time or incertainty of tradition neglected and obliterated they fell backe into such wayes as their owne depraued nature dictated or the diuell malitiously suggested 2 By Discipline nations become moâ—e wise and politicke in the preseruations of states yet lesse stout and couragious As Discipline hath been the chiefe cause of the establishment of all states so hath it on the other side been occasion to soften and weaken the courage of many nations For it hath beene many times seene that such people who haue beene commended for wit haue yeelded to such who are of a ruder disposition as at this day the Greeks and Macedons to the Turkes the ancient Gaules to the French the Egyptians to the Persians the Chaldeans to the Saracens Hence some giue a reason why the French did inuade and runne ouer Italy without controle vnder Charles the 5 because the Italian Princes at that time were giuen to study and learning and it is obserued that the ancient courage of the Turke is much abated since the time that they grew more ciuill and more strictly imbraced discipline And this some thinke to haue giuen occasion to Alexander the great to conquer the Persian Monarchie the Persians hauing beene before reduced to ciuility and lost their hardnesse And we daily see by experience that no men are more desperate and aduenturous then those which are rude and barbarous wanting all good manners and education None more fearefull and many times more cowardlike then such as are most wise and politick an example of the former we haue in Aiax of the other in Vlisses wherevpon the wisest lâ—aders and commanders haue not been esteemed the most valiant A certaine English gentleman writing military obseruations affirmes the French nobility to bee more valorous and coragious then the English Because of the loosenesse of their discipline and the strictnesse of ours But I will neither grant him the one or the other neither can I auerre their courage to be greater or our discipline stricter If their valour bee more it must needs follow their wit is lesse out of this ground But how soeuer it be I am sure that Caesar and Tacitus giue the cause of the great stature and courage of the Germans to be their loosenesse and liberty which howbeit it bee not the sole cause it must needs bee a great helpe For wee plainely finde by experience that those countries which be most mountanous where is lesse discipline are found to produce men for the most part most warlicke Such as the Suitzers in Germany and Biscaynâ—s and Arragonians in Spainâ— Whence as some obserue such countries as are partly Mountanous partly plaine are seldome at quiet the one part willingly submitting themselues to gouernment the other affecting warre and rebellion Which hath been the cause of the troubles of Naples and in England before Henry the eight's time betwixt the Welsh and English Why discipline should in this sort mollifie and weaken the courage of men many causes may bee giuen The first and greatest is Religion then the which there is no greater curbe to the courage not meerely of it selfe but by accident Because Death being the greatest hazard of a souldier religion giues a more euident apprehension and sense of the immortality of the soule of man and sets before the eye of his vnderstanding as it were the images of Hell-paines and Caelestiall ioyes weighing in an aequall scale the danger of the one and the losse of the other Whereas ignorant people wanting all sense of religion lightly esteeme of either holding a temporall death the greatest danger Whence grew the vsuall Prouerbe amongst profane Ruffians that conscience makes cowards But this as I said is meerely accidentall For as much as nothing spurres on a true resolution more then a good conscience and a true touch of religion witnesse the holy Martyrs of the Church of all ages whose valour and constancy hath outgone all heathen presidents But because souldiers for the most part being a most dissolute kinde of people hauing either a false religion which can suggest no setled resolution or an ill conscience grounded vpon no assurance Religion must needs beget in them a more fearefull disposition Another cause may bee the seuerity of discipline which especially in the training vp of youth is mixed with a kind of slauery without which our yonger yeers are very vntractable to tast the bitter roots of knowledge This feare as it were stamped in our affections cannot but leaue behind it a continuall impression which cannot suddainly bee razed out Such as we find in vs of our masters and teachers whose friendship we rather imbrace then familiarity A third reason why discipline would weaken and mollifie a Nation may be the delight which men reape in Contemplatiue studies and morall or politicke duties whence followes a neglect of the other For people of knowledge must needs finde a greater felicity in giftes of the minde which is vsually seconded with a contempt of externall and military affaires The last cause may bee the want of vse and practise of military affaires in most common-wealths for many states well established continue a long time without warres neither molesting their neighbours nor dissenting amongst themselues except very seldome and that by a small army without troubling the whole state whence the generall practise being lesse knowne becomes more fearefull Notwithstanding all this it were brutish to imagine discipline any way vnnecessary or hurtfull either to a Captaine or Statesman For as much as it more strengthens the wit then abates the courage of a nation Neither is it properly said to breake and weaken but rather to temper and regulate our spirits For it is not valour but rather rashnesse or fiercenesse which is not managed with policy and discretion And although it hath sometimes beene attended with notable exploites as that of Alexander the great of the Gothes the ancient Gaules and many other Yet shall we obserue such conquests to bee of small continuance For what they atcheiued by strength they lost for want of policy So that it is well said by one that moderation is the mother of continuance to States and Kingdomes Thus haue we run ouer by Gods assistance the chiefe causes of diuersity of dispositions of Nations Wherein if any man will informe himselfe as hee should hee must compare one circumstance with another and make his iudgement not from a man but a nation and not censure any Nation out of one obseruation For practise in Art cannot alwayes come home to speculation So experience in this kinde will oftentimes crosse the most generall rules wee can imagine T is enough to iudge as wee finde and walke where the way is open If any man will desire more curiosity hee may spend more labour to lesse purpose Let euery man by beholding the nationall vices of other men praise Almighty God for his owne happinesse and by seeing their vertues learne to correct his owne vices So should our trauaile in this Terrestriall Globe bee our direct way to Heauen And that eternall guide should conduct vs which can neuer erre To whom be ascribed all Glory Prayse and Power for euermore Deo triuni Laus in aeternum FINIS Ptolom geogr l. 1. sec. 1. Seneca in Medeâ Act. 2. De gen cor 〈◊〉 de caelo cap. 4. L. de Sphaer Lib. 1 geog cap. 4. Lib. 2. c. 72. Lib. 1. De Mundi fabr part 3. cap. 2. Psal. 104. Fundauit Terram super bases suas ne dimoueatur in saeculum vers 5. Ptol. dict 1. cap. 5. Alph. 6. diff 6. Prop. 11. lib. 1. * Pag. 149. R. Ld. D. 1 Meteor Lib. 4. Sr Walter Rawleigh
the other at the endes the former was thought not habitable by reason of the extremity of heat because the Sunne-beames there fall perpendicularly and so make a greater reflection The other for extremity of cold by reason of the obliquity of the Sunne-beames causing little or no reflection whence a second cause seemes to be drawne from the extreame drought of those places which seemes most opposite to mans temper requiring a reasonable degree of moisture But notwithstanding these reasons of the ancients it must needes bee confessed as an vndoubted truth confirmed by experience of many Nâ—uigatours that those Regions by them imagined vnfit for habitation are not onely habitable but in many places very populous Neither want there many reasons found out by latter writers to mitigate the rigour of this opinion some whereof wee haue already touched in our former treatise First whereas they vrge the places vnder the Equinoctiall to bee vnhabitable by reason of intemperate heat wee may easily answer that the dayes and nights are then alwayes equall containing not aboue 12 houres so that the space of either being shorter the cold of the night may well asswage the extreame heat of the day Another reason is ordinarily taken from the extraordinarily high mountaines commonly placed vnder the Equinoctiall which approaching neerer the middle Region of the aire must of necessity partake some what more of cold which dayly experience can witnesse in that their top â— are couered with snow euen in the depth of Summer Thirdly the neerenesse of the maine Ocean to a great part of this Region is a great cause of this cold temper because water is found to bee by nature cold Fourthly the set and certaine windes by nature ordained to blow in the hottest times of the yeere may adde much to temperature Fiftly the extraordinary Raines and showers which those places suffer which are vnder the Line especially when the Sunne is verticall are a great cause of the asswaging of the heat of the Sunne Lastly the custome of the Inhabitants being from their cradles inured to no other quality or disposition of the ayre will take away much from our admiration On the other side no small reasons may bee shewed why the Regions lying neere or vnder the Pole should not bee so extreamely cold but that they may admit of habitation First because the Sunne being for six moneths together aboue their Horizon must needs impresse into the Ayre more heat then otherwise it would doe Besides the thicknesse incorporated as it were with heat must needs receaue into it more degrees of it then a thinner and more refined ayre because the intention of the quality most commonly supposeth the condensation or thickning of the subiect wherein it is But no greater reason can bee shewed in this point then the custome of the Northerne inhabitants exposed from their infancy to no other temperament If wee should aske a reason why wee vnmaske our faces against the encounter of the greatest cold being a soft and tender part not daring to vncouer our other parts what reason can a man inuent but custome If any should aske why barbarous people liuing in farre colder climates then this of ours goe altogether naked whereas the cold is mother of many diseases amongst vs who goe alwayes clothed onely vse and custome can yeeld an answer These reasons make it probable enough that no place of the whole world is by nature made not habitable Now that it is not only inhabitable by nature but also for the most part truly inhabited will appeare as easily if wee trust the testimony of Nauigatours which haue discouered few or no Regions wanting some â—nhabitants But that this proposition may bee more distinctly vnderstood wee must know that the whole world is diuided into Sea and Land for the Sea we may call it habitable in that large sense before mentioned to wit that on it euery where men in ships may breath and liue which is plaine out of experience of Nauigatours who haue sailed round about the Earth from East to West and haue entred farre towards the North and South where at least some times of the yeere or other they might finde the way passable For the land which is here principally vnderstood wee must note that it may bee considered two wayes either for euery little quillet or parcell of land contaned in the superficies of the Earth or else for a certaine Region of some indifferent greatnesse In the former sense it were too much to affirme euery part of the Earth to bee habitable for as much as many places as the toppes of the Alpes or the sands of Africa properly admit of no habitation yet in an improper and large sense they may be called habitable because on them a man may liue and breath for a certaine space of time But if by the parts of the land wee vnderstand some reasonable greatnesse no great doubt can bee made but that it is either already inhabited by mankinde or can at least admit of habitation as that which not only for a time affords a man life and breath but also some conuenient meanes of sustenance for no countrey hath euer beene found so indigent and barren of all vitall aides which is neither capeable of liuing creatures in the land fit for mans nourishment or that cannot draw Fishes from the Sea or if this should faile cannot afford Fruits or Herbage from the ground or in case all the rest were deficient cannot haue passage by Water to other Countries whence to relieue their necessities And no question but nature hath stored euery Countrey with some commodity or other which by trafficke may draw riches from other Regions as by instances may more particularly appeare hereafter when wee shall speake of particular Regions and their seuerall accidents 2 All places of the Earth haue suffered manifold alteration and change as well in Name as Nature I need not spend time to demonstrate this Assertion for that euery place of the Earth hath beene subiect to much mutation in the processe of time as well in Nature of the Soyle as of the Inhabitants a few obuious instances in each Countrey will easily certifie yet will it not seeme amisse I hope to shew the progresse manner and causes of this alteration which would giue no small satisfaction To discourse of all changes according to all times were a matter infinite Wee may referre all to two heads to wit the change of Names and the change of Nature Concerning the former that most Countreyes haue changed their first and originall names is most euident to such as consult the Maps and writings of our common Geographers for few or none will discouer vnto vs any Region by that name by which it was knowne in former times in so much as great controuersie and dispute hath growne about diuerse countreyes mentioned by ancient writers whereof the name should take its first originall but of this change we shall speake hereafter But if we
consider the naturall changes of Countries sithence the first creation wee shall finde them to haue suffered as well in the naturall accidents and disposition of the soile as the temper of the Inhabitants concerning the former wee may note a twofold alteration whereof the one is a progresse from Imperfection to Perfection the other contrariwise from Perfection to Imperfection The first groweth out of the generall Industrie of mankinde which is wont to worke euery thing as neere as it can to his best ends and vse for his owne good and propagation of his kinde which wee may best finde in the first originall of the world the first ground-worke of ciuill society for man being once expelled out of Paradise for his owne transgression had left him notwithstanding for his lot the whole world besides which no question hee found as in the cradle of Nature a poore infant as yet altogether vnfashioned and vnshaped for humane habitation For who can imagine the earth at that time to bee any otherwise then as a vast Wildernesse all ouergrowne with briers and bushes growing of their owne accord out of the Earth Moreouer what Fennes Bogges Marishes and other such incombrances could there bee wanting to those places which neuer yet felt the chastising hand of husbandrie All these incommodities as mankind began to multiplie and propagate it selfe on the face of the Earth were by little and little remoued and the Earth reduced into a better forme for humane dwelling because euery man choosing out his owne possession began presently to till and manure the soyle with all heedfull industrie For if our first Parents being placed in Paradise it selfe the most pleasant and fertile portion of the whole world were neuerthelesse enioyned to dresse and manure the Garden for their better vse and profit what shall wee imagine of the other parts of the Earth which no doubt a thousand degrees come short of this perfection especially knowing this curse to bee laid on man by our Creatour That he should eat his bread in the sweat of his browes as though the earth were bound to open her treasures onely to mans paines and labour And howsoeuer the diligence of mankinde hath gone very farre in adorning and fashioning the vpper face of the earth yet hath it not waded so farre but that many places in our times are left altogether rude and vncultered groaning vnder vast Wildernesses and vnprofitable desarts For times past wee might haue for instance gone no farther then Britanie and Germanie both which Countryes we shall finde in these dayes to differ as much from the dayes of Caesar as Caesar iudged them to differ from the Roman Territory which no doubt hee preferred before all parts of Europe Notwithstanding this generall inclination of mankinde to perfect their dwelling places for their better ease and comfort wee shall finde many wayes whereby the parts of the Earth haue degenerated and proued more vnfit for humane habitation then in former times The first which is the greatest and cause of all the rest is that Curse which our Almighty Creatour cast on the whole earth for Adams sake which afterward seemes renued and increased in the generall deluge wherein all mankinde suffered for their sinnes a plague of waters For as the estate of mankind immediatly before the Flood was farre better then that afterwards so was the estate of Paradice farre better then that So as wee may note from the beginning of the world a generall defect and weakenesse of the Creatures still more and more declining from their originall perfection granted in the first creation So that many great Philosophers haue coniectured not without ground that the world from the first creation hath suffered the change of ages sensibly and this wherein wee liue to bee the last and decrepite age wherein Nature lyeth languishing as ready to breath out her last But this opinion seemes to bee controled by reason for as much as wee finde not a proportionall decrement and defect of naturall vigour in things as well in man as other creatures For if wee compare the estate of a man before the Flood with the age of Dauid long after wee shall finde a great disparity in the proportionall decrement of the Yeeres and Ages of men for as much as many before the Flood attained to 800 and some as Methusalem to 900 yeeres But in Dauid time the dayes of mans life as he himselfe testifieth are threescore and ten and admit wee vnderstand this speech of Dauid to bee meant only of his chiefest strength and liuelyhood wee shall yet finde a great diuersity because man is vnderstood to bee in his greatest strength and vigour in his middle age so that the whole age of man by this account surmounts not 140 yeeres To which proportion of defect or decrement our times can no way agree because many men in our dayes come neere the same age as wee see by experience which may bee confirmed by diuerse instances whereof wee will produce only two the one of a certaine Indian presented to Soliman the Turke being of the age of 200 yeeres the other of the Countresse of Desmond in Ireland which Sr Walter Rauleigh mentions to this purpose who was married in Edward the fourth's time yet was aliue very lately But to this doubt I might answer that this extraordinary difference betwixt the ages of men betweene the Patriarches and Dauids time compared with men ages betwixt Dauids and our dayes came from two especiall causes First by the vniuersall Deluge which caused a generall defect and decay of nature in the whole earth the like whereof hath not since beene found Secondly it was as it seemes much impaired by the Intemperance and luxurious diet of those times which added much to this generall weaknesse of nature for as much as the children can haue little or no naturall perfection in themselues more then is deriued vnto them by their parents For nothing can giue that to others which it neuer had it selfe whence it must needs come to passe that the posterity deriued from luxurious and distempered bodyes should proue as weake and impotent generally if not more then their Parents Now why the people soone vpon the Flood should finde their distemperature more noxious and preiudiciall to long life then the men of our age a good reason may bee giuen because the Earth long after the Flood had not fully receaued that naturall heat and spirit which it lost in the Deluge So that all things arising out of it as Plants Hearbs Fruits and liuing creatures feeding thereon proued for a while more vnwholsome and vnnaturall then in some yeeres after when it had somewhat reuiued it selfe by the heat of the Sunne and the Starre and by little and little returned to his owne nature The other cause of deficiencie is more speciall as not happening to all but to diuerse parts of the Earth and that more at one time then another as the neglect of due manuring many places
it greater at the time of the Soâ—stice the reflection being greater approaching neerer to right Angles If wee consider the Earth wee shall finde no reason at all why the heat should be more predominant at this time then another Then must wee of necessity ascribe it to a speciall Influence of the Dog-starre being in coniunction with the Sunne Many other Instances might bee here produced but I hold it needlesse being a matter consented to amongst most Philosophers The second point concernes the Extent and limitation of this operation in inferiour bodyes for vnfolding of which point wee must know that this operation may haue respect either to the Elements of Earth and Aire or else to the Inhabitants residing on the Earth For the operation of the Heauens vpon the Elementary masse experience it selfe will warrant yet with this limitation that this operation is measured and squared according to the matter whereinto it is receaued as for example wee shall finde the Moone more operatiue and predominant in moist Bodyes then in others partaking lesse of this quality Likewise the heat caused by the Sunne more feruent where it meets with a subiect which is more capable Whence it comes to passe that one Countrey is found hotter then another although subiect to the same Latitude in respect of the Heauens for howsoeuer the action of the Heauens bee alwayes the same and vniforme in respect of the Heauen it selfe yet must the same bee measured and limited according to the subiect into which it is imprest For the Inhabitants wee are to distinguish in them a twofold nature the one Materiall as partaking of the Elements whereof euery mixt body is compounded The other spirituall as that of the Soule The former wee cannot exempt from the operation of the Heauens for as much as euery Physician can tell how much the humours and parts of our body are stirred by celestiall influence especially by the Moone according to whose changes our bodies dayly vndergoe an alteration For the humane soule how farre it is gouerned by the stars is a matter of great consequence yet may wee in some sort cleere the doubt by this one distinction The Heauens may bee said to haue an operation vpon the soule two manner of wayes First Immediatly by it selfe Secondly Mediately by the humours and corporeall organes whereof the Soules operation depends The first wee absolutely deny for the soule being an immateriall substance cannot bee wrought vpon by a materiall agent as Philosophers affirme for the second it may bee granted without any absurdity For the operation of the soule depends meerely on materiall and corporeall organes The Elementary matter whereof these organes consist are subiect to the operation of the Heauens as any other Elementary matter So that wee may affirme the Heauens in some sort to gouerne mens mindes and dispositions so farre forth as they depend vpon the bodily instruments But here wee must note by the way that it is one thing to inferre a Necessity another thing to giue an Inclination The former we cannot absolutely auerre for as much as mans will which is the commandresse of his actions is absolutely free not subiect to any naturall necessity or externall coaction Yet can wee not deny a certaine inclination for as much as the soule of a man is too much indulgent vnto the body by whose motion it is rather perswaded then commanded The third point we haue in hand is to shew how many wayes the Heauens by their operation can affect and dispose a place on the Earth Here wee must note that the operation of the Heauens in the Earth is twofold either ordinary or extraordinary The ordinary is againe twofold either variable or Inuariable The variable I call that which is varyed according to the season as when the Sunne by his increase or decrease of heat produceth Summer or Winter Spring or Autumne which operation depends from the motion of the Sunne in his Eclipticke line wherein hee comes sometimes neerer vnto vs sometimes goeth fâ—rther from our verticall point The Inuariable I call that whereby the same places are supposed to inioy the same temperament of heat or cold without any sensible difference in respect of the Heauens putting aside other causes and circumstances for how soeuer euery Region is subiect to these foure changes to wit Summer Winter Spring and Autumne yet may the same place inioy the same temperament of Summer and Winter one yeere as it doth another without any great alteration and this depends from the situation of any place neerer or farther of in respect of the Equinoctiall circle The Extraordinary operation of the Heauens depends from some extraordinary combination or concurse of Planets particularly affecting some speciall place whence the cause may bee probably shewed why some place should some â—eeres proue extraordinary fruitfull other times degenerate againe to barrennesse or why it should sometimes bee molested with too much drouth and other times with too much moisture To let passe the other considerations as more appertaining to an Astrologer then a Geographer wee will here onely fasten on the Inuariable operation of the Heauens on earthly places and search how farre forth the places of the Earth are varied in their Temper Quality according to their diuerse situations and respect to the Equinoctiall circle taking onely notice of the Diurnall and ordinary motion of the Sunne in his course Herein shall wee finde no small variety not onely in the temper of the Ayre but also in the disposition and complection of the Inhabitants both which we shall more specially declare the former in this Chapter the other in due place wherein we shall haue occasion to treat of the materiall constitution and manners of diuerse Nations 2 In respect of the Heauens a place may be diuided two wayes First into the North and South Secondly into the East and West 3 Any place is said to be Northerne which lyeth betwixt the Equatour and Arcticke Pole Southerne betwixt the Equatour and the Antarcticke-Pole The whole Globe of the Earth as we haue formerly taught is diuided by the Equatour into two Hemispheares whereof the one is called Northerne lying towards the Northerne or Arcticke Pole the other towards the other Pole is called the Southerne But here to cleere all doubt wee must vnderstand that a place may be said to be Northerne or Southerne two manner of wayes either Absolutely or Respectiuely Absolutely Northerne and Southerne places are tearmed when they are situated in the Northerne or Southerne Hemispheares as wee haue taught in this Definition But such as are Respectiuely Northerne may be vnderstood of such Regions whereof the one is situate neerer the Pole the other neerer the Equatour In the first place here wee are to consider a place as it is absolutely taken to be either North or South Concerning which we will particularly note these two Theorâ—mes 1 Northerne and Southerne places alike situate generally inioy a like disposition Wee haue formerly granted to
Peninsula's the most famous are Africa Scandia Taurica Chersonesus Peloponnesus and America Peruana That little parcell of land which ioynes this Peninsula with the maine land we call an Istmus which is a narrow necke of land betwixt two seas ioyning two Continents such as are Istmus Corinthiacus and Istmus Cimbricus more famous are those two narrow lands whereof the one lyeth betwixt Peruana and Mexico in America the other diuiding Africke from Asia A Promontorie is a great mountaine stretching it selfe far into the sea whose extremity is called a Cape or Head of which the most remarkeable are the Cape of good hope in Africke 2. The Cape of S. Vincent in Portugall 3. The Cape of Comary in Asia 4. The Cape de la Victoria in America Our obseruation concerning this distinction shall bee comprised in this Theoreme 1 Peninsula's by the violence of the sea fretting through the Istmus haue oftentimes beene turned into Ilands and contrariwise sometimes Peninsula's by diminution of the sea made of Ilands This proposition is not hard to proue if any credit ought to bee gâ—uen to ancient writers for it is commonly related that Sicily was heretofore ioyned to Italy Cyprus to Syria Euboea with Boeotia Besbicum with Bythinia all which at this day are Ilands separated and diuided from the continent The like hath beene coniectured of our Brittany which some imagined heretofore to haue beene ioyned with the continent of France about Douer and Calais as may seeme probably to be gathered out of the correspondency of the Cliffs whereof we haue spoken in this chapter before the agreement of the soyle the smalnesse of the distance and many more arguments remembred by vs else-where Also it hath beene obserued on the other side that the sea in some places leauing his ancient bounds hath ioyned some Ilands to the land making Peninsulas of Ilands In this sort if wee belieue antiquity was Antissa ioyned to Lesbos Zephirium to Halicarnassus Ethusa to Mindus Promiscon to Miletum Narthucusa to the Promontory of Parthenius In these antiquities it behooues euery man to iudge without partiality according to reason not ascribing too much to fabulous narrations wherein those ages did abound neither yet shewing himselfe too incredulous For as much as we cannot charge these Authors with any manifest absurdity The speciall and particular arguments by which wee should establish our assertion wee must according to the rules of method reserue to the speciall part where we shall treat ofspeciall Countreyes CHAP. XII 1 OF the perpetuall Accidents of the land we haue spoken somewhat it remaines in this place wee treat of the Casuall 2 The casuall I call such as happen not ordinarily at all times such as are Inundations and Earth-quakes 3 An Inundation is an ouerwhelming of the land by Water Howsoeuer it bee certaine out of holy Scriptures that God hath set the sea his certaine bounds and limits which it cannot passe yet the same God sometimes to shew his speciall iudgement on some place or age hath extraordinarily permitted the sea sometimes to breake his appointed limits and inuade the Iurisdiction of the land This wee call a Deluge or Inundation The inundations which euer haue been obserued on the Earth are of two sorts either Vniuersall or particular An vniuersall is that whereby the whole face of the Earth is couered with water whereof we haue onely two examples The first was in the first creation of the world when as wee read in the Scriptures the whole face of the Earth was round inueloped with Water which couered the tops of the highest mountaines till such time as God by a supernaturall hand made a separation of the Waters from the dry land But this is improperly called an Inundation because the same properly taken implies as much as an ouer-flowing of that which was dry land before The second as we read in Genesis happened in the time of Noah when God for the sinne of man drowned the whole world breaking open the cataracts of Heauen and loosing the springs of the deepe Particular inundations are such as are not ouer the whole Earth but in some particular places or regions Such a deluge according to Genebrardus happened in the time of Enos wherein a third part of the Earth was drowned The like iâ— spoken of Ogygeâ— King of Athens that in his time happened a very great Inundation which drowned all the confines and coasts of Attica and Achaia euen to the Aegean sea In which time it was thought that Buras and Helice Cities of Achaia were swallowed vp whereof Ouid in his Metamorphosis speakes thus Si quaeras Helicen Buran Achaidos vrbes Inuenies sub aquis Buras and Helice on Achaiâ—n ground Are sought in vaine but vnder seas are found As famous was the Inundation of Thessaly in Deucalions time mentioned not onely by profane writers and Poets but also by S. Augustin Ierom and Eusebius which would haue it to happen in the time of Cranaus who next after Cecrops gouerned Athens This inundation was exceeding great extending it selfe not onely ouer all Thessaly and the regions adioyning westward but ouerwhelmed the greatest part of Italy The same or other happening neere the same time oppressed Aegypt if Eusebius may obtaine credit Hence some would haue the people of Italy to haue been called Vmbrij as Pliny and Solinus report quia ab imbribus diluuij superfuissent But this Etymologie seemes too farre fetcht There are also two other notable Inundations meÌ„tioned by ancient writers which fell out in Aegypt from the Riuer of Nilus whereof the first couered all the neither Aegypt which was subiect to Prometheus and hence as Natalis Comes obserues was the fable drawne of the vulture lighting on Prometheus liuer afterwards slaine by Hercules For as Diodorus Siculus obserues the Riuer Nilus for the swiftnes of his course was in ancient time called an Eagle This Riuer afterwards did Hercules by his great â—kill and iudgement streiten and bound reducing it into narrow channels whence some Greeke Poets turning Hercules labours into fables faigned that Hercules slew the Eagle which sed on Prometheus brest meaning that hee deliuered Prometheus out of that sorrow and losse which hee and his people sustained by that Inundation The second of these Egyptian flouds happened about Pharus in Egypt where Alexander the great built Alexandria To these may bee added many more of lesser moment as well in ancient times as in our dayes As that of Belgia in some parts mentioned before on another occasion and not many yeeres since in some parts of Somerset-shire with vs in Britanny 1 No vniuersall Inundation of the Earth can be Naturall The other may depend on some Naturall causes Of the causes of Inundations many disputes haue beene amongst Naturall Philosophers some haue trusted so farre to Nature that they haue ascribed not only particular Inundations but that vniuersall Deluge in the time of Noah to second causes of this opinion was Henricus Mecliensis a Schollar of
mixture from the truest and ancientest Hebrew discipline It is manifest that in the Heathenish superstitions themselues many footsteppes haue bin discouered which will appeare by diuers Instances These arguments I confesse seeme very strong but yet not of sufficient strength to enforce credulity without other warrant To say peremptorily with Mr. Bodin that by the consent of ancient writers the Chaldeans are acknowledged the most ancient people is more then I dare to venter Neither is this opinion so strongly fortified with arguments but Reason may steppe in to haue a doubtfull assault Their first argument drawne from the testimony of holy Scriptures in th â—â— of Genesis seemes to stand on our side altogether against them For whereas it is said that they came from the east into the plaine of Shinaar it is manifest that the east was first peopled or else how should this people come from the east into these plaines of Shinaar to erect the tower of Babel Secondly whereas they vrge Arts Ciuility Magnificence of the Chaldeans wee shall find it rather to agree to the people which dwell farther east as is witnessed by the former instances And if any obiect that at this day is found the contrary for as much as we find the Indian to be a barbarous blind and ignorant Nation in respect of the Asiatickes and Europaeans we answere two wayes 1 First that we find not by experience the East-Indians to bee so altogether deuoide of ciuility but that wee may obserue not only amongst them the footsteppes but also the practise of many ingenuous Arts sage gouernment policy and magnificence as amongst the Chinois and the large territory of the great Mogull 2. It is not hard to imagine that in so large a tract of time the best setled common wealthes should be brought to nought arts ciuility magnificence be forgotten and the rarest inuentions bee cast into obliuion especially by those two enemies of ciuility warres and luxury both which hauing the raignes in their own hands are quickly able to abolish all wholesome discipline both in Lawes and Religion 3. Their argument drawne from the footesteppes of Languages in my shallow conceit proues nothing else but that all Lawes Arts and Learning was deriued to the Graecians from the Chaldaeans or the Nations neare adioyning which formerly receiued it from them But how farre Learning might propagate it selfe the other way towards the East is not a matter so cleare and out of question The preseruation of the Language for ought I â—ee might grow from the continuance of the Religion more firmely rooted and for a long time continued in Abrahams posterity whose abode was settled there about whereas the other farre diuorced aswell from their first spring as the monumentall seales of their religion quickly turned Religion into Pagan Idolatry Many reasons besides the disprouing of this former opinion may bee alleaged to proue the Easterne part of the world to haue bin first peopled amongst which I will only cull out this one grounded on the text of holy Scripture It is warranted out of the text 1 That when the waters begâ—n to decrease vpon the face of the earth and the Arke began to rest vpon the mountaine Araâ—at Noah sent out a doue to make tryall who returned with an oliue-branch in her mouth 2 That neare the place he issued out of the Arke with all his family he planted a vineyard and was drunke with the iuyce of the Grape not knowing the strength thereof out of which by all probable coniecture must needes bee collected that the Regions neare the place where the Arke first rested by the benefit of Nature afforded both Vines and Oliues for we cannot imagine the silly Doue at the time of the flood empty gorged to haue flowne very farre ouer the face of the waters to obtaine this Oliue branch nor Noah after the flood to haue gone very farre to seeke out a conuenient place for his Vineyard whence it is most likely that the Arke rested in such a place whose neare adjoining Regions are inriched with such commodities But this cannot bee verified of Armenia wherein for ought my reading informes me are found neither Vines nor Oliues whereas some places Eastward whereon the Arke according to this other opinion was supposed to rest afford both in great plenty To vmpite betwixt these two opinions I leaue to my frendly Readers because it is not in our power to command but obey Reason CHAP. XIV 1_OF the originall of Inhabitants of the Earth we haue spoken It remaines wee now treat of their naturall Disposition There is nothing more subiect to admiration then the diuersity of naturall Dispositions in Nations a matter euident to the eye of obseruation and needing no proofe or demonstration for who obserues not in all Nations certaine naturall or nationall vertues or vices which neither time nor Lawes could euer change or correct For not to 〈◊〉 farther off then our neighbouring Nations Confines what Writer in this kind almost were he not very partiall hath not taxed pride and ambition in the Spaniard leuity or rather as Bodin would haue it temerity in the Frenâ—h dangerous dissimulation in the Italian Drunkennesse in the Dutch Falshood in the Irish and gluttony in the English And howsoeuer many meanes haue bin put in practise either by the seuerity of lawes to curb such enormities or the subtilty of discourse to shroud these vices vnder the name of vertues yet these markes are found to stick as close as the spots vnto the Leopard as neither altering their pristine hue or yeelding to time or statutes And if it happened at any time that by extraordinary violence some litle alteration were wrought yet some few yeares would find it returne againe vnto his owne nâ—ture and disposition This variety of dispositions being very many and dâ—pending on sundry causes to helpe memory we will reduce into certaine heads out of which in the generall we may giue a iudgment leauing the rest to our speciall Tract The name of naturall disposition in this place we take in the largest sense so farre forth as it comprehends vnder it the Complexion Manners Actions Languages Lawes Religion and Gouernment All which so farre forth as they depend from the places we will shew Neither intend we to handle nicely all these specialities forasmuch as the Manners Customes Lawes and for a great part the externall rites of Religion depend on the naturall constitution of the Inhabitants so that little can bee spoken of the naturall constitution but of such actions effects and markes as shew themselues in their ordinary customes manners Wherefore we shall be constrained to treat of them together the one being a great furtherance to the explanation of the other 2 The naturall disposition of the Inhabitants of the Earth may suffer change and diuersity either in respect of the site or in respect of the quality of the soile or in regard of the Inhabitants themselues 3 The site is the respect
Thee Hast thou been honour'd by my sacred Breath 'Mongst rude Arcadians thus to beg a Death What greater glory can thy ashes haue Then in my flowry groues to dig thy graue Although the least among my learned sonnes Thy fortunes told thee that I lou'd thee once And so doe still although my haplesse Baies Taught thy despaire to spinne out carelesse dayes And to compose thy discontented Head To slumber softly on the Muses Bed Be rul'd by me my poore yet loued Son Trust not their smiles whose wrongs haue thee vndone Thy faire Hopes grounded on thy place of birth Will fly in Atomes or consume in Earth Before within that Hemispheare of thine Thy Deuons Sunne on thee shall euer shine Then trust vnto my bounty turne thy sight From thy darke Confines to my golden light All thy endowments owed to my wombe Returne them back and there erect thy tombe If no Mecenas crowne thee with his Rayes Teach thy content to sleepe out quiet dayes Let Contemplation with transpiercing eyes Mount thee a pitch beyond the starry skyes And there present thee that eternall glasse Wherein the greatnesse of this wondrous masse Shrinkes to an Aâ—ome where my Astrolube Shall shew thee starres beyond thy painted Globe Where thou aloft as from a mountaine steepe Shalt see the greatest men like Antes to creepe Thy dayes shall minister thee choicest Theames Which night shall render in delicious dreames And thy seuere Philosophy the whiles In amourous kinde shall courte thee with her smiles Or if thy nature with constraint descends Below her owne delight to practick endes Rise with my morning Phaebus slight the West Till furrowed Age inuite thee to rest And then perchance thy Earth which seldome gaue Thee Aire to breath will lend thy Corps a graue Soone the last trumpet will be heard to sound And of thy load Ease the Deâ—oâ—ian ground Meane time if any gentle swaine come by To view the marble where thy ashes ly He may vpon that stone in fewer yeeres Engraue an â—â—iâ—â—ph with fretâ—ing teares Then make mens frozen hearts with all his cries Drink in a drop from his distilling eyes Yet will I promise thy neglected bones A firmer monument then speachles stones And when I pinâ— with age and wits with rust Seraphick Angells shall dreserue thy dust And all good men acknowledge shall with me Thou lou'st thy Countrey when she hateth thee This strange reproofe of an indulgent mother I could not entertaine without passion In so much as without feare or wit I aduentured in this sort to answer her in her owne language Ad Matrem Academiam 〈…〉 haue my former yeeres So much 〈…〉 on thy hate or these my teares Thus to diuorce me from my place of birth To be a stranger to my natiue Earth Wilt thou expose him on thy common stage To striue and struggle in an Iron age Whose low ambition neuer learn'd of thee The curious Artes of thriuing policy Thy golden tongue from which my yonger dayes Suckt the sweet musick of thy learned layes Was better taught thy office then my fate To make me thine yet most vnfortunate Why was I fostred in thy learned schooles To study with for the reward of fooles That while I sate to heâ—re the Muses sing The Winter suddenly ore-took my Spring Haue I so played the truant with my howres Or with base riot stained thy sacred Bowres Or as a Viper did I euer striue To gnaw a passage through thy wombe to thriue To pluck me thus from Deuons brest to try What thou canst doe when as thy dugges are dry When my short thread of life is almost spunne Thou biddst me rise vp with thy morning Sun And like a Heliotrope adore the East When my care-hastened Age arriues at West Could I encounter as I once did hope The God of learning in the Horoscope My Phâ—buâ— would auspicious lookes incline On my hard fate and discontents to shine Now lodged in a luckles house reiects My former suites and frownes with sad aspects Had I been borne when that eternall hand Wrapt the infant world in her first swadling band Before Philosophy was taught the way To rock the cradle in which Nature lay My Learning had been Husbandry My Birth Had ow'd no toll but to the virgine Earth Noâ— haâ— I courted for these thiâ—â—y yeeres Thy seuen proud minions with officious teares To liue had been my industry no tongue Had taxt thy honours guilty of my wrong Had I been shepheard on our Westerne plaines I might haue sung amongst those happy swaines Some shepheardesse hearing my melody Might haue been charmed kind as charity And taught me those sad minutes to repriue Which I haue lost in studying how to thriue Had I aduetur'd on the brinish fome And sworne my selfe a stranger to my home Till time the Haruest reapt my youth did owe And Ages winter had spent all her snow Vpon my haires what worser could I haue Then loose thy frownes to find a wished graue The Scythian hewne from Caucasus would aske â—efore my slaughter why a needles taske Of Trauaile I should vndertâ—ke to see Their Countreyes bounds and my sad misery But hearing my harsh bondage vnder thee Would thine vnkindnesse hate and piâ—ty me To see thy Child far seuer'd from thy wombe The Canniball would make himselfe my tombe And till his owne were spent preserue my dust In his deere vrne which thou hast sleightly lost Canst thou neglected see his Age to freeze Whose youth thou dandl'st on indulgent knees The fowle aspersions on my Deuon throwne Thou mightst in right acknowledge for thine owne Only this difference to men wanting worth They sell preferments and thou sends them forth Canst thou be brib'd to honour with a kisse Thy guilded folly which deserues the hisse If thy foâ—'d wants and flattery conspire To sell thy Scarlet to a worthles Squire Or grace with miniuere some proselite Who nere knew artes or reade the Stagirite Yet should thy hand be frugall to preserue That stock for want of which thy sonnes may starue Haue I seru'd out three prentiships yet find Thy trade inferiour to the humblest mind And that outstript by vnthrifts which were sent Free with indentures ere their yeeres were spent Then cease yee sisters of the Thespian springs Thalia burne thy books and breake thy strings And mother make thy selfe a second Tombe For all thy ofspring and so shut thy wombe Accuse not my iust anger but the cause Nature may vrge but fury scornes her lawes I fawn'd too long on Iustice Sith that failes Storme Indignation and blow vp my sailes Ingenious choller arm'd with Scorpions stings Which whipp'st on Pesants and commandest Kings And giu'st each milky soule a penne to write Though all the world turned a parasite O Temper my braines thy bitternesse infuse Descend and dictate to my angry Muse. O pardon mother something checkes my spleene And from thy face takes off my angry teene Reuolted Nature by the same degrees Goes and returnes begges