Grecian Territory Greece peopled Italic law giuing louing-glory By Italy was France by France was filled Spaine The borderings of Rhyne and all the great Brettaigne Ath'other side againe it sent a Colonie Beth to the Pont-Eusine and towards Moldauie So raught Transsiluanie Morauie Hungarie And Seruie farther west and east-ward Podolie Thence men to Prussie came and Wixell borders eard And that of Almanie that narre the pole is reard The first Colonies of Cham in the South 38 Now turning to the South consider how Chaldaea Spewes out in Arabie Phoenice and Cannaea The cursed line of Cham yet nerthelesse it growes The second And right betwixt two seas downe into Egypt goes So stores the towne Corene and that renowmed coast Whereon the punick Seas are all to froth betost Fesse The third Gogden Terminan Argin Gulosa Dara Tombuto Gualata Melli Gago Mansara The sparkling wildernesse of Lybie breeding-venim Caun Guber Amasen Born Zegzeg Nubie Benim The fourth And of the droughty soyle those euer-mouing sandes Where Iesus yet is knowne and Prestre Ian commands Who though in many points he commeth neare the lâ—w Yet hath a kind of Church not allvnlâ—ke the true How the north was peopled 39 And if thou long to know whence all the land 〈◊〉 large That vnder-lyes the draught of many asâ—â—ding barge All ouer pau'd with Ise and of the sea of Russe Enuironed about with surges mutinous Was coâ—â—-vnto by men thinke after they forsooke The â—laine where Tegill flood swift-running ouertooke Once and againe the streame of running-far Euphrates They lodged at the foot of hoary hill Niphates So forth of Armeny the field Hiberian The Colchish th' Albanick and the Bosphorian Ware furnished with men thence to the Suns Vprist The cruel Tartar went that roameth where he list All ore those quarters huge and thence acoast the Set Was stoar'd the land that Rha doth neare his rising fret The shore of Liuonie the plaines of Moscouie Biarmie Permie Russe Whitelake and Scrifinie 24 It shall suffise The Poet hath heretofore compared Antiquitie chiefly concerning the Nations Out-roads vnto a great forest wherein the cunningest guides haue often lost theÌ„ selues Now therefore he saith it is the safer way to follow and keepe neare the verge of the forest rather then venter too far into it He shewes thereby that his meaning is to giue vs a generall view of these matters not curiously to minse the particulars as they haue done who vndertake to gather out of Authors and teach others the course of Noes posteritie euerie mile as they haue runne vntill this present and pore still into the Arke to finde there the names of their countrymen and auncestours Therefore he voweth to relye wholly vpon the golden mouth of Moses which was the sonne of Amram as the Scripture witnesseth Nomb. 26.59 Now Moses saith Genes 10. in the ende of the Chapter That of the children of Noe were the Nations deuided on the earth after the flood And before in 5.20 and 30. verses he sheweth plainly from whence they began to people the world and as it were to leade againe the Arke ouer the face of the earth in filling most countryes of the world with their great posteritie encreased as it was by vertue of Gods wonderful blessing Gen 9.1 Encrease and multiply and fill the earth 25 Yet not as if Sems house He saith Sem peopled not the East all at once but by succession of time that Iaphet when he came out of the Arke did not forthwith runne to Spaine nor Cham to hide himselfe in the furthest part of Affrick but that by litle and litle and in processe of time their issues raunged so farre forth either way He speaketh of diuerse countreys far vp in the East and farre downe Southward the site whereof appeareth plaine in the Mappes and to enrich this true storie he vseth two prettie comparisons of the rockes of bees in Hybla and Elmes in an Island as by their surcrease both places are by peecemeale at length quite ouergrowen so he saith the world by yearely encrease of Noes posterities was part after part oâ—er peopled as it is First after the confusioÌ„ of touÌ„gs they lodged one behind another about the coast of Mesopotamia afterward as they encreased in stocke their new families passed the riuers hilles and straights looking-out other dwelling places to their liking the prouidence of God directing all as appeares for the better grace and trimming of the earth and the commoditie of all mankind 26 And heÌ„ce it comes to passe This ensueth necessarily of that goes before Where the posteritie of Noe were most together in the beginning there we must confesse was the chiefe sway and greatnesse of mankind and that was in Assyria and Chaldaea as Moses witnesseth Gen. 11. whereout the Poet coÌ„cludeth as afore see further Gen. 14. Concerning the kings warres that are there named with their countreys marching vpon Tigris or there abouts and of Nymrod it is namely said that the beginning of his raigne was Babell c. in the countrey of Sennaar marching vpon the riuer Tigris 27 For Babilon betimes Hauing spoken in generall of the first people their greatnesse he specifieth now the first Monarchie whereof it seemes Moses hath enough written in the 10. chap. aforesaid Now the best Authors many of these and the former times declare and proue by the account of yeares that the first Monarchie was in Babilon and Babilon was in Chaldaea wherupon some dispute for Niniuie and Assyrians some because these two great Cities began about one time had seuerall Princes and raigned both many hundred yeares they make a double Monarchie of the first vntill such time as the Chaldean had swallowed the Assyrian I take not the word Monarchy too precisely as if in the time of the BabyloniaÌ„ there were none other in the world Egypt began in good time to be of power and great kings there were in the land of Canâ—an and the countreys adioyning But I vnderstand with our Poet that the first rule plainlie appeared at Babylon euen in the time of Noe. Hee that would vpon this point compare profane Histories with the Scripture might finde matter for a long discourse the summe whereof may bee seene in Funecius Carion Vignier and other Chroniclers To be short I say the raigne of Nymrod mentioned Gene. 10.10 many yeares forewent all other we reade of and especiallie those of the Greekes Romaines Gaules c. as is proued plainlie by the account of time Thebes a towne of Boeotia in Greece it hath a spring by it called Dirce whereof the towne selfe among the Poetes is often surnamed Amphion a wise Politician who by his eloquence and sleight perswaded the people of those times rude as they were and vnciuill to ioyne together in building the walles of Thebes whereupon the Poetes to shew the force of eloquence faine that Amphion by the cunning stroakes of his Lute made the stones come downe from
Gomer and all his bandes and the house of Togarmah of the North-quarters They that expound the prophesie gather out of this place that the Gomerites were people bordering on the North of Asia and brought by the Kings of Syria and Asia to destroy the Iewes after their returne from Babylon They preased foorth of Asia and enlarged their dominions greatly as hath been saied for they were a very warlike Nation Of them the Poet sayth are come the Germanes so Melancthon affirmeth vpon Carion so doe others also and chiefly Goropius in his fift booke But there is great diuersitie in these outworne matters betweene the late and auncient writers A diligent conference of places in the old Testament and the ancient Latine Greeke and Chaldean translations serue best for the purpose next a carefull examining of the best Greeke Latine histories but this requires a whole volume whereunto the searches of Goropius being so well handled might affoord a man great helpe Concerning Tubal the Poet followes the opinioÌ„ of Iosephus that he was author of the Spanish which must be rightly vnderstood that is after a long tract of time For by the 38 and 39 of Ezechiel it seemes that the people issued from Tubal and Mosoch that were neighbours dwelt neare Arabia and were gouerned or led to war by the king of Asia and Syria And in the 32 chapter where is mention made of the mourning that should be among the nations for the king of Egypt there are named among others Ashur Elam Mosoch and Tubal wherby it may be gathered they were of Asia As for their Colonies and outcreases into Spaine they are verie darke and hardly proued Vasaeus indeed in his Chronicle of Spaine and Taraphe in his historie and others that haue written of Spaine in diuerse languages following Ioseph and Berose make Tubal first king of Spaine but sithence they declare not what time he came thither I leaue the reader to consider-of search further into the matter Looke the historicall Librarie of N. Vignier the first part page 15. where he treateth of the people of Europe Magog as the Poet saith is father of the Scythians his first habitation and Colonie was in Coelesyria as may be gathered out of the fift booke and 23 chapter of Plinie and the 37.38 and 39 chapters of Ezechiel At this time the right Scythians are the Sclauonians Mosceuites and Tartarians who vaunt of their descent from Iaphet This might haue bene by tract of time but not so soone as the Poet in the sequele Melancthon in his first vpon Carion takes the prophecies against Gog and Magog to be meant especially of the Turkes whom he calleth by the name of Scythians and applieth also vnto them that which is written in the Reuelation And in the end of his secoÌ„d booke he giues the name to all people that professe Mahomet I thinke my selfe that some while after Noes partition of the lands Magog and his people dwelt in Coelesyria or therabouts and thence by succession of time thrust vp into the higher couÌ„treys Now as the ancient people of God were much vexed outraged by the kings of Syria and Asia successors of Seleucus Nicanor and signified by the name of Gog who aiding the people of Magog Mosoch and Tubal their subiects greatly annoyed the Iewes then returned from Babylon so hath Satan in these later dayes against the holy Citie the Church of God stirred vp againe Gog and Magog many kings and Princes enemies to the faith who haue conspired together and made a League to ouerthrow it vtterly but th' Almightie in due time and season shall confound them Reade the 20 Chapter of the Reuelation and the 89 Sermon of Bullinger thereupon As for Mosoch Ioseph saith of him are come the Cappadocians and for proofe thereof alleageth a certaine towne of their countrey called Mazaca It may be gathered out of the 120. Psalme that Mesech or Mosoch was a neighbour people to Syria and Arabia which place the Chaldee Paraphrast expoundding vseth words of this import O wretch that I am for I haue bene a stranger among the Asians and dwelt in th' Arabiantents The Poet considereth what might haue bene in continuance of time how farre the mans posteritie might haue stretched Madai sure was author of the name of Medes whose Empire was verie great in the higher Asia they destroyed the Chaldean Monarchie as may be noted out of Ieremy 51.11 Dan. 5.18 The Thracians Ioseph saith and the Poet are descended of Thyras Melancthon thinks that of him are come the Russians but the Scripture speaketh not of his posteritie Plinie makes mention of a riuer Tyra in the Russian or European Sarmatia Melancthon Goropius and others call it Noster Coropius in his seuenth booke puts the Gotes Daces and Bastarnes among the Thracians as all of one stocke and speaking almost the selfe same tongue which also as hee saith comes verie neare the Câ—mbricks and Brabantish Iauan the fourth sonne of Iaphet gaue names to the Ionians who after with their neighbours were called Greekes and therfore the Latine interpreter translating the place of Ezech. 27.19 for the Hebrue Iauan hath put Grecia so haue the 70 put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the name of Greece for the same word As also in the thirteenth verse of the sayd Chapter and in the 19 of the 66 of Esay they both haue translated the Bebrue Ieuanim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graci The couÌ„try of Athens hath in old time bene called Ionie as Plutarke saith in the life of Theseus and Strabo in his 9 booke recites out of Hecataeus that the Ionians came out of Asia into Greece Now the Greekes as they were great discoursers they haue deuised a thousand tales of their first beginning but I let them passe because my notes are alreadie waxen ouer long He will noâ— eâ—ter into matter far out of knowledge 12 Here if I were disposd vpon the ground to tread Of that supposd Berose abusing all that read As he and others do well might I let you see Of all our Auncesters a fayned pedegree I boldly might assay of all the worlds prouinces From father vnto sonne to name the former Princes To sing of all the world each peoples diuerse lot And of the meanest townes to lay the grunsill-plot But what I meane not I as eu'ry wynd shall blow To leaue my former course and straight begin to row The Load-starre bright vnseene vpon the waues vnknownâ— Of such an Ocean so full of rocks bestrowne And Scylla's glutton gulfes where tumbleth equall store Of shipwracks on the sands and billowes to the shore Not hauing other guide then vvriters such as faine The names of auncient kings and tell vs fables vaine Who make all for themselues and gaping after glory Vpon one Cirons foote can build a perfect story 12 Now. The like is seene in many bookes of late times and auncient that treate of the kingdomes countreys and people of the world
Hochilega and other landes thereabouts Reade Theuet also the latter Card-men For the French Calicuza I haue translated Caliquas according as I finde it written both in others and in Ortellius who also hath for Mechi Terlichi-mechi and therefore I translate it Terlichi 46 They sow'd at'hother side Xalisco nowe called Noua Gallicia is described by Gomara in the 21. Chapter of his 5. booke It is a land very fruitfull and rich in honny waxe and siluer and the people there are Idolaters and Men-eaters Nunnius Gusmannus who seized the countrie for the king of Spain in the yeare 1530. hath written a discourse thereof and it is to be read in the third volume of the Spanish Nauigations The Prouince of Mechuacan from whence not farre lyeth Cusule is about 40. leagues lower southward then Xalisco that also the said Gusmannus conquered after he had most cruelly and traiterously put to death the Prince and Peeres of the countrie as Gomara sheweth in his booke chapter aboue quoted Mexico which some count all one with Themixtetan is the mother Cittie of that kingdome now called Hispania Noua wonderfull rich it is and strong and of high renoume built farre more curiously then Venice vpon a lake salt on the northside because it is there of a Sea-like breadth and on the southside fresh because of a Riuer that empties there into it Greater is the Cittie thought to be then Seuille in Spaine the streetes are passing well set and their channels in such manner cast as can not be mended Diuers places there are to buy and sell-in the needefull and ordinary wares but one there is greater then the rest with many walkes and galleries round about it where euery day may bee seene aboue threescore thousande Chapmen There is the Iudgement hall for common Pleas and were also many temples shrines of Idols before the comming of Ferdinando Cortez who made thereof the first conquest for the K. of Spaine exercising most horrible cruelties vpon all both yong and old in the Citie as Barthelemi de las Casas a Monke Bishoppe of Spaine reports in his historie of the Indies where he stayed a long time Looke the description of Mexico in the thirde volume of the Spanish Nauigations fol. 300. See also Benzo of Millaine his historie of the newe worlde the 2. booke and 13. Chapter Now from these partes aboue named after report of some wonders of many there seene and worthie a larger discourse by themselues the Poet drawes his Colonies down further towardes Peru by the Land-straight of Panama which parts the South-sea from the Ocean and thereabout is hardly 20. leagues in breadth The fiery mountaine of Nicaragua is by Gomara described in his 5. booke Chap. 203. so are the other wonders which the Poet here notes in his 4. booke chap. 194. 47 Then Chili they possest Gomara in his fourth booke chap. 131. holds opinion that the men of Chili are the right Antipodes or Counter-walkers vnto Spaine and that the countrie there is of the same temper with Andaluzie This Chili lyeth on the shore of el Mar Pacifico so also doth Quintete which I haue put for Chinca both neere the Patagones or Giants whose countrie is full of people and hath certaine riuers that runne by day and stand by night some think because of the snowes which in the day time are melted by the Sun and frozen by the Moone in the night but I take it rather to be some great secret and miracle of nature The cause why here I made exchange of Chinca was first for that the Poet had spoke before of the springs of Chink which I take for the same then because it is so diuersly placed of the Card-men for Ortelius in his Mappe of the new world sets it aboue and Theuet beside Chili in either place it stands well to be taken for the Chink afore-named but Mercator placeth it a great deale lower and on the contrary coast neer the riuer of Plata where indeede is a countrie called Chica that perhaps hath bred this error Lastly Quintete stands so right in way which the Poet followes from Chili to the Patagones that I thought it not amisse to take the same rather then the doubtfull Chinca By the fomy Brack of Magellanus he meanes the sea and Straight of Magellan close by terra Australis Gomara describeth it well in the beginning of the third booke of his Portugall Historie The Poet hath alreadie shewed how people came first on the North America from the kingdome of Anian ouer the maine land to th' Atlantick sea shore then on all the further coasts from Quiuir to the Magellan Straight along th' Archipelago de San Lazaro Mar del Zur Pacifico and now he takes the higher side on the left hand from the Land-Straight of Panama to the riuer of Plata which is not farre from the Magellan noting by the way the most note-worthie places of all this huge reach of ground represented as it is by our late writers in their generall and particular Mappes of the New-found world Huo is a great sweet-water streame rising at Quillacingas that lieth vnder the Equatour and running athwart the countrie now called Carthage into the sea at Garia Vraba is the countrie that lieth betwixt that riuer and Carthagene Concerning Zenu marke what Gomara sayth thereof in his second booke and 69. chapter It is the name of a riuer and citie both and of a Hauen very large and sure The Citie is some 8. leagues from the sea There is a great Mart for Salt and Fish Gould the inhabitants gather all about and when they set themselues to get much they lay fine-wrought nets in the riuer of Zenu and others and oftentimes they draw-vp graines of pure gold as big as egges This countrie is not farre from the Straight of Darien In the sayd second booke chap. 72. he describes also Noua Grenada and the Mount of Emeraudes which is very high bare and peeld without any herbe or tree thereon growing and lieth some fiue degrees on this side the Equatour The Indians when they goe-about to get the stones first vse many enchauntments to know where the best vaine is The first time the Spanyards came there they drew thence great and little 1800. very fayre and of great price but for this commoditie the countrie is so barren that the people were faine to feede on Pismers till of late the Spanish couetousnesse hath made them know the value of their Mountaine Cumana is described in the foresaid booke chap. 79. in the ende whereof Gomara sayth the vapours of the Riuer of Cumana engender a certaine little mist or slime vpon mens eyes so as the people there are very pore-blind Parie is described in the 84 chapter of the said second book Maragnon a Riuer which as Gomara sayth 2. booke 87. chapter is three-score miles ouer It emptieth at the Cape of Aâ—inde three degrees beiond th' Aequator but springeth a great way further
or bad-eyed because he lost an eye by ouer-watching himselfe in the passage of certaine great marrish-grounds into Hetruria Liuie 22. He it was that enlarged the Empire of Carthage by meanes of the great ouerthrowes hee gaue the Romanes but was after driuen out of Italie and in Affrick quite vanquished at Zama field where the Carthagineans were forced to yeeld themselues wholy to the Romanes mercie so had their Citie rased and their State vtterly destroyed The other Armie of the South was of Sarasens no lesse then foure hundred thousand strong led by their king and Captaine Abderame they set out of Affrick into Spaine from thence marched forward into Aquitaine and came wasting all the way as farre as the Citie of Tours there three hundred thousand of them with the king himselfe were slaine by the French who had for Generall the Duke or Prince Charles that for this great and happie victorie was after surnamed Martel the Maul because he broke and battered the force of that Southerne people as a great maul or hammer doth Iron Looke the Histories and Chronicles of France in the life of Charles Martel 58 A fine discourse vpon the 〈…〉 peoâ—le O world of sundry kindes O nature full of wonders For eu'ry part thereof as from the rest it sunders It hath not only men of diuers haire and hew Of stature humour force but of behauiour new Be 't that a custome held at length a nature makes Or that the younger sort still after th' elder takes Or that the proper Lawes of diuers-coasted Realmes Doe so much disagree or these enflowing beames Of th'vmour-altring Lights that whirling neuer stint Here in our mindes below their heau'nly force emprint 59 The Northen man is faire the Southern fauor'd-hard One strong another weake one white another sward Ones haire is fine and smooth anothers grosse and twinde One loues the bodies paine another toyles the minde Some men are hoat and moist some others hoat and dry Some merry and other sad He thunders out on hye This other speaketh small he dudgen is and spightfull This other gentle and plaine he slow this other slightfull Some are vnconstant so they often change their thought And others ne're let goe conceits they once haue caught He typples day and night and he loues abstinence One is a scatter-good another spares expense One is for company another in his moodes Is like a Bugger-bo and strayes amids the woodes One goes in leathern peltch another richly dight On 's a Philosopher another borne to fight 60 The middle man takes part of all the qualities Of people dwelling neere the two extremities His body stronger is but not his minde so franke As theirs who till the gleabes of Nilus fruitfull banke Again he 's not so strong but many wayes more fine Then they that drinke the streames of Donaw and of Rhine 61 For in the sacred close of th' vniuersall Town The southern men that ofte with ouer-musing sown And fall int'extasies and vse to dreame and poue That measure how the heau'ns by rules appoynted moue And are so curious none other knowledge base Mâ—y satisfie their mindes they hold the preest his place The Northen whose conceit in hand and finger lurkes That all what ere he liâ—t in wood and mettall workes And like Salmoneus with thunder-sound compares Hee 's for the man of warre and makes all cunning wares The Meane as knowing well to gouerne an Estate Sits with a grauer grace in throne of Magistrate And to be short the first seekes knowledge wondrously The second handy-crafts the third good policy Though some skore yeares agone Themis that mendes abuses Apollo Mercurie Minerua with her Muses Haue taught their holy schooles as neer the Northen coast As Vulcaneurs forg'd or Mars encamp'd his Oast Hâ—â—â— the FreÌ„ch Dâ—â—ch 〈◊〉 and â—â—anâ—sh nations dâ—â—â—er in many poynts 62 But eu'n among our-selues that altogether mell And haue of all the world no more whereon to dwell Then as it were a clot how diuers are the fashions How great varietie the Dutch of all our Nations Is stout but hir'd in Warre the Spaniard soft and neat Th' Italian merciles the Frenchman soone on heat The Dutch in counsaile colde th' Italian althing weeting The Spaniard full of guile the Frenchman euer fleeting Th' Italian finely feedes the Spaniard doth but minse The Dutch fares like a clowne the Frenchman like a Prince The Frenchman gently speakes the Spaniard fierce and braue The German plaine and grosse the Roman wise and graue The Dutch attire is strange the Spanish is their owne Th' Italian sumptuous and owers neuer knowne We braue an Enimie th' Italian friendly lookes him The Dutchman strikes him straight the Spaniard neuer brookes him We sing a cheerfull note the Tuscan like a sheepe The German seemes to howle the Lusitan to weepe The French pase thicke and short the Dutch like battel-coeks The Spaniards Fencer-like the Romans like an Oxe The Dutch in Loue is proud th' Italian enuious The Frenchman full of mirth the Spaniard furious Why it pleased God the worlde should be inhabited of so 〈…〉 63 Yet would th' Immortall God appoynt so strange a race Of this great carthie bowle to couer all the face To th' end he clensing all his children from the foile Of sinne which had as'twere bestain'd their natiue soile Might his great mercy shew and how the heauenly Sines A little only moue but not oresway our mindes That in the furthest partes his seruants eu'rychone A sacrifice of praise might offer to his throne And that his holy name from Isie Scythia Might sound vnto the sandes of red-hoat Africa Nor should his treasures hid in far-asunder land Created seeme in vaine and neuer come to hand But that all cuntry coasts where Thetis enter-lies Should trafficke one with oth'r and chaunge commodities The world compared to a great Citie 64 For as a Citie large containes within her wall Here th'Vniuersitie and there the Princes hall Here men of handy-craftes there marchant-venterers This lane all full of ware and shops of shoomakers That other chaunging coyne that other working gould Here silke there pots and cups here leather to be sould There cloth here hats and caps there doublets redy-made And each among themselues haue vse of others trade So from the Canar Isles our pleasant Sugar comes And from Chaldeaa Spice and from Arabia gummes That stand vs much instead both for parfume and plaster And Peru sends vs golde and Damask alabaster Our Saffern comes from Spaine our Iuory from Inde And out of Germany our Horse of largest kinde The skorched land of Chus yeelds Heben for our Chamber The Northen Baltike Sound emparts her bleakish Amber The frosty coast of Russe her Ermins white as milke And albion her Tinne and Italy her Silke Thus eu'ry country payes her diuers tribute-rate Vnto the treasury of th' vniuersall State Man Lord of the world And as the Persian Queene this prouince call'd her
the seruice of God But the Lord being mercifull vnto Abraham restored to him againe and kept for his faithfull children the first language which had not bene so much corrupted in the familie of Sem who parted not so farre from his father Sem â—ent toward the West 6 This countrey reaching foorth as rich as it is large From Peake of Perosites where doth himselfe discharge The stately running Ob great Ob fresh waters king A riuer hardly crost in sixe dayes trauelling To Malaca to th'isles from vvhence are brought huge masses Of Calamus and Cloues Samotra whereon passes The night-equalling line and to the waters far Of Zeilan breeding-pearle and goldie Bisnagar And from the Pont-Eusine and from the brother waues Of those Chaldean streames vnto the sea that raues With hideo us noise about the Straight of th'Amens To Quinzits moorie poole and Chiorzeke from whence Come Elephantick buls with silken haired hides That was the share of Sem for Gods decree it guides How and what nations came of Sem. 7 Ashur t' Assyriland that after some few dayes Chal Râ—zen Niniué their towres to heau'n may raise The Persian hils possest great Elams princely race And those fat lands where-through Araxes runnes apace Lud held the Lydian fields Aram th' Armenian And learned Arphaxad the quarter Chaldean 6 This countrey He setteth downe the lots of Sem Cham and Iaphet first in generall after meaning to shew the particular Colonies of each So then to Sem he allotteth Asia The proofe of these seuerall shares may be gathered out of the 10. Chapter of Genesis It is not meant that Sem in his owne life-time tooke possession of this huge plot of ground although he liued 600 yeares but the posteritie of his fiue sonnes ouer-spred it by succession of time as the Poet declares at large hereafter and a man may perceiue some token thereof in that Moses reckeneth in the foresaid Chapter the sonnes of Ioktan the sonne of Heber peti-sonne of Arphaxad sonne of Sem. Now before I shew the bounds here noted by the Poet in this lot of Sem I will set downe the description and deuision of Asia as now it is The map-drawers of our time differ in their order some consider it by the whole masse others by the sea-borders and parts best knowne which they recken to be nine those particularly deciphered in the first chapter of the 20 booke of the Portugall historie But this kind of deuision because it is more obscure and farther from my purpose I leaue and rest on the other which deuides the masse of Asia into fâ—ue principall riuer Ob or Oby the lake of Kittay and the land-straight that is betwixt the Caspian and Euxine sea The second is Tartary subiect to the great Cham which abutteth Southward on the Caspian sea the hill Imaus and the riuer Iuxartes Northward and Eastward on the Ocean and Westward vpon Moscouie The third part is possessed by the Turke and containeth all that lyes betweene the Euxine Aegean and Midland seas and so further betwixt Egypt the Arabian and Persian Gulfes the riuer Tygris the Caspian sea and the land-straight there The fourth is the kingdome of Persia abutting Westward on the Turke Northward on the great Cham Eastward on the riuer Indus and Southward on the Indian sea As for the fift part it is the same which we call the East-Indies so named of the riuer Indus and distinguished the higher from the lower by the famous riuer Ganges These Indies are verie large countreys as the maps declare and front out Southward as fâ—â—re as Malaca hauing besides an infinite sort of Ilands great and smal which the Card-men haue well set downe both in â—â—ps and writing Now see we the maner how the Poet considereth Asia He takes it first by right line froÌ„ North to South to 〈◊〉 from the peake foreland or cape of Perosites as farre as Malaca where he taketh in the Moluckes and Taprobana and from thence riseth againe to Zeilan and Bisnagar Then draweth another line from the Maior or Euxine sea on the West to the straights of Amen Northeast and toucheth by the way some few countreys most note worthy reseruing the rest vntill his particular description of the Colonies which followeth from the 297 verse vnto the 319. To make plaine some words in the text the Peake of Perosites is a promontory about the farthest part of Moscouy neare the Scythian sea where liueth as Cellarius reports of Asia in his great booke entituled Speculum orbis terrarum and Mercator in his world-map a certaine people which haue so small a vent for their mouth that they are nourished onely by the sauour and steeme of sodden flesh And about this promoÌ„tory the riuer Ob rising from the lake of Kythay groweth to an huge breadth and so emptieth into the Scythian or frozen sea The Baron of Herbestoin noteth it in his map of Moscouie and in his Historie saith as much as here followeth touching this riuer fol. 82. They that haue bene thereon say they haue laboured a whole day without ceasse their vessell going verie fast to passe the Riuer and that it is fourescore Italian miles brode Which agreeth well with that the Poet here saith and with report of Mercator and Cellarius so that by good right it may be called rather then any other streame the king of all fresh waters because in all the world besides there is none so large and this also is of a wonderfull great length for as the foresaid Baron affirmeth from the one end to the other to wit from the lake of Kythay to the frozen sea it asketh more then three moneths sayling The realme and citie of Malaca are described in the sixth booke of the Portugall historie chap. 18. It is neare the Equinoctiall aboue Taprobana so therefore Asia reacheth from the North pole beyond the Equator Th' isles froÌ„ wheÌ„ce are brought huge masses of Cloues Cassia are the Moluckes fiue in number Tidor Terenat Motir Maâ—hian and Bachian beset with diuerse other Isles Islets vnder and neere the Equator in the East which with their properties and manners of their inhabitants are well set downe in the 13 booke of the hystorie of Portugall Chap. 8. Samotra whereon passes the night-equalling line or the Equator is the Isle Taprobana Southward ouer against Malaca it is aboue 450 leagues long and 120 broad I haue described it in the fift day of the first weeke see further the history of Portugall in the sixt booke the 18 chap. Zeilan is an Isle right against the Cape of Calecut aboue Taprobana toward the East it lies North and South in length about 125 leagues and in the broadest place is 75 ouer There are taken out of the sea great store of pearles very faire and bright for the further description thereof see the 4 booke and 20 chapter of the hystory of Portugal Bisnagar is a kingdome lying betweene Decan and Narsingua the
mountaines of Calecut and the sea called the great gulfe of Bengala It is rich in gold which is there found in riuers Look the situation thereof in the Map of the East Indies and in the Asia of Ortelius and Cellarius The Pint-Eusine is now called the Maior or the blacke Sea at the one end thereof toward the Midland sea is Constantinople the Card-men call it by diuers names which Ortelius hath set downe in his Synonym By the Brother waues of those Chaldean streames is meant as I suppose the Persian sea whereinto Euphrates and Tygris both together empty being before ioined about Babylon now called Bagadet and so the Poet takes as much of the breadth of Asia at the West end as he doth at the East the one from Quinsay to Chiorze the other from the sea of Constantinople to the Persian Gulfe Concerning the straight of Anien the Cardmen are not all of one opinion Mercator Ortelius Cellarius Theuet and others set down plainly a good broad arm of Sea betwixt the Northeast point of Asia and America But Vopelius ioines Asia and this fourth part of the world together greatly enlarging Asia and curtolling the other contrary to the opinion of the Authors aforesaid and many Spaniards that haue written of the new-found world the reasons that may bee alledged in fauour of either side require a large Commentary Vopelius his opinion indeed cutteth off many doubts that arise about the enpeopling of America but Mercator and th 'others who are most commonly followed seeme to ground more vpon Geography and better to agree with the seas naturall sway and easie compassing the earth Arias Montanus in his booke intituled Phaleg where he treateth of the habitations of Noes posterity setteth downe a Mappe according to Vopelius this booke of his bound in the volume called Apparatus is ioined with the great Bibles of Antwerp But the Poet followeth Mercator Ortelius and the common opinion of the Cardmen of our time for Ptolome Strabo Mela in their daies had not discouered so much Quinsay which the Poet cals Quinzit is a famous citty in the Northeast point of Asia about tenne leagues from the sea built vpon peeres and arches in a marrish ground it is twenty leagues or 100 miles about and by reason as well of the great Lake-waters there as also of th'ebbe and flow of the sea it hath as M. P. Venet. reports in the 64. chapter of his 2. booke 12000 bridges of stone the most renoumed bound-marke of all Asia and the greatest city in the world if that bee true But Theuet gainsaith it in the 27 chapter of the 12 booke of his Cosmography where he describes the city and Lake with the riuer that causes the lake to swell hee sayeth it is not aboue foure leagues in compasse yet M. Paule affirmes he hath been there Chiorze is another worthy part of Asia set downe here for a bound-marke because of the strange Buls there as great as Elephants with haire as smooth and soft as silke Howsoeuer now adaies that country is nothing so ciuill as others inhabited by the posterity of Cham and Iaphet yet the fruitfulnesse of the ground and great commodities there growing for maintainance of mans life declare it hath beene in times past one of the best portions of the children of Noe. 7 Ashurt Assyriland Moses sayth the sonnes of Sem were Elam Ashur Arphaxad Lud and Aram The Poet here in six verses hath noted out the first habitations of these fiue reseruing afterward about the 300 verse and so forth to shew their first second third and fourth out-going ouer the rest of Asia Concerning Ashur it may be gathered out of the 10 of Genesis verse the 11 that hauing sorted himselfe with the people that now began to feare Nimrod and liking not to liue vnder that yoke went on further and in the countrey after his name called Assyria built Niniuy which a long time remained one of the greatest citties in the world as appeares by the prophesie of Ionas and other places of Scripture and Caleh and Resen not farre asunder which haue been long-agoe destroyed Elam that was the eldest seated himselfe by the riuer Euphrates neere the Persian Gulfe which now is called the Sea of Mesendin The Poet giueth him a Princely title because the Monarchie began betime and long continued ther-abouts where also raigneth still the Sophi a great Emperor and deadly enemie of the Turks The Riuer Araxes is described by Ptolome in his third Mappe of Asia where hee makes it spring from the foote of Pariard which some men take for the hill Taurus and so passing Scapene Soducene Colthene to emptie into the Caspian sea These countries are very rich and therefore the Poet cals them fat lands Lud hauing passed the Riuer composed of Tygris and Euphrates which straight after void into the Gulfe had Elam on the North the two Riuers ioyned and the Gulfe on the East and on the West the Marches of Seba which is the vpper part of Arabia The Poet here alloueth him the Lydian fields if by Lydia bee vnderstood that part of the lesser Asia called Meâ—nia by Ptolome Herodote and Plinie Lud should haue wandered further then the other foure brothers Moses reports not any thing of his Colonies and his farre going may bee the cause for according to the Poet hee should haue coasted vp as farre as Aeolia and the Midland sea The seat of Aram is Mesopotamia to wit the countries about Babylon and the mountaines of Armenia which were after called by the name of Taurus This also containeth Syria and the great Armenia betwixt the which runneth Euphrates Arphaxad passing Euphrates staied in Chaldea and for that Astronomy and other excellent arts there chiefly flourished the Poet surnameth him the Learned which appertaineth also vnto him in regard of the true doctrine maintayned by his posteritie and after some corruption reformed in the house of Abraham whom the Lord remooued from Vr of the Chaldeans into Syria Cham goes to the â—â—â—â—paâ—â—s 8 C ham Lord was of the land that Southward is beset With scorch'd Guineas waues and those of Guagamet Of Benin Cefala Botongas Concritan That fruitfull is of droogs to poison beast or man Northward it fronts the sea from Abile pent betweene The barren Affricke shoare and Europe fruitfull-greene And on the Westerne coast where Phoebus drownes his light Thrusts out the Cape of Fesse the greene Cape and the white And hath on th' other side whence comes the sunne from sleepe Th' Arabike seas and all the blood-resembling Deepe Nay all the land betwixt the Liban mountaine spred And Aden waues betwixt the Persicke and the Red This mighty Southerne Prince commanding far and wide Vnto the regiment and scept'r of Affricke tide 9 Canan one of his sonnes began to build and dwell â—ow and what â—â—â—â—ns are deâ—â—â—ded of Cham By lordans gentle streame whereas great Israell Was after to be plac'd Phut peopled Lybia Mizraijm
Melancthon and Peucer set them first in Saâ—onâ—e Paulus Diaconus the Poet and others in Scandinanie or Schonland a great near-Isle of the Sound or Baltike Sea from wheÌ„ce they might come in by the banks of Albis all or some of them and some by the coast of Mekelberg c. For Paulus Diaconus in his first booke 2. chap saith of this people they encreased so fast in their foresaid country that they were faine to part themselues into three companies and cost lots which of them should go seeke another seate This I say to shew the Poets cuÌ„ning drift that in so few lines hath set down matter enough for any man to write-on whole volumes of bookes Thus then to follow the Poet the first notable and fast aboad of the Lowbardes who came from the Gothes and Vandalles was Schonland whence a part of them dislodging vnder the conduct of Ibor and Agio setled in Scoring which is about the marches of Liuonia and Prussia and after they had there dwelt certaine yeares were constrained by a dearth to seeke further so as they came to Mauringia and at length to Rugiland and the countreis neare adioyning which Paulus Diaconus setteth down by name There after the death of their leaders they chose Agilmond for their king He had raigned 33. yeares wheÌ„ the Bulgares a neighbour people assailing theÌ„ vnawares stue king Agilmond After him was chosen Lamisson for king who to reuenge the death of his predecessour made warre with the Bulgares got and held a part of Polongne then waxing wearie of that countrey he led his people toward the Rhine to the coast of the Countie Palatine as Tacitus notes in his second booke of Histories Velleius Paterc in the life of Tiberius About Heidelberg there is a towne called Lamberten which seemes to make somewhat for the Lombardes aboad there so saith Lazius But manie yeares after they coasted backe againe and dwelt in Morauie where they warred against the Herules Sucues Gepides Then went they vp into Hungarie vnder the safe-conduit of the Emperour Iustinian to whom they payd tribut as Procopius Paulus Diaconus declare at large There had they cruell war with the Gepides but at length agreed and ioyned with them and vnderstanding by the practise of Narses that Italie was a couÌ„trey much fitting their nature their king Alboin made a roade thereinto and got Lombardie before called Insubria there they rested raigned two hundred yeares vntill Charles the great vanquisht them as is before said 21 Such was the Goth. Lazius in the tenth booke of his Mygrations hath handled well and largely the Historie of Gothes gathered out of Procopius lornandes Tacitus Claudianus Olaus Magnus Eutropius and many others I wil shut vp all in short and by way of Paraphrase vpon the Poets verse The Gothes and Almaine people had for their first assured seat the Isles of the Sound or Baltike Sea Gothland yet retaines the name of theÌ„ In Syllaes time they left these Isles came to dwell in Almaine beside the riuer Vistula now called Wixel After they had warred there against the FreÌ„chmeÌ„ they bent toward TraÌ„ssiluania Hungaria and Valachia where they remained vntill the time of Valintinian maintaining themselues by force of armes against the Greekes Romanes Then for many causes alledged by Lazius they went forward into Thrace and there dwelt and became tributaries vnto Valentinian and â—alens Eutropius saith all went not thither but a good paâ—t of them kept their former place and the cause of their sundring was a ciuill disagreement about religion the one side retaining Heathenisme vnder Athalaricke their king the other vnder Fridigerne mingling with Christenisme the abhominable heresie of Arrius which taketh quite away the true religion of Christ The Arrians drew toward the West were after called Visigothes or Westgothes the other to the contrary and were called Ostrogothes or Eastgothes who out of Thrace moued into Hungarie and the countreys adioyning where they had much adoe with the Romaine Emperours as Lazius well recordeth at last they got Sclauonia and all forward vnto the Adriaticke Sea there growing to a mightie number they determined to set on Italie vnder the commaund of Radaguise their king in the time of Theodosius the first sonne of Arcadius Their armie was in number aboue CC. thousand strong but by the speciall grace of God they were ouerthrowen captiued and sold most for ducats a peece their king slaine and all scattered into diuerse countreis but in the time of Honorius Alaricke the king of Westgothes made another volage and entring into Italie asked the Emperour a place to dwell on hauing obtained the coast that marcheth vpon Fraunce as hee was going thitherward with his companie vpon Easter day one of the captaines of Stilico set vpon him and taking him so at disaduantage by treason slue a great number of the Goths They stirred vp with anger and disdaine of such vnfaithfull dealing of Romaines make backe to Rome wast Italie and in the moneth of September 1164. beleaguer and take the Citie and three dayes after depart thence loaden with the spoile As Alaricke was marching toward Rome there appeared a reuerend personage vnto him and aduised him since hee would be counted a Christian that hee should not make such hauock as hee did whereunto the king answered it is not my desire to goe to Rome but euerie day am I forced by some one I know not who that still cryeth vnto me Go on go on and destroy Rome As the Gothes retired Alaricke dyed and Athaulph succeeded him who led them backe to Rome again So they went through with their saccage and led away captiue Galla Placidia the sister of Honorius whom Athaulph married He was after slaine of his own people at Barcelona in Spaine for seeking peace for his wiues sake with Honorius The third road they made into Italie was vnder the commaund of Vidimer but they were encountred and beaten backe by Glycerius as Iornandes writeth and so they preassed againe vpon the French and Spanish nations Afterward the Gothes of Sclauonia wearie of easie liuing got leaue of the Emperour Zeno and entred Italie and ouercame Odoacer the Exarch of Rauenna and there held estate for many yeares At leÌ„gth about the yeare of Christ 411. in the time of Honorius they seated themselues in Spaine vnder Alaricke and his successours Now during the time of their aboad neare the Meoticke marshes they had nine kings while they remained in Gothland which is now deuided into the East and West Gothie betwixt Swethland and Norway they had 28. kings and 10. about the bankes of Wixel and in Transsiluania and Sclauonia 26. After that being sundred into Eastgothes and Westgothes the Eastgothes had in Italy 11. kings from Alaricke to Teias who with the greater part of his people was ouerthrowen by Narses The Westgoths in LioÌ„ Gaule in Languedoc and Guien had 6. kings and the kings of Westgothes in Spaine from Alaricke in
Omagu Caribana Then by Maragnon dwelt then entred fierce Bresile Then Plata's leuell fields where flowes another Nile The third Answâ—re 48 Moreouer one may say that Picne by Gronland The Land of Labour was by Brittish Izerland Replenished with men as eck by Terminan By Tombut and Melli the shore of Corican 40 But all this other world This is the first of the foresayde questions how it came to passe that the new world discouered in these latter times could be so replenished with people as the Spaniards who haue thereof written very much did finde it He speaketh of the West Jndia which is called another world or the new world for the hugenes thereof being more then 9300. leagues about as Gomara saith in his Indian Historie 1. book 12. chap. it is longer then all the other three parts of the world and two or three waies as broad as Asia and Europe laide together This quarter so great and full of kingdomes and people if it haue been long agone inhabited how hap saith our Poet the Persians Greekes and Romans who vndertooke so many farre voyages came neuer there nor once heard thereof For Ptolomee Strabo Mela and other auncient writers make no mention of it and if it were peopled but of late yeares he asketh how came so many people there so many great cities and stately monuments as Gomara Benzo Cieque Ouiede Cortes and others write of Benzo and Barthelemi de las Casas doe report that in that little the Spaniards haue there gotten within these 30. or 40. yeres they haue slaine aboue twentie millions of people vndone and brought to great distresse as many or more and wasted and vnpeopled twise as much ground as is contained in Europe and a part of Asia to that Neuerthelesse in many places and euen in Mexico New Spaine and Peru where they haue vsed all the crueltie wickednes and villanie that mans heart or the diuels rage could imagine there are yet liuing many thousand Indians Concerning the auncient Monuments of this new world I will reckon at this time but one of theÌ„ taken out of the fourth booke and 194. chapter of Gomara there are saith hee in Peru two great high-waies reaching the one through the hilles the other ouer the plaines froÌ„ Quito to Cusco which is aboue 500. leagues out right a worke so great and chargeable that it is well worthie noting that ouer the plaines is 25. foote broad and walled on either side and hath little brookes running along in it with store of the trees called Molli planted on the bankes The other is of like breadth cutting thorough the rocks and filling vp the lower grounds with stone worke for they are both of them leuell without mounting or descending any hill straight without stopping at any lake or poole In a word whosoeuer hath seene either of them will say it is a work farre surpassing all the great buildings and paued causies of the Romanes or the walles of Babylon built by Queene Semyramis or those most wonderfull Pyramides of Aegypt Guaynacapa a certaine king of the Indians who liued about 100. yeares agoe caused these wayes to be repayred and enlarged but he was not the first beginner of them as some would make vs beleeue for he could not haue finished them in all his life time and the stone-worke seemes to be much more ancient There are built vpon them a dayes iourney asunder many goodly pallaces called Tambos wherein the Court and armies of the Princes wont to lodge But Gomara sayth our Spanyards haue by their ciuil warres vtterly destroyed these causies and cut them asunder in many places that they might not come one to the other yea the Indians themselues haue broke-off and seuered their parts in time of warre Now let vs heare the Poets answere 41 VVhat then alas belike His first answere is that the people of the West Indies fell not out of the ayre as many little frogges doe in a warme shower framed by the vertue of the Sunne of the dust or vapours arising out of the earth nor that they grew not out of the ground like rootes or plants nor by any straunge and vaine inchantment as of the Serpents teeth sowne by Cadmus the Poets faine grew souldiers in complet harnesse But these they are men well-featured stout and long-liuing chiefly in the North and South-parts of the countrie where both men and women in stature strength and continuance farre excell the people of Europe Asia and Affrick The coÌ„modities they haue for health their meat drink and dwelling their ceremonies ciuil gouernment other properties duly noted by the Historians make very good proofe of the Poets saying 42 Indeed this mightie ground This new-found world is called America of the name of Americus Vespusius a certaine famous Pilot of Florence one of the first discouerers of the countrie not much more then a hundred yeares agoe His second answere is that this part of the world could not bee so soone enhabited as the other three because it is discoasted further from the plaine of Sennaar for in Asia the plaine it selfe was And Arabia being peopled Affrick was very neere at hand and Europe from the lesser Asia is parted but with a narrow Phare whereas America is farre beyond all these which way soeuer we coast He calleth Europe a learned Soyle tow'r-bearing louing-right for the number of learned men and cunning Artisans of kingdoms and states well gouerned and Fortresses that are there That after Iupiter his deer-beloued hight to weet Europa that was the daughter of Agenor king of Phaenicia For the prophane Poets faine their great god being in loue with her to haue taken the shape of a Bull and on his backe to haue carried her ouer Hellespont and therefore the place where he first landed her was called by her name From this fable seemes to be drawne the name of Bosphore which is as much to say as Bull-ferrie Perhaps this Iupiter was some notable pyrate or tyrant thereabout raigning who in a Ship called the Bull stole away some yong Lady fled for safetie into Europe These words which from cold Bosphors head Doth reach the pearly dew of Tithons saffran bed set down the length of Asia that is from the Bosphore of Thrace vnto the East-Ocean The Castile armes and lore that is the Spanish Religion and forces which Christopher Columbus brought first into America and there planted in the name of the Spanish king 43 But there the buildings The third answere is that the stately buildings infinite treasures diuers gouernements that are there will witnes that the countrie hath been long enhabited although hard it is to learne how I haue alreadie spoke of the great Causeyes of Peru. Now the sumptuousnes of Themixtetan the great citie of the kingdome of Mexico and the kings Pallaces of Peru such they are described by the Spaniards make further proofe of the Poets saying As forth vncountable wealth of the Indies it plainely
Chaines And that her stomachers her plate this that her traines Man may the like professe what Desert so vntrad What Hill so wild and waste what Region so bad Or what so wrackefull Sea or what so barren Shore From North to South appeers but payes him euermore Some kinde of yearly rent and grudging not his glory Vnto his happy life becomes contributorie A particular declaration of the great vse of some vnlikely creatures against the Atheist who saith they are to 〈◊〉 vse or â—â—ade by chance 65 These moores enameled where many rooshing brookes Enchase their winding wayes with glassie wauing crookes They stand for Garden-plots their herbage ere it fades Twise yearely sets on worke our two-hand mowing blades The plaine feilde Ceres heales the stony Bacchus filles These ladders of the skie these rough-aspiring Hilles The stoarehouses of stormes the forging-shops of thunders Which thou vntruly cal'st th'earthes faults shameful wonders And think'st the liuing God to say 't I am aferd Created them of spight or in creating err'd They bound the kingdomes out with euer-standing markes And for our shipping beare of timber goodly parks The same affoord thee stuffe to build thy roofed holde The same in winter-time defend thee from the colde They powre-out day and night the deep-enchanel'd Riuers That breed and beare on them to feede the neighbour liuers They remanure the lands with fruitfull cloudes and showers They helpe the Milles to turne and stand instead of towers And bulwarkes to defend Bellonaes angry wound And morter to the sea the Center of the ground The Wasternes of land that men so much amazeth Is like a common feild where store of cattell grazeth And whence by thousand heads they come our tylth to rood To furnish vs with furre with leather wood and food The sea it selfe that seemes for nothing else to sarue But eu'n to drowne the world although it neuer swarue That rumbling ouer-heales so many a mighty land Wherein the waters stead much wauing might corne stand A great store-place it is and vnd'r a watry plaine Flocks numberles it feedes to feed mankind againe And of the cates thereof are thousand cities saru'd That could not otherwise but languish hunger staru'd As doth a Dolphin whom vpon the shore halfe-dead The tyde vntrusty left when back-againe it fled It shorter makes the wayes encreases marchandise And causes day and night the reaking mists arise That still refresh our ayre and downe in water flowing Set eu'n before our eyes the grainy pipe a growing The Poet as after a long voyage landeth in France 66 But shall I still be tost with Boreas boystrous puffes Still subiect to the rage of Neptunes counterbuffes And shall I neuer see my country-chimnies reake Alas my rowing failes my boate begins to leake I am vndone I am except some gentle banke Receaue and that right soone my wrack-reserued planke Ha France I ken thy shore thou reachest me thine arme Thou opnest wide thy lap to shend thy sonne from harme Nor wilt in stranger landes I roaming step in age Nor ore my bones triumphe Bresile anthropophage Nor Catay ore my fame nor Peru ere my verse As thou my cradle wert so wilt thou be my herse The prayse of France O thousand thousand times most happy land of price O Europes only pearle O earthly Paradise All-hayle renowned France from thee sprong many a Knight That hath in former times his triumph-laurels pight Vpon Euphrates bankes and blood with Bilbo shed Both at the sunnes vprist and where he goes to bed Thou breedest many men that bolde and happie dare In works of handy-craft with Nature selfe compare Thou breedest many wits that with a skill diuine Teach Aegypt Greece and Roome and ore the learned shine As ore the paler hewes doe glister golden yellowes The sunne aboue the starres his floure aboue the fellowes Thy streames are little seas thy Cyties Prouinces In building full of state and gentle in vsages Thy soyle yeeldes good encrease thine ayre is full of ease Thou hast for strong defence two mountaines and two Seas Th' Aegyptian Crocodile disquiets not thy bankes The plaguie Lybian snakes with poyson-spotted flankes Crawle not in broken pleights vpon thy slowry plaines Nor meats an aker out by length of dragling traines No Hyrcan Tigers slight boot-hails thy vaulted hilles Nor on thy skorched wastes th' Arcadian Lion killes Thy wandring habitants nor Cairik Water-horses Drag vnd'r arowling tombe thy childrens tender corses And though like Indy streames thy fairest riuers driue not Among their pebbles golde although thy mountaines riue not With vaines of siluer vre nor yet among thy greet Carbuncles Granats Pearles are scattred at our feet Thy Cloth thy Wooll thy Woade thy Salte thy Corne thy Wines More necessary fruits are well-sufficient mines T' entitle thee the Queene of all this earthly scope Peace the onely want of France prayed-for inconclusion Peace is our only want O God that holdest ope Alwaies thine eyes on vs we humbly thee desire Quench with thy mercy-drops this Fraunce-consuming fire O make our Aïer calme deere Father vs deliuer And put thine angry shaftes againe into thy quiuer 58 O world of sundry kindes Without this discourse all that went before concerning the worldes enpeopling were to little purpose or none at all saue onely to breede many doubts in the readers vnderstanding For a man may aske How falles it out that the nations of the world comming all of one father Noe doe varie so much one from another both in body and minde The Poet therefore making this obiection most worthie to be considered giueth also answere thereunto first in generall by way of exclamation and maruaile then in particular manner setting downe some speciall reasons of this wonderfull diuersitie that appeareth in the stature complexion strength colour and custome of people wheresoeuer dispersed ouer the face of the earth The first and principall cause is Nature it selfe that is the wise prouidence of God marueilous in all his workes If God had made the earth in all places alike all flowers of one colour and sauour all beastes fowles fishes and creeping things of one kind had he made the heauen without starres or the starres all of one bignesse men all of the same hew beautie feature strength and disposition as well of body as minde the diuers colours of his infinite wisedome had not so shined in them But as he is aboue all yea onely wise good and beautifull so would he in his workes keepe a certaine resemblance of his owne perfection prouoking vs thereby daily to aduaunce and rayse our thoughtes vnto the high consideration parfite loue due reuerence of himselfe Now if we consider all his workes the light of his wonderfull glory no where appeareth more then in the diligent view of Man who is very fitly called of the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the little world For in this little table hath he lymbed-out in orient colours for all that
coūsaile wauering in dyet sumptuous gentle in speech diuers in apparell outfacing his enemie a sweete singer a swift paser a merry louer If any man can draw a righter counterfait of our Nation let him take the pensill 63 Yet would th' Immortall God He showes for what cause it pleased God the earth should be enhabited by men of so diuers natures as 1. to the end he might shew forth his mercy and louing kindnes in raysing his chosen out of the sincks of sinne wherewith each of their birth-soyles were bestayned 2. That it might appeare how neither the soyles nor yet the heauenly Signes though they haue great power ouer earthly bodies can force the mindes of men especially such as God himselfe hath blessed 3. That there might be some in all places of the world to acknowledge his manifold goodnesse and glorifie his Name And 4. that whatsoeuer needfull things the earth any where by his gratious blessing bringeth forth proper and seuerally they might be enterchanged and carried from place to place for the vse of man 64 For as a Citie The last consideration giues the Author occasion to compare the world vnto a great Citie such as Paris Roan Tolouse Lyons or any other like where there are marchants and craftesmen for all kind of wares each in their seuerall wardes buying selling changing and trading one with other And euen so one countrie affoordeth sugar another spice another gummes and gold alabaster Iuorie hebenwood horses amber furres tynne and silke they are brought from diuers coastes all the more to furnish with thinges necessary this great Citie of the worlde VVhereby wee may note that no countrie bee it neuer so well appointed can say that it needes not the commodities of another And againe that there is no land so barren but hath some good thing or other which the rest want For euen in men wee see the like there is none so poore but hath some speciall gift none so rich but hath neede of the poorest Our Poet therefore hauing so fitly resembled the world by a great Citie he brings-in thereupon a fine example of the Persian Queene who as Herodotus Xenophon and Plutarch report called one Prouince her Iuelhouse another her Wardrope c for euen so may euery man say that hath the true knowledge and feare of God such a man may saye Peru bringes foorth Gold for me the Moluckes or Chaldaea Spice Damaske Alabaster and Italie Silke Germany sends me great Horses Moscouie rich Furres Arabia sweet Parfumes Spaine Saffern Prusse Amber England Cloath and Tinne France Corne and Wine Yea more the child of God may say the Earth the Sea the Aire and all that is therein the Sunne the Moone the Heauens are mine for he that needeth nothing made all things of nothing to serue me and me to worship him But of this let the Deuines discourse more at large He goe on with the Poet who sayth further against the carping Atheist that nothing was created in vaine but euen the most vnlikely places bring foorth many good fruits and very necessarie for the life of Man And hee proues it plainly by some notable particulars that follow 65 The Moores enameled First The Fennie Valleis though too moyst they are and ouer-low for men to build and dwell vpon yet are they so beset with diuers herbes and flowers so iagg'd garded and enter-trailed with riuers that they are as 't were the common gardens of the world as also the plaine fields are our seed-plots and the stony grounds our Vineyards 2. The huge Mountains about whose tops are engendred thunders lightnings and tempests for which cause the Atheists count them hurtfull or at least superfluous or made by chaunce and errour they are in trueth cleane contrarie as Theodoret hath long agoe shewed in his Sermons of Gods Prouidence euen the sure-standing Bounds and Land-marks of euery kingdome and countrie they beare great store of timber-trees for ships and houses and fuell to burne from them spring the great riuers that breede much fish and helpe the conueyance of prouision and other marchandise vnto many people dwelling far-of by them are stayd and gathered the clowdes and thicke musts that manure and fatten the lower grounds the Wind-milles are much helped by them as if they were the store-houses of winde like rampiers and bulwarks they keepe-of the sudden force of warlike neighbours and to conclude they are as 't were the very morter that ioynes Land and Sea together 3. The great Deserts and wast-grounds that are for men by reason of some wants scarse habitable yet like huge Commons they feede an infinit sort of beasts great small whereof we haue good vse and commoditie 4. The Sea it breeds fish maintaines many Cities encreases Traffick and makes the wayes for trauaile easier and shorter and lastly thereout the Sunne draweth vapours which after turned into raine doe refresh the Aire and make the ground fruitfull The like good vses may bee found in all other the Creatures of God how vnlikely soeuer they seeme to wicked Atheists Looke more in S. Basil Chrysostome Ambrose and others who write of the Creation and at large haue declared what excellent commodities man may reap of euery creature 66 But shall I still be toss'd Fitly and in very good time the Poet hauing ouerslipt nothing worthie note in this discourse of Colonies now strikes sayle and after his long voyage thorow all Climats of the world ariues happily at the hauen he most desired to weet in France and well he takes occasion to reckon-vp the great commodities of his countrie as commending the same aboue all the kingdomes of the world After he hath saluted the land with diuers honourable termes and titles he sayth very truly that it hath brought-foorth many worthie warriors cunning workmen and learned Schollers more is the meruaile because it is but a small kingdome in comparison of Polonia Persia Tartaria China and others But indeede the commodities thereof are most wonderfull Besides the seas that bound it as on the North and West the Ocean and the Midland on the South it hath many riuers of great name and euen little seas as the Rosue Saone Dordogne Loire Marne Seine Oise and yet a great number of other lesser streames and brookes Cities it hath as Paris Tolouse Roüan Lyon Bourdeaux and others of more value then diuers whole Duchies Earldomes or Prouinces elsewhere There are Forts and Castles now stronger and goodlier then euer were As for the ciuill behauiour of the people I report me to the iudgement of other nations The Land for the most part is very fruitfull and the aire there temperate almost euery where Against the sudden inuasion of enemies all is well defended by the two Seas aforesayd and the Alpes toward Italie and the Pyrenes toward Spaine More then all this the countrie is no where troubled with Crocodiles as Aegypt is nor with monstrous long Serpents or any wilde rauening beasts as the inner countries of Affricke are And in stead of Gold and Siluer Pearles and precious stones which diuers lands barren of necessarie fruites abound with it hath of Cloath Woade Wooll Salt Corne and Wine euer-growing Mines and euen vnwastable Woade and Salt in Languedoc and Salt againe in Guyenne Wine in most places Wooll and Corne in Prouence and Beausse and in euery Prouince but foure or fiue good store of diuers the sayd commodities More there are but the Poet notes the chiefe onely and such as the neighbour countries and many far-of doe most of al trade-for Hereby we are taught and should be moued with heartie thanks to acknowledge the great benefits that God hath bestowed on vs for the Poet rightly concludes that wee lacke nothing but peace and peace he craueth of the Lord with whom and all my good countrimen I ioyne humble suite from the bottome of my heart that once again this Realme sometime so florishing may enioy a sure that is a iust and right Christian peace Amen FINIS