Dei quen unum solum esse fateor qui sufficientissimus atque optimus Protector est auxilium exposco From the Orientall part of the World this manner of speech descended downe upon all the Inhabitants of the Earth The Greekes render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same with the Latines Deo volente If God will Of which you may see more and very much to this matter if you consult with Brissonius de Formulis c. Lib. 1. p. 68 69. c. Indeed it were very much if we men of what Nation soever under Heaven should go about any thing without this seasonable condition of Gods helpe If we live and move and have our being in him as Saint Paul quoteth out of Aratus and the Scholiast Theon interpreteth to be meant of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 certainly we ought not to venture upon any thing without A Jove principium As he ought to be in all our thoughts so especially in those of enterprise and designe be it of the greatest nay be it of the smallest undertaking Especially we men I can beleeve the Angels of God doe so too for though the Gospell say that the providence of God cometh downe to the price of a Sparrow and were not two of these sold for a farthing Yet Maimon saith that God doth not take care for Oxen but setting all other things aside maketh it his onely businesse to procure the matters of Mankinde See his excellent discourse upon the Providence of God More Nevoch Par. 3. C. 17. Considering the engagements either of Gods provision or mens usuall Fatalities one would thinke this manner of speech to be equally naturall to the whole race of Mankind yet as I said before the Jewes gave the first example and they themselves brought it into use but upon this occasion It relateth to one of the wise sayings of Ben Sira an old Sage of theirs and beleeved by them to be Jeremie the Prophets Nephew The saying is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. The Bride went up into her Chamber but did not know what was to befall her Upon this the Perush there maketh this Explication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. Let a man never say he will doe any thing without this exception If God permit There was a man who said To morrow I will sit with my Bride in the Bride-Chamber and will know her there They said unto him say If God will He said unto them Whether God will or will not to morrow I will sit with my Bride in my Bride-Chamber So he did He entered with his Bride into the chamber and sate with her all day At night they went both to bed but they both dyed before they knew one another When they found them dead in the morning each by other they said the saying of Ben Sira was true The Bride went up into the Bride-Chamber but did not know what was to befall her Vpon this they said Whosoever hath a purpose to doe any thing ought to say If God permit Otherwise he is not like to prosper The words of Saint James have a full respect upon this Tradition you may easily perceive it if you marke these words To morrow we will goe c. especially the close We shall live and doe this or that CHAP. XXI Amos 6.1 3 4.
Church as for the rare appearances in the Scheme it self sufficient of their own strength to evidence that this was the time both for the year and day though reason and Tradition should pretend against it And because there be some and some too that know not why they do it neither who continue to call in question the Antiquity and truth of this day I will put in a little more weight into their scale who have very well assured this matter already both by historicall tradition and Mathematicall demonstration That which I meane to superadde first is an Apostolicall Canon as I finde it in Ioseph the Aegyptian's Arabick Code 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Ioseph Aegypt Cod. Concillor Arab. Ms in Archivis Roanis Bibliothecae Bod. Also that you Constitute an Anniversary feast at the Nativity of the Lord Christ in the day in which he was borne and that was the 25 of the first Canun for this is the principall of all the Feasts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Also that you doe every yeer celebrate the Feast of Alchamim or Baptisme of our Lord the Christ upon the day in which hee was baptized by John the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Forerunner and that was the sixt day of the second Canun A Persian Ephemeris to the same day of the same Canun setteth downe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nativitas Eisi or the Birth of Iesus Persica Ephemerâ—… Ms Cas Scyroac Tabulae Astronom Arab. Ms in Arch. Loudinâ—… Biblioth Bod. So Alkas Cyriacus in a Calendar of the like Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the Nativity of Iesus Christ The same Author to the sixth day of the latter Canun Ianuary puts down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. the feast of the Epiphany or Benediction of the Waters The Syriack Church observeth alike and as concerning this Benediction of the Waters at that time of the Epiphanie you may see what their Mar. Michael Chindis out of * That is Iacobus Orrohaita as he is quoted by Moses Barcepha the Bishop of Bethraman in his Commentaries of Paradise and oftentimes in the Catena Arabica by the name of Iacobus Alâ—ohavi which is all one The Learned Master Selden in his Interserenda to Eutychius hath a very good note out of the same Author as concerning Helena that shee was brought up and taught to read the Scriptures by Barsica Bishop of Rhea in Gazirat and taken to wife by Constantius the Emperor with the consent of her Parents c. For Algezira he took it right It is the same with Mesopotamia but for Rhea he saith Vbinain hac Rhea ego 〈◊〉 nescire fateor See Orteâ—ius in Eâ—eâ—…a and Leunclavius his Onâ—mastic in Roâ—…a It was a City and seat of a Bishop in Mesopotamia And so t is put in by the Arabick Nubian Geographer at the beginning of the sixth part of the fourth Clime Verum Algezira est quod includitur inter Tigrim Enphratem ejusque urbes sunt Râ—…co c. Roba Harran Sarug c Iames the Bishop of Vrhoia hath said as he is quoted by Marsilius de Columna in his Hydragiologia p. 506. Chrysostome imputeth a great Miracle to this consecrated Water He saith the Patriarch Severus in his Syriack Ritual saith as much too that our Saviour Christ when he was baptized sanctified the Nature of the Waters And for that reason saith Chysostome it is a custome of the People at the Epiphanie to fetch of the Waters and reserve it by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and look whatsoever water is drawn that day it will not corrupt in a long time no not in a whole year and sometimes not in two or three but remaine as sweet and fresh as at the first drawing But as concerning this day of our Lords Nativity Sahid Aben Batric hath noted in his History that hee was borne upon the 25 of December which is observed by the learned Master Selden already and as I think out of the life of Augustus De Anno Civili veterum Iud. Cap. 8. But the same Author in the life of Constantine saith it again and endeavoureth to prove it there in his discourse of the Celebration of Easter The result whereof as it maketh to this matter is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. And our Lord and redeemer Iesus Christ was born the 29 day of Cohiac upon the 25 day of the first Canun And for the Epiphanie or Baptisme of Christ hee saith it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the eleventh day of Tiby and upon the 6 day of the second Canun So the Coptick or Aegyptian Calendar Saidus Batricides Arab. Ms in Constantino magno Liber penes est Illustrissimum Seldenum coctat etiam in Archivis Bibl. publ Cantabrig Athanas Kircker de Comput Eccles Copt c. 3. The same Tradition both for the Nativity and Epiphany You may have two out of Ioannes Antiochenus in the begining of the 10. book of his Chronograpby Iohan. Ant. Melala in Arch. Barocciants He saith that Iesus Christ was borne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vpon the 25 of the moneth of December 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And that bee was baptized in Jordan a River of Palestine upon the 6 day of January c. I was willing to note out of them for both the Holy dayes because som of the Easterne profession they are not many to that whole Church observe the memory of these matters in a shorter line then we do thinking out of Saint Luke that our Saviour was borne and baptized upon one and the same day which to them is the 6. of Ianuary The thing I have seene done here by an Armenian Priest of Haleb or Aleppo within the regard and compasse of my own conversation The Rubrick of the Celebration hee shewed mee indeed in his Armenian Calendar but the uttermost authority I could gaine of him to referre it to was a Tradition of Saint Iames to be found in their bookes he told me so but unknown to us as yet The ancient Runick Calendar doth not only acknowledge the 25 of December to be the day of our Saviours Nativity but for that reason too makes this day the beginning of the yeare and the Night before which indeed was the time they call Modranect or the mother Night our own Saxons did so too And the day it self is exprest in the Danish wooden Almanacks by an Infant wrapt up in Swadling clothes See Olaus Wormius de Fast Danic lib. 1. c. 12. l. 2. c. 9. CHAP. XXXV Rom. 9.3 For I could wish my selfe were accursed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh WHen a Sonne of Israel would expresse the extremity of his brotherly kindnesse towards any one of or towards all the Children of his people he entituled himselfe by a kinde of devotion to all the mischance and evill that should befall his Brother wishing the whole patience upon his owne head These
Tephillim and Mezuzoth onely in the Syriack Tongue But Rabban Simeon the son of Gamaliel saith that the Sepharim also might not bee written in anie other Language the Greek onely excepted By the Tephillim and Mezuzoth the Doctors meant those Schedules which were inscribed with set forms of devotion and placed upon the posts of their Houses or otherwise worn in their foreheads By the Sepharim or Books they intend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Books of the Law the Prophets and the Hagiographa and so the Sepharim are here expounded by the Gloss upon this place By occasion of these words in the Mishna R. Jehudah relateth this Storie in the Gemara 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Wee receiv it by Tradition that King Ptolmai assembled together the seventie two Seniors and placed them in seventie two several Conclaves not making them acquainted with his purpose after that going in to each of them hee said unto them Write mee now down the Law of Moses the Master The Blessed and glorious God put understanding into everie mans heart and they all accorded in one and the same sens So the Talmudists The verie same circumstances of the Storie are set down in their Massicta Sopherim and by Abraham Zacuth in the Book Juchasin besides the four Editions of their Hebrew Josephus or Goreous son in all which it is also extant Among the Arabians there hath as yet com to my Hands one onely Chronologer of these times said the son of Batric and hee also maketh the same report And becaus this Author is not as yet made publick it shall bee here set down what hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Said Abeâ— Bâ—ta Arabs in Historia Eccles And in the twentieth year of the Reign of Ptolomie the King went up to the Citie Jerusalem and brought with him from thence seventie Men of the Jews unto Alexandria and commanded them saying Interpret unto mee your Book of The Law and the Prophets out of the Hebrew into Greek And hee put everie one of them into a several Cell by himself that hee might see now each of them would interpret apart And when they had finished their work the King saw what everie Man had don and their writings all concorded nothing was contrarie in anie one of them So the Book of the Interpretation was sealed up and put into the Hous of their God Serapis c. Thus said the Son of Batric according to the Manuscript Copie of his Historia which I saw at Cambridg in the Archives of their Publick Librarie Philo Judaeus though hee maketh no express mention of the Cels yet if hee doth not intimate som such thing let the Reader tell us what hee meaneth by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is And they sate down privately by themselvs and having no other companie but the parts of Nature the Earth the Waters the Air and the Heauens the Mysterie of whose Creätion their first work was to discover this beeing the begining of Mose's Law they prophecied as if they had been divinely inspired not one one thing and another another but all in the same sens and words as if they had been prompted by som invisible Director In these words however it may bee said wee are not certain that the Author intended our matter of the Cels yet thus much wee can bee sure of That hee pointeth out such a waie of Interpretation as carrieth with it no less of wonder then the former But Justin the Martyr a Samaritan speaketh it plainly and with a verie remarkable Confidence as wee read in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Gentiles where hee saith That the King appointed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to each of the Interpreters a small several Cel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that everie man might perform the Interpretation by himself And having said somthing of their wonderful agreement hee provideth against the incredulitie of all Men by this resolute enforcement strongly urged from his own experience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that is This O yee Gentiles wee report unto you not in the guis of a Fable or a fained Storie but as a received Tradition delivered unto us by the Inhabitants of the Place for wee our selvs also beeing at Alexandria saw the remainder of those Cels and they are yet to bee seen in the Isle Pharos at this present daie To this undoubted Testimonie of Justin Martyr may bee added that of Irenaeus who in the same Centurie maketh the like report Ptolomie saith hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. considering with himself that if they should bee suffered to confer one with another they might perchance conceal somthing of the veritie of their Scripture by waies of Interpretation hee separated them each from other and commanded them that everie man should translate the same part and this order was observed in all the Book c. And concerning their agreement hee saith That they all set down the same things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same Sens and in the same Words insomuch that all people that were then present acknowledged that the Translation was made by the inspiration of God c. And that the wonder of the work might not bee an hindrance to it self to make it seem the less probable for beeing strange Hee excuseth it by another of the same kinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And wee have the less caus saith hee to marvail that God should thus do seeing hee wrought as great a Miracle for his Scripture by the hand of Ezra in the Restitution of the Law In the third Centurie the credit of the Storie is upheld by Clemens of Alexandria and in the fourth by Cyril of Jerusalem Clemens saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that everie one of them having interpreted by himself according to his proper Inspiration the Translations were Compared and they were all found to agree both in Sens and Words But Cyril more perspicuously and at large 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that is And the King providing that the Interpreters which were sent him might not com together appointed for each of them a several Cel in the Isle Pharos near to Alexandria and to each of them was delivered the whole Bible to translate And beeing thus separated the one from the other everie man's part was finished within the space of seventie two daies at which time they all met together and having compared their Translations they were found to concord not onely in the meaning but also in the verie Manner of expression For this Translation was not set forth in pleasing words or the pomp of humane Sophistrie but all was interpreted by the same Spirit by which it was first delivered c. In the fourth Centurie wee finde the Tradition remembred by Epiphanius but not without som alteration of the Circumstances for hee saith that the Translation was performed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in
wee finde that the Translation was twice performed and that the Seniors disagreed the first time In this passage of Storie I suppose wee shall tell the Reader som news Our Autor is one Armius of whom wee know nothing more then his name his words shall bee here set down as wee finde them cited by an Arabick Commentator upon the Pentateuch in his Preface to that Work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arabâ— Mss in 5. lib. Moâ—ses literis Syriacis conscriptis In Bibliotheca Bodleian Thus saith Armius the Chronologer In the nineteenth year of the Reign of Ptolomie the son of Ptolomie the King commanded that they should gather together the Seniors of the children of Israël and that they should bring with them the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Book of the Law in their hands and that each of them in several should translate it accordingly as it should bee revealed to his understanding And the Seniors came and presented themselvs together with their most divine Book of the Law And the King's command was that everie man should translate the whole Book And it came to pass that the Seniors disagreed in their Interpretation and the King commanded to put them in Prison and in Chains c. Thus wee see that the King was led by good Reason to a suspicion of his Interpreters and that therefore in all probabilitie hee would take such a cours for his Translation as wee have alreadie made report of According to the Testimonie of the Antients But nothing ever lighted so heavie upon this matter of the Cels as the Autoritie of S. Heirom which was the more likely to oppress it by reason of his great learning and general repute becaus a Testimonie for the most part is not measured by its own validitie but the Autor's worth and wee do not usually observ what force it may have in it self but from whence it came S. Hierom when hee commeth to consider of the Translation of the Seventie seemeth to deride the passage of the Cels and forsaking the constant Tradition of his forefathers in a verie neglectful manner peremptorily setteth down upon his own trust that the Historie of the Cels is vulgò sine Autore jactata but a Common Report bruited abroad under no man's Autoritie And elswhere hee saith That hee cannot devise who it should bee that first contrived these seventie Conclaves in the fictions of his brain Nescio quis primus Auctor 70. Cellulas Alexandriae mendacio suo exstruxerit quibus divisi eadem scriptitârint c. His Reasons follow * Cùm Aristaeas ejusdem Ptolemaei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multo pòst tempore Josephus nihil tale retulerint sed in unica Basilica congregatos contulisse scribant non prophe◠âsse c. Hiero. Praefat. in Pentat Ep. 104. p. 341. Tom. 3. Becaus Aristaeas and long after him Josephus can tell of no such thing but the contrarie and becaus also that if it had been so it could not bee accounted for a Translation but a Prophecie So S. Hierom. But before wee receiv his Testimonie it shall bee examined and compared and leaving his Reasons to the last place wee will first of all beseemingly moderate the strong Opinion of his Name True it is than S. Hierom in Learning and Knowledg could not bee inferior to anie of his time and therefore beeing a great Scholar hee might the easilier fall into that common infirmitie of those that know much go about to rais his own Reputation by the ruine of another Man's If the Father were thus inclin'd hee could not bee without so much of a Critick as would teach him to Censure which things while wee do our Ambition seeking for its own safetie alwaies aimeth at those that are farthest off and least able to help themselvs Therefore the Antients and those that are dead are more easily reprehended then the latest and the living It is not for mee to saie that the Reverend Father was guiltie in this and yet if hee were not why is it objected unto him by his Adversarie Ruffinus in the second Book of his Invectives Pag. 181. Tom. 9. Quid ergò mirum est saith hee si me minimum nullius numeri hominem laceret si Ambrosium secet si Hilarium si Lactantium si Didymum reprehendat Pag. 1â—â— ibid. c. and afterwards hee saith that hee spared neque antiquos neque novellos scriptores sed omnes omnino nunc imperitiae nunc inâ—ptiae notat neither the Antient nor the Modern Writers but charged them all and everie one of them with unskilfulness and follie ut erat in quod intenderat vehemens So eager hee would bee for his own opinion as learned Vives hath noted concerning him in his observation upon the 42. Chap. of Austin 18. Book De Civitate Dei But if this bee to bee suspected as coming from his enemie yet how shall hee bee there excused where hee would not spare Saint Paul himself at a Criticism for reading that place in the Epistle to the Collossians Quae sunt rationem quidem habentia c. hee writeth to * Quaest 10. p. 433. Tom. 3. Algasia Chap. 2. v. 23. that the Conjunction quidem is there redundant and that S. Paul had often don as much as that came to propter imperitiam Artis Grammaticae c. Hee saith that the great Doctor of the Gentiles did not understand his Grammar as if the Spirit in Scripture would not look to the Syntax or if not as if hee that had disputed among the Philosophers at Athens had been so ignorant in his Accidence as not to know how to place a Conjunction Hee that could saie of S. Paul that hee was an ill grounded Scholar 't was no marvail that hee Censur'd Lactantius S. Ambrose S. Hilarie and Didymus and yet if these also could not escape his reprehension I should not willingly trust him with Aristaeas nor our Historie of the Septuagint But let the Father bee pardoned for beeing a Critick and take S. Hierom in the best sens let him bee a Man of a most mature and most moderate judgmen and one that could think as well of other Men as of himself yet why are wee bound to believ S. Hierom rather then Justin Martyr Irenaeus Clemens of Alexandria Cyril of Jerusalem and the rest why one Man rather then so manie why a late Autor rather then those that went before him But let it bee supposed that this learned Father could discern above all this yet his Testimonie could not bee taken for this matter becaus wee finde it guiltie of partialitie For wee are to bee advised that S. Hierom having gotten a competent knowledg in the Hebrew tongue by great industrie and conversation with the Jews especially his constant Tutor Barabbas undertook a new Translation of the Bible according to the Original This though in it self a verie laudable and pious Enterprise and pretended also to bee most necessarily don becaus of divers and
renown of Alexander which other Autors have said Parte jâ Climat 4. concerning his Non ultra in the East and yet the Arabick Geographer asscribeth also unto him the Pillars of Hercules in the West and saith moreover that by the help of his Mathematicians hee digged up an Isthmus and joined two seas together See this Autor in his first Part of his 4. Clime That which is already recorded of this Mightie Conqueror by Historians more commonly known is as great a burden as fame can bear and yet I have seen two Greek unpublish'd Autors in the Baroccian Archives Archivae Bara Bâ—blioth Bod. that have gon beyond all that is yet extant as if they would set down not how much Alexander could do but how much 't was possible for the Reader to believ for so they have scrued up his Acts to a most prodigious and incredible hight that nothing more can bee exspected from the Historia Lombardica or the most impudent Legend and yet I finde nothing at all said of this Agger Justin hath said much for Alexander out of Trogus Pompey and much is set down by Diodorus to saie nothing of Zeno Demetrius printed at Venice in vulgar Greek and a French Autor not extant both which have written the life of Alexander and that they might lie by Autoritie they have don it in vers and yet none of all these ever durst to saie that this was anie of his Acts to join Pharos to Alexandria nay Plutarch in the life of this Alexander saith that Pharos was an Isle in those daies and verie well intimateth that the Isthmus was congested in after times Therefore if this would not bee remembred neither by those who knew all that Alexander did nor yet by others who durst to write more then they knew Bar-Jonah is not to bee regarded in this matter But Joseph Scaliger troubleth us further for hee saith that this Isthmus was raised per Superiores Ptolemaeos by the former Ptolemies and his Autoritie for this is out of Julius Cesar in the third book of his Commentaries De Bello Civili towards the later end of that Book there Cesar saith thus Haec insula objecta Alexandriae portum efficit sed â superioribus regionibus in longitudinem passuum 900. in mare jactis molibus angusto itinere ponte cum oppido conjungitur At the first reading of these words I marvailed how Scaliger could pick out the thing which is pretended seeing that here is no intimation to that purpose but upon a further inquirie I found in the Critical Notes upon this Place that Brodaeus would have it read A superioribus Regibus and out of this varia lectio Scaliger got his Superiores Ptolemaeos Suppose wee then that the true waie of reading should bee according to Brodaeus yet how will Cesar bee trusted for this in whose judgment wee all know that the Pailing up of an Isthmus would bee too great a work for a woman in comparison whereof Cesar's Ditches and Trenches could bear no reputation Therefore it concern'd the Dictator to darken the glorie of Cleopatra for fear that should eclips his own therefore the exploit is obscurely suggested in terms of generalitie and ambiguitie that it was don A superioribus Regibus which whether it bee to bee understood of Ptolemie Lagus and Philadelph or of those which succeeded who can tell us and if it bee not it maketh nothing against us But why are wee bound to read Regibus seeing that in the most antient and the correctest Copies wee finde it constantly written A superioribus Regionibus and so it is to bee referred to in longitudinem passuum 900. à sup Region c. or otherwise it may follow the force of the Conjunction sed which leadeth to another waie of Interpretation and either of these waies seemeth fully to satisfie the Autor's meaning and affordeth a Construction proper to the Place So wee see that these words of Cesar are not of force enough to overthrow the Testimonie of Ammianus Marcellinus therefore it holdeth still that Pharos remained an Isle till the daies of Cleopatra and wee are sure that Aristaeas was dead long before therefore for him to make mention of the Heptastadium is an inexcusable Anachronism and there needeth nothing more to prove the first thing which was required That the Autor of the present Historie of the Seventie cannot bee that Aristaeas who was to live in the daies of Ptolemie Now wee are to prove that the true Aristaeas had this passage of the Cels. And this will bee easie to do becaus Gedaliah in his Shalshelet Hakabbala professing to set down this Historie of the Seventie Interpreters briefly out of Aristaeas toward the later end of his Abstract useth these words R. Gedalea in Shalshelet fol. 23. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is And everie daie the King asked them the Interpretation of som hard sayings and dark sentences which may bee seen at large in this * Of Aristaeas hee meaneth Book And they still gave him such an Answer as was to the purpose and well-pleasing in his sight insomuch that the King marvailed greatly c. After this saith hee they were conducted to a certain Island 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about a mile distant from Alexandria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to each of them was appointed a several Conclave c. Wee cannot imagine the Autor to bee so notoriously impudent as to have cited this out of Aristaeas if it had not been there Therefore now if wee give the reason why Josephus should leav it out wee have brought that to pass which was required to bee don Josephus having had good experience of the Heathen not onely by his conversation with their Books but also with themselvs made observation of that whereof hee himself afterward found caus to complain that as they made little account of the Nation of the Jews and their Religion so they slighted their Antiquities and misbelieved anie thing that could bee said or written for their Renown Josephus beeing well aware of this and desirous by all means that his work might finde Acceptation with the Gentiles took diligent heed to make the disposition of his Historie of such a temper as that nothing should bee proposed so incredible as not to bear som congruitie with such things which had been known to bee before and were like to bee hereafter Therefore when hee cometh to the miraculous passages of Holie Writ hee useth a fair waie of Dissimulation still moderating the wonder of a work that hee may bring it down to the Heathens Faith and make it fit for ordinarie belief The Reader shall willingly believ this after experience made in an Instance or two When Josephus cometh to tell of Israëls departure out of Egypt and how they passed through the mid'st of the Sea upon drie land hee relateth the Storie bonâ fide but withall superaddeth thereunto a most unwarrantable Extenuation His fear was lest the
the infancie and Cradle of the Church could afford Carmen Christo quasi Deo canere solitos c. That they were wont to sing an Hymn to Christ at their Congregations it seemeth by the Junior Plinie to Trajan But their Musick about that Time was non clamans sed amans It had more of the Devotion then the Voice sent up with heart enough but for the harmonie much after the rate of their other accommodations from the simplicitie whereof as unequal time took off so it added to the grace and glorie of it The Church Musick had these degrees to rise by the first and rude performance was don plano cantu by Plain song as the Psalms are most ordinarily read in Cathedrals or at the best but as they use to bee sung in Parochial Churches where though somtimes the nois may seem to pretend to a dash and sprinkling of Art 't is most commonly and 't is well if it bee no wors but all in the same Time and Tune from Plain Song they got up to Discant and first of all to contrapunctum simplex a simple kinde of Counterpoint and then Musick was in Parts They sung not all the same tune but by waie of consonancie yet so as the Musick answered note for note as if there stood a Minim or Sembrief in the upper part there stood another against it in the lower and inner parts so that this Musick needed no bars To this the rare but intemperate Invention of the Masters hath added the Contrapunctum figuratum consisting of Feuges or mainteining of Points alteration of the Keies c. But this last accession came especially in with the Organ of the Antiquitie whereof somthing also is to bee said And here wee must not think that the Organs in the old Testament were anie such things as that which wee call so now Marin Merfen De Instrum Harmon lib. 10. Prop. 44. Wee read it in Job chap. 30. vers 31. and my Organ into the voice of them that weep The Syriack rendreth it my Psalterie clean another Instrument of a Triangular form as you may see by the description of Mersenius The Hebrew word in Job is Hugab which the Chaldee still turneth Abuba Now Abub signifieth properly an Ear of corn with the stalk or straw By Translation it signifieth a Pipe made of such a Reed or Stalk fistula ex novarum frugum calamo confecta The word is Arabick too and there it is pronounced Anbuba from whence the Latine Ambubaja betraying it self by the sound to bee none of the Romane race And the Hebrew Organ may bee otherwise of Brass or Iron Ambubajarum Collegia Hor. as Maimon to that place in Erchin of the Talmud C. 2 § 3. And therefore Jubal taught no bodie to plaie upon anie such Organs as ours David's Organ was but a kinde of Pipe what kinde soever it was Our Organs are of a later and another manner of Invention Navarr in his Book De Oration and Hor. Canon saith and saieth it again that the use of Organs was not received in Thomas Aquinas his time Balaeus This Doctor was born in the Year 1221. But our Autor De Sâ—riptorib c. as Mantuan also atrribute the bringing in of Organs to the Pope Vitalian Then it must bee about the Year 660. But to make short The Organ is not of the Western De Gest Francor lib. 4. c. 113. but the Eastern institution Aymon saith that the first Organ they had in France was made more Graecorum by one cui nomen erat Georgius Imperante Ludovico Pio ejúsque sumptibus Lewes the Godlie began his Reign in the Year 813. Mich. Glycas and Const Manasses yield the Invention to Theophylus his time a Greek Emperor of the Year 830. but Marianus Scotus Martin-Polonus Platina the Annals of France Aventine and the Pontifical it self all agree that the first Organ that ever was seen in the West was sent over into France to King Pipin from the Greek Emperor Constantinus Copronymus about the Year 766. Res adhuc Germanis Gallis incognita saith Aventine instrumentum Musicae maximum Organum appellant Annales Bosorum lib. 3. f. 300. cicutis ex albo plumbo compactum est simul follibus inflatur manuum pedúmque digitis pulsatur c. And so wee have the Antiquitie of Organs in the West But in the East they cannot bee less antient then the Nicene Councel it self as appeareth by the Emperor Julian's Epigram upon the Instrument 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Martin Morentinus in Praefat. ad Misopogon ubi de vita Script Juliani Quam cerno alterius naturae est fistula nempe Altera produxit fortasse haec aenea tellus Horrendum stridet nec nostris illa movetur Flatibus missus taurino è carcere ventus Subtus agit leves calamos pérque ima vagatur Mox aliquis velox digitis insignis arte Adstat concordes calamis pulsátque tabellas Ast illae subitò exsiliunt Carmina miscent And now it may bee thought that the Antiquitie of the Organ is brought far enough back 'T is true for the Instrument Zonar Tom. 3. Annal. in Michaele Imperator p. 127. but for the Church use I am in doubt Zonaras telleth us of an Organ set up by one of the Greek Emperors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all of pure gold But what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to put the Church in Tune but to cast a glorie upon the Court and draw forreign admiration upon the Emperor I had occasion to shew an Armenian Priest the Chappel here and perceiving him to cast his eie upon the Organ I asked whether there were anie such sight to bee seen in their Churches Hee answered No such matter neither did hee know till it was told him what to call them and yet this man had liv'd 14 years under two Patriarchs Constantinople and Alexandria But more then this In the Greek Liturgies I meet with Musick enough and more indeed then I can tell what to saie to but not so much as the mention of an Organ in all their Books The old Greek-Latine gloss setteth down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Organarius but that will make nothing to the matter an Organist there must bee where the Instrument it self was but whether that were in the Church or onely in the Emperors Courts is the doubt And for the present time it is as good as taken for granted that there is not an Organ to bee seen in anie Church of the Eastern world Bruschius de Monaster German fol. 107. In the West indeed the Greek example is verie magnificently out-don Bruschius reporteth of an Organ set up in a Minster of Germanie by the Abbat of the Covent there cujus maxima medioxima fistula habuerit in longitudine pedes 28 in circumferentia spithamas 4 the Diapason whereof was 28 foot in Length and the Compass about proportionable wee have
relateth Scaliger Joseph and becaus hee did Sethus Calvisius Torniellus and others fix this begining in the Autumn which also was the Opinion of our Bacon long ago But the Father Julius was not of his son's minde Mundum saith hee primo vere natum Sapientes autumant credere par est So the more part Maintein and for the best reasons And if it were not otherwise evident Nature it self is very convincing whose Revolutions begin and end in the vernal Aequinox Nor can anie other good reason bee given why the Astronomers should deduce all their Calculations from the Head of Aries The Aera of the Flood falleth within the 1656 year of the Worlds Creätion as the Hebrew Scripture is plain why 't is otherwise in the Greek accompt shall bee said hereafter CHAP. VI. Nabonassar's Aera WAs of all prophane ones of the greatest note and use Altraganus Albategnius and the King Alphonso's Tables call him Nebuchadonosor or Nebuchadnezar deceived as it seem's by the Almagest So Ptolomie's Book entitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Magnae Constructionis is call'd by the Arabick Translators Althazor and Serig who at the instance of Almamon their King turn'd this book into that language and that they might speak Ptolomie's title in one word they set down Almageston that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Great Work The Translators of this Almagest use to render Ptolomie's Nabonassar by Bechadnetzer giving too much heed to the likeness of Names Alfraganus and Albategnius followed the Arabick Translation of Ptolomie and the Alphonsine Tables the Latine Translation of that Mercator Funccius the Prutenick Tables Origanus and manie others confound this Name with Shalmanesser's the Assyrian King But James Christman maketh demonstration that the times agree not besides other circumstances added by Scaliger inducing the same truth with the evidence whereof Origanus holding himself convinced was not ashamed to make his retractation Yet Christman and Scaliger themselvs found it an easier matter to tell who Nabonassar was not then who hee was It seemed to Christman that hee might bee the same with Beladan the father of Merodach or at least that hee was a King of Babylon whose own name was unknown Nabonassar beeing the Royal Name of that Kingdom as hee thinketh and common to them all Scaliger putteth this together and assuring himself that Nabonassar was the same with Beladan maketh no doubt but that was the name of the King this of the man So the 5 book of his Emendations but the third of his Isagogical Canons confesseth this also to bee a mistake This Error was first discovered by the Appearance of Ptolomie's Canon which setteth down a List of the Babylonish Persian and Romane Kings from Nabonassar's time to the time of Ptolomie Mention was made of this Canon by Panodorus Anian and George the Syncellus amongst whom Scaliger but lately and not intirely met with it Sethus Calvisius received a Transcript of a more perfect Copie from D. Overal Dean of S. Paul's the Original whereof is exstant in Biblioth Bodlian and set out with Ptolomie's Hypothesis by D. Bambrigge The Canon begineth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nabonassari 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nadii 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chinceri Pori 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jugaei 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mardocempadi 12. c. Nabonassar therefore was King not as som thought of Egypt but Babylon who for delivering his People from the subjection of the Medes was made the Aera of their Kingdom from whom the Chaldeans and the Egyptians therefore accounted their Celestial Calculations For his Synchronism The Canon setteth him down the fifth before Mardocempad or Merodach-cen-pad the same with Meredach Baladan who sent Messengers to K. Ezechia to enquire concerning the Retrocession of the Sun But for a more certain demonstration of the time three Lunar Eclipses noted by Hipparchus are set down by Ptolomie in the fourth of his Almagest The first was seen at Alexandria the 16 daie of Mesori in the 547 year of Nabonassar This Eclips by the Julian Calculation and Tables of Calvisius fell out upon Fridaie the 22 of September at 7 of the Clock in the afternoon and 20 minutes the Sun then beeing in the 26 of Virgo It was the Year 4513 of the Julian Period that is the 3749 from the Worlds Creätion out of which if wee deduct the 547 years of Nabonassar the remainder will bee 3203 the year of the Worlds Creätion wherein this Aera was fixed The daie as the King Alphonsus and before him the Translators of the Almagest have delivered was Dies Thoth or Mercurii answering to the 26 of the Julian Februarie begining so Ptolomie at high noon the Sun then entring into Pisces and the Moon beeing in the 11 degree and 22 minutes of Taurus And the same conclusion will follow from the two other Eclipses reduced in like manner to our Calculation And to put all out of doubt Censorinus saith that the 986 Year of Nobonassar was the 238 of Christ but that was the 4951 of the Julian Period Therefore Nabonassar's Aera began in the 3967 year of the same Period which was the 3203 Year from the World's Creätion So that the Aera is undoubtedly assured This Aera still accounteth by Epyptian years which are therefore called Anni Nabonassarei and becaus it began upon Wednesdaie the first daie of their first Moneth which as the daie it self they hold holie to Thoth or Mercurie useth to bee called Nabonassar's Thoth CHAP. VII The Aera of the Olympiads THe Olympick Games were instituted for the exercise of the Grecian Youth by Hercules as the Tradition go's to the honor of Jupiter Olympius near unto whose Temple they were perform'd in the Olympian field The Exercise was called Pentathlon or Quinquertium from the fivefold kinde The Victor was crowned with an Olive and triumphantly carried in a Chariot into his own Citie and which is to the purpose his name was publickly recorded The time was as onely Pindar hath revealed at the full Moon which followed the Summer Solstice They were celebrated everie fifth year and the Interval was called an Olympiad consisting of 4 Julian years and the odd Bissextile daie which was the caus as som think why this form of year was first introduced The first Celebration by Hercules vanishing in the Intermissions grew to bee less famous then the restitution by Iphitus whereof so much more notice hath been taken then of the other that this which was manie years after is yet accounted for the first Olympiad The time or Aera whereof is assured by the Character of that extraordinarie Eclips which the Sun suffered with our Saviour noted by Phlegon to have happened in the 202 Olympiad which multiplied by four maketh 808 years between the first Olympiad and the Passion of Christ Besides that Thucydides reporteth that in the first year of the Peloponnesiack War on a summer's daie in the afternoon there
Temple or Tabernacle of Venus from Benoth also hee deriveth her name Let the Learned examine it Bee the conceit true or fals it is attended with an egregious dexteritie in the cariage and probabilitie in the conjecture The Assyrians burie their dead Corps in Honie for the most part and cover over the bodies with the Wax their manner of Lamentations for the Dead is to beat their breasts and to besmear their faces with dirt not unlike in this to the Egyptians Strabo Herod of whom see what Herodotus writeth in Euterpe Arrian maketh mention of certain Sepulcres of the Kings of Ashur found by Alexander amongst the Fenns in Babilonia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lib. 7. expedit Alex. A like place to this I have not as yet found c. Their Habite in Apparel was to wear long garments one without of Woollen another under that of Linnen wee may call the first a Coat the other a shirt they had without these a white Mantle They alwaies wore rings upon their fingers not without a seal they never walked without a staff and their staves had knobs carved with a Rose or Lilie or such like Herod Strabo ibid Against Ashur prophecied Balaam the Magician Esaie Jeremie Zephanie Nahum and others And this was the State of antient Ashur in her florishing times under the famous Rulers of the first Monarchie In this Countrie these Kings acted their parts especially at Babel and Ninive the Assyrian one while bearing Rule otherwhile the Babylonian as hereafter shall appear Having thus briefly and rudely surveied the position and disposition of the Land of Ashur peculiarly and properly taken especially the two famous and Royall Seats of the Assyrian Monarchie Ninive in Ashur and Babel in her borders it remaineth that wee address our selvs to discours the succession of her Kings which Chronologically undertaken ought according to the rules of that Art to proceed either per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the master Chronologer Eusebius hath don in his first books or els per annos expansos as the same hath don in his second Upon which see Scaliger's most learned Animadversions and his Notes upon the first But the injuries of time have so far prevailed against the Method of this Monarchie that wee cannot make use of anie of these artificial waies the wounds in our golden head beeing so near to mortal that no Principle or Rule in Art may touch them to the quick and therefore our industrie must attemper it self to the necessitie of this Ataxie and confusion which the neglect of Ages past hath breed in this unfortunate portion of Historie The first therefore and most Antient Description of this Kingdom of Ashur was performed by God himself who upon a time discovered to the King of Babel in the night Visions the State and nature of this Monarchie under the form and figure of a golden Head under the form of a Head becaus it bare the first and chiefest place among those Governments which were eminent in the World A Head of Gold First becaus it was the most renowned among the Monarchies as Gold among the Metals 2. For it 's great and admired Strength Gold beeing the strongest of all Metals becaus best and most neerly compacted And for this caus also this Kingdom in another Dream of the Prophet's own is compared to a Lion 3. For it's Perpetuitie Gold beeing the most durable Metal and this Monarchie of the longest continuance which also seemeth to bee intended by the Eagle's wings upon the Lion for the Eagle is observed to bee of a lasting constitution as King David intimateth in the 5. vers of the 103 Psalm and notwithstanding this bird continued long yet shee might live much longer but that her upper beak crooketh in time over the lower and so shee faileth not with age but hunger See here the Prophets own Monument as it is preserved unto us in the tongue of the Chaldeans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nehuchadnezar's Vision Thou O King art this Head of Gold This Images Head was of fine Gold After thee shall arise another Kingdom inferior to thee His Brest and his Arms of Silver And a third Kingdom of Brass His Bellie and his Thighs of Brass And the fourth Kingdom shall bee hard as Iron His Legs of Iron And whereas thou sawest the feet part of Iron and part of Claie the Kingdom shall bee divided partly strong and partly broken His Feet part of Iron and part of Claie In this choice Lecture of Antiquitie which the Antient of daies vouchsafed to read to his Prophet Daniel to illustrate the night and darkness of the King of Babel's dream wee finde the vast affairs of the wider World summ'd up into a Microcosm a stately statue of Heterogeneous structure indigitates the various passages and different occurrences which had been or were to bee in the world and all this in a Dream becaus all these things should pass awaie like a Vision of the night In the Golden Head behold pourtraied as it were the face of the first Monarchie In the breast of Silver behold the second stretching out her two arms over the two mightie Kingdoms of Media and Persia The brasen paunch swels out in the ambition of proud Alexander The thighs of the same Metal but weakned by division represent the Successors of that great Captain in special the 2 more noted Rulers of the North and South The Iron-leggs lighting upon an Age like themselvs So most of the Writers determine though I will not as yet but in the mean time I have set down the most ordinarie stand out for the * Romane furie whose Martial presumption under the protection of their Grandsire the God of Battel crusht the rest of the World in pieces like a Potter's Vessel In the heat of these Commotions behold a Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands and falling upon the Statue grind's it to powder This Stone the builders refused but is now becom the head of the corner 'T is that Rock Christ who instead of all these petit Dynastie's hath introduced an everlasting kingdom but his Kingdom is not of this World In the continuance and encreas of this spiritual Dominion the strong union of the Iron legs devide's it self and becom's partly Claie whilest the Romane Eagle displaied with two Heads declare's that the power of Rome is imparted to Constantinople and the Western Empire fallen under the rising of the Eastern Letting pass the rest of the members onely the head is that which wee intend to discours of A golden Head this Prophet stile 's it bee it so but it is now so far distempered with the drossie injuries of time that the greatest Alchimist in Historie can scarce extract one dram of the pure and primigenious metal Annius a Dutch Monk undertook the cure of this broken Head thinking to salv up the matter by stuffing up the wound with forged fragments obtruded to the World under
the securitie of old promissing names of undoubted Grandies in Antiquitie Egyptian as Manetho Chaldeän as Berosus Persian as Megasthenes whom hee falsly calleth Metasthenes Munster undertook the defence of this Annius his Countrieman but without caus or Commendation hee that would hear his reasons let him repair to his Cosmographie Munsteri Cosmograph l. 3. c. 8. pag. 362. and read the begining of his discours concerning Germanie manie a creadulous Reader hath been deceived by giving too much reverence to naked names for Berosus his sake believing Annius in that of Berosus which Berosus never dreamed of Scaliger therefore upon better consideration and stricter examination seriously abhor's him Calvisius both refute's him and condemn's him No master in Historie but denie's him wee may conclude him therefore Adulterine and yet not indictâ caussâ for in the continuance of this discours wee shall be disturbed with unhappie opportunities to prove him so to bee In the mean time this supposititious crew shall nothing prejudice those precious relicks of lawful Antiquitie though they bear the same name with the Autor of these spurious pieces for to refuse the good becaus the bad have usurped their names were a consequence most preposterous best fitting the stubborn Logick of a Jew who therefore abhorred the true Christ when hee came becaus there had been before him a fals Messias called by the name of Jesus of Nazaret Leaving therefore this faithless Monk to his unadvised admirers wee will follow the steps of sacred Moses and the best of those Jewish glosses whose Autors have sate in Moses's seat where these fail us wee shall have recours to the better Berosus of the two to the true Manetho Megasthenes Alexander Polyhistor Diodarus Herodotus and Dionysius of Halitarnassus c. adding conjectures where necessitie enforceth but with that moderation that shall best becom our Minoritie In the later part of the Monarchie the sacred style of the Holie Ghost will help us in the high Priest's Annals or Chronicles in the Prophets Esaie and Daniel and els-where Had the entire works of Berosus the Chaldean Priest remained perfect to these daies or those two Volumes which Juba wrote concerning the state of Ashur this labor might have had better success wee should also have been much enformed by Abydenus had not hee suffered wrack with the rest under the injurious behaviour of a careless age however wee will make the more of those chois remainders which are yet left out of which wee will endeavour tenderly and carefully to gather together the decaied pieces of this maimed Monarchie Though this Historical work in hand bee in nature practick yet it must bee indebted to the Theorie of this Art for som certain terms as Aera's or Epoches Characters of the Sun and Moon 's Circle the Eclipses and the Letters Dominical First of all an Aera in Theorical Historie is a certain bound or Terminus à quo whereby they restrain the infinitie and indifferencie of Computation It was called Aera from an indifferent error which escaped the Transcribers of the Spanish Computation In Libro de correctione Anni So Sepulveda and hee a Spaniard conceiveth in his book of the Correction of the Romane Year where hee saith that His antient Countriemen for the great respect they bear to Augustus Caesar thought nothing more worthie then his Name from whence matters Noteable might bear their Date and therefore when they would point out a Time wherein such or such a thing was don they said Annus erat Augusti it was such a year of Augustus that form in time began to bee contracted when men wrote in haste so that instead of Annus erat Augusti they set A. er A. and after a little more negligence put this together and spelt it into a word of Art so that now Aera in Historie signifieth a determinate and set time from whence Chronologers account their years as each man dateth his Letter in the Aera of our Lord when hee setteth down as wee do at this time dated the 20 of December in the Year that is in the Aera of Christ 1630. Scaliger lighting upon this Conjecture of Sepulveda reprehend's both the Conceit and the Autor Lib. de Emendatione temporum the Conceit becaus fals as hee intimateth in the Chap. De Aera Hispanica mainteining that the word Aera signified as much with the Antient Latines as Summa and that in old Spanish Monuments it was not set Aera but Era and therefore could not bee corrupted out of A. er A. The Autor hee reprehendeth becaus hee seemeth to bee so far in love with this new Conceit that for no other reason hee writ the whole Book of the correction of the Romane Year onely to acquaint the World with this plausible devise A hard censure from a matchless man for whom it had been happie that hee had been ignorant but of this one thing that hee knew so much James Christman Keckerman's most learned Master fetcheth this word out of his Arabick It was called Aera saith hee from Arah which in the Arabians tongue signifieth computare to reckon Christm in lib. de connexione Annorum The Reader may enjoie the priviledg of this varietie and take his Chois if hee take them all hee may perchance lack the right and hee shall not take much amiss if hee take anie by either and by that wee have said hee may easily understand in what manner the word is used in Historie In stead of Aera which the Latines used the Greeks write Epoche the same in effect it beeing derived from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying inhibere becaus an Aera or Epoche doth restrain matters noted in Antiquitie to that certain time which is so called Concerning the Circle of the Sun and Moon each Almanack can tell as for Eclipses Simplicius in Secund. lib. de Coelo the Babylonians beeing great Astronomers observed the most that were visible in the Horizon of Ashur during the space of this Monarchie as Misthenes searched out in the Chaldean Atchives at the request of Aristotle in the time of Alexander but these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came not to our hands where anie such observation shall bee found to bee wee will make use of that which is left and griev for what is lost That which first require's our diligence is to finde out whither this Monarchie were the first which will prove a question though it is not ordinarily doubted of The reason of the Question is the account of Affricanus which Scaliger following findeth it to reach backward beyond the Flood and therefore hee setteth down according to Julius Affricanus two Dynasties before this of the Assyrians the first of the Chaldeans whose State was overthrown by the Arabians In libello Canonum Isagogic and then theirs by the Babylonians The Scripture maketh no mention of anie King before Nimrod and this Monarchie of Syria is amongst all the Greeks and Latines accounted
but when they came to Egypt Canopus the Priest work't wililie and to save the credit of the old Gods make 's a new in this manner Hee takes an old water vessel full of holes stopt up with wax and upon this hee set's the head of an old Idol in coms the fire and beeing placed under the God the wax melt's and the fire was extinguished from henceforth the Fire lost it's credit among all Nations as it is at this daie Belus 2. THis Belus whether hee were this Son or Nephew of Nimrod or what affinitie to him hee might have Antiquitie discovereth not Reyneccius is bold to conceiv that this was Arphaxat if yee ask the reason hee answereth Becaus S. Cyril calleth this Belus Arbelus which hee indeavoureth to wring out of Arphaxat the conceit as I conceiv is slender though this Autor deserveth well of all Historians Sanchuniathen an antient Autor among the Phoenicians affirmeth that this Belus was the Son of Saturn This was Nimrod so called by the profane Autors as manie have conceived if so then Nimrod is hee of whom Ovid speak's that in his time the Golden age flourished So Eupolemon Certainly that Conceit of the Poëts in comparing the Ages of the World to Metals seemeth to have sprung from Daniel's own Comparison which hee relateth out of the Kings dream concerning the Head of Gold the Arms and Shoulders of Silver c. In that sens Nimrod might bee Saturn Belus might bee his successor to wit Jove for so this Bel was called And thus forgiving Ovid the fable this is nothing els but what hee hath said That the golden Age that is the Age designed by the head of Gold was in the daies of Saturn that is Nimrod 'T is ordinarily granted that Ovid had seen the books of Moses and under the same privilege hee might also read the Prophet Daniel fetching his golden daies from hence and Saturn from thence Whereas this Bel was called Jove it is to bee understood that as Bel was a name proper first to the true God for so hee is called in Osee so Jehovah also was a sacred expression of the Trinitie in Vnitie at the first and afterwards by the Sacrilege of a crooked generation unaptly given to these arrogant Kings Belus perhaps first called the Sun so and himself afterwards as Nimrod did the Sun by the name of Bel which name the Sun still kept in Phaenicia long after these times for there they called the Sun Baalsemen that is the Lord of Heaven And that the Sun was called Jove the Devil confesseth in the Oracle of Apollo Clarius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When or where this Bel died it is unknown and how manie years hee lived is altogether as uncertain this onely is true that 60 years must bee distributed between him and his predecessor but at what proportion this distribution should bee made is no waie manifest Synchronismi OF the Sicyonians See Pausanias Suidas Homer remembreth them Iliad β. The Kingdom of the Sicyonians was founded in the Reign of Belus in Peloponnesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same see also in the successions of Affricanus both saie that this Kingdom was first founded by Aegialeus from whom Peloponnesus was first called Aegialia Note the Antiquitie of the Greeks whose first beginings were founded in Sicyonia which place was so called from Javan who first pitcht his Tent there For Sicyon is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Succoth Javan or it may bee set Succah Jon the dwelling of Javon by whom throughout the whole Scripture the Hebrews understood the Greeks hence Iönes and the Iönick tongue in which the most antient Poëts are exstant Terah the Father of Abraham is born Ninus THis Ninus was the Son of Belus so all profane Historie affirmeth by a common consent Justine Diodorus and the rest The brief discours of this Kings life see in Justin Ctesias of Cnidas wrote the better part of his more noble expeditions but Diodorus confesseth that none ever writ them all Diodorus ex Ctesia Hee made war with manie Nations and was the first as these Autors think that violated that communitie which men formerly enjoyed It seem's hee was the first that they knew but Moses telleth us of one before him and Eupolemon of another Ninus made war with the King of the Bactrians in which war his Captain Menon fell in love with Semiramis in which suit Ninus was corrival and got the Gentlewoman not her good will doing not what shee would but what hee listed for that Menon becom's desperate and for the loss of his Love cast's away himself Ctesias Synchronismi FRom Ninus to Sardanapalus is 1300 years Justin out of Trogus Pompeie Zoroastres reigned in Bactria Justin Farnus in Media Diod. Ariaeus in Arabia Diod Barzanes in Armenia Diodorus In the time of Ninus also Vexores was King of Egypt Tanaïs of Scythia Justine ex Trogo Salian thinketh it absurd that there should bee anie King before the division of the World and therefore condemneth Julius Affricanus for his Dynasties of the Arabians and reprehendeth Justine for these Kings of Egypt and Scythia which are set down by Trogus Pompeie So as if the succession had been long But Justine and these Autors deserv our credit for the Aera of the Egyptian Dynastie or the Scythian I finde in the fals Berosus too much elswhere too little Diodorus is best but with him the first Kings of Egypt were all Gods See further Diod. Lib. 1. In the Reign of Ninus great Abraham was born Becaus the Nativivitie of this famous Patriarch Abraham is of special note and use in Historie it seemeth to deserv more at our hands then to bee carelesly committed to the protection of a bare Assertion meriting rather som peremptorie proof especially since learned Scaliger hath conceived the contrarie Rather therefore then wee will doubt of his credit wee will for his sake call the truth in Question doubtingly demanding Whether Abraham were born in the 43 year of King Ninus yea or no A great Master in Historie and our onely guide in Chronologie affirmeth Eusebius Pamphilus and hee out of the reverend reliques of old Castor Thallus c. first in his first Book and again in his second which hee calleth his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In both hee useth these and the same words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the same Autor pleasing himself in the veritie of this persuasion repeat's the same again in his Evangelical Preparative where hee beareth witness to himself and to what hee had said elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ità Epiphanius lib. 1. pagina 10. edit Basiliensis The Reader may bee pleased to note his confidence in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his great industrie herein in those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. George Cedren and Epiphanius no waie mistrusting such elaborate Canons
Caetera vide apud Amyntam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athenaeus The like was at Tarsus where S. Paul was born at which this Apostle without question alluding to that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us eat and drink for to morrow wee shall die The great Enormities of this King brought forth the Confusion of the Kingdom the instrument whereof was the Rebellion of his Captain Arbaces Governor of the Medes with whom Sardanapalus fought for the Monarchie and got the victorie once and the second time upon which success the effeminate Prince presuming the third time in a secure disdain went not in person becaus also the Oracle had undoubtedly fore-told that the State of Ninive should never totter till the River Tigris proved hostile which in the Kings judgment could never bee But it fell out otherwise for in this third Skirmish Tigris swelling over his bounds by the vantage of a greater flood then ordinarie plaied an unneighbourly part and battered down his own borders at whose irruption a great part of the impregnable wall was laid level with the ground the citie it self opening to her adversaries to check the vice of her Governors Synchronismi Tarsus and Auchialus founded by Sardanapalus in one daie In the time of Sardanapalus Arbaces was Governor of the Medes and Belochus of the Babylonians Much question might bee made in this place what King continued the Monarchie whether Belochus were Phul or no or if not who this Phul might bee A question to this purpose is largely discussed in Sir Walter Raleigh's Historie yet notwithstanding that and what hath been elswhere said of that I ingeniously profess that I am ignorant at this time where to place this Phul yet for the present I observ the common order PHUL Circa Annum Mundi 3182. Phul IS an Assyrian name as Scaliger witnesseth somtimes used alone as here elswhere in Composition as in this Kings Successor Tiglath Phul Afer Synchronismi IN the time of Phul Menabem was King in Israël 2 Kings 15. Josephus Sed. Olam In Egypt reigned Mycerinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose Life and Acts are recorded by Herodotus in Euterpe The Oracle brought word to this King that hee should from thenceforth live but six years and die in the seventh The King hearing this commanded that certain Lamps should bee made for the night time which hee had purposed to spend in jovialtie whilest others slept that so hee might delude the Oracle and live twice the longer by taking so much more notice of his daies See Herodotus in Euterpe pag. 140. circa ista verba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. About this time Nabonassar lived of whom see Ptolomie but hee was not yet King Vzias was now King of Juda in whose daies hapned that notable Earthquake of which Josephus relate's that in the horror thereof a Mountain toward the West cleft in sunder and removed from it's proper place the space of four Furlongs or half a mile and further it had proceeded had not a greater Mountain toward the East staied it's Cours Of this Earthquake the Prophet Amos maketh mention by occasion whereof see what Aben Ezra saith upon that place page 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also what Kimchi saith in the next side in that Edition which Robert Stephanus put forth Tiglath Philassar THis King subdued Galilee Hee also carried the Tribe of Napthali into Captivitie Synchronismi IN the time of Tiglath Philassar Achaz reigned in Judah 2 Chron. 28. This King had a famous Dial and therefore the invention of the Sciateries is more Antient then Anaximenes This Dial was a South Vertical placed upon the wall of the Kings Palace So à Lapide and it stand's well with the explication of the Phaenomenon of the Sun's Retrocession And that it was a Dial see Peter Nonius and Clavius two incomparable Mathematicians the one in his second Book of Navigation the other in the first of his Gnomonicks Salmanassar ORdinarie Chronologers commonly conceived this Salmanassar to bee Nabonassar of whom Ptolomie speak's But Scaliger dispute's the point against all Calvisius also but this last especially against Funccius Both agree that this Salmanassar was not that Nabonassar Scaliger giveth the reason both from the name time and other Circumstances which though Sir Walter Raleigh admire's yet hee condemn's Time now giveth not leav to enquire much less to determine the differences Sethus Calvisius placeth the Prince about that time wee have set him His time is much to bee enquired after it beeing a most famous Epoche from whose time Chronologie can demonstrate by the aid of Astronomie that the Affairs passed since that time are registred in Heaven Who so saith that Salmanassar was Nabonassar is deceived as afterwards shall appear neither is hee anie other but himself and none otherwise called Scaliger was bold to call him Merodac but hee repented of that in his Canons Isagogical Synchronismi HEre begineth or not far of that Nabonassar's famous Aera from whence Ptolomie in his Almagest accounteth the Celestial motions Hee ruled in Babylonia in the year of the world 3203 the Circle of the Sun beeing 19 and the Circle of the Moon 15 the Dominical Letter E. Upon the 26 of Februarie at Noon the Sun 's mean motion beeing 45 Minutes in Pisces the Moon in the eleven degree of Taurus and 22 Scruples The Original of the Samaritans out of a Colonie transplanted by the King of Ashur they were called Cuthaei becaus there came most from Cuth as Elias Tisbites in voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cuth Sennacherib OF his behaviour to King Hezechiah see the Prophet Esaie and the High Priest's Annals or Chronicles The Egyptians in Herodotus tell a most memorable storie of this King That going forth with his Armie against Egypt it came to pass that one night a Plague of Mice came upon him and unweaponed his souldiers by devouring their Harness-ties of Leather In memorie whereof the Priests provided a statue like this Prince in stone holding a Mous in his hand with this Inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who ere beholdeth mee let him learn to bee religious Herodot in Euterp Som suppose that this intend's that great foil of this kings Armie by the hand of an Angel An Angel might do both This Sennacherib was slain by his Sons in the Temple of Jupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Nisroc See the reason in Rabbi Solomon upon that place See also the Hebrew Edition of Apocryphal Tobit the first Chapter Synchronismi HEzechiah King of Judah In his time hapned that strange Phenomenon when the Sun went ten degrees back Peter Nonius the Portugal discourseth of this wonder and proveth it to bee a Miracle becaus it was don in the temperate Zone for as hee proveth Jerusalem is so situate This hee conceiveth had been no wonder between the Tropicks but hee is twice deceived first becaus the Sciatericks teach that if in the Temperate Zone a Plain bee elevated less then the Sun's declination the
the 51 Jubile from the Worlds Creätion accounting from the Autumn where the Jubiles begin If it bee said that such or such a thing was don in a Sabbatical year 't is a very good Character in the Jewish Chronologie 'T is an ordinarie opinion that Nebuchadnezar was the same with that Nabopolassar in the Canon of Ptolomie But 't is certain out of the Prophet Jeremie that the 18. year of Nebuchadnezer was a Sabbatical year and it may bee demonstrated out of the Almagist that the 18 of Nabopolassar was not therefore they were not the same by this Character But in accounting the Sabbatical years this rule is to bee observed that the same year which endeth one Jubile begineth the next or otherwise the Scripture it self would bee charged with error And therefore Bucholcer and others who were not aware of this are not to bee trusted for their Sabbatical Chronologie Hescych Lexic in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eusebius himself was not much better advis'd and yet Hesychius could tell that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the space of 49 years Those who think the Sabbatical years noted in the Jewish Calendars not to bee truly so call'd may as well saie so of their Sabbatical daies Those who think the Sabbatical years were disused in the Captivitie must consider better of the Prophets words who when they seem to saie such a thing are not to bee understood of the simple celebration but the Moral Solemnities as Jer. 34. and elswhere Those who think the Sabbatical years though instituted yet never to have been observed among the Jews may repent of that mistake as well as Scaliger himself In Frag. p. 34. CHAP. II. Concerning the Indictions INdiction ab indicendo 'T was the Revolution of 15 years devised as our Bede thinketh to avoid confusion in Chronologie likely to arise from the Common use which was to saie such a thing was don in such a year of such a Reign without considering what time of the year the King that then was began to rule or what time the Predecessor ended But why this period should be called an Indiction the causses given saith Calvisius multae sunt quas si legas cùm diversissimae sint incertior abis quà m accessisti Several reasons are set down in Sir Henrie Spelman's Glossarie out of Cedren Scaliger Paul Petavius and others The first and greatest pains about this were taken by the learned Onuphrius yet unprofitably Scaliger considered of a new reason but which Baronius refuteth ad Annum Christi 312. Scaliger again replieth in his next edition and seemeth to acquit himself of the Cardinal's exception Scalig. in Prolegom p. 210. but cannot bee heard neither by Petavius nor Calvisius though as much adored by this later as slighted by the former And indeed saith Petavius this is one of those things which could never yet bee found out through very much enquirie hath been made after it Indiction is most properly said de Tributo Indicto Cod. lib. 10. Tit. 16. as appeareth by the Title in the Code And becaus these Tributes indicebantur in Quinquennium therefore that which was wont to bee called Lustrum was otherwise acknowledged by the Name of Indiction answering to the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in Circle so in use the Indiction beeing nothing els but a Romane Olympiad Succeeding times put tertia Lustra together and called three by the Name of an Indiction so reckoning their years and begining at the Emperor Theodosius saith Cedren but deceiving himself for the 273 Olympiad in the Fasti Siculi hath this Synchronism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Here begin the Indictions of Constantine Hee saith of Constantine for that before this time there had obteined in the Antiochian use a Julian Indiction Indictio Juliana Antiochensium begining in Julius Cesar 48 years Ante C. N. noted therefore in the same Fasti with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the first Indiction but as I think of 5 not 15 years Those of Constantine began as was said in the 273 Olympiad in the third Consulship of Constantine and second of Licinius Therefore they began 312 years post Ch. Nat. as onely Petavius is not certain of Therefore the Indictions began at the verie dismission of the Nicene Council succeeding saith Onuphrius in place of the Olympiads which as unchristian the Emperor had forbidden The same Autor citeth a Canon of the Council That the Bishops Rescripts c. should bear the date of the Indictions c. but to bee taken upon his own trust for the Canon saith Petavius is not there to bee found But certain it is that the Indictions began at this time consisting of 15 years and if not with som relation to those three years during which the Council assembled allowing for each of those a Lustrum or Quinquennal then likely for the reason given by Venerable Bede or at least-wise for som other which wee know not off And becaus at the verie same time the Emperor celebrated his Vicennalia with great largesses and distribution of dole unto the people as the use was therefore the Greek of New Rome rendred the Latine Indicto by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distributio and Palladius in the life of S. Chrysostom saith that the Asian Bishops came to Constantinople decima tertiâ Distributione And with the same respect the Rescript of Honorius relaxeth the debita contracta usque ad initium Fusionis quintae meaning the Indiction Cod. Theod. De indulgent lib 6. The Emperor Justinian made a Law That no Writing should pass without the date of the Indictions c. sic enim saith hee per omnia tempus servabitur c. L. Sancimus Novel 42. And the providence was material for the Indictions have proved to bee an excellent Character in Chronologie for the assurance of things don since the times of Constantine For the time of the year the Indictions were fixed in September originally as may bee seen by the Rescript of Anastasius in L. ult de An. Tribut And in the 24 of that Moneth as the Subscriptions testifie but not alike reteined in both the Empires for by the use of Constantinople they begin at the Calends of September since the time of Justinian saith Scaliger and that in conformitie to their new year which began at the same time but the Western Cesars date from the 24 as of old The first useth to bee called Indictio Constantinopolitana the second Caesarea add to those the Romane Indiction begining as their year also from the Calends of Januarie When wee finde in Storie that such a thing is said to have been don in such an Indiction as Indictione primâ secundâ tertiâ c. the number is still to bee understood of the same not several Circles For instance Pelagius the Pope beeing accused of the Faction against his Predecessor Vigilius went up into the Pew and putting the gospel-Gospel-book upon his head purged himself by
Oath This was don saith the Appendix to Marcellinus Indictione secundâ Hee meaneth not the second Indiction but the second year of the seventeenth To give an instance of this Character Rome saith Prosper Cassiodorus c. was taken by Alaric the Goth. Varane and Tertullo Coss or at least as Marcellinus Varane solo Cos for his Collegue Tertullus was not chosen till the Calends of Julie Marcellinus addeth that it was taken Indictione octavâ Orosius and Cedren undertake that this was don in the year post Ch. Nat. 411. but this answereth to Indictio nona therefore the Citie was taken the year before by this Character CHAP. III. Concerning the Periods THe Indictions as the Circles of the Sun and Moon are verie assuring Characters even by themselvs sed eorum fallax est usus nisi quaedam ex illis Periodus instituatur but of much greater certaintie saith Scaliger if brought into a Circle or period which was also considered by Dionysius the Abbat who therefore taking som example from Victorius Aquitanus multiplied the Cycle of the Moon into the Cycle of the Sun that is 19 into 28 which made up 532 years and so it was called the Cyclus Magnus and from the Autor Dionysianus Unto this the great Scaliger superadded the third Character of Indictions the Revolution whereof hee multiplied into the other two that is 532 by 15 and the whole Circle was 7980 and this is that magna Periodus Juliana Scaligeri Juliana from the Julian form by which it measureth and Scaligeri from the last Hand The admirable condition of this Period is to distinguish everie year within the whole Circle by a several certain Character for as in that of Dionysius Let the Cycle of the Sun bee 2 and the Moon 3 or whatsoever in what year soever the same never had nor never again could fall out within the space of time so in this of Scaliger let the Cycle of the Moon bee 5 that of the Sun 23. Let the Indiction bee 6 as it falleth out this present year 1638. I saie the same Characters shall not again concurr till the revolution of 7980 years bee gon about This Period the Autor fixed in the Tohu or eternal Chaos of the World 764 Julian years before the most reputed time of Creätion so that the Circle is not yet out but shall bee the 3267 of the Incarnation This hee did that hee might comprehend all and more then ever was don all Aera's Epoche's and Terms in Chronologie and in special that of Orbis Conditi which through varietie of opinion was so inconstantly dispos'd of that Chronologers knew not where to fix themselvs then also that hee might give som account for the Heroïcal times of those Egyptian Dynasts pretending Antiquitie manie years further back into the Chaos then the Mosaïcal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Begining All this and more hee hath brought to pass by this incomparable Period which bringing the three Characters to a concurrence yearly distinct and several must needs deliver up a most infallible account of time To advance the opinion of their concurrence let them first bee singly considered Josephus saith at the end of his Antiquities that hee finished that work in the thirteenth year of Domitian and 56 of his own age c. Scaliger demonstrateth by the Circle of the Moon that either hee saith not true of the thirteenth of the Emperor or els himself was one year elder De Emend Temp. l. 5. p. 476. Again The Chronologers are not a little ashamed that they should not bee able to satisfie as concerning so late and famous a Calamitie as the siege of Constantinople by Mahumed the second especially recommended to posteritie not onely by the deep impressions of so vast a Miserie but also by som secret concours of Fatalitie as beeing both built and lost by a Constantine and the son of Helen Thus far they agree that the Citie was taken either Anno 1452 or els 1453 post Ch. Nat. they agree also for the most part that it was taken the 29 of Maie feriâ 3. The Patriarchical as also the Political Historie set forth by Crusius equally affirm that the Citie was taken in the year 1453. Chalcondyles and Hieromonachus his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 report that it was the year before but all agreeing that the daie was Tuesdaie the 29. of Maie I saie that the year 1452 had 5 for the Circle of the Sun therefore the 29 of Maie could not that year fall upon Tuesdaie but the daie before therefore either the Citie was taken the year 1453 or els it was not taken the 29 of Maie but they all agree that it was taken that daie therefore it was taken that year by the Circle of the Sun Therefore also the state of the Citie stood 425 years longer then Valens the Astrologer foretold who beeing demanded concerning the fate of Constantinople erected the Figure of Heaven for the Nativitie thereof The Horoscope was Cancer Having considered the Stars hee gave this Judgment that the Citie should live to the age of 696 years but those are past and gon saith Zonaras except hee would bee meant of the flourishing state for otherwise hee was deceived The Character of Indictions of what importance it is that therefore absolute Chronicle of Marcellinus can testifie Quod cùm singulis Collegiis consulum saith Scaliger suas Indictiones reddat nihil habemus hodie perfectius in eo genere de Emend Temp. pag. 513. By an old Romane Inscription Such an one died Consulatu Stiliconis secundo 7 Kal. Novembres Die Beneris o Ra Ouarta Marcellinus noteth this Consulship with Indictione tertiâ therefore it was in the year of Christ 405. but the Cycle of the Sun for this year was 22 therefore the 7 Calends of November could not fall out upon Fridaie but the daie before Besides the second Consulship of Stilico succeeded immediately the sixth of Honorius but the year before had 5 for the Circle of the Moon for Claudian saith that Honorius entred the Citie the Calends of Januarie Lunâ adhuc rudi therefore the New Moon was in the end of December which could not bee except the Cycle had been five Therefore the year before the sixth Consulship of Honorius was the year of Christ 403 therefore the sixth Consulship of Honorius was the year 404 and therefore the second of Stilico was 405. In this demonstration the three Characters all concurr but not periodically yet to the making up of a strange Truth for by this it will follow that hee which inscrib'd the Tomb did not know the Consul's name though hee lived at the same time Scaliger therefore Quà m barbari sunt impuri saith hee qui doctrinam Cyclorum irrident De Emend Tempor p. 514 515. Thus much assurance wee can make to our selvs from the several abilities of each Character but which if they meet together in this Period set such a mark upon the time proposed as maketh it to