holy Scripture and it is not vnlikely â—hat many of those 〈◊〉 people fetcht their first originall from them The second cause may bee drawne from the Industrie and labour of the inhabitants in tillage and manuring of the ground wherein the Soâ—â—herne inhabitant hath beene more deficiâ—nt Foâ— it is certaine out of the holy Scripture that Noahs Arke wherâ—in was thâ— Seminary of mankinde and almost all other liuâ—â—g 〈◊〉 rested in â—he Northerne part of the world whence both man and beasts beganne to be propagated toward the Southâ—punc no farther then necessity enforced the Regions inhabited gâ—â—wing daily more and more populous and as iâ— were groaning to bee deliuered oâ— some of her children Hence may bee inferred â—wo consecâ—aries First that the Northerne Hemispheare was 〈◊〉 sooner and is now therefore â—ore populous then the Southerne Secondly that the chiefest and principall men which were best seated rathâ—r chose to keepe their ancient habitation sending such abroad who could either bee best spared or had the smallest possessions at home Yet notwithstanding it cannot be imagined but they retained with them a sufficient company and more then went away Out of which it must needs be granted that the Northerne halfe of the Earth being best inhabited should be best manured and cultured from whence the ground must in time proue more fruitfull and commodious for habitation for as a fruitfull Countrey for want of the due manuring and tillage doth degenerate and waxe barren so diuerse barren and sterill Countreyes haue by the industrie of the Inhabitants beene brought to fertilitie and made capable of many good commodities necessary for mans life If I were curious to draw arguments from the nature of the Heauens I could alleage the Greatnesse and Multitude of Starres of the greater magnitude in our Northerne Hemispheare wherein the Southerne is deficient as also the longer soiourning of the Sun in our Northerne Hemispheare but these as vncertaine causes I passe ouer Other reasons may perchance bee found out by those who are inquisitiue into the secrets of nature to whom I leaue the more exact search of these matters 4 Either Hemispheare consisting of 90 Degrees may be diuided into three parts each of them containing 30 Degrees 5 Of these parts 30 we allot for Heat 30 for Cold and 30 for Temperature whereof the former lyeth towards the Equatour the second towards the Pole the third betwixt both The ancient Cosmographers as wee haue shewed in our former Treatise diuided the whole Globe of the Earth into fiue Zones which they supposed had also proportionally diuided the Temper and disposition of the Earth In such sort that according to the Degrees of Latitude the Heat and Cold should in rease or diminish Which rule of theirs had beene very certaine were there no other causes concurrent in the disposition of the Earth and Ayre but onely the Heauens But sithence that many other concurrent causes as we haue shewed mixe themselues with these celestiall operations and the experiment of Nauigatours haue found out a disproportion in the quality in respect of the Distance some later writers haue sought out a new pertition more consonant to naturall experience The whole Latitude of the Hemispheare consisting of 90 Degrees from the Equatour to the Pole they haue diuided into three parts allowing 30 Degrees toward the Equatour to Heat 30 Degrees towards the Pole to Cold and the other 30 Degrees lying betwixt both to Temperature These 30 Degrees for Imagination sake they haue subdiuided againe each of them into two parts contayning 15 Degrees a peece more particularly to designe out the speciall disposition of each Region lying either Northward or Southward from the Equatour which is the bound betwixt both Hemispheares In the first section of 30 Degrees lying Northward from the Equatour wee comprehend in Africke Numidia Nigritarum Regio Lybia Guinia Nubia Egypt Ethiopia superior In Asia Arabia India Insulae Philippinae In America Noua Hispania Hispaniola Cuba with other parts of America Mexicana In the other extreame section from 60 Degrees of Latitude to the Pole wee comprehend in Europe Groenland Island Friesland Norwey Suethland for the most part Noua Zembla In Asia a great part of Scythia Orientalis In America Anian Quivira with diuerse other parts of the North of America Mexicana In the middle betwixt both betwixt 30 and 60 Degrees of Latitude wee comprehend in Africa Barbarie in Europe all the kingdomes except those North Prouinces before named and almost all Asia except some places toward the South as Arabia India and the Philippinae Insulae formerly placed in the first Section In like manner may we diuide the Southerne Hemispheare into three Sections In the first from the Equatour 30 Degrees we place in Africke Congo Monomotapa Madagascar In the Southerne Tract Beach and Noua Guinia with many Ilands thereunto adioyning as many of the Philippinae Insulae with Insulae Solomonis In America Peru Tisnada Brasilia with the most part of that Region which they call America Peruana In the other extreame Section from 60 Degrees to the Antarctike Pole is couched the most part of that great land scarce yet discouered called Terra Australis Incognita In the middle Region betwixt both from 30 to 60 Degrees shall wee finde placed in America the Region of the Pantagones in the Southerne Continent Maletur Iauaminor with many others In discouering the qualities of these seuerall Sections or partitions of the earth our chiefest discourse must be addressed to the Northerne Hemispheare as that is more discouered and knowne amongst old and new writers by which according to the former Proposition one may parallell the other concerning which wee will inferre these Propositions 1 In the first Section of the Hemispheare the first 15 Degrees from the Equatour are found somewhat Temperate the other 15 about the Tropicks exceeding Hot. That the Region lying vnder the Equatour is Temperately hot contrary to the opinion almost of all the Ancients hath beene in part proued heretofore as well by reason as experiment for that all places by how much the neerer they approach the Equatour by so much more should bee hotter as some imagine diuerse instances will contradict It is reported by Aluarez that the Abyssine Embassadour arriuing at Lisbone in Portugall was there almost choaked with extreame heat Also Pâ—rguer the Germane relates that hee hath felt the weather more hot about Dantzicke and the Balticke Sea then at Tholouse in a â—eruent Summer The causes which wee haue before touched are chiefly two The first is that the Sun is higher in this orbe in respect of those vnder the Equatour and moueth more swiftly from them spending on them onely twelue houres whence so great an impression of heat cannot bee made as in other places for heat being a materiall quality must necessarily require some Latitude of time to bee imprest into the ayre or any other subiect From the Diminution of heat in the Region must the ayre needs receaue into
Albertus Magnus who in his Commentaries vpon the great Coniunctions of Albumazar obserued that before Noahs flood chanced a coniunction of Iupiter and Saturne in the last degree of Cancer against the constellation since termed Argo's ship out of which he would needs collect that the floud of Noah might haue beene fore-showne because Cancer is a watry signe and the house of the Moone being mistrisse of the Sea and all moist bodyes according to Astrologie which opinion was afterwards confirmed by Petrus de Alliaco who affirmes in his Comment vpon Genesis that although Noah did well know this flood by diuine Reuelation yet this coniunction being so notable hee could not bee ignorant of the causes thereof for those were not only signes but also apparant causes by vertue receiued from the first cause which is God himselfe Further to confirme this assertion hee would haue Moses by the cataracts of Heauen to haue meant the the great watry coniunction of the Planets A reason wherof hee seemes to alleage because it is likely that God would shew some signe in the Heauens by which all men might be warned to forsake their wicked courses But notwithstanding this curious opinion I rather cleaue to those which thinke this Deluge to be meerely Supernaturall which I am induced to belieue for diuers causes vrged by worthy writers First because this is set downe in Holy Scripture for a chiefe token or marke of Noahs extraordinary faith dependance vpon Gods promises which had been much diminished and of small moment had it any way been grounded on the fore-sight of second causes For this was no more then might haue beene discouered to the rest of the wicked worldlings who no doubt would in some sort haue prouided for their safety had they receiued any firme perswasion of this dreadfull Deluge To which others adde a second reason that second causes of themselues without any change or alteration are not able to produce such an admirable effect as the drowning of the whole World for it is not conuenient say they that God the Author of Nature should so dispose and direct the second causes that they might of themselues bee able to inuert the order of the Vniuerse and ouer-whelme the whole Earth which hee gaue man for his habitation But this reason is thought very weake for as much as it seemeth to imply a new creation The conceit of a new Creation is pronounced by a learned Countreyman of ours both vnlearned and foolish for whereas it is written saith hee that the fountaines of the deepe were broken open it cannot otherwise be vnderstood then that the waters forsooke the very bowels of the Earth and all whatsoeuer therein was dispersed made an eruption through the face of the Earth Now if wee compare the height of the waters in this deluge aboue the highest mountaines being onely 15 cubits with the depth of the semi-diameter of the Earth to the Center we shall not find it impossible answering reason with reason that all these waters dispersed vnder the Earth should so far extend as to drowne the whole Earth for the semi-diameter of the Earth as Astronomers teach is not aboue 35 â— miles wherein the waters contained and dispersed may bee sufficient for the hight of the greatest mountaines which neuer attaine 30 miles vpright whereas this distance of 30 miles is found in the depth of the Earth 116 times Secondly the extension of the Ayre being exceeding great it might please God to condensate and thicken a great part thereof which might concurre to this Inundation We willingly assent to the worthy Authour that this Inundation might bee performed without any new creation Notwithstanding we cannot hence collect that it was Naturall But to compose the difference the better and to shew how far Nature had a hand in this admirable effect we will thus distinguish that an effect may be called Naturall two manner of wayes First in regard of the causes themselues Secondly in respect of the Direction and Application of the causes If we consider the meere secondary and instrumentall causes wee might call this effect Naturall because it was partly performed by their helpe and concurrence But if we consider the mutuall application and coniunction of these second causes together with the first cause which extraordinarily set them a worke we must needs acknowledge it to be supernaturall For other particular Inundations in particular Regions we may more safely terme them Naturall as directed and stirred vp by second causes working no otherwise then according to their owne naturall disposition Two causes concurring together are here most notable whereof the first is the great coniunction of watry Planets working on the water their proper subiect the other the weaknes of the bounds and banks restraining the water which by processe of time weare out and suffer breaches both these causes sometimes concurring together cause an Inundation which assertion wee may lawfully accept but with this caution that Almighty God working by second causes neuerthelesse directs them oftentimes to supernaturall and extraordinary ends 2 Particular alterations haue happened to Bounds of Regions by Particular Inundations Howsoeuer some inundation haue not continued long but after a small time leâ—t the Earth to her owne possession yet others haue been of such violence as they haue beene found to haue fretted away or added and so altered the bounds and limits of places which besides diuerse examples produced by vs in our former chapter Aristotle seemes to acknowledge in the 1 booke ofhis Meteors the 14 Chapter where he saith that by such Accidents sometimes the Continent and firme land is turned into the Sea and other-where the Sea hath resigned places to the Land for sith the agitation or mouing of the water depends ordinarily vpon the vertue of Heauenly bodyes if it should happen that those Starres should meet in coniunction which are most forceable and effectuall for stirring vp of Tempests and Flouds the Sea is knowne to rage beyond measure either leauing her ancient bounds or else vsurping new By this meanes as we haue shewed in the former Chapter some Ilands haue been ioyned to the Land and some Peninsula's separated from the Land and made Ilands somewhere the Sea hath beene obserued for a great space to leaue the Land naked as Verstegan coniectures of the most part of Belgia which hee sayes was in ancient time couered with water which besides many other arguments hee labours to proue out of the multitude of fish-shells and fish-bones found euery-where farre vnder ground about Holland and the coasts thereabouts which being digged vp in such abundance and from such depthes could not saith hee proceed from any other cause then the Sea which couered the whole Countrey and strewed it with fishes Lastly that the Sea might seeme as well to get as lose shee hath shewed her power in taking away and swallowing vp some Regions and Cities which before were extant Such fortune had Pyrrha and Antisâ—a about Meotis
Greekes call Sciographie or Sâ—enographie Fourthly and lastly Geographie is distinguished from Chorographie in that the former considering chiefly the quantity measure figure site proportion of places as well in respect one of the other as of the Heauens requires necessary helps of the Sciences Mathematicall chiefly of Arithmeticke Geometrie and Astronomie without which a Geographer would shew himselfe euery-where lame impotent being not able to wade thorough the least part of his profession whereas a man altogether vnpractised in those faculties might obtaine a competent knowledge in Chorography As we find by experience some altogether ignorant in the Mathematicks who can to some content of their hearers Topographically and Historically discourse of Countries as they haue read of in books or obserued in their trauaile Notwithstanding all these differences assigned by Ptolomie I see no great reason why Chorography should not bee referred to Geography as a part to the whole forasmuch as the obiects on which hee hath grounded his distinction differ only as a generall and a speciall which being not opposite but subordinate as the Logicians vse to speake cânnot make two distinct Sciences but are reduced to one and the selfe-same at least the differences thus assigned will not be Essentiall but Accidentall Wherfore my scope in this Treatise shall bee to ioyne them both together in the same so far forth as my Art and leisure shall be able to descend to particulars which being in Chorographie almost infinite wil not all seeme alike necessary in the description of the vniuersall Globe of the Earth The name of Geographie thus distinguished wee define it to be a Science which teacheth the Measure and Description of the whole Earth It is properly tearmed a Science because it proposeth to it selfe no other end but knowledge whereas those faculties are commonly tearmed Arts which are not contented with a bare knowledge or speculation but are directed to some farther worke or action But here a doubt seemes to arise whether this Science be to be esteemed Physicall or Mathematicall Wee answer that in a Science two things are to bee considered first the matter or obiect whereabout it is conuersant secondly the manner of handling and explication For the former no doubt can bee made but that the obiect in Geographie is for the most part Physicall consisting of the parts whereof the Spheare is composed but for the manner of Explication it is not pure but mixt as in the former part Mathematicall in the second rather Historicall whence the whole Science may be alike tearmed Mathematical Historicall not in respect of the Subiect which we haue said to be Physicall but in the manner of Explication For the obiect of Geographie as we haue intimated is the whole Globe of the Earth where we are to obserue that the Earth may bee considered 3 manner of wayes First as it is an Element out of which mixt Bodies are in part compounded In which sense it appertaines to Naturall Philosophie whose office is to treat of all naturall bodies their principles and proprieties Secondly as it is supposed to be the center of heauenly motions and so it is vndertaken by Astronomers Thirdly according to its Sphaericall superficies as it is proposed to bee measured or described in which manner it is the subiect of Geographie so far forth as the parts of it haue a diuerse situation as well in regard one of another as in respect of the Heauens Which restriction although agreeing well to some part of it will hardly square with all the rest because many things herein are handled besides the Earths naturall site or position as hereafter shall be taught For which cause wee haue rather defined the subiect of Geographie to bee the Earth so far as it is to bee measured and described as wanting one word to expresse the whole manner of consideration 2 Geographie consists of 2 parts the Sphericall and Topicall The Sphericall part is that which teacheth the naturall constitution of the Terrestriall Spheare The common and receiued diuision of this Science amongst Geographers is into the Generall or vniuersall part and the speciall Which diuision I dare not vtterly reiect being strengthened with the authority of ancient and approued Authors Yet seems it more aptly to be applyed to the Historicall part then to the whole Science as we shall after make apparant In the mean time the diuision of it into Sphericall Topicall parts seemes to be preferred in reason Forasmuch as the Terrestriall Globe which we suppose to be the subiect of the Science is proposed to vs vnder a twofold consideration first in regard of the Mathematicall lineaments and circles whereof the Spheare is imagined to consist out of which wee collect the figure quantity site and due proportion of the Earth and its parts Secondly of the places Historically noted and designed out vnto vs by certaine names markes and characters The former receiueth greatest light from Astronomie whence some haue called it the Astronomicall part The later from Philosophie and Historicall obseruation being as we haue said a mixt Science taking part of diuers faculties 3 The Terrestriall Spheare is a globous or round Body comprehended within the superficies of the Earth and Wateâ— Some haue nicely distinguished betwixt a Spheare an Orbe that a Spheare is a round massie body contained in one surface which is conuexe or outward as a Bowle The other concaue or hollow in manner of an Egge-shell emptyed But this distinction seemes too curious as sauouring to much of Scholasticall subtility because the name of Orbe and Spheare are many times promiscuously vsed without difference amongst good Writers This Spheare which wee make the subiect of our Science wee call Terrestriall not because it consists meerely of Earth the contrary of which wee shall hereafter shew but because the Earth is the chiefest in the composition whence by a tropicall kind of speech the whole Globe may bee called Terrestriall 4 The handling of the Terrestriall Spheare is is either Primary or Secundary The Primary consists in such affections as primarily agree to the Earth The Geographicall Affection may be considered two wayes either simply and absolutely in themselues or eomparatiuely as they are conferred and compared the one with the other As for example the circles of the Spheare such as are the Parallels and Meridians may be considered either absolutely in themselues or comparatiuely as they concurre to the longitude latitude distance or such like accidents which arise out of the comparison of one Circle with another 5 The Terrestriall Spheare primarily considered is either Naturall or Artificiall The Naturall is the true Globe in it selfe without image or representation 6 Herein againe are to be considered two things First the Principles and constitution of the Spheare Secondly the Accidents and proprieties The principles whereof the Spheare is composed are two viz Matter and Forme 7 The Matter is the substance whereof the Spheare is made viz Earth and Water My
the Sea were dâ—uided into many parts it would more easily dissolue and putrify The grounds of this opinion being ouerthrowne there want not reasons to contradict First sayes one if the Sea were not created salt then was there some time wherein it was fresh To this I answer two wayes First that it might bee created fresh yet being apt from the heat of the Sunne to receiue saltnesse it might almost at the first receiue it Secondly if I should grant that it was a long time before it embraced this quality I know neither History to confute mee or reason to conuince mee Secondly it is vrged from the Nature of liuing creatures in the Sea that they cannot well liue in fresh waters and therefore it seemes originally salt and not by Accident But this is of no great force First because experience shewes that many kind of fishes liue in both and many rather couet and desire the fresh Water then the Sea Secondly it is not improbable that as the Sea by little and little and by degrees turned from freshnesse to saltnesse the temper and disposition of the fishes was in like manner changed and altered Whence it may come to passe that fishes since bred and nourished in fresh Waters cannot so well endure the salt Moreouer who knowes whether all these seuerall kinds of fishes now found in the Sea were from the beginning since wee see by experience that sundry kinds of liuing creatures dayly arise out of putrefaction on the land which may with like probability or more bee admitted in the Sea There are yet behind other reasons of one Patricius a Platonist who would oppose Aristotle in good earnest Aristotle saith hee speaking of the saltnesse of the Sea Water shewed not the cause For I would aske why that parcell of water from whence the thinner parts are extracted should remaine salt was it so from the beginning or afterwards imprest was it Inbred or Accidentall If hee would haue it an inbred quality from the beginning hee vainly goes about to seeke out the cause If the saltnesse bee aduentitious the cause is to bee giuen but the cause giuen by him is not true for as much as it rather takes away the saltnesse But to these obiections of Patricius spunne out in many words wee may answer two wayes either that the saltnesse is meerely aduentitious bred by an exhalation drawne vp by the Sunne and so distilling downe againe or else because this answere seemes not wholely to satisfy For as much as rainy Water is seldome salt and if it were could hardly flow in so great quantity to feed the saltnesse of the Sea I will answer secondly that the saltnesse is radically or originally in the matter of the Water yet so as it cannot bee drawne out and sensibly bee perceiued in the mixture of many sweet humours ioyned with it without a separation first made by the heat of the Sunne of the thinner parts from the thicker So that the Sunne is a disponent though not a productiue cause of this saltnesse in the Sea 2 Seas absolutely salt are neuer frozen This may seeme a Paradoxe to some men in regard that amongst our Geographers wee haue so often mention made of Mare Congelatum taking it's name from the Ice wherewith it is shut vp from passage as also for that in the voyages of Frobisher Dauis Hudson and other later Nauigatours which haue beene imployed in the search of the Northwest passage wee find such strange relations not onely of Seas closed vp with Ice and hindring their passage towards the North but also of Rocks and Ilands of Ice of an incredible greatnesse The truth of these Relations I no way disapproue but rather out of these testimonies approue our former assertion that Seas which are wholly Salt are neuer found to freeze For first whereas it is called Mare Congelatum it may beare the nâ—me well enough from the multitude of Ice floating on the water or collected into a Rocke or Iland This Ice as it will easily appeare is not produced out of the substance of the Salt water of the maine Ocean but rather carryed into the Sea by great riuers of fresh water running into the Ocean For the riuers are not alwayes frozen but sometimes by a remission of the cold are thawed and the peeces broken a sunder and floating into the Sea in it oft times meet in great heapes which may bee proued 1 In that these great râ—cks of Ice melting with the heate of the Sunne haue dissolued into fountaines of fresh water gushing downe in great abundance wherewith sometimes in case of necessity they haue fraughted their shippes as wee haue testified by the fore-named Nauigatours 2 Because some part of the maine Sea situate perhaps more Northerne and in a colder Climate suffers not this accident whereas places neere the shore farther South are almost alwayes frozen The reason whereof is because the Sea neere the shore is commonly mixed with fresh waters conueyed in either by great Riuers or infinite secret passages vnder ground which wee see not The reason why that salt waters exclude this propriety incident or the fresh I take to bee the Hot-spirits hid in the salt humor which are more feruent and operatiue then those of the fresh water 9 So much for the saltnesse The next is the Thicknesse whereof we will set downe this short Theoreme 1 The Water of the Sea is thicker then other Water This Proposition hath it's light from the former because thicknesse of Water is a companion of the saltnesse as depending from the same cause to wit the exhalation and extraction of the thinner parts of the Water There are many small causes giuen by Patricius of this thicknesse of the Sea-Water Fâ—â—st because the parts of it should more strongly hold together and not couer and ouerflow the firme land But this seemes to bee grounded on an errour that the Water should be aboue the Land and that it should containe it selfe within it's owne bounds and limits which opinion we haue elsewhere reiected The second cause of the thicknesse of the Sea is that it might bee more apt to beare and carry ships and other great weights for the vse of man Thirdly the Water being thicke may more easily bee conuerted into salt out of which many saltish minerals in the Earth are ingendred Other causes are giuen by this Author but lesse forceable which we will omit as referring them to the Philosopher whose proper taske it is to seek them out CHAP. VI. Of the Motions of the Sea 1 THe Motion of the Sea whereof we are in this Chapter to treate is either Naturall or Violent The Naturall I call that which is partly incident to the Naturall Disposition of the Sea 2 This againe is two-fold either Generall or Speciall Generall is that which agrees generally to all or at least to most parts of the Sea such as is the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea Wee must here obserue that the Water