but also themselues practised such commerce as well for the benefit of their Common-wealth as the increase of their particular estate Two memorable examples we haue in Henry the third King of England and Laurence de Medices Duke of Florence whereof the former gaue many and large priuiledges to all the Hance Townes in his Kingdomes which were in Number about 27 The other himselfe for his owne priuate commodity exercised the Trade of Merchandize yet was this man most ingenious and a great louer of learned Men. CHAP. IX Of Pedography Riuers Lakes and Fountaines in the Earth 1 WE haue formerly treated of Hydrographie or the description of the Water now are we by Gods assistance to proceede on to Pedographie which is a description of the Firme Earth or Dry-Land 2 The Land is a space contained in the superficies of Earth distinguished from the Water The Earth in this place is not taken as in the former part of Geographie for the whole Terrestriall Spheare composed of Earth and Water Neither yet as it is vsually taken in Naturall Philosophy for an Absolute Elementary body whose causes and affections are to bee searched out but Topographically for a place or habitable space on the dry-land This dry-land distinguished from the Water by its Firmenesse and Constancy being noâ— subiect as the Water to motion and inconstancy was therefore if we belieue the Poet called Vestâ— according to that verse Stat viterra suâ vi stando Vesta vocatur Neither wants this fable of Vesta a sufficient morall First because Vesta was faigned to bee a keeper and protectour of their houses which may very well agree to the Earth which not only sustaines and beares vp all buildings and houses but also affords all commodities and fruits wherewith housholds are maintained Secondly Vesta was fained to be the Goddesse to whom the first fruits were offered in sacrifice which may well square with the nature of the Earth from which all fruits are originally deriued and therefore as it were of due ought all first fruits to bee consecrated to her altar Two other Parallels betwixt the Goddesse Vesta are added by Natalis Comes First because Plutarch sheweth in his Symposiacks that the Tables of the Ancients dedicated to Vesta were made round in forme and fashion of the Earth Secondly because the seat of Vesta was imagined to bee in the liquid Aire immoueable and not subiect to motion which well agrees with the common conceiued opinion of the Earth But these two rather expresse the nature of the whole Terrestriall Spheare then of the land diuided from the Waters This description of the dry-land separated from the Waters we haue termed Pedographieâ— because the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly deriued from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a foote signifies as much as a firme place whereon men may haue sure footing to which is consonant the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which seemes most probably deriued from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies as much as Terere to weare out or waste because the Earth is dayly troden and worne with our feet The proprieties of the Earth appertaining to a Cosmographer are many and various wherefore to auoid confusion wee haue diuided them into these heads 3 The Adiuncts of a Place in the Land are either Naturall or Ciuill The Naturall are such as are in bred in the Earth 4 The Naturall may bee againe diuided into Perpetuall or Casuall Perpetuall are such as alwayes or most ordinarily continue the same 5 The Perpetuall proprieties are againe twofold either Absolute or Comparatiue The Absolute I call such as agree to the Land without any respect to the Sea 6 Of the former sort are such as belong to the Figurature of the Soile wherin three things are most remarkeable 1 Riuers Fountaines and Lakes 2 Mountaines Valleyes and plaines 3 Woods and Champian Countreyes 7 A Riuer is a perpetuall course of water from a certaine head or fountaine running from an higher to a lower place on the earth Riuers are by some Geographers more curiously distinguished into 2 sorts whereof the first are setled or stayed Riuers which slide away with a more equall and vniforme course The later are called Torrents or stickle waters which are carried with a far greater violence In a Riuer three things are chiefly remarkeable First the Fountaine or Spring secondly Whirle-pooles Thirdly the Mouth of it The spring is the place where at first the water sensibly breakes out of the Earth As Nilus in Africke is thought to haue his first head at the mountaines of the Moone A Whirlepoole is a place in a Riuer where the water falling into a Deep trench is whirled teurned round The Mouth is the place where any Riuer finds a passage our either into the sea or into another greater Riuer which in latine is tearmed ostium or a gate Whence they call Septem ostia Nili which are seuen mouths by which it fals into the Mediterranean This gaue the name to many Citties and Townes in England as Plimmouth Darâ—mouth Portsmouth Axmouth with many others Now for as much as all water is by nature heauy and therefore couets the lowest place The course of all Riuers must needes bee from a higher to a lower place whence we may guesse the hight of lands For it is necessary that for euery mile wherein the water glides forward on the earth there be made an allowance of 2 foote at least in the decliuity of the ground For although water will slide away at any inequality yet could not the water bee wholesome and retaine any reasonable swiftnesse of motion without this allowance Hence we may probably find out the huge hight of the Alpes about all the places in Europe because out of them spring foure great Riuers which runne foure wayes whereof the two greatest are the Danow which receiues into it 60 Nauigable riuers and so disburthens it selfe into the Euxine Sea far remote and the Rhene Of Lakes and Riuers many memorable matters may be spoken all which we will reduce to these heads 1 Their Generation and first originall 2 Their Appearance 3 Their Place in the earth 4 Their Vertues and effects all which we will comprehend in these Theoremes following 1 All Riuers haue their first originall from the sea the mother of Riuers The originall of fountaines and Riuers on the earth is a matter of great difficulty and for ought I know not yet found out of our greatest Philosophers yet being willing to goe as farre as I can I will glaunce at probabilities and first set downe other mens opinions Some haue beene of opinion that in the bowels of the earth are hid certaine vast concauities and cauernes which receiuing into them a great quantity of raine-Water haue giuen originall to Lakes and Fountaines Hence they giue the reason why these fountaines are perpetuall Because the raine-water receiued into these cauernes being extraordinary great is sufficient to nourish such springs of water vntill the
the distance of two places in the same Hemispheare without the Equatour 255 3 Of the distance of places differing only in longitude in diuerse Hemispheares 260 4 Of the inuention of places differing onely in Latitude either in the same or diuerse kindes of Latitude 261 5 To find out the distance of places differing in Longitude and Latitude by the square roote 262 6 How to performe the same by the tables of Signes Tangents and Secants 264 7 To find out the distances of places by resolution of the sphericall Triangle 266 8 Of the Inuention of the distance by the Semicircle 271 9 Of the expression of the distance on the Globe or Mappe 273 To my Booke PArue nec inuideo sine me Liber ibis in Aulam Hei mihi quòd Domino non licetire tuo Goe forth thou haplesse Embrion of my Braine Vnfashion'd as thou art expresse the straine And language of thy discontented Sire Who hardly ransom'd his poore Babe from fire To offer to the world and carelesse men The timelesse fruits of his officious pen. Thou art no louely Darling stampt to please The lookes of Greatnesse no delight to ease Their melancholy temper who reiect As idle toyes but what themselues affect No lucky Planet darted forth his Rayes To promise loue vnto thy infant-dayes Thou maist perhaps be marchandize for slaues Who sell their Authors wits and buy their graues Thou maist be censur'd guilty of that blame Which is the Midwifes fault the Parent 's shame Thou maist be talke for Tables vs'd for sport At Tauerne-meetings pastime for the Court Thou maist be torne by their malicious phangs Who nere were taught to know a Parents pangs How eas'ly caâ—â—roud Ignorance out-stare The coâ—eliest weeds thy pouerty can weare When all the Sisters on our Isis side Are ofâ— sworne seruants to aspiring pride And our râ—â—owned Mother Athens groanes To see her garden set with Cadmus sonnes Whose birth is muâ—uall strife whose destiny Is onlâ— to be borne to fight and dy Prometheus is chain'd fast and cannot moue To steale a little fire from mighty Ioue To people new the world that we may see Our Mother teeme with a new progenie And therefore with thy haplesse Father proue To place thy duty where thou findest loue When thou arriu'st at Court thou long may'st stay Some Friends assistance to prepare thee way As in a clowdy morning I haue done When enuious Vapours shut me from the Sunne When all else enter see thou humbly stand To begge a kisse from thy Moecenas hand If he vouchsafe a looke to guild thy state Proclayme him Noble thy selfe fortunate GEOGRAPHIE THE FIRST BOOKE CHAP. I. Of the Terrestriall Globe the matter and forme 1 GEOGRAPHIE is a science which teacheth the description of the whole Earth The Nature of Geographie is well expressed in the name For Geographie resolued according to the Greeke Etymologie signifieth as much as a description of the Earth so that it differs froÌ„ Cosmographie â—s a part from the whole Forasmuch as Cosmographie according to the name is a description of the wholâ— world coÌ„prehending vnder it as well Geographie as Astronomie Howbeit I confesse that amongst the ancient Writers Cosmographie hath been taken for one the selfe-same science with Geographie as may appeare by sundry treatises meerely Geographicall yet intituled by the name of Cosmographie This Science according to our approued Ptolomie is distinguished from Chorographie foure wayes First because Geographie describeth the whole Spheare of the Earth according to its iust quantity proportion figure and dispositions which the principall parts of it haue as well in respect of one another as of the whole Terrestriall Globe so that it only vndertakes the chiefe and most noted parts such as are sines creekes nations cities promontories riuers and famous mountaines But the Chorographer separatly handleth the lesser parts and matters of smaller moment such as are hillocks brooks lakes townes villages and Parishes without any respect at all to the places adioyning as conferring them with the Sphaericall fabricke of the whole Earth Which by the same Author is well illustrated by an example drawne from the Painters Art For wee see that a Painter desirous to draw out and represent the head of any liuing creature will first draw out the lineaments of the first and greatest parts as the eyes eares nose mouth forehead and such like only caring that they may challenge a due and iust proportion and symmetrie one with the other not regarding the lesser particles and ornaments in each of these wanting perhaps space competent to accomplish it But if the same Painter would striue to expresse only an eye or an eare he might take space enough to designe out euery smaller lineament colour shadow or marke as if it were naturall for in this he cares not to make it correspondent to the whole head other parts of the body So happens it to the Geographer who willing to delineate out any part of the Earth as for example our Realme of England he would describe it as an Iland encompassed round with the sea figured in a triangular forme only expressing the principall and greater parts of it But the Chorographer vndertaking the description of some speciall and smaller part of England as for example the City of Oxford descends much more particularly to matters of small quantity and note such as are the Churches Colledges Halls Streets Springs giuing to each of them their due accidents colours lineaments and proportion as farre forth as Art can imitate Nature Neither in this kind of description needs there any consideration of the places adioyning or the generall draught of the whole Iland The second difference betweene Geographie and Chorographie assigned by Ptolomie consists in this that Chorographie is commonly conuersant in the accidentall qualities of each place particularly noting vnto vs which places are barren fruitfull sandy stony moist dry hot cold plain or mountainous and such like proprieties But Geographie lesse regarding their qualities inquires rather of the Quantities measures distances which places haue aswell in regard one of the other as of the whole Globe of the Earth assigning to each region its true longitude latitude clime parallell and Meridian 3ly Geographie and Chorographie are said to differ because Geographie stands in little need of the Art of Painting for as much as it is conuersant the most part about the Geometricall lineaments of the Terrestriall Globe clayming great affinity with the Art called of the Greekes Ichnographie whose office is to expresse the figure and proportion of bodies set forth in a plain superficies But contrariwise Corographie requires as a help necessary the Art of Painting forasmuch as no man can fully and perfectly expresse to the eye the true portraict of cities townes castels promontories and such other things in their true colours liuelyhood and proportion except they bee skilled in the Art of Painting So that this part is by some likened to that Art which the
suddenly a great floud of Water bringing out with it a great quantity of creatures and fishes of which being fatted vnder the Earth whosoeuer chanced to eat dyed presently The like is reported that at the time of the Mithridatick warre at a certaine city of Phrygia named Apamea there sprang vp out of the ground many new Lakes Fountaines Brookes and that one riuer sprang vp very salt which brought vp with it a great quantity of Oisters and other Sea-fishes although the city Apamea bee very farre off from the Sea This is reported by Nicolaus Damascene Also Cardinall Contarenus testifies in the second booke of Elements that in a cleare day being in Valentia in Spaine there happened a very great inundation of water breaking out of the Earth which being carried towards the City had well neere turned it into the Sea had not the gates bin shut and dammes well ordered Why this sudden change should sometimes happen many reasons may be produced The first reason may be because of some sudaine ruine or falling downe of some parts of the Earth whereby the courses of the riuers being one way stopped must needs seeke out a passage some other way This sometimes happens in great Earth-quakes as we may reade in Theophrastus that in the mountaine Coricus after an Earth-quake many new springs and fountaines discouered themselues Another reason not much vnlike the former is giuen from the Hardnes of the Earth which oftentimes stopping and hindering the naturall course of the water enforceth it to seek a new passage Hence the foresaid Theophrastus was induced to belieue that in a City of Crete the fountaines were stopped vp because the Inhabitants betoke themselues to another place so that the soile was not so much shooke and moued as before A third reason may be the wasting or cutting downe of great woods on the Earth for it is the nature of the Trees and plants to suck to themselues the Moisture of the ground into one place But these trees cut downe or remoued the waters course must needes be altered 3 Many Riuers are for a great space of land swallowed vp of the Earth whereof some after a certaine distance rise againe This is confirmed by many Historicall instances as of the riuer Timanus in the prouince of Aquilia of Erasenus in Argolica Padus in the Alpes more remarkeable is that of the river Guadiaua in Spaine which runneth vnder the ground for the space of 13 leagues and neere to a towne called Villa Horta breakes vp againe the like is recorded of Eurotaâ— in Arcadia which is said to breake forth of the ground in the Prouince of Lacedamon So Cadmus Asia is swallowed vp in a hole of the ground not farre from Laodicea So Piraâ—â—s in Catonia Licus in Libanon Orontes in Syria Other riuers are thought to haue found a secret passage vnder the sea from one Region to another As a riuer hauing his fountaine in the mountaine Meiaâ—es which being conuayed in a blind Channell vnder the middle of the sea comes forth againe at the port of Pâ—normus so others report of Alpheus which being drowned vnderground nere the Peloponnesian shore takes a large iourny vnder the Sea till it arriue at Syracuse where it ends in Arethuse which brings forth they say such things as are cast into Alpheus which is much like that which is spoken of the Well of Aesculapius in Athens wherein if any thing were cast they were rendred againe in Phalericus But this last I rather hold as a poeticall fiction then a true History Some riuers there are which are not wholly drowned in the earth but for some part aâ— a part of the Rhâ—nâ— which is hid about foure thousand paces from the city Cauba and shewes it selfe again before it come to Bonna in like manner a part of Danuâ—ius which hides it selfe about Greina a Towne of Panonia superiâ—r some riuers there are againe which are not drunke vp immediatly of the earth but of certaine great Lakes into which they fall as Iordan of the Lake Asphaltites some lakes againe hauing swallowed vp riuers as it were vomit them forth againe as Rubresius casts out Araâ—e in the Prouince of Narbon and so Lemanus the riuer Rhodanus in the same Prouince also in Italy Lorus cast out Abdua Eupilus Lambre Fucinus Marcia 4 Riuers for the most part rise out of great Mountaines and at last by diuerse or one Inlet are disburthened into the sea The first part of this proposition is manifest enough out of diuerse instances of the greatest riuers in the world for all Geographers will giue you to vnderstand that the riuer Indus in Iâ—dia is deriued from the mountaine Caâ—casus Tanais from the Riphaean mountaines in Sarmaâ—ia Araxis from Panardes in Armenia Po from the Vesusian Hills in Liguria Danubius from Arnobia in Germany Exesus in Norico from the mountaines Elachia Isara from the ridge of the Alpes toward France and Durias toward Italy from thence So from the Herminian mountâ—ines in Portugall are deriued three great Riuers So Nilus in Africk from the mountaines of the Moone These riuers thus rising are of diuerse kinds for some haue visible apparant springs and fountaines others are deriued from Lakes out of which they runne As Alba in Prusia out of Elbinga Medoarus Oxus out of two lakes of the same names neere the Alpes Rindacus from Artinia a poole besides Melitopolis The reason why riuers should be ingendred in mountaines and such high places may be giuen because they are made as we shewed before by the heat of the sunne starres and subterranean fires rarifying and attenuating the Waters And this operation of the sunne in higher places must needes be more effectuall then in lower Now for the second part it is plaine to proue that all riuers runne into the sea either making a passage from their fountaines on the land toward the sea shore as Nilus and Danubius with other riuers or by disburthening themselues into greater riuers wherein they are conuaied into the sea as the 60 great Nauigable riuers which empty themselues into Danubius or at least are swallowed vp of the Earth and so reduced againe to their first mother which we may imagin of the riuers forespoken of drunk vp of the Earth Although all riuers as we shewed fall into the sea yet not all in one the selfesame fashion if we respect their passage on the laÌ„d For some are caried into the sea by one oâ—tiuÌ„ or mouth whereof we haue two notable examples the first of a great riuer in Brasill called Rio de La Plate which is caried into the sea by a mouth of 40 leagues with such violence that the Marriners may â—hence draw fresh water before they come within sight of land The other not much vnlike is that which runnes by the kingdome of Congo Angolo which is six and thirty thousand paces broad where it enters into the sea and is caried with such a force that it seuers the
waues keeps his owne channell and renders the shipp-men fresh water betwixt the sea waters for the distance of eight huÌ„dred thousand paces Other great riuers are disburthened into the sea by diuers Ostia or Inletts as Rhene into the Germane Ocean by three Danubius into the Pontick sea by 6 Indus into the Iudâ—an sea by 7 Nilus into the Mediterranean by 7 great and famous passages Volga into the Caspian lake by 72 gates These are the most remarkeable others we shall supply in our historicall part 5 Diuerse fountaines are endowed with diuerse admirable vertues and operations There is nothing wherein Nature delighteth more in miraculous variety then in fountaines and springs of the earth Of these admirable workes of nature being infinite in these springs I will touch some Which the better to effect I will reduce all to these heads 1 Their qualities and operations 2 their motioÌ„s For the former we will produce some sew instaÌ„ces It is reported that neere the Garamantes there is a fountaine so cold in the dayes that no man can drinke thereof so hot in the nights that no man can abide to touch it There is another in India wherein a candle will burne There is also another called heretofore the well of Iupiter Hammon which in the morning is luke-warme at noone colâ— in the euening Hot at midnight boiling hot From whence againe it begins to asswage till the morning and so as it were by turne it growes hot and cold a matter of great admiration Some fountaines in Liguria Paphlagonia being drunke will make the head giddy as if he had drunke wine Another fountaine in Aranea a part of Arcadia being drunke will so affect the tast that who drinke it shall neuer afterward endure the tast of wine which was very like the fountain Clitorius whereof Ouid in his Metamorphosis the last booke sings in this manner Clitorio quiounque sitim de fonte leuâ—â—is Vina fugit gaudetque meris abstemius vndis The ancients haue also recorded that in Boeotia neere the riuer Orchomenon are two fountaines whereof the one gets memory the other causeth obliâ—ioâ— There is in the Iland Cea a fountaine making the senses dull another in Aethiopia whereon the Water drunken will make a man mad Some water absolutely kils him which drinkes as the riuer Styx in Arcadia being a venemous fretting poison and therefore by the poets fained to be one of the riuers in Hell Diuers other riuers are profitable to cure diuers diseases of the body whereof I need not bring any instances because such new-found wells are sometimes discouered â—â—ongst vs here at home There are 2 riuers in Bâ—eotia of admirable vertue whereof the former if a sheep drinke of it he will become yellow but if a sheep of a dunne or yellow colour drinke of the other he wil become white Riuers which make sheep white coloured besides are Neleus in Euboea Aliacâ—â—on in Macedonia Crathris in Thurijs so Cerius in Euboea Auxius in Macedonia Peneas in Thessaly will make them blacke 〈◊〉 will cause whitenesse in oxen So the riuer Astaces in Pontiâ—â— waters the land whereby mares haue their milke blacke Amongst the regions of the Troglodites there is a well which thrice a day will become sweet and bitter and againe returne to his former sweetnesse and so often againe in the night This may suffice to shew the variety of operations in these wells in respect of other creatures No lesse admirable variety is discouered in obseruing of their diuerse motions For some riuers ouerflowe their bankes at some certaine times of the yeare 〈◊〉 Nilus in Egypt Euphrates in Mesopotania Indâ—â— in Indiâ— some fountaines are carried with such violence that they cast vp stones as Mâ—rsia in Phrygia and expell any weight as a certaine one in Arabia whereof the like was recorded to be in Portugall some will swallow vp any thing â—â—â—owne into them as one in Portugall if we beleeue Pliny some others although they are cold will seeth and seeme to boilâ— aâ— the water oâ— the fire yet neuer cast out their water beyond their bâ—nkâ—â— but straight-way swallow it vp againe as Acidula in Albâ—gâ—â—â— and â—nother fountaine in Cappidociâ— named Tiaâ—â— some there are which sometimes rise and swell and other times fall againe of their owne accord as Crater of 〈◊〉 and a fountaine in Italy called Phâ—iana some wells imitate the â—bbing and flowing of the sea in all encreases and dimiâ—utions as one in Caleâ— and the other neare Burdeaux in France some are contrariwise affected to the ebbing flowing of the sea flowing when the sea â—bbs and â—bbing when the sea flowes as certaine Pits in Spaine some encrease and diminish without any consent or agreement with the motion of the sea as a Well in Tenodus an Iland neere Troy In Cantabria are three fountaines distant 8 foot the one from the other and falling into one Channell in a vast riuer which euery day are dry twelue times and sometimes twenty times others of their own accord purge cleanse themselues casting out wood clay durt and other matters wherewith they are defiled as a Well in the Chersonesus of Rhodes These and many more remarkeable instances haue our naturall Historians gathered together whereof though some perhaps may bee thought to be forged of Poets for pleasure or mistaken for want of good discouery and obseruation yet must wee not wrong Antiquity so much as to reiect all hauing in this subiect enough to wonder at in ourowne Country 6 Places neare great Riuers and Lakes are most commodious for habitation It hath bin the custome of all times and nations almost in the world to choose out for a choice place for building of cities their habitation neere some great Lake Riuer or Arme of the Sea which sprang from the common obseruation of Men who found such places to be more conuenient This conueniency is shewed many wayes first because by meanes of such water they haue quick passage and trafficke with other Nations being able with more ease both to receiue to send forth wares and merchandize Whence we see that such cities as are seated vpon the water are commonly of all other the richest whereof we may giue an instance almost in euery countrey as of Seuill and Lisbone in Spaine Portugall of all the Cities almost of the Low-countries of Paris in France whence no doubt grew that English Prouerbe That the Sea is a good neighbour which may aswell be vnderstood of any nauigable Riuer Secondly such a site is most conuenient for the purging away of all filth and excrements which could not with the like conueniency bee so soone transported by land whence many men haue laboured to transport riuers far remote vnto Cities Thirdly because such riuers and waâ—ry lakes yeeld store of fish whereby the Inhabitants may be nourished and other creatures the better preserued Fourthly no small commodity would accrow to a Cyty by water neare adioyning If it should chance
it seemes the same leuell This may for ought wee know be the originall of all Lakes and this also may bee a way or meanes whereby they empty and disburthen themselues being ouercharged with too much Water CHAP. X. Of Mountaines Valleyes Plaine Regions Woods and Champian Countryes 1 THe second variation in the figurature of the Earth is expressed in Mountaines Valleyes and Plaine Countreyes A Mountaine is a quantity of Earth heaped aboue the ordinary height of the land A Valley is the depth of the Earth between two Mountaines A plain is a space of Earth where there is found no notable rising or falling of the ground The distinction of the Earth according to it's externall figurature into Mountaines Valleyes and Plaines is very naturall because euery space or parcell of land in respect of the places neere or about it must either rise higher or fall lower or at least must beare an equality where the former is admitted there must needs be Mountaines swelling higher then the ordinary leuell of the Earth where the second is found the ground is indented with Valleyes and concauities where the third is to be seene there must be Plaines Here is to be noted that howsoeuer Plaines absolutely considered haue a sphericall surface for the most part especially if the Plaines be large because they concurre as circular segments to make vp the Spheare of the Earth yet they may be called Plaines because they so appeare to our sense which in so short a distance cannot perceiue the Sphericall figurature of the Earth Some Gramarians here curiously distinguish betweene mons or a Mountaine and Collis or a Hillock which is a little hill also betwixt Vallis which they would haue to be a low parcell of ground betwixt two mountaines and Conuallis which is a lower space only bounded on one part by a mountaine which Varro would haue to bee deriued from Cauata vallis but these Grammatical scruples are of small vse to such as spend themselues on greater matters because the ordinary vsual manner of speech euen amongst the vulgar will shut out all mistakes in this kind what deserues the study of â— Topographer concerning this shall be expressed in these Theoremes 1 Mountaines Valleyes and Plaines were created in the Earth from the beginning and few made by the violence of the Deluge It hath bin the opinion of some aswell Diuines as Philosophers that the violence of the Deluge hath extraordinarily altered defaced the Earth being the chiefe cause of Mountaines Valleyes therein but this opinion is contradicted by many reasons first out of the Text it selfe of Genesis where it is said that the water of the flood ouer-flowed by 15 Cubits the highest Mountaines to which may be added the Testimony of Damascenus who reports that in the time of the Deluge many resorted to a high mountaine of Armenia called Baris where they saued themselues which last clause although it expresly contradicts the holy Scriptures which speake but of Eight Persons that were saued yet it is a sufficient testimony to proue that such Mountaines were before the Flood and therefore not made by it Secondly had there followed so great an alteration of the Earth to cause mountaines as some imagine then should not the same places after the flood retain their names bounds and descriptions which they did before the flood the contrary whereof we find in that Moses writing of Paradice other places about 850 yeares after the flood was most exact in setting down the Names Limits and whole description of them as though they had remained to be seene in his dayes Thirdly had the violence of the waters beene so great as to raise vp mountaines in the Earth it would without doubt haue bin forceable enough to haue turned Riuers and haue changed them from one place to another cast downe and demolished the greatest Cities and buildings throwne downe and ouer-whelmed all plants and vegetalls on the Earth and as it were haue buried from all succeeding time the memories of the former ages so that little or nothing should appeare but this may bee proued otherwiâ—e by sundry Instances First that the Riuers haue still remained the same may appeare out of the place alleaged of Genesis where Moses speaking of the site of Paradice sets downe all the riuers of it exactly especially Tigris Euphrates out of the which we may easily gather in what longitude and latitude it stood had any thing bin altered in the course of the riuers it is likely Moses would haue specified it in this Historie that after ages looking for these places might not mistake or suspect the truth of his Relations Secondly that it hath not extinguished all Buildings and ancient monuments of the fathers before the flood may probably be coniectured by the testimony of Iosephus a writer of good credit who affirmeth that he saw one of the pillars erected by Seth the second from Adam which pillars were set vp aboue 1426 yeares before the flood accompting Seth to bee a hundred yeares old at the erection of them and Iosephus himselfe to haue liued some 40 or 50 yeares after Christ Now although we are not bound to credit all thar he relates yet may we trust him concerning such matters as happened in his time and that this pillar was set vp by Seth was neuer yet called in question but warranted by antiquity the like is recorded by Berosus of the Citty of Enoch that it was not demolished by the flood but remained many yeares after the ruines whereof as Annius in his commentary reports were to be seene in his time who liued in the time of Ferdinand and Isabella of Castile It is also reported by Pomponius Mela that the Citty of Ioppa was built before the flood of which Cepha was King whose name with his brother Phineus together with the grounds and principles of their religion were found grauen vpon Altars of stone All which are sufficient to proue the violence of the Waters not to haue bin so great to demolish all mountaines and monuments Moreouer it may be plainly proued out of the text that the Waters suffered the plants and trees of the Earth to grow and remaine as they did before because it is said that when Noah the second time sent out the Doue she returned with an oliue branch in her mouth which no doubt she had plucked from the trees after the trees were vncouered for otherwise she might the first time haue found it floating on the Waters a manifest proof that the trees were not torne vp by the roots or turned topsy turuy but remained fixed in the Earth as they did before Fourthly had the water suffered this extreame violent motion as whereby it might make many mountaines I aske whence this motion should come it could not bee from the naturall motion of the water which is to moue downward for what descent of waters can bee in a Sphericall round body where no part is higher or lower That
yet may the rest compared amongst themselues be ranged in a certaine order as the Second Third Fourth Fifth and so along till we come againe to the First being in all reduced to the number of 180 answering to 360 Degrees as wee haue taught So much for the Meridians 11 The Parallels are equidistant Circles passing from the East to the West directly I haue defined the Parallell Circles in a larger sense then former Geographers vsually haue taken it in as willing vnder this generall name not onely to include the Parallels commonly so called but also the Equatour because I see no reason why the Equatour being euery where equidistant from each other Circle should not suffer this acception The common sort of Cosmographers vnder this name would onely comprize the minor Circles which are conceiued to bee equally distant and correspondent to the Equinoctiall Circle so that all should bee so called in respect of the Equatour to whom they are said to answer not in site and position for as much as they decline from the middle of the Earth to the North and South but in Comparison and Proportion for as the Equatour is drawne from East to West and diuides the whole Spheare of the Earth into the North and South Hemispheares So the other also diuide the Globe of the Earth though not into two equall parts as the Equatour but vnequall These Parallels many wayes are distingushed from the Meridians first because the Meridians are drawne directly from North to South but the Parallels from East to West Secondly the Meridians how many soeuer they are imagined to bee concurre and meete all in the Poles of the Earth whereas the Parallels howsoeuer drawne out at length will neuer concurre or meete in any point Whence it must needes follow that all Parallels and Meridians in the Globe must cut one the other and make right angles These Parallels although infinite in number may bee in the Spheare reduced to the number of the Meridians because they are drawne through the opposite points and degrees of the Meridian Semi-circle which would make vp the number of 180 but yet for Conueniency they haue not painted so many in the face of the Artificiall Spheare for as much as so many lines and circles might beget Confusion Wherefore Ptolomy and the Ancients haue distinguished the Parallels on both sides the Equator North and South with such a Distance that where the day should increase one quarter of an houre a new Parallel should be placed So that the longest day of one Parallell should surpasse the longest day of another for one quarter of an houre By which appeares that the Parallels are not of one greatnesse but by how much neerer the Pole they are placed so much lesse are they and so much greater by how much farther off from the Poles and neerest the Equatour These Circles are of great vse in Geographie as to distinguish the Zone Climats and Latitudes of Regions to shew the Eleuation of the Pole and to designe out the length and shortnesse of the day in any part of the Earth 12 A Parallell Circle is of two sorts either greater or lesser The greater is the Equatour or equinoctiall Circle 13 The Equatour is the greatest of the Parallels passing through the middest of the Earth and exactly diuiding them from the Poles into two equall halfes or Hemispheares whereof the one is North the other South This Circle is called the Equatour or Equinoctiall of Astronomers because that when the Sunne passeth vnder it as vpon the 11 of March and the 13 of September it makes the Day and Night equall This Circle of Astronomers is esteemed the most notable being the measure of the Diurnall and most regular Motions The Laâ—ines haue taken the name and appellation of this Circle from the Day as the Greeks from the Night Wherein the Sense is no way varyed because the equality of the Day argues the like equality of the Night The two Poles of the Circle are the same with the Poles of the Vniuersall Earth to wit the Articke or North-Pole and the Antarticke and Southerne Pole whereof the former is alwayes conspicuous in our Horizon the other lies couched and hidde from our Sight It is called the Articke-pole from the Constellation of the little Beare in the Heauens neere to the which it is situated in opposition to the which the other is called Antarticke It hath manifold vse in Astronomy copiously by Astronomers And no lesse in Geography for without this Equinoctiall Circle no Description of the Earth can be absolute perfect neither any Citie or Place in the Terrestriall Globe or Mappe set in his due and proper place This Equinoctiall Circle in regard of the Earth passeth through the middle-most part almost of Africa by Ethiopia America and Taprobana So that it exactly diuideth the Globe of the Earth into two halfes the Northerne and Southerne Hemispheares so that these people which dwell vnder the Equatour are said to inhabite the middle of the world because they incline neither to the North nor to the South hauing so much distance from the Articke Antarticke-Pole of the Earth Moreouer by this Circle as wee will declare hereafter are noted out vnto vs the East and West part of the Spheare no way to be neglected of Geographers 1 Concerning the Equatour two things are to be obserued either the Inuention or the Site and Position The Inuention is either Astronomicall or Magneticall The Astronomicall according to these Rules 1 The Meridian being found out to find the Equator This is easily performed by the helpe of the former Figure for therein the Meridian line being found out as we haue shewed let there bee drawne by the Center E of that Circle the line AC making right Angles with the said Meridian which line AC will bee the true Equatour and will point out vnto vs the true East and West as A the East and C the West Whence it appeares that the two lines to wit of the Equatour and the Meridian doe diuide and cut the whole Horizon into two equall Quadrants 2 Without the helpe of the Meridian to find out the Equatour In the time of either Equinoctiall in some Horizontall plaine in the Sunne-shine let there bee erected a Gnomon then in the day time let there bee noted all the points by which the end or top of the shadow hath passed for all those points in the time of Equinoctiall are in a right line because then the end of the shadow is carried in a line in the time of the Equinox in a Herizontall plaine This line will bee the true Equinoctiall-line the cause is giuen by Clauius in Gnomonicis lib. 1. prop. 1. Corollar 2. which depending on many Geometricall and Astronomicall principles as too far from my purpose I omit 15 The Magneticall inuention of the Equatour is wrought by the Magneticall Inclinatory Needle according to this Proposition 1 Wheresoeuer at any place of the Terrestriall
many miles such places are distant one from the other For an example we will take the city Seuill on the Southmoâ—â— part of Spaine and Bilbao on the North-side the space betwixt those places being taken with a threâ—d or a compasse and applyed to one of the greater Circles will containe about 6 degrees which being multiplyed by 60 and so conuerted into Italian-miles will produce 360 and so many miles those Cities are to be esteemed distant the one from the other The end of the first Booke GEOGRAPHIE THE SECOND BOOKE CONTAINING the generall Topicall part thereof By NATHANAEL CARPENTER Fellow of Exceter Colledge in Oxford GENES 1. vers 10. And God called the Dry-land Earth and the gathering together of the waters called the Seas and God saw that it was good OXFORD Printed by Iohn Lichfield for Henry Cripps and are to be sold by Henry Curteyne Anno Domini M. DC XXXV TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE PHILIP EARLE OF MOVNTGOMERIE c. Knight of the most Noble order of the Garter and Steward of the famous Vniuersity of Oxford Right Honourable THis Geographicall Treatise consisting of two parts was in the very birth in such sort consecrated to your inestimable Brother as notwithstanding it so farre reserued it selfe to awaite your Honours fauour that Both may seeme as to share a part so to challenge the whole in my poore Industrie The Soule of man which some Philosophers imagine to be all in all all in euery part seemes to me no where better resembled then in your Generous Fraternity wherein the Soule of Heroicall Magnificence though Indiuided in it selfe so entirely communicates herselfe to either that both may seeme at once to enioy her presence while neither want If this my bold attempt in presenting to your Honours hands these vnworthy labours without any former reference might be interpreted intrusion it were enough for Ingenuity to pretend that your generous loue vnto our poore Colledge and the respectiue duty wherein the Colledge alwayes stands obliged vnto your Honour commands my pen beyond manners or ability Your affection to our house could no way expresse it selfe ampler then by trusting our custody with the charge of your choicest Iewell A Gentleman of that towardly wit and sweet disposition that Learning and Morality commonly reputed the daughters of time seeme in him scarce beholding to yeeres and to challenge a precedency before experience in so much that our ancient Mother markt out with all the Characters of age and declining weakenesse cherishing in her bosome this young darling seemes to resume her youthfull habit and triumph ouer Time and Ruines This happines amongst diuerse others vouchsafed by your Honour to the place for whose good opinion the best part of mine endeuours stand engaged hath encouraged my hopes to promise me your indulgent Acceptance of this slender piece long since intended and deuoted as my selfe vnto your seruice In which confidence fearing any longer to trespasse on your serious and high imployments endebted to your King and Countrey I humbly rest Your Honours in all duty and seruice to bee commanded NATHANAEL CARPENTER A TABLE OF THE SEVERALL Contents of the second Booke of Geography according to the speciall Theoreme CHAP. I. Of Topography and the Nature of a place 1 THe Terrestriall Spheare is euery-where habitable pag. 4 2 All places of the Earth haue suffered manifold mutation and changes as well in name as nature pag. 6 3 Places hauing long continued without habitation are seldome so healthy and fit for dwelling as those which haue beene in habited 11 CHAP. II. Of the generall Adiuncts of places 1 The manner how to measure the magnitude of a Region by the Diameter both according to breadth and length 15 2 Of the measuring of a Countrey by the circuite of it 17 3 The Measuring of a Countrey by the circuite is deceitfull and subiect to great errour 17 4 Those Regions are more exactly measured which partake of a plaine surface 19 5 How Countries are bounded 20 6 Naturall bounds are more certaine then Artificiall ibid. 7 Equall bounds containe not alwaies equall Regions 21 8 Of the quality of a Region ibid. 9 Speciall places are endowed with speciall Tempers and dispositions 21 10 Of the magneticall affections of a place as Variation and Declination 26 11 The magneticall variation is of no vse for the first finding out of the longitude yet may it serue to good purpose for the recognition of a place before discouered 27 12 The declination of a place being knowne the latitude may bee found yet not without some errour 29 13 Of the externall Adiuncts of the Aire belonging to a place ibid. 14 The disposition of the Aire Adiacent to a place depends chiefly on the Temperament of the soile 30 CHAP. III. Of the Adiuncts of a place in respect of the heauens 1 Places according to their diuerse situation in regard of the Heauens are diuersely affected in quality and constitution 34 2 Of the diuision of the Earth into the North and South Hemispheares 38 3 Northerne and Southerne places alike situate generally enioy a like disposition 39 4 The Northerne Hemispheare is the masculine the southerne the faeminine part of the Earth 40 5 Of the diuerse sections of the Hemispheares and the seuerall qualities belonging to them 43 6 Of the East and West Hemispheares 51 7 The Easterne Hemispheare is happier then the other 52 8 The difference of the East and West cannot worke any difference in two places by any diuersity of the heauens 53 9 Of the subdiuision of the Easterne and Westerne Hemispheares 54 10 Places situate towards the East in the same latitude are better then those places towards the West ibid. CHAP. IV. Of the manner of Expression and Description of Regions 1 Of the finding out of the Angle of position by some dioptricke Instrument at two or more stations 57 2 At one station by opticall obseruation to find out the situation of one place in respect of the other 59 3 Of the manner of translation of Regions into the Chart. 61 4 To set downe the Meridians and Parallels in a particular Chart. 62 5 How to set downe Cities Castles Mountaines Riuers c. in the Chart. 64 6 Of the fabricke of the scale of miles in the Chart. 65 7 The vse of the scale of miles set downe in the Chart. ibid. CHAP. V. Of Hydrography and the absolute adiuncts of the Sea of the figure and quality 1 Although the whole body of the water be sphericall yet it is probable that the parts of it incline to a Conicall figure 70 2 The water of the sea is salt not by Nature but by Accident 75 3 Seas absolutely salt are neuer frozen 79 4 The Water of the sea is thicker then the other Water 80 CHAP. VI. Of the motions of the sea 1 Of the ebbing and flowing of the sea and the causes thereof 82 2 All sâ—aâ— doe not ebbe and flow alike nor the same at all times
Expression and Manner of Description of Regions aswell in the finding out the Angle of position as Translation of places formerly found out into the Globe or Chart. Chap. 4. Speciall which contains the distinctioâ— of a place into Sea whose description is called Hydrography in which we are to consider the Adiuncts of the Sea which are either Internall which are inbred in the Nature of the Sea which againe are either Absolute such as agree to the Sea without any comparison of it with the Land Here we obserue in the water of the Sea 1 The Figure and Quality Chap. 5. 2 The Motion Naturall and Violent Chap. 6. Comparatiue which concerne the Depth Situation and Termination of the Sea Chap. 7. Externall which concerne Sea-Trafficke and Marchandize Chap. 8. Land which we terme Pedography whose Accidents are either Naturall which are againe diuided into Perpetuall such as ordinarily agree to the earth these againe are either Absolute wherein we haue no respect vnto the Sea Here we consider the Nature 1 Of riuers fountaines and lakeâ— Chap. 9. 2 Of mountaines vallieâ— and plaine-Regions woody and champion Countreyes Chap. 10. Comparatiue wherein we consider the Termination of the Sea with the Land Chap. 11. Casuall which seldome fall out such as are Inundations and Earth-quakes Chap. 12. Ciuill which concernes the Inhabitants of any place in whom we consider the Originall or off-spring Chap. 13. Disposition which is varied either accorâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 1 Site in respect of the Heauens Chap. 14. 2 Soyle Chap. 15. GEOGRAPHIE THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. Of Topographie and the nature of a place IN the former Treatise by Gods assistance wee haue treated of the Sphericall part of Geographie It will in the second place seeme conuenient to speake of the Topicall part of it 2 The Topicall part teacheth the description of the Terrestriall Globe so farre forth as it is diuided into places The nature of Topographie whereof we are to treat in this second part is discouered vnto vs not only in the name which promiseth a description of places but also in the differences set downe by Ptolomy himselfe betwixt the Sphericall and Topicall part the former of which hee cals Geographie and latter Topographie whereof wee haue spoken at large in the first Chapter of our former booke Here onely wee will note this one distinction that Tâ—â—ograhie may bee tâ—ken either more generally or specially Generally we may take it so farre foorth as it discouers vnto vs either the whole world and all his parts or at least some great and principall parts such as is an Empire Region Kingdome or such like More specially and particularly it hath vsually beene taken for the description of a very small place whose situation in respect of the heauens is not noted but of the parts one to the other such as are Cities Burrowes Townes Castles Lakes and Riuers The former whereat wee chiefly aime cannot well bee performed without the vse of the Sphericall part That latter we will more sparingly touch being an infinite taske in the whole earth to descend to all particulars which come in our way yet shall wee not altogether omit or neglect such circumstances in their due places so farre foorth as wee can leauing the rest to such Topographers who spend their stocke in the description of some particular place or Region whereof this our Age hath produced many deseruing high commendations This Science was anciently adorned by Homer Anâ—â—imander Milesius Haecataeus Democritus Eudoxius Dicaearchus Euphorus as wee finde in Straboes first booke to which afterward succeede Eratosthenes Polybius Possidonius and diuers others Which part requires little or small knowledge in the Sciences Mathematicall but challengeth more affinity with the Physicall and Politicall part of Philosophie and therefore is more subiect to popular vnderstanding then the former and may without it affoord some profit to the Reader 3 The Topicall part is either generall or speciall The generall is that which handles the generall Adiuncts of a place 4 A place is a superficiall space of the Terrestriall Globe fitted for habitation To the constitution of a place as it is here Topographically taken there ought to be a concurrence of two things which we may call Matter and Forme The Matter is the space contained or superficiall platforme of the earth whereon wee dwell The forme is the capability or aptnesse of it for habitation both which concurring together are conceiued to make a place such as wee here Topographically vnderstand for here wee vnderstand not a place Physically for the receptacle of a naturall body in which sense the Heauens and all the elements are said to haue their naturall places Neither yet Geometrically for a plaine whereon a line or figure may bee drawne but Topographically for the vpper face of the earth whereon people or other liuing creatures may inhabite This place as appeares by reason and holy Scriptures was more ancient then habitation For whereas in the first Masse the earth was inueloped with waters on euery side affording no place for dwelling Almighty God is said afterwards to haue separated and parted the waters from the dry land making the one a Receptacle for Fishes and such creatures of the deepe the other for a dwelling place for mankind and such creatures as breath vpon the land yet hath hee so prouided in his diuine wisdome that neither the Inhabitants of the land can well want the Sea nor the liuing creatures in the Sea want the land The one appeares in that wee are inforced to make vse of the sea not onely for â—ood and nourishment whereof a great part consisteth of fish but also for our Traffique and commerce with forraine Nations which is better effected by Sea then Land-voyages The latter is as easily shewed in that the fishes of the Sea deriue not onely their composition but also their proper nourishment from the land whereof wee shall haue more occasion to speake hereafter Now wee are moreouer to consider that a place may bee taken in a double sense first more largely for any place wherein a creature may liue for longer or shorter time Secondly more strictly for such a space of earth whereon mankinde may conueniently reside or dwell The former comprehends not onely the land but also the water for experience shewes that men in ships may for a time reside and dwell on the backe of the maine Ocean But the latter betokening a continuance of habitation is onely agreeable to the land Which sense howbeit it be more consonant to the common vse of speech yet for methode sake wee are inforced to vse the former vnderstanding by habitation not onely a place of conuenient residence but any other whereon a creature for a time may breathe and liue 1 The Terrestriall Spheare is euerywhere habitable It was an ancient opinion as we haue formerly touched that the earth was not euerywhere habitable namely in the Intemperate Zones whereof the one was placed in the middle of the earth
other in greatnesse as for example let there be imagined two Parallelogrammes the one an exact square of six foot the other a long square of 10 foot in Length and two in Breadth The one comprehends 36 square feet the other 20 as will appeare by multiplication of their sides the one into the other in which numbers there is a great inequality Yet notwithstanding if we measure the circuit or circumference of each Figure we shall finde them equall to wit of 24 foot as will appeare by their figures here prefixed For amongst those Figures called Isoperimetrall or of equall Perimeter that is alwayes to bee esteemed the greatest which is the more Ordinate figure which is that which commeth neerest to an equality of Sides and Angles But in Inordinate Figures of which nature for the most part are all Regions infinite errour may be committed if we measure them by circumnauigation wherefore to measure a Countrey more exactly it behooueth vs not only to know the Circumference but also the Diameter 2 Those Countreyes are more exactly measured which partake of a plaine surface The reason of this Proposition is easily shewed because a plaine Superficies consists of right lines But a right line as Euclide witnesseth is the shortest betwixt his owne bounds whereas betweene two points infinite crooked lines may bee drawne whence it must needs follow that more certainty and exactnesse is to bee expected in the measure of a Plaine Countrey whose Diameter is a Right line then from a Crooked and hilly trey Region where the Corde is crooked and gibbous Whence some Mathematicians haue demonstrated that more men may stand on a Sphericall Superficies as a Hill or mountaine then on a Plaine although both are found to be of the same Diameter It may bee here objected that the earth is euery where crooked and orbicular and therefore no part thereof can bee measured by a Right line I answer that the Earth is indeed Sphericall as wee haue formerly proued yet may some little part or portion thereof bee counted as a Plaine because such parts haue little or no proportion to the whole masse of the Earth This conuexity therefore being so little may passe for a plaine without any sensible errour Hence wee may gather that the Land cannot so exactly bee measured as the Sea For as much as the land for the most part is vneuen varied with hills Daleâ— and other inequalities But the Sea euery where plaine and like it selfe except the rising of the waues and surges which in so great a distance will make no difference at all Secondly we may hence collect that of two Countreyes of the same bounds and figure that must bee the greatest whose soyle and superficies is most varyed and crooked because as wee haue said crooked lines betwixt the same points are longer then right and therefore measure the greater Magnitude 9 Thus much of the Magnitude The Bound of a Countrey is a line compassing it round This definition is very euident in that euery Region is Topographically considered as a Plaine or Superficies whose bound is a line compassing it round for as a Line is bounded by a Point so a Superficies by a Line as wee are taught in Geometry Now wee must consider that the bounds of Countreyes may bee taken two manner of wayes First Geometrically for the meere line which is imagined to goe round about it Seconly Geographically for the visible markes and Characters whereby the line is traced out vnto vs such as are Riuers Cities Hills Castles and such like These markes whereby a Topographer noteth out vnto vs the bounds and limits of Countreyes are of two sorts either Naturall or Artificiall The naturall are such as are deriued from nature without mans appointment such as are Riuers Creekes Mountaines Woods and such like other matters which bound the extents of Countreyes The Artificiall bounds are such as depend vpon some constitution or decree of a man which so diuide one Countrey from another the partition being often made where no notable marke or bound is set by nature 1 Naturall bounds are more certaine then Artificiall The reason is because naturall signes or markes which are set for bounds of Countreyes are alwayes the same and as it were continued from the first creation and cannot bee changed without some great Earthquake Inundatâ—on or such like alteration in nature which very seldome happeneth and in very few places whereas on the contrary part such bounds and limits as depend vpon mans appointment may bee altered and changed according to the wills and dispositions of men as wee daily see amongst vs that ancient lands and inheritances are much questioned concerning their bounds and limits as also great controuersie is made amongst Geographers concerning the bounding of Countreyes and Territories anciently knowne and defined by old writers For names and particular contracts betwixt men in a few ages may easily slip out of memory especially when the possessours themselues as it often happens striue to extinguish and raze out the memory of former ages leauing behind them no marke or signe to tell the world their wronged neighbours right or the limited fortunes of their owne possessions 2 Equall bounds doe not alwayes containe equall Regions This Proposition is plainely demonstrated before in this very Chapter wherein wee haue proued of two figures supposed equall in the circumference that to bee the greatest which more neerely approacheth an Ordinate figure which wee define to bee that which commeth neerest to an equality of Sides and Angles So that two Regions the one round the other square may haue an equall compasse about and yet the former will bee a great deale greater in respect of the space therein contained 10 In the next place we are to consider the Quality By the quality I vnderstand the naturall temper and disposition of a certaine place 1 Speciall places are endowed with speciall tempers and dispositions That Almighty God who created the whole world hath not granted the same gifts and indowments to all Countreyes but hath diuided diuerse commodities to diuerse Regions seemeth a matter out of all controuersie For who findes not by experience one Countrey hot another cold a third temperate one fruitfull another barren a third indifferent one healthie another vnwholsome The like diuersity is also found in the inhabitants themselues according to that common prouerbe Valentes Thebani Acutiores Attici whence this diuersity should arise it is a hard matter to vnfold for as much as many causes herein concurre sometimes to helpe sometimes to crosse one the other yet will I striue as neere as I can to reduce them to certaine Heads by which a generall guesse may bee giuen to the particulars The first reason may bee drawne from the situation of the Earth in respect of the heauen and Starres therein fixed This may cause a diuersity of disposition two wayes 1 By reason of the Sun and his generall light and influxe whence in the Earth are ingendred
to bee ABC from the extreame Angles of this Triangle we will suppose certaine Rayes to bee drawne through the hole D into a darke place wherein shall bee opposed to the hole D a white Table or paper which shall be NM Here will a Ray from the point designing out the Angle at A bee carried through the hole that it will point out in the Table K because all such beames according to the Opticks are right lines Likewise the Angle B will in the Table designe out the Point I also C will fall into the point H Let KH IK HI be ioyned together by right lines there will appeare the Triangle IKH wherein the top of the Triangle A will bee seene in the lowest place K Likewise the Angles of the Basis B and C will appeare in the points of the highest place HI and the right side A C will shew it selfe in the left HK as the left side will be the right in IH wherefore the side of the whole Triangle ABC will shew it selfe in the Table NM although inuersely placed according to the sides and Angles and of a various greatnesse in respect of the distance of the Table from the hole The inuention hath great vse in Astronomy in obseruing Eclipses the beginning and continuance without any hurt at all to the sight No lesse vse may it challenge in Topography in describing of Territories Citties Borrowes Castles and such like in their due symmetry and proportion To practise which the better Reusner would haue a little house built of light Timber with a Muliangle Basis in euery one of whose sides a hole should be made looking inwardly at the vertex or top but outwardly at the Basis through which the species or Image of all such things a◠are visible may haue free passage 2 The manner of translation of a Region into the chart depends from the knowledge of the Longitude and Latitude 3 The parts to bee described whereof the chart consists are either Essentiall or Accidentall The Essentiall are either the Lines as are the Meridians and Parallels or the Places to bee delineated out by Pictures The declination of both which shall be taught in these rules 1 To set downe the Meridians and Parallels in a particular chart To shew the practise hereof wee will take for instance the Region of France an example familiar with our later Topographers and therefore can better warrant the description France is supposed to haue in latitude 10. degrees in longitude 16 This knowne you must proceede in this manner First through the middle of your table from head to foote let there bee drawne a perpendicular line expressing the Meridian of the world which shall bee marked with the letters EF let this line bee diuided into 10. equall parts then draw two Parallell lines whereof the one must crosse the said line about the point E with right Angles and the other Parallell must crosse it againe beneath in the point F with like Angles let the vppermost Parallell bee expressed by AB The neathermost with CD Then with your compasse take one of the 10 parts of the line EF which is one degree and set that downe apart by it selfe diuiding the same into 60 Minutes as the short line GH in the table here inserted will shew on the right hand Now you may learne by some Table or Mappe that the farthest part of France toward the North through which is drawne the Parallell AB is 52. degrees distant from the Equatour And that the South Parallell CD is distant 42 degrees Also certaine Tables in our former booke will informe you that to euery degree of the Parallell 42. delineated by AB doe answer 37 miles and that to euery degree of the Parallell CD answer 45 miles wherefore with your compasse take from the short line GH 37 partes or Minutes and with your compasse kept at the same largenesse let the Parallell AB bee diuided into 16 equall spaces correspondent to that widenesse that is to say on each side of the Meridian 8 parts at which Meridian EF you must begine your measure towards either hand both right and left marking the end of euery such space with a certaine point Moreouer for the South Parallell CD let 45 parts likewise bee taken from the short line GH and let that Parallell bee diuided into 16 spaces correspondent to that widenesse of the compasse eight spaces being set downe on each side of the Meridian EF So that wee must beginne from the Meridian EF and marke the end of euery such space with a point Then from those points wherewith each of those two Parallells AB and CD is marked Let there bee drawne a right line from point to point and those shall serue for Meridians expressing as well the longitude of the whole Region as of euery particular place therein seated In like sort as you haue diuided the Meridian EF into 10 equall parts so againe into the like number of equall parts must bee diuided each of the two vttermost Meridians on the left hand and the right marking with a point the end of euery such space and so from point to point let there bee drawne right lines cutting all the Meridians and those shall serue for Parallells and in the vttermost spaces let there bee written the numbers of Longîtude and Latitude The Longitude is supposed to beginne at the vttermost Meridian at the left hand which in both Parallells is the farthest Meridian Westward Now for as much as the most Westerly Meridian is foureteene degrees distant from the Meridian passing by the Canary Ilands from which as the first Meridian the auncients beganne their accompts you must set downe in the first place on the left hand as well ouer as vnder in the first space 15 in the second 16 in the third 17 and so orderly proceed through all the spaces till you come to 30 For the difference betwixt 14 and 30 is 16 So you haue the whole Longitude of France expressed in your Table which is 16 degrees In the like sort to expresse the Latitude hauing the degrees of Latitude marked out you must beginne at each end of the South Parallell CD and so proceed vpward in the two vttermost Meridians writing downe in the first space at the foot of the Table 43 degrees on the right hand and the left in the second space 44 in the third 45 and so vpwards along to 52 so haue you expressed the whole Latitude of France from North to South for betwixt 42 and 52 are comprehended iust 10 degrees These degrees may againe be diuided at pleasure into lesser parts as minutes according to the largenesse of your chart 2 To set downe Citties Castles Mountaines Riuers and such like speciall places in the chart The platforme of your chart being once drawne out as wee haue formerly taught in the precedent rule you may very easily set downe speciall places by obseruation of the Longitudes or Latitudes of such places either by
of the red sea were by the perpeÌ„dicular found higher then in the Mediterranean Moreouer it is obserued that the sea on the west part of America commonly called Mare Del Zur is much higher then the Atlantick Sea which bordereth on the Easterne part of it which gaue way to the coniecture of some that the Isthmus betwixt Panama and Nombre Dâ— Dios had been long since cut through to haue made a passage into the Pacifick Sea without sailing so â—arre about by the straits of Magellane had not many inconueniences been feared out of the inequality in the hight of the water The like inequality is obserued by Verstegan in the sea betwixt England and France For according to his coniecture France and England being one Continent heretofore and ioyned by a narrow neck of land betwixt Douer and Callais the water on one side was higher then on the other which he probably collects out of the sundry flats and shallowes at this day appearing on the East side as well on the coasts of England as of Flanders especially between Douer and Callis called by some our Ladies Sands about three English miles in length Out of which and sundry other probabilities he labours to proue that all the Low-countries were heretofore enueloped with the sea till such time as the narrow land being either by Nature or Art cut through and the Water allowed a free passage it became dry land but this point wee shall discusse hereafter in place conuenient 4 In the next place we are to consider the termination of the sea The termination is the bounding of the sea within certain limitâ— 5 The Limit is the margent or border of land wherein any sea is circumscribed The sea is bounded by the land as the land by the sea In respect of which termination some seas are called Maine seas others narrow The maine seas are foure to wiâ— the Atlantick which taketh it's name from the mountaine Atlas by which on the west side it passeth and diuides Europe and Africk from America 2 The Aethiopian sea running on the west side of Aethiopia 3 The Indian Sea hauing the East Indies on the North 4 Mare Del Zur or the South sea situate on the South side of America Which foure in respect of other may be called Maine Oceans The lesser seaâ— are either called Creekes or streits A Creeke is a place where the water as it were embosomes it selfe into the land hauing an â—ntrance large from the Ocean and most commonly streytned inwardly but no passage through A Creeke againe may bee diuided into the greater or lesser Vnder the former in a large sense may we comprehend the whole Mediterranâ—an sea for as much as the â—ea from the Mainâ— Atlantick Ocean by an inlet is ingulfed into it but findes no passage out any other way howsoeuer it invades a large territorie The lesser Creekes are againe distinguished into the Easterne and Westerne The chiefe Creekes found out towards the East are sixe in number 1. Sinus magnus which lies betwixt Mangus and India extra Gangem teaching as farre as the region of Chalâ—iâ— 2. Sinus Gangâ—ticus which is comprehended betwixt Aurea Chersonesus and India intra Gangem 3 Sinus Canthi commonly called Canthi-colpus 4. Sinus Persicus bordering on Persia and called by Plutarch the Babilonian Sea 5. Sinus Arabicus which is commonly called the Red Sâ—a 6. Sinus Barbaricus which by Pliny is termed Sinus Trâ—gloditicus at this day Golpho de Melinde The Creekes lying Westwardly are chiefly these First Sinus Sarmaticus lying towards the North betweene Denmarke and Normay which is diuided into Sinus Sinnicus and Bodiâ—us which is called commonly the Baltick Sea 2 Sinus Granuicus diuiding the Muscouites from the Câ—relij Northward it is commonly called the White Sea 3 Sinus Mexicanus bordering on the city of Mexico in America amongst these some would number Mare Pacificum or Mare Dâ—l Zur but this we thought fitter to call a maine Sea then a creeke being extraordinarily large in quantity A Strait is a narrow Sea between two LaÌ„ds of such Straits these were ancieÌ„tly knowne to wit 1 Fretum Graditanum or the Straits of Gibraltar of 7 Miles distance diuiding Spaine from Barbary 2 Fretum Magellanniâ—uÌ„ found out by Magellane which diuides Aâ—erica Pâ—ruana from the Southerne land 3 Fretum Anian situate betwixt the westerne shores of America the Easterne borders of Tartary Besides these there haue bin discouered 3 more to wit 1 Pretum Dauis found out by captaine Dauis in the yeare 1586 which lyes toward Groenland â— Fretum Nâ—souicum or Way gate neare Noua Zembla discouered by the HollaÌ„ders in the yeare 1614. 3 Fretum de Mayre found out by William Schouteâ— a Bauarian taking his name from Isaaâ— le Mâ—yre by whose aduice and perswasion he vndertook hiâ— voyage But some of these lattâ—â— streits here mentioned for ought I knowe may bâ—tter bee reckoned amongst Creekes forasmuch as they haue not as yet found any passage through though with great losse and danger they haue often attempted the Discouery Concerning the bounding of the Sea with the land we will insert thâ—se Theoremes 1 The Water is so diuided from the dry land that the quantity of Water is greater in the South Hemispheare of Land in the Northerne That most part of the dry land is situate towards the North will easily appeare by instance For toward the North are placed the great Continents of Europe Asia almost all Africa and the greatest part of America But in the South Hemispheare we find only a little part of Africa America besides the South Continent which we cannot imagine to be so great in quantity as it is painted in our ordinary Mappes forasmuch as all placeâ— at the first discouery are commonly described greater then they are The reason I take to bee this that the first draught is alwaies confused and vnperfect wherin a region discouers it selfe vnto vs vnder a more simple figure neglecting curiosities but after a longer and more exact search of any Region will be found in many places ingulfed with diuers Bayes and variously indented in such sort as the bound Line compassing it round making an inordinate figure and lesse regular cannot contain so much land as first it might seeme to promise Moreouer we may further obserue that those places which in the first discouery haue been taken for the maine Continent or at least for some greater part of Land haue afterward vpon more curious examination been found clouen into many lesser Ilands As in America Cuba in the time of Columbus and California of late thought to be a part of the Continent and so described almost in all our Mapps yet since by a Spanish Chart taken by the Hollanders discouered to be an Iland The like instance we haue in Terra del Fuogâ— which since the time Magellan was held a part of the South Continent till Schouten by sayling round about it fouÌ„d it diuided froÌ„ the main lâ—nd by Frâ—â—um de Mayre
as often it doth to be set on fire for hauing water neare it it may soone be quenched whereas many little springs cannot afford so much water as would suffice for such a purpose Lastly amongst other reasons wee cannot forget the pleasantnes of faire riuers which are no small ornaments to a City and delights to the eye of the Inhabitants 8 Thus much for riuers A Lake is a collection of perpetuall waters nourished with fresh springs and hauing of it selfe no passage forth In this definition of a Lake wee haue comprized these three things First that it is a collection of constant and perpetuall waters Secondly that it is continually fed cherished with fresh springs rising vp from the bottome Thirdly that it finds no passage forth into the sea or otherwise By the two first it is distinguished from a great Pond or standing poole called in Latin Stagnum For asmuch as a standing poole being commonly â—ed with raine water and hauing no springs from the Earth whereby it may bee long nourished is often times by the heat of the sunne exhausting it out by vapours either extraordinarily diminished or altogether dried vp Whereas in a Lake by reason of fresh springs the Water is perpetuall and remaineth sweet and holsome except by some other accidents it change it's disposition For the latter clause that a lake finds no passage forth it may bee two waies vnderstood either of a visible or apparant passage outwardly through the superficies of the Earth to the sea or of a secret and subterranean passage vnder ground The former may againe be vnderstood of a passage forth immediatly by it selfe or mediatly by some riuer whereas wee haue said that it finds no entrance into the sea we ought to vnderstand it that immediately it is not to be accompted a continuate part conioyned with the sea neuerthelesse it may be disburthened into the sea by some riuers running out of it as some would haue the great riuer Tanais not to haue his head or fountaine in the Riphaean mountains as the ancients haue taught but in a certaine Lake not faâ—re from the city Tulla so Volga Edill draw their originall from a lake not farre from Moscow with many others of like nature What to thinke of the subterranean intercourse betwixt Lakes and the sea wee will shew in this Theoreme 1 It is probable that most Lakes haue some secret intercourse with the sea vnder ground For the confirmation of this point there want not reasons The first reason may be drawne from the quantity of Water in most Lakes which is found without any great sensible difference to remaine the same without any diminution or encrease whereas if the water bound in with these limits should haue no passage out any way it should encrease to such greatnes that it would easily ouerwhelme the bankes To giue a few instances we find that diuerse very vast riuers exhaust themselues into the Caspian Lake as Volga and Edill which receiuing into them many notable riuers are at last themselues swallowed vp in the said lake In like manner the Lake of Palestine called the dead sea is known to receiue into it besides diuerse lesser riuers the great and famous riuer Iordan Heere would I demaund whether these great riuers perpetually casting themselues into a Lake giue an encrease to the former quantity or not if they should augment the water they would by consequence alter the bounds But this is contradicted by experience If the quantity of the water suffers no encrease it must needs follow then that the water should some other way be diminished as it is heere encreased This must either be by the sunne drawing vp some parts of it by vapours or by some cauerns of the Earth drinking vp some parts of it Or lastly by a subterranean passage into the sea Concerning the former it cannot bee denied but much Water is drawne vp into vapours by the heat of the sun yet that these vapours counteruaile the water perpetually brought in is in my conceit very improbable for against this quantity of water extracted out this way of evaporation I will oppose these three things which shal perswade a reasonable man that the water receiued in shall farre surpasse the vapours exhaled from it First that the vapours are stirred vp in the day time when the sunne is lifted aboue the Horizon at such a height that his heat is somewhat strengthned wheras all these watry currents neuer intermitting their vsuall course neuer cease to runne by day or night wherein is seen a double aduantage of the riuers in respect of the watry exhalation Secondly of these watry vapours so drawne out a great part must at diuerse times returne back or at least so much otherwise by rayny showres dropped downe into this Lake Thirdly these watry parts thus rarified and attenuated in vapour should putting this supposition in equality diffuse themselues abroad in such extraordinary manner that all the Regions round about should in all likely-hood suffer a great inconueniency of foggy exhalations On the other side it is very vnlikely that it should bee receiued into empty caverns of the Earth without passage into the sea or some great riuer disburthening it selfe thereunto For I would demaund whether these cauerns were euer filled with water or not if they haue been filled how could they receiue more water sith the filling of any place supposeth it to be first empty That they were neuer yet filled with Water is farre more vnreasonable that any man should imagine any cauerne of the Earth to bee so vast with so great currents of Water perpetually running in almost six thousand yeares should not replenish especially considering the bowells of the Earth not farre from the vpper face to be every where spread with Water round which might also helpe to this purpose Wherefore it cannot well bee imagined but that euery such great lake hath some vent or passage vnto the sea either by some secret subterranean channell or at least by some great riuer issuing out of it and so running into the Ocean Another reason may be taken from the currents of some seas which are by good reason ascribed to this cause For it is obserued by skilfull Nauigatours that the Water is carried by a very stiffe course from Propontis and the black sea into the Aegaean and from thence into the Mediterranean The originall of which current mâ—y with good coniecture be found out in the Caspian which by some secret passage vnder ground disburthening it selfe into the black sea causeth it to enforce his owne waters farther of for the receit of the other Thirdly that these subterranean passages are not vnlikely may be confirmed by many riuers which are swallowed vp some wholly some for â—ome place only of the Earth whereof we haue spoken before Also it may seeme likely by the Water spread round about the Earth which through the bowells of it find a passage from the sea bearing as